Updates on the Fight for Quality Public Education in Brevard County, FL
0:00 Can you say Ms. Trent?
0:02 Here.
0:02 Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.
0:07 I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America
0:16 and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God,
0:20 indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
0:24 The first topic is a human resources budget presentation.
0:30 The floor is all yours.
0:32 How long have you been officially on the job?
0:36 This is day seven.
0:37 Day seven.
0:37 And you’re presenting the entire budget ready to go.
0:40 All right.
0:40 Here we go.
0:41 I could have done it without my right hand, Dr. Green.
0:44 So thank you, Dr. Green.
0:45 She’s here with me just in case we come up with any obstacles I
0:48 can have an answer to.
0:50 So, Mr. Dufresne, I’m going to interrupt you real quick.
0:51 Roger.
0:51 So, for those watching on TV that don’t necessarily know who
0:54 this is, this is Mr. Ryan Dufresne.
0:56 He’s our new, since you’re president for human resources and, as
0:59 the chair mentioned, he’s been on the job for like a week.
1:02 Yeah.
1:02 And already doing a budget presentation.
1:04 A lot of which was prepared before you got here.
1:07 That’s correct.
1:08 Could I have done it without those?
1:09 Yeah, without the help of my team.
1:11 So I appreciate it.
1:13 So let’s get started.
1:14 We always want to start with our why.
1:18 So this is a great quote.
1:20 Teachers in every classroom who cares with every student every
1:24 day learns and grows and feels like a human being.
1:27 Now, while I started as a teacher, my wife’s a teacher, I’m also
1:30 aware that there’s more opportunities for us at the school
1:34 district to touch students.
1:35 So we included our bus drivers and our instructional assistants
1:38 and our secretaries and keep going and going, right?
1:41 We all have an opportunity to make a positive impact on our
1:44 students.
1:45 Oops, I got the back one.
1:48 This is a 10,000 overview of my team.
1:54 Includes everything from employment management, who does
1:57 everything from hire to retire, professional learning and
2:01 development, professional standards, and HR management.
2:04 Some of the things we use our budget for, staffing, of course,
2:12 district drug-free policies, the BPS surveys, the annual
2:18 feedback.
2:19 We even use the salaries that are paid for our employees by BPS
2:23 but reimbursed back by district and FDA.
2:27 We’re looking at the staff survey contract with TNTP, but at
2:30 this time we haven’t renewed that policy.
2:35 We’re looking for a better platform that can encompass all three,
2:40 parent surveys, student surveys, and staff surveys.
2:43 So we’ll do it all under one platform to make it make sense.
2:46 Next slide.
2:48 I can give this to you.
2:52 I don’t know if it’s too small there to read, but I can give it
2:54 to you if you need it.
2:55 Just going to kind of touch on the big numbers.
2:58 The 1,000 for professional and technical consultants.
3:02 That includes a contract for shredding bins and administrative
3:04 advertisements.
3:05 Any travel that’s done is going to be for meetings directed by
3:10 the superintendent for any HR executives across the region.
3:19 We also do drug and alcohol testing.
3:21 We just engaged a new platform.
3:25 It’s called Edge Information Management.
3:27 It’s got a chain of custody form.
3:30 It has a barcode.
3:31 We used to use those carbon copy papers where, you know, if you
3:36 didn’t press hard enough, the final one, you couldn’t even read
3:38 it.
3:38 So this is just an upgrade.
3:40 We’ve also moved to the substitute management system.
3:45 It’s called Red Rover.
3:47 We’ve got some great feedback on that as well.
3:49 Again, we’re trying to move away from a lot of paper-based items.
3:53 Bring us back into the 21st century.
3:56 This slide is going to show the TNTP Inside Survey, which I
4:01 mentioned earlier.
4:03 It has not been renewed.
4:04 Again, the intent is to move it under one platform that handles
4:08 all three of the surveys.
4:10 So for professional standards and labor relations, this is Dr.
4:14 Green’s department.
4:16 This is all the people who work under Dr. Green.
4:18 They include everything from compensation to position allocations,
4:24 leaves, retirement, things of this nature.
4:31 These are our general fund uses, again, with labor relations,
4:35 professional standards, retirement, leaves.
4:43 This is our budget, which I kind of focus on compensation
4:47 services and is a new department this year.
4:50 It’s a new department, but the work’s not new, right?
4:53 The people aren’t new.
4:54 What they do isn’t new.
4:56 We just put it under a new cost center.
5:02 This is a position of six people.
5:03 A lot of computer money is up for upgrading and refreshing of
5:06 computers because right now, the ones we have, they just can’t
5:08 handle load.
5:09 So that’s what that’s for.
5:13 This is our millage cost center.
5:15 Obviously, it’s under construction.
5:17 We’re still trying to, we’ve just recently hired people for this.
5:21 The work will begin there in July.
5:24 The budget is under construction.
5:26 We’re going to provide things like salaries, supplies, computers,
5:30 but of course, we’ll be making cost conscious decisions when we
5:33 fund that.
5:34 This is the 94-20 labor relations.
5:39 The travel budget is going to include our FEN that we go to, the
5:42 Florida Education and GIFT negotiators.
5:45 They meet about four times a year.
5:46 We’re really lucky.
5:47 Two of those are local enough where we can just go there and
5:51 back.
5:51 We don’t have to stay overnight, so that’s a bonus.
5:56 Any sort of professional dues for FEN, labor law arbitrators, SHRM,
6:02 these types of things are under this budget.
6:05 We also do tuition reimbursement.
6:15 It’s negotiated with the BFT.
6:18 It stays the same whether we use it or not every year.
6:21 It’s a negotiated item, so this number is going to stay the same.
6:25 And so that’s why sometimes you’ll see the numbers will stay the
6:28 same, but the actual usage changes.
6:29 Questions?
6:35 Good.
6:35 All right.
6:38 So the additional budget request for professional, excuse me,
6:44 for Dr. Green.
6:45 We’re going to request some funds to deploy a non-bargaining
6:49 salary adjustment.
6:50 The proposal has been submitted to Ms. Lezinski and Dr. Rendell
6:55 for a review and possible implementation.
6:58 We can either do it as a phase-in or we can do it as a one-time,
7:01 let’s knock it out.
7:03 But that proposal is in, it’s submitted, and we’ll see what
7:06 happens.
7:07 On to professional learning and development, this is Mr. Mike Alba’s
7:14 team.
7:15 Mike is enjoying some well-needed vacation this week.
7:19 I think he’s celebrating his 20th anniversary three years later.
7:23 His 20th was during, if I’m saying this right, was during 2020,
7:28 and, you know, got delayed, and 2021 is still not traveling too
7:33 much.
7:33 And so he’s celebrating his 20th anniversary, so I’m glad he’s
7:38 out having a time to relax with his beautiful bride.
7:43 But so they cover leadership training, aspiring leaders training,
7:47 any of the recruitment and retention certifications, things that
7:50 are state mandated.
7:51 Again, what their general fund uses, it’s all supporting
7:57 teachers, okay?
7:59 It’s all supporting teachers.
8:00 Help them train, mentor.
8:04 They also pay for substitutes when they have PD at the, when
8:10 they have PD at the schools, we’ll pay for substitutes for the
8:16 schools so we can get their teachers training.
8:25 These are recruiting and retention budget.
8:27 The salaries for these recruiters, we have two district recruiters,
8:32 and 6% of one of the recruiters’ position is paid through
8:34 through Title II funds.
8:36 So, again, we’re even trying to be budget conscious when we fund
8:39 these things.
8:40 The rest of the budget on this page is, you know, just
8:43 supporting recruitment, events, advertisements, any sort of
8:48 platforms we use, like Ed Week and Circa.
8:51 Register for various affairs.
8:55 Create boundaries, things like this.
8:57 Again, the salaries budget here for professional learning staff
9:04 and peer mentors.
9:06 We provide mentor trainings for principals as well.
9:11 Again, like I said earlier, professional learning and
9:16 development support schools and training initiatives.
9:21 With that, we have money provided to schools for subs, like I
9:24 said earlier.
9:25 We use different screening tools, like Humex, Humex, excuse me,
9:30 it’s a profiler, kind of sets up leadership.
9:37 There’s a big ticket cost item here I want to draw your
9:40 attention to, I’m sure everybody sees, the $180,000.
9:46 That’s the evaluation platform called Frontline.
9:48 We are, like I said, we were changing out of that.
9:51 This was a contract board approved on March 28th.
9:55 So, we knew about it, it’s an evaluation system, it’s a PD
10:01 system, if I’m a teacher and I’m curious of how many ESC points
10:07 I need, I can go on this system, look, it’ll tell me exactly,
10:10 you know, how many points I need, how many points I’m short,
10:12 when the next trainings are.
10:13 If I want to sign up for a training, I can do it right there by
10:16 myself.
10:16 I don’t, you know, I don’t need to contact HR, I don’t know, it’s
10:20 a great system, it’s a great system.
10:22 So, thank you for funding that.
10:24 Again, this is Profiler for Leadership at Humex, Oasis, all the
10:34 same budget.
10:39 Okay, the big asks for Mike’s group, they asked me, they tried
10:44 to talk me into asking me for 10, but I talked them into four.
10:49 We have peer mentor teachers.
10:53 What these peer mentor teachers do, they go into classrooms and
10:58 help brand new teachers teach, right?
11:01 A lot of our, so we had about 900 last year, first and second
11:06 year teachers, okay, 900 across our district.
11:09 Of that, about 480 of them, so more than half, never went
11:15 through a certification at a school to see an internship in a
11:21 classroom, right?
11:23 Some of these, I’ll take my own experience, right?
11:27 When I started teaching, I had not been in the classroom for 20
11:30 years, right?
11:30 I graduated high school and that’s all I knew.
11:32 And when it’s time for me to teach, I’m standing in front of the
11:35 classroom and I’m doing it like they did 20 years ago, right?
11:39 We’re going to be running into that a lot.
11:42 I think our teachers deserve to be mentored, to have our peer
11:48 mentor teachers with them side by side.
11:52 We currently have three to cover our entire district.
11:57 The request is four more.
11:59 You can see the base salary and the total request for that there.
12:04 I told them, I told Mike, if we do this and I get it approved,
12:09 we have to show that it was worth it, okay?
12:13 We’re going to try to move more to a retention-based instead of
12:18 recruiting-based.
12:20 Right now, we’re pretty heavy recruiting-based.
12:21 Trying to get 900 teachers every year is a big ask.
12:24 Everyone knows not a lot of people are going into education
12:28 these days.
12:29 That’s just a fact that everybody’s got to realize.
12:31 So the ones, the 900 we do get, let’s keep them.
12:35 Let’s put them in a position to be successful.
12:37 So that’s the ask.
12:40 The last budget slide is everything here that was in my budget
12:45 that’s over $500.
12:47 If you have any questions, I can absolutely answer them.
12:51 And if I can, hopefully Dr. Green can.
12:53 But that’s kind of summarized.
12:55 And that’s the last of my presentation.
12:58 I’m here for any questions.
12:59 I have one.
13:01 So I’m going to ask this to Dr. Green just because I think that
13:05 I’m not sure.
13:06 I’m not sure if this is you or her.
13:08 But this presentation was done through 12-31-22 is what the
13:13 dates are on a lot of these.
13:15 Is that, I guess my ask would be just why.
13:18 Because most of the presentations that came before us were
13:20 through like the end of May or wherever they were delivering
13:22 that presentation.
13:23 So has it been looked at or updated since then?
13:26 Because obviously some of the numbers are going to be
13:28 drastically different.
13:30 Which I don’t know where Dr. Green is.
13:31 Right there.
13:31 I’m like looking in the back.
13:32 This is, this was the information that was provided to us from
13:36 budgeting when we went through our budget process.
13:39 We did not get updated.
13:41 We haven’t received our updated budget yet.
13:43 That’s why everything is in draft form.
13:45 So the only thing you’re seeing are the expenditures through 12-31.
13:49 Okay.
13:50 But the acts are, yeah, the acts are the same.
13:54 Okay.
13:54 And then one of the things I’m hearing, this just could be
13:57 timing and so I’m not sure.
13:59 On page seven for the employee physical, that’s like reduced by
14:02 almost $40,000.
14:04 And I’m just curious as to what we’ve spent in the past and what
14:07 we spent now.
14:08 Is that because most of the physicals don’t happen until the
14:11 summer or is it timing wise?
14:13 On page seven is where it’s at.
14:14 Are we stopping doing that or?
14:18 I can’t, I can tell you what we used physicals for.
14:22 Since that comes out of the main HR budget, I can’t exactly tell
14:26 you where the timing was, timing is.
14:28 But our budget physicals are for like our pre-employment for bus
14:33 drivers, custodians, things like that.
14:37 And I know they were trying to provide a budget that was commensurate
14:42 with what we have used over the years.
14:46 Okay.
14:47 Well, it’s just, it looks like as of that date, we’ve used 27,000
14:51 of it, but we’ve allocated 65,000.
14:54 Oh, my mic’s off again.
14:56 And so, just curious on why the change there.
14:59 And I know one of the things that I had heard from, I guess,
15:02 risk management is now our staff is going to be asked to do
15:05 physicals on an ongoing basis, I believe.
15:07 It was my understanding from one of the meetings that took place.
15:10 And so, I thought, is this?
15:11 No, that’s different.
15:11 That’s the insurance.
15:13 Mm-hmm.
15:13 Okay.
15:14 The insurance trust that not.
15:15 So, this would be just for new hire physicals.
15:18 And so, that number could be reduced because we haven’t hired as
15:21 many people?
15:21 Is that why you think?
15:23 It could be, or it could be because it’s summer.
15:24 So, are you looking at expenditures?
15:27 I’m really not sure what you’re talking about.
15:28 Yeah, so it’s page seven of this.
15:30 Can we get you on the mic?
15:31 Very wide.
15:32 Yeah, I mean, yeah, it’s expenditures.
15:34 So, if it’s expenditures, you’re only looking at the first half
15:38 of the year.
15:39 Because it’s only through 1231.
15:41 Yeah, and so that’s why.
15:42 I think what you’re seeing is that in the past years, the actuals
15:45 for employee physicals under the drug and alcohol testing was
15:49 budgeted at 68, or actuals.
15:51 And then this year was only budgeted at 27.
15:53 I know exactly what you’re talking about.
15:55 Okay.
15:55 It’s drug and alcohol.
15:56 Okay.
15:56 So, we used ESSER funding for the drug and alcohol testing, and
15:59 that ESSER funding is going away.
16:01 So, we have to recoup that back into our budget.
16:03 But we’ll have it for another year, so that’s why it’s still low?
16:07 I don’t know that we have it for the whole year coming up.
16:10 We can find that out for you.
16:14 So, it’s kind of reversed.
16:15 What it looks like is, in the past years, we’ve spent more, and
16:18 then when you get to 2023, what we’ve adopted was that $27,000
16:22 versus $65,000 last year.
16:24 So, that’s the only reason I was just asking, why is it so
16:26 different, and is it because we’re not doing them, or is it
16:29 because?
16:29 So, we haven’t changed, I’m sure it has to do with ESSER funding,
16:32 but I’ll have to check.
16:33 Okay.
16:33 All right.
16:33 Thank you.
16:34 Anybody else?
16:36 Yeah.
16:37 Mr. Jenkins.
16:39 So, Mr. Dufresne, I apologize that you can’t answer this
16:42 question.
16:43 I know.
16:44 He’s like, I’m not going to judge you, I promise.
16:48 But before I ask my question, actually, I just, you know, I want
16:52 to say the number one priority for this school district is and
16:55 should be retention, right?
16:57 And so, I hear you on that.
16:58 I’m excited that they’re asking for peer mentors, but I’m with
17:03 Mr. Alba.
17:05 I think we need more.
17:06 Sure.
17:07 I just, I think that should be a priority going forward for this
17:10 board.
17:11 I appreciate you, you know.
17:12 I didn’t want to swing for the pensions on May 6, right?
17:16 But I think this board should consider that to be a top priority
17:19 because our new teachers really, really, really need that
17:21 support.
17:22 And if we want to keep them around and we don’t have to keep
17:24 looking for new ones, we should make that a priority.
17:26 So, my question is about the tuition reimbursement for BF team.
17:31 So, can you just kind of explain to us what exactly is that used
17:35 for?
17:35 Is that for our current teachers who are looking for advancing
17:38 their certifications or their qualifications?
17:41 Or is this for the IA to teacher track?
17:43 It could be for any of that because we have it for all three.
17:47 We have it for BFT, 1010, and non-bargaining people.
17:50 And if they’re working on certifications or improvement in their
17:53 job, they can apply for tuition reimbursement.
17:56 And they have to, you know, put forth what they’re going to,
17:59 what they’ve taken the classes for, final transcripts, bills, in
18:03 order to get reimbursed.
18:06 And it’s first come, first serve.
18:07 Okay.
18:08 So, we almost always get close to that BFT top line.
18:13 We have not always reached the top lines of 1010 and non-bargaining.
18:18 But, again, there are amounts that have been set for years and
18:20 years and years.
18:21 So, we still budget for those amounts.
18:23 And then it’s remaining if they don’t use it all.
18:26 That’s a bargain amount as well.
18:28 So, I have an ask because I know we’ve talked about this behind
18:32 closed doors a lot, too, about, you know, really trying to dig
18:35 deep within the people and personnel that we have here in BPS to
18:38 advance them to fill the voids that we have.
18:41 So, if we can, you know, again, kind of put a focus and a
18:44 priority on maybe relaying that information to our staff a
18:47 little bit because our staff is constantly changing and there
18:51 are so many new.
18:53 Just so that they’re aware that that opportunity exists for them
18:56 because, again, we have amazing IAs in our classroom.
18:58 And don’t get me wrong.
18:59 I know we still need so many more of them.
19:01 But it would be really great to tap some of those incredible
19:03 resources that we have in that classroom to provide them an
19:06 opportunity to potentially become classroom teachers as well.
19:09 Thanks.
19:09 I think that’s an awesome initiative that we can also work with
19:13 BFT to communicate with.
19:15 Yes?
19:17 Anybody else?
19:18 All right.
19:19 Yeah.
19:19 I’ve got just a few things I want to talk about.
19:22 So, first of all, thank you guys for getting this ready for us
19:25 and being willing to spearhead it on day seven.
19:28 So, Red Rover was a huge deal.
19:32 And I would love to see in the future some, like, it’s been a
19:36 while since we’ve had a substitute fill presentation.
19:40 And Red Rover, this type thing, was one of the ones that was
19:44 discussed.
19:45 So, it will always be impossible to know because I feel like
19:48 this year our fill rates were better.
19:50 I feel like this feeling because we, in the past, we’ve had
19:53 people come and talking about the sub-situation in crisis for
19:56 about three years.
19:57 Correct.
19:58 We won’t know.
19:59 Was it going up to $15 an hour or was it the Red Rover?
20:04 But I would like some data.
20:06 In the future, if you could give us a presentation.
20:07 I’d be on a workshop sometime, Dr. Rendell, of just where were
20:11 we this past year with our substitute fill rates and with the
20:15 schools that were more in crisis before.
20:17 Are we seeing improvement there so we kind of know how to move
20:20 forward in the future?
20:21 So, the Red Rover is more of an ease of use.
20:24 Right.
20:25 Okay.
20:25 But sometimes it affects fill rates just because you’re kind of
20:28 taking that where anybody can go on and see them.
20:30 I mean, still people have to put it in there.
20:32 Sure.
20:33 But you don’t have to rely on the phone calls and whatever.
20:35 And I know I even put it on because I was helping with some subbing
20:37 at the beginning of the school year.
20:39 It was so easy to use, and I could go in and say, oh, hey, I
20:42 really just want a half-day job, and I could go anywhere in the
20:44 district and look for a half-day job.
20:46 Right.
20:46 It was great.
20:47 That’s the goal of the system, right, is just take an ease of
20:50 use and try to get more subs to do that type of thing.
20:53 I have a half-day this day.
20:54 Let’s do this Tuesday.
20:55 Exactly.
20:56 Okay, look.
20:56 Here’s an opportunity.
20:56 Right.
20:57 So, if anything that we can do to make it easier, that is
21:00 helpful.
21:00 So, I appreciate looking at the survey platforms, trying to put
21:05 that all in one.
21:07 I think that will be helpful and, again, easier.
21:09 I wanted to go back to a slide.
21:11 There was a slide that we talked about.
21:13 It was an ask.
21:14 It was the first ask page.
21:16 What page was that?
21:17 Oh, slide 16 about the non-bargaining salary adjustments to
21:24 resolve equity gaps.
21:27 Yes.
21:27 So, I was a little confused because then it starts talking about
21:32 BFT-1010, the adjustments, unintended consequences, and
21:36 compression.
21:36 So, this is really – this is just non-bargaining, right?
21:41 This – you’re asking for – so that we can make some
21:45 adjustments to the non-bargaining, whether it be administrators
21:51 or –
21:52 Correct, but I’m going to let Dr. Green speak to that because
21:54 that’s –
21:55 Okay.
21:55 I mean, I know this is a big problem.
21:56 It’s her baby, so I don’t want to –
21:57 I’m just trying to figure out exactly.
21:58 So, non-bargaining compensation hasn’t been addressed in the
22:01 same way that 1010 and BFT compensation has been addressed.
22:05 There were – they also went through the – and when we talk
22:08 about non-bargaining, you’re talking about anybody from the
22:11 cabinet-level positions to – all the way through to admin
22:15 assistants, cafeteria managers, BAS coordinators.
22:19 There are 850 non-bargaining personnel, and they also went
22:23 through four years of compression with no raises.
22:27 Every time we address BFT and 1010, we adjust their salary
22:31 schedule.
22:32 The non-bargaining salary schedule has not been adjusted through
22:35 – since 2016.
22:38 That’s like the – speaking specifically about like the
22:42 placement schedule, right?
22:44 It’s everything included.
22:45 There’s several different points of interest throughout the
22:51 entire study, and it looks at each salary grade, and it does an
22:57 assessment at each salary pay grade and where the outliers lie.
23:00 We’ve done leapfrogging for BFT on two different occasions.
23:05 So part of it’s placement, but part of it is also the schedule
23:09 itself and the fact that it’s not keeping up with its
23:11 counterparts across the state as well as what’s happening in 1010
23:15 – I’m sorry, BFT and 1010.
23:18 So here’s one perfect example.
23:20 We have two really main points of problem within – like big
23:24 – the most outlier, if you look at a statistical review of it.
23:29 One of them is the 10-month AP.
23:31 So we have people leaving the classroom, coming into the 10-month
23:36 AP position and losing money because, again, we’ve raised BFT
23:40 every time – you know, we adjust their salary schedule every
23:43 time they get a raise.
23:44 We never adjust the salary schedule for non-barg.
23:47 So there’s a floor, and there’s a daily rate, and we try and fix
23:50 those sorts of things.
23:52 So you will hear people in the hourly groups of non-bargaining
23:57 say to you that if they came in from the outside as opposed to
24:01 get promotions from inside, they’d make so much more because we
24:06 do treat people differently inside and coming from the outside.
24:10 So there’s many steps throughout the whole process, and we’ve
24:14 been working on it slowly over the last several years.
24:17 I think we made one adjustment to a director level back in 2020
24:22 maybe, and we haven’t made any adjustments since then.
24:25 So we – that’s one of our –
24:28 Well, I very much appreciate that, and I figured it was related
24:31 to those conversations that we’ve had before, and it’s a huge
24:33 job to tackle, and I’m glad you guys are tackling it.
24:35 So thank you.
24:38 And then I appreciate also just the last point, really, of the
24:41 comment.
24:42 I understand the four mentors – I also think every time we
24:44 pull a mentor teacher out of the classroom, that’s one more spot
24:47 we have to fill.
24:48 So I appreciate the four and trying to kind of find a middle
24:50 road which will bring us to seven, which is not going to be ever
24:53 enough, right?
24:54 Right.
24:55 But it will help.
24:57 But I appreciate your comment about having to show that it’s
25:00 worth it because if we’re going to pull teachers out of the
25:02 classroom to be mentor teachers, there’s definitely a need.
25:06 But we want to be able to show the public and the teachers and,
25:10 you know, anywhere in the district that that sacrifice was worth
25:14 it.
25:15 And so I appreciate that.
25:18 And it can be very subjective, but I appreciate that you guys
25:21 are going to do that because I think that will be important for
25:24 us to be able to explain why we do what we do.
25:26 Mr. Trepp.
25:29 Welcome.
25:32 Thank you, sir.
25:32 And, you know, that’s quite good for being here a week, you know.
25:39 I’m sure there was help behind.
25:41 So we just look forward to having you here and try to get some,
25:47 you know, summer in.
25:50 But I know you’re working lots and we just look forward to all
25:53 we have to see from the whole HR.
25:55 So thank you.
25:56 Thank you.
25:56 Ms. Wright, you good?
25:59 Yeah, I’m good.
25:59 I already asked mine.
26:00 Yeah, thank you.
26:02 Thanks.
26:02 So I just had some things that I just wanted to go through that
26:05 we’ve had discussions with and just kind of bring it up.
26:08 One of the things that we found, and there’s a presentation by a
26:11 couple of superintendents about a year and a half, two years ago,
26:14 that talked about homegrown talent and people who are from here,
26:17 right?
26:18 And it talks about the dividends that are there.
26:21 So, like, people who are from here that went to school here,
26:24 also if they’re employed here, stay here longer.
26:28 So there’s a longevity there.
26:30 So when we’re talking about recruitment and some of those things,
26:34 we had just discussed earlier about going after people who had
26:37 previous educational certificates and a lot of those other
26:41 components that we can target.
26:43 My wife’s in a mom’s group where there are a lot of former
26:46 educators that could definitely come back.
26:49 They’re at that place where they’re ready, right?
26:50 One of the things that they were fearful about was the
26:52 discipline issues and some of the stuff that we’re correcting.
26:55 So I wanted to work on those things.
26:58 When I talk about these next couple of things, what I think is
27:02 we can give you a consensus from the board that these are the
27:06 highest level topics and issues.
27:10 If you need the funding, you get it, right?
27:13 Because we don’t want teachers that are not inside the
27:15 classrooms.
27:16 We don’t need recruit.
27:17 You know what I mean?
27:18 Does that make sense to you?
27:19 So it’s not a matter when I talk to some of the people about the
27:22 four or the 10, it’s not so much a matter of like having the 10.
27:26 The issue is, is that you can’t hire 10 people because there’s
27:29 just not enough people to fill those positions.
27:32 So I’m okay going up to the 10 knowing that they may not get
27:36 filled, but that’s one thing.
27:38 But I did want to say, Dr. Rendell and I talked about this
27:41 extensively, and he had talked about, he has some ideas inside
27:44 this space that we can utilize people at different places.
27:47 So I, Dr. Rendell, I guess in that respect, whatever your plan
27:51 is for that moving forward, I think we as a board would say,
27:56 whatever that funding needs are to get those, we’re there to
27:59 support that.
28:00 Can I kind of give them that thumbs up, you guys?
28:02 Yeah.
28:03 You have to know exactly what you’re asking.
28:04 I understand, but consensus-wise, when I think we have a very
28:08 big need for that.
28:09 The other thing is, is that Dr. Rendell, you had talked about
28:12 traveling to other states and sending messages out to people.
28:16 Can you kind of give that a little bit real quick?
28:18 Yeah, so thank you, too.
28:20 First of all, that’s a budget request that they put on our list
28:24 of budget requests, so we will come back to you with a list of
28:27 all the budget requests, and so that will be a time where you
28:29 can say, yeah.
28:30 Yeah, I don’t know.
28:31 Go forward for that.
28:32 Yeah, in other districts, there’s an aggressive recruiting
28:37 practice of visiting states up north, especially in the middle
28:42 part of the year, the winter, to go to Michigan, to New York, to
28:45 Wisconsin, and try to lure teachers to either retire or just
28:50 leave the teaching profession up there to come down to Florida.
28:54 So we’re looking at some of those practices to see if we can
28:57 join in that in the future.
28:59 We want to talk to some districts who are doing that to make
29:01 sure, again, that there’s a return on the investment.
29:04 If you’re sending a recruiting team up there, how many teachers
29:07 are you really gathering?
29:08 Is it really worth the investment?
29:11 But we want to go ahead and start to recruit outside the state
29:14 of Florida to try to see if we can bring some quality teachers
29:17 in to Brevard.
29:18 Yeah, and so that everybody understands that includes the
29:22 retiring military.
29:24 It includes kids coming out of college.
29:27 It includes the ones that are already in existence and teaching
29:31 in different educational environments.
29:34 The other piece to it is that us going and saying, hey, come to
29:37 Brevard is one thing, but EDC, I think you had mentioned it
29:40 before.
29:41 I’ve been talking to them about their image and attraction for
29:44 the Space Coast in general.
29:46 Some of those videos that we put together through the EDC from
29:49 years ago are targeted at just our Space Coast, right?
29:52 Like, I think they called it launches and loggers, where, like,
29:56 for launch dates, people would go and go to the local breweries.
30:00 You know what I mean?
30:00 And those kind of things start to attract people to say, hey,
30:02 there is a cool culture.
30:04 It’s not Mel Boring, right?
30:05 It is a good place to go to.
30:07 So I think that those, like, combining all of our efforts
30:10 together with the Economic Development Council and everybody
30:14 else,
30:14 because they have a definite need in us succeeding, I think is
30:18 amazing.
30:19 And I want to say thank you, Dr. Rendell, for thinking outside
30:22 the box and talking about that with me.
30:24 The other thing is that we should be able to work with our
30:28 communications department,
30:30 and I don’t know if there needs to be funding for that, but to
30:32 tell the story about who we are, because we’re unique.
30:36 Like, I go, when I was over in the Florida School Board
30:39 Association Conference, a lot of the school board members tell
30:42 me,
30:42 they’re like, you guys have such a gem, such a unique school
30:45 district, and the fact that you’re launching,
30:46 you have all these capabilities, you have space, you have all
30:49 that stuff.
30:49 And so if there’s a way for us to tell that story, not only to
30:52 attract them from around our area and around the state,
30:55 but then also the story about us.
30:58 Like, we’ve gone through and reworked our discipline.
31:00 We’ve given raises to certain individuals.
31:03 We care about our people, and telling that story would attract
31:06 the locals back.
31:07 So I think that those are just some of the points that I wanted
31:09 to bring up.
31:10 And are we looking at, like, experience bonuses, like sign-on?
31:14 Like, if a teacher has five or ten years in a different district,
31:17 and we would like them, would we be willing to –
31:20 Dr. Rendell, have you ever heard about signing bonuses for that
31:22 kind of stuff?
31:22 Are you working on that?
31:24 It’s not on the table right now.
31:25 We can add it to the list.
31:27 I think we’ve done a good job of placing them, you know,
31:31 granting years of experience.
31:33 Years ago we did not, and so we’ve kind of moved to where we can
31:36 be more competitive.
31:38 So when you come in, you can get some of that years of
31:40 experience.
31:41 I don’t know if Dr. Green wants to speak to that, but we haven’t
31:44 thought about signing bonuses.
31:47 Again, we don’t want to create any –
31:50 Inequities.
31:50 Inequities with the stuff that we already have.
31:53 But here’s my thing.
31:53 If we’re targeting a 15- to 20-year veteran that has great
31:56 experience in another school district,
31:57 saying that we have the equal pay and we do discipline is one
32:00 thing.
32:01 But if there’s a way to recruit in another outside the box,
32:04 maybe not even that, then I don’t know.
32:07 I was just thinking about it.
32:08 That’s all.
32:08 Just as a quick reminder on that topic, though, we negotiated
32:12 the millage increase for BFT.
32:14 They are going to be able to include all their experience of
32:18 teaching from anywhere they may have it
32:20 to determine what their millage supplement will be.
32:23 So that’s a positive.
32:24 Yeah.
32:24 I think that’s great.
32:25 I’m just saying, like, to attract them to come, there’s always
32:28 that extra – you know what I mean?
32:29 That’s all.
32:30 Just a thought.
32:30 And then one of the issues I wanted to bring up, now that we
32:33 have the opportunity,
32:34 is the substitutes that have less than, like, 30 or 40 hours of
32:37 service get kicked off the system.
32:39 Is there – I’ve had a couple of them reach out to me and say,
32:43 hey, I didn’t make my 30 because I was sick or whatever it is.
32:47 Are we able to give a variance to that or are we just kicking
32:49 them off?
32:50 Okay.
32:50 So anybody who –
32:52 They need to contact us.
32:52 Yeah, just make the phone call to us and we can make that happen.
32:55 Okay.
32:55 Good.
32:55 All right.
32:56 And then one of the things you were talking about with
32:59 discipline that I found – I just wanted to talk to it is –
33:02 or one of the things you were talking about substitutes and what
33:04 was successful and what wasn’t successful.
33:06 And a lot of the people that were substitutes were choosing
33:08 schools based upon if they felt like they were secure in their
33:11 discipline.
33:12 So I think that might be one of the things that you find is that
33:14 some of the substitutes didn’t want to – you know, they didn’t
33:17 want to take a chance on their careers by going into a school
33:20 that they didn’t feel safe in.
33:21 So that was one.
33:22 And then the other thing that I noticed with a report that I was
33:25 reading is location availability.
33:26 A lot of times we sit there and people are saying, well, this
33:29 – you know, like, Manatee Elementary has so many substitutes.
33:33 One of the reasons is there’s a lot of people that live in the
33:36 local area that are stay-at-homes and they have a – you know
33:39 what I mean?
33:40 They’re not working at the time.
33:42 So many of your blue-collar, hard-working areas, which is like
33:46 the Elgali Corridor area, they struggle, some of them, for
33:48 substitutes because their families are all working, like the
33:51 moms and dads and everybody are working.
33:52 So – and even the grandparents are working into later years.
33:55 So if there’s an opportunity for us to take some of those subs
33:57 from those other locations, have them meet the principals, then
34:00 we might be able to fill some of that stuff.
34:02 So I just wanted to follow up the conversation with you when you
34:04 were talking.
34:05 And that’s it, man.
34:06 It’s just an area that I really care about.
34:07 So thank you.
34:08 Thank you.
34:09 Just one more thing that I forgot to talk about.
34:11 Again, we’ve talked about this a lot behind closed doors,
34:14 especially when we’re having bargaining conversations.
34:17 And I know that we did make specific updates to job descriptions
34:21 to talk about job-sharing options for some of our teachers,
34:24 especially our elementary classrooms.
34:26 So I just – I’m just requesting, again, that we kind of bring
34:30 that to the forefront of our minds to possibly make an
34:35 intentional effort to advertise that, even on Facebook and
34:39 things of that nature with GCR, because I really think we can
34:43 fill some of our elementary positions if we’re just putting that
34:46 out there.
34:46 I know, obviously, we would prefer a full-time teacher, but we
34:49 know the reality of a lot of our schools that have been vacant
34:52 for a long time.
34:52 It might be more palatable to some of our teachers who have left
34:56 to raise their kids to just step back in for a part-time
34:59 position who may not need those benefits or willing to share,
35:02 vice versa.
35:03 So if we could just bring it to the forefront and, like, push
35:06 that more intentionally, not just on the job description and on
35:08 the application itself on Geekon, I would really appreciate that.
35:11 I think we would see some benefits.
35:13 That’s a great point, Ms. Jenkins.
35:14 I think the other thing is not many people know that there are
35:17 some good statistics that show that actually having the two
35:20 teachers working gives the students actually a different look at
35:23 different parts of curriculum, gives them a refresh.
35:26 So that’s awesome.
35:27 So thank you for bringing that up.
35:28 Anybody else have any topics?
35:29 Good?
35:30 Do you have anything that you want to talk to us about?
35:34 Gene’s having some issues over here.
35:36 Yeah.
35:36 It sure is messing me up.
35:38 He’s got some things.
35:39 You good?
35:39 I’m good.
35:40 Thank you, sir, for that update.
35:42 Next topic is educational plant survey, please.
35:44 Ms. Suhan and Ms. Black, you guys coming up to the front.
35:48 Gene, do you want my chair?
35:55 I’m going to put this one down.
35:57 They had me leaning right.
36:03 Mine are way high, too.
36:06 I feel like I’m going to go.
36:07 I was putting them below.
36:09 Yeah, thanks, guys.
36:10 I’ve got like gorilla arms and stuff just saying stuff.
36:12 Ms. Black, how are we doing today?
36:16 Good, how are you?
36:18 I just wanted to say thank you again for your dedication to the
36:21 Viera redistricting.
36:22 You did an amazing job.
36:24 And thank you for all your work in that space.
36:26 I love what I do.
36:27 So good morning.
36:30 My name is Karen Black.
36:32 I’m the manager of facilities planning.
36:33 I have a brief overview of the educational plant survey to go
36:37 over with you this morning.
36:42 The educational plant survey is a mandatory document the
36:46 district must submit to the Florida Department of Education to
36:52 comply with Florida Statutes.
36:53 Once the survey is approved by the board and the Florida
36:56 Department of Education, it remains in effect for five years.
37:00 The purpose of the survey is to comply with Florida statute
37:04 having the Department of Education review and validate planned
37:09 and potential facility needs on a school by school basis, which
37:14 may be initiated with state funding.
37:16 The survey includes an existing inventory of facilities,
37:22 recommendations for each facility existing and new facilities,
37:28 which may be state funded, projected COFD, the capital outlay
37:32 full-time equivalent student enrollment prepared by DOE.
37:37 And in association with the survey, the district also is
37:42 required to submit a CTE and adult education program facility
37:47 needs list for five years.
37:50 That form has already been submitted and is previously approved
37:54 with the DOE in the past, when the district received a much
38:00 higher amount of state funding, the survey may have been more
38:05 comprehensive, including a better overview of the district’s
38:08 long range plan.
38:09 However, since much of the district’s funding now comes from
38:13 local sources, the survey may not reflect the full scope of work
38:17 planned at each school.
38:20 A survey recommendation is not required when the district uses
38:25 local funding sources, for example, they have some sales tax or
38:30 impact fees.
38:31 The bottom of this slide shows an example of the recommendation
38:38 report table as it’s printed in the Edplant survey.
38:44 The first three categories are primarily used for new
38:48 construction.
38:49 And most of the district’s recommendations will be categorized
38:53 under site improvement, remodeling costs, and renovation costs
38:57 for existing facilities.
38:59 I’ve included some screenshots of the DOE system to help explain
39:04 what may be included in each category.
39:07 Site development.
39:10 In this category, you’ll see it’s an example.
39:15 In this example, it’s a new construction for sidewalk
39:18 replacement, but this is called this category is cost associated
39:22 with developing a new site for use.
39:25 The site improvement category.
39:31 Includes a combination of district recommendations, including
39:35 calls for additional covered walkways, additional parking spaces,
39:40 changes to traffic circulation for parent pickup and drop off,
39:45 correcting drainage issues.
39:48 This category also includes other expenditures not defining any
39:52 of these given categories, such as roofing repair and security.
39:57 So, remodeling cost is used when you’re changing existing spaces
40:07 that are in fish.
40:09 So, remodeling cost is used when you’re changing or adding walls
40:17 to physically change the existing rooms in fish.
40:23 Changing use codes and/or the number of student stations
40:26 associated with that space.
40:29 So, in this example, the result is you’re changing room 151,
40:34 which is currently coded as senior high open high senior high
40:39 open plan from 50 student stations to two ESC spaces for a total
40:46 of 32 student stations.
40:52 Renovation costs are provided for each facility based on
40:56 facility renewal and educational technology projected costs.
41:02 At each facility, renovation costs, including painting, floor
41:06 cover, electrical, plumbing, windows, lighting, restroom renewal,
41:11 HVAC systems, fire alarms, bell systems,
41:15 and, excuse me, educational technology projected costs are all
41:22 covered in this category.
41:28 Before I go on to this slide, I want to add that in addition to
41:32 the listed recommendations for each facility, Florida statute
41:36 includes some district-wide recommendations for each facility,
41:40 which include repairs relating to safety, health, sanitation,
41:46 and accessibility to name a few that are not required to be
41:49 listed individually for each facility.
41:52 Cost estimates for these district-wide recommendations are not
41:55 included but are made on a district-wide basis at each facility.
42:02 So, the complete list of these items is found on page 261 of the
42:11 survey.
42:12 Student membership.
42:13 The Department of Education sets projected COFTI by grade level.
42:17 So, you’ll see PK through three is 18,654 students projected for
42:21 year 2027-28.
42:23 Grades 4 through 8 is 23,203 and grades 9 through 12 is 18,365
42:34 for a total of 60,222 projected students.
42:40 The district sets these the projected COFTI by grade level,
42:44 which we distribute by school based on our district projections
42:46 in the student membership section of the survey,
42:49 holding the DOE totals for each column by grade level and the
42:54 total overall total.
42:56 So, this is a brief overview of the eggplant survey and this is
43:06 all I have to present to you this morning, but I’m happy to
43:09 answer any questions.
43:10 Are there any board members that wish to ask Ms. Black, any
43:15 questions?
43:16 Ms. Black, I just want to thank you.
43:17 So, I think you spent – we might have spent, what, an hour, an
43:19 hour and a half I sat down with her because I wanted to really
43:22 understand what this is.
43:23 And there’s a line flying around, sorry.
43:25 But I really appreciate you taking an in-depth look.
43:28 I zoned in on a couple different areas and you were so
43:30 knowledgeable and I’m just so thankful for the insight and the
43:33 information you gave me.
43:34 So, I appreciate the presentation and the very detailed report
43:38 of all of our facilities.
43:40 So, thank you.
43:41 Ms. Thank you.
43:42 I’m good.
43:43 Good.
43:44 Ms. Jenkins?
43:45 Good.
43:46 Mr. Trump?
43:47 I’m good.
43:48 Thank you, Ms. Black.
43:49 We appreciate the opportunity.
43:50 Ms. Hand, did you have anything to say?
43:51 Are you good?
43:52 All right.
43:53 Thank you.
43:54 Mr. President, do you have any questions?
1:03:17 characterizes Gen Z? What are their actual values?
1:03:20 values. Number one, their sense of personal identity stood out.
1:03:25 They are enthusiastic
1:03:26 about brands that reflect that sense of identity, but more than
1:03:29 that, they are looking for authenticity
1:03:31 and personalized approaches that reach them.
1:03:34 They have a very inclusive attitude. They dismiss paradigms of
1:03:40 institutions that don’t
1:03:42 meet their perceptions of how things should be. They
1:03:46 surprisingly have, a lot of them
1:03:48 have a co-pilot kind of relationship with their parents, as to
1:03:52 where previous generations
1:03:54 were kind of, you know, ready to leave the hen house.
1:03:59 Resenting their helicopter parents.
1:04:01 Yes. They also prioritize teamwork and collaboration, and they
1:04:06 believe in destigmatization of mental
1:04:10 wellness conversations.
1:04:13 They have a strong sense of social responsibility. This is not
1:04:16 news to most people who know a
1:04:17 Gen Zer, but social media has increased their sense of social
1:04:20 activism, even if it’s armchair
1:04:22 activism, as we like to call it. They have this sense of a
1:04:25 responsibility for improving the
1:04:27 world, and a very entrepreneurial spirit, most of them.
1:04:32 They’re very active participants in the marketing ecosystem.
1:04:35 They’re one of the first generations
1:04:37 that have been directly marketed to via their mobile devices, as
1:04:43 to where most other generations
1:04:45 previously got it through television, billboards, radio, where
1:04:47 they’re still getting it through
1:04:48 there, but also very direct advertising. And a lot of this
1:04:52 advertising isn’t just one-way
1:04:54 broadcasting anymore. It’s a two-way conversation. So they
1:04:58 understand a lot of advanced marketing
1:05:00 techniques.
1:05:01 They’re aware of their ability to not only be influenced, but
1:05:04 influence others, and they
1:05:06 desire that. And, of course, they are constantly changing. As
1:05:10 fast as memes change, as fast as
1:05:13 video trends change, they are changing. So we have to figure out
1:05:17 a way to keep up with that,
1:05:19 and figure out how we talk to this generation about drugs in a
1:05:22 way that actually connects with them.
1:05:25 So one specific challenge about trying to talk to Gen Z about
1:05:29 drugs on a digital platform is, hardly
1:05:33 any of them are actually looking online for information about
1:05:36 drugs. They’re not looking for the dangers
1:05:39 of drugs. They’re not trying to find this information. But what
1:05:42 they…
1:05:43 At least not on social.
1:05:45 Yep. But what they are looking for is different types of
1:05:49 entertainment. Some education about what
1:05:53 they’re interested in, whether it’s physical or mental wellness.
1:05:57 Learning how to love themselves, trust
1:05:59 other people, or communicate their feelings effectively.
1:06:02 So we try to drive those principles. We try to look for ways to
1:06:07 entertain while educating. Look for ways to be
1:06:10 empathetic and be real with them on a level that we think that
1:06:15 they are relating very well to. And, most importantly,
1:06:19 we are looking for opportunities to engage them directly as part
1:06:22 of this, because this really is a very
1:06:24 participatory generation.
1:06:27 Ultimately, our mission is to empower Gen Z to choose a
1:06:30 substance-free life. They already believe that they’re in
1:06:34 the driver’s seat. What we want to do is help them make good
1:06:37 choices in that driver’s seat.
1:06:39 We try to take that sort of mentality of, “All right, you’re in
1:06:43 charge. What are you doing with your life then?”
1:06:46 How can you make these… How can you make these positive
1:06:49 choices and go beyond just say no?
1:06:52 So we designed a prevention campaign to encourage young people
1:06:56 to make those positive choices, to shine a light on their
1:07:00 strengths.
1:07:01 This is about finding ways to build on the principles of a
1:07:06 theory called positive youth development that really is about
1:07:11 nurturing competence, confidence, connection, character, and
1:07:17 compassion. These are the five C’s of positive youth development.
1:07:22 And, really, it’s about building positive relationships,
1:07:24 supporting activities, and opportunities that develop their
1:07:29 external assets and their internal assets. In other words, their
1:07:32 family, friends, and school relationships, and their
1:07:35 sense of honesty, responsibility, self-esteem. And, ultimately,
1:07:40 these are shown in various studies to lead to better
1:07:43 academic performance, fewer missed classes, and fewer direct
1:07:48 negative substance misuse related activities.
1:07:54 Our message, ultimately, is that young people need to know that
1:07:58 their future will be better without substance use.
1:08:02 And, we are, in this campaign, taking an approach of helping
1:08:06 them understand, not only that they are better without it,
1:08:11 but what better looks like, what it means to be my best self.
1:08:15 These six icons on the screen are kind of our six pillars right
1:08:19 now.
1:08:20 Talking about self-love, resilience, kindness, presence,
1:08:24 commitment, and purpose as core attributes that help our young
1:08:28 people
1:08:29 be their best selves.
1:08:30 And, we put each of those pillars inside of one of four
1:08:33 messaging themes, which is your mind is better without it, your
1:08:37 body is better without it,
1:08:39 relationships and your future are better without it. And, using
1:08:42 those six pillars will tell how your body is better without it.
1:08:49 For people that are looking for tips on how to better maintain
1:08:52 their body, how to feel more energized and not sleep in so much,
1:08:58 and how to regulate some of these things that they’re going
1:09:01 through in their mind, how to build better self-confidence,
1:09:05 and how to interact with others better, not just relationships
1:09:09 with their peers, but also with their teachers, with their
1:09:13 parents, even with finances,
1:09:15 and what their future is going to look like if they decide that
1:09:19 they are better without it.
1:09:21 So, the first phases of this, as we said, were heavily, if not
1:09:25 exclusively, digital. We were on Spotify, Hulu, Roku.
1:09:31 We were on Bally Sports during Magic Games, Podcast Network
1:09:34 called Audiology, YouTube.
1:09:37 We have gotten a large number of impressions, a large amount of
1:09:42 visibility. Our following on social media is growing.
1:09:45 And, which is something we care perhaps most about, they are
1:09:51 responding. They are leaving comments. They are sending us
1:09:54 messages.
1:09:55 They are saving our posts. They are signing up for our content
1:09:59 teams and our focus groups. They are responding to surveys.
1:10:03 So, we know that the kids are paying attention now to what we’re
1:10:05 saying, even though we had to put it in front of them a little
1:10:08 bit in order to get to that point.
1:10:11 And, that is what, in fact, brings us here now for another
1:10:16 opportunity to put this in front of students in a different way.
1:10:21 So, the diversion program that Misty and Stanley were talking
1:10:25 about will go into the two specific program ideas that we would
1:10:30 place before parents as choices for how to engage their students
1:10:35 in this diversion program.
1:10:37 The first is a content creation challenge. So, many young people
1:10:41 already see themselves as content creators, as influencers.
1:10:44 There is a reason they all have their phones and cameras up in
1:10:46 front of their faces. They are trying to create something on
1:10:50 their own.
1:10:51 So, what we would do is provide opportunities for students to
1:10:54 meaningfully engage with prevention education via this content
1:10:58 creation process.
1:10:59 So, we would work with Brevard Prevention Coalition and their
1:11:02 counselors to provide a creative prompt, an evaluation rubric,
1:11:06 and possibly incentives in order to get the students to produce
1:11:09 a concept that creatively illustrates one of our key prevention
1:11:14 messages.
1:11:16 Facilitators, like creative professionals like ourselves, would
1:11:19 be available to provide guidance to students throughout that
1:11:22 process.
1:11:23 So, they actually get some learning and some growth from that.
1:11:27 And, of course, content would be expected to meet the guidance
1:11:30 of the rubric that we gave.
1:11:32 And, if they provided us with something that met all the
1:11:36 standards of the rubric, we would actually publish it on the
1:11:40 campaign platforms with permission, of course.
1:11:46 That’s kind of the broad idea. We would give them examples, of
1:11:48 course.
1:11:49 They would be expected to have a process. So, they’d have to
1:11:53 show us a storyboard, which would get evaluated, or a script
1:11:57 alternately.
1:11:58 Then, we would have to review it. They’d produce videos, show a
1:12:01 draft, get feedback on the draft before it actually got released
1:12:04 out into the wild.
1:12:06 Very like it actually is working in a real sort of content
1:12:09 creating environment professionally, which is something that we
1:12:13 know a lot of them are interested in.
1:12:15 And then, at the end, they would be expected to present those
1:12:19 videos as part of the assignment.
1:12:22 So, another idea is a level up your skills program. So, the idea
1:12:27 is to teach substance prevention principles in a way that also
1:12:32 reinforces the benefits of focusing on a skill.
1:12:36 So, and the idea is taking gamification principles, like RPG,
1:12:41 role playing style games, and some of the teaching techniques,
1:12:47 and being able to provide a positive focus on alternatives to
1:12:51 substance misuse.
1:12:53 So, facilitators would provide a type of quest, if you will. So,
1:13:03 an example would be something in woodworking, or auto shop, or
1:13:08 music, or dance, or visual arts.
1:13:14 And, they would have weekly milestones within this project that
1:13:17 they are to accomplish, which would unlock small incentives as
1:13:22 they move along and accomplish this project.
1:13:27 And, once they’ve finished the project, they would also present
1:13:32 to their class what they learned and what they were able to
1:13:36 create or do.
1:13:38 So, really, the whole principle behind this is almost in how you’re
1:13:42 framing this professional, essentially professional development
1:13:46 activity, skills development activity,
1:13:48 where you turn it into something that they are seeking, some
1:13:51 sort of quest that they are looking toward.
1:13:54 And, if a student is particularly gaming-oriented, looking at
1:13:59 that as a way to help them achieve wins, as a sense along the
1:14:03 lines of avoiding substance misuse.
1:14:07 So, that is a brief overview of the program.
1:14:11 We’re happy to take any questions about Better Without It.
1:14:14 Stanley and Misty can take any other questions.
1:14:17 Ms. Jenkins seems like you’re grabbing your mic.
1:14:23 Yeah.
1:14:24 I have the most important question.
1:14:26 Is there really a Pantone color called Generation Z yellow, or
1:14:29 is that a joke?
1:14:30 Yes. Yes, there is.
1:14:31 Fascinating.
1:14:33 Are there any other Pantone colors for Generation Z?
1:14:38 So, my question – well, first and foremost, Mr. Briz, I’m
1:14:43 excited to see you here.
1:14:45 I recognize you and have heard about you throughout the years.
1:14:49 And, you know, personally, I know somebody as well that worked
1:14:52 very closely with you.
1:14:53 I appreciate all that you do for our students here in Brevard,
1:14:55 and I’m glad that you’re a part of this conversation.
1:14:58 It makes me feel very trusting in this process.
1:15:02 Thank you.
1:15:03 So, thank you very much.
1:15:04 So, I think my question might be for Ms. Bland, but it might be
1:15:08 for Mr. Briz as well.
1:15:09 But I just need a little bit of clarification.
1:15:12 So, we were talking about this would be an alternative for a
1:15:17 student to not get directly placed into an ALC, which is
1:15:20 fantastic.
1:15:21 That’s what we’ve been talking about for a while here.
1:15:23 So, you had said if they get to the end of the eight weeks and
1:15:26 they do a drug test and they fail, that they would move to expulsion.
1:15:31 And so, my hesitation there and I need a little clarification is
1:15:36 if it isn’t that they were necessarily on campus and tested and
1:15:41 they were using it on campus, it feels a little extreme to me.
1:15:46 Because if we’re talking about a drug addiction here, right,
1:15:50 like we don’t necessarily expect an adult sometimes in eight
1:15:53 weeks to make the right choices and we’re talking about children.
1:15:57 I kind of would hope that maybe we would consider like
1:16:00 continuing the program for them or some kind of alternative to
1:16:04 just directly an expulsion just eight weeks later.
1:16:07 So, I just want to throw that out there.
1:16:10 And, well, I guess if you can talk to that first before I move
1:16:17 on.
1:16:18 If you can clarify that to you if I’m misunderstanding.
1:16:22 You haven’t misunderstood.
1:16:24 So, normally if a kid gets caught with inappropriate substance,
1:16:30 right, we do the hearing, they go to the ALC.
1:16:34 If it’s their first offense, they get earned return.
1:16:37 During that time, they get tested and if it is positive, then
1:16:42 they remain, the earned returns taken away and they stay at the
1:16:46 ALC for the end of that stipulation conduct agreement,
1:16:49 which is usually when school is out, depending on when they
1:16:53 start.
1:16:54 So, it’s not that we can’t do that.
1:16:59 But that is the consensus that I received.
1:17:05 Talking to other people, talking to principals, talking to
1:17:09 assistant superintendents, talking to parents, talking to other
1:17:13 people about it.
1:17:14 It’s not that we can’t change that.
1:17:17 But I guess the, well, I’ll just tell you, the feeling behind
1:17:26 the majority of the people’s feeling behind that is we’re giving
1:17:30 students a chance to stay in their school environment.
1:17:33 Yeah.
1:17:34 Not be sent out that if they don’t do that and they get in
1:17:39 trouble, just like we would do anything else, we would use this.
1:17:45 Like, instead of going to the ALC, this is like the ALC.
1:17:48 You did receive punishment, correct?
1:17:51 You were, this happened and if you were at the ALC and you got
1:17:54 caught with drugs, you would be a full expulsion.
1:17:58 So, this is the same exact thing except they’re just not going
1:18:01 to the ALC.
1:18:02 They’re going to be at school.
1:18:04 It’s just as serious that if they do not follow that school stipulation
1:18:07 conduct agreement, there will be, it’s just not going to be just,
1:18:14 you know, it’s fine.
1:18:16 And now you can go to the ALC because they had a choice.
1:18:21 They could go to the ALC, but if not, I think we’re.
1:18:25 So, I guess, I’m sorry.
1:18:28 So, I guess where I’m struggling, where I’m struggling is, I
1:18:34 understand that, but if a student chooses to go to the ALC or
1:18:40 their family chooses for them to go to the ALC, even if they
1:18:46 continue to mess up, they get to stay in an educational setting.
1:18:51 But if a student and a family chooses a behavior modification
1:18:55 tool, which is the most appropriate thing for a drug addiction
1:18:59 or a drug offense, and they don’t clean up in eight weeks, then
1:19:04 that educational environment option is removed from them.
1:19:08 And so, I kind of, it just, to me, that’s a little bit unbalanced,
1:19:13 and it’s kind of like a risk almost for a family to make that
1:19:17 choice.
1:19:18 I don’t know.
1:19:19 It just, it feels like there’s like a gap there for me.
1:19:22 And I’m not saying that the student doesn’t deserve some kind of
1:19:25 consequence, right?
1:19:27 But I guess the consequence to me would then be an ALC placement.
1:19:31 I don’t know.
1:19:32 It just, it feels like there’s a hole there and an imbalance for
1:19:35 a family to make a choice.
1:19:37 And we want them to choose the behavior modification program,
1:19:39 because we think that’s the right option for them.
1:19:42 I don’t know.
1:19:43 It just seems, it seems risky for a family.
1:19:46 And I absolutely understand that the, the only piece of that,
1:19:50 that if they were at the ALC and they did not, there was an
1:19:53 issue with the stipulation conduct agreement, the same thing
1:19:56 that if they’re at their school, they would be placed up for an
1:19:59 expulsion.
1:20:00 So if they, there’s drugs or they don’t allow people to search
1:20:03 them, there’s a, you know, the stipulation conduct, there’s, you
1:20:08 know, like 13 different items that they have to do.
1:20:13 They’re going to attend counseling.
1:20:14 They don’t do these things.
1:20:15 They are placed up for an expulsion.
1:20:17 So I guess the, the reason behind that is doing this diversion
1:20:22 program is just as serious as it is if you were to go to the ALC.
1:20:27 So if you don’t follow the stipulation conduct agreement while
1:20:32 you are able to stay at your school, you would have the same
1:20:38 discipline as if you chose to go to the ALC.
1:20:42 Because there, that would be the same discipline.
1:20:46 And obviously the, if you were, it would still be for the, the
1:20:50 stipulation date would still be the same.
1:20:53 It wouldn’t get longer.
1:20:54 Okay.
1:20:55 So I, I definitely am like ignorant when it comes to this area.
1:20:58 So help me out here for a second.
1:21:00 So if a, like, I know nothing about this.
1:21:02 So bear with me.
1:21:03 So a student gets placed into the ALC and it was for a drug
1:21:07 offense.
1:21:08 Do those students typically have a timeline of eight weeks to be
1:21:12 retested?
1:21:13 I guess the point where I’m confused is if the student is being
1:21:17 tested in eight weeks because they’re in this program versus
1:21:21 because you’re suspicious that they’re using it on campus.
1:21:24 That’s where I’m a little confused.
1:21:25 So how does that work if you were to choose the ALC route as a
1:21:30 drug offender?
1:21:32 When would you get tested?
1:21:34 Is it randomized?
1:21:35 Is that part of your contract?
1:21:36 Is there a date on there?
1:21:37 Or is it if you’re being suspected as using it?
1:21:41 It is random, but 86% of those students are being tested within
1:21:49 the five to seven week window when they go there because first
1:21:52 time offenders receive earned return.
1:21:54 So those kids are actually being tested earlier than our kids in
1:21:58 this program is to be tested.
1:22:00 And then if that is positive, they are then expelled from the ALC?
1:22:04 Then that contract, that earned return, they don’t get to go
1:22:08 back to their homeschool and they are–
1:22:11 But they stay at the ALC.
1:22:12 –until the very end unless they complete something else,
1:22:14 correct?
1:22:15 Right.
1:22:16 So that’s where the gap is for me is they don’t have earned
1:22:19 return, so that’s the consequence, but then they get to stay in
1:22:23 an educational setting.
1:22:24 And so I’m concerned that children who choose the drug–
1:22:31 Program.
1:22:32 –diversion program don’t have that same opportunity.
1:22:36 They have a higher threshold.
1:22:38 So I understand that they’re able to stay in their school and
1:22:42 then– but to me, I don’t know, it seems like the consequences
1:22:45 is stricter for them when they’re choosing the better and right,
1:22:47 more appropriate option for them.
1:22:49 Do you– I don’t know, I don’t know if anyone kind of gets where
1:22:50 I’m going.
1:22:51 I was going to talk to them too.
1:22:52 Yeah.
1:22:53 Yeah, I guess I would– so I missed somewhere and I had to go
1:22:55 back and look at it.
1:22:56 So it’s– when I first– we were going through, I was thinking,
1:22:58 okay, they don’t pass their drugs test or they don’t finish
1:23:01 their program.
1:23:02 Then they’re going to the ALC.
1:23:03 But we’re not talking about them going to the ALC.
1:23:04 Then they’re like expelled, expelled.
1:23:06 Right.
1:23:07 So– and I’m– go ahead, because I’m– I have other questions,
1:23:10 but–
1:23:11 Go ahead, Gene.
1:23:12 All right.
1:23:13 So kind of the same disconnect.
1:23:17 I like consistency and I’m a math guy, so it’s a flow chart here.
1:23:21 So– and I did notice that of the– if you choose program, you
1:23:28 fail the drug test, you’re expelled.
1:23:31 Okay.
1:23:32 You choose– you choose the ALC, you fail the drug test, you’re
1:23:39 not expelled.
1:23:41 Correct?
1:23:42 Correct.
1:23:43 You’re just sent till the end of your stipulation conduct
1:23:45 agreement unless you do–
1:23:46 Right.
1:23:47 So that’s my– that’s my disconnect is, you know, consistency,
1:23:51 consistency is where– because
1:23:54 you basically committed another expellable offense when you fail
1:23:58 a drug test.
1:23:59 So a question would be, is how many times can a student commit
1:24:02 an expellable offense before
1:24:04 they’re expelled?
1:24:05 And it– as is explained, it just depends what program you
1:24:09 choose.
1:24:10 If you choose the drug program one time, and then the second
1:24:13 time you’re out.
1:24:15 If you choose the ALC, it seems like you can fail multiple times
1:24:19 and you– and you don’t
1:24:21 get expelled.
1:24:22 True?
1:24:23 But the difference is–
1:24:24 I know the answer.
1:24:25 But the difference though, Mr. Trent, is that at the ALC, they
1:24:29 fail the drug test, they
1:24:32 don’t get the earned return.
1:24:33 Right.
1:24:34 But that doesn’t necessarily mean they got something that kicked
1:24:36 them out of the ALC.
1:24:36 What would kick them out of the ALC to be expelled, expelled
1:24:38 from an ALC is if they had
1:24:40 it on them.
1:24:41 When our kids are ALC’s and then they get expelled, expelled, it’s
1:24:43 because they came on campus
1:24:45 and they had it on them, or they present it as under the
1:24:47 influence, right?
1:24:49 If they dispel the drug test, it could be– they could be
1:24:52 completely, at the moment, sober,
1:24:54 and not have anything on them.
1:24:56 They just don’t get their stipulation agreement.
1:24:58 Correct.
1:24:59 I’m letting you finish because I know that.
1:25:02 Okay.
1:25:03 Exactly.
1:25:04 However, that’s the questions that we’re going to be asked.
1:25:08 And kids will find the loopholes and they’ll find– they’ll find
1:25:10 it.
1:25:11 So, if you pass the tests and you go back to your school and you
1:25:18 get caught for a second
1:25:21 time, are both students treated the same if they had gone
1:25:24 through the program and had gone
1:25:26 through the ALC?
1:25:28 The student wouldn’t receive earned return just like they wouldn’t
1:25:32 normally.
1:25:33 So, they would not be able to do the drug diversion program, but
1:25:37 neither one would receive
1:25:38 earned return just like normal if they were caught the second
1:25:41 time.
1:25:42 And they will place at the ALC until basically the end of the
1:25:45 school year.
1:25:46 It all depends on when you get in trouble, obviously.
1:25:48 So, how many times can we, a student, visit the ALC?
1:25:56 I was always told there was a limit.
1:25:57 There is no cutoff.
1:25:58 There is no limit at this time.
1:26:00 So, every time they commit an expellable offense, they can just
1:26:03 go to the ALC.
1:26:04 So, they’re not really being expelled for an expellable offense.
1:26:07 I’m just asking.
1:26:09 Well, there’s–correct.
1:26:11 They’re sent to the ALC and then if they complete an expellable
1:26:14 offense there, then they’re
1:26:16 fully expelled.
1:26:17 But at this time, we don’t have a limit.
1:26:21 I mean, there are some cases that depending on what it is, the
1:26:25 assessor violation, that a student
1:26:28 could be fully expelled automatically.
1:26:30 Those are very, very few and far between them.
1:26:32 Very few.
1:26:33 So, I mean, we have many times a–here’s little Johnny again at
1:26:37 the ALC.
1:26:38 Seventh grade, eighth grade, ninth grade.
1:26:41 I don’t think the public realizes that.
1:26:43 You know, many times it’s, hey, there’s a good stop here.
1:26:47 Here’s a chance that we want to realize–hope you and your
1:26:52 family realize that education is valuable.
1:26:54 And instead of just kicking you out and expelling you, here’s an
1:26:57 alternative.
1:26:58 That’s what the alternative learning center.
1:27:00 But I’m not sure if we’re aware that it means your alternative
1:27:04 method is every single year, depending on what you get caught
1:27:08 doing.
1:27:09 Which is, again, I don’t think it’s a good lesson.
1:27:11 Some people would say it’s probably not a good deterrent.
1:27:14 I’ve witnessed teaching there.
1:27:17 There are kids that have actually talked about failing the drug
1:27:19 test because they did not want to go back to their home school.
1:27:24 So, regardless of the program, I really do believe we need an
1:27:29 end of the road at some point for our parents and our students.
1:27:33 Otherwise, this is going to keep going.
1:27:35 So, that’s my concern.
1:27:39 Regardless of the program, is it one and done, two and done,
1:27:43 three and done, four?
1:27:44 I mean, how many times are we going to send a student–I don’t
1:27:46 believe–I failed it, but I don’t want to believe that a first-time
1:27:51 offender I’m going to treat as a drug addict.
1:27:53 Many of these kids have no idea what they’ve just done, and they
1:27:56 just grabbed the pen and they did it.
1:27:57 And, you know, so, you know, a deterrent may be enough.
1:28:01 That program may be enough.
1:28:02 But if they can–if they’re going to game the system, they’re
1:28:04 going to game the system.
1:28:05 Most kids don’t want to be in–those students did not want to be
1:28:08 in traditional schools,
1:28:10 and they chose to act in a certain way to make sure they stayed
1:28:14 at the ALC.
1:28:15 I know students have talked about fighting and creating an issue
1:28:18 at ALC so they could stay at the ALC
1:28:20 because they knew they were–the drug test was coming up because
1:28:22 then they might be able to go back to their school.
1:28:25 So, these are issues that have to be handled.
1:28:27 I do believe students need to know if I do this again, I’m out.
1:28:33 And that just wasn’t the case there.
1:28:35 So, I’m glad you’re up here, and I know you feel some of the
1:28:37 same frustration.
1:28:39 But I hope we can handle that.
1:28:41 Sorry if I confused some people on this.
1:28:43 I guess I have a different perspective of that, and part of that
1:28:46 is informed by my last visit to the South ALC.
1:28:50 And they told the stories about the students intentionally doing
1:28:56 whatever to have to stay.
1:28:58 But the perspective was not–because let’s just check on reality.
1:29:03 If the kids didn’t want to be in an educational environment,
1:29:06 they would not take the ALC.
1:29:07 They would just take the expulsion, and they would be not in an
1:29:09 educational environment, period.
1:29:11 But what I am hearing from the staff of our ALCs is that many of
1:29:15 the students who do that, it’s because at the ALC,
1:29:20 they are in that second chance environment where people are
1:29:23 encouraging them, believing in them, trying.
1:29:25 Whereas when they go back to their home campuses, they are seen
1:29:29 as the bad kid.
1:29:30 And that when they come back home, there is a stigma attached.
1:29:35 And so, yeah, hey, over at the ALC, I’m getting group counseling,
1:29:40 I’m getting whatever.
1:29:41 Back at my home campus, I’m just a troubled kid, and there is
1:29:44 that stigma.
1:29:45 And we all have that tendency, you know, to do that.
1:29:48 Whereas the ALC teachers, they have a room full of troubled kids,
1:29:52 and they’re really focused on trying to do that.
1:29:55 And all of the, some of the, not all, but many of the
1:29:57 distractions that are on their home campuses are gone.
1:30:01 Because they have to lock their phones and the lockers on the
1:30:04 wall and all of that.
1:30:05 And so, some of the kids thrive better in the structure that is
1:30:09 at the ALC.
1:30:10 It’s heartbreaking that they think that the best thing for them
1:30:12 would be to get in trouble again so they stay there.
1:30:14 But to me, that perspective is a little different.
1:30:18 So, you know, we can put a, I don’t know what the legalities of
1:30:22 it.
1:30:23 I don’t know if the board decided we want to have a final, you
1:30:25 can only go to the ALC X number of times.
1:30:27 But then what we’re doing is, there’s, they’re not going to be
1:30:29 placed in an educational environment.
1:30:31 ALC is not, not camp, right?
1:30:34 So, but there are some, I think we need to look closer at what
1:30:36 are the reasons why kids do that?
1:30:38 And how can we make their return home better?
1:30:41 But back on the drug program, I, I’ll tell you what, I’m fired
1:30:46 up.
1:30:47 I’m ready to, I’m ready to get something rolling because the,
1:30:52 you know, four years ago we were talking about the vaping issue
1:30:56 when we entered into the Juul litigation and all of that in vaping.
1:30:58 But then just the THC in the vapes, that has just taken over.
1:31:03 And this is a huge issue.
1:31:06 We’ve got to do something about it.
1:31:08 To me, the main goal of this, you know, yes, we’re going to get
1:31:10 our numbers down at ALC.
1:31:12 We’ll give kids more consistent, you know, continuity, academic
1:31:17 continuity.
1:31:18 But, you know, I sometimes, as a board, we like, we need to back
1:31:22 up and stay in our lane.
1:31:24 What is our goal?
1:31:25 We’re an educational institution.
1:31:26 But we have to deal with this because it’s on our doorstep.
1:31:28 It’s filling our ALCs.
1:31:29 It’s making our educational environments more difficult to
1:31:32 manage.
1:31:33 And so we have to tackle this.
1:31:34 And I very much appreciate you bringing this to us because in
1:31:37 order for our kids to do better and to get it ultimately,
1:31:41 I’m going to just be an optimist to get it out of our schools,
1:31:45 it’s going to require support of our students.
1:31:48 And this kind of support, I believe, is absolutely necessary.
1:31:54 I had a couple of questions.
1:31:56 Does the group counseling always have to be held at the ALCs or
1:31:59 if we have the numbers because they’re going to be in groups of
1:32:02 eight,
1:32:03 could we do it occasionally, if we had that eight to ten number,
1:32:06 could we do it closer to home for some students?
1:32:10 Is that a possibility?
1:32:12 Anything’s a possibility.
1:32:15 The reason why we said to have it there, because it’s going to
1:32:19 be a distance for some student.
1:32:22 Right.
1:32:23 It’s going to be difficult for some students.
1:32:24 So we’re just trying to, you know, try to keep it kind of what
1:32:29 we have now.
1:32:30 So if you are from here to here, you’re going to go to the south
1:32:34 area and that’s where you’re going to receive your counseling
1:32:37 and over there north.
1:32:39 You know, in the beginning, our numbers are not going to be
1:32:42 large, which is going to be important because this is the first
1:32:46 time doing this diversion program.
1:32:48 And it’s, it’s going to be a lot of work.
1:32:51 So, which is why I called Mr. Britz here because he’s absolutely
1:32:56 an amazing human.
1:32:57 So, go ahead.
1:32:59 No, and I was just adding to that.
1:33:00 It’s obviously when you’re dealing with youths, it’s not going
1:33:02 to be a one size fits all.
1:33:04 So just having the options.
1:33:06 If the student needs to go to the ALC, then that might be the
1:33:09 appropriate mode for that student and that family.
1:33:11 If they need to do this director version program, that would be
1:33:14 the appropriate path for them.
1:33:16 And as Misty is explaining right now, it is the first time we’re
1:33:19 doing this.
1:33:20 So we’re going to continue to build and try to fill in those
1:33:23 gaps.
1:33:24 And I got where Ms. Jenkins was coming from as well, because
1:33:27 those are things that the school district would have to decide.
1:33:30 It’s not necessarily part of our programmatic piece of it, as
1:33:33 well as location.
1:33:35 Low hanging fruit right now is the ALCs because you have control
1:33:38 over those spaces.
1:33:40 But if something becomes more appropriate and available and that’s
1:33:44 approved, then by all means, whatever works best for the
1:33:48 students.
1:33:49 Yeah.
1:33:50 So, thank you.
1:33:53 And I realize they’re going to stay with their cohorts.
1:33:55 So I guess, you know, it’s not like if we’re going to have a
1:33:57 group of the last eight that came on or five, you know, whatever,
1:34:01 they’ll have to stay.
1:34:01 So it makes sense to maybe not be able to do them regionally.
1:34:04 I, yeah, because we’ll have to keep them, the kids that start
1:34:08 together, finish together.
1:34:10 I appreciate the idea of looking for a grant.
1:34:13 I think we need to continue to do that.
1:34:14 But board, I’m just going to put out the option, even though I
1:34:17 had other ideas for our dual litigation money.
1:34:20 This is something that we could consider to do.
1:34:24 It’s a one-time funding, but it would fund it for a couple of
1:34:26 years to get us started.
1:34:28 That’s an option.
1:34:29 I still, I think it might be good to talk to Dr. Rendell about
1:34:33 possibly maybe installing little bathroom things.
1:34:35 But go back to the content.
1:34:39 If I could ask you guys, and I’m sorry if I did not write down
1:34:43 your names.
1:34:44 What was it again?
1:34:47 I’m Carolyn.
1:34:48 This is Greg.
1:34:49 Carolyn and Greg.
1:34:50 Thank you so much.
1:34:51 So the idea, when you were talking about students creating
1:34:54 content, was that actually the lesson?
1:34:56 Or is that like what you did to prepare the curriculum?
1:34:59 That would be the activity in this instance.
1:35:02 Wow.
1:35:03 Yeah.
1:35:04 It’s harnessing their inclination to already be content creators
1:35:07 in a guided way.
1:35:08 Right.
1:35:09 All I, when I was listening to that, all I kept thinking about
1:35:12 was, you know, there’s a graphic that shows about how you learn,
1:35:16 right?
1:35:16 And if you hear, you will retain about 5%.
1:35:19 And if you write it down, maybe 10, take notes, whatever.
1:35:22 But the highest is if you teach it to someone else.
1:35:25 There’s like a 90% retention of the things that you learn.
1:35:28 That’s what you’re doing is having the students teach, create
1:35:31 something that teaches someone else.
1:35:34 So, man, how powerful is that?
1:35:37 I love that.
1:35:38 And then they can use it to teach potentially thousands or
1:35:40 millions of other kids if it’s something that we, you know, that
1:35:43 meets all the rubric checks.
1:35:44 Right.
1:35:45 And then you’re constantly fresh.
1:35:47 You’re constantly fresh.
1:35:48 And so, whatever is in style.
1:35:50 If you’re playing a video from five years ago, three years ago,
1:35:54 last year.
1:35:55 Right.
1:35:56 And that’s a term that I probably have overused in talking to
1:35:58 many people and presenting.
1:36:00 But that cognitive dissonance really does mean something.
1:36:03 So, if you’re teaching something and you’re being rated on this
1:36:06 and you created this.
1:36:07 Imagine something, regardless of the student we’re talking about,
1:36:09 played an active part in creating this.
1:36:11 It’s such a big part of their lives at this moment.
1:36:13 The hope would be that when they’re faced with those negative
1:36:16 choices, again, something is going to go off here.
1:36:19 Yes, they’re teaching others, but they’re not an active
1:36:21 participant in creating that lesson, so to speak.
1:36:24 It means more to them.
1:36:25 We have to have new approaches that what we call chalk and talk
1:36:28 doesn’t work as much.
1:36:29 Right, right.
1:36:30 For certain students.
1:36:31 I haven’t heard chalk and talk.
1:36:32 I’ve heard somebody on the stage, you know, talked about
1:36:36 frequently in teaching.
1:36:38 So, I have to tell you guys a story.
1:36:48 And I’m trying to keep these short because I’ve got a couple of
1:36:50 things I want to mention too.
1:36:53 When I went to the ALCs, as I say this, we need, in addition to
1:36:58 this, we need prevention programs.
1:37:00 Because we need things like this that are going to stop our kids
1:37:03 from getting there to begin with.
1:37:05 It’s got to be hand in hand.
1:37:08 And student-led, when we’re talking about the vaping initiative,
1:37:11 we took students up to Tallahassee.
1:37:13 We had students, SGA presidents, go back to their campus and
1:37:16 they were tasked with, find a way to communicate to your school
1:37:20 about vaping.
1:37:21 Like regular vaping.
1:37:22 Right.
1:37:23 This needs to be student-led.
1:37:25 I love that this is going to use our students and infect them.
1:37:29 And the story I wanted to tell is, when I went to ALC, they told
1:37:31 me the story about a girl who came in.
1:37:33 And they did, sometime it was time for her to do her reading
1:37:35 test.
1:37:36 Like the, I think high schoolers do reading 180 or whatever.
1:37:38 And she was an 11th grader and tested a 4th grade reading level.
1:37:42 And Mr. Sijek said, hey, does this kid have an IEP?
1:37:46 Did we miss it?
1:37:47 You know, how did she get to 11th grade and we didn’t know?
1:37:50 And then turns out they tested her again later and she was back
1:37:54 on grade level.
1:37:55 And they realized, she realized that when she took the test the
1:37:57 first time, she was under the influence.
1:38:00 And that was the big eye-opening moment for her, was realizing,
1:38:04 oh my goodness, when I’m doing this, look what’s happening, you
1:38:08 know, to my brain.
1:38:09 I’m better without it.
1:38:10 Absolutely.
1:38:11 So I love this message.
1:38:13 And the final challenge I would have to the board is, you know,
1:38:15 we just talked about where they’re getting it, right?
1:38:17 Where they’re getting it from people, frequently, from people
1:38:20 who have a license who they can legally use it.
1:38:22 I don’t, I try to stay out of the political world, but the truth
1:38:26 is, we are potentially going to face a vote statewide on
1:38:30 recreational marijuana.
1:38:32 I don’t know where your personal stance is.
1:38:34 My personal stance is against medical, recreational marijuana
1:38:38 use.
1:38:39 And I think we have a strong case to consider because if that
1:38:42 passes, we are just going to make it more available for
1:38:46 everybody in the state,
1:38:46 which is going to affect our students.
1:38:48 They’re getting it now.
1:38:49 It will be, even though it won’t be available for under 18, it
1:38:52 will just make it easier because there will be more people that
1:38:55 they can ask to pass it on.
1:38:57 Their parents, their friends.
1:38:58 It will be so easy for the kids to get it.
1:39:01 So, board as, as people who have influence with other people in
1:39:04 the state, I for one think that we need, and this is the last
1:39:08 time I preached a sermon, maybe.
1:39:09 I think we need to use our influence to communicate with people
1:39:14 in the community the effect of THC on our schools, on our kids,
1:39:19 and see if we can help communicate that this is not going to be
1:39:22 a positive thing for the youth in our state, and it’s not going
1:39:25 to be a positive thing for our schools.
1:39:27 I think it will be a very negative thing because we’re having to
1:39:29 deal with this already with it not being legal.
1:39:32 And like I said, that’s out of our realm of our school board,
1:39:35 but we are influencers on our own right, and I would encourage
1:39:39 us to use that influence to, when that comes next year.
1:39:43 Chair Greg Musil: Great points.
1:39:44 Ms. Wright.
1:39:45 All right.
1:39:46 I have some questions, and I just – just to get clarification
1:39:48 on how this is working.
1:39:49 So, we have Brevard Prevention Coalition, and then we have
1:39:52 Better Without It.
1:39:53 And so, I’m just trying to understand, what does this look like?
1:39:56 A kid chooses the prevention method.
1:39:59 They’re going to go – or the diversion program.
1:40:01 And so, at that point, is the coalition providing drug
1:40:05 counselors, or are you guys – I’m just trying to understand the
1:40:10 whole pieces, because there’s a couple moving parts here.
1:40:12 Oh, yeah.
1:40:13 So, the school district would be contracting, or MOU, or
1:40:16 whatever, using our organization to provide that structure for
1:40:20 the counselors, and for the program facilitation, using the
1:40:24 vendors that we have attached to that initiative, Better Without
1:40:26 It.
1:40:27 Okay.
1:40:28 And then, with the Better Without It, you spoke about the fact
1:40:30 that this is a three-year program.
1:40:32 I guess it’s been in existence for three years, correct?
1:40:34 You created a –
1:40:35 The campaign piece of it.
1:40:36 Okay.
1:40:37 The campaign piece of it.
1:40:38 Are you working with any other school districts around the state?
1:40:40 For the campaign piece, not for the – not for a diversion
1:40:42 program, but through the campaign pieces, we have presented it
1:40:45 to different school districts.
1:40:47 Okay.
1:40:48 We’ve gone to Tallahassee, as well, to present it to the state.
1:40:51 Okay.
1:40:52 And then, for the social media content part of it, when they’re
1:40:55 creating these things, is that being pushed out through their
1:40:59 social media, your social media?
1:41:01 Okay.
1:41:02 Yeah.
1:41:03 Where does that information go once they create something?
1:41:04 So, if the parents permit it, and if the school district permits
1:41:06 it, it would go on the Better Without It social media.
1:41:08 Okay.
1:41:09 Yeah.
1:41:10 It would go on those social medias to get the message out
1:41:13 broader.
1:41:14 If the children choose to post it on their own, that’s between
1:41:16 them and their families.
1:41:18 Okay.
1:41:19 So, I’m 100% in favor of, obviously, having some type of
1:41:22 diversion program.
1:41:24 We need that.
1:41:25 That needs to exist within our county.
1:41:27 Just seeing the number, the 426 students that ended up in the ALC
1:41:32 due to drugs, obviously, is an indicator that that’s the largest
1:41:35 population of offenders is drug offenders.
1:41:38 So, I do believe that we need to do something here.
1:41:41 I, again, I’m probably a little old school in my mentality,
1:41:44 because I would be what you would consider one of those
1:41:47 helicopter parents who’s raising two Gen Z kids.
1:41:49 And, fortunately, I, you know, I’m grateful that they are, they
1:41:52 have chosen the path of staying clean and not doing drugs.
1:41:56 And I hope that they continue that path for the duration of
1:41:58 their life.
1:41:59 But, I think the pro, I love the counseling.
1:42:03 I love the idea of getting them in and having the counseling.
1:42:06 I love the idea of bringing the family in.
1:42:08 I think it’s an important for the entire family structure to be
1:42:10 a part of that.
1:42:11 The discipline needs to be consistent, though, because it doesn’t,
1:42:14 it doesn’t need to be I choose this and my discipline is
1:42:16 different versus I choose the ALC and now at the ALC I can reoffend,
1:42:21 reoffend, reoffend, and there’s nothing there.
1:42:23 So, I think those two need to fall in line to some degree.
1:42:25 We need to have consistency there.
1:42:27 I would like this to be, this is the option.
1:42:32 It is this or nothing.
1:42:34 I mean, I would like them to be mandated to go through a drug
1:42:36 prevention if they are testing positive.
1:42:39 I don’t think we should say to them, you can go to the ALC or
1:42:42 you can do this.
1:42:43 I think it should be, you’re doing this.
1:42:45 And then if that doesn’t work, then you’ll go to the ALC kind of
1:42:48 thing.
1:42:49 That’s not me.
1:42:50 That would be probably a mistake.
1:42:52 And then obviously that would be a board decision.
1:42:54 But again, we would be taking that out of a parent’s hand and
1:42:57 saying, this is what you’re going to choose for your kid.
1:43:00 So we would have parents that say, I choose not to do that.
1:43:04 And I would, I want to homeschool my kid.
1:43:06 And if that’s what the board decides, then, you know, that’s
1:43:10 what the board decides.
1:43:11 And I would be, you know, we would be fine with it.
1:43:14 This is a resource that our district would be making available
1:43:19 to help a child who potentially is going to go down a path of
1:43:22 drug addiction.
1:43:23 And so I would like to believe that our parents obviously have
1:43:25 the best interest of the child.
1:43:27 And that’s where, that’s where my heart is with this.
1:43:29 I’m sure it’s where everyone else’s heart is with this on the
1:43:30 board.
1:43:31 But, and I’m only one obviously of five.
1:43:33 So I just think, I think the either or, I think we should say
1:43:37 this is what needs to be done.
1:43:39 And then go from there as far as the, how we implement this.
1:43:43 But that would be my suggestion.
1:43:45 But the benefit, it’s still very attractive.
1:43:48 Even if there’s risk, it’s still very attractive because I can
1:43:50 stay at my school.
1:43:51 This is the only way I can stay at my school.
1:43:53 Right.
1:43:54 So if you want to stay at your school, this is what you have to
1:43:57 do.
1:43:58 If you want to have to ride a bus, get up super early, go have
1:44:02 your phone locked away and all that kind of stuff for the next
1:44:04 semester, then yeah, you can pick the O.C.
1:44:07 So there’s still quite an enticement and motivation to, you know,
1:44:12 to do this beyond, you know, because I mean that, that’s, to me
1:44:16 that’s the biggest thing is I can stay in my current classes.
1:44:19 I don’t, because, you know, she talked earlier about some things
1:44:21 that are not available.
1:44:22 If you’re in specialized classes like CTE classes, music, the
1:44:25 only, I think the only fine arts classes they have, they have
1:44:28 art.
1:44:29 Right.
1:44:30 But you’re, you’re, you’re not going to be in band.
1:44:31 You’re not going to be in choir.
1:44:32 You’re not going to be in automotive.
1:44:34 All those things.
1:44:35 If you want that continuity, then you’re going to, you’re going
1:44:37 to take this option.
1:44:39 I had a couple more questions.
1:44:40 Sorry.
1:44:41 I had a couple more questions.
1:44:42 Just as far as the counseling goes, is that in-person counseling?
1:44:45 That is not online counseling.
1:44:46 Correct.
1:44:47 That’s in-person.
1:44:48 It’s in-person counseling.
1:44:49 So it’s face to face with a certified drug prevention counselor
1:44:53 and it’s an hour and a half long.
1:44:55 And you know, some of the, when they go to counseling, obviously
1:44:58 it may be a little bit longer because they have to explain this
1:45:01 program.
1:45:02 They’re going to be helping the kids.
1:45:03 It’s not just, here’s the program fly.
1:45:05 So there’s a lot more, you know, a bigger piece to it that we
1:45:08 didn’t go in depth, but the kids are going to be supported, you
1:45:11 know, throughout the time.
1:45:12 And the hour and a half is just the counseling piece.
1:45:16 This is going to take a lot of their time.
1:45:19 Yeah.
1:45:20 To complete this.
1:45:21 So it’s not just a, oh yeah, I get to do this and it’s easy.
1:45:24 I mean, it is something that they’re going to have to think
1:45:27 about and work at to make changes, to be better without it.
1:45:31 Okay.
1:45:32 And, and just to, and I mean, I’m, I’m assuming this, but I
1:45:34 shouldn’t assume anything, but your recommendation is that we
1:45:37 partner with the Brevard Prevention Coalition in order to bring
1:45:41 this diversion program alongside our ALCs.
1:45:44 Is what, is that correct?
1:45:46 Absolutely.
1:45:47 Okay.
1:45:48 100%.
1:45:49 Okay.
1:45:50 Thank you.
1:45:51 I’ve done a lot with, uh, Mr. Brits and, you know, um,
1:45:54 everything’s always done a hundred percent and, uh, he’ll do the
1:46:00 same thing with this as well.
1:46:02 Okay.
1:46:03 Thank you.
1:46:04 Yeah.
1:46:05 We’re an active participant in helping to create better without
1:46:07 it.
1:46:08 You can see by the logos on the screen, but, um, so it, it, it
1:46:11 took a few years, uh, to really get the information put together
1:46:15 as a foundation for why this approach has been effective with
1:46:17 young people.
1:46:19 So we stand behind it as a messaging and to add to what you’re
1:46:22 mentioning earlier, there is also the skill building component
1:46:25 that’s on the slide presentation that I think would also be key
1:46:29 because some students respond to that as well.
1:46:31 So we’re trying our best to, to have those options there.
1:46:33 And there’s an incentive to doing this as was brought out
1:46:35 earlier by, um, Ms. Campbell, you know, for those students that
1:46:39 want to stay at their home school and participate in those other
1:46:41 programs.
1:46:42 So the stakes are going to be a little higher, obviously to make
1:46:44 sure they’re successful in this program.
1:46:46 Um, so it’s an eight week program and yes, we’re, you’re going
1:46:48 to be tested at the end.
1:46:50 Um, and the consequences after that may be a little stricter,
1:46:53 but this is an incentive.
1:46:55 This is an option for you to have that benefit of being at your
1:46:57 home school for all the things that come with it that you value.
1:47:01 So, um, again, I heard you, you didn’t expect the numbers to be
1:47:13 large.
1:47:14 I expect the numbers to be huge because of just exactly that.
1:47:18 I don’t know too many students that would elect to go to the ALC
1:47:22 versus sustain in their home school.
1:47:25 Not many.
1:47:27 No.
1:47:28 So I, I believe you’re going to get all of those first time
1:47:30 offenders.
1:47:31 Absolutely.
1:47:32 Um, which also could lead to cohort, cohorts might be difficult.
1:47:36 Um, if you say you’re going to keep those together because you’re
1:47:39 going to be getting onesies and twosies added daily, weekly,
1:47:44 right?
1:47:45 Correct.
1:47:46 But they can start on this program.
1:47:49 The drug counselor is going to be, you know, having a
1:47:51 conversation with them and they can set it up and say, you’re
1:47:54 not starting this week.
1:47:55 You’re starting the following week and your day is going to be
1:47:57 Tuesday.
1:47:58 Yeah.
1:47:59 So you can kind of group them together.
1:48:00 Right.
1:48:01 So you can’t, and, but obviously we’re going to work around
1:48:04 families and parents because this is, you know, this is what we
1:48:07 do.
1:48:08 Right.
1:48:09 Because it’s, I think it’s important that we have a partnership
1:48:11 with the parents, um, because it’s more than just in the school,
1:48:14 they’re obviously doing it outside of school.
1:48:17 So it’s important that we build that partnership.
1:48:19 And I did see the, the, the one family counseling session and,
1:48:24 and I would really hope to see a, uh, uh, one in the beginning
1:48:28 and one in the end, instead of just a, wherever that one is, you
1:48:32 know, the more we can get them together.
1:48:34 I’m assuming that you’d want to bring them all in at the
1:48:36 beginning anyway.
1:48:37 Maybe that’s not even called a meeting, but, um,
1:48:40 There will be an intake.
1:48:41 So they are going to have a conversation with the parent,
1:48:44 explain it.
1:48:45 Um, and I would love for there to be eight counseling sessions
1:48:52 and eight family counseling sessions.
1:48:55 But I think this is a big job to start out with.
1:48:58 And I think we need to make sure we don’t, um, say we’re going
1:49:02 to do better.
1:49:03 Say we’re going to do more than possibly human, you know, humanly
1:49:06 possible to do.
1:49:07 But yes, absolutely.
1:49:08 I think family involvement and having as much of family
1:49:10 counseling as possible is where we need to start moving towards.
1:49:15 And I, and I do appreciate the, um, uh, when, when I heard there,
1:49:20 there’s a consequence, maybe a stiffer consequence of, of not
1:49:22 choosing, or when you choose the program, if you could put a lot
1:49:26 of effort, money and resources into it.
1:49:28 Um, but, but I do agree with the consistency because I think
1:49:32 there should be, um, a consequence for, for not choosing the
1:49:36 program.
1:49:37 And it probably needs to be equal in, in, in my eyes.
1:49:40 Um, so that hopefully that’s where we can get, uh, again, as you
1:49:42 can kind of see where I’m going.
1:49:44 The old school of, um, we gave you the opportunity.
1:49:47 It just can’t be here forever.
1:49:48 And, and, and the program, um, it, I’m trying to fight to not, I
1:49:53 know I’m oversimplifying, but it seems like you get into a
1:49:58 program, you get caught with drugs and you get to do a project.
1:50:02 So I’m hoping, I know there’s more than that, but I’m just
1:50:05 saying, I, I, we, I’m a math guy, not an art guy.
1:50:09 Um, also I, I, I didn’t go into, you know, detail, but the
1:50:13 school stipulation conduct agreement, there’s going to be things
1:50:18 that the student can’t do while they’re under the school stipulation
1:50:21 conduct agreement.
1:50:22 You can’t call, get caught with drugs and then go out and
1:50:25 represent our school while you’re doing this because again, your
1:50:29 representation of the district and the school.
1:50:32 So there will be a few things that, um, the student will not be
1:50:36 able to do.
1:50:37 Um, but they’ll still be with their classes, their teachers,
1:50:40 their friends.
1:50:41 Uh, but it, it wouldn’t be fair to the students that are not
1:50:45 being caught with drugs to just say, we’re just going to have
1:50:49 you go for counseling sessions.
1:50:51 And, uh, do a presentation.
1:50:54 Correct.
1:50:55 Um, so that’s also why I think the stakes are a little higher,
1:50:59 but again, that decision is going to be a board decision.
1:51:02 No problem.
1:51:03 Overall, thank you so much.
1:51:05 You know, we, we, we, we, we understand, uh, we need help, um,
1:51:09 in those areas and we’re here for you.
1:51:11 So I appreciate it.
1:51:12 All of you.
1:51:13 So can I, I just, I need to circle back to where I’m struggling
1:51:16 because, uh, it seemed like at first,
1:51:20 Mr. Trout was kind of on the same pathway and then took a major
1:51:23 diversion.
1:51:24 Um, so, and I don’t mean that offensively.
1:51:28 I just mean your opinion is going a different way.
1:51:30 You, you hear what I’m saying.
1:51:31 It’s just going a different direction.
1:51:32 Um, and I, I personally don’t want the end of the road for our
1:51:35 students.
1:51:36 I want to pave a road to success for them.
1:51:39 And so I’m struggling here because we have a, we agree that the
1:51:47 majority of drug offenders
1:51:49 are going to choose this program because they get to stay in
1:51:51 their school, right?
1:51:53 But if they fail a drug test for using outside of school, off
1:51:57 campus, not having it on them, possession of them,
1:52:02 they then are expelled and they are removed from the educational
1:52:05 environment.
1:52:06 But if we have, so essentially we’re going to see not only a
1:52:12 reduction in ALC students, but we’re going to see an increase of
1:52:16 expulsions.
1:52:17 Because let’s be real, a lot of these kids are going to fail
1:52:20 that drug test on the eighth week because it’s not a foolproof
1:52:24 thing.
1:52:25 And to me, the solution would be to continue to offer support in
1:52:29 some way with another consequence, a more stricter consequence
1:52:34 to follow that.
1:52:36 Because if you have a student B who can choose the ALC, which
1:52:40 isn’t delightful by any means, but then get tested for using off
1:52:45 campus.
1:52:46 Again, no possession on campus and still stay in an educational
1:52:50 environment.
1:52:51 It seems as though that student has an opportunity to continue
1:52:55 to be educated while the one who went through the drug diversion
1:52:58 program doesn’t.
1:52:59 And I’m not comfortable with that. That doesn’t make sense to me.
1:53:03 Again, not talking about a student who’s caught using it on
1:53:06 campus, has it on possession.
1:53:08 I just think it’s unrealistic for us as adults to sit here and
1:53:10 say, this 14-year-old who’s smoking pot and vaping outside of
1:53:15 school is just magically going to stop because they went through
1:53:19 this program for eight weeks.
1:53:21 We want to capture them all. We want to divert all of it, but we
1:53:23 know we’re not going to.
1:53:25 And so I feel like we’re setting those kids up to fail and be
1:53:27 expelled.
1:53:28 And I don’t think that that is what we should be doing as an
1:53:30 educational system.
1:53:31 I think there should be some kind of catch for those kind of
1:53:34 kids that we expect that to happen and have some kind of
1:53:38 consequence for them, whether it is to go to the ALC then at
1:53:41 that point.
1:53:42 But it just doesn’t make sense to me how we’re going to penalize
1:53:46 a student for doing something off campus.
1:53:50 I don’t know. It feels really, really harsh and strict, and I
1:53:52 feel like we’re not doing right by those kids.
1:53:56 I absolutely understand what you’re saying.
1:53:59 One thing I would like to say is that when the kids are tested
1:54:03 at the ALC for earned return between five and seven weeks,
1:54:07 I think right now we’re at a 94% pass rate, maybe 95.
1:54:12 So the kids are actually passing in a much shorter amount of
1:54:16 time.
1:54:17 So instead of eight weeks, maybe five weeks.
1:54:20 But I do understand what you’re saying, and again, it will be a
1:54:25 board decision.
1:54:27 And that’s great, and I’m happy to hear that.
1:54:31 But that 6% of kids who are using THC outside of school, I just
1:54:37 don’t think it’s right that we are ending their educational
1:54:42 career if it’s not happening on our campus.
1:54:46 It just doesn’t seem right to me.
1:54:48 And I think we need to figure out how to deal with that
1:54:53 disconnect there if we’re going to then be offering this
1:54:57 alternative program.
1:54:58 As well as just the conversation about the choice for a parent
1:55:01 to choose this program or the ALC.
1:55:03 I think that there should be the right to the parent to make
1:55:05 that choice because some parents might believe that they know
1:55:09 what their kid’s doing at home.
1:55:11 Let’s be real, right?
1:55:12 And some of those parents might go, this program ain’t going to
1:55:14 help them in eight weeks.
1:55:15 I don’t want them to get kicked out of school.
1:55:18 I think they need a stricter consequence to go to this ALC or
1:55:21 whatever.
1:55:22 We need to leave that option up to that parent because they know
1:55:24 what’s going on at home.
1:55:25 Because again, I’m concerned about the fact that these kids are
1:55:27 going to get punished for things that they’re doing outside of
1:55:30 school.
1:55:31 I’m sorry if this is like ping pong.
1:55:37 But when we’re talking about failing that drug test after eight
1:55:40 weeks, for example, pick a day.
1:55:43 I know Ms. Jenkins, you say outside of school.
1:55:47 We all know many of those kids just because they’re not caught
1:55:49 in school, they’re vaping in school.
1:55:51 So I honestly don’t care where they’re doing it at the end of
1:55:54 that eight weeks.
1:55:55 And you said you got 94, 95% pass rate.
1:55:58 That’s fine.
1:55:59 And I don’t believe we’re saying you can never learn again.
1:56:03 Maybe this system and this structure is just not benefiting you.
1:56:07 Because we still have other people to think about, which are
1:56:09 other students and other parents.
1:56:11 I mean, they’re allowed to do Florida virtual, right?
1:56:13 If they’re outside of VPS.
1:56:15 So, okay.
1:56:16 Right, we’re not saying you have to go out in the workforce.
1:56:20 And if we’re talking four, five, 6% of the small percentage that
1:56:25 we’re talking about to begin with,
1:56:27 out of our 70-some thousand students, I think we’re going to
1:56:30 service those children.
1:56:33 So I appreciate that.
1:56:35 I hope you have extreme confidence in your ability to rehabilitate
1:56:39 or show, you know, they’re better without it.
1:56:42 And we’re giving them a lot of options to continue their
1:56:44 education.
1:56:45 And, you know, sometimes just because we say this isn’t working,
1:56:49 that doesn’t mean you’re not going to be successful in education.
1:56:55 And it’s not a matter of if, it’s just when.
1:56:57 Maybe a few years later, they’re going to be like, you know what,
1:56:59 you’re right.
1:57:00 I didn’t appreciate the structure of in school, you know, within
1:57:04 the brick and mortar.
1:57:07 And, you know, maybe I’ll come back in or, you know, or go to a
1:57:10 different district or do something.
1:57:12 But, you know, we can’t be all things to, you know, to all
1:57:15 students at all times.
1:57:17 And we do need to show them that road, but it just can’t be a
1:57:19 racetrack where it’s just the same thing over and over again.
1:57:22 At some point, we have to show our students and our children an
1:57:26 example that, you know, at some point your consequences are
1:57:30 going to lead to a dead end.
1:57:32 That doesn’t mean it’s over, you’re going to go somewhere else.
1:57:34 So you get, we’re giving them that option, multiple options.
1:57:37 So I appreciate what you’re doing.
1:57:39 Mr. Trent, so, I mean, it’s clear we have two different viewpoints
1:57:43 on this.
1:57:44 But where we do agree is, and there’s two different end results
1:57:49 that we agree on, but we do agree that they don’t match, right?
1:57:53 They don’t match each other because what I’m hearing from you,
1:57:57 right, you want the other option, but I want this option.
1:58:00 But we agree they don’t match, and that’s a problem for me, that
1:58:03 they don’t match.
1:58:04 I don’t agree.
1:58:05 I don’t want them to have an end and get kicked out.
1:58:08 But we agree they don’t match, and that doesn’t make any sense
1:58:09 to me.
1:58:10 That’s inconsistent.
1:58:11 I think we’re going to have issues with families and mediation
1:58:15 and all that stuff.
1:58:17 I just, it doesn’t make any sense to me.
1:58:18 Well, you’re right, because where it could go is after they go
1:58:20 through the whole ALC thing, they could say, hey, I heard there
1:58:22 was a program.
1:58:23 Right, and then they’ll say, you know, this family got this
1:58:25 choice and then their kid got kicked out or, you know, vice
1:58:27 versa.
1:58:28 And so I think there needs to be a consistency.
1:58:30 Again, I’m not advocating for ending the road for the kids, but,
1:58:33 and that’s fine.
1:58:35 We have different opinions there.
1:58:36 But clearly there needs to be some kind of consistent
1:58:39 consequence.
1:58:41 But I am going to say just one final time, I’m concerned that I
1:58:45 personally believe that this will result in either doing it this
1:58:49 way or what Mr. Trent is suggesting in an increase of expulsions
1:58:54 of drug offenders for THC.
1:58:56 And that’s, that’s concerning to me because that’s not what we
1:58:58 wanted to do in the long run.
1:59:00 Ms. Campbell.
1:59:01 Thank you.
1:59:02 So I, I, which is why we need to have the prevention campaign
1:59:07 going alongside it so kids are hearing from each other what a
1:59:12 bad idea it is to, to use THC.
1:59:15 But I, thank you for providing the, that data on the, the kids
1:59:18 who are doing the drug testing for in return because that’s,
1:59:22 that’s, that’s a positive sign.
1:59:24 I, to me, I just feel like we, this is a second chance.
1:59:28 I mean, it’s, it’s the pre second chance, I guess, you know, um,
1:59:31 not pre second chance.
1:59:32 It’s a, just an alter, it’s a better alternative to keep them in.
1:59:35 But to me, it doesn’t, it, it doesn’t matter whether it’s
1:59:38 something they did at home or off campus because the goal of the
1:59:41 program is to get them to stop.
1:59:43 And to stop, you know, that, you know, yes, we don’t want them
1:59:46 to have to go to the ALC or get expelled.
1:59:49 But the goal is to get them to choose from now and all eternity.
1:59:54 And they may, they may revert at some point to choose a drug
1:59:57 free lifestyle.
1:59:58 Um, because they are, I love that.
2:00:01 I mean, it is simple, you know, better without it.
2:00:03 That, that, that, that’s the goal.
2:00:04 And so if the expectation is clear, just like it is for the kids
2:00:07 who are trying to get on return, expectation is clear, you are
2:00:09 going to get a drug test at such and such a point.
2:00:12 They know what the expectation is, they’re going to be getting
2:00:15 as many tools in their tool belt to try to, um, to get, you know,
2:00:20 to get past it, to get beyond it, to make better choices.
2:00:23 Um, then they know it’s coming.
2:00:24 To me, that’s, that is fair.
2:00:25 And, um, I appreciate that you taking the time to really get
2:00:29 input from all the stakeholders and from these other districts.
2:00:32 Cause you know, you, you remind them like, I want to know what
2:00:34 everybody else is doing.
2:00:35 Um, so I appreciate the data.
2:00:38 If I could just provide an intermission real quick.
2:00:41 Mr. Thornton is keeping the cafeteria open for like 10 minutes
2:00:44 to see if anybody wants lunch.
2:00:47 Because we have a session after this as well.
2:00:49 Yeah.
2:00:50 So if anybody here wants to take a recess real quick, pop into
2:00:53 the cafeteria, grab some lunch so they can.
2:00:56 You guys, um, like I haven’t had a chance to go through what I
2:00:59 was doing.
2:01:00 So I don’t want to recess.
2:01:01 So if you guys want to just, I mean, Ms. Campbell went and got
2:01:03 her food.
2:01:04 If you guys want to go, it’s not, you know, it’s what Dr. Rendell
2:01:08 is going to bring this kind of stuff back to us anyway.
2:01:10 I just wanted to get to my points.
2:01:12 Um, so one of the things I was looking at is, and I want to say
2:01:15 thank you, Mr. Trent.
2:01:18 You’re actually the only person on this board that’s actually
2:01:21 taught at the ALCs and understands the rhythm of some of these
2:01:24 students and understands inside and out what the way they are
2:01:27 and the way they behave and stuff like that.
2:01:29 And I appreciate that perspective.
2:01:31 You and I were talking before the board meeting today and I said
2:01:34 how much I appreciate you because you’re coming right out of the
2:01:37 classroom.
2:01:38 And that from a former educator that stopped in 2014, I thought
2:01:42 I had a really good rhythm with the schools, but I go back
2:01:45 inside the classrooms when I substitute.
2:01:47 And it’s like, you’re so you’re just almost disconnected because
2:01:50 you try to do the old school thing.
2:01:52 So I just want to say thank you for your perspective.
2:01:54 Um, one of the questions I wanted to know is we have to make
2:01:57 decisions prior to the next school year opening.
2:02:00 Right.
2:02:01 And like, this is what I’m, what I’m, my question is in regards
2:02:07 to this program, how our discipline is done, all of those things,
2:02:12 I’m guessing in my head that we’re going to try to do something
2:02:15 prior to the beginning of school.
2:02:17 Is that kind of the target date?
2:02:18 The idea would be to implement this program this coming year if
2:02:20 we decide it is something we want to receive.
2:02:22 Okay.
2:02:23 We have to identify the funding.
2:02:24 Yeah.
2:02:25 And then set us the processes.
2:02:26 I mean, I’ve taken a lot of notes.
2:02:27 We obviously need to kind of harm up what an off-site chronic
2:02:28 stipulation agreement looks like when it’s on-site.
2:02:37 In fact, that’s the term right now when you go to the ALC, it’s
2:02:42 an off-site chronic stipulation agreement when you’re on-site,
2:02:45 so you’re in school.
2:02:47 But, you know, like Ms. Blaine was talking about, there are
2:02:50 conditions, you know, already in place.
2:02:53 And a student might violate one of those conditions and violate
2:02:55 their chronic stipulation agreement and then suffer whatever the
2:02:58 penalty is now at ALC or if we do something like this at the
2:03:03 home school.
2:03:03 Yeah.
2:03:04 So we’ll need a few more details to be worked at about what
2:03:07 those on-site conduct stipulation agreements mean, what they
2:03:11 look like.
2:03:12 Because if a family does choose this option, it’s a higher risk
2:03:16 because it looks like they could be facing full expulsion if
2:03:20 they fail.
2:03:21 But it’s a higher reward because they get to stay in their home
2:03:23 school.
2:03:24 Mm-hmm.
2:03:25 Now, they may not be able to access all the programs.
2:03:27 Like, they may not be able to participate in extracurriculars,
2:03:29 but they’d be able to take all those courses.
2:03:31 Right.
2:03:32 You know?
2:03:33 So, you know, that’s something that, you know, it’s a high risk,
2:03:36 but it’s also a high reward.
2:03:38 You get to stay and access your curriculum and maintain your
2:03:41 academic progress and you’ll still see all your friends and all
2:03:44 that kind of stuff.
2:03:46 But the risk is if you violate, you’re going to – you’re
2:03:49 expelled.
2:03:50 Yeah.
2:03:51 No, I appreciate that.
2:03:53 So thank you.
2:03:54 So I just wanted to make sure of that.
2:03:56 And this is not – this plan is not implemented in any other
2:03:59 school districts, what they have?
2:04:02 No.
2:04:03 As of now?
2:04:04 Not currently, no.
2:04:05 So we don’t have any metrics on it, success or anything like
2:04:07 that.
2:04:07 I’m not saying that it wouldn’t be because I love what you guys
2:04:08 are doing.
2:04:09 I was just trying to get through my notes.
2:04:11 And Ms. Bland, how many students with the drug offenses will
2:04:17 roll to ALC at the beginning of next year?
2:04:20 Is there a percentage?
2:04:21 So we have, like, we finished the year with 150, say, for
2:04:24 instance, and we have 100 coming back.
2:04:27 I mean, what does that look like?
2:04:29 I would have to get back to you on that.
2:04:31 I don’t have that data.
2:04:45 I don’t have it.
2:04:46 offenses that were before find a way to not have them return to
2:04:50 the ALC but have some sort of a path
2:04:52 or have them earn return? What is it? They’re currently under a
2:04:56 stipulation conduct agreement,
2:04:58 so they would still be under that stipulation conduct agreement.
2:05:02 We would not go back unless
2:05:04 that’s a board decision, but we would continue because we’d have
2:05:07 to hold these meetings again.
2:05:08 A hearing was held with parents, IEPs. I’m not saying it can’t
2:05:16 be done if that’s what
2:05:18 the board chooses. However, they are under a stipulation conduct
2:05:22 agreement and the goal,
2:05:24 I believe they should finish that stipulation conduct agreement.
2:05:30 I think part of what we’re looking at is creating a program
2:05:36 moving forward,
2:05:38 but the other issue we have is we have an emergency need for
2:05:42 capacity and all these other
2:05:43 things right now because if these kids come back, we’re
2:05:46 automatically going to be
2:05:47 already almost at capacity. And if we were looking at creating
2:05:51 it to where they come back off of being
2:05:53 online over out there, there needs to be more here. So that’s
2:05:56 all. I just wanted to kind of get through
2:05:58 that. Did you want to say something? Well, and Ms. Bland would
2:06:01 agree with that. August is
2:06:06 a wonderful time to be teaching the ALCs as far as numbers. Many
2:06:11 of their stipulations
2:06:12 run out at the end of the school year. So it’s very small. So we
2:06:16 wouldn’t, it would not have an
2:06:18 overcrowding. Am I misspeaking Ms. Bland? The numbers have
2:06:21 increased, but I think in the past,
2:06:23 when I first started this position, we were starting with 30.
2:06:27 Now we’re in 60. But it’s, but it’s absolutely
2:06:31 doable because those kids, you know, they’re not going to be in
2:06:35 the ALC that long in the
2:06:36 Alternate Learning Center and they’ll be going back to their
2:06:39 home school. And I appreciate that.