[00:00:01]
THIS IS THE VIRTUAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING FOR DECEMBER 3RD, 2020.
AND WE'RE STARTING TODAY AT 4:02 P.M.
I'M GOING TO CALL THE ROLL, SO WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE INDICATE YOU ARE HERE.
>>> MICHELLE REEF, I THINK MARGARET STEPPED AWAY FROM HER HOME FOR A MINUTE.
>>> CHRISTOPHER SUAREZ >> HERE.
>>> MARGARET, ARE YOU HERE >> I KNOW SHE'S HERE, BUT SHE'S NOT ABLE TO SAY RIGHT
[2. Observe a Moment of Silence]
NOW.WE'LL GET STARTED WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA FOR TODAY.
[3. Adopt the Agenda for the December 3, 2020 School Board Meeting]
>>> MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE WE ADOPT THE AGENDA FOR THE DECEMBER 3RD SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.
>>> I HEARD MS. ALDERTON I THINK SECOND.
>>> CHRISTOPHER SUAREZ >> YES.
>>> I SHOULD HAVE SHOWN UP BEFORE, FOR SOME REASON IT DIDN'T.
>>> THAT'S OKAY, I WAS PUTTING YOU AT THE END SO WE GIVE YOU THE MOST NUMBER OF SECONDS, NANOSECONDS.
>>> THAT'S 90, THE BUDGET IS ADOPTED AND NOW WE HAVE THE COMMUNICATIONS PORTION OF YOUR MEETING.
TODAY WE HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS AND NO WRITTEN COMMENTS.
IF YOU WISH TO SUBMIT WRITTEN COMMENTS OR SIGN UP TO SPEAK AT THE NEXT SCHOOL BOARD MEET, YOU MUST SIGN UP BEFORE NOON BEFORE THE DAY OF THE MEETING AND OUR NEXT ONE WILL BE ON THE 17TH THAT WOULD BE NOON ON THE 16TH.
[5. Report from Student Representatives Lorraine Johnson and Ashley Sanchez-Viafara]
NOW WE'LL HAVE A REPORT FROM OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE MS. LORRAINE JOHNSON IS THE NEXT THING.>>> CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME >> YES.
>>> SO I BELIEVE IT WAS LAST WEEK OR TWO WEEKS AGO, ME AND ASHLEY GOT TO GO TO THE VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARD'S REPRESENTATIVE CONFERENCE, IT WAS EYE OPENING TO SEE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN VIRGINIA AND HOW -- THEY TOLD US ABOUT HOW THEY DO BOARD MEETINGS AND SOME CONFLICTS THAT CAN GO ON IN A BOARD MEETING AND WHAT IT MEANS AND WHAT SOME OF THE LANGUAGE IS LIKE THE MOTION AND SOME OTHER STUFF THAT YOU GUYS SAY.
AND I WAS LIKE ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO SPEAK AND I SAID ABOUT HOW WE HAVE ONLY ONE HIGH SCHOOL AND WE HAVE 12 DIFFERENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
SO THE HIGHER LEVEL -- THE HIGHER LEVEL SCHOOLS, WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY OF THEM, THEN RIGHT AFTER ME, THERE WAS THIS BOY WHO SAID, OH, WE ONLY HAVE ONE HIGH SCHOOL, ONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND I WAS LIKE, OKAY, WELL, YOU KIND OF GOT ME BEAT THERE, BUT IT WAS JUST REALLY -- IT MADE ME THINK LIKE ABOUT HOW LIKE DIFFERENT -- HOW THE DIFFERENT SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN VIRGINIA WORK, AND HOW SMALL TOWNS OF VIRGINIA ONLY HAV THREE SCHOOLS LIKE ONE HIGH SCHOOL, ONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHOOL AND ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
IT WAS REALLY NICE AND WE GOT TO BOND OVER -- BOND OVER OUR LIKE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS AND SHARE STORIES AND EVERYTHING.
AND ME AND ASHLEY EVEN MADE A COUPLE OF FRIENDS, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THROUGH ZOOM, BUT IT WAS STILL REALLY NICE.
I'M SO GLAD YOU GOT TO DO THAT.
BECAUSE I WASN'T CLEAR THAT YOU DID.
I FORGOT TO ASK, SO THAT'S REALLY GOOD.
I HOPE WE'LL BE BACK IN WILLIAMSBURG NEXT YEAR MAYBE.
[Consent Calendar]
OKAY.NEXT UP IS THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
SO IF SOMEONE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT CALENDAR, THAT WOULD
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BE GREAT.>>> MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE WE ADAPT THE CONSENT CALENDAR TODAY.
>>> MS. GREEN'S SECOND THE MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
SO I'M GOING TO CALL -- IS THERE ANYTHING TO REMOVE, I GUESS, I SHOULD SAY FIRST? IF THERE'S NOTHING TO REMOVE, THEN I'M GOING TO CALL FOR THE VOTE ON IT.
>>> THAT'S 9-0 ADOPTING THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
NEXT UP OUR OLD BUSINESS, WHICH IS THE RE-IMAGINING SCHOOLS UPDATE AND I'LL
[12. Update on Virtual PLUS+ and Phased Reopening: Transition Plan to In-Person for PreK-12]
TURN IT OVER TO DR. HUTCHINGS.>>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND I WANT TO FIRST START OFF BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR PRESENTATION TO ONCE AGAIN, EVERY OPPORTUNITY I CAN GET TO THANK OUR STAFF.
THEY ARE DEFINITELY WORKING EXTREMELY HARD TO HELP US TO REFINE OR PLANNING AS WE GO ALONG.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE GET NEW INFORMATION, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY SINGLE DAY THERE'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAT'S GOING ON ACROSS THE COUNTRY, REALLY ACROSS THE WORLD IN REGARDS TO THIS GLOBAL PANDEMIC, AND WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WITHIN OUR POWER TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE MAKING THE BEST DECISIONS TO KEEP HEALTH AND SAFETY AT THE FOREFRONT.
NOT ONLY FOR OUR STUDENTS BUT ALSO FOR -- FOR OUR STAFF AND TODAY I'M HOPING WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME MORE INSIGHT AROUND SOME OF THE DATA THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THROUGH OUR TEAMS AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE LEVEL AND SCHOOL WIDE AS WELL.
I DO WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE OF POINTS BEFORE WE GET STARTED, BECAUSE I HAVE HEARD FROM SOME OF OUR FAMILY MEMBERS IN REGARDS TO THE FAMILY CHOICE FORM, THAT WAS RELEASED YESTERDAY, AND I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE SOME CLARIFICATION AROUND THIS.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO SAY THE PURPOSE IN US STILL PURSUING THE FAMILY CHOICE DOCUMENT AT THIS TIME, EVEN THOUGH WE PREFERRED SOME OF OUR TRANSITION OF STUDENTS UNTIL JANUARY, WE STILL HAVE TO CONTINUE WITH OUR PLANNING.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SOLIDIFYING OUR SCHEDULES FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FOR OUR STAFF MEMBERS AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO REALLY STAY TRUE TO THE TIME FRAME THAT WE WERE INITIALLY WORKING FROM.
WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND, WHICH WE'VE ALWAYS KEPT IN MIND FROM THE BEGINNING.
THERE ARE THREE SPECIFIC THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO REALLY FOCUS ON THAT CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR RE OPENING.
ONE, OF COURSE, IS STAFFING, TWO IS BUILDING CAPACITY, WHICH I THINK WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK THROUGH.
THREE IS OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH METRICS AND THAT'S AN AREA THAT PREVENTED US FROM OPENING OUR BUILDINGS THIS PAST MONDAY, THE COMMUNITY HEALTH METRICS AND WE'LL BE TALKING MORE ABOUT THAT WITH DR. HERRING IN JUST A SHORT PERIOD HE OF TIME.
I ALSO HEARD FROM SOME OF OUR FAMILIES IN REGARDS TO THE FACT THAT IS THIS BINDING WHEN WE COMPLETE THIS DOCUMENT IS GOING TO BE BINDING MOVING FORWARD.
WE WANT TO WORK WITH OUR FAMILIES, WE KNOW THERE ARE SITUATIONS THAT CAN HAPPEN BETWEEN NOW AND A MONTH FROM NOW.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH OUR INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE DO HAVE TO PLAN.
WE ARE GOING TO NEED OUR FAMILIES TO MAKE A DECISION THAT'S BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW, AND KEEPING IN MIND, THAT WE ARE GOING TO, WHENEVER WE PIVOT, OUR GOAL IS TO PIVOT IN JANUARY, WHENEVER THIS DOES OCCUR, WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO KEEP HEALTH AND SAFETY AT THE FOREFRONT.
THOSE COMMUNITY HEALTH METRICS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE WHERE WE THEY NEED TO BE TRANSITION.
WE HAVE OUR PPE, WE HAVE OUR CLEANING SCHEDULES AND THINGS IN PLACE.
WE HAVE OUR TRANSPORTATION THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH.
THIS IS ANOTHER REASON WHY WE NEED THIS INFORMATION OF STUDENTS RETURNING SO WE CAN FINALIZE OUR BUS ROUTES AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO REQUIRE MORE THAN A COUPLE OF DAYS TO DO.
WE NEED PEOPLE TO MAKE THEIR BEST DECISIONS AT THIS POINT AND WE'LL WORK WITH FAMILIES MOVING FORWARD.
THERE'S ANOTHER, I WANT TO MAKE SURE DID I GET ALL OF MY POINTS, BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT JULIA TO TELL ME I MISSED SOMETHING.
CAN I REMAIN WITH MY TEACHER? AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH OUR SCHEDULING.
WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS WITH THEIR CURRENT TEACHERS, WE'RE NOW WELL
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INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR.ALMOST IN THE SECOND SEMESTER IN JANUARY WHEN WE'RE DOING OUR TRANSITIONING.
WE CAN'T GUARANTEE 100% THAT EVERY SINGLE STUDENT WILL BE IN THAT SITUATION, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO MAINTAIN THAT THROUGHOUT.
I WANTED TO TELL OUR FAMILIES THAT THAT IS A PRIORITY THAT WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO, YOU KNOW, SAY, LET'S JUST MAKE IT WORK AND MOVE KIDS AROUND.
WE KNOW THAT IS A HUGE DISRUPTION AND WE'RE GOING TO WORK TOWARDS TRYING TO KEEP STUDENTS TOGETHER AND STAFF WITH THEIR STUDENTS AND THAT WAS A CONCERN.
STAFF BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION, AS WELL AS FAMILY, SO IT IS ON BOTH ENDS AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE STAYING TRUE TO THAT.
SO NEXT -- AT OUR NEXT MEETING, WE WILL BE SHARING SOME MORE INFORMATION IN REGARDS TO THE HYBRID SCHEDULE, AS WELL AS THE HYBRID LEARNING MODELS.
WE'RE SOLIDIFYING THAT NEXT WEEK, SO ON DECEMBER 17TH, WE'LL HAVE MORE SOME MORE DETAILS TO SHARE IN REGARDS TO THAT.
WE KNOW THERE WILL BE A MINIMUM OF TWO DAYS THAT STUDENTS WILL HAVE THEIR HYBRID LEARNING IN REGARDS TO THEIR SCHEDULING AND WE'LL HAVE SOME MORE DETAILS NEXT WEEK WHEN WE MEET WITH OUR TEACHER AND LEADERSHIP TEAM ON MONDAY.
WITH THAT SAID, I'M GOING TO TURN THINGS OVER TO DR. WAZINGO TO KICK US OFF AND WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH OUR PRESENTATION AND UPDATES FOR TODAY AND TAKE QUESTIONS.
>>> THANK YOU, SO MUCH, DR. HUTCHENS.
JOINING US FOR THIS PRESENTATION, DR. HERRING, DR. STEVEN WILKINS, MR. MICHAEL CARSON AND MS. JULIA VERGOS.
>>> HERE ARE QUESTIONS THAT FRAMED THIS ENTIRE PRESENTATION.
DECISION-MAKING PROCESS FOR PHASING STUDENTS BACK IN PERSON, FOR IN-PERSON LEARNING.
THERE WILL BE AN UPDATE ON WHAT IS THE STAFF AND STUDENTS' ABILITY TO RETURN.
HOW WILL ACPS DETERMINE HOW MANY FAMILIES WILL RETURN T LEARNING VERSUS VIRTUAL, AND WE'LL GET SOME INFORMATION REGARDING THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND AN OVERVIEW OF OUR TIMELINE FOR PHASING STUDENTS BACK INTO IN-PERSON LEARNING.
WE BELIEVE THIS IS CRITICAL FOR CONSTANTLY RESTATING WHAT IS GUIDING OUR DECISIONS, WHAT IS GUIDING THE PLANNING AND THE THINKING AND AGAIN YOU CAN SEE DECISIONS ARE BEING GUIDED BY PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS AS YOU WILL HEAR LATER FROM DR. HERRING, WE'RE CONTINUING MANY EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO ENHANCE THE VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION MODEL AND ONE EXAMPLE IS EVEN WHAT DR. HUTCHENS WILL MENTION IN TERMS OF THE TEACHERS THAT WILL MEET NEXT WEEK, THERE'S MORE STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING THE LEARNING PROCESS AS A PART OF VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION.
AND LASTLY, THE BULLET PERTAINS TO PHASING STUDENTS IN.
PRE-K12, BASED UPON THE MOTION THAT WAS CONTINGENT UPON STAFFING AND COMMUNITY HEALTH METRICS.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT LATER.
THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES ARE CRITICAL.
WE STILL HAVE MANY EFFORTS UNDERWAY, WHERE THERE'S A HIGH DEGREE OF VARIOUS VOICES INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS, THERE'S CONSTANT AND FREQUENT COMMUNICATION, WE'RE WORKING DILIGENTLY AND TRYING TO BUILD TRUST.
LAST WEEK, WE BROUGHT A GROUP IN FROM WINCHESTER AND BLESSED SACRAMENT AND THEY SHARED SOME LESSONS LEARNED IN WAY OF INSTRUCTION.
WE'RE STILL WORKING ON WAYS TO IMPLEMENT THESE GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE IS JUST A DESCRIPTION OR NARRATIVE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MOTION THAT WAS MADE ON NOVEMBER THE 23RD, 2020.
WE JUST FELT LIKE IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT AGAIN FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE THAT THERE'S A COMMITMENT FOR PHASING IN -- EXCUSE ME, A PHASED IN APPROACH FOR STUDENTS LEARNING NOW IN GRADES PRE-K THROUGH 12.
WE'RE STARTING WITH OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS WITH ENGLISH LEARNERS.
THIS IS THE TIMELINE THAT IS CONTINGENT UPON THE STAFF AND COMMUNITY HEALTH METRICS WHERE GROUPS ARE STILL WORKING TOWARDS MEETING THOSE EXPECTATIONS IN THIS MOTION.
THIS IS A SLIDE THAT WE HAVE REVISED AND UPDATED, BASED UPON THE MOTION.
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YOU WILL SEE ON THIS SLIDE WE HAVE IDENTIFIED SPECIFIC DATES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR GROUPS OF STUDENTS TO RETURN.BEGINNING JANUARY 19TH THROUGH FEBRUARY 16TH.
ON JANUARY 19TH, WE'RE BEGINNING WITH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN GRADES K2 WHO ARE ENROLLED IN CITYWIDE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.
ON THE 26TH, FOUR GROUPS OF STUDENTS, STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN GRADES 3 THROUGH 5 IN THE CITYWIDE SPECIAL ED PROGRAM.
OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, ALONG WITH K-5 STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
WE HAVE ASKED WHETHER THE ENGLISH LEARNERS MEANS ALL DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ENGLISH LEARNERS, THE ANSWER IS YES.
THERE WILL BE PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES AND SUPPORTS IN PLACE FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE VULNERABLE.
ON FEBRUARY 2ND, YOU CAN SEE WE EXPAND WITH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES OUR SELF CONTAINED STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE LANGUAGE ARTS AND MATH INSTRUCTION.
OUR ENGLISH LEARNERS IN GRADE 6 THROUGH 12 AND FEBRUARY 9TH ALL OF THE REMAINING STUDENTS IN PRE-K-5 AND FEBRUARY 16TH, THE REMAINING STUDENTS IN K THROUGH 12.
THIS IS THE PLAN WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS IN TERMS OF BRINGING GROUPS OF STUDENTS BACK INTO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
>>> NOW I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO DR. HERRING.
>>> MADAM CHAIR AND SCHOOL BOARD AND ACPS LEADERSHIP, THANKS FOR HAVING ME HERE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THESE THINGS, THIS IS GREAT SLIDE BECAUSE IT SHOWS EVERYTHING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IN ONE SLIDE.
IT SHOWS THAT THE CDC HAS PROVIDED FIVE DIFFERENT RISK TRANSMISSIONS.
NOTICE THAT THE ONE THAT'S IN THE GREENEST DOES NOT SAY SAFE.
IT JUST SAYS LOWEST RISK, AS LONG AS THERE IS COVID-19, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME RISK OF TRANSMISSION.
BUT THEN THEY HAVE THE FIVE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
AND THAT'S THAT UPPER LEFT PORTION.
IN THE LOWER LEFT PORTION, YOU CAN SEE THE CORE INDICATORS, THE FIRST ONE BEING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES PER 100,000 IN THE PAST 14 DAYS AND YOU CAN SEE THAT AS OF THIS MORNING, THE NUMBER IS 424.8.
WELL, HOW DO YOU GET INTO THE HIGHEST RISK CATEGORY? ANYTIME YOU'RE OVER 200.
YOU'RE IN THAT HIGHEST RISK CATEGORY, AND HERE WE'RE MORE THAN DOUBLE THAT.
THE SECOND CORE INDICATOR IS THE PERCENTAGE OF POSITIVE CASES IN THE PAST DAYS, 6.3%.
THAT PUTS US RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT MODERATE RISK OF THAT CATEGORY.
THE SECOND INDICATORS ARE ALSO IMPORTANT.
THESE ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN THE SENSE THAT THEY ARE MORE MEASURES OF THE LEVEL OF TRANSMISSION WITHIN A COMMUNITY.
I BELIEVE ACTUALLY THAT PERCENT OF NEW CASES THIS SLIDE ACTUALLY WOULD BE UPDATED,ING I'M SORRY THAT I DIDN'T GIVE AN UPDATED ONE ON HERE.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOME INDICATORS HERE THAT ALSO ARE ABOVE THE LOWEST RISK CATEGORIES.
WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT WE HAVE SEEN LIKE THE REGION LIKE THE NATION AND MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD MARKED INCREASE IN THE TRANSMISSION OF COVID-19 THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT OUTSIDE OF THIS WHEN WE'RE ADVISING DR. HUTCHINGS AND HIS TEAM ARE MORE SPECIFICALLY OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE HOSPITAL, THIS ACTUALLY RELATES TO INPATIENT BEDS THAT ARE OCCUPIED AND OCCUPIED BY COVID-19, BUT LOOKING AT THE PERCENTAGE OF VENTILATORS THAT ARE IN USE, WHAT'S THE BURDEN ON THE EMS SYSTEM, HOW MANY HEALTHCARE WORKERS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT LOTS OF OTHER THINGS AS WELL, BUT THIS IS LIKE THE GENERAL GUIDEPOST FOR THE K-12 SCHOOL METRICS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHERE WE'RE AT HERE, AGAIN, OVER TO THE LOWER LEFT OF THE CORE INDICATORS, THE HIGHEST RISK TRANSMISSION.
THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HAS PROVIDED GUIDANCE OF WHAT SCHOOLS SHOULD BE CONSIDERING IN TERMS OF REMOTE/VIRTUAL LEARNING OR HYBRID OR
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IN-PERSON.AND WHEN A SCHOOL SYSTEM, A COMMUNITY IS IN THIS HIGHEST RISK OF TRANSMISSION, THEY'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM CONSIDER THAT THEY PRACTICE THE REMOTE AND VIRTUAL LEARNING.
SO WITH THAT, UNLESS THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME NOW, THAT'S MY PRESENTATION FOR THIS.
MY NAME IS STEVEN WILKINS, CHIEF OF STAFF.
IT IS ALWAYS GREAT TO HEAR FROM DR. HERRING.
DR. HERRING, JUST FROM ME TO YOU, I'M SO GLAD WE HAVE YOU AS OUR HEALTH AUTHORITY IN THIS CHALLENGING TIME.
BOARD MEMBERS, THIS NEXT SECTION WILL BE A DEEPER DIVE IN THE INTENT TO RETURN FORM.
WE CANNOT JUST ASK STAFF TO COME BACK TO SCHOOLS WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATING THE CHALLENGES WE ALL FACE AT HOME.
THE INTENT TO RETURN HOME WAS OUR TOOL TO ENGAGE OUR STAFF SO THEY COULD TELL US ABOUT THEIR WORK-HEALTH LIFE STATUS.
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IN RECENT HISTORY IN WHICH WE TRACKED FEEDBACK FROM EVERY EMPLOYEE.
AND I COMMEND THE GREAT WORK OF THE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENTS AND RELATIONS AND TERRIFIC HR STAFF AND OTHER COLLEAGUES TO COME TOGETHER TO GET THIS DONE.
>>> WE PRESENTED THIS FEEDBACK AT OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
FOR TODAY THESE ARE DIFFERENT, AND OUR UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHAT OUR TEACHERS SAY ABOUT RETURNING TO IN-SCHOOL INSTRUCTION.
THE INTENT TO RETURN FORM WAS COMPLETED AT A POINT IN TIME THIS PAST NOVEMBER.
SINCE THAT TIME, IN JUST A FEW DAYS, THE WORK ENVIRONMENT CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.
ACCESS TO RAPID TESTING IMPROVED.
WHILE AT THE SAME TIME WE PHASE A RISE IN CASES AND HEAD INTO THE WINTER-FLU SEASON.
THIS IS A VERY DYNAMIC SITUATION AND WE MUST CONTINUE TO STAY ATTUNED TO WHAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE EXPERIENCES AT WORK AND AT HOME.
OUR INTENT TO RETURN HOME, AS WELL AS THE FAMILY OF CHOICE FORM ARE ONE OF SEVERAL MEANS WE WILL REMAIN ENGAGED WITH OUR STAFF AND STUDENTS SO WE CAN MAKE THE BEST PLANS AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES POSSIBLE IN THIS EVER-CHANGING ENVIRONMENT.
I WILL NOW TURN OVER THE DISCUSSION TO MICHAEL CARSON, OUR DIRECTOR OF EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND RELATIONS WHO IS OUR STAFF EXPERT AND AUTHOR OF THIS REPORT.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND COMMUNITY.
TONIGHT I WILL PROVIDE SOME DIVISIONAL STATISTICS THAT WILL FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON INSTRUCTIONAL CLASSROOM TEACHERS.
OVERALL 55% OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS INDICATED THEY WERE ABLE TO RETURN TO THE WORKPLACE.
DIVISION WIDE OUT OF THE 2,601 RESPONSES, WE HAD 1,178 STAFF MEMBERS OR 45% THAT INDICATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO RETURN FOR IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION BASED ON ONE OR MORE OF THE HEALTH FACTORS.
ADDITIONALLY, WE ALLOW THOSE THAT WERE CURRENTLY REPORTING AS AN ESSENTIAL WORKERS OR ON OCCASION TO AN ACPS WORKSITE TO INDICATE WHICH HEALTH FACTORS COULD IMPACT THEIR FUTURE ATTENDANCE.
AFTER STAFF MEMBERS SELECTED THE CAUSE OR CAUSES AS TO WHY THEY WERE UNABLE TO RETURN.
WE FOUND THAT THE MOST FREQUENTLY CITED REASONS WERE FEAR/ANXIETY, FOLLOWED BY UNDERLYING MEDICAL CONDITIONS, CARING FOR A FAMILY MEMBER AND SO FORTH.
EACH CATEGORY IS INDICATED IN THE BAR GRAPH ON THE SLIDE.
THINGS YOU SHOULD TAKE AWAY ARE RESPONDERS COULD SELECT AS MANY CATEGORIES THAT FIT THEIR INDIVIDUAL SITUATION, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE 1,171 STAFF MEMBERS INDICATING THEY COULD NOT REPORT IN PERSON.
1,634 COLLECTIVE RESPONSES BASED ON THE MULTIPLE RESPONSES LIST ND THE CATEGORIES.
WE HAD 508 STAFF MEMBERS THAT SELECTED THIS OPTION BUT ONLY 138 STAFF MEMBERS INDICATED THIS AS THEIR SOLE REASON AS TO WHY THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPORT FOR IN-SCHOOL INSTRUCTION.
OF THE 138, 79 ARE CLASSROOM TEACHERS.
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WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING TO I A DRESS THE FEAR FACTOR OF THOSE 138 INDIVIDUALS.INITIATIVES THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED TO ADDRESS THE FIELD FACTORS IS BEING HEADED BY OUR DIRECTOR OF BENEFITS OF COMPENSATION.
WELLNESS OPPORTUNITIES AND VIRTUAL EMOTIONAL SUPPORT MEETINGS THROUGH EMPLOYEE ASSISTANT SUPPORT PROGRAM THROUGH OUR HEALTH VENDORS, KAISER AND UNITED HEALTH.
IT WAS ADDED AS A HEALTH FACTOR COVERED UNDER THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT AS WELL AS OTHER PROTECTED LEAVE.
ALSO AT THIS MOMENT, ACPS HAS NOT ASKED OUR STAFF MEMBERS TO SUBSTANTIATE THEIR CHOICES REGARDING THEIR INABILITY TO RETURN.
LASTLY, AS IT PERTAINS TO THIS SLIDE.
AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, WE PRESENTED THIS INFORMATION USING A PIE CHART.
WE WERE ILLUSTRATING HOW THE 1,634 RESPONSES COMPARED AGAINST THEMSELVES.
WE HAVE TAKEN THE 1,634 RESPONSES AND COMPARED THEN AGAINST THE INDIVIDUALS WHO SAID THEY COULD NOT RETURN.
NOW FOCUSING ON OUR CLASSROOM TEACHES, 1,290 TEACHERS THAT RESPONDED TO THE CONSENT TO RETURN FORM.
THE LIGHTER SHADE INDICATES THOSE THAT ARE ABLE TO RETURN.
WE HAD A TOTAL OF 691 CLASSROOM TEACHERS THAT ARE ABLE TO RETURN FOR IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION.
WHEN YOU ADD IN THOSE ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS, SUCH AS ADULT EDUCATION.
THE DETENTION CENTER, THAT NUMBER COMES TO 703.
REAL QUICKLY, I'LL BREAK THAT DOWN BY SCHOOL LEVEL.
349 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL CLASSROOM TEACHERS ARE ABLE TO REPORT.
196 AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL.
AND 146 AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
IN ADDITION, THE ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION THAT IS 12 TEACHERS.
ALL OF THAT CAN REPORT TO IN-CLASS INSTRUCTION.
NOW, WE RECOGNIZE THERE IS AN AVERAGE OF 58% OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS THAT INDICATED THEY COULD RETURN FOR IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION, WHICH WANTED TO ILLUSTRATE THE VARIOUS ACROSS EACH SCHOOL HOUSE.
CORA KELLY HAS A TOTAL OF 41 CLASSROOM TEACHERS AND 22 ARE ABLE TO REPORT.
DAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAD 45 CLASSROOM TEACHERS AND ONLY 31 ARE ABLE TO REPORT IN PERSON.
JUST LIKE THE SLIDE BEFORE, THIS SLIDE SHOWS THAT 54% OF MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS THAT ARE ABLE TO RETURN BY SCHOOL HOUSE AND BY LOCATION, AGAIN, JUST TAKING FRANCIS C.
HAMMOND MIDDLE SCHOOL, 70 ARE ABLE TO RETURN, BUT WHEN YOU COMPARE TO GEORGE WASHINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL WHO HAS 109 CLASSROOM TEACHERS, ONLY 52 ARE ABLE TO RETURN.
51% OF HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS AS WELL AS TEACHERS IN THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS. IF YOU NOTICE FROM THE SLIDE HERE.
WILLIAMS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY 42 CLASSROOM TEACHERS, 21 ARE ABLE TO RETURN, TC WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL MINNIE HOWARD KAFRMENT PUS HAS 59 AND ONLY 33 ARE ABLE TO RETURN.
BECAUSE OUR FIRST GROUP OF STUDENTS TO PHASE IN WILL BE OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, AS WELL AS ENGLISH LEARNERS, WE WANTED TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD A SNAPSHOT OF TEACHERS THAT ARE ABLE TO RETURN IN THESE GROUPS.
THE NUMBER OF CLASSROOM TEACHERS IN THESE GROUPS WHEN YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE VARIOUS PHASE-IN DATES, PRIOR TO THE REVISION ARE 93 FOR SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION.
EARLY CHILDHOOD SPED AND ENGLISH LEARNERS.
FELL INTO THE JANUARY 2021 AND FEBRUARY 2021 PHASE-IN DATES.
THIS INCLUDES MY BRIEFING ON THE INTENT TO RETURN FINDINGS, NOW TO MS. JULIA VERGOS.
SO WE HAD A TOTAL OF 6 COMMUNITY MEETINGS OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS.
THREE FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS BECAUSE WE HAD THEM IN HALF HOUR INCREMENTS AND TWO FOR FAMILY AND TWO FOR STAFF.
SO OUT OF ALL OF THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD.
WE HAD LOTS OF PARTICIPATION AND ENGAGE.
[00:30:02]
ONE THING I WANT TO DO WANT TO NOTE THAT OUR STUDENTS WERE VERY ACTIVE IN ASKING QUESTIONS TO DR. HUTCHINGS AND THE TEAM, 1,260 TOTAL QUESTIONS THAT WERE RECEIVED JUST FROM OUR STUDENTS, SO PRETTY MUCH HALF THE QUESTIONS CAME FROM OUR STUDENTS.SO IT WAS REALLY ENGAGING OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS AND WE WERE EXCITED TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE JOIN US.
A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES.
>>> WE SAW THERE WAS A LOT OF QUESTION REGARDING STUDENTS LUNCHES AND CLASSES AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT KIDS REALLY ARE CARING ABOUT THESE DAYS, WHAT DOES THEIR STUDENT LIFE LOOK LIKE WHEN THEY COME BACK TO SCHOOL.
I THINK IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR MORE FROM OUR COMMUNITY AND UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE BURNING QUESTIONS THAT ARE COMING FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
WE WERE NOT ABLE TO OBVIOUSLY GET TO ALL OF THOSE QUESTIONS, WE'RE WORKING ON AN FAQ THAT WILL BE POSTED NEXT WEEK.
WE'LL TRY TO GET TO EVERYTHING, ESPECIALLY THE UNIQUE QUESTIONS WE FELT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO ANSWER DURING THE MEETING.
AND THEN AS WAS MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, YESTERDAY, THE FAMILY CHOICE FORM WENT LIVE TO ALL OF OUR FAMILIES.
SPECIFICALLY WE'RE ASKING OUR FAMILIES WHAT IS THEIR CHOICE IN RETURNING BACK TO SCHOOL OR REMAINING VIRTUALLY WITH INSTRUCTION A HOME AS THEY ARE RECEIVING NOW.
THE FORM IS OPEN UNTIL DECEMBER 11TH AND SO WE'RE REALLY WORKING HARD TO GET FAMILIES TO KNOW ABOUT IT.
LIKE DR. HUTCHENS MENTIONED YESTERDAY.
WE'RE IN DECEMBER, BUT OUR TRANSITION TO SCHEDULED TO START JANUARY THROUGH FEBRUARY.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT FAMILIES COMPLETE THE FORM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
THIS WILL HELP OUR SCHOOL LEADERS, TEACHERS AND OTHERS TO PLAN FOR A SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION.
IN ORDER TO PROVIDE ENOUGH TO MAKE THEIR DECISION, WE PROVIDED THEM WITH DOCUMENTS IN THE EMAIL THEY SENT OUT, THERE WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF THE FORM.
WE DESCRIBED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HYBRID LEARNING AND VIRTUAL PLUS.
THERE WAS A TABLE THAT WAS ADJUSTED BY ONE OF OUR PARENTS AS A WAY TO DESCRIBE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE HYBRID MODEL AND THE VIRTUAL PLUS MODEL.
YESTERDAY WE SENT OUT A NUMBER OF EMAIL MESSAGES AND TEXTS AND SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS THAT WERE ENGAGED TO ENCOURAGE TO START COMPLETING THE FORM ONLINE.
INSTRUCTIONS WERE INCLUDED IN THE EMAIL FOR GUIDANCE ON HOW TO CREATE AN ACCOUNT.
>>> SO WE HAVE ALSO WORKED WITH OUR TEAM AND THE SCHOOL PRINCIPLES TO ENLIST THE HELP OF THE FULL TEAM IN CENTRAL OFFICE AND THE SCHOOLS THAT CONDUCT OUTREACH TO FAMILY, PARTICULARLY FAMILIES THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY REGISTERED FOR POWER SCHOOL.
WE HAVE CREATED A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM FOR FAMILIES AND MAKING THE FORM AVAILABLE IN VARIOUS LANGUAGES, WE'LL CONDUCT A GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN TO ALL OF OUR FAMILY.
FIRST, ENSURE THAT ALL PARENT LIAISONS HAVE DIVISION WIDE ACCESS TO POWER SCHOOL.
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED STUDENTS AND STAFF WHO HAVE POWER SCHOOLS TO ASSIST IN THIS EFFORT.
EXTRA TEAM MEMBERS TO ASSIST FAMILIES FOR ASSISTANCE.
SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN GIVEN ACCESS TO AN A CALL LIST WHO DOES NOT HAVE POWER SCHOOL ACCOUNTS TO MAKE SURE WE GET THEIR RESPONSE AS WELL.
OUR TEAM WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO DIRECTLY INPUT THIS INFORMATION INTO POWER SCHOOL FOR EVERY CHILD EVEN IF THEY ATTEND A DIFFERENT SCHOOL.
MAKING SURE THEY HAVE THEIR CHOICES RECORDED FOR ALL OF THEIR CHILDREN IN ONE PHONE CALL.
WHAT COMPLETING IT LOOKS LIKE FOR PARENTS AND HOW TO COMPLETE IT IN POWER SCHOOL.
A STEP BY STEP GUIDE FOR STAFF TO ASSIST FAMILIES IN COMPLETING THE FORMS AS WELL.
THE HELP OF ALL STAFF MEMBERS THAT HAVE ACCESS TO POWER SCHOOL ADMIN ACCOUNTS TO HELP WITH THIS PROCESS SINCE WE HAVE A FAIRLY QUICK TURNAROUND TIME.
FOR MANY OF THESE FAMILIES, ENGLISH IS NOT THE PREFERRED COMMUNICATION LANGUAGE.
THE LINE REFERENCE GUIDE AND ACCESS CODE LIST WITH STAFF WHO WOULD MAKE CALLS TO COMPLETE THE FAMILY CHOICE FORM.
WE HAVE DRAFTED SAMPLE CALL AND VOICEMAIL SCRIPTS FOR PARENT LIAISON AND THE HELP LINE AND ANY STAFF HELPING FAMILIES COMPLETE THE FORM.
AN EPIC QUEUE FOR OUR STAFF AS THEY CONDUCT OUTREACH TO COMPLETE THE FORM.
SCHOOLS WILL RUN A DAILY POWER SCHOOL REPORT TO KEEP TRACK OF WHO HAS AND HAS NOT COMPLETED THE FORM.
IN ADDITION TO THESE EFFORTS, WE'LL USE OUR COMMUNICATION CHANNELS TO MAKE THE FAMILY AWARE OF TEXTS APPS AND SOCIAL MEDIA CALLS TO REMIND FAMILIES TO COMPLETE THE FORM.
IN THE END WE'RE ASKING OUR FAMILIES TO MAKE A DECISION REGARDING WHETHER THEIR CHILDREN WILL RETURN IN PERSON FOR TWO DAYS A WEEK, KNOWING WE HAVE THE
[00:35:05]
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND SOCIAL DISTANCING PROTOCOLS IN PLACE TO ENSURE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THEIR CHILDREN IN TOP PRIORITY OR WILL THEY CONTINUE 100 PERCENT VIRTUAL AT HOME.THAT'S JUST A SNAPSHOT OF OUR FAMILY CHOICE FORM.
>>> THIS IS OUR NEXT TO LAST SLIDE.
NEXT MONDAY WE WILL BRING TOGETHER THE VIRTUAL PLUS LEARNING ADVISEMENT TEAM WHICH CONSISTS OF 200 PLUS TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS AND OTHER LEADERS AND THE MAJOR ACTIVITY DURING THAT TIME IS TO DELVE INTO THIS NOTION OF CONCURRENT INSTRUCTION.
WHAT ARE THE PROS AND WHAT ARE THE CONS AND WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE IF IMPLEMENTED WITHIN THE ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WE STARTED SOME DISCUSSION THIS WEEK, WE'LL CONTINUE IT NEXT WEEK WITH THAT LARGE TEAM.
AND YOU JUST HEARD FROM MRS.BURGOS ABOUT THE FAMILY CHOICE FORM AND REALLY ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THAT AS THAT WILL INFORM OUR PLANNING PROCESSES.
THIS IS JUST A REMINDER TO EVERYONE THAT OUR PLAN IS LOCATED ON THE ACPS WEBSITE AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF OBVIOUSLY MAKING UPDATES TO THE PLAN AS WE'RE MAKING UPDATES TO EACH OF THESE PRESENTATIONS, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE EVERYONE AWARE AGAIN OF WHERE THE ACTUAL PLAN WAS LOCATED.
THIS IS THE END OF OUR PRESENTATION AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT.
MADAM CHAIR, WE WANT TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
QUESTIONS ANYONE? IT JUST MOVED AROUND.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION, I THOUGHT IT WAS A VERY GOOD.
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE HARD WORK THAT EVERYONE IS PUTTING INTO THIS.
I ESPECIALLY JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT THE WAY WE'R APPROACHING SUPPORTING STAFF HAS BEEN REALLY, REALLY GREAT AND I KNOW WE HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM OUR STAFF ABOUT THAT, AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO GO A LONG WAY FOR OUR TEACHER RETENTION FOR THE YEARS TO COME.
ALSO, MS. BURGOS, THE PLAN THAT YOU OUTLINED THE CHOICE FORM IS REALLY TERRIFIC, TOO.
FAMILIES CAN TALK TO ONE PERSON EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE CHILDREN IN DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DRIVES PARENTS CRAZY, I'M REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT THAT.
AS I HAVE BEEN THINKING SINCE OUR LAST PRESENTATION AND READING THE E-MAILS THAT HAVE COME IN AND TALKED TO PARENTS.
I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO TALK SEPARATELY ABOUT -- WE HAVE THE PLAN FOR THE PHASED REENTRY, AND THEN WE HAVE THE HEALTH METRICS THAT WE'RE USING TO DETERMINE WHEN IT IS SAFE TO RETURN.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT GOING ON THERE AND IT IS ALMOST LIKE THERE'S TWO SEPARATE KIND OF CONVERSATIONS THERE.
WHAT I CONTINUE TO HEAR FROM PARENTS O IN OUR COMMUNITY IS THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THERE'S NOT THIS SENSE OF URGENCY, I GUESS, TO GET KIDS BACK IN THE CLASSROOMS. WE'RE GETTING LOTS OF EMAILS FROM PARENTS AND I'VE HEARD FROM OTHER PARENTS WHO HAVE EMAILED ABOUT HOW CHALLENGING THIS IS FOR THEIR CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY LIKE THE YOUNGER ONES, THEY'RE CRYING, THEY'RE HAVING TANTRUMS, THEY DON'T WANT TO BE ONLINE AND THAT KIND OF THING.
I WANT TO GIVE VOICE TO THAT AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY HAVING THAT EXPERIENCE.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE DATA ON THE ATTENDANCE AND THE ACADEMIC PROCESS FROM THE FIRST QUARTER YET.
I THINK THAT WILL BE VERY INTERESTING WHEN WE SEE THAT AS WELL.
JUST TO ACKNOWLEDGE, YES, IT IS A PANDEMIC, I KNOW EVERYONE IS WORKING, YOU KNOW, DR. HUTCHENS AND EVERYONE ON THE TEAM IS WORKING, OUR TEACHERS ARE WORKING TWICE AS HARD AS IN A NORMAL SCHOOL YEAR.
THIS ISN'T AN EASY PROBLEM TO SOLVE.
I KNOW THAT WE'RE TAKING THIS METHODICAL AND COLLABORATIVE APPROACH, WHICH TAKES MORE TIME AND I THINK THAT THAT HAS PAID OFF, BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN OUR -- YOU KNOW, SOME NEIGHBORING DIVISIONS PUT OUT PLANS AND THEN HAVE TO ROLL THEM BACK, AND WE HAVEN'T HAD TO DO THAT, SO THAT'S BEEN VERY GOOD.
I THINK IF WE COULD GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN DEFINITIVELY KIND OF SAY TO THE COMMUNITY, LIKE, THIS IS WHAT THE PLAN IS, AND I IS GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED AS SOON AS THE METRICS, AS SOON AS IT IS SAFE TO DO SO, THEN I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT -- WHAT I'M TEASING OUT WHAT STAKEHOLDERS ARE SAYING, THAT'S LIKE REALLY WHAT IS -- WHERE I'M HEARING SOME OF THE FRUSTRATION COMING
[00:40:03]
FROM.FOR PARENTS, WHO ARE GETTING THE INFORMATION FRO US, SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE TWO STEPS FORWARD AND THEN LIKE ONE STEP BACK.
YOU KNOW, WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO THESE THINGS, BUT IT IS CONTINGENT ON ALL OF THESE FACTORS OR WE PUT OUT THESE DATES AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO MEET THEM.
OR WE SAY ONLY ONE DAY IS FEASIBLE, BUT NOW WE'RE SAYING ON THIS CHOICE FORM, IT IS GOING TO BE A MINIMUM OF TWO DAYS.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, I'M CONCERNED THAT THE PROCESS AND I GET IT, IT IS A DYNAMIC PROCESS, IT IS NOT EASY.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRUST THAT COULD BE ERODING WITH SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH THE PROCESS.
AND SO I'M GOING TO JUST ASK, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A WAY TO SPEED UP THE PLANNING PROCESS.
IS THERE A WAY TO FIGURE OUT SORT OF LIKE -- WHAT IS THE FINAL PLAN QUICKER? AND SO THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT IT AS SOON AS THE HEALTH METRICS SAY IT IS SAFE TO DO THAT.
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT HOW WE HAVE ADJUSTED THE TIMELINE NOW, PUSHING IT BACK A LITTLE BIT AND I'M JUST -- IT HAS KIND OF GOT ME WONDERING ABOUT, DO WE NEED TO HAVE A PHASED-IN APPROACH.
DOES IT NEED TO BE SPREAD OVER SIX WEEKS? IS THERE A WAY TO COMPRESS THE TIMELINE, WHAT IS THE RATIONALE FOR DOING THE PHASING IN.
MAYBE WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT THE PRIORITIZATION AND NOT BE PUTTING DATES ON IT.
MAYBE IF YOU CAN HELP US, HELP THE COMMUNITY AND MYSELF TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'LL KNOW WHAT THE FINAL PLAN IS, I THINK THAT THAT -- THAT'S WHERE I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE ARE FEELING LIKE THEY'RE JUST FEELING FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THEY JUST WANT TO KNOW KIND OF LIKE WHAT IT IS.
MAYBE YOU CAN EXPLAIN WHY IT IS HARD TO SORT OF NAIL DOWN ALL OF THE DIFFERENT DETAILS.
SO IF YOU COULD ANSWER THAT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
>> THANKS FOR THE QUESTION, DR. REIF, THERE'S SO MANY PIECES TO THE ACTUALLY PLAN.
YOU KIND OF ALLUDED TO THIS EARLIER.
MANY SCHOOL DIVISIONS ARE PUTTING OUT PLANS AND HAVING TO DIVERT TO SOMETHING ELSE.
THE REASON FOR THAT, MY BELIEF, THE REASONING FOR THAT IS BECAUSE THE TWO MAIN COMPONENTS THAT HELP US SOLIDIFY HOW WE EXECUTE THIS PLAN IS GOING TO BE THE FAMILY CHOICE OF STUDENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN OUR SCHOOLS AND THE STAFF THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN OUR SCHOOLS.
THAT WILL GIVE US A PLAN AND THIS IS HOW WE EXECUTE IT.
WE STILL HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THINGS COULD CHANGE AGAIN IN THE NEXT MONTH, WHERE SOME FAMILIES SAY NOW MY CHILD IS NOT COMING, NOW MY CHILD IS COMING, THAT'S GOING TO CAUSE ANOTHER CHANGE.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE EVER-CHANGING.
THERE WILL NEVER BE ONE PLAN THAT IS GOING TO WORK FOR ANY SCHOOL DIVISION, THAT'S WHY EVERYBODY IS CHANGING THEM.
THERE IS NOT ONE PLAN, WE'RE GOING TO STICK TO THIS PLAN.
THIS IS HOW IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, BECAUSE WE'RE ALL EXPERIENCING SO MANY CHALLENGES IN OTHER AREAS, ON ONE HAND WE'RE SAYING WE WANT TO BE TRANSPARENT AND SHARE THE CHALLENGES, UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK BE SOME PEOPLE TAKE THAT AS IF WE'RE TRYING TO NOT COME BACK TO SCHOOL.
WHEREAS WE'RE JUST TRYING TO BE TRANSPARENT SO SAY, THESE ARE THE REAL CONSTRAINTS THAT ARE REAL, AND THEY ARE SOLID AND THEY HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR COMING BACK.
I'M GOING TO USE A PRIME EXAMPLE.
NOVEMBER 5TH, WE WANTED TO BRING BACK OUR CITYWIDE STUDENTS.
WELL HOW CAN BE BRING ALL OF THE STUDENTS BACK WITH TWO TEACHERS? LIKE HOW -- I MEAN, HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW WE DO THAT.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IS POSSIBLE.
AND FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR SEVERAL REASONS AS TO WHY WE COULDN'T HAVE THE TEACHERS BACK INTO OUR BUILDINGS.
BUT THAT'S JUST ONE PRIME EXAMPLE OF YOU CAN HAVE A SET PLAN ON HOW IT IS GOING TO WORK AND HOW IT IS GOING TO OPERATE, AND YOU KNOW, THINGS -- THINGS HAPPEN AND CONSTRAINTS OCCUR AND IT DOESN'T BECOME POSSIBLE AND I FEEL THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO REMIND OUR COMMUNITY AND IT IS A VERY DIFFERENT WAY OF THINKING.
I MEAN, WE'RE SO USED TO SAYING THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO IT AND LET'S EXECUTE IT.
WE'RE NOT IN THE WORLD OF DOING THAT ANYMORE.
I MEAN, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE PLANS TO GO VISIT THEIR FAMILIES FOR THANKSGIVING AND THEY COULDN'T GO.
HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE PLANS TO, YOU KNOW, LEAVE THEIR HOMES TO GO TO A RESTAURANT AND EAT IN A CERTAIN -- AND YOU GOT TO EAT OUTSIDE AND NOW IT IS TOO COLD.
SO WE'RE IN A WORLD OF INFLUX.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO SAY IT.
WHAT OTHER WAY TO SAY IT HONESTLY, OTHER THAN TO BE AS DIRECT AS I POSSIBLY CAN.
ONE THING THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY DOING IS, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO
[00:45:01]
SOLIDIFY WHAT THE HYBRID SCHEDULE AND WHAT THE HYBRID LEARNING MODEL WILL LOOK LIKE, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE SOLIDIFYING THAT AT THE END OF NEXT WEEK.SO WE WILL HAVE SOME MORE DETAILS IN REGARDS TO WHAT THE ACTUAL DELIVERY OF INSTRUCTION IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
ONE THING THAT WE WANTED TO DO, I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THIS, TOO, IN YOUR COMMENTS IS US ENGAGING OUR STAFF, YOU KNOW, OVER 200 STAFF MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND, YOU KNOW, P-TECH REPRESENTATIVE, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT REPRESENTATIVES, IT TAKES A LITTLE LONGER TO REALLY COME UP WITH A WELL DEFINED PLAN, BECAUSE YOU ARE ALLOWING OTHER PEOPLE TO BE AT THE TABLE.
AND I STAND BEHIND THAT, SO I THINK IT IS -- YOU KNOW, IT IS WONDERFUL THAT WE ARE ALLOWING THESE MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES AT THE TABLE, BUT IT IS GOING TO REQUIRE MORE TIME.
BECAUSE NOW YOU'RE BRINGING ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, NOTHING IS GOING TO BE PERFECT, BUT AT LEAST WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH ALL OF THE KINKS BEFORE IT GOES LIVE.
SO WHEN WE GO LIVE, YEAH, WE MIGHT HAVE SOME HICCUPS OR BUMPS ALONG THE ROAD, BUT IT IS NOT GOING TO BE OH, WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND START OVER.
SO ONCE WE GET THIS FAMILY CHOICE DATA IN, THAT IS WHEN WE REALLY CAN START SOLIDIFYING OUR PLANNING AND NOT DOING HYPOTHETICALS LIKE WE HAVE BEEN WITH THE SURVEY DATA, BECAUSE EVERYBODY DIDN'T COMPLETE THOSE DOCUMENTS.
>>> IF I COULD JUST FOLLOW-UP.
LIKE I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE PHASED REENTRY, WHEN THAT WAS ROLLED OUT, MY UNDERSTANDING AT THE TIME WAS THAT IT WAS PARTLY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS WHAT WE WERE READY TO DO AND WE WEREN'T READY -- WE DIDN'T HAVE THE STAFFERING CONSTRAINTS WORKED OUT FOR, YOU KNOW, THE LARGER STUDENT BODY.
I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, SINCE WE ARE WORKING IT OUT THROUGH DOING THE STAFF RETURN AND DOING THE FAMILY CHOICE FORM, I GUESS I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE RATIONALE FOR THE PHASED REENTRY AND IS IT TO WORK IT OUT BEFORE WE BRING BACK MORE STUDENTS AND ANOTHER PART IS AROUND THE CITYWIDE PROGRAM BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT ONCE THE GENERAL POPULATION OF STUDENTS, GENERAL EDUCATION GOES BACK, THEN THE STUDENTS IN THE CITYWIDE PROGRAM WILL GO FROM BEING AT JEFFERSON HOUSTON BACK TO THEIR HOME SCHOOLS.
RIGHT NOW ON THAT TIMELINE, IT IS ONLY THREE WEEKS, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, I'M WONDERING, DOES IT MEAN MAKE SENSE TO PUT STUDENTS THERE FOR THREE WEEKS AND THEN MOVE THEM TO ANOTHER SCHOOL.
SO IF YOU COULD JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE RATIONALE.
>>> THE STUDENTS WOULDN'T GO BACK TO JEFFERSON HOUSTON, THEY WOULD GO BACK TO THEIR SCHOOLS.
THEY ARE NOT AT JEFFERSON HOUSTON RIGHT NOW, THEY ARE VIRTUAL.
THE PURPOSE OF DOING THAT IS EACH WEEK OF US DOING THAT PHASE-IN IS ALLOWING US TO EASE BACK INTO A FULL, YOU KNOW, AND IT IS STILL NOT GOING TO BE 100% OF OUR STUDENTS IN THE BUILDING, BUT ALLOWING US TO EASE OUR WAY INTO THIS WITH THE TRANSPORTATION THAT COMES ALONG WITH THIS, WITH THE STAFFING THAT COMES ALONG WITH THIS.
WITH THE ROUTINES AND THE NEW ROUTINES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING IN OUR SCHOOLS.
SO THERE WILL BE A LOT OF LESSONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO LEARN OVER THAT TIME PERIOD, VERSUS HAVING A HUGE DISASTER AND HAVING EVERYBODY BACK INTO THE BUILDING ALL AT ONCE.
IT GOES BACK TO WHAT YOU HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, TRYING TO BE METHODICAL IN THIS CASE AND FOCUSING ON WHAT WE SHARED BACK IN THE SUMMER WHEN WE KIND OF LOOKED AT OUR TIERED PROCESS.
WE WANTED TO WORK WITH OUR MOST VULNERABLE FIRST AND TRY TO EASE OUR WAY INTO ALL OF OUR OTHER STUDENT POPULATIONS.
WE'RE STILL TRYING TO STAY TRUE TO THAT.
AND THAT'S THE PURPOSE IN US DOING THE PHASE-IN.
AND YOU CAN ALSO NOTICE THAT WITH THE PHASE-IN, YOU KNOW, WE NOW HAVE DONE IT ON A SHORTER SPAN THAN IT WAS BEFORE.
BECAUSE INITIALLY WE WERE GOING TO BE PHASING FROM NOVEMBER THROUGH FEBRUARY.
NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PHASE-IN IN A SIX-WEEK PERIOD.
SO WE HAVE ALREADY KIND OF EXPEDITED THAT TRANSITION OF OUR STUDENTS.
AND IT IS STILL, I MEAN, I THINK OUR STAFF WOULD SAY SIX WEEKS IS FAST, VERSUS SIX WEEKS IS NOT ENOUGH FOR US.
[00:50:02]
SO, I MEAN, JUST THINK OF ALL OF THE -- I'M GOING TO GIVE INSIGHT OF SIX KIDS BACK FOR THOSE WEEKS WE HAVE STUDENTS.THERE WAS A LOT OF PLANNING AND WORK THAT JUST WENT INTO THAT.
IT IS JUST NOT AS SIMPLE AND EASY AS EVERYBODY, LET'S GO BACK TO SCHOOL, HOW IT WAS PREVIOUSLY, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY NEW PROTOCOLS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE THAT US WORKING IN SMALLER NUMBERS IS GOING TO BE A LOT MORE METHODICAL IS WHAT WE BELIEVE.
MADAM CHAIR, ONE IS HEALTH RELATED AND ONE IS INSTRUCTIONAL, SO I CAN GO THROUGH BOTH OR YOU CAN PUT ME END OF THE QUEUE, I DEFER TO YOU, HOW YOU WANT TO APPROACH THAT.
SO THE FIRST QUESTION, I HAVE IS SORT OF HEALTH-RELATED FOR DR. HERRING.
I WANT TO START BY SAYING I WANT TO DITTO WHAT DR. REEF SAID ABOUT HOW I DO APPRECIATE HOW WE HAVE BEEN RESPECTFUL AND COMPASSIONATE OF OUR STAFF.
IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE RETAIN OUR TEACHERS AND RESPECT THEM, AS A FORMER TEACHER, THAT'S SUPER IMPORTANT TO ME.
I'M VERY GRATEFUL DR. HUTCHINGS THAT YOU'RE BEING MINDFUL OF THAT AND BEING REPRESENTFUL FOR THE TEACHERS.
I WANT TO COMMEND THAT THERE'S AN EFFORT UNDERWAY TO ENGAGE WITH THE TEACHERS IN A COMPASSIONATED WAY ABOUT ADDRESSING SOME OF THESE FEAR FACTORS THAT ARE AFFLICTING THEM, BECAUSE WE WANT TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES AND GET TO A POINT ON THAT.
IF WE COULD PUT UP SLIDE SIX THAT DR. HERRING PRESENTED RELATING TO THE INDICATORS.
REALLY I THINK MY QUESTION IS SORT OF AN OUTGROWTH OF A QUESTION THAT I ASKED AT A PRIOR MEETING, WHICH IS TO SAY THAT I THINK AS A BOARD MEMBER.
I WANT TO MAKE MY DECISION BASED ON USEFUL DATA, AND CONCRETE DATA THAT IS IS AS RELEVANT AS POSSIBLE TO THE COMMUNITY.
WHAT I STRUGGLE WITH AS WE PUT UP THIS SLIDE.
THERE'S CONTROVERSY ABOUT USING THESE TYPES OF METRICS.
IN EUROPE THEY ARE NOT USING THEM AS MUCH.
NEW YORK JUST THREW SOME OF THEM OUT THE WINDOW.
IN EUROPE, THERE'S A DIFFERENT SITUATION WITH THEM NOT CHOOSING TO KEEP BARS OPEN AND PRIORITIZING SCHOOLS.
THERE'S DIFFERENT FACTORS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD AND SO FORTH.
I GUESS WHAT I'M REALLY STRUGGLING WITH IS, I WANT TO HAVE A BETTER CONCRETE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THIS IS RELEVANT TO SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN SO AS A BOARD MEMBER I CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.
WITH REGARD TO THE ACPS BUILDINGS THAT ARE HOUSING STUDENTS WHO ARE RECEIVING CHILDCARE, AND SO I GUESS WHAT I WANT TO JUST UNDERSTAND BETTER AND I'M HOPING THAT MAYBE DR. HERRING, YOU CAN EXPLAIN TO ME WHERE THE DATA IS OR WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE FOR THIS, I'M ASSUMING THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN TRACKING THESE INDICATORS OVER TIME.
WHETHER THE RISK IS GOING UP OR DOWN OR WHATEVER.
AND SO FOR ME AS A BOARD MEMBER, WHAT WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL TO SEE -- BASICALLY, I GUESS THE POINT I'M GETTING TO CONTROLLED EXPERIMENT FOR THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS.
WE'RE NOT SENDING KIDS TO SCHOOL AND THEN WE HAVE THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND BUILDINGS OPEN FOR CHILDCARE THAT ARE PUTTING KIDS IN PERSON.
AND SO IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE -- YOU KNOW, THE CASES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AMONGST TEACHERS, AMONGST STUDENTS, IN BOTH OF THOSE SETTINGS, YOU KNOW, HAVE PROGRESSED OVER TIME.
LIKE HOW MANY CASES HAVE THERE BEEN IN A GIVEN MONTH AND WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP OF THOSE NUMBERS TO THE INDICATORS HERE? I FEEL LIKE HAVING THAT DATA WILL ALLOW ME AS A BOARD MEMBER TO JUST BETTER ASSESS THE RISK, AND FRANKLY, WILL ALSO ALLOW US TO BETTER COMMUNICATE TO STAFF.
IF IN THOSE TWO SETTINGS THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN A HANDFUL OF CASES, REGARDLESS OF THE SPIKES GOING UP AND DOWN, THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW.
[00:55:01]
IF THERE'S BEEN AN INSANE INCREASE IN NUMBERS BECAUSE OF THE HEALTH METRICS HERE, I WANT TO KNOW THAT, TOO.THAT OBVIOUSLY IS GOOD TO KNOW.
I'M WONDERING, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, DR. HERRING, DO YOU HAVE THAT DATA? I'M ASSUMING THERE'S REPORTING THAT HAPPENS WHENEVER ONE OF THESE SCHOOLS HAS A CASE.
WHENEVER AN ACPS BUILDING HAS A CASE, STAFF HAS A CASE AND SO FORTH, SO THAT THAT THAT WOULD HELP ME JUST BE ABLE TO MAKE A BETTER DATA-INFORMED DECISION, BASED ON HOW THESE HEALTH METRICS ARE ACTUALLY IMPACTING THE POPULATIONS THAT WE'RE SERVING.
YOU KNOW THAT -- THESE METRICS, AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE SCALE, IT DOESN'T SAY THAT IT IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE TRANSMISSION OR THAT THERE IS DEFINITE SAFETY IF YOU HAVE INDICATORS THAT ARE VERY VERY LOW OR VERY VERY HIGH.
THAT BEING SAID IN ALEXANDRIA THERE WAS BEEN AN OUTBREAK, AND AN OUTBREAK DEFINED AS TWO OUR MORE PERSONS IN A GIVEN SETTING WITHIN A GIVEN TIME FRAME, SO THERE'S BEEN ONE OUTBREAK IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL IN ALEXANDRIA.
I KNOW THERE HAVE -- AND I CAN'T QUANTIFY THIS, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN I'M TALKING TO OTHERS IS I TALK ABOUT IS THAT ALEXANDRIA IS ONE AND IN OUR COMMUNITY THERE'S NOT A HUGE NUMBER.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN OUTBREAKS IN OTHER SCHOOLS THAT ARE OPEN BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT VIRGINIA.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE QUANTITY OF THAT IS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
I CAN CERTAINLY LOOK FOR THAT, BECAUSE THAT IS AVAILABLE ON THE VDH PUBLIC WEBSITE.
IN TERMS OF CORRELATING THE NUMBER OF CASES WITHIN DIFFERENT SETTINGS RELATED TO OUR TRANSITION FROM THESE DIFFERENT LEVELS, THESE DIFFERENT RISKS OF TRANSMISSION LEVELS, I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
I CAN JUST TELL YOU THAT IN GENERAL, THERE'S BEEN INCREASES IN CASES IN ALL SORTS OF ENVIRONMENTS, ACROSS THE CITY, PARTICULARLY IN THE WEST END, AND IN CHER LOGWA, BUT IT DOESN'T SPARE OLD TOWN OR SPARE ANY AREA ALEXANDRIA.
AND THANK YOU FOR THAT, DR. HERRING.
REALLY I'M JUST TRYING TO DISAGGREGATE THE GENERAL CASE COUNTS IN ALEXANDRIA FROM WHAT'S HAPPENING IN ANALOGOUS SETTINGS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A DECISION.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU SAID THERE WAS ONE OUTBREAK IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL.
HAVE THERE BEEN ANY OUTBREAKS IN THE ACPS FACILITIES THAT ARE
CURRENTLY HOUSING STUDENTS FOR CHILDCARE PURPOSES >> YOU KNOW, AND I JUST WANT TO PROVIDE A LITTLE DISCLAIMER, THAT I ACTUALLY AM ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT OUTBREAKS IN SPECIFIC FACILITIES BECAUSE OF RECENT LEGISLATION AND RECENT DECISIONS BY THE COMMISSIONER RELATED TO COVID-19.
TYPICALLY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOES NOT RELAY THIS INFORMATION, BUT I AM DOING THIS WITH THAT AUTHORITY.
WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF -- WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF OUTBREAKS IN DAYCARE FACILITIES.
I DO NOT KNOW WHICH -- YOU KNOW, WHICH ONES ARE SPECIFIC TO ACPS.
WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT DATA AT AN INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL, GIVEN THE LEGISLATION TO THE BOARD SO THAT WE CAN JUST HAVE A SENSE OF THAT INFORMATION?
>> SURE, I'LL LOOK INTO THAT AND SEND THAT TO DR. HUTCHINGS, THAT WAY IT WILL SURE TO GET TO EVERYBODY.
>> AND WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO PROVIDE THAT DATA AS A FUNCTION OF TIME SO WE CAN LOOK AT IT VIS-A-VIS THE TRENDS LIKE IN ALEXANDRIA GENERALLY?
>> I WILL ASK MY EPIDEMIOLOGIST HOW WE HAVE THAT REPORT -- YOU KNOW, HOW THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED AND RECORDED.
IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT VDH HAS THAT IS ON A TIMELINE FOR INSTANCE, I'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
I DO NOT THINK WE HAVE THE RESOURCES, QUITE FRANKLY, TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK IN TIME AND PULL THROUGH THE DATABASE, BUT I THINK IF IT IS ON THE WEBSITE, IT
[01:00:02]
CERTAINLY IS SOMETHING WE'LL BE ABLE TO REPORT.I DON'T WANT TO CREATE AN UNDUE BURDEN.
THAT'S VERY HELPFUL, DR. HERRING, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>>> I HAVE THE INSTRUCTIONAL QUESTION AS WELL BUT I'M HAPPY TO GO TO THE END OF THE QUEUE.
>>> LET ME GET THROUGH THE FIRST ONES.
>>> I ALSO HAVE MULTIPLE QUESTIONS, SO YOU CAN PUT ME AT THE END OF THE QUEUE AGAIN AS WELL.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE INVOLVED, THE REOPENING INITIATIVE AND THOSE ALSO BEHIND THE SCENES, WE APPRECIATE YOU.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS, ON THE UNABLE TO RETURN ALL STAFF PAGE.
AND DR. HUTCHINGS OR MR. CARSON, COULD YOU EXPLAIN TO ME IN THE FEAR AND ANXIETY CATEGORY THE 12 PERCENT THAT SOLELY SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT RETURN BECAUSE OF FEAR OR ANXIETY.
CAN YOU GO IN DEPTH AS TO WHY THAT WOULD BE A REASON WHY THEY DID NOT HAVE TO RETURN TO THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS? AND I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR REACHING OUT AND GIVING THEM RESOURCES, EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, AND THE OTHERS THAT WERE MENTIONED.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THAT REASONING WAS.
AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY ON WHY THEY WOULD NOT NEED TO RETURN BY SAYING SOLELY THEY HAVE FEAR OR ANXIETY.
>>> DR. WILKINS OR MR. CARSON CAN TALK DIRECTLY TO THIS.
WHEN WE WERE LOOKING DEEPLY AT THE 12%.
I KNOW IT WAS 130-SOMETHING STAFF.
A LITTLE OVER 70 TEACHERS THAT WE'RE REFERRING TO THAT SELECTED AS THEIR SOLE REASON UNABLE TO RETURN.
WE'RE TALKING TO EACH OF THOSE STAFF MEMBERS TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IS THAT FEAR.
OUR GOAL IS TO MITIGATE FEARS FOR THE 70 PLUS TEACHERS WHO SELECTED THAT.
THERE IS SOME REFERENCE TO LULLS THAT DR. WILKINS CAN SPEAK TO.
AND WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT FEAR OR ANXIETY, IN THE WORKPLACE.
SO DR. WILKINS IF YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THAT, THAT WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
BOARD MEMBERS AS AN EMPLOYEE ACPS IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A SAFE WORKPLACE THAT IS FREE OF KNOWN HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARDS.
SO BY DEFINITION IN THIS PUBLIC HEALTH SITUATION, WE AS AN EMPLOYER HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO HEAR FROM OUR EMPLOYEES ABOUT SUCH HAZARDS, SO WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS AND SO LISTENING TO THEIR FEAR OR THEIR ANXIETY OR STRESS, IN THE WORKPLACE, GIVEN THE PANDEMIC HEALTH SITUATION IS SIMPLY GOOD MANAGEMENT BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CARE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND IN THIS CHALLENGING SITUATION, ALL OF US ARE IMPACTED AT THE WORK-HOME BALANCE AND SO THIS IS NOT AN EASY THING THAT WE'RE ASKING OUR EMPLOYEES TO DO.
THEY CAN NOT JUST COME BACK TO THE WORKPLACE BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION.
SO WE HAVE ENGAGED IN A DELIBERATE PROCESS TO LISTEN AND UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR EMPLOYEES, PARTICULARLY OUR TEACHERS ARE GOING THROUGH SO THAT WE TAKE CARE OF THEM AT THIS CHALLENGING TIME.
SO I'LL STOP THERE AND TAKE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
I'M GOING TO ASK ONE QUESTION ACTUALLY NOW AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH -- AND I APOLOGIZE IF IT IS SOMEWHERE IN THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE THAT PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WITH CAMPAGNA CENTER AND OTHER THINGS.
WILL THEY BE LOSING THEIR AFTER SCHOOL CARE, CHILDCARE, HOW DO WE SEE
THOSE INTERSECTING >> SO I KNOW MR. HUFFMAN IS ON HERE AS WELL AND HE CAN SPEAK TO THIS.
BUT ONE THING THAT WE ARE AND THIS IS WHY WE DO NOT WANT TO UTILIZE SOME OF OUR SPACES LIKE CAFETERIA SPACE AND OUR OTHER, YOU KNOW, PORTIONS OF THE BUILDING, AUDITORIUMS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BECAUSE WE WIL STILL NEED TO PROVIDE CHILDCARE SERVICES FOR SOME OF OUR STUDENTS.
WHEN STUDENTS ARE DOING A HYBRID LEARNING MODEL, THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN PERSON FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF DAYS OF THE WEEK AND THE OTHER DAYS THEY ARE VIRTUAL
[01:05:03]
AND THOSE FAMILIES WHO STILL HAVE -- YOU KNOW, JOBS, THEY ARE STILL GOING TO NEED THAT SERVICE THROUGHOUT THE DAY.WE'RE GOING TO STILL NEED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME LOCATIONS FROM THE RECS CENTERS AND OTHER SPACES THAT WE HAVE WITHIN OUR BUILDINGS.
SO THOSE ARE STILL GOING TO HAVE TO BE IN PLACE.
I KNOW, MR. HUFFMAN, THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS THEY MEET EACH WEEK AND THIS IS ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT THEY HAVE.
MR. HUFFMAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ELABORATE ON THAT?
IN FACT, WE HAVE HAD INTERNAL MEETINGS ABOUT WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR OUR PROVIDERS AND CHILDCARE PARTNERS AS WE TRANSITION POTENTIALLY INTO A HYBRID MODEL.
WHAT ARE SOME INNOVATIVE WAYS THAT WE CAN ALLOCATE SPACE.
ALICIA HART, DR. HART AND I, AND JULIA BURGOS AND SEVERAL OTHERS ARE JUST IN DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME POTENTIAL POSSIBILITIES IN TERMS OF FACILITIES THAT WE POTENTIALLY COULD ALLOCATE AS KIND OF A SHARED SPACE OR MAYBE THERE'S SOME OTHER POTENTIAL FACILITIES THAT COULD WORK TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE CHILDCARE IN A HYBRID MODEL FOR THOSE FAMILIES THAT ARE IN NEED.
AND AS DR. HUTCHINGS HAS SAID PREVIOUSLY, EVERY TUESDAY WE MEET WITH THESE PROVIDERS AND PARTNERS.
WE HAVE A NEW TIMELINE, AND POTENTIAL PLAN IN PLACE.
WHAT ARE YOU GUYS -- THIS IS SUCH A STRONG RELATIONSHIP AND AN OPEN RELATIONSHIP OF STRENGTH THAT WE'RE HAVING OPEN FORUMS ABOUT OKAY, WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TOGETHER.
MAYBE THE PROVIDERS HAVE A GREAT ANSWER, MAYBE THE CITY REPS THAT ARE ON THOSE CALLS WILL HAVE A GOODS ANSWER OR AT LEAST SOME IDEAS.
REALLY WE'RE INTO THIS MODE OF LET'S FIGURE THIS OUT TOGETHER.
JUST LIKE WE HAVE UP TO THIS POINT WHICH HAS BEEN PRETTY SUCCESSFUL.
I THINK IT JUST MIGHT BE CONFUSING FOR SOME FAMILIES WHO ARE FILLING OUTS THE RETURN FORM BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO NECESSARILY LOSE WHAT THEY HAVE, BUT THEY ALSO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN DOING THE VIRTUAL.
SO I JUST WANT TO THROW THAT OUT THERE IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATION THAT IT IS CRYSTAL CLEAR FOR EXPECTING FAMILIES TO CHOOSE ONE OR THE OTHER AND I THINK THERE'S SOME ANXIETY THAT IF THEY -- THAT THEY WILL GET JUST -- THAT THEY WILL LOSE WHAT THEY HAVE ALREADY GOTTEN TO PLACE.
SO JUST IF YOU ALL KEEP THAT IN MIND.
>>> MADAM CHAIR, I THINK HE GOT AN EMAIL ABOUT THAT TODAY.
I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL, TOO, TO NOT PROMISE THAT WE CAN DO THAT.
ONCE WE GET STUDENTS AND THINGS BACK INTO OUR SCHOOLS, WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO THE LIMITED SPACE WE HAVE HAD PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.
WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD SPACES ISSUES WITH OFFERING COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN OUR BUILDINGS.
I DO NOT WANT TO ON THE RECORD WE'RE GOING TO GUARANTEE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CHILDCARE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
ONCE WE GET THESE NUMBERS IN, WE COULD BE IN A SITUATION AND I'VE HEARD THE MAYOR SAY WELL SPACE IS AVAILABLE, SO PLEASE LET US KNOW ALL OF THE SPACES THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND WE'LL BE UTILIZING THOSE SPACES IF THAT IS THE CASE.
BUT I DO KNOW WE HAVE CHALLENGES WITH SPACE.
IN ALEXANDRIA, EVERYBODY, WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD CHALLENGES WITH SPACE.
THE PANDEMIC DIDN'T BRING IT, IT WAS HERE BEFORE AND EVEN WORSE NOW, BECAUSE WE HAVE SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FOLLOW, SO WE CAN'T CRAM PEOPLE INTO SPACES AND SAY, LET'S ADD TWO MORE STUDENTS LIKE WE DO WITH OUR ENROLL THE -- ENROLLMENT.
WE CAN'T DO THOSE FINES OF THINGS.
WE HAVE TO DEFINITELY KEEP THAT AT THE FOREFRONT AND NOT MAKE PROMISES THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO KEEP.
WE ARE GOING TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THESE SERVICES AVAILABLE.
AT LEAST WE HAVE NUMBERS NOW OF FAMILIES THAT ARE UTILIZING OUR SERVICES, MEANING THE CHILDCARE SERVICES, SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SLOTS THAT WE ARE FILLING CURRENTLY AND THAT GIVES US AN IDEA OF WHAT KIND OF SPACE WE DO NEED AND HOW WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THAT.
I WANT TO PREVENT US FROM MAKING THE BLANKET STATEMENTS BECAUSE THERE REALLY IS NO GUARANTEE.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY OUR BEST TO DO THAT.
>>> I UNDERSTAND THAT ENTIRELY.
IT IS GOOD FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW IT IS A POSSIBILITY S THEY CAN START HAVING CONTINGENCIES.
AS WE GO THROUGH IT, JUST TO BE CLEAR, RATHER THAN HAVE PEOPLE GUESS, EVEN IF THEY DON'T KNOW, EVEN IF WE DON'T KNOW IF IT IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE OFFERED.
[01:10:07]
THAT'S SOMETHING KNOWING SOMETHING, TOO, RATHER THAN JUST GUESSING, I DON'T LIKE IT WHEN EVERYBODY IS GUESSING, THEN THINGS SPIN OUT OF CONTROL COMMUNICATIONS WISE, RIGHT? OKAY.SO LET'S START OVER AGAIN WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE THEIR HANDS UP.
>>> THANK YOU, CHAIR ANDERSON.
AND YEAH, AND SO MY SECOND SORT OF COMMENT/QUESTION WAS RELATING MORE INSTRUCTIONALLY AND I FIRST WANTED TO COMMENT.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE NEW SORT REVISION TO THE PHASE-IN PROPOSAL.
I REALLY LIKE THAT IT TAKES THE BOARD PRIORITIES TO HEART IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE WE PRIORITIZE OUR SPECIAL ED KIDS, FOCUS ON EL KIDS, THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS FIRST AND THEN SECOND PRIORITY IS K TO 2, K TO 5 LEARNERS IN THAT FRAMEWORK.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT AND TRANSPARENCY AROUND THAT IS GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT THAT NOT EVERYONE IS NECESSARILY GUARANTEED TO GO BACK.
WE REALLY NEED TO PRIORITIZE OUR MOST VULNERABLE LEARNERS AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE GETTING THIS INSTRUCTION.
I JUST WANT TO THANK THE STAFF FOR THEIR HARD WORK IN DEVISING THAT.
OBVIOUSLY, I HOPE WE CAN ADHERE TO THAT.
I KNOW IT IS A VERY DYNAMIC SITUATION AND A LOT OF MOVING VARIABLES, BUT I'M EXCITED FOR THE PLAN AND I HOPE WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT, CONSISTENT WITH THE TIMELINE.
MY QUESTION IS RELATING TO THE HYBRID MODEL.
AND SORT OF JUST OUR THINKING AROUND IT.
I WAS KIND OF INSPIRED FROM A QUOTE FROM ED WEEK, WHICH I KNOW MANY OF YOU READ.
THERE WAS AN ARTICLE ABOUT HYBRID LEARNING AND HOW IT IS AND IS NOT WORKING.
THERE WAS CASE STUDIES IN THE ARTICLE.
ONE FROM SANTA FE WAS RELEVANT AND USABLE TO US.
13,000 STUDENT DISTRICT WHERE THEY ARE HAVING VOLUNTARILY TEACHERS COME BACK.
THERE'S A QUOTE IN THAT ARTICLE THAT KIND OF FRAMES MY QUESTION.
THE QUOTE IS HYBRID LEARNING CAN BE A BEST OF BOTH WORLDS OR A WORST OF BOTH WORDS REALITY.
IN THE BEST CASE SCENARIO STUDENTS CAN KEEP STUDENTS AND STAFF SAFE BY PROVIDING THEM IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION THAT GIVES THEM THE TOOLS TO DO MEANINGFUL SCHOOL WORK AT HOME.
SCHOOLS STRUGGLE TO TRANSITION STUDENTS SEAMLESSLY FROM IN PERSON TO REMOTE AND VICE VERSA AND STUDENTS WHO GET LEFT BEHIND BETWEEN THOSE THAT CHOOSE TO IN PERSON.
MORE LIKELY THAN WHITE PARENTS TO REPORT THEIR CHILDREN WOULD ENGAGE IN FULL-TIME REMOTE LEARNING.
I SAY ALL OF THAT BECAUSE I KNOW OUR DATA IS SIMILAR, IN THAT OUR BLACK AND FAMILIES OF COLOR HAVE DISPROPORTIONATELY HAVE SAID THEY MAY NOT NECESSARILY WANT TO RETURN BACK.
AND SO I KNOW RACIAL EQUITY IS THE HEART OF EVERYTHING WE DO, AND OBVIOUSLY, I'M ASSUMING WE'RE PLANNING FOR THE BEST CASE SCENARIO THAT THE ARTICLE TALKS ABOUT, NOT THE WORST CASE, WHERE THE EQUITY GAPS DECREASE.
BUT I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS, I'M SURE MANY OF YOU READ THIS ARTICLE AND ARE THINKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
HOW ARE WE LAYING THE GROUNDWORK SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT BEST OF BOTH WORLDS SCENARIO.
WHERE WE'RE ENHANCING EQUITY RATHER THAN THE ONE WHERE SOME STUDENTS PERHAPS OF MORE PRIVILEGED BACKGROUNDS COME BACK IN PERSON AND THEN THERE'S ENHANCING OF AN INEQUITY FOR THE STUDENTS POSSIBLY OF COLOR WHO CHOOSE TO STAY BACK FOR REMOTE LEARNING.
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR HOW WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THAT AND WHAT WE'RE PUTTING IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT TO THE EXTENT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE HYBRID, WE'RE GETTING THAT BEST OF BOTH WORLDS.
>> THANK YOU, MR. SUAREZ FOR THAT QUESTION.
IF YOU WANT TO CHIME IN, YOU CAN HELP ME.
BUT I'M GOING TO TAKE A FIRST STAB AT IT.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAVE BEEN HAVING A DEEP DISCUSSION ABOUT CONCURRENT TEACHING.
YOU HAVE THE VIRTUAL WORLD AND THE IN-PERSON WORLD, THEY ARE SEPARATE.
VIRTUAL LEARNING AND THE TIME THAT YOU MIGHT SPEND FOR THAT VIRTUAL COURSE OR CLASS MAY BE LESS THAN THAT IN-PERSON CLASS.
IT IS MOVING THROUGH ALL OF THE MATERIAL AND IN PERSON.
KIDS ARE MORE USE TO ENVIRONMENT SO THEY MIGHT LEARN MORE.
[01:15:04]
SOME KIDS, NOT ALL KIDS ARE THE SAME, BUT SOME KIDS.>>> WITH THE CONCUR RENT TEACHING MODEL SIMILAR TO WHAT OUR VIRTUAL WORLD IS LIKE WILL ALLOW FOR MORE EQUITY AND EQUALITY IN SOME TERMS, TOO, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOW STAYING TRUE TO THE VIRTUAL KIND OF LIKE TIME FRAME OF CLASSES AND TIME THAT KIDS ARE SPENDING IN CLASSES AND COURSES THEY ARE GOING TO CURRENTLY.
AND SOME ARE GETTING THE SAME KIND OF INSTRUCTION AN IT IS IN PERSON.
ANOTHER PIECE WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS WHEN YOU'RE ABLE TO RECORD THESE SESSIONS, WHICH IS GOING TO BE EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL, STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO GO BACK AND GET THE LESSON AGAIN IF THEY CHOOSE.
SOME KIDS COULD BE ABLE TO LOOK IN OTHER CLASSES IF THEY CHOOSE.
THIS CONCEPT I'M HOPING THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE BEYOND, YOU KNOW, SOLVING OUR PROBLEMS RIGHT NOW WITH THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
AND I THINK YOU HAVE SAID IT BEFORE, MR. SUAREZ, THE FACT THAT KIDS COULD TAKE AN AP CLASS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
YOU CAN GO SEE WHAT IT IS LIKE, GET A TASTE OF IT BEFOREHAND.
WE COULD HAVE A LIBRARY OF DIFFERENT LESSONS THAT HAVE TIED TO SOL OBJECTIVES, TIED TO RECIPIENT COURSES, THAT ARE TIED TO A SPECIFIC TEACHER, SOME OF OUR TEACHER THEY WORK WITH OTHERS BETTER THAN OTHERS.
SOME LEADERS WORK WITH CERTAIN PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY.
YOU COULD EVEN HAVE LIKE THIS LIBRARY OF COURSEWORK IN THE FUTURE, TOO.
BUT DOCTOR, I DON'T THINK IF YOU WANT TO ADD ON TO THESE DISCUSSIONS, THESE WHY THE TEACHER AND LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP TEAM IS SO IMPORTANT, THAT GROUP OF TEACHERS.
WHEN WE BROUGHT IN OUR FOLKS FROM WINCHESTER AND BLESSED SACRAMENT THIS PAST WEEK, EVEN WITH THE MODELS THAT THEY HAVE IN PLACE, WE CAN'T REPLICATE EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING BECAUSE WE HAVE A DIFFERENT POPULATION THAT WE SERVE, YOU KNOW, IN OUR BUILDINGS AND WE NEED THE EXPERTISE OF OUR STAFF WHO ARE ALREADY USED TO WORKING WITH OUR POPULATION AND OUR STUDENTS TO HELP US KIND OF REFINE HOW WE DELIVER THE INSTRUCTION IN ACPS.
>> A LOT OF SCHOOLS ARE TAKING MODELS AND NOT REALLY MODIFYING TO YOUR NEED.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MODIFYING IT TO OUR NEED.
DR., I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO ADD INTO THAT.
>> THAT WAS A GREAT ARTICLE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTE RIGHT.
THERE'S THAT LAST STATEMENT THAT WAS MADE.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WE HAVE LEARNED.
MANY OF THESE SYSTEMS JUST LAUNCHED INTO HYBRID, RIGHT? HOW CAN WE LEARN FROM THEM AND NOT MAKE THOSE SAME MISTAKES, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WILL WORK FOR US IS THE REVISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE MTS SYSTEM.
I THINK THE MULTI TIER SYSTEM OF SUPPORT WILL BE MORE CRITICAL NOW THAN EVER BEFORE.
WE ALSO LEARNED WHAT HAS TO OCCUR IN THE HYBRID MODEL TO SUPPORT THE TEACHERS IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND MORE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AS IT PERTAINS TO TWO MAJOR AREAS, LESSON PLANNING AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT, WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR TALENT DEVELOPMEN COORDINATOR AND WE'RE GOING TO IDENTIFY SOME PROFESSIONAL LEARNING MODELS SO THAT OUR TEACHERS CAN BE SUCCESSFUL AS THEY TRANSITION INTO THIS TYPE OF INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORK.
ONE IS TO RACHET IT UP AND IMPLEMENT YOUR MTS SYSTEM.
AND PROVIDE TREMENDOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ONGOING BASIS FOR LESSON PLANNING AND TREMENDOUS PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AROUND THE CONCEPT OF ENGAGEMENT.
THAT'S WHAT SOME OF US ARE GOING TO HELP IMPROVE AND PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OUR TEACHERS.
THE SCHOOLS ALREADY HAVE A SYSTEM OF INTERVENTION AND ENRICHMENT.
WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S STILL IMPLEMENTED ALSO, SO WE CAN SUPPORT STUDENTS DURING THIS PROCESS.
IT WAS A VERY GOOD ARTICLE AND GREAT INSIGHTS ABOUT WHAT TO NOT DO AND HOW TO
[01:20:12]
IMPLEMENT AT IT AT A DIFFERENT LEVEL.DR. HUTCHINGS, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT -- I'M GOING TO START WITH DR. REEF MENTIONED EARLIER THE ACADEMIC DATA AND HOW KIDS ARE FALLING BEHIND GRADE LEVEL IN THE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT.
WILL WE HAVE A CONCRETE OVERALL PLAN THAT'S GOING TO ADDRESS THE NUMBERS OF
STUDENTS THAT ARE FALLING BEHIND IN ACPS >> ABSOLUTELY.
THIS TIES BACK TO MTSS AND I THINK WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO ALREADY HAVE THE MULTI-TIERED SUPPORT SYSTEM FRAMEWORK IN ALEXANDRIA SCHOOLS, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE.
WE DON'T WAIT FOR OUR DATA TO COME TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WHEN A TEACHER IS DISCOVERING THAT A STUDENT IS FALLING BEHIND OR A STUDENT IS NOT ATTENDING THEIR ZOOMS OR WE SEE THAT THEY'RE NOT PROGRESSING ACADEMICALLY AT A PACE THAT WE BELIEVE IS ACCEPTABLE AND SHOWING APPROPRIATE ACADEMIC PROGRESS, WE AUTOMATICALLY BEGIN TO PROVIDE TIER 2 SUPPORTS FOR THOSE STUDENTS.
REASONS WHY HE WITH HAVE INVESTED IN OUR INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES, OUR READING SPECIALISTS, OUR MATH SPECIALISTS IN OUR BUILDINGS AND ALSO SOME OF THE REASONS WHY WE HAVE OUR PSYCHOLOGISTS AND SOCIAL WORKERS WORKING WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS AS WELL.
MANY OF OUR MTS AND STAFF AT EVERY SCHOOL LEVEL.
GIVING YOU AN IDEA OF HOW THAT WORKS IN OUR BUILDINGS, WHEN WITH WE DISCOVER OR A TEACHER DISCOVERS THAT A STUDENT HAS FALLEN BEHIND, THAT TEACHER THEN EITHER STARTS WORKING WITH THAT STUDENT INDIVIDUALLY OR THEY BEGIN TO WORK WITH A COUNSELOR OR PSYCHOLOGIST, OR ANY OF OUR SPECIALISTS AND INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES TO COME IN AND PUT IN SOME FORM OF INTERVENTION PLAN FOR THAT STUDENT.
AND THEN THEY BEGIN TO MONITOR THAT PROGRESS.
IF THE STUDENT BEGINS TO SHOW IMPROVEMENT, OF COURSE, WE TRY TO TAKE THEM OFF OF A SUPPORT PLAN, IF THEY ARE STILL EXPERIENCING SOME DEFICIT IN WHATEVER AREA, WE THEN CONTINUE TO ESCALATE OR PROGRESS THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORTS THAT WE PROVIDE THAT STUDENT.
NOW THE DIFFERENCE WITH THE VIRTUAL WORLD, WE'RE DOING THIS VIRTUALLY.
WE'RE NOT DOING OUR SESSIONS WITH STUDENTS IN PERSON, BUT OUR STAFF IS STILL ABLE TO DO ONE-ON-ONE ZOOMS, THEY ARE STILL ABLE TO DO SMALL GROUP ZOOMS. THEY ARE STILL ABLE TO HAVE SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO HAVE A 504 MEETING OR IDENTIFICATION MEETING, WE STILL HAVE ALL OF THESE SESSIONS OCCURRING WITHIN OUR VIRTUAL WORLD AND WE'RE NOT WAITING FOR THE FINAL VERDICT OF WHAT THEIR GRADES LOOK LIKE.
ANOTHER FACTOR THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND IS SOME OF OUR STUDENTS ARE EXPERIENCING, YOU KNOW, MENTAL AND SOCIAL CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT HAVING THE SOCIALIZATION THAT THEY ARE ACCUSTOM TO, SOME KIDS DEAL WITH STRESS IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS, I KNOW EVEN AS ADULTS, WE GET STRESSED OUT IF YOU'RE WATCHING THE NEWS, AND PEOPLE ARE SAYING THIS MANY PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW, DYING FROM COVID AND KIDS ARE HEARING THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, IT CAUSES ANXIETY AND THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON THEIR ACADEMICS, TOO, THIS IS WHY HAVING OUR PSYCHOLOGISTS WORKING WITH OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COUNSELORS ARE ALSO JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE ACADEMIC -- ACADEMIC PIECE, BUT DR. WOZINGO OR DR. CRAWFORD, IF YOU WANT T ELABORATE THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
NEXT WEEK THERE WILL BE A BOARD BRIEF THAT WILL HAVE OUR QUARTER ONE INFORMATION AND ALSO HAVE THE ABSENTEEISM REPORTS FOR QUARTER ONE AND THE ACADEMICS FOR QUARTER ONE.
AND THEN IN FEBRUARY, WE WILL BE PROVIDING A FULL UPDATE TO THE BOARD ON OUR FIRST SEMESTER.
TO GO OVER LIKE THE FIRST SEMESTER FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH DECEMBER AND KIND OF LIKE WHAT OUR RESULTS--WHAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING THROUGH TO REMEDY SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES THAT WE KNOW OUR STUDENTS ARE EXPERIENCING.
SO YOU WILL RECEIVE THAT ON DECEMBER 18TH, A BOARD BRIEF AND THEN IN FEBRUARY, WE WILL HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE FIRST SEMESTER OF OUR ACADEMICS AND ABSENTEEISM.
>>> AND POSITIVE INTERVENTION BE AND SUPPORTS.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL AND I KNOW YOU'RE STILL WORKING
[01:25:08]
THROUGH IT.THE ADVANTAGE OF THE CURRENT MODEL YOU CAN KEEP STUDENTS WITH THEIR CURRENT TEACHERS AND MUCH MORE EQUITABLE IN SOME WAYS.
I'M WONDERING HOW WE'RE GOING TO KEEP STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TOGETHER IF 45% OF OUR TEACHERS ARE UNABLE TO RETURN.
ARE YOU BRINGING BACK STUDENTS EVEN IF THEIR TEACHERS ARE TEACHING FROM HOME.
ALONG THOSE LINES, ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER WILL HAVE TO BE THERE.
ARE WE CAPABLE OF HIRING ADDITIONAL STAFFING.
WITH THAT MODEL AND WITH THE PHASED REENTRY.
THE L STUDENTS THAT ARE COMING BACK.
ARE THEY GOING TO BE WITH THEIR CURRENT CLASSROOM TEACHER, WHEN THEY ARE PHASED IN EARLIER.
IF YOU COULD JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE THINKING WITH THAT.
THIS IS WHY THE CONCURRENT TEACHING MODEL REALLY SEEMS LIKE IT IS A GOOD OPTION FOR US WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR STAFF NUMBERS, MEANING THA 45% OF THE STAFF ARE UNABLE TO RETURN.
IN A CONCURRENT TEACHING MODEL WILL AFFORD US AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE IF A TEACHER WAS AT HOME.
THAT TEACHER COULD STILL TEACH STUDENTS IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY, THROUGH THEIR COMPUTER.
I KNOW IT SOUNDS CRAZY, BUT THAT'S HOW IT WORKS.
ADVANTAGES OF CONCURRENT TEACHING.
YOU ALREADY HAVE BEEN TEACHING THAT WAY AND THEY JUST GO THAT WAY.
IF YOU HAD TO COME UP WITH A WHOLE NEW MODEL.
WHERE DO THE INPERSON KIDS DO.
>>> WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS FIGURE OUT HOW CAN WE OVERCOME SOME OF THOSE ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES THAT ARE GOING TO BE BROUGHT ON TO STAFF.
TRYING TO MANAGE IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL.
WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT WITH OUR TEACHER AND LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THAT THIS MONDAY SO WE CAN BEGIN TO SOLIDIFY THE PLANNING NEXT WEEK.
I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO NOT TRY TO ESTABLISH IN-PERSON -- IN-PERSON LEARNING SCHEDULE SIMILAR TO HOW IT WAS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
WE SHOULDN'T GO BACK TO HOW IT USED TO OPERATE.
IF CONCURRENT TEACHING IS OUR MODEL THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE.
A NORMAL SCHOOL DAY FOR SOMEBODY BEING ON A COMPUTER IS NOT GOING TO WORK.
A NORMAL SCHOOL DAY, WE DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE BREAKS WE HAVE NOW.
HOPEFULLY IT WILL CHANGE AS WE OPERATE, TOO.
SOME KIDS WERE SITTING ALL DAY.
AND THEY WERE JUST IN THE CLASSROOM.
SO I THINK THAT WE CAN WORK THROUGH SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES.
TO ANSWER THE SECOND PART OF OUR QUESTION, WILL WE HAVE PEOPLE PRESENT IN THAT SPACE.
WE'RE RIGHT NOW LOOKING AT THE SPECIFIC EMPLOYEE GROUP THAT COULD ASSIST IN THAT AREA.
IT WOULDN'T BE SOMEONE IN THEIR CLASSROOM TEACHING.
IT WOULDN'T BE SOMEBODY WHO IS TEACHING THOSE LESSONS BECAUSE THE TEACHER IS STILL THE TEACHER OF RECORD TEACHING THOSE LESSONS, EVEN IF THEY WERE REMOTE, RIGHT, TEACHING THESE LESSONS, WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE BY LAW, SOMEBODY IN THAT SPACE, BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE KIDS IN THE CLASSROOM WITH NO ADULT SUPERVISION.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK THROUGH SOME OF THAT.
BUT THOSE ARE DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE ALREADY HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
WHICH EMPLOYEE GROUPS WE COULD HAVE SUPPORT US IN THE AREA.
THERE IS SOME FUNDING THAT CAN HELP US IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.
[01:30:05]
HAVING DO THINGS LIKE THAT DOES RELATE TO THINGS LIKE COVID-19, YOU WOULDN'T DO THAT IN ANY OTHER SITUATION.SOME OF THE CARES ACT FUNDING COULD BE USED FOR SITUATIONS LIKE THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE ALREADY STARTED TO BEGIN, WE'RE ABOUT TO START ORDERING ALL OF OUR MATERIALS FOR THE CONCURRENT TEACHING MODEL OR JUST TO HAVE CAMERAS IN GENERAL, WE'RE LOOKING BEYOND THIS COVID-19, OR GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
HAVING ACCESS, MEANING, CAMERAS IN EVERYONE OF OUR CLASSROOMS SO THAT STUDENTS COULD ACTUALLY LOGIN TO SEE A CLASS, THAT'S A GAME CHANGER.
ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE AND I USED THIS EXAMPLE EARLIER.
SOME STUDENTS ARE FROM OUR COUNTRIES IN ACPS.
WE REPRESENT OVER 120 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.
SOME OF THEIR FAMILIES, THEY STILL LIVE HERE.
BUT THEY GO TO VISIT THEIR LOVED ONES AND THEIR FAMILIES IN OTHER COUNTRY, THEY WITHDRAW THEIR KIDS FOR THREE MONTHS AND THEN THEY COME BACK, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU'RE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY -- YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GO FOR TWO WEEKS, YOU'RE GOING TO GO FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, BUT THEY STILL HAVE A RESIDENCE HERE.
THEIR HOME IS STILL HERE, BUT THEY ARE SOMEWHERE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY VISITING.
IMAGINE IF THAT WERE THE CASE AND YOU'RE STILL A RESIDENT YOU'RE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY FOR THREE MONTHS.
WE'RE NOT HAVING THE LOSS DURING THAT TIME, BECAUSE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO CHIME INTO THESE CLASSES AND STILL BE ENGAGED IN OUR INSTRUCTION.
IT IS GOING TO DEPEND ON TIMING ZONES IN TERMS OF WHETHER SYNCHRONOUS OR ASYNCHRONOUS.
WE ARE NOT HAVING KIDS MISS THREE MONTHS OF SCHOOL.
WE ALSO HAVE KIDS WITH HOMEBOUND SITUATIONS.
CAMERAS IN THE FUTURE, THINKING BEYOND THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
WE COULD NOW NOT HAVE TO HAVE HOMEBOUND INSTRUCTORS IN THE HOME.
IT COULD BE TO COME IN AND CHECK IN.
STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO LOGIN AND SEE DIFFERENT CLASSES.
STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO EXPLORE OTHER CLASS, THESE ARE ALL OF THE INNOVATIVE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVING THESE CAMERAS IN OUR SCHOOLS WILL BRING.
WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE THE CAMERAS PRIOR TO JANUARY 19TH AS OF RIGHT NOW.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH GETTING THEM ALL YOU KNOW, ONE PURCHASED AND THEN TWO INSTALLED INTO OUR CLASSROOMS, BUT I KNOW THAT THIS WILL BE A RESOURCE THAT WILL BE BEYOND THIS GLOBAL PANDEMIC, SO WE HAVE TO NOT ONLY THINK FOR TODAY.
BUT ALSO THINK ABOUT HOW THIS IS BENEFICIAL FOR TOMORROW.
I THINK I ANSWERED ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS, DR. REEF, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER.
>>> THE ONLY THING WAS ABOUT THE L STUDENTS.
I GUESS WHAT I WANT TO ASK, RELATED TO THAT, ARE THE TEACHERS GOING TO RETURN AT THE HOME OR WILL THERE BE A PHASED REENTRY OF THE TEACHERS AS WELL.
>>> LIKE IF THE L STUDENTS COMING BACK EARLY ARE THE L TEACHERS COMING BACK AS WELL.
>>> LET'S HAVE DR. NICKERSON ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
>>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
OUR L STUDENTS RECEIVE A MAJORITY FROM THEIR GENERA EDUCATION TEACHERS AND IN ADDITION THEY HAVE ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION FROM THEIR L TEACHERS.
SO YES, WHEN OUR L STUDENTS COME BACK, THEY WILL HAVE GENERAL EDUCATION TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOMS AND SIMILAR TO WHAT MR. DR.
HUTCHINGS JUST DESCRIBED FOR L STUDENTS, IT WILL BE THE SAME FOR ALL STUDENTS, WHERE SOME WILL HAVE TEACHERS IN PERSON AND SOME WILL HAVE THE PRIMARY TEACHER VIRTUAL AND THAT WILL ALSO APPLY TO THE L TEACHER SITUATION.
>>> DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? THANK YOU.
>> I THINK ONE MAJOR THING THAT WE'RE GETTING OUT OF ALL OF THIS IS THE FACT THAT -- INITIALLY, AND I'M GOING TO BE HONEST, I WASN'T AN ADVOCATE FOR THE CONCURRENT TEACHING, WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT IT, TWO MONTHS AGO, AH, THAT SEEMS LIKE A LOT.
THE MORE I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM OUR TEACHERS AND EVEN WITH SOME OF OUR DISCUSSIONS THEY HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO CHANGE STUDENTS, THAT THAT IS A DISRUPTION TO THEIR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
THAT WHAT IF I CAN'T COME INTO THE BUILDING BECAUSE I HAVE A MEDICAL CONDITION, BUT I WANT TO STAY WITH MY STUDENTS.
I WANT TO STILL TEACH MY KIDS.
I'VE BEEN TEACHING THEM FOR THE PAST FOUR MONTHS AND I WANT TO CONTINUE TEACHING
[01:35:03]
THEM, RIGHT? AND THAT REALLY RESONATED WITH ME.THAT IS THE ONLY LEARNING MODEL THAT IS GOING TO ALLOW FOR US TO DO THOSE THINGS.
YOU CAN'T DO THAT WITH THE OTHER -- WITH THE OTHER MODELS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY HYBRID LEARNING MODEL THAT IS GOING TO AFFORD US, YOU KNOW, THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAY WITH KIDS, MEANING CLASSROOMS, STAY WITH THE TEACHER, FOR TEACHERS ARE UNABLE TO BE IN THE SCHOOL, THEY CAN STILL TEACH THEIR SAME KIDS AND WE DON'T HAVE TO HIRE ANOTHER TEACHER TO BE IN THAT CLASSROOM WITH THE KIDS, AND SO IT SEEMS TO ME, WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THIS ON MONDAY WITH OUR TEACHING LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP TEAM, HOW CAN WE WORK THROUGH THE KINKS AND HOW CAN WE WORK SMART? IT IS NOT LIKE DOUBLE DUTY.
WE DON'T WANT TEACHERS WORKING 60, 70, 75 HOURS A WEEK.
ANOTHER THING I LEARNED FROM THE LEADERSHIP TEAM ON MONDAY ABOUT THEIR GROUPS, WE HAVE TO HAVE SACRED PLANNING TIME.
TEACHERS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PLAN.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU'RE GOING TO TEACH YOUR STUDENTS AND TAKE YOUR PLANNING TIME AWAY FROM YOU.
THOSE MONDAYS THAT ARE PLANNING DAYS AND MEETING DAYS, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT TEACHERS ARE GETTING THAT TIME TO REALLY DO THAT PLANNING, SO THAT THEY CAN PREPARE FOR THOSE OTHER FOUR DAYS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
AND THEY'RE NOT HAVING TO ON TOP OF WORKING HYBRID, MEANING VIRTUALLY AND IN-PERSON AT ONCE.
YOU KNOW, ON TOP OF THAT HAVING TO PLAN, YOU KNOW, DOUBLE.
SO IF WE GAVE THEM THAT DAY OF PLANNING, THAT WILL HOPEFULLY ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL WORK THAT WOULD HAVE TO HAPPEN IF WE DIDN'T GIVE THEM THAT EXTRA DAY.
>>> I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, DR. REEF.
I HAVE MS. ALDERTON WITH A QUESTION.
>> SORRY I COULDN'T FIND MY UNMUTE BUTTON.
>> I WAS STARTING TO WONDER IF I PUT MINE OFF.
>>> I ACTUALRY HAVE NO QUESTION.
I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION AND I WANTED TO PUT A PLUG IN FOR OUR PRINCIPLES AS WELL, AS WE TALK ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF SHIFTING TO THIS TYPE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I APPRECIATE THAT DR. HUTCHINGS SAID WAS THIS POINT OF NOT TRYING TO MAKE THIS LIKE IN-PERSON SCHOOL, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, I THINK IF WE DON'T CONSTANTLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS ISN'T THE SAME, WE CAN END UP PUTTING A LOT OF BARRIERS IN OUR WAY AND MAKING THE EXPERIENCE NOT AS GOOD AS IT CAN BE.
ONE OF THE THINGS I TOOK AWAY FROM THE PRINCIPLES ON WEDNESDAY, WHICH I THINK IS -- IF THEY COULD SHOUT IT TO THE ROOFTOPS, IT IS KEE IT SIMPLE.
AS WE MOVE TO THIS AND WE THINK ABOUT EVEN THE SCHEDULING, YOU KNOW, WHAT I HEARD FROM THEM IS, YOU KNOW, KEEP IT SIMPLE.
SO THAT IT IS NOT TOO COMPLICATED BUT IT WORKS AND IT IS EQUITABLE FOR EVERYBODY.
JUST THROWING THAT IN THERE FOR THE PRINCIPALS AND ALSO THAT MEANS MAKING SURE THE TEACHERS AREN'T OVERBURDENED AS WELL.
>> MADAM CHAIR, COULD I JUST SAY ONE QUICK THING BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM?
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY MS. ALDERTON WHAT YOU JUST SAID WAS SPOT-ON, I THINK WHEN IT WE TRY TO BRING STAFF TO THE TABLE TO WORK THROUGH THAT, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, YOU KNOW, AND THAT IS THE ONE KIND OF NEGATIVE IMPLICATION THAT COMES FROM BRINGING MORE PEOPLE TO THE TABLE AND HAVING INSIGHT, AND I THINK THAT -- WHERE I THINK A LOT OF SCHOOL DIVISIONS HAVE GONE WRONG ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS THEY HAVE MADE THE DECISIONS IN CENTRAL OFFICE WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE SUPERINTENDENT WANTING TO BE I CAME AND SAVED THE DAY, WELL, I'M GOING FROM A DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHY, I'M WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHO DO THIS DAY-TO-DAY, AND SAYING WHAT IS GOING TO WORK BEST WITH OUR STUDENTS, BECAUSE YOU WORK WITH THEM EVERY DAY.
ONCE A TEACHER, ALWAYS A TEACHER, I GET THAT.
[01:40:02]
I ALSO HAVE TO BE HONEST THAT I'M NOT IN THE CLASSROOM TODAY.WE HAVE TO HEAR WHAT OUR STAFF ARE SAYING.
EVEN WHEN THEY FLIP OUT ABOUT OH, MY GOD, CONCURRENT TEACHING, LAST WEEK, I WAS LIKE, LISTEN, EVERYBODY.
YOU ARE ALL ARE GOING TO DRIVE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
IT IS NOT LIKE LET'S TAKE THIS MODEL AND DO IT HERE.
HEY, LET'S TAKE THE CONCEPT AND LET'S HOW THAT WORKS FOR ACPS.
LET'S TAKE THAT CONCEPT AND HOW IT WORKS FOR US.
THAT'S WHY IT TAKES A LITTLE LONGER TO GET THAT DONE.
BUT THE PAYOFF IS SIGNIFICANT.
IT IS SIGNIFICANT, BECAUSE IT IS A WIN-WIN SITUATION FOR OUR KIDS AND FOR OUR STAFF AND DR. REEF YOU SAID THIS EARLIER IN REGARDS TO US WANTING TO HAVE STAFF RETENTION AND MORALE, IF WE DON'T THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY AT A TIME RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE ASK PEOPLE TO TEACH WITH THEIR KIDS SCREAMING IN THE BACKGROUND AND ASKING THEM TO TEACH FROM THEIR HOMES, YOU'RE ASKING PEOPLE DO A WHOLE LOT THAT NOBODY SIGNED UP TO DO.
WE ARE STRETCHING OUR STAFF LIKE CRAZY, LIKE CRAZY.
IF WE KEEP THINKING THAT WE CAN PILE AND PILE AND PILE AND NOT EVEN HAVE ENOUGH RESPECT TO SAY, AND ARE YOU FEARFUL OF COMING BACK AND NOT EVEN HAVING THAT KIND OF RESPECT, TRUST ME, WE WON'T HAVE A STAFF TO SERVE OUR KIDS TOMORROW.
AND I FEEL BAD FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOL DIVISIONS THAT ARE PUSHING OUR STAFF THE WAY THAT I'M SEEING AND WHAT I'M READING ABOUT IN THE NEWS AND GIVING PEOPLE ULTIMATUMS, BECAUSE THOSE STAFF ARE GOING TO BE THE PEOPLE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RELY ON TO FUNCTION.
IF YOU DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR EMPLOYEES, YOUR ORGANIZATION WILL FAIL.
THAT IS 101 FOR BUSINESS AND ALL SUPERINTENDENTS TOOK THE COURSE.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REMEMBER THAT, AND WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH PEOPLE'S LIVES.
THIS GLOBAL PANDEMIC IS IMPACTING EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THIS EARTH.
EVERY SINGLE PERSON, NOBODY IS IMMUNE TO IT.
AND IF WE LOSE THAT FROM THE PRESSURE THAT WE GET FROM THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, IT IS NOT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, SO I WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR, TOO.
IT IS NOT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY THAT'S GIVING US THE PRESSURE.
IF WE LOSE THE FACT THAT WE SERVE OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF, WE HAVE FAILED THIS ORGANIZATION.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THOSE FINAL COMMENTS BECAUSE I FELT THEY WERE IMPORTANT AND I BELIEVE IT AND I SAY IT TO OUR STAFF, PRIOR TO THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND I'M JUST GOING TO CONTINUE TO SAY IT.
NOW AS A PART OF MY OWN PERSON A COURT VALUES AND PROFESSIONAL COURT VALUES.
[13. 2021-2022 Program of Studies]
NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES FOR THE 2021-22 SCHOOL YEAR.I'M GOING TO TURN THINGS OVER TO DR. MANN, WHO IS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT.
IF I CAN SEE HIM, I THINK HE'S HERE.
I CAN'T SEE ALL OF THE -- >> HE'S HERE.
DR. MANN, I'M TURNING IT OVER TO YOU.
>> I'M HAVING ALL OF A SUDDEN TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES SHARING MY SCREEN, WHEN YOU SAID I'M SET TO GO AND IT IS MY TURN.
>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD AND DR. HUTCHINGS AND THE COMMUNITY.
SO THIS YEAR, QUOTING MS. ALDERTON FROM MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY MEETINGS, WE KEPT IT SIMPLE FOR THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES, I THINK THIS MAY BE THE SHORTEST PRESENTATION I'VE EVER DONE IN MY TIME AT CENTRAL OFFICE.
EIGHT SLIDES AND THREE OF THEM ARE ESSENTIAL QUESTION AND CLOSING AND OPENING.
SO THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES COMMITTEE CONTINUED TO MEET IN SEPTEMBER MUCH TO THEIR CHAGRIN WHEN THEY GOT THE EMAIL FROM ME.
SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE TEAMS FROM DARRYL SAMPSON TO THE PEOPLE AT TC WILLIAMS TO DEL LENA AND COMMUNICATIONS AND CRYSTAL VERNON AND TEAM IN OUR IT DEPARTMENT AND GUTIERREZ, MY ADMIN ASSISTANT FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK AND TEACHERS AT ALL OF THE LEVELS AND WHO SUBMITTED IDEAS FOR THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES.
THIS IS THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES FOR 21-22.
WE HAVE THREE ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS THIS EVENING.
[01:45:01]
WHAT'S THE PURPOSE? WE FEEL IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOT ONLY CONSTANTLY REMIND NOT ONLY THE BOARD BUT THE PUBLIC THAT WE HAVE SUCH A DOCUMENT.>>> ARE YOU GOING THROUGH THE POWERPOINT, I'M STILL JUST SEEING THE FIRST SLIDE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GOING THROUGH IT OR NOT.
DO YOU SEE THE POWERPOINT NOW?
>> DO YOU SEE THE SLIDES MOVIE?
>> IT LOOKS AS IF YOU ARE NOT IN THE PRESENT MODE.
>> WELL, I WAS ALL READY TO GO AND LIKE I SAID, TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
WHAT IF YOU TRIED TO NOT USE THE PRESENT AND GO DOWN TO EACH SLIDE AND DO IT THAT WAY.
>> YOU KNOW THESE COMPUTERS ARE NOWADAYS.
THEY ARE TIRED OF US, EVERYBODY.
>> LET'S GO DOWN AND DO THIS WAY, YEAH.
>> AGAIN WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES AND WHAT'S NEW FOR 21-22 AND WHAT COURSES MAY HAVE CHANGED AS WE CONTINUED OUR WORK IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, AND NOVEMBER.
JUST A REMINDER TO EVERYONE AS TO WHY WE DO THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES, IT BEGINS OUR ADVISEMENT PERIOD.
IT WILL START FEBRUARY 4TH FOR OUR STUDENTS AND A FAMILIES.
MR. SAMPSON AND HIS TEAM HAVE STARTED WORKING WITH COUNSELORS AND DECEMBER 17TH TALKING TO THE BOARD ABOUT HOW WE DO OUR ADVISEMENT AS WE DO OUR PRESENTATION OF DISPARITIES AND OUR TAG HONORS AND EP AND DE COURSES.
IT PROVIDES GUIDANCE ON OUR ICAPS WHICH WE STILL HAVE T DO.
AND IT OUTLINES SCHEDULE POSSIBILITY, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THAT STUDENTS WOULD REQUIRE FOR THE WORKPLACE AND ALSO, AGAIN, MOST IMPORTANTLY ACADEMIC AND CAREER PLANNING, ULTIMATELY WE ARE PREPARING STUDENTS FOR CAREER, DEFINES OUR GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS AND INFORMATION ABOUT STEM ACADEMY, INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY, GW HEALTH SCIENCES AND ACADEMY OF FINANCE, AND THEN AGAIN IT LISTS OUR SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
I THINK WE MENTIONED THIS LAST DECEMBER, WHICH SEEMS ALMOST TEN YEARS AGO, GIVEN THE PANDEMIC, BUT WE FOUND A RESOURCE THAT OUR PROGRAM OF STUDIES IS ONLINE NOW.
SO WE WON'T BE NECESSARILY PRINTING OUT THOSE HARD COPY BOOKS.
BUT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MORE EASILY UPDATE OUR PROGRAM OF STUDIES AND IT IS ALSO ON OUR WEBSITE AND YOU CAN SEARCH AND EASIER TO PROCESS THE INFORMATION.
>> AND SO WHAT'S OUR NEW ADDITIONS, YOU MAY BE WONDERING THIS IS OUR THIRD YEAR OF GW HEALTH SCIENCES.
THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, MOST OF OUR COURSE THAT WE HAVE BEEN ADDING HAVE BEEN AROUND THE GW HEALTH SCIENCES.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO OUR PARTNER.
DUEL ENROLLMENT NURSING AID, PHARMACY AND SPORTS MEDICINE AND OTHER COURSES.
SIX OF THE COURSES ACTUALLY NUMBER HOW MANY WE'RE ADDING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE 6TH THROUGH 12TH GRADE, AND THIS IS AGAIN, OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR GW HEALTH SCIENCES CLASS.
NEXT YEAR WILL BE OUR FOURTH YEAR WITH THIS PARTNERSHIP.
THEN MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW THE STATE PILOTED THIS WITH SOME OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS, WE ARE ADDING THE AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES COURSE TO THE HIGH SCHOOL.
WE HAVE ADDED SOME SUPPORT CLASSES FOR OUR STUDENTS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
WE HAVE OUR SPANISH LITERACY FOR ENGLISH LEARNERS AND STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS.
WE MADE A COUPLE OF CHANGES TO OUR FINE ARTS.
THE CHANGES MADE THE COURSES NEW.
WE DIDN'T NEED TO BUY NEW EQUIPMENT.
THIS GIVES OUR STUDENTS THE ABILITY TO DIFFERENTIATE THEIR SKILLS.
LASTLY AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE OUR DUEL LANGUAGE PROGRAM UP.
WE'RE ADDING THE NEXT COURSE FOR DUEL LANGUAGE TO TAKE PLACE AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
AND THEN WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE LITTLE MINOR TWEAKS THAT WE HAVE DO AS WE UPDATE INFORMATION.
AS WE UPDATE COURSES AND ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT WE MIGHT GET FROM THE STATE.
CTE, FAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCE AND FINE ARTS AND HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND GW HEALTH AND SCIENCES ACADEMY, WE HAD UPDATES THERE.
[01:50:04]
WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF UPDATES IN OTHER AREAS.AS I SAID, WE KEPT IT SIMPLE THIS YEAR.
AND LASTLY, I WILL BACK OVER TO DR. HUTCHINGS AND OUR CHAIR FOR QUESTIONS.
DOES ANYONE HAVE -- OH, YES, PEOPLE DO HAVE QUESTIONS.
WHILE THE PRESENTATION IS SHORT, ANYONE THAT HAS SEEN OUR -- THE FULL LIST OF COURSES KNOWS THAT IT IS A VERY, VERY BIG THING, SO IT IS ALWAYS SOMETHING I LOOK FORWARD TO, SEEING THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES, BECAUSE I MEAN, IT IS JUST -- IT IS QUITE FRANKLY, A GREAT BRAGGING MOMENT, I CONSIDER WHEN I REALLY LIKE TO CELEBRATE WHAT AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE WE'RE OFFERING THE STUDENTS THAT COME THROUGH.
SO -- AND I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THE ONLINE -- HAVING IT AVAILABLE ONLINE.
I THINK THAT'S -- I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE GREAT.
WHILE IT IS EXCITING THAT IT IS BIG BOOK.
WHEN IT IS A BIG BOOK, IT CAN BE CHALLENGING TO FLIP BACK AND FORTH TO ALL OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS.
I THINK THAT'S A REAL GAMENING CHAER -- GAME CHANGER.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY ALL OF THAT FIRST.
ONE THING, DR. MANN, IN TERMS OF THE DESCRIPTIONS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY I THINK DR. MANN, THE FIRST TIME YOU AND I GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER WAS MANY, MANY YEARS AGO SERVING ON AN HONORS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT WAS TRYING TO IMPROVE THE LANGUAGE IN THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES THAT DESCRIBED HONORS CLASS, ADVANCED CLASSES AND SORT OF WHAT THE -- YOU KNOW, HOW TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THEY WERE OPEN ENROLLMENT, YOU KNOW, AT THE SAME TIME HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS INVOLVED WITH AN HONORS CLASS.
JUST KEEPING IN MIND OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, OUR FOCUS ON RACIAL EQUITY, YOU KNOW, AND WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE DISPROPORTIONALITY THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING IN HONORS AND AP CLASSES.
I REALIZE JUST CHANGING THE LANGUAGE IN THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES IS NOT GOING TO SOMEHOW MAGICALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE, BUT IT IS ONE WAY THAT WE CAN -- I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU GUYS HAD HAD ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT.
OR MAYBE MORE GENERALLY WHAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT DOING IN TERMS OF THE -- WHEN THE ICAPS ARE FORMED OR COUNSELORS ARE ADVISING STUDENTS ARE COURSE SELECTION.
>>> WERE YOU IN OUR MEETING ON MONDAY, MS. GENTRY? WE TALKED ABOUT HOW OUR COURSES ARE DESCRIBED AND I CAN'T SAY MR. SAMPSON, EVEN IF I COULD, HIS CAMERA IS OFF.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED OR ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD BE BRINGING TO THE BOARD TWO WEEKS FROM NOW.
THINKING ABOUT HOW WE DESCRIBE OUR COURSES, HOW WE TALK TO OUR STUDENTS ABOUT THE COURSES.
WE DIDN'T TACKLE THE DESCRIPTIONS AS FAR AS WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
SOMETHING WE MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT WE NEED TO CHANGE.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO TACKLE THE DISPARITIES, THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WE VISIT WITH NOT ONLY MY TEAM, BUT ALSO THE PEOPLE AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL AND OUR COUNSELORS TO ACTUALLY FIGURE OUT WHAT LANGUAGE DO WE NEED TO CHANGE.
SO YOU ARE -- YOU'RE RIGHT, THAT'S HOW WE MET WITH THAT HONORS REVIEW COMMITTEE WAY BACK WHEN.
THAT'S SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'LL BE DOING TO REVISE THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES GOING FORWARD AND HOW DO WE TACKLE OUR DISPARITIES.
LASTLY ON THE -- THE ONLINE PIECE.
IT IS ONLINE, BUT IT IS WILL IS INTERACTIVE WHERE WE KNOW THAT THAT BOOK OF -- I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PAGES IS PRETTY STATIC AND CAN BE DAUNTING AS YOU AND I ARE BOTH WELL AWARE.
DOES THE ONLINE -- I'M SORRY, I JUST -- DOES THE ONLINE ALLOW PEOPLE TO LIKE SEE LIKE A PATHWAY OF COURSES, I KNOW WE, OVER THE YEARS HAVE WORKED ON DIFFERENT TABLES, STUFF LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WERE A SCIENCE TRACK OR A
MATH TRACK IS THAT PART OF IT >> I DON'T REMEMBER.
IT HAS BEEN A COUPLE OF MONTHS THAT I HAVE PLAYED IN THE ACTUAL ONLINE VERSION OF IT, BUT WE CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT, BUT IT IS JUST, AS WE SAID, IT IS JUST EXCITING THAT WE NOW DON'T HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE FLIP THROUGH.
[01:55:02]
>>> ALL OF THAT AND THEY CAN GO DIRECTLY TO THE COURSE THAT THEY LIKE TO.
>>> THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, DR. MANN, I WAS VERY GLAD TO SEE THE AFRICAN AMERICANS STUDIES COURSE ADDED THIS YEAR.
I KNOW THAT WAS PARTIALLY OUTGROWTH OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL COMMISSION ESTABLISHED BY GOVERNOR NORTHRUM AND THESE ARE CLASSES THAT PEOPLE HAVE FOR MANY YEARS ADVOCATED FOR AND FOUGHT TO MAINTAIN.
THERE'S DEFINITELY DATA THAT IS LINKED WITH ETHICS COURSES AND GRADUATION RATES.
THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR JUST RECENTLY SIGNED A BILL THAT REQUIRES EVERY STUDENT IN THE CAL STATE COLLEGE SYSTEM TO TAKE ONE ETHNIC STUDIES COURSE BEFORE THEY GRADUATE.
AND THAT REALLY GOT ME THINKING ABOUT OUR CONVERSATION WE RECENTLY HAD ABOUT IMPROVING GRADUATION RATES FOR HISPANIC STUDENTS AND HISPANIC MALES AND GIVEN THAT THEY DO MAKE A PLURALITY OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION, I WAS WONDERING WHAT IS THE POSSIBILITY OF US OFFERING A LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES COURSE IN THE FUTURE.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE COULD LOOK INTO >> YES.
IF I SHOWED YOU ALL OF THE COURSES THAT WERE PROPOSED WE WOULD -- MR. TURNER WOULD SAY NOT POSSIBLE, OR NOT FEASIBLE, WE WOULD HAVE TO GIVE UP SOMETHING ELSE, BUT YES, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT AND I'LL BRING BACK AGAIN WITH MS. WAYLAND AND WE EXPLORE RESOURCES AND THINGS WE NEED TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
THAT CAME ALSO OUT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT PANEL.
WHERE JAIME SAID WE NEED TO OFFER MORE THINGS THAT WOUL APPEAL TO THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE OUR HIGH SCHOOL.
SO YES, THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WE'LL LOOK FOR IN THE FUTURE, WE'LL BRING THAT WHEN IT IS READY.
>>> THANK YOU, SO MUCH CHAIR ANDERSON.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND EVERYONE'S HARD WORK.
TWO QUESTIONS, AS WE HAVE DISCUSSED EARLIER IN TERMS OF THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS DURING COVID AND UNFORTUNATELY THERE WILL BE SOME THAT WILL HAVE TO HAVE ACADEMIC REMEDIATION AS A FOCUS.
DO YOU FORESEE ANY NEW COURSES THAT WILL NEED TO BE ADDED? WE TALKED ABOUT THE LITERACY OF 8TH GRADERS AND PERHAPS A COURSE ADDED THAT FOCUSES ON ENSURING THAT STUDENTS ARE ON LEVEL WHEN THEY ENTER 9TH GRADE AND ACADEMIC REMEDIATION COURSE BASED ON 8TH GRADE SOL SCORES, I WAS HOPING TO REVISIT THAT CONVERSATION AND SEE IF YOU PREDICT THE NEED FOR FUTURE COURSES.
MY SECOND QUESTION, IF YOU DON'T MIND AND THANK YOU, CHAIR FOR ALLOWING ME TO SQUEEZE THE TWO IN.
I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOU COULD JUST GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF HOW -- GIVEN THAT YOU AND MS. GENTRY TALKED ABOUT HOW DENSE IT IS.
AS MS. GENTRY NOTED VERY EXCITING THAT WE CAN OFFER SO MANY COURSES.
I'M JUST CURIOUS THAT IF YOU COULD GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF HOW ARE COUNSELORS TRAINED ON HOW TO USE THIS PROGRAM OF STUDY SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT ALL OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW TO ACCESS IT, OR ARE GIVEN A COURSELOAD THAT'S GEARED IN LINE TO THEIR INTERESTED NEEDS.
SO I THINK WE WILL SEE SOME COURSES THAT WE MAY NEED TO OFFER AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL AND EVEN MAYBE MORE AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
ONE OF -- WE DO HAVE A READING COURSE AT 9TH GRADE.
WE MAY NEED TO EXPAND THAT AND IT MAY NEED TO BE A DIFFERENT LEVEL.
IT WILL BE INTERESTING AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT OUR MAP DATA AND OTHER AS DR. SIMMONS MENTIONED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF THE MEETINGS AND TRIANGULATE WHAT OUR NEEDS WILL BE.
AS WE ADD COURSES, AS WE PROPOSE NOW AND WE DO IT FOR THE NEXT YEAR, IS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE FUNDING AND THE TEXTBOOKS AND THE TRAINING IN PLACE.
BUT WE KNOW GIVEN THAT WE -- WE KNOW THAT ACADEMIC LOSS IS REAL, THAT WE WOULD TRY TO EXPEDITE THAT AND MOVE FUNDS AROUND IF NEED BE.
SO I CAN PREDICT WE PROBABLY WILL SEE SOMETHING, WHETHER IT IS AN ADDITIONAL MATH COURSE AT 9TH GRADE AND EXPANDING OUR LITERACY COURSES WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN 9TH GRADE.
I WILL GIVE YOU WHAT I -- I DO KNOW HAPPENS WITH COUNSELORS, BUT IF I CAN -- IF IT IS OKAY, DR. HUTCHINGS, I WILL ASK DR. SAMPSON TO TAG TEAM
[02:00:04]
HERE ON HOW HE TRAINS COUNSELORS.I KNOW MEMBERS OF MY NEW TEAM ALSO MEET WITH THE COUNSELORS AND DESCRIBE WHAT THE COURSES ARE, THE EXPECTATIONS WHAT WILL BE COVERED AND THAT'S NOT ONLY AT HIGH SCHOOL BUT ALSO AT MIDDLE SCHOOL AND I BELIEV AT ELEMENTARY.
IT IS A MARATHON TRAINING SESSION TO UNDERSTAND ALL THAT HAPPENS.
WE HAVE DONE TRAININGS THROUGH OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS ON ACADEMIC ADVISEMENT AND HOW TO ENGAGE THIS THAT PRACTICE IN A WAY THAT PRODUCES MORE EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS.
AND THEN WE ALSO DID LAST YEAR AND WE'LL DO IT AGAIN THIS YEAR IS ACTIVITIES TO GET THEM INTO LTS PROGRAM OF STUDIES.
THE BOOK ITSELF LAST YEAR AS WELL AS INTO THE NEW ONLINE PROGRAM OF STUDIES, THEY ARE BEING ASKED QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSING WITH PEERS AND COLLEAGUES.
MAKING SURE I'LL WORK TOGETHER TO PULL TOGETHER RESOURCES FOR COUNSELORS, THESE ARE NEW CLASSES, THESE ARE WHERE THEY MIGHT FIT IN INTO A PARTICULAR PATHWAY FOR A STUDENT.
WE DO, WE REALIZE THE KEY AND CRUCIAL ROLE THAT OUR COUNSELORS PLAY AND MAKING SURE THEY CAN TRANSLATE THAT NEW INFORMATION FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.
>>> NEXT UP, WE HAVE MS. ALDERTON.
>>> MY QUESTION IS PRETTY SIMPLE.
IT IS ABOUT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY COURSE.
I'M APRIL ASSUMING AS MUCH AS I WOULD LOVE TO BE A REQUIREMENT.
ARE STUDENTS ALLOWED TO AT LEAST MAYBE REPLACE IT WITH ONE OF THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS OR I DON'T WANT TO SAY AN ELECTIVE BUT AN ADD-ON OR EXTRA.
>> DO YOU WANT ME TO TAKE THAT? SORRY.
WE REQUIRE FOUR YEARS OF SOCIAL STUDIES AND ACPS.
AS THE BOARD YOU COULD SAY THAT EVERYONE HAS TO TAKE THIS COURSE.
AND NOT DO THE REQUIRED FOURTH YEAR.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WHERE OUR REQUIREMENT OF FOUR YEARS THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO -- THEY STILL HAVE TO FILL THAT REQUIREMENT, BUT THIS WOULD BE CONSIDERED AS AN ELECTIVE COURSE AND THEN I'LL LET MR. SAMPSON ADD IF I HAVE MISSPOKEN THERE.
SO THE BOARD HAS APPROVED A FOURTH YEAR OF SOCIAL STUDIES FOR THE STANDARD DIPLOMA.
THE STATE REQUIRES THE FOUR YEARS PRESCRIPTIVE OF THE WORLD ONE, WORLD TWO FOR THE ADVANCED STUDIES, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ALTER THAT.
THE STATE HAS NOT INDICATED THAT THIS IS A COURSE THAT CAN COUNT IN LIEU OF ONE OF THESE OTHER COURSE REQUIREMENTS.
BUT CERTAINLY WE WOULD INCORPORATE THAT INTO OUR OBSERVE REQUIREMENTS.
THAT SEEMS TO BE IT FOR PEOPLE HAVING QUESTIONS.
THIS WILL COME BACK TO US FOR ACTION AT A LATER MEETING.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT MEETING, YOU COULD SEND THEM TO DR. HUTCHINGS.
[14. FY 2021 CIP Budget Reserve Update for Q1]
ALL RIGHT.NOW WE'RE ON TO THE CIP BUDGET RESERVE UPDATE.
>>> AT THIS TIME I'M GOING TO SEND THIS OVER TO DR. HART.
I'M JUST WAITING ON THE MEMO TO BE SHOWN.
>>> IF YOU DON'T MIND SCROLLING DOWN.
JUST WANTING TO PROVIDE THE BOARD AN UPDATE AND LET YO ALL KNOW OUR RE SERVE
[02:05:04]
ACCOUNT BALANCE IS 235,059.77.THERE'S NO CHANGE SINCE THE LAST UPDATE.
I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
JUST A QUICK GENERAL QUESTION, I KNOW THERE HASN'T BEEN REALLY ANY ACTION OR MOVEMENT IN THE ACCOUNT SINCE ROUGHLY 2018 OR SO.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING FROM YOUR OFFICE WHAT WOULD PRECIPITATE A RECOMMENDATION FOR YOU FOR US TO ADD SOMETHING INTO THE RESERVE ACCOUNT OR TO TAKE SOMETHING FROM IT? JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHY THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY MOVEMENT AT ALL OVER THE
PAST COUPLE OF YEARS >> I BELIEVE AND I'LL VERIFY THIS MS. THORNTON THAT WE ACTUALLY DID HAVE MOVEMENT TOWARDS THE LATTER HALF OF LAST YEAR, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT PROJECT SO FORGIVE ME, WHERE WE NEEDED AN ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCE, WE ASKED IF WE COULD USE SOME OF THAT RESERVE ACCOUNT.
ESSENTIALLY FROM MY STANDPOINT THOSE FUNDS WILL BE RESERVED FOR ANYTHING THAT IS DEEMED EMERGENT THAT WE CAN'T IDENTIFY IN THE COMBINED FUNDS BUDGET TO HELP FACILITATE.
I LIKE TO TAKE A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH WHEN IT COMES TO THAT FUNDING.
THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T SEE A LOT OF MOVEMENT.
WE TRY TO PROBLEM SOLVE WITHIN OUR EXISTING CIP BUDGET, BE OTHERWISE WE WOULD GO INTO THAT USING THAT PARTICULAR ACCOUNT.
>>> JUST TO PIGGY BACK ON THAT REAL QUICK.
FUNDS THAT WOULD MOVE IN AND REMAINING FUNDS ON THAT PROJECT AND FUNDS WOULD MOVE OUT OF THAT ACCOUNT IF THERE'S A PROJECT THAT HAS SHORTFALL AND NEEDS THOSE FUNDS.
I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE A LITTLE CONTEXT FOR THE -- REALLY THE EXISTENCE OF THIS FUND, WHICH I THINK IT IS KIND OF HELPFUL FOR PEOPLE TO HEAR.
WHAT THIS REALLY IS IS JUST KIND OF AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INCREASED TRANSPARENCY ABOUT OUR PROJECTS AND QUITE FRANKLY, THE GOAL IS FOR THIS TO BE A RATHER SHORT, NOT PARTICULARLY EXCITING MOMENT IN A TYPICAL BOARD MEETING.
AND YOU KNOW, AS MR. TURNER AND DR. HART WERE ALLUDING TO, IT WAS REALLY JUST TO ENCOURAGE A WAY OF CLEARLY INDICATING WHEN A PROJECT WAS DONE AND YOU KNOW, IT IS RARE THAT YOU GET LITERALLY DOWN TO THE EXACT DOLLAR AMOUNT.
VARIOUS PROJECTS MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY LEFT OVER.
JUST GOING AHEAD AND MAKING THAT CLEAR, BECAUSE WHEN YOU--WHEN YOU DIDN'T HAVE THIS PARTICULAR WAY OF PRESENTING THIS INFORMATION.
WHAT PREVIOUS BOARDS EXPERIENCED WAS WHEN THERE WAS A MOMENT WHERE A PARTICULAR PROJECT NEEDED ADDITIONAL FUNDS, THE WAY THAT IT WOULD BE DESCRIBED FUNDS FROM THIS PROJECT AND THIS PROJECT.
YOU'RE NOT MOVING THINGS FROM THAT PROJECT.
THE FACT THAT THEY WERE STILL LIVING THERE.
THERE WAS A CONCERN THAT IT WAS LEAVING -- THAT THE OPTICS OF THAT WAS POTENTIALLY LEAVING THE PUBLIC WITH A SENSE OF UNEASE THAT MAYBE, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, OTHER PROJECTS WERE GETTING SHORT-CHANGED IN ORDER TO DEAL WITH A -- YOU KNOW AN EMERGENCY NEED THAT SHOWED UP.
AND SO THAT IS IN FACT WHY THERE WAS THE -- YOU KNOW THE DESIRE TO HAVE THIS KIND OF WAY OF HELPING SHARE SORT OF THE EVOLUTION OF PROJECT AND HOW YOU WOULD END UP SOMETIMES WITH RESERVE FUNDS.
AND I'M GOING TO ENCOURAGE STAFF THAT WAS MY ATTEMPT TO EXPLAIN SORT OF THE
[02:10:02]
THINKING BEHIND THIS.IF STAFF IS -- I WOULD ENCOURAGE STAFF TO JUMP IN IF MY EXPLANATION MIGHT HAVE INADVERTENTLY MADE IT MORE CONFUSING.
BUT, YES, AGAIN, HOPEFULLY THE POINT IS THAT THIS IS NOT -- THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT SEES GIANT AMOUNTS OF MOVEMENT IS OR IS PARTICULARLY CONTROVERSIAL.
>>> IF I COULD, MS. THORNTON, I WAS ABLE TO RECEIVE THE ANSWER TO THE QUICK QUESTION.
WE ACTUALLY UTILIZED SOME OF THIS FUNDING FOR OUR JEFFERSON HOUSTON RECIPIENT PROJECT.
CLOSE TO 200,000, THAT WAS THE PARTICULAR PROJECT THAT FURTHER REDUCED OUR CIP RESERVE.
BUT THAT'S THE LAST PROJECT WE HAD TO USE THIS FUNDING FOR.
>> SO YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
THE ACCOUNT WAS SET UP IN A FASHION THAT WE GO WANT TO ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL, SO TO SPEAK.
WE CREATED THIS ACCOUNT SO THAT WE'RE NOT BORROWING FROM A FUND THAT IS INCOMPLETE AND USE IT TO FINISH THE PROJECT THAT NEEDED THE MONEY.
SO THIS WAY, EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE AND WE'RE NOT ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT EXPLANATION.
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER HANDS RAISED.
SO I THINK WE'RE -- WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
SO WE'LL GO ON TO THE NEXT THING.
DR. HUTCHINGS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY ABOUT THIS? IF NOT, IT IS TIME FOR MY REPORT.
CAN IT BE? IT HASN'T BEEN FOUR HOURS YET? I'M PLEASANTLY SURPRISED.
[15. Report from Cindy M. Anderson]
LET ME JUST REMIND PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE AN ADD/DELETE WORK ON THE 9TH.OUR NEXT REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING ON THE 17TH.
NOW WE'LL GO ON TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
>> I JUST HAVE ONE UPDATE THAT I WANTED TO GIVE AND THAT WAS ABOUT ANDRES
[16. Report from Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr.]
JACOBSON WHO WAS THE SECOND GRADER FROM LAWS CROUCH, WHO GOT TO SPEAK TO VICTOR GLOVER WHO WAS PART OF NASA, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL READ THE ARTICLE, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT-OUT TO HIM, THAT WAS REALLY COOL TO BE SELECTED OUT OF ALL OF THE KIDS ACROSS THIS UNCAN -- THIS COUNTRY FOR HIS QUESTION TO BE ACTUALLY BE READ.THAT WAS AWE SOME, I WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE SHOUT-OUT TO ALEXANDRIA ACADEMY.
ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? OKAY.
SO THE NEXT THING I NEED IS A MOTION TO ADJOURN, PLEASE.
>> MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE WE ADJOURN THE MEETING.
>> I SAW MS. GREEN SAY IT, I DON'T KNOW WHY I COULDN'T HEAR HER SO WELL.
MS. GREEN SECONDED THE MOTION TO ADJOURN.
>>> CHRISTOPHER SUAREZ, YES >> HEATHER THORNTON, YES.
>>> SO THAT'S 9-0 TO ADJOURN AND WE'RE ADJOURNING AT 6:16.
EVERYBODY, HAVE A NICE EVENING.
BYE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.