>>Nadia Combs: HI, I'M NADIA COMBS, CHAIR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE SERVE MORE THAN 200,000 STUDENTS. THAT INCLUDES CHILDREN IN PRESCHOOL THROUGH ADULTS IN OUR WORKFORCE PROGRAM.
>>Henry "Shake" Washington: I'M HENRY SHAKE WASHINGTON, THE BOARD VICE CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS THE SEVENTH LARGEST IN AMERICA. AND OUR TEAM IS MADE UP OF MORE THAN 24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT NEARLY 250 SITES ACROSS THE COUNTY.
>>Lynn Gray: OUR DISTRICT IS DIVERSE AND DEDICATED. OUR BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD IN OUR AUDITORIUM SELECT TUESDAYS AT 4:00 P.M. THE BEST WAY IS TO INVOLVE YOU, THE PUBLIC, IN WHAT WE DO.
>> YOU ARE WELCOME TO E-MAIL OR MEET WITH ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND FOLLOW OUR DISTRICT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. BOARD MEETINGS ARE COVERED LIVE BY HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS TV, ON SPECTRUM CABLE CHANNEL 635 AND FRONTIER CABLE CHANNEL 32.
>> MEETINGS ARE ALSO STREAMED LIVE ON OUR WEBSITE AT HILLSBOROUGHSCHOOLS.ORG. CLOSED CAPTIONING IS PROVIDED ON ALL BROADCASTS AND PAST MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR ONLINE ARCHIVE.
>> WE ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. WE'LL INCLUDE TIME FOR AUDIENCE COMMENTS BEFORE WE ADDRESS OUR BUSINESS ITEMS. OUR AGENDA AND ANY SUPPORTING MATERIALS CAN BE VIEWED ONLINE IN ADVANCE. THEY ARE POSTED SEVEN DAYS BEFORE EACH MEETING ON OUR WEBSITE AT HILLSBOROUGHSCHOOLS.ORG.
>>Karen Perez: OUR VISION IS PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE. AND THAT MEANS ALL STUDENTS. EVERY DAY. TODOS LOS ESTUDIANTES, TODOS LOS DIAS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN EDUCATION. WITH YOUR HELP, WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS THAT SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY'S FUTURE. [SOUNDING GAVEL]
>>Nadia Combs: THE BOARD MEETING OF JULY 11, 2023, IS CALLED TO ORDER. MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL NOW LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
>>Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. THANK YOU. NOW PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. (PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE) YOU MAY BE SEATED.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. WE HAVE NO WITHDRAWN ITEMS TODAY. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MEMBER VAUGHN. BOARD MEMBERS, I'D LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S MEETING. AS A REMINDER WE'RE A NONPARTISAN BOARD WHO BELIEVE THAT ALL CHILDREN CAN BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN TO SUCCEED IN OUR DECISIONS WILL BE MADE WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING. TO PAVE THE WAY FOR EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE AGENDA STATEMENTS AND/OR QUESTIONS BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. AFTERWARDS THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN SPED. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS YOU'RE ASKED TO GET BACK INTO THE CUE. MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL NOW REVIEW THE BOARD GUIDELINES.
>>Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AS WE BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON MEETING LET ME QUICKLY REVIEW THE FORMAT OUR MEETINGS. PLEASE SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THERE ARE SPEAKERS IN THE ROOM BEHIND ME THAT ALLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO HEAR THE MEETING UPON STEPPING AWAY FROM THE DAIS. THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTION ON LIVE WEBCAST, ON CABLE TV, ON VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT ALSO CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONS IN THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVES.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. WE HAVE TWO ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN AND THAT'S 5:01 PUBLIC HEARING AND 6:00 EMPLOYEE INPUT. FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND VALUES YOUR INPUT TO THE BOARD. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE FOR YOUR COMMENTS OUR STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND KEEP OUR BOARD INFORMED ABOUT THE RESPONSES. OUR SCHOOL BOARD RESPECTS THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE, HOWEVER, IT'S REQUESTED WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD COMMENTS ARE NOT DIRECTLY PERSONALLY AGAINST A BOARD MEMBER OR STAFF MEMBER BUT RATHER DIRECTED AT THE ISSUES. ANY BEHAVIOR TO INTERRUPT THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. OUR CIVILITY POLICY IS IN PLACE. WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. YOUR THREE MINUTES START WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING. WHEN THERE ARE 30 SECONDS LEFT YOU'LL SEE A RED LIGHT, YELLOW LIGHT AND A CHIME WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. IF THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS WILL COME UP AGAINST THE WALL AND THE FIRST SPEAKER, IF YOU'LL COME UP.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ANTONIO ANICI. A FEW WEEKS AGO THE CHAIR QUESTIONED WHY PARENTS AND RESIDENTS ARE RAISING QUESTION ABOUT THINGS THAT HAS NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM IN THE PAST. OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS WE KEEP SHINING THE LIGHT ON THE TRUE COLORS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND BRINGING TO THE SURFACE THE UNDERMINING MOVES SOME MEMBERS ARE PULLING. FOR EXAMPLE, THE BOARD VOTED 4-3 TO REMOVE THIS BOOK IS GAY FROM ALL MIDDLE SCHOOLS DUE TO ITS OBSCENE AND GROTESQUE MATERIAL FOR MINORS, MORE SPECIFICALLY MIDDLE SCHOOLERS. WHERE DID THE BOOKS GO THAT WERE REMOVED? THEY WERE MOVED TO TWO NEW HIGH SCHOOLS TO BE SEEN BY EVEN MORE MINORS BUT JUST ANOTHER GRADE. HOW IS IT MORE APPROPRIATE TO TEACH 10TH GRADERS HOW TO HAVE GAY SEX THAN IT IS TO TEACH 7TH AND 8TH GRADERS. THEY'RE BOTH UNDERAGE. HOSTING THE MEETINGS DURING NORMAL HOURS WHEN MOST PARENTS ARE WORKING EXCLUDE THE PARENTS THAT WANT TO SHINE THE LIGHT ON YOUR WRONG DOINGS IN PERSON. RESIDENTS THAT ATTEND AND SPEAK ON ISSUES THAT DON'T HAVE CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOLS MIGHT HAVE GRAND CHIRP OR OTHER RELATIVES. THEY ARE ADVOCATING FOR THEM. PRACTICE BEING INCLUSIVE TO ALL RESIDENTS LIKE SOME OF YOU LIKE TO PREACH AND ACCOMMODATE THOSE THAT CAN'T VOICE OPINIONS IN PERSON. AS A TIP FOR THOSE SEEKING REELECTION IN ABOUT A YEAR, THINK HARD ABOUT HOW YOU PLAY YOUR CARDS ON ISSUES LIKE THIS. IT'S QUITE A PARENT YOU THINK -- APPARENT YOU THINK VERY LITTLE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT OF THE E-MAILS YOU RECEIVED THAT CAN'T ATTEND SINCE I PERSONALLY NEVER HEARD ANY E-MAIL SUBMISSION DISCUSSED ON ANY MEETING I ATTENDED IN PERSON ONLINE. THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. DEBBIE HUNT, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CITIZENS DEFENDING FREEDOM. I HAVE A COUPLE OF ISSUES TO REFERENCE TONIGHT. THE FIRST BEING THE PROCLAMATION ON THE MINORITY MENTAL AWARENESS MONTH. IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS MINORITY. AND I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR OWN INFORMATION, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN CHANGING OVER THE YEARS AND ACTUALLY, THE PERCENTAGES ARE 38% HISPANIC. 31% WHITE AND 20% BLACK. SO I THINK THAT IF YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS PROCLAMATION, IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT FOR ALL CHILDREN, NOT JUST MINORITIES. ON AGENDA ITEM 1.09, THIS IS AN AGENDA ITEM TO SELECT A COUPLE OF CIVICS LITERACY CURRICULUM. THE FIRST ONE LISTED ON THE INVOICE THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY FLORIDA TRANSFORMATION EDUCATION IS SPECIFICALLY -- THIS CURRICULUM IS SPECIFICALLY ON THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S NOT APPROVED LIST. SO I FIND IT VERY INTERESTING THAT YOU'D BE MOVING FORWARD WITH ACTUALLY PURCHASING IT. ON AGENDA ITEM 1.10, WHERE YOU'RE PURCHASING USING FEDERAL FUNDS FROM THE TEACHER'S CURRICULUM INSTITUTE, YOU ALSO HAVE AN ITEM THAT'S ON THERE. IT'S THE GOVERNMENT ALIVE POWER POLITICS AND YOU. AND THAT ALSO IS SPECIFICALLY ON THE FDOE'S NOT APPROVED LIST. THE -- ON THE MATH CURRICULUM, THE 1.11 AGENDA ITEM, I'M SURPRISED THAT YOU'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS ITEM. YES, YOU HAD A PUBLIC HEARING LAST MONTH -- LAST MEETING ON THIS ONE, AND IN THAT PUBLIC HEARING, YOU HAD ONE OF YOUR OWN TEACHERS TELL YOU IT WAS NOT TO THE STANDARDS, AND I HAVE ALSO CHECKED THE FDOE MATH CURRICULUM APPROVAL LIST, AND THIS IS NOT ON THAT LIST. THE FINAL ITEM, EXCUSE ME, THE FINAL ITEM 9.06 WHICH IS A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA AND THE CHILDREN'S BOARD FOR THE CARE, CHILD-ADULT RELATIONSHIP ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ONE BECAUSE YOU'RE TAKING INFORMATION DATA ABOUT THE STUDENTS THAT'S BEEN GATHERED THROUGH THE PANORAMA PROGRAM AND PROVIDING IT TO ANOTHER OUTSIDE SOURCE TO THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DISTRICT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. AND WELCOME TO THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT. MY NAME IS JULIE GABHEARTS AND I'M HERE AGAIN TO TALK ABOUT THE BOOKS AND YOU MIGHT WONDER WHY I KEEP COMING BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE VIRTUALLY NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. I KNOW A COUPLE OF YOU ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT THE BOOKS IN BOARD MEETINGS BUT I COME IN AND SAY SOME OF THE MOST GRAPHIC EXPLICIT THINGS AND VERY FEW TIMES HAVE THERE BEEN EVEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IT. AND THEN THE WORKSHOP HAS BEEN PUT OFF LIKE THREE TIMES I THINK SINCE DECEMBER. NOT EVEN A WORKSHOP TO DISCUSS THE WAY THAT ALL OF THESE HORRIFIC BOOKS HAVE MADE IT INTO THE LIBRARIES. THAT'S A LITTLE FRUSTRATING AS A PARENT. SO I WOULD LIKE TO ISSUE AN EXPLICIT CONTENT WARNING IF THERE IS ANY MINORS IN HERE. WELL, THE REASON I KEEP COMING IS BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE SOMEONE NEEDS TO SHINE A LIGHT INTO THE DEEP, DEEP DARKNESS THAT'S IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES, AND TO HELP PEOPLE AND PARENTS UNDERSTAND THEY'VE GOT TO BE AWARE OF THIS AND MOVE TOWARD THE LIGHT AND GET OUT OF THAT DARK PIT. INSEXUALIZATION OF CHILDREN IS A DEEP, DARK PIT THAT NEEDS TO BE EXPOSED. CHILDREN NEED TO BE PROTECTED AND PARENTS NEED TO RETAIN THEIR RIGHT TO PROTECT THEIR OWN CHILDREN FROM THESE LIBRARY LAND MINES OF PORNOGRAPHY. WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THE BOOK, YOU CAN'T SAY PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN FROM BOOKS. THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY CHECK A BOOK OUT FROM THE LIBRARY, IT DIDN'T SAY EXPLICIT CONTENT WARNING. IT SHOULD BUT IT DOESN'T. SO THESE BOOKS SHOULD NOT BE IN SCHOOL LIBRARIES. THEY SHOULD REMAIN AVAILABLE TO ANY ADULTS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOLS BECAUSE WE LIVE IN AMERICA. IT'S A FREE COUNTRY. BUT NOT IN SCHOOLS. SO MY CONCERN IS FOR THE EXCESSIVE SEXUALIZATION OF CHILDREN BECAUSE IT DISMANTLES THEIR NATURAL DEFENSES AND DESENSITIZES THEM FROM PREDATORY SEXUAL BEHAVIOR AND PUTS THEM AT GREAT RISK. THEIR DEFENSES COME DOWN AND THEY HAVE THE RISK OF BEING ATTACKED BY PREDATORS SEXUALLY. SO LET'S DO A LITTLE REVIEW OF SOME OF THE BOOKS IN THE LAST FEW MINUTES THAT I HAVE. THIS IS REALLY SHAMEFUL AND EMBARRASSING TO DO THIS TO SHOW YOU THIS AGAIN. THIS BOOK IS CALLED "BLANKETS". I ACTUALLY PRINTED PICTURES OF THESE PAGES. THIS IS A BOY AND A GIRL ENGAGING IN SEX. YOU CAN SEE HER NUDE AND HIS MOUTH OVER HER BREAST. AMONG OTHER THINGS AND THIS -- THIS BOOK ALSO ATTACKS CHRIS CHRISTIANITY. BRUTALLY ATTACKS CHRISTIAN ANTE. THEN OF COURSE LIKE "THIS BOOK IS GAY" WHICH IS FIVE STEPS HOW TO USE A SEX APP AND MULTIPLE OTHER THINGS LIKE GROUP SEXES, ORGIES, SEX SAUNAS, THINGS LIKE THAT. BURNED. FIRST ENCOUNTER OF SEX SHE WAS DRUNK WITH HER BOYFRIEND. AND THAT'S BESIDE THE REST OF IT WHICH SHE PLANS HER MURDER SPREE AT THE END WHICH I SHOWED AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING AND I'M OUT OF TIME. THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. IF THE NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS WILL PLEASE LINE UP.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS NICK SCATINI. I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO HAVE THESE MEETINGS AT 6:00 SO THIS WAY PARENTS LIKE THE LADY WHO WAS JUST BEFORE ME CAN ATTEND AND IF THIS BOARD TRULY BELIEVES THAT PARENTS SHOULD BE INVOLVED, THEN GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW UP. IF THEY'RE WORKING DURING THE COURSE OF THE DAY AND CANNOT AFFORD TO TAKE THE TIME OFF, TO SEE YOU PEOPLE, THEN YOU SHOULD AFFORD THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT AND TO DO THAT AT 6:00 P.M. I ALSO WANT TO -- WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON TOP OF WHAT DEBBIE JUST SAID. YOU KNOW, WHY ARE YOU VOTING ON INCLUDING IN THE CURRICULUM SOMETHING THAT'S NOT APPROVED BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION? IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, THE BOARD IS GOING BEYOND ITS AUTHORITY TO DO THAT. TAKE FROM WHAT THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT AND NOT HAVE THESE -- THESE VOTES, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT APPROVED BY, YOU KNOW, THE CURRICULUM IS NOT APPROVED BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. SO WHY ARE YOU GUYS VOTING ON IT TO GET IT IN? ALSO ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH. THERE IS SO MANY THINGS THAT DO NOT -- WHAT THEY DO IS THEY SEPARATE PEOPLE OUT. WHY CAN'T WE TALK IN ISSUES OF PEOPLE AS AMERICAN CITIZENS AS A WHOLE INSTEAD OF DIVIDING THEM UP INTO THIS GROUP, THAT GROUP, THIS OTHER GROUP. YOU KNOW, BLACKS, HISPANICS, WHITES, JEWS, ISLAMICS. WE'RE ALL AMERICANS HERE. SO WHY CAN'T WE APPROACH AN ISSUE AND INCLUDE AMERICAN CITIZENS AND DO THAT TO INCLUDE EVERYBODY AS ONE. BECAUSE WE ARE ALL JUST AMERICANS HERE. OKAY? AND THESE ISSUES ARE SO DIVISIVE. WHEN YOU DIVIDE PEOPLE UP INTO GROUPS, IT MAKES THOSE GROUPS AND I'M -- AND -- HAVING ISSUES WITH EACH OTHER. LET'S NOT DO THAT ANYMORE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS AREL HILL. I'M A RESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I TOO WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE BOARD TO CHANGE THEIR MEETING HOURS FOR THE EXACT SAME REASON THAT MY PREVIOUS ASSOCIATE STATED TO ALLOW PARENTS THE OPPORTUNITY THAT ACTUALLY WORK FOR A LIVING TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE MEETING AND 6:00 START TIME WOULD AFFORD THEM TO DO THAT. NEXT, THIS IS DIRECTED TO THE COMMUNIST MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CONFIDENCE, NONE, NIL, ZIP, IN YOUR ABILITY TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CHILDREN WHEN SOME OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN COMING OUT HERE FOR MONTHS TELLING YOU AND READING EXCERPTS OF THESE BOOKS THAT YOU ARE ALLOWING IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. IT'S APPALLING. IT'S DISGUSTING. AND I'M HERE TO PUT YOU ALL IN NOTICE. REFERRING TO THOSE COMMUNIST MEMBERS OF THE PARTY. THAT YOU WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE COME THE NEXT ELECTION FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS KEN OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. CLASSROOM INSTRUCTIONS BY SCHOOL PERSONNEL OR THIRD PARTIES ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY MAY NOT OCCUR IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE THREE. I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TODAY ABOUT MY CONCERNS REGARDING BOOKS AND EDUCATION MATERIALS IN OUR SCHOOL AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE CHILDREN'S SHORT AND LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT. AND HOW THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE IN CONFORMING WITH FLORIDA STATE LAWS. THE CHILDREN I'M SPEAKING OF HAVE NOT YET FULLY REACHED THE AGE OF REASON. THAT AGE IS DEFINED AS THE AGE AS WHICH A PERSON IS CONSIDERED CAPABLE OF DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG. THE GOVERNMENT PASSED VARIOUS LAWS TO PROTECT THESE INDIVIDUALS INCLUDING LABOR LAWS, ONLINE PRIVACY, PROHIBITIONS OF PURCHASING OR POSSESSING MANY DIFFERENT ITEMS. THERE ARE BOOKS IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARY WHICH IN MY VIEW HAVE POTENTIALLY HARMFUL IMPACT ON SOMEONE THAT IS NOT YET REACHED THE AGE OF REASON AND IS OFTEN IN CONFLICT WITH THE VALUES OF THAT CHILD'S FAMILY. ONE OF THE BOOKS I'M REFERRING TO IS "IT FEELS GOOD TO BE YOURSELF, A BOOK ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY". THE STORY PURPORTS REPRESENT IDEAS THAT WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL TO CHILDREN WHO ARE THE STUDENTS IN OUR CLASSROOMS. THE IDEA OF THE CURRICULUM IS TO GUIDE AND SUPPORT THE CHILDREN, LEARNING AND ENGAGE THEM IN A MEANINGFUL WAY. THE RECOMMENDED STUDY GUIDE FOR THE 6-YEAR-OLD AND 7-YEAR-OLDS ASKS THEM TO DISCUSS HOW THE SUBJECT OF THE STORY IS FEELING. WHY DID THE CHILDREN FEEL THIS WAY? THE TEACHER IS GOING TO BE ASKING THESE CHILDREN WHY ARE THEY FEELING THIS WAY AND WHAT DOES A GENDER IDENTITY MEAN TO A 6-YEAR-OLD. THE PURPOSE OF THE BOOK IS TO HELP THE CHILD LEARN ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY OF THEMSELVES, THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. THE BOOK ALSO INCLUDES ADDITIONAL TERMS THAT A 6-YEAR-OLD HAS TO LEARN SUCH AS SIDE GENDER AND NON-BINARY. IN THINKING OF THIS WE NEED TO REFLECT ON THE THREE GROUPS THAT ARE MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR CHILDREN. THE PARENTS, THE SCHOOLS, AND THE SCHOOL BOARD MOST OF ALL. A PARENT'S ROLE IN THE CHILDREN'S LEARNING EVOLVES AS A CHILD GROWS. HOWEVER, ONE THING DOES REMAIN CONSTANT. THE PARENTS ARE THEIR CHILD'S LEARNING MODEL. IT IS THE PARENTS' ATTITUDES ON EDUCATION THAT INSPIRE AND ENCOURAGE THE CHILDREN TO LEARN. PARENTS ARE THE ROLE MODELS FOR THEIR LEARNING IN THE EARLY YEARS AND THEY -- THEY'RE THE CHILD'S FIRST TEACHER. I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY TODAY FOR LETTING ME BE HERE AND REALLY ASK YOU AGAIN TO CONSIDER WHETHER THESE INSTRUCTIONS -- THE BOOKS I MENTIONED MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATE LAW. THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. TIM McGAYHEE FROM TAMPA. THIS BOARD HAS BEEN BESET BY A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO CLAIM A NUMBER OF BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY INVENTORY ARE PORNOGRAPHIC OR HAVE NO EDUCATIONAL VALUE. FIRST OF ALL, PORNOGRAPHY IS INTENDED TO TITILLATE OR EXCITE. I CAN SAY THAT NOT ONCE HAVE ANY OF THESE SPEAKERS MANAGED TO EXCITE ME IN THAT WAY. IN FACT, THEY HAVE ACCUSED ONE OF YOU OF SLEEPING SO I THINK WE CAN SAFELY ASSUME THAT THEIR READINGS WEREN'T AS EXCITING AS THEY FOUND THEM. BUT I'M NOT GOING TO SHAME THEIR KINK. THESE PASSAGES, THEY SEEM TO HAVE REALLY EXCITED THESE READERS IN A DIFFERENT WAY. SOME COME BACK WEEK AFTER WEEK TO DO BOOK REPORTS FOR YOU. AND, YOU KNOW, SO I CAN SAY THIS CONTENT CLEARLY GOT THEM INTERESTED IN READING. AND SOME HAVE EVEN BEEN PROUD TO SAY THAT THEY HAVE READ THE REST OF THE BOOK TOO. IF THIS CONTENT IS GETTING THEM TO READ ENTIRE BOOKS, THEN CLEARLY IT IS SERVING A PURPOSE OTHER THAN HERE TITILLATION. I KNOW THAT SEVERAL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ENCOURAGED READING WITHIN THE DISTRICT SO WE SHOULD EMBRACE THESE ADULTS WHO ARE NOW EMBRACING AND SHARING THIS PHILOSOPHY WITH THE REST OF US. I YIELD MY TIME.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, SPEAKER, NEW INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT. TINA WILLIAMS BRUSTER, PARENT, ADVOCATE. WE MEET AGAIN. I LIKE TO SAY MOVING FORWARD A LOT OF THINGS ARE CHANGING, BUT LET'S NOT FORGET ABOUT RESOURCES. LET'S REMEMBER, BOARD MEMBERS, THAT RESOURCES SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL CHILDREN DAY ONE, NOT DAY THREE. NOT THE TYPICAL SIX WEEKS OUT. DAY ONE. SO 504, IEP, MR. HICKMAN, I'M GOING TO CALL YOU OUT. THAT'S YOUR DEPARTMENT. LET'S MAKE SURE YOUR PEOPLE ARE DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO. SO THAT I CAN BE A MOM THAT I DON'T HAVE TO MAKE ALL THESE CALLS SO I'M REALLY HOPEFUL THAT MOVING FORWARD, OUR KIDS GET THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED. I SHOULDN'T BE THE ESE COORDINATOR. I SHOULDN'T BE THE CASE MANAGER, WHICH THINGS WERE MOVING GREAT. WE HAD AN IEP MEETING. MY CASE MANAGER FOR MY CHILD NEVER FOLLOWED THROUGH. LET'S MAKE SURE THESE THINGS DON'T KEEP HAPPENING. AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO THE FOUNDATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN LAID, LET'S REMEMBER WHO WE WORK FOR. WHY WE'RE OUT HERE FIGHTING. FOR THE STUDENTS. NOT FOR YOU TO LINE YOUR POCKETS WITH THE STUDENTS' MONEY. IT'S FOR THE STUDENTS. LET'S GET THOSE RESOURCES TO STUDENTS. WE'VE CLOSED ALL THESE SCHOOLS. WE'RE REALIGNING THESE BOUNDARIES. LET'S REALIGN THE RESOURCES FOR THE STUDENTS. WHEN IS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY GOING TO RAISE THE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE? ONE MORE THING. WHY, BOARD MEMBERS, WHY, DO YOU CONSTANTLY KEEP VOTING FOR THINGS THAT ARE NOT APPROVED? WHEN ARE WE GOING TO BE PROACTIVE AND NOT CONTINUE TO BE UPSIDE DOWN. DEMAND GREATNESS. LET'S COMPETE NATIONALLY. I'M GOING TO SAY IT AGAIN. I'VE BEEN HERE EIGHT YEARS. I'M USED TO FILET MIGNON. QUITE FRANKLY I'M TIRED OF BALONEY FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. AND IF THE NEXT FEW SPEAKERS CAN PLEASE LINE UP.
>> ALLEN BRUSTER. HELLO TO EVERYONE. I WANT TO KEEP ASKING WHAT IS THE STANDARD AND WHAT IS THE EXPECTATIONS FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WHAT IS IT? BECAUSE I HAVEN'T SEEN IT. AND I HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED IT. NOR HAVE MY KIDS. MY SON IS AN EIGHTH GRADER AT FRANKLIN MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND I'VE BEEN HEARING RUMORS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ELIMINATE THAT SCHOOL. I'M GOING TO SAY THIS. PRINCIPALS, NOT ALL PRINCIPALS, DRIVE OUT GOOD TEACHERS. CONSISTENTLY. AND LAST YEAR, THEY LOST A PROGRAM AND DIDN'T REPLACE IT WITH ANYTHING. WHERE IS THE ROBUST PROGRAMS? WHEN ARE THESE SCHOOLS GOING TO BE COMPETITIVE? COMPETITIVE AND TEACH THESE KIDS HOW TO BE COMPETITIVE GLOBALLY. NOT JUST FLORIDA. GLOBALLY. AND I JUST DON'T SEE IT. I DON'T KNOW WEALTHS -- WHAT'S THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT GOING TO BRING BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF SYSTEMIC ISSUES IN THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND THEY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN HIRE ANOTHER SUPERINTENDENT BECAUSE IF THE SYSTEMIC ISSUES CONTINUE, DO YOU THINK THAT PERSON IS GOING TO STAY A LONG TIME? NO. GET RID OF THE SYSTEMIC ISSUES IN THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM. I LOCK AT MY DOT -- LOOK AT MY DAUGHTER AT GAITHER. THEY BARELY CHECK I.D.s WHEN THE STUDENTS COME IN. WHAT'S THE DRESS CODE THERE? IT'S VERY VAGUE. THEY SHOULD HAVE ONCE A MONTH MANDATORY THAT THE STUDENTS GET OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND CLEAN UP THE COMMUNITY. MANDATORY. THEY SHOULD HAVE ONE DAY A WEEK WHERE THE STUDENTS HAVE TO WEAR THE SCHOOL SHIRT TO SHOW PRIDE IN THEIR SCHOOL. WHAT ARE THEY TEACHING THESE STUDENTS? NOTHING. THEY'RE NOT TEACHING THEM TO HAVE PRIDE IN THEIR SCHOOL AND THEIR COMMUNITY. WHEN WILL HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SET THE STANDARD, A HIGH STANDARD, AND HIGH EXPECTATIONS? WHEN? WHEN WILL THAT HAPPEN? ROBUST SCHOOLS. ROBUST PROGRAMS. DON'T TEAR THEM DOWN AND LET IT KEEP GOING DOWN. REPLACE IT. THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE.
>> HI. MY NAME IS MAYO SHAPOWAL. I LIVE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AND TODAY IS JULY 11th. IT COMMEMORATES A DAY WHERE IN CUBA THERE WAS A PROTEST AND THE PEOPLE WERE OUT THERE FIGHTING FOR THEIR FREEDOM. A REGIME SHUT THAT DOWN. I WANT TO DO THIS IN HONOR OF THEM. AS A RESULT OF A FOYER REQUEST, ON FEBRUARY 14, I WANT TO READ THIS TO YOU. THIS WAS A CORRESPONDENCE SENT TO A SITTING SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, AND IT SAYS, IT'S MY HONOR TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOST A DINNER FOR THE HONORABLE THE NIAS TAURUS RIVERA. THE CUBANS CHARGED THEIR AFFAIRS TO THE UNITED STATES WHICH IS THE CUBAN AMBASSADOR. I'D LIKE TO PERSONALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND THE DINNER FRIDAY, MARCH 3, AT 6:30 P.M. AT AMICE AND PLACE IN TAMPA. ADDITIONAL DETAILS ARE ATTACHED. THIS WAS A RESULT OF A FOYER REQUEST WE WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN THIS INFORMATION. I WANT TO GO ON TO SAY THAT ON MARCH 3, THAT DINNER WAS ATTENDED AND IT WAS ALSO ATTENDED NOT ONLY BY THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER HERE TODAY BUT BY THE AMBASSADOR AND MANY OTHER PEOPLE. IT WASN'T BY ACCIDENT. IT WASN'T BY HAPPENSTANCE. THEY KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AND MANAGED TO BE THERE. I ALSO WANT TO GO INTO THE CUBAN INTELLIGENCE -- EXCUSE ME. OUR FBI PUT TOGETHER A RISK ASSESSMENT. THEY UNDERSTOOD AND CUBA UNDERSTANDS THAT THERE IS A VULNERABILITY IN OUR ACADEMIA. THEY ARE TARGETING OUR ACADEMIA SO TO HAVE A SITTING SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER SITTING AT THIS MEETING WITH THE AMBASSADOR TO CUBA IS A CONCERN TO EVERYBODY IN HERE. THIS IS NOT A LEFT OR RIGHT ISSUE. THIS IS AN AMERICAN ISSUE. AT THE START OF THIS MEETING, I SAW AS WE ALL STOOD AND PUT OUR HANDS UPON OUR HEARTS, WE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THAT FLAG WHICH IS THE UNITED STATES FLAG. WE DIDN'T PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO ANY OTHER FLAG. JUST THAT FLAG. I WANT TO GO FURTHER TO SAY THAT THERE IS STILL CUBA -- CUBA IS STILL ON THE LIST FOR STATE SPONSORED TERRORISM. THEY'RE STILL THERE. WE KNOW THAT THEY SPONSORED TERRORISM. THE IDEA THAT WE WOULD HAVE SOMEBODY AGAIN, A SITTING SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MEETING WITH THIS PERSON TO GO AHEAD AND DISCUSS I CAN ONLY IMAGINE IS INAPPROPRIATE. TO SAY IT'S INAPPROPRIATE IS REALLY THE MINIMUM OF ALL THE THINGS IT IS. SO I WANT TO SAY THIS. I WANT TO SAY THAT AGAIN, THIS IS AN AMERICAN ISSUE. THE CHILDREN HERE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DESERVE BETTER. WE DESERVE BETTER THAN SOMEONE WHO IS WILLING TO ENGAGE WITH THE ENEMY. AND I'M CALLING OUT KAREN PEREZ AND ASKING YOU TO RESIGN.
>> THIS IS NOT ABOUT ATTACKING BOARD MEMBERS.
>> I HAVE THE RIGHT.
>> KEEP THEIR COMMENTS ABOUT THE ISSUES AND NOT ATTACK INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS OR STAFF.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MR. PORTER. JUST AS A REMINDER OUR CIVILITY POLICY IS IN PLACE. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE.
>> AFTERNOON, BOARD. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME ACTUALLY COMING TO A MEETING. MY NAME IS PATRICK BAILEY. I'M A PARENT OF TWO DAUGHTERS HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THE OLDEST IS GOING TO BE IN 10TH GRADE AND THE OTHER IS GOING INTO MIDDLE SCHOOL, 6TH GRADE. I HAVE A FEW CONCERNS AND I'LL ECHO THEM. ONE, OUR MEETINGS DO NEED TO BE CHANGED TO 6:00. THERE WOULD BE A LOT MORE PEOPLE HERE IN SUPPORT AND IN ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN WHAT IS GOING ON AT 6:00 BECAUSE THEY'RE OUT WORKING. I HAD TO TAKE OFF WORK EARLY AND GET PERMISSION TO COME HERE TO BE HERE AT MY FIRST MEETING WHEREAS IF IT WAS AT 6:00, I WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT. THE PARENTS AND CITIZENS HERE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT TAKING OFF WORK TO COME TO A REGULAR MEETING. SECOND I'LL ECHO WHAT ANOTHER SPEAKER SAID ABOUT THE PROCLAMATION IN REGARDS TO THE MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS OR MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH. WHY WOULD WE PUT MINORITIES AND TALK ABOUT A VIDEO THAT I SAW UP HERE WITH EVERY ONE OF YOU UP HERE SPEAKING AND ONE OF YOU SAID, WE REPRESENT ALL STUDENTS. MINORITY IS NOT ALL. IT SHOULD BE ALL STUDENTS. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE IN ANY PARTICULAR RACE, COLOR OR ANYTHING IN REGARDS TO MENTAL ILLNESS. MENTAL ILLNESS HITS EVERYBODY. THEY ALL NEED ADDRESS AND ATTENTION FOR THAT. AND LASTLY, IF I WERE TO WALK OVER TO THIS FINE GENTLEMAN OVER HERE, THIS OFFICER, AND PUNCH HIM, I'D GET THROWN IN JAIL BECAUSE THAT IS ILLEGAL. I KNOW THAT. HOW COULD I HAVE ILLEGAL BOOKS OF PORNOGRAPHIC NATURE THAT IS ILLEGAL FOR MINORS TO READ IN A SCHOOL LIBRARY? I AM TERRIFIED OF MY DAUGHTER GOING TO MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HAVING ACCESS TO THESE BOOKS BEING GIVEN TO HER BY A -- AN ADULT, A SUPERIOR, SOMEONE SAYING I KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR YOU BECAUSE I'M HERE TO TEACH YOU AND TELL YOU YOU CAN HAVE THIS BOOK AND READ IT WHEN THAT IS COMPLETELY FALSE BECAUSE IT'S ILLEGAL. THEY CAN'T WALK IN AND BUY A PLAYBOY OR GO TO A STRIP CLUB OR BUY ALCOHOL OR GET CIGARETTES OR VOTE OR DO ANY OF THOSE THINGS UNTIL THEY REACH A CERTAIN AGE. LET ADULTS HAVE IT. SOMEONE TALKED ABOUT HOW ADULTS HAVE BEEN REAL READING THE BOOKS AND THAT'S GREAT. THE PURPOSE OF THE BOOKS. HE KIND OF SHOT HIMSELF BY SAYING ADULTS. WE HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH ADULTS READING THE BOOKS. READ UNTIL YOUR HEART IS CONTENT. GO TO THE STRIP CLUB AND GET ALL THE PORNOGRAPHIC BOOKS AND THINGS YOU WANT TO GET. GET THE MOVIES. DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO ONCE YOU'RE 18. IF YOU'RE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, YOU'RE A MINOR. LET'S KEEP THE ILLEGAL THINGS OUT. LET'S GET THE THINGS BACK ON TRACK AND SCHOOL BOARD PUT TO THE POSITION WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY CARING ABOUT OUR CHILDREN AND NOT JUST PRETENDING WE CARE ABOUT OUR CHILDREN. THANK YOU GUYS.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS CURT THORSEN. I'M A TEACHER HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH FOR 13 YEARS, 15 OVERALL. I TAUGHT IN MULTIPLE SCHOOLS. MADE RELATIONSHIPS WITH HUNDREDS OF COLLEAGUES, TEACHERS, ADMINS, PARENTS AND STUDENTS. WE'RE ALL AWARE OF THE NEW RULES IN TALLAHASSEE THAT THEY'RE LENDING DOWN ON ALL THE COUNTIES. WE HAVE TO BE IN ACCORDANCE FOR THOSE. I'M HERE FOR AN HCPS POLICY ON THE BOOKS FOR YEARS. IF YOU'VE BEEN AROUND SCHOOLS, I'VE OBSERVED AND A LOT OF PEOPLE OBSERVED A TREND. THAT'S THE LACK OF ENFORCEMENT OF THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED SCHOOL CODE OF CONDUCT PERTAINING TO DRESS CODE. TWO YEARS AGO I WAS INVITED TO A WORKSHOP IN THE ROOM TO ADDRESS THIS WITH OTHER TEACHERS AND ADMIN ACROSS HILLSBOROUGH. MY BREAKOUT SESSION FOCUSED ON DRESS CODE. WHILE WORKSHOPPING I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, THESE REVISIONS ARE POINTLESS IF THEY'RE NOT ENFORCED. FOR THE 23-24 SCHOOL CODE OF CONDUCT IT STATES CLOTHING THAT EXPOSES THE ENTIRE SHOULDER MAY ONLY BE WORN WITH A BLOUSE OR SHIRT. CLOTHING EXPOSING THE MIDREF SHOULD NOT BE WORN. UNDERWEAR SHOULD NOT BE VISIBLE AND SHOW MIDCHEST AREA OR WITH TEARS THAT ARE DECENT SHALL NOT BE WORN. CLOTHING TRADITIONALLY DESIGNED AS UNDERGINE OR SLEEP WEAR SHOULD NOT BE WORN. ALL PANTS SHOULD BE SECURE TO THE WAIST. BOYS SHIRTS SHOULD HAVE SLEEVES. HEMLINES SHALL NOT BE SHORTER THAN FINGER TIP LENGTH. THIS IS NOT A HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS ISSUE. PASCO MADE NEWS ABOUT THEIR PROBLEM WITH IT. IT'S NOT JUST HERE. BUT YOU GO BY A BUS STOP OR WATCHING STUDENTS COMING TO OR FROM SCHOOL AND YOU'LL SEE THE PROBLEM IN THE FLESH. AND I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS SEE IT TOO BECAUSE WHEN I'M AT SCHOOL YOU SEE IT AS CLEARLY AS I DO. IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SCHOOLS TO ENFORCE THE DISTRICT'S RULES AND PROTOCOLS. AFTER CONVERSATIONS WITH PARENTS ACROSS HILLSBOROUGH, ENFORCEMENT IS NOT WHERE IT SHOULD BE. OUR SCHOOLS ARE A PLACE OF BUSINESS AND LEARNING. THE DISTRICT AND ALL THE SCHOOLS SPECIFICALLY SECONDARY SCHOOLS NEED TO GET A HANDLE ON THE PROBLEM. A SCHOOL IS NOT A MALL, A BEACH, A POOL, A GYM OR BAYSHORE BOULEVARD. DRESS CODE IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN STUDENTS ARE PERMITTED TO WEAR HATS AND HOODS THEY CANNOT BE IDENTIFIED BY CAMERAS OR STAFF THEMSELVES. HEAD COVERINGS SHOULD NOT BE WORN UNLESS FOR RELIGIOUS OR HEALTH RELATED REASONS. I IMPLORE THE BOARD TO ENFORCE THIS TO SCHOOLS. IF WE'RE TRULY PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE LIKE THE MARQUEE SAYS, STUDENTS SHOULD BE HELD TO A REASONABLE EXPECTATION TO ABIDE BY THE RULES AND GUIDELINES SET FORTH BY THE DISTRICT. SO AGAIN, ENFORCEMENT IS NOT HAPPENING AND THE STUDENTS KNOW IT. THEY TELL EACH OTHER, YOU WON'T BE DRESS CODED. SO PLEASE, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT, AS WE BEGIN THE SCHOOL YEAR, PLEAD WITH YOUR SCHOOLS TO ENFORCE WHAT IS ALREADY ON THE BOOKS AND HOLD STUDENTS TO A REASONABLE EXPECTATION IN IMPOSING APPROPRIATE WORKPLACE LEARNING.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. SORRY, THANK YOU.
>> HI. MY NAME IS TAMARA PEREZ AND MY SON IS A RISING THIRD GRADER. SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN MY VIDEO THAT CIRCULATED RECAPPING A RECENT SCHOOL MEETING WHERE THE PRINCIPAL FULLY INTENDED TO REMOVE ADA SERVICES FROM ALL AUTISTIC CHILDREN SCHOOLWIDE. MY SON WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM AT THE AGE OF THREE AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED ABA THERAPY. MY SON HAD TO LEARNS BASIC HUMAN FUNCTIONS THAT ALL PARENTS WOULDN'T EVEN NOTICE AS A MILESTONE FOR THEIR TYPICALLY DEVELOPING CHILDREN. ABA HELPED MY SON TO LEARN TO COMMUNICATE APPROPRIATELY, EYE CONTACT AND EVEN HELP POTTY TRAIN HIM. AT AGE 4ABA HELPED HIM TO DRESS, WASH HIS HANDS AND SIT DURING CIRCLE TIME. AT AGE FIVE, ABA WORKED ON SENSORY ISSUES LIKE WEARING A HAT, SUN GLASSES AND A MASK ON HIS FACE DURING COVID. AT AGE SIX, TAUGHT MY SON HOW TO ASK FRIENDS TO PLAY ON THE PLAYGROUND SO HE WOULDN'T BE LEFT ON THE SIDELINES. AT AGE SEVEN, THEY TAUGHT MY SON HOW TO RAISE IZHIS HAND -- HIS HAND AND SPEAK IN FRONT OF HIS PEERS AND TODAY AT AGE EIGHT HIS SOCIAL IMPROVEMENTS IN SPEECH AND LANGUAGE ARE NOTICEABLY DIFFERENT. FOR THE FIRST TIME HE IS ABLE TO TELL ME SOMETHING ABOUT HIS DAY. HE HAS NOT ONE BUT SIX BEST FRIENDS AND HE IS THRIVING BECAUSE ABA WAS WITH HIM CHEERING HIM ON DURING SOME OF HIS MOST ANXIETY FILLED MOMENTS. ABA THERAPY IS GENERALLY PROVIDED BY THE PARENT FREE TO THE DISTRICT YET ABA IS BEING REMOVED AND THERAPY DENIED TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE IN A DISTRICT THAT IS UNDERFUNDED, UNDERSTAFFED, POSITIONS CAN NOT BE EASILY FILLED AND IEPs ARE NOT BEING FOLLOWED. IF A CHILD HAS A PHYSICAL DISABILITY NEEDED A WHEELCHAIR, WOULD YOU ALLOW A PRINCIPAL TO REMOVE THE WHEELCHAIR AND ASK THEM TO WALK? ABA IS MY SON'S WHEELCHAIR. IF IT WERE REMOVED EVERYTHING WE WORKED FOR WOULD PLUMMET AND SO WOULD HIS GRADES AND CONFIDENCE. WHEN ABA IS WITH HIM IN SCHOOL, HE IS ABLE TO FOCUS, STAY ON TASK, LOWER HIS ANXIETY, THRIVE IN SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS AND SO MUCH MORE BUT BECAUSE HE HAS AN INVISIBLE DISABILITY YOU BELIEVE IT'S UP TO THE PRINCIPAL OR TEACHER AGAINST MEDICAL ADVICE FROM NEUROLOGISTS, PSYCHOLOGISTS AND DEVELOPMENTAL PEDIATRICIANS. THE CHILDREN DESERVE THIS THERAPY IN SCHOOL IN A NATURAL AND ORGANIC CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT. THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE.
>> HELLO, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS BRIAN PEREZ. I'M A CURRENT HILLSBOROUGH TEACHER. TODAY I'LL BE TAKING THE HAT OFF AND TALKING TO YOU AS A DAD. THE CURRENT LAW STATES THAT ABA MUST BE PERMITTED ON SCHOOL CAMPUSES. HOWEVER, THE STUDENTS TEACHER AND PRINCIPAL MUST CONSENT TO THE TIME AND PLACE. THIS ONE LINE IS THE LOOPHOLE THAT PRINCIPALS ARE USING TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST OUR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN TO REMOVE OR DENY THEIR THERAPY. AT THE LAST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING ON JUNE 20, THE BOARD SPOKE OUT IN SUPPORT OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY AS THEY SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BE SUPPORTING. MEMBER VAUGHN, YOU SAID THE SCHOOL BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SUPPORTS THE RIGHT OF EVERY STUDENT TO EXPERIENCE EQUALITY, EQUITY, AND FREEDOM FROM RIGHT OF EVERY -- A STUDENT TO EXPERIENCE -- AND THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY DISCRIMINATION. YOU SAID THAT IF A CHILD DOES NOT FEEL SAFE, THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON THEIR SCHOOL WORK. AND THEREFORE NOT SUCCEED. MEMBER PEREZ, YOU SAID HUMANS ARE BETTER OFF WHEN THEY CAN SEE THEMSELVES REFLECTED IN OUR SOCIETY. AND FEEL LIKE THEY TRULY BELONG. MEMBER HAHN, YOU SAID BY FOSTERING AN ENVIRONMENT OF OPEN MINDEDNESS, EMPATHY AND KINDNESS WE CAN CREATE A SPACE WHERE INDIVIDUALS FEEL HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD AND RESPECTED. MEMBER GRAY, YOU SAID THE WELFARE AND WELLBEING OF OUR STUDENTS IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND MR. WASHINGTON, YOU SAID CANED YOU IMAGINE ME DISCRIMINATING AGAINST A MEMBER OF THE LGBTQ AS A PRINCIPAL? WELL, OTHER PRINCIPALS ARE DOING THAT JUST THAT. BY USING THIS LOOP HOLE I ASK YOU TO REFLECT INWARDS TODAY. YOU SAY THESE THINGS BUT WHAT ARE YOUR ACTIONS SHOWING? DO OUR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN FEEL ACCEPTED, SUPPORTED AND INCLUDED? WHEN YOU REMOVE THEIR THERAPY, TODAY WE'RE ASKING THE BOARD TO SHOW LOVE AND COMPASSION TO SHOW WE'RE INCLUSIVE AND ACCEPTING AND SHOW OUR DISTRICTS ARE SURROUNDING US AND OUR STATE THAT WE'RE GOING TO REMOVE THIS LOOPHOLE AND TRULY BE AN INCLUSIVE COUNTY. MEMBER VAUGHN, YOU SAID ACCEPTANCE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE CHANCES OF US KNOWING SOMEONE THAT IS FROM THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY, IT MIGHT BE OUR FRIENDS, IT MIGHT BE OUR NEIGHBORS, AND IF WE HAVE A BUNCH OF KIDS, IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THEM. I AGREE. WE NEED TO BE ACCEPTING BECAUSE CHANCES ARE SOMEONE WE KNOW IN THIS COMMUNITY HAS AUTISM. IT'S OUR FRIENDS, IT'S OUR NEIGHBORS, AND IF WE HAVE KIDS, IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THEM. THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE.
>> HI. I'M SHORT. SORRY, ONE SECOND. MY NAME IS KATELYN PETERSON. I'M A BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYST WORKING HERE IN THE TAMPA BAY REGION. I'M ALSO A CLINICAL DIRECTOR FOR AN AVA COMPANY IN THE REGION. I WANTED TO COME TODAY AND TALK TO YOU ALL REGARDING THE ABA SERVICES IN SCHOOL. I HAVE PERSONALLY PROVIDED SERVICES TO CLIENTS AND MANY DIFFERENT AREAS, CLINICS, HOMES, COMMUNITY, AND SCHOOLS. AND WE'RE ALL HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE HAVE ONE FOCUS, AND THAT'S OUR KIDS. WHETHER YOU HAVE A -- GRANDKIDS OR YOUR OWN KIDS, WE WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO LEARN, GROW, BE SAFE, HAVE FUN, AND MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH OTHERS. THE GOALS I'VE JUST LISTED ARE A LOT OF TIMES TAKEN FOR GRANTED. KIDS WHO ARE OF TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT CAN ACHIEVE THOSE SKILLS REALLY NATURALLY. WHEREAS KIDS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM, THEY NEED ASSISTANCE. MANY OF THEM NEED GUIDANCE. HOWEVER, JUST BECAUSE ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED DOES NOT MAKE THE GOALS ANY LESS IMPORTANT OR NECESSARY FOR THEM. I AS A CLINICIAN HAVE BROUGHT CLIENTS -- I'M BROUGHT INTO THE CLIENTS' LIVES BECAUSE THE DOCTORS DEEM MY SERVICES MEDICALLY NECESSARY FOR THE CLIENTS-GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. THE ONLY WAY TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES WITH GREAT EFFECT IS TO PROVIDE THEM IN A MULTITUDE OF LOCATIONS TO BEST GENERALIZE SCHOOLS. ACCESS TO SCHOOLICIZE CRUCIAL FOR AB -- SCHOOLS IS CRUCIAL FOR ABA PROVIDERS AND SUCCESS. WE'RE SEEKING TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES IN A MANNER THAT'S EFFECTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED. I HAVE IMMENSE RESPECT FOR TH TEACHERS WHO WORK WITH THESE KIDS AND THE PARENTS DO AS WELL AS THEY DO ON A DAILY BASIS, AND I SEEK TO COORDINATE CARE WITHIN THE BEST I CAN BECAUSE THEY DESPERATELY NEED OUR SERVICES IN THOSE SCHOOLS TO SUCCEED. I'D LIKE TO ASK, YOU KNOW, A QUESTION JUST FOR SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT OF, WHAT IS THE CRITERIA THE PRINCIPALS ARE USING TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY FOR ABA PROVIDERS IN SCHOOLS. AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE IS NOT A CRITEAR INTRA. AND IT'S KIND OF JUST WHETHER THE PRESENCEPLE WANTS TO OR NOT. AT LEAST THAT'S MY PHONE CALLS WITH THE PRINCIPALS. THAT'S MY PHONE CALLS AND COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE PROVIDERS UNFORTUNATELY. AND THEN ALSO, IF MULTIPLE CLINICIANS HAVE DEEMED THIS NECESSARY, WOULD IT NOT BE THE WISEST DECISION TO GO BASED ON WHAT HAS BEEN MEDICALLY NECESSARY FOR THE KID. WHAT IS DEEMED MEDICALLY NECESSARY, BY AGAIN, NEUROLOGISTS, CLINICIANS, SO MANY PEOPLE. I KNOW YOU ALL ARE TRYING TO DO YOUR BEST TO PREPARE STU STUDENTS -- I SEE THAT HERE AND THIS IS MY FIRST MEETING SO I SEE PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE AND THAT'S AMAZING. THAT'S MY JOB. THAT'S WHAT MY GOAL IS. I CAN'T DO THAT IF I'M NOT THERE. I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT. AND I REALLY AM JUST SEEKING TO COORDINATE CARE WITH TEACHERS AND AS SO MANY ABA PROVIDERS ARE, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS AMANDA CURIN. I'M A THERAPIST IN PRIVATE PRACTICE AND MY SON NOAH IS A RISING SECOND GRADER AT MOBRY ELEMENTARY. HE HAS A DIAGNOSE OF SPECTRUM DISORDER AND RECEIVES A FREE AND APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION. PRESENTLY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PROVIDES MY SON WITH A PARA. THEY LACK THE SKILLSET AND EDUCATION REQUIRED OF THE BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIORAL ANALYST AND REGISTERED TECHNICIAN THAT WORK WITH MY SON. IT'S NOT JUST MY OPINION. THE ABA PRESENCE IS DEEMED MEDICALLY NECESSARY BY HIS PHYSICIAN. IT IS NOT LOST ON THE MOTHERS OF THIS COMMUNITY THAT THERE IS A LOOPHOLE IN THE CURRENT LAW. THAT SAID, THE DISTRICT IS NOT HONORING THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION IN WHICH THE LAW WAS WRITTEN. BY REFUSING ACCESS OF ABA THERAPISTS ON CAMPUS, THE DISTRICT IS ACTING IN BAD FAITH AND PREVENTING OUR CHILDREN FROM RECEIVING AN APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION. WHILE IT COSTS THE DISTRICT NOTHING TO ALLOW THESE MEDICALLY NECESSARY PROVIDERS INTO THE SCHOOL, KEEPING THEM OUT WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY COSTLY FOR THE DISTRICT. OF COURSE, MY SON REGULARLY GOES ALL DAY AT SCHOOL WITHOUT EATING A SINGLE THING. I'M IN A DUE PROCESS RIGHT NOW FOR MY SON TO BE PERMITTED TO HAVE THE ASSISTANCE OF HIS ABA THERAPIST DURING LUNCH. IN RECENT MONTHS, THE DISTRICT HAS HAD TO PAY FOR AN INDEPENDENT EDUCATION EVALUATION AND YOU'RE CURRENTLY PAYING YOUR ATTORNEY TO SPEAK TO MY IEP ADVOCATE FOR AN UNRESOLVED IEP SINCE FEBRUARY. I CAN'T SPEAK TO EXACTLY HOW MUCH THE DISTRICT HAS SPENT TO KEEP MY SON FROM HAVING OUTSIDE SUPPORT DURING LUNCH SO HE CAN EAT. BUT IT HAS COST ME AND MY FAMILY $5,000 SO FAR THIS YEAR. SO MUCH FOR A FREE PUBLIC EDUCATION. IT PAINS ME TO CONSIDER HOW MUCH BETTER USED MY TIME AND MONEY COULD BE SPENT TOWARDS MEETING MY SON'S NEEDS IF THE DISTRICT WOULD JUST BE REASONABLE. PART OF WHY WE CHOOSE TO LIVE IN THIS AREA IS AN EXPECTATION OF THE DISTRICT AND THE EDUCATION THEY PROVIDE TO OUR CHILDREN. THE LAST THING WE WANT FOR OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS BAD PRESS AND FURTHER LAWSUITS. WE JUST WANT OUR CHILDREN TO HAVE ACCESS TO WHAT THEIR DOCTORS AND THEIR MEDICAL INSURANCE COMPANY HAS DEEMED AS BEING MEDICALLY NECESSARY FOR THEM. AND WHILE MY HUSBAND COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY, DR. JASON CURIN WROTE, I'M AUTISTIC AND ALSO A FATHER OF TWO AUTISTIC SONS, ONE OF WHOM IS CURRENTLY ATTENDING PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT. HE REQUIRES ABA SUPPORT DURING THE SCHOOL DAY AND MY FAMILY FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO GET HIM WHAT HE NEEDS TO ACCESS A PUBLIC EDUCATION. A PUBLIC EDUCATION IN WHICH HE HAS A RIGHT IN WHICH ANY NEUROTYPICAL CHILD. ON THE ONE HAND YOU CAN PROFESS TO SUPPORT THE DISABLED BY ALLOWING ACCOMMODATIONS TO A LEGALLY PROTECTED CLASS ON THE OTHER WITHOUT ANY JUSTIFICATION YOU ALLOW INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS TO DENY THE SAME ACCOMMODATIONS. SUPPOSE A CHILD WERE CONFINED A WHEELCHAIR. WOULD YOU ALLOW IT TO THE PRIN PRINCIPAL'S DISCRETION?
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. I KNOW EVERYBODY IS -- IS LOOKING AT EACH OTHER AND SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, I KNOW YOU WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THAT.
>>Van Ayres: THANK YOU. DR. HICKMAN, IF YOU COULD ASSIST THE FAMILIES PLEASE. THANK YOU, SIR.
>>Nadia Combs: OKAY. THANK YOU. SO DR. HICKMAN WILL BE TALKING TO SOME OF THE FAMILIES. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. YES. IF YOU COULD JUST FOLLOW HIM TO THE BACK, SOME OF THE SPEAKERS THAT CAME PRIOR. OKAY. WE'LL -- WE'LL GO THROUGH ALL THE SPEAKERS AND THEN DR. HICKMAN WILL SPEAK TO EACH OF YOU. OKAY. AFTER WE FINISH. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. THAT WAY HE CAN WORK WITH EVERYONE AT ONE TIME. YOU CAN BEGIN. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS JESSICA SOUTHERN AND I'M GATHERED WITH OTHER LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE WE WANT ABA THERAPY IN THE CLASSROOM. MY SON NEEDS ABA THERAPY IN THE CLASSROOM. MY SON HAS ALWAYS BEEN MAIN STREAMED. NO TWO AUTISTIC CHILDREN LOOK THE SAME. LET ME TALK ABOUT MY SON. HE IS AUTISTIC. HE IS A GENIUS. LET ME EXPLAIN THE ANXIETY MY SON AUGUSTINE FEELS. IMAGINE A PIT OF STRESS IN YOUR STOMACH THAT DOESN'T GO AWAY AND FEELING THE NEED TO HANG IN A BATHROOM OR PRETENDING YOU'RE SICK TO GET OUT OF SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS. IMAGINE A PLAYGROUND EXPERIENCE THAT FEELS LIKE THE WILD WEST. KIDS ARE PLAYING GAMES AND RUNNING AROUND SCREAMING BUT YOU HAVE A STUDENT WHO DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO FIT INTO THAT SURROUNDING. IT'S NOT BLACK AND WHITE. WHAT ALLOWED HIM TO BE AT THE TOP OF HIS CLASS ACADEMICALLY DOESN'T GIVE HIM THE SAME TOOLS TO UNDERSTAND SOCIAL SETTINGS. WHEN A BALL ON THE PLAYGROUND ACCIDENTALLY HITS HIM HE THINKS IT WAS ON PURPOSE. THIS IS THEIR WEAKNESS. READING OTHERS. UNDERSTANDING THE DYNAMICS OF RELATIONSHIPS. NOT ALLOWING ABA THERAPY IN THE MOST ORGANIC ENVIRONMENT OF SCHOOL IS HORRIFIC. YOUR MISSION STATEMENT DOESN'T APPLY TO MY SON TO ENABLE EACH STUDENT TO EXCEL AS A SUCCESSFUL AND CITIZEN. HIS NEEDS WOULD BE MET WITH PARTNERSHIPS OF ABA THERAPISTS HELPING HIM GROW AS A RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN. HERE IS WHAT A FRIEND WHO IS A TEACHER SENT ME. I BENEFITED FROM HAVING AN ABA THERAPIST IN THE CLASSROOM. IT NOT ONLY PROVIDED THE SUPPORT BUT ALLOWED FOR THE TEACHER TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AND PROVIDE AN INCLUSIVE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR THEIR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENT. THE ABA THERAPIST WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE INSIGHTFUL INFORMATION TO ASSIST IN LESSON PLANNING AND DAILY ENGAGEMENT WITH THE STUDENTS. IT RELIEVED THE TEACHER FROM THE STRESSES THAT COME WITH NOT BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THE MUCH NEEDED ATTENTION AND GUIDANCE THE CHILDREN NEED AND DESERVE. IT'S ESSENTIAL TO STUDENTS WITH AUTISM JUST AS MUCH AS NON-ENGLISH SPEAKER NEEDS AN INTERPRETER. ABA THERAPISTS ARE THE TRANSLATORS OF SOCIAL NORMS AND APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR. THEY'RE THE BRIDGE THAT BETTER CONNECTS RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN STUDENT AND TEACHER. I ASK YOU TAKE THE TIME AND VISIT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS YOU REPRESENT TO MEET KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS LOU BARBIE AND I'M A BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYST AND I'VE BEEN WORKING IN HILLSBOROUGH FOR OVER A DECADE WITH SERVING -- AUTISTIC COMMUNITY. I OPEN MY PRACTICE BECAUSE I WORK FOR SO MANY PLACES THAT SEEM TO CARE JUST ABOUT DEALING WITH THINGS THAT DIDN'T MATTER. WHEN I OPEN MY PRACTICE I MADE FOCUS TO ADVOCATE FOR AUTISTIC COMMUNITY. I WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT I TOTEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE REASON WHY A PRINCIPAL WILL SAY NOTUSE. I HAVE -- TO US. I HAVE MANY GREAT EXPERIENCES IN THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS ALLOWING US AND MAKING SUCH A GREAT PROGRESS EVEN MAKING FRIENDS WITH THE TEACHER AT THE END. I'M CRYING OF HOW MUCH PROGRESS A CHILD HAS MADE. BUT WHEN THEY CLOSE THE DOOR TO US, THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO. WE CAN FIGHT FOR OBSERVATION IF WE HAVE A YELLOW CARD, MAYBE FOR AN HOUR AND THAT'S IT. WE TOLD THE PARENTS, I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY BECAUSE I CANNOT HELP IF I'M NOT THERE. RIGHT? AND ONE OF THE REASONS I THINK THAT PRINCIPALS THINK IS WE'RE JUST AN EXTRA BODY TELLING THE TEACHERS WHAT TO DO, AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE. IF WE CAN ERASE THAT PRESUMPTION WE'LL BE ABLE TO TRULY ADVOCATE FOR OUR STUDENTS. WHEN A SCHOOL OPENS THE DOOR TO US, THE FIRST THING -- THE FIRST THING I TELL MY ABA TEAM IS LIKE, THIS IS A SCHOOL. WE ARE GUESTS IN THE SCHOOL AND WE RESPECT THE TEACHERS AND EVERYBODY AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE THERE TO SUPPORT THE TEACHER BECAUSE THEY NEED OUR HELP WITH BEHAVIORAL ISSUES THAT UNFORTUNATELY THEY CANNOT DO BECAUSE THERE IS STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM AND THEY'RE -- THE TEACHER CANNOT BE -- LIKE, CANNOT HAVE 300 EYES. WE ARE THOSE EYES THAT CAN ADVOCATE FOR THESE CHILDREN. WHEN A PARENT CONTACTS ME, FOR ABA SERVICES, MOST OF THE TIME IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE STRUGGLING AND THEIR KIDS ARE STRUGGLING IN THE SCHOOL. THEY'RE DESPERATE AND LOST AND WHAT HAPPENED IS THIS. LIKE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. PLEASE TELL ME WHAT TO DO. CAN YOU -- SCHOOL SAY NO. CAN WE GO TO PRIVATE SCHOOL? DO YOU HAVE A LIST OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS? I'M LIKE, YEAH, THERE ARE A FEW. AND THE WAIT LIST IS LIKE, TWO TO THREE YEARS SO I'M SORRY YOU HAVE TO HOME SCHOOL YOUR CHILD MEETING YOU IN THE AFTERNOON AND NIGHT BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO, RIGHT? IS THIS A FAIR RESPONSE FOR A PAR PAR PARENT? ? NO. WE STRIVE TO CHANGE AND IMPROVE SOCIAL AND SIGNIFICANT BEHAVIOR, IMPROVE COMMUNICATION AND SKILLS, SOCIAL SKILLS, AND LEARNING SKILLS FOR THE STUDENT TO BE TRULY A PART OF THE CLASSROOM. OUR MAIN FOCUS IS TO TEACH THE STUDENTS THE SKILL THEY NEED TO SUCCEED AND BE INDEPENDENT. AND THE TEACHER'S FOCUS SHOULD BE ON THE CLASSROOM, ON THEIR TEAM AND OUR FOCUS IS TO GIVE THESE TEACHERS THE SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE THEY NEED TO BE IN THE CLASSROOM AND BE CONFIDENT.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I THINK OUR LAST SPEAKER -- I THINK THIS IS -- ONE MORE. OUR LAST SPEAKER. THANK YOU.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS JENNIFER STITCH AND I'M ALSO A BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYST, AND I'M THE OWNER OF ABOVE AND BEYOND BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS. WE PROVIDE ABA THERAPY SERVICES IN HOME AND SCHOOLS AND IN THE COMMUNITY, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY ADVOCATING FOR ABA SUPPORT IN SCHOOLS. ABA THERAPY IS CONSIDERED A MEDICALLY NECESSARY THERAPY AS MANY OF THE OTHER PARENTS AND PROVIDERS HAVE MENTIONED TODAY. FOR OUR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND FOCUSES ON INCREASING ESSENTIAL SKILLS SUCH AS COMMUNICATING WANTS AND NEEDS, SOCIAL SKILLS, AND MANY MORE. I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF IMPLEMENTING ABA THERAPY IN SEVERAL HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS AND I'M DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE OF THEIR COLLABORATION AND SUPPORTING OUR CLIENTS. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN HAVE HAD THE BEST SUCCESS WHEN EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PAGE. SINCE 2020, I'VE UNFORTUNATELY NOTICED A DECREASE OF ABA SERVICES BEING ALLOWED IN SCHOOLS OFTEN TIMES WE ARE TOLD THAT ABA THERAPISTS ARE ONLY ALLOWED A SHORT OBSERVATION AND THAT WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO WORK WITH THE CHILD DIRECTLY IN THE CLASSROOM DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. THE FLORIDA STATUTE CURRENTLY STATES THE STUDENTS, TEACHER AND PRINCIPAL MUST CONSENT TO THE TIME AND PLACE OF ABA THERAPY IN SCHOOL. DUE TO THIS BARRIER AND INCONSISTENT INTERPRETATION IN THE STATUTE, MANY FAMILIES HAVE BEEN DENIED THE SUPPORTS AND LEFT LOOKING FOR SCHOOLS WITH PRINCIPALS THAT DO ALLOW ABA OR END UP LEAVING THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM ENTIRELY. I'M PROPOSING THE POLICY BE AMENDED AND I HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION I'VE SEEN FIRST-HAND TO BE SUCCESSFUL. THE BCBA WOULD CONDUCT AN INITIAL OBSERVATION IF THE CHILD ATTENDS PUBLIC SCHOOL. FOLLOWING THE OBSERVATION AN INITIAL IEP COLLABORATION MEETING SHOULD TAKE PLACE. THE TEAM WOULD REVIEW THE SPECIFIC INTERFERING BEHAVIORS OCCURRING, REPLACEMENT GOALS AND RECOMMENDED HOURS OF SUPPORT. IF ABA SUPPORT IS RECOMMENDED, THE TEAM WOULD COME UP WITH AN APPROPRIATE SCHEDULE FOR THERAPY. THE BCBA SHOULD PROVIDE A PLAN AND SEND A MONTHLY UPDATED REPORT TO THE IEP TEAM AND DATA AND UPDATED RECOMMENDATIONS. THIS WAY WE'RE ALL COLLABORATING AS A TEAM AND WORKING OFF DATABASE DECISION MAKING. IN SUMMARY IF WE CAN WORK COLLABORATIVELY AS A TEAM AND USE DATA, I BELIEVE WE'LL BE SETTING UP OUR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN FOR THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOMES. THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER. OUR FINAL SPEAKER FOR TONIGHT.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD. MY NAME IS GENERO FERDEL. CALL MY JERRY. I'M A RETIRED NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER. I SUBBED OVER HERE AND AROUND 100 SCHOOLS UP UNTIL 2019 AND WE HAVE SOME WONDERFUL STUDENTS. I WANT TO URGE THE SCHOOL BOARD TO POSSIBLY CONSIDER MEETING AT 6:00 SO THAT ADDITIONAL PARENTS AND PEOPLE THAT ARE STAKEHOLDERS CAN ATTEND THE MEETINGS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WANT TO TELL YOU. I FINISHED THE READING -- I FINISHED READING THIS BOOK "FLAMER" BY CURADO AND I WAS COMPLETELY SHOCKED AND HAD TO PUT IT DOWN. WHEN MY FRIENDS TOLD ME ABOUT THESE KIND OF MATERIALS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, I DIDN'T BELIEVE IT. BUT AFTER READING THIS BOOK AND YOU CAN GET IT AT THE CLEVELAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND THERE IS A FEW OTHER SCHOOLS, I SAID, SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SPEED UP THE SYSTEM TO GET RID OF SOME OF THESE BOOKS. AND I -- YOU KNOW, THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT THERE ARE SOME PARENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THAT ARE 100% IN FAVOR OF THE GAY AGENDA. I AM NOT. BUT I HAVE PEOPLE IN MY FAMILY THAT ARE. SO THIS IS A DIFFICULT THING TO TALK ABOUT. SO THERE MUST BE SOME WAY YOU CAN HAVE SOME KIND OF COLLABORATION. MAYBE HAVE SOME KIND OF AN OPT-OUT POLICY WHERE THE PARENT APPROVES THAT THE STUDENT IS ALLOWED TO READ THESE BOOKS. YOU KNOW, SIMILAR TO WHAT'S GOING ON AND AS WITNESS TODAY, THERE IS SO MANY PROBLEMS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. I'M SORRY TO SAY IT THAT THIS SEXUALIZATION OF THE CHILDREN IS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE OVERCOME. AND I RECENTLY SAW THE MOVIE "THE SOUND OF FREEDOM", AND IT'S NOT EXACTLY ON THAT TOPIC, BUT IT'S BAD. AND WE HAVE A BIG PROBLEM IN THE UNITED STATES. ALSO, ONE OTHER THING, THERE IS ANTI-C ANTI-CATHOLIC INFORMATION IN THIS BOOK BY MARK CURADO. I BELIEVE PAGE 89. HE TALKS ABOUT PRIESTS DOING SOMETHING TO THEMSELVES, AND I FOUND THIS COMPLETELY DISGUSTING. AND I'M A AN -- AN ADULT AND I REALIZE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE IN THE CLOTH THAT -- THAT MAY NOT BE LIVING UP TO WHAT THEY SHOULD, BUT TO TELL THAT TO LIKE, IMPRESSIONABLE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL KIDS, I FOUND VERY DISGUSTING. I KNOW YOU PROBABLY HAVE HEARD THIS BEFORE, BUT THERE MUST BE SOME KIND OF COMPROMISE WHERE YOU CAN LET THE PARENTS GET IN ON IT, AND INCLUDE EVERYBODY. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I'M SORRY THAT I WAS NERVOUS.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR TODAY. AND I KNOW DR. HICKMAN WILL BE IN THE BACK WITH SEVERAL PARENTS THAT CAME WITH THE ABA. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GIVE EVERYBODY A FEW MINUTES. AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE THERAPISTS WHO CAME HERE TOO. WE'LL MOVE TO THE PROCLAMATION. THE NATIONAL MINORITY MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH JULY 2023. MEMBER PEREZ WILL BE HIGHLIGHTING THIS PROCLAMATION.
>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. IT'S MY PLEASURE TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION. NATIONAL MINORITY MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH. RECOGNITION OF THIS MONTH IS IMPORTANT TO BRING AWARENESS TO THE UNIQUE STRUGGLES THAT RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITY COMMUNITIES FACE REGARDING MENTAL ILLNESS. OUR DISTRICT IS FORTUNATE TO HAVE AN OUTSTANDING STUDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND SCHOOL-BASED TEAMS THAT ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS AND PROMOTE EMOTIONAL WELLNESS TO STUDENTS, STAFF AND FAMILIES. THESE TEAMMATES RECOGNIZE CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND WORK TO PROVIDE APPROPRIATE SUPPORT THROUGH COUNSELING AND PROVIDING FAMILIES FROM A MULTITUDE OF CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS, REFERRALS TO THE APPROPRIATE COMMUNITY AGENCY. THROUGH EDUCATION, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL WILL CONTINUE TO DECREASE STIGMA, PROVIDE APPROPRIATE RESOURCES, AND EDUCATE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTURE WHEN PROVIDING POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MEMBER PEREZ. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE NATIONAL MINORITY MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH JULY 2023. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ AND A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? BRING -- BEGIN WITH MEMBER PE PEREZ.
>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MENTAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IS CRITICAL AND FREQUENTLY UNDERADDRESSED MATTER IN RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITY COMMUNITIES. BLACK, LATINOS, AMERICAN INDIAN, ALASKAN NATIVES AND ASIAN AMERICANS ARE OVER REPRESENTED IN POPULATIONS THAT ARE PARTICULARLY AT RISK FOR MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS. THE DISPARITIES OF MENTAL HEALTH -- IN MENTAL HEALTHCARE ARE SYSTEMATIC AND COMPLEX. RACIAL, ETHNIC, GENDER, AND SEXUAL MINORITY GROUPS EXPERIENCE NEGATIVE MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES BECAUSE OF A VARIETY OF FACTORS INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING. INACCESSIBILITY OF HIGH QUALITY MENTAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES. STIGMA SURROUNDING MENTAL HEALTH. DISCRIMINATION AND OVERALL LACK OF AWARENESS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH. BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT, ON SATURDAY, JULY 15, EAST TAMPA WILL BE HOLDING A HEALTH FAIR AT MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL STARTING AT 9:00. I'LL BE SPEAKING ON THE TOPIC OF MENTAL HEALTH IN OUR UNDER SERVED, UNDER REPRESENTED COMMUNITIES. AND FROM NOON TO 12:30. I'D LOVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO COME OUT AND HEAR MORE ON HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR MENTAL WELL-BEING.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER GRAY?
>>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. I JUST THOUGHT ABOUT THE PROCLAMATION FOR A BIT, AND I KNOW THAT AS THE FIRST LINE SAYS, THE MENTAL HEALTH IS A VERY COMPLEX AND CAN BE NOT IN AN EQUITABLE OR DELIVERED IN AN EQUITABLE WAY. HOWEVER, MY THANKS GO TO OUR MENTAL HEALTH TEAM, HOLLY SEIA AND TO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO SPEND SO MANY HOURS ABOVE AND BEYOND THE TIME OF A WORK DAY. AND REGARDING MINORITY VERSUS ALL, I HAVE TO SAY THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN IT DIVIDED IN A MINORITY VERSUS ALL, BUT I WILL SAY THAT OUR -- AND SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, YOU HAVE TO KNOW OUR TEAM IS WORKING VERY HARD ADDRESSING THE HISPANIC NEEDS, AND IN FACT, JUST CAME UP WITH A TRAUMA-BASED CARE RESPONSE FOR OUR HISPANIC FAMILIES AND THE STUDENTS. SO THE RELEVANCY THAT OUR DISTRICT IS DOING FOR -- I'LL SPEAK FOR THE HISPANIC IS VERY REAL. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THEM FOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE HILLSBOROUGH HEALTHY SCHOOLS WHICH THEY DO YEAR -- MONTHLY, SO ALL IN ALL, I ALSO WANTED TO SPEAK -- SPEAKING JUST ALLOWED HERE IN A COMFORTABLE WAY WHY WE HAVE MORE STAFF ON CURRICULUM VERSUS MENTAL HEALTH. BECAUSE IF WE HAVE HEALTHY, MENTALLY HEALTHY CHILDREN, THEY'RE APT TO DO BETTER IN SCHOOL IN SO MANY WAYS. SO I THINK THE CHALLENGE IS, AT LEAST EVEN STEVENS ON THAT. AT ANY RATE, THANKING AGAIN THE MENTAL HEALTH TEAM AND THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER RENDON?
>>Patti Rendon: YEAH. YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS WE LOOK AT DIFFERENT PROCLAMATIONS AS WE GO FORWARD AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT PART OF THE PROCLAMATION IS THE STAFF, THE COMMITMENT THAT OUR SCHOOLS HAVE TO OUR STUDENTS. AND SO I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROCLAMATION TO ABSOLUTELY THANK OUR MENTAL HEALTH TEAM. BEING PART OF A COMMUNITY THAT ADDRESSES IN MY OTHER JOB, ADDRESSES ALL THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, A LOT OF DISABILITY ISSUES, I DON'T THINK PEOPLE WOULD ACTUALLY BELIEVE YOU WHEN YOU TOLD THEM ALL THE STORIES IN WHICH YOU DEAL WITH ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS. STORIES THAT YOU TAKE HOME WITH YOU. SITUATIONS THAT YOU DON'T FORGET. AND SO I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS. OUR HEALTH SERVICES. OUR PSYCHOLOGISTS. AND OUR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS FOR EVERYTHING THEY DO ON A DAILY BASIS FOR ALL OUR STUDENTS. I THINK IT'S CRITICAL TO UNDERSTAND THAT NO MATTER WHAT WE DO IN OUR DAILY LIVES, THEY PICK UP THE PIECES OUTSIDE OF OUR SCHOOL DAYS IN ORDER FOR OUR STUDENTS TO COME AND GET A VERY GOOD EDUCATION FROM OUR TEACHERS. AND SO I THANK THEM FOR THE EXTRA WORK THEY PUT IN EVERY DAY FOR OUR STUDENTS AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT NEEDS TO BE HIGHLIGHTED TODAY. THE WORK OUR STAFF DO ON A REGULAR BASIS TO MAKE SURE ALL OUR STUDENTS ARE HEALTHY, THEY'RE SAFE, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO COME TO OUR CLASSROOMS AND TRULY LEARN WHAT THEY NEED TO LEARN TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR LIFE, SO THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. I ALSO WANT TO THANK -- WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PROCLAMATION, LOOKING AT THE COUNSELING SERVICES, THE SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICES, THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY SERVICES, SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS, THAT ARE AT SCHOOLS EVERY SINGLE DAY. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE NOT EVERY SCHOOL HAS THAT, BUT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS DO HAVE THAT, AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU LOOK AT MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS. NOT JUST THE MENTAL HEALTH BUT THE PREVENTION AND CRISIS RESPONSE AND INTERVENTION AND JUST THE -- THE NEED BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT PEOPLE THINK YOU CAN NOT DO WELL ACADEMICALLY IF EMOTIONALLY YOU'RE STRUGGLING. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IS VERY IMPORTANT AS -- JUST AS IMPORTANT AS ACADEMIC INTELLIGENCE. ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS LOOKING AT TODAY BECAUSE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MINORITIES AND MENTAL HEALTH, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT ALL CHILDREN WITH MENTAL HEALTH BECAUSE THE U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT AS OF MAY, THE SUICIDE RATES AMONG TEENS HAS DOUBLED IN THE LAST 10 YEARS. DOUBLED. SUICIDE IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR 13-YEAR-OLD AND 14-YEAR-OLDS. WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE. PRIOR TO COVID, THIS WAS AN ISSUE AND IT'S EVEN A BIGGER ISSUE NOW. ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO DO AS A DISTRICT IS MAKE SURE THAT OUR COUNSELORS ARE ABLE TO WORK WITH STUDENTS AND THEY'RE BEING PROACTIVE AND WORKING WITH STUDENTS SO THAT WAY WE ARE NOT REACTIVE ALL THE TIME. WE HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE. BEFORE THE SITUATION GETS WORSE, LET'S MAKE SURE WE TALK TO THAT CHILD BEFORE THEY START CUTTING THEMSELVES OR BEFORE IT GETS WORSE, BEFORE WE HAVE TO BAKER ACT THEM. SO THESE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUES. AND I'VE BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT THIS. WHAT ARE THE CAUSES, LIKE, WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? I DON'T THINK THERE IS A SINGLE PERSON HERE THAT HASN'T BEEN IMPACTED IN THEIR OWN FAMILY OR DON'T KNOW A FRIEND FROM THEIR CHILDREN'S FRIENDS WHO ARE NOT STRUGGLING FOR SOME REASON. I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS A LOT AND I'LL SAY SOMETHING. I'VE BEEN LOOKING AROUND A LOT WHEN I'VE BEEN GOING OUT, AND I'VE NOTICED SOMETHING. THE OTHER DAY I WAS OUT TO EAT AND I NOTICED SOME GRANDPARENTS WITH THEIR YOUNG GRAND CHILD AND ALL OF THEM WERE ON THE CELL PHONE THE ENTIRE TIME AS THEY ATE. I SAW FAMILIES -- A GROUP OF YOUNG GIRLS TOGETHER, SEVEN OF THEM, ALL OF THEM ON CELL PHONES. I SEE IT OVER AND OVER AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE SAY IS OFTEN AN ISSUE HERE IS THE SOCIAL MEDIA AND HOW IT'S IMPACTING YOUNG STUDENTS. RIGHT BEFORE THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, I WENT TO A CLASSROOM AND SAW A FIRST GRADER WITH AN iPHONE WATCH. AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE? SO I KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING OUR BOARD IS GOING TO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IN THE FUTURE AND I DID THINK THIS WAS A GREAT TIME, SO START THINKING ABOUT CELL PHONES AND WHAT CAN WE DO. AT WALKER MIDDLE SCHOOL AT A LUNCH TIME AT MIDDLE SCHOOL THERE IS NO CELL PHONES. MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS TALK TO EACH OTHER DURING LUNCH TIME. OKAY? AT ADAMS MIDDLE SCHOOL, THERE IS A ZERO TOLERANCE WITH CELL PHONES. AT ADAMS. THERE IS NOT A CELL PHONE OUT THERE EVER. I'M SAYING LOOK AT PASCO COUNTY. THEY SAID NO CELL PHONES IN ELEMENTARY. LET'S START THINKING ABOUT THIS. LET'S THINK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR SOCIETY AND HELP -- I KNOW HIGH SCHOOLS. OF COURSE THAT'S A BIG PROBLEM. BUT I SEE MANY PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOLS THAT DON'T HAVE CELL PHONES. I CAN SOMETIMES WALK IN A HIGH SCHOOL AND I SEE A KID TALKING LIKE THEY'RE IN THE MALL. WE'VE GOT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO, AND IT'S NOT JUST BULLYING. IT'S ALSO THE AMOUNT OF CHEATING HAPPENING. IT'S THE AMOUNT OF INAPPROPRIATE -- YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT NUDITY AND PROFANITY? GRAB A CELL PHONE. GET INTO A SCHOOL AND TAKE OFF THE AIRDROP AND SEE WHAT YOU SEE. SO I THINK THERE IS A BIGGER ISSUE WHEN YOU LOOK AT MENTAL HEALTH, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT IT. BUT THE NUMBER ONE GROUP IN FRONT OF US ARE THE COUNSELORS AND WE NEED TO PROTECT THEIR JOBS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE TIME TO WORK WITH STUDENTS. SO THANK YOU, MS. PEREZ. I KNOW YOU'RE A BIG ADVOCATE AND THANK YOU FOR THE ENTIRE BOARD. BUT I DO THINK MENTAL HEALTH IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES OUR CHILDREN ARE FACING EVERY SINGLE DAY THROUGHOUT AMERICA AND WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING HERE AND CONTINUE WORKING TOWARDS THAT. THANK YOU. MEMBER PEREZ?
>>Karen Perez: SO I SEE THAT MAJOR PART OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH GROUP IN THE BACK. CAN YOU STAND UP FOR A SECOND PLEASE? AND RECOGNIZE YOU. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO SAY THIS, AND SUPERINTENDENT, I KNOW THAT FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAS BEEN THE TEMPLATE FOR FLORIDA AS FAR AS HOW WE'RE CONDUCTING OUR MENTAL HEALTH, AND PUSHING IT OUT TO OUR STUDENTS. BECAUSE IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE SERVICES IN OUR SCHOOL, MANY OF OUR STUDENTS WOULD NOT HAVE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK OUR TEAM FOR WHAT THEY DO FOR OUR STUDENTS ON A DAILY BASIS. THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE WILL NOW GO AHEAD AND DO THE 501. THEN GO TO THE CONSENT AGENDA AFTER THAT. 501 WHICH IS -- THE PUBLIC HEARING RECOMMENDED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR K-12 SOCIAL STUDIES ACADEMIC SERVICES. I WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ADOPTION PROCESS. THIS IS A REQUIREMENT PURSUANT TO STATE LAW AND BOARD POLICY. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK ABOUT THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION BY THE BOARD AND PROVIDE ANY INPUT TO THE BOARD. THE MATERIALS WERE ADVERTISED AND HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW. I WILL NOW ASK TERRY CONNOR, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT FOR INSTRUCTION TO PRESENT THIS ITEM. AFTER HIS PRESENTATION, ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC MAY SPEAK TO PROVIDE INPUT TO THE BOARD ON THE PROPOSED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS.
>>Terry Connor: GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF. AT THIS TIME THE BOARD IS CONDUCTING A PUBLIC HEARING ON INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS BEING RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION. THE LIST OF MATERIALS IS ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA ITEM AND INCLUDES MATERIALS FOR THE K-12 SOCIAL STUDIES. THESE MATERIALITYS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY -- MATERIALS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED AND ARE RECO RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION. AS REQUIRED BY STATE STATUTE A 20-DAY PUBLIC REVIEW OF RECOMMENDED MATERIALS AND A PUBLIC HEARING IS REQUIRED BEFORE THE BOARD CAN TAKE A VOTE. THE PUBLIC REVIEW REQUIRES THE DISTRICT PROVIDE DIGITAL ACCESS TO THE RECOMMENDED MATERIALS VIA THE DISTRICT WEBSITE. THE PUBLIC REVIEW IS CONDUCTED BEGINNING JUNE 21 AND ENDED ON JULY 11. THE PUBLIC HEARING THIS EVENING IS TO PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SHARE COMMENTS ABOUT THESE MATERIALS WITH THE BOARD. INBOARD DOES NOT NEED TO TAKE ACTION AT THIS TIME BUT WILL VOTE AT THE NEXT MEETING JULY 25. AT THIS TIME YOU MAY CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
>>Nadia Combs: DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? I THINK WE HAVE A COUPLE INDIVIDUALS HERE TODAY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND THANK THE TEAM THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THIS. THE TITLES THAT WERE SELECTED, MOST OF THEM WERE ON THE APPROVED DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION LIST. I KNOW THAT TIMING ON THAT WAS NOT GOOD. HOWEVER, IT -- THEY DID A GREAT JOB SELECTING THE MATERIAL. SO THANK YOU. THE AP CLASSES DON'T APPEAR TO BE ON ANY TYPE OF LIST. SO MAYBE FDEO WILL DO THAT IN THE FUTURE -- FDOE WILL DO THAT IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. IS THERE -- ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS HERE FOR THAT? ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? OKAY. MR. CONNOR? OKAY. I WILL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
>> MADAM CHAIR, BEFORE YOU GO INTO THE CONSENT AGENDA, MR. CONNOR NEEDS TO SAY SOMETHING.
>>Terry Connor: I THINK THERE WAS A COMMENT IN PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING AGENDA ITEM 1.09. IT'S ON CONSENT AGENDA. THOSE BOOKS, MR. CONNOR, THOSE ARE ALL ON THE APPROVED LIST, CORRECT?
>>Terry Connor: THEY ARE. I THINK THERE MAY BE A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION. IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR A SPECIFIC COURSE WHICH IS THE U.S. HISTORY COURSE FOR EIGHTH GRADE ADVANCED. WE'RE NOT PURCHASING IT FOR THAT. THE COURSE WE'RE PURCHASING FOR IS CIVICS. IT IS APPROVED FOR THAT PARTICULAR COURSE. IT IS ALSO A SUPPLEMENTAL. THIS IS NOT THE CORE MAJOR TOOL OF INSTRUCTION THAT WE'RE ADOPTING WHICH WE JUST LISTED WITHIN THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO IT'S KIND OF TWO-FOLD THERE. IT'S NOT -- IT'S NOT A MAJOR TOOL. WE'RE NOT ADOPTING IT AS A MAJOR TOOL. IT'S A SUPPLEMENTAL BUT IT IS ALSO ON THE APPROVED LIST FOR THAT PARTICULAR COURSE.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CONNOR.
>>Nadia Combs: OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION. OKAY. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. I NEED A MOTION AND AND SECOND TO APPROVE. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. I'LL NOW CALL ON SUPERINTENDENT AYRES TO HIGHLIGHT OUR ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS.
>>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MS. COMBS. WE HAVE ONE PRINCIPAL APPOINTMENT ON OUR 401A. MY FIRST PRINCIPAL APPOINTMENT SO THIS IS EXCITING. THERE HE IS, MR. COREY JACKSON WHO IS THE NEW PRINCIPAL OF LOCKHART ELEMENTARY. HE IS NOT HERE TODAY. HE IS IN THE PROCESS -- HE IS FROM JACKSONVILLE AND IN THE PROCESS OF MOVING DOWN INTO THE TAMPA BAY AREA. BUT MR. JACKSON HAS BEEN AN EDUCATOR FOR THE PAST 22 YEARS SUPPORTING K-8 STUDENTS. CURRENTLY A RESIDENT OF JACKSONVILLE FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. AFTER MOVING TO FLORIDA FROM CONNECTICUT. HIS LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE DEMONSTRATED DEEP COMMITMENT TO ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, POSITIVE STUDENT RELATIONSHIP AND ENGAGING SCHOOL COMMUNITIES. FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS HE WAS PRINCIPAL AT SEASIDE CHARTER SCHOOLS AND IN THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT PRIOR. WE'RE VERY PLEASED AND EXCITED TO HAVE MR. COREY JACKSON, THE NEW PRINCIPAL OF LOCKHART ELEMENTARY. [APPLAUSE]
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. HEARD.LLOWING ITEMS WILL NOW BE C1.11, 1.12, 4.02, 5.03, 7.05, 9.01, 9.02, 9.04 AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH 1.11 WHICH IS THE ADOPTION AND PURCHASE OF RECOMMENDED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR HIGH SCHOOL MATH, MATH FOR COLLEGE AND LIBERAL ARTS.
>> THIS IS OUR MATH FOR COLLEGE LIBERAL ARTS REVIEWED BY DISTRICT ADOPTION COMMITTEE AND UPON COMMITTEE CONSENSUS PRODUCT WERE UP FOR TEACHER REVIEW AND VOTE. IT ASSURES THAT SELECTED MATERIALS ARE ALIGNED WITH CORE STANDARDS AND PROVIDE CURRENT UP TO DATE MATERIALS FOR CLASSROOM INSTRUCTIONS. PER FLORIDA STATUTE AND SCHOOL BOARD POLICY THE DISTRICT MUST PROVIDE A 20-DAY PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD AND PUBLIC HEARING. IT WAS MAY 30, 2023, THROUGH JUNE 20 AND THE PUBLIC HEARING CONDUCTED ON JUNE 20, 2023 AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING. THAT'S MY HIGHLIGHT FOR 1.11.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE C1.11. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. ANY DISCUSSION? MEMBER RENDON?
>>Patti Rendon: I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY BECAUSE IT GETS VERY CONFUSING THESE DAYS WITH WHICH LIST AND WHICH PART AND WHICH TEXTBOOK FOR WHAT PURPOSE. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ALTHOUGH THIS BOOK IS NOT TECHNICALLY ON THE APPROVED LIST, IT'S BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE CLASS. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT IT'S VERY -- IT'S A SMALL CLASS I SHOULD SAY. NOT SMALL AS FAR AS NUMBERS TAKING IT BUT IT'S NOT OFFERED IN A LOT OF AREAS. SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE DON'T HAVE AN APPROVED LIST FOR THIS PARTICULAR CLASS AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW. HOWEVER, AS A DISTRICT, WE HAVE GONE THROUGH AND VETTED IT FOR THE STANDARDS. VETTED IT AS WE WOULD HAVE ALL THE BOOKS THAT ARE ON THE APPROVED LIST TO MAKE SURE WE ARE MEETING THE NEEDS AND STATE STATUTES. AM I CORRECT?
>>Van Ayres: THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. TH .
>>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MR. CONNOR.
>>Nadia Combs: BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. 1.12, SEL -- WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM.
>>Van Ayres: THIS IS CIVICS LITERACY THROUGH THE LENS OF THE STATE AND LOCAL COMMUNITY. THE CUSTOM BOOKS WILL INFUSE CONTENT WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA MANDATES ON REQUIRED INSTRUCTION. -- THROUGH ANALYSIS OF SOURCES THAT HAVE BEEN -- THAT HAVE LOCAL AND STATE CONNECTIONS. THE BOOKS WILL BE USED TO SUPPLEMENT AS THESE BOOKS WILL BE USED TO SUPPLEMENT ADOPTED CURRICULUM TO FULLY ADDRESS THE NEW CIVICS STANDARDS WITH LOCAL INFORMATION AND RESOURCES. THEY WILL BE ININTEGRATED INTO -- INTEGRATED INTO OUR INSTRUCTIONAL GUIDES.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C1.12. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER RENDON, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
>>Patti Rendon: YEAH. I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE A MINUTE TO MAKE COMMENTS ON THIS. THE STAFF TOOK A LOT OF TIME AND CARE TO REALLY CREATE SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL THAT'S GOING TO BE AGE APPROPRIATE THAT ARE REALLY LOOKING AT OUR STATE, OUR GOVERNMENT, SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF SOME REALLY GREAT PEOPLE IN OUR STATE OF FLORIDA AND BRINGING THAT TO OUR STUDENTS AND SO I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY THANK THEM FOR THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AS THEY WERE WORKING THROUGH THIS BOOK, AND BECAUSE IT REALLY WAS A CUT AND PASTE, RIGHT? YOU GUYS REALLY TOOK A LOT OF TIME TO REALLY FIND UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS DOING UNIQUE THINGS WITHIN OUR STATE. I THINK WE DON'T ALWAYS HIGHLIGHT ON SOME OF THE WORK WE DO ON THE STAFF. AND SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR DUE DILIGENCE AND PUTTING THIS BOOK TOGETHER FOR OUR STUDENTS FOR I BELIEVE SECOND AND FOURTH GRADE STUDENTS. THE TIME YOU TOOK TO MEET WITH US AS BOARD MEMBERS AND WALK US THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THINGS, VERY HAPPY FOR THAT. LOVE THE FACT THAT WE HIGHLIGHTED THE CONSTITUTION. HIGHLIGHTED OUR FLAG. AND REALLY GAVE SOME GOOD EDUCATION EARLY ON TO OUR STUDENTS ON THE CIVILITY OF OUR COUNTRY AND SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU TOOK FOR THIS TIME.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER GRAY?
>>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON FOR THOSE COMMENTS. MR. CONNOR ALSO, AS A FORMER CIVICS TEACHER FOR MANY YEARS, I LOVE THIS SUBJECT. IT DOES HIGHLIGHT A LOT OF THE AMERICAN -- SO MUCH AMERICAN SYSTEMS, GOVERNMENT SYSTEMS, ET CETERA. IT GIVES US A SENSE OF PRIDE AND OWNERSHIP AS TO WHO WE ARE IN -- AS AMERICANS. ALSO, IT'S VERY RELEVANT, THE DIVERSITY. I WAS LOOKING AT THE HISPANIC -- THE VARIOUS PHOTOS AND THE DIALOGUES FOR OUR GROUPS SUCH AS THE HISPANIC GROUPS, AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY IS IN THERE. YOU GET A GLIMPSE OF JUST ABOUT EVERY MINORITY AND WITH -- WITH A REALLY POSITIVE VERSION ON IT. SO OUR CHILDREN WILL LEARN THE HOLOCAUST. I MEAN, THERE IS SO MANY ELEMENTS THAT ARE SO CRITICAL. SO I'M VERY EXCITED AND MAYBE I'LL GO BACK TO TEACHING CIVICS WHEN WE HAVE THIS BOOK. THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. I'M A SOCIAL STUDIES PERSON AND WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT TEAM. I JUST CANNOT GO WITHOUT SAYING WHAT AN AMAZING TEAM WE HAVE, ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL. AND I THINK THE CURRICULUM IS SO EXCITING BECAUSE AS A MIDDLE SCHOOL PERSON, I THINK SOMETIMES YOU THOUGHT, HOW COME KIDS DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT FLORIDA OR AMERICA OR EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. THE IDEA THAT IT'S REALLY BEING TAUGHT AND WOVEN INTO THE CURRICULUM FOR ELEMENTARY, I THINK IT'S JUST AMAZING AND WONDERFUL. THE CURRICULUM LOOKS SO GREAT AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR KIDS TO BE READING NON-FICTION AND TO BE REALLY BEING ABLE TO ANALYZE THINGS AND LOOK AT -- I COULDN'T BELIEVE IN SECOND GRADE YOU COULD SEE PRIMARY SOURCES AND TEACHING KIDS LIKE THAT. I THINK THAT'S AMAZING AND EXCITING AND WHAT'S REAL FOR STUDENTS AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR AMAZING SOCIAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU. MEMBER HAHN?
>>Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIR COMBS. I WANT TO THANK YOU ALSO FOR THE TIME YOU SPENT WITH EACH BOARD MEMBER GOING THROUGH THE MATERIALS. I LOVE THE PRIMARY SOURCES AS MEMBER COMBS SAID. IT REALLY MAKES IT EXCITING FOR KIDS. I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUTOUT TO OUR VERY OWN BESS THE BOOK BUS BECAUSE THEY MADE IT INTO THE BOOK. AS AN EXAMPLE OF A CURRENT DAY BOOK MOBILE, AND SO I SHARE THAT WITH JENNIFER WHO, YOU KNOW, RUNS BESS THE BOOK BUS AND SHE WAS SO EXCITED ABOUT THAT. SO I'M GOING TO PROBABLY GIFT HER MY COPY SO SHE CAN HAVE A COPY OF THE BOOK THAT SHE IS IN. SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY SPECIAL BECAUSE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT OUR KIDS, OUR STUDENTS SEE ALL THE TIME. OR A LOT OF THE TIMES OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND THEIR SCHOOLS. SO THAT WAS EXCITING.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. 4.02, AGREEMENT FOR TECHNICAL SERVICES #23123-ATS-IV WITH TEACH FOR AMERICA, INC. SUPERINTENDENT DAVE AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM.
>>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, CHAIR BOEHMBS. BOARD MEMBERS -- COMBS. BOARD MEMBERS, THIS IS A CONTINUOUS AGREEMENT WITH TEACH FOR AMERICA APPROVED DECEMBER 14 OF 2021. YOU KNOW, FROM OUR DISTRICT STANDPOINT WE HAVE A NEED TO PARTNER WITH AN ORGANIZATION TO HELP PLACE TEACHERS AND DIFFICULT TO STAFF SCHOOLS. THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF A PREVIOUS AGREEMENT. AGAIN, APPROVED DECEMBER 14, 2021. SO WE'RE ASKING APPROVAL FOR THIS ITEM.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION -- I'M SORRY. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C4.02. MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. 5.03, APPROVE THE CHANGING OF THE MASCOT AT TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD ELEMENTARY.
>>Van Ayres: SO THIS ITEM IS FROM TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD ELEMENTARY. THE REQUEST FROM TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD IS TO CHANGE THE MASCOT. WE HAVE MICHELLE PEREZ, THE PRINCIPAL OF TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD. MICHELLE, IF YOU WANT TO COME ON UP AND TALK US THROUGH THIS MASCOT CHANGE. THANK YOU, MICHELLE.
>> HI, GOOD EVENING BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. THIS WAS AN ITEM THAT WE HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT FOR QUITE SOME TIME AT TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD. YOU KNOW, IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WE DON'T REALLY GET TO CELEBRATE THE MASCOT TOO MUCH BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE SPORTS TEAMS OR THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT WE THOUGHT WELL, YOU KNOW, RIGHT BEHIND US IS THE BUCCANEERS FACILITY, AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS ABUZZ WITH BUCS. WE PARK CARS FOR BUCS GAMES TO RAISE FUNDS FOR PTA. WE THOUGHT, WHY NOT GET SOMETHING EVERYBODY COULD GET EXCITED ABOUT. I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO GO FORWARD THIS YEAR WITH THE NEW COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE CREATING WITH THE STUDENTS WE'RE ABSEING FROM JUST AND OUR STUDENTS. IT'S ONE NEW PIECE EVERYBODY CAN GET BEHIND AND CELEBRATE AS A NEW GROUP.
>>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MICHELLE.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C5.03. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER RENDON, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
>>Patti Rendon: YEAH. I JUST HAVE SOME COMMENTS. I'M GOING TO TEAR UP BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS FANTASTIC. AT THE END OF THE DAY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT UNITES US IN TAMPA ARE OUR SPORTS TEAMS. NOBODY COMES OUT FOR A PARADE LIKE OUR SPORTS TEAMS. AND TO FIND SOME WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ONE COMMUNITY WITH ONE GOAL ALL ABOUT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST SUPER EXCITING TO SEE THIS. SO I WANTED TO PERSONALLY THANK YOURSELVES, THE STAFF, BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE COMMUNITY. YOU'RE LOOKING AT ONE SCHOOL UNITED IN ONE WAY AND THEN PULLING IN SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY CAN RELATE TO. SOMETHING THAT -- FOR TAMPA BAY, WE ALL KNOW THE BUCS. WHETHER YOU'RE A SPORTS FAN OR NOT, YOU KNOW THE BUCS. YOU SEE THE STADIUM BESIDE YOU SO I PERSONALLY WANT TO THANK YOU BECAUSE IT TAKES SOMEBODY TO STEP UP AND MAKE US WHOLE. AND YOU ARE MAKING US WHOLE BY THIS GESTURE, AND I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL. SO THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER WASHINGTON?
>>Henry "Shake" Washington: MS. PEREZ, STAND UP PLEASE. GO BUCS! [APPLAUSE] I LOVE TO HEAR IT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. MEMBER GRAY?
>>Lynn Gray: WELL, SINCE -- THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBER WASHINGTON DID IT SO WHY DON'T YOU ALL STAND UP AND LET'S GIVE YOU A HAND? YEAH. SO -- YEAH.
>>Henry "Shake" Washington: GO BUCS.
>>Lynn Gray: IT TAKES A VILLAGE. WHAT I WANTED TO SAY, AND BRIAN FORD, THE WHOLE BUCCANEER TEAMS, THEY DO SO MUCH FOR OUR SCHOOLS AND YOU KNOW THAT. BUT IT -- IT'S A REALLY A DUAL RECOGNITION. THEY'RE GIVING A LOT TO US, AND YOU'RE GIVING THEM THE RESPECT, THE DIGNITY OF THEIR NAME AND HELPING THAT -- HELPING THE RESPECT GO RIGHT THROUGH THE STUDENTS AS WELL. SO GO BUCS! THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. I KNOW A YEAR AGO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE -- DISTRICT 1 OF TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD, I TALKED TO MS. PEREZ AS THE NEW PRINCIPAL, SHE IS DOING AN AMAZING JOB. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHE SAID THAT I WAS LIKE, WOW, SHE WAS LIKE, WHEN THE STUDENTS COME FROM JUST, I WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT WE'RE ONE SCHOOL AND WE'RE REBRANDING AND UNITING AND I THINK THAT'S SUCH AN AMAZING THING. I JUST -- I THINK THE WORLD OF THE SCHOOL, YOUR FACULTY AND STAFF AND EVERYONE FROM THE LUNCHROOM ALL THE WAY THROUGH DOES SUCH A GREAT JOB. SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT AND FOLLOWING AND BRINGING THIS TO THE BOARD. I THINK IT'S AN AMAZING -- JUST SAYS A LOT ABOUT YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THANK YOU AND YOUR WHOLE TEAM FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. THANK YOU. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES?
>>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, CHAIR COMBS. ONE THING MS. PEREZ DIDN'T SAY IS YOU DON'T HAVE ANY RENDERINGS OF WHAT THE BUC WILL LOOK LIKE. THE STUDENTS ARE GOING TO HELP COME UP WITH THE DESIGN AND FINAL PRODUCT OF THE BUCCANEERS AND WHAT THE TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD BUCCANEERS MASCOT LOOKS LIKE. WHEN THEY ALL GET THERE. THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU AGAIN, MS. PEREZ.
>>Nadia Combs: AND THAT SCHOOL IS THE MOST ENTREPRENEURIAL SCHOOL I KNOW. SO WITH -- WITH THEIR PARKING. THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU. OKAY. BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. [APPLAUSE] 7.05, APPROVE THE 2023-24 FIVE-YEAR FACILITIES WORK PLAN. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM.
>>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, CHAIR COMBS. SO FLORIDA STATUTE REQUIRES EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT TO DEVELOP AND APPROVE A FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL OUTLAY WORK PLAN SUBMITTED TO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ANNUALLY. IT MUST INCLUDE A SCHEDULE OF ALL MAJOR REPAIRS, RENOVATIONS, NEWLY PLANNED CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, CLASS SIZE INFORMATION AND USE OF PORTABLE CLASSROOMS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. THIS IS TO PROVIDE THE FINAL FACILITY PLAN SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. I DO HAVE -- IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, LAUREN OTERO IS HERE UNDER CHRIS FARKAS AND CHRIS IS AT OUR FLORIDA EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES PLANNERS ASSOCIATION TODAY, SO THAT'S WHY CHRIS IS NOT HERE BUT LAUREN IS HERE TO ADDRESS QUESTIONS IF THERE IS ANY QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO THE FIVE-YEAR WORK PLAN. WE'LL TAKE THE QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C7.05. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER GRAY AND I BOTH PULLED THE ITEM. MEMBER GRAY, I'LL START WITH YOU. OR MEMBER HAHN TOO.
>>Lynn Gray: I PULLED THE ITEM, AND I MENTIONED TO SUPERINTENDENT AYRES THAT A WORKSHOP PROBABLY WOULD BE A VERY GOOD IDEA BECAUSE, BECAUSE, BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IF WE GO BY THE ADAGE COMMUNITY, MAKES THE SCHOOLS AND THE SCHOOLS MAKE THE COMMUNITY, WE'RE RANGING ALL THE WAY FROM SOUTH COUNTY TO SOUTH TAMPA TO PLANT CITY. I MEAN, WE WILL IMPACT A LOT OF LIVES WITH OUR SCHOOLS. BUT THE COST, WHEN WE GET INTO THE MANHATTAN RENOVATION, IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE AND IT WILL IMPACT OUR FINANCES. ALSO, A WORKSHOP, I BELIEVE, WILL GET -- GIVE AN APPRECIATION TO THE BOARD MEMBERS WHAT CONSTRUCTION, WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR DISTRICT, A SENSE OF PRIDE THAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH MANY OF THESE LARGE SCHOOLS. AND I CAN'T HELP BUT REPEAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS THAT KIND OF INFORMATION AS WELL, COMMUNITIES, PLURAL. I ALSO THINK THAT DURING A WORKSHOP, AND THIS IS MY RECOMMENDATION, MADAM CHAIR, DURING THE WORKSHOP WE MAY WANT TO MERGE SOME OF THE REPURPOSING OF SCHOOLS SO WE -- MAYBE WE CAN GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN ALSO WITH THE PLAN OF REPURPOSING. SO MY QUESTIONS AND THANKS, MS. OTERO FOR COMING OUT, IT'S -- YOU KNOW, THERE IS LOT OF QUESTIONS ACTUALLY AND I'M NOT GOING TO BURDEN THE BOARD RIGHT NOW WITH ALL THE QUESTIONS I CAN COME UP WITH. BUT I'LL JUST SIMPLY SAY THERE SHOULD BE A TIME ON OUR WORKSHOP SCHEDULE THAT WE CAN DEFINITELY DIG A LITTLE DEEPER IN THE SCOPE OF THESE PROJECTS ARE HUGE. AND THE SCOPE OF THE FINANCIAL IMPACT IS VERY HUGE. SO THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION. AND SO I'LL LEAVE YOU OFF THE HOOK, MS. OTERA. I WON'T GO THROUGH THE SLEW OF QUESTIONS. I'LL WAIT FOR THE WORKSHOP. THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER HAHN?
>>Stacy Hahn: IS THERE A WORKSHOP ON OUR CALENDAR OR IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'RE GOING TO SUBMIT?
>>Lynn Gray: I MADE A RECOMMENDATION FOR THAT.
>>Stacy Hahn: YOU'LL SUBMIT THAT?
>>Lynn Gray: YEAH.
>>Stacy Hahn: THAT'S FINE. MY ONLY KIND OF PUSHBACK IS WE HAVE APPROVED EVERY ONE OF THESE AND DISCUSSED IT UPON APPROVAL. I GUESS IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT COLLECTIVELY AS A WHOLE. THIS OBVIOUSLY DOESN'T INCLUDE EVERY CONSTRUCTION PROJECT THAT'S HAPPENING AT OUR SCHOOLS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE, YOU KNOW, ALSO GET UPDATES ON THAT THROUGH THE REFERENDUM DOLLARS. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, FOR EXAMPLE, WE JUST APPROVED A K-8. AND SO WHEN WE DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PARTICULAR ONE DIDN'T NEED ANY MODIFICATIONS TO THE BUILDING, BUT HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THOSE -- HOW DO THOSE DECISIONS IMPACT THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN? BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY TALK ABOUT THAT, AND WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT EVEN WHEN WE APPROVED THE CAROLWOOD K-8. OR, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE APPROVE. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT IT HAS ON THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN. I KNOW THE LAST MEETING WE HAD APOLLO BEACH COMING AND THEY'RE NOW ADVOCATING FOR A K-8. AND SO I JUST THINK THIS PLAN NEEDS TO, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO CONSIDER THESE FIVE-YEAR PLANS AND OUR TEN-YEAR PLAN WHEN WE'RE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS. BECAUSE AT SOME POINT, MY GUESS IS THAT CAROLWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS GOING TO REQUIRE AN ADDITION. OR THEY'LL COME BACK AND REQUEST A GYM. OR SOMETHING THAT A MIDDLE SCHOOL NEEDS THAT THEIR CURRENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DOES NOT PROVIDE. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT IS CONCERNING FOR ME WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE LONG-TERM HEALTH, FINANCIAL HEALTH OF THIS DISTRICT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE OTHER RESOURCES TO STUDENTS LIKE, YOU KNOW, TEACHERS AND PARAS AND SPECIAL ED RESOURCES. SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GOING TO DO A WORKSHOP, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A ROBUST CONVERSATION AROUND THAT AS WELL SO WHEN WE'RE MAKING THE DECISIONS AS A BOARD, WE'RE NOT FORGETTING THAT WE'VE ALREADY COMMITTED TO A FIVE-YEAR PLAN, AND, YOU KN KNOW, -- AND SO THERE IS IMPLICATIONS TO THOSE DECISIONS. WHETHER WE'RE ON THE BOARD IN FIVE YEARS OR NOT. THANK YOU.
>> IF I CAN SAY SOMETHING?
>>Nadia Combs: YEAH, YEAH. YES. GO AHEAD, MS. OTERA. YOU CAN KIND OF LOOK AT ME AND I'LL KNOW.
>> WALKING ME THROUGH THE PROCESS HERE. YOU BRING UP SOME VERY VALID CONCERNS, DR. HAHN. I THINK THOSE WOULD BE ADDRESSED AND BENEFICIAL IN THE CONVERSATION OF A WORKSHOP. BUT IF I COULD POINT OUT THAT THE PLAN YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS A DRAFT. SO WHAT YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE APPROVING IS A DRAFT VERSION. IT'S NOT THE FINAL VERSION OF THE FIVE- YEAR PLAN.
>>Stacy Hahn: WHEN WILL THAT COME?
>> SO IF IT WERE TO BE APPROVED TODAY AS THE DRAFT, IT WOULD GO BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEN GET INPUT FROM THE FLORIDA GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES, CITY OF TAMPA, PLANT CITY, TEMPLE TERRACE AND COME BACK TO YOU IN OCTOBER.
>>Stacy Hahn: I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO THINK ABOUT WHEN WE DO FINALLY APPROVE THIS, THAT WHEN WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS AROUND, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMS, THAT WE THINK ABOUT HOW DOES THAT FIT INTO THE FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL PLAN. BECAUSE IT ALL IMPACTS THE FINANCIAL HEALTH. EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT COMING OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND. I UNDERSTAND THAT. THIS IS STILL PART, YOU KNOW, THE CAPITAL PIECE OF WHAT WE DO IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE -- WHAT STUDENTS NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL BUT IT'S A BIG FINANCIAL INVESTMENT AS WE CAN SEE BY SOME OF THE NUMBERS, IT'S SO EXPENSIVE RIGHT NOW TO BUILD OR ADD ON.
>> YES. THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION AND RISING COSTS CERTAINLY PLAYED A FACTOR IN WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY CAPABLE OF DOING. THERE IS A PLAN BUT WHAT GETS CARRIED OUT IN LARGE PART DRIVEN BY THE INCREASING COSTS AND WHERE THE GROWTH IS HAPPENING.
>>Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE DRAFT FORM. THANKS.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. I THINK THERE IS A COUPLE THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, I THINK IT'S LIKE SEPARATE. WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN WHEN THERE IS GROWTH AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER PART WHERE THERE IS REPURPOSING SCHOOLS AND AREAS IN TAMPA WHERE WE'RE LOSING SO MANY STUDENTS, MAINLY -- AND MEMBER WASHINGTON AND MY AREA, WHILE THERE IS SO MUCH GROWTH WITH MEMBER RENDON AND MEMBER HAHN. SO I THINK DEPENDING ON THE POCKETS OF AREAS AND THAT'S SOMETHING -- SO JUST TODAY, THIS AFTERNOON, I SUBMITTED A WORKSHOP. BUT IT WAS MORE ABOUT REPURPOSING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE WITH THE SCHOOLS AND PROPERTIES, RIGHT SIZING IT. ALSO, SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT IS REALLY LOOKING AT HOW CAN WE -- WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE URBAN CORE WHERE WE'RE LOSING SO MANY TEACHERS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT JUST WHERE HALF THE TEACHERS WERE SUBS, HOW DO WE GET THE BEST TEACHERS THERE. LIKE LOOKING AT AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR SOMETHING TO DRIVE OUR TEACHERS AND BE INNOVATIVE. I DID A WORKSHOP -- JUST SUBMITTED A WORKSHOP TODAY REGARDING THAT. HOW CAN WE BE INNOVATIVE. WHAT CAN WE DO TO BRING THE TEACHERS BACK IN HERE TO STAY. JUST YESTERDAY, I WAS AT A MEETING WHERE SOMEBODY WHO MAKES SUBSTANTIALLY MORE THAN A TEACHER HAD TO LEAVE AND NOT LIVE IN HILLSBOROUGH OR PINELLAS BECAUSE IT WAS UNAFFORDABLE FOR THEM AND THEY HAD TO LIVE IN PASCO. WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS BECAUSE SOMEONE CANNOT WORK AND MAKE $50,000 OR $40,000 OR $30,000 AND AFFORD TO LIVE HERE. HOW CAN WE DO THAT WHEN WE HAVE SO MANY STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN THE URBAN CORE THAT AREN'T THERE WHEN YOU HAVE HALF THE SUBSTITUTES. THAT'S NOT FAIR FOR THOSE STUDENTS. OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO BE INNOVATIVE AND LOOK AT HOW WE CAN DO THAT. WITH THAT FIVE-YEAR PLAN, WHEN I LOOK AT THAT, I KIND OF LOOK AT THE OVERALL DISTRICT. MY NEEDS IN DISTRICT ONE AND OTHER -- I HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOU. THE FIRST ONE IS -- IT'S IN DISTRICT THREE, BUT TO REPRESENT STEIN BRENNER HIGH SCHOOL. ALTHOUGH THAT DOESN'T FALL UNDER MY DISTRICT, ALL THE SCHOOLS ARE UNDER MY DISTRICT, THAT IS A COUPLE MILES FROM MY HOUSE. THAT SCHOOL IS VERY OVER CROWDED. OUR BOUNDARIES DID NOT TOUCH THAT ISSUE THAT CONTINUES. I LIVE THERE. I SEE THE GROWTH THERE. THERE WAS TALK ABOUT A WING, BUILDING A WING THERE. I DID TALK TO THE PRINCIPAL AS WELL YESTERDAY AND TODAY ABOUT THAT AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. THERE IS A NEED AT STEIN BRENNER. SO I WANT -- I HAVE TWO MENTIONS. THAT'S THE FIRST ONE. THEN THE SECOND MENTION IS ALONZO HIGH SCHOOL WHICH IS IN MY DISTRICT, DISTRICT ONE. THERE WAS A LOT OF GROWTH AND A MOVEMENT AND IB PROGRAM THERE. WHEN THEY BUILT THAT FIRST BUILDING, THEY WERE PROMISED A SECOND FLOOR. THERE IS GROWTH AT ALONZO. I KNOW THEY HAVE CLASSROOMS. IT'S NOT COMPLETELY TO CAPACITY BUT THE IB IS GROWING AND THE ESE TEACHERS ARE FLOATING NOW. WE HAVE FLOATING TEACHERS THERE AS WELL. SO THOSE ARE TWO NEEDS IN DISTRICT ONE AND DISTRICT THREE AND I WANTED TO MENTION THAT TO YOU.
>> ABSOLUTELY AND UNDERSTANDABLE. MICHELLE ORTEN, HER DEPARTMENT MONITORS EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING WHEN IT COMES TO GROWTH AND POPULATION AND WHERE THE GROWTH IS TRENDING. ALAWNSO AND STEIN BRENNER ARE ON HER RADAR. ONE OF THE GREATEST BENEFICIAL COMPONENTS OF THE PLAN IS IT'S VERY FLUID. AS GROWTH DICK TACE AND MOVES IN A CERTAIN -- DICTATES AND MOVES IN A CERTAIN AREA, IT MAY BE AN AREA WE NEED TO ADDRESS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER AS THE DATA COMES IN.
>> HOW DO WE GO ABOUT GETTING THAT POSSIBLY ON THE LIST? ONE SCHOOL I THINK HAS A HIGHER NEED THAN ANOTHER. HOW DO WE START MOVING, BECAUSE I KNOW AS I SAID, MY DAUGHTER GRADUATED LAST YEAR. HALLWAYS ARE SO PACKED. IT'S VERY HARD FOR KIDS TO MOVE. IT'S MAKING -- IT'S JUST DIFFICULT AND CAUSING A LOT OF -- CHALLENGES AND THERE IS A LOT OF GROWTH IN THAT AREA.
>> SO WE ARE IN A POSITION WHERE WE'RE STILL ABLE TO ADD A PROJECT OR PROJECTS IF NECESSARY. THEN AS FUNDING COMES IN, IMPACT FEES COME UP WITH THE FUNDING AND ALONG WITH THE GROWTH DETERMINING WHEN THAT WOULD ACTUALLY HAPPEN. I WOULD -- AND THE LIMITED KNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE IN THIS PLAN BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT I RECEIVED, I THINK DURING THAT WORKSHOP, IT WOULD BE THE RECOMMENDATION FOR YOU TO ADD THOSE TWO PROJECTS OR ME TO LET MR. FARKAS KNOW YOU'D LIKE TO ADD THE PROJECTS TO THE PLAN.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. MEMBER GRAY? THANK YOU.
>>Lynn Gray: WELL, I JUST FOUND A QUESTION TO ASK YOU. I'M LOOKING AT THE REVENUE AND ONE OF THE REASONS FOR -- WHEN I MENTIONED FINANCIAL IMPACT. WHEN I LOOK AT 2023-2024, SO OUR ANTICIPATED FUNDING, IS IT $552 MILLION ON THE TOTALITY?
>> TELL ME WHAT PAGE YOU'RE ON?
>>Lynn Gray: I'M SORRY -- WELL -- I DIDN'T MEAN TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT. IT'S THE -- NO. IT'S -- OH, IT'S PAGE FOUR.
>> AND I'M SORRY. CAN YOU REPEAT YOUR QUESTION?
>>Lynn Gray: SO THE ANTICIPATED FUNDING, ON THE 2023-2024 IS $542 MILLION? OKAY. SO THAT WOULD SUBSTANTIALIATE A HUGE FINANCIAL IMPACT. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. ONE REASON FOR A WORKSHOP. HOW -- AND THIS GOES TO MS. JOHNSON. HOW WILL THAT IMPACT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S CAPITAL, OUR FUND BALANCE AND OTHER FUNNELS OF MONEY. THE SECOND I THINK TO MEMBER HAHN'S POINT, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE -- WHEN WE SAY REPURPOSING, SUCH AS CAROLWOOD K-8, THERE ARE OTHER SCHOOLS THAT WE WILL BE CHANGING THE LOOK AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE SEE THAT ON THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN AS ADJUSTMENTS ARE MADE. THE SECOND QUESTION COMES WHEN WE HAD THE NEW CONSTRUCTION COST AT $16 MILLION, SO DON'T KNOW OR DO WE KNOW -- AND MS. OTERA, I'M SORRY. I DON'T MEAN TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT. DO WE KNOW WHAT PROPERTIES ARE BEING PERHAPS PURCHASED? THE NEW PROPERTY PURCHASES? THAT'S ON PAGE FIVE. I DON'T KNOW -- I PROBABLY SHOULD KNOW. BUT I DON'T KNOW. DO I KNOW?
>> WHAT I'M AWARE RECENT PROPERTY PURCHASED WAS IN THE PLANT CITY AREA.
>>Lynn Gray: YEAH. YOU'RE CORRECT. THERE'S ONE IN PLANT CITY. ACTUALLY WE HAVE TWO. WELL, WE HAVE ONE -- GO AHEAD, VAN. WE HAVE ONE WAY, WAY NOT DONE YET. BUT ONE, THE VOCATIONAL, IS COMING UP. GO AHEAD.
>>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. I WAS GOING TO SAY, ANY OF THESE QUESTIONS HERE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, GET FEEDBACK BACK TO YOU AND THE NITTY-GRITTY AND GET THE SPECIFIC ANSWERS BACK TO YOU.
>>Lynn Gray: AGAIN, I JUST -- JUST DID WHAT I TOLD YOU I WASN'T GOING TO DO AND ASK YOU QUESTIONS ON ALL THIS. THE WORKSHOP DEFINITELY TO ME CAN CANDIDLY HAPPY WHERE WE TALK ABOUT HOUSING BECAUSE THE MODEL THAT MANY, AND DENVER IS AN EXAMPLE, MEMBER COMBS, IS HAVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND THAT'S A MODEL THAT SHARED WITH THE PATELS RIGHT NOW IN THEIR SCHOOL OFF OF FOULER IN THAT AREA PUTTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO IT'S A MODEL THAT WE SHOULD EXPLORE. AND I MENTIONED THAT A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, TALKING JUST ABOUT PROBLEMS. WE CAN TALK ABOUT SOLUTIONS, MEMBER COMB, AND I THINK IT'S VERY VIABLE. THAT'S SOMETHING INNOVATIVE AND OTHER DISTRICTS ARE DOING IT. SO THERE IS A LOT, I THINK, AND I'M PUTTING DOWN THE WORKSHOP TENETS NOW. OKAY. I'M DONE TALKING. THANKS, MS. OTERA.
>> ANY TIME.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. MEMBER RENDON?
>>Patti Rendon: YEAH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONSIDER THE FACT OF OVERALL LOOKING AT EVERYTHING. EVERY ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS IS ADJUSTING AND CHANGING AS WE'RE MOVING THROUGH THIS PROCESS. YEAH, I MEAN, MY AREA IS DEFINITELY MOVING FAST. IT'S GROWING FAST AND OVER CROWDED. AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO THANK THE DEPARTMENT FOR WAS, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS WALK THROUGH THE PROCESS, WE'VE GOT OTHER SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN THE BUILD COMING THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THIS FIVE-YEAR PLAN. IT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING WITH OUR OTHER ENTITIES, CITY OF TAMPA, COUNTY, EVERYONE INVOLVED, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND OUR FIVE-YEAR PLAN AND LONG-TERM PLAN. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SEE THAT WE DO HAVE OTHER THINGS ON THE BOOKS. I ALSO THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR CAPITAL DOLLARS AND THE PURPOSE FOR OUR REFERENDUM WAS REALLY TO GET OUR SCHOOLS UP TO CODE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BUILDING ALL OF THE REPAIRS THAT ARE NEEDED. AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR IS WHEN WE STARTED THIS 5- YEAR PLAN WITH THIS IN MIND, AND USING OUR REFERENDUM FUNDS, YOU CAN LOOK THROUGH HERE AND 23-24 OR 24-25, 25-26, ALL THE WAY THROUGH 27-28 AND ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE GETTING NEEDED REPAIRS, NEEDED MAINTENANCE THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AT THE TIME, RIGHT? AND WE IDENTIFIED THOSE SCHOOLS THAT ARE GOING TO NEED THOSE THINGS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT WE'RE IDENTIFYING HOW WE'RE USING OUR CAPITAL FUNDS. AND WE'RE MAXIMIZING THEM. LET'S BE REALISTIC. WHEN WE LOOK OVER FIVE YEARS, THAT REFERENDUM SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY LEFT. BECAUSE OF ALL THE NEEDED REPAIRS. ROOFS, FLOORS, AC UNITS. DURING THAT FIVE-YEAR, WE'RE REDOING ACs THAT WE STARTED WITH FIVE YEARS AGO. SO THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT OUR NEW BUILDS. THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT LOOKING AT WHERE THOSE SCHOOLS ARE. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK IF WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT A CAPACITY ISSUE, WE NEED TO LOOK AT A BIGGER PICTURE, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE REALLY NEED TO SAVE OUR DOLLARS TO MAKE SURE ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE BEING UTILIZED. TO ME AN AIR CONDITIONING IS SO IMPORTANT. RIGHT? WE'RE GOING TO GET THE CALLS AUGUST 10, AUGUST 11, WE'RE ALL GETTING THE CALLS THAT OUR AIR CONDITIONING IS NOT WORKING. BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, MY HOUSE AIR CONDITIONING IS NOT GOING TO BE WORKING EITHER BECAUSE WE'RE MAXIMIZING OUR TIME IN AUGUST. IT'S AUGUST IN FLORIDA, PEOPLE. IT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS. SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT BEFORE YOU CALL ME, WE'VE GOT THEM ON THE LIST. WE'RE MAKING SURE ALL OUR STUDENTS ARE SAFE AND THEY HAVE WATER. WE'RE MAKING SURE WE'RE TAKING CARE OF OUR STUDENTS. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR FULL PICTURE AND FULL GROWTH BECAUSE WE'RE MAXIMIZING IN THE FIVE- YEAR PLANS OF WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO. SO IT'S IMPORTANT. BUT I'M GOING TO MAKE ONE MORE NOTE WHEN IT COMES TO WORKSHOPS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE TAKE NOTE THAT ANY WORKSHOP THAT IS BEING CANCELED IN THE LAST FOUR MONTHS IS PUT BACK ON THE BOOKS BEFORE WE START ADDING IN NEW. AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR POLICIES HAVE GOT TO BE LOOKED AT BECAUSE THAT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS BOARD MEMBERS, AND WE HAVE YET TO LOOK AT ANY POLICIES THIS CALENDAR YEAR AND WE'RE IN MONTH SEVEN. WE'VE HAD A WORKSHOP CANCELED ON POLICIES. WE'VE NOT RESCHEDULED THAT. WE HAD A SECOND BOOK, YOU KNOW, SCHEDULED BECAUSE OF LAWS. WE'VE GOT TO MAKE THAT A PRIORITY TO RESCHEDULE THOSE WORKSHOPS BEFORE WE ADD IN NEW. AND IT'S A PRIORITY. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DO THAT BEFORE WE ADD IN ANY NEW WORKSHOPS. NONE OF US SHOULD HAVE TO RE-REQUEST A WORKSHOP CANCELED WHEN IT'S BEEN CANCELED. AND WE HAVE NOT PUT THOSE WORKSHOPS BACK ON THE CALENDAR SO I'M GOING TO ASK SUPERINTENDENT, MAKE SURE THAT'S A PRIORITY BEFORE WE ADD IN NEW WORKSHOPS PLEASE. THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY A COUPLE THINGS ABOUT THE WORKSHOPS. THE BOOK WORKSHOP REGARDING BOOKS HAS BEEN PUSHED OUT BECAUSE WE'RE WAITING FOR THE STATE TO GIVE US DIRECTION. IT WOULD BE VERY -- WE DON'T WANT TO CREATE A POLICY AND THEN THE DOE TELL US WHAT TO DO AND IT BE A CLIFLT. THAT'S WHAT WE -- CONFLICT. THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO KEEP WAITING. AS FAR AS POLICY WORKSHOPS, WE HAVE SOMEONE WORKING ON THE POLICIES ALL THE TIME. THE LAST POLICY CYCLE, NOBODY HAD ANY POLICIES TO BRING IN FOR THE WORKSHOPS. SO WE WEREN'T GOING TO MEET JUST TO HAVE -- BUT WE DO HAVE POLICY WORKSHOPS PLACED FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, BUT THERE WERE NO POLICIES BROUGHT UP AT THIS TIME. IF I'M RIGHT -- RIGHT? THERE WAS NOTHING ON THAT? NO BOARD MEMBER POLICIES. THERE WERE A COUPLE STAFF ONES, BUT IT WAS -- SOME READY TO GO FOR THE NEXT MEETING BUT NO BOARD MEMBERS. BUT WE HAVE POLICY WORKSHOPS NOW SCHEDULED FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT BECAUSE THAT IS OUR MOST IMPORTANT JOB IS OBVIOUSLY OVERSEEING WHO IS THE SUPERINTENDENT. OVERSEEING THE POLICIES AND FISCAL PART. BUT I DON'T WANT THE -- I DON'T WANT THE NARRATIVE TO BE THAT WE'RE AVOIDING OUR IGNORING WORKSHOPS THAT BOARD MEMBERS HAVE REQUESTED. IT'S BECAUSE OF CERTAIN SITUATIONS OF NOT HAVING THAT WORKSHOP. I WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT. SO THANK YOU. MEMBER RENDON?
>>Patti Rendon: I WANT TO CLARIFY, I'M THE ONE THAT REQUESTED THE POLICY WORKSHOP. AND I DID IDENTIFY OUT OF OUR SECTIONS OF POLICIES, I WENT THROUGH FOUR SECTIONS AND IDENTIFIED EVERY SINGLE ONE THAT DID NOT HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE, DID NOT HAVE A DATE, SO I IDENTIFIED POLICIES THAT WE WERE NOT WAITING FOR LONG THAT WE AS A BOARD COULD HAVE REVIEWED. SO LET ME MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR WHEN I SUBMITTED THAT. I IDENTIFIED POLICIES THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH CHANGING LAWS THAT WE COULD HAVE BEEN IN A REVIEW PROCESS SO WE COULD GET THEM INTO A PROPER CYCLE.
>>Jim Porter: SO THERE ARE TWO CYCLES HAPPENING HERE. THERE IS THE POLICIES THAT THE BOARD WANTS TO RECOMMEND. AND THEN MR. McCAULEY IS WORKING WITH AN INTERN TO OVERHAUL ALL THE POLICIES INCLUDING THE ONES YOU MENTIONED. THAT WILL BE COMING LATER THIS YEAR. THEY'RE PARALLEL AND RELATED. BUT I THINK WHAT CHAIR COMBS IS TALKING ABOUT ARE NEW POLICIES. THE PARTS YOU BROUGHT UP ARE ACTIVELY BEING REVIEWED NOW BY THE INTERN AND STAFF AND BROUGHT BACK TO THE BOARD IN A HOLISTIC FASHION WITH ALL THE POLICIES.
>>Nadia Combs: THAT'S BEEN ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF THAT THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE. SO OKAY. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. OKAY. 7.05, THE MODIFICATION TO THE EXISTING -- SORRY, 7.06 -- AGREEMENT WITH 34ED, LLC DBA CENTEGIX TO INCLUDE ASSET MAPPING AND ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONALITY . SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM.
>>Van Ayres: THANK YOU. FIRST I WANT TO GIVE KUDOS TO OUR CHIEF OF OPERATIONS FACILITIES CHRIS FARKAS. OUR CHIEF NEWMAN THCH. THIS AGENDA ITEM TALKS ABOUT ASSET MAPPING THAT WENT INTO LAW JULY 1. OUR DISTRICT CONTINUES TO INVEST IN SAFETY AND SECURITY EFFORTS IN THE BEST POSSIBLE CONDITIONS IN OUR FACILITIES. WE'LL UTILIZE CENTEGIX FOR OUR ASSET MAPPING AND WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY. THIS JUST WENT INTO LAW AGENDA 1 AND HERE WE ARE WITH AN AGENDA ITEM JULY 11. AGAIN, I WANT TO SEND CHRIS FARKAS, CHIEF NEWMAN FOR BEING ON TOP OF THIS. THIS GOES INTO EFFECT JULY 1 AND HERE WE ARE JULY 11 WITH AN AGENDA ITEM AND WE'RE HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C7.06. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER HAHN AND A SECOND BY MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER HAHN AND I BOTH PULLED THIS. MEMBER HAHN?
>>Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. I JUST WANT -- I PULLED IT BECAUSE I ALSO WANTED TO JUST TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE REALLY AHEAD OF THE GAME ON THIS AND MR. FARKAS AND HIS TEAM HAD, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BRINGING THIS FORWARD JUST RIGHT AFTER THE LAW CAME INTO EFFECT. BUT THERE IS ALSO A GRANT THAT IS GOING TO BE OPENED VERY SOON, AND PART OF THAT GRANT TO COMPLETE THE WHOLE GRANT, AS MY UNDERSTANDING, IS THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PARTNER WHO YOU'RE WORKING ON WITH DOING THE ASSET MAPPING. SO WE'RE ALREADY AHEAD OF THE GAME BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE OUR PARTNER, SO NOW WHEN THE GRANT BECOMES LIVE, A LIVE LINK THAT WE CAN GO IN AND COMPETE FOR OR APPLY FOR, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S A COMPETITION GRANT. I THINK IT'S JUST APPLYING TO SUPPORT THE ASSET MAPPING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AHEAD OF THE GAME. SO IT'S KIND OF A NICE FEELING TO BE AHEAD OF THE GAME, SO I THOUGHT MAYBE WE'D POINT THAT OUT. THIS ASSET MAPPING IS JUST AROUND A NEW BILL THAT IT'S JUST GOING TO REQUIRE ALL THE SCHOOL MAPS TO FACE NORTH, SO THAT WAY -- I'M NOT AS -- I'M NOT SOPHISTICATED -- VERY SOPHISTICATED AROUND THIS, YOU KNOW, ASSET MAPPING. BUT I KNOW ENOUGH TO BE DANGEROUS. BUT THIS WAY IF WE DO HAVE AN ISSUE AT ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS, AND WE NEED EMERGENCY RESPONSE, ALL THE MAPS ARE FACING THE SAME WAY AND IT'S -- IT MAKES IT MUCH EASIER FOR OUR RAPID RESPONDERS TO, YOU KNOW, FIND THE CRITICAL AREA ON CAMPUS AND RESPOND. SO, YOU KNOW, THE GRANT WILL HELP US FUND THE MAP -- THE ASSET MAPPING PIECE OF IT, SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK MR. FARKAS AND HIS TEAM FOR BEING ON TOP OF THIS. THANK YOU.
>> YES, AND DR. HAHN, YOU'RE CORRECT. HAVING THE RELATIONSHIP WITH CENTEGIX BEING A LEADER IN SCHOOL SAFETY ALLOWED US TO BE ABLE TO GET THIS DONE VERY SEAMLESSLY WITH THAT RELATIONSHIP.
>>Stacy Hahn: YEP, I AGREE. THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER RENDON?
>>Patti Rendon: YEAH. YOU KNOW, MANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS HERE, WE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING THERE WHEN SENATOR COLLINS INTRODUCED THIS BILL AND NOW PASSED INTO LAW, AND SO I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK SENATOR COLLINS AND REPRESENTATIVE ALVAREZ FOR JUST CHAMPIONING STUDENT SAFETY IN OUR SCHOOLS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THEY JUST TOOK ON THE CHALLENGE AND CHILDREN IN OUR SCHOOLS INCLUDING THEIR OWN PRIORITIZE THEIR SAFETY. AND SO I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK THEM FOR MOVING FORWARD ON THIS. THEM COLLECTIVELY WORKING WITH OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WAS A LEADER IN THIS. AND SO THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE. AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, CHRIS FARKAS AND YOUR TEAM, AT THE END OF THE DAY, FANTASTIC OF GETTING THIS DONE SO QUICKLY. GETTING THIS READY. I THINK IT'S NOT GOING TO BE VERY SHORT TIME. I THINK WE'RE LOOKING IN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO WHEN -- THEY'LL BE RELEASING THAT GRANT WHICH FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT RECOGNIZE WHAT HAPPENS IN GOVERNMENT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A BILL THAT'S GOING TO BE FULLY FUNDED TO REQUEST SOMETHING OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT AND FULLY FUND IT, ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU TO SENATOR COLLINS AND REPRESENTATIVE ALVAREZ BECAUSE PUTTING THAT BILL TOGETHER, THEY NOT ONLY PUT IT TOGETHER BUT ACQUIRED THE FUNDS TO ALLOW US NOT TO HAVE ADDITIONAL PRESSURE ON US OR USE OUR FUNDS THAT WE NEED IN OUR SCHOOLS TO SO A HUGE ASSET TO OH US IN OUR SCHOOLS. I WANT TO THANK THEM. THANK THE DEPARTMENT FOR EVERYTHING YOU GUYS ARE DOING TO REALLY MAKE US TO BE A LEADER AND FRONTIER ON THIS. AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>>Addison Davis: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, MR. ROTERO AND CHRIS FARKAS AND CHIEF NEWMAN. I REMEMBER A YEAR AGO WHEN I WAS AT A SCHOOL AND THERE WERE SEVERAL FIGHTS AND IT WAS SO QUICK, THE REACTION WAS SO QUICK AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HAD DONE TO LABEL SCHOOLS CLEAR, BECAUSE WE KNOW THE SAFETY IS NUMBER ONE, AND I THINK THAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE SAFE WHEN THEY GO TO SCHOOL, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT CHILDREN REMAIN SAFE EVERY DAY AT SCHOOL. I ALSO WANTS TO TAKE A MINUTE TO CONGRATULATE CHIEF NEWMAN, GOVERNOR DESANTIS APPOINTED THREE INDIVIDUALS TO THE MARJORIE STONEMAN DOUGLAS PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION, AND OUR OWN CHIEF NEWMAN WAS ONE OF THOSE. SO THAT WAS BIG NEWS. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. MEMBER PREZ?
>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. YOU TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH; CHAIR. BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE ARE LAG OUT FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS, WE ALWAYS GET AHEAD OF THE PACK. AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE DONE HERE. WE IMPLEMENTED SOMETHING, AND NOW WE ARE GETTING THE GRANTS FOR IT, YOU KNOW, TO CONTINUE IT. SO THANK YOU, MS. ROTERO, CHRIS FARKAS, CHIEF NEWMAN FOR HAVING THE VISION TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE, OUR SCHOOLS SAFE, AND NOW HERE WE ARE BEING ABLE TO SUPPLEMENT THAT, BUT ALSO ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING IS, YOU KNOW, FORWARD MOVING. AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN ALSO TO LIKE THE CHAIR SAID TO CHIEF NEWMAN FOR EVERYTHING HE CONTINUES TO DO HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, BUT NOW HE'S GOING TO ADD IT ON A LARGER SCALE. THANK YOU.
>>Addison Davis: THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO EMPLOYEE INPUT, 6.01. EVEN THOUGH WE HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, IT'S SOMETIMES DIFFICULT FOR EMPLOYEES IN OUR DISTRICT TO ATTEND MEETINGS. THERE ARE MANY WAYS FOR EMPLOYEES TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD INCLUDING THROUGH UNION REPRESENTATIVES, E-MAILS, PHONE CALMS, ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS AND PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING. THE BOARD WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU. WITH THIS SECTION OF OUR AGENDA WE ARE CREATING ANOTHER AVENUE FOR EMPLOYEES TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD. WE ARE SETTING ASIDE 30 MINUTES FOR EMPLOYEES TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT ANY ISSUES ON YOUR MIND. THIS IS NOT TO BE ABOUT SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA BUT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT ANY ISSUES RELATED TO YOUR JOB OR DISTRICT. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. I THINK WE JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF SPEAKER TONIGHT THANK YOU.
>> JUST ME TONIGHT. ROB KRIETE, PRESIDENT OF CTA. HAPPY TO BE HERE. SCHEDULED OR UNSCHEDULED, WHEN WE HAVE A CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP, WE GET THE OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE WAY WE ARE DOING THINGS AND THE WAY WE HAVE BEEN DOING THEM. WITH THAT, CTA, WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT SUPERINTENDENT AIRS HAS LEADERSHIP, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PROGRESSIVE, CREATIVE AND DONE THINGS OUT OF THE BOX HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH. WE NEED TO DO THAT AGAIN. THE EMERGENCY THAT IS IN FRONT OF US TODAY ARE THE VACANCIES THAT WE ARE SEEING A MONTH FROM NOW AS WE OPEN OUR SCHOOLS. WE CANNOT SOLVE THIS PROBLEM IN FOUR WEEKS. HOWEVER, WE COULD DO THE WORK TO START MAKING PROGRESS ON THIS ISSUE. WE ARE VERY EXCITED THAT WE HAVE ALREADY BEGUN NEGOTIATIONS. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF OFFERING CREATIVE SOLUTIONS SOMETIMES THAT DON'T COST US A LOT OF MONEY. CLEARLY WE HAVE TO DO GETTER FOR OUR SALARIES, FOUR OUR TEACHERS AND OUR SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS BUT COLLECTIVELY, COLLABORATIVELY, WE BELIEVE WE CAN DO THAT. SO NOW IS THE TIME. WE ARE EXCITED. AND WELCOME TO SUPERINTENDENT AYRES AND WISH SUPERINTENDENT CONNOR BEST OF LUCK DOWN IN SARASOTA. SO THANK YOU ALL. STAY SAFE.
>>Addison Davis: THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY FURTHER COMMENT. WE WILL CONTINUE ON. NOW 9.01. CONTRACT FOR EDUCATIONAL SERVICES BETWEEN CHAD CHRONISTER, SHERIFF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM.
>>Van Ayres: PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES FOR STUNTS IN A K-12 WHO ARE INCARCERATED AND IN JAILS ADMINISTERED BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. APPROXIMATELY 50 STUDENTS ARE SERVED AT ANY GIVEN TIME BY TWO DROPOUT PREVENTION TEACHERS, TWO ASSISTANT TEACHERS AND TWO ESE TEACHERS, ENSURING THAT STUDENTS RECEIVE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AT THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SITES, WILL RECEIVE EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT EDUCATION FUNDING FROM THE FLORIDA EDUCATION FINANCE PROGRAM. THIS ITEM IN OUR NEXT THREE ITEMS AS WELL FALL UNDERNEATH ERNEST WOOD, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR NONTRADITIONAL PROGRAMS, ALSO CHRISIE DORIAN, SO ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, MYSELF OR CHRISSY OR ERNEST WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE. THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER RENDON, A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER GRAY, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
>>Lynn Gray: YES, AND I WANT TO THANK CHRIS DORIAN AND ERNEST WOOD. CHRIS I THINK IT'S BEEN 30 YEARS YOU HAVE BEEN AT THIS. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT COLLABORATION WITH SHERIFF CHRONISTER AND THE JUDGES, ALL FOR THE WELFARE OF OUR STUDENTS, AND REALLY THE ABSOLUTE, I WOULD SAY, BENEFITS, NOT ONLY ACADEMICALLY AND SOCIAL EMOTIONALLY COMES THROUGH, THEY ARE GRADUATING. THE SECOND CHANCE THAT YOU ARE GIVING WITH YOUR YOUTH SERVICES PROGRAM ARE GIVING KIDS THAT HAVE MADE A MISTAKE IN LIFE ANOTHER CHANCE, BUT NOT JUST THAT, I MEAN, YOU ARE PREPARING THEM TO GO INTO THE WORLD AS IT IS, AND YOU ARE WORKING WITH THE SHERIFF, THE CITY OF TAMPA POLICE, I MEAN, JUST THOSE WHO CAN MAKE AND GUIDE THOSE CHILDREN AS THEY GO THROUGH THEIR ADULT LIFE. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXPERTISE, YOUR PROFESSIONALISM, AND ERNEST, YOU ARE DIALOGUE A GREAT JOB, AND I KNOW THAT'S WHERE YOUR HEART IS. SO GIVING KIDS A SECOND CHANCE, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DOING AT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING. MR. WOODS, YOU DO SUCH AN AMAZING JOB WHENEVER YOU TAKE ME TO A CENTER OR SHOWING ME. I MEAN, YOUR LEADERSHIP IS AMAZING. AND CHRISSY DORIAN AND MELISSA RUSSO AND YOUR TEAM, WHAT YOU DO FOR KIDS IN OUR DISTRICT IS AMAZING, NOT EVERY CHILD HAS THE SAME -- SOME CHILDREN HAVE MANY CHALLENGES, THEY ARE BORN UNDER CHALLENGES, THEY DESERVE SECOND CHANCES, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU DO. BOTH OF YOU, YOUR WHOLE TEAM WORKS TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THE KIDS ARE SUCCESSFUL AND THEY GET SECOND CHANCES AND THEY CAN DO WELL. PROGRAMS LIKE AMI, CASE, YOU KNOW, OUR EPIC CENTERS, MAKING SURE THAT SOMEONE THAT HAS TROUBLE OVER THE WEEKEND, LETTING THOSE SCHOOLS KNOW, MAYBE SOMEONE IS ANGRY BECAUSE SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THEM, RIGHT? MAKING SURE THAT CONNECTION IS SO IMPORTANT. I JUST WANT TO ALSO THANK ALL OF YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. MEMBER WASHINGTON?
>>Henry "Shake" Washington: I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT CHRIS. I GO BACK A LONG WAY WITH YOU GUYS SO I KNOW YOU HAVE ALLEGES DONE A GREAT JOB. THIS IS NOTHING NEW TO ME BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB AND I WANT YOU TO CONTINUE DOING A GOOD JOB BECAUSE WHAT YOU DO IS SO IMPORTANT TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. 9.02. APPROVE THE CONTRACT BETWEEN PACE CENTER FOR GIRLS, HILLSBOROUGH PACE AND SCHOOL BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR COMBS. SIMILAR TO AI KIDS TAMPA, CASE IS A PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES GENDER SPECIFIC PROGRAM FOR GIRLS WHO EXPERIENCE VARYING DEGREES OF TRAUMA, GOING DEEPER INTO THE JUVENILE US J ADVERTISE SYSTEM. THE DISTRICT IS REQUIRED TO PAY PRIVATE PROVIDERS LIKE PACE A PERCENT OF A FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT LEARNED EARNED AND ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT THEY HAVE PROVIDED TO SPECIFIC APPROPRIATION, AND FOR SUPPLEMENTAL ALLOCATION FOR JUVENILE JUSTICE EDUCATION PROGRAMS.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE C-9.02. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ, A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? MEMBER PEREZ?
>>Karen Perez: AS ONE WHO WORKS A LOT WITH THE COURT SYSTEM, AND I SEE A LOT OF OUR YOUNG FOLKS THAT GO THROUGH, AND PACE HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE, YOU KNOW, HELPING, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUNG LADIES. THERE'S A LOT OF PROGRAMS THAT HELP YOUNG MEN, BUT YOUNG LADIES, THEY SEEM TO BE STAGNANT WHEN IT COMES TO PROGRAMS. AND THIS PACE HAS BEEN TRULY A STAPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY ESPECIALLY HERE IN TAMPA. BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU, BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN WHAT PACE HAS DONE. YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY BEING A CONTRIBUTOR TO PACE, BUT ALSO SEEING THEM COME TO THE COURT SYSTEM, YOU GUYS BEING THERE IN THE COURT, AND BEING JUST A SUPPORT, MAJOR SUPPORT FOR OUR YOUNG LADIES. BUT THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR GIRLS.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. 9.04. APPROVE THE CONTRACT BETWEEN AMI KIDS TAMPA INCORPORATED AND THE SCHOOL BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FLORIDA. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM.
>>Van Ayres: SO THIS IS A NONRESIDENTIAL DAY TREATMENT PREVENTION PROGRAM FOR AT RISK STUDENTS, PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND AFFECTS POSITIVE BEHAVIOR CHANGE THAT MAY INCLUDE REGULAR ACTIVITIES, FIELD TRIPS AND OTHER EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. THEY WILL RECEIVE ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION, COUNSELING, BEHAVIOR THERAPY AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAREER ASPIRATION.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C-9.04. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ, A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. 9.05. APPROVE THE CONTRACT BETWEEN AMI KIDS YES AND THE SCHOOL BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FLORIDA. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM.
>>Van Ayres: THE LAST ITEM FOR ERNEST AND CHRISIE, YES, FOR 32 US WOULD WHO ARE ADJUDICATED DELINQUENT BY THE COURTS AND UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE. AMI KIDS YES PROVIDES THE RESIDENTIAL FACILITY AND THE PERSONNEL FOR THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM WITH SUPPORT AND OVERSIGHT BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS YOUTH SERVICES PROGRAMS.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C-9.505. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ, A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER GRAY, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
>>Lynn Gray: JUST A COMMENT, MADAM CHAIR. I DID NOT SHARE THAT THE AMOUNT OF THE DIPLOMAS THAT WERE GIVEN OUT FOR THE 2022-23 SCHOOL YEAR, THANK YOU, ERNEST WOOD, FOR GETTING THIS TOGETHER. WE GOT 44 GRADUATES DURING OUR SCHOOL YEAR, WHICH AGAIN COMES FROM YOUR EXPERTISE, CHRISSY DORIAN, ERNEST, YOUR PASSION AND GOOD WILL AND EXPERTISE AS WELL. SO WE ARE GETTING THEM TO GRADUATE. THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER PEREZ?
>>Karen Perez: SO A BIG YES PROGRAM HAS BEEN AROUND ALSO FOR A WHILE. AND BEING ABLE TO GET THESE CHILDREN, THESE STUDENTS ON A GOOD PATH TOWARDS GRADUATION, AND TO SHOW THEM SOMETHING DIFFERENT. YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN THE PATH THAT THEY WERE ON PREVIOUSLY. I KNOW THAT THE YES PROGRAM HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE LIKE THE 90s, RIGHT? AND, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S WORKING, IT'S WORKING, YOU KNOW, TO SEE OUR STUDENTS BEING ABLE TO MOVE THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, AND GET THEIR LIFE STRAIGHT, AND BE ABLE TO ALSO MENTOR OTHER KIDS THAT THEN THROUGH THIS PROGRAM AS WELL. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN OUR STUDENTS, HAVING THIS PROGRAM, AND GETTING OUR KIDS SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES, BUT ALSO A GOOD FUTURE FOR THEMSELVES. THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. 9.06. MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND THE CHILDREN'S BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR THE CARE CHILD-ADULT RELATIONSHIP ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM MODEL. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES.
>>Van Ayres: TO A LINE PRINCIPALS ACROSS ELEMENTARY AND JUNTA MIDDLE SCHOOL BY USING THE CARE MODEL PROGRAM FUND IT ABOUT IT CHILDREN BOARD COMMITTEE, PROVIDES EVIDENCE AND TRAUMA INFORMED SCHOOL WIDE INITIATIVE ON HEALTHY SOCIAL EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND POSITIVE CHILD ADULT RELATIONSHIPS. THIS ITEM, ELIZABETH TANNER, THANK YOU FOR WORKING THIS ITEM AND I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ALONG WITH MS. TANNER. THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C-9.06. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ. A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER GRAY, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
>>Lynn Gray: YES, JUST REAL BRIEF. FIRST WE WANT TO THANK KELLY HARRIS, THE CHILDREN'S BOARD, FOR DOING SUCH A MARVELOUS JOB, AND ADDRESSING OUR HIGH-NEEDS STUDENTS AT JUNTA, AND, WELL, THERE'S ONE OTHER SCHOOL, I'M SORRY, THAT DOESN'T COME TO MY MIND RIGHT NOW. BUT AT ANY RATE, THE QUESTION I HAD WAS, IS THIS TEACHER FRIENDLY, THIS PARTICULAR MODEL? AND WHAT FEEDBACK HAVE WE GOTTEN FROM THE TEACHERS ON THIS SO FAR? THANKS, MS. TANNER.
>> TANNER: THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER GRAY. YES, WE DEVELOPED THIS PLAN WITH THE STAFF AT FROST AND JUNTA AS A COLLABORATION AS A STUDENT SERVICES TEAM. WE HAD ADMINISTRATORS INVOLVED, PSYCHOLOGISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND TEACHERS, TOO, TO REALLY INVESTIGATE AND BRAIN STORAGE BEST WAYS, BOAST PRACTICES OF THE SCHOOL SITE.
>>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU FOR THAT. ANY OTHER DISTRICT OTHER THAN WALTON DISTRICT THAT USES THIS PROGRAM?
>> SO WE BASED THAT TYPE OF WALTON MODEL FOR THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, BUT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA, USF, IS THE ONE PARTNERING WITH THE CHILDREN'S BOARD TO IMPLEMENT THEIR CARE PROGRAM, AND A COUPLE OTHER MINDFULNESS STRATEGIES. SO IT'S FOLLOWING BEST PRACTICES WITH TRAUMA, WORKING WITH STUDENTS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO TRAUMA, PROVIDING INTERVENTION BUT ALSO MOST IMPORTANTLY STAFF TRAINING ON THE EFFECTS OF TRAUMA ON STUDENT LEARNING.
>>Lynn Gray: IT'S SO VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE ADOPTED FROM THOSE UNANIMOUSLY DROPOUT PREVENTION CENTERS A FEW YEARS AGO, AND MEMBER PEREZ, YOU WERE AT A CONFERENCE, I BELIEVE STACY HAHN, MEMBER HAHN WAS THERE AS WELL, BUT THE INTRODUCTION OF TEACHING TEACHERS ABOUT TRAUMA IS SO CRITICAL, AND JUST THE ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EFFECTS IS HAPPENING TO SO MANY OF OUR FAMILIES. IT JUST GOES WITHOUT MEASURE. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ONE NOT JUST FOR THESE TWO SCHOOLS BUT I HOPE THAT WE EXPAND IT TO OTHERS, AND THANK YOU, MS. TANNER, FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND YORK WORK WITH THE CHILDREN'S BOARD AS WELL.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. OUR FINAL ITEM IS 11.1. APPROVE THE CONTRACT SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH K-12 LIFT. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM.
>>Van Ayres: K-12 LIFT EQUIPS EDUCATORS FOR DATA PRODUCTS AND REPORTING TOOLS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS WITH INFORMATION ON STRENGTHS AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT OUTCOMES BASED ON INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE USING EXISTING DATA AND SERVICE OF SHORTENING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN ASSESSMENT AND USEFUL INSIGHTS. REPORTS INCORPORATE THE LOCAL PROGRESS MONITORING COURSE GRADES AND ATTENDANCE DATA, THREE TIMES PER YEAR FOR TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS AT OUR 50 TRANSFORMATION NETWORK SCHOOLS. ALL THESE REPORTS ARE EASILY ACCESSIBLE ON SHAREPOINT. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, MYSELF OR SHAY McRAE. WE WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C-11.01. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY, SECOND BY MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER GRAY, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
>>Lynn Gray: NO, MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO SUPERINTENDENT COMMENTS. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES.
>>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, CHAIR COMBS. SO FIRST OFF, BEFORE WE MOVE INTO OUR SUPERINTENDENT UPDATES AND COMMENTS, YOU I FIRST WANT TO JUST SAY THANK YOU TO THIS BOARD FOR YOUR CONFIDENCE IN ME, AND I PROMISE ONE THING, THAT MYSELF, MY TEAM, WE WILL GET BETTER EVERY SINGLE DAY. SO I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY, NUMBER ONE, TO THANK THIS BOARD FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, NUMBER ONE, AND SUPPORT AS WE MOVE FORWARD THIS YEAR. IT'S GOING TO BE THIS YEAR, AS WE MOVE INTO MY UPDATES, WE HAVE PLAN IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT BUT ALWAYS AT THE TOP OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ME WILL ALWAYS BE THE FIRST ITEM THAT'S ON MY PowerPoint WHICH IS THE ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE. WHAT WE CREATE IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT ALL STARTS WITH CULTURE, RIGHT? IT STARTS THERE. THE REST OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE ABOUT IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE BEING HAVING A SAFE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE SCHOOL DISTRICT, ACADEMIC EXCELLENT, BUT IT ALL STARTS THAT WE HAVE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERYBODY IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THERE'S NOBODY HERE THAT CAN DO ANYTHING ALONE IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT. ANY JOB YOU HAVE HERE, NOBODY CAN DO IT ALONE. MYSELF, THIS BOARD, MY STAFF, A TEACHER, NO MATTER WHAT ROLE YOU HAVE IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, NOBODY CAN DO IT ALONE. AND THAT'S WHY IT'S OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE THAT WE ALWAYS WORK TOGETHER TO MOVE THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT FORWARD. I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS OPPORTUNITY THIS SCHOOL YEAR AND I'M EXCITED AND AS I SAID EARLIER, ONE THING I WILL SAY TO YOU ALL IS I WILL GET BETTER EVERY DAY. SO JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS AND I WILL STRUCTURE MY COMMENTS AROUND OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. AS YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES IS SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE. YOU SEE HERE DISTRICT STAFF AT THE MIND-SET UNIVERSITY IN ST. PETE, IN THE MIDDLE, ALONZO ANDSICLE HOSTED A BASKETBALL CAMP FOR GRADES 2 THEY'RE THROUGH 9 AND THEN WENT TO BELIZE FOR THE EDUCATOR NATIONAL SERVICE TRIP, DOING COMMUNITY SERVICE TRIPS AND TEAM BINDING ACTIVITIES. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE GREAT WORK OUR SCHOOLS ARE DOING. STUDENTS FROM WALKER MIDDLE SCHOOL ATTENDED THE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE IN ATLANTA. AND ADAM LANE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO ON SOCIAL MEDIA, IF YOU SAW ADAM, NEW PRINCIPAL JUST APPOINTED LAST BOARD MEETING, I THINK, ALREADY HAD A REALLY COOL MEET AND GREET AND WE HAD OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM OUT THERE AND JUST THE ENVIRONMENT HE'S CREATING, AT RODGERS. HE'S AN EXAMPLE OF ALL OF OUR LEADERS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SO THANK YOU TO MR. LANE THERE. ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE. FIRST OFF, CHOICE, OUR THIRD AND FINAL CHOICE IN THE APPLICATION WINDOW IS NOW OPEN THROUGH JULY 16 SO I QUANTITY TO MAKE SURE OUR FAMILIES ARE AWARE OF THAT, THAT THAT WINDOW IS OPEN THROUGH JULY 16. SCORES. AP EXAMS. WE HAD A LOT OF SCORES THAT CAME OUT THE LAST FEW WEEKS. ONE IS ADVANCED PLACEMENT. TAKE A LOOK. WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ACROSS ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS OFFER ADVANCE PLACEMENT AND WE ARE UP 5% FROM 2022 SO 58% WAS OUR EXAM PASS RIGHT UP FROM 53%. YOU CAN SEE JUST SOME OF THE SAVINGS, POTENTIAL SAVINGS THAT 11 MILLION, OVER $11 MILLION POTENTIAL COST SAVINGS, FAMILIES A OWES 29 SITES, AND BEING A HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, THOSE HAVE BEEN OUT THERE, TO PASS AN AP EXAM IS JUST AS I MENTIONED, IT IS HARD WORK, IT'S NOT EASY, AND WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT TEACHER IN THAT CLASSROOM THAT IS PUSHING HARD EVERY DAY. AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY ACROSS ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, THANK ALL OF OUR TEACHERS EVERYWHERE, IN THIS CASE OUR AP TEACHERS FOR PUSHING THAT PASS RIGHT UP TO 15 PERCENTAGE IS REALLY OUTSTANDING. SOME OF THE OTHER NOTES, 13% OF HIGH SCHOOLS SAW AN INCREASE IN PASS RATE AND 16% IN EXAMS GIVEN IN 2023. WE ALSO HAD OUR IB SCORES THAT JUST CAME OUT, 356 IB DIPLOMAS WERE JUST AWARDED, CAME OUT ON JULY 5th. SO WE HAD 356 STUDENTS THAT THESE ARE IB SENIORS NOW, AND I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS UNTIL LATER ON BUT IIB DIPLOMA QUALIFIES STUDENT FOR FULL ALLBRIGHT. IF THEY HAVE THEIR IB DIPLOMA THEY ARE AWARDED FULLBRIGHT TEACHERS. BUT POTENTIAL $8 MILLION JUST IN FLORIDA BRIGHT FUTURES FOR IB PASS RATE. OUR MATH RESULTS, THESE SCORES, THIS IS -- THESE ARE NEW STANDARDS. THIS IS A BASELINE HERE FOR FAST ELA, AND ELOCs, SO I WANT TO REVIEW SOME OF OUR DATA. BUT REMEMBER, WHAT'S EXCITING ABOUT THIS STATE ASSESSMENT NOW IS THAT THERE'S THREE BASIC WINDOWS, PM 1, 2, WHICH ARE INFORMATIVE, AND FINALLY PM 3 WHICH IS THE SUMMATIVE OVERALL RESULTS. IF WE TAKE A LOOK AT GRADES 3 THROUGH 10 THE TOP IN THE YELLOW THERE, YOU WILL SEE QUESTION OUR STUDENTS TOOK THEIR ASSESSMENT AT PM 1, AROUND OCTOBER, WE HAD 31% OF OUR STUDENTS THAT WERE ON GRADE LEVEL AT THAT TIME. SO YOU CAN SEE FROM OCTOBER THROUGH THE END OF SCHOOL YEAR IN MAY, THAT NUMBER JUMPED TO 48%, A 17% INCREASE IN OVERALL PROFICIENCY FROM OCTOBER, THEN THROUGH THE END OF YEAR FOR PM 3. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE OTHERS FOR GRADES 3 THROUGH 10. REMEMBER 3-10 IS OUR ELA ASSESSMENTS SO YOU CAN SEE SOME OF OUR COMPARISONS THERE FROM OUR DISTRICT FOR MM 3 AS COMPARED TO THE STATE. SO SOME THINGS THAT WE ARE PROUD OF, BUT ALSO SOME GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR US IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT, AS THE STATE BASELINE YEAR, AND SCHOOL GRADES NEXT YEAR, WE HAVE TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITIES TO SHOW SOME GREAT GROWTH MOVING INTO NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. SAME FOR MATH. YOU CAN KIND OF LOOK AND SEE, IF YOU LOOKED AT REALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT MM 1 FOR DISTRICT AND STATE, SO 12% FOR GRADES 3- , WHEN THEY TOOK THAT FAST PM 1 OOH SEES MENT IN OCTOBER, 12% PROFICIENT THAT NUMBER MOVED ALL THE WAY TO 54%. AGAIN, IT'S THE WORK OF ALL OF OUR CLASSROOM TEACHERS, OUR LEADERS, EVERYONE THAT SUPPORTS OUR STUDENTS. SO FROM 12% TO 54%, A 52% INCREASE FROM MM 1 TO PM 3. AS YOU LOOK DOWN GRADES 3-8, IT'S ONLY 3-8 FOR MATH BECAUSE 9 AND 10 IS ALGEBRA AND GEOMETRY AND OF COURSE EXAMS. YOU CAN SEE AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY, AS YOU LOOK AT HOW WE ARE COMPARED TO THE STATE. WE HAVE SOME GROWTH AREAS AGAIN SIMILAR TO ELA. WE HAVE IT IN MATHEMATICS AS WELL, SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOME GROWTH. FINALLY OUR ALGEBRA AND GEOMETRY. I WANT TO SHOUT OUT TO OUR ALGEBRA. IN THE COURSE EXAMS, DISTRICT, WAS 54% COMPARED TO THE STATE OF 50% SO WE HAD A 4% -- WE ARE 4% ABOVE THE STATE AVERAGE FOR ALGEBRA IN THE COURSE EXAM SO SHOUT OUR TO OUR 8th AND 9th GRADES TEACHERS, A 54% LEVEL 3 AND UP. AND IN GEOMETRY 48% EQUAL TO THE STATE. NEXT IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN WE HAVE OUR EXCEPTIONAL TALENTS. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS THAT'S HAPPENING OUT THERE. SO REALLY, WE HEARD MR. KRIETE KIND OF MENTION IT IN OUR RECITEMENT CAMPAIGN. OUR TEACHER VACANCIES. WHAT ARE WE DOING? THESE ARE OUR TEACHER AND BUS DRIVER RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN, YOU CAN SEE SOME EXAMPLES THERE, TIA, SO JUST SOME OF OUR EFFORTS THAT'S HAPPENING, ALSO DIGITAL BUS ADDS, LOCAL ADS, AND RETRACTIBLE BANNERS. MS. COMBS, YOU HAD MENTIONED ABOUT CHIEF JOHN NEWMAN. I WANTED TO GIVE HIM A SHOUTOUT. CHIEF JOHN NEWMAN WAS RECENTLY APPOINTED TO THE MARJORIE STONE MAN DOUGLAS PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION. WE ARE SO LUCKY TO HAVE JOHN ON OUR TEAM, AND JUST WHAT A GREAT HONOR NOT FONDLE FOR JOHN BUT THIS ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE FROM ACPS ON THIS COMMISSION. SO THANK YOU, JOHN PUBLICLY FOR ALL THAT YOU DO EVERY DAY. FINALLY, MS. RENDON, I THINK YOU MENTIONED SOME OF OUR CAPITAL SALES TAX REFERENDUM DOLLARS. HERE IS AN EXAMPLE FROM OUR TRANSPORTATION SCHOOLS. THIS IS OUR MEDIA CENTER REFRESH PROJECTS, HERE ARE SOME PICTURES. LOOK AT THE POTTER ELEMENTARY NEW MEDIA CENTER THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON NOW. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HEAD OUT AND TAKE A LOOK BUT THAT IS OUR SALES TAX DOLLARS AT WORK. SO THIS SEVEN YEAR PROJECT IS FIVE TO SEVEN SCHOOLS COMPLETED THIS YEAR. HERE ARE SOME PICTURES FROM FOUGHTER. HERE IS PHASE 2 AND THEN PHASE 3 BEGINS IN AUGUST 2023. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE LISTED THERE. AND THEN JUST A SUMMARY. THIS IS SOME OF -- WE TALKED ABOUT IT THIS EVENING, A FIVE-YEAR WORK PLAN, SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT ARE PART THAT FIVE-YEAR WORK PLAN. AND THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU, CHAIR COMBS.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. WE'LL START WITH MEMBER
>>Henry "Shake" Washington: OKAY FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES SHALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION. CULTURE, POSITIVE. THAT'S WHAT WHEN GET IN THAT POSITIVITY AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. YOU SOUND LIKE A COACH NOW INSTEAD OF A SUPERINTENDENT. SO I'M NOT GOING TO KEEP YOU LONG BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO TALK A LONG TIME, BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU SO FAR FOR WHAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT TO THE CULTURE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. YOU REALLY HAVE CHANGED THE DYNAMICS IN IT, IN ESSENCE. I DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S GOING TO BE 3 OR 4 MONTHS FROM NOW, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, WE GOT YOUR BACK. WE ARE GOING TO HELP YOU. WHATTER GOING TO WORK TOGETHER. WE GOT A GREAT TEAM, WE GOT ALL THE PEOPLE HERE THAT WE NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL, IN ALL WAYS SHALL, AND ALWAYS, IN ALL OF THE WAYS THE BOARD IS HERE. SOME THINGS YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH BUT WE CAN. YOUR STAFF, YOU MOVE PEOPLE AROUND, PUT THEM IN POSITIONS TO MAKE THEM BE SUCCESSFUL. AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. IT'S ALL ABOUT. SOMETIMES CHANGE IS GREAT. AND THIS IS ONE OF THE TIMES I BELIEVE CHANGE IS GREAT. AND I AM GOING TO LEAVE WITH THAT. I AM NOT GOING TO KEEP TALKING. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER PEREZ.
>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. FIRST, I WANT TO TALK, BOARD MEMBER HAHN, I THOUGHT ABOUT YOU WHEN I WENT TO DO THIS VISIT. IT WAS HANNA HOUSE, AND BUSY, YOU KNOW, HOUSING OUR VETERANS, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME IS THAT THEY HAVE AN AREA FOR FAMILIES, YEAH. AND THEY ESTABLISHED -- THEY WERE ESTABLISHED IN 2014, AND THEY STARTED A FOUNDATION IN 2018. BUT THEY PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO 34 MEN, WOMEN AND FAMILIES, AND PART OF THAT CAPACITY IS PROVIDING A SPACE FOR OUR FAMILIES FROM OUR SCHOOLS. AND I JUST WANTED TO GIVE THEM A SHOUTOUT. THEY DID A SOFT OPENING LAST WEEKEND, AND IT WAS ATTENDED WELL. AND I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK TO THAT. ALSO, TAMPA CRA, THE EAST TAMPA COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP IS HAVING THEIR SECOND ANNUAL HEALTH, EDUCATION, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNITY FAIR, SATURDAY, JULY 15 AT MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL. AND THAT'S FROM 10 A.M. TO 2 P.M. AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE PROVIDING EDUCATION, BLOOD PRESSURE, THEY ARE GOING TO DO BLOOD GLUCOSE, CHOLESTEROL SCREENING, CHRONIC ILLNESS AND CANCER PREVENTION, GUN VIOLENCE SESSIONS, AND THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME GIVEAWAY, AND LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED. IF THAT'S NOT A, YOU KNOW, YEAH, INCENTIVE TO GET OUT THERE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS. AND I WILL BE OUT THERE SPEAKING AS WELL. ALSO, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, I LOVE THAT YOU ARE PROVIDING A NEW SPACE FOR OUR STAFF. I HEARD NOTHING BUT GOOD THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT YOU, VERY POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF, THE COMMUNITY, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT, SO IN A WEEK, TWO WEEKS, THEY HAVE JUST BEEN PROVIDING A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK. SO MY QUESTION TO YOU, WITH THIS DISTRICT RESULTS, THAT I WOULD LIKE BACK FROM YOU, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A NATIONAL REPORT THAT IS JUST NOT HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NOT JUST IN FLORIDA, THAT TEST SCORES HAVE DECLINED 7 POINTS. IN READING. AND 14 POINTS IN MATH. NATIONALLY. AND IT RANGED BETWEEN 4 POINTS, 3 TO 4 POINTS, BETWEEN MIDDLE AND HIGHER PERFORMING STUDENTS, AND 6 TO 7 POINTS FOR LOWER PERFORMING STUDENTS. I'M CONCERNED. I WAS WITH A GROUP OF STUDENTS YESTERDAY, AND THEY WERE SPEAKING TO ME ABOUT THE FACT THAT THEY STILL CONTINUE NOT TO HAVE ACCESS TO TABLETS, TO LAPTOPS, AND THEY CONTINUE TO SHARE THESE TECHNOLOGIES. AND THESE STUDENTS ARE IN OUR LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC POPULATION. I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THIS. YOU KNOW, THE MATHEMATICS, ALSO, THE STUDENTS 12 TO 14 POINTS LOWER NATIONALLY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE FROM YOU A PLAN AS FAR AS HOW WE ARE GOING TO MAKE UP FOR THESE LOSSES. AND I KNOW IT JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN YESTERDAY. I KNOW IT DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN. THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC. WE ARE STARTING TO SEE THESE DECLINES. AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR TEACHERS. BUT IT'S THAT LEARNING LOSS THAT WE HAD, BECAUSE SOMETHING HAPPENED. SOMETHING HAPPENED IN OUR NATION. SOMETHING HAPPENED GLOBALLY. AND WE JUST NEED TO GET OUR STUDENTS BACK ON TRACK. SO CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT FOR A SECOND, PLEASE?
>>Van Ayres: SURE. WHAT I WILL SAY TO THAT IS, OUR STRATEGIC PLAN WILL CONTINUE TO DRIVE US IN ALL OF OUR DECISIONS, AND AS YOU STARTED TALKING ABOUT ACHIEVEMENT GAP, IN OUR PRIORITY ONE OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, OUR OBJECTIVE IS CLOSE DIAGNOSIS ACHIEVEMENT GAP. THAT IS A PRIORITY FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND PART OF THAT IS ESTABLISHING AN EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT THAT FOSTERS STRONG PRACTICES AND THAT IS HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION FOR ALL, WHICH TALKS ABOUT TIER 1 INSTRUCTIONS. WE HAD SOME ISSUES THAT WE HAVE HAD TO WORK THROUGH, BUT NUMBER ONE, IT IS ABOUT HAVING A HIGH QUALITY TEACHER IN EVERY SINGLE CLASSROOM. AND IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF OUR RESULTS AND SOME OF THE SUBGROUP DATA YOU MENTIONED WE SAW THAT IN OUR DATA AS WELL. YOU MENTIONED NATIONAL DATA. WE SEE SOME OF THOSE SAME TRENDS WITH US BUT IT GOES BACK TO HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION, BUT BEFORE YOU DO THAT, IT'S IN OUR SCHOOLS, AND OUR SCHOOL LEADERS RIGHT NOW ARE DIVING INTO THE DATA LOOKING AT ALL OF THAT. BEFORE WE GET TO ALL OF THAT, THOUGH, IT'S ABOUT HAVING IN YOUR SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT, THAT ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERYBODY CARES ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF EVERY STUDENT IN THAT SCHOOL. IT STARTS THERE. SO IN CREATING THAT ENVIRONMENT, WE CAN KIND OF GET DOWN A LITTLE DEEPER AND TALK ABOUT THAT TIER ONE INSTRUCTION BUT IT'S CREATING THAT STRONG ENVIRONMENT WITHIN EACH OF OUR SCHOOLS I KNOW WE ARE GOING TO DO IT THIS YEAR.
>> AND YOU ARE ALREADY CHANGING THAT ENVIRONMENT SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. MR. CONNOR, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU BROUGHT TO THIS DISTRICT AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW VENTURES. AND I WISH YOU NOTHING BUT THE BEST.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER HAHN.
>>Lynn Gray: WHAT HAPPENED TO ME?
>>Nadia Combs: OKAY, MEMBER GRAY. WE WILL DO MEMBER GRAY.
>>Lynn Gray: WELL, AT ANY RATE, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND JUST FEEDBACK, MEMBER PEREZ, I WANT TO ALSO THANK TERRY CONNOR FOR ALL THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE AND FOR WHO YOU ARE, AND WE WISH YOU GREAT SUCCESS IN SARASOTA. DON'T BE SURPRISED IF YOU GET A VISIT. MY SON AND OUR FAMILY GOES THERE FREQUENTLY. AND MR. CONNOR, WHILE I AM ON IT, TELL ME ABOUT THE SCORES. YOU KNOW, I HOPE THAT YOU RELISH WITH THE AFRICAN TASK FORCE AND THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE WITH THE BRAIN BOWL, CERTAINLY WHAT YOU HAVE DONE WITH THE CURRICULUM, THE STUDENTS INCREASED THEIR PERFORMANCE BY 14 MERGE POINTS IN ELA, THIS IS OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS, 14 PERCENTAGE POINTS IN ELA, 33 PERCENTAGE POINTS IN MATH AND 4 PERCENTAGE POINTS IN SCIENCE. SO THERE WAS WORK THAT WE DID, AND I KNOW THERE'S OTHER FACTORS, BUT BY GOLLY, YOU WERE IN THE HEART OF THAT. AND I THANK OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN TASK FORCE. LIKEWISE, HISPANIC STUDENTS INCREASED PERFORMANCE BY 39 PERCENTAGE POINTS, AND EXCUSE ME, 15 POINTS INCREASE IN ELA, AND THANK BEING OUR MEMBERS OF THE HISPANIC FORUM, AND OTHER FACTORS, BUT IT DOES TAKE THAT TYPE OF LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT FROM STAFF MEMBERS SUCH AS YOURSELF, MR. CONNOR. VAN AYRES, YOU ARE A LEADER WEST YOU SUCCEED WE ARE ALL BEHIND YOU. WHEN YOU SUCCEED, OUR DISTRICT WILL SUCCEED. THAT'S HOW IT IS WITH LEADERSHIP. WE TEND TO SUPPORT YOUR STAFF, AND WHAT YOU DO, YOUR INNOVATIVE SPIRIT. SO KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK. ALSO, PABLO, YOU CAN GET READY. SOMETIMES PABLO DISAPPEARS IN THE BACK THERE. IS HE THERE? AHA. PABLO, LET'S GO AHEAD AND START WITH THAT WHOLESOME CHURCH SLIDE. WE WERE AT THE HEALTH FAIR, AND I KNOW MEMBER PEREZ YOU GAVE SOME CONTRIBUTIONS AS WELL. THAT HEALTH FAIR HAD OVER 500 FAMILIES GOING THROUGH THE HEALTH SERVICES, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY THE ADDRESSING AND CHILDREN'S BOARD DOES THE SAME, ADDRESSING THE HOUSE BILL 1617, THE IMMIGRATION, HOW IT AFFECTS THE FAMILIES IN SOUTH COUNTY, WIMAUMA SPECIFICALLY, AND ALSO AT THE SAME TIME OFFERING THEM THE BUSINESS SERVICES, GIVING THEM CHILDREN THE BACKPACKS, HEALTHY FOODS ONLY, THEY ONLY LOCALLY GROWN FOODS, SO PASTOR COLLIS, THERE YOU ARE, WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH AND ELS ALWAYS OUT THERE GIVING AND GIVING, ALSO THANKING THE CHILDREN'S BOARD FOR THEM BEING OUT THERE AS THEY ALWAYS ARE, WHEREVER THE NEED BECOMES REAL AND IT CERTAINLY IS REAL OUT THERE. ALSO, DO WE HAVE ANY MORE SLIDES? OKAY, DONE. ALSO WANT TO THANK DR. ROSS AND HER NURSES AND ALL HER HARD WORK. WE WERE AT LENNARD WITH THE HEALTH FAIR, EVERY YEAR WE GO, BUT THE UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA AND USF PROVIDED DOCTORS, NURSES, NURSE PRACTITIONERS, OUR OWN NURSES, ALL THIS IS TO SAY FREE FISCALS, EYE EXAMS, IMMUNIZATIONS, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS ARE TO ARE THOSE FAMILIES, THIS IS FREE, TO GET THEMSELVES READY FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR. THEN DR. ROSS, I DON'T NOBODY WHERE YOU ARE IN THIS UNIVERSE, BUT THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. YOU ARE ALWAYS GIVING THE NECESSARY HEALTH NEEDS. ALSO, GOING BACK TO WIMAUMA AGAIN, THE ENTERPRISING LATINAS STARRING LUZ GUTIERREZ AND ELANA SINTRON PUT ON A WELLNESS FAIR, AND WE, MELISSA MAGADO, LUCY DIAZ, THEY ADVERTISED OUR DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAMS, THEN WE HAD FREE HEALTH SERVICES FOR ALL THE FAMILIES, BUSINESS FOLKS CAME OUT THERE AND OFFERED THEM EDUCATION ON HOW TO DO A LOAN APPLICATION AND ALL THE OTHER DETAILS, BUT THERE'S JUST A LOT OF GREAT COLLABORATION OUT IN SOUTH COUNTY. THANK YOU AGAIN, MR. CONNOR, FOR YOUR COMMITMENT. I WILL NOT FRIST YOU AND WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR THIS AFRICAN AMERICAN TASK FORCE. GOOD LUCK TO YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER HAHN.
>>Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. I JUST HAD A FEW THINGS I WANTED TO ADDRESS. ONE IS THE E-MAIL THAT WENT OUT TODAY BY MR. GIBSON TO ONE OF OUR STUDENTS WHO E-MAILED US ABOUT THE 100 BOOKS IN OUR SCHOOLS, AND I AM DISAPPOINTED, BECAUSE THIS WHOLE WAIT AND SEE MENTALITY IS KIND OF GETTING OLD, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO AT LEAST SHOW GOOD FAITH AND TRANSPARENCY, SUCH AS I KNOW WE ARE WAITING ON THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO MEET AND CREATE A NEW FORM FOR CHALLENGING BOOKS, BUT TO SHOW SOME GOOD FAITH WE COULD TAKE OUR EXISTING FORM, AND PUT IT ON THE FRONT PAGE OF OUR WEBSITE, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S NOWHERE ON OUR WEBSITE THAT I CAN FIND, AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE EASILY ACCESSIBLE. AND THEN ONCE WE GET THE NEW FORM FROM THE STATE BOARD WE CAN UPDATE THAT. THE OTHER THING THAT WE CAN DO IS UPDATE OUR PROCESS AND PROCEDURES INTERNALLY. I AM LOOKING AT IT RIGHT NOW. AND NOTHING HAS CHANGED. YOU? ABOUT WHAT PECK PUT UP THERE, WE CAN UPDATE THEM ONCE YOU SUBMIT A CHALLENGE, THE DISTRICT HAS FIVE DAYS TO REMOVE THE BOOKS UNTIL THE CHALLENGE IS REVIEWED. AND THAT COULD BE UPDATED IMMEDIATELY. AND THEN ONCE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS TALKS ABOUT THE WHOLE PIECE AROUND GETTING A SPECIAL MAGISTRATE, THEN WE CAN UPDATE IT AGAIN. BUT I THINK TO JUST CONTINUE LIP TELL THE PUBLIC FOR OVER A YEAR NOW, WELL, WE ARE WAITING, WE ARE WAITING, WE ARE WAITING, WE ARE WAITING. THAT JUST REALLY SEEMS LIKE AN EXCUSE AT THIS POINT TO NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING UNTIL THE DOE COMES IN AND SMACKS OUR HANDS. AND I'M KIND OF HIRED TIRED OF GETTING OUR HANDS SMACKED BY THE DOE BECAUSE WE ARE JUST DIGGING OUR HEALS IN. INSTEAD WE SHOULD BE SOMETHING SOME GOOD FAITH OF MOVING FORWARD SO THE DOE CAN SEE THAT. I DON'T KNOW WHY IT SEEMS TO BE LOST, THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DOE, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IF OUR SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO BE STRONG AND WE ARE GOING TO GET THE RESOURCES WE NEED, AND THIS IS JUST A LITTLE WAY TO SHOW SOME GOOD FAITH. SO IT'S REALLY,ARIES DISAPPOINTING IN THAT E-MAIL. THE DATA. OH, WE HAD SOME GREAT MOVEMENT IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION. TALK ABOUT A NEED FOR A WORKSHOP. SO MAYBE YOU ALL DON'T WANT TO SIT THROUGH A WORKSHOP BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SIT WITH STAFF AND TALK MORE ABOUT THIS AND REALLY DIG INTO IT. I HAVE BEEN COMMITTED SINCE DAY ONE ON THIS BOARD TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. I HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD TO RAISE THE PROFILE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF A EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. I HAVE REALLY WORKED HARD IN HELPING FAMILIES UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY COULD ACCESS HIGH QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. WHEN I LOOK AT THE DATA ON THE PM DATA, AND I SEE THAT WE ARE BELOW STATE STANDARDS, I TRACE IT ALL BACK TO EARLY CHILDHOOD. WHEN I LOOK AT THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE SCORES, I'M THINKING, I BET IF WE LOOKED AT THE SCHOOLS WHERE THIS WAS HAPPENING, WE COULD CORRELATE IT WITH OUR KINDERGARTEN READINESS NUMBERS. WE HAVE GOT TO GO BACK. I MEAN, I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH THE IMPORTANCE OF A STRONG EARLY START. AND THEN WHEN I LOOK AT SOME OF THE SCORES THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL WHERE WE ARE STRUGGLING, I GO, YOU KNOW WHAT? IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT STRONG EARLY START, YOU ARE GOING TO STRUGGLE IN SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH AND YOU ARE GOING TO STRUGGLE TO THE TIME YOU LEAVE HIGH SCHOOL. IT'S VERY HARD TO CATCH UP. MANY OF US ON THIS BOARD APPRECIATE THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO EITHER DO A WORKSHOP OR SIT WITH STAFF TO TALK MORE ABOUT AND DIG INTO THIS DATA AND SEE -- I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHICH SCHOOLS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE STRUGGLING, BECAUSE NOT EVERY SCHOOL HAS THESE SCORES, SO WHICH ONES ARE THEY? ARE THEY ALL IN THE TRANSFORMATION NETWORK? I DON'T THINK SO. SO WHERE ARE THEY? BECAUSE LOOK WHAT HAPPENED THERE AT JUST. WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT SCORES UNTIL WE WERE GOING TO CLOSE IT. IT WAS TOO LATE. LET'S NOT LET THAT HAPPEN TO ONE MORE SCHOOL. LET'S START TALKING ABOUT KIDS AGAIN. AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF THAT DISTRACTS US. SO THE LAST THING, PABLO, COULD YOU SHOW THE SLIDE AGAIN? TRYING TO RAISE THE PROFILE FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. WE ARE DOING A SUMMER BASH, PARTNERING WITH THE EARLY LEARNING COALITION TO GET PROVIDERS THEREBY. WE USE KINDERGARTEN READINESS DATA TO IDENTIFY THE SIX SCHOOLS UP THERE, AND IS GOING TO BE THERE TO HELP PARENTS NAVIGATE WHERE THEIR SCHOOLS ARE, AND HOW TO APPLY FOR THEM. ELC IS GOING TO BE THERE GIVING OUT VOUCHERS SO JULY 22ND. WE HOPE FOLKS COME OUT. THANK YOU.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER RENDON.
>>Patti Rendon: HOW DO YOU FOLLOW THAT? STACY IS ALL EXCITED. MEMBER HAHN. ANYWAY, I KNOW. YOU KNOW AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK THIS ENTIRE BOARD FEELS THE SAME WAY. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CAPTURING EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS, RIGHT? THERE IS POSITIVE AND THEN THERE'S NEGATIVE AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAPTURE THAT NEGATIVE OF WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT AND MAKING SURE WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT IS IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS. WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT TRANSFORMS ACROSS THE BOARD. AND SO I THINK NOT JUST SEEING THIS LARGER PIECE OF DATA, IT'S REALLY BREAKING IT DOWN AND IF WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO A WORKSHOP ON IT MAYBE BRINGING IT TO THE INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS ON A COLLECTIVE BASIS SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU GUYS ARE REQUESTING TO DO IT. I KNOW AS A STAFF YOU GUYS ARE JUST AS FOCUS USED AS WE ARE TO MAKE SUGAR OUR STUDENTS GET THE BEST EDUCATION THEY CAN POSSIBLY GET. YOU KNOW, MY DAUGHTER IS ONE OF THOSE THAT HAS SUFFERED WITH THE COVID ISSUES. SHE WAS IN ALGEBRA ONE DURING THE YEAR OF COVID, SO HER MATH SINCE THEN HAS JUST SUFFERED BECAUSE SHE LOST THAT FOUNDATION IN ALGEBRA ONE SO EVERY MATH AFTER THAT SHE HAS STRUGGLED I.CAN'T IMAGINE BEING A KINDERGARTENER AT THAT TIME AND WE ARE NOW SEEING THAT IN OUR SCORE, RIGHT? SO WHAT ARE WE DOING TO STOP IT? BECAUSE IF WE DON'T MAKE AN ATTEMPT RIGHT NOW, IT'S JUST GOING TO SNOWBALL. AND SO I FOR ONE WOULD LIKE TO AT LEAST HAVE STAFF PROVIDE US WITH WHAT'S NEXT, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT, AGAIN I THINK DR. HAHN HAS A GREAT POINT, WHAT ARE THE SCHOOLS STRUGGLING, AND THEN WHAT ARE NOT, AND WHY? WHAT CAN WE DO TO BRIDGE THAT GAP? WHERE ARE WE AT WITH BRIDGING THE GAP? I THINK IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO DO THAT. YOU KNOW, SUPERINTENDENT, I REACHED OUT TO YOU ABOUT THIS NEW LAW THAT WENT INTO EFFECT AS OF JULY 1st, HOUSE BILL 1069, REGARDING THE BOOKS. I THINK THAT DR. HAHN IS CORRECT, WE CAN BE PROACTIVE HERE AND RECOGNIZE THAT WE DON'T NEED THE PUBLIC TO TELL US IF SOMETHING IS INAPPROPRIATE IN OUR SCHOOLS. WE NEED TO OWN IT. WE NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. IF THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED A BOOK, WE DON'T NEED TO WAIT FOR THEM TO PROVIDE A PIECE OF PAPER. WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT THEY ARE. WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON. WE CAN DO OUR OWN REVIEW. WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT. AND WE DON'T NEED THE DEHOE TO TELL TO US DO A REVIEW OF OUR OWN MATERIALS. WE HAVE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEM AND WE NEED TO OWN IT AND HOW THAT LOOKS. AND I THINK THAT'S UP TO OUR STAFF TO TAKE THAT PROCESS AND MOVE IT QUICKLY. AND THEN I AM GOING TO REITERATE, WHEN IT COMES TO POLICIES, WHEN IT COMES TO OUR WORKSHOPS, WE NEED TO BE MORE PROACTIVE. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IF WE ARE GOING TO CANCEL ONE THAT WE BRING BACK ANOTHER ONE THAT WAS CANCELED, OR IF WE ARE GOING TO CANCEL ONE, THERE'S A LIST OF THINGS THAT WE COULD DO NO WORKSHOP, AND WE CAN DO THAT, IF THEY ARE GOING TO BE CANCELED, MAYBE GO OUT COLLECTIVELY TO THE BOARD, AND WHAT WE CAN DO BECAUSE WE HAVE GOT A LOT OF TIME THAT WE COULD BE DOING AND WORKING ON SOMETHING. SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO BRING TO MIND. AND I'M ON A VERY POSITIVE NOTE, NUMBER ONE, THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT, FOR WALKING WITH ME IN THE VERY HOT JULY 4th PARADE IN BRANDON. IT WAS VERY HOT BUT WE DID VERY WELL. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, WE ARE GOING TO WORK WITH THEM ON KEEPING UP THE PACE ON THE PARADE ROUTE. EVERYBODY WANTED TO SAY HI. EVERYBODY WANTED TO SHAKE HIS HAND. WE ARE GOING TO KEEP HIM IN THE PARADE FOR A WHILE. BUT ON TOP OF THAT, I REALLY WANT TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF OUR ALUMNAE FROM OUR SCHOOLS. THIS LAST WEEKEND, SUNDAY INTO MONDAY, WAS THE MLB DRAFT, AND WE HAVE THREE ALUMNAES THAT WENT IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE MLB DRAFT. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE A MOMENT AND HIGHLIGHT THEM. NUMBER 10 WENT TO THE MARLINS WAS NOBLE MYIERS OF JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL. NUMBER 18 WENT TO THE MILWAUKEE BRUINS, FROM BLOOMINGDALE HIGH SCHOOL. YEAH, SORRY. NUMBER 20 IN THE DRAFT, BLUE JAYS, WAS ARJOHN NIMLA FROM STRAWBERRY CREST. THAT IS THE LEVEL WHEN IT COMES TO OUR STUDENTS. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES, COLLEGE ATHLETES, WORKING ON THEIR ACADEMICS, FOCUS, BUT TO SEE THREE OF OUR ALUMNAE GO IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE MLB DRAFT IS FANTASTIC. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE TAKE IT INTO ACCOUNT AND HIGHLIGHT THOSE STUDENTS AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING. AGAIN, THANK YOU. OH, MR. CONNOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH. WHAT YOU HAVE GIVEN OUR SCHOOLS WILL NEVER BE REPLACED. AND SO THANK YOU. AND WE WISH YOU NOTHING BUT THE BEST.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. I WANTED TO SAY A COUPLE THINGS. YOU KNOW, REGARDING WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BOOKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, TEN YEARS FROM NOW. THIS IS AMERICA. THERE'S A PROCESS. YOU DON'T JUST TAKE BOOKS OUT. SO I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING. PINELLAS COUNTY, THEY TOOK OUT A BOOK, AND GUESS WHAT, THEY PUT IT BACK IN BECAUSE THERE WASN'T A PROCESS. THEY TOOK 80 BOOKS OUT NOW. THERE'S TONS OF NEWSPAPER ARTICLES. FACT IS, AND THIS WAS JUST CONFIRMED, THERE'S ONLY BEEN TWO CHALLENGES IN THIS DISTRICT. SO THERE NEEDS TO BE A CLEAR NARRATIVE. AND THIS WAS CONFIRMED WHILE I AM SITTING HERE. HOW MANY CHALLENGES HAVE -- HOW MANY BOOK CHALLENGES ARE THERE? THERE'S SO MANY BAD BOOKS. HOW MANY BOOKS? TWO BOOKS BECAUSE THE IDEA IS NOT WHAT I AM WORRIED ABOUT WHAT'S SITTING THERE NOW. I AM WORRIED ABOUT TEN YEARS FROM NOW, FIVE YEARS FROM NOW. WHO IS TO SAY SOME OF THE BOOKS THERE ARE CLASSIC BOOKS? WHO IS TO SAY WE NEED TO HAVE A PROCESS. AND THAT PROCESS NEEDS TO ABIDE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND NEED TO ABIDE BY THE LAW. WE ARE NOT GOING TO JUST START TAKING BOOKS OUT BECAUSE ONE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP OR ANOTHER SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP, WHO KNOWS WHO THE NEXT IS, THE FACT IS TWO BOOKS HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED, LET'S HEAR FROM THE DOE, LET'S MAKE SURE WE CHALLENGE. I AM GOING TO DECIDE THIS BOOK IS OKAY HERE BUT NOT HERE, THIS PARENT, THAT PARENT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, NOBODY WANTS PORNOGRAPHER IN SCHOOLS. NOBODY WANTS OWNED IN SCHOOLS. THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES IN SCHOOLS. BOOKS ARE NOT -- IT SCARES ME. BOOKS ARE NOT THE ENEMY BECAUSE WHAT YOU ARE FINDING IS FIRST AND SECOND GRADE TEACHERS WHO WILL NO NOW WILL NOT HAVE SCHOOL LIBRARIES IN THEIR CLASSES BECAUSE THEY ARE SCARED OF THIS NARRATIVE. SO I OBVIOUSLY DO NOT WANT ANY PROFANITY IN SCHOOLS. BUT I WANT A PROCESS THAT'S GOING TO BE HERE SIX MONTHS, A YEAR OR TWO YEARS. WE CAN'T JUST HAVE ANYONE CHOOSING, HEY, I DON'T LIKE THIS BOOK BUT I WANT THIS BOOK. NO, LET'S HAVE A PROCESS. TWO CHALLENGES. THAT'S ALL THERE'S BEEN. AND ONE WENT THROUGH AND THE BOOK WAS TAKEN OUT SO THE PROCESS WORKS. LET'S LET THE PROCESS WORK UNTIL WE HEAR THE DOE. SO IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH AGENDA OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IT HAS TO DO WITH MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE DOING THINGS THAT ARE NOT GOING TO PUT US LIABLE FOR LAWSUITS, WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE LIKE SURROUNDING DISTRICTS TAKING BOOKS IN AN AND OUT, THINKING LONG-TERM. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, WE HAVE A MONTH AWAY FROM SCHOOL. THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES, THE ACADEMIC CHALLENGES WE HAVE, THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS A THOUSAND OPENINGS THAT WE HAVE, AND THERE'S NOBODY IN THE CLASSROOM. I JUST FEEL LIKE WE WASTE A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY, BUT THE FACTORS AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE ONE THING, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, THAT I AM MOST COMMUTE EXCITED ABOUT YOU IS NOT YOUR COMMUNICATION, NOT YOUR DEDICATED HOURS, NOT EVEN HOW YOU ARE IMPROVING MORALE. TO ME, YOU ARE VEsRY STUDENT CENTERED, AND THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, IS STUDENTS. WE TALK ABOUT SO MANY THINGS ON THIS BOARD, BUT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, SAFETY, AND MAKING SURE KIDS ARE MOVING. I AM NOT HAPPY WITH THESE SCORES, BUT I KNOW THAT OUR TEACH, OUR PRINCIPALS, OUR ACADEMICS SERVICE TEAM IS WORKING VERY HARD. MANY OF THE INDICATION THAT WE MADE, IT'S GOING TO TAKE TWO OR THREE YEARS TO SEE THOSE. THOSE EXCHANGES THAT WE MADE, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A COUPLE YEARS THAT TO DO. BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS HAVING THOSE CLASSROOMS FILLED WITH CERTIFIED HIGH-PERFORMING TEACHERS. AND THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. AND TO CONTINUE TO PUSH THE LOVE OF READING FOR ALL CHILDREN. AND THEN I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO SUPERINTENDENT, YOU KNOW, ADDISON DAVIS AND ALSO THE ENTIRE TEAM TO REALLY MOVE FUTURE CAREER ACADEMY AHEAD, BECAUSE THE NEW HOUSE BILL 7051 CAME THROUGH THAT EVERY SCHOOL HAS TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF EXPERIENCE WITH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. WE ARE ALREADY DOING. THAT WE ARE DOING SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS HERE. LET'S CONTINUE FOCUSING ON THE WORK. LET'S CONTINUE FOCUSING ON THE STUDENTS. AND I HOPE ALL OF YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY. THANK YOU. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. [MEETING ADJOURNED]