Closed captioning transcript for the Hillsborough County School Board Meeting from September 5, 2024 - 4:00 p.m.

>>Karen Perez: HI, I AM KAREN  PEREZ, CHAIR OF HILLSBOROUGH  COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.  I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC  SCHOOLS.  THAT INCLUDES CHILDREN IN  PRESCHOOL AND ADULTS THROUGH OUR WORK FORCE PROGRAM.  

>>Jessica Vaughn: HI, I AM  JESSICA VAUGHN, THE SCHOOL  BOARD'S VICE-CHAIR.  OUR DISTRICT IS THE SEVENTH  LARGEST IN AMERICA.  AND OUR TEAM IS MADE UP OF  24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT CLOSE  TO 250 SITES ACROSS THE COUNTY.  

>>Lynn Gray: OUR DISTRICT IS  DIVERSE AND DEDICATED.  ALL BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD IN  OUR BOARD AUDITORIUM ON SELECT  TUESDAYS AT 4 P.M.  THE BEST WAY TO SERVE OUR  STUDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY IS TO  INVOLVE YOU, THE PUBLIC, IN WHAT WE DO.  

>>Henry "Shake" Washington: YOU  ARE WELCOME TO MEET OR E-MAIL  ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS WITH  THE DISTRICT.  AND THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS  ARE COVERED LIVE BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS TV AND SPECK  FORUM 635 AND FRONTIER CHANNEL  2.  

>>Stacy Hahn: MEETINGS ARE  STREAMED LIVE ON OUR WEB SITE  THE AUTO  HILLSBOROUGHSCHOOLS.ORG.  CLOSED CAPTIONING IS PROVIDED ON ALL BROADCASTS AND PAST MEET  INFORMATION OUR ONLINE ARCHIVE.  

>>Nadia Combs: WE ARE INTERESTED IN HEARING WHAT THE AUDIENCE HAS TO SAY.  WE HAVE TIME BEFORE BUSINESS  MEETINGS.  OUR MATERIALS ARE VIEWED ONLINE  IN ADVANCE.  70 MINUTES IN EACH MEETING IN  HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS.ORG.  

>>Nadia Combs: OUR VISION IS TO  PREPARE STUDENTS FOR LIFE, TODOS LOS ESTUDIANTES TODOS LOS DIAS.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN  EDUCATION.  WITH YOUR HELP, WE ARE MAKING  DECISIONS THAT SHAPE OUR  COMMUNITY'S FUTURE.  

>>Nadia Combs: GOOD EVENING.  EVERYONE.  THE BOARD MEETING OF SEPTEMBER  5, 2024 IS CALLED TO ORDER.  MEMBER VAUGHN WILL NOW LEAD US  IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED  BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.  

>>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU,  MADAM CHAIR.  FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK  THE HB PLANT ORCHESTRA -- SORRY, I WENT AHEAD -- NO, I AM SORRY.  THANK YOU.  FIRST OF ALL, PLEASE JOIN ME IN  A MOMENT OF SILENCE.  YESTERDAY THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY  ANOTHER SCHOOL SHOOTING.  SO PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT OF  SILENCE TO SEND OUR GOOD  THOUGHTS OUT TO THE FAMILIES AND STUDENTS, EMPLOYEES AND TEACHERS WHO UNFORTUNATELY LOST THEIR  LIFE AND JUST TO THINK ABOUT  BRINGING PEACE TO OUR NATION, TO THE -- TO OUR COUNTRY.  PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF  SILENCE FOR THAT.  PLEASE JOIN ME FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.  [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN.  MEMBER VAUGHN, PLEASE  ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STUDENT  ENTERTAINMENT FOR THIS EVENING.  

>>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU.  I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE H.B.  PLANT HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA,  ALONG WITH PRINCIPAL KIM  HILLENBERG AND DIRECTOR  STEVEN BOSERT.  THESE WONDERFUL STUDENT  ENTERTAINED US PRIOR TO THE  START OF THE BOARD MEETING.  AT THIS TIME, WE WOULD LIKE TO  INVITE THE STUDENTS UP TO  INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.  

>> HELLO, MY NAME IS ERIC.  I AM A SENIOR AT PLANT HIGH  SCHOOL.  AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN.  

>> HI.  I AM ANDREW.  I AM A SENIOR AND I PLAY VIOLA.  

>> HI, MY NAME IS KALE, I AM A  SOFT MORE AND I PLAY SOPHOMORE.  

>> ALEX, CELLO AND I AM A  JUNIOR.  

>> LUKE, I AM A SENIOR AND  PLAY CELLO.  JACKSON, I AM A SOPHOMORE AND  PLAY BASE.  

>> TIMOTHY, I AM A SENIOR AND I  PLAY THE VIOLIN.  

>> I AM FLYNN.  I AM A SENIOR AND I PLAY THE  VIOLIN.  

>> I AM S.K. A JR. AND I PLAY  BASE.  

>> ION QUINN, A JR. AND PLAY THE VIOLIN.  

>> I AM HENRY, A JUNIOR, AND  PLAY THE VIOLA.  

>> MY NAME IS JAKE.  I AM A JUNIOR.  I PLAY VIOLINS.  

>> I AM CHARLIE, A JUNIOR, AND I PLAY A VIOLIN.  

>> I AM KYLIE, A JR., AND I PLAY A VIOLIN.  

>> I AM MIA, SENIOR AND PLAY THE VIOLA.  

>> I AM A SENIOR AND PLAY  THE CELLO.  

>> FINALA, I AM A JUNIOR AND  PLAY THE VIOLA.  

>> I AM CHRISTINE, I AM A SENIOR AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN.  

>> I AM ANA, I AM A JUNIOR AND  PLAY I A VIOLENCE.  

>> I AM LUCA, A SENIOR AND I  PLAY THE VIOLIN.  

>> I'M MYA, A SENIOR AND I PLAY  THE VIOLIN.  

>> I AM STEVEN BOSERT AND I AM  DIRECTOR OF ORCHESTRAS AT PLANT  HIGH SCHOOL.  THIS IS OUR CHAMBER ORCHESTRA  ONE OF SIX ORCHESTRAS WE HAVE AT PLANT HIGH SCHOOL.  I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR  SUPPORTING MUSIC EDUCATION.  HOPEFULLY WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE A TOP 100 MUSIC EDUCATION  COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED STATES.  I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU  AND LET YOU KNOW OUR FALL  CONCERT IS OCTOBER AT PLANT HIGH SCHOOL.  WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE ANY OR ALL  OF YOU THERE.  [ APPLAUSE ]

>> 3, 2, 1.  .  

>>Jessica Vaughn: GREAT JOB! THANK YOU! . [APPLAUSE] .  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU SO  MUCH.  AND THANK YOU, PARENTS.  I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO  ADOPT THE AGENDA.  I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY  AND A SECOND BY MEMBER VAUGHN.  ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN  YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR.  AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.  LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL  BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.  WE HAVE FIVE SETS OF MINUTES TO  BE APPROVED TODAY, JULY 23,  2024, SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.  JULY 2023-2024 SPECIAL CALLED  MEETING, JULY 30, 2024, SPECIAL  CALLED BOARD MEETING, AUGUST 1,  2024, SCHOOL BOARD BOARD  MEETING, AUGUST 27, AUGUST 24,  SCHOOL BOARD WORKSHOP.  I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO  APPROVE THE MINUTES.  A MOTION BY MEMBER VAUGHN.  A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY.  ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN  YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR.  AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.  BOARD MEMBERS, I WOULD LIKE TO  GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S  MEETING.  AS A REMINDER, WE ARE A  NONPARTISAN BOARD TO BELIEVES  ALL CHILDREN WILL BE EMPOWERED  TO LEARN, TO SUCCEED IN AND 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 SECOND FOR FINAL  THOUGHTS.  AFTERWARD, THE SUPERINTENDENT  CAN RESPOND.  IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS,  YOU ARE ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE.  MEMBER VAUGHN WILL NOW READ THE  BOARD GUIDELINES.  

>>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU,  MADAM CHAIR, AS WE BEGIN THIS  AFTERNOON'S MEETING, LET ME TO  QUICKLY REVIEW THE FORMAT OF  SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS.  PLEASE SIRENS LEG TROPIC  DEVICES.  SPEAKERS IN THE ROOM BEHIND ME  TO ALLOW THE MEMBERS TO HEAR THE MEETING UPON STEPPING AWAY FROM  THE DAIS.  THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH  CLOSED CAPTIONING ON THE LIVE  WEB SITE ON CABLE TV AND VIDEO  MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED  CAPTIONING IN OUR ONLINE VIDEO  ARCHIVE.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN.  WE HAVE TWO ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR  TIME CERTAIN.  5:01 P.M., PUBLIC HEARING AND 6  P.M. EMPLOYEE INPUT.  

>>Jim Porter: MADAM CHAIR, TO  THAT INPUT, WE HAVE OVER 70  PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC  COMMENT AND WILL GO PAST 5:01  SCHEDULED FOR BUDGET PUBLIC  HEARING.  FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TO GO INTO  THE PUBLIC HEARING TO COMPLY  WITH THE LAW ON THAT.  I WILL REMIND YOU AS IT GETS  CLOSER THAT WE STOP PUBLIC  COMMENT, GO TO THE BUDGET  HEARING AND TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT  AGAIN AFTER THAT.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  WE WILL HAVE OUR FIRST  RECOGNITION, RECOGNITION OF  NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH SEPTEMBER 15, 2024 THROUGH  OCTOBER 15, FOUR.  AND I WILL BE HIGHLIGHTING THIS  ITEM.  NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH IS CELEBRATED SEPTEMBER 15  THROUGH OCTOBER 15.  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC  SCHOOLS IS PROUD TO RECOGNIZE  THE MORE THAN 80,000 STUDENTS  WHO IDENTIFY AS HISPANIC.  THAT IS CLOSE TO 40% OF OUR  STUDENT POPULATION.  SINCE 1988, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT  HAS SET ASIDE THESE DAYS TO  HONOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF  HISPANIC AMERICANS HAVE MADE AND CONTINUED TO MAKE TO AMERICA'S  -- AMERICANS SOCIETY.  THIS YEAR'S NATIONAL THEME IS  PIONEERS OF CHANGE.  SHAPING THE FUTURE TOGETHER.  WE LOOK FORWARD TO EACH YEAR TO  THE MANY CELEBRATIONS FROM OUR  SCHOOLS WHICH CELEBRATE THIS  MONTH [SPEAKING SPANISH] AND THEN A.02 RECOGNITION --  MEMBER GRAY, DO YOU HAVE A  COMMENT?

>>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM  CHAIR.  I CERTAINLY DO.  I WANT TO THANK OUR HISPANIC  QUORUM WHO HAS SERVED THIS  DISTRICT WITH SO MUCH LOVE AND  PASSION AND REPRESENT THE HIS  SPANNIC STUDENTS WHICH SOON WILL BE OVER 50%.  THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS I WOULD  LIKE TO RECOGNIZE TO SERVED --  ALMOST FIVE YEARS.  IF YOU WILL STAND MARIA GALVIDO. SHE SERVES ON THE HISPANIC  SERVICES COUNCIL.  RITA CRUZ FROM ENTERPRISING  LATINAS.  REGINA  CASTILLA REPRESENT THE  CITY OF TAMPA.  AND ROSIA SMITH.  IF PULL STAND -- I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS ROOM -- THERE MELISSA MAGATA, THE DIRECTOR AND CHAIR.  DRUCY PHILLIPS WHO SERVES AS  SECRETARY AND EVERYTHING ELSE.  JESSICA DE LA PUETA, OUR  OUTREACH AM PASS DOOR.  DR. JOSEPH, NEW TO OUR DISTRICT  AND WILL SERVE ON THE COMMITTEE  AND REPRESENT OUR HAITIAN  COMMUNITY.  MONICA MURAN.  JULIE SALMENTO REPRESENTING  MENTAL HEALTH.  DELMA RODRIGUEZ WITH LULAC.  CHRISTINA VEGA, MARIA OTERO.  CHRISTINA FERNANDEZ REPRESENTING OUR MIGRANT POPULATION.  AND EMMITT ROOTS.  KENIA, VERONICA SMITH GOMEZ, SO  HE SAN THAT ROSA.  PABLO GALIDO ALVAREZ.  REBECCA SALGADO WHO SERVING ON  OUR HIS SETBACKIC COMMITTEE AND  IS AN EMPLOYEE AS WELL.  MIRANDA REMINGTON.  YESEL RIVERA.  MARIA PEREZ.  ANA LA CHAPO. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU.  AND NANA.  THIS LINEET VIVIAN ALUDA,  CHRISSY LUR FROM FUTURE CAREER  ACADEMY AND NONE OTHER THAN OUR  BOARD MEMBER WHO REPRESENTS ALSO ESPECIALLY TOWN AND COUNTRY,  MEMBER NADIA COMBS.  GIVE YOU ALL A BIG HAND AND ALL  THAT YOU DO.  I HOPE TO HECK I DIDN'T FORGET  ANYBODY AND I CAN MAKE IT UP  LATER.  THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR  EVERYTHING.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY AND THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO PRESENTED THEMSELVES IN  REPRESENTATION OF THE HISPANIC  COMMUNITY.  A.02, RECOGNITION OF THE TAMPA  BAY BUCCANEERS FOR THEIR  CONTINUED SUPPORT.  MEMBER HAHN WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS  RECREATION.  

>>Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIR  PEREZ.  SEEMS ESPECIALLY LOUD.  RECOGNITION OF THE TAMPA BAY  BUCCANEERS.  SO PROUD TO READ THIS TONIGHT.  EXCITED TO RECOGNIZE THE TAMPA  BAY BUCCANEERS FOR THEIR  CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP IN OUR  DISTRICT.  FOR MANY YEARS, THE TAMPA BAY  BUCCANEERS HAVE BEEN PIVOTAL AT  EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO SUCCEED  THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM,  FOOD PANTRY SPONSORSHIPS, YOUTH  MENTORSHIPS, AND SCHOOL-WIDE  INCENTIVE.  JUNIOR BUCKS ELEMENTARY FITNESS  PROGRAM, HIGH SCHOOL COACH OF  THE WEEK AND GAME DAY FOR  EDUCATION EXPERIENCES HAVE  ENRICHED THE LIVES OF OUR  STUDENTS, STAFF AND COMMUNITY.  TODAY, WE HE WILL CELEBRATE  THEIR EXPANDED COMMITMENT OF  700,000 OVER TEN YEARS IN A  PARTNERSHIP WHICH WILL INCLUDE  -- LET'S GIVE THEM A HAND THERE. [APPLAUSE] THIS TEN-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WILL  INCLUDE THE INSTALLATION OF 21  BUCCANEERS ACADEMIES, FITNESS  ZONES, WHICH IS COVERED PLAY  COURTS AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. [APPLAUSE] THE SPONSORSHIP OF ATHLETICS  INCLUDING HELPING TO PROVIDE NEW SCOREBOARDS FOR ALL MIDDLE AND  HIGH SCHOOLS.  RECORDED INFORMATIONAL MESSAGES  FOR ALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL  MORNING SHOWS, MONTHLY  RECOGNITION OF DESERVING  TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS AND  SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS AT SCHOOL  BOARD MEETINGS.  AND ADDITIONAL SCHOOL-BASED  SPONSORSHIP INCLUDING SIGNAGE AT CAR LINES AND FLAGS AT  ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.  WE WOULD LIKE TO HONOR THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS FOR THEIR  GENEROUS CONTRIBUTION AND I  WOULD LIKE TO INVITE BRIAN FORD, CHIEF -- CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER WITH THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS  AND DARCY GLAZER, PRESIDENT OF  THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS  FOUNDATION TO COME UP AND SAY A  FEW WORDS ABOUT THIS  PARTNERSHIP.  GO BUCS! . [APPLAUSE]

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.  FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK  THAT EVERYBODY HERE DOES TO  IMPROVE THE LIVES OF OUR  CHILDREN IN TAMPAWAY, AND THAT  INCLUDES THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME OUT AND  CARED SO MUCH WHAT IS HAPPENING  IN THE COMMUNITY.  IT IS UNBELIEVABLE TO SEE.  IT IS INCREDIBLE.  BOTH MY FAMILY AND THE  BUCCANEERS, WE VIEW CHILDREN AND THEIR EDUCATION AS ONE OF OUR  ABSOLUTE HIGHEST PRIORITIES.  AND WE HAVE TREMENDOUS GRATITUDE FOR THE DEDICATION AND  COMMITMENT THAT YOU ALL SHOW TO  THIS MISSION EVERY DAY.  IT IS TRULY INSPIRING.  LIKE YOU, MY FAMILY BELIEVES IN  DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP  CHILDREN.  AND WE STARTED YEARS AGO ABOUT  PROVIDING FREE EYEGLASSES TO  CHILDREN THROUGH OUR GLAZER  VISION MOBILE.  WE ARE UP TO ABOUT 200,000 EYE  EXAMS FOR CHILDREN.  20,000 FREE EYEGLASSES TO HELP  REDUCE BARRIERS FOR CHILDREN IN  NEED.  AND WE HOPE THAT MANY OF YOU  HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO -- TO USE THIS SERVICE THAT WE DO.  WE SEND IT OUT TO ALL THE TITLE  I SCHOOLS TO GIVE STUDENTS FREE  EYEGLASSES.  WITH YOUR HOPE, WE FIND IT  IMPORTANT TO COMBAT FOOD  INSECURITY AS YOU MENTIONED WITH OUR FOOD PANTRIES AND OUR  PERMANENT FOOD PANTRIES.  WE HAVE SEEN THE TREMENDOUS WORK OF PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS AND  STAFF IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.  AND YOUR DEDICATION -- YOU WAKE  UP EVERY DAY TO RAISE THE BAR  FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.  AND WE COULDN'T DO ANY OF OUR  WORK WITHOUT YOU.  SO WE HAVE SO MUCH GRATITUDE.  THANK YOU SO MUCH.  SO, TODAY, WE ARE SO HAPPY TO  JOIN YOU AND TO ANNOUNCE THIS  PARTNERSHIP WITH HILLSBOROUGH  COUNTY BY PROVIDING THE STUDENTS WHERE THEIR NEEDED SUN  PROTECTION, THEIR OUTDOOR  CLASSROOM AND SAFETY PLACE TO  PLAY.  AND IT IS 135 OUTDOOR COURTS  THAT WERE REALLY SO HAPPY TO  GIVE TO THIS HICK.  AND IT MEANS THE WORLD TO US.  SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.  OUR PARTNERSHIP MEANS THE WORLD  TO MY FAMILY AND TO THE BUB  NEARS AND WE COULDN'T DO  ANYTHING WITHOUT YOU.  SO THANK YOU SO.MUCH. [APPLAUSE]

>> GOOD AFTERNOON.  JUST REALLY WANT TO ECHO THAT.  AND I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PARTNERSHIP SINCE IT STARTED.  AND THE WORK THAT IS DONE  THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AT ALL  LEVELS.  AND WHAT I AM REALLY EXCITED  ABOUT IS NOW THIS PARTNERSHIP  WILL EXTEND NOT ONLY THROUGH  ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, BUT THE  MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS. AND WE JUST REALLY WANT TO LEAVE YOU TODAY WITH TWO WORDS, AND  THAT IS THANK YOU.  THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.  THE SIGN UP THERE SAYS IT FOR  ALL "PREPARING STUDENTS FOR  LIFE." YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE  EVERY DAY AND THE SUPPORT THAT  THIS COMMUNITY SHOWS, A VERY  HUMBLING PARTNERSHIP FOR US AND  WE VALUE IT.  AND WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK  YOU.  WITH THAT, YOU ALL HAVE A BAG.  ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE  GOING TO START IS -- DON'T OPEN  IT YET.  WE WILL COUNT IT DOWN HERE.  [LAUGHTER] WE WILL HAVE A RECOGNITION  PROGRAM EACH MONTH FOR THE  ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR -- OF  THAT MONTH, THE TEACHER OF THAT  MONTH AND THE SUPPORT STAFF.  WE HAVE A TRADITION AT ONE BUC,  ANYBODY THAT GOES OVER AND ABOVE GETS A GAME BALL.  SO ON THE COUNT OF THREE, IF YOU COULD ALL OPEN YOUR BAGS THAT  ARE IN FRONT OF YOU, AND ON  BEHALF OF THE GLAZER FAMILY, OUR ENTIRE ORGANIZATION, COACHES AND PLAYERS.  WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.  THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU EACH  AND EVERY DAY.  [ APPLAUSE ]

>> OUR NAME IS ON IT.  

>> WE WILL TAKE A PICTURE.  

>> THAT IS AWESOME.  

>> WILL Y'ALL COME UP.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, AGAIN. THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND VALUES YOUR INPUT  TO THE BOARD.  IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST  COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO YOUR  COMMENTS, OUR STAFF WILL FOLLOW  UP WITH YOU AND KEEP OUR BOARD  INFORMED ABOUT RESPONSES.  OUR SCHOOL BOARD RESPECTS THE  PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE  BOARD AND WE APPRECIATE YOU  TAKING YOUR TIME TO BE HERE;  HOWEVER, IT IS REQUESTED WHEN  YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD COMMENTS  NOT -- ARE NOT DIRECTED  PERSONALLY AGAINST A BOARD  MEMBER OR STAFF MEMBER BUT  RATHER DIRECTED AT THE ISSUES  ANY REHAVER INTENDED TO DISRUPT  THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THIS  MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED.  OUR CIVILITY POLICY IS IN PLACE. WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD STATE  YOUR NAME AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE.  THIS AFTERNOON, EACH SPEAKER  WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES.  WHERE HE REMINDER THAT YOUR TWO  MINUTES START WHEN YOU BEGIN  SPEAKING.  WHEN THERE IS 30 SECONDS LEFT,  YOU WILL SEE A YELLOW LIGHT ON  THE LECTERN, A RED LIGHT AND A  CHIME WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR  TIME IS UP.  I WILL NOW CALL UP THE FIRST  FIVE SPEAKERS.  FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS.  

>> ARE WE READY?

>>Karen Perez: YES.  

>> MY NAME IS DANIEL VALDEZ.  HONORABLE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS,  MR. SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF, I  AM A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RETIREE AFTER SERVING 46 YEARS IN  VARIOUS POSITIONS IN OUR  DISTRICT.  THE FINAL POSITION WAS THAT OF  DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT.  I'M HERE TODAY TO REQUEST THAT  THE BOARD CONSIDER NAMING A NEW  HIGH SCHOOL U.U.U. I BELIEVE IT  IS AFTER EMILANA JOSE SALCINES.  NOW YOU KNOW WHY WE CALL  HIM E.J.  E.J. IS AN EDUCATOR IN THE  PURIST SENSE OF THE WORD.  A HISTORIAN, A FORMER STATE  ATTORNEY, A FORMER JUDGE,  PROFICIENT LECTURER ON WEST  TAMPA, YBOR CITY AND ALL THING  HILLSBOROUGH.  I HAD THE HONOR TO SERVE ON A  COMMITTEE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF  TAMPA WITH E.J., THEN POLICE  CHIEF NOW MAYOR JANE CASTOR, AND RETIRED DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT  KEN OTERO.  A PLEASURE TO WATCH E.J. EXPRESS HIS LOVE AND DEDICATION TO  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND TO ITS  STUDENTS.  OUR COMMUNITY WOULD BE VERY  PROUD AND HONORED TO HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL MIAMI AND FOR ANOTHER  FAMOUS CITIZEN AND ROLE MODEL  FOR MANY LOCATION AND MANY  ASPIRING MEMBERS OF THE LEGAL  PROFESSION.  PLEASE CONSIDER E.J. SALCINES AS THE NAME FOR THIS HIGH SCHOOL.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER.  

>> HONORABLE BOARD MEMBERS,  SUPERINTENDENT, I AM KEN OTERA.  I AM ALSO A LOT DO YOUNGER THAN  DAN VALDES.  WE ALL KNOW ABOUT E.J. SALCINES. STATE ATTORNEY, AND ALL THE  PROFESSIONAL ACCOLADES HE  ACHIEVED.  THESE ARE ALL ACHIEVEMENTS THAT  EVERYONE WILL BE PROUD OF BUT  NOT NECESSARY IS A TSARLY W0ER9  OF OF NAMING A SCHOOL AFTER.  AFTER BEING A HIGH SCHOOL  PRINCIPAL, I KNOW FIRST HANDS  THAT STUDENTS ARE SUCCESSFUL IN  AN ENVIRONMENT THAT ENVIRONMENT  THAT FOSTERS WELL BEING.  BEGINS WITH THE NAME OF THE  SCHOOL, THE FACILITY,  HILLSBOROUGH, MAKE, MIDDLETON,  PLANT, CHAIRMAN PER ERR ABOUT  LANE AND OF COURSE, TAMPA BAY  TECH MANY OF THE SCHOOLS THAT WE REVERE.  IN THIS REALM THAT E.J. DESERVES HAVING A SCHOOL NAMED AFTER HIM. EXHIBIT THE PRIDE AND CARING.  WHAT BETTER PERSON TO NAME A  SCHOOL AFTER THAN ONE WITH A  LOVE AND COMMITMENT TO THEIR  FELLOW CITIZENS AND COMMUNITY.  E.J. HAS A LOVE FOR HIS  COMMUNITY BEYOND REPROACH.  YOU EVER SEEN HI OF HIS ORAL  HISTORIES ABOUT TAMPA, YOU WILL  SEE HIS PRIDE.  HECK, HE EVEN LIVES IN THE SAME  HOUSE IN WEST TAMPA FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS OR MORE.  E.J. EXCELS IN AN EASTERN MORE  IMPORTANT AREA, A MINUTE FOR TO  COUNTLESS INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE  PAST AND PRESENT LEADERS IN OUR  COMMUNITY.  MYSELF INCLUDED.  HIS WIFE ELSA WITH AS AN INTERN  TEACHER IN THE FIRST-GRADE CLASS AND KEPT ME FROM RUNNING AWAY.  THE STATE ATTORNEY, HIRED THE  FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN ASSISTANT ATTORNEY WHO ALSO HAPPENED TO BE GEORGE EDGECOMB.  HE HELPED 500-PLUS STUDENTS GET  INTO LAW SCHOOL WITH HIS FLORIDA FIRST ASSOCIATION.  HE IS KNOWN -- WHICH WAS KNOWN  FOR DIVERSITY AND BREAKING DOWN  BARRIERS.  HIS LOVE OF COMMUNITY AND DESIRE TO HELP OTHERS THAT SEPARATE HIM FROM ALL THE OTHERS WITH THE  PROFESSIONAL ACCOLADES TO HAVE A SCHOOL NAMED AFTER HIM.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  

>> WHAT BETTER NAME FOR A HIGH  SCHOOL THAN E.J. SALCINES.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  [LAUGHTER] NEXT SPEAKER.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR,  SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.  I HAD THE PLEASURE OF  REPRESENTING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR THE PAST 16 YEARS, BOTH AS  YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND  CURRENTLY AT YOUR STATE SENATOR  FOR DISTRICT 16.  AS PUBLIC SERVANTS, WE GIVE OUR  TIME, TALENT AND SOMETIMES OUR  TREASURES TO THE CAUSES THAT WE  HOLD DEAR.  TIME AWAY FROM OUR FAMILIES AND  LOVED ONES.  THE TALL ENT AND ABILITY TO GET  THINGS DONE WITHOUT LOOKING FOR  A REWARD.  FINDING MONEY TO FILL BUDGET  GAPS WHEN THEY PRESENT  THEMSELVES IN THE SERVICES OF  OUR COMMUNITY.  DORETHA EDGECOMB IS WHAT IT WAS  MEANT TO BE A SERVANT LEADER.  A AGAIN, PASSIONATE AND  EFFECTIVE ADVOCATE FOR EDUCATION IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR CLOSE TO FIVE DECADES.  THE PRESENT AND PAST OF THIS  COMMUNITY HAVE SAT IN HER  CLASSROOMS AND BECOME THE  BENEFACTORS OF THE WISE  KNOWLEDGE SHE HAS TO SHARE AND  PASS ON, IMPACTING FUTURE  GENERATIONS.  HER RESILIENCE ON THE SCHOOL  BOARD IS A SHINING EXAMPLE OF  THE STRONG FIGHTER THAT SHE WAS  THROUGHOUT HER CAREER.  MORE THAN JUST AN EDUCATOR, SHE  WAS A MINUTE FOR TO MANY.  AND THE SEEDS PLANTED WITHIN  CONTINUE TO BEAR AND PRODUCE  GOOD FRUIT.  THE NAMING OF THIS MEDIA CENTER  TODAY ONLY FURTHERS SOLIDIFIES A TANGIBLE LEGACY THAT MANY HAD 9  PLEASURE OF BEARING WITNESS TO,  TO THE LEGEND THAT SHE WAS AND   IS.  I AM PROUD TO STAND HERE TODAY  AND SAY THANK YOU FOR NAME THIS  MEDIA CENTER AFTER DORTHEA  EDGECOMB.  [ APPLAUSE ]

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER.  

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD EVENING  TO THIS VERY FINE BOARD.  MY NAME IS ANNETTE DOSIER.  I'M HERE TO ASK THIS BOARD TO  CONSIDER NAMING THIS SCHOOL  AFTER A TEACHER, MISS AQUILA  JACKSON MORGAN.  WHY THE TEACHER, YOU MAY ASK? TEACHERS ARE ESSENTIAL MEMBERS  OF OUR SOCIETY.  THEY ARE PILLARS OF KNOWLEDGE,  SHAPING THE FUTURE OF OUR KIDS.  WITH MISS MORGAN BEING A TEACHER WAS MORE THAN A JOB.  IT WAS HER CALLING.  SHE ENCOURAGED.  SHE LED.  SHE TAUGHT.  AND SHE GUIDED, LEAVING LASTING  MARKS WITH EVERY STUDENT THAT  SHE TAUGHT, NO MATTER WHERE THAT STUDENT CAME FROM.  THE FOUNDATION LED BY MRS.  MORGAN HELPED SHAPE THE FUTURE  OF SEVERAL GENERATIONS OF  CHILDREN WITHIN THE WIMAUMA  COMMUNITY.  SHE WAS A TEACHER'S TEACHER.  I REMEMBER MY FIRST YEAR AS A  TEACHER.  IT WAS MISS AQUILA MORGAN, MY  AUNT, WHO WENT OUT AND PURCHASED EVERYTHING THAT I NEEDED TO GET  STARTED.  SO HERE I AM 32 YEARS LATER  STILL STANDING AS A PROUD,  PROUD, VERY PROUD PERSON  STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF  THIS PHENOMENAL EDUCATOR.  SO I SAY TO YOU TO MAKE PUBLIC  SCHOOL NEWS STANDS FOR HOPE  STANDS FOR EQUALITY.  MISS MORGAN WAS A TRAILBLAZER  FOR EDUCATION, FOR THE CITIZENS  AND THE CHILDREN OF THE WIMAUMA  COMMUNITY.  THEREFORE, WHAT BETTER SYMBOL  CAN WE HAVE THAN MRS. MORGAN.  THEREFORE, I THINK IT WILL BE  MOST BEFITTING TO NAME THIS  SCHOOL AFTER SUCH A PHENOMENAL  EDUCATOR HIS OR HER WAS TRULY IN IT FOR THE OUTCOME AND NOT THE  INCOME.  THANK YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  [ APPLAUSE ]

>>Karen Perez: REQUEST CAN THE  NEXT -- AND CAN THE NEXT SPEAKER 6-11, PLEASE SIGN UP.  

>> I AM DONNA PERRINO.  THE AUDIENCE WAS ALERT AND  LISTENING.  IT WAS LARGE AS A VIRTUAL  PRESENTATION.  IT WAS NOT MADE UP OF  DECISIONMAKERS OR PEOPLE WITH  TITLES BEFORE THEIR NAMES.  IN FACT, THEY WERE NOTA ADULTS  YET, BUT THEY WERE V.I.P.s  BECAUSE THEY ARE OUR FUTURE  LEADERS.  THEY ARE ENROLLED IN OUR COUNTY  PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ATTENDING A  SERIES CALLED "HISPANIC HEROES." SOME WERE ESOL STUDENTS BUT NOT  THE SPEAKER'S MESSAGE.  NOT THEIR PEER, SCHOOL OFFICIAL  OR EDUCATION EXPERT, BUT RATHER  A NATIVE TAMPANIAN THAT SPOKE  FROM THE HEART.  E.J. SALCINES SHARING HIS STORY  THE SON OF IMMIGRANT PARENTS FOR WHOM HE SOMETIMES HAD TO  TRANSLATE.  HE SHARED THE IMPORTANCE OF  MASTERING ENGLISH.  HE SAID, STUDY TO THE BEST OF  YOUR ABILITY.  THAT IS THEIR JOB AS STUDENT.  PETITION URGED THEM TO DREAM BIG AS HE DID, BECAUSE IN AMERICA,  ONE CAN ACHIEVE GREAT THINGS NO  MATTER THE OBSTACLES.  STUDENTS ASK QUESTIONS LIKE,  HAVE YOU EVER BEEN INSULTED  BECAUSE OF YOUR HERITAGE OR YOUR ACCENT? AND HOW DO YOU HANDLE MOCKERY  BECAUSE OF YOUR LOOKS OR CLOTHES OR ROOTS.  E.J. ANSWERED IN SPANISH, NEVER  TO STOOP TO BASE LEVELS.  ALWAYS KEEP YOUR HEAD HIGH AND  YOUR VALUES HIGH.  AND BE PROUD OF YOUR HERITAGE.  HE TOLD THEM THE BEST SILENCER  OF CRITICS IS TO SUCCEED AND DO  GOOD.  THE STUDENTS APPLAUDED LOUDLY  AND ASKED HIM TO RETURN.  THEY WANT TO HEAR MORE.  I HOPE YOU VOTE FOR E.J.  SALCINES FOR THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL IN WIMAUMA.  HE WILL RETURN AGAIN AND AGAIN  AND THANK YOU FOR ALL DO YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> HI, I AM YUCE WITH  PROJECTS ABA RIGHTS.  I AM A PRESIDENT.  I MET WITH PRINCIPAL DOROTHY  YORK, INNOVATION APOLLO BEACH,  DUSTIN ROBINSON AND CHRISTINA  TURNER CONCERNING MY DAUGHTER'S  EDUCATION PLAN.  MY CONCERNS WERE SIMPLE.  TO GET MY THIRD-GRADE DAUGHTER  WHO IS AUTISTIC TO READ AT  KINDERGARTEN LEVEL OR ABOVE.  KINDERGARTEN LEVEL OR ABOVE.  OTHER SPECIFIC GOALS FROM  THE EP.  I ASKED FOR A LIST OF SIGHT  WORDS AND STRATEGIES AND HOW  THEY ARE ASSESSING THE READING  LEVEL.  THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE ME A LIST OF THE WORDS.  PROVIDED LAST YEAR THAT THEY  WERE WORKING ON NOR DID THEY  HAVE ANY LESSON PLANS AVAILABLE  DESPITE ADDRESS IT WHEN I ASKED  ABOUT THE MEET WEEKS PRIOR.  THREE DAYS AFTER THE MEETING A  LIST OF 40 WORDS PRINTED OUT AND A PACK OF BLANK INDEX CARDS  WITHOUT AN INDICATION WHICH ONES TO START REQUEST.  THIS WAS A BRAND-NEW SCHOOL  STARTED IN 2022 WITH THE HEART  OF THE WEALTHIEST COMMUNITIES IN MY AREA WHERE THE PTA BUDGET OF  $100 MILLION.  AND NOT THE ACCESS POPULATION.  HOW IS IT POSSIBLE FOR THE  GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSES WITH  TEACHERS HAVING 20 TO 30  STUDENTS, THEIR CURRENT LESSON  PLANS AND ASSIGNMENTS THAT I CAN SEE EACH WITH THEIR OWN  INSTRUCTIONS AND DIRECTIONS  BUT K-5 WITH ONLY FOUR STUDENT,  I AM ABLE TO GET A FRANK OF  INFORMATION.  HILLSBOROUGH PROGRAMS ARE  FAILING OUR STUDENTS.  THEY ARE REFUSING FREE RESOURCES TO PARENTS MINIMIZING OUR  CONCERNS AND PUTTING THE BLAME  ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.  LAST YEAR, THE PRINCIPAL ONLY  LET MY ABA THERAPIST TWO HOURS  AT SCHOOL.  WHEN I ASKED WHY, THE PRINCIPAL  SAID THAT WAS DISTRICT POLICY.  THAT IS A BLATANT LIE.  OUR CHILDREN DON'T HAVE A VOICE  IN THESE CLASSROOMS AND PARENTS  DON'T HAVE THE VISIBILITY OF  WHAT IS HAPPENING DAY TO DAY TO  CONTROL OUR EDUCATION POPULATION AND PURE DISCRIMINATION.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER.  

>> GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.  MY NAME IS CASEY FOLGER.  AND I'M HERE TO SHARE FROM THE  NEW HIGH SCHOOL IN BUY WIMAUMA  SHOULD BE THE ROBERT HOWARD.  ROBERT, BOBBY HOWARD RAISED IN  RUSKIN, WORKED IN RUSKIN, AND  WHISKED HIS LIFE EVERY DAY FOR  THE COMMUNITY OF RUSKIN AND THE  SOUTH SHORE AREA.  BOBBY WHAT WAS VETERAN AND  SERVED IN MILITARY FOR SEVEN  YEARS.  HE WORKED FOR HILLSBOROUGH  COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR 18  YEARS.  HE WAS A RESOURCE OFFICER AT  EAST BAY HIGH SCHOOL WHERE HE  GRADUATED FROM.  HE LIVED TO SERVE AND PROTECT  OTHERS.  AFTER HIS TRAGIC UNEXPECTED  DEATH IN JUNE OF LAST OVER, THE  SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY NAMED HIM  THE MAYOR OF RUSKIN.  HE IMPACTED THIS COMMUNITY AND  EVERYONE HE MET.  BOBBY WAS AND STILL IS A HERO.  HE WAS ADMIRED FOR THINKS  SELFLESSNESS KIND QUALITIES AND  A MAN OF GREAT FAITH AND ALWAYS  HELPED THOSE IN NEED.  BOBBY WAS A DOWN-HOME RUSKIN BOY THAT LOVED TO FISH AND HUNT.  HIS ACTIONS MADE HIM A TRUE  HERO.  'AND HIS FAMILY STARTED THE  FOUNDATION LAST YEAR.  WE ARE A 501 C 3 AND TO KEEP  BOBBY'S MEMORY ALIVE BY GIVING  BACK TO THE SOUTH SHORE  COMMUNITY, WORKING TOGETHER  FOR-TO-MAKE A POSITIVE AND  LASTING CHANGE EMPOWERING OUR  YOUTH.  THE THEME OF THIS NEW HIGH  SCHOOL IF NAMED THE ROBERT  HOWARD HIGH SCHOOL IS COMMUNITY  ACTION.  WE PROPOSE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN  THE HIGH SCHOOL AND BOBBY'S  FOUNDATION.  WE WOULD LIKE POUR OUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF SCHOLARSHIPS, SCHOOL  SUPPLIES, SPONSORING STUDENTS,  MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, CLUBS AND A MINUTE FOR.  TODAY WE STAND BEFORE YOU AND  ASK FOR YOUR VOTE FOR THE FIRST  SCHOOL IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO BE NAMED AFTER A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, A VETERAN, MAYOR OF  RUSKIN, A MAN OF GREAT FAITH AND HERO TO US ALL, THE ROBERT  HOWARD HIGH SCHOOL.  THANK YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER.  

>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD.  THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.  NIKOLAS CRUZ.  I AM GOING TO PIGGYBACK OFF THE  LAST SPEAKER.  BEYOND HIS OFFICIAL DUTIES,  BOBBY WAS DEEPLY INVOLVED IN  CHARITABLE WORK.  HE VOLUNTEERED WITH  ORGANIZATIONS LIKE DEPUTY  DARLINGS, WHICH COLLECTED  DONATIONS FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED  CHILDREN IN THE SOUTH SHORE  REGION DURING CHRISTMAS.  AND ENSURING NO CHILD WENT  WITHOUT.  HE SUPPORTED OPERATION PATRIOT,  A CHARITY ASSISTING VETERANS AND STATE-RUN NURSING HOMES.  HIS DEDICATION TO SERVICE WAS  INFECTIOUS.  BOBBY INSPIRED ME AND MANY  OTHERS TO FOLLOW IN HIS  FOOTSTEPS, ALWAYS LEADING BY  EXAMPLE AND EMBODY THE SPIRIT OF GIVING.  BOBBY BELIEVED THAT GIVING BACK  WAS NOT ONLY THE ACT OF  GENEROSITY BUT THE COMMITMENT OF WELL BEING AND FUTURE OF OUR  COMMUNITY.  HE UNDERSTOOD THAT STRONG  COMMUNITIES ARE BUILT BY THOSE  WHO CARE DEEPLY OF OUR NEIGHBORS WHO INVEST THEIR TIME, ENERGY  AND RESOURCE TO CREATE A KIND  BETTER ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL.  BOBBY'S ACTIONS EXEMPT FLY THESE VALUES FOSTERING KINDNESS AND  RESPECT IN OUR YOUTH AND SHAPING THEM INTO THE LEADERS OF  TOMORROW.  HE ALSO BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER  BY SHARING FAITH AND REMINDING  THEM OF THE LOVE AND LORD OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.  BY NAMING THE SCHOOL ROBERT  HOWARD, WE WILL NO ONLY HONOR  HIS LEGACY BUT INSPIRE FUTURE  GENERATIONS TO FOLLOW IN HIS  PATH OF SERVICE.  THIS IS A DAILY REMINDER OF  STUDENTS, STAFF AND COMMUNITY  MECHANICS MUCH HOW PROFOUND AND  IMPACT ONE PERSON GIVEN BACK CAN MAKE.  I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE BOARD TO  CONSIDER THIS PROPOSAL.  IT IS MY HOPE THAT THROUGH THIS  RECOGNITION WE CAN CONTINUE TO  INSPIRE A SPIRIT OF SERVICE AND  ENCOURAGEMENT FOR EVERYONE TO  CONTRIBUTE TO THE GREATER GOOD  AND BUILD A STRONGER AND MORE  CONNECTED COMMUNITY FOR  GENERATIONS TO COME.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR  CONSIDERING THIS PROPOSAL.  I AM DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE OF  THOSE WHO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY.  THANK YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  CAN SPEAKERS 12, 13 AND 14  PLEASE COME UP.  

>> GOOD AFTERNOON.  MY NAME IS FELICIA STEWART  JACKSON.  AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE  NEW SCHOOL BEING NAMED, AQUILA  JACKSON MORGAN.  WHAT IS A TEACHER? AND WHAT IS IT SO VERY IMPORTANT FOR THIS TRANSFORMATIVE HIGH  SCHOOL TO BE NAMED AFTER AQUILA  JAY MORGAN? MISS MORGAN WAS A TEACHER.  A TEACHER IS USUALLY THE FIRST  FRIEND A CHILD WILL ENCOUNTER AT SCHOOL WHO WILL MOLD THEIR MINDS AND HELP TO CULTIVATE A THIRST  FOR LEARNING AND KNOWLEDGE.  A TEACHER WHO ALSO TEACHES  CITIZENSHIP TO LEARN THE PLEDGE  OF ALLEGIANCE AND TO HONOR OUR  MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE IN THE  ARMED FORCES.  A TEACHER IS A COUNCILLOR,  MENTOR, CONFIDANT, AND  ENCOURAGER, A BELIEVER IN THE  ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES A  CHILD'SAGE NATION AND THEIR  DREAMS.  BY NAMING THIS SCHOOL AF AFTER AQUILA J. MORGAN, YOU WILL BE SENDING A CLEAR MESSAGE,  TEACHERS ARE ESSENTIAL WORKERS,  AND THEY MOTOR.  MRS. AQUILA JACKSON MORGAN WAS A TEACHER WHO FACED MANY  DIFFICULTIES AND OBSTACLES AS A  TEACHER WHO SERVED 43 YEARS.  SHE STARTED IN 1966.  AND HER SERVICES WAS IN THE  WIMAUMA COMMUNITY.  IT IS ONLY BEFITTING THIS SCHOOL BE NAMED AQUILA JACKSON MORGAN.  THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  [ APPLAUSE ]

>> MADAM CHAIR, SCHOOL BOARD  MEM MEMBERS.  I'M HERE TODAY -- MY NAME IS  BARBARA WRIGHT.  I'M HERE TODAY TO REQUEST THAT  THE SCHOOL BOARD STRONGLY  CONSIDER NAMING THE HIGH SCHOOL  IN WIMAUMA AFTER MRS. AQUILA  MORGAN.  AS EDUCATOR WHO RECOGNIZED,  ACKNOWLEDGED AND ACCEPTED HER  PURPOSE.  FOR 43 YEARS, MRS. MORGAN  FULFILLED HER CAREER, LONG  ASSIGNMENT AS AN EDUCATOR AT  WIMAUMA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE  ONLY SCHOOL SHE WORKED AT.  SHE UNDERSTOOD THAT TEACH  SOMETHING A COMMUNITY-WIDEN  DEFER FROM HOME, TO SCHOOL, TO  THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.  AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTED  CULTURE.  SHE IS RECOGNIZED THAT IT WAS  IMPORTANT FOR HER TO EDUCATE  THOSE CHILDREN.  IN HER CLASS, SHE DID NOT SAY  JOHNNY CANNOT READ.  SHE SAID EVERYBODY WILL READ.  HER ABILITY AND HER DESIRE WAS  TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT ALL OF THE  KIDS RECEIVED A GOOD EDUCATION.  SHE TAUGHT DURING THE DAY.  SHE TUTORED AT NIGHT.  SO I AM ASKING YOU TODAY TO  CONSIDER HIGHLY NAMING THE  SCHOOL AFTER AQUILA MORGAN.  AN EXCELLENT EDUCATOR.  MY NAME IS BARBARA WRIGHT AND I  -- I ACCEPT AND APPROVE THIS  MESSAGE  [APPLAUSE]

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT -- NEXT SPEAKER.  [LAUGHTER] NEXT SPEAKER.  

>> WIMAUMA.  

>> WIMAUMA!

>> HOP RABBLE MEMBERS OF THE  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL  BOARD.  WITH 25 YEARS OF SERVICE IN THE  UNITED STATES ARMY.  I'M HERE FOR ADVOCATE FOR NAMING THE HIGH SCHOOL TO DR. DR. AL BRITON.  SERVED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR 0 YEARS.  CENTRAL PARK, REMBRANDT, TAMPA  HEIGHTS, SOG AND PORT TAMPA ARE  MORE THAN NAMES ON 9 MAP.  WHERE MY FRIEND AND I GREW UP.  WE CAME FROM BLUE COLLAR  WORKING-CLASS FAMILIES AND MANY  OF US ESPECIALLY PARENT AT  MacDILL AIR FORCE BASE FACED  CONSTANT CHANGE SEARCHING FOR  STABILITY.  SMART, TOUGH, RESILIENT KIDS  NEEDED SOMEONE TO BELIEVE NEWS  AND FIGHT FOR OUR CHANCE TO  SUCCEED.  THAT PERSON WAS DR.AL BRITON.  DEEP CONNECTION TO HILLSBOROUGH  COUNTY IS THE CORNERSTONE AS HER LEGACY.  A HISPANIC WOMAN THAT GREW UP  HERE.  SHE UNDERSTOOD US BECAUSE SHE IS ONE OF US.  A PROUD GRADUATE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS.  AND WAS A TEACHER AT LETO HIGH  SCHOOL AND BROKE BARRIERS AS THE FIRST WOMAN AND HISPANIC WOMAN  AT ROBINSON AND TECHNICAL HIGH  SCHOOLS.  SCHOOLS WERE TO UNDERSERVED  COMMUNITY TO EMPOWER STUDENT,  FAMILY, FACULTY AND STAFF.  THE RESULTS OF HER WORK ARE  CLEAR.  DOCTOR, NURSES, BUSINESS  LEADERS, SENIOR MILITARY LEADER  AS AND BRILLIANT EDUCATORS.  MANY OF THE EDUCATORS WERE  INSPIRED DR. BY ALBRITON TO  CARRY ON HER LEGACY.  HER DEDICATION IS UNMATCHED.  DR. ALBRITON IS A PILLAR,  EDUCATOR OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO  CONTINUES TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY IN WIMAUMA.  NAMING THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL AFTER HER WILL HONOR HER LEGACY OF  SERVICE, CELEBRATE HER  EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS AND  INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS TO  EMBODY THE VALUES: LEADERSHIP,  COMMUNITY.  THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, NEXT  SPEA SPEAKER.  

>> MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU VERY  MUCH FOR THE RECORD.  I AM JOSEPH CITRO, 33601 FOR THE RECORD.  I AM A PROJECT OF HILLSBOROUGH  COUNTY SCHOOLS.  GO FALCONS.  BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT  AND STAFF MEMBERS.  I THANK YOU VERY MUCH.  YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR SO MANY  WONDERFUL THINGS SAID ABOUT SO  MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE IN THE  NAMING OF A HIGH SCHOOL.  I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE  CONSIDER MR. E.J. SALCINES FOR  THAT NAME OF THAT HIGH SCHOOL.  NOT ONLY FOR HIS GREAT WORK IN  THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM, BUT FOR HIS SENSE OF HISTORY, ALL HISTORY,  ALL HISTORY IN THE CITY OF TAMPA AND IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.  BUT IT GOES MUCH DEEPER AND  PERSONALLY FOR ME.  HE HAS BEEN A MINUTE FOR TO ME.  HE HAS BEEN A MINUTE FOR TO SO  MANY OTHER PEOPLE.  AND, AGAIN, I ASKED YOU TO  PLEASE CONSIDER E.J. SALCINES AS THE NAMING OF THIS GREAT HIGH  SCHOOL IN WIMAUMA.  THOSE BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAD A  WONDERFUL AUGUST, I CONGRATULATE YOU.  FOR THE REMAINING BOARD MEMBER,  I HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL  NOVEMBER.  MISS EDGECOMB, CONGRATULATIONS  TO YOU.  BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE, E.J.  SALCINES, THANK YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER.  

>> HELLO, BOARD MEMBERS.  KIMYETA DELANEY AND TO ADDRESS  THE ONGOING ISSUES OF INTEGRITY  OF THE SUMNER HIGH SCHOOL  PROGRAM.  MY DAUGHTER A SENIOR WAS  UNJUSTLY CUT FROM THE TEAM DUE  TO MALICIOUS INTENT AND  RETALIATION BY BRIELL GEORGE  THE JV AND THE HAVE AERS TEE  CHEER COACH IN HILLSBOROUGH  COUNTY.  THE EVIDENCE SUPPORTING THIS  CLAIMS INCLUDE SOCIAL MEDIA  POSTS AND DIRECT MESSAGES LINKED TO BOTH COACHES DEMONSTRATING  THEIR INTENT.  THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN SHARED WITH THE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD.  IT HAS A 19-PAGE DOCUMENT WITH  MY GRIEVANCE, RECOMMENDATION  LETTERS FROM OTHER COACHES AND  SCREEN SHOTS.  THIS IS NOT A FRIVOLOUS CLAIM,  NOR IS IT A QUESTION OF MY  DAUGHTER'S COMPETENCE OR SKILL.  THIS IS A MATTER OF POWER BEING  MISUSED OF UNPROFESSIONAL  BEHAVIOR THAT HAS DIRECTLY  HARMED MY CHILD.  COACHES SHOULD NOT FEEL THAT  THEY ARE ABOVE ACCOUNTABILITY  AND REPROACH.  WHILE WE UNDERSTAND THAT COACHES HAVE AUTONOMY OVER THEIR TEAM,  THIS POWER SHOULD NOT BE USED TO CAUSE HARM.  THE ROLES SHOULD -- THE ROLES  SHOULD INCLUDE TEACHING,  UPLIFTING AND TREATING ALL  ATHLETES FAIRLY.  WHAT HAS OCCURRED HERE IS CRUEL, UNJUST, AND DEEPLY CONCERNING.  THOSE WHO WORK WITHIN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM SHOULD BE GUIDED BY A  HEART FOR THE STUDENTS THEY  SERVICE.  I ASK YOU THIS.  WHAT WILL BE THE MOTIVE OF  CUTTING A DEDICATED SENIOR  DESIRING A CHEER SCHOLARSHIP  FROM THE TEAM WHILE STILL  LEAVING THREE OPEN SPOTS IF IT  IS NOT BIAS AND RETALIATION.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND  CONSIDERATION, BOARD MEMBERS.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER.  

>> HELLO, BOARD MEMBERS.  KALANDR A WADE.  I AM ALSO HERE TO ADDRESS  ONGOING CONCERNS OF THE LACK OF  LEADERSHIP AND INTEGRITY WITHIN  THE SUMNER HIGH SCHOOL CHEER  PROGRAM.  SPECIFICALLY, A PARENT RAISED  ISSUES WITH -- WITH THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR MR. BREFANO WHO  REASSURED HER HE WAS CONFIDENT  THAT THE DAUGHTER WOULD MAKE THE TEAM AND PROMISED TO INVESTIGATE ANY PROBLEMS THAT AROSE.  CURRENT ATHLETIC DIRECTOR HAD  AMPLE TIMES TO HAVE APPROPRIATE  SYSTEMS AND SAFEGUARDS AND  FULFILLED PROMISES OF OVERSIGHT  AND ACCOUNTABILITY.  THE PARENT REQUESTED FOR TRYOUTS TO BE VIDEOTAPED AND OR HAVE AN  IMPARTIAL JUDGE TO ASSIST DUE TO PAST ISSUES; HOWEVER, NO  MEASUREMENTS -- NO MEASURES WERE TAKEN.  THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL CANDACE  CULPEPER DISMISSED THE PARENTS  CONCERN THAT THE ACTION COULD  NOT BE TAKEN UNTIL TRYOUTS WERE  IMMINENT .SHE STATED COULDN'T  SEE THE BIG DEAL SURROUNDING  CHEER WHICH REALLY ALARMS ME.  BEING THAT THE IMPORTANCE OF --  BEING THAT -- BEING THE FORMER  ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, SHE SHOULD  UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF  EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND  THE POTENTIAL FOR SCHOLARSHIP  OPPORTUNITIES.  THIS SITUATION HIGHLIGHTS A  BROADER ISSUE OF INADEQUATE  ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AND LACK  OF PROACTIVE MEASURES.  OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS, THE  ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT HAS -- HAS  HAD THREE ATHLETIC DIRECTORS AND FOUR CHEER COACHES.  I URGE YOU ALL TO PLEASE LISTEN  TO THE CRIES AND THE WORDS OF  EVERYTHING WE ARE SPEAKING ABOUT IN REFERENCE TO THE CHEER  PROGRAM.  AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO LEAVE  THE QUESTION, WHAT WOULD IT BE  -- WHAT WOULD BE THE MOTIVE TO  CUT A SENIOR IF IT IS NOT BIAS  AND YOU STILL HAVE THREE OPEN  SPOTS? THANK YOU, GUYS -- I MEAN BOARD. I AM SO SORRY.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER.  

>> MADAM CHAIR, SCHOOL BOARD  MEMBERS.  I WANT TO SPEAK ON THE SAME  SITUATION.  I JUST GOT TO SAY THE STUDENT  ATHLETE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A POLL FROM  EVERY COACH, ALL SPORTS IN  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, YOU WILL  WANT THIS STUDENT ATHLETE ON  YOUR TEAM.  SHE IS A NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY  STUDENT.  3.9 GPA.  SHE HAS VARIOUS PROGRAMS SHE IS  PART OF FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE.  PRECIOUS PEARLS.  BIG BROTHER, BIG SISTER.  TEENS IN APPLICATION.  AND I JUST -- YOU KNOW, WE HAVE  TO GIVE THIS -- THIS SITUATION  -- THE DUE ATTENTION THAT IS DUE FOR IT.  BECAUSE IN YOUNG LADY WORKS HER  BUTT OFF.  I KNOW HER PERSONALLY.  I UNDERSTAND SOMETIMES WHEN  STUDENTS THINK THEY GOT IT MADE  -- PUT ON A LITTLE WEIGHT, CAN'T TUMBLE.  CAN'T CHEER AS LOUD.  YOU KNOW, I GOT IT.  I AM A SENIOR.  IT'S MY SPOT.  NO, NOT HER.  SHE WORKED HER BUTT OFF AND  BETTER THIS YEAR THAN SHE WAS AS A SOPHOMORE.  IT HAPPENED TO HER THE FIRST  TIME.  IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE.  TWO TIMES? IT IS HORRIFIC.  HER SENIOR YEAR THE BEST SO EN I DON'T REMEMBER YEAR AND GETS CUT FROM THE CHEER SQUAD AND IT IS  JUST UNJUST.  SO I JUST ASK A NEW GUYS REALLY  CONSIDER WHAT WE ARE SAYING AND  GIVING THE ATTENTION THAT IS  DUE.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER.  

>> HELLO, BOARD MEMBERS.  RAMONA JOHNSON.  I'M HERE TO ADDRESS ONGOING  CONCERNS REGARDING THE LACK OF  LEADERSHIP AND INTEGRITY WITHIN  THE SUMNER HIGH SCHOOL CHEER  PROGRAM.  YOUNG LEADER WE ARE SPEAKING OF  HAS ABOUT AN COMPETITIVE CHEER  LEADER FOR 13 YEARS.  SHE ORIGINALLY STARTED WITH THE  TAMPA BAY YOUTH FOOTBALL LEAGUE  WHEN SHE WAS FIVE YEARS OLD.  SHE THEN BEGAN CHEERING AT  ALL-STARS AT NINE YEARS OLD AND  MOVED ON TO CHEER WITH BRANDON  ALL-STARS AT THE AGE OF 11.  I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT CHEERING IS HER PASSION.  SHE HAS THE SKILLS, SPIRIT,  TECHNIQUE, EXPERIENCE AND  POSITIVE ATTITUDE TO BE AN ASSET ON EVERY TEAM.  OVER THIS PAST YEAR, SHE HAS NOT LOST ANY OF OTHER CHEER SKILLS  BUT IN FACT GAINED SEVERAL CHEER SKILLS.  WORKED WITH A PRIVATE INSTRUCTOR TWICE A WEEK IN HER CURRENT  SKILLS ARIZONA A -- ON THE  VARSITY 2024-'25 SUMNER HIGH  SCHOOL.  I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT  THIS ENTIRE SITUATION HAS LEFT  AN IMPACT ON HER EMOTIONALLY.  SHE FEELS SHE IS BEING SINGLED  OUT YET AGAIN AND DOES NOT HAVE  A CLEAR ANSWER AS TO WHAT SHE  HAS DONE TO DESERVE THIS TYPE OF TREATMENT.  SHE IS DISHEARTENED BY THE  UNJUSTIFIABLE DECISION MADE WITH PETTY MALICE THUS FAR AND ALL  THE HARD WORK OF TRYING TO PROVE HERSELF.  SHE HAD DREAMS OF CHEERING AT A  COLLEGIATE LEVEL AND OBTAINING  CHEER SCHOLAR HIPS, IN  UNFORTUNATE SITUATION WILL  IMPACT HER ABILITY TO GAIN  SCHOLARSHIPS.  SHE LOST FAITH IN THE ADULTS SHE LOOKED UP TO AS MENTORS FOR  GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT DURING HER  FORMATIVE YEARS AS A STUDENT AT  SUMNER HIGH SCHOOL.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE  IN THE ROOM.  MY NAME IS NICOLE KING.  AND I'M HERE TO TALK OF THE  ONGOING LACK OF INTEGRITY AND  LEADERSHIP AT THE SUMNER HIGH  SCHOOL CHEER PROGRAM, BUT MORE  IMPORTANTLY I'M HERE AS A MINUTE FOR AND TO SPEAK POSITIVELY OF  THE STUDENT PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED PEOPLE AUTO MEMBER OF MENTOR  GROUP WITH THE DETERMINATION TO  GUIDE AS PART OF THIS  ORGANIZATION, THE PLEASURE OF  MEETING THIS YOUNG LADIY.  AND INSPIRATIONAL BEHAVIOR.  A KIND HEARTED COMPARISON WITH A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD OF HER.  I WATCH HER GUIDE AND MENTOR  WITHIN THE INFORMING AS.

>>> INVOLVED THEM ON HOW TO  GUIDE THEM IN IN THE RIGHT  DIRECTION AND WHO TO YOU  REPRESENT THEMSELVES AS YOUNG  MEN.  IN ADDITION TO BEING PARTICIPANT OF OUR ORGANIZATION, SHE IS ALSO A PART OF THE NATIONAL HONOR  SOCIETY, BUSINESS BROTHERS AND  BIG SISTERS, AND TEENS IN  APPLICATION WHERE SHE IS THE  ONLY REPRESENTATIVE AT SUMNER  HIGH SCHOOL.  THIS YOUNG LADY HAVE ASPIRATIONS TO BECOME A CHURCH AND CHEER AT  THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL MAKING IT  CRITICAL IN THE SENIOR YEAR.  NONCONFRONTATIONAL AND A  POSITIVE PERSON IN ALL OF MY  INTERSANCTIONS WITH HER.  WITH EVERYTHING I LEARNED ABOUT  HER, I FIND IT VERY HARD TO  BELIEVE THAT NOT MAKING THE TEAM WAS ANYTHING OTHER THAN A  MALICIOUS ACT TOWARD A CHILD BY  AN ADULT IN POWER.  HE HARD OF THE SITUATION THAT  LED US HERE.  ISSUES WITH THE PROCESS AND  THE AG AND THE STUDENT'S  COMPETENCY AND SKILLS AS AN  ELITE CHEER LEADER.  MY CALL OF ACTION REQUEST TO  HAVE THE STUDENT PLACED IN ONE  OF THE REMAINING OPEN POSITIONS  ON THE TEAM NOT ONLY BECAUSE WE  ARE HERE BUT BECAUSE SHE HAS THE SKILLS AND SHE DESERVE IT IS.  THANK YOU AND HAVE A GOOD DAY.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  BOARD MEMBERS AND AUDIENCE, WE  WILL DISCUSS ITEM E.01, THE  FINAL PUBLIC HEARING ON THE  MILLAGE RATES AND BUDGET FOR THE 2024-2025 FISCAL YEAR.  SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL  HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM.  

>>Superintendent Ayres: THANK  YOU, MADAM CHAIR, WE PRESENT THE 2024-'25 MILLAGE RATES THE FINAL PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE MILLAGE  RATES AND ADOPTED BUDGET.  OUR BUDGET INCLUDES ALL  GOVERNMENT AND PROPRIETARY FUNDS OF THE DISTRICT AND THE PROPOSED TAX RATE.  

>>Karen Perez: AT THIS TIME I  WILL ADJOURN THE REGULAR SCHOOL  BOARD MEETING AND OPEN THE FINAL PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MILLAGE  RATES AND ADOPT THE FINAL  BUDGETS FOR FISCAL YEAR  2024- 2024-2025.  ROE JOHNSON, CHIEF FINANCIAL  OFFICER WILL PRESENT.  

>>Roe Johnson: GOOD EVENING,  BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT AND  CONSTITUENTS, GENERAL MANAGER OF BUDGET WILL BE PRESENTING THE  FINAL PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MILL ATLANTA RATES AND ADOPT THE  BUDGET FOR 2024-'25 FISCAL YEAR.

>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS,  SUPERINTENDENT AYRES THE  POWERPOINT WILL BE UP SHORTLY.  

>> THE LAW THAT WAS ENACTED IN  1980 WAS VERY DESCRIPTIVE AND TO AVERAGE THE -- THE MILLAGE RATE  IN THE -- IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.  THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION  ACTUALLY SETS THE MILLAGE RATES. AND DON'T HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY  TO CHANGE IT.  WE HAVE TO LEVEL THE RATES THAT  THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF  EDUCATION TELLS US TOO SO THIS  NEXT SLIDE BASICALLY SHOWS THE  TIMELINE FOR THE TRIM PROCESS.  WE ARE IN THE SECOND TO LAST  FINAL PUBLIC HEARING SPOT.  THE NEXT STEP IS TO SENDING --  SENDING DOCUMENTS TO THE  DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, THE  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION -- THE  DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, THE  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,  PROPERTY APPRAISAL AND TAX  COLLECTOR.  FROM THIS -- FROM THIS YOU SEE  THAT THE -- THAT THE -- THAT THE MILLAGE RATES HAVE DECREASED  PROGRESSIVELY OVER THE YEARS AND 2013 -- 2013, A MILLAGE RATE OF  7.8770 AND OUR MILLAGE RATE FOR  20 25 WAS 5.3880.  IN '24, WE HAD A 5.40 MILLAGE  RATE AND -- WE PROPOSE 5.833  MILLAGE A DECREASE OF MINU  0.0120.  CURRENT 5.2412.  THIS RATE IS THE RATE WHEN  APPLIED TO THIS YEAR'S PROPERTY  VALUE ALSO GENERATE THE SAME  DOLLAR AMOUNTS AS THE PREVIOUS  YEAR.  OUR PROPERTY VALUE THIS YEAR  WERE $182 BILLION, COMPARED TO  LAST YEAR OF $173 BILLION.  IT WAS A $9 BILLION INCREASE.  WE -- WE ARE -- WE STAND TO --  WE STAND TO GENERATE 943.1  MILLION.  BASE DEBT OF 96% BUDGET RATE.  IF WE RETAIN BUDGET THE 100%, WE WILL RECEIVE 982.4 MILLION.  IT IS REQUIRED THAT WE BUDGET AT THE 96%.  HOWEVER HOWEVER MY TAXES  COMPUTED, YOU OWN A HOUSE  $200,000, $25,000 HOMESTEAD  EXEMPTION.  YOUR TAXABLE VALUES IN $175,000  DIVIDED BY $1,000 IS $175 TIMES  THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE.  PAYING $942.40 IN SCHOOL  PROPERTY TAXES.  SO THE ENDING FUND BALANCE FOR  THIS FISCAL YEAR.  WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED $1.8  BILLION IN REVENUE AND SPENT  $1.7 BILLION.  SO WE HAD A 80.5 MILLION  SURPLUS.  MINUS THE 58.5 WE HAVE IN  RECURRING SALARIES GAVE US A $22 MILLION SURPLUS.  WE BEGAN THE YEAR WITH $330  MILLION IN FUND BALANCE.  WE MOVED $48 MILLION TO ESSER.  WITH THE A $400 MILLION DECREASE FOR NONRECURRING SALARIES AND  THE $22 MILLION SURPLUS GIVES  YOU A $395.9 MILLION FUND  BALANCE, WHICH IS 22%.  THE FISCAL YEAR BUDGET FOR '25  IS PROPOSED AT 4.3 BILLION.  THE GENERAL FUND WHICH IS THE  OPERATE WILLING FUND IS PROPOSED TO BE $2.5 BILLION.  THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND IS THE  STUDENT NUTRITION SERVICE FUND  AND ALL THE GRANT.  THE DEBT SERVICE FUND IS WHERE  WE PAY ALL OUR DEBTS FOR THE  SCHOOLS WE HAVE BUILT.  THE CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDS HAS  ALL THE REMODELING, RENOVATIONS  AND ACTUALLY WERE ASSESSED TAX  DOLLARS.  AND OUR INTERNAL SERVICE FUND IS FOR WORKER'S COMP, HEALTH  INSURANCE AND GENERAL LIABILITY. ON THIS PAGE, YOU CAN SEE  CIRCLED UP TOP, THE $39.59.  WE ENDED THE 2024 YEAR WITH.  AND BASED ON OUR EXPENDITURES  AND REVENUE WE PROPOSE FOR '25,  PROJECT ENDING THE YEAR WITH A  $283.9 MILLION FUND BASS.  $112 MILLION DECREASE OVER THIS  YEAR.  THE ADOPTED BUDGET FOR 2024-'25. OUR FINANCIAL MOTION IS 1.83  MILLION -- BILLION DOLLARS WE  RECEIVED IN REVENUE AND 1.87 IN  EXPENDITURE.  SO WE ARE GOING TO END UP WITH A 45.9 DEFICIT.  THE BEGINNING FUND BALANCE OF  $395.9, MINUS THE 45.9 DEFICIT.  AND $66 MILLION IN NONRECURRING  SALARIES GIVES US THE $283.9  MILLION FUND BALANCE.  THIS IS -- THIS IS STILL AT 15%. THE LAST PAGE IN THE FINAL  PUBLIC HEARING WHICH WILL BE  OPEN SHORTLY.  

>> IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE  BOARD ADOPT THE STATED REQUIRED.

>>Roe Johnson: YOU HAVE TO CLOSE THE BUDGET PART.  IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE  SCHOOL BOARD ADOPT A STATE BOARD MILLAGE OF 3.1400 MILLS.  RECOMMENDED THAT THE BOARD ADOPT DISCRETIONARY OPERATIONAL RATE   OF.  RECOMMENDED THAT THE BOARD ADOPT THE LOCAL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT  RATE OF 1.500 MILLS.  IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE BOARD ADOPT THE DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE  RATE OF 00.00 MILLS.  

>>Karen Perez: ANEED A MOTION  FOR THE 2024-2025 MILLAGE RATES  AS PRESENTED.  A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS, AND A  SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY.  ANYONE PRESENT WHO WISH TO  ADDRESS THE BOARD CONCERNING A  MILLAGE RATE AND ROLL-BACK  RATES?

>>Jim Porter: BOARD MEMBERS, I  REMIND YOU, FOUR SEPARATE VOTES  ON THIS.  THIS IS ONLY ABOUT THE MILLAGE A THIS POINT.  YOU ARE NOT VOTING ON THE  BUDGET.  THIS IS JUST THE MILLAGE.  

>> MARK KLUTHO.  IF -- IF THIS WAS ABOUT THE  MINIMUM LAGE, WHAT -- WHAT WAS  THE TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET? YOU STILL CAN'T GET THESE  HEARINGS RIGHT.  I DON'T BELIEVE IT.  THERE SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ANY  MENTION OF THE BUDGET.  THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT  THE MILLAGE.  AND YOU TOLD ME YOU HAD IT  RIGHT.  UNBELIEVABLE.  YOUR MILLAGE GOES DOWN $9  BILLION INCREASE.  SMOKE AND MIRRORS.  SMOKE AND MIRRORS.  THE SAD FACT IS MONEY  SQUANDERED.  A BIG CONTEST.  HOW IS THE SICK BUILDING GOING  TO BE NAMED.  HOW WILL IT BE NAMED.  YES.  YEAH.  YOU KNOW.  VALUE OF THE -- OF THE PROPERTY  GOES UP, UP -- THERE WILL BE  MORE DETAILS TO COME.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  ANYONE ELSE? SEEING NO SPEAKERS.  BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY  QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS  SPECIFICALLY REGARDING THE  MILLAGE RATES OR ROLL-BACK RATES AS PRESENTED? MEMBER VAUGHN.  

>>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU,  MADAM CHAIR.  I AM NOT SURE IF IT GOES ON ONE  OF THE OTHER HEARINGS OR FURTHER IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT WHEN WE WENT OVER THIS, ONE THING THAT I ASKED YOU TO INCLUDE FOR THE  PUBLIC CONSUMPTION IS AN  EXPLANATION OF THOSE -- THERE IS A CAP ON THE MILLAGE RATE.  SOME WHILE YOU GIVE THE  EXPLANATION, AND I APPRECIATE  THAT OF THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER  AND HOW MUCH THEY PAY AND HOW  THE TAXES CALCULATED.  CONSTANTLY I HAVE PEOPLE ASK ME, IF WE HAVE MILLION DOLLARS HOMES AND TAXES CONSISTENTLY GOING UP, WHY IS THERE STILL AN ISSUE WITH THE REVENUE WHEN IT COMES TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.  CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN FOR THE  PUBLIC HOW IT IS CAPPED AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND HOW OVER A  CERTAIN AMOUNT THAT WE HAVE TAKE IN IS ALLOCATED WITH THE STATE  AND COMES OUT OF OUR PURE PAPER  MONEY AS FAR AS REVENUE IS  CONCERNED.  

>> THE CAP FOR THE RESIDENTS  THAT HAVE A TAX EXEMPTION, THE  CAP IS 3% PER YEAR.  IF IT IS A NONHOMESTEAD  PROPERTY, CAPPED AT 10% FOR ALL  THE OTHER TAXES ENTITIES ACCEPT  FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD.  THE SCHOOL BOARD LEVYS AGAINST  THE MARKET VALUE.  THIS IS ALL IN STATE STATUTE.  I AM SORRY, I DIDN'T CATCH THE  REST OF YOUR QUESTION.  

>>Jessica Vaughn: SO IF WE TAKE  IN OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT AT THE  STATE LEVEL, WE TAKE THAT OUT OF THE PURE PUPIL FUNDING THAT WE  GET SO WE DON'T GET UNLIMITED  AMOUNT OF TAX REVENUE.  THAT'S CORRECT? REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE MILLAGE  RATE IS.  

>> THAT'S CORRECT.  WHEN THE PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS  INCREASE, OUR DOLLARS DECREASE.  IT IS PART OF OUR EQUALIZATION  FUNDING FORMULA.  

>>Jessica Vaughn: OKAY, THAT IS  WHAT I ASKED TO BE INCLUDED.  SOMEWHERE FURTHER IN THE SLIDE  AND GO OVER.  IT JUST DIDN'T MAKE IT IN? THANK YOU.  

>> I AM SORRY.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN.  SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS,  PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS  APPEAR.  AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.  MISS JOHNSON, PLEASE CONTINUE.  

>>Roe Johnson: THE BOARD ADOPT A 2024-25 OF 4,344,401,761.44.  

>>Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION  AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE  BUDGET.  I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS  AND A SECOND BY MEMBER VAUGHN.  IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT WHO  WISHES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD  CONCERNING THE 2024-2025 BUDGET.

>> YOU ARE SUPPOSED -- MARK  KLUTHO.  YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO MAKE A  PRESENTATION HERE.  JUST BECAUSE YOU DID THE FIRST  TIME LAST MONTH OR WHENEVER IT  WAS, IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU DON'T  DO IT THIS TIME.  AND I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU CANNOT  FOLLOW THE LAW FOLLOW THE LAW.  YOU HEAR WHAT I AM SAYING? IT'S THE LAW.  YOU DO IT THE SAME WAY YOU DID  IT THE LAST TIME.  IT'S THE LAW.  YEAH, HERE WE HAVE FOR  FACILITIES $321 MILLION.  INCLUDED THAT THAT WILL BE THE  NEW STUPID BUILDING THAT THESE  PEOPLE HERE ARE FIGHTING TO SEE  WHO GETS THE NAME.  SICK BUILDING.  SICK BUILDING.  OH, YEAH, WATCH IT.  WATCH IT? YOU TELL ME TO WATCH IT.  OH.  YOU KNOW, I TELL YA.  THE HEADLINES PROVE IT.  HEAT DEATHS IN THE U.S. HAVE  SOARED SINCE 1999.  MOSS TECO BORNE EQUINE  ENCEPHALITIS -- OH, THE WORD.  ENCEPHALITIS IS KEEPING PEOPLE  INDOORS AFTER DARK.  FEAR FEAR OF VIRUS IS CHANGING  ROUTINES IN MASSACHUSETTS.  THIS IS BECAUSE A CAUSE AND  EFFECT THE WAY BUILDINGS ARE  BEING MADE THE CLIMATE IS  CHANGING.  STUPID BUILDINGS ARE BEING MADE. AND ISN'T ONE PERSON HERE  BESIDES ME THAT IS GOING TO SAY  ANYTHING ABOUT THIS BUDGET.  AND YOU ARE A BUNCH OF FOOLS IF  YOU THINK THAT EVERYTHING HERE  IS OKAY.  IT'S A SAD FACT.  A SAD, SAD FACT.  MOSQUITOES AND WEST NILE VIRUS  CAN --  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  

>> AGAIN YOU ARE VIOLATING THE  LAW.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY  QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

>>Jim Porter: THIS IS ABOUT THE  BUDGET PIECE OF IT.  

>>Karen Perez: YES, REGARDING  THE 2024-2025 BUDGET.  SEEING NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS  APPEAR.  AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.  MISS JOHNSON, PLEASE.  

>>Roe Johnson: IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE BOARD APPROVE THE  RESOLUTION THE 2024-2025 MILLAGE RATE AND BUDGET.  

>>Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION  AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE  RESOLUTION ACE ADOPTING THE  2024-2025 MILLAGE RATES AND  BUDGET AS PRESENTED.  I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY,  AND A SECOND BY MEMBER  WASHINGTON.  IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT WHO  WISHES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD  CONCERNING THE RESOLUTIONS  ADOPTING THE 2024-2025 MILLAGE  RATES AND BUDGET.  SEEING NO COMMENTS, BOARD  MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY  QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS  SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING THE  RESOLUTIONS ADOPTING THE  2024-2025 MILLAGE RATES AND  ADOPTING AN ADOPTED BUDGET.  SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN  YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR.  AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.  MISS JOHNSON, PLEASE CONTINUE.  

>>Roe Johnson: IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE BOARD AUTHORIZE STAFF  TO PERFORM ALL TASKS NECESSARY  TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE  TRUTH IN MILLAGE TRIM  REQUIREMENTS OF CHAPTER 200,  FLORIDA STATUTES.  

>>Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION  AND A SECOND TO AUTHORIZE STAFF  TO PERFORM ALL TASKS NECESSARY  TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE  TRUTH IN MILLAGE REQUIREMENTS OF CHAPTER 200, FLORIDA STATUTES AS PRESENTED.  I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER VAUGHN AND A SECOND BY MEMBER COMBS.  IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT WHO  WISHES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD  CONCERNING THE AUTHORIZATION OF  STAFF TO PERFORM ALL TASKS  NECESSARY TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE  WITH THE TRUTH IN MILLAGE  REQUIREMENTS OF CHAPTER 200,  FLORIDA STATUTES.  SEEING NONE, BOARD MEMBERS, DO  YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR  COMMENTS SPECIFICALLY REGARDING  THE AUTHORIZATION OF STAFF TO  PERFORM ALL TASKS NECESSARY TO  ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH TRUTH IN  MILLAGE REQUIREMENTS OF CHAPTER  200, FLORIDA STATUTES.  SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS,  PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS  APPEAR.  STAND PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.  NOW WE WILL ADJOURN THE FINAL  PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MINIMUM  LAGE RATES AND ADOPTED BUDGET  FOR FISCAL 2024-2025 AND  RECONVENE ON THE REGULAR SCHOOL  BOARD MEETING.  

>>Jim Porter: TO BEGIN WITH  PUBLIC COMMENT.  DEL MA RODNEY GO GEZ.  

>>Karen Perez: SPEAKERS 19-24  PLEASE LINE UP.  

>> SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, CHAIR  PEREZ, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS,  ST STAFF, CABINET, AND THE REST OF  YOU.  ANY NAME IS DELMA RODRIGUEZ, AND I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF NAMING  THE HIGH SCHOOL IN WIMAUMA E.J.  SALE.J.  SALCINES.  ALL YOU DO IS GOOGLE HIS NAME  AND YOU GET HIS HISTORY.  AND I AM GOING TO GIVE YOU A  PERSONAL REASON FOR SELECTING  HIM.  I AM A NATIVE TAMPANIAN -- I AM  A NATIVE WEST TAMPANIAN, WHICH  MEANS I GREW UP WITH E.J.  I USED TO BUY HATS FOR MY FATHER FROM HIS FATHER'S STORE, WHERE  HE WORKED AT THE TIME.  AS A -- AS A LATINA AND ARREST  TAMPANIAN, EVERY TIME E.J.  SUCC SUCCEEDED, I SUCCEEDED, THE  COMMUNITY SUCCEEDED.  WHEN HE BECAME A LAWYER, WE KNEW THERE WAS SOMEONE THERE TO  DEFEND US.  WHEN HE BECAME A JUDGE, THE  ENTIRE COMMUNITY FELT SO  EXTREMELY PROUD OF HIM AND WHAT  HE WAS GOING TO DO FOR US.  PLEASE RECOGNIZE HIM FOR WHO HE  IS AND WHAT HE WILL DO AND  REPRESENT TO THE 40% OF THE  LATINOS IN THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM.  THANK YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> HI.  I AM LAURIE PONEROFF, A 1974  FRAGILE YACHT OF ROBINSON HIGH  SCHOOL, WHERE I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE SYLVIA ALBRITON, ENGLISH TEACHER, JOURNALISM TEACHER AND  ADVISOR FOR THE SCHOOL'S  NEWSPAPER.  THOSE WERE HER OFFICIAL DUTIES.  SHE ALSO INSPIRED MY CAREER  CHOICE.  40 YEARS IN CORPORATE PUBLIC  RELATIONS WITH AT&T, ITS FAMILY  OF COMPANIES AND OTHERS.  MY ■CAREER TOOK ME TO TOWNS IN  PENNSYLVANIA, NEW JERSEY, AND  BACK TO FLORIDA.  SYLVIA STAYED IN THIS COMMUNITY, BEFRIENDING, EDUCATING, AND  LAUNCHING THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS  INTO THE WORLD.  SHE AND I RECONNECTED ABOUT SIX  YEARS AGO AND WENT OUT TO DINNER WHERE WE DID WHAT EVERYONE DOES  AND TOOK A SELFIE.  I POSTED THAT SELFIE ON FACEBOOK WITH A FEW WORDS ABOUT HOW SHE  HAD INSPIRED ME AND MY CAREER.  SINCE I ONLY HAVE ABOUT 150  FACEBOOK FRIENDS, I DIDN'T  EXPECT MUCH RESPONSE.  BUT THE NEXT MORNING, MY POST  HAD MORE THAN 100 LIKES AND  COMMENTS FROM HER FORMER  STUDENTS, STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND COLL COLLEAGUES SYLVIA HAD NOT JUST  TOUCHED ME BUT BLESSED  GENERATIONS OF PEOPLE.  TODAY, WE CAN CONNECT ALL THOSE  BLESSINGS WITH A BRICK A AND MORTAR BUILDING THAT WILL  CARRY SYLVIA'S NAME AND EMBODY  THE LOVE OF CHILDREN AND  EDUCATION THAT DEFINES HER LIFE. I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER WAY TO THANK HER FOR ALL SHE DID, DOES, AND WILL DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY  THAN TO MAKE THE SYLVIA ALBRITON HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE GIFTS IN  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.  THANK YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, NEXT  SPEA SPEAKER.  

>> GOOD AFTERNOON.  MY NAME IS DON HAMPTON.  MADAM PRESIDENT, SCHOOL BOARD  MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT.  AQUILA MORGAN.  LEGACY IS A POWERFUL TESTAMENT  TO PERSEVERANCE, EXCELLENCE AND  THE PROFOUND IMPACT ON THE  WIMAUMA COMMUNITY.  THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN  EMPLOYEE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY  SCHOOL DISTRICT IN 1666.  SHE BROKE BARRIERS.  SHE SET A PRECEDENT FOR THE  FUTURE GENERATIONS.  HER 43 YEARS TEACHING CAREER  DURING WHICH SHE WAS NAMED TEACH COUNTY YEAR MULTIPLE TIMES  REFLECTS HER DEDICATION TO  EDUC EDUCATION AND THE LIVES OF  COUNTLESS STUDENTS TODAY,  YESTERDAY AND IN THE FUTURE.  COMING FROM A DISTINGUISHED  AFRICAN-AMERICAN FAMILY IN  WIMAUMA, MRS. MORGAN REPRESENTS  THE VALUE OF EXCELLENCE AND MORE IMPORTANT -- THE IMPORTANCE OF  THE VILLAGE THAT YOU SEE BEHIND  ME.  AND RAISING AND AND EDUCATING  CHILDREN FROM THE PAST THROUGH  THE DAY AND THE FUTURE.  NAMING A SCHOOL AFTER HER SUCH  AS PROPOSED MISS AQUILA JACKSON  MORGAN WIMAUMA HIGH SCHOOL WILL  NOT ONLY HONOR HER REMARKABLE  CONTRIBUTIONS, BUT ALSO  CELEBRATE THE RICH HISTORY OF  THE WIMAUMA COMMUNITY,  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMUNITY  THE STATE OF FLORIDA COMMUNITY.  HER STORY IS A WEAKEN OF HOPE  AND A REMINDER OF THE PROGRAM  MADE AND THE WORK TO CONTINUE  THE QUALITY AND OPPORTUNITY FOR  ALL.  THE AMERICAN PROMISE.  AS WIMAUMA RESIDENT, I ASK ALL  OF YOU SIT WILLING ON THIS BOARD TODAY TO HONOR MISS AQUILA  JACKSON JR. A TEACH THEIR HAS  UNINTERRUPTED SERVICE TO WIMAUMA COMMUNITY AND STUDENTS AND  EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  CAN SPEAKERS CAN SPEAKERS 25-30  LINE UP?

>> HELLO, BOARD.  MR. HAMPTON TOLD YOU EVERYTHING. WHAT I AM WITH --  I AM THEE THAN HALE.  ONE OF OUR MAIN EFFORTS IN THE  WIMAUMA AREA IS TO OBTAIN  AUTHENTIC HISTORY.  BEING REDEVELOPED NAMING THE  SCHOOL AFTER MISS MORGAN LIKE  MR. ANTHONY WAS SAYING, THE  FIRST BACK TEACHER HIRED WITH  THE SCHOOL BOARD OUT IN WIMAUMA. TAUGHT SO MANY PEOPLE AND  ACTUALLY WITH THE LATINO.  WORKED WITH THE LATINA RIGHT  AFTER BROKE ALL THE BARRIERS AND HELPED EVERYONE IN THE AREA TO  LEARN AND HER DEDICATION SHOULD  BE RECOGNIZED.  THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER.  

>> HELLO, BOARD MEMBERS.  I'M HERE TO SHARE MY FOR OF THE  NEW SCHOOL BEING NAMED OF  A AQUILA JACKSON MORGAN.  I WORK WITH THE SARASOTA  SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR 15 YEARS IN CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AS A DEBT AND SHE HAS BEEN MY BIGGEST  TEACHER.  MY LATE GRAND MOTHER AQULA JAY  MORGAN IS THE MOTIVATION THAT  WILL ALWAYS SPEAK OF INTEGRITY,  FAIRNESS AND RESPECT.  SHE -- BEING HIRED INTO THE  SCHOOL SYSTEM SYMBOLIZED A  CRUCIAL STEP TOWARD RACIAL  EQUALITY AND INTEGRATION IN  EDUCATION BECAUSE OF THE CIVIL  RIGHTS ACTS OF 1964.  AND HER KNOWLEDGE OF SYSTEMATIC  BARRIERS.  TRAIL PLAYER DIVERSITY AND  INTRUSION BY HELPING THOSE IN  THE COMMUNITY BEYOND TEACHING  HOURS.  SHE HAD AN OPEN DOOR POLICY ON  AND OFF THE JOB.  MY GRANDMOTHER PROVIDED CLOTHES, SHOES, SUPPLIES AND EVEN RECALL  HER PROVIDE WILLING SHELTER  DURING HURRICANE ANDREW.  TO HER CONTRIBUTIONS TO  TRANSFORM WIMAUMA TO WE ARE  WIMAUMA HOME TO THE 5800 BLOCK  OF BELL STREET TO HER WIMAUMA  CLASSROOM, COMMUNITY AND BEYOND  BEYOND THE WIMAUMA COMMUNITY  WITH myON WITH INTEGRITY AND  RESPECT.  WE HAVE BEEN IN FRONT OF YOU  TWICE WHILE SHE WAS HERE ON  EARTH.  WE ARE HERE THE THIRD TIME AND  SHE HAS NOW DEPARTED FROM US.  HONOR THE SCHOOL AQULA J.  MORGAN.  

>>Karen Perez: NEXT SPEAKER  PLE PLEASE.  

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS AND EVERYONE HERE.  SHEILA HELM, LIFE-LONG STUDENT  OF MY MOM AQUILA J. MORGAN.  IN WIMAUMA SHE KNEW HER WORTH.  VALUE PEWED IN THE COMMUNITY.  CHOSEN BY THE BOARD AND THE  COMMUNITY 58 YEARS AGO.  NEVER WAIVERED TO EDUCATE  STUDENT, SUPPORT PARENTS AND  PARTNERED WITH COLLEAGUE WITH  RESULTS.  SHE WORKED AS A PTA LEADER.  SHE WOULD TUTOR AND GIVE FOOD,  CLOTHES AND SUPPLIES, CHRISTMAS  SMITHS.  HER TIME.  MEETING THE NEED OF OTHERS FOR  F FREE.  SMILING FACES. RECEIVE TEACHER OF THE YEAR  SEVERAL TIMES AND BE ONE OF  EIGHT NAMES BEFORE THE BOARD IN  2008 FOR A FOR A SCHOOL NAME IN  TAMPA THAT WAS SUBMIT BY HER  COLLEAGUES.  AND DID FOR HER WIMAUMA  COMMUNITY.  ONCE THE HEALTH WAS 43 YEARS  RETIREMENT, USED COMMUNITY  CHURCHES THROUGHOUT THE  CLASSROOM AND MOVED THROUGHOUT  THE CHURCHES.  HER STUDENTS WOULD BE PASTORS,  MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN.  SHE RECEIVED THE HONORARY  DOCTORATE IN 2010 BECAUSE OF HER COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION TO ADD  WITH HER OTHER DEGREES.  THIS IS NOT MY FIRST TIME  STANDING BEFORE THE BOARD.  LAST TIME SHE WAS HERE.  NOW SHE IS NO LONGER WITH US.  I AM ASKING YOU TO PLEASE HONOR  MY MOM MRS. AQUILA J. MORGAN 33  YEARS FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. FIRST CHOICE THEN AND I HOPE THE FIRST CHOICE TODAY.  THANK YOU.  

>> ANDY MUSE.  CURA TOR FOR SPECIAL  COLLECTIONS, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, THINGS THAT ARE TOO COOL  OR TOO RARE TO LIVE IN THE  LIBRARY LIVES.  AND AS ANY ROLE AS A CURATOR AND ARCHIVIST.  I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT  NOT ALL EDUCATORS ARE TEACHERS  AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT ROLES TO  BE PLAYED.  MADE SEVERAL LIFETIMES BEFORE  BECOMING THE ELDER STATESMAN OF  TAMPA AND WEST TAMPA.  A LIFETIME OF SERVICE.  BUT FOR ME, THE COMRADESHIP MADE LOVE FOR RESEARCH, THE LOVE FOR  THE HISTORY HERE AND DONE A LOT  OF RESEARCH FOR THEM OVER THE  YEARS.  AND I LEARNED FROM IT ALL.  AND I AND WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR  THE SCHOOL IN WIMAUMA TO BE  NAMED AFTER HIM.  THANK YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.  THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY  TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU TODAY.  I AM COLETTE CLOUD COVER HANNA.  AND MY MOM IS MARGARET CLARET.  A STELLAR 38-YEAR TEACHER WITH  THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL  SYSTEM WHO GAVE TIRELESSLY IN  HER CLASSROOM AND COMMUNITY.  I AM A PRODUCT OF THE  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC  SCHOOL SYSTEM.  AND I AM THE FIRST TO VOW FOR  THE AMAZING TEACHERS IN OUR  COUNTY.  THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS GREAT  EDUCATORS FROM HILLSBOROUGH  COUNTY JUST LIKE MY MOM,  MISS CLARET.  VERY PASSIONATE COMMUNITY  LEADERS LIKE HER TOO.  HOWEVER, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN  MY MOM, MARGARET CLARET AND THE  OTHERS IS HOW SHE SERVED.  THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HER IS  SHE PASSIONATELY DEMONSTRATED  HER STRONG COMMITMENT TO BOTH  AREAS.  AND STELLAR TEACHER IN THE  CLASSROOM FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS,  SHE HAS EARNED MANY AWARDS FROM  THIS DISTRICT.  AND HER SUCCESS IN THE CLASSROOM AND FOR HER SUCCESS IN THE  CLASSROOM OF STUDENT  ACHIEVEMENT.  MOREOVER, SOME OF MERE FORMER  STUDENTS ARE CURRENTLY ELECTED  OFFICIALS FOR YOURSELF, MEDICAL  DOCTORS, TEACHERS, CPA As AND  ADMINISTRATORS WITH HER DISTRICT AND MANY, MANY OTHER ADMIRABLE  CAREERS.  AND HOW DO WE KNOW? BECAUSE WE ATTENDED WEDDINGS FOR HER STUDENTS NUMEROUS TIMES.  BABY SHOWERS.  ALL OF THE THINGS SHE STILL  INCLUDED IN HER FAMILIES AND WE  CAN'T GO TO A GROSS GROCERY  STORE WITHOUT SOMEONE ASKING  WHERE YOU MISS CLARET, MISS  GLOVER, MY FORMER TEACHER.  IN ADDITION TO THAT, MI MISS CLARET, MY MOM, HELPED TO  WARNER $10 MILLION WITH THE  MINISTRIES.  SHE WAS SO COMMITTED TO THE  COMMUNITY IN WHICH SHE GREW UP.  ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE  WIMAUMA COMMUNITY CORE AND  INAUGURAL SUPPORTER OF THE  ENTERPRISE AND LATINAS PROGRAM  IN WIMAUMA AND PARTNER WITH THE  MARTHA CANCER CENTER AND  MENTORED.  MRS. CONSIDER HER FOR THIS  HONOR.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> GOOD EVENING.  ABIGAIL DOWNEY AND HERE TO  SUPPORT MY SUPPORT FOR  MARGARET CLARET.  I AM A MANAGER FOR ENTERPRISE  EQUITY AT MOFFITT CANCER CENTER. I WANT TO READ A REPORT FROM OUR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF DIVERSITY  OFFICER OF LIFE-CHANGING WORK TO BRING HEALTH SERVICES TO THE  WIMAUMA.  DEAR MEMBERS OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.  I AM WRITING TO EXPRESS MY  WHOLEHEARTED SUPPORT TO NAME THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL IN WIMAUMA IN  HONOR OF MISS CLARET.  HER EDUCATION HAS BEEN TO THE  WIMAUMA AREA AND COMMITMENT TO  THE DISTRICT SCHOOL SYSTEM AND  THE BROADER WIMAUMA COMMUNITY.  I MET MISS  CLARET TWO DECADES  EAST AGO AND INSPIRED BY HER  UNWAVING DEDICATION.  HER INNOVATIVE TEACHING METHODS  WERE PIONEERING.  A TEAM OF EDUCATORS WITH HER  CO-TEACHERS TO INTRODUCE THE  CONTINUING PROGRESS TEACHING  METHOD.  BROKE BARRIERS AS THE FIRST  TEACHER TO TEACH ENGLISH AS A  SECOND LANGUAGE.  AND HONORED HER AS TEACHER OF  THE YEAR ON FOUR OCCASIONS.  TO SAY THAT HER INFLUENCE  EXTENDED BEYOND THE CLASSROOM,  THE LOCAL IMPACT ON NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS TO PROVIDE SUMMER LUNCHES  FOR CHILDREN AND COMPUTER  MENTORING PROGRAM TO BRING  COMPUTER ACCESS TO OUR WIMAUMA  YOUTH.  HELPED WITH HEALTH INITIATIVES  AND WORKED WITH MOFFITT CANCER  SERVICES IN OUTREACH SERVICES  FOR HEALTH INTEGRATION INTO THE  PROING SHE ORGANIZED ENSURING  THAT THE WIMAUMA COMMUNITY HAD  ACCESS TO CRITICAL HEALTH  RESOURCES THAT SIGNIFICANTLY  IMPROVED THE WELL BEING.  FEW INDIVIDUALS HAD SUCH A  PROFOUND IMPACT AS MISS CLARET  IN WIMAUMA.  IT WAS FAR-REACHING.  I RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO  CONSIDER HER FOR THIS HONOR FOR  ALL THE REASONS OUTLINED ABOVE.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  CAN I GET SPEAKERS 31-40 TO LINE UP, PLEASE.  

>> BOARD CHAIR AND THE SCHOOL  BOARD MEMBERS.  I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS IS  THE TIME NOW.  EVERYTHING THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT RUNNING FOR OFFICE TO SEE IF YOU ARE SERIOUS OR ARE YOU CURIOUS.  WE ARE GOING TO FIND OUT TODAY.  THREE HIGH SCHOOLS NAMED AFTER  AFRICAN-AMERICANS, MIDDLETON,  BLAKE, ARMWOOD.  372023-2024 I RODE BY ARMWOOD  AND NEVER KNEW THAT IT WAS NAMED AFTER A BLACK WOMAN.  THAT GOES TO SHOW HOW FAR WE  HAVE TO GO.  AND IN A MODERN SOCIETY, FEW  YEARS AGO A FIRST BLACK  PRESIDENT.  HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN PRESIDENT.  WE GOT A LOT TO DO.  WE GOT A LOT OF GROWING UP TO  DO, MATURING TO DO.  THIS IS A NO BRAINER.  A TEACHER.  TYPICALLY THEY NAME SCHOOLS  AFTER TEACHERS.  TYPICALLY THEY MADE IT ROAD  AFTER LAW ENFORCEMENT OR POLICE  OR THE SHERIFF.  TYPICALLY THEY NAME JUDGES --  JUDICIAL BUILDINGS AND  COURTHOUSES AFTER JUDGES.  LET'S GET A TRANSFORMATIVE HIGH  SCHOOL IN WIMAUMA.  CAN YOU SAY WIMAUMA.  SOME OF YOU CAN'T EVEN SAY IT.  WIMAUMA.  AND TALK ABOUT WIMAUMA UNTIL  THEY START MOVING AND BUILDING  DOWN THERE AND START IDENTIFYING AS PEOPLE START LIVING THERE.  BEFORE THEN, IT WAS BLACK PEOPLE BEFORE THE LATINO GOT THERE.  WE WERE DOING IT -- DOING THE  FARM WORK AND DOING ALL OF THAT. SO NOW IS THE TIME, THREE TIMES  IS THE CHARM, LET'S NAME THE  SCHOOL AFTER AQUILA MORGAN,  TRANSFORMATIVE HIGH SCHOOL IN  WHERE? WIMAUMA!

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, NEXT  SPEAKER, PLEASE.   

>>.  

>> HELLO, BOARD.  MY NAME IS CHADWICK HANNA.  ONE THING I HAVE TO DO IS -- THE FIRST THING I EVER DID WAS -- I  SAID THAT WHENEVER I GOT IN  FRONT OF A MICROPHONE I WOULD  GIVE GOD THE PRAISE.  AND THAT IS WHAT I WILL DO  BEFORE I START.  PRAISE GOD.  I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE  ALLEGHENY FRANCISCAN MINISTRIES  WHO WROTE A LETTER TO HONOR MISS MARGARET CLARET FOR THE SCHOOL  TO BE NAMED AFTER.  AND IT GOES, IT IS WITH GREAT  PLEASURE THAT ALLEGHENY  FRANCISCAN MINISTRIES SUPPORT  THE NAMING OF HILLSBOROUGH  COUNTY'S NEWEST HIGH SCHOOL IN  WIMAUMA TO HONOR MISS  MARGARET CLARET.  THIS RECOGNITION WILL  ACKNOWLEDGE THE TREMENDOUS  ACADEMIC AND DEEP  COMMUNITY-BASED LEGACIES OF  MISS CLARET.  FOR MORE THAN 15 YEARS, A  COLLABORATOR WITH THE ALLEGHENY  FRANCISCAN MINISTRIES AS AN  ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE WRY  MASSACHUSETTS COUNCIL FOR THE  COMMON GOOD.  AND AFTER HER RETIREMENT FROM  THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL  DISTRICT, MISS CLARET WAS  INVITED BECAUSE OF HER  COMMITMENT AND CREDIBILITY WITH  THE COMMUNITY TO SERVE AS AN  INAUGURAL MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL  OF THE CURRENT INITIATIVE, WHICH WAS A COMMUNITY EFFORT.  AND OVER TIME, OVERTIME AND  LINCOLN PARK.  FROM 2014 TO 2023.  AND SHE WAS WITH THE WIMAUMA  COUNCIL OF THE COMMON GOOD AND  INFORMING ALLEGHENY INVESTMENT  OF NEARLY $2 MILLION IN THE  COMMUNITY IDENTIFY PRIORITIES.  AND WITH THAT IN MIND, WE ASK  YOU TO NAME THE SCHOOL AFTER  HER.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  

>> I AM ANDREW WALKER.  A FORMER TEACHER AT TAMPA TECH  HIGH SCHOOL.  I'M HERE WITH CANTREL ALBRITON.  A PRIVILEGE THAT THE NEW HIGH  SCHOOL IN WIMAUMA WILL BE NAMED  IN HONOR OF SYLVIA CAN CANTREL ALBRITON.  MY FORMER TAMPA BAY TECH IN FOUR YEARS.  MANY TEACHERS HAD ADMINISTRATOR, SISTER AN DEAR FRIEND THAT WE  KNEW IN OUR HEART CARED ABOUT  FACULTY STAFF AND MOST OF ALL  HER STUDENTS.  DR. SYLVIA ALBRITON IS A PILLAR  IN THE COMMUNITY.  DEDICATED 40 PLUS YEARS IN  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.  SHE WAS AND IS A VERY CARING  EDUCATOR AND HUMANITARIAN.  DR. SYLVIA ALBRITON IS A  DEDICATED MOTHER, WIFE AND  GRANDMOTHER AND A LIFE-LONG  TEACHER WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WHO EXHIBITED REMARKABLE LOVE  FOR HER COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORS  IN WIMAUMA, FLORIDA.  ONE OF THE MOST APPRECIATIVE  PARTS OF LIVING IN WIMAUMA IS  ITS DIVERSE POPULATION, SENSE OF COMMUNITY WHERE YOU FEEL LIKE A  FAMILY.  ALL THOSE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ARE GROWING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS  AND A SMALL TOWN FEEL WHERE  EVERYONE LOOKS OUT FOR EACH  OTHER.  IT IS HOME FOR DR. ALBRITON.  I PROUDLY REQUEST THE SCHOOL  BOARD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION  NAMING A NEW HIGH SCHOOL IN BUY  MASSACHUSETTS AFTER A DEARLY  BELOVED FORMER PRINCIPAL, DR.  SYLVIA CANTREL ALBRITON.  THANK YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, NEXT  SPEAKER PLEASE.  

>> MY NAME IS SIMON CANASSE.  AND NEVER HAD THE GOOD FOR CHURP OF MEETING MISS ALBRITON OR.  I HAD THE PLEASURE TO KNOW E.J.  SALCINES.  FORMER JUDGE, LAWYER, FORMER  STATE ATTORNEY AND ABOVE ALL, A  ORAL HISTORIAN.  AND RACIAL PRECEDENCE OF ONE OF  HIS PROFESSIONALS AND HE  CONTINUED THE STUDY OF SOUTH  TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW.  AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN OF THE  COUNTLESS INDIVIDUALS HE HELPED  GET ACCEPTED AT THE SCHOOL TO  BECOME LAWYERS.  HE HAS BEEN A MINUTE FOR TO MANY IN TAMPA'S LATINO COMMUNITY AND  OTHER JUDGES AND POLITICIANS.  ONE OF THE PROUDEST MOMENTS OF  MY LIFE IS WHEN I SERVED AS THE  JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMITTEE  FOR THE DISTRICT COURT OF  APPEALS.  I WAS ON THE COMMITTEE THAT  SENT E.J. FOR APPOINTMENT.  I CONSIDER THAT A MARQUEE IN MY  LIFE.  AND I WAS SO PROUD TO HAVE HAD  THAT -- THAT OPPORTUNITY.  IT WAS A ROLE THAT HE NOT ONLY  EMBRACED WITH INCREDIBLE  KNOWLEDGE OF LAW BUT A ROLE HE  TRULY EXCELLED AT.  I CAN COUNT ON ONE SCHOOL HOW  MANY SCHOOLS IN HILLSBOROUGH  COUNTY HAD NAMED AFTER A  HISPANIC INDIVIDUAL.  YOU SAID IT YOURSELF.  40% OF THE STUDENTS IN  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ARE  HISPANIC.  GIVEN THE NUMBERS OF HISPANICS  IN OUR COUNTY, WE ARE OVERDUE.  WE WILL ADD ANOTHER AND NO ONE  DESERVED THE HONOR NO MORE THAN  MY FRIEND E.J. SALCINES  IRONICALLY DURING HISPANIC  PERCENTAGE MONTH.  HIS MANY CONTRIBUTIONS HELPED TO MAKE US WHAT WE ARE, AMERICA'S  GREATEST CITIES AND  CONTRIBUTIONS WITH THE ROLE AS A HUSBAND, FATHER, SON,  GRANDFATHER AND FRIEND.  THANK YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, NEXT  SPEAKER, MS.  

>> HONORABLE SCHOOL BOARD  MEETINGS.  GOOD AFTERNOON.  ANY NAME IS JENNIFER SOULS.  A NATIVE FLORIDIAN BORN AND  RAISED IN SOUTH TAMPA AND I  GRADUATED FROM T.R. ROBINSON  HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1994.  I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF  DR. ALBRITON.  MY GOAL IS TO NAME THE NEW HIGH  SCHOOL IN HER HONOR TO  COMMEMORATE HER LEGACY IN  EDUCATION IN HILLSBOROUGH  COUNTY.  DR. ALBRITON SERVED AS THE  PRINCIPAL OF ROBINSON HIGH  SCHOOL FOR SIX YEARS AND NOT  ONLY THE FIRST FEMALE PRINCIPAL  AND THE FIRST HISPANIC WOMAN AND THE FIRST ROBINSON HIGH TO SERVE IN THAT POSITION AS SHE IS THE  GRADUATE OF THE CLASS OF 1967.  MY SENIOR YEAR I WAS D DR. ALBRITON'S STUDENT  GOVERNMENT PRESIDENT.  FOSTERED A CULTURE WHERE I AND  OTHER STUDENTS EXCELLED WITH  LEARNING AND PRACTICES LIFE  SKILLS TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL  MEMBERS OF SATURDAY.  UNDER HER LEADERSHIP, I WAS ABLE TO THRIVE IN DEVELOPING MY  LEADERSHIP SKILLS AS A STUDENT  LEADER.  THIS EXPERIENCE ALLOWED ME TO  BUILD CONFIDENCE IN PUBLIC  SPEAKING TO PLAN AND EXECUTE  EVENTS AND I LEARN TO BUILD  SUCCESSFUL TEAMS THAT ENABLED ME TO FLOURISH IN THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AS I WENT ON IN A  SUCCESSFUL CAREER AROUND THE  WORLD COMMANDING AN AIR FORCE  SQUADRON AND RETIRING AS A  LIEUTENANT COLONEL.  THE PRACTICAL SKILLS I LEARNED  FROM MY HIGH SCHOOL CAREER HAS  STAYED WITH ME MY ENTIRE ADULT  LIFE AND THIS WOULD NOT HAVE  BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE  ENVIRONMENT THAT DR. ALBRITON  CREATED.  MODELLED BEING A FEMALE AND A  SUCCESSFUL WORKING MOM AND THIS  INSPIRED ME AS A YOUNG TEENAGER  TO TRAIN BIG FOR MY FUTURE.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN  ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK IN NAMING  THIS NEW HIGH SCHOOL IN WIMAUMA  AFTER DR. SILL VENA CAN CANTREL ALBRITON.  HER LIFE WORK THROUGHOUT ALL OF  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY MAKES HER  THE PERFECT CHOICE FOR THIS  HONOR.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> HELLO, MIKE PLORE, MIDDLETON  HIGH SCHOOL.  GO TIGERS. THIS IS A BIG DEAL FOR ME.  IMAGINE EVERY HIGH SCHOOL IN  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DROPPING ONE TO THREE LETTER GRADES THIS  YEAR.  WHY? TEACHERS ARE REFUSING TO DO THE  INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION PROCESS.  ACCELERATION POINTS ARE EARNED  WHEN A STUDENT PASSES A INDUSTRY ACCELERATION AND POINTS DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE SCHOOL GRADE.  WITHOUT ACT SELL RATION POINTS.  MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL GOES FROM  A C TO AN IF.  CAN REPLACE ONE SCIENCE AND TWO  MATH CREDITS.  HERE THE INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION  INDIRECTLY CONTRIBUTES TO SCHOOL GRADE BY ALLOWING UNDERSERVED  STUDENT POPULATION THE  OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED ON AN  ALTERNATIVE PATH.  JULY 18, THE SCHOOL BOARD  APPROVED A NEW DOCUMENT THAT  CHANGED THAT PROCESS.  IT WENT, FROM A ONE-PAGE PROCESS TO THE SAME ONE 114 PAGES.  TEACHERS WILL NOT DO IT.  WHEN THIS WAS PRESENTED ON  AUGUST 5 BY FLORIDA JARGO, THE  TEACHERS REVOLTED AND IT BECAME  AGGR AGGRESSIVE.  114 PAGES.  ADDITIONALLY, MR. JARGO ADDED 30 DAYS FROM TEST READINESS TO  ACTUAL CERTIFICATION INSTEAD OF  ONE.  WITH THESE FACTORS INVOLVED,  TEACHERS SIMPLY WON'T DO IT.  IT IS A VOLUNTARY PROCESS.  ALL RIGHT.  THESE BARRIERS, TEACHERS ARE  JUST GOING TO NOT DO THEM THIS  YEAR.  IF WE DON'T MAKE THIS CHANGE, IT HURTS THE KIDS.  AND UNFORTUNATELY, YOU GUYS  APPROVED THIS.  AND THAT IS WRONG.  WE NEED TO GET BACK TO SOMETHING THAT IS SENSIBLE.  PLEASE GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH  ME.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> GOOD AFTERNOON.  DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE  BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.  I AM THE PASTOR OF THE ST. MARY  MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH IN  PARISH, FLORIDA, WHERE MI MISS AQULA MORGAN WAS A  LIFE-LONG MEMBER.  SHE WAS RAISE THERE AT THAT  CHURCH AND DIED AS A MEMBER OF  THE CHURCH.  ACTIVE AS A TEACHER, TRUSTEE,  USHER, SPIRITUAL ADVISOR FOR SO  MANY.  SHE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE  CHURCH'S CONTINUED GROWTH.  AND SHE LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK  ON THE CHURCH AND THE COMMUNITY  OF PARISH AND WIMAUMA AS A  WHOLE.  WE ARE FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR HER  UNTIRING SERVICE.  I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN MRS.  MORGAN'S CLASSROOM, BUT I HAVE  BEEN IN HER PRESENCE COUNTLESS  TIMES AND WITNESSED THE IMPACT  SHE MADE IN THE LIVES OF THOSE  THAT SHE TAUGHT AND RAISED.  SHE TOOK SPECIAL NOTICE OF EVERY STUDENT AT THE MOUNT PILGRIM  BAPTIST ASSOCIATION WHICH  CONSISTS EVER OVER 50 CHURCH TO  ENSURE THEY GRADUATED AND WAS  PREPARED FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF  LIFE.  A TRAILBLAZER AND.  OF LATE 60s AND UNTIL  INTEGRATION.  HER LEADERSHIP AND GUIDANCE WAS  CRITICAL IN CALMING THE  ATTENTION AND FEAR THAT CAME  WITH THE NEW CONCEPT OF  INTEGRATION.  AN EDUCATOR SHE WAS.  AND SHE WAS A GIFT TO GOD.  AND SHE USEDED THAT GIFT TO  TEACH MEMBERS OF SOME OF THE  MOST FINEST STUDENTS IN THE  STATE.  HAVING SAID THAT, I BELIEVE THE  MAIN THING THAT KEPT MISS MORGAN MOTIVATED AND ENCOURAGED TO DO  HER BEST WAS HER STEADFAST LOVE  FOR GOD AND HER UNWAVING FATE.  NOT ONLY DID SHE WALK BY FAITH  BUT WALKED AND OBEYED THE SPIRIT OF GOD.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  SPEAKERS 41-47 TO LINE UP.  CAN I GET SPEAKERS 41-47 TO LINE UP.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> HELLO.  ANY NAME DAPHNE O'REILLY.  I AM A PHYSICIAN AND PART OF THE GROUP ABA RIGHTS.  YOU A 2I678 IS NEUROCONDITION  THAT WILL SHOW HOW PEOPLE BEHAVE AND ACTED.  PREVALENCE OF AUTISM CONTINUES  TO INCREASE OVER THE LAST  CURRENT YEARS, AND DATA ONE IN  36 CHILDREN IN THE UNITED STATES IS DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM.  MY SON IS PART OF THIS DATA.  A BRIGHT BOY WHO LEARNED TO  READ, WRITE AND BASIC MATH  BEFORE STARTING PRE K AT HOME.  I AM NOT A TRAINED PROFESSIONAL, ONLY A MOTHER WITH THE DESIRE  FOR A FUTURE FOR HER SON.  DESPITE HAVING WELL-MEANING  STAFF AT THE SCHOOL AND THEIR  EFFORTS, A BOY THAT LOVES TO  LEARN GOES TO SCHOOL AND REFUSES TO WORK AND HE IS NOT ABLE TO  COMPLETE AND LEARN THE THINGS I  KNOW HE IS ABLE TO DO BECAUSE HE DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS TO SUCCEED.  EVERY YEAR, WE GO THROUGH  REGRESSIONS AND CHALLENGES I  BELIEVE ARE DUE TO THE  APPROPRIATE MANAGEMENT OF  BEHAVIORS.  ABA IS AN EVIDENCE-BASED METHOD  TO HELP ARE AUTISM TO THRIVE.  CURRENT LAW TO ALLOW ADA  SERVICES AT THE SCHOOL BUT THE  PROCESS IS LENGTHY AND  BURDENSOME FOR PARENTS ON THE  SPECTRUM.  WE ARE ASKING FOR SIMPLIFICATION OF THE PACKAGE THAT ADDS  ADDITIONAL BURDEN TO PARENTS OF  CHILDREN ON THE SPECTRUM.  PARENT ARE FORCED TO SIGN THE  DOCUMENT EVEN THOUGH WE ARE NOT  COMFORTABLE WITH THE ILLEGAL  IMPLICATIONS AND THE ALTERNATIVE WILL BE SACRIFICING OUR KIDS  EDUCATION.  WHY ARE ALL THESE REQUIREMENTS  BEING ADDED WHEN THE LAW CLEARLY STATES THAT NO ADDITIONAL  REQUIREMENTS.  MY SON'S NEEDS ARE NOT ANY LESS  THAN ANY OTHER STUDENT IN  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.  HE HAS A RIGHT TO A FREE PUBLIC  EDUCATION AND PROCESS ONE OF  COLLABORATION TO ENSURE THE  CHILDREN ARE BEING SERVICED  APPROPRIATELY AND NOT A LIST OF  ADDITIONAL BURDEN FOR  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FAMILIES.  THANK YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> MY NAME IS KARLA SPARKS.  I AM A RETIRED EDUCATOR OF  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC  SCHOOLS.  SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR AND MEMBERS,  SUPERINTENDENT AYRES AND STAFF,  IF THERE IS ANYONE I KNOW WHO  DESERVES TO HAVE THEIR NAME  ATTACHED TO A SCHOOL FOREVER, TO HAVE THAT LEGACY, AND LEAVE  THEIR FOOTPRINT ON THE STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF AND  ADMINISTRATION OF HILLSBOROUGH  COUNTY SCHOOLS IT IS DR. SYLVIA  CANTREL ALBRITON.  SYLVIA IS ONE OF THE FINEST  EDUCATORS I HAD PRIVILEGE TO  WORK DURING MY 46 YEARS AS AN  EDUCATOR.  SYLVIA HELD MANY POSITIONS IN  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS.  TEACHER, DEAN, ACONSTITUTESY  CONTINUE AT PRINCIPAL,  PRINCIPAL, GENERAL DIRECTOR AND  FRIEND.  THAT LAST POSITION "FRIEND" IS  WHAT SET SYLVIA APART FROM  OTHERS AS SHE IS A TRUE FRIEND  TO ANYONE ANY AGE, ANY POSITION  WHO WANTS TO BE HER FRIEND.  I OBSERVED SYLVIA IN ACTION AS  SHE LED FACULTY MEETINGS.  WHEN I SAW HER PRESSURE WASHING  THE SIDEWALK NEAR THE MAIN  OFFICE SERVING STUDENTS IN THE  CAFETERIA DURING A CRITICAL  SHORTAGE, AS SHE WATERED PLANTS  SHE PLANTED TO MAKE SEWER SCHOOL BEAUTIFUL.  AS SHE ROLLED COINS FOR A  STUDENT CLUB WHOSE SPONSOR WAS  NOT AVAILABLE TO SECURE FUND  RAISING MONEY.  AND I SAW FIRST HAND WHERE SHE  MANAGED TEACHER-TO-TEACHER  DISPUTES.  INEQUITIES AND ALL MANNER OF  CHALLENGES RUNNING A LARGE  PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL.  NOTHING WAS TOO DIFFICULT AND  NOTHING WAS TOO DEMEANING FOR  SILL VENA TO MANAGE.  SHE COULD AND DID DO IT ALL.  SYLVIA LOVES PEOPLE.  FOR ALL OF THESE FINE QUALITIES, I ADVOCATE FOR SYLVIA  CANTREL ALBRITON AS YOU NAME THE NEWEST HCPS HIGH SCHOOL.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER.  

>> GOOD EVENING.  MY NAME IS TIMOTHY KNIGHTON.  I PASTOR SAINT MARY'S COMMUNITY  CHURCH PLANT CITY.  I WANT TO READ THIS VERY QUICKLY AND I WILL GO BACKWARDS, BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE  TRANSPARENCY AND WE NEED TO  ADDRESS A GRAVE PROBLEM THAT WE  HAVE.  I WROTE THIS E-MAIL -- AND I AM  GOING TO ASK THAT MR. PEREZ AND  MR. VAN AYRES WILL SHARE THIS  WITH THE REST OF THE BIRD.  I AM REVEREND TIMOTHY KNIGHTON.  SENIOR PASTOR AT ST. MARY HE IS  IN PLANT CITY AND THE  GRANDFATHER OF MIKALA AND GAVE  HER STUDENT NUMBER.  I AM WRITING BECAUSE A GRAVE  CONCERN OF MY GRAND WATER MIKALA AND HOW THE SITUATION HAS BEEN  HANDLED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.  IN PLANT CITY, PASTORS COME  TOGETHER AND CHOOSE SCHOOLS  WHERE WE GO TO HAVE PRAYER FOR  THE FORTHCOMING SCHOOL YEAR FOR  GOD'S PROTECTION THROUGHOUT THE  SCHOOL YEAR AND JUST SO HAPPENED THAT THANK THE SCHOOL WE CHOSE  THIS YEAR WAS LINCOLN.  THAT SUNDAY IT WAS RAINING AND  MYSELF AND SOME OF THE  PARISHIONERS IN THE RAIN PRAYING AND I DECIDED TO WRITE THIS  LETTER.  JUST TO DEF YOU A LITTLE  BACKGROUND, MIKALA ENTERED SCOOT CITY OF TAMPA SYSTEM WITH AN IEP FOR SPEECH.  AT THIS TIME -- WHEN TIME WENT  ON, SHE STARTED EXPERIENCING  BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS, PROBLEMS THAT SOME WOULD CONSIDER AS COMMON  FOR A SIX-YEAR-OLD CHILD, WHILE  THINKING IT WAS JUST HER BEING  DEFIANT, I WORKED DILIGENTLY  WITH MISS RUSHING AND THE  LINCOLN SCHOOL.  I AM GOING TO FAST FORWARD.  SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ADHD.  I WENT TO TRY TO GET HER WITH A  504 PLAN.  IT WENT UNFOUNDED.  NO ONE DID ANYTHING TO HELP HER. THANK GOD FOR MISS TRACYE BROWN  TALKED ME INTO NOT PULLING MY  CHILD OUT OF COOL AND HOME  SCHOOLING HER.  SHE ASKED ME TO WORK WITH HER.  THAT WAS A MEETING THAT WAS  CALLED.  I, AS HER ADVOCATE, WAS NOT  INVITED TO THE MEETING.  HOW CAN YOU MAKE A DECISION FOR  A SIX-YEAR-OLD CHILD AND NOT  HAVE SOMEONE TO ADVOCATE FOR  HER.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  

>> WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH EIC  AND CHILDREN OF COLOR IN  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.  I AM NOT GOING AWAY.  IT IS GOING TO GET FIXED.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER.  

>> GOOD AFTERNOON.  I AM LATOYA LEVITT.  THE PROUD GRAND WATER OF  MISS AQUILA JACKSON MORGAN.  BEFORE YOU YOU HAVE A BROCHURE,  EDUCATOR MISS AQULA MORGAN.  IF I PASS THIS HELP SOMEONE  ALONG THE WAY, LIVING IS NOT  IN VAIN.  YOU CAN SEE MISS MORGAN'S WORK  FOR THE FUTURE OF WIMAUMA.  AFTER THE FIRST HIGH SCHOOL  WIMAUMA HIGH WAS TRANSFORMED TO  I WOULD PIE ELEMENTARY.  THE COUNTY SELECTED IN IS  MORGAN.  NO ONE WOULD GO TO WHAT WAS  FORMED AS MULBERRY, WIMAUMA.  BUT MISS MORGAN, A RESIDENT, WAS THERE FOR 43 YEARS.  YOU CAN SEE IN THE PAMPHLET  WHERE YOU ALL HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED  HER GREAT WORKS FOR THE COUNTY  OCTOBER 3, 2022.  SPOKE OF HER DEDICATION TO THE  COMMUNITY.  HOW HER REPUTATION WAS REGARDED  BY HER COLLEAGUES AND YOU WERE  AWARE OF HER WORK AND DID NOT  KNOW HER NAME.  I HAVE STOOD BEFORE YOU TWICE  BEFORE TODAY IS MY THIRD TIME  BEFORE YOU ALL.  IT IS MY HARD WORK.  BECAUSE MY HEART WORK.  TO ENSURE THAT THE FIRST  TRANSFORMATIVE HIGH SCHOOL THAT  IS BEING BUILT BE NAMED TO HONOR A TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATOR IN  WIMAUMA.  MISS MORGAN STOOD UP FOR WYOMING STUDENT AND FAMILIES.  MANY EDUCATORS ARE STANDING ON  HER SHOULDERS.  THAT COMMUNITY AND COUNTY IS  HERE TO STAND UP TO SHOW YOU  THAT WE ARE ALL WANTING YOU TO  HONOR MISS MORGAN.  YOU WILL SEE IN YOUR HANDBOOK  THE LAST POLICY PRINTED FOR A  SCHOOL THAT WAS NAMED FOR MR.  KENNETH ADUM.  REFER TO THE HIGHLIGHTED PORTION ACCORDING TO THE SCHOOL BOARD  POLICY SITES HOW FACILITIES  SHOULD BE NAMED.  PLEASE HONOR MISS AQUILA JACKSON MORGAN NOT BASED ON THE COLOR OF HER 16, BUT COMMISSIONER  COMMITMENT TO CHILDREN AND  FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> GOOD EVENING, SCHOOL BOARD  MEMBERS AND CHAIR AND  VICE-CHAIR.  I AM PLEASED TO BE HERE TONIGHT  TO ONCE AGAIN RECOMMEND DR.  SYLVIA CANTREL ALBRITON FOR  CANDIDATE FOR NAMING A SCHOOL.  WHEN I WAS THE BE BEGINNING  TEACHER WITH STILL STARS IN MY  EYES, I WENT TO AN EDUCATIONAL  FAIR.  AND THEY HAD A T-SHIRT.  I HAD TO BUY IT.  IT HAD A SPACECRAFT AND IT SAID  "I TOUCH THE FUTURE.  I TEACH.   "I THINK THAT IT IS ONE THING TO TEACH STUDENTS.  IT IS ANOTHER THING TO JUST  TEACH A SUBJECT MATTER.  SYLVIA ALREADY ADVOCATED TEACH  THE STUDENT.  BE THERE FOR YOUR STUDENTS.  AND SHE WAS THERE FOR THEM.  THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN -- WELL,  MAYBE NOT SO YOUNG ANYMORE AND  NEVER GAVE UP ON HIM.  WORKED WITH HIM SO HARD TO KEEP  HIM IN SCHOOL.  ONE OF HUNDREDS OF STORIES LIKE  THIS.  GRADUATED BECAUSE OF HER.  AND WENT INTO THE MILITARY.  AND IN IRAQ, HE SUFFERED A  SEVERE BRAIN INJURY.  HE IS THE ONE THAT FIRST  NOMINATED HER.  AND IT IS HIS LOVE AND  DEDICATION TO HER THAT DREW ME  IN.  AND WE FORMED A GROUP.  AND THAT GROUP IS FROM EVERY  GENERATION, CULTURE, RELIGION,  FINANCIAL, POLITICAL BACKGROUND, AND EVERYONE OF THEM GET ALONG  BECAUSE THEY HAVE ONE CAUSE, ONE PERSON WHO SETS A STANDARD.  AND SHE HAS SAID IT.  IT IS HER TESTIMONY FOR THE  FUTURE.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  [ APPLAUSE ]

>> GOOD AFTERNOON.  MY NAME IS OLIVIA BLACKMAN.  I AM A SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER AT  SEMINOLE HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY.  I WANT TO ADDRESS A PRESSING  ISSUE RELATED TO THE RECENT  BOUNDARY CHANGES AND SCHOOL  CLOSURES.  SPECIFICALLY CONCERNING  TRANSPORTATION FOR OUR STUDENTS. THE CLOSURE OF CLEVELAND  ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAS  SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED ON THE  DAILY COMMUTE FOR MANY OF OUR  STUDENTS.  PREVIOUSLY STUDENTS WHO ATTENDED CLEVELAND COULD WALK TWO MINUTES TO GET THERE.  DUE TO THE BREAD, THESE STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO WALK 15, 20  MINUTES PLUS TO REACH OUR  SCHOOL.  INCREASE IN DISTANCE BARRIER  WITH FAMILIES WITH LIMITED  TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.  CURRENTLY A SCHOOL HAS ONLY ONE  DESIGNATED ESC BUS THAT WILL NOT MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL OF OUR  STUDENTS.  MANY FAMILIES ARE LEFT WITH THE  CHOICE TO WALK OR RELY ON  CARPOOLS FOR THOSE WITH ONE CAR. NO TRANSPORTATION AT ALL.  WALKING LONG DISTANCES.  ESPECIALLY ACROSS MAJOR  INTERSECTIONS LIKE SLY AND NORTH NEBRASKA AND SLIGH AND NORTH  CENTRAL WITHOUT ANY CROSSING  BOARDS POSES SIGNIFICANT SAFETY  RISK AND LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES.  AS A SOCIAL WORKER, ONE OF MY  ROLES INVOLVE EMPATHIZING AND  BARRIERS THAT AFFECT STUDENTS  REGULAR ATTENDANCE.  IT IMPACTS STUDENT ATTENDANCE  AND CONSEQUENTLY INSTRUCTIONAL  TIME.  IMMEDIATE SOLUTIONS LIKE SCHOOL  BUSES MIGHT NOT BE FEASIBLE, I  URGE THE BOARD TO CONSIDER  IMPLEMENTING A CROSSING GUARD AT THE MAJOR INTERSECTION NEAR OUR  SCHOOL.  THIS MEASURE WOULD GREATLY  ENHANCE THE SAFETY OF OUR  STUDENTS WHO ARE NOW WALKING  LOCKER DISTANCES.  ADDITI ADDITIONALLY EXPLORING RIDE  SHARE PARTNERSHIPS.  I RECOGNIZE THAT OUR DISTRICT  PARTNERS WITH RIDE SHARE FOR  SOME FAMILIES.  MANY HAVE FALLEN INTO A GRAY  AREA TOO CLOSE TO QUALIFY FOR  SERVICE BUT STILL STRUGGLING TO  MEET THEIR NEEDS.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER.  [ APPLAUSE ]

>> GOOD AFTERNOON.  ACTUALLY GOOD EVENING.  HONORABLE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS,  CHAIR, VICE-CHAIR AND  SUPERINTENDENT.  MY NAME IS SANDRA MYTH AND A  ROBINSON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 75 APPEAR AND I TAUGHT IN THE  PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR 39  YEARS.  I BELIEVE DR. SILL VENA  CANTREL ALBRITON IS THE MOST  OUTSTANDING CANDIDATE FOR THE  NEW UNIVERSITY -- NEW UNIVERSITY -- WISHFUL THINKING.  NEW HIGH SCHOOL TO BE NAMED  INFORM WIMAUMA.  U\. U\. U\. SYLVIA ALBRITON IS AN EDUCATOR.  NOT JUST TEACHING SCHOOL BUT IN  VARIOUS POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TAUGHT AT A  CORRECTIONAL FACILITY AND ALSO A INNOVATOR.  SPEARHEADED, IMPLEMENTED MANY  PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.  FOOD PRODUCTION ESOL, MUL MULTIPLE JOTC PROGRAMS  THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY,  ENGINEERING PROGRAMS, CAREER  CENTERS.  FIREFIGHTING ACADEMIES.  PRACTICAL NURSING PROGRAMS.  EVEN JAPANESE CLASS IN  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHE IS ALSO  A COLLABORATOR.  SOUGHT TO ACHIEVE PARTNERSHIPS.  PAN AM UNIVERSITY OF MILLION.  SEMINOLE HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL.  WEST UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL.  AND PEER EDUCATOR.  ALSO A COMMUNICATOR.  HER DOOR HAS ALWAYS BEEN OPEN TO STUDENTS, PARENTS, TEACHERS,  STAFF.  EVERYONE.  AND IT STILL IS THAT WAY.  SHE IS OPEN TO TALK TO ANYONE  AND WITH ANYONE AND HE HAS  TOUCHED THOUSANDS.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> GOOD EVENING.  MY NAME IS SCOTT FITZPATRICK.  AND IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY IN FRONT OF THIS HONORABLE BOARD.  I AM A RESIDENT OF WIMAUMA,  FLORIDA.  AND I AM HERE IS TODAY IN  SUPPORT OF NAMING A NEW HIGH  SCHOOL AFTER MY THIRD GREAT  GRANDFATHER, PLEASANT FRANKLIN  STANLIN.  IN 1853, PLEASANT WAS BORN IN  BOSTON, GEORGIA.  ACCORDING TO THE HILLSBOROUGH  COUNTY HIS FOR -- HISTORIC  REPORT ON PAGE 12, STATES  PLEASANT FRANKLIN STANLIN WAS  THE FIRST EVEN IN SETTLER IN THE REGION THAT WOULD BECOME  WIMAUMA.  HE MOVED FROM THOMASVILLE,  GEORGIA TO SOUTHERN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AROUND 1875, WHERE  PETITION BEGAN GROWING CITRUS.  MR. STANLIN TRAVELED TWO DAYS  BY OX-DRAWN WAGON TO HAVE HIS  ORANGE PACKED FOR SHIPMENT.  NOT UNTIL THE TURN OF THE  CENTURY WILL THIS PORTION OF THE COUNTY RECEIVE A CONNECTION.  MARRIED LUCY A. HUTCHINSON.  PLEASANT AND LUCY SETTLED ON A  TRACT OF LAND IN WIMAUMA,  FLORIDA.  THIS WAS OVER 30 YEARS BEFORE  THE TOWN WAS NAMED PLEASANT AND  LUCY RAISED NINE CHILDREN,  OPENED A MERCANTILE STORE, POST  OFFICE -- THE FIRST POST OFFICE  -- AND A SCHOOL.  PLEASANT SERVED AS THE FIRST  POSTMASTER.  BY THE TIME WIMAUMA WAS NAMED,  PLEASANT WAS IN THE AREA FOR  OVER 30 YEARS.  BY THE TIME THE RAILWAY WAS  BUILT IN 1902, PLEASANT WAS 50  YEARS OLD.  A SUPPORTER OF EDUCATION.  HE -- HE IS THE FOUNDER OF ONE  OF THE FIRST SCHOOLS IN  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA.  I READ THAT -- THAT THE SCHOOL  WAS KNOWN AS GRANGE HALL SCHOOL. AND I READ THIS WAS THE THIRD  SCHOOL IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY,  FLORIDA.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.  

>> GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT,  MY NAME IS RON FIGUEROA.  AND I AM THE NOW RETIRED FORMER  CHIEF JUDGE OF THE 13th JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.  THE ONE THING I KNOW FOR SURE,  THIS SCHOOL IN WIMAUMA WILL GET  A GREAT NAME.  YOU GOT -- COME ON --. [APPLAUSE] YOU HAVE SOME AMAZING NAMES TO  CHOOSE FROM.  I DON'T ENVY YOU FOR THAT.  I'M HERE AND HONORED TO BE HERE  IN HONOR OF U E.J. SALCINES THAT I HAVE KNOWN FOR OVER 50 YEARS.  MORE THAN A FRIEND TO ME.  A MINUTE FOR AND INSPIRATION IN  MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER AND MY  LIFE.  A MENTOR.  LAWYERS, JUDGES AND TO COMMITTED TO PUBLIC SERVICE AND SO MUCH  MORE.  HIS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AS  STATE ATTORNEY OF HILLSBOROUGH  COUNTY AND A JUDGE OF THE  SECOND DCA HAS TOUCHED ALL OF  THE CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH  COUNTY.  AS STATE ATTORNEY, HE SAW  JUSTICE FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE. HE SPOKE IN COURT FOR THOSE WHO  COULD NOT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.  HE EMPHASIZED TO ALL OF HIS  ASSISTANTS, AND I WAS ONE OF  THEM, THAT THE GOAL WAS NOT TO  SIMPLY GET CONVICTIONS BUT TO  PURSUE JUSTICE AND TO MAKE SURE  TO ALWAYS DO THE RIGHT THING.  AS AN APPELLATE JUDGE, HE  INTERPRETED THE LAWS OF OUR  STATE AND MADE SURE THEY WERE  APPLIED TO EVERYONE, ALL PEOPLE  EQUALLY.  BUT HIS INFLUENCE GOES BEYOND  THE COURT ROOM AND THE LEGAL  COMMUNITY.  JUDGE SALCINES IS A TREASURED  ICON, EDUCATORS AND CUSTODIAN OF THE PAY MAZING HILLSBOROUGH  COUNTY, FLORIDA.  IN HIS RETIREMENT.  STEPPED UP FOR INCREDIBLE  KNOWLEDGE.  HE BREATHE LIVES INTO HISTORY.  I KNOW THIS IS AN IMPORTANT  DECISION THAT YOU NEED TO MAKE.  WE DON'T NAME SCHOOLS AFTER  EVERYBODY.  I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THE  DECISION TO CREATE AN E.J.  SALCINES HIGH SCHOOL IS A  DECISION YOU WILL NOT REGRET.  A NAME THAT WILL BRING PRIDE TO  OUR COMMUNITY TO HONOR SUCH A  WELL DESERVING MAN AND MORE  IMPORTANTLY TO TRULY INSPIRE ANY YOUNG STUDENT FORTUNATE ENOUGH  TO ATTEND SALCINES HIGH SCHOOL.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER AND 48-58 TO LINE  UP, PLEASE.  

>> HI, TAMARA PEREZ AND I  REPRESENT THE 1700 PLUS MEMBERS  OF OUR GROUP PROJECT ABA RIGHTS. UNFORTUNATELY, NOT THE FIRST  TIME OUR GROUP HAS SPOKEN AT A  BOARD MEETING BUT FEEL THE NEED  TO CONTINUE TO DO SO UNTIL WE  SEE CHANGE WITH STUDENTS WITH  DISABILITIES.  MUCH LIKE A STUDENT WITH A  PHYSICAL DISABILITY REQUIRES THE SUPPORT OF A WHEELCHAIR TO  ACCESS THEIR EDUCATION.  OUR CHILDREN WITH INVISIBLE  DISABILITIES REQUIRE ADDITIONAL  SUPPORTS LIKE ABA.  TODAY, MEMBERS OF OUR GROUP WILL SPEAK OUT AND HIGHLIGHT AREAS OF CONCERN AND BARRIERS THAT WE  CONTINUE TO FACE WITH ABA  THERAPY IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.  A FOLDER THAT I PUT TOGETHER  CONTAINING THE ORIGINAL  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PROCEDURE  AND NEW REVISED PIP DOCUMENT, A  STARK DIFFERENCE.  WHAT WAS A SIMPLE DOCUMENT IN  LAYMAN'S TERMS IS FILLED WITH  LEGAL JAR BEGAN.  SADLY WE ARE WORSE OFF TODAY  WITH THESE NEW PROVISIONS THAN  WE WERE A YEAR AGO.  WE TOOK THE LIBERTY OF DRAFTING  OUR OWN PIP DOCUMENT INCLUDED IN YOUR PHOTO SUBMITTED TO THE  DISTRICT FOR STAFF REVIEW.  WE UNFORTUNATELY DID NOT RECEIVE ANY RESPONSE OR FEEDBACK.  ALSO INCLUDED IS A DISTRICT  POLICY WE DRAFTED AND IN YOUR  E-MAIL, YOU WILL FIND A TRAINING VIDEO WE CREATED.  AS YOU CAN SEE WE PUT A LOT OF  TIME, ENERGY AND EFFORT INTO  THIS.  THIS IS MY PASSION PROJECT AND I WILL SEE THIS THROUGH UNTIL THE  END.  WE STRONGLY FEEL THAT MANY OF  THE ISSUES CAN BE WITH PROPER  EDUCATION SURROUNDING BARKSA IN  THE CLASSROOM.  I WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND DISCUSS THESE ISSUES  WITH THE BOARD.  WE HAVE HEARD A LOT TALK BUT  HAVE NOT SEEN ANY REAL ACTION.  AND UNTIL WE DO, WE WILL  CONTINUE TO SHOW UP AND ADVOCATE FOR OUR CHILDREN WHO CANNOT  ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES.  THANK YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> ANY NAME IS MICHELLE CIRILLA  WITH ABA RIGHTS.  AND THE PARENT OF TWO STUDENTS.  ONE OF MY TWINS IS DIAGNOSED  WITH AUTISM.  MY FUNCTIONS WITH SOCIAL AN  EMOTIONAL DELAYS. MONTHS OF FIGHTING WITH THE  ADMINISTRATION, THE DISTRICT,  TOO MANY SLEEPLESS NIGHTS AND  FINALLY HIRING AN ATTORNEY EVEN  THOUGH I HAVE BEEN PRACTICING  FOR 22 YEARS, MY SON WAS  PRIMARILY PERMITTED TO  RECEIVE ABA SERVICES ON THE  FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN.  I'M HERE TODAY AS A PARENT WHO  HAPPENS TO BE AN ATTORNEY I AM  INCREDIBLY TROUBLED BY THE  CURRENT PACKET.  SOME ARE REASONABLE OTHERS ARE  VIOLATIONS OF THE LAW.  I AM GOING TO FOCUS ON THE  INDEMNI INDEMNIFICATION, STATES THAT THE DISTRICT CAN REQUIRE THAT THE  PRINCIPAL CAN CONSENTS TO TIME  AND PLACE AND THE PIP MUST BE  QUALIFIED AND HAVE A BREAK  GROUND SCREENING.  STATUTE STATES, AND I QUOTE, FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPLEMENTING THIS SUBSECTIONS, DISTRICT MAY NOT  IMPOSE ANY REQUIREMENTS BEYOND  THOSE REQUIRED SPECIFIED.  -- REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED.  EGREGIOUS ONE-SIDED  INDEMNIFICATION FOR A BLANKET TO THE DISTRICT FOR THEIR CHILD TO  RECEIVE THERAPY.  PARENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY  OR ALL DAMAGES, UNINTENSIONLE,  INTENTIONAL ACTS AND ALL FEES AN COST WHICH IS MAY INCLUDE  HUNDREDS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF LEGAL FEES AND PAY THEM IN 30  DAYS.  ONLY ESE POINTS MUST SIGN THIS.  NOT WILL THE STATUTE THAT I THAT THE DISTRICT MUST NOT IMPOSE  OTHER REQUIREMENTS, BUT A  CONTRACT PARENTS MUST SIGN,  COERCED TO SIGN TO FOR THEIR  CHILD TO GET MUCH-NEEDED  THERAPY.  I ASKED THE DISTRICT WHAT IF A  PARENT HIRED AN ATTORNEY WHICH  EVERY PARENT SHOULDN'T BE  REQUIRED TO, I WAS SIMPLY TOLD  IT WAS REQUIRED BY OUR ATTORNEY. PARENTS WITH CHILDREN WITH  DISABILITY FORCED TO SIGN A  ONE-SIDED DOCUMENT PUT THEIR  HOME, SAVINGS, VEHICLES ON THE  LINE FOR THEIR CHILD TO  RECEIVE ABA SERVICES THAT THE  DISTRICT HAS NO RESOURCES TO  PROVIDE.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> HELLO, SVETLANA -- I AM  MOTHER OF THE BOY -- I AM SO  SORRY.  I START TO CRY.  MY SON IS SECOND-GRADER AND AT  PATEL SINCE KINDERGARTEN.  HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM  WHEN HE WAS FOUR YEARS OLD.  AND LAST YEAR WITH SIX,  IDENTIFIED WITH ADHD.  SO -- SO HE HAS INDIVIDUALIZED  EDUCATION PLAN.  DESPITE HAVING A IEP PLAN IN  PLACE, HE IS STRUGGLING  SIGNIFICANTLY IN KEY ACADEMIC  AREAS PARTICULARLY READING AND  MATH.  ACCORDING TO THE LATEST STATE  ASSESSMENT IN THE YEAR, HIS  PERFORMANCE IS AT PRE K OR  EMERGENT KINDERGARTEN LEVEL AND  MADE LITTLE OR INSIGNIFICANT  PROJECT DURING HIS IEP GOALS.  HIS LACK OF PROGRESS IS NOT NEW. AND GOALS WERE UNMET.  IT WAS EVIDENT FOR ME THAT  CURRENT SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL ARE INSUFFICIENT AND  INEFFECTIVE TO MEET HIS GOALS -- HIS NEEDS.  HE ACQUIRES MORE INTENSIVE AND  CONSISTENT ONE ON ONE SUPPORT.  LAST YEAR, WE HAVE BEEN  ADVOCATING AND PLEADING WITH THE SCHOOL FOR APPLIED BEHAVIORAL  ANALYST THERAPIST TO WORK  DIRECTLY WITH MY SON IN THE  CLASSROOM.  HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS HELD WITH  THE SCHOOL TEAM WITH  REPRESENTATIVE OF A SCHOOL  DISTRICT THERE PRESENT PROVIDED  MEDICAL REPORTS FROM MULTIPLE  PROFESSIONALS INCLUDING  DEVELOPMENTAL NUTRITION,  PSYCHOLOGISTS, ABA THERAPISTS.  THE RECOMMENDATION, OUR SCHOOL  ADMINISTRATION HAS DENIED OUR  ASK FOR INDIVIDUALIZED  INSTRUCTIONAL TIME.  LAST YEAR WITH AABA ON FEW  OCCASIONS, I CAN COUNT ONLY  FIVE.  I BELIEVE THAT THEY SERVED MY  SON A DISSERVICE AND IMPACTED  HIS ACADEMIC SUCCESS.  THANK YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  [ APPLAUSE ]

>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS.  MY NAME IS BRIAN DE SOSO, A  PARENT WITH ABA RIGHT.  A PARENT OF A FIVE-YEAR-OLD  DIAGNOSED WITH HIGH-F HIGH-FHIGH-F HIGH-FUNCTIONS ADHD.  I WANT MY KID TO NOT LIVE WHAT I EXPERIENCED.  I CAN SEE THE THINGS I  EXPERIENCED AS A KID AND NEVER  GOT DIAGNOSED.  TOOK 20 YEARS TO SPEAK IN FRONT  OF AN AUDIENCE AND LOOK YOU IN  THE EYE.  THAT IS WITH KIDS WITH  ASD  HAVE.  HE JOINED THE SCHOOL SYSTEM  THREE WEEKS AGO.  WE FOLLOWED THE PROCESS OF PIP  AND TOLD YOU NEED A IEP  EVALUATION AND REPORT BEFORE YOU CAN GET HELP.  SO THE STATUTE SAYS THAT PIP  COLLABORATION IS MEANT TO BE  MUTUAL AND HAS NO  RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE AN IEP IN PLACE.  THE DISTRICT EXPERINTERPRETS LAW DIFFERENTLY.  WE NEED TO HAVE BETTER  AWARENESS.  I AM A TECHNOLOGIST.  I AM WILLING TO HELP TO BE PART  OF THE AWARENESS.  BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THE  SCHOOLS DON'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS AND I HAVE SEEN JUST BY  GIVING ABA, MY SON COULD FOLLOW  ONE-STEP DIRECTIONS CAN FOLLOW  TWO, THREE-STEP DIRECTIONS.  WEIGH WANT TO ENABLE HIM EARLY  IN LIFE SO HE DOESN'T HAVE TO  WAIT 15 YEARS.  IF WE DO IT EARLY, WE ARE  HELPING THE DISTRICT AND HAVE A  LOT MORE LEADERS. THANK YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD AND  SUPERINTENDENT.  I'M HERE TO NOMINATE -- I AM  HENRY MARSET.  HERE TO NOMINATE DR. SYL SYLVIA ALBRITON FOR THE NEW  SCHOOL IN WIMAUMA.  I HAD THE PLEASURE NO KNOW  DR. ALBRITON SINCE HE WAS A  STUDENT, A INTERN AT ROBINSON  AND INTERN AT TAMPA BAY TECH AND WAS PROMOTED PETITION SHAME  GENERAL DIRECTOR OVER TECHNICAL  PROGRAMS.  SHE ALWAYS WANTED TO GO BACK AND TEACH ENGLISH.  THAT IS WHAT SHE DID.  WENT BACK AND GOT A JOB WORKING  WITH THE JUVENILE FACILITIES AND WON TEACHER OF THE YEAR THERE.  THANK YOU, AND HAVE A GOOD  EVENING.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, NEXT  SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS.  I AM KIM HERNANDEZ BRENNAN.  AND I AM A BORN AND RAISED IN  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.  MY DAD WAS BORN AND RAISED IN  YBOR CITY.  AND I AM GOING TO TALK OF E.J.  SALCINES.  FIRST OF ALL, I AM GOING TO  APOLOGIZE FOR THE SUNGLASSES.  I AM COMING OFF OF OCULAR AND I  LOOK LIKE QUASI MOW TOE WITHOUT  THEM AND I DO APOLOGIZE WITH YOU ALL.  JUDGE FIGUEROA, MY FORMER BOSS  TALKED OF EJ'S BACKGROUND.  I WANT TALK ABOUT MY PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE WITH HIM AND HOW HE  LED ME INTO THE PROFESSION OF  LAW AND TOP MY DREAM JOB OF  BEING A CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE.  I WAS 33 OR SO.  A CPA.  I GOT RELOCATED TO JACKSONVILLE  JACKSONVILLE WITH BARNETT BANK.  I HATE IT.  I WANTED TO COME BACK TO TAMPA  AND BE A LAWYER.  MY DAD CASEY HERNANDEZ SAID I AM TAKING YOU DOWN TO TALK TO E.J.  SALCINES.  E.J. TALKED TO ME OF THE  PRACTICE OF LAW, THE PRACTICE OF BEING A JUDGE, ABOUT ALL OF THE  IMPORTANT THINGS THAT JUDGES DO  AS FAR AS THE LAW, RESPECT FOR  HERS.  ALL THOSE THINGS.  AND WE SAT THERE FOR TWO HOURS.  AND WE TALKED.  I -- I ENDED UP DOING EVERYTHING I COULD TO DO GET READY -- FOR  THE LSAT.  MY MOTHER TRIED TO PERSUADE ME  FROM BECOMING A JUDGE.  UP BECAME A JUDGE BECAUSE  OF E.J. AND LIVING MY LIFE-LONG  DREAM.  HE HAS MENTORED MANY, MANY  OTHERS LIKE MYSELF AND THEY HAVE ALL BECOME SUCCESSFUL LAWYERS  AND JUDGES.  YOU CAN NOT GO LONG BY NAMING A  SCHOOL AFTER SUCH A GREAT MAN.  I HOPE YOU CONSIDER HIM AND I  AGREE WITH JUDGE FIGUEROA.  WE HAVE A LOT OF CANDIDATES AND  WHATEVER DECISION YOU MAKE WILL  BE A WONDERFUL DECISION BUT I  HOPE THAT YOU CONSIDER THE  HONORABLE E.J. SALCINES.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD.  MY NAME IS ROBIN LOCKETT.  AND I'M HERE FOR TWO REASONS.  THE FIRST REASON IS IN JULY -- I AM WITH FLORIDA RISING .IN JULY, WE HELD A -- A COMMUNITY QUORUM. AND DURING THAT FOR RECOMMEND, I WAS VERY SPECIFIC WITH REGARDS  TO MY QUESTION ABOUT CREATING -- THE WORKSHOP THAT PEREZ -- THAT  MEMBER PEREZ WANTED TO HAVE  AROUND SUSPENSIONS.  AND I ASKED EACH CANDIDATE,  SITTING BOARD MEMBERS AND  CANDIDATES IF THAT QUESTION OR  THAT PROCESS WAS BROUGHT UP  AGAIN, WOULD YOU SUPPORT IT.  NOW IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT  THE PROCESS OF THE REQUEST WAS  PASSED, BUT MEMBER COMBS AND  MEMBER GRAY DID NOT SUPPORT IT  -- OR -- OR YOU DIDN'T SUPPORT  IT.  THAT IS TROUBLESOME TO ME,  RIGHT.  BECAUSE THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF US REALLY HOLDING YOU  ACCOUNTABLE.  AND THIS IS ONE WAY TO DO.  WHEN YOU COME INTO THE  COMMUNITY, SAY WHAT YOU MEAN AND MEAN WHAT YOU SAY.  AND YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW IT UP  WITH ACTION.  SO I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT YOU  GUYS DID NOT SUPPORT IT.  BECAUSE I WAS VERY INTENTIONAL  IN MANAGING THAT ASK.  AND, YOU KNOW, WE WILL HAVE TO  FOLLOW UP NEXT STEPS.  I HOPE YOU ALL ARE VERY ACTIVE  WITH REGARDS WITH COMING UP  SOMETHING AROUND THESE  SUSPENSIONS HAPPENING IN THE  COMMUNITY ESPECIALLY WITH BLACK  AND BROWN KIDS.  COUPLE UP WITH A SOLUTION I WANT TO TALK ABOUT AND A TEACH THEIR  LIVED IN THE COMMUNITY AND A  TEACH THEIR MADE AND POPULAR  PEOPLE COMING HERE SUPPORTING A  HIGH INFLUENTIAL NAME.  I AM SORRY.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER.  

>> DEAR MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL  BOARD, MY NAME IS JOAN KRAMER.  I AM CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF  ENTERPRISING LATINAS.  WE ARE LOCATED IN THE COMMUNITY  OF WIMAUMA.  I'M HERE TO PROPOSE THAT THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL IN WIMAUMA BE  CLAIMED IN HONOR OF MISS  MARGARET CLARET, A LIFE-LONG  RESIDENT OF WIMAUMA AND  EXTRAORDINARY EDUCATOR AND A  TIRELESS COMMUNITY ADVOCATE.  HER UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OF  WIMAUMA, COMBINED WITH HER  EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP AND  COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION MAKES  HER THE IDEAL CANDIDATE FOR THIS HONOR.  FEW EDUCATORS FROM WIMAUMA CAN  CLAIM TO HAVE BEEN SUCH A  FOUNDATIONAL INFLUENCE ON SO  MANY WHO NOW HOLD IMPORTANT AND  INFLUENTIAL ROLES WITNESS THE  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL  DISTRICT AND THE BOARD OF  COMMUNITY.  BEYOND HER REMARKABLE ROLE AS AN EDUCATOR, SHE HAS TIRELESSLY  ADVOCATED FOR EDUCATIONAL  RESOURCES, FAMILY SUPPORT  SERVICES, AND COMMUNITY  DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES THAT  HAVE ENRICHED THE LIVES OF  WIMAUMA RESIDENTS.  NAMING THE NEW SCHOOL AFTER MISS MARGARET CLARET NOT ONLY HONOR  HER EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS, BUT ALSO SERVE AS A LASTING  REMINDER OF THE VALUES SHE IS  EMBODIES, DEDICATION TO  EDUCATION.  UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO  COMMUNITY AND AN UNYIELDING  BELIEF IN THE POTENTIAL OF EVERY CHILD AND EVERY PERSON.  IN SUMMARY, WE HOPE AND PRAY  THAT YOU WILL ARRIVE AT A  FAVORABLE DECISION ON BEHALF OF  MARGARET AND WIMAUMA.  THANK YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> GOOD EVENING, ALL.  I WANT TO COMMEND ALL THE NAMES  THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED FOR  THE NEW SCHOOL IN WIMAUMA, AND  THATS WHAT HE I'M HERE TO TALK  AND SUPPORT.  BY WEAR MANY DIFFERENT HATS  TODAY.  AND TWO GRADUATES OF  HILLSBOROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOL  SYSTEM.  ONE BEING AUTISTIC, NONVERBAL.  HE IS 23 YEARS OLD AND HE DID  BENEFIT FROM ABA THERAPY.  SO IT DOES WORK.  BUT I HAD TO FIND IT OUTSIDE.  SO I WANT TO GIVE MY SHOUT OUT  TO ABA AS WELL.  I DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE GOING TO BE THERE, BUT THAT IS MY LITTLE  SHOUT OUT TO THEM SECOND OF ALL, I AM A SCHOOL COUNSELOR AT  WIMAUMA ELEMENTARY.  AND THE PAST 20 YEARS, AN  EMPLOYEE FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD.  SCHOOL DISTRICT.  I AM A WIFE OF A MASTER DEPUTY.  AND HE SERVED AS A SRO FOR  17-PLUS YEARS.  AND NOT KNOWING IN HE WILL COME  HOME OR NOT BECAUSE OF HOW  VIOLENT THINGS ARE GETTING IN  THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS AS FOR  EXAMPLE, WHAT HAPPENED IN  ATLANTA THE OTHER DAY AND I'M  HERE AS WELL A VOLUNTEER -- A  PART OF NAMING THE IN YOU SCHOOL AFTER AT THE TEE ROBERT HOWARD.  HE IS -- HE WAS A DEDICATED  BRAVE, DEEPLY COMMITTED  INDIVIDUAL.  HE SERVED TO PROTECT AND TO  PROTECT ALL -- ALL FEELING SO  SAFE.  AND I NKNOW WORD THAT CAME UP  WITH BEING A FRIEND.  DEPUTIES BRIDGED STUDENTS WITH  LAW ENFORCEMENT WHICH WAS REALLY IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY FOR THE  COMMUNITY.  AND I JUST WANT TO.  

>> CAN I GET SPEAKERS 59 THROUGH 68 TO LINE UP AS WELL.  

>> GOOD EVENING.  MY NAME IS LINCOLN TAMAYO, THE  HEAD OF SCHOOL OF THE ACADEMY  PREP CENTER OF TAMPA AND THE  CHIEF OFFICER OF THE ACADEMY  THAT OVERSEAS ACADEMY PREP  CENTERS IN ST. PETERSBURG AND  LAKELAND.  EJ SALCINES IS THE MOST  POSITIVELY INFLUNGAL LEADER IN  TAMPA AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IN AT LEAST THE AND CAREER 60 YEARS AND FOUR TERMS AS HILLSBOROUGH  STATE ATTORNEY AND 14 YEARS AS  THE FLORIDA DISTRICT COURT OF  APPEALS.  HIS INFLUENCE ON THE LEGAL AND  POLITICAL LANDSCAPE IS  TRANSFORMATIONAL AND  GENERATIONAL.  FROM THE RANKS OF THE STATE  ATTORNEY'S OFFICE UNDER MISS  LEADERSHIP.  4 2 FEDERAL AND STATE JUDGES.  TWO STATE ATTORNEYS.  TWO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CHIEF  JUDGES.  TWO PRESIDENTS OF THE  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BAR  ASSOCIATION.  A PRESIDENT OF THE FLORIDA BAR.  AND A MEMBER OF THE UNITED  STATES CONGRESS AND CANDIDATE  FOR GOVERNOR OF FLORIDA.  I HAD A FRONT ROW SEAT TO HIS  POSITIVE INFLUENCE, HAVING THE  HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF SERVING  WITH MR. SALCINES ON THE  CITIZENS REVIEW BOARD FOR THE  TAMPA POLICE DEPARTMENT.  FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, HIS  JUDGMENT, WISDOM AND SENSE OF  FAIRNESS ARE UNSURPASSED.  IT WOULD BE MOST FITTING TO HAVE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS EDUCATED AT A SCHOOL NAMED AFTER E.J.  SALCINES WHO SERVED OUR  COMMUNITY SO HONORABLE AND  VIGOROUSLY FOR OVER 50 YEARS.  HE IS THE REAL THING WHEN IT  COMES TO BEING AN INFLUENCER IN  THE MOST POSITIVE, EDIFYING AND  TRUEST SENSE OF THE TERM.  SCHOOLS THAT LAUNCH THE COMING  GENERATIONS OF OUR CITIZENS  SHOULD BE NAMED AFTER COMMUNITY  PILLARS LIKE ECHLTDJ. SALYINES  WHO MADE TAMPA AND THIS COUNTY  ONE OF THE GREATEST.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, THANK  YOU, THANK YOU.  NEXT.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> GOOD EVENING CHAIR AND  HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL  BOARD.  YOU HAVE A VERY TOUGH JOB TODAY. ANY NAME A ADRI COLINA, A THIRD  GENERATION TAMPA NATIVE AND A  GRADUATE.  AS YOU KNOW NOT ALL LESSONS ARE  LEARNED IN THE CLASSROOM AND NOT ALL LESSONS ARE RESTRICT TODAY  MATH, SCIENCE AND ENGLISH.  TODAY, EACH OF YOU HAVE A  TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF  GENERATIONS TO COME BY NAMING  THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL IN WIMAUMA  AFTER E.J. SALCINES.  WITH WIMAUMA'S LARGE HISPANIC  IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, NAMING THIS HIGH SCHOOL AFTER A HIGHLY  SUCCESSFUL AND RESPECTED SUN OF  SPANISH IMMIGRANTS AND OVERALL  GREAT MAN WILL SERVE AS A BEACON OF HOPE, INSPIRATION AND  POSSIBILITY FOR ITS STUDENTS.  MR. SALCINES UNDERSTOOD FROM AN  EARLY AGE EDUCATION, COMMUNITY  SERVICE, HELPING AND SUPPORTING  OTHERS.  THE LESSONS HAS TAUGHT HAVE BEEN LIFE LESSONS IN HOW HE LIVED.  DEMONSTRATING RESPECT, COME  PASSION, RESPECT, KINDNESS AND  EMPATHY FOR EVERYONE.  HE HAS NEVER BEEN TOO BUSY TO  HELP ANYONE.  SCHOOLS SHOULD BE NAMED AFTER  THOSE KIND OF PEOPLE.  REAL HEROES.  WORLD WILL BE A MUCH BETTER  PLACE IF THERE WERE MORE EJ  SALCINES IN IT.  HE IS AFFECTION MALL IN NATALIE  KNOWN AS TAMPA'S FAVORITE SON  BECAUSE IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF  TAMPA HISTORY AND LOVING OF  TOWN.  TAMPA GIRL DESCENDENT OF CUBAN,  HISPANIC IMMIGRANTS.  LIVING, WALKING PROOF THAT YOU  CAN BE WHATEVER YOU WANT IT TO  BE.  HIS LIFE HAS BEEN THAT OF THE  ULTIMATE EDUCATOR ON SO MANY  LEVELS AND REPRESENTS THE VERY  BEST IN HUMANITY.  THERE IS NO OTHER LIKE E.J.  I URGE YOU TO SEIZE THIS  OPPORTUNITY TO NAME THE SCHOOL  IN HONOR OF E.J. SALCINES.  THANK YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR,  SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS,  SUPERINTENDENT AYRES.  JENNETTE FENTON AND HERE  SPEAKING INDIVIDUALLY TONIGHT  AND REPRESENTING THE WEST TAMPA  CHAMBER AS ITS PRESIDENT.  WE STRONGLY SUPPORT NAMING THE  NEW HIGH SCHOOL IN WIMAUMA FOR  THE HONORABLE E.J. SALCINES.  I WILL NOT REPEAT HIS EXEMPLARY  QUALIFICATIONS AND YOU ALREADY  HAVE THAT INFORMATION.  JUDGE SALCINES IS A PROUD SON OF WEST TAMPA AND THOSE WHO ARE  PRIVILEGED TO KNOW HIM.  HIS CONTRIBUTIONS AS AN  INDIVIDUAL AND A PUBLIC SERVANT  ARE WELL RECOGNIZED AND HAVE  IMPROVED OUR WORLD IMMEASURABLY. HIS BELIEF IN THE POWER OF  EDUCATION TO LIFT UP  INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND ENTIRE COMMUNITIES IS EVIDENCED BY HIS  TIRELESS EFFORTS TO ASSIST THOSE ASPIRING TO THE LEGAL  PROFESSION.  HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE  CAREERS OF NUMEROUS ATTORNEYS  THROUGH HIS HELP, ALLOWING THEM  TO ATTEND HIS PETITION LOVED  ALMA MATER SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE  OF LAW.  HE HAS MENTORED MANY ALONG THE  WAY AND HIGHEST SUCCESS AS A  LAWYER, STATE ATTORNEY, JUDGE  AND COMMUNITY LEADER.  I RECALL AN ENCOUNTER WITH JUDGE SALCINES DECADES AGO WHEN HE  ASKED ABOUT MY SON AND SAYS, IF  HE WANT TO GO TO LAW SCHOOL, YOU LET ME KNOW.  MY SON WAS TEN YEARS OLD AT THE  TIME.  JUDGE SALCINES IS BELOVED FOR  HIS RENOWNED KNOWLEDGE OF  HISTORY AND KNOWLEDGE OF SHARING KNOWLEDGE TO OTHERS.  THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR JUDGE  SALCINES TALK AND MANY  PUBLICATIONS.  BY PROFESSION HE IS A LAWYER,  BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE AT MISS  HEART AND CORE, HE IS AN  EDUCATOR.  IT WILL BE A TREMENDOUS HONOR  NOT ONLY FOR JUDGE SALCINES, BUT THE WEST TAMPA COMMUNITY.  WHEN YOU RESPECT AND HONOR A MAN LIKE THAT, YOU ALSO RESPECT AND  HONOR THE COMMUNITY HE COMES  FROM.  SO, YES, YOU CERTAINLY HAVE  THREE THREE, VERY, VERY  WONDERFUL PEOPLE AND ASK THAT  YOU --  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER.  

>> GOOD EVENING, CHAIR PEREZ,  HONORABLE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS,  SOUP SUPERINTENDENT.  MY NAME IS DR. BOBBY SMITH.  THE PRINCIPAL OF WEST UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL.  GREAT TO SEE ALL OF YOU AGAIN.  FIRST, CONGRATULATION TO MEMBERS COMBS, VAUGHN AND WASHINGTON ON  YOUR RECENT REELECTION.  MEMBER GRAY FOR MOVING FORWARD  IN A VERY CROWDED FIELD.  I AM CONFIDENT THAT YOU WILL BE  SUCCESSFUL IN THE GENERAL  ELECTION.  MY PLEASURE TO REPRESENT THAT  THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL UUU BE NAMED IN BE WHO WE ARE OF DR. SYLVIA  CANTREL ALBRITON.  HAS BEEN AN AMAZING AMBASSADOR  OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC  SCHOOLS FOR FIVE DECADES AND  ESTABLISHED A LEGACY SECOND TO  NONE.  BELOVED BY HER FORMER STUDENTS  AND THOSE WITH THE PRIVILEGE OF  WORKING WITH HER.  SHE HAS BROKEN THROUGH BARRIERS  OF GENDER AND RACE TO BECOME A  SYMBOL OF SUCCESS.  I HAVE SEEN FIRST HAND THE POWER OF THAT A SCHOOL'S NAMESAKE CAN  PUT ON THE TRAJECTORY OF  SUCCESS.  NOT THE NAME.  IT IS WHAT THE NAME REPRESENTS  THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE WHILE  I AGREE THAT YOU HAVE SEVERAL  QUALITY CANDIDATES, I HUMBLY  COME BEFORE YOU AND CONSIDER YOU NAMING THE SCHOOL IN THE  QUALIFICATION OF DR. SYL SYLVIA ALBRITON.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY GOOD  AFTERNOON BUT GOOD EVENING BY  NOW.  MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE  SCHOOL BOARD, SUPERI SUPERINTENDENT AYRES.  MY NAME IS MICHAEL ALBRITON.  AND I WANT TO TALK TO YOU OF MY  WIFE DR. SYLVIA A WILL,BRITON.  WE ARE HERE THAT THE NEW HIGH  SCHOOL TO BE NAMED AFTER HER.  I AM SURE YOU ALREADY HEARD FROM A LOT HER FORMER STAFF MEMBERS,  STUDENTS AND OTHER PEOPLE.  IT HAS BEEN OVER 45 YEARS.  I DON'T NEED TO TALK ABOUT IN  ANYMORE.  SHE HAD AN IMPACT ALL OVER THIS  COUNTY DURING THAT PERIOD OF  TIME.  SHE STARTED OUT TEACHING AT LETO HIGH SCHOOL IN THE TOWN AND  COUNTRY AREA.  WORKED AT ROBINSON HIGH SCHOOL,  PLANT HIGH SCHOOL, A PRINCIPAL  AT ROBINSON AND TAMPA BAY TECH.  AT TAMPA BAY TECH, SHE GOT TO  MEET STUDENTS AND PARENTS FROM  ALL OVER THIS COUNTY BECAUSE OF  ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE THERE. I DIDN'T KNOW IT AT THE TIME,  BUT OVER 100 BUSES EVERY DAY  THAT ROLLED INTO THE SCHOOL WITH STUDENTS UP A OVER THE COUNTY  FOR ALL THE PROGRAMS THEY WERE  OFFERING SO ANYWAY.  SHE ALSO WORKED VERY CLOSELY  WITH CAREER AND TECHNICAL  EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AS WELL AS  ESTABLISHING ROTC FLOGS THIS  COUNTY, WHICH IS -- PROGRAMS IN  THIS COUNTY WHICH IS VERY  IMPORTANT AND A GOOD THING.  GENERAL DIRECTOR FOR CTE AND  HELPED TO OPEN CAREERS BUYERS  WITNEY AND SIMMONS.  IF I CAN TELL YOU IN 52 YEARS OF MARRIAGE, SHE ALWAYS SAID  BASICALLY, JUST GIVE ME THE  KIDS.  WHAT SHE MEANT BY THAT, THOSE  ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF  THE WHOLE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS.  SHE IS MY TEACHER ALSO.  AND ALWAYS TELLING ME AND  TEACHING ME SOMETHING NEW.  [LAUGHTER] SO ANYWAY, MY TIME IS UP AND  THANK YOU FOR YOUR  CONSIDERATION.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  [ APPLAUSE ]

>> HELLO, MY NAME IS GENRE, JOHN MICHAEL RAY, EVERYBODY KNOWS ME  AS COACH.  I HAVE KNOWN MISS ALBRITON, MY  WHOLE SCHOOL LIFE.  SHE HAS BEEN MY TEACHER  ADMINISTRATOR, DIRECTOR.  SHE HAS DONE THE WHOLE THING.  I WAS A SCHOOL TEACHER FOR 37  YEARS.  I HAVE BEEN RETIRED FOR 700 AND  SOMETHING DAYS.  NOT THAT I AM COUNTING.  BUT I HAVE AN IDEA, BECAUSE ALL  THESE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE THAT  THEY ARE NOMINATING.  I HAVE AN IDEA FOR, LIKE, E.J.  SALCINES.  CHANGE THE NAME OF TAMPA BAY  ELEMENTARY TO E.J. SALCINES  ELEMENTARY.  TURN WYOMING INTO MISS MORGAN.  AND PUT THE NEW SCHOOL -- THE  NEW SCHOOL AS MISS ALBRITON.  THAT'S -- THAT WOULD -- THAT IS  MY IDEA.  [ APPLAUSE ] I KNOW YOU HAVE A HARD JOB --. [APPLAUSE] BECAUSE ALL THE PEOPLE -- AND  ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN  NOMINATED ARE CHRISTIAN EDIBLE  PEOPLE.  BUT I THINK THAT -- I THINK THAT NAMES LIKE WIMAUMA CAN BE  REPLACED WITH MORTON OR -- I AM  NOT SURE HER NAME.  BUT -- I KNOW FOR THE NEW  SCHOOL, MISS ALBRITON.  THAT IS JUST AN IDEA.  AND PEACE OUT.  ENJOY.  [ APPLAUSE ] [LAUGHTER]

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, NEXT  SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> WOW, I GOT TO FOLLOW SOMEBODY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS.  ANYWAY, MY NAME IS CHARLIE  MIRANDA.  I WANT TO THANK EACH OF YOU WHAT YOU DO FOR THE COUNTY ON A DAILY BASIS.  YOU DO A TOUGH JOB AND NO MATTER WHICH WAY THIS GOES, THE SEVENTH LARGEST DISTRICT IN THE COUNTY.  AND TO YOU MR. SUPERINTENDENT,  OUR GREAT DRAGON.  LET ME SAY THIS.  I AM NOT ASKING YOU FOR SUPPORT  FOR E.J. SALCINES BECAUSE HIS  PARENTS WERE IMMIGRANTS.  NOT BECAUSE HE WAS A CITY  SOLISER.  NOT AT ALL.  I AM NOT ASKING YOU TO SUPERVISE HIM BECAUSE HE WAS STATE  ATTORNEY.  NOT AT ALL.  I AM NOT ASKING TO YOU APPOINT  HIM BECAUSE HE WAS APPOINT BY  ONE OF THE FINEST GOVERNOR OF  THE COURT, LAWTON CHILES.  I AM NOT ASKING FOR ONLY THAT,  BUT ALL OF THAT.  NOT ONLY THAT, BACK WHEN IT WAS  NOT COMMON TO HELP SOMEBODY OF  ANOTHER COLOR OR HIS.  

>> 

>> SPANNIC BACK THEN, HE TOOK  IT UPON HIMSELF TO NAME ONE OF  THE MOST PROMINENT INDIVIDUALS  OF LAW BY THE NAME OF JUDGE  EDGECOMB.  HE WAS THE FIRST TO HIRE AN  INDIVIDUAL OF COLOR IN THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.  AND MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, BECAUSE  OF THAT, WE HAVE A COURTHOUSE  NAMED AFTER, WHO? JUDGE EDGECOMB.  WHO WAS A GREAT INDIVIDUAL AND A WONDERFUL JUDGE.  SO I AM ASKING YOU NOT BECAUSE  I'M HERE, BUT I, MYSELF, GET  NERVOUS WHEN I AM FACING SEVEN  ELECTED OFFICIALS.  THANK YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE.  THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.  AND GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE  SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.  MY NAME IS DAWN MITCHELL,  CAPTAIN RETIRED U.S. ARMY AND  GRADUATE OF T.R. ROBINSON HIGH  SCHOOL 1977.  STAND BEFORE YOU TO ADVOCATE TO  NAME THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL AFTER  THE EXTRAORDINARY DR. ALBRITON.  HER CAREER IS A TESTAMENT TO  UNWAVING COMMITMENT TO THE  STUDENT AND FAMILY OF  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND IT IS  PRO FUNDS REACHING BEYOND THE  WALLS OF EVERY CLASSROOM.  PERSONALLY, HER GUIDANCE AND  ENCOURAGEMENT DURING HIGH SCHOOL WAS TRANSFORMATIVE FOR ME.  HER LEADERSHIP AND GUIDANCE  INSPIRED ME TO BE A CLINICAL  PSYCHOLOGIST AND THE PRIVILEGE  OF PROVIDING MENTAL HEALTH CARE  FOR THOSE WHO SERVE OUR GREAT  NATION.  IN MY CAREER AND THE WORK I HAVE DONE AND IT CONTINUE TO DO, I  CARRY FORWARD HER LEGACY OF  SERVICE AS A PROVIDER ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF FAMILY AND CHILDREN WHO FACE MANY OF THE SAME  CHALLENGES THAT DR. ALBRITON.  HER INFLUENCE EXTENDS BEYOND  ROBINSON HIGH SCHOOL AND EXAMPLE IS THE PROJECT, REFLECTION OF  PEACE OF MIND WHERE SHE USED  CREATIVE WRITING A AND POETRY  FOR INCARCERATED YOUTH TO  EXPLORE THEIR EMOTIONS AND FIND  THE PATH FOR REHABILITATION.  THIS IS ONE OF THE MANY EXAMPLES OF LIFELONG DEDICATION OF MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE LIVES  WHO NEED IT THE MOST HELPING ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY,  ESPECIALLY THOSE FACING  DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.  LOOKING AROUND THIS ROOM TODAY  WAS FANTASTIC BECAUSE I SAW THE  MANY LIVES THAT DR. ALBRITON HAD TOUCH AND IMPACT EXTENDS BEYOND  THOSE WALLS AND THOSE WHO  COULDN'T BE HERE.  WE ARE SPEAKING ON THEIR BEHALF  AS WELL.  DR. ALBRITON.  BECAUSE SHE IS A THREAD THAT  UNITES US AND ENSURES HER LEGACY CONTINUES BY NAMING THIS NEW  SCHOOL IN HER HONOR.  REPRESENTS THE VERY ESSENCE OF  LEADERSHIP, RESILIENCE AND  COMMUNITY, A LEGACY THAT MUST  INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS.  THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING THE  PROPOSAL AND RECOGNIZING THIS  LASTING CONTRIBUTION FOR DR.  SYLVIA CANTREL ALBRITON.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT  PEREZ, VICE-CHAIR VAUGHN AND  SUPERINTENDENT AYRES.  AND THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING HERE  FOR OUR CHILDREN.  AND BOY WHAT A JOB YOU HAVE THIS EVENING.  FRANCIS PERONI, THIRD GENERATION TAMPA NATIVE, CHAMBERLAIN GRAD  AND ASK YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER  NAMING THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL IN  WIMAUMA AS EMILIANO SALCINES.  I'M HERE WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MY GRANDFATHER'S 111th BIRTHDAY.  MY GRANDFATHER INTRODUCED ME  TO EJ SALCINES AND HAS BEEN A  DEAR FRIEND TO MY FATHER, MY  MOTHER A 35-YEAR TEACHER AND TO  ME, THIRD GENERATION, THE GOLD  STANDARD FOR A LEADER AND MENTOR NOT ONLY IN THE LEGAL FIELD BUT  THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. MY AUNT ROSALIE GAVE ME A DR.  SEUSS QUOTE.  TO THE WORLD YOU MAY BE ONE  PERSON.  BUT TO ONE PERSON, YOU MAY BE  THE WORLD.  E.J. SALCINES MEANS THE WORLD TO THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE  WORLD.  HE REMAINS LOYAL AND DEDICATED  TO THIS COMMUNITY, HIS HOME.  YOU HAVE HEARD HOW HE  SINGLE-HANDEDLY CHANGED THE  LANDSCAPE OF THE COMMUNITY BY  HIRING THE FIRST FEMALE  PROSECUTOR GWEN YOUNG AND FIRST  AFRICAN-AMERICAN PROSECUTOR  GEORGE D. END COMB.  OPENING THE DOORS FOR THOUSANDS  WHO FOLLOW IN FOOTSTEPS.  HE VALUES EDUCATION AND  ROUTINELY SHARES HIS KNOWLEDGE  THROUGH LECTURES AND INFORMALLY  THROUGH COFFEE SHOPS.  FLUENT IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH,  THE ONLY ASK WHEN ANYONE ASKS OF HIM IS MAKE US PROUD.  HIS HONOR MAINTAINS HIS FOR  RECORD OF ENTIRE COMMUNITY, CITY GAR SHOPSING SHOVENS AND THE  HISTORY OF THE CUBAN SANDWICH.  HE IS WIDELY RESPECTED AND  HONORED ABOUT I COUNTLESS  ORGANIZATIONS AND KNIGHTED BY  THE KING OF SPAIN.  A LASTING PIVOTAL TRIB THE FEW  BEAUT.  AND HOPE WE CAN CHEER TODAY.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, HONORABLE  CHAIR PEREZ, VICE-CHAIR VAUGHN  AND ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE  SCHOOL BOARD.  I'M JUDGE FAULKENBERG AND THE  PLEASURE OF SERVING YOU AS OUR  COUNTY COURT JUDGE.  TODAY, I ALONG WITH SO MANY ARE  HERE TO SUPPORT THE RENAMING OR  NAMING OF WIMAUMA HIGH SCHOOL TO THE E.J. SALCINES HIGH SCHOOL.  AS YOU KNOW, THE NAME OF A  SCHOOL SENDS A MESSAGE TO THE  COMMUNITY, BUT MORE  SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE STUDENTS  THAT IT SERVES.  IN MAKE THIS DECISION.  I URGE TO YOU CONSIDER WHAT  IMPACT THE PASS I HAVE TO  IMP IMPACT.  'S MAN OF HONOR, INTEGRITY AND  DEDICATED HIS ENTIRE CAREER FOR  OTHERS FIRST AS THE SOLICITOR  FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND THEY CAN FOR HIS STATE ATTORNEY.  WE CAN TALK OF HIS ACCOLADES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND BE FINISHED  NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO  MANY.  THE ONE CONSTANT THEME OF JUDGE  SALCINES, HE INSPIRED MANY AND  HE HAS BEEN A ROLE MODEL FOR  ALL, FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON.  HE HAS RELENTLESS.  HE HAS WORKED SO HARD.  HE HAS SENT THE MESSAGE.  HE HAS ENCOURAGED SO MANY.  THAT YOU COULD ACHIEVE ANYTHING  YOU CHOOSING TO ACHIEVE DESPITE  COLOR, DESPITE ECONOMICS AND  THAT IS WHY JUDGE SALCINES  DESERVE AS SCHOOL NAMED AFTER  HIM, BECAUSE HE IS AN  INSPIRATION.  AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU  AS LEADERS IN THIS COMMUNITY  SHOULD ASPIRE.  ASPIRE THAT OUR CHILDREN KNOW  THAT IT IS POSSIBLE NO MATTER  WHERE YOU COME FROM.  ASK FOR YOUR VOTE TODAY THAT YOU NAME THE SCHOOL WIMAUMA E.J.  SALCINES HIGH SCHOOL.  THANK YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NECK SPE-- NEXT SPEAKER.  AND 68-74 TO LINE UP.  

>> GOOD EVENING MADAM CHAIR,  BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT.  THANK YOU FOR TAKING YOUR TIME  THIS EVENING TO HEAR FROM US AS  WE ARE ALL ON SPEAKING ON OUR NE HIGH SCHOOL IN WIMAUMA.  A POLL THE TOP THREE NAMES WERE  INDEED MISS MORGAN, ROBERT  HOWARD OF WIMAUMA HIGH SCHOOL.  UNDOUBTEDLY GREAT NAMES INCLUDED IN THIS AND THEY DESERVE THEIR  PLACE LIKE THE GENTLEMAN BEFORE  ME STATED PREVIOUSLY FOR THEIR  EFFORTS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND  EDUCATION.  TODAY I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF  HUNDREDS OF CITIZENS IN WIMAUMA  ASKING TO YOU TAKE THE TIME AND  NAME OUR SCHOOL AFTER ROBERT L.  HOWARD.  I COME BEFORE YOU AS MANY PEOPLE BEFORE YOU TOLD ME WHO BOBBY WAS WAS.  I'M HERE TO TELL YOU WHAT THE  NAME MEANS FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR OUR STUDENTS.  ROBBED L. HOWARD HIGH SCHOOL  COVER ALL BASES THAT WE INSPIRE  AND ASPIRE CHILDREN TO COME AS  WELL AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS.  AS A HILLSBOROUGH NATIVE RAISED  IN WIMAUMA SINCE CHILDHOOD.  DEVOTED COUNTLESS HOURS TO  CHURCH AND SURROUNDING CHURCHES. A MAN OF FAITH GIVING GOD ALL  THE GLORY AND INSTILLING GREAT  VALUES IN OUR COMMUNITY.  HE ATTENDED HILLSBOROUGH  COMMUNITY COLLEGE AS A STUDENT  AND A VOLUNTEER WORKER.  BOBBY WAS IN THE ARMY AIRBORNE  FOR SEVEN YEARS BEFORE JOINING  THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY  SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR FOLLOWING  18 YEARS.  WORKED WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH  COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM AS AN  OFF-DUTY DEPUTY VOLUNTEERING HIS TIME IN OUR SCHOOL EVENTS.  UPON HIS PASSING, BOBBY WAS  LOCALLY NAMED THE MAYOR OF  WIMAUMA FOR THE CONTRIBUTION AND LOVE HE POURED INTO THE  COMMUNITY.  HIS COMMUNITY 1R06789S DEPUTY  DARLINGS AND RAISE MONEY AND  GIVE CHRISTMAS GIFTS TO THE  WIMAUMA FAMILY WHO COULDN'T  AFFORD A GROUP CHRISTMAS FOR  FAMILY.  PART OF OPERATION PATRIOT AND  VETERANS IN STATE-FUNDED NURSING HOMES WITH FINANCIAL.  AND PART EVER OPERATION ONE CALL AWAY COLLECTING NEW STUFFED  ANIMALS TO GIVE PATROL DEPUTIES  FOR HOLIDAYS.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> GOOD EVENING, I AM DR.  KATHLEEN HEIDI.  I AM THE DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH  FLORIDA.  I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD  MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT  SUPERINTENDENT OF AND THE SCHOOL BOARD STAFF FOR GIVING US THIS  OPPORTUNITY AND FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.  AS AN EDUCATOR, I TRULY  APPRECIATE IT.  WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS  ADVOCATE FOR A FEW MOMENT ON  JUDGE SALCINES.  I FIRST MET JUDGE SALCINES 43  YEARS AUTO AGO.  ONE OF HIS DAUGHTERS ELLEN WAS  IN THE CRASH.  I LADIES AND GENTLEMENED THAT TO GET THE STATE ATTORNEY TO COME  INTO MY CLASS.  HE IMMEDIATE ME ACCEPTED AND  MONDAY, BIG STORY.  E.J.  BIG STORY.  NOT -- HE IS NOT GOING TO DO  THIS.  BUSINESS ATTORNEY.  BIG CASE.  JUDGE SALCINES CAME INTO CLASS.  I WAS AMAZED.  I WAS ONE OF HIS STUDENTS AND I  WAS RIVETED.  JUDGE SALCINES CAME TO MY CLASS  COUNTLESS TIME.  I CAN'T ESTIMATE HOW MANY TIMES. I TAUGHT CLASSES OF 441  STUDENTS.  STANDING ROOM OPEN.  HE WOULD WEAR HIS ROBES AND HE  WAS A SHOWMAN.  ESPECIALLY LIKED TO ENGAGED.  WALKED UP AND DOWN THE AISLES.  THE STUDENTS WERE AMAZED AND  LISTENING AND INTENT ON EVERY  WORD.  REAL LEARNING CAME YARDS WAR.  HOUR AND 15 MINUTES.  AT WITH UNPOINT HOUR AND A HALF. THE JUDGE WILL STAY FOR 40  MINUTES AND TALK TO THE STUDENTS ABOUT LAW SCHOOL.  THIS LAST SUMMER I TAUGHT A  COURSE ON SOCIAL JUSTICE.  I SAID, JUDGE, PLEASE COME IN  AND TELL THE STUDENTS WHAT IT  WAS LIKE 40 YEARS AGO.  WHAT IT WAS LIKE IN THE '60s.  HE CAME.  HE TALKED ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCES. HOW HE HAD LIFTED PEOPLE UP.  WE ALREADY MENTIONED JUDGE.  JULIANNE HOLT THAT MENTORED  OTHER STATE ATTORNEYS THAT  BECAME JUDGES.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  

>> THANK YOU.  I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> MADAM CHAIR, HONORABLE BOARD  -- SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.  MY NAME IS -- IS MACY LAWSON.  AQUILA MORGAN WAS A PRODUCT OF  THE WIMAUMA COMMUNITY.  SHE WAS ALSO A STAPLE OF THAT  COMMUNITY.  SHE LEFT HER MARKS ON ME OF A  LOVER OF GOD.  AND AS A TEACHER.  SHE STUDIED DILIGENTLY TO BECOME ALL THAT SHE COULD FOR HER  STUDENTS.  HER DEDICATION TO TEACHING, HER  CARING FOR HER STUDENTS AND HER  INSPIRING WORDS REALLY IMPACTED  THE LIFE OF HER STUDENTS, THE  LIVES OF HER STUDENTS AND CHURCH MEMBERS.  THEREFORE, SHE WASN'T INFLUENCED BY HER INCOME TO MAKE SURE THAT  HER STUDENTS GOT THE BEST  OUTCOME.  SHE WAS BORN A TEACHER.  AND THAT SHE DID FOR 43 YEARS.  FOR ALL THESE REASONS, THE  SCHOOL MUD IS BE NAMED AQUILA  JACKSON MORGAN HIGH SCHOOL.  THANK YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS  DR. FARFAKIS.  BOARD CERTIFIED AND OWNER OF ABA PRACTICE FOR STUDENTS IN  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.  I AM ALSO A PROUD MEMBER OF  PROJECT ABA RIGHTS.  TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS  SOME ISSUES SURROUNDING  COLLABORATION MEETINGS.  THE PRIVATE PERSONNEL PACKETS  THAT THE MEETINGS ARE ACQUIRED  BEFORE PRIVATE INSTRUCTORS CAN  OBSERVE, COLLABORATE AND PROVIDE SERVICES FOR STUDENTS.  THERE YEAR, SEVERAL OF MY  CLIENTS AND MANY OTHER STUDENTS  BEGAN THE SCHOOL YEAR WITHOUT  THESE VITAL SUPPORTS BECAUSE  THESE MEETINGS WERE NOT  SCHEDULED.  SOME PARENTS HAD TO KEEP THEIR  CHILDREN AT HOME UNTIL SERVICES  WERE FINALLY APPROVED AND PUT IN PLACE.  THIS ISN'T JUST A INCONVENIENCE, IT IS A FAILURE TO MEET THE  MEDICALLY MEDICAL NEEDS OF OUR  VULNERABLE STUDENTS AND PROVIDE  FREE PUBLIC EDUCATION.  COLLABORATION MEETINGS ARE NOT  JUST A CHECKLIST ITEM.  THEY MUST BE THE STARTING POINT  OF A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS  EDUCATORS, CLINICIANS AND  PARENTS UNITE TO PROVIDE  STUDENTS WITH THE SUPPORT THEY  NEED.  WHEN THE MEETING ARE DELAYED AND THE CONSEQUENCES ARE IMMEDIATE  AND SEVERE.  I ATTENDED COLLABORATION  MEETINGS WHERE THE FOCUS  SUBMITTED FROM THE CHILD'S NEEDS TO THE SCHOOL'S PREFERENCES.  I HAVE SEEN PRINCIPALS OPPOSE  HAVING THERAPISTS IN THE  CLASSROOM AND SCHOOL STAFF  DISMISS PARENTS' CONCERNS.  AS A BEHAVIORAL ANALYST, I HAD  MY RECOMMENDATIONS IGNORED  WITHOUT A FAIR CHANCE TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE.  THERE MUST BE A CHANGE.  COLLABORATION MEETINGS MUST BE  HELD BEFORE THIS SCHOOL YEAR  BEGINS AND COMPLETED IN A TIMELY MANNER.  THEY SHOULD HAVE A CLEAR PURPOSE AND INCLUDE A LIST OF ATTENDEES. MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE MUST ENSURE THAT EVERY VOICE IS HEARD AND  RESPECTED.  THIS IS HOW WE GUARANTEE THAT  EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES ARE  CHOSEN AND DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS ARE MADE.  AND THE STUDENTS' NEEDS MUST  REMAIN AS A PRIORITY.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.  

>> GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS  RONNIE JETER AND I'M HERE TO  ADVOCATE FOR THE PEOPLE OF  WIMAUMA TO TALK TO YOU OF  MARGARET CLARET.  TO SAY SHE WAS A TEACHER, I  DON'T THINK THAT IS FAIR.  HER LEGACY EXTENDS BEYOND THAT.  I SEE HER AS A COMMUNITY ADVISOR -- A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT  ADVISOR.  I THINK SHE IS A COMMUNITY  ACTIVIST.  AND WHAT SHE DID, MANY OF YOU,  SHE WAS A PRODUCT -- OR IS A  PRODUCT. OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.  LIKE MANY OF YOU, SHE  EXPERIENCED SEGREGATION IN  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLS EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS ABLE TO  GRADUATE FROM EAST BAY HIGH  SCHOOL.  LIKE MANY OF YOU A SINGLE MOTHER OF THREE KIDS AND STILL  CONTINUED TO TEACH EVERY DAY IN  THE CLASSROOM.  LIKE MANY OF YOU.  SHE WAS A CHAMPION FOR THE  LATINO POPULATION GROWING EVER  -- EVERY YEAR IN THE -- IN THE  TOWN OF WIMAUMA.  AND YET, SHE DIDN'T JUST STICK  TO HER JOB AS A TEACHER.  SHE DECIDED TO WORK WITH OTHER  ORGANIZATIONS OF THE NONPROFITS  TO DEVELOP WIMAUMA, BEYOND THE  CLASSROOM.  SO THIS DOESN'T JUST MEAN -- AS  WE ARE HERE RIGHT NOW.  THE NATIONAL LITERACY MONTH.  THAT IS GREAT.  AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE CONTINUE TO DO HER JOB EVERY DAY.  AND KNEW THAT HER STUDENTS, HER  COMMUNITY NEEDED MORE AND ROSE  TO THE OCCASION.  DOING THAT AS STAYED EARLIER,  WORKED WITH THE ALLEGHENY  FRANCISCAN MINISTRY AND  ORGANIZATION TO WRITE GRANTS  TOTALING MORE THAN $10 MILLION.  SO WHILE THERE ARE SOME HERE  THAT ARE PROUD OF THE WORK THAT  WAS BEING DONE IN THE CLASSROOM. I AM PROUD OF MARGARET CLARET  WHO HAPPENS TO BE MY GRANDMOTHER OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM IN  ADDITION TO THE THINGS IN THE  CLASSROOM TO SUPPORT HER  STUDENT.  WE KNOW MANY OF THEM AS FAMILY  NOW WHAT SHE DID TO SUPPLEMENT  WHEN THINGS BROKE DOWN AND THE  PITFALLS OF -- SHE WAS ABLE TO  STEP IN.  SO WHEN THE BUSES WEREN'T  WORKING, SHE WAS THERE TO TAKE  PEOPLE HOME.  WHEN PEOPLE WERE HUNGRY, SHE  STAND TO FEED THEM.  I WANT TO KEEP WIMAUMA, A  WIMAUMA AND NAME IN AS A CHILD  OF WIMAUMA.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER.  

>> GOOD EVENING, SCHOOL BOARD.  I AM TIMMY YOUNG.  IT WAS SO IMPORTANT FOR ME TO  STAND BEFORE YOU TO MAKE THIS  VERY SIMPLE.  THE WRITING ON THE BOARD SAYS  PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE.  AND MY AUNT, MARGARET CLARET DID EXACTLY THAT.  SHE WAS A TEACHER.  YOU HEARD SO MANY WONDERFUL  THINGS ABOUT HER AND EVERYTHING  THAT SHE DID FOR THE WIMAUMA  COMMUNITY, BUT SHE ALSO PREPARED EACH AND EVERY ONE OF HER  STUDENTS AND HER FAMILY FOR  LIFE.  SO WHAT I AM ASKING TO YOU DO -- I WILL MAKE THIS VERY SIMPLE.  PLEASE ELECT MARGARET CLARET.  NAME THE SCHOOL BOARD AFTER  MARGARET CLARET T.  I WILL TELL YOU A STORY.  BACK IN THE 70s, EARLY '70s.  I TRANSFERRED FROM RUSKIN  ELEMENTARY TO WIMAUMA.  AND IT WAS A LOT OF -- LET'S  JUST SAY WE WEREN'T WELCOMED AT  THAT TIME IN THE WIMAUMA  COMMUNITY.  ONE OF THE TEACHERS SAID -- AND  REFUSED TO TEACH ME.  THIS GOES PERSONALLY.  MY AUNT WAS TEACHER AT THAT  TIME.  I DON'T KNOW IF SHE WAS A  TEACHER OR TEACHER AIDE SAID,  OH, NO, YOU ARE GOING TO TEACH  HER.  THE TEACHER DIDN'T WANT ME IN  HER CLASSROOM, BUT BECAUSE OF MY AUNT, I WAS ABLE TO GO IN THE  CLASSROOM AND SHE TOLD ME TO  BEACON WITH YOUR MIND AND YOUR  BRAIN.  SHOW THEM EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE  CAPABLE OF.  SHE HAS BEEN DOING THAT NOT ONLY FOR ME, FOR THE WIMAUMA  COMMUNITY AND ALL THE STUDENTS.  I AM ASKING YOU FROM THIS DAY  FORWARD AND RIGHT NOW, PLEASE  ELECT MARGARET CLARET.  GIVE HER FLOWERS NOW SO SHE CAN  SEE THEM.  BECAUSE MY GRANDMOTHER ALWAYS  TOLD ME, THAT IS WHAT YOU SHOULD DO.  AND I THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE  OF YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  NEXT SPEAKER.  

>> GOOD EVENING, SCHOOL BOARD.  MEMBERS.  MY NAME IS CHERYL JAMES.  AND I AM A RETIRED EDUCATOR FROM MANATEE COUNTY WHERE I TAUGHT  FOR 35 YEARS.  I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE  CONSIDER NAMING THE SCHOOL IN  WIMAUMA AQUILA MORGAN.  I GOT TO KNOW HER AT CHURCH, BUT THAT'S NOT WHY I'M HERE.  SHE WAS A GREAT MOTIVATOR.  SHE WORE MANY, MANY HATS.  NOT ONLY AN EDUCATOR, BUT SHE  WAS AN ENGINEER, A DOCTOR, AN  ATTORNEY, A COUNSELOR.  SHE WAS A PARENT.  SHE WORE MANY, MANY HATS.  AND ONE OF THE HATS THAT STANDS  OUT FOR ME WAS A MOTIVATOR TO  ME.  WHEN I MET HER, I HAD BEEN TEACH BEING 24 YEARS.  AND WE WOULD TALK ABOUT  EDUCATION AND TEACHING AND --  AND THE TIMES THAT HAVE CHANGED. HOWEVER, I TOLD HER BEFORE I  RETIRE, I ALWAYS WANTED TO GO  BACK AND GET MY MASTER'S.  AND SHE SAID, WHY HAVEN'T YOU? AND I TOLD HER BECAUSE I FEEL  LIKE A DINOSAUR IF I GO IN THE  CLASSROOM.  SHE PERSUADED ME TO GO BACK AND  GET MY MASTER'S AFTER 24 YEARS  OF TEACHING, EVEN THOUGH I HAD A FEW YEARS LEFT OF RETIREMENT.  AND I APPRECIATED THAT.  SHE GAVE ME THAT PUSH.  SHE GAVE ME THAT DRIVE THAT I  DIDN'T THINK -- AND, OF COURSE,  WHEN I WENT BACK, I WAS IN THERE WITH STUDENTS THAT WERE BORN THE YEAR I STARTED TEACHING.  THANK YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: NEXT SPEAKER.  NEXT SPEAKER.  

>> MY NAME IS JULTA GORDON.  A STUDENT.  AND READ THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL POLICY.  ACCORDING TO THE SCHOOL BOARD  POLICY, SCHOOL SITES AND  FACILITIES SHALL BE NAMED FOR  INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE RENDERED -- RENDERED OUTSTANDING PUBLIC  SERVICE TO PUBLIC EDUCATORS FOR  GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS AND FOR  GROUPS AND CLUBS AS INDICATED.  ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND SECONDARY SCHOOL.  FOR U.S. PRESIDENTS, SCHOOL  BOARD MEMBERS, EDUCATORS,  OUTSTANDING CITIZENS AND  GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS.  AND AN ELECTED -- ELECTED  OFFICIAL FOR SCHOOL NAME SHALL  HAVE PUBLIC OFFICE FOR A PERIOD. NOT LESS THAN FIVE YEARS.  NO CANDIDATE FOR PUBLIC OFFICE  SHALL BE CONSIDERED.  NO SCHOOL SITE FOR FACILITY WILL BE NAMED FOR A LIVING PERSON.  

>> GO AHEAD, TELL THEM WHAT YOU  WANTED TO SAY.  

>> AND -- SHE SUPPORTS THE  SCHOOL BEING NAMED OF A HER  GREAT GRANDMA, AQULA JACKSON  MORGAN.  THANK YOU!

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.  SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS, I  NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO  APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.  I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY  AND A SECOND BY MEMBER VAUGHN.  PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS  APPEAR.  AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.  THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN  APPROVED.  NOW I WILL CALL ON A  SUPERINTENDENT AYRES TO  HIGHLIGHT OUR ADMINISTRATIVE  APPOINTMENTS.  

>>Superintendent Ayres: THANK  YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  ONE PRINCIPAL APPOINTMENT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING.  AND I WOULD LIKE NICOLE ZAMORA  TO PLEASE STAND.  ACTUALLY NICOLE, YOU CAN MAKE  YOUR WAY AROUND.  COME ON DOWN THE MIDDLE OVER  HERE.  I WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE ON THE  CONSENT AGENDA, NICOLE ZAMORA,  THE NEW PRINCIPAL OF TOWN AND  COUNTRY ELEMENTARY.  EDUCATOR FOR 23 YEARS.  HER CAREER BEGAN AS AN IMMEDIATE TEACHER AT MORTGAGE ELEMENTARY  IN 2001.  SERVED AS A MATH AND SCIENCE  RESOURCE AT SHAW AND CLEVELAND  ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WHILE ALSO  SERVES AS A DISTRICT TRAINER FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCIENCE  DEPARTMENT.  NICOLE BECAME THE ADMINISTRATOR  IN 2014 AT CRESTWELL ELEMENTARY  AND PROUDLY SERVED AS ASSISTANT  PRINCIPAL AT TOWN AND COUNTRY  ELEMENTARY.  AND AS NEW PRESSURE OF TOWN AND  COUNTRY ELEMENTARY.  NICOLE, CONGRATULATIONS.  [ APPLAUSE ] THANK YOU, NICOLE.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU,  SUPERINTENDENT AYRES.  CONGRATULATIONS MISS ZAMORA.  NOW WE WILL PAUSE FOR A MOMENT  FOR ANY FAMILY AND FRIENDS THAT  WOULD LIKE TO EXIT THE  AUDITORIUM.  THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WILL BE  HEARD, C-503, 04, 1.01, 1.02,  5.0, 66.02 AND 7.03.  FIRST ITEM C 5.03 NAMING THE  MEDIA CENTER AT ROBLES  ELEMENTARY.  SUPERINTENDENT AYRES.  

>>Superintendent Ayres: PASS  THIS OFF TO CHIEF OF SCHOOLS.  DR. GRAYS.  IF YOU CAN PROCEED NAMING THE  MEDIA CENTER AT ROBLES  ELEMENTARY.  

>> THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT  AYRES.  I WOULD LIKE TO BRING IN DR.  CHRIS EVEN THIS HARRIS, THE  PRINCIPAL AT ROBLES ELEMENTARY.  

>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD AND  SUPERINTENDENT.  THANK YOU SO MUCH.  PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS  EVENING.  I STAND BEFORE YOU AS THE VERY  PROUD PRINCIPAL OF ROBLES  ELEMENTARY.  MORE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR  CONSIDERATION, DEDICATION AT  RENAMING OUR NEW MEDIA CENTER  AFTER THE PRESTIGIOUS MI MISS DORETHA EDGECOMB.  A TRUE PRODUCT OF HILLSBOROUGH  COUNTY SCHOOLS PLAYED A PIVOTAL  ROLE OVER HER YEARS OF  COMMITMENT AND 30 AT THAT, I  MIGHT ADD.  RENAMING OUR LIBRARY IS A  FITTING TRIBUTE TO HER  CONTRIBUTION AT ROBLES; HOWEVER, THE BEST ADVOCATES ARE OUR  AMAZING ROBLES COMMUNITY.  STANDING WITH US TODAY IS MR.  WALTER GIBBONS WHO REPRESENTS  THE COMMUNITY.  IS HE HERE IN PLEASE JOIN ME.  THANK YOU SO MUCH.  

>> NO PROBLEM.  HOW ARE YOU DOING.  

>> GOOD, SIR.  

>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.  IT IS JUST FITTING THAT WE DO I  THINK WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE A LONG TIME AGO WAS TO LIFT THIS LADY UP.  MISS DORETHA EDGECOMB.  SHE HAS BEEN A PIVOTAL PERSON  BEEN ROBLES COMMUNITY AND  THE NUCCIO COMMUNITY.  SHE USED TO SAY SOMETHING WHEN  SHE WOULD COME AND WE WOULD ASK  HER TO COME OVER FOR DIFFERENT  FUNCTIONS.  SHE WOULD SAY ROBLES IS MY  SCHOOL.  AND THAT STUCK WITH ME.  THAT REALLY STUCK WITH ME WHEN  SHE SAID THAT.  AND JUST DIFFERENT THINGS SHE  HAS POURED NOT ONLY INTO THE  LIVES OF MANY PEOPLE IN THE  NUCCIO COMMUNITY, BUT STUCK WITH HER WORD.  WE HAD AN EVENT CALLED -- CALLED -- I CALLED UP MISS EDGECOMB.  WE HAVE AN EVENT OUT TO ROBLES  WOULD YOU MIND COMING UP.  SHE SAID I HAVE SOMETHING GOING  ON, BUT IF I HAVE THE TIME, I AM GOING TO BE THERE.  WHAT DID SHE DO? SHE SHOWED UP.  NOT ONE TIME AT ROBLES -- AND I  HAVE BEEN AT ROBLES 21 YEARS --  THAT SHE DENIED US, I CAN'T  COME.  WE HAD A -- I BELIEVE IT WAS A  -- SOMETHING LIKE AN HONOR  SOCIETY THAT WE PRESENTED AT  ROBLES.  SHE SHOWED UP.  SPOKE WITH THE STUDENTS.  AND EMPOWERED THE STUDENTS.  AND THAT DID SOMETHING FOR ME  WHEN THIS LADY CAN DO WHAT SHE  DID AND CONTINUE TO DO IT FOR  YEARS.  I SEE HER AT THE HOPE CENTER,  DIFFERENT PLACES THROUGHOUT THE  CITY OF TAMPA.  JUST BEING A BLESSING.  A SCRIPTURE PRESIDENT BIBLE IN  PROVERBS THAT SAYS LET A MAN OR  A STRANGER PAT YOU ON THE BACK.  MISS EDGECOMB, I AM PATTING YOU  ON YOUR BACK.  THANK YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION  AND A SECOND.  MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND  SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY.  ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MEMBER COMBS.  

>>Henry "Shake" Washington:  THANK YOU SO MUCH.  I AM GOING TO BE SHORT BECAUSE  MISS EDGECOMB DOESN'T WANT TO  STAY HERE ALL NIGHT.  [LAUGHTER] BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK  ABOUT GREAT PEOPLE.  THAT IS SOMETHING TO BEHOLD.  MRS. EDGECOMB, YOU ARE TRULY AN  OUTSTANDING PERSON.  YOU HAVE DONE SO MUCH IN THE  FIELD OF EDUCATION.  AND JUST HELPING PEOPLE OUT.  JUST CONTRIBUTING BACK TO YOUR  COMM COMMUNITY.  YOU HAVE DONE ALL THE THINGS  THAT PEOPLE DO IN LIFE.  AND YOU KNOW YOU ARE A GREAT  PERSON.  NOT ONLY THAT, MRS. EDGECOMB,  YOU HAVE BEEN A MENTOR TO ME.  WE TALK SOMETIMES.  SHE TELLS ME WHAT TO DO.  AND I UNDERSTAND.  [LAUGHTER] I VERY WELL UNDERSTAND.  I AM AN OBEDIENT PERSON, BELIEVE ME, I WANT TO GIVE YOU YOUR  KUDOS.  THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE  FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC  SCHOOLS, FOR THE COMMUNITY AND  MOST OF ALL FOR "SHAKE"  WASHINGTON AND HIS FAMILY.  I APPRECIATE THAT.  [ APPLAUSE ]

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS.  

>>Nadia Combs: YES.  I JUST ALSO WANTED TO SAY, YOU  KNOW REMEMBER HERE LISTENING  TONIGHT AND WE HEARD SO MUCH OF  THE EDGECOMB FAMILY.  THAT IS A FAMILY THAT HAS LEFT  SUCH A MARK.  YOUR HUSBAND, YOUR DAUGHTER AND  YOU.  AND YOU HAVE LEFT SUCH A MARK IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC  SCHOOLS, IT IS JUST A GREAT WAY  TO BEGIN CELEBRATING YOUR LEGACY AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE  DONE.  I CAN SAY PERSONALLY AS A BOARD  MEMBERS HERE FOR A FEW YEARS  THAT MISS EDGECOMB HAS CALLED  ME.  SHE CONGRATULATED ME.  SHE IS STILL INVOLVED.  I MEAN SHE IS STILL SO ACTIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY.  AND WE ARE SO LUCKY TO HAVE  SOMEBODY LIKE THAT IN THIS  COMMUNITY.  AND I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH.  AND I LOOK FORWARD TO  CELEBRATING YOU TODAY AND LOOK  FORWARD TO CELEBRATING YOU  SATURDAY AS WELL.  THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS.  MEMBER VAUGHN.  

>>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU.  THANK YOU.  I ALSO WILL KEEP MY COMMENTS  BRIEF.  I JUST WANT TO SAY.  IT IS A COMPLETE LONGER TO BE  ABLE TO NAME IN AFTER MISS  EDGECOMB.  YOU KNOW -- HONOR TO BE ABLE TO  NAME THIS AFTER MISS EDGECOMB.  I ALREADY LOOKED UP TO YOU AND  YOU WERE A ROLE MODEL.  BUT THE MORE I LEARNED THE  STUDENT QUORUMS WHO TALKED ABOUT HOW YOU INTRODUCED THAT AND  OTHER THINGS THAT YOUR SERVICE  STILL LEAVES A LEGACY ON THIS  BOARD.  AGAIN, YOU ARE DEFINITELY ONE OF MY ROLE MODELS AND I AM SO GLAD  THAT I AM STILL HERE TO BE ABLE  TO NAME THIS AFTER YOU AND SAY  THANK YOU TO YOUR SERVICE FOR  OUR COMMUNITY.  AND HOPEFULLY ONE AMONGST MANY.  WE HAVE A LOT OF SCHOOLS NAMED  COMING UP.  AND I AM SURE WE WILL HEAR  SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE.  CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU  AGAIN AND THANK YOU FOR  INSPIRING US TO CARE FOR OUR  KIDS IN OUR COMMUNITY.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN.  MEMBER HAHN.  

>>Stacy Hahn: THAT YOU ARE CHAIR PEREZ.  THIS IS SO WELL DESERVED.  YOU ARE -- YOU WERE AN AMAZING  SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND AN  AMAZING LEADER IN OUR COMMUNITY  AND MUCH LIKE "SHAKE" YOU ARE  ALWAYS THERE WITH ADVICE AND  SUPPORT.  AND I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT FOR THE YEARS.  MY ONLY REGRET IS I NEVER GOT TO SERVE WITH YOU ON THIS BOARD.  BUT YOU ARE AN INSPIRATION.  SOMEONE TO LOOK AT TO SEE, HOW  DID YOU LEAD AND NAVIGATE SOME  OF THE MOST CHALLENGING TIMES  DURING YOUR SERVICE.  THAT HAS INFORMED MY SERVICE.  SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.  AND CONGRATULATIONS AND GOD  BLESS.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN.  MEMBER GRAY?

>>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM  CHAIR AND DORETHA, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYTHING YOU TOUCH AND  EVERYONE YOU KNOW HAS TURNED A  CORONER THEIR LIFE A BETTER PART OF THEIR LIFE.  YOU HAVE TOUCHED SPACES OF SO  MANY EDUCATORS AND INDIVIDUALS.  YOU KNOW, BEING A LIFELONG  EDUCATOR EACH US A LOT AND YOU  ARE FLORIDA FOR THAT LOVE OF  LEARNING AND HELPING TO MENTOR  OTHERS.  I AM ALSO REMINDED THAT YOU ARE  A SCHOOL BOARD LEADER FOR MANY,  MANY YEARS.  I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.  AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR  LEADERSHIP.  YOUR WONDERFUL DAUGHTER, ALISON  EDGECOMB.  ALL THAT YOU DO FOR THE SCHOOL,  THE DISTRICT.  AND JUST THE LOVE THAT YOU HAVE  GIVEN.  INTEGRITY THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN.  AND PROFESSIONAL ACHL THAT I  HAVE GIVEN.  A -- PROFESSIONALISM THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US IN THIS SCHOOL  DISTRICT.  THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MAD  MEMBER RENDON.  

>>Patti Rendon: YOU ARE THE  STANDARD OF WHICH WE ALL SET.  WOULD LOVE TO LOOK BACK TO SAY  WE NOT ONLY TOUCHED THE SCHOOL  DISTRICT BUT ALL THE CHILDREN OF THE COMMUNITY.  WE TOUCHED EVERY LIFE THAT WE  HAVE PASSED OR EVERY DECISION WE HAVE MADE HAS BEEN ABLE TO SHOW  SFURP AND KINDNESS.  PRIORITY OR PARENTS AND LITERACY AND PRIORITY ON OUR COMMUNITY  AND A PRIORITY TO ALLOW PEOPLE  TO HAVE THOSE RESOURCES AND BE  EDUCATED ON THOSE RESOURCES SO  THEY MAY BE EMPOWERED TO BE  EVERYTHING THEY WANT TO BE.  THANK YOU FOR SETTING THE  STANDARD.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER REN  RENDO.  MISS EDGECOMB, YOU SHOWED UP AS  A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND  EDUCATOR AND YOU CONTINUE TO  SHOW UP.  MANY TIMES AS AN ELECTED  OFFICIAL, PEOPLE HANG UP THEIR  HAT, AND, YOU KNOW, RETIRE.  AND THEY, YOU KNOW, GO AWAY AND  ENJOY THEIR LIFE WE ARE ABLE TO  ENJOY LIFE WITH YOU AND CONTINUE TO ENJOY LIFE WITH YOU.  I KNOW THIS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER  A APPRECIATES THAT.  SEEING YOU CONTINUE TO CRAFT AND MOLD US AS BOARD MEMBERS, BUT  ALSO AS SERVANTS.  SO I APPRECIATE THIS.  AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS VERY WELL DESERVED.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND  THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU CONTINUE  TO DO FOR US. [APPLAUSE] SO SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS,  PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS  APPEAR.  AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.  CONGRATULATIONS! . [APPLAUSE] [CHE [CHEERING]

>> CHAIR PEREZ, OTHER MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, SOMETIMES A MERE THANK  YOU DOESN'T DO THE JOB.  AND AT THIS MOMENT, A MERE THANK YOU OR I APPRECIATE YOU OR I  APPRECIATE THIS HONOR DOESN'T  EVEN BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT THE  DEPTH OF THE GRATITUDE THAT I  FEEL AT THIS MOMENT.  IF MY HEART COULD SPEAK, IT  WOULD BE MORE PRECISE OF HOW I  REALLY AND TRULY FEEL.  I AM SO HONORED AND PROUD TO  HAVE THIS TRIBUTE AT ROBLES  ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.  IT WAS A LIFE-CHANGING  EXPERIENCE FOR ME AS A  PRINCIPAL.  I BECAME A BETTER PERSON.  I BECAME A PERSON THAT I BETTER  UNDERSTOOD THE WORLD IN A  DIFFERENT WAY.  A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO MR.  GIBBONS WHO IS KNOWN AS MR. G.  AT ROBLES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.  AND FOR HIS COMMUNITY EFFORT  THAT IN FACT INITIATED THIS  HONOR.  I WILL ALWAYS BE INDEBTED TO YOU AND ALL OF THOSE WHO THOUGHT I  WAS WORTHY OF THIS HONOR.  AGAIN, THANK YOU DOESN'T REALLY  GET TO HOW I TRULY FEEL.  AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND  WORDS.  I SAID I WASN'T GOING TO CRY.  BUT I DID FOR JUST A SECOND.  BUT I THOUGHT I HAD THE -- I  DIDN'T WANT MY MAKE MACHINE UP  TO RUN.  SO I THOUGHT I WOULD BETTER GET  IT TOGETHER.  I AM SO APPRECIATIVE TO ALL OF  HOW HAVE COME TO SUPPORT ME, MY  DAUGHTER, ALISON, MEMBERS OF MY  FAMILY, FORMER COLLEAGUES, ALL  THOSE WHO THINK -- WHO TOOK THE  TIME TODAY TO COME AND CELEBRATE WITH ME.  THANK YOU, DR. HARRIS, FOR YOUR  LEADERSHIP AT ROBLES.  IF I COULD GO BACK AND CHANGE MY LIFE AGAIN, I WOULD DO ROBLES  ANOTHER TIME.  I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE YOUR  JOBS, HOWEVER.  IT WAS THE HIGH POINT OF MY 52  YEARS AS AN EDUCATOR.  I KNOW THAT I WAS A -- I WAS AN  EFFECTIVE PRINCIPAL BECAUSE THE  TEACHERS IN THAT SCHOOL BELIEVED IN OUR STUDENTS AND TAUGHT THEM  AND NURTURED THEM WITH THE  BELIEF THAT THEY COULD LEARN AND SUCCEED.  THANK YOU FOR THIS HONOR, AGAIN. IT IS AMAZING ONE THAT WILL  ALWAYS HOLD TRUE TO MY HEART.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE]

>>Karen Perez: NEXT ITEM 5:04,  THE NAMING OF SCHOOL UUU IN  WIMAUMA.  SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL  HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM.  

>>Superintendent Ayres: THANK  YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  I AM GOING TO FIRST GO OVER THE  SCHOOL WHERE IT IS GOING TO BE  AND TOSS IT OVER TO MR. PORTER  FOR THE LOW DIS PARTICULARS.  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC HIGH  SCHOOL KNOWN AS UUU LOCATED AT A 88-ACRE SITE WESTLAKE DRIVE IN  WIMAUMA.  THE SCHOOL IN THE FAST-GROWING  AREA OF SOUTH HILLSBOROUGH  COUNTY WILL ACCOMMODATE NEARLY  3500 STUDENTS.  THE PROPERTY WILL ALSO BE HOME  TO AN ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE  SCHOOL IN THE FUTURE.  INPUT FOR A NAME HAS BEEN  SOLICITED BY PARENT LINK, SOCIAL MEDIA AND SEVERAL NEWS OUTLETS.  SO MR. POVERTIER, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE OVER FROM -- PORTER, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE OVER FROM HERE  PORTE COCHERE FOR YES, YOUR  DECISION IS GOVERNED BY SCHOOL  BOARD POLICY THE COMMEMORATION  OF SCHOOL FACILITIES.  CLARIFICATION THAT NEEDS TO BE  MADE ABOUT THAT SOME PEOPLE  QUOTED FROM A POLICY -- AN OLD  POLICY QUOTED FOR.  I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON THE RECORD THAT YOU MY NAME A SCHOOL FOR A  LIVING PERSON.  THERE WAS A PERIOD WHERE THIS  POLICY CHANGED EVERY POLICY  CYCLE.  AND THIS -- THIS POLICY WAS  ENACTED IN 2019 AND IN EFFECT  FOR FIVE YEARS.  HE HAD A 7th GRADER ABLY READ  YOU TO THE POLICY AND I WANT TO  REITERATE THE CRITERIA AND WHAT  DECISION MUD IS BE BASED ON.  INDIVIDUALS THAT RENDERED  OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVICE FOR  GROUPS.  U.S. PRESIDENTS, SCHOOL BOARD  MEMBERS, EDUCATORS AND  OUTSTANDING CITIZENS AND  GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONS.  AND ELECTED OFFICIAL PROPOSED  FOR A SCHOOL NAME SHOULD BE IN  PUBLIC OFFICE FOR A PERIOD OF NO LESS THAN FIVE YEARS.  THAT MEANS IF THERE WAS AN  ELECTED OFFICIAL THAT RECENTLY  RETIRED, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN  OUT OF OFFICE FOR FIVE YEARS AND NO CANDIDATE FOR PUBLIC OFFICE  MAY BE CONSIDERED.  YOU WILL BE VOTING BY BALLOT  THIS EVENING WHICH I WILL  EXPLAIN IN A MINUTE, BUT I WOULD LIKE DR. GRAYS TO EXPLAIN THE  PROCESS AND HOW WE GOT TO THIS  POINT WITH THE NAMES THAT YOU  HAVE AND WE WILL GIVE IT BACK TO ME AND WE WILL TALK THROUGH THE  VOTING PROCESS.  

>> THANK YOU, MR. PORTER.  I WILL GIVE TAN OVERVIEW AND  BREAK ON OF FORMS OF  COMMUNICATION.  A RELEASE SET OUT ON JULY 8 TO  STAFF AND FAMILY OF FEEDER  SCHOOLS SUMNER, LEONARD,  EISENHOWER, SHIELDS, RUSKIN,  CYPRESS CREEK, BELMONT AND YORK  WENT OUT.  NEXT DOOR APP TO ZIP CODES AND  SCHOOLS AROUND UUU.  SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS. A SHORT BLURB FOR ORGANIZATIONS  TO SHARE AN GRAPHIC FOR SOCIAL  MEDIA AND WEB SITES.  THE BREAKDOWN OF THE VARIOUS  COMMUNICATION TOOLS.  FACEBOOK, THREE POSTS ON JULY 8, 26 AND AUGUST 7 FOR A TOTAL  REACH 118,657 PEOPLE.  INSTAGRAM, THREE POSTS FOR A  TOTAL REACH OF 10,513 PEOPLE.  TWITTER POSTS FOR A TOTAL VIEWS  OF 4927.  ON THE NEXT DOOR APP, THERE WERE 3 IMPRESSIONS AND E-MAILS IN NEWS  LEADERS THAT WENT OUT JULY 8 AND AUGUST 5.  COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THE  INFORMATION OF THE NAMING OF UUU WAS ALSO SENT TO THE FOLLOWING  ENTITIES: OBSERVER NEWS, OSPREY  OBSERVER, MY MASSACHUSETTS EDC,  ENTERPRISING LATINAS, LEAR,  TAMPA BAY TIMES, ALL TV  STATIONS, ENGLISH AND  SPANISH-SPEAKING, SOUTH SHORE  CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, 92.5 AND  101.1.  WIMAUMA TOGETHER, A LOCAL  ORGANIZATION, CATTLEMEN'S  ASSOCIATION, SOUTH SHORE  COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER AND  WIMAUMA COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT  CORPORATION.  AND AS A RESULT OF THOSE  COMMUNITY OUTREACH INITIATIVES,  THERE WERE 36202 INCLUDING  ONLINE, NINE E-MAILS AND 284  THROUGH U.S. MAIL.  FULL LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS WAS ANALYZED, DUPLICATES AND  INAPPROPRIATE SUBMISSIONS WERE  REMOVED AND A MASTER  ALPHABETICAL LIST WAS COMPLETED. MR. PORTER.  

>>Jim Porter: THANK YOU.  YOU ARE AT A POINT WHERE YOU  NEED NO MAKE A DECISION.  THE PROCESS FOR THE LAST SCHOOL  NAMES IS A BALLOT PROCESS.  A BALLOT WITH YOUR NAME AND  WRITE YOUR SELECTION.  THEY BECOME PUBLIC RECORD AND  ANNOUNCE WHO RECEIVED THE NUMBER OF VOTES.  IN ORDER TO BE A SUCCESSFUL  CANDIDATE, A PERSON MUST RECEIVE FOUR VOTES.  IF THE FIRST ROUND OF VOTING, NO ONE RECEIVES FOUR VOTES, THE TWO TWO VOTE GETTERS TO THE NECK  ROUND AND THE BOARD MUST  CONTINUE VOTING UNTIL A PERSON  OR GEOGRAPHIC NAME RECEIVES FOUR VOTES.  AND AFTERWARDS, I WILL ASK YOU  TO MAKE A MOTION TO CODIFY AND  MEMORIALIZE THE SELECTION YOU  MADE WITH AT LEAST THE FOUR  VOTES.  AT THIS POINT, WE WILL PASS OUT  THE BALLOTS SO THEN -- YOU WILL  VOTE AND THEN -- YOU WILL VOTE  WITH THE BALLOT AND HAVE THE  OFFICIAL VOTE AND DISCUSSION --  YOU CAN HAVE THE DISCUSSION  FIRST IF YOU WOULD LIKE OR WAIT  AFTER THE FIRST ROUND.  IT IS UP TO YOU ALL.  SO THEN -- YOU CAN HAVE YOUR  BALLOTS PASSED OUT AND GET ON  THE BOARD IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK  ABOUT IT.  NO MOTIONS ARE APPROPRIATE AT  THIS POINT.  JUST A DISCUSSION ABOUT -- AND  IF YOU WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR YOUR POSITION AND EXPLAIN YOUR  POSITION, NOW WILL BE THE TIME  TO DO THAT.  ALSO TIME AFTER A MOTION IS MADE WHEN THE BALLOTING IT COMPLETE.  

>>Karen Perez: WE WILL HAVE  DISCUSSION AS OF RIGHT NOW.  I WILL START THAT DISCUSSION.  SUPERINTENDENT, CAN YOU TALK TO  ME ABOUT HOW MANY SCHOOLS --  BECAUSE SOMEONE MENTIONED THAT  THERE WAS ONLY THREE SCHOOLS  NAMED AFTER AFRICAN-AMERICAN  LEADERS.  HIGH SCHOOLS.  BUT CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW MANY  SCHOOLS ARE NAMED AFTER  AFRICAN-AMERICAN LEADERS,  HISPANIC LEADERS, AND, ALSO,  ITALIAN OR -- HOW -- WHAT DOES  THAT BREAKDOWN LOOK LIKE.  

>>Superintendent Ayres: GIVE ME  ONE SECOND TO PULL THAT UP.  YES, THIS INFORMATION WAS ALSO  E-MAILED FOR YOU AS WELL.  AFRICAN-AMERICAN, 32 SCHOOLS  CURRENTLY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY NAMED AFRICAN-AMERICAN AMS.  32.  HIS HISPANIC, A TOTAL OF SEVEN.  ITALIAN, TOTAL 11.  

>>Karen Perez: OKAY.  HOW MANY NAMED AFTER CAUCASIAN?

>>Superintendent Ayres: WE WOULD HAVE TO --  

>>Karen Perez: I JUST WANT THE  NU NUMBER.  

>>Superintendent Ayres: 104.  

>>Karen Perez: 104.  OKAY.  ALL RIGHT.  SO -- YOU KNOW, MY PREFERENCE  IS, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS A LEADER WHO REALLY HAS MADE SOME  SIGNIFICANT, YOU KNOW, LIFTS IN  THIS COMMUNITY, OF COURSE,  IS E.J. SALCINES IN THE LATINO  COMMUNITY, BECAUSE OF WHAT HE  HAS DONE, YOU KNOW, IN THE  HISPANIC COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT OUR 40% STUDENTS IN  THIS DISTRICT ARE LATINOS.  AND THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST THE NAMES IN  THEIR SCHOOLS SUPPORTING THIS  COMMUNITY AND THE HISPANIC  COMMUNITY.  BUT THAT IS GOING TO BE MY -- MY SUPPORT RIGHT NOW.  MEMBER HAHN?

>>Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIR  PEREZ.  I MEAN, THIS IS -- YOU KNOW,  THIS IS CERTAINLY A VERY  DIFFICULT DECISION, BUT IT IS  ALSO AN EXCITING DECISION TO  MAKE.  SO MANY WONDERFUL NOMINEES.  IT IS JUST WONDERFUL TO READ ALL OF THE HEART-WARMING LETTER,  E-MAILS, TALK TO PEOPLE ON THE  PH PHONE.  YOU KNOW, I AM -- I DON'T KNOW  IF OTHER BOARDS HAVE NAMED THIS  MANY SCHOOLS.  I HAVE BEEN UP HERE SIX YEARS.  I NAMED QUITE A FEW SCHOOLS.  AFTER MY FIRST YEAR, YOU KNOW, I REALLY STARTED HAVING A  CRITERIA.  AND I ASKED TWO QUESTIONS.  TO HELP ME NARROW IT DOWN  BECAUSE EVERYONE ON THE LIST IS  A REMARKABLE PERSON.  AND I ASK, WERE THEY A K-1 A K-EDUCATOR AND TAUGHT AND  SERVED IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.  I START THERE AT BOARD MEETINGS  AND OTHER SCHOOL NAMES, THERE  ARE VERY FEW OPPORTUNITIES TO  CELEBRATE EDUCATORS AT THIS  LEVEL.  YOU KNOW, AND -- AND WORKED ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS.  YOU DRIVE THROUGH THE COMMUNITY. NOT A LOT OF EDUCATORS'  NAMES K-12 EDUCATORS NAMES ON  BUILDING.  SO IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ME, I  THINK, TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY  EVERY TIME IT COMES TO US TO USE IT TO DO JUST THAT.  TO CELEBRATE PEOPLE WHO COULD  HAVE BEEN ANYTHING THEY WANTED  IN LIFE AND THEY CHOSE TO BE  A K-12 OR PRE-K-12 EDUCATOR AND  WORK IN OUR DISTRICT.  A LOT OF SACRIFICE WHEN YOU WORK IN PUBLIC EDUCATION.  ALL YOU HAVE US KNOW THAT ON  THIS BOARD AND IN THIS ROOM.  SO ONE SUCH NOMINEE STOOD OUT  DURING THIS PROCESS FOR ME.  HER CHILDREN WROTE PARTYFELT  ACCOUNTS OF HER SPIRIT AND  LOVING NATURE AND HER DEEP  COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY.  THEY SPOKE OF HER AGAIN RADIOS  TEE, UNWAVERING FAITH, QUALITIES ECHOED BY EXTENDED FAMILY,  FRIENDS BANDS STUDENTS AND  COLLEAGUES.  AND COLLECTIVELY, THESE STORIES  PAINTED A BEAUTIFUL PORTRAIT OF  A WOMAN WHO LIVED, TAUGHT AND  RAISED HER FAMILY IN WIMAUMA.  TONIGHT I BELIEVE RECOGNIZING  MISS MORGAN WILL BE A FITTING  TRIBUTE TO A WOMAN WHO DEEPLY  LOVED AND SERVED HER COMMUNITY  AS A K-12 EDUCATOR IN  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC  SCHOOLS FOR 43 YEARS.  I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY IN  THIS ROOM WHO SAT HERE ALL  NIGHT, WHO STOOD BEFORE US AND  SHARED THEIR PERSONAL STORIES.  AND THEY WERE ALSO TOUCHING --  THIS IS NOT AN EASY DECISION,  BUT I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO  HEARING FROM MY COLLEAGUES AND  WHATEVER THE OUTCOME TONIGHT, WE WILL ALL CELEBRATE TOGETHER.  THANK YOU.  THANK YOU, MEMBERMAN.  MEMBER GRAY.  

>>Lynn Gray: MY FIRST THOUGHTS  IS APPRECIATION FOR EVERY ONE OF THOSE LEADERS AND EVERY ONE OF  THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO SUPPORTED  THOSE LEADERS WHO WERE  RECOMMENDED.  THOSE REMARKS THAT YOU MADE WILL BE EMBLEMATIC IN THE LIVES OF  EACH OF THEM AS WELL AS THE  BOARD MEMBERS HERE TONIGHT.  THIS IS NOT AN EASY CHOICE.  I WISH THERE WAS A FORMULA THAT  I COULD USE, BECAUSE AFTER EIGHT YEARS, I STILL LOOK AT, YOU  KNOW, WHAT THE INGREDIENTS OF  THE PERSON -- WHAT DO THEY HAVE  TO OFFER.  WHAT DO THEY STAND FOR.  HOW ARE WILL THEY AFFECT OUR  STUDENTS.  PROBABLY THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY  IS HOW WILL THEY AFFECT THE  STUDENTS.  AS -- I AM GOING TO BE A LITTLE  BIT MORE PRAGMATIC.  RIGHT NOW I FEEL THAT AS I -- AS WE CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE  MONTH AND AS WE ARE VERY AWARE  IN A FEW YEARS THAT PERHAPS  MAYBE 53% OF OUR STUDENTS WILL  BE HISPANIC.  AND I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE  WIMAUMA AREA.  ENTERPRISING LATINAS.  AND I KNOW MANY OF YOU KNOW  THAT.  I FEEL VERY, VERY DEEPLY THAT  THE PERSON WE NEED TO CHOOSE  REFLECT THE HERITAGE AND THE  HISTORICAL FOOTPRINT OF OUR  HISPANIC COMMUNITIES.  AND I -- I PLURALIZE THAT.  COMMUNITIES.  I FEEL THAT AS I DID LAST TIME,  I AM GOING TO RECOMMEND  THAT E.J. SALCINES, I DO BELIEVE THAT HE IS THE TRUE PUBLIC  SERVANT AND I DO ALSO AGREE THAT MISS MORGAN SEASON A TRUE PUBLIC SERVANT AND A TEACHER.  A WONDERFUL TEACHER.  43 YEARS IN THE BUSINESS AND  LOVED BY BLACK, BROWN IMMIGRANTS AND ALL AROUND IN WIMAUMA.  I ALSO KNOW AND APPRECIATE SO  MUCH OF SYLVIA ALBRITON ON OUR  HUMAN TRAFFICKING COMMITTEE AND  SERVED HER STUDENTS WITH LOVE,  PASSION AND HIGH REWARD.  I WILL BE PERFECTLY FRANK, BOBBY HOWARD.  I DIDN'T HAVE A BACKGROUND UNTIL TONIGHT FOOT PRINT TO ADD VIA  TOWN AND COUNTRY, BE IT WIMAUMA, RUSKIN SOUTH SHORE.  AND NEAR PLANT CITY, SEFFNER,  ALL THOSE COMMUNITIES.  I AM LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO CAN BE STANDARD, BE THE ROLE MODEL  FOR ALL OF THAT.  I FIND THAT NOMINATING IF THAT  IS THE RIGHT WORD OF TAMPA IS  ONE OF OUR OWN E.J. SALCINES  REPRESENTING WEST TAMPA.  REPRESENTING JESUIT WHICH I  TAUGHT FOR MANY YEARS  REPRESENTING, A WEEKEN OF HOPE  AND INSPIRATION.  I HAVE TO SAY GIVEN THE  DIFFICULT CHOICE BUT GIVEN WHAT  THIS MAN HAS DONE INCLUSIVE IS  NOMINATING A JUDGE, FIRST BLACK  JUDGE, JUDGE EDGECOMB.  SORRY WITH THE PRONUNCIATION.  I HAVE TO SAY THAT HE IS A MAN  OF DIVERSITY, WHICH IS VERY --  EVERY ONE OF YOU KNOW THIS IS  EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT WHOEVER THE SCHOOL IS NAMED  AFTER.  DOES EMBRACE DIVERSITY OF OUR  STUDENTS.  SO I AM GOING TO RECOMMEND E.J.  SALCINES.  AND THAT IS -- THAT IS WHERE I  AM AT THIS MOMENT.  THANK YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU MADAM  -- MEMBER GRAY.  MEMBER RENDON.  

>>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.  I HAVE SAID FROM THE VERY  BEGINNING FROM THE MOMENT THAT  WE DID THE FIRST GROUNDBREAKING  OF THIS SCHOOL, THAT IT IS VERY  IMPORTANT TO ME FROM EVERY TOWN  HALL MEETING THAT THIS SCHOOL  REFLECT THE COMMUNITY OF  WIMAUMA.  I REMEMBER AS A YOUNG GIRL --  NOT YOUNG GIRL, YOUNG WOMAN.  I WAS ONE OF ONLY TWO PEOPLE  THAT WOULD GO OUT AND PROVIDE  WISH GRANTING TO INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE IN THE WIMAUMA AREA THAT  WERE -- CHILDREN WHO WERE DYING  OF HIV.  I REMEMBER AS A CHILD, COMING UP AND GOING THROUGH THE DIFFERENT  FARMING COMMUNITIES FROM FORT  MYERS.  AND WE WOULD DRIVE THROUGH  WIMAUMA TO SEE DIFFERENT FAMILY  MEMBERS AND DIFFERENT THINGS.  AS I WAS OLDER AND COME OUT  HERE, I WOULD IN MASSACHUSETTS  IS CHANGING.  THE -- WISCONSIN IS CHANGING.  THE HISTORY OF WIMAUMA IS LOSING ITS.  MANY OF THE FORMS ARE MOVING OUT OF WIMAUMA.  THEY ARE MOVING OUT OF OTHER  COUNTIES AND MOVING CLOSER TO  OKEECHOBEE.  THAT IS NOT WHAT WIMAUMA WAS.  IT WAS RAMPER AND FARMER AND  RAILROAD AND CAPTAIN DAVIS BEGAN WIMAUMA.  WIMAUMA IS NAMED AFTER THE THREE LAWYERS THAT HE HAD.  THOSE DAUGHTERS NAME WERE  WILLIE, MAUDE AND MARY.  I KNOW BECAUSE I WROTE IT DOWN  BECAUSE I FORGET.  BUT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME  THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THIS --  WIMAUMA IS OFTEN THE MAP.  LET'S BE REALISTIC.  A BIG HIGH SCHOOL IN WIMAUMA.  NO ONE WOULD EVER GUESSED.  YOU KNOW, OUR HIGH SCHOOL THAT  WAS WIMAUMA BECAME AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.  IT IS THE SAME BUILDING.  WHICH IS WHY MANY OF THE  COMMUNITY MEMBERS DIDN'T WANT  WIMAUMA HIGH SCHOOL.  BECAUSE IT WAS WIMAUMA BEFORE  AND THEY DON'T WANT IT REPLACED. I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT AND  UNDERSTAND IT VERY STRONGLY.  I STRUGGLE, BECAUSE WE HAVE TWO  PHENOMENAL EDUCATORS COMING FROM WIMAUMA.  AND HOW DO YOU PICK ONE? HOW DO YOU PICK ONE? IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO PICK  ONE.  I HAVE LEANED VERY HEAVILY ON  EVEN CONTEMPLATING THE FOUNDER  OF WIMAUMA.  BECAUSE WITHOUT THE FOUNDER, WE  WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY NAMED  WIMAUMA, NAMED THE LAKE WIMAUMA. THAT LAKE PRODUCED AND ABLE TO  PROVIDE FOOD WHAT WAS STOCKED IN THE LAKE.  PROVIDED THE FARMS OF THE WATER  THAT CAME FROM THERE.  IT WAS A VERY CRITICAL PIECE.  BUT I AGREE WITH DR. HAHN WE  HAVE VERY FEW OPPORTUNITIES TO  HONOR EDUCATORS IN OUR  COMMUNITY.  SO I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT  THAT WE RESPECT THE HISTORY OF  WIMAUMA.  WE RESPECT THE COMMUNITY OF  WIMAUMA AND WE LOOK AT OUR  EDUCATORS.  ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK  IS REALLY UNIQUE THIS SITUATION  IS, WE DON'T JUST HAVE EDGE  CHATERS.  BUT WE HAVE TEACHERS.  TEACHERS THAT STAYED IN THE  CLASSROOM.  AND WITH ALL DUE RESPECT,  MISS ALBRITON, YOU WERE AMAZING  IN YOUR TENURE THROUGH ALL THE  ELEMENTS YOU SERVED WITHIN ALL  THIS ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND  NOTHING TO SAY THAT IS ANYTHING  OTHER THAN WONDERFUL.  BUT I THINK FOR THIS PARTICULAR  TIME, AND WIMAUMA IS CHANGING  AND BECOMING SO DIFFERENT.  WHO WOULD THOUGHT A LAGOON --  THEY ARE BRINGING UP SO MANY  THINGS.  WIMAUMA IS CHANGING AND WE NEED  TO KEEP THAT HISTORY THERE AND  MAKE SURE THAT IT REFLECTS THE  COMMUNITY.  AND I -- I STRUGGLE WITH THIS  VERY MUCH BECAUSE YOU HAVE TWO  VERY GOOD EDUCATORS.  AND AS FAR AS MR. SALCINES.  HE IS A WONDERFUL MAN.  AND HE DOES WONDERFUL THINGS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.  AND HE WAS WONDERFUL WITHIN THE  LAW AND WONDERFUL -- BUT I FEEL  VERY STRONGLY THAT WE HAVE TO  PRESERVE WIMAUMA.  AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT NEEDS TO REPRESENT WIMAUMA AND  REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY OF  WIMAUMA AND WHERE WIMAUMA COMES  FROM.  BECAUSE OF THAT, I AM GOING TO  BE RECOMMENDING AQUILA MORGAN.  [ APPLAUSE ] THANK YOU.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU,  MEMBER RENDON.  MEMBER WASHINGTON.  

>>Henry "Shake" Washington:  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, YOU KNOW SOME YEARS AGO, I -- I DIDN'T  REALIZE WHO -- WHO THE GREAT  PERSON -- I MR. GATLIN WAS  TELLING ME, AND MR. JIM GATLIN  WAS MY PRINCIPAL WHEN I WAS  HIS A.P. AT CHAMBERLAIN AND HE  USED TO WORK IN WIMAUMA.  HE USED TO WORK THERE.  YES, HE DID.  AND HE ONCE SAID, YOU KNOW, MAN, THAT LADY DOWN THERE.  SHE TAKES CARE OF EVERYBODY.  SHE IS ALL OVER THE PLACE.  SHE IS THE QUEEN OF WIMAUMA.  I SAID THE QUEEN OF WIMAUMA? HE SAID YES.  I HAD A CHANCE TO MEET MRS.  MORGAN.  SHE WAS PHENOMENAL PERSON WHEN I MET HER.  VERY EASY GOING.  LOVED PEOPLE.  AND I AM NOT TAKING ANYTHING  FROM MISS ALBRITON BECAUSE WE  WERE PRINCIPALS TOGETHER AND DID YOU A GREAT JOB.  YOU ALWAYS WILL BE IN MY HEART.  BUT WIMAUMA, WE GOT THE WIMAUMA. WE GOT TO HAVE SOMEONE DOWN  THERE THAT CAN KEEP IT GOING.  YOU KNOW, WE DON'T -- WE DON'T  GIVE TEACHERS ENOUGH RESPECT.  I MEAN, WE GOT GREAT EDUCATORS  AND VERY FEW TIMES WE NAME  SOMETHING AFTER THEM.  AND NOT THAT MR. SALCINES WAS  BAD AND EVERYTHING.  HE IS GREAT.  BUT WE ALSOS HAVE GREAT PEOPLE  IN E-- WE ALSO HAVE GREAT PEOPLE IN EDUCATION, WE REALLY DO AND  ESPECIALLY TEACHERS.  WE DON'T NAME TOO MANY THINGS  AFTER TEACHERS.  I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE A HIGH  SCHOOL NAMED AFTER A TEACHER, DO WE? NO, ALL ADMINISTRATORS OR HIGHER OR -- COME FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE.  SO -- AND THIS IS WHAT GOT ME.  THIS IS WHAT CAUGHT ME.  I GOT TO READ THIS.  AND I AM NOT GOING TO PREACH.  I AM GOING TO READ IT.  MRS. LEVITT.  CONTINUE, MY GRANDMOTHER WALKED  BY FAITH.  WALKED BY FAITH.  WHEN THE FEAR AND -- AND WHEN -- IN FEAR AND COMMITTED TO ALL  STUDENTS, WHITE, BLACK, BROWN,  ENSURED THEY ALL RECEIVED FAIR,  FUN, FIRM AND DEVELOPED A GREAT  LOVE FOR EDUCATION.  THAT IS GREAT.  THAT IS GREAT FOR ANY -- ANY --  ANY EDUCATOR IN HILLSBOROUGH  COUNTY.  YOU CAN'T GET GREATER -- YOU  CAN'T SAY BETTER THAN THAT.  IT CAME OUT THE NEWSPAPER.  YOU CAN NOT SAY IT BETTER THAN  THAT.  SO I AM CASTING MY VOTE TONIGHT  FOR MISS MORGAN  [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON.  MEMBER VAUGHN.  

>>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU,  MADAM CHAIR.  FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU TO ALL  OF MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS,  ESPECIALLY DR. HAHN.  SHE ALWAYS SPEAKS SO ELOQUENTLY  WHAT AN HONOR THIS IS.  IT IS AN HONOR.  AN HONOR TO SIT UP HERE AND HAVE ALL THE STORIES SHARED WITH ALL  THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW MUCH THEY HAVE CONTRIBUTED  AND MONDAYESTLY, THESE ARE SOME  OF THE HARDEST DECISIONS. WE AS A BOARD HAVE HAD TO MAKE  SOME OF THE HARDEST DECISIONS.  A LOT OF MUNICIPALITIES HAD TO  MAKE.  AND THIS ONE IS PROBABLY ONE OF  THE HARDEST.  SOMEBODY CAME UP EARLIER AND  SPOKE AND SAID WHEN YOU CAST A  VOTE FOR ONE PERSON, YOU ARE  ALSO CASTING A VOTE FOR THAT  COMMUNITY.  I DON'T EVER WANT ONE COMMUNITY  TO FEEL IF I CHOSE ONE PERSON  OVER THE OTHER I DON'T SUPPORT  THAT COMMUNITY AND HONOR THE  CONTRIBUTIONS THEY MADE TO OUR  COMMUNITY OR TO EDUCATION OR TO  ANYTHING.  AND, AGAIN, WE HAVE BEEN  OVERWHELMED WITH -- I HAVE  GOTTEN STACKS OF LETTER IN THE  MAIL TO MY PERSONAL HOUSE.  AND THREE FOURTHS OF THEM, I  READ AS MUCH AS I COULD WENT  OVER AND INUNDATED TEXT MESSAGES AND E-MAILS.  AMAZING TO HEAR SO MANY PEOPLE  SO PASSIONATELY SPEAK ABOUT  PEOPLE.  HARD TO CAST ONE VOTE.  I KNOW IT IS FOR ALL OF US.  WE WOULD LOVE TO HONOR EVERYONE  CONTRIBUTED TO OUR COMMUNITY AND EDUCATION HERE.  ONLY THING THAT GIVES ME SOLACE, I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT MORE  SCHOOLS TO NAME.  EVEN IF WE DON'T CHOOSE A PERSON YOU ARE ADVOCATING FOR TONIGHT  DOES NOT MOO EN WE MIGHT NOT  CHOOSE THEM AGAIN.  WE DIDN'T CHOOSE MR. ADUM FOR A  COUPLE OF TIMES AND THEN A  SCHOOL NAMED FOR HIM.  THAT IS THE ONLY THING.  FOR SOME REASON, WE DON'T CHOOSE THE PERSON YOU ARED A VIS  SKATING FOR, PLEASE KNOW THERE  WILL BE -- ADVOCATING FOR,  PLEASE KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE  ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.  FROM MY OWNER PERSONAL STORIES,  FROM READING WHAT MASS BEEN  SUGGESTED.  WHAT VOTES COME OUT OF THE  COMMUNITY ITSELF.  LISTENING TO MY FELLOW BOARD  MEMBERS.  IT IS REALLY, REALLY HARD, I  WILL VOTE FOR MISS MORGAN.  [LOUD CHEERING]

>>Jessica Vaughn: OH, MY  GOODNESS.  THANK YOU, MISS ALBRITON FOR  YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS.  AGAIN, THERE ARE LOTS MORE  SCHOOLS COMING.  SO PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP THE  FIGHT.  AGAIN, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING.  I LOOKED FORWARD TO HEARING MORE OF MR. SALCINES AS WE GO ON IT  AND THAT IMPLORE SCHOOLS AND I  LOVED HEAR HIS CONTRIBUTION.  BUT THAT'S WRITE LANDED.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.  

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN.  MEMBER COMBS.  

>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, CHAIR  PEREZ.  I ALSO WANTED TO SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS.  SO MANY GREAT INDIVIDUALS OUT  HERE.  AND IT IS REALLY HARD WHEN YOU  SEE HOW MUCH TIME AND EFFORT HAS BEEN PUT FORWARD LIKE I LOOK AT  DR. ALBRITON AND THE MOST VOTES  WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COMMUNITY  OUT THERE.  WHEN YOU LOOK AT SUPPLEMENTARY  OF THAT AND I LOOK AT ALL THE  OTHER -- WE RECEIVED SUMMARIES  OF THE TOP THREE AND  DR. ALBRIGHTON WAS NUMBER ONE  FROM THE COMMUNITY FOR ALL THE  VOTES AND STUFF.  THAT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO LOOK  AT THAT.  AND I LOOK AT MISS MORGAN AND  EVERYBODY WHO WAS HERE TODAY.  THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE I HAVE  REPRESENTING DISTRICT 1 IS TO  ME, IT IS PRETTY SHOCKING TO SEE THERE ARE ONLY SEVEN SCHOOLS  THAT ARE NAMED AFTER HISPANIC  INDIVIDUALS IN HILLSBOROUGH  COUNTY.  YOU KNOW, ALMOST 40% OF OUR  STUDENTS ARE HISPANIC.  WHEN I GO OUT AND IN TOWN AND  COUNTRY AREA AND I LOOK AT HOW  MANY SCHOOLS HAVE GROWN, AT ONE  POINT, WE WERE LOOKING AT  CLOSING MORGAN WOODS AND  INSTEAD, 200 STUDENTS HAVE COME  IN.  AND DISTRICT 1, WE HAVE SO MANY  -- SO MANY STUDENTS COMING IN  FROM THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY,  FROM VENEZUELA, FROM COLUMBIA,  FROM PUERTO RICO, FROM ALL OVER  THE WORLD WHO ARE COMING TO  DISTRICT 1.  YOU KNOW, I -- I CAN SENSE THE  VOTE OF WHERE IT IS -- MISS  MORGAN IS GOING TO BE, BUT I DO  BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO REALLY  MAKE SURE WE START LOOKING AT  SOME HISPANIC INDIVIDUALS.  SOMEONE LIKE E.J. SALCINES AND  REALLY LOOK AT PEOPLE TO  SOMETIMES -- I LOOK AT  PRESIDENTS, GENERALS, SCHOOLS  WERE NAMED AFTER SO MANY THINGS  AND GREAT TO NAME -- WE NAMED  YORK AFTER A TEACHER.  AND WE ALSO, YOU KNOW -- THEN WE NAMED MR. ADUM AFTER AN  ADMINISTRATOR.  I DON'T ALWAYS THINK IT HAS TO  BE AN EDUCATOR.  I THINK IT HAS TO BE SOMETIMES  SOMEONE WHO INSTILLED  INSPIRATION IN PEOPLE, WHO  CHANGED PEOPLE'S LIVES, WHO  MOTIVATED PEOPLE TO DO BETTER,  AND TO WANT TO REPRESENT MORE.  AND SO I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT  THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND WE  LOOK AT WHO OUR SCHOOLS ARE  NAMED AFTER, I THINK IT IS KIND  OF SHOCKING TO SEE THAT, YOU  KNOW, THERE IS 11 ITALIAN NAMES  AND ONLY SEVEN HISPANIC NAMES  AND 40% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE  HISPANIC AND THE STUDENTS IN  WIMAUMA, THE MAJORITY OF THE  STUDENTS WILL BE HISPANIC OR A  MIX -- OR -- IT WILL BE A MIX.  EITHER WAY, AS I SAID, I AM FINE WITH ANY TIME THAT IS SELECTED  TODAY.  I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE GREAT  NO MATTER WHAT ALL THESE LEADERS HAVE BEEN AMAZING AND WONDERFUL. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF  YOU WHO HAVE BEEN HERE TO ALMOST 8:00 TONIGHT REALLY TALKING OF  THE PEOPLE WHO MADE SUCH AN  IMPRESSION ON YOU.  I WAS SO TOUCHED BY PEOPLE WHO  CAME AND TALKED ABOUT THEIR  TEACHERS OR THEIR MENTORS AND  PEOPLE WHO REALLY IMPACTED THEM. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EACH AND  EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR COMING  TONIGHT.  THANK YOU  [APPLAUSE]

>>Jim Porter: WE STILL NEED TO  DO THE BALLOTS AND THEY WILL BE  TALLIED AND THEN A MOTION AFTER  THAT.  SUPERINTENDENT WILL ANNOUNCE --  SORRY -- TONYA WILL GIVE IT TO  THE SUPERINTENDENT.  

>>Superintendent Ayres: BOARD  MEMBERS.  I HAVE THE RESULTS.  FOUR VOTES FOR AQUILA J. MORGAN. THREE VOTES FOR E.J. SALCINES.  FOUR VOTES FOR AQUILA WAS HENRY  "SHAKE" WASHINGTON, PATTI  RENDON, STACY HAHN AND JESSICA  VAUGHN.  AND THEN, OF COURSE, THREE VOTES FOR E.J. SALCINES, NADIA COMBS,  LYNN GRAY, AND KAREN PEREZ.  

>>Jim Porter: THANK YOU,  SUPERINTENDENT.  APPROPRIATE TO ASK FOR A MOTION  TO NAME THE SCHOOL AFTER MISS  MORGAN.  

>>Karen Perez: I NEED FOR THE  AUDIENCE TO PLEASE BE QUIET.  PLEASE.  AND BE RESPECTFUL.  I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER RENDON AND SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY.  ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS  APPEAR.  IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.  CONGRATULATIONS  [APPLAUSE] [CHEERING]

>>Karen Perez: WE'RE GOING TO RECESS FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.

>>Karen Perez: WE'RE READY TO START THE MEETING NOW. THE NEXT ITEM IS 1.01, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AGREEMENT WITH CHAPTER ONE U.S. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM.

>>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. CHAPTER ONE U.S. HAS BEEN PROVIDING SHORT BURST FACE-TO-FACE TUTORING SINCE 1993 AND CURRENTLY SERVES OVER 40,000 STUDENTS ACROSS THE NATION. UNDERGO INITIAL TRAINING IN EARLY LITERACY SKILLS, INSTRUCTION FOLLOWED BY CONTINUOUS, ONGOING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. TUTORS DELIVER PHONICS AND WORD SKILLS AND INSTRUCTIONS FACE TO FACE AND ONE-ON-ONE TO STUDENTS WHO THEN RECEIVE IMMEDIATE REINFORCEMENT OF ASSIGNED SKILLS. THIS GOES DIRECTLY WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AROUND THIRD GRADE PROFICIENCY AND INCREASING THAT NUMBER. WE HAD A 5% JUMP THIS PAST YEAR. THIS IS AN ITEM WE WILL HAVE IN PLACE, WILL ASSIST US IN REACHING GOALS FOR NEXT YEAR. TRACIEE BERGMAN IS HERE AS WELL IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS REGARDING 1.01.

>>Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE C 1.01. MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER VAUGHN AND MEMBER COMBS, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

>>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I DID NOT HAVE QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE WENT OVER IT, BUT THERE WERE TWO ITEMS I PULLED SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE AS WE GO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT OUR READING RATES BUT SPECIFICALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS AND WHAT ARE WE DOING TO CREATE EQUITY AND HIGHLIGHTING THAT WE'RE EXPANDING THESE TO OUR TITLE ONE SCHOOLS AND WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS WHEN IT COMES TO LITERACY I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO ANSWER THE COMMUNITY OF WHAT WE'RE DOING WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE DECISIONS THAT WE'RE MAKING TO SUPPORT OUR MOST MARGINALIZED STUDENTS OR OUR STUDENTS WHO NEED THE MOST SUPPORT. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS AS WELL AS ANOTHER ITEM THAT COMES UP LATER TODAY. THANK YOU FOR THIS. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK FOR, THOUGH, THE DATA NEXT TIME. IT'S GREAT THAT WE PULL THIS OUT AND WE TRY THIS AND WE'RE GIVING EXTRA SUPPORT AND TUTORS ARE FANTASTIC BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE GO TO REAPPROVE THIS NEXT TIME, IT'S EFFECTIVE AND HAVING AN IMPACT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER COMBS.

>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. BERGMAN FOR ANSWERING SO MANY OF MY QUESTIONS. I OBVIOUSLY HAD AN INTEREST BECAUSE I HAD TUTORING CENTERS FOR 20 YEARS AND SAW SUCH A BIG ITEM WITH A HIGH PRICE WITH TITLE ONE, I CAN SEE THE NEED FOR IT AND THE BIGGEST QUESTION, WHY DIDN'T IT GO OUT FOR RFP, WHY WAS IT A SOLE SOURCE BECAUSE I ALWAYS WANT TO GET THE BEST VALUE FOR OUR MONEY. I TRY TO LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE PENNY THAT WE SPEND ON THE AGENDA ITEMS. WHEN I SEE LARGE AGENDA ITEMS, HOW DOES IT IMPACT STUDENTS. HOW MANY STUDENTS IS IT GOING TO IMPACT ESPECIALLY WHEN COMING OUT OF TITLE ONE DOLLARS. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU COULD GIVE US A SHORT SUMMARY ON WHY IT WAS SOLE-SOURCED BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND HOW THE PAYMENT WILL BE BASED ON DELIVERABLES ON THE STUDENTS. I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

>> SURE. ONE OF THE THINGS AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY CHAPTER ONE IS A SOLE SOURCE IS BECAUSE IT PROVIDES THE FACE-TO-FACE COMPONENT DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. A LOT OF TUTORING COMPANIES OFFER TUTORING BUT THEY ARE ONLINE, VIRTUAL, MAY BE AFTER SCHOOL, WHICH DOESN'T BRING THAT WHOLE EQUITY PIECE THAT BOARD MEMBER VAUGHN WAS REFERRING TO IN THE ACCESS PIECE WHICH WE KNOW ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AT TITLE ONE SCHOOLS. WE WENT WITH THE SOLE SOURCE ON THIS ONE. ABLE TO GO DOWN TO MANATEE COUNTY, ONE OF THE DISTRICTS IN FLORIDA WHERE CHAPTER ONE IS BEING USED, WATCHED IT IN ACTION, SAW THE TUTORS IN ACTION. WHAT THEY HAVE DOESN'T COMPARE. SO WHEN YOU PUT THINGS OUT FOR SOLE SOURCE, IF THERE IS A LARGE INTEREST OR IT DOES APPEAR THAT THERE IS A COMPARABLE PRODUCT TO WHAT YOU PUT OUT, THEN YOU DO HAVE TO SHIFT TO THE RFP PROCESS AND THERE WASN'T BECAUSE THEY ARE DIFFERENT IN THEIR APPROACH. THAT IS HOW WE LANDED WITH THE SOLE SOURCE PIECE AS FAR AS THAT GOES. AND THE PAYMENTS. THANK YOU. I WAS LIKE THERE'S ANOTHER PART TO THIS. THE PAYMENTS, THIS CONTRACT WAS WRITTEN TO BE AN OUTCOMES BASED CONTRACT. IT IS ONE OF TWO. WE'LL GET TO THE SECOND ONE IN JUST A MINUTE, THAT WE ARE WORKING ON. SO WE HAVE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS JOINED A GROUP, A COALITION WITH THE FIRST COHORT IN WRITING OUTCOMES BASED CONTRACTS WHERE WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT IS IT WE WANT OUT OF THE PRODUCT THAT WE'RE PURCHASING, IN THIS CASE THE TUTORING. WHAT WE WANT IS STUDENT PROFICIENCY. WE WRITE THE CONTRACT BASED ON THE OUTCOMES WE WANT TO SEE. WE WORKED WITH THE VENDOR IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE OUTCOMES ARE REASONABLE BUT ALSO STRETCH THE STUDENTS, STRETCH THE GROWTH, STRETCH US TO HOLD TO THE FIDELITY OF THE PROGRAM AND STRETCH THE COMPANY TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THEY SAY THEY DO AS WELL AS THE RESULTS WE NEED. WE HAVE DIFFERENT MEASURES THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, INCLUDING BOTH GROWTH MEASURES AND PROFICIENCY MEASURES. FROM THERE, WE TAKE A LOOK AT OUR MIDYEAR DATA. WE TAKE A LOOK AT OUR YOUNGER STUDENTS, AS WELL AS DIBBLES DATA AND END OF YEAR DATA. VENDOR IS PAID BASED ON OUTCOMES PREDETERMINED AND WRITTEN INTO THE CONTRACT. PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS DON'T REACH THAT, THE VENDOR DOESN'T GET PAID THE FULL AMOUNT. WRITE THE CONTRACT, IT IS A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF PAY BASED ON HOW WELL THE STUDENTS PERFORM.

>>Nadia Combs: I WANT TO THANK YOU. I THINK THIS IS A WONDERFUL CONTRACT. I AM SO EXCITED TO SEE WE ARE TARGETING OUR MOST MARGINALIZED STUDENTS, OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING THE MOST. SO MY QUESTION IS, WILL THIS BE STUDENTS IN GENERAL, ESE, ALL STUDENTS BELOW LEVEL?

>> THE SCHOOLS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED BASED ON -- INITIALLY BASED ON THIRD GRADE PROFICIENCY. WE LOOKED AT TITLE ONE SCHOOLS THAT WERE STRUGGLING WITH PROFICIENCY BUT ALSO HAD GAPS IN EITHER KINDERGARTEN, FIRST GRADE, OR BOTH. THIS IS A WHOLE-CLASS MODEL TUTORING PIECE. THE TUTORS WILL WORK WITH ALL STUDENTS IN THE KINDERGARTEN AND THE FIRST GRADE AT THE SITES WITH THE PURPOSE OF BOTH ACCELERATING PROGRESS FROM STRUGGLING STUDENTS AS WELL AS ACCELERATING GOES THAT CAN BE ACCELERATED AND PUSHED EVEN FURTHER TO BECOME BETTER READERS AT YOUNGER AGES. IT IS A WHOLE CLASS MODEL. WHERE IT DIFFERS IS IN TERMS OF SHORT BURST TUTORING. THE NUMBER OF SESSIONS THE STUDENT WOULD RECEIVE AS WELL AS THE DURATION. IT IS TRULY HITTING ALL OF STUDENTS. EVEN IF YOU ARE A HIGH PERFORMING READER IN KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE, THAT'S NOT TO SAY IF WE DON'T GIVE YOU THE ATTENTION YOU NEED YOU'RE NOT GOING TO STRUGGLE LATER ON. IT IS A PREVENTIVE MEASURE --

>>Nadia Combs: WILL YOU GET FEEDBACK HALFWAY THROUGH? WE'LL GET SOME INFORMATION FROM YOU THEN?

>> YEAH, INFORMATION BEGINNING WITH PM 2 DATA CYCLE. WE USE PM 1 AS BASELINE DATA COLLECTION BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF TESTING IT. YES, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU THAT DATA FOR THE PMT PIECE. IN ADDITION, OUR TEAM AND OUR TEAM FROM CHAPTER ONE ARE ALSO WORKING TOGETHER SO THAT INCLUDES CONSISTENT MEETINGS. WE ALREADY MET WITH THE SITES TO TALK THROUGH IT WITH THEM. INPUT FROM PRINCIPALS, MAKE SURE EVERYBODY THAT COMMITTED TO IT IS ON BOARD WITH US AND CONTINUE TO DO SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD. NOT ONLY GETTING FEEDBACK FROM WHAT WE SEE IN THE DATA BUT THE ADMINISTRATORS AND LITERACY COACHES AT THE SITE.

>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU SO MUCH. I THINK THIS IS GREAT. REALLY TEACHING IMPLICITLY AND TEACHING PHONICS AND PULL OUT AND WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE MAYBE NOT MAKING THE GAINS THEY NEED TO. I THINK IT COULD POTENTIALLY BE A REAL GAME CHANGER FOR MANY STUDENTS. THAT'S VERY EXCITING AND MS. FOSSICK FOR BRINGING THIS.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THE NEXT ITEM IS 1.02, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AGREEMENTS WITH AMIRA LEARNING INCORPORATED. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM.

>>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THE SECOND AGENDA ITEM THAT MS. BERGMAN WAS SPEAKING OF. WE ARE EXPANDING WITH AMIRA TO IMPLEMENT ONE-ON-ONE AI BASED READING TUTORING FOR APPROXIMATELY 45 LUNE SECOND AND THIRD GRADE STUDENTS AT 45 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. 15 OF OUR ELEMENTARY SITES PARTICIPATED IN A PILOT UTILIZING THE AMIRA READING TUTOR DURING THE 23, 24 SCHOOL YEAR. IN ADDITION, THIRD GRADE STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN THE SUMMER READING CAMP DUE TO THIRD GRADE RETENTION UTILIZED AMIRA. OF THE STUDENTS 25% RECEIVED A SCORE AT OR ABOVE THE 50% PERCENTILE LEADING TO A PROMOTION TO THIRD GRADE. MULTIPLE INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS DEMONSTRATES THAT STUDENTS WHO READ WITH AMIRA FOR JUST TEN MINUTES A DAY EXPERIENCE READING GROWTH AT A RATE TWICE THAT NATIONAL AVERAGE. I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT AS WE THINK ABOUT LAST YEAR, HERE IS ANOTHER ITEM TARGETING OUR THIRD GRADE READING PROFICIENCY. WE HAD A 5% JUMP FROM 46 TO 51 THIS PREVIOUS YEAR. WE TALK 5%. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THAT'S OVER 700 STUDENTS NOW APPRECIATIVE IN THIRD GRADE. TRACY, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DID AND COLLEEN, LAST YEAR TO MOVE THE NEEDLE AND LOOKING TO MOVE MORE. 5%, THAT'S OVER 700 STUDENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY APPRECIATIVE IN THIRD -- PROFICIENT IN THIRD GRADE FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR. THAT IS ITEM 1.02, AMIRA.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 1.02. MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER GRAY, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

>>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'M VERY ELATED. VERY SUCCESSFUL, 85% OF THE TEACHERS SEEM TO ENJOY THIS. ALSO AS MEMBER COMBS ALLUDED TO, WE'RE DEALING WITH THE HIGH NEEDS POPULATION. THERE'S ONLY, I THINK, SEVEN HISPANIC -- CLARIFY THAT. I HAVE 22 AFRICAN AMERICANS, 7 HISPANIC AND 11. IS THERE MORE THAN THAT ON THE HISPANIC AMOUNT OF INVOLVEMENT? I HAVE THE 15 ELEMENTARY SITES.

>> ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE POPULATIONS OF THE SCHOOLS THAT WERE SELECTED OR LIKE IN TERMS OF --

>>Lynn Gray: I HAVE 32 AFRICAN AMERICANS, 7 HISPANIC, AND 11 ARE THE REST. ONLY DISCREPANCY IS WHY AREN'T THERE MORE HISPANIC IN RELATIVE POPULATION? BUT COLLEEN, GO AHEAD, MS. FOSSETT.

>> WE'RE JUST WONDERING WHERE THE NUMBERS ARE COMING FROM SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SAME DATA IN ORDER TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, MA'AM.

>>Lynn Gray: IT'S COMING FROM THE GAP ANALYSIS WHERE IT SAYS AMIRA LEARNING PILOT STUDY ALLOWED 775 THIRD GRADE, FIRST PAGE, 775 THIRD GRADE STUDENTS. 15 ELEMENTARY SITES. I TOOK NOTES, MS. BERGMAN, THAT I HAD 32 AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS, 7 HISPANIC, AND 11 WERE THE REMAINDER. IF WE DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT, I CAN -- WE CAN DO THIS ONE ON ONE. SINCE WE'RE IN THE SPIRIT OF HISPANIC RECOGNITION, ET CETERA, I'M STAYING ON THAT SAME WAVE LENGTH. MY QUESTION ALSO, OR MAYBE MY COMMENT, WE'RE USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AND I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE DOING THAT. I WANT TO HAVE YOU SHARE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE THE REASON IS I PUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WORKSHOP TWICE AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS DID NOT WANT THAT OR MANY OF THEM, AND THAT CAME FROM ORANGE COUNTY, BUT WE'LL DO IT IN JULY. AM I SEEING THAT THE TEACHERS ARE ALREADY USING THIS, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AS A TUTORING EXPERIENCE?

>> SO WHEN THE STUDENTS GO ON TO THE PROGRAM, GENERALLY THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, IT'S NOT LIKE A CHAPT GPT. IT'S NOT SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES. IT'S ACTUALLY THE TUTOR ITSELF. THE STUDENTS, IT IS A FLUENCY BASED PROGRAM. SO THE STUDENTS PUT THE HEADPHONES ON WITH THE MICROPHONE AND THEY READ INTO -- THEY READ THE PASSAGE ALLOWED. IF THEY MAKE AN ERROR, AMIRA, THE AI COMPONENT IS WHAT CATCHES THAT ERROR AND PROVIDES THEM THE IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK AND THE INSTRUCTION FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO CORRECT THAT ERROR AND BE ABLE TO APPLY IT INTO OTHER PASSAGES. SO IT IS THE AMIRA, THE NAME AMIRA, SHE IS THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND SHE IS THAT TUTOR PIECE. SO IT PROVIDES THEM WHEN YOU TAKE THEIR PLACEMENT ASSESSMENTS, ABOUT A TEN MINUTE THING JUST TO PLACE THEM INTO THE RIGHT PIECE. FROM THERE IT CAN GUIDE THEM INTO THE STORIES AND BASED ON THE ERRORS, IT PROVIDES INSTRUCTIONS AND AS IT SEES THE PRACTICE AND INSTRUCTION IMPROVE, IT MOVES THEM AT THE LEVEL AND THAT'S HOW THEY CONTINUE TO GROW. WHAT'S COOL ABOUT IT, IT ALSO RECORDS THE READINGS THAT THE STUDENTS DO. SO IF FAMILIES COME IN FOR CONFERENCES OR IF YOU'RE -- FAMILIES ARE LIKE I DON'T THINK MY CHILD HAS ANY ISSUES, THEY ARE TRYING TO EXPLAIN IT, IT PROVIDES THAT CONCEPT WHERE YOU CAN SHARE THAT RECORDING WITH THEM AS WELL AMIRA, THE AI PORTION IS THE TUTOR WHO LISTENS AND DIAGNOSES AND INSTRUCTS BASED ON THAT.

>>Lynn Gray: LOOKING AT LONG RANGE AS WE GO THROUGH LITERACY AND AS WE GO THROUGH TUTORING AND ALL THE OTHER ASPECTS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING, WHAT IS YOUR -- HOW ARE YOU LOOKING AT AI IN TERMS OF YOUR FUTURE PROPOSITIONS? I'M GOING TO ASK THAT AS A GLOBAL QUESTION, BUT I AM REALLY INVOLVED INTO WHAT INFLUENCES THAT WE ARE USING AS A DISTRICT WITH A.I. TECHNOLOGY.

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT, MS. GRAY. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE QUESTION. BECAUSE AS YOU HAVE SEEN OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST YEAR, WHEN MS. BERGMAN AND I BRING ITEMS TO THE BOARD, THEY ARE STRATEGIC AND VERY TARGETED. WITH THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, BEFORE WE DID ANY KIND OF MASS PURCHASE, MASS IMPLEMENTATION, WE DID A PILOT LAST YEAR. LET'S TRY IT, LET'S BE PURPOSEFUL IN WHERE WE PLACE IT. MAKE SURE THERE IS SUPPORT AT THE SCHOOLS FOR IMPLEMENTATION WITH FIDELITY AND MAKE SURE THE PRODUCT WORKS FOR OUR STUDENTS. WE ARE EXPANDING THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE EXCELLENT RESULTS THAT WE SAW WITH THIS PRODUCT LAST YEAR. IF WE CONTINUE TO SEE THOSE SAME EXCELLENT RESULTS, WE'LL CONTINUE TO EXPAND THIS PRODUCT TO OTHER SCHOOLS. WHEN IT COMES PARTICULARLY TO AI, I'M GOING TO EQUATE IT TO ANY PRODUCT WE USE. IT GOES THROUGH THOROUGH VETTING TO MAKE SURE IT IS HIGH QUALITY, TO MAKE SURE IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE IT ALIGNS WITH THE SCIENCE OF READING INSTRUCTION TO MAKE SURE WITH ANY TECHNOLOGY WE USE, THERE ARE APPROPRIATE GUARDRAILS IN PLACE TO PROTECT STUDENTS AND THEIR PRIVACY, TO MAKE SURE THERE'S ACCESS TO ANY RECORDINGS OR CHAT FEATURES WHICH THERE AREN'T WITH THIS ONE, TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THOSE, IF PARENTS HAVE QUESTIONS, IF THEIR CHILD COMES HOME AND SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT MY TUTOR TODAY, WELL THAT WAS THE AI TUTOR AMIRA. THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS WE LOOKED AT. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A.I., WE COMPARE IT TO ANY OTHER TYPE OF INSTRUCTIONAL PURCHASE WE MAKE TO MAKE SURE IT MEETS ALL THOSE CRITERIA, THAT IT'S GOING TO BE BENEFICIAL FOR OUR STUDENTS IN THE LONG RUN. I WISH THERE WERE A.I. EXPERTS IN THE WORLD, BUT ANYTHING I SAY TODAY OR LEARN TODAY ABOUT A.I. CHANGES BEFORE I GO TO BED TONIGHT. WE CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE VETTING ANY PRODUCT THAT COMES TO US AND MAKE SURE THOSE APPROPRIATE SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE FOR STUDENTS.

>>Lynn Gray: I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT WE BECOME VERY FAMILIAR WITH A.I. AS A TEACHING TOOL. THERE ARE USES AND ABUSES, AS I'VE BEEN REMINDED AT USF. I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT MS. McRAE IS GOING TO HAVE FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS HOPEFULLY AN A.I. TYPE OF WORKSHOP, SOME TYPE OF TEACHING ELEMENT SO WE ARE FAMILIAR AS WELL. IN MY MIND, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE LEARN ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES OF TEACHING AND LEARNING, AND A.I. IS GOING TO BECOME NOT A MIDDLE NAME BUT CERTAINLY A VERY BIG NAME IN A FULL NAME TYPE OF DESCRIPTION. THANK YOU.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THE NEXT ITEM IS 5.02, GRADUATION SCHEDULE FOR THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM.

>>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THESE ARE OUR GRADUATION DATES FOR 24-25 AND OUR SENIOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS WANT THESE DATES. AS SOON AS THESE GET APPROVED WE'LL GET THEM OUT RIGHT AWAY. I WANT TO THANK MS. VER RANO WITH ALL THE HARD WORK. I THINK THIS IS THE EARLIEST WE'LL HAVE IT OUT TO OUR FAMILIES. HERE IT IS BEGINNING SEPTEMBER. GRADUATIONS ARE SCHEDULED TO BEGIN TUESDAY MAY 13 THROUGH MAY 29. HELD AT THE FLORIDA STATE FAIRGROUNDS EXPO HALL AND SCHEDULED TO BEGIN ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 21. GRADUATIONS HELD AT FLORIDA STATE FAIRGROUNDS EXPO HALL WILL HONOR 28 TRADITIONAL HIGH SCHOOLS, 9 ADULT EDUCATION SCHOOLS, 3 TECH COLLEGES, FOUR CAREER ACCELERATION ACADEMIES AND VHK-12. DATES TIMES AND LOCATIONS FOR EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT CENTERS HAVE BEEN DETERMINED AND ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED SCHEDULE. THE 2025 GRADUATION SCHEDULE FEATURES NEW START TIMES OF 8 A.M., 1130 A.M., 3 P.M. AND 6:30 P.M. GRADUATION SCHEDULE ON WEDNESDAY MAY 21st HAS BEEN ADJUSTED TO MAKE BETTER USE OF TIME. AFTER APPROVAL, THE GRADUATION SCHEDULE WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE DISTRICT WEBSITE AND SCHOOLS MAY BEGIN NOTIFYING STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND STAFF. HERE IS THE BEST NEWS OF ALL. ALL GRADUATION CEREMONIES IN 2025 WILL BE HELD BEFORE THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL, FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2025. NO GRADUATIONS ARE SCHEDULED ON MEMORIAL DAY THAT MONDAY, MAY 26, AS IT IS A FEDERAL HOLIDAY. I KNOW ALL OF YOU HAD A CHANCE TO TALK WITH MS. BURANO. IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS REGARDING GRADUATION DATES FOR 24-25 SCHOOL YEAR.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM 5.02. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER VAUGHN AND MEMBER COMBS, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. MEMBER VAUGHN.

>>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I JUST PULLED IT INFORMATIONALLY. AS YOU MENTIONED THIS YEAR, MORE THAN ANY YEAR, I HAD PARENTS IMMEDIATELY ASKING ME WHEN THESE WOULD BE RELEASED WHICH I LOVE BECAUSE I AM A PLANNER BUT I DIDN'T THINK ANYBODY ELSE PLANNED THAT FAR IN ADVANCE. THANK YOU FOR GETTING THIS TAKEN CARE OF QUICKLY SO WE CAN ALLOW PARENTS THE FLEXIBILITY OF PLANNING FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK ON THE GRADUATIONS AND HOPEFULLY NOW PARENTS WILL BE FREE AND FAMILIES WILL BE FREE TO MAKE WHATEVER CHOICES THEY NEED TO. SO THANK YOU.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER COMBS.

>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. I PULLED IT FOR THE SAME REASON. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. IT HIGHLIGHTS IT. IF NOT, IT GOES INTO CONSENT. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T PAY ATTENTION. THANK YOU, MS. BURANO, YOU DO A FANTASTIC JOB, EVERY YEAR AT GRADUATION YOU WORK SO HARD AT MAKING SURE THAT EVERY CHILD IS CELEBRATED AND IT RUNS SO SMOOTHLY AND SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE ALL THESE FOUR YEARS, YOU DO AN EXCELLENT JOB. IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE TIMES OF YEAR. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO WITH THAT.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER RENDON.

>>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. JENNIFER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. I DO KNOW IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK. NOT JUST THAT BUT THROUGHOUT THE GRADUATIONS IT TAKES A LOT OF PREP AND A LOT OF ORGANIZATION TO PUT ALL OF US AND WHERE WE NEED TO BE. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. I DO WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD AND SAY THAT I AM AGAINST BOTH NEWSOME AND SUMNER BEING SO LATE IN THE EVENING WITH THE MASSIVE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WILL HAVE TO EXIT AFTER DARK AT 9:00 AT NIGHT. WE'RE LOOKING AT 9,000 PEOPLE LEAVING THE FAIRGROUNDS THE SAME TIME AFTER HOURS. AFTER SPEAKING WITH SOME LAW ENFORCEMENT AND RECOGNIZING THAT WE COULD HAVE A SMALLER SCHOOL LEAVING AT THE SAME TIME GETTING OUT A LITTLE EARLIER AND AT THAT HOUR MAY NOT EVEN BE DARK YET, AROUND 8:00 OR 8:30. KNOWING WE HAVE 800, 850 STUDENTS ON TOP OF TEN TICKETS PER STUDENT, WE'RE LOOKING AT 9500 PEOPLE LIVING AT 9 P.M. AT NIGHT AND THAT IS A LOT, ALL GOING OUT ONE LANE ONTO MARTIN LUTHER KING IS QUITE A BIT OF TRAFFIC. I DO WANT TO OFFICIALLY GO ON RECORD THAT LAST YEAR IT RAN EXTREMELY SMOOTHLY WITH BOTH OF THE LARGE SCHOOLS COMING IN AT 8:00 AND OTHER GRADUATIONS STARTING AT 9. I WOULD PREFER TO HAVE DONE THAT WAY. I RECOGNIZE IT'S NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE FOR VARIOUS REASONS, BUT I DO WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD TO SAY THAT IS A CONCERN OF MINE. BECAUSE THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE LEAVING THAT PARKING LOT AT A LATE HOUR IN THE EVENING WITH SO MANY STUDENTS AND PARENTS. BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE GOING TO BE TWO HOURS PLUS THEY GET DIPLOMAS, PLUS GETTING INTO CARS. I CONSULTED WITH A COUPLE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, OKAY, DOES IT REALLY MAKE THAT MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE, RIGHT? THEY ARE LIKE, YEAH. THAT MANY PEOPLE LEAVING, AND WE REALLY HAVE ONE LANE GOING ONE WAY ON 301. IT'S A LOT TO GET OUT OF THAT PARKING LOT QUICKLY AND AT DARK WITH 900 STUDENTS COMING OUT, 9,000 PEOPLE. I WISH WE WOULD HAVE DONE IT DIFFERENTLY LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR. IT RAN VERY SMOOTHLY AT 8:00 IN THE MORNING. HAD THAT VOLUME OF PEOPLE AND PUSHED IT BACK A LITTLE BIT. SO I DO WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD SINCE ONE OF THE TWO SCHOOLS IS IN MY AREA. I MAKE THIS COMMENT ABOUT BOTH OF THEM. THEY ARE LARGE SCHOOLS WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE. THANK YOU. I'M PERSONALLY EXCITED BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER WILL BE GRADUATING AND IT WILL BE MY LAST ONE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. JENNIFER, WE DO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO DO.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER WASHINGTON.

>>Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU. YOU DO A GREAT JOB. YOU ARE VERY ORGANIZED AND YOU KEEP ME ORGANIZED. THAT'S PRETTY GOOD. THANK YOU FOR DOING A GREAT JOB.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER GRAY.

>>Lynn Gray: AND THANK YOU, JENNIFER. YOU ARE THE MOM AND YOU TAKE GOOD CARE OF US AND YOU KNOW THAT AND WE APPRECIATE YOU. I CONCUR WITH MEMBER RENDON. THE 8:00 FOR MANY REASONS, I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE NOT ONLY THE POPULATION IS QUITE HIGH, BUT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT LATE, 9:00, 10, 10:30, AND I HAVE TO THINK, PERHAPS WE CAN RELOOK AT IT. I KNOW WE USED TO DO 7:00.

>>Van Ayres: ADJUSTED THAT TO 6:30. 8 IS THE A.M. LATEST GRADUATION IS 6:30 P.M.

>>Lynn Gray: OH, OKAY. WELL, THEN, JUST ERASE WHAT I SAID. ONCE YOU GET BEYOND MY BEDTIME, IT'S NOT -- AT LEAST I CAN'T GO. BUT THAT'S WITHIN MY COMFORT ZONE, SO THANKS.

>>Nadia Combs: PEOPLE WANT A ROTATION. PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS NECESSARILY WANT EARLY IN THE MORNING. I ALSO THINK THERE ARE BIG SCHOOLS LIKE ALONSO HIGH SCHOOL, THAT'S 3,000 STUDENTS AS WELL. I THINK PEOPLE LEAVE CONCERTS FROM THERE ALL THE TIME LATE AT NIGHT. I DON'T THINK NECESSARILY PARENTS WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THEY ARE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL THAT THEY ARE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE 8:00 IN THE MORNING. ME PERSONALLY, MY CHILD GRADUATED FROM A LARGE HIGH SCHOOL AND I WAS HAPPY TO HAVE IT IN THE AFTERNOON, RIGHT? SO I THINK THE ROTATION IS RIGHT. I THINK IT'S FAIR. IT'S RUN SMOOTHLY. I DON'T THINK YOU CAN PINPOINT LIKE ONE TIME IN THE MORNING FOR EVERYONE. THAT'S JUST MY FEEDBACK. YOU HAVE THOUSANDS OF CONCERTS GOING OUT THERE ALL THE TIME. PEOPLE ARE AT THE FAIRGROUNDS ALL THE TIME. EVEN LARGER GROUPS LIKE THAT. I THINK THE ROTATION REALLY DOES MAKE SENSE. I THINK IT'S FAIR. WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED THE PREVIOUS YEARS OR IN THE PAST, I SEE A ROTATION, I THINK SCHOOLS WANT THAT. I THINK PARENTS WANT THAT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE IT FAIR AND EQUITABLE THAT WAY. WE HAVE A LOT OF LARGE SCHOOLS. SO I KIND OF LIKE THE CHANGE AND I DON'T THINK IT'S TOO LATE WITH DAYLIGHT SAVINGS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. STILL PRETTY LIGHT OUT AT THAT TIME OF THE YEAR. THANK YOU.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM 6.02, BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDING JUNE 30, 2024. RO JOHNSON, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM.

>>Ro Johnson: GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. WE HIGHLIGHTED THIS ITEM AS PART OF OUR PRESENTATION, BUT WE'RE READY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FINAL BUDGET.

>>Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 6.02. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER VAUGHN AND MEMBER GRAY PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MEMBER VAUGHN.

>>Jessica Vaughn: I DON'T, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A MONTHLY MEETING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I KNOW WE ENDED UP DOING THE BUDGET WE JUST PASSED FOR THE YEAR AND THAT CIRCUMVENTED OUR MEETING FOR THIS. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY. I APPRECIATE YOU SENDING IT TO ME AND I LOOKED OVER IT, BUT I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MONTHLY AMENDMENTS GOING FORWARD. IF WE CAN MAKE SURE, EVEN WHEN DOING A YEARLY BUDGET, WE BUILD IN A MEETING TO GO OVER THIS. ANYTIME I VOTE ON THESE, I LIKE TO ASK QUESTIONS. IF WE CAN SCHEDULE THAT THE NEXT TIME, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.

>>Karen Perez: MEMBER GRAY.

>>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. IT'S A VERY LARGE QUESTION AND ENCOMPASSES SYNERGY. THERE ARE VARIOUS CONCERNS ON SCHOOL SITES ABOUT THE FTE PROCESS WHICH IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE FTE WHICH IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO FUNDING. WITH THIS, WE'RE GETTING SOME TYPE OF ACCURACY MAYBE ON THE STUDENT COUNT. HOW WILL WE HANDLE PERHAPS INACCURATE INFORMATION AS IT RELATES TO WEIGHTED AND UNWEIGHTED FTE IN THE FUNDING AND INVOLVES THE FUND BALANCE. IT INVOLVES YOUR MONTHLY UPDATES, AMENDMENTS. CAN WE BE SURE THAT THERE IS ACCURACY IN THAT NUMBER AND THEREFORE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE FROM FTE?

>>Ro Johnson: I'LL LET DR. TOM WEEKS SPEAK TO THE ACCURACY OF THE DATA.

>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. ONE OF THE THINGS I DO WANT TO ASSURE THE BOARD IS WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO OUR BASE ENROLLMENT NUMBER FOR THE DISTRICT. WE'RE WITHIN A HUNDRED STUDENTS OR SO FROM WHERE WE PROJECT THAT BEING AS OUR ACCURATE FINAL NUMBER AT THIS POINT IN TIME. WE DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS AS IT RELATES TO FUNDING FROM A CTE PERSPECTIVE, FROM AN ESE PERSPECTIVE. THESE ARE ALL AREAS THAT WE ARE WORKING THROUGH WITH THE VENDOR AND WORKING THROUGH WITH OUR INTERNAL CONSTITUENTS TO ENSURE THAT WE ALIGN WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR NOT ONLY THE DISTRICT, FOR THE STATE, FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN THESE SPECIFIC AREAS, SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE MOST ACCURATE NUMBERS. WE'RE WORKING WITH THE VENDOR. WE'RE WORKING INTERNALLY. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THE PROCESS GETS AS BEST AS IT CAN BE AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE ACCURACY.

>>Lynn Gray: THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR OBVIOUS REASONS. THE ESE IS THE COMPLIANCE ISSUE AND THE FTE, OF COURSE, IS FUNDING AND SO IS THE HALL WITH NUTRITION. THOSE ARE ALL FUNDING SERVICES THAT WILL AFFECT OUR OVERALL BUDGET. SO I THINK THAT'S A PRIORITY. I'M KEEPING MY EYE ON IT AS AN INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER THAT WE HAVE THIS AS AN ACCURATE NUMBER OF STUDENTS, AND MS. JOHNSON THAT YOU CAN, IN FACT, CROSS-REFERENCE WITH THE UPDATES ON THE CORRECTIONS IF NEED BE THAT DR. WEEKS IS SAYING. WE HAVE 130, LET'S JUST SAY -- 130 PROBLEMS OR CONCERNS BUT YOU SOLVED 80 OF THEM, RIGHT, IN SYNERGY.

>> WORKING STEADILY THROUGH THE LIST. WE PARED IT DOWN CONSIDERABLY IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS. WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE VENDOR TO MAKE SURE THEIR PRODUCT MEETS OUR NEEDS AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK INTERNALLY WITH CONSTITUENTS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT AS WELL AS I.T. PERSONNEL AND INCORPORATE OTHER MEMBERS SUCH AS MS. JOHNSON'S TEAM SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT ALL THE NUMBERS ARE ALIGNED AND AGAIN, GET THEM AS ACCURATE AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

>>Lynn Gray: MAKE NO MISTAKE, A LOT OF TEACHERS ARE DOING THE OLD-FASHIONED PAPER METHOD FOR FTE. I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE THE BIGGEST DEAL OUT OF IT RIGHT NOW, BUT LET'S DEFINITELY PUT THAT ON PRIORITY AND I THINK YOU ALREADY HAVE. THE NUTRITION, THE FTE AND THE ESE AS A PRIORITY TO STRAIGHTEN OUT. OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER COMBS.

>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, CHAIR PEREZ. I ACTUALLY WAS GOING TO HAVE THIS IN MY CLOSING COMMENTS TO TALK ABOUT SYNERGY. NOW THAT I HAVE YOU I'D RATHER TALK ABOUT THIS RIGHT HERE. THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE. IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES I'VE HAD SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE AND OUR DATA PROCESSORS AND ALL OUR ESE TEACHERS AND EVERYONE IS VERY FRUSTRATED. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT. IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT TIME OF THE YEAR. MY FRUSTRATION IS YOUR COMMUNICATION WITH ME. YOU NOT COMMUNICATING WITH THE BOARD. I MEAN, LAST WEEK, I SENT YOU AN E-MAIL AND I HAD TO CONTACT THE CABINET. I'M NOT HEARING INFORMATION FROM YOU. YOU NEED TO BE UPDATING US REGULARLY. PEOPLE ON SCHOOL SITES ARE STRUGGLING AND IT'S SO DIFFICULT FOR DATA PROCESSORS, ESE SPECIALISTS. I'M HEARING FROM ESE TEACHERS WHO WANT TO WALK OUT OF THE DISTRICT BECAUSE OF THAT. I'M FEELING FRUSTRATED BECAUSE WE PUT SO MUCH MONEY INTO THIS PROGRAM, AND STILL -- I'M STILL NOT GETTING A CLEAR ANSWER FROM YOU AND I NEED TO GET UPDATES REGULARLY. THE IDEA THAT I HAVE TO REACH OUT TO YOU AND I DON'T HEAR FROM YOU AND THEN I HAVE TO COME HERE TO TALK ABOUT IT, I SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED -- AS A BOARD WE SHOULD BE RECEIVING UPDATES FROM YOU REALLY ON A DAILY BASIS ON WHERE WE ARE, WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHAT'S HAPPENING. THIS IS REALLY A BIG PROBLEM. AND YOU'RE LEADING THIS PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE REGULAR UPDATES ON THIS. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO ASK FOR THAT.

>>Van Ayres: MS. COMBS, WE'LL ENSURE THAT THE BOARD RECEIVES THOSE UPDATES. MR. FARKAS, MR. WEEKS, WE CAN ENSURE THAT HAPPENS. NO DOUBT, WHAT HAS BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL START TO THE SCHOOL YEAR, SYNERGY HAS BEEN THE BIG HICCUP FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR. CAUSED TREMENDOUS FRUSTRATION. PRINCIPALS MEETING AND VERY EVIDENT THE FRUSTRATIONS WITH SYNERGY. SYNERGY WAS PURCHASED IN OCTOBER OF 2019. WE HAD A THREE-YEAR WINDOW TO LAUNCH SYNERGY. 2022 WE DIDN'T LAUNCH IT. 23 WE DIDN'T LAUNCH IT. HERE WE HAVE A PRODUCT, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, SPENT MONEY ON. TIME TO GO IN 24. IT HAS CAUSED US ISSUES, CAUSED TREMENDOUS FRUSTRATIONS. WE ARE WORKING THROUGH EACH OF THOSE. WHAT WE CAN'T HAVE IS YOU NOT RECEIVING THE COMMUNICATION THAT YOU FEEL AS A BOARD THAT YOU'RE NOT GETTING AND WITH RESPECT TO SYNERGY SO WE'LL ENSURE THAT COMMUNICATION GETS TO YOU. IT'S BEEN WITHOUT SYNERGY, WE'VE HAD A GREAT START TO THE YEAR. THIS HAS BEEN THE THING THAT CAUSED TREMENDOUS FRUSTRATION. I MENTIONED TO THE -- DAY TO DAY, SYNERGY IS WHAT EVERY EMPLOYEE USES EVERY DAY. WHEN THERE IS FRUSTRATION CHANGING THE SCHEDULE, MS. McRAE GONE TO SCHOOLS AND BEEN THROUGH THAT WITH THEM AND HAVE THEM SHOW US WHAT THE ISSUES ARE WORKING THROUGH EACH OF THOSE. FTE, KNOW THAT SYNERGY HAS BEEN IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, PALM BEACH AND CLAY COUNTY. THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH OUR FTE SYSTEM AND HOW TO OPERATE, BUT WE GOT TO GET BETTER. THEY GOT TO GET BETTER. WE GOT TO GET THROUGH WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE'RE INTO THE NEW SYSTEM. THINGS SYNERGY HAVE THAT ARE A POSITIVE THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD BEFORE WHICH IS BETTER. THE DAY TO DAY AND SLOW AND WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO UTILIZE THE SYSTEM AS EFFECTIVELY AS WE CAN, IT CREATES A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF ISSUES AND FRUSTRATIONS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING FOR ME AS WELL.

>>Nadia Combs: AS I SAID, FOR ME, I'M FRUSTRATED BECAUSE I HAVE TO BE AT A SCHOOL SITE TO HEAR THAT THERE ARE ISSUES. I SHOULD BE HEARING THAT DIRECTLY FROM YOU, DR. WEEKS. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE AND THEN I ALSO SHOULD HEAR ABOUT SOLUTIONS. I WANT TO HEAR, IF THIS IS NOT WORKING IN A WEEK, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO OR TWO WEEKS, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IF IT CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM DOING IEPs. WHEN I HEAR NOTHING AND REACH OUT AND STILL HEAR NOTHING, THAT'S EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING AND I THINK I'M A PRETTY RATIONALE PERSON. I THINK WITH SOMETHING THAT I KNOW AT EVERY SCHOOL SITE I'M HEARING SO MUCH FRUSTRATION, AND WE HAVE SO MUCH TO CELEBRATE. OUR GRADES. THE SALARIES. THERE ARE SO MANY GREAT THINGS GOING ON, BUT AS A BOARD, I NEED TO BE INFORMED OF THAT. I DON'T NEED TO GO OUT AND GET THAT INFORMATION. I'M EXPECTING THAT INFORMATION FROM YOU ON A REGULAR BASIS FROM HERE ON OUT.

>> MEMBER COMBS, I'D LIKE TO SAY, I APOLOGIZE, THERE ARE INFORMATION E-MAILS THAT GO OUT FAIRLY REGULARLY. I DID NOT REALIZE IF THE BOARD DID NOT SEE THOSE. SO I WILL ENSURE THAT --

>>Nadia Combs: I DON'T WANT TO GET AN E-MAIL THAT EVERY TEACHER IS GETTING. I WANT TO GET AN E-MAIL AS A BOARD MEMBER WHO IS GETTING INFORMED ON WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE'RE GOING, WHAT'S THE SOLUTION, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE EVERY WEEK, HOW HAVE WE GOTTEN BETTER. IF WE'RE NOT GETTING BETTER, WHAT IS THE PLAN TO SOLVE IT.

>>Karen Perez: DO WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO A HYBRID MODEL, CHANGE SOMETHING? WE CAN'T CONTINUE ON THIS WAY. IF THERE'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND MAYBE GO BACK TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE ESE FOR THIS YEAR OR UNTIL DECEMBER TO RESOLVE IT. WE CAN'T EXPECT ESE TEACHERS WHO ARE WORKING SO HARD, WHO HAVE SO LITTLE TO BE EXPECTED TO SPEND HOURS AND HOURS TO TRY TO COMPLETE AN IEP. I'VE SHOWN MY FRUSTRATION. I'LL MOVE ON.

>>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS. I LIKE MS. COMBS WAS GOING TO WAIT UNTIL MY COMMENTS TO DO THIS. QUITE FRANKLY, I'M DONE. I AM ABSOLUTELY DONE. WE HAVE MADE IT VERY CLEAR AS A BOARD THAT YOU HAVE HAD FOUR YEARS TO PREPARE FOR THIS SYSTEM. EXPLAIN HOW WE ONLY HAD 20 TRAIN THE TRAINER FOR 20,000 EMPLOYEES TO PREPARE FOR THIS LAUNCH. WHY ON DAY ONE COULD OUR TEACHERS NOT ACCESS FEDERALLY REQUIRED DOCUMENTS? WHY DID WE NOT TEST THE SYSTEM ALL YEAR LONG? WHY DID WE REDUCE WORK GROUPS FOR 20 DIFFERENT WORK STREAMS TO KEEP IT GOING? WHY ARE WE STILL TODAY HAVING TO DO A MANUAL COUNT OF CLASSROOMS? WE SPENT MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, AND WE MAY BE CORRECTING THINGS NOW WHICH, BY THE WAY, YOU'RE NOT AND YOU CAN'T EVEN ANSWER IT TRUTHFULLY ON HOW MANY THINGS WE'VE CORRECTED BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW BECAUSE SCHOOLS OUT THERE ARE COMING AROUND WITH WRAPAROUNDS THAT THEY HAVE TO COME UP THEMSELVES BECAUSE THEY ARE WORKING 12, 15, 16 HOURS, 7 DAYS A WEEK, REWRITING SCHEDULE AFTER SCHEDULE, REWRITING FINDING, DOING WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE BEFORE. AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE FAILED OUR TEACHERS. WE HAVE FAILED OUR ADMINISTRATORS, AND WE HAVE NO ONE TO BLAME BUT OURSELVES. AND I FIND IT JUST APPREHENSIBLE THAT YOU EVEN TRY TO HAVE AN EXCUSE. I'M GOING TO REQUEST, SUPERINTENDENT, THAT THIS BOARD HAVE A COPY OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN THAT DR. WEEKS SHOULD HAVE COME UP WITH BEFORE WE EVER STARTED THIS SCHOOL YEAR. WE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN WHAT HE WAS DOING THE LAST 12 MONTHS PREPARING FOR THIS LAUNCH. THERE ARE TWO SYSTEMS HE HAS LAUNCHED IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS. NEITHER ONE ARE FULLY FUNCTIONING AND OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR STUDENTS ARE BEING SUFFERED BECAUSE OF THAT. I THINK IT'S TIME THAT IT'S OVER. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY APPALLING THAT TODAY WE HAVE TO SIT HERE AND GET A MANUAL COUNT BECAUSE WE HAVE A SYSTEM THAT CAN'T TRACK IT. AND WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO EXPLANATION FOR WHAT'S COMING NEXT. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS BOARD DESERVES TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY, HOW YOU PREPARE TO LAUNCH IT, AND WHAT'S COMING NEXT AND WHAT WILL FIX IT. IF I HEAR ONE MORE TIME THAT WE DIDN'T PROVIDE YOU THE FUNDING TO LAUNCH IT AFTER YOU SAT ON IT FOR FOUR YEARS IS JUST AN EXCUSE. FOUR AREAS TO LAUNCH THIS. BY THE WAY, THE OTHER COUNTIES ARE STILL HAVING TROUBLES WITH THAT SYSTEM. AND KNOWING THAT THEY ARE HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE SYSTEM, YOU SHOULD HAVE COME TO US AND TOLD US WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. INSTEAD, YOU CONTINUED TO LAUNCH A SYSTEM THAT YOU KNEW WAS FAILING IN OTHER DISTRICTS. THERE'S NOTHING REGARDING SYNERGY THAT WE CAN SPEAK OF WELL. NOT ONE THING. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE DESERVE BETTER ANSWERS. WE DESERVE AN UPDATE. AND WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO ASK FOR IT. WE SHOULD BE GIVEN A STATUS EVERY SINGLE DAY BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS ARE SUFFERING, OUR TEACHERS ARE SUFFERING, AND OUR ADMINISTRATION SUFFERING. I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE AN EXCUSE FOR THIS DISTRICT BECAUSE I BELIEVE WE DO NOTHING BUT OWE THEM AN APOLOGY FOR NOT PREPARING FOR THIS YEAR. I'M SORRY THAT IT'S HARSH, BUT THIS HAS BEEN AN UNEXCUSABLE WAY FOR OUR TEACHERS AND OUR ADMINISTRATORS TO BE APPRECIATED FOR THE JOB THAT THEY DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT. WE'VE ASKED THEM TO WORK MORE HOURS. WE'VE ASKED THEM TO DO WORK TWICE, THREE TIMES, FOUR TIMES. THEY HAVE BEEN WRITING SCHEDULES OVER AND OVER AGAIN BECAUSE THE SYSTEM FAILS. I SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

>>Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SYNERGY IS THE PAIN IN THE BUTT BECAUSE I'VE HAD A LOT OF CALLS. WE SPOKE EARLIER TODAY. WHAT SOLUTION WE GONNA DO? BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE UPSET. WE CAN'T HAVE OUR TEACHERS AND EMPLOYEES UPSET. WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A SOLUTION.

>> I CAN TELL THE BOARD AT A HIGH LEVEL HOW WE'RE OPERATING TODAY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THIS BUT I CAN PROVIDE GREATER LEVELS OF DETAIL TO EACH OF THE BOARD MEMBERS IF THEY WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. SO WE ARE WORKING WITH EDUPOINT, THE VENDOR, TO ENSURE THEY MEET ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE PROVIDED THEM TO ENSURE THAT THEY MEET ALL THE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS THAT WE HAVE PAID FOR OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. AS A CORRECTION, I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS HAS BEEN FIVE YEARS IN THE MAKING, MEMBER RENDON, NOT FOUR. IT HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLY LONGER. BUT WE WORK WITH OUR INTERNAL CONSTITUENTS. THIS IS NOT AN I.T.-ONLY PROJECT. THIS IS NOT AN I.T.-ONLY PROCESS. WE HAVE MULTIPLE GROUPS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT THAT NEED TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS. SO, FOR INSTANCE, ESE AND MTSS AND HOW WE TAKE ATTENDANCE, ALL OF THAT IS BASED OFF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE WERE GIVEN TO PROVIDE TO EDUPOINT TO ALLOW THEM TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO THEIR PRODUCT. WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE VENDOR. WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH INTERNAL CONSTITUENTS TO ENSURE WE MAKE THIS PRODUCT BETTER. THAT IS THE ONLY WAY WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD. YES, THERE WAS AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. WAS IT COMPLETE? ABSOLUTELY NOT. WERE WE AT THE POINT WE WERE SPENDING DOLLARS? AND IF WE HAD OUR WAY, WE WOULD HAVE PUSHED THIS BACK ANOTHER YEAR. HOWEVER, THAT WOULD MEAN THAT WE PAID ANOTHER ALMOST $2 MILLION TO THE VENDOR FOR SOMETHING WE WEREN'T USING YET AND WE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY INCREASE OUR LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESS BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE SOME ISSUES WITH REQUIREMENTS GATHERING. CONCERNS WITH TRAINING. AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANY OF THIS SOUND LIKE EXCUSES. I CAN PROVIDE GREATER LEVELS OF DETAIL TO ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS. I JUST WANT TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE ARE TODAY. WASHINGTON WASHINGTON WITH THIS OVERVIEW, DO WE HAVE ENOUGH TRAINERS TO TRAIN PEOPLE?

>> WHEN THE PROJECT WAS IDENTIFIED, THE WAY THAT IT WAS SET UP IS THAT WE WERE GOING TO PAY AND PROPOSE THE TRAIN THE TRAINER MODEL. EACH FUNCTIONAL AREA HAS A PERSON THAT WAS IDENTIFIED AS THEIR TRAINER, AND THEN THEY WOULD BE THE ONES WHO IDENTIFY THE APPROPRIATE PERSONNEL IN THOSE AREAS. WE PERFORM MULTIMODAL TRAINING AT THIS POINT. SYNERGY HAS PROVIDED A NUMBER OF TRAININGS FOR US. TRAINING DOCUMENTATION, TRAINING VIDEOS THAT EXIST ON CANVAS. THERE ARE INSTRUCTIONAL FAQs THAT ARE OUT THERE. WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING DROP-IN TRAININGS THAT BOTH SYNERGY, THE EDUPOINT FOLKS ARE CONDUCTING AS WELL AS OUR ESE FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE CONDUCTING. THESE OCCURRED DURING VARIOUS TIMES OF THE DAY, VARIOUS DAYS OF THE WEEK TO ENSURE WE CAN HIT THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WE CAN BASED OFF OF THEIR SCHOOL SCHEDULES. IT'S A CHANGE. IT IS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. THIS IS THE LARGEST UNDERTAKING THIS DISTRICT HAS TAKEN IN 33 YEARS. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS GOING TO GO VERY EASILY, VERY CALMLY AND VERY QUIETLY. AND PEOPLE ON THE END. AGAIN, EVERYBODY HAS TO EMBRACE THIS CHANGE. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN JUST SAY WE'RE FLIPPING A SWITCH. THIS IS HOW YOU'RE DOING IT, AND IT WILL BE PERFECT. SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE VENDOR. WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE VENDOR. WE'LL CONTINUE TO GATHER OUR REQUIREMENTS AND WORK ON IDENTIFYING AND DEFINING OUR INTERNAL PROCESSES WITH OUR INTERNAL CONSTITUENTS, AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THE SYSTEM BETTER.

>>Henry "Shake" Washington: THAT'S GOING TO MAKE THE SYSTEM BETTER.

>> YES, SIR.

>>Henry "Shake" Washington: I KEEP YOU AT YOUR WORD. GOING TO MAKE IT BETTER. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

>>Karen Perez: LET ME GET SOMETHING STRAIGHT. SO YOU HAD INTERNAL FOLKS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION, AM I CORRECT?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

>>Karen Perez: AND THESE INTERNAL FOLKS WERE ALREADY TARGETED FOR THIS INFORMATION.

>> CORRECT.

>>Karen Perez: DID THEY FAIL IN PROVIDING THE INFORMATION?

>> IT'S NOT BLACK AND WHITE. THERE ARE LEVELS OF FAILURE THAT OCCURRED. WE HAVE NOT IN SOME CASES PROVIDED CONSISTENT REQUIREMENTS OR COMPREHENSIVE REQUIREMENTS TO PROVIDE THE VENDOR. THERE ARE AREAS WHERE WE PROVIDED THE REQUIREMENTS AND THE VENDOR DID NOT MEET OUR REQUIREMENTS, AND THERE ARE AREAS WHERE WE ARE STILL LACKING REQUIREMENTS. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE OF ONE OR TWO INDIVIDUALS, BUT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT OUR WORK PROCESSES ARE SPREAD OVER MULTIPLE PORTIONS OF THE ORGANIZATION. MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS. I'LL TAKE ATTENDANCE AS A PERFECT EXAMPLE. THERE IS NO ONE DEFINITIVE PERSON THAT CAN TELL YOU WHAT ATTENDANCE MEANS. WE HAVE FOUR INDIVIDUAL GROUPS THAT DEFINE HOW ATTENDANCE IS TAKEN. SO THEREFORE WE HAVE FOUR DIFFERENT SETS OF REQUIREMENTS. IN THE PAST, WE HAD A PERSON WHO OVERSAW ATTENDANCE AND WE WOULD SAY WE CAN DEFINE 100% CERTAIN THIS IS WHAT ATTENDANCE MEANS AT EVERY LEVEL OF SCHOOL. WE DO NOT HAVE THAT WITHIN THE DISTRICT AND WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT IN YEARS. IN SOME CASES, WE ARE FALLING SHORT BECAUSE WE CAN'T ADDRESS OUR INTERNAL PROCESSES EFFECTIVELY ENOUGH. AGAIN, SOME OF THIS IS ON THE VENDOR. SOME OF THIS IS ON US. I'M NOT GOING TO SUGAR COAT IT. IT'S A MIXTURE.

>>Karen Perez: SO, SUPERINTENDENT, THIS IS A PROBLEM IN MULTIPLE AREAS OF THIS DISTRICT. ONE AREA -- LET'S TAKE ATTENDANCE, FOR INSTANCE, ONE WAY. ANOTHER AREA IS DOING ATTENDANCE ANOTHER WAY, AND ANOTHER AREA IS DOING ATTENDANCE ANOTHER WAY. THAT'S HOW WE CONTINUE TO FAIL OUR STUDENTS IN THIS DISTRICT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ONE SET OF STANDARDS THAT WE FOLLOW, SAY, FOR INSTANCE, FOR ATTENDANCE.

>>Van Ayres: FOR ATTENDANCE, THERE IS ONE SET OF STANDARDS WE FOLLOW.

>>Karen Perez: THEY ARE DOING IT MULTIPLE DIFFERENT WAYS. I'M GIVING JUST AN EXAMPLE AND THIS HAPPENED. ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, EXCUSE ME, BOARD MEMBERS FOR USING WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY, IT WAS A SH-TSHOW. JUST SAYING. I WAS RECEIVING CALLS. PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THEY WERE GOING. NOBODY KNEW, IT WAS HORRIBLE.  BUT MYSELF, LIKE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SAID, DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY PHONE CALLS. WE GOT NO INFORMATION. FOUR WEEKS INTO THE SCHOOL NOW, NOTHING. I CAN'T TELL YOU. I'VE RECEIVED, HEY, THIS IS MY ACTION PLAN. WE'RE HERE ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. THE SECOND DAY OF SCHOOL WE DID THIS. WEEK NUMBER TWO, WE DID THIS. THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING. I'VE RECEIVED NOTHING AT ALL. I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE WE'RE GOING, WHAT THE TEMPLATE IS TO FIX THIS. PARENTS ARE CALLING ME. THEY ARE HIGHLY UPSET. I'M TRYING TO MANEUVER AND PATCHWORK AND TRYING TO TALK TO THEM, BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH SYNERGY. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THE CHILDREN ARE NOT BEING, YOU KNOW, THE ATTENDANCE IS NOT COMING THROUGH. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY OUR CHILDREN ARE NOT SHOWING UP AND THE SCHOOLS THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE. IT WAS BEYOND JUST ATTENDANCE, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. IT WAS A WHOLLY MESS. AND NOBODY, AT LEAST THIS BOARD MEMBER, CALLED OUT TO REACH OUT TO LET US KNOW, HEY, YOU KNOW, BE PREPARED BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. BOARD MEMBER GRAY.

>>Lynn Gray: I USUALLY DON'T WANT TO BEAT A DEAD HORSE. HERE YOU ARE. YOU'RE HEARING FROM BOARD MEMBERS FRONT AND CENTER. IN MY MIND, THE BIGGER PROBLEM COMES ALSO WITH THE LACK OF INTERFACE WITH THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH NOT ONLY COMPLIANCE ISSUES, WE'RE DEALING WITH FUNDING. ALSO, WE'RE ASKING TEACHERS FOR EXTRA TIME. I KNOW YOU HAVE TEN DROP-IN TRAINING SESSIONS, COMING UP, BUT ARE WE SUPPORTING TEACHERS WITH A STIPEND? IN OTHER WORDS, THEY ARE SPENDING ALREADY COUNTLESS HOURS TEACHING. THAT'S ANOTHER BIG PROBLEM. BUT WHAT I THINK AND I'M LOOKING FOR A SOLUTION. SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES AND BOARD MEMBERS, I WOULD LOVE TO ENTERTAIN, AND DR. WEEKS, YOU ARE ONE PERSON, AND WE'RE ALL KIND OF AIMING OUR ARROWS AT YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN -- I DON'T HAVE THE SOLUTION. PERHAPS BOARD MEMBERS CAN HELP. BUT I THINK WE NEED TO TALK TO EDUPOINT, THE PARENT COMPANY OF SYNERGY. I THINK WE NEED TO DIRECT THOSE QUESTIONS BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE TO OWN THIS. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THERE IS A REVERSE OR A HYBRID. THERE PROBABLY IS NOT, BUT WE HAVE TO, NOW THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE TO OWN IT. WE HAVE TO LEARN ABOUT IT AS DO THE STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE SITTING RIGHT BEFORE US. JUST LIKE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, WE'LL HAVE TO KNOW AND HAVE TO LEARN THIS. BOARD MEMBERS, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU CAN HANDLE A WORKSHOP ON THIS OR YOU WANT ONE, BUT I DEFINITELY WOULD MYSELF AS AN INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER, I WANT TO KNOW HOW THIS SYSTEM SHOULD WORK. I WANT TO ASK THOSE HARD QUESTIONS TO EDUPOINT AND SYNERGY. AND I WANT TO GET THIS, I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THIS INTELLIGENTLY WITH ALL THESE UPSET PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS VERSUS SAYING, OH, WE'RE GOING TO FIX IT. SHOULD BE 130 PROBLEMS, NOW 80 PROBLEMS. AT THAT RATE WE SHOULD GO TO NO PROBLEMS. SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, THIS IS NOT AN ABSENT HEADACHE FOR YOU AND ALL OF US. IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE AND AS THE YEAR GOES ON, IT WILL GET MORE COMPLICATED. I'M GOING TO SUGGEST, BOARD MEMBERS, FOR LACK OF BETTER WORDS, A WORKSHOP, SOME TYPE OF METHOD WHERE WE CAN LEARN AND% ASK QUESTIONS, NOT JUST TO DR. WEEKS, BUT ALSO TO THE ONES THAT KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT AT THAT. I WILL MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION. SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? THAT'S WHERE I'MHEAD FOR.

>>Van Ayres: I HEAR YOU. WE'LL START WITH THE DAILY COMMUNICATION TO THE BOARD. IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT A WORKSHOP, THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK THE ENTIRE BOARD, MAJORITY OF THE BOARD WOULD HAVE TO AGREE TO THAT. I KNOW OUR DATES LEADING UP TO NOVEMBER ARE ALREADY FILLED.

>>Lynn Gray: AT ANY RATE, I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF. I WANT TO LEARN MORE AND I'LL ASK FOR A MEETING WITH EDUPOINT. BEFORE WE KEEP COMPLAINING AND COMPLAINING, WE NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY THE WORDS, THE VERBIAGE ON OUR COMPLAINTS AND OUR CONCERNS. I'M NOT A TECH EXPERT AND NEVER GOING TO PRETEND TO BE. BUT I DO WANT TO KNOW HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS AND WHERE WE'RE GOING IN THE FUTURE AND THE SOLUTIONS THAT CAN BE HAD. I THINK THAT IS ESSENTIAL. OTHERWISE, I DEFINITELY THINK WHEN WE GO TO SCHOOL SITES, WE WILL BE IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF FRUSTRATION AND NEGATIVE CULTURE. I THINK THAT'S WHERE, IN MY VIEW, GOING. THANK YOU.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER VAUGHN.

>>Jessica Vaughn: GOODNESS. OKAY. SO WE STARTED OFF THIS AGENDA ITEM WHERE I WAS ASKING FOR ANOTHER MEETING TO BE ABLE TO GO OVER THIS. I HAVE A LOT OF THINGS IN MY CLOSING COMMENTS WHERE IT IS WHERE I WISH I WAS GETTING AND MORE COMMUNICATION FROM STAFF AROUND ISSUES. I HAVE SEVERAL MESSAGES TONIGHT WHERE PEOPLE ARE APOLOGIZING, WHERE I ASKED FOR A FOLLOW-UP ON SOMETHING OR ASKED FOR SOMETHING TO BE INCLUDED IN A PRESENTATION AND IT WASN'T. I THINK THE FRUSTRATION FOR BOARD MEMBERS IS WE'RE KIND OF HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS. EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T MAKE THE DECISIONS, WHEN WE GO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS ON AND WE BEAR A LOT OF THE FRUSTRATIONS WHEN WE GO INTO THE SCHOOLS OR WHEN WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE IN THE SCHOOLS AND WE ARE THE ONES HELD ACCOUNTABLE. SO THE FRUSTRATION THAT YOU'RE FEELING FROM BOARD MEMBERS, BECAUSE IT'S EASIER FOR US WHEN WE HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE IT INSTEAD OF BEING BLINDSIDED BY IT IS THE FRUSTRATION THAT WE GET WHEN WE WALK INTO A SCHOOL OR WHEN WE DEAL WITH A PARENT OR DEAL WITH SOMEONE IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM. WHAT YOU'RE FEELING RIGHT NOW IS WHAT WE FEEL SEVERAL TIMES A DAY QUITE OFTEN. I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THIS, EVEN STARTING WITH THE ORIGINAL AGENDA ITEM IS WE JUST NEED, IF THERE ARE DELAYS, IF THERE ARE HICCUPS, IF WE UNDERSTAND THAT, IT'S EASIER FOR US TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO PEOPLE IN THE SCHOOLS. IF THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH ESE CONTINUALLY, LIKE I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT MEETING. PARENTS SPOKE TONIGHT. I ASKED SEVERAL TIMES WHEN PARENTS WERE HERE, PLEASE PROVIDE ME AN IMMEDIATE FOLLOW-UP WITH THIS MEETING OF ANYTHING THAT COMES OUT OF IT. TONIGHT WE'RE LOOKING AT EACH OTHER, DID THAT MEETING HAPPEN? WHAT CAME OUT OF THE ABA? WAS THE POLICY CHANGED AND UPDATED? AGAIN WE'RE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT IN PUBLIC COMMENT, RIGHT? I THINK JUST WHAT I'M HEARING, BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON AND SO MUCH FRUSTRATION RIGHT NOW THAT THE MORE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE, THE EASIER IT IS FOR US TO KIND OF MANAGE THAT. THAT'S MY ONLY THOUGHTS ON THIS AGENDA ITEM.

>>Nadia Combs: I'M JUST GOING TO SAY JUST A COUPLE OF LAST THINGS ABOUT SYNERGY. THIS IS FOR ME THE BIGGEST PRIORITY RIGHT NOW AS A BOARD MEMBER. THERE IS NOTHING MORE OF A PRIORITY FOR ME THAN RESOLVING THIS. I THINK PROBABLY WHERE YOUR BIGGEST ISSUE WAS WHEN YOU HAD FIVE YEARS, PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN TRAINED ALL LAST YEAR. TRAINING SHOULD HAVE BEEN GOING ON ALL THE TIME. THE IDEA THAT YOU HAD 20 PEOPLE OR YOU WERE TRYING TO GET THE COUNSELORS OR GET SOMEONE HERE OR THERE, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE ALL ALONG, LONG AHEAD OF TIME. EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE BEEN TRAINED. WE SHOULD HAVE DONE A SOFT OPENING ON SOME SCHOOLS. GONE THROUGH, LOOKED AT THAT. THE OTHER ISSUE, AS SOMEONE WHO HAS A BUSINESS BACKGROUND, WHAT MOTIVATES SYNERGY TO DO ANYTHING NOW? THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN PAID. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE PAID ALL THAT MONEY. WE SHOULD HAVE HELD SOME MONEY BACK. WHAT MOTIVATES A COMPANY NOW TO HELP US ONCE WE'VE GIVEN THEM ALL THAT MONEY? IT'S A BIG ISSUE. THIS NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED. WE CAN'T WAIT FOR A WORKSHOP. PEOPLE CAN'T WAIT WORKING 18 HOUR DAYS FOR THAT. THIS NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED. THIS NEEDS TO BE YOUR PRIORITY. I DON'T CARE IF YOU HAVE TO WORK 24 HOURS A DAY, YOU NEED TO FIGURE IT OUT, IF IT IS A HYBRID OR WHATEVER, GO ON SCHOOL SITES, FIGURE OUT WHAT IS GOING ON AND REALLY PUT THE ENERGY INTO THAT. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING RIGHT NOW. NOT ONLY ARE WE NOT GETTING ACCURATE FTE COUNTS, MORE IMPORTANTLY IT'S TAKING HOURS FOR PEOPLE. I SAW SOMEONE, 500 PEOPLE AHEAD OF THEM IN A QUEUE. AND THEN SOMEONE SENT ME A SCREEN SHOT WHERE THEY WERE TRYING TO DOWNLOAD A FORM FOR ONE AND A HALF HOURS AND IT WASN'T BEING DOWNLOADED. THESE ARE HUGE, HUGE ISSUES. AND THIS NEEDS TO BE A PRIORITY. HONESTLY, WHEN YOU TALK, I FEEL LIKE YOU SPEAK IN CIRCLES. I'M NOT GETTING A DIRECT ANSWER FROM YOU. I AM NOT GETTING A DIRECT TIMELINE. ALSO NOT GETTING A LOT OF ACCOUNTABILITY FROM IT. I NEED YOU TO REALLY FOCUS ON THIS AND WORK ON THIS. YOU DROPPED THE BALL. THE TRAINING SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE WELL AHEAD OF TIME. YOU HAD YEARS FOR THIS. THAT'S ALL I'M GOING TO SAY ON THAT. I'M LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE AT THE SCHOOL SITE, ALL OF US IN HERE, WE'RE NOT AT SCHOOL SITES. SOME OF US HAVEN'T BEEN AT SCHOOL SITES FOR MANY YEARS. WE FORGET. NONE OF US ARE IMPORTANT. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE SCHOOL. THE PRINCIPAL, THE DATA PROCESSOR, THE STUDENTS, THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. IF WE ALL DISAPPEARED, GUESS WHAT, THE SCHOOLS WOULD STILL RUN BUT THEY NEED TO BE RUN EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY AND YOU DROPPED THE BALL AND YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE WE GET DAILY UPDATES AND THAT YOU RESOLVE THE ISSUE AND IF NOT, FIND A PLAN. WE CAN'T WAIT FOR A WORKSHOP. PEOPLE CAN'T WAIT FOR A MONTH OR TWO. IT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED IMMEDIATELY. IF THAT MEANS GOING BACK TO SOMETHING OR DOING A HYBRID OR DROPPING IT OR LOOKING AT SYNERGY AND SAYING THEY DID NOT DO WHAT WE NEEDED THEM TO DO AND MAYBE FILE A LAWSUIT, WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO, SYNERGY NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS AS WELL. THEIR PRODUCT IS NOT WHAT IT PROMISED TO BE, THEN THAT IS BIG ISSUE AS WELL. IF THEY ALREADY GOT PAID, WHAT MOTIVATES THEM TO WORK WITH US?

>> MEMBER COMBS, I WILL SAY THAT, YES, I DROPPED THE BALL WHEN IT COMES TO THE COMMUNICATION PIECE. I APOLOGIZE TO THE BOARD. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE EFFECTIVE IN COMMUNICATING THE ISSUES SINCE DAY ONE. MY CONCERN WAS TRYING TO ENSURE THAT WE WERE WORKING AND EXPENDING EVERY RESOURCE POSSIBLE TO ADDRESS THE MOST CRITICAL ISSUES. ONE OF THE THINGS I'M DOING RIGHT NOW THAT I WILL SAY, I HAVE TASKED THE TEAM TO PRIORITIZE ALL OF THE ITEMS BASED OFF OF ANY BUDGETARY RELATED IMPACT AS WELL AS ANY REGULATORY RELATED IMPACT. THOSE ITEMS HAVE TO GET ADDRESSED FIRST AND FOREMOST. WHEN IT COMES TO WORKING WITH EDUPOINT, WE ARE EXPLORING EVERY AVENUE TO ENSURE THAT EDUPOINT PROVIDES THE PRODUCT THAT WE PAID FOR AND CONTINUE TO PAY FOR, AND THEIR MOTIVATION IS THE $2 MILLION A YEAR BASICALLY THAT WE WILL PAY IN MAINTENANCE. SO THAT'S THEIR MOTIVATION TO KEEP US HAPPY. PLUS, WE ARE THEIR LARGEST ACCOUNT. THEY WANT US TO BE A REFERENCABLE ACCOUNT. RIGHT NOW, WE ARE NOT. THEY UNDERSTAND THAT, SO THEY ARE GOING TO WORK AS BEST AS THEY CAN TO GET US SUPPORTED. AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE JUST HAVE TO EVALUATE WHAT THEIR PRODUCT LOOKS LIKE AND WHETHER OR NOT IT PROVIDES EVERYTHING WE NEED AS A DISTRICT.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER RENDON.

>>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO, DR. WEEKS, WOULD YOU AGREE THAT YOU ARE THE LEAD FOR ALL OF OUR I.T. PROJECTS RELATED TO ALL OF THE SYSTEMS?

>> I WOULD SAY YES, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THIS IS NOT AN I.T. PROJECT. THIS IS A DISTRICT PROJECT.

>>Patti Rendon: AREN'T YOU IN CHARGE OF THE SYSTEMS WHICH WE IMPLEMENT THAT WE VOTE ON, YOUR PROJECTS, INCLUDING N 4, SYNERGY. THIS IS WHAT THE BOARD VOTED ON THAT YOU BROUGHT TO THE TABLE?

>> WE PROVIDE THE TECHNICAL RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT THE PRODUCT RUNS. WE DO NOT PROVIDE THE PROCESSES OR PROCEDURES THAT GOVERNS HOW THE TASKS ARE RUN.

>>Patti Rendon: YOUR DEPARTMENT IS NOT IN CHARGE OF PICKING THESE SYSTEMS AT ALL? YOUR DEPARTMENT?

>>Thomas Weeks: THE SYSTEM WAS PICKED ACTUALLY THROUGH A I CAN BACK IN 2019. THROUGH A COMMITTEE BACK IN 2019. I WAS NOT IN CHARGE IN 2019.

>>Patti Rendon: YOU HAD THE SYSTEM FIVE YEARS. IT WASN'T FOUR. IT WAS FIVE. LET ME MAKE SURE. SO AS YOU KNEW IN THE LAST TWO YEARS THAT IT WASN'T UP TO PAR, BECAUSE YOU'VE AGREED THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS, AND WE'VE BEEN HAVING PROJECT MEETINGS, HAVE YOU BEEN ATTENDING THESE PROJECT MEETINGS?

>> I ATTEND AS MANY PROJECT MEETINGS AS I CAN, YES.

>>Patti Rendon: SINCE WE KNOW THIS FAILED, HOW FREQUENTLY HAVE YOU ATTENDED THE PROJECT MEETINGS?

>> WE HAVE PROJECT MEETINGS BASED ON A NUMBER OF SUBJECTS. I ATTEND AS MANY PROJECT MEETINGS AS I CAN. I ATTENDED THE EXECUTIVE MEETINGS WE'VE HAD WITH EDUPOINT EXECUTIVE MEMBERS TO ENSURE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THE PROJECT THE WAY IT'S GONE AND WE ARE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN ACTUALLY ALIGN WITH THEM TO ENSURE THAT WE GET WHAT WE NEED AND WHAT WE PAID FOR.

>>Patti Rendon: WE HAVE ABOUT 20 WORK STREAMS WITHIN OUR DISTRICT THAT ARE ALL UTILIZING SYNERGY. HOW MANY OF THE WORK STREAMS HAVE YOU MET WITH TO UNDERSTAND THE ACTUAL DIFFICULTY THEY ARE CURRENTLY HAVING SO WHEN YOU ARE MEETING WITH EDUPOINT, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE THE FACTS BEHIND YOU AND KNOW WHAT THE SYSTEM PROBLEMS ARE.

>> AS THE PROJECT SPONSOR, I ONLY LOOK AT THIS AS A CURSORY LEVEL.

>>Patti Rendon: AT THE END OF THE DAY, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO HAVE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY IN THIS SYSTEM. I THINK THE BOARD IN ENTIRETY HAVE MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT WE ARE VERY FRUSTRATED WITH THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE ACCURATE DATA. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I ASKED FOR BEHAVIOR DATA. IT TOOK TWO DAYS TO GET ME ACCURATE BEHAVIOR DATA THAT I REQUESTED. NOBODY WITHIN OUTSIDE OF A SCHOOL CAN PULL THE DATA. IT TOOK TWO DAYS TO GET THE DATA. THAT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. WE COULD LIST MULTITUDE OF PROBLEMS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE SYSTEM. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT I HEAR HERE TODAY IS ZERO ACCOUNTABILITY, ZERO SOLUTIONS, AND YET OUR DISTRICT -- I'M HUNDRED PERCENT BEHIND MEMBER COMBS WITH THIS ONE -- THAT EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL, EVERY ADMINISTRATOR, EVERY TEACHER, EVERYONE THAT WORKS THERE IS HAVING TO PAY THE PRICE FOR OUR INEFFICIENCY IN IMPLEMENTING THIS SYSTEM. I DON'T THINK A MEMBER OF THIS BOARD WANTS TO LOOK AT ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER AND APOLOGIZE BECAUSE WE CAN'T GET IT RIGHT. AND THREE WEEKS IS ENOUGH TIME TO AT LEAST DO SOMETHING OR SCRAP IT AND START WITH WHAT WE'VE GOT. BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO ALLOW OUR TEACHERS, OUR ADMINISTRATORS OR ANY OF OUR STAFF TO BE TREATED THIS POORLY ANY LONGER. AND THERE MUST BE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THIS HAPPENING THE WAY IT IS. ALL I HEAR TONIGHT IS BLAMING EVERYBODY ELSE AND ZERO ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THAT IS NOT OKAY. I'M SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, I'M NOT OKAY WITH IT. IT'S OUR STUDENTS AND PEOPLE IN FRONT OF THEM. WE'VE HAD PEOPLE ACTUALLY ENROLLED INTO ANOTHER SCHOOL THAT THEY WERE IN THREE YEARS AGO AND THEY SHOW UP WHERE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE, WHERE ALREADY ENROLLED AND MESSED THEM ALL UP. WE COULD GO ON AND ON TO THE DANGERS WE PUT OUR STUDENTS IN. WE COULD GO ON AND ON. AT THE END OF THE DAY, SUPERINTENDENT, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY OF WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW AND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU.

>>Henry "Shake" Washington: WE'VE GOT TO FIX THIS BECAUSE IT IS A PAIN IN THE ASS. TOO MANY PEOPLE CALLING. WE'RE BOARD MEMBERS. THEY LOOK UP TO US. THEY CALL US. I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT. HAVE YOU RECEIVED CALLS IN YOUR OFFICE?

>> I RECEIVE CALLS REGULARLY, TEXTS, E-MAILS.

>>Henry "Shake" Washington: HOW ARE WE CORRECTING THE CALLS YOU'RE RECEIVING? I'M GETTING A HELL OF A LOT OF CALLS. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS.  HOW ARE WE CORRECTING. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY CALL? I NEED TO HAVE AN ANSWER, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER.

>> DEPENDING ON WHAT THE REQUEST IS OR THE CONCERN IS, THAT'S REALLY HOW WE RESPOND TO IT. FOR INSTANCE, TAKING ATTENDANCE, THE HELP DESK WILL SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS. THEY CAN CALL THE I.T. HELP DESK. WE HAVE THE DATA PROCESSORS AND DATA PROCESS SUPPORT THAT HELPS THE DPs OUT OF THE SCHOOL SITES. AND I WILL SAY THIS, AND MEMBER RENDON, I TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THIS. YES, THIS HAPPENED -- THIS DID HAPPEN UNDER MY WATCH, HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I STARTED OR HAVE CONTROLLED COMPLETELY FROM THE INCEPTION. SO YOU'VE ASKED ME TO BUILD AN AIRPLANE WHILE GIVING ME A SUBPAR FRAME THAT SOMEBODY ELSE BUILT AND THEN SAID MAKE IT THE CONCORD. I APPRECIATE THE CONCERNS THAT EVERYBODY IS LEVERAGING. YES, I SCREWED UP. I WILL SAY IT, ADMIT IT PUBLICLY, I SCREWED UP ON THE COMMUNICATIONS PIECE. THAT IS ON ME.

>>Patti Rendon: YOU NEVER TOLD ME OR A MEMBER OF THIS BOARD YOU COULDN'T BUILD THE CONCORD.

>>Henry "Shake" Washington: THE COMPANY, CAN THEY COME OUT TO HELP?

>> SO WE HAVE EDUPOINT RIGHT NOW --

>>Henry "Shake" Washington: EDU POINT, WHOEVER IT IS, CAN THEY COME OUT TO HELP?

>> WE HAVE EDUPOINT HELPING. WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL, THE ENROLLMENT PIECE, WE HAD INDIVIDUALS FROM THEIR TEAM WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK. AS MS. JOHNSON CAN ATTEST TO AND A NUMBER OF OTHERS, WE WORK STRAIGHT THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THERE WERE CALLS A VARIOUS NUMBER OF TIMES, E-MAILS GOING BACK AND FORTH SHOWING WHAT PROGRESS WAS MADE, WHAT PROGRESS WASN'T MADE. THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TAKING LIGHTLY. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT BOTH WE AND THE VENDOR ARE WORKING ON.

>>Henry "Shake" Washington: WE CAN'T HAVE THE EMPLOYEES CALLING LIKE THAT. WE JUST CAN'T. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. LIKE I SAID EARLIER TODAY WHEN WE WERE TALKING, WE CAN'T HAVE THIS. SOME THINGS IN LIFE YOU CAN HAVE AND SOME YOU CAN'T. THIS IS ONE OF THE DAMN ONES WE CAN'T. A LOT OF PEOPLE UPSET. WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION HOW WE SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.

>>Jim Porter: MADAM CHAIR, I'LL NOTE THIS AGENDA ITEM, -- APPROPRIATE TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE IT'S RELATED. IF YOU NOTE THE TIME AND YOU STILL HAVE SOME OF THE AGENDA TO GO THROUGH, UNLESS THERE ARE OTHER BOARD COMMENTS, YOU MIGHT WANT TO CALL FOR THE VOTE AND MOVE ON. I THINK THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS HEARD WHAT YOU NEEDED HIM TO HEAR.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR COMPLAINTS OR AGGRAVATION, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER WHICH ONE WE'RE ON.

>>Van Ayres: ONE MORE 7.03.

>>Karen Perez: ITEM 7.03, PIGGYBACK WITH ARIEL BUSINESS GROUP, INCORPORATED. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM.

>>Van Ayres: THIS PIGGY BECOME A CONTRACT ALLOWS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO HIRE A VENDOR FOR SERVICES AND SUPPORT TO THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER ON AS NEEDED BASIS. THIS INCLUDES JOB OVERSIGHT ASSISTANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES CRUCIAL FOR EFFECTIVE PROJECT MANAGEMENT. ARIEL BUSINESS GROUP WILL SUPPORT THE OFFICE OF SUPPLIER DIVERSITY AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGER BY SOLICITING, SUPPORTING AND ADVOCATING FOR LOCAL MINORITY BUSINESSES FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. THIS PARTNERSHIP AIMS TO ENGAGE WITH 20% LOCAL MINORITY BUSINESSES ALIGNING WITH THE OSD GOALS. THAT IS ITEM 7.03.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 7.03. MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND A SECOND BY MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER VAUGHN, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

>>Jessica Vaughn: I'M SCARED TO TALK ABOUT THIS AGENDA ITEM, WHERE IT MAY LEAD. I JUST WANTED TO AGAIN, FOR MY UNDERSTANDING, THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE PIGGYBACKING ON BUT TO HELP IDENTIFY AND ENSURE WE'RE OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES TO SMALL AND DIVERSITY OWNS BUSINESSES WHEN IT GOES OUT FOR RFP AND BIDDING. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IT BECAUSE WHEN I GO IN THE COMMUNITY, THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT ARE WE DOING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PARTICIPATING IN THE COMMUNITY AND GIVING EVERYONE ACCESS TO THESE. I KNOW THAT'S HOW THIS WAS EXPLAINED TO ME. VERY QUICKLY AFTER THAT LAST AGENDA ITEM, CAN YOU KIND OF HIGHLIGHT HOW WE'RE GOING TO USE THIS AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

>>Christopher Farkas: THIS IS A POSITIVE ITEM. THIS IS ONE THAT IS A GOOD THING FOR SMALL MINORITY BUSINESSES, VETERAN OWN, WOMEN BUSINESSES. ARIEL GROUP HAD SUCCESS NOT JUST WITH THE COUNTY, WITH THE AIRPORT AND THE PORT MAKING SURE WE GET LOCAL PARTICIPATION FOR OUR PROJECTS. ANYWAY WE CAN GET BETTER WITH LOCAL PARTICIPATION WITH TAX DOLLARS, THAT IS THE FOCUS. IMPROVE THE CONCEPT, MAKE SURE THEY CAN PROVE WHAT THEY DID. IF WE USE THEM, USE THEM MORE OFTEN. EXCITED TO BRING THE GROUP ON. HAD SUCCESS IN OTHER AREAS WITH GOVERNMENT WORK. WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

>>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU.

>>Karen Perez: SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE WILL MOVE INTO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S COMMENTS. SUPERINTENDENT.

>>Van Ayres: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MY COMMENTS WILL BE BRIEF. NUMBER ONE, ENROLLMENT NUMBERS. WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT FROM 15 DAY COUNT OF LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR. OUR NUMBERS ARE UP, CHARTERS SCHOOLS ARE ARE DOWN. AS WE LOOK AT THE PRODUCT WE PRODUCE AND FAMILIES CHOOSING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WE'RE UP APPROXIMATELY 1800 STUDENTS FROM LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME. CHARTER NUMBERS ARE DOWN. 1600. AS WE LOOK, ALWAYS AS WE PROJECT A BUDGET IN THE SPRING TIME LEADING TO THE FALL IT'S WHERE OUR NUMBERS ARE GOING TO LAND. WITHIN WE HAVE NUMBERS THAT -- WHEN WE HAVE NUMBERS THAT PROVE WE ARE THE NUMBER ONE CHOICE AND CONTINUE TO BE FOR OUR FAMILIES, THAT IS A POSITIVE SIGN. OTHER UPDATE WAS AROUND SYNERGY AND KEEP PROVIDING THOSE UPDATES ON A REGULAR, REGULAR BASIS AND CONTINUE TO PROBLEM SOLVE UNTIL THE FRUSTRATIONS ARE GONE. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. WE'LL MOVE INTO BOARD COMMENTS. BOARD MEMBERS, JUST A REMINDER, YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES EACH TO SPEAK. 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. MEMBER GRAY.

>>Lynn Gray: PABLO, CAN YOU PUT THE SLIDE UP? JUST ONE SLIDE. ALL RIGHT. MAYBE NOT. HOLD ON. NOW, WHAT HAPPENED TO IT. WE HAVE OUR STUDENT ONLINE SAFETY FORUMS. AS YOU CAN SEE, YORK INNOVATION WILL BE THE FIRST ONE, SEPTEMBER 26. THEN WE'RE AT WILSON, JANUARY AT ADUM AND FEBRUARY AT TURNER/BARTELS AND APRIL 24 AT CARROLLWOOD. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE ENTIRE DISTRICT AWARE, HOPEFULLY, OF THE STUDENT ONLINE. THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING SAFETY STRATEGIES TO HELP THEIR STUDENTS FOR PARENTS TO HELP THEIR CHILDREN TO BECOME SAFE WHILE THEY ARE DOING THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA ONLINE. NEXT, OKAY, DONE WITH THE SLIDE. NINTH ANNUAL BLACK HISTORY BRAIN BOWL AND MEMBER SHAKE WASHINGTON IS ALSO ON THIS COMMITTEE. WE HAVE OUR PRELIMINARIES AT BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL ON JANUARY 28, 2025. THEN BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL, JANUARY 29, 2025. LETO HIGH SCHOOL, JANUARY 30th, 2025. AND MIDDLETON, FEBRUARY 22, 2025. LAST YEAR, WE HAD I THINK, SHAKE, WE HAD OVER 189 SCHOOLS THAT ARE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOL PREPARE AND 44 THURGOOD MARSHALL CLUBS. WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD WITHIN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN TASK FORCE. DR. BEVERLY IS IN CHARGE OF THE NINTH ANNUAL BLACK HISTORY. AND WE JUST CAN'T THANK HER ENOUGH. NEXT, A BIG AWARD HAS HAPPENED FOR JESSICA DE LA PRIETA. HISPANIC HERITAGE IS A VERY INTEGRAL PART OF FLORIDA AND CITY OF. IN HONOR OF NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, THE MAYOR JANE CASTOR AND THE SPANISH SPORT CASTING SYSTEM RECOGNIZE JESSICA DE LA PRIETO TO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO SHAPING OUR CITY THROUGH BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY, NATIONAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION THROUGHOUT THE HISPANIC COMMUNITIES, CUBAN COMMUNITIES, VENEZUELAN COMMUNITIES, NICARAGUAN COMMUNITIES, COLUMBIA, SPANISH, PUERTO RICO AS WELL. IF I DIDN'T SAY HAITIAN, BUT JESSICA DE LA PRIETO IS GOING TO RECEIVE THE NINTH ANNUAL VIVA TAMPA BAY HISPANIC HERITAGE AWARD, VERY WELL DESERVED. NEXT, WE HAVE A FLORIDA TEACHER OF THE YEAR. JAMIE. THIS COMES FROM DANA FROM TURKEY CREEK CLASS 1972. THE IDEA WAS TO GIVE THIS PARTICULAR PERSON, JAMIE SUAREZ, SHE WAS NAMED THE 2025 TEACHER OF THE YEAR FOR THE ENTIRE STATE OF FLORIDA. AND THIS IS ALL RELATING BACK TO THE WONDERFUL AREA CALLED TURKEY CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND WE ARE VERY, VERY PROUD OF JAMIE SUAREZ. AND SHE IS A K-8 MATH TEACHER. SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS A SHOUT-OUT. AND I THINK THAT'S ALL I'M GOING TO SHOUT OUT BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO SHOUT AT ME IF I DON'T STOP TALKING. ALL RIGHT. DONE.

>>Henry "Shake" Washington: LET'S GO WITH AUGUST 10. OH, YEAH, WE HAD A GREAT TIME ON AUGUST THE 10. WE HAD MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL 90th CELEBRATION PARADE AND ALSO WE HAD THE ALUMNI TAKEOVER, WHICH WAS REALLY, REALLY GOOD. I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WONDERFUL LEADERS AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY, FOR COMING OUT. ON THE 18th, YOU CAN SEE ME AND MRS. RENDON. WE WERE AT THE SOCCER GAME. WE HAD ABOUT 5,000 PEOPLE THERE. I THINK CHRIS FARKAS WAS THERE. IT WAS FILLED. GREAT TIME. FAMILY ATMOSPHERE. WE HAD A GREAT TIME TO SEE ALL THE FAMILIES. AT THE SOCCER GAME. AUGUST 31st, WE HAD, THIS WEEKEND BURNETT, I WENT AND DONATED CLOTHES. THEY HAD THE WOLF DEN AKA COMMUNITY CLOTHES SUPPLY CLOSET. THEY ARE UNDERWAY HAVING A CLOSET FOR STUDENTS WHO DON'T HAVE CLOTHES AND FAMILIES WILL BE COMING OUT. WE HAVE A LOT. THAT WAS JUST ONE DAY. SO WE HAVE A LOT GOING ON THERE. AND THEN THE LAST ONE, SEPTEMBER THE 30th, WE HAD THANK YOU FIRST, SOUTH FLORIDA MISSIONARY BAPTIST BROTHERHOOD MINISTRY FOR DONATING $250 TO TWO TEACHERS AT CORR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THANK YOU ALSO FOR COMING TO YOUR SCHOOL AND DONATING MONEY. WE HAD GRACE, A FIFTH GRADE MATH AND SCIENCE TEACHER AND WE HAD TRACY INGRAM, A FOURTH GRADE ELE TEACHER. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER RENDON.

>>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. JUST WANT TO THANK CHAIR PEREZ AND I CELEBRATED WITH PEPIN ACADEMY FOR THEIR 25th ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR PEPIN ACADEMIES HERE IN THE HILLSBOROUGH AREA. THEY WERE A GROUND BREAKING MOMENT HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. 25 YEARS AGO, MANY INSTITUTIONS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA WERE JUST BEING CLOSED AND THINGS WERE CHANGING. TO BE INNOVATIVE THE WAY THEY WERE AND TO PUT SCHOOLS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR SPECIAL NEEDS COMMUNITY IS SO INCREDIBLY SPECIAL. BOTH CHAIR PEREZ AND I WERE THERE TO CELEBRATE WITH THEM AND WE WANT TO THANK THE PEPIN FOUNDATION FOR THE WORK THEY DO ON AN ONGOING BASIS, NOT ONLY WITH THEIR ACADEMIES, BUT THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY. THAT WAS HUGE. WE SPOKE A LOT ABOUT THE THINGS GOING WRONG TONIGHT AND THE FRUSTRATION WE HAVE, IS BUT I WANT TO GIVE A HUGE SHOUT-OUT TO OUR ADMINISTRATORS, OUR TEACHERS, OUR SCHOOL STAFF BECAUSE THEY HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND THIS SCHOOL YEAR SO FAR. AS A BOARD MEMBER, I CANNOT THANK THEM ENOUGH. I AM SURE MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS FEEL THE SAME WAY. WE ARE JUST SO INCREDIBLY PROUD OF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. THE WRAPAROUNDS YOU HAVE CREATED. THE WAYS IN WHICH YOU ARE COLLABORATING WITH EACH OTHER WITH YOUR COHORTS AT OTHER SCHOOLS TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS. YOU ARE JUST DOING ABOVE AND BEYOND AND TO OUR ACADEMIC STAFF AND OUR OTHER DISTRICT STAFF THAT ARE HELPING THEM ALONG THIS WAY, OUR REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENTS, OUR SUPERINTENDENTS, SO MANY PEOPLE ARE JUMPING IN TO HELP IN THIS PROCESS. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE SAID THANK YOU BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH THAT, THEY PUT A SMILING FACE ON. THEY ARE PUTTING CURRICULUM IN FRONT OF STUDENTS, AND THEY ARE MOVING FORWARD MAKING SURE STUDENTS ARE GETTING WHAT THEY NEED. THEY DESERVE 150% OF OUR SUPPORT AND THANK YOUS THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM. I WANT TO SHOUT-OUT TO ALL OF OUR STAFF ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND THANK THEM FOR EVERYTHING THEY DID. THE SATURDAYS, THE SUNDAYS, THE ONGOING REWRITING AND CREATIVENESS AND THINGS THAT THEY DO. ON TOP OF IT, THEY ARE THERE ON FRIDAYS. THEY ARE THERE ON SATURDAYS. FRIDAY NIGHT AT SCHOOL. VOLLEYBALL GAMES. EVERYTHING GOING ON RIGHT NOW, THEY ARE STILL SHOWING UP. THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR AND EVERYTHING YOU DO ON A DAILY BASIS.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER VAUGHN.

>>Jessica Vaughn: I HAVE QUITE A FEW THINGS TO COVER. I'LL TRY TO MOVE QUICKLY. FIRST OF ALL, UNFORTUNATELY WE LOST ONE OF OUR STUDENTS ON LABOR DAY AT FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL. A SENIOR. I JUST WANT TO SEND MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY AND TO THE SCHOOL. I KNOW IT WAS A HARD LOSS. FOR SOMEONE WHO SAT ON THE TPO BOARD, TAMPA IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST PEDESTRIAN FATALITY RATES IN THE COUNTRY. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE ADVOCATING FOR SAFE SIDEWALKS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE, UNFORTUNATELY, IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S SAFE TO SEND OUR KIDS WALKING TO SCHOOL. I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT THAT AND JUST SAY OUR CONDOLENCES AND HOW SAD THAT IS. NEXT, SOMEONE HAD ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO ME ABOUT OUR FOOTBALL GAMES. I GUESS THERE'S BEEN SOME DISTURBANCES AND CHALLENGES GOING ON. I DON'T WANT YOU TO ANSWER RIGHT NOW, BUT I WOULD LIKE SOME FOLLOW-UP ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING TO ENSURE SAFETY AND TO MANAGE WHAT'S GOING ON THERE, AS WELL AS THEY HAD SUGGESTED MAYBE IF WE MOVE IT EARLIER IN THE DAY OR FOOTBALL TIMES CHANGE, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT HAS AN EFFECT, POSITIVE EFFECT ON IT. I WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE I HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY REACH OUT TO ME WITH CONCERNS ABOUT THAT. I SAID I WOULD AS IN ON. IF SOMEBODY COULD FOLLOW UP WITH ME ON THAT. BLACK BRAIN BOWL, THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS HIGHLIGHTING THAT AND WORKING SO HARD ON THAT, MEMBER GRAY. I DID WANT TO POINT OUT SOME OF MY SCHOOLS DID NOT PARTICIPATE. IT'S BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE A TEACHER WHO WAS WILLING TO PUT IN THE TIME AND SPONSOR. BUT I REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE TALKING, MS. McRAE, YOU SAID A PARENT COULD DO THAT AS WELL. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT IN CASE YOU ARE AT A SCHOOL AND WANT TO MAKE SURE YOUR SCHOOL CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE BLACK BRAIN BOWL. UNFORTUNATELY IF WE DON'T HAVE A TEACHER WHO IS ABLE TO SPONSOR THAT, THAT PARENTS ARE ABLE TO SPONSOR THAT CLUB. I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY GIVE US MORE PARTICIPATION. I KNOW I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO DO THAT LAST YEAR AS WELL. I ALSO WANTED TO ASK YOU, DR. GRACE, ABOUT OUR SENIOR POLICY AROUND THE LAST SEMESTER, IF STUDENTS HAVE SO MANY EXCUSED OR UNEXCUSED ABSENCES THAT THERE HE IS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH THEM BEING ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO TESTS. I KNOW A LOT OF ANXIETY AROUND THAT. NOT RIGHT NOW BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE POLICY. I UNDERSTAND UNEXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ABSENCES BUT IF EXCUSED ABSENCES AND STUDENT HAS A LONG SICKNESS AND WHATNOT, I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF CONCERNS. I WANT AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THAT WITH YOU. ALSO BRING UP TO FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, ONE THING I'M GOING TO DISCUSS AGAIN AS WE GO FORWARD IS BRINGING OUR SUBS BACK TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I HAD A LOT OF ISSUES WHERE PEOPLE TOLD ME EXPERIENCES WITH KELLY STAFFING. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IT. SOMEBODY WHO WORKED BOTH FOR KELLY AND IN-HOUSE, I HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE WORKING FOR OUR OWN DISTRICT. TALKING ABOUT ESE OR DIFFERENT THINGS WHERE WE HAVE SUBS FILL IN AND MAKE SURE WE DO THE TRAINING WITH FIDELITY, WE'LL SEE DIFFERENCE IN CLASSROOMS. SOMETHING I'LL BE TALKING A LOT ABOUT. I MENTIONED THAT TO YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. I ALSO WANT TO ECHO WHAT MEMBER RENDON SAID, JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH. I KNOW WE SOMETIMES AS BOARD MEMBERS TALK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER OR HIGHLIGHT THINGS. WE ARE DOING GREAT THINGS. SO MANY THINGS HAPPENING IN SCHOOLS. TALKING TO PARENTS WHO ARE LOVING SENDING THEIR KIDS TO OUR SCHOOLS AND HAVING GREAT EXPERIENCES. I EVEN THINK WITH TEACHERS, BURNT OUT AND EXHAUSTED, BUT ALSO TRYING TO HAVE A GOOD YEAR AND SEEING SOME OF THE GOOD THINGS PUTTING INTO PLAY. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND LET THEM KNOW WE APPRECIATE IT AND THERE ARE GREAT AMAZING THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS. ALSO TO YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP WHEN IT CAME TO THE MILLAGE. I KNOW THAT WAS A REALLY CHALLENGING EXPERIENCE AND I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THAT THERE ARE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES WHO ARE STILL USING IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTACK THE SCHOOL BOARD AND ATTACK YOU PERSONALLY, WHICH I FIND TO BE EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT. I KNOW IT'S BEEN HARD TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR STUDENTS WHEN THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE USING THAT AS AN EXCUSE TO TEAR US OR TEAR YOU DOWN. AGAIN, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I'M JUST EXCITED ABOUT THIS SCHOOL YEAR. I'M GLAD TO STILL BE HERE. THAT'S IT. THANKS.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER HAHN.

>>Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIR PEREZ. I'M GLAD MEMBER RENDON BROUGHT UP THE PEPIN 25th ANNIVERSARY. I WASN'T ABLE TO GO BUT I DID RECORD AN ONLINE VIDEO. IT IS A VERY SPECIAL SCHOOL, HAS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART AND IN THE HISTORY OF MY CAREER. I SAT ON THEIR BOARD A LONG TIME AGO AND RAN A SUMMER PROGRAM IN MATH AND READING FOR THEM THROUGH USF COLLEGE OF ED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND JUST LOVE THE WORK THEY DO IN OUR COMMUNITY. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, HOPEFULLY 25 MORE YEARS WE'LL BE SAYING THAT AGAIN. I WANTED TO GIVE READ ON MY ON-UPDATES BECAUSE READING WAS HAPPENING THIS SUMMER. READ ON/myON HAD A SUMMER COMMUNITYWIDE CAMPAIGN. #JUST 2 BOOKS. FUN VIDEO TO KICK THIS OFF AT THE BEGINNING OF SUMMER. THEY REALLY WANTED KIDS TO READ AT LEAST TWO BOOKS. I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT THE NUMBER OF BOOKS ACCESSED WAS IN AUGUST, 182,015 BOOKS. BOOKS COMPLETED 40,180. AND TIME SPENT READING, JUST UNDER 18,000 HOURS. 17,999. HURRAH. THANK YOU, myON FOR HELPING US WITH SUMMER SLIDE, AND ENCOURAGING KIDS TO READ AND OFFERING ACCESS TO BOOKS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH. THEY ALSO HAD THE STREET TEAM OUT THIS SUMMER. THEY VISITED ALL THE SLP SITES. ALL THE HOST SITES, THE YMCA CAMPS, PUBLIC LIBRARY LOCATIONS FOR A TOTAL OF 99 VISITS. THE STREET TEAM GOES OUT. IT'S FANTASTIC. THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REALLY SEE THIS IN ACTION. IT'S FUN. THEY GO OUT. DO A LOT OF READING GAMES WITH KIDS AND GIVE OUT PRIZES AND GET KIDS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT READING AND BOOKS. IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM. IT'S SOMETHING TO VISIT OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS AT SOME OF YOUR SITES. LE SO BACK TO SCHOOL WITH MYON, THEY HAVE UPDATED CURRICULUM FOR ELEMENTARY SOCIAL STUDIES. NOW DISTRICTWIDE ASSIGNMENTS CREATED AND SHARED WITH ALL TEACHERS. THERE IS A NEW myON FEATURE THIS YEAR WHERE STUDENTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO RECORD THEIR ANSWERS VERBALLY WHEN WORKING ON AN ASSIGNMENT, WHICH AS SOME OF US KNOW, KIND OF WORKING IN THAT ESE ARENA, THAT IS A GAME CHANGER FOR A LOT OF KIDS TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR KNOWLEDGE WHEN THEY CAN SAY IT INSTEAD OF WRITE IT BECAUSE OF SOME OF THEIR EXCEPTIONALITIES WHICH CREATE A BARRIER TO EXPRESSING WHAT THEY KNOW. I REALLY LIKE THAT FEATURE. myON HAS MOVED TO A SINGLE SIGN-ON WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR PARENTS TO ACCESS THE LIBRARY AND THE BOOKS. THANK YOU FOR myON AND TO ALL OF THE WONDERFUL COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO INVEST IN myON SO KIDS HAVE ACCESS TO BOOKS ALL YEAR ROUND. THANK YOU.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER COMBS.

>>Nadia Combs: JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. THIS OCTOBER 3rd, PABLO WILL BE OUR THIRD ANNUAL HISPANIC HERITAGE COMMUNITY CELEBRATION THAT WILL BE HELD IN LETO. AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED. LAST YEAR, LITERALLY THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THERE. I WANT TO REALLY THANK MARCUS MURILLO WHO HELPED SO MUCH. MELISSA MORGADO AND THE WHOLE TEAM OF THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY. WE'RE VERY EXCITED. WE'LL HAVE EVEN MORE VENDORS, MORE PEOPLE THIS YEAR. THIS THURSDAY -- THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3rd. WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE CELEBRATION TO CELEBRATE IN TOWN N' COUNTRY. THANK YOU TO MARISSA McCOY, PRINCIPAL AT LETO, WHO IS HOSTING THAT. IT IS A VERY BIG EVENT. I HOPE MANY OF YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ATTEND THAT. FINALLY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 40% OF OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE HISPANIC AND REALLY MAKING SURE WHEN YOU LOOK AT TOWN N' COUNTRY AND THAT AREA, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO CLOSE MORGAN WOODS. YOU'RE SEEING HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS GOING INTO TOWN N' COUNTRY. LOTS OF SCHOOLS HAVE 500 OR MORE STUDENTS. THE POPULATION HAS REALLY INCREASED. EVERY SCHOOL IN DISTRICT ONE IS A, B, OC. THAT HISPANIC POPULATION, FAMILIES ARE WORKING SO HARD TO MAKE SURE TO LIVE THAT AMERICAN DREAM AND MAKE SURE THAT THE STUDENTS ARE DOING WELL AND IT'S VERY EXCITING TO SEE. I REALLY AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE PARENT COMMUNITY CENTER. I THINK IT WILL BE GREAT. PEOPLE ALREADY WORKING AT ROSSAC. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING. NOTHING EXTRA. JUST MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY, OUR DISTRICT PEOPLE, TO SUPPORT FAMILIES, TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS ARE SUCCESSFUL. SO I WANTED TO SHARE THIS REALLY QUICK CLIP FROM SPECTRUM NEWS. HERE WE GO.

>> LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS JUST WRAPPED UP THEIR FIRST WEEK OF CLASSES. THE SCHOOL LEADERS SAY IT COULD TAKE A WHILE FOR STUDENTS TO ADJUST. ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO JUST MOVED HERE. IT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY THEY ARE WORKING TO OPEN A FAMILY AND COMMUNITY CENTER IN TOWN N' COUNTRY. SPECTRUM BAY NEWS 9 ELIZABETH GUTIERREZ GIVES US A SNEAK PEEK AT THE CENTER AND THE IMPACT IT WILL HAVE ON FAMILIES.

>> THIS STARTED 20 YEARS AGO.

>> A PROJECT YEARS IN THE MAKING. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS SAYS WITH MORE STUDENTS REGISTERING IN THE DISTRICT, THEY WANTED TO CREATE A PLACE NEW FAMILIES CAN FEEL CONNECTED.

>> NO MATTER WHERE THEY COME FROM, OUT OF STATE OR OUT OF THE DISTRICT OR OUT OF THE COUNTRY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE TO GIVE THEM SUPPORT BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT PARENTS IN THE DISTRICT ARE WORKING CLOSELY TOGETHER.

>> NADIA COMBS, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER FOR DISTRICT ONE, SAYS ALMOST HALF OF THE STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT ARE HISPANIC. AND THE CENTER HAS BEEN SOMETHING SHE'S BEEN PUSHING FOR, A PLACE THAT HELP FAMILIES WHO MAY NOT SPEAK ENGLISH, OFFERING ENGLISH COURSES AND THE BASICS OF HOW TO USE SCHOOL APPS.

>> THOSE HISPANIC COMMUNITIES ARE THRIVING AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE TEACH THEM HOW TO NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM. WHAT KIND OF CREDITS DO YOU NEED FOR COLLEGE, WHAT OPPORTUNITIES THEY ARE. BECAUSE WHEN WE STABILIZE FAMILIES, THEN WE STABILIZE STUDENTS AND WE HAVE A BETTER AND STRONGER COMMUNITY.

>> THE CENTER WILL BE A BENEFIT FOR PARENTS LIKE LYNNETTE SUAREZ. SHE MOVED TO FLORIDA A YEAR AND A HALF AGO AND THERE'S STILL A LOT SHE'S LEARNING AS SHE GETS INVOLVED IN HER CHILDREN'S EDUCATION.

>> THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF SOMEONE TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR EDUCATIONAL CAREER AND LEARN WHERE TO APPLY.

>> THE SPACE WILL OFFER SCHOOL REGISTRATIONS, PHYSICALS, TRANSCRIPTS, TUTORING FOR STUDENTS, EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT EDUCATION SUPPORT AND MUCH MORE. LYNNETTE SAYS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS DIFFERENT IN LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES, SO HAVING THE SUPPORT IS IMPORTANT.

>> THERE IS A LOT OF HISPANIC STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND WE AS PARENTS NEED TO BE INVOLVED IN OUR CHILD STUDIES TO LEARN WITH THEM.

>> EDUCATING THE FUTURE LEADERS OF AMERICA. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SAYS THEY WANT TO CONTINUE OPENING THE DOORS FOR MORE STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. IN TAMPA, ELIZABETH GUTIERREZ, SPECTRUM NEWS.

>> THANK YOU, ELIZABETH. THE CENTER IS EXPECTED TO OPEN IN THREE WEEKS, AND THEN IT WILL BE OPEN EVERY DAY FOR FAMILIES. THE CENTER IS LOCATED AT 5630 NORTH LOIS AVENUE IN TAMPA.

>>Nadia Combs: AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO THANK OWEN YOUNG AND THE ENTIRE FACE TEAM. YOU COULD SEE SO MANY PEOPLE AT THE DISTRICT WERE OUT THERE. WE'RE VERY EXCITED. LASTLY I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE MEMBER LYNN GRAY WHO IS GOING TO SERVE ON THE FEDERAL RELATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, DIRECTOR KRISTIN DAVIS ALONG WITH CHAIR DR. WILLIAM ALLEN AND VICKY CHAIR KRISTY CRAWS. SHE WILL BE WORKING ON THE FEDERAL LEGISLATION BECAUSE WE HAVE TO KEEP FIGHTING AT THE STATE LEVEL BUT ALSO CONTINUE FIGHTING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND MAKING SURE THAT EDUCATION IS A PRIORITY. WE'RE 50th IN THE NATION ON FUNDING IN FLORIDA AND WE NEED TO KEEP PUSHING. THANK YOU.

>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. I'M GOING TO KIND OF PIGGYBACK ON WHAT MEMBER VAUGHN SAID REGARDING THE FIGHTS AT THE SCHOOL. WE'VE HAD ALREADY TWO GAMES, WHERE FIGHTS BROKE OUT. AT TAMPA BAY TECH, SOMEBODY SHOT OFF SOME FRAMEWORKS.

>> CORRECT. I BELIEVE WEEK ZERO. PRESEASON.

>>Karen Perez: AND THEN LAST WEEK.

>> LAST WEEK -- WE HAD NONE, CORRECT, LAST WEEK.

>>Karen Perez: NO. LAST FRIDAY NIGHT.

>>Van Ayres: MR. FARKAS, I KNOW YOU WERE --

>>Christopher Farkas: WE DID HAVE A SMALL ALTERCATION BUT BETWEEN MEMBERS OF SAME SCHOOL, NOT OPPOSING SCHOOLS. SMALL ALTERCATION AT A GAME THIS LAST FRIDAY.

>>Karen Perez: I KNOW THERE WERE SOME SUGGESTIONS ROLLING AROUND WITH REGARD TO HAVING STUDENTS WITH I Ds COMING TO THE GAME OR ONLY THE STUDENTS WHO SCHOOLS ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE GAMES COME TO THE GAMES OR THE POSSIBILITY OF MOVING UNTIL THE STUFF IS FIXED, HAVING THE GAMES ON SATURDAY MORNINGS.

>>Christopher Farkas: WE DID MEET DR. GRAY AND ROB NELSON AND GARY WERE ALSO THERE TOO WITH CHIEF NEWMAN AND THE ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT. THERE ARE PROS AND CONS TO EACH ONE OF THOSE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE KIDS ARE SAFE. THAT'S OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. THERE IS A PROCESS RIGHT NOW FOR WHAT WE CALL SPOTLIGHT GAMES. IF IT IS A RIVALRY GAME, TO ADD SECURITY IS THE FIRST PART. OTHER THING I WOULD SAY EACH SCHOOL HAS THE ABILITY TO TRACK TICKET SALES, MAKING SURE WE KNOW WE CAN LIMIT THOSE OR CAP THOSE FROM A SAFETY AND SECURITY STANDPOINT TO DO THAT AS WELL. I WOULD SAY ONE THING, IT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA AND DON'T MEAN TO BE CONDESCENDING ANY STRETCH, HAVING IT ON SATURDAY, WHEN YOU ARE THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN, YOU GET KIDS FROM ALL SCHOOLS. UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES, PULLING A GAME OFF AND PUTTING IT ON A SATURDAY, YOU GET MORE KIDS BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY GAME. WE NEED TO KEEP DOING THAT. THERE'S ALWAYS -- FOOTBALL GAMES ON FRIDAY NIGHTS ALWAYS BEEN A CHALLENGE FROM WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL. NO QUESTION. BUT A LITTLE MORE ATTENTION. UNFORTUNATELY WHEN THERE IS ATTENTION, SOMETIMES IT EXACERBATES THE SITUATION. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CONTINUE TO PUT SECURITY IN THAT PART TOO AND LOOK AT ALL OPTIONS. WE ASKED HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, APAs TO MAKE SURE TO SHARE WITH US IF THEY HEAR THINGS. LONG ANSWER TO SHORT QUESTION, BUT SOMETHING WE'RE TRYING TO DO ALL WE CAN TO HELP MONITOR.

>>Karen Perez: THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO AVOID, ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY, LOOKING AT THE LONG-RANGE ISSUES, TO MAKE SURE NOTHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS HERE IN TAMPA. JUST SAYING. ALSO, I WANTED TO THANK DR. WEHLAND AND THE PRINCIPAL FROM LETO HIGH SCHOOL. WE HAD A YOUNG LADY, A STUDENT WHO HAD GRADUATED. SHE DIDN'T GET HER DIPLOMA ON TIME. AND WE WERE ABLE TO DELIVER THAT DIPLOMA TO HER AT HOME. AND WE DID IT ON A FRIDAY. SHE WAS SO EXCITED. SHE WAS JUST ELATED. I WANT TO THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK YOU, DR. WAILnd FOR GOING OUT OF YOU'RE WAY FOR MAKING SURE THIS WAS TAKEN CARE OF AND THE STUDENT GOT HER DIPLOMA. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, STUDENT AYRES, FOR MAKING SURE THIS HAPPENED. AND THAT'S THE GOOD, SOME OF THE GOOD STUFF THAT HAPPENS AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP HERE. I KNOW WE HAVE HICCUPS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE AMAZING THINGS THAT HAPPEN. WE WOULDN'T BE THE 7th LARGEST IN THE NATION AND THE THIRD LARGEST IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA IF WE DIDN'T HAVE INCREDIBLE STAFF AND LEADERSHIP AND TEACHERS. I THINK WE HOLD YOUR FEET TO THE FIRE BECAUSE WE WANT TO CONTINUE BEING INCREDIBLE AND AMAZING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THAT'S WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO AND SAY WHAT WE SAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HELP YOU GROW. WITH THAT SAID, THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED. [ SOUNDING GAVEL ]