Jul 09, 2024 Board of Education

IF YOU APPROVE THE MOTION.

UM, AND THEN ONLINE, WE'LL GO ALPHABETICALLY.

SAY YOUR LAST NAME AND YOUR VOTE PLEASE.

IF MS. BOATWRIGHT IS NOT HERE.

THIS IS DALLAS.

PERSONNEL RATIFICATION REPORT EARL CAMPBELL.

ANY NAY AND ANY, UH, SO THAT ABSTENTIONS? NO.

SO THE MOTION CARRIES, UM, SIX ONE AND WE'LL NOW MOVE TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

MADAM CHAIR, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, THE AUDIO GOES IN AND OUT.

BEAUFORT COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL PROVIDES TEMPORARY SHELTER FOR STRAY AND UNWANTED DOGS AND CATS AND WORKS TO REUNITE PETS WITH THEIR OWNERS OR FIND THEM NEW HOMES.

TALK TO YOUR VET ABOUT HAVING YOUR PETS FEED AND MICROCHIPS HELP IN THE SUFFERING CAUSED BY ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION AND MOS PETS.

A MESSAGE FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER AND CONTROL THE SHELTER IS ALWAYS HAPPY TO ACCEPT DONATIONS OF OLD BLANKETS, TOWELS, OR PET TOYS.

SOMETIMES WE CAN DO THINGS THAT EXCLUDE OTHERS.

YOU STILL TALKING TO YOUR FRIENDS? IT'S COMPLICATED.

I THINK HE WENT BACK IN.

WE GOTTA GO GET HIM.

WELCOME TO JUMANJI.

EVEN THE SMALLEST WORDS AND ACTIONS CAN HAVE A BIG EFFECT ON SOMEONE.

YOU HAVE THE SKILLS BECAUSE OF YOU SOMEONE'S ENTIRE DAY, THEIR YEAR, OR THEIR LIFE CAN CHANGE.

REMEMBER THE FUTURE ISN'T YOUR HANDS VISIT BECAUSE OF YOU.ORG TO LEARN MORE? TOTALLY.

LET'S DO IT.

[Action as Necessary or Appropriate Regarding Matters Discussed in Executive Session]

[00:15:17]

FOUR.

[00:15:18]

JUNE, 2024.

SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

ANY NAYS? AND ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY, SO THAT MOTION CARRIES, UH, 7 0 1.

DO WE, DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER ACTION AS NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE? NO, MA'AM.

WE DO NOT.

ON OUR AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA, SO WE NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND.

WELL, THANK YOU, SIR.

UH, NEXT

[Approval of Agenda]

SO MOVED IF NO ONE'S MADE THE MOTION.

WE'LL LET YOU MAKE THE MOTION, UH, CARLTON DALLAS AND, AND EARL CAMPBELL WILL SECOND IT.

ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY.

ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE AGENDA, PLEASE SAY AYE.

ANY NAYS AND ANY ABSTENTIONS? SO DID EVERYBODY VOTE? I COULDN'T SEE EVERYBODY.

STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

SO THE, THE, UH, AGENDA WAS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.

WE WILL NOW, UM,

[Pledge of Allegiance, Moment of Silence, Statement of Media Notification]

PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

THE MEDIA HAS BEEN PROPERLY NOTIFIED.

NEXT UP IS OUR FIRST PUBLIC

[First Public Comments]

COMMENTS.

SO WE NEED, UM, SOME ASSISTANCE DR.

R TO MOVE THE PODIUM OUT OF THE WAY.

SO, AS, AS WE LISTED IT VERY CLEARLY ON OUR AGENDA, THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, TIME HAS TO BE LIMITED TO TOPICS ON THE BOARD MEETING AGENDA.

AND I HAVE A GENTLEMAN, JIM MILLER, WHO HAS SUBMITTED A, UM, REQUEST TO SPEAK ON THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC EDUCATION.

AND I'M, I DO NOT THINK THAT IS ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA.

I CANNOT FIND IT ANYWHERE.

SO YOU ARE WELCOME TO SPEAK AT THIS.

I'M SORRY, I THOUGHT I SIGNED THE OTHER.

UM, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION NEEDS TO HAVE A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING, UH, FOR, UH, HE HEARINGS ON STUDENT APPEALS.

YOU PERHAPS YOU DID BY THE COLOR.

YEAH, THAT'S FINE.

WE'LL HEAR FROM YOU IN OUR SECOND, UM, SESSION, AND THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING.

SO, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY, UM, REMOTELY OKAY.

SO THERE ARE NO, UH, COMMENTERS REMOTELY.

SO NEXT WE ARE UP TO THE CHAIR REPORT.

[Chair Report]

AND WITH THE ATTORNEYS INVOLVED AND EVERYONE'S SCHEDULES INVOLVED, WE'RE DOWN TO TWO DATES.

AND THOSE ARE WEDNESDAY, JULY 24TH OR THURSDAY, JULY 25TH.

AND THE TIME OF THE, OF THE, UM, MEETING WILL BE 5:00 PM TO ACCOMMODATE, UH, EVERYONE'S SCHEDULE.

AND THOSE THAT ARE HAVE FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT AND THE TWO HEARINGS WILL BE CONDUCTED THE SAME EVENING.

I KNOW ROBIN HAS, UH, HAS STARTED, UH, REACHING OUT TO MANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, BUT IF YOU HAVE NOT HEARD FROM ROBIN, UH, I ASK THAT YOU SUBMIT, UH, TO HER, UH, WHAT YOUR AVAILABILITY FOR THOSE TWO EVENINGS.

UH, NO LATER THAN 12 NOON TOMORROW, BECAUSE WE HAVE LOTS OF SCHEDULES TO COORDINATE, INCLUDING, UH, THE, OUR ATTORNEY WHO'S REPRESENTING US AND, AND ALSO THE ATTORNEYS THAT ARE REPRESENTING THE

[00:20:01]

STUDENTS.

NEXT ON OUR SCHEDULE, WE

[Legislative Update]

HAVE OUR LEGISLATIVE UPDATE FROM OUR LOBBYIST, LYNN STOKES MURRAY, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS FOR BUR FOREMAN MCNAIR.

AND WE WELCOME YOU LYNN, TO OUR MEETING.

DON'T LET THIS PAUSE SCARE YOU.

I'LL, I'LL TRY NOT TO, UM, TO TAKE UP TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME, BUT IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE TO STAND BEFORE YOU AND, UM, NOT BE ON THE VIDEO SCREEN.

SO IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU ALL AND APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE VERY MUCH.

UM, WHAT I THINK I WANNA START BY SAYING IS THAT OF, OF ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THIS REPORT, AND THERE ARE MANY, THERE'S ONLY A HANDFUL THAT PASSED, AND I THINK WHEN WE STARTED THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, 23, UM, THIS, THIS, THIS SESSION, WHICH IS 23, 24, 24, 25, WE REALLY EXPECTED TO SEE A LOT MORE HAPPEN THAN, THAN WHAT HAS HAPPENED.

SO I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT, UM, SOME HIGHLIGHTS.

I KNOW THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS OF PARTICULAR INTEREST.

IF, IF, UM, I HAVEN'T ADDRESSED THOSE IN MY REMARKS.

IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, DON'T HESITATE.

I'M GOING TO SUBMIT MY REMARKS TO, UM, ROBIN, SO YOU WILL HAVE THEM FOR FURTHER REVIEW.

UM, AND I REALLY WANTED TO, UM, UH, TO TALK ABOUT INITIALLY THE, UM, THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION GAINING THE POWER TO BAN BOOKS.

I FELT LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS WOULD HAVE AT THE, AT THE TOP OF YOUR LIST AS YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS DOWN HERE, UM, THROUGH BASICALLY AN OBSCURE PROVISION IN THE SUNNY DIE RESOLUTION, IT ALLOWED THE REGULATION TO GO INTO EFFECT ON JUNE 25TH WITHOUT MUCH REVIEW FROM THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

UM, THE BOE REGS ON CHALLENGE BOOKS WILL GO INTO EFFECT FOR THE 24 25 SCHOOL YEAR.

THIS, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? WE HAVE A COPY OF WHAT YOU JUST SHOWED US AS NOW, DO WE HAVE A COPY OF THAT? NO, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA SUBMIT IT TO ROBIN AND I'LL GET IT TO YOU ALL.

I I OKAY.

I HAND WROTE IT ALL TONIGHT.

THE OLD FASHIONED WAY.

OKAY, .

IMPLEMENTING THIS NEW REGULATION.

SO THE, UM, THE STATE BOARD IS GONNA HAVE THE, UM, AUTHORITY TO ULTIMATELY DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT TO REMOVE A BOOK.

AND ONLY THEY WILL BE ABLE TO PUT IT BACK.

SO PARENTS OF A CHILD IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM CAN CHALLENGE A BOOK.

THEY'RE LIMITED TO FIVE COMPLAINTS PER MONTH.

A FORM WHICH IS BEING DEVELOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT, UM, WILL BE TURNED INTO YOU ALL AT THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD.

IT'S A LOCAL BOARD DECIDES TO KEEP THE BOOK IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARIES AGAINST PARENTS' WISHES TO REMOVE IT.

THE PARENT CAN TAKE A COMPLAINT TO THE STATE BOARD FOR A FINAL DECISION, AND IF IT IS BANNED BY THE STATE BOARD, IT MUST BE REMOVED FROM ALL SCHOOL LIBRARIES IN THE STATE, NOT JUST THE INDIVIDUAL LOCAL LIBRARY, LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS.

YOU GUYS, ELECTED OFFICIALS WILL NOT HAVE THE POWER TO CHOOSE AT THAT POINT.

THE REGS MEAN THAT THE STATE WOULD JUDGE A BOOK ON A TWO-PRONGED THRESHOLD TEST THAT ASKED IF THEY'RE AGE APPROPRIATE EDUCATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY.

AND THEN THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD WILL CONSIDER THE BOOKS ACADEMIC, EDUCATIONAL RIGOR, EDUCATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE, VALIDITY, ACCURACY, OBJECTIVITY, AND APPROPRIATENESS.

THE SCHOOL BOARDS WILL ALSO CONSIDER FINITE AVAILABILITY OF LIBRARY SHELF SPACE AND INSTRUCTIONAL TIME.

AND WHETHER THE SPACE OCCUPIED BY A BOOK IN THE TIME, UH, OF TEACHING IS PERTAINS TO MATERIAL THAT COULD BE BETTER FILLED OR SPENT BY A DIFFERENT BOOK WITH A GREATER ACADEMIC RIGOR.

THE BOARD OF EDUCATION PLANS TO HAVE ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE FOR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REGULATION.

UM, AND I ANTICIPATE THAT THAT GUIDANCE IS PROBABLY FORTHCOMING AS ALL THIS HAS JUST HAPPENED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.

BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE Y'ALL WERE AWARE AND, AND YOU PROBABLY, I KNOW DR. RODRIGUEZ HAS ALREADY, ALREADY HEARD THIS AS WELL, BUT THOSE CHANGES ARE COMING DOWN AND THE, THE BASIC BOTTOM LINE APPEAL WILL NOW BE HELD AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT.

AND WHATEVER DECISION THEY MAKE IS APPLICABLE ACROSS THE STRAIT, THE STATE.

NOW, I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF CHAOS IN

[00:25:01]

UM, I THINK THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BELIEVES THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF CHAOS IN THIS NEW REGULATION.

I FULLY EXPECT BASED ON PUBLIC COMMENTS MADE BY THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE, UH, FOR EDUCATION ON THE SENATE SIDE, THAT THEY'LL REVISIT THIS PROCESS NEXT YEAR.

BUT IN THE MEANTIME, UNTIL SOMETHING CHANGES AND WHENEVER, OR IF IT IS CHANGED AND SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH NOW.

SO, JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE Y'ALL HAD THAT TOP OF MIND.

UM, AND ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT BEFORE I MOVE? ? UM, LYNN? SO THE, YOU STARTED, UM, YOUR, UM, PRESENTATION SAYING THAT IT, IT CAN ONLY BE PARENTS OF A STUDENT, UM, THAT CAN SUBMIT A, UH, A REQUEST TO HAVE THEM, THEY HAVE TO BE A PARENT OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILD.

THEY'RE AN INDEPENDENT PERSON.

SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN ABOUT CHARTER SCHOOLS AND IF THEY'RE CHARTERED BY THE STATE, I THINK THE INTENT IS THAT THEY WOULD BE CONSIDERED A PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILD.

DON'T THINK THAT IS A MEN MURRAY OPINION.

REQUIRES THAT WRITTEN NOTIFICATION BE, UM, GIVEN TO PARENTS OR LEGAL GUARDIANS OF THE PUPIL THAT IS IN QUESTION IN THE EXPULSION HEARINGS.

I LOOKED THE LEGAL COUNSEL OVER THERE TO HELP ME OUT IF I'M WRONG.

SO THE NEXT THING I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, AND, AND WE HAD HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH MANY OF THE PRINCIPALS AND, UM, SUPERINTENDENTS WHEN I WAS HERE.

I THINK IT WAS THE END OF MAY.

UM, I THINK I'LL HAVE TO ASK MARY IF THAT'S RIGHT.

BUT, UM, UH, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WERE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN, WHICH I'M SURE YOU ALL ARE, IS THE TRANSPARENCY AND INTEGRITY IN EDUCATION ACT.

UM, FIRST LET ME SAY THAT IT DID NOT PASS, BUT LET ME TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT IT WAS GOING TO DO AND WHAT HAPPENED.

SO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY DID NOT PASS LEGISLATION THAT WOULD BAN THE TEACHING OF RACE-BASED CURRICULUM IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

THE BILL WAS FILED IN EARLY 23, AND IT SOUGHT TO BAR ANY CURRICULUM IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUGGESTING THAT MEMBERS OF ONE RACE, SEX, ETHNICITY, COLOR, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN ARE INHERENTLY SUPERIOR TO MEMBERS OF ANOTHER GROUP.

AND THE BILL PASSED THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE RELATIVELY QUICKLY IN 23, AND IT WOULD'VE ALLOWED PARENTS FROM ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY TO SCHOOL, TO SUE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND TEACHERS FOR VIOLATING THE LAW EVEN BEFORE A FORMAL ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING HAD BEEN CONDUCTED.

BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS OPPOSED THAT PROVISION, AND THAT'S ULTIMATELY WHAT KILLED THE BILL.

SO ON THE FINAL DAY OF SESSION, SENATOR GREG HEMBRY, UM, WENT TO THE SENATE AND ASKED FOR FREE CONFERENCE POWERS, WHICH TAKES A TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT AND VOTING THAT WOULD'VE GIVEN THEM BROAD AUTHORITY TO, TO REWRITE THAT SECTION.

AND WHAT HE WANTED TO DO WAS THAT THE, UM, THE BILL WOULD HAVE ALLOWED PARENTS TO SUE SUE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ONLY AFTER AN ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING HAD BEEN REMEDIED.

THAT MOTION FAILED.

AND SO THE WHOLE BILL FAILED.

I I ANTICIPATE THAT IT WILL BE BACK.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE A VERY, UH, NOW AFTER THE PRIMARIES, UM, IN JUNE OF REPUBLICANS IN BOAST, THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, THE FREEDOM CAUCUS AND THE, UM, OTHER, UH, CONSERVATIVES, I BELIEVE I WILL PUT THIS BACK ON THEIR AGENDA TO LOOK AT FOR 25.

SO I WANTED YOU TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO IT THIS YEAR.

'CAUSE WE GOT, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT A LOT WHEN WE WERE HERE IN MAY, UM, BUT IT, IT ULTIMATELY DID NOT PASS, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING AWAY.

SO THAT MOVES ME TO, UM, COUPLE OTHER THINGS ON ISSUE SIDE, UM, THE CHILD ONLINE SAFETY ACT.

SO THAT LEGISLATION WAS IMPLEMENTED AND ENACTED.

UM, IT'S EFFECTIVE MAY, 2024, AND IT, UM, IT'S UNLAWFUL FOR AN OPERATOR MAKE ANY SORT OF PORNOGRAPHIC WEBSITE AVAILABLE TO PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF 18.

UM, NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR EXPULSION HEARINGS, AND I HEARD Y'ALL TALKING ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.

UM, THIS

[00:30:01]

AND THAT WAS EFFECTIVE MAY 21ST OF THIS YEAR.

COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION LEGISLATION WAS PASSED, AND THAT PROVIDES FOR AN EXEMPTION OF COMPETENCY-BASED SCHOOLS FROM CERTAIN APPLICABLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS.

THAT REQUIRES THE DEPARTMENT TO PROMULGATE A REGULATION.

DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, BUT WE'LL KEEP OUR EYES OUT FOR THAT.

THE SEIZURE SAFE SCHOOLS ACT, IT REQUIRES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SEIZURE PLANS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND PROVIDES FOR REQUIREMENTS AND IMPLEMENTATION.

UM, BOOSTER CLUBS, WHICH, UM, A COUPLE FOLKS HAD ASKED ME ABOUT A PERSON THAT HAS A CRIMINAL CONVICTION IS PROHIBITED FROM SERVING AS THE TREASURER OF A BOOSTER CLUB.

AND EACH BOOSTER CLUB WITHIN A SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS TO ANNUALLY REGISTER WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD.

UM, THE SCHOOL BOARD MUST RUN A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK TO DETERMINE IF THE TREASURER IS PROHIBITED FROM SERVING IN THAT ROLE.

SO THAT HAS GONE INTO EFFECT.

UM, READ TO SUCCEED ENDORSEMENTS, UM, WERE ADOPTED AND FIRST STEPS.

THE COMPLETION OF SEPARATING FIRST STEPS FROM THE DDOE WAS IMPLEMENTED THROUGH, UM, IT STARTED LAST YEAR AND FINISHED THROUGH THIS BUDGET PROCESS.

UM, IN 2024, YOU STATED ABOUT BOOSTER CLUBS AND YOU SAID THAT, COULD YOU REPEAT THAT AGAIN ABOUT SCHOOL BOARDS DO WHATNOT.

SO, IF A PERSON HAS A CRIMINAL CONVICTION RIGHT, THEY CANNOT SERVE AS TREASURER OF THE BOOSTER CLUB, AND DID THEY GO INTO ANY, DID THEY GO INTO ANY DETAIL OF WHY THAT IS? BECAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT BOOSTER CLUBS HAVE THEIR ACCOUNTS WITHIN THE SCHOOLS, UH, AND THE DISTRICT HAVE ANY ACCESS TO THAT.

SO DID THEY GO INTO ANY, UM, TO ANY, TO ANY GREAT LENGTH OF DISCUSSION IN TERMS OF WHY, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND, AND WHY THAT COME? NOW, MY GUESS IS THAT THIS OCCURRED SOMEWHERE, AND THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME MISAPPROPRIATION OF FUNDS, AND THEY, THEY WERE DOING THIS PROACTIVELY TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE.

I'M HAPPY TO TRY TO GET SOME BACKGROUND ON IT FOR YOU.

I, I DON'T KNOW THE PARTICULARS, BUT THAT IS MY BEST SUPPOSITION.

YEAH, I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO BACKGROUND ON THAT AND THEN I CAN TAKE IT, BUT EDUCATE AGAINST TO, UH, TO WHAT YOU JUST SAID, BUT JUST IN, IN CORRELATION TO, UH, WHAT CONCERN IS THAT? AND IF, IF I'M CORRECT, I DO BELIEVE THAT THAT BOOSTER CLUBS GET CUT COUNTS OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL, AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES NOT CONTROL THOSE, THOSE ACCOUNTS.

SO ONCE AGAIN, THE STATE THEY'RE BRINGING UP, THEY'RE BRINGING US SOMEONE ELSE'S PROBLEM THROUGHOUT DOORSTEP AND DROPPING IT OFF.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT PHENOMENAL ONE-ON-ONE.

LOCAL MANDATES, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY.

ONCE AGAIN, I DID SAY THAT, UM, I, YOU KNOW, I TAKE, I TAKE PROBLEM.

I TAKE VERY PROBLEM WITH THAT WHEN IT'S NOT A WELL THOUGHT OUT, UM, DECISION.

, UM, HOLD ON A SECOND, LYNN, WE HAVE CARLTON DALLAS WITH, UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO, UM, COMMENT? YES, MA'AM.

UH, THANK YOU MS. STOKES.

UM, JUST A QUESTION.

I SUPPORT THE CHILD ONLINE SAFETY ACT.

I THINK THAT'S A GOOD MOVE IN TERMS OF TRYING TO PROTECT OUR KIDS UNDER 18.

UH, THE OTHER, THE QUESTION THAT I RAISED THOUGH, THE, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THE COMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 1996, UH, SECTION TWO 30 REALLY PREVENTS, UH, PROSECUTION OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA AREAS PURVEYORS.

IS THERE GO, DO YOU THINK THERE'S A GROUNDSWELL TAKING PLACE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, OTHER STATES TO ACTUALLY GO AGAINST AND TRY TO ADDRESS THAT, THAT GAP AS WELL? I, I, I, I THINK YOU'RE HITTING THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.

UM, THERE, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS A GREAT DEAL, AND IT'S NOW IN HIS PURVIEW TO HELP PROMULGATE THE REGULATIONS ON HOW THIS IS GONNA LOOK.

SO, I, I FEEL LIKE IF IT'S RAISED TO THE AGS LEVEL, THAT THERE'S PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, A, A, A GROUNDSWELL ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO TRY TO ADDRESS IT.

AGREE.

WHAT, WHAT ARE THEY AFRAID OF? UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PART OF HISTORY, AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE HISTORY OF, OF, OF THE STATE OR THE UNITED STATES AMERICA OR WORLD HISTORY, THEN IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN.

OF COURSE.

SO LET ME TAKE YOU TO THE HAPPY NEWS.

WE HAVE ANOTHER MR. CAMPBELL.

EARL KIM, YES.

YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT, UH, RACE BASED SOMETHING AT THE FIRST PART OF YOUR, THE, UM, READ TO SUCCEED.

OH, OH, YES, YES, YES.

SO THAT WAS IN THE, UM, TRANSPARENCY ACT, THE TRANSPARENCY AND INTEGRITY AND EDUCATION ACT, WHICH DID NOT PASS.

MY QUESTION IS,

[00:35:01]

NOW, I KNOW SOME SCHOOL DISTRICT NOT HERE, I DON'T KNOW THINK HERE, BUT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO TEACH ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST, BUT THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TEACH ABOUT SLAVERY I APPROPRIATIONS.

SO ON JUNE 26TH, WE APPROVED A $14.5 BILLION BUDGET.

UM, THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR EDUCATION, A BILLION DOLLARS, WELL, LET ME JUST SAY THIS.

THERE'S A BILLION DOLLARS IN THIS BUDGET FOR TAX RELIEF.

UM, THERE IS, UM, INCREASED PAY FOR TEACHERS, WHICH I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT IN JUST A MINUTE.

REVISE THE EDUCATIONAL FUNDING FORMULA.

THIS IS LIKE THE SECOND OR THIRD YEAR OF REVISING THE FUNDING FORMULA.

I THINK IT'S SECOND YEAR.

AND, UH, WHERE THEY CONSOLIDATE SEVERAL LINES INTO SINGLE STATE AID TO CLASSROOMS, UM, WITH THE WAITINGS TO CONTINUE TO APPLY, UH, FOR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

AND IT'S, UH, PURPORTEDLY TO GIVE YOU ALL MORE FLEXIBILITY.

THAT'S $200 MILLION, $200 MILLION ADDITIONAL.

UM, Y'ALL ARE SUBJECT TO ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

AS YOU MAKE THOSE DECISIONS LOCALLY, STEP INCREASES.

SO THE AVERAGE SALARY INCREASE IS $2,800.

THAT'S ABOUT 5.1% AND PAY RAISES FOR TEACHERS UNDER THIS NEW REVISED, UM, SALARY SCHEDULE INCLUDES ALL LEVELS.

UM, SO 23 TO 28 YEAR TEACHERS TRADITIONALLY HAVE NOT QUALIFIED FOR THOSE STEP INCREASES.

THIS NOW ALLOWS THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT STEP INCREASE.

THE PER PUPIL FUNDING, UM, IS UP TO $8,590.

SO THAT'S AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT $17,980 PER STUDENT WITH THE COMBINED OF LOCAL AND STATE FUNDING.

UM, $2.7 MILLION IN EIA FUNDING FOR CLASSROOM SUPPLIES.

SO PER TEACHER, THAT WILL GO FROM $350 TO $400 PER TEACHER, $44 MILLION IN THE LOTTERY FUNDING FOR INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, $24 MILLION TO COVER INCREASED EXPENSES FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND FIRST STEPS FOR FULL DAY 4-YEAR-OLD KINDERGARTEN, 3 MILLION IN EIA FUNDING FOR EARLY LITERACY TRAINING, AND 22 MILLION IN EIA FUNDING FOR EARLY, UH, CHILD EARLY READING AND DEVELOPMENT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM THAT'S BEING HOUSED AT THE DEPARTMENT.

10 MILLION IN EIA DEVOTED TO MATH RESOURCES.

30 MILLION IN RECURRING FUNDING FOR THE EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP TRUST FUND.

THAT'S THE VOUCHER FUND.

A MILLION DOLLARS FOR JOBS FOR AMERICA'S GRADUATE PROGRAM, 20 MILLION FOR SCHOOL SAFETY GRADES AND UPDATES, 5 MILLION FOR SCHOOL MAPPING, UM, TO ASSIST FIRST RESPONDERS.

I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, UM, WHEN I WAS HERE IN MAY.

AND THERE'LL BE A NEW MAPPING SYSTEM FOR ALL THE SCHOOLS.

SO IF THERE'S EVER AN EMERGENCY THAT THE FIRST RESPONDER KNOWS EXACTLY WHERE TO GO, IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY, 28 MILLION IN LOTTERY FUNDS FOR SCHOOL BUSES LEASE AND PURCHASE 7 MILLION FOR THE EDUCATION GRANTS IMPROVEMENT FUNDING.

UM, THAT'S A TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM THAT THEY PUT INTO PLACE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHERE YOU, UH, TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES OR NONPROFITS CAN SUBMIT APPLICATIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT.

THEY'RE REVIEWED BY, UH, A COMMITTEE THAT'S APPOINTED AND THEY, UH, UH, PUT THAT MONEY OUT FOR POTENTIALLY NEW TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVES WITHIN THE STATE.

SO THAT IS WHAT I HAVE FOR Y'ALL TONIGHT.

IN THE SHORT VERSION, I WILL REDUCE MY WRITTEN OLD FASHIONED COMMENTS IN WRITING AND SUBMIT THEM.

I ALSO HAVE YOUR FULL LEGISLATIVE TRACKING REPORT AVAILABLE, AND I HAVE PLENTY OF INFORMATION ON ELECTIONS AND WHAT HAPPENED AROUND THE STATE, WHICH I'M HAPPY TO SHARE IF Y'ALL ARE INTERESTED IN THAT.

AND OF COURSE, THE SUMMARY SHEET AND BUDGET PROVIDES THOSE FOR THE, UM, APPROPRIATIONS BILL.

MR. SMITH,

[00:40:02]

UM, A WHILE BACK, I REMEMBER THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE STATE TAKING OVER STATES, UH, UH, SCHOOL BOARDS, UM, WHETHER THAT CONVERSATION ENDED UP IN THE BAT DIDN'T PASS OKAY.

OR IT DIDN'T PASS.

GREAT.

THANK YOU, MR. DALLAS.

UH, I'M SORRY, I HAVE NOTHING TO ASK.

I DIDN'T LOWER MY HAND, MA'AM.

UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN PERSON, UM, AND, UH, AND FOR YOUR, YOU ALWAYS GIVE A REALLY NICE, UH, PRESENTATION WITH GOOD INFORMATION, BUT DON'T MAKE IT, UH, UH, UH, TOO WORDY OR, UM, INCLUDE A LOT OF STUFF THAT WE DON'T REALLY NEED TO KNOW.

WELL, I, I JUST REMEMBER Y'ALL, REMEMBER THAT LOBBYISTS SPEAK IN THREE MINUTE INCREMENTS.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S ABOUT ALL YOU GET.

YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF .

THIS WAS WAY ABOVE MY PAY GRADE TONIGHT.

BUT THANK Y'ALL AGAIN.

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU SOON.

UM, UH, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT UNDER THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.

SO, NEXT UP WE HAVE,

[Superintendent’s Report]

GOOD EVENING.

THE FIRST ITEM, UH, TONIGHT IS AN UPDATE, UH, REGARDING GRADUATION AND GRADUATION SY 24 25 INFORMATION, AS WELL AS I THINK MAYBE A LOOK AHEAD.

GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU DR. RODRIGUEZ, BOARD MEMBERS THIS EVENING.

I BRING FORWARD GRADUATION DETAILS FROM OUR 2024 GRADUATES, AS WELL AS UPDATES FOR THE 2025 COMMENCEMENTS CEREMONIES.

YOUR FOLDERS CONTAIN A 2024 GRADUATION EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THAT DEFINES A 2024 TOTAL DISTRICT GRADUATION CLASS OF 1,464 SENIORS WHO CROSSED THE STAGES OF OUR SIX HIGH SCHOOLS.

WHAT I WANNA HIGHLIGHT ON THIS SPECIFIC EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IS PAGE TWO OF THIS DOCUMENT THAT SHARES A TOTAL OF 56,666,374 SCHOLARSHIP DO DOLLARS THAT OUR STUDENTS RECEIVED HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.

SO I DID WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS QUICK SUMMARY GIVES YOU A LISTING OF THE SCHOOLS BY GRADUATION.

IT AL ALSO GIVES YOU THE NAMES OF OUR RESPECTIVE VS.

AND, UM, VALEDICTORIAN AND SALUTATORIAN.

I WANTED YOU TO HAVE THAT FOR YOUR RECORDS.

AND IF WE GO TO THE PRESENTATION AS WE'RE IN THE SPIRIT OF COMMENCEMENT, THE SECOND DOCUMENT IN REGARDS TO GRADUATES CONSISTS OF A QUICK POWERPOINT TO SHARE UPDATES ON THE 2024 AND 2025, AS WELL AS THE 25 26 GRADUATION DATES AND TIMES.

MRS. CUSH BERRY, WHO CAN GO TO THE POWERPOINT, PLEASE.

YOU SHOULD ALSO HAVE IN YOUR FOLDERS THE ORIGINAL CALENDAR AND THE UPDATED CALENDAR WITH THE TIMES.

SO YOU COULD HAVE THAT FOR YOUR RECORDS AS WELL.

IF YOU LOOK AT SLIDE TWO OF THE POWERPOINT, IT SHARES WITH YOU WHAT WE HAD PRESENTED TO YOU EARLIER, ACTUALLY LAST ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR.

IT'S STRANGE TO SAY TO GRADUATION DATES AND TIMES FOR A 2025 GRADUATES BE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, WHERE IT HAS MAY 30TH AT 10:00 AM BEAUFORT HIGH RESPECTIVELY, MAY 30TH, THAT EVENING WOULD BE BLUFFTON HIGH.

AND YOU COULD FOLLOW THROUGH.

IF WE GO TO SLIDE THREE, YOU WILL SEE IT FOR THE FOLLOWING ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR, WHICH WOULD BE OUR CLASS GRADUATES OF THAT 2026.

BUT NOW, IF YOU GO TO SLIDE FOUR, THE 20 24 20 25 GRADUATION DATES ARE LISTED ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE WITH EACH COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY BEING CONDUCTED AT 7:00 PM.

ALSO NOTE THAT SOME GRADUATION, WHAT ADULT DEAD, THAT IS THE ONE DATE WE DON'T HAVE AT THIS TIME FOR THE, FOR THIS YEAR, AS WELL AS THE FOLLOWING YEAR, WHICH WILL BE ON SLIDE FIVE.

ALL GRADUATIONS ARE AT 7:00 PM AND THIS TIME ALLOCATED SHOULD THERE BE A NEED FOR MAKEUP FOR BOTH YEARS.

[00:45:01]

WANTED TO BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION SO YOU COULD DO YOUR PLANNING AHEAD OF TIME.

AND SINCE IT'S NOT A CHANGE OF THE ACADEMIC CALENDAR, THIS INFORMATION IS MORE FOR UPDATING FOR CALENDAR PURPOSES FOR YOU AS OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND FOR THE PUBLIC.

UNIVERSITY PURDUE, UH, PENNSYLVANIA STATE, P STATE UNIVERSITY.

UM, I MEAN, THERE ARE, I MEAN, THERE'S MITS ON HERE.

UM, SO GRADUATES SCHOOLS ARE ACCESSING MAJOR, HIGH POWERED UNIVERSITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, UH, FOR, FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO NOTE, AS WELL AS, UM, GRADUATES GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL, 14 ASSOCIATE DEGREES FROM THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY.

29 CAREER CERTIFICATES FROM TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY, FIVE DUAL ASSOCIATE DEGREES FROM TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY, 50 GRADUATES WHO HAVE ENLISTED IN THE MILITARY SERVICE.

UH, YOU'VE GOT, UH, FOUR NATIONAL MERIT FINALISTS, ONE NATIONAL MERIT, UH, SCHOLAR, AND YOU HAVE 85 PALMETTO FELLOWS.

SO GRADUATING CLASS OF 2024 IS WELL PREPARED, UH, FOR THEIR FUTURE, AND I THINK THERE IS SOME EXCITING NEWS TO CALL OUT AROUND THAT.

THANK YOU DR. RODRIGUEZ.

I DRS.

UM, THAT CONCLUDES, UH, THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.

UM, IF WE MOVE

[Board Business Action]

RIGHT INTO THE BOARD BUSINESS ACTION SECTION, UH, THE VERY FIRST ITEM ON THERE IS, UH, THE STRATEGIC PLAN.

IF YOUR YOUR PERMISSION, I'LL MOVE FORWARD.

UH, YES, PLEASE.

STRATOS, OUR CHIEF INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES, DR. RODRIGUEZ.

UH, AS DR.

STRATOS APPROACHES THE PODIUM, UH, THIS EVENING, UH, WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THE NEXT STRATEGIC PLAN, UH, FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN.

OUR PRIMARY OBJECTIVE THIS EVENING IS TO BRING BEFORE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND TO RECEIVE BOARD APPROVAL FOR THE LONG-TERM OUTCOMES, UH, IDENTIFIED IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT ARE REQUIRED, UH, BY THE STATE IN ORDER TO, TO, UH, PLACE IN YOUR DOCUMENT, THE, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, I WANNA BE CLEAR, WILL BE SETTING A BOLD AND AUDACIOUS GOAL FOR THIS FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN.

OUR ELA GOAL WILL BE 75% EXCEEDS OUR MATH, 75% MEETS AND EXCEEDS, AND THE GRADUATION RATE OF 92% OVER THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD.

THIS IN FACT, WILL BE A MOONSHOT MOMENT, WHICH WILL REQUIRE NOT ONLY BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT ALSO OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO BRING THESE RESULTS TO FRUITION.

SUCH AN UNDERTAKING WILL REQUIRE THE SUPPORT OF OUR PARENTS OR REQUIRE THEIR ENGAGEMENT AS WELL AS THAT OF STUDENTS, WHICH WILL BE PARAMOUNT.

IN ADDITION, IT WILL REQUIRE THE SUPPORT OF OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO INCLUDE BUSINESSES THAT COME TOGETHER AROUND THIS MOONSHOT MOMENT.

THIS BOLD AND AUDACIOUS GOAL WILL NO DOUBT BE A CHALLENGE THAT WE WILL STRIVE FOR AS A SYSTEM.

THROUGH THE USE OF A STRUCTURED STRATEGIC PLAN, WE WILL INCORPORATE A MONITORING SYSTEM TO KEEP TRACK OF OUR INITIATIVES AND IMPLEMENTATION OF RESEARCH-BASED BEST PRACTICES AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF OUR EDUCATORS.

HERE TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE IS DR.

THANK YOU AGAIN, AND MADDEN CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS.

TONIGHT, YOU HAVE A SERIES OF DOCUMENTS ALL IN SUPPORT OF THE DISTRICT'S STRATEGIC PLAN AND SCHOOL RENEWAL PLANS.

THE FIRST DOCUMENT IS A ONE PAGE DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN SUMMARY.

THE SECOND YOU WILL SEE AS WE GO FORWARD IS THE DISTRICT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.

AND THEN THERE

[00:50:01]

IS A FINAL GROUPING OF OUR SCHOOL RENEWAL PLANS, EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES TONIGHT.

JOINING ME IN THE AUDIENCE AS WELL IS ROBERT FLOWERS, OR AS WE KNOW, IS NICK FLOWERS, THE DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY, WHO HAS WORKED WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN, AND WITH A HOLISTIC GROUP OF DISTRICT DIVISIONS.

PLEASE NOTE THERE WAS AN OVERSIGHT ON THE COVER OF THE ONE PAGE EXECUTIVE REGARDING THE PARTICIPATION OF THE OPERATIONS DIVISION BECAUSE THEY HAVE PARTICIPATED FULLY WITH INPUT AND SUPPORT ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN.

ON THE ONE PAGE SUMMARY, IF WE GO TO, WE OPEN UP, YOU'LL SEE ON PAGE ONE.

THANK YOU, MRS. CUSHEN.

BARRY, YOU HAVE FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE, OR ACTUALLY THIS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY COMING TO YOU IN THE FIRST MEETING IN AUGUST.

I WANNA MAKE NOTE THAT THERE ARE FOUR PILLARS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED THAT ARE BEING USED.

ONE IS SUPPORT FOR, UH, ANNETTE FOCUSES UPON A NURTURING AND POSITIVE SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT.

THE SECOND IS ENGAGEMENT, WHICH MEANS UNLOCKING SUCCESS THROUGH TEAMWORK AND COLLABORATION.

THE THIRD ITEM, THIRD PILLAR, IS ACHIEVEMENT, WHICH WE ALL KNOW FOCUSES UPON OUR STUDENTS' ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.

AND THE FIRST ITEM IS A NEW TERM FOR OUR BOARD AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY WITH REGARD TO STEWARDSHIP, WHICH IS CAREFUL AND RESPONSIBLE MANAGE MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCES AND INVESTMENTS.

IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO SEE THE FORMAT OF THIS.

WHAT IS IN FRONT OF YOU AT THIS TIME.

YOUR FIRST COLUMN WHERE IT SAYS, LONG-TERM OUTCOMES FOCUSES UPON WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT IS ALIGNED WITH THE STATE.

AND THAT IS GRADUATION RATE, ENGLISH, LANGUAGE ARTS, MATHEMATICS.

AND THEN YOU'LL SEE FURTHER DOWN REGARDING WHO ARE DEVELOPING THE FORMAT AND PRACTICE OF THIS APPLICATION.

THIS IS A LITTLE SHIFT FOR US AS A SYSTEM.

OUR SECOND COLUMN IS BASICALLY HIGHLIGHTS THE STRATEGIC PILLARS, BUT I REALLY WANNA DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE COLUMN.

THIS SAYS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES.

YOU WILL SEE THAT THEY ARE ALIGNED TO THE PILLARS AND IN THAT ALIGNMENT, AND YOU'LL SEE HOW THEY CONNECT AS WE AS WE WILL GO TO THE NEXT DOCUMENT, TO THE STATE REQUIRED GOALS.

I WANNA SHARE THAT THE STATE REQUIRES STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, TEACHER QUALITY, SCHOOL CLIMATE, AND GIFTED AND TALENTED.

AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR BOARD MEMBERS TO KNOW.

SO IF YOU LOOK WHERE IT SAYS SPONSOR, SO I'M GONNA USE THE FIRST ROW WHERE IT SAYS STUDENT READINESS EARLY CHILDHOOD.

AND IF MADAM CHAIR WAS INTERESTED TO KNOW WHO'S THE SPONSOR OF THAT AS SENIOR STAFF, THE MS IS MYSELF.

AND THEN THE AH IS ASHLEY HUTCHINSON.

AND WHAT YOU SEE IDENTIFIED IN THE FINAL COLUMN IS, OR ARE THE INITIATIVES OR STRATEGIES THAT TIE WITH THIS.

SO WHAT YOU'LL HAVE AS BOARD MEMBERS, AS A REFERENCE, REFERENCE PAGE AS WELL, TO BE FAMILIAR WITH NOT ONLY OUR GOALS, BUT THE INITIATIVES THAT ARE TIED AS WE WORK AT PUSHING OUR STUDENTS TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND GRADUATION RATES.

SO I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A TASTE OF THIS FIRST BEFORE YOU SEE IT IN AUGUST.

AND I REALLY THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHENEVER YOU SEE THE WORD STUDENTS, IT MEANS ALL STUDENTS, NOT ONE GROUP TO ANOTHER GROUP, IT IS ALL STUDENTS.

MRS. BERRY, IF WE CAN GO TO THE FULL EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN.

HIGHLIGHT IS FROM PAGE NINE WITH REGARD TO OUR GOALS AND WHERE WE ARE WORKING AT PUSHING OUR STUDENTS FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS.

SO YOUR SECOND DOCUMENT THAT YOU HAVE IS ABOUT 23 PAGES.

AND I KNOW IT'S A PUN TO SAY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, BUT IN REALITY IT IS MUCH SMALLER, BUT IT'S IN A SUMMARY FORMAT.

AND I'D LIKE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO PAGE ONE, WHICH PROVIDES YOU WITH A TABLE OF CONTENTS.

THIS WILL GIVE YOU REFERENCE POINTS.

SO AS I GO THROUGH THE DOCUMENT, SHOULD I GO TOO FAST, IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK OR, AND LOOK AT AREAS.

OBVIOUSLY WITHIN THIS PACKET IS A SIGNATURE PAGE.

THE NEXT ITEM IS A SUMMARY OF THE DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN REQUIREMENTS.

THEN YOU'LL SEE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, AND I'LL WALK THROUGH THESE ITEMS. AND THEN TO ME, WHAT I REALLY DO WANNA

[00:55:01]

SO, UM, MRS. CPE, I JUST SLOW DOWN ONE SECOND SO I CAN CATCH UP TO YOU, MY DEAR LADY.

WE ARE EDUCATING OUR COMMUNITY ON OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ON TEACHER QUALITY PERFORMANCE.

SO I, I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THIS SLOWLY AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE WITH THE PLANS REQUIREMENTS ON PAGE THREE, I REITERATED WHAT IS A CHANGE FOR US AS A DISTRICT AND THAT THESE ARE THE PILLARS.

SO I'M TRYING TO GET AT WHAT IS NOW LIKE A NORMAN GLACIER.

THIS IS A LANGUAGE YOU WILL HEAR US USING MORE AND MORE SUPPORT, ENGAGEMENT, ACHIEVEMENT AND STEWARDSHIP.

OBVIOUSLY IN PAGE FOUR, I GIVE YOU RESOURCES AND SUPPORT.

AND THEN WE START AT PAGE FIVE.

THIS IS A NEEDS ASSESSMENT.

THERE IS A NARRATIVE IN SUPPORT FOR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.

IT IS BROKEN DOWN FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD OR PRESCHOOL, THEN TO ELEMENTARY, INCLUDING MIDDLE SCHOOL.

GRADES THREE THROUGH EIGHT ON PAGE SIX PROVIDE YOU THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT BY HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER QUALITIES ON THE LOWER PART OF THE PAGE.

SCHOOL CLIMATE STARTS ON THE BOTTOM OF PAGE SEVEN, AND THEN IT CONTINUES TO GIFTED AND TALENTED.

THESE ARE THE REQUIRED AREAS FOR A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO IDENTIFY EVERY FIVE YEARS A NEEDS ASSESSMENT.

AND OBVIOUSLY THERE WILL BE CORRELATING GOALS TO EACH ONE OF THESE AREAS.

I WANNA MAKE NOTE OF THE AMOUNT OF INPUT FROM DIVISION AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

THIS WAS NOT A DOCUMENT IN ISOLATION AND I HAVE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR WORK.

AS WE GO TO PAGE NINE, THE STATE REQUIRES THAT WE PROVIDE THEM WITH OUR MISSION, VISION, AND OUR BELIEFS.

THESE ARE DIRECTLY FROM OUR BOARD.

AND ON PAGE 10, THIS IS WHERE YOU'LL SEE THE FIRST GOALS BEING DEFINED AS REFERENCED BY DR. RODRIGUEZ.

75% PER READING, 75% FOR MATH.

WE KNOW THE SUCCESS WE HAVE MET WITH ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS.

WE ALSO RECOGNIZE AS, AS WE HAVE SHARED WITH YOU AS A BOARD, THE NEED TO GREATER DEEPEN RESOURCES AND SUPPORT FOR MATH LITERACY, OR MANY OF YOU KNOW IT AS NUMERACY, WE ARE LOOKING AT A SLOW START TO GET TO A GREATER PACE.

WHAT I MEAN BY THAT, OUR FIRST INTERIM GOAL IS 2%.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT BY, IN FIVE YEARS, WE'LL BE SEEKING A 5% OR 6% INCREASE IN AT MATHEMATICS.

AGAIN, A SLOW PACE TO BUILD MOMENTUM TO INCREASE GRADUALLY EACH YEAR TO BUILD THE MUSCLE.

ON THE LOWER HALF OF PAGE 10, YOU'LL SEE THE GOAL FOR MATHEMATICS.

AND IN THE MID PART OF PAGE 11 IS WHERE YOU'LL SEE THE 92% GRADUATION GOAL.

AND THE ACTIONS STEPS ARE WRITTEN TO ALSO INCLUDE GOALS FOR END OF COURSE EXAMS TO INCREASE OUR PROFICIENCY LEVELS AS WELL.

SO WE DIDN'T LEAVE IT OUT, NOT A REQUIREMENT FOR THE STATE, BUT WE'RE, WE ARE INCLUDING THEM WITHIN OUR ACTION STEPS ON GIFTED AND CHALLENGING.

I REALLY WANNA PUSH FORWARD THE FACT THAT WE ARE S SEEKING TO INCREASE POPULATION REPRESENTATION OF ALL STUDENTS.

IT IS CRITICAL TO STRETCH OPPORTUNITY AND KEY IN THIS INITIATIVE, YOU'LL SEE RESONATING AS YOU READ THROUGH, IS INFORMING NOT ONLY OUR PARENTS BUT OUR COMMUNITY, OUR ECUMENICAL PARTNERS, AND HELPING BUILDING THAT PLATFORM BY WHICH THAT

[01:00:01]

THIS WORK WAS SPEARHEADED BY MATT HUNT FROM HUMAN RESOURCES, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE APPROVAL OF ALICE WALTON.

AND I WANNA MAKE NOTE AS WELL OF THE DILIGENT WORK PUT FORWARD THROUGH THAT DIVISION.

PAUSE CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ, BUT I WILL GO TO PAGE 14.

AND THE MEASURE FOR SCHOOL CLIMATE IS OUR SCHOOL CLIMATE STATE REQUIRED SURVEY.

OUR STUDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT WORKED IN COLLABORATION WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF DR. WHITE HAD PUTTING TOGETHER ACTION STEPS FROM INPUT FROM STAKEHOLDERS.

TURN TO PAGE 15.

YOU'LL SEE THE DATES WHERE STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS WERE CONDUCTED AS WELL AS BANG THE TABLE INPUT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET INPUT ELECTRONICALLY THROUGH OUR WORK, THROUGH DR.

BREWER'S TEAM.

FOLLOWING PAGES ACTUALLY ARE THE ORIGINAL SIGN IN SHEETS FROM STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS.

WE HAD A GREATER SUCCESS RATE ELECTRONICALLY.

I DO WANNA SHARE THAT AND SEEMS TO BE A GENERAL 10 TREND HAPPENING.

AND THEN AS I TURN THE PAGE TO PAGE 22, UNDER STATE REQUIREMENT, AS YOU'VE APPROVED IN THE PAST, A STATE WAIVER FOR PROFICIENCY FOR STUDENTS NEW TO THE, THE COUNTRY WHO MAY NOT HAVE THEIR FULL TRANSCRIPTS, BUT HAVE SAID, HEY, I TOOK THAT CLASS.

I'VE TAKEN A WORLD LANGUAGE CLASS.

GIVEN THESE STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT TO DEMONSTRATE MASTERY.

IF YOU SEE ON THE AREA IN RED, THAT IS WHAT THE UPDATE FROM THE PRIOR WAIVER IS.

AND THEN BOARD MEMBERS RESPECTIVELY, YOU DO HAVE A LARGER, UM, AMOUNT OF DOCUMENTS THAT GIVES YOU A SUMMARY FROM EACH ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS.

THAT IS WHAT I'M FORWARD TO YOU THIS EVENING.

I HAVE A GOOD QUESTION IN TERMS OF, I'VE HEARD THAT YOU USE THE TERMS OF EDU EDU EARLY, EXCUSE ME, MY TONGUE GOT TIED EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

HOW ARE WE, HOW ARE WE PUTTING THAT PLAN TOGETHER AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO THIS EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, SO WE, IF WE CAN GO TO MRS. THANK YOU TO THE ONE PAGER.

IT'S A PAGE TWO OF THAT THAT HAS THE CHART.

SO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, MR. SMITH IS NOT A REQUIREMENT OVERALL DIRECTLY, SPECIFICALLY IN OUR DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN.

WE UTILIZE IT AS AN INTERVENTION.

BUFORD COUNTY AND OUR BOARD HAS BEEN VERY GENEROUS AT SUPPORTING EARLY CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION.

ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'LL READ WITHIN A, A STRATEGY FOR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IS PURPOSEFUL PLAY, WHICH IS BEING PUT PUT INTO OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS IN ALIGNMENT WITH CURRICULUM GOLD, WHICH IS A STATE ADOPTED CURRICULUM AND REQUIREMENT THAT WE UTILIZE.

WE ARE UPDATING MANY OF OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS RIGHT NOW.

WE JUST FINISHED REHOUSING, I WANNA SAY LAST MONDAY, JAMES DAVIS BUILDING WITH NEW FIXTURES FOR STUDENTS THAT HAVE OPPORTUNITY MORE, UH, MANIPULATIVES, MORE BLOCK WORK.

SO WE'RE NOT JUST DOING ROTE LEARNING, BUT I COULD ALSO COUNTER BLOCKS AND WORK AND USE DEVELOPMENTAL APPROPRIATE MANIPULATIVES FOR OUR YOUNGER

[01:05:01]

YOUNGEST STUDENTS.

AND I, AND I DO HEAR THAT, BUT ALSO, I MEAN, AND I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT, BUT I JUST NOTICED WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT THE SCIENCE AND WHAT THE, ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE MOVING CLOSER TOWARDS EARLY, EARLY CHILDHOOD, UH, UH, PROGRAMS. AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, THERE ARE A LOT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS THAT EXIST ALREADY.

AND THERE ARE, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF KIDS WHERE SOME KIDS HAVE TO QUALIFY TO BE TOUCHED AND SOME KIDS ARE NOT.

I DON'T QUALIFY TO BE TOUCHED.

AND MY QUESTION IS, AND MOVING THAT FORWARD, HOW ARE WE BEING INTENTIONAL TO MAKE THE PLAN, MAKE, MAKE IT, MAKE THE WHOLE PLAN COME TOGETHER TO WORK FOR THE GOOD OF EVERY OF EVERYONE, INCLUDING OUTSIDE AGENCIES THAT DON'T HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND PARENT AND PARENTS.

AND HOW ARE WE GETTING THAT? I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT BASICALLY, WHAT DOES THAT PLAN LOOK LIKE AND HOW ARE WE, HOW ARE WE CALLING OTHER OUTSIDE AGENCIES? BECAUSE I THINK FOR US TO LEAD THE WAY AND FOR US TO GET THIS DONE, I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO DO SOME GROUNDWORK TOO.

I RECOGNIZE THE OUTSIDE AGENCIES THAT ALSO SERVICE OUR YOUNGER PEOPLE.

THOSE HAVE BEEN CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD AT SENIOR LEVEL.

I WILL SHARE ON PAGE FIVE OF THE OVER EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.

IT DOES GIVE A LITTLE MORE DETAIL WITH REGARD TO OUR SCREENING PROCESS AND HOW, AS A SCREENING PROCESS BEING CUT OFF AT 50%, WE'RE NOT A ABLE TO SERVICE ALL THE STUDENTS.

WE HAVE LOOKED AS A SYSTEM WITH THE OPPORTUNITY OF, IN ASKING THE STATE FOR A PILOT FOR C FUNDING, WHICH WOULD ALLOW US TO BROADEN OR CAST A LARGER NET.

WE'RE STILL ON HOLD TO FIND OUT IF THAT PILOT WOULD BE UTILIZED HERE.

WE ASK FOR A SMALL PILOT FROM THE STATE IS, UM, ONCE WE HAVE OUR LONG-TERM OUTCOMES APPROVED, ONCE, UH, UH, IN AUGUST, WE BRING BACK AND FINAL OVERALL STRATEGIC PLAN WITH ALL ITS COMPONENTS.

UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO KIND OF TAKE THIS ON THE ROAD TO CONNECT WITH OUR PARTNERS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY PARTNERS THAT ARE ENGAGED IN, UM, EARLY CHILDHOOD WORK ALREADY, UH, BUT INDEPENDENT FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, RIGHT? UH, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THOSE STUDENTS WILL END UP, UH, IN OR DOORSTEP IN KINDERGARTEN OR FIRST GRADE, RIGHT? UH, ALONG THOSE LINES.

SO I THINK WHAT THEN BECOMES IMPORTANT IS FOR OUR, UM, PARTNERS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE INVOLVED AND ENGAGED IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO HIT IS, IS A MOONSHOT 75%, RIGHT? UH, IN ELA 75% IN MATH AND 92% GRADUATION RATE, RIGHT? AND SO, UH, SO THE IDEA IS, UM, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO BE CLEAR ON THOSE TARGETS THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO HIT AND, AND AS, UH, AS PARTNERS IN THIS WORK THAT MIGHT REQUIRE, UH, THEM, I THINK TO CONSIDER SOME ADJUSTMENTS, SOME OF THEIR WORK IN ORDER TO HELP, UH, PREPARE STUDENTS, UH, AS WELL, UH, AS WE AS A COMMUNITY, UH, TRY TO HIT THESE TARGETS THAT ARE BOLD AND AUDACIOUS FOR US.

AND, AND I, I, I DO, I DO, I DO AGREE, AGREE WITH THAT.

UH, AND AS, UM, MY COLLEAGUE CARLTON, LIKE TO, UH, SAY, I LIKE TO SAY HE LIKES TO CAMPAIGN A LOT.

HE LIKES TO RUN CAMPAIGNS.

UH, WHENEVER WE'RE DOING SOMETHING, HE LIKES TO SAY, OH, I'M GET A CAMPAIGN GOING AND WE JUST GOT THERE AND GET THE WORD OUT AND GET EVERYBODY ON BOARD AND LET 'EM KNOW WHERE WE STAND.

I, I, I THINK THAT IT TAKES FOR US TO GET A CAMPAIGN BECAUSE TO HONEST WITH YOU, I'M REALLY, I I'VE HEARD A LOT AND EVEN, EVEN SOME PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, WHICH WAS TALKING ABOUT UNDERSTANDING HOW MANY KIDS THAT WE ARE HAVING, A LOT OF PARENTS HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT AND SAYING, LOOK HERE, OUR KIDS CAN'T GET THESE PROGRAMS, OR THESE, OUR KIDS CAN'T DO THIS, OR OUR KIDS CAN'T DO THAT.

OR ALL THESE PROGRAMS ARE, ARE, ARE, ARE AT MAX.

WHAT IS THE DISTRICT DOING IN TERMS OF HELPING, HELPING THEM OUT OR GIVING THEM, UH, BUILDINGS OR, YOU KNOW, AND SOME PEOPLE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE, UH, THE PROCESS OF SOME, OF SOME OF THIS WORK, BUT THEY DO UNDERSTAND THAT AND THEY KNOW, COME, COME CLEAR HIGH, HELLA HIGH WATER THAT THEY WANT THEIR KIDS IN A EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM THAT ARE TEACHING THEM AND THAT ARE HELPING THEM BE ABLE TO COMPETE WITH THOSE KIDS WHO COME TO SCHOOL DAY ONE WHO KNOWS 50 WORDS VERSUS WHO MAY KNOW 500 WORDS OR WHO MAY KNOW THEIR COLORS VERSUS KIDS WHO CAN PRETTY MUCH

[01:10:01]

WRITE AND ARTICULATE A SENTENCE OR WHO CAN SPELL THEIR NAME.

SO I'M LOOKING FOR, AND, AND I'VE HEARD, I'VE HEARD WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I'M LOOKING FOR MAYBE A, A CAMPAIGN FOR US TO START AS WELL, AND NOT JUST REALLY A CAMPAIGN JUST FOR US TO BE MAKING ALSO INITIATIVES IN, IN TERMS IN TERMS OF THIS AND WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE SO EVERYONE CAN HELP OUT BECAUSE IT'S, IT IS JUST NOT, IT'S GOING JUST, THEY'RE NOT, IT'S NOT GOING TO JUST TAKE THE STAFF.

IT'S GONNA TAKE SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE RIGHT AROUND THIS TABLE RIGHT HERE TOO AS WELL TO GET THAT WORK DONE.

AND WE ALL, AND WE ALL HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, UNDERSTAND THAT.

AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE WHAT THAT PLAN LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF US MOVING IT FORWARD.

BECAUSE I HEAR A LOT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD, EARLY CHILDHOOD EARLY, OKAY, WELL, LET'S SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND HOW ARE WE MOVING IT FORWARD? HOW, HOW ARE WE MOVING THE BOARD FROM THE, THE 90 YARD LINE TO THE ONE YARD LINE? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST WHAT MY, AND IT'S THAT THAT'S JUST WHAT THAT, THAT THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT MY WHAT MY, MY, UM, MY, MY INTENTIONS ARE.

BUT JUST AS CLEAR AS THAT.

LIKE, SO, UM, I THINK AS A, AS, JUST AS A FOLLOW-UP IS ON THAT PIECE IS YOU NOTICE, AND DR.

STRATOS WENT THROUGH, UM, ON THAT ONE PAGE, ON THE ONE OR TWO PAGE DOCUMENT, UM, THE WAY THAT'S LAID OUT THERE IS A SPONSOR AND THEN THERE IS AN OWNER FOR EACH OF THE, UH, STRATEGIC INITIATIVES.

AND THOSE ARE TIED TO, UH, STRATEGIC GOALS.

AND THE, THERE ARE INITIATIVE STRATEGIES THAT ARE LAID OUT ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.

EACH OF THOSE STRATEGIES RIGHT, ARE GOING TO BE BUILT OUT BY, UH, THE OWNER AND A GROUP OR A COMMITTEE THAT'S GONNA BE WORKING TOGETHER, UH, AROUND THOSE INITIATIVE STRATEGIES THAT FALL UNDER THAT, UH, THAT PILLAR AND THAT STRATEGIC INITIATIVE.

AND THAT WILL DEVELOP QUITE A BIT.

AND THEN THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE, ARE GONNA BE MONITORING THAT WORK AS WELL.

AND THE SPONSOR WILL BE MONITORING THAT WORK AS WELL, SO THAT THERE IS AN ALIGNMENT THROUGH, THROUGH THE SYSTEM, UH, WITH RESPECT TO TO, TO THAT.

SO THE WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE AT EACH OF THOSE, UH, LEVELS, EACH OF THOSE, UH, NOT LEVELS, BUT UH, INITIATIVE STRATEGIES, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

OH, YEAH.

AND, AND, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THEM DO IT, SEEING, SEEING THEM DO IT AND LEAD THE WAY AND GET IT, GET IT DONE.

I WOULD SAY THE TOP THREE PERFORMING SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND CHOOSE THREE OF THE TOP PERFORMING DISTRICTS NATIONWIDE.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP IS CARLTON DALLAS.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

UM, I, THIS, THIS IS A VERY IMPRESSIVE DOCUMENT, UH, WHEN I WENT THROUGH IT.

UM, IT, IT JUST HAS A LOT OF INFORMATION.

THANK YOU FOR THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.

TWO PAGES THERE.

BUT THAT INCLUDES A LOT.

THE THING THAT ACTUALLY CAUGHT MY EYE AT THE EXTREME RIGHT AND EXTREME TOP ITEM, TRIPLE ONE, 1.1, 0.1, PARENT AS EDUCATORS, I THINK, UM, IT, IT MAY TAKE A CAMPAIGN TO ACTUALLY HELP THE PARENTS KNOW HOW CRITICAL THEIR ENGAGEMENT IS IN THOSE YEARS FROM BIRTH UNTIL THEY ACTUALLY COME INTO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.

UM, BECAUSE I TRULY, AND I'VE BEEN LEARNING THIS OVER THE LAST 16 MONTHS, THIS LAST 16 MONTHS, I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THIS BEFORE, ABOUT THIS BEFORE.

UH, I THINK, I THINK THERE'S REVERB.

WHAT DID I DO? OKAY.

I THINK IF PARENTS REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT THEIR ENGAGEMENT OF THEIR KIDS IS IN THAT DEVELOPMENT AND THE LEARNING, I THINK THEY WILL BE EVEN MORE ACTIVE.

AND I KNOW THERE ARE CONSTRAINTS.

THERE REALLY ARE SINGLE PARENT HOMES, PEOPLE WORKING HARD, BUT IF THEY COULD JUST SPEND 10 TO 15 MINUTES A DAY READING OR PURPOSEFUL PLAY WITH THE KIDS, EVEN WHEN, YOU KNOW, AS A PARENT WAS FRUSTRATED, TIRED, WHAT HAVE YOU, AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL.

THE OTHER THING IS, IS I READ THROUGH IT, I SAW THE TERM EVIDENCE BASED, SO, AND I MADE A NOTE TO MYSELF, BUT IT'S BEEN ANSWERED THAT YOU REALLY, I WAS HOPING IT WOULD SAY NUMERICALLY EVIDENT, NUMERICAL EVIDENCE-BASED.

BUT I SEE WHERE YOU HAD THE RANGES, AND I LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU START OUT AT A VERY INCREMENTAL PACE, BUT IT GROWS IN THE LATER YEARS.

UH, GIVE THE LARGER ORGANIZATION A CHANCE TO SORT OF SCALE UP AND GET COMFORTABLE.

THE LAST THING I WOULD RECOMMEND FOR CONSIDERATION IS AN INFORMAL PEER GROUP.

YOU'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED YOUR HARD TARGETS, BUT AN INFORMAL PEER GROUP OF THE THREE HIGHEST PERFORMING SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, NO, YOU KNOW, ANIMOSITY TOWARDS THE STATE IN WHICH I LIVE, BUT JUDGING OURSELVES AGAINST THE MEDIAN THERE, WHICH YOU'RE NOT, I'M NOT SAYING YOU'RE DOING THAT, BUT JUDGING ANYONE, JUDGING US AGAINST THE MEDIAN IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, AS MY DAD USED TO SAY, I WOULD BE A FAST FORCE IN A, IN A, UH, IN A SLOW RACE.

AND THAT WOULDN'T GET ME FAR.

AND SO

[01:15:01]

IT'S GOING TO BE A STRETCH.

PEOPLE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE JUDGED AGAINST IT, BUT IT WILL BE SORT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, A WAY TO SORT OF SAY, HEY, THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO GET IT MAY TAKE 15 YEARS, MAY TAKE 10 YEARS, BUT I REALLY LIKE THE DOCUMENT AND THE PROTOCOLS AND THE WAY IT'S MOVING FORWARD.

UH, STARTING AT A LOWER RATE PER YEAR, BUT GETTING INCREMENTAL INCREMENTALLY HIGHER.

RIGHT.

UH, NEXT WE HAVE COLONEL GEIER.

THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.

UH, MY COMPLIMENTS, UH, THIS IS COMPREHENSIVE, LOGICAL AND LINEAR.

I LIKE IT.

I LIKE THE WAY IT'S LAID OUT.

I LIKE THE WAY IT'S DONE.

BUT I HAVE THREE THINGS I WANNA MENTION TO YOU.

FIRST OF ALL, TO ECHO WHAT CARLTON JUST SAID, YOU HAVE WHO'S SPONSOR AND THE OWNER, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE PARENTS IN HERE.

AND THE PARENTS.

WE, WE'VE GOT TO REACH OUT AS CARLTON SAID, AND SAY TO OUR PARENTS, THIS IS WHAT WE HOPE YOU WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR.

WE CAN'T TELL THEM THAT THEY'RE ACCOUNTABLE LIKE WE CAN OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT YOU AS PARENTS HAVE A ROLE.

AND I THINK I, IF, IF I WAS DOING THIS, I WOULD GIVE EVERY PARENT THAT THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD HOPE YOU WILL DO TO SUPPORT YOUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION.

SO IF THAT COULD BE INCORPORATED HERE SOME WAY, THAT'D BE GREAT.

ON PAGE 12, YOU HAVE THE GIFTED AND TALENTED, UH, SCHOOLS.

ONE THING THAT I DON'T SEE THAT I, I SUGGEST THAT YOU LOOK AT IS STUDENT MARKETING OF THE GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAM.

WHY SHOULD I TAKE GIFTED AND TALENTED TO THE STUDENTS? BECAUSE WHEN I HEARD MY GRANDSONS TALK ABOUT GIFTED, WELL, YOU GOTTA WORK HARDER.

UH, NOT SURE I WANNA DO THAT.

NO, THIS IS WHY YOU WANNA WORK HARDER.

THIS IS, IS WHAT YOU WILL GET.

MM-HMM, .

SO FOCUS ON MARKETING, STUDENT GIFTED AND TALENTED.

WE HAVE A LOT OF KIDS THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL, MUCH MORE THAN WE HAVE ENROLLED IN THE GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAM.

BUT LET'S MAYBE LOOK AT MARKETING THAT, UH, FOR THE KIDS.

AND LASTLY, I SAT THROUGH ALL THE GRADUATIONS, AS DID MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES.

AND WHEN I SAT THERE AND LOOKED AT THE LIST OF NAMES OF ALL THE GRADUATES, I LOOKED AT ALL THE CORDS THAT THEY GOT AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

AND THEN I LOOKED AT THE KIDS WITH NO CORDS.

I LOOKED AT THE KIDS THAT DIDN'T, WEREN'T, UH, COLLEGE AND CAREER READY.

AND THERE WAS A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE.

SCHOOLS, WE HAD A COUPLE SCHOOLS THAT HAD A HANDFUL.

WE HAD A SCHOOL THAT HAD A, ABOUT A DOZEN, TWO DOZEN.

AND WE HAD ONE SCHOOL THAT HAD OVER A HUNDRED OF ITS GRADUATES.

WERE NOT COLLEGE AND CAREER READY.

NOW, THE 92%, I, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THE 92% GRADUATION RATE, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE 92% COLLEGE AND CAREER READY AS WELL AS GRADUATION RATE.

I KNOW, AND YOU'RE NEVER GONNA GET A HUNDRED PERCENT.

I KNOW THAT.

'CAUSE YOU GOTTA DO SOME EXTRA THINGS TO GET 'EM AT THAT STAGE.

BUT THAT TO ME IS A MUCH BETTER GOAL THAN A SIMPLE WALK ACROSS THE STAGE.

HAVE A GOOD DAY.

UH, YOU, YOU, YOU, THROUGH PERSISTENCE, SOMEHOW GRADUATING, CONSIDER THAT.

BUT ALL IN ALL, THIS IS A TEMPLATE AND I REALLY LIKE IT.

I MEAN, THIS IS REALLY GOOD STUFF FOR A NON-EDUCATOR TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT AND SEE WHERE YOU'RE GOING AND HOW YOU PLAN TO GET THERE.

SO, CONGRATULATIONS.

MM-HMM.

, UH, DR.

AND THEN WE'LL HAVE, UH, EARL CAMPBELL.

SO THANK YOU FOR, UH, THE FEEDBACK AS IT COMES ALONG.

UH, SEVERAL OF THE THINGS MENTIONED, UH, FALL, UH, WITHIN SOME OF THOSE, UH, INITIATIVE STRATEGIES ALL THE WAY AT THE RIGHT, FOR EXAMPLE, PARENT PIECE AND PARENT AS EDUCATOR GETS SPELLED OUT MORE TO THE LEVEL OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, IN, IN, IN AN ADDITIONAL SEGMENT OF THAT, WHICH IS WHAT THE OWNER IS GOING TO BE WORKING IN, IN THAT DEVELOPMENT.

RIGHT? UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN LIKE THIS, RIGHT? UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MR. DALLAS SAID, UH, MENTIONED ABOUT THE NUMBERS,

[01:20:01]

FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, IT'S SORT OF LIKE COMPOUNDING INTEREST, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, SO AS, AS YOU MOVE THROUGH AND YOU DEVELOP MORE STUDENTS AT A, AT A HIGHER LEVEL, THEN ON THE BACK END YOU SHOULD BEGIN TO, TO, TO EXPECT AND FIND, UH, UH, HIGHER RESULTS ON THE, ON THE BACKEND.

MATH IS THE DIFFERENCE BECAUSE IN MATH, WE, IT, IT, WE'RE TRYING TO HIT 75 AND THIS, AND, AND THE GAP BETWEEN WHERE WE ARE AND 75 IS HIGHER.

UH, AND IT'S A HEAVIER LIFT.

AND, AND WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA DESIGN OURSELVES, UH, FOR GREATER SUPPORT FOR SCHOOLS FROM, FROM HERE, UH, AROUND THE MATH PIECE.

BUT, BUT, UM, MATH IS, IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE THAT GAP ALMOST REQUIRES AN EQUAL AMOUNT EVERY YEAR THAT YOU'RE, THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO HIT.

SO, UM, JUST JUST TO NOTE TO, UM, TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.

AND THEN THE LAST THING BEFORE I, I, I, I TURN IT OVER FOR MORE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS IS, IS THIS PIECE, MY EXPECTATION IS FOR EVERYONE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, RIGHT? TO KNOW WHAT OUR LONG-TERM OBJECTIVES ARE.

AND MY EXPECTATION IS FOR EVERYONE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM TO KNOW OUR STRATEGIC PILLARS, RIGHT? UH, AS YOU GET DEEPER INTO THE WORK, THEN IT, THEN IT, IT, IT BEGINS TO CARRY, UM, UH, UH, MORE SPECIFICITY FOR PEOPLE.

BUT, BUT, UH, THE LONG-TERM OBJECTIVES OF 75, 75, AND 92, EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY IN OUR SYSTEM SHOULD KNOW.

I'M GONNA QUIZ YOU ALL TOO, ALONG THE YEAR, RIGHT? AND OUR STRATEGIC PILLARS, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S, IT'S THAT IMPORTANT.

SO WHEN WE BEGIN, WE, WE WANT THIS DOCUMENT TO NOT JUST BE A SHELF DOCUMENT, BUT WE WANT THIS DOCUMENT TO DRIVE THE WORK OF THE DISTRICT TOWARDS THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF, OF, OF, UH, OF THESE LONG-TERM OUTCOMES.

SO I'LL BE QUIET AND EARL'S NEXT.

UM, MR. SMITH TALKED ABOUT EARLY CHILDHOOD.

UM, DIFFERENT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS THE FIRST DISTRICT IN THE STATE TO START EARLY CHILDHOOD.

MM-HMM.

BUT THE PROBLEM IS NOT PARENT OR THE COMMUNITY.

THE, THE PROBLEM IS YOU HAVE TO HAVE A FOUNDATION.

YOU LOOK AT FRANCE, ITALY, GERMANY, MANY OTHER COUNTRIES, THEY HAVE THE BEST EARLY CHILDHOOD IN THE WORLD.

I, I CANNOT HEAR MR. CAMPBELL IF HE'S SPEAKING.

SPEAKING, OKAY.

HE IS SPEAKING.

SO WE'LL HAVE HIM GET A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE.

I, I AM SAYING THAT WE NEED A, WE DON'T HAVE A FOUNDATION IN THIS COUNTRY WHEN IT COMES TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION LIKE OTHER COUNTRIES DO I SAY FRANCE, ITALY, GERMANY, AND SOME OTHER COUNTRIES.

IT'S GONNA TAKE NOT ONLY THE PARENTS, BUT IT'S GONNA TAKE TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.

UM, IT, I, THIS IS JUST ME.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THEY WANT TO EDUCATE EVERY CHILD IN THIS COUNTRY, PERIOD.

BECAUSE IF THAT WAS THE CASE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IN, IN PUBLIC EDUCATION.

UM, IT'S GOING TAKE MONEY.

THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE, UH, BUILDINGS.

WE DON'T, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE HERE IN BEAUFORD COUNTY.

UM, PROBABLY GONNA HAVE TO RAISE TAXES TO GET WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, MR. SMITH.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR THE LAST 30 SOMETHING YEARS, EARLY CHILDHOOD, AND IT'S STILL THE SAME THING.

THE PEOPLE THAT HAD HEAD START.

IF YOU MAKE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DOLLARS, YOUR CHILD IS NOT ELIGIBLE, YOU KNOW? SO UNTIL WE DO THAT 50 YEARS FROM NOW, YOU'LL BE TALKING THE SAME THING.

THANK YOU, MS. GORDON.

[01:25:03]

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

UH, DR.

STRATAS AND YOUR TEAM.

DOCUMENT.

I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT WAS A STRATEGIC PLAN.

I'VE SEEN SOME BEFORE, BEEN ON SOME OF THE COMMU, UH, COMMITTEES AND, BUT I COULD READ THIS, UNDERSTAND THE PILLARS.

UM, I AGREE WITH, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MR. CAMPBELL AND OTHER COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID.

UM, I THINK BUFORT COUNTY, I CAME HERE IN 1992 AND LOOKING WHERE WE ARE IN 2024, WE'VE MADE SOME IMPRESSIVE GAINS.

PEOPLE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT, WHETHER IT'S EARLY CHILDHOOD OR GIFTED AND TALENTED, BUT I, I STILL THINK THE PROPONENT IS PARENTS AND THE DISTRICT WORKING TOGETHER.

AND IT'S NOT THAT THE DISTRICT DOES NOT PUT IT OUT THERE, BUT WE STILL HAVE SOME OF THE SAME ISSUES BACK THEN THAT WE HAVE NOW.

SO I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE OUR KUDOS WHERE WE CAN AND LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, OPENING UP THIS DIALOGUE, UH, OF CAMPAIGNING, GETTING OUT THERE, UH, WITH THE CHILDREN.

DO YOU KNOW, IF YOU TELL A CHILD SOMETHING ONE TIME, SEVEN TIMES 77 TIMES, THEY'LL GET IT.

BUT WE TEND TO ONLY TELL 'EM ONE TIME AND EXPECT THEM TO GET IT.

BUT I THINK WE'RE ON OUR WAY, UH, WITH THIS STRATEGIC PLAN AND WHAT WE WANT FROM EACH OTHER.

BUT I THINK WE NEED TO LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN THAT WE ARE WORKING HARD, THIS TEAM, BUT IT DOES TAKE A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD.

ABSOLUTELY, IT DOES.

SO PLEASE CONTINUE WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND BRING IT TO US.

UM, I'M NOT GONNA ASK YOU TO DO ANYTHING MORE, BECAUSE I KNOW HOW HARD YOU WORK TO GET WHERE YOU'RE, WHERE YOU ARE.

BUT LET'S NOT FORGET STUDENTS AND THE PARENTS IN GETTING THIS DONE.

OUR KIDS WILL PULL UP IF WE LET THEM KNOW WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR THIS REPORT.

I'LL ENJOY READING IT TONIGHT.

UH, GO AHEAD, DR.

RI JUST, UH, WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT, UH, WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS.

UH, NICK FLOWERS IS SITTING BACK HERE, AND KRISTEN CASPER IS SITTING BACK HERE.

IF THEY WOULD BOTH JUST STAND FOR A SECOND, BECAUSE, UH, UH, THEY HAVE WORKED EXCEPTIONALLY HARD ON, ON BUILDING, UH, THIS PLAN, RIGHT? AND THEY, THEY'VE, THEY'VE BEEN DRIVING THE WORK AROUND THIS PLAN.

AND SO THE FORMAT, THE LAYOUT, UH, THE STRUCTURE THAT, THAT YOU SEE, UM, THEIR WORK HAS BEEN ESSENTIAL.

THEY'VE TAKEN LOTS OF FEEDBACK, GONE BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD COUNTLESS TIMES, UH, BUT ESSENTIALLY, UH, HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY, UH, TO PULL A DOCUMENT TOGETHER WITH A GAME PLAN, UH, THAT WILL CONTINUE TO, TO BE DEVELOPED.

UM, AND, AND IN ESSENCE, UH, IS REALLY THE, THE FOUNDATION THAT'S HERE.

SO SINCE THEY'RE HERE, UH, THERE'S OTHERS THAT HAVE WORKED HARD ON THIS PLAN, AND YOU SHOULD KNOW.

UH, BUT SINCE THEY'RE HERE, I THOUGHT I'D JUST TAKE A MOMENT AND CALL THEM OUT TODAY.

UM, I JUST HAVE A FEW COMMENTS.

SO FIRST OF ALL, UH, THIS OBVIOUSLY TOOK A GREAT DEAL OF, UH, WORK AND EFFORT AND THOUGHT, AND, UM, YOU'VE GOT SOME, UH, REALLY GOOD DOCUMENTS HERE.

SO I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

SO ONE IS, IF YOU LOOK AT PAGE THREE OF THE, UM, EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, AND THEN, UH, PAGE ONE OF THE ONE PAGE, UH, SUMMARY, IT BASICALLY TELLS YOU THE IDEA BEHIND THE STRATEGIC, UH, FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN.

SO IT'S A, IT'S, YOU KNOW, REQUIRED BY LAW ARE THESE FEDERAL LAWS.

SO IT'S TECHNICALLY YES, DR.

GUS.

SO FEDERAL LAW DID PUT INTO PLACE A SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT ACT IN 1993, FORMALIZED IT DEEPER IN 1998 STATES STARTED ADOPTING THEM.

SO THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES, BUT OUR STATE LAW, OKAY, BUT IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING.

SO WE ONLY THE WE REPORT TO THE STATE.

YES, MA'AM.

UM, AND THEN WE HAVE TO REVISE IT, UH, EVERY, UH, ANNUALLY.

SO, UH, THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, WE'VE STATED A LOT IN HERE.

YOU KNOW WHAT OUR PLAN IS, HOW, HOW ARE WE GRADED ON THIS PLAN? I GUESS THAT'S MY QUESTION.

WHO GRADES US VERY

[01:30:01]

WELL SAID.

SO THAT'S ACTUALLY PART OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE SUMMARY DOCUMENT.

SO NOW WE'RE ABLE TO PUT INTO PLACE LOOKING DEEPER AT, ARE WE DOING WHAT WE SAID THAT WE'RE DOING, MONITORING WHAT WE SAID WE WANT TO DO, AND ARE WE HITTING THE MARK ON A STATE PERSPECTIVE THAT IS THROUGH YOUR INTERIM GOALS.

AND WE BRING THOSE TO THE BOARD ANNUALLY AS WE REPORT INTERIM GOAL GOALS TO YOU.

HAVE WE REACHED IT OR HAVE WE NOT? AND ADJUSTMENTS ARE MADE, THAT IS PART OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY.

AND BY LAW, IT HAS TO BE UNDER A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT MODEL WHERE YOU SAY YOU'RE GOING TO DO, YOU MONITOR, YOU REFLECT, WE ARE NOT THERE, CHANGE TRAJECTORY, DON'T KEEP DOING THE SAME THING.

RIGHT? SO BASICALLY AN AFTER, AFTER ACTION REVIEW ANNUALLY TO READJUST OUR PLAN AS WE GO FORWARD, PUT THE UPCOMING YEAR, AND THAT IS REPORTED TO THE BOARD.

AND THAT'S THEN REPORTED ALSO TO THE STATE.

YES, MA'AM.

OUR INTERIM GOALS ARE REPORTED, ARE UPLOADED TO THE STATE WITH UPDATED, UM, INITIATIVES AND EX AND STRATEGIES.

SO WE'VE TALKED A LOT DR. RODRIGUEZ, ABOUT HOW, HOW YOU, HOW YOU SHOULD BE EVALUATED FOR YOUR PERFORMANCE AS A CEO OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.

SO IT SEEMS LIKE THIS MIGHT BE A VERY GOOD DOCUMENT TO SAY, SHOULD THIS BE USED IN YOUR PERFORMANCE EVALUATION? UM, I ASSUME PROBABLY YOU'VE THOUGHT OF THAT, UH, MAYBE YOU DON'T WANNA COMMENT ABOUT THAT.

YOU WANNA THINK ABOUT IT.

UM, BUT THIS IS, UH, ESPECIALLY THE, UM, JUST, I MEAN, IT TOUCHES ON EVERYTHING FOR HOW ARE STUDENTS LEARNING, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT, UH, TEACHER, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, RECRUITMENT, UM, THE QUALITY OF THE TEACHERS.

I MEAN, ALL THE THINGS ARE LISTED HERE ON PAGE TWO OF THE ONE PAGE SUMMARY.

SO, YOU KNOW, I, I GUESS, GUESS I KIND OF SEEM LIKE, IT SEEMS LIKE WE KEEP TRYING TO REINVENT THE WHEEL FOR EVALUATION, BUT THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD STARTING PLACE OR RE UH, ALIGNMENT FOR TO BE INCLUDED AS PERHAPS PART OF YOUR EVALUATION.

WHAT DO YOU THINK, ? THAT'S A CONVERSATION I PREFER TO HAVE IN A RESULTS COMMITTEE.

THERE'S, THERE'S DIFFERENT NUANCES.

I WAS JUST SOMETHING I, I WOULD SAY THE BOARD NEEDS TO THINK ABOUT IT TOO.

UM, YEAH.

RIGHT.

MM-HMM.

THAT, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK AREN'T NECESSARILY CAPTURED HERE.

SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT I BRING UP TRADITIONALLY MM-HMM.

ARE STILL IN PLAY IN SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THAT ASPECT OF IT.

SO, YEAH.

UM, BUT THAT'S CONVERSATION FOR ANOTHER.

UM, I THINK THOSE WERE THE MAIN, THE MAIN THINGS I WANTED TO COMMENT ABOUT, MR. SMITH.

WELL, THE FIRST, WELL, WELL, YOU CAPTURED THE FIR MY FIRST, UH, MY FIRST QUESTION I WAS GONNA ASK IN TERMS OF THE STATE, WHAT THIS LOOKED LIKE, BUT ALSO, UM, UH, ALSO, I, UM, IN TERMS, IN TERMS OF WHAT MR. CAMPBELL JUST SAID AS WELL, UM, IT, IT, IT, IT, IT IS FUNNY THAT WE SIT HERE AND WE HAVE THIS CON WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATION, AND HE MADE, HE MADE THE COMMENT, HE MADE.

AND I, I STRONGLY AGREE WITH THAT IN TERMS OF, IT STARTED, IT STARTED TO STATE LEGISL.

WE HAD THE, UM, WE HAD THE, UM, MRS UM, WHAT'S HER NAME? MRS. THE LOBBYIST HERE TONIGHT.

ABOUT MEETING TONIGHT, AND THIS WHAT WAS SAID, I THINK THAT MAYBE THEY, SHE WOULD SEE WHAT THEY HAVE, THEY ENTERTAINED AND, AND WHAT WILL THEY, WILL THEY WILLING TO ENTERTAIN IN TERMS, IN TERMS OF PUTTING FUNDING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD.

AND, AND, AND, UH, AND SHE JUST SPOKE A LOT, YOU KNOW, ABOUT DIFFERENT LAWS AND STUFF THAT WAS, WAS, WAS PASSING AND THINGS THAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF ACADEMIC.

BUT NOTICE THEY DON'T, I DIDN'T SEE WHERE THEY'RE PASSING MUCH ABOUT EARLY CHILDHOOD.

AND, AND, AND WE HAVE THE, UH, WE, WE HAVE THE, THE, UH, WE'RE IN A GOOD POSITION RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE, WE HAVE THE, OUR, OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE, OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE, SHANNON EONS, WHO, UM, SITS ON THE ACADEMIC, ON THE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE.

AND, YOU KNOW, ALSO NOBODY, I'M SURE IN BO, NOBODY MORE THAN HER, OR SHE'S ONE OF THE TOP PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION BECAUSE OF HER PERSONAL BUSINESSES.

SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT.

UH, AND WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS IS THAT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO START MAKING MANDATING AND START GIVING MORE FUNDING TO EARLY CHILDHOOD, INTO SCHOOL DISTRICTS, INTO BUSINESSES IN, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO START PUTTING OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS.

SO I THINK THAT IS, UH, I THINK THAT IS, THAT IS A GOOD IDEA FOR US TO REACH OUT AND, AND, AND TO, AND FROM THE MEETING, FROM

[01:35:01]

YOU KNOW? AND SOME PEOPLE MIGHT FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, SOME PEOPLE MIGHT NOT LIKE THAT I SAID WHAT I SAID TONIGHT, BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS.

I SAID, WHAT I SAID WITH MEANING, AND THAT, AND THAT I CAN SLEEP TONIGHT.

'CAUSE MY MORAL COMPASS ALIGN A LOT ALIGNS.

AND WITH EVERY BEING THAT GOD HAS GIVEN ME, WE MUST EDUCATE OUR KIDS.

SO THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE.

TRUTH, THE UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH, TRUTH.

SO I THANK YOU MR. CAMPBELL, BECAUSE YOU, YOU BROUGHT UP A GREAT POINT TO PUT, PUT THE ARROW WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE EDUCATION, WHAT THE, WHAT IS OUR STATE LEGISLATORS DOING IN TERMS OF HELPING US OUT, EDUCATE OUR KIDS IN THIS COUNTY? THANK YOU, MR. DALLAS.

UM, YES, JUST TO TOUCH ON YOUR QUESTION, QUESTION, AND, UM, I UNDERSTAND THE REASON THAT IT SHOULD BE MOVED TO THE RESULTS COMMITTEE, CERTAINLY OKAY.

WITH THAT.

UH, I, I DO ALSO THINK THIS IS A PHENOMENAL PIECE OF WORK.

IT IS COMPREHENSIVE WITH A LARGE, COMPLEX ORGANIZATION WITH SO MANY MOVING PARTS, LIKE A SCHOOL DISTRICT.

UM, THIS DOCUMENT CAN UNIFY EVERY PERSON'S UNDER THE SCH UMBRELLA OF THE BCSD TOWARDS COMMON GOALS.

AND THAT REALLY ENERGIZES AN ORGANIZATION, AS COLONEL MENTIONED EARLIER, OTHERS MENTIONED IT CAN BE TRACKED.

IT'S VERY CLEAR, IT'S OUT THERE.

UM, I, I JUST THINK THIS, THIS IS JUST A PHENOMENAL EFFORT, A PLAN.

AND NORMALLY WHAT I'VE ALWAYS BEEN SEEING IS THAT GETS FOLDED INTO THE, UH, OVERALL PERFORMANCE METRICS OF VARIOUS ENTITIES SO THAT EVERYBODY'S MOVING IN UNISON.

SO I WON'T SPEAK TO HOW IT AFFECTS THE SUPERINTENDENT, BUT I WILL SAY THAT, UH, IT'S SO U IT CAN BE A UNIFYING DOCUMENT TO JUST DELIVER PERFORMANCE BEYOND ANYTHING WE PROBABLY HAVE EXPECTED, EVEN THOUGH PERFORMANCE HAS BEEN GREAT OVER THE LAST FIVE, SIX YEARS.

COLONEL GUYER, MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE THE DISTRICT STRATEGIC AND SCHOOL RENEWAL FIVE-YEAR PLANS FOR 20 24, 20 29, FIVE-YEAR CYCLE.

SECOND.

WE HAD, UH, MR. CAMPBELL ALREADY SECOND IT, BUT THANK YOU, MR. DALLAS PRO.

UM, ALL RIGHT, I THINK WE'VE ALREADY HAD THE DISCUSSION ANY FURTHER, UM, COMMENT.

TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

IT'S APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY, AND THANK YOU.

THANK YOU BOARD, MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU.

AND YOUR STAFF AS WELL, DR.

GUS AND BOARD MEMBERS.

THE NEXT ITEM, UH, UNDER BOARD BUSINESS ACTION IS THE APPROVAL OF THE DISTRICT REBRANDING AND LOGO.

UM, SO, UH, DR.

BRUDER IS GONNA COME FORWARD AND TALK ABOUT THIS ITEM.

GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS.

AS YOU KNOW, WE KICKED OFF OUR REBRANDING INITIATIVE ALMOST A YEAR AGO IN AUGUST OF 2023.

THIS HAS BEEN A VERY THOUGHTFUL AND THOROUGH PROCESS OVER THE COURSE OF MANY MONTHS, INVOLVING OUR KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND OUR SMALL BUT MIGHTY COMMUNICATIONS TEAM, WHICH INCLUDES MS. CASPER.

IT INCLUDES MS. GODLEY AND OUR VIDEOGRAPHER, RON LOES, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS AS WELL.

IN APRIL, YOU SAW THE PRESENTATION OF TWO LOGO AND TAGLINE OPTIONS PRESENTED BY RHODES BRANDING DURING ONE OF THE BOARD WORK SESSIONS.

AS PROMISED, WE PUT FORTH THESE OPTIONS TO FAMILY, STAFF, STUDENTS, AND THE COMMUNITY SO THEY COULD EXPRESS THEIR PREFERENCES.

SO TONIGHT, I'M HERE TO SHARE THE RESULTS FROM THIS ENGAGEMENT PROCESS VIA OUR ONLINE PLATFORM, BCSD CONNECTED FOR YOU TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.

SO, FIRST, WITH THE LOGO, 91.3% SELECTED LOGO, OPTION A, THE ONE WITH THE SUN, 8.7% SELECTED.

OPTION B, THE ONE WITH THE LETTER B.

AS FOR THE TAGLINE, 62.8% SELECTED.

OPTION B, INNOVATING TODAY FOR A BRIGHTER TOMORROW AND 37.2% SELECTED OPTION A RISING TO EXCELLENCE TOGETHER.

SO THANK YOU, AND I'M HAPPY

[01:40:01]

MY QUESTION, WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS UHHUH , IS, UM, WHY IS THERE SUCH A DIFFERENCE IN THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS FOR THE LOGO VERSUS THE TAGLINE? AND THERE STILL IS NOT A VERY LARGE, UH, GROUP SAMPLE FOR EITHER.

I MEAN, SO YOU HAVE FOR THE LOGO, UH, FIF 1,562 PARTICIPATED, CHOOSING WHICH LOGO THEY LIKE PREFERRED.

AND THEN FOR THE TAGLINE, ONLY 250 PARTICIPANTS.

WELL, I'LL TELL YOU THAT, UM, THE LOGO, I THINK IN GENERAL, PEOPLE LIKE TO VOTE FOR THE VISUAL, LIKE THEY'RE JUST DRAWN TO THE VISUAL, AND WHEN THEY SEE REBRAND, THEY THINK OF THE VISUAL.

UM, ALSO THE WAY THE PAGE WAS SET UP, THERE WERE TWO TABS.

THE LOGO WAS THE FIRST TAB, AND THE TAGLINE WAS THE SECOND TAB.

AND SO I THINK SOME PEOPLE JUST DID THAT TAB.

UM, AS FOR THE, UM, 1500 PEOPLE THAT RESPONDED, THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT A TERRIBLE NUMBER, UM, COMPARED TO SOME OF OUR OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE'VE HAD UP THERE.

UM, WE DID GET, THOUGH I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK IT IS STILL, YOU KNOW, A POSITIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH FOLKS.

I MEAN, WE PUSHED IT OUT THERE THROUGH MEDIA RELEASES, UM, THROUGH THE MEDIA.

WE HAD MEDIA REPORT ON IT.

WE PUT IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE REACHED OUT TO PARENTS DIRECTLY.

UM, AND SO, HONESTLY, I THINK, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO PARTICIPATE, PARTICIPATE IN.

THE OTHER COMMENT I'D MAKE SURE.

UH, I PARTICIPATED.

RISING TO EXCELLENCE TOGETHER.

UH, IS THE, YOU KNOW, LOGO, OPTION A WITH THE SUN.

I MEAN, TO ME, THAT REALLY REFLECTS OUR COUNTY AND THE BEAUTY THAT'S HERE.

AND THEN THE TAGLINE TO ME THAT GOES MUCH BETTER WITH THAT IS THE RISING TO EXCELLENCE, THE, THE TAGLINE.

A, I SEE THAT AS BEING A BROADER, UM, MORE, UH, ENCOMPASSING, UM, TAGLINE.

I FEEL THAT TAGLINE B, WHICH IS INNOVATING TODAY FOR A BRIGHTER TOMORROW.

NOT EVERYTHING IS INNOVATION.

NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO BE NEW OR NOT.

YOU KNOW, THE, I JUST THINK EXCELLENCE ENCOMPASSES MORE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.

AND I ALSO THINK THAT IT GOES BETTER WITH THE, UM, MUCH MORE POPULAR, UM, UH, LOGO.

SO I JUST WANNA MAKE THOSE COMMENTS.

WELL, I'M HAPPY TO SHARE WITH YOU REAL QUICK THAT FOR SOME CONTEXT ON THAT.

INITIALLY, WHEN RHODES BRANDING PUT THESE LOGO OPTIONS TOGETHER, THAT TAGLINE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH LOGO A WITH THE SUN.

SO YOUR INCLINATION WAS, YOU KNOW, PRETTY SPOT ON WITH THAT.

UM, BUT IN TALKING WITH THEM AND WORKING THROUGH IT WITH THEM, UM, IT WAS KIND OF DECIDED THAT WE WOULD GIVE PEOPLE A CHOICE, BECAUSE BOTH SEEMED TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH EACH LOGO.

SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW THAT CAME TO BE.

YEAH, I, I LIKE TAGLINE B BECAUSE RISING TO EXCELLENCE TOGETHER.

HUM.

, UH, INNOVATING TODAY FOR A BRIGHTER TOMORROW.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ABOUT.

THAT'S WHAT EDUCATION IS ABOUT.

THAT SOUNDS LIKE A CAMPAIGN, SORRY, CAMPAIGN SLOGAN TO ME.

UM, SO I, YOU KNOW, I, I FIND, I FIND, UH, AGE IS KIND OF, UH, AND I, MY RESPONSE TO YOU GUY WOULD BE TIMES, TABLES, MULTIPLICATION TABLES.

TO ME, THOSE ARE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY FOR EVERY CHILD TO LEARN.

AND I'M PROBABLY OLD FASHIONED ABOUT THAT, BUT I WAS A MATH MAJOR IN COLLEGE.

AND THAT TO ME IS EXCELLENCE.

THAT'S NOT INNOVATION.

YOU GOTTA MEMORIZE THOSE THINGS.

THAT'S ALL WE CAN AGREE TO.

DISAGREE.

, HE JUST SAID I WAS IN A STONE AGE, BY THE WAY, MADAM CHAIR, I HAVE A MOTION TO MY, LIKE, TO MAKE I MOVE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AUTHORIZED ADOPTION OF OPTION A AS THE DISTRICT'S NEW LOGO.

AND IT LOOKS LIKE MR. UH, DALLAS' HAND IS UP.

OH, FIRST WAIT, WE NEED A SECOND.

ANGELA MIDDLETON SECOND NOW, MR. DALLAS.

I WAS GOING TO SAY, I THOUGHT THE WAY THAT THE RESPONDENTS ACT, THE PARTICIPANTS ACTUALLY RESPONDED, WORKED VERY WELL FOR ME.

I THOUGHT RISING TWO EXCELLENT, SORT OF PRESUME THAT WE'RE NOT ALREADY EXCELLENT.

SO I WOULDN'T WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE.

UH, THE INNOVATION, UH, TODAY FOR BRIGHTER TOMORROW, I THINK IS WHERE ALL ORGANIZATIONS GLOBALLY HAVE TO GET TO.

SO, UM, I, I, I WOULD SUGGEST OPTION A FOR THE LOGO, AS HAS BEEN PRO PROPOSED.

AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TIME, I, HOPEFULLY SOMEONE WILL SUGGEST OPTION B FOR THE CLOSING.

ALRIGHT, .

ON THE, UM, ON THE LOGO, RIGHT? THAT'S THE MOTION, RIGHT? UH, I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL Y'ALL FOR YOUR, YOUR WORK ON THIS LOGO.

ANY OTHER, MR. SMITH, RIGHT NOW, REMEMBER, WE'RE STILL, UH,

[01:45:01]

UH, APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DID.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE LOGO AND IT COMES TO, UM, OPTION A AND OPTION B MM-HMM, ANY PERSONALITY LIKE IT? YEAH, BUT I, I, I, I REALLY THINK THAT, UH, UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK THAT IT WAS KIND OF A WASTE OF MONEY.

UH, I BELIEVE WE COULD GET OUR KIDS TO DO KIND OF BETTER ART THAN THIS.

UM, YOU KNOW, AND SO, I MEAN, AND THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL TAKE, YOU KNOW, NOT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT IT, IT, IT AIN'T GOOD, BUT IT JUST, UH, AS A, AS WHERE I STAND AT, I DON'T, DON'T LIKE ANY OF IT.

IS ANYBODY ELSE WANNA COMMENT? NO.

SO WE'LL TAKE THE, THE, UH, VOTE ON, ON, UM, THE LOGO.

THE MOTION IS TO, UH, APPROVE LOGO A.

SO ALL OF THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE IN FAVOR OF, UH, THE MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY, AYE.

DO WE HAVE ANY NAYS? SMITH? ALL RIGHT.

SMITH? NO.

AND MS. GORDON, DID YOU VOTE? OKAY.

I JUST, I DIDN'T SEE THAT.

AND NO, NO, ABSTENTIONS.

SO THE, THE LOGO A IS APPROVED BY THE BOARD, UH, SEVEN ONE.

COLONEL GEIER, MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, AUTHORIZE THE ADOPTION OF OPTION B AS THE DISTRICT'S NEW BRANDING TAGLINE.

SECOND.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? OKAY.

THANK YOU, MR. DALLAS.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE, UM, MOTION, WHICH IS APPROVAL OF TAGLINE, OPTION B, WHICH IS INNOVATING TODAY FOR A BRIGHTER TOMORROW.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AND, UH, SO THERE'S TWO ONLINE.

DALLAS, I, HEY, NAY.

ALL THOSE, UM, IN THE ROOM, SORRY, THAT ARE, THAT ARE NO, PLEASE SAY NAY.

NAY FOR THIS IS FOR THE TAGLINE B, WHICH IS INNOVATING TODAY FOR BRIGHTER TOMORROW.

ARE YOU YES.

NO.

OR ABS ABSTAINING? NO.

SO, UH, THE MOTION FOR TAGLINE B UH, FAILS BECAUSE, UH, IT HAD, UM, THREE YESES AND FIVE NOS.

SO, ADAM, CHAIR, I MOVED THE BOARD OF IT.

THE FIVE NOS WERE, WERE CAMPBELL, GORDON, SMITH, GUS, AND HAY.

THOSE WERE THE FIVE NO NOS.

AND THE THREE YESES WERE, WERE, UM, DALLAS, GEIER, AND MIDDLETON.

NOW YOU MAY GO AGAIN.

OKAY, MA, MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, AUTHORIZE THE ADOPTION OF OPTION A AS THE DISTRICT'S NEW BRANDING TAGLINE.

IN THE ROOM HERE.

SO THE, THE TAGLINE, A AGAIN, IS RISING TO EXCELLENCE TOGETHER.

IF YOU ARE IN SUPPORT OF THAT BEING THE TAGLINE, UH, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY YES.

AND, UM, ONLINE, I THINK IT'S MY FIRST NO VOTE IN THE WHOLE TENURE ON THE BOARD, BUT NOT .

HEY, I, AND I HAD MY HAND RAISED BEFORE.

I WAS GONNA EXPLAIN WHY, BUT THAT'S OKAY.

ONE, TWO, ADAM CHAIR CAN, WAIT A SEC.

WE NEED TO FINISH THE VOTING, AND IF YOU WANNA COMMENT, THEN YOU CAN COMMENT.

ALRIGHT.

WHO, WHO'S NO FOR IN THE ROOM HERE.

1, 2, 3 NOS.

AND MR. UH, DALLAS WAS NO.

I HAD HEARD FROM MANY CONSTITUENTS, WHETHER IT WAS IN MY DISTRICT OR NOT, THAT THEY HAD EXTREME DIFFICULTIES.

AND CORRECT.

SO, SO, SO TAGLINE B ALSO FAILS BECAUSE IT'S FOUR FOUR.

OH, BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.

, I GUESS, DO YOU WANNA, UH, UM, ELIZABETH, DO YOU WANNA SAY YOUR REMARKS? 'CAUSE I TOTALLY MISSED THAT YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING.

OH, SURE.

UM, IT WAS JUST THAT MORE OF THE SAME.

I WAS GOING TO AGREE WITH YOUR SENTIMENTS, BUT ALSO

[01:50:01]

SOME WERE NOT ABLE TO PLACE THEIR VOTES AT ALL.

UM, AND OTHERS MADE IT THROUGH THE LOGO VOTING, BUT THEN SOMETHING HAPPENED LIKE SOME SORT OF GLITCH WHERE THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE FOR THE TAGLINE.

UM, SO IT JUST SEEMED LIKE THERE WERE HICCUPS IN THE SYSTEM, AND I THINK PEOPLE WISHED THERE HAD BEEN MORE TIME OR SOME WAY TO, YOU KNOW, ALLEVIATE THE GLITCHES SO THAT THEIR VOICES COULD BE HEARD ON THEIR PREFERENCE.

UM, SO THAT WAS MY, NO, BUT ALSO I DID NOT, I, I DON'T LIKE THE INNOVATING TAGLINE BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE A TECH COMPANY OR LIKE, WE'RE CREATING WIDGETS IN A FACTORY.

UM, I DO UNDERSTAND COLONEL GEIERS SENTIMENTS, HOWEVER, THERE'S JUST SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW INHERENTLY OFF ABOUT IT.

SO, AND I ALSO DID AGREE WITH WILL SMITH'S COMMENTS.

THIS IS SOMETHING I HEARD FROM CONSTITUENTS AS WELL, THAT STUDENTS COULD HAVE DONE BETTER ARTWORK, FRANKLY, UH, UM, WORKING IN DIGITAL MARKETING.

AND SO FOR MYSELF AND OTHERS, WE COULD HAVE CREATED LOGOS SIMILAR TO THIS IN LIKE A CANVA APP.

SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE IN THE FUTURE IF WE'RE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT IMAGERY THAT WE MAYBE CONSULT WITH SOME OTHER ENTITIES, AND THAT WAS ALL, ALL RIGHT.

BUT WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE TONIGHT IS THAT WE'VE APPROVED, UH, LOGO A, THE BOARD HAS APPROVED IT.

SO THAT'S THE BOARD'S WILL, IT WASN'T UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.

YES, ABSOLUTELY.

NO, THAT WAS, THAT WAS GONNA BE MY COMMENT BEFORE I HAD MY HAND RAISED BEFORE THAT VOTING WENT THROUGH.

BUT SINCE I HAD THE FLOOR, I WAS JUST VOICING, YOU KNOW, WHAT OTHERS HAD SAID AND WHAT I WAS HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY.

THAT'S ALL.

WELL, UH, THANK YOU.

SO THAT MEANS THAT DR.

UM, RODRIGUEZ IS, IS CHARGED, HE AND HIS STAFF TO, UH, GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD, I GUESS I WOULD SAY.

AND YOU'RE GONNA, UH, I GUESS BRING SOME OTHER OPTIONS FORWARD, UH, TO THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC AS POSSIBLE.

TAGLINES TO GO WITH THE APPROVED LOGO.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THE GLITCH, UM, COMMENT FORWARD AS WE WEREN'T AWARE OF THAT, SO THANK YOU.

AND YOU POINTED OUT AT THE BEGINNING TOO, THAT IT SEEMED LIKE PEOPLE MISSED THE SECOND, SECOND STEP WITH THE, UM, WITH THE, THE TAGLINE.

CAN LET HIM STOP AT THE FIRST ONE.

I, I SHOWED MY HUSBAND THESE , THE LOGOS AND THE TAGLINES.

HE GOES, OOH, THOSE TAGLINES.

I WOULDN'T PICK EITHER OF 'EM.

SO HERE WE ARE.

WE DIDN'T PICK EITHER.

COLONEL GUYER.

OKAY, MADAM CHAIR, I MOVED THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, EXCEPT THE DONATION FROM JENNIFER SCANLON VALUED AT $9,185 FOR COSTUMES AND DANCE MATERIALS FOR THE DANCE AND DRAMA DEPARTMENTS.

AND I BELIEVE THIS IS AT HILTON HEAD? YES, SIR.

AT HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL DANCE AND DRAMA DEPARTMENTS FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL HISTORY.

AND DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

THANK YOU MR. SMITH.

AND, UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT THE BOARD APPRECIATES THE GENEROSITY OF THIS DONATION.

SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ACCEPTING THE DONATION SINCE IT'S GREATER THAN $5,000, PLEASE SAY A AYE.

THE, UM, ACCEPTED UNANIMOUSLY AND THANK YOU JENNIFER SCANLON, UM, FOR YOUR GENEROSITY.

MADAM CHAIR,

[Consent Agenda]

I THINK ANGELA WAS QUICKER .

SO, UM, TO PROVE THIS CONSENT AGENDA, THE MOTION WAS MADE BY, UH, COLONEL GEIER AND SECOND BY ANGELA MIDDLETON.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

DALLAS AND HAY DALLAS.

A AYE.

THAT CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.

WE NOW ARE DOWN TO FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS.

ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? UM, DR. RODRIGUEZ? NO.

UM, NEXT UP.

HAVE OUR, OUR PUBLIC COMMENTER.

NEXT WE

[Second Public Comments]

[01:55:01]

MR. JIM MILLER.

SO I, DR. RODRIGUEZ, CAN YOU OR YOUR STAFF MOVE THE PODIUM AGAIN, PLEASE? THANK YOU.

AND MR. MILLER, I KNOW YOU'VE, UH, DONE THIS BEFORE, BUT I'LL JUST, UH, MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT SO EVERYONE CAN HEAR US, THAT YOU'RE GONNA SIT YEAH.

AT THE TABLE WITH THE MICROPHONE THERE.

AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, UH, TO SPEAK ON YOUR TOPIC, WHICH IS IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC EDUCATION.

AND THERE'LL BE A VISUAL, UH, TIMER FOR YOU TO SEE, AND THAT WE ASK THAT YOU RESPECT THE TIME.

AND WHEN THE THREE MINUTES IS UP, IS TO PLEASE END WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

SO LET'S GET THE TIMER ON.

THA THANK YOU, MR. ALRIGHT.

PLEASE GO AHEAD.

MADAM CHAIRMAN.

AND LAST MONTH I MENTIONED THAT I AM NOT A, A DATA PERSON, AND THAT I STARTED TO MENTION ABOUT A, WHAT I CONSIDER A VERY SIGNIFICANT, UH, STUDY ON MUSIC EDUCATION FROM THE, AND I WAS ASKED TO GIVE ALL OF YOU A COPY OF THAT STUDY.

I, YOU CAN'T SCAM THEM OR SCAN, UH, LOOK AT 'EM BRIEFLY.

YOU HAVE TO STUDY THEM.

AND IF I COULD TAKE, I'LL TRY IN ONE MINUTE TO SAY WHAT I THINK IT SAYS.

AND THAT IS ALL STUDENTS, PERIOD, MEANING GRADUATING CLASSES.

AND AT, AT THE BRITISH COLUMBIA, IT LOOKED AT SEVENTH GRADE AP, UH, SCORES THAT PROVIDED AN IDEA OF HOW LIKELY A PERSON WOULD SECEDE IN ACADEMICS.

THEN AT PARTICIPATED IN, UH, MUSIC, EITHER VOCAL OR INSTRUMENTAL.

THEN AT GRADE LEVEL E 12, IT SHOWED IMPROVEMENT OF THOSE WHO TOOK MUSIC VERSUS THOSE WHO DIDN'T BASED ON WHAT YOU WOULD ANTICIPATE THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.

AND THIS WAS DONE ON ALL VARIOUS SOCIAL ECONOMIC AREAS, INCLUDING WHETHER ENGLISH WAS THE PRIMARY, UH, LANGUAGE, IT INCLUDED, UH, HOUSEHOLD INCOME, ET CETERA.

UH, I ONLY HAVE 30 MINUTE OR 30 SECONDS LEFT, BUT I SUBMIT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU FOLKS IF YOU THINK MUSIC ROOT THAT CAN ADD TO YOUR DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN.

ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT I PRESENTED? NO.

WE, THIS IS REALLY NOT AN INTERACTIVE PROCESS, BUT WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.

SO, KEVIN, THE, UM, UH, COMMENTERS ONLINE.

SO THAT, THAT CONCLUDES OUR SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND THAT MEANS, UH, WE CAN YOU ADJOURN BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS.

AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED.