Updates on the Fight for Quality Public Education in Brevard County, FL
0:30 Good evening. I’m happy to welcome my fellow board members and the public and call the meeting to order. This is a business meeting of the board held in the public. As such, the board is authorized to adopt rules or policies to maintain orderly conduct and proper decorum in a public meeting.
0:45 Please note that your presence here is subject to those rules and policies pursuant to Florida Statute 877.13. It is unlawful and a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a dollar 500 fine for any person knowingly to disrupt or interfere with the lawful administration or functions of any educational institution or school board knowingly to advise, counsel, or instruct any school pupil or school employee to disrupt any school or school board function or activity on school board property.
1:15 If you must leave the building for any reason, you will not be permitted to re enter. The appropriate place for public participation in the meeting is during your individual public comment opportunity is identified in the agenda outside of your individual public comment opportunity. Your role in the meeting is as an observer.
1:31 I will ask persons deemed to be knowingly or intentionally disrupting this meeting of the school board of Brevard county or not complying with policy to stop or leave. If persons receiving the warning choose not to follow my instructions, I will instruct Brevard county sheriff’s deputies to take any law enforcement action they deem appropriate, and you may be escorted, detained or arrested, depending on the conduct. Persons who refuse to depart after a warning may also be committing the crime of trespassing in accordance with Florida Statute section 810.
2:37 08. These statutes apply to conduct on all school board property, which includes this boardroom, as well as the outside of this building, to the sidewalks. If you continue to cause a disruption, you are advised that you are in violation of Florida State Statute 877.
2:51 13, or if you fail to leave the premises after being warned by the Sheriff’s office, you are committing trespass and the board has authorized the sheriff’s office to enforce these rules. In the event multiple individuals fail to adhere to these expectations and board business cannot continue due to disruption, I will call a recess and request that the law enforcement officers present clear the boardroom of attendees. When the room is cleared, the board will return and resume their meeting with no public present.
2:55 Those who are signed up to speak will be seated under the front entry area and called in when it is your time to speak. Miss Londono, in Miss Escobar’s absence, would you please call roll for me? My pleasure. Miss Belfort.
2:57 Present. Mister Susan? Present. Miss Campbell? Present.
3:18 Miss McDougall. Present. Miss Jenkins.
3:49 Present. The board will now hold a moment of silent reflection and invite the audience to join. Thank you.
3:55 Please join us in standing for the pledge of Allegiance. Pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. At this time, I would like to offer my fellow board members and Doctor Mullins the opportunity to recognize students, staff or members of our community.
4:09 And I believe you are starting us off this evening, Doctor Mullins. I understand. Yes.
4:16 I will make a couple quick recognitions and then we have a vip that we want to recognize this evening who happens to be absent due to not feeling well. But I’ll save that for a moment. I do want to congratulate.
4:31 I was with Miss McDougal at Cocoa Beach. I might be stealing this from you, Miss McDonald. You probably are.
4:49 Did you want to take the rotation? No, go ahead. Okay. Cocoa Beach High School’s female JROTC raider team competed with schools across the state and emerged state champions.
5:09 Yes. In addition, the Cocoa Beach Minutemen mail raider team finished in second place, only missing state championship by 1.15 seconds in a running event.
5:36 The JRTC radio competition requires physical and mental strengths, endurance, and, of course, a tremendous amount of teamwork. We had the privilege of meeting the ladies team at Cocoa Beach High last week. An impressive cadre of young women who we can be very proud of.
5:54 Whether they go on to serve our country and defend our freedoms or go on to other venues, they will certainly be leaders in their future. And we’re very, so very proud of them and appreciate Lieutenant Colonel Jim Desjardin and First Sergeant Kevin Statey, who are the leaders of the JRC army unit at Cocoa Beach High School. So proud of you.
5:57 Proud of our minutemen, JROTC teams. Also, I’d be remiss if we didn’t all wish great luck and best wishes to our two state competing football teams that’ll be playing in the next. You’re taking all my stuff.
6:11 But that’s all right. Keep going. I’m on a roll.
6:28 Sorry, Miss McDougall. And they, coincidentally, are both in district two. So our Coco Tigers are going to compete for the four a state championship Thursday evening, 07:00.
7:06 So go, Tigers. And our Mustang. Our Merritt Island Mustangs will be competing for the five a state championship on Friday at 01:00 p.
8:01 m. they are both televised, so don’t miss those games if you can’t get down to Fort Lauderdale. So good luck.
8:26 To our minute, our mustangs and our cocoa tigers. And then I have the privilege to kick off our recognition of an employee of brevard public schools who have served children in variety of capacities for over 33 years. And I feel it an enormous privilege to have been able to work rather closely with Miss Pam Escobar for at least the last decade as a member of Brevard Public Schools cabinet, where she has served as the school board administrative assistant.
8:38 And Miss Escobar is retiring, effective, I think, December 21 or whatever the last day is this semester. And unfortunately, she couldn’t be here with us this evening. But Pam began her career with brevard Public Schools as a Gulfview elementary Bobcat in 1989 and worked at Golfview both as an office clerk and then school secretary until through school year 2002 three, where she then went to be a customer service representative, like our TJ and Miss Pat and others out front for a couple years before she became the administrative assistant for district communications for several years, until she became admin assistant to the school board in 2013 and has served as the school board administrative assistant since then.
8:43 And Pam, if I know you, you’re out there watching and you’re shaking your head. I can’t believe they’re doing this to me. It’s just a credit to your gracious, kind, sweet spirit of a personality, and your amazing dedication and devotion to this organization, to our mission and serving the big people who then serve our students across our district.
9:03 Pam, we celebrate you, we recognize you, we love you, and wish you all the best in retirement. So thanks for letting me go first and give the history. Thank you, Doctor Mullins.
9:21 Miss Campbell. Right. Well, I wanted to, because it’s buried in the consent agenda.
9:33 I wanted to thank Mike Alba and the calendar committee and the staff who did some further revisions on our calendar for next year. Excited to see that we’ve been able to take the input from the community and institute a full week for Thanksgiving break next year and then projected for the potential calendar for the year after that. So thank you, Mike Albon.
9:41 I know he would say it’s all the team, so I just want to thank all the team that worked on that. I know some of our directors worked on that as well. And just to thank our Pam, who has got to be the best school board wrangler, because that’s what I call her, our Wrangler handler, however you want to call it.
9:54 And who has done that so faithfully and kindly and sweetly. There’s not a sweeter person on the planet than our Pam. So we’re going to very greatly miss you, Pam.
10:13 Thank you. Miss Gamble, Mister Susan, thank you very much. Sentiments echoed about Miss Escobar 100%.
10:39 Also, many people require the assistance of the wrangling more than others. And I would be one of those people. And I just wanted to say to her out there, wherever she is, that thank you for that.
10:52 But there’s another thing about Pam that really touches me, and that is that no matter whether she agrees with you or not, regardless of how crazy your requests are, whatever. She always sees the light in people, and seeing the light in people is a positive thing that you can’t get in many people. And she does that.
11:03 And I have never had a situation where she’s been unkind, said mean things, anything. I mean, and we’ve been here for five years, and I think, you know, being a part of an organization for as long as she has, and at the end of it, not being disgruntled and angry like the rest of us all are, right, is something to say about an individual. And then to say how her light still shines in each one of us as we move forward, that is just amazing.
11:16 So I did want to say that, pam, we love you, and we’re going to try to look at the law changing, so she has to come back and she can’t leave. So we’re looking forward to that, too. Okay, now onto nicer things.
11:27 I got to visit Ralph Williams Elementary School. How amazing. A lot of friends there, former teachers that I, you know, people in the community that were parents and stuff like that.
11:41 And I just want to tell you some of the most amazing things that the new principal there has knocked out of the park. Some of the coalitions that are going on, some of the collaboration that’s going on. The library was off the charts as far as STEM activities.
11:55 I mean, it’s just all the great things that were going on. And I wanted to say thank you to Ralph Williams staff and the new principal that’s there and how much I appreciate it having us. I visited Ogalle High School also and visited all my old friends.
12:18 I used to be a teacher there for many years ago, I was a teacher at Ogalle, and I loved being a part of it. I coached there. And the thing about Ogalle that many people may not know is that there are double generational teachers there.
12:26 So we have Brad Lustig and others whose fathers taught at Ogalle. And then they went out and came back, and now they teach at Ogalle. And that’s a testament to that school in that they have people.
12:47 There’s literally people with state championship names on the walls and their teachers at the school and coaches. And that’s what we miss today with a lot of the turnover in teaching and everything else is that long, generational caring for our society and our people. And I think that that is a huge shout out to Ogalle and all the people that give everything they have.
13:03 And then we got to do a trades tour a couple days later. And that went off the charts as far as. I mean, there’s over 10,000 views on multiple videos.
13:08 And it’s just gotten to the point where people in our community look and we tell them, we have trades, we have trades. We even show them pictures. But when you go in and you show all of the individuals what is actually going on and let the kids, and let the instructors talk and tell them, and then you get testimonials from the kids that went off into the industry.
13:20 You really see the commitment that this board and Doctor Mullins have done over the last five years in that we are creating some of the most innovative career and technical programs in the district. Doctor Mullins and I collaborated today on how to do best practices more. And we’re going to Viera Rockledge, Melbourne next.
13:41 So it’s going to be an interesting tour. It’s going to be a lot of fun. I did want to give a shout out.
14:01 Miss Lopez is in the audience today. There’s a bad need in my district right now. And what it is is that there’s a large hispanic population that’s moving in.
14:11 And one of the things that we’re running into is the language barrier and culture barrier is creating a couple of little things that we need to help out with. Our school district has amazing people that have amazing opportunities and amazing programs. But sometimes families don’t know how to take advantage of those, right? So sometimes we need to create a connectivity inside the community.
14:39 So right now, a group of organizations throughout a galley who include churches, United Way, promise of Brevard, Third Street Bridge, other organizations are all going to come together in February, along with our staff, and put out. Okay, what’s going on? Some of those are children with disabilities may not be getting screened. Families who call in.
14:49 I had one school, they had nine individuals speaking only Spanish. The lady that was in the front office to register, she doesn’t speak Spanish. So she had to call the teacher down that speaks Spanish to answer the phone.
15:09 So there’s a big need in my district for a lot of ESOL training, a lot of help there as far as staff goes, and then also connecting a lot of the individuals to the community. And Rob Medina threw in and said that he would like to put together a hispanic leadership forum and have students that are of hispanic descent or speak Spanish be a part of his leadership. So it’s going to be an interesting thing in February, and hopefully, if it works out, we can do it in other locations.
15:17 And then I did want to say one thing. Coco’s playing Cardinal Gibbons in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday, don’t forget, because everybody keeps thinking that it’s Friday. It’s actually Thursday.
15:19 And just so you guys know, and you know, Merritt Island’s playing central down there, the Miami school. But it’s an honor to be all the way up there. But there’s something that I’m going to talk about later, and that is that the one thing that we don’t have is our local broadcasters being able to either video or audio the program.
15:28 They’ve been shut out. So the only way you can watch it if you don’t go on the way down there, is to pay a membership to get on. Tell them who shut them out.
15:31 Yeah, fhsaa. Thank you. I don’t think everybody knew that.
15:39 Oh, sorry. It’s not us, it’s FHSAA, and it’s a rule, and it’s. We’ve signed on to it and stuff like that, but I want to make everybody aware of it so that we might be able to create change, and that’s it.
15:52 And I’m done. Thank you. I’ve been saving that for a while.
16:15 I didn’t talk for a couple, so that’s why I had extra time. Thanks, mister Susan. Miss Jenkins.
16:26 So I don’t believe that Pam is actually ill, and I’m gonna require that she brings a doctor’s note when she returns. I’m pretty sure she snuck out on purpose. I’m gonna jump on everything that you guys said.
16:34 I don’t want to be redundant, but she deserves it. I’ve obviously known her the least amount of time of everyone up here, but she is legitimately the kindest human being on the planet when it comes to being empathetic and dedicated to her job. I’ve never met a more passionate human being, and so I am so grateful to have the opportunity to work with her.
16:36 When she had forwarded her email saying that she was retiring to all of us, I think I probably replied immediately and said, absolutely not. I will not approve that agenda item. And then she said, you have to.
16:46 So I’m really sad that she’s leaving. I really, really, really appreciate her. And I don’t know what I’m gonna do without her.
16:52 It’s gonna be. It’s gonna be sad. So.
16:59 But Mister Susan, you know you’re welcome. I’m always on those emails when she’s wrangling both you and I in reminding us of the things that are coming out due and that we’re the last people to do them. So you’re welcome that you’re not alone.
17:06 But I will miss her. And we’ll have to warn the next person. Thanks.
17:12 Thanks, Miss Jenkins. Miss McDougall. Well, first I’m just gonna say, go tigers.
17:15 Go Mustangs, because I know you can do it. I’m going to say, because everybody else has kind of stolen my thunder. More about it.
17:29 Are you going to the game? I can’t. I’ve already committed to Cambridge. I’m going to tell bedtime stories at Cambridge that night.
17:41 Do that virtual. There’s a thing called Zoom. I’m not going to zoom.
17:46 A bedtime story for from the Coco game. You could do it with a mascot. Anyhow, I just want to say that I wish I knew the quarterback’s name at Merritt island because he’s really pretty amazing.
18:02 Not only is he the quarterback, but he’s also the kicker and he’s on the soccer team and you should see him kick. It was amazing to watch his field goals. Anyhow, so go Tigers and Mustangs.
18:17 Good luck. And Pam. I can’t believe you’re really leaving.
18:27 I thought it was, you know, you were tricking us at first. You will be missed. Everything that everybody here said, I ditto, because you’ve been a good wrangler, for lack of a better word.
18:38 But also somebody you can count on, who will listen to you and make no judgment, who has the best sense of humor ever. And know that you will be missed. It won’t be the same without you.
18:55 But I wish you a very happy retirement and I know that you will enjoy it. So take good care. Thank you, Miss McDougall.
19:09 And I will certainly echo the sentiments about Pam. I can’t imagine how we as a team will function without her. You know, there are not many people that can manage.
19:24 I mean, when you say board Wrangler, that’s one thing. But understand that she is the sole support, the sole official support, although Tammy steps in and assists occasionally when she’s needed. But I the sole official support for all five of us to function.
19:50 And that’s rather unheard of if you look at most other elected offices they have multiple staff members for each elected official. And Pam has amazingly, done her job in supporting all five of us. Differing fives of us, over the years.
19:59 Right, as the board changes, but all five of us on a daily basis and keeping us all functioning and bringing fabulous ideas for solutions. And I. I just don’t know where we’re going to be without her. And I think I told her when she notified me.
20:06 I think I might have said a word that I probably shouldn’t say up here on the dais, because it was not good news that she was leaving. And of course, it all came from absolute love and appreciation. So, as much as I really, really am not happy about it, I am happy that she is going to have time to enjoy herself and enjoy her grandbabies and all of those things.
20:18 So, Pam, congratulations. And I really think that we should make her come back to our next board meeting to be here for official recognition. So we’ll have to see if we can work that out.
20:44 I heard she’s going to keep working with us. Oh, yeah, right. We’re trying that, Matt.
21:07 No, I heard she approved. It has been our somewhat brevard public schools tradition to give our retirees an applause. And although she’s not here, suspect she’s watching.
21:27 Would you join me in giving our Pam Escobar a round? All right. That is going to bring us to the adoption of the agenda. Doctor Mullins, I got caught up in all of that.
21:51 You gotta give me a second. Miss Belford and members of the board, on this evening’s agenda, we have an administrative staff recommendations, one presentation, 26 consent items, twelve action items, and two information items. Changes made to the agenda since it was first released to the public on Tuesday, December 7 are as follows.
21:55 Item a seven on administrative staff recommendations received. Revisions. An attachment was added to item f 20 on school year calendar standards and proposals for the 2022 2023 and 2023 2024 school years received updated attachments.
22:09 Item f 19 on the approval of the Brevard Federation of Teachers 2021 2022 collective bargaining agreement with Brevard Public Schools is an addition. Item g 47 on attendance boundary change proposals received some revisions as a result of community input meetings, the item on student expulsions was deleted. I’ll entertain a motion.
22:15 Move to approve. Second moved by Miss Campbell. Seconded by Miss McDougal.
22:26 Is there any discussion for our audiences benefit? The board is already aware, but we will be doing voice votes this evening since pam is not here to handle the e agenda for us. So, all in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye.
22:32 Any opposed? Same sign. The motion passes. 50.
22:37 Doctor Mullins, will you please let us know about the administrative staff recommendations? Yes, Miss Belfort and members of the board. There are three individuals for the board to consider. What are the wishes? Move to approve.
22:44 Second moved by Mister Susan. Seconded by Miss Campbell. Is there any discussion hearing? None.
22:54 Please vote. All in favor, please signify by saying aye. Any opposed? Same sign.
23:24 Motion passes. 50. Doctor Mullins, I would like to recognize Miss Cynthia Moore.
23:34 Cindy Moore. On her upcoming retirement from the position of assistant principal at Heritage Heightendeh Heritage High School. Congratulations to Miss Moore.
23:44 I’ve known her for several years, and we wish you a very blessed retirement. And thank you for your many, many, many years of service to brevard public schools, and more importantly, to the children of South Brevard. Also, congratulations to Mister Cole Manes on his reclassification transfer from the position of ten month assistant principal at Central Middle School to the position of twelve month assistant principal at Cocoa Beach Junior Senior High School.
23:52 Congratulations, Mister Manez, and we are so proud of you and your administrative journey and landing at the home of the minutemen. Go. Minutemen.
24:14 Was one that was a minute, minute in my past. So we know that you will serve the cocoa beach community well. Thank you.
24:22 And congratulations to those individuals. At this point, Doctor Mullins, I believe we are moving on to presentations. Yes, madam chair.
24:42 Mister Gary Shifrin, chair of the ICOC, or Independent Citizens Oversight Committee for the Brevard Public Schools sale Surtax will be providing us with their annual report. Mister Schiffrinkhe, welcome back to the podium. Thank you very much, Doctor Mullins.
25:08 Chairperson, Belford School. Board members. Doctor Mullins, my name is Gary Schifrin and I am the chairperson of the ICOC.
25:36 And with me tonight are two members, Brian Blunis and Mark Young. And so we’re here to make the annual report. This is the 7th time I’ve had the opportunity of presenting the annual report of the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee.
26:03 The ICOC has been in existence since February 2015, shortly after the sales surtax program was approved by the voters. Since that time, the sales surtax program has invested over $200 million in facility renewal, educational technology, and security for our schools. The sales surtax investment has made a tremendous difference.
26:32 Schools now have better technology, significantly more reliable air conditioning, and more security features. Brevard’s voters renewed the sales surtax in 2020 for another six years, so the work can continue to make facility technology and security improvements. This annual report document covers the sales surtax through September 30, 2021.
27:14 However, the revenues and expenditures I will report to you tonight are updated through November. The written report has much more detail, and the appendices include considerable reference material regarding the sales Surtax program. These are the members of the Independent Citizens Oversight committee who bring a wealth of experiences and diversity to the process.
27:47 The charter requires at least seven and no more than eleven members. Five of our members have served since the beginning of the sales surtax program, and four of them, including myself and the two people behind me, will be retiring following new member appointments by the school board in January. The school board appoints the ICOC members based on a recommendation from the ICOC.
28:23 The purpose of the ICOC is to provide general oversight of the sales surtax expenditures the ICOC meets every other month, and we review a detailed package of information that includes revenues, expenditures, and project status. The ICO receives regular briefings on related topics such as sales surtax audits, charter school reporting, and construction industry trends. As the Surtax program has evolved, the ICO see has provided guidance to the staff and recommendations to the school board on programming and policy questions.
28:38 For example, in December, the ICOC considered a recommendation to add a security project to the 2020 sales tax program and a recommendation regarding funding for a replacement transportation facility. The ICOC regularly considers projects recommended for revenues remaining from the 2014 program and changes to the 2020 program. The ICO is often briefed on the security program and the educational technology projects.
29:28 ICO members are invited to visit schools with the project managers to see how surtax dollars are supplied to projects. The 2020 sales Surtax program was reviewed by the ICOC in August 2020 and presented to the voters in November 2020. The ICOC recommended and the school board approved the allocation of BPS surtax revenue to the three major educational technology, security, and facility renewal.
29:55 This allocation was incorporated into school board policy through November. The sales surtax program revenue is $311.4 million.
30:44 The total 2014 sales tax program revenue was $270.2 million. The 2020 sales surtax revenue for the first nine months of the program was 41.
31:10 3% million. The 2014 revenue exceeded projections by $72 million. So far, the 2020 program revenue has exceeded projections by $9.
31:27 2 million. The 2020 program was estimated very conservatively since the economic impacts of the pandemic were not clear when the program was developed. The healthy revenue has allowed the district to enhance the scope of projects and add projects to the sales tax program.
31:45 Program changes were vetted through the ICOC. This slide shows the comparison of revenues for each month throughout the life of the program, the months where higher revenues reflect an additional payment that is made quarterly to the district. You can also see the impact of the pandemic on revenues in May through July of 2020.
32:05 However, since this May, revenues in calendar year 2021 have outpaced calendar year 2020 revenue by over 26%. Legislation enacted in 2020 required the revenue from the Surtax renewal program to be shared with eligible charter schools based on their proportionate share of the total school district enrollment. For the first year of the sales surtax renewal program, the allocation to charter schools is 10.
32:38 14%. The allocation will be recalculated in February and is expected to increase. The law requires charter schools to comply with statutory guidance regarding capital expenditures.
33:05 The ICOC does not have jurisdiction over the charter school’s use of the sales CIRC tax revenue. However, the ICOC may address any concerns with charter school expenditures to the district staff and the school board and or request an independent audit. The ICOC reviewed the first cycle of the charter school reporting this fall.
33:27 Sales surtax encumbrances and expenditures totaled $242.8 million through November. The financial reports now cover both the 2014 sales Surtac program and the 2020 sales Surtax program.
33:55 The 2014 program will continue for about two more years until all funds are invested and projects completed. The programs are tracked separately. This slide shows the breakdown of expenditures and encumbrances by type.
34:12 This breakdown has remained fairly consistent throughout the life of the program. The district has effectively used the owner direct purchase program to save over $2 million in sales taxes on equipment purchased for projects. The savings is reinvested in projects.
34:34 Sale surtax funds for educational technology equipment continue to be used to leverage a much greater investment through the federal e rate program. Sales surtax funds for security projects are coupled with grant funds to achieve results more quickly than would otherwise be possible. This slide shows the type of projects implemented or underway and includes both the 2014 program and the 2020 program.
34:50 Investment in air conditioning was a significant aspect of the 2014 program. The 2020 program includes investments in electrical and roof renewal as well as classroom renewal and outdoor facility renewal over the life of the 2020 program. This chart will evolve to capture the broadening scope of the Surtax program.
35:17 Summer 2021 projects were funded with both 2014 and 2020 sales Surtacs. The combined funding allowed several scope items to be combined into one larger project to save on costs and time. Summer projects also included more air conditioning improvements using the 2014 surtax.
35:37 The district wide project to install canopies to classroom portables has started. Pilot projects were constructed at Coco Hai and endeavor elementary before deploying the project. District wide educational technology and facilities are working in partnership on cross functional projects such as security systems, intercoms and building automation systems.
36:08 The district’s fiber optic project and several structural cabling projects are underway. Security projects are ongoing. The original security projects defined in the 2014 referendum were previously completed.
36:27 Progress on the 2020 surtax program projects is tracked against the recommendation in the 2020 3rd party security assessment. Most major projects are done during the summer. However, staff is working with schools to schedule projects that can be implemented without affecting the learning environment during the school year.
36:50 An example of this is the drinking water fountain project that is underway this year. We are transforming to a broader scope of projects. You’ll see a few examples on the next few slides.
37:15 This is one example where a modest investment in athletic facility renewal has made a huge difference. Auditorium seating projects at Rockledge High and Pom Bay Magnet Junior senior high are long overdue. Without the sales surtax, these projects would likely have continued to be deferred indefinitely.
37:43 Classroom renewal at Creel is dramatically improving the learning environment. The maintenance team is executing projects such as playground renewal and painting. Their work is helping students, faculty and the community take pride in their school.
38:11 These are just a few small examples of the diverse scope of work that is underway at our schools. The 2014 sales Surtax program provided the resources to address longstanding issues on critical systems, especially air conditioning. The 2020 sales Surtax program is providing resources to address the learning environment more directly and invest in a renewal of a broader range of district assets.
38:54 Audits the district’s internal auditors perform semiannual audits of the program. The 12th audit was recently completed with no findings. The audit will be presented to the audit committee on December 16 and the ICOC in February.
39:15 All audits have been positive and are available to the public for review. The district’s construction auditors, Carr, Riggs and Ingram, audit each project over $1 million and small projects on a check basis. Their purpose is to ensure compliance with the contract and validate the final pay request.
39:23 Most sales surtax projects are subject to construction audits. The district is implementing the sales surtax program in accordance with the ballot initiatives and district policies and procedures. The program funds critical facilities, facility renewal, educational technology upgrades, and school security enhancements.
39:40 The renewal of the sales surtax for six years, approved by the voters in November 2020, will allow the district to continue these improvements. The purchasing and finance departments remain strong partners in the execution of the sales surtax program. The ICO see has also engaged with government and community relations in order to better publicize the results of the sales surtax program.
39:50 The ICOC has an important oversight role in the sales surtax program. Members remain engaged in the process through bimonthly meetings where the ICOC provide guidance on program changes and policy recommendations. Although the ICOC membership will be changing in February, we are confident that the new members will make a strong contribution to the success of the sales surtax program.
39:50 As chair of the ICOC since its inception in 2015, I would like to thank all of the ICOC members with whom ive served and specifically recognize Mister Gene Cavallucci, who is the vice chair, but hes not here tonight, but also to recognize Mister Young and Mister Blennis, who have served with me since 2013. And before going to questions on a personal I want to thank the school board. I want to thank Superintendent Mullins, Superintendent Bingley, Adrian Lafitte, who headed up the Save our Schools campaign back in 2014, and I want to thank all of the voters of Brevard county.
40:04 And I need to give a special thanks to Sue Han, who really runs this whole thing and makes us look really good. But the bottom line is this surtax has been truly amazing in regards to what it’s done for our schools, and to be a part of this has been immeasurable. It’s just.
40:14 It’s been awesome. And again, I thank you. Now, if you have any questions, sue will answer them.
40:26 Thank you, Gary. Board members, I do have some recognition comments, but I wanted to go ahead and see if you have any questions specific to the report this evening prior to moving into that so we don’t have to make Mister Schifrin go back and forth. No questions.
40:41 I have a question. I was looking at the minutes from September 2015 and the charterhouse. It called for three framis valves to be installed at Ogalley High School.
40:59 And I didn’t know if you had any knowledge of those actually being installed. They were installed. They were, because the location of those was really a difficult location.
41:26 And I didn’t know because I went there to that location. I didn’t see them. But you’re telling me they were, they were, they were installed.
42:01 But obviously if a school board member would like to change the location, I’m sure that that can be done. And then there’s another thing I was looking. I was going to ask the eye.
42:19 Pity the stool plumbing company was installing backflow valves at Viera High School. I didn’t know if you had. Was that finished? Do you know if that was taken care of yet again? That was in the 16 minutes.
42:44 I’m just following up, Mister Schiffer. I’m just following up with making sure that before you leave, that we have all this thing taken care of. So when I first started this, I would have been able to tell you right off, but it’s been seven years.
42:55 I’m going to say it was done. Mister chair, I don’t feel confident that Mister Schifrin can leave his post because he hasn’t given me a strong enough yes or no on the questions that I’ve addressed here. I would like to postpone his retirement and extend him for another seven year term.
43:10 So, Mister Susan, while I concur that we would gladly take Mister Schifrin for another seven year term, I don’t think think that we have the authority to deny his retirement from the ICOC. So with that, let’s go have some fun. All right, so Gary, in your report, you shared with us that five members of the ICOC have served since the very beginning in 2015, and that sadly, four of you will be retiring from the committee soon.
43:20 We know up here, and I think our public over the years has come to realize as well the incredibly important role that the ICOC has played, not only in oversight of the sales surtax program, but also in our ability to get our community to support a sales tax a second time and all of the things that those dollars have done for our schools. The four of you have certainly helped to guide the program from its infancy through the voters approval and an extension of the sales tax in November 2020. Your work has definitely been noticed and appreciated by our community and certainly our school board.
43:28 So tonight we’d like to take a few moments to thank you for your service. We have some certificates for each of you and we’d like to invite you down for a photo opportunity if my fellow board members and doctor Mullins would join me. And tonight we are recognizing because they are the ones who are here.
43:56 Mister Schifrin, Mister Mark Young and Mister Brian Blennis, Mister Gene Cavallucci couldn’t be with us. We do have a certificate, so we’ll make sure that that gets to him, probably through sue to make sure to get that. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that Mister Susan was actually one of the founding ICOC members as well, prior to running for school board and getting elected to school board.
45:46 So it’s an honor to, in all seriousness, cutting the jokes, you are a leader. Throughout our education careers, like you were a leader. As a principal, you were a leader.
46:00 When you took over the Cape coast conference, you were a leader. You have dedicated your heart and soul to this organization, and there’s nobody out there unless you really knew. Mister Schifrin knows the level and extent that he’s done that, and I am so proud to be a part of it.
46:14 I was proud to be an honorary member when we first started, and thank you for being here. We have a position that’s becoming available. The board wrangler.
46:25 Yeah, the board wrangler. You could take over for Miss Escobar if you would like. Have you ever seen my writing? Let’s get this message.
46:35 And the other thing I comment is, Mister Susan, having been on the board at that time, that you were asking me those silly questions, you should have known that they were as we are moving, and Mister Susan, or somebody, if you want to grab these and move down there. As we are moving, I also want to recognize that Miss Kayla Spelman, who is the ICOC treasurer, has also been on the ICOC since 2015. She is not retiring, but we just want to make sure that she knows how very much we appreciate her many years of service as well.
46:57 Of course. All right, we are now at our public comment portion of the meeting on agenda items. We have seven people that signed up to speak to agenda items, but there are four people that signed up to speak to a board discussion item at the end of the meeting, which is not technically an agenda item.
47:12 So those will be taken as non agenda speakers. So that means that we have three speakers that are speaking to agenda items this evening. Please note that the time limit is per speaker, not per agenda item.
47:18 Topics not specific to agenda items will be moved to the non agenda portion of the meeting. We have a clock in front of me to help you keep track of your time. When your time is over, you will be asked to stop and allow the next speaker his or her turn.
47:30 Excuse me. Always keep in mind that reasonable decorum is expected and your statements should be directed to the board chair. The chair may interrupt, warn, or terminate a participant’s statement when time is up.
47:53 It’s personally directed, abusive, obscene, or irrelevant. Should an individual not observe proper etiquette, the chair may request the individual leave the meeting. I will call up three speakers at a time.
48:12 Assistant General counsel Londono will call you to the podium and confirm your agenda item. She may ask for clarification if the item is unclear on your public comment forum. Our three speakers on agenda items this evening are Katie Delaney, followed by Anthony Colucci, and then Sarah Brightman.
48:41 Miss Delaney, if you want to confirm, I have from your form you’re speaking on two items this evening. Item f 21, which is titled reproduction, health and disease education materials, and item f 35, outside legal counsel contract. Yes.
49:10 Okay, Miss Belford. Thank you, Miss Londono. Miss Delaney, when you’re ready.
49:20 My name is Katie Delaney, Brevard resident. There are two items on the agenda that I would like to speak on. The first is f 21, reproductive health education.
49:34 Why is it that parents have to opt out with a topic as sensitive as this parents should opt in. This is an age and maturity level sensitive topic. This is not a one size fits all discussion.
49:43 An opt out alienates the kids that do not want to participate. If there was an opt in, it could be in an assembly setting. Like an assembly like setting where the children in each grade level could get the information while the rest of the students continue with their studies.
49:57 This would also protect the district and its stakeholders against possible lawsuits. The next topic is f 35. Referring to outside counsel, I find it unacceptable that this board, on so many accounts, went against Florida Statute and state law and has opened up the district and its stakeholders to many lawsuits and possible fines up to $100 million.
50:27 The three members who voted in violation of the governor’s order should resign for opening us up to this lawsuit. This board needs to take our tax dollars seriously and stay within the law when they vote, as not to waste our tax dollars with the repeat expense of outside counsel. If you all stay within the law when you vote, there would be much less need to waste our money protecting you while you violate the law.
50:51 Thank you. Thank you. Mister Laney, Mister Colucci.
51:48 Mister Colucci, as you’re coming to the podium, I have recorded that you’re coming to speak on item f 19. Approval of the Brevard Federation of Teachers, 2021 to 2022, collective bargaining agreement with Brevard Public Schools. That is correct.
52:03 I solemnly swear. You may proceed when Miss Belford instructs you. My name is Anthony Kluchy.
52:24 I’m the president of the Brevard Federation of Teachers. Last week, the vote was held on our collective bargaining agreement for the 21 22 school year. Approximately 62% of members of the bargaining unit participated the vote.
52:39 There were 2425 yes votes and 492 no votes cast. Therefore, the members of the bargaining unit ratified the contract, 83% to 17%. I am pleased that the contract added additional comp time, usage and carryover, added days to parental leave, gave some more flexibility to teachers schedules, eased some harsh substance abuse use testing procedures, and did not raise health insurance premiums.
52:50 I do credit the board for the movement during negotiations to $2,000 bonuses for all members of the unit and additional $1,100 bonus for those receiving the longevity supplement. However, we all know that there’s an elephant in the room, and that is the huge compression issue between newer teachers and those with a decade or decades of experience. I’m sure that all board members and the superintendent believe that a teacher with 15 years of experience should not be separated by only $1,500 from a teacher with 15 minutes of experience.
53:09 I’m sure that all board members and the superintendent are quick to point out the wholly inadequate funding from the state legislature and that the state statute surrounding teacher pay has increased from 300 words to 1700 words over the past decade, which has exacerbated this issue. I’m sure that all board members and the superintendent understand the large number of vacancies we have and the number of teachers who are choosing resignation or retirement. With all that said, I want to remind you that although the state legislature and governor may be trying to limit your power as a board, our teachers are counting on you to be the buffer against the policies that hurt them.
53:33 These teachers are the backbone of brevard public schools. Next year on our end, and I say this not as a threat or an exaggeration. There will only be one satisfactory outcome for our teachers, and that is a significant raise.
54:00 The board needs to do the incredibly hard work of making some tough decisions to adequately budget for them. The pay of your overworked and underpaid teachers cannot and should not be an afterthought. The board must take a stand and direct doctor Mullins to prioritize the issue.
54:26 Thank you, and please reach out to me at any time to discuss the issue further. Thank you, mister Clucci. You guys would hold your applause, please? Miss Brightman.
55:04 Miss Brightman, I have that you’re attending to speak on item g 40 in the agenda on policy 8141. Mandatory reporting of misconduct by employees. That is correct.
55:22 Okay. Good evening. In the instance of student misconduct that is reported by Brevard school district employees, parents shall have the option to secure an independent investigation to be conducted at their expense, in addition to the standard appeals process with brevard schools.
55:28 In addition, all students shall be presumed innocent until each investigation is completed. Should the findings of the aforementioned investigation results differ, parents and the board of education shall proceed to an immediate mediation for further review. As an example, no student should serve any disciplinary repercussions until said investigations and mediation are complete.
55:34 Recently, a Brevard school student was given disciplinary action based on hearsay and a fabricated report created by a teacher who had not witnessed the event in question. The video surveillance of the incident did not corroborate the falsified report by the teacher. The teacher reported reported both anti semitic and hate speech where none existed.
55:41 This Brevard teacher used the words nazi and white power in the report, which never occurred. This is yet another instance of student persecution and CRT teachings, demonstrating that this rhetoric takes precedence over a child’s well being. In this case, the child is an IEP student and jewish.
55:50 When Brevard school district staff fabricate incidents involving students with no evidence, it erodes the trust that the community has in Brevard schools staff and minimizes actual misconduct. These Brevard employees who engage in falsifying documentation should be subject to immediate termination and the student’s record be expunged of the alleged offense. Also, retaliation towards parents and students from Brevard school employees and the board of education when such a hoax of an incident are properly reported will not be tolerated.
55:58 Those reports will be forthcoming towards the school district and will be directed to the Brevard Sheriff’s department. Your community awaits the equity audit review. And we’re going to ask Doctor Mullins and Doctor Danielle McKinnon to do so very soon in the future.
56:04 Thank you for your time. Thank you, sir. All right.
56:16 That concludes our agenda. Public comment speakers for this evening. Thank you for your willingness to address the board.
56:25 And that will move us into our consent agenda. Doctor Mullins, there are 26 agenda items under this category. Thank you.
56:34 Doctor Mullins. Does any member wish to pull any item from the consent agenda hearing? None. I’ll entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented.
56:42 Move to approve, second moved by Mister Susan. Seconded by Miss McDougall. Is there any discussion? All in favor? Please signify by saying aye.
56:46 All opposed? Same sign. Motion passes 50. All right.
57:00 Doctor Mullens, will you please let us know about the items under action? There are twelve items under this category. The first one is on department school initiated agreements. What are the wishes of the board? Moved to approve, second.
57:14 Moved by Mister Jenkins. Second, misses Jenkins? Seconded by misses McDougall. Sorry, guys.
57:25 What are the wishes of the board? Sorry, I have a motion. Is there any discussion? I’m getting back on track. See what happens when Miss Escobar is.
57:31 I know I can’t do without Pam. Clearly I’m never the one who says it, though, in fairness, right? It’s my fault. Any discussion on.
57:34 Okay, I do have just a quick discussion. Item. Just a thank you.
57:44 To provide production for their partnership, we’re approving their extended agreement in item G 37. Item eternity. And I know you all know because Mister Susan consistently tries to spend those dollars on all kinds of crazy things.
57:48 But just to share. Over the years of the previous contracts with Brevard productions, the district has gotten approximately $136,000 back from event proceeds to support activities within our district. And I think.
57:53 Doctor Mullins, correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe this week you got an additional 17 $18,000 from. So I just want to thank them for, you know, creating. Creating a win win there for us.
58:04 So with that, I will call the question. All in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye.
58:20 All opposed? Same sign. Motion passes. 50.
58:24 Doctor Mullins, the next is on procurement solicitations. What are the wishes of the board? Move to approve. Second moved by Mister Susan.
58:28 Seconded by Miss Campbell. Is there any discussion? Hearing. None.
58:31 All in favor, please signify by saying aye. Any opposed? Same sign. Motion passes.
58:41 50. Doctor Mullins, your next action item is to hold a public hearing and approve the revisions to board policy 3220, evaluation of personnel. Is there anyone present this evening who wishes to address the revisions to board policy 3220, evaluation of personnel.
59:02 Is there anyone present this evening who wishes to address the revisions to board policy 3220, evaluation of personnel. Do I hear a motion? Board. No.
59:07 Moved. Second moved by Miss Campbell. Seconded by Miss McDougall.
59:10 Is there any discussion? Hearing. None. All in favor, please signify by saying aye.
59:30 Aye. Any opposed? Same sign. Motion passes.
59:34 50. Doctor Mullins, the next is to hold a public hearing and approve the revisions to board policy 8141, mandatory reporting of misconduct by employees. Is there anyone present this evening who wishes to address the revisions to board policy 8141, mandatory reporting of misconduct by employees.
59:37 Is there anyone present this evening who wishes to address the revisions to board policy 8141, mandatory reporting by employees of misconduct by employees. Do I hear a motion? Move to approve. Second moved by Mister Susan.
59:42 Seconded by Miss McDougall. Is there any discussion? All in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye.
59:53 Any opposed? Same sign. Motion passes. 50.
1:00:13 Doctor Mullins, the next action item is to hold a public hearing and approve the revisions to board policy 8710, insurance. Is there anyone present this evening who wishes to publicly address board policy 8710, insurance. Is there anyone present this evening who wishes to publicly address board policy 8710, insurance hearing none.
1:00:19 I’ll entertain a motion. Move to approve. Second moved by Miss Campbell.
1:00:22 Seconded by Mister Susan. Is there any discussion? Hearing. None.
1:00:52 All in favor? Please take note. Five by saying aye. Any opposed? Same sign.
1:00:55 Motion passes. 50. Doctor Mullins, item G 42 is to hold a public hearing and approve the revisions to board policy 25 20, selection and adoption of instructional materials.
1:01:01 Is there anyone present this evening who wishes to publicly address board policy 25 20, selection and adoption of instructional materials. Is there anyone present this evening who wishes to publicly address board policy 25 20? Selection and adoption of instructional materials. Do I hear a motion? Move to approve second move by Mister Susan.
1:01:04 Seconded by Miss McDougall. Is there any discussion? All in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye.
1:01:14 Any opposed? Same sign. Motion passes. 50.
1:01:32 Doctor Mullins, item G 43 is to hold a public hearing and adopt policy 25 21, instructional materials, AP 25 21, New Worlds Reading Initiative. Is there anyone present this evening who wishes to publicly address proposed policy 25 21, instructional materials AP 25 21, New World’s reading initiative. Is there anyone present this evening who wishes to publicly address proposed policy 25 21 and structural materials AP 25 21, New World’s reading initiative.
1:01:39 Hearing, none. I’ll entertain a motion. Move to approved.
1:01:43 Second moved by Mister Susan. Seconded by Miss Campbell. Is there any discussion? All in favor, please signify by saying aye.
1:02:03 Aye. All opposed? Same sign. Motion passes.
1:02:07 50. Doctor Mullins, item G 44 is to hold the public hearing and approve the 2021 2022 student progression plan for brevard Public schools. Is there anyone present this evening who wishes to publicly address the 2021 2022 student progression plan for Brevard Public schools.
1:02:14 Is there anyone present this evening who wishes to publicly address the 2021 2022 student progression plan for brevard public schools? Hearing none. All entertain a motion. Move to approve.
1:02:22 Second moved by Mister Susan. Seconded by Miss Campbell. Is there any discussion? All in favor, please signify by saying aye.
1:02:26 Aye. Any opposed? Same sign. Motion passes.
1:02:31 50. Doctor Mullins, item G 45 is to hold a public hearing and approve the school improvement plans for 104 schools, including alternative sites, charter and virtual schools. Is there anyone present who has come to address the school improvement plans? Anyone present who has come to address the school improvement plans? Hearing none.
1:02:45 I’ll entertain a motion. Please do approve. Moved by Miss McDougall.
1:03:01 Seconded by Mister Susan. Is there any discussion? All in favor, please signify by saying aye. Did you have discussion? I will have.
1:03:07 The vote’s fine. This represents a lot of work by a lot of people and just want to thank all the people who would do that work. Yes, I was a late.
1:03:17 I. Yeah, yeah. So I’m just. I’m just going to clarify.
1:03:31 So we had. I. Anyone opposed? Same sign. Motion passes 50.
1:03:37 Thank you, Miss Campbell. That is an absolutely important observation. Doctor Mullins, item G 46 is to hold a public hearing and approve the charter contract for Florida High School for accelerated Learning, Brevard county.
1:03:51 Are there any speakers present who wish to address the charter contract for Florida High School for accelerated Learning, Brevard county? Are there any speakers present who wish to address the charter contract for Florida High School for accelerated learning, Brevard county? What are the wishes of the board? No. To approve. Second moved by Mister Susan.
1:03:53 Seconded by Miss Campbell. Is there any discussion? All in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye.
1:04:09 Any opposed? Same sign. Motion passes 50. Doctor Mullins, the next action item is G 47 on attendance boundary change proposals.
1:04:12 You are asked to provide authorization to the superintendent to advertise a public hearing on January 18, 2022 to approve attendance boundary changes. What are the wishes of the board? Moved to approve. Second moved by Mister Susan.
1:04:21 Seconded by Miss McDougall. Is there any discussion? All in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye.
1:04:32 Any opposed? Same sign. Motion passes 50. Doctor Mullins, the final action item G 48, is to hold a public hearing and approve the revisions to board policy 01691.
1:04:51 Public participation at board meetings. Is there anyone present who wishes to address the revisions to board policy zero one six 9.1? Public participation at board meetings.
1:05:01 Is there anyone present who wishes to address the revisions to board policy zero one six 9.1? Public participation at board meetings. Seeing none, I’ll entertain a motion.
1:05:12 Move to approve. Second moved by Mister Susan. Seconded by Miss Campbell.
1:05:20 Is there any discussion? All in favor, please signify by saying aye. All opposed? Same sign. Motion passes 50.
1:05:32 We’ll now move on to the information agenda, which includes items for board review and may be brought back for action at a subsequent meeting. No action will be taken on these items tonight. Doctor Mullins, there are.
1:05:58 There are two items under the information category. Does any board member wish to discuss either of the information items? All right, does any board member have board member report? You got one that I put in here, but I’ll wait till I put. No.
1:06:08 Give me just 1 second to orient myself here. I want to make sure that I am not skipping over. I’ll add this, and I think I shared it with everybody except for maybe Mister Susan.
1:06:19 But when we were at FSBA a couple weeks ago, I attended a session. It was information for all of us that our financial reports that we. We have to file every year this year will be electronic and our form six.
1:06:36 And so we should be getting notice of that. And they’re going to make it where you. It’ll be a little bit easier, but it’ll also be more specific.
1:06:42 So be looking for that information to come out. They didn’t have all the details, but I know that’s going to be electronic this year for all of us. Doctor Mullins, do I need to hold on? Percussion.
1:06:52 Yes. Miss hand just made me aware that under item G 47, I didn’t read into the record the board to approve the special considerations that were presented as part of the agenda item. Miss London, do I need to read those for the record? To have the board demonstrate they approved those changes though? Those special considerations, they were published in the agenda.
1:06:57 Let me just look at that real quick. We need to type a separate vote just on the special considerations. I see.
1:07:16 The special considerations at the end. Yes. Okay.
1:07:26 My opinion is they’re listed there for everyone to read and see. Misty, do you have a thought on that? Yeah, I would. So, I mean, the recommendation is to authorize the superintendent to advertise a public hearing on January 18.
1:07:35 To approve the following attendance boundary changes. And to also approve the following special considerations. Yeah.
1:07:41 So I would think that we probably are okay. But if there are board members who have concerns, I can certainly quickly read those and then call for a vote. Yeah, it doesn’t hurt to read them in.
1:07:48 By all means. I mean, we’re here, so let’s go ahead and read them. In the absence of Paul, let’s read them down just to be safe.
1:07:54 If that’s what you guys are wanting, I would have to read all of the recommendations for special consideration. I just moved to approve whatever was on there and say that it was read, and so we can move on. There are nine special considerations that are published on the agenda along with the original recommendation.
1:08:00 So I would just draw the board’s attention to those. And, you know, I’m happy to read. Read them into the record, but they are clearly published in the agenda item.
1:08:15 So officially, we approved the recommendations for special considerations along with the agenda item. Because it’s under the agenda item. We approve the agenda item.
1:08:24 It includes the special cases. Comfortable with that, miss Hand? As long as we have the thumbs up from legal. Okay.
1:08:44 Yeah. So if you’re comfortable, and just for anybody in the viewing public who would like to read, like Doctor Mullen said, it’s all there. Just click the link.
1:08:50 And those bullets are at the, the very bottom of the description. I’m comfortable. Okay.
1:09:10 Thank you, Miss Fandano. All right. That, I think, believe brings us to your discussion item, Mister Susan.
1:09:31 Yeah, I wanted to. First off, I just wanted to tail in what we were talking about earlier, just so that you guys know, it’s been a thorn in my side that a lot of our low income families try to watch the state championship games. And in order to do so, they’re not.
1:09:34 They’re forced to purchase a membership or a ticket online. It’s been a bane of my existence. And here we go again, have the same thing.
1:09:41 Although the difference between this year and last time that Coco played bowls, right, was that they usually allow us to have an audio at least. Like, just so you know, the national sport, National High school sports Athletic association has decided to go with spectrum sports and block out all other people. Okay.
1:09:51 But then the other thing is normally all the way. Until then, you can pay $500 for each school, which. Each.
1:09:55 Each game, which our people were, and providing that streaming for our people. And then all of a sudden, now they’re told not only that they cannot apply because of that rule, but the other piece that they normally are able to do, which is the audio piece, and then just kind of talk about it, was denied. And so now we have no coverage and you have to go on their system to do it.
1:10:06 And I just think that that’s disingenuous. So, although we agreed to it, it is inside of our policies and it’s part of what we signed on to, I think that it might be time for us to maybe look at that. So again, I’m going to start discussing what options are out there and maybe have our representatives in the FHSAA go ahead and start bringing.
1:10:31 Bringing it up as point of conversation. That’s all. Nothing that we did wrong.
1:10:47 Nothing. But I just. I know there’s a lot of families, and I’ve gotten seven emails on it, right? So, like, it’s not something that we’re just making up.
1:11:04 These families want to watch the dang game and they can’t. And there’s another barrier because they have to go online, use a credit card, all that stuff. It’s assuming that people have bank cards, credit cards, all that stuff.
1:11:24 You know what I mean? It’s just. I think it’s disingenuous. So that’s all.
1:11:50 We’re good. Thank you, Susan. Melbourne High School, as many of you know, there was a request that came in September of 2020 to rename Melbourne High School after Joseph Acaba.
1:11:57 Great individual, great astronaut, well deserving of a school name. In my considerations, there was the, our policy, which is very limited in one line, said that there’s 18 months, and it’s kind of vague on the process and everything else allowed this process to go on for three separate times. We’ve had meetings.
1:12:11 The public has come out. And over those 18 months, in those three meetings, eight speakers have said that they support it. 68 speakers have said no, that 89% have said no.
1:12:25 And then the survey that came out, two people said yes and 1037 people said no, making it 99.9981% no. Now, not that this is a bad decision, a bad request.
1:12:41 I totally understand it. And Miss Lopez is here, and I, and I honor what you did to make a request to change a school based upon, upon a feeling that in that area, there’s a need for a school to be named after a hispanic leader individual in the community. I can see that.
1:12:53 So the overwhelming response against shouldn’t take away from the response and the need in the south. And I’ve had discussions with misses LopEz that there’s an opportunity that there’s a new elementary school that may be built in the south end and that might be the appropriate way to file to name a school after Joseph Acaba. One of the issues that we have is that we don’t name high schools and middle schools after people.
1:13:03 Only presidents and geographical areas. We have one McNair and stuff like that. But it’s not a general thing that we take.
1:13:19 I fully support, and I’ve said it before, naming schools after individuals that are from the community, that have some sort of tie here. Individuals that we have that are incredible. There are some, but we do that in the elementary school realm.
1:13:40 So what I was looking at, and just so everybody knows, Joseph Acaba is going back up into space. He’ll be going on the upcoming, I think it’s a year and a half he’s going back up. So it’ll be an amazing opportunity.
1:13:59 Right around the same time as the schools, the elementary school starts getting moved on. So anyways, the reason I’m bringing this up is we know that we always have meetings that everybody comes to, that we’re always trying to avoid having massive public disdain and everything else. This has been very hot topic.
1:14:15 I’ve been called over and over again by the graduating class of 1979. The graduating class of Melbourne has graduating classes from every single, almost all of their things. They’ve all contacted me.
1:14:37 They’ve all said that they’re not in support of it, but they are in support of naming a new school. So there seems to be feeling behind this, that this is a supported issue. It’s just they don’t want to name their old school.
1:14:41 So what I was looking at today is, is two things. The first one is that we’ve got indication from staff and Miss Sullivan said she would come up and talk, but I don’t think that we have to. She said that they want to revisit working on this policy because of the minimal nature of it.
1:14:57 Saying that all a person has to do is come in and request that they need a name change and that creates an 18 month process where our staff and everybody are battling and everything else we may need another policy. So what I was looking for from you guys first was to make to give staff direction that we wanted to work in that direction. That’s meetings, that’s conversations, that’s best practices from other places.
1:15:18 And then the second thing is I didn’t know if you guys wanted to give board direction today over the renaming of Melbourne High School so that it might calm down the fact that we do have to make a vote in March. But there’s not an overwhelming board response in support of renaming Melbourne High School. Those were the two things that I was going to bring today and I sent that to you guys.
1:15:37 I put it on the email and everything else. So the first one I’d like to talk about is making some sort of a change to the policy, which is a long process and I know that, but I figured we’d start that now and I wanted to see what you guys thought, so I’m throwing it out there. Discussion.
1:15:54 Is there any board member who opposes allowing staff to bring back recommendations on that policy at a future date? No. I would just add, and I think Mister Susan mentioned it, that I. As part of best practice, I’d really like for our staff to take a look at what other districts are doing in this regard. It would be good to not reinvent the wheel if there’s some good policies out there to help guide us.
1:16:06 I think I’ve got this one pulled up. The last time it was revised was in 2006. Yep.
1:16:33 And there’s no, there’s literally no information on the backing of it and it’s a tail end of another policy under facilities. So I think it’s worth going and looking at. Doctor Mullins, are you comfortable with that request at some point in the future for our staff to evaluate and bring recommendations for policy change per.
1:16:56 Yes, I’ll work with the legal office and my staff to work towards bringing back a revised policy that Mister Susan has brought forward. And Mister Susan, as to the second request, I. It seems to me that us voting tonight against a name change in Mile High would go against the policy. I’m not asking for a vote, because we have to, by policy in March, come back and vote on it.
1:17:12 I’m not asking to end it tonight. We can’t do that. But what’s happening in our community, specifically Katie’s in mind, is that there are people that are coming out and they’re very angry about this.
1:17:15 And I don’t want it to take away from what Miss Lopez has tried to create and the other, the hispanic coalition that I’m having. I don’t want it to butt heads. And that’s truly what I’m trying to do, is try to say, hey guys, if we can give indication that this isn’t something that’s positive, or Miss Lopez may.
1:17:27 You know what I mean? There’s opportunities out there for that. If you don’t feel comfortable with that and you don’t want to discuss it, that’s okay. I’m just trying to avoid this head butting that’s occurring and not ultimately getting to the goal of what we would like to do.
1:17:36 That’s all. Miss Londono, in your opinion, would it be appropriate for board members to weigh in on their thoughts on a future motion prior to that coming to us for consideration? I’d be comfortable, if any other board members like Mister Susan already has, if they feel compelled to express some commentary or some feelings about it. I wouldn’t advise forecasting a vote because things can change between now and then.
1:18:00 And like Miss Belford indicated, we’re not taking official action on that tonight. But if anyone else wants to offer some general commentary, I’m open to that. I would just say that I’ve even this afternoon, I think, because it was added onto the agenda, I think maybe it must have gone around social media, the rumor going around that we were taking a vote tonight, and we’re clearly not, and we are not allowed by our policy to take it until the spring.
1:18:08 But I’ve just shared with people that we’re not taking a vote, but that we have heard the public loud and clear. Miss Lopez, did you want to say anything? I believe they’re signed up for public comment on an agenda item. I didn’t.
1:18:22 I didn’t. I apologize. No, that’s okay.
1:18:27 I just want to make sure we’re just trying to keep us all on the right track. Um, okay. Anybody else? It’s not really in your area, but nobody’s part of our.
1:18:50 Our district. I just. I like our policy right now about how we name high schools.
1:18:58 So I’m glad that we’re going to relocate at the policy, but at this point, I want to cross a line here. So I don’t know how much I can and can say without, like, forecasting a vote or saying how I feel. I mean, I have responded to people individually when they email me.
1:19:05 All right. I would certainly echo Miss Campbell’s sentiments that we are. We are listening to the feedback that we’re getting and.
1:19:19 But I do think it’s important that we follow a process to postpone any official action on it until March. So thank you for that concession. Mister Susan, on the discussion, do you.
1:19:30 Okay? Yep. All right. I’m good.
1:19:37 All right. Doctor Mullins, do you have anything to. Or first, is there any other request for board discussion item, Doctor Malms? Oh, Miss Campbell, I know that we just voted to approve our update to our public participation, but I think since we’re operating this meeting under our old policy, do we need to take a motion to leave the cameras on for our non agenda? We do not.
1:19:41 Pam, clarify that with Miss Londono earlier today, that as long as the policy is approved prior to then we’re good. We don’t need a motion. But thank you for making sure on that.
1:19:46 I appreciate it. Can I ask a real quick point of clarification? I think it does. If there was an.
1:19:53 If Miss Lopez was to pull the actual item from consideration, her being the applicant, it would stop the process. Is that correct? The name, the whole name change process. I think we agreed to that before that.
1:20:02 If she was to pull it, then it would stop that process. You know, I haven’t studied that policy well enough to say for sure, and I have been. I think Paul has been involved in those discussions.
1:20:07 So I’m hesitant to say anything official without him here. But we can. I can certainly look into that and get back to you.
1:20:17 Sounds good. I think it does. I think it stops the process.
1:20:33 We talked about that before. I’m sorry I hit you with that. Like that was the wrong thing to do, because you haven’t.
1:20:37 You’re here. But I do feel that if somebody was to pull their application, it stops the process and we can move on. So, thank you.
1:20:45 You’re just trying to give her a full initiation today, right? Between you and Miss Campbell? I was waiting. I was waiting for it. I was waiting for the trick question.
1:20:56 Paul told me I did much to Shifrin. And I was like, Escobar. And I was like, forget it.
1:21:07 And just for our audience’s knowledge, Miss London is our assistant general counsel. She’s here with us this evening because Mister Gibbs is out on a family emergency. So we appreciate her filling in and jumping in.
1:21:16 Not only did she jump in on legal for us this evening, but she’s also having to fill in for Pam on taking notes and assisting with process and all of that. So thank you, Miss London. We appreciate you being here with us this evening and having the courage to put up with all of this.
1:21:33 So thank you. My pleasure. All right.
1:21:37 Doctor Mullins, did you have anything additional? No, madam chair. Thank you. All right, that is going to move us to the remaining speakers who signed up to comment on non agenda.
1:22:16 We’ll hear from the speakers in the order in which they signed up, including those who may be waiting outside. Although I’m fairly certain we have none. As stated earlier, reasonable decorum is expected at all times.
1:22:36 And your statement should be directed to the board chair. Should audience participation interfere with speakers being heard or hearing me, I will be forced to clear the room. When I call your name.
1:22:42 Please line up along the east wall of the boardroom to facilitate the smooth transition of speakers. Let’s begin with the first three speakers. Katie Delaney.
1:22:53 Followed by Linda Corson and then Theresa Lopez. Miss Delaney, if you will bear with me for 1 second while I get my clock adjusted and then my things in the right place, there are a five total non agenda speakers. Miss Delaney, when you’re ready.
1:23:14 Thanks for your patience. Sure. I’m here tonight.
1:23:30 I was going to speak on something else, but I’m here tonight after seeing all of you about practicing what we preach and kind of showing the public what’s really happening and our real opinions, you know, when we’re in private, doing something different than what we’re showing on tv is inappropriate. So, yeah, I would appreciate if we would just practice what we preach. Thank you.
1:23:45 Thank you, Miss Linda Corson. Miss Lopez, if you wouldn’t mind lining up so that we can get you through. And then after, Miss Lopez, it’s going to be Kelly, Joanne, and then Stephen Warner.
1:23:55 Miss Corson, when you’re ready. Okay. Thank you, school board members, for this time to speak.
1:24:35 I’m Linda Platt, Corson, alumni of Milhigh, class of 1963. I’d like to speak for a gentleman that is no longer with us. This is his story.
1:24:47 In 1911, when I was a young lad with cheeks of tan, I began my education in Melbourne school and in 1922, I graduated from Melbourne High School P’s. I skipped the 11th grade. At that time, Latin and math were considered the main subjects for the future.
1:24:55 During this time, I learned to add several columns of figures from left to right. Can you. We respected our teachers and came to school prepared to learn as the future was waiting.
1:25:10 I’m proud to say I went to Melbourne High School as it was named for our my town of Melbourne. Will my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren be able to say the same? Miss Corson. Miss Corson.
1:25:16 Miss Corson, please step away from the microphone for me. Okay. Thank you.
1:25:23 Brevard county residents vote for school board members to establish policies that benefit the education of our students in their journey toward their career path and not on the cherish memories of our residents of the time they spent being educated at Brevard schools. The school board mission is to serve every student with excellence as a standard. And that is what you, as school board members, should be focused on the education of our students and role models that would help them toward a career in the space industry.
1:25:30 The industries here in Brevard county need qualified students and having role models as Joseph Acaba. Ashina. Joseph Acaba will benefit them.
1:25:41 Thank you. Thank you, Miss Lopez. Joanne.
1:25:46 Kelly or Kelly? Joanne. Stephen Warner, if you could go ahead and line up, that would be excellent. Thank you.
1:25:49 Okay, short minute here. I had three minutes. Okay, so I was 1967.
1:26:19 Ma’am, could you hold on just 1 second for me? Can you speak into that mic so we can hear you? Oh, sorry. No worries. Thank you so much.
1:26:27 It’s all good when you’re ready. In 1967, graduate of Mile High. I oppose this name change.
1:26:35 There are many remarkable alumni and staff from mile High that have major accomplishments and beautiful success stories. They have not requested a name change. We have a screenwriter.
1:26:53 We have an ambassador. Biochemical researcher. Producer.
1:27:16 Athletes. Writers. Surgeons.
1:27:24 Judges. Business executives. Entrepreneurs. We also have Bill Nelson, who is the administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which is the highest ranked official in the United States Space agency, NASA. He also was a payload specialist on the space shuttle Columbia’s STS 61 C mission. The US Senate unanimously voted to confirm him to be the NASA administrator and Washington sworn in in May of 2021. He hasn’t asked to rename the school and he’s an alumni. Thank you. Thank you. Mister Warner. My name is Stephen Warner. I’m a retired FBI agent. I spent 37 years investigating violent crime in Washington DC, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in New York City, New York, and my last 19 years in Miami, Florida. I don’t want my name on Melbourne High School. And I do not want this gentleman’s name on Melbourne High School. He deserves something either in Puerto Rico or in California, where he graduated high school at. Or Houston, Texas, where NASA is at, or maybe at the Cape. But like the lady that just spoke before me said, we have a lot of individuals in this county that are more fitting to have their name on that high school if it has to be changed. Thank you. Thank you, sir. All right, hold your applause, please. All right, board members, unless anyone has anything else, I think that wraps up our meeting for this evening. I wish you all very happy holiday, and we collectively will see you all after the new year. Thank you so much.