[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[0:16] Good evening. Welcome to the September 23, 2025 regular meeting. I am calling this meeting to order at 5.59 PM. The reflection will be provided by Mr. Johnson, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance by JD Floyd Elementary School. Mr. Johnson. Thank you, everybody please stand.
[0:37] And value heads for quiet meditation as we pray for guidance for this board to do what's best for the students of the county.
[0:47] Hey, pray for peace in our county, state, and government, and needless deaths stop across this great nation of ours.
[1:02] Thank you.
[1:14] The United States of America.
[1:16] Entering public religious stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
[1:37] Mr. Pender?
[1:39] Floyd students, thank you very much for coming out.
[1:42] We appreciate you being here tonight. We're going to pass the microphone and you can introduce yourself
[1:46] We appreciate you being here. Thank you. Go ahead. Go ahead and state your name
[1:53] And is it a morale
[1:56] Fourth, I did fourth grade.
[2:05] I'm gonna set Sanchez and I'm in also fourth grade
[2:10] look meeting. I'm in fifth grade
[2:13] Thanks, Chamberlain and I'm in fourth grade
[2:17] Sophia Jolly and I'm in fifth grade
[2:18] Giana Lewis and I'm in 4th grade.
[2:22] Madison Perry and I'm in 5th grade.
[2:26] Bryce of Sparrow and I'm in 5th grade.
[2:32] Thank you, Floyd.
[2:34] We're going to, we pass out, thanks to Chick-fil-A,
[2:37] a little gift for coming tonight.
[2:41] And a certificate for saying the pledge.
[2:43] And for those in the audience, you may have witnessed
[2:46] the very first time that some of these students may speak in public.
[2:50] So you witnessed that tonight, I'm sure that it might be.
[2:54] The first time they've had a microphone in their hand in front of a group of people, and that's always scary.
[2:59] So we appreciate you guys coming out.
[3:00] We appreciate your bravery and your leadership.
[3:02] Thank you.
[3:07] Thank you, Mr. Pender.
[3:29] Mr. Pysic, would you like to come forward?
[3:36] And our former principal, Mrs. Lewis is here as well.
[3:41] Hi, how are you?
[3:49] So very proud of those guys.
[3:52] Good evening, school board, board chair, superintendent Pender.
[3:55] My name is Scott Pysock, the proud principal of JD Floyd Elementary School, and I'm honored
[4:01] to be here tonight to highlight some of the great things happening at our school this year.
[4:07] We began the school year with a preschool community cleanup event where we invited our
[4:12] community partners, parents, students, and staff to help prepare our campus for the first
[4:16] day of school.
[4:17] As a school community, we picked weeds, trim trees, planted flowers, and bushes, laid mulch,
[4:22] and pressure wash so our staff and students could have a clean, fresh start to the school year.
[4:28] The first few weeks of school we spent time reviewing our Floyd Splash expectations
[4:33] with a focus on having the students take control of their own education, owning their behavior
[4:38] and academic achievement. Our academic focus this year is to improve student achievement by engaging
[4:45] students in a high level hands-on activities that will peak their interest and challenge them
[4:51] cognitively. With the completion of the fall diagnostic testing, students are
[4:57] now reviewing, discussing and will be sharing.
[5:12] We are also looking forward to a number of events planned this fall and winter. Our students are excited for our book fair and the fall fundraiser. The Veterans Day celebration is currently in the planning stages and our chorus is gearing up for their fall and winter programs.
[5:28] Our math and reading committees are finalizing their family nights and each of our grade levels are planning field trips to help enhance our students learning.
[5:37] I'm extremely excited for the JD Floyd staff and students this year, and I encourage each of you to drop by our school and to take part in this great school community.
[5:47] Thank you all very much.
[5:54] Thank you very much.
[6:04] Good evening, Madam Chair, members of the Board, Superintendent Pender,
[6:08] community members, students, faculty, and staff.
[6:10] At this time, on behalf of the Hernando County School District,
[6:13] I would like to recognize the following JD Floyd Elementary School employees,
[6:17] for exemplary service with the district for more than 30 years.
[6:21] As I call your name, please receive your certificate and
[6:24] stay at the front for a group photo.
[6:31] Susan Roth in recognition of 30 years.
[6:33] Denise
[6:43] Righard in recognition of 34 years.
[8:17] 26-3322, approval to adopt the revised agenda dated 923-2025.
[8:23] Can I please have a motion?
[8:32] A second,
[8:45] please vote.
[8:52] Well, I have a first, I have a motion, I just need a second, go on the bottom and click on the floor.
[9:03] I have a second, please vote.
[9:04] In
[9:21] that motion passes five to zero.
[9:22] Thank you.
[9:24] Are there any elected officials who would like to speak here tonight?
[9:31] We are at 26-32-10, recognition of the September Hernando County School District Veteran.
[9:43] Good evening, Madam Chair, members of the board, Superintendent Pender,
[9:47] community members, students, faculty, and staff.
[9:49] At this time, on behalf of the Hernando County School District,
[9:52] I would like to recognize the September Veteran of the Month, Mr. Bill Lyser.
[10:06] Mr. Lizer began his journey in September 1994 when he enlisted in the United States Navy. He attended boot camp at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, and then advanced through HTA School, welding school, and shipfitter school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After initial training, he was stationed at Kingsway, Georgia, where he worked on nuclear submarines for two years. In addition to his technical duties, Bill trained as part of an anti-terrorist, quick response team, and served as a member of the Exil
[10:36] Security Force. Following King's Bay, they'll return to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center for Advanced Welding School, and then to the Nuclear Aircraft Carrier USS John C. Stennis for a year-long deployment around the world, which included six months in the Persian Gulf supporting Operation Southern Watch.
[10:56] Bill completed his naval service stationed in San Diego.
[11:00] After his military service, he dedicated the next 12 years to welding and
[11:05] structural steel work, erecting buildings throughout San Diego.
[11:09] From 2010 to 2019, he led the welding division at both LRE ground services in Main Street
[11:17] Fabrications, where he oversaw teams, projects, and operational growth.
[11:22] Following his welding career, he accepted a position as an EST, a Challenger K-8.
[11:27] Eventually, he found his true calling with the Office of Safe Schools as a school guardian.
[11:33] At this time, Angel Pagan, the Director of Safe Schools, would like to share a few words about it.
[11:45] Good evening, Madam Chair, members of the Board and Superintendent Pender.
[11:49] Bill joined our Office of Safe Schools back on June of 2023.
[11:53] He is currently assigned to a challenger K8 and has previously worked at EK over the past two years Bill has seamlessly transitioned into his role as school safety guardian building a strong and positive relationship with both staff and students.
[12:12] This has made him a highly valued member of our department.
[12:17] Bill is not only a caring and selfless but he consistently goes above and
[12:22] beyond to ensure the safety of our students and staff without hesitation or expectation.
[12:28] He has fostered a collaborative relationship with colleagues, faculty, and students for
[12:33] the strengthening the work of our team across all levels.
[12:38] His proactive approach to safety, emergency protocols, and
[12:42] drills reflect his unwavering commitment to maintaining the highest security standards in our school.
[12:47] And we file further a new bill, please come up and share a few words.
[13:01] Thank you for having me.
[13:02] Good evening, Superintendent Pinder, board chair, members of the board.
[13:07] It's truly an honor to be selected as this month's veterans recognition.
[13:11] First, I'd like to thank my family, my wife, Hillary, my three sons, Joey, Jake, and Charlie, and of course, my mother, Shirley.
[13:19] You've all been my rock, my strength, and my inspiration to do better, to keep doing better.
[13:27] I think safe schools, angel, Brett, Annette, for your support in the encouragement.
[13:33] I also like to thank Jill Renahan and Lieutenant Power for their faith in me.
[13:38] I truly believe I found my calling in her anti-school as a school guardian.
[13:42] Not everyone can say they look forward to going to work each and every day, but I honestly
[13:47] do.
[13:48] After all, we're all asking to provide dispensable duty of protection of children at the
[13:56] same time help open juice boxes, fruit cups, just for a smile and a thank you.
[14:02] Once again, thank you for honoring our Hernando veterans.
[14:05] That's
[14:37] why I have to do it and make it easy.
[15:44] 26-3302. Recognition of the Hernando County School Districts, Florida, multi-tiered system of support, award recipients. Please come forward.
[15:59] Good evening, Board Chair and Superintendent Pender. I'm Kerry Littlefield, coordinator of MTSS. Each year, the PSRTI project, which is a discretionary project from the Department of Education, awards throughout the state, or schools throughout the state, sorry, for their efforts in building and sustaining
[16:17] training a multi-tiered system of support.
[16:19] This support is put in place to increase achievement for all students, but
[16:23] especially our students in the bottom quartile.
[16:26] Throughout the state, there are only 53 schools that are recipients of these awards.
[16:31] Five of which are from Hernando County.
[16:40] Of the county's closest to us, Citrus, Sumpter, and Pasco were the only district that has awards.
[16:46] The closest one is Hillsborough who has three.
[16:48] So, very large district, we, we, I'll do them.
[16:52] So, this year there are two different awards that are going to be given out, that are schools
[16:57] where we're receiving.
[16:58] It's either the MTSS Improvement Award or the MTSS Recognize School Award.
[17:04] Let's begin with the MTSS Improvement Award, which requires either a 10% improvement in
[17:09] the school's identified focus area of ELA or math, or a minimum of 60% of the students
[17:15] and the bottom quartile to make learning gains on their fast assessment.
[17:20] There are three schools receiving this award that I would like to call up at this time, and they are JD Floyd Elementary,
[17:36] Chappell Middle School,
[17:45] and Winding Waters K. Thank
[18:18] you.
[18:25] The second award is the MTSS Recognize School Award, which requires that a school meet both of the previous mentioned qualifications, so 10% improvement of their ELA or math.
[18:36] and 60% are more of their students in the bottom quartile receiving learning gains.
[18:41] So there are two schools receiving this award, which are Powell Middle School and
[18:58] Fox Chapel.
[19:23] Thank you.
[19:45] 26-3312, recognition of Matt Knicks, Simcraft and Southern 4x4, for contributions to Hernando High School of Racing Simulators.
[19:58] Mrs. Lastra.
[19:59] you
[20:02] Thank you. So Board Chair, Board Members, and Mr. Pinder. Tonight, we celebrate the Cybersecurity Program at Hernando High School, one of our many wonderful CTE programs. This program prepares students to protect digital information, earn industry certifications, and gain skills needed for high demand technology careers. We're proud to recognize the students and teachers to make this program successful, and at this time, I'd like to invite Mr. Mason Lewis to come up to talk about the partnership with SimCraft.
[20:30] He's our teacher over at Hernando for Cybersecurity.
[20:36] Hello, Mr. Lewis.
[20:38] Good evening.
[20:39] Good evening chair, Mr. Pender, a school board members.
[20:41] I'd like to take this opportunity to extend it.
[20:45] And hopefully you guys can as well extend a large amount of gratitude towards Matt Nex and
[20:50] Semcraft, he'll come up and speak in a second.
[20:53] They have not only been a great vendor, but a partner with our school.
[20:59] And Matt is Hernando High Class of 1997, so a product of our school.
[21:05] They have provided through a purchase to top-rate racing simulators
[21:12] That when we originally brought them in we thought well, this would be a great opportunity to encourage students to complete their work
[21:17] Which it has but I've been impressed by how quickly the students in the program have said hey
[21:23] What about this had a young man come up and say hey?
[21:26] There's a program that we can build cars can we can we build the car and then try it on the simulator?
[21:33] found out from Matt today, yes we can.
[21:35] I had another young man that goes, hey, we have two simulators, but they don't connect yet.
[21:40] I'm going to go home and buy a program, he went home about the program,
[21:44] and then figured out how through the use of Jason, which is a coding program,
[21:48] they communicate, the data's already out there, and he made a prototype to link
[21:52] the two, the two simulators together.
[21:55] So it's kind of what's neat about this is we didn't know what we were going to get
[22:00] when we got this other than a piece of fantastic racing simulator equipment.
[22:04] But what the students are providing themselves with educational opportunities has been quite astounding.
[22:09] This time I'd like to bring up Matt Nick's right now.
[22:12] He's going to kind of talk a little bit about his program and maybe even some of his clients in the racing community.
[22:20] Hello, Mr. Nick's.
[22:21] Hello, thank you for having me.
[22:23] I just want to start out by saying this was an amazing opportunity and
[22:28] And it came organically, the fact that Mason reached out to one of our sales associates
[22:34] that we have working for us and was telling him, oh, we have this program and we'd like
[22:38] some recent simulators and he comes into my office and says, where do you go to high school
[22:43] at?
[22:44] Hernando High School in Brooksville?
[22:46] Why?
[22:46] Oh, they want to get some simulators.
[22:49] So it just kind of took off from there.
[22:52] I talked to Mr. Lewis many times before the delivery.
[22:56] We've talked ongoing the fact that today I was able to experience what it's fostering in the kids and the excitement and the ability for them to use their mind and expand out of it's just a racing simulator and all of these other things that we can do with it has been heartfelt I don't even know how to express it to think that, you know, wasn't many years ago.
[23:22] So I was in this elementary school when it was an elementary school and over at the high school and now getting able to give back to the school has just been a blessing that I just want to thank you.
[23:35] Thank you so much.
[23:41] Thank you so hopefully we can do maybe a photo recognition.
[23:45] Yes, definitely.
[24:53] And that is the contribution from our community that makes our school so successful so we appreciate everybody that comes together.
[25:00] And joins forces, and that's what makes us be able to get back to these students as much as we do. So it's much appreciated. We're at 26-3326, approval of the minutes from the informal workshop, final budget hearing and regular school board meeting of 9-9-2020-5. Can I please have a motion?
[25:36] Can I please have a motion?
[25:48] And please vote in
[25:57] those motions or seconds are not showing up on our screen. Okay. And that motion passes 5-0. Thank you.
[26:04] 26-308, approve the proclamation, number P26-001, proclaim the first two weeks of October
[26:12] as Disability History and Awareness Weeks.
[26:15] Thank you.
[26:17] Good evening, board, board chair and superintendent Pender.
[26:21] My name is Anna Jensen and I am the proud and honored director of exceptional student education
[26:27] for our district.
[26:28] right? And would you like to come up and Ms. Haro and your team? Come on, you guys come
[26:35] stand up as well. I'm bringing them up because you are going to see a product of their work
[26:41] here in just a minute. Next week begins Florida's Disability History and Awareness Weeks,
[26:47] the first two weeks of October. When school districts formally recognize disability history
[26:52] and provide age-appropriate instruction that grows understanding and respect for people with disabilities.
[27:00] This observance also aligns with national disability employment awareness month in October,
[27:06] which celebrates the contributions of workers with disabilities and encourages practices that open doors to college,
[27:13] careers, and community life.
[27:15] Tonight, we are highlighting a collaborative student project which includes
[27:21] Wikiwachi High School students from ESC classrooms, the Opportunity Unity Club,
[27:27] and a very talented digital art student. Please enjoy and thank you for
[27:34] supporting a culture where every learner is seen, valued, and included.
[27:42] Thank you.
[27:42] Community
[27:55] is a student-run club here at Wikihuachi High School. Here at WWHS, we believe
[27:59] every person is defined not by their disability but by their spirit, talents, and unique personality.
[28:07] Our mission is to inspire a world where people see beyond limitations and celebrate
[28:12] the vibrant individuality within each person.
[28:16] By challenging stereotypes and building genuine
[28:19] connections, we strive to create a campus culture where inclusion is natural, understanding is
[28:24] and every voice is heard.
[28:28] Together, we can unlock the potential in everyone
[28:31] and build a future where unity shines brighter than any barrier.
[28:37] Florida continues to foster the development of
[28:40] talented and active individuals and disabilities.
[28:44] The division of career and adult education
[28:47] enrolled over 100,000 students with disabilities
[28:52] in secondary career and technical education programs.
[28:56] The Florida Youth Council advocated for the creation of disability history in awareness
[29:00] weeks and remained dedicated to ensuring that all youth within Florida are empowered to
[29:05] realize their potential.
[29:07] The division of vocational rehabilitation helps students of unique abilities become part of
[29:14] the workforce.
[29:16] It is important to continue encouraging individuals to win disabilities to realize their ability
[29:24] education.
[29:35] Hernandez School District Proclamation number P-26-001.
[29:41] Disability, History, and Awareness Weeks October 2025. Whereas, disability,
[29:49] History, and Awareness Weeks were created to highlight the efforts and important
[29:52] contributions and achievements of individuals with disabilities and recognize
[29:57] has been a Florida legislator under the Florida statute.
[30:00] Section 1,3405. And whereas Florida continues to foster economic growth for the development of a talented and diverse labor force, and the active and meaningful participation of individuals with disabilities as students, parents, employees, employers, and policymakers, it is essential to providing equal opportunities to all Canadians. And whereas hundreds of thousands of students with unique abilities are enrolled in the PK-12 education system, and over tens of thousands of students
[30:29] with unique abilities enrolled in the Florida college system in the state
[30:33] university system. And whereas the Division of Career and Adult Education enrolled
[30:37] thousands of adults with unique abilities in adult general education and post-secondary career
[30:42] in technical education programs and over a hundred thousand students with disabilities in secondary
[30:47] career and technical education programs. And the Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
[30:53] helps individuals unique abilities become part of America's work force and
[30:59] serves and assist Floridians with timing or keeping jobs and whereas the Florida
[31:06] Division of Flying Services and BBS is dedicated to ensuring that Floridians
[31:11] who are blind or visually impaired have the tools to support and opportunity
[31:15] to achieve success and helps individuals that should be successful employment
[31:19] outcomes and becoming more successful in school, community and work
[31:24] Whereas, the Florida Youth Council, a group of youth and emerging leaders with disabilities
[31:28] that advocated for the creation of disability history and awareness weeks, remains dedicated
[31:33] to ensuring that all youth within the state of Florida are empowered to realize their potential
[31:37] and are educated regarding the history of individuals with disabilities, and the positive examples
[31:42] represented by their valuable contributions to their communities.
[31:45] And whereas, it is important to continue encouraging individuals with disabilities to realize
[31:50] disabilities and their education, employment and communities, and reaffirm our commitment
[31:55] to the full inclusion and equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities.
[32:00] Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Hananda County School District is pleased to commemorate
[32:05] the first two weeks in October 2025 as Disability History and Awareness Weeks, and encourages
[32:10] Hananda County teachers to bring disability awareness and instructions to their students.
[32:14] Adopted at the regular meeting session of the Hernando County School Board on this day, on this 23rd day of September 2025.
[32:35] What a wonderful proclamation and great video, very nice.
[32:40] Thank you students for doing that.
[32:41] It's not easy reading on a camera is it, like that, that's tough work, so I commend you for doing that, thank you.
[32:48] Can I please have a motion,
[32:55] please vote,
[33:03] and that motion passes five to zero.
[33:05] Before
[33:13] you leave, can we get a group photo with the school board?
[34:40] 26-307 public hearing and final approval of the amendments to the 2025-2026 student progression plan and school procedures handbook that received
[34:49] We have tenet of approval at the August 26, 2025 workshop.
[34:53] Do we have any white speaker forms for the item?
[35:00] Can I please have a motion?
[35:05] Any discussion?
[35:08] Please vote.
[35:15] In that motion passes 5-0. Thank you.
[35:20] 26-3285,
[35:22] in our final order, expelling the student in case number E, 2026-08-01 for one academic year. Can I please have a motion? In a second,
[35:40] please vote.
[35:47] In that motion passes 5-0.
[35:51] 206-3323, this is citizen input on agenda items.
[35:55] Are there any green speaker forms?
[35:57] Thank you.
[36:01] Mr. Myers, would you please read the instructions for this item?
[36:04] Sure.
[36:04] Thank you.
[36:05] This is an opportunity for public to address items on the board agenda for this meeting.
[36:09] The agenda for this meeting is located by the entrance to the board room.
[36:13] To speak at this time, you should have already completed a green citizen input speaker form.
[36:18] also located on tables at the entrance to the board room.
[36:21] You should indicate the item or items you wish to address on the system input form.
[36:25] Those speakers who wish to address general matters, not on the agenda this evening, should complete the pink citizen input form.
[36:32] The opportunity to speak on topics, not on the agenda will be provided later in the meeting.
[36:37] If you have any adaptions you wish to share with the board, please provide them to the board secretary prior to speaking.
[36:42] Each speaker will have three minutes during the segment of the agenda.
[36:46] The speakers will be called to come forward by the chairman.
[36:50] Prior to making your remarks, please state your name and address for the record.
[36:53] Inquiries or comments made during citizen input may be followed up, and
[36:57] reported to the board by the superintendent or staff thereafter, of the instructions.
[37:02] Thank you, Mr. Myers.
[37:04] Our first speaker is Suzanne Schorz.
[37:09] Schorz,
[37:18] push your button, please.
[37:21] That's okay, that'll light up, right up.
[37:24] Suzan, shorter.
[37:25] You don't have to hold it?
[37:27] Oh, just, okay.
[37:28] You're fine.
[37:29] Suzan, shorter, hamlinway, Brooksville, and I am speaking.
[37:35] Good evening, members of the board.
[37:38] Chair, superintendent, thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak today.
[37:42] The proposed $470 annual raise breaks down to less than $10 a week.
[37:49] this amount does not keep up with the pace with inflation or the rise and cost of living in our community in real terms.
[37:59] And it doesn't even cover the new insurance. If you've got for a bit, if you have to have anyone else on your plan,
[38:07] we'll actually be making less than we made last year.
[38:13] This is effectively a pay cut when adjusted to the economic conditions as of September 30th.
[38:21] The minimum wage will be $14 an hour in our state.
[38:26] Many teachers, when factoring in, unpaid hours spent on planning, grading, extracurriculars,
[38:33] earn well below that of an hourly basis.
[38:36] It's disheartening to say the least, to see professionals with college degrees, certifications.
[38:43] And like myself, a deep responsibility for students' futures that make less per hour than an entry level retail person.
[38:52] And I am a product of Hernando County, I've been here since 1980, just like the guy who talked earlier, I've been here, I've been through all the schools.
[39:02] I know Ms. Duvall knew me back when I was little.
[39:07] The profession is already facing a teacher shortage,
[39:13] and an adequate raises certainly don't help that in being in the trenches,
[39:20] like the programs that we have implemented here in particular like,
[39:25] let's have a pair, I will give them a degree.
[39:27] Unfortunately, for someone like me who has certified and qualified someone on my team which
[39:35] I'm an ESC teacher, guess what, they can't write IEPs, so there's a big part of the workload
[39:42] that they cannot even do legally.
[39:47] Where was I?
[39:48] New teachers won't be attracted and experienced teachers like myself will be leaving for
[39:56] other reasons.
[39:56] I was born and raised here. I have taught a
[40:00] In other places, I still don't make what I made in 2004 in Atlanta. So, 20 years of teaching, a zero step teacher in Atlanta makes $60,000. Just to let it like sink in. So, I don't know, I respectfully urge that you consider the raised proposal and commit to compensation plan that might actually
[40:29] be fair.
[40:32] Thank you very much.
[40:40] We are on the portion of the adoption of consent agenda.
[40:43] This is items number 9 through 25.
[40:46] Any board members want to pull items from the consent?
[40:51] Thank you.
[40:53] I have item number 19.
[40:59] Thank you, Mrs. Hawkins.
[41:00] Mrs. Bonsard?
[41:04] No.
[41:05] I have nothing.
[41:06] Mrs. Devall?
[41:07] No.
[41:08] Thank you.
[41:12] Can I please have a motion to adopt the agenda with item number 19 pulled?
[41:16] Can I
[41:28] have a second?
[41:29] And please vote.
[41:46] It's not on the screen.
[42:22] Yes, for me.
[42:27] We're doing a verbal vote.
[42:29] Okay, it worked, okay, we switched it back.
[42:33] Motion passes five to zero.
[42:35] Thank you.
[42:36] On number 19, can we please have a motion?
[42:43] I still need a motion.
[42:44] Thank you.
[42:47] Can I please have a second?
[42:53] And Ms. Sockins, would you please speak on this item?
[42:56] Sure. So item number 19 is the Employee Health Benefits Program of Renewal for the 2026
[43:04] agreement with Blue Cross and Blue Shield. And I want to say first, I support moving
[43:10] forward with this renewal to ensure our employees and their families do not experience elapsing
[43:15] their coverage. However, I feel I must acknowledge that many of our teachers and staff have voiced
[43:21] significant concerns of the high cost of health insurance. And I have to say they're
[43:26] not alone. When I first came on board, that was the first meeting I had with Superintendent
[43:31] Pender, I said, what can we do to help with the high cost of health insurance? And he assured
[43:38] me he had a team that he's putting together to work and look at different options, even
[43:43] looking at other districts to see what they're doing because they're in the same boat we
[43:50] So I suggest for our future cycles, I strongly encourage that the committee that is currently working on this to bring forward the different options for consideration to us or at least provide the board with a clear explanation of how they selected the carrier.
[44:08] I also believe it's important to gather employee input.
[44:13] Doing so would allow us to make more informed decision, explore potential cost, and be transparent.
[44:20] Right now, I believe many of our teachers and staff feel unheard on this issue, and they perceive that we are simply just approving this without looking at other options.
[44:32] Providing background on what steps are being taken to address this concern, would go a long way in rebuilding our trust and supporting our staff.
[44:41] So my question that I have is, what is the timeline we use to review this health plan each year?
[44:47] And can we do something a little bit different for the board to see how you guys are navigating it and deciding before you bring it to us?
[44:56] Yes.
[44:57] Mr. Goldberg.
[44:58] Hi.
[44:59] Thank you for the-
[45:00] The opportunity, board chair, superintendent, board members, the insurance committee did express all the same things that you articulated. And the timeline is narrow. So, for the 26 year, we did move forward with Blue Cross because even though an increase always hurts on the market level, compared to national, our 6% increase is much better.
[45:29] than the 9% national average, so I feel very good about that and what we've been able
[45:36] to do with that.
[45:38] I am looking, Mr. Pender connected me with a health trust and so I am looking at that
[45:45] that will be a way for us to be self-insured and to do it with a bunch of other school districts
[45:52] that are moving in this direction to save some money
[45:57] and pass that cost, any savings we can have onto our employees
[46:02] rather than having a company profit from them.
[46:06] So that is something that we're looking at for the 27 years.
[46:09] So my intention is to come to the board with some options
[46:14] continuing the way we have, or looking at these health trusts
[46:18] and be going self-insured in a very safe and careful manner.
[46:22] Thank you. I want to say that right now for our employees, if they choose the option to just the employee only,
[46:29] it's a reasonable price for what we cover, like what we provide to them.
[46:34] However, if they want to add their children or their family, it's astronomical.
[46:39] It really is hard to make that payment.
[46:42] You're speaking to the choir.
[46:43] I know. Okay.
[46:44] Can you please keep us updated as you're looking into this?
[46:47] Yes.
[46:48] Absolutely.
[46:48] Or superintendent vendor.
[46:50] Yes.
[46:50] Because I think as we move forward this, there will be lots of opportunities for different groups
[46:54] like the board, like the insurance committee, and then eventually all the employees to get
[47:00] information on it.
[47:01] Okay.
[47:02] Thank you.
[47:03] If the board would like, we can work on a timeline so we can talk about the insurance committee
[47:09] meetings and then some updates to the board throughout this year and kind of have a timeline
[47:14] line set up so that we're all aware of what that timeline looks like for this year moving forward and what those steps are.
[47:20] We would like that, please, yes, please.
[47:22] Thank you.
[47:23] That's all I have.
[47:24] Thank you.
[47:25] Thank you, Mr. Goldrich.
[47:27] Mr. Chairman.
[47:28] Mr. Johnson.
[47:30] One of my bigger complaints is we never get to hear what the other bids are that come in.
[47:37] I appreciate Miss Hawkins for bringing that up.
[47:39] Anytime anything goes out to bid, we should be getting at a workshop.
[47:43] what the other bids are and why the top that the bid that's being suggested is approved.
[47:49] That's not happening lately.
[47:51] I think that needs to change in a more general sense for everything that goes on.
[47:57] We're supposed to get those bids.
[47:59] We don't know that three bids went on in health care.
[48:02] I assume they did.
[48:03] Mr. Goldberg.
[48:07] But I'm not using health care as the only example.
[48:11] I'm saying this goes on across the board.
[48:13] I'd like to see that across the board.
[48:15] I understand that, but this was a renewal.
[48:17] This was not an RFP.
[48:19] That is correct.
[48:20] Well, why aren't we doing that?
[48:21] Because we may, who knows if we could have saved money
[48:24] with a different carrier and get similar coverage?
[48:27] Mr. Goldberg.
[48:28] We, the reason we didn't go out for an RFP this year
[48:32] was because we just done it previously
[48:35] and it didn't make any difference.
[48:39] We've gone out to bid two times in the last three to five years, and I get those exact
[48:46] numbers for you, but basically it hasn't made any difference in terms of finding a different
[48:52] carrier that would give us a better deal or a better network because we have a very strong
[48:59] network with Blue Cross Blue Shield.
[49:01] In some of the other carriers limit us access to healthcare providers, for the point it makes
[49:06] It's almost impossible.
[49:07] But the point is, we're supposed to see those bids.
[49:10] It doesn't matter if it goes out to bid every year, if we renew it.
[49:15] Mr. Devall, we should be, we're spending $21 million.
[49:18] You don't think that's worth looking at other bids, and if they're not higher, at least have that information.
[49:23] Mr. Johnson, wait one second, Mr. Devall.
[49:26] The information on the last round of bids went out to us.
[49:33] We received the information.
[49:35] We did. And we also had a time. It was not held in a band. It was put out so all of us can see it.
[49:45] It's ultimately the insurance committee.
[49:47] You know, insurance business. Hold on one second. I'm sorry, Mr. Gerdy here.
[49:51] Let hold on one second. Let him finish his thought and then I'll take you.
[49:54] Go ahead. Ultimately the insurance committee made a recommendation, but the board saw all those choices, but
[50:00] That's kind of how it was presented. Mr. Johnson, go ahead. Sharon's company's changed year-to-year because they're limited to what kind of profit they can make on an individual carrier. It's a 15% of what the premium is. So if you've got a carrier who haven't had a good year, maybe their premium is less than Blue Cross who may have had a bad year and increases their premium to cover the loss. So it is important to see those numbers on a year-to-year basis. That's just state law.
[50:29] They get a 15% profit. That's what they're allowed to keep. That's why we get a rebate when that profit exceeds 15%.
[50:37] We get that kickback, that check every year. Maybe there's another company that had a better year, and their rates have been reduced.
[50:46] But regardless, we're getting into a slippery slope where we don't get three bids on contracts every time they're going out.
[50:55] and we should be getting it. That's our job, is to always see the budget and make sure it's being done correctly.
[51:02] And I think that's one way we can protect ourselves and protect our constituents by knowing where every dollar is going
[51:08] and we're getting the best bang for the book. And I'm not saying necessarily that the lowest price is the best.
[51:14] We have to examine it, but it should be brought forth in a workshop.
[51:18] And we don't get enough of that.
[51:19] Thank you, Mrs. Devall.
[51:23] Okay.
[51:24] I don't even know where to start now.
[51:30] Everything is out in the open mark.
[51:34] I think part of the situation we find ourselves in,
[51:39] and in the previous years, we might get a lower quote in.
[51:47] But sometimes that's used to open, to get through the door
[51:50] and then the next year, the rates go up even higher.
[51:54] I will say this for Blue Cross.
[51:57] They have been consistent about their negotiations
[52:00] with this district.
[52:05] Everything has been discussed, is discussed.
[52:10] But I think, in part, Florida Blue Cross Blue Shield is so big.
[52:16] other companies look for the smaller niche and get into those policies.
[52:25] The floor of blue provides the biggest number of providers access to the medical needs
[52:34] of our employees.
[52:38] It is a mathematical situation with the health of our employees.
[52:44] and if they are healthier, we do better in our negotiations, but it's hard to go up against
[52:52] facts and figures that show that we have had some very outstandingly large claims.
[52:59] Makes it difficult. Not to mention the providers in the network. That means a lot when you're
[53:07] looking for somebody, and if you're not able to shop around, and there's a limited number of
[53:11] of practitioners that you can use.
[53:13] It makes it difficult for anybody.
[53:15] I think you're missing my argument.
[53:17] No, your argument is more general.
[53:20] It's not necessarily just about health care.
[53:22] It's about everything we do.
[53:23] You want to see the bids.
[53:24] I want to see the bids.
[53:25] I want to see the bids that are too high.
[53:28] Let's pause there.
[53:28] I want to know why.
[53:29] Let's pause there.
[53:30] Mr. Pender, can you weigh in on the bids
[53:33] and weigh on on Mr. Johnson and what he's...
[53:36] So we follow the school board policy as far as bids go.
[53:39] The bidding process takes place.
[53:40] we either do a one-year renewal or extension that we can do or we do the bid process and then
[53:49] bring that to the board when that's approved when it needs to. So I'm not aware of any purchasing
[53:57] policy or that we're not bringing to the board that we should be bringing to the board. So if you
[54:03] want to talk to me about that or now or later you can explain the ones that we aren't bringing to
[54:09] the board correctly and I'll be more than happy to look into that and look into state statute and let you know.
[54:15] Thank you, and all I'd like to do is see the bids that are being rejected and reason why a given bid is selected.
[54:21] If we're looking at tires for buses is quite flat, quite even.
[54:26] It's so much a tire from this company, so much from another company, a third company.
[54:30] We're going with this one for whatever reason the tires last longer.
[54:33] I don't, the idea is I'd like to see the three bids, and that could be done at workshops, not at this meeting.
[54:40] So if I'm hearing Mr. Johnson correctly, he would like to see when the other companies that we are not utilizing,
[54:46] he would like to see what they came in at and who they were, what the amount was, and when we last pulled the bids.
[54:54] Thank you, exactly what I'm saying, and that's part of the process that we do with purchasing, and I mean,
[55:00] I don't, it's the board's decision if there's consensus to have workshop every time the thing, but we're going to be workshopping a lot. The other option is if that we're bidding, and we select a bidder, and you want that information of the other bids that were not selected in the paperwork, we, you know, we can talk a lot. I'm okay. I'm here all day. But it's up to the board consensus.
[55:27] To have a question on an individual individually, could we not reach out Mr. Goldbrick to you, to whoever, anybody in purchasing?
[55:34] And we could ask for any of that information at any time, aren't you always at our exposure?
[55:39] I wouldn't reach out to Mr. Goldbrick insurance, but Mr. Reckner-
[55:42] Well, for this, for insurance, and then, and then I said in purchasing, so we could reach out to any department that at the moment we have a question and we could ask.
[55:51] I would be happy in the packet what the other Vids are what we're doing is being selected that would be that would work for me.
[55:59] Mrs. Hawkins, I would like to see the health insurance come to work for a workshop, though, because I think it's such a big decision.
[56:10] And to discuss what avenues that that way the public knows, hey, this is what we've looked at.
[56:14] This is what we've options here and let us make a decision because it is 21 million a lot.
[56:20] And it impacts every person that works for Hernando County Schools.
[56:23] I agree.
[56:24] I think a workshop would be nice for the constituents to be able to hear and see the big decision.
[56:27] Because we're able to call and have these conversations and we understand it on that level, but I think it's nice to bring it forward.
[56:34] So I agree with that.
[56:36] So just for clarification, two different trains of thought here.
[56:39] One is insurance that as I said to when Mr. Goldrich was up here about updating the board in a timeline and giving that to the board.
[56:47] So you know that, that's for insurance, and then the others.
[56:51] I'll talk with purchasing about providing more, some more detail for bids that were rejected, and I'll get back to you and let you know where we are.
[56:58] On the insurance, I think what we would like to have a workshop is to know all the details.
[57:03] If that's okay.
[57:05] Okay, and then on the other that Mr. Johnson is bringing forward, how do you want to?
[57:11] I would be intent with having that in the package what the other bids were and why they're being rejected.
[57:16] It's very brief summary would be fine.
[57:19] It doesn't have to be all that be.
[57:20] But that needs more clarity when you say that, that's.
[57:27] So I can provide, I'll talk to purchasing, we'll put something together, we'll do that at a future meeting and
[57:35] provide a little bit so the more details, and then we can go from there if that's okay, as far as if there's.
[57:41] Yes, thank you.
[57:42] I'm glad to know more.
[57:43] You want to be able to see who we have rejected, and they're bid.
[57:50] And they're bid.
[57:50] I mean, you know, in a little summary, if the bid is similar or if the bid is lower,
[57:54] why it's being rejected in favor of a higher bid?
[57:57] Sometimes that will happen as we all know.
[57:59] Like Lucross, as you said, has a larger provider network.
[58:03] But that'll be attractive by itself.
[58:05] So I mean, you know, that'll be when we go out to bid.
[58:08] Obviously.
[58:10] And that's what Mrs. Duval keeps trying to interject that we did not go out for a bid,
[58:17] but when we do, the homework that you guys do behind the scenes, we would like it to also for us to be able to see that so that we would know.
[58:26] Okay. All right, we're going to move on. Can we please have a vote?
[58:44] It's not. Is it on your screens?
[58:48] It's on yours.
[58:50] Okay, mine's a yes,
[58:57] and that motion passes five to zero, thank you.
[59:03] That brings us now to the citizen input on general topics.
[59:06] Those are our pink speaker forms.
[59:08] It's 26, dash 3324 citizen input on Hernando County school issues on which the school board customarily takes action.
[59:18] Mr. Myers, would you please read the instructions for the item?
[59:21] Thank you Madam Chair.
[59:22] This is the opportunity for the public to address any general topic of relevance to the operation of
[59:27] for Nandoke only schools to speak at this time.
[59:30] You should have already completed a pink citizen input,
[59:33] speaker form located on the tables
[59:35] at the entrance to the board room.
[59:36] If you have any attachments you wish to share with the board,
[59:39] please provide them to the board secretary prior to speaking.
[59:42] Each speaker will have three minutes
[59:44] during the segment of the agenda.
[59:45] Speak.
[1:00:00] The speakers will be called to come forward by the chairman. Prior to making your remarks, please state your name and address for the record. Increase or comments made during citizen input, may be followed up with the speaker and reported to the board by the superintendent or staff thereafter. Although the board encourages citizen participation, please understand that no immediate action will be taken on items presented during the public comment portion of the meeting. If follow-up board action is required, then the matter may be placed on the agenda at a subsequent meeting in accordance with
[1:00:29] school board policy.
[1:00:32] Thank you, sir.
[1:00:34] Our first speaker is Mr. Pastor Jack Martin.
[1:00:43] Good evening, Pastor Jack Martin, 13489 Dryas Health Street, Spring of Florida.
[1:00:49] I'd like to begin by thanking Chairwoman Rod Griegeris, the board members, and
[1:00:53] certainly Superintendent Pinder, for putting the students of our district in
[1:00:57] position to have yet one more layer of support as they go through some of the
[1:01:02] most difficult years of their lives.
[1:01:05] Allowing a program that's in full compliance with House Bill 931 to be implemented just gives additional support to those in the district that do choose to avail themselves.
[1:01:16] I think the level of pressure on young people today is probably greater than any time before.
[1:01:23] The program is designed, if you will, with very careful protective abilities built in by the district, I think you do a great job in doing that.
[1:01:33] But no one should ever be forced to be part of something they don't want to.
[1:01:37] But there are people who would like to avail themselves of the service.
[1:01:41] And I hope that will be what happens going forward.
[1:01:44] I mentioned to you in the past that I served for years as a principal,
[1:01:49] the K-12 Christian School up in Western New York.
[1:01:52] Also served as a substitute teacher in New York's public schools in Central New York.
[1:01:58] And raised six kids, that kind helped a little.
[1:02:00] But I know that there's not one issue that kids face that there's so many things coming at them and the goal
[1:02:07] I believe in this whole program is simply to be an asset to you and to the students and their families to those
[1:02:13] that want to use it. I have to commend every one of you for going forward with this.
[1:02:18] I hope that we can set an example for the entire state of Florida as what it means to put every effort into taking care of our young children.
[1:02:26] And I think the program will be an asset and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
[1:02:36] Thank you, Pastor Martin.
[1:02:39] You were an instrumental in making sure that this continues.
[1:02:43] And I thank you for all of your efforts and everything that you put behind this.
[1:02:48] So, thank you.
[1:02:54] Our next speaker is Mrs. Beverly Coe.
[1:03:05] Beverly Coe, Brooksville, Florida.
[1:03:11] President Trump is instilling a patriotic education agenda.
[1:03:15] which Governor DeSantis will undoubtedly mandate into Florida classrooms.
[1:03:21] I certainly feel civics is important, but this is something different.
[1:03:25] Forty right wing organizations such as Hillsdale College, Prager U, and Turning Point USA,
[1:03:32] contributed to the contents.
[1:03:34] This is unilaterally a white Christian nationalist agenda, which is, in my opinion, dangerously biased and one-sided.
[1:03:42] Among the court teachings are that anything other than heterosexuality is sinful and an orchestrated attack on societal norms.
[1:03:51] How will this attitude hurt the 28% of high school students who identify as LGBTQ?
[1:04:00] The attempted suicide rate of this group is 20% as a low estimate.
[1:04:04] 4 times the rate of their cisgender peers, and that is primarily due to not having adequate
[1:04:11] emotional support.
[1:04:14] They also teach that white European settlers who first came to this land were part of a
[1:04:19] manifest destiny decreed by God to spread Christianity and established a righteous nation.
[1:04:25] This ideology viewed the indigenous peoples as an impediment to divine will, making it easier
[1:04:33] to justify the estimated deaths of 56 million natives.
[1:04:38] Likewise, they reconfigure the horrors of the 12 million Africans who were kidnapped,
[1:04:43] taken in chains, and under the whip to the Americas for forced hard labor and horrific brutality.
[1:04:49] Governor DeSantis echoed Hillsdale College by saying that slavery wasn't wholly bad
[1:04:55] as these slaves learned new skills.
[1:04:57] This ignorant comment ignores not
[1:05:00] Not only the tortures of enslavement, but ignores that these people came from a culture older than Europe or Asia.
[1:05:09] Like everyone in this room, I am horrified and sickened by the manner in which Charlie Kirk was assassinated, very much against it, and I agree I was always for his right to speak.
[1:05:26] But as far as the civil rights movement which will be taught, I'm concerned because Charlie
[1:05:34] Kirk of Turning Point USA is on tape saying we made a huge mistake when we passed the civil
[1:05:41] rights act. He had also described Martin Luther King as a bad guy and awful. It benefits
[1:05:48] all students black and white to learn the struggles of the brave men and women who fought for equality.
[1:05:54] We have to stop dumbing down America by withholding censoring and outright lying about our history.
[1:06:03] Americans can handle the truth.
[1:06:16] Thank you, Mrs. Coe.
[1:06:21] Our next speaker is Mr. Ken Mayon.
[1:06:51] Good evening, Ken Mayon.
[1:06:53] I'd like to speak about the mode of detectors and the what I perceive illegal searches going on in some of the schools.
[1:07:01] The first page of the thing I gave you is the Florida law that says
[1:07:06] motor detectors are allowed to be there, but to actually do searches and
[1:07:13] interfere and search these kids, you have to have reasonable suspicion to do so.
[1:07:18] Simply going through a motor detector and setting it up isn't reasonable
[1:07:22] suspicion. It's reasonable to believe they have a metal pen. It's reasonable to believe
[1:07:26] boots on. The reason relieved that my daughter has two rods in her back that sets it off every time
[1:07:31] is that mean that she needs to be searched, it doesn't. Next page is a landmark case from Supreme
[1:07:40] Court that also affirms that opinion that to search a child without a parent you have to have
[1:07:49] reasonable suspicion. You can't just do it randomly or sparingly.
[1:07:58] To justify this,
[1:07:59] you're sending them through a mother's sector. Will you ever wonder why the cops don't
[1:08:02] participate in this? Because that doesn't provide reasonable suspicion.
[1:08:08] There's no legal
[1:08:09] authority to do what you're doing. The last page I went ahead and gave the definition
[1:08:15] of reasonable suspicion for y'all to look over. I think this is intrusive. I don't think
[1:08:22] get actually works because the video I posted of this was from some friends of my daughters
[1:08:28] and my daughter that A got notification they were doing it and B when take a video then
[1:08:34] after the video walked out to the road, walked to another entrance and walked in the building
[1:08:40] without going through a matter of sector.
[1:08:42] So if anybody was going to do anything, why wouldn't they do that?
[1:08:48] You didn't stop anything.
[1:08:49] Maybe you got a vape pen or two or something like that, but stepping on the civil liberties of these kids for a vape pen, I don't think justifies the action.
[1:09:00] I'm not saying vapings right or good and I don't support it, but there has to be reasonable suspicion that these kids have something illegal committing a crime has bad intention.
[1:09:11] Random checks, random searches does not fall under state law, Supreme Court precedent, or the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States.
[1:09:22] I want school safety. I'm not against it. But stepping on liberties for freedom, you deserve neither. And this is wrong.
[1:09:33] and what happens whenever metal detectors don't work.
[1:09:37] Next steps, pat downs, searches, whatever.
[1:09:42] There will be a time when the other side gets back in power
[1:09:45] and they will take the extreme steps
[1:09:47] that we've seen them do in the past.
[1:09:50] So please re-evaluate what we're doing
[1:09:52] and support the civil rights of these kids.
[1:09:55] Thank you.
[1:10:00] Thank you, Mr. Mann. Our next speaker is Mrs. Diane Limbrick.
[1:10:19] Good evening, Diane Limbrick from Brooksville. I just have kind of a feel-good story for you guys about something good that transpired at Brooksville Elementary. We have a new PTO president at the school. I haven't met her yet and I haven't volunteered with her, but she wanted to do some painting projects at the school.
[1:10:41] So she went to Lowe's a couple of weeks ago to see if they would donate some paint and the
[1:10:48] vowspar paint salesman happened to be there and donated her all the paint she needed and then
[1:10:53] some. So then she went to Harbor Freight to see if maybe they would donate the paintbrush brushes and
[1:11:00] stuff. And there was a gentleman in there that was shopping that overheard her and asked her what it
[1:11:06] was about and this man went and picked up all the paint brushes and rollers and
[1:11:11] everything that she would need for the project. Wouldn't give her his name that
[1:11:17] it wasn't about him. He was about the kids and as this man was leaving the
[1:11:23] store he quoted quoted a Bible verse to her and it was Philippians 234 which
[1:11:31] says do nothing out of say office ambition or vain conceit rather in humility value others
[1:11:39] above yourselves not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interest of others.
[1:11:46] Now to me the really neat part of this was and I get goosebumps every time I think about
[1:11:51] it. After this man quoted that scripture to her she looked at the clock on the wall and
[1:11:57] And it was 234, which was just amazing.
[1:12:02] And she didn't really want to put it out there because she was afraid that people, because
[1:12:07] of the religious aspect of it, might have issues with it.
[1:12:11] But somebody at the school asked me to do this, and they told her, this just goes to prove
[1:12:16] that God does have a hand in things that are done.
[1:12:21] And it's a shame that we don't know who this man was because to me, that was just an outstanding
[1:12:26] a landing thing to do, or somebody did not even have a child at that school.
[1:12:32] Thank you.
[1:12:35] Thank you.
[1:12:44] Our next speaker is Mrs. Kathleen Robinson.
[1:13:02] Good afternoon, school board members, Kathleen Robinson's, Spring Hill, Florida.
[1:13:09] I just want to say thank you to the lawnmower guys that come out there and take care of our beautiful garden.
[1:13:16] And they keep it neat, clean, and I appreciate it.
[1:13:19] And I came over there a couple of days ago with a big thing of sandwiches to feed them,
[1:13:25] but it's so difficult to catch all of them because they're all the different places.
[1:13:29] But I just want them to know that I always think about the kindness that they have extended
[1:13:33] to this remembrance garden.
[1:13:36] It means a lot to transportation.
[1:13:37] And I really wish that it would spread all over Florida because all of the bus drivers in the
[1:13:42] state of Florida need to be recognized.
[1:13:44] the other thing is I want to give thanks to Eastside Elementary for the wonderful
[1:13:51] breath is I'm a little bit late on this because I have not been here but Eastside
[1:13:57] put out a spread I want to tell you when we had our when you called it out day to
[1:14:04] drive our buses I'll dry run and we needed it because we were hungry and the
[1:14:11] The other thing is, Parrott,
[1:14:15] we have a principal over there that is hilarious, I tell you.
[1:14:19] He makes everybody smile because every day he is dressed in a different costume and he's
[1:14:23] directing the traffic and the bus driver is really appreciated.
[1:14:27] It gives us something to laugh about when we come in because on the way in sometimes it's
[1:14:32] a little bit rough with our wonderful students.
[1:14:35] and let me see what else do I want to say.
[1:14:41] I can't
[1:14:48] handle high school. I could never forget you guys.
[1:14:51] You came out with a wonderful breakfast for us when I'll drive around.
[1:14:56] You guys always remember transportation and I appreciate that.
[1:15:00] I know the other bus drivers do too, and the attendance. I want to thank the schools that always remember the school bus transportation, the attendance, when we are getting ready to start back at school. So thank you, and the ones that I don't mention is because I don't do those schools, and I don't know what you're doing, but I do know the schools that I am with, and I appreciate it. And I have a picture, if you'd like to see it, of our principal at Parrot dressed as a pizza, it's hilarious.
[1:15:35] Thank you.
[1:15:41] Our next speaker is Mrs. Sheila Barr,
[1:15:53] even there with me, and we'll be all right.
[1:15:56] My name is Sheila Barr, I live in Hernando Beach.
[1:16:00] I am a resident, obviously a Hernando County, a mother of a special needs son.
[1:16:05] And I'm here on a mission regarding bathroom use.
[1:16:08] I have two grandkids that are going into the Florida schools, and this mission came to me when my granddaughter asked me for privacy when she used the bathroom.
[1:16:18] And with my little grandson I walked out and I said why does my son, or my grandson, my son as well back then, not have privacy when he goes to the bathroom in public.
[1:16:30] Why are we forcing young boys to have to pee in front of grown men and each other from the time their potty trained?
[1:16:38] You wonder where pedophilia comes from, I don't anymore.
[1:16:42] Our society is number one in sex trafficking and sexually deviant behaviors.
[1:16:47] Why are our boys so sexually charged because every trip to the bathroom is basically watching
[1:16:53] a sore, soft porn incident for them each and every time?
[1:16:58] What kind of perverted initiation ritual is this in by whose design?
[1:17:04] It's right under our noses.
[1:17:05] It's right in front of our faces, but we don't even see it.
[1:17:08] It's the invisible enemy that we've all come to know, and it's Satan himself.
[1:17:14] As many of you want to keep God out of our schools, there's an overwhelming majority
[1:17:18] that wants Satan out of our schools.
[1:17:20] That's the real enemy.
[1:17:22] We're battling here, not each other.
[1:17:24] This perversion has been ingrained into our B system.
[1:17:28] That in all honesty, we were all aware of because it's how Satan works.
[1:17:33] Satan is transgender.
[1:17:35] He is the God of chaos, confusion and deception.
[1:17:37] Inversion, up is down, boy is girl, lie is truth.
[1:17:43] How do we battle this evil through the armor of God and be brave enough to ban all public, communal,
[1:17:51] urinals, and install stalls for balls into all schools, government buildings, every men's restroom in America.
[1:17:59] I challenge the school board and our county commissioners to prioritize this mission to combat transgender ideology.
[1:18:06] sexual coercion in our world today.
[1:18:10] I urge you strongly to prioritize this because when you do, the funding will be found.
[1:18:16] This Fleischmann and Garcia, I don't know, I didn't see that today.
[1:18:20] I encourage you to add this cultural change to the interlocal government meeting in October.
[1:18:27] For those who will take issue with this, or are against this mission, ask yourselves why?
[1:18:35] If not now, when, if not us, then who is going to protect our children from this ongoing abuse and assault on our youth?
[1:18:46] Thank you very much.
[1:18:47] I knew it was over three minutes.
[1:18:49] Did I get it?
[1:18:49] I got it in time, even.
[1:18:51] Thank you, thank you, thank you people.
[1:18:53] I appreciate your time.
[1:18:55] Make bathroom safe again.
[1:18:57] Thank you.
[1:19:11] Mr. Myers, do you have any closing comments?
[1:19:13] other than I just look forward to meeting with, working with the board and the board members and the superintendent administration while I'm sitting up here.
[1:19:22] Thank you.
[1:19:24] This is Council Robert Myers and he is from the firm, Wyseroda, Healthman, Cole and Berman.
[1:19:31] They are the firm that we have been using, so he is our new council on the board at this time.
[1:19:37] He represents Collier County School, he's the board attorney for Collier County as well as ours.
[1:19:42] at this point, so we're happy to have you, and thank you for being here tonight.
[1:19:48] Board members, Mrs. Devall?
[1:19:52] Yes, I have a couple of things.
[1:19:55] I'm pleased to share that Kelly Padilla, Adelia Padilla.
[1:20:00] Jiminy. Padilla, has earned a distinction of certified support professional through the Florida School Board's Association. Kelly is one of 32 persons to have earned this distinction in the first year of the program. The designation recognizes school districts, districts support staff who have demonstrated a strong commitment to ongoing professional development, excellence in the role, and a dedication to supporting the districts.
[1:20:29] school board members and the mission of public education in Florida.
[1:20:35] Earning the CSP distinction requires time, focus, and a proactive approach to professional growth.
[1:20:43] All qualities that Kelly exemplifies in her service to our district.
[1:20:48] Congratulations.
[1:20:50] And also on her behalf, thank you.
[1:20:55] I would also like to recognize Rachel Kingdom.
[1:20:57] She was being honored as part of the Regional Newspapers and Education Award.
[1:21:03] She received the runner-up honors at the recent ceremony held in Tampa.
[1:21:08] And this was just in the Tampa Bay region, so it's quite an honor.
[1:21:12] And congratulations to Rachel.
[1:21:15] And that's it.
[1:21:18] This is the vote.
[1:21:19] I think if you got to mention Kelly Pogue, we also got the same recognition.
[1:21:22] I
[1:21:30] am pleased to share that Kelly Pogue has earned the distinction of certified support professional through the Florida School Board's Association.
[1:21:40] Kelly is one of the 32 persons, including Kelly Fadea, to have earned the distinction in the first year of the program.
[1:21:48] And it goes on and on and on.
[1:21:49] I am so sorry, Kelly, I did not see that.
[1:21:52] I
[1:22:00] was going to do it, okay, I just messed up.
[1:22:02] And I just want to say to Kelly, thank you.
[1:22:06] From the board for all the work that you do for us radar
[1:22:10] That you keep us straight and you're always on top of things if we call it's
[1:22:15] Immediately you call back even if you're at lunch if you're trying to eat you still call back with food in your mouth
[1:22:21] And you're wanting to know what we need so
[1:22:24] You are very very invested in us and you definitely make a shine so we're pleased to have you and thank you for all that you do here at our district
[1:22:38] Okay, Mrs. Pawns it
[1:22:42] First, everybody, a good night.
[1:22:44] That's it.
[1:22:45] That's all I got.
[1:22:46] Mr. Johnson.
[1:22:48] Thank you.
[1:22:50] I would wait to see what the patriotic curriculum looks like in the standards before making any comments or any having any opinions or thoughts on what may or may not be in the standards as they come down.
[1:23:07] I don't think half of what you said will be in the standards when they come out, quite frankly.
[1:23:15] I do want to wish everybody a good time and please be safe, be cognizant of the little guys that starting to get dark out earlier.
[1:23:22] They're going to be out there running around and I know our great safe bus drivers will look out for them.
[1:23:27] But some of the drivers lately have been a little crazy in the county is getting to be that time of year.
[1:23:32] So please drive safely and everybody have a good night.
[1:23:36] Thank you, Mr. Johnson.
[1:23:38] I would like to say, Pastor Martin, congratulations, you are our first chaplain and our chaplain program.
[1:23:44] So thank you.
[1:23:45] First one in the state, actually.
[1:23:47] Thank you.
[1:23:48] So thank you for that.
[1:23:50] Yeah.
[1:23:51] I also want to thank all of our schools who participated in wearing yellow in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
[1:23:59] September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
[1:24:01] and last week our schools were yellow to honor that and make awareness of
[1:24:08] chaunted cancer so thank you for that. We are in fall football season and home
[1:24:15] coming celebrations are happening the next couple of weeks so I'm excited for
[1:24:21] that if your daughter is in need of address the Hernando County Education
[1:24:25] Foundation has the Cinderella boutique for girls that can choose a dress at no
[1:24:30] cost. They also, the Education Foundation has a scholarship going on for students for
[1:24:37] music. Up to $2,000, you can go online and apply. And then I wanted to share a quick
[1:24:44] little story from this last week. So this past week, the board members attended a training
[1:24:51] in Gainesville where we had the opportunity to learn and grow. During the training, I had
[1:24:57] the privilege to sit next to a fellow board member from
[1:25:00] Another county. As I spoke to her about football season and homecoming being so excited, she shared a heartbreaking story with me. Her son last year, the game before homecoming suffered a heart attack and died at the football field. Very tragic. I was moved to tears by her testimony. Yet she explained that his death was not in vain. Out of her advocacy, legislation was passed requiring all students beginning next school.
[1:25:29] year to have an EKG as part of their sports physical. Already more than 170 students
[1:25:36] have been identified with heart conditions through this process in her town and the surrounding
[1:25:41] towns. Students whose lives may have been saved because of her courage to turn tragedy into action.
[1:25:49] It's a powerful reminder of the impact we can have when we advocate for change and the importance
[1:25:55] of protecting the health and the future of every child.
[1:25:59] I feel this is a common goal that we all can share.
[1:26:03] The law that was passed is called the Second Chance Act,
[1:26:07] and Chance was her son's name, which was pretty cool.
[1:26:10] So, thank you all and God bless.
[1:26:16] Thank you, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Fender.
[1:26:22] So, the two Kellies that we talked about are known here.
[1:26:26] there's Kelly Padilla, my secretary, and Ms. Cutter's secretary, and Kelly Pogue.
[1:26:33] So they're both of the same initials, so they're KP1 and KP2.
[1:26:39] So since so much accolades were given, I have to say for
[1:26:43] Kelly Padilla and Kelly Pogue, thank you for supporting us.
[1:26:46] And your achievement with all of that training that you had, I know is an achievement, so thank you.
[1:26:53] The other thing that I'd like to say and a lot of, I appreciate all of the stories, all of the good stories, the not so good stories sometimes and all of the input that the community gives, you heard many times tonight over and over different people, groups, individuals from our community that step up every day to support our schools and our students, they do that in big ways, they do that in small ways and we thank all of them for
[1:27:23] supporting Hernando County schools.
[1:27:25] The other thing I'd like to say to Ms. Robinson is I'm a little disappointed because in your public comment,
[1:27:30] you had 33 seconds left that you could have talked about your favorite superintendent, which you did not.
[1:27:36] So I will leave that and expect something next time about something that I did that was at least average to good.
[1:27:45] All right, Mrs. Robinson.
[1:27:47] To everybody that gave public input, I appreciate it and I hope everyone has a good night.
[1:27:50] Homecoming is coming up, and all those activities, it's very exciting, and we want everyone to be safe and have fun.
[1:27:57] Thank you.
[1:27:59] Thank you, Mr. Pender.
[1:28:01] And the reason I didn't mention Kelly Padilla is because at that moment, it was all eyes on Kelly Pog.
[1:28:08] So since you did, Mr. Pender, I wanted to state that she is very instrumental as well of keeping the sports straight.
[1:28:17] So, between the two Kellys, just coincidentally, we both have Kellys and it's like they both
[1:28:23] work synchronized and it's amazing because when one Kelley is busy doing something, the
[1:28:28] other Kelley steps in and they both share the responsibilities back and forth.
[1:28:31] So, it's nice that we can have a school board secretary and a superintendent secretary
[1:28:37] both go back and forth sharing responsibilities and being there for all of us.
[1:28:41] I think that that just, it makes it so much easier for each of us as well as for the task and the duties that they have.
[1:28:49] So thank you, ladies, both of you for doing what you do for us.
[1:28:53] So I wanted to talk on the students.
[1:28:58] I think that we're all up here for one thing.
[1:29:01] And it is the protection and the education of our students and our schools.
[1:29:07] So with that being said, a few months ago, we did vote on the metal detector to come into our school.
[1:29:13] The thing I was sad about was that we didn't purchase more.
[1:29:17] So I would like to see us have more at this moment, the set that we have, our mobile, they do move around.
[1:29:25] They're random, we never know where they're going and where they're going to set them up.
[1:29:29] And there's a reason behind all of that.
[1:29:31] And the biggest reason is to keep all of the kiddos safe.
[1:29:34] If that's the number one reason.
[1:29:37] So when those children are going through that mental detector, and there's no rhyme or reason why they don't know when, they don't know where, it is to let all of the kids know and descend a message that we have something in place and you never know when it's going to be there so that if anybody has in their mind to carry something in their backpack that shouldn't be in school that they might think otherwise.
[1:29:59] So I think it's...
[1:30:00] It's extremely important for us to be proactive and not reactive. I think at this moment, if something were to happen, and I hate to even say those words, but I think we would be inundated with parents coming up here saying, why didn't you do something? Why didn't you set something in place? There are metal detectors, other places, other counties, other districts, other schools. But why didn't you do that? That would be another layer of protection.
[1:30:28] So I feel like sometimes we're darned if we do, darned if we don't.
[1:30:34] So for me, I can say I unapologetically stand for voting for these metal detectors,
[1:30:41] because I think that that keeps everybody on their toes.
[1:30:45] I think that keeps the students not knowing when they're going to be there, where they're going to be.
[1:30:49] And if in the back of their mind they think they might try to do something,
[1:30:53] that is another added idea for them to consider not doing it.
[1:30:59] So whatever it takes to protect our students,
[1:31:01] and I think that all of our hearts are in the right place.
[1:31:05] None of us are trying to have somebody walk through a mental detector
[1:31:08] for any other reason than for the safety of every single student
[1:31:13] that attends our district schools.
[1:31:16] So I'm sorry if it upset some parents.
[1:31:19] I'm sorry if you feel that it's going against your rights.
[1:31:21] rights, but know this, know that our hearts in the right place, know that it has nothing
[1:31:26] to do with, that we want to see inside their backpack of their personal items, nothing
[1:31:31] like that.
[1:31:32] That we're doing it because of the love that we have for the children.
[1:31:36] We're doing it for the safety of your kids.
[1:31:38] And that is paramount.
[1:31:40] That is number one.
[1:31:41] So never maliciously intention, are we trying to pull the wool over you and do something
[1:31:46] to where you feel that it's a negative reach.
[1:31:50] All we're doing is trying to protect your kids, the very, very best that we know how.
[1:31:54] And if we can add things like that, and it can be budgeted in, and we can financially be able to afford it.
[1:32:03] Why would we not want to protect those babies?
[1:32:06] And so I just want you to know that anybody who's listening, and I know Mr. Mann, you're passionate about it.
[1:32:11] But I want you to know, from the bottom of our heart, we have these set in place.
[1:32:15] so that it's a deter to possibility of something that could be happening or a student that might be thinking of something and I just want you to know that, you know, all we do is want to do the best for these kids.
[1:32:30] So I wanted to say that along with Sky our dog, you know, we did the dog and we're doing the metal detectors and those are all, like I said, for one of the same and not as to protect these students.
[1:32:42] So but thank you for your voice and like I said you know we all can have our opinions and we love to hear everybody's opinion you know it's that's what makes us be able to have different beliefs and different ideas and we can talk about it and we can work things through but ultimately it falls on all of us up here on medias to do what's right for these kids and for the safety of them so we have to make the best decisions and we try to do that each and every day.
[1:33:11] Pastor Jack, I want to say that I appreciate everything that you have done in leading this chaplain program.
[1:33:18] I have worked with you hand in hand day after day, week after week, we've had a few months at this, and it's been some long hard discussions.
[1:33:27] We are going to be rolling this chaplain program out as just an extra resource, it's not mandatory for anybody, it's just there once again.
[1:33:35] It's something for children and parents, if somebody needs someone to talk to, it's there.
[1:33:41] And I believe that we will be the first county in the state of Florida when we roll this out to do this.
[1:33:51] I think a couple other counties have started and then they have backed back down and decided against it.
[1:33:55] So I'm looking very forward to it and I can't thank the board enough for once again implementing something for parents to be able to have as a resource.
[1:34:04] course, and it's just there if the parent chooses.
[1:34:07] So once again, it's just optional.
[1:34:09] But I thank you, Pastor, for leading the way and for making sure that you've stood
[1:34:14] steadfast on this, and I'm honored to come alongside you.
[1:34:20] And then the other thing was last night I was at an event, and there was a young lady who
[1:34:27] spoke at her school and she had started turning point USA off of the Charlie Kirk and it was just
[1:34:35] amazing what all she had to say and to hear her I think Pastor Jackie were with me and to hear
[1:34:41] everything and the life that she has touched by starting that organization. So I think that we all
[1:34:47] have a lot we could learn from Charlie Kirk as far as kindness and spreading love and being good to
[1:34:53] want another and once again being able to debate and I'll have different
[1:35:00] opinions, but still come together and everyone be considerate and care for one another. So other than that, I think you guys all for being here, and I hope that you guys have a wonderful night. And thank you for always coming out, sitting in these seats, taking time out of your life to support this district, to support us, to show us that you care and to have a voice, even if we disagree, or we agree that you're here and it matters. So God bless each and every one of you. Have a safe drive home. Thank you.
[1:35:29] And this meeting is adjourned at 735.