Oct 22, 2021 Board of Education - Board Work Session

ANY DISCUSSION IF YOU'RE STRUGGLING DURING THE LAST, THE OBJECTIVES ARE FOR GMS, PLEASE STAND FOR THE BUTTON.

I DON'T HAVE A MOMENT.

WE'LL HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

THE MEDIA HAS BEEN PROPERLY NOTIFIED.

YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY, SO CAN THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PARTICIPATING REMOTELY HERE, US ADEQUATELY.

SHUT OFF FOR SOMETHING ALONG THE WAY, MACH TWO PHONES, MAKE SURE THEY'RE BOTH THE SAME WAY WALK.

SO DAVID, YOU'RE A LITTLE HARD FOR US TO HEAR BACKGROUND NOISE, SO THAT MIGHT BE INTERFERING A LITTLE NEXT ON THE AGENDA.

WE HAVE THE TEACHER RETENTION.

I'LL START US OFF ON THAT.

I'M TRYING TO SHARE MY SCREEN HERE.

HE WALKED FROM HIS HOUSE ON THE BEACH TO HERE AND I WAS PLEASED.

HE HAD COME OF THE BEACHY.

YOU TRIED TO SHARE EVERYBODY WHO ARE AT THE LONG AWAITED STRATEGIC PLAN MEETING.

FIRST OF ALL, HE ASKED YOU, IF YOU COULD PLEASE CHECK YOUR PHONES AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE ON MUTE OR

[00:05:01]

THOSE SCANDALS ESCAPE, A RECENT CASE.

UM, ONE WASN'T SHUT OFF.

I MUST SAY THAT, UM, JEFF BUCKALEW GOT THE BEST PARKING SPACE TODAY OF ANYBODY HERE WHO WALKED FROM HIS HOUSE ON THE BEACH TO HERE.

AND I WAS PLEASED, YOU KNOW, COME DOWN TO THE BEACH.

WHEN HE COME OUT OF THE WATER, I WAS KIND OF CONCERNED THAT HE WAS SOMEBODY, I DIDN'T KNOW THIS MORNING.

UM, , IT'S A GOOD FEELING OF INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS KNOW WE'VE HAD SEVERAL .

SO I HAVE A MEMBER OF MY TEAM AND HE IS NOT A SHOP.

DO YOU USE DIRECT TO, UM, COMING FROM 70 THAT WRITTEN TEACHERS HAVE ON THIS OF ALL THE CURRENT TEACHERS AND NATIONAL TEACHERS INWARD LOOK AT, SO YOU SEE THEM HAVE WHERE YOU'RE FROM AND THE TWO SEPARATE COM.

SO, AND ALSO TODAY I HAVE WITH US, MELISSA AZALEA KANE, SHE IS AN IMMIGRATION AND BAYLOR WITH PERFORMANCE, AND SHE WORKS DIRECTLY WITH OTHER DISTRICTS AS WELL AS OTHER AREAS AND COMPANIES ON IMMIGRATION, SPONSORING INTERNATIONAL PEOPLE.

SO WE'RE NOT SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

REGGIE'S GOING TO COME UP AND GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF HOW IT LOOKS FOR US WHEN WE BRING THOSE TEACHERS ON THE ROAD FROM TGB, TGB, AND TBG AND PARTICIPATE.

SO GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BRING THEM THIS SLIDE AND SHE WILL TALK TO YOU ABOUT LEGALITIES OF SPOTS.

SO REGGIE, I'M GOING TO TURN IT UP TO YOU.

GOOD MORNING.

UM, CURRENTLY, UH, WE, WE HAVE CONTRACTED WITH TWO COMPANIES.

ONE COMPANY IS TEACHER PLACEMENT GROUP THAT WE JUST KIND OF HAD CONTRACTED WITH THIS PAST YEAR.

I BELIEVE WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 12 OR 13 JUST FROM THAT COMPANY.

AND WE ALSO HAVE A CONTRACT WITH COMPANY CALLED PARTICIPATE, LEARN, AND WE HAVE 19 TEACHERS, INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS FROM PETCO AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE BOTH COMPANIES ON YESTERDAY IN THAT CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE WITH THEM.

UH, THEY, THEY RECRUIT, UM, ANKLE FIND TEACHER SPORTS.

UM, THEY MAKE THE PROCESS EASY FOR US BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO, WE DON'T HAVE FEET ON THE GROUND IN THOSE COUNTRIES TO RECRUIT THOSE TEACHERS.

SO THEY GO ALL THE LEGWORK.

WHAT THEY DO IS THEY SEND US TEACHERS.

SO I'LL MAKE CONTACT WITH THEM.

IF WE NEED FIVE TEACHERS FOR SPANISH, THEY'LL SEND ME 10 CANDIDATES.

I'LL SEND THOSE CANDIDATES OUT TO THE PRINCIPALS.

PRINCIPALS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW THOSE CANDIDATES AND SELECT THE CANDIDATES THAT THEY WANT.

ONCE, ONCE THEY SELECT THE CANDIDATES, THEN WE START THE PROCESS OF OFFERING THEM THE POSITION.

ONCE THEY ACCEPT THEM, THEN THE VISA PROCESS STARTS FOR THEM.

I HAVE NO IDEA HOW, WHAT THAT PROCESS IS BECAUSE THEY DO ALL AGAIN.

THEY DO ALL THE WORK FOR US AS FAR AS THE PIECES ARE.

UM, ONCE THAT CANDIDATE ACCEPTS, THEN THAT THESE TWO COMPANIES START THE PROCESS OF FINDING THEM, FINDING THEM APARTMENTS, UH, FINDING, UH, MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE TRANSPORTATION.

THEY ALSO DO THEIR CERTIFICATION.

WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR CERTIFICATION.

THEY, THEY HAVE TO TRANSLATE THEIR, UH, TRANSCRIPTS FROM THAT COUNTRY AND TO ENGLISH AND SEND THEM TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR CERTIFICATION.

SO WE DON'T HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE A HAND IN, IN, IN THAT PROCESS.

UM, IT HAS BEEN WORKING.

IT HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

UM, SO WHAT ELSE YOU WANTED ME TO DISCUSS? YES, SIR.

SORRY, A QUESTION IN THE PROCESS AS YOU'VE SEEN IT, RIGHT.

UH, WHAT, WHAT TENDS TO HANG UP? UH, PEOPLE, UH, SO ARE THERE CASES WHERE THEY ACCEPT THE POSITION, BUT THEN THEY CAN'T COME RIGHT? OR SOMETHING DOESN'T WORK OUT, RIGHT? IS IT A TRANSCRIPT ISSUE? IS IT A, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE, ARE THERE ANY THINGS THAT SEEM TO TRIP UP THE, YES, THE EMBASSY CAN DO NOT THE CANDIDATES PIECE.

SO IT, MISSY, THE NAZA VISA,

[00:10:01]

WE HAVE A CANDIDATE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO COME FILL A SPANISH POSITION THAT CANDIDATE REFUSED TO GET BACK TO ME.

AND THAT IS A, THAT IS A, UM, THAT IS MANDATED.

THEY HAVE TO GET VACCINATED FOR THE COMING WEEK, SO THAT CANDIDATE REFUSED TO GET VACCINATED.

SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT.

AND THAT'S A STATE DEPARTMENT ENVIRONMENT THAT IS, UH, THAT IS THE EMBASSY REQUIREMENT.

UM, I KNOW SOME OF THESE ANSWERS, BUT I'M TRYING TO SORT OF BRING THAT OUT BECAUSE I THINK THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS THEY MIGHT.

THEIR ADAPTATIONS TO OUR CULTURE? AND I'M SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCES, BUT YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT COUNTRIES HAVE DIFFERENT CULTURES.

MADAM CHAIR FOR PRESENTING TEST TODAY.

UM, WHERE DO YOU SEE THE MOST VACANCIES OCCURRING? UM, FOR OUR COORDINATORS, CHINESE, CHINESE TEACHERS FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, MAINLY BECAUSE OF SPENDING FOR THE, UH, IT'S PRETTY, IT'S PRETTY EASY TO DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB.

UM, BUT THERE'S A TRAVEL BAN IS NOW CHINA AND JAMAICA.

SO CANDIDATES CAN TRY, UM, SPANISH HAS NOW BECOME, UH, SHOCKING BECAUSE WE HAVE SEVERAL SPANISH SPACES AND WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T FIND THE EXPANSION.

SURE.

SO IN REGARD TO THOSE WHERE WE'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY, UM, AND IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING OUTSIDE OUR FASCINATION WITH SATISFY, HAVE YOU, UM, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO TRY TO BUILD THOSE POSITIONS TOO RARELY ARE WE MAKE ANY TYPE OF REMOTE TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES WHERE THERE'S A FOREIGN TEACHER REMOTELY.

AND THEN SOME, WE HAVE CONTRACTED WITH A COMPANY.

WHAT'S THE NAME OF THE COMPANY PROXIMITY WE CONTRACTED WITH PROXIMITY LAST YEAR, IT WAS SUCCESSFUL.

WE HAD QUITE A FEW TEACHERS COME THROUGH AND THAT'S, UH, THAT'S REMOTE LEARNING KIDS.

WE, UH, HAVE NOT HIRED TO TEACH IN PROXIMITY THIS YEAR BECAUSE THEY HAVE A SHORTAGE.

SO THEY STARTED WITH US.

THEY, UH, STARTED CONTRACTING TO GO THE OTHER, OTHER, UM, COUNTIES.

AND SINCE I'VE SPOKEN WITH YOU, THEY HAVE A SHORTAGE.

SO WE DON'T HAVE A TEACHER FROM PROXIMITY, VIRTUALLY TEACH FROM PROXIMITY BECAUSE THEY HAVE A SHORTAGE.

SO WE WERE USING THEM TO TEACH KIDS FOR US, WHICH IS NOT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT A PLATFORM THAT WE WOULD, WE WOULD LIKE, BUT AT LEAST WE HAD A CERTIFIED TEACHER IN FRONT OF, IN FRONT OF, UM, THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS A QUESTION YOU'VE ANSWERED RIGHT NOW, IF WE NEED TO WAIT FOR THE SECOND PART OF THE PRESENTATION.

UM, ONE OF MY QUESTIONS WAS, I KNOW WE USED TO SPONSOR VISAS THAT WE DID NOT HAVE A COMPANY THAT WE CONTRACTED WITH.

WHAT CHANGED AND WHY, WHY DID WE MOVE FROM THAT HOME TO OUTSOURCE SMALL? UM, IT CHANGED PROBABLY ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO.

AND I THINK WE HAD A RUN IN WITH ONE TEACHER IN THE TEACHER BACK IN THE DISTRICT, JUST SHUT IT DOWN.

BUT I BELIEVE IF YOU GIVE THIS SALIENT KENNY, A CHANCE TO COME UP, THEN TALKS ABOUT THAT.

AND THAT MIGHT BE EARLY TO TWO OR FEATURES I HAVE.

NOW NOBODY'S ATTENTION.

HE'S ASKING THE FOCUS IS ABOUT RECRUITING FOREIGN TEACHERS.

THEY'RE ALL GOING TO TALK ABOUT OTHER RECRUITMENT AND OTHER JUDGE SOMETIMES, OR YOU'RE NOT.

THIS PARTICULAR PRESENTATION WAS GEARED TOWARDS, UH, THE, UH, VISAS AND INTERNATIONAL TEAMS. OKAY.

NOW ON THIS SUBJECT OF BAD ENOUGH, I'VE GOT A QUESTION ON THIS SUBJECT.

WHEN THOSE TEACHERS ARE RECRUITED ARE RECRUITED AND THEY COME AND INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS, WHAT DO WE DO TO ACCOMMODATE

[00:15:01]

AND SOMETIME IT DOES RATHER THAN TO RUN INTO DIRECT COMPETITION WITH OUR CULTURE.

OUR CULTURE IS UNIVERSAL.

SO WHAT DO WE DO WHEN A TEACHER SAY COMES IN FROM SOUTH AMERICA AND COVID NOT ADJUSTED TO OUR, OUR COMMON CULTURE.

AND I'M THINKING JUST, JUST INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, FEATURES OF STUDENTS, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO HELP THEMSELVES? WELL, FIRST, FIRST OF ALL, WHEN THEY COME IN, THEY GO THROUGH AN ORIENTATION AND WE FAMILIARIZING WITH YOU COUNT, UH, DIFFERENT, UH, LIKELY BE LOVED HIM.

AND HE ULTIMATELY BOTH COMPANIES, UH, MATCH THOSE TEACHERS UP WITH TEACHERS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE HERE THAT MAY BE FROM THAT COUNTRY.

SO IF WE HAVE A, UM, A TEACHER FROM, UH, SOUTH AFRICA, UM, WE TRY TO FIND SOMEONE IN THIS AREA AND MATCH THEM UP WITH, WITH ANOTHER PERSON FROM SOUTH, SOUTH, SOUTH BAY.

UM, WE SHOWER THEM WITH SUPPORT.

YOU HAVE THE MEN, A BUILDING MENTOR, AND A DISTRICT MENTOR, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED, WE TAKE THEM THROUGH THE INDUCTION PROCESS.

SO WE DON'T EVALUATE FORMALLY EVALUATED UNTIL AFTER THREE YEARS.

SO DURING THOSE THREE YEARS, WE PROVIDE THEM AND WE SHOWER THEM.

WE TRY TO MEET WITH THEM TWICE A YEAR WITH ALL OF MY INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS RIGHT HERE.

HAVEN'T DONE IT IN THE PAST BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, BUT WE USUALLY BRING ALL THE TEACHERS, ALL OF MY INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS AND WE'LL, UH, BE THEM, UH, BE, UH, A MEAL CULTURALLY FROM THE STATES AND GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES, SPEAK, UM, AND FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH ALL THE OTHER INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS THAT WE HAVING.

IT IS ALSO REQUIRED THAT THEY DO A PRESENTATION IN THE SCHOOL AND SHARE THEIR CULTURE WITH THEM, WITH THE STUDENTS.

DURING THE COURSE, THEY DO A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF CULTURE AND THE VISION THAT'S COMING IN SO THAT WE NOT BLINDSIDED BY CERTAIN THINGS FROM THOSE CULTURES THAT WE HAVE SCRAMBLE.

I THINK WE DO THAT AS WELL AS WE WORKED REALLY CLOSELY WITH THE COMPANY PROVIDE THE TEACHER'S FAULT.

AND IF THERE IS ANY ISSUE, UM, AND IF THERE ARE ANY ISSUES, YOU SEE CULTURE, OUR CULTURE VERSUS THEIR CULTURE AND THEIR INABILITY TO ACCLIMATE COMPETENT AND WORK WITH THE TEACHER.

AND IT DOES NOT WORK AFTER OUR EFFORTS, AFTER THE COMPANY'S EFFORTS.

AND THEY HAVE ACTUALLY SENT THEIR STAFF HERE TO WORK, BUT WE'VE HAD THOSE TOUGH CASES.

WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE THAT THE TEACHERS WE BROUGHT IN HERE PRETTY MUCH ACCLIMATED EASILY, BUT WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF HARD CASES AND THEY ACTUALLY COME DOWN TO WORK WITH US AS TEACHERS.

SO THEY'RE NOT LEFT UP THERE BY THEMSELVES AND WE DON'T THROW THEM TO THE WOLVES.

AND IN FACT, I THINK HE HAD ONE THIS YEAR THAT WE WORKED WITH INDIVIDUALLY AS PRINCIPAL.

HE JUST COULD NOT SEEM TO ADJUST AND COME TO DISTRICT.

SO THEY'RE NOT THERE.

WE DON'T DROP THEM THERE AND COME BACK.

SURE.

YOU DON'T SAY, OKAY, WELL, WE WOULD HAVE, WE WOULD HAVE PLACED HIM IN A POSITION HERE.

WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE A LOCATION.

FOR INSTANCE, THIS YOUNG MAN WAS A MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER.

HIS CULTURE WAS DIFFERENT FROM OURS.

UM, HE WAS SHARING INFORMATION FROM HIS CULTURE, WITH THE STUDENTS THAT JUST WASN'T THE PROBLEM.

AND THE STUDENTS TOOK THAT INFORMATION HOME TO THEIR PARENTS.

PARENTS CONTACTED THE SCHOOL SCHOOL, CONTACTED US.

WE CONTACTED THE COMPANY AND THE COMPANY SHARE WITH THEM THAT WASN'T A PROBLEM.

SO WE SAID,

[00:20:01]

MAYBE HE'S GOT A SOONER FOR HIGH SCHOOL.

UM, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL POSITION, BUT WE HAD TO, WE HAD TO REMOVE HIM OUT OF THE BUILDING, AWAY FROM THE KIDS BECAUSE THE PARENTS WERE, PARENTS WERE HIGHLY CONCERNED ABOUT SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT THE YOUNG MAN THAT WAS JESSICA.

GOOD MARK.

JUST TO GET BACK TO ONE THING THAT, UM, THE QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED A MINUTE AGO, THAT MR. CAMPBELL ASKS, UM, THAT MS. WALTON SAID THAT THEY INTERVIEW, OH, THAT THEY INVESTIGATE, WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE INVESTIGATION PROCESS? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? MRS. SMITH? WE HAVE RESUMES.

WE HAVE A HISTORY OF EXPERIENCE ON TEACHERS BEFORE WE ACTUALLY INTERVIEW THEM.

INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS BEGINS.

THEY'RE CONTRARY.

WHAT IS THOSE OUTSIDE VENDORS THAT WEREN'T SECRET? THEY KNOW WHAT OUR STANDARDS ARE.

AND SO THEY BRING TEACHERS AND IN REFERENCE TO UNDERSTANDING TWO MORE, MR. I BELIEVE MR. CAMPBELL WAS ASKING, UM, HOW DO WE UNDERSTAND THEIR VIEWS? HOW DO OUR, HOW DO OUR HR DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATE MY QUESTIONS? HOW DO I, OUR HR DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATE THE, THE, WHAT THEIR CULTURE IS VERSUS OURS AND HOW IT WILL IMPACT THEIR TEACHING? UM, THE INTERACTION WITH THE STUDENTS HERE AND A, AND B FOR GRAD SCHOOL DISTRICT, THAT'S MORE LONGER MY QUESTIONS ACTUALLY TEACHING.

SO WE HAVE COMPLETE DOSSIER OF TEACHERS.

THAT INFORMATION COMES IN A DOSSIER THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE COMPANY.

SO WE INVESTIGATE THAT TEACHER.

AND THAT TEACHER IS BEFORE WE ACTUALLY, THAT IF YOU WERE LOOKING FOR FITCH AS WELL FOR THAT TEACHER FIT AT A CERTAIN SCHOOL OR NOT.

SO BASICALLY YOU, YOU READ THE REPORT AND THE REPORT HAS THE INFORMATION THAT, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT YOU NEED.

SO THERE'S NO FORMAL GOD INVESTIGATE AND KIND OF, AND OKAY.

UM, ALSO ALL MY QUESTION WAS DEALING WITH, WE HAVE THIS PROGRAM IS RANKED.

UH, I REMEMBER BACK IN THE DAYS, UM, THE PRINCIPALS WOULD MAKE CONTACT WITH COLLEGES AND HAVE RELATIONSHIPS AND THEY, AND THEY WOULD GET TEACHERS.

WHAT SHOULD THE, WHY? WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN THAT IN VERSUS, AND HAVE WE MOVED AWAY FROM THAT? OUR PRINCIPALS STILL ALLOW TO CONTACT UNIVERSITIES AND, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND UNIVERSITIES, AND THEY STILL ALLOWED TO, UH, GET REFERENCES FROM COLLEGES.

SO MR. SMITH IS THIS DISCUSSION I NOW IS REGARDING INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS.

WELL, I ACTUALLY, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT ASKING, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.

SO IT TIES IN WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM AND HOW WE WERE FORMALLY DOING THINGS OR, OR HOW, HOW WE, HOW WE, HOW WE DO THINGS.

SO THEY, TO ME, THAT'S VERY GERMANE TO THE SUBJECT.

WELL, THEY'VE ALREADY EXPLAINED THAT, THAT THEY USE OUTSIDE, OUTSIDE COMPANIES TO RECRUIT THESE INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS.

THAT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID THIS MORNING ABOUT GOING TO UNIVERSITIES AND RECRUITING PEOPLE.

IT'S BEEN EXPLAINED TO HER, UM, MADAM THAT'S WITHIN YOUR WHEELHOUSE.

I DIDN'T ASK YOU THAT.

AND I ASKED THE HR DIRECTOR TO, UM, HELP HELP ME LAST NAME INTERNATIONAL FEATURES, WHICH IS POSTED ON THE AGENDA.

YES, IT IS IN MY WHEELHOUSE, SIR.

OH, WELL, YOU, YOU, YOU GAVE ME THE ANSWER ACTING AS THOUGH I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

I KNOW WHAT, WHY, WHY I'M ASKING THE QUESTION AND HE BASICALLY, YOU'RE TRYING TO SHUT DOWN MY QUESTION AND I, AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S THE CORRECT.

THE WATERS ARE, AND I RULED YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER.

SO LET'S GO ON WALTON AND MR. G'S CONTINUED.

UM, I'M NOT DONE WITH QUESTIONS.

THAT QUESTION IS OUT OF ORDER.

MADAM CHAIR.

THAT QUESTION IS OUT OF ORDER, BUT YOU SAID THAT ONE IS, I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.

THAT WAS YOUR THIRD QUESTION.

AND THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WITH THEIR HANDS OFFICER.

[00:25:01]

UM, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT WHAT ARE THE TEACHERS, SOME PARENTS HAVE CONCERNS OR WAS THIS, WAS IT SOMETHING NEGATIVE TOWARDS WHAT HE SAID? HE MADE SOME INAPPROPRIATE COMMENTS.

UM, SPEAKING ABOUT HIS CULTURE BACK HOME FOR HIS STAFF, HIS CULTURE, UH, STUDENTS AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE, WHAT ABLE TO MARRY PEOPLE LIKE THAT.

CONVERSATIONS NEVER TAKE THEM TO GET PETS.

AND HE ALSO PUT HIS HANDS ON THE STUDENT.

I HAD HIM OUT OF, OUT OF OUR FACE.

UM, SO I WOULD JUST SAY THAT LET'S, I GET INTO SPECIFIC PERSONAL THE TEACHERS THAT I'VE TALKED TO DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, THEY SEEM TO KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR CULTURE.

A LOT OF THEM DO AFRICA, SOME JAMAICA, SOME SOUTH AFRICA, EVEN SOME CHINESE, WE KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR CULTURE THAN WE DO.

SO I PLAYED AS LONG AS THEY COME IN AND TEACH OUR CHILDREN AGREE WITH IT.

AND, UM, UM, WELL, I CAN SAY THIS, MS. CAMPBELL, WE FIND THAT MOST OF THE INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS THAT WE BRING ON EXCITED TO BE HERE, THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT GETTING EXCITED ABOUT OUR CULTURE.

SO THEY DIVE IN AND TO JUST GIVE YOU A NOTE, WE HAD ONE OF THEM TEACHERS COMING IN TO SOME OF THEM, SO EXCITED THAT HE FINALLY GOT TO TALK, YOUR BEST TO LEARN AND THEMSELVES.

MS. .

THANK YOU, DR.

UM, CAN YOU JUST SHARE US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE CONTRACTS WORK, UH, DO WE PAY THESE COMPANIES ANNUALLY REGARDLESS OF THE NUMBER OF PLACEMENTS WE GAVE THIS BIRD PLACEMENT, AND YOU JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT FINANCIAL INFORMATION WITH THEM? YES.

WE PLAYED, WE PAY THEM FOR PLACEMENT.

UM, I'LL CONTRACT WITH THEM IS THAT THEY BRING TEACHERS TO US THAT WOULD PAY THEM FEE FOR EVERY TEACHER THAT THEY FIND.

AND, AND IF THAT TEACHER NEEDS, THEN THE NEXT YEAR THAT TEACHERS REPLACED AND THE NEAREST PLACE, BUT IT'S NOT A FLAT FEE THAT WE PAY BLACKETT WITH WITHOUT US.

AND ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT NEEDS TO COMPANIES DO, THAT'S PROBABLY, UM, VERY HELPFUL.

SO WITH INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS SAY, PROVIDE A RESOURCE FOR THEM TO TAKE OUT A $2,500 LOAN WHEN THEY GET, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY HAVE MOVING EXPENSES AND THEY DON'T HAVE MONEY WHEN THEY GET HERE.

SO THEY PROVIDE THEM AND IT IS IN OUR CONTRACT THAT WE GIVE THEM THE $2,500 AND WE DO PAYROLL DEDUCTION EVERY WEEK OR EVERY PAY CYCLE UNTIL THAT LOAN IS PAID.

SO THAT'S PART OF THE CONTRACT IS YOUR NAME DISTRIBUTOR.

MADAM CHAIR.

UM, W WHAT IS THE DURATION OF THE VISAS WHEN I GET, WHEN THEY GET THEM? UM, I'M TRYING TO CALCULATE IN MY MIND THE TURNOVER, UM, IS IT A ONE-YEAR OR TWO-YEAR OR THREE-YEAR THE CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE WITH THEM IS FOR THREE YEARS, AND THEN WE CAN, UH, REQUEST AN EXTENSION FOR AN ADDITIONAL TWO YEARS.

SO THE MAXIMUM IS FIVE YEARS.

SO IF WE GET A REALLY GOOD TEACHER, WE CAN KEEP THEM FOR FIVE YEARS AND THEN, AND THEN THAT'S, THAT'S THE END OF IT.

I THINK THAT IS THE PROBLEM.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES WE SEE IS THAT WHEN YOU GET, YOU'VE GOT A GREAT TEACHER, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, MANY TIMES THEY WANT TO STAY, RIGHT.

THEY WANT TO STAY, BUT WHEN THEY'RE FIVE YEARS ARE UP, UH, THEY CAN'T.

TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT OR SAW WHERE YOU HAD A BUNCH OF CATEGORIES, IT'S BDI, SOMETHING KIND, TEACHERS COMING IN.

AND SO THAT, THAT, THAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THIS, OH, I GOT

[00:30:01]

AND I SAW SOMEPLACE WHERE THEY SAID THEY GRAVITATED TOWARDS CITIZENSHIP POSSIBILITY.

UM, MS. KENNY TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THAT.

SHE TALKS ABOUT ALL THE REASONS, AND THAT WAS MY QUESTION THAT I SAID, CCO.

SO I'LL WAIT.

THERE WOULD BE NO FURTHER TO HIM, BOTH OF YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY.

CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YEAH.

YOU'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE YOU HAVE YOUR MOUTH REALLY CLOSE TO THAT MICROPHONE CLOSE.

OKAY, PERFECT.

GOOD.

EVERYBODY HAS A TENDENCY TO BE TOO FAR AWAY.

WE'RE GOOD TO GO.

WITH THAT, BUT I DO THINK IT WILL GET BETTER.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY.

I LOOK FORWARD TO ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.

I KNOW A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WERE ASKING MR. WALTON ABOUT, I CAN CERTAINLY, I'M TRYING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE THINGS AS WELL.

I HAVE PREPARED, UM, WHAT A COMPREHENSIVE POWERPOINT SLIDE TODAY, POWERPOINT PRESENTATION TODAY.

BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT YOU'D PROBABLY HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

SO I'LL JUST START INTO THAT AND SORT OF LAY THE GROUNDWORK ON SOME OF THESE, THESE ISSUES, BUT CERTAINLY FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN AND ASK QUESTIONS.

WE CAN TAKE THE PRESENTATION IN THE DIRECTION YOU'D LIKE TO GO.

UM, ONE OF THE FIRST COUPLE SLIDES HERE REALLY RELATE TO TEACHER SHORTAGES.

AND I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THAT MANY DISTRICTS DO LOOK TO SOME SORT OF IMMIGRATION STRATEGY.

UM, THESE STATISTICS ON THIS FIRST LINE AND THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES COME FROM TWO SOURCES, THE ECONOMIC POLICY INSTITUTE, WHICH IS THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE, OF COURSE, BUT THERE'S ALSO A REPORT PUT OUT BY SARAH, THE CENTER FOR EDUCATION, EDUCATOR, RETENTION, AND ADVANCEMENT.

AND THEY ACTUALLY DIG DOWN INTO SOME SOUTH CAROLINA STATISTICS.

SO SOME OF THE STATISTICS HERE ON THE SLIDE ABOUT MIGHT BE RELEVANT FOR YOU, BUT THIS GRAPH, WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT HERE IS FROM 2010, REALLY ALL THE WAY THROUGH 2025.

WHAT WE SEE IS A DECREASE IN THE SUPPLY OF TEACHERS NATIONALLY, WE GET AN INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR TEACHERS.

UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE FOURTH BULLET POINT DOWN NEARLY 6,000, SOUTH CAROLINA TEACHERS DID NOT RETURN TO A TEACHING POSITION AFTER THE 20 19 20 20 SCHOOL YEAR.

AND IN SOUTH CAROLINA, MORE THAN 700 VACANT TEACHING POSITIONS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

SO I'M SURE THAT YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT AND THAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR DISTRICT PERHAPS AS WELL.

UM, WHY IS THAT? I THINK THERE'S A VARIETY OF REASONS AND WE SEE THIS NOT JUST IN EDUCATION, BUT IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES, COVID-19 HAS OBVIOUSLY CHANGED OUR WORLDS PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY, I THINK THAT DOES EXPLAIN SOME OF THE CHANGES IN THE WORKFORCE PATTERNS.

WE HAVE BABY BOOMER RETIREES AT A HIGH RATE, SOME YOUNG TEACHERS LEAVING THE PROFESSION.

I THOUGHT THIS WAS INTERESTING.

42% OF THE TEACHERS WHO LEFT LAST YEAR HAD FIVE OR FEWER YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND ONLY 16% HAD ONE YEAR OR LESS.

SO, YOU KNOW, NEWER TEACHERS SEEM TO BE ENTERING AND LEAVING.

THE BAD NEWS IS IF WE SAY, WELL, LET'S JUST GO TO COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND TRY TO RECRUIT MORE TEACHERS.

YOU KNOW WHAT THIS SLIDE IS SHOWING US, IS THAT NOT MANY, NOT MANY PEOPLE ARE ENTERING THAT PROFESSION.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S ON A DECLINE.

SO INSTEAD OF AVAILABLE SUPPLY, YOU KNOW, IS NOT THERE WHEN WE GO TO FIND IT.

UM, SO THE BOTTOM LINE HERE IS DISTRICTS ARE TRYING TO STRATEGICALLY FIND A WAY TO INCREASE THEIR HIRING POOLS.

AND THAT'S WHERE THE IMMIGRATION STRATEGY IS, IS ONE THING TO CONSIDER IN SOUTH CAROLINA INTERNATIONAL HIRES ACCOUNTS, ONLY 1% OF ALL NEW HIRES THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY LOUD AND SURPRISED BY THAT STATISTIC.

BUT IT CAME FROM THIS ERA REPORT THAT IS DECREASED FROM 5% IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

I DIDN'T WONDER IF MAYBE THAT'S A DECLINE BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND THE IMPACT ON INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL.

I KNOW THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT EARLIER.

AND WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS ON NOVEMBER 8TH, BIDEN HAS LIFTED THOSE TRAVEL BANS.

SO I THINK FROM, FOR SOME OF THESE COUNTRIES WHERE MAYBE WHETHER IT'S CHINA OR THE COUNTRIES IN THE WESTERN EUROPEAN REGION OR THE UK, OR MAY TEACHERS, WEREN'T ABLE TO COME ONCE THOSE NEEDS ARE LIFTED, YOU MIGHT SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A FLOW COMING FROM SOME OF THIS COUNTRY.

SO THAT SHOULD BE HELPFUL FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

THE EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES ARE VERY DELAYED.

UM, MANY PEOPLE ARE WAITING SEVERAL MONTHS FOR APPOINTMENTS, AND WE'RE STILL STRUGGLING

[00:35:01]

SO LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT HOW THESE DISEASES WORK SPECIFICALLY IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SETTING.

AND I'LL TRY TO COMMENT ON HOW I THINK BEAVER COUNTY HAS DONE UTILIZING THESE STRATEGIES.

SO THIS IS THE TYPICAL PATH FOR A FULLY INTERNATIONAL TEACHER.

THEY TYPICALLY EITHER COME TO THE US ON A JAGUAR OR AN F1 VISA.

AND THEN IF A DISTRICT WHERE THEY WANT TO REMAIN IN THE U S THEY MIGHT TRANSITION ALL THE TIME TO AN H1B VISA.

AND ULTIMATELY THEY'RE LOOKING FOR MORE OF A LONG-TERM STRATEGY.

THEY WILL TRANSITION TO WHAT WE CALL A GREEN CARD.

A GREEN CARD IS THAT'S ANOTHER TERM FOR THE VERY HARDEST PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS.

IT IS DIFFERENT THAN CITIZENSHIP.

AND THAT'S CALLED NATURALIZED CITIZENSHIP.

IF SOMEONE'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS YOUR BIRTH RATES AS A JUDGE.

OKAY? SO THAT'S THE TYPICAL PATH.

SO WHERE YOU FOR COUNTING IS RIGHT NOW, WHAT ARE YOUR, MY UNDERSTANDING IS YOU ARE HEAVILY USING THE J ONE VISA PROGRAM, RIGHT? YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT YOUR PARTICIPATING IN THE OTHER ONE, WHERE YOU HAVE 30 TEACHERS.

THOSE ARE J ONE SPONSORS.

THE TEACHERS ARE HERE FOR A MAXIMUM FIVE YEAR PERIOD.

YOU MAY ALSO HAVE SOME F1 TEACHERS.

THOSE WOULD BE TEACHERS MAYBE WHO ARE GRADUATING FROM, LET'S JUST SAY THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, THEY THEN HAVE SOME EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION, AND THEY THEN ON THEIR STUDENT VISA WILL COME AND YOU WORK YOUR HOME LIMITED PERIOD OF TIME, BUT MOST OF YOUR TEACHERS ARE PROBABLY GOING TO NAME ONE CATEGORY.

SO IF WE JUST TALK BROADLY, WHAT IS THIS J ONE CATEGORY IT'S REALLY DESIGNED TO BE AN EXCHANGE PROGRAM? SO THESE SPONSORS FIND THESE TEACHERS LOCATE THEM ABROAD THROUGH A VARIETY OF SOURCES THAT THEY HAVE.

THEY THEN BRING THEM HERE FOR A LIMITED PERIOD OF TIME.

THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS THAT THE JALEN SPONSOR DOES NOT ONLY FIND THE TEACHERS, THEY OFTENTIMES COORDINATE HOUSING, THEY PROVIDE THEM WITH BENEFITS.

UM, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS RELATED TO CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, THEY'RE OBLIGATED TO, UM, ENGAGE IN CROSS CULTURAL PROGRAMS FOR THESE TEACHERS.

SO THEY'RE VERY MUCH A SUPPORTER OF THE TEACHER.

AND PART OF THAT ALSO INVOLVES PLACING THEM AT A HOST OF LAWYER LIKE THIS WHOLE DISTRICT, THE MAXIMUM TIME THAT THEY CAN REMAIN IN THE GENERAL SATURDAY CLASS YEAR.

SO IT'S THE THREE-YEAR SYSTEMS REVIEW AS MENTIONED IT AS A TWO YEAR EXTENSIVE AFTER THE FIVE-YEAR PERIOD, THEN THE TEACHER DOESN'T HAVE MORE TIME IN THIS PROGRAM.

SOMETIMES WE GET QUESTIONS FROM DISTRICT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE, WE'D LIKE OUR DISTRICT TO CONSIDER BEING A GENUINE SONGWRITER.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS WHERE THE DISTRICT WAS IN THE PAST OR NOT.

I'M NOT AWARE OF OTHER DISTRICTS, AT LEAST IN SOUTH CAROLINA, THAT MARK J ONE SPONSORS, MOST OF THEM USE THESE OUTSIDE AGENCIES.

BUT IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU MIGHT BE ASKING YOURSELF, SHOULD WE BE A J ONE SPONSOR? WHAT I WOULD SAY TO YOU IS THIS IS A FAIRY, REGULATORY, UM, AREA WITH LOTS OF OBLIGATIONS.

YOU PRETTY MUCH WOULD HAVE TO HIRE SOMEBODY THAT WOULD BE, WHAT ARE THEY CALLING DESIGNATED SCHOOL OFFICIAL.

AND THAT PERSON WOULD HAVE TO DO NOTHING THAT ADMINISTERED THIS PROGRAM.

SO THERE WOULD BE A LOT TO REALLY CONSIDER HERE.

UM, THIS SLIDE KIND OF WALKS THROUGH SOME OF THE THINGS YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO.

I MENTIONED THE CROSS CULTURAL PROGRAMS, THERE'S SOME FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT I DID WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THIS IS WHILE THIS WOULD NOT BE OFF THE TABLE.

IT WOULD BE A CHALLENGE AND WOULD REQUIRE SOME REAL COORDINATION IN THE DISTRICT'S PART TO ACTUALLY DO THIS.

WHAT ELSE? SOME OF THE COUNTRIES IN EASTERN EUROPE, YOU KNOW, THEY DEFINITELY HAVE THIS TWO YEAR REQUIREMENTS.

SO IF WE THINK ABOUT THESE DAY ONE TEACHERS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO BE AWARE OF IS THAT SOME OF THEM, DEPENDING ON THE COUNTRY, THAT THEY'RE FROM HAVING ATTACHED TO THAT, WHEN WE CALL THEM TWO YEAR OLD RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT, AND THIS IS BASED ON THE IDEA OF THE EXCHANGE, IF THEY'RE COMING FROM A COUNTRY WHERE THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF THE SKILLS AND THEIR COUNTRY BEFORE THE IMMIGRATION OFFICE WILL ALLOW THEM TO STAY, MAYBE BEYOND FIVE YEARS, THEY HAVE TO EITHER GO BACK TO THEIR COUNTRY FOR JUNIOR YEAR, OR WE HAVE TO GET A WAIVER ON THAT REQUIREMENT.

SO IT'S ALWAYS DIFFERENT DISTRICT TO KNOW OF THE TEACHERS MAYBE HAVE HOW MANY LIKELY SUBJECT TO THIS REQUIREMENT, BECAUSE IF WE DO WALK TO KEEP THEM IN SOME FASHION, KNOWING THAT WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THIS, OR THEY HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THIS, I THINK IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE.

SO I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT TO YOU.

UM, NOT ALL COUNTRIES HAVE THIS REQUIREMENT.

SO A LOT OF THE WESTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES DON'T HAVE THIS.

I DON'T THINK JAMAICA HAS THIS BUT COUNTRIES, UM, LIKE, UM, IN COUNTRIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST, UM, SOUTH AFRICA,

[00:40:02]

THAT'S GOING TO BE AWARE OF IT.

CAN'T BE WAIVED.

AND MOST DISTRICTS TAKES THE POSITION THAT IF THEY'RE GOING TO CONSIDER ONE THAT HAVE A J ONE TEACHER BE ON THAT FIVE-YEAR WINDOW, THAT THE TEACHER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEALING WITH THIS RESEARCH, WE DON'T GET INVOLVED IN THIS.

YOU CAN, BUT THOSE STEPS, IT'S A PROCESS WHERE THE TEACHER WOULD APPLY AT THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND THEY WOULD WORK THROUGH SOME REQUIREMENTS TO GET THAT WAIVER.

IT TAKES ABOUT PROBABLY EIGHT MONTHS, NINE MONTHS.

SO THE TEACHER REALLY NEEDS TO BE KIND OF ON TOP OF IT, KNOWING, YOU KNOW, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

DEMONSTRATE THAT THAT RELATIONSHIP IN SOMEHOW IN SOME WAY, BENEFITS HIGHER EDUCATION THAN DISTRICTS ANYTIME DURING THE YEAR AND FILE THIS H1B.

I MENTIONED THE ATHLETIC STUDENTS AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YOU HAVE THAT ARE THE TEACHING INDUSTRY OR CATHOLIC STUDENTS.

UM, BUT IF YOU DO HAVE SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS, THEY TYPICALLY CAN STAY FOR ONE YEAR AND YOUR AID EMPLOYED AFTER THEY GRADUATE.

UM, IF THEY GRADUATED AT A STEM FIELD, THEY MAY BE ABLE TO STAY FOR A DIFFICULT TWO YEARS, BUT THESE SLIDES KIND OF WALK THROUGH WHAT YOU MIGHT BE LOOKING AT FROM AN EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION.

WHAT IS, UH, WHAT DID THAT ONE TEACHER? SO THE QUESTION BECOMES IF WE HAVE THESE TEACHERS IN OUR DISTRICT, THEY MAX OUT ON TIME USING ONE PROGRAM.

IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO TRY TO SPONSOR THEM ON KETONES AND WHAT A LOT OF THE H OKAY.

SO LET ME GO THROUGH KIND OF HOW THAT WORKS A LITTLE BIT.

FIRST OF ALL, ARE THE BENEFITS? WELL, THE OBVIOUS BENEFIT IS LIKE THE TEACHER, THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB AND SPANISH IMMERSION.

WE CAN KEEP THEM BEYOND THE FIVE YEARS.

THERE IS NO HOME RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT HERE.

SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE WILL SPONSOR A TEACHER, THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT THAT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO BACK TO THEIR HOME COUNTRY.

UM, AND FULFILL TIME THERE TYPICALLY, THIS IS NOT AN ANNUAL THING.

YOU KNOW, MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE J ONE PROGRAM IS THAT ANNUALLY, YOU ARE PAYING FEE FOR HJ ONE TEACHER, THE H1B, THERE IS A COST, THERE'S A LEGAL COST AND THERE'S FILING COSTS, BUT USUALLY YOU ARE GETTING THAT H1B EVERY THREE YEARS.

UM, AND THE OTHER THING THAT'S IMPORTANT IS THIS IS EMPLOYER SPECIFIC.

SO IF YOU, AS A DISTRICT, INVEST IN THIS AND DO THIS FOR A TEACHER THAT CAN'T TAKE THE VISA THAT WE'VE OBTAINED FOR THEM AND JUMP OVER TO DISTRICT BASE.

UM, SO IT IS, IT MUST INVOLVE YOU AND YOU ONLY HAVE, IF IT'S A CONTRACT, WE CAN ONLY FILE FEES FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE IN WHAT WE CALL SPECIALTY OCCUPATIONS.

AND SO THAT GENERALLY IS DEFINED AS A POSITION WHERE THE JOB MUST REQUIRE A DEGREE IN A SPECIFIC FIELDS THAT TEACHERS ARE EASILY QUALIFIABLE YEAR.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, OUR STATE REQUIRES THAT THEY HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE OR SOMETHING EQUIVALENT TO THAT USUALLY IN A SPECIFIC FIELD.

SO, SO THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE.

THERE IS A SIX YEAR MAXIMUM, OKAY.

SO WE CAN DO AN INITIAL THREE-YEAR H1B, AND THEN THAT CAN BE EXTENDED.

AND ONE FOR ONE ADDITIONAL THREE-YEAR INCURRENT.

NOW YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE, IT SAYS NATURE AND EXTENT IN SOME UNCERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THAT COMES INTO PLAY IS IF WE REALLY LIKED A TEACHER, WE'VE HAD THEM ON A J ONE FOR FIVE YEARS, WE'VE HAD THEM ON H1B FOR SIX YEARS.

AND WE SAID, WE'RE VESTED IN THIS PERSON.

THEY'RE VESTED IN US.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO KEEP THEM LONGER? IF THE DISTRICT THAT DOES THE GREEN CARD SPONSORSHIP THAT ALLOWS THE TEACHER TO KEEP EXTENDING THE H1B.

SO THAT, THAT WORKS.

THAT'S A GREAT OPTION.

OBVIOUSLY THERE'S, THERE'S COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

AND IT DEPENDS ON THE VALUE OF THE TEACHER TO YOU.

AND THEN THE DISCIPLINE, MAYBE THAT THEY'RE IN, THERE ARE WAGE OBLIGATIONS ATTACHED TO THIS H1B.

UM, BUT IN MY EXPERIENCE, MOST DISTRICTS THAT ARE OPERATING ON THE SALARY SCHEDULE DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUE WITH THIS.

WHEN I SAY WAGE OBLIGATIONS, THERE'S, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR POLISHES SCHEDULES AND SAYS, NO, THESE PEOPLE HAVE TO BE AT A CERTAIN THRESHOLD IF YOU CAN'T SORT OF BRING IN A CHEAP FOREIGN LABOR IDEA.

AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT TEACHER, THAT MATH TEACHER AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL WAS GETTING THAT WAGE THRESHOLD.

BUT WHAT I'M HERE TO SAY IS THAT MOST OUR SCHEDULES ARE GOING TO EXCEED THAT.

SO I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT WILL BE A PROBLEM FOR PROBABLY FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS AGO.

THIS PAGE ONE, THE PROGRAM WASN'T AS POPULAR AS IT IS TODAY.

AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS THAT THERE WERE LIMITED NUMBERS OF EACH WENDY'S AND DISTRICTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WOULD TRY TO OBTAIN A SLOT ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THERE WASN'T A SLOT AVAILABLE.

AND A FEW YEARS AGO THERE WAS A CHANGE IN THE LAW THAT SAID THAT IF ANY DISTRICT HAS SOME SORT OF RELATIONSHIP WITH A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY, AND THEY CAN

[00:45:01]

SO MOST DISTRICTS I OF FOR ACCOUNTANCY SAYING YOU HAVE DUAL ENROLLMENT AGREEMENTS OR STUDENT TEACHING AGREEMENTS WITH UNIVERSITIES OR COLLEGES THAT ALLOWS YOU TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF UTILIZING THIS PROGRAM ANYTIME THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

SO, SO THE IDEA THAT THERE'S A MAXIMUM OR MAY NOT GET A NUMBER, THAT'S NO LONGER AN ISSUE.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S A VERY POSITIVE THING OR DEVELOPMENT IN THIS AREA.

THE LICENSURE FOR AN H ONE B IS DIFFERENT THAN THE JUNE ONE.

WHEN YOU'RE HERE DAY ONE, YOU HAVE A INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATE, THAT'S ALL FACILITATED BY THE SPONSOR.

WHEN SOMEBODY NOW IS MOVING TO HOV, THERE'S AN INITIAL CERTIFICATE THAT WE HAVE.

SO OFTENTIMES OUR ROLE IS WORKING WITH TALIS AND HER TEAM AND REGGIE AND COORDINATING ON THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS TEACHER HAS MADE APPROPRIATE LICENSURE, PRAXIS, EXAMS, PLTS, BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT'S HAPPENING.

THE ONE THING I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT SOMETIMES DOES HAPPEN.

THERE'S SOUTH CAROLINA HAS A LAW THAT SAYS THE FOUR SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WILL ISSUE AN INITIAL CERTIFICATE TO AN H ONE TEACHER.

THEY HAVE TO BE AN AGE LUMPY, BUT THE IMMIGRATION OFFICE SAYS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU AN H1B UNTIL YOU HAVE THE LICENSE.

SO IT'S KIND OF THIS CATCH 22.

SO THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE WILL FILE AGE LOWNDES ASKING FOR THREE YEARS, BUT THE INITIAL PERIOD, GRANTED IT'S ONLY ONE YEAR, UM, THIS IS VERY INCONSISTENT.

OUR PRACTICE IS WE ALWAYS REQUEST THREE YEARS AND I WOULD SAY AT 80% OF THE CASES WE GET, BUT SOMETIMES WE FILED THE CASE ASKING FOR THREE YEARS AND THE IMMIGRATION OFFICE STRICTLY INTERPRETS THAT RULE.

SO WE HAVE AN EXAM AND THEY GIVE US ONE YEAR.

BUT IF THEY GIVE US ONE YEAR, THE TEACHER THAT GETS THE INITIAL CERTIFICATE AND THEN WE CAN CONTINUE ON WITH ADDITIONAL EXCEPTIONS, POWERFUL BATTERY MIGHT BE OUT.

OKAY, WELL, LET ME, I'LL GO TO MINE.

SLIDES HERE, ANY QUESTIONS? I KNOW I'M MOVING VERY FAST AT ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR OF WHAT I'VE SAID OR ANYTHING ELSE.

YOU MENTIONED THAT PACKET WAS FIVE YEARS OLD.

GO BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY.

NOW WE'LL MAKE THAT DECISION.

THAT'S THE STATE DEPARTMENT, OR THAT'S PART OF THE J ONE PROGRAM.

, LET'S SAY IT'S PARTICIPATE.

THEY'RE SIGNING AN AGREEMENT INDICATING THAT THEY INTEND TO GO BACK.

FIVE, DOES THAT MEAN YOU'RE AN H1B VISA? OKAY.

SO THAT IS PART OF THE, THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE J ONE PROGRAM REGULATIONS, BUT YOUR INTENT CAN CHANGE.

SO THERE ARE CERTAINLY TEACHERS THAT DO GO BACK AFTER THE FIVE YEARS, BUT THERE ARE SOMETIMES TEACHERS WHO SAY, YOU KNOW, I REALLY LIKE LIVING IN THE U S I HAVE A DISTRICT THAT'S INTERESTED IN HAVING MEETINGS RENAMED, AND I'D LIKE TO STAY.

SO YOUR INTENT CAN CHANGE.

AND THAT'S NOT A VIOLATION OF THE LAW UNITED STATES.

YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY NEED TO CHANGE THAT.

IT JUST KEEPS GOING UP EVERY YEAR.

ARE YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT, UM, NOT, THEY HAVE TO GET APPROVED.

I GO TO NATIONAL.

UM, AND I KNOW YOU AREN'T GOING TO DO THAT, BUT I, I THINK THEY'RE THE STATE.

SO STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, HE CHANGED SOME OF THEIR, THEIR ROOMS BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE SHORTAGE OF TEACHERS, THEN THAT MEANS THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE BEING EDUCATED.

SO THANK YOU.

SURE.

UM, OKAY.

SO THE OTHER THING THAT I WAS GOING TO MENTION ON THE LICENSURE ISSUE IS SOMETIMES WE DO HAVE TEACHERS THAT CAN NOT HAVE THE PRAXIS AND WE MOVED FROM THE INTERNATIONAL TO THE INITIAL SURGERY.

SO ANOTHER STRATEGY THAT WE SOMETIMES USE THAT YOU MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH IS A LETTER OF AGREEMENT OPTION.

AND THAT JUST ALLOWS THE TEACHER WHO NEEDS A LITTLE MORE TIME GETTING YOUR LICENSURE TO WORK FOR A YEAR UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF ANOTHER TEACHER.

I'VE USED THAT AT TIMES IN THE IMMIGRATION PROCESS.

WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION WHO'S FINISHED.

THANK YOU, DR.

BOSS.

SO IF, UM, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING CORRECTLY, AND I REFERENCED OUR LIST OF HERE THAT JUST WALTER GAVE US.

IF WE SEE SOMEONE IN THE PROGRAM HERE THAT IS OVER

[00:50:01]

WE HAVE A COUPLE THAT ARE OVER THEIR FIFTH YEAR.

IF WE SEE ON HERE THEIR FIFTH YEAR, WE MAY ASSUME THAT THIS IS HER LAST YEAR, AND THESE WILL PROBABLY BE VACANCIES BECAUSE THEY'RE, I'M SORRY.

THEY'RE J ONE HAS RUN OUT THAT'S RIGHT.

IS THAT, THAT'S HOW WE TELL THAT THAT'S A GOOD GENERAL.

I MEAN, I HAVEN'T SEEN THE LIST, BUT THAT'S A GOOD GENERAL ASSUMPTION.

AND THOSE ARE YOUR, YOUR INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS.

ANYBODY OVER FIVE COULD NOT BE HERE STILL ON A ONE.

IT COULD BE, MAYBE THEY MARRIED A US CITIZEN AND GOT A GREEN CARD.

IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, THERE COULD BE A VARIETY OF THINGS, BUT IT'S A GOOD GENERAL ASSUMPTION.

GET YOUR INFORMATION AND MAKE IT WORK FOR WHAT WE'RE SEEING WITHIN OUR DISTRICT.

SO, BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC THIS PAST YEAR, THEY EXTENDED THEIR BASIS FOR AN ADDITIONAL YEAR.

SO IT MAKES US THIS YEAR.

SO SOME OF THEM, UM, AND THEY HAD A CHOICE TO STAY OR GO BACK ON LEAVE.

SO THE MAJORITY DID THEY DECIDE TO STAY FOR THE INITIAL THAT'S RIGHT.

I FORGOT ABOUT THAT.

SO THAT, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE DOING THAT AGAIN.

I THINK THAT'S DONE, RIGHT? YEAH.

BUT FOR ONE OR TWO YEARS, I DIDN'T GET THAT.

SO WHAT KIND OF SCRAPPED AND THAT'S GOOD, BUT LOOKING AT THE TIMING CONSIDERATION THERE, BECAUSE WHILE WE CAN OBTAIN AN H1B FOR SOMEBODY FAIRLY QUICKLY AND IN 15 BUSINESS DAYS SAY CORPORATION OFFICE, OF COURSE, CHARGES OF FINALLY FEE.

THAT'S PRETTY STEEP TO DO THAT.

SO IT'S GOOD.

MOST DISTRICTS LIKE TO AVOID THAT.

SO IF YOU'RE WANTING TO AVOID THAT AND GET THE TEACHER IN PLACE, LET'S SAY FOR THE FALL OF 20, 22, YOUR TIMING ON THAT PROBLEM IS AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, THAT'S WHAT INVESTORS ARE GOING TO START TO MAKE THEIR DECISIONS ON THIS.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT SEEMS LIKE IT? CORRECT.

AND I HAVE A FEW MORE SLIDES THAT I REALLY THINK I'VE COVERED.

THE HARDEST THING IS YOU SELL ON.

THANK YOU AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE, IF YOU HAVE YOU DONE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW OR OTHERWISE WE'RE DOING MORE.

THAT THEY GO BACK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A PART OF THE J ONE PROGRAM.

SORRY.

I THOUGHT YOU WERE JUST PAUSING IN THE PRESENTATION.

I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

UM, ONE OF MY QUESTIONS DID, IS I KNOW A LOT OF DISTRICTS IN SOUTH CAROLINA ARE H1B SPONSORS, RIGHT? WHAT IS THE PROCESS? BUT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE TO, FOR A DISTRICT TO BECOME A ? WHAT WOULD WE HAVE TO DO REALLY SIMPLE? I MEAN, ESSENTIALLY YOU DECIDE, WE WANT TO HIRE THIS MATH TEACHER.

UM, AND THIS IS THE SALARY THAT WE WANT TO PAY THE TEACHER.

ESSENTIALLY, YOU PREPARE THE APPLICATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.

YOU'RE USUALLY GONNA USE AN ATTORNEY TO WORK THROUGH THAT.

WE PREPARE THOSE DOCUMENTS AND FILED THEM WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND NORMAL PROCESSING TIME WOULD BE ABOUT TWO TO FOUR MONTHS.

AND THEN WE WOULD OBTAIN AN APPROVAL.

AND AT THAT POINT, THE TEACHERS AGE ON THE STATUS.

SO IT'S, IT'S VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE J ONE PROGRAM WHERE YOU'RE USING AN OUTSIDE THIRD PARTY.

YOU ARE THE NEW GRAD SPONSOR HERE.

THERE IS NO .

SO THIS IS WHY I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THIS ISSUE, BECAUSE, SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE HAVE THE J ONE AND THEY TO BE, HAVE THE CERTIFICATES AND ALL THAT DONE IN ADVANCE.

AND THEN WHAT I KNOW HAS BEEN HAPPENING.

AND WHEN WE HIT THAT FIVE YEAR WINDOW, WE HAVE THE TEACHER, WE'VE TRAINED THEM.

THEY'RE IN THE SYSTEM, THE STAFF LIKES THEM, THE STUDENT LIKES THEM.

THEY WANT TO STAY.

SOMETIMES THEY HAVE CHILDREN THAT ARE IN THE SCHOOLS AND HAVE A RELATIONSHIP.

WE HIT THAT FIVE-YEAR CAP.

AND ONE OF THESE OTHER H1B SPONSOR DISTRICTS SCOOP THEM UP.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF STORIES, UM, OF, AND I THINK PROBABLY IT'S PICKED UP IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS BECAUSE OF THE CAP EXEMPT STATUS.

SO WHAT I WANTED TO LOOK AT WAS, SINCE WE DO HAVE 25% OF OUR VACANCIES ARE SPANISH LANGUAGE OR FOREIGN LANGUAGE, UH, MEGAN SEES HOW WE CAN GET THOSE PEOPLE TO STAY.

SO TO MY QUESTION ABOUT THE PROCESS, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY, WE WOULD HAVE PARTICIPATE OR THE OTHER COMPANY, UM, GET OUR J ONE CERTIFICATION AND HELP WITH THE PROCESS OF GETTING THEM MOVED OVER, GETTING THEIR CERTIFICATION.

THEY WOULD BE HERE FOR A WHILE.

AND THEN WE WENT, UM, IF WE WANTED THEM TO STAY AND THEY WANTED TO STAY, WE COULD SPONSOR THEM AS AN H ONE VISA WITHOUT BEING INAPPROPRIATE TO SORT OF PROCESS IF I UNDERSTAND YOU, RIGHT, BUT LET ME SAY IT THIS WAY.

THE J ONE SPONSORS NOT AT ALL INVOLVED IN THE H1B PROCESS.

AND THERE'S A FINE LINE THAT A DISTRICT WALKS WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING TO TRANSITION A TEACHER BETWEEN .

AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS, AND THIS IS, THIS IS ALL DAY LONG.

IT'S NOT JUST YOU, THAT THERE ARE CONTRACTS THAT THE DISTRICT AND THE TEACHER HAVE SIGNED, AND THEY KIND OF REFLECT, AS CAMPBELL MENTIONED, THIS IDEA

[00:55:01]

SO THERE ARE STRATEGIC AND CERTAINLY LEGAL WAYS TO WORK WITHIN THOSE PARAMETERS.

BUT I GUESS I SAY THAT TO YOU FROM THE STANDPOINT THAT IF IT'S, IF THE DISTRICT IS THINKING ABOUT TAKING A J ONE SPONSOR FROM, UH, EXCUSE ME, A J ONE TEACHER FROM A CHICKEN RESPONSE OR ON HIS AGE, ONE B YOUR TIMING OF THAT IS IMPORTANT.

YOU'D WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT DOING THE TRANSFER UNTIL THE TEACHER EXHAUSTS THE FINDER WINDOW.

AND THEN YOU PROBABLY WANT TO HAVE SOME LOOSE CONVERSATION WITH THE SPONSOR AND WHAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IT, MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NOT ANY INJECTION, VERY SORT OF, UM, SORT OF, UM, NEGATIVE FEEDBACK.

BUT ASSUMING THAT THAT IS ALL WORKS OUT, THEN CATHOLIC TEACHING FINISHES THE J ONE, THE SPONSOR WOULD SORT OF STEP OUT OF THE TOUGHNESS AND THEN THE DISTRICT STEPPED IN.

AND ACTUALLY, AND JUST AS A CLARIFICATION FOR YOUR ANSWER, ARE YOU SAYING THAT THERE ARE OTHER WAYS BESIDES J ONE TO HB ONE, LIKE YOU BECAME AN HB ONE SPONSOR, WOULD IT BE MORE THEY COULD COME AND JUSTIFY AT EACH ONE OR IS THAT AS A J ONE AGE FROM BEING MORE THAN NORMAL TRADITIONAL PROCESS, THE NORMAL, AND THERE'S REALLY NO OTHER WAY.

I MEAN, YOU CAN GO J ONE TO GREEN CARD, BUT THAT WOULD BE A HUGE INVESTMENT BY THE DISTRICT, BUT IT MAKES IT PROBABLY START OFF JALEN, NO MATTER WHAT, PRETTY MUCH, NOW YOU CAN START OFF EACH ONE DAY, BUT THE PROBLEM RUN INTO THERE IS NOW, ARE YOU GOING TO HIRE AN INTERNATIONAL RECRUITER ALL OVER THE WORLD TO FIND YOUR TEACHERS, OR MAYBE YOU HIRE AN OUTSIDE AGENCY, IF YOU CAN FIND YOUR TEACHERS FOR YOU AND YOU DON'T DO THE J ONE PROGRAM AND HE RAN THE DIRECTORY ON AN H1B, YOU COULD DO THAT.

I LIKE THE STEPS IT GIVES YOU YOU'RE PAYING A COST FOR IT, BUT IT GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO, THEY SHOW YOU LIKE THE TEACHER, MAKE SURE THEY LIKE IT HERE.

IT'S A GOOD FIT.

YOU HAVEN'T BEEN FIVE YEARS AND THEN YOU CAN TURN THAT SHIT ON.

UM, THE OTHER THING I'LL MENTION THAT WE DIDN'T REALLY TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT WAS THE GREEN CARD.

AND I WOULD SAY WHAT I SEE IN SOUTH CAROLINA IS FEWER DISTRICTS DOING THAT, BUT SOME DISTRICTS ARE CONSIDERING THAT.

AND I THINK WHAT YOU MIGHT ANTICIPATE FOR A TEACHER THAT IS ON THE BALL AND REALLY FAMILIAR WITH KIND OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE ASSOCIATION SPACE, IN OUR STATE, THEY MAY APPROACH YOU AND SAY, YOU KNOW, I'D REALLY LIKE YOU TO CONDUCT A GREEN CARD SPONSORSHIP FOR ME AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, MANY TIMES THEY'RE NEGOTIATING THAT AT THE FRONT IN THE FRONT END.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE DISTRICT IS MAKING THAT COMMITMENT AFTER THE AGE, WHEN BE PERIOD, DIDN'T MOVE FOR LONG DEGREE, GREAT COFFEE, GREAT CARD.

THERE ARE ANOTHER THING I SHOULD MENTION IS SOME DISTRICTS WILL DO REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENTS.

SO THIS IS ANOTHER THING CAN THINK ABOUT IT REALLY DOESN'T WORK WELL AT THE H1B STAGE.

THOSE DISTRICTS ARE PAYING THOSE COSTS, BUT AT THE GREEN CARD STAGE, THERE ARE SOME PARTS OF THAT COST THAT YOU CAN SAY, IF YOU WANT US TO SPONSOR, YOU WE'LL DO THAT, BUT THAT PORTION IS GOING TO BE YOUR COSTS.

SO THERE'S CREATIVE WAYS THERE SURE ARE GOING TO CALL THOSE THAT HAVEN'T SPOKEN IS RELAY.

SO THIS IS KIND OF, UM, TAKING, UH, MS. BELL RIGHTS QUESTION THAT A STEP SO I'LL LIST.

AND, UM, WE CURRENTLY HAVE FIVE TEACHERS WHO ARE IN THEIR FIFTH YEAR PROGRAM AND FIVE WHO, BECAUSE OF COVID, WE'RE EXTENDING TO THE SIXTH YEAR.

SO THAT BRINGS A TOTAL OF 10 TEACHERS.

UM, SO I HEARD YOU SAY YOU HAVE TO BE STRATEGIC ABOUT WHEN WE WOULD START THE H1B PROCESS.

SO, BUT I ALSO HEARD YOU SAY, BUT IT CAN TAKE LIKE THREE MONTHS TO, TO DO IT.

I THINK SO WHEN, AND THIS IS IT AT THE COMPLETION OF THAT FIFTH YEAR IN JANUARY, SHOULD WE BE BEGINNING THAT DISCUSSION? AND, UM, SO WHEN SHOULD WE BEGIN THAT DISCUSSION AND DO WE BEGIN THE DISCUSSION WITH THE, UM, J ONE SPONSOR BEFORE WE TALK TO THEM, THE TEACHER? SO THERE.

THE J ONE IS GIVEN ADOPTIVE AND COLLEGE RECAST 2019, AND THE DISTRICT WOULD HAVE THIS ON FOR EVERY TEACHER, MOST DS 20 NINETEENS.

ONE OF THE TEACHERS COMING UPON THEIR FIVE-YEAR EXPIRATION THAT DS 2019 IS GOING TO END ON SIX 30.

UM, LET'S SAY 20, 22.

FROM ONCE THAT EXPIRATION DATE IS HIT THE TEACHER IN THAT 30 DAYS IN WHICH THEY HAVE TO LEAVE TO DO US OR FILE SOMETHING THAT ALLOWS THEM TO STAY LIKE THE H1B.

SO KNOWING THAT TIMEFRAME IS KEY AND ANY TIME WITHIN THE SIX MONTH WINDOW, BEFORE THAT EXPIRATION, THE H1B PETITION COULD BE FILED.

YOUR TIME, THIS IS WHEN YOU WANT TO BE RELEASED, ARE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING THIS, HOW YOU ENTER INTO THE DISCUSSION.

SO THAT WOULD BE YOUR TIME.

AND THAT'S WHY I MENTIONED AS YOU ROLL INTO 20, 22,

[01:00:02]

I THINK DEPENDS ON A COUPLE OF THINGS.

IF THE TEACHER IS FROM A COUNTRY WHERE THE TWO YEAR RESIDENCY RULE.

AND SO WHEN YOU APPLY, REMEMBER I MENTIONED SOME TEACHERS HAVE TO GO BACK TO THEIR COUNTRIES FOR TWO YEARS, FOREHAND A WAIVER.

I THINK ONE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE EVALUATE YOUR LIST AND LOOK AT WHO FALLS INTO THAT CATEGORY BECAUSE THOSE TEACHERS, HOPEFULLY IF THEY'RE GOING TO STAY, THEY'VE ALREADY STARTED, ENDED UP CAUSES OF FIGURING THAT OUT.

SO I WANT TO KNOW THAT ASSUMING THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU START THE CONVERSATION WITH THE TEACHER AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE INTERESTED OR ARE YOU INTERESTED? UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEN, THEN I THINK, AND THIS IS PROBABLY SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WHERE REALLY ALICE AND ARRESTING, I JUST NEED TO KIND OF STRATEGIZE ON THAT.

THERE'S PROBABLY SOME CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE HAD WITH THE SPONSOR AND THE TEACHER.

IT'S HARD TO PROBABLY ADDRESS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS FORUM, BUT I THINK THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT NEEDS TO BE.

OF THE DISTRICT, THEN SOMETIMES YOU CAN SORT OF IMPUTE LIABILITY TO A SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT WE'RE TALKING, THIS IS TEACHERS, RIGHT.

MA'AM UM, SO AS I'VE BEEN LISTENING AND HAS HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I THINK LIKE MOVING FORWARD, THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER THIS ET CETERA, BUT WHAT IT SEEMS LIKE TO ME BASED ON KIND OF THAT, UM, TRICKY AREA WHERE YOU HAVE THE J ONE SPONSOR TO THE H1B SPONSORSHIP.

I THINK THAT IF WE WEREN'T LOOKING TO DO THAT, YOU WOULDN'T BE THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME CLEARLY CONVEYED, UM, EXPECTATIONS OF THAT J ONE, UM, TEACHERS, IF THEY WANT TO BE CONSIDERED FOR H1B SPONSORSHIP SO THAT THAT'S LAID OUT FROM THE ONSET.

UM, NOT THAT WE'RE GOING INTO, OKAY.

ALL J ONES ARE GOING TO BE H FOUR FEET, UM, CANDIDATES THAT THIS IS WHAT WE EXPECT.

IF YOU WANT TO BE SPONSORED BY US AS AN AGENCY.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN EASIER ROUTE TO GO, UM, SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT THE EXPECTATION IS OF THEM.

UM, AND THEN WE COULD MOVE FORWARD.

BUT I THINK WHAT'S MY OTHER QUESTION IS IN REGARD TO THAT, UM, THE INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATE, UM, TO BE H1B COMPLIANT, THAT'S THE REGULATION.

UM, I, I'M CURIOUS HOW MANY WE MADE, HOW MANY J ONE SET UP AND MOVING TO H1B.

IF WE HAD THAT HAVE NOT MET THAT REQUIREMENT TO GET THE, THE APPROPRIATE LICENSURE, HOW MANY OF THEM ARE NOT PASSING THE PRAXIS? AND IS THAT SOMETHING WE MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER TALKING? ONE OF OUR LEGISLATORS PASSING THE DOE TO LOOK INTO CHANGING THAT THAT IS PREVENTING US FROM HIRING A TEACHER THAT WE'VE HAD HER THREE YEARS AND HAS BEEN DOING WELL BY US.

UM, THAT THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT'S SAFE TO STAY HERE.

I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION ABOUT HOW MANY OF YOU ARE ACTUALLY LOSING STAFF REQUIREMENT.

I MEAN, I CAN SEE JUST GENERALLY WHAT I SEE, BUT IT'S FEW AND FAR BETWEEN MOST OF THE TEACHERS ARE ABLE TO PASS THIS PRACTICES SOMETIMES.

AND I THINK IT'S MOSTLY THE IMMERSION AREA THAT A TEACHER MAY HAVE AN INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATE IN ONE FIELD THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT POSITION GOT THE INITIAL CERTIFICATE NEEDS TO BE IN A DIFFERENT FIELD.

SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOW TAKING PRACTICE AND IT'S NOT MAYBE ONE THEY ANTICIPATED HAVING TO TAKE, BUT BY AND LARGE, MOST OF THE TIME, THE TEACHER'S ABLE TO DO THAT.

THE OTHER THING I THINK YOUR POINT ON THE EDUCATION IS GOOD.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO FOR DISTRICTS IS IF, WHETHER THE DISTRICT DECIDES WE HAVE THESE 10 TEACHERS THAT WE WANT TO SPONSOR, WE WILL DO SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR TO THIS POWERPOINT.

YOU KNOW, WHERE A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DISTRICT AND A GROUP OF TEACHERS WILL BE ON THERE.

AND WE'LL SORT OF WALK THROUGH SOME OF THESE TRICKY ISSUES NEEDS TO BE THINKING ABOUT HOW THIS WORKS WITH YOUR FAMILY.

YOU GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS TO MY SPOUSE WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, SO THAT IS, I THINK THAT OFTENTIMES THOSE TEACHERS HAVE THESE SUMMARY SHOTS AND GIVES THEM AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT YOU EXPECTED TO THE DISTRICT AND ONE PROCESS.

AND THEN I JUST HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION ABOUT, UM, WHAT HAS STUFF THAT'S IN THE PASSWORD BEAT.

THAT WAS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA FOR US.

I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT WAS THE, IF THERE WAS A RED FLAG OR A REASON FOR NOT DOING IT, WHAT IS IT? THERE'S NOTHING.

IT DOESN'T SAY THANK YOU.

MA'AM ALRIGHT, MR. .

WELL, MY THOUGHT IS THIS IS THE

[01:05:01]

BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

I THINK, I THINK FROM SUPERINTENDENT HAS A DIRECTION, HIGHLY EDUCATED, UNLESS HE NEEDS SOMETHING BEYOND THAT FROM US, I'M VIEWING THIS AS INFORMATION SHARING WHAT WE GET INTO ME.

I DON'T KNOW.

I MEAN, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ABOUT THE PROCESS.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE ANYTHING AT ALL IN TERMS OF OUR ROLE IN THIS, EXCEPT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROCESS IS.

IF IT NEEDS TO BE BOLD POLICY TO GO BEYOND WHAT THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS ALREADY DONE, THAT I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.

I WANT TO KNOW MORE, NOT JUST IN TERMS OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATORS THAT ARE COMING AND WHAT, BUT WHAT WE'LL BE DOING TO RETAIN THEM AND OTHERS, AND HOW WE GOING TO RETAIN THE OTHER TEACHERS.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE ASKED FOR, BUT I SEE THE HIGHLIGHT IS VISA AND INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS.

I WANT TO KNOW OVERALL SCOPE.

WE TEND TO JUST A PERFORMANCE TEACHERS AND, AND THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN WHAT THE ACTUAL, I THINK THE REQUEST FROM MS BOAT-LIKE WAS FOCUSED ON THESE AS AN INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS AS A, SO THAT'S WHAT WE, WE CAME TO.

BUT, UH, I THINK IN FOLLOW UP TO LOVE, MR. CAMPBELL WAS, UH, WAS JUST ASKING YOU AGAIN ON THE ONSET HERE, OR JUST STATING IT ON THE ONSET.

UM, ARE THERE, ARE THERE LIABILITIES FOR THE DISTRICT AND AN H ONE B VISA VERSUS THE J ONE B VISA VISA? IF, IF, IF IT IS THE CASE, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT TODAY, BUT IS THERE, IS THERE A LIABILITY ISSUE BETWEEN ANY OF THESE OR, OR NOT? WELL, LET ME SPEAK TO THE AGE WILL BE ON THAT IS THAT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT COME TO MY MIND.

ONE I MENTIONED, WHICH IS A WAGE OBLIGATION, BUT SO THERE'S KIND OF A WAGE FLOOR THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE H1B TEACHER.

BUT AGAIN, I THINK WITH THE SALARY SCHEDULES I'VE SEEN KIND OF ACROSS THE STATE, AND I'M SURE YOURS WILL BE CERTAINLY GOOD AS WELL.

THAT'S USUALLY NOT AN ISSUE SO THAT THE WAGE FLOOR, MOST DISTRICTS ARE SEEING THAT FOR SOURS.

THE OTHER ONE THAT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE IS THERE IS A RETURN TRANSPORTATION OBLIGATION.

SO LET'S SAY THAT WE SPONSORED THE TEACHER FOR A THREE-YEAR PERIOD IN YEAR TWO, THE TEACHER IS PERFORMING POORLY AND WE SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'D LIKE TO 78 FLOODED RELATIONSHIP.

THERE IS AN OBLIGATION.

IF THE TEACHER RETURNED SHOP ONE, THE COST OF ONE RETURNED TRANSPORTATION, AIRLINE TICKET, NOT FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY, NOT HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS AND FOOD, ONE AIRLINE AIRLINE TICKET.

SO I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, UM, OFTENTIMES THAT DOESN'T COME INTO PLAY A LOT BECAUSE WHAT THE TEACHER DOES IS IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT AT ONE DISTRICT, THEY GO TO DISTRICT B AND THEY SPONSORED THEM AND THEY MOVE ON.

BUT THE LAW DOES SAY THAT, BUT THERE'S NOT ONE RETURN TRANSPORTATION TICKET.

THAT REALLY, NO.

I MEAN, THEY'RE JUST LIKE ANY OTHER TEACHER, IF YOU CHOOSE TO CONTINUE A RELATIONSHIP FINE, IF YOU DON'T, THAT'S FINE AS WELL.

YOU ARE IN FINALLY THE CASE WITH THE IMMIGRATION OFFICE REPRESENTING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO ABIDE BY THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS ON THE HOV PROGRAM, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT I'VE TOLD YOU THERE.

UM, SO, SO, YOU KNOW, THE SPONSOR WOULD BE THE VIEW FOR A COUNTY, UM, SCHOOL DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, UM, AND YOU WOULD BE THE JUMPING INTO EMPLOYER ON THESE TEACHERS AS YOU WENT THROUGH YOUR OTHER.

AND THERE, I DON'T KNOW IF THESE ARE MYTHS OR NOT MYTHS, BUT MAYBE YOU CAN HELP CLARIFY SOME OF THIS.

THIS IS WHAT I'VE HEARD.

OFTENTIMES YOU'LL BE IN A YEAR TONIGHT, I WAS AT A DISTRICT IN FLORIDA AND ALSO AT THE TIME DID NOT SPONSOR, UH, UH, CANDIDATE.

ONE OF THE THINGS WAS THAT, UM, THE DISTRICT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, ACTIONS OF THE INDIVIDUAL.

SO IF THE INDIVIDUAL, UH, COMMITS A CRIME ON IN THE COMMUNITY, THEN THERE'S A RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY ON THE PART OF THE DISTRICT, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE SPONSOR.

IS THERE ANY, ANY THAT COULD BE, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S A MYTH, RIGHT? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, ANY TIME YOU HAVE A MANAGER AND LET'S JUST SAY, WHO'S AN AGENT OF THE DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, WHO'S ACTING AND OF COURSE THE SCOPE OF THEIR EMPLOYMENT OR ON BEHALF

[01:10:01]

SO I KNOW THERE WILL BE BAD PRESS COVERAGE.

THAT'D BE ANY TEACHER.

SO YEAH, NO, NOTHING THERE THAT I, UM, I'LL ASK YOU A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.

I CONCURRED THAT EMAIL CAMPBELL, I SAW THIS IS AN INFORMATIONAL SESSION TO WEIGH IN ON DIRECTING DUMPED REGARD, REGENTS TO WHATEVER I'M IS THIS DECISION.

AND WE DON'T AGREE WITH IT, OR IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING ELSE COME BACK AT IT.

UM, SO IT SEEMS LIKE IT ALSO IN TERMS OF POST CAMPBELL'S COMMENTS.

WE'RE DESPERATE FOR TEACHERS AS THIS, EVERY DISTRICT, GOOD TEACHERS, BUT WE'RE DESPERATE FOR, SO IT SEEMS SMART THAT WE WOULD GO AFTER THESE 10 PEOPLE THAT ARE NOW AT THE END OF THEIR EXTENSION DEVOTED.

AND IF THEY'RE ALL GOOD TEACHERS AND THEY LIKELY ARE SINCE THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN HERE FIVE YEARS.

WHY DON'T WE GO AND DO THE H HB ONE, UH, YOU KNOW, REACH OUT TO THEM THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS AND SEE HOW MANY OF THOSE HONORS HAVE TO ME THAT SEEMS LIKE NO HARM THAT WOULDN'T BE EXPENSIVE FOR THE DISTRICT, NOT GOING TO NOT GOING TO BE THE CROONER.

YOU KNOW, WE ALREADY GOTTEN A GOOD ALREADY AND YOU THINK IT WOULD JUST HAVE TO DO THE LEGAL PROCESS FOR OBTAINING THE HB? MY COMMENT IS HONESTLY THE CHAIR THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME.

THERE'S 10 TEAMS, 10 MORE TEACHERS ARE GOOD THAT ARE HARD TO RECRUIT SINCE THEY'RE TYPICALLY FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHERS.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY TWO IS GETTING INTO THAT CLASSROOM PRESENTATION.

IT'S JUST I TO ALARMS CAMPBELL, I AGREE THAT THIS IS, UH, THIS IS A WELL FOR HER, LIKE THANK THE PRESENTERS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO PRESENTED TODAY AND THANKS FOR, FOR GETTING, GIVING US THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US.

BUT, UM, HOWEVER, THE WEIGHT IS ON THE AGENDA AND IN TERMS OF TEACHER RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT AND SLASH SLASH VISA OUT, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WE WILL TALK ABOUT THOSE AS WELL AS THE VISA, UH, TEACHERS THAT COME UP FOR THAT COMPANY THAT COME ACROSS THE STATE LINES TO TEACH.

AND THAT WE ALSO TALK ABOUT THOSE OTHER VARIOUS, UH, THOSE OTHER VARIOUS TOPICS.

SO, UM, AND, AND TO, IN TERMS OF BEING JUST LIMITED TO, I, I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PLANNING THAT WENT INTO THIS TO ONLY MAKE IT TO DIRECT TOWARDS VISA AND, AND THERE'S, AND THERE'S BEEN A TALK ABOUT A LARGE AMOUNT OF THOSE OTHER AREAS AS WELL.

AND I THINK THAT W WE, IF WE FAIL TO, UM, TO PUT, SO YOU PUT THE NECESSARY TIME INTO THIS TOPIC THAT HAS BEEN NEEDED TODAY.

UM, AND IN TERMS OF NOT BEING ABLE TO DISCUSS THOSE OTHER THINGS, BECAUSE THEY'LL BE THAT VERY IMPORTANT TOPICS ALONG WITH JUST VISA, VISA, VISA, THE TEACHERS COMING IN AND UNDERSTANDING THAT PROCESS, THERE ARE ALL THESE OTHER TOPICS ARE VERY IMPORTANT AS WELL.

NOW I THINK THAT I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET TO THAT TODAY.

THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR SEES THAT AS NON POSITION, A DEGREE THAT'S NORMALLY REQUIRED.

I WAS GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO DIRECT THE SUPERINTENDENT TO LOOK INTO IT BECAUSE THERE WAS A FORWARD MOTION YEARS AGO TO MOVE AWAY FROM THAT.

SO I DIDN'T KNOW.

I THINK IT'S FINE NOT TO HAVE EMOTION, BUT TO ME, IT'S THE CHANGES IN THE CAT STATUS.

AND THE FACT THAT THIS IS THE ISSUE THAT PARENT PEOPLE GRABBING IN THE GROCERY STORE AND SAY, YOU'RE ON THE SCHOOLWORK.

WE'RE LOSING A GOOD TEACHER.

AND WHEN I STARTED LOOKING INTO IT, UM, IT MADE A LOT OF SENSE FOR US TO SPONSOR EACH ONE BASIS BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF TEACHERS.

I KNOW SOME OF THEM BY REPUTATION BE SAD TO LOSE THEM, BUT I LOOKED INTO IT.

IT WASN'T JUST FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHERS.

ALTHOUGH I THINK THAT'S AN ACUTE NEED.

LEXINGTON.

ONE HAS SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS COMING IN FROM INTERNATIONAL.

AND I WOULD, IF WE COULDN'T EVEN GET, SAY ADDITIONAL NURSING, HELP ADAM, GIVE HIM A TEACHING COMPONENT AND MAYBE EVEN GET SOME SCHOOL NURSES.

I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF SHORTAGES THAT WE CAN'T SOLVE THROUGH LIKE OUR TRADITIONAL HIRING PRACTICES.

SO I THINK LOOKING AT THIS POOL IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO I'M HAPPY NOT TO MAKE A MOTION, BUT I WOULD HOPE THAT THE DISTRICT WOULD LOOK INTO ADDING THOSE AND GET BACK TO THE BOARD AT SOME POINT WHAT THEIR DECISION, BECAUSE I THINK IT WOULD REALLY BENEFIT, UM, OF THE DISTRICT WITH TEACHER RETENTION.

SO THIS WOULDN'T JUST BE DIFFERENT THOUGH, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT A CERTIFIED STAFF LIKE A TEACHER IS, I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE A VERY LIKE NEONATAL NURSE AND A SPECIALTY CRITICAL SHORTAGE AREA OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT DOES WORK FOR EACH ONE, BUT, AND THE REASON IT WOULDN'T WORK IS WHETHER WE AGREE WITH THIS OR NOT.

[01:15:01]

OKAY, HERE, I HATE IT.

MOST NURSES, I KNOW HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE, BUT YOU KNOW, UM, SPEAK TO DISCUSS IT, BUT, BUT NURSES OR, YOU KNOW, OTHER NON-LICENSED PHYSICIANS USUALLY DON'T LEARN.

BUT MY THOUGHTS TOO WERE WHY DON'T WE HAVE CERT, I MEAN, A LOT OF NURSES MIGHT BE CERTIFIED TO TEACH SOME THINGS WELL, AND IT CAN BE A FULL ROLE.

WE'VE DONE SPEECH, LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS.

WE BROUGHT THEM IN UNDER SPECIAL EDUCATION CATEGORY.

GOT RIGHT.

UM, WHAT ELSE? A LOT OF IMMERSION TEACHERS WITH MATH SCIENCE, I MEAN, REALLY IN ANY OF THE DISCIPLINES, IT'S MAYBE JUST DEPENDS ON THE DISTRICT IN TERMS OF YOUR SHORTAGE AREAS THAT YOU SEE, YOU KNOW, MORE OF A CERTAIN OCCUPATION.

UM, THE OTHER THING IS, I MEAN, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW PEOPLE COME TO KNOW ABOUT MORE ABOUT OUR CULTURE THAN WE DO.

WE LIVE IN AN AREA THAT PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE AND THAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT OUTSIDE OF THIS COUNTRY.

SO IF YOU GO TO OTHER PLACES, THEY RECOGNIZE THE NAME PELIKAN, THEY UNDERSTAND YOU'VE WORKED THERE LIKE HISTORY, YOU KNOW, HELP.

10 ISLAND IS THE NUMBER ONE ISLAND IN UNITED STATES.

NOW FOUR OR FIVE YEARS IN A ROW.

UM, CHARLESTON IS LIKE THE NUMBER ONE CITY.

SO THIS AREA WILL ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL VISITORS.

WHEN YOU GO TO LONDON, YOU DON'T GO TO FULL SCAMPTON.

YOU GO TO BATH, YOU GO TO, WHEN YOU GO TO ENGLAND, WHERE WE HAVE THAT KIND OF FOREIGN APPEAL, AND IT SORT OF SOLVES SOME OF OUR RECRUITMENT ISSUES FROM AN AFFORDABILITY, BECAUSE WE'RE SUCH AN APPEALING PLACE TO LIVE.

IT'S GETTING LESS AFFORDABLE FOR TEACHERS.

SO I THINK THAT THIS IS A REALLY GOOD FIT FOR THIS DISTRICT TO LOOK AT BRINGING INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS.

UM, AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE.

I THINK THAT WITHOUT THAT, ANY MORE QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.

HEY.

SO IN, LET ME GO BACK TO THIS ONE, WE KNOW THAT SINCE 1976, EVERY US PRESIDENT HAS OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY AS BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND OUR WORLD, INCLUDING CANADA AND THE UNITED KINGDOM HAS ALSO DEVOTED THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY BLACK HISTORY MONTH IN FEBRUARY.

GOOD MORNING.

BOARD CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS.

I AM HERE TODAY TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE AFRICAN HISTORY OF MEDICATION CONFERENCE, UM, THAT WE WILL HAVE IN FEBRUARY OF 2020 TO YOUR ABDOMEN.

I THOUGHT IT WAS OKAY.

THAT ALL RIGHT, SO GOOD MORNING AGAIN.

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO GIVE YOU THE UPDATE ON THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY EDUCATION CONFERENCE THAT WE WILL HAVE IS FEBRUARY OF 2022.

I WANT TO START BY SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, I HEARD IT A LITTLE BIT TODAY.

YOU KNOW, YOU'VE HEARD IS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE, JUST A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE REALLY RESPECT AND HONOR THE CULTURE IN HISTORY.

AND SO I JUST FEEL THAT IT'S VERY ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US, UM, HERE AND GIVE HER COUNTY TO CONNECT THOSE DOTS TO OUR TEACHING AND LEARNING WITHIN YUKON SCHOOL DISTRICT.

SO MARTIN WAS DECAYED REFERENCE, DR.

MARTIN LUTHER KING SAID THIS, WE ARE NOT BAKERS OF HISTORY.

WE ARE MADE BY HISTORY AND WE ARE SHAPED BY THE WORLD AROUND US.

WE ARE WHO WE ARE BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY THAT WE'VE LIVED AND WE DON'T GET A CHANCE TO CHANGE THEM.

BUT WE HERE ARE DIFFERENT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

WE ARE CHARGED WITH PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION FOR ALL STUDENTS, REGARDLESS OF THE HISTORY THAT THEY'VE LIVED.

SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND, WE ALL KNOW THAT A BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS AN ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF ACHIEVEMENTS WHERE AFRICAN AMERICAN, AFRICAN AMERICANS AND A TIE FOR RECOGNIZING THEIR CENTRAL WALL ROLES IN THE UNITED STATES.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH GROUP OUT OF A MEETING CELEBRATION, WHICH WAS CONCEPTUALIZED BY CARTER G WOODSON AND OTHER PROMINENT AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

UM,

[01:20:08]

THIS YEAR, SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SENT A MEMORANDUM TO ALL DISTRICTS, SUPERINTENDENTS, INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERS, AND PRINCIPALS OUTLINED A RESOURCES TO SUPPORT AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY.

THE SOUTH LINE DEPARTMENTS DID THIS WAS TO ASSIST TEACHERS IN PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY RESOURCES TO APPROPRIATELY.

SHE APPROPRIATELY CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

THE LESSONS AND RESOURCES SHARED WERE NOT JUST RESERVED FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH IN FEBRUARY, BUT IT WAS ALSO OUTLINED TO BE USED THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR ALL STUDENTS.

OUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY CONFERENCE WILL BE IN FEBRUARY IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE CAN PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY RESOURCES TO OUR TEACHERS TO PROVIDE APPROPRIATELY TO APPROPRIATELY CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND CONTRIBUTIONS, NOT JUST IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, BUT THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR.

THE THEME FOR OUR CONFERENCE THIS YEAR IS BEEN TOLD STORIES, SHARING EUPHORIC COUNTY'S RICH AND DIVERSE HISTORY.

THE SAFE DAVID IS HERE THAT YOU SEE HERE WAS TAKEN IN BUFORD IN 1939.

AND YOU CAN FIND THIS PICTURE IN THE SKULL BURKE SITTER RESEARCH IN BLACK CULTURE WITH FOLDABLES AND PRINTS DIVISION OF THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY.

THE COLOR IMAGE BEHIND THE PICTURE IS ENTITLED FIRE GREG'S 2001 OIL ON CANVAS PAINTED BY OUR JONATHAN GREEN.

I WANT TO RECOGNIZE SUSAN LYNCH FOR COORDINATING THIS, SAVE THE DATE, WHICH I THINK IS IT JUST SYMBOLIZES WHAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH.

UM, THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 18TH, BETWEEN AND COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY, WE ARE RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLECTIVELY SUPPORTING EVERY CHILD, WHICH OFTEN REQUIRES A NEW WAY OF WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY EDUCATION CONFERENCE.

WE PARTNERED WITH TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY, USC AND PENN CENTER FOR THIS THREE DAY EVENTS.

OUR FOCUS AREAS, OUR FOCUS AREAS FOR THIS CONFERENCE IS THAT EDUCATORS WILL LEAVE WITH A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF BUFORD TEACHING AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT EMBED THAT WE CAN BEND HISTORY CULTURE.

AND THAT WILL ENSURE THAT CLASSROOM TEACHERS LEAVE WITH RESOURCES AND ACCESS TO THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY.

WE'LL PROVIDE HANDS-ON CONCRETE ACTIVITIES THAT WILL HELP BRING LESSONS ALIVE IN THE CLASSROOM.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST WE'LL RECOGNIZE AND HONOR OUR EDUCATORS WHO PARTICIPATE WITH RECERTIFICATION CREDIT FOR EACH OF THE THREE DAYS, WHICH CAN CAN, THEY CAN RECEIVE UP TO 21 RECERTIFICATION CREDITS FRIDAY THAT WE'RE 18 IS STRUCTURED FOR OUR TEACHERS, OUR STUDENTS, AND OUR STUDENT TEACHERS, WHICH WILL COME FROM USC SYMBOLICALLY WE'LL KICK OFF OUR CONFERENCE ON THE CAMPUS OF THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY.

IT IS WHERE RACHEL CRANE MATHER FOUNDED THE MAPPER SCHOOL IN 1868 TO EDUCATE THE DAUGHTERS OF IN SLATE.

AFRICAN-AMERICANS SHE WAS A BELIEVER THAT EVERYONE DESERVES A CHANCE TO GET AN EDUCATION.

SO WE JUST THOUGHT IT WAS VERY SYMBOLIC DECIDED THERE WE HAVE SOME OTHER SURPRISES, THE BEST THAT'S THE ONE WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE FOR FEBRUARY 18.

[01:25:05]

ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19 PARTICIPANTS WILL HEAR THE ORAL STORIES THAT ARE TOLD STORIES OF DIFFERENT COUNTY COMMUNITY STORYTELLERS WILL HELP TO CONNECT.

THE HISTORY IS ON THIS DAY, THAT PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ABLE TO CONNECT HISTORY TO THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA OF DIFFERENT.

THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE, PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ABLE TO CONNECT OUR RECONSTRUCTION ERA INFLUENCED TO THE LOCAL AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY OF YOU FOR COUNTY.

UM, ON THIS DAY, THERE ARE NINE, UM, LANDMARKS THROUGHOUT THE DOWNTOWN AREA THAT WE WILL TOUR IF THE NECK HISTORY TO THAT.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

THE EXPERIENCE FOR OUR EDUCATORS AND LASTLY, ON FEBRUARY 20TH PARTICIPANTS WILL EXPERIENCE THE RICH CULTURE OF PENN CENTER.

PENN CENTER IS THE SITE OF ONE OF THE FIRST SCHOOLS OF NEWLY FREED AFRICAN AMERICANS DURING THE CIVIL WAR.

IT SERVED AS A RETREAT FOR REVEREND DR.

MARTIN LUTHER KING.

WE WILL IN OUR CONFERENCE EXPERIENCES WITH PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCING THE RICH CULTURE AND HISTORY AND THE UNTOLD STORIES OF PENN IN CENTER AND THE ST.

HELENA HUB.

SO AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE TOTAL STORY.

THIS PICTURE THAT YOU SEE IS A PICTURE OF MAMA.

JANE LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT HER, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT SHE WAS BORN IN THE 1850S ON PARRIS ISLAND.

IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

SHE LIVED MORE THAN 80 YEARS, AND SHE WAS KNOWN AS A SPIRITUAL LEADER IN HER COMMUNITY.

SHE HAS FIVE POUND RACING DESCENDANTS THAT ARE STILL LIVING IN THE AREA TODAY.

THIS IS MY FIFTH GENERATION GRANDMOTHER, MAMA JANE.

THIS IS MY UNTOLD STORY.

WHEN WE CONNECT PERSONAL STORIES.

SO TEACHING AND LEARNING, YOU MAKE IT RELEVANT.

YOU MAKE IT REAL.

WHEN YOU CONNECT STUDENTS TO THESE STORIES, YOU CAN ASK STUDENTS TO THE WORLD IS A PERSONAL THING.

WHEN YOU FINISH THOSE PERSONAL STORIES.

AND I APOLOGIZE, YOU KNOW WHAT? LOOK AT THIS.

I SEE HISTORY.

I SEE CULTURE.

I SEE SACRIFICE.

I SEE, UM, WHERE WE COME AT, WHAT WE CAN BE.

I LIKE TO PLAY THIS VIDEO.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW OUR STUDENTS CAN CONNECT TO THE PAST PRESENT.

AND FUTURE IS ALREADY GOING ON YOU FOR TELLING ME, SO IT'S NOT LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING NEW.

THIS WAS TAKEN LAST YEAR, A VIDEO OF THE STUDENTS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND HOW THEY CONNECTED THERE, THE AVERAGE AMERICAN HISTORY TO THE PRESIDENT OF FUTURE.

AND I THOUGHT IT WAS WELL DONE.

I WRONG BOLT.

I WANTED TO SHARE THIS AS ONE EXAMPLE, ONE EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE DO, UM, IN YOUR COUNTY AND HOW WE CAN BUILD ON HIS EXAMPLE SO THAT ALL STUDENTS IN HOW COUNTY CAN HAVE THEM EXPERIENCE.

MANY THINGS TO INFLUENCE OUR NATION TO IMPACT THE THINGS THAT WE DO TODAY AND JUST HELPING THEM TO BECOME MORE AWARE THAT THERE IS A LARGER WORLD.

OKAY, GOT THIS.

I GOT THIS.

EVERY TIME I SEE THAT VISION AND IT JUST, IT JUST CONNECTS US TO WHAT WE LEARNED IN TODAY AND IT MAKES IT RELEVANT.

AND, UM, IN BOARD IS CELEBRATING DIVERSITY.

EACH MONTH.

CRUZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL USES THE INTERACTIVE BOARD TO EDUCATE STUDENTS ON A DIFFERENT CULTURAL GROUP.

IT'S EXPOSURE, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THERE IS MORE ONE THING BEFORE THERE'S MORE THAN, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA THERE, PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD.

WHO'VE DONE

[01:30:01]

THERE IS A BIGGER WORLD OUTSIDE OF COSA QUESTIONS ARE POSTED ON THE BOARD AND STUDENTS NEED TO GO AROUND THE SCHOOL, READING SHORT BIOGRAPHIES OF INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN PLACES TO FIND THE ANSWERS, DIFFERENT QUESTIONS EACH WEEK, MIKE, A TRIVIA.

AND AT THE END OF THE WEEK, THEY TURN THEIR ANSWERS IN.

AND TWO WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON MONDAYS AND WE GIVE THEM A SMALL TOKEN OF THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING THIS MONTH.

THE BOARD IS CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND THE THEME IS NOTABLE, SOUTH CAROLINA AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND OUR SCHOOL.

WE HAVE A HIGH POPULATION OF MILITARY STUDENTS WHO DON'T, YOU KNOW, REMAIN IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

AND SO ONE THING I WANTED THEM TO DO WAS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THIS INFORMATION WITH THEM AND TO KNOW THAT THERE WERE AS INSIGNIFICANT ROLES HERE IN OUR STATE AND SOME THINGS THAT WERE DONE WHEN PAT D NATION AND OF COURSE THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA SO FAR, THIS SCHOOL YEAR, THE BOARD HAS FOCUSED ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT THEMES, SUCH AS HISPANIC HERITAGE, SOUTH CAROLINA, NATIVE AMERICANS, AND EVEN SHOWCASE THE SCHOOL'S DIVERSE.

WE HIGHLIGHTED EVERY STUDENT THAT HAD A SCHOOL PICTURE.

WE TOOK UP THIS BOARD AND THE MAJORITY OF THIS WALL WITH EACH OF THEIR FACES.

AND WE HAD A QUOTE AS OUR CENTER.

HI, ANGELA, AS THE SCHOOL YEAR CONTINUES, THE BOARD WILL ALSO HELP STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT FAMOUS WOMEN, INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

AND MORE FOR OUR, I HAVE LOVED IS COMING IN IN THE MORNING TIMES TO SEE THEM EXCITED AND GOING FROM POSTED A POSTER AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE ANSWER.

SO THEY'RE HAVING TO READ EVERY POSTER, I'LL LOOK THROUGH EVERY POSTER.

SO THAT INFORMATION I FEEL IS SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE KEEPING, AND THEY WILL REMEMBER HOPEFULLY A LONG TIME ONLINE LESSONS ARE ALSO CREATED FOR EACH MONTH THEME FOR TEACHERS TO SHARE WITH THEIR CLASSES AND STUDENTS LEARNING VIRTUALLY AT COOSA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, RON LOPES, BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

AGAIN, THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF THE WORK AND BE DONE.

HAVE YOU HEARD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT? I JUST WANT THEM IN WITH THAT.

THIS IS JUST AN UPDATE OF OUR PLANNING FOR THE CONFERENCE WHERE I FIND WISE WE HAVEN'T FINALIZED EVERYTHING YET, BUT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD.

WE'RE IN THE PROCESS NOW OF SOLIDIFY PRESENTERS FACILITY, FACILITATE AGREEMENTS AND OTHER LOGISTICAL PIECES.

WE ARE TARGETING 300 PEOPLE FOR THIS EVENT AND WE'LL HOPEFULLY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS IN FUTURE CONFERENCES.

THIS CONCLUDES MY UPDATE FOR THE AFRICAN HISTORY EDUCATION CONFERENCE.

WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. EARL CAMEL.

UM, I KNOW WE MENTIONED DEPENDS ON BILL TALKING ABOUT SHANNON BY BOOKER T AND M AND MS. JOSEPH'S RIGHT NEXT TO THE FIRE STATION ON SHARING THE ROAD OR A YEAR AGO.

I WORKED AT THAT SCHOOL.

WE'LL ALSO TALK SOME ABOUT THAT ALSO.

UM, WE NEED TO NOT ONLY TALK ABOUT HISTORY HERE, PERIOD, WE NEED TO REWRITE BECAUSE A LOT OF US, A LOT OF FOLKS IN THIS COUNTRY DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THEIR PAST.

THEY ALL WANT TO TALK ABOUT TEACHING.

UM, AND THAT GIVES YOU A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE USED TODAY WAS INVENTED BY DRAG FOLKS, THE MAJORITY.

ONLY THE GENTLEMAN THIS OUT, HE KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR HISTORY, YOU KNOW, AND WE TALK ABOUT GUN CULTURE AND THAT IS SOMETHING REALLY STILL BLACK MALES.

BUT THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE.

SO SCOTT AND FOR ME, I GUESS, UM, UH, YEAH, LIKE, UM, , THAT'S NICE TO ME.

NO, I'M LOOKING AT WHERE WE CAME FROM AS A, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S SAD WHEN WE DON'T KNOW HOW I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I WENT TO GERMANY.

[01:35:01]

UM, WHEN WE CAME FROM, WE DIDN'T ACTIVELY, I CAN DO THAT.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING CHANGE.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

UM, I CANNOT APPLAUD THIS AN INITIATIVE LOUD ENOUGH.

UM, WHEN I SAID THAT WE NEEDED TO DEVELOP A PROFILE OF BUTTE COUNTY GRADUATE.

THIS WAS BY EXACT TARGET.

NO ONE SHOULD GRADUATE FROM OUR SCHOOLS THAT DOESN'T UNDERSTAND GULLAH, GEECHEE, HISTORY, CULTURE, AND ART, AND THE RECONSTRUCTION HERE.

UM, AND, AND THE, THE UNTOLD STORIES IS ANOTHER, UM, REALLY VALUABLE THING BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT AREN'T WRITTEN DOWN THAT ARE HANDED DOWN GENERATION TO GENERATION THROUGH ORAL HISTORY.

AND WE DON'T WANT TO EVER LOSE THAT.

WE NEED TO PUT EFFORT INTO IT, BUT I JUST CAN'T APPLAUD ENOUGH THAT THIS IS EXACTLY THE TARGET FOR A BUFORD COUNTY GRADUATE.

NO ONE SHOULD GRADUATE FROM OUR SCHOOLS WITHOUT, WITHOUT HAVING THIS UNDERSTANDING.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS.

CAUSE I WAS UPSET.

I AM A GRADUATE OF THE COUNTY AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LEARNED ABOUT GROWING UP WAS ABOUT THE RICH HISTORY OF WHERE WE LIVE AND WHERE WE ARE RAISING OUR FAMILIES.

AND I THINK YOU GUYS ARE DOING A WONDERFUL JOB AND FURTHER ENRICHING THAT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR TEACHERS TOO.

IF IT'S NOT A LOT OF OUR TEACHERS FROM HERE ARE OUR PHONE.

SO I THINK THAT THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENT AND I JUST WANTED TO ECHO THAT YOU ALL, BECAUSE I FIGURED THAT THIS IS, UM, THIS IS WONDERFUL AND I LOVE SEEING IT GOING DEEPER.

UM, ONE QUESTION I WANT TO ASK IS FROM ME POINTS.

SO WE HAVE WE, YES.

UM, WE HAVE A PLANNING MEETING SHORTLY, I THINK NEXT WEEK, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

UM, SO WE'LL DETERMINE WHO WILL GET, UM, THE SAME DAY IF I SKIP THEM.

UM, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF THE 300, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT WILL BE DUE FOR COUNTY? YES.

SO THE SHORT ANSWER IS DEFINITELY YES.

UM, INGRID VOTING.

THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, LIKE IT SHOULD ALMOST BE A REQUIRED FOR OUR COUNTY STUDENTS AT SOME POINT IN THEIR, THEIR CAREER AFTER YOU SUCCESSFULLY DO THIS WITH YOUR TEACHERS.

I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, I FIND YOUR PRESENTATION AND YOUR APPROACH TO THIS SUCH A GREAT INSPIRATIONAL.

UM, AS YOU KNOW, I'M THE FIRST PERSON TO SPEAK, NOT FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.

SO I'M RELATIVELY NEW.

I'VE BEEN HERE 12 YEARS AND I'M NEW ON THE BOARD, BUT I JUST AM SO OVERWHELMED SOMETIMES BY WHAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY FOR COUNTY IN TERMS OF THAT PERSONAL CONNECTION, THEN I THINK WE SHOULD REALLY EXPLORE.

UM, AND TO MR. EARL CAMPBELL'S POINT, I WENT TO GERMANY WHEN I'M WITH MY PARENTS AND, YOU KNOW, WE DID SOME THE USUAL THINGS, BUT THEY MADE ME GO TO DACHAU CONCENTRATION CAMP AND I DIDN'T WANT TO GO.

AND IT WAS HARD.

UM, YEAH, NOW I'M GETTING EMOTIONAL.

IT'S LIKE WATER .

UH, MR. CAMPBELL WAS ON DUTY.

I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE QUOTE THAT'S IN FRONT OF BACKUP ON CONCENTRATION CAMP, WHICH IS I WAS GOING TO LOOK IT UP.

IT'S SPECIFIC, BASICALLY THOSE WHO CANNOT REMEMBER THEIR HISTORY OF NEW TURKEY THAT I'M PARAPHRASING.

BUT WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS TO ME, I LOVE THIS PERSONAL CONNECTION THAT YOU HAVE.

I THINK WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE YOU AND OTHER PEOPLE, UM, HERE TO MAKE THESE PRESENTATIONS.

I DO THOUGH, DISAGREE A LITTLE BIT WITH MR. CAMPBELL BECAUSE TO ME AND I WAS A HISTORY MAJOR IN COLLEGE HISTORY INFORMS US FOR THE FUTURE, BUT I, I DON'T WANT TO ME, THIS IS VERY FUTURE LOOKING.

IT'S RECOGNIZING THE PAST AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WHERE WE GO FROM HERE.

AND SO I, I THINK THAT YOU REALLY HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD WITH THIS.

UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU PUT INTO THIS.

I CAN'T WAIT TO ATTEND TO TALK TO YOU.

IN FACT, I STARTED MY CALENDAR, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WE ARE DOING THIS FOR OUR STAFF.

UM, TO ME, I SAT HERE.

I THOUGHT, WOULDN'T IT BE WONDERFUL IF OUR STUDENTS, UM, HAD, THEY WERE TAKEN TIFFANY FOR ED WENT TO ALL THESE LANDMARKS,

[01:40:01]

I, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH GUESSING, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, KIND OF GUY BOARD MEMBERS WHO DID INSPIRE THERE'S THIS PROCESS OF PACKING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE DISCUSSED THERE IT'S RELEVANT HISTORY.

UM, JAN, ABOUT JAN'S LAST NAME.

SO WE THINK IS HER LAST NAME IS B.

UM, I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH.

SO BEFORE PARASOL WAS, UM, UH, MILITARY FROM MILITARY TO MARINES, UM, COTTON PLANTATIONS FARMERS.

SO, UM, WE CAN TRACE IT TO THIS B E E UM, PRETTY SURE RESEARCH WILL ALSO STILL THERE HELLO.

THERE'S SO MUCH HISTORY HERE.

WE'RE JUST TOUCHING, UH, A MINOR PORTION OF IT AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF IT AND AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY FROM A NATIONAL STANDPOINT IS, IS I JUST WANT A DRAMATIC THEM, JUST THE LITTLE BITS AND PIECES THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET HERE, WHICH IS, WHICH IS A CATALYST FOR MORE INVESTIGATION OF HISTORY AND, UH, OR INVESTIGATION BY HOW ALL THE EDUCATORS AND, AND BIO OF STUDENTS, FUTURE LEADERS OF AMERICA.

I KNOW A LOT OF THINGS CAN BE TRACED BACK HERE AND PROBABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT OF THINGS THAT, THAT WE KNOW AS UNIVERSALS, UH, US STUDENTS OR AMERICAN STUDENTS.

WE KNOW THE MASSIVE PATIENTS PROCLAMATION CAN BE TRACED BACK DIRECTLY.

PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY A LOT OF US MED SCHOOL, THEY WERE STILL WRITTEN AND SAID, READ THE SLAVES AND WITH THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.

BUT WHEN YOU DIG DEEP INTO THAT HISTORY, YOU'RE GOING TO FIND OUT THAT THEY RESPONDED TO THE RESPONSE OF THE AFRICANS.

HEY, ARE YOU FROM COUNTY? THAT WAS DIRECT RELATIONSHIP DEMANDS WITH AGING BECAUSE THEIR HISTORY WOULD TELL YOU THAT THE MASS EFFICIENT PROCLAMATION DID NOT FREE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF AFRICANS AND SLAVES WHO ARE NOT FREED UNTIL AFTER 1865, BUT WHAT IT DID RESONATE TO THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD IT BE FOR COUNTY ALLOW THIS COASTAL SOUTH CAROLINA AREA AND CREATE A GIRLFRIEND LANDSCAPE.

IF I, TO WHAT DOES COASTAL AREA LOOK LIKE FOR THE OTHER 150 IS OUTCOMES AFTER THE CIVIL WAR.

UM, AND THAT'S THE KIND OF HISTORY THAT HAS TO BE BROUGHT OUT, BUT I, UM, INTRODUCED THAT, UH, BRIEFLY, UH, PROFILE WHAT THAT STUDENTS SHOULD LOOK LIKE.

THIS IS JUST FOLLOWING WHAT I HAD ENVISIONED AS PART OF THE DIRECTION THAT I MET.

AND I DON'T WANT THEM, YOU KNOW, BRING UP CRT AS A OSHA, AS A PART OF THIS DIALOGUE.

I JUST WANT THIS DIALOGUE WOULD BE, YOU NEED TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN, ALL OF THEM, SOME OF THE ASPECTS OF WHERE THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY'RE FROM, BUT THE STUDENTS WHO ARE MILITARY STUDENTS COMING TO THIS AREA, ONCE THEY LEAVE THIS AREA, INITIALLY IT WAS A MYSTERY.

AND I JUST THOUGHT ABOUT GENERAL, YOU WILL LET THE ISLANDS THAT MAKE UP THIS TOWN.

I MIGHT GO TO KNOW THEM WHERE THEY ARE.

YOU KNOW, WHAT

[01:45:01]

A RIP IS MAKING IS MORE THAN JUST THE BLACK HISTORY THAT'S HERE, THAT WE REALLY NEED TO DIG DEEP IN TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SENIORS, WHEN THEY LEAVE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING.

IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR EVERYTHING, BASICALLY IT'S FOR EVERYBODY.

AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE, OH, I DON'T CARE, READ BIOLOGISTS.

AND YOU WANT TO START WITH WHERE YOU'RE FROM AND YOU CAN THREATEN, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND IT'S A MASSACHUSETTS BIG COLONY, UNLESS YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR OWN COUNTS AND WANT TO GO THERE, UNLESS YOU UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, JUST AS CEO, NO FURTHER SILENCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND ALL OF THOSE PLACES.

AND THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS EDUCATORS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CHILDREN UNDERSTAND THAT WE DON'T WANT THEM COMING BACK HERE.

THAT GUY DID EVEN STILL HAVE TO LEARN THE PHYSICAL PART OF BUFORD COUNTY.

THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT THIS IS HOME.

SO AS MY EXTRA SPIRIT, DO YOU UNDERSTAND? WE HAVE COME FROM, WELL, MAYBE DR.

BLOTS.

WELL, I HAVE SO MANY EMOTIONS RUNNING THROUGH ME RIGHT NOW FROM THIS.

THANK YOU, DR.

CAMPBELL AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM.

RADIUS.

IT'S THIS, THIS HAS BEEN REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT STUFF.

THERE ARE SOME OF THESE COMMENTS.

I'M ALSO HUMBLED.

SO I'M FILLED WITH GRATITUDE AND I'M HUMBLED BY THIS AREA IN WHICH WE LIVE.

IT'S AMAZING AND ALMOST INCREDIBLY EXCITED.

CAUSE I KNOW OUR TEACHERS WITH THIS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WITH THIS, WITH THEY'RE GOING TO BE EXPOSED TO THEM IN FEBRUARY.

I GUARANTEE YOU THAT THE STUDENTS WILL LEARN WHAT THEY NEED TO LEARN BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT OUR TEACHERS DO.

THEY'LL TAKE THIS AND THEY WILL RUN WITH IT AND THEY WILL GET EXCITED BY IT.

AND THIS IS REALLY GREAT STUFF.

SO THANK YOU.

AND UNDERSTANDING HOW, UH, SOME OF THEIR THINKING AND THEIR UNDERSTANDING WHO THEY ARE AS A PEOPLE AND IDENTIFYING DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT THEM.

THANK YOU, MS. MIDDLETON.

THAT'S THE CAMPBELL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UM, I TOLD HER UNTIL SLOWLY I AM FROM THE LOW COUNTRY MYSELF.

SO I KNOW THERE IS A CONNECTION.

UM, MOST RECENTLY ME AND MY HUSBAND ARE TRACING ON LINEAGE AND HE'S FOUND OUT SOME AMAZING THINGS CAUSE HE'S NOT STAYING HOME NOW.

SO HE'S FOUND OUT SOME AMAZING THINGS ABOUT AMAZING PEOPLE CAN SAY, AND WE'RE THERE.

WE'RE GOING TO GO EVEN FARTHER BECAUSE NEXT YEAR ALL PLANS GO TO TRACE STEVEN.

SO WHEN I COME BACK ON THE CS, BECAUSE I KNOW I HAVE THAT CONNECTION, I KNOW IT'S THERE.

I THINK WE'RE ALL CONNECTED ON THIS COASTLINE.

SO THANK YOU TO THE INVITE.

THAT'S I DEFINITELY WANT TO PARTICIPATE.

JUST TELL ME WHAT I NEED TO DO.

I'LL PUT ON MY SNEAKERS AND I'LL WALK YOU.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE YOU DEBBIE KIMBLE AND YOUR STAFF AND, AND TO, UH, ALL THE ORGANIZERS OF THIS, UM, CONFERENCE, IT LOOKS AWESOME.

AND MY QUESTION WAS LIKE, DR.

I WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE INVITE HAD ALREADY ONLINE CALENDAR, LIKE THE REAL FLY.

SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT WAS AWESOME.

UH, WE HAVE SOME, LET'S SEE MR. SMITH.

I DON'T THINK YOU'VE SPOKEN.

UM, AS I SIT HERE AT NIGHT, I DO THIS PRESENTATION.

I'D LIKE TO THANK THE PEOPLE.

WHO'VE PUT THE TIME INTO PUT US WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT IN TIME AND THIS, UH, IN THIS PRESENTATION.

UM, MOST IMPORTANTLY, I THINK THAT IS GOING TO HONOR YOU FOR KIND OF SCHOOL DISTRICT IS WILLING TO ACTUALLY RECOGNIZE THAT THE REACH ONE TO TEACH ONE, THAT WE MUST UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY ARE TO MEET PEOPLE, TO UNDERSTAND THE CULTURE AND HOW WE, HOW THE BEST WAY WILL BE IN REACHING THEM BY UNDERSTANDING THEIR CULTURE AND UNDERSTANDING.

SO I I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CONFERENCE, EDUCATING PEOPLE, TEACHING PEOPLE DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT AFRICAN AMERICAN, BLACK PEOPLE, PEOPLE OF COLOR,

[01:50:01]

THAT JUST NOT MAKE THEM UNIQUE, BUT MAKE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD UNIQUE SO THAT WE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER AS COLDS.

UM, I TOO HAVE A LOT OF EMOTIONS I IN, IN TERMS OF THIS AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CONFERENCE AND, UM, AND WHEN HE SAID THE COMMUNITY PIECE, I DON'T KNOW, I'M SURE THERE'S A TON OF PEOPLE IN BUFORD, JOHNNY, THAT WHO WOULD, WHO COULD OFFER THIS CONFERENCE SOME GREAT, UH, WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE AND A GREAT WEALTH OF HISTORY IN BUFORD.

AND I'M DEFINITELY WILLING TO HELP OUT ANY WAY I CAN.

AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE DEFINITELY SEVERAL PEOPLE, UM, IN, ON ST.

HELENA, IN BUFORD, UH, GOING FROM THE, UM, I NEED A PREFACE TO THE QUEEN QUAKES TO THE, UH, OTHER PEOPLE AT PENN CENTER THERE A CERTAIN DAY.

I MEAN, THERE'S A LARGE AMOUNT OF WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE, UH, AND B AND B FOR COUNTY.

AND IN TERMS OF OUR PLACE AS AN ART ON MARTIN LUTHER KING'S, I HAVE A DREAM SPEECH WHO WAS CRAFTED AT A COTTAGE ON PENN CENTER, AND THAT CAR'S TODAY STILL SITS THERE AND CERTAIN PEOPLE WILL STILL USE IT AND THEY STILL HAVE MEETINGS.

AND IN, IN THAT, IN THAT COTTAGE, ON, ON PENN'S CAMPUS.

AND THERE'S JUST THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT LISTEN, I I'M ON ANY HAND, ANYTHING I CAN DO TO HELP OUT WITH THIS CONFERENCE TO BRING HELP, BRING THE WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE TO IT, I'M WILLING TO, UM, I I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE THE FRUITS THAT THIS CONFERENCE WILL CONTINUE TO BEAR AND ENDED IN THIS DISTRICT WITH THAT.

I WILL JUST SAY, THANK YOU.

LOOKING FORWARD.

AND WE'RE NOW ANY WAY I CAN.

GOT A CHAIR.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STRIKES ME ABOUT THIS AND WHAT DR.

CAMPBELL AND TEAM IS, I THINK THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME, AT LEAST IN MY 14 YEARS HERE, WHERE THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND CENTER, THE UFC B AND TCL HAVE COME TOGETHER ON ANYTHING.

IT SHOULD BE THE FIRST OF MANY LIKE INITIATIVES, BECAUSE WE NEED TO EDUCATE BIRTH TO ADULTHOOD AND BEYOND THE DELTA IN THIS SOCIETY THAT WE HAVE.

AND WE'RE ONLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AS A TEAM OF EDUCATORS.

UH, SO, UH, THIS IS THE FIRST INITIATIVE OF THIS TYPE, AND THEN WE'D NEED TO DO, WE NEED TO DO THINGS WITH THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY, AND WE NEED TO DO THINGS, BUT THE MILITARY FOR EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND.

UM, SO I APPLAUD WHAT YOU CAN DO, YOU, YOU AND YOUR TEAM, YOU KNOW, GREAT STUFF.

THANK YOU, MR. .

UM, I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES WE TALK ABOUT CHARLESTON, SO IT'S JUST, AND ALSO, I JUST WANTED TO ADD IN THERE ALSO, UH, WE MAY WANT TO POSSIBLY LOOK AT THE, UM, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF GALLERIES WHO IS BE FOR, CAN BE FOR CHINA, UM, IN THE PENICILLIN HISTORICAL DISTRICT AS WELL, THAT, THAT HAVE JUST MOVED THERE, THAT, UM, TEACHERS THAT WOULD ALSO GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO HEAR DIFFERENT STORIES AND ALSO TO SEE SOME THINGS AS WELL.

AND, UM, THAT, THAT MAY BE SOMETHING TOO, THAT WE MAY WANT TO CHECK OUT, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME GREAT GALLERIES IN BUFORD COUNTY AS WELL, AND THAT HAVE HIT OUT, HAVE HISTORY.

CAN CONTINUE ON OUR AGENDA.

I THINK THAT CONCLUDES OUR QUESTIONS AND THANK YOU, DR.

CAMPBELL AND YOUR STAFF.

SO HOW ABOUT A 10 MINUTE RECESS? 1105.

[02:05:19]

OUR X TOPIC IS AFFORDING TO LIVE WITH YOUR PERMISSION.

SHE HAD ACQUISITION, DR.

RODRIGUEZ, THANK YOU.

THIS IS THE TRUNK, UM, FROM THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD A VERY RECENT BOARD MEETING.

SO OUR TEAM, UM, CAME BACK TOGETHER AND STARTED BRAINSTORMING ABOUT POSSIBILITIES UNTIL WE HAD MR. MCKENZIE.

WHO'S GOING TO SHARE SOME OF THAT.

AND THEN THE REST OF THE TEAM IS, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE COMING BACK.

THEY'RE COMING BACK.

END TO WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING.

FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU TODAY.

THIS IS A REALLY MIGHTY AND GROUNDED, VERY THING CHARGED THAT WE FORGET THEN, UM, THAT YOU GUYS DIRECTED ON OCTOBER 5TH.

SO IT'S SAVING US SOME TIME TO GO THROUGH IT, BUT WE WANT TO SHARE WHERE WE STARTED AT THIS POINT.

THE FIRST THING THAT WE NOTICED THAT YOU STARTED FINDING CONNECTED.

IF IT HADN'T BEEN A RECENT PATIENT THAT YOU'VE DONE THAT, OR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO HERE FOR OUR PAYMENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY.

THE FIRST THING THAT WE DID IS WE DID SIT DOWN TOGETHER AND WE TRIED TO COME UP WITH WAYS THAT WE CAN MAKE THIS LONG LASTING THING FOR OUR MINISTRY.

AND THAT MEANT REACHING OUT TO EXPERTS THAT WE BREACHED THE DIRECTOR OF THE GALEAZZI HERITAGE CORPS IN THE WAR, AND SHE'S GOING TO BE JOINING US LATER, VICTORIA SMALLS.

AND AS SHE WAS TALKING TO US AND TELLING THE STORY ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT CORRIDOR AND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO DO THIS ROUND WRITING WORK, SOMETIMES SHE HANDLED THE STATEMENT.

WE ALL HAVE TO LOOK AT EACH OTHER BECAUSE IT JUST FITS IT'S IN OUR HOME.

AND THE DISTRICT IS A VITAL CONNECTION TO THE CULTURE ITSELF.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE STARTED.

THIS NEXT PIECE IS JUST A TIMELINE TO CHECK WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO.

THIS IS A PRETTY SEAMLESS PROCESS THAT WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, BUT WE ARE EXCITED FOR WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

SO IN OCTOBER 5TH IS A BOARD.

THERE WAS A CHARGE GIVEN TO THE DISTRICT TO WORK ON DELEGATE IMPACT ON LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY.

WE GOT TOGETHER AS A TEAM ONLINE, OCTOBER EIGHT, AND WE SAT DOWN AND REALLY STARTED BRAINSTORMING, WHAT DO WE OFFER STUDENTS RIGHT NOW? HOW CAN WE OFFER THINGS BETTER FOR STUDENTS WHOSE HOME LANGUAGE IS NOT A DG? HOW CAN WE ADDRESS THAT DATE? WE ALL WENT OFF IN OUR OWN WAYS, DID RESEARCH THE PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD.

WE CAME BACK ON OCTOBER 14 AND DR.

RODRIGUEZ JOINED US.

THEN THE DISTRICT WE KIND OF MET AND CONTINUED THAT BRAINSTORMING AND LOOKED AT THE COMPONENTS THAT WE WANTED TO PUT INTO A ROBUST PLAN.

AND I'M GOING TO GO OVER THOSE IN JUST A MOMENT.

WE REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WAS RESEARCH-BASED SO THAT WE KNEW IT WOULD HAVE AN EFFECTIVE IMPACT.

OUR STUDENTS ON OCTOBER 15TH, WE MET AGAIN AND ANOTHER COLLABORATIVE MEETING.

AND THIS TIME WE ASKED TO MEET WITH US, SHE GRACIOUSLY DID THAT AND KIND OF LET US HAVE SOME OTHER AREAS THAT OUR COUNTRY, NOT JUST IN THE SEA ISLANDS, BUT ALSO IN MICHIGAN AND NEW YORK AND OTHER AREAS WHERE PEOPLES ENDED UP AFTER THE GREAT MIGRATION AND THAT GOLDEN UT CULTURE IS STILL ALIVE.

HOW ARE THEY ADDRESSING THEM, THEIR STUDENT? SO WATERFALL HALF OF IT.

AND NOW ONLY 18.

WE DID IT A LITTLE BIT FARTHER OF A PRESENTATION TO DOCTOR, UM, TO TALK ABOUT RACE, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE INVOLVED IN THE GUIDELINES THAT HE WANTED TO RIDE TO A MEMBER OF OUR TEAM, NOT JUST TO LEAVE HER THERE.

A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PROFILE.

THE PROFILE IS THE ONE IN FRONT OF THE HAPPY COMMITTEE SAYING YOU.

SO I'M NOT ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.

I WILL SHARE THIS.

IT IS BEAUTIFUL.

IT IS WELL DONE.

IT WAS DONE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF HEARING HENDERSON IS EXQUISITE.

IT IS EXACTLY WHAT OUR DISTRICT NEEDS.

AND WE TIED INTO THAT BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO TIE THIS

[02:10:01]

SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE LOOKED AT THE AREAS OF THAT PROFILE, WHERE WE FIT THEM IN THE PROFILE IS GOING TO HAVE A FOUR COLUMNS, FOUR HILLERS OF SUPPORT FOR OUR GRADUATES.

ONE OF THOSE IS LEVEL CITIZENSHIP.

UNDERNEATH GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP ARE TWO AREAS THAT ARE PLANETARY LIFE SKILLS AND AGENTS OF CHANGE.

WHAT BETTER AGENTS OF CHANGE AND BE AN AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN OUR AREA.

SO THAT WILL BE A DEFINITE FOR US.

THE NEXT ONE IS HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE.

AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES AND MILITARY HISTORY ARE DIRECT CORRELATIONS TO WHAT WE'RE TO, TO DO.

FINANCIAL LITERACY IS ONE OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE VILE.

AND WE FEEL LIKE THAT'S GOING TO FIT IN AS WELL.

SO WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT WORK FOR OUR STUDENTS.

AND THE LAST ONE IS IPAD LITERACY.

AND THIS CAME UP EARLIER WITH THE BOARD.

DON'T REMEMBER WHICH BOARD MEMBER SAID IT, BUT WE DO NEED IT OUT OF THE AREA THAT WE LIVE IN.

THIS IS A RICH CULTURAL AREA ARE RICH PEOPLE, LOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL PERIOD, AND OUR STUDENTS SHOULD GRADUATE WITH, THEY CLEAR UNDERSTANDING HOW THAT FITS INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

THIS IS A LITTLE BIT LENGTHY.

SO BEAR WITH ME AS I GO THROUGH SOME THINGS.

THIS IS A PROPOSED PLAN.

WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

THE ONLY EVIDENCE IS OCTOBER 5TH.

IT'S ALWAYS ONE ARM ON THAT.

BEFORE I STARTED GOING THROUGH THE BANK, WE ARE TYING IT INTO THE FOR GRADUATE.

WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE STANDARDS, WE ARE LOOKING AT RESEARCH BASED ON THE CULTURE AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.

THOSE AREAS ARE GOING TO FALL UNDER UNDERSTANDING OF BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS.

AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES, STATE, AND BARRIER ISLAND STUDIES, AGENTS OF CHANGE AND MILITARY HISTORY.

SO THOSE WILL BE THE AREAS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DESIGN IT WITH THE FILE INTO OUR STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.

I THINK THAT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT A LOT TODAY.

WE DO HAVE A LOT OF TEACHERS WHO ARE NEW TO OUR AREA, AND THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE OUR HISTORY, BUT WE'VE DONE A BETTER JOB OF HELPING THEM WITH THOSE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.

SO WE DO WANT TO PROVIDE THAT.

SO THERE ARE TEACHERS HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROGRAM AND SAID THAT STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY, CANADA, UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE WE'RE HEADED WITH OUR PROGRAMS, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CONFERENCE.

AND FROM WHAT I HEARD JUST RECENTLY, YOU WILL BE INVITED TO THAT AS WELL.

UM, AND WE'RE GOING TO TIE THAT BACK IN.

I BELIEVE IT WAS MR. CAMPBELL WHO'S THAT OUR STUDENTS SHOULD ALSO SEE THESE THINGS THAT IS OUR NEXT STEP WITH THAT.

UM, ONCE OUR TEACHERS FEEL COMFORTABLE IN TEACHING IT WITH THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND AWARENESS, WE'LL BE ROLLING THAT OUT WITH STUDENTS TAKING THOSE TRIPS AS WELL.

LET'S GET TO THAT MONEY, WHICH CASE IS, THAT WAS REALLY THE CHARGE THAT YOU WERE GIVEN.

WE LOOKED AT WHAT DO WE CURRENTLY OFFER OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE CONSIDERED MULTI-LANGUAGE LEARNERS.

WE OFFER CYA.

OUR TEACHERS ARE BEING TRAINED INSIDE OUT THAT SHELTERED INSTRUCTIONAL OBSERVATION PROTOCOL.

IT WORKS FOR ALL STUDENTS.

SO WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY TEACHER AND YOU'VE REPENTED THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OSI ON TRYING AS WE DID OUR RESEARCH.

ONE THING HAD GLARING AT US.

AND THAT WAS ACADEMIC LANGUAGE.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, ONE THING THAT ALWAYS COMES OUT DOES IS IT WAS HOLDING OUR KIDS BACK.

A LOT OF TIMES, I THINK IN THAT LANGUAGE, YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD TEACHERS FOR YEARS.

I HAVE NO ENGLISH BECAUSE HE SEEMS TO IN THE HALLWAY, CONVERSATIONAL ENGLISH ADDED DAMMIT ACADEMIC, WHICH IS WHY THEY TEST.

SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE A REAL OF ACROSS THE BOARD WITH ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ON PACKET IN THE MORNING THAT WOULD HELP EVERY CHILD, MAYBE FOR COUNCIL DISTRICT.

WE ARE LOOKING AT LOCAL WORK GROUP FORCES THAT WE'RE TYING TO TOGETHER TO FRAME IT IN FRONT OF ME WERE CRITICAL ON AFRICAN AMERICAN DELI, BG HISTORY, AND CULTURE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT IS A VITAL COMPONENT TO THIS AND VITAL? UM, ALSO VITAL IS THE LANGUAGE CONNECTION TO THE ACTUAL CULTURE ITSELF.

SO WE WILL BE MAKING SURE THAT THE CULTURE IS TAUGHT WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT TOUGHER, UM, ENGAGING OUR COMMUNITY AND SOMETHING THAT IS A CONTRACT ROLE.

SO IS OFTEN

[02:15:02]

IS WANTING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO GET STARTED, BUT WE FEEL LIKE THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN CONFERENCES WHEN YOU HELP.

AND AS WE PUSH IT OUT THROUGH OUR STUDENTS, THE CULTURAL AWARENESS, THE UNDERSTANDING AND STUDENTS BECOMING PAGED IN IT, WE FEEL HORRIBLE.

COMMUNITY WILL TOO.

WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO FAMILY NIGHTS THAT HIGHLIGHT CULTURE.

AND WE'RE ALSO LOOKING FOR THIS HAPPENING INTO A CULTURAL ART FESTIVAL SOMETIME IN 2023.

WE'RE LOOKING AT SPRING INSTRUCTIONAL THAT THIS IS A TRICKY COMPONENT BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT ENTRY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL, YOU HAVE THE DIAGNOSTIC OF MATH.

YOU HAVE AN SC READY, YOU HAVE THOSE STUDENTS' PERFORMANCE IN THE CLASSROOM.

AND THEN YOU HAVE THAT QUALITATIVE DATA OF HOW ARE THE STUDENTS DOING OVERALL AND GET THE HIGH SCHOOL.

YOU DON'T HAVE THAT DIAGNOSTIC PAST SITE, RIGHT? YOU DON'T HAVE SC READY AND NOT ALL COURSES HAVE EFCS.

SO HOW WOULD WE GO ABOUT IDENTIFYING STUDENTS THAT NEED ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE WITHOUT RECEIVING THE FACULTY? HOW DO WE IDENTIFY? SO THIS IS WHAT WE'VE COME UP WITH SO FAR IS REMEMBER, THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR OTHER WAYS TO IDENTIFY.

SO AS THE READY MATH AND GPA'S WOULD BE THE OFFICIAL ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGLISH, THEY TAKE MATH AND WE HAVE ALSO WOULD USE THEIR GPA ENGLISH TO, WE LOOK AT THE EOC FOR ENGLISH TOO, AND THEIR OVERALL GPA.

SO THAT'S ABOUT, AS FAR AS WE'VE GOTTEN TO THIS WHITEBOARD, WE HAVE TAPPED IN AND ASKED FOR ASSISTANCE FROM LINGUISTS AND FROM OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE PROFESSIONALS LIVE IN THAT COMMUNITY ARE POINTS.

YOU EITHER HAVE A VICTORIA SMALLS AND JUST STUDENTS.

BUT BEFORE THAT, THANK YOU.

WE HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS.

UM, MR. DAHL CATTLE, UM, I KNOW YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT RATING EXCEPT THIS APPROACH.

UM, WHAT DID WE, AS A COMMUNITY DECIDED EDUCATION OF THE POPULATION? BUT MY QUESTION IS HOW, HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT THE CYA TRAINING IS AND INCLUSIVE OF THE GULLAH GEECHEE JOBS? YOU KNOW, I DON'T SIGN OFF.

I WENT TO THAT DRAINING.

I KNOW WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO, BUT, UM, I THINK THAT'S THE KIND OF THING I INTENDED WHEN I ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT THE NUMBER OF KIDS THAT WOULD QUALIFY AS ENGLISH SPEAKERS AND NIETZSCHE STUDENT POPULATION, EARLY CHILDHOOD, THAT FIRST GRADE SEVENTH AND EIGHT, THE SILENT TRAN EDUCATORS ZONE FULLY TRUSTED EARLY.

THEN I, I SUPPOSE THAT SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE PROBLEMS AS WELL, THAT WOULD BE OUR HOPE.

AND WE ARE PLANNING TO START WITH OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD.

UM, THAT'S THE STYLE TRAINING AND INCLUDE THE CULTURAL .

I KNOW IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE CULTURAL LATINOS, BUT THAT'S WHAT, OH, UH, WHILE DIANA IS COMING UP, I JUST WANT TO REQUEST, UH, WE'LL TRY TO CAPTURE MR. CAMPBELL, YOUR RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION.

UH, AND I THINK DIANA MIGHT HAVE A RESPONSE TO THAT, BUT AFTER WE COULD JUST PAUSE ON QUESTIONS, BECAUSE I KNOW, UH, THE, OF SMALLS IS LIVING IN ON TIME AND SHE BOUGHT ZOOM WITH US.

SO I WANT TO, I WANT TO GET, I THINK IF YOU CAN.

YEAH, SO BASICALLY, SO THE BASICS OF PSYOP TRAINING, WHICH OTHER STUDENTS, OR CAMERA YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH IS REALLY JUST BEST PRACTICES AND EVERYTHING.

IT'S BEEN A FOCUS OF THE ESL POPULATION FOR THE GENERAL EDUCATION TEACHERS, AND YOU STILL INTERESTED IN TRAINING IN IT.

HOWEVER, IT REALLY IS A LANGUAGE TRAINING, SHELTERED INSTRUCTION PROTOCOL.

SO IT SHOULD HELP ALL TEACHERS WITH STRATEGIES.

IT'S NOT

[02:20:01]

SPECIFIC TO THE LATINO OR HISPANIC POPULATION.

THAT'S KIND OF WHERE, LIKE HOW THE INSTITUTE IN OTHER SCHOOLS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS HAVE SUPPORTED THAT, BUT WE DON'T GIVES TRAINING AS WELL.

THAT IS MULTILINGUAL, NOT JUST FOR OUR POPULATION.

SO I THINK WE'LL, WE'LL BE COVERED IF WE ASKED THE CAL INSTITUTE AND WHOM WE HIRE AND DECIDE TO APPROACH WHAT PSYOP TRAINING TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE OF ALL LANGUAGES, NOT JUST SOMETHING, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU DO, MR. CAMPBELL IS AS, AS OUR COMMUNITY OF EDUCATORS BECOMES, UM, MORE, I GUESS, EDUCATED OR, OR LARGE MORE ABOUT, UH, OUR LOCAL CULTURE, RIGHT? UH, APPLY WHAT THEY LEARNED THERE TO THE COMBINATION OF THE STRATEGIES THAT YOU LEARNED FROM MESSIAH AND BECOME SUPER EFFECTIVE.

I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT THAT, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THE CONFERENCE AND OTHER INITIATIVES, LIKE THAT WILL BE HELPFUL IN COMBINING.

AND THAT WAS WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, INCLUSION OF THE CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING WHERE OUR TEACHERS WANT HELP AND CYA ISSUES FOR DIFFERENT LANGUAGES HERE AT CHEESEBURGER, SPANISH TALKING.

I MEAN, BUT THEN OTHER PARTS OUR COUNTRY IS USED FOR RUSSIAN STUDENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, ARABIC STUDENTS.

SO IT'S USED FOR, HOLD ON, WE'LL LET VICTORIA.

SO, UM, FIRST OF ALL, MS. SMALLS IS WITH US AND I AM JUST INCREDIBLY EXCITED AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TO MEET WITH HER IN A CONVERSATION JUST THE OTHER DAY.

AND SHE'LL TELL YOU THAT I, I, SHE WOULD SAY THINGS THAT I WOULD JUST START ASKING 50 MILLION QUESTIONS.

I WAS AT FAULT FOR GETTING US OFF TRACK SOMETIMES BECAUSE SOMETHING SHE'D SAY THAT JUST PEAKED MY INTEREST IN THINKING ABOUT THAT.

SO MS. SMALLS, IF YOU WOULD, UH, JOIN US, WE'D GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

IT'S SUCH AN HONOR TO BE HERE BEFORE YOU ALL BEFORE THE BOARD, BEFORE THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE STAFF, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SHARE TODAY, IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO PUT UP WELL, I'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THE SLIDE UP FROM THE POWERPOINT BECAUSE THERE'S SOME BULLETS THERE THAT I WILL BE ADDRESSING TODAY.

IS THAT POSSIBLE? YEAH, THE VERY ONE.

SO WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT, UM, I WANT TO START FROM THE BEGINNING AND TALK ABOUT THE GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURE.

WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO THE HERITAGE ACT THAN OUR CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT PLAN.

GO IN DEPTH A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR LANGUAGE AND THEN EDUCATION AS OUR NUMBER ONE PILLAR.

AND SO SPEAKING ABOUT THE CULTURE, I WILL DELEGATE SHE ONE WOMAN LADY COMING FROM ST.

HELENA ISLAND, A FINE PRODUCT OVER BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND HIGHER EDUCATION SCHOOLS.

THEY'RE HERE IN BUFORD COUNTY.

SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHO ARE THE DELEGATES, YOU PEOPLE, WHAT MAKES UP THE CULTURE AND GULLAH GEECHEE PEOPLE ARE THE DESCENDANTS OF WESTERN CENTRAL AFRICANS WHO SURVIVED THE MIDDLE PASSAGE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND WERE ENSLAVED FOR ALMOST TWO CENTURIES.

MORE SPECIFICALLY, THEY PERFORM SLAVE LABOR ON COASTAL PLANTATIONS THAT STRETCHED FROM WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA, DOWN TO ST.

AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA.

UH, SO THE DEEPLY ROOTED GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURE EMERGED FROM HARSH CONDITIONS ENDURED DURING ENSLAVEMENT AND THE SUBSEQUENT YEARS, THIS UNIQUENESS, THIS UNIQUENESS IS A RESULT OF SEVERAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

NUMBER ONE, AFRICANS CONTINUE TO BE IMPORTED ILLEGALLY TWO.

WE LIVED ON ISLANDS, SEPARATED FROM THE MAINLAND BY RIVERS AND MARSHES, AND ELUVIA STREAMS THREE.

OUR RATIO OF BLACK TO WHITE RESIDENTS WAS OVERWHELMING ON MOST ISLANDS AND THE, THE ENSLAVED AS SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONS EXCEEDED 80% OF THE TOTAL AND FOR THE ISOLATION AND DEMOGRAPHIC, MAJORITY MITT, WE HAD VERY LITTLE INTERACTION WITH MAINSTREAM AMERICA.

THESE CIRCUMSTANCES CREATED AN EXTRAORDINARY PSYCHOLOGICAL, A JOINTNESS A JOINTNESS BEING CLEVER BEING, HELPING US SPEAK MORE CLEVER FOR OUR DIVERSE ROOTS.

WE DEVELOP PATTERNS OF LIVING THAT ARE EXPRESSED AND DYNAMIC AND STILL EVER EVOLVING CULTURE.

WELL, EVIDENCE OF OUR CULTURE IS FOUND IN DISTINCTIVE ARTS.

WE KNOW THAT THE CRAFTS ARE CUISINE AND FOOD AND MUSIC.

THE CULTURE IS ALSO DEEPLY EMBEDDED IN PATTERNS OF SOCIAL ORGANIZATION AND SHARED VALUES THAT ARE CRUCIAL TO COMMUNITY SURVIVAL, EVIDENCE, ABOUNDS OF DELEGATES YOU PEOPLE STRUGGLING IN FLOURISHING IN OUR JOURNEY WHILE OTHERS HAVE BEEN NOURISHED

[02:25:01]

AND STRENGTHENED BY OUR EXAMPLE.

SO WE'LL WANT TO JUST MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IT HAS BEEN WIDELY ACCEPTED THAT GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURE IS UNIQUE AND DISTINCTIVE AMONG ALL OF THE DESCENDANTS OF ENSLAVED AFRICANS IN THE UNITED STATES.

THAT MEANS GULLAH, GEECHEE PEOPLE HAVE RETAINED MOST OF THEIR AFRICANISMS FOR HUNDREDS WELL CENTURY.

AND SO WELL LET'S GET INTO THE GO-LUCKY CHEEK CULTURAL HERITAGE ACT.

AND SO THE GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR, THE CORRIDOR, I WILL BE REFERRING TO IT AS WAS DESIGNATED BY THE GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURAL HERITAGE ACT, PUBLIC LAW 1 0 9, 3 38 AND WAS PASSED BY CONGRESS IN 2006, OUR LOCAL COORDINATING ENTITY LEGALLY ESTABLISHED BY CONGRESS AND TITLED THE GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR COMMISSION, UM, IS, UM, OUR, MY BOARD KIND OF LIKE WHAT YOUR BOARD, YOU ARE BOARD MEMBERS TO OUR, TO OUR COUNTY.

SO THIS IS MY GOVERNING BOARD.

I AM ALSO A FORMER GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURAL HERITAGE, CORAL RADOR COMMISSIONER, AND WE'RE ALL APPOINTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.

AND SO A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT A NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA.

SO THE GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR IS A NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA.

ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT PART OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.

WE DO.

UM, WE ACT, UM, ALSO UNDER THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR AND THEY PROVIDE US TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A MANAGEMENT PLAN, WHICH I WILL GET TO MOMENTARILY.

AND THE CORRIDOR FORECAST FOCUSES ON A DISTINCT AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION AND LIVING GROUP OF PEOPLE WITH A, WITH A DEEPLY ROOTED, YET EVOLVING CULTURE.

I'D LIKE TO KEEP SAYING EVOLVING.

SO THE PURPOSE OF THE CORRIDOR IS TO RECOGNIZE, SUSTAIN, AND CELEBRATE THE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS MADE TO AMERICAN CULTURE AND HISTORY BY AFRICAN-AMERICANS KNOWN AS GULLAH GEECHEE.

AND WE ARE THOSE WHO SETTLED IN COASTAL COUNTIES OF SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, AND NORTH CAROLINA AND FLORIDA.

AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE ON A MAP.

AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE ALL THE WAY FROM WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA, OR JACKSONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, DOWN OUR BEAUTIFUL ATLANTIC COAST DOWN TO SURPASSING JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA TO ST.

AUGUSTINE TO ABOUT 30 MILES INLAND.

THAT DEMARCATION.

IF YOU LOOK AT A MAP IS GOING TO BE A GOVERNMENTAL FEDERAL BOUNDARY, DELEGATE TO PEOPLE AND RICE FIELDS ARE BEYOND THAT AREA.

AND AS STATED EARLY DELEGATES, YOU PEOPLE ARE DISPERSED THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES THROUGH MIGRATION.

SO AS WE ASSIST OUR PUBLIC, WE DO, WE CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK.

THE CORRIDOR STILL CONTINUES TO DO THE WORK AND WE ASSIST STATE LOCAL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, ALSO FEDERAL ENTITIES IN THOSE STATES AND BEYOND IN INTERPRETING THE STORY OF GULLAH GEECHEE AND PRESERVING DELICACY, FOLKLORE ARTS, CRAFTS, MUSIC, AND LANGUAGE.

WE ALSO ASSIST IN IDENTIFYING YOUR PRESERVING SITES, HISTORICAL DATA ARTIFACTS AND OBJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH DELEGATES YOU PEOPLE IN CAR CULTURE FOR THE BENEFIT IN EDUCATION OR THE PUBLIC.

SO I WANT TO NOW GOING TO OUR GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT PLAN, AS YOU CAN SEE THE IMAGE TO THE RIGHT OF THE SCREEN, WE WORKED IN 2012 TO PUB WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, THE COMMISSIONERS WORK TO, TO PREPARE AND PUBLISH THIS DOCUMENT.

AND THIS IS THE PLAN THAT IS REALLY OUR MARCHING ORDERS.

SO THE MANAGEMENT PLAN WAS DEVELOPED BY THE COMMISSION TO GUIDE FUTURE IMPLEMENTATION EFFORTS IN COOPERATION AND COLLABORATION WITH PARTNERS.

OUR PARTNERSHIPS ARE VITAL.

THEY ARE ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WITHIN THE COMMISSION AND THE CORRIDOR.

WE ARE UNABLE TO DO THE GREAT WORK THAT WE DO WITHOUT VOLUNTEERS AND PARTNERS AND STRONG COLLATERAL OPERATIONS.

SO THE PLAN AFFECTS AND ADDRESSES THE EXTENSIVE PUBLIC STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT UNDERTAKEN BY THE COMMISSION AND PROVIDES A BLUEPRINT FOR HOW TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES AND CONCERNS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED THROUGHOUT THE PLANNING PROCESS.

THERE WAS A PLANNING PROCESS THAT PROCEEDED, UM, THE HERITAGE ACT.

AND THAT WAS A SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY DONE BY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.

IT'S CALLED THE LOW COUNTRY GAWLER CULTURAL CULTURE, SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY, AND FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

SO THIS IS A DOCUMENT THAT PREDATES THE MANAGEMENT PLAN.

[02:30:01]

SO WE HAVE THIS BLUEPRINT AND IT ADDRESSES THE CONCERNS AND ISSUES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE PLANNING PROCESS, THE VISION, THE MISSION, THE GOALS, AND PRIMARY INTERPRETIVE THEMES IN THE PLAN CREATE THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE IMPLEMENTATION.

THE MANAGEMENT APPROACH DEVELOPED FOR THE CORRIDOR IS THE HEART OF THE PLAN.

IT PROVIDES THE BASIC BUILDING BLOCKS FOR IMPLEMENTATION.

THE MANAGEMENT APPROACH FOCUSES ON THREE INTERDEPENDENT PILLARS.

NUMBER ONE IS EDUCATION.

NUMBER TWO IS GOING TO BE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

NUMBER THREE IS DOCUMENTATION AND PRESERVATION.

AND SO TO EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT THE MANAGEMENT APPROACH, THE COMMISSION DEVELOPED PRIMARY INTERPRETIVE THEMES.

THIS IS GOING TO BE YOUR FRAMEWORK TO ASSIST IN TELLING WE STORY.

THAT'S HOW GULLAH PEOPLE SAY TELLING WE STORY.

THE FOLLOWING SIX PRIMARY INTERPRETIVE THEMES WOULD BE THE FOCUS OF FUTURE INTERPRETATION EFFORTS BY THE COMMISSION AND ITS PARTNERS.

SO NUMBER ONE, ORIGINS AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT.

NUMBER TWO, THE COST FOR FREEDOM, EQUALITY, EDUCATION AND RECOGNITION, THREE GLOBAL CONNECTIONS FOR CONNECTION TO THE BUYS CONNECTION TO ALMOST SORRY, CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL EXPRESSION, AND SIX GULLAH GEECHEE LANGUAGE.

SO LET'S DIG A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO THE GULLAH GEECHEE LANGUAGE.

SO THIS IS GOING TO BE PROMINENT AMONG THE PROMINENT AMONG THE DISTINGUISHING CHARACTER STICKS CHARACTERISTICS OF BELLA.

EACH IDENTITY IS A UNIQUE FORM OF SPEECH THAT HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN REFERRED TO AS GALA OR GEECHEE, A DISTINCTIVE CREOLE LANGUAGE.

WHILE THE GULLAH GEECHEE LANGUAGE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED, ADAPTED AND SPOKEN OVER THE PAST, ROUGHLY 250 260 YEARS FROM AN OUTSIDER'S PERSPECTIVE, IT HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN DERIDED AS SUBSTANDARD OR BROKEN ENGLISH BEGINNING WITH LORENZO DOW TURNER, A LINGUIST BEGINNING WITH TURNER'S GROUNDBREAKING BREATH, GROUNDBREAKING WORK AFRICANISMS IN GULLAH LIKE HIS PIVOTAL WORK WAS PUBLISHED IN 1949.

THE LANGUAGE HAS INCREASINGLY COME TO BE APPRECIATED EVEN BY OUTSIDERS AS A LEGITIMATE AND REMARKABLE LANGUAGE IN ITS OWN, RIGHT? UNFORTUNATELY IT IS ALSO AN ENDANGERED LANGUAGE DUE TO THE ENCROACHMENT OF ENGLISH.

GULLAH.

GUCCI HAS HAD AN INFLUENCE ON AMERICAN ENGLISH IN GENERAL AND PARTICULAR INFLUENCE ON AFRICAN-AMERICAN ENGLISH WORDS LIKE DUMBO, YAM, TOAD, BITTY NANNY, AND MANY MORE HAVE COME INTO ENGLISH FROM AFRICA THROUGH GULLAH GEECHEE.

THE RULES OF GRAMMAR AND THE SOUND SYSTEM ARE NOT THE SAME AS ENGLISH AND WHAT MIGHT SOUND TO CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC OUTSIDERS AS BAD ENGLISH, MAYBE GOOD GULLAH GEECHEE.

AS IN THIS EXAMPLE, EDEN CARRY ON TO THE STORE EITHER TO THE STORE, HE OR SHE HAS ALREADY TAKEN IT TO THE STORE.

SO BESIDES WORDS LIKE WORDS OF AFRICAN ORIGIN, LIKE TOTE, WHICH MEANS CARRY TO TOTE, IT MEANS TO CARRY GULLAH.

GEECHEE SPEECH HAS MANY DISTINCTIVE IDIOMS, IDIOMS, IDIOMS, I'M SORRY, IDIOMS SUCH AS DAY CLEAN FOR MORNING.

OUR DAWN, THERE WAS A WIDESPREAD INTEREST IN DEVELOPING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF GO-LUCKY TO LANGUAGE AND CONCERN, ESPECIALLY AMONG THOSE WHO CLAIM A GULLAH GEECHEE HERITAGE THAT IT PRECIOUS LINGUISTIC LEGACY IS IN DANGER OF FADING INTO OBLIVION.

WHEN ASKED WHICH FEATURES OF GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURE MUST BE PROTECTED, PRESERVED, OR CONTINUED RESPONDENTS IN THE CORRIDOR SPECIFIED THE GULLAH GEECHEE LANGUAGE, INCLUDING ITS VOCABULARY, IDIOMS AND FOLKLORE.

OOH, I'M GOING TO TAKE A QUICK BREATHER.

THAT WAS A LOT.

SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO TO EDUCATION, THE NUMBER ONE PILLAR OF THE GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR COMMISSION.

SO HERE'S A LITTLE TINY HISTORY LESSON THAT ALL OF YOU ALREADY KNOW, BUT I WANT TO JUST SHARE IT AS IT TIES INTO WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY WITHIN UNION OCCUPIED AREAS HERE IN BEAVER COUNTY, MILITARY PERSONNEL IN NORTHERN TEACHERS, ALSO COMMENCED EFFORTS TO PROVIDE BLACKS WITH A FORMALIZED EDUCATION, REFLECTING THEIR DESIRES FOR EDUCATION

[02:35:02]

AFRICAN-AMERICANS OF ALL AGES FLOPPED TO THESE SCHOOLS, BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT EDUCATION WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SELF-IMPROVEMENT.

IN SOME AREAS THEY CONTRIBUTED MONEY AND THEIR OWN LAND AND LABOR TO HIRE TEACHERS AND TO OUR REC SCHOOLS.

MY FAMILY IS ONE OF THOSE FAMILIES THAT SOLD LAND TO THE FOUNDER OF PENN SCHOOL.

UM, LAURA TOWN IN ORDER TO ERECT A, A FARM SCHOOL IN OUR COMMUNITY ON ST.

HELENA ISLAND, LAX KNEW THAT LITERACY AND LEARNING WAS FOUNDATION TO FAMILY AND COMMUNITY STRENGTH, OR AS GULLAH PEOPLE MAY SAY, CORRECT.

IT WAS USED TO BUILD AWARENESS ISSUES RELATED TO EDUCATION ARE BASED ON THE PREMISE THAT EDUCATION IS KEY TO BUILDING, UNDERSTANDING AND AWARENESS OF THE CONTRIBUTION OF GOING TO GET YOU PEOPLE IN THE CREATION AND CONTINUE INVOLVEMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES.

IN ADDITION, AS A RESULT OF INADEQUATE EDUCATION ABOUT GULLAH, GEECHEE, HISTORY AND CULTURE, YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE CORRIDOR ARE MOSTLY UNAWARE OF THEIR ROOTS.

SO IN CLOSING, IT IS EVIDENT THAT WE NOW UNDERSTAND THAT RETAINING THE GULLAH GEECHEE LANGUAGE IS VITAL TO MAINTAINING AND THE CONNECTIONS OF THIS CULTURE.

I WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF THIS INFORMATION AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

IF IT PLEASES OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND THE BOARD, THIS IS WHY I SAID, YOU KNOW, JUST TALKING WITH HER A BRIEF INTERACTION YOU HAD THE OTHER DAY, UM, SHE WOULD JUST SAY THINGS, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT JUST, I USED TO TEACH US THROUGH.

SO A LOT OF HISTORY, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, CULTURE AND HISTORY, OR I DON'T MY ALLEY.

AND SHE'D JUST SAY THINGS THAT WOULD LEAD ME DOWN A PATH THAT YOU SAID TO KEEP REMEMBERING SHE GOT TO COME BACK BECAUSE I GOTTA, I GOTTA CUT FOCUS ON THIS, BUT I TALKED TO HER FOR HOURS.

SO I'LL GIVE YOU THE CHANCE TO ASK QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO MEL CAMPBELL'S ORIGINAL, UM, POINT, WHICH WAS, UH, CHILDREN FROM GOLIC, ICI FAMILIES, UM, MAY NEED EXTRA SUPPORT, UH, SIMILAR TO THE SOL STUDENTS, UM, TO GET THE LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY THEY NEED IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM.

BUT NOW LISTENING TO YOU, THE DOWNSIDE OF THAT IS THAT WE'RE HELPING TO DILUTE AND, YOU KNOW, UH, POSSIBLY, UH, OFF THE SKATE, THE GULLAH GEECHEE HERITAGE.

SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A FINE LINE THERE THAT WE HAVE TO BE AWARE OF.

UM, SO MY MISREADING THIS, OR, OR, I MEAN, HOW DO WE GET AROUND THAT? BECAUSE, UM, WE DON'T WANT TO WORK AGAINST PRESERVING GOING EACH YEAR.

HERITAGE THAT I, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF OUR, ONE OF OUR PRIMARY GOALS IS TO PRESERVE THAT.

UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IF WE, IF WE DISCOURAGED CALLING EACH LANGUAGE IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, IT SEEMS TO BE ACROSS PURPOSES.

UM, MS. SMALLS, A BIG PICTURE QUESTION.

UM, I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU A PERSONAL NOTE GROWING UP, I WAS BORN IN, IN MIAMI FOR A FAMILY THAT HAD COME TO THE UNITED STATES IN THE LATE 1950S, EARLY 1960S.

AND SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST INCREDIBLY PROMINENT IN OUR HOUSE, UM, WAS THIS, THIS NOTION OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEEDED, IT WAS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO MY DAD AND MY, MY PARENTS THAT, THAT WE CAN KNOW AND UNDERSTAND AND STAY CLOSE TO OUR CULTURE AND OUR, AND OUR LANGUAGE WHILE WE ASSIMILATED INTO THIS COUNTRY.

AND I CAN REMEMBER AS A LITTLE KID, UM, AND HE WAS IN, I MEAN TODAY

[02:40:01]

AS A 50 YEAR OLD, WHEN I TALKED TO MY DAD, RIGHT.

IF I TALK TO MY DAD IN ENGLISH THAT WILL RESPOND TO ME IN SPANISH AND THE CONVERSATION WILL THEN IN SU CONTINUE IN SPANISH.

TWO, THREE PLUS FLOOR, EIGHT MINUS ONE.

UH, AND THEN I, UH, MY DAD, I UNDERSTAND RIGHT, IS COMPLETELY BILINGUAL.

HE WAS VICE PRESIDENT OF FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY.

MY DAD, UM, UH, TAUGHT, UH, UH, ACCOUNTING AND BUSINESS MANAGEMENT AT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY.

IN COLUMN B, YOU DID A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT WITHIN A UNIVERSITY, EXTREMELY FLUENT IN ENGLISH, BILINGUAL, BUT IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO HIM THAT, THAT I, MY BROTHER WILL TRY TO HANG ON TO, TO OUR, OUR LANGUAGE AND OUR CULTURE AND THAT, THAT WE WERE TO BE BILINGUAL, WHICH I'M INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL AS A, UH, AS THAT GROWN UP WITH, IT HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS ASSETS, YOU KNOW, TO GAIN, BUT HANGING ON TO IT AND NOT LOSING IT.

AND THAT BALANCE LEARNING ENGLISH AND BEING FLUENT IN IT AND, AND UNDERSTANDING, UH, AN ADDICTS WITHIN LANGUAGE WAS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

UH, LET'S YOU TAKE ON MR. QUESTION AND I KNOW IT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE.

IT IS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK COULD BE HELPFUL IS SHARING MY STORY, UH, IN THIS REGARD, WHAT, BY, WHEN I STARTED GROWING UP ON ST.

HELENA ISLAND GALA WAS MY FIRST LANGUAGE, VERY FIRST LANGUAGE AND ENGLISH WAS MY SECOND LANGUAGE BECAUSE WE WOULD TRAVEL INTERVIEW FOR JUST SEVEN MILES, UM, TO GO SHOPPING OR GET THINGS THAT WE NEEDED.

UM, I WAS MADE TO FEEL ASHAMED BY LAUGHTER PEOPLE LAUGHING, LAUGHING AT ME, JUST SPEAKING, HOW I WAS BORN AND RAISED AND NURTURED AND LOVED TO SPEAK MY FIRST LANGUAGE.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I STARTED POLICING MY OWN SPEECH.

I DIDN'T EVEN GIVE MY TEACHERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE IT OUT OF ME.

I STARTED DOING IT MYSELF.

I WAS MADE TO FEEL ASHAMED OF MY LANGUAGE, AND I KNOW THAT THERE COULD BE SOME OTHER, YOU KNOW, STUDENTS, MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO FEEL ASHAMED.

DON'T SPEAK THAT WAY.

THERE'S A PLACE FOR IT.

UM, SO, SO UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE CHILDREN THAT, UM, ARE, HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE BILINGUAL, IF THEY ARE MADE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS AN ACTUAL LIVING, BREATHING LANGUAGE, NUMBER ONE, AND THAT THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE BILINGUAL IS GOING TO BE EMPOWERING AS A NINE-YEAR-OLD.

WHEN I STARTED STOPPED, WHEN I STOPPED SPEAKING IN PUBLIC, UM, I, IF I HAD KNOWN THAT I WOULD HAVE BEEN AN AMAZING FLUENT SPEAKER TODAY, UH, UNFORTUNATELY I DEVELOPED A STUTTER AND IT WASN'T A REAL STUTTER, BUT IT WAS ME SUPPRESSING THE WORDS THAT REALLY, UM, DISTINCTLY, UM, DENOTE THAT I'M GULLAH, GEECHEE, THE WORDS, THE, THAT THEM, THEY, I WAS TRYING TO SAY THOSE WORDS, BUT THAT LITTLE GULLAH GIRL WANTED TO COME OUT AND SAY DEM THAT DAY, ALL THE DAY, ALL OF THAT DARE DAY DAT DEM.

SO IN ORDER FOR ME TO, TO BE ABLE TO MOVE AND TRY TO FORCE MYSELF, I HAD TO CUT THAT OFF.

AND IT WAS JUST, PEOPLE WERE VERY PATIENT WITH ME, BUT I REALLY ACTUALLY THOUGHT I HAD A STUTTER UNTIL I BECAME, WENT TO SOUTH CAROLINA STATE AND LEARNED ABOUT LORENZO DALLAS TURNER WORK AT SOUTH CAROLINA STATE AND CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY CLAFLIN COLLEGE AT THAT TIME AND HIS WORK AND HIS RESEARCH AND WORKING WITH ONE OF THE GULLAH CORRIDOR COMMISSIONERS WHO, UM, WAS THE LINGUIST DOC, UH, COMMISSIONER AND DR.

DAVID FRANK, WHO ASSISTED, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN TRANSLATING THE NEW TESTAMENT OR THE BIBLE TO GULLAH.

AND THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST, ONE OF THE FIRST ORAL EXAMPLES OF WELL-WRITTEN EXAMPLES OF OUR ORAL LINK.

BUT YOU ALSO SEE RONALD DAYS WHO WAS AT ST.

HELENA ISLAND OR NATIVE ISLANDER.

YOU SEE OTHER PEOPLE IN GULLAH SPEAKING THAT ARE STARTING TO WRITE THE LANGUAGE DOWN.

SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, I THINK THAT HELPING STUDENTS UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS A LANGUAGE AND OUR TEACHERS.

SO WHEN I TEACH HER ISN'T A CLASSROOM AND THEY ASKED THE QUESTION, WELL, SIX PLUS ONE, FIVE PLUS

[02:45:01]

AND THE CHILD SAYS SEVEN WITH A B THAT THEY ARE SAYING THAT IS WONDERFUL.

THAT IS LOW.

I'M LISTENING TO YOUR GALA.

I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO BE PRAISED, BUT EDUCATORS AND TEACHERS HAVE TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THE LANGUAGE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO HELP NOT EDUCATED OUT OF THEM.

AND I'M HOPING THAT I GAVE SOME INSIGHT ON THAT.

UM, MS. GOODRICH, THANK YOU FOR THAT RESPONSE, THAT DRIVE RADIUS.

ALSO, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY.

I HAD THE SAME QUESTION AS MR MANAGER, UM, ABOUT NOT WANTING TO MINIMIZE THEM AN INCREDIBLE ASSET OF BEING BILINGUAL.

UM, I DO BELIEVE IN OF CHILDREN AND THEY CERTAINLY CAMPAIGN TANG TWO LANGUAGES WHEN MONITORS, WHEN THE OTHER LANGUAGE, WHATEVER IT IS ON, OR LIKE ANY MAP OH SEVEN TO MR CANDLES, AND SOME OTHER MEMBERS INITIAL OF THIS CONVERSATION.

I REMEMBER PART OF THE CONVERSATION WAS TALKING ABOUT INTERVENTIONS OR STUDENTS THAT MIGHT NEED IT FOR THAT ACADEMIC LANGUAGE.

SAYA WAS WONDERFUL.

UM, I SEE IT AS A TIER ONE INTERVENTION, A TIER ONE.

AND SO MY THOUGHT IS HOW DO WE HAVE A SCREENING PROCESS THAT VALIDATES AND HONORS A CHILD THAT'S FIRST LANGUAGE , BUT THEN CAN ALSO SEE THE SUBSTRATE OF A LANGUAGE DEFICIT, UM, IN MY ROLE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, IF YOU HAD A CHILD THAT WAS DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING, AND YOU WANT TO DESCRIBE THAT CHILD, YOU NEEDED SOMEONE THAT WAS PARTICULARLY ADEPT AT UNDERSTANDING THE LANGUAGE OF DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING CHILDREN, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T FOLLOW THE TYPICAL ENGLISH PATH.

SO IS THERE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT ABOUT TIER THREE INTERVENTIONS BASED ON SCREENINGS, UM, FORMED BY SOMEONE THAT IS VIVIDLY AWARE OF LANGUAGE DEFICIT, BUT NOT BY PMM SAYING SMALLS, BUT ALSO UNDERSTANDING THE GLORY AND THE HONOR OF BEING ABLE TO SPEAK TWO LANGUAGES? ABSOLUTELY.

WELL, DEFINITELY WE WOULD BE BRINGING A NO OUR LINK WAS TO BE ABLE TO HELP GIVE A BETTER TECHNICAL ANSWER TO THAT.

AND, BUT THEN ALSO WE SCREEN, UM, WITHIN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, I REMEMBER TAKING MY CHILDREN, UM, TO GET SCREENED, TO BE ABLE TO BE ELIGIBLE, TO GO EITHER WITHIN HEADSTART OR AN EARLY LEARNING PROGRAM AT LADY'S ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THERE, THE FOUR AND FIVE-YEAR-OLD PRE-K CLASS, UM, MULTI-AGE CLASSES, THERE WAS A SCREENING PROCESS THAT WAS DONE, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE DON'T WANT TO STIGMATIZE, BUT THERE'S A WAY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT VERY EARLY ON.

I FEEL, BUT I AM NOT AN EXPERT.

I AM NOT A LINGUIST.

I DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE THIS AMAZING DOCUMENT, THE ELVIS MANAGEMENT PLAN, AND WE DO HAVE THIS FEDERAL BACKING WITHIN THIS PLAN IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD IN HELPING TO PRESERVE AND, UM, THIS EVOLVING LANGUAGE, WELL CULTURE RATHER, UM, THAT I WOULD SAY I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE THAT UP TO OUR PROFESSIONALS WITHIN THE SCHOOL WITH THE GUIDANCE OF OUR LINGUISTS THAT WE HAVE AS COMMISSIONERS IN THAT WE'VE HAD AS INAUGURAL COMMISSIONERS.

AND THEN SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT WORKED WITHIN THE TRANSLATION TEAM, UM, FOR, UM, THE GULLAH BIBLE, BUT MOSTLY WORKING WITH LINGUISTS TO BE ABLE TO, TO IDENTIFY DEFICIT AND THEN ALSO BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE SPEAKER.

SO THAT'S STILL, THAT'S STILL SOMETHING WE HAVE TO WORK ON.

THIS IS OUR, MY INTRODUCTION.

AND SO THERE'S A LOT MORE, WE HAVE TO DO MUCH MORE.

I THINK MS. GOODRICH YOU'RE, YOU'RE WRITING IN A LITTLE FINE SIGN OFF AS TO, I THINK WHAT HAS BEEN REALLY IMPORTANT IN OUR DIALOGUE FAR.

AND IT, I MEAN, WE WERE JUST GETTING STARTED AGAIN.

WHAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US IS TO JUST KIND OF LEVEL SET AND GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE LANGUAGE I'M GOING TO GO BACK.

I'M GOING TO SAY, TO BEGIN TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE LANGUAGE.

AND, AND I THINK THAT THE COMPLEXITY WITHIN DOING THIS SO THAT WE CAN, UH, UH, DEVELOP AN INTERVENTION OR A SUPPORTIVE

[02:50:01]

APPROACH TO HELP, UH, UH, UH, STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, ACCELERATE IN, IN, IN, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE USE TO DETERMINE THAT IT IS THAT THAT'S HOW NEEDS AN INTERVENTION AND ASSESSMENT.

AND, AND DOES THAT ASSESSMENT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, UH, A STUDENT WHO SPEAKS SPANISH AS PRIMARY? NO, THEY THINK THE SAME ASSESSMENT IS SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN SPEAKING ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN THE ENTIRE TIME, RIGHT? THE SAME IS TRUE FOR, FOR A STUDENT, UH, UM, THE, UH, STUDENTS, RIGHT? THAT, THAT LANGUAGE THAT THEY GROW UP WITH, IT'S NOT THIS, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY APPEAR THE SAME OR SIMILAR.

SO THERE ARE NUANCES THERE THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO, TO GET AT AND TO BE ABLE TO DISSECT IN ORDER TO, UH, TO SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS.

THANK YOU, MS. ANGELA MIDDLETON.

AND SO ALL TO ONE AS AN EASY PLACE TO START, RIGHT SIDE UP IS YOUR ONE.

AND IT'S AN EASY PLACE TO START GETTING AN UNDERSTANDING OF, UH, WHAT MS. SMALLS HAS SHARED WITH US AND HAS SHARED WITH ALL OF YOU, I THINK IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT IN ORDER TO LEVEL SET, UH, OUR OWN COMMON LANGUAGE IN OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING.

SO THAT AS WE BEGIN TO DEVELOP INTERVENTIONS, THAT MY KNOWLEDGE HADN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE FOR THIS PARTICULAR THING, RIGHT.

UH, UM, WE WANT TO POSITION OURSELVES TO TRY TO BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS WE CAN WITH, WITH THE INITIATIVE.

SO, SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE DON'T HAVE A TIER TWO AND TIER THREE, RIGHT? WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT, WE'RE WALKING INTO THIS AND WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE IT.

I KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU MEANT, BUT I MEAN, BUT, BUT WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT, UH, TIER ONE IS REALLY WHERE SIGN UP IS, AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING SO WE CAN IDENTIFY WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ARE THOSE TIER TWO TIER THREE THINGS, AND WHAT ARE OTHER COMPONENTS OF EXISTING LANGUAGE ACQUISITION PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO BENEFIT, UH, KIRA JUST AS WELL, PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN PLACE WHO THEY ARE, LANGUAGE ACQUISITION PROGRAMS THAT WE CAN, WE CAN PUT IN PLACE FOR THIS, PLEASE DO NOT HEAR THAT I EXPECTED.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THIS IS AMAZING THIS TIME, WHAT HAS OCCURRED.

IT'S JUST BETTER.

I THINK IF WE LISTEN TO THIS, WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

THAT'S JUST ALL OF THEM THAT ARE GERMINATING HISTORIC.

I HAVE TO APPLAUD THE EFFORT.

THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU, MRS. SMALL FOR YOUR INFORMATION AND TO ADDRESS MR. CONCERNS FROM SOMEONE FROM THE COMMUNITY CODE SWITCH.

SO I, WHEN MS. SMALL SAYS THAT WE'RE BILINGUAL, WE ARE BILINGUAL BECAUSE WE KNOW THE ACADEMIC ENGLISH, BUT YOU CAN COME INTO MY HOUSE ON ANY GIVEN DAY.

YOU CAN HEAR ME AND MY HUSBAND SPEAK TO EACH OTHER.

AND YOU'RE LIKE, WHAT ARE THEY SAYING? THAT IS OUR LANGUAGE.

I REMEMBER GOING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

AND THERE WAS A GROUP OF US FROM CHARLESTON THAT WENT TO SCHOOL TOGETHER.

AND WHEN WE WOULD GET TOGETHER, OUR, OUR FRIENDS WOULD SAY, OH LORD, DID HE CHOOSE THE DOG? AND I WOULD SAY, YOU BET A MINE.

AND THEY KNEW BETTER THAN TO TRY TO TEASE US, OR THEY TRIED TO UNDERSTAND.

AND I THINK WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS AS TEACHERS UNDERSTAND THE CULTURE AND UNDERSTAND THE LANGUAGE AND THEY ENCOURAGE, THEN STUDENTS WILL LEARN HOW TO CODE, SWITCH.

YOU KNOW, THE, THE LANGUAGE WILL NEVER DIE.

AND THIS THE SAME THING THAT DR.

RODRIGUEZ DID THE NEW SPANS.

UM, I WISH MY GRANDMOTHER WAS STILL ALIVE BECAUSE I WILL CALL HER ON THE TELEPHONE.

IF WE WOULD HAVE A CONVERSATION IN FRONT OF YOU.

SO YOU SAID, UNDERSTAND THE SWITCHING, BUT IT'LL BETTER DIE.

I, AND I APPLAUSE WALL IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, YOU ALSO HAVE TO CHARGE IT.

YOU RAN WITH IT.

AND I AM VERY IMPRESSED, AND THIS IS THE SMALLEST WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET TOGETHER.

PROBABLY RELATE FOR SURE.

YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO SAY THAT I'M FLUENT IN ENGLISH, ON FLUENT IN SPANISH AND THE ONE IN SPANGLISH.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WOULD CALL IT.

UH, BUT I'M CONFIDENT THAT YOU MIX THE TWO IN THE PROCESS.

SO WE CALL THAT SPANGLISH, MELVIN CAMPBELL.

[02:55:04]

I, I LIKE THE STARTING POINT OVERVIEW OF THE CORRIDOR AND WHERE WE ARE AS YOU TO SPEAK, UM, UM, OF BUNCH OF STUFF, ACTIVE, TRY TO ADDRESS, BUT ALL DUE RESPECT, THOSE WAS YOU.

BUT THOSE OF YOU WILL BE THE JEWELRY OF ANGELA, DR.

RODRIGUEZ, WHO ARE FORMALLY EDUCATED, KIND OF LEARN HOW TO DO THAT, WHICH THIS FIGHT SITUATION.

AND WHEN YOU THINK OF IT, IN MOST CASES, YOU WANT A MINORITY IN TERMS OF YOUR SITUATION, YOU WILL, THE ONE CHILD OR TWO SECOND CHILD WAS STUCK IN THAT WHOLE SITUATION.

WELL, WE GRADE A POPULATION AND I'M SAYING THAT, BECAUSE THINK ABOUT THE COLOR OF TWO CHILDREN IN BUFORD COUNTY, THEY REPRESENTED A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE POPULATION AND TO INFUSE SOME OF THE THINGS, UH, TRISHA SAID, , YOU KNOW, WHERE DO WE PLACE THEM? IS THIS, IS IT, YOU KNOW, TIER ONE, TIER TWO KIDS.

WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO HAVE THAT LEVEL OF TRANSITION TO MAKE AND HOW IT WILL BE ADDRESSED.

IF IT'S GOING TO BE SIGNED OFF, IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING ELSE.

BUT THE INITIAL INTENT AND CERTAINLY BEING ADDRESSED WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING TODAY, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED YOU TO LOOK AT AND SEE HOW, HOW WE CAN BETTER EDUCATE OUR POPULATION.

I MEAN, I KNOW IT STARTS RIGHT THERE AND THOSE EARLY CHILDHOOD LESSONS AND WHETHER TO SWITCH OR NOT SMITH RATHER THAN BEING EMBARRASSED OR NOT EMBARRASSED BY WHAT YOU SAY AND WHO YOU ARE, HOW DOES THAT BRAVO THE THOUGHT PROCESS OF THE JOB.

AND THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO, TO LOOK AT.

AND I KNOW WITH THE OVERWHELMING AGENDA, I KNOW THAT, BUT I KNOW ON THAT, STOP FIXING IT.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO FIX IT.

SO THAT, THAT WAS, UH, I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORT.

AND I, I KNOW YOU WANT ME TO WRITE THE RIGHT.

WERE LEARNING THE LINE, RIGHT, OFTENTIMES WERE EMBARRASSED TO SPEAK EVEN THEIR OWN NATIVE LENS.

MA'AM CHAIR.

WHEN I MOVED HERE 14 YEARS AGO, AND SOMEONE SAID ELLA BGI HAD, I HAVE LEARNED SOME ABOUT IT.

I'VE LEARNED A LOT MORE TODAY.

AND IT BROUGHT TO MIND HOW LANGUAGE AND CULTURE ARE INTERTWINED.

AND I'M TRYING TO SAY, WHAT ELSE, WHAT OTHER CULTURE HAS USED LANGUAGE TO MAINTAIN ITS CULTURE AND THINKING ABOUT THE JEWISH PEOPLE AND HOW CAN YOU FOR THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF YEARS HAVE KEPT THAT CULTURE ALIVE.

AND THEY'RE PROUD OF THAT CULTURE AND GULLAH GEECHEE IS SOMETHING TO BE PROUD.

SO ADD THAT EDUCATE, KEEP THEM.

SO IT'S AN EDUCATION PROCESS, NOT ONLY FOR OUR GULLAH GEECHEE STUDENTS, AS AN EDUCATION PROCESS FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT COME INTO THIS AREA WHO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE AND NO APPRECIATION TO UNDERSTAND, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE OVERCOME.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE CELEBRATED AND BUILT ON IN OUR DISTRICT.

AND SO THIS IS FABULOUS.

I HAVE ON, YEAH, I THINK ONE OF THE KEY THINGS, WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT, UM, LANGUAGE AND CULTURE, UM, YOU KNOW, BELIEVE IT OR NOT IN, IN SOUTH FLORIDA WHERE YOU GOT A PREDOMINANT NUMBER OF HISPANIC STUDENTS BE IN MIAMI, IN TWO BAY COUNTY BROWN COUNTY ON WEEKEND, UM, STUDENTS WHO RECENTLY A LOT, RIGHT, WHO

[03:00:01]

AND, AND THE, THE, THE CHARGE THERE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'VE USED THEIR LANGUAGE AND THEIR CULTURE AS AN ASSET, AS AN ASSET AND A BEAUTIFUL PART OF WHO THEY ARE.

I WANTED TO THANK YOU.

UM, IS SMALLS FOR WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.

IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE.

AND I AGREE WITH ECHO LIKE A, THE NUMBER OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, DR.

RODRIGUEZ ARNIE SAID, WE NEED TO BE BILINGUAL IS AN ASSET.

IT SHOULD NOT BE LOOKED AT AS A DETRIMENT, ABSOLUTE ASSET.

AND I THINK WE NEED TO EDUCATE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER, UH, STUDENTS AND THE STAFF OF, UH, OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM TO SEE IT AS AN ASSET AND WHATEVER THEY'RE, IF THEY ARE BILINGUAL IN SOME OTHER LANGUAGE SUCH AS SPANISH OR WHATEVER, IT'S AN ASSET, IT'S NOT A DETRIMENT.

SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE CELEBRATED IS MR. GEIER.

I THINK HE SAID THAT, THAT TERM, INTERESTINGLY MIGRATED FATHER, WHO WAS A PHYSICIAN, A GENERAL PRACTITIONER IN MASSACHUSETTS, HE WAS, I GUESS, PROBABLY YOU WOULD SAY A NERD IN TERMS OF SCHOOLWORK.

HE, HE WAS, HE WAS, UH, HIS HOBBY WAS STUDYING LANGUAGES AND HE, YOU, I BELIEVE AT LEAST EIGHT LANGUAGES FLUENTLY.

AND HE, HIS FAMILY, I MEAN, HE WAS, UH, HAD LIVED IN, IN NEW ENGLAND AND, AND THE GENERATIONS BEFOREHAND WERE DOING LINDER.

SO HE DID NOT IMMIGRATE FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY, BUT HE WAS JUST FASCINATED WITH THE LANGUAGE.

AND IT WAS SO HELPFUL.

I MEAN, AS, AS A, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WHO WAS BORN IN, HE WAS BORN IN 1898 AND, UH, GRADUATED HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL IN 1923.

AND, UM, SO TRAVEL WAS NOTHING LIKE IT IS TODAY.

HE AND HIS WIFE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO ON THE TRANSATLANTIC, UH, WHATEVER IT WAS, THEN QUEEN MARY QUEEN ELIZABETH, UH, TO EUROPE AND, AND, UH, SEVEN OR EIGHT TIMES.

AND HE JUST LOVED USING HIS LANGUAGE SKILLS IN, IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES.

SO IT'S AN ASSET BIG ASSET.

I THINK WE COULD UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER BETTER TO INFORM PEOPLE WERE FLUENT IN SOMETHING OTHER THINGS OR ACADEMIC LUSCIOUS WITH DR.

BELL, BUT YOU GAVE A GREAT PRESENTATION WITH SMALLS AND VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.

WE STILL HAVE SOME MORE, UH, HE ENDS UP MR. WILLIAM SMITH.

UH, GOOD MORNING, MRS. .

HOW YOU DOING? GOOD FOR SENIOR.

YEAH, BUT, UM, UM, THE, UM, MY QUESTIONS WERE SOME OF THEM ALONG THE LINES OF WHERE MRS. BRIDGES, WE'RE TALKING, UH, WHERE SOME OF HER QUESTIONS WERE AND THE TIER TWO AND TIER THREE, UM, STUDENTS DEFINITELY HAVE, I WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE A CONCERN WITHIN SOME, UH, WITHIN THAT PROGRAM, UM, OF, OF INPUTTING THIS.

IT ALSO, UH, AS YOU WERE TALKING, UH, MRS. SMALLS ABOUT YOUR SITUATION, ABOUT YOUR SITUATION IN TERMS OF GOING INTO TOWN AND TALKING, IT JUST, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL THING FOR ME BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, EVEN SOMETIMES I'M ON THIS BOARD AND THIS TIME THAT I REPEAT QUESTIONS THAT I'M ASKED TO GO OVER DIFFERENT QUESTIONS BECAUSE OF MAYBE MY DIALECT AND THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND, MAYBE THEY, THEY DON'T, THEY KINDA KINDA UNDERSTAND MY, UH, QUESTIONING OR HOW I TALK.

AND THIS IS, AND THIS IS A VERY, UH, INTERESTING THAT WE'RE BRINGING THIS UP IN THAT WE'RE PUTTING THIS, UM, INTO THE BRIEF OF EDUCATIONAL STUDENT, BUT ONE OF MY QUESTIONS WOULD BE IN TERMS OF INPUTTING THIS INTO THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS, MY QUESTION WOULD BE, WHERE WOULD WE, WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? AND WHAT IS OUR NEXT STEP IN INPUTTING THIS? AND, AND, AND HOW, HOW WILL, HOW WILL THIS BE MEASURED TO BE, TO BE A PART OF THE, UH, THE PROCESS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION AND THANK YOU FOR THE GULLAH GREETING.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT GLAD YOU'RE FUSSY ON A TUBE.

UM, SO, SO I WILL DEFINITELY HAVE TO STEP BACK FOR A MOMENT AND TAKE GUIDANCE FROM OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND THE STAFF.

HOWEVER, I FEEL THAT WE HAVE TO START, UM, WITH OUR TEACHERS, UM, JUST A SUGGESTION, AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, EDUCATING THEM, HAVING GULLAH STUDY INSTITUTES OR SYMPOSIA THROUGHOUT THE DAY, MUCH MORE THAN WHAT A PUBLIC A PD DAY

[03:05:01]

WOULD BE, UH, MUCH MORE.

UM, THAT'S JUST MY SUGGESTION.

UM, AND, AND THEN STARTING FROM THERE EDUCATING OF COURSE, CONTINUING THE EDUCATION OF THE CULTURE AND THE LANGUAGE WITH YOU ALL AND IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND I'LL BE CLOSER TO THE COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW, I'M IN OUR OFFICE ON JOHN'S ISLAND.

THIS IS OUR BASE OF OPERATIONS.

I'VE BEEN CHARGED TO MOVE THE BASE OF OPERATIONS TO BE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.

SO I'LL BE CLOSER TO HOME.

AND, UM, WELL, NOT THAT IT'S NOT TO THE DETRIMENT OF OTHERS IN THE CORRIDOR, BUT WE IN THE COMMISSIONERS, MYSELF, JUST A FEW STAFF MEMBERS COMMISSIONERS, AND SOME OF OUR SPECIALISTS THAT DEAL WITH LANGUAGE WOULD BE, UM, PART OF YOUR ARSENAL AND PART OF YOUR SKILL, YOUR TOOLS LIKE CAN MAKE, MOVE THIS FORWARD.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO LEAN BACK AND LET STAFF AND OUR SUPERINTENDENT SPEAK ON THAT.

UH, I THINK HONESTLY, THIS IS A MOVE OVER SHARING WITH YOU TODAY IS, YOU KNOW, UH, IN THE SHORT TIME, SINCE OUR CONVERSATION ON OCTOBER 5TH, UH, THE WORK THAT WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN, RIGHT? AND SO AS WE BLAZED THE TRAIL, RIGHT, WHEN YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE LEARNING ALONG THE WAY, AND THEN WE NEED TO BE, UH, INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE NEXT STEPS.

SO, UH, I MEAN, I CAN'T SIT HERE AND TELL YOU THAT THIS IS THE NEXT ONE, THE NEXT ONE, THE NEXT ONE, RIGHT.

THAT ORGANICALLY DEVELOPED, UH, FROM THE CONVERSATIONS AND THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAD.

AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT IT ORGANICALLY DEVELOPED AS WE LEARN MORE.

AND AS WE CONTINUE TO EDUCATE OURSELVES ABOUT LANGUAGE ACQUISITION AND LANGUAGE, SO THAT WE CAN BUILD A PROGRAM THAT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE THAT WE'RE ALL PROUD OF AND THAT ACHIEVE DESIRED RESULTS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LEARNED FROM THE SMALLEST IS, UM, SORT OF THE DIASPORA OF GULLAH, GEECHEE, UH, UH, COMMUNITIES AND, AND DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, RIGHT? SO IN MY SHORT TIME HERE LEARNED ABOUT CORRIDOR AND I'VE LEARNED ABOUT, UH, GOING ICHI HERE IN, IN, IN LOW COUNTRY.

UM, BUT I HAD NO IDEA THAT, YOU KNOW, ISSUE GAIN OR NEW YORK OR, UH, WEST COAST, UH, YOU KNOW, SO, SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO LEARN MR. SMITH AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO LINK.

WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP, UH, THIS PROGRAM ORGANICALLY AS WE, AS WE LEARN MORE AND DEVELOP WHAT SEEMS TO BE EFFECTIVE WITHIN LANGUAGE ACQUISITION TO TRY AND MARRY THE TWO.

SO THAT IT'S TAILORING.

UH, THANK YOU.

UH, AND ALSO, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF EVEN THIS COUNTY, UH, DIALECT IS DIFFERENT, UH, DEPENDING ON, UH, WHEREVER YOU GO TO, FOR YOU TO GO FROM LANDS INTO CHARLESTON, TO RIGHT HERE ON ST.

HELENA TO, UH, FROM BALLPARKS LANDS INTO SCOTT.

SOME SOMETIMES WE ALSO CAN TELL WHICH AREA PEOPLE ARE FROM, FROM HEARING THEM SPEAKING TO HEARING, AND THEY INHERIT A DIALECT AND SAY, OH, YOU CAN TELL THAT PERSON HERE FROM CHARLESTON, WHETHER YOU DEFINITELY FROM LANDS IN.

I MEAN, BUT IT'S, IT'S INTERESTING.

UH, I, I'M JUST, UH, I, I'M DEFINITELY GLAD THAT WE'RE MOVING.

UM, I WAS JUST ALSO HOPING TO HEAR ON THE HAIRY, A TIMEFRAME INTO WHEN WE WILL BE CLOSER TO PUTTING SOMETHING TOGETHER, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT WILL BE A SOMETHING THAT, THAT THE BOARD CAN VOTE ON.

AND WE CAN PUT, HAVE THE, HAVE GO INTO THE, UH, THE EDUCATION COMPONENT TO OFF OFFER A COURSE OR, YOU KNOW, I'M DEFINITELY WAITING TO HEAR FROM THAT.

AND ALSO I WOULD DEFINITELY, I ACTUALLY, DR.

BROWN HE'S HERE WHO HAVE SOME ROOTS HERE, I WOULD WAIT, WAITING TO HEAR FROM HIM TODAY TO, UH, I KNOW HE'S ANXIOUS, I'M HOPING THESE, YOU HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING BECAUSE HE HAS ROOTS HERE, YOU KNOW, UH, LIKE TO HEAR FROM HIM AS WELL.

MAY I ADD SOMETHING TO THAT? SURE.

STUDENTS ARE, UM, HAPPY FOR HARVARD.

SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS IS VITAL, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE DIFFERENT, UM, ACCENTS.

WHEN WE GO TO WAD MILAN, JOHNS ISLAND, ST.

HELENA ISLAND, BUFORD, AND ALL OVER THE CORRIDOR, YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR THOSE DIFFERENCES.

HOWEVER, UM, UH, THERE'S, UH, A TEACHER AT HARVARD, UM, SON SHOW.

HE IS FROM CHARLESTON.

HE, A CHARLESTON ISLAND GO AND GET YOU SPEAKER.

AND HE TEACHES THE GOING GET YOU LANGUAGES AT HARVARD TO STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS IS THEY ARE HOW I FEEL IS IT THAT THEY CAN TAKE THAT ALL THE WAY TO HARVARD.

WE DEFINITELY SHOULD BE BRINGING IT WITHIN THE SCHOOLS WHERE OUR GO-LUCKY TWO

[03:10:01]

AND DEFINITELY SOME PROFESSOR SON, MICHELLE WAS SOMEONE THAT WE NEED TO USE AS A RESOURCE IN A STRONG WAY, ALONG WITH OTHER LINGUISTS.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO SAY IS THAT WHAT WE ARE, WE ARE DEFINITELY MAKING HUGE STRIDES JUST IN THE MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD AND BEING ABLE TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH THE BOARD, UM, WITH THE INVITATION EXTENDED FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT TO BE ABLE TO SHARE, WE KNOW THAT GULLAH IS A LANGUAGE.

SO THAT'S NUMBER ONE.

SO BACK IN, BACK IN, UM, WHEREAS IT, UM, SOMETIME IT GOT, I DON'T KNOW, IT WAS A COUPLE OF DEAF, NO MORE THAN MAYBE THREE OR FOUR DECADES AGO, VIRGINIA CHARITY.

SHE WAS A PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARY AND SHE SPENT MOST OF HER LIFE DOCUMENTING THE GULLAH LANGUAGE.

AND SHE FIRST HEARD IT AS A FIVE-YEAR-OLD ON YOUNG, SILENT IN THE CHARLESTON AREA.

AND SHE WANTS RECALLED, AS SHE SAYS, I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE LANGUAGE.

IT SOUNDED LIKE A WOMAN LIKE THE WOMEN WERE SINGING AND IT IS, HAS A VERY MELODIC WAY OF PRESENTING ITSELF.

SHE RECOGNIZED AS A LIBRARIAN, THE PROBLEMS IN CURED BY GULLAH SPEAKING STUDENTS AT HER SCHOOL.

AND SHE ALSO SOUGHT WAYS TO HELP THEM SURVIVE.

ACADEMICALLY SURVIVE IS BARE MINIMUM.

WHAT YOU ALL ARE TALKING ABOUT IS THRIVING AND ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE.

SO SHE WAS JUST TRYING TO HELP THEM SURVIVE.

BUT THAT WAS WITHIN THE SYSTEM THAT DID NOT YET RECOGNIZE GULLAH AS A TRUE LANGUAGE.

WE KNOW THAT NOW.

SO WE ARE WELL ABOVE THE MARK AND WE ARE DOING GREAT MAKING GREAT STRIDES RIGHT NOW.

SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT.

SO I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, KATHY.

OF WORDS AND THEY WOULD HAVE RULES OF SYNTAX AND RULES OF THE LANGUAGE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO CO TO BUILD A STORY OF THEIR OWN.

UM, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

I TOO WAS HAD THE QUESTION THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED TO YOUR HEAD.

YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE INTRODUCE THE ACADEMIC LANGUAGE? THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE STARTED WITH THIS.

HOW DO WE GET THESE STUDENTS TO QUALIFY FOR ADDITIONAL ACADEMIC SERVICES AND KEEP THE LANGUAGE ALIVE? THIS NOTED HAS SAID THE LANGUAGE IS GOING TO STAY ALIVE.

SO MY, MY, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW WHO WAS BORN IN POLAND.

AND, UM, WHEN SHE MOVED TO THE UNITED STATES, UM, FOR PARENTS CENTER POLISH SCHOOL ON SATURDAYS, HER OLDER SISTER WERE ASKED AND LOVED IT.

UH, MY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW REJECTED IT ALL.

YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR NAME.

SHE TURNED 18 AGNES SCOTT TO AGNES.

UM, SO, AND YOUR FATHER SPEAKS NO ENGLISH TO THIS DAY.

SO IT'S INTERESTING DYNAMIC HOW SHE COMMUNICATES WITH HER DAD BECAUSE SHE KNOWS VERY LITTLE POLISH BECAUSE SHE CAME OVER WHEN SHE WAS FOUR AND ANYBODY.

SO DO WE OFFER, UM, ARE THERE OTHER PLACES IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE KIDS CAN GO AND KEEP THE LANGUAGE ALIVE WITH THEIR FAMILIES? UM, I, I JUST AT HOME, I'M JUST WONDERING IF IT WOULD BE KIND OF A, YOU KNOW, A COMMUNITY THING TO, TO PLACE.

SO WHEN I WAS AT PENN CENTER WORKING AS DIRECTOR OF HISTORY, ART, AND CULTURE, I WOULD INVITE, UH, INSTRUCTOR, THE PROFESSOR FROM HARVARD, SOMEBODY SHOWED TO COME AND ENGAGE WITH THE STUDENTS SO THAT THEY COULD HEAR THEIR LANGUAGE AND UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO HOLD ON AS TIGHTLY AS THEY CAN.

UM, SO EXPOSING THEM TO GO LESS SPEAKERS, UM, EXPOSING THEM TO SPACES THAT DO THAT.

UM, AND DEFINITELY HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY AT HOME.

THERE ARE SOME PARENTS AND FAMILIES THAT FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT STILL NEED THE EDUCATION REGARDING THAT IT IS A VIABLE, UM, ANY, UH, IMPORTANT LANGUAGE.

THERE ARE SOME THAT GRANDPARENTS AND OLDER, UH, PEOPLE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY THAT MAY NOT SEE IT AS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY WERE BROUGHT UP IN A GENERATION THAT YOU DON'T SPEAK THAT YOU DON'T TALK THAT WAY.

AND IT JUST HAS TO DO WITH SOME GIVING SOME MORE EDUCATION.

BUT, UM, I REMEMBER, I ALSO REMEMBER WORKING AT ST.

HELENA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS A PARAPROFESSIONAL AND, UM, MY SISTER LYNN MARKOVICH BRYANT, SHE WAS IN A WRITING LAB AND SHE WOULD INTRODUCE, UM, THE CHILDREN TO GULLAH WORDS AND STORIES AND LITERATURE, A FEW CHILDREN'S BOOKS THAT WERE AVAILABLE.

AND SHE WOULD INCORPORATE COMPOSITION WRITING WITH COMPUTER SKILLS AND THEY WOULD HAVE, THEY WOULD LEARN AND HEAR A STORY AND THEY WOULD HAVE A GLOSSARY

[03:15:01]

SO THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

I'M GOING TO LEAVE THAT TO THE SPECIALISTS THAT YOU HAVE RIGHT THERE AND YOU'VE HIRED, BUT I WANT TO BE A GREAT SUPPORT AND BEING ABLE TO, UM, GIVE YOU ANY SUPPORT AND TOOLS THAT ARE NEEDED ON OUR END.

OH, NO, THERE'S ONE MORE.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT WAS MOST RECENT COMPENSATION THAT, UH, WELL, THE PENSION OF THIS IS NOT SO MUCH A FOCUS ON KISSING THOUGH.

GULLAH LANGUAGE, THE GULLAH EVOLVEMENT ALIVE HERE, IT'S INFUSING THAT GULLAH ENTITY AND TO A PROCESS WHICH YOU HAVE EAT FULL FLESH AND, YOU KNOW, GOING ON TODAY, JUST LIKE MS. GARRITY, UH, ADDING TIME TO CREATE THRIVING WITH THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSES BEEN BEAUTIFUL.

WE STILL GO BACK HOME.

THAT'S A PART OF A CULTURAL THING THAT YOU PROBABLY MAY NOT BE THAT FAMILIAR WITH, BUT WE STILL GO BACK HOME TO THESE POCKETS.

UM, FAMILY HOUSING AND FAMILY COMPOUNDS AND FAMILY LANGUAGE, AND IT'S STILL GOING AND COMING INTO HER CLASSROOM.

THEY CAN'T BREAK BEYOND THAT GOAL.

SO RUSS IS NOT SO MUCH, I DON'T WANT FOLK.

I WANT OUR FOCUS TO BE SO MUCH WRONG.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO KEEP THAT LANGUAGE AND THAT CULTURE CELEBRATORY, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE THERE.

THE QUESTION IS HOW DO WE GET OUR CHILDREN TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN AN ACADEMIC ARENA SO THAT WHEN THEY REFLECT AND WHEN THEY GO BACK TO CARRYING ON THIS CULTURE, SAY IT WILL DO IT BECAUSE THEY'RE ABLE TO, TO PRESENT, LIKE THE STORY IS PRESENTED TO US, THEY'RE ABLE TO DO A CLARIFICATION.

AND I THINK RIGHT NOW THEY'RE BREAKING DOWN TOO EARLY TO REACH THAT POTENTIAL.

SO I DON'T WANT TO FOCUS TOO MUCH ON THE EMPHASIS THAT YOU PUT ON GAP INSURANCE, THAT PARTICULAR CHILD.

I THINK THIS IS A MUCH DIFFERENT SITUATION THAN THAT.

WE'VE GOT LARGE NUMBERS OF CHILDREN THERE AND BEAUTIFUL COUNTY THAT A DOLLAR, THEY GO BACK HOME AND THEY SPEAKING BELL ALL AROUND THEM.

BUT WHEN THEY COME TO THE CLASSROOM, IT CAN'T MAKE THAT SWITCH THAT WAS MENTIONED.

AND THAT SWITCHES, IT'S WHAT OUR FOCUS OUGHT TO BE ON RIGHT NOW.

HOW DO WE GET THEM TO DO WITH SUCCESSFUL? THEN IT REQUIRES A LOT MORE SKILLSET THAN WE HAVE, BUT WE'VE GOT LAID WITH SOME POTENTIAL PEOPLE THAT CAN DO IT, BUT AT LEAST WEARING GAGE AND THE CONVERSATION, WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.

UM, I BELIEVE THAT THE DISCUSSION IS VERY HELPFUL.

UM, NOT ONLY THE LANGUAGE, BUT KNOWING THAT YOUR BEHAVIOR WOULD CHANGE WHEN SHE KNOWS HER.

I DO.

I WAS JUST GOING TO, UH, ASK, I WAS ASKED THAT, UH, MR. DR.

BRADLEY WOULD, UM, WOULD GIVE IT, GIVE HIS INPUT BECAUSE I'M INTERESTED JUST TO HEAR WHAT HE WOULD HAVE TO SAY, UH, COMING FROM, COMING FROM WHERE HE, WHERE HE'S COME FROM AS WELL.

ABSOLUTELY.

WELL, THANK YOU MR. MR. SMITH FOR INVITING ME INTO THE DIALOGUE.

I APPRECIATE IT.

I THINK, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY DR.

RODRIGUEZ AND I, AND SO MANY OTHER FOLKS ON OUR TEAM HAVE ALWAYS MENTIONED IS THAT THE BUSINESS OF RUNNING A DISTRICT CAN OFTENTIMES TAKE YOU AWAY FROM, UM, THE, THE MATTERS OF WHAT HAPPENS ACTUALLY IN THE CLASSROOM.

SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT FACILITIES OR OPERATIONS OR FINANCE, AND THOSE THINGS ARE REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT, BUT WHENEVER WE GET A CHANCE TO RETURN BACK TO CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS IN THE CLASSROOMS, WE ALWAYS GET REALLY, UH, IN LIVE AND IN, IN

[03:20:01]

ENERGIZED.

AND SO I THINK THE EXTENT TO WHICH WE ARE DISCUSSING THESE KINDS OF THINGS REALLY KIND OF HITS HOME FOR ME.

UM, I AM REMINDED IN LISTENING TO THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE IMMENSE, UM, RESPONSIBILITY THAT OUR TEACHERS HAVE, UH, TO NOT ONLY KIND OF MASTER THE TECHNICAL TECHNICAL COMMANDS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING, BUT TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY IS INFORMED BY, UM, CULTURE AND IS CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE, UH, AND THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A CLEAR AWARENESS OF THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY BEFORE THEM.

UH, AND SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT MAKE ME PAUSE TO RECOGNIZE AND ALSO EMPATHIZE WITH ALL OF THE DEMANDS THAT ARE PLACED ON OUR TEACHERS, BECAUSE THEY ARE TRULY, I THINK, THE HEARTBEAT OF OUR DISTRICT.

AND SO I THINK AS THE CHIEF OF SCHOOLS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CONSTANTLY WRAPPING OUR ARMS AROUND OUR TEACHERS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A DEEP AND COMPREHENSIVE AND FULL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT REGIMEN THAT IS NOT JUST INFORMED BY THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE KIND OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE PLACE IN FRONT OF THEM TO DELIVER AND EXECUTE IN THEIR TEACHING AND LEARNING, BUT TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE SUPPLEMENTED BY SO MUCH OF WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY.

AND SO I THINK AS THE CHIEF OF SCHOOLS, THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT HAVE RESONATED WITH ME FROM THIS DIALOGUE.

MAY I ADD SOMETHING TO THAT IN MY LAP? THANK YOU, MR. BRADLEY.

I SO APPRECIATE THAT, THAT INSIGHT.

THERE WAS A, SOME DATA RESEARCH DONE AMONG SCHOOL PERSONNEL IN 1989 THAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU QUICKLY, THE QUESTIONNAIRES WERE ADMINISTERED, UM, TO TEACHERS, UM, IN THE LOW COUNTRY, NOT BE FOR COUNTY WHAT CHARLESTON.

THEY REFER TO THEMSELVES AS A LOW COUNTRY AS THE BEST JOHNS AND JAMES ISLAND.

AND THERE WERE ASKING TEACHERS ABOUT THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE GULLAH LANGUAGE AND THEIR SPEAKERS, AND THE DATA SUGGESTS THAT SCHOOL PERSONNEL RESPONDED NEGATIVELY TO CHILDREN'S USE OF GULLAH LANGUAGE PROMOTING, UM, AND EVEN THERE JUST PERIOD, AND THEN SUGGEST THAT THERE IS A DEFINITE NEED FOR EDUCATIONAL CULTURAL TRAINING FOR TEACHERS WORKING WITH GULLAH SPEAKING CHILDREN.

AND THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO FOSTER RECOGNITION OF THIS UNIQUE LINDE WITH STICK FEATURES OF OUR VIABLE, VERY VIABLE LANGUAGE.

SO TO THAT POINT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE THAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IF THERE AREN'T ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.

I THINK WHAT I WOULD JUST INCLUDE WITH THIS, THERE IS LIVES, UH, A SIGNIFICANT VALUE IN, IN WHAT WE SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER TODAY, WHICH IS, UH, THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE CONFERENCE AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO CONNECT OUR EDUCATORS AND BEGIN THAT PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AROUND UNDERSTANDING THE LOCAL CULTURE AND LOCAL CONTEXT, RIGHT? SO THAT WE'RE BETTER EQUIPPED TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND OUR CHILDREN WITHIN OUR CLASSROOMS, UH, WITH, UH, THE TYPE OF THINGS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

SO THANK YOU, MS. SMALLS FOR JOINING US TODAY AND REST OF THE SHORT THAT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP HAVING CONVERSATIONS.

MY QUESTION IS TO DR.

RODRIGUEZ, OF COURSE.

SO I HAVE TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU, TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT TO GET THIS, TO GET THIS DONE AND BRINGS BACK TO THE BOARD.

MY NEXT QUESTION WOULD BE, UH, POSSIBLY WHAT WOULD YOU NEED FROM THE BOARD TO GIVE, TO, FOR YOU TO GIVE US A WINDOW OF WHEN WE COULD POSSIBLY SEEING THIS START TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE DISTRICT, UM, OR SOMETHING TO BE BOUGHT BACK TO US TO LET US KNOW, UH, WHERE ARE WE GOING AT WITH THIS TOOL, WITH THIS TOOL THAT, AND THIS, AND THIS WEALTH OF INFORMATION AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO INPUT IT? UM, JUST, UH, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WOULD YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU NEED FROM US AND, AND, AND, AND, AND WHAT WOULD, WHAT WOULD BE THE DETERMINANT OF TIME ON THIS? SO I THINK, UM, OOPS, SORRY.

UH, THANK YOU, MR. SMITH FOR A QUESTION.

AND I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, INITIALLY, UM, AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH THIS AND LAY OUT A GAME PLAN, UH, I'M NOT SURE THAT THERE'S ANY, ANY MOTION OR ANYTHING NEEDED TODAY.

UH, BUT, BUT EVENTUALLY AS WE, WE HAND OUT ROW, UM, YOU KNOW, WE MAY NEED SOMETHING LIKE THAT FROM, UH, FROM A PARTICULAR, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, PLACE, IF THERE'S ANYTHING MONITORING

[03:25:01]

SOME FUNDING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT, THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED.

UM, I THINK THE OTHER IMPORTANT PIECE IS, IS, UH, TO BE AWARE OF WHAT WE'VE SHARED TODAY, RIGHT? UH, YOU MAY GET WHAT SHOOTS FROM PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WITH WHAT YOU LEARNED TODAY FROM, FROM OUR STAFF AND WHAT WE'RE DOING, UM, AND, AND KIND OF WHERE WE'RE HEADED AS WE GROW THIS AND DEVELOP THIS.

UM, I THINK, I THINK THERE'S VALUABLE, YOU KNOW, UH, I THINK, UH, ENGAGEMENT THAT YOU CAN HAVE WITH COMMUNITY PEOPLE THAT MAY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

I THINK IN ADDITION, UM, BEING AWARE OF, UM, YOU KNOW, COMING CONFERENCE THAT WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT TODAY, I THINK, UH, WE MAY OUR TEAM AND OUR STAFF.

MAYBE YOU SHOUT OUT TO SOME OF YOU WHO HAVE GROWN UP HERE AND, AND JORDAN HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES IN TERMS OF, UM, HOW WE CAN, UH, ENGINEER'S RIGHT PROGRAM, IF YOU WILL, TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED RESULTS THAT WE SEE.

SO, UH, MR. SMITH, I'M NOT PREPARED TO TELL YOU TODAY THAT IN TWO WEEKS, WE'RE COMING BACK TO THE FULLY LAID OUT PROGRAM FOR YOU.

WHEN I ENTERED HERE TO TELL YOU TODAY, IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DIG INTO THIS.

WE'VE GOT A TEAM THAT'S ALREADY LAUNCHED AND INVESTED IN THIS WORK.

WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA COMBINE WHAT THIS TEAM IS DOING WITH THE WORK THAT OUR LANGUAGE ACQUISITION, AND YOU'RE DOING LANGUAGE LEARNERS, BECAUSE THAT'S ULTIMATELY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND, AND, UH, AND CONTINUE A COLLABORATION, UH, WITH MS. SMALLS AND WITH ANY OTHERS THAT, THAT CAN LEND AN EXPERTISE FROM THEIR END TO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE, UM, WHICH I DON'T HAVE A DATE FOR YOU JUST TO KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK AT IT, AND WE WILL COME BACK TO YOU WITH AN UPDATE, UH, AS WE CONTINUE TO MAKE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR TIME THAT YOU SPENT ON THIS, UH, THIS SMALLEST HERE, BECAUSE I KNEW YOU WERE, YOU MENTIONED YOU WERE UNDER TIME CONSTRAINTS, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING ALL YOUR TIME TO US TODAY.

UM, ALL RIGHT.

SO RIGHT NOW IT'S ALMOST 1230, AND THIS SEEMS LIKE A GOOD TIME FOR, TO BREAK FOR LUNCH.

WE HAVE THE LAST SLOPPY OVER THERE, UH, FOR THE SIDE.

AND, UM, THE NEXT SPEAKER WOULD BE TANYA, RIGHT? CROSBY.

IS THAT RIGHT? IT'S, COMING BACK AT, AT ONE 10, THAT WOULD GIVE US 40 MINUTES A LITTLE MORE THAN 40 MINUTES.

CODE OR THE SHAPES, THE PREFERENCES THAT ARE LISTED IN OUR CODE SPECIFIC LADIES.

SO WE'LL, WE CAN BE AT ONE 10 WORK SESSION OF OCTOBER 22ND, 2021.

WE'RE NOW ONTO THE AGENDA ITEM OF INFORMATION ON THE PROCESS FOR MINORITY CONTRACTS, MR. ROBERT.

UM, YES.

SO MYSELF AND MS. KALEY, FROM PRESENTING.

I KNOW WHEN THIS TOPIC CAME UP, I BELIEVE MR. CAMPBELL AND MR. TALKED ABOUT A PRESENTATION THAT WE DID FOR THE BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SOMETIME AGO.

UM, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR.

THERE WAS NO REAL FORMAL PRESENTATION ABOUT THAT.

SO MY PLAN IS TO DO KIND OF GIVE YOU SOME OF THE SAME INFORMATION BEFORE I DO THAT.

UM, MS IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT KIND OF OUR PROCUREMENT CODE, HOW IT'S SET UP AND KIND OF WHAT OUR RULES ARE ON WHAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO ON THE SUBJECT.

THANK YOU, ROBERT, UH, PUT TOGETHER A SMALL, UH, KIND OF JUST A ONE SHEET REFERENCE FOR YOU TO HAVE AND KEEP, TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK AND REFERENCE WHAT OUR PROCUREMENT FED SAYS, WHAT THE STATE PROCUREMENT CODE SAYS AND THE DIFFERENCES IN PREFERENCES OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN OFFERED.

UM, IT IS GOING TO DRESS ABOUT MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PREFERENCE.

CURRENTLY, THERE IS NO PREFERENCE FOR MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE POSTED IN OUR

[03:30:01]

FIRST ONE, AND THE ONLY ONE IS FOR TIMING AND HOW THIS IS PERTAINED AS ONLY A LOCAL PREFERENCE.

SO WE HAVE, UM, AN INVITATION FOR BID OR REQUEST FOR QUOTES AND TO VENDORS COME IN AND THE EXACT SAME PRICE, THE TIEBREAKER IS GOING TO BE A LOCAL PREFERENCE.

UM, SO THAT WOULD BE THEIR MANUFACTURERS THAT MONITORING WILL BE BORN IN SOUTH CAROLINA WOULD BE CHOSEN, OR IF THEY WERE A RESIDENT OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND CHASE, THEY HAD AN OFFICE HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, THEY WOULD WIN THE TIE-BREAKING BID, UM, AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT WAS WRITTEN IN A PROCUREMENT CODE THAT IF BOTH OF THEM ARE RESIDENTS IN SOUTH CAROLINA OR OF THEIR PRODUCTS ARE MANUFACTURED FOR THAT COMMODITY IN SOUTH CAROLINA, WE ACTUALLY FLIPPED BEFORE IT IS IN WRITING.

SO THE STATE PROCUREMENT CODE, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TWO SETS OF PREFERENCES.

ONE IS FOR COMMODITY CONTRACT PREFERENCE.

AND ONE IS FOR SERVICE CONTRACT PREFERENCES.

COMMODITY IS FOR UNITED STATES, ANY PRODUCT SERVICES.

THIS IS FOR A PREFERENCE FOR PRODUCTS THAT ARE MADE IN THE UNITED STATES, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA IN PRODUCT PREFERENCE, WHICH IS PRODUCTS THAT ARE MANUFACTURED IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND THEN RESIDENT VENDOR PREFERENCE, WHICH IS FOR A VENDOR THAT HAS AN OFFICE HERE IN SOUTH NEURON AT THEIR HOME OFFICE COULD BE ELSEWHERE, BUT THEY HAVE AN OFFICE HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

NOW FOR SERVICE CONTRACT PREFERENCES, THEY HAVE A RESIDENT CONTRACT PREFERENCE ITSELF, AGAIN, AN OFFICE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, AND THEN A RESIDENT SUB CONTRACTOR PREFERENCE FOR A 2% AND 4%.

UM, THESE GET A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILED IN THE STATES FROM HERRMANN CODE.

IT WOULD BASICALLY MEAN THAT THE SUBCONTRACTOR WOULD RECEIVE RESIDENT PREFERENCE.

IF THEY, UM, THE EXPENSES WERE EITHER 40% OR 60% BASED ON WHAT THEY WERE SPENDING ON THE PROJECT, ALL OF THESE PREFERENCES ARE NEVER EVEN GIVEN IN THE PROCUREMENT CODE.

UM, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE TAKEN FROM THE VENDOR WHEN THEY SUBMIT A PROPOSAL, THEY HAVE TO SUBMIT AN OFFER.

SO THEY HAVE TO CLAIM THESE PREFERENCES AND THESE PREFERENCES ARE LISTED IN STATE AND SOLICITATIONS.

SO THEN WHEN A VENDORS PUTTING IN AN OFFER OR A PROPOSAL, THEY CLAIM THESE PREFERENCES AND THAT'S HOW THE STATE GIVES IT TO THEM.

UM, ARTICLE 21 OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA, UH, PROCUREMENT CODE ADDRESSES ASSISTANCE TO MINORITY WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE AND REQUIRES AN ANNUAL UTILIZATION PLAN, WHICH YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH.

AND ALSO OUR QUARTERLY REPORTING BY EACH AGENCY OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA DIVISION OF SMALL MINORITY BUSINESS CONTRACTING AND CERTIFICATION WE ASSIST, OR THEY ASSIST MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES WITH PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND WE CAN ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION AND REPORT PARTICIPATION.

THERE'S CURRENTLY NOT A BROWN PREFERENCE OFFERED FOR MINORITY WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE.

AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, ALL THOSE PREFERENCES I JUST GAVE YOU, UM, THAT'S WHERE THE SOUTH CAROLINA CONSOLIDATED PROCUREMENT CODE CURRENTLY, WE'RE NOT OPERATING UNDER THAT CODE OR OPERATING UNDER A DIFFERENT MODEL CODE.

SO WE DO NOT USE ANY OF THOSE PREFERENCES TYPE.

THAT IS THE ONLY PREFERENCE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN OUR, ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT TOPIC.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

UM, I HAD AN UNFORTUNATE OPPORTUNITY TO FEDERAL PROCUREMENT ARENA AND FEDERAL PROCUREMENT REMAIN.

AS THEY DO HAVE MINORITY AND WOMEN.

WE GET THOSE TYPES OF COMPANIES THAT ARE OWNED BY MINORITY NATIVE AMERICAN.

AFRICAN-AMERICAN A WOMAN GETS A ACTUAL ONUS AND THE BIDS COME IN AND YOU SAY, WELL, WHY DON'T WE DO THAT IN THE STATE? WELL, HAVING DEALT WITH THAT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF GAMES AND THAT THEY WILL HAVE FIGURE HEAD OWNERS WILL COME UP AND THEY SAY, WELL, I'M AN OWNER OF THIS COMPANY.

I OWN 51% OF THE STOCK.

AND THEY LOOK AT IT AND THEY DO OVER 51% OF THE STOCK JUST DOCKS ON EACH.

UM, IT'S NOT TRULY AND IT'S, IT'S A SCAM, BUT IT'S, UH, I CAN SEE WHY SOUTH CAROLINA SAYS, YOU KNOW, LET'S LET IT GO.

UH, BASED ON YOUR OWN PROCESS AND YOUR OWN SCORING SYSTEM TO PICK THE BEST VENDOR,

[03:35:01]

WHATEVER.

I HAD A LONG TALK WITH LARRY HALLMAN, PRESIDENT OF THE COMMERCE, HE REALLY HE'S REALLY CONVINCED THAT NOT GIVING FAIR TREATMENT AND WELCOME ANDREW, CAN I ASK HIM IF HE CAN, SOME SPECIFICS, SPECIFICS ARE PRETTY HARD TO GET, BASICALLY, I THINK HE PUTS THE BLAME ON THE COUNTY AND THE LICENSING PROCEDURES TO GET A, TO GET A CONTRACTOR'S LICENSE.

YOU HAVE TO TAKE A TEST, UH, YOU HAVE TO HAVE BONDING AND SO ON.

AND SO THE IMPEDIMENTS TO BE ABLE TO BE A LICENSED CONTRACTOR HERE SEEM TO BE THE BIGGEST TAKE OUT OF THAT.

IS THAT, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SEEING WITH PEOPLE THAT WANT TO COME IN AND ARE YOU SEEING VENDORS SAY, WELL, YOU'RE NOT BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE FOLLOWING POTENTIAL BONDING, LICENSING, WHATEVER DID YOU PUSH THOSE PEOPLE OUT BECAUSE OF THAT? ABSOLUTELY NOT.

UM, UM, FROM A PROCUREMENT PERSPECTIVE, UM, I HAVE TO REPORT TO YOU, OR I HAVE TO REPORT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND TO THIS CROSSFADE QUARTERLY FOR MINORITY WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE, AND THEN SHE REPORTS TO YOU.

SEMI-ANNUALLY IN THOSE REPORTS, IT SHOWS YOU HOW MANY VENDORS HAVE SUBMITTED THAT ARE MINORITY WOMEN, BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE CERTIFIED AND NON-CERTIFIED.

AND IF YOU LOOK BACK AT THOSE NUMBERS, THEY'RE REALLY SMALL.

WE ADVERTISE NATIONALLY, REGIONALLY, LOCALLY, WE'VE PUT OUT ON DINNER REGISTRY SO THAT VENDORS CAN REGISTER WITH US.

AND YOU'RE AUTOMATICALLY NOTIFIED WHEN SOLICITATION IT'S PUT OUT AN ENTIRE SECTION, WHICH IS NINE PARTS OF THE SOLICITATION.

THE NINTH SECTION IS DEDICATED COMPLETELY TO MINORITY WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE FOR OUR BUSINESS POLICY, WHERE THEY CAN SIGN UP WHAT OUR STANDARDS ARE, WHAT OUR GOALS ARE.

AND EVEN WHEN WE ADVERTISE LOCALLY, WE REACH OUT DIRECTLY TO THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND YOU ACCOUNTING, UM, AND ALL THE LOCAL PAPERS AND SAY, LOOK, THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO A PUTTING OUT, UM, IN THE HEALTH SEMI-ANNUAL VENDOR FAIRS.

AND UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T GET AS MUCH LOCAL BUSINESS AS WE'D LIKE, AND EVEN LESS MINORITY WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE.

UM, AND JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON IT, UH, NOT LONG AFTER I GOT HERE, THE BOND REFERENDUM, WHICH RON AND I HAD A MEETING, UM, I THINK IT WAS WITH AND WITH, UM, UH, THERE WERE OTHERS, UH, THAT WERE WITH HIM THAT HE BROUGHT TO YOUR CONVERSATION.

WE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE ARE IN TIME.

UH, THEY, THEY'VE MADE A SUGGESTION THAT WHEN WE HAVE RADIO STATIONS, OTHERS, WE COULD ADVERTISE, UH, WE HELPED THEM FAIR WITH, UH, UH, WITH THEM, UH, ONSITE.

ROBERT, DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT, ABOUT THAT PLEASE? SO WHAT I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS WHAT WE CAN DO OR WHAT WE DO DO AS WELL.

UM, SO YOUR GOAL IS 20% AND, UM, WE WORK TO ACHIEVE THAT AS YOU'VE HEARD IN THE PAST, WE DO AS A DISTRICT, DO A LOT BETTER MEETING THAT GOAL, UH, WHEN WE'RE DOING AN INSTRUCTOR TO FIND MORE WBS IN THE CONSTRUCTION WORLD AND SOME OF THEM, BECAUSE DR.

RODRIGUEZ WAS MENTIONING, UM, WE DID GO TWICE IN 2020 TO THE BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

AND WHEN WE WENT IN MARCH OF 2020, UM, THAT WAS JUST ABOUT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC WAS WHETHER THAT WAS A REALLY HOT AND HEAVY.

AND THEN WE PROMISED THEM THAT WE'D COME BACK IN NOVEMBER AND REPORT HOW WE DID, BECAUSE WHAT WE'VE TOLD ALL THE CONTRACTORS ON WHAT WE TOLD THEM, THERE IS THE SAME THING I WOULD TELL YOU IS THAT WE HOLD THESE JOB FAIRS, OUR PERCENTAGE OF JOBS FOR THOSE THAT SHOW UP AND MEET.

SO WHAT WE DO IS WE CAN ADD A LOT OF TIMES HAVE IT HERE, BUT WE'LL HAVE OUR CONTRACTORS AROUND AND WHERE IT'S KIND OF JUST OPEN INVITATION, COME IN, MEET OUR CONTRACTORS.

THEY TAKE ALL THE NAMES AND WE HIGHLY SUGGEST THEY CALL HIM BACK AND, UH, UM, LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO USE IT.

WELL, OUR PERCENTAGE USE FOR THOSE THAT SHOW UP IS EXTREMELY HIGH.

SO OUR PROBLEM, THIS IS WHAT WE TALKED WITH.

THE BLACK CHAMBER IS WE HELP BRING IT BE GLEN.

WE CAN GET PEOPLE IN, WE CAN, WE'RE PRETTY GOOD AT GETTING THE WORK.

UM, AND SO, AND, AND WE'VE TOLD THEM, WE TELL THEM HOW WE DID FROM THAT JOB FAIR.

WE HAD NOW THERE PROBABLY ABOUT 60 PEOPLE THERE OF

[03:40:01]

THOSE 60 PEOPLE, NOT EVERYONE SUBMITTED ON ANY KIND OF PROPOSAL, BUT WE DID THE SAME THING.

WE HAD ALL OUR CONTRACTORS AROUND THE ROOM.

WE INTRODUCED THEM.

SO OF THOSE 60 PEOPLE WE HAD, UM, CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION WAS ONE AND 16 SIGNED IN OF THOSE 16, ONLY THREE SUBMITTED.

ONE WAS AWARDED, UM, AC RENTALS, UH, HAD 13 PEOPLE OF THOSE 13, UH, TWO SUBMITTED ON CONTRACT.

ONE WAS AN NB CON, UH, 15, 15 SHOW UP, OOPS, MAY HAVE LOST OUR MICROPHONE.

WE MAY HAVE LOST THE BATTERY.

SO WOULD THEY BE CAUGHT 15 PEOPLE THAT INTRODUCES THOSE 15 PEOPLE, THREE SUBMITTED BIDS WHERE YOU GOT CONTRACTS AND I DID, I'M MISSING ONE, ONE I'M MISSING IS, UM, THOMPSON TURNER, WHO, UH, I DON'T REMEMBER THE NUMBER OF SIGNED IN, BUT THEY HAD THREE SUBMITTED OF THOSE THREE TO THE CONTRACTS.

OUR AVERAGE IS SOMEWHERE ABOUT 67% OF THOSE THAT SUBMIT IT WORKS.

SO, UM, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE TALKED WITH.

THE BLACK CHAMBER ABOUT WOULD COME IN AND BE ABLE TO SPIT.

WE'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD TRACK RECORD FOR GIVING ANY MORE THAT'S OUR METHOD IS TO GO OUT, PUT THE ADVERTISE.

WE WENT ON THE RADIO STATION.

IT SAYS, DR.

RODRIGUEZ SAID, PUT IT IN THE PAPERS, MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS AWARE.

AND, UM, UM, JUST PUT THE TWO GROUPS TOGETHER.

HERE'S THEIR SUBCONTRACTORS, SUBCONTRACTORS, HERE'S OUR CONTRACTORS Y'ALL KNOW EACH OTHER AND EXCHANGE INFORMATION.

AND, UM, HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO FIND WORK FOR THEM.

NOW, ROBERT SMALLS, OUR BIGGEST JOB TODAY RIGHT NOW, UH, WOULD LIKE TO, I ASKED THE CONTRACTOR, MRS. BRIAN FERRIS.

NOW THIS JE DONE, UH, HOW THEY WERE DOING.

I'M JUST GONNA READ TO YOU AND B SAY THIS, UH, J DONE WHEN THEY WERE WORDED ROBERT SMALLS, ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THEY WERE AWARDED IT, OR ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS REALLY IN OUR FAVOR WAS HOW THEY DISCUSS THEIR APPROACH TO BRANDING IN WB CONTRACT THAT IS CONSIDERED, UM, AS PART OF THE AWARD AND PARTYING THAT THEY PRESENTED.

AND SO IF IT'S OKAY, I'LL JUST READ WHAT HE HAS TO SAY.

UM, SO OUR OUTREACH TO THE MWB COMMUNITY STARTED PRIOR TO THE AWARD ON THIS PROJECT, AS IT IS SOMETHING WE PUSH ON EVERY PROJECT SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS PROJECT, WE HELD AN NWP MEET AND GREET AT A ROW WITH OUR, OUR SMALLEST TEAM AND ENTIRE COASTAL OPERATIONS OF MARCH 2ND.

AND THIS WAS THEIR OWN MEETING, UH, SEPARATE FROM THE ONES WE DO, WHERE WE HAD MULTIPLE COMPANIES COME IN AND MEET OUR ENTIRE TEAM.

WE HAD ALSO MADE IT INTO MY BOOT, THIS AND THIS, AND REACH OUT TO OTHER NWB PARTNERS AT EVERY PRE-CONSTRUCTION STEP.

DURING THESE STEPS, WE HAVE MET COMPANIES THAT MAYBE COULD BUILD THESE LARGER SCOPES FOR SEVERAL REASONS, AND WE WILL WORK TO TEAM SOME OF THEM UP WITH LARGER CONTRACTORS TO MENTOR PROTEGE RELATIONSHIPS.

THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT HAS HAD EVERY ONE OF OUR BIOPSIES WITH TRADES.

SO WHAT ARE THEIR CURRENT STATS? SO ROBERT SMALLS IS A $61.7 MILLION JOB.

UM, CURRENTLY WE HAVE CURRENTLY AWARDED APPROXIMATELY 20 THINGS.

SO THAT MEANS THEY'VE ALREADY BOUGHT OUT 28 MILLION IN CONTRACTS.

SO THEY'RE ALMOST HALFWAY THROUGH THEIR BUYOUT WORTH OF SCOPES OR TRADE PARTNERS OUT OF THE 28 MILLION.

WE HAVE AWARDED APPROXIMATELY 6.5 TO WC PARTNERS.

AND THEN OUT OF THE 20 MILLIONS, WE HAVE AWARDED APPROXIMATELY 14 MILLION TO LOCAL.

SO NOW, AND THEN HE GOES ON TO SAY, UM, UM, WELL MAYBE CONTINUING OUR TEAM IS LOOKING INTO CREATING SCOPE PACKAGES OF SOME OF THE PHASE TWO WORK TO ACCOMMODATE SOME OF THE SMALLER LOCAL NWB TRADE PARTNERS, SCOPE PACKAGES, LIKE INDIVIDUAL FIELD HOUSES OR SIDEWALKS OR ITEMS WE HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT BREAKING OUT AND GETTING MORE TRADES INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT WHILE IT'S DIFFICULT TO PROJECT WHERE PERCENTAGES WILL FALL IN, WE WERE ALL GOING TO START.

I AM HOPEFUL.

WE CAN CONTINUE TO CREATE A SOLID NWB RELATIONSHIPS INCREASING OUR OVERALL PERCENTAGE THROUGHOUT THIS PROJECT, FUTURE WORK IN COASTAL REGIONS.

THAT'S WHERE THAT MEANS.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE DO TO TRY TO ENCOURAGE

[03:45:01]

THAT.

WE'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE, OR KATE ASK THE QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES THAT WE SUFFER FROM BLESSING AND A CURSE, THE BLESSING AND THE CURSE IS WE DON'T HAVE UNIONS.

AND ONE THING, CONSTANT COMPLAINTS THAT I'M GETTING FROM CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE CONTRACTORS, WE'VE BEEN ON A PROJECT.

WE USE OUR LABOR FORCE AND OUR WAGE RATES, AND WE'VE GOT GET OUT BID CONSTANTLY BECAUSE THE OTHER GUY BID ON IT, LOW BID AND GOT TO BID, AND THEY USE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND OBTAINING THAT YOU TEND TO USE ON THE W UH, IS IT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, SINCE THERE'S NO PREVAILING WAGE REQUIREMENT IN THE STATE, BECAUSE THERE IS NO LABOR UNIONS, HOW CAN WE TALK TO OUR CONTRACTORS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT SETTING UP THEIR LABOR FORCE TO UNDERCUT THE WAGES REQUIRED FOR PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY LIVE? IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO? I HAVE A LITTLE BIT WITH OUR SOLICITATION, OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OUR BOILER PLAY.

UM, WE DO REQUIRE THAT OUR CONTRACTORS OR GENERAL CONTRACTORS LIST TO THEIR SUBCONTRACTORS WILL BE, AND THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO REPORT THAT INFORMATION TO US THAT WE'VE BEEN VERIFIED IN OUR HAY APPLICATIONS THAT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT SEES.

AND I BELIEVE IT IS WRITTEN THAT WITH OUR CONTRACTORS, WE REQUIRE E-VERIFY AND THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION WITH THIS.

YOU CAN ALLOW THEM TO THE STUFF FROM, WELL, WHILE I WAS GOING TO TAKE THAT IS TRUE.

UM, I MEAN, TO SOME EXTENT, I'M GOING TO USE IT THIS WAY, OR MAYBE SOME EXTENT OUR HANDS ARE TIED AND WE CAN, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE AS KAYLEE IS SAYING THAT THEY'RE USING, AND THEN YOU FOLLOW THROUGH WITH WHAT THEY SAID, MY PHILOSOPHY ON THAT IS THAT TO ME, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE AS KNOWLEDGEABLE AS POSSIBLE ABOUT THE PROJECT IS A LOT OF TIMES, UM, YOU MISS A PROJECT BECAUSE YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WITH, YOU KNOW, IN THOSE THAT UNDERSTAND, KNOW IT BETTER, UM, HAVE MORE OF AN ADVANTAGE.

AND THAT'S THE, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY YOU SET UP THESE MEETINGS, MAKE SURE THEY CAN TALK TO EACH OTHER, UM, BECAUSE, UH, AND THAT'S MY PHILOSOPHY ON THAT.

WE GOTTA MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND IT, HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE PROJECT.

NOW WE'RE MAKING BENEFITS.

UM, CAUSE WHAT I WOULD ANSWER AS WELL IS THAT THAT'S A COMMON SENTIMENT THAT YOU HEAR, UM, THAT YOU WILL HEAR FROM SOMEONE THAT DOESN'T GET AWARDED THE BID.

YOU WON'T HEAR THAT ONE THE ONE BIT, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM SOMEONE'S LOSS OUT TO SOMEBODY ELSE.

UM, SOMETHING ABOUT MINORITY CONTRACTORS.

I KNOW SEVERAL CONTRACTORS IN NOW.

UM, AS FAR AS THE BLOCKCHAIN, I THINK THEY KNOW WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.

UM, I WANT TO FOR YEARS, UH, WE'VE BUILT SCHOOLS AND UM, WE GOT A CONTRACT, UM, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, OTHER COLUMBIA, UH, WE USE SEVERAL 30 FOR NAVY AND ALSO, UM, I'M DOING THAT GATOR TIME.

MR. WILLIAMS. HE HAD AN OFFICE HERE.

HAVE YOU TRIED TO GET ALL THE SMALL CONTRACTS COME TOGETHER AND FORM A CORPORATION? NOBODY FOR THE FIRST QUESTION WAS, UM, MR. AND MRS.

[03:50:02]

NOBODY.

UM, AND UNLESS YOU COME TOGETHER INFORMALLY AT ALL, BECAUSE THE WAY THE SYSTEM IS, SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE OPERATION DAY, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE CONTRACT, WHETHER IT'S CONSTRUCTION OR CUSTODIAL, YOU'LL HIRE SOMEBODY TO DO IT FOR $50.

UM, AND LIKE YOU SAID, YOU CAN GET, YOU CAN GET A FEDERAL CONTRACT EASIER, THEN YOU COULD GET SOMEBODY SAYING, NO, I HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THE POST SERVICE.

AS LONG AS I, IF I HIRE TWO PEOPLE, THEN THAT MEANS I HAVE A CERTAIN THINGS I HAVE TO DO, LIKE INSURANCE, STUFF LIKE THAT.

UM, I HAVE SOME CONTRACT WITH THE STATE SOME YEARS AGO AND UM, JUST ME AND MY KIDS AND UM, ONE, ONE, UH, MY LAST TIME I PUT MY BABY ON CERTAIN FOR CHAOS FROM THEM AND HE SAID, .

I SAID, IT WAS JUST ME AND MY CHILDREN.

AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.

AND I FOLLOW THAT.

I ASKED A REPRESENTATIVE IN LONDON, I WAS IN A MEETING AND HE SAID TO ME, HE SAYS, NOT FULL, COMES TO US AND SAYS, LET'S CUT ON THE STOCK WAS REALLY LOSING MONEY.

SO THAT IS THAT MR. TALKED ABOUT THE YOUNG ARCHITECT THE OTHER DAY.

AND I SPOKE WITH SOME ARCHITECTS, SOME BLACK ARTISTS, UH, SINCE THAT MEETING AND THE REASON THEY DON'T IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GO.

SO THEY GO TO NORTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA.

I ASK THEM BACK AT SOUTH AND THEN TELL, UM, BLACK CHAMBER, GET TOGETHER AND HAVE THESE GUYS FORM THE CORPORATION.

WE ARE NOT FROM A MISTAKE THAT CAN BE CON SOME YEARS AGO WHEN THEY WERE TAGGED IN A CONTACT IN SAVANNAH, GEORGIA IS GAY.

ONE OF THEM, SHE HAS A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY SO YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, AND THESE LIKE EVERY CON AND ALL THE REST OF THEY WILL WORK WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, BUT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT, THEN YOU WILL NOT GET NOTHING.

WHAT YOU'VE MENTIONED AND HOW DO WE CROSS REFERENCE, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE LOOK AT IT AND SAY, HOW CAN WE DO A BETTER JOB? NOT ABOUT WHAT THE COMPANIES NEED THEY ALREADY ARE, BUT IF ALL POLICIES ONE DEBTS, THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.

SO THE FAMILY, CAN YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, YOUR NOTE THAT YOU HAVE THERE TO, WHY DO WE USE REFERENCE NUMBER ONE? WHY DON'T WE USE NUMBER TWO? WHAT'S YOUR PERSONAL OPINION ABOUT IT TO SAY MORE ABOUT THAT? UH, I CAN, SO, UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY OPERATING UNDER A BOTTLE CODE I BELIEVE WAS DEVELOPED IN 2008.

AND AS YOU KNOW, CHANGES CANNOT BE MADE TO THE MODEL CODE.

THEY HAVE TO SAY SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO THE STATE.

AND THE ONLY THING THAT WE HAVE THE OPTION TO CHANGE IS EXEMPTIONS.

AND THAT IS BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE BOARD.

AND THEN THOSE HAVE TO BE SENT TO THE STATE, THE SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY, AUTHORITY APPROVED, AND THEN WE RE-INSTATE OUR CODE.

SO IT HASN'T BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2008 WITH THE EXCEPTION OF EXEMPTIONS.

SO THE STATE HAS DEVELOPED A NEW MODEL CODE, WHICH I'M PRETTY SURE EVERYBODY'S AWARE OF OR HAVE BEEN OUT IN 2019, 2020 ISH.

THEY CAME OUT AND THEN THROUGH ALL THE LEGISLATIVE WORK AND CAME BACK DOWN.

AND THEN AS THE STATE DEVELOPED A SCHOOL MODEL CODE, UM, THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW BY THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE REMAINDER OF FINANCE.

AND WE WILL BE BRINGING THAT FORWARD TO THE BOARD IN THE FUTURE.

OUR POLICY IS I THINK WHAT'S OUR POLICY, BRIAN, TO COACH THAT, BUT 20%, WHAT DO WE DO OTHER THAN

[03:55:01]

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE CAN DO? I MEAN, I'VE GIVEN AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT I LOOKED AT AS A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY IS OUR LANDSCAPING CONTRACTS, ALL COUNTY SCHOOLS.

I THINK THEY'RE BASICALLY, THEY'RE GIVEN LAST YEAR TO THE GRANARY AND RIGHT VIEW.

I KNOW BOTH COMPANIES HAVE VERY WELL-EQUIPPED BILLS OR USE A MINIMUM WAGE EMPLOYEES.

AND I'M THINKING WHY CAN'T THOSE CONTRACTS, THE SELF CONTRACTED ALL OR SPLIT TO SOME TITLE MINORITY ISSUE WITH SEVERE VIGILANT ABOUT THAT.

THAT'S THAT'S AND THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER POINTS WOULD BE.

I'M SURE.

YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE A LOCAL MINORITY IS THE SOFTWARE TO THE BILL, YOU KNOW, ROBERT SMALLS AND THE NATIONAL ACADEMY.

BUT BOTTOM LINE IS THERE ARE POCKETS OF DATA.

WE CAN LOOK AT THAT.

WE CAN SAY, HEY, SPEEDS UP.

BECAUSE I THINK THE BOARD POLICY, THEY CAN TELL ME THAT I'M WRONG, BUT THEN THAT WILL INCREASE MINORITY INVOLVEMENT.

AND SOME OF THE CONTRACTS THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ALLOWS GOING THROUGH THE RULES OR REGULATIONS IS ONE THING, BUT OUR POLICIES, A SUBSET OF THOSE THINGS, IT'S A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE BIT POINTED AND WE STAY GENTLE THERE.

WE DON'T NEED THAT.

WE CAN JUST TAKE THAT POLICY OUT.

SO, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WE BEEN DOING.

NO OTHER THAN GAUGING THE BLACK GENERAL COMMERCE, WHO'S PROBABLY GOT AN SIDE IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY CAN DO.

ARE WE LOOKING AT WHAT GOT, UM, TO INJECT THE ORIGINAL COMMENT ABOUT RIGHT-HAND GREGORY? UM, SO WE DID TRY TO BREAK THOSE UP AND JUST, BUT WE ACTUALLY DIDN'T TRY.

WE ACTUALLY DID.

AND WE BROKE UP THE BIDDING INTO CLUSTERS.

SO THAT VENDORS THEN ON CLUSTERS ALONG, BECAUSE WE DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE SMALLER VENDORS OUT THERE WHO CAN'T TAKE ON THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THEIR FOREIGN SHOP.

UM, AND WE DO TRY TO DO THAT WHEN AVAILABLE, UNFORTUNATELY, YOU RAN WITH IT THE ONLY TWO WHO BID ON THE PROJECT.

SO THE RFP, IT WAS SPLIT UP BETWEEN THE STUDENT OR SINCE YOU ARE CORRECT.

UM, I, WE CANNOT MAKE VENDOR SUBMIT.

WE CAN ONLY DO OUR BEST TO GET THEM OUT THERE AND THE INFORMATION, AND MAYBE US DOING A BETTER JOB OF GETTING INFORMATION OUT THERE AND ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY, MAYBE A PRIORITY THAT WE NEED.

AND JUST, JUST TO ADD TO THAT, THAT'S WHERE WE'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD PERCENTAGE OF THOSE THAT SHOW UP.

YOU GOT TO FIND THAT SORT OF FREAKS OUT AND BLACK CHAMBERS FIND WAYS TO GET CONTRACTORS, TO SHOW UP AND ANY SUGGESTIONS, ANYBODY HAS MORE THAN WILLING TO ADDRESS THOSE, ANY GROUPS AND WANT US TO COME TALK TO THEM, WE'LL BE MORE THAN ONE BOX ON BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WITH WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THE AMMUNITION AND OUR GUNS TO GO OUT AND JUST MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE, MR. SMITH, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A INTERESTING COMMERCE STATION JUST TO SPEAK TO THE POINT OF WHICH, UM, FIRST LET ME START WITH MYSELF, MR. EARL CAMPBELL STARTED OFF WITH MR. .

WELL, WAIT, I DISAGREE WITH THE CAMPBELL'S I'VE SAID, BUT IN TERMS OF THE QUESTION TO WHAT ONE OF THEM SAID WAS, UH, THAT IS THAT THEY KNOW THAT THAT, THAT, THAT THEY CAN'T COMPETE.

THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT WE SHUTTING THEM OUT.

UH, SO, SO MY QUESTION IS WHERE ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT THEM NOT BEING ABLE TO GET CONTRACTS AND JUST TO DIG IN, JUST TO SPEAK TO IT A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEARLY CLEARER, WHAT IT IS IS VERY RELEVANT.

I'VE TALKED TO THESE CONTRACTORS AND TO THESE, UH, DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT, UH, PEOPLE, THE COMMUNITY, WHAT IS IT THEY'RE SAYING THAT IS VERY DEVASTATING TO COME TO MEETINGS

[04:00:01]

AND TO HEAR WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WE, WHAT WE EXPECT.

AND THEN HE CAN GO RIGHT TO THE CHARLESTON, NORTH CAROLINA OR DIFFERENT COUNTIES AND GET CONTRACTS.

YOU KNOW, I THINK I, I THINK IT BEHOOVES US AS A DISTRICT, AS A BOARD BECAUSE ALSO WITHIN THE PROCUREMENT CODE THERE, THINGS THAT THEY HAVE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO AS A BOARD, AS A DISTRICT, BUT YET, UH, TO TAILOR IT TOWARDS THE MINORITIES, IF WE REALLY WANTED THAT, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, UM, WHAT I'VE SAID IN THE PAST, YOU HAVE CERTAIN COUNTIES THAT ARE GETTING 20 AND 30% OF MINORITIES.

SO THE QUESTION COMES, WHAT ARE THEY DOING SO DIFFERENTLY THAN WHERE WE AREN'T DOING? SO THAT'S WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO.

AND IT COMES DOWN TO THE QUESTION TO ME IS, DO WE REALLY WANT TO HAVE A CERTAIN PERCENT OF MINORITIES? THAT'S WHERE IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO, WE WANT TO HAVE BEEN IN MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL OF OUR, OF OUR, OF OUR TAXPAYERS, BECAUSE I JUST HAD THE SAME TIME.

YOU KNOW, IT COMES TO A POINT WHERE IT'S CONCERNED THAT WE GO OUT FOR BORROWER, FOR RANDOMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND WE ASK PEOPLE FOR MONEY, BUT THEN WE'RE NOT WILLING TO HELP THEM MAKE MONEY TO PAY TOWARD REFERENDUMS. UM, AND SAYING THAT, UH, SOMEONE MADE, UH, SOMEONE MADE A REFERENCE ABOUT THE BLACK CHAMBERS.

WHAT I THINK WAS HER HOME AND WAS STAYING AT HIS THAT WE CAN, WE, WE, WE CAN, ALL WE CAN OFFER ALL.

WE SAID THAT WE WANT MINORITY MINORITY WORKERS.

BUT THE QUESTION IS, WE KNOW THAT WE JACK UP THE INSURANCE TO SAY, WE WANT IT TO BE, AS WE WANT IT TO BE.

I HAVE A $2 MILLION THAT WE WANT IT TO BE ARE CERTAIN, I CERTAIN A CERTAIN LEVEL OF INSURANCE AND IT HAS TO BE A CERTAIN TYPE OF INSURANCE.

SO WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU REALLY LOOK AT IT AND YOU START ANALYZING IT AND WHEN, SEE WHAT THE DISTRICT REQUIRES, THAT IS WHAT TELLS YOU WHAT POOL OF PEOPLE YOU CAN HAVE SERVE YOU.

AND WE KNOW THE BUSINESSES THAT WE HAVE HERE, BUT EVEN IN GRASS, WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL COUNTY.

WE HAVE SEVERAL TONS OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS WHO CUT GRASS, BUT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A HUGE COMPANY, I WISH THEY HAD THAT.

THEY'RE NOT AS VALUABLE AS A HUGE AS THE LARGER COMPANIES ARE, BECAUSE I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I DO NOTICE THAT, THAT ALL OF THESE, ALL THESE SHOES COMPANIES, YOU KNEW WHAT WORKING FOR THEM.

A LOT OF THESE, A LOT OF THESE, AND HE WAS SOME CONSTRUCTION AND WAS CUTTING, CUTTING GRASS, MINORITIES.

SO WE CAN GET THE MINORITY TO WORK FOR THE COUNTRY TO WORK FOR THE ACTUAL COMPANY FOR THEM, BUT WE CAN'T GIVE THEM MINORITIES CONTRACTS.

THAT'S A PROBLEM.

AND, AND, AND, AND IS A REVOLVING PROBLEM.

AND I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE CORPORATIONS OR NONE THAT IT COMES DOWN TO WHAT, WHAT INSURANCES AND WHAT, WHAT THE, UM, THE MOU I'M NOT MOU.

THE, UM, UM, WHAT GOES OUT IN THE PROCUREMENT IS W WHAT THE PROCUREMENT IS ASKING FOR REQUESTING FOR.

SO IF WE REQUEST FOR A DIFFERENT, A DIFFERENT APPROACH IN A DIFFERENT IMAGE, I MEAN, IN A DIFFERENT AMOUNT OF INSURANCE, IN DIFFERENT THINGS.

AND IF WE GET TOWARDS THE MINORITY THAT WE WILL GET TO DO, WE'LL GET MINORITY CONTRACTS.

BUT I, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE DISTRICT FROM WHERE WE AT RIGHT NOW WITH SHAM, WE WANT IT, BUT WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT WILLING TO BEND TO GET IT.

AND THAT'S A PROBLEM.

SO WHEN WE'RE NOT SURE WE'RE NOT PUTTING OUT MY ACTION, WHERE I'M OFFICER, WHERE I'M OFFICE, AND TO ME, THAT'S JUST, THAT'S JUST A PROBLEM.

AND THAT IS DEFINITELY HOW PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY FEEL.

SO THIS IS A VERY TOUCHY SUBJECT FOR THE COMMUNITY.

I'VE GOT SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAVE ASKED ME HAVE STOPPED ME AND TOLD ME THAT, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL SAY ONE THING, MR. SMITH.

AND SOMETIMES I DON'T HAVE ANY COMEBACK.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.

SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS, THIS IS SOMETHING SERIOUS THAT WE NEED TO REALLY THINK ABOUT.

THANK YOU, I GUESS MR. SMITH.

I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT, ALL OF US.

AND SO IF YOU KNOW, A PARTICULAR COUNTY THAT IS GETTING 20 AND 30%, PLEASE LET ME KNOW, BECAUSE I WANT TO CALL THEM MYSELF.

I WANT TO CALL THE SUPERINTENDENT AND MYSELF, I'LL CALL MY TEAM TO CALL THEIR COUNTERPART SO WE CAN FIND OUT WHAT IS DIFFERENT OR WHAT THEY'RE DOING, BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE FOR US THAT 20 TO 30%.

SO, SO PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHICH COUNTY THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF, BECAUSE THAT WILL HELP US, UH, DIDN'T ABUSE.

THE LAST TIME WE HAD, WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION THAT THE RODRIGUEZ, I BELIEVE CARLTON COUNTY WAS ONE OF THOSE COUNTIES.

AND WE DID DISCUSS THAT WITH, WITH, WITH, UM, MRS. UM, MRS. CROSBY.

AND SHE SAID SHE WAS GOING TO REACH BACK OUT AND GET, AND GET BACK TO US ON THAT.

I THINK, I THINK WE HAVE, UH, I PRESENTED THAT INFORMATION, I BELIEVE LAST FALL, I WILL SAY, UM, CHARLESTON COUNTY, CHARLESTON COUNTY, I BELIEVE HAS MET THEIR GOAL, BUT THERE IS A MINORITY WOMEN BUSINESS

[04:05:01]

AND ROLE.

SO WHEN THEY SAY THEY MEET THEIR 20% GOAL, THAT INCLUDES LOCAL VENDORS AS WELL.

AND IF YOU HEARD THE NUMBERS, WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WITH ROBERT SMALLS, WE'RE PROBABLY 50% LOCAL AND 30% MINORITY RIGHT NOW, ROBERT, I ATTENDED A COUPLE OF THE JOHNS PARISH THAT WE HAD HERE AND, UH, PARTICIPATION.

VERY, VERY COOL.

UM, ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS I HEARD FROM CONSTITUENTS WAS, WELL IT'S BECAUSE YOU GET IT DURING THE WEEK AND WERE WORKING BACK IN.

IF WE ADD ANY THOUGHT OF HAVING THESE JOB FAIRS AND FUTURE CONDUCTED ON SATURDAY IN THE MORNING, SEE IF WE CAN GET BETTER PARTICIPATION.

A MEDITATION IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY'VE HAD, THEY'VE HAD SO MUCH, SO MUCH NEGATIVE TO COME FROM IT.

ARE WE, WE WERE AWARE OF THAT COMMENT THIS YEAR.

WE USUALLY HAVE THESE JOB FAIRS ABOUT FEBRUARY.

SO WE WILL HAVE A WEEKEND VERSION THIS YEAR, BASED ON THE ANY SUGGESTION I'M OFFICE SUGGESTED.

DON'T TELL ME, YOU KNOW, TIMES, PLACES, WHERE IS THE BEST WAY TO DO IT, AND WE'LL GO THERE.

AND SO IT'S, TO ME, THAT'S THE KEY WE GOT, WE GOT TO PUT OURSELVES IN FRONT OF PEOPLE.

I WANT TO GO TO WORK AND YOU GOTTA BE MORE SUCCESSFUL WITH THAT.

AND THEN I'M OFF TO SUGGEST DR.

SO THEY KIND OF THE CORONAVIRUS POINT YOU ASKING FOR SUGGESTIONS.

UM, NOW THAT WE'VE LEARNED WITH THE PANDEMIC ZOOM DURING THE WEEK MIGHT BE EASIER FOR THOSE THAT DO HAVE TO STAY IN THEIR OFFICES OR OUT ON SITES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

STUFF WE COULDN'T DO AT WORK OR A WEEKEND ONE, AND PERHAPS A ZOOM ONE, UM, THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLATFORMS TO WHERE YOU COULD DO IT, WHERE YOU'VE INVITED THE MV CONS AND DID THE CONNECTION.

AND SHE GIVE YOU THE NAME OF A COUPLE OF PLATFORMS WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEPARATE PEOPLE OUT INTO TABLES AND CONNECT THEM THAT WAY.

SO I'D BE HAPPY TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT, HAVE YOU SPECIFY, UH, INSURANCE LIMITS INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR COLLEGE NEEDS THAT ARE APPLYING TO THE WAR.

THERE ARE THRESHOLDS AND , EXCUSE ME.

I APOLOGIZE.

CAN YOU REPEAT THAT QUESTION? I DIDN'T HEAR IT.

I APOLOGIZE.

I DIDN'T HEAR IT.

WE'RE ASKED IF THE PROCUREMENT CODE SPECIFIES LEVELS OF INSURANCE THAT WANTS TO BE REQUIRED WHEN YOU GET A MINIMUM LEVEL OF INSURANCE.

I DO NOT BELIEVE THERE'S AN ACTUAL NUMBER LISTED BECAUSE MAYBE IT'S A THRESHOLD THAT YOU HAD WITH ANY ON YOUR OPERATING BUDGET, WHICH IS THE WAY THAT IT WORKS WITH THAT.

I WILL GO BACK AND DOUBLE-CHECK AND SEE IF THAT NUMBER IS LISTED AS A SOLID NUMBER THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE.

I BELIEVE MOST OF THOSE ARE SET BY OUR INSURANCE AND BY OUR RISK MANAGER THAT I'LL HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT WITH JENNIFER STATE AS WELL.

YES, WE WOULD PUBLISH IN THE ARTS HERE, THE INSURANCE AMOUNTS.

AND USUALLY THAT'S, WHAT'S ADVISED BY ACTUALLY, I BELIEVE THAT IT DOES STATE A, A LEVEL, LIKE, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE TO HAVE A GOOD GSO.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN TYPE OF INSURANCE, WHICH PUTS YOU INTO A CERTAIN BRACKET OF LEVEL OF WORK THAT YOU CAN DO.

I BELIEVE BASED ON, BASED ON, ON YOUR LEVEL OF BOND BEING BONDED.

I THINK THAT THAT, THAT I BE, I BELIEVE I, UM, I NEED TO, I WASN'T BRUSHING BACK UP ONE OF, I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S WHAT IT IS.

UM, BUT I'M NOT SURE, I'M NOT SURE, UM, WILL BE MENTIONED TO BRING THAT BACK UP, BUT, UM, UH, AND JUST TO GO BACK INTO THE POINT OF HAVING THESE MEETINGS, UH, WHAT YOU HAVE TO REALIZE IS THAT WE'VE A CULTURE AND WHY SHOULD WE, AS A MUTUAL KIND OF SCHOOL DISTRICT HAVE CREATED A CULTURE THAT, THAT THERE'S A NARRATIVE WITH A NEGATIVE CONNOTATION IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURE WHEN IT COMES TO CONTRACTS, REGARDLESS OF HOW ANY OF US FEEL.

SO THEY REALLY DON'T FEEL LIKE Y LIKE THEY FEEL AS THOUGH WHY EVEN TRY TO ATTEMPT TO GET A CAR, TO GET THE CONTRACT WHEN THEY ALREADY KNOW THAT THEY DON'T WANT US WITH THE CONTRACT, OR THAT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT THEY KNOW WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPITAL TO GET THE CONTRACT.

SO EVEN TRYING TO POSSIBLY SAYING THAT, OH, WE DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE MUSEUM.

WE WANT TO BE WITH THESE PEOPLE, OR WE WANT TO DO THE COMMUNITY.

COOL.

ARE THE PEOPLE OF THE PEOPLE WHO WANT THE CONTRACTS, IT'S HARD TO GET THEM BECAUSE THEY'VE HAD

[04:10:01]

SO I THINK THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WILL BE TO START BACK BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY AND LET THE COMMITTEE KNOW, HEY, WE DO WANT Y'ALL TO HAVE THE CONTRACTS WE ARE WILLING.

AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT NEEDS TO COME FROM THE BOARD ON DOWN TO SHOW THE COMMUNITY THAT WE DO WANT THEM TO COME TO, UH, BE ABLE TO GET CONTRACTS AND THAT WE ARE WILLING TO DO THINGS, TO MEET THE NEEDS THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF THE AVERAGE ORDINARY PEOPLE WHO ARE WELL, WHO THAT ARE IN THESE COMMUNITIES, WHO ARE INTERESTED IN, WHO HAVE THE EQUIPMENT AND WHO HAVE THE SKILLSET FOR THESE, FOR THE, FOR THESE CONTRACTS.

BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, I SAID, AGAIN, A LOT OF THESE SAME CONTRACTORS COME TO BE FOR COUNTY, AND THEY HIRE A LOT OF YOU SAYING AFRICAN AMERICAN MINORITIES TO DO THESE JOBS, BUT THE CRAZY THAT THEY CAN DO THE JOB, BUT THEY CAN'T GET THE CONTRACT.

SO THAT'S THE NARRATIVE THAT WE, AS A BOARD, WE HAVE TO CHANGE AS WELL.

I MEAN, YEAH, WE GOT TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHERE WE'RE USED TO HAVING A STAFF, BUT THE QUESTION IS HOW, HOW MUCH OF A, HOW, HOW MUCH OF IT ARE WE ACTUALLY ENGAGING IN AND MAKING SURE THAT THE NET, THAT, THAT NARRATIVE CHANGE, WE TALK ABOUT IT AND WE TAP ON IT, BUT WE REALLY DON'T ACTUALLY DIG INTO IT AND WORK ON IT.

AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

SO THE, THE, THE, THE PROBLEM COMING, MAYBE WE MAY NEED TO SIT DOWN AND LOOK AT IT AND LOOK AT WHAT IT ACTUALLY TAKES AND SEE WHAT WE, WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP, TO HELP THEM GET CONTRACTS.

AND WHAT, WHEN, WHAT MAY NOT BE BEST IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE DISTRICT.

I UNDERSTAND WE WERE TO HAVE A STAFF LEADER, BUT FROM THE BOARD LEVEL, IT'S NO DIFFERENT FROM A COUPLE YEARS AGO WITH COUNTY OF SAID, LOOK, YET WE UNDERSTAND Y'ALL WENT OVER YOUR BUDGET.

WE WANT YOU TO TAKE ANOTHER DIVE IN AND LOOK, AND LOOK AT THE BUDGET AGAIN, AS BOARD MEMBERS OR WHATEVER.

AS A BOARD, WE HAD A SPECIAL MEETING AND WE DID, WE DID, WE TOOK ANOTHER DEEP DIVE AND THEY PASSED IT.

THAT'S THE SAME THING HERE.

WE HAVE TO, I BELIEVE WE HAVE TO TAKE A, A SERIOUS REAL APPROACH TO MEN, A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN, UH, OUR CONTRACTORS RELATIONSHIP, BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM FEEL AS THOUGH THE DISTRICT IS JUST NOT WILLING TO BEND TO ALLOW THEM TO GET CONTRACTS.

SO I THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE STARTING AT.

ON JOBS AND THE WAY THE PROCUREMENT CODE IS WRITTEN, NOT THAT IT'S GOING TO CHANGE AND LET'S SEND THEM SEVERAL LETTERS AND SEND THEM A COPY OF THE BETTER FROM CONTENT.

YOU WANT TO RESPOND? UM, IT'S IN THE GENERAL, UNDER THAT I HAVE A SEPARATE COMMENTS.

WELL, YOU GO AHEAD.

SO, SO WHAT, UH, KAYLEE SAID TO ME, AS WELL AS JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT, UM, WE'RE KIND OF HELD TO THE REQUIREMENTS AND THE ETHICS, UM, ON HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS MULTIPLE WAYS.

SO, UM, THERE'S A COUPLE OPTIONS IN THERE.

SO THE OTHER OPTIONS CHANGED CODE WELL, THAT'S ON A STATE LEVEL.

THAT'S REALLY WHERE BODIES SUCH AS YOURSELF CAN GET INVOLVED AND HELP US IF IT HAS CHANGED ON THE STATE LEVEL THAT AN NWB PREFERENCE CAN BE LOUD.

I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN GO FORWARD WITHOUT THAT MOVEMENT.

WE DON'T HAVE MUCH ABILITY TO ADDRESS THAT.

UM, THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY, AND I JUST WANT TO BRING TO EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION IS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS, AND MR. CAMPBELL ALLUDED TO IT EARLIER IS FIRMS LIKE ECON.

AND AS JD, JOHN IS PROVING RIGHT HERE, ONE OF OUR WAYS, AT LEAST IN THE CONSTRUCTION WORLD, WHERE CONTRACTORS START TO GAIN EXPERIENCE, WORK WITH IT.

AND ALL THAT IS THROUGH ONE OF THESE LARGER COMPANIES, BECAUSE WE DO ENCOURAGE THEM AND TO, UM, MENTOR AND BRING UP SMALL AND MINORITY FIRMS. AND THAT'S HOW, UH, THEY DID SOME OF THE NUMBERS THAT THEY'D BEEN GETTING.

LEAVE IT IN THE LETTER.

I JUST READ TO YOU EARLIER FROM JAYDEN IS THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'RE LOOKING TO DO.

THEY'RE TRYING TO FIND FIRMS THAT THEY CAN BRING OUT AND PARTNER WITH AND MENTOR, BECAUSE THE MORE FIRMS LIKE THAT WE HAVE IN THERE, MORE THAN LIKELY YOU ARE TO MEET THESE GOALS.

AND THE MORE LIKELY WE ALL ARE TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

AND THEN THEY RECOGNIZE THAT SO ANYBODY IN THE CONSTRUCTION WORLD IS INTERESTED.

I CAN'T SPEAK FOR ANYTHING ELSE, BUT I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THEY REACH OUT TO, UM, OUR CONTRACTORS, CBRE AS CONTRACTORS AND SEE IF THERE'S NOT AN OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE IF THEY CAN'T GET THE BONDS OR THE INSURANCE MAYBE KHAN OR JD DOWN, A LOT OF OUR CONTRACTORS WILL HELP THEM AND ARE HONORED FOR FORWARD.

SO THAT'S THE WAY IT STARTS.

IS THERE, MR. , WHAT WE DO IS FULL.

UM, FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, WE HAVE BEEN, WE HAVE A SET OF SEVERAL LOWS TO NAVIGATION, IS THAT THAT'S HOW THEY'RE KIND OF TAILORING THEM, BUT THEY DON'T RESPOND.

YOU KNOW? SO AS FAR AS, AS YOU SAW, NORMALLY CONTRACT IS

[04:15:01]

AND THEY KNOW THIS PHONE BACK.

SO ARE QUESTION.

MAYBE SOMEBODY CAN ANSWER THIS.

CAN WE PUT THINGS INTO OUR CALL SO THAT THE COMPANIES THAT ARE BIDDING CAN GUARANTEE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MINORITY MOVEMENT PER SE, ISN'T A, THAT'S SOMETHING ACTIVE THAT THEY'RE ENGAGED IN.

LIKE YOU SAID, A AND B MIGHT HAVE A J DONE ACTIVELY TRYING TO ENGAGE MORE MINORITIES AND WHAT THEY DO IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER, THAT WE CAN HIGHLIGHT THAT WHEN WE DO SELECT THE ONE OF THE COMPANIES, BUT CAN WE PUT SOMETHING INTO, INTO OUR CONTRACT WITH THESE INDIVIDUAL THAT CAN GUARANTEE THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE ACTIVELY DOING WHAT WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO? SO SECTION NINE, IN ANY SOLICITATION THAT I WOULD, ESPECIALLY FOR CM AT RISK OR, OR EVEN, UM, PROFESSIONAL DESIGN SERVICES, EXCUSE ME, THAT WE USE WITH ARCHITECTS.

SECTION NINE IS A STATEMENT OF INTENT AND GOES INTO THE BUSINESS POLICY AND THE MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE AND OUR GOAL AND WHAT WE REQUIRE, UM, AS PARTICIPATION FROM THEM, I WILL HAVE TO REACH OUT TO THE STATE TO SAY THAT HIS ALLOWABLE THAT'S OUR BOILER PLATE.

A LOT, THE BOILER PLATE ON THE SOLICITATION IS WRITTEN FROM THE STATE'S COMPENDIUM.

AND WE CONDENSE IT DOWN INTO OUR BOILER PLATE FOR OURSELVES.

I DON'T KNOW, THERE IS A FINE LINE BETWEEN MAKING AN RFP SO RESTRICTIVE WITH RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS THAT MAY BE OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT COULD ACTUALLY HARM US GETTING BIDS IN.

UM, AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, WE CAN CANCEL AND READY TO CANCEL AND WRITE IT.

UM, SO I WILL CHECK WITH MY CONTACT AT THE STAGE TO SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAND ME DOWN.

I THINK THAT IT'S A GREAT IDEA, BUT MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT CROSSING ANY BOUNDARIES.

MAYBE A DIRECTION EVERY, I JUST ASK THE QUESTION.

ALSO, I MEAN, IT WAS JUST A BONUS APPLICATION TO SORT OF PROCESS, BUT IT'S WRITTEN THAT HAVING THAT AS A PART OF YOUR, YOUR PRESENTATION TO US IS A BONUS.

EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT, YOU KNOW, THAT MIGHT ALSO LOG ON AS TO ROADS HAVE LEASED THEM, SHOWING US WHAT THEY'RE DOING OR TELLING US WHAT THEY'RE DOING SO THAT WE CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHY WE ARE IN THAT COMPANY, BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING THIS.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY HAVE SOME SOMETHING ONGOING THAT WE CAN BORROW.

AND THE IDEA IS THAT THINK ROSE MINORITY PARTICIPATION, ONE BUILDING DOWN.

SO SOME OF OUR, UM, SELECTION CRITERIA OR A WORD CRITERIA THAT WE LISTED IN SECTION 6.0 OF OUR SOLICITATION, UM, IS MULTIPLE AND LIVABLE.

WE CAN CHOOSE WHAT WE WANT THE CRITERIA TO BE SOME THINGS LIKE ARCHITECTS AND SEAMERS.

WE CAN CHOOSE THAT, THAT SET THAT'S SET WAY ABOUT US, BUT WITH OTHER COMPANIES HE CAN.

AND WE LIKE TO USE THIS CATEGORY CALLED THE BEST INTEREST OF BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

SO THAT IT IS, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW, WHAT IS HIGHLY VISIBLE? WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS? AND ARE THEY ADDRESSING THIS IN THEIR SOLICITATION OR IN THEIR PROPOSAL, IN THAT PROPOSAL OR THEIR OFFER AND HOW WILL THEY FIT WITH US? AND IT'S A SMALL CATEGORY, YOU KNOW, DON'T MAKE IT 50%.

SOME THINGS WOULD BE PAUSED OR ANYTHING ELSE, BUT THAT'S A CATEGORY THAT WE USE FOR THOSE SPACES.

WE DON'T HAVE TO RESTRICT THE PROCESS SO MUCH, UM, CHAIRMAN INFLUENTIAL.

I MEAN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE SEPARATE.

I'M JUST SAYING YOU CAN MAKE IT WHERE THEY TAKE NOTE OF THAT CATEGORY AS A WHOLE AND SAY, NOBODY'S GOT ANYTHING AT ALL.

SO WE STILL GOT TO GET OUR 89% RATING BECAUSE WE DON'T ADDRESS THAT IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT WELL, IT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED CANDY KENDRA ADDRESSED BY THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE THAT IS SELECTED TO EVALUATE THIS PROPOSALS.

THAT'S, THAT'S

[04:20:01]

UM, CAUSE MR. CAMPBELL MENTIONED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN LETTERS.

AND I WAS WONDERING WHAT WAS THE LAST TIME THAT THERE WAS A LETTER SENT TO DELEGATION ABOUT, OH, THAT WOULD CHECK WITH ROBIN.

AND I KNOW IT WAS MAYBE ABOUT A YEAR AGO.

WE HAVE TO RESPOND.

AND ACTUALLY THE COMMENT THAT WAS GONNA MAKE IS THAT I DON'T WANT TO COME ACROSS THAT, UM, THAT I AM, I AM, UH, NOT TOTALLY HAPPY WITH THE, WITH WHERE WE'RE AT, BUT I THINK THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF GROWING TO DO, AND SOME OF IT'S GOING TO COME FROM THE BOARD AND I DO WANT TO THANK THE STAFF FOR PUTTING IN THE WORK THAT THEY DO PUT IN, BUT I JUST THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETIMES, UH, WE JUST HAVE TO PUSH A LITTLE MORE HARDER AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO CONVEY.

UH, AND ALSO I WAS ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY, I GOT A REQUEST TO STAFF UP.

UM, I W W WHEN I HAD MY LAST MEETING, UM, SOME PEOPLE CAME UP TO ME, UH, AND THEY WERE TALKING TO ME, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS SAME TOPIC.

AND THE ONE, THE QUESTION WAS, I KNEW, I TOLD HIM THAT, THAT, THAT WE GOT, THAT WE DID USE, I BELIEVE, UH, MR. NEIL, BUT, YOU KNOW, NEIL CONSTRUCTION.

AND I KNOW THAT NEW CONSTRUCTION DOES HAVE THE INSURANCES THAT, THAT WE, UH, HAVE, YOU KNOW, HAVE WE, OR HAVE WE WENT OUT AND APPROACHED, UH, NEW YORK CONSTRUCTION TO POSSIBLY, UM, BILL ROBINSON MALLS OR HAVE, HAVE, HAVE WE, YOU KNOW, ASKED THEM TO MAKE BEDS.

AND THEY HAVE, WE TRIED TO WORK WITH THEM TO GET THEM TO COME TO COME TO THE DISTRICT.

I MEAN, BECAUSE I, I DO BELIEVE THAT, UH, I MEAN, THIS, THIS NEW CONSTRUCTION IS BUILDING BUILDINGS ON, ON, ON, ON THE POUND POWERS ISLAND, AS WELL AS THE AIR STATION AND AS WELL IN THE CHARLESTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

UM, AND, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GUY WAS AT FIRST.

I DIDN'T, I WAS NOT SURE I DID MY HOMEWORK.

HE WAS CORRECT.

SO, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S, AND THAT IS A MINORITY CONTRACTOR RIGHT HERE IN BUFORD COUNTY.

SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH NO CONSTRUCTION.

HE IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH, I BELIEVE TWO OF OUR CONTRACTORS ON THE SUMMER WORK RIGHT NOW.

HE IS NOT PUT IN A KID FOR OUR SMALL, HE'S NEVER BEEN, I'M AWARE OF, HE'S NEVER PUT A BID ON HIS OWN, UM, FOR ANY OF OUR WORK, UH, BEFORE ANY OF OUR PROJECTS.

AND I BELIEVE, I DON'T THINK HE'S BONDED ENOUGH FOR SAY, UM, HE'S IN THE PIPELINE NOW.

I THINK THIS YEAR WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES I'M AWARE THAT HE'S DONE ANY SUBCONTRACTOR TO WORK WITH ANY OF OUR CONTRACTS.

NEXT IS.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

AND THANK YOU BOTH OF YOU.

IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN, I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE PROCUREMENT CODE YET.

THAT'S ON MY TO-DO LIST OF THINGS TO GET BETTER ACQUAINTED WITH.

IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED, UM, AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO BE AWARE.

I THINK THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT WE CAN DO AND WE'RE DOING AS MUCH AS WE CAN WITHIN THOSE RESTRICTIONS.

MY THOUGHT HAS ALWAYS BEEN, AND I JUST WANT TO THROW THIS OUT THERE AS A BOARD MEMBER, OR AS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, WE'RE EXPANDING OUR TAPES.

AND I KNOW WE HAVE CONSTRUCTION AIDS AND WE HAVE WELDING AND AIDS.

AND I KNOW WE'RE LOOKING TO EXPAND SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS. UM, MAYBE RIVER BATTERY CREEK HELP PET, I THINK WOULD BE GREAT TO LOOK AT INCORPORATE AT SOME POINT A ENTREPRENEUR BUSINESS ASPECT TO OUR CATE PROGRAMS, SO THAT THESE PRIORITY STUDENTS THAT ARE GOING INTO THESE K PROGRAMS AND LEARNING THESE TRADES, WHEN THEY COME OUT AS THE PROGRAMS, THEY ALSO HAVE A SENSE OF HOW TO SET UP A BUSINESS.

BECAUSE TO ME, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST INTIMIDATING ASPECTS.

I MEAN, IT'S A LOT OF PAPERWORK.

AND IF YOU COME FROM A BACKGROUND WHERE MAYBE YOUR FATHER WAS A CONTRACTOR, OR YOU GO TO COLLEGE, YOU HAVE MORE, A HIGHER LEVEL OF COMFORT, BUT WE NEED MORE CONTRACTORS, PERIOD.

I DON'T THINK WE'RE IN THE THIRD SEAT ON PROJECTING AND GETTING BIDS.

I MEAN, I THINK EVERYONE'S SCRAMBLING TO GET GOOD QUALITY CONTRACTORS.

SO AS WE GO FORWARD, I THINK FROM AN EDUCATION STANDPOINT, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, TAX PLANNING, LICENSING, UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCES IN AS PART OF OUR CATE OPERATES SO THAT WE ARE GRADUATING PEOPLE THAT ARE IN A POSITION TO TAKE ON THESE KIND OF PROJECTS, OR AT LEAST HAVING A STARTING LEVEL AND THEN MOVE THEIR WAY UP.

UM, KIMBALL.

WELL, I WAS GOING TO SIT THERE, UH, MRS. SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

I DON'T KNOW.

I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT SCHOOL.

UM, AND ALSO DID MEASURE BOSS STUDENTS GRADUATE.

WE HAVE STARTED YOUR OWN BUSINESS SEVERAL NO, ACTUALLY I WOULDN'T, I WOULDN'T FINISH FROM THE LAST TIME I SPOKE.

YOU JUST CALLED.

I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ONE QUESTION.

SO I JUST LEFT IT UP SO I COULD ASK ANOTHER QUESTION.

UM,

[04:25:01]

AND I, YOU KNOW, I DO THINK THAT WE SHOULD REACH OUT TO, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT MR. UH, MR. UH, THE, UH, NEIL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY MAY HAVE THE CORRECT INSURANCE.

AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO GO A LITTLE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO MAKE OUR GOALS TO ASCERTAIN WHAT, WHAT WE, WHAT WE WANT AS A DISTRICT.

AND WE MAY NEED TO LEAD THE WAY IN SOUTH CAROLINA OF US NOT HAVING ACTUALLY PEOPLE CALLING US AND ASKING US, HOW DID WE GET THAT 20% OR THAT 30%? UM, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN DO IT TOGETHER.

WOULD THAT WAS THAT I'M DONE.

I'LL SEE YOU GUYS AT THE TOP, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL BE THE NUMBER ONE DISTRICT AND THAT WE CAN GET THIS THINGS AND OTHER THINGS ACCOMPLISH.

UM, IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I JUST WANT YOU TO JUST THINK THAT ONLY THESE STAFF MEMBERS, THAT ALL OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS TODAY THROUGH THEIR PRESENTATIONS TODAY, PARADISE SHARE, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WE'RE EXECUTING ON WITH BOARD PUBLIC.

SO THANK YOU ALL FLYING SOLO.

I JUST LIKE TO STATE, UM, I THINK THAT A COUPLE OF ISSUES THAT ARE THE, SOMETHING HERE, 12, 15 IMPACT FEES AND NUMBER 13, FULL BANKING EDUCATION CANDIDATES.

WE WANT TO PRESS ON, OR DO YOU WANT TO, HOW MUCH IS LEFT? I MEAN, COME ON.

SO THE LAST I'M ON, UH, THE WORK SESSION AND YOU HAVE TO INTERVIEW THOSE, DELEGATE A STAFF, A STAFF HANDBOOK, AND I'LL JUST GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND, UM, PERHAPS MORE FOR THE PROBLEM BETTER, THE MORE GRAMMARS, BUT THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION, THE ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING IS HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE AND THE, UM, THE DELEGATE ASSEMBLY ANNUALLY, AND IS USUALLY IT'S IN EARLY DECEMBER.

AND ACCORDING TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION, THE DELEGATE ASSEMBLY IS THE POLICY MAKING BODY OF THE ASSOCIATION AND IS COMPOSED OF CERTIFIED VOTING DELEGATES FROM ACTIVE VECTOR BOARDS.

THE NUMBER OF VOTES ALLOCATED TO EACH BOARD IS BASED ON THE PUPILS ROLE IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS AS FOR THE ADF, FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND VIEW FOR COUNTY, UH, BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS EIGHT DELEGATES TO VOTE AFTER THE, THIS YEAR OF 2021.

I THINK IN THE MEDIUM PAST, WE GOT ONLY SEVEN.

UM, I, I WENT TO THE ONE THAT ADDED THIS TO THE AGENDA BECAUSE THE DELEGATES THAT GO TO THIS FEEDING, UH, THE ASSEMBLY NEED TO REPRESENT AND VOTE ON BEHALF OF OUR ENTIRE BOARD AND NOT JUST ON WHAT THEY THINK IS APPROPRIATE.

AND THAT'S WHY I THOUGHT WE NEEDED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION TODAY ABOUT THE, ABOUT THE HAND FOREARM, AS YOU, UH, REALIZED THAT LAST SUMMER, LATE SPRING, UH, WE PUT TOGETHER, WE VOTED PUT TOGETHER.

WE SUBMITTED A RESOLUTION THIS YEAR, AND IT WAS TO BASICALLY, UH, INCREASE OUR STEP INCREASES FOR TEACHERS ABOVE THE 23RD YEAR TO, TO INCREASE IT BY FIVE STEPS UP TO 28 STEPS.

BUT THAT, THAT WAS NOT ACCEPTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

I DIDN'T DID NOT.

AND WE'LL BLOCK PROCEEDS TO THE ASSEMBLY IN DECEMBER.

AND, UM, I ALREADY REPORTED OUT TO THE BOARD THAT, UH, DANIELLE MORE SPECIFICALLY TOLD ME THE REASON THEY DIDN'T ACCEPT IT WAS BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAVE A RESOLUTION THAT SAYS THAT WE WANT TO HAVE TEACHER SALARIES AT THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

AND THEY THOUGHT THAT IT WASN'T DONE THAT.

THAT'S WHY IT'S FURTHER THE PRIOR YEAR.

SO THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LATE SPRING OF 2020.

WE DID SUBMIT, UM, SOME RESOLUTE, COUPLE OF RESOLUTIONS AS I RECALL, TWO OR THREE, AND ONE WAS ACCEPTED, ACCEPTED, AND THEN, AND THEN APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE DELEGATE ASSEMBLY IN DECEMBER OF 2020.

AND THAT IS IN THIS BOOKLET IT'S ON PAGE 25.

IT'S IT'S, IT'S NOT REPORT WITH PROJECT AND EXPANSION STATEWIDE.

SO WE, THAT WAS OURS.

SO BRAD, IT SAYS ADOPTED 2020.

SO THAT'S SO ROBIN PERIODS OF BOARD MEMBERS, UH,

[04:30:01]

UH, NOT TOO LONG AGO.

AND I BELIEVE THERE ARE FOUR OF US THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO GO TO THE CONFERENCE AND, AND, UH, WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE DELEGATES IF YOU'D LIKE AND NOT, UH, I KNOW IT WAS EARLY DAVID AND ANGELA.

SO SINCE OUR EIGHT VOTES, WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST YOUR MICROPHONE NOW, SO MAYBE I JUST WASN'T CLOSE ENOUGH, LIKE I TELL EVERYBODY ELSE.

UM, SO SINCE THERE, IF EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE UP, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE DEALT WITH YET, BUT SO EACH OF US WOULD HAVE TWO VOTES.

THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'VE DONE IS JUST, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, SO, UM, THE RESOLUTIONS ARE LISTED, UH, ON PAGE 22, UM, AND 23.

AND I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO GO THROUGH EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY.

I HOPEFULLY YOU'VE ALL LOOKED AT THIS IN ADVANCE OF TODAY'S MEETING.

UM, AND IF YOU SPECIFICALLY HAVE THINGS THAT YOU FEEL THAT THE, THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE ATTENDING, YOU WOULD LIKE US TO ADDRESS IT, THE DELEGATE ASSEMBLY, THIS IS FOR, WE NEED TO BRING IT FORWARD SO WE CAN ALL HEAR WHETHER THE BOARD WANTS, I CAN, WHILE YOU'RE LOOKING, I'LL KEEP TALKING, WHICH I USUALLY DON'T.

BUT, UM, SO WHEN EARL AND I ATTENDED THE REGIONAL ADVOCACY MEETING, OH, YOU GO, UM, THIS WAS ALSO FOCUSING ON THE, ON THE LEGISLATIVE, UH, RESOLUTIONS FOR ABOUT THE UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

THEY LISTED OUT, UH, EIGHT, EIGHT RESOLUTIONS THAT THEY SPECIFICALLY THINK, UM, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IMPACT SCHOOL, BOARD GOVERNANCE.

AND THOSE WERE BOARD TRAINING AND UNDERACHIEVING SCHOOL DISTRICTS, ECONOMY, AFFAIRS, HEALTH INSURANCE PROPERTY FOR BOARDS, IMPACT FEES, LOCAL DISTRICT, FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENTS, LOCAL LEGISLATION, NO, I'M FAR INTO AN ELECTION OF SCHOOL, BOARD MEMBERS AND SCHOOL THURSDAY.

I'M NOT EARL.

YOU MIGHT LIKE TO GIVE SOME COMMENTS BECAUSE I KNOW YOU, AND I ALWAYS SEEM TO BE ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN THIS.

AND I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, HAVING READ THROUGH THIS BOOKLET, HAVING ATTENDED THE ADVOCACY MEETING, I DON'T SEE ANY, ANY ISSUES, BIG ISSUES WITH WHAT WHAT'S, WHAT THEIR RESOLUTION RESOLUTIONS, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE PROPOSED HERE.

I CAN'T REALLY THINK OF ANYTHING THAT SEEMS GLARINGLY NEEDS TO BE REWRITTEN OR MODIFIER, WHATEVER WORD YOU WANT TO USE.

SO WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY? I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO ATTACK THIS DISTRICT, BUT THAT CONDITION, IF YOU LOOK AT LOOK PREDOMINANTLY THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE, UH, UH, DAVID AND HARRY THE FUNDING, AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY IT HAPPENED.

AND IN FACT, WE STILL HAVE NOT FUNDED THEM THE WAY THE POLLS SAY WE WILL MONITOR THE TIME.

UM, SO I THINK THAT THE LEGISLATOR DIDN'T DO THEIR JOB, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT , YOU KNOW, SO THEN WHEN, AND I THINK THE DELEGATION IT'S NOT HAPPENING, IF , THEN WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE ATTITUDE TO WHAT EDUCATION.

AND SO FAR WE HAVE NOT.

[04:35:05]

I PAID WHEN I FIRST CAME ON THE BOARD.

UM, THAT WAS ONE OF THE FACT THAT IT'S STILL THERE.

UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO GET OUT.

YEAH, SAME COMMENTS, KATHY.

YOU'RE SO MANY THINGS.

UM, ONE OF THEM WAS TALKS ABOUT AS A START DATE NUMBER 28 SCHOOL SUNDAY.

AND THAT WAS ONE OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS NUMBER 43 TALKS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

SO I, I, AS I WAS READING THROUGH THERE'S, THIS MIMICS A LOT OF WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO AS A SPILL WHO AREN'T.

SO THANK YOU TO THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO GO AND BE A DELL INDEX.

MA'AM SHARON TABBY AND MS. BINDRA SAID, IN REGARD TO THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR, THERE'S ONE THAT I TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF ISSUE WITH IT HASN'T BEEN REVISED SINCE 2014 AND THE MAIN REASON WHY MAKE ISSUE WITH IT, JUST BECAUSE I HAVE SOME PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE AND HISTORY WITH THE SIDE OF IT'S NUMBER 32, IT'S THE TUITION TAX CREDITS AND VOUCHERS.

UM, IN 2015, I BELIEVE IS WHEN THE EDUCATIONAL TAX CREDIT WAS ISSUED FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

MY DAUGHTER WASN'T RECIPIENT OF THAT, UM, AND WAS ABLE TO RECEIVE SERVICES.

HI BENTLEY, BECAUSE THE SERVICES THAT SHE WAS GETTING PUBLICLY, WELL, NOT ENOUGH.

AND THAT WAS VERY YOUNG IN HER LIFE.

AND I NORMALLY DO NOT SPEAK ON THAT, BUT IT DUMPED INTO THAT.

I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT BECAUSE MY CHILD WAS A DIRECT BENEFICIARY OF THIS POLICY, EXACTLY THAT LINE.

AND I THINK THAT IT'S VERY, UM, IT SERVES ESSENTIAL NEEDS CHILDREN VERY WELL.

AND I THINK THAT THE LANGUAGE HERE DOESN'T, UM, TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.

AND SO I THINK THAT IN LOOKING AT THE EXCEPTIONS TO WHAT SPSP MIGHT BE IN, UM, AMENABLE TO CONSIDERING IS THAT CHILDREN WITH EXCEPTIONAL NEEDS CAN BENEFIT GREATLY FROM EDUCATIONAL SPECS, SCHOLARSHIPS, CREDITS, VOUCHERS, WHATEVER YOU CALL IT.

AND IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE WAY THAT IT'S STRUCTURED IN SOUTH CAROLINA DOES NOT TAKE ANY FUNDS AWAY FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

IT SAVES TAX CREDIT TO FAMILIES WHO NEED SPECIAL SERVICES FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT JUST THE LANGUAGE THAT THEY HAVE HERE.

UM, I DON'T THINK NECESSARILY TAKES SOME FULL ACCOUNT POLICIES THAT ARE PRESENT LATE LAW IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

AND THEN I THINK, UM, SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT OR ASK THIS STUFF THAT I THINK NEEDS, HOPEFULLY, SO I GUESS, SO WHAT WOULD WE DO GIVEN WHAT YOUR COMMENTS ARE, DO YOU WANT TO, SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I BROUGHT THIS FORWARD, THIS IS THE LAST WORK SESSION WE HAVE BEFORE THIS MEETING.

SO HE WANTS TO, UM, YOU HAVE POLICY MEETING ON MONDAY.

UM, SO YOU STILL ADD THAT TO THE AGENDA AND NOT, AND THEN REPOST THE AGENDA BECAUSE WE'LL STILL GIVE YOU THE 24 HOURS.

AND THE POLICY COMMITTEE COULD COME UP WITH WORDING TO RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD.

WE CAN VOTE ON IT, AND THEN WE COULD BRING IT FORWARD AS DELEGATES AT THE MEETING BECAUSE CHANGES CAN BE MADE TO THESE AGGRAVATING.

BUT LIKE I ALREADY SAID, WHEN I MADE THE INTRODUCTION, WHAT TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE ADVOCATING WHAT THE BOARD WANTS, SO WE HAVE TO HAVE A LOAD ON IT.

MADE? BECAUSE IF YOU ARE FROM TAMPA, UH, EMOTION, WHAT YOU NEED IS MORE APPROPRIATE RIGHT NOW? NO, IT'S NOT.

SO, SO IF WE, IF WE DID GRADING POLICY, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO QUEUE EVERYTHING? YES.

WHAT I WAS THINKING IS EXACTLY THAT IT WOULD BRING FORWARD OUR NEXT MEETING ON MONDAY, WHAT HAPPENED? THE JET IS SETTING FOR THE, THE BUSINESS NEEDS THOSE 80 DAYS LATER.

IS THAT WHAT IT WAS ABOUT TIME FOR YOUR COMMITTEE TO COME UP WITH THE WORDING, VOTE ON WHAT THEY BRING TO THE BOARD FOR OUR NOVEMBER, THE FIRST WEEK OF NOVEMBER.

SO THAT WOULD ALLOW US ENOUGH TIME, YOU KNOW? SO I HAVE TO ASK MY OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON POLICY JUST BECAUSE THAT NOVEMBER MEETING, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S NOT SOMEONE ELSE TO BRING.

ANY, ANYBODY OPPOSED TO THE SUGGESTION I JUST

[04:40:01]

EMOTION IS JUST BEEN PULLED ON KHAKIS DISCUSSING IT, BUT TO BULLIES DISCUSSES, I NEED REFERENCE TO THE LAW.

I NEED TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT IS PROPOSED IN THIS LAW.

YOU KNOW, RACHEL, SO LET THE CENTRAL BASED FURNITURE, WHAT THIS, WHAT THIS, THIS IS A BOOZY AS WELL.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M KIND OF GETTING AT IS THAT THEY REFERENCE ABORIGINAL TUITION TAX CREDIT PROPOSAL PARENTS IN CHARGE APP.

AND THAT WAS PRIOR TO 20 , BUT THE EXCEPTIONAL NEEDS CREDIT CAME INTO AND THE 2015 SECOND.

SO IT DOESN'T REFERENCE EVEN THE CURRENT OFFER.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO HAVE YOU BRING TO HER.

I HAVE THE BALL SO THAT I CAN TAKE INFORMED DECISIONS WHEN YOU'RE DISCUSSING.

SO I'M CURIOUS ON MS. CARTILAGE, DO YOU, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE, UM, THE, THE CURRENT LAW FOR THIS THAT'S THAT'S NOT REFERENCED HERE THAT'S SINCE THIS WAS LACKED.

SO THIS IS A PAGE 39 IN THE HANDBOOK.

IT'S NUMBER 32.

AND IT SAYS, YOU KNOW, IF THIS WAS YOUR LAST YEAR REVISED IN 2014, UM, YEAH, YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE CURRENT LAW? WHAT IF I MAY MADAM YES, GO AHEAD.

SO IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, THIS RESOLUTION 32 LUMPS, ALL OF THE VARIOUS TAX CREDIT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND ONE RESOLUTION, AND THIS SPECIFIC ONE THAT I'VE TALKED TO YOU ABOUT IS FOR EXCEPTIONAL NEEDS CHILDREN.

UM, AND THAT'S ONE THAT I'M MOST FAMILIAR WITH.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I KIND OF TAKE OPERATIONAL INSIGHTS, LUMPING THEM ALL TOGETHER.

AND WHEN CHILDREN THAT ARE CERTIFIED VARIOUS DIFFERENT.

POST-HOC RULES, UM, TO BASICALLY MAKE IT MORE COMPLIANT.

SO I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.

SO I'M JUST GOING TO START FLAILING AROUND A LITTLE BIT AND HE'LL GUIDE ME TO APPROPRIATE.

UM, IF I WAS TO GO TO WASHINGTON OR TO COLUMBIA RIGHT NOW, I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS THAT ARE NOT IN HERE, BUT YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, INCREASING FEDERAL OVERSIGHT OF ESTERS MONEY, WHICH A LOT OF STATES ARE PUSHING BACK ON.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM BRING THAT UP BECAUSE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT A MASSIVE BURDEN ON SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO COMPLY.

UM, SECONDLY, UM, I THINK THAT AT SOME POINT THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO ADDRESS WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION, PHILADELPHIA, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA HAS LEFT THE NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION.

SEVERAL OTHER SCHOOLS ARE CONSIDERING MAYBE BECAUSE OF THE RHETORIC USED BY THE NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD.

UM, THEY, WHEN PARENTS AS DOMESTIC TERRORISTS, WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO SAY PUBLICLY IS NOT A POSITION TONIGHT, OR DO I THINK ANYONE BOARD SUPPORTS HERE AND I TAKE OFFENSE AT THAT CHARACTERIZATION AS A PARENT.

UM, AND I KNOW THAT WE GOT A LETTER FROM SCOTT PRICE.

UH, I COULDN'T FIND IT RIGHT THIS SECOND, BUT I THINK THEY NEED TO AT LEAST ADDRESS THAT ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS APPROPRIATE TO WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.

THE THIRD THING THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ON THIS AT SOME POINT, I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME, BUT ALLOWING US TO HIRE DHAKA STUDENTS AS TEACHERS RIGHT NOW, WE ARE PROHIBITED FROM HIRING, UM, DECA AS TEACHERS.

I HAVE NO IDEA IF THAT WAS A PERFECT ALL RESPONDED.

I'M NOT SURE WITH HER, I REALLY HAVE THE, UH, EXPERTISE TO ANSWER.

SO, UM, LET'S START WITH YOUR LAST ONE IS PROHIBITED BY STATE LAW.

YOU CAN'T BE CERTIFIED.

YOU CAN'T , THAT'S WHY I SAY, I DON'T KNOW THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

YEAH, I CUT THAT OFF.

AND THE SBA, I DON'T THINK THIS FROM HAVING ATTENDED THIS MEETING IN THE PAST, I DON'T THINK THIS WOULD BE THE PLACE TO BRING UP.

UM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER WE WOULD LIKE TO WITHDRAW FROM SBA.

I THINK THAT HAD TO BE SOMETHING THAT NOT FROM SAY SOUTH CAROLINA SPS RESPONSE TO THE NATIONAL, UM, BUT WHAT'S THEIR POSITION THEY SHOULD HAVE.

THEY SHOULD HAVE A STATEMENT OR SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE.

SO WHY DON'T I REACH OUT, UM, ON MONDAY JUST ABOUT PRICE AND JUST SEE WHAT MAYBE WE CAN JUST GET THAT ANSWER.

YEAH, EXACTLY.

WHAT, ONE OF THE, HOW HAVE THEY RESPONDED TO THAT? AND IF YOUR FIRST ONE WAS SPECIFICALLY, WHAT ABOUT SR? UM, THEY'RE SAYING NOW THERE'S CONCERNS ABOUT HOW NATIONWIDE DISTRICTS ARE SPENDING S OR FUNNY, BUT FUNNY, UM, FUNDING.

AND THEY GAVE EXAMPLES LIKE ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN TEXAS BUILT A NEW TRACKING FIELD AND ONCE YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT.

AND SO THEY'RE SAYING, WELL, NOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WANTS TO PUT IN A BUNCH MORE OVERSIGHT AND POST WHAT'S THE

[04:45:01]

AND SO THE DISTRICTS ARE UPSET.

A LOT OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE UPSET BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO, WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT HIRING ADDITIONAL STAFF, ET CETERA, TO COMPLY AFTER THE FACT.

UM, AND SO A LOT OF DISTRICTS ARE SAYING, WE DON'T NEED THAT.

WE'RE GOING TO REPORT TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

YOU GUYS DO YOUR OWN DATA COLLECTION AND ASSESSMENT.

DON'T DUMP IT BACK ON THE DISTRICTS.

THAT'S MORE OR LESS, BUT AGAIN, THIS MAY NOT BE THE PLACE FOR THAT.

I DON'T THINK SO BECAUSE YOU ALREADY HAVE A REPORTING ON, YOU KNOW, FIRST WE GET AS OF FUNDING APPROVED AND THEN YOU HAVE A REPORTING SYSTEM AFTER THEY'RE DONE ADDING LAYERS DOWN, BUT THAT'S NOT TO THE SESP.

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WOULD BE A PLACE FOR THAT.

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WE'RE DOING YOURSELF.

UH, I CHAIR, WE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.

UM, AND I CONCUR WITH ANY CATHERINE MENTIONED AND FISHER MENTION TO ME THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF WHAT'S WRITTEN HERE FOR THE RESOLUTIONS.

IT'S MOSTLY THE SAME YEAR AFTER YEAR AS, I MEAN, I DEFINITELY THINK IT'S THINGS THAT YOU HAVE ON SCHOOL BOARD.

UH, OUR LOCALS, 11 OF US WHO SUPPORT, CAN I ASK MYSELF WITH INFLUX AT THE BACK OF ME? THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN PUT ON NEXT YEAR, RIGHT? WHEN YOU'VE PUT OUT A REQUEST OR IS THAT JUST UNNECESSARILY? SO IN LATE MAY OR IN LATE MAY, I BELIEVE , IT'S LATE SPRING, MAYBE IT'S APRIL OR MAY THE SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION WILL SEND THEM SOME NOTICE IF WE, FOR ANY, WE'D LIKE TO SUBMIT ANY LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS FOR THIS UPCOMING DELEGATE ASSEMBLY.

AND I BELIEVE THEY'RE DUE ON JUNE 15TH TO BENEFIT, EXCEPT THAT IT GOES INTO THIS BOOK.

EXACTLY.

BECAUSE THEIR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, WORDSMITH THE LANGUAGE SHOULD HAVE WHAT YOU SAID THAT, AND THEN THE, AND THEN THE ASSEMBLY IN SEPHORA, I E THE BACK AND FORTH MEMBERS THAT ARE THERE.

SO IF YOU GO TO ASK, SO I THINK WE COVERED THAT AS WE NEED TO.

UM, SO OUR NEXT, UH, SO ON MONDAY, THERE ARE TWO BOARD MEETINGS, THERE'S POLICY AT THREE 30 AND FIVE O'CLOCK.

AND IN FACT, HE WAS ASKING IF WE HAVE A FEATURE CONVEYED THEM TODAY, OR JUST SAYING, YOU CAN DO EITHER, I MEAN, YOU CAN EMAIL IT OR, OR WE CAN DO IT RIGHT NOW.

IT'S NOT ON HERE THAT, UM, I WOULD JUST SAY, UM, I'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT SCHOOL LUNCHES AND OUR FIELD SURFACE.

UM, AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF STAFFING ISSUES THAT YOU COULD GET THAT DATA REPORT.