>>Lynn Gray: 2021. TWO PARTS TO THIS WORKSHOP SO WE HAVE A LOT OF LEARNING TO DO. LET ME JUST REVIEW THE BOARD MEMBERS. ONLINE WE HAVE KAREN PEREZ. WHEN I SAY ONLINE I THINK SHE IS ON LET ME GET CLARIFICATION. SHE IS ON TEAMS AND ALSO CO-CHAIR STACY HAHN IS ON TEAMS AND MEMBER SNIVELY WILL BE ON HER WAY. GOOD MORNING, MEMBER COMBS AND MEMBER WASHINGTON AND VAUGHN AND OUR SUPERINTENDENT.
>> MORNING.
>>Lynn Gray: THOUGHT WE'D START OUT WITH GOOD MORNING AND CHECK OUT THE COLOR CODE THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT AND I SEEM TO BE WEARING. SO NOT THAT YOU ALL HAVE TO WEAR PINK TONIGHT. SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND PUT A LITTLE BIT OF TIME FOR OUR SUPERINTENDENT TO INTRODUCE OUR GROWTH MANAGEMENT BOARD -- GROWTH MANAGEMENT. THIS IS A TIME SCHEDULE. I GAVE YOU NOTES, IT SAYS NOTES, BOARD QUESTIONS AND JUST KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A ROUND OF QUESTIONS AFTER THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT AND THEN AFTER THE ESSER 1, 2, AND 3 WORKSHOP. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS?
>>Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. THROUGH THE CHAIR, MS. GRAY, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO GROWTH MANAGEMENT AND HOW THAT INTERACTS WITH OUR COMMUNITY. WE KNOW THAT IN SO MANY POCKETS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THAT WE HAVE MORE STUDENTS THAN CLASSROOMS AND FOMENT. ESPECIALLY IN THE -- AVAILABILITY. ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTH REGION OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THEN AS WE TRANSITION YOU LOOK IN THE CENTRALIZED PORTION OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, WE HAVE MORE CLASSROOMS THAN WE HAVE STUDENTS. AND TODAY TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE POTENTIAL GROWTH THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AT THE SAME TOKEN TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AND DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE ARE FROM A SCHOOL DISTRICT RELATED TOIC LOOING AT -- TO LOOKING AT ANY ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES. IT'S USUALLY IN EDUCATION, YOU KNOW, A DIRTY WORD WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT CHANGING BOUNDARIES BUT IT'S ONE THAT HAS TO -- WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT RELATED TO MAKING CERTAIN THAT WE'RE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE BUT AT THE SAME TOKEN WORKING EVERY DAY TO MAKE CERTAIN THE BOUNDARIES ARE REALLY DEVELOPED WITH EQUITY AND REALLY ALLOW US TO MAXIMIZE EVERY CLASSROOM WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT SO TODAY WE HAVE OLIVER HERE TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT LONG-TERM, YOU KNOW, GOALS AND VISION FOR OUR WORK AND THEN GET INTO A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD TO BE ABLE TO SEEK ASSISTANCE AS WE LOOK AT EVERY POCKET, DIMENSION, FACET OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A THOUGHTFUL PLAN MOVING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE WE MAXIMIZE EVERY ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS, INSTITUTIONS AND REALLY ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT OUR OVERARCHING NEEDS AND HOW WE HAVE THAT AFFORDABILITY SIDE OF IT SO I APPRECIATE MS. AMBER DICKENSON AND AT THE SAME TIME MR. FARKAS FOR THE WORK THEY CONTINUE TO DO IN THIS PROCESS. THIS IS NOT EASY AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE FULFILLING THE EXPECTATIONS FROM THE BOARD BECAUSE ONE OF THE COMMITMENTS WE HAVE IS TO MAKE CERTAIN WE STAY IN FRONT A MINIMUM OF 12 MONTHS IN FRONT OF THE BOARD AND COMMUNITY TO JUST ARTICULATE WHAT OUR VISION IS FOR THIS WORK SO WE MOVE FORWARD IN A CALCULATED COLLECTIVE MANNER. AT THIS POINT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MS. DICKENSON.
>> GOOD MORNING. AMBER DICKENSON, GENERAL MANAGER OF GROWTH MANAGEMENT. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK WITH YOU AND TAKE UP YOUR VALUABLE TIME. I KNOW IT'S A FULL AGENDA SO I'LL BE SPEAKING AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. FIRST I'D LIKE TO BREAK BRIEF YOU ON THE LONG RANGE PLANNING UPDATE. THE LAST TIME THE PLAN WAS APPROVED WAS 2017 AND WE LIKE TO REVISIT IT EVERY THREE YEARS TO MAKE SURE OUR GROWTH PROJECTIONS ARE ON POINT AND MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS AS NECESSARY. THIS YEAR WE ACTUALLY WERE ABLE TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL COMPONENT WHICH IS LOOKING AT AREAS WHERE YOU ACTUALLY HAVE UNDERUTILIZED SCHOOLS AS WELL. SO WHERE WE COULD MAYBE POSSIBLY REPURPOSE SOME SCHOOLS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION IS TO GATHER YOUR INPUT, QUESTIONS, CONCERNS BEFORE FINALIZING THE PLAN AND THEN YOU WILL SEE IT AGAIN ON A REGULAR AGENDA FOR FINAL APPROVAL. THE SECOND REQUEST IS A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL ITEM TO HIRE A CONSULTANT TEAM TO REVIEW DISTRICT WIDE BOUNDARY CHANGES AS IT RELATES TO OVERUTILIZATION, UNDER UTILIZATION, EQUITY ISSUES, COLLECT COMMUNITY INPUT TO PROVIDE DATA-DRIVEN RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION. BASICALLY HOW THESE TWO ITEMS RELATE IS THE TENDAL OLIVER PLAN WILL BE BASICALLY THE FOUNDATION AND STRUCTURE WHERE WE'LL LAUNCH OFF IF YOU SUPPORT IT INTO THE RFP TO LOOK AT BOUNDARY CHANGES. ALSO, IF YOU SUPPORT THIS EFFORT, THIS WILL COME BACK TO YOU AT A REGULAR MEETING FOR THE RFP COMPONENT. FIRST OF ALL I'D LIKE TO THANK ADDISON DAVIS AND CHRIS FARKAS FOR SUPPORTING THESE INNOVATIVE SIGNIFICANT LONG RANGE PLANNING EFFORTS. WE DON'T JUST LET THESE PLANS SIT ON A SHELF. WE USE THEM DAILY. SO THIS DATA INFORMS OUR FIVE-YEAR WORK PLAN AND THEN IT ALSO SUPPORTED THE SALES TAX REFERENDUM AND INCREASE OF SCHOOL IMPACT FEES. SO THIS PLAN IS VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR STAFF. ALSO, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT TEAM RENEE CAMEN, MATT PLEASANT AND KIM WEBBER AND THE TENDAL OLIVER STAFF WHICH I'LL HAND IT OVER TO IN A MINUTE, TO CAMP AND STEVE TENDELL TO START WITH THE LONG RANGE PLANNING UPDATE. I'LL POLITELY ASK YOU TO HOLD QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS UNTIL THE END IN CASE WE ANSWER THE QUESTION LATER IN THE PRESENTATION. WE'RE LEAVING AMPLE TIME FOR Q&A. I'LL HAND IT OVER TO MEGAN. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING. I'M WITH TENDELL OLIVER. -- TINDALE OLIVER. THE LONG RANGE IS A DOCUMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE REVISITED EVERY SO MANY YEARS. SO SORT OF KEY INITIAL FINDINGS ARE THE COUNTY CONTINUES TO BE A HIGH GROWTH COUNTY. IT'S A YOUNG COUNTY AND WITHIN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, SOUTH COUNTY CONTINUES TO BE THE FOCUS OF THE FUTURE GROWTH. YOU'LL SEE THAT 15 OUT OF 18 NEW SCHOOL WHEEZE ARE PROJECTING -- SCHOOLS WE ARE PROJECTING WILL BE IN SOUTH COUNTY. AT THE SAME TIME IN CENTRAL COUNTY THERE IS A HIGH LEVEL OF AVAILABILITY CAPACITY AND SOME OPPORTUNITY TO REPURPOSE SOME OF THE SCHOOLS. AND THE GOOD NEWS IS IMPACT FEES ARE FINALLY AT A LEVEL THEY'RE LIKELY TO GENERATE THE FUNDING NEEDED FOR THESE NEW SCHOOLS. SO IF WE START WITH ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, THIS IS THE CURRENT CONDITIONS AND THE WAY THE COLORS GO, THE GREEN IS MOST CAPACITY, DARKER GREEN AS YOU MOVE TO ORANGE, THE CAPACITY DECREASES AND THEN THE RED IS DEFICIENCIES LIKE THERE ARE NO PERMANENT STATIONS AND YOU CAN SEE THE CURRENT SITUATION, THE MOST CAPACITY IS NORTHWEST WITH 7200. NORTHEAST HAS SOME AND SOUTH AS WELL. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NEXT 15 YEARS, WE SEE THAT IN THE NORTHWEST, THERE IS ALREADY A K-8 SCHOOL PROGRAM IN THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN. THAT'S THE MANHATTAN. AND THEN BEYOND THAT, WE DON'T SEE ANY NEEDS FOR NEW SCHOOLS. WHEN WE GO TO NORTHEAST, AGAIN, NOTHING IN THE FIRST FIVE YEARS BUT THEN THE YEAR SIX THROUGH TEN, ONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WILL BE NEEDED AND THEN 11-15, ANOTHER. AND THEN WHEN WE GO TO SOUTH, THE WORK PLAN, THE CURRENT WORK PLAN ALREADY INCLUDES TWO SCHOOLS. THEY ARE BOTH K-8 AND THEN BEYOND THAT, WE'LL NEED SEVEN MORE SCHOOLS, THREE OF THEM ARE YEAR 6 TO 10 AND THEN FOUR MORE 11 TO 15 JUST BASED ON THE GROWTH PATTERNS WE ARE SEEING. WHEN WE GET TO MIDDLE SCHOOLS, YOU SEE LOT MORE GREEN FOR THE MOST PART AND THEN IN THE SOUTH, AGAIN, WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF RED SPOTS AGAIN AS WELL. THESE ARE THE CURRENT CONDITIONS AND CAPACITY. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NEXT 15 YEARS, THERE IS THAT MANHATTAN K-8 STILL HELPING WITH MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN THE NORTHWEST. AND THEN BEYOND THAT, WE DON'T SEE ANY NEED FOR NEW SCHOOLS AT THIS POINT. WHEN WE GO TO NORTHEAST, NO NEED IN THAT AREA AS WELL GIVEN THE GROWTH RATES. AND FINALLY, IN THE SOUTH, THERE ARE TWO PROGRAM IN THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN AND BEYOND THAT, WE'LL NEED ONE MORE YEAR 6-10 AND ANOTHER TWO MORE MIDDLE SCHOOLS, 11-15. ALL TOGETHER FIVE OF THEM. AND THEN THE HIGH SCHOOLS, AGAIN, IT'S NORTHWEST HAS THE MOST CAPACITY AVAILABLE. AND THEN THERE IS SOME CAPACITY IN EACH OF THE DISTRICTS FOR HIGH SCHOOLS. AND AGAIN, IN THE CASE OF HIGH SCHOOLS, NORTHWEST WE DON'T SEE ANY NEED FOR A BRAND NEW HIGH SCHOOL -- BRAND NEW HIGH SCHOOL. NORTHEAST THERE IS REALLY NO NEED EXCEPT THAT FIVE-YEAR PLAN ALREADY INCLUDES THE PLAN CITY HIGH SCHOOL ADDITION SO THAT'S ACCOUNTED FOR. AND THEN IN THE SOUTH -- YEAH, IN THE SOUTH -- OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL NEED THREE OF THEM, AND ONE IN EACH OF THE FIVE-YEAR PERIODS. SO THIS TABLE KIND OF PROVIDES A SUMMARY ALL TOGETHER THERE WILL BE 18 NEW SCHOOLS. THESE ARE BRAND NEW FULL SCHOOLS. IN ADDITION THERE ARE SEVERAL EXPANSIONS LISTS THERE. AND OUT OF THOSE 18, 15 WILL BE IN SOUTH COUNTY. AND AGAIN, OUT OF THE 18, 12 WILL BE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. THREE MIDDLE AND THREE HIGH. AND THAT KIND OF MAKES SENSE TO US GIVEN THAT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ARE SMALLER AND HAVE MORE GRADES. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT AGAIN, THE COUNTY, THE YELLOW HIGHLIGHTED AREA IS REALLY THE CRITICAL GROWTH AREA. IT'S MOSTLY THE SOUTHWEST AREA. THAT'S WHERE WE SEE MOST OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE RESERVATIONS AND FUTURE GROWTH COMING. THE BLUE LINE, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IS THE POTENTIAL REPURPOSING AREA WHICH KIND OF BLENDS WITH THE GROWTH IN THE SOUTHERN PART. SO THE REPURPOSING AREA HAS A LARGE AVAILABLE ELEMENTLY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL CAPACITY AND SOME OF THE WAYS THAT THOSE BUILDINGS CAN BE USED WILL BE CONVERTING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO A PRE-K CENTER OR A COMMUNITY CENTER COMBINING TWO UNDERUTILIZED MIDDLE SCHOOLS TO POTENTIALLY BUILD A K-8 OR CONVERTING ONE TO DISTRICT OFFICE SPACE SO THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO USE THESE BUILDINGS THAT MAY BE MORE BENE BENEFICIAL. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE REPURPOSING AREA, YOU SEE THAT THE WHITE AREA IS THAT AREA AND YOU SEE MORE DEVELOPMENT, LIKE I-75 CORRIDOR GOING THROUGH IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. SO THEN THERE IS THAT INDUSTRIAL AREA DIVIDING THAT AREA SO THE RESIDENTIAL ARE WEST AND EAST OF THAT COR GORE DOOR. -- CORRIDOR. AND ELEMENTARY CAPACITY IS 6,000 SEATS. AVERAGE OCCUPANCY OF 80% AND MIDDLE CAPACITY IS ANOTHER 5100 AND THOSE SCHOOLS AVERAGE OCCUPANCY IS 60% WHICH MAKES US THINK THAT MIDDLE SCHOOLS MAY BE A BETTER CANDIDATE TO REPURPOSE. SO THIS CHART JUST KIND OF LISTS ALL THE SCHOOLS, GIVES YOU THE UTILIZATION OF IT FOR FUTURE REFERENCE. I WON'T READ THEM ALL. AND I THINK IT'S -- THERE. OH, I'M SO SORRY. I WILL TURN IT TO AMBER IF I CAN GET HER SLIDE.
>> THANK YOU. SO WE HEARD A LOT ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS FROM MULTIPLE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS OVER TIME INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT ALL OF THE SCHOOL ATEPIDANCE BOUNDARIES. SO SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN HIGHLIGHTED IN THE PAST ARE UNDERUTILIZED SCHOOLS, OVERUTILIZED SCHOOLS, SATELLITE BOUNDARIES WHICH MEAN NON-CONTINUOUS BOUNDARIES SO A BOUNDARY WITH TWO DIFFERENT PIECES AND TRANSPORTATION ISSUES. AND MORE RECENT YEARS, EQUITY, THE EFFORTS OF MONICA WHO IS IN THE AUDIENCE AND SCHOOL GRADES HAVE BEEN ON THE FOREFRONT OF A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AND, YOU KNOW, THESE ALL TIE TOGETHER. SO OUR RECOMMENDATION IS SIMILAR TO LARGER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES TO CONDUCT AN RFP IN ORDER TO GET A CONSULTANT TEAM ON BOARD WITH DIVERSIFIED EXPERTS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE IN MASSIVE DATA COLLECTION, ANALYSIS, EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY OUTREACH EXPERIENCE, IN ORDER TO TAKE ON THIS HUGE TASK. IF WE AS A DISTRICT ARE GOING TO TAKE ON THIS LARGE OF EFFORT WE MUST HAVE QUALIFIED MAN POWER TO GENERATE THE QUALITY RECOMMENDATIONS IN A TIMELY MANNER FOR YOU ALL. I SAY THIS BUT MANY OF YOU HAVE ALL EXPERIENCED FIRST-HAND BOUNDARY CHANGES ARE CHALLENGING. CHANGE IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE DISTRICT AND FAMILIES, SO WE WANT TO MITIGATE ALL OF THOSE ISSUES TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE. SOME ADVANTAGES OF HIRING A CONSULTANT IS SPEED, MAN POWER, QUALITY, UNBIAS PERSPECTIVE, AND PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION SUPPORT. NOW TO THE BIG TICKET ITEM THAT'S ALWAYS ON THE FOREFRONT OF EVERY CONVERSATION, MONEY. WE DID RESEARCH A FEW DIFFERENT DISTRICTS THAT ACTUALLY TOOK ON A DISTRICT-WIDE BOUNDARY CHANGE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE WANT TO DO. THE HIGHER END WAS ABOUT $475,000 TO DO THAT. WE WON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT CONSULTANTS WILL COME BACK WITH. AS FOR PRICE FOR THIS LARGE OF DISTRICT, BUT WE'LL BRING THAT BACK TO YOU ALL BEFORE WE WOULD MOVE ON WITH ANY PLAN AT A REGULAR AGENDA MEETING. ALSO, I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT EVEN IF A FEW OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COME OUT OF THIS PLAN, YOU DECIDE AS BOARD MEMBERS, YOU CAN DECIDE A MENU OF OPTIONS. YOU DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH RECOMMENDATIONS OR NOT. KEEP IN MIND EVEN ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS COULD SAVE THE DISTRICT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE TWO SCHOOLS AT 50% UTILIZATION AND YOU DECIDE TO CONSOLIDATE THAT, THAT IS A HUGE SAVING FOR OPERATIONAL COSTS. SO JUST PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND. ALSO, BOUNDARY CHANGES ARE OFTEN LEGALLY CHALLENGED SO THIS PROVIDES US WITH ANOTHER LAYER OF DATA COLLECTION OUTSIDE OF THE DISTRICT. SO WE HOPE TO GET YOUR SUPPORT ON THE RFP TODAY, AND WE ARE HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS ON THE LONG RANGE PLANNING PORTION AND THE RFP AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU.
>>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MS. DICKERSON. AND THANK YOU, STEVE TINDALE AND -- I'M SORRY. I DON'T SEE YOUR NAME. OKAY. MIGAN CAMP. THANK YOU. WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AND LET ME MAKE SURE THE BOARD IS CLEAR. CONSENSUS FROM US THIS MORNING TO MOVE ON AND GO AHEAD AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CLEAR AT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> AND, AMBER, IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW FOR GROWTH MANAGEMENT, THEY HANDLE MORE THAN JUST BOUNDARIES. THE GOVERNMENT LIAISON AND PLANNING IS A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS UNDER THEIR UMBRELLA. THREE PEOPLE ARE IN THAT DEPARTMENT SO TAKING ON A DISTRICT-WIDE REBOUNDARY POSSIBLE WOULD ALMOST BE IMPOSSIBLE. IF WE WANT TO DO IT, WE'LL DO IT WELL. THE OTHER PART IS TO BE IMPARTIAL AND NOT DRIVEN BY MR. DAVIS OR MS. GRAY BUT AN OUTSIDE SOURCE TO GIVE OPINIONS. BEFORE WE WENT OUT FOR AN RFP WHICH WOULD BRING NOISE OR CHALLENGES WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE BOARD SAYS YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA AND LET'S PURSUE THAT AND LOOK AT OPTIONS AND AGAIN AS MS. DICKERSON SAID, WE'D BRING ANY MECK RECOMMENDATIONS BACK AND Y'ALL ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR APPROVING BUT BEFORE WE DID THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S SOMETHING THE BOARD WANTED TO PURSUE.
>>Lynn Gray: WHO YOU SAY $475,000, ARE WE COMPARING DISTRICTS OUR SIZE? THIS IS A POSSIBLE PRICE?
>> YES. IT'S A SLIGHTLY SMALLER ONE FROM MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND. AGAIN, WE'LL PUT THE RFP OUT AND ONCE CONSULTANTS SEE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, THEY'LL GIVE US A COST ESTIMATE AT WHICH TIME WE'D BRING THAT BACK TO THE BOARD PRIOR TO HIRING ANY FIRM.
>> AND THROUGH THE CHAIR, I WANT TO CONFIRM TO MR. FARKAS, WE CAN USE CAPITAL MONEY FOR THIS, IS THAT CORRECT?
>>Christopher Farkas: WE CAN AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND, WAS ABOUT 60,000 KIDS SO A LITTLE SMALLER BUT A VERY LARGE DISTRICT.
>>Addison Davis: YEAH. THANK YOU.
>>Lynn Gray: I HEAR MONTGOMERY COUNTY IS ONE OF THE RICHEST DISTRICTS IN THE UNITED STATES SO MAYBE THEY PRICE IT HIGH BUT ANY RATE, JUST --
>> YOU NEVER KNOW.
>>Lynn Gray: YOU NEVER KNOW. BOARD MEMBERS, YOU'RE GOING TO SHARE YOUR COMMENTS. I'LL GO RIGHT AROUND AND THEN WE'LL FINISH WITH MEMBER PEREZ AND MEMBER HAHN. THEY'RE ON TEAMS SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HEAR FROM EVERYONE. SO AMONG EVERY COMMENT YOU HAVE AND QUESTION, JUST BE THINKING ABOUT IS THIS AN IDEA FOR THIS PROPOSAL, THIS RFP, IF THIS IS A WAY, A DIRECTION YOU'D LIKE TO GO. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING AND WE ALL ARE. LET'S GO AHEAD -- MEMBER WASHINGTON, WE'LL GO RIGHT AROUND AND I'LL BE LAST SO GO AHEAD.
>>Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU ALL FOR DOING A GOOD JOB UP THERE. I GOT A QUESTION. WHAT IS THE THRESHOLD TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL DOWN OR REPURPOSE?
>> THERE IS NO DEFINED THRESHOLD. WE DO HAVE REQUIREMENTS IN THE INNER LOCAL AGREEMENT ABOUT COMM COMM COMMUNITYOUTREACH -- OUTREACH PRIOR TO MAKING DECISIONS ON SCHOOL CLOSURES. FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CONSULTANTS WOULD DIG FARTHER INTO, BUT IF WE'RE OPERATING A SCHOOL AT 60% OR BELOW, OBVIOUSLY THAT IS NOT THE BEST FOR OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY.
>>Henry "Shake" Washington: BECAUSE I KNOW IN MY -- IN DISTRICT 5, I HAVE QUITE A FEW SCHOOLS ON THIS LIST, AND MY CONCERN IS THAT IF WE DO -- I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE NEED COMMUNITY INPUT ON THIS. WE'RE NOT MAKING NO DECISION HERE BY OURSELVES. SO MY CONCERN IS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE REPURPOSE SCHOOLS, YOU'RE IN THE SECTION OF TAMPA DISTRICT 5, AND THE PARENTS CAN'T GET TO OTHER SCHOOLS AND WE GOT TO TAKE ALL THIS UNDER CONSIDERATION WHEN WE DO THIS. TRANSPORTATION IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE HAVE. AND I'D HATE TO DIVIDE THE AREA UP WHERE MY PARENTS COULDN'T GET WHERE THEY NEEDED TO BE TO PROTECT THEIR KIDS OVER WHATEVER THEY NEEDED. THAT'S SOMETHING I'D REALLY LOOK TO LOOK AT BECAUSE I HAVE QUITE A FEW OF MY SCHOOLS ON THIS LIST IN THE INNER CITY BUT THEY'RE ABOVE -- MOST OF THEM ARE ABOVE 60% THOUGH.
>>Christopher Farkas: THE GOAL IS TO REPURPOSE, NOT NECESSARILY CLOSE SCHOOLS DOWN. AS YOU'RE AWARE CLOSING SCHOOLS DOWN REQUIRES REQUIREMENTS AS FAR AS WHAT WE OFFER. IT'S NOT LIKE WE CLOSE THE SCHOOL AND SHUT IT DOWN BUT MAYBE DIVIDE GRADES UP DIFFERENTLY AS WE DID BEFORE OR IN AREA 5 PARTICULARLY, THERE IS A NEED FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SO FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE THAT WHERE WE STILL HAVE THE SCHOOL OPERATIONERATE -- OPERATING BUT ONE OF THE WINGS TURNS INTO THE VPK WING. THEY CAN SEND THE KIDS TO THE CENTER IN THE EXACT SAME SCHOOL. THE PLAN IS NOT TO CLOSE THE SCHOOLS BUT YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. AS SOMEONE WHO TAUGHT IN THE AREA, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE OFFERINGS ARE THERE.
>>Henry "Shake" Washington: MAKE SURE WE PROTECT DISTRICT 5 AND THAT'S A GOOD POINT. WE HAVE TO EMPHASIZE THAT TALKING ABOUT THE SCHOOLS BOUGHT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT REPURPOSING, WE THINK YOU'RE CLOSING THE SCHOOLS DOWN. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE EMPHASIZE THAT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
>>Lynn Gray: GOOD POINT, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER VAUGHN?
>>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. WE DO HAVE THE PERCENTAGES HERE AND I WAS WONDERING WHAT A GOOD THRESHOLD IS TO MAKE THAT DECISION THAT A SCHOOL IS UNDERUTILIZED. THANK YOU BOTH FOR THIS PRESENTATION. ALSO FOR MEETING WITH ME PREVIOUS TO THIS SO I REALLY HAD A GOOD BASE FOR THIS PRESENTATION TODAY. YOU ANSWERED A LOT OF MY QUESTIONS DURING THE MEETING. SOME QUESTIONS I STILL HAVE IS LET'S SAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REPURPOSING AND DOING EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND A WING. I HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT ABOUT MAYBE INTRODUCING SOMETHING NEW, MONT SOAR STYLE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IS THAT STILL ON THE TABLE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT STUFF LIKE THAT?
>>Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM THROUGH THE CHAIR. ABSOLUTELY. THIS IS A CONVERSATION WE TALKED ABOUT BRINGING MAPPED SORRY AND LOOKING AT POTENTIAL -- MONTESSORI AND POTENTIAL MILITARY MIDDLE SCHOOL BEING ABLE TO FOCUS ON LEADERSHIP, CITIZENSHIP AND TO RETHINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR THE SCHOOLS. IT'S WIDE OPEN NOW RELATED TO WHAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY DO FOR REPURPOSING. WE WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN WE HAVE CONNECTION WITH COMMUNITY AND THE THOUGHT PROCESS OF THE STUDENTS ENGAGED EVERY DAY.
>>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I'D HOPE IT WOULD BE MAYBE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REPURPOSING AS A DISTRICT AND NOT HAVING TO RELY ON OUTSIDE PRIVATE COMPANIES TO MEET THOSE NEEDS. BUT THE NEXT QUESTION THAT I HAD, SO FAR I REALLY SUPPORT GETTING EXTRA DATA AND GETTING THE SUPPORT SO WE CAN MAKE AS MANY THOUGHTFUL DECISIONS AS POSSIBLE. I KNOW WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT IT PREVIOUSLY, YOU ESTIMATED A TIME FRAME OF MAYBE A YEAR OR SO. I KNOW YOU HIGHLIGHTED SOME OF THE BENEFITS IS THAT IT SPEEDS THINGS UP AND ALLOWS US TO MAKE A DECISION TIMELY WITH THE REPORT. ARE YOU STILL ESTIMATING -- I KNOW IT'S HARD TO SAY THAT THE REPORT WOULD TAKE ABOUT A YEAR TO COMPLETE?
>>Christopher Farkas: WHAT WE'LL ASK THE RFP TO DO IS GIVE A PROPOSED TIMELINE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU MET MY BOSS BUT PATIENCE IS NOT ONE OF HIS STRENGTHS. HE WANTS IT DONE IN TWO OR THREE MONTHS. AND THAT'S POSITIVE THING. THAT'S A YEAR TO COMPLETION BECAUSE COMMUNITY OUTREACH DOES TAKE TIME. BECAUSE THE THREE OR FOUR OF US DECIDED WE'D START TAKING PIECE BY PIECE IN THE DISTRICT AND DOING IT INTERNALLY. THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT WOULD TAKE -- SO DOING THE COMMUNITIES IS MUCH QUICKER. AND THE RFP THAT'S JUST OUR GUESS ON WHAT THAT WOULD TAKE IS THE YEAR WOULD BE FROM COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO COMMUNITY BOARDS TO ACTION. WE HAVE A BOARD POLICY THAT SAYS WE'LL TELL YOU A YEAR IN ADVANCE ABOUT ANY BOUNDARY CHANGES.
>>Addison Davis: AND THROUGH THE CHAIR, MY ASPIRATIONS -- SORRY, MS. VAUGHN. HOPEFULLY THEY CAN GET IT DONE BY DECEMBER. I KNOW IT'S AGGRESSIVE. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY CAN BUT -- THAT WAY WE START ENGAGING THE BOARD AND REALLY START PLANNING IN THE -- AS 22, JANUARY 22 HITS, WHAT THE REPURPOSE POTENTIALLY COULD LOOK LIKE AND START BEING ABLE TO PUT DOLLARS AND CENTS AROUND IT AND BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT STRUCTURAL NEEDS SO THAT WE CAN START SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE'RE GOING TO DO ANYTHING WITH EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPANSION AND THAT'S A REPURPOSE THROUGH A PRE-K OR 3-YEAR-OLD PROGRAM THROUGH SECOND GRADE, WE HAVE TO GO AND MAKE CERTAIN WE ORDER THE NECESSARY CURRICULUM AND FURNITURE AND THE OUTSIDE PLAYGROUNDS FOR THE LITTLE ONES TO BE ENGAGED AND INVOLVED IN. THAT TAKES TIME TO BE ABLE TO DO IT AND A VISION TO DO SO. MY ASPIRATIONS IS IT WILL BE ACCELERATED AND DONE RIGHT AND THROUGH RFP LET THEM KNOW WHAT THEY CAN AND ARE NOT ABLE TO DO TO MEET THE TIMELINE.
>>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I HAVE TWO MORE QUICK QUESTIONS. FOR THE IMPACT FEES WE SAID HAVE BEEN RAISED AND I KNOW MS. FARKAS AND I HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER THEY'LL BE ROLLED BACK WITH NEW LEGISLATION OUT OF THE LAST SESSION, HAS THAT BEEN IMPACTED? ARE IMPACT FEES PROJECTED TO BE LOWER THAN WE THOUGHT AND ALSO, ARE THE IMPACT FEES FEES -- I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT TERM WHERE ESSENTIALLY THEY'RE BUYING INTO BUILDING EXTRA SCHOOLS GOING FORWARD, THE DEVELOPERS, GIVING US MONEY SO WHEN WE GROW, THERE IS A POT TO PULL FROM OR ACTUALLY GIVING US IMPACT FEES FOR THE GROWTH IN THEIR AREA. CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT FEES?
>>Christopher Farkas: THEY'RE GIVING MONEY TOWARD THE IMPACT IN THEIR AREA. IT'S AN IMPACT FEE ON THE IMPACT THEY'LL MAKE AND THE COST FOR BUILDING A SCHOOL IN THE AREA. IN FACT THEY HAVE TO PAY TOWARDS A SPECIFIC SCHOOL. WE TALK ABOUT PROPORTION AND SHARE AGREEMENTS AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT IS PROP SHARES. THEY'RE ACTUALLY FOR A SPECIFIC SCHOOL WE -- WE SET THE MONEY INTO AN ACCOUNT TOTALLY SEPARATE AND CAN ONLY BE USED FOR THE SCHOOL. IMPACT FEES ARE BROAD ALTHOUGH IMPACT FEES CAN BE USED FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION. NEW STUDENT STATIONS. WE CAN'T DO IT FOR RENOVATIONS OR ANY OTHER PURPOSE. ONLY FOR NEW STUDENT STATIONS.
>> THE LEGISLATION THOUGH, THE ADOPTION PRE-DATED THE DATE THAT RETROACTIVELY WENT BACK SO OUR IMPACT FEES REMAIN THE SAME. WHICH ESSENTIALLY DOUBLED OVER THE LAST YEAR, AND YES, IMPACT FEES ARE DIFFERENT THAN PROP SHARE MITIGATION. BUT DEVELOPERS THAT PAY PROP SHARE MITIGATION GET AN IMPACT FEE CREDIT. THEY'RE FUNNELING TOWARDS IMPACTS.
>>Jessica Vaughn: WHAT WOULD THE VERSE IS, IF WE SAID NO FOR THE STUDY, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE, THE PROCESS COMPARED TO WITH IT?
>>Christopher Farkas: IF YOU ASK AMBER SHE'LL SAY SHE CAN'T DO THAT, BECAUSE IT'S -- IT'S SUCH A HARD TASK. WE'D HAVE TO BITE SOME OF THE ELEPHANT AND BE SUCCESSFUL AND SMALL AREA BY AREA TO DO IT. THAT'S NOT THE BEST WAY TO DO IT. YOU WANT TO DO IT HOLISTICALLY SO YOU'RE NOT RECHANGING IT. WE HAVE AN UNSPOKEN POLICY WHERE WE DON'T MOVE SOMEONE TWICE IN THE SAME SCHOOL. IN AREAS AND BITES AND CHUNKS WE MIGHT MAKE SOME OF THE MISTAKES TO DO THAT. A BIG PART OF WHAT -- ANY RFP AND ANY MANAGEMENT IS TO MEET WITH BOARD MEMBERS. I ANTICIPATE THEY'D MEET YOU INDIVIDUALLY. THEY'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT YOUR SPECIFIC AREAS AND WHAT YOUR CONCERNS ARE BEFORE WE GO OFFER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. BOARD MEMBER ENGAGEMENT, SUPERINTENDENT ENGAGEMENT AND OUR STAFF WILL BE A BIG PART OF THE VENDOR PROCESS.
>>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU FOR CONSENSUS. MADAM CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR THIS. BUT NOT RUSHED. IF IT IN ANY WAY COMPROMISES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THANK YOU.
>>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER SNIVELY?
>>Melissa Snively: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING THIS INFORMATION THIS MORNING. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO PUT IT OUT THERE FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION SO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS KNOW THAT WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY WORKING ON GROWTH MANAGEMENT AND THE CHALLENGES AND WE HAD A LOT OF CHALLENGES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AND CERTAIN POCKETS AND IT IS HARD TO DO POCKET BY POCKET. IT BECOMES EXTREMELY LABOR INTENSIVE AND DOESN'T REALLY GET A LOT OF TRACTION FOR THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT THAT GETS PUT INTO DOING IT BIT BY BIT. SO I WOULD BE A PROPONENT TO SUPPORT HAVING -- I UNDERSTAND THE LIMITATIONS THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS WITH STAFFING AND I THINK THE PROS OUTWEIGH THE CONS WHEN IT COMES TO HAVING A THIRD PARTY COME IN AND CREATE A STUDY FOR OUR -- AND A PRESENTATION FOR OUR BOARD AND OUR DISTRICT. SO I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO BOARD MEMBERS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WHO FINALLY I THINK HAVE GOTTEN TO A POINT THAT SAYS, OKAY, WE JUST HAVE TO BITE THE BULLET AT THIS POINT. WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO PATCHWORK DISTRICT REZONING ACROSS THE COUNTY. IT JUST IS NOT EFFICIENT ANYMORE. IT'S LIKE PUTTING A BAND-AID ON A BROKEN ARM ALL OVER THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE DOWNSIDE OBVIOUSLY IS THAT THERE IS A LOT OF PAIN WHEN IT COMES TO CHANGE, AND YOU'LL -- BOARD MEMBERS, YOU ALL WILL GET TO EXPERIENCE THAT WHENEVER YOU ARE IN -- WHEN YOU GO INTO YOUR COMMUNITY. SOME ALREADY EXPERIENCED IT. SOME WILL GET TO EXPERIENCE GOING INTO YOUR OWN COMMUNITIES AND FEELING THAT BIT OF PAIN THAT COMES WITH CHANGE BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU THEY PURCHASED A HOME IN THAT PARTICULAR DISTRICT SO THAT THEIR CHILDREN CAN GO TO THAT PARTICULAR SCHOOL, AND YOU'LL HEAR THAT ACROSS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE OVERARCHING CHALLENGE PROBABLY MORE SO THAN THAT IS THE FACT THAT ALL THE SCHOOLS ARE NOT PERFORMING AS HIGH TO CAPACITY IF WE COULD, AND IF WE HAD A AND B SCHOOLS IT WOULDN'T BE SUCH A CHALLENGE TO TALK A PARENT FROM GOING FROM AN A SCHOOL TO AN A SCHOOL AS AN A SCHOOL TO A B OR C SCHOOL, RIGHT? SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS ON US AND THE SUPERINTENDENT TO CONTINUOUSLY WORK TOWARDS WITH OUR SCHOOLS TO MAINTAIN THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT IN ALL THE SCHOOLS SO PARENTS ARE NOT HAVING TO MAKE THE REALLY DIFFICULT DECISIONS ABOUT WHERE TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN. I WANTED TO QUICKLY ASK ABOUT YOU U, U, U AND WHAT THE STATUS WAS. THIS IS GREAT AND WE'LL GET INFORMATION FROM A THIRD PARTY IF THE BOARD DECIDES TO APPROVE THAT. IN THE MEANTIME WE HAVE OTHER ISSUES GOING ON WITH CURRENT LAND. WE HAVE GOT CAPITAL MONEY TO BUILD SCHOOLS. WE'VE GOT LAND TO BUILD SCHOOLS, BUT WHERE ARE WE ARE THE COUNTY ON INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE WE COULD SIT HERE ALL DAY AND TALK ABOUT GROWTH, BUT IF WE CAN'T BUILD SCHOOLS WITH THE MONEY WE HAVE AND LAND WE HAVE, THEN, YOU KNOW, THIS IS -- THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT RIGHT NOW.
>>Addison Davis: SO THROUGH THE CHAIR, MS. SNIVELY, YOU SAID IT WELL AND I'LL PASS THIS TO THE TEAM. WE HAVE HAD REALLY MAJOR BREAK-THRUS IN THE LAST 30 DAYS RELATED TO WORKING WITH A BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN IDENTIFYING THAT -- LIKE YOU SAID, WE HAVE CASH FLOW AND LOCATIONS BEING ABLE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE ARE WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE CERTAIN CALLS AND ALL THESE ARE ELEMENTS READY TO EXPAND AND ESPECIALLY LOOKING AT THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL. AMBER, CHRIS, WANT TO GIVE AN UPDATE FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE? I KNOW WE JUST ASKED BOARD CONSIDERATION FOR THAT.
>>Christopher Farkas: THERE IS A COUPLE IMPORTANT AREAS WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT. THEY'RE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE CONVERSATIONS. IN THE MEANTIME WE HAVE (INAUDIBLE) IT WILL HELP SOME OF THE SCHOOLS OUT THERE. THE HIGH SCHOOL AS YOU KNOW, THE BOARD APPROVED BUYING TWO SITES. WE OWN 60 ACRES ON BISHOP ROAD. WE'RE IN FINAL CONTRACT WITH 100 ACRES ON THE WEST LAKE. THAT'S ONE OF THE MORE INTRIGUING PROPERTIES AND ONE WE SEE FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL. WE HAVE PRE-DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS AND ALREADY HAD INITIAL CONVERSATIONS TO MR. DAVIS'S POINT. THEY ARE HUGE CHALLENGES FROM THE COUNTY AND SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE STAFF THAT WE MET TOGETHER WITH, WITH MS. WEISS HAVE BEEN STEPS FORWARD WE HAVEN'T SEEN IN THE PAST COUPLE YEARS. WE'RE VERY ENGAGED AND EXCITED ABOUT THOSE. CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. I'LL TELL YOU WE HAVE TAKEN STEPS FORWARD. DOROTHY THOMAS AND COLLINS ARE TWO EXAMPLES OF THAT WHERE THE COUNTY AND SCHOOL DISTRICT HAD TO SPEND TIME AND MAKE SURE THOSE WORKED. BOTH WANT IT TO HAPPEN BUT IF THERE IS NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO GO AROUND IT'S CHALLENGING WHERE YOU SPEND THE MONEY. I'LL LET AMBER TALK MORE. IT IS A CHALLENGE BUT IT'S NOT FROM LACK OF EFFORTS RE EFFORT -- EFFORT. THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS AND CONVERSATIONS WE HAD AND THEIR ABILITY AND DESIRE TO MEET US HALFWAY, IT'S BEEN A BIG POSITIVE STEP IN THAT DIRECTION BUT THE HIGH SCHOOL WILL BE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WE FACE YET. JUST TO GIVE A REFERENCE POINT FOR SOME OF THE NEWER BOARD MEMBERS, ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ARE 20 OR $30 MILLION BUILD. MIDDLE SCHOOL IS $50 MILLION AND HIGH SCHOOL IS 80 M$80 MILLION. SO IF WE CAN OPTIMIZE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES, IT KEEPS US FROM PURCHASING PROPERTY THAT GOES WITH IT. SO THERE IS TONS OF MONEY THAT CAN BE AVERTED BY DOING THAT. SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE WEST LAKE PROPERTY AND ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL, I'LL LET AMBER TALK ABOUT THE STEPS THAT WILL GO THROUGH WITH THE COUNTY TO MAKE SURE WE GO THROUGH A PRESUBMITTAL PROCESS AND GO THROUGH THAT.
>> YES. SO THE BISHOP ROAD SIDE WAS A 60-ACRE SITE. WE EXHAUSTED BASICALLY THE COUNTY PROCESS FOR THAT, AND THEY CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TRANSPORTATION, SIGNIFICANT TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE AREA TO SUPPORT A SCHOOL USE. THAT IS THE SAME ISSUE WE'RE FACING ON THE WEST LAKE PROPERTY AS WELL. WE HAVE 100 ACRES THAT COULD POTENTIALLY FIT THREE SCHOOLS DEPENDING ON THE INTENSITY OF THE DESIGN. WE DO HAVE PROBABLY EVERY TWO TO THREE WEEKS WE MEET WITH A COUNTY STAFF AND KEEP TRACK OF SUCCESSES AND PROGRESS AND WITH COLLINS AND DOROTHY THOMAS, THOSE WERE WINS. BUT WE ALSO ARE GOING TO HAVE A JOINT WORKSHOP BETWEEN THE BOCC AND THE SCHOOL BOARD AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER. THEN WE ARE OFFICIALLY SUBMITTING A PRE-SUBMITTAL APPLICATION WITH THE COUNTY AT THE END OF AUGUST. -- THE END OF AUGUST. AT THAT POINT WE'LL SUBMIT THE TRANSPORTATION STUDY AND ALL OF THE ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTATION AT WHICH WHEN THEY DEEM OUR APPLICATION COMPLETE THEY'LL HAVE 45 DAYS TO GIVE US BASICALLY THE THUMBS UP OR DOWN ON TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE. THEN WE'LL SEE WHERE WE GO FROM THERE AND GET DIRECTION FROM MR. DAVIS AND YOUR ATTORNEYS.
>>Melissa Snively: OKAY. I APPRECIATE THAT. I APPRECIATE THE CONTINUAL UPDATE ON THAT. ONE MORE QUESTION/COMMENT AND THEN I'LL PASS IT ON. AS FAR AS THE RFP GOES, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT -- HAVE ANY OTHER COUNTIES IN FLORIDA ACTUALLY DONE THIS OR WOULD WE BE THE FIRST IN FLORIDA?
>> WE PULLED ALL OUR BEST PRACTICES FOLKS WHICH BASICALLY COVERS THE MAJORITY OF THEURG LAR COUNTIES IN -- LARGER COUNTIES IN FLORIDA AND THEY DID NOT HAVE RFP'S. WE PUT FEELERS OUT TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAS DONE SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND THEY HAVE NOT.
>>Melissa Snively: YOU SAID MONTGOMERY COUNTY DID THAT IN MARYLAND. COULD YOU PROVIDE THE BOARD WITH A FEW OTHER COUNTIES WITH LIKE-SIZE OR SIMILAR SIZE THAT -- I'D LIKE TO SEE -- ONE, I'D LIKE TO TALK TO BOARD MEMBERS FROM THE OTHER COUNTIES. AND JUST KIND OF GET THEIR FEEDBACK ON THE WHOLE PROCESS, AND TWO, I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS. WHAT WERE THE ACTUAL COST SAVINGS ONCE THEY INVESTED IN SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IF WE SPEND HALF A MILLION, YOU KNOW, ARE WE GOING TO BE -- BECAUSE OF OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY, IT WILL GET A RETURN OF, YOU KNOW, $20 MILLION BACK TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO.
>> WE'RE UNIQUE IN THAT -- OF OUR SIZE. SO BEING THE SEVENTH LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT, IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO FIND COMPARABLES. WE'LL PUT OUT MORE FEELINGS BUT THUS FAR WE HAVE MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND. HOWARD COUNTY, MARYLAND. THEY'RE BOTH -- MARYLAND IS REALLY KNOWN FOR THEIR INNOVATION. MONTGOMERY HAD SCHOOL CONCURRENCY REALLY BEFORE I BELIEVE ANYONE IN THE NATION. WE ACTUALLY JUST HIRED A PLANNER FROM HOWARD COUNTY NOT THAT LONG AGO WHO SHE ACTUALLY NAVIGATED THAT PROCESS WITH THE CONSULTANTS. SO WE DEFINITELY CAN FIND THOSE CONTACTS SO THAT YOU CAN GET FEEDBACK FROM THOSE BOARD MEMBERS TO SEE KIND OF HOW THAT PROGRESSED AND LIKE I SAID, WE'LL KEEP PUTTING OUT FEELERS TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND ANYONE ELSE DOING THIS ON THIS SCALE. I WILL SAY URBAN PLANNING IS USUALLY NOT THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, SO YOU ALL HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES IN EDUCATION IS YOUR MISSION. EDUCATION IS YOUR MISSION. NOT NECESSARILY GROWTH MANAGEMENT. SO I REALLY DO THINK TAKING THIS ON IS A HUGE INNOVATIVE STEP AND THAT WE CAN SHOWCASE THIS AS SOMETHING FOR THE REST OF THE STATE TO FOLLOW AS WELL.
>>Melissa Snively: THAT WOULD BE INNOVATIVE AND MAYBE WE CAN CHECK WITH -- HAVEN'T CHECKED WITH THE COUNSEL OF GREAT CITY SCHOOLS ON OTHER LARGE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME OF THIS AS WELL GOING THROUGH THIS. THEN FINALLY, JUST A CLARIFICATION, BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM, SO I WANT TO REITERATE THIS IS A CAPITAL -- THIS COULD BE A CAPITAL EXPENDITURE. THIS MONEY WOULD NOT COME FROM OUR GENERAL FUND. THIS WOULD NOT IMPACT OUR GENERAL FUND AS FAR AS OUR FINANCES ARE CONCERNED BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE THE QUESTION THAT THE PUBLIC ASKS, IS THIS GOING TO IMPACT THE GENERAL FUND AND THE ANSWER IS NO. IT COMES FROM CAPITAL EXPENDITURES. A SEPARATE BUCKET OF MONEY. CORRECT.
>>Christopher Farkas: THAT IS CORRECT.
>>Melissa Snively: JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT ONE MORE TIME PUBLICLY. THANK YOU.
>>Lynn Gray: EXCELLENT POINTS. THANK YOU, MEMBER SNIVELY. MEMBER COMBS? WE HAVE ABOUT 20 MINUTES.
>>Nadia Combs: I'LL BE BRIEF SINCE A LOT OF MY BOARD MEMBERS WERE ASKING A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THAT WE REALLY DID AN OVERHAUL LIKE THIS?
>>Christopher Farkas: WE HAVE NEVER DONE AN OVERHAUL LIKE THIS. OUR LAST BIG BOARD CHANGE -- I MEAN, BOUNDARY CHANGE, WE DID ABOUT FIVE OR SIX SCHOOLS IN NORTHEAST COUNTY. THE PEOPLE AROUND THAT DISTRICT REMEMBER HOW FUN THAT WAS. THE REALITY IS IT'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE -- AND I DON'T MEAN TO TAKE YOUR TIME BUT THE NORTHEAST COUNTY, THERE WAS A LOT OF PUSHBACK AND PEOPLE AT THE BOARD VERY UPSET WITH THE CHANGES WE MADE. WE TRIED TO EXPLAIN WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE FROM AN EQUITY STANDPOINT AFTERWARDS. AS ANGRY AS THEY WERE THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO THE END PRODUCT IS THE PRINCIPALS ARE HAPPY AND COMMUNITY IS HAPPY BUT IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT IT'S A PAINFUL PROCESS UP FRONT. THAT WAS WHAT, FOUR YEARS AGO? I HAVE SELECT FICK MEMORY TO FORGET ABOUT THE WAY THAT WENT DOWN.
>> YES. THIS PAST YEAR WAS THE ONLY YEAR IN THE SEVEN YEARS I HAVE BEEN HERE THAT WE DIDN'T DO ANY BOUNDARY CHANGES. THAT WAS BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH ISSUES WITH THE PANDEMIC. BUT EVERY YEAR WE HAVE DONE SOME SORT OF SMALLER SCALE BOUNDARY CHANGE. THAT INCLUDED, I BELIEVE, 14 OR 16 SCHOOLS ALL TOGETHER. NOT ONLY IN NEW TAMPA BUT IN EAST TAMPA AS WELL.
>>Nadia Combs: WHAT ABOUT LARGE DISTRICTS LIKE MIAMI-DADE? HOW ARE THEY DEALING WITH THAT AND APPROACHING THAT?
>>Christopher Farkas: PART IS CULTURE OF THE DISTRICT. WE ASKED THE SAME QUESTION. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. THERE ARE MANY DISTRICTS NEAR US, PASCO AND PLACES LIKE THAT WHERE A BOUNDARY CHANGE BECOMES A WAY OF WORK. IT BECAME A WAY OF WORK AND PASCO WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT WAS LEGALLY CHALLENGED AND LOST AND HAD TO CHANGE THE PROCESS. THERE IS AN ASSUMPTION IT WILL HAPPEN. OTHER COUNTIES LIKE HILLSBOROUGH THERE HASN'T BEEN AS MANY CHANGES AND MOST ARE FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION. THOSE DON'T GET QUITE AS MUCH NOISE BECAUSE IT'S A NEW SCHOOL AND THEY'RE USUALLY WILLING TO DO THAT. I WILL TELL YOU THERE IS LEGAL CHALLENGES TO MANY BOUNDARY CHANGES. YOU WANT YOUR STUDENTS TO NOT WANT TO LEAVE THE SCHOOL THEY'RE IN. THAT MEANS WE'RE DOING SOMETHING WELL. THEY WANT TO STAY AT THE SCHOOL THEY'RE IN NOW. WE WANT TO PROVIDE ALTERNATIVES AND AS MS. SNIVELY SAID MAKE SURE THE PLACE WE'RE SENDING THEM TO IS AS GOOD OR A BETTER EDUCATION AS WHAT THEY HAVE NOW. THAT'S ALWAYS THE PUSH.
>>Nadia Combs: AND JUST A COUPLE COMMENTS. IF WE DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RFP WHICH IS LOOKS LIKE WE'LL PROBABLY WILL, I'D LIKE TO SEE A CLEAR TIMELINE SO THE COMMUNITY CAN BE INVOLVED AND ENGAGED FROM THE BEGINNING. I THINK THAT SHOULD COME OUT RIGHT AWAY AND JUST BEING INNOVATIVE. I THINK WE'RE SEEINGPARENCE ARE LOOKING FOR, WHEN WE SAY K-8 I THINK IT SHOULD BE PRE-K THROUGH 8. I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND IF WE WANT TO MOVE THINGS, WE NEED TO START EARLY ON AND THEN ONE LAST -- I'D LIKE TO SAY I'M GLAD TO SEE THE BOCC AND SCHOOL BOARD IS WORKING CLOSELY TOGETHER. THIS IS IMPORTANT AND I'M GLAD TO SEE WE'RE ENGAGED WITH THAT. ALSO WE HAD TALKED BRIEFLY ABOUT EVEN THOUGH IT'S JUST ON THE BORDER OF MY DISTRICT, STEIN BRENNER HIGH SCHOOL. I DIDN'T SEE THAT. WE TALKED ABOUT A WING OR SOMETHING BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S A SCHOOL THAT IS VERY, YOU KNOW, BEYOND CAPACITY AND PLACES ARE BEING BUILT ALL AROUND THAT. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEE THIS IN THE PLAN?
>>Christopher Farkas: WE DID NEW SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION. WHAT YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU IS WHERE WE'RE PUTTING NEW SCHOOLS. IN STEIN BRENNER IT WOULD BE A WING. THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE -- I THINK THAT YOU'D REFERENCED IT A LITTLE BIT BUT IT MAY HAVE GOTTEN LOST IN THERE. THE ONLY WAY WE HAVE TO BUILD ONLY THIS MANY SCHOOLS IS BECAUSE WE'RE DOING WINGS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. STEIN BRENNER IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF ONE WE'LL ADD A WING TO. TIMING ON CHAT IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE. IT WILL BE THE NEXT FEW YEARS AND I WANT TO SAY FEW BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ACCURATE WITH PEOPLE WE COMMUNICATE WITH. THIS FALL WE'RE OPEN UP NEW WINGS THIS AUGUST THAT WILL BE THERE. WINGS WILL BE SOMETHING THAT HAVE TO BE PART OF WHAT WE DO. THE COLLINS CADE IS A WING ADDITIONAL WITH A GYM ADDITION. YOU'LL SEE AND THE BOARD APPROVES ALL THOSE, BUT WINGS WILL BE COMMON PLACE. THE QUESTION IS HOW BIG DO YOU WANT YOUR SCHOOLS. HIGH SCHOOL OVER 3,000 IS A CHALLENGE. SO STEIN BRENNER, YES, WE'LL ADD A WING. YOU'LL SEE THAT AS WE GO DOWN THE PATH. IT LOOKS LIKE DEPENDING ON WHAT WE TALK ABOUT AND PART OF IT IS BEING A PRACTICAL EDUCATEER AND PART IS BEING THE PLANNER SO AMBER AND I HAVE THESE COMPETITIVE CONVERSATIONS ON A DAILY BASIS ABOUT WHEN WE ADD THE WINGS AND WHEN THAT'S IMPORTANT TO DO. STEIN BRENNER IS ONE WE'LL HAVE TO DO IN THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS. AMBER SAYS IT'S WORSE IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY SO WE GO BACK AND FORTH AND ULTIMATELY MR. DAVIS MAKES THE CALLS. PLANT CITY AND STEIN BRENNER ARE TWO AREAS WE'LL NEED GROWTH FOR HIGH SCHOOL SEATS IN THE AREA. I'D SAY THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS.
>>Nadia Combs: AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE'RE DEFINITELY -- IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME AND I IMAGINE A LOT OF BOARD MEMBERS THAT WE'RE NOT CLOSING SCHOOLS AND WE'LL REPURPOSE THEM. BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS, I THINK THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS IF WE CLOSE A SCHOOL AND DECIDE TO NOT REPURPOSE IT? WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN THAT INSTANCE?
>>Addison Davis: I SAY THIS, AND SORRY, MEMBER COMBS. WE REPURPOSING IS ABSOLUTELY WHAT WE'LL DO IN THIS ORGANIZATION. IF WE -- IF SOMEONE -- IF A SCHOOL DISTRICT DECIDED TO CLOSE A SCHOOL AND THEY WERE NOT GOING TO REPURPOSE THAT FACILITY, IT OPENLY HAS TO BE OPEN TO ACCESSIBLE TO CHARTER SCHOOLS. CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE AVAILABILITY TO GAIN ACCESS TO THAT FACILITY. FROM OUR SIDE, THERE IS SO MANY DIFFERENT INIT'S VAV FRESH IDEAS THAT WE CAN BRING TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IF WE HAD TO POTENTIALLY REPURPOSE AFTER ENGAGING IN THE COMMUNITY. WE WILL ALWAYS LOOK TO BE INNOVATIVE IN THOSE SOLUTIONS AND MAXIMIZE EVERY FACILITY WE HAVE.
>>Nadia Combs: THAT'S GOOD. I WANTED THAT ON THE RECORD AND BE REASSURED OF THAT. THANK YOU.
>>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. I'D ENGAGE MS. DICKERSON AND MR. FARKAS, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN WITH ALL THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS, THE FULL THROTTLE OF LAND USE AND THE PROP SHARES AND COMPLICATIONS THAT WE'RE FACING WITH THE BOCC. THERE IS A LOT OF BACKGROUND THAT THEIR QUESTIONS ARE COMING FROM. SO I WOULD DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO MEET WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS. IT'S A COMPLICATED PROCESS BUT IT'S COMING UP. AS MEMBER SNIVELY SAID WHENEVER WE DEAL WITH BOUNDARY CHANGES, IT GETS VERY EMOTIONAL AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, YOU'LL BE SNOWBALLED WITH ALL KINDS OF E-MAILS SO AT ANY RATE, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD AND BOARD MEMBERS, BE REMINDED YOU CAN ALWAYS ASK IF YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, YOU CAN ASK MS. AMBER DICKERSON AND MR. FARKAS AND OF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO MEMBER PEREZ, THEN MEMBER HAHN AND THEN I HAVE A FEW THINGS AND THEN WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT WORKSHOP TOPIC. MEMBER PEREZ?
>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY?
>>Lynn Gray: WE CAN. GOOD MORNING.
>>Karen Perez: GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. MY QUESTIONS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH CHOICE. OKAY? I'M GOING TO ALSO DIRECT IT WITH REGARD TO MEMBER SHAKES' DISTRICT. WHEN -- HAS THIS DISTRICT EVER CONDUCTED AN ANALYSIS OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE BUSSED OUTSIDE THEIR DISTRICT TO OTHER SCHOOLS TO FILL SEATS IN THOSE SCHOOLS?
>>Christopher Farkas: YOU MEAN DO WE KNOW WHO THEY ARE? WE KNOW WHICH ONES HAVE SATELLITES AND MS. DICKERSON REFERENCED THAT EARLIER. MAKING SURE WE HAVE POSSIBLY ELIMINATING SOME OF THE SATELLITES, YES.
>>Karen Perez: SO -- I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE LIKE MORTON. THEY HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS THAT COME FROM ACROSS TOWN THAT ARE BUSSED, AND THIS IS NOT CHOICE. THIS IS NOT THE CHOICE OF THE PARENT TO BUS THEIR CHILDREN ACROSS TOWN TO FILL SEATS AT WARDEN HIGH SCHOOL. AND THERE IS MANY SCHOOLS LIKE THIS. LEAVING A LOT OF THE SCHOOLS IN SHAKES' AREA, YOU KNOW, EMPTY BECAUSE THEY'RE FILLING SCHOOLS ACROSS TOWN IN TAMPA. SO HAS AN ANALYSIS EVER BEEN CONDUCTED RARDING HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE BUSSED OFT THEIR DISTRICT NOT BECAUSE OF CHOICE TO FILL SEATS IN OTHER SCHOOLS AND OTHER DISTRICTS?
>> AMBER DICKERSON: I WOULD SAY I HAVE NEVER FOUND ANYTHING IN THE RECORDS THAT WE HAVE PERFORMED THAT BUT THAT WILL BE A COMPONENT OF THIS RFP AND REALLY IT TIES INTO MONICA'S RESEARCH ON EQUITY ISSUES AND WE ACTUALLY REFERENCED THE EQUITY POLICY THAT THE SCHOOL BOARDS ADOPTED BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOLS REFLECT THE COMMUNITIES THEY'RE IN AND A LOT OF BACKGROUND EQUITY ISSUES HAVE GOTTEN TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY. SO DESEGREGATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT CREATED THE NON-ADJACENT DISTRICTS WHERE KIDS ARE BUSSED OUT OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. THAT'S DEFINITELY A COMPONENT WE WANT TO LOOK AT AND WE HAD EXTENSIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH MONICA AND SHE'LL BE PART OF OUR TEAM AND HELPING THIS.
>> THANK YOU, AMBER.
>>Lynn Gray: OF COURSE THE MAGNET PROGRAM WAS THE REASON WE HAVE THE EQUITY. MS. MONICA? GOOD MORNING.
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
>>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU.
>>Karen Perez: TODAY I CANNOT CO-SIGN ON THAT STATEMENT BECAUSE IN SEMINOLE HEIGHTS THERE IS A LOT OF UPPER CLASS BUYING OUT SEMINOLE HEIGHTS, AND SHAKE WASHINGTON'S SCHOOLS ARE IN SEMINOLE HEIGHTS. AND THEY DON'T LOOK LIKE OUR BROWN AND BLACK STUDENTS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE STILL CONTINUE TO BUS OUT OUR BLACK SAND LATINO STUDENTS OUT OF THE AREA INTO THOSE SCHOOLS. SO AN ANALYSIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED WHEN ESPECIALLY SEMINOLE HEIGHTS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE PROPERTY STARTED GOING UP IN VALUE AND A LOT OF THE BLACK AND LATINO FAMILIES STARTED BOO EGED BEING PUSHED OUT. THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED BACK THEN BUT IT STILL HAD NOT. IN HUNTER'S GREEN, I MENTIONED THIS AND IN A PRIOR MEETING THAT HUNTER'S GREEN HAS A FUND FOR PARENTS WHO CANNOT COME AND PICK UP THEIR CHILDREN. IT'S A UBER FUND IN ORDER FOR -- IF A CHILD GETS SICK, THAT THE UBER WILL GO BACK UP THE PARENT SO THE PARENT COULD COME PICK UP THE KID AND THEN THAT WAY THE PARENT HAS TRANSPORTATION TO COME PICK UP THAT CHILD. THAT'S AN ISSUE, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS WHOLE DYNAMIC HERE. THE FACT THAT WE DON'T LOOK FIRST AT -- OR ANALYZE OR CONDUCT AN ANALYSIS OF OUR CHILDREN, THEIR BOUNDARIES, FILLING SEATS IN OTHER SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOW OVERCROWDED, LEAVING SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOW LOOKING TO BE REPURPOSED AND LEAVING PARENTS OUT IN AN ENGAGEMENT ISSUE FOR OUR STU STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALSO BROUGHT TO THIS BOARD AS WELL. YOU KNOW --
>>Lynn Gray: MEMBER RUPES, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS IS GOING TO -- PEREZ, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS IS GOING TO REMARK ON THE ANALYSIS PART OF YOUR CONCERN. IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU?
>>Karen Perez: YES.
>>Addison Davis: THANK YOU, MS. GRAY. MS. PEREZ, YOU MAKE A SOLID POINT. ONE OF THE THINGS COMING IN IS THE QUESTION WE HAD, WHY ARE WE BUSSING STUDENTS FROM CENTRAL HILLSBOROUGH TO, YOU KNOW, NORTH HILLSBOROUGH. AND THOSE ARE PARTICULARLY -- THE BIGGEST RATIONALE WHY WE WANT TO TO COME AND MAKE THE CONCENTRATED EFFORT TO LOOK AT EVERY BOUNDARY IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND MAKE SURE EQUITY IS IN THE FOREFRONT OF THE PROCESS AND PARENTS AND CARE GIVERS AND FAITH BASED PARTNERS IN WHICH CHILDREN LIVE AND INTERACT AND THRIVE IN ARE A PART OF THE HOLISTIC PROCESS OF THE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION AND BEING SO SEPARATED FROM THE PROCESS, IT CREATES ANGST AND IT'S NOT A COMMUNITY-BASED SOLUTION OR APPROACH WHICH WE HAVE TO GET BETTER AT. AS IT RELATES TO THE ASK, I'LL MAKE CERTAIN THAT I GET WITH MS. DICKERSON AND MR. FARKAS. WE WILL IDENTIFY ANY BOUNDARY WHERE WE SEE THAT MIRRORS AWAY THAT WARDEN IS IMPACTED RELATED TO THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS PUSHED OUT. IN ADDITION, WE -- I WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S A PRIORITY FOR US IN THIS PROCESS AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO MAKE IT TRANSPARENT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. GO AHEAD.
>>Christopher Farkas: HUNTERS GREEN IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE. ACTUALLY WE TOOK THE 400 KIDS BUSSED INTO HUNTERS GREEN OUT BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH IN NEW TAMPA AND HAD TO MOVE THEM OUT. THAT WAS THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL ONE BECAUSE WE HAD FAMILIES THAT WANTED TO MOVE THE KIDS CLOSER TO HOME TO PICK THEM UP FROM SCHOOL, BUT WE ALSO HAD OPPORTUNITIES AND PARENTS THAT PUSHED HARD THAT THEY WANTED THEIR KIDS TO GO TO SCHOOL AT HUNTERS GREEN BECAUSE IT WAS A BETTER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO DO THAT. IT WAS DEFINITELY CONTROVERSIAL BUT HUNTERS GREEN IS DEFINITELY A PERFECT EXAMPLE. THE RETIRED PRINCIPAL PUT FORTH A LOT OF EFFORT AND HAD A CLINIC AT THE SCHOOL AND THE FUND TO MAKE SURE HER KIDS GOT EVERYTHING OPPORTUNITY THEY COULD. IT'S A CHALLENGE. WE HAVE MCCLAIN AND WARDEN AND A BUNCH OF SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF SOUTH TAMPA WHERE WE HAVE SATELLITES. IF IT'S NOT CONTINUOUS AND THEY GET BUSSED IN. WE'LL MAKE SURE WE GET A LITTLE TO ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS AND BISHOP DAVIS AND MS. DICKERSON AND I WILL DO THAT ON HOW MANY KIDS ARE IN THE SATELLITES AND HOW MANY SCHOOLS THEY FEED AND WE'LL HAVE THAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
>>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MR. FARKAS. THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER PEREZ, ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF THIS STUDY OR DID YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT? WE'RE TRYING TO GAIN CONSENSUS.
>>Karen Perez: YEAH. I JUST FEEL THAT MONEY NEEDS TO BE PUT INTO LOOKING AT OUR SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, AS TO WHY PART OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE SO UNDERUTILIZED AND, YOU KNOW, AN ANALYSIS REALLY NEEDS TO BE CONDUCTED. AND, YOU KNOW, THE MONEY USED TH THERE, WE'RE LOOKING AT BUILDING MORE SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHY SOME OF THE SCHOOLS ARE BUSTING AT THE SEAMS AND SOME ARE NOT. YOU KNOW, I JUST -- THAT'S HOW I FEEL.
>>Lynn Gray: OKAY. YOUR POINT IS WELL SAID. AND TO BE CONTINUED, I'M SURE, MS. DICKERSON AND MR. FARKAS WILL DEFINITELY TAKE THIS UNDER THEIR BELT SO TO SPEAK AND INVESTIGATE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE. THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER HAHN? GOOD MORNING.
>>Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. FIRST I WANT TO THANK MR. FARKAS AND MS. DICKERSON AND STAFF FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY. I'VE BEEN LOOBING FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION. YOU KNOW, GIVEN WE'RE IN A FISCAL CRISIS, THIS CONVERSATION IS REALLY TIMELY AND IMPORTANT TO ENSURE WE'RE ACTING RESPONSIBLY AND EFFICIENTALLY WITH TAX DOLLARS. I THINK MANY OF THE ISSUES THAT MY COLLEAGUES BROUGHT UP AROUND FINANCE AND EQUITY AND TRANSPORTATION AND SCHOOL CAPACITY ALL BUILD THE RATIONALE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO DO POOPEDRY STUDY OF THE IN -- A BOUNDARY STUDY OF THE ENTIRE DISTRICT. SO TO MEMBER SNIVELY'S POINT, STOP PIECE MEALING THIS TOGETHER AND TO MS. PEREZ'S POINT, DOING SO REALLY DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, ALLOW TO FOCUS ON THE ISSUE THAT SHE BROUGHT UP. SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT T THAT, AGAIN, AS MR. SNIVELY SAID THESE ARE CAPITAL DOLLARS SUPPORTING THE STUDY AND, YOU KNOW, I WOULD DEFINITELY SUPPORT THAT. MY DISTRICT HAS OVERCROWDED SCHOOLS. ACROSS THE ENTIRE DISTRICT, AND I DO ALSO HAVE SOME UNDERENROLLED SCHOOLS SO I ALSO WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN UNDERENROLLED SCHOOL, AND MR. WASHINGTON MADE THIS POINT, DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY MEAN WE'RE CLOSING IT. NO. THAT'S NOT THE MESSAGE WE ARE SENDING AND THAT'S NOT OUR INTENT WITH DOING A STUDY LIKE THIS. IT'S REALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES HAVE THE BEST POSSIBLE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT TO RECEIVE THEIR EDUCATION. I DO AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES THAT THE CONVERSATION AROUND BOUNDARY NEEDS TO INCLUDE COMMUNITY. EVERY STEP OF THE WAY SO AS MEMBER COMBS ASKED FOR A TIMELINE, I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND TO SHARE THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, AND TRANSPORTATION -- TRANSPORTATION , WE HAVE NOT TALKED A LOT ABOUT THAT THIS PAST YEAR FOR MANY REASONS. THE BIGGEST IS COVID. WE NEED TO START FOCUSING ON THAT AGAIN A LITTLE MORE STRONGLY. AND THAT I KNOW WILL BE A BIG PART OF THIS CONVERSATION. MY QUESTIONS ARE REALLY AROUND IMPACT FEES. SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, IT'S BEEN REALLY CHALLENGING AROUND IMPACT FEES AND IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSION. SO MR. FARKAS, I'M REALLY GLAD TO HEAR THAT THAT'S IMPROVING, BUT I KNOW THAT THE IMPACT FEES FLOW THROUGH THE COUNTY COMMISSION AND THEY RELEASE THE IMPACT FEES TO US. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT TIMELINE BECAUSE THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A REAL CLEAR TIMELINE AS TO WHEN THEY RECEIVE THE FEES, WHAT IS A TIMELINE THAT THEY HAVE TO OPERATE UNDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FEES ARE NOW RELEASEED TO US IN A MANNER WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN USE THEM AROUND THESE PROJECTS, BECAUSE THAT'S BEEN CHALLENGING AS WELL. SO I'M HOPING THAT'S IMPROVED.
>>Christopher Farkas: SPECIFIC EXAMPLE. SO AS YOU KNOW WE'RE UNDER CONSTRUCTION FOR THE (INAUDIBLE) GOING ON RIGHT NOW. THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD THE WORKSHOP FIRST THAT WE -- THAT WE GOT TO SIT WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND COUNTY COMMISSION TO TALK BEFORE THEY TOOK THAT TO THE BOARD FOR THE FLOW-THROUGH OF THE MONEY. SEE WE IT AS A FLOW THROUGH. IT'S COLLECTED TO SCHOOLS AND CAN ONLY BE USED FOR SCHOOLS. THEY SAID WE NEED TO TAKE IN OCTOBER AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE MEETING FIRST. AMBER AND I SAID THAT'S A PROBLEM. WE'RE SPENDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OUT THERE NOW AND WALLS GOING UP AND SLABS ALREADY DONE, THAT PART OF IT TOO. I WENT TO GREG AND SAID HEY, THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR US. WE NEED TO GIVE THE MONEY BEFORE THAT BECAUSE WE'RE PAYING PAY APPS EVERY TWO WEEKS AND VENDORS AND CONSTRUCTION FIRM. IT'S GOING ON IN THE AUGUST -- FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST AGENDA BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. SO I WOEMENT SAY FOR THE FIRST TIME BUT I'LL SAY THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT IN THEIR RESPONSE TO THAT REQUEST. IT WILL BE GOING IN THE FIRST WEEK OFF AUGUST TO GET THE MONEY AND FLOW THROUGH OF DOLLARS. BUT TO YOUR POINT, REAL QUICKLY, DR. HAHN, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS A LONG PROCESS, BUT THE CHALLENGES ARE REAL. YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AT SUMNER. ALL THE PRINCIPALS GOT TO GO DOWN THERE FOR LEADERSHIP BUT THERE WILL BE 3300 KIDS THERE. IT WILL BE PACKED. MR. NELSON, THE PRINCIPAL WILL HAVE A FULL SCHOOL. IF WE -- WEST PROPERTY, IF WE WERE ABLE TO GET THEM TO SAY, HEY, GO AHEAD RIGHT NOW. GO AHEAD AND DO THAT. WE'RE TWO YEARS AWAY FROM OPENING THE DOORS OF A SCHOOL. IT TAKES 12 TO 19 MONTHS TO BUILD THE SCHOOL. MY CHALLENGE IS PROGRESS IS GREAT BUT WHEN CAN SHOVELS HIT THE GROUND. THAT'S AN IMPORTANT STEP AND IMPORTANT THING WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING. WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS BUT I HAVEN'T GOT SOMEONE ON A NEUTRAL OR GREENFIELD SITE TO SAY YES, YOU CAN BUILD A SCHOOL THERE. THE CHALLENGE IS REAL. I THINK WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS AND LOOK FORWARD TO THEM SAYING WEST LAKE OR BISHOP IS ONE YOU CAN BUILD ON BUT WE CAN BUILD A SCHOOL. WE CAN'T BUILD A MIDDLE SCHOOL ON THE BISHOP ROAD SITE. WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS. DR. HAHN, BUT THE CHALLENGE IS STILL THERE. WE LOOK FORWARD AND LIKE I SAID, GUARDED OPTIMISM IS A GOOD WORD TO LOOK AT HOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT. WE NEED TO BREAK GROUND ON A HIGH SCHOOL. IT'S SCHEDULED TO OPEN 2025. ONLY BECAUSE OF LAND USE. IF IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF LAND USE, I'D OPEN 2024 OR SOONER. ST STEWS --.
>>Stacy Hahn: I APPRECIATE THAT UPDATE. MY FRUSTRATION IS AROUND THE RELEASE OF THE IMPACT FEES. THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES THAT THE PREVIOUS, YOU KNOW, WE HAD -- IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THE PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENT HAS ACTUALLY HAD TO AFTER MULTIPLE REQUESTS FOR THE IMPACT FEES SEND A LETTER FROM OUR ATTORNEYS. IS THERE NO STATE STATUTE THAT PROVIDES GUIDELINES AS TO, YOU KNOW, TIME FRAME THAT THEY HAVE TO RELEASE THAT MONEY TO US? BECAUSE LOOK, EVEN WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS, THEY HAVE TO HAVE 90 DAYS SO DO THEY NEED HAVE TO RELEASE THAT MONEY IF WE REQUEST IT WITHIN A CERTAIN TIME PERIOD?
>> SO THIS IS AMBER DICKERSON, DR. HAHN. GREAT QUESTION. WE ACTUALLY JUST RESEARCHED THAT BECAUSE AS YOU STATED, WE HAVE RUN INTO DELAYS. I BELIEVE THE LAST ONE WAS APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS FROM THE TIME THAT WE REQUESTED TO THE TIME THAT --.
>>Stacy Hahn: ON SCHEDULE. YEAH.
>> IN THE CODE IT DOESN'T STATE THAT THE COUNTY HAS TO RELEASE IT IN ANY SORT OF TIME PERIOD. THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COULDN'T MAYBE COORDINATE WITH THE COUNTY TO LOOK AT THAT. BUT I'LL HAND IT OVER TO MR. PORTER.
>>Jim Porter: AMBER IS CORRECT. THERE IS NO MANDATED TIMELINE AND THE COUNTY HAD TAKEN THE POSITION THAT THEY NEEDED MORE INFORMATION FROM US REPEATEDLY BEFORE THEY'D RELEASE THE FUNDS. IT WAS A BACK AND FORTH THAT WAS REALLY VERY FRUSTRATING FOR US. AND HAD THE EFFECT OF REALLY HOLDING UP CONSTRUCTION. THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP AT THE COUNTY, A CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP HERE. I THINK THE COUNTY AND SCHOOL DISTRICT IS WORKING IN A MUCH MORE COOPERATIVE MANNER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS. YOU'RE RIGHT. IN THE PAST WE HAD TO GET LAWYERS INVOLVED WHICH IS A NEVER GOOD FOR A SITUATION LIKE THIS. BUT I THINK MR. FARKAS AND AMBER HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF TRYING TO COORDINATE BETTER WITH THE COUNTY. WE'RE HOPEFUL GOING FORWARD THAT THERE WON'T BE THE DELAYS WE HAD IN THE PAST AND SORT OF UNREASONABLE DEMANDS ON US BEFORE THEY WOULD RELEASE THE FUNDS AND WE COULD AS PART OF THE WORKSHOP DISCUSS MAYBE THE IPTER LOCAL AGREEMENT WHETHER THE PROCESS NEEDS TO BE UPDATED OR NOT.
>>Stacy Hahn: YEAH. LOOK. I -- WE HAVE SIX MONTHS TO WAIT FOR IMPACT FEE MONEY. WE PROVIDE THEM WITH A FIVE-YEAR PLAN. WE PROVIDE THEM WITH EVERYTHINGING THAT WE LEGALLY HAVE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH AND GO BEYOND THAT. SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE THAT THE MONEY -- THERE IS SOME TIME FRAME THAT IS NOT SIX MONTHS AND ALL THESE BLOCKADES ARE NOT CONTINUALLY THROWN OFF. THE MONEY, THAT'S JUST GOOD FAITH. IT'S A SHAME THAT WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE NOW WE'RE ASKING FOR SOME TYPE OF, YOU KNOW, POLICY IN REGARD TO RELEASING THE MONEY BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SUCH A STRUGGLE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SERVING THE SAME CONSTITUENTS THAT THEY'RE SERVING. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF AN IMPROVEMENT. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO BEG -- WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BEG FOR THE IMPACT FEE DOLLARS. OR LIKE YOU SAID, MR. PORTER, GO TO THE EXTREME WHERE WE'RE SENDING LETTERS FROM ATTORNEYS. IT'S HURTING KIDS. PERIOD. AT THE END OF THE DAY. THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME TODAY.
>>Lynn Gray: OKAY. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WANTS TO MAKE A REMARK?
>>Addison Davis: I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION. I APPRECIATE THE PUSH BECAUSE THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THESE FUNDS REALLY ALLOWS US TO MOVE AND MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR GROWING COMMUNITY. SO, YOU KNOW, DR. HAHN REALLY GOOD COMMENTS. I'LL MAKE SURE WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH MR. PORTER AND MR. GIBSON TO CONTINUE TO ASK IN A MANNER THAT ALLOWS US TO BE FLUENT. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT, WE TALK ABOUT THE FUNDING PART OF IT AND WITH CAPITAL OUTLAY FUNDS THAT WE'RE USING FOR ANY POTENTIAL BILLS. THESE ARE NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH HALF CENT REFERENDUM FUNDING MEANING IT WON'T GO THROUGH ANY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FUNDING. IT'S OUR FUNDING THAT WE PRESENT TO THE BOARD TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT PROCESS. GO AHEAD, MR. FARKAS.
>>Lynn Gray: IF I CAN SAY A FEW THINGS BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE A BIG PART OF THIS MEETING IS GOING TO BE DEDICATED TO THE ESSER CONVERSATION. I'M HEARING AND I WROTE DOWN NOTES FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS' REMARKS. AS ALWAYS, VERY IMPRESSIVE AND I WANT TO THANK MS. DICKERSON AND MR. FARKAS. YOU DID AN EXCELLENT JOB. WE CAN SEE AND HEAR ALL THE WEALTH OF INFORMATION YOU STILL HAVE TO SHARE AND -- AT ANY RATE, I LOOK AT THIS AS A BIG, SAY, A BIG PIE AND THERE IS A LOT OF PIECES THAT WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE TO MAKE THE PIE COMPLETE. SO EVERYTHING FROM THE BOCC, WE ARE NOT THERE YET. WE KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT THERE. WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET AN APPOINTMENT WITH THEM FOR MAYBE SIX MONTHS. I'M GLAD YOU FEEL FAVORABLE BUT I HOPE WE DO HAVE THE MEETING IN SEPTEMBER FINALLY. BUT THAT'S A MISSING SLICE OF THE PIE. ALSO, WE DID NOT GET INTO MAYOR CASTER AND THE CITY OF TAMPA THE NEW WEST RIVER DEVELOPMENT. I THINK THE BOARD NEEDS TO BE AWARE THAT THIS IS A HUGE DEVELOPMENTS WITH A SCHOOL, MAYBE TWO INCLUDED THAT HASN'T BEEN, YOU KNOW, VETTED YET IN TERMS OF IS IT PUBLIC OR CHARTER OR WHAT WILL IT BE. THAT'S ANOTHER SLICE. I ALSO THINK THE IMPACT FEES, THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN, FOR DIGGING INTO THAT. WE DO NEED TO HAVE A BETTER IDEA BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER FUNDING SOURCE, AND THAT'S A GOOD THING. SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A WORKSHOP ON VARIOUS FUNDING SOURCES. ANOTHER SLICE OR -- I'M STILL STAYING WITH MY ANALOGY. I GOT DONE WITH THE GRANDKIDS THE OTHER DAY SO BEAR WITH ME. WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT LITTLE ANALOGIES. THE OTHER ONE IS THIS STUDY IS VERY CRITICAL BECAUSE THAT IS THE BIG PIECE THAT WILL BRING THE ENTIRE PIE TOGETHER. AND INCLUSIVE MEMBER PEREZ IS THE ANALYSIS. I HAVE ON THE TITLE HERE THAT I READ, IT SAYS DISTRICT WIDE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY ANALYSIS. AND THOSE COMMENTS ARE VERY MEANINGFUL BECAUSE THAT TOO NEEDS TO RESONATE, THE BUSSING. THE QUESTION I HAD BEYOND EVERYTHING, AND WE DON'T REALLY HAVE TIME TO GET INTO IT NOW UNFORTUNATELY, AND IT'S NO ONE'S FAULT. IT'S JUST THIS IS A HUGE TOPIC. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REPURPOSING SCHOOLS, I DON'T THINK WE CAN EVER FORGET ONE OF THE INGREED APES OF THAT IS THE MAGNET PROGRAMS. THAT HAS -- THAT'S AFFORDED US THE BASIC CONSENT, MS. MONICA, WHEREVER YOU ARE OF EQUITY BUT REQUIRES ENORMOUS TRANSPORTATION. I'M SURE THERE IS A MILITARY PART OF THE SCHOOL, ENGINEERING, NAUTICAL ENGINEERING AND SUCH THINGS THAT I KNOW PASCO HAS VENTURED INTO, BUT WE ALSO HAVE MAGNET PROGRAMS. SO I JUST WANT SOME CLARIFICATION, THIS WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO COME FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT. WHERE DO YOU SEE THE MAGNET BEING PART OF THE REPURPOSING AS WE FOLD INTO THAT AREA?
>>Addison Davis: THROUGH THE CHAIR, IT IS PERFECTLY ALIGNED BECAUSE WE START LOOKING AT ALL OF OUR INITIATIVES OR PATHWAYS OR PROGRAMS OR MAGNET SCHOOLS AND LOOKING AT ENROLLMENT. ALL THAT WILL BE A PART OF THE PROCESS. THIS IS WHAT THE BIGGEST TASK THAT I HAVE GIVEN KEN BAYS IN THE INNOVAT INNOVATEIVATION -- INNOVATION WORLD IS TO REALLY LOOK AT THE PATH OF INVESTMENT. ARE WE REALLY OFFERING, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE OFFERED AND OPENED UP FIVE YEARS, HAS IT GROWN AND DEVELOPMENTED AND FLOURISHED WITH THE WORKFORCE EXPECTATIONS. OR THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMMUNITY AND STUDENTS THAT ARE THRIVING IN THE INITIATIVE. YOU KNOW, IS ENROLLMENT INCREASING OR DECREASING. ARE WE CONTINUING TO PROVIDE SOPHISTITATED TRAINING. WHAT GRANT FUNDINGS ARE WE ABLE TO CAPTURE TO REIMAGINE EVERY SINGLE YEAR SO WE DON'T COPY AND PASTE WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE FIVE YEARS. SO MS. BAYS WILL BE READY TO START THAT PROCESS. IT WILL BE LENGTHY BUT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO IT IN COORDINATION WITH THIS EFFORT SO IT MAKES SENSE TO DETERMINE IF WE NEED TO REPURPOSE OR MOVE A PARTICULAR PROGRAM, AND RATIONALE BEHIND IT.
>>Lynn Gray: AND THAT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS SAY SCHOOL CHOICE AND IT'S GETTING TO BE THE TALK OF THE TOWN, BUT WE -- IN TAMPA, FLORIDA, IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE HAVE A WONDERFUL ARRAY OF CHOICES AND WE CAN EITHER BUILD ON IT, MAKE IT BETTER WITH THE REPURPOSING IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, IN YOUR DISTRICT, MEMBER WASHINGTON, OR WE CAN CONTINUE TO WATER IT DOWN WHICH IS WHERE I THINK IT HAS BEEN MANY OF THESE MAGNET PROGRAMS SOMETIMES TRYING TO MAKE SMALL GROUPS OF FOLKS PERHAPS PLEASED. BUT NONETHELESS, THE EQUITY ISSUE IN OUR SCHOOLS SHOULD ALWAYS BE ADDRESSED AND REMEMBERED AS A PART OF OUR HOPEFULLY PHILOSOPHY AS A BOARD AND AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO KEEP THAT AND KEEP ALL OF THE ASPIRATIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION ECLECTIC EDUCATION, RELEVANT EDUCATION FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, SO THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM AS WELL. THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE IS WHEN WE GET INTO THE TOWN HALLS, AND, YOU KNOW, CHRIS FARKAS, YOU AND I WENT THROUGH THIS WHEN WE HAD I THINK IT WAS LEE, WHEN DO YOU SEE -- TWO QUESTIONS. WHEN WILL WE START TOWN HALLS FOR REPURPOSING? AND WILL WE GET A TIMELINE, IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN WE CONVERTED FROM MIDDLE SCHOOLS -- EXCUSE ME. WHEN WE CONVERTED TO MIDDLE SCHOOLS FROM THE -- FROM SEVENTH, EIGHTH GRADE CENTERS, I REMEMBER MARY ELLEN, SUPERINTENDENT, WE HAD SO MANY TOWN HALL MEETINGS BUT THEY WERE SCHEDULED. AND PEOPLE REALLY STARTED TO COME IN AND KNEW WHERE IT WAS. THEY KNEW WHAT TO EXPECT AND HAD QUESTIONS FORMED. IT WAS STELLAR AND IT WAS A HUGE CHANGE. SO CAN WE, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, IDENTIFY NOT ONLY A TIMELINE BUT WHEN WILL WE BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT THESE TOWN HALLS WILL BEGIN.
>>Addison Davis: SO THE FIRST QUESTION IS, I WANT TO ASK THIS TO MS. DICKERSON AND MR. FARKAS, HOW LONG WILL THE RFP TAKE PLACE?
>>Christopher Farkas: PROBABLY FOUR TO EIGHT WEEKS. WE'LL DO IT AS COMPACT AS WE CAN. THE GROUP WILL NEED ADMINISTRATION AND PARENT GROUPS TOO WHICH WILL BE A BIG PART OF IT. PART OF THE RUCKS FP PROCESS AND WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR WAS ABOUT TIMELINE. SO IT'S TIMELINE FOR HOW LONG IT TAKES FOR THE -- TO HAPPEN BUT ALSO TIMELINE FOR WHEN WILL WE DO THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS. TO YOUR POINT, MS. GRAY, AND TWO SECONDS INDULGE ME, AS SOMEONE WHO IS A FORMER MAGNET SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, THEY'RE A WONDERFUL THING BUT 90% OF THE MAGNET SCHOOLS ARE IN THE INNER CITY OR IN MR. WASHINGTON'S AREA. WE ASK KIDS TO COME FROM THE SUBURBS AND DON'T DO THAT THE OTHER WAY VICE VERSA. MAGNET TRANSPORTATION IS FIVE TO SIX TIMES THE COST. IF WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE MAGNET OR CHOICE IN THE SUBURBS THEY MAY NOT HAVE TO COME IN. BLAKE IS ONE OF THE BEST PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY. NO QUESTION. WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE IN THEIR HOME IN LOOT AND WYMAMA AND WE PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION IT'S AN EXPENSIVE SCHOOL. IT'S WORTH IT BUT THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO DO THAT IN A POSITIVE WAY. TIMELINE COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND WHEN THE RFP WILL BE PART OF WHAT THEY DO. WHEN THEY PRESENT FOR THE RFP WE'LL REQUIRE THEM TO GIVE THE INFORMATION. WHEN WILL THE MEETINGS BE TO SHARE WITH CONSTITUENTS. I THINK WE GOT A GOOD CONSENSUS AND WE'LL MAKE SURE WE SHARE THAT WITH Y'ALL.
>>Addison Davis: AND IT WILL BE REPURPOSED IT CAPITAL FUNDS, NOT HALF CENT FUNDS.
>>Christopher Farkas: CORRECT.
>>Lynn Gray: YOU HAVE THE CONSENSUS OF THE BOARD AND THAT'S THAT. SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO WE'RE GOING TO OUR NEXT SESSION. BOARD MEMBERS, YOU MAY HAVE TO USE THE RESTROOM, ET CETERA. TAKE A DRINK OF WATER. WE'LL RECONVENE IN FIVE MINUTES. (SOUNDING GAVEL)
>>Lynn Gray: OKAY. GOOD -- WELL, NOT AFTERNOON YET. WE'RE STILL IN THE MORNING. WE'RE NOW READY FOR PART TWO AND THIS INVOLVES OUR ESSER 1, ESSER 2, ESSER 3, AKA ALSO KNOWN AS THE AMERICAN RESCUE ACT. AND SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, I BELIEVE WILL BE THE STAR PRESENTER. AND SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THE ENTIRE POWERPOINT AND THEN HAVE US ASK QUESTIONS? OR HOW WOULD YOU LIKE THAT TO BE DIVVIED UP?
>>Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. WE'LL BE ABLE TO TAG TEAM AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE'LL RECALIBRATE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. ONCE WE GO THROUGH THIS, WE'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT I KNOW THE BOARD WILL HAVE. THIS WILL BE EXTENDED BECAUSE THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY TO HELP OUR SCHOOLS AND HELP OUR CHILDREN AND CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE THE EXPERIENCES FOR EVERY ONE OF OUR LEARNERS AND THE SAME TOKEN BEING ABLE TO PROTECT THEM IN THE WORKING CONDITIONS THEY'RE INTERACTING WITH EMPLOYEES AS WELL.
>>Lynn Gray: BOARD MEMBERS, LOOKS LIKE WE'LL MAYBE HAVE A 20 MINUTE POWERPOINT OR 15. DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH ENERGY THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS. THEN WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO -- GET NEAR 11:30 SO WE'LL PROBABLY LIMIT OUR QUESTIONS, Q&A TO THREE MINUTES BECAUSE WE HAVE A BOARD MEETING TONIGHT, ET CETERA. OKAY. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, DUN-DUN-DUN, BEGIN.
>>Addison Davis: YES. I'LL HAND IT OVER TO MR. CONNOR AND MS. BROWN AS WELL AND ALLOW THEM TO TRANSITION AND I'LL INTERJECT WHERE THERE NEEDS TO BE UNDERLINING OR HIGHLIGHTS IN AREAS WITHIN WHAT WE'LL DO WITH ESSER.
>>Lynn Gray: GOOD MORNING, MS. BROWN AND MR. CONNOR.
>> GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, BOARD.
>>Lynn Gray: HERE WE GO.
>> TRACY AND I HAVE THE PLEASURE TO COMPLETE AN OVERVIEW OF THE ESSER FUNDING THAT HAS COME DEATHS ON ITS WAY TO THE DISTRICT. SOME MADE ITS WAY TO OUR DISTRICT AND MUCH OF IT IS STILL ON ITS WAY. WE TITLED THE PRESENTATION RECALIBRATE TO ACCELERATE. AS YOU KNOW, THE SUPERINTENDENT, WHEN HE TRANSITIONED TO HILLSBOROUGH IN MARCH 2020 HAD HIS TRANSITION PLAN. UNFORTUNATELY AS SOON AS HE ARRIVED, THE PANDEMIC HIT US. AND SO WE ARE GOING TO USE THIS FUNDING TO RECALIBRATE SO THAT WE CAN TRULY ACCELERATE AS WE MOVE FORWARD SO HOW WE LEVERAGE THESE FUNDS WILL REALLY BE IMPACTFUL FOR ACCOMPLISHING THE GOALS. WE'LL DISCUSS SEVERAL THINGS TODAY. THE FIRST BEING THE FUNDING SOURCES THAT WE RECEIVED AND WHAT THE FORECAST LOOKS LIKE. WE'LL BE SHARING THE BUDGET PLANNING GUIDANCE THAT WE'RE USING TO MAKE SOME VERY IMPORTANT DECISIONS. TALK ABOUT THE ESSER 2 ADVANCED LUMP SUM THAT IS A POT OF MONEY WE JUST RECENTLY RECEIVED AND HAVE PLANNED OUT FOR EXPENDITURES. THEN TALK ABOUT THE USE OF ESSER 2 AND 3 AND WHAT THE ASSURANCES ARE AND DISCUSS THE PLAN FOR GRANT PROJECT MANAGEMENT. CLOSE TO THREE QUARTERS OF A BILLION DOLLARS IN TOTAL AND WE'LL REQUIRE SOME EXTENSIVE OVERSIGHT TO FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE NEXT STEPS. ALL OF WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS ALL PROPOSED. WE'RE MEETING AS A TASK FORCE TO MAKE A LOT OF DECISIONS AND NONE OF THIS IS NECESSARILY SET IN STONE AS WE CONTINUE TO GATHER STAKEHOLDER INPUT THROUGHOUT TO FINALIZE DECISIONS IN ORDER TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. SO A LITTLE OVERVIEW OF THE THREE POTS OF MONEY THAT WERE REFERENCED BY MS. GRAY. THE CARES ACT, THE CORONA AID RELIEF AND ECONOMIC SECURITY ACTIVE SIGNED INTO LAW BACK IN MARCH 2020. IT PROVIDED SEVERAL FUNDING SOURCES AND WITHIN THAT WAS THE EMERGENCY EDUCATION RELIEF FUND FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS WHICH WE REFER TO AS ESSER. THAT ESSER 1 SUNSETS IN SEPTEMBER OF 2022. WE HAVE ALREADY EXPENDED THOSE FUNDS. FOR THE SECOND POT OF MONEY WHICH WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE THROWS OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS ESSER 2 AND THAT COMES FROM THE CORONA RESPONSE AND RELEASE SUPPLEMENTAL ACT SIGNED INTO LAW DECEMBER 27, 2020. IT ALSO HAS THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND AS AN ADDITIONAL SUBSET AND THAT IS WHAT WE REFER TO AS OUR ESSER 2 AND THOSE FUNDS WILL SUNSET SEPTEMBER 2023. THE THIRD POT OF MONEY WHICH WE'RE REFERRING TO AS ESSER 3 DOES COME FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN WHICH WAS SIGNED INTO LAW THIS PAST MARCH, 2021, AND IT INCLUDES ANOTHER ADDITION OF ESSER DOLLARS AND SUSCEPTS SEPTEMBER 2024. FORESE OF USE BECAUSE THERE IS SO MANY ACTS AND FUNDS, WE'RE HEARING TO THESE AS ESSER 1, ESSER 2, AND ESSER 3 SO THAT WE ALL HAVE A COMMON LANGUAGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THAT. IN THE FIRST CARES ACT, WE RECEIVED AS A DISTRICT BEYOND ESSER 1 SOME ADDITIONAL ALLOCATIONS THAT WERE PROVIDED BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA. AS YOU CAN SEE UP HERE ON THE LIST HERE, SEVERAL POTS THAT TOTALED THE AMOUNT OF $16.7 MILLION. THAT INCLUDED OUR GEAR GRANT WHICH WE FOCUS INTENSELY ON OUR TRANSFORMATION SCHOOLS WITH BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL AND SATURDAY SCHOOL PROGRAMMING. IT INCLUDED FREE ACT AND SAT TESTING. THERE WERE WORKFORCE READINESS PROGRAMS WHERE WE RECEIVED A MILLION DOLLARS TO STAND THOSE UP. TO ASSIST AND AID OUR TECHNICAL COLLEGES, WE RECEIVED FUNDING FOR THAT. WE RECEIVED MATERIALS AND RESOURCES FOR TRAINING THE BEST STANDARDS. WE ALSO RECEIVED MEDICAID RELIEF FUNDS. YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENT ADDITIONAL DOLLARS THAT WE RECEIVED OUTSIDE OF ESSER 1 AS IT RELATES TO THE CARES ACT. THIS IS THE OVERVIEW OF ACTUALLY WHAT THE DISTRICT PORTION WILL BE FOR EACH POT OF MONEY. SO WE RECEIVED IN TOTAL FOR ESSER 1, $54 MILLION. BUT THE DISTRICT, REMEMBER, WE HAVE TO ALLOCATE TO CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT ARE INDIRECT COSTS THAT COME ALONG WITH EACH OF THESE GRANTS SO OUR DISTRICT PORTION TOTALED $47 MILLION. FOR ESSER 2, WE WILL EXPECT $190 MILLION. AND AN ESTIMATED RIGHT NOW, ESSER 3, WE STILL DO NOT HAVE GUIDANCE OR EXACT ALLOCATIONS BUT WE ARE DOING PROJECTIONS AND WE EXPECT THAT IT WILL BE AROUND $4002 MILLION. THAT WILL BE THE DISTRICT PORTION FOR ESSER 3. SO WHAT DO WE ACCOMPLISH TO DATE AS IT RELATES TO ESSER 1? WE AS A DISTRICT RECEIVED $47 MILLION. THAT $47 MILLION WAS EXPENDED ON ITEMS ON THE SLIDE FROM TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TO INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT. FOR INSTRUCTIONAL SOFTWARE. CREDIT RECOVERY. STUDENT NUTRITION, E-LEARNING SALARIES, STUDENT AND TEACHER DEVICES, AND WI-FI HOT SPOTS, PPE, AND EVERYTHING ELSE REMAINING ON THE SLIDE. JUST TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE $47 MILLION OF ESSER 1. FOR THE ESSER 2 ALLOCATION AND THIS IS WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY AT AS A DISTRICT, WE JUST RECEIVED THE APPLICATION FROM THE STATE LAST WEDNESDAY AND ARE WORKING FEVERISHLY TO FILL THOSE APPLICATIONS OUT IN THEIR ENTIRETY. THERE ARE SEVERAL APPLICATIONS ACTUALLY BECAUSE THE POT OF MONEY HAS BEEN BROKEN UP INTO SAB CATEGORIES. SO AS YOU KNOW, WE RECEIVED AN ADVANCED LUMP SUM OF $89.2 MILLION. WE'LL TALK IN A MOMENT ABOUT WHAT THE EXPENDITURES WILL BE. NOW THE STATE FOR THE ADVANCED LUMP SUM, THE EXPIRATION DATE RIGHT NOW, AND I SAY RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE STATE IS LOOKING AT RE-NEGOTIATING THAT DEADLINE IS SEPTEMBER 2021 WHICH WILL BE IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS. SO WE WERE ON THE CONVERSATION WITH THE STATE YESTERDAY AND THEY ARE LOOKING TO EXTEND THAT SLIGHTLY SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL OUR SUBMISSIONS IN ON TIME AND EXPENDITURES ARE ACCURATE. WE HAVE $7 MILLION DEDICATED TO NON-ENROLLMENT ASSISTANCE. FOR TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE, ALMOST $9 MILLION. ECONOMIC ACCELERATION, ALMOST $36 MILLION. THE REMAINING BALANCE OF $44.6 MILLION WILL COME TO THE DISTRICT AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THERE WHAT THE CHARTER ALLOCATION AND COST SHOULD BE TOTALING THE $219 MILLION FOR ESSER 2. SO WE'LL GO BACK UP TO THE ADVANCED LUMP SUM AND DEMONSTRATE WHERE THE INVESTMENTS WILL OCCUR. SO A LOT OF THIS IS REIMBURSEMENTS THAT WE HAVE DONE FOR THE LAST FISCAL YEAR SUCH AS THE COVID CLEANING TEAM, RESPONSE TEAM, COVID CLEANING SUPPLIES, EMPLOYEE COVID TESTING, PPE, THE REIMBURSEMENT OF E-LEARNING AND TEACHER SALARIES, VACCINE CLINIC SALARIES, WATER BOTTLE FILLING STATIONS, SUBSTITUTE REIMBURSEMENT, EXTERNAL OPERATOR CONTRACTS, NURSE SALARY REIMBURSEMENT AND MERV-13 FILTERS. WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN MOVING THIS ON TO THE GRANT TO MAKE SURE WE MEET THE SEPTEMBER 2021 DEADLINE. THIS NEXT SLIDE IS THE ESSER 3 ALLOCATION, AND PUT IN BOLD IN THE TOP, THIS IS AN ESTIMATE. THE NUMBERS MAY FLUCTUATE DEPENDING ON WHAT THE STATE ACTUALLY RELEASES TO EACH DISTRICT AS THE INFORMATION COMES DOWN. WE KNOW RIGHT NOW, AND WE'RE NOT CERTAIN IF THE STATE MAY ADD ADDITIONAL SUBCATEGORIES BUT WE KNOW THAT 20% OF ESSER 3 AS ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN HAS TO BE DESIGNATED TO REMEDIATING STUDENT LEARNING LOSS AND THE REMAINING BALANCE OF OTHER INITIATIVES YOU SEE OF $321 MILLION. OKAY. TRACY WILL TAKE IT FROM HERE.
>> THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, AND EXCUSE ME, I'LL START HERE WITH WHAT OUR PROCESS HAS BEEN TO HELP US IDENTIFY EXACTLY HOW THE FUNDS WILL BE EXPENDED, AND WE HAVE CREATED A TASK FORCE THAT IS CROSS-DIVISIONAL THAT INCLUDES ALL OF OUR DIVISION CHIEFS AND TEAM MEMBERS FROM THEIR DIVISIONS AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING QUITE DILIGENTLY SINCE EARLY JUNE. I THINK IT WAS JUNE 3 WHERE WE DEDICATED THREE HOURS PER WEEK TO LOOK CLOSELY AT WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE OF THE USE OF THE DOLLARS AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING THEM. WITHIN KEEPING IN MIND THAT OUR IN INTENT HERE IS TO DO STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR THE USE OF THE COVID RELIEF FUNDS AND THAT'S WHAT THE TASK FORCE IS CREATED FOR. WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE TIMELINE, YOU'LL NOTICE WITH THE TIMELINE WE HAVE SPENT SIGNIFICANT TIME TALKING ABOUT -- AND TRYING TO HELP THE TEAM UNDERSTAND THE USE OF THESE ESSER DOLLARS AND THE PURPOSES AND WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE ALSO. WE UTILIZED SEVERAL DIFFERENT FORMS OF GUIDANCE FROM NATIONAL INSTITUTES ALONG WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND STATE GUIDANCE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. WE HAVE ALSO IDENTIFIED HIGH PRIORITY, HIGH LEVERAGE INVESTMENTS BY DIVISION. WHAT WE'RE DOING CURRENTLY IS DIVISION CHIEFS HAVE COME THROUGH WITH TEAM MEMBERS TO PRESENT PROPOSED INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND WE ARE REVIEWING EACH OF THOSE TO PRIORITIZE HOW THE DOLLARS WILL BE USED. WE WILL, NOTICE THE FINAL BULLET WAS WE HAVE TO SUBMIT OUR ESSER 2 APPLICATIONS TO THE STATE IN A COUPLE WEEKS, AUGUST 12. SO I HAVE TO AT THIS POINT REALLY ACKNOWLEDGE OUR GRANTS AND RESEARCH OFFICE ALONG WITH OUR ESSER TEAM OF ONE AT THIS POINT. WE HAVE LISA PLACO HERE AND GREG CANELA WORKING DILIGENTLY ALONGSIDE HER TERRY AND ME AND THE TASK FORCE TO ENSURE WE DO EVERYTHING THE RIGHT WAY. HERE IS WHERE WE HAVE OUR ASSURANCES AND THIS IS WHERE WE GET OUR INITIAL GUIDANCE AROUND HOW THE FUNDS CAN BE USED. WE MUST CONSIDER COORDINATED PREP AND RESPONSE EFFORTS HERE IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT PROVIDING PRINCIPALS WITH THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO ADDRESS THE STUDENTS OF THEIR STUDENTS ALONG WITH -- NEEDS OF THEIR STUDENTS ALONG WITH THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF AT-RISK STUDENTS AND YOU'LL SEE SOMETHING RELATED TO THE LOW PERFORMING SCHOOLS BETTER. DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING PROCEDURES AND SYSTEMS TO IMPROVE RESPONSES AND TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON HOW WE KEEP OUR BUILDINGS CLEAN AND SANITIZED FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF. WE ALSO ARE -- THE USE CAN BE FOR SUPPLIES AND SANITIZING MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT ALONG WITH PLANNING FOR LONG-TERM CLOSURE WHICH WE DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO DO, SO THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE AS PROACTIVE BEINGS DID BE AS PROACTIVE AS POSSIBLE. ADDITIONALLY THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY NEEDS AS WELL AS MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND SUPPORTS FOR OUR STUDENTS. AND FOR OUR STAFF. PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING SUMMER LEARNING AND AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS AS WE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE NOT ONLY REMEDIATE BUT ACCELERATE STUDENT LEARNING AS WELL AS ADDRESSING ANY UNFINISHED LEARNING BY OUR STUDENTS. OUR SCHOOL FACILITY IMPROVEMENT REPAIRS TO REDUCE TRANSMISSION OF THE VIRUS AND IMPROVING INDOOR QUALITY AND OTHER ACTIVITIES AND NUMBER 15 IS A BIGGY FOR US. OTHER ACTIVITIES NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN THE OPERATION OF AND CONTINUITY OF SERVICES IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT OF EXISTING STAFF. AND THEN FINALLY, STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTING PUBLIC HEALTH PROTOCOLS FOR KEEPING OUR SCHOOLS OPEN OR REOPENING SCHOOLS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE AT THE BOTTOM HERE ON THE SLIDE PER FEDERAL GUIDELINES, 20% OF ESSER 3 ALLOCATION MUST BE SPENT ON LEARNING LOSS. WE HAVE TO SUBMIT A PLAN AND AS I'VE MENTIONED ONCE WE RECEIVE GUIDANCE WE'LL ABSOLUTELY SHARE THAT. WHEN I MENTIONED WE HAVE USED GUIDANCE FROM NATIONAL INSTITUTES AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, WE REFERRED TO THE COUNSEL OF THE GREAT CITY SCHOOLS GUIDANCE WHERE THEY EMPHASIZE INVESTMENTS AND STAFF CAPACITY AND HUMAN CAPITAL, INVESTMENTS AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND RESOURCES AS WELL AS INVESTMENTS IN STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES. THE HUNT INSTITUTE PROVIDED GUIDANCE AND WE USED THAT AS W WELL, EXCUSE ME, AND THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE TO ADDRESS SPECIAL POPULATIONS. AND WE HAVE BEEN REALLY INTENTIONAL ABOUT INCLUDING AND BEING PURPOSEFUL ABOUT IDENTIFYING THE NEEDS OF OUR SPECIAL POPULATIONS, TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ALONG WITH SANITIZING AND CLEANING FACILITIES, TECHNOLOGY, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND SUPPORTS. EXTENDED LEARNING PROGRAMS DURING THE SUMMER AND AFTER SCHOOL. ADDRESSING LEARNING LOSS, FACILITY REPAIRS AND EQUIPMENT AND OF COURSE INDOOR AIR QUALITY. AS WE WORK TOWARD IDENTIFYING THE USE OF THESE FUNDS, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IT'S ALIGNED WITH OUR STRATEGIC GOALS AND PRIORITIES. AND SO THESE ARE THE FOUR GOALS THAT WE HAVE USED TO HELP GUIDE OUR WORK WITH THE TASK FORCE. GOAL ONE, TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE TO ENSURE THAT ALL STUDENTS ARE PREPARED FOR POST-SECONDARY SUCCESS. GOAL TWO, ESTABLISH A SAFE, HEALTHY, EQUITABLE AND SUPPORTIVE CULTURE FOR ALL. GOAL DELI, DEVELOP A DIVERSE AND HIGHLY EFFECTIVE WORKFORCE AND GOAL FOUR, ESTABLISH FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE. I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THAT WE'RE ABSOLUTELY WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR BUSINESS OFFICE. MS. JOHNSON AND HER TEAM HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL AND WILL CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE WITH US AS WE MASK AND WORK TOWARD EFFECTIVELY USING THESE FUNDS.
>> SO AS WE SHARED, USING THE GUIDANCE FROM THE COUNSEL OF GREAT CITY SCHOOLS, THE HUNT INSTITUTE AND ALIGN THE STRATEGIC PLAN, WE BEGAN AS A TASK FORCE TO DEVELOP PRIORITIES FOR THE USE OF THESE FUNDS. SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE NEXT SLIDE HERE ARE THE FIVE PRIORITIES THAT WE FEEL WILL DEFINITELY NEED BE THE FOCUS OF THESE FUNDS. SO THE FIFRS ONE BEING MAINTAIN SAFE AND HEALTHY SCHOOLS, INVEST IN TALENT AND TECHNOLOGY, SUPPORT MENTAL WELLNESS, EXTEND, RECOVER AND ACCELERATE LEARNING AND ENGAGE FAMILIES, PARENTS AND STUDENTS. SO NOW WE'LL JUMP INTO WHAT THE PRIORITIES AND WHAT EACH INDIVIDUAL PRIORITY AND INITIATIVES HAVE BEEN PROPOSED AT THIS TIME. WE WILL FINALIZE THAT AS WE GET PRIORITY. THE TASK FORCE MET WITH THE OPERATIONS DIVISION AND CROSS-DIVISIONAL TO DETERMINE WHAT THE INITIATIVES WOULD BE. AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE HERE, WE HAVE ABOUT $59 MILLION ALLOCATED OVER THE COURSE OF ESSER 2 AND 3 FOR PPE, FOR AIR PURIFICATION, FILTERS, CLEANING AND DISINFECTING, CONTINUING TO INSTALL OUR WATER BOTTLE FILLING STATIONS, SANITATION STATIONS WITHIN THE CLASSROOMS AND ACROSS THE SCHOOLS AND DISTRICT OFFICES AND NURSING CONTRACTED SERVICES.
>> SO I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT INVEST IN TALENT AND TECHNOLOGY. I'LL GO QUICKLY, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES, THESE PROPOSALS, WE'RE ALWAYS ASKING THE QUESTION ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THIS IS A FINITE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND NON-RECURRING WHICH MEANS WE CANNOT CONTINUE SOME OF THESE THINGS BEYOND THE GRANT PERIOD. SO WE ARE ASKING THE QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT IT SHOULD BE SUSTAINED, WHETHER OR NOT IT WILL BE SUSTAINED, AND HOW WILL IT BE SUSTAINED. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN REALLY THINKING VERY MUCH ABOUT, BUT WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS INVESTMENT AND TALENT AND TECHNOLOGY, I HAVE TO SAY THAT WE HAVE REALLY FOCUSED IN ON INFRASTRUCTURE FOR TECHNOLOGY. WE HAVE NOT ONLY IDENTIFIED STAFF AND STUDENT DEVICES AS A NEED BUT THE SECURITY, CYBERSECURITY TO PROTECT OUR DATA, TO PROTECT OUR SYSTEMS. SO THAT'S BEEN A PRIORITY. IF WE LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE, WE HAVE ALSO FOCUSED OUR TIME THINKING ABOUT HOW WE DEVELOPED OUR LEADERS AND SO YOU'LL SEE ECERATE COLLEGE INSTITUTE AND THE GRANT OFFICE, AS MR. CONNOR MENTIONED, WE HAVE GOT ALMOST THREE QUARTERS OF A BILLION DOLLARS WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR HERE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE STRUCTURES IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE THESE FUNDS. WE HAVE A GRANT PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE. PRIORITY 3 IS SUPPORT MENTAL WELLNESS. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THAT, WE ALSO HAVE OTHER FUNDING SOURCES. WE HAVE A CAT GORICAL FROM THE STATE AND THESE FUNDS WILL ACTUALLY COMPLIMENT THAT GIVING US MORE OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR MENTAL HEALTH TEAMS AS WELL AS CRISIS TEAM AS WELL AS CREATING SOMETHING THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS SEEN WORK EFFECTIVELY IN ANOTHER DISTRICT WHICH IS A DROP IN CLINIC WHERE WE'RE MAKING STAFF AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK IN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS THAT WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO STUDENTS AND A PLACE FOR STUDENTS TO GO FOR SUPPORT AND TO HAVE A CONVERSATION. THAT'S A PART OF THIS ALONG WITH OUR SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING CURRICULUM AND SUPPORTS.
>> THE FOURTH PRIORITY IS EXTEND, RECOVER AND ACCELERATE LEARNING. THE GREAT COUNSEL OF CITY SCHOOLS PROVIDE A LOT OF INSIGHT INTO MAKING THE RIGHT INVESTMENTS WHEN IT COMES TO CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION AND HAVING A SOLID TIER 1 INSTRUCTIONAL CORE IS PARAMOUNT AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENSURE THAT WE DO THAT. SO YOU'LL SEE A LARGE INVESTMENT IN THE TIER 1 INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND A LARGE INVESTMENT IN EXTENDING AND ACCELERATING THAT BEYOND SCHOOL OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL HOURS, LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS SUMMER LEARNING PROGRAM WHICH WE EXTENDED AND IT WAS ONE OF THE LARGEST OFFERINGS THE PAST YEAR. WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE MITIGATING THE UNFINISHED LEARNING AND OF COURSE BEYOND JUST BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL TUTORING, LARGE INVESTMENTS THERE TO ENSURE WE GIVE STUDENTS THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME TO ADDRESS THAT UNFINISHED LEARNING. WE KNOW THAT WE ALSO HAVE THE BEST STANDARDS AND TRANSITION COMING. WE'LL DO A BIG INVESTMENT WITH TEACHERS AROUND UNDERSTANDING THOSE STANDARDS AND THEN ENSURING THAT THEY ARE WELL EQUIPPED WHEN THEY BEGIN THE SCHOOL YEAR AND WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED THAT WORK EVEN NOW. WE'LL CONTINUE THAT WORK OVER THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS AS THE STANDARDS COME INTO PLACE. YOU CAN SEE HERE CULTURALLY RELEVANT CLASSROOM LIBRARIES. OUR LIBRARIES NEED TO BE RICH AND DIVERSE AND WE NEED TO PUT AN INVESTMENT IN THOSE. WE IDENTIFIED THAT AS AN INITIATIVE. OUR STEM EXPANSION. LARRY PLANK DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB WITH STEM IN THE DISTRICTS BUT WE WANT TO EXTEND THAT TO ALL SCHOOLS AND USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACCELERATE LEARNING THROUGH STEM INITIATIVES. GIVING STUDENTS FIELD EXPERIENCES THAT THEY HAVE LACKED OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF WHERE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE HANDS ON REAL WORLD EXPERIENCES OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM. WE THINK AN INVESTMENT THERE IS DEFINITELY NEEDED. AGAIN, A LOT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR TEACHERS AND LEADERS. MAKING SURE WE HAVE PUBLIC FACING CURRICULUM SUPPORT WHERE OUR PARENTS WILL BE ENGAGING THIS BEST STANDARDS TRANSITION WITH US. HOW ARE WE GOING TO SUPPORT THEM AND WHAT RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THEIR STUDENTS AT HOME WHEN THEY'RE NOT WITH US. SO WE HAVE IDENTIFIED SOME INIT INITIATIVES THERE. WE HAVE PRETTY UNIQUE I INITIATIVES WITH JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT AND ACCELERATED COURSEWORK, MAKING SURE ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO ACCELERATED COURSES THROUGH MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL. WE WANT TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE EQUITABLE EXPERIENCES FOR EVERY STUDENT. WE ALSO WANT TO PROVIDE SOME PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR NON-INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF. OUR STAFF THAT HAS NOT NECESSARILY IN THE CLASSROOM BUT OBVIOUSLY NEED TO HONE THEIR SCHOOLS IN ORDER TO DO THEIR JOB MORE EFFICIENTLY. WE FIND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT. AND OF COURSE NEVER CAN FORGET THE ARTS, THE MUSIC, THE P.E. AND HEALTH AND ALL THOSE THINGS THAT NEED ENHANCEMENTS WITHIN OUR DISTRICT, WE IDENTIFIED INITIATIVES THERE AS WELL. AS WELL AS DUAL LANGUAGE EXPA EXPANSION.
>> SO AS WE GET TO WHERE WE'RE ENGAGING FAMILIES, PARENTS AND STUDENTS, IF YOU NOTICE WE'LL SEE PARENT ACADEMY THERE AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP TO EDUCATE THE PARENTS ABOUT THE WORK IN THE DISTRICT AND THE THINGS THEY CAN DO TO SUPPORT THE CHILDREN AT HOME. MR. CONNOR REFERRED TO THE BEST STANDARDS TRAINING FOR STAFF. WE ALSO WANT TO EXPOSE OUR PARENTS TO THE BEST STANDARDS TRAINING SO THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS WILL BE FOR THEIR STUDENTS' LEARNING. WE'LL ALSO WORK ON IMPROVING OUR COMMUNICATION TO FAMILIES AND PARENTS. AND TO OUR STUDENTS ALONG WITH THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDENT ATTENDANCE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FAMILIES UNDERSTAND THAT BEFORE STUDENTS LEARN, THEY HAVE TO COME TO SCHOOL SO WE WANT ALL KIDS IN SCHOOL AND ALSO WORKING ON WAYS TO ENHANCE OUR MAGNET PROGRAMS. SO EARLIER I MENTIONED THE AT RISK POPULATION AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE REALLY TRIED TO FOCUS ON IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO SUPPORT OUR PERSISTENTLY LOW PERFORMING SCHOOLS. I WON'T GO INTO MUCH DETAIL BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US BECAUSE I KNOW MS. MCCRAY HAS A SCHEDULED WORKSHOP TO TALK ABOUT PERSISTENTLY LOW PERFORMING SCHOOLS, BUT WE HAVE BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT ENSURING THAT THE RESOURCES THAT ARE NEEDED BY OUR PERSISTENTLY LOW PERFORMING SCHOOLS ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO THEM IN A TIMELY FASHION. SO WE HAVE PRIORITIZED THINGS THAT WILL INCLUDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ALONG WITH THINGS TO ADDRESS THE CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING, TRAUMA INFORMED PRACTICES AMONGST A NUMBER OF THINGS. I ALSO WANT TO SHARE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FUNDING SOURCES THAT SUPPORT OUR PERSISTENTLY LOW PERFORMING SCHOOLS THAT HAVE TITLE 1 FUNDS, UNISEC AND TESSA FUNDS. THIS IS A CHERRY ON TOP TO ENHANCE THE WORK WITH OUR PERSISTENTLY LOW PERFORMING SCHOOLS. FOR SUPPORT AND SUSTAINABILITY. WE HAVE RECOMMENDED TO THE SUPERINTENDENT A PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE, AND IN THIS OFFICE WE'LL HAVE SOMEONE THAT WILL OVERSEE ALL OF THESE DOLLARS FOR ESSERS 1, 2, AND 3 AND WE WANT TO PROVIDE SUPPORT. ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW IS IMPORTANT IS WHAT IS THE RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO EVALUATE HOW EFFECTIVE ALL THESE STRATEGIES ARE THAT WE ACTUALLY INVEST IN. WE WILL HAVE MULTIPLE PROJECT MANAGERS THAT WILL BE REPURPOSED FROM DIFFERENT DIVISIONS BASED ON THE SPECIFIC STRATEGY THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE OR INITIATIVE. HERE YOU SEE JUST A QUICK RECOMMENDED STRUCTURE FOR THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE. AT THE BOTTOM WE HAVE ACCOUNTANTS THAT WILL WORK WITH THE ESSER FUNDS AND CLOSELY WITH THE BUSINESS.
>>Lynn Gray: WITH OUR NEW ADVISORY, FINANCE ADVISORY.
>> YES, MA'AM. I WILL STATE AT THIS TIME THAT IT IS OUR HOPE, IT'S OUR EXPECTATION OF OUR OWN WORK THAT WE WILL BE TRANSPARENT AND THAT WE WILL FLOW EVERYTHING THROUGH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THEN THROUGH THE ADVISORY. HERE YOU'LL SEE HOW WE STRUCTURED IT TO ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING IS CROSS-DIVISIONAL. YOU'LL SEE IT TASK FORCE IN THE CENTER. AND YOU'LL SEE ALL THOSE AREAS THAT ARE A PART OF THE BUSINESS OFFICE, SPECIAL REVENUE AND PROCUREMENT THAT WILL BE VERY INTIMATELY ENGAGED IN THIS WORK. FOR OUR NEXT STEPS, WE WILL ABSOLUTELY GET STAKEHOLDER INPUT. IT'S A REQUIREMENT AND WE HAVE ALREADY DESIGNED, CREATED A SURVEY THAT WE WILL BE MAKING AVAILABLE TO ALL OUR STAKEHOLDERS FOR THEM TO WEIGH IN ON HOW THEY THINK WE SHOULD PRIORITIZE THE USE OF THESE FU FUNDS. HERE YOU SEE A SAMPLE OF OUR NEW ESSER DAS DASHBOARD. THIS IS JUST A SCREENSHOT AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED. JUST AS WE HAVE BEEN TRANSPARENT ABOUT THE REFERENDUM DOLLARS, WE WILL ALSO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT ALL OF OUR ESSER FUNDS. THANK YOU, MR. SUPERINTENDENT, FOR ENSURING THIS HAPPENED. THIS IS JUST A QUICK SNAPSHOT. WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARD REIMBURSING ELIGIBLE EXPENSES TO USING OUR ADVANCED LUMP SUM. AS I MENTIONED, WE'LL GATHER STAKEHOLDER INPUT. WE'RE BEING TO WITH THE GRANTS TEAM AND THE ESSER TEAM, DEVELOP THE GRAND NARRATIVE AND BUDGET THAT WILL BE DUE FOR ESSER 2 ON AUGUST 12. WE WILL GET THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE -- PROJECT MANAGEMENT LAUNCHED AND UP AND RUNNING ALONG WITH THE WEBSITE WITH OUR DASHBOARD AND WE WILL ALWAYS SHARE OUR PROGRESS WITH THE BOARD, THE STAFF, AND THE COMMUNITY.
>>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MS. BROWN, AND THANK YOU, MR. CONNOR. AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR GRANTS DEPARTMENT, MS. PLACO AND GREG CARNELO? I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS ITALIAN OR NOT. IT IS? OKAY. I'M HALF ITALIAN SO I FIGURED IT WAS. SO SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, VERY SLEPT COMPREHENSIVE JOB. DO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND DO YOU HAVE A FINAL STATEMENT AND THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO A QUESTION OR TWO FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS?
>>Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. THE BIGGEST THING IS THE TASK FORCE DEVELOPING AROUND ESSER IS REALLY PUSHING THE CABINET MEMBERS AND SENIOR STAFF MEMBER TO DEFEND HOW THEY EXPECT TO SPEND MONEY AND HOW IT WILL IMPACT CHILDREN AND BUILD THE CAPACITY OF THE WORKFORCE AS WELL. THEY DID A REALLY GOOD JOB AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE ITEMS HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED AND EMBRACED AND SOME DENIED BASED ON ALIGNMENT TO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. SO, YOU KNOW, THESE DOLLARS ARE ONE-TIME DOLLARS TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW US TO TRANSFORM AND ACCELERATE, YOU KNOW, THIS ENTIRE ORGANIZATION IN SO MANY DIFFERENT MANNERS SO WE NEEDED TO USE IT IN A WAY THAT NOT ONLY ADDRESSES THE MENTAL HEALTH SIDE BUT LOOKING AT EXTENDING LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES BEFORE AND DURING AND AFTER SCHOOL AND HOW TO OFFER VIRTUAL TUTORING THROUGH THE ENTIRE DAY, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE GOING TO BE QUARANTINED, BEING ABLE TO EXPAND, YOU KNOW, ELL, YOU KNOW, RESOURCES FOR OUR STUDENTS AND INCLUSIVE MANNER AND AS MR. CONNOR SAID, WITH THE STEAM AND STEM APPROACH BEING ABLE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT EVERY ONE OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AT MINIMUM IN PRE-K-8 HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN ROBOTICS AND CODE AND DESIGN AND BEING ABLE TO PROBLEM SOLVE AND THE FIELD EXPERIENCES FOR ME IS MAJOR. SOME OF THE KIDS HAVE NEVER BEEN TO THE AQUARIUM. NEVER BEEN TO THE MUSEUM. NEVER BEEN TO THE ART MUSEUM SO WE WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THESE TYPES OF EXPERIENCES SO WHEN THEY'RE EXPOSED TO CODE, I MEAN, COLD READS AND GENERAS THEY'RE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH CONTENT AND BEING ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND THOUGHTFUL AND THE BIGGEST THING I THOUGHT WAS THIS MONEY ALLOWS US TO REGAIN TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY BY ACTIVATING A PARENT ACADEMY THAT REALLY GETS OUR PARENTS ACTIVELY ENGAGED AND INVOLVED IN THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS AND HOW WE HELP THEM NOT ONLY WHILE THEY'RE HERE IN THE FOUR WALLS WE CALL THE CLASSROOM BUT HOW CAN WE HELP THE COMMUNICATE AND HOW THEY TRANSITION FROM PRE-K TO 12th GRADE.
>>Lynn Gray: AND JUST SO THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS AND ME INCLUDED, THESE ARE PROPOSALS FOR THE MOST PART? YOU'RE SHARING THEM?
>>Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. FOR INPUT AND INSIGHT. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN NOW BUT IT CAN HAPPEN OVER THE COMING WEEKS AS WE CONTINUE TO WAIT FOR THE MONEY.
>>Lynn Gray: OKAY. BOARD MEMBERS, WE GENERALLY LEAVE THE LAST HALF HOUR FOR WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE TO TALK ABOUT, SO I'LL LET YOU ALL DECIDE. WE HAVE QUESTIONS. I WOULD JUST SUGGEST IF YOU CAN LIMIT SOME OF THE QUESTIONS AND HAVE ANY FURTHER, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, MR. CONNOR, MS. BROWN, WILL DEFINITELY BE AVAILABLE. SO WITH THE SAME ORDER, MEMBER WASHINGTON AND THEN MEMBER VAUGHN AND THEN WE'LL GO TO SNIVELY AND COMBS AND PEREZ AND HAHN. AND THEN IF WE ARE SATISFIED WE'LL GO INTO OUR ANYTHING YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT PART OF THE BOARD MEETING UNTIL NOON. GO AHEAD.
>>Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM SHARE. ALSO, THANK YOU MR. CONNOR, MS. BROWN, VERY WELL. DID A GREAT JOB ON THAT PRESENTATION. AS I WAS LOOKING AT THE FOCUS POINTS ON THE LOW PERFORMING SCHOOLS, THE ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE DONE, AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, THIS LOOKS REALLY GOOD ON PAPER BUT I THINK WE NEED -- ONCE WE START INITIATING THESE PROGRAMS INTO THE SCHOOLS, WE NEED TO HAVE A MONTHLY REPORT AT THE BOARD TO KNOW HOW WELL WE'RE DOING. I CAME IN WITH 22 SCHOOLS. I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE OUT OF HERE WITH 22 ON A LOW PERFORMING LIST.
>>Addison Davis: YES, SIR.
>>Henry "Shake" Washington: I WANT TO WORK REALLY HARD WITH STUDENTS TO HAVE SUCCESS IN THESE SCHOOLS BECAUSE ALL THE TIME, THIS IS GREAT. THIS IS REALLY GREAT. BUT WE GOT TO DO IT AND GET THE JOB DONE SO WE WON'T HAVE THE LOW PERFORMING SCHOOLS. IT'S 39 AND 22 IS IN MY AREA AND I DID MAKE MYSELF A PROMISE TO ME TO SHAKE WASHINGTON THAT WHEN I LEAVE I WANT SINGLE DIGITS OR LESS. WE'LL BE WORKING REALLY HARD TO MAKE THIS DISTRICT 5 ONE OF THE BEST DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTY. SO IT LOOKS GOOD. AGAIN, I LIKE THE MONTHLY -- HAVE THE MONTHLY REPORT. I LIKE TO START AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE TIME IS RUNNING AND WE NEED TO GET STARTED ON PROGRESSING SO THE STUDENTS WILL BE ON TOP. I LIKE THE RECOVERY BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS IN DISTRICT 5 THAT NEEDS TO WORK ON THE RECOVERY PROCESS AND I THINK ONCE WE GO BACK TO BRICK AND MORTAR, THIS SHOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED SO I THANK YOU AND I'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING THE PROGRESS IN DISTRICT 5.
>>Addison Davis: YES, SIR. THROUGH THE CHAIR, WE'LL MAKE CERTAIN THAT MS. MCCRAY AND HER TEAM UNDERSTAND THE EXPECTATIONS. WE HAVE THE SAME ASPIRATIONS TO MOVE THE NEEDLE AND WE WILL MOVE THE NEEDLE AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THE MONTHLY REPORTS, WE EMBED IT IN A WORKSHOP OR INTO MY SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE EVERY MONTH TO THE BOARD.
>>Lynn Gray: THAT'S SUCH A GREAT POINT, MEMBER WASHINGTON, THAT WE NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE BALL AT ALL TIMES. THANK YOU FOR THAT. MEMBER VAUGHN?
>>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. SINCE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. SO LET'S TRY TO DO A QUICK ROUND ROBIN HERE. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THIS. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE ESSER DASHBOARD. I THINK THAT'S FANTASTIC AND THE PRESENTATION GIVES US A GOOD IDEA. ONE, I KNOW YOU SAID, MR. CONNOR, THAT WE HAD CREPTS IN ADDITION TO ESSER FUND THAT HELPED US. ARE THOSE MOSTLY FEDERAL OR STATE FUNDS?
>> THOSE WERE EXTENSIONS FROM THE CARES ACT SO FEDERAL FUNDING PASSED THROUGH THE STATE.
>>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS I'M NOT REALLY UNDERSTANDING. SO FOR LIKE, ESSERS 2 ORIGINALLY, IT WAS JUST WE WERE APPLYING AND NOW IS IT THEY'VE DECIDED AT THE STATE LEVEL THERE ARE CATEGORIES WE HAVE TO INDIVIDUALLY APPLY FOR? IS THAT A CHANGE AND IS THAT AGAIN BEING MANDATED AT THE STATE OR FEDERAL LEVEL?
>>Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. THROUGH THE CHAIR, WHEN WE PRESENTED ESSER 2 WE IDENTIFIED BUCKETS IN WHICH THE $100 MILLION CAME INTO. IN THE BUCKETS, OUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY WAS TO WHEN WE APPLIED, IT'S TO SHOW HOW WE'D LEVERAGE EACH OF THE BUCKETS AND WHAT WE'D DO FOR APPROVAL IN THE PROCESS.
>>Jessica Vaughn: SO THE STATE IS SAYING THESE ARE THE BUCKETS AND THIS IS HOW YOU HAVE TO APPLY. THEY'RE MANDATING HOW WE SPEND THIS.
>>Addison Davis: THAT IS CORRECT.
>>Jessica Vaughn: FOR ESSERS 3, ARE THEY DOING THE SAME THING OR WE DON'T KNOW YET?
>> ALL WE KNOW IS 20% HAS TO BE DESIGNATED TO LEARNING LOSS BUT THE STATE PROBABLY COULD PUT MORE CATEGORIES WHEN THEY PASS THE MONEY DOWN TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
>> OKAY. MY NEXT QUESTION WOULD BE, THESE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS ADD THE STATE OF HOW WE SPEND THIS. I REPEATEDLY ASKED FOR AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE FEDERAL GUIDELINES SUGGESTED THAT WE SPENT AND UTILIZE THE MONEY TO DO A COMPARISON SINCE THEY ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE GIVEN US THE MONEY AND PASSED THAT DOWN. DO WE HAVE INFORMATION IN COMPARISON WHEN THEY ENACTED THE COVID RELIEF GRANTS? THEY HAD LOTS OF RECOMMENDATIONS OF HOW WE SPEND AND WHERE WE PRIORITIZE IT. HAVE WE COMPARED AND CONTRASTED THAT TO HOW THE STATE SUGGESTS WE SPEND THIS?
>>Addison Davis: GO AHEAD. YOU CAN COME AND SPEAK TO IT. HONESTLY, IT TRULY DOES MATCH. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LOSING FOR TECHNOLOGY, LOOKING AT ADDRESSING THE LEARNING LOSS AND COVID EXPENDITURES, OVERARCHINGLY THEY DO KIND OF LINK TOGETHER RELATED TO EXPECTATIONS. I HAVE SENT EVERY CHANCE WE GET FROM ESSER INFORMATION, I SEND TO THE BOARD AND THAT'S MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS AGO RELATED TO WHAT ESSER 1 AND 2 IS DEFINED AS AND POTENTIALLY THREE. MS. PLACO, YOU WANT TO ADDRESS ANY?
>> ACTUALLY MS. BROWN COVERED TH THAT.
>>Addison Davis: IT'S A CLAP ON PROBABLY.
>>Jessica Vaughn: WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>>Addison Davis: IT'S OKAY.
>> IN MS. BROWN'S PRESENTATION SHE COVERED THAT IN SOME OF THE SLIDES. THEY WERE THE ASSURANCE SLIDES SO THERE WERE 16 ITEMS. THOSE ARE ALL ALLOWABLE USES OF ESSER 1, 2 AND 3 FUNDS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THE SLIDE NUMBERS. (OFF MICROPHONE) WE MADE SURE TO ALIGN THE PROPOSED INVESTMENTS WITH THE ASSURANCES.
>>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. THAT HELPS BECAUSE I DID HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ASSURANCES. PAGE 25 TALKING ABOUT THINGS WE'LL BE DOING IN THE SCHOOLS TO MAKE OUR SCHOOLS MORE SAFE, IT'S A LOT OF MONEY. I NOTICE ONE OF THEM IS FOR A WATER FILLING STATION WHICH I KNOW WE USED A LOT OF THE ESSERS 1 TO ALREADY ADDRESS. SO CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND HAVE WE NOT GOTTEN ALL THE SCHOOLS? ARE WE ANTICIPATING A LOT MORE? WHERE DOES THAT GO IN REGARDS TO WHAT WE ALREADY SPENT AND TO WHAT WE ANTICIPATE SPENDING?
>>Addison Davis: THROUGH THE CHAIR, I'LL SPEAK TO THIS ONE. WE HAVE COMPLETED THE PROCESS. YOU CAN COME ON UP, CHRIS, IF I GET SOMETHING WRONG. WE COMPLETED THE PROCESS RELATED TO SWITCHING OUT THE WATER COOLERS IN THE SCHOOLS. THIS IS FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT OF THAT SIDE OF IT. BEING ABLE TO LEVERAGE ESSER 2 TO BE ABLE TO REIMBURSE US FOR USING WHETHER IT'S CAPITAL MONEY, GENERAL FUND MONEY TO MAKE THAT A REALITY. THIS IS GOING BACK. WE ORIGINALLY FROM ESSER 1, WE SPENT ESSER 1 IN LIKE, 30 SECONDS AND THE FRONT HALF OF SOME OF THE ESSER 2 HAS BEEN SPENT IN THE SAME TIME FRAME. THIS IS GOING BACK TO REIMBURSE THE PROJECT.
>>Jessica Vaughn: OKAY.
>>Christopher Farkas: I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR. DON'T MISLEAD THE BOARD. WE PUT FIVE TO TEN WATER TOUCHLESS REFILLABLE STATIONS IN EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL. THAT'S DONE. THERE IS A REIMBURSEMENT. THERE IS A PROJECT TO RETROFIT ALL THE WATER FOUNTAINS. MOST THERE IS A WATER FOUNTAIN IN BETWEEN EACH CLASSROOM. THERE IS A BREAKUP. THE FIRST IS TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE FIVE TO SEVEN IN THE AREAS AND NOW WE'RE GOING BACK INTO THE CLASSROOMS.
>>Jessica Vaughn: THEN ON PAGE 41 TALKING ABOUT THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE, I NOTICED MANY OF THESE HAVE BEEN REPURPOSED POSITIONS. HOWEVER, THE DIRECTOR OF GRANT PROJECT MANAGEMENT, IS THAT A NEW POSITION WE'RE CREATING? I WANT TO BE CLEAR BECAUSE WE HAVE NEW POSITIONS BEING CREATED IN THE DISTRICT.
>> YES, MA'AM. IT'S A NEW POSITION CREATED AND FUNDED THROUGH THE ESSER DOLLARS SPECIFICALLY. SO WHEN THAT -- WHEN THE ESSER FUND SUNSET IN 2024, THAT POSITION WILL ALSO SUNSET.
>>Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. MY LAST QUESTION IS WE CONTINUALLY TALK ABOUT ENGAGING STAKEHOLDERS AND MAKING SURE THEY HAVE A VOICE IN THIS. WHO ARE THE STAKEHOLDERS SPECIFICALLY AND HOW ARE WE ENGAGING THEM?
>> SO WE'RE REQUIRED TO ENGAGE THE STUDENTS, PARENTS, FAMILY, COMMUNITY, BUSINESS PARTNERS, ANYONE THAT HAS HAD ANY INTEREST IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, WE -- AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE CREATED A SURVEY AND THAT IS ONE WAY THAT WE WILL BE SEEKING INPUT FROM OUR STAKEHOLDERS BUT OUR GOAL IS TO REACH AS MANY PEOPLE, AS MANY STAKEHOLDERS, AS MANY FOLKS INTERESTED AS POSSIBLE. WE WILL NOT PUT LIMITS ON WHO CAN COMPLETE THE SURVEY AND PUSH THAT OUT VIA OUR WEBSITE.
>>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU.
>>Addison Davis: WE ALSO POLLED OUR PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND THEY GAVE US FEEDBACK TO IDENTIFY THE INITIATIVES TO PRESENT TODAY.
>>Jessica Vaughn: WILL WE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT?
>>Addison Davis: WE CAN DO THAT.
>>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER SNIVELY?
>>Melissa Snively: I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AS MUCH AS JUST A COMMENT ON THE PRESENTATION. I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY THOROUGH AND APPRECIATE THE ACCOUNTABILITY FEATURES TOWARDS THE END OF THE PRESENTATION BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE GOING TO BE ASKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT THESE DOLLARS THAT WE'RE SPENDING ARE EFFECTIVE AND REPORTING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, RECORDING BACK TO STAKEHOLDERS AND THE BOARD AND AS TO THE IMPACT THAT THESE DOLLARS ARE ACTUALLY HAVING AND A MEASURED IMPACT AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT LEVEL AND THEN THANK YOU FOR THE -- MR. WASHINGTON MAKING THAT RECOMMENDATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S REGULARLY REPORTED AT THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING WITH OUR STRUGGLING SCHOOLS AS WELL AS THE PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING WITH THE ESSER FUNDS ON A REGULAR BASIS, AND I THINK THAT I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THE SUSPENDED AGENDA A FEW TIMES. WE HAVEN'T SEEN IT. I ASKED MY SECRETARY TO RUN DOWN THE LAST HARD COPY THE LAST SUSPENDED AGENDA THE BOARD HAS USED. BUT I THINK THERE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO ADD TO THE SUSPENDED AGENDA BOARD MEETINGS AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN BRING THAT TO THE BOARD MEETING THIS AFTERNOON AND MR. WASHINGTON MAY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADD IT TO THE SUSPENDED AGENDA THIS AFTERNOON MAYBE MR. PORTER COULD ASSIST WITH THAT AS WELL. SO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. THOROUGH PRESENTATION. I'M LOWINGING FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ON A REGULAR BASIS AS WE NAVIGATE THROUGH THE CHALLENGING WATERS THAT WE HAVE TODAY. THANK YOU.
>>Lynn Gray: YEAH. THAT'S SO WELL SAID. THE SUSPENDED AGENDA WAS OUR VEHICLE TO REMIND OURSELVES WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE CONTINUALLY TALKED ABOUT SO I THINK THAT'S VERY PROMINENT REQUEST THAT WE'LL CARRY THROUGH. THANKS, MEMBER SNIVELY. MEMBER COMBS?
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, CHAIR GRAY. I HAVE QUITE A FEW QUESTIONS BUT I DON'T WANT TO TAKE ALL THE TIME, SO I'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO PULL, YOU KNOW, SIT DOWN WITH ALL OF YOU TO DISCUSS THIS. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME WHEN I RECEIVED THIS LOOKING OVER IT, TABBING, ASKING QUESTIONS. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE, I LOVE -- I MEAN, I APPRECIATE ALL THE TIME AND WORK AND EFFORT THAT EVERYONE PUT FOREWORD. I THINK THE ESSER DASHBOARD IS GREAT. I'D LOVE TO SEE SOME TYPE OF AREA WHERE WE CAN HAVE TEACHERS AND STAKEHOLDERS GIVE ADVICE OR FEEDBACK ON THINGS WE COULD SPEND THE MONEY. SOMETHING LIVE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST GETTING THE PRINCIPALS OR INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ENGAGING WITH THE UNION AND ENGAGING WITH TEACHERS AND WE'RE ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY. I KNOW FOR MYSELF, I HAVE ALREADY ENGAGED WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ASKED THEM WHERE DO YOU THINK? THIS IS KIND OF A TURNING SOMETHING REALLY BAD INTO SOMETHING THAT REALLY CAN IMPACT OUR DISTRICT FOR DECADES TO COME. SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT EVERY PENNY AND I REALLY WANT TO SEE MUCH MORE ENGAGEMENT. I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO GO TO SOME OF THE MEETINGS. I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHERE WE'RE SPENDING MONEY AND ALSO TO REALLY LOOK AT THE SPECIFIC LEARNING LOSS. I REALLY WANT TO SEE THE DETAILS. ARE WE TALKING ABOUT EARLY SATURDAY SCHOOLS? WHAT STUDENTS ARE WE IMPACTING? WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO SEE A LOT OF MONEY BEING SPENT ON TANGIBLE THINGS THAT TWO YEARS DOWN THE ROAD ARE STILL HERE, BOOKS, NOVELS. I'M GLAD WE'RE SPENDING MONEY ON CULTURALLY SENSITIVE BOOKS BUT OVERALL ON COMPUTERS AND TECHNOLOGY SO SOME OF THE THINGS I HAVE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WILL BE HERE FOR ONE YEAR AND THEN GONE. SO JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I SAW, FOR EXAMPLE, ON PAGE 36, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAGNET PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? HERE WE ARE PRIOR TO THIS MEETING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, OUR MAGNET SCHOOLS. ARE THEY IMPACTFUL? SO I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT NOT ONLY JUST FOR NEXT YEAR OR TWO YEARS BUT WHERE IS THE DIRECTION IS THIS DISTRICT GOING TO AND WHERE ARE WE SPENDING THE MONEY BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO SPEND MONEY ON SOMETHING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE CHANGING OUR VISION. ANOTHER PART IS PAGE 37. I SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT $7.5 MILLION BEING SPENT ON THE EXTERNAL OPERATOR CONTRACT. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? CAN WE DO IT MORE EFFICIENTLY? ARE WE SPENDING IT ON COMPUTER PROGRAMS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, JUST HERE FOR A YEAR ORTWO YEARS. I'M GLAD TO RECEIVE THIS INFORMATION BUT I REALLY WANT TO DELVE VERY DEEP. I WANT TO BE VERY ENGAGED. I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO GET TEACHERS, PARENTS, STAKEHOLDERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE INVOLVED BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD CHANGE AS I SAID FOR DECADES OR, YOU KNOW, THREE YEARS LATER WE COULD BE EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE. I ALSO THINK IF WE CAN RECLASSIFY ANYTHING AND I WANT TO BE CONSERVATIVE. I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THE FUND, YOU KNOW, BUDGET OR BALANCE REMAINS STRONG AND GOES AS HIGH AS WE CAN. I THINK WE CAN'T JUST SPEND, SPEND, SPEND. I THINK WE NEED TO BE THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THINK ABOUT EACH PENNY SPENT AND IF WE'RE PUTTING PEOPLE INTO SCHOOLS, IS THAT SHORT-TERM? WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE REALLY LONG-TERM. AND SOME OF THE BIG, BIG ITEMS BEING SPENT HERE, I REALLY WANT TO GO INTO REALLY INTO DELVED INTO DEEPER LIKE PAGE 32. I SEE SUCH SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTIONAL SOFTWARE. ALMOST $30 MILLION ON THAT. WHAT IS THAT? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? HOW DOES THAT IMPACT OUR KIDS OR STUDENTS LONG-TERM? THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS I WANT TO DELVE DEEP INTO, AND AS I SAID, I SPENT SEVERAL HOURS ON THIS AND WILL PROBABLY SPEND THE NEXT THREE YEARS ON THIS AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. THANK YOU.
>>Lynn Gray: AND JUST SHARING REAL QUICK, MS. BROWN, DO YOU HAVE TEACHERS IN THAT GROUP THAT ARE -- THAT YOU'RE REACHING OUT TO BECAUSE I HEARD THE LITANY -- I MEAN, THE LIST.
>> RIGHT. SO THE TASK FORCE, NO. TEACHERS WILL BE A PART OF THE INPUT, YES.
>>Lynn Gray: OKAY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. I HEARD WORKING WITH THE UNION AND ABSOLUTELY, WE'LL ENGAGE THE UNION.
>>Lynn Gray: OKAY. THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THE OTHER THING IS, WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR DATA AND EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE WORK TO DO WITH OUR ESE POPULATION AND THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE CAN PROVIDE. OUR SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, I'M TALKING ABOUT TANGIBLE THINGS THAT CAN HELP LONG-TERM FOR CHILDREN. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, MORE OF THAT. I KNOW YOU HAVE THAT BUT MORE OF THAT REALLY BROKEN DOWN INTO DETAIL AND I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO DO MORE ENGAGEMENT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT YOU HAD A HUGE CABINET AND YOU -- WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME BUT I HONESTLY WOULD PROBABLY ATTENDED THE MEETINGS SO THAT'S HOW INTERESTED I AM AND I THINK OTHER MEMBERS AND TEACHERS WOULD HAVE ENGAGED, YOU KNOW, EVEN RETIRED TEACHERS. I THINK PEOPLE KNOW THEY HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT WE NEED BEST IN SCHOOLS AND SOMETIMES SOME PEOPLE ARE SO REMOVED THAT THEY KIND OF FORGET WHAT EXACTLY WE NEED AND EVERY SCHOOL WILL BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT. THANK YOU.
>>Lynn Gray: POINTS WELL SAID. THANK YOU. MEMBER PEREZ? MEMBER PEREZ? IS SHE THERE? MEMBER HAHN, ARE YOU THERE? MEMBER PEREZ, GO AHEAD. I'M TRYING TO GET BOTH OF YOU, IT LOOKS LIKE BUT MEMBER PEREZ IS BACK ON TEAMS. GO AHEAD, MEMBER PEREZ.
>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT YOU PUT INTO THIS PRESENTATION. I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS. IN LINE WITH MEMBER COMBS QUESTION, WILL THIS BE PART OF THE FUNDING THAT THE FINANCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS FOLLOWING?
>>Addison Davis: THROUGH THE CHAIR, THE FINANCE ADVISORY COUNSEL COMMITTEE CAN LOOK AT ANY FINANCES. THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN CONTINUE TO KEEP IN FRONT OF THEM AND PROVIDE UPDATES SO THEY STAY ABREAST OF HOW WE'RE SPENDING EVERY DOLLAR AND EVERY CENT AND SEEK ANY TYPE OF ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATION THAT MAY COME DOWN. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE FULLY TRANSPARENT WITH EVERY ONE OF OUR DOLLARS AND HAVE NO PROBLEM MAKING THAT A PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
>>Karen Perez: PERFECT. THANK YOU. ALSO ON PAGE 27, WITH THE BANDWIDTH INCREASE, I NOTICED THAT WE DON'T HAVE IT FOR THE 23-24 SCHOOL YEAR. AND IT'S OBVIOUS, YOU KNOW, WITH THE INCREASE IN THE ECONOMY, UNDERSTANDING CONTINUING NOT TO HAVE ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY OR INTERNET, WHY THE CUT-OFF AT THE 23-24 SCHOOL YEAR?
>>Addison Davis: SO HERE WITH THE INTERNET BANDWIDTH, THIS IS ALL ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN ALL OUR SCHOOLS. TO MAKE CERTAIN BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, I BELIEVE ABOUT THREE TO FIVE YEARS AGO THERE WAS INFRASTRUCTURE PUT INTO SOME OF THE SCHOOLS AND OPENLY THAT CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE DOESN'T ALLOW US TO BE EFFICIENT. SO WHAT JEREMY AND HIS TEAM REALLY IDENTIFIED ARE AREAS THAT NEED IMMEDIATE CONCENTRATION AND WE BELIEVE WE CAN DO A TWO-YEAR TIME FRAME TO BLITZ THE SCHOOLS AND PUT THE NECESSARY FIBERS, YOU KNOW, CONNECTIVITY SO THAT WE CAN WORK IN AFFLUENT SITUATION. WE'LL HAVE TO BE ABLE TO REPLACE THOSE STARTING IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN INEFFICIENT. THIS IS PART OF THE PROCESS WHERE OUR TEACHERS DON'T GET CONTINUOUSLY KICKED OFF AND THERE IS CONTINUED COMMUNICATION NOT ONLY WITHIN EACH STRUCTURE BUT BETWEEN THE DISTRICT AND EACH SCHOOL SO THAT OUR KIDS WITH CONTINUE TO COMPETE.
>>Karen Perez: AWESOME. OKAY. JUST TRYING TO GET OUR KID BACK, YOU KNOW, TO THEIR LEVELS ESPECIALLY AFTER LEARNING LOSS DURING COVID, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE THIS FALL. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
>>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER HAHN?
>>Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. THANKS TO MS. BROWN AND HER TEAM FOR A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION THIS MORNING. I'M GLAD TO SEE A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT APPROACH YOU'RE TAKING AND WORKING WITH DIVISION LEADS. I'M SURE THOSE DIVISION LEADS WHETHER THEY OVERSEE SCHOOLS OR OTHER AREAS OF THE ORGANIZATION A ARE, YOU KNOW, DRILLING DOWN TO THEIR NEXT LEVEL TO PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS TO GET THEIR INPUT. THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S NEEDED AS MEMBER COMBS ADDED. I ALSO AM REALLY EXCITED FOR THE LAUNCH OF THE DASHBOARD.
>>Lynn Gray: I BET YOU ARE.
>>Stacy Hahn: I'VE HAD -- I'VE HAD THE -- A FEW SNEAK PEEKS OVER THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS AND JEREMY HAS REALLY DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB ON THE DASHBOARD SO I KNOW THE PUBLIC WILL BE EXCITED TO SEE IT. I WANT TO THANK THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR PUTTING ACTION STEPS TO MY REQUEST FOR THIS DASHBOARD A FEW MONTHS AGO AND FOR JEREMY AND HIS TEAM FOR THEIR CREATION OF IT, AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO GO LIVE WITH IT, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW SPENDING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY. I'M ALSO GLAD TO SEE THE MAP OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN BECAUSE THAT'S ESSENTIAL TO MOVE THE NEEDLE FOR OUR STUDENTS, AND THE E EMPHASIS ON AT-RISK STUDENTS, THAT WILL CERTAINLY HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON SPECIFICALLY OUR 39 STRUGGLING SCHOOLS BUT ALSO CONTINUE THE -- THE MONEY THAT YOU'RE SPENDING AND THE WAYS YOU'RE SPEBDING IT WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ALL SCHOOLS ACROSS OUR DISTRICT AND THE PARENT ENGAGEMENT PIECE, I WAS GLAD TO SEE MEMBER WASHINGTON AND OTHER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS SAID THIS MORNING IT'S BEEN SO ESSENTIAL TO STUDENT OUTCOMES. MENTAL HEALTH, IT'S AN AREA MEMBER PEREZ HAS BEEN CHAMPIONING. THE ONLY THING I'D LIKE TO ADD, AND I HAD THIS QUESTION WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AROUND TELEMENTAL HEALTH. ONE THING I HEAR FROM CONST CONSTITUENTS, PARENTS AND STUDENTS, IS THE PROCESS TO GET SER SERVICES, YOU ARE TO GO THROUGH A GUIDANCE COUNSELOR OR SOCIAL WORKER AND SOMETIMES THERE IS A TWO-WEEK LAG BEFORE SERVICES CAN BE RECEIVED AND THE ACCESS OR LACK OF ON WEEKENDS, EVENINGS, HOLIDAYS, SUMMER, TELE-MENTAL HEALTH WOULD PROVIDE -- WOULD KNOCK DOWN THOSE BARRIERS I JUST DESCRIBED AND PROVIDE IMMEDIATE ACCESS FOR OUR STUDENTS TO GET MENTAL HEALTH. THEY WOULD HAVE THE TELE-NUMBER AND BE ABLE TO CALL WHEN THEY'RE IN CRISIS. WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT ANYBODY WHO IS HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, IT CAN ESCALATE RATHER QUICKLY. SO EVEN WAITING 24 HOURS SOMETIMES IS DETRIMENTAL TO THE MENTAL HEALTH OF AN ADULT OR CHILD. WITH THE USE OF THE TELE-MENTAL HEALTH, WHICH SOME ARE FREE SERVICES BECAUSE THEY GET REIMBURSED THROUGH INSURANCE AND FEDERAL DOLLARS, THEY CAN TURN WITHIN 24 HOURS AND GENERATE THE REPORT TO THE SCHOOL SO THE GUIDANCE COUNSELORS AND SOCIAL WORKERS CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THEAL STUDENT. SO I'D JUST, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT BEING INNOVATIVE. I WOULD JUST LIKE SOME OF THESE BARRIERS THAT I'M HEARING ABOUT FROM CONSTITUENTS KNOCKED DOWN AND MAYBE THE ESSER MONEY IS SOMETHING THAT CAN CREATE THAT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND BE LONG SUSTAINING LIKE MS. COMBS SAID. OTHER THAN THAT, YOU KNOW, I DO APPRECIATE ALL THE INFORMATION. OBVIOUSLY THIS SHOULD PROBABLY BE ON THE SUSPENDED AGENDA IF WE MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALL NEED TO BE UPDATED ON RATHER FREQUENTLY AND MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE STILL ON TRACK WITH OUR FINANCIAL PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS DISTRICT IS HEADING IN A HEALTHIER FISCAL DIRECTION. THANK YOU.
>>Lynn Gray: WELL SAID, MEMBER HAHN. I JUST WILL PIGGY BACK ON SOME OF THE COMMENTS. I'M VERY RELIEVED AND I KNOW THE CONSTITUENTS WILL BE, THE CHILDREN, PRINCIPALS ESPECIALLY WILL BE RELIEVED TO SEE THAT THE ACTUAL PERSONALITY OF THEIR SCHOOLS WILL BE RETURNED TO THEM, AND WE'RE TALKING THE ARTS, MUSIC, WE'RE ALSO TALKING EXCELLENT DIVERSE LIBRARIES. WE'RE ALSO TALK ING THE DUAL LANGUAGE WHICH IS THE ELL POPULATION SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE EXPANDING DIVERSITY TREMENDOUSLY WITH A LOT OF THESE INITIATIVES AND I HAD A QUESTION TO THE DIVERSITY WHEN WE MENTIONED SPECIAL POPULATIONS ON PAGE 19, SO ARE WE ENGAGING MONICA VERATURADO IN TERMS OF SPECIAL POPULATIONS. THE QUESTION ALSO THE ADJUNCT IS HOW MUCH IS SHE ENGAGED WITH THE EXECUTION OF SOME OF THESE GOALS AS IT RELATES TO DIVERSITY. YEAH, MS. BROWN, THANK YOU.
>> YES, MA'AM. SHE IS ABSOLUTELY INVOLVED AS A MEMBER OF THE CABINET. SHE IS AT EVERY ONE OF THE TASK FORCE MEETINGS. WHENEVER SHE CAN BE THERE. SHE EVEN CALLED IN BEFORE WHEN SHE'S BEEN OUT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TASK FORCE MEETINGS BUT SHE ALSO WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH THE ELL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MS. ELAINEA GARCIA. SHE ALSO WILL BE WORKING CLOSELY AND CONTINUE WORKING CLOSELY WITH KIM WORKMAN WITH ESE POPULATIONS AND ALSO AVAILS HERSELF TO MS. MCCRAY WORKING WITH THE STUDENTS AT RISK ACADEMLY AND MAY HAVE SOME OTHER NEEDS. SO TO YOUR QUESTION, HOW INVOLVED IS DR. EEVATURADO? EXTREMELY INVOLVED.
>>Lynn Gray: THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW. AS I SAID TO HER AND SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, I WOULD LIKE OUR DISTRICT TO BE THE NUMBER ONE DIVERSITY DISTRICT IN THE NATION AND PAYING ATTENTION TO THAT AND THANK YOU, LISA, FOR GETTING ALL THESE GRANTS AND MR. CONNOR FOR EXTENDING THE AFRICAN AMERICAN TASK FORCE, ALL THESE ARE INITIATIVES THAT WILL MAKE THE SCHOOLS REPRESENT THE ACTUAL POPULATIONS THAT WE'RE SERVING AND THAT IS SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS AND THIS IS TIPPING THE HAT TO YOU AS WELL FOR AFFORDING THIS REPLICATION OF THE SCHOOL POPULATION. WE'RE GIVING SCHOOLS BACK THEIR PERSONALITY AND GETTING BACK TO ANYTHING OTHER THAN ONE OTHER THING AND THEN I'M GOING TO BE DONE. YES, MS. BROWN, WE WORKED ON THE TRAUMA-BASED SCHOOLS AND ACTUALLY MEMBER PEREZ, I BELIEVE MS. HAHN WAS THERE. WE HAD A WORKSHOP ON TRAUMA-BASED SCHOOLS. WE BROUGHT IN THE NATIONAL DROPOUT PREVENTION CENTER. A LOT OF FOOTWORK DONE WITH ONE SCHOOL. DO YOU HAVE A VISION AND PERHAPS SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS MAY SAY SOMETHING. MOVING FORWARD, BECAUSE PROBABLY MORE THAN 63% OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE HAD ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES, FORMS OF TRAUMA, ESPECIALLY AFTER COVID. SO WHERE ARE WE AT WITH THAT? I SEE THE LIST. DO WE HAVE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR? ARE WE JUST GOING TO SAY THAT'S THE END, PALM RIVER ELEMENTARY, WE'RE DONE WITH THAT PROGRAM.
>> WE HAVE RECENTLY HAD A MEETING WITH MR. TODD DAGGET.
>>Lynn Gray: GOOD.
>> NATIONAL DROPOUT PREVENTION. WE ARE -- I INTRODUCED HIM TO MS. BAYS WHO WILL BE OVERSEEING STUDENT SERVICES WHO WILL NOW REALLY TAKE ON AND FIGURE OUT WAYS WE CAN EXPAND MORE OF THE TRAINING AND MORE OF THE WORK WITH THE NATIONAL DROPOUT PREVENTION ORGANIZATION SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO FULLY ADDRESS THE TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES, ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES THAT OCCURRED IN STUDENTS SINCE WE HAVE BEEN IN THE PANDEMIC. SO YES, WE WILL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE WAYS THAT WE CAN WORK WITH THE NATIONAL DROPOUT PREVENTION ORGANIZATION AND CUSTOMIZE SPECIFICALLY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY. SO THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS YES, MA'AM. MS. BAYS WILL BE WORKING WITH THEM AND HAVE ALREADY REACHED OUT AND BEEN CONNECTED AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE TRAINING TO OUR STUDENT SERVICES TEAM MEMBERS AROUND TRAUMA SO THEY'RE A RESOURCE WITHIN EACH OF OUR SCHOOLS EVERY DAY TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AS IT RELATES TO ANY TYPE OF TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE.
>>Lynn Gray: THAT'S A GREAT ANSWER. I CHUCKLE, MS. BAYS, BECAUSE YOU AND I BOTH CHUCKLE WHEN WE SEE ALL THE HATS YOU WEAR AND WE JUST GAVE YOU ANOTHER ONE. I THINK I GAVE HER A FEW THE OTHER DAY. LAST, MR. P.E. FORMER COACH, WHY IS THERE ONLY 0.15 AMOUNT OF MONEY GIVEN IN YOUR PLAN TO HEALTH AND P.E.? YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT NOW. I'LL GET ON TO YOU LATER.
>> I CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
>>Lynn Gray: OH, OKAY.
>> SO OUR SUPERVISOR OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH IS INSTRUMENTAL IN WORKING WITH IDENTIFYING WHAT THOSE INITIATIVES SHOULD BE. OBVIOUSLY WE HAD THE CDC GRANT RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF SO TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE FOCUSED ON ECONOMIC LEARNING LOSS AS A PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE GRANT AND SEEING WHERE WE CAN INFUSE THE ACADEMIC RECOVERY THROUGH PHYSICAL EDUCATION IS THE GOAL THERE. SHE IS ON TOP OF IT AND WORKS WITH ME.
>>Addison Davis: AND DOES A GREAT JOB. WE HELP HER WITH HER DESIRES TO EXPAND THE HEALTH MENTALITY INITIATIVE EVERY SINGLE DAY IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. WITH THE OTHER CDC GRANT WE ARE JUST LEVERAGING THOSE FUNDINGS. IF THERE IS A NEED TO RETHINK AND LOOK AT THIS TO EXPAND THIS AWARENESS, WE DEFINITELY WILL.
>>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. THANK YOU, MR. CONNOR FOR GETTING ON TO SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS AND WE'LL PROBABLY GIVE IT TO MS. KIM BAYS ANOTHER HAT. JUST KIDDING.
>>Addison Davis: 240 SCHOOLS? JUST KIDDING.
>>Lynn Gray: BOARD, YEAH -- POOR SUE. I HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO HER YET EITHER. BOARD MEMBERS, I THINK WE HAVE A LOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO. I HOPE THAT YOU'RE EXCITED. THE DASHBOARD, ANY FINAL THOUGHTS? I THINK WE HAVE A FEW MINUTES. MEMBER VAUGHN, I KNOW YOU WANTED A TOPIC TO DISCUSS. CURIOSITY, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS? WE ONLY HAVE A FEW MINUTES BUT EVERY MINUTE COUNTS.
>>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, WHEN ARE WE GOING TO HAVE THE GUIDELINES -- I KNOW THERE IS A BIG MASS CONVERSATION AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER. WHEN WILL WE HAVE THE GUIDELINES AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE OTHER SAFE GUARDS OR COVID THINGS WE'RE ENACTING WITH THE SCHOOLS? I KNOW MEMBER SNIVELY AND I ASKED FOR MONTHS ABILITY QUARANTINE INFORMATION AND WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE ASIDE FROM THE MASS PIECE OF HOW WE'LL BE RESPONSIBLE AND KEEP THE STUDENTS SAFE. WHEN ARE WE AS A BOARD GOING TO HAVE THE UNDERSTANDING ASIDE FROM THE MASKS THE OTHER GUIDELINES AVAILABLE FOR SCHOOL?
>>Addison Davis: SURE. IF YOU GO AND I SENT YOU A COPY ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO WEEKS AGO RELATED TO THE REOPENING PLAN. IT HAS ALL THE ELEMENTS IN THERE. WE'LL STRENGTHEN THAT -- THAT SHOULD GO OUT BY THE END OF THE WEEK. WE HAVE INFORMATION BACK FROM TDH AND THE COMMUNICATIONS. WE HAD ONE MORE LOOK AT IT AS OF YESTERDAY. AND THEN WE'LL SEND IT OUT BY THE END OF THE WEEK. GOING TO -- WON'T BE THE FINAL PRODUCT. I KNOW IT MAY BE A COPY WE HAD AS A ROUGH DRAFT. I'LL SEND YOU THE UPDATED VERSION SO YOU CAN PUT YOUR EYES ON IT. IF WE NEED TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE, LET ME TELL YOU. FROM QUARANTINE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A NUMBER OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND AROUND THE NATION, A LOT OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE NOT OFFERING THE REMOTE LEARNING SIDE OF THE WORK WHICH MEANS THAT QUARANTINES -- THE QUARANTINE PROCESS FOR INSTRUCTION WILL LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT AND HAVE ACCESSIBILITY TO A TEACHER. THIS IS WHY ONE OF THE BIG PUSHES IN THE ESSER GRANT FUNDING IS TO MAKE CERTAIN WE OFFER VIRTUAL TUTORIALS AND TUTORING 24/7 DURING THE DAY SO IF ANYONE NEEDS TO GET, YOU KNOW, THEY GET ASSIGNMENTS ON CANVAS SO THEY'RE ASSIGNED THROUGH CONSUMABLES OR ONLINE TEXT THAT HAY NEED ANY ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE IN THE DAYS THEY MAY BE OUT, THEY HAVE THE CONNECTIVITY WITH, YOU KNOW, AN INDIVIDUAL CERTIFIED TO BE ABLE TO TEACH AND HELP THEM BE SUCCESSFUL. AS IT RELATES TO QUARANTINE, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE HISTORICALLY USED THE 10-DAY QUARANTINE FOR THOSE IMPACTED IN A DIRECT MANNER. THAT WILL TRANSITION AND WE'LL GO BACK AND FOLLOW CDC RECOMMENDATIONS AND GUIDELINE RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO THE SEVEN DAYS MEANING THAT AFTER DAY SIX, IF YOU DO PROVE YOU HAVE A NEGATIVE COVID ASSESSMENT AND PROVIDE THAT DOCUMENTATION, YOU'RE ABLE TO RETURN ON THE EIGHTH DAY IN WHICH WE'RE CUTTING SOME DAYS IN HALF. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, IN DIRECT CONTACT AND HAVE BEEN VACCINATED, WE DO HAVE THE AVAILABILITY TO ALLOW THEM TO PROVE THEY HAVE BEEN VACCINATED AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS WOULD NOT AND DO NOT HAVE THE NEED TO QUARANTINE SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT VACCINATIONS IS CONTINUING TO BE AN OFFERING AND WE SUPPORT THAT PROCESS.
>>Jessica Vaughn: WE HAVE ESTABLISHED THAT VACCINES MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO TRANSMIT OR CARRY OR GET COVID?
>>Addison Davis: WE'RE JUST FOLLOWING THE CDC RECOMMENDATIONS IN THAT RECOMMENDATION AND PROCESS.
>>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU.
>>Lynn Gray: SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, YOU MAY WANT TO SHARE WHAT THE GOVERNOR SHARED THIS MORNING? GOVERNOR DESANTIS? BECAUSE IT WILL BE PART OF THE MEETING TONIGHT.
>>Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. OPENLY I KNOW THERE IS A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS RELATED TO MASKS. SO THIS EVENING WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE I GUESS A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS COMING TO SPEAK PRO-MASK AND THOSE WHO WANT US TO CONTINUE TO WEAR THEM AND THOSE WHO WANT US TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THEM OPTIONAL. I'M BEING VERY CLEAR THAT MASKS WILL BE OPTIONAL MOVING IN THE 21-22 SCHOOL YEAR. IN THAT QUESTION THERE WAS A -- ONE OF THE LOCAL NEWS STATIONS REACHED OUT TO TALLAHASSEE TO ASK WHETHER OR NOT ANY -- WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF A SCHOOL DISTRICT MOVED IN A DIRECTION TO MANDATE MASKS AND OPENLY THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND WE'LL MAKE CERTAIN YOU HAVE ACCESSIBILITY THROUGH THE COMMUNICATIONS OPENLY SAID THEY'LL TAKE ACTION RELATED TO A SPECIAL SESSION TO MAKE SURE THAT MASKS CONTINUE TO BE A CHOICE FOR PARENTS. I DO BELIEVE THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR LOCAL MEDICAL EXPERTS BUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD FROM THE 21-22 SCHOOL YEAR IT WILL BE OPTIONAL AND A CHOICE FOR PARENTS MOVING FORWARD.
>>Lynn Gray: BOARD MEMBERS, I KNOW IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO TAKE A MENTAL REST. WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE. OH, I'M SORRY. MEMBER SNIVELY, DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING?
>>Melissa Snively: I JUST WANTED TO MENTION -- REALLY IT'S JUST INFORMATION ONLY. JULY 15 IS WHEN THE -- THAT WAS SENT TO US, MEMBER VAUGHN, IF YOU WANT TO CHECK YOUR E-MAILS FOR THAT AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT YOU HAVE A QUARANTINE RESOURCE CENTER, A LINK TO THAT FOR OUR PARENTS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS QUARANTINE INFORMATION BECAUSE IT COULD DIFFER FROM SITUATION TO SITUATION. I THINK THAT'S WHAT PARENTS ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT.
>>Addison Davis: THAT WILL BE UPDATED TODAY.
>>Lynn Gray: OKAY. WE ARE ADJOURNED. (SOUNDING GAVEL)