Mr. Jones attended the National Technical Honor Society Induction where he provided remarks on behalf of the Board. He also mentioned participating in two of the in-school announcements for Teacher and Support Employee of the Year finalists. Mr. Jones reflected that these events really highlight the hard work done by the students and staff who, as a result, rise to the top in their respective areas. He stated that attending these types of events was the most enjoyable part of board service.

Ms. Wayman attended the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE) Equity Committee meeting. She enjoyed getting to meet fellow board members from across the state and sharing what Caroline is doing in the areas of employee recruitment and retention.

Mr. Plutschak attended the TOY & SOY finalists announcements for three people, and said he was grateful to these employees for doing the hard work necessary to ensure our students succeed. He also said he was looking forward to attending the National School Boards Association conference and meeting counterparts from around the country.

Mr. Barton reported attending spring sports events and shared it was his favorite time of year, particularly to watch baseball and softball. He said he believes playing sports builds character, which Caroline coaches understand and practice well.

Chief Financial Officer Erin Thornton presented the Finance Report as of March 31, 2024.

Report

The Board approved personnel items as presented by Supervisor of Human Resources Dr. Willoughby. They also approved the minutes from the March board of education meetings.

The Board approved the appointment of John Bobb as Supervisor of Transportation. Mr. Bobb will be filling the vacancy that will be created by the retirement of current Supervisor Carmen Milligan on June 30, 2024.

News Release

The Board approved an overnight field trip request for the Caroline Career and Technology Center Future Farmers of America (FFA) Club. The club members will attend the State FFA Convention in McHenry, MD from June 23-26, 2024. The 12 students attending the convention will participate in workshops related to the agriculture industry. 

Dr. Simmons provided the Board an update on the status of legislation that will impact the school system. He noted that there was less than a week left in this legistative session which ends on April 8.

Bills Passed and Awaiting Governor's Signature

HB291 - Increases public bidding threshold from $50,000 to $100,000. Also, new schools built on new property will require a public hearing.

HB386 - Allows for flexibility the breakfast program; enables 'grab and go' meals for secondasry students, rather than restricting them to the classroom. Dr. Simmons noted this is very helpful for large schools like NCHS.

HB204 - Requires mental health training for athletic coaches.

SB1115 - Transparency in Education Spending Act's impact on a school system depends upon the amount of funding provided by their local government. This will not require much change for CCPS because of our wealth structure.

Bill Monitoring

SB161/HB200 - Community Schools - Would provide an alteration that would assist with the overhead costs of administering the Concentration of Poverty Grant that funds our three Community Schools. Unfortunately, the bill did not pass.

HB1441 - The PreK Expansion Grant expires next year. This would extend the grant as we continue to meet the Early Childhood Education requirements of the Blueprint.

HB1082 - Funding for the Blueprint Implementation Coordinator beyond this year.

SB1102/HB1446 - This bill acts as a catch-all to the needs of the Blueprint, with adjustments the school districts asked of MSDE and the AIB.

(Report)

Report

Dr. Simmons and Chief Financial Officer Erin Thornton reviewed the current status of the 2024-2025 budget.

Dr. Simmons explained that positions being added to the budget are those that are currently funded through the ARP or LEADs grants, and these positions have been deemed critical.

• Three technology support positions, all needed to maintain 1-1 device program and having people working directly in the school buildings to provide support.

• NCHS Assistant Principal - NCHS has 1300 student which makes it one of the largest high schools on the Eastern Shore. Given those numbers, it is critical to maintain three assistant principals.

Dr. Simmons said they are working through final revenue number which won't be finalized until after the Legislative Session. He added that the concern regarding our Compensatory Education money was worked through with MSDE and their error corrected, resulting in upwards of $2.5 million additional dollars. This resolution enables us to move further along with our budget in preparation for a final revenue picture.

Ms. Thornton reviewed line items associated with the cost of doing business. She stressed again this is a working document which will be discussed more at the Board's upcoming work session. Ms. Thornton explained that some counties have finalized their budget because they are not as dependent upon State revenue. However, the largest portion of Caroline's revenue comes from the State which means we must wait until the State's Supplemental Budget is approved before finalizing our numbers.

Dr. Simmons expressed his appreciation to the Caroline County Education Association (CCEA), their president Amy Bauman and their leadership, who worked to ensure a collaborative negotiations process.

President Barton reviewed the process for filling a vacant seat on the Caroline County Board of Education.

(News Release)

Personnel

The Board approved personnel items as presented by Supervisor of Human Resources Dr. Willoughby.

Blueprint Implementation Plan

Presentation

Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Dr. Tara Downes provided the Board a report on CCPS strategies, initiatives, and plans for the Blueprint, and shared feedback and information updates to keep the board and stakeholders updated and connected. She stressed that the Blueprint is already embedded into our language and work, with the pillars connecting to the Strategic Plan, rather than adding something extra.

Dr. Downes' presentation was an executive summary of a report due to MSDE and the AIB in May. She applauded the pillar chairs and their teams for creating responses with integrity and meaning, and capturing the work being done systemwide.

For each pillar, Dr. Downes explained the purpose of the pillar, the challenges involved, the current status, and future plans. Pillar chairs attended and were able to add and clarify information and answer questions.

• Pillar 1, Early Childhood Education: Elizabeth Saylor, Supervisor of Instruction

• Pillar 2, High Quality & Diverse Teachers and Leaders: Dr. Rob Willoughby, Supervisor of Human Resources

• Pillar 3, College & Career Readiness: Lindsey McCormick, Director of College & Career Readiness

• Pillar 4, More Resources to Ensure All Students Are Successful: Nicole Fisher, Supervisor of Student Services and Equity; Christal Harkowa, Supervisor of Instruction; and Erica McDonald, Supervisor of Special Education.

• Pillar 5, Governance and Accountability: Dr. Derek Simmons, Superintendent

Following an in-depth discussion, President Barton praised staff for the work, saying the challenge of Blueprint was almost overwhelming but the staff rolled up their sleeves and exhibited the skills, ability, knowledge and teamwork to get it done. He added that despite the financial problems associated with Blueprint, the efforts, programs and initiatives being implemented are making a difference for students and staff.

Preliminary Budget Request

Report

Dr. Simmons and Chief Financial Officer Erin Thornton provided an update on the proposed budget. The Board voted to accept the FY2025 Preliminary Budget.

Last Day of School

The Board approved June 12, 2024 as the last day of schools for students, and June 13, 2024 as the last work day for teachers.

Note: The 2023-2024 school year calendar reflects 180 student days and 190 teacher work days. Three additional days were included in the current school year calendar for inclement weather. School was closed on January 16 and January 19 for inclement weather this school year making the last day of school for students June 12, 2024 and the last work day for teachers will be June 13, 2024.

News Release