[Call to Order]
[00:00:03]
BOARD OF EDUCATION SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF JULY 28, 2020 BEING CONDUCTED BY A REMOTE VIDEO CONFERENCING AND ALSO BEING LIVE STREAMED BY THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
[Approval of Agenda]
HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? SO MOVED AND A SECOND, MR. EARL CAMPBELL, ANY DISCUSSION MR. SMITH? UM, MAN CHAIR, COULD YOU, UH, I WAS WONDERING, UM, DID THIS MEETING COME ABOUT TODAY AND, UH, WHO APPROVED THIS MEETING TODAY? SO WHAT, SO DOC, UM, MS. CUSHION BARRY SENT OUT AN EMAIL ABOUT A WEEK AGO TO ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS, NOT JUST THE OFFICERS, UH, SAYING THAT, UH, DR.RODRIGUEZ HAD REQUESTED A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING FOR TWO ITEMS, THE REVISED ACADEMIC CALENDAR AND THE VIRTUAL PLATFORM K TO 12 LEARNING.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT AS AN OFFICER, I, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE OFFICERS IN THE, IN THE, IN THE CHAIR AND THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS SET THE AGENDA AND WE WOULD CALL MEETINGS.
UH, AND THIS WAS NOT REALLY, THIS WAS NOT AN EMERGENCY MEETING IN A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF THE, OF THIS, UH, MAGIC THAT WE WOULD WORK ON THIS TOGETHER.
AND I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CHAIN OF COMMAND, BECAUSE I W I KNOW WE WERE WORKING WITH WORKING ON A, A, UM, A CORRECT GOVERNANCE MODEL, BUT IN THE PROCESS OF US WORKING ON IT, UM, IN, IN, IN REFERENCING TO US FOLLOWING CHAIN OF COMMAND, I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT, HOW, UH, HOW ARE WE ON TRACK WITH, WITH, WITH THE WAY THIS MEETING CAME UP, MR. SMITH, I'VE GIVEN YOU AN ANSWER? WELL, MY, WELL, MAYBE LET ME ASK THIS QUESTION.
WHEN, WHO ACTUALLY PACIFICALLY TOLD ROBIN OR TOLD THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, THE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE BOARD TO SEND AN EMAIL OUT THAT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO SEND THE EMAILS I DID, BECAUSE I SAID ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT.
RODRIGUEZ WAS REQUESTING A MEETING.
SO, SO THESE ITEMS OF URGENCY COULD BE, UH, VOTED ON AND IT'S REQUIRED BY, BY A STATE STATUTE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE REVISED ACADEMIC PATH.
SO I THOUGHT ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD BE INFORMED.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT MY POINT WAS, AS AN OFFICER, AS AN OFFICER, I THOUGHT THAT YOU, YOU AND I, AND KATHY MIGHT NEED TO HAVE A MEETING ORIENTED, TALK ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE, WHAT WILL BE DISCUSSED TODAY IN THE URGENCY OF IT, BECAUSE, I MEAN, THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHY THE BOARD VOTED US TO BE OFFICERS TEND TO HAVE TO HAVE A DUTY.
SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND AT ALL? SO THE REQUEST, UH, FOR, FOR THE SPECIAL CALLED BOARD MEETING, UH, THE LAST MEETING WE HAD, UH, THERE WAS A, UH, UH, THE CALENDAR MATTER, UH, CAME UP AND ON THE CALENDAR MATTER, THE SOONER WE CAN LOCK IN ON A CALENDAR OF THE BETTER IN TERMS OF PLANNING PURPOSES AND IN TERMS OF, UH, FOR NOT ONLY, UH, OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT ALSO FOR OUR PARENTS AS WELL.
THEN IN ADDITION, UH, UH, THIS K-12, UH, LEARNING PLATFORM, UH, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE AS WELL, SO THAT, UM, IT'S PART OF, UH, OUR ABILITY TO WORK THROUGH THE VIRTUAL OFFERINGS THAT WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE FOR STUDENTS.
AND SO THE SOONER THOSE THINGS GET PUT TO BED, THEN THE SOONER WE CAN BEGIN LOOKING AT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAFF AND EVERYTHING ELSE ON THAT PLATFORM.
SO, SO LOGISTICALLY, UH, THESE ARE UNPRECEDENTED CIRCUMSTANCES, AND THIS IS WHY WE'RE ASKING TO HAVE THIS SPECIAL CALL BOARD MEETING.
AND I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT ARE AREAS.
HOWEVER, I'M JUST, MY QUESTION IS TO THAT THE GWAS AS AN OFFICER, THAT WE HAVE THAT UNDER OUR OF RESPONSIBILITY AND FORM OF COMMUNICATION THAT IS, IS, IS, IS, IS THE OFFICERS, IS THE CHAIR, THE VICE CHAIR.
AND THE SECRETARY IS IT'S OUR, IT IS OUR DUTY AS WELL TO NOT TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHY WE'RE HAVING A MEETING WHEN WE'RE HAVING A MEETING AND FOR US TO COME TO COMMON GROUND AND SAY THAT, YES, THERE'S A NEED FOR
[00:05:01]
A MEETING.AND I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS THE PROCESS TAKING FOR US TO HAVE THIS MEETING.
AND IT WASN'T THE CORRECT PROCESS MOVING FORWARD, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE WORK.
I SAID, I KNOW THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THE COHERENT GOVERNANCE PROCESS, A PLAN, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING HOW TODAY, HOW DO WE GET AT THIS JUNCTION HAVING THIS MEETING, UH, AND WITH ROBIN, WITH ROBIN BEING TOLD TO GO AHEAD AND START CIRCLING, ASKING AND SEEING WHO WOULD BE ABLE TO BE AVAILABLE BECAUSE TO ME, THAT IS, THAT'S JUST NOT THE CHAIR, A CHAIR FUNCTION AS ONE IS THAT'S, THAT'S AN OFFICE, THAT'S AN OFFICER'S, UH, FUNCTIONS OF THE BOARD AS WELL AS BOARD MEMBERS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST, THIS IS JUST NOT A ONE PERSON FUNCTIONING PART OF THE BOARD.
THAT THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET THE SHIT TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND.
I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS REGARDING PROCESS, UM, DR.
RODRIGUEZ, UM, I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND WHY THE BOARD NEEDED TO CONVENE THIS EVENING, UM, TO LOOK AT THE CALENDAR AND FINALIZE THAT, UH, GIVEN THAT TIMEFRAME IS THE OTHER MATTER TO MY ALSO REQUIRED BY LAW, UH, THAT THE BOARD VOTE ON.
AND I KNOW CERTAINLY THE CALENDAR IS, UM, IS THE SECOND ITEM ON THE AGENDA AS WELL.
WELL, I SEE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE SOONER THAT WE CAN PUT THESE THINGS, UH, INTO PLACE, UH, THEN, THEN THE BETTER IT IS FOR NOT ONLY OUR TEACHERS, BUT, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, OUR SCHOOLS IN TERMS OF PLANNING, UH, PLANNING PURPOSES.
SO OUR, OUR INTENT IS TO MOVE THROUGH THIS PROCESS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO GET, UH, TO GET THE THINGS IN PLACE THAT NEED TO FALL INTO PLACE.
AND, UH, AND SO ULTIMATELY OF COURSE THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE A DECISION ON THESE ITEMS TONIGHT AND, AND, UH, IF, YOU KNOW, UH, IT ALSO PROVIDES US, YOU KNOW, THE DECISIONS THE BOARD MAKES, YOU KNOW, SENDS US, UH, UH, INDIRECTIONS, RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, IF IT'S A, YES, WE HAVE ONE DIRECTION, IF IT'S A, NO, WE HAVE ANOTHER DIRECTION, RIGHT? SO THOSE ARE IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF, UH, PUTTING ALL THESE PIECES TOGETHER AND, AND, AND OUR PLANNING MOVING FORWARD.
SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE RATIONALE.
UM, PERHAPS I WAS NOT CLEAR, I DO KNOW THAT WE ARE REQUIRED AS A BOARD IN SOUTH CAROLINA TO APPROVE THE CALENDAR.
ARE WE ALSO REQUIRED BY LAW IN SOUTH CAROLINA TO APPROVE THE SECOND PIECE THIS EVENING? WELL, THE SECOND PIECE IS, IS A PURCHASE AND THAT THAT PURCHASE, UH, IS REQUIRED BY, UH, UH, IT WILL REQUIRE BOARD APPROVAL THAT PERSON'S PURCHASE WILL REQUIRE A BOARD PURCHASE.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, UM, AFTER READING THESE, UH, THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN POSTED ON THE AGENDA SINCE LAST WEEK, I THINK THEY WERE POSTED, UM, THAT THE VIRTUAL PLATFORM WILL COST MONEY AND THE SOONER WE CAN APPROVE IT, IF THAT'S OUR DESIRE, THEN I WILL, BASED ON WHAT I READ, THE TEACHERS WILL HAVE TO BE TRAINED.
SO I THINK THAT, UM, HAVING THINGS IN PLACE AND GIVING THE, ALLOWING THE STAFF TIME TO WORK WITH IT BENEFITS OUR STUDENTS.
SO, TANYA, I DON'T KNOW IF TONY IS HERE, JUST THE DOLLAR AMOUNT EXCEED THE THRESHOLD BY WHICH THE BOARD BECOMES INVOLVED IN APPROVAL.
HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH YOU SAY MMM.
PUTTING A BOARD OR DOES THIS HAVE, HAVE TO DO WITH APPROVING THE AGENDA? YES, IT DOES.
YOUR GENDER IS THAT WE WERE GOING TO VOTE ON THIS.
I'M TRYING TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THE BOARD SHOULD BE VOTING.
SO I WON'T GET INTO THE SPECIFICS OF OUR PRESENTATION, BUT PART OF JIMMY'S NEED THAT WE HAVE FOR THE BOARD THIS EVENING IS LOOKING AT THE ACQUISITION OF A SOFTWARE PROGRAM FOR ALL STUDENTS IN GRADES K THROUGH EIGHT.
IT DOES TAKE MY DIVISION BEYOND ITS THRESHOLD, SIR, THAT WE COULD DO INDEPENDENTLY.
THE THRESHOLD THERE'S A DOLLAR AMOUNT.
THE BOARD DOES NOT APPROVE CURRICULUM AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND.
IT DOES NOT APPROVE CURRICULUM, SIR.
[00:10:01]
GIVE ME THE DOLLAR AMOUNT? SO AT THIS POINT IT'S $185 PER STUDENT.SO POTENTIALLY WE'RE LOOKING AT SERVICING STUDENTS.
I WANT TO SAY APPROXIMATELY 15,000 IN GRADES EIGHT K THROUGH EIGHT, AND THE EVENT THAT WE HAVE A CLOSURE, AND WE ABLE TO HAVE UNIFICATION OF DELIVERY OF INSTRUCTION THROUGH STANDARD SPACE INSTRUCTION.
WE'RE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY 2.7, FIVE UTILIZATION OF OUR CARES ACT FUNDING.
UM, WELL THEN ALSO, IF WE HAVE A HAND INCREASE AND THAT MADE ME HAVE TO SPEND MORE MONEY, RIGHT? CAN YOU REPEAT YOUR QUESTION? OR IF WE HAVE AN INCREASE IN STUDENTS, THAT'S GOING TO BE LEARNING, THE PRICE WILL GO UP.
SO MR. CAMPBELL, THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IT WOULD HAVE PROBABLY HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD HIPPIE, GO BEYOND THE THRESHOLD THAT WOULD HAPPEN TO SEE EVENING OKAY.
HI, MR. ROBOT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK AGAIN? NO.
I DIDN'T TAKE MY MR. COLLINGS UP.
SO, UH, MOLLY, SINCE YOU'RE RUNNING THE MEETING, UH, DO WE HAVE THE, UM, ARE YOU'RE HOSTING THE MEETING? ARE WE ABLE TO VOTE NOW? YES.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND DO THAT FOR YOU.
JUST GOT ON AND TRICIA'S NOT HERE.
SO DO YOU HAVE A SUMMARY? OH, I SEE.
SO THE MOTION CARRIES, UM, UH, THE BOTTOM NINE.
THE MOTION CARRIES NINE ZERO ZERO AND PATRICIA FIDRYCH IS NOT AT THE MEETING.
[Pledge of Allegiance, Statement of Media Notification]
SO NOW WE'LL STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE.I PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, PUBLIC, FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
THE MEDIA HAS BEEN PROPERLY NOTIFIED.
[Public Comments]
HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT? WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT.IF YOU COULD WAIT ONE SECOND WHILE I DIE.
CAN YOU PUT THE CLOCK UP FIRST BEFORE THEY START IDENTIFY THEMSELVES, PLEASE? YEAH.
ARE YOU THERE? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
ANY CLOCK OR TIMER? GO AHEAD, MICHELLE.
I AM A MATH TEACHER AT BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL AND THE DISTRICT TEACHER
[00:15:01]
OF THE YEAR.THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY.
AS YOU PREPARE TO REVIEW THIS SCHOOL, YEAR'S ACADEMIC CALENDAR, IT PLANS TO OFFER FACE TO FACE INSTRUCTION.
I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ONE OF MY MOST RECENT EXPERIENCES IN SCHOOL STARTED TODAY BASED ON OUR SCHOOL REOPENING PLAN, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RETURN TO FACE TO FACE INSTRUCTION.
YOU SEE MY FAMILY AND I HAVE BEEN ISOLATED IN MY HOME BECAUSE OF POSITIVE COBIT RESULTS.
I WONDER SCHOOL STARTED TWO WEEKS AGO.
I WOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO ENTER THE BUILDING BECAUSE I WOULD NOT HAVE EXHIBITED ANY OF THE KNOWN SYMPTOMS. I WOULD HAVE PRACTICED THE REQUIRED SAFETY PRECAUTIONS OF WEARING MASKS, SOCIAL DISTANCING, WASHING HANDS, AND SANITIZING, MY WORKSPACE, ALL I LIKELY BEING COBIT POSITIVE.
WELL, ONCE THE FIRST SIGNS OF SYMPTOM SURFACE, I WOULD NO LONGER BE ALLOWED TO PROVIDE THAT FACE TO FACE INSTRUCTION.
AND I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE A TEST THEN A WEIGHT TEST RESULTS, WHICH FOR ME AND MY FAMILY TOOK SEVEN DAYS TO RETURN.
AND ALTHOUGH I HAVE NO PREEXISTING MEDICAL CONDITIONS AND HAVE ALMOST RECOVERED, I AM STILL HAVING LINGERING SYMPTOMS, BUT I CAN'T HELP, BUT WONDER WHAT IMPACT WOULD THIS HAVE CAUSED? SO MY CLASSES, MY SCHOOL AND OUR DISTRICT, HOW WOULD TWO WEEKS OF INTERRUPTED INSTRUCTION IMPACT LEARNING? WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO FIND A SUB FOR TWO WEEKS ON PLAN? WHAT MENTAL WEIGHT WOULD THIS HAVE ON EVERY ADULT AND EVERY CHILD? I CAME IN CONTACT WITH, WHAT IF I WAS RESPONSIBLE FROM ONE FOR ANNOYINGLY PASSING THIS VIRUS ON TO OTHERS? HOW WOULD THE FAMILIES OF THE CHILDREN IN MY CARE FEEL KNOWING THEIR CHILD'S TEACHER HAD CORONAVIRUS ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS FROM ONE POSITIVE CASE? I THINK OUR DISTRICT LEADERS HAVE DEVELOPED A WELL THOUGHT OUT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO PROVIDE THE SAFEST ENVIRONMENT POSSIBLE.
I DO BELIEVE THAT SOME PARENTS HAVE GREAT CONFIDENCE IN THIS PLAN.
HOWEVER, I STILL HAVE RESERVATIONS WITH HAVING FACE TO FACE INSTRUCTION AT THIS TIME, MY BOUT WITH COVID AND OUR COUNTY AND STATES CONTINUED HIGH INCIDENTS OF CASES JUST REAFFIRMS MY BELIEF THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON A MERGER WILL START.
IT IS THE SAFEST AND MOST FLEXIBLE OPTION.
AND OUR DISTRICT HAS THE RESOURCES, KNOWLEDGE, AND CAPACITY TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION.
I WOULD MUCH RATHER OUR CALENDAR REFLECT AND INCLUDE TIME TO PROPERLY TRAIN TEACHERS AND EDUCATE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ON HOW TO BE MOST SUCCESSFUL WITH THE SAFEST OPTION FOR ALL A VIRTUAL START.
THIS VIRTUAL START SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE OPPORTUNITIES TO REEVALUATE OUR SITUATION, TO DETERMINE THE READINESS TO DIFFERENT PHASES OF THE SCHOOL REOPENING PLAN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO ME.
SO MOLLY, THAT, IS IT MOLLY? I'M SORRY.
[Approval of Revised Academic Calendar]
DOCTOR, UM, RODRIGUEZ, WE'RE ONTO THE APPROVAL OF THE REVISED, THE ACADEMIC CALENDAR.UH, THIS EVENING, WE'LL BRING BACK, UH, TO THE BOARD OF, FOR YOUR REVIEW AND APPROVAL, A REVISED ACADEMIC CALENDAR.
UM, THE, THE, UH, ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS OF A VAT REVISED ACADEMIC CALENDAR IS THE START DATE MOVE TO SEPTEMBER 8TH.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE COMPONENTS THAT IT DOES PROVIDE FOR IS AN EVEN SPLIT ON THE, ON THE, UH, 90, 90 IN TERMS OF THE SEMESTER DAYS, UH, THAT, UH, THAT THAT IS ELIGIBLE OR POSSIBLE, UH, ON THIS CALENDAR.
AND ADDITIONALLY, UH, AS YOU, AS YOU ALL KNOW, COVID-19 HAS PROVIDED A VERY COMPLEX, UH, SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES.
OPENING SCHOOLS NORMALLY, UH, CAN BE A CHALLENGING PROCESS OF SCHOOLS WORK THROUGH STUDENTS' SCHEDULES, HIRING NEW STAFF AND PLACING, UH, TEACHERS EMBARRASS COURSES, ET CETERA.
UH, THIS CIRCUMSTANCE MAKES IT ALL THE MORE DIFFICULT.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE THE TREND WITH MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE IS TO MOVE THE START DATE TO SEPTEMBER 8TH, TO ALLOW THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE VIRUS TO BEGIN DECLINING.
BUT ADDITIONALLY, UH, TO DEAL WITH OPERATIONAL MATTERS THAT SCHOOLS DON'T NORMALLY MANAGE.
MOLLY, ARE YOU ABLE TO PULL UP THE FIRST PRESENTATION? YES, MA'AM.
SO IS THAT BEING PULLED UP? I APPRECIATE IT.
[00:20:01]
IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, MS. MOLLY.FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY GOOD EVENING AND MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME FOR MEETING WITH US TO SEE EVENING.
AND I UNDERSTAND HOW COMPLEX YOUR CALENDARS ARE.
THIS FIRST PRESENTATION IS IN REGARD TO THE EARLIER MOTION MADE BY OUR, OUR BOARD, HAVING SENIOR STAFF TO PREPARE A CALENDAR THAT PROVIDES A SEPTEMBER 8TH START DATE.
IF WE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS FIRST SLIDE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S TRUNCATED, I DO APOLOGIZE CAUSE MY PRESENTATION DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THAT.
BUT THE FIRST SLIDE DOES SHOW THE PRIOR APPROVED CALENDAR BY OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHERE WE HAD GONE THROUGH A SERIES OF MEETINGS THAT INCLUDED OUR ACADEMIC COMMITTEE TEACHERS DISTRICT.
WE, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FEEDBACK FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
MS. MOLLY, MAY YOU PLEASE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? THANK YOU.
THIS SECOND SLIDE IN DRAFT FORMAT DEMONSTRATES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HAVING A SEPTEMBER 8TH START DATE.
IT PROVIDES A 10 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS REQUIRED BY STATE.
IT ALSO DEMONSTRATES IF YOU LOOK AT AUGUST 24TH, IT ACCOMMODATES FOR THE STATE ALLOCATION OF THE FIVE LEAP DAYS WHERE THE STATE WILL BE PAYING K THROUGH EIGHT TEACHERS.
IT SETS THAT SET AUGUST 31ST AS THE FIRST DATE FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS NINE THROUGH 12 IS THEIR PRESCHOOL.
AND WE HAVE THE EIGHTH AS A FIRST STUDENT CONTACT DATE.
SO WE HAVE OUR 10 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS.
THREE HALF DAYS HAVE BEEN PLACED INTO THE CALENDAR THREE WEATHER MAKEUP DAYS.
AND ON THIS DESIGN, WE WERE STILL ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THE DAYS OFF, OBVIOUSLY FOR VETERAN'S DAY AND TRY TO ACCOMMODATE IT AS THE STATE STATUTE REQUIRES OUR MAKEUP DAYS GOING FOR A SEMESTER.
I DON'T WANT TO SAY TO HURRICANE, BUT SHOULD HURRICANES HIT A STORE AND TO SEASON IT'S A QUICK PRESENTATION.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS FOR REVIEW, IF YOU SEE FIRST SEMESTER GO FROM SEPTEMBER 8TH THROUGH FEBRUARY 2ND, THE LAST CONTACT GAPE IS STUDENTS WILL BE JUNE 17TH AND WE'VE ALSO PUT TENTATIVE DATES FOR GRADUATION.
YES, MA'AM THOUGH THE LENGTH OF THE TWO SEMESTERS IN TERMS OF THE 180 DAYS ARE, ARE I ASSUME SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT NOW SINCE YOUR FIRST SEMESTER ENDS IN FEBRUARY.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE TRIED THE DESIGN TO HAVE A 90, 90 SPLIT, SO THAT WE'LL HAVE 90 DAYS IN FIRST SEMESTER, 90 DAYS IN SECOND SEMESTER.
UM, I HAVE THREE QUESTIONS ACTUALLY.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I'M THRILLED ABOUT THE EVEN SPLIT THE 90, 90, UM, BUT STARTING ON SEPTEMBER 8TH, PUSHES US WAY INTO FEBRUARY, PUSHES US INTO FEBRUARY.
UM, IN THE, THEY, THEY, THE BIGGEST QUESTION MARK WITH EXTENDING THE, UM, SEMESTER BEYOND THE, THE, UH, HOLIDAY WAS A CONCERN FOR DUAL ENROLLMENT STUDENTS AT TCL AND USC.
THEY AS WELL AS OUR STUDENTS WANTING TO, UH, ENLIST IN THE MILITARY AND THIS TAKES US EVEN FARTHER OUT.
UM, OUR RECENT REVISED DEAL WITH TCL HAS US PARTICIPATING EVEN MORE, HAVING MORE STUDENTS ATTENDING DUAL ENROLLMENT THIS, THIS YEAR.
UM, IT COMMITS US TO THAT ACTUALLY.
UM, SO HOW DO WE MANAGE THAT WITH THIS CALENDAR? WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE STUDENTS? DOES IT ALIGN WITH TCL AND US CBS CLASSES? THAT'S QUESTION ONE.
DO YOU WANT ME TO RESPOND OR SHOULD I WAIT FOR THAT? I COULD PROVIDE INFORMATION ON QUESTION TO YOU.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO GIVE ALL THREE, I'LL TAKE ONE AT A TIME, MAN.
SO WITH REGARD TO THE FIRST ITEM, UM, IT HAS BEEN PUT FORWARD
[00:25:01]
WITH REGARD TO THE MILITARY AND I'LL START THERE THAT THEY CAN GET EXTENDED DATE.WE'VE I'VE WORKED THROUGH, UM, JERRY HENDERSON.
WE COULD TRY TO WORK WITH OUR RECRUITERS RECOGNIZING THIS BECAUSE WE DO KNOW THAT THIS IS A UNIQUE YEAR, UM, SUBJECT TO ALL OF THE ABOVE THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE CONSCIOUS OF THE SECOND PART TODAY, THAT THERE IS A RECOGNITION OF, FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO WON'T ENGAGE INTO DUAL ENROLLMENT.
AND THAT WAS CONVERSATION WE HAVE HAD, IF WE COULD WORK WITH THE LOCAL UNIVERSITY AND WHAT OUR SCHOOL SITES SUBJECT TO THAT WEEK, THE STATE HAS PUT IN A SEAT TIME WAIVER, WOULD THAT SEAT TIME WAIVER WILL LEND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOLS TO WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING TO BE DUAL ENROLLED, HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO DEMONSTRATE PROFICIENCY WITH SEMESTER EXAMS. SO WE HAVE TAKEN THAT INTO CONSIDERATION BECAUSE THIS IS ALL SHIT.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE THINGS I PUT FORWARD AS WELL.
MA'AM UM, THE NEXT QUESTION I, I ASSUME, UH, WOULD BE FOR DR.
RODRIGUEZ, UM, SINCE THE, THE STATE IS STILL WORKING THROUGH ALL OF THE PLANS SUBMITTED BY ALL OF THE DISTRICTS, UM, IN OURS HAS, HAS NOT YET BEEN APPROVED.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, HAS THERE BEEN ANY COMMUNICATION WITH THE STATE ON OUR PLAN SINCE WE SUBMITTED IT? SO, UH, JUST TODAY I WAS ON A CONFERENCE CALL WITH, UH, ALL OF THE SUPERINTENDENTS AND THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT, AND THEY BASICALLY SAID THAT THEY HAVE JUST STARTED, UH, THAT PROCESS.
THEY JUST LOOKED AT THOSE AND PUSH THOSE OUT.
THEY'LL BE LOOKING AT, AT ALL THE OTHER ONES.
SO THEY'RE, THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO IT YET.
SO ARE YOU APPREHENSIVE ABOUT SETTING A FIRM START DATE WHEN WE DON'T KNOW IF THE STATE IS GOING TO COME BACK TO US WITH SUGGESTED CHANGES TO OUR PLAN? UM, AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE THE OTHER DISCUSSION.
UH, OUR SECOND AGENDA ITEM TONIGHT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE SOME THINGS UP IN THE AIR STILL THAT MIGHT PROHIBIT US FROM REALLY SETTING A FIRM START DATE AT THIS TIME.
UH, I'M NOT, I'M NOT APPREHENSIVE ABOUT SETTING A SEPTEMBER 8TH START DATE, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR ONE, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, FROM THE GOVERNOR WAS TO LOOK TOWARDS A SEPTEMBER EIGHT, UH, START DATE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, UM, UH, IF THE BOARD WERE TO APPROVE THE CALENDAR TONIGHT, UH, WE WOULD SEND A REVISED CALENDAR UP TO, UP TO THE STATE, UH, UH, RIGHT AWAY TOMORROW THAT THEY WOULD, THEY WOULD THEN HAVE OUR REVISED CALENDAR, UH, AS WELL.
AND, AND, UM, ONE FINAL QUESTION, ALTHOUGH IT'S SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC, I DON'T KNOW, UM, WHERE TO RAISE IT THIS EVENING.
I'M NOT CERTAIN IF IT APPLIES TO THE CALENDAR OR THE EDUCATION OF OUR STUDENTS, BUT, UM, HERE AT MEMORIAL, HAVE THEY CONTACTED YOU FOR, UM, USE OF OUR FACILITIES BEYOND WHAT WE HAD DISCUSSED SEVERAL MONTHS BACK? NO, UH, THEY HAVE NOT.
I, UH, I, I CAN JUST SHARE WITH YOU THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY UNDERSTOOD BACK THEN THAT, UH, THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY WE WOULD HAVE, UH, UH, CLASSES IN THE SUMMER.
UH, THAT WAS, THAT WAS CERTAINLY OUR INTENT WAS TO HAVE FACE TO FACE CLASSES.
SO THEY HAVE NOT MADE A REQUEST, UH, FOR ADDITIONAL USE OF FACILITY.
RODRIGUEZ, UM, YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE ABOUT SEPTEMBER RACE, RIGHT? THAT'S GOOD.
WHAT IS YOUR POINT OF NO RETURN ON BEING ABLE TO DELIVER OLD VIRTUAL, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU DECIDE NEEDS TO BE DONE? THAT'S THE FIRST PART OF THE QUESTION? NUMBER TWO, ARE YOU GOING TO, UH, ENCOURAGE GO A LITTLE LIGHT ITEM THAT WAS IN THE YELLOW LINE OF A PLAN THAT SAID, IF YOU GO VIRTUAL, WE WANT YOU TO KEEP VIRTUAL FOR THE FIRST SEMESTER.
UM, THAT'S THE SECOND PART OF MY QUESTION.
SO, UH, SO I THINK THE FIRST, UH, THE FIRST THING I WOULD SAY
[00:30:01]
IS, UH, WE'RE LOOKING TO, TO HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION, YOU KNOW, TO PROVIDE OUR FAMILIES AND OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR TEACHERS WITH, UH, AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE, UH, TO PLAN, UH, THEIR, THEIR PLANNING AT THE MOMENT.AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT, UH, TWO POSSIBLE TYPES OF OPENINGS, RIGHT.
UH, THAT, THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH.
SO, SO THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE HERE IN DISTRICT LEADERSHIP ARE TAKING A LOOK AT AND CONSIDERING, UM, I BELIEVE, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT WE'VE SEEN METRICS THAT CONTINUE TO COME IN, UH, WE'VE GONE NOW.
I BELIEVE IT'S FIVE WEEKS IN A ROW OR, OR SO WHERE THE METRICS REMAIN HIGH.
UH, THEY'RE NOT GETTING ANY BETTER AND THEY SEEM TO BE HEADED IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.
UH, SO, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE GETTING, WE'RE APPROACHING THAT, UH, MR. DARLING, I DON'T KNOW THAT I WANT TO SAY THAT IT'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, UH, TOMORROW OR, OR A SPECIFIC DAY, BUT IT WE'RE APPROACHING THAT VERY QUICKLY.
AND, AND, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING CLOSELY AT WHAT COMES OUT NEXT MONDAY, UH, IN TERMS OF THE NEXT ROUND OF METRICS, THAT WOULD BE SIX, SIX WEEKS OF METRICS.
AND, AND TO SEE, UH, WHAT, WHAT THAT SHOW AND, UH, AND THEN AT THAT JUNCTURE, I THINK, UH, WE WOULD BE, UH, WE WOULD BE VERY CLOSE TO HAVING TO MAKE A DECISION TO PROVIDE OUR FAMILIES WITH ABOUT FOUR TO FIVE WEEKS, UM, UH, THE PLANT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE IDEA NOW, I'M SORRY.
I THINK THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION, UH, IN THE PLAN, IT TALKS ABOUT ENCOURAGING, UH, UH, UH, FAMILIES TO, TO STAY UNTIL A SEMESTER.
AND SO WHAT WE, WHAT WE ACTUALLY PREFER AS A NATURAL BREAK, RIGHT.
UH, SO, SO THAT'S WHAT WE PREFER, YOU KNOW, SO WE, WE ARE CERTAINLY INTERESTED IN ENCOURAGING, UH, OUR FAMILIES TO, TO, TO LOOK AT A NATURAL BREAK IN, UH, IN, IN THE ACADEMIC CALENDAR FOR THAT.
AND, AND BY THAT, I DON'T MEAN, UH, A BREAK, LIKE A, LIKE A HOLIDAY, I MEAN, A BREAK LIKE A QUARTER OR A SEMESTER OR THAT TYPE OF THING.
UH, IT JUST FACILITATES THINGS FOR THE CHILD, RIGHT.
SO IF YOU, IF YOUR DECISION HAS TO BE TO GO ALL VIRTUAL, THAT WILL BE FOR A DEFINED LENGTH OF TIME.
AND PEOPLE WHO WERE PLANNING DAY ON FACE TO FACE HEADS NEED TO, TO THE FACT THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, A QUARTER OR A SEMESTER THAT THERE'LL BE DOING VIRTUAL.
BUT I THINK WE, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUOUSLY MONITOR THE METRICS, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD BE IDEAL WHERE WE WOULD SAY, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR THEM.
WE'LL CHECK BACK IN ON THIS AT, UH, YOU KNOW, A QUARTER OR WHATEVER, WHATEVER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MAL CAMPBELL.
YEAH, I GUESS THIS IS ALSO FUCKED DOC RODRIGUEZ AND WE SHOULD REMAIN, BUT THE PLAN IS THERE A PROTOCOL OR PROCEDURE IN PLACE TO MAP THE KIND OF STUDENT THAT'S TAKING THEM BASED ON FACE VERSUS THE RITUAL AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE ABILITY TO DO EITHER.
ONE OF THE TWO I'M ASKING IS, AND A FOLLOW UP QUESTION IS IF WE GO ALL VIRTUAL, HOW DO WE SERVICE THOSE CHILDREN THAT ARE GENERALLY WITHOUT INTERNET OR WITHOUT ACCESS TO OUR PROCESSES OF A VIRTUAL EDUCATION? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, MR. CAMPBELL.
I DON'T KNOW IF MARK SHEEHAN IS ON THE CALL AT THIS, UH, AT THIS TIME, UH, LET ME, LET ME, LET ME SAY, I DON'T SEE HIM, BUT ESSENTIALLY MR. CAMPBELL, UH, UH, WE HAVE, UH, AND WE ARE RECEIVING, UH, UH, DEVICES, UH, CALLED KAJEET, WHICH, UH, WHEN PLUGGED INTO A DEVICE, THEY WORK OFF OF, UH, ESSENTIALLY CELL SERVICE.
SO, UH, THE INDIVIDUAL CHILD DOESN'T HAVE TO HAVE THE CELL SURFACE, BUT IF THERE IS CELL SERVICE IN A PARTICULAR AREA, THEN THAT DEVICE, UH, CAN, CAN, CAN CONNECT AND THAT PROVIDES THE INTERNET ACCESS.
UH, SO, UH, IN SPEAKING WITH, UH, WITH OUR, WITH OUR TECH TEAM, UH, THEY BELIEVE THAT THAT, UH, COULD YOU, DEVICES ARE GOING TO BE, UH, VERY HELPFUL IN THAT END AND THAT, UM,
[00:35:01]
THAT, UH, WILL, WHAT WE'RE RECEIVING FROM THE, UH, STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WITH REGARD TO THESE COULD BE DEVICES WILL BE ABLE, UH, TO DISTRIBUTE THOSE DEVICES, UH, IN THE NEEDED, UH, IN THE NEEDED AREAS.HOW, HOW ARE THE PARENTS, UH, UH, A STUDENT'S GONNA GONNA KNOW, YOU KNOW, THAT MIGHT HAVE SOME IMPACT ON HOW THEY CHOOSE WHETHER OR NOT, UH, ON, ON, ON HOW THEY CHOOSE, UH, VERSUS FACE TO FACE.
I MEAN, I'M NOT AS I'M A STUDENT I'M, IF I KNOW I CAN DO IT VIRTUALLY WITHOUT ANY TECHNOLOGICAL, YOU KNOW, PAYING OFF, THEN I MIGHT WANT TO CHOOSE RACHEL, PARTICULARLY IF I KNOW YOU GOT THESE DEVICES THAT WILL ALLOW THAT, BUT OTHERWISE I'M FACE TO FACE AND BY NOT KNOWING IF I MIGHT CHOOSE FACE TO FACE.
STRATOS, I THINK YOU HAVE THAT PIECE.
SO MR. CAMPBELL, YOU'RE STEPPING INTO MY NEXT PRESENTATION, SO THAT'S OKAY.
BUT LET'S, SINCE YOU BROUGHT IT UP, I THINK IT'S VERY, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
THAT'S WHY I PUT IT INTO THE PRESENTATION, SIR, IT'S A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE.
SO WE HAVE APPLICATION TO THE STATE FOR RECEIPT OF 2,500 KIJIJI TO HELP BE ON THE 200.
WE ALREADY HAVE AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE ARE PLANNING TO WORK WITH OUR SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND SOCIAL WORKERS, AND BEING ABLE TO WORK FROM THAT NETWORK OUT WITH THE REALIZATION THAT THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES THE MOST.
AND WE WILL HAVE THEM SET UP FOR US FROM THE INFORMATION THAT EACH OF THE SCHOOLS HAPPENED, THEIR PRIOR GOOGLE SHEETS ON STUDENTS WHO MAY HAVE HAD SOME CONNECTIVITY ISSUES AND REACH OUT TO THAT CYCLE FIRST, AND THEN OUR SCHOOLS WILL BE ABLE TO WORK IT OUT.
SO WE ARE PUTTING A SYSTEM IN PLACE THAT IT'S GOING TO BE WORKING WITH.
THOSE WHO HAVE THE CLOSEST LAYER TO OUR NEEDIEST FAMILIES.
I REALLY DON'T HAVE THE DATA TO BACK UP THAT YOU GOT TO DO THAT DELETED FAMILIES.
SO WE'RE BASING IT ON A FEW THINGS, AND I KNOW MS. CROSBY ON THIS AS WELL, BUT THE RECEIPT OF THE INFORMATION OF THE
SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH OUR SOCIAL WORKERS AND OUR PR AND OUR PRINCIPALS, BECAUSE THEY REALLY HAVE A VERY CLOSE PULSE TO OUR SCHOOLS.
AND IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY IMPRESSIVE THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION OUR LEADERS HAVE THERE.
AND ALSO ADD VERY QUICKLY THAT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, UM, THE PROVISION OF RESOURCES FOR OUR, OUR, UH, FOR ALL OF OUR FAMILIES HAS NOT BEEN AN AFTERTHOUGHT.
OUR TECH TEAM HAS BEEN INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN ALL OF THE PLANNING, ESPECIALLY AS WE WERE DEVELOPING, UH, OUR REOPENING PLAN.
AND WE KNEW THAT IF EVER THERE WAS A SITUATION WHERE WE HAD TO GO VIRTUAL, THEN WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FAMILIES HAD THE HARDWARE AND THE TECHNICAL CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO, UH, RESPOND TO THE, UM, THE ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS THAT WE HAVE OF THEM.
AND SO THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD SEVERAL VOICES AT THE TABLE WHO COULD CONFIRM FOR US THAT WE HAD THE
UH, THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING WITH PRINCIPALS HAVE ALREADY GONE TO, UH, PROCESSES FOR DISTRIBUTION AND THINGS OF THAT SORT.
SO I JUST REALLY WANTED TO REITERATE THE FACT THAT, UM, ALL OF THESE KINDS OF CONSIDERATIONS HAVE BEEN VERY MUCH A PART OF OUR PLANNING PROCESS UP TO THIS POINT, MR. SMITH.
I REMEMBER THAT, UM, WHEN WE FIRST WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS CALENDAR, UM, ON THE LAST GO AROUND, UH, I BELIEVE SHE WAS STATING THAT THE GPA WAS BETTER AFTER THIS SEMESTER VERSUS DURING THE SEMESTER, UH, AS IN STUDENTS GOING TO COLLEGE AND GRADUATING EARLY, HOW WOULD THIS CALENDAR AFFECT THAT? SO I THINK WE MAY BE REFERRING TO A CONVERSATION IS TO SMITH, UM, TO, UM, I WANT TO SAY MAYBE AN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER ACADEMIC COMMITTEE, WHERE WE HAD HAD IN CONFERENCE ROOM IN THE BUILDING.
SO THAT WAS WITH REPORT WITHIN, WE DO COMPARATIVE, I CAN'T TELL YOU TO PERFORMANCE IN ALL TRUTH OF OUR CHILDREN THIS YEAR, SUBJECT TO MANY OF THE THINGS THAT HAS HAPPENED WITH COBIT.
SO I DON'T HAVE THAT CAPABILITY TO GIVE YOU THAT ANSWER INTO THE FUTURE.
AND I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, SIR.
[00:40:01]
ME THAT SAY WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPACT ACADEMICALLY ON GPA FOR SITUATIONS THAT HAVEN'T OCCURRED YET? I APOLOGIZE THAT I CAN'T, BUT I COULD SHARE WITH YOU THAT EITHER FACE TO FACE OR IN A CONTEXT OF OUR STUDENTS IN A VIRTUAL LEVEL, WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO LEVERAGE OUR RESOURCES, TO PROVIDE OUR CHILDREN WHAT WE CAN FOR OUR KIDS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, NOT ONLY ACADEMICALLY, BUT MEETING, MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR KIDS, THAT THAT IS OUR TENANTS.AND ALSO, UM, FOR THAT RODRIGUEZ WITH CREATING THIS NEW CALENDAR, UH, CAN YOU KIND OF BREAK DOWN WHAT WAS THE PROCESS OF, HOW DO WE GET TO THIS CALENDAR THAT WE, THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US TODAY? THE STRATEGY? SO WHAT, WHEN I OPENED UP IN CONVERSATION, I WAS SHARING THAT THIS CALENDAR, WE TRIED TO RESPECT THE REQUESTS OF THE PROCESS THAT WE WENT FROM.
OUR ORIGINALLY BOARD APPROVED CALENDAR WOULD RECOGNITION.
OBVIOUSLY WE WILL LOOK INTO THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER.
WE NOTE THAT WE HAVE ELECTION DAYS A DAY OFF.
IF YOU LOOK AT NOVEMBER 11TH, IF YOU SEE ON THAT IS VETERAN STATE, THAT WAS A VERY HIGH DEMAND FROM OUR PUBLIC INPUT.
WE WANT TO SUPPORT THAT AND RECOGNIZE, WE ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, IF WE LOOK AT NOVEMBER 10TH, UTILIZE TIME TO HAVE PARENT CONFERENCES.
SO THAT'S WHY WE PLACED THE HALF DAY THERE AS WELL, TO GIVE THAT OPPORTUNITY SO THAT I COULD MEET WITH YOU AND HAVE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE OF YOUR CHALK AND YOU KNOW, WHAT AREAS OF NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT.
SO WE TOOK THOSE ELEMENTS FROM THE PRIOR CALENDAR, AND WE TRIED TO CROSS IT OVER TO THE BEST THAT WE CAN ALSO NOTING THAT IN THE MONTH OF APRIL IS, UM, SHOULD THERE BE AN EVENT THAT HAPPENS IN HILTON HEAD I'VE BEEN TOLD DON'T TOUCH THAT.
SO WE, WE, WE, WE, WE HELD SOME THINGS, VERY COVENANT NOT TO TOUCH.
AND ALSO I AM IN THE PROCESS OF HELPING ME UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, DID THE, WHO, WHO WOULD THEY, WE GET INPUT FROM STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL IN THIS AND THIS PROCESS THAT WE HAVE TEACHERS INVOLVED IN THIS AS WELL AS, AS WE DID THE LAST TIME.
I ACTUALLY, WITH THE TURNAROUND TIME ON THIS AND WOULD WORKING ON OUR REOPENING PLAN, WE TOOK THE INFORMATION FROM THE PRIOR, UM, INFORMATION THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DID ALL THE LEG WORK OUT THE FIRST APPROVED CALENDAR, AND WE TRANSFER THAT OVER INTO THIS.
MY LAST QUESTION ON US FOR THAT RODRIGUEZ, I'M JUST WONDERING WHEN THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT HE WOULD PREFER IF WE START ON SEPTEMBER 8TH AND HE DIDN'T EXACTLY GIVE A, HE DID NOT GIVE HIM AN EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT WE STARTED ON SEPTEMBER 8TH.
I WAS JUST WONDERING, WHY DID WE STILL CONTINUE TO SHOOT FOR THE AUGUST? BECAUSE IT WASN'T REALLY TECHNICALLY MANDATED BY THE GOVERNOR FOR US TO START IN, UH, SEPTEMBER WHAT, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STARTING AND STARTING IN AUGUST NOW VERSUS STARTING AS ACTUALLY SEPTEMBER 8TH, WHAT WOULD BE THE, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE FOCUS POINT THERE, THAT WOULD BE THE MUCH MORE DIFFERENT TO BE THE DRIVING FORCE? EXCUSE ME.
YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, MR. SMITH.
AND, AND SO LET ME JUST SAY, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, EVEN BEFORE THE GOVERNOR, UH, UH, MADE ANY STATEMENT ABOUT A SEPTEMBER 8TH START DATE, THERE WERE ALREADY, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICTS SHIFTING IN THAT DIRECTION.
AND I THINK THE RATIONALE THAT YOU SEE THERE, WHICH ALSO HOLDS TRUE FOR US IS, AS I MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING, IS THAT OPENING SCHOOLS IS NORMALLY A CHALLENGING PROCESS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PARTS AND, UH, ALL THOSE MOVING PARTS HAVE TO FALL INTO PLACE WITH, FOR EXAMPLE, A STUDENT SCHEDULES, HIRING NEW STAFF, UH, PLACING TEACHERS IN VARIOUS COURSES, UH, THAT, THAT FALL WITHIN CERTIFICATIONS, ET CETERA.
UH, AND, AND, UH, THE CIRCUMSTANCE THAT WE FIND OURSELVES IN WITH COVID-19 MAKES IT ALL THE MORE DIFFICULT AND ALL THE MORE CHALLENGING IN TERMS OF OPENING SCHOOLS.
UH, IN ADDITION, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THAT, UH, THAT WHAT'S NOT LIKE OPENING ONE SCHOOL, RIGHT? IT'S ALMOST LIKE OPENING TWO SCHOOLS IN EVERY LOCATION WITH VIRTUAL OPTIONS AND FACE TO FACE OPTIONS.
UH, AND, AND THOSE, YOU KNOW, A, A SEPTEMBER EIGHT START DATE, UH, YOU KNOW, ALLOWS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, A FOR THE VIRUS TO DECLINE, HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY, UH, AND IN ADDITION TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF THE OPERATIONAL MATTERS THAT ARE MUCH MORE COMPLEX OPENING SCHOOL THIS YEAR THAN IN A, IN A NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCE OR IN A NORMAL YEAR.
AND SO, UH, SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THOSE ARE ALL IMPORTANT PIECES, UH, THAT, UH,
[00:45:01]
THAT ARE POINTED TO AT DR.I COULDN'T TELL IF YOU WERE, UH, LOOKING TO ADD SOMETHING TO THAT OR NOT.
YOU'RE ON MUTE, I'M SORRY, DR.
I MEAN, I REALLY JUST WANTED TO KIND OF SECOND, EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAID AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TO KIND OF MANAGE, UM, THE, ALL OF THE ASPECTS OF REOPENING AND ALSO THE INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS, UH, I WOULD JUST KIND OF ENDORSE WHAT YOU SAID THAT THE, THE, AND I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT TYPICALLY PREPARING FOR THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL BEGINS WHEN THE PREVIOUS SCHOOL YEAR IS OVER WHEN WE SUBMITTED OUR REOPENING PLAN, ESSENTIALLY THAT CONDENSED THE TIME THAT WE HAD TO PLAN FOR THE FIRST DAY TO THE PERIOD OF TIME THAT WE HAD PRESCRIBED TO EVALUATE, UH, THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE
AND SO WE'VE BEEN MONITORING THAT.
AND DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME, SINCE THE RELEASE OF OUR PLAN, WE'D BEEN PLANNING FOR MULTIPLE SCENARIOS.
UH, I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT OUR PRINCIPALS HAVE DONE, UH, THE LEVEL BEST JOB THAT THEY POSSIBLY CAN BY RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS THAT THEY'VE BEEN RECEIVING FROM PARENTS.
AND MANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS, WE SIMPLY HAVE NOT HAD REALLY GOOD ANSWERS FOR, BECAUSE AGAIN, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL IS ACTUALLY GOING TO LOOK LIKE, OR AT LEAST THE SETTING THAT THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL WILL BE CONDUCTED IN, IN.
SO, UM, I JUST REALLY WANTED TO ENDORSE, UH, EVERYTHING THAT DR. RODRIGUEZ SAID, BECAUSE INTERNALLY THOSE THINGS HAVE CREATED SUCH CHALLENGE.
AND SO THE TIME EXTENSION, UH, ACTUALLY HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN USEFUL FOR US OR WILL BE USEFUL FOR US.
SO, UH, BASICALLY WE POSSIBLY, WE POSSIBLY, WE, WE WERE NOT PREPARED TO OPEN IN AUGUST.
THAT WAS OUR, ACTUALLY, WE ACTUALLY WENT FOR THE ACTUAL START DATE IN AUGUST.
WE WERE NOT PREPARED FOR THAT DATE.
IN OTHER WORDS, MR. SMITH, THAT THAT IS NOT WHAT I SAID.
UH, WHAT WE'RE SAYING, I'M JUST ASKING.
YEAH, JUST INFORMATION THAT'S MY, MY QUESTION WAS THAT WE HAD TO OPEN IN AUGUST THAT WE WERE NOT, THAT WE WOULD NOT BE PREPARED WITH ALL THE CHANGES THAT WERE GOING ON.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I THINK WE WOULD'VE BEEN PREPARED FOR ANY DATE.
UH, I THINK WE WOULD BEEN PREPARED FOR ALL THE 17TH, BUT WE'RE CERTAINLY, UM, WILLING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE IF, IF APPROVE ADDITIONAL TIME, UH, TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE PREPARED AND READY TO PROVIDE OPTIMAL EDUCATION FOR OUR KIDS ON WHATEVER START DATE WE HAVE.
SO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, UH, DR.
STRATIS A QUESTION ABOUT THE CALENDAR THAT'S BEFORE US HERE.
MA'AM NOVEMBER 11TH BEING A VETERAN'S DAY IS A, IT'S NOT A SCHOOL DAY FOR EITHER STUDENTS OR STAFF THAT WATTS, I DON'T HAVE THE HR CALENDAR IN FRONT OF ME.
MA'AM UM, I KNOW MRS. WALTON IS ONLINE.
UM, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THROUGH WAY TRIP WORKING, BECAUSE THOSE OF US WHO ARE YEAR ROUND, IT MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN FOR OUR SCHOOL SITE PERSONNEL.
SO WHAT I'M GETTING AT, AND MAYBE YOU CAN ASK ME THE SECOND PART.
SO RIGHT NOW ON THIS CALENDAR, SEPTEMBER 7TH IS, IS LABOR DAY AND IT'S MARKED IN RED AND IT SAYS NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS.
SO ARE THE TEACHERS REPORTING ON LABOR DAY NOW? NO.
THAT WOULD BE A HOLIDAY FOR THEM.
IS THAT NOVEMBER 11TH, ALSO A HOLIDAY FOR THE TEACHERS AT SCHOOL SITES? YES.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
SO W ANY BOARD MEMBERS THAT HAVE NOT SPOKEN, UM, CARE TO SPEAK, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, THERE'S SO MANY MOVING PARTS HERE.
THE IDEAL TIMELINE WOULD HAVE OUR PLAN THAT WE SIT DOWN DATE APPROVED, AND THEN WE PLAN OUR CALENDAR FROM THERE.
AND THAT WOULD DETERMINE TRAINING.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE STATE'S GONNA THROW US A CURVE BALL WHEN THEY REVIEW OUR PLAN.
IF THEY'RE GOING TO SEND US BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD, WE DON'T KNOW, WE HAVEN'T HAD COMMUNICATION WITH THEM OTHER THAN TO SAY THEY'RE GOING TO BE GRADUALLY WORKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE PLANS.
UM, SHOULD THE CALENDAR IN FRONT OF US BE APPROVED TONIGHT? WHAT WILL BE THE, UM, REGISTRATION DEADLINE PRIOR FAMILIES? WE'RE LOOKING, UH, YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED IN A COMMUNICATION TO PARENTS, UM, LAST, UH, LAST WEEKEND OR THIS PAST WEEKEND, I SHOULD SAY
[00:50:01]
THAT, UM, WE WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE TO SET A DATE ON THAT, BUT THAT IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE GIVING THEM OPTIONS AND OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THE DECISION THAT'S BEST FOR THEM.AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE, UH, OVER, UH, 13,000, I BELIEVE 600 FAMILIES THAT, THAT HAVE ALREADY REGISTERED, UH, LEAVING APPROXIMATELY 8,000, UH, 400 OR SO TO, UH, TO, TO REGISTER.
SO, UH, SO IT IS PROGRESSING AND PARENTS ARE, ARE, UH, CHECKING IN MAKING, YOU KNOW, INQUIRIES, ASKING SOME QUESTIONS AND THEN MOVING FORWARD AND REGISTERING.
UH, BUT, BUT AT SOME POINT WE WILL HAVE TO DO THAT.
UH, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY NOT, YOU KNOW, IN THE TOO DISTANT FUTURE, BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, WE'RE GIVING THEM TIME TO, TO MAKE THE DECISION THAT THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH.
UH, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TIMING IN, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE SELECTING THROUGH THE REGISTRATION AND, AND CONTINUING THAT, THOSE THAT HAVEN'T YET ARE CONTINUING TO ASK QUESTIONS AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH DR.
SOME FAMILIES ARE UNSURE ABOUT WHICH WAY TO GO, AND I'VE HEARD THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE THAT THEY'RE JUST SIGNING ON FOR BOTH.
AND SO DO WE NOT, AND WITHDRAWING FROM THE ONE, YOU KNOW, AS MORE INFORMATION PRESENTS ITSELF WITH WITHDRAWING FROM THE OPTION, UM, THAT THEY'RE LEAST COMFORTABLE WITH, DO WE REALLY HAVE AN ACCURATE VIEW AT THIS JUNCTURE AT THIS POINT IN TIME OF WHAT OUR VIRTUAL SET WOULD LOOK LIKE VERSUS OUR IN SCHOOL SET? SO, SO, UH, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE ASKING AND, AND OUR PARENTS ARE, UH, SHIFTING AS THEY SEE THE METRICS THAT COME OUT FROM
AND, AND SO I THINK WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US IS ACCURATE IN TERMS OF THE WAY PARENTS ARE FEELING RIGHT NOW.
SO I'D JUST LIKE TO REMIND, UM, BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CALENDAR.
IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE GRASPING A LITTLE BIT TO MAYBE MORE AND MORE COVID DISCUSSION THAT WILL BE AT THE NEXT MEETING AUGUST 4TH, ABOUT THE REGISTRATION, ET CETERA.
SO, UM, WELL THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
WELL, I WAS ACTUALLY JUST GOING TO GO AHEAD AND PUT SOMETHING ON THE TABLE.
I WAS GOING TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED THE 20, 20, 2021, YOU FOR COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT ACADEMIC SCHOOL CALENDAR, OPTION B SECONDLY, SECOND BY MR. EARL CAMPBELL, FURTHER DISCUSSION.
DO YOU WANT TO COMMENT FURTHER? DR.
I JUST FELT THAT THE CONVERSATION HAD EVERYBODY HAD, HAD A CHANCE TO TALK AND I FELT THAT WAS GOING DOWN.
SO I WAS TRYING TO GET SOMETHING ON THE TABLE.
UM, I'M I GOT A LITTLE LAST YEAR.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE STATE APPROVES CA AND THAT'S TO ME THE GERMANE ISSUE, WHAT WE'RE APPROVING IS THE START DATE IS A PRIMARY CONCERN.
SO LET'S SAY THAT THE STATE APPROVES THE GATES, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE METRICS HAVE NOT CHANGED.
RODRIGUEZ HAS TO SAY, OH, THE NUMBERS AREN'T GOOD.
DO WE THEN HAVE TO DO AN EMERGENCY REVISED CALENDAR OR, UH, WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS? NO.
SO, SO I THINK WHAT WE WOULD DO, UH, AT THAT JUNCTURE, RIGHT, IS TO SAY THAT WE WOULD, UH, UH, BEGIN WITH ONLINE INSTRUCTION FOR ALL STUDENTS VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION FOR AUSTIN.
ONE MEMBER, I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO GIVE PEOPLE WHO CHOSE ONLINE, UH, WHO CHOSE FACE TO FACE AS MUCH NOTICE AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE THAT THAT OPTION IS NOT GOING TO BE AVAILABLE TO THEM IF THAT'S THE DECISION.
UM, AND THE, THE CLOSURE, WE WAIT UNTIL EIGHT SEPTEMBER TO MAKE THAT DECISION, THE MORE STRESS AND STRAIN WE'RE GONNA PUT ON FAMILIES TO ACCOMMODATE THE CHILDREN.
SO, UM, I REALLY HOPE THAT, UH, SATURDAY'S THE 1ST OF AUGUST.
SO WE'RE GETTING NEAR THE POINT WHERE THE METRICS, IF YOU FACTORING IN INCUBATION PERIODS AND EVERYTHING, IT'S, UH, WE'RE GETTING NEAR THE POINT WHERE THE METRIC SHANK GOING TO CHANGE THAT
[00:55:01]
MUCH FROM ONE AUGUST UNTIL 14 AUGUST, WHICH IS HOW YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT IN TERMS OF H SEPTEMBER.SO I HOPE THAT WE DO IT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, MR. SMITH.
UM, MY QUESTION IS, I BELIEVE DR.
STRAUSS WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF, SHE WAS, SHE WAS, UM, IN THE MIDDLE OF HER PRESENTATION AND SHE HAD SHOWN US HER FIRST HALF, THE FIRST 90 DAYS.
AND SHE WASN'T DONE SHOWING US THE SECOND 90 DAYS OF THE CALENDAR.
AM I, AM I WRONG THAT SCRATCH? OR WERE YOU DONE COMPLETELY? SO MR. SMITH, I DID WALK THROUGH THE START OF THE SECOND SEMESTER AND SPRING BREAK IDENTIFIED THE CLOSE OF SECOND SEMESTER WITH THE SPRING BREAK IN APRIL.
UM, I WASN'T AND I'VE BROUGHT PHOTOS ALSO TO GRADUATION DATES.
SO YOU SAID YOU WERE DOING YOUR PRESENTATION? YES, SIR.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU WILL PRESENT YOUR PRESENTATION, EVEN THOUGH THE MOST.
UM, AND MY, MY, MY SECOND, MY SECOND THING IS THIS I'M REALLY, UH, I'M, I'M REALLY KIND OF A CONFUSED, BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED ALSO THAT, THAT THE GOVERNOR GAVE US A, A START DATE OF SEPTEMBER 8TH, UH, BEING THAT WE HAVE PLACES LIKE ORANGE COUNTY, UH, HILTON HEAD IN THE GREENVILLE AREAS WHO WOULD MAKE AN ECONOMIC, ECONOMIC DECISION VERSUS A CHILDREN'S DECISION.
AND, AND, AND, AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S KINDA MY FEELINGS ABOUT THINGS, UH, AS IN HAVING STUDENTS WORKING, UH, TO GET THE ECONOMY BACK UP IN HAND AND TRYING TO GET THE MONEY, MONEY BACK, MOVING AROUND THE STATE VERSUS EDUCATING THE KIDS.
SO, YOU KNOW, TO, TO HAVE A START DATE AFTER LABOR, THEY DID FOR THE SOUTH CAROLINA TO GET AS MUCH AS MONEY AS POSSIBLE.
AND WITHIN THE STATE TO HAVE STUDENTS WORKING, IT'S A BIT CONCERNING FOR ME VERSUS THE AUGUST DATE, BECAUSE IF YOU ASKED ME, WE'RE PUTTING SWELL, POSSIBLY PUTTING STUDENTS' LIVES IN DANGER, COMING BACK TO SCHOOL, BACK TO SCHOOL AFTER LABOR DAY, A MAJOR, A MAJOR HOLIDAY AS THOUGH, AS PEOPLE HAVE PICNICS AND COOKOUTS, AND, UH, PEOPLE WILL BE ON, WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE ON THE, IT MAY BE OUT IN BOATS.
UM, YOU KNOW, UM, TO ME TO COME BACK OUT OF SCHOOL AFTER LABOR DAY, IT'S KIND OF DANGEROUS BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE, NOT SOCIALLY DISTANCED BEING OUT THERE, WE'VE SEEN THEM ON THE BEACHES IN, UH, ON THE BEACHES AND STUFF.
WHEN WOULD THAT SOCIAL DISCIPLINE? AND WE TALKING ABOUT BRAIN, ALL THESE KIDS AND BRINGING STAFF MEMBERS BACK INTO THE BUILDING AND ACTUALLY TAKING A SERIOUS LOOK AND HAVING SCHOOL START ON SEPTEMBER 8TH.
TO ME, THAT'S A SERIOUS CONCERN.
SO I I'M, I'M A BIT UP IN, UP IN THE AIR RIGHT NOW ON WHEREVER WE SHOULD SUPPORT A CALENDAR DATE STARTING ON SEPTEMBER 8TH.
I MEAN, TO ME THAT, THAT SMSF, IT'S A LITTLE MIND BOGGLING, YOU KNOW, I'M KINDA WONDERING, YOU KNOW, ARE WE PUTTING OUR KIDS LAST STAGES? WE STARTED OFF AFTER A MAJOR HOLIDAY LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW? I MEAN, IT'S JUST, IT JUST, IT JUST, IT JUST BOTHERS ME A LITTLE BIT.
THAT'S ALL I, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
I SUPPORT THE MOVE TO SEPTEMBER A.
I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ALL BE HOPEFUL THAT THE, UM, ARE COVERED NUMBERS AND IT WILL START TO GO DOWN.
AND THERE'S CERTAINLY, IF WE STARTED ON THE 17TH, WE'D HAVE TO UNDOUBTEDLY START, UM, WITH, UH, ALL VIRTUAL.
I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF PARENTS OUT THERE THAT ARE STILL HOPEFUL THAT WE, OUR NUMBERS WILL GO DOWN AND THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO START WITH SOME TYPE OF INTERFACE, UH, PERSON, PERSON INSTRUCTION.
SO I SUPPORT THIS CALENDAR ALSO WITH WE SEPTEMBER 17TH AND THEN HAD LABOR DAY WEEKEND OFF.
WE'D HAVE EVERYONE GOING OUT AND HAVING THE SAME INSTANCES AND BRINGING THOSE THINGS BACK.
SO I SUPPORT THIS CALENDAR, MR. DALLY, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
OH, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS MOTION PRIMARILY BECAUSE WE HAVE THE OPTION OF STARTING ON SEPTEMBER 8TH WITHOUT BRINGING ANYBODY INTO SCHOOL.
SO THAT, TO ME, THE FACT THAT IT CANNOT BE FACE TO FACE IS NOT THE FINAL IMPEDIMENT,
[01:00:01]
BUT I AM PICKING UP SOMETHING IN A CONVERSATION THAT CONCERNS ME AND IT SHIFTS FROM MY ADMITTEDLY LIMITED UNDERSTANDING OF SCIENCE, BUT I'VE HEARD IT DESCRIBED LIKE THIS.WE OPEN THE PARACHUTE, IT SLOWS OUT RATE OF DESCENT.
IT'S OKAY TO THROW AWAY THE PARACHUTE.
THE NUMBERS HAVE TO BE MORE THAN GOING DOWN.
THEY HAVE TO HAVE COME ALMOST ALL THE WAY DOWN.
IF WE TRY TO OPEN UP WHEN IT IS FLATTENED, WHEN THE CURVE HAS BEEN FLATTENED, I GUESS JUST THE VOCABULARY.
IF THAT'S NO GOOD, THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
THE NUMBERS HAVE TO, FROM THE FIRST SHUTDOWN THAT DIDN'T WORK, THE NUMBERS WENT DOWN, WE OPENED BACK UP THE NUMBERS SKYWALKER.
WE CAN HAVE THAT HAPPEN ALL OVER AGAIN.
SO I'M GOING TO SUPPORT SEPTEMBER 8TH.
I THINK THAT IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO, AND WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT SHAPE OR FORM THAT BEGINNING CAKES, MS. ORISHA.
UM, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, I REALLY WAS PERHAPS NAIVE.
I HAD HOPED THAT WE WOULD HAVE HAD AN APPROVED PLAN PRIOR TO APPROVING THIS NEWLY REVISED CALENDAR.
UM, I HATE TO SEE US PERHAPS HAVE TO CHANGE THE CALENDAR A THIRD TIME.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S EVEN A POSSIBILITY.
UM, I'M ALSO STILL CONCERNED ABOUT OUR DUAL ENROLLMENT STUDENTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND IN LIGHT OF, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, OUR INCREASED PARTICIPATION AND COMMITMENT TO DUAL ENROLLMENT AND DEDICATION OF OPERATIONS FUNDS THAT WE HAVE TO FIND, WE HAVE TO FIND.
UM, AND, AND I ALSO SHARE MR. SMITH'S CONCERNS THAT I, I THINK THAT SOME OF THE MOTIVATION BEHIND THE GOVERNORS, UM, ADVISEMENT TO DISH DRUGS HAD TO DO, UM, NOT WITH THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN, BUT WITH, UM, WEIGHT TO THING, LOST DOLLARS.
SO I'M SURE THIS MOTION WILL PASS THIS EVENINGS THAT I WON'T BE SUPPORTING IT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A FINISHED PLAN OF AN APPROVED PLAN BEFORE THE BOARD, UH, APPROVES A CALENDAR.
THANK YOU, MS. UM, MR.
I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THE BOARD GAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT DIRECTION TO BRING US BACK TO YOUR CALENDAR FOR THE START DATE OF SEPTEMBER EIGHT BACK CALENDARS.
NOW IN FRONT OF US, THE SUPERINTENDENT DID WHAT WE ASKED.
RODRIGUEZ, IF, IF PARENTS ENROLLED THEIR STUDENTS FOR FACE TO FACE AND THEY WERE NOT CONFIDENT, THEY WERE NOT CONFIDENT ENOUGH WITH SENDING THEIR KIDS BACK ON SEPTEMBER.
UH, W WOULD IT BE A DEADLINE FOR THEM NOT LISTENING, JUST TO SWITCH OVER TO VIRTUAL, WHERE WE'RE ASKING, UH, OUR PARENTS TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE SCHOOL, UH, THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL, UH, TO WORK THROUGH THROUGH THAT TYPE OF A SHIFT THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE, IF YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, BEFORE, UH, BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SET A DEADLINE, UH, BEFORE SCHOOL START, NO SHOW THAT SHOW THAT BECAUSE, BECAUSE IT WILL, IT WILL MATTER.
EXCUSE ME, IT WILL MATTER, UH, WHERE WE PLAY STAFF IN TERMS OF, UH, OF, OF WHAT, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, MODE OF INSTRUCTION THEY'RE DELIVERING.
EVEN IF WE HAD TO OPEN THE YEAR, EVERYBODY VIRTUAL, IT STILL MATTERS WHERE WE END UP PLACING STAFF, BECAUSE IF AT SOME POINT, UH, THE METRICS ARE SUCH THAT THEY WOULD DECLINE AND CONTINUE TO DECLINE AND, AND HOLD, UH, A STEADY, LOW LEVEL THAT WOULD, WOULD ALLOW US TO RETURN TO FACE TO FACE.
THEN, UH, IT MATTERS WHERE YOU HAVE ALREADY PLACED YOUR STAFF, RIGHT? SO WE WOULD NEED TO MAKE, UH, TO MAKE SOME SORT OF A DEADLINE, UH, SO THAT THEY COULD, OUR SCHOOLS CAN PLAN ACCORDINGLY, UH, UH, IN TERMS OF, OF THAT IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE LEAVING IT OPEN FOR A WHILE SO THAT THEY THEY'RE STRUGGLING WITH THE DECISION.
[01:05:01]
MANY OF THEM, WHETHER IT'S A QUESTION THEY HAVE, OR WHETHER IT'S THE METRICS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, FROM, FROM D HECK IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT OF COVID-19.SO, SO QUITE FRANKLY, UH, WE WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE TO HAVE TO SET A DEADLINE, BUT WE WILL WORK WITH PARENTS WHO WILL I HAVE THAT FROM THE BEGINNING, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM.
AND AT THAT JUNCTURE, UH, THEY'LL WORK WITH THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL, UH, UH, IN TERMS OF WHERE THEY'RE AT.
SO I JUST LIKE TO REMIND THE BOARD MEMBERS TOO, THAT THE, THE, THE, WHAT WE'RE DECIDING ON RIGHT NOW IS THE ACADEMIC CALENDAR.
WE'RE NOT, THERE'S NO REFERENCE ON THIS CALENDAR TO WHETHER SCHOOL WILL START VIRTUALLY OR SCHOOLS START WITH A HYBRID OF, IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL, OR IT WILL START AS IN PERSON THAT'S, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE DECIDING TONIGHT ON THIS MOTION, MS. HORSHACK.
RODRIGUEZ AND YOUR STAFF FOR BRINGING US THE REVISED CALENDAR.
AND IT WAS A UNANIMOUS VOTE FOR YOU TO BRING IT FORWARD, BUT THE BOARD DIDN'T KNOW WHAT OTHER DETAILS THE CALENDAR WOULD BRING BACK.
THE ONLY THING WE SUGGESTED WAS THE SEPTEMBER START DATE.
WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WOULD BE MOVED AROUND.
WE DIDN'T KNOW WHEN THE FIRST SEMESTER WOULD END.
WE DIDN'T KNOW ANY OTHER TWEAKS THAT YOU MIGHT MAKE.
UM, AND SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE'RE DISCUSSING AND DEBATING TONIGHT.
AND THAT'S THE REASON WHERE EVALUATING AND DECIDING HOW TO VOTE IN FRONT OF US TO THANK YOU, DR.
RODRIGUEZ, UH, FOR YOUR EFFORTS ON THIS.
UM, I, I SEE WITH YOUR MOTION, I BELIEVE IT WAS MR. EARL CAMPBELL, WHO SECOND IT, UM, THANK YOU.
SO THE MOTION CARRIES EIGHT ONE ONE ONE, NO.
OR SHACK ONE EXTENSION MR. SMITH.
[Approval of Virtual Platform K-12 Learning]
ONTO THE APPROVAL OF THE VIRTUAL PLATFORM.ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD BEGIN WITH IS THAT AS WE, UH, UH, WENT INTO THE COVID-19 SHUTDOWN, UH, LAST YEAR ON A SUNDAY AROUND FOUR 15, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS ON MARCH 15TH, UH, SOME DATES ARE BURNT INTO MY HEAD, UH, THE, UH, THE GOVERNOR SHUT DOWN, UH, SCHOOL.
UH, WE HAD DONE SOME PREPARATION AHEAD OF TIME.
UH, AND WE HAD TEACHERS WITH, UH, REQUESTED EMERGENCY LESSON PLANS FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS, WHICH, UH, PROVIDED, UH, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS TO ENGAGE, UH, ESSENTIALLY RIGHT AWAY THAT FOLLOWING DAY, UH, UH, THAT MONDAY.
AND, UH, AND THEN WE WERE PUTTING OTHER PIECES IN PLACE, UH, FOR, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, THE ZOOM SESSIONS TRAINING OF TEACHERS ON UTILIZING ZOOM.
AND SO THOSE WERE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS THAT HELPED US, UH, GET OFF THE GROUND AND, UH, AND, UH, UH, VERY QUICKLY AND, AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UH, SOME CONTINUED INSTRUCTION FOR STUDENTS HAVING SAID THAT, UH, WHILE, WHILE, UH, WE BELIEVE THAT IN THE MIDST OF, OF THAT CRISIS AT THAT MOMENT IN TIME THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR STAFF DID A TREMENDOUS JOB, UH, IN TERMS OF NOT ONLY SETTING UP, BUT IN TERMS OF, OF, UH, OF DELIVERY.
WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT, UH, THAT THERE ARE SOME LIMITATIONS WITHIN THAT, UH, UH, MODE OF DELIVERY.
AND SO, UM, WE HAVE, UH, UH, HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR YOU THIS EVENING THAT, UH, BEGINS TO ADDRESS, UH, THAT ISSUE WITH RESPECT TO OUR INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY MODEL FOR, UH, FOR VIRTUAL PROGRAM FOR K TO EIGHT, UH, ONE THING.
AND I DON'T WANT TO STEAL MORE OF DR.
STRADDLES PRESENTATION HERE, BUT ONE THING THAT I THINK IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT, UH, WITHIN THIS PLATFORM IS THAT, UH, IT DOES ALLOW FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHIFT, UH, IN AND OUT OF, UH, VIRTUAL FOR THOSE THAT, THAT, UH, HAD CHOSEN FACE-TO-FACE AS WELL.
AND, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAINTAIN OUR INSTRUCTION WHERE IT'S VIRTUAL AND FACE TO FACE, UH, IN ALIGNMENT.
AND THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT.
SO, UH, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, DR.
[01:10:01]
STRATUS, THANK YOU DOT RODRIGUEZ.AND ONCE AGAIN, BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
THIS PRESENTATION PROVIDES AN ACADEMIC OPTION FOR SERVICING OUR FAMILIES AND STUDENTS HERE IN BUFORD COUNTY, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO HAVE SELECTED A VIRTUAL MODEL.
AND AS DR. RODRIGUEZ SHARED THE OPPORTUNITY, SHOULD WE HAVE A CLOSURE TO MAINTAIN A MOMENTUM OF CONSISTENCY OF INSTRUCTION AMONGST OUR STUDENTS IN GRADES K THROUGH WEIGHT.
WE NOTE THAT COVID-19 HAS CHANGED OUR NORMAL.
WE KNOW WITH THAT, WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR THE BEST IN ORDER TO SERVICE OUR COMMUNITY.
WE STARTED A PROCESS BACK IN APRIL THAT COMPANIES AND THIS PRESENTATION WILL SHARE SOME INFORMATION WITH YOU.
AND AS I DO WANT IT BEFORE GOING INTO THAT PRESENTATION, JUST SHARE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DONE EARLY REGISTRATION FOR FAMILIES.
DATE, FAMILIES HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THEIR, UM, SELECTION THROUGH THEIR SCHOOL.
UM, ONCE YOUR SELECTION HAS MADE, IT ACTUALLY GETS LOCKED.
SO THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE SCHOOL LEND THAT OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THEIR CHOICE.
AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE 56% OF OUR FAMILIES HAVE SELECTED A FACE TO FACE OPTION.
AND THAT IS IN REFERENCE TO THE MALI.
A SECOND, MOLLY, NO BACKUP, MISS MOLLY, THANK YOU.
THAT IS WITH REGARD TO THE 13,600 FAMILIES WHO HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED THE REGISTRATION PROCESS.
SO WE RECOGNIZE THIS, THAT WE HAVE A DEMAND, AND WE HAVE THOSE INTERESTED IN OPTIONS FOR THEIR LEARNING ISD HAS DONE A SIGNIFICANT REVIEW.
WE'RE GOING TO GO QUOTE AND GIVE YOU A TIMELINE, GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION REGARDING OUR VIRTUAL STRATEGY.
AND SHOULD WE BE AT AGREEMENT? OUR GOAL IS TO UTILIZE CARE'S DOLLARS MOST EFFECTIVELY TO PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS STANDARD BASED INSTRUCTION.
AS I SHARED WITH YOU, ONCE WE'RE READY, UM, IN OUR GRADES K THROUGH EIGHT, BECAUSE WE WILL BE UTILIZING S C VIRTUAL FRANCHISE FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL BEARING COURSES.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE DO NOT NEED TO HAVE APPROVAL FOR THAT.
THE STATE IS PROVIDING THAT PLATFORM FOR FREE.
I DO HAVE GUESTS WITH US, DIZZY PM.
WHEN I GET THROUGH THE TIMELINE, I'M GOING TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE THE GUESTS TO YOU.
BUT WHAT I'D LIKE YOU TO SEE RIGHT NOW IS THAT THIS WAS OUR VIRTUAL STRATEGY STRATEGY.
WE LOOKED AT THREE COMPONENTS, ONE PERSONAL LEARNING INITIATIVE TO HOMESCHOOLING THREE, A DISTRICT VIRTUAL PROGRAM.
SO LET'S LOOK THAT PERSONAL LEARNING INITIATIVE.
THAT IS WHAT A FAMILY RIGHT NOW.
MR. DAN IS SPEAKING TO THIS TO A POINT THAT WITH THE CONDITIONS THAT WE HAVE A CODE 19, IS IT SAFE FOR OUR CHILDREN? A SECOND PART OF OUR STRATEGY OF LOOKING AT, UM, SOFTWARE IS THE HOMESCHOOLING THOSE WITHIN OUR BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHO ARE NOT ATTENDING OUR SCHOOLS.
AND I SHARED WITH THIS TO YOU SOME MONTHS AGO AT, UM, THE COUNTY CHAMBER, THAT ONE OF OUR GOALS WOULD BE, IS TO PUT IN A VET VIRTUAL PLATFORM FOR A SCHOOL DISTRICT SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE SOME FAMILIES HERE IN BUFORD COUNTY.
THE BEST THIRD PART OF OUR VIRTUAL STRATEGY IS IF WE HAVE TO CROSS OVER TO CLOSURE, HOW DO WE GIVE THAT BEST? IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, THIS TABLE JUST VERY SIMPLY GIVES, WELL, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE IN THE SENSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE UP SCHOOLS ARE OPEN AND EVERYTHING IS ALMOST TO A NORMAL THAT WE RECOGNIZE, RIGHT? WE ARE PROVIDING OUR STUDENTS WITH STANDARD SPACE INSTRUCTION, MONITORED BY SITE ADMINISTRATORS, WE'RE PRACTICING PHYSICAL DISTANCING, AND WE HAVE THE REVENUE MANAGEMENT OF PERSONNEL AND STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS.
IF YOU REMEMBER, FROM THE PRIOR SLIDE, WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT FAMILIES WHO HAVE CHOSEN VIRTUAL.
SO WE LOOK AT THE CHARACTERISTICS ON THE, ON K-12 LEARNING SOLUTIONS.
THESE WERE CHARACTERISTICS THAT WE, AS A DIVISION, WE'RE LOOKING FOR OUR COMMUNITY, WE WANTED STANDARD BASED INSTRUCTION.
WE WANT A SYSTEM OF PROGRESS MONITORING.
WE WANT GRADE LEVEL REMEDIATION AND ACCELERATION.
WE WANTED ACCESSIBILITY TO MANY LANGUAGES.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS WITH AN IEP PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT COULD BUILD MY CAPACITY AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE HUMAN CAPITAL, VERY EDUCATORS.
WE WANTED AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE CONSISTENCY OF INSTRUCTION, INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES.
AS A PRINCIPAL, YOU HAVE ALL THE MONITORING IN A CLASSROOM OR ONLINE, OR IN VIRTUAL DURING THIS TIME OF COVID THAT OBSERVATION,
[01:15:01]
YOU KNOW, WE'RE GIVEN THAT FLEXIBILITY FOR THAT FACE TO FACE AS WELL, TO UTILIZE A TOOL THAT HAS BEEN VETTED THROUGH A SERIES OF PERSONNEL.WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE GRADE LEVEL APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTION, PROVIDING REMEDIATION, TO FILL SOME OF THE GAPS THAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED TO OUR ENCLOSURE.
AND WE WANT THOSE TOOLS ACCESSIBLE TO FAMILIES.
IF YOU GO TO THE SECOND ROW, BASICALLY YOU COULD SEE IT'S THE SAME WATTS, BUT IN THE EVENT THAT WE CLOSE, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT STANDARD BASIC INSTRUCTION ACROSS THE BOARD FOR OUR KIDS.
MOLLY, WE CAN GO TO THIS NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THIS IS, THESE ARE ITEMS THAT WE'RE VERY AWARE OF.
THESE ARE THE CURRENT EVENTS WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND US.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT US TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT HOMESCHOOL AND AN ONLINE CHARTER, BECAUSE YES, WE HAVE THIS EXISTING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE TOO HAVE A PHENOMENAL OPPORTUNITY OF BRINGING FAMILIES BACK TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, ONCE AGAIN, LINE SET, YOU KNOW, NEWSPAPER, FRONTLINE THAT WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH.
AND, AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT I'VE FOUND INTERESTING, UM, TO SHARE, YOU KNOW, WITH REGARD TO SWEDEN, WHERE EVERYONE WAS LOOKING AT SWEDEN WHO WAS OPERATING, RIGHT.
ACTUALLY THEY HAVE BACKPEDALED AND RECOGNIZE NO, WE MAY HAVE DONE THINGS TOO FAST TOO SOON.
IF WE MAY PLEASE GO TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I'M GOING TO, I'M GOING TO SKIP THIS ONE AND ZACHARY, I WANT YOU TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.
IF MOLLY, YOU CAN ACTIVATE THE VIDEO.
IT'S ABOUT TWO, TWO AND A HALF MINUTES.
IF I COULD ENTERTAIN YOUR TIME, PLEASE.
THIS IS A VIDEO ON THE LIFE OF AN EDUCATOR WHO IS WITHIN K-12 NEWS, KATIE POINDEXTER.
SO A TYPICAL DAY FOR ME, UH, AS A FIFTH GRADE VIRTUAL TEACHER BEGINS USUALLY JUST CHECKING THEIR INTERNAL MAIL SYSTEM.
IT'S USUALLY FOLLOWED BY SOME SORT OF SYNCHRONOUS CLASS SESSION IN WHICH I'M TEACHING THE STUDENTS DIRECTLY.
UM, ON AVERAGE, THE STUDENT IS EXPECTED TO ATTEND LIVE, BUT WE DO HAVE RECORDINGS IN THE CLASS.
YOU'RE ASKED TO, UM, INTERACT WITH US TO RESPOND.
UM, THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF TOOLS THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO USE.
YOU CAN GIVE ME SMILEY FACES, CHECK MARKS WHEN YOU'RE READY, YOU CAN EVEN CHAT TO ME FOLLOWING A CLASS CONNECT SESSION.
YOU'RE GIVEN SOME SORT OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT.
UM, IT MIGHT DIRECT YOU TO STUDY ISLAND TO COMPLETE AN ASSESSMENT, JUST TO KIND OF SHOW YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE LESSON, OR MIGHT BE SOMETHING EXTERNAL THAT THE TEACHER GIVES TO YOU.
AS A TEACHER, I'M ABLE TO SEE REAL TIME DATA, HOW THE STUDENT'S DOING.
I'M ABLE TO SEE WHEN THEY ACCESS THE LESSON, UM, THE SCORE THEY RECEIVED ON THE ASSESSMENT, HOW MANY TIMES THEY TOOK THE ASSESSMENT, HOW LONG IT TOOK THEM.
AND I'M ABLE TO USE THAT TO REALLY DRIVE MY INSTRUCTION FOR CLASSES LATER IN THE WEEK, OR TO REACH OUT TO THAT STUDENT OR THE LEARNING COACH AND, AND PROVIDE ASSISTANCE.
IF I THINK THAT THEY'RE REALLY STRUGGLING WITH SOMETHING I LIKE TO UTILIZE, UM, WHEN WE'RE DOING SYNCHRONOUS SESSIONS, THE BREAKOUT ROOMS TO REALLY DIFFERENTIATE INSTRUCTION FOR MY STUDENTS, I WILL USUALLY PRESENT THE INFORMATION.
AND THEN THERE'S SOME TIME FOR PRACTICE.
I KNOW WHICH OF MY STUDENTS ARE LEADERS OR WHO ARE REALLY EXCELLING IN THE CONTENT.
AND I'M ABLE TO MAKE THOSE STUDENTS ACTUALLY FACILITATORS IN THOSE BREAKOUT ROOMS AND GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD.
SO COMMUNICATION IS REALLY KEY.
IF, IF, IF YOU WERE TO ASK ME HOW OFTEN I COMMUNICATED WITH MY PARENTS, MY LEARNING COACHES AND MY STUDENTS EVERY DAY.
I THINK THAT THAT'S SO KEY FOR THIS PROGRAM.
I ALWAYS TELL EVERYONE, I KNOW MY STUDENTS NOW BETTER THAN I DID IN THE BRICK AND MORTAR, BECAUSE I HAVE CONSTANT COMMUNICATION.
I KNOW THEIR FAMILY AND, UM, HOW THAT STUDENT IS BEING SUPPORTED.
UH, I LOVE TEACHING, BUT MOST OF ALL, I LOVE MAKING AN IMPACT.
AND I THINK THAT I'M MAKING A HUGE IMPACT IN A LOT OF STUDENTS.
AND A LOT OF FAMILIES LIVES THROUGH THIS OPTION.
THANK YOU, MS. MOLLY, IF YOU CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, NO IT TO SAY THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
SO WE'VE GONE THROUGH A SERIES OF REVIEW OF COMPANIES, AND I'D LIKE TO GO UP TO THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS TO HOW WE GOT TO K TOIL LEARNING SOLUTIONS.
WE'VE MET WITH DIFFERENT FOCUS GROUPS OF PRINCIPALS.
WE MET WITH THE COMPANY'S ACCOMPANIES, MADE
[01:20:01]
PRESENTATIONS TO ISD DIRECTORS, COORDINATORS, SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONAL, REQUESTED TO FURTHER VET.THE PRODUCTS CRITERIA WAS PROVIDED TO THEM.
AND WE USE THAT CRITERIA OUT SELECTION PROCESS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE CRITERIA RIGHT THERE ON THE SLIDE OF THE LAST BULLET.
PLEASE MISS MOLLY TO GO TO NEXT SLIDE.
CALVIN CALBERT LEARNING WAS ONE OF THE COMPANIES THAT WE LOOKED AT.
AND THIS FEEDBACK WAS PROVIDED TO THE COMPANY.
I HAVE TO SHARE THAT I WAS VERY DIRECT AT OUR WORKING WITH THEM.
I HAD TO GIVE HIM AN ANSWER, A QUESTION, YOU KNOW, WHY? AND I HAD TO GIVE HIM A DIRECT ANSWER AS TO WHY.
WE LOOKED AT K K-12 LEARNING SOLUTION.
THIS WAS OUR FEEDBACK YOU COULD SEE.
THERE WAS OVER 20 YEARS OF INVESTED WORK.
THEY CURRENTLY PARTNER WITH OVER 2000 SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE U S THEY HAD SIGNIFICANT STANDARD BASED INSTRUCTION.
AND I HAVE TO SHARE THAT SINCE WE STARTED THIS VETTING PROCESS, THIS IS FALSE.
THIS PROGRAM HAS ALSO BEEN REVIEWED BY OUR LITERACY COACHES, OUR MATH COACHES AND OUR SPED DEPARTMENT IN DEPTH.
IT HAS AN EXPENSIVE, EXPENSIVE COURSE CATALOG, BUT IT EMBEDS DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION ON THE ABILITY TO PERSONALIZE LEARNING THAT EACH STUDENT IS ABLE TO HAVE THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE IT HAS AN ADAPTIVE, OR WE COULD SAY ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, WHEN A CHILD IS WORKING, IF THEY'RE NOT BEING SUCCESSFUL AT A CERTAIN STANDARD SPACE, IT'S GOING TO GIVE A LITTLE MORE LEARNING.
AND IT'S GOING TO TRIGGER THAT TEACHER FROM THE PROGRESS MONITORING COMPONENT OF THE SOFTWARE TO RETEACH CERTAIN POINTS.
IT INCORPORATES COLLEGE AND CAREER RATED READINESS FOR THE UPPER GRADES.
AND PARENTS ARE ALSO PROVIDED TRAINING OR THAT CAREGIVER, OR I MAY BE THE PERSON I'M WORKING WITH A FEW KIDS IN A COMMUNITY, UM, IN THE EVENT THAT THERE'S A CLOSURE.
IF WE LOOK AT ONE MORE PRODUCT THAT WE LOOKED AT, AND IT IS A LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, THE BIGGEST ITEM THAT IT CAME FROM THIS REVIEW, YES, IT INTEGRATES WITH POWER SCHOOL, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO SEE THAT WE ARE WRITING THE CURRICULUM TO VET THE CURRICULUM IN ORDER TO SAY THAT WE'RE PROVIDING EVERYTHING FROM K THROUGH EIGHT.
AND I NEED US TO RECOGNIZE THAT.
SO THIS TIME, IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, MISS MOLLY.
SO I'M GOING TO ASK US, WE COULD STOP HERE FOR A MOMENT.
IF I COULD JUST SHARE SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO I HAVE HERE THIS EVENING WITH US, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE BENJ, SAMSON.
HE IS A SALES DIRECTOR FOR THE EASTERN US.
HE HAS 14 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN E-LEARNING.
HE'S A NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER FOR THE SOUTHEAST AS WELL, 13 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE LEARNING AND K12 SALES CONSULTANT EXPERIENCE.
AND WE HAVE SHARON WILLIAMS. HELONA SHARON, SHE'S A VICE PRESIDENT OF NEW SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS. SHARON IS COMPLETING HER 29TH YEAR IN EDUCATION WHILE COMPLETING HER 19TH YEAR AND AN ONLINE MODEL AFTER SHARON SPENT NINE YEARS AS A TEACHER IN BRICK AND MORTAR, OR WE WOULD SAY FACE TO FACE, SHE HAS SERVED IN MULTIPLE WORLD ROLES, AND I NEED TO SHARE THIS.
SHE HAS WORKED VERY HARD AND MOST RECENTLY WITH THE DEPUTY VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE SOUTHERN REGION.
AND I DO UNDERSTAND MS. SHARON, THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN ON MANY LARGE PROJECTS WITH A COMPANY.
SO I DO COME IN AND I APPRECIATE THE THREE OF YOU JOINING US THIS EVENING.
SO THIS WAS OUR WHY, AND THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS, A MATURE COMPANY, THEY HAVE A STRONG HOLD IN MANY STATES AND DISTRICTS WITHIN THE COUNTRY.
THE, THE PRODUCT LINE ITSELF HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY THE TEACHER FORUM.
WE HAVE A STRONG PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD.
I MEAN, I MEAN, ACTUALLY A STRONG REPRESENTATIVE IN SPARTANBURG SIX THAT WE'RE BUILDING OUR REP RELATIONSHIP WITH THROUGH K-12 GIMME, IT'S A COMPLEXITY EXPECTATIONS, RIGHT? BASED ON OUR FEEDBACK FROM OUR DIVISION AND PRINCIPLES, WITH REGARD TO DEPTH OF QUESTIONS AND CONTENT, AND I HAVE TO PLACE EMPHASIS, AND THAT IT ALLOWS FOR HIGH ACADEMIC QUALITY, NOT JUST IN WHAT I'VE BEEN PROPOSING TO YOU THIS EVENING, NOT JUST DURING CO COVERT, BUT FOR LONGTERM.
SHOULD WE LOOK AND ACCEPT THAT WE DO NEED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE ACTUAL PROGRAM FOR BUPA COUNTY AND IT LENDS FOR TIERED PRICING.
[01:25:01]
MS. MOLLY, CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT QUESTION? THAT SLIDE.SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT K-12 LEARNING SOLUTIONS.
THEY'VE BEEN A PIONEER, THEY'VE BEEN AHEAD OF THE CURVE FOR YEARS, 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN E-LEARNING SAID SOME IN FRONT OF SOME OF THEIR COMPETITION.
WHAT 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AT MUSEO, I'VE WORKED ALSO AND REFINED AND REDEVELOP THEIR SOFTWARE IN ORDER TO MEET THE LEARNER'S NEEDS.
THEY PROVIDE A FULL PACKAGE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, PROGRESS MONITORING, AND THEY UTILIZE A CURRICULUM WRITING TO MEET THE UNIQUE UNIQUENESS UNIQUENESS OF EACH STATE STANDARDS.
WE HAVE COMPLETED CROSSWALKS IN ENGLISH, LANGUAGE ARTS AND IN MATH TO ASSURE THAT WE ARE ALIGNED WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA STANDARDS.
AND WE ARE NOW THE PROCESS UPON YOUR APPROVAL TO GO AHEAD AND APPLY IN OUR ACADEMIC CALENDARS TO BE IN ALIGNMENT AS WELL.
SO AS THE DEMAND FOR ONLINE LEARNING INCREASED, THERE'S A REALIZATION THAT FULL TIME OR BLENDED ONLINE LEARNING PROVIDES FOR, AND I WON'T READ OUT TO YOU, BUT YOU COULD SEE THE OPTIONS THAT ARE PROVIDED, RIGHT? VIRTUAL BLENDED OPPORTUNITY TO MARKET, TO OUR HOMESCHOOL POPULATION AND THE OPPORTUNITY AS WELL TO LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY, BUT STUDENTS SKILLS.
AND I'LL SLIDE ONE MORE QUESTION ON THAT.
SHOULD THERE BE A HURRICANE? I WANT YOU TO THINK WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE WITH LEARNING.
SO CAGE K-12 LEARNING SOLUTIONS PARTNERS WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH EQUITABLE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE PERSONALIZED TO SERVE EACH STUDENT'S LEARNING STYLES AND INTERESTS FROM HIGH RISK STRUGGLING STUDENTS TO ADVANCED STUDENTS SEEKING GREATER ACADEMIC CHALLENGES.
AND YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE MORE AS WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDES, BUT IN THE NEXT BULLET, IT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF SOME OF THE SOFTWARE THAT THEY PROVIDE.
I WILL LIKE WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE WHAT THE MIDDLEBURY INTERACT ACTIVE LANGUAGES.
AND YOU'LL SEE LATER ON, HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR 70 LANGUAGES WHERE OUR CHILDREN FROM SPANISH TO MANDARIN.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO MEET A VAST AMOUNT OF LEARNING NEEDS FOR OUR STUDENTS IN OUR DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAMS, AS WELL, AS WELL AS OUR LANGUAGE LEARNERS.
WELL, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE TRANSLATIONS OF ENGLISH TO SPANISH AS THEY GO THROUGH IN THEIR OWN PERSONALIZED LEARNING EXPERIENCE.
THIS GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF IDEA HOW K-12 LEARNING DOES WORK WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, MS. MOLLY, PLEASE PROCEED.
SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT AND THE DELIBERATE AT K-12 CURRICULUM, THAT IT IS GROUNDED IN GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT PROMOTE CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR.
IS IT JUST REGURGITATION OR ARE WE BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF OUR CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO BE PROBLEM SOLVING AND NEED THE 21ST CENTURY SKILLS I'VE ALREADY SHARED WITH YOU? THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE AS A DIVISION, LOOKING AT DEVELOPING A STRONG ALIGNMENT CHECK, THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT FOR US.
WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT BY HAVING THIS ALIGNMENT AND ALLOWS OUR EDUCATORS TO CONNECT WITH THE INSTRUCTION AND HAVE, HAVE A DIFFERENT SET OF CONFIDENCE THAT THEY KNOW THAT WHAT THEY ARE DELIVERING IS ALIGNED TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, ANOTHER QUALITY OF THEIR CURRICULUM, THAT IT LENDS FOR CONNECTIVITY, FOR CHILDREN TO SEE THEIR STANDARDS, NOT IN ISOLATION, BUT ALSO IN AN APPLICATION IN CROP AND PRACTICE.
AND I'LL GIVE THE LATER ON SOME OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THAT.
WE CAN PROCEED MS. MOLLY, AGAIN, THE COURSE CATALOG, AND WE'VE ALREADY DEVELOPED A CROSSWALK ON COURSES, AND WE'VE ADDED INTO A CROSS WALK AS WELL, YOU KNOW, SEPARATE FROM THIS AS OUR SE VIRTUAL, AS WELL AS INCLUDING ALL OUR CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION COURSES.
SO AS WE GO AND LOOK AT OUR FAMILIES WHO ARE LOOKING TO GO VIRTUAL OR AT SCHOOL, COUNSELORS ARE GOING TO HAVE EASE AT BEING ABLE TO PREPARE STUDENTS SCHEDULES.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO A LOT OF FRONT WORK IN THE BEGINNING TO MAKE IT EASIER.
AS WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH OUR DISTRICT STAFF, PLEASE CONTINUE.
SO THIS IS JUST SNIPPETS OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FROM, FROM ONLINE LEARNING SOME OF THE QUALITIES THAT THEY PUT PREDOMINATELY ATTENDANCE
[01:30:01]
VIEWED AS AN ADVANCED PREP VIEW, THE SCHEDULE SET UP, AND THESE ARE THE OPERATIONAL PERSPECTIVES.THIS IS A VIEW OF THE HOME PAGE.
NOW THIS HAS SHOWN A LITTLE MORE UPPER GRADE.
I DID NOT GIVE YOU A PREVIEW OF THE YOUNGER, YOUNGER GRADE LEVELS.
I HAD MISS MARIE AND I KNOW MANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH MELISSA'S WORK, UM, REVIEW SOMETHING THAT WAS PROVIDED TO US, AND YOU JUST WANT TO TOUCH IT.
IT'S INTUITIVE AS A CHILD, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT, RIGHT? WE HAVE TO GIVE THINGS THAT KIDS WANT TO REACH OUT AND DO BECAUSE IN THE LOWER GRADES, IT'S GOING TO BE A MATTER OF BEING ABLE TO TOUCH AND DO FOR A CHILD.
THIS IS A TEACHER PROGRESS MONITORING.
WHEN I MEAN BY THAT IS WE TEACH BY STANDARDS.
THE ACTIVITY SUPPORTS THE STANDARDS.
WE'RE ABLE NOW TO MEASURE STUDENTS' PERFORMANCES IN CHUNKS INTERMITTENT, OR IF WE WANT TO DO A LARGER ASSESSMENT OF STUDENTS, RIGHT? BUT WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT THAT INFORMATION LENS FOR THAT TEACHER TO GO BACK THROUGH THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT MODEL AND RETEACH AREAS THAT MAYBE MY WHOLE CLASS DID IT IDENTIFY MASTERY, OR I COULD DO A UNIQUELY DOING THE OPPOSITE WAS THAT, WELL, WE WILL BE REQUIRED FOR OUR VIRTUAL TEACHERS, PLEASE CONTINUE.
HI, THIS IS AN I, UH, THIS WILL BE THE SCHEDULING AND INFORMATION ON CLASS UPDATES THAT STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE.
SO THIS TO ME IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE I AM NOT JUST AN AUDITORY LEARNER AND I'M SURE THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE LIKE THAT IN SCHOOLS AND EVEN ADULTS.
SO ONE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT HAPPENS WITH K-12 LEARNING THAT IT PROVIDES FOR MULTI MULTIMEDIA LEARNING.
I NEED TO HEAR IT IN ORDER FOR ME TO ACQUIRE IT.
AND THAT OPPORTUNITY DOES HAPPEN WITH K-12 LEARNING SOLUTIONS.
SO YOU COULD SEE SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT THEY HAVE.
NOW, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO JUST ON THE IDEA OF GETTING HOW THEIR PROGRESS MONITORING, AND THIS IS THEIR MODEL.
IT LENDS RECIPE UNIQUE FOR BUFORD COUNTY.
SHOULD WE WANT TO DO OUR PROGRESS MONITORING IN SMALLER CHUNKS OR IN LARGER CHUNKS? WE HAVE THAT ADAPTABILITY WITH THE VENDOR, PLEASE CONTINUE.
JULIA PRESET AT LENGTH GO THROUGH ON K-12 SOLUTIONS FOR US, UM, WITH REGARD TO OUR STUDENTS WITH AN IEP WITH INDEPENDENT, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PLANS.
WELL, SO WE COULD SHARE WITH REGARD TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE A FIVE OH FOUR ADAPTATION FOR LEARNING IS A POSSIBILITY.
AND NOT ONLY A POSSIBILITY I FEEL AFTER REVIEW, IT'S A REQUIREMENT FOR PRACTICE.
I WANT TO GET TO SEE THIS CHART.
SO IF I'M A STUDENT WITH READING DIFFICULTY TEXTS TO SEAT, TEXT, TO SPEECH TECHNOLOGY, TO ME, THAT'S KEY.
AS I SAID TO YOU EARLIER AS A LEARNER, SOMETIMES WE NEED TO SEE IT AND HEAR IT IN ORDER TO ACQUIRE IT.
WE TEACH OUR CHILDREN HOW TO UTILIZE, HIGHLIGHTING, HOW TO USE GRAPHICAL ORGANIZERS.
ALL OF THAT IS ACTUALLY EMBEDDED IN THE SOFTWARE FOR OUR KIDS, BUT WE MUST RECOGNIZE IT THAT THE CAPABILITY BUILDING THAT FOR OUR STUDENTS COMES OF THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WE WILL BE WE'LL PROVIDE OUR TEACHERS SO THEY COULD TEACH OUR CHILDREN HOW TO USE THESE SKILLS.
AND PART OF OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT TRAIN THE TRAINER MODEL AND NOT JUST OUR TECH COACHES, BUT KEY PERSONNEL WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS.
SO I WANTED TO SHARE THAT AS WELL.
SO WE ALSO SEE FOR STUDENTS WHO MAY HAVE ON VISION COMPLICATIONS, WE DO HAVE LARGE PRINT MAGNIFICATION, BRAILLE, AGAIN, THE TEXT TO SPEECH AND DESCRIPTIVE VIDEOS WHEN THEY'RE WATCHING THEIR HEAT, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR HEARING IT.
AND IT'S DESCRIBING WHAT'S HAPPENING ON SCREEN.
IF YOU LOOK AT HOW THEY DEVELOP THE CURRICULUM, EACH K-12 COURSE FOLLOWS A CAREFUL ORGANIZED SCOPE, SCOPE, AND SEQUENCE ARTICULATING MEASURABLE UNIT LEVEL NGOS GOALS, AND LESSON LEVEL OBJECTIVES THAT ARE CLEARLY ALIGNED WITH STATE STANDARDS.
IF YOU COULD SEE, THEY HAVE BUILT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CHILDREN MAY NEED ASSISTANCE WHO MAY NOT BE MEETING.
[01:35:01]
SAY MASTERY AT AN 85%, YOUR ACTIVITIES THAT ARE ADAPTIVE.AND ULTIMATELY, AS I SHARED EARLIER, IS THE GOLD NOT ONLY CONTENT, BUT THE ABILITY TO CREATE THINKERS.
SO THIS BASICALLY IS SYMBOLIZING THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE OVER WHAT THIS COMPANY WITH THIS VENDOR, WE HAVE OVER 70 LANGUAGES THAT WE COULD PROVIDE TRANSLATION FOR OUR CHILDREN.
AND WE LOOK AT THIS POINT WITH K-12 LEARNING, WHAT ARE THE QUESTIONS ACTUALLY, LENS THAT WAS UTILIZED? EVERY VIEW WAS WELL, WHAT IS, HOW CULTURALLY RESPONSIBLE ARE THEY? HOW CULTURALLY DIVERSE ARE THEY? AND I'M GOING TO LEND THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSSION OF K-12 AS A COMPANY, TO THOSE WHO REPRESENT THE COMPANY WHO ARE HERE THIS EVENING.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT YES, THEY DO DEVELOP A COLLECTIVE PRACTICE, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND OUR CONTEMPORARY AND THE ISSUES THAT SURROUND AMERICAN CULTURE TODAY.
IF YOU CONTINUE TO THE NEXT SLIDE POLICE, ONE OF THE QUALITIES THAT THEY PUT INTO PRACTICE, AS WELL AS WHEN THEY REPRESENTATION OF PEOPLE, IT'S NOT JUST A YEAR AS EUROCENTRIC REPRESENTATION, BUT EVEN NOW TO THE AVATARS THAT THEY UTILIZE AND CREATE THIS DIVERSITY OF PEOPLE, ETHNICITIES AND GENDERS, THESE ARE JUST REFERENCES AS TO WHAT TYPE OF SCHEDULE MAY LOOK LIKE.
LOOK, THESE WILL PULL THE ACTUALLY FROM PAR PARTNER SCHOOLS WITHIN THEIR ORGANIZATION THAT THEY SHARED WITH US AT K-12 LEARNING.
IT LOOKS LIKE A REGULAR SCHOOL DAY.
NOW WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT A CHILD IS GOING TO BE SEATED ALL DAY IN FRONT OF A COMPUTER.
THE GOAL IS THAT WE HAVE INSTRUCTION, TEACHER TEACHERS, MONITORS WORK.
WE HAVE INDEPENDENT WORK, BUT I STRONGLY FEEL IT IS IMPORTANT FOR CHILDREN TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF STRUCTURE, ESPECIALLY AT THE EARLY GRADES AS THEY ARE BEING PRESENTED A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY.
IF YOU CAN TAKE CONTINUOUS MOLLY, PLEASE, IT'S ONE MORE SCHEDULE FOR A REVIEW.
AND I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO STOP AT THIS POINT BECAUSE I DO NEED TO JUST CHECK.
FIRST OF MARK IS ONLINE WITH US.
SO MARK, I'M AT THE POINT OF WHERE I WOULD SAY TO YOU, MARK, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO ENSURE ME TO ME THAT WE'RE MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR LEARNERS IN SOME OF OUR MOST, UM, CHALLENGING AREAS FOR INTERNET ACCESSIBILITY AND SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT YOU WERE LOOKING AT, PUTTING IN PLACE TO MEETING OUR FAMILY'S NEEDS.
MAYBE IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT AT THIS TIME.
WE DEFINITELY LEARNED A LOT FROM OUR FIRST GO ROUND.
THE BACK IN THIS SPRING, UM, SOME OF THE WAYS WE'RE GOING TO HELP IS THE 2,400, MY FIVE DEVICES WE'RE GETTING WITH ACT ONE 42.
WE TOOK TAKEN THOSE IN A CHUNK.
SO PREDOMINANTLY VERIZON HAS THE BEST COVERAGE THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY.
BUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS GET 2200 OF THEM FROM VERIZON, BUT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO GET 200 FROM AT AND T BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME SUBSECTIONS OF OUR COUNTY, UM, SOME OUT IN THE
HELENA AREAS THAT WE HAVE FOUND THAT A T AND T HAS BETTER COVERAGE AND IT WILL GIVE OUR PARENTS MORE OPTIONS.
SO IF THEY DO GET ONE OF THE VERIZON ONES AND DON'T HAVE AS WELL OF ACCESS, WE DO HAVE OTHER OPTIONS FOR THEM.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY FOR WIRED CONNECTIONS, GOING ALONG WITH THIS AS A STATE SERVICE.
UM, THE FULL DETAILS OF THAT HAS NOT TOTALLY BEEN HASHED OUT, BUT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY COMING FROM THE STATE FOR THAT AS THE DISTRICT ITSELF, WE HAVE ADDED, UH, OUTSIDE WIRE WIFI SERVICES TO ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS.
SO THERE IS SOME AREA OF EVERY ONE OF OUR SCHOOL PROPERTIES THAT THE STUDENTS CAN ACTUALLY DRIVE UP TO AND GET SERVICE.
UM, WE'RE ALSO INCREASING THE NUMBER OF DEPOT LOCATIONS.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE CONCERNS WE HAD LAST GO AROUND FROM OUR PARENTS WAS THE FACT THAT WE ONLY HAD DEPOTS AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE AND AT BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL, IT CREATED AN INCONVENIENCE FOR OUR HILTON HEAD FAMILIES, OUR ST HELENA FAMILIES, OUR WELL BRANCH FAMILIES, TO BE ABLE TO GET TO ONE OF THESE DEPOT SERVICES IN A EFFICIENT MANNER FOR THE FAMILY.
UM, IT WAS PUTTING AN UNNECESSARY BURDEN ON THEM.
[01:40:01]
WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE THAT TO ONE PER CLUSTER AND AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE.SO WE'LL BE GOING FROM TWO TO FIVE.
ONE OF THE OTHER WAYS IS WE'RE GOING TO BETTER UTILIZE OUR, UM, MEAL DISTRIBUTION BUSES.
SO WE WILL BE GIVING OUR FAMILIES THE OPPORTUNITY TO IF THEY ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THEIR DEVICE.
THEY CAN FILL OUT THE FORM RIGHT THERE AT THE BUS HAND, THE DEVICE TO THE BUS DRIVER.
AND IT WILL COME BACK TO OUR DEPOT LOCATION, THUS GIVING MORE CHANCES FOR SOME OF OUR FAMILIES THAT DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE IT TO OUR DEPOT LOCATIONS, TO BE ABLE TO GET SERVICE AND GET SUPPORT FROM TECHNOLOGY SERVICES.
SO, MARK, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU A QUESTION.
I'VE BEEN POSTURING, THE INFORMATION REGARDING K EIGHT.
HOW ARE WE ADDRESSING OUR KIDS IN K THROUGH TWO, AH, FOR K THROUGH TWO? WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE RECONFIGURED THE IPADS THAT THE DISTRICT CURRENTLY HAD BECAUSE K THROUGH TWO WAS NOT, UH, REFRESHED LAST SUMMER.
UM, WE'RE HAVING TO CONSOLIDATE THAT NUMBER AND WE'RE GOING TO SUPPORT K AND GRADES K AND ONE WITH OUR IPADS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO USE A COMBINATION OF LEFTOVER DEVICES AND, UM, OUR PREVIOUS TEACHER DEVICES, AS WE REFRESH OUR TEACHERS IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS TO FILL THE NEED OF OUR SECOND GRADE STUDENTS SAY IT, I FELT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE MARK, TO BE PART OF THIS PRESENTATION, BECAUSE WHAT I'LL BE PROPOSING THIS EVENING AS THE OPPORTUNITY OF PURCHASING LICENSING FOR OUR FOUR WHOLE STUDENTS GRADES K THROUGH EIGHT LENDING OPPORTUNITY TO LEVERAGE US TO HAVE A VIRTUAL PROGRAM, BUT ALSO PUTTING IN PLACE, SHOULD WE HAVE TO CLOSE, OR IF WE CLOSE AT ANY TIME DURING THIS ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR, MYSELF AS AN EDUCATOR, I CAN GO IN AND OUT BECAUSE AS I SHARED EARLIER, WE'RE ESTABLISHING CALENDARS FOR INSTRUCTION MYSELF AS AN EDUCATOR, I CAN GO IN AND PULL RESOURCES FOR THIS WHOLE ENTIRE YEAR, BECAUSE THAT WILL BE ALLOWED WITH THIS LICENSING THAT I COULD UTILIZE K THROUGH 12 WHOLE YEAR AS A TEACHER, MAYBE CONTINUE MS. MOLLY TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO I WANT TO SHARE AGAIN THAT OUR STRATEGY IS NOT JUST ABOUT COVID.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE OPPORTUNITY OF LEVERAGING CARE'S MONEY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF IN QUALITY FOR OUR STUDENTS, BUT ALSO BEING ABLE TO UTILIZE CARE AS FUNDING TO START A BAR BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, ITS OWN VIRTUAL PROGRAM.
SO THAT SHOULD I CHOOSE TO LEAVE MY CHILD IN VIRTUAL OR MAYBE I'M UTILIZING ANOTHER BENDER.
I RECOGNIZE THAT BUFORD COUNTY IS PROVIDING MAYBE AT A BETTER QUALITY.
NEXT SLIDE IS JUST A REMINDER.
SO, AND I USED THIS TERM EARLIER IN THE PRESENTATION.
WE WANT TO LOVE OUR LEVERAGE, OUR RESOURCES TO PREPARE FOR A VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT LENDS OUR FAMILIES TO SELECT BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AS THE VIRTUAL PROGRAM OF CHOICE.
NOT THAT IT'S A CHOICE PROGRAM FOR APPLICATION.
I'M JUST ASKING AS THE CHOICE THAT OUR COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THE BEST THAT WE CAN PLEASE PROCEED.
THESE HAD REFERENCES THAT WE HAD GONE THROUGH NEXT ONE, CONTINUE, AND I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD TAKE A CITY, ENDED THE PRESENTATION, AND I GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
UM, I DO WANT US RECOGNIZE THAT I, THE AMOUNT THAT I WAS REQUESTING OF CARE'S FUNDING WAS $2.75 MILLION AT A COST PRICE POINT PER STUDENT, ABOUT $185.
UM, THAT DOES INCLUDE ALL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR TEACHERS.
IT'S NOT A HANDFUL OF EDUCATORS.
A GOAL GOAL IS TO PROVIDE TRAINING K THROUGH WEIGHT.
AND THAT ACTUALLY HAS ALREADY BEEN DESIGNED WITH JUST WAITING FOR OPPORTUNITY TO EXECUTE.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AT THIS TIME.
MR. DALEN, COULD YOU PLEASE PUT YOUR HAND DOWN? IT'S BEEN UP THE WHOLE TIME.
YOU'VE NEVER PUT IT DOWN AND I SENT YOU THROUGH CHAT.
STRATUS, THIS, THIS LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.
CAN YOU JUST TELL ME HOW, HOW THIS CHANGES, UM,
[01:45:02]
THE TEACHERS, HOW DOES THIS, HOW DOES THIS ALTER THE REQUIREMENTS ON, ON OUR TEACHERS? WELL, IT REALLY DOESN'T MISS HIS PERIMETER.IT IS ACTUALLY PROVIDING OUR TEACHERS AN ADDITIONAL TOOL FOR INSTRUCTION, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS TIME AS WE NAVIGATE THROUGH A PANDEMIC.
SO THEY STILL, THEY STILL DEVELOP THEIR OWN LESSON PLANS AND THINGS.
WELL, IF THEY WANT TO UTILIZE DOING FACE TO FACE INSTRUCTION, I WILL BE ABLE TO GO TO THE CALENDAR.
AND I MAY, I MAY HAVE TO ASK FOR A LITTLE MORE DIRECTNESS FROM THE SHARON, BUT I'LL BE ABLE TO PULL UNITS OF INSTRUCTION THAT ARE ALIGNED TO THE STANDARDS THAT WE'RE SAYING THAT WE WANT INSTRUCTED FROM THE DISTRICT LEVEL.
AND I CAN PULL THOSE MATERIALS BETWEEN THE SOFTWARE ADAPTIVE MATERIALS, PUT THE KIDS WITHIN THE CLASSROOM, AND THEN I CAN GO HOME AS A STUDENT AND CONTINUE MY LEARNING AT HOME.
SO IT REALLY GIVES YOU MORE TOOLS FOR DELIVERING INSTRUCTION WHILE WE'RE OPEN, AS WELL AS IF WE CLOSE.
ARE YOU, I'M JUST LOOKING AT HOW THIS ENHANCES OUR TEACHERS AS OPPOSED TO DIMINISHES? I UNDERSTAND.
CAUSE I, I, I NOTICED THAT PRINCIPALS WERE IN THE EVALUATION, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANY TEACHERS.
SIR, IF I MAY EARLIER YET, WE DID HAVE THE TEACHER FORUM GO THROUGH THIS AT LENGTH.
UM, LITERACY COACHES, AS WELL AS MATH COACHES, SIR.
HETLAND AS WELL AS ON OUR SPED COORDINATORS IN CLASSROOM TEAM THAT GOES IN INTO THE CLASSROOM.
UM, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY PART, DO THOSE TWO AND A HALF TO COME TO OUR SCHOOL SITE TO USE IT.
DO YOU WANT TO GO FIRST ON THE INTERNET ACCESS LEARNING PROGRAM IS COMPLETELY CLOUD BASED.
THE STUDENTS HAVE AN INTERNET CONNECTION.
THEY WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE SOFTWARE, BE ABLE TO ACCESS IT FROM HOME.
THANK YOU MR. MELVIN CAMPBELL.
I'M TRYING TO GET A CLEAR PICTURE OF WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THIS.
ARE WE GOING TO UTILIZE THIS TO BUILD OUTWARD YOU A PROGRAM? IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING? MR. CAMP, MR. CAMPBELL? THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES, SIR.
AND AT THE PRESENT TIME, THIS IS GOING TO BE PHASED IN WITH WHAT WE HAVE AS RITUAL AS A WORD JOB PROGRAM NOW.
WELL, ONE QUESTION IN BEHALF OF THE TEACHERS, WHEN WILL THEY BE TRAINED ON THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM? IS THERE ANTICIPATION THAT THIS GOING TO BE PHASED IN? WELL, I WILL LEND SURPRISE TO, UM, THE VENDORS WHO ARE ONLINE AS WELL.
OUR GOAL FOR K THROUGH WEIGHT IS GOING TO BE THE WEEK OF AUGUST 24TH.
I AM ASKING TO CHUNK OR TRAINING INTO TWO HALF DAYS BECAUSE IF I DON'T KNOW SOMETHING I'M GOING TO, I'M NOT GOING TO ABSORB IT ALL IN HALF A DAY.
I'M GONNA NEED THAT SECOND PART TO RECONFIRM MY NEW LEARNING.
SO I'M ASKING FOR TWO CHUNKS OF TRAINING FOR OUR TEACHERS, AND THAT WOULD BE DOING OUR LEAP WEEK WHERE THE LEAP MONEY PROVIDED BY THE STATE DOES ALLOW US FOR SIGNIFICANT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
SO ACTUALLY THOSE K EIGHT TEACHERS ARE GOING TO HAVE TWICE, TWO WEEKS OF PD THAT DEPENDING, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES FOR PD ONE WEEK WILL BE PAID BY THE STATE.
AND I'M LOOKING TO HAVE THE TRAINING DURING THAT WEEK, SIR.
UH, CAN I ASK ONE MORE QUESTION? WHAT WOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TEACHER TO UTILIZE THIS PROGRAM? AND WHO'S GONNA GIVE THAT REGULATION AND MANAGE IT.
AND IF I, I PUT THIS THING IN THE CLOSET AFTER I GET THE TRAINING, I UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING THAT BUS.
SO IS IT EFFECTIVE USE OF OUR, OF OUR CARES DOLLARS? SO THAT IS HOW YOU'RE GOING TO GUARANTEE IT IS MAN.
SO WHAT ARE THE REQUESTS THAT WE'VE HAD FROM TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE CONTINUITY OF INSTRUCTION OR A
[01:50:01]
MATERIAL THAT'S IN THE FACE TO FACE AND FOR A VIRTUAL PROGRAM, SHOULD STUDENTS GO BACK AND FORTH? SO WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND FROM OUR, FROM OUR SEAT IN ISD, THAT IF WE HAVE TO SAY WE HAVE NEGOTIABLES AND WE HAVE SOME NONNEGOTIABLES, ONE OF THE NEGOTIABLES THAT WE HAVE IS UTILIZATION.AND, BUT ONE OF THE NONNEGOTIABLE I HAVE TO SAY, THIS IS CONSISTENCY OF STANDARD BASED INSTRUCTION AND PULLING THE RESOURCES, ESPECIALLY THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE OUR KIDS WHO ARE IN FACE TO FACE ADDITIONAL LEARNING IN A PRESCRIPTIVE.
I ALMOST WANT TO SAY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE MODEL OF WHEN THEY'RE DOING LEARNING, IT'S PRESCRIPTIVE LESSONS FOR THE CHILD.
I ALSO HAVE TO GO BACK TO FROM MASON, FROM MARCH 16TH WHEN WE CLOSED AS A DISTRICT.
AND IF IT'S AN ENGAGING ENOUGH SOFTWARE AND THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN POSITIVE UPON REVIEW, KIDS WILL ENGAGE BECAUSE NO DISRESPECT, THIS IS A NATURAL TO THEM.
ME, I PICK WITH ONE FIFTH FINGER KIDS ARE ENGAGED THIS WAY BECAUSE ANIMATION.
YEAH, I THINK I HEAR YOU SAYING THE USAGE BY NOT DEMANDING, BUT ENCOURAGING CONTINUITY, WHICH WOULD MEAN IN THIS SYSTEM.
AND IT HAS ACTUALLY COME FORWARD FROM THE LEADERSHIP OF PRINCIPALS WHO WERE ON THE REVIEW TEAM.
UM, I HAVE CHIPPED A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS AND THE FIRST ONE IS FOR DR.
WHEN YOU SAY YOU HAVE X PERCENT OF FAMILIES CHOOSING WHATEVER, HOW DOES THAT, HOW DOES THAT TRANSLATE TO THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS? WELL, IF YOU'RE REFERENCING MY PERCENTAGE REGARDING REGISTRATION.
SO WE'RE KEEPING A DAILY MONITORING TWICE A DAY REGARDING REGISTRATION.
WE GET A MORNING READING IT AND I END THE DAY READING.
AND AT THIS TIME I HAVE 7,616 FAMILIES ON CONFIRMATION FOR VIRTUAL.
AND WE WERE ALREADY WORKING AT, WE'LL BE STARTING NEXT WEEK WITH COUNSELORS TO ENCOMP.
I'M ACTUALLY REACHING OUT TO THOSE FAMILIES WHO ONE MORE LEVEL OF CONFIRMATION.
SO THAT'S 7,600 OUT OF THE 13,000 ALREADY REGISTERED.
SO, SO MAYBE I WASN'T CLEAR HOW MANY STUDENTS IS THAT? WELL, FAMILIES MIGHT HAVE ONE, TWO OR THREE STUDENTS.
IT IS A REGISTRATION PER STUDENT, SO I HAVE 7,000.
UM, THERE'S NO THRESHOLD ISSUE HERE BECAUSE THERE'S NO MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR IT TO BEGIN WITH.
UH, WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING TO COME FROM NOW? DR.
STRATA SAID THAT SHE'S ASKED FOR TWO AND A HALF MILLION OUT OF CARE.
UH, WHAT IS OUR STAKE IN THIS? AND WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T GET THE TWO AND A HALF MILLION WHO WERE IN, HOW WILL THAT DELTA BE MADE UP? BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHAT IS THE EXACT COST TO THE DISTRICT THAT YOU'RE ASKING US TO APPROVE TONIGHT? AND WHERE OUT OF THE BUDGET IS IT COMING FROM? SO, UH, DR.
STRADDLES, I BELIEVE, UH, SAID THE COST IS THE 2.75.
AND MS. CROSBY, UH, CAN YOU ADDRESS THE ISSUE WITH THE CARE ZACK DOLLARS? YES, SIR.
UM, THIS, UH, THE ALLOCATION FROM THE CARE ZACK IS APPROXIMATELY $4.9 MILLION.
UM, THIS WILL A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE FUNDS BEING REQUESTED THIS EVENING WILL COME OUT OF THE FEDERAL CARES ACT MONEY.
NONE WILL BE SUPPORTED WITH GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.
A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THAT FUNDING WILL COME FROM THE CARE ZACK.
IT ALSO, UM, MEETS A THRESHOLD THAT IS REQUIRED OF THE CARES ACT FUNDING.
THAT 40% OF OUR, OF THAT FUNDING BE SPENT ON A LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, INSTRUCTIONAL SOFTWARE TEACHER, TRAINING PRINCIPAL, AND, AND SCHOOL LEADER TRAINING ON NEW SYSTEMS AS WELL.
SO IT ALSO MEETS THAT REQUIREMENT OF 40 SPENDING, 40% OF THE FUNDS ON THAT IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR ADDITIONAL OR SUPPLEMENTAL STATE FUNDING, UM, THAT WILL COME AS A RESULT OF, OF THE CARES THAT I, UH, FROM THE REMAINING STATE OR FEDERAL FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED TO IT.
[01:55:01]
NOT COST THE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS, BUT IT SETS US UP TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.UM, YEAH, MR. DARLING JUST ASKED WHAT WAS GOING TO BE ONE OF MY QUESTIONS.
AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION WAS SURROUNDING, UM, JUST GENERAL INTEROPERABILITY OF THE PLATFORM.
THIS IS PROBABLY A MR. SHOHAN QUESTION.
UM, AND AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, STUDENT PRIVACY AS WELL.
SO DO WE HAVE ANY CONCERNS WITH INTEROPERABILITY OF THE PLATFORM WITH ANY OF OUR DEVICES OR ANYTHING THAT WE USE THE DISTRICT, UM, AS WELL AS, IS THERE ANY CONCERNS WITH REGARD TO STUDENT PRIVACY? UM, AS OF RIGHT NOW FOR INTEROPERABILITY, UM, AND THE INITIAL TESTING WE DID SINCE IT'S ALL WEB BASED, IT'S A VERY FLUID, AS LONG AS YOU HAVE A BROWSER IT'S COMPATIBLE WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY YOUR ANDROID, YOUR APPLES, YOUR WINDOWS DEVICES.
SO WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY ISSUES THERE.
THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A SMALL LEARNING CURVE AS WE MAILED IT INTO THE DISTRICT AND GET THE BACK END TIE-INS WITH POWERSCHOOL COMPLETED.
UM, THAT ALWAYS TAKES A LITTLE TIME, BUT, UM, WE ALWAYS WORKED THROUGH THAT.
UM, AS FOR SECURITY, UM, THEY DO HOUSE THEIR SOFTWARE, WEB SERVERS.
I DON'T REMEMBER IF THOSE WERE, UH, AZURE OR AMAZON AWS SERVERS.
UM, BUT IN THE CONTRACT, THERE IS AN AGREEMENT FOR, UM, THE FACT THAT THEY ARE SECURING THE DATA, THEY ARE BACKING UP THEIR DATA.
AND, UM, THAT IS ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS FROM POWER SCHOOL TO BE A POWER SCHOOL PARTNER IS YOUR, UM, THE WAY YOU HANDLED THE DATA THAT YOU'RE GIVEN.
I KNOW THIS IS A SILLY QUESTION, BUT WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR THE BOARD TO ACTUALLY VIEW THE CONTRACT, UM, PRIOR TO A VOTE, MRS. ORSZAG WE DO NOT PREPARE A CONTRACT AT THIS TIME.
WE WERE GOING TO UTILIZE THE LANGUAGE FROM THE BOARD FOR PREPARATION AND UTILIZE THE STANDARD CONTRACTS.
AND I COULD HAVE MRS. CROSBY SPEAK TO THAT ACCOUNT, BUT WE WILL BE FOLLOWING THE CONTRACTS THAT WE USE AS A DISTRICT.
I DON'T, I I'M, I'M A LITTLE UNCLEAR, I GUESS, ABOUT THE TERMS OF THE, OF THE CONTRACT OR THE AGREEMENT.
UM, DID WE ALSO LOOK AT OTHER, UM, OTHER, UM, OUTLETS FOR THIS? YES, WE DID.
WE DID LOOK AT OTHER COMPANIES
WE CAN GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION AND AS SHE'S SCROLLING BACK BACK, MS. MRS. OR SHACK, WHILE I, WHAT I WILL SHARE, WHAT WAS END IS PROGRESS MONITORING THE AVAILABILITY OF DIVERSITY OF DELIVERY OF INSTRUCTION.
BEING ABLE TO MEET MULTI MOLDED MOLD, ELLS OF MODALITIES OF STUDENT LEARNING.
I, UM, I WAS PAYING ATTENTION.
I JUST DIDN'T KNOW HOW THAT COMPARED WITH OTHER ENTITIES THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
SO IF WE GO AND I'M ABOUT READY TO TOUCH THE SCREEN, I APOLOGIZE, MS. MOLLY, CAN YOU GO KEEP SCROLLING UP
I DO APOLOGIZE, MS. MOLLY, THANK YOU.
I NEED YOU TO GO TO THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS, GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, TO BEGIN TO COMPARISON TO OTHER COMPANIES.
SO THIS WAS ONE COMPANY THAT WE LOOK AT, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE DO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM, BUT WE DID NOT FIND WHAT WE FOUND.
WE DID NOT HAVE A DEBT ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY LENDING PUT EXPERIENCE FOR THE LEARNER TO DRIVE THEM.
SIT AT THE, THE SOFTWARE IS BEING ADAPTIVE TO ME.
THE DEPTH OF QUESTIONING WAS NOT AT A LEVEL OF COMPLEXITY UPON REVIEW.
WE WERE NOT ABLE TO, UM, LOOK AT EVEN DEBT DATA RESULTS WITH REGARD TO SOUTH CAROLINA OR EVEN DATA RESULTS, LONGTERM FROM THE, SOME OF THE AREAS THAT THEY WERE AT.
[02:00:02]
THEY WERE A NEWER COMPANY IN THIS PLATFORM BECAUSE WE'RE FINDING WHAT COVID TO BE VERY HONEST IS A LOT OF NEW COMPANIES COMING OUT, NO DISRESPECT TO NEW COMPANIES OR NEW PRODUCT LINES.WE WERE TRYING TO SECURE OUR FUNDS BEING UTILIZED IN, IN AN ERA THAT HAS LONGEVITY.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS WOULD JUST BE A REITERATION.
BUT THEN WE ALSO LOOKED AT, WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
WE LOOKED AT UTILIZATION OF SCHOOL ALLERGY ON THE IDEA OF, OF A, UH, OF A LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
AND WE WAS A STRONG RECOGNITION REALIZATION IS DEVELOP EVERYTHING FOR GRADES K THROUGH WEIGHT THAT IS A VETTED CURRICULUM AND GIVES DIVERSITY, BUT A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.
WE FOUND THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO MEET THAT.
DO WE LOOK PRIMARILY AT EDMENTUM? YES, WE, YES, WE DID.
WE WENT WHEN AT DEPTH LOOKING AT THEM.
AND THEN WHO, WHO ELSE DID WE JUST KIND OF POKE AROUND PICK TIRES TO SEE IF THEY MIGHT FIT OUR NEEDS? THEN WE LOOKED AT K-12 BECAUSE WE DID A CURSE HERE, REVIEW OF THEIR WORK.
YES, MA'AM AND THEN WE LOOKED AT IT JUST AS STRAIGHT LMS. OKAY.
I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT, UM, UM, I HAVE YOUR HANDS UP.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT ME TO MAKE A MOAT.
YEAH, I HAVE, I HAVE, UM, SOME, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS.
SO, UM, THIS QUESTION IS PROBABLY FOR BOTH OUR, UH, DR.
RODRIGUEZ AND, UH, UH, MS. CROSBY.
SO THE CARES ACT, UM, PROVIDES, I THINK IT WAS ROUGHLY NOT QUITE 5 MILLION, BUT CLOSE, AND THIS WOULD BE WELL OVER 50% OF THAT, WHICH MEETS THE CRITERIA OF USING, UM, AT LEAST 40% OF THE PLANS FOR A LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WHICH THEREFORE MAKES, WILL ALLOW THE DISTRICT TO QUALIFY FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
SO WHAT OTHER, UM, THE REMAINING MONEY, I E THE, IF WE TAKE OUT THE 2.75 MILLION FOR THIS, UH, UH, VIRTUAL, UH, LEARNING SYSTEM, WHAT, WHAT OTHER THINGS WOULD WE BE SPENDING THAT MONEY ON? I MEAN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET INTO THE, YOU KNOW, MY NEW DETAILS, JUST GIVE ME A BROAD, UH, ANSWER.
THAT WOULD BE IN THE AREA OF, UH, ENHANCED SANITATION AND, UH, AND ANY, UH, POSSIBLE PP, UH, SUPPLIES THAT WE MIGHT NEED.
MS. CROSBY, ANYTHING ELSE? YES.
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT ABOUT 600,000 IS ACTUALLY ALLOCATED FOR, UM, ARE NOT TWO THINGS ACTUALLY PRIVATE AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND CHARTER AS WELL AS INDIRECT COSTS, WHICH IS BASICALLY A, UH, A PAYMENT TO THE GENERAL FUND FOR OVERHEAD COSTS FOR ADMINISTERING THE GRANT FUNDING.
SO IT'S A NORMAL GRANT PROCESS THAT WE HAVE AS WELL.
SO BETWEEN THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS CHARTER SCHOOL AND THEN INDIRECT COSTS, IT'S ALSO A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF THE FUNDS.
MY NEXT QUESTION IS, UM, YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF EDUCATING CHILDREN AND I THINK THAT IT'S ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL THAT WE HAVE A HIGH QUALITY, UH, VIRTUAL SYSTEM WE'RE IN AN UNPRECEDENTED TIME.
THAT'S RATHER TRITE SAYING TO SAY THAT, BUT WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A REALLY, REALLY GOOD VIRTUAL SYSTEM BECAUSE IT'S VERY LIKELY MANY STUDENTS WILL BE ON A VIRTUAL SYSTEM.
AND I, IT SEEMS TO ME FROM WHAT YOU'VE PRESENTED AND HAVING LOOKED AT THIS CAREFULLY BEFORE OUR MEETING TONIGHT, THAT THIS SEEMS TO HAVE THE RIGOR THAT IS ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED TO CONTINUE TO MOVE STUDENTS FORWARD.
SO THE LICENSING NOW FOR THIS YEAR WOULD BE ABOUT $185 PER STUDENT WITH ROUGHLY 15,000 STUDENTS HERE USING IT.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT YEAR? WHAT'S THE COST GOING FORWARD? IF I, IF I MAY, I'M GONNA HOLD VENDOR TO $185 A STUDENT HIDE THEM, NO DISRESPECT, BUT, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT WE DID.
BOTTS, LOOKING AT FAMILIES, REALLY SEEKING TO HAVE, UM, OPPORTUNITY FOR HOME SCHOOL, A VIRTUAL PROGRAM.
WE WERE LOOKING AT APPROXIMATELY 44,000 STUDENTS.
[02:05:01]
OUR PRICING WAS DESIGNED THAT THAT IS A THRESHOLD POINT FOR US.I WANT TO ALSO SHARE AMONGST ALL OUR BOARD MEMBERS THAT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE IN OUR RESEARCH AT BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
WE HAVE A LOCALIZED COMPANY THAT IS REALLY DOING HEAVY CAMPAIGNING HERE IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
THEY HAVE PETITIONED TO THE STATE, THE OPPORTUNITY OF 2000 ADDITIONAL SEATS FOR THEIR OWN HOMESCHOOL MODEL.
NOW, I, AGAIN, I'M USING THE LANGUAGE LOW COUNTRY.
IT ISN'T SPECIFIC, BUT THEY'RE LOOKING AT GOING FROM 4,000 TO 6,000 STUDENTS.
SO EVEN AT $6,800 A STUDENT, I NEED TO PUT THAT AS ONE OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF WHAT I'M TRYING TO KEEP FOR US TO BE ABLE TO BUILD UPON WITH STRONG MARKETING, THAT WE WILL HOLD THE VENDOR TO PARTNER WITH US AND ABLE TO KEEP MANAGE AND PULL OTHERS FROM.
I HAVE TO SAY IT FROM A, FROM A BUSINESS SENSE, UM, FROM A COMPETITION THAT I COULD SHARE THAT I STRONGLY FEEL THAT OUR PRODUCT LINE THROUGH THE WORK WITH THE WE'D GONE THROUGH BEDDING, THAT I BELIEVE IS, IS A BETTER OPPORTUNITY FOR LEARNING THE STUDENTS.
AND ONE LAST QUESTION IS YOU MENTIONED HOW THE TEACHERS WOULD BE GETTING THEIR, UM, TRAINING ON THIS, UH, LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND, AND PARENTS ARE VERY INVOLVED, UH, AS PRESENTED.
SO HOW DO THE PARENTS GET THE TRAINING OR IS THAT THROUGH AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL OR NO, IT'S, IT'S AT SOME GENERALIZED LEVEL.
JUST GIVE ME AN IDEA ABOUT THAT.
SO, BEN, CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT ON THE UNIQUENESS AND HOW ONCE WE GET A CHILD ENROLLED, UM, THE WEBINARS THAT ARE PROVIDED TO PARENTS, OR I WANT TO UTILIZE THE LANGUAGE OF CAREGIVER? ABSOLUTELY.
I'M HAPPY TO, UH, HELP FILL IN SOME COLOR THERE.
SO THERE ARE MODULES BUILT IN AT THE FRONT END OF THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE AND ADDITIONALLY FOR WHAT WE'VE HISTORICALLY CALLED AN INSTRUCTIONAL COACH AT HOME, UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVE REDESIGNED SOME OF THOSE MODULES THIS YEAR TO BE BUILT AROUND A CARING ADULT, UM, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT TRADITIONALLY HOMESCHOOL FAMILIES REALLY PRIDED THEMSELVES ON THAT INSTRUCTIONAL COACH.
AND A LOT OF, A LOT OF FAMILIES THIS YEAR ARE GOING TO BE THROWN INTO THAT.
NOT NECESSARILY HAVING IT BE A CHOICE.
UM, SO WE'VE, WE'VE BUILT IN MODULES THAT TRAIN A CARING ADULT AT HOME WHO CAN HELP BE THAT GUIDE FOR THE STUDENT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
ALRIGHT, MR. SMITH, YOU HAVE NOT SPOKEN ON THIS TOPIC YET.
UM, MY, MY QUESTION WAS, UH, IS SIMPLY AS I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, UM, IN REFERENCE TO THE $2.7 MILLION, UH, IS THERE ENOUGH FUNDING TO ACCEPT ALL STUDENTS K THROUGH EIGHT FOR US TO INCLUDE SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE? IF I MAY, MR. SMITH, THEY REQUEST THIS WAS SOFTWARE.
WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE CAPABILITY OF PROVIDING THE HARDWARE FOR K THREE WEIGHT THAT, THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ESTABLISH.
AND ALSO I'LL LET ME ASK THIS QUESTION, BASICALLY, THIS MONEY, THAT WAY, THAT THIS MONEY RIGHT HERE, BASICALLY THE DISTRICT APPLIED FOR THIS MONEY, CORRECT.
AN APPLICATOR MRS. CROSBY, AN APPLICATION WAS MADE TO THE, TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND, AND HAS BEEN APPROVED.
SO, AND THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING THAT IF IT, IF IT'S BEEN APPROVED, THEN, THEN BASICALLY WE WILL BE RECEIVING THIS MONEY.
UM, THIS IS ON A CLAIMS BASIS.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO SPEND THE FUNDS AND THEN REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR IT.
SO, SO THAT BEING SAID THAT REALLY THE BOARD, THE BOARD, THERE IS NO NEEDED ACTION FROM THE BOARD ON THIS DAY.
IF THE STATE IS, IF THE STATE IS PROVIDING THE FUNDING ON THIS MINE, THIS MONEY IS COMING INTO APPLICATION.
WE HAVE TO SPEND THE FUNDS IN ACCORDING TO AN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BUDGETED AMOUNTS THAT WERE PROVIDED IN THE APPLICATION.
SO IF WE, UM, WE MUST SPEND IN THE CATEGORIES THAT WERE APPROVED IN THE APPLICATION AND LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IS A SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF THAT APPLICATION.
SO THEREFORE, SO BASICALLY, AND NOW THE APPLICATION YOU'RE ASKING THE BOARD TO AGREE TO, TO THIS CONTRACT AND MORE SO THE PURCHASE OF THE, OF THE LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
WELL, LET ME SAY, WHOEVER'S BREATHING INTO THE COMPUTER.
I GUESS YOU'RE FRUSTRATED BY MY QUESTIONING, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM DOING THAT BECAUSE I'M ASKING THIS BECAUSE
[02:10:01]
THESE ARE VERY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.NOT THAT I JUST WANT TO KNOW, BUT I'M SURE THAT THERE'LL BE COME SOME CONCERNS FROM CITIZENS WHO WANT TO KNOW THESE QUESTIONS AS WELL.
I SAY YOU WILL GO ABOUT THE ANSWERS.
I THINK WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY IS BECAUSE IT'S 2.75 MILLION, THAT THAT FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, WE NEED, WE NEED THE BOARD APPROVAL.
YOU CAN, I THINK EVERYBODY'S HAD ROUND ONE.
I MOVED AT BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AGREED TO THE PURCHASE OF K-12 LEARNING SOLUTION SOFTWARE FOR STUDENTS UTILIZING CARE'S FUNDING AT A COST NOT TO EXCEED $2.75 MILLION.
SO I THINK THE SECOND WAS EARL.
SO, UH, MOLLY, I THINK YOU CLICKED ON MILL.
UM, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM FROM STATE REVENUE FROM COUNTY TAXES, WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT IS SPENT, AND WE GOT AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION TONIGHT ON AN EXCELLENT PROGRAM, WE'VE BEEN ASSURED THAT THE FUNDING IS THERE YET.
WE'RE BEING ASKED TO APPROVE A SET OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS IN A CONTRACT THAT HAS NOT BEEN NEGOTIATED YET.
THAT TO ME IS A BIT OF A LET DOWN IN OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION OR AMEND THE MOTION, WHICHEVER THAT THE ADMINISTRATION BE CAST TO PROVIDE THE BOARD WITH THE CONTRACT IN TIME TO ANALYZE IT AND VOTE ON IT NEXT TUESDAY NIGHT.
CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD DIRECTED ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE A CONTRACT OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR EXAMINATION BY THE BOARD IN TIME TO VOTE ON IT NEXT, AFTER THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING NEXT TUESDAY NIGHT, THAT THAT'S TO SAY THAT WE'LL, WE CAN SAY THEN THAT WE READY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I WAS CURIOUS MYSELF ABOUT THE TERMS, ARE WE PURCHASING THE LICENSE? HOW LONG FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
I THINK CONSIDERING THE SIZE OF THE, OF THIS PURCHASE AT 2.75 MILLION, IT IS SIGNIFICANT.
I WOULD FEEL MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE SEEING THE AGREEMENT, UH, BEFORE VOTING ON IT.
IT SEEMS, UM, WE LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE AGREEMENT ITSELF.
THE PLAN SEEMS WONDERFUL, BUT SOMETIMES IF YOU VOTE ON AN AGREEMENT WITHOUT SEEING IT, IT CAN COME BACK TO BITE YOU LATER.
WE'VE SEEN THAT BEFORE, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE A WONDERFUL PROGRAM.
I WAS GOING TO EITHER OFFER AN AMENDMENT TO KATHY'S OR WHAT THEN JOHN MADE HIS, SO, UM, I AGREE.
I THINK THE TERMS NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR TO THE BOARD MEMBERS PRIOR TO VOTING ON IT.
I AGREE K-12 IS A GREAT LEARNING SOLUTIONS SOFTWARE, AND I THINK THAT IT IS THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR THE DISTRICT.
UM, HOWEVER, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE TERMS, ESPECIALLY SOMETHING IN REGARD TO, UH, THE LENGTH OF WHATEVER THE CONTRACT IS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR.
UM, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE CARE'S FUNDING IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT'S A, A KEY POINT OF INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO KNOW MR. EARL CAMPBELL, DR.
RODRIGUEZ, MRS. CROSBY, WOULD THIS CAUSE A PROBLEM BY DELAYING IT UNTIL TUESDAY IT'S A DR.
WE DIDN'T GO AHEAD AND BRING IN FOLKS TO CONTRACT.
UM, WE DIDN'T WANT TO SET TERMS UP TO BE PRESUMPTUOUS TO THE BOARD.
[02:15:01]
AND RESPECT YOUR POSITION.I ONLY THING I DO DO ASK IS, UM, I KNOW THE AGENDA MAY HAVE BEEN SET ALREADY FOR NEXT TUESDAY, SO I BELIEVE THIS MOTION, WHICHEVER, HOWEVER, IT COMES OUT WILL THEN THE OPPORTUNITY THEN FOR US TO HAVE IT PREPARED FOR YOU FOR THURSDAY IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE VOTED ON FOR TUESDAY.
WELL, THERE IS ONE MINOR CHALLENGE IN THAT IS, UM, IN COMMUNICATION THAT WAS SENT TO PARENTS AND FAMILIES.
LAST WEEK, WE PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE, UM, VIRTUAL BRIEFING, UH, TO REALLY, UH, ALLOW PARENTS AND OPPORTUNITY TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THE VIRTUAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE WOULD BE, SO THAT THEY COULD GO ON, GO AHEAD AND MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION ABOUT WHAT, UM, UH, WHAT A LEARNING MODALITY WOULD BE BEST SUITED FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
SO WE'VE COMMUNICATED THAT THAT WOULD BE RELEASED ON FRIDAY.
UM, PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT IF WE DIDN'T HAVE AN ACTUAL LMS TO, TO, TO SHARE.
UH, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE PROBABLY COULD, COULD PUSH THAT BACK.
UM, IF IT'S POSSIBLE AND I KNOW IT WON'T BE MAYBE, AND I COULD ASK, I COULD ASK THE VENDOR IF THEY HAVE A STANDARD CONTRACT THAT THEY UTILIZE, IF YOU HAVE THAT AVAILABLE.
I KNOW AGAIN, WITH THE DEEPEST RESPECT, IT HAS GONE INTO THE BOARD DOTS.
UM, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE US REVIEW, DR.
STRATOS, I THINK THAT WHAT THE BOARD IS ASKING IS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THIS DOCUMENT.
UM, AND, AND, AND, UH, GIVEN THE, THE $2.75 MILLION THAT THEY WOULD, LIKE MORE THAN JUST THE NEXT 15 MINUTES TO REVIEW IT BEFORE MAKING A DECISION FAIR TO SAY, UH, I THINK THAT'S THE SPIRIT OF MR. DARLING'S MOTION.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION? YEAH, GO AHEAD, MR. ROBOT.
I AGREE WITH THE, UM, SEEING THE CONTRACT, BUT, UM, IF WE ADD TO THIS MOTION THAT AT A COST NOT TO EXCEED $2.75 MILLION FOR ONE YEAR, BUT THAT, THAT KIND OF ADDRESSED THE LENGTH OF THE CONTRACT.
AND THEN WE, STEVE, I AM JUST THINKING ABOUT ALL THE PARENTS THAT ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS ROLLOUT.
IS THERE ANY WAY I'M JUST ASKING, I'M JUST ASKING, IS THERE ANY WAY TO WORK AROUND THAT AND STILL GET A COPY OF THE CONTRACT THAT, UM, EXPLAINS IN MORE DETAIL, MADAM CHAIR, POINT OF ORDER? CAN I GET DRESSED FANCY, KATHY? NOT YET, SIR.
NOT YET, BUT I HAVE PRETTY GOOD INFORMATION.
SO SOMETHING ELSE I HAVEN'T SPOKEN ABOUT THE, UM, THIS AMENDMENT OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.
SO MINE WOULD BE TO, UM, WENDY, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF WE NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, THE ACTUAL CONTRACT PER SE.
I MEAN, NONE OF US ON THE BOARD ARE LAWYERS, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT? I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN AS OPPOSED TO EVERY LAST SENTENCE OF THE CONTRACT.
UM, SO LIKE A LETTER OF, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CALL IT, BUT TERMS OF TERMS, I GUESS, IS WHAT I WAS BE INTERESTED.
SO WENDY, COULD YOU WEIGH IN? AM I UNMUTED NOW? YES, I DO.
I THINK THAT IT'S REASONABLE FOR THE BOARD TO WANT TO REVIEW A CONTRACT.
UM, PRIOR THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY AND IF WE COULD WORK WITH THE VENDOR AND WORK WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO OBTAIN THE CONTRACT TERMS AND PROVISIONS, IF WE DR.
STRATA, SO WE COULD DO THAT AHEAD OF TIME.
SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIFIC THAT BOARD MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE CONTRACT, IF THEY TELL US THAT WE CAN, WE CAN, THOSE TERMS TO PUT IN THERE.
SO MR. DOWLING, I BELIEVE MOLLY WAS ASKING YOU TO TYPE YOUR MOTION INTO THE CHAT.
AND HOW DO I DO THAT AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN? IT SHOULD SAY CHAT AND YOU JUST CLICK IT.
I GOT TO GET RID OF THE PICTURES TO DO THAT.
[02:20:02]
BEAR WITH ME.SHARE CLIMB, CHAN PARTICIPANTS, YOU MORE.
WHILE HE'S DOING THAT, IS, DOES ANY BOARD MEMBER WHO HASN'T SPOKEN? WOULD THEY LIKE TO SPEAK MR. SMITH? YES.
I, I WILL BE SUPPORTING, UH, MR. HIS MOTION BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHERE THIS MONEY IS GOING AND EXACTLY HOW HIS MONEY'S BEING SPENT AND THEN WHAT ALL IS BEING SPENT ON.
SO, UM, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE SEE HIS CONTRACT IN ADVANCING THAT, UM, WE UNDERSTAND HOW WE'RE SPENDING THE TAXPAYER'S MONEY BECAUSE IT IS A LARGE PART OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE BOARD CAN CURSE, BUT IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL TO SEE THE BREAKDOWN OF THIS PROCESS BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD, HOW THE OTHER MONIES ARE, ARE, UM, TAGGED, UM, IN, IN THAT FUNDING.
UM, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD VISUAL TO LOOK AT, INTO, TO DIGEST.
WHAT'D YOU ASKING JOHN TO PUT THAT IN HIS MOTION? NO.
IF, IF THERE'S NO TIME, I REALIZED THEY WERE OVERWHELMED, BUT I KNOW I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT THIS ROBOT.
YOU'RE OH, YOUR HAND WAS STILL UP.
SO LET'S VOTE ON THE, ON THE, YOU HAVE IT ON THE SCREEN NOW MOVE THAT THE BOARD DIRECTING ITERATION TO PROVIDE A COPY OF THE PROPOSED TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT TO THE BOARD FOR EVALUATION AND VOTE AT THE EIGHT, FOUR 2020 DOE MEETING.
AND I BELIEVE THE SECOND WAS BY MS. HORSHACK.
SO VOTING IS NOW OPEN DOWNLOADING VOTES.
I WAS JUST, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE NEEDED TO BE ANY CLARITY TO THE MOTION IN REGARD TO IT SAYS DIRECT THE ADMINISTRATION.
I THINK IT SHOULD SAY DIRECT THE SUPERINTENDENT.
AND THEN I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO IDENTIFY WHAT CONTRACT WE CAN THEN VOTE ON THIS, ON THIS.
I WAS THINKING THE, YOUR ORIGINAL EMOTION IS WHAT I WAS THINKING.
CAN YOU SCROLL UP MOLLY? SO I CAN SEE THE BOTTOM THERE.
I DON'T HAVE KATHY'S VOTE YET.
I DON'T KNOW WHY WHEN I CLICK ON IT, IT'S NOT.
SO NOW LET'S GO BACK TO THE KATHY'S MOTION AND VOTE ON THAT.
A POINT OF POINT OF ORDER, MADAM CHAIR DOES MIND.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ARE WE NOT POINT OF ORDER IS A PROCESS ISSUE.
WHAT'S THE PROCESS ISSUE? THE PROCESS ISSUE WAS WITH THE PASSAGE OF MY AMENDMENT MOOT CATHY'S ORIGINAL MOTION.
SO YOU DON'T WANT ANY DOLLAR LIMIT OR ANYTHING KATHY'S HAS THE DOLLAR LIMIT.
AND YOU SHOULD NOT NEGOTIATE THE CONTRACT BEFORE YOU'RE NEGOTIATING THE CONTRACT WHERE WE'RE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF DOING THAT.
[02:25:01]
SO MY QUESTION THEN IS, UM, I AGREE WITH WHAT RACHEL BROUGHT UP BEFORE, SHOULD OUR FIRST MOTION HAD BEEN BN A LITTLE MORE SPECIFIC.IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, IT SAYS A COPY OF THE PROPOSED TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
WELL, IT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, SAY THE K-12 LEARNING SOLUTION SOFTWARE PURCHASE.
SO THAT WAS JUST, YEAH, GO AHEAD, JOHN, EXCUSE ME, KATHY.
THE MOTION THAT TRESPASSED TERMS AND CONDITIONS PARENTHESES THE CONTRACT IN PARENTHESES, LIKE THE CONTRACT.
IT DOESN'T SAY K-12 LEARNING SOLUTIONS.
WE KNOW WHAT IT WAS REFERRING TO.
BUT, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO ASK THE QUESTION.
MY, MY RESPONSE TO BOTH OF YOU WOULD BE, I THINK THE ADMINISTRATION AND OF WHICH DR.
RODRIGUEZ IS THE CEO UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE'RE DRIVING AT.
RODRIGUEZ? NO, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS IN RESPECT TO THE PRESENTATION THIS EVENING AND K-12 LEARNING.
SO IT'S, THE BOARDS WILL NOT TO VOTE ON, ON THE, ON THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WAS MR. DARLING'S OPINION.
I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT EVERYBODY GETS TO HAVE THEIR OPINION.
DOES ANYBODY WANT TO VOTE ON THE, ON THE ORIGINAL? OKAY.
UM, MADAM CHAIR, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, I THINK A COMPROMISE WILL BE THAT IT TO, TO, UM, TO BREAK DOWN THE UNDERSTANDING OF KATHY AND JOHN AND RACHEL'S POINT OF THE, HAVING THE AWARDING PUT INTO JOHN'S EMOTION.
I THINK BEING ON THE PREVAILING SIDE, I THINK THAT EMOTION CAN BE BROUGHT BACK, UH, AND, AND THAT CAN BE ADDED TO WELL WHERE THE BORDER WAS SOMEONE WHO WAS ON THE PREVENTION SIDE, WHICH AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I BELIEVE EVERYONE WAS ON THE PREVENT SIDE OF THE, I BELIEVE THE, THE, THE, THE EMOTION THAT WAS JUST PASSED COULD BE BROUGHT BACK FOR WORDSMITHING.
UH, AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT IS, THAT WILL MAKE PEOPLE THAT WILL MAKE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS COMFORTABLE IN WHICH I DO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WERE SAYING.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN? UH, MR. ROBOT? NO, I'M, I'M FINE.
HOW ABOUT RACHEL? THAT WAS DESKY.
UM, MY MAIN REASON FOR WANTING IT TO BE CLEAR WAS FOR, YOU KNOW, FUTURE LOOKING BACK AT MOTIONS AND OUR MOTION SUMMARIES THAT ARE IN OUR MEETING MINUTES.
I UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYBODY HERE KNOWS THE INTENT.
UM, I JUST WANTED IT TO BE CLEAR FOR OUR MINUTES IN THE FUTURE SO THAT WHEN OTHER PEOPLE LOOK BACK, THEY DON'T HAVE TO WATCH UP, YOU KNOW, THREE HOUR LONG MEETING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE MOTION IS INTENT WAS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT MORE CLEAR, UM, BUT IT'S THE WILL OF THE BOARD.
SO JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION IN THE MINUTES, IF NORMALLY WHEN THERE IS AN AMENDMENT, IT SHOWS THE ORIGINAL MOTION AND THEN BENEATH IT, THEY, THE, UM, UH, AMENDMENT IN THE END.
SO HOPEFULLY IT'LL BE CLEAR IN OUR MINUTES.
WE'LL HAVE TO ENSURE THAT, UM, DR.
RODRIGUEZ, I JUST WANT TO COMMENT ON MS. ROBIN'S, UH, COMMENTS ABOUT THE DISAPPOINTMENT THAT OUR FAMILIES MAY BE EXPERIENCING OR IN OUR STAFF THAT THEY WON'T BE.
UM, UM, SEEING THE PLAN APPROVED BY THE BOARD THIS EVENING.
I HOPE THAT WE WILL DO A GOOD JOB OF COMMUNICATING TO THEM, THE DILEMMA THE BOARD HAD THIS EVENING, AND HOPEFULLY, UM, WE CAN PREVENT SOMETHING LIKE THIS FROM OCCURRING IN THE FUTURE.
UM, ANY AND ALL, UM, NEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE BOARD PRIOR TO POTENTIAL APPROVAL.
I KNOW WE KNOW THIS, BUT I'M NOT CERTAIN OUR PARENTS KNOW THIS.
AND I, I HOPE THAT WE CAN COMMUNICATE THAT TO THEM EFFECTIVELY AND COMMUNICATE WITH PARENTS.
UH, I SCROLL, I STRONGLY DO AGREE WITH RACHEL AND, UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE BRING BACK IN THE MOTION.
THAT WAS JUST, UH, THAT WAS, THAT, THAT WAS JUST, I
[02:30:01]
HAD JUST PASSED AND THAT WE CHANGED THE WORDING IN IT FROM ADMINISTRATION TO SUPERINTENDENT, AND ALSO THAT WE STATE THE CONTRACT NAME ON IT.SO I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE BRING THAT MOTION BACK.
AM I COMPLETELY GETTING RID OF THIS SECOND? SO YOU'RE NOT DOING SECOND YET.
SO WE'RE NOT THE LEADING IT, WE'RE JUST ADDING, WE'RE JUST ADDING TO THAT, THE NEW MOTION, THE SUPERINTENDENT, AND THEN WE ADD IN THE NAME OF THE CONTRACT FOR CLARIFICATION.
SO GOING TO AMENDMENT NOW, RIGHT? RIGHT.
TAMALE TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
YEAH, THAT'S THE ONLY ONE WE HAVE.
SO MOLLY, CAN YOU, UM, COPY THE, THE APPROVED MOTION AND MAKE IT NOW ANOTHER MOTION WITH THE CHANGES? YES.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO DO.
UM, CHANGED ADMINISTRATION TO SUPERINTENDENT AND ADD WHAT ELSE? I'M SORRY.
THE CONTRACT IS SPECIFICALLY SAY THE, UM, THE K-12 LEARNING SOLUTION CONTRACT.
IS THAT CORRECT? MR. SMITH? YES.
SOME REASON I CAN'T SEE IT ON MY COMPUTER.
RACHEL, IS THAT CORRECT? IT LOOKS CORRECT.
IT WAS, IT WAS JUST A COPY AND PASTE AND THOSE TWO CHANGES.
I'M, ROBIN'S A LOT BETTER AT THIS THAN ME.
SO THIS IS REALLY A SUBSTITUTE FOR WHAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? YES.
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK MOLLY FOR HER, UH, DO JUDGES TONIGHT AND COMING IN AND PLAYING HER ROW TONIGHT.
IT WAS GREAT WITH W W IT WAS A DIFFERENT HAND.
SOMEONE'S NEW VOICE, BUT THANKS FOR, THANKS FOR COMING IN AND GIVE THEM THE BOARD SUPPORTS IN THEIR, THANK YOU.