School Board Meeting 2-6-24

. >> Chair: GOOD EVENING. AT THIS TIME IF YOU WOULD STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [ PLEDGE TO THE FLAG ] >> Chair: YOU MAY BE SEATED. SO WE WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO OUR FEBRUARY 6 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING OF ALACHUA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND THIS IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH

AND SO WE’VE GOT AND EXCITING MEETING TONIGHT WHERE WE’RE RECOGNIZING OUR STUDENTS AND TAKING CARE OF THE BUSINESS OF THE ALACHUA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AT THIS TIME IN HONOR, STARTING OFF IN HONOR OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH. , WE’LL HAVE MS. JUSTICE ALEXANDER TO COME BEFORE US WITH A PERFORMANCE.

LET’S GIVE HER A HAND AS SHE COMES. [ APPLAUSE ] >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. TODAY I WILL BE SING [INDISCERNIBLE] ♪ I’VE BEEN WALKING WITH MY FACE TURNED TO THE SUN ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I’VE GOT EYES IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD JUST IN CASE I HAVE TO RUN ♪

♪ I DO WHAT I CAN, WHAT I CAN, WHAT I CAN FOR MY PEOPLE ♪ ♪ WHILE THE CLOUDS ROLL BACK AND THE STARS FILL AT NIGHT ♪ NOT THAT’S WHEN I’M GOING TO STAND UP, TAKE MY PEOPLE WITH ME ♪ ♪ TOGETHER WE ARE GOING TO A BRAND-NEW HOME ♪

♪ FAR ACROSS THE RIVER CAN YOU HEAR FREEDOM CALLING ♪ ♪ CALLING ME TO ANSWER, BUT I KEEP ON KEEPING ON ♪ ♪ I CAN FEEL IT IN MY BONES ♪ ♪ EARLY IN THE MORNING BEFORE THE SUN BEGINS TO SHINE ♪ ♪ WE’RE GONNA START MOVING TOWARDS THAT SEPARATING LIGHT ♪

♪ YOU KNOW I GOT IT MADE UP MY MIND ♪ ♪ AND I DON’T MIND IF I LOSE ANY BLOOD ON THE WAY TO SALVATION ♪ ♪ AND I’LL FIGHT WITH THE STRENGTH THAT I’VE GOT UNTIL I DIE ♪ ♪ SO I’M GONNA STAND UP, TAKE MY PEOPLE WITH ME ♪

♪ TOGETHER WE ARE GOING TO A BRAND-NEW HOME ♪ ♪ FAR ACROSS THE RIVER, CAN YOU HEAR FREEDOM CALLING, CALLING ME TO ANSWER ♪ ♪ GONNA KEEP ON KEEPING ON ♪ ♪ I CAN FEEL IT IN MY BONES ♪ [ CHEERS & APPLAUSE ] >> Chair: ALL RIGHT.

NOW YOU SEE THE GREAT TALENT WE HAVE HERE IN ALACHUA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU, MS. ALEXANDER, FOR THAT. AT THIS TIME TONIGHT WE’RE DOING SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE’VE INVITED ALL OF OUR FALL SPORTS TO COME TONIGHT. SO COME FORTH AND WE WILL RECOGNIZE ALL OF THE STUDENT ATHLETES.

AND SO WITH YOUR POM POMS, LET’S GIVE IT UP. ♪ PUMP, PUMP, PUMP IT UP ♪ ♪ PUMP THAT SPIRIT IT ♪ STRAPPY. OKAY. MR. STRAPPY, COME ON. FOLLOWING MY AGENDA. >> GOOD EVENING. THIS IS A WONDERFUL TIME FOR ME BECAUSE I WAS A FORMER ATHLETE. SO TO BOARD CHAIR McGRAW,

ESTEEMED BOARD MEMBERS, STUDENT ANDREW, THESE STUDENTS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE RECOGNIZING OR HONORING TONIGHT HAVE DONE THEIR DUE DILIGENCE IN BALANCING THE WONDERFUL ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACCOLADES OF PERFORMING AS AN ATHLETE AND ALSO THE DUE DILIGENCE OF STAYING ELIGIBLE ACADEMICALLY IN THE CLASSROOM. WITH THAT BEING SAID WE’RE GOING

TO START UP WITH EASTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL. FOOTBALL REGIONAL SEMIFINALS LOSING TO EVENTUAL STATE RUNNER UP, BRADFORD. SWIMMING GIRLS AND BOYS REACH STATE WITH THE BOYS TAKING PLACE. THE COACH IS THE AA COACH OF THE YEAR, THAT’S RIGHT. COACH ALLEN, STATE CHAMPIONS. [ APPLAUSE ] STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TO THE BOYS

200 MEDLEY RELAY OF ERIC, ABRAHAM, CHRIS AND LIAM. EASTSIDE TRACK RESULTS FROM 2023 WERE THE MALE TEAM WERE THE DISTRICT CHAMPIONS 2022 AND 2023. THE FEMALE TEAM WERE DISTRICT RUNNER-UPS 2022 AND 2023. THE MALE TEAM WERE THE REGION RUNNER-UPS 2023 AND THE MALE TEAM WAS THE 2022 THIRD PLACE IN THE REGION.

THE MALE TEAM STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, THEY WERE PLACED EIGHTH OVERALL. TONIGHT I THINK WE HAVE DEFINITELY COACH HOSKINS WHO WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE WITH TWO OF HIS ATHLETES. PLEASE PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER FOR THESE COACHES. [ APPLAUSE ] AND WE WOULD LIKE TO CAPTURE A PICTURE OF ALL OF OUR TEAMS THAT ARE HERE.

WE CAN GET A PICTURE AS THEY COME UP, EACH ONE, WITH THE BOARD. >> DON’T BE SHY. [ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU COACHES AND THANK YOU PRINCIPAL WILLIAMS. NEXT WE HAVE GAINESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL. THE GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM IS COACHED BY COACH CURTIS COOPER, QUALIFIED AND RAN IN THE STATE MEET.

THE BOYS CROSS COUNTRY ALSO COACHED BY COACH COOPER WHICH ONE BOY QUALIFIED AND RAN IN THE STATE MEET. VOLLEYBALL WERE THE DISTRICT CHAMPIONS AND ADVANCED TO THE SWEET 16. SWIM AND DIVE WAS COACHED BY LEONARD CROSS AND SEVERAL BOYS AND GIRLS ADVANCED TO THE STATE WITH AVA FULLER WINNING A STATE

CHAMPIONSHIP AS AN INDIVIDUAL. CROSS COUNTRY COACH CURTIS COACH, ATHLETE SAM WILLER AND MIA FORBES WILL REPRESENT GAINESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL. PLEASE PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER. [ APPLAUSE ] DID YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING, COACH, ON BEHALF OF YOUR WONDERFUL ATHLETES? NO? >> DID A GREAT JOB. THANK Y’ALL VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. >> YES. >> THANK YOU, PRINCIPAL FERGUSON. AND I SEE DR. BECKER OVER THERE ON THE SIDE. NEXT UP IS HAWTHORNE MIGHTY HORNETS. I GUESS WE WILL JUST SIMPLY REINTRODUCE THIS WONDERFUL BUNCH. FOOTBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP UP UNDER THE LEAD OF HEAD COACH, MY MAN 20 GRAND, CORNELIUS INGRAM.

ANDREW ZUCK WAS THE OUTSTANDING LINEBACKER. FIRST TEAM STATE ALL AREA ALSO ANDREW ZUCK. OUR COACH OF THE YEAR CORNELIUS INGRAM, PLAYER OF THE YEAR IN FOOTBALL CJ IMGRAM HIMSELF, THE YOUNG MAN. PLEASE, COACH INGRAM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME TO THE MIC, PLEASE DO. IF NOT, GO AHEAD AND TAKE YOUR

PICTURE, SIR. [ APPLAUSE ] >> Chair: WE KNOW COACH INGRAM HAS GOT SOMETHING TO SAY. >> I SURE LIKE TO TALK, EVERYONE, SO BEAR WITH ME. THIS IS TRULY AN HONOR. YOU KNOW, JUST HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO COACH YOUNG MEN AND YOUNG WOMEN IN MY HOMETOWN,

GET TO DO IT MY WAY WITH GREAT SUPPORT SYSTEM FROM FAN BASE, ADMINISTRATION, EVERYONE PLAYS THE PART IN OUR SUCCESS. AND IT’S BEEN TRULY AMAZING. AND I THINK LAST SATURDAY MS. McGRAW END UP COMING BY — I SEE PRINCIPAL GREEN HERE — AND THEY SHOWED A DOCUMENTARY OF MYSELF WHERE A 15-YEAR-OLD KID

FROM HAWTHORNE PUT ONE AMAZING PIECE TOGETHER. AND YOU TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE IT NEEDS TO BE ON NETFLIX. >> Chair: YEAH, YEAH, THAT’S IT. >> IT’S THAT AWESOME. BUT IN THE DOCUMENTARY, RIGHT, WE JUST TOUCH ON THINGS THAT OUR TOWN AND COMMUNITY WENT THROUGH, SOME PERSONAL EXPERIENCES FROM

MYSELF THAT A LOT OF MY KIDS AND A LOT OF YOU IN THIS ROOM PROBABLY SEE ME GO THROUGH AS FAR AS INJURIES OR WHAT HAVE YOU. BUT BEING ABLE TO OVERCOME IT, BEING ABLE TO PERSEVERE THROUGH ALL OF IT. AND I LOVE MY JOB. I GET TO DO SOMETHING WONDERFUL

EVERY SINGLE DAY I STEP FOOT ON CAMPUS. AND THAT’S WHY WE’RE HAVING SUCCESS. I HAVE GREAT YOUNG MEN. I HAVE A GREAT SUPPORT SYSTEM AS FAR AS THEIR PARENTS WHO ALSO PUSH THEM FROM HOME, OTHER ASSISTANT COACHES. BECAUSE I’M TRULY NOT DOING THIS ALONE. I HAVE SOME AMAZING ASSISTANT COACHES.

BUT THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN TAKE THE COACHING EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND IT’S OUTSIDE THE BALL AS% WELL. WE’RE DOING A LOT. I’M EXTREMELY PROUD OF THE BUNCH I HAVE HERE TONIGHT. SOME OF THE OTHER GUYS COULDN’T MAKE IT. BUT THANK YOU GUYS FOR HAVING US AND HOPEFULLY WE’LL BE BACK NEXT

YEAR AS WELL. >> Chair: ALL RIGHT. WOO-HOO! [ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU SO MUCH, COACH INGRAM. NEXT UP WE HAVE NEWBERRY HIGH SCHOOL. IN THE ABSENCE OF MR. SHEPHERD, I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT THE VOLLEYBALL TEAM MADE TIGHT THE FINAL FOUR. THE FOOTBALL LOST IN THE REGIONAL SEMIFINALS TO NONE

OTHER THAN THE EAST MEETS WEST HAWTHORNE HORNETS. IN ATTENDANCE FOR NEWBERRY WE HAVE THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR REPRESENTING THE NEWBERRY FOOTBALL TEAM TONIGHT. DAVID SMITH WILL BE COMING AS ONE OF OUR PLAYERS. AND WE HAD — NOPE. SORRY ABOUT THAT. ALSO IN ATTENDANCE IS OUR VOLLEYBALL TEAM. THEY ARE REPRESENTED BY HEAD

COACH HANK ROHN AND ASSISTANT COACH LILY AS WELL. AS PLAYERS, HALEY THARPE AND HANNAH TEMPLETON. IF ANY OF YOU, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR ROUNDTREE OR COACH WOULD LIKE TO COME TO THE M MICROPHONE FIRST, DON’T BE SHY. [ APPLAUSE ] >> WELL, THE ONE THING COACH INGRAM AND I SHARE IN COMMON IS

WE BOTH ARE FLORIDA GRADUATES AND ALSO PLAYED FOOTBALL THERE. BUT I WAS BACK IN THE ORANGE DAYS THAT’S A LONG TIME AGO. BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, IT’S JUST BEEN AN AWESOME JOURNEY COACHING AT NEWBERRY HIGH SCHOOL, AND ESPECIALLY COACHING THESE YOUNG ATHLETES, THESE GIRLS. AND I ALWAYS TELL THEM THERE’S

GIRLS, BOYS AND THERE’S ATHLETES. AND THEY WANT TO BE TREATED AS ATHLETES. WE HAVE TWO GREAT STORIES THIS YEAR. ONE WAS THERE WAS A MEETING GOING ON AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, SHANE AND I GO BACK TO WHEN WE WERE 10 YEARS OLD PLAYING BOYS CLUB TOGETHER. I’VE KNOWN SHANE A LONG TIME.

ALL OF THE SUDDEN HE’S STANDING AROUND BEHIND US WATCHING THE GAME. IN VOLLEYBALL WHEN YOU’RE DONE WITH THE SET, YOU KNOW, I GOT TO GET MY LINEUP READY. NEXT THING YOU KNOW, COACH SHANE COMES OUT, GETS IN THE HUDDLE. I DON’T KNOW WHAT HE TOLD THEM BUT HE GOT THEM FIRED UP.

AND I KNOW WHAT HE TOLD THEM AFTERWARD. HE SAID GIRLS — THEY ONLY CAN GET 15. WELL THE FINAL SCORE WAS 25-15. I SAID I NEED YOU AT EVERY MATCH FROM NOW ON. BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, THE — AND THE OTHER RESPECT THAT THESE YOUNG LADIES GOT THIS YEAR IS WE

RUN STADIUMS ALL OF THE TIME. THERE’S PART F OUR M.O. WE WORK HARD IN THE OFF SEASON. DURING THE SEASON WE’RE IN THE STADIUMS LEADING UP TO THE FINAL FOUR, STADIUM DAY. THE FOOTBALL TEAM WAS OUT THERE PRACTICING AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN THEY STOPPED AND STARTED CLAPPING AND GIVING US A ROUND

OF APPLAUSE. THAT WAS AWESOME. A LOT OF RESPECT THERE. AND I’M GETTING OLDER BUT I STILL LOVE WHAT I’M DOING AND JUST COACHING THESE YOUNG LADIES DOING WHAT WE’VE DONE IN NEWBERRY THE LAST TEN YEARS. AND I STARTED MY CAREER AS A FOOTBALL COACH AT TRENTON HIGH SCHOOL BACK IN 1990, SOMETHING

LIKE THAT. ACTUALLY I THINK SHANE WAS AT HAWTHORNE BACK THEN IN ’91, ’92. WE HAD OUR RUN-INS AS COACHES. I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS DOING THIS, RECOGNIZING THESE YOUNG STUDENT ATHLETES. THE ONE GOOD THING ABOUT THE VOLLEYBALL GIRLS AT NEWBERRY HIGH SCHOOL, YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO BE HAPPY ABOUT THIS, THE LAST

TWO VALEDICTORIANS ARE FROM OUR VOLLEYBALL TEAM AND I’LL LEIGH E IT AT THAT. [ APPLAUSE ] >> IF YOU KNOW MY PRINCIPAL, MRP ATHLETICS. HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE I BRAG ON NEWBERRY HIGH SCHOOL, THE NUMBER-ONE GRADUATION RATE IN THE COUNTY. OUR STUDENT ATHLETES ARE TREMENDOUS ATHLETES, TREMENDOUS PEOPLE BUT BETTER PEOPLE AT

NEWBERRY. AND I CAN’T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT OUR STUDENT ATHLETES, OUR PARENTS, OUR ADMINISTRATION AND COACHES. SO WE REALLY ARE BLESSED AT NEWBERRY IN OUR COMMUNITY AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT AND MR. SHEPHERD WANTED ME TO MENTION ACADEMICS ALSO AT NEWBERRY HIGH SCHOOL, SO THAT’S WHAT I DID. [ APPLAUSE ]

>> ALL RIGHTY. SO FROM NEWBERRY WE HEAD BACK IN TOWN TO THE MIGHTY BOBCATS, BUCHOLZ HIGH SCHOOL. BOYS CROSS COUNTRY STATE FINALIST HEAD COACH PATRICK, RUNNERS RILEY SMITH WON AN INDIVIDUAL STATE TITLE. BOYS’ GOLF REGIONALS HEAD COACH RYAN McNICKEL AND GIRLS GOLF REGIONALS HEAD COACH MARK. IN ATTENDANCE TONIGHT IS COACH

CHUCK BALE FROM THE FOOTBALL TEAM AND TEACH COACH THOMAS MAR. PLEASE COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE AND ADDRESS US W. >> THANKS FOR HAVING US TONIGHT. SPEAKING WITH OUR HEAD COACH OVER THE LAST DECADE, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAS BEEN DONE FOR ALL FALL SPORTS.

SO THE BOARD’S COMMITMENT AND DR. ANDREW, YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR SPORTS AND OUR ATHLETICS IN ALACHUA COUNTY HAS BEEN AMAZING. YOU KNOW, MY FATHER WAS AN ALACHUA COUNTY SCHOOLS EMPLOYEE FOR OVER TWO DECADES. I’M BORN AND RAISED IN ALACHUA COUNTY. GREW UP IN ALACHUA COUNTY SCHOOLS. GRADUATED FROM PUCHHOLZ.

NOTHING GIVES ME MORE PRIDE BY PUTTING THE SPOTLIGHT ON THE SCHOOL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE ALACHUA COUNTY ATHLETICS. >> MADAM CHAIR, ERIC DRUMMOND. I’M VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT COACH FOR THE GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM. I WANTED TO THANK YOU BOARD MEMBERS — IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER

SEVERAL YEARS AGO I SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN HERE TALKING TO YOU GUYS ABOUT ATHLETIC FACILITIES AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND THE TRACK. AND THE RESURFACING OF THE TRACK AND THE BRAVERY YOU GUYS SHOWED IN ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT PROJECT ALLOWS US TO HAVE TIMES LIKE THIS.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR US AND EVERYTHING YOU DO DISTRICT WIDE. A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE ROOM SUPPORT THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. >> Chair: THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >> TWO-TIME STATE COACH OF THE YEAR. >> Chair: ALL RIGHT.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> AND TO WRAP UP THE EVENING, NONE OTHER THAN OUR WONDERFUL RAIDERS OF SANTA FE HIGH SCHOOL. YEAH. [ APPLAUSE ] >> DANIEL IS THE SANTA FE BOYS GOLF COACH AND ZACHARY WILLIAMS WILL BE ATTENDING ALSO WITH HIM. COACH, IF YOU HAVE ANY WORDS,

PLEASE COME UP TO THE MOCK FEIN. AND ZACHARY QUALIFIED FOR THE REGIONAL TOURNAMENT FOR THE BOYS GOLF TEAM. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ZACHARY. >> SINCE I’M LAST I’M GOING TO KEEP THIS VERY SHORT. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE. IT’S BEEN A PLEASURE TO COACH SANTA FE BOYS GOLF. AND ZACHARY EXTREMELY SELF-MOTIVATED.

REALLY DON’T HAVE TO DO MUCH OTHER THAN SHOW UP AND THESE GUYS PUT IN THE WORK. THANKFUL FOR MY ATHLETIC DIRECTOR COACH FALK WHO HAS BEEN EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE. AND I’M THANKFUL FOR THE FOOD SERVICE WORKING WITH MY SCHEDULE IN THE FALL. THAT’S ALL I GOT TO SAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> Chair: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >> ON BEHALF OF ALACHUA COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD ATHLETICS PORTION OF MY JOB, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL BECAUSE IT MEANS SO MUCH WHEN THESE YOUNG INDIVIDUALS GET TO BE HONORED AND RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR DUE DILIGENCE REPRESENTING THEIR SCHOOLS. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

>> Chair: THANK YOU. LET’S GIVE IT UP FOR OUR STUDENTS. WOO-HOO! [ APPLAUSE ] MR. ANDREW, DID YOU WANT TO HAVE A WORD TO THE STUDENTS AT ALL, THE ATHLETES? >> SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO CONGRATULATE ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS. I’VE BEEN TOUCHED BY ALL OF THEM.

SO I STARTED AS A FRESHMAN COACH AT GHS, SO GO CANES. I GRADUATED BUCHHOLZ, GO CATS, AND GO RED RAIDERS. I’VE BEEN OUT TO NEW BERRY NEWB, WORKED THERE, GO PANTHERS. AND I WORKED AT EAST SIDE, GO RAMS. AND I SPENT 16 YEARS AT HAWTHORNE SO GO HORNETS. I WAS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR THERE.

AND IT’S JUST COOL TO SEE AUTOMALL OFTHE WORK GOING ON WIR STUDENTS, WITH SO MANY STUDENTS THAT I WORKED WITH. AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME BUT WHAT I SAY WHEN I’M TALKING ABOUT I IS ALL OF THESE COMMUNITIES ARE PART OF MY FABRIC AND I’M SO GRATEFUL AND

BLESSED TO HAVE BEEN TOUCHED IN SO MANY WAYS BY EACH COMMUNITY HERE IN ALACHUA COUNTY. AND THAT’S THE LITTLEST TO THE BIGGEST COMMUNITIES. BECAUSE WHEN WE WERE AT HAWTHORNE I HAD COACH AS A STUDENT OUT THERE, KIDS CAME DOWN FROM WALDO. IT’S EVER MUNICIPALITY. EVERYBODY. I WALKED OUT A BETTER MAN THAN I

WENT INTO EACH ONE OF THESE COMMUNITIES BECAUSE THEY TAUGHT ME SO MUCH AND HELPED ME DEVELOP AS A PERSON AN AN EDUCATOR AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS. SO TO SEE WHAT WE’RE STILL DOING AND WHAT WE’VE DIDN’ BEEN DOINGR DECADES, BACK IN THE ’70s AND THE ’80s WITH ALL OF THOSE

GENTLEMEN FORWARD, THERE’S SOME RICH TRADITION HERE IN ALACHUA COUNTY. SO IT JUST SHOWS THAT OUR STUDENTS, OUR ATHLETES AND THEY’RE STUDENTS. AND BETTER YET AS COACH ROUNDTREE SAID AND ALL OF THE COACHES THAT I KNOW AND HAVE WORKED WITH, THEY ALLUDED TO. IT’S THE STUDENT FIRST AND THE

DEVELOPMENT OF THEM AS A PERSON. AND THEN ALL OF THESE OTHER THINGS COME WITH IT. BUT FIRST IT’S TAKING CARE OF THEM AS FUTURE LEADERS WHEREVER THEY LAND. AND SO TO THE COACHING STAFFS, TO THE FAMILIES AND TO THE STUDENTS, YOU POUR A LOT OF TIME INTO THIS, YOU MAKE A LOT OF

SACRIFICES. YOU SOMETIMES CAN’T GO DO THINGS WITH YOUR SOCIAL PEERS BECAUSE YOU’RE IN IT TO WIN IT FOR EACH OTHER, NOT FOR YOURSELF. AND SO HATS OFF TO EVERYBODY AND JUST THANK YOU. WE’RE PL PROUD OF YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >> Chair: DR. ROCKWELL. >> YEARS AND YEARS AGO I WAS A

STUDENT ATHLETE. I SWAM AND PLAYED WATER POLO. AND I HEARD THE WONDERFUL ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF EAST SIDE’S SWIMMING TEAM. SO GO RAMS. BUT I WANTED TO SAY THAT I KNOW HOW MUCH DEDICATION AND DISCIPLINE AND TIME IT TAKES TO BE A SUCCESSFUL STUDENT AND ATHLETE AT THE SAME TIME.

I KNOW HOW MUCH TIME YOUR COACHES, YOUR PARENTS DEDICATE TO THIS. AND SO I WANT TO OFFER MY APPRECIATION AND THANKS TO OUR STUDENT ATHLETES, THEIR COACHES, THEIR FAMILIES AND ESPECIALLY OUR VOLUNTEER COACHES FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO DO THIS WITHOUT GETTING PAID. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR SUPPORTING OUR STUDENT ATHLETES.

>> Chair: MS. CERTAIN. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND TO ALL OF OUR ATHLETES TO REITERATE WHAT DR. ROCKWELL JUST SAID, I CONCUR WITH THAT. I WANT TO ADD WHAT I ALWAYS SAY WHEN WE BRING THE SPORTS TEAMS HERE THAT HAVE WON. SOME PEOPLE PLAY THEIR ENTIRE SPORTING CAREER FROM LITTLE

LEAGUE, IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL NOW SPORTS, HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS, COLLEGE AND SOME THAT ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO PLAY PROFESSIONALLY AND MAY NEVER PLAY FOR A CHAMPIONSHIP. SO AS I ENCOURAGED YOU GUYS LAST YEAR WHEN WE COME OUT AND YOU WON YOUR FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP, THIS IS A SPECIAL MOMENT YOU’LL NEVER FORGET.

YOU’LL SHARE THIS BOND WITH YOUR PEERS UNTIL YOU DIE. BUT IT IS REALLY SPECIAL WHEN IT ALL COMES TOGETHER, ALL THE HARD WORK AND PRACTICE AND DISCIPLINE AND IT CULMINATES INTO A CHAMPIONSHIP. I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO SAVER IT. SOMETIMES YOU CAN GET SO USED TO WINNING THAT YOU DON’T APPRECIATE IT.

SO I NEVER WON A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP AS A HIGH SCHOOLER BUT ALL OF MY TEAMS THAT I PLAYED ON WHEN I PLAYED REC SOFTBALL AND BASKETBALL, WE ALWAYS WON, ALWAYS WON. AND WHEN I GOT TO HIGH SCHOOL WE WON MORE GAMES THAN WE LOST, NEVER WON A CHAMPIONSHIP. BUT I EXPERIENCED THAT HIGH

SCHOOL BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP WITH MY SON AND IT IS A FEELING THAT IS UNDESCRIBABLE. YOU CAN GET SO USED TO WINNING THAT YOU KIND OF FORGET ALL OF THE PREPARATION AND EVERYTHING THAT WENT TO IT. CONGRATULATE YOU ALL. CONGRATULATIONS COACH. I ADMIRE THE WORK YOU’RE DOING. IT’S A THANKLESS JOB.

WE DON’T PAY YOU ENOUGH TO SUPPLEMENT. IT’S NOT ENOUGH. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR POURING INTO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY ARE OUR FUTURE AND THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WE’RE DEVELOPING WHO ARE GOING TO BE LEADERS. THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE TEAMS AND ALL THAT YOU DO.

I HAVE TO BRAG ON HAWTHORNE, THEY GAVE ME A SHIRT TO WEAR AT OUR STATE ASSOCIATION MEETING THIS NOVEMBER AND I WAS UNDEFEATED ON THE CORN HOLE. THEY’RE TELLING ME THEY GOT DIBS ON ME WHEN WE’RE COMING BACK IN JUNE. I’M BRINGING MY SHIRT BACK. BUT THE GUY HE TOLD ME WHEN I

SAW HIM IN TALLAHASSEE A FEW WEEKS AGO, WHAT WAS THAT YOU SAID ABOUT BUCHHOLZ? NEXT YEAR. NEXT YEAR. CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH OF YOU ALL. >> Chair: ONE MORE TIME. LET’S GIVE IT UP TO ALL OF OUR ATHLETES. WOO-HOO! [ APPLAUSE ] AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND SO EXCITED.

BUT AT THIS TIME OUR AGENDA CALLING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:30. SO WE HAVE TO PAUSE JUST FOR A MINUTE, MR. SHELNUTT BEFORE I COME TO YOU. >> THANK YOU. THE BOARD HELD A WORKSHOP IN 2023 AND A FIRST READING? JANUARY OF 2024 TO DISCUSS, CONSIDER AND RECEIVE INPUTS AND

AMENDMENTS TO ADOPTION OF AND REPEAL OF CERTAIN VARIOUS POLICIES. THE PROPOTIONED AMENDMENTS ADOPTION APEOPLE CONFIRM TO LEGISLATIVE CHANGES, STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS AND ELIMINATE REDUNDANT AND OBSOLETE LANGUAGE. THE ATTACHED STATEMENTS OF PURPOSE EFFECT SET FORTH THE REASONS FOR EACH POLICY LISTED AND THOSE CHANGES ARE REFLECTED IN THE ATTACHED POLICIES. IN ADDITION TO THE FIRST

READING, CERTAIN POLICIES 2024 ‘2, 5133, 7421, 9200 AND 9,800.04 WERE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD AS THE POLICIES WHICH HAD CHANGES SINCE THE WORKSHOP AND THESE CHANGES WERE SHOWN HIGHLIGHTED AND YELLOW ON THE POLICIES. IN ADDITION APPROXIMATELY 14 ADDITIONAL POLICIES HAD CHANGES MADE TO THOSE POLICIES THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED.

IT IS RECOMMENDED — THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO PRESENT TESTIMONY ON THE ISSUE. IT’S REQUESTED THAT THE SPEAKERS KEEP THEIR COMMENTS TO APPROXIMATELY THREE MINUTES. MADAM CHAIR. >> Chair: THANK YOU. YOU’VE HEARD FROM MS. SEIGLE. DR. McNEALY. >> I’M SORRY. >> Chair: YOUR LIGHT IS ON.

>> MADAM CHAIR, THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING. I WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING TO THE STUDENTS BEFORE THEY LEFT. >> Chair: OH, I’M SO SORRY. I’LL STILL SAY IT WHEN WE GO BACK TO OUR REGULAR MEETING. >> Chair: I’M SO SORRY. I APOLOGIZE. THIS IS THE SECOND READING?

>> THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, MA’AM. >> Chair: ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? WE DON’T HEAR ANY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MR. SHELNUTT READY FOR YOU. >> DR. McNEALY. >> Chair: DR. McNEALY, I’M SO SORRY, IF YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING RIGHT QUICK. YES, MA’AM. >> I’M SORRY, MADAM CHAIR, ITS

NOT QUICK. BUT I WANTED TO SAY AND IT WILL BE ON TAPE, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR EXCEPTIONAL ATHLETES. I’M PROUD OF EVERY SINGLE SC SCHOOL. AND I WAS BACK IN THE DAY, BACK IN THE ERA, SO YOU CAN FIGURE OUT MY AGE, WHEN MY DAD OWNED THE BASEBALL TEAM FOR THE

ORLANDO SENTINEL ALL STARS IN ORLANDO. I GREW UP WATCHING ROY CAMPANELLA AND JACKIE ROBINSON. AND I COULD GO ON AND ON WITH OTHER ATHLETES THAT PLAY BEFORE INTEGRATION HAPPENED AND THEY WOULD COME TO ORLANDO. SO I GREW UP ON A BASEBALL FIELD, LOVE THE SPORTS, AND I AM CERTAINLY A COMPETITOR.

SO I UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT STUDENTS HAVE TO GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO COMPETE. CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN. >> Chair: THANK YOU, DR. McFEELLY. MR. SHELNUTT, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR AWARD. >> WE’VE HAD A LOT OF ACCOLADES AND IT’S WONDERFUL TO CONTINUE THAT. AT THE PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING WE

WERE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE ALACHUA COUNTY’S PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR WHO IS ACTUALLY STILL HERE. I WANT TO AGAIN RECOGNIZE MR. LEROY WILLIAMS. HE WAS HERE SUPPORTING THE RAMS. >> Chair: YEAH! [ APPLAUSE ] >> AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL BECAUSE SHE WAS WORKING WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT

HAPPENS TO MOST OF OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS WHEN THEY’RE WORKING VERY LONG HOURS SERVING THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO QUICKLY REMIND THE COMMUNITY. TO ME WHAT’S SPECIAL ABOUT THESE AWARDS IS THEY’RE REALLY SELECTED BY THE ADMINISTRATORS. THE ASASSISTANT PRINCIPALS WEREE ONES WHO VOTED FOR THE WINNER.

AND I CAN BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY ATTEST SHE IS AN OUTSTANDING ADMINISTRATOR AND DOES WONDERFUL THING FOR OUR STUDENTS. I WOULD LIKE TO BRIEFLY READ A SHORT BIOAND UPON COMPLETION OF THAT WE’LL INVITE OUR ALACHUA COUNTY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR TO COME TO THE PODIUM

IF SHE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS AND POSE FOR A BRIEF RECK PICK. DR. BECKER HAS BEEN IN THE ALACHUA COUNTY SCHOOLS FOR 15 YEARS. SHE EARNED A MASTER IN EDUCATION FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA. SHE RELOCATED TO CALIFORNIA TO START HER TEACHING CAREER AND FAMILY. WHILE TEACHING IN LOS ANGELES

SHE EARNED A MASTERS IN SOCIAL WORK. SHE WAS A TEACHER, DEAN AND PRINCIPAL BEFORE MOVING BAG TO FLORIDA. SHE RETURNED TO FLORIDA WITH HER FAMILY AND RETURNED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA WHERE SHE NEXT EARNED HER PH.D. IN EDUCATION. SHE HAS BEEN WORK IN ALACHUA COUNTY BOTH AS A TEACHER AND ADMINISTRATOR.

SHE SERVED AS ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL LINCOLN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND MOST RECENTLY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF CURRICULUM AT GAINESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL. SHE’S HAPPY TO CALL GAINESVILLE HER HOME WITH HER HUSBAND AND TWO CHILDREN. HER SON IS A SCENE YOUR AT GAINESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL AND HER DAUGHTER IS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.

SHE’S WORKING WITH STUDENTS AND PARENTS ALL OVER THE DISTRICT TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND IS EAGER TO HELP GAINESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL AND ALACHUA COUNTY AS A WHOLE CONTINUE TO GROW AND THRIVE. IF WE WOULD PLEASE, LET’S WELCOME TO THE PODIUM AND GIVE A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE, ALACHUA COUNTY’S ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF

THE YEAR, DR. MELANIE BECKER. [ APPLAUSE ] >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE DISTRICT AND WORKING TO HELP OUR STUDENTS BE SUCCESSFUL EVERY SINGLE DAY. THANK YOU. >> Chair: THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MS. BECKER. TAKE A PICTURE? COME ON, MR. FERGUSON. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN. [ APPLAUSE ] ALL RIGHT. ACEA UPDATES. MS. WARD. >> CHAIR McGRAW, BOARD MEMBERS, STUDENT REPRESENTS, SUPERINTENDENT ANDREW AND DISTRICT STAFF, I’M DR. TESSMAN FROM ACEA, AND WE ARE THANKFUL TO BE HERE THE FIRST BOARD

MEETING OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH. WE’RE EXCITED ABOUT THE NEWLY COLLECTIVE BARGAINING LANGUAGE AND THE RECENT 3.5% RAISE. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL FOR THEIR WORK SITES AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING WITH YOU IN THE NEAR FUTURE. WE ARE INCREASING OUR SITE VISITS, SO I WILL BE IN THE METCALF LOUNGE TOMORROW AND

BETSY FROM FEA WILL BE AT THE LOUNGE AT WESTWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL TOMORROW WITH SOME PIZZA AND WE WILL BE AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS AND POTENTIAL MEMBERS. AUTOMATIC THROUGHOUT LEGISLATIVE SESSION THE FLORIDA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION AND THE AFL CIO ARE LOBBYING IN TALLAHASSEE. LAST WEEK THERE WAS AN EVEN BIGGER GROUP OF US THERE AND WE

WERE ADVOCATING FOR MORE FLEXIBILITY IN HOW THE DISTRICTS CAN DISTRIBUTE FU FUNDING FOR SALARIES FOR EMPLOYEES. WE’RE HOPEFUL THAT THEY HEARD US. I’LL CLOSE MY PORTION WITH A LITTLE DATA AS FOOD FOR THOUGHT. TONIGHT THERE ARE 38ESP RESIGNATIONS ON THE PERSONNEL REPORT. OF THOSE 38 RESIGNATIONS, ONLY FOUR OF THEM WERE ACEA MEMBERS.

WHILE NOT A CAUSE ASIAN OR RELATIONSHIP, I WOULD BET THERE’S A CORRELATION IN THE EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE THE EXTRA SUPPORT AND FEEL THE STRENGTH OF THEIR UNION, THEY WANT TO STAY. SO IF YOU WANT THE RETAIN YOUR EMPLOYEES, HAVE THEM JOIN THE UNION. OUR ACEA MEMBER NUMBERS CONTINUE TO CLIMB.

OUR ESP PERCENTAGE IS 45% AND OUR INSTRUCTIONAL PERCENTAGE IS 64.5%. >> GOOD EVENING, BOARD CHAIR McGRAW, BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT ANDREW, I’M CAMERON WARD, THE PRESIDENT OF ACEA. AND I AM VERY HAPPY TO BE PARTICIPATING WITH THE DISTRICT IN THE STRATEGIC PLANNING. WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO BE INVOLVED IN THE YEAR-ROUND SCHOOL

PLANNING BECAUSE WE HAVE MANY CONCERNS IN OUR MEMBER AND FROM OUR EMPLOYEES. BUT WE ARE VERY HAPPY THAT WE CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE AND CONTINUE TO ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS TOGETHER. AND I DO WANT TO SAY THAT ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING EVENTS OF THE YEAR FOR ME IS THE TEACHER OF

THE YEAR, WHICH HAPPENED JANUAR. AND I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT VERY SPECIAL MEMBER [INDISCERNIBLE] REPRESENTING METCALF ELEMENTARY THAT WAS THE DISTRICT TEACHER OF THE YEAR. SO WE ALSO HAVE PRIDE THAT MOST OF THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR CANDIDATES REPRESENTING THEIR SCHOOLS ARE ALSO UNION MEMBERS. 78% WERE UNION MEMBERS.

SO THAT IS VERY TELLING THAT THERE IS A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE A VOICE. I AM AMAZED AT THE ATHLETES THAT WERE HERE TONIGHT. AND WHAT AN EXCELLENT AMOUNT OF EDUCATORS WE HAVE IN THIS DISTRICT. I MEAN IF WE LOOK AROUND THIS BOARDROOM AND LOOK AT THIS

ARTWORK, THIS ARTWORK FROM HIDDEN OAK, CHILD AND MEADOWBROOK IS BEAUTIFUL. AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO STUDENT SUCCESS AND IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN THE EDUCATORS HAVE TO BE SUCCESSFUL. AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER, BUT ALL PRETTY MUCH GOOD NEWS. HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH. THANK YOU.

>> Chair: THANK YOU ALL FOR THE UPDATE. AT THIS TIME AGAIN, SO EXCITED, OUR CHILDREN, WE FINALLY GOT OUR STUDENT REPS BACK IN THE FOLD. AT THIS TIME WE’LL HAVE OUR STUDENT REP INTROS BY EASTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL MR. LEROY WILLIAMS AND FOLLOWED BY MR. JOHN GREENE. >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR,

SUPERINTENDENT ANDREW, BOARD MEMBERS. I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE A FINE YOUNG MAN. HE’S A SENIOR AT EASTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL. JABREL IS PASSION NIGHT ABOUT EQUITY AND EDUCATION AND SERVES ON THE STUDENT ALACHUA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS STUDENT ORGANIZATION AMPLIFIED. HE IS ALSO A MUSICIAN WHO PARTICIPATED IN ALACHUA COUNTY YOUTH ORCHESTRA, THE EASTSIDE

MARCHING RAM BAND AND SEVERAL OTHER GROUPS PERFORMING LOCALLY AND BEYOND. JABREL IS INTERESTED IN A CAREER IN PEACE-BUILDING AND POLICY MAKING AT THE DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL LEVELS AND THRILLED FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN HIS JOURNEY IN POLICY WORK. HOWEVER I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MENTION THIS YOUNG MAN IS A LEADER.

HE LEADS HIS STUDENTS DAILY, HIS PEERS. HE ALWAYS ADVOCATES FOR OTHERS AND HE’S VERY SELFLESS AND HE’S JUST A FINE YOUNG MAN. AND THE SKY IS THE LIMIT. HE’S GOING TO BE VERY SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE. >> Chair: ALL RIGHT. LET’S GIVE IT UP FOR HIM. YEAH! [ APPLAUSE ]

STAND UP SO THEY CAN SEE WHO YOU ARE. [ APPLAUSE ] THANK YOU. AND HE SAID HE’S NOT SHY. WE WANT OUR STUDENT REPS, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM THEM BECAUSE THAT IS WHY WE’RE HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF OUR STUDENTS. SO WE WANTED OUR REPS SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY

SHARE IN THIS PROCESS TO THEIR SUCCESS AS WELL. THANK YOU. MR. GREENE. >> MADAM CHAIR, FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT ANDREW, I AM HERE TO REPRESENT OUR — PRESENT TO YOU, MY APOLOGIES, MR. TORRANCE MYERS, A SENIOR AT HAWTHORNE HIGH SCHOOL. HE’S AN ATHLETE WHO LIKE TO COMPETE AND WAS A MEMBER OF THE

2022 AND 2023 BACK-TO-BACK STATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP. HE IS INFLUENTIAL IN THE CHILDREN’S CHURCH INITIATIVE PROGRAM. HE LIKES JOGGING OUTDOORS AND GAMING. I’M MOST IMPRESSED BY TORRANCE, HIS SELFLESSNESS AND HIS DETERMINATION. I KNOW CENTERS DON’T USUALLY GET THE FAME THAT THE QUARTERBACK OR THE WIDE RECEIVERS GET BUT HE WAS INJURED IN THE STATE

SEMIFINAL GAME, HE PLAYED THROUGH THAT AND THE FOLLOWING WEEK OF COURSE IN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME HE WAS INJURED BUT GRITTED IT OUT WHICH REALLY SPEAKS TO HIS CHARACTER AND TESTAMENT. OFF OF THE FOOTBALL FIELD I WOULD SAY I’M MOST IMPRESSED WITH HIS INTERACTIONS AND HIS LEADERSHIP WITH OUR YOUNGER

STUDENTS ESPECIALLY AS HE CONTINUES TO MODEL AND BE A GREAT LEADER AND SET THE EXAMPLE FOR THE YOUNGER STUDENTS TO FOLLOW. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MR. TORRANCE MYERS. >> Chair: ALL RIGHT. GIVE IT UP! [ APPLAUSE ] AND OF COURSE THEY WILL HAVE A CHANCE — THEY ARE PART OF THE

AGENDA AND THEY’LL HAVE A CHANCE TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS. I JUST WANT TO LET THEM KNOW. YOU’VE GOT A LITTLE TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL AGAIN. [INDISCERNIBLE] >> Chair: THE PICTURE. OKAY. Y’ALL COME IN THE MIDDLE. WE’RE GOING TO PUT Y’ALL IN THE MIDDLE. [ APPLAUSE ]

>> Chair: NOW MOVING ON TO THE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA WITH THE NECESSARY CHANGES. WE’RE GOING TO PULL THE EMPLOYEE CASE. THAT EMPLOYEE RESIGNED. AND ALSO WE NEED TO ADD UNDER CONSENT THE CLASS SIZE COMPLIANCE FOR HOWARD BISHOP MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND WITH THOSE CHANGES, IF THERE’S NO OTHER, I NEED A

MOTION FROM THE FLOOR TO ADOPT THE AGENDA WITH THOSE CHANGES. >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> Chair: MOVED BY DR. ROCKWELL AND SECONDED BY MS. ABBITT. IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? >> JUST REAL BRIEFLY, MADAM CHAIR. I JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE NEEDED TO ADD THAT AGENDA ITEM FOR GOOD CAUSE, RIGHT?

>> Chair: OKAY. FOR GOOD CAUSE. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR. [CHORUS OF AYES] >> Chair: MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. ALL RIGHT. NOW I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SPECIAL BOARD MEETING MINUTES ON THE REZONING FOR JANUARY 11th, 2024. >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> Chair: BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED.

ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR? [CHORUS OF AYES] MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. APPROVAL OF REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING FOR JANUAR 16, 2024. >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> Chair: IT’S BEEN MOVED, SECONDED BY DR. ROCKWELL. IF NO OTHER DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR. [CHORUS OF AYES] MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU.

APPROVAL OF THE SPECIAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING SALARY MINUTES FOR JANUARY 19th, 2024. NEED A MOTION. >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> Chair: ALL RIGHT. NO OTHER DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR? >> I ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION. >> Chair: YOU HAVE A QUESTION? >> YES. THERE ARE A LOT OF STRIKE-THROUGHS IN THE BOOK.

FIT’S BEEN KIND OF UPDATED WHERE THEY COULD E-MAIL IT OR HAVE IT TO US. IT’S HARD TO READ. IF ANYONE ON STAFF COULD TELL US THAT, WHEN THE UPDATES TO THE SALARY SCHEDULES — IS IT LIKE AVAILABLE WHERE YOU COULD E-MAIL IT TO US OR SHARE IT WITH US? >> ABSOLUTELY. YES, MA’AM.

>> THANK YOU. >> Chair: NO OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR. [CHORUS OF AYES] MOTION CARRIES. APPROVAL OF JOINT MEETING WITH CITY OF ALACHUA COMMISSIONERS MINUTES FROM JANUARY 22, 2024. >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> Chair: MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION. ALL IN FAVOR. [CHORUS OF AYES] MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

MOVING ON TO BOARD MEMBER/SUPERINTENDENT ANNOUNCEMENTS. MR. ANDREW, I SEE YOUR LIGHT. GO AHEAD. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I’D LIKE TO BEGIN WITH JUST HONORING A COUPLE OF OUR EMPLOYEES THAT PASSED AWAY. BOTH OF THEM I WORKED WITH MANY MY CAREER AND WAS FORTUNATE TO WORK WITH THEM. THEY WEREN’T JUST EMPLOYEES.

THEY WERE COLLEAGUES OF MINE AND THEY WERE FRIENDS OF MINE. AND WE SHARED MANY CONVERSATIONS OVER THE YEARS TOGETHER ABOUT WORK, ABOUT LIFE AND ABOUT FAMILY AND JUST THINGS IN GENERAL. I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THE PASSING OF MR. GREGORY FORD AT BANE MIDDLE SCHOOL. HE WAS THE LEAD CUSTODIAN WHEN I WORKED THERE.

AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE PASSING OF MR. DENNIS HUTCHISON, HE WAS A CARPENTER IN OUR FACILITIES DEPARTMENT. AND LIKE I SAID, THEY WERE GOOD MEN THAT I HAD A LOT OF RESPECT FOR AND THAT WE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME TOGETHER IN THE WORKFORCE. SO MY CONDOLENCES AND OUR

CONDOLENCES AS A BOARD GO OUT TO THE FAMILIES, BOTH FAMILIES ARE IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. MR. HUTCHISON’S FAMILY, WE’RE THINKING ABOUT YOU, AS WELL AS MR. FORD’S FAMILY. AS FAR AS A CALL TO ACTION, THE NAACP HAS PUT OUT A CALL TO ACTION TO SUPPORT AND VOLUNTEER

AT SEVERAL OF OUR SCHOOLS HERE IN THE COUNTY AND THAT WOULD BE AT LAKE FOREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SHELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, METCALF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND RAWLINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WE’RE PUTTING A CALL OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO ATTEND THE NAACP CALL TO ACTION MEETING AT DAY SPRING MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH. THAT’S OVER NEAR DUVAL

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THAT WILL BE ON MONDAY, FEBRUAR. SO WE’RE ASKING EVERYBODY TO COME OUT AND JOIN US AS WE LEAN IN TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND OUR SCHOOLS. AS WE’VE SAID BEFORE, IT TAKES THE COMMUNITY FOR US TO BE SUCCESSFUL. SO ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT IS TOMORROW WE DO HAVE A WORKSHOP

STARTING AT 10 A.M. AT 20:30 WE HAVE THE DISTRICT SPELLING BEE THAT WILL TAKE PLACE AT IDYLWILD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I WILL HEADED OVER THERE ABOUT 2:00 TO JOIN OUR STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT SPELLING BEE. THAT’S FEBRUARY 7th AT 2:30. THAT’S ALWAYS A WONDERFUL TIME AS OUR STUDENTS COME TOGETHER

AND COMPETE IN THE SPELLING BEE. AND AGAIN I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY WELCOME, GENTLEMEN. IT’S GREAT TO HAVE YOU ALL HERE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR INPUT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >> Chair: THANKS YOU. AND MS. FOXX WHILE YOU’RE HERE, COULD YOU TELL TUSCAWILLA ADDRESS OF YOUR CHURCH ON

NORTHEAST 8th AVENUE SO WHILE WE’RE MAKING THE ANNOUNCEMENT MR. ANDREW HAS MADE? >> GOOD EVENING, MS. CHAIR, SUPERINTENDENT, BOARD. THE ADDRESS IS 1945 NORTHEAST 8th AVENUE. >> Chair: OKAY. SO 1945 NORTHEAST 8th AVENUE IS WHERE THAT COMMUNITY-WIDE MEETING WILL BE HELD. SO PLEASE JOIN US BECAUSE IT’S ALL ABOUT OUR CHILDREN. DR. McNEALY.

>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AS WE SAW TONIGHT WE HAVE SO IN EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE A COUPLE OF STUDENTS AS WELL. TODAY WE HAD A WONDERFUL, AMAZING — AND I’M LOOKING AT HER AND SMILING AT HER WITH MS. RITTER AND CHAIR McGRAW, ON CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

IT WAS AMAZING. WE LEARNED SO MUCH. BUT I WANTED TO DO A SHOUT OUT FOR KATELYN PARKER WHO WAS THERE AND SPOKE SO ELOQUENTLY ABOUT THE DESIRES OF STUDENTS AND WHAT HE HAS ACCOMPLISHED AND WHAT OTHER STUDENTS CAN ACCOMPLISH AS WELL. AND I THINK THAT KAYDEN ATTENDS SANTA FE HIGH.

BUT HE WAS EXCEPTIONAL TODAY. AND SO KAYDEN, IF YOU’RE LISTENING TONIGHT, CONGRATULATIONS. MANY STUDENTS PARTICIPATED LAST TUESDAY AT OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING. I DON’T HAVE ALL OF THE NAMES OF THE PARTICIPANTS, BUT WE HAD QUITE A FEW IN THE AUDIENCE GIVING INPUT AND THAT’S WHAT WE NEED TO HAVE GOOD STRONG INPUT,

ESPECIALLY FROM OUR STUDENTS. SO TO ALL OF THE STUDENTS THAT PARTICIPATED ON LAST TUESDAY, SOME OF THEM EVEN CAME BACK ON WEDNESDAY, THANK YOU EVER SO MUCH. AND FINALLY, I ATT ATTENDED THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL SECONDARY HONORS CHOIR. OH MY GOSH. IF YOU DIDN’T COME TO THAT, CITIZENS, YOU MISSED A TREAT.

AND WHEN WE DO IT AGAIN, IF THERE IS ANOTHER ONE COMING UP FOR THE SPRINGTIME, I HOPE YOU WILL FIND IT IN YOURSELVES TO PARTICIPATE. SUCH TALENT. OH MY GOSH. SUCH TALENT FROM THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. AND I WANT TO THANK MS. ROLO WHO IS OUR FINE ARTS DIRECTOR FOR

PULLING ALL OF THOSE SCHOOLS TOGETHER. AND WE HAD — WHAT DID THEY CALL THEM — SPECIAL GUEST CONDUCTORS. AND I DON’T HAVE IN MY NOTES — I KNOW ONE WAS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA AND I’M SO SORRY I CAN’T REMEMBER THE OTHER CONDUCTOR. BUT TO HEAR OUR CHILDREN, OUR

STUDENTS SING FROM THEIR HEARTS, IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >> Chair: THANK YOU. DR. ROCKWELL, YOUR LIGHT IS ON. >> YES. SO THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF EVENTS SINCE OUR LAST BOARD MEETING. I ALSO ATTENDED THE SECONDARY HONOR CHOIR AND IT WAS EVER BIT AS WONDERFUL AS MY COLLEAGUE,

DR. McNEALY, SAID. THE STUDENTS WERE PHENOMENAL. AND I WANT TO THANK MS. ROLLO, THE GUEST CONDUCTORS AND ALL OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO VOTED FOR THE 1MILL TO FINANCE OUR ARTS PROGRAMS. THAT EVENT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT. THIS MORNING I WENT TO SEE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST WITH MY

DAUGHTER AT THE PHILLIPS CENTER, A COLLABORATION FROM THE STAR CENTER THEATER AND CARING AND SHARING LEARNING SCHOOL. BUT THERE WERE PERFORMERS FROM SEVERAL OTHER ALACHUA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THAT ALSO WAS ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL. THE STUDENTS PUT ON A NEARLY PROFESSIONAL-LEVEL PERFORMANCE WITH CHILDREN FROM ELEMENTARY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.

NO ADULTS IN THE CAST AT ALL. IT WAS PHENOMENAL. AND AGAIN, THAT GOES BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORTING THE ARTS. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT. I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE MS. GWINNETT SMITH, OUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR FROM METCALF. SHE IS A MUSIC TEACHER. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU, COMMUNITY,

FOR SUPPORTING THE ARTS BECAUSE WITHOUT YOU WE WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME FUNDING POSITIONS FOR AMAZING, AMAZING INSTRUCTORS LIKE MRS. SMITH AND THAT WAS AN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL EVENT. I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR MEDIA SPECIALIST AT STEPHEN FOSTER ELEMENTARY WHO INVITED ME IN TO READ TO HER STUDENTS. AND THEY WERE INQUISITIVE AND

ENTHUSIASTIC AND EXCITED AND FUNNY. AND IT WAS JUST A WONDERFUL TIME SPENT. AND AGAIN OUR MEDIA SPECIALISTS ARE FUNDED BY COMMUNITY SUPPORT. SO THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY. >> Chair: THANK YOU, DR. ROCKWELL. MS. CERTAIN. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND MS. SMITH, OUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR, I WOULD LIKE TO

CONGRATULATE HER WELLS THE OTHER NOMINEES. AND I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND MY REGRETS THEY WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE LAST WEEK’S — MAKE THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR CELEBRATION. I WAS AWAY AT THE FLORIDA SCHOOL BOARD INSURANCE TRUST MEETING, THE WINTER MEETING. IT’S ONE OF FOUR THAT I HAVE TO ATTEND.

I WON’T SAY IT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT BUT BUT IT’S BUILDING UP TO THE NEXT ONE THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT, THE FINANCIAL IMPACT FOR OUR DISTRICT. MY APOLOGIES FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO ATTEND BUT MY CONGRATULATIONS TO MS. SMITH AS WELL AS ALL OF THE OTHER NOMINEES FOR TEACHER OF THE YEAR.

AND WELCOME TO OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE HERE. I’VE ALREADY THANKED OUR ATHLETES AND CONGRATULATED THEM. I WANTED TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT AS WE START WITH BLACK HISTORY MONTH, OUR COMMEMORATING IT. AVER CAN AMERICAN HISTORY IS UNDER ATTACK IN OUR STATE GOVERNMENT AT THE STATE LEVEL WITH THEM PASSING LAWS AS TO

WHAT WE CAN TEACH AND WHAT WE CAN DO. THERE’S REALLY AN ATTACK ON CIVIL LIBERTIES FROM THE STATE LEVEL. BUT THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO STOOD UP AND TOOK A STAND SO THAT I’M ABLE TO HOLD MY SEAT HERE. AND I TAKE THIS TIME NOW TO WANT TO JUST EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO

MY ANCESTORS WHO LAID OUT THE PATH FOR ME TO HAVE AN AGENDA. AND I WANT TO THANK THE CITIZENS OF ALACHUA COUNTY FOR ALLOWING ME TO SERVE AND REPRESENT THEM IN THE DISTRICT 1 STREET ON THE ALACHUA COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I DON’T TAKE IT LIGHTLY THAT I HOLD THIS SEAT.

YOU DIDN’T ELECT ME ONCE, YOU DID IT TWICE. AND I AM VERY HONORED TO BE SITTING HERE. MY JOURNEY INTO ADVOCACY FOR EQUITABLE EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES BEGAN LONG BEFORE MY TENURE ON THIS BOARD AS AN ELECTED MEMBER. I STARTED OUT AS A VOLUNTEER THROUGH MY JOB WHEN I WORKED AT GAINESVILLE REGIONAL UTILITIES

AND THE THEY STARTED PARTICIPATING AS A BUSINESS PARTNER OF WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY. I WAS IN THE FIRST GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS TO GO TO THE SCHOOL WEEKLY, HELP WITH FUND-RAISING EVENTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THAT PROGRESSED AS MY CHILDREN BECAME SCHOOL AGE. I WAS A PARENT VOLUNTEER IN THE CLASSROOM, MYSELF AND MY HUSBAND.

I WAS TREASURER OF THE PTA FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, TREASURER ACTUALLY NOT OF THE PTA BUT OF THE CARNIVAL FUNDRAISERS FOR SEVERAL YEARS. I WITNESSED FIRST HAND THE DISPARITIES AND THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION RECEIVED BY STUDENTS OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS. THAT STARK REALITY COMPELLED ME TO TAKE ACTION AND TO STAND UP

AND FIGHT FOR JUSTICE IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM. WHEN THE APPOINTMENT OF DR. ROBERTS AS SUPERINTENDENT WAS MARRED BY CONTROVERSY AND ULTIMATELY ENDED BECAUSE THEY ACCUSED HIM OF PLAGIARIZING A BOOK THAT HE DOES NOT USE TO SECURE HIS JOB BACK IN 2016, I FELT A DEEP DISAPPOINTMENT LIKE MANY INFORM OUR COMMUNITY.

DURING THIS TIME I BEGAN TO ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN MEETINGS AND FORUMS DRIVEN BY A DESIRE TO UNDERSTAND THE ROOT CAUSES OF ISSUES PLAGUING OR SCHOOLS. ARMED WITH THE COMMITMENT TO COLLECT DATA ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE, I EMBARKED ON A MISSION TO UNCOVER THE TRUTH AND ADVOCATE FOR MEANINGFUL SOLUTIONS. MY AGENDA WAS SIMPLE.

ACCOUNTABILITY FROM OUR DISTRICT LEADERSHIP AND SCHOOL LEADERSHIP A IT RELATES TO STUDENT PERFORMANCE. PARTNERED WITH DR. ANNE, I SOUGHT COLLABORATION WITH THE DISTRICT FOR CHALLENGES FOR STUDENTS FROM MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. DESPITE OUR BEST EFFORTS WE WERE MET WITH RESISTANCE AND EXCUSES FROM THE THEN SUPERINTENDENT AND THE THEN BOARD, AS WELL AS DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS.

UNDETERRED OUR GRASSROOTS MOVES KNOWN AS ETF GREW AND WE TIRELESSLY SHARED OUR FINDINGSIS WITH THE COMMUNITY THROUGH TOWN MALL MEETINGS, COMMUNITY GROUPS AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS. OUR AGENDA WAS CRITICAL CLEAR, TO RAISE THE AWARENESS OF THE CRISIS IN OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AND TO MOBILIZE FOR CHANGE. YET, AMIDST OUR EFFORTS I WAS

DISHEARTENED TO HEAR FROM A FELLOW CITIZEN DURING A GAINESVILLE FOR ALL MEETING AS SHE BELIEVED THE SCHOOL BOARD DIDN’T HAVE TO LISTEN TO US, THE VERY CONSTITUENTS THEY WERE ELECTED TO SERVE. THIS REVELATION ONLY STRENGTHENED MY RESOLVE TO SEEK OFFICE AND TO AMPLIFY THOSE VOICES IGNORED FOR FAR TOO LONG.

THIS IS ROOTED IN A DEEP SENSE OF DUTY AND COMPASSION FOR THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES OF ALACHUA COUNTY. I ADVOCATE FOR AN EQUITABLE EDUCATION, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF EDUCATION TO TRANSFORM LIVES AND UPLIFT COMMUNITIES. I REALLY, REALLY, AFTER I BECAMY

AFTER I BECAME ELECTED, I HAD A GUT PUNCH. THERE WERE TWO PRINCIPALS THAT WERE REMOVED, ONE BEFORE THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND ONE MID YEAR. I SAT THROUGH A DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION MEETING AND IN MY VIEW A PROFESSIONAL WAS HUMILIATED BECAUSE THE SUPERINTENDENT DIDN’T ACT.

BUT SHE TOLD THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY SOMETHING DIFFERENT. IT IS AT THAT MOMENT THAT I DECIDED WHEN I CAME BACK TO ALACHUA COUNTY THAT EVERY MEETING THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WAS ON SITE IN ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS I WOULD BE IN THAT MEETING SO I COULD HEAR FOR

MYSELF, BECAUSE THE STORIES DIDN’T ALIGN FROM WHAT I WAS BEING TOLD BY THE REMOVED ADMINISTRATOR AND DISTRICT STAFF ABOUT THE POOR PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN ALACHUA COUNTY SCHOOLS, IN TWO SCHOOLS. SO IT REALLY DISTURBS ME TO HAVE MY ADVOCACY LABELED AS ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE WELL-BEING OF STUDENTS IN OUR COUNTY.

I SIT HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY WITH AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND JUSTICE IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM BECAUSE THAT’S NOT PRESENT. I URGE YOU TO SEE BEYOND THE ACCUSATIONS THAT ARE VEILED AND RECOGNIZE THE SINCERITY OF MY DIRECTION. YOU HEARD ABOUT THE CALL PUT OUT FOR A MASS MEETING.

TOGETHER, AS IT WAS SAID EARLIER, IS WHAT — IT TAKES ALL OF US TO MAKE AN IMPACT. I CALL FOR YOU AS WELL, TOGETHER LET US CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TOWARDS THE FUTURE OF EVERY CHILD IN ALACHUA COUNTY TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO A QUALITY EDUCATION THAT THEY

DESERVE BECAUSE THAT HASN’T ALWAYS, IN MY VIEW, BEEN AFFORDED TO THEM. THANK YOU. >> Chair: THANK YOU, MS. CERTAIN. MOVING ON TO THE CHAIR’S REPORT. AGAIN, HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH. AND AT THIS TIME DR. ROCKWELL WILL READ OUR PROCLAMATION TO THE RECORD. >> PROCLAMATION FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH. WHEREAS THE HISTORY FOR BLACK

HISTORY MONTH CAN BE TRACED BACK TO 1926 WHEN CARTER G. WOODSON SENT OUT A NEWS RELEASE ANNOUNCING THE FIRST NEGRO HISTORY WEEK FOR THE SECOND WEEK IN FEBRUARY. AND WHEREAS HIS IDEA TO HONOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND EDUCATE STUDENTS ABOUT THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS WAS TAKEN UP BY SCHOOLS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO THE POINT THAT CARTER G. WOODSON IS NOW CONSIDERED THE FATHER OF BLACK HISTORY. AND WHEREAS EFFORTS TO EXPAND THE WEEK INTO A LARGER EVENT CONTINUED UNTIL PRESIDENT GERALD FORD ISSUED THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZING BLACK HISTORY MONTH IN 1976. AND WHEREAS, BLACK HISTORY MONTH

IS NOW CELEBRATED THROUGHOUT THE NATION BY K-12 SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES, COMMUNITIES AND OTHER ENTITIES. AND WHEREAS, ALACHUA COUNTY’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS MARK BLACK HISTORY MONTH WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF ACTIVITY AIMED AT RAISING AWARENESS OF THE CRITICAL ROLE OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN THE NATION’S PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE. AND WHEREAS, THE DISTRICT IS

COMMITTED TO EDUCATING STUDENTS ABOUT THESE ISSUES THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR, NOT JUST IN FEBRUARY. AND WHEREAS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE ALACHUA COUNTY AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY TASK FORCE AND OTHER PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY THE DISTRICT HAS DEVELOPED CURRICULA AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE EARNED ACPS RECOGNITION AS AN EXEMPLARY DISTRICT FROM THE FLORIDA

HISTORY TASK FORCE. AND WHEREAS, THE DISTRICT IS CONTINUED WITH COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY PARTNER TO PROMOTE THE TEACHING OF AFRICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE IN OUR SCHOOLS AND RECOGNIZES THE NEED FOR AN ONGOING PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTING AND EVER-EVOLVING AND CULTURAL CURRICULUM IN EVERY DISTRICT. BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD OF ALACHUA COUNTY

RECOGNIZES FEBRUARY 1st THROUGH MARCH 1st OF 2024 AS BLACK HISTORY MONTH IN HUMAN RIGHTS COALITION PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ENSURE THAT STUDENTS UNDERSTAD AND RECOGNIZE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF AFRICANS. DATED THIS 6th DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2024. >> Chair: THANK YOU, DR. ROCKWELL. DR. ROUSE WILL COME AND GIVE US A TRANSPORTATION UPDATE.

>> MADAM CHAIR, ARE WE GOING TO VOTE ON RECEIVING THE PROCLAMATION. >> Chair: DO WE NEED TO VOTE? >> WE DID IT FOR LGBTQ. >> IT’S AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD. >> Chair: IS THERE A MOTION. >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> Chair: IT’S MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE ACCEPT

THIS PROCLAMATION INTO THE RECORD. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? >> I’M GOING TO CONTINUE MY STAND TO NOT GO FOR THE PROCLAMATIONS. IT’S ALL STUFF THAT WE’RE DOING IN THE SCHOOLS ALREADY AND I DON’T THINK WE NEED TO — [INDISCERNIBLE]. >> I’D RECOMMEND THAT WE GO AHEAD AND RECORD THE VOTE.

>> Chair: ALL IF FAVOR. [CHORUS OF AYES] >> Chair: ALL OPPOSED [ NAY ] >> Chair: 4-1. THANK YOU. DR. ROUSE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT. I JUST WANT TO COME TO YOU GUYS AND BRING YOU AN UPDATE AS WE NAVIGATE OUR OPTIMIZATION. FIRST AND FOREMOST I WOULD LIKE

TO GIVE THANKS TO THE TEAM, TRANSPORTATION TEAM THAT STOOD BEHIND THE PROCESS WITH ME REROUTEING THE DISTRICT. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS NOT BEEN DONE IN AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF TIME AND WE WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY DO THAT. WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT DOING WELLNESS CHECKS WITH THE SCHOOLS

TO ENSURE THAT THE NEW TRANSPORTATION STRUCTURE IS WORKING PRETTY GOOD. ABSOLUTELY WE DO STILL HAVE SOME LITTLE MINOR THINGS THAT WE MUST ADDRESS AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS. BUT WE PULLED SOME REPORTS AND DETERMINED THAT WE HAVE A 96% ON-TIME RATE AND A DRIVER FOR EVERY ROUTE. THAT’S ONE OF THE POSITIVE

THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THE OPTIMIZATION. SO WE’RE STILL WORKING FORWARD TO THAT. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO THE THIRD COUNT NUMBERS CAME OUT FOR FEFP AND WE HAVE INCREASED OUR STATE ALLOCATION ABOUT 300-PLUS-THOUSAND DOLLARS. SO THAT ALSO IS GOOD FOR THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT. WE ARE CONTINUOUS LIE EVALUATING OUR HAZARDOUS WALKING.

LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY MEMBER TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE TO EVALUATE OR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES BEING PUT IN THOSE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO WILL BE TAKING THOSE COURTESY WALKS OR DEEMED HAZARDOUS WALKING. WE ARE ON THE RIGHT PATH TO MAKE SOME CORRECTIVE ACTION WITHIN THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.

>> Chair: THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO KNOW THESE UPDATES 0 IMPORTANT. TRANSPORTATION HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR A WHILE IN THIS DISTRICT BUT IT’S MOVING IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION. SO THAT’S WHY I’M ASKING FOR UPDATES DURING MY REPORT. ALSO ANOTHER IMPORTANT

INITIATIVE WE’RE WORKING ON IS OUR TRANSPORTATION PLANNING UPDATE. AT THIS TIME WE’VE HAD JANUARY 30th AND THE 31st THE COMMUNITY WAS INVOLVED. WE HAD OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING — PART OF THAT STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS TOOK PLACE OVER AT TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH. AND WE HAD COMMUNITY PARTNERS COME IN AND GIVE US THOSE IDEAS

ON THOSE INITIATIVES. I DON’T KNOW IF THE STAFF HAS ANYTHING THEY WANT TO SAY AT THIS TIME. MS. ROLE. >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR. ON JANUARY 30th WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH OUR TAKE HOLDERS, MEET IN SMALL GROUPS AND TEAM TO CONTINUE THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.

WE HAD FOUR GROUPS THAT MET. OUR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT GROUP, TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION GROUP, SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATIONAL PROCESSES AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING. THE RESULT OF EACH COMMITTEE’S WORK HAS INCLUDED THE DEVELOPMENT OF CRITICAL INITIATIVES, INTENDED OUTCOMES AND KEY MEASURES. IN ADDITION TO THOSE DISCUSSIONS WE’VE TALKED ABOUT CHALLENGES TO OUR ASSUMPTIONS AND INFLUENTIAL

FACTORS THAT COULD AFFECT IMPROVEMENT IN OUR WORK. AT THIS POINT THE WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED FOR A FIVE-YEAR PLAN AND WE WILL BE WORKING TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS AS WE FINALIZE WITH OUR COMMITTEES IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. THIS WAS GOOD WORK THAT WAS BEING DONE BY OUR COMMUNITY

MEMBERS AS WELL AS THE ORIGINAL STRATEGIC PLANNING TEAM AS WE CONTINUE TO DO THIS PROCESS WE WILL KEEP OUR STAKEHOLDERS ABREAST. >> Chair: THANK YOU, MS. ROLE. MS. RITTER FOR A CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION UPDATE. MS. RITTER. [INDISCERNIBLE] OKAY. WE’LL COME BACK TO HIS RITTER. IDYLWILD ELEMENTARY IS A WINNER.

IT HAS RECEIVED AN AWARD OF MERIT IN THIS YEAR’S 2024 FLORIDA EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES PLANNERS ASSOCIATION ARCHITECTURAL SHOWCASE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CATEGORY. THE FEFPA ARCHITECTURAL SHOWCASE EVALUATES SCHOOLS AROUND THE ENTIRE STATE OF FLORIDA IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES, ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, A-8 MIDDLE, COMBO SCHOOLS, HIGH SCHOOLS AND COLLEGE UNIVERSITIES AROUND THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE — PART OF THE CRITERIA, THE EVALUATION CRITERIA INCLUDES INNOVATIVE ENHANCEMENTS TO THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, 21st CENTURY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FUNDAMENTALS, AESTHETICS AND USE OF MATERIALS, COMMUNITY USE AND ENGAGEMENT, TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION, HEALTH AND AMP WELLNESS, SITE DESIGN, SAFETY AND SECURITY AND DESIGN FLEXIBILITY. IDYLWILD WAS DESIGNED BY ROSE ARCHITECTS.

THANK YOU TO OUR ALACHU COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION TEAM. CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY NOW? ALL RIGHT. MS. RITTER, READY FOR YOUR UPDATE. >> GOOD EVENING. I’M EXCITED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ABOUT A FUN MORNING WE HAD THIS MORNING. THANK YOU, BOARD CHIRR AND SCHOOL BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT.

WE HAD ABOUT 30 PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY AND SOME REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT COME TOGETHER TODAY AND WE WERE ASKING THEM FOR INPUT FOR WHAT DO THEY THINK WE NEED IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR WORKFORCE, WHAT KIND OF CTE PROGRAM SHOULD WE BE ADDING, ARE THERE PROGRAMS WE HAVE WE SHOULD BE PHASING

OUT. THAT IS WHAT CTE IS ABOUT. WE SHOULD BE PROVIDING TO THE WORKFORCE. SO WE ALWAYS HAVE TO BE LOOKING AND CONSTANTLY PLANNING AHEAD FOR WHAT WE MAY NEED TO OFFER IN THE FUTURE. IT WAS PARTICULARLY REWARDING TODAY TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT AVENUES IN THE COMMUNITY, FROM PASTORS TO

INDUSTRY, EDUCATORS. THERE WERE JUST SUCH A GREAT GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT REALLY CARE ABOUT STUDENTS IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THEM BEING ENGAGED AND WANTING TO COME TO SCHOOL AND HAVING RELEVANCE IN THEIR EDUCATION EVERY DAY. AND WE THINK ONE OF THOSE WAYS FOR MAYBE SOMEBODY WHO BAND OR

CHORUS MAY NOT BE THE THING THAT GETS THEM EXCITED ABOUT SCHOOL, WE THINK A LOT OF OUR CTE PROGRAMS CAN DO THAT AND PROVIDE THAT RELEVANCE. I APPRECIATE SO MUCH THE OPPORTUNITY. AND WE’RE NOT JUST ONE AND DONE. WE’VE GOT A VOLUNTEER TO BE CHAIR, A VOLUNTEER TO BE CO-CHAIR.

WE’RE GOING TO MEET, CONTINUE TO MEET AND GET INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY. AND WE KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT AS STRONG IN WHAT I WOULD CALL THE TRADES AREAS WITH OUR CTE PROGRAMS. WE HAVE WONDERFUL CTE PROGRAMS ALL OVER THE DISTRICT. BUT WE REALLY WANT TO WORK WITH

THE COMMUNITY TO SEE HOW WE CAN BRING MORE OF THOSE ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, CONSTRUCTION, SOME OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. WE ARE EXCITED, AND I THINK WE MENTIONED STARTING THE BARBERING AND THE HVAC AT SANTA FE. >> Chair: WOO-HOO! >> BUT THE PRINCIPAL FROM EASTSIDE DID SHARE THAT EVEN

JUST THIS SEMESTER BRING IN THE BARBERING HAS BROUGHT — IT’S FIRST PERIOD AND SOME OF HIS STUDENTS WHO WERE NOT NECESSARILY SHOWING UP OR SHOWING UP LATE ARE THERE AND READY IN THE MORNING. I REALLY APPRECIATED THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT GROUP TED. I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE SUPPORT

FROM THE DISTRICT FOLKS WHO CAME AND SUPPORTED US AS WELL. AND EASTSIDE FOR HOSTING US. >> Chair: THANK YOU, MS. RITTER. WITH THE BARBERING CLASS, THESE ARE SOME OF OUR STUDENTS COMING TO SCHOOL ON TIME AND NOT PICKING UP A GUN. IF WE WANT TO KNOW HOW TO CHANGE

THE TRAJECTORY OF OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR BEHAVIORS, YOU GOT TO GIVE THEM THINGS THAT THEY’RE INTERESTED IN. AND SO EVERYBODY IS NOT GOING TO COLLEGE AND THAT’S OKAY. EVERY SINGLE CHILD NEEDS A PATHWAY IN ALACHUA COUNTY SCHOOLS. SO I DON’T TAKE THE BARBERING CLASS LIGHTLY. I’M EXCITED AND ESPECIALLY WHERE

WE HAD ABOUT 40 COMMUNITY MEMBERS TODAY WHO ARE GOING TO GET TOGETHER AND LOOK AT WHAT IS NEEDED IN OUR WORKFORCE IN OUR COMMUNITY, THAT IS KEY. BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE AS A BOARD NEED TO

PROBABLY BE LOOKING AT HOW DO WE CHANGE OUR POLICY TO BEGIN TO HIRE OUR JUNIORS AND OUR SENIORS. THAT’S SOMETHING FOR ANOTHER NIGHT. BUT THAT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF THEY BEGIN TO COME TO WORK AND THEY’RE LEARNING IN THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT, GUESS WHAT. THEY BECOME AN ASSET TO SOCIETY.

AND SO THAT IS WHY IT’S SO IMPORTANT. SO THANK YOU, MS. RITTER, AND TO ALL OF THE STAFF FOR WHAT WE ARE DOING IN EMBRACING CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION HERE IN ALACHUA COUNTY. MOVING ON, I WANT TO JUST GIVE A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS. FEBRUARY 7th, 2024 AT 10 A.M.,

OUR WORKSHOP TOMORROW ABOUT BOOK CHALLENGE. YOU’RE GOING TO LEARN ABOUT THE BOOK CHALLENGE PROCESS. IT’S SOMETHING WE NEED TO MAKE SURE ALL OF US AS A BOARD UNDERSTAND. THE TRIM REPORT WILL BE TALKING ABOUT DISCIPLINE AND ATTENDANCE. ACADEMIC WILLS BE TALKED ABOUT MORE. ON FEBRUARY 28th THE FIVE YEAR PLAN SALES UPDATE, THAT

WILL BE ON ACCEPT 7th AS WELL. FEBRUARY 28th AT 1:00 WE WILL HAVE THE WORKSHOP ON PROPERTY VALUE AND REINSURANCE. DUVAL EARLY LEARNING ACADEMY, ALACHUA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TRIM REPORT ABOUT ACADEMIC AND OUR ESSER FUNDS UPDATE. MANY OF YOU KNOW WE HAD 90 MILLION THAT WE RECEIVED TWO THAT FUNDING RUNS OUT

SEPTEMBER 2024. AND TO SPEAK ALONG THE SAME LINES OF TRANSPARENCY, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE FINANCIALLY AND WE NEED TO REPORT ABOUT OUR ESSER FUNDS. THE NEXT DISTRICT ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING IS FEBRUARY 21st, 2024, AT 4:00 P.M. AND ALSO WE — I’VE HAD A

REQUEST AS THE CHAIR FOR LETTERS OF SUPPORT FROM THE CITY OF GAINESVILLE REGARDING THE 8th AVENUE AND WALDO PROJECT. THEY’RE LOOKING FOR A LETTER OF SUPPORT. CAN GET A JENSEN SUSTAINABLE FROM THE BOARD IF THAT’S OKAY TO SEABED A LETTER OF SUPPORT THAT WE SUPPORT THAT PROJECT THAT THEY’RE TRYING TO DO.

MS. GREENE HAS TYPED UP THE LETTER BUT WE’LL SEND IT OUT TO YOU. I DON’T KNOW IF YOU HAVE COPIES OF THEM SO THEY CAN HAVE IT AND LOOK AT IT. BUT THEY’RE LOOKING FOR A LETTER OF SUPPORT BECAUSE THEY’VE GOTTEN SOME ALLOCATIONS. FROM THE STATE AND STUFF.TIONS-

SINCE WE USE CITIZEN FIELD RIGHT NOW, THEY’RE LOOKING FOR A LETTER OF SUPPORT AS WELL. DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? >> YES. I JUST WANTED TO ASK MR. DELANEY TO DO A LETTER OF SUPPORT, DO WE NEED TO VOTE TO DO THAT? >> IF IT’S NOT BEING SENT OUT UNDER THE SUPERINTENDENT’S

SIGNATURE AND THAT’S SOMETHING YOU COULD ASK THE SUPERINTENDENT TO DO. IF THEY’RE LOOKING FOR THE WORD, BOARD, I WOULD RECK YOU A VOTE ON THAT. >> Chair: IS THERE A MOTION? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> Chair: MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE SEND A LETTER OF SUPPORT.

>> SO IT’S RELATED TO THE REDEVELOPMENT OF CITIZEN’S FIELD, THAT PROJECT? >> Chair: YES. THOSE LETTERS WILL GO TO REPRESENTATIVE PERRY AND CHUCK CLEMENTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, UH-HUH. ALL IN FAVOR. [CHORUS OF AYES] ALL OPPOSED? THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU ALL. MOVING ON TO CITIZEN INPUT.

AND YOU ALL WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK BEFORE THE BOARD. WE ARE SO HAPPY THAT YOU’RE HAPPY TO SPEAK. PLEASE DO NOT MENTION NAMES. WE HAVE — REMEMBER OUR CIVILITY CLAUSE. FIRST ON THE LIST IS AVIS BUTLER >> MY NAME IS AVIS BUTLER. I’M A RESIDENT HERE OF ALACHUA COUNTY.

I COME WITH GREAT CONCERN. I’M THE DAUGHTER OF AN EDUCATOR OF DADE COUNTY FOR OVER 35 YEARS. MYSELF, I’VE BEEN A VISITING PROFESSOR AT THREE STATE UNIVERSITIES INCLUDING THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA. SO I AM SO MUCH IN SUPPORT OF OUR EDUCATORS AND OUR STAFF WHO ARE HERE WITH ALACHUA COUNTY.

I WAS REALLY TAKEN ABACK OVER THIS LAST WEEK. IT’S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN WE SET ON BOARDS THAT A BOARD BASICALLY DETERMINES THE POLICIES. I WAS ALSO, LAST YEAR, WITH COLLECTIVELY THE BOARD LOOKS AT AND EVALUATES THE SUPERINTENDENT BUT IT’S UP TO THE SUPERINTENDENT TO EVALUATE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY THE

STAFF, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT POSITIONS WITHIN THE COUNTY. BUT I SAW SOMETHING THAT PAST WEEK WHERE A BOARD MEMBER ACTUALLY CALLED OUT ONE OF THE STAFF MEMBERS. AND IT WASN’T NICE. IT WASN’T GOOD. DON’T HAVE ANY IDEA WHO THAT STAFF MEMBER MIGHT HAVE BEEN. I DON’T EVEN KNOW OUR SUPERINTENDENT OTHER THAN WHAT

I’VE SEEN AT OUR MEETINGS. BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS INAPPROPRIATE JUDGMENT SINCE A BOARD MEMBER IS BASICALLY HERE TO DETERMINE AND DECIDE WHAT THE POLICIES ARE FOR THE DISTRICT. I ALSO THOUGHT IT WAS NOT ETHICAL. AND LASTLY, I THOUGHT THAT IT DIDN’T PROVIDE DUE PROCESS FOR THE EMPLOYEE WHO WAS CALLED OUT.

AND WHAT THAT DOES IN MY OPINION IS IT AFFECTS MY POCKETBOOK. BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT MY TAX BILL, THERE’S A PORTION OF MY TAX BILL THAT I HAVE TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOL BOARD AND IT DOES NOT HELP ME WHEN WE DON’T PROVIDE DUE PROCESS TO ANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES, STAFF MEMBERS,

BECAUSE WE SET OURSELVES UP FOR LITIGATION. AND WHEN LITIGATION OCCURS AND IF WE DON’T WIN, THEN THAT AFFECTS OUR BUDGET AND THAT AFFECTS MY PURSE. >> Chair: THANK YOU. >> SO I JUST WANTED TO JUST — AGAIN, JUST SAY, CAN WE JUST DO THINGS DECENTLY AND IN ORDER. THANK YOU.

>> Chair: THANK YOU. NEXT IS [INDISCERNIBLE]. >> GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THIS CHANCE. SO I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE ID PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION AT THE WILLIAMS SCHOOL. SO ON THE 12th OF JANUARY ALACHUA COUNTY SCHOOLS SENT A NOTIFICATION REGARDING THE MAGNET PROGRAMS AND THE OPEN SCHOOL SCHEDULE.

ON THAT SCHEDULE IT WAS MENTIONED THAT [INDISCERNIBLE] WOULD HAVE THE MAGNET PROGRAM AND THE CERTAIN THE IP PROGRAM. AGAIN, A WEEK LATER, JUST A WEEK LATER ON THE 19th OF JANUARY WE RECEIVED AN E-MAIL STATING THAT WILLIAMS WILL NOW BE GOING THROUGH AN IP PROGRAM FOR THE COMING YEAR.

SO THERE ARE SEVERAL — THIS RAISES SEVERAL QUESTIONS AS TO HOW THINGS CHANGED WITHIN A WEEK. SO AFTER GOING THROUGH ALL OF THE DETAILS THAT REQUIRED AN IVY PROGRAM TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE SCHOOL, IT TAKES 16, 24 MONTH TO BASICALLY IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM AT A SCHOOL LEVEL.

SO HOW IS IT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ALLOW SUCH A DECISION WITHOUT [INDISCERNIBLE] OF THE CURRENT STUDENTS AT THE MAGNET PROGRAM IN THAT SCHOOL. SO WHAT WE WERE TOLD IS WHEN WILLIAMS IMPLEMENTED THE MESSAGE NET PROGRAM IT WAS IN A [INDISCERNIBLE] FASHION SO THAT ALL OF THE STUDENTS AND THE

INFRASTRUCTURE AND SCHOOL COULD SUPPORT SUCH A PROGRAM. AND THE MAGNET PROGRAM HAS PROVEN TO BE SUCCESSFUL [INDISCERNIBLE]. NOW THE STUDENTS ARE [INDISCERNIBLE] WE ARE TOLD THE STAFF AND THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE NOT TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN SUCH AN ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE. WE WANT BASICALLY THE BOARD TO RECONSIDER — TO RELOOK AT HOW

THIS PROGRAM WAS [INDISCERNIBLE] SUCH LACK OF TRANSPARENCY ON THIS MATTER. AS PARENTS, DO WE NOT HAVE ANY INPUT — WE DID NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS, DEBATE THIS. BASED ON OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE STAFF MEMBERS AND SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS — NOT JUST THE PARENTS BUT OTHERS ARE NOT

INVOLVED IN THE WHOLE DISCUSSION. WE ARE SEEKING ANSWERS. IF THERE’S A SEPARATE MEETING YOU WANT TO SCHEDULE. WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY. [INDISCERNIBLE] NOTIFIED THEY’RE UNHAPPY AND THEY’RE PLANNING TO WITHDRAW THEIR KIDS FROM THE SCHOOL. THIS WAS SO RUSHED. WHAT WE ARE REQUESTING IS TO RECONSIDER THIS PROGRAM, TAKE

ONE MORE YEAR TO BASICALLY IMPLEMENT IT IN THE PROPER FASHION AND INCLUDE ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS SO THAT CAN BE THOUGHT OUT CAREFULLY. THAT’S BASICALLY WHAT MY CONCERN IS AND THIS HAS TO BE TAKEN WITH UTMOST SERIOUSLY IS HOW I SEE IT. THANK YOU. >> Chair: THANK YOU. [INDISCERNIBLE]

SORRY IF I PRONOUNCED YOUR NAME INCORRECTLY. >> GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I HAVE BEEN HERE A COUPLE OF TIMES BEFORE. YOU PROBABLY RECOGNIZE ME AND REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY AND SEE SUCH GREAT ACHIEVEMENTINGS IF ARE THE YOUNG KIDS AND ATHLETES, SUPER PROUD OF THEM. KUDOS OF ALL. I’M VERY UNCOMFORTABLE HERE TODAY.

I HAVE TO ASK OUR LEADERS TO RECONSIDER THE POLICIES, TO RECONSIDER COMPLIMENT THE IVY PROGRAM IN WILLIAMS. IT’S ALMOST IRONIC WHEN I HEAR THAT YOU GUY GUYS AREN’T TAKING INPUTS. NO TIME. NO ONE EVER ASKS US WHAT WILL IMPACT OUR KIDS, RIGHT. YOU GOT INPUT FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL, FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.

WHAT ABOUT THE LITTLE ONES? DO THEY TALK? DO YOU ASK THEM? ASK PARENTS, PLEASE. THAT’S THE WAY TO DO THINGS. AND ALSO AS EDUCATOR, YOU SHOULD KNOW THE KIDDINGS ARE OUR TOP PRIORITIES. WE DO NOT TOLERATE PUTTING OUR KIDS IN ANY EXPERIMENTAL TERMS. WE KNOW WHAT KIDS NEED AND THEN TAKE ACTION.

THERE’S NO INPUT, NO ACTION PLAN, THERE’S NO, BASICALLY NOTHING. I ALWAYS BELIEVE RIGHT THINGS FOR RIGHT REASONS. I DON’T KNOW THE REASON BEHIND IT, WHY WE’RE IN SUCH A RUSH TO PUT IN IVY PROGRAMS WITHOUT TELLING EVERYONE. JUST IN ONE WEEK SAY HEY, WE ARE GOING TO DO THE IVY PROGRAM.

I DON’T I HO — I HOPE THE REASS CAN BE SHARED IN THE FUTURE FOR THE TRANSPARENCIES. THAT IS THE REASON FOR USING TAXPAYERS’ MONEY. THE OTHER THING IS, DO THE RIGHT THING, PLEASE. IF YOU ARE DRIVING THE EDUCATION PROGRAMS LIKE RECKLESS DRIVERS, RECKLESS DRIVERS CREATE WHAT? CHAOS. AND NOW YOU’RE CREATING DISASTER

IN EDUCATION. THAT’S REALLY NOT ACCEPTABLE. SO AS A PARENT OF THE KIDS IN THE WILLIAMS PROGRAM, THE SCHOOLS, THIS LONG-LASTING SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS, I REALLY URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER THIS. DON’T PUT IVY PROGRAM THIS YEAR, NOT NEXT YEAR, UNTIL YOU FIND OUT AL ARE THE RESOURCES IN PLA. FIND OUT THAT’S THE RIGHT THING

FOR ALL OF THE KIDS, THEN DO IT. THAT’S A VERY SINCERE REQUEST FROM THE PARENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> Chair: THANK YOU. LENA CUE. >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. SO I STAND HERE TO SPEAK FOR MY OWN CHILD AND ALSO I SHARE VERY

COMMON — I MEAN OPINION AS THE PREVIOUS TWO PARENTS WHO RAISED THE CONCERN OF IVY IMPLEMENTATION AT WILLIAMS. SO WE ALL FEEL IT’S KIND OF IN A RUSH. WE WANT TO HAVE A SOLID PLAN, OTHERWISE KIDS WILL BE THE ONES WHO WILL GET HURT. AND WE DON’T WANT SUCH A NICE

IVY PROGRAM TO BE RUINED AS WELL. SO WE ALL UNDERSTAND IT’S A GREAT PROGRAM BUT WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW IS THERE IS LACK OF PLANNING, WE DON’T KNOW HOW THE TEACHERS ARE GOING TO BE TRAINED. WE DON’T KNOW HOW THE TEACHERS WILL EVEN TEACH THIS HETERO GENIUS CLASSROOM WHEN YOU HAVE

LEVELS ONE THROUGH FIVE. KIDS WILL NOT GET AS MUCH ATTENTION AS BEFORE AND THEY WILL NOT GET AS MUCH EDUCATION FROM THE SCHOOL. SO THEY’RE ON THEIR OWN MOSTLY. SO I SHARE ALL OF THE CONCERNS% AND I WILL NOT REPEAT EVERYTHING. AND I DO WANT TO REQUEST, PLEASE

HAVE AN INPUT SESSION FOR US, FOR THE OTHER PARENT TO COME HERE AND SPEAK FROM THEIR OWN PERSPECTIVES. MAYBE, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, CAN BE BIASED FROM THEIR OWN BENEFITS. BUT, YOU KNOW, PLEASE HAVE AN INPUT SESSION SO EVERYBODY ELSE CAN SPEAK HERE. SO THE PARENTS DID A POLL, A

SURVEY TO SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, IF IVY IS HERE AND MAGNET CLASSES ARE GONE. AND THEN WE HAVE THE RESULTS. IT’S NOT GOOD. SO OUT OF THE 81 FAMILIES ANSWERED THE SURVEY, ONLY FOUR FAMILIES SAID THEY ARE GOING TO STAY IN MAGNET. THAT MEANS 94% OF THE FAMILIES,

KIDS, WILL BE GONE. SO HOW CAN IVY BE IMPLEMENTED ANYWAYS. IT’S GOING TO BE FAILING. WE DON’T WANT ANYTHING, A BAD RECORD FROM THE IVY PROGRAM EITHER. WE WANT TO HAVE A GOOD THING, A GAD START, GOOD IMAGE. WE WANT TO HAVE GOOD PLANNING AND WE WANT TO HEAR FROM THE

PARENTS SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN BENEFIT. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL BENEFIT. IVY IS AN HONOR. I REALLY LOVE IT. BUT IT’S NOT THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT. YEAH, PLEASE, HAVE AN INPUT SESSION FOR US. THANK YOU. >> Chair: THANK YOU. MARIE VANESS. >> HI. IS THIS ON? OKAY.

I AM ALSO A PARENT FROM WILLIAMS. MY DAUGHTER IS A SECOND GRADINE THE WILLIAMS MAGNET PROGRAM. YOU WILL HEAR FROM ALL OF US THAT THERE IS AN ABSOLUTE PANDORA’S BOX OF ISSUES THAT HAVE COME OUT SINCE WE FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS. AND THE DEEPER WE LOOK INTO IT THE MORE QUESTIONS AND THE

BIGGER CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE. SOME OF THE BIGGEST OF THOSE ARE A COMPLETE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY REGARDING THE PROCESS, A REALLY DISCONCERTING LACK OF PLANNING, A LACK OF REQUEST FOR INPUT FROM ANY INVESTED OR IMPACTED GROUPS. YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE THINGS DON’T SPEAK WELL TO LEADERSHIP. AND YOU KNOW, THIS WAS MADE

APPARENT BY THE DISSOLUTION OF A LONG STANDING WELL-RESPECTED MAGNET PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN AT WILLIAMS. ALL OF THESE SERIOUS CONCERNS DESERVE TO BE AIRED FULLY IN A COMMUNITY WORKSHOP DEDICATED SPECIFICALLY TO THIS AND TO HAPPEN AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE. WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE. WE HAVE ONE WEEK LEFT OF THE MAGNET PROGRAMS.

THIS HAPPENED HALFWAY THROUGH. AND SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE NOT LOST AMIDST THE OBJECTIVE CONCERNS IS THE REASON WHY WE’RE WILLING TO. THIS PROGRAM NOT ONLY HAS A LOT OF VALUE FOR THE HIGH-ACHIEVING STUDENTS IN HERE, BUT IT CREATES A GREAT COMMUNITY. THE STUDENTS, THE TEACHERS, THE FAMILIES DEVELOP A COMMUNITY AND

WE DON’T WANT TO LOSE THAT. WE HAVE ASKED THAT THEY FIND A WAY TO HELP MATRICULATE OUR STUDENTS THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. >> Chair: THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. TAYLOR GIFLIN. >> HI, FOLKS. TAYLOR GIFLIN, CURRENT DAC MEMBER. I WAS GOING TO ADDRESS ONE THING BUT I’M ACTUALLY GOING TO

ADDRESS TWO THINGS NOW. I THINK THE ONE THAT — I’LL START WITH THE ONE I HAD PLANNED. I WANT TO, I THINK, TAKE A CHANCE TO ADDRESS SOME MISLEADING STATEMENTINGS AND INTERPRETATIONS THAT I’VE HEARD SHARED REGARDING SCHOOL GRADES. ONE OF THE HEADLINES I’M CONTINUING TO HEAR IS THAT WE’RE

TURNING THINGS AROUND AND SCHOOL GRADES ARE IMPROVED AND I THINK IT WILL WARRANT MUCH DEEPER DISCUSSION THAN JUST THAT. I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DATA, ACHIEVEMENT DIDN’T INCREASE, ACHIEVEMENT DIDN’T IMPROVE. WHAT HAPPENED WAS THE STATE LOWERED THE BAR. WHEN WE CONTINUE TO USE METRICS LIKE SCHOOL GRADES THAT SET A

REALLY LOW BAR FOR OUR KIDS, I THINK WE’RE DOING THEM A DISSERVICE IN COMMUNICATING THOSE RESULTS. AND IT LOOKS LIKE I HAVE TWO MINUTES INSTEAD OF THE THREE. I’LL TRY TO BE A LITTLE MORE QUICK. I THINK SOME RECOMMENDATIONS LIKE I’LL GO THROUGH AND PUT MY

DATA IN AN E-MAIL BUT I THINK WE NEED TO STOP ROOTING DISCUSSES OF ACADEMIC HEALTH IN SCHOOL GRADES. IT DOESN’T SERVE OUR KIDS WHEN WEAPON INFLATE THE PROGRESS THAT IS OR ISN’T HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS. THE OTHER THING I’M GOING TO SHARE, I DON’T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THIS.

I JUST FOUND OUT THAT THE TREND REPORT I’VE BEEN E-MAILING YOU ABOUT NOT BEING POSTED FOR TOMORROW’S BOARD MEETING WAS POSTED TODAY. AND IT WAS ACTUALLY POSTED AT 4:54 P.M. TODAY. I FIND THAT CONCERNING GOING INTO A DISCUSSION REGARDING THE SUPERINTENDENT’S CONTRACT TONIGHT THAT THAT DATA THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY PER

INNOCENT IN A CONVERSATION AROUND EVALUATING THE SUPERINTENDENT’S RESULTS WAS SHARED AN HOUR BEFORE THE BOARD MEETING WAS GETTING READY TO SIT DOWN AND DISCUSS HIS CONTRACT. THAT’S A LITTLE LATER BUT THOSE ARE SOME OF MY CONCERNS I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE. THANK YOU. >> Chair: I’M GOING TO ASK YOU

IN THE FUTURE TO ADDRESS THE CHAIR AND NOT HI FOLKS. >> YES, MA’AM. THANK YOU. >> Chair: MELVENA WILSON. >> AND MADAM CHAIR, JUST TO CLARIFY, WE HAVE NOW HAD 21 MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGN UP. >> Chair: ANYTIME WE GET PAST 20 YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES INSTEAD OF

THREE MINUTES BECAUSE OF TIME. HE’S KEEPING UP WITH THE TIME. >> MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THIS TIME TO SPEAK. I AM A PARENT OF THE WILLIAMS MAGNET PROGRAM. MY LITTLE ONE WAS HERE EARLIER. HE’S A BUDDING STUDENT AGENT ATHLETESO HE HAD PRACTICE. THIS ALLOWS ALL OF THE STUDENTS

TO HAVE AN ENRICHED CURRICULUM. THIS IS A SCHOOL IN THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN TO ALLOW OUR STUDENTS TO HAVE THE JUST WHAT OUR STUDENTS IN THE MAGNET PROGRAM HAVE. THE MAGNET PROGRAM ARE PART OF THE SCHOOL CHOICE. WE DON’T WANT OUR STUDENTS TO BE IN A SCHOOLS THAT ALLOW ALL

STUDENTS A HIGHER BAR THEN MAYBE OUR STUDENTS DON’T NEED TO BE THERE. I MUST HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE FOUR PARENT WHO DIDN’T SIGN ON SO THEY WE WOULD BE MOVING OUR STUDENT BECAUSE HE WILL BE SAYING. WE ENTRUST OUR STUDENT TO THAT SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, TO THE TEACHERS AND TO THE SCHOOL BOARD

TO DO WHAT IS BEST FOR ALL STUDENTS, FOR ALL STUDENTS. AND WILLIAMS STUDENTS, THE STUDENTS IN THAT COMMUNITY WHO ARE ZONED THERE HAVE THE ABSOLUTE RIGHT, AND WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THEY GET EXACTLY WHAT OUR STUDENTS AT MAGNET GET. WE ALL RISE TOGETHER. IS THAT NOT THE ADAGE?

I FIND SOME DISCOMFORT AND A LITTLE BIT OF ANGST AND ANGER THAT WE WOULD STAND HERE AND DENY STUDENTS, ANY STUDENT THE RIGHT TO A I HE A HIGHER LEVEL F EDUCATION. WHILE WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE OPEN COMMENT ON EVERYTHING THAT% HAPPENS, WE HAVE TO TRUST THE

PEOPLE WE ELECTED, THE PEOPLE WE EMPLOY THAT THEY’RE DOING THE BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS, FOR ALL STUDENTS. AGAIN, SCHOOL CHOICE IS A WONDERFUL THING IN THE STATE AND IN THIS DISTRICT AND IT IS THE ABSOLUTE RIGHT OF THE PARENT TO MOVE THEIR CHILD WHERE THEY WANT.

BUT IT IS NOT ALL RIGHT AS AN INDIVIDUAL PARENT TO DENY OTHER STUDENTS AND OTHER PARENTS AN OPPORTUNITY. THE MAGNET PROGRAM IS THERE TO PROVISE A LITTLE MORE ENRICHMENT BUT IT DOESN’T MEAN THE NORMAL CURRICULUM SHOULD SUFFER. THANK YOU. >> Chair: THANK YOU. MS. YVETTE CARTER. >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR,

BOARD, STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES. I STAND AS A PARENT OF A FORMER MAGNET STUDENT AT WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND I CONCUR WITH ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID ABOUT THE MAGNET PROGRAM AT WILLIAMS. I ALSO WANT TO GIVE THIS DISCLAIMER JUST IN CASE MY BOSSES ARE WATCHING.

I AM STANDING AS A PRIVATE RESIDENT OF GAINESVILLE, NOT REPRESENTING ANY GOVERNMENTAL, PUBLIC OR PRIVATE ORGANIZATION. I AM STANDING AS E YET CARTER, COMMUNITY ADVOCATE. I COULD REP ZETA PHI BETA INCORPORATED, THAW THAT IS THAT. THE REST OF THEM, THAT IS NOT ME TONIGHT. I DO FULLY SUPPORT AND HAVE BEEN

A LONG-TIME SUPPORTER OF WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY. ABOUT TO BE 27 YEARS OLD AND HE ENTERED THE MAGNET AT WILLIAMS WHEN HE WAS IN THE 2nd GRADE. I DON’T KNOW HOW LONG THAT PROGRAM WAS GOING BEFORE HE ENTERED THE MAGNET BUT I DO KNOW AT SOME POINT IT WAS NEW.

I DO KNOW AT SOME POINT WE DIDN’T KNOW ALL OF THE INS AND OUTS ABOUT IT. I DO HEAR THE CONCERNS OF PARENTS WHO SAY THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MAYBE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY. THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON. THEY HAVE QUESTIONS. SO I WOULD CALL, MADAM CHAIR, ON

THOSE IN LEADERSHIP TO HAVE SOME LEVEL OF A WORKSHOP OR INFORMATION SESSION. BUT I ALSO STAND AS THE LAST SPEAKER DID WHOM I KIND OF LIKE A LITTLE BIT, I DO ALSO STAND IN SUPPORT OF JUST THEIR EXPERTISE AND THEIR KNOWLEDGE. I DO ENTRUST THE PEOPLE THAT WE EMPLOY.

A FORMER SPEAKER SAID WE EMPLOY. SO I DO ENTRUST THAT THE RIGHT THINGS ARE HAPPENING. MY SON WAS ALSO A NEIGHBORHOOD KID. SO NOT ONLY WAS HE IN THE MAGNET BUT HE WAS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND HOW EXCITING IS IT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A HIGHER BAR FOR ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS.

>> Chair: THANK YOU, MS. CARTER. >> I’LL END WITH THAT. >> Chair: THANK YOU. THAT’S ALL I HAVE FOR CITIZEN INPUT AT THIS TIME. WE’RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. MR. ANDREW. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THE SUPERINTENDENT RECOMMENDS THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS DESCRIBED

IN ITEMS 2 THROUGH 11 AND. AND AS YOU KNOW, 11 IS THE CLASS SIZE COMPLIANCE THAT WE ADDED DURING THE AGENDA ADOPTION. >> Chair: ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION? >> MOVE STAFF RECOMMENDATION. >> EXCUSE ME? >> I SAID MOVE STAFF RECOMMENDATION. >> Chair: OKAY. ALL RIGHT. >> SECOND. >> Chair: OKAY.

IT’S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR? [CHORUS OF AYES] ALL OPPOSED? OKAY. AT THIS TIME WE’RE GOING TO TAKE A FIVE-MINUTE RECESS AND THEN WE’LL COME BACK AS WE MOVE ON TO THE ACTION ITEMS. [ FIVE-MINUTE RECESS ] >> Chair: WE’RE READY TO CONVENE

OUR MEETING. THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT BREAK. WE’RE ON TO THE SUPERINTENDENT’S CONTRACT. MR. DELANEY. >> YES, MA’AM, MADAM CHAIR. YOU AND I BOTH MET WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND HIS REPRESENTATIVE MS. SIEGEL A NUMBER OF TIMES TO WORK OUT THE CONTRACT. THIS HAS BEEN ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA AND PROVIDED TO THE BOARD

MEMBERS. I THINK I’VE ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH EACH ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS AND GO THROUGH THE CONTRACT AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THEY HAVE ABOUT IT. SO THIS IS NOW BEFORE THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION AND I’LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU. >> Chair: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

COLLEAGUES, WE RECEIVED THE CONTRACT AND AT THIS TIME I NEED A MOTION REGARDING THE CONTRACT. >> I HAVE — >> Chair: OKAY. I’M GOING TO GET THEM IN THE LIGHTS. MS. ABBITT — I MEAN MS. CERTAIN. I’M SORRY. >> THANK YOU. I DID HAVE A CHANCE TO MEET WITH MR. DELANEY.

I DID’T REALIZE THAT THE CONTRACT WAS POSTED SO I DIDN’T GET A CHANCE TO TRY TO MEET IN PERSON WITH MR. SUPERINTENDENT. BUT I DID TRY TO REACH OUT TO HIM ABOUT THAT. AND. >> MS. CERTAIN, IF I MAY, I HESITATE TO INTERRUPT BUT JUST FOR THE FLOW OF OUR MEETING I

WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE GET A MOTION, A SECOND, IF WE’VE GOT PUBLIC INPUT — >> Chair: THAT’S WHAT I WAS DOING. >> — TAKE THAT AND THEN COME BACK TO THE BOARD FOR DISCUSSION. >> HOW DO WE HANDLE IF THERE’S PORTIONS OF THIS WE WANT TO TRY TO AMEND. >> YES, MA’AM.

I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE TAKE ONE AMENDMENT AT A TIME ONCE WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. >> ALL RIGHT. WILL DO. ALL RIGHT. SO — >> Chair: NEED A MOTION. >> I AM GOING TO MOVE THAT IN PARAGRAPH. >> AND ACTUALLY WHAT I’M RECOMMENDING RIGHT NOW IS THAT

WE GET A MOTION BY THE BOARD AND A SECOND REGARDING THE CONTRACT AND THEN IF WE NEED TO HAVE — THEN I RECOMMEND THAT WE GET CITIZEN INPUT AND THEN IF WE HAVE AMENDMENTS WE TAKE THEM UP AT THAT POINT. >> MOVE WITH DISCUSSING THE CONTRACT AS PRESENTED. >> SECOND.

>> Chair: IT’S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. AT THIS TIME WE’RE GOING TO HAVE DISCUSSION. >> CITIZEN — >> Chair: THAT’S WHAT I’M GETTING READY TO DO. AT THIS TIME I HAVE, LET’S SEE, ONE, TWO — YOU’LL HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD AND WHAT

I’M GOING TO DO IS — YOU HAVE A PHONE CALL? OKAY. WE’RE GOING TO GO WITH THE PHONE CALLS FIRST. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD. >> STATE YOUR NAME. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD. >> YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD AND WHAT I’M GOING TO DO — [INDISCERNIBLE].

>> CALLER, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD. CALLER, ARE YOU THERE? >> YES. >> YOU’RE LIVE WITH THE BOARD. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. >> YES, I’M HERE. >> PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD. >> THANK YOU.

MY NAME IS ANNE STORY AND I’M A PARENT OF THREE STUDENTS IN THE ALACHUA COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM, AN 8th GRADER, A 5th GRADER AND A 3rd GRADER. TWO YEARS AGO FOUR OF YOU WERE ELECTED TO THE BOARD BY CITIZENS IN THIS COUNTY. THE ELECTION CAME AFTER WHAT WAS

A VERY YEAR AND THE HOPE THAT THIS DISTRICT WOULD MAKE FORWARD PROGRESS. ONE OF THE FIRST THING I’LL BE LOOKING AT AS A NEW BOARD MEMBE IS AN ACTION PLAN WHERE WE AS A BOARD HAVE TO HAVE THE EXPECTATIONS FOR THE PROCESS OF HIRING A NEW SUPERINTENDENT.

THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A NATIONAL SEARCH. WE WILL WORK WITH MR. AN DREW DURING THE TIME WE HAVE TO I THINK IT WILL BE WISE TO — YOU ARE LOOKING AT GIVING A RAISE TO SUPERINTENDENT ANDREW. HE HASN’T MOVED THE NEEDLE AFTER

ALMOST TWO YEARS. HE INITIALLY ASKED FOR A $50,000 R RAISE, A HEFTY PENSION AND A LONG TERM CONTRACT. VOTING YES ON THIS RAISE WOULD PUT HIM AT A HIGHER PAY RATE THAN HIS TWO PREDECESSORS. THE TEACHERS IN THIS COUNTY DESERVE BETTER THAN THE STUDENTS

IN THIS COUNTY DESERVE BETTER THAN THE MOST RECENT EXCUSE OF, I DIDN’T BECAUSE I WAS INTERIM. IF YOU WOULDN’T HAVE VOTED FOR DR. SIMON TO HAVE THIS RAISE WITHOUT MEASURABLE GOAL, YOU SHOULDN’T BE VOTING FOR SUPERINTENDENT ANDREW TO HAVE THIS RAISE. >> CHAIR: THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. >> CHAIR: MOVING ON TO MISS BUTLER, AVIS BUTLER. >> I’M HEARING ALL THE DIFFERENT COMMENTS. I DID SOME RESEARCH MYSELF OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, TO SEE HOW OUR SCHOOL WAS PROGRESSING. AND BASED ON THE SCHOOL REPORT CARD, THAT I HAPPEN TOO ACTUALLY

MAKE A COPY OF AND LOOK AT AND JUST COMPARE IT AGAINST THE DIFFERENT COUNTIES, I WANTED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHEN WE LOOKED AT WHAT WAS BEING ASKED IN TERMS OF THE SALARY AMOUNT, AND COMPARE THEM TO THE OTHER COUNTIES, WHICH WERE SIMILAR, AND I SAW

THAT WHAT OUR SUPERINTENDENT WAS ASKING WAS IN LINE WITH WHAT WE HAD. WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THE OTHER COUNTIES, THE OUTLIERS, WOULD HAVE BEEN DUVALL COUNTY. BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ON DUVALL COUNTY, AND LEE COUNTY. THEN I SAW THAT CHARLOTTE COUNTY, INDIAN RIVER COUNTY,

PAYING THEIR SUPERINTENDENTS $180,000, WITH ONLY 15,000 STUDENTS RESPECTIVELY. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE AMOUNT THAT’S BEING REQUESTED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT, IT CERTAINLY WASN’T OUT OF LINE WITH WHAT’S BEING PAID TO COMPARABLE SUPERINTENDENTS IN THE DIFFERENT COUNTIES. SO I ALSO TOOK A LOOK AT THE

GRADES. AND WHEN I NOTICED THAT WE WENT FROM 2021 TO 2022, WE WENT FROM HAVING 12 STUDENTS — OKAY, WE HAD 13 IN THE A CATEGORY, WE HAD 15, OKAY, IN THE B CATEGORY. 12 IN THE C CATEGORY, AND WE ONLY HAD ONE PARTICULAR SCHOOL —

>> CHAIR: MISS BUTLER. >> OKAY, THAT WAS AT THAT POINT. I HAVE TO COME BACK AND ASK YOU ALL FOR MORE TIME, TO MAKE THE PRESENTATIONS, THANK YOU. >> CHAIR: NOAH COFFMAN? >> GOOD EVENING MADAM CHAIR WOMAN AND EVERYONE ELSE. I FEEL A LITTLE WEIRD DOING

THIS, I DON’T KNOW MR. ANDREW, AND I DON’T KNOW ENOUGH TO CRITICIZE HIM OR COMPLIMENT HIM, SO I — I’LL AVOID THAT, I LOOKED LIKE THE LAST SPEAKER AT DATA THAT’S PRESENTED BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND THE COMPARISON THAT MAKES

THE MOST SENSE TO ME WOULD BE LEON COUNTY. LEON COUNTY HAS FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY THERE. THEY HAVE 4,000 MORE STUDENTS THAN WE DO, I BELIEVE THE SUPERINTENDENT, ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, MAKES 160,000 PER YEAR. I CALLED THEIR HR TODAY TO

DETERMINE IF THAT WAS TRUE OR NOT, I WAS TOLD BY A WOMAN NAMED VALERIE THAT HE ACTUALLY PAID $169,419. IF WE WERE GOING TOE COMPARE APPLES AND APPLES, I DON’T KNOW ABOUT THOSE OTHER COUNTIES THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS SPOKE ABOUT, BUT LEON MAKES THE MOST SENSE TO

ME, BUT WHATEVER. I WORE THIS SHIRT TONIGHT, NOT BECAUSE I’M A BIG GATOR FAN, I HAVE GATOR DEGREES AND ALL THAT. I WORE THIS BECAUSE THE REAL MAGNET IN THE ROOM IS THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA. AND I COULD TALK A LOT ABOUT THAT, BUT I HAVE 42 SECONDS.

IT WAS SAID TO ME EARLIER THAT MAYBE THIS CONTRACT HAS BEEN RENEGOTIATED THERE MAY BE AMENDMENTS AND SUCH, IF THAT’S POSSIBLE, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AGAIN AFTER WE LEARN WHETHER IT’S BEEN CHANGED. THE CONTRACT THAT WAS POSTED FOR THE AGENDA SAYS $190,000

INCLUDING AN $800 CAR ALLOWANCE, WHICH I BELIEVE FACILITIES HAS A CAR MARKED FOR HIM ALREADY. PLUS, 10% TO HIS FRS. WHICH IN MY ADDITION, I COME UP WITH $222,000. AND I’M A TEACHER, AND I’M HAPPY TO BE A TEACHER, I DON’T PAID A LOT OF MONEY, MY STUDENTS REMIND

ME OF IT DAILY. BUT IT — THERE’S A PROBLEM HERE, IF YOU’LL LET ME FINISH, I WON’T HAVE TO COME BACK. >> CHAIR: NO, WE HAVE TO GIVE EVERYONE 2 MINUTES, YOU CAN COME BACK AT THE END. FOR CITIZEN INPUT. >> YOU WON’T LET ME SAY THE PUNCH LINE?

>> CHAIR: NO, WE HAVE TO MOVE ON. >> GOOD EVENING MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS, I’M NOT A VERY GOOD PUBLIC SPIKER, IF YOU BEAR WITH ME, THE FIRST THING I WANT TO ADDRESS IS WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE. I’M DISHEARTENED THAT WE’RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION,

DISHEARTENED BECAUSE LIKE MANY OTHER CITIZENS I CANVASSED FOR THESE BOARD MEMBERS THAT WERE PROMISED TO UNDERTAKE A SEARCH FOR THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT. ALL THE CHILDREN OF THIS DISTRICT DESERVE THE BEST. THE HOURS SPENT, THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY ENDURED, DISHEARTENED TO THINK THAT THE MAJORITY OF

THE BOARD WENT BACK ON THEIR PLEDGE AND DECIDEDS NOT TO CONTINUE THEIR SEARCH. LEON COUNTY WOULD BE COMPARABLE TO WHAT WE HAVE HERE, WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, AND THE UNIVERSITY FSU, OUR TAX BASE DOES NOT EQUATE TO SOME OF THE

OTHER DISTRICTS, SO WHERE’S THE MONEY GOING TO BE COMING FROM. HIGHER SALARY THAN SURROUNDING — THERE’S THE RETROACTIVE 403 B CATCHUP CONTRIBUTIONS, MONTHLY STIPEND FOR CAR ON TOP OF THAT SALARY, EXCEEDS ANYTHING GIVEN TO PRIOR SUPERINTENDENTS. AND GIVEN THESE PARTICULARS, YOU

THINK YOU WOULD NEED SOME TASKS COMPLETED, AGENDA ITEMS PUNCHED TO GET THAT, IF HE WAS A PROATHLETE, WE WOULD WANT TO SEE, IS HE MVP, DID HE WIN THE SUPER BOWL TO GET THAT KIND OF A RAISE. AND I THINK THAT WE CAN SEE WITH

THE REZONING NOT HAPPENING, THE RUSHED IB PROGRAM AT WILLIAMS, AND WHAT ABOUT THE OVERALL STRATEGIC PLAN, IT SEEMS LIKE IT’S IN A ZS DISARRAY. I THINK JOB PERFORMANCE SHOULD BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST DRIVERS FOR A SALARY AND BENEFITS THAT WOULD REWARD THE SUPERINTENDENT

FOR HIS WORK. AND I THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. >> CHAIR: THANK YOU. TAYLOR GUILFOYLE? >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS. I’M GOING TO SHIFT THE CONVERSATION A LITTLE BIT. I HEAR A LOT OF US FOCUSING TONIGHT ON SALARY, AND IN ALL HONESTY MR. ANDREW, I EMPATHIZE,

I CAN’T IMAGINE BEING IN A SITUATION WHERE EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT MY SALARY. I THINK TWO THINGS I WANT TO THINK ABOUT IS, I BET EVERY ONE OF THESE BOARD MEMBERS WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY $190,000 IF IT GOT US RESULTS.

WE WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY THE SALARY AND BENEFITS IF IT MEANT WE CLOSE THE GAP, OUR KIDS ARE SAFE AND THEY’RE COMING TO SCHOOL. THE THINGS I’M MOST CONCERNED IS NOT THE SALARY NUMBER. YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. WE’RE GOING INTO THIS WITH TWO

THINGS, ONE IS DATA, AND ONE IS GOALS. SO I ALLUDED TO THE DATA REPORT JUST BEING MENTIONED, I KNOW THE TESTING WINDOW, BECAUSE OF THE WINDOWS, BECAUSE OUR TEAM USED TO MANAGE IT, IT’S DELAYED ON HOW YOU CAN REPORT IT, I’M NOT

WORRIED ABOUT NOT SEEING FAST DATA ON THE REPORT. THE LAST TIME THIS BOARD SAW DISAGGREGATED ACHIEVEMENT RESULTS WAS IN JUNE 2023. I’M GOING TO SHARE THREE QUESTIONS I KNOW, I DON’T HAVE TO ASK, I KNOW ALL FIVE OF YOU CARE DEEPLY ABOUT YOUR — YOU’RE

DEEPLY INVESTED IN SEEING ALL STUDENTS BE SUCCESSFUL. YOU WANT KIDS TO COME TO SCHOOL, AND YOU WANT KIDS TO BE SAFE. YOU DESERVE, AND THE COMMUNITY DESERVES THAT INFORMATION, IF YOU’RE GETTING READY TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT A LEADERSHIP POSITION, THAT ACCORDING TO THIS

CONTRACT IS GOING TO GO FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS, I THINK MY ASK TO THIS BOARD, IF YOU THINK THOSE QUESTIONS ARE RELEVANT AND MATTER, I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER TO EITHER DELAY THIS CONVERSATION, MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS CONTRACT, UNTIL YOU

GET THE EVIDENCE YOU NEED, OR THAT YOU COME TOGETHER AND SET REALLY CLEAR GOALS, IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS CONTRACT, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO BE GETTING. THANK YOU. >> CHAIR: MICHAEL PERKINS. >> GOOD EVENING MADAM CHAIR, BOARD, I GOT HERE TONIGHT, KIDS

FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTY, EVERYBODY ALMOST EVERYBODY COULD RELATE TO MR. ANDREWS, HE SERVED THIS COMMUNITY. SCHOOLS ALL OVER THE PLACE, AND I DON’T KNOW HOW YOU PUT A DOLLAR ON THAT. EVERYBODY IN THIS COMMUNITY, ALMOST EVERY SCHOOL, ALMOST EVERY MUNICIPALITY, THIS MAN HAS EARNED EVERYONE’S RESPECT.

SO I WAS HERE A FEW WEEKS AGO AT A MEETING, I SHARED MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ABOUT MY CHILDREN GROWING UP THROUGH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND WHAT DO YOU GET, A GREAT JOB IN THAT COMMUNITY. AND I RAISED FOUR KIDS THERE WHEN I WAS THERE.

I SERVED ON THE SCHOOL ADVISORY COMMISSION FOR ALL THOSE YEARS THAT MY KIDS WERE THERE, ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO WERE HERE TONIGHT GAVE THEIR OWN TESTIMONY OF WHO THIS MAN IS, SO I DON’T KNOW ABOUT ANYBODY ELSE, BUT I THINK THAT TESTIMONY THAT WAS

UNSOLICITED TONIGHT IS THE GREATEST ENDORSEMENT FOR MR. ANDREWS, AND I APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD ALL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. >> CHAIR: THANK YOU. AMY TRASK. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, I’M AT 30 SECONDS, CAN I GET MY TIME RECLAIMED.

I CAN TALK FAST, I CAN’T TALK THAT FAST, Y’ALL. WE’LL RESET YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. LIKE EVERYONE THAT SPOKE BEFORE ME, I SEE BOTH POSITIVES AND BENEFITS, I’VE HAD A CHANCE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH MR. ANDREW, I CAN TALK TO HIM ABOUT

A CRUISE, BUT NOT NECESSARILY ABOUT OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM. MY PROBLEM IS TWO FOLD, HE’S ASKING FOR MORE WITHOUT QUALIFICATIONS. WE’VE SEEN AN UNPRECEDENTED LEVEL OF TURNOVER, A NUMBER OF ISSUES AND REPORTS, AND HE’S FAILED TO PROVIDE DATA FOR HIS PLANS OR EFFECTIVENESS, I DON’T

KNOW IF WE REMEMBER, HE PROPOSED IN A MOTION FOR AN IVY OR MAGNET SCHOOL ON THE OTHER SIDE, HE HAD NO IDEA HOW WE WERE GOING TO PAY FOR IT, AND IT WAS NOT GOING TO COME FROM THE HALF CENT SALES TAX. ANOTHER THING THAT’S PARTICULARLY CONCERNING, WE

ASKED MULTIPLE TIMES FOR A LIST OF THE THINGS HE’S DONE OR ACCOMPLISHED OR ACHIEVED, WE HAVEN’T GOTTEN THAT. THE OTHER POINT THAT I’D LIKE TO MAKE THAT IS CONCERNING, IS THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE PEOPLE ON OUR BOARD MADE A COMMITMENT TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS WHEN THEY

RAN, THEY WERE GOING TO DO A SEARCH. AND SO YOU HAVE A COMMITMENT AND A DUTY TO HONOR YOUR WORD TO THE PEOPLE THAT PUT YOU IN OFFICE. OTHER WRWISE YOU CAN’T BE WORTHF THAT OFFICE. MY CONCERN IS THAT WE CAN BE SO WISHY WASHY, WHEN NOTHING HAS

BEEN DONE TO PROVE THAT THAT REASON HAS MERIT OR VALUE. AND SO I GUESS I’D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT CHANGED, AND I’D LIKE TO KNOW AT WHAT POINT DO OUR CHILDREN HAVE ENOUGH VALUE THAT WE CAN HONOR OUR WORD AND RECOMMIT OURSELVES TO THE

SUCCESS OF EVERY STUDENT BY ENSURING THAT WE HAVE THE BEST CANDIDATE POSSIBLE. AND UNTIL YOU OPEN IT UP FOR A SEARCH, AND LOOK AT ALL THE CANDIDATES, I DON’T THINK THAT YOU’LL REALLY KNOW. THANK YOU. >> CHAIR: THANK YOU. EVELYN FOXX. >> GOOD EVENING AGAIN MADAM

CHAIR, SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD MEMBERS, AFTER LISTENING TO EVERYONE THAT’S COME UP HERE BEFORE ME, ABOUT THE SEARCH AND THE PROMISE YOU ALL MADE DURING YOUR CAMPAIGN. APPARENTLY SOMETHING THAT’S HAPPENED FOR YOU TO CHANGE YOUR MIND, AND I THINK IT’S SOMETHING FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE

STUDENTS. I AM HOPING IT’S ALL ABOUT THE CHILDREN AND YOU ALL ARE PUTTING THEM FIRST, WHEN YOU CONSIDER EVERYTHING. NOW, WE’VE HAD SEVEN SUPERINTENDENTS IN THE LAST HOW MANY — SEVENEN? >> CHAIR: TEN YEARS. >> TEN SUPERINTENDENTS, WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND DO YOU ALL

THINK WOULD COME HERE TO ACCEPT THIS JOB? . Y’ALL MUST BE REALISTIC, WHO DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO COME. WHEN WE DID A NATIONAL SEARCH AND PAID ALL THIS MONEY TO A FIRM, IT DIDN’T WORK OUT THEN. SO WHY ARE WE SPENDING ALL THESE

DOLLARS, OUR DOLLARS, WHERE WE COULD USE IT FOR SOMETHING ELSE. Y’ALL PLEASE BE REALISTIC. NINE SUPERINTENDENTS. WHO DO YOU THINK IS COMING FROM ACROSS THESE UNITED STATES? WHO DUE THINK IS COMING HERE? LET US KEEP WHAT WE HAVE UNTIL THIS CONTRACT ENDS. HOPEFULLY THINGS WILL GET ALL BETTER.

I’M SEEING POSITIVE THINGS AND THE COMMUNITY IS WILLING TO HELP, BUT YOU ALL BE REAL, PEOPLE NOT COMING HERE FOR A JOB, WE ALREADY HIRED AND FIRED NINE PEOPLE, I THINK MR. ANDREWS SHOULD STAY, LET’S GIVE HIM A CHANCE TO TRY TO STRAIGHTEN US

OUT LOCALLY, NO BETTER PERSON THAN SOMEBODY LOCALLY, TO HELP US DO THIS, AND THEN AFTER MR. ANDREWS AND HIS TEAM — >> CHAIR: THANK YOU. >> CLEAR THINGS UP, THEN DO THE NATIONAL SEARCH. WE’LL BE WASTING MONEY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MISS FOX, YOU HAVE

ONE CITIZEN ON THE PHONE? >> CALLER, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD. CALLER, STATE YOUR NAME, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD. >> HI, THIS IS PRESCOTT COLES, I AM COMMENTING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PROCESS, AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT

THE CONTENT OF THE AGENDA ITEMS THAT YOU’RE DISCUSSING. AND IN OCTOBER OF 2023, THE BOARD APPROVED A MOTION TO HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT’S CONTRACT BROUGHT BACK TO THE DECEMBER 5th BOARD MEETING, THAT’S HOW IT’S RECORDED IN THE MINUTES, AND THAT HAPPENED, YOU BROUGHT IT

BACK TO THE DECEMBER 5th BOARD MEETING, YOU GOT SPOOKED AND DIDN’T DO ANYTHING WITH IT, AFTER THAT, THE BOARD DIDN’T TAKE ACTION RELATED TO THE SUPERINTENDENT’S CONTRACT. THEY DIDN’T DIRECT THE BOARD ATTORNEY OR STAFF ATTORNEY TO CONTINUE LITIGATION. I FIND IT PROBLEMATIC, THAT THIS

PROCESS IS HAPPENING, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NOT ANY IN THE RECORD BOARD ACTION DIRECTED TO HAPPEN. I THINK AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT YOUR POLICIES AND PROCESSES. I’M GOING TO SHARE A COUPLE QUOTES WITH YOU AS YOU HAD BEFORE.

ONE OF THEM IS FROM PRESIDENT JOHN ADAMS. GOVERNMENT IS INSTITUTED FOR THE COMMON GOOD, AND THE PROTECTION, SAFETY, PROSPERITY AND HAPPINESS OF THE PEOPLE, AND NOT FOR THE PROFIT, HONOR OR PRIVATE INTEREST OF ANY ONE MAN, FAMILY OR CLASS OF MEN. IF YOU APPROVE THE CONTRACT AS

IT’S PRESENTED. IT’S GOING TO CONFLICT WITH YOUR CURRENT BOARD POLICY, AND I THINK THAT’S GOING TO BE VERY PROBLEMATIC FOR YOU. IN PRINCIPAL, YOU NEED TO BE DECIDING, ARE YOU GOING TO BE IN AGREEMENT WITH YOUR OWN POLICIES, SPECIFICALLY POLICY 1020, WHICH STATES THAT ANY

SALARY ADJUSTMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS MUST BE BASED ON WORK PERFORMANCE AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH FLORIDA LAW. THE DETERMINATION MUST INCLUDE A PROCESS THAT DESCRIBES PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND AN EVALUATION PROCESS CONSISTENT WITH THE POLICY — >> TIME. >> CHAIR: TIME, THANK YOU. >> ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL.

>> CHAIR: THAT IS ALL THE CITIZEN SLIPS I HAVE, I TURN IT BARK BACK TO THE BOARD, I SEE MISS ABBITT’S LIGHT. >> I HAVE AMENDMENTS TO THE CONTRACT AS WELL. >> CHAIR: DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK, SIR? >> NO, MA’AM. >> CHAIR: OKAY, THERE IS A

MOTION ON THE FLOOR, NOW YOU’RE ABLE TO SAY WHATEVER AMENDMENTS YOU WANT, AND YOU CAN TELL US TO GO TO WHAT PAGE AND WHAT HAVE YOU. RIGHT? >> YES, MA’AM, AND I THINK MISS CERTAIN HAD INDICATED — COULD I REQUEST A BRIEF RECESS, PLIES? >> OKAY.

WE HAVE A BRIEF RECESS, FIVE MINUTES. >> CHAIR: WE’RE BACK IN SESSION. I HAVE ONE MORE CITIZEN INPUT BEFORE WE BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. MR. CALVIN CAMPS. >> MADAM CHAIR, I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL IN ALACHUA COUNTY, I STILL LIVE HERE.

I DON’T KNOW IF I’VE SEEN A SUPERINTENDENT THAT’S EARNED RESPECT. ALL THE ADULTS GET UP AND THEY SPEAK, MAYBE WE SHOULD LISTEN TO SOME OF THE STUDENTS. I HAVE A GRANDDAUGHTER. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MR. ANDREWS, SHE HAS NICE THINGS TO SAY. WE HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT

COME UP AND SAY NEGATIVE THINGS ABOUT MR. ANDREWS. ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE ABOUT HIM IS HIS PEOPLE SKILLS. HIS ABILITY TO WORK WITH PEOPLE AND CREATE A HIGHER SENSE OF MORAL. BEFORE YOU MAKE PROGRESS, YOU HAVE TO DO THAT.

I THINK HE DOES A VERY GOOD JOB OF THAT. EVEN IF HE MAKES A LITTLE MORE MONEY, MAYBE WE NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT ABOVE THE PAY IN ALACHUA COUNTY. WE NEED TO LEAD THE PACK, WE DON’T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT LEON COUNTY IS DOING.

WE HAVE OUR OWN MAN HERE, I FULLY SUPPORT THAT CONTRACT, AND I’D LIKE TO SEE THE BOARD MEMBERS SUPPORTED AS WELL. MR. ANDREWS, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO. AND YOU’RE WELCOME HERE IN ALACHUA COUNTY FOR AS LONG AS YOU WANT TO BE HERE. THANK YOU.

>> CHAIR: THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MR. DELANEY. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY, I WANTED TO JUST CLARIFY A COUPLE THINGS, THERE HAS BEEN SOME THOROUGH DISCUSSION WITH MR. ANDREWS AND HIS REPRESENTATIVE DURING THE COURSE, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE

NAILED DOWN WHAT THE BOARD HAS BEFORE IT NOW, A SALARY OF 190,000, A TERM THAT RUNS THROUGH JUNE OF 2027. THOSE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS, THERE’S OTHER THINGS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO WHAT HAVE BEEN IN PRIOR SUPERINTENDENT CONTRACTS WITH THE DISTRICT, SUCH AS THE

CAR ALLOWANCE, THAT HAS CERTAINLY BEEN IN THERE FOR THE LAST SEVERAL CONTRACTS FOR PRIOR SUPERINTENDENTS. THERE WAS — I ALSO WANTED TO CLARIFY ONE THING FOR THE PUBLIC’S BENEFIT. FLORIDA HAS TWO TRACKS THAT SUPERINTENDENTS COULD BE EMPLOYED ON, ONE IS A

SUPERINTENDENT THAT IS HIRED BY THE BOARD, APPOINTED TO SERVE, THERE ARE OTHER SUPERINTENDENTS IN OTHER COUNTIES WHO ARE ELECTED. THERE’S A SPECIFIC SALARY SCHEDULE THAT THE STATE ESTABLISHES BASED ON THE POPULATION OF THAT COUNTY, WHICH DETERMINES WHAT THE SALARY IS GOING TO BE.

IT’S A LITTLE BIT OF AN APPLES TO ORANGES COMPARISON TO US AND LEON, LEON HAS AN ELECTED SUPERINTENDENT. THAT SALARY SCHEDULE ESTABLISHED BY THE STATE IS DIFFERENT THAN IT WOULD BE FOR APPOINTED SUPERINTENDENTS. THERE MAY BE JUST FOR PROCESS, FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS.

THERE MAY BE QUESTIONS OR TWEAKS, SUGGESTIONS OF CHANGES TO THE — WHAT THE BOARD HAS BEFORE IT NOW. I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. IN THAT IS THE CASE, THAT THERE WOULD BE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, SEE IF WE GET A SECOND, WE CAN

HAVE DISCUSSION ON THAT, AMONG THE BOARD MEMBERS, TAKE A VOTE ON THAT, AND THEN IF THERE’S MORE THAN ONE, WE DEAL WITH THEM SERIALLY, ONE AT A TIME. >> CHAIR: VOTE ON THEM ONE AT A TIME? >> YES, MA’AM. >> CHAIR: ALL RIGHT, MISS CERTAIN?

>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AS I WAS GOING TO SAY, IN SECTION 5.5, IT’S A LITTLE THING COMPARING — IT LOOKS LIKE PARAGRAPH A, NOTWITHSTANDING PARAGRAPH 5.3, I THINK THAT SHOULD BE REFERENCING SECTION 5.6. I MOVE THAT WE MOVE THAT REFERENCE THERE IN PARAGRAPH 5.5

A TO REFERENCE 5.6. >> IT’S IN THERE TWICE. >> YEAH. >> CHAIR: IS THERE A TYPO? >> I’M UNDERSTANDING — I’M LOOKING AT THE VERSION THAT IS ON THE AGENDA, ATTACHED TO THIS MEETING, I’M ON MY LAPTOP, AND THAT VERSION IN 5.5 A DOES REFERENCE SECTION 5.6.

>> CHAIR: OKAY, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE — YOU SEE IT ON THE ONE THAT’S ONLINE? >> YES, MA’AM. >> WHAT I’LL SAY IF WE NEED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE’S ON EXACTLY THE SAME PAGE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET COPIES DISTRIBUTED, THAT MAY SAVE US TIME.

>> MR. DELANEY, THEY HAVE COPIES IN THERE, BINDERS. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR 5.5 A, IS IT THE SAME AS 5.3 ABOVE. I FIXED THE SECTION IN 5.6. >> CHAIR: HE’S LOOKING AT. — >> ON YOURS IT’S DIFFERENT? >> NO, MA’AM, THE VERY LAST LINE

OF 5.5 A DOES SAY SECTION 5.6. I’M JUST — >> HE’S LOOKING ONLINE AT THE CORRECT ONE. >> YEAH, I’M LOOKING ONLINE TOO, BUT I WAS MAKING SURE IF — I THOUGHT I GAVE THEM THE UPDATED ONE. >> CHAIR: THE COPY I’M WORKING FROM I PRINTED.

I PRINTED WHAT WAS THERE LAST WEEK. >> THE COPY IN MY BINDER SAYS 5.3. >> CHAIR: YEAH, IT SAYS 5.3. >> THEN MR. DELANEY EMAILED ME CHANGES, THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED. HE EMAILED ME THE CHANGES, I MADE THEM. I THINK THERE WERE THREE CHANGES.

>> CHAIR: OKAY, WHAT WE’RE GOING TO DO IS LET MR. DELANEY LEAD US. >> DO YOU WANT ME TO PRINT THEM QUICKLY? >> NO. >> MR. DELANEY IS SAYING YES. >> THERE WERE THREE THINGS SHE WAS GOING TO TELL US? >> I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER IF

THE BOARD HAS THE FINAL VERSION IN FRONT OF THEM. WE HAD A ROBUST DISCUSSION. I WANT THE BOARD TO HAVE IT LOCKED IN SO THEY KNOW IN FRONT OF THEM THE EXACT VERSION THEY HAVE. I THINK WE CAN STILL HAVE DISCUSSION AND USE THIS TIME

PRODUCTIVELY, IF THERE ARE OTHER CONCERNS AS WE GO. WE’LL GET THE FINAL VERSION. >> CHAIR: MR. DELANEY DID YOU REVISE PARAGRAPH 6.1, SECTION 6.1. >> CHAIR: YOU NEED TO SPEAK UP, MISS CERTAIN SO WE CAN ALL HEAR YOU? >> 6.1, I WAS ASKING IF THERE WERE ANY CHANGES.

HE WAS SAYING WE COULD HAVE CONTINUED DISCUSSION. SO — >> 6.1, THAT’S CURRENTLY BEFORE THE BOARD, HAS A PROPOSED SALARY OF $190,000 A YEAR ANNUALLY. >> AND SO — >> IN A TERM THAT RUNS THROUGH JUNE 20, 2027. >> OKAY. >> THERE’S OTHER PROVISIONS IN

THERE, THE RETRO BACK PAY TO JULY 2023 AND OTHER PARTS HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED. >> SO THERE WERE NO CHANGES WE’RE WAITING ON MISS GREEN AS WELL IS WHAT I WAS ASKING. >> YES, MA’AM. >> NOR ME, I THINK THAT — I’M

TRYING TO GET — THERE ARE SOME THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE IN HERE. FIRST BEING THE SALARY, TO BRING IT — I MOVE THAT THE SALARY, THE EXISTING RATE BE INCREASED BY THE 3 1/2% THAT THE STAFF RECEIVED IN RECENT PAY NEGOTIATIONS.

I MOVE THAT IN LIEU OF 190, THE SALARY BE THE 3.5 INCREASE, THE EXISTING SALARY BE INCREASED TO 3 1/2%. >> DO WE KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD BE? >> HE’S CALCULATING. >> 6,125. WOULD MAKE THE TOTAL PAY $181,125. >> $181,125. $181,125.

SO WE’RE GOING TO TAKE THEM ONE AT A TIME, OKAY? YOU HEARD — YOU’RE MAKING THAT AS A MOTION. >> THAT’S A MOTION. >> CHAIR: SHE’S MADE THE MOTION THAT WE MAKE HIS SALARY INCREASE BY 3.5%. COMING TO A TOTAL OF $181,125. WHAT’S THE PLEASURE. >> SECOND.

>> CHAIR: IT’S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL RIGHT. >> THIS IS CONFUSING. >> WHY IS IT CONFUSICONFUSING? >> IF SOMEONE ELSE IS MAKING A MOTION ON THE AMENDMENT TO THE SALARY. WE’RE VOTING ON THIS OR — IT’S LIKE — >> YOUR MIC IS OFF.

>> THERE HAS TO BE A SMOOTHER PROCESS. >> WORKSHOP WOULD HAVE BEEN SMOOTHER. >> THAT’S WHY, YEAH — >> YOU LOOK BACK AT THE 2/3/21 WORKSHOP THAT YOU ALL SAID HAPPENED DID NOT HAPPEN. THE WHOLE DISCUSSION WAS ABOUT — BECAUSE PEOPLE’S

PICTURES WERE PUT UP ON FACEBOOK, THE WHOLE THING WAS ABOUT THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH, IT WAS NEVER ABOUT THE CONTRACT. AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I’M GOING TO CORRECT THESE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT OUT THERE ON FACEBOOK THAT ARE NOT FAIR. AS COLLEAGUES, I’M GOING TO MAKE THIS CLEAR.

AS COLLEAGUES, WE ARE HERE TO HAVE A ROBUST CONVERSATION, AND WE’RE TO AGREE. ONE OF THE THINGS WE’RE NOTE TO DO IS BE UNETHICAL OR GO ON FACEBOOK AND DISCUSS THINGS THAT WE ARE PAID TO DO BY OUR CITIZENS. NO OTHER ELECTED OFFICIAL — I’M

LOOKING, ON FACEBOOK, BUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR. WE ARE GOING TO BE RESPECTFUL OF ONE ANOTHER, AND WE’RE HERE — EVERYBODY WILL BE HEARD, I WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. THANK YOU, MR. DELANEY. >> IF I MAY, TO ADDRESS MISS ABBITT’S POINT.

THERE MAY BE OTHER IDEAS ABOUT A MORE APPROPRIATE SALARY AND THE OPINION OF THE BOARD, THAN WHAT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED RIGHT NOW, SO THIS WOULD BE THE TIME THAT THAT COULD BE ADDRESSED, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. THERE CAN BE DISCUSSION, AND

EVEN THOUGH IT’S NOT IN THE FORM OF AN AMENDMENT YET, YOU COULD ADVOCATE FOR A DIFFERENT NUMBER IF THAT’S WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO, OR A DIFFERENT COMPENSATION SCHEME, YOUR AMENDMENT COULD BE THE NEXT ONE IF THIS ONE FAILS. >> MAY I ASK THE ATTORNEY —

>> CHAIR: MISMcNEALY, I WANT US TO BE CLEAR. GO AHEAD. >> ATTORNEY DELANEY, HELP ME, BECAUSE IF MRS. ABBITT HAS AN AMOUNT THAT SHE WANTS, AND I HAVE AN AMOUNT THAT I WANT, ARE YOU SAYING THAT THEN THE MOTION THAT COLLEAGUE CERTAIN PUT OUT,

WE SHOULD JUST X THAT ONE — NO, NO, I’M NOT — I SHOULDN’T SAY X, BUT IF I DON’T VOTE FOR IT — >> CHAIR: IT FAILS. >> AND THEN WE DON’T VOTE FOR MISS ABBITTS, AND THEN WE DON’T MINE, THEN WHERE ARE WE? ARE WE BACK TO THE 190?

I DON’T GET IT. >> SURE, AND — YES, MA’AM, IF ANY AMENDMENT FAILS, THEN WE’RE BACK TO THE FORM OF THE CONTRACT THAT IS CURRENTLY BEFORE THE BOARD, WITHOUT ANY ALTERATIONS, AND SO WE’RE GOING TO NEED TO WORK THROUGH THIS ITEM BY ITEM,

AND NOT TO MAKE THIS MORE COMPLEX, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ALSO — IT’S A TWO PARTY AGREEMENT, RIGHT? BETWEEN THE BOARD AND THE SUPERINTENDENT, WE’RE ALSO GOING TO NEED TO HAVE THE ASSUME AGREE TO THESE ITEMS AS WELL, WHETHER THAT HAPPENS ON THE DAIS TONIGHT

OR AT SOME FUTURE TIME. THE BOARD NEEDS TO BE AWARE THAT THE CHANGES THAT IT WANTS TO MAKE, IT MAY WANT TO HEAR FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT WHETHER THOSE ARE ACCEPTABLE OR ONCE WE GET FURTHER DOWN THE LINE. BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, IF ANY BOARD

MEMBER HAS A DIFFERENT PROPOSED COMPENSATION SCHEME THAN WHAT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED IN MISS CERTAIN’S AMENDMENT, NOW WOULD BE THE TIME TO BRING IT UP, THAT COULD BE THE BASIS FOR VOTING FOR IT OR AGAINST IT. YOU MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION SCHEME, IF THIS

AMENDMENT FAILS, THE CHAIR COULD CALL ON YOU, YOU COULD PROPOSE YOURS, AND WE GO FROM THERE. OKAY? >> CHAIR: MISS ABBITT? >> SO I HAVE A FEW THINGS TO SAY, BEFORE I SAY WHAT I WANT. WE HAVE OUR PROGRAMS IN OUR DISTRICT THAT WORK VERY WELL,

ESPECIALLY THE MAGNET PROGRAMS, IB, THE CTE AT LOFTON, THERE ARE A LOT OF SCHOOLS THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL, THERE ARE ALSO SCHOOLS THAT STRUGGLE. THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH ME, AND IT CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE WITH ME. THERE ARE PROGRAMS THAT THE

SUPERINTENDENT IS LOOKING TO PUT IN PLACE, LIKE THE IB/PYP AT WILLIAMS, AND I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT AND HIS STAFF ARE GOING TO WORK WITH ALL THE PARENTS AT THAT SCHOOL FOR A SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM. THE DISTRICT ALSO HAS THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WAS GIVEN TO US

FROM THE STATE TO BE ONE OF FIVE DISTRICTS THAT CAN HAVE A YEAR ROUND PROGRAM, AND THAT IS GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED AT METCALF AND ROLLINGS, THAT MODEL HAS PROVED TO BE VERY BENEFICIAL FOR OUR MOST STRUGGLING LEARNERS. AND SUCCESSFUL MODELS YEAR ROUND MODELS, NOT ONLY HAVE A

DIFFERENT CALENDAR, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE AN EXTENDED DAY, THEY HAVE HIGH IMPACT TEACHERS AND A CULTURE THAT REFLECTS A POSITIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE STUDENTS, THE TEACHERS AND FOR THE PARENTS, AND THERE ARE MANY THINGS THIS DISTRICT NEEDS TO DO BETTER. THERE WERE PROBLEMS, ISSUES,

STRUGGLES IN THE DISTRICT BEFORE MR. ANDREW BECAME SUPERINTENDENT, AND EVERYTHING WILL NOT BE FIXED OVERNIGHT. BUT WE NEED TO PROCEED WITH A SENSE OF URGENCY AND AN ATTITUDE OF CHANGE, I MEAN, STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE CHANGE MUST OCCUR. NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR A

SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH. I DON’T THINK THAT ANY QUALITY CANDIDATE WOULD APPLY TO WORK FOR A BOARD THAT IS CLEARLY DIVIDED. ESPECIALLY WHEN OUR DISTRICT HAS A TRACK RECORD OF SEVEN SUPERINTENDENTS IN TEN YEARS. THE BOARD NEEDS TO PUT ASIDE PERSONAL ISSUES WITH ONE ANOTHER

AND WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT THE SUPERINTENDENT. WHEN THE TIME COMES FOR A SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH, WE ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO HAVE QUALITY CANDIDATE SUPPLY, IF WE PROVE THIS BOARD IS UNITED WITH THE GOAL OF PROVIDING THE BEST EDUCATION POSSIBLE FOR ALL STUDENTS IN OUR DISTRICT.

AND HAVING SAID THAT, MY CHANGE TO THE SALARY IS MORE OF A SALARY/INCENTIVE. MY PROPOSAL IS THAT WE OFFER THE SUPERINTENDENT A BASE SALARY OF $182,500, AND THAT WE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SALARY INCREASES BASED ON COMPLETION OF TASKS, IF YOU WANT TO SAY THAT.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, AND THIS IS ONE. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, ’23-’24 THE SUPERINTENDENT RECEIVES EFFECTIVE OR HIGHLY EFFECTIVE EVALUATIONS, FROM THE MAJORITY OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, THE FIVE OF US, THEN HE GETS A 5,000 INCREASE TO HIS SALARY.

AT THE END OF THE YEAR, BASED ON GRADES RECEIVED FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, BASED ON FASS TESTING, IF THE FOUR CIS SCHOOLS WHICH ARE LAKE FOREST, METCALF ROLLINGS AND SHELL. IF THEY HAVE MOVED UP TO A C. HE GETS A ONE TIME $2500 SALARY

INCREASE FOR EACH OF THE SCHOOLS THAT MEET THAT GOAL. NOW, IF HE DOES THAT, IT PUTS HIM A LITTLE OVER $190,000. BUT IF HE CAN MOVE THOSE FOUR SCHOOLS TO A C, HE DESERVES EVERY CENT OF THAT. FOR ME, IT’S — I WANT TO SUPPORT THE SUPERINTENDENT, I

HAVE SUPPORTED THE SUPERINTENDENT, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO, I KNOW THAT THINGS ARE NOT GOING TO HAPPEN QUICKLY, I’M NOT A PATIENT PERSON, THAT’S REALLY HARD FOR ME SOMETIMES. BUT I FEEL LIKE, IF SALARY — ADDITIONAL SALARY IS BASED ON

COMPLETION OF THINGS THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT, AND THAT WILL MAKE OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM MORE SUCCESSFUL, THEN I THINK IT’S WORTH IT. SO THAT’S MINE. >> COULD I ASK ONE POINT OF CLARIFICATION. >> THE SI $2500 BONUS. >> IT’S NOT A BONUS, IT’S A

SALARY INCREASE, ONE TIME ONLY. >> BAIT. SO YOU’RE SAYING — SHE SAID IT’S THE SALARY INCREASE, BUT IF IT’S ONE TIME, I’M NOT — >> I MEAN, IT’S JUST — IT GOES TO HIS SALARY. IT’S OBVIOUSLY IT STAYS, BUT IT’S NOT LIKE IF HE PULLS KIDS

OUT, HE GETS ANOTHER $2500. IT’S A ONE TIME, THIS YEAR, THAT WE INCREASE HIS SALARY THAT MUCH BASED ON THE COMPLETION OF THOSE THINGS. >> INCREASE THE BASE SALARY, YES. >> IF IT WAS JUST AN INCENTIVE, I COULD SUPPORT THAT, I’M NOT SURE I COULD SUPPORT THE $2500.

>> FOR $2500 TO GET A SCHOOL UP TO A C. >> I THOUGHT YOU WERE SAYING A BONUS. >> WE HAVE FOUR MORE. HE PULLED THREE OUT. WE HAVE FOUR MORE OF THESE SCHOOLS THAT GOT TO BE PULLED UP. $2500 IS REASONABLE FOR EACH

SCHOOL IS WHAT YOU’RE SAYING? >> I AM. IF HE COMPLETED ALL OF THAT, IF HE GOT A REALLY GOOD EVALUATION, EFFECTIVE, HIGHLY EFFECTIVE FROM THE MAJORITY OF US, THEN HE WOULD GET $5,000, THAT WOULD BRING IT UP TO 187.5. IF HE GETS ALL FOUR OF THOSE

SCHOOLS UP, THAT’S $10,000. THAT’S HIGHER THAN 190. IF HE CAN BRING THESE FOUR SCHOOLS UP, THAT’S A LOT OF WORK. >> THAT’S A LOT OF WORK. >> HE DESERVES IT. >> I HAVE A QUESTION. >> CHAIR: DR. ROCKWELL? >> WHAT HAPPENS IF SCHOOLS DROP? >> HE DOESN’T GET THE BONUS, BUT

IT’S ALSO EFFECTIVE ON HIS SALARY. >> WHAT ABOUT OTHER SCHOOLS. TERWILLIGER OR — >> NOT ANY SCHOOL BUT THESE FUR. >> THE STATE IS TALKING ABOUT NOT RESETTING — >> LET’S THROW CSI OUT OF IT, LET’S TAKE THESE FOUR SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING FOR

YEARS. AND NOT ATTACH A LIBEL TO IT, IF THEY BRING THEIR SCHOOL UP TO A C, THEY GET — HE GETS THAT $2500 SALARY INCREASE. I MEAN, YOU’RE TYING THIS STUFF TO ACHIEVEMENT AND THE SUPERINTENDENT DOING WHAT WE’RE EXPECTING HIM TO DO, IF HE

DOESN’T DO THAT, WE JUST AREN’T PAYING $190,000 SALARY, WE’RE PAYING A LOT LESS SALARY. >> CHAIR: MISS ABBITT, I CAN SUPPORT YOUR REASON, WE NEED TO DEVELOP AN EVALUATION TOOL, BECAUSE WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS NOT SUFFICIENT. >> THAT’S ANOTHER ONE OF THE AMENDMENTS I HAVE.

>> YEAH, I HAVE TOO. I THINK YOU AND I ARE THINKING ALONG THE SAME LINES. >> MISS ABBITT ARE YOU FINISHED? >> I’M FINISHED, IS DR. McNEALY GOING TO DO HERS? I DON’T KNOW HOW WE’RE GOING TO DO THIS. >> I HAD HAD A QUESTION FOR COLLEAGUE ABBITT.

MRS. ABBITT, WHEN YOU SAID THE $2500 FOR — WE’RE TAKING SI OUT, BUT THE FOUR SCHOOLS THAT NEED IMPROVEMENT, THEN THAT 2500 PER SCHOOL, THAT WILL BE FROM — THAT WOULD BE. >> SALARY INCREASE. >> ADD IT TO THE BASE SALARY. THERE WOULD BE NO REMOVAL OF

THAT THE NEXT YEAR IF THAT SCHOOL — THOSE SCHOOLS MAINTAIN — [ INAUDIBLE ] >> I LIKE THAT. >> CHAIR: WHAT ABOUT THE PERSIANAGE INCREASE, I DON’T WANT TO DO BOTH — PERCENTAGE INCREASE, I DON’T WANT TO DO BOTH. IT BINDS THE DISTRICT.

I CAN SUPPORT WHAT YOU’RE SAYING, MISS ABBITT, SINCE YOU MADE YOUR COMMENTS, I WANT TO ADD WHAT I HAVE. IN LOOKING AT COMPARABLE DISTRICTS AND WHAT SCHOOLS HAVE TO PAY, THERE IS THE DISCRETIONARY MILLAGE RATE .748, THAT MILL IS MET FOR STAFF PAY, RIGHT?

ALL OF THE DISTRICT’S THAT HAVE BEEN MENTIONED, DON’T HAVE 55% OF THEIR PROPERTY EXEMPT FROM PLANNED PROPERTY TAX. OUR .748 DOES NOT GENERATE NEAR THE REVENUE FOR ALACHUA COUNTY AS OTHER DISTRICTS. WHEN WE PAY MORE THAN THE AVERAGE, WE’RE SETTING PRECEDENT

HERE, I MEAN, THE NEXT PERSON COMING IN, IF THEY HAVE A Ph.D. AND THEY HAVE YEARS OF EXECUTIVE LEVEL EXPERIENCE, THEY’RE GOING TO WANT THAT AND MORE, SO WHAT WE DO HERE TONIGHT IS NOT JUST CONSUMING OR ENCUMBERING TODAY’S RESOURCES, WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK

AHEAD TO WHAT WE’RE ENCUMBERING IN THE FUTURE, AND SO — IF WE PUT IT ALL IN THE PERSON WHO IS IN THIS BUILDING, THAT LEAVES FEWER DOLLARS FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS THAT ARE OUT THERE WITH DIRECTING.

BUT I CAN SUPPORT THE INCENTIVE BASE RATE THAT THE COLLEAGUE HAS SUGGESTED THERE WITHOUT THE CORRESPONDING INCREASE, SALARY INCREASE, PERCENTAGE INCREASE EACH YEAR. THANK YOU FOR THAT, MISS ABBITT. DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING DR. McNEALY? >> NO, I DON’T. I’M WAITING FOR SOME OTHER SECTIONS, HOWEVER.

>> DR. ROCKWELL YOUR LIGHT IS STILL ON. MISS ABBITT YOUR LIGHT IS STILL ON. >> CHAIR: NOW WE HAVE, THE COMPROMISE WAS 181,125 IS WHAT YOU PROPOSED, MISS ABBITT CAME AND TALKED ABOUT 182.500 ALONG WITH THE INCENTIVE STEPS. IF HE GETS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE OR

EFFECTIVE, HE GETS A $5,000 RAISE IF THE IMAGINE ORDER OF THE BOARD AGREES. IF THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD DOES THAT. AND THEN IF HE MOVES OUR CSI SCHOOLS, THOSE FOUR SCHOOLS THAT WERE NAMED, HE WOULD GET $2500 FOR EACH SCHOOL, OKAY?

SO 182, 5 VERSUS 180, 182,5, INTO THE MUCH DIFFERENCE. CAN WE ACCEPT THOSE AMENDMENTS FOR THAT. >> I CAN. I MOVE THAT WE — I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION BEFORE I DO THAT, AND I’LL MAKE THE MOTION. SO I GUESS THE QUESTION — I’M

NOT SURE IF IT WAS DR. ROCKWELL THAT SAID IF WE HAVE ANOTHER SCHOOL THAT SLIPS DOWN, WILL WE PUT SOMETHING IN TO COUNTERACT THAT? >> THAT’S PARTS OF THE EVALUATION, I MEAN, THAT’S PART OF WHAT WE’RE EXPECTING. ONE OF THE THINGS WE CAN DO WHEN

YOU LOOK AT THE EVALUATION, THE REASON WHY I KNOW WHEN I DID THE CONTRACT, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT RIGHT QUICK, THE EVALUATION IS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS IN PLACE. AND WHEN MR. DELANEY AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS, HE’S SEEN IT

WORKED WELL IN OTHER DISTRICTS. WE’VE ALWAYS HAD THIS SESSION ABOUT GOALS, AND WE WILL HAVE THOSE FOUR INITIATIVES BY THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, JUNE ’24, WILL WE BE TOTALLY COMPLETE WITHOUT THAT PROCESS? NO, WE WILL KNOW THE FOUR THINGS THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS SPENT

ALL OF THESE MONTHS WORKING ON TO HAVE. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE COULD DO, WHEN I LOOKED AT ANOTHER CONTRACT, I ADDED INFORMATION ABOUT — WITHIN — AFTER WE APPROVE HIS CONTRACT, THEN WE CAN ADD ANOTHER SENTENCE THAT SAYS, THE CRITERIA OF THAT

ASSESSMENT, MEANING HIS EVALUATION, WE COULD LOOK AT THAT, AND DECIDE WITHIN 30 DAYS WHAT THE EVALUATION TOOL WILL LOOK LIKE, THAT WE CAN ADD THAT. THAT WAY WE HAVE A TIME TO DISCUSS. AFTER WE APPROVE THIS CONTRACT TONIGHT, WHATEVER WE COME UP AND

AGREE WITH, WE CAN ADD A SENTENCE IN THE CONTRACT, BECAUSE I LOOKED AT SOME OTHER COUNTIES CONTRACTS, THE CRITERIA OF WHAT THAT ASSESSMENT LOOKS LIKE, AS FAR AS EVALUATING HIM WITHIN 30 DAYS. THE CONTRACT SAYS 60 DAYS, I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE PUT

THAT EVALUATION CRITERIA, HOW WE’RE GOING TO EVALUATE HIM WITHIN 30 DAYS, AND THAT COULD BE SOMETHING WE GET TOGETHER TO DISCUSS. >> I THINK WE NEED MORE THAN 30 DAYS. >> OR 60? WE HAVEN’T HAD A STRATEGIC PLAN SINCE 2008 OR ’09, WHEN I TALK

TO STAFF, THIS PROCESS IS HAPPENING. ALL OF THE WORK WE PAID FOR, THAT’S WHAT — WE NEED TO MAKE SURE, THAT’S PART OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY. WE NEED A TOOL TO EVALUATE HIM ON, IF WE WANT TO TAKE 60 DAYS, THAT’S FINE WITH ME.

AND LET ME SAY THIS, MISS CERTAIN ALSO. ONE OF THE REASONS I LOOKED AT EVALUATING HIM, WHEN I CAME IN, WE EVALUATED HIM IN APRIL, WELL, WE JUST GOT HERE IN — WE WERE SWORN IN NOVEMBER 2022, WE WERE OUT THREE WEEKS FOR CHRISTMAS.

AND THEN IN APRIL I AM EVALUATING HIM. SO NOW THAT WE’RE TRYING TO HOLD ACCOUNTABLE ABOUT MOVING THESE SCHOOLS, JUNE 30th, WE GET OUT — JUNE WHATEVER WE GET OUT OF SCHOOL, WE DON’T HAVE OUR DATA BACK FROM THE STATE ON HOW

THOSE SCHOOLS ARE DONE, BY JULY # 31, YOU’LL HAVE THAT DATA, THAT GIVES US A CHANCE FOR MR. ANDREW AND HIS STAFF TO LOOK AT ALL THAT DATA, SO BY SEPTEMBER 1st, IT SAYS ANNUALLY IS WHAT THE POLICY SAYS, BY SEPTEMBER

1st, WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE ALL OF THE DATA, THAT’S WHAT WE WANT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE’RE MOVING OUR SCHOOLS IN A BETTER DIRECTION. THAT’S WHY WE PUT THAT IN THE CONTRACT AS WELL. GO AHEAD, MISS CERTAIN. YOU SAID YOU HAD ONE OTHER THING?

>> NO, I WAS GOING TO REPHRASE. >> CAN I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE EVALUATION PART? >> YES. >> I THINK THE EVALUATION PART IS IMPORTANT, IT’S IMPORTANT FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR, I THINK IN ALL FAIRNESS TO SOMEONE WHO’S BEING EVALUATED, THEY NEED TO KNOW

EXACTLY WHAT THEY’RE BEING EVALUATED ON. IT’S VERY GENERAL. LAST YEAR WHEN WE DID IT, WE ALL HAD DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE WERE EVALUATING HIM ON. AND THAT’S NOT FOR ANYBODY. ANYBODY AT ALL, THAT’S NOT A FAIR EVALUATION, SO I DO FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO GET TOGETHER AND

JUST KIND OF FINE TUNE THOSE THINGS, AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO MEASURE THAT. AND THEN — IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT’S MUTUALLY AGREED UPON, BETWEEN THE BOARD AND VUPT. AND THEN HE KNOWS, LIKE — I HAVE SEVEN OR EIGHT MONTHS BEFORE I’M GOING TO BE

EVALUATED. THIS IS WHAT THEY’RE HOPING FOR ME TO ACCOMPLISH, IT’S NOT FAIR TO JUST NOT HAVE THE BOARD NOR THE SUPERINTENDENT SURE ABOUT WHAT THE EVALUATION’S GOING TO BE, OR THE TOOL THAT’S GOING TO BE USED TO ASSESS WHETHER HE’S BEEN EFFECTIVE.

FOR ME IT WAS HARD ESPECIALLY AFTER JUST GETTING ELECTED, TO FIGURE OUT SOME OF THIS STUFF. IT NEEDS TO BE GOAL ORIENTED AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT DATA, THAT HAPPENED, NO, THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN. THAT’S ALL I WAS GOING TO SAY ABOUT THAT.

>> I THINK THAT’S WHAT I MEANT WHEN I SAID, WE HAVE TO DEVELOP A TOOL. WE DON’T HAVE A TOOL. AS FAR AS INITIATIVES, WE DID HAVE INITIATIVES THAT WE ALL AGREED UPON. >> AND THAT’S WHAT — THAT’S WHAT — I THINK THE EVALUATION

TOOL — LET’S GET PAST THIS, AND WE TALK ABOUT THAT, WE HAVE A SECTION ON ANNUAL EVALUATIONS. >> WHAT I TELL YOU, WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT OTHER CONTRACTS, THE CRITERIA, THAT’S WHAT I WAS SAYING, WE’RE ALL SAYING THE SAME THING. THE CRITERIA FOR THE ASSESSMENT

SHALL BE ESTABLISHED MUTUALLILY BY THE BOARD AND THE SUPERINTENDENT WITHIN 30 DAYS, 60 DAYS OF SIGNING THIS AGREEMENT. THAT MEANS AFTER WE GET A FINALIZED AGREEMENT, NOW WE’RE SAYING, WE’RE HOLDING OUT — EVERYONE’S ON THE SAME PAGE, IT’S IN THE CONTRACT, THAT WE

GET TOGETHER AND KNOW — SO HE CAN KNOW WHAT HE’S BEING EVALUE ATED ON, THERE NEEDS TO BE AN ASSESSMENT, YOU CAN ADD THAT ONE SENTENCE TO THE CONTRACT. >> MADAM CHAIR? >> CHAIR: YES, MA’AM. >> IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THIS BOARD WOULD DECIDE THE EVALUATION LOOKS LIKE.

>> CHAIR: RIGHT. >> TO BE PUNITIVE TOTALLY, I’M NOT IN AGREEMENT. IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT GROWTH AND ASSESSMENT OF OUR SCHOOLS, THAT’S ONE THING. I CERTAINLY DON’T WANT IT TO DEVELOP INTO A PUNITIVE MEASURE AS WE TALK ABOUT ONCE WE GET

BEYOND THIS, AND START TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT IN THE EVALUATION, I THINK THAT’S VERY IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT. >> CHAIR: YES. THIS IS ALL I’M TALKING ABOUT NOW, IS JUST ADDING WITHIN THE CONTRACT, SO MR. ANDREW KNOWS, AND WE KNOW, BECAUSE MISS

CERTAIN HAS SAID AND MISS ABBITT HAVE SAID THEY WANT SOME TYPE OF ASSESSMENT, WHERE WE CAN EVALUATE HIM, THE CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT SHALL BE ESTABLISHED MUTUALLY BY THE BOARD AND THE SUPERINTENDENT WITHIN 30 DAYS OF HIM SIGNING THIS AGREEMENT. IF WE WANT 60 DAYS, THAT’S FINE,

NOW, BOTH PARTIES ARE ON THE SAME PAGE, KNOWING WE HAVE TO — WE CAN COME UP WITH A WORKSHOP OR SOMETHING ABOUT THE EVALUATION AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, SO WE’RE FAIR TO HIM AND WE’RE NOT PUNITIVE. OKAY? THAT’S ANOTHER LANGUAGE WE CAN OFFER. THANK YOU.

NOW, BACK TO — >> I THINK MISS CERTAIN IS GOING TO MAKE A MOTION. >> WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO, I WAS GOING TO WITHDRAW MY MOTION AND LET YOU MAKE MY MOTION. BEFORE WE — I WANT TO ADDRESS THE DATES IN THERE.

I WITHDRAW MY MOTION AND LET YOU GO AHEAD AND READ, SO MISS GREEN WILL HAVE IT FOR THE MINUTES. >> I MOVE THAT WE OFFER A BASE SALARY OF $182,500 WITH AN INCENTIVE PLAN THAT IF THE SUPERINTENDENT GETS EFFECTIVE OR HIGHLY EFFECTIVE EVALUATIONS FOR

THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR BY A MAJORITY OF THE BOARD, HE GETS A SALARY INCREASE OF $5,000. I ALSO WANT TO MAKE ANOTHER INCENTIVE FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT, THAT IF THE FOUR FOLLOWING SCHOOLS, LAKE FOREST, SHELL, METCALF AND RAWLINGS IMPROVE THEIR SCHOOL GRADE TO A

C OR BETTER, THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL HAVE A SALARY INCREASE OF $2,500 FOR EACH SCHOOL — EACH OF THOSE FOUR SCHOOLS THAT IMPROVES THEIR GRADE. THIS IS A ONE TIME — IT’S NOT LIKE, IF THE SCHOOL GOES DOWN, HE GETS SUBTRACTED. OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

IT’S JUST FOR THOSE FOUR SCHOOLS, IF THAT HAPPENS, THIS IS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WILL BE ADDED TO HIS SALARY. >> IS THAT FOR JUST THIS SCHOOL YEAR? IT HAS TO HAPPEN THIS SCHOOL YEAR? >> YES. JUST FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR. >> OKAY, I CAN —

>> CHAIR: THAT DON’T MEAN THE SALARY IS GOING TO GO DOWN IF HE STAYS LONGER. >> NO. >> IT’S AN INCREASE TO HIS SALARY. >> YES. >> CHAIR: I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, EVERYBODY THINKS DIFFERENTLY. YOU GOT ALL OF THAT, MISS GREEN? OKAY. IS THERE ANY —

>> THERE HAS TO BE A SECOND. >> I WAS GOING TO SECOND IT. >> CHAIR: YEAH, SECOND. YOU SECONDED? >> YES. >> CHAIR: WE HEARD IT. ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> CITIZEN INPUT? >> CHAIR: WE’VE ALREADY HAD CITIZEN INPUT. WE ALREADY HAD IT. YOU CAN SAY YOUR COMMENTS AT THE

END LATER. ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> CHAIR: OPPOSED? >> I JUST HAVE A EMPLOYERAL QUESTION. COULD WE — I JUST HAVE A PROCEDURAL QUESTION. COULD WE WALK-THROUGH THIS SO WE’RE NOT BOUNCING BACK AND FORTH, SECTION 5.3 DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING? 5.4, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING?

OTHERWISE WE’LL BE BOUNCING AROUND THE CONTRACT. >> CHAIR: WE’RE AT 6.1 — >> WELL, I HAVE OTHER THINGS. >> CHAIR: I THOUGHT WE WERE VOTING ON JUST THIS RIGHT NOW. >> WE JUST DID, WE PASSED IT. >> CHAIR: I DIDN’T FINISH ASKING, I KNOW WHAT I’M DOING.

I DIDN’T FINISH. ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> CHAIR: AYE. MOTION PASSES. MISS CERTAIN? >> YES. I WANTED TO GO BACK, THIS RETROACTIVE PAY, THE — WE’RE IN AN EXISTING CONTRACT ALREADY, I DON’T THINK — I MOVE THAT THIS CONTRACT BE EFFECTIVE FROM TODAY

EFFECTIVE FROM FEBRUARY 7TH AND NOT BE RETROACTIVELY DATED BACK TO JULY 1ST. >> CHAIR: ARE YOU MAKING THAT AS A MOTION? >> I MOVE, YES, THAT’S A MOTION. THAT THIS BE THE PAY WOULD BE EFFECTIVE FROM FEBRUARY 7TH, WHEN THIS IS RATIFIED,

ADOPTED. AND THE TERM WOULD BE FROM TODAY’S DATE OR FEBRUARY 7TH TO JUNE 30TH, 2027. >> CHAIR: OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> CHAIR: YOU’VE HEARD THE MOTION. DR. MCNEALY, DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT?

>> OH, I WAS READY TO VOTE. >> CHAIR: MY THING IS AND I’M GOING TO SAY WHY. ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID AND WE WORKED HARD ON WAS TO MAKE SURE OUR TEACHERS AND OUR INSTRUCTIONAL AND OUR NONINSTRUCTIONAL STAFF JUST

LIKE YOU LOOKED AT THREE AND A HALF PERCENT AT THE BEGINNING WE RETROED ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND I DON’T THINK WE SHOULD TREAT OUR SUPERINTENDENT ANY DIFFERENT. THAT’S NOT, I DON’T THINK THAT’S FAIR. THAT’S MY COMMENT. SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE

FLOOR SO NOW WE WILL TAKE A VOTE. >> AND I DIDN’T GIVE ANY COMMENTARY I JUST MADE THE MOTION. OUR SUPERINTENDENT IS EXECUTIVE OF THE ORGANIZATION. HE DOESN’T GET — YOU CAN’T EAT OUT OF BOTH HANDS AND HAVE THE PROTECTIONS AND THE

BENEFITS OF BEING STAFF AND THEN WANT, I MEAN OF BEING AN EXECUTIVE AND THEN YOU WANT ALL OF THE SAME THINGS THAT THE PEOPLE UP UNDER YOU GET BECAUSE HE IS GOING TO GET A BONUS HERE, $2500 PER SCHOOL IF THE GRADE IMPROVES WHEN HE

IS NOT IN THE SCHOOL. HE IS NOT THERE, THE TEACHERS THAT ARE THERE THEY ARE NOT GETTING THE SAME THING SO THAT IS MY REASONING BEHIND IT. HE IS ALREADY GETTING MORE THAN WHAT THE STAFF ARE GETTING THAT ARE THERE DOING

THE WORK THAT ARE ACTUALLY THERE IN THE SCHOOLHOUSE VE VERSUS, YOU KNOW, THE BONUS THEY ARE NOT GETTING THAT SO IF THE GRADE COMES UP MAYBE WE FREE UP FUNDS AND WE ARE ABLE TO CONSIDER THAT BUT THE STAFF THAT ARE ACTUALLY THERE IN THE

SCHOOLS IN HIS SALARY WE PAID APPROPRIATELY AND WE ARE IN A CONTRACT ALREADY. HIS CONTRACT HAS NOT EXPIRED. I DIDN’T FEEL THERE WAS ANY REASON TO GO BACK TO BACKDATE AND TO PAY ANYTHING. HE IS IN A CONTRACT. HIS CURRENT CONTRACT DOES NOT

EXPIRE UNTIL JUNE 20TH OF 2024 THIS YEAR SO WE ARE MODIFYING THE CONTRACT AND I DON’T SEE A NEED TO GO BACK AND BACK PAY THAT. >> CHAIR: ALSO, MR. ANDREW ALSO, YOU CAN’T COMPARE A SUPERINTENDENT’S WORK TO A TEACHER AND IT IS NOT TO

BELITTLE ANY TEACHER BUT THERE ANDREW IS A TYPE OF SUPERINTENDENT BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN CLASSES ARE SHORT HE IS TEACHING. WHEN THE CAFETERIA IS SHORT, HE IS GOING. SO NOT ONLY IS HE DOING THAT AND I JUST DON’T THINK THAT THAT IS FAIR.

HE SHOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE SAME TREATMENT AS ALL OF THE OTHER EMPLOYEES BUT I DON’T THINK THAT IS FAIR AT ALL BECAUSE HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR ENTIRE DISTRICT AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER COUNTIES, WHICH I DID, TOO, I

LOOKED AT CHARLOTTE COUNTY, LEE COUNTY, I LOOKED AT A WHOLE LOT OF COUNTIES EVEN WITH LEON COUNTY AND I WANT FOR THE RECORD AS WELL JUST TO LET ME SAY THIS. ROCKY HANNAH WHO IS THE SUPERINTENDENT IN LEON COUNTY

FROM 2016 TO 2022, HE DID NOT — HE AGREED ON HIS OWN NOT TO ACCEPT AN INCREASE BECAUSE HE COULD AFFORD TO DO THAT. I KNOW HIM. SO HE DID NOT. SO THAT’S KIND OF AN OUTLIER AND YOU CAN’T REALLY LOOK AT THAT.

AND BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AND I KNOW SOMEBODY HERE MENTIONED ABOUT THE FRS WITH THE FRS THAT’S STANDARD. ANYBODY WILL GET THAT. THAT’S LEGISLATED. THAT’S JUST LAW BECAUSE I WANT TO SAY THAT I DIDN’T KNOW IF MR. COFFMAN WAS STILL HERE BUT

I DON’T THINK IT IS FAIR TO TREAT HIM ANY DIFFERENT BECAUSE AT 190 THE RETRO WOULD ONLY HAVE BEEN $8,749.44 NOT LIKE SOME PEOPLE HAD CALLED TO SAY THAT’S $15,000 TIMES SIX. NO, IT IS A FORMULA WE’VE ALREADY EARNED 14 PAYCHECKS YOU TAKE THAT $15,000 AND

DIVIDE IT BY 24 AND IT IS NOT A TOTAL OF 15 TIMES SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS. IT IS RETROED. THANK YOU. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. YOU ALL STILL HAVE YOUR LIGHTS ON. >> YES. >> CHAIR: MR.DR. ROCKWELL?

>> YES, OUR STAFF MEMBERS DID GET RETROACTIVE PAY BUT WE SHOULD HAVE HAD A SALARY AGREEMENT BASED ON STATE STATUTE BEFORE OCTOBER 1ST. THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SENT TO THE STATE BY OCTOBER 1ST. WE DIDN’T RATIFY A SALARY AGREEMENT UNTIL AFTER SEVERAL

MONTHS AFTER THAT DEADLINE. AND THAT WAS BECAUSE OUR BARGAINING TEAMS DID NOT MEET OVER THE SUMMER. AS THE EXECUTIVE OF THIS DISTRICT, THE SUPERINTENDENT DIRECTS OUR BARGAINING TEAM. THEY DID NOT MEET WITH THE ACEA’S BARGAINING TEAM OVER THE SUMMER.

WE DID NOT HAVE A SALARY AGREEMENT IN A TIMELY FASHION. OUR EMPLOYEES WHO QUITE FRANKLY MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE MAKING POVERTY WAGES. THEY ARE NOT MAKING A WAGE THAT YOU CAN SURVIVE ON. AND I KNOW THAT BECAUSE OUR BOARD MEMBER SALARIES ARE LESS

THAN A BEGINNING TEACHERS. SO THEY ARE MAKING POVERTY WAGES. THEY ARE COUNTING ON GETTING THEIR RAISES SO THAT THEY CAN SURVIVE AND PAY THEIR BILLS. THEY HAD TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER CHRISTMAS BREAK TO GET THAT RETRO PAY BECAUSE OUR DISTRICT

LEADER DID NOT MAKE SURE THAT SALARY NEGOTIATIONS HAPPENED IN A TIMELY FASHION. SO I DISAGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES I THINK THE OPPOSITE. IT IS UNFAIR TO GIVE HIM RETROACTIVE PAY WHEN OUR STAFF — WHEN HE IS MAKING A HEFTY SALARY THAT MANY PEOPLE IN OUR

COMMUNITY WOULD BE OVER THE MOON TO MAKE AND I AM NOT SAYING THAT BEING A SUPERINTENDENT IS AN EASY JOB. IT IS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT THAT IS WHY IT IS A HIGH SALARY JOB BUT TO SAY WE’RE GOING TO GIVE RETRO PAY TO

SOMEONE WHEN OUR STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE BARELY SCRAPING BY HAD TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE WINTER HOLIDAYS TO GET THEIR PAY I JUST CAN’T SEE DOING THAT. >> CHAIR: AND ALSO AS ELECTED OFFICIALS WE GET 58. 60% SO THAT MEANS OF THE 45,000 WE’RE

GETTING 37,000 PUT INTO FRS FOR US. ALL IN FAVOR? THEY ARE RETIRED SO THEY DON’T BUT THE ONES THAT ARE NOT WE DO. THAT’S WHY PEOPLE RUN FOR OFFICE SOMETIMES I GUESS BUT I I DIGRESS >> I TOOK A BIG VOTE TO GET

THIS. >> I’M CALLING FOR THE VOTE, MADAM CHAIR. >> CHAIR: ALL IN FAVOR? >> WHAT ARE WE IN FAVOR FOR? >> CHAIR: SHE DOES NOT WANT IT TO BE RETRO. ALL IN FAVOR? >> FOR NOT RETRO, AYE.

>> CHAIR: ALL OPPOSED? MOTION FAILS. SO WE WILL BE MOVING ON FROM THAT. THAT’S 6.1. MOVING ON. 6.2? >> CHAIR: JUST TELL ME WHICH SECTION. WE WILL GO BACK. >> I AM GOING BACK TO 5.5D.

IF ANYONE HAS SOMETHING BEFORE THAT IN THE CONTRACT I WILL DEFER TO THEM. >> CHAIR: OKAY. ANYBODY? NO. OKAY. SO IN 57.5D IT SAYS THE SUPERINTENDENT SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THIS CONTRACT BY PROVIDING A

MINIMUM OF 90 DAYS WRITTEN NOTICE OF HIS INTENT TO RESIGN. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE REQUESTED NOTICE SHALL RESULT IN THE FORFEITURE OF ONE-HALF OF THE SICK LEAVE THAT HAS ACCRUED UNDER THIS CONTRACT AT THE TIME OF SEPARATION. SO SUPERINTENDENT ANDREW HAS

BEEN WITH THIS DISTRICT FOR DECADES. THIS ONLY IMPACTS THE SICK LEAVE ACCRUED FROM TODAY FORWARD. AND ONLY HALF OF THAT. IT BASICALLY ALLOWS HIM TO RESIGN WITH NO NOTICE AND NO PENALTY. HE IS ASKING FOR A THREE-YEAR CONTRACT WHICH IS A LONG

CONTRACT TERM. AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE LAST SUPERINTENDENT COMPARABLE TO HIS SITUATION WAS MRS. KAREN CLARKE WHO HAD BEEN WITH THE DISTRICT FOR A LONG TIME AND HAD A LOT OF ACCRUED LEAVE AND HER CONTRACT SAID THAT WHEN SHE SEPARATED SHE FORFEITED

ALL OF HER ACCRUED LEAVE FROM ALL OF HER TIME WITH THE DISTRICT IF SHE DID NOT GIVE NOTICE. IT DID NOT HAVE AN EXCEPTION FOR SEVERE ILLNESS OF HER OR AN IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER WHICH I WOULD BE FINE WITH.

BUT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS WRITTEN THIS WAY IF THE SUPERINTENDENT DOES NOT INTEND TO STAY AS LONG AS HE AND HIS FAMILY ARE HEALTHY THEN WHY ARE WE LOOKING AT A THREE-YEAR CONTRACT. I CAN’T IMAGINE WANTING TO

HAVE THIS PROVISION WHERE YOU CAN RESIGN WITH NO NOTICE FROM BASICALLY A CEO-LEVEL POSITION AND NO PENALTY. JUST WALK AWAY WITH NO NOTICE. SO I MOVE THAT IF HE FAILS TO PROVIDE — THAT WE CHANGE THIS LAST SENTENCE FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE REQUESTED NOTICE

SHALL RESULT IN THE FORFEITURE OF ALL OF THE SICK LEAVE THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS ACCRUED EXCEPT IN THE SITUATION WHERE HE OR AN IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER IS ILL. >> CHAIR: ALL RIGHT. YOU’VE HEARD HER MOTION. >> SECOND. >> CHAIR: OKAY.

AND I’M GOING TO SPEAK TO THIS. SHE, FOR ONE, KAREN CLARKE, WAS NOT RETIRED. MR. ANDREW HAS GIVEN 30 YEARS TO THIS DISTRICT. HE WENT TO DROP. NOW, IF I’M WORKING ON A JOB FOR 30 YEARS YOU AIN’T GOING

TO COME TAKE WHAT I’VE ALREADY EARNED. HE IS IN A NEW POSITION WHICH IS SUPERINTENDENT, AND SO THEREFORE BEING A SUPERINTENDENT MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE HE IS IN ANOTHER POSITION HE IS ALREADY EARNED HIS DROP SO THEY CONSIDERED HIM RETIRED.

WHAT HE IS DOING NOW IS A NEW POSITION. HUMAN. IN THE HUMAN SENSE, IN BEING PROFESSIONAL, YOU DO NOT TAKE SOMETHING FROM SOMEBODY WHO IS ALREADY EARNED THAT. THAT IS WHY, SO HE HAS A RIGHT. WE NEED 90 DAYS SO IF WE HAVE

TO REPLACE SOMEBODY SOME CONTRACTS SAY 30 OR 60 THAT’S NOT ENOUGH TIME IF WE NEED TO GET AN INTERIM BUT TO SAY IN EACH SUPERINTENDENT IS DIFFERENT THAT’S BECAUSE WE’VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE CONTRACT, THE CONTRACT IS DIFFERENT. SHE WAS NOT RETIRED.

MR. ANDREW IS RETIRED. SO YOU DON’T JUST TAKE ALL OF WHAT HE HAS ALREADY EARNED BECAUSE HE HAD 30 YEARS HE’S ALREADY GIVEN TO THIS DISTRICT. MR. ANDREW, I SAW YOUR LIGHT FIRST. >> YES, MADAM CHAIR, IF I MAY

ADD A LITTLE BIT TO THE DISCUSSION SINCE THIS IS BEING NEGOTIATED FROM THE DAIS. I WOULD JUST SAY THAT SENTENCE SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE CONTRACT. I HAVE A COLLEAGUE IN HOUSTON COUNTY THAT’S PUNITIVE IN MY OPINION. I HAVE A COLLEAGUE IN HOUSTON

COUNTY WHO HAS A 60-DAY NOTICE CLAUSE IN HIS CONTRACT PERIOD AND HE IS COMPENSATED FOR ALL OF HIS SICK AND VACATION AND SO IN MY COMMENT IS THAT I HAVE COME TO WORK THROUGHOUT MY CAREER. I’VE CHOSEN TO COME TO WORK

AND I’VE BEEN BLESSED TO COME TO WORK SO THAT’S JUST THE WAY IT HAS WORKED OUT BUT I JUST DON’T MISS TO MISS OR SCHEDULE VACATIONS WHEN KIDS ARE IN SESSION AND ARE 180-DAY CALENDAR BUT I WOULD SAY THAT IS — THERE ARE SUPERINTENDENT CONTRACTS CURRENTLY ACTIVE AND

THAT CAN BE PULLED UP AND LOOKED AT WHILE WE ARE IN THE MEETING THAT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY NO PUNITIVE FOR SICK OR EARNED TIME FOR VACATION. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >> CHAIR: THANK YOU. MR. DELANEY? I SAW YOUR LIGHT. OKAY.

MISS CERTAIN? >> THANK YOU. SO I HAD THIS — I HAD THIS MARKED BUT I DIDN’T — I HAD IT MARKED BECAUSE WHEN I READ THIS AND I WANT TO SAY AGAIN WHEN WE HAVE THINGS IN CONTRACTS AND THERE ARE

GUARDRAILS THAT ARE PUT IN TO PROTECT THE DISTRICT JUST AS HE IS PURSUING AND HE HAS USED THE STAFF ATTORNEY WHICH I THINK IS HIGHLY — I DON’T THINK SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN — THE STAFF ATTORNEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED TO WORK ON THIS

AGREEMENT HERE BECAUSE SHE IS REPRESENTING THE SUPERINTENDENT AND I THINK HE SHOULD HAVE HIRED HIS OWN ATTORNEY, BUT THE THINGS THE PROVISIONS THAT ARE IN HERE ARE IN HERE TO PROTECT THE DISTRICT AND THE TAXPAYERS. I CAN APPRECIATE THAT AND I

UNDERSTAND THAT MR. ANDREW HAS A LOT OF LEAVE BECAUSE HE HAS COME TO WORK AND HE HAS BEEN BLESSED WITH GOOD HEALTH AND THAT’S GOOD I WAS IN THAT SAME WAY BUT I DO — I CAN AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE AND WHAT SHE

IS SAYING IS THAT IN HERE THERE ARE OTHER AREAS HE WANTS 20 WEEKS OF SEVERANCE. I’M OKAY WITH THAT. THAT’S NORMAL SEVERANCE IN THERE. IN OTHER PARTS THERE IS A TIME PERIOD IN WHERE HE HAS TO BE GIVEN NOTICE TO CORRECT

DEFICIENCIES, SO TO ASK FOR PROTECTION FOR THE DISTRICT IS NOT OUT OF THE ORDINARY. THIS IS NOT LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD PUT UP — PUT OUT THERE THAT IS TO TRIP UP ANYONE. IF HE WAS TO DECIDE TO LEAVE

AT THE LAST MINUTE AND WE HAVE TO SCRAMBLE WE ARE IN THIS PREDICAMENT OF HAVING TWO INTERIMS BACK TO BACK BECAUSE OUR SUPERINTENDENT MISS CLARKE WAS TERMINATED THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ACTIONS WHEN YOU CAME ON THE BOARD THAT YOU WANTED.

>> CHAIR: WE ALL VOTED ON IT. >> WE ALL VOTED ON IT BUT DON’T ACT AS IF WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE TO BOW DOWN AND ABBICQUIESCE TO EVERYTHING BECAUSE WE DON’T KNOW WHO WOULD HAVE APPLIED FOR THE JOB BECAUSE WE NEVER

OPENED THE SEARCH. IF YOU OPEN THE SEARCH AND FOLKS COME IN AND KNOW THEY CAN NEGOTIATE A SALARY WE DON’T KNOW WHAT APPS WE WOULD GET. THERE ARE PLENTY OF DISTRICTS THAT HAVE HAD SEARCHS AND THEY’VE GOTTEN QUALIFIED CANDIDATES SO I’VE ACCEPTED

THAT HE IS HERE AND THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP. I’VE ACCEPTED THAT. BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, THE ORGANIZATION WE SAY WE NEED CHANGE AND WE NEED TO IMPROVE BUT EVERYONE WANTS TO KEEP DRINKING FROM THE SAME F

FOUNTAIN BUT AGAIN OUR STATE WITH THIS PARTICULAR THING HERE THE GUARDRAILS TO PROTECT THE DISTRICT SHOULD BE IN THERE AND YOU AS OUR CHAIR HAVING SAT WITH THE ATTORNEYS AND THE SUPERINTENDENT IN MY VIEW HAD A RESPONSIBILITY TO NEGOTIATE ON BEHALF OF THE

BOARD COLLECTIVELY AS WELL AS THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY TO PROTECT US AS WELL. SGL >> CHAIR: AND WE DID JUST THAT AND IT IS ONLY FAIR WE WERE WITHOUT A STAFF ATTORNEY FOR A WHILE. MR. ANDREW IS SUPERINTENDENT, PART OF THE STAFF.

HE IS AN ADMINISTRATOR SO SHE HANDLES THAT SIDE. THERE DELANEY IS THE BOARD AND SO WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO COLLABORATE AND MAKE SURE YOU ARE BEING FAIR TO BOTH PARTIES BECAUSE WE ARE ALL ABOUT THESE PEOPLE BEING OKAY WITH SERVING OUR

STUDENTS. WE DID THAT AND SHE HAD EVERY RIGHT TO REPRESENT HIM, OKAY, IF NOTHING ELSE LET’S MOVE ON. SHE PUT A MOTION. ALL IN FAVOR? >> CAN YOU REPEAT THE MOTION? >> CHAIR: OKAY. THE MOTION IS THAT HE WOULD

FORFEIT ALL OF HIS SICK LEAVE THAT HE HAS EARNED SINCE HE HAS BEEN HERE IN THE DISTRICT. OKAY? ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED? OKAY. 5.6. ANYTHING? >> WELL, I’M SORRY, I SKIPPED 5.4. >> CHAIR: OKAY.

LET’S GO BACK. >> I WAS LOOKING AT THE NEW CONTRACT AND I DIDN’T HAVE IT MARKED. >> CHAIR: TERM OF THE AGREEMENT. >> I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE CHANGE THE DATE TO JUNE 30TH, 2026. SO A TWO-YEAR CONTRACT INSTEAD

OF A THREE. >> CHAIR: OKAY. >> SECOND. >> CHAIR: OKAY. IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. 5-0. ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON, 5.7, ANYTHING? 6.2?

6.3? 6.4? >> WAIT A MINUTE. >> CHAIR: 6.5. 6.5. GO AHEAD. >> MADAM CHAIR? >> CHAIR: YES. >> MADAM CHAIR? >> CHAIR: YES. >> AT 6.1, SINCE THE MOTION BY MISS ABBITT HAS CHANGED THE

CONTRACT TO END IN 2026 — WHAT YEAR IS THIS TODAY, ’26 THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE ALSO BECAUSE IT SAYS ’27 JUST AS A POINT OF ORDER TO MAKE SURE. THE TWO-YEAR CONTRACT YOUR TERM IS MENTIONED IN 6.1. >> CHAIR: OKAY.

WE WILL MAKE THAT CHANGE. GOT IT. MISS CERTAIN? 6.5? >> THE LIFE INSURANCE, YES, I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE PUT WE ADD BACK THE CLAUSE THAT WAS DELETED AS DETERMINED BY THE BOARD PREMIUM IS REASONABLE AS

DETERMINED BY THE BOARD. BECAUSE THERE IS NO REASONABLE IS NOT DEFINED IN THERE WHAT — AND WAS IN A PRIOR CONTRACT IT WAS THE CLAUSE IN THERE THAT INSURANCE POLICY WOULD BE PURCHASED IF HE IS INSURABLE AND THE PREMIUM IS REASONABLE AS DETERMINED BY THE BOARD.

SO I MOVE THAT WE ADD BACK THE PHRASE AS DETERMINED THE CAUSE AS DETERMINED BY THE BOARD. REASONABLE CAUSE AS DETERMINED BY THE BOARD. >> SECOND. >> CHAIR: MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED ON THE SAID MOTION. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION?

HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES. 6.6? 6.– DR. ROCKWELL? >> 6.7. >> CHAIR: OKAY. >> 6.7B, THE SUPERINTENDENT IS ALREADY GETTING FRS AND DROP. I DO NOT THINK THE BOARD SHOULD BE CONTRIBUTING TO AN ADDITIONAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNT.

WE DO NOT DO THAT FOR ANY OTHER EMPLOYEES. SO I WOULD MOVE TO ELIMINATE THAT ENTIRE PARAGRAPH. >> SECOND. >> CHAIR: MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? >> I HAVE. >> CHAIR: YES. >> IF I UNDERSTAND, COLLEAGUE,

DR. ROCKWELL, ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ELIMINATE BECAUSE HE IS IN DROP AND AS YOU KNOW THAT STOPS AND BASED ON WHAT I SAW OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WE — YOU’VE ALREADY PAID THE — HELP ME, MR. BURKETT, THE 36

SO WHAT WE WOULD BE PAYING IS THE $3,175; IS THAT CORRECT? >> CHAIR: BEFORE YOU BEGIN TALKING JUST GO AHEAD AND EXPLAIN THE BENEFITS WHEN YOU ARE IN DROP THE STATE CONSIDERS YOU RETIRED. >> RIGHT. >> CHAIR: GO AHEAD, M

MR. BURKETT. >> IF I MAY, MBEFORE HIM, WHAT IS PROPOSED BY THE BOARD OF $182,500, THE 10% WOULD THEN BE NOT 19,000 BUT WOULD BE 18,250 JUST FOR CLARIFICATION. >> CHAIR: OKAY. >> THE RETIREMENT THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE AN INCREASE BASED

ON THE RAISE OF WHATEVER THAT IS 72,500, RIGHT? NO, WHAT IS THAT, 75? IS 1575 BASICALLY SO THAT’S $1575 IS THE ADDITIONAL THAT WOULD BE PAID ON WHAT IS CURRENTLY PAID AND THEN THE SALARY INCREASE OF 7500 THAT’S $27,325 SO JUST TO CLARIFY THE

10% FOR THE 403B IS THAT AND I WOULD SAY JUST FOR THE RECORD WE HAD A FORMER SUPERINTENDENT THAT RECEIVED 20% IN THE LAST 20 YEARS AND IN THE LAST TEN YEARS WE HAD ONE RECEIVE 15%. >> CHAIR: AND IT IS STANDARD IN THE AGENCY.

WE WON’T GET ANYBODY IF WE DO A SEARCH IF YOU ARE NOT PAYING A FULL AMOUNT THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT COMING. MR. BURKETT, DO YOU STILL WANT HIM TO EXPLAIN, DR. MCNEALY? >> IT IS NOT NEEDED IF EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE SUPERINTENDENT JUST STATED.

>> CHAIR: YES, OKAY. >> I THOUGHT THAT MY COLLEAGUES WERE THINKING THAT THE DROP AMOUNT — >> CHAIR: DROP STOPS. >> THE DROP STOPS SO I CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHY THEY ARE SAYING THAT. >> SO I GUESS I WILL NEED AN

EXPLANATION OF WHAT YOU MEAN. >> CHAIR: WE NEED TO EXPLAIN IT SO THE COMMUNITY CAN UNDERSTAND. THAT’S WHY I AM ASKING. >> WHEN A PERSON ENTERS DROP THEIR RETIREMENT IS CALCULATED AND SET. >> I KNOW THAT. >> AND THEN THERE IS NO MORE

RETIREMENT BENEFIT ACCRUED TO THE SUPERINTENDENT. SO THE 403B IS A SUPPLEMENT AND ANNUITY THAT IS — THE BOARD WILL CONTRIBUTE TO ADD A LITTLE BIT TO HIS RETIREMENT, HIS PERSONAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNT BECAUSE THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL BENEFIT AS FAR AS CONTINUING TO WORK.

IF HE WAS NOT IN DROP AND HE WAS A REGULAR POSITION PROBABLY SENIOR MANAGEMENT CLASS HE WOULD CONTINUE TO ACCRUE RETIREMENT BENEFITS BUT SINCE HE IS RETIRED HIS MONTHLY RETIREMENT CHECK IS IS JUST THAT MONEY GOES INTO – AN ANNUITY.

THIS ANNUITY IS JUST A SUPPLEMENT BECAUSE HE IS NOT GAINING ANY BENEFIT THROUGH FRS. >> I HAVE A QUESTION. CAN I ASK? >> CHAIR: YES. >> AS LONG AS HE IS IN DROP, AND HE IS WORKING NOW AND HIS

RETIREMENT IS GOING INTO THE ACCOUNT THERE IS STILL A COST TO THE DISTRICT FOR THAT? >> YES, MA’AM. THAT IS MY EXPLANATION TO THE CITIZENS THAT WE ARE SAYING THE COST THIS YEAR IS 21%. WELL, 21%, YES. IT CHANGES.

>> CHAIR: ON THE SHEET I HAVE SAYS 21. >> THAT DOES NOT ADD ANYTHING TO — >> CHAIR: ANY EMPLOYEE IT IS STATE LEGISLATED ANY EMPLOYEE IS GOING TO GET THAT 21.13% ALL EVERYBODY THAT’S JUST STATE. THAT’S SOMETHING YOU CAN’T CONTROL.

THAT IS SET BY THE STATE. THAT’S LEGISLATED. SO DO WE — >> I AM NOT DENYING THAT HE HASN’T EARNED DROP AND UNDERSTAND IT. WHAT I AM LOOKING AT IS THE COST TO THE DISTRICT. >> CHAIR: WHICH IS NOTHING.

>> WE PAY 21% OF HIS SALARY, AM I NOT INTERPRETING THAT CORRECTLY? >> THAT IS CORRECT BUT WHAT I THINK MRS. McGRAW IS ALLUDING TO EVERY EMPLOYEE IN THE STATE THEY ARE PAID THAT. >> BUT WE ARE NEGOTIATING A CONTRACT THIS IS SALARY AND

BENEFITS SO WHATEVER WE ARE PAYING IN SALARY WE ALSO HAVE TO PAY WITH STATE IN BENEFITS AND TO SET UP A SECOND RETIREMENT ACCOUNT, A 403B IS A SECOND FUND, DISCRETIONARY FUND THAT THE DISTRICT IS GOING TO FUND AT 10%.

THAT IS AN ADDITIONAL COST TO THE DISTRICT. SO — >> CHAIR: OKAY. >> THAT’S MY POINT SO — >> CHAIR: ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER POINTS? DR. ROCKWELL? >> I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT THE STATEMENT THAT HE IS NOT

ACCRUING ANY RETIREMENT DURING DROP IS A LITTLE BIT MISLEADING. SO, YES, THE INCREASE IN SALARY IS NOT GOING TO IMPACT HIS — THE AMOUNT OF MONEY DEPOSITED INTO HIS DROP ACCOUNT BUT HE IS CURRENTLY GETTING A SALARY THIS SALARY FROM THE DISTRICT WHILE ALSO

GETTING HIS RETIREMENT CHECK DEPOSITED INTO AN ACCOUNT. THAT’S HOW DROP WORKS. ANYONE IN DROP EARNS IT BUT ARE WE GOING TO GIVE AN EXTRA 10% TO EVERYBODY ELSE WHO SUBPOENA CURRENTLY IN DROP? ARE WE GOING TO GIVE THAT

EXTRA 10% TO ALL OF OUR OTHER EMPLOYEES? I MEAN I WOULD LOVE IT IF WE COULD BUT WE DON’T HAVE THAT KID OF MONEY SO WHY ARE WE GOING TO GIVE AN EXTRA 10%. WE ARE NOT IN THE SAME FISCAL

SITUATION THAT WE WERE A DECADE AGO AND ADDITIONALLY, WHEN I LOOKED BACK AT THE MORE RECENT EMPLOYEE WHO GOT A 403B IT WAS BECAUSE THAT PERSON HAD NEVER WORKED IN FLORIDA BEFORE AND HAD NO HISTORY WITH FRS SORE WHEN YOU LEAVE IF YOU ARE

ONLY HERE FOR A FEW YEARS AS A SUPERINTENDENT YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY RETIREMENT ACCOUNT AT ALL BASICALLY. BECAUSE IT TAKES SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS, PROBABLY, TO VEST INTO FLORIDA RETIREMENT. SO IT IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT SITUATIONS AND TO SAY THAT HE

IS NOT GETTING ANYTHING WHILE IN DROP LIKE YOU ARE GETTING MORE WHILE YOU ARE IN DROP THAN YOU GOT BEFORE YOU WERE IN IT AND THAT’S JUST HOW DROP WORKS. >> CHAIR: DROP, YOU ARE RETIRED. HE WORKED 30 YEARS SO ANYBODY

WHO RETIRES IN FRS STATE OF FLORIDA SYSTEM YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU ARE GOING TO GET 21.13% BECAUSE THAT’S THE RATE AND THAT’S WHAT THE STATE HAS LEGISLATED. >> NO. >> CHAIR: YES. WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON AND

TAKE A VOTE AND CALL THE QUESTION, SOMEBODY, IT IS FIVE OF US. OKAY. NOW WE ARE MOVING ON. SHE HAS CALLED THE QUESTION THAT MEANS WE MOVE TOWARD A ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED? MOVING ON. 7.1.

7.2 IS JUST MEMBERSHIP DUES, 7.3. >> 7.2, I HAD SOMETHING IN THERE. I MOVE THAT WE PUT RESTORE THE $3,000 PER YEAR LIMIT ON DUES AND MEMBERSHIPS THAT WAS REMOVED. >> CHAIR: YOU ARE MAKING THAT A MOTION? >> SECOND.

>> CHAIR: ALL RIGHT. MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE PUT IN THE $3,000 LIMIT. ALL RIGHT. ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? >> I PUT THAT BACK THE BOARD HAS A LIMIT ON ITS TRAVEL AND I DO THINK THAT SHOULD NOT

JUST BE CART BLANCHE THAT OUR LEADER IS TRAVELING AT DISCRETION. >> CHAIR: OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? SHE JUST WANTS TO LIMIT BACK THE $3,000 THAT’S BEEN IN PREVIOUS CONTRACTS. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES. 7.3. 7.4.

8.– NUMBER 8 IS WHERE I WAS TALKING ABOUT DOING THE EVALUATION YOU CAN ADD ABOUT THE CRITERIA. >> THAT SHOULD BE IN 9. >> CHAIR: FOR EVALUATIONS THE CRITERIA FOR THE ASSESSMENT SHALL BE ESTABLISHED MUTUALLY BY THE BOARD AND THE

SUPERINTENDENT WITHIN 30 DAYS OF SIGNING THIS CONTRACT. I MEAN 60 DAYS. SO WE TALKED ABOUT THAT THAT WAY WE COULD MEET TO DISCUSS WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. COULD I GET A MOTION FOR THAT? >> SO MOVED. >> CHAIR: SECOND? >> SECOND.

>> CHAIR: MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. YOU CAN GIVE THAT CREDIT TO MR. MCNEALY. >> I THINK I SECONDED IT. >> CHAIR: I THOUGHT I HEARD DR. MCNEALY, TOO. OKAY. ONE OF Y’ALL SECONDED IT. ALL IN FAVOR? OKAY.

MOTION CARRIES. NUMBER 10. NUMBER 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. I THINK THAT’S THE END, ISN’T IT? ALL RIGHT. ALL OF THAT HAS BEEN — >> DON’T WE HAVE TO APPROVE IT AS AMENDED.

>> CHAIR: NOW WE HAVE TO APPROVE IT AS AMENDED, RIGHT? SO NOW THAT WE’VE MADE IT THROUGH ALL OF THE AMENDMENTS NOW WE NEED TO APPROVE SUPERINTENDENT ANDREW’S CONTRACT WITH ALL OF THESE AMENDMENTS AND CHANGES THAT YOU ALL HAVE HEARD AND WE HAVE

WALKED THROUGH. IS THERE A MOTION? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> CHAIR: MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? DR. ROCKWELL? >> I COULD VOTE YES ON THIS CONTRACT IN THE NAME OF BOARD

SOLIDARITY AND I DO RECOGNIZE THAT MR. ANDREW IS GOING TO BE OUR SUPERINTENDENT BUT I MADE A CAMPAIGN PROMISE TO MY CONSTITUENTS THAT I WOULD HAVE A SEARCH. BECAUSE WE CAN’T KNOW FOR SURE IF MR. ANDREW IS THE BEST CANDIDATE OUT THERE AS ONE OF

OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS SAID UNLESS WE OPEN THIS UP TO A SEARCH. I AM NOT GOING TO GO BACK ON MY CAMPAIGN PROMISE. THAT ALONE SHOULD BE ENOUGH REASON FOR MY DECISION BUT I’M GOING TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE MORE. I’VE HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE

DISCUSS STABILITY AND BRING UP THE FACT THAT WE’VE HAD SEVEN SUPERINTENDENTS IN TEN YEARS WHICH I WOULD NOTE INCLUDES INTERIM SUPERINTENDENTS WHO WERE ONLY IN FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. EITHER WAY, STABILITY IS NOT HAVING A HIGH TURNOVER OF THE QUALIFIED HARD-WORKING,

DEDICATED STAFF WHO RUN THIS DISTRICT. STABILITY IS NOT LEAVING CRITICAL STAFF POSITIONS EMPTY FOR MONTHS ON END. WE WENT OVER SIX MONTHS WITHOUT A STAFF ATTORNEY LEAVING POLICIES NOT UP TO DATE WITH STATUTE. WE WENT OVER A YEAR WITHOUT A

CHIEF OF OPERATIONS LEAVING A GAP IN OUR EXECUTIVE CABINET. WE CURRENTLY HAVE MULTIPLE POSITIONS EMPTY IN OUR DATA ANALYTICS TEAM AND AS M MR. GILFIN POINTED OUT WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED A SEGREGATED ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT DATA SINCE THE SUMMER. WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONE VERY

DEDICATED STAFF MEMBER DOING BOTH THE JOB OF STUDENT SERVICES AND EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT EDUCATION EVEN THOUGH THAT JOB WAS SPLIT INTO TWO BY THE BOARD ABOUT A YEAR AGO. THAT IS NOT STABILITY. STABILITY IS NOT ANNOUNCING MAJOR CHANGES LATE ON FRIDAY

AFTERNOONS SUCH AS THE CHANGE TO THE LOCATION OF THE IBPYP PROGRAM, THE NUMEROUS CHANGES TO THE REZONING MAPS THAT ULTIMATELY DIDN’T PASS, OR THE EXAMPLE OF TREND REPORTS FOR TOMORROW’S BOARD WORKSHOP BEING POSTED WHEN I WAS IN MY CAR ON THE WAY HERE THIS

EVENING. THAT IS NOT STABILITY. STABILITY IS NOT MAKING MAJOR DECISIONS WITHOUT STAKEHOLDER INPUT AS YOU HEARD ABOUT WILLIAMS. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STAFF MEMBERS, THE PARENTS, THE STUDENTS, THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE INCLUDED TO HAVE STABILITY.

STABILITY IS NOT LEAVING US UNTIL FEBRUARY BEFORE ESSER AND ARP SUNDOWN IN ABOUT FIVE MONTHS TO DETERMINE WHAT OUR PLAN IS FINANCIALLY THAT’S NOT STABILITY. STABILITY IS NOT A LACK OF COMMUNICATION ABOUT IMPORTANT THINGS GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT. FOR INSTANCE, I, STAFF MEMBER

AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WORKED HARD TO UPDATE OUR LGBTQ GUIDE AND IT WAS PUBLISHED WITHOUT ANY ANNOUNCEMENT. OUR BOOK PROCEDURES WERE UPDATED WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATION TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT HOW THEY WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED AND WHY THEY WERE UPDATED SO I RECEIVED NUMEROUS

QUESTIONS FROM PEOPLE WHO MISUNDERSTOOD THE INTENT OF THAT UPDATE. THAT’S NOT STABILITY. I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT PROGRESS. WHEN THIS BOARD WAS ELECTED WE MET IN A PUBLICLY NOTICED MEETING TO SET PRIORITIES. ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES WAS REZONING.

15 MONTHS LATER, WE HAVE NO REZONING PLAN. THAT IS NOT PROGRESS. ONE OF OUR OTHER PRIORITIES WAS STRATEGIC PLANNING. 15 MONTHS LATER, WE HAVEN’T COMPLETED THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETED IN THE FALL. THAT’S PROGRESS BUT VERY SLOW

PROGRESS. WE HAVE THREE SCHOOLS THAT MOVED OUT OF TURN AROUND AND I AM THRILLED BY THAT. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME AT TERWILIGER AND I SPENT TIME TALKING TO MR. KUHN AT I IDLEWYLD AND THOSE ARE GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS BUT I WANT TO

POINT OUT THAT THAT WAS LAST YEAR’S WORK. WE HAVE SENSE LOST AN INCREDIBLY TALENTED TURNAROUND PRINCIPAL WHO SUPPORTED THAT WORK. WE’VE HAD A CHANGE IN OUR CHIEF OF TEACHING AND LEARNING AND WE DON’T HAVE BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE ANY DESEGREGATED

DATA I CANNOT SAY IF THAT CHANGE IS FOR THE BETTER OR NOT. I HAVE NO DATA. WE HAVE LOST OUR PROFESSIONAL COACHES AND OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TEAM WAS CUT IN HALF AND THOSE ARE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORTED THE WORK OF TURNING

THOSE SCHOOLS AROUND AND NOW THE STATE IS CONSIDERING PASSING LEGISLATION THAT WOULD CHANGE HOW SCHOOL TURNAROUND RESET WORKS SO CURRENTLY WE CELEBRATE A SCHOOL MOVING TO A C BECAUSE THEY RESET EVEN IF THEY FALL BACK TO A D THEY START BACK AT STEP 1 OF SCHOOL

TURNAROUND AND WE’RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT A CHARTER SCHOOL COMING IN, BUT IF THIS PASSES AND IDYLWILD DOES NOT MAINTAIN A C THIS YEAR WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THAT. WE WILL BE LOOKING AT ANOTHER EXTERNAL OPERATOR LIKE WE’RE LOOKING AT FOR LAKE FOREST AND

THAT’S NOT PROGRESS. BECAUSE WE HAD A CHANGE IN TEST GROWTH WAS NOT INCLUDED, THE GOAL POSTS FOR SCHOOL GRADES WERE VERY DIFFERENT. SO EVEN SCHOOL GRADES IMPROVING IS NOT THE PROGRESS WE WISH IT WAS. PROGRESS IS NOT ELIMINATING MOST OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL

STAFF AT OUR SUCCESSFUL ALACHUA COUNTY EAST SCHOOL AND SENDING FTE TO VIRTUAL SCHOOL AT A TIME WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT LOSING FTE TO CHARTER SCHOOLS AND VOUCHERS ESPECIALLY WHEN THAT SCHOOL WAS GRANTED AN EXTRA ADMINISTRATIVE POSITION THAT HAS NOT BEEN ELIMINATED.

I ALSO WANT TO MENTION BOARD COLLABORATION AND COOPERATION AND UNITY BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, I COULD HAVE VOTED — I COULD DECIDE TO VOTE YES ON THIS IN THE NAME OF UNITY BUT COOPERATION AND UNITY WOULD HAVE MEANT HAVING A WORKSHOP

TO DISCUSS THIS IN DETAIL NOT RUSHING TO PASS A NEW CONTRACT WHEN THERE IS AN EXISTING CONTRACT THAT RUNS THROUGH JUNE 30TH OF THIS YEAR. IT LEAVES ME TO WONDER WHY THE RUSH. PERHAPS IT IS BECAUSE OF DEADLINES TO CONTRIBUTE BACK

PAY TO A RETIREMENT ACCOUNT FOR THE 2023 YEAR I DON’T KNOW FOR SURE. I HAVE ASKED FOR THE FULL COST OF THE COMPENSATION PACKAGES FOR THE CONTRACTS THAT WE’VE SEEN AND I’VE NEVER GOTTEN THAT. THAT’S NOT COOPERATION AND COLLABORATION. SO EVEN THOUGH I RECOGNIZE

THAT MR. ANDREW IS GOING TO BE OUR SUPERINTENDENT I CANNOT IN GOOD CONSCIOUS VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS CONTRACT. >> CHAIR: THANK YOU. MISS CERTAIN? >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND I WANT TO ADD BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN THIS NARRATIVE GOING

AROUND AND JUST MAKE KNOWN WE HAVE LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT ATTENDED MEETINGS ON THE WHOLE BUT WHEN WE NEEDED AN INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT WHEN DR. SIMON WAS TERMINATED I REACHED OUT TO MR. ANDREW AND ASKED IF HE WAS INTERESTED IN

SERVING AS INTERIM SO THIS ABOUT ME NOT LIKING HIM OR NOT WANTING TO WORK WITH HIM I DON’T KNOW WHERE THAT CAME. I ASKED FOR HIS RESUME EVEN WENT AS FAR AS TO HELP REAREVISE THE RESUME AND ACTED VIGOROUSLY TO GET THREE VOTES

BECAUSE THERE WAS ANOTHER PERSON THAT BROUGHT FORTH ANOTHER PERSON’S NAME AND WE WERE A SPLIT BOARD AS WELL. WE BROUGHT HIM ON IN AN INTERIM ROLE. I WORKED WITH MR. ANDREW AS A BOARD MEMBER BECAUSE AT THAT TIME I WAS NOT CHAIR.

I TRANSITIONED AND WAS ELECTED CHAIR OF THE BOARD AND NOW AGAIN AS A BOARD MEMBER. WHEN I WAS CHAIR I MET WITH HIM TWICE A MONTH TO PLAN THE MEETINGS, I MET ONE ON ONE WITH HIM, I MADE NUMEROUS SUGGESTIONS AND TRIED TO COLLABORATE.

THE ORIENTATION FOR MY NEW NG – COLLEAGUES, THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS THAT WERE COMING ON. I ENCOURAGED MR. ANDREW TO COMPLETE TASKS THAT WERE AUTHORIZED BY THE BOARD. I NEVER WENT WITH MY OWN REQUESTED FOR INFORMATION. MY ADVOCACY HAS BEEN FOR THE

SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN LOW PERFORMING AND FOR US TO DO THE THINGS THAT THE BOARD APPROVED AND ONE THING AND HE WILL, IF HE WILL BE TRUTHFUL WITH US HE WILL CONFIRM I ACCUSED HIM OF SUBVERTING THE WILL OF THE BOARD BECAUSE

UNDER THE PREVIOUS BOARD WE AGREED TO START THE STRATEGIC PLANNING AN RFP HAD BEEN ISSUED AND SCORED BUT IT WAS NEVER COME BACK AND EVERY TIME I WOULD MEET WITH HIM I WOULD SAY THAT NEEDS TO BE ON AND EVEN AFTER MY NEW COLLEAGUES

CAME ON I HAD TO BRING THAT. SO I CAN AND WILL WORK WITH HIM. IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY AS A BOARD MEMBER TO WORK WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT, TO BUILD POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP BUT HIS RESPONSIBILITY AS BEING THE SUPERINTENDENT IS TO WORK WITH

THE BOARD THAT HE HAS AND THAT DOES NOT MEAN JUST A FEW OF THE MEMBERS. I WAS REALLY, REALLY DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR WHEN WE H HAD — WE WERE IN MASTER BOARD TRAINING WHICH WAS LIKE A TEAM-BUILDING TYPE THING I WAS DISAPPOINTED WHEN THE COMMENT

WAS MADE BECAUSE HE MISSED SEVERAL MEETINGS, ONE, IT WAS I THOUGHT EXCUSABLE BECAUSE WE HAD A BOTTOM THREAT AT A SCHOOL BUT TO SAY OH, HE IS NOT HERE BECAUSE HIS FEELINGS WERE HURT PEOPLE NEED — SOMEONE NEEDS TO APOLOGIZE TO

HIM BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THAT WAS SAID AND I JUST THINK OUR LEADER HAS TO BE WITH US, BUT MY COMMITMENT IS TO THE STUDENTS OF THIS COUNTY AND THE SUCCESS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT IS THE SUCCESS OF THE — LEADS TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS.

WE ON THE FORMER SUPERINTENDENT, PERMANENT SUPERINTENDENT THAT WE HAD SHE WAS NOT RETAINED AFTER ANNOUNCING HER RETIREMENT AND THAT WAS BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY DIDN’T FEEL OR THAT SHE WAS FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE STUDENTS AND I HAVE TO AGREE WITH YOUR WORDS, COLLEAGUE,

DR. ROCKWELL, ABOUT STABILITY, I JUST HAVE TO ASK HOW LONG DO WE WAIT? WE HAVE STABILITY. THAT IS WHAT MYSELF AND MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS EVEN BEFORE I WAS ELECTED WE ACCUSED THE BOARD AND LEADERSHIP AT THAT TIME OF EVERYBODY GOING STATUS

QUO BECAUSE IT WAS EASY TO DO THAT BUT THE STUDENTS AND THE PERFORMANCE OF THE STUDENTS WAS NOT IMPROVING AND SO I — AS I SAID TO MY COLLEAGUES ON NOVEMBER 7TH WHEN WE WERE VOTING ON A PATH FORWARD AND THE TURN-AROUND STEP FOR LAKE

FOREST, IS DO WE HAVE THE COMMITMENT I POSTED IN THIS GRAPHIC IN SOME OTHER DATA THAT IS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE THAT I POSTED ABOUT THE TREND O THE GRADES FOR LAKE FOREST DO WE HAVE THE COMMITMENT AND ARE WE GOING TO DO THE WORK

AND BE FOCUSED ON IMPROVING THAT BECAUSE EVERY YEAR THAT WE GO ON IN THE NAME OF STABILITY AND FOR CONTINUITY FOR THE ADULTS THERE ARE CHILDREN THAT I’VE HEARD AS A CITIZEN AND NOW AS A BOARD MEMBER PARENTS BE BLAMED, I’VE HEARD POVERTY BEING BLAMED,

AND THOSE THINGS HAVE THEIR BASE, BUT I’VE NEVER HEARD THE DISTRICT TO TAKE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY FOR HOW WE FAIL STUDENTS. I HAVEN’T HEARD THAT. WHEN WE GO WITH STABILITY AND NO CHANGE, WE’RE TELLING THOSE FAMILIES THAT WHAT HAPPENS WITH YOUR CHILD — WE’RE SAYING WE’RE COMMITTED TO THE SUCCESS OF EVERY

STUDENT BUT OUR ACTIONS ARE NOT FOLLOWING THAT. LIKE IT OR NOT, AND THIS IS AN UGLY TRUTH, THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT SYSTEMS OF EDUCATION THAT’S HAPPENING IN THIS DISTRICT. IT’S TWO DIFFERENT SYSTEMS. I’LL NEVER FORGET MY FIRST MEETING AT WILLIAMS, DUST AUSTIN SIMMS, HE SAID IT, THE SEPARATE EDUCATION IS VERY APPARENT.

I SAT IN A MEETING WITH SOMEONE FROM D.O.E. AND THAT IS WHAT HE SAID. AND I HOLD FAST TO THAT BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT WE SAW THAT WAS HAPPENING. THE STUDENTS IN THE MAJOR PROGRAM, THERE WERE A LOT OF SUBS, LONG-TERM SUBS. TEACHERS THAT WERE NOT DELIVERING STANDARDS-BASED INSTRUCTION. WHILE THE TEACHERS THAT WERE

IN THE MAGNET PROGRAM, THOSE KIDS WERE GETTING A HIGHER QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION. THAT WAS THE SEPARATE AND UNEQUALNESS. ONE PART OF THE SCHOOL WAS VERY WELL LIT AND COOL. WE WENT ON THE HALL WHERE THE MAJOR PROGRAM KIDS WERE, THE FLOORS WERE DIRTY AND THE LIGHTS WERE OUT.

AND WHAT WE WERE TOLD WAS THAT THAT WAS A DIFFERENT JANITOR. I DIGRESS. IF WE CAN BE FOCUSED ON STABILITY, IT HAS NOTHING, YOU KNOW, NOTHING PERSONAL AGAINST HIM, BUT MY COMMITMENT WAS TO — WHEN THE NEW BOARD CAME AS I SAID IN MAKING MY ARGUMENT FOR

HAVING HIM WAS WE WOULD DO A SEARCH. BUT WE ARE WHERE WE ARE. I WILL — WILL AND WILL WORK WHOLEHEARTEDLY, COLLABORATIVELY WITH HIM, WITH MY COLLEAGUES FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT THERE’S JUST TOO MANY THINGS IN THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT THAT I IN THE NAME OF UNITY ALSO CAN’T SUPPORT.

BUT I DO SUPPORT THE ROLE AND THE ORGANIZATION AND I AM COMMITTED TO ADVOCATING FOR IMPROVED STUDENT OUTCOMES. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY ONE OTHER THING. MY COLLEAGUE, MS. ABBITT, THE YEAR-ROUND SCHOOL, I THINK THE MODEL COULD WORK AND HAVE SOME BENEFIT, BUT I THINK WE’VE ELIMINATED SCHOOL CHOICE FOR SOME

FAMILIES IN THAT AREA BECAUSE WE PUT BOTH SCHOOLS AS YEAR-ROUND, AND IN EFFECT HAVE ELIMINATED THE CHOICE FOR THOSE PARENTS TO CHOOSE FOR THEIR KIDS IF THAT SCHEDULE DOESN’T WORK FOR THEIR FAMILY, THEY HAVE TO APPLY TORE A ZONING SENILES IS WHAT THE — EXEMPTION AND THOSE PARENTS MAY NOT HAVE

THE ABILITY TO GET THEIR KIDS TO A DIFFERENT SEWELL THAT HAS A 180-DAY CALENDAR. I KNOW WE HAD TO MAKE APPLICATION FOR THAT, BUT LIKE THE CITIZEN SAID ABOUT A COMMUNITY WORKSHOP, WE NEED TO BE HAVING SOME MEETS WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE PARENTS TO GET FEEDBACK ON THAT AND HOW THIS WOULD

IMPACT THEM IN A PATH FORWARD. BUT TO HAVE TWO SCHOOLS WITHIN THAT MILE AND A HALF OR WHATEVER THE DISTANCE IS BETWEEN THEM, I WOULD HAVE RATHER BE GIVEN THE OPTION TO SAY YOU CAN — THIS YEAR-ROUND SCHEDULE DOESN’T WORK FOR YOUR FAMILY AND YOU WANT TO MAINTAIN A TRADITIONAL — TRADITIONAL

180-DAY, THEY WOULD HAVE THAT. BUT I THINK THE — ROLLING THAT OUT AND ANNOUNCING THINGS LIKE THAT TO THE PUBLIC AND IN A MANNER WHERE IT’S LIKE A DONE DEAL, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT DID NOT SIT WELL WITH ME WHEN I WAS A CITIZEN. IT’S JUST LIKE YOU WERE

COMING TO ASK OUR OPINION WHEN YOU’VE ALREADY MADE UP YOUR MIND OF WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO. BUT WE — HOPEFULLY WE CAN GO FORWARD AND WE CAN, YOU KNOW, DR. ROCKWELL MENTIONED THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES WE HAVE SO WE’VE GOT HARD WORK AHEAD OF US AND RETOOLING OF OUR ORGANIZATION TO MAKE

SURE WE MEET THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE. YOU KNOW, STARTING THIS NEW PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, WITH IT BEING ANNOUNCED THAT IT WOULD BE — OPEN UP A NEW SCHOOL SITE AND THEN SUDDENLY CHANGED AFTER — ON THE 19th WE MET, THAT IT WOULD BE AT WILLIAMS.

I JUST WONDER LIKE WHAT ARE THE FINANCIAL CONCERNS BECAUSE IT WAS ALMOST SAID THAT WE DIDN’T HAVE ANY. BUT I THINK WE AS A BOARD, WE DIDN’T GIVE DIRECTIVE ON CREATING A NEW EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM AND HE HAS NOT SHARED — SUPERINTENDENT ANDREW HAS NOT SHARED WITH THE BOARD THE COST OF THAT.

THE COSTS IN YEAR ONE, THE COST OF YEAR TWO, THREE OR FOUR. AS I SAID TO HIM ONE ON ONE, RESOURCES ARE LIMITED AND STARTING A NEW PROGRAM THERE SINCE IT IS IN THE MAGNET CATEGORY IF THERE’S CAP SPACE IN THE MILL, SOME OF THOSE EXPENDITURES CAN BE PAID FROM FROM THE MILL.

BUT I’M LOOKING AT A SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, IDYLWILD THAT CAME OUT OF TURN-AROUND AND THEY MAY BE IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE THE FUNDS TO KEEP THE SUPPORTS THAT THEY HAVE IN PLACE AND THEY MAY — TO MAINTAIN OR SUSTAIN AND

BUILD UPON THE WORK THAT MR. KUR THERE, HIM AND HIS TEAM HAVE BEEN DOING IN THAT SCHOOL BUILDING. AND SO WHILE I STARTED A NEW –W PROGRAM IS A GOOD THING OR THE IB HAS ITS POSITIVES. NOT KNOWING THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THAT AND GETTING THAT TO THE BOARD

WHERE WE COULD SIT DOWN AND PLAN OUT HOW WE’RE GOING TO GO FORWARD AND BE ABLE TO SERVE ALL STUDENTS BECAUSE WE DON’T WANT THERE TO BE A COMPETITION FOR RESOURCES BECAUSE IT ALREADY SEEMS THAT IS THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW, THOSE THAT HAVE AND ARE ADVANCED STUDENTS HAVE MORE

FUNDING TO DO THAN WHAT STUDENTS THAT ARE IN MAJOR PROGRAMS THAT MAY BE IN LOW-PERFORMING ENVIRONMENTS. I’M HOPING THAT WE CAN TURN A NEW LEAF AND GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION OR IN A DIRECTION THAT CONTINUES TO BUILD UPON THE SUCCESS THAT THOSE SCHOOLS THAT CAME OUT OF TURN-AROUND HAVE HAD. THANK YOU.

>> CHAIR: DR. McNEALY. >> I WAS GOING GOING TO MAKE SOME STATEMENTS ABOUT THE CURRENT SUPERINTENDENT BECAUSE SIT ON THIS DAIS BEFORE THE NEW FOUR OF YOU CAME ON BOARD AND HAD BEEN A PART OF THE INTERIMS AND THE PERMANENTS SUPERINTENDENTS. AND WHEN I LOOK AT WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME WHY IS OUR

BOARD — IN FACT, A PERSON ASKED ME THAT TODAY AT THE BANK. WHY IS OUR BOARD MEETINGS SUCH A REALITY SHOW. AND I LOOKED AT THE INDIVIDUAL WHO IS SAYING THIS IN FRONT OF ALL OF THE PEOPLE AT TRUEST AND I SAID YOU MUST NOT HAVE WATCHED RECENTLY BECAUSE WE ARE

CERTAINLY TRYING HARD, ALL FIVE WOMEN ARE TRYING HARD TO UNIFY WHAT’S GOING ON IN THIS DISTRICT. BUT WHEN I HEAR THE DISTRESS FROM MY COLLEAGUES TONIGHT, I DON’T WANT TO COME BACK AND UNSAY ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN STATED THAT’S SO WRONG, BUT WE CAN’T EVER GET SOME POSITIVE STUFF TO

COME OUT OF OUR MOUTHS. WHY NOT? I ASK THAT QUESTION. I’M SO DISAPPOINTED, SO VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN POINTED OUT, MS. CERTAIN, DR. ROCKWELL, I SEE YOU WRITING, I’M NOT TRYING TO BLAME YOU OR HER OR ANY OF US, BUT AT SOME POINT IN

TIME THE CITIZENS NEED TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THIS DISTRICT. ALL WE GIVE OUT ARE THE FAILING, SCHOOLS NOT PERFORMING, THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT’S NOT COMPLETED, REZONING THAT DID NOT GET MEET OR FINISHED. THERE’S SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING AND

I’M SICK AND TIRED, I PROMISED SOME PEOPLE I WOULD NOT SPEAK ABOUT US, BUT IT’S TIME THAT THE FIVE OF US FACE EACH OTHER AND SAY PRIVATELY, NOT OUT HERE, BUT PRIVATELY WHAT’S GOING ON. I’M SO DISAPPOINTED. SO DISAPPOINTED. AND IF I’M LOOKING ON THE DAIS HERE, I’M SAYING IT

BECAUSE I FEEL THAT IT NEEDS TO BE SAID, AND I HAVEN’T SAID IT, WE ARE ALL GROWN FOLK UP HERE. AND I CANNOT CONTROL ANY OF YOU, LET ALONE MYSELF RIGHT NOW. BUT I JUST CANNOT GO TO MY HOUSE TONIGHT AND HAVE NOT SAID WHAT NEEDS TO BE SAID.

SAY WHAT YOU NEED TO SAY, SAY IT TO HIM. YOU ALL HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO GO IN EVERY SINGLE DAY. THAT’S THE OPEN POLICY THAT WE HAVE. AND IF YOU CAN’T GET IN, YOU CAN COME BACK AFTER 5:00 AND HIS VEHICLE WILL STILL BE HERE AND YOU CAN SEE HIM THEN.

BUT MY GOSH, EVERY TIME I LOOK AROUND WE’VE GOT TO SAY THE NEGATIVE THINGS ABOUT ALACHUA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A GOOD SCHOOL SYSTEM IF THE FIVE OF US WOULD WORK TOGETHER. AND FOR SOME REASON IT DOESN’T MATTER THAT YOU ARE NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR THE CONTRACT.

WE HEARD YOU. BUT OUT OF ALL OF THE THINGS YOU’VE STATED, I DIDN’T HEAR ONE GOOD THING THAT WE HAVE DONE AS A BOARD AND AS A SUPERINTENDENT. I CANNOT BELIEVE IT, COLLEAGUES. WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH US? I’M AT A LOSS. I TRULY AM AT A LOSS BECAUSE

THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON FOR OUR CHILDREN IN THIS DISTRICT THAT HAVE BENEFITED THE CHILDREN. THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE STILL NEED TO DO AND WE ALL KNOW THAT. I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE PAST NINE OR TEN SUPERINTENDENTS THAT I’VE BEEN A PART OF. I’M TALKING ABOUT THIS GENTLEMAN.

AND YES, I SECOND MRS. CERTAIN’S VOTE WHEN SHE RECOMMENDED THAT WE SELECT MR. ANDREW. BUT TO SAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO A SEARCH, WE PROMISED, I’M NOT NEW. SO YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT FOR OTHER PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO GO FORWARD AND I SAID I WOULD GO ALONG WITH THE SEARCH.

BUT WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL COMES IN AND PROVES THEMSELVES AND WORKS HARD TO DO THAT, AND TO HAVE MADE SOME ACCOMPLISHMENTS — NOT EVERY SINGLE THING, BUT SOME ACCOMPLISHMENTS, GIVE THE INDIVIDUAL A CREDIT. MY GOSH. I’M AN EDUCATOR. DR. ROCK WELL IS AN EDUCATOR, MS. ABBITT IS AN EDUCATOR.

THE OTHER TWO PEOPLE WHO SIT ON THIS BOARD WERE NOT IN SCHOOLS IN THE CLASSROOM. IT TAKES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK, HEAR ME OUT. I PUT 30-PLUS YEARS, 35 YEARS IN THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND I KNOW WHERE WE’VE BEEN AND WHERE WE’VE COME FROM. BUT IF WE DON’T SAY IT, AND

I HEAR THE CHAIRPERSON SAYING ALL THE TIME, MARKETING IS THE KEY. YES, MARKETING IS, BUT WHEN YOU MIX NEGATIVE WITH ALL THAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IN THIS DISTRICT, WHERE DO YOU THINK THE PUBLIC IS GOING TO LEAN TOWARD? MADAM CHAIR, YOU SAID CALM DOWN. >> CHAIR: IT’S OKAY.

>> I’VE CALMED DOWN. >> CHAIR: UH-HUH. >> BUT I AM SO DISAPPOINTED, SO DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO BETTER. AND ALL OF THAT TRAINING WE SUPPOSEDLY HAD AND ALL OF THOSE WORKSHOPS WE GO TO AT FSVA, OH, MY GOODNESS, IT’S THE TIME THAT WE’VE SPENT — I’M SORRY, SUPERINTENDENT ANDREW.

I’M SORRY TO THE CITIZENS WHO ARE LISTENING TO ME RANT RIGHT NOW. BUT I HAD TO SAY IT BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE COME TO A BOARD MEETING THERE IS NEGATIVITY OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. IF Y’ALL WOULD JUST SAY, WELL, THESE ARE THE THINGS WE’RE NOT DOING WELL, BUT

HERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE ARE. I WISH WE COULD GET TO THAT POINT. I WISH. AND SOMEONE WROTE TO ME AND SAID IT’S INSANE THAT I DON’T WANT TO BLAME STAFF AND THE SUPERINTENDENT WHEN THOSE INDIVIDUALS WERE WORKING FOR THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM. I DIDN’T BLAME THEM EITHER.

I’M DONE, MADAM CHAIR, BUT I HAD TO GET OFF MY CHEST BECAUSE IT’S TOO MUCH NEGATIVITY. AND STUDENTS WATCH US AS WELL. I HAD A STUDENT TODAY SAY THAT. OH, HE’S STILL HERE. [LAUGHTER] >> CHAIR: HE WILL GET A CHANCE TO SPEAK. >> AND I SAID IT WAS LATE

AND I KNEW HE HAD TO GO TO SCHOOL, BUT I THOUGHT HE HAD EASED OUT. >> CHAIR: NO, HE GOOD. >> I AM SO SORRY. I AM SO SORRY THAT HE IS SEEING WHAT WE SEE. >> CHAIR: IT’S OKAY. >> AND HOW WE ACT. WE’VE GOT TO CHANGE THAT. WE’VE GOT TO.

>> CHAIR: THANK YOU, DR. McNEALY. >> I APOLOGIZE. >> CHAIR: YOU DON’T HAVE TO APOLOGIZE. >> I’M APOLOGIZEING TO YOU. I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE TO YOU. BUT I HAD TO SAY WHAT I NEEDED TO SAY AND THAT I’VE BEEN HOLDING IN TOO LONG. THE NEGATIVITY HAS GOT TO STOP. AND LET’S WORK TOGETHER.

>> CHAIR: ONE OF THE THINGS — THANK YOU, DR. McNEALY. AND I’M GOING TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS, BUT I’M GOOD. ONE OF THE THINGS I LOOKED AT — AND I SAY THIS ALL THE TIME AND I RESPECT DR. McNEALY BECAUSE SHE HAS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, HAS BEEN THROUGH ALL LEVELS OF

THIS DISTRICT AND SHE’S SEEN IT ALL. I WAS 22 YEARS OF AGE WHEN I CAME TO GAINESVILLE AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID, I’M 54 NOW, WAS VOLUNTEER IN THE SCHOOLS. AND SOME OF THE SAME ISSUES THAT WE HAVE NOW WERE THERE THEN BACK IN 1992. AND PROBABLY OUT OF THIS

BOARD, DR. McNEALY WILL TELL YOU I AM THE ONE WHO ATTENDED BEFORE I WAS ELECTED FOR 17, 18 YEARS, I ATTENDED BOARD MEETINGS. I CAME TO EVERY ONE. I VOLUNTEERED IN THE SCHOOLS. SO I KNOW WHERE A LOT OF THINGS HAVE NOT BEEN DONE AND I HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE

YEAR WHEN MY SON GRADUATED, BUT ALSO I HAD TO GET A YOUNG MAN GRADUATED AS WELL WHO WAS TOLD ON APRIL — I THINK APRIL 4th OF THAT YEAR, 2013, THAT HE WASN’T GRADUATING AND GRADUATION WAS JUNE 7th OF THE SAME YEAR. MS. BUTLER, WHO IS HERE, ONE OF THE GREATEST TUTORS IN

ALACHUA COUNTY, WHO WON’T MIND SAYING HER SON MADE A PERFECT SCORE I THINK IT WAS ON THE A.C.T. SHE CAME IN TO TUTOR FOUR YOUNG MEAN WHO I KNEW IF I DIDN’T HELP GRADUATE THEY WOULD BE IN JAIL SOMEWHERE R PROBABLY DEAD. AND ONE OF THE THINGS I TAKE AS EDUCATION EXTREMELY

SERIOUS BECAUSE ALL OF MY KIDS ARE OUT OF ALACHUA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THEY ARE OUT. BUT I HAVE A PASSION AND I MUST SAY SINCE I RETURNED SINCE 2020 AND I KNOW HOW IT CAN BE WHEN YOU ARE CRITICIZED, YOU ARE LIED ON, PEOPLE SAY ALL KIND OF THINGS UNTIL THEY GET TO

KNOW YOU. BUT I’M A VERY FOCUSED INDIVIDUAL. I DON’T GET CAUGHT UP — THIS IS NOT POLITICS TO ME. IT BOTHERED ME WHEN PEOPLE WOULD SAY YOU ALL NEED TO GET YOUR BOARD TOGETHER. I MUST SAY IT’S NOT ALL OF US BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LOOKED AT AS AN

ELECTED OFFICIAL, PEOPLE CAN’T SAY THEY SEE KNOW ARGUING BACK AND FORTH WITH PEOPLE IN PUBLIC. I’M NOT GOING TO DO THAT BECAUSE MY JOB IS TO SERVE CHILDREN. MY FOCUS HAS ALWAYS BEEN ON CHILDREN, THOSE WHO TRULY KNOW ME HERE IN ALACHUA COUNTY. AND I LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF

TIME THAT PEOPLE SPEND ON FACEBOOK. THE AVERAGE PERSON SPENDS 30.8 MINUTES, 30.8 MINUTES ON FACEBOOK. JUST IMAGINE IF EVERY PERSON EMPLOYED IN ALACHUA COUNTY WHEN IT WAS THE CITY, COUNTY, WHEREVER YOU WORK, IF YOU VOLUNTEERED FOR 30.8 MINUTES. JUST LIKE WE HAVE A MATH MEETING COMING UP. WE WOULDN’T EVEN HAVE TO

WORRY ABOUT SI SCHOOLS, STATE IMPROVEMENT SCHOOLS. SINCE 1992 WHEN I WAS VOLUNTEERING TILL WHERE I AM NOW, AND THE STAFF WOULD TELL YOU IT’S NOT MY JOB TO HIRE, FIRE STAFF, I’M GOVERNANCE. IT’S MR. ANDREW’S JOB. BUT THOSE WATCHING AND LISTENING IN THIS ROOM, WHEN I COME AROUND, I COME AROUND

WITH POSITIVE ACTIVITY. HOW YOU ALL DOING TODAY? THE MORALE IS LOW. AFTER COVID, CHILDREN ARE STRUGGLING. ONE OF THE REASONS, YOU KNOW, I DIDN’T THINK WE NEED TO GO FOR REZONING AND ALL OF US ON THE BOARD RAN ON THE GAP. THAT IS THE MAIN THING WE RAN ON WAS CLOSING THE GAP.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE SCHOOLS WITHIN SCHOOLS, THAT’S HARD TO DO. WE’RE AT A TIME NOW WHERE MR. ANDREW SINCE JULY 2023 HAS BEEN ABLE TO HIRE THE PEOPLE ON HIS TEAM. BECAUSE SOME OF THE PEOPLE, WE TALK ABOUT THIS CONTRACT, WITH SO MANY PEOPLE WE WANTED TO CONSIDER FOR INTERIM, AND THAT

TERMINOLOGY FROM WHAT WE LEARNED FROM OUR ATTORNEY, THAT’S NOT A WORD BUT WE STILL USE IT. WE WANTED TO HAVE PEOPLE — AND THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO SAY. 2016 WHEN DR. PROTESTERS WAS HERE, THAT’S — ROBERTS WAS HERE, THAT’S THE LAST TIME YOUR SCHOOL GRADES, JUST TAKING LAKE FOREST MOVED. 2016.

BUT SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT AT THAT TIME, THEY WANTED TO CONSIDER FOR INTERIM. I’M TALKING ABOUT RESULTS. IF A PERSON HAS BEEN IN A POSITION FROM 2016 TO 2023 AND THERE HAS BEEN NO MOVEMENT, WOULD YOU CONSIDER THAT PERSON FOR INTERIM? THERE’S BEEN NO RESULTS. BECAUSE THE SCHOOLS HAVE NOT

MOVED. THAT’S HIS JOB, WHOEVER THE SUPERINTENDENT, TO FIGURE HOW TO MAKE IT MOVE. IT’S WRONG FOR US TO GET INVOLVED ON WHO THE SUPERINTENDENT HIRES AND FIRES. THAT’S HOW WE GET OURSELVES IN TROUBLE. BUT IT DISHEARTENS ME THAT EVERY TIME YOU TURN AROUND TO LOOK ON FACEBOOK, AND OUR CHILDREN ARE WATCHING, IT

SEEMS THAT THIS STAFF THIS YEAR, THEY CAN NEVER DO ANYTHING RIGHT. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, MR. ANDREW BEEN HERE SINCE MARCH OF ’22. HE INHERITED THE STAFF ‘ ’22-’23 SCHOOL YEAR. SO ONE OF THE FIRST THING YOU DO AT A GREAT LEADER, I GOT TO LOOK AT HOW DO I

BUILD MORALE, WAS HOW — I SAID WHAT DO YOU THINK IT WAS TO HELP US MOVE THE SCHOOLS. BECAUSE YOU HAD A LEADER COME IN AND SAY WE GOT TO CHANGE THE CLIMATE. WE GOT TO CHANGE THE ENVIRONMENT. THE FIRST THING IS THE EXPECTATION THAT EVERY SINGLE KID CAN LEARN.

THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE EXPECTATION. MS. ABBITT TALKS ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME BECAUSE SHE’S DONE IT. EVERY SINGLE KID MATTERS. THAT HAS NOT BEEN HAPPENING. AND THEN WHEN I SIT HERE AND I HEAR ALL THIS STUFF, THIS MAN HADN’T DONE THIS, HE HADN’T DONE THAT, HE HADN’T DONE THAT, I’M SAYING, WELL,

MY GOD, FROM ’22 TO WHERE WE ARE IN ’24, WE ONLY TALKING ABOUT TWO YEARS. AND HE’S ONLY HAD A CHANCE TO PUT HIS TEAM IN PLACE SINCE JULY OF 2023. AND THEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED FOR THE DISTRICT WHO QUIT AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY GOT ALL THESE

THINGS THEY CAN OFFER TO US. WE NEEDED THAT WHEN YOU WERE IN THE DISTRICT. AND SO TONIGHT I COULD NOT — JUST LIKE DR. McNEALY, I COULD NOT LEAVE TONIGHT WITHOUT SAYING, WE DIDN’T EVEN EARN OUR MASTER BOARD BECAUSE I BEHAVE AS ELECTED OFFICIAL. PEOPLE SAY THANK YOU MS. MCGRAW FOR STAYING ABOVE

THE FRAY. EVERYBODY IS NOT GOING TO LIKE YOU AND THAT’S NOT WHAT IT’S FOR ABOUT ME. BUT MY JOB IS TO BE COMMITTED TO THE CHILDREN. SINCE I’VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, I HAVE TRIED TO BUILD MORALE, I HAVE BEEN POSITIVE, I GO AROUND TO THE SCHOOLS, I TALK TO THE CHILDREN.

EVERY DAY YOU CAN SEE ME POSTING SOMETHING POSITIVE BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN MARKETING. THAT IS IMPORTANT. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT CAME ON THIS BOARD, SAFETY. YES, MY BACKGROUND IS WITH GROUP HOMES FOR THE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED. I’M TRAINED IN SAFETY FIRST. AND WHEN I SAW THESE SCHOOLS

AND CHILDREN WERE SO OUT OF CONTROL AND THEY ALL HAVE THEIR REASONS FOR THAT, YOU’VE GOT TO ADDRES THAT IF YOU ARE GOING TO ADDRESS THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP. YOU CANNOT — THEY ALL GO HAND IN HAND. THE ATTENDANCE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME — AND I’VE BEEN VOLUNTEERING

IN THE SCHOOLS SO NOBODY CAN TELL ME DIFFERENT, THAT YOU NOW HAVE STAFF WHO WALK THROUGH ALL THE SCHOOLS. IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT ONE SCHOOL, WE HAVE SEVEN. THREE HAVE COME OUT OF TURN-AROUND. ALL THREE OF THEM HAVE TO BE SUSTAINED. YOU KNOW WHAT, MR. BURK DEATH — MR. BURKITT AND MR. ANR

FINANCES ARE OKAY. I’M THE BOARD. HE’S NOT GOING TO LET US FALL. BUT OUR TEACHERS WE DID WHAT WE COULD AND TO OUR INSTRUCTOR STAFF, WE GAVE IT TO THEM AND RETROACTIVE BECAUSE IT’S ABOUT THE PEOPLE. BUT IF YOU CAN’T LEAD WITH EMPATHY AND YOU ARE ALWAYS CRITICAL, IF EVERY DAY I’M

CALLING MR. ANDREW AND% SAYING I NEED THIS, I NEED THIS, AND THEN YOU PUT ME IN THE PAPER ALL THE TIME, FOR WHAT? TAKE THE POLITICS OUT OF IT. LET IT GO. BECAUSE OUR ROLE IS TO SEE ABOUT CHILDREN. EVERY DAY — AND I TOLD PEOPLE WHY CARE WHAT’S ON

FACEBOOK BECAUSE I’M SITTING IN THIS SEAT. I KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON. I CHALLENGE ANY ONE OF YOU ALL EVERY DAY, GO VOLUNTEER IN THE SCHOOL. COME AND ASK MR. ANDREW, HE HAS AN OPEN ODOR — OPEN DO POLICY. SEE WHAT IT TAKES. WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT CHANGE AND

THEY TAKE STUFF AND A PERSON HAS TO START ALL OVER, OUR JOB AS BOARD MEMBERS IS NOT TO CREATE A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT. AND THAT HAS HAPPENED. AND WE MUST STOP. WHEN PEOPLE SAY TO YOU, DR. McNEALY, IT’S NOT EVERYBODY ON THIS BOARD BECAUSE THOSE THAT KNOW DIANE MCGRAW, IT’S HUMAN.

WHAT DO I SAY TO STAFF ALL THE TIME, I DON’T WANT TO TEACH, I’M JUST A CHANGE AGENT TO MAKE SURE WE’RE PUTTING THE RIGHT POLICIES IN PLACE. TODAY WE HAD 40 MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC COME TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT OTHER OPTIONS FOR THEIR STUDENTS. AND YOU KNOW WHAT, EVERYBODY

THERE — YOU HAD TO GIVE YOUR NAME, YOUR ORGANIZATION AND YOUR WHY. IN LESS THAN A YEAR, A NEW BARBERING CLASS IN EAST SIDE. YOU GOT JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT. WE WERE CHOSEN BY THE STATE FOR YEAR-ROUND SCHOOLS. SOMETHING MS. ABBITT HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT, TALKING ABOUT. DO WE HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS? NO.

FROM TALLAHASSEE THEY GIVE US SO MUCH INFORMATION WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL WE GET THE REST OF THE INFORMATION. WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WE COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY. BEFORE MR. ANDREW GOT HERE, WE HAD 90 MILLION IN ESSER FUNDS. FIND THE SCHOOL, HELP THE FAMILIES. WE SHOULD HAVE PUT ALL OF

OUR MONEY IN CATCHING UP AND HIRING PEOPLE. BUT WE DIDN’T DO THAT. AND THEN YOU TALK ABOUT STRATEGIC PLANNING. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE’VE HAD THIS TYPE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING AND IT DIDN’T HAPPEN WITH THE PREVIOUS BOARD BECAUSE POLITICS WAS INVOLVED. IT’S NOT THE FAULT OF HIM, HE WORKS FOR US.

BUT ONE THING ABOUT HIM, I’M PASSIONATE ABOUT WHY I’M SERVING, THIS IS NOT A CAMPAIGN SPEECH, THIS IS SOMETHING I’VE BEEN DOING FOREVER FOR THOSE WHO TRULY KNOW ME. BUT TO CRITICIZE AND ALWAYS AS CENTER SIZE AND BE MEAN TO PEOPLE THAT IS CORRECT IS NOT PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR THAT’S BECOMING OF ANY

ELECTED OFFICIAL. YOU DIDN’T GET ON FACEBOOK AND DO THAT. MY JOB NOW THAT I’M CHAIR, I HAVE TO MAKE SURE NO LIABILITY COMES TO THIS BOARD. BECAUSE SEE, THIS HERE, THIS MOUTH AND THIS TONGUE WILL GET US IN TROUBLE. EVERY TIME THERE’S SOMETHING WE DON’T RESPOND, AND JUST BECAUSE YOU SEE SOMETHING ON

FACEBOOK, DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SEE, YOU ASK. BECAUSE WHEN YOU TALK TO THE CHILDREN, THEY LOVE MR. ANDREW. FIRST YOU GOT TO HAVE THE HEART TO DO THIS. WHEN I TALK TO SEVEN OR EIGHT DIFFERENT SUPERINTENDENTS, I WOULDN’T COME TO ALACHUA COUNTY. BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY’VE SEEN SOME OF US ON THIS BOARD,

PEOPLE HAVE REFUSED JOBS. JUST LIKE TONIGHT. THIS WAS SOME DIFFERENT. ATHLETES, CELEBRATE KIDS. THAT IS WHAT WE’RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. BUT WHEN WE GET ON FACEBOOK AND WE’RE TALKING AND TALKING, AND I LISTEN TO SOME OF THESE PEOPLE TALKING, NOT ONE DAY HAVE THEY BEEN AT A BOARD MEETING, HAVE THEY

VOLUNTEERED IN A SCHOOL. IT’S NOT FAIR. SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO MY COLLEAGUES, HOPE WE’RE ALL GOING TO WORK TOGETHER. STAY IN OUR LANES, BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONLY TIME WE CAN MEET IN THE PUBLIC. I DON’T HAVE NO GRUDGE AGAINST ANYBODY, BUT I AM GOING TO SPEAK UP FOR WHAT’S

RIGHT BECAUSE THAT’S ME. VP KAY, SEE THEM TONIGHT. DOING A GREAT JOB. CATCH THESE KIDS EXPAND UPON WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, BE ON THE RIGHT PATH. THAT NEEDS TO BE OUR FOCUS. I CAN WORK WITH ANYBODY. I MAY NOT LIKE A PERSON EVERY DAY, BUT IF THEY’RE VOTING AND

DOING WHAT’S BEST FOR KIDS, THAT’S MY FOCUS. TO SIT HERE AND CRITICIZE OPEN DOOR POLICY, THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT YOU GET IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA — NINE SUPERINTENDENTS HAVE RESIGNED, YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE CRITICAL RACE THEORY. BOOK BANNING. ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT WE MADE

POLITICAL, THOSE ARE ADULTS GOING BACK AND FORTH. WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN. THERE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE WRONG, YOU DON’T HEAR ME CALLING PEOPLE NAMES, AND WE CANNOT PUT PEOPLE OUT THERE. WE’RE SUPPOSED TO BE PROFESSIONAL. AND SO TONIGHT, I’M GLAD WE’VE

GOTTEN THROUGH THIS CONTRACT PROCESS, MY COLLEAGUES CAN’T VOTE FOR IT — MR. ANDREW, HE HAS HAD 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENTS WE GAVE $30,000 RAISE AND NEVER ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY. PEOPLE HAVE TO SHOW UP. MR. ANDREW, YOU’VE DONE GREAT

THINGS AND I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT TONIGHT. WHEN I LAY MY HEAD DOWN TONIGHT, I CAN SLEEP, BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT I HAVE DONE TO HELP AND MOVE THIS DISTRICT FORWARD HERE IN ALACHUA COUNTY. TONIGHT I THINK WE DID A GOOD JOB COMPROMISING ON IT.

BUT I HAD TO SAY TONIGHT, AND I’M SO GRATEFUL TO MR. ANDREW AND HIS STAFF, BECAUSE YOU ALL ARE WORKING HARD, THESE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TAKEN ON THESE JOBS FROM JULY ’23-’24. TRUST ME, THEY ARE WORKING OVERTIME TRYING TO CLEAN UP A

SYSTEM, A 30 YEAR SYSTEM. I’M SORRY PEOPLE RETIRED, YOU’RE HERE TONIGHT, IT’S BEEN THE SAME, AND THAT’S THE REALITY. AND WHEN YEAR TRYING TO CLEAN UP, IT’S NOT GOING TO COME IN TWO MINUTES, IT’S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME, PHYSICAL YOU’RE NOT MOVING, PEOPLE COMPLAINING IF

YOU’RE MOVING, PEOPLE COMPLAINING. THANK YOU, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS, I DON’T SEE ANYTHING ELSE. I’M GOING TO MOVE ON. >> WE NEED TO — >> CHAIR: WE ALREADY VOTED, DIDN’T WE? ALL IN FAVOR? [ INAUDIBLE ] ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> CHAIR: AYE. ALL OPPOSED?

>> NAY. 3-2. MISS GREEN. ON TO THE RENAMING OF THE DISTRICT OFFICE. EACH ONE OF YOU GOT A POLICY, WE HAD SOME LETTERS AND REPORTS THAT CAME TO US ABOUT THE BOOK BANNING — I MEAN, NOT BOOK BANNING, THE RENAMING OF THE DISTRICT OFFICE HERE IN HONOR OF

MR. CHESTNUT. WE TALKED ABOUT IT, YOU ALL WERE PROVIDED WITH THE POLICY. AND IN THE POLICY, IT GIVES YOU OPTIONS, YOU CAN EITHER NUMBER 7 TALKS ABOUT, WE COULD GO AHEAD AND NAME IT, OR WE CAN PUT TOGETHER AD-HOC COMMITTEE, SO AFTER LOOKING AT THE PARTY —

THE POLICY, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT’S YOUR PLEASURE? BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE’RE TRANSPARENT AND GIVE THE COMMUNITY A CHANCE TO HAVE INPUT ON THIS. I WANTED TO BRING IT BACK BEFORE US. >> I SUPPORT THE FORMATION OF AN AD-HOC COMMITTEE.

IT’S NOT THAT I DO NOT SUPPORT NAMING THE DISTRICT TO OFFICE FOR MR. CHESTNUT, IT’S JUST, I THINK, THAT NO MATTER WHO GETS CHOSEN, THERE WILL BE SOMEONE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO DISAGREES. WE ALL KNOW THIS, IF WE FOLLOW A TRANS PATIENT PROCESS WITH

COMMUNITY INPUT, THAT CAN’T BE A REASON FOR THEM TO DISSENT, AND I THINK IF WE WANT COMMUNITY BUY-IN, THIS IS THE BEST PATH FORWARD. >> CHAIR: YOU WANT TO MAKE THAT A RECOMMENDATION? >> DO YOU NEED A MOTION? >> I NEED A MOTION.

>> I MOVE THAT WE FORM AN AD-HOC COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER RENAMING THE DISTRICT OFFICES BASED ON POLICY 72.50. >> CHAIR: OKAY. SO THE PUBLIC KNOW, SECOND BY DR. McNEALY. ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> CHAIR: OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS APPROVED. >> CHAIR: NOW WE MOVE ON TO

ADOPTION OF THE PROPOSED NEW ADMINISTRATIVE JOB DESCRIPTION SECOND READING. >> THANK YOU. THE PROPOSED NEW ADMINISTRATIVE JOB DESCRIPTIONS, THE NEW EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL JOB DESCRIPTION FOR THE STUDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT, THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AND THE FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

THESE PROPOSED NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS ARE SET FORTH IN THE ATTACHED STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/EFFECT, AND SHOWN ON THE — IN THE ATTACHED PROPOSED JOB DESCRIPTIONS. THE SUPERINTENDENT RECOMMENDS THAT THE BOARD APPROVE THE PROPOSED NEW ADMINISTRATIVE JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND THE NEW EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL

JOBS DESCRIPTIONS AS PREVENTED. THIS IS THE SECOND READING. >> CHAIR: ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION? >> SO MOVED. >> CHAIR: MOVED BY DR. ROCKWELL, IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> CHAIR: IT’S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR? [ INAUDIBLE ]

>> CHAIR: SECOND READING, I’M SORRY. TAYLOR GUILFORD? >> GOOD EVENING MADAM CHAIR, BOARD. I A COUPLE THINGS I WANTED TO LOOK AT, AS IT RELATES TO NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS. I KNOW BOARD CHAIR, YOU MENTIONED BEFORE, CALL FORES ESSER. I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE BOARD AS

WE THINK ABOUT NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS TO MAKE SURE THERE’S A REALLY CLEAR PLAN FOR THE DIFFERENT ROAMS FOR THE FAMILY LIAISON TO THE TUTORS. WE’LL CONTINUE USING, AND IF SO, HOW ARE WE GOING TO ACCOUNT FOR IT, AND DOES THAT MAKE US THINK

DIFFERENTLY ABOUT PUTTING NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS INTO THE ROLE. I THINK SOMETHING THAT’S ALSO RELATED TO JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND TO SOME COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY OUR BOARD MEMBER. I THINK I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I THINK MY OBSERVATION IS — I’M PRETTY SURE I’M ONE OF

THE ONLY FORMER STAFF MEMBERS THAT GOT A CHANCE TO COME UP AND TALK TONIGHT. I GOT THE SENSE, AND I’M NOT ASKING YOU TO RESPONDS, MY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS ORGANIZATION WAS BROUGHT INTO QUESTION. I WOULD ASK THE BOARD TO STICK TO THE SAME CIVILITY PLEDGE THEY

SPEAK TO. MY NAME WASN’T SAID BUT MY CONTRIBUTIONS WERE BROUGHT INTO QUESTION. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT, I THINK THIS RELATES TO THE WORK ENVIRONMENT. I THINK HAVING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL TALK ABOUT AN EMPLOYEE THAT HAS LEFT, I FEEL LIKE THAT’S A REASON I LEFT.

THANK YOU. >> CHAIR: THANK YOU. IS THERE A PHONE CALL? HEARING NONE. ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> CHAIR: MOTION CARRIES. MOVING ON TO THE FINAL ORDER — OH, EMERGENCY ADD ON? NO, NO, WE DID THAT ALREADY. FINAL ORDER OF THE BOOK CHALLENGE CASE. IS MISS MORRELL, MISS SIEGLE.

>> THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT IS THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD ENTER A FINAL ORDER APPROVING THE HEARING OFFICER’S RECOMMENDATION AS PRESENTED. DR. MORRELL IS THE OBJECTIVE, AND SHE IS HERE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION. MR. DELANEY, ARE THERE TIME CONSTRAINTS? >> CHAIR: WELL, I’LL — CAN I

ADDRESS THAT? ALL SCHOOL BOARD — YOU ALL HAVE THE COPY OF MISS MORRELL’S SPECIFIC OBJECTIONS TO THE RECOMMENDED ORDER, THESE DOCUMENTS ARE POSTED ON BOARD DOCS ON THE AGENDA, USING BOARD POLICY 56.12 AND PAST PRACTICES, THE PETITIONER IS PROVIDED TEN TOTAL MINUTES TO PRESENT HER

OBJECTION TO THE RECOMMENDED ORDER, IN KIND THE SUPERINTENDENT’S ATTORNEY WILL HAVE ALSO 10 MINUTES TO RESPOND. MISS MORRELL IT’S ON YOU. >> THANK YOU. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO NOTE THAT IT WAS NEVER COMMUNICATED TO ME THAT I COULD COME AND SPEAK FOR

TEN MINUTES AT THIS HEARING. AND THAT THERE WOULD BE ANY KIND OF COUNTER TALK, THERE’S QUITE A LACK OF CLARITY OF PARENTS RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. I’M GOING TO POINT TO THAT AS I GO THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION. THIS TEN MINUTES WAS NEVER EXPLAINED IN ANY COMMUNICATION

THAT CAME TO ME FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. >> CHAIR: OKAY. >> ANYWAY. GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU ABOUT MY OBJECTIONS TO A LIBRARY BOOK CALLED MELISSA BY ALEX GENOME. I AM A MOTHER OF THREE CHILDREN. I AM A PROFESSOR AT THE

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA WHO HOLDS SEVERAL DEGREES, INCLUDING A MASTER’S DEGREE IN EDUCATION, A MASTER’S DEGREE AND A Ph.D. IN BILINGUALISM AND SECONDARY EDUCATION. I POSSESS K-12 SPANISH TEACHING CERTIFICATES FROM THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA, NEW JERSEY AND FLORIDA. IN FLORIDA I HOLD A CERTIFICATE

AS AN EDUCATIONAL MEDIA SPECIALIST. AS A MEDIA SPECIALIST, I’M TRAINED TO UNDERSTAND THE LEGAL STANDARDS THAT GOVERN BOTH THE SELECTION AND THE USE OF LIBRARY BOOKS AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS IN MY CHILDREN’S SCHOOLS. THOUGH I HAVE EXPERTISE IN LANGUAGE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION,

I WANT TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT I AM NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY GROUP OR ORGANIZATION THAT IS CHALLENGING AGE INAPPROPRIATE OR SEXUALLY EXPLICIT BOOKS FORBIDDEN BY THE FLORIDA LAW. RATHER, I STAND HERE AS A CONCERNED PARENT TO CHALLENGE A BOOK IN MY SON’S SCHOOL LIBRARY.

I AM DEEPLY COMMITTED TO MY CHILDREN’S EDUCATION AND THE SUCCESS OF THEIR SCHOOLS. THIS COMMITMENT IS EVIDENT FROM MY ACTIVE ROLES SERVING AS THE PARENT REPRESENTATIVE ON THE SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNSELOR AT TERWILLIGER AND BOOSTER AT GAINESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL. AS AN INVOLVED PARENT, I TAKE

PRIDE IN THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF MY CHILDREN, WITH ONE BEING HONORED AS A RECIPIENT OF THE NATIONAL MERIT HISPANIC RECOGNITION PROGRAM. ANOTHER ACCELING AS A CADET, WHICH IS HEADED TO THE NATIONAL COMPETITION FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW. AND MY YOUNGEST REPRESENTING THE

DUAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAM AT TERWILLIG RE R ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THIS UNDERSCORES MY COMMITMENT TO MY CHILDREN’S EDUCATION. I AM AN INVOLVED PARENT AND A CONCERNED PARENT, THAT’S WHY I’M HERE TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LAW THAT PROTECTS THE CHILDREN IN THE

STATE OF FLORIDA. RECENTLY I HAVE CHALLENGED SOME BOOKS THAT WERE IN THE GAINESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY THAT CONTAIN SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL AND I ALSO OBJECTED TO OTHER BOOKS AT TERWILLIGER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHERE MY SON IS IN FIRST GRADE. I’VE BEEN APPALLED BY SOME OF

THOSE BOOKS, THEY TEACH THAT THREE-YEAR-OLDS CAN CHANGE THEIR GENDER FROM DAY TO DAY AND YEAR TO YEAR. I’M APPALLED BY THE SCHOOL MEDIA SPECIALIST’S OPEN REFUSAL TO FOLLOW THE STATE CRITERIA FOR BOOK SELECTION. I WISH TO CITE THE FLORIDA STATUTES, SECTIONS 1006 SUBSECTIONS, WHICH STATES THE

PROCESS FOR PARENT OBJECTIONS TO BOOKS MUST PROVIDE THE PARENT OR RESIDENT OPPORTUNITY TO PROFFER EVIDENCE TO THE DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD. I HAVE PRESENTED EVIDENCE BEFORE A HEARING OFFICER, I HAVE NOT BEEN PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT MY EVIDENCE OR MAKE MY ARGUMENT TO THIS BOARD.

THEREFORE, MAKING THESE COMMENTS AN SUBMITTING MORE COMMENTS AND SUGGESTED CHANGES TO THE HEARING OFFICER’S RECOMMENDED ORDER, IT IS NOT — AND THIS IS NO LONGER RELEVANT, BUT HADN’T BEEN COMMUNICATED TO ME, IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE TO LIMIT MY PRESENTATION TO 3 MINUTES.

THIS IS NOT PUBLIC COMMENT, I AM AN OBJECTING PARENT. MOST RECENTLY ON JANUARY 23rd, I PRESENTED MY BOOK MELISSA IS NOT AGE APPROPRIATE FOR FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS, AT A PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE SUPERINTENDENT’S HEARING OFFICER. THE HEARING OFFICER’S RECOMMENDED ORDER IS BEFORE YOU TONIGHT FOR CONSIDERATION.

A COPY OF THAT RECOMMENDED ORDER WITH MY COMMENTS AND SUGGESTED TEXT CHANGES INSERTED IN BRACKETS AND COLOR CODED HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO YOU, AND I TRUST YOU HAVE HAD THE TIME TO READ IT. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THIS RECOMMENDATION DOES NOT REFLECT

MY EVIDENCE AND ARGUMENT WHICH I PRESENTED AT THAT HEARING. AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, IT CONTAINS OUTRIGHT MISREPRESENTATIONS OF MY OBJECTIONS TO THIS CHILDREN’S BOOK. IT’S DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT THE HEARING OFFICER OR THE STAFF ATTORNEY WHO MAY HAVE ASSISTED IN DRAFTING THIS ORDER WAS

TAKING NOTES OR REVIEWED THE HEARING VIDEO WHEN CRAFTING THIS ORDER. CONTRARY TO THE ORDER’S WORDING, I DID NOT OBJECT TO THIS BOOK BECAUSE IT CONTAINS PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL. THIS WAS MADE CLEAR AT THREE OR MORE DIFFERENT POINTS IN MY PRESENTATION. ONE IN AN ANSWER TO THE HEARING OFFICER DIRECTLY.

TWO ON SLIDE 12 OF MY POWER POINT PRESENTATION. AND THREE MY PINE ITTAL ARGUMENT — FINAL ARGUMENT. THE ISSUE WAS NOT PORNOGRAPHIC CONTENT, RATHER THE PASSAGES WHERE A 14-YEAR-OLD COMMENTS TO HIS 10-YEAR-OLD BROTHER ABOUT HIS PORNOGRAPHIC INTERESTS. THOSE PASSAGES COULD OPEN A DOOR

IN A CHILD’S MIND TO INQUIRE OR SEEK OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT DIRTY MAGAZINES OR PORN. KEY WORDS THAT A 10-YEAR-OLD SHOULD NOT BE CONTEMPLATING OR INSTRUCTED ABOUT FROM A BOOK IN THEIR SCHOOL LIBRARY. AFTER PARTICIPATING IN THE PAST TWO HEARINGS, IT HAS BECOME

APPARENT THAT THE PERSONAL OPINIONS OF THE DISTRICT AND SCHOOL MEDIA SPECIALISTS ARE MOTIVATING THEM TO OPENLY DISREGARD THE STATE’S CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF MATERIALS. I UNDERSTAND THESE TOPICS ARE CONTROVERSIAL, AND WE ALL HAVE OPINIONS. THAT’S WHY THERE’S A STATE

STATUTE PUT IN PLACE, IT’S THE VOICE OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. THIS IS NOT ABOUT PERSONAL OPINIONS, THIS IS A PROFESSIONAL OPINION ABOUT THE CRITERIA SET FORTH IN THE STATUTES, WHICH MUST BE APPLIED OBJECTIVELY BY TRAINED MEDIA SPECIALISTS SUCH AS MYSELF. THE AUTHORS BIO OF THIS BOOK

INDICATES THAT HE IS AN ACTIVIST FOR THE TRANSGENDER PHENOMENON THAT HAS SWEPT OVER THE UNITED STATES AND MUCH OF THE WESTERN WORLD OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS. 15 YEARS AGO, THERE WAS VIRTUALLY NO LITERATURE ABOUT GIRLS EXPERIENCING GENDER IDENTITY DISORDER. ONE FREQUENTLY QUOTED AUTHOR WHO

HAS RESEARCHED THE SUBJECT HAS CALLED IT “SUDDEN ON SET OF GENDER DISFOR YA” WHICH IS NOW OCCURRING AT HIGHER RATES IN GIRLS AND BOYS. 4% OF YOUNG BOYS ARE EXPERIENCING IT TODAY. THAT’S 400 TIMES THE INCIDENCE IN ONLY 15 YEARS OR A 40,000 PERCENT INCREASE.

IN A RECENT “NEW YORK TIMES” ARTICLE PUBLISHED JUST TWO DAYS AGO, MAYBE THREE, FEBRUARY 2nd, STUDIES SHOW THAT AROUND 8 IN 10 CASES OF CHILDHOOD GENDER DISFOR YA RESOLVE THEMSELVES BY PUBERTY, AND 30% OF HORMONE THERAPY DISCONTINUE ITS USE WITHIN FOUR YEARS.

THOSE THE EFFECTS ARE OFTEN IRREVERSIBLE. SHE GOES ON TO ADD, TO THE TRANS ACTIVISTS, THAT CHILDREN KNOW THEIR GENDER BEST, CHILDREN CHANGE THEIR MIND ALL THE TIME. PAMELA PAUL IS HARDLY WHAT ONE WOULD CONSIDER A CONSERVATIVE, BUT POINTS TO WHAT WE ALL KNOW,

THERE’S NO EVIDENCE THAT GENDER AFFIRMING CARE IS SAFE, EFFECTIVE OR MEDICALLY NECESSARY. THE SCIENCE IS NOT SETTLED, THE DEBATE ABOUT THE CAUSES, TREATMENTS AND ROLE OF SOCIAL CONTAGION ARE STILL ONGOING. THIS IS A FICK TIGSAL BOOK, A FICTIONAL BOOK FROM A

PERSPECTIVE OF A BOY WHO THINKS HE HAS BECOME A GIRL. AND IT DOES NOT QUALIFY UNDER THE STATUTORY STANDARDS WHICH ARE PROPERLY SET FORTH IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF THE FINDINGS OF FACT IN PARAGRAPH EIGHT OF THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE LAW IN THE RECOMMENDED ORDER.

THE AUTHOR STATES THIS BOOK TARGETED 4th AND 5th GRADERS ENCOURAGES THE MEDICAL TRANSITIONING OF CHILDREN WHO SUFFER FROM GENDER DISFOR YA WHILE USING DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE CHARACTERS. IT INCLUDES TELEPHONE NUMBERS AND WEBSITES FOR CHILDREN TO SEEK FURTHER INFORMATION AND COUNSEL. PROVIDING ACCESS TO THERAPISTS

TO CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 13 WROUGHT PARENTAL CONSENT IS ILLEGAL IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. ONCE YOU BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE CONTENT OF THIS BOOK. I BELIEVE YOU WOULD CONCLUDE THIS BOOK SHOULD NOT BE REVIEWED BY ANY CHILDREN IN THE 9th GRADE

AND HIS OR HER PARENTS AND GUARDIANS SHOULD BE INVOLVED. GENDER IDENTITY MAY NOT BE DISCUSSED IN THE CLASSROOM UNTIL 9th GRADE, AND ONE OF THE CONDITIONS FOR SELECTING LIBRARY BOOKS IS HOW IT ALIGNS WITH CURRICULUM, AND THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND FACULTY. IT’S CLEAR THAT THE CRITERIA FOR

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL ARE MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN LIBRARY MATERIAL. YET THE PURPOSE OF THE SCHOOL LIBRARY IS TO SUPPLEMENT THE BASIC READING ASSIGNED THROUGH THE STANDARD CURRICULUM. THIS TEXT IS FROM A MOTION FILED IN PETER PARNELL, ET AL VERSUS THE — >> CHAIR: THANK YOU, YOUR TIME

IS UP. >> I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR AN ADDITIONAL THREE MINUTES, SINCE NO ONE INDICATED THAT I WOULD HAVE ONLY TEN MINUTES. >> I THINK A REASONABLE STATUTE HAS BEEN OFFERED TO CHALLENGE THE PRIOR DUE PROCESS AFFORDED TO THE HEARING.

>> I DON’T BELIEVE I’VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD. >> I’VE GIVEN YOU 10 MINUTES. >> I DON’T THINK THAT’S FAIR AND ADEQUATE. >> CHAIR: THAT’S THE RULE. >> FAIR AND ADEQUATE IS THE STATUTE. >> MISS SIEGLE, YOU HAVE TEN MINUTES TO RESPOND.

>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. LET ME FIRST CORRECT A MISUNDERSTANDING, PERHAPS DR. MORRELL HAS. THE HEARING OFFICER, DR. BESSIE JACKSON WAS APPOINTED BY THE BOARD, NOT APPOINTED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT. APPOINTED BY THE BOARD AT A BOARD MEETING. DR. JACKSON WAS A RETIRED

ADMINISTRATOR AT THIS THIS SCHOOL, AND WAS A MEDIA SPECIALIST WITH A MASTERS IN LIBRARY SCIENCE. DR. MORRELL HAS ONLY LAST OCTOBER — AND SHE’S PUT INTO HER EVIDENCE, BECAME A MEDIA SPECIALIST BY VIRTUE OF TAKING A CERTIFICATE TEST. SHE’S NEVER CURATED A MEDIA

LIBRARY AND SO FORTH. THE STATUTE THAT DEALS WITH THE BOOKS THAT CAN BE SELECTED FOR A LIBRARY IS — IT’S ACTUALLY 1006.2D 2 A, BUT THAT REFERS TO ANOTHER STATUTE, WHICH IS 1006.43D. ALL THAT’S REQUIRED FOR A LIBRARY BOOK, NOT A BOOK USED FOR INSTRUCTION.

JUST AVAILABLE FOR STUDENT USE IN THE LIBRARY, IT BE FREE FROM PORNOGRAPHY, AND MATERIAL PROHIBITED BY ONE OF THE CRIMINAL STATUTES ON DEVIANT SEXUALITY, THAT IT’S SUITED TO STUDENT NEEDS AND THEIR ABILITY TO COMPREHEND THE MATERIAL PRESENTED. AND IT’S APPROPRIATE FOR THE

GRADE LEVEL AND AGE GROUP FOR WHICH THE MATERIALS ARE USED. INSTEAD OF ASKING QUESTIONS OF THE MEDIA SPECIALIST AT TERWILLIGER AND THE MEDIA SPECIALIST FOR THE DISTRICT ON THE STATUTE’S WORDING, DR. MORRELL USED LANGUAGE FROM A TRAINING SLIDE THAT SHE USED

FROM THE STATE WHILE SHE WAS MAKING THE TRAINING. AND THE PROBLEM IS, THE TRAINING SLIDE WAS JUST ENACTED LAST YEAR, AND A NUMBER OF THE SLIDES HAVE BEEN, AND THEY’RE UNDERGOING CHANGE THIS YEAR, BECAUSE THEY DON’T FOLLOW THE STATUTE. BUT SHE WOULD ASK QUESTIONS

SAYING, WELL, WHAT DEGREE IS THIS MATERIAL WILL BE SUPPLEMENTAL TO CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION. BEING SUPPLEMENTAL TO CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION IS NOT ONE OF THE THREE THINGS LISTED UNDER THE STATUTE FOR LIBRARY BOOKS. >> READ BULLET POINT C AND D. >> CHAIR: EXCUSE ME, YOU CAN’T DO THAT.

COME ON. I GAVE YOU 10 MINUTES. YOU’VE HAD YOUR 10 MINUTES. THANK YOU. >> SHE HAS — SHE MENTIONED THE CASE OF SCHOOL BOARD OF LAKE COUNTY VERSUS PARNELL, OR PARNELL VERSUS THE SCHOOL BOARD OF LAKE COUNTY. I THINK WE’VE ALL HEARD OF THAT BEFORE.

IT’S A CASE WHERE THERE WAS A LIBRARY BOOK CALLED AND TANGO MAKES THREE. THE BOOK IS AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BOOK ABOUT TWO MALE PENGUINS THAT TOGETHER RAISED A BABY PENGUIN. LAKE COUNTY PULLED IT OFF THE SHELF ANYTHINKING IT VIOLATED HE BY 1557 WHICH PROHIBITED SEXUAL

OTRIENTATION CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION. THE CASE WAS SUED AGAINST THE LAKE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, BUT ALSO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, AND SO FORTH. AND THE STATE PEOPLE FILED A MOTION TO DISMISS AND WHAT THEY SID THAT’S INTERESTING IS, THAT LAKE COUNTY REMOVED IT FROM THE

SHELVES INCORRECTLY BELIEVING THAT THE RESTRICTION ON HOUSE BILL 1557 ON CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION APPLIED TO SCHOOL LIBRARY BOOKS. THEY WENT ON TO SAY, A SCHOOL’S PROVISION OF LIBRARY BOOKS IS NOT AN AFFIRMATIVE ACT OF TEACHING IN A CLASSROOM, LIBRARY BOOKS BY THEIR NATURE ARE

OPTIONAL RATHER THAN REQUIRED. A LIBRARY BOOK THAT ENCOURAGES KIDS TO READ VOLUNTARILY IS SUPPLEMENTAL TO THEIR EDUCATION, AS READING IS REQUIRED IN ALL DISCIPLINES. IT IS NOT CONFINED TO THE QUICK U LAR MATERIAL OF A SPECIFIC CLASSROOM COURSE. I ENCOURAGE YOU, THERE IS A

VIDEO OF THE HEARING. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT THE VIDEO IF YOU LIKE, TO SEE HOW THE QUESTIONS WERE ASKED, BUT OUR FOLKS ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS APPROPRIATELY. LAKE COUNTY AFTER THIS MOTION WAS FILED AND HEARING WHAT THE STATE FOLKS HAD TO SAY, PUT THE

BOOK BACK ON THE SHELF. BECAUSE IT WAS JUST A LIBRARY BOOK. THE BOOK IN QUESTION DOES NOT HVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION, IT’S ONLY SUPPLEMENTAL IN THE SENSE THAT IF YOU CAN GET CHILDREN TO READ ANYTHING. >> DON’T GIVE THEM THAT BOOK.

>> ESPECIALLY WHAT THEY WANT, IT IS SUPPLEMENTAL AND GOOD FOR CHILDREN. DR. MORRELL IS CERTAINLY WELCOME TO TELL US TO KEEP THAT BOOK AWAY FROM HER CHILD, LET HER CHILD NOT CHECK IT OUT, AND WE HAVE A SYSTEM THAT’S VERY EASY

TO USE THAT WILL SAY, IF HER SON OR DAUGHTER COMES UP AND SAYS, I’D LIKE TO READ THAT BOOK, OH, THEY WILL STEER THE CHILD TO SOMETHING ELSE. BUT SHE SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED TO COME IN HERE AND TELL EVERY OTHER PARENT IN THIS DISTRICT

WHAT THEIR CHILD SHOULD NOT READ. SO I WOULD — OUR RECOMMENDATION THROUGH THE SUPERINTENDENT IS TO APPROVE DR. JACKSON’S ORDER AS PRESENTED. YOU ALL HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THE THINGS THAT DR. MORRELL HAS WRITTEN, AND I WOULD SUGGEST THE APPROPRIATE THING

WOULD BE TO GO AHEAD AND APPROVE DR. JACKSON’S ORDER OR RECOMMENDATION. >> CHAIR: YOU’VE HEARD THE RECOMMENDATION. IS THERE A MOTION? [INAUDIBLE ] >> I HAVE A COMMENT. >> CHAIR: I HAVE TO GET A MOTION FIRST. I GOT YOU. >> I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE

RECOMMENDATION FROM THE HEARING OFFICER. >> SECOND. >> CHAIR: IT’S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. NOW CITIZEN’S INPUT. FIRST WE HAVE MISS ELIZABETH HUSBAND. AND THEN WE’LL HAVE TAMARA DOUCHE. >> MY NAME IS ELIZABETH HUSBAND, I’M A RETIRED SCHOOL COUNSELOR, MOTHER, GRANDMOTHER AND GREAT GRANDMOTHER.

PERSONALLY, I’M GLAD CHILDREN HAVE BOOKS LIKE MELISSA AVAILABLE IN SCHOOL LIBRARIES. I WISH MY HUSBAND AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO READ THIS BOOK WHEN WE WERE GROWING UP. IF WE HAD, MAYBE WE WOULD HAVE BEEN SPARED A LOT OF HEARTACHE.

WE GOT MARRIED IN 1965 AND HAD THREE CHILDREN. IN 1976, MY HUSBAND REALIZED THE ADVICE HE GOT FROM HIS YOUTH PASTOR DID NOT WORK FOR HIM. HE DID WHAT HE WAS TOLD, PRAY, GO TO CHURCH, FIND A NICE GIRL TO MARRY.

HE DID IT ALL, BUT HE WAS STILL GAY. AND I WAS LEFT FEELING GUILTY, WONDERING WHERE HAD I FAILED. IF I ONLY I WERE A BETTER WIFE, MAYBE HE WOULDN’T CHOOSE TO BE GAY. EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE BEING LGBTQ+

IS A CHOICE, MOST OF US KNOW BETTER THAN THAT NOW. RESEARCH SHOWS THE DANGERS OF DENYING ONES TRUE SELF. I AM GLAD CHILDREN TODAY CAN READ STORIES ABOUT LGBTQ CHARACTERS WHOSE IDENTITIES ARE NOT ONLY ACCEPTED BUT CELEBRATED. I’M GLAD THEY LEARN TO LOVE

THEMSELVES AND OTHERS, JUST THE WAY THEY WERE CREATED. WHAT I DO NOT LIKE IS THE MESSAGE THAT WILL BE SENT IF BOOKS ABOUT LGBTQ PEOPLE ARE REMOVED FROM THE LIBRARY. SPEAKING AS A RETIRED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, I BELIEVE REMOVING SUCH BOOKS IS

POTENTIALLY HARMFUL TO THE MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR STUDENTS. I HOPE THE WORK WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE WISDOM OF OUR PROFESSIONAL MEDIA SPECIALISTS, WHO CHOSE TO INCLUDE BOOKS LIKE THIS ONE IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES. >> CHAIR: THANK YOU SO MUCH. TAMARA? >> GOOD EVENING MADAM CHAIR AND

THE BOARD. I’M HERE AS A FORMER ALACHUA COUNTY SCHOOL STUDENT AND A REGISTERED MENTAL HEALTH COUNCILING INTERN. I REVIEWED THE EXHIBITED BY PROFESSOR MORRELL IN THE AGENDA, AND WITHIN HER OWN TESTIMONY IN BOTH THAT AND HER DISCUSSION HERE, SHE MISGENDERS BOTH THE CHARACTER AND THE AUTHOR.

I KNOW THIS IS IRRELEVANT TO THE BOOK ITSELF, SHE CITES STUDIES OUT OF CONTEXT, INCLUDING THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS, ENDOCRINOLOGISTS AND MORE, WHEN DISCUSSING TRANS TRANSITION OF YOUTH. THIS ALSO ATTACKS LGBTQ PLUS SEEKING SUPPORT, SUCH AS THE TREVOR PRODUCT. HIDING FROM THEIR PARENTS,

DISREGARDING THE ABUSE LGBTQ STUDENT’S FACE. THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF TODAY HAVE A MUCH WIDER RANGE OF BOOKS FOR ALL AGES, IF THEY CAN’T ACCESS THEM, THEY ARE LEFT AS STRANDED AS WE WERE 15 TO 20 YEARS AGO. I WOULD HOPE ALACHUA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE COME FURTHER

THAN THAT, I THANK THE LIBRARIANS TO DETERMINE WHAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR OUR STUDENTS. AS OTHERS HAVE SAID BEFORE ME, OUR SCHOOLS ARE MEANT TO SERVE THE BEST INTERESTS OF ALL OUR CHILDREN. IF WE WANT TO BE HERE FOR THE CHILDREN, THAT INCLUDES TRANS CHILDREN.

PARENTS OF OTHER CHILDREN, AND TRANS CHILDREN ALSO HAVE RIGHTS. MELISSA WAS — I’M GOING TO GO TO THE END. SUPPORT AND CONNECTION TO THEIR COMMUNITIES HELPS THEIR MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOME. >> CHAIR: THANK YOU. SUSAN BOUCHER. >> SHE LEFT. >> CHAIR: BOB EDWARD? >> TWO MINUTES OR THREE MINUTES?

>> TWO MINUTES. >> OKAY. I’VE COME ALONGSIDE MISS MORRELL RECENTLY AND REVIEWED THIS ENTIRE MATTER, I’M A RETIRED PROFESSIONAL WHO WORKED WITH LEGAL MATTERS FOR 35 YEARS. I WOULD TAKE GREAT EXCEPTION TO THE STAFF INTERPRETATION OF THE LAW. AND I ASK FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO

MEET WITH MR. DELANEY. I’M GOING TO READ MISS MORRELL’S STATEMENT. I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO ME, WHO ADDRESSED CONCERN THAT STATE MANDATED CRITERIA FOR LIBRARY MATERIALS HAVE BEEN IGNORED FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR APPLYING THEM

FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR CHILDREN. I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN TWO DISTRICT LEVEL HEARINGS IN OPPOSITION TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND HIS STAFF, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BEFORE AN UNBIASED HEARING OFFICER, WITH THE REQUISITE QUALIFICATIONS TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES RELATED TO SELECTING LIBRARY BOOKS.

THE HEARING OFFICER HAS AMPLY DEMONSTRATED HER UNWILLINGNESS TO UPHOLD AND HER WILLINGNESS TO UPHOLD ANY OBJECTION BY THE STAFF ATTORNEY, WHEN THIS IS NOT A CIVIL TRIAL, THIS IS NOT A PROCEEDING WITH RULES OF EVIDENCE. IT IS A HEARING FOR PARENTS TO PRESENT THEIR CASE.

FURTHER, HER WILLINGNESS TO INTERRUPT MY PRESENTATIONS COUPLED — MORRELL’S PRESENTATIONS, COUPLED WITH THE DISTORTIONS AND ERRORS IN HER RECOMMENDED ORDERS CONFIRMS I HAVE NOT BEEN AFFORDED A FAIR AND IMPARTIAL HEARING. HER APPARENT BIAS AGAINST MY OBJECTIONS IN FAVOR OF THE

SUPERINTENDENT LED ME TO REQUEST THAT SHE RECUSE HERSELF, YOU HAVE A COPY OF THAT REQUEST. PARENTS DESERVE WHAT THE FLORIDA LAW REQUIRES, AN EXPERIENCED UN BIASSED HEARING OFFICER TO CONSIDER THEIR CONCERNS, EPLEASE BE CLEAR, THIS REQUEST IS BASED UPON THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE HEARING OFFICER AND NOTHING

ELSE. >> CHAIR: THANK YOU SO MUCH. AMY TRASK, AND THEN JAMES PEER. >> I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST DISPEL SOMETHING THIS WITNESS SAID. MY CHILD WAS 3 YEARS OLD AND HE WENT BE THE TO A CHRISTIAN SCHOOL. ONE DAY, THE TEACHERS GAVE EVERYONE CUTOUTS, THEY WERE

SUPPOSED TO COLOR IT IN AND REFLECT THEIR SELF-POIR TRAT. THEY GAVE MY SON A BOY, HE BROKE DOWN IN TEARS SAYING THIS IS NOT ME, I WANT THE GIRL. LATER ON WE FOUND A BOOK, ABOUT A YEAR LATER, HE CRIED AGAIN, BECAUSE HE SAID, MAMA, THEY’RE LIKE ME.

THEY’RE LIKE ME. THIS BOOK DOES SO MUCH MORE THAN ALLOW SOMEONE TO READ A BOOK. IT IS A DUTY OF CARE. IT ALLOWS KIDS TO UNDERSTAND THEMSELVES AND THE WORLD AROUND THEM. CRITICAL REASONING, CRITICAL THINKING, DEVELOPING EMPATHY, IT MAKES KIDS FEEL SEEN AND FEEL HEARD AND NOT ALONE.

AND AS SOMEONE BEFORE ME TALKED ABOUT THE TREVOR PROJECT. IF WE ARE COMMITTED TO STUDENT EXCELLENCE, OUR JOB IS TO CARE FOR THEM ENTIRELY. THIS BOOK HAS NO IDEOLOGY, NO PORNOGRAPHIC METHODS BY STATE STATUTE OR DEFINITION, AND WE ARE PROTECTED UNDER THE UNITED

STATES CONSTITUTION AND BILL OF RIGHTS TO HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION. THESE AUTHORS UTILIZE THAT VOICE, AND THEY DID SO FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE STUDENTS. THEY WERE RULED APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR AGE BY PEOPLE THAT WERE ENTRUSTED TO EXAMINE THESE MATERIALS.

BANNING THIS TITLE WOULD BE BANNING THAT SPEECH, AND IT WOULD BE INHIBITING THE GROWTH AND PROGRESS OF EVERY CHILD THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM THAT. ONE PERSON’S DISCOMFORT DOES NOT OUTWEIGH THE FREEDOMS OF EVERY STUDENT AND EVERY OTHER PARENT IN THIS DISTRICT. THANK YOU.

>> CHAIR: THANK YOU, MISS TRASK. >> HELLO, MY NAME IS JANE SPEER, I’VE BEEN — I’VE SPOKEN BEFORE YOU A COUPLE TIMES RECENTLY. GOOD EVENING, MR. ANDREW, MISS SIEGLE, CHAIR McGRAW AND BOARD MEMBERS. I WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND EITHER OF THE HEARINGS THAT DR. MORRELL REFERENCED.

SO I’M NOT ABLE TO ADDRESS ANY OF THEIR SPECIFIC ISSUES. HOWEVER, I KNOW MANY MEDIA SPECIALISTS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. THEIR EDUCATION, THEIR LEVELS OF EDUCATION, THEIR TRAINING. AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE EDUCATION AND DEDICATION OF OUR STUDENTS. THEY UNDERSTAND, AND THEY FOLLOW

THE STANDARDS AND THE PROTOCOLS THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED BY OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM WHEN SELECTING BOOKS THAT ARE AGE AND SUBJECT APPROPRIATE. THEY DESERVE OUR RESPECT AND SUPPORT. THEIR PARENTS HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO SEE THEIR CHILDREN’S READING MATERIAL. WHILE I KNOW THAT ALL BOOKS ARE

NOT AGREEABLE TO ALL PARENTS. I BELIEVE THAT HAVING BOOKS WITH DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW, IS THE VERY ESSENCE OF EDUCATION. WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO LEARN TO THINK CRITICALLY AND NOT JUST REGURGITATE NAMES AND DATES. TO DO THAT SUCCESSFULLY CHILDREN NEED ACCESS TO A VARIETY AND OFTEN COMPETING POINTS OF VIEW.

ALL IN ALL, I ASK THE BOARD TO STAND WITH OUR FUTURES AND MEDIA SPECIALISTS, EVEN LET THEM DO THEIR JOBS AS THEY WERE TRAINED AND HIRED TO DO. THANK YOU. >> CHAIR: THANK YOU. ANY PHONE CALLS? ALL RIGHT, IT’S BACK TO THE BOARD, DR. ROCKWELL?

>> SO I WANTED TO — CAN I ENTER MY STATEMENTS TO YOU, CAN I HAND IT TO YOU AND ENTER IT INTO THE RECORD SINCE I WASN’T ABLE TO READ IT TO YOU. >> CHAIR: GIVE IT TO JACKIE JOHNSON. >> SO I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT

THIS, I ATTENDED TRAIN BY THE FSBA ON THE STATE STATUTES, SO THAT I WOULD THOROUGHLY UNDERSTAND THEM, AND MR. DELANEY WAS ONE OF THE ATTORNEYS WHO CONDUCTED THAT TRAINING, AND HE CAN VERIFY THAT I ASKED SO MANY QUESTIONS. HE WANTED TO KICK ME OUT OF THE

ROOM. [ INAUDIBLE ] BUT I ASKED A TON OF QUESTIONS. I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THESE STATUTES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. AND WHEN I GOT BACK, I CALLED HIM WITH MORE QUESTIONS. AND I SAT DOWN WITH ATTORNE SIEGLE WITH MORE QUESTIONS. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I

COMPLETELY UNDERSTOOD HOW THIS STATUTE WORKED FOR CLASSROOM MATERIALS AND LIBRARY MATERIALS AND THEY ARE IN FACT VERY DIFFERENT. I ALSO PROMISED MYSELF THAT I WOULD NOT VOTE ON A BOOK I HAD NOT READ. SO I PURCHASED MELISSA AND I READ THE ENTIRE BOOK.

AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I HAVE READ A LOT OF MIDDLE GRADE BOOKS FR THAT 4th THROUGH 8th GRADE AGE GROUP WITH MY CHILDREN, AND DID NOT ENJOY MOST OF THEM. MELISSA IS AN AMAZING BOOK. I RECOMMEND THAT ANYONE WHO’S CURIOUS READ IT.

THE CHARACTERS ARE SO WELL WRITTEN, THAT EVEN AS AN ADULT I CARED ABOUT THEM. WHICH IS VERY UNUSUAL IN CHILDREN’S BOOKS. I USUALLY FEEL LIKE IT’S SILLY AND SURFACE LEVEL. IT WAS EXCELLENT. BUT THAT’S NOT RELEVANT TO THE HEARING. WHAT’S RELEVANT TO THE HEARING

IS, DOES IT VIOLATE STATE STATUTE. IT DOES NOT. IT DOES NOT VIOLATE STATE STATUTE FOR LIBRARY MATERIALS. CAN THIS BE USED AS INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL, COULD A TEACHER DO A NOVEL STUDY ON THIS? NOT ACCORDING TO OUR STATE STATUTE. CAN IT EXIST IN OUR LIBRARIES?

ABSOLUTELY, ACCORDING TO STATE STATUTE, IT CAN. THERE’S NOTHING IN THIS BOOK THAT VIOLATES STATE STATUTE. I’M ALSO SPEAKING AS THE PARENT OF A FOURTH GRADER WHO IS THE AGE GROUP TARGETED. SHE’S ON THE YOUNGEST END OF THE AGE GROUP THAT WOULD BE RECOMMENDED TO READ THIS BOOK.

AND WHEN I FINISHED READING IT, I HANDED IT TO HER, I SAID YOU CAN READ THIS TO YOUR BOOKSHELF AND READ IT IF YOU’RE INTERESTED. IF IT WAS MOVED FROM THE LIBRARY MY CHILD HAD ACCESS TO, I WOULD BE UPSET AS A PARENT IT DOESN’T

VIOLATE STATE STATUTE. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT DIFFERENT PARENTS HAVE DIFFERENT STANDARDS FOR WHAT THEY WANT THEIR CHILDREN EXPOSED TO. AND MY STUDENTS DON’T APPLY TO DR. MORRELL, THAT IS FINE. THAT IS WHY STATE STATUTE ALSO REQUIRES US TO KEEP AN ONLINE ACCESSIBLE DATABASE OF ALL OF

OUR CLASSROOM AND SCHOOL LIBRARY MATERIALS. WE ALREADY HAD ONE FOR LIBRARIES, OUR CLASSROOM LIBRARIES, OUR TEACHERS AND MEDIA SPECIALISTS WORKED THEIR TAILS OFF GETTING ALL OF THOSE TITLES UPDATED, APPROVED BY MEDIA SPECIALISTS AND AVAILABLE FOR PARENTS TO PERUSE, SO THAT

ANY PARENT CAN DETERMINE THAT THEY DON’T WANT THEIR CHILD TO HAVE ACCESS TO ANY NUMBER OF THOSE MATERIALS. AND YOU CAN SIGN UP THAT YOUR CHILD IS NOT ALLOWED ACCESS TO WHATEVER TITLES YOU DESIRE. I SUPPORT PARENTAL RIGHTS, PARENTAL RIGHTS TO ME, MEANS MY

RIGHT TO PARENT MY CHILDREN, AND YOUR RIGHTS TO PARENT YOUR CHILDREN. TELLING MY CHILD SHE CAN’T HAVE ACCESS TO AROUND AGE APPROPRIATE BOOK THAT DOES NOT VIOLATE STATE STATUTES, VIOLATES MY PARENTAL RIGHTS. NOT EVERY PARENT CAN JUST GO TO AMAZON AND PURCHASE MELISSA, IF

THEIR CHILD WANTS TOO READ IT AND THEY’RE OKAY WITH THAT. I WANT TO SAY, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO THE PUBLIC THAT I DO NOT VOTE WITHOUT READING ALL OF THE MATERIAL PRESENTED, INCLUDING WHAT WAS EMAILED TO ME BY DR. MORRELL.

AND DR. MORRELL, AS AN ASIDE, YOU’LL BE GETTING AN EMAIL FROM ME. I WAS INVITESED INTO A CLASS TO READ A BOOK. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE BOOK I AM GOING TO READ IS OKAY WITH YOU. THAT’S WHAT PARENTAL INCLUSION LOOKS LIKE.

PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT THEIR CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO. I RESEARCHED THE STATUTE, AND LEGAL LANGUAGE IS VERY HARD TO UNDERSTAND, SO I HAVE ASKED EXPERTS NUMEROUS QUESTIONS AND READ THE BOOK IN QUESTION. I TAKE MY RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEPING OUR STUDENTS SAFE VERY

SERIOUSLY, AND I WILL BE VOTING TO KEEP MELISSA ON OUR SCHOOL LIBRARY SHELVES, BECAUSE I CAN’T FIND ANY REASON THAT IT VIOLATES STATE STATUTE AND WOULD PRESENT A SAFETY ISSUE TO OUR CHILDREN. >> CHAIR: THANK YOU. DR. ROCKWELL. MISS ABBITT. >> SHE IMMERSED HER BODY IN THE

WARM WATER AND TRIED NOT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WAS IN FRONT OF HER LEGS. HEY, RICK, IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE IS STARTING TO GROW BALLS. THIS IS IN A LIBRARY FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUG FOURTH GRADE. DO MOST KIDS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH

BOYS ABOUT WHAT’S IN THEIR UNDERPANTS. GEORGE HAD LOOKED AT WEBSITES TALKING ABOUT TRANSITIONING, WHAT SHE HAS BETWEEN HER LEGS WAS NOBODY’S BUSINESS BUT HER AND HER BOYFRIENDS. THIS IS KAY ABBITT’S OPINION ON THIS, I WOULD NOT WANT MY CHILD

TO GO INTO PAY LIBRARY AND PICK UP THAT BOOK AND START READING THAT. AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CHILD THAT’S UNSURE ABOUT HER SEXUALITY OR MAY BE TRANS. I WOULD NOT LIKE IT IF IT WERE ABOUT A KID WHO WAS VERY SURE OF HER SEXUALITY.

THAT HAS NO PLACE IN A LIBRARY. AND BACK HERE IN SOME OF THE NOTES IT SAYS, THIS IS A — THIS BOOK OFFERS, SPEAKS TO FRIENDSHIP, KINDNESS AND ACCEPTANCE. THERE ARE SO MANY BOOKS THAT SPEAK TO THAT WITHOUT THE SEXUAL ELEMENT IN IT. I BELIEVE IN PARENTAL RIGHTS,

I’M GOING TO TELL YOU I’M VERY OFFENDED BY THE WAY THAT DR. MORRELL HAS BEEN TREATED. SHE COMES IN HERE, AND IT’S LIKE THIS ENVIRONMENT IS JUST — PARENTS HAVE RIGHTS AND THEY CAN HAVE RIGHTS LIKE YOU HAVE, DR. ROCKWELL, THEY CAN HAVE RIGHTS

LIKE DR. MORRELL, BUT EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT. I’M GOING TO VOTE NOT TO KEEP IT IN THE LIBRARY, BECAUSE I’M OLD FASHIONED AND THAT’S JUST HOW I AM. THERE WAS ANOTHER BOOK THAT CAME UP THAT I VOTED TO KEEP IN A

LIBRARY, BECAUSE I READ IT. I’M NOT GOING TO VOTE ON SOMETHING IF I DON’T READ IT, AND I DID VOTE ON THE OTHER BOOK TO KEEP IT IN THE LIBRARY. I’M NOT — YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY BECAUSE I’LL BE OUTNUMBERED, THOSE ARE MY

THOUGHTS ON IT, I THINK I WOULD NOT WANT MY CHILD WHOSE A SECOND GRADER, THIRD GRADER EVEN A FOURTH GRADER TO BE READING SEXUAL PASSAGES IN A LIBRARY BOOK AT A SCHOOL. >> CHAIR: SEEING NO OTHER LIGHTS, DR. ROCKWELL, YOU STILL HAVE YOUR LIGHT ON?

>> I WANTED TO CLARIFY, ONE OF THE PASSAGES THAT WAS READ WERE TWO SEPARATE PASSAGES. >> EXPERTS. >> THE WAY IT WAS READ, IT MAKES IT SOUND LIKE THERE WAS SOMEONE ELSE IN THE BATHROOM WHEN MELISSA WAS TAKE WILLING A BATH THE REASON THAT WAS SAID IS

BECAUSE MELISSA STOOD UP TO THE CLASS BULLY, AND THAT COMMENT WAS MADE AS SLANG, AS A COLLOQUIALISM, NOT IN ACTUAL REFERENCE TO GENITALS. >> I DON’T THINK WE SHOULD HAVE THINGS THAT INDICATE TO FOURTH GRADERS THAT BOYS ARE TRYING TO GET IN YOUR UNDERPARENTS AND

NOBODY BUT A BOYFRIEND SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT. I’M JUST TELLING YOU HOW I FEEL, I’M OLD FASHIONED, THAT’S JUST HOW I FEEL. >> CHAIR: ALL RIGHT. OKAY. HEARING NO OTHER, ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> OWE PEETZED? >> AYE. [ INAUDIBLE ] >> CHAIR: ALL OPPOSED? >> NAY.

>> CHAIR: 4-1, MS. GREEN. THANK YOU ALL. MOVING ON TO CITIZEN INPUT. I HAVE SOME SLIPS, AMY TRASK? >> BEFORE I START, BEFORE MY TIME STARTS, SOMEONE LEFT THEIR PHONE OVER HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM CHAIR. I JUST WANT TO BRIEFLY MENTION SOMETHING — TONIGHT WE HEARD A

LOT OF PARTISAN AND A LOT OF DIVISIVE ATTITUDES I GUESS. WE HEARD STAY IN OUR LANES, WE SAW WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER A PUBLIC SHAMING OF MISS CERTAIN AND DR. ROCKWELL. AND IT WAS ALL IN THE NAME OF UNITY. I WANT TO JUST QUICKLY DISPEL

THIS IDEA THAT DISAGREEMENT IS BAD. DISAGREEMENT IS A GREAT THING. DISAGREEMENT IS HOW WE PROGRESS AND THRIVE AS A SOCIETY. WHEN WE’RE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE ACROSS OUR DIFFERENCES, AND FIND THE HUMANITY WITHIN EACH OTHER, WE CAN GET A LOT MORE DONE. SO I DON’T THINK THAT

DISAGREEMENT IS BAD. WHAT I DO THINK IS BAD IS, SIMILAR TO OUR GOVERNMENT RIGHT NOW, WE CAN’T CHERRY PICK WHAT MAKES US COMFORTABLE. BECAUSE GROWTH DOESN’T COME OUT — COME ABOUT WITHOUT TRANSPARENCY, PERSONALLY, I’M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR DR. ROCKWELL AND MISS CERTAIN FOR BIG OUT THE

NEGATIVE, IF ALL WE HEAR IS THE POSITIVE, WE DON’T — WE’RE NOT AWAKE TO THE ISSUES, AND WE CAN’T BECOME ACTIVISTS, WE CAN’T JUMP TO THE CALL. WE DON’T KNOW WHAT TO CHANGE IF IT’S NOT MENTIONED. THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRANSPARENCY AND NEGATIVISM.

BUT I DON’T THINK THAT IT’S APPROPRIATE TO SHAME EACH OTHER WHILE WE’RE ON THE BOARD. JUST LIKE — I BELIEVE IT WAS MISS McNEALY SAID — >> CHAIR: YOU CAN’T CALL OUT NAMES. >> JUST LIKE ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS SAID, A LOT OF PEOPLE

DON’T WANT TO COME TO THESE MEETINGS, BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE AN EXAMPLE THAT OUR KIDS CAN FOLLOW. AND SO IN REFERENCE TO EACH OTHER, AND THE DYNAMICS OF THIS BOARD, AND HOW WE MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER ESPECIALLY WITH THE PUBLIC, I THINK IT’S JUST REALLY

IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT SO FAR THE SCHOOL BOARD HASN’T BEEN SHOWN THEY ARE TRANSPARENT ON QUITE A FEW ISSUES. A LOT OF THE PEOPLE I KNOW, AND MYSELF INCLUDED, I APPRECIATE THE TRANSPARENCY, IT’S NOT THE SAME THING AS ANGER OR DISAGREEMENT. >> CHAIR: THANK YOU.

TAYLOR GUILFORD? >> EVENING BOARD CHAIR, BOARD MES MEMBERS. I’D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE BOARD ON A STEP THAT IS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, CENTERING DATA AND GOALS AND CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHERE WE GO AS A DISTRICT. I THINK THAT WAS A POSITIVE STEP FORWARD, AND I ENJOYED LISTENING

TO YOUR SPIRITED DISCUSSIONS AND THE WAY YOU CAME TOGETHER AND EXPRESSED YOUR OPINIONS. I THINK I JUST HAVE A COUPLE RECOMMENDATIONS I’D LIKE TO OFFER TO YOU AND THE STAFF. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I STARTED WITH REMINDING US IS ABOUT WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER TO

BE A LOW BAR THE SCHOOL GRADE SET FOR US. I NOTICE THE AGREED UPON GOAL IS ROOTED IN A C OR HIGHER. AS IT STANDS IN THE 22-23 SCHOOL YEAR, A C IS 33% OF KIDS BEING EFFICIENT AT MATH, READING, ELA. I WOULD SUGGEST A HIGHER GOAL.

I DON’T KNOW IF IT’S SET IN STONE AT THIS POINT. I THINK A LOFTIER GOAL IS 41%, THAT IS THE MARKET AT WHICH KIDS ARE GETTING OUT OF THE FEDERA INDEX FOR UNDERPERFORMING, AND REPRESENTS A PUSH GOAL THAT WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH A GOAL.

I WOULD LEAVE IT TO YOU TOO DISCUSS WHETHER 33% FOR AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS A LOFTY GOAL. IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE’S A WORKSHOP IN ORDER FOR THE EVALUATION, I THINK THAT’S GOING TO BE A PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION FOR YOU ALL TO THINK ABOUT.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO SET CRITERIA FOR WHAT SHOULD BE TRUE OF A METRIC. IF WE’RE USING THE SCHOOL GRADES, I THINK SMART GOALS IS A GREAT PLACE TO START IS SPECIFIC MEASURABLE ACTIONABLE TIME BOUND BY SEPTEMBER 1st, WE’LL HAVE DATES IN PLACE, THAT’S A

PRODUCTIVE WAY TO MOVE FORWARD. I’M RUNNING A LITTLE SHORT ON TIME, I THINK THE THING I DIDN’T HEAR IN THE CONVERSATION, WE TALKED ABOUT A BONUS FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR SUCCESS OF THOSE SCHOOLS. I DIDN’T HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT TEACHERS OR SCHOOL STAFF, HOW

THEY WOULD BE COMPENSATED FOR THAT AS WELL. >> CHAIR: THANK YOU. MIKE PERKINS. AND THEN MISS AVIS BUTLER AND FAY WILLIAMS. >> GOOD EVENING AGAIN. I WANT TO SAY THAT THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT THE BOOK, I THOUGHT THAT WAS A VERY GOOD DISCUSSION.

I DIDN’T SEE ANYBODY BEING RUDE TO ANYBODY. I THOUGHT EVERYONE PRESENTED THEIR CASE QUITE WELL, AND I THOUGHT THAT EACH CASE — EACH SIDE PRESENTED ITSELF VERY WELL. I WANT TO CONTRAST THAT TO THE DISCUSSIONS WHEN WE’RE DISCUSSING THE SALARY ISSUE, AND THOSE OTHER ISSUES.

THAT WAS VERY HARD TO SIT THROUGH. I BECAME HUNGRY, I COULDN’T SIT STILL IN MY SEAT. IT WAS JUST LIKE THE CHAIR POINTED OUT, IT’S JUST A CONSECUTIVE BOMBARDMENT OF NEGATIVITY. 20 MINUTES OF NEG STIV STUFF GOING BACK AND FORWARD. IT MADE FOR AN UNCOMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT.

IT’S OKAY TO AGREE TO DISAGREE, BUT WHEN YOU JUST COME WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF JUST NEGATIVITY, IT’S AN UNCOMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT AND IT MAKES THIS PLACE — PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO COME HERE FOR THAT. AND IT’S OKAY TO NOT AGREE, AND

IT’S OKAY TO HAVE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION, IT’S NOT OKAY TO BE NASTY AND JUST — IT COMES OUT AS IT’S A PERSONAL ATTACK ON SOMEONE. IT DIDN’T COME OUT LIKE YOU JUST DIDN’T AGREE. IT CAME OUT PERSONAL, SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL DO BETTER AS

THE CHAIR HAS ASKED US TO DO. WE’LL ALL DO BETTER, MAKE THIS PLACE A MORE POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT. SO THAT CITIZENS WANT TO COME, AND WE’LL SIT THROUGH IT. AND MY LAST COMMENT IS THAT I WOULD APPRECIATE IF THIS COMMITTEE WILL PUT SOME RULES IN

PLACE THAT STOP YOU GUYS FROM BEING ABLE TO GO BACK AND FORTH BADGERING ONE ANOTHER, WE CAN’T DO IT. THANK YOU. >> CHAIR: MISS BUTLER? >> MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND MR. SUPERINTENDENT, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL, BECAUSE

HAD IT NOT BEEN 35 YEARS AGO THAT THIS BOARD, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF YOUR FORMER EDUCATOR AND ADMINISTRATOR, THE CURRENT COMMISSIONER, CYNTHIA CHESTNUT. WE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THE SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM, 35 YEARS AGO, WE CALLED IT THE CLOUT POLIROGRAM. OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, THE

CHILDREN’S TRUST FUND FROM ALACHUA COUNTY HAS FUNDED THE SUMMER EMPLOYMENT FOR OUR YOUTH, I HEARD YOUR DISCUSSION MADAM CHAIR, WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT NOT EVERY CHILD WILL GO TO COLLEGE OR WANTS TO GO TO COLLEGE. SO IT’S SO GOOD THAT WE CAN PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES, AND I

LIKE TO SAY THAT WILL I STAND HERE READY AS A VOLUNTEER. IF YOU ALL DECIDE THAT YOU WANT TO EXPAND THE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM AND HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. WE KNOW THERE ARE RESTRICTIONS IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF HOURS,

AND THE TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT ACTIVITIES THAT CAN BE PERFORMED BY OUR KIDS, BUT CERTAINLY WE NEED IT, WE NEED IT MORE THAN JUST FOR THE SUMMERTIME. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, IT WAS ALACHUA COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD WHO VOTED TO HAVE THE PROGRAM YOU

ALL WERE THE ONES IN PLACE TO PUT IT IN PLACE, TO ADD VOW INDICATE IT, TO THE COUNTY AND THE CITY, AND NOW IT TOOK ANOTHER 30 SOMETHING YEARS TO GET IT BACK UP AND RUNNING, BUT IT HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB OVER

THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND I CERTAINLY STAND HERE READY TO VOLUNTEER TO HELP YOU. >> CHAIR: THANK YOU, MISS WILLIAMS. >> GOOD EVENING, MAYBE GOOD NIGHT. THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. WHEN I CAME HERE TODAY, I WANTED TO — THE MAIN REASON I SHOWED

UP WAS TO OBJECT TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT GETTING AN INCREASE IN HIS CONTRACT. I READ IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER, AND THEN I FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS CHANGED. EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT TO ME, I’M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, MY NAME IS FAYE WILLIAMS, I’M A

COMMUNITY ORGANIZER IN PORTERS QUARTERS. THE TOP OF MY LIST IS ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, EDUCATION, GUN VIOLENCE, TRYING TO MAKE PROGRESS THAT WAY. I WAS TOTALLY DISAPPOINTED, BECAUSE I CAN REMEMBER BACK THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO, WHEN WE HAD THE CHAT, WE ONLY NEED THREE ON THE BOARD.

WE ONLY NEED THREE ON THE BOARD. AND AT THAT POINT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THREE BLACK WOMEN WHO WOULD COME TOGETHER, DISCUSS EVENTS AND MAKE IT HAPPEN OUR WAY. TO SEE THE THREE BLACK WOMEN BATTLING WITH EACH OTHER HURT MY HEART. IT WAS NOT ONLY YOU ALL, BUT THE

WHOLE DAIS BATTLING AGAINST EACH OTHER. IT HURTS MY HEART, BECAUSE WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FREEDOM SCHOOLS, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN LIFTING UP BLACK HISTORY. IT IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH. AND I WANT TO JUST END, BECAUSE I SEE I’M ALMOST OUT OF TIME.

I WANT TO THANK DR. ROCKWELL, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU TINA CERTAIN FOR SPEAKING OUT, FOR HAVING THE ETHICS TO NOT HOLD IN, TO NOT HAVE SECRETS, TO LET IT BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. BECAUSE IT MEANS A LOT WHEN THE

PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT’S HAPPENING BEHIND THE DAIS. >> CHAIR: THANK YOU, MISS WILLIAMS. >> AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING ABLE TO SPEAK OUT WHEN YOU WERE BEING ATTACKED. AND IT’S NOT RIGHT. >> CHAIR: THANK YOU, MISS WILLIAMS. >> I HOPE THAT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.

THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING TODAY. >> CHAIR: STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE INPUT? YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY? >> I HAVE FIVE PHONE CALLS. >> CHAIR: OKAY, PHONE CALLS FIRST. >> HELLO, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. CALLER, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES

WITH THE BOARD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> CHAIR: NEXT CALLER? >> CALLER, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD. CALLER, PLEASE >> [INAUDIBLE]. [INAUDIBLE]. >> HELLO. >> PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD.

HELLO, CALLER, ARE YOU THERE? >> I AM HERE. MY NAME IS TINA DAYS AND I’M CALLING TO SUPPORT SUPERINTENDENT ANDREW AND — [INAUDIBLE] I THINK IT IS THE ESSER TO GIVE — [INAUDIBLE] OR EVEN HAVE KIDS THROUGH THE IV PROGRAM.

IT DEFINITELY SHOWS UP IN THE SECOND YEAR AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO START THE IV PROGRAM AND HOPE HOPEFULLY END UP GOING THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND — [INAUDIBLE] THROUGH THE IV PROGRAM I JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE ARE SO MANY NEGATIVE THOUGHTS OF

SUPERINTENDENT TRYING TO MAKE IV PROGRAM IT JUST DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE. THIS IS — EVEN THE PUBLIC COUNTY HAS THE PROGRAM STARTING OUT IN KINDERGARTEN. WE JUST ARE SO FAR BEHIND SO I DO SUPPORT SUPERINTENDENT ANDREWS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU.

>> CALLER, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD. >> HELLO? >> YES, GO AHEAD WITH YOUR COMMENT. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> HELLO. >> CALLER, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.

>> I ASSUME YOU CAN HEAR ME. >> YES, GO AHEAD WITH YOUR COMMENT. >> THIS IS [INAUDIBLE] AND FIRST OF ALL I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE ATHLETES AND COACHES THAT SHOWED UP TODAY FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS I BELIEVE THEY KNOW BETTER THAN

ANYONE ELSE HOW MUCH EFFORT THEY HAVE PUT INTO THEIR PROGRAMS. [INAUDIBLE] AND PREVIOUS TEACHER AND STUDENTS. AS THE BOARD JUST CELEBRATED ALL OF THE ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENTS AND THEY ARE ONLY FOCUSED ON THE LOCAL SCHOOLS WHEN DISCUSSING SUPERINTENDENT ANDREW’S CONTRACT. [INAUDIBLE] WE HAVE TO REALIZE

STUDENTS ARE NOT ALL THE SAME AND BUT THIS CASE SPENDS ALMOST TWO HOURS ON THE ROAD EVERY DAY. [INAU [INAUDIBLE] [INAUDIBLE] HOW CAN THE TEACHERS TEACH WELL IF THEY HAVE STUDENTS ON 3RD AND 4TH GRADE LEVEL IN THE SAME CL CLASS? [INAU

[INAUDIBLE] THE ADMINISTRATION DID NOT HAVE THIS DISCUSSION WITH THE PUBLIC. THE BOARD ARRANGED A WORKSHOP AND FOR THE PARENTS. I ALSO WANT TO CLARIFY THAT WE SHARE THE SAME HALLWAY AND ARE MIXED WITH CLASSROOMS IN THE SAME PLACE ON CAMPUS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> CHAIR: THANK YOU. >> CALLER, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. CALLER, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD. >> CALLER, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD.

HOLE O. CALLER, ARE YOU THERE? HELLO, CALLER, ARE YOU THERE? >> CALLER, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD. >> HELLO. >> YES, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD.

>> IF YOU ARE TALKING TO ME, YES, SIR? >> YES, I’M TALKING TO YOU. >> HI, ARE YOU SPEAKING TO ME? >> YES, I’M SPEAKING TO YOU. >> HI. >> HI. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.

>> HELLO? >> GO AHEAD WITH YOUR COMMENT. >> SIR? >> CHAIR: NEXT CALLER, DO YOU HAVE ONE? >> CALLER, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD. >> HELLO? >> YES, GO AHEAD WITH YOUR COMMENT.

>> THIS IS [INAUDIBLE]. I’M NOT SURE IF YOU CAN HEAR MY COMMENTS I CANNOT HEAR YOU. [INAUDIBLE]. C CONGRATULATIONS TO SUPERINTENDENT ANDREW. I FEEL YOU ARE THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR THIS TIME. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE ENGAGED

WITH THE COMMUNITY. [INAU [INAUDIBLE] [INAUDIBLE]. THEM IS ALSO VERY GOOD. WE SAW [INAUDIBLE] THAT GREW UP IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND NOW THEY ARE LEADERS. THEY ARE A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THIS IS ALSO ENCOURAGING. IT IS SAD TO ME WE CAN’T HAVE

HOME GROWN LEADERS. I AM A PRODUCT OF — [INAUDIBLE] SO WE DO HAVE LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT I — [INAUDIBLE] THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER AS A BOARD AS STAFF AND AS A COMMUNITY TO INVEST IN THE CITY.

WE HAVE LEADERSHIP AND COMPROMISE — [INAUDIBLE] NEGATIVE COMMENTS UNFO UNFORTUNATELY BUT I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO GET ON BOARD WITH MOVING FORWARD. THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE DO RIGHT AND THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE DO WRONG BUT EVERYTHING IS NOT WRONG SO

PLEASE, I WANT TO SAY I’M HOPEFUL YOU WILL CONTINUE TO COME TOGETHER. [INAUDIBLE] I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AND PLEASE STAY THE COURSE AND GET THINGS DONE. [INAUDIBLE]. >> CALLER, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD.

>> I WANT TO SAY I WANT TO SEE YOU COME TOGETHER AS WE WORK TOWARDS HELPING OUR STUDENTS AND IMPROVING OUR SCHOOLS AND I WANTED TO SAY PLEASE — >> CALLER, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. >> OKAY. HELLO. [INAUDIBLE] HELLO.

I’M — [INAUDIBLE] I GUESS IT IS NOT MY TURN. >> CAN YOU PLEASE MUTE YOUR LAPTOP? >> MUTE MY LAPTOP? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. IS IT ME NOW? >> STATE YOUR NAME. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD.

>> YES S, I AM MELISSA MILLER AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK DR. ROCKWELL AND MISS CERTAIN FOR THEIR TRANSPARENCY AND FOR UPHOLDING THEIR PROMISES TO THE CHILDREN AND TO THE CONST CONSTITUENTS. EVERYTHING THAT THEY SAY IT IS FACTUAL AND IT IS BACKED UP BY

STATE STATUTE AND PUBLIC RECORD. I DON’T SEE IT AS NEGATIVITY. I FEEL THAT PEOPLE ARE BULLYING THEM ON THE DAIS SPECIFICALLY THE LAST TWO WHO HAD SPOKEN WHO SEEM TO BE PRETTY CHUMMY AND I DON’T MEAN THAT IN A NEGATIVE WAY BUT

THAT’S HOW IT COMES ACROSS. PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES THE WAY THEY CHOOSE THE SAME WAY THAT YOU DO AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE LABELLED NEGATIVE BECAUSE WHAT THEY SAY CHALLENGES YOUR BELIEFS OR WHAT YOU FEEL SHOULD BE DONE BECAUSE YOU FAVOR A CERTAIN

PERSON, THE SUPERINTENDENT IN THIS CASE. I THINK THAT IS KNOCKING ON THE DOOR OF NEPOTISM. YOU HAVE FRIENDS YOU INVITE TO COME THERE FROM YOUR SORORITIES AND FRATERNITIES TO PROMOTE YOUR AGENDAS AND YOU SAY YOU DON’T PLAY GAMES BUT THAT’S WHAT YOU ARE DOING, YOU

ARE PLAYING GAMES AND POLITICKING ON THE DAIS AND YOU DO IT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS SO WHOEVER SEEMS TO SPEAK UP AGAINST WHAT YOUR BELIEFS ARE THEY ARE ATTACKED WITH THE NEGATIVE LABEL AND THAT’S NOT RIGHT. YOU ARE PLAYING THE SAME GAMES

YOU ACCUSE EVERYONE ELSE DOING. DR. ROCKWELL AND MISS CERTAIN PLEASE POSTING ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES. YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO DO THAT. YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO THE PUBLIC TO BE TRANSPARENT. THAT’S WHAT WE WANT TO SEE. AND IT IS NOT PLAYING GAMES.

IT IS BEING TRANSPARENT. IT IS NOT BEING NEGATIVE. IT IS CALLED TRANSPARENCY. IT IS CALLED TRANSPARENCY. >> CHAIR: THANK YOU. >> YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. >> CHAIR: ALL RIGHT. ANY MORE? >> YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> HELLO? >> YES, GO AHEAD WITH YOUR COMMENT. >> HUH? >> YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH THE BOARD. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> HI, MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] AND THERE IS A FEW THINGS THAT

I WANT TO GO OVER ABOUT MY KIDS’ SCHOOL. FIRST OF ALL THE CAFETERIA MY SON’S LUNCH MONEY ON LUNCH — [INAUDIBLE] AND THAT MORNING AND IT SAID THERE WAS A BALANCE OR WHATEVER. AND IT DIDN’T HIT UNTIL 30 MINUTES AFTER HIS LUNCHTIME

AND SO THE LADY GAVE HIM — [INAUDIBLE] AND THEN HE TOOK HIS [INAUDIBLE] COMPLETELY EMBARRASSED AND GAVE HIM TWO SLICES OF BREAD AND A SLICE OF CHEESE AND APPARENTLY A CARROT AND AN ORANGE. MY SON WAS COMPLETELY EMBAR EMBARRASSED. CAME HOME CRYING.

HE IS IN 6TH GRADE. HE HAS ASBERGER’S. I DON’T KNOW WHY ANYBODY WOULD DO THAT. HE WAS BROKEN. HE GOES TO A SCHOOL WHERE THERE ARE GANGS AND EVERYTHING ELSE BUT NOW — [INAUDIBLE] MAKE SURE THERE IS MONEY IN HIS THING BEFORE HE EATS.

EVERY DAY. I COULDN’T IMAGINE HAVING TO DO THAT IN THE 6TH GRADE IN A NEW SCHOOL AND BEING COMPLETELY EMBARRASSED. [INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE OF THAT. >> YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. >> CHAIR: IS THAT ALL? OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

NOW TURN TO STUDENT REP. THANK YOU FOR HANGING IN THERE TONIGHT. WE’RE GOING TO TRY TO NOT KEEP YOU HERE LONG IN THE FUTURE. >> YES, HI, FIRST I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE. IT IS MY FIRST SCHOOL BOARD

MEETING EVER. [INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE I DON’T REALLY LIKE TRUST MYSELF TO FORM COHERENT THOUGHTS RIGHT NOW, BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN VERY INTERESTING TO SEE THESE DECISIONS. [INAUDIBLE] ABOUT THE STUDENTS AND ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT GOES

ON IN OUR DISTRICT AND SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT. BUT, YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> CHAIR: THANK YOU. LOOK FORWARD TO IT. BOARD MEMBER, SUPERINTENDENT? >> I WILL MAKE THIS VERY QUICK I WANT TO REQUEST THAT WE MOVE OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE AND

PUT TO THE FRONT OF THE AGENDA LIKE WHEN ARE NOT ASKING A YOUN PERSON WHO HAS COMMUNITY INPUT WITH THE PARENTS OF WILLIAMS. >> CHAIR: MR. DELANEY, DO YOU WANT TO ADDRESS ACCORDING TO POLICY HOW THEY SHOULD ADDRESS THAT? >> SURE.

IT CAN BE DONE THROUGH BOARD MEMBER — [INAUDIBLE]. >> CHAIR: ALL RIGHT. MISS ABBITT? >> YES, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE BOOK REVIEWS. SO SHOULD THE BOARD MEMBERS BE ATTENDING THOSE? LIKE AT A LATER DATE? >> SURE.

SO MY RECOMMENDATION IS ANY MATTER THAT MAY COME BEFORE THE BOARD AS A QUASI-JUDICIAL HEARING AN EMPLOYEE TERMINATION OR EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINE PROCEEDING, A BOOK CHALLENGE, ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT IS GOING TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD OR THE BOARD IS GOING TO BE CONSIDERING

EVIDENCE MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE NOT TO ATTEND THOSE AND JUST TAKE THE EVIDENCE AND THE RESULTS OF THE LOWER LEVEL PROCEEDINGS ON A FRESH TAKE WHEN IT COMES BEFORE THE BOARD SO IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WAS SOME INTEREST IN THAT PROCESS BECAUSE IT WAS A

NEW PROCESS IN THE DISTRICT IN TERMS OF BOOK CHALLENGES BUT I THINK A CLEAR OF RECORD AS POSSIBLE WOULD BE BETTER IF THE BOARD WEIGHTS TO RECEIVE ALL OF >> WE DON’T ISSUE SUBPOENAS HERE. WE CAN. THERE IS A PROCEDURE BY WHICH

WE CAN BUT I HAVE VOLUNTARILY PERMITTED ANY EMPLOYEE TO COME AT DR. MERRILL’S REQUEST. THIS TIME SHE REQUESTED I BRING MR. ANDREW AND KAY ABBITT AND I WOULD LIKE MR. DELANEY TO PLEASE LET HER KNOW THAT THAT IS A CONFLICT

AND I WILL LET HER KNOW THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS A SIMILAR CONFLICT BUT I WOULD RATHER YOU DO THAT AS THE BOARD ATTORNEY, MR. DELANEY. >> AND I CERTAINLY CONCUR. I DON’T THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO HAVE A BOARD

MEMBER ATTEND THAT TYPE OF HEARING. >> AS A WITNESS. >> AS A WITNESS, RIGHT. >> CHAIR: MR. ANDREW, ANY REQUESTS? ALL RIGHT THEN THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 11:32. WE WILL BE BACK IN THE MORNING

AT 10:00.

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