>>>> HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS PREPARING ME FOR LIFE. ∫
>>>> LEARN MORE ABOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SEE HOW STUDENTS LIKE ME ARE PREPARED FOR LIFE. [ SOUNDING GAVEL ]
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. THE BOARD MEETING OF JANUARY 15th, 2019 IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER. MEMBER SNIVELY WILL NOW LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
>>>>Melissa Snively: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. [MOMENT OF SILENCE] AND I'D LIKE TO SHARE THE FOLLOWING QUOTE WITH YOU AS WE REFLECT ON THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THE DIFFERENCE THAT DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. MADE IN HIS LIFETIME. EDUCATION MUST ENABLE ONE TO SIFT AND WEIGH EVIDENCE, TO DISCERN THE TRUE FROM THE FALSE, THE REAL FROM THE UNREAL AND THE FACTS FROM THE FICTION. THE FUNCTION OF EDUCATION, THEREFORE, IS TO TEACH ONE TO THINK INTENSIVELY AND TO THINK CRITICALLY. INTELLIGENCE PLUS CHARACTER, THAT IS THE GOAL OF EDUCATION. PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MEMBER SNIVELY. WILL YOU ALSO PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STUDENT ENTERTAINMENT FOR TODAY.
>>>>Melissa Snively: I AM PLEASED TO DO THAT, MADAM CHAIR. I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE TWO MEMBERS OF THE PROGRESS VILLAGE MIDDLE SCHOOL ORCHESTRA TO THE PODIUM OR THE LECTERN, ACTUALLY, TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. THESE WONDERFUL STUDENTS ENTERTAINED US PRIOR TO THE START OF OUR BOARD MEETING. PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND TELL US WHAT GRADE YOU'RE IN.
>>>> HI. I'M MYRA. PROGRESS VILLAGE MIDDLE MAGNET SCHOOL OF THE ARTS. I'M IN 8th GRADE AND PLAY THE VIOLIN.
>>>> I'M BRADLEY GOBER FROM PROGRESS VILLAGE MIDDLE MAGNET SCHOOL OF THE ARTS, OF COURSE. I PLAY THE VIOLIN.
>>>> HI. TYLER LEAVITT. I'M THE MAGNET LEADS ARTS TEACHER AT PROGRESS VILLAGE.
>>>>Melissa Snively: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT THIS AFTERNOON. LET'S GIVE THEM A WARM ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [ APPLAUSE ]
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE INDIA WEBB OUR CITIZENS COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE FROM STRAWBERRY CESS HIGH SCHOOL WHO WILL BE SERVING AS OUR STUDENT SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVE THIS EVENING. WELCOME, INDIA AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. [ APPLAUSE ] BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE SEVEN WITHDRAWN ITEMS TODAY. B 03, C-4.04, C 4.05, C 6.06, C 7.05. C-7.06 AND C-11.04. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER STUART AND A SECOND BY MEMBER SNIVELY. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. THANK YOU. THE MOTION CARRIES. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE THREE SETS OF MINUTES TO APPROVE TODAY. DECEMBER 4 OF 2018 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, DECEMBER 11, 2018 SCHOOL BOARD RECOGNITION MEETING, AND DECEMBER 12, 2018 SCHOOL BOARD WORKSHOP. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER STUART AND A SECOND BY MEMBER CONA. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. THE MOTION CARRIES. MEMBER SNIVELY WILL NOW READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES.
>>>>Melissa Snively: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. 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'S AGENDA IS A CONSENT AGENDA. ITEMS ON THE AGENDA ARE APPROVED WITH A MOTION AND VOTE UNLESS AN ITEM IS PULLED FOR DISCUSSION. THE AGENDA AND BACKUP DOCUMENTATION ARE ALL AVAILABLE ONLINE. THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON THE LIVE WEBCAST, ON CABLE TELEVISION, AND ALSO VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT CAN ALSO BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING IN THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVE. THERE ARE SPEAKERS IN THE ROOM BEHIND ME THAT ALLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO HEAR THE MEETING WHEN THEY'RE AWAY FROM THE DAIS. 45 MINUTES HAS BEEN SET ASIDE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. SPEAKERS ARE GRANTED THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS A SINGLE AGENDA ITEM OR A TOTAL OF FIVE MINUTES TO ADDRESS TWO OR MORE AGENDA ITEMS. IF TEN PEOPLE OR MORE ARE PLANNING TO ADDRESS A SINGLE TOPIC, OUR PROCEDURE REDUCES THE SPEAKING TIME FOR EACH PERSON FROM THREE MINUTES TO TWO. THIS IS TO MAKE SURE WE HEAR FROM THE MOST PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE DURING THE SAME AVAILABLE TIME. YOUR COMMENTS ARE IMPORTANT. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO YOUR COMMENTS, OUR STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU IMMEDIATELY AND THEY'LL KEEP OUR BOARD INFORMED ABOUT THE RESPONSE. OUR SCHOOL BOARD RESPECTS THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD. WE APPRECIATE TAKING YOUR TIME TO BE HERE. ANY BEHAVIOR INTENDED TO INTERRUPT THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. OUR CIVILITY POLICY IS NOW IN EFFECT.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MEMBER SNIVELY. WE WILL NOW TAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORTS FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WERE PULLED FOR DISCUSSION. A-01, C 1.01, C-6.02, 6.03, 6.07, 6.11, 6.12, 6.13, C-10.01, C 11.01, 11.02 AND D-01. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THOSE ITEMS PULLED. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER STUART AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHT APPEARS. THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS HAVE BEEN MOVED UP ON THE AGENDA C 11.01 AND C 11.02. WE HAVE THREE ITEMS THAT WILL BE TAKEN AT A SPECIFIC TIME TODAY. 4 P.M., ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS. 5:01, PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ADOPTION OF NEW AND REVISED POLICIES AND 6 P.M., EMPLOYEE INPUT. BOARD MEMBERS, LET ME JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO REMIND YOU THAT WE EACH WILL BE GIVEN TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK AS AN AGENDA ITEM. SHOULD YOU FEEL THE NEED TO GO BEYOND TWO MINUTES, I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE PAUSE YOUR COMMENTS AND REQUEUE IN THE LINE. WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO ITEM 101, ADOPTION OF PROCLAMATION, CAREER AND TECHNICAL MONTH FEBRUARY 2019. THIS ITEM HAS BEEN PULLED FOR HIGHLIGHT BY MEMBER SNIVELY AND MR. CHRISTOPHER JARGO, DIRECTOR OF CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. WELCOME, MR. JARGO.
>>>>Christopher Jargo: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR. SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF, WE REQUEST YOUR APPROVAL TO ADOPT THE PROCLAMATION OF CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION OR CTE MONTH, 2019, FEBRUARY. THIS YEAR'S THEME IS CELEBRATE TODAY, OWN TOMORROW. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO A NUMBER OF EXCITING SPECIAL CTE EVENTS THIS SPRING, STARTING IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, INCLUDING OUR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CAREER AWARENESS LEADERSHIP FORUM, OUR CONSTRUCTION CAREER DAYS, OUR PLANT CITY FUTURE FAIR, AND OUR BUILD TAMPA BAY. I WILL READ AN EXCERPT FROM THE PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS PROFOUND ECONOMIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES IN OUR SOCIETY ARE RAPIDLY REFLECTED IN THE STRUCTURE AND NATURE OF WORK. AND WHEREAS THE EFFORTS OF CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATORS, BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY, STIMULATE THE GROWTH AND VITALITY OF OUR LOCAL ECONOMY BY PREPARING GRADUATES FOR CAREERS THAT ARE FORECAST TO EXPERIENCE THE FASTEST GROWTH IN THE NEXT DECADE. WHEREAS, CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION STUDENTS IN FLORIDA WHO COMPLETE THREE OR MORE CTE COURSES WITHIN A PRESCRIBED PROGRAM AND WHO MEET OTHER STANDARDS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE GOLD SEAL VOCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP. AND WHEREAS, THERE ARE OVER 100 APPROVED STATEWIDE GOLD STANDARD ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS WHICH ENABLE STUDENTS TO NOT ONLY EARN AN INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION BUT ALSO COLLEGE CREDIT. WHEREAS, THERE ARE OVER 14,000 CAREER-THEMED COURSES LOCATED THROUGHOUT FLORIDA. AND WHEREAS, OVER 700,000 SECONDARY AND POSTSECONDARY CTE STUDENTS IN FLORIDA ENGAGE IN THIS TYPE OF MEANINGFUL EDUCATION. WHEREAS, MANY THOUSANDS OF SECONDARY AND POSTSECONDARY TEACHERS INSPIRE STUDENTS TO SUCCEED IN COLLEGE AND CAREERS. AND WHEREAS, OUR CAREER AND TECHNICAL STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS CALLED CTS Os ENHANCE A STUDENT'S EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND THE ABILITY TO SEE RELEVANCE IN THEIR PROGRAM. NOW, THEREFORE, THE SCHOOL BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA, HEREBY PROCLAIMS THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2019 AS CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION MONTH. WE THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF CTE.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. JARGO. BOARD MEMBERS, I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO ADOPT THE PROCLAMATION FOR CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION MONTH FEBRUARY 2019. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER SNIVELY AND A SECOND BY MR. CONA -- MEMBER CONA. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. THE MOTION CARRIES, THANK YOU SO MUCH. NOW MOVE TO ITEM A 02, APPROVE THE ADOPTION OF PROCLAMATION SUPPORTING THE 39th ANNUAL REVEREND DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. LEADERSHIP BREAK THIS. I BELIEVE -- LEADERSHIP BREAK BR THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. I WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. WHEREAS, THE TAMPA ORGANIZATION OF BLACK AFFAIRS, TOBA, 39th ANNUAL REVEREND DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING BREAKFAST WILL BE HELD ON MONDAY, JANUARY 21, 2019. WHEREAS, ANNUALLY THIS EVENT BRINGS TOGETHER AN AUDIENCE CONSISTING OF CORPORATE SPONSORS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, MEMBERS OF GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS AND THE COMMUNITY AT-LARGE TO HONOR THE PRINCIPALSEE SPOUSED -- PRINCIPLESEE SPOUSED BY DR. KING. AND WHEREAS, THE THEME FOR THE 2019 BREAKFAST IS "HIS DREAM, OUR REALITY" REFLECTING TOBA'S GOAL OF SHARING AND CELEBRATING OUR DIVERSITIES IN LIGHT OF RECENT EVENTS GOING ON IN THE WORLD AND IN OUR COUNTRY. AND WHEREAS, THIS EVENT HIGHLIGHTS THE COMMUNITY'S EFFORTS TO EMPOWER AND INSPIRE A NEW GENERATION OF LEADERS WHO WILL STAY FOCUSED ON ISSUES IN THE COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS, THIS PROGRAM CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE TAMPA COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER TO REFLECT, CELEBRATE, AND APPRECIATE DR. KING'S VISION OF PROMOTING JUSTICE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND TRUTH FOR OUR GLOBAL SOCIETY. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SUPPORTS THE 39th ANNUAL REVEREND DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. LEADERSHIP BREAKFAST TO BE HELD ON MONDAY, JANUARY 21st, 2019. AND THANKS TO THE TAMPA ORGANIZATION OF BLACK AFFAIRS FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO BRING TOGETHER OUR COMMUNITY. DATED THIS 15th DAY OF JANUARY, 2019 BY THE SCHOOL BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA.
>>>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. ON BEHALF OF TOBA AND OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND MEMBERS, WE APPRECIATE NOT ONLY THE PROCLAMATION AGAIN, BUT THE EXTENDED RELATIONSHIP THAT WE'VE HAD WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. TOBA WAS FOUNDED IN 1979, SO IT WILL BE 40 YEARS AT OUR NEXT CELEBRATION. WE THANK YOU, ESPECIALLY VERY PROUD. TOBA FOCUSES PRIMARILY ON THE SPECIAL INTERESTS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN PEOPLE BUT NOT TO EXCLUDING ANY OTHER GROUP, BUT TO INCLUDE US SO THAT IT MAKES THE WHOLE COMMUNITY BETTER. SO WE'RE EXTREMELY PROUD TO HAVE YOU AS CHAIR, AND WE SUPPORT YOU IN THAT ROLE THAT YOU'RE PLAYING. WE APPRECIATE THE ROLE ALL OF YOU PLAY. AND TO THE NEW MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MR. CONA AND MS. GRAY -- I'M SORRY, MS. HAHN, DR. HAHN, I GOT CORRECTED ON THAT IN A LETTER THAT I WROTE, AND MS. PEREZ. AND I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO MY FRIEND CINDY STUART THERE FOR SPELLING HER NAME INCORRECTLY IN A RECENT LETTER I WROTE, BUT IT'S ALL IN GOOD LOVE. I WANT TO ALSO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY THAT WITH OUR CONTINUING WORK EVERY QUARTER TO MEET WITH YOUR SUPERINTENDENT, MR. EAKINS AND MR. PETERS AND MS. MINERVA SPANNER-MORROW. AND I THINK GRETCHEN. GRETCHEN IS AMAZING, TOO. WE APPRECIATE ALL OF THAT. I ALSO WANTED TO HAVE YOU JUST HAVE THESE FOLKS JUST INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND WE'LL MOVE ON WITH THE AGENDA. BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PROCLAMATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON MONDAY MORNING. DOES ANYONE WANT TO KNOW WHY WE START AT 6:45? IN 1980, THERE WAS NO NATIONAL HOLIDAY FOR DR. KING'S BIRTHDAY. SO WE STARTED BREAKFAST AT 6:45 SO FOLKS COULD GO TO THE BREAKFAST AND THEN TO WORK. WE DECIDED TO KEEP THE BREAKFAST AT 6:45 BECAUSE OF THE SMALL SACRIFICE COMPARED TO THE SACRIFICE DR. KING MADE IN GIVING HIS LIFE TO HELP ALL OF US BE BETTER PEOPLE WITH EACH OTHER. SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE START AT 6:45. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU. IF YOU CAN'T BE THERE ON TIME, BE EARLY. [ LAUGHTER ]
>>>> MY NAME IS TAMMY CHARLES. I AM ONE OF THE CO-CHAIRS FOR THE 39th ANNUAL MLK LEADERSHIP BREAKFAST FOR THIS YEAR. IT IS DEFINITELY AN HONOR. SO I WANT TO THANK THE SCHOOL BOARD SO MUCH FOR THE PROCLAMATION LETTER. AND WE'RE EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO FULFILL OUR VISION, WHICH IS OUR THEME THIS YEAR, WHICH IS "HIS DREAM, OUR REALITY." SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH.
>>>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SOL MEN DAVIS. ONE OF THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE 39th ANNUAL DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING BREAKFAST. I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE NEW MEMBERS FOR THE NEW BOARD POSITION YOU HAVE. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE CONTINUED SPONSORSHIP AND THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH TOBA, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL ON MONDAY MORNING.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. BOARD MEMBERS, I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE PROCLAMATION SUPPORTING THE 39th ANNUAL REVEREND DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. LEADERSHIP BREAKFAST. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER SNIVELY AND A SECOND BY MEMBER CONA. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MEMBER SNIVELY.
>>>>Melissa Snively: IF I HAVE A FRIEND WHO HAS PROCRASTINATED AND HASN'T SIGNED UP FOR YOUR BREAKFAST YET, WOULD THERE STILL BE TIME FOR SOMEONE TO SIGN UP FOR YOUR BREAKFAST?
>>>> WE NEED TO TALK OFF LINE ABOUT THAT.
>>>>Melissa Snively: JUST ASKING FOR A FRIEND.
>>>> IF YOU COULD HAVE SOMEONE FROM YOUR OFFICE GIVE ME A CALL, I THINK WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP YOU WITH THAT.
>>>>Melissa Snively: I'LL LET MY FRIEND KNOW.
>>>> PLEASE DON'T GIVE MY NUMBER TO ANYONE ELSE. THANK YOU. ARE WE DOING ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE PROCLAMATION?
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT IS UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [ APPLAUSE ] I THINK YOU WANTED TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH THE BOARD. BOARD MEMBERS, IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF WE CAN TAKE A SECOND TO HUDDLE UP FRONT, SUPERINTENDENT, AND IF YOU GUYS WANT TO STAND UP HERE IN THE FRONT. WE'LL STAND BEHIND YOU.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE. WE WILL NOW HAVE A SPECIAL PRESENTATION. I INVITE MARYLOU WHALEY, THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OUTREACH AND PHILANTHROPY TO HIGHLIGHT THE BULLET FAMILY FOUNDATION JOY OF GIVING EVENT. MS. WHALEY.
>>>>MaryLou Whaley: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. I'M REALLY PLEASED. IT'S MY PLEASURE TO BRING FORWARD TODAY AN IDEA THAT HAPPENED BEFORE DECEMBER -- ON DECEMBER 22nd, JOY OF GIVING. SUPERINTENDENT EAKINS --
>>>> I MAKE YOU NERVOUS?
>>>> YES, MAYBE. POTENTIALLY. [ LAUGHTER ] CHAIR SHAMBURGER, BOARD AND GUESTS, SO, ANYWAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JOY OF GIVING IS IN THE NINTH YEAR. IT'S BEEN AN AMAZING EVENT. IT'S SPONSORED BY THADDEUS BULLARD, AKAWWE SUPERSTAR TITUS O'NEILL. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE CHANGES AND REALLY THE GROWTH. WE HAD 30,000 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE, WHICH IS AMAZING. IT WAS A DAY OF FUN, AND ACTIVATIONS AND GIFTS. MORE THAN 15,000 CHILDREN AGES 0 TO HIGH SCHOOL RECEIVED A GIFT THANKS TO OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH WALMART. THAT'S OVER $300,000 WORTH OF GIFTS. THERE WAS ALSO 18,000 MEALS SERVED. THE DAY WAS AT NO COST TO OUR FAMILIES. IT WAS ALL DAY. IT STARTED AT 10:01. 01 BEING THE NUMBER OF UNITY. I KNOW THAT IS A BIG IMPORTANT ITEM FOR THAD. OTIDE FROM THAT, IT WAS A PART OF A LARGER SCHEME FOR OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A COMBINATION OF THINGS WITH FOOTBALL AND PHILANTHROPY WITH THE GASPARILLA BOWL, WHICH IS BRAND NEW TO THE TAMPA BAY AREA THAT TITUS BROUGHT ESSENTIALLY ALONG WITH JAY MIZEN AND THE GROUP TO TAMPA AND HONORED OUR FAMILIES WITH 10,000 FREE TICKETS. BUSES, OF COURSE, THERE WAS A STORM. SORRY, BEAKMAN. WE HAD 80 BUSES PLANNED. AND WE HAD -- OUR ATTENDANCE WAS LESS THAN WE WANTED BUT IT WAS A GREAT, GREAT DAY. IT WAS ABOUT EXPERIENCING JOY OVER THE COURSE OF FOUR DAYS. THERE IS ALSO A BIKE BUILD BY THE COLLEGIATE PLAYERS THAT WERE PRESENT. THEY GAVE 125 BIKES TO LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. POTTER BEING THE RECIPIENT SCHOOL AND SOME SLIGH STUDENTS. SO WE HAD A GREAT TIME FOR FOUR DAYS LEADING UP TO THE JOY OF GIVING EVENT, WHICH WAS SATURDAY. WE ALSO HAVE A VIDEO. I THINK PABLO HAS THAT. IT IS A THREE-MINUTE VIDEO. ∫
>>>> THE REASON WHY WE DO THIS IS TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, GIVE THEM A HOLIDAY EVENT THEY NEVER HAD BEFORE, GIVING THEM AN EXPERIENCE THEY NEVER HAD BEFORE. I CAME OUT HERE TODAY LOOKING TO BLESS OVER 15,000 FAMILIES. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED THANKS TO STEPP'S TOWING AND WALMART ALONG WITH SPONSORS ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF TAMPA AND FROM AROUND THE WORLD. ∫ EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT AND NEED ∫ ∫ SO BELIEVE AND YOU CAN NEVER GIVE UP ∫ YOU CAN REACH YOUR GOALS ∫ ∫ I BELIEVE I WILL ∫
>>>> I MEAN, I'M JUST OVERWHELMED WITH JOY ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE TODAY. SO MUCH LOVE IN THE AIR AND SO MUCH -- SO MUCH KINDNESS. THAT'S WHAT WE TRY TO SPIRE PEOPLE TO DO ON A REGULAR BASIS. ∫ I DO BELIEVE ∫ ∫
>>>> I'M IN THIS POSITION BECAUSE KINDNESS WAS DISPLAYED TO ME AT A VERY YOUNG AGE. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT KINDNESS THAT WAS SPREAD TO ME AT A VERY YOUNG AGE WHEN NOBODY HAD TO GAIN IN RETURN, THAT I COULD RETURN IT TO THEM. ∫ ∫ JUST GOT TO BELIEVE ∫ ∫ I BELIEVE I WILL ∫
>>>> BUT I COULDN'T DO IT BY MYSELF. I HAD SO MANY GREAT PARTNERS, SO MANY GREAT SPONSORS. SO MANY GREAT VOLUNTEERS. OVER 1800 VOLUNTEERS TO HELP US OUT WITH JOY GIVING 2018 HERE AT RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM. AND IT WAS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE, AND I THANK GOD THAT I WAS ABLE TO HELP SO MANY SMILES ON SO MANY PEOPLE'S FACES. WITH ALL THAT SAID AND DONE, I AM TIRED. I'M EXHAUSTED. I GOT TO GET READY TO GET UP IN THE MORNING AND GET READY TO START THIS ALL OVER AGAIN. GOD BLESS YOU GUYS. THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT AND THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING. ∫ ∫ ALL MY HOPES AND DREAMS I WILL BELIEVE ∫
>>>> SO, OBVIOUSLY, I'M GREATLY APPRECIATIVE OF ALL OF YOU. I'M NOT SURE HOW I FEEL ABOUT PREATION. I VALUE IT. I WAS RAISED IN IT. I APPRECIATE THE MOST UNDERUTILIZED ASSET WHICH IS OUR TEACHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE GET THE CHANCE TO BOAST THAT WE HAVE THE COUNTRY'S 8th LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT. BUT WE ALSO GET TO CELEBRATE THAT WE HAVE 85% HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE THIS YEAR. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND YOUR LEADERSHIP. [ APPLAUSE ] ONE THING THAT MARYLOU DIDN'T SAY IS WE ALSO GAVE THREE FAMILIES A BRAND-NEW CAR THAT DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEY WERE GETTING A CAR THROUGH OUR WORK WITH METROPOLITAN MINISTRIES AND HOPE ON WHEELS. SO NOT ONLY GET A CAR BUT ABLE TO SUSTAIN IT AS WELL. $2,000. THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR GAS AND HOW TO DOLLARS FOR GROCERIES -- AND HOW TO DOLLARS FOR GROCERIES AS WELL. IT IS THE PARTNERSHIP I HAVE WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD AND THE TEACHERS AND THE VOLUNTEERS THAT ALLOWS ME TO BE ABLE TO DO MY WORK AT A LOT FASTER RATE AND HIGHER RATE. CONGRATULATIONS TO STEVE AND MS. PEREZ WHO WAS OUT THERE ALL DAY LONG, CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING NEW BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU GUYS. JUST KNOW THAT I DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE SHARPEST OF TONGUES. I WILL CUSS SOMEBODY OUT ONCE IN A WHILE. IT'S ALL IN LOVE. [ LAUGHTER ] GOT AIN'T THROUGH WITH ME YET. HE'S WORKING ON ME, BUT I DEFINITELY AM APPRECIATIVE, LIKE I SAID, NOT ONLY OF YOU GUYS, BUT EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM THAT IS WORKING ON A VERY DILIGENT BASIS ON MAKING SURE THAT KIDS THAT COME FROM SITUATIONS SIMILAR TO MINE AND WORSE CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BETTER THEIR LIVES AND GO TO WONDERFUL COLLEGES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ESPECIALLY THE NUMBER ONE SCHOOL IN THE COUNTRY WHICH IS THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, RIGHT, MS. SNIVELY? OH, WE GOT TWO. EXCUSE ME. JUST SO YOU GUYS KNOW ON THURSDAY I'M TAKING 55 KIDS FROM SLIGH, 8th GRADERS, UP TO GAINESVILLE. WE'LL TAKE THEM ON A TOUR UP THERE. THEY ARE GOING TO TOUR THE FACILITIES. THE PRESIDENT'S OFFICE WILL BRING DOWN THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE TO TALK ABOUT FIRST GENERATION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS. AND THEN WE'LL FEED THEM AT THE DINING HALL. THEY'LL EAT WITH SOME OF THE ATHLETES AND REGULAR STUDENTS. AND THEN IN THE AFTERNOON, WE'LL GO THROUGH ALL THE ATHLETIC FIELDS. THEY'LL MEET THE FOOTBALL COACHES AND STUFF LIKE THAT. GO GATORS. ANYBODY ELSE, WE'LL GET TO YOU, YOU KNOW. [ LAUGHTER ] WE'LL GET TO YOU. BUT I DID WANT TO PRESENT SOMETHING TO YOU GUYS. TAMMY, YOU BEING THE CHAIR, I THINK I LIKE YOU A LOT MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE. I ACTUALLY DO LIKE HER.
>>>> THIS IS FOR INSTAGRAM FOR CITY OF TAMPA.
>>>> [OFF MICROPHONE] [ APPLAUSE ]
>>>>Lynn Gray: THADIUS, WE HAVE A FEW COMMENTS FOR YOU. WHEN YOU WERE SPEAKERS I FIRST THOUGHT ABOUT SOMETHING VERY VALUED, I THINK, TO EDUCATORS, IS STANDING THE TEST OF TIME. AND AS A FORMER TEACHER AND LIFELONG EDUCATOR, I DON'T THINK I'VE HAD AS GOOD AS AN EXAMPLE -- I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED ONE INDIVIDUAL SUCH AS YOURSELF THAT HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME IN CHANGING THE NEEDLE, MOVING THE NEEDLE TO HELPING THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED. AND BRINGING IT OUT THERE TIME AND TIME AGAIN, NOT JUST IN LITTLE PORTIONS BUT IN THOUSANDS. I JUST CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH BECAUSE I DO THINK YOU'RE PART OF THE POSITIVE CHANGE OF CULTURE, AND YOU EXEMPLIFY THAT IN YOUR ACTIONS AND THE ACTS OF KINDNESS AND WHO YOU ARE DAY TO DAY. I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH. I KNOW THE BOARD JOINS ME IN SAYING THAT.
>>>> THANK YOU.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER PEREZ.
>>>>Karen Perez: I WAS JUST IN AWE. I GOT TO TELL YOU. I WANTED TO GO HOME AND I WANT TO STAY. IT WAS JUST WHAT YOU DID THAT DAY FOR ALL THOSE CHILDREN, ALL THOSE FAMILIES, ALL THOSE MOMS, YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST IN AWE OF YOU. AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE MOVEMENT THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT ABOUT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR OUR STUDENTS AND NOT TO SHOW THEM WHAT AN EDUCATION CAN DO IN THEIR LIVES, BUT TO MAKE A CHANGE FACTOR IN THEIR LIVES. JUST THANK YOU. I WORK WITH THESE KIDS FOR YEARS, AND JUST TO WATCH THAT POSITIVE VIBE AND THE SMILES THAT YOU BROUGHT ON THEIR FACES THAT DAY, IT WAS JUST AMAZING AND EXTRAORDINARY. AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING THAT FOR THEM. THANK YOU.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE GENEROSITY AND LOVE YOU SHOW OUR STUDENTS. THE POPULATION YOU TEND TO SERVE, GENERALLY A LOT OF THOSE KIDS DON'T HAVE A LOT OF POSITIVE MALE ROLE MODELS IN THEIR LIVES. WE THANK YOU FOR STEPPING IN AND DOING THAT AND SHARING YOUR RICHES WITH OUR STUDENTS, BUT NOT ONLY YOUR RICHES BUT SHOWING THEM THE RICHES THEY HAVE INSIDE OF THEM AS WELL. WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOU. WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE EVENTS TO COME. AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
>>>> THANK YOU. AND GO GATORS. [ APPLAUSE ]
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: OKAY. MOVING ON, WE HAVE ANOTHER SPECIAL PRESENTATION BY MS. CAROL COOK WITH THE FLORIDA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION.
>>>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM THRILLED TO BE HERE TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION TODAY. I AM CAROL COOK. I AM LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT WITH FLORIDA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION. SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT FLORIDA SCHOOL BOARDS PROVIDES IS OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. WE ALL KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR OUR TEACHERS AND FOR OUR STAFF TO GO THROUGH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. WELL, IT'S EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SO THAT WE CAN BE THE BEST BOARD MEMBERS WE CAN BE IN ORDER TO LEAD THIS DISTRICT TO MAKE IMPACT ON OUR STUDENTS. AND WE HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. WE START WITH BRAND-NEW BOARD MEMBERS TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THEY ARE IN A VERY DIFFERENT JOB THAN MAYBE EVEN THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE GETTING INTO, BUT HOW TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR JOBS. AND THEN WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE DESIGNED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE SCHOOL BOARDS WORK AS A STRONG LEADERSHIP TEAM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE ONE CALLED THE CERTIFIED BOARD MEMBERS WHICH CONSISTS OF 96 HOURS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN A VARIETY OF AREAS, SUCH AS ADVOCACY, COMMUNICATION, POLICY, EDUCATIONAL ISSUES AND TOPICS THAT ARE COMING FORWARD. NOW, SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE PARTICIPATED AND PROBABLY ALREADY HAVE THE 96 HOURS. BUT I'M HERE TO RECOGNIZE ONE TODAY THAT HAS THE 96 HOURS THAT ALSO TURNED IN THE PAPERWORK AND IS GOING TO BE RECOGNIZED AS A CERTIFIED BOARD MEMBER BY THE FLORIDA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION. IT IS MY PLEASURE TODAY FROM THE FLORIDA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION TO RECOGNIZE MELISSA SNIVELY, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AS A CERTIFIED BOARD MEMBER BY THE FLORIDA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION. PLEASE COME FORWARD. [ APPLAUSE ] I WAS GOING TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY BUT I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU TO GET YOUR STUFF IN SO YOU, TOO, CAN RECEIVE IT. [ LAUGHTER ]
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: ALSO, SHE DID NOT MENTION IT, BUT MS. CAROL COOK IS OUR COUNTERPART IN PINELLAS. SHE IS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER IN PINELLAS COUNTY AND DOES ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL THINGS IN PINELLAS COUNTY. SHE HELPS US IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, CAROL. MEMBER STUART.
>>>>Cindy Stuart: THANK YOU. I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN. I KNOW I SAID IT LAST BOARD MEETING TO MS. SNIVELY, ALSO TO YOU. WE ACTUALLY HAVE THREE CERTIFIED BOARD MEMBERS SITTING UP HERE. SO THAT'S A START. IT DOESN'T GO UNRECOGNIZED THAT THIS IS ADDITIONAL WORK BEYOND WHAT WE DO SITTING AT THIS DAIS AND EVERY DAY IN OUR DISTRICT. IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY TO SPEND THE TIME, ESPECIALLY AS A NEW BOARD MEMBER AND GO TO THE TRAININGS AND UNDERSTAND A LOT OF -- SOME OF OUR STAFF ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE IN THAT TRAINING. BUT IT'S NOT AN EASY TASK PLUS TWO ANNUAL CONFERENCES A YEAR THAT WE ATTEND PLUS ETHICS TRAINING. THE LIST GOES ON. AND DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO BE INVOLVED THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT SHOULD BE DONE, COULD BE DONE AT THE STATE LEVEL. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU, MS. COOK, FOR DRIVING OVER AGAIN.
>>>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. CONGRATULATIONS, MEMBER SNIVELY. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM 11.01, ACKNOWLEDGE LANCE N. BECATTI, AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL SERVICES FOR DONATIONS TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THIS ITEM WAS PULLED FOR COMMENT BY MEMBER GRAY, AND IT WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED BY GRETCHEN SAUNDERS, CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER.
>>>>Gretchen Saunders: THANK YOU, MS. SHAMBURGER. SO I'M SO EXCITED. FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS, WE'VE BEEN GIFTED WITH LANCE BECATTI AND CARRIE LEROCO FROM AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL SERVICES. THEY HAVE BEEN WORDING ON SEVERAL CHILDREN CHARITIES HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH AND PINELLAS COUNTIES. THEY TRULY BELIEVE IN PAYING IT FORWARD TO SUPPORT THE ADVANCEMENT OF OUR NEXT GENERATIONS. ONE OF THEIRS FAVORITE ACTIVITIES IS STIMULATING THE ARTISTIC AND CREATIVE MINDS. THIS IS COMING FROM THE FINANCE GEEK, REMEMBER. THIS IS WHY IT'S SO EXCITING. MR. BECATTI AND MS. LEROCO HAVE ENLISTED OUR DISTRICT'S OWN MENA KATEING FROM PROCUREMENT IN SELECTING THREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ANNUALLY WITHIN THE DISTRICT TO COMPETE IN THEIR ANNUAL HOLIDAY ART CONTEST. EACH SCHOOL'S ART TEACHER SUBMITS FIVE OF THEIR BEST STUDENT DRAWINGS OF WHAT THE HOLIDAY SEASON MEANS TO ME. MR. BECATTI, ALONG WITH THEIR TEAM OF JUDGES, INCLUDING FORMER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS MS. CURDLE AND MS. EDGECOMB, SELECT A FIRST, SECOND, THIRD PLACE WINNER AS WELL AS AN HONORABLE MENTION FROM THE SUBMISSIONS. WITH THAT, I'LL HAND IT OFF FOR MR. BECAT TOW TAKE OVER.
>>>> THERE WE ARE AGAIN. THIS IS SO MUCH FUN. THIS IS OUR 10th YEAR THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS WITH YOU. YOU HAVE BEEN, I THINK, FOR EVERY ONE OF THESE THAT WE HAVE DONE, IT'S BEEN SO GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE. WE HAVE, JUST GOING OVER SOME OF THE STATISTICS IN MY HEAD THAT WE HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT SO FAR OVER 40 DIRECT AWARDS TO THE CHILDREN AT THE LEVEL YOU'RE SEEING HERE TODAY. THERE'S BEEN OVER 150 RECOGNITIONS PLACED OUT. WE HAVE DONATED IN EXCESS OF $15,000 TO THE SCHOOLS IN ACTUAL ART SUPPLY GIFT CARDS. SO THE IDEA IS THAT IT'S NOT MONEY TO THE SCHOOL TO JUST GET LOST IN THE ASPECT OF WHATEVER WE NEED TO SPEND IT ON. IT HAS TO BE SPENT AT AN ART SUPPLY CENTER IN ORDER TO GET IT. THE GOVERNMENT SUPPLY AGENCY, SO WE CAN ACTUALLY GET A GOOD SUPPLY OF ITEMS. THIS YEAR WE EXPANDED OUR GIFT EVEN FURTHER TO GO WITH THE MY CHOICE CARD TO PUT ANOTHER $250 INTO THE PROGRAM. AND AS I HAVE SAID IN THE YEARS IN THE PAST, OUR GOAL WITH THIS IS TO ALWAYS PROVE THAT THE VALUE OF ART WILL ALWAYS REMAIN IN HAND. THERE IS A CONSTANT GEAR THAT I'VE HAD AND A CONSTANT PROMISE AND CANT THREAT THAT SAID IF ANY ONE STUDENT CAN FIND SOMETHING DEVELOPED BY MAN THAT DIDN'T RE-CREATE, DIDN'T REQUIRE, DID NOT HAVE A DRAWING OF IT FIRST, THERE IS A $10,000 ART CERTIFICATE WAITING FOR THEIR SCHOOL. THAT IS THE VALUE OF ART. YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DRAW TO CREATE ANYTHING THAT IT IS RE-CREATING. FINALLY, THE ITEM, I KNOW WHAT IT IS. THIS IS NOT A JOKE. IT'S FOR REAL. HURT ME. TAKE THE $10,000. OKAY. SOMEBODY FIND IT. IT HAS TO COME FROM A STUDENT, THOUGH. [ LAUGHTER ] THAT WE ARE AWARE, TO BE ABLE TO PROVE THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING CREATED BY MAN THAT DIDN'T REQUIRE A DRAWING FIRST. WASN'T GUARANTEED BY A DRAWING. ACTUALLY FROM THE MIND OUT. CARRIE, YOU HAD FUN WITH THIS.
>>>> I'M CARRIE LEROCO OF BECATTI AND LEROCO WEALTH ADVISORS. LANCE AND I ARE GOING INTO OUR THIRD YEAR BEING PARTNERS. TWO YEARS AGO WHEN I JOINED THE TEAM, HE ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE HOLIDAY ART CONTEST. I SAID ABSOLUTELY, BUT I'M GOING TO ADD MY OWN PERSONAL TOUCH TO THIS CONTEST AS WELL. I REMEMBER GROWING UP THERE WERE A COUPLE OF THINGS I WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT, ART BEING ONE OF THEM AND BEING OUTSIDE WAS ANOTHER ONE. AS AN ADULT, BOTH OF THOSE THINGS ARE STILL THINGS THAT I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT. AS WE KIND OF THINK ABOUT THIS IN A DIFFERENT WAY AND GO, ARE THESE THINGS CONNECTED EVEN THOUGH THEY DON'T SEEM THEY ARE, THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND CREATIVITY THAT ARE INVOLVED IN BOTH OF THOSE, BEING IN THE CLASSROOM AND BEING OUTSIDE. SO AS WE PRESENT THIS YEAR, WE ALSO HAVE THE BENEFIT OF PARTNERING WITH A COUPLE OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, FLYING FISH AND A CHARITY IN THE AREA ON BIKES WHO DESERVES EVERY KID DESERVES A BIKE. THEY DONATED THE FIRST PRIZE THIS YEAR. AS WE PRESENT, WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THIS AND PARTNER WITH OUR LOCAL CHARITIES IN COMMUNITIES SO WORK WITH THE CHILDREN TO AWARD THEM IN VERY DIFFERENT WAYS.
>>>> I GUESS WE SHOULD START WITH THE THIRD PLACE WINNERS. ONCE AGAIN, DOVER ELEMENTARY, WITTER ELEMENTARY THIS YEAR WERE INVOLVED IN THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL OF THIS. FROM DOVER, THIRD PLACE, WE HAVE MIA RODRIGUEZ. [ APPLAUSE ] I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THE ART THEY CREATED. [ APPLAUSE ] FROM WITTER ELEMENTARY, I HOPE I SAY THIS RIGHT, JOLIANA PEREZ. IS SHE HERE? [ APPLAUSE ]
>>>> NOT THAT FIRST PLACE DOESN'T COUNT, BUT THIS ONE IS ALWAYS MY FAVORITE BECAUSE IT IS MY FAVORITE, THE CARD AND ART WE CHOSE TO DO FOR MY FAMILY ART IN OUR OWN PERSONAL FAMILY CARD. THERE WERE OVER 300 PEOPLE THAT THIS WENT OUT TO THIS YEAR. BY THE WAY, THE CARDS HAVE SEEN OVER 1,000 FOLKS NOW. SO JUST THIS YEAR FROM OUR ORGANIZATION. THEY ARE QUITE POPULAR. COULD THERE BE A SAMURA. [ APPLAUSE ] [ APPLAUSE ]
>>>> ALL RIGHT. ASK FOR A DRUM ROLL. THANK YOU! COULD WE HAVE SARAYA? [ APPLAUSE ] GIFT CERTIFICATE FOR $500 OVER THERE. HERE'S ONE FOR THE SCHOOL. WE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU FOR GIVING US A CHANCE TO BE HERE. WE APPRECIATE IT, SUPERINTENDENT, BOARD.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: WE HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS, IF YOU COULD WAIT ONE SECOND. MEMBER GRAY.
>>>>Lynn Gray: WELL, AS A MEMBER OF THE ARTS COUNCIL AND I'M A BIG ADVOCATE OF ARTS IN THE SCHOOLS. I CAN SEE THAT YOU ARE ALSO. I JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THESE CHILDREN. IT DOES CHANGE THEIR TRAJECTORY. IT DOES GIVE THEM NOT ONLY A SENSE OF PRIDE AND ADVOCATION AND IT CONTINUED A LOT OF POSSIBILITIES AS THEY GO THROUGH THEIR ACADEMIC STUDIES. THANK YOU FOR STAYING ON TOP OF IT. APPRECIATE YOUR PARTNERSHIP.
>>>> YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER HAHN.
>>>>Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIR SHAMBURGER. I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE ARTS IN OUR SCHOOLS, CONGRATULATE THE STUDENTS THAT ARE JUST SO INCREDIBLY CREATIVE AND THANK THEIR TEACHERS FOR INSPIRING THIS CREATIVITY. I WILL SAY I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF TEACHING AT MITCHELL ELEMENTARY. I WAS WITH MRS. HOBBY, WHO IS THEIR ART TEACHER WHO IS HERE TODAY. IF THERE'S ANYBODY THAT'S GOING TO FIND YOU THAT ITEM, IT'S GOING TO BE MRS. HOBBY. BECAUSE SHE IS AN AMAZING ART TEACHER, AMAZING TEACHER. WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE HER. I'LL TELL YOU, SHE'LL FIND THAT ITEM. YOU'LL HAVE TO GIVE HER THAT $10,000 CHECK.
>>>> IT'S A LOT OF CRAYONS.
>>>>Stacy Hahn: YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN.
>>>> WE THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. BECATTI. WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO ITEM 11.02, THE MONTH FINANCIAL POSITION REPORTS AS OF NOVEMBER 30, 2018. THIS ITEM PULLED FOR HIGHLIGHT AND COMMENT BY MS. SNIVELY. MR. SUPERINTENDENT WILL BE HIGHLIGHTING.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, I THINK WE GOT THE REQUEST TO PUT SOME THINGS VISUALLY. PABLO WILL PUT SOMETHING UP ON THE SCREEN TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR CURRENT FINANCES. MONTHLY FINANCIALS ARE PROVIDED AS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THE BOARD AND TAXPAYERS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THE MONTHLY FINANCIALS DISPLAYED BUDGET, CURRENT BUDGETS AND EXPENDITURES YEAR TO DATE. THE SECTIONS ARE BROKEN DOWN BY THE FUND TYPE. WE HAVE OUR GENERAL FUND. WE HAVE OUR DEBT SERVICE FUND, CAPITAL OUTLAY, SPECIAL REVENUE, SPECIAL REVENUE FOR STUDENT NUTRITION SERVICES AND THEN OUR INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS. IN THIS DOCUMENT, THE FULL DOCUMENT, PAGES 11 THROUGH 25, THE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS FOR GENERAL FUND IS BEING REPORTED. THESE EXPENSES ARE REPORTED IN FUNCTION NUMBER AND OBJECT TYPE. ON PAGES 16 TO 20, WE DISPLAY THREE-YEAR TREND DATA WHICH INCLUDES REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES BY MONTH. PAGES 21 TO 24 THIS DISPLAYS PIE CHARTS FROM HOW THE SALARY AND BENEFIT EXPENDITURE DATE IS REPORTED VIA FUNCTION NUMBER. ON PAGE 25 IS WHAT YOU SEE UP HERE RIGHT NOW. THIS KIND OF DISPLAYS OUR GENERAL FUND BALANCE SHEET. THE PURPOSE OF THE BALANCE SHEET IS TO REVEAL THE FINANCIAL STATUS OF AN ENTITY AT ANY POINT IN TIME. IT SHOWS WHAT THE ENTITY OWNS, ITS ASSETS. YOU CAN SEE OUR ASSETS UP THERE, HOW MUCH IT OWES, WHICH IS OUR LIABILITIES. AND AT THIS POINT IN TIME IN THE YEAR, WHAT OUR FUND BALANCE IS. I WANT TO KIND OF POINT TO ONE ITEM THAT MIGHT BE CONFUSING FOR THE PUBLIC WHEN THEY SEE THIS. THEY SEE ASSETS AND THEY SEE INVESTMENTS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE AND ASSURE THE PUBLIC THESE ARE NOT LIKE INVESTMENTS THAT ARE LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS. WE JUST HAVE $116 MILLION SITTING AROUND THAT WE'RE INVESTING. THAT'S ACTUALLY, WE HAVE AN INVESTMENT ADVISORY GROUP. I KNOW THAT YOU HEAR US TALK ABOUT THAT A LOT. THEY TAKE A LOOK AT AND HOW TO DO QUICK-RETURN INVESTMENTS. WHEN MONEY FLOWS IN, ALL DIFFERENT FUNDING INVESTMENTS. DO QUICK INVESTMENTS. BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THE MONEY, $116 MILLION WILL COME RIGHT OUT PERHAPS THE NEXT PAYROLL AND PUT INTO THE LIABILITY SHEET WHICH IS TO GO OUT AND PAY OUR EMPLOYEES. THAT'S HOW WE TRY TO EARN INTEREST. ANY INTEREST EARNED OFF OF THAT CAN BENEFIT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT DURING THAT PORTION IN TIME. I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THE FUND BALANCE. $30 MILLION, OBVIOUSLY, THAT IS NOT THE FUND BALANCE WE WANT TO END THE SCHOOL YEAR ON. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF SLIDES. MS. SNIVELY ASKED US TO PERHAPS GIVE A TREND TO SHOW THE FUND BALANCE AND OVER TIME. THIS IS LAST SCHOOL YEAR'S FUND BALANCE. YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THROUGH THE YEAR, DURING OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER, THE FUND BALANCES ARE USUALLY LOW. THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE REVENUE DOESN'T COME IN ALL AT ONCE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, IT FLOWS IN. AND YOU CAN START SEEING IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY, ALL OF A SUDDEN OUR FUND BALANCE LOOKS LIKE IT'S OVER $300 MILLION. THAT'S BECAUSE ALL OF A SUDDEN WE GET A LOT OF THE LOCAL REVENUE THAT'S COMING INTO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AT THAT TIME THAT'S BEEN COLLECTED THAT STARTS TO HIT OUR ASSETS. SO AT THAT POINT IN TIME, YOU'LL SEE IT SLOWLY START TO GO DOWN UNTIL WE FINALLY FIND AN END OF THE YEAR FUND BALANCE WITH ALL THE FUNDS ROLLED UP AT THE END OF THE YEAR. I JUST WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE OF THAT. YOU CAN SEE IN THE NEXT SLIDE WHERE WE'RE AT AND WHERE WE'RE PROJECTING. YOU CAN ALREADY SEE WHAT WE, IN THIS PARTICULAR ITEM IT SHOWS A 30 MILLION, BUT YOU CAN ALREADY SEE BY THE END OF DECEMBER OUR FUND BALANCE IS BACK UP TO ALMOST $275 MILLION. I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT JANUARY, WE'RE ALMOST ABOVE CLOSER TO 350 MILLION BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN ALL THAT REVENUE THAT'S COME IN THAT NOW WILL BE EXPENSED OUT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEAR TO THE BOARD. ANY QUESTIONS?
>>>>Melissa Snively: JUST A QUICK COMMENT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR PUTTING UP THE SLIDE. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO EXPLAIN THE FLUCTUATION OF OUR FUND BALANCE FOR FISCAL TRANSPARENCY TO THE PUBLIC, AND THAT IT'S NOT LIKE A CONSISTENT STREAM OF REVENUE THAT COMES INTO THE DISTRICT EVERY MONTH LIKE PERHAPS A HOUSEHOLD WOULD HAVE A CONSISTENT PAYCHECK EVERY MONTH. IT FLUCTUATES AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THE TRENDS OF THE FLUCTUATION OVER EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR. THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THOSE SLIDES UP. I HOPE WE CAN DO THAT FOR EACH TIME WE HAVE A MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT.
>>>> YES, MA'AM. WE WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT.
>>>>Melissa Snively: THANK YOU.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO THE SUSPENDED AGENDA AND SUPERINTENDENT COMMENTS.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: THANK YOU, MS. SHAMBURGER. I HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS TO HIGHLIGHT ON THE SUSPENDED AGENDA AND THEN A COUPLE OF SUSPENDED AGENDA ITEMS THAT I'LL ROLL INTO MY SUPERINTENDENT COMMENTS AS WELL. FIRST ITEM, ONE SUSPENDED AGENDA ITEM ABOUT EXTENDED READING TIME PROGRESS TO INCLUDE AN UPDATE ON LITERACY INITIATIVES. I'M GOING TO ASK DEBBIE COOK, OUR CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER IF SHE WOULD GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE.
>>>>Deborah Cook: A COUPLE OF THINGS FOR UPDATES, WE REVISED THE ELEMENTARY LEA PLANNING SUPPORT TOOLS. WE HAD A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM TEACHERS, AREA SUPERINTENDENTS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE. WE REVISED THEM. I WANT TO THING LYNN DOUGHERTY AND OUR K-12 LITERACY TEAM THAT REALLY HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB AND ESPECIALLY OUR ELEMENTARY TEAM THAT'S REVISED THE TOOLS. WE'RE READY TO GO IN JANUARY WHEN THEY CAME BACK. THANK YOU FOR THAT. OUR DISTRICT ADVISORY TEAM STILL CONTINUES. OUR NEXT MEETING IS THE END OF THE MONTH. WE'RE FOCUSING ON REMOVING BARRIERS AND IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES THAT WORK WITHIN THE CATEGORIES OF MOVING LITERACY FORWARD IN OUR DISTRICT. WE ALSO HAD THE MEDIA LAUNCH OF READ RIGHT NOW. YOU CAN SEE IT ON THE WEBSITE. YOU CAN SEE IT ON EVERYONE'S DESKTOP AS WELL. THANK YOU TO FREDDY IN OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM FOR REALLY HELPING US WITH THAT. GO TO THE WEBSITE, TYPE IN "GO LITERACY" YOU WILL SEE THAT ENTIRE WEBSITE FILLED WITH TOOLS AND RESOURCES. WE'VE ALSO PURCHASED CULTURALLY RELEVANT CLASSROOM LIBRARIES OUT OF OUR TITLE IV GRANT WORKING WITH TRISHA'S DEPARTMENT AND WORKING STUDENT SERVICES TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS HAVE VERY GOOD CLASSROOM LIBRARIES THAT ARE CULTURALLY RELEVANT, RICH MATERIAL FOR THEM TO USE. THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN ORDERED AND SHOULD BE DELIVERED. SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THOSE THINGS TO MOVE LITERACY FORWARD. THANK YOU.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: THANK YOU, MS. COOK. ONE OTHER SUSPENDED AGENDA TOPIC JUST TO GIVE THE BOARD AN UPDATE ON THE TAMPA HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY REBUILD, MR. FARKAS.
>>>>Christopher Farkas: THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. ON DECEMBER 12, WE HAD A COMMUNITY MEETING WITH THE ARCHITECT, OUR NEXT COMMUNITY MEETING IS MARCH 14 TO REVIEW THE PLANS. WE HAVE SUBMITTED THE PLANS, THE INITIAL PLANS TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY FOR REVIEW. YOUNG AND ASSOCIATES IS THE TEAM THAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAS RETAINED TO REVIEW OUR PLANS. WHEN THEY GET DONE WITH THAT REVIEW, WE'LL SIT DOWN WITH THEM WITH OUR ARCHITECTS AND THEM TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE AND THAT'S WHEN WE'LL WORK OUT ANY GAPS OF WHAT THEY SEE IS NEEDED -- WANTS VERSUS NEEDS. WE'RE UNDERWAY WITH THAT. SOL FLEISCHMAN HAS BEEN FANTASTIC ABOUT INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY IN ADDITION TO THE E-MAILS WE GET ON A REGULAR BASIS. SOL IS GOOD ABOUT MAKING SURE HE INCLUDES THOSE IN THE PLAN. RIGHT NOW, THE INSURANCE CAN.IS REVIEWING THE PLANS, THE 60% DRAWINGS. AS SOON AS THEY COME BACK WITH FEEDBACK, WE'LL SIT TOGETHER AND IRON THAT OUT. IF THERE ARE ANY ISSUES GOING FORWARD, WE'LL BRING THEM BACK AND HAVE CONVERSATION WITH THE BOARD. RIGHT NOW IT'S UNDER REVIEW WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: I'LL ROLL RIGHT INTO MY SUPERINTENDENT COMMENTS. WE'LL PUT UP ON THE SCREEN A FEW THINGS WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT. I WANT TO, FIRST OF ALL, JUST REMIND EVERYONE, IN JUST NINE DAYS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AWARDS OVER AT THE STRAZ ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 24th. THE HILLSBOROUGH EDUCATION FOUNDATION, OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND DISTRICT STAFF WILL GATHER AT THE STRAZ FOR A NIGHT IN PARIS, HONORING OUR TOP EDUCATORS AND SUPPORT STAFF. WE'LL CELEBRATE ALL THE NOMINEES, THE FINALISTS AND WINNERS OF THE DIVERSITY EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD, THE INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AND THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR. IT'S ALWAYS AN EXCITING EVENT, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CELEBRATING OUR AMAZING TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF. SO MANY DESERVING PEOPLE ALL ACROSS OUR DISTRICT. WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE WONDERFUL STAFF WHO GO OUT OF THEIR WAY EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE STUDENTS HAVE THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYONE THERE THAT NIGHT. WE HAD A CELEBRATION LAST THURSDAY TO TALK ABOUT GRADUATION RATES. I HAVE A FEW SLIDES THAT I'LL SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT THAT PARTICULAR CELEBRATION. FIRST OF ALL, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES IS A GRADUATION CHAMPION FOR OUR CHILDREN. JUST BEFORE WINTER BREAK, WE RECEIVED REALLY GREAT NEWS ABOUT OUR GRADUATION RATES. HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS SET ANOTHER ALL-TIME RECORD WITH OUR GRADUATION RATE. NOW SOARED TO 85.8%. SO THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS WHAT THAT MEANS FOR OUR STUDENTS, THE CRITERIA. WE USE THE FEDERAL GRADUATION RATE. IT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT GRADUATION RATE TO ATTAIN IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, ADOPTED THAT IN ITS ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM. STUDENTS HAVE TO EARN AT LEAST 2.0 GPA, 18 OR 24 CREDITS DEPENDING ON THE OPTION THEY CHOOSE. THEY MUST SHOW PROFICIENCY IN READING, EITHER THROUGH THE FSA OR SAT OR ACT, THEY HAVE TO SHOW PROFICIENCY IN READING. THAT'S UNIQUE TO FLORIDA BECAUSE NOT EVERY STATE REQUIRES A SEPARATE ASSESSMENT FOR STUDENTS TO DETERMINE THEIR PROFICIENCY, AND ALSO ALGEBRA. THEY HAVE TO SHOW ALL THOSE ITEMS TO BE PROFICIENCY IN ORDER TO GRADUATE. YOU'LL SEE ON THE SLIDE, THE GOAL IN 2020 IS 90%. WE HAD A 2.9%AGE POINT RATE GROWTH THIS PAST YEAR. SINCE 2014-15, 12.3 PERCENT GROWTH OVERALL IN OUR GRADUATION RATES. WE'RE AVERAGING ABOUT 3 PERCENTAGE POINTS PER YEAR. WE DOUBLED THE PACE. THE SIX PRIOR YEARS TO STARTING IN 2014-15, WE HAD GROWN 9% IN SIX YEARS. SINCE THAT POINT, WE'VE GROWN 12.3%, SO WE'VE LITERALLY DOUBLED THE PACE ON REACHING OUR GRADUATION GOAL WHICH AGAIN IS A TESTAMENT TO THE INCREDIBLE WORK BEING DONE IN OUR SCHOOLS, IN OUR CLASSROOMS EVERY DAY AND WITH OUR PARTNERS THAT ARE ASSISTING AS WELL. GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT-OUT WITH OUR CAREER CENTERS AT THE CELEBRATION. WHEN WE STARTED THIS EVENT, THIS PATHWAY, THEY WERE SITTING AT 2.5% GRADUATION RATE. 2.5%. THEY ARE NOW AS A FOUR-YEAR COHORT, THEY ARE ABOVE 50% AVERAGE. 53%. BUT THEY ARE WELL INTO THE 90s WHEN YOU GET INTO THE FIFTH AND SIXTH YEAR BECAUSE OF THE FACT THE STUDENTS ARE COMING IN BEHIND CREDITS. INCREDIBLE WORK DONE THERE. OUR TRADITIONAL HIGH SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAVE A 91.4% GRADUATION RATE, OUR TRADITIONAL HIGH SCHOOLS. SO THEY'VE ALREADY ECLIPSED IT. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE ALL THE OTHER STUDENTS EVERY OTHER PLACE IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT ATTAIN THAT PARTICULAR GOAL. IN THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN CLOSING THE GAPS ACROSS THE MAJOR ETHNIC GROUPS. BLACK STUDENTS SHOWN THE GREATEST GROWTH SINCE 2013-14. ALMOST A 20 PERCENTAGE POINT INCREASE. THEY WERE AT 60%. NOW THEY ARE ALMOST AT 80% HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ALL OF OUR TRADITIONAL HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE OVER AN 80% GRADUATION RATE. THEY'VE DONE THAT THE PAST TWO YEARS. MANY FOLKS HAVE SAID THE GROWTH IS UNPRECEDENTED ESPECIALLY WHEN TALKING ABOUT THE FEDERAL GRADUATION RATE. FOUR-YEAR IS UNPRECEDENTED. INCREDIBLE WORK DONE IN THE SCHOOLS. ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS STUDENTS, STUDENTS COG IN WHO MAY NOT SPEAK THE LANGUAGE. YOU CAN SEE THE ACCELERATION IN THEIR GRADUATION RATES OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. THEY HAVE BASICALLY GROWN 26 PERCENTAGE POINTS. THEY HAVE TO MEET THE SAME CRITERIA AS EVERYONE ELSE HERE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. THEY HAVE TO SHOW READING PROFICIENCY. THEY HAVE TO SHOW ALGEBRA PROFICIENCY ALONG WITH THE CREDITS AND THE GPAs. IF YOU LOOK AT OUR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS, YOU CAN SEE THESE ARE STUDENTS THAT ARE COMING FROM HOMES THAT ARE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE, AND THEY ARE MAKING THAT PARTICULAR GROWTH IN CLOSING THE GAPS. THAT'S BREAKING THE CYCLE OF POVERTY WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE CELEBRATION. THAT'S HUGE FOR THE FAMILIES AND THEIR FUTURE. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, LOOK AT THE UPTICK MADE WITH STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. THEY'VE INCREASED THEIR GRADUATION RATE BY ALMOST 26 PERCENTAGE POINTS IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. AND THE LAST SLIDE THAT I'LL SHOW HERE, REALLY, THIS IS THE LIFE-CHANGING SLIDE. BECAUSE YOU CAN CHANGE PERCENTAGE OF GRADUATION RATES WITHOUT GRADUATING MORE STUDENTS. YOU LITERALLY FIGURE OUT A WAY TO PERHAPS NOT COUNT STUDENTS IN YOUR COHORT. THAT'S NOT WHAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DOES. AS A MATTER OF FACT, BACK IN '13-14, WE HAD 10,520 STUDENTS CROSSING THE STAGE FOR GRADUATION. IN 17-18, 13,338 STUDENTS CROSSING THE STAGE FOR GRADUATION. THAT'S ALMOST 2800 STUDENTS. I DID A LITTLE MATHEMATICAL CALCULATION BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE STUDENT THAT CROSSES THE STAGE, THAT MEANS THEIR WHOLE POTENTIAL INCOME JUST INCREASED $380,000 IN THEIR LIFETIME BECAUSE THEY NOW HAVE A STANDARD DIPLOMA. YOU TAKE THAT INCREASE ALONE, ONLY THE INCREASE, AND ADDED OVER A BILLION DOLLARS' WORTH OF -- TO THE ECONOMIC BASE HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IF WE KEEP THEM HERE IN JOBS AND CAREERS LOCALLY. BUT THERE'S MORE. WE HAVE OTHER PARTING GIFTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY OTHER THAN A STANDARD DIPLOMA. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THIS RIGHT. BECAUSE THEY GRADUATE MORE THAN JUST THE HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. MANY OF OUR STUDENTS GRADUATE WITH COLLEGE CREDIT. HERE ARE SOME STATISTICS FOR YOU. JUST FOR THE AP COURSES ALONE THAT STUDENTS TAKE, 46,902 COLLEGE CREDITS ARE AWARDED TO OUR STUDENTS, WHICH TRANSLATES TO OVER $14 MILLION IN DEFERRED TUITION COSTS FOR FAMILIES. JUST IN AP ALONE. IB, THAT TRANSLATES INTO COLLEGE CREDIT, 7,863 COLLEGE CREDITS, WHICH IS OVER $2 MILLION IN SAVINGS FOR TUITION FOR OUR FAMILIES. DUAL ENROLLMENT, 66,174 CREDITS, COLLEGE CREDITS FOR LAST YEAR'S SENIOR CLASS, WHICH COULD RANGE ANYWHERE IF IT'S A COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO A FOUR-YEAR UNIVERSITY FROM 6.5 MILLION TO $19.8 MILLION OF SAVED TUITION FOR OUR FAMILIES. INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS, LAST YEAR, WENT UP ANOTHER 600 MORE STUDENTS. 2,684 SENIORS LAST YEAR GRADUATED WITH AT LEAST ONE INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION. I THINK SCOTT BROOKS SAID BACK WHEN WE STARTED THIS WE WERE IN THE HUNDREDS WITH THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WERE GRADUATING WITH INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS. AND THEN YOU TAKE THE SCHOLARSHIP MONEY AND ADD ON TOP OF THAT THAT THEY LEAVE WITH, ALMOST $200 MILLION WORTH OF SCHOLARSHIP MONEY THAT OUR SENIORS LEFT WITH LAST YEAR, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. A LOT OF WORK IS DONE IN OUR CLASSROOMS. WE HAVE A LOT OF PROGRAMS. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A HUGE SHOUT-OUT IN MY COMMENTS TODAY TO OUR SCHOOLS, TO OUR TEACHERS, TO OUR FAMILIES AND PARTNERS WHO COME ALONG SIDE US IN THIS JOURNEY. LIKE I SAID, LIFE CHANGING FOR OUR STUDENTS. COULDN'T BE ANY MORE PROUD. BY THE WAY, YOU PROBABLY SEE US WEARING SOME SHIRTS UP HERE. THAT'S THE REASON WE'RE WEARING THE SHIRTS. WE'RE NOT DRESSING DOWN. WE'RE ACTUALLY SPIRITING UP TONIGHT FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOLS REPRESENTING ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOLS, CAREER CENTERS ACROSS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. VERY, VERY PROUD OF THEIR WORK. BY THE WAY, WE WANT TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WE'LL GET A PICTURE AFTER THE MEETING WITH EVERYONE WITH THEIR SHIRTS. ABSOLUTELY. JUST A COUPLE OF OTHER COMMENTS THAT I WANT TO MAKE HERE, I KNOW THAT OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS YOU HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS COMMISSION REPORT THAT HAS COME OUT. I KNOW WE'RE ANALYZING THAT A GREAT DEAL HERE IN OUR DISTRICT. I KNOW CHIEF NEWMAN HAS A THUMB ON THE PULSE ON WHAT WE'RE DOING THERE. I WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE AT. OUR STAFF HAS WATCHED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS, AND SO THERE WILL BE MORE, I'M SURE. BUT SOME OF THE BIG ISSUES AND ITEMS THAT THEY REALLY DISCUSSED THAT WE'RE TAKING A STRONG LOOK AT, OF COURSE, DEALS WITH DRILLS. THERE ARE ITEMS DEALING WITH SINGLE POINTS OF ACCESS, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE P.A. SYSTEMS THAT ARE WORKING IN OUR SCHOOLS. ISSUES AROUND HAVING HARD CORNERS, THAT MEANS SAFE AREAS WHERE LINE OF SIGHT THROUGH WINDOWS AND DOORS, NO ONE CAN SEE IN. WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO LOCK DOWN A SCHOOL, ARMED ASSET FOR EACH ONE OF OUR CAMPUSES. I WANT YOU TO KNOW WE HAD A VISIT THIS PAST WEEK FROM DIRECTOR KELLY FROM THE STATE SAFE SCHOOLS OFFICE. VERY, VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE WORK BEING DONE HERE. HE VISITED A COUPLE OF OUR SCHOOLS. WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL THE PIECES OF THAT PARTICULAR LEGISLATION, WHETHER TRAINING FOR MENTAL HEALTH, WHETHER ENSURING THAT WE HAVE ALL OF OUR THREAT ASSESSMENT TEAMS IN OUR SCHOOLS, COMPLIANT. WE HAVE ARMED SECURITY IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS. SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THAT'S GOING TO BE AN ITEM THAT WILL COME UP DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND MONITOR THAT CLOSELY, BECAUSE THEY'LL TAKE THAT COMMISSION REPORT AND MOVE IT INTO THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, PROBABLY MAKE SOME FURTHER DECISIONS AROUND THAT. HOPEFULLY WE CONTINUE TO SEE THE FUNDS THAT COME WITH THAT THAT WE'LL NEED TO HAVE IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS. JUST, LASTLY, IN SOME OF OUR ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS, AND WE'VE SEEN THE INCREDIBLE WORK BY THADDEUS BULLARD AND THE BULLARD FAMILY FOUNDATION AND HOW HE'S KIND OF WRAPPED HIMSELF AROUND MANY OF OUR ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS, BUT WE HAVE OTHER EVENTS THAT OCCURRED THAT ONCE AGAIN IS SPEAKING TO YOUR PRIORITIES FOR THIS BOARD, HOW WE INVEST IN EARLY CHILDHOOD. MS. SHAMBURGER AND I WERE ABLE TO ATTEND THE RIBBON CUTTING OVER AT THE SHAW ELEMENTARY EARLY LEARNING CENTER. THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF THE PATEL FAMILY FOUNDATION WITH THE DONATION OF ABOUT $850,000, SOME OF OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS ARE RECEIVING A QUALITY EDUCATION AT SHAW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. FOUR MODULARS DESIGNED FOR PRE-K STUDENTS. MANY IN THE AREA DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO EARLY QUALITY EDUCATION. WE THANKS DR. KIERNAN AND PATEL AND THE PATEL FAMILY FOUNDATION AND THIS PARTICULAR EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER IS FOR THE STUDENTS ZONED TO GO TO SHAW. THAT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT AS FAR AS THE KINDERGARTEN READINESS RATES FOR OUR STUDENTS COMING IN. ON SATURDAY, I WAS OVER AT ROBLES, MEMBERS OF THE BETH-EL AME CHURCH WERE DOING A HEALTH FAIR OVER THERE, WHICH WAS HUGE. THEY OPENED UP A FOOD PANTRY. REVEREND SIMMS, PASTOR OF BETH-EL AME CHURCH CAME, MR. ROW BARO, BASED SAID WE WANT TO HELP ANY WAY WE CAN. WE HAVE TO GET TO YES WHEN PEOPLE COME TO US AND WANT TO HELP. AND THANK THE PRINCIPAL FOR DOING THAT. OTHERS GOT ON BOARD INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE MOUNT CARMEL AME CHURCH. PLANNED THE OPENING OF THE FOOD PANTRY AND THEN THE HEALTH FAIR THAT DAY. THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS AS WE DEVELOP NOT ONLY THE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENTS WE NEED TO HAVE AT OUR HIGHEST NEEDS SCHOOLS, WE ALSO HAVE TO HAVE ALL THE SUPPORT AND THE PARTNERS AROUND US TO DO THE WORK. I APPLAUD ALL THEIR HELP AND ASSISTANCE. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS, MADAM CHAIR.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, I THINK WE HAVE A FEW COMMENTS. MEMBER GRAY.
>>>>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I DID WANT TO THANK OUR TEACHERS FOR PULLING ALL TOGETHER AND HELPING OUR STUDENTS GAIN THIS GRADUATION MOMENTUM. I KNOW IT TOOK A LOT OF HARD WORK AND DEDICATION AS IT DID OUR PRINCIPALS. SUPERINTENDENT EAKINS, YOU HAVE REMINDED US THAT THE LAST PART -- WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT GETTING TO 90%. IT WILL BE MORE CHALLENGING. I'M EXCITED TO ACTUALLY -- TO PROJECT IS THAT WHEN WE START ADDING MORE DUAL ENROLLMENTS, AS WE ARE, MORE VOCATIONAL TECH OPPORTUNITIES AND, OF COURSE, CONTINUING OUR IB AND AP OPPORTUNITIES, POSSIBLY THE JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT BLENDING MODEL, I THINK WHAT HAPPENS IS THE STUDENTS HAVE MORE BUY-IN, OF COURSE, TO GRADUATE. I'M KIND OF ENCOURAGED THAT BECAUSE ALL THIS IS HAPPENING, I THINK WE MAY SEE MOMENTUM FROM THAT ALONE. I JUST THINK YOUR EXCITEMENT IS CONTAGIOUS AND I'M THANKFUL THAT YOU'RE PUTTING ALL THIS EFFORT FORTH IN ALL THE DYNAMICS VERSUS JUST COLLEGE PREP. THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SAY.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER STUART.
>>>>Cindy Stuart: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I JUST WANTED TO, ONE, THANK SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF FOR THE EVENT LAST THURSDAY OUT AT SPOTO HIGH SCHOOL. IT'S NOT VERY OFTEN THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF US TO GET TOGETHER AT ONE PLACE AND REALLY CELEBRATE SOMETHING. WE NEED TO DO THAT MORE OFTEN. I WANTED TO THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR BRINGING THE LEADERS OF OUR SCHOOLS TOGETHER AS WELL AS DISTRICT STAFF TO REALLY RALLY AROUND WHERE WE ARE WITH GRADUATION RATES AND WHERE WE'RE GOING. IT WAS A GREAT EVENT. THANK YOU TO SPOTO HIGH SCHOOL AND MS. PEREZ FOR HOSTING AND HER STAFF KIND OF AT THE LAST MINUTE. HER STUDENTS HAD TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AND SO DID EVERYBODY THERE. THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO, YOU TOUCHED ON IS THE STONEMAN DOUGLAS REPORT. AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK IN THE PAPER, A LOT OF TALK ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT WHAT THE REPORT MEANS AND HOW IT'S GOING TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE LEGISLATURE. I WANT TO REITERATE FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS DISTRICT THAT OUR POSITION IS THAT WE'RE NOT ARMING TEACHERS. THAT IS A COLLABORATIVE DECISION BETWEEN US AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THAT MAY OR MAY NOT CHANGE FOR OTHER DISTRICTS, BUT AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW WE ARE NOT GOING THERE. I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT. SOCIAL MEDIA PEOPLE THINK THAT WE SHOULD DO THAT. WE'RE NOT IN THAT POSITION. WE HAVE AN ARMED OFFICER IN EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL AS OF RIGHT NOW. AND WITHOUT STEPPING ON MR. NEWMAN'S TOES, I KNOW A LOT OF THAT STUFF IS SECURITY DRIVEN AND CONFIDENTIAL, BUT THIS DISTRICT HAS NO INTENTION AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE EITHER HAS MADE ANY MENTION OF US ARMING INDIVIDUALS IN OUR SCHOOLS OUTSIDE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF TALK IN TALLAHASSEE ABOUT THIS. THERE'S ALREADY BEEN A LOT OF TALK ACROSS DIFFERENT DISTRICTS ABOUT HOW THEY'RE MANAGING AND HOW THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO MEET THE LEGISLATIVE MANDATE, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MET IN AUGUST. WE HAVE DISTRICTS CLOSE TO US AND SURROUNDING THAT HAVE NOT EVEN BEGUN TRAINING. THEY ARE STARTING TRAINING THIS MONTH. KUDOS TO OUR DISTRICT. WE'RE AHEAD OF THE GAME ON THAT, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR POSITION IS THAT WE ARE NOT ARMING TEACHERS AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY INTENTION TO. I THINK SHERIFF CHRONISTER IS CLEAR THAT HE HAS NO INTENTION OF DOING THAT EITHER. THANK YOU.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MEMBER STUART. I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON A COUPLE OF POINTS AS WELL. FIRST, REGARDING THE TAMPA HEIGHTS REBUILD, I APOLOGIZE IF YOU SAID IT, MR. FARKAS, BUT THERE IS NOW A TAMPA HEIGHTS REBUILD WEB PAGE THAT WE HAVE ON THE DISTRICT WEBSITE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT THAT. FOR FOLKS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN FOLLOWING THE REBUILD PROCESS. VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION. TOWN HALL MEETINGS AND WHAT HAVE YOU WILL ALL BE LISTED ON THAT WEBSITE. OF COURSE, WE'RE ECSTATIC ABOUT OUR ALL-TIME HIGH GRADUATION RATE OF 85.8%, WHICH IS WHY WE CELEBRATE EVERYONE TONIGHT. I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT-OUT TO TAMPA BAY TECH WHO I BELIEVE HAS THE HIGHEST GRADUATION RATE IN THE DISTRICT AT ALMOST 99%. 99.4. OH, IT'S OVER 99%. [ APPLAUSE ] AND SO LET ME JUST SAY THIS ABOUT TECH, OF COURSE, THAT SCHOOL IS IN MY DISTRICT. I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF TECH. TECH IS A MAJORITY MINORITY SCHOOL WITH THE HIGHEST GRADUATION RATE IN THE DISTRICT. AND THAT'S TESTAMENT TO US HAVING THE RIGHT SUPPORTS IN THE RIGHT PLACE FOR THOSE STUDENTS TO SUCCEED THAT WAY. AND SO SUPERINTENDENT, I CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO YOU CONTINUING TO PUT THE APPROPRIATE SUPPORTS IN PLACE SO THAT ALL STUDENTS CAN SUCCEED. AGAIN, I WANTED TO SHOUT OUT TECH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. BEFORE WE MOVE INTO PUBLIC COMMENT, I ACTUALLY WANT TO GIVE EVERYONE AN UPDATE. WE'RE MAKING SOME RATHER EXCITING CHANGES TO HOW WE CONDUCT OUR BUSINESS MEETING HERE IN THE DISTRICT IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS. AND SO FOR YEARS, WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC THAT THEY FELT THAT OUR BOARD MEETINGS COULD BE IMPROVED, SO WE HEAR YOU. WE HAVE HEARD THINGS LIKE THE MEETING STARTS TOO EARLY FOR MOST WORK SCHEDULES. THE FORMAT AND AGENDA ARE CONFUSING. MANY ISSUES ARE NOT RESOLVED UNTIL THE VERY END OF THE MEETING, WHICH MEANS EVERYONE HAS TO STAY LATE AND, OF COURSE, BE ON ALERT. THE FORMAT MAKES IT HARD FOR OUR BOARD TO PUT THE MOST FOCUS ON THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES. AND THE MEETINGS ARE JUST SIMPLY TOO LONG. AND SO AS A RESULT, WE WILL BE MAKING CHANGES TO THE AGENDA, THE FORMAT, AND THE TIMING OF OUR MEETING. THIS WILL START TWO BOARD MEETINGS FROM NOW BEGINNING ON FEBRUARY THE 19th. OUR INTENTION IS TO ADDRESS ALL THOSE ISSUES, MAKING THE MEETINGS BETTER FOR THE PUBLIC AND BETTER FOR CONDUCTING THE BUSINESS OF OUR DISTRICT. OUR MEETINGS WILL STILL BEGIN WITH PROCLAMATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS. THAT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY PUBLIC COMMENT. THEN WE WILL FOLLOW A STRUCTURE SIMILAR TO MANY GOVERNMENT BOARDS. WE WILL HAVE A CONSENT AGENDA, FOLLOWED BY DISCUSSION ITEMS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE EMPLOYEE INPUT AT 6 P.M. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN THE MEETING BEING EASIER FOR THE PUBLIC TO FOLLOW, ALLOW MORE FOCUS ON THE ITEMS THAT ARE NEEDED, AND BE LESS TIME-CONSUMING FOR DISTRICT STAFF AS THEY PREPARE AGENDA ITEMS. WE WILL BE ALSO, AGAIN, MAKING TIMING CHANGES. SO, STARTING ON FEBRUARY THE 19th, WE ARE MOVING OUR MEETINGS ONE HOUR LATER TO BEGIN AT 4 P.M. AGAIN, FROM THE CURRENT START TIME OF 3 P.M. PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE -- THERE'S ALSO SOME CHANGES TO PUBLIC COMMENT. PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. THE TIME WILL NO LONGER VARY. IF SOMEONE HAS SIGNED UP FOR MULTIPLE ITEMS. DISCUSSION TIME WILL BE REDUCED FOR BOARD MEMBERS BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT BE DISCUSSING CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS UNLESS THEY ARE PULLED OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR SEPARATE VOTE. WE WANT TO BE RESPONSIVE TO WHAT WE HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC AND DO THE BEST WE CAN TO CARRY OUT THE BUSINESS ON BEHALF OF OUR STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES. THESE CHANGES WILL BE ANOTHER STEP IN THAT DIRECTION. AGAIN, THESE WILL TAKE EFFECT TWO BOARD MEETINGS FROM NOW ON FEBRUARY THE 19th. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL MOVE INTO PUBLIC COMMENT. I ASK MEMBER SNIVELY TO READ THE PUBLIC COMMENT GUIDELINES.
>>>>Melissa Snively: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THE SCHOOL BOARD VALUES AND APPRECIATES PUBLIC COMMENTS. THIS IS YOUR TIME TO TELL THE BOARD WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY RAISE DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION, IT'S THE BOARD'S PRACTICE TO NOTE YOUR COMMENTS AND TO HAVE THE APPROPRIATE DISTRICT STAFF RESPOND TO YOU AFTER YOUR QUESTION HAS BEEN RESEARCHED. DUE TO THIS PROCEDURE, THE BOARD WILL NOT TYPICALLY RESPOND TO YOUR COMMENTS FROM THE DAIS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MEMBER SNIVELY. BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE SEVEN SPEAKERS THAT ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TO TODAY'S AGENDA. AND ALLOTTED 45 MINUTES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. BASED ON THE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS TODAY, WE HAVE I BELIEVE 30 MINUTES SET ASIDE. THE FIRST FOUR SPEAKERS WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES EACH AND THE REMAINING WILL HAVE THREE. WE WILL BEGIN OUR PUBLIC COMMENT WITH MR. JOSEPH ROBINSON, FOLLOWED BY MS. DOROTHY AIKEN. WELCOME, MR. ROBINSON. YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
>>>> LET ME GET A POINT OF CLARIFICATION. I WANT TO SPEAK ON THE POLICIES. THAT'S A PUBLIC HEARING. IS THAT SEPARATE? AT LEAST THIS IS MY LAST CHANCE. FEBRUARY 19 YOU'LL SHUT ME DOWN. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. I MASTERED THE THREE-MINUTE SPEECH ANYWAY. FIRST OF ALL, HAPPY NEW YEAR. HAPPY BOARD MEMBERS, JEFF, EVERYBODY ELSE UP THERE ON THE DAIS, MR. CONA AND THE TWO LADIES, MS. HAHN AND MS. PEREZ. WE NEEDED A NEW SUITE. NEW PEOPLE. YOU ALL HAVE MONEY TO WORK WITH BECAUSE YOU GOT A SALES TAX PASSED. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT, WELL, I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE FEDERAL LEGISLATION, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE SHUT DOWN, THE CITIZEN BUDGET, TOOK THAT UP. HERE ON POLICIES -- ALREADY WENT OVER THE SUSPENDED SUNSHINE WHICH I WANT TO TALK ABOUT BUT HE ALREADY COVERED THOSE ISSUES. SPEAKING ON THE FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM. I SAW THIS AND SAID, WOW, MAN, I NEED TO TELL MY BOYS UP HERE THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WANTS TO PROVIDE REDUCTION IN TITLE 3 AND FUNDING -- ASSOCIATED WITH EDUCATION OF IMMIGRANT STUDENTS AND AVOID EFFORT TO AVOID SUBSTANTIAL RESOURCES TO COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAMS. GREAT. ALLOCATE -- I'M HITTING THE ONES I THINK ARE REALLY SUPER. ALLOCATE FEDERAL FUNDS FOR SCHOOL SAFETY THAT ENSURE THAT SCHOOLS ARE WELL TRAINED AND EQUIPPED POLICE PERSONNEL, SUPPORT THE CAPITAL COST OF SCHOOL HARDENING. INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SCHOOL COUNSELORS, AND SOCIAL WORKERS WORKERS, MS. PEREZ, AND ASSIST IN DETERRING INTERNET CRIME AND CYBER CRIME. HAVING BEEN A VICTIM OF CYBER CRIME, I KNOW THE FEELING. I THINK THAT IS GREAT AND DOING A GREAT JOB WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE OVER THERE, AND YOU HEARD THEY ARE DOING A GREAT JOB. AND THEN ALSO, THIS WAS INTERESTING HERE, SUPPORT THE EXISTING TITLE 1 FORMULA AND DISTRIBUTION THAT PROVIDES LOCAL FLEXIBILITY AND DETERMINE THE BEST USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVES AND SUPPORT MEASURES THAT PROTECT AND PRESERVE THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD'S CONTROL AND OVERSIGHT OF ALL TITLE 1 FUNDS ALLOCATED TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. I WANT TO SAY THOSE ARE GREAT THINGS. I'M TELLING MY BOARDS IN TALLAHASSEE, BECAUSE I'VE GOT THEM ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, INCLUDING TALLAHASSEE, THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THIS DISTRICT HAS PROVED ITSELF. THIS DISTRICT HAS BEEN AUDITED, MR. CONA. THIS DISTRICT HAS GONE THROUGH CLEANING IT UP. THIS DISTRICT HAS PURGED ALL OF THE GRASS AND PUBLIC CORRUPTION RIGHT NOW. I'M NOT GOING TO LET IT COME BACK. WHEN I COME UP HERE AND TALK ABOUT THE POLICIES YOU HAVE ON THERE, THE POLICIES ARE NEEDED AND THAT ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOL POLICY HAS EVERYTHING, AT LEAST THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT AT THOSE MEETINGS, INCLUDING THIS COMING THURSDAY. TRISH McMANUS NEED TO BE RECOMMENDED, I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE GOT IT TO THE BOARD. THE ONE THING THAT THIS POLICY HAS THAT VERY FEW POLICIES, THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS TO PROMULGATE PROCEDURES TO GO WITH IT FOR THE PROCEDURE SCHOOLS. A LOT OF TIMES THE POLICIES ARE JUST POLICIES, BUT THEN HOW DO YOU IMPLEMENT IT? THAT'S WHAT A PROCEDURE IS? NOW IT'S JUST POLICIES. I THANK GOD THAT IT'S IN THERE. I'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE POLICIES MORE, MS. SHAMBURGER, YOU DID SOMETHING VERY UNIQUE WITH THE OSD POLICY. AND THEN I GOT A LITTLE TWEAKING. I'VE GOT SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO SAY. I'M GOING TO SAVE THAT WHEN THE POLICIES COME UP WITH THREE MINUTES INSTEAD OF THAT. MS. SHAMBURGER, SINCE YOU'RE CUTTING THAT TIME, ONE MINUTE AND 20 SECONDS I'LL GIVE IT BACK.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU, MR. ROBINSON. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR GENEROSITY. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MS. DOROTHY AIKEN FOLLOWED BY BEN GREENE. WELCOME, MS. AIKEN. YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
>>>> HI. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY BOARD CHAIR MS. SHAMBURGER, MS. SNIVELY, ASSISTANT CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, AND SUPERINTENDENT EAKINS. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON A COUPLE OF ITEMS. I DEFINITELY WANTED TO TALK ON THE DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS FOR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION. AND THEN I WANTED TO SPEAK ON THE ACADEMIC SUPPORT. I AM A MOTHER OF TWO DAUGHTERS. I ALSO WORK FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, BUT I ALSO HAVE A SITUATION THAT OCCURRED AT A SCHOOL, AND I DID NOT RECEIVE THE SUPPORT THAT I FELT LIKE I NEEDED. I WANTED TO READ THE STANDARDS OF ETHICAL CONDUCT. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS PULLED OUT OF OUR CERTIFIED TEACHERS POLICY, AND IT TALKS ABOUT AN EFFECTIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM REQUIRES THE ■SERVICE OF MEN AND WOMEN OF INTEGRITY, HIGH IDEALS AND HUMAN UNDERSTANDING. THE BOARD ESTABLISHES CERTAIN GUIDELINES FOR THE STANDARDS OF ETHICAL CONDUCT FOR ALL INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF MEMBERS. I THINK IT'S KIND OF FITTING THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING READ PERTAINING TO DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING THOSE WHO ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE ME AND THOSE WHO ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE A VOICE THEMSELVES. IT TALKS ABOUT SUPPORTIVE TEACHERS AND STAFF. THIS IS NOT A REFLECTION ON ALL TEACHERS OR ALL STAFF BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD-HEARTED PEOPLE OUT THERE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN AND OUR STUDENTS, BUT I DID WANT TO TALK ABOUT A PERSONAL SITUATION THAT I AND MY DAUGHTER ENDURED AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I FELT DID NOT FEEL LIKE WAS RESOLVED ACCORDING TO OUR REQUEST AND WHAT WE HAD REQUESTED BASED ON ACTIONS TAKING PLACE. TALKS ABOUT TEACHERS NOT INTENTIONALLY SUPPRESSING OR DISTORTING SUBJECT MATTER. IT TALKS ABOUT THEM NOT INTENTIONALLY EXPOSING A STUDENT TO UNNECESSARY EMBARRASSMENT. WE AS A DISTRICT, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF OUR SCHOOLS WHO ARE LIKE HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOLS, BUT EVEN IF WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE AT MAYBE ACADEMIC-WISE MAYBE NOT AT THE TOP OF THEIR CLASS, YOU GOT MIDDLE STUDENTS AND YOU HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE LOWER. IN MY OPINION, AND I THINK THAT IT'S THE CONSENSUS OF THE BOARD WHO PROBABLY AGREES, THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING AND EMPOWERING ALL OF OUR STUDENTS REGARDLESS OF THE SITUATION. WE SUPPORT PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT, BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, SOMETIMES WHEN PARENTS OR WHEN INDIVIDUALS REQUEST INFORMATION, THAT INFORMATION IS DENIED BASED ON WHATEVER REASONS. MY SITUATION PERSONALLY WERE SPECIFICS THAT WERE ASKED. THERE WERE STANDARDS THAT WERE NOT EXPLAINED WITHIN THE CLASSROOM. THERE WAS A GRADING PROCESS THAT WAS NOT EXPLAINED IN THE CLASSROOM. THERE WAS SUPPORT AND FEEDBACK THAT WAS REQUESTED MULTIPLE TIMES. IT WAS NOT EXPLAINED. I JUST WANT AND I GUESS MAYBE THAT'S WHY I'M HERE -- NOT MAYBE. THIS IS WHY I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M HAVING A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING HOW WE AS AN EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT SYSTEM, HOW CAN WE DENY SUPPORT FOR EVEN ONE CHILD? IT'S VERY DEAR TO ME BECAUSE SOMETIMES THERE'S A LOT OF TALK, THERE IS THE RACE CARD THAT IS PLAYED. I DON'T WANT TO PLAY THE RACE CARD, BUT I DO WANT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO MY COLOR, THE COLOR OF OTHER TEACHERS OF DIFFERENT CULTURAL OR SOCIETAL ADVANTAGES. I JUST WANT WHAT ANY OTHER PARENT WOULD WANT. I JUST WANT WHAT ANY OTHER LEGITIMATE CARING EMPLOYEE WOULD WANT. AND WHAT I WANT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT AN EXPLANATION OF GRADES, HOW THEY ARE DONE, THE SUPPORT IS THERE FOR EVERY CHILD AND EVERY PARENT WHO REQUESTS IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR FOR YOUR
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: SUECHT, IF YOU COULD HAVE SOMEONE MEET WITH HER? THANK YOU SO MUCH. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BEN GREENE FOLLOWED BY MR. KLUTHO.
>>>> NOT TOO LONG AGO, THERE WAS A WELL-KNOWN HISTORIAN WHO WENT ON CNN, I THINK IT WAS FOX AND FRIENDS, TO DISCUSS A THEORY ABOUT HOW DURING WORLD WAR II, GERMAN SCIENTISTS BUILT A SPACESHIP TO MARS. AND WHEN THEY GOT THERE, THEY REALIZED THEY WASTED A BUNCH OF TIME. SO THEY CAME BACK AND IF YOU ADJUST FOR INFLATION, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY SPENT GOING TO MARS IS ACTUALLY LESS THAN WHAT YOU GUYS SPEND ON AIR-CONDITIONING UNITS FOR SCHOOLS. IN THE ARMY, WHEN YOU WANT TO BUY A HAMMER, IT'S GOING TO RUN ABOUT $800 FOR A SINGLE HAMMER. AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE THESE ARE THE HIGHEST QUALITY AMERICAN HAMMERS. AND THAT BEGS THE QUESTION, ARE YOU USING THE HIGHEST QUALITY AMERICAN AIR-CONDITIONING UNITS? WHAT IF YOU COULD GET CHEAPER ONES THAT WERE BETTER AND SPEND THE REST OF THE MONEY ON THE CLASSROOMS INSTALLING MORE VIEWING WINDOWS, INCREASING STUDENT SAFETY, PAYING TEACHERS MORE BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THE REAL REASON WHY CLASSROOMS ARE SET TO 65 DEGREES. IF YOU PUT THOSE THERMOSTATS IN THE 70s, THE STUDENTS WILL START YAWNING. THE YAWNS ARE CONTAGIOUS, AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, HALF THE CLASS IS SLEEPING AND THE TEACHERS CAN'T WAKE THEM UP. THEY ARE TOO UNMOTIVATED. THE TEACHERS HERE ARE NOT PAID ENOUGH TO PUT IN EVEN THE SLIGHTEST AMOUNT OF EFFORT. AND THIS IS ALL ON THE SCHOOL BOARD. OKAY? YOU CAN'T BLAME THIS ON THE SUPERINTENDENT. THAT MAN IS USED LIKE SOME KIND OF HELPER MONKEY, AND IT'S WRONG. OKAY? LOOK AT HIM. WHETHER HE KNOWS IT OR NOT, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, PEOPLE ARE SHAKING THEIR HEADS. THERE IS A PROFOUND LACK OF PUBLIC TRUST, MAINLY DUE TO GROSS -- SCANDAL, AFTER SCANDAL, AFTER SCANDAL. GET IT TOGETHER. GET IT TOGETHER.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU, MR. GREENE. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MARK KLUTHO FOLLOWED BY MR. RYAN HEZINSKI. WELCOME, MR. KLUTHO. YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
>>>> HERE WE HAVE 6.08, 6.11, 6.12, 6.13, ALL CHARTER. RACKET. THAT'S THE WORD TO DESCRIBE IT. 7.02, ROBERT E. LEE, REBUILDING IT. AND IT'S ALL WRONG. BELCHING CARBON AND THEN WE HAVE PLANT. OH, THERE IT IS AGAIN, THE HVAC. YEAH, 7.08, THE TTT SCHOOL, ANOTHER MONUMENT TO IGNORANCE. WHAT A SHAME. WHAT A SHAME. SO WHAT DOES THIS GIVE US? HERE IS THE HEADLINE: GETTING GONE FOREVER, SPECIES WE LOST IN 2018. THE WORD IS CORRELATION. AND YOU LIE HERE, CHAIR. YOU SAY YOU WANT TO BE HEARD. I USED TO COME TO THESE MEETINGS WHERE THERE WAS THREE MINUTES FOR AN AGENDA ITEM. NOW YOU WANT TO WHITTLE IT DOWN MORE. YOU'RE LIARS. WHAT DOES THE SUPERINTENDENT SAY? WHERE WE'RE AT. THIS THING IS ONE BIG FARCE. A BIG FARCE. HERE'S A HEADLINE. GETTING REAL ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE. YOU JUST KEEP IGNORING IT. THIS IS FROM PILKE. THE PROFESSOR EMERITUS FROM DUKE UNIVERSITY. IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, 18 NORTH ATLANTIC HURRICANES INSTRUCT UNITED STATES, FIVE OF WHICH WERE VERY DANGEROUS BY ANY MEASURE. AND IT'S NOT UNREASONABLE TO TO ASSUME THAT THE POWERFUL STORMS ARE THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW NORMAL. THE IMPACT OF WARMING OCEAN, OF A WARMING OCEAN ON HURRICANE INTENSITY. WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS MAKING THE OCEAN WARMER. CAUSE AND EFFECT. AND WHAT'S HAPPENING, 68 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND THE AIR-CONDITIONING IN HERE JUST KEEPS CRANKING. YOU PEOPLE ARE PARIAHS. AND IT ISN'T A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR-CONDITIONER BEING BAD, AS WHAT WAS STATED. IT'S THE STUPID BUILDINGS. YOU MAKE A PASSIVE SOLAR, HIGH-PERFORMANCE BUILDING AND THE AIR-CONDITIONER GETS LITTLE AND DOESN'T HAVE TO BE USED AS OFTEN. BUT I DON'T THINK THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN GRASP THAT NOTION WHEN HE WANTS TO END THE SENTENCE WITH AN "AT." THAT'S A PREPOSITION. THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, LIKE WINSTON CHURCHILL SAID, WE SHAPE OUR BUILDINGS, THEREAFTER THEY SHAPE US. LIKE THESE HEADLINES ARE SAYING, CATEGORY 6 STORMS MAY GET WORSE. AND YOU PEOPLE WILL BE SQUIRMING. MALFEASANCE IS THE WORD HERE.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. KLUTHO. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. RYAN HEZINSKI FOLLOWED BY SHARON MORGAN. AND OUR LAST SPEAKER, TARA GONZALEZ. WELCOME, MR. HEZINSKI. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. THANK YOU.
>>>> THANK EVERYONE AND BELATED HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE NOW HERE TO SERVE. I'M ALSO GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORTED THE REFERENDUM. THAT WILL HELP THE COMMUNITY AND ESPECIALLY THE KIDS. FIRST AND FOREMOST, A SHOUT-OUT TO THIS VERY SPECIAL WOMAN OVER HERE, FREDDY FOR 13 YEARS HAS BEEN A GREAT FRIEND AND MY NEIGHBOR. SHE SERVES ON OUR HOA BOARD. OUR BOARD IS NOT NEARLY AS BIG OR AS RESPONSIBLE AS THIS BOARD. SHE IS MOVING. RETIRING AT THE END OF THE MONTH. I WANT TO GIVE HER A SHOUT-OUT. I WANTED TO BE DOWN HERE DURING PUBLIC COMMENT TIME TO SAY SOMETHING NICE ABOUT HER. SHE IS A WONDERFUL PERSON, WONDERFUL FRIEND. [ APPLAUSE ] I'LL MISS HER AND SURE OUR COUNTY WILL MISS HER AS WELL. I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT-OUT TO INDIA. ONCE FUTURE STUDENT, NOW CURRENT STUDENT IN THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE AT STRAWBERRY CREST. ONE OF THE FIVE BOOKS I READ OVER THE WINTER BREAK WAS CALLED READER COME HOME. THE READING BRAIN IN THE DIGITAL WORLD. I WOULD REALLY RECOMMEND THAT ANYBODY INVOLVED IN THE LITERACY INITIATIVE. WRITTEN IN A BUSINESS HEAR STYLE FROM A NEUROSCIENCE AT M.I.T. STARTED OUT AS A TEACHER BEFORE BECOMING A RESEARCHER AND THEN WORKED UP TO A NEUROSCIENCE DEGREE. I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WITH A LOT OF INITIATIVES WITH iREADY BECAUSE THE CHILD'S BRAIN MAY NOT BE PREPARED. BEST TO APPROACH WITH A MIX OF TEXTS AND, OF COURSE, THE DIGITAL TEXT THEY GET. I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND ANY OF YOU READ IT. VERY QUICK READ. JUST OVER 200 PAGES. I ALSO WANTED TO -- I SAW YOUR COMMENTS, MR. CONA. I WISH WE COULD HAVE MORE IB SCHOOLS, HONESTLY. I TEACH IN THE PROGRAM. IT'S PHENOMENAL. I WILL SAY THAT THE DISTANCE IS A CHALLENGE. I HAVE KIDS FROM MRS. SNIVELY'S NEIGHBORHOOD WHO COME TO CREST AND DRIVE A VERY LONG WAY. I HAD A JUNIOR WHO ALMOST QUIT A YEAR AGO BEFORE HE BECAME A SENIOR. I BASICALLY SAID, LOOK, YOU DRIVE 35 MINUTES EACH WAY. BASICALLY SACRIFICE NINE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE FOR ONE MORE YEAR -- AND HE STAYED. I KNOW ALONSO IS WHERE YOU THEORETICALLY WOULD LIKE TO PUT A SCHOOL BUT BURSTING AT THE SEAMS. MORE IB, WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN. I'M SURE MANY OTHERS WOULD. ALSO TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO GET PEOPLE, OUR MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT IS DOWN, CLEARLY. IS THERE ANY WAY WE COULD BUILD? MAYBE WE ALREADY HAVE INTERNSHIPS FOR PEOPLE LIKE AT ERWIN. MAYBE THE COST OF TUITION. SIGN A PROMISSORY NOTE AND GIVE THEM A PIPELINE INTO THE DISTRICT TO FILL SOME OF THE NEEDS MAYBE THREE OR FIVE YEARS, WHATEVER THEY CAN DO, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WORTH WORKING ON. SOME KIND OF INTERNSHIP OR JUST GETTING THEM INTO THE PIPELINE SO WE CAN FILL THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT AND TAKE CARE OF THE BECOME A LOG. I HAVE OTHER COMMENTS BUT I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME. I WON'T GO OVER. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>>>>Melissa Snively: THANK YOU, MR. HEZINSKI. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SHARON MORGAN VOLRATH. AFTER THAT IT WILL BE TARA GONZALEZ.
>>>> THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS SHARON VOLRATH. I'M A PARENT OF FORMER STUDENTS AT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BUT I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF INVOC TIFF THEATER PRODUCTION --
>>>>Melissa Snively: CAN YOU SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE?
>>>> I'M SORRY. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF INVOCTIVE THEATER OF COLUMBINE. THIS IS A PLAY ABOUT THE COLUMBINE TRAGEDY, BUT IT IS SO MUCH MORE. IT HAS RECEIVED GREAT REVIEWS FROM BROADWAY WORLD AND TWO OTHERS SO FAR. BUT IT'S NOT A SOAPBOX PRODUCTION. IT'S NOT ADVOCATING A GUN CONTROL POSITION OR THE SCHOOLS SHOULD BE ARMED POSITION. IT IS VERY REALISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE FORCES THAT CAME TOGETHER TO CREATE COLUMBINE AND THE SIGNS THAT WERE MISSED BY EMPLOYERS, MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, PARENTS, AND EDUCATORS. IT'S A POWERFUL PLAY. THE REVIEWS HAVE ALL COMMENDED THE CAST. THAT ENSEMBLE IS OF EIGHT PEOPLE. TWO OF WHOM ARE PRODUCTS OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM. ONE IS A CURRENT STUDENT, THEE ONA CAR MINE. SHE'S AT BLAKE. AND ONE IS A FORMER STUDENT FROM PLANT HIGH SCHOOL. SHE'S MY DAUGHTER, AUBREY. I'M NOT HERE BECAUSE OF HER. I'M HERE BECAUSE THE PLAY IS INCREDIBLE. THERE ARE FOUR PRODUCTIONS LEFT. TWO ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AT 8 P.M. AND TWO ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AT 3 P.M. MATINEES. THOSE MATINEES ARE FOLLOWED BY TALK-BACKS. THOSE TALKBACKS, WE HAVE INCREDIBLE EXPERTS IN THE FIELD. AND, IN FACT, SATURDAY'S PRODUCTION IS LABELED "SAFETY IN OUR SCHOOLS." SATURDAY WE WILL HAVE DR. JESSE COLLINS WHO WAS A MEMBER OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER FOR 13 YEARS AND IS NOW A LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL PRACTICING IN TAMPA. ALSO LIEUTENANT ROCCA WITH TPD AND CURRENTLY THE MANAGER OVER THE DEPARTMENT SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY, DR. WELLS WHO IS A CERTIFIED PSYCHIATRIST, BUT WORKS WITH THE FORTUNE 500 HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES REGARDING BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS ON HOW TO PREVENT THIS KIND OF VIOLENCE. SUNDAY, WE HAVE FREDDY BARTON, DIRECTOR OF SAFE AND SOUND, DR. BRIANNA FOX, WHO IS A PROFESSOR OF CRIMINOLOGY AT USF AND A PARKLAND SURVIVOR FROM 2017. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO ADVOCATE TO YOUR EDUCATORS, TO YOUR ADMINISTRATORS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PRODUCTION. I WOULD WANT TO GO AS A PARENT TO HEAR THESE EXPERTS SPEAK. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
>>>>Melissa Snively: THANK YOU, MS. VOLRATH. FOR CLARIFICATION, THE PANELISTS ARE --
>>>> IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE PRODUCTION.
>>>>Melissa Snively: ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.
>>>> SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AT 3 P.M.
>>>>Melissa Snively: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>>> THANK YOU.
>>>>Melissa Snively: OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE FROM TARA GONZALEZ.
>>>> GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU. MY NAME IS TARA GONZALEZ. I AM HERE SPEAKING FROM THE HILLSBOROUGH CLASSROOM TEACHERS ASSOCIATION. I'M ACTUALLY SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF TEACHERS AS A WHOLE, BUT ONE TEACHER SPECIFICALLY WROTE THIS. FOR THE VOICE OF MANY. THESE INCIDENTS ARE OCCURRING IN DROVES OVER THE DISTRICT. THIS IS HAPPENING AT "A" SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLS ACROSS THE DISTRICT. I WILL SAY BEFORE I READ THIS THAT WE HAVE BEGUN INITIAL CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DISTRICT TO IMPROVE THESE PROCEDURES THAT ARE NOT IN PLACE, PER SE, BUT WE'D LIKE TO DEFINITELY MOVE IN A TIMELY MANNER. HERE IS HER LETTER. AS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW I, AS WELL AS SEVERAL OF MY PEERS, HAVE BEEN VICTIM OF PHYSICAL ATTACKS MADE BY STUDENTS. WE THE TEACHERS HAVE SPENT ENDLESS HOURS DOCUMENTING, REPORTING, CONFERENCING ABOUT SAID CHILD YET THERE SEEMS TO BE NO CONSEQUENCE. FOR HIS ACTIONS. OR, MORE IMPORTANTLY, NO PROTECTION GIVEN TO THE TEACHERS. AS A TEACHER, WE ARE EXPECTED TO AND HAPPY TO WELCOME ALL STUDENTS INTO OUR CLASSROOMS REGARDLESS OF SPECIAL NEEDS, CIRCUMSTANCES, OR DISABILITY. HOWEVER, AT WHAT POINT DO WE STAND UP FOR OUR OWN SAFETY AND BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELL-BEING? IN MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, A STUDENT WITH A DISABILITY HAS PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED ME ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND GIVEN KNOW FORMAL CONSEQUENCE OR ALTERNATIVE PLACEMENT. WHEN VOICING OUR OPINIONS, FRUSTRATIONS AND CONCERNS, WE RECEIVE RESPONSES SUCH AS, WELL, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE A STUDENT. IT'S GOING ON ALL OVER THE DISTRICT, OR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES HAVE MORE RIGHTS. NONE OF WHICH SEEM TO BE SOLVING THE ISSUE AT HAND. I DO UNDERSTAND THAT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES HAVE RIGHTS PROTECTED UNDER THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT. BUT DO THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO ASSAULT THEIR TEACHERS? DO THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO ASSAULT THEIR TEACHERS WITH NO CONSEQUENCES? DO THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO PUT THEIR TEACHER SAFETY AND FELLOW CLASSMATES SAFETY AND THEIR OWN SAFETY AT RISK ON A DAILY BASIS? WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING AND ACCOMMODATING STUDENT INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLANS AS WELL AS CREATING AND EXECUTING POSITIVE BEHAVIOR EDUCATION PLANS. AT WHAT POINT DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO STATE THE OBVIOUS? THIS ENVIRONMENT IS NOT WHAT IS BEST FOR THIS CHILD. THIS PLACEMENT IS NOT SAFE, BENEFICIAL OR SUCCESSFUL. THIS CHILD DOES HAVE AN IEP FOR EMOTIONAL BEHAVIORAL DISORDER. HE BROKE A PENCIL, THREW IT ACROSS THE ROOM. WHEN I ASKED HIM TO PICK IT UP, HE HIT ME IN THE FACE WITH A WEIGHTED -- I TOOK THE SNAKE FROM HIM SO HE CANNOT CONTINUE TO HIT ME WITH IT. HE BECAME ENRAGED, BENT MY FINGER BACK, PUNCHED ME AND ATTEMPTED TO POKE ME IN THE EYES. A STUDENT BROUGHT ME A WALKIE-TALKIE TO ALERT ADMINISTRATION. THE STUDENT GRABBED SANITIZER AND THREW IT AT MY BODY. CONTINUED TO GRAB MY HAIR, SCRATCH MY FACE, PROCEED TO GRAB MY CHEST AND RIP MY DRESS AWAY FROM MY BODY. THEN I HAD TO USE MY HANDS TO COVER UP MY EXPOSED UNDERGARMENTS. THE STRENGTH HE BENT MY FINGER BROUGHT ME PHYSICAL PAIN AND BROUGHT ME TO MY KNEES. TODAY IS A DAY THAT SEEMS TO BEGIN MAKING SAFETY A PRIORITY OF OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. GONZALEZ. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL MOVE INTO OUR ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS. MR. SUPERINTENDENT.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. SHAMBURGER. ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS COMING BEFORE YOU TODAY ON THE AGENDA HAVE BEEN PROPERLY ADVERTISED. APPROPRIATE SCREENINGS WERE HELD AND INTERVIEWS BEFORE SUPERINTENDENT STAFF WERE CONDUCTED. THE HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT ARE HMRD PROCESS ADOPTED BY THE BOARD WAS FOLLOWED. B 01, APPROVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT OF THE SUPERVISOR FOR PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH K-12. IT IS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION TO APPOINT ASHLEY CAPUCHI, CURRENTLY AN INSTRUCTIONAL MENTOR FOR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TO THE SUPERVISOR OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH K-12, EFFECTIVE JANUARY 22, 2019. MS. CAPUCHI BEGAN HER CAREER IN 2007 AT P. E. TEACHER AT WHARTON HIGH SCHOOL. 2014 THROUGH 16, A PEER EVALUATOR AT WHARTON HIGH SCHOOL AND FOR THE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND FOR THE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. IN 2016, SHE WAS NAMED AN INSTRUCTIONAL MENTOR FOR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT WHERE SHE IS CURRENTLY SERVING.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE SUPERVISOR OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH K-12. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER CONA AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT IS UNANIMOUS. CONGRATULATIONS, MS. CAPUCHI. PLEASE STAND. [ APPLAUSE ] AND YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: I DON'T SEE HIM IN THE AUDIENCE, BUT -- I DIDN'T SEE HIM IN THE AUDIENCE BUT I KNOW MS. CAPUCHI, OF COURSE, IS REPLACING THE RETIRED STEVE MANOR WHO HAS BEEN WITH OUR DISTRICT A NUMBER OF YEARS. HE WAS AN INCREDIBLE SUPERVISOR AND EDUCATOR HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND WE'LL MISS HIM TREMENDOUSLY. MS. CAPUCHI WILL DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB IN REPLACING HIM. I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE STEVE FOR HIS INCREDIBLE WORK IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. [ APPLAUSE ] B 02, THIS IS TO APPROVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT OF SUPERVISOR FOR DATA ANALYSIS IN OUR OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT. IT IS SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION TO APPOINT WENDY RUTHERFORD, CURRENTLY A BUSINESS PROCESS SPECIALIST FOR OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS TO THE SUPERVISOR OF DATA ANALYSIS EFFECTIVE JANUARY 16, 2019. MS. RUTHERFORD BEGAN HER TEACHING CAREER IN 2002, SERVING NEXT 11 YEARS AT BENITO MIDDLE, ANDERSON ELEMENTARY AND MEMORIAL MIDDLE SCHOOLS. IN 2013, SHE WAS APPOINTED THE COORDINATOR OF ASSESSMENT. AND IN 2017, SHE SERVED AS A TEACHER AT NEWSOME HIGH SCHOOL. IN 2018, SHE WAS APPOINTED THE BUSINESS PROCESS SPECIALIST FOR OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS WHERE SHE IS CURRENTLY SERVING.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE SUPERVISOR OF DATA ANALYSIS. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER STUART. A SECOND BY MEMBER CONA. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT IS UNANIMOUS. CONGRATULATIONS, MS. RUTHERFORD. PLEASE STAND. [ APPLAUSE ] AND YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: MOVING ON TO B 04, THIS IS TO APPROVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT FOR THE PRINCIPAL OF SERGEANT PAUL R. SMITH MIDDLE SCHOOL. IT IS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION TO APPOINT ROBERT KLESADDLE TO BE APPOINTED TO THIS POSITION EFFECTIVE JANUARY 28, 2019. MR. KLESADDLE BEGAN HIS TEACHING CAREER IN 2005 AT DOWDELL MIDDLE MAGNET SCHOOL FROM 2009 TO THE PRESENT, HE HAS SERVED AS ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR HILL, SLIGH AND SERGEANT SMITH MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE PRINCIPAL OF SERGEANT PAUL R. SMITH MIDDLE SCHOOL. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER CONA AND A SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT IS UNANIMOUS. CONGRATULATIONS, MR. KLESADDLE. PLEASE STAND. [ APPLAUSE ] AND YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: ALSO TAKE THIS MOMENT IN TIME, REASON WE APPOINTED A PRINCIPAL TONIGHT AT SMITH MIDDLE SCHOOL IS BECAUSE OUR FORMER PRINCIPAL IS RETIRING OR RETIRED. HOW DOES THAT FEEL, RIGHT? SO I WANT TO RECOGNIZE JoANN JOHNSON, THE LONGTIME EDUCATOR AND PRINCIPAL LEADER HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. [ APPLAUSE ] B 05 IS TO APPROVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT OF SUPERVISOR FOR CAREER, TECHNICAL AND ADULT EDUCATION. IT IS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION TO APPOINT ELIZABETH SIMPSON, CURRENTLY DISTRICT RESOURCE TEACHER FOR CAREER, TECHNICAL AND ADULT EDUCATION TO THE SUPERVISOR OF CAREER TECHNICAL AND ADULT EDUCATION EFFECTIVE JANUARY 28, 2019. MS. SIMPSON BEGAN HER CAREER IN 2005 AT GRECO MIDDLE SCHOOL AS A TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION TEACHER. AND IN 2016 SHE SERVED AS A MAGNET LEAD TEACHER. 2018, APPOINTED DISTRICT RESOURCE TEACHER FOR CAREER TECHNICAL AND ADULT EDUCATION WHERE SHE'S CURRENTLY SERVING.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE SUPERVISOR OF CAREER, TECHNICAL AND ADULT EDUCATION. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND A SECOND BY MEMBER SNIVELY. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT IS UNANIMOUS. CONGRATULATIONS, MS. SIMPSON. PLEASE STAND AND YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. [ APPLAUSE ]
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: I ALSO HAVE A FEW NEW APs TONIGHT. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE BEEN APPOINTED AS AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL. WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THESE FOUR WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH OUR PIPELINE SUPPORT PROGRAM. KIMBERLY STONE, SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER AT TEMPLE TERRACE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS AT ALONSO HIGH SCHOOL. TESSA WARD, CURRENTLY TEACHER AT MIDDLETON TO ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS AT MIDDLETON. HEATHER HANKS, BLOOMINGDALE TO THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS AT PLANT CITY HIGH SCHOOL. AND TRACYE BROWN, ANOTHER TRACYE BROWN, CURRENTLY -- SURPRISE -- CURRENTLY -- [ LAUGHTER ] -- CURRENTLY AN INTERVENTION COACH AT MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL TO THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS AT SICKLES HIGH SCHOOL. WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THEM THIS EVENING. [ APPLAUSE ] WITH THAT, WE'RE -- IF YOU ARE HERE FOR THOSE APPOINTMENTS, WE THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TO SUPPORT OUR NEW APPOINTED LEADERS IN OUR DISTRICT. YOU'RE FREE TO GO AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME. AS THEY EXIT QUIETLY, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON WITH OUR AGENDA. I'LL PAUSE FOR JUST A FEW SECONDS.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: ALL RIGHT. I THINK WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON WITH OUR AGENDA. WE'RE GOING TO NOW MOVE INTO ITEM 1.01 TO APPROVE THE REVISIONS TO THE STUDENT PROGRESSION PLAN KINDERGARTEN TO ADULT FOR 2018-19 ACADEMIC YEAR. I KNOW MS. COOK AND HER TEAM MET WITH EACH BOARD MEMBER TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BRIEF ON THIS. I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THE OFFICE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING FACILITATES THE ANNUAL REVIEW AND REVISION TO ALIGN WITH THE VISION AND MISSION AND ADDRESS LEGISLATIVE CHANGES. AS PART OF THE REVISION PROCESS, A TASK FORCE WAS CREATED WITH ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO ENGAGE MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES THROUGH THE LENS OF EQUITY. CURRENT REFLECTIONS REFLECT INPUT FROM THE TASK FORCE AND THOROUGH REVIEW OF PLAN, PROCEDURES AND LEGISLATION. OUR STUDENT PROGRESSION PLAN PROVIDES A COMPREHENSIVE ACADEMIC RESOURCE FOR STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND STAFF TO EASILY ACCESS THIS INFORMATION, WE SHOW -- WE'LL SHOW A REALLY QUICK PRESENTATION THAT PABLO WILL PUT UP HERE OF WHERE TO FIND THE PLAN ON OUR DISTRICT WEBSITE.
>>>> PARENTS AND STUDENTS CAN EASILY ACCESS THE STUDENT PROGRESSION PLAN ON OUR DISTRICT WEBSITE. BEGIN AT THE DISTRICT HOME PAGE. CLICK ON THE STUDENT TAB. GO TO THE STUDENT PROGRESSION PLAN LINK. YOU WILL SEE AN OVERVIEW OF THE STUDENT PROGRESSION PLAN. THE COLUMN TO THE RIGHT PROVIDES DIRECT LINKS TO THE TEACHING AND LEARNING DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS OTHER RELATED DEPARTMENTS. THE COLUMN TO THE LEFT PROVIDES DIRECT LINKS TO THE STUDENT PROGRESSION PLAN. YOU CAN VIEW AND/OR PRINT THE ENTIRE STUDENT PROGRESSION PLAN AS PDF OR EXPAND TO SEE LINKS TO DIFFERENT SECTIONS. IF YOU CLICK ON THE MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRESSION LINK, FOR EXAMPLE, IT TAKES YOU DIRECTLY TO THAT SECTION. SUBTITLE LINKS WILL APPEAR TO THE COLUMNS ON THE RIGHT. IF YOU CLICK ON A SUBTITLE IN THIS CASE, COURSE OF STUDY, IT TAKES YOU TO THAT SUBTITLE. THERE IS A PRINT ICON THAT ALLOWS YOU TO PRINT A SPECIFIC SECTION. THROUGHOUT THE DOCUMENT, THERE ARE DIRECT LINKS TO THE FLORIDA STATUTES. SCROLL TO THE LINK UNDER CIVICS. CLICK ON THE LINK AND THE STATUTE PAGE APPEARS IN A NEW WINDOW. BACK ON THE DISTRICT STUDENT PROGRESSION PLAN, YOU CAN APPLY GOOGLE TRANSLATE TO SEE THE DOCUMENT IN OTHER LANGUAGES. GO TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE TO SELECT A LANGUAGE. IF YOU SELECT SPANISH, THE TEXT WILL APPEAR IN SPANISH. THIS FEATURE MEETS THE NEEDS OF OUR DIVERSE POPULATION. THIS REVISED STUDENT PROGRESSION PLAN WILL INITIALLY BE PUBLISHED AS A PDF. THE WEB PAGES WILL THEN BE UPDATED AND PUBLISHED FOR OUR FAMILIES AND STUDENTS.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MS. SPENCE, THE VOICE OF MS. SPENCE, OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR. I DO KNOW MS. WEBB, OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE HAS A COMMENT TO MAKE ON THIS TONIGHT.
>>>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I THINK IT'S REALLY GOOD THAT YOU PUT THIS OUT. FOR ME AS A STUDENT TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT MY REQUIREMENTS ARE AND WHAT I NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN MY UPCOMING SCHOOLS, YOU ALSO HAVE IT IN THE DIFFERENT LANGUAGE. THAT'S SUPERCOOL SO FAMILIES CAN ALL KNOW THE MISSION AND THAT THEIR CHILD ISN'T GOING TO BE LEFT BEHIND. THAT'S ALL.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. WEBB. MEMBER STUART.
>>>>Cindy Stuart: THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE SO MUCH A COMMENT AS A COMPLIMENT. I KNOW THAT EVERY YEAR THIS IS REVIEWED, AND I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE REVIEWS WE'VE SEEN SO FAR. MY MEETING WITH THE STAFF MEMBERS AROUND THIS, WE DID TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS THAT COULD BE ENHANCED SUCH AS A SEARCH FEATURE FOR PARENTS. THIS IS NOT A DOCUMENT PEOPLE START PICK UP AND READING BECAUSE YOUR STUDENT IS NOW IN MIDDLE SCHOOL OR HIGH SCHOOL. YOU GO TO THIS DOCUMENT BECAUSE YOU HAVE ISSUES. I KNOW A LOT OF THE ISSUES REVOLVE AROUND GRADUATION, AROUND DUAL ENROLLMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I APPRECIATE THE CLARITY THAT HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE DOCUMENT. I KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME TRAINING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN FOR STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE. I KNOW SOME OF THE GRADING HAS CHANGED AND SOME OF THE WEIGHTING, WHICH IS FANTASTIC, AND ALL OF THIS BENEFITS STUDENTS. NONE OF IT HURTS ANYONE. I APPRECIATE THE WORK AND THE EFFORT OF THE TEAM AND THE COMMITTEE THAT WENT BEHIND THIS. I'M GLAD TO SEE IT'S UP ON THE WEBSITE AND NOW IT'S A SEARCHABLE ITEM AND AVAILABLE TO, AGAIN, I DON'T THINK PEOPLE GO LOOKING FOR THIS. I THINK BOARD MEMBERS NEED TO KNOW THIS IS OUT THERE FOR WHEN WE GET CONSTITUENT CALLS INSTEAD OF HAVING TO CALL MS. SUSPENSE OR MS. GREENWICH, WE CAN DIRECT FAMILIES TO THIS ITEM ON THE WEBSITE. I THINK IT'S A VERY USEFUL TOOL, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS. THANK YOU.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MEMBER STUART. MEMBER GRAY.
>>>>Lynn Gray: YES, I WANTED TO THANK MS. HANCOCK, MS. SUSPENSE AND MS. GREENWICH AND THE CTA FOR THEIR DILIGENCE TO WHAT I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT AS WELL. WHEN WE START DEALING WITH AN EXTRA LAYER OF GRADING, SUCH AS THE FLORIDA STANDARDS, IT'S CRITICAL THAT THE PARENTS HAVE ACCESSIBILITY, NOT THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT BEFORE BUT LET'S MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE AND EFFICIENT AND THAT'S WHAT THESE THREE GREAT LEADERS HAVE DONE. ALSO, BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT IF A STUDENT IS LOW ON TWO PARTICULAR STANDARDS, IT'S IMPORTANT A PARENT KNOWS BECAUSE THEN THEY CAN EYEBALL IT AND SAY, WELL, THIS IS WHERE EXTRA TUTORING MIGHT BE IN PLACE OR WHERE I CAN HELP MY CHILD. THAT'S VERY, VERY CRITICAL. SUPERINTENDENT EAKINS, YOU MAY KNOW BY NOW, SINCE OUR SCHOOLS HAVE THIS AVAILABLE, THE PARENTS DO, DO OUR CHARTER SCHOOL PARENTS HAVE THIS ALSO, THE STUDENT PROGRESSION? I BELIEVE, MS. HANCOCK, WE DIDN'T KNOW JUST THE ANSWER THEN, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU FOUND THE ANSWER SINCE THEN?
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: EVERYONE HAS ACCESSIBILITY TO OUR PEOPLE PROGRESSION PLAN THAT'S ONLINE THAT THEY CAN ACCESS THE SAME WAY YOU JUST SAW.
>>>> IF IT IS POLICIES THAT THEY ADHERE WITH THE SAME AS OUR POLICIES. YES, THEY HAVE FULL ACCESS TO THAT. WITH SPECIFIC LAWS WITH CHARTER, THAT'S WHERE WE WORK WITH JENNA TO SEE THE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES SPECIFICALLY WITH PROGRESSION PLANS.
>>>>Lynn Gray: MAY I ADVOCATE RIGHT NOW, RECOMMEND THAT WE MAKE SURE THE BOARDS OF THE CHARTER SCHOOLS KNOW THAT THIS IS AVAILABLE BECAUSE THIS THE DISCONNECT AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: I'LL MOVE ON. BEFORE 6.02 AND 6.03, THE CAFR AND PAFR. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE JEANIE DRURY. WE HAVE 5.03 TODAY WAS AN ITEM THAT WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE RAYS THAT NO ONE PULLED IT FOR ANY PARTICULAR KINDS OF ISSUES, BUT WE HAVE JEANIE DRURY. 5.03 IS OUR PARTNERSHIP MOA BETWEEN THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND TAMPA BAY RAYS. WE HAVE A LOT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT THEY HELP SUPPORT IN OUR SCHOOLS. I WANT TO JUST INVITE HER TO STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED AND SAY THANK YOU FOR OUR PARTNERSHIP. [ APPLAUSE ] WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO -- COMMENT?
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: MEMBER GRAY.
>>>>Lynn Gray: I WANTED TO ACTUALLY -- I DID PULL IT ONE TIME AND THEN TOOK IT OFF. THE RAYS, I KNOW BRIAN AULT WAS A THIRD GRADE TEACHER. I DO KNOW YOU ALL CARE ABOUT OUR EDUCATION VERY MUCH, AND THERE HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF AN ASK FROM ME TO SEE IF WE CAN GET EVEN MORE INVOLVEMENT. BUT I WANT TO THANK YOUR ORGANIZATION. I KNOW TIMES ARE GOOD, TIMES ARE NOT GOOD, BUT YOU ARE STEADFAST. I APPRECIATE THE SPORTS ELEMENT COMING INTO OUR SCHOOLS AND YOUR PHILANTHROPY. THANK YOU.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MEMBER GRAY. AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO OUR TIME-CERTAIN ITEM, THE HEARINGS, THE HEARING ON THE ADOPTION OF NEW AND REVISED POLICY. THIS ITEM WAS PULLED FOR HIGHLIGHT AND COMMENT BY MEMBER SNIVELY. I WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE NEW AND REVISED POLICIES ADOPTION PROCESS. THIS IS A REQUIREMENT PURSUANT TO STATE LAW AND BOARD POLICY. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK ABOUT POLICIES RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION BY THE BOARD AND TO PROVIDE INPUT TO THE BOARD. THE PLODS WERE -- THE POLICIES WERE ADVERTISED AND MADE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW. I'LL ASK KRISTEN DAVIS, PUBLIC MANAGER OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS TO HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. AFTER HER HIGHLIGHT, ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC MAY SPEAK TO PROVIDE INPUT TO THE BOARD ON THE PROPOSED POLICIES. MS. DAVIS, WELCOME.
>>>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF. TODAY'S ADOPTION IS THE LAST STEP IN THIS POLICY CYCLE. AS YOU KNOW, WE STARTED BACK IN LATE SUMMER. THE BOARD AND, OF COURSE, WITH THE GREAT ASSISTANCE OF OUR BOARD ATTORNEY AND STAFF SUBMITTED NEW AND REVISED POLICIES FOR DISCUSSION. WE CAME TOGETHER IN SEPTEMBER AT A WORKSHOP. WE REVIEWED THE POLICIES. WE DISCUSSED THEM. AND YOU MADE A DECISION ON WHICH POLICIES YOU WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD. AND THEN IN DECEMBER, WE WENT AHEAD AND ADVERTISED PURSUANT TO LAW THE POLICIES AS WELL AS MADE THEM AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW. NOW WE'RE HERE TODAY IN THE LAST STEP OF THE POLICY CYCLE.
>>>>Jim Porter: IF I COULD ADD FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BOARD, AS KRISTEN SAID, THE BOARD HAS A TWICE-A-YEAR POLICY CYCLE. THE BOARD STARTS THE SPRING POLICY CYCLE IN JANUARY WHERE STAFF OR BOARD MEMBERS CAN RECOMMEND POLICIES TO BE ADOPTED BY THE FULL BOARD. THERE IS A SEVERAL MONTHLONG PROCESS AND THEN THEY ARE TYPICALLY ADOPTED IN THE SUMMER AND THEN IMMEDIATELY THE NEXT POLICY CYCLE STARTS. FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS, THIS POLICY CYCLE WAS STARTED LAST SUMMER WHEN THREE OF YOU WEREN'T ON THE BOARD YET. SO THE POLICIES THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT TO YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY ARE A MIX OF POLICIES BROUGHT BY STAFF SOMETIMES PURSUANT TO STATE LAW AND STATE NASTY HAPPEN AFTER EVERY LEGISLATIVE SESSION, SOMETIMES BECAUSE STAFF HAS IDENTIFIED SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE IN A BETTER WAY, SO THEY ARE RECOMMENDING IT OR BY BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE THE ABILITY TO BRING RECOMMENDED POLICIES FORWARD. SO YOU SEE A MIX OF THOSE TODAY. WE'LL GO THROUGH THOSE. THESE HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE WORKSHOP PROCESS. THEY'VE BEEN VETTED BY STAFF. THEY'VE BEEN VETTED BY BOTH ATTORNEYS, AND THEY'RE AVAILABLE OR READY FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO APPROVE ANY OF THEM. YOU MAY APPROVE ALL OF THEM. YOU MAY APPROVE SOME OF THEM. BUT THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE POLICY CYCLE. AGAIN, ONCE TONIGHT IS OVER, WE'LL START THE NEXT POLICY CYCLE AND WE'LL WORK WITH YOU ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
>>>> THAT WAS THE REST OF MY SCRIPT. THANK YOU.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. PORTER FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. AND MS. DAVIS, FOR THE HIGHLIGHT. DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ADOPTION OF NEW AND REVISED POLICIES? MR. ROBINSON.
>>>> ONCE AGAIN, JOE ROBINSON FOR THE SECOND HALF. I'LL TALK ABOUT ELEVATE SCHOOLS, ACQUISITION OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE. CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTING, ELEVATE SCHOOLS. SAY IT LIKE IT IS. TOOK THAT POLICY AND MADE ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS. THAT WAS GRUELING THE LAST SIX MONTHS OF COMING UP WITH THAT. THAT GOT A LOT OF INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY. I MEAN A LOT. IF YOU WAS A BOARD MEMBER ATTENDING, I THINK A LOT OF YOU GUYS DID, I APPRECIATE THAT. LET'S GET THAT ONE APPROVED. WE NEED THAT TO GET THESE ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS MOVING BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY IS SITTING OUT THERE BAD MOUTHING YA BUT YOU HAVE A POLICY. LET'S FINISH THIS POLICY UP. SUPPLIER DIVERSITY. MS. SHAMBURGER, THANK YOU FOR ADDING IN HERE ABOUT CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS THAT ARE AWARDED CONTRACTS. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY INVITE AT LEAST TWO VENDORS, TWO VENDORS WHO ARE ON THE LIST FOR OSD TO SUBMIT BID CONTRACTS. TYPO IN HERE, NO MORE VENDOR BID. VENDOR LINK. MAKE IT VENDOR LINK. NO VENDOR BID. DIED A WHILE BACK. CONSTRUCTOR CONTRACTING. WOW, THANK YOU, JESUS. HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THIS APPROVED BECAUSE FIVE TO TEN THOUSAND IS UNREASONABLE NOW. YOU NEED TO RAISE THE RATES UP. AND THAT GIVES JEFF SOME THINGS TO DO, AND IT CLEANS IT UP, TALKING ABOUT GENERAL MANAGER CONSTRUCTION WHICH WE DON'T HAVE. DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT FOR OPERATIONS. SO THAT IS A LOT OF THOUGHT NAD. THE ONLY PERSON AROUND THE HERE FILES PROTESTS. I'M GIVING YOU A PASS ON THAT ONE. UNDER THIS PROGRAM OF SELECTIVE ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTS, WE DIDN'T GET ANYTHING ON THE 2019 REFERENDUM PROJECTS. I GOT A NOTICE OF INTENT TO FILE A PROTEST HERE. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED. I TALKED TO CHRIS FARKAS, GUESS WHAT I'M DOING. I DON'T NEED TO FILE A PROTEST. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE DONE WORK AND THE SYSTEM HAS GOT SOME QUIRKS. CHRIS SOLVED IT. HE WORKING ON IT. HE KNOW ABOUT IT. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH CHRIS FARKAS TAKING CARE OF THE PROBLEM. I HAD A $25,000 CHECK TO GIVE YOU FOR THE BOND. HERE'S THE DEAL. CHRIS HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO HAVE A DESIGNEE. THE MAN IS RUNNING 100 MILES AN HOUR, GIVE HIM A DESIGNEE. ADD ONE WORD, A QUALIFIED DESIGNEE FOR HIM. YOU JUST CAN'T PUT NO SECRETARY IN THERE. JUST SAY THE WORD QUALIFIED AND GIVE HIM THAT. AND OTHER THAN THAT, SAME THING, WHEREVER IT SAYS DESIGNEE, IT SHOULD BE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SUPERINTENDENT IS DOING HIS REUSE PLANS, OR HIS QUALIFIED DESIGNEE. OTHER THAN THAT, THAT'S IT. LET CHRIS FARKAS, GET THE 2019 PROJECTS GOING. JOE ROBINSON AIN'T GOT NONE OF THEM TO DO, GUESS WHAT RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 2 CITYWIDE.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. ROBINSON. DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS? SEEING NONE, I WILL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE POLICIES. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER SNIVELY AND A SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MEMBER STUART.
>>>>Cindy Stuart: I HAVE A QUESTION, AND I'VE REVIEWED THE MATERIALS, BUT THERE WAS A POLICY THAT WAS INTRODUCED IN DECEMBER, AND I DON'T SEE IT HERE. I'M QUESTIONING WHAT HAPPENED. 6211. INVESTMENT ADVISOR AND I DON'T SEE IT ON THE LIST. AND MAYBE I'M MISSING IT. DID WE PULL THAT?
>>>> LET ME GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT.
>>>>Cindy Stuart: IF IT WAS EMBEDDED IN SOMETHING ELSE, I DON'T THINK THAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED BECAUSE THAT'S NOT OUR PROTOCOL. I WOULD LOVE TO TABLE IT. I'LL YIELD THE FLOOR TO OTHER BOARD MEMBERS UNTIL YOU FIGURE THAT OUT.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH. MEMBER CONA.
>>>>Steve Cona: YES, THANK YOU. I AGREE WITH MR. ROBINSON. I DO THINK THAT WE SHOULD CLARIFY THE LANGUAGE IN 6331 BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO IN TIMES WHERE YOU NEED TO HAVE A REPLACEMENT THAT THE WORD "QUALIFIED" IS IN THERE. I THINK THAT'S USUALLY IMPORTANT. THAT'S THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY TO ADD.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: MEMBER CONA, THANK YOU. MEMBER SNIVELY.
>>>>Melissa Snively: I'LL ENTERTAIN A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO APPROVE THE POLICIES WITH THE UPDATED VERBIAGE.
>>>>Jim Porter: MS. DAVIS REMINDED US THAT DURING THE MEETING MS. GRAY AGREED THAT IT WOULD NOT BE BROUGHT FORWARD. AT THE LAST MEETING, AGREED IT WOULD NOT BE BROUGHT FORWARD. THAT'S WHY IT'S NOT THERE. MR. CONA'S SUGGESTION, HEAR FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OR MR. FARKAS ABOUT WHETHER THERE'S ANY ISSUES WITH THAT. THEN THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING YOU COULD ADD TONIGHT AND CAN AMEND THE POLICY BASED ON THE MOTION.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: NO ISSUES HERE. I THINK IT'S A GOOD ADDITION.
>>>> THE AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION WOULD BE TO APPROVE THE POLICIES AS THEY'RE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD WITH THE CHANGES IN VERBIAGE MENTIONED BY --
>>>>Jim Porter: WE'LL CALL IT THE CONA-ROBINSON AMENDMENT.
>>>>Melissa Snively: TO INCLUDE VENDOR LINK INSTEAD OF VENDOR BID. AND THE DESIGNEE AS QUALIFIED.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: MEMBER GRAY, DO YOU HAVE COMMENTS?
>>>>Lynn Gray: I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: A LITTLE BIT OF GUIDANCE, MR. PORTER, DO WE NEED TO TAKE A VOTE ON THIS AMENDED MOTION AGAIN?
>>>>Jim Porter: IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND REPEATING YOUR MOTION, MS. SNIVELY. I'M SORRY.
>>>>Melissa Snively: DO YOU WANT ME TO WRITE IT DOWN? THE MOTION THAT I PRESENTED AS AN AMENDED MOTION THAT I PRESENTED WOULD BE TO APPROVE THE POLICIES AS THEY ARE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD TONIGHT WITH THE ADDED VERBIAGE OF QUALIFIED DESIGNEE IN THOSE SECTIONS AS STATED BY MR. CONA AND THE VENDOR LINK INSTEAD OF VENDOR BID.
>>>>Jim Porter: ASK THE MAKER OF THE MOTION, MS. STUART, IF THAT'S ACCEPTABLE. IF IT IS, YOU CAN VOTE ON THE AMENDED MOTION. IF IT'S NOT, YOU'LL NEED TO VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT. MS. STUART, IF YOU CAN --
>>>>Cindy Stuart: I --
>>>>Melissa Snively: I MADE THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
>>>>Jim Porter: THEN YOU'RE FINE. YOU DON'T NEED TO VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT. I THOUGHT MS. STUART DID. I APOLOGIZE. MOTION ON THE FLOOR RIGHT FOR VOTE OR BOARD DISCUSSION.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT IS UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, BOARD MEMBERS. MR. SUPERINTENDENT, WE'LL GO BACK INTO THE AGENDA ITEMS. I THINK YOU'RE AT 6.01.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: 6.02 AND 6.03, TO APPROVE THE COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT OR THE CAFR FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30 AND 6.03 IS APPROVE THE PAFR FOR FISCAL YEAR JUNE 30, 2018. THE UNAUDITED SUPERINTENDENT ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT WAS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR APPROVAL AND THEN SENT TO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AS REQUIRED BY LAW. THE DISTRICT IS REQUIRED BY FLORIDA SCHOOL LAW TO BE AUDITED ANNUALLY. FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2018, WE WERE AUDITED BY THE FIRM OF KPMG. THE CAFR IS THE DISTRICT'S AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENT, WHICH INCLUDES THE INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DID NOT HAVE ANY SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES OR MATERIAL WEAKNESSES IN THIS PARTICULAR AUDIT. TODD WEBSTER, THE ENGAGEMENT PARTNER WITH KPMG IS WITH US TODAY AND CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE CONCERNING THE AUDIT. ONCE APPROVED, THE CAFR WILL BE POSTED ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WEBSITE. WITH REGARDS TO THE PAFR, THIS REPORT SUMMARIZES THE FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES AND IS INTENDED TO CREATE AN AWARENESS OF THE FINANCIAL OPERATIONS IN OUR DISTRICT AND PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY TO THE COMMUNITY. THIS OVERVIEW PROVIDES INFORMATION REGARDING THE FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING AND REPORTING DATA OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. LAST YEAR, OUR DISTRICT SUBMITTED ITS FIRST PAFR TO THE GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL OFFICERS ASSOCIATION FOR EVALUATION OF THE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN PAFR REPORTING. MARCH OF 2018, DISTRICT RECEIVED NOTICE THAT THE GFOA OFFICE, FROM THE GFOA OFFICE THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WAS THE RECIPIENT OF THE AWARD. TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE, WE WERE THE FIRST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD. SPECIAL THANK YOU TO STEPHANIE HEATEN OUT THERE AND HER TEAM FOR THEIR HEART WORK AND DETERMINATION TO MAKE THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. ONCE APPROVED, THE PAFR WILL ALSO BE POSTED ON THE DISTRICT SCHOOL WEBSITE. DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WERE ANY COMMENTS. I BELIEVE MS. GRAY HAD A COMMENT AND MS. SNIVELY. OKAY. WE'RE GOOD. WE'LL MOVE RIGHT ALONG. AWESOME. ON 6.07, THIS IS APPROVE THE ESTIMATED OUT-OF-COUNTY TRAVEL AND OUT-OF-STATE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TRAVEL FOR 2018-19. MS. GRAY HAD A BRIEF COMMENT ON THAT.
>>>>Lynn Gray: LET ME JUST BACK UP. I APOLOGIZE. I DID WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THE POPULAR ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT. AS THIS REPORT REVEALS AND THIS WILL GO TO MS. SAUNDERS OR SUPERINTENDENT EAKINS, OUR DEBT INCREASED FROM 2015 TO 2018 WITH EXPENDITURES EXCEEDING THE OPERATING REVENUE YEAR AFTER YEAR. HOWEVER, THIS CREDIT GOES TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT, WE APPRECIATE AND TO MS. SAUNDERS THE ENERGY SAVING MEASURES, THE ELIMINATION OF POSITIONS, WHICH I KNOW WAS VERY, VERY HARD FOR YOU TO DO, THE RENEGOTIATING OF CONTRACTS, BUT I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT IS THE CENTRAL CAUSE FOR OUR DEBT? WHAT ARE WE DOING TO CONTINUE THIS SITUATION? I KNOW WHAT JERRY FORD HAS SAID. AND I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU OR MS. SAUNDERS.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: I'LL BE GLAD TO START THAT. SINCE COMING IN AS SUPERINTENDENT, WE MINIMIZED ANY FURTHER DEBT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THIS WAS A DEBT THAT REALLY WAS INCURRED MANY, MANY YEARS AGO WHEN WE BUILT SCHOOLS. WE BUILT 70 SCHOOLS DURING THE '90s AND EARLY 2000s. SO THAT PARTICULAR, THE BUILDING OF THOSE SCHOOLS, WE ARE STILL PAYING BACK JUST LIKE WE DO MORTGAGES ON OUR HOMES. THAT BEING SAID, EVERY YEAR, WE FINALLY, I THINK MY FIRST YEAR AS SUPERINTENDENT, WE GOT BELOW THE BILLION-DOLLAR MARK, AND WE'RE INCHING CLOSER TO 900 MILLION AND BELOW. SO THAT'S OUR GOAL WITH THE REFERENDUM, IF YOU REMEMBER SOME OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT TO THE PUBLIC THE REASON THIS BOARD VOTED FOR A TEN-YEAR REFERENDUM WAS VERY STRATEGIC. IN TEN YEARS, WE CAN GET ALL OF OUR DEFERRED MAINTENANCE TAKEN CARE OF. THAT'S WHAT OUR GOAL IS WITH THE REFERENDUM DOLLARS. AT THE SAME TIME IN TEN YEARS, ALL THAT DEBT, THE $900 MILLION IS DOWN TO ZERO SO WE BECOME A DEBT-FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL AS HAVING ALL OF OUR DEFERRED MAINTENANCE TAKEN CARE OF. SO THOSE ANNUAL DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS THAT YOU SEE IN THE BUDGET THAT WE BRING TO YOU EVERY MONTH THOSE ARE BEING ACTED UPON EVERY YEAR TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $60 MILLION A YEAR THAT WE PAY ON OUR DEBT.
>>>>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU FOR THAT. ALSO, I APPRECIATE THE KNOWLEDGE AND I THINK OUR BOARD WOULD AGREE, OF THE VARIOUS TRANSFERS OF MONEY FROM GENERAL TO CAPITAL AND VICE VERSA TO PAY FOR SUCH NEEDS AS STAFFING, NEW SCHOOLS, INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPLIES. I KNOW THERE ARE MANY TRANSFERS, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE KEPT CURRENT WITH THAT INFORMATION.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: SURE. THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN WE WENT UP TO VISIT OUR BOND RATING AGENCIES THIS YEAR, THAT WE SHOWED THAT ALL -- WE MINIMIZED OUR TRANSFERS. THAT WAS ONE OF OUR GOALS. WE HAVE TO TRANSFER BECAUSE CAPITAL EXPENSES CAN'T PAY FOR SALARIES BUT YOU CAN CLAIM SALARIES FROM OPERATIONS AND YOU CAN DO IT THROUGH A TRANSFER PROCESS. EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT BASICALLY DOES IT WHERE YOU RELIEVE YOUR GENERAL REVENUE FUND. YOU BASICALLY WILL TRANSFER MONEY OFF YOUR CAPITAL BUDGET TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ON THOSE EXPENSES. YOU CAN'T JUST DO IT DIRECTLY. THAT'S THE PROCESS WE GO THROUGH EVERY SINGLE YEAR. AND THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN ABLE TO -- WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MINIMIZE THAT TO JUST STRICTLY BE THOSE MAINTENANCE EXPENSES THIS PAST YEAR.
>>>>Lynn Gray: IN THE SPIRIT OF TRANSPARENCY THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. AS A BOARD, WE SHOULD SEE HOW EVERY EXPENDITURE AFFECTS OUR FUND BALANCE. AND THAT COMES DOWN TO HOW WE PUT OUR AGENDA ITEM. I KNOW I'VE BEEN ASKING WHEN WE HAVE BIG-TICKET ITEMS, HOW DOES THIS AFFECT OUR FUND BALANCE? I FEEL LIKE IF WE DON'T PUT THAT FRONT, CENTER, IN FRONT OF A LOT OF OUR EXPENSE FOR CONSIDERATION, WE MIGHT LOSE SIGHT OF THAT. AND THAT'S CRITICAL. I THINK ESPECIALLY WHERE THE REFERENDUM MONIES COME FROM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE MENTION MONEY BEING SPENT, HOW DOES IT AFFECT OUR FUND BALANCE? THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING FOR MR. FARKAS TO CONSIDER, AND I WOULD HOPEFULLY SAY THAT YOU WOULD CONCLUDE THAT THAT WOULD BE CRITICAL ALSO.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: ONE OF THE THINGS I WILL TELLS THE BOARD, THE REASON WE GO UP AND SPEAK TO THE BOND RATING AGENCY, IT IS THE BOND RATING AGENCY THAT PUSHED US TO HAVE A STRONG FUND BALANCE. IT'S LIKE OUR COLLATERAL. IT'S OUR PROMISE TO ALL OF OUR BOND HOLDERS THAT WE HAVE A DISTRICT THAT HAS DOLLARS AND IN CASE WAS EMERGENCY WE ARE ABLE TO BE GOOD ON DEBT, ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE PARTICULAR PAYMENTS. WE'RE FAR AND ABOVE WHAT THE STATE REQUIRES. WE ARE A DISTRICT THAT DOES HAVE DEBT. SO ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE KNOW THE REFERENDUM PROVIDES FOR THE COMMUNITY AND BOND HOLDERS IS KIND OF THE THAT COLLATERAL. THE ABILITY TO KNOW THAT FOR TEN YEARS WE WILL HAVE THESE DOLLARS COMING IN TO TAKE CARE OF MANY DEFERRED MAINTENANCE ISSUES IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE REFERENDUM IS MORE THAN JUST A WIN FOR OUR SCHOOLS AND OPTIMIZING OUR CONDITIONS. IT'S A MESSAGE STRONG TO OUR BOND HOLDERS THAT WE HAVE DOLLARS COMING IN THAT WE KNOW WE CAN TAKE CARE OF ALL OF OUR DEBT.
>>>>Lynn Gray: WE DID GO DOWN ON OUR BOND RATING IN ONE SECTION. I BROUGHT THAT UP FOR THIS REASON. COMMITTED TO A FUND BALANCE IN OCTOBER, IN EARLY OCTOBER BEFORE THAT WE WERE AT A VERY LOW PLACE. NOW WE'RE BETTER. WE'RE BETTER OFF. BUT I GUESS THE REASON I'M SPEAKING FOR IT IS JUST TO REMIND NOT ONLY MYSELF, YOURSELF, THAT WE HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THAT SINCE IT COULD MEAN OUR OVERALL RATING, WHICH IS CRITICAL.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE A DAY WE DON'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT RATINGS BECAUSE WE WON'T BE A SCHOOL DISTRICT INDEBTED TO ANYBODY. THAT WOULD BE A GOOD DAY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
>>>>Lynn Gray: IT IS A GREAT GOAL. ALSO, I WANT TO THANK STEPHANIE HEATEN AND MS. SAUNDERS FOR ALL OF THESE REPORTS WHICH I KNOW YOU WERE WORKING 24/7 ON.
>>>> THANK YOU.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: MS. GRAY, IN 6.07, THAT WAS THE ESTIMATED OUT-OF-COUNTY, OUT-OF-STATE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TRAVEL. I THINK YOU HAD A COMMENT.
>>>>Lynn Gray: I WANTED TO THANK THOSE BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE GOING BECAUSE IT TAKES TIME OUT OF YOUR SCHEDULE AND IT'S TRAVEL. WITH TWO CONSIDERATIONS THAT I WANT TO ASK, AND I THINK MEMBER SNIVELY HAS MADE MENTION OF IT, THAT WE DO HAVE A WAY OF REPORTING THE EDUCATIONAL PORTION OF IT BECAUSE IT IS OF VALUE. IF YOU THINK IT'S VALUABLE THEN I'M SURE WE ALL THINK IT'S VALUABLE. AS A POINT OF THOUGHT THAT MAYBE WE CAN HAVE ONE OF YOU GO VERSUS TWO TO SAVE MONEY. IF IT'S ALREADY A DONE DEAL, I JUST HAD THOSE TWO CONSIDERATIONS.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: 6.11, 6.12, 6.13, KIND OF LUMP THOSE TOGETHER, THESE ARE THE THREE CHARTER SCHOOL ITEMS. 6.11 AND 6.12, THEY ARE CONTRACTS FOR NAVIGATOR ACADEMY OF LEADERSHIP IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND THEN 6.12 IS RIVERVIEW ACADEMY OF MATH SCIENCE. THESE HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE BOARD AS FAR AS THEIR APPLICATIONS ARE CONCERNED. THIS IS A CONTRACT COMING BACK TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL. 6.13, CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE PERMITTED UPON RENEWALS TO CONSOLIDATE IF THEY ADDED GRADE LEVELS AND CERTAINLY CHANNELSIDE ACADEMY OF MATH AND SCIENCE HAS DONE THAT. SO THEY ARE CONSOLIDATING WITH THEIR MIDDLE SCHOOL. 6.13 IS JUST GIVING THEM THAT ABILITY TO DO THAT WITH THE TEN-YEAR CONTRACTS. I BELIEVE, MS. GRAY, YOU HAD A COMMENT ON THOSE.
>>>>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU. I'LL BE VERY BRIEF. THIS IS THE NAVIGATOR ACADEMY. SO I WANTED TO GIVE MY RATIONALE FOR NOT VOTING FOR THE APPROVAL ON THIS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STANDS OUT IS THE INNOVATIVE QUALITY. IS IT AS INNOVATIVE AS THE FLORIDA STATUTES POINT BLANK SAYS CHARTER SCHOOLS SHOULD BE INNOVATIVE. WELL, THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL HAS A TRADITIONAL CURRICULUM THAT OTHER SCHOOLS USERS PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOLLOW. LEADERSHIP COMPONENT, THE LEADER IN ME. THAT'S BEEN ALSO REPLICATED IN OUR TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS. WHEN I THINK OF INNOVATIVE, I THINK ABOUT THE PATEL, PATEL HIGH SCHOOL THAT IS ESPOUSING THEIR INNOVATION IN LEADERSHIP. AND I THINK THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN THIS SCHOOL. BUT IT COMES MORE OF AN ANALOGY WHEN WE GET TO LACK OF EQUITY AND DIVERSITY. I LOOKED AT, AND I WANT TO THANK MS. HODGENS FOR GETTING ALL THIS INFORMATION TO ME. I REALLY APPRECIATED IT. THE BUDGET SUMMARY REVEALS OUT OF THE $4.8 MILLION BUDGET THAT THEY HAVE ONLY 188,000 GOES FOR THE EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATION CHILDREN. THERE IS NO LINE ITEM FOR THE ELL AND NO LINE ITEM FOR GIFTED, NOR FOR FREE AND REDUCED LUNCHES. BUT, HOWEVER, FOR FREE AND REDUCED LUNCHES THEY DO COLLECT OVER 345,000 IN REIMBURSEMENTS FOR THEIR FIRST YEAR. NOW, I HAVE A PROBLEM AND I THINK MANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, WITH THE IDEA THAT THERE IS ALSO A LACK OF EQUAL ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION. THE REPLY THAT I HAD RECEIVED, THERE IS NO TRANSPORTATION, BUT RATHER CARPOOLING. I LOOK AT, AGAIN, I'LL JUST PUT DOWN PATEL BECAUSE WE WERE THERE RECENTLY. THEY ARE ACTUALLY BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THEY'RE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO PROMOTE EQUITY AND DIVERSITY. I DON'T FIND THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING OR REALLY BEING TRUE TO OUR DIVERSITY POLICY WHEN WE'RE STARTING TO NOT HAVE SOME RULINGS TO INCLUDE THESE POPULATIONS, EXCEPTIONAL ED, FREE AND REDUCED, THE LOW-INCOME FOLKS, AND THE ELL STUDENTS. I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH VOTING TO SAY YES UNTIL I FEEL THAT THIS PARTICULAR CHARTER SCHOOL AND OTHERS ARE GIVING THAT TYPE OF IDEA TO OUR PARENTS AND OUR KIDS TO ANY CHILD, ANY PARENT REGARDLESS OF THEIR MONEY SHOULD HAVE -- THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO A SCHOOL THAT LOOKS LIKE THE WORLD THAT LOOKS LIKE THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THAT SHOULD GIVE YOU A GOOD PICTURE. LET ME STAND AND YOU'LL SEE DIVERSITY. I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO SEE. I'LL MOVE ON OR YOU CAN MOVE ON. SORRY.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: THANK YOU. OUR LAST ITEM --
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: ONE MOMENT. MEMBER CONA, YOU HAVE A COMMENT?
>>>>Steve Cona: SEEING THAT MEMBER GRAY HAS A PROBLEM WITH 6.11 AND 6.12, I'D LIKE TO PULL THAT AND VOTE ON THOSE TWO SEPARATELY.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: I HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY MEMBER CONA TO PULL ITEMS 6.11 AND 6.12 FOR A SEPARATE --
>>>>Steve Cona: I CAN DO 6.11, 12 AND 13. I'LL AMEND.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: MOTION ON THE FLOOR, BOARD MEMBERS TO PULL ITEM 6.11, 12, AND 13 FOR A SEPARATE VOTE. I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER STUART. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. THIS IS JUST TO PULL FOR SEPARATE VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES WITH MEMBER GRAY DISSENTING. DO I HAVE A SUBSEQUENT MOTION TO APPROVE? I HAVE A SUBSEQUENT MOTION BY MEMBER CONA. --
>>>>Jim Porter: THAT'S FOR ALL THREE ITEMS. 6.11, 12, 13.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THAT'S FOR ALL THREE. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE.
>>>>Lynn Gray: LET ME JUST DISCUSS, INCLUDING THEM ALL. I HADN'T DONE THE DISCUSSION FOR 6.12, AND I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR WHY I'M NOT VOTING TO APPROVE THE RIVERVIEW. I'M GOING TO BE EXTREMELY BRIEF AS WELL. WHEN WE SAY INNOVATION IN TERMS OF MATH AND SCIENCE, I GOT FROM THE -- RECEIVED FROM THE BUDGET SUMMARY THERE IS, IN FACT, ONLY ONE SHARED TECHNOLOGY INSTRUCTOR WHO GETS PAID 6,000 A YEAR BEING MINDFUL THAT THE TOTAL BUDGET FOR 2019 IS 5.4 MILLION. AND THIS ONE PERSON GETS 6,000. THEY DO HAVE A SHARED READING AND MATH COACH. AND BOTH OF THEM MAKE 12,000. THERE ARE NO LABS ON THE LINE ITEMS. THERE ARE NO SCIENTIFIC EQUIPMENT, AND THERE IS NO MENTION OF ANY PARTICULAR SCIENCE RELATED -- WELL, LET'S SAY EQUIPMENT. CLASSROOM SUPPLIES. NOW, ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WAS CONCERNED ABOUT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. SO I DELVED INTO THAT, IF YOU DON'T MIND. WE ALL KNOW THAT AND MS. McMANUS AND THE STAFF HERE AND CABINET LEVEL KNOW EFFECTIVE TEACHERS GET THAT WAY FROM MANY REASONS. ONE IS RECEIVING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. WHEN WE HAVE A BUDGET FOR THEM, 691,000, GOING TO THE LEASING COMPANY WITH THE IDEA THAT THE TOTAL BUDGET IS 5.4 MILLION. SO OVER A QUARTER -- ALMOST A QUARTER OF THEIR TOTAL BUDGET GETS PAID TO THE LEASING COMPANY. NOW, DOES THAT EXPLAIN WHY THERE'S NO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT? THERE IS NO LINE ITEM THAT SUGGESTS THAT THERE IS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THIS IS A FIVE-PAGE BUDGET I HAVE BEFORE ME. SO I'M CONCERNED THAT WE ARE HAVING A CHARTER SCHOOL THAT IS NOT REALLY EMPLOYING. I'M JUST BRINGING THIS ONE EXAMPLE UP. THERE'S VERY LITTLE EVIDENCE THAT THE TRAINING THAT IS NECESSARY FOR SUPERIOR S.T.E.M., IF YOU WILL, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR MATH AND SCIENCE, ENGINEERING PROGRAMS IS OCCURRING AT THIS SCHOOL. NOW, THE DIVERSITY AND EQUITY, AGAIN, ONE SHARED ESE TEACHER FOR 6,000 IN THIS SCHOOL, THERE'S NO ELL INSTRUCTOR. THERE'S NO DATA FOR FREE AND REDUCED LUNCHES. THERE'S NO MEANS OF ACCESSIBILITY TO TRANSPORTATION. AND ALL THE WHILE, I HAVE TO WONDER, WHERE IS THE DIVERSITY OR THE FUTURE OF DIVERSITY IN THIS SCHOOL. I THINK THIS IS A CONCERN. IF WE'RE GOING TO SAY WORDS LIKE DIVERSITY AND EQUITY, THEN WE NEED TO CARRY IT THROUGH NOT ONLY OUR TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS OR MAGNET SCHOOLS, AND I KNOW IT'S A LOTTERY AND WE CAN CONTROL WHO GOES INTO THAT AS WELL, WE NEED TO BE, I BELIEVE, SERVING THE SAME RULES TO OUR PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS. AND THAT'S WHY WE'LL NOT BE ABLE TO IN FULL CONSCIENCE VOTE FOR APPROVAL OF THIS BECAUSE IT'S NOT HOLDING UP TO THE STANDARDS, THE FLORIDA STANDARDS, STATUTE STANDARDS OF INNOVATION. IT DOES NOT MEET MY TEST OR OUR TEST. AND THERE IS NOT -- AND THIS IS FOR SUPERINTENDENT EAKINS, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT MEETS YOUR CRITERIA FOR A DIVERSE SCHOOL AND THE PARAMETERS ARE SET FORTH FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF DIVERSITY AND EQUITY. I'M GETTING TIRED OF USING THOSE WORDS, UNLESS THEY ARE APPLYING -- UNLESS WE ARE REALLY TRUE TO FORM. SO THAT'S WHY, AND ENOUGH SAID. AND I DON'T NEED TO SAY ANYTHING ON THE NEXT ONE, 6.13.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: MEMBER CONA. THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY.
>>>>Steve Cona: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBER GRAY. JUST FOR CLARIFICATION FOR THE PUBLIC, WE ARE NOT APPROVING NEW CHARTER SCHOOLS TODAY. THESE ARE ALL AMENDED CONTRACTS FOR SCHOOLS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY A PREVIOUS BOARD. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE VOTE YES OR WHETHER OR NOT WE VOTE NO, THE SCHOOLS ARE STILL UNDER CONTRACT. I JUST WANTED THAT AS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
>>>>Cindy Stuart: ANOTHER POINT FOR CLARIFICATION, AND BECAUSE OF MS. GRAY'S COMMENTS, THESE ARE GROUPED TOGETHER AS ONE SINGLE VOTE AND I WANTED TO ASK MS. GRAY IF SHE WANTED TO VOTE SEPARATELY ON THEM OR IF SHE'S OKAY VOTING AS ONE. IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME. I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR ALL OF THEM BUT I'M NOT CLEAR AS TO WHERE SHE WANTS TO TAKE THAT.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: ALL RIGHT. BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO APPROVE ITEM 6.11, 6.12, 6.13. SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND THE MOTION CARRIES WITH MEMBER GRAY DISSENTING. THANK YOU SO MUCH, BOARD MEMBERS. MR. SUPERINTENDENT.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: THANK YOU, MS. SHAMBURGER. OUR LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA THIS EVENING IS YOUR FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM. THIS WAS ASKED FOR A HIGHLIGHT BY MS. STUART AND MS. SNIVELY WITH A COMMENT BY MS. SNIVELY. THIS IS FLORIDA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ADOPTED THEIR 2019 LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM IN SEPTEMBER. AND IN NOVEMBER, THE SCHOOL BOARD'S LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THE ADOPTION OF THE DISTRICT'S 2019 FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM WHICH ALIGNS WITH SSBA. THE DISTRICT LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM WILL ALLOW BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF TO SHARE A UNIFIED VOICE AMONG ALL STAKEHOLDERS, AMONG ONE KEY PLATFORM ITEM WE ARE KEEPING AN EYE ON, OF COURSE, IS THE ESSA, ELEMENTARY SECONDARY SCHOOL ACT. FLORIDA ESSA PLAN WAS APPROVED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN SEPTEMBER. IT DOES PRESERVE THE FOCUS ON INCREASED STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND MAKES NO CHANGES TO FLORIDA'S ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM TO MEET FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS, FLORIDA ADDED A NEW CALCULATION CALLED THE FEDERAL PERCENT OF POINTS INDEX. IT IS DESIGNED TO MEASURE SEPARATE PERFORMANCE AND IDENTIFY THE NEED FOR MORE TARGETED INTERVENTIONS. THIS NEW CALCULATION INCLUDES ALL SCHOOL GRADE COMPONENTS PLUS ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER PROFICIENCY AS DISTRICT ACCOUNTABILITY INDICATER. THIS CALCULATION IS ANOTHER PERFORMANCE INDICATOR LIKE A SCHOOL GRADE, BUT IT DOES NOT REPLACE A SCHOOL GRADE. SO THAT'S SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT THE STATE HAS MADE IN THEIR ESSA PLAN FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. BUT THIS IS YOUR LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM. I IMAGINE YOU WANT TO DISCUSS IT A LITTLE BIT.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: BEFORE WE BEGIN, MEMBER SNIVELY, I THINK WE ALSO HAD A COMMENT BY MS. INDIA WEBB, OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE.
>>>> ON THE FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM I WANTED TO GO OVER THE SECTION ABOUT HARDENING SCHOOLS, OF COURSE, BECAUSE -- ONE OF THE THINGS IT SAYS WELL TRAINED AND EQUIPPED POLICE PERSONNEL. I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WITH THE PERSONNEL BEING IN THE SCHOOLS THAT YOU GUYS SUGGEST TO THEM THAT THEY GET TO KNOW THE STUDENTS THEY SERVE. GET TO KNOW THEIR FACES AND GET TO KNOW ABOUT THEM. IT MAKES IT EASIER TO HAVE A CONNECTION WITH SOMEONE AFTER YOU GET TO KNOW THEM INSTEAD OF SAYING THAT'S MY POLICE OFFICER. THAT'S JUST IT. ANOTHER THING I THINK GREAT TO ADD, SCHOOL COUNSELORS, SOCIAL WORKERS, ET CETERA, ADVOCATION TO STUDENTS, BECAUSE A LOT OF KIDS DON'T KNOW THAT THOSE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM. THEY DON'T GET A LOT OF MEDIA BUZZ OR PRESS. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE TO FOCUS ON.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH. MEMBER SNIVELY.
>>>>Melissa Snively: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO WE AS A BOARD HAVEN'T REALLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE NOTE THAT WE'VE BEEN VERY FOCUSED ON THE STATE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM, OBVIOUSLY, WITH THE UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION. AND SO I'M FINE APPROVING OR SUPPORTING THIS PLATFORM TODAY, BUT WHAT I WOULD REQUEST FOR THE BOARD IS TO BE ABLE TO PUT IT ON OUR WORKSHOP AGENDA FOR THE LAST WEDNESDAY IN JANUARY WHEN WE HAVE A LEGISLATIVE WORKSHOP SCHEDULED SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS IF THERE ARE CERTAIN SECTIONS OR PORTIONS OF THIS PARTICULAR PLATFORM THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO FOCUS ON, TO FOCUS ON THAT ARE SPECIFIC -- SPECIFICALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND THEN PERHAPS IN OUR LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS TALK ABOUT AFTER THE STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION HOW WE CAN ADVOCATE AS A BOARD FOR FEDERAL ISSUES. WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS OVER. I THINK WE'RE ALL GOING TO AGREE THAT WE SHOULD BE CULTIVATING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR FEDERAL LEGISLATORS AS WELL AS OUR STATE LEGISLATORS. HOWEVER, WE'RE KIND OF IN THE THROES OF STRATEGIZING OUR STATE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM. BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING THIS. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING SOME CONVERSATION AROUND THIS PLATFORM AT OUR WORKSHOP SO THAT WE AS A BOARD CAN DECIDE WHAT ITEMS ARE PRIORITIES FOR US TO FOCUS ON WHEN WE'RE MEETING WITH OUR FEDERAL LEGISLATORS.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MEMBER SNIVELY. MEMBER STUART.
>>>>Cindy Stuart: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND MEMBER SNIVELY, I APPRECIATE THAT. THE SOONER THE BETTER BECAUSE THIS PLATFORM IS GOING TO D.C. ON THE 29th. IT IS OUR DAY ON THE HILL. I WILL BE THERE WITH 11 OTHER STATE SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVES PLUS FSBA. SO WHATEVER WE FEEL AS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS MOST IMPORTANT, IF WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND COME TO THE WORKSHOP FULLY PREPARED TO HAVE AT LEAST THREE ITEMS THAT ARE REALLY MOST PERTINENT FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR ME TO MAKE SURE THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I'M SHARING WHILE WE'RE ON THE HILL THAT DAY AND AT AT THE NSBA CONFERENCE. THE OTHER THING IS THERE IS A CONVERSATION THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AMONG THE 11 OF US THAT ARE GOING TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT WHAT IT IS WE'RE GOING TO DO WHEN WE'RE ON THE HILL. AND I WOULD WELCOME THE REST OF MY LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE TO JOIN THAT CONFERENCE CALL WITH ME. IT IS THE DAY BEFORE THE TRIP ON THE 24th I BELIEVE AT NOON. I WILL HAVE MY SECRETARY SEND THAT TO YOU SO YOU, MS. SHAMBURGER AND ANYONE ELSE FROM THE COMMITTEE WHO WANTS TO JOIN CAN SIT IN ON IT AND HEAR WHAT THE REST OF THE STATE REPRESENTATIVES GOING ARE TALKING ABOUT AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS WHILE WE'RE THERE. THANK YOU.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU, MEMBER STUART. MEMBER GRAY.
>>>>Lynn Gray: I JUST WANT TO THANK OUR LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE FOR BEING, AGAIN, SO DILIGENT AND PUTTING THIS AS A PRIORITY WHICH ABSOLUTELY IN THIS PARTICULAR DAY AND AGE, WE HAVE TO HAVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE FLORIDA LEGISLATIVE GENTLEMEN AND GENTLE SWD WOMEN. WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS I TALKED WITH SUPERINTENDENT EAKINS AND THIS AGAIN IS IN THE SPIRIT OF KEEPING US INFORMED AT ALL TIMES OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS. I BELIEVE AND I WON'T SPEAK FOR YOU, SUPERINTENDENT EAKINS, BUT MY REQUEST WAS TO DO AS OTHER COUNTIES ARE DOING, GIVE AN UPDATE ON EVERY SCHOOL BOARD MEETING ON THE LATEST AND THE GREATEST, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE SO WE WOULD ALWAYS BE COGNIZANT OF WHAT MOVEMENT IS GOING, ONE DIRECTION, ANOTHER DIRECTION, BUT HERE TOIZING THE IDEA -- THE BETTER DECISION MAKERS AND THE BETTER TALKING POINTS WE CAN ELICIT WHEN WE MEET WITH OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MEMBER GRAY. WITH THAT LAST COMMENT THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR AGENDA ITEMS. BOARD MEMBERS, I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO VOTE ON THE ITEMS PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER CONA AND A SECOND BY MEMBER STUART. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU SO MUCH BOARD MEMBERS. WE STILL HAVE ABOUT 20 MINUTES BEFORE WE WILL GET INTO EMPLOYEE INPUT. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL MOVE DIRECTLY INTO BOARD COMMENTS. BOARD MEMBERS, IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS, PLEASE PRESS YOUR LIGHT AND WE WILL GO FROM THERE. MEMBER STUART.
>>>>Cindy Stuart: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS. ONE, I NOTICED ON THE WITHDRAWN ITEMS THE CITIZENS BUDGET REPORT WAS REMOVED. I'M CURIOUS, IS THAT COMING BACK AT THE NEXT AGENDA?
>>>> YES, MA'AM. FEBRUARY 5th.
>>>>Cindy Stuart: THANK YOU. I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO SEVERAL FOLKS WHO WERE INVOLVED IN SATURDAY'S EVENT OUT AT CLEVELAND ELEMENTARY, THE CITY OF TAMPA VISION ZERO. THEY DID AN AMAZING PAINTING OUT ON THE STREET. IT'S A SAFETY FEATURE OUT IN FRONT OF CLEVELAND. I WAS NOT ABLE TO GO BUT I WAS GETTING A LOT OF PICTURES. MS. VEGA ASKED ME TO THANK A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE STUFF THE BUS EVENT. SPECIFICALLY I BELIEVE TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL AND MANY OTHER, WALMART, WHO PARTICIPATED IN DONATED ITEMS TO THE STUFF THE BUS, WHICH USUALLY WE HAVE SUCH A BIG TURNOUT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, AND I THINK THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, HATS OFF TO MR. BEAKMAN AND HIS TEAM FOR CONTINUING TO SUPPLY STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS WITH ITEMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, NOT JUST AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. IT'S TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL FOUNDATION, THE MEDIA, WALMART ON DALE MABRY, BILL CURRIE FORD, AND FALASCO MAINTENANCE -- WHO ALL PARTICIPATED WITH TRANSPORTATION. THANK YOU TO THEM. ALSO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR REFLECTIONS WINNERS FROM SUNDAY'S REFLECTIONS CONTEST. AGAIN, I WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT. I KNOW MEMBER PEREZ WAS THERE WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT. BUT I KNOW THAT IS A LONG-RUN, LONG-STANDING EVENT THAT REALLY SHINES, ALLOWS OUR STUDENTS TO SHINE AND SHOW THEIR ARTWORK. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF STUDENTS I BELIEVE MOVING TO THE STATE LEVEL AS ALWAYS. THEN I HAVE A REQUEST OF THE SUPERINTENDENT. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT OUR ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS AND WHAT ARE WE DOING AND HOW ARE WE DOING IT. WE NOW HAVE POLICY IN PLACE, WHICH I THINK IS FANTASTIC. BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF, FOR ME ANYWAY, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE REST OF THE BOARD AND I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE TOTAL PERSONNEL COSTS, THE OPERATING COSTS, THE STUDENT DATA, THE EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE DATA, AND HOW WE'RE MONITORING THIS INFORMATION AND WHERE ALL OF THIS IS BEING KEPT. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A VERY COMPREHENSIVE, IF IT'S AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET OR DOCUMENT THAT GETS PUT TOGETHER THAT SHOWS ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE BEING PUSHED TOWARDS ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS. WE HAVE 180 SCHOOLS OUTSIDE OF ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS. I KNOW RESOURCES ARE BEING PUSHED TOWARDS THE ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS WHICH I THINK THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW WE'RE DOING IT BUT I ALSO THINK WE NEED TO BE COGNIZANT OF HOW WE'RE DOING IT. ANYTHING FROM A GRANT SHOULD BE INCLUDED. ANY CONSULTANTS HIRED SHOULD BE INCLUDED. ALL OF THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ANYTHING WE'VE DONE THIS YEAR OR INTEND TO DO FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN A DOCUMENT THAT SHOWS, AND THE BOARD EXACTLY WHERE OUR RESOURCES ARE BEING SPENT FOR ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS. I THINK THAT WE HAVE SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN A POSITION OF STATE TAKEOVER. WE HAPPEN TO BE COGNIZANT ABOUT THE RESOURCES WE'RE PUTTING THERE AND OTHER ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS NOT IN THAT POSITION, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE AND I'D LIKE THE BOARD IN THE SUNSHINE TO BE TRANSPARENT TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAY AT THIS SCHOOL, SCHOOL-BY-SCHOOL DATA AND INFORMATION. THIS SCHOOL, WE'RE SPENDING THIS MUCH MONEY AND THIS IS WHAT HAS BEEN SPENT IN 2018-2019 SCHOOL YEAR FOR POTTER ELEMENTARY. WHETHER IT'S MAINTENANCE. WHETHER IT'S PEOPLE, WHETHER IT'S SUPPLIES, WHETHER IT'S RESOURCES, WHETHER IT'S TRAINING, WHETHER IT'S GRANT FUNDED, COMING OUT OF TITLE ONE, TITLE FOUR, WHEREVER IT'S COMING FROM, THE BOARD NEEDS TO KNOW EXACTLY. BECAUSE I'M BEING QUESTIONED BY OTHER SCHOOLS WHO ARE LOSING RESOURCES AND WE'RE ALSO BEING QUESTIONED BY THE PUBLIC HOW MUCH MONEY ARE YOU SPENDING ON ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS. WE'VE GOT TO SHOW SUCCESS IN THESE AREAS AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE NOT ONLY THE FINANCIALS BUT THE DATA THAT GOES WITH THOSE FINANCIALS. THIS YEAR I THINK IS GOING TO BE A BASELINE, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE TO SPEND, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT AS A BOARD WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE VERY COGNIZANT OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY SPENT AND WHERE THAT MONEY COMES FROM IN FOLLOWING YEARS. NEXT YEAR IT MAY BE 50 SCHOOLS. NEXT YEAR 60 SCHOOLS. DOES THE NUMBER GROW OR DECREASE? DO WE MAKE THAT DECISION SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE. AGAIN, THIS WAS NOT A DECISION MADE BY THE BOARD. THIS WAS AN INTERNAL DECISION BY THE SUPERINTENDENT AND HIS STAFF TO MOVE ON THIS. HOWEVER, IT IS AFFECTING THE BUDGET THAT THIS BOARD MANAGES. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TIMELINE COULD BE, TWO WEEKS, THREE WEEKS TO GET THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER. I KNOW THERE ARE MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE TO COME TOGETHER AND BRING THAT INFORMATION FORWARD. WHETHER THAT'S OPERATIONS OR ACTUAL ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS OR HR AS WELL AS GRETCHEN'S DEPARTMENT. I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT WE KNOW LINE BY LINE, SCHOOL BY SCHOOL, EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN DONE AT THOSE SCHOOLS. FOR EQUITY PURPOSES, FOR EQUITY PURPOSES ACROSS FOR OTHER 180 SCHOOLS, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT AGAIN AS A BUDGETARY ITEM THAT WE KNOW EXACTLY. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT THIS AS A MOTION FOR A REQUEST, IF YOU WANT IT ADDED TO THE SUSPENDED AGENDA, OUR SUSPENDED AGENDA IS COMING OFF OF THE DAIS AND GOING TO BE MOVED TO WORKSHOPS. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S AN APPROPRIATE PLACE FOR US TO PUT THIS. SO YOU TELL ME WRUENG IT'S BEST -- WHERE YOU THINK THIS IS BEST TO BE HOUSED.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: I SAY WE MOVE THIS IN AUTO PUBLICLY -- INTO A PUBLICLY NOTICED WORKSHOP, WHICH WE'LL START TO DO ON THE SAME DAY OF BOARD MEETINGS FROM 10 TO 12. I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE PLACE.
>>>>Cindy Stuart: I URGE THE STAFF TO BE BOLD AND TRANSPARENT AND BRAVE IN THIS. THIS IS NOT AN ATTACK ON ANYONE. THIS IS NOT A YOU SPENT TOO MUCH MONEY HERE. THIS IS ABOUT US UNDERSTANDING EXACTLY WHAT IT IS WE'RE DOING. I DON'T WANT SCRUB NUMBERS. I DON'T WANT FUN AND GAMES. I WANT TRUE NUMBERS. I WANT TO KNOW AND I NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THESE SCHOOLS IN ORDER FOR US CONTINUE THE WORK. IF WE ARE GOING TO GET BEHIND THE WORK AND UNDERSTAND IT AND SUPPORT THE WORK AND ENCOURAGE OTHER PEOPLE TO SUPPORT THE WORK, INCLUDING OUR EMPLOYEES, WE HAVE TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT IN THIS WORK. THANK YOU.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: ONE CLARIFICATION, DO YOU WANT US IN THAT TO INCLUDE ANY PHILANTHROPIC FUNDS? OKAY.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MEMBER STUART. MEMBER SNIVELY.
>>>>Melissa Snively: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. DID YOU WANT TO EARLIER IN THE MEETING WE TALKED ABOUT HOW OUR BOARD MEETINGS AND AGENDAS CHANGING. ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE BOARD MEETING RETREAT, WORKSHOP, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, WAS BOARD COMMENTS. WHAT WE SHOULD BE EXPECTING DURING THE BOARD COMMENT SECTION. DID YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT AT ALL? OR DO YOU WANT ME TO REITERATE WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT AND ANYBODY CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. TRADITIONALLY IN THE PAST, BOARD COMMENTS HAVE BEEN KIND OF A SHOWER OF SLIDE SHOWS AND ACCOLADES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE WHEN, WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS FINE. RECOGNITION IS VERY IMPORTANT. IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE PEOPLE FOR THEIR SUCCESSES AND FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, BUT WE ALSO FEEL LIKE MAYBE IT'S BEEN VOID OF SOME OF THE MEAT OF WHAT A BOARD MEETING SHOULD ENTAIL OR WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN A BOARD MEETING. THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT MS. STUART JUST ADDED TO HER BOARD COMMENTS, WHICH IS ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS AND SOME OF THE CONCERNS AND REQUESTS THAT SHE MADE. I'LL SEGUE RIGHT INTO THAT BECAUSE I WASN'T GOING TO TALK ABOUT ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS, BUT YOU INSPIRED ME AND HOPEFULLY THERE IS CONSENSUS ON THE BOARD THAT WE DO HAVE SOME TYPE OF DASHBOARD, IF YOU WILL, FOR ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS. I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AT EACH SCHOOL. I DO ALSO GET QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT RESOURCES ARE BEING PUT INTO ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS. MOST OF THE TIME, I CAN I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE BUT I KNOW THERE ARE MORE IN THESE SCHOOLS THAN OTHER SCHOOLS, BUT I CAN'T ARTICULATE EXACTLY WHAT IS DIFFERENT AT EACH SCHOOL. PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM, WHERE IT'S GENERATING FROM AND GOING. I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO BE HUGELY COMPLICATED BECAUSE AS A DASHBOARD OR A SNAPSHOT, I DON'T NEED TO GET INTO THE WEEDS OF EVERY SINGLE ITEM, BUT I THINK IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO SEE WHAT RESOURCES ARE BEING PUT AND HOW MUCH MONEY AND MAYBE EVEN PER PUPIL, WHAT DOES THAT EQUATE TO, RIGHT? SO THAT'S ONE THING. AND THEN THE OTHER THING WAS BOARD MEMBERS FOR THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION COMING UP, LEGISLATIVE SESSION COMING UP, HOPEFULLY YOU TURNED IN ALL OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP INFORMATION FOR THE NEW LEGISLATORS THAT ARE REPRESENTING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND THE DELEGATION. WE WILL ALSO HAVE A SCHEDULE COMING OUT VERY SOON OF WHAT WEEKS ARE HAPPENING IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IF YOU WANT TO ATTEND LEGISLATIVE SESSION ANY OF THOSE WEEKS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHICH WEEK WORKS FOR YOU. WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR BOARD SECRETARIES TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ACCOMMODATIONS AVAILABLE FOR BOARD MEMBERS AND WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE TWO BOARD MEMBERS ATTEND EACH WEEK LEGISLATIVE SESSION TO PROMOTE ADVOCACY FOR OUR STUDENTS, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, BECAUSE AS YOU WILL HEAR OUR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS TEAM SAY, NORMALLY GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, THEY ARE THE MEAT OF OUR EDUCATION POLICY, AND SO THIS IS A NEW LAYER FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. THIS EFFORT WITH ADVOCACY. IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST. BUT WE NEED SOME CHANGE, I THINK IN THE DISTRICT IS GOOD BECAUSE TIMES ARE CHANGING. AND WE DO NEED TO BE MORE ADVOCATES FOR OUR STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. I THOUGHT I HAD ONE MORE THING AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS. I'LL COME BACK LATER. THANK YOU.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MEMBER SNIVELY. MEMBER GRAY.
>>>>Lynn Gray: LET ME MAKE A QUICK REMARK, TOO, ON THE ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS SINCE WE'RE KIND OF ON THE SUBJECT. I DO BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE'RE SAYING WITH THE FINANCIALS ARE CRITICALLY, BUT I ALSO AM VERY AWARE THAT THERE IS A NEW LETTERS FROM THE ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS THAT'S PUBLISHED THAT I FIND QUITE INTERESTING. THERE WAS A GREAT COMPARISON PUT ON THE E-MAIL SYSTEM, VARIOUS ARTICLES. I THINK THAT PROBABLY WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS JUST EVEN A LITTLE BIT MORE. THE MORE INFORMATION THE BETTER OFF WE'LL BE AND TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, IF YOU WILL. I DO WANT TO THANK MS. McMANUS FOR HER DILIGENCE FOR PUTTING FORTH A LOT OF THE INFORMATION AND DETAILS AS I FIND IN THE NEWSLETTERS AND HER UPDATES. A COMMENT ON THAT. SECONDLY, 90 BY 20 WORKOUT CLINIC STILL GOES STRONG, AND SPECIAL SHOUT-OUT TO THE COACHES. STEVE VINOY HAS RETIRED. BUT THE COACHES HAVE TAKEN OVER FOR HIM, AND THEY SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT FITNESS AND THE GOAL BY 2020, 90% GRADUATION. I KNOW THAT WE'RE GETTING A GREAT TURNOUT FOR OUR GASPARILLA 5K. I KNOW ALSO THAT OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND WIFE HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THE 5K. MEMBER STUART, DID I HEAR THAT YOU SIGNED UP ALSO? SHE SIGNED UP WHICH I'M READY TO BUY HER RUNNING SHOES. I'M DELIGHTED, BUT SHE HAS RUNNING SHOES. KEEP THAT FOR THE RECORD. THAT'S A GOOD POINT THERE, MEMBER SNIVELY. TOWN HALL MEETING COMMENTS. I WAS DELIGHTED AND I CAN'T THANK DR. MOORE ENOUGH. SHE'S NOT HERE. SHE WAS THE HOST -- HOSTESS OF THE TOWN HALL MEETING AT MIDDLETON. THREW HIDING UNDER THAT SHAWL? WELL, I GOT TO GET GOING. THE INPUT I DID RECEIVE, AS DID DR. MOORE AND JOE ROBINSON WHO IS NOT HERE, WAS THAT, WONDERFUL MINERVA SPANNER-MORROW FOR DIVERSITY, WILL ROLL OUT MAYBE A LITTLE BIT QUICKER THE TRAINING FOR THE STUDENTS BECAUSE, AS WE KNOW, WE HAD STUDENTS THAT ATTENDED THE TOWN HALL, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH. THEY WANT TO KNOW, THEY WANT TO BECOME MORE SENSITIVE AND ACKNOWLEDGE FOLKS THAT LOOK DIFFERENT THAN THEM, TALK DIFFERENT, DRESS DIFFERENT, AND THAT WAS A POINT THAT CAME UP. I THANK AGAIN MINERVA FOR TAKING THAT THAT TO HEART AND TAKING IT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT. I WANT TO BRIEFLY SHARE -- I SAY BRIEFLY AND YOU KNOW THAT IS A LIE, BUT I'LL TRY TO MAKE IT -- I'LL TRY TO FAST-TALK IT. I WENT TO A COALITION MEETING IN CENTRAL FLORIDA SCHOOLS, AND I ALSO WAS DOING SOME STUDYING ON THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AND HOW IT AFFECTS OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR FAMILIES AND OUR STUDENTS. AS WE KNOW, THE POLITICAL GRIDLOCK IN WASHINGTON IS STILL THERE, NO END IN SIGHT. WE ARE REMINDED THAT HUNDREDS OF OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS AND FAMILIES ARE BEING DIRECTLY IMPACTED BOTH ACADEMICALLY, SOCIALLY, EMOTIONALLY. I UNDERSTAND MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE IS NOT SUFFERING AT THIS TIME, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT I HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE THAT I KNOW AND THE TAMPA AIRPORT IS ONE GOOD EXAMPLE. THE REALITY IS, OUR SUPERINTENDENT IS INVOLVED IN SERVANT LEADERSHIP AND HE WOULD LIKE US ALL TO HAVE THAT SAME THREAD OF THOUGHT AND I APPRECIATE THAT. THE COMPASSION AND KINDNESS THAT COMES WITH SERVANT LEADERSHIP IS AN EXCELLENT EDUCATIONAL MODEL, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO SUCH ADVERSE FORCES AS HURRICANES. WELL, NOW WE HAVE A SHUTDOWN. WILL BE THE DIFFERENT DYNAMIC, BUT IT DOES HIT EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIFE OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. I WANT TO SAY A FEW THINGS, BECAUSE OF THE REALITIES OF A SHUTDOWN WHICH WE HAVEN'T HAD BEFORE -- MAYBE YOU MIGHT HAVE FACED THIS BEFORE I CAME ON BOARD. SO IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN. I THINK IT'S A SIGNAL TO OUR BOARD THAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE IS APPROPRIATE AND MAY BE NECESSARY. I WANT TO SIGNAL TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE WILL NEED THEIR SUPPORT IN HUMAN RESOURCES POSSIBLY TO MITIGATE THE LACK OF MONIES THIS SHUTDOWN MAY IMPOSE ON THE FAMILIES IN OUR LITTLE STUDENT OR BIG STUDENT LEARNING LIVES. I WANT TO SIGNAL TO OUR STAFF LEADERSHIP PLUS OUR POLITICAL COMMUNITY KNOWN AS THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND OUR CITY COUNCIL PLUS RELIGIOUS LEADERS THAT THEIR RESOURCES AND ASSISTANCE WILL BE NEEDED FOR BOTH OUR FAMILIES AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, OUR STUDENTS. LAST, I WANT TO SEND THE SIGNAL TO OUR WONDERFUL SUPERINTENDENT, MR. EAKINS, THAT HE, I WOULD WISH AND I WILL REQUEST, TAKE ADDITIONAL STEPS, AS YOU DEEM APPROPRIATE AND AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE POSSIBLY THE RESOURCES, SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE FOR OUR STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND STAFF. LAST, IT IS MY RECOMMENDATION, SUPERINTENDENT EAKINS, AS A DULY ELECTED OFFICIAL FOR THE STATE OF FLORIDA THAT YOU INITIATE A PLAN AND A PROCESS FOR FACILITATING AND IMPLEMENTING THE SUPPORTS AND ASSISTANCE FOR BOTH STUDENTS, FOR STUDENTS, STAFF, AND PARENTS. I KNOW WE DON'T FEEL THE SHUTDOWN ON THIS DAIS. BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE MIAMI-DADE FACING THIS, OVER A MILLION OF THEIR STUDENTS, INCLUDING THEIR FAMILIES ARE NOW GETTING INVOLVED IN THIS. I WILL TELL YOU THAT A SMALL DISTRICT IN FLORIDA, IN CENTRAL FLORIDA ARE DOING THE SAME THING. I WOULD HATE FOR US TO NOT BE OUT THERE AND BEING PROACTIVE. I WOULD HATE FOR US TO BE REACTIVE AND HAVE THE OTHER COME DOWN. THE FIRST RESPONSE MAY BE, WHY DON'T THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DO IT. WELL, THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION. BUT TWO WRONGS OR TWO ABSENCES DON'T MAKE ONE RIGHT. WE NEED TO BE IN MY MIND PROACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THIS. SUPERINTENDENT EAKINS, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS OR YOUR RESPONSE AT A LATER TIME ABOUT WHAT MY REQUEST IS IN TERMS OF GETTING SOMETHING READY FOR US TO REVIEW.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: I CAN DEFINITELY AT A LATER TIME GET YOU SOME INFORMATION. I DO KNOW HOW WE'RE KEEPING A THUMB ON THE PULSE OF HOW THE SHUTDOWN AFFECTS OUR DAY-TO-DAY BUSINESS. RIGHT NOW IT'S MINIMAL. EDUCATION IS USUALLY IN THESE KIND OF SITUATIONS HELD MOSTLY HARMLESS FROM A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT THE SHUTDOWN IS CAUSING ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. YOU KNOW, WE JUST GOT SOMETHING TODAY OR YESTERDAY THAT ALL FOOD SERVICE, THAT WOULD STILL BE GOOD THROUGH THE END OF FEBRUARY. WE STILL HAVE SOME TIME THERE TO GET MORE INFORMATION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IF ANYTHING IS IMPACTED IN THAT AREA. WE DO KNOW FAMILIES AND EVERYONE ELSE IS GOING TO START TO BE IMPACTED BY THIS. WE HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF IT. I WILL BE GLAD TO BE THINKING ABOUT HOW WE WANT TO PROVIDE THE SUPPORT.
>>>>Lynn Gray: AS THE SHUTDOWN CONTINUES, THE LAYERS WILL BECOME VISIBLE. MANY PEOPLE HAVE A SENSE OF PRIDE AND DIGNITY AND WILL NOT NECESSARILY TELL YOU, ESPECIALLY OUR STUDENTS. WE DO NEED TO BE LASER FOCUSED ON THE NEEDS. I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT BECAUSE I KNOW YOU ARE ON THAT. SO I WOULD STILL LIKE YOUR, LET'S JUST SAY PROCEDURE OR PROCESS WHEN I SPEAK TO YOU ONE ON ONE. THANK YOU.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MEMBER GRAY. AT THIS TIME, WE'RE RIGHT AT 6:00. I'LL PAUSE BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS AND MOVE INTO OUR EMPLOYEE INPUT. MEMBER SNIVELY.
>>>>Melissa Snively: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. WE WILL NOW TAKE EMPLOYEE INPUT. EVEN THOUGH WE HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, IT'S SOMETIMES DIFFICULT FOR EMPLOYEES OF OUR DISTRICT TO ATTEND MEETINGS AT 3 P.M. THERE ARE MANY WAYS FOR EMPLOYEES TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD, INCLUDING THROUGH UNION REPRESENTATIVES, E-MAILS, PHONE CALLS, ONE-TO-ONE CONVERSATIONS AND PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING. THE BOARD WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU. WITH THIS SECTION OF OUR AGENDA, WE ARE CREATING ANOTHER AVENUE FOR EMPLOYEES TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD. WE ARE SETTING ASIDE 30 MINUTES FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE DISTRICT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT ANY ISSUES THAT ARE ON THEIR MIND. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A DISCUSSION ABOUT SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA BUT RATHER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EMPLOYEES TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT ANY ISSUES RELATED TO THEIR JOB OR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MEMBER SNIVELY. WE HAVE TWO EMPLOYEES SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TONIGHT. EACH WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS MR. MICHAEL MASON, FOLLOWED BY LEO HEGARTY. WELCOME, MR. MASON. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
>>>> CAN YOU HEAR ME? HOW CAN A PERSON WHO SHOWED SO MUCH PROMISE AND HOPE 30 YEARS AGO WIND UP LIKE THIS, FORCED TO RETIRE? ALL MY PRINCIPAL EVALUATIONS WERE EXCELLENT OR SUPERIOR, ALL OF MY STUDENTS WERE COMPETING AT THE STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL. AND THEN ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO, A PERFECT STORM. THE BELL SYSTEM AT MY SCHOOL WAS IMPROVED. IT BECAME LOUDER, MORE SHRILL AND LONGER DURATION. WHEN I FIRST HEARD IT, I WAS SITTING AT MY DESK PREPARING FOR CLASS, AND I HONESTLY THOUGHT IT WAS THE APOCALYPSE. HONESTLY. AFTER LESS THAN A DAY OF THIS I E-MAILED MY APA. I TOLD HIM THESE BELLS ARE DRIVING ME NUTS. PLEASE LOWER THE VOLUME. HE TOLD ME THAT HE CONSULTED COUNTY AND NOTHING CAN BE DONE. OVER THE YEARS, THREE DIFFERENT APAs HAVE TOLD ME THE SAME THING. NOTHING CAN BE DONE. I WENT TO THE OHSA, THEY TOLD ME THE SCHOOL DISTRICT MANAGES ITS OWN SAFETY AND HEALTH. THAT'S WHAT THEY TOLD ME. I WENT TO MY UNION. THEY TOLD ME TO GO TO THE OHSA. I ASKED MY PRINCIPAL IF I COULD WEAR EAR PROTECTION. SHE SAID NO. MEANWHILE, THE BELLS WERE TAKING THEIR TOLL. PTSD IS AN INSIDIOUS MALADY. IT SNEAKS UP ON YOU SLOWLY AND YOU DON'T SEE IT COMING UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE. I STARTED TO BECOME IRRITABLE AT WORK AND AT HOME. I LOST ALL JOY IN MY HOBBIES AND MY OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE PERSONALITY TRAITS, WHICH HAD SERVED ME SO WELL IN AN EARLIER DAY NOW BECAME A DISABILITY. ONE OF THE ASPECTS OF THE OCD MIND IS THEY HAVE TROUBLE ADJUSTING TO NEW ROUTINES AND THE NEW EVALUATION WAS A NEW ROUTINE FOR ME. MY TEST SCORES -- DON'T GET ME WRONG -- MY TEST SCORES WERE ALWAYS GOOD, BUT I HAD TROUBLE GETTING THE HANG OF THE NEW WAY OF TEACHING. I TRIED MY BEST. ANYBODY THAT KNOWS ME KNOWS I DID MY BEST. BUT TWO YEARS WAS JUST -- TWO YEARS OF TRYING TO MY BEST JUST WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME. I WAS PUT OUT TO PASTURE. OR MORE ACCURATELY, I WAS SENT TO THE GLUE FACTORY. I BETTER HURRY UP. SO HERE I AM. TOMORROW IS MY LAST DAY IN THE NATION'S GREATEST SCHOOL SYSTEM. HEALTH JOURNALS ARE FULL OF ARTICLES ON THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF NOISE POLLUTION, ESPECIALLY ON DEVELOPING MINDS. I HAVE NO DOUBT RIGHT NOW THERE ARE DOZENS OF CHILDREN AND ADULTS WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM PTSD AND NOISE-RELATED ANXIETIES AND EFFECTS MAY NOT BE APPARENT FOR YEARS. WHAT DO YOU INTEND TO DO ABOUT THIS? THANK YOU.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU, MR. MASON. MR. HEGARTY, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, WELCOME.
>>>> GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR PERSON, BOARD MEMBERS, MR. SUPERINTENDENT, STAFF. FIRST OF ALL, NICE TOUCH WITH THE SCHOOL SHIRTS. REALLY LOOKS GOOD. BEFORE I BEGIN, LET ME TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WISH ALL OF YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR. IT IS MY SINCERE HOPE AS VICE PRESIDENT OF THE HILLSBOROUGH CLASSROOM ASSOCIATION THAT WHAT'S PASSED HAS PASSED AND WE MOVE FORWARD AS PRESIDENT KENNEDY HAS SAID WITH VIGOR AS WE CONCENTRATE ON THE TASK AT HAND, WHICH IS COLLABORATING EVERY DAY TO EDUCATE THE STUDENTS IN ALL HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS. I WILL BE ADDRESSING YOU AT EVERY BOARD MEETING, AND I JUST WANTED YOU TO PUT A FACE OR WITH ME MORE A VOICE TO A NAME. I'LL BE CONTACTING EACH OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY TO SET UP A TIME WHERE WE CAN MEET. THE WAY WE CAN SHARE OUR SPECIFIC VISION AS TO HOW WE WANT TO MOVE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO THE FOREFRONT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AS WELL AS A LEADER, INTO THE FOLLOWER, ON THE NATIONAL STAGE. I AM URGING YOU NOT TO BE AFRAID TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE WEALTH OF EXTRAORDINARILY TALENTED TEACHERS AND ESPs IN OUR DISTRICT. THIS IS THE ONE UNTAPPED SOURCE I HOPE THE BOARD AND THE DISTRICT WILL AVAIL ITSELF. THERE ARE SOME EXTREMELY INNOVATIVE PEOPLE IN OUR SCHOOLS. SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 2019, ALL SEEMS PRETTY RIGHT WITH THE BAY AREA. THE RAYS ARE STILL AROUND. NO CRAZINESS HAS COME OUT OF TALLAHASSEE YET. THE LIGHTNING ARE PLAYING LIGHTS OUT. NO EXTREME WEATHER CRISIS TO DEAL WITH. THE BUCS HAVE A NEW COACH, SO HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL. THE GRADUATION RATE IS AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH AND CLEMSON BEAT ALABAMA. NOT A BAD START TO THE NEW YEAR. [ LAUGHTER ] RIGHT, MARK? SO THINGS ARE GOING SMOOTHLY. HERE'S HOPING THAT TREND CONTINUES FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. YOU HAVE MY SUPPORT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. HEGARTY. WE WILL MOVE BACK INTO OUR EMPLOYEE -- EXCUSE ME. OUR BOARD COMMENTS. MR. CONA.
>>>>Steve Cona: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE DURING THE GRADUATION RATE TALK TO RECOGNIZE THE THREE HIGH SCHOOLS IN MY DISTRICT. ALL WHOM FOR THE FIRST TIME OVER 90% LETO, SICKLES AND ALONSO. SO KUDOS. I KNOW -- YEAH, YOU SHOULD PUT THAT ON. WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS WHEN I ACTUALLY TOOK THIS JOB, THE ONE THING I THOUGHT WE WOULD BE UP HERE AND DISCUSSING POLICY BUT AS A BOARD MEMBER WHAT I'VE SEEN, THE BEST PART OF THIS JOB IS GOING INTO THE CLASSROOM. AND TO SEE WHAT OUR TEACHERS DO EVERY SINGLE DAY IS AMAZING. AND THEY SHOULD BE -- KUDOS TO THEM. WE'VE GOTTEN THIS FAR BECAUSE OF THEM. WE'VE MADE SOME HUGE GAINS IN EVERY AREA, AND IT'S ONLY GOING UP. WITH THAT, IT'S FANTASTIC, AND WE HAVE SOME ROOM TO IMPROVE STILL AND WE'LL DO THAT. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT WE'LL GET TO 90% AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, AND BE THAT DISTRICT THAT EVERYBODY IN FLORIDA WANTS TO COPY. FEDERAL AND STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA ITEMS, I AGREE WITH MELISSA AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M GOING TO START DOING, IN FACT, I'M SCHEDULING SOME OF OUR STATE HOUSE MEMBERS WHILE THEY'RE BACK HOME TO COME VISIT AND TO GO TO THE CLASSROOM WITH ME AND SEE ALL THE INNOVATION THAT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE IT'S VERY HARD WHEN YOU'RE IN TALLAHASSEE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CLASSROOM SO WHILE THEY'RE HERE, PLEASE REACH OUT. WE HAVE LOTS OF FRIENDS THAT ARE STATE REPS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE. GET THEM INTO A CLASSROOM. IT WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN TALLAHASSEE THIS YEAR. AND THERE ARE A LOT OF NEW ONES. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS GOOD AND BEST OPTIONS. RUNNING LATE. I APOLOGIZE. I AGREE WITH MS. STUART ON ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IS AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE. WE DO GET ASKED ALL THE TIME AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE CAN POINT TO SOMETHING AND SAY THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE SPENDING AND THESE ARE THE RESULTS AND I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THAT. LASTLY, I WANT TO THANK OUR CHAIR FOR ORGANIZING A VERY PRODUCTIVE RETREAT. YEAH, KUDOS. WE DID SOME REALLY GOOD WORK IN TWO DAYS, AND ONE OF THE THINGS, OBVIOUSLY, IS MAKING SURE THAT THIS BOARD MEETING, THAT PEOPLE CAN FOLLOW IT AND UNDERSTAND THE GOOD WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. I'M GRATEFUL THAT ALL OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS HAVE KIND OF -- WENT THROUGH A LOT OF TALKING ABOUT HOW THINGS WERE GOING TO WORK AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BOARD MEETING THAT IS GOING TO BE REFLECTIVE OF HOW GREAT THIS DISTRICT IS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU, MEMBER CONA. MEMBER PEREZ.
>>>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'M GOING TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT MEMBER GRAY WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. MY BACKGROUND IN MENTAL HEALTH. RIGHT NOW, OUR DISTRICT IS NOT FEELING THE EFFECTS WITH OUR STUDENTS, BUT OUR PARENTS ARE ON EDGE RIGHT NOW. AS A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT I WORK FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MYSELF. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FEELING IT, AND IT WILL TRICKLE DOWN TO OUR STUDENTS EVENTUALLY. I KEEP HEARING WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY ACT THAT WE HAVE ON BOARD THE SAFETY OF THE SCHOOLS, BUT I AM NOT HEARING THE MENTAL HEALTH ASPECT OF IT. I KEEP ASKING ABOUT IT AND I'M STILL NOT RECEIVING THE ANSWERS THAT I NEED, ESPECIALLY TODAY. THOSE ANSWERS, I NEED THOSE ANSWERS BECAUSE THE MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR STUDENTS IS ONE OF OUR MAJOR CONCERNS, ESPECIALLY TODAY, THE WAY OUR NATION IS TODAY, THIS DAY. WITH THAT SAID, I WOULD LIKE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO BE TRANSPARENT WITH ME, WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING THAT WAS BROUGHT DOWN TO US IN AUGUST. I NEED TO FIND OUT WHERE THOSE FUNDS ARE GOING, HOW THOSE FUNDS ARE GOING TO BE USED. YOU KNOW, WITH THE SOCIAL WORKERS, WITH THE PSYCHOLOGISTS, WITH THE COUNSELORS, BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO BE READY FOR THAT, ESPECIALLY IN TODAY'S DAY WITH OUR STUDENTS. BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THE SHUTDOWN IS GOING TO BE FOR. WE DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER, AND OUR PARENTS ARE BRACING THEMSELVES FOR WHAT IS COMING DOWN THE PIPE. WHEN ASKING OUR PARENTS WHAT ARE THEY READY FOR, MOST PARENTS SAY THEY DON'T HAVE IT FOR TWO WEEKS FROM NOW. TWO WEEKS FROM NOW IS CRITICAL. SO IF THEY ARE SAYING TWO WEEKS FROM NOW THEY ARE GOING TO BE IN A PANIC, WE NEED TO BE READY TODAY. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THIS DISTRICT IS GOING TO BE DOING AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE FOUR STUDENTS. I WANT TO THANK YOU ALSO FOR THE WORKSHOP THAT WE HAD. IT WAS A WONDERFUL RETREAT, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, FOR THAT.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER SNIVELY.
>>>>Melissa Snively: OKAY. I REMEMBERED WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY. THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO BRING UP, WELL, FIRST, LET ME ACKNOWLEDGE MR. CONA BECAUSE WHAT YOU SAID, WE ACTUALLY -- I TALKED TO MS. MILITO TODAY EXACTLY ABOUT THAT. AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HAVING SOME TYPE OF -- YOU KNOW HOW WE HAVE LEGISLATIVE DAY ON THE HILL, MAYBE LEGISLATIVE DAY IN THE SCHOOL. AND SO I KNOW FOR A FACT THERE ARE REPRESENTATIVES THAT ARE NOT STEPPED FOOT INTO A PUBLIC SCHOOL YET. AND NOT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO. IT'S JUST THAT NOBODY INVITED THEM TO BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE CHILDREN IN PUBLIC SCHOOL, WHATEVER THE REASON IS, BUT I THINK THAT IS A FANTASTIC IDEA TO DO THAT AND WHETHER IT'S A SPECIFIC DAY THAT WE SET ASIDE OR WHETHER EACH BOARD MEMBER WANTS TO DO IT ON THEIR OWN, I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT. IF YOU WANT TO SET A SPECIAL DAY ASIDE, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE CALENDAR, IT'S GETTING MORE AND MORE CHALLENGING AS WE GET CLOSE TO SESSION. ENTIRE MONTH OF FEBRUARY THEY WOULD BE IN SESSION EXCEPT FOR THE ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE SESSION BEGINNING. FANTASTIC IDEA. THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO TALK TO THE SUPERINTENDENT, WERE I THINK THIS UP TO START THINKING AND TALKING ABOUT. WE HAVE THIS CHARTER SCHOOL PULL. SOME BOARD MEMBERS ARE SUPPORTIVE OF CHARTER SCHOOLS. SOME MEMBERS TOLERATE CHARTER SCHOOLS. SOME MEMBERS ARE ANTI-CHARTER SCHOOLS. WHATEVER THE CASE IS. WE KNOW WITH THE NEW COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN TALLAHASSEE AND THE SENATE THAT CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE NOT GOING TO GO AWAY. THEY ARE GOING TO CONTINUE COMING INTO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THEY ARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO REMEMBER THEY ARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND PERHAPS WE NEED TO START THINKING, MAYBE HAVING A MIND SHIFT OF HOW WE CAN INTEGRATE THEM MORE INTO THE REST OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS OPPOSED TO PERCEPTION-WISE. BECAUSE I KNOW WE DO REACH OUT AND WE DO INVITE CHARTER SCHOOLS TO DO THINGS WITH OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. BUT PERCEPTION-WISE, THEY ARE TWO VERY SEPARATE ENTITIES TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. AND CHARTER SCHOOLS SEEM TO BE NOT PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO THE PUBLIC, RIGHT? THEY SEEM TO BE SOMETHING ELSE. AND IF THERE IS A WAY WE CAN START HAVING A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT WAYS ARE WE INTEGRATING CHARTER SCHOOLS INTO THE MAINSTREAM OF OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO INCLUDE THEM AND WHAT ARE WE DOING TO MAKE IT MORE LIKE WE'RE ALL ON ONE TEAM AS OPPOSED TO BEING COMPETITION ALL THE TIME. SO I JUST WANT TO PLANT THAT SEED AND MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD CAN HAVE A ROBUST CONVERSATION ABOUT AT ONE OF OUR FUTURE WORKSHOPS. BUT WE'VE GOT TO START FIGURING OUT A WAY TO PLAY IN THE SANDBOX TOGETHER, PLAY NICELY IN THE SANDBOX TOGETHER, WHICH I THINK WE DO FOR THE MOST PART. BUT THE PERCEPTION IS THAT WE ARE STIFF COMPETITION BETWEEN CHARTERS AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO BE THAT WAY. THANK YOU.
>>>>Jeffrey Eakins: IF I CAN JUST RESPOND. I COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU ANY MORE. I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHEN WE NETWORK WITH OUR CHARTER SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND LEADERS, I THINK THE FRUSTRATION COMES, THEY FEEL LOCALLY LIKE WE ARE WORKING VERY WELL TOGETHER AND COLLABORATIVELY. THERE ARE A LOT OF RESOURCES THAT WE SHARE INFORMATION THAT WE KNOW THEY NEED THAT WE PROVIDE THE INFORMATION. THE CHALLENGE WE EVEN HAVE, THIS VERY FRANK CONVERSATION IN THE ROOM EVERY MONTH WHEN WE SPEAK WITH OUR CHARTER SCHOOL PRINCIPALS IS THAT SOMETIMES THEY FEEL FROM THE LEGISLATURE AND SOME OF THE TALK AND SOME OF THE SPEAK AT THAT LEVEL AROUND CHARTER SCHOOLS ALMOST FEELING LIKE THE BETTER OPTION, THAT'S WHERE THEY FEEL SOMEWHAT THE RUB COMES. IT'S NOT LOCALLY AS MUCH AS IT IS THE MESSAGING FROM OTHER PLACES MAKES IT ALMOST SEEM LIKE AND APPEARS IN LEGISLATION AND HOW LEGISLATION IS CRAFTED THAT ONE IS BETTER THAN THE OTHER. THEY DON'T LIKE THAT APPROACH. LOCALLY WE DON'T THAT IS THE RIGHT APPROACH. WE'LL WORK COLLABORATIVELY THROUGH MS. HODGENS OFFICE, THROUGH THE RESOURCES WE SHARE. THE DATA THAT I REPORTED TODAY AND I DID ON THURSDAY INCLUDED CHARTER SCHOOL INFORMATION IN IT. THE GRADUATION RATES. IT INCLUDED THAT INFORMATION. THEY ARE PART OF OUR OVERALL SYSTEM. I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD TOPIC AT ONE OF THE WORKSHOP TOPICS TO REALLY TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AROUND THAT COLLABORATION.
>>>>Melissa Snively: JUST TO RESPOND, MY PERCEPTION IS IT'S APPLES AND ORANGES. IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO COMPARE CHARTER SCHOOLS TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND ONE SERVES STUDENTS IN ONE WAY AND ONE MAY SERVE IN THE OTHER WAY. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE IDEA FOR EVERY SCHOOL IS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF EACH STUDENT SO THAT THEY HAVE A SUCCESSFUL EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE. I THINK WE KEEP THAT IN MIND FOR EVERY DECISION THAT WE MAKE AND HOW WE INTEGRATE OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS TOGETHER, CHARTER AND TRADITIONAL, THEN THAT WILL ULTIMATELY BE -- WILL BE SUCCESSFUL DOING THAT.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MEMBER SNIVELY. AND MR. SUPERINTENDENT, MEMBER GRAY.
>>>>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR FOR LETTING ME SPEAK REAL QUICK. AND MEMBER SNIVELY, I DID SHARE WITH OUR SUPERINTENDENT HOW I THINK THE PROACTIVITY OF PUTTING CHARTER SCHOOLS, INTEGRATING THEM UNDER ONE SYSTEM SUCH AS WHERE PASCO COUNTY UNDER THE TITLE, WE ARE A SCHOOL CHOICE DISTRICT, STARTING TO BE AND HAVING ALL OF US TALK ABOUT THIS STARTING TO BE PROACTIVE IN KNOWING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO SAY ALL CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE BAD BECAUSE WE KNOW DIFFERENTLY. WE KNOW THAT PEPIN AND SO FORTH AND SO ON. SO I THINK IT'S TIME. IT'S CERTAINLY TIME, AT LEAST BY MARCH WITH CORCORAN LAYS OUT HIS PLAN, TIME FOR US TO THINK ABOUT THAT ONE UMBRELLA AND START BEING ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT INCORPORATES YOUR TRADITIONAL, YOUR MAGNET, YOUR CHARTER INSTEAD OF SEPARATE FIEFDOMS, SAME ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS, OVERSIGHT, HAVING THE INGREDIENTS OF WHAT IS CALLED A GOOD, SOLID EDUCATIONAL MODEL FOR ALL SCHOOLS. THANK YOU, MEMBER SHAMBURGER. I DID WANT TO GET IN THAT SAME CONVERSATION, AND THIS WOULD MEAN SUPERINTENDENT EAKINS AND I DID SHARE IT WITH ANOTHER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER THAT I THINK IT'S PROBABLY TIME WE START TALKING ABOUT THIS VERSUS PUTTING IT OFF TWO OR THREE MORE MONTHS.
>>>>Tamara Shamburger: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MEMBER GRAY. LET ME ECHO HER LAST SENTIMENT IN THAT WITH OUR NEW WAY OF WORK IN OUR WORKSHOPS, I THINK THE CHARTER SCHOOL CONVERSATION IS OVERDUE. SO THAT'S PROBABLY ONE WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT, SUPERINTENDENT, ABOUT SCHEDULING RELATIVELY EARLY ON SO WE CAN KIND OF GET ON THE SAME PAGE AS WE MOVE FORWARD THIS YEAR. A COUPLE OF COMMENTS, MEMBER STUART, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EXPRESSING YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS. I CERTAINLY ECHO THOSE SAME CONCERNS AND I SUPPORT WHOLEHEARTEDLY YOUR REQUEST TO THE SUPERINTENDENT. I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THE UPDATES, MR. SUPERINTENDENT WHICH PROBABLY WILL BE ANOTHER WORKSHOP AS WELL. SHAW ELEMENTARY, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED IT IN YOUR COMMENTS BUT I WANTED TO AGAIN THANK THE PATEL FAMILY FOUNDATION FOR THEIR VERY GENEROUS DONATION. THEY'VE DONATED ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD SPACE NOW WITH THE SHAW EARLY LEARNING CENTER. AND SO WHEN WE HAVE PARTNERS LIKE THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE DISTRICT WITH OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD INITIATIVE, THE CHILDREN'S BOARD AND THE EARLY LEARNING CENTER AND ALL OF THE OTHER EARLY CHILDHOOD PIECES IS REALLY CRITICAL BECAUSE THIS IS WHEN WE START TO INTERRUPT THAT GENERATIONAL POVERTY, THE CYCLE OF HARDSHIP AND WE START TO ELIMINATE THE SCHOOL-TO-PRISON PIPELINE WHICH IS VERY CRITICAL. I WANT TO THANK THEM AGAIN FOR MAKING THE VERY GENEROUS DONATION. THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO DO IT. THEY ARE BUILDING THEIR OWN CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL. THEY COULD HAVE DONE THINGS DIFFERENTLY. BUT THEIR LOVE AND DEDICATION TO THIS COMMUNITY IS EVIDENT. I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THAT. ALSO, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT -- OH, THERE IS -- LET'S SEE, PABLO, YOU SHOULD HAVE A SLIDE, MY LAST SLIDE, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE AN EVENT WE'RE HAVING. WRESTLE MANIA. A WRESTLE MANIA EVENT. ANTI-BULLYING EVENT FRIDAY JANUARY 25 AT CARTER G. WOODSON LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, 8715 NORTH 22nd STREET. IT WILL START AT 6:30 P.M. IT WILL FEATURE HALL OF FAMER JIMMY HART AND THE NASTY BOYS AND I AM VERY HONORED THAT I ALSO GET TO -- I ACTUALLY GET TO BE A GUEST RING ANNOUNCER. IT IS AN ANTI-BULLY INITIATIVE. IT IS FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. BOARD MEMBERS, IF YOU ARE AVAILABLE, COME ON OUT AND MEET SOME OF THESE HALL OF FAMERS. IT'S GOING TO BE AN ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL EVENT. LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, TAMPA, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE TAMPA HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY ON BEING NAMED A MAGNET SCHOOL OF AMERICA MERIT AWARD OF DISTINCTION RECIPIENT. SO PLEASE, YOU GUYS, GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [ APPLAUSE ] THAT IS AN ABSOLUTELY HUGE AWARD. I WON'T SAY ANYTHING FURTHER. I DON'T WANT TO STEAL ANY THUNDER. I KNOW MORE TO COME ON THAT. BUT I AM VERY, VERY PROUD OF WHAT THE SCHOOL HAS DONE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS. SEEING NO OTHER COMMENTS, THE MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED. [ SOUNDING GAVEL ] ∫