Updates on the Fight for Quality Public Education in Brevard County, FL
0:00 Good evening, welcome to the July 30th, 2024 tentative budget meeting hearing and regular board meeting. The meeting is now in order. I’d like to welcome my fellow board members and the public. It’s encouraging to see so many faces in the audience this evening. I politely ask the public to refrain from speaking loud disruptions, distractions, or other forms of communication that hinder the business.
9:37 They will be able to address the board with any public comments at public comment time. Paul, roll call please. Ms. Wright. Here. Mr. Trent. Here. Mr. Susan. Here. Ms. Campbell. Here. Ms. Jenkins. Here. At this time the board would like to hold a moment of silence and I invite the audience to join. All
10:12 right, please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance.
10:19 I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible.
10:35 At this time, I’d like to offer my fellow board members and Dr. Vindel an opportunity to recognize students, staff or members of the community. Would anybody like to go first? My microphone keeps turning off. I apologize. Anybody want to go first? I’ll go first if you guys want me to go first. I never get to go first, so I absolutely would love to go first.
10:54 I was always ladies first. All right. Uh, so I want to give a shout out to Challenger 7, uh, as you guys know, that is our first, well, it’s not first, it’s our, it has been a year round school in the past, but it is now a year round school again, and they have started back to school on July 22nd. Uh, staff is doing great there, everyone is excited, kids are excited, Dr.
11:14 Rendell, thank you so much for coming out and being there to welcome all of our students. It’s back for the first day. That was a lot of fun. A lot of energy and excitement around that new calendar. I wanted to also give a shout to Dr. Rindell for your superintendent summit. That was a highlight of last week.
11:28 A lot of energy, a lot of fun. Something special happens when we get in a room together and you’re with your peers and you’re with other people that are experiencing some of the things that you’re experiencing at schools and just really encouraging all the way around. So thank you for putting on a wonderful summit, which I’ll save the one for you, Dr.
11:44 Rindell, but we’re, yeah, I’m sure at the end. I also want to give a shout out to the Grove Church. This past Saturday on July 27th, uh, they arranged for, I don’t even know how many volunteers it was, probably 200 volunteers that, that descended on four different schools with the idea of really just trying to make the school more attractive and pretty and plant some flowers, pull some weeds, do some yard work, and lots of volunteers.
12:06 It was extremely hot, but it was very rewarding at the end to see how beautiful the schools look. So thank you so much for. lining up all of those volunteers. And then also a shout out to Titusville Police Department. So Today they do this every year. They hold an annual back to school breakfast with all the school resource officers in addition to the leadership team for the north end schools.
12:26 So Titusville is one of our partners that helps when it comes to security at our schools. And it’s just an exceptional event for everybody to again, come together, really understand why we do what we do. The importance of safety. Um, Chief Lyle there and the team are exceptional. All of our S. R. O. S. Are exceptional.
12:42 So thank you guys so much for a wonderful breakfast and a good way to kick off the year. And that is all that I have. I’m going to turn it over to Ms. Campbell. You have your mic on, alright. It was still on. Um, so it’s been over a month since our last meeting, so we’ve got not a lot going on, but I’ve got a long list.
12:59 Um, so I just wanted to report back that the Summer Fine Arts Theater Workshop musicals were fantastic. Both, um, both the North production and the South production were so much fun. And we just laughed and laughed and laughed as these young actors, there were actually some, like, Um, things happened unexpectedly on, with props or stage or whatever and the kids just rolled with it.
13:22 They were so professional and we had a great time. Uh, I do an annual summer facilities construction project field trip. Every year, Dave Lindeman takes me around to show me what’s going on with construction in our, uh, our south area schools and had, I just wanted to give thanks to Dave. to him, um, for being such a tour, a great tour guide, and his team, and it was really great to see all the projects going on, and I know they’re represented, even though I only visited District 5 schools, um, they are representative of things that are going on across the county, and the facilities team is doing, uh, and project management, management team in particular is doing such a fantastic job with all of that.
13:57 Uh, yesterday was a really exciting meeting. Rachel Rutledge, our Director of Career and Technology Education, was meeting with a brand new advisory board, um, for an electric, electric program, electricity program. I’m not sure how you word that. Yeah, electrician program, CTE, at Heritage High School, that member, she presented to us, uh, about a month ago, that they’re gonna start.
14:22 And so, these guys were, just their years in the field, We’re just impressive, so I just really want to give a shout out to Rachel Rutledge and her team and Mr. Link at Heritage High School for welcoming, um, these people in to really get our, our program started on the right foot, which we’re hoping to open in 2025, and so, but it was really exciting just to be in the room where it happened, you know, um, and getting to, to hear their input and, and how excited they were for us to start this program, to help our community and help our students too.
14:56 I do just want to give, I want to give a shout out also to the superintendent along those lines, and I’m not going to steal your thunder either, but I wanted to talk about the guest speaker that you had come and do a virtual, um, uh, virtual moment for us, Damon West, um, one of the co authors of the Coffee Bean Book, which our sixth graders read last year, and they’ll all be, the upcoming sixth graders will be reading.
15:17 Um, there’s a couple messages that I, that really stuck out to me that I wrote down in my notes that day, and, One of the things that he said that stuck with me were that some people will come at you, I’m going to use the word at you, in judgment, but many are coming in need. And I think if we as a board and as a district focus on those who are coming in need and kind of, you know, Don’t focus as much on the people who are coming in judgment because we’ve got a lot of needs to meet Needs of our kids needs of our staff needs of our community That is a good way to go and then my favorite quote was turn it up I got this and he was talking about pressure and how you deal with Pressure and criticism and hard things and so I wrote that one down.
15:56 That was a direct quote turn it up I got this and I just I just appreciate our administrators, in particular, that’s who was meeting that day, so much because over the last few years, the pressure and the ex responsibilities on our administrators, principals, assistant principals, directors, everything have just ramped up, and I appreciate those of you who’ve been in those roles, and those of you who are about to take on those roles, and um, you know what it means to be in the hot seat, and um, so I very much appreciate that challenge.
16:23 And then just to wrap it up, I wanted to recognize the Children’s Hunger Project, which I got to sit on the Board for they for those of you don’t know our organization feeds Elementary school students weekend meal packets if you’ve seen that we can meal packet programs across the country That is our local Brevard one and just so you guys know we just met this morning and over the last few years We have almost doubled the amount of students that we’re feeding every weekend and this year the board is wanting to push it from from our current number, which is um 4, 300 to 5, 000 kids a weekend, so we definitely want our community to get involved And to support us, but the children’s hunger project does such great work And I don’t say that because I sit on the board I mean I’m not the one packing the meals and getting them to kids But I very much appreciate that side by side Partnership that we have with the district to make sure we’re feeding the kids during the day And they’re feeding the kids on the weekend.
17:17 It’s a great partnership I encourage our community to get involved and support them Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Campbell. All right, who wants to go next? I’ll just, I’ll go really quick. Yeah, um, our communication department had just made us aware that we had a special request from a family to give a special shout out to somebody that, you know, we don’t get to do this very often, um, but there is an employee who retired in the year 2000 from Brevard Public Schools who served this This district for 35 years, um, all the way from a teacher at Stone High School, uh, back in the 60s, um, and climbed all the way up to an assistant principal at Melbourne High School, the principal of Southwest, and then eventually became the director of student services and retiring after 35 years of service.
18:01 And their, their family had asked us to wish Mr. Kroski a very happy 90th birthday on August 10th. Yeah,
18:18 I wanted to, uh, first say, um, Katie, thank you so much for your work on the, um, children’s hunger project. It’s a. Really needed, um, program. And I appreciate your efforts. You’ve been a huge advocate in that, making us, asking us to come to many of the, you know what I mean, the functions and everything else.
18:33 And it’s been a really nice thing. So thank you for that. Um, I wanted to say thank you. Congratulations on the superintendent Summit, and I’ll be quiet about it because I know you want to go on it. Um, I also wanted to say thank you to the three, to, uh, DEFRA and his team and some of the others. Um, we had 300 new teachers here today, and they were a part of the new teacher academy.
18:53 And. From what I understood, it was phenomenal, and I think that it’s something that, uh, we have done very well here over the past, you know, six, seven years as far as educating, bringing them on, giving them the supports. And if you guys remember the numbers that we came, I think it was 95 percent retention based on 97, based on 97 percent of the teachers that from last year.
19:17 Returned for this year that we’re inside that program. So it’s, it’s, it’s incredible. So, um, those are just some positive things. Thank you, uh, Mr. Dufrene and others for the work there. Um, I wanted to also bring up, uh, we had a one RA century meeting and what it was is it’s something that I’m working on to try to create an ecoculture of support for schools and businesses and everything else.
19:37 And it was better than I ever could have thought. Um, health First and other organizations that are a part of our area came forward. Um, and I wanted to give Health First a huge shout out. They’ve worked with our students with disabilities for jobs and what they did was they, they, they took the initiative that they’re going to try to hire every kid that graduates from Brevard Public Schools with students with disabilities, with autism and um, that are on the spectrum.
20:01 And that’s about 40 to 45 students. Um, they have a program that they actually are a, you know, how you have Brevard Achievement Center and those kind of things. They’re actually one of those now. They actually went out and created that. Um, and there’s more to come in that area where I’m working with Pam Dampier’s team to create a large jobs program for students with disabilities, but that is just phenomenal that they stepped up and did that.
20:23 Um, the Vieira companies that are here, part of a Vieira group called Vieira matters. They came in and they said that they’re going to offer up, uh, sponsorships, scholarships, and work with our students on getting internships and everything else. So it’s, it’s starting to come together. Um, but there’s one person that I wanted to thank her name is Miss Anita and she wouldn’t let me say her last name.
20:42 She’s from a hundred. She’s real close to a place called a hundred acre hollow. And what she did was she came forward and she galvanized all of the, uh, Um, gardening groups and others to bring forward what we will create, which is farm to table in at the middle school. If you guys notice those raised beds in the back, we’re going to use those to put in gardens and butterfly gardens and like vegetable gardens to create a farm to table.
21:06 But it’s like when we first started the conversation, I said, Hey, would you help me do it? And she’s like, you don’t need to be doing it. We got the teams to do that. So she brought forward University of Florida and other organizations. And what they’re going to try to do is offer up a package that says.
21:20 If you’d like to have a butterfly garden and outdoor classroom in this, this is how you can do it very inexpensively. So she, they moved her in. That meeting went phenomenal. I wanted to thank everybody that’s worked, that was a part of that. Um, I wanted to thank Pam Dampierre for all of her work with the MTSS process.
21:35 I have heard people say that they’re hearing that you’ve changed it. And, um, many people don’t understand, but the MTSS process to get the students with disabilities, Or get them the opportunity to be, uh, the resources that they need. And I’ve heard so many good things from people that it’s coming and that they’re gonna be identifying the students, which will get them their resources quicker.
21:52 I wanted to say thank you to Pam, and then I wanted to say thank you to the MFer. They, uh, they just decided that they’re gonna work with US schools to a farm to table from agriculture. So they’re gonna bring in actual, um, goods from a community, from their farms out in the, in the, uh. And the west part of Brevard County, and they’re gonna come in and, uh, offer that to our students so that they can understand where it, where that we grow things.
22:14 So, thank you very much. Oh, and I want to thank everybody that’s in here. Thank you guys for being here tonight. All right, thank you. Mr. Trent. All right. So, today I also had the privilege to attend the new teacher academy and the honor to speak to, I guess it was 300. There’s 300 new teachers in that auditorium at Satellite High School, which was a wonderful setting.
22:40 It was very nice. And the excitement was, I mean you could just feel it. It was really nice being in there with all those new teachers excited to get in their classrooms or continue to be in their classrooms. Um, so that was a, um, that was a wonderful kickoff and, you know, I’m surprised nobody else brought it up.
23:00 Or were you going to talk about the district? Oh yeah, that’s his, that’s his. Anybody can talk about it. I didn’t want to mention the superintendents. Right, superintendents. Not the school board, superintendents. We’ll let him do that. But, um, uh, But let’s talk about the students for just a moment. You get a little bit more time to sleep in.
23:21 We’re getting close to getting up those early hours. I have a couple school age students in my home. So, I’m trying to condition them to not sleep until noon. Um, so you guys should be up by now and, um, you know, enjoying your last few, uh, maybe two weeks to get going, but this is going to be a wonderful year in BPS.
23:41 So we’re excited about all the, uh, uh, the new additions and administrations that we’re going to hear about tonight. Uh, excited about every single one of them. I’m very proud of, uh, the cabinet and the hard work that we’ve seen, uh, them, uh, commit to over the summer. So we are really excited for this year in BPS.
23:59 So. That’s about it. Alright, thank you Mr. Trent. So that leads to you Dr. Rundell, do you have any news for us? Yeah, apparently, it’s not just my thunder, it’s everybody’s thunder. I mean, the big news is that last week on Wednesday, the state did issue official school grades and district grades. And we have plenty of reasons to celebrate.
24:18 Um, first of all, we had 18 schools improve their grade. So that’s fantastic moving in the right direction. We have 37 A schools, um, 53 A or B schools. So 66 percent of our schools are either A or B. And as a district, we are once again rated an A district. So first time we’ve been an A in five years.
24:43 Fantastic news. Sometimes lost in this kind of news is the fact that some schools moved up a letter grade, maybe not to an A. There were some schools that moved up from a D to a C, and that’s quite an accomplishment. The challenge that those teachers and staff are facing is, is real. It’s tremendous. And for them to move out of the D and F range, and it’s the first time in several years that we don’t have any schools rated D or F.
25:09 It’s all A, B, and C. And again, the majority A and B really shows great, steady improvement for our district. The other day, somebody says, well, how did you do that? I didn’t do any of it. I didn’t teach a single lesson or take a single test. The teachers and the students are the ones that should be celebrated for this accomplishment because they’re the ones that did this work, so congratulations to all the teachers and students out there for making this happen, and you know, as we learned at the summit, it’s like okay, so what, now what?
25:39 So now we’ve got to try to keep this going and try to improve from there, but really big reasons to celebrate, and it’s not my thunder, it’s everybody’s thunder, so everybody should be celebrating.
25:55 Thank you, Dr. Rundell. That will bring us to the adoption of the agenda. Dr. Rundell. Thank you, Madam Chair. On the agenda, we have 24 consent items, one public hearing item, two action items, and two information items. Changes made to the agenda since release to the public include the following. Revised were administrative staff recommendations, A11, adoption of proposed FY 25 budget, A 12 authorize the superintendent take the following actions F 14 minutes F 22 approval of fiscal year 2425 Gardendale separate day school recruitment and retention pay for instructional staff and G 39 policy revisions for board approval.
26:38 Do I hear a motion? Move to approve. Second. Any discussion? All roll call please. Miss Jenkins. Aye. Miss Campbell. Aye. Miss Wright. Aye. Mr. Trent. Aye. Mr. Susan. Aye. All right, we are now at the administrative staff recommendations. Do I hear a motion? Move to approve. Second. Any discussions? Call roll call, please.
26:56 Ms. Jenkins? Aye. Ms. Campbell? Aye. Ms. Wright? Aye. Mr. Trent? Aye. Mr. Susan? Aye. So, thank you, Madam Chair, by approving the administrative recommendations, we have some people to celebrate. So, first, we’re going to call up to the podium, Mr. John C. Nick Stewart, who’s just been named acting principal at Ronald McNair Magnet Middle School.
27:15 Nick, come on up and congratulations.
27:25 Members of the board, I would like to thank you for this great opportunity to lead Ronald McNair Magnet Middle School. Dr. Rendell, I appreciate the support and the opportunity given. Mr. Raymer, Ms. Harris, thank you again. Um, I would like to thank two very important people on this leadership journey. Sylvia Majescovic, who took a chance on me years ago.
27:50 Um, I was a teacher at Space Coast, a teacher. Um, she had, uh, an opening to be ESE contact, guidance counselor, slid me over. I had just finished my graduate program in lead leadership. So she took a took a gamble on me, so to speak, um, in her first year is leading, uh, Space Coast. Then I was able to slide over into a dean’s role in position, and she did a phenomenal job of preparing me for the leadership journey.
28:20 Jumped over, um, to Edgewood and work with missing Grada. Um, she’s pushed me along the way. She supported me, um, personally and professionally. So thank you to both of them. All of the colleagues, the fabulous people, um, that I’m leaving at Edgewood like to thank them. Had some time to spend this morning at, uh, McNair.
28:41 Great people over there. I’m excited to be in that community, um, helping lead them, um, and be a member of their community. And I would lastly like to thank my my family that’s here. Um, they have to deal with grumpiness when we get home sometimes as leadership. Um, I appreciate you, Mr. Trent. I have four in my house that probably need to start getting up before noon.
29:06 Um, so thank you again. Congratulations again.
29:16 So now we’d like to welcome Anne Marie Capparelli to the podium. She’s taken on the role of assistant principal at Cambridge Elementary. Congratulations.
29:28 Thank you, Dr. Rendell. I’m a sophomore. school board for welcoming me to Brevard County from St. John’s County. I’m very excited to be here. Thank you to my family who came out to support me today and to my goddaughter who attends Brevard County public schools and has loved her experience here. And thank you to my new principal, Miss Teji, for welcoming me to the Cambridge family.
29:47 All right, next up Brene Foster, who’s going to be an assistant principal at Cocoa High School. Congratulations. The podium is yours. Good evening. I’d like to thank Dr. Rendell and the board. I’d also like to thank the Lord Almighty for making this possible. This is a huge blessing that I’m receiving. I’d like to thank my four mentors from Brevard County.
30:16 Mr. Wilson, Ms. Hudson, Ms. Middleton, and Mr. Overbeck. I mean, I’m sorry, not Mr. Overbeck, Mr. Cook. Uh, Also, I’d like to make sure that I don’t forget about my, my, my, my family. Uh, without them, without you guys, none of this would be possible. Absolutely none of this. Okay? You are my rock. You keep me going. And most of all, I would like to thank Ms.
30:43 Stewart. Ms. Stewart, I truly, truly appreciate you offering me the opportunity to come in and do what I do and try to do my best. Again, turn up the pressure. I can do this. All right. Next up, Kristen Mechalavage, who’s joining us as the assistant principal at Johnson Middle School.
31:11 Thank you. Good evening, Dr. Rendell and the board. My name is Kristen Mechalavage. My late father in law was also a Mechalavage and he was a coach in Pennsylvania. The kids call him Coach Mech, Coach M. So I get that, too, from the kids. Um, I just want to say thank you for the opportunity. I’m really looking forward to going to Johnson to serve as the Dean.
31:36 Um, I want to thank Melissa Long. I grew tremendously under her leadership last year at Cape View. That was a, a huge opportunity and I learned so much. So much in that, um, from that experience. Congratulations to Cape View for their, uh, raise in their school grade. Um, that was the efforts of the teachers, the hardest working people I’ve worked with.
31:59 Um, Ms. Middleton, thank you for, uh, bringing me along and hiring me and putting your faith in me. And also to my husband and my family, thank you. Go Longhorns. Congratulations.
32:15 Madam Chair, members of the board, and the public, these people are making transitions to a new position in their life. We also have somebody else who’s making a transition to a new stage in their life. So Marilyn Chappie is retiring, so I’m going to ask Marilyn to come on up to the podium. Marilyn, congratulations.
32:40 Marilyn has served BPS for 38 years,
32:48 most recently as the director of early childhood education, but prior to this year she also served for seven years as a principal supervisor. Her longest leadership tenure was at Longleaf Elementary where she served for 17 years, two as the assistant principal and 15 years as the principal. She is a lifelong Brevard resident and attended Brevard schools, beginning in kindergarten at Dr.
33:15 W. J. Creel and graduating from O’Galley High. Marilyn, we wish you well as you move on to this new stage in your life. very much, Dr. Rindell, Madam Chair, and board members. It’s an honor to be here tonight. It’s exciting to see all these new administrators being appointed and remembering how that felt when you’re getting that new job for the first time and it’s wonderful.
33:39 And it’s a lot harder to stand here getting ready to say goodbye. So I have a few words I’m going to say. I’m going to do my best to get through them without crying. It is hard for me to believe that I’m ending my 38 year journey with Brevard Public Schools, 50 if you count the 12 years that I attended our schools as a student.
34:00 I’ve been extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to work with so many amazing individuals, beginning in 1986 with Michelle G. and Betty as my mentor. Since then, I have been privileged to have had many exceptional mentors and to have worked with many outstanding leaders. I’ve also been honored to have the opportunity to mentor many remarkable individuals who are now leaders in our district.
34:22 I want to especially thank Mrs. Tara Harris for her tremendous support and leadership this past year. I want to thank my husband Scott, who’s here this evening, and my daughter Jessica, who have been amazing support for me, and my entire family for their never ending support. When I began teaching first grade years ago, I could never have imagined my, the path my career would take.
34:45 Being a classroom teacher was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life, and I really thought that would be the job that I would retire from. But God had other plans for me. My greatest joy was serving as principal of Longleaf Elementary, as Dr. Rendell mentioned. Those were some of the best years of my career, working closely with children, their families, and a truly dedicated staff who wanted to create a nurturing, high achieving learning environment for all students.
35:12 Seeing our students grow and succeed and move on to achieve great things has been a source of immense pride and joy as I’ve watched them all become members of our community or move on to other amazing things. For the past eight years, I’ve had the privilege of serving as a Director of Early Childhood, In this role, I have witnessed firsthand the importance of laying a strong educational foundation for our youngest learners.
35:34 I’ve worked with an amazing team and am leaving knowing that their great work for our students will continue. It has been incredibly rewarding to support our early childhood educators and to know that we are making a lasting impact on the lives of so many children. As I reflect on my years with Brevard Public Schools, I am filled with gratitude.
35:53 Gratitude for the wonderful colleagues who have become friends, for the students who have inspired me every day, and for the opportunity to be part of such a wonderful community. I’m excited about the next chapter of my life, but I will always carry the memories and lessons from my time with BPS. Thank you all for your support and for making every day so memorable.
36:33 We’re going to take a short recess so that we can take a photo and give Miss Chappie hugs. And can we, do we want to say, yeah, can we just say a few words for us because it gets weird after. Go ahead. Yeah. Before we take a recess. Miss Chappie, I just, um, I just would like to say a few words to you. You are the most pure.
36:51 Organic, uh, spirit. You have such integrity and conviction in your work. You have dedicated your life to students throughout. You didn’t burn out. There was no burnout for you. Um, you know, seeing your name on here, I actually was surprised because you just you live, breathe, die for what you do. You’re an amazing example for what it is to be an educator and to be a servant leader.
37:17 And I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to meet you. And I wish you nothing but happiness from here forward. Thank you.
37:29 Well, I, I got to talk to you last week in, uh, in person, I mean everywhere, but just I’m so thankful for the example that you have set for so many that have come behind you and I, I think you probably had the opportunity to mentor, um, Ms. Harris too and now, you know, she’s your boss, but I mean what, what a great way to, to know that your work, um, Um, to see someone rise up to the, to that position who you’ve had a chance to mentor.
37:53 So I very much appreciate you. You will be greatly missed, love your smile, uh, more than anything, probably getting to see you in the hall. Um, so I very much, uh, uh, wish you the best retirement ever, and you can come back in a year. Um, She actually said, She said she might. So, but I just wish you the best and hope you just enjoy this next year immensely.
38:17 Thank you. Gentleman, do you have the same few words for her? Ms. Chappie, I, I, I wanted to tell you, um, everything that you have done has inspired a lot of other people. And when I speak and I hear your name being said, it is nothing but the most amazing praises. And I think when we leave, one of the things we always want to do is leave an impression left behind.
38:43 And you’ve done that in so many ways, not only with a standing board, but you’ve done Also, with the people who speak about you and what you’ve done for them, in the same way that you thanked Ms. Harris and others. You were that inspirational shining light for many people and your impact on this district not only goes when you, but what you’ve done and what will become because of you.
39:03 So thank you. Thank you. And you, you said you would might come back. Just so you know, so when we were going to play this video when you do, so. Ms. Chappie, thank you so much for all the years of service that you’ve given to Brevard County, and it’s, it’s hard when you have an event where it’s exciting for one party, because you’re a new chapter, retirement, that’s an exciting milestone that you’ve reached, but it’s hard.
39:27 Uh, for for the rest of us that you leave behind. So you are going to be missed dearly. Your name is one that is held in such high regard that there is nothing but positive things to say. And that is all that anybody could ever hope for. So thank you so, so much for what you’ve done here in Brevard County.
39:42 And I have no doubt that this next chapter will be an amazing one for you. All right, we’re gonna take a small recess to take a picture. Okay, we’ll be back in five minutes at 605. Thank you.
44:20 All right, welcome back. We are now at the tentative budget hearing presentation portion of the agenda. Dr. Rendell. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, first, Ms. Cindy Leszczynski, Chief Financial Officer, will provide a presentation of the proposed 2425 millage levy and the budget. Ms. Leszczynski. Good evening, um, Madam Chair, board members of an A rated school district.
44:45 And, Dr. Rendell, this is the first public hearing of the proposed millage rates and the tentative budget for fiscal year 25.
45:03 Tonight’s public hearing will include this presentation covering the proposed 2025 millage rates and the FY25 school district budget. An opportunity for public comment and board member discussion. Adoption of the proposed total millage levy to support the FY 24 tentative budget. Adoption of the FY 25 tentative budget.
45:29 A request for authorization of the superintendent and staff to perform all necessary actions to comply with truth and millage requirements and an announcement of the date of the final public hearing to adopt the final FY 25 budget.
45:50 The truth in millage legislation requirements are detailed under Florida statute. TRIM timelines are very prescriptive in law and the clock started July 1st. The total timeline to school district budget adoption is 80 days. The statute dictates the order of business during the budget hearings and TRIM requires two public hearings for open discussion of millage rates and the proposed budgets.
46:22 Millage is a term that represents the tax rate levied on real estate or other property. One mill is equivalent to 1 in taxes per 1, 000 in taxable value. If your home has a taxable value of 100, 000 and you’re assessed a one mill tax rate, you will pay 100 in taxes.
46:49 The Florida Education Finance Program, FEFP, is a mechanism by which state and local operating funds are allocated to Florida school districts. The Florida legislature sets the required local effort millage rates. The school board must levy the required local effort millage rate in order to receive any state funding under the Florida education finance program.
47:18 The total proposed millage related to school funding for FY25 school year totals 6. 311 mills. This millage rate will generate revenue for the general operating and capital outlay funds. The required local effort rate adjusts year to year, while the discretionary and local capital remain fixed. The voted operating millage is an additional one mill that our voters approved during the November 8, 2022 election to better compensate and retain our high performing teachers and employees.
47:54 You can see the actual FY24 total millage rate is less than the proposed FY25 millage rate. A decrease of 072 mils, or the difference of 1. 13%.
48:14 This slide depicts the historic millage rate since 2012. Since FY 13, the total millage rates have declined each year as our property values have increased in the county. The orange area represents the fixed basic discretionary operating rate. The blue, the light blue, represents the fixed capital operating rate.
48:36 Outlay rate and the dark blue depicts the variable RLE rate. You can see that it’s been adjusted down each year and that the green area represents the voter approved one mil operating millage rate.
48:57 As required by TRIM, we must compare the proposed millage rate to the rollback rate. When property values rise, property taxes generate more revenue. For the total revenue generated to stay the same as the prior year, the tax rate must decrease. The rollback millage rate is the rate that would generate the same amount of revenue as last year if applied to the current year’s taxable value.
49:25 Said another way, the state rolls back the millage rate as property values increase to bring the total taxable dollars available roughly equivalent to the prior year. Under TRMM, the rollback rate is the basis for determining if tax rates have increased or decreased. When the rollback rate is less than the proposed millage rates, from the state, we must advertise a tax increase.
49:53 For Brevard Public Schools, the proposed millage rate is higher than the rollback rate.
50:05 This slide depicts the annual certified school property tax values from 2013 to current year. Property values have increased each year since Over the past two years, the statewide public school taxable value has increased by 20 percent and 15%. That is in line with our nearly 21 percent taxable value.
50:30 and 11. 82 percent increase. Last year, at this time, economists said that we won’t be seeing double digits growth in 2025, and the Economic Demographics and Research Office estimated a growth of 3 to 4%. It’s kind of a long way of saying 8. 8% 25 percent increase is higher than expected. Heading into 2025 legislative session, we will learn more on future projected growth.
51:04 A lower growth rate makes it more difficult for the state to continue investing in the FEFP at the same rate it has in previous years and also to pay for the additional cost of private school scholarships without allowing the RLE rate to stay flat or slightly increase.
51:26 Using the proposed millage rate, At the 2025 taxable property value, our total projected tax levy is approximately 459 million at a 96 percent collection rate. The required local effort and discretionary millage makes up the local operating funds. The capital outlay millage is levied for capital improvement and the voted operating millage is predominantly for competitive compensation for our teachers and employees.
52:00 The state guarantees that each school district will receive at least the state average generated by the 748 mills. For Brevard, the discretionary local effort millage will garner 54. 4 million. Because Brevard’s levy is at the full 748 mills, generates an amount of funds per FTE that is less than the state average.
52:29 Brevard will receive a discretionary millage compression supplement of 14 million to bring the district up to the state average. You can see in FY 25, the state compression calculation guarantees 837 per FTE and Brevard, Brevard earned 6, 000. 661 per FTE. So BPS will receive that additional 175. 7 per FTE or the 14.
53:04 4 million. The voted millage will be on its second year and will continue to provide competitive compensation. for our employees. Before proportionally sharing with charter schools, BPS will receive approximately 72. 7 million. 80 percent will be allocated for compensation for all employee groups, 16 percent will be allocated to student programs, and 4 percent will continue to advance technology in the classroom.
53:38 The Local Capital Improvement Millage, or LCI, We’ll provide the district an estimated 109. 1 million approximately 37. 5 million is projected to come off the top to pay the district’s annual debt service, which covers principal and interest payments for previously bonded debt that was issued primarily between the years 1996 through 2008 to build schools and provide the major renovations at our older schools.
54:10 LCI contributes 13. 8 towards maintenance to include preventative cost, which is new. I’m looking at Sue, but she’s not looking up. Um, LCI also pays for the district’s 9. 5 property insurance, which allows for approximately 48. 3 million for capital needs projects.
54:39 This slide compares a sample home valued at 300, 000 and the impact of school related property tax in 2023 compared to 2024. If the assessed value stays the same. In this example, a home valued at 300, 000 minus the homestead exemption generated roughly 1, 755 in school related property tax in 2023. In 2024, the same home generated approximately $1,735 in school related property tax.
55:18 A decre a decrease of 19 point, uh, $19 and 80 cents.
55:29 The proposed FY25 budget is balanced, and our best estimate of revenue against expenses. It is not money in the bank. When we come back in September for the final budget hearing, the proposed budget will change in some areas, as we are still amid finalizing FY24 revenue and expenditures. We built this budget understanding the uncertainty of enrollment across the state, inflationary cost increase, the need for increased compensation and pay, benefits and health, and retirement plans.
56:03 We will continue to monitor and make necessary adjustments to ensure we have resources available to meet the needs of every student. This is a high level summary of the 2025 All Funds Proposed Budget. The General Operating Fund is where most operating expenditures are paid. And the FEFP is the primary source.
56:24 Millage is our voted operating millage that supports competitive salaries. Debt service fund is used to pay for the outstanding bonds of the district. Capital projects funds, fund accounts for a major construction and renovation projects, as well as vehicles, computers, and equipment. Food services accounts for the revenue and expenses associated with providing student meals completely self supporting through federal funds and local sales.
56:57 Special Revenue is made up of federal grants. The three largest grants are Title I, IDEA, and Head Start.
57:10 You can see the remainder of the elementary and secondary school emergency relief funding. And that ESSER, you know, was an amazing injection into our funds for the last couple years. However, it sunsets September 30, 2024. School Internal Fund accounts for funds collected at schools in connection with school athletic, class, and club activities.
57:39 Internal Service Fund includes the district’s health, insurance, property casualty, and workers compensation programs. And the Enterprise Fund is our Brevard After School Program. We recommend the Board adopt the tentative budget in the amount of 1, 623, 527, 883.
58:08 And we will be back, uh, September 5th, 2024, 530, and the location will be here. Are there any questions?
58:25 Thank you, just um, I I know we have board comments later. I just wanted to first of all, thank you When We have looked over the last few years since 2020 really there’s been a how about turn my microphone. I’m sorry There’s been a huge increase in the Brevard school budget from 2020 on and I we I’ve heard many times people from the community talk about.
58:52 Oh, wow. It used to be right at a billion when I got on the board was right at a billion. Now it’s 1. 5 billion. Now it’s 1. 6. Um, there’s been some clear things. That made it jump Artificially, I guess would be the best way for me to say it Um, the covid relief dollars made a huge jump but right around the time those were falling off Then we had another thing that jumped in there that is included in our budget, but is not really in our operating dollars Can you share what that what that amount is the scholars speaking specifically the scholarship amount?
59:20 Because it’s included in our budget, but it doesn’t really Pass through our doors of that But it’s if i’m if i’m remembering correctly, it’s It’s about five hundred thousand, five hundred million, five hundred million dollars, sorry. It’s a lot. So, um, the scholarships are not within our budget. Okay.
59:42 Because the, we never see those dollars, they never come. It’s within the FEFP, but they never come, so it’s not within these dollars. Right, so that 1. 6 billion doesn’t include that. Correct. Okay. All right. I withdraw my comment. All right. Do we have any other questions or comments from board members? All right.
1:00:03 Uh, the hearing is now open for public comments. We will in accordance with Florida law accept the speakers in the following order. The 2024 2025 proposed millage levy followed by the 2025 proposed budget. Is there anyone who is present who wishes to address the 2024 2025 proposed millage levy? Is there anyone present who wishes to address the 2024 2025 proposed millage levy?
1:00:31 Mr. Bryant? Yeah. Okay. I’m going to show, look at first,
1:00:43 thank you board for allowing me to speak. Uh, great job on your budget. I just have a couple of questions. Um, looking at your capital outlay of your budget, there’s a 1. 5 mil that’s, that’s dedicated for that. Uh, which I saw just, just a little while ago, that amount was $109 million. And just looking at your slide briefly, it says that $48 million was available.
1:01:10 And my question is, uh, to the board and the budget team, is any of those $48 million is going to be allocated for. Old buildings are old schools. Uh, we are concerned, our communities are concerned that, uh, there should be a plan in place to capture some of, some of our old buildings such as Stone, University Park, Delore, uh, the schools that I’m familiar with.
1:01:40 And I’m pretty sure you are aware Stone is 70 years old. And it’s not getting any younger. You could only repair a certain amount of stuff. But my question to this board and the budget team, would there be a plan, uh, presented to the community? What is our capital plan in order to upgrade our schools?
1:02:02 Because we see a lot of schools being updated, but we want to make sure that the schools in the marginalized community get the capital allocation so that they can be competitive. So that’s one of my budget questions. My other budget question It’s centered around the one mill that was voted on by the community.
1:02:23 And in that, in that, uh, category, we noticed some of that was for student service. And one of the things I’m concerned about is I had an opportunity to visit Stone University Park. One of the things Burien, we are splitting our social workers. And I’ve had some discussions with your staff about that. But what are my concern is some schools need more help than a half a person.
1:02:51 So what I’m asking is, will some of that budget money in that area for student service be allocated to support, um, adding additional student, um, I’m sorry, social workers for those schools. So that is what we’re looking for and we hope that if that money is not found in that bucket Maybe we can pull it out of the, uh, local discretionary fund where 7, 48 mils was allocated for that bucket.
1:03:22 So, these are our concern. Number one, uh, a long term capital plan that’s going to deal with our old facilities. What is our plan for that? And if there’s a plan, please share with the community so we can see the plan. So, those are my budget questions, and I hope I interpreted your budget correctly. But that’s what the community is looking for.
1:03:44 Thank you, Mr. Brian. I saw Miss Sue. Are you back there to talk to To address. I don’t know. I saw you walking up So I wasn’t sure if you were gonna to work with him on on answering the questions in regards to capital outlay Do you want to address it? All right, perfect Good evening. Good evening, everyone.
1:04:01 My name is sue hann. I’m the assistant superintendent for facility services and mr. Brian Thank you for your comments. So we chat regularly um And so So, I think your question was specifically about the 1. 5 mills, the local capital mill, which is in the budget, and we do use that to do upgrades at our schools, and in fact we’re using some of that to do some upgrades at Stone this summer, probably be doing some more upgrades at Stone the following summer.
1:04:27 I think in conversation with Mr. Bryan, we’ve talked about larger scale. Upgrades and larger scale renovations of schools. We are starting down the path of doing some long term facility planning that will lead to those types of decisions that we will be bringing to the board. Our kickoff meeting is coming up, I believe, next week.
1:04:47 And so over the next, my guess is four to seven ish months. The community and the board will be seeing some opportunities for long term facility plans that you will consider in the context of future budget proposals as well as other funding mechanisms. But our LCI money that is in the budget on an annual basis, we do smaller renovations at many schools.
1:05:12 And we’re working on a plan to do larger renovations at a few schools. Thank you, Sue. Appreciate you. Um, all right. We are now, uh, gonna move on to, is there anyone who is present who wishes to address the 2025 proposed budget? Is there anyone present who wishes to address the 2025 proposed budget? Seeing none, all right, the public comment portion of the hearing is now closed.
1:05:42 All right, this will bring us to the recommendation, uh, for the adoption of the proposed millage rates and tentative budget. Dr. Rendell. Thank you, Madam Chair. There are a total of three separate motions for the board to consider. I will read each of these recommendations into the record and then request board action for each item.
1:06:02 The first is to adopt the proposed 2425 millage rates. The millage rates are as follows. Required local effort 3. 063 mils. Local discretionary is 0. 748 mils. Capital outlay 1. 500 mills, devoted millage 1. 00 mills, for a total of 6. 311 mills. Do I hear a motion? Move to approve. Second. Any discussion? Paul, roll call please.
1:06:35 Ms. Jenkins? Aye. Ms. Campbell? Aye. Ms. Wright? Aye. Mr. Trent? Aye. Mr. Susan? Aye. The next item is to adopt the 2025 proposed budget. The fiscal year 25 budget is comprised of the following amounts. In the general fund, 838, 088, 926. The debt service fund, 38, 011, 050. The capital project fund, 459, 753, 765. Special Revenue Fund, 163, 925, 919.
1:07:19 Internal Services Funds, 114, 061, 616. And the Enterprise Fund, 9, 686, 607. A total budget of 1, 623, 527, 000. 883. Do I hear a motion? Move to approve. Second. Any discussion? Paul, roll call please. Ms. Jenkins? Aye. Ms. Campbell? Aye. Ms. Wright? Aye. Mr. Trent? Aye. Mr. Susan? Aye. The last item is to authorize the superintendent to take the following actions and there are three of these.
1:07:57 One, notify both the property appraiser and the tax collector of the proposed 2425 millage and the following roll back rates. Rollback rates are as follows. Required local effort 2. 9733 mils, local discretionary 0. 7094 mils, capital outlay of 1. 4226 mils and the millage of 0. 9484 mils for a total rollback rate of 6.
1:08:28 0537 mils. Second, to notify both the property appraiser and the tax collector of the final public hearing. Which will be on Thursday, September 5th, 2024 at 530 PM here at the ESF facility. Finally, to adjust the revenues and expenditures, if necessary, prior to the final public hearing. Do I hear a motion?
1:08:56 Move to approve. Second. Any discussion? No. Call roll call, please. Ms. Jenkins. Aye. Ms. Campbell. Aye. Ms. Wright. Aye. Mr. Trent. Aye. Aye. Aye. All right, uh, the proposed 2024 2025 millage rate necessary to fund the tentative budget exceeds the rollback rate by 4. 25%. This public hearing is now adjourned. All right, we are now on to the public comment portion of the meeting.
1:09:26 Mr. Gibbs, how many public comments do we have? Seven so far. All right, we have seven speakers. They will each receive three minutes. Mr. Gibbs will call you up to the podium. I will monitor the clock and the time. Just as a reminder for the rules that are written out in our board policy 0169. 1. All comments should be directed at the board or individual board members, staff members or other individuals shall not be addressed by name.
1:09:49 Abusive, obscene or irrelevant comments will not be permitted. Orderly conduct is expected. From all public comment participants and the presiding officer may interrupt, warn or terminate the participants comments. public comment opportunity. Mr. Gibbs, can you call the first three, please? Abby H, John Kervin, Kelly Kervin.
1:10:21 Hello. Oh, sorry. Hang on. I hit the wrong button. Why is it not? Oh, I got to restart it. Sorry. There we go. Sorry. You’re good. Go ahead. Guess I have to say this again. We don’t want guns in our schools. Why did this board vote on this without any concern for public opinion? Also, why is the Florida Department of Education trying to hide issues with this program?
1:10:43 Do you realize that according to the Florida Department of Education, there have been at least 100 reports filed with the state, including but not limited to two guardians were fired for leaving campus during their shifts. A guardian accidentally fired their gun. A guardian left their gun unattended. No more available examples because Florida hides everything?
1:11:06 Those are just a few examples, but what could go wrong, right? If anything happens because of this, please know the blame is on you all. I also believe that you, that people should be respected enough not to have a board member walk out or to be removed from speaking the truth. Thank you for letting me speak, do better.
1:11:28 Alright, thank you. John Kerbin, Kelly Kerbin, Bernard Bryan.
1:11:47 Good. Good evening board, how’s it going tonight? I hope everything’s going good. Um, I heard through the grapevine that I guess last night there was a, a forum or something like that was going on, and uh, The topic was brought up about having more student. Interaction when it comes to the board. I think it’s a great idea.
1:12:13 I think it’s a really good idea. I think the students should have the ability to come voice their opinions on the education that they receive. And I think students should have a hand in dictating what that is.
1:12:26 It’s their education. It’s not ours. They’re going to be the people that replace us. With that being said, My students. have been, uh, disrespected by board members multiple times, on multiple platforms, uh, and in multiple forums that involve the public.
1:12:53 What safeguards are we going to have against that from happening if we, you know, try to bring a student on to the board, uh, as a member? And how is that gonna work? How are we going to hold a board member accountable? These are important questions. You know, it’s a, it’s a totally different ballgame when they’re not sitting or standing right in front of you.
1:13:25 And it’s a totally different ballgame if they’re, you know, not sitting in a position of authority. But when somebody’s sitting in a position of authority, we have to maintain a level of decorum, a level of due respect, and a level of professionalism. A lot like when I corrected Matt with the Pledge of Allegiance.
1:13:51 The, you have to show those levels of respect towards, especially towards somebody that’s under the age of 18. We value their opinion just as much as we should value an adult’s opinion. So it is important. I agree that we should have that. But I also agree that it’s not currently a safe space to have their opinions be heard and or appreciated.
1:14:23 Because the students are being disrespected when they come up to speak. They are being disrespected on podcasts.
1:14:33 It’s just not acceptable. We need to hold people accountable for these actions. Appreciate your time. Kelly Kerbin, Bernard Bryan, Gregory Ross.
1:14:50 Tonight I’m going to talk about trust and transparency. I’ve spent the past few weeks listening to Matt Susan speak about BPS. Better said, I’ve spent the past few weeks listening to Matt Susan lie about BPS. Last night, he claimed BPS has no C or D schools. That’s a lie. Over the weekend, Matt Susan was scheduled to give a speech about, quote, the state of education on the Space Coast, and was listed as the chairperson of the Brevard School Board.
1:15:18 And here’s the thing, we all misspeak from time to time, but even when the audience audibly calls Matt Susan out, he doesn’t correct himself. Matt Susan is so well versed in lying, that if I took a drink for every time, not only would I be drunk, I’d also have alcohol poisoning. Last week, I had the privilege of sitting with district staff to get an overview of the SOR OG rollout.
1:15:40 And Jean, before you send your attack dog after a well known advocate for dyslexia by calling this meeting a conflict of interest and insulting her yourself on Facebook, you should know the person who arranged this meeting was Dr. Rendell. Moving on, I was happy to see the progress being made for our students and our teachers, but I also left very, very frustrated.
1:16:01 One of the largest barriers for our teachers is the loss of autonomy in their classrooms. The district office has slaved over a binder of resources to help bridge the gap left open by the current benchmark ELA curriculum being used in K 5. For the record, this binder is 100 percent district made and yet it can still be thrown aside by any principal who refuses to vet it for their schools.
1:16:23 This conversation brought me back to January, when this board discussed rolling back some of these restrictions. In fact, one of the proposed changes was if the district approved it, it could automatically be approved for our schools, but Matt Susan, Jean Trent, and Megan Wright did not trust our teachers and staff enough to do that.
1:16:41 Now we have an amazing resource, and it could potentially not be used. That lack of trust goes back to something Matt Susan also said last night. When discussing the volunteer chaplain program, which he venomously said he plans to roll out in BPS, he said teachers may not know what is going on in the lives of their students.
1:16:59 Therefore, a chaplain would have better knowledge on how to handle a student when they act up in class. Transparency is an issue that has plagued this school board. From last minute additions to the agenda, to the shady passing of a program that puts guns inside our classrooms, today I learned parents will no longer have access to their student’s school directory.
1:17:16 When I asked why, I was told parents would have to feed everything through the front office and security. As if having access to my daughter’s teachers, District email addresses is somehow a security risk. So when Matt Susan claims he wants parents to feel welcome in our schools, that was yet another lie.
1:17:32 I’d offer to take a shot, but I don’t plan on dying today. Bernard, Brian, Gregory, Ross, Amber, Yance. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you to this board. I’d like to personally, uh, thank Dr. Rendell, Um, Dr. Rendell met with some of our community members, and I’m going to say to this team that the community was very impressed with, uh, Dr.
1:18:03 Rendell listening and really taking notes of all of the concerns that was actually brought up. I’m also happy for, uh, Dr. Harris. We saw that Brevard Public School did see some learning gains, and that is a big deal. So. You know from from my position representing our community. We just want to say thank you so much for that We still have our eyes on a few on a few things We still concerned about the educational gaps, especially in reading and math And I know the data is not out yet with those particular information But those are still our areas of major concern.
1:18:43 We also still concern about the VPK You increase in terms of participation rate. And I know Dr. Rendell is working on this as well. We believe this is a key going forward, early learning on how can we close that basic achievement gap. And we also discuss the reason why several of our kids are not doing well is because of the chronic absenteeism rate.
1:19:12 So Dr. Rendell has agreed Uh, to put together a plan to help us solve that problem. And we want to work this as a community. We know the school can’t do it by themselves. So please pull us in. Because when I look at the chronic absenteeism rate, I’m stunned. But, you know, we’re gonna, we’re gonna actually try to attack this area.
1:19:34 But I would also like to commend, I would like to commend Brevard Public School students. My wife, She works with, uh, high school students. She took five kids to Las Vegas. And we want to thank our president, uh, Mr. Benny Jackson, which represents the South Brevard branch of the NAACP. And two of those students, one from Palm Bay High, and one from Titusville High, those, those kids came back with silver medals.
1:20:06 And I’m talking about competition across the United States. These are Brevard Public School students. And we are so proud of them. My wife is so excited. She’s tougher than me. But I just want to tell you, she loved Brevard Public School students. So do I. So, again, those areas that we’re still looking at, the educational gap in reading and math, VPK participation rate, and chronic absenteeism are key going forward.
1:20:36 Thank you so much. Thank you, Mr. Ryan. Gregory Ross, Amber Yance, Pamela Castellano. Good evening, board. Once again, thank you for the opportunity to provide public comment. Um, I do want to speak about House Bill 931, but before I do, uh, as tends to happen with every school board meeting, it seems like, we, we need to tell the rest of the story about some of the things that was talked about tonight.
1:21:01 Congratulations on the 300 new teachers. I, I think it’s awesome, it’s, it’s, it’s wonderful that you’re able to fill those positions, um, in today’s environment. What you did leave out, and Dr. Rendell, you didn’t, because you, you told the press this, but what you guys didn’t talk about tonight is 60 percent of those new teachers have no education background.
1:21:25 That’s a quote from Dr. Rendell in the, uh, uh, in the news article today. That means 60 percent of these new teachers have no training. No experience, no formal education in education. That’s, that’s a warning sign. There are bad things ahead for Brevard Public Schools. Um, I, I don’t know what you can do to fix that.
1:21:49 But, that’s a warning sign that we’ve all been talking about. Um, the other thing I’m going to address is, again congratulations on Brevard being an A district. But let’s be honest about how you got here. You got here because the state changed the grades, specifically opened up the A range and lowered the B range for schools.
1:22:17 Right? That’s not true. 2022. I’m, this is. This is my time to speak. Thanks. 2022, middle school, A range was 68 to 100 percent. 2022, high school. A range was 70 to 100 percent. For 2023, the grades just came out, the middle and high school grade is 62 to 100 percent. That’s an 8, a 6 to 8 percent change. They lowered the scales, okay?
1:22:47 They tightened the scale in elementary schools. They lowered the scale for high schools. Okay, let’s be honest about how we had so many schools that went from B’s to A’s, okay? The teachers deserve it. They’ve done the work. I’m not a big believer in those grades, right? In that it’s, I don’t think it represents what Brevard Public Schools is about.
1:23:09 But again, this is what this board does. You take credit for things without telling the full story. It’s a problem in transparency, which was talked about specifically at the school board forum last night. Almost every candidate talked about transparency with you, Mr. Susan. Transparency. Let’s not forget that you voted against the millage.
1:23:31 The very millage you stood up last night and talked about like you supported it, but you voted against it. No, I didn’t. I guess I got no time to talk about the chaplains. Maybe next time. Thanks. I think everything that guy said was wrong. Amber Yance and Pamela Castellanos.
1:23:53 Hello board. I am Amber Yance, a mother with children in BPS schools. I want to offer congratulations and a thank you to the people responsible for Brevard County being an A rated school district. Congratulations to the students who did the work and thank you to the teachers, principals, and other school based administrators and staff for all they do every day.
1:24:17 Your talent and dedication doesn’t go unnoticed. This school board as a whole, and this superintendent, should not be taking credit. Please remember that BPS was nearly an A rated district for the previous two years, only a few points away from being an A, despite facing numerous challenges. I thank you, Mr.
1:24:38 Superintendent, for accepting this is not a result of your work, for, for your work, or for the work of your cabinet. This is the work of the previous superintendent and their colleagues. We could thank them in person except this board forced them out. I would also like to give credit to the previous superintendent and cabinet for increasing the graduation rate for the 2023 school year.
1:25:04 When it comes to BPS leadership, you have a brain drain issue, Mr. Superintendent, mostly caused by your actions. A reasonable person could ask if these were your actions or if you were just following orders. Instead of playing motivational videos during monthly leadership meetings, I would suggest modeling the qualities of an effective leader.
1:25:25 Qualities you will need in order to continue moving in the right direction. For example, under your leadership, you are allowing a member of the board to use official BPS communications for campaigning. I encourage you to put an immediate end to this and ensure that moving forward, no board member will be allowed to use BPS resources to promote their campaigns.
1:25:46 For You also should be restructuring cabinet positions, shouldn’t be restructuring cabinet positions, before a proper end of year evaluation is completed. One would wonder if the reason was because the previous communications director knew this to be a violation. Since the superintendent has been in the role For more than a year, I look forward to the board’s public annual review of Dr.
1:26:12 Rendell. Again, I want to congratulate the students, teachers, and school site leaders for helping BPS become a district. Your hard work did pay off. Now let’s focus on the 34 percent of schools that are rated below B. One final thought regarding district 4 seats. Please remember, Mr. Susan does not want to be here.
1:26:34 If he hadn’t failed as school board chair, he would be running for state office. Thank you He is stuck here, on the school board, on that dais, a place he doesn’t want to be. I hope the voters give Mr. Susan what he really wants. Thank you.
1:26:51 Pamela Castellano.
1:26:58 Good afternoon. Breathe. Um, I know that adding weapons to our schools isn’t on the agenda tonight, but the Guardian program was rushed through with too little notice for me to arrange my schedule when you did vote it in. Um, I want you to understand. As the Chair of the Board of Democrats, that I don’t feel the way I do on this issue and defensive public schools because I am a Democrat.
1:27:20 I am a Democrat because of the respect that I have for public schools and the fear I have of adding more weapons to them. It’s a known fact that BPS disproportionately disciplines certain communities in our schools already. And now you want to add guns to the mix. What makes you think that these concealed weapons won’t be used in the heat of the moment and kill an innocent student or teacher?
1:27:43 The training that’s being provided? At taxpayer expense, I might add. Now I have deep respect for our law enforcement officers, so bear with me. The last I heard, Brevard County law enforcement officers are trained not to apply a spit hood to someone moments after pepper spraying them. They’re trained not to leave that person bound to a chair and unattended for an extended period of time, yet very well trained law enforcement made that mistake and cost Gregory Edwards his life.
1:28:11 Law enforcement is trained not to stand in front of a moving vehicle. They’re trained not to ever shoot into a moving vehicle, yet they did that when they mistakenly believed that two teenagers had stolen a car and cost Sincere Pierce and A. J. a crew and their lives. Pam, will you please refrain from using other people’s names, please?
1:28:29 This does apply to what I’m speaking. No, I know, but we, our board policy is to not use individuals names in the community, so please refrain from using that. I never to anyone ingest another human being, yet a deputy is dead because his roommate, a well trained law enforcement officer, did just that. These are professionals.
1:28:48 They receive thousands of hours of training and the proper handling of guns, far more than the volunteers you plan to put in our schools. And why? You haven’t asked the community how we feel about this. You didn’t ask teachers if they wanted extra weapons on their campuses, in their workplace. You haven’t asked parents.
1:29:02 And if parents want to know whether a volunteer or janitor or any other person other than an SRO is carrying a loaded gun on their child’s campus, they don’t get to ask. Or they can ask, but they won’t be given an answer. You certainly haven’t asked students. Who have you asked? In fact, there were more than 30 incidents of negligible discharge or loss of control of a weapon at schools between 2014 and 2018 involving a teacher or law enforcement officer.
1:29:27 This compares with around 20 active shooter attacks at schools over the comparable period. When even trained police officers have been found to successfully hit their intended targets in just 18 percent of incidents involving an exchange of gunfire, we have to question whether volunteers can be expected to effectively return fire without inadvertently injuring the children they need to protect.
1:29:48 Finally, if, if volunteers are holding guns or engaged in gun power, it may make the job of law enforcement officers more difficult and to identify who is the good guy and who is the bad guy. Please reconsider. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Um, before we, Uh, before we, Uh, take your, I request we take a break.
1:30:12 Okay. But before we take a break, I’d like for Dr. Windell, if you would, Madam Chair, um, there’s been some misinformation going around about district grades, and that needs to be clarified. Yes. Um, so either Dr. Windell or, or, um, Ms. Harris or whatever, can you clarify it as far as the changing of the standards of what it took to get an A?
1:30:29 Yeah, I mean, the simplest explanation is the district grades. It was 62% previously to get an A at 64% this year. So, uh, Ms. Harris, if you want to come up and talk about the other levels. So Dr. Rendell, just so I hear that correctly, the last year’s was that if in order to get an A, we had to be at 62%, and this year in order to get an A is 64, so they actually increased the request, the requirement.
1:30:53 Yeah. A lot of numbers going around because there were so, uh, many options. And I think one of the con, uh, It’s causing some public confusion, but also even within is we’re not comparing apples to apples if we just look at the percentage of points required. And so while last year for combination schools, when we go to the district, we are considered a combination school district because we serve multiple grades.
1:31:21 The cutoff does seem like the bar was higher if you’re just looking at percent of points. So if you’re looking at that 67. Versus this year, the state said a 64. But you have to think of the number of categories that were considered in a school grade last year. And so for the informational school grades for 2023, there were fewer categories because we didn’t have learning gains.
1:31:45 And so it’s very difficult if you’re looking at yes, We earned the percent of points needed and whether the state lowers the bar raises the bar What I want to assure you and our community stakeholders is what we were able to do with school grades both at the school level But why we are celebrating at the district level is when we pulled away our learning gains and we looked at those core areas of reading proficiency math proficiency science Social Studies acceleration points that were level to level playing fields from 23 to 24.
1:32:20 We did show increases, so it gets very muddy when we start looking at this, but if you truly want to compare, it’s hard to just compare school grade to last year, school grade to last year at surface value because there weren’t the same categories. When we take away the learning gains that our schools, um, had in consideration of the And thus our district grade when we take those away and go just to proficiency rates.
1:32:46 We still have an increase over the 23 school year. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Harris. Appreciate you. Thank you for clarifying that. Yeah, because I even went back and all the way back just really quickly because I have no where to find them. They’re on the FLDOE website all the way back to 2018 and it’s been 62 percent for districts to reach that of total points to get that A and um, and now it’s 64.
1:33:09 So I just thank you for clarifying that. I appreciate that. All right, can we take a quick, uh, recess for a restroom break? So it’s, I don’t know, five minutes, come back at, yep, 6. 58. Thank you.
1:38:37 Madam Chair, there are 24 agenda items under this category. Thank you, Dr. Rundell. Does any board member wish to pull any of the items on the consent agenda? Hearing none, we are adjourned.
1:38:52 All right. Anybody got a motion? All right. Uh, any discussion? Hearing none. Paul, roll call, please. Ms. Jenkins? Aye. Ms. Campbell? Aye. Ms. Wright? Aye. Mr. Trent? Aye. Mr. Susan? Aye. All right. We will now hold a public hearing to address, uh, policy revisions for board approval. So I’m going to go through, we have a total of four of them.
1:39:14 Uh, the first policy is, is there anyone present who wishes to speak to board policy 3242 professional learning? Is there anyone present who wishes to speak to board policy 3242 professional learning? Okay, gonna go on to the next one. We are on to board policy 3362 anti harassment. Is there anyone present who wishes to speak to?
1:39:37 Board Policy 3362. Is there anyone present who wishes to speak to Board Policy 3362? Seeing none, alright, I’m going to go on to the next one. We are on to Board Policy 5517. 01. Is there anyone present who wishes to speak to Board Policy 5517. 01? Is there anyone present who wishes to speak to Board Policy 5517.
1:39:59 01? Mr. Craven, are you coming up front? No? Okay. Alright, just making sure. Alright, we’re on to the last one, which is Board Policy 8405. Is there anyone present who wishes to speak to Board Policy 8405? Is there anyone present who wishes to speak to Board Policy 8405? Hearing none, all right. Do I have a motion?
1:40:23 Move to approve. Second. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, all right. Paul, roll call, please. Ms. Jenkins? Ms. Campbell? Aye. Ms. Wright? Aye. Mr. Trent? Aye. Mr. Sousa? Aye. All right. Dr. Rendell, will you please let us know about the items, uh, under the action portion of today’s agenda? Thank you, Madam Chair. The first action item is H40, department slash school initiated agreements.
1:40:48 Do I hear a motion? Move to approve. Second. Any discussion? None. Call roll call, please. Ms. Jenkins. Aye. Ms. Campbell. Aye. Ms. Wright. Aye. Mr. Trent. Aye. Mr. Susan. Aye. Dr. Rendell, will you please let us know about the next item on our agenda under the action portion? Thank you, Madam Chair. The last action item is H41, procurement solicitations.
1:41:11 Do I hear a motion? Move to approve. Second. Any discussion? Hearing none, Paul, roll call, please. Ms. Jenkins. Aye. Ms. Campbell. Aye. Ms. Wright. Aye. Mr. Trent. Aye. Mr. Sousa. Aye. All right. We’re going to move on to the information agenda, which includes two items for the board to review. They may be brought back for action in a subsequent meeting.
1:41:29 No action will be taken on these items today. Does any board member wish to discuss any of the items? Hearing none. All right. We are at the board member reports. Does any board member have anything further to report or discuss? You guys are talkative tonight. All right. Dr. Rendell. No. Oh, you do? Whoa, whoa, whoa.
1:41:49 All right. Hold on. All right. All right. Go, Gene. All right. No. Uh, so. No, I don’t. No. But she just has a public service announcement. Um. No, no, we’re not advocating for, for more guns in the classroom. Um, that, that cannot continue to be a narrative out there. That’s not the case. Please don’t think that’s the case.
1:42:13 Um, Would be nice. Addition to that, uh, alternative certification, uh, with teachers. Some of the best teachers in, in this district and districts around the country have come from, uh, different professions before they chose teaching. That’s a slap in their face. That means there was, if they’re 60%, there was 180 teachers that, uh, Put it out there on the line for them to leave a profession to come into our classrooms.
1:42:42 Um, and to say that we’re in trouble because they’re stepping forward and doing this is, is something that it’s unfathomable. And I, I’m, I’m embarrassed for the people who actually said that. Um, some of the best teachers I’ve had are college professors. If you’re unaware, college professors do not go through a college of education.
1:43:04 They get a master’s degree in their field. Curriculum. And they can relate. Some of the best math teachers, I’m a math person, that I’ve ever had were engineers. That were not teachers by trade, but they care about people, and they want to teach. So to say that those teachers or our students are going to be at a disadvantage by having them in the classroom is disingenuous.
1:43:30 It just goes to prove that the hatred is hatred. For this board, by a select few, is greater than the love of our students in this county. And that really should stop. You are the minority who think that. And you should do better. Alright, any other further things to report? Are you done? Sorry, I didn’t mean to cut you off.
1:43:52 I am done. I just sliced it back. Okay. That’s good. I, I, I do want to, I want to comment to that because, um, I just, I think it’s funny that, um, this board feels the need to constantly, uh, challenge and rebuttal what a public comment says, because the point of the public comment is for anyone to say whatever they want to say.
1:44:11 Um, but I’m going to have to push back on that. I’m sorry, Mr. Trent. I don’t think that comment was, uh, Saying that the people who are making a switch to this profession are bad. Um, but I don’t know an industry that brags about 60 percent of their new hires never having experience before. Um, it isn’t a positive thing.
1:44:30 There are wonderful people who were hired and they’re going to do wonderful things for our kids. But, there is not an industry on the space coast that would brag about that. You know, SpaceX isn’t going to brag that they’re hiring people in the position of engineers who have never had experience in that area.
1:44:47 It’s obviously a benefit to have a skill set of classroom management, to have gone through an education program, to be a master of the curriculum that you’re teaching, to be a master of the subject that you’re teaching. That is not a slap in the face of the people who have stepped up to fill those vacancies by any means.
1:45:04 That But it is a fact. And to act like it is not, that is a disingenuous part. And again, to constantly rebuttal people who are making public comments at the end of a board meeting is so unnecessary. Completely unnecessary. All right. Any other further things, other than arguing amongst ourselves? Dr.
1:45:27 Rendell, do you have anything further to report? I do not. You do not. All right. Hearing no further business, this meeting is adjourned.
1:45:39 You