[00:00:02]
WELCOME TO JANUARY 12TH SCHOOL BOARD RETREAT.GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE HERE THIS EVENING.
[ 1. Agenda for the January 12, 2021 School Board Retreat]
WE HAVE A FEW ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.OUR WONDERFUL FACILITATOR IS HERE.
SO UNLESS THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE TO DO OR SAY I WILL HAND IT OVER TO LAURIE.
>> GLAD TO BE WITH YOU GUYS TO NIGHT.
WE HAD A LOT OF GOOD STUFF TO TALK ABOUT.
AND THE MEAGAN AND VERONICA AND GREG AND I HAD A OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE TOPICS WE WANTS TO BRING UP TONIGHT.
WE FELT IT APPROPRIATE THAT OUR STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS SOME OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAD GONE THROUGH A COMMUNITY CIRCLE PROELT PROTOCOL TO ADDRESS CONCERNS THAT HAPPENED NEAR YOU GUYS.
AND NOT ONLY THAT BUT JUST IN GENERAL SOME OF THE OVERALL CONCERNS OR CLOSURE THAT MAY NEED TO TAKE PLACE IN SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR US TO MODEL AFTER WHAT WE HAVE ASKED THEM TO DO AND GREG HAS ONE OF HIS TEAM HERE TONIGHT TO TAKE US THROUGH THIS EXERCISE.
I WILL JUST TURN IT OVER TO GREG TO LET YOU GUY RUNS WITH IT WITH THIS PART OF THE AGENDA.
>> I'M GLAD WE HAVE TWO GREGS ON THE CALL TONIGHT.
[2. Presentation on Community Circles]
MR. BALDWIN.[LAUGHTER] >> I WILL TURN THINGS OVER TO GREG BALDWIN, AS YOU ALL KNOW HE IS GOING TO FACILITATE OUR COMMUNITY CIRCLE THIS EVENING.
AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
I SAID WHEN GREG BALDWIN IS FACILITATING COMMUNITY CIRCLES SOMETIMES BECAUSE HE'S A PASTOR AND MINISTER IT FEELS LIKE WE MAY BE GOING TO CHURCH A LITTLE BIT.
BUT SOMETIMES WE CAN USE A LITTLE BIT OF CHURCH.
NOT TRYING TO PUT CHURCH ON YOU.
JUST SAYING I WANT TO TURN THINGS OVER TO MR. BALDWIN SO HE CAN TAKE US THROUGH.
THIS COMMUNITY CIRCLE LAST WEEK AFTER THE INSURGICAL SURGICAL RECK -- INSURRECTION WE HAD THE MEETINGS.
AND THEY FOUND THAT IT WAS REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO TALK THROUGH SOME THINGS THAT HAVE JUST NOT WITHIN ABLE TO DIGEST AND UNDERSTAND AND COMPREHEND.
AND JUST -- IN SOME CASES TO VENT OR LISTEN.
WE FELT THAT WOULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR BOARD MEMBERS TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION AS WELL.
I WILL TURN THINGS OVER TO MR. BALDWIN SO HE CAN TAKE US THROUGH THE PROCESS AND GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF INCITE AS TO WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE STAFF THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS TOO.
MR. BALDWIN, I KNOW YOU FACILITATED A NUMBER OF THE SESSIONS LAST WEEK.
DR. HUTCHINS FOR YOUR INTRODUCTION AND THE SCHOOL BOARD CHAIRMAN AND CROMWELL AND ALL OF YOU.
I'M TRULY GRATEFUL TO BE HERE.
AND I WILL SERVE AS YOUR FACILITATOR.
I WILL START BY SHARING SCREEN AND WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE ACTUALLY SEES THE PRESENTATION.
AND THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE RIGHT INTO THE WORK.
DOES EVERYONE SEE THE PRESENTATION.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
OUR TOPIC REALLY IS ARE YOU OKAY? AND SO FOR THIS EVENING WE'RE COMING TOGETHER JUST TO TALK.
AS DR. HUTCHINS HAS SHARED WE HAVE DONE THIS WITH CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF AS WELL AS SEVERAL SCHOOLS.
AND THIS IS JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROCESS THE RECENT NATIONAL EVENTS AND CRISIS.
AND WE WILL USE RESTORE OF PRACTICES TO ASSIST IN THIS GOAL.
RESTORATIVE PRACTICE INSPIRED BY TRADITIONS CULTIVATE TRUST IN SHARED VIRTUAL SPACE THAT WILL BUILD RELATIONSHIP AND ENCOURAGE DIALOGUE, TEACH
[00:05:05]
EMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING AND REPAIR HARM.THE RESTORATIVE PRACTICES VIRTUAL CIRCLE FORMAT IS AN EXCELLENT WAY TO GET WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO NOW.
THAT'S A SPACE FOR US TO PROCESS OUR FEELINGS.
AS IN PHYSICAL CIRCLES, WE WILL CREATE A CIRCLE ORDER AND SHARE THAT AND SO WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN TO SPEAK YOU WILL SIMPLY JUST SPEAK YOUR TRUTH.
HOWEVER, IT'S OKAY NOT TO SPEAK.
YOU CAN JUST HOLD SPACE AND LISTEN.
I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO DISCUSS THE GUIDELINES.
THE FIRST GUIDELINE IS SIMPLY THIS.
AND AS A PART OF THIS VIRTUAL SPACE, THIS VIRTUAL COMMUNITY AS YOU SPEAK FROM YOUR HEART AND SHARE YOUR TRUTH, WE WILL LISTEN FROM HEART.
LET GO OF STORIES TO MAKE IT HARD TO HEAR SOMEONE ELSE'S TRUTH.
DON'T BE CONCERNED ABOUT BEING POLITICALLY CORRECT.
TRUST YOU WILL KNOW WHAT TO SAY.
WE WILL SHARE THERE TO ENSURE EVERYONE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN THE DISCUSSION AND THEN AS ALWAYS WE WANT ENGAGE IN WHAT WE CALL PROTECTING THE CIRCLE.
EVERYTHING THAT WE DISCUSS IN THE CIRCLE WE'RE ASKING THAT IT STAYS IN THE CIRCLE.
I WILL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, LET'S SAY FOR INSTANCE MR. CROMWELL SHARED SOMETHING THAT WAS TOUCHING, THAT REALLY MOVED ME AND I WANTED TO SHARE IT WITH SOMEONE ELSE BEFORE I GET THAT I WOULD GET HER PERMISSION, FIRST.
THE IDEA HERE THAT WE WANT TO JUST CREATE A SPACE WHERE IT FEELS BUILT ON TRUST.
WE WILL USE THE FOLLOWING SEQUENCE.
AND I WANT TO JUST COVER THIS REAL QUICKLY.
BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO REALLY ENGAGE IN DISCUSSING.
WE WILL START WITH A CHECK-IN.
AND THEN AFTER THE CHECK-IN WE ARE MOVE TO THE CONNECTION ACTIVITY.
AND THEN AFTER THE CONNECTION ACTIVITY, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE INTO OUR CLOSING.
THIS WHY DON'T YOU TAKE A MOMENT RIGHT NOW, TAKE A MOMENT AND I WANT YOU TO JUST LOOK AT THIS LIST OF EMOTIONS, I WANT YOU TO LOOK THE LIST OF EMOTIONS THAT WE HAVE HERE FOR YOU.
I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT THE LIST OF EMOTIONS FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU TIME TO LOOK AT THIS LIST OF EMOTIONS.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GIVE YOU TIME FOR THIS.
I KNOW YOU PERHAPS MAYBE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.
WE WANT YOU TO CHOOSE ONE WORD FROM THE LIST OF EMOTIONS SLOT THAT DESCRIBES HOW YOU FEEL RIGHT NOW IN THIS MOMENT.
ONE WORD THAT DESCRIBES HOW YOU FEEL RIGHT NOW IN THIS MOMENT AND THEN WE WANT YOU TO ENTER THE WORD IN THE CHAT.
NOW, IF YOU DON'T FIND A WORD THAT DESCRIBES HOW YOU FEEL, I WILL DO THE SAME THING I DO WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
YOU CAN MAKE UP A WORD THAT BEST DESCRIBE HOW YOU FEEL RIGHT NOW.
WE WILL GIVE YOU ABOUT 60 SECONDS TO DO THAT.
>> THE CIRCLE IS ABOUT OUR DEALING WITH WHAT HAPPENED IN THE CAPITOL.
SO I'M ASSUMING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THAT ISSUE.
AND YOU WANT OUR EMOTIONS WE ASSUME THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE DAY AFTER THAT HAPPENED.
MY ACTUAL FEELING NOT WHAT I FELT THE DAY WHEN THAT HAPPENED.
>> YOU WANT OUR EMOTIONAL REACTION TO WHAT HAPPENED.
>> I WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU FEEL RIGHT NOW.
BECAUSE THIS IS JUST OUR CHECK-IN.
HOW YOU FEEL RIGHT NOW IN THIS MOMENT.
>> EVEN IF IT'S NOT CONNECTED IN ANY WAY TO THAT.
>> THIS IS JUST CHECK-IN RIGHT NOW.
THIS ABOUT HOW YOU FEEL AT THIS MOMENT.
>> I DON'T SEE HOW TO DO THE CHAT ON HERE.
[00:10:03]
OKAY.WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO CHAT DURING BOARD MEETINGS.
BECAUSE I HAVE PREPARED JUST IN CASE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOMETHING HAPPEN.
I HAVE THE LIST OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HERE AND I WILL JUST MAKE OUR CIRCLE RIGHT NOW.
AND SO WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME YOU SHARE YOUR ONE WORD AND THEN THE NEXT PERSON WILL GO.
>> I THINK I'M FEELING A NUMBER OF THINGS RIGHT NOW.
AND PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR JUST USING YOUR LAST NAMES.
I DON'T SEE -- I DON'T SEE A WORD UP THERE.
I WILL JUST SAY THAT I'M OKAY.
>> GO TO DISTRICT A AND THEN DISTRICT B.
BUT I FEEL A BIT EDGE GIVE ABOUT THE SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.
>> LIKE CHRIS, FEEL EDGE OEDGY, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE GO FROM HERE.
JUST TRYING TO FIND MY NEW BUTTON.
I WILL GO WITH SLUGGISH WITH THE CLOSEST ON THE LIST I CAN COME TO.
HARD TO COME BACK FROM A BREAK WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON.
FEELING VERY DETERMINED TODAY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING.
>> I'M DETERMINED AND GLOOMY TODAY.
>> I WANT TO MAKE SURE I DIDN'T MISS ANY BOARD MEMBERS.
IF I MISSED ANY BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE FORGIVE ME AT THIS TIME.
WE WANT WANT TO OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE.
IS THIS OUR TIME NOW TO JUST TALK.
THIS IS THE TIME NOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE TO TALK ABOUT THE RECENT EVENTS AND CRISIS.
IT'S A TIME FOR YOU TO SHARE HOW YOU FEEL.
AND YOU, AGAIN, CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING AGAIN WE REFERENCE YOU BACK TO OUR GUIDELINES AS WE SHARE, WE WANT YOU TO SPEAK FROM YOUR HEART.
THAT'S WHAT WE ASK THAT YOU DO IS SPEAK FROM YOUR HEART.
AND SO SINCE WE DON'T HAVE CHAT, WHAT I WILL DO IS I'M GOING TO USE THE LIST OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE ON THE WEB SITE.
DISTRICT A THEN DISTRICT B THEN DISTRICT C.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE OUR CONVERSATION IN THAT FAST AND THEN AFTER WE FINISH WITH OUR CONVERSATION, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE TO THE CLOSE.
NOW I WANT TO SAY THIS AS WE BEGIN TO HAVE OUR CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW RIGHT BEFORE THE CONNECTION WE DID THAT CHECK-IN.
THE PURPOSE FOR THE CHECK-IN WAS REALLY KIND OF JUST LIKE A TEMPERATURE CHECK JUST TO FIND OUT WHERE YOU ARE.
WE USE IT WITH OUR STUDENTS AND OUR SOCIAL EMOTIONAL ACADEMIC LEARNING WORK.
BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.
AND IF FOR INSTANCE WE FIND THAT ARE STRUGGLING OR THEY ARE DEPRESSED.
THAT PROVIDES WITH US ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THEM WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THROUGH SUPPORT BY SOCIAL WORKER OR BY SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST OR
[00:15:01]
COUNCILOR.>> THAT'S WHY CHECK-IN SO IMPORTANT.
NOW I WILL MOVE INTO THIS CONNECTION.
STARTING THIS OFF WE ARE GOING TO ASK DR. HUTCHINS.
AS WE NOW HAVE OUR CONNECTION CONVERSATION.
>> I WAS TAKING A BITE TO EAT.
YOU WERE ASKING ME TO CONNECT?
>> AT THIS POINT NOW WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THE RECENT NATIONAL EVENTS AND CRISIS.
SHARE WHAT IS ON YOUR HEART AND THEN AFTER YOU SHARE WE WILL THEN PASS THE VIRTUAL PASSING PIECE TO MISS GREENE.
I WILL STILL WHAT I WAS FEELING LAST WEEKEND.
THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY SURPRISED BY WHAT'S HAPPENING.
I REALLY THINK IT'S MORE OF THIS IS WHO WE ARE.
I KEEP HEARING PEOPLE SAY CONSISTENTLY THIS ISN'T AMERICA.
AND IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, IT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE THE WAY THAT IT IS.
AND I JUST FEEL THAT AS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN, IN AMERICA, MANY TIMES I FEEL AS IF AMERICA MAKE IT SEEM AS IF I SHOULDN'T FEEL A CERTAIN KIND OF WAY.
AND THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE SOMETIME CHARACTERIZED AS BEING SENSITIVE OR LOOKING TO DEEP.
I THINK IT'S JUST A RUDE AWAKENING FOR PEOPLE TO SEE.
THIS IS HOW IT ALWAYS IS FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR.
WE'RE ALWAYS I FEEL TREATED UNJUSTICELY IN SITUATIONS LIKE WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK.
I'M SURPRISED IT GOT THAT FAR.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT BLACK LIVES MATTER AND THAT SITUATION.
SAYING THE WORD BLACK LIVES MATTER EVEN IN THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA.
IF A PARENT OR TEACHER SAID IT OR SOMEONE HAS IN THEIR BACKGROUND, IT CAUSES ISSUES.
PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO HAVE INSURRECTION AND TO SIT IN NANCY PELOSI'S CHAIR AND TAKE PICTURES.
I COULDN'T EVEN GET IN WHEN I TRIED TO VISIT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING YOUR TRUTH.
WE NOW PASS THE VIRTUAL TALKING PIECE TO JACINTA.
MR. BALDWIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORD DR. HUTCHINS.
WE HAVE A COUNTRY THAT'S DIVIDED.
IT'S BECOME MORE REAL, I THINK IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS, AND LIFE HAS A WAY OF BRINGING OUT THE BEST AND THE WORD IN PEOPLE.
AND WE REALLY NEED TO SEE PEOPLE STEP UP TO BE THEIR BEST.
AND YOU KNOW IT'S JUST DIFFICULT RIGHT NOW.
BECAUSE IT'S VERY HEARTBREAKING.
BECAUSE WE LIVE IN SUCH A WONDERFUL COUNTRY WITH SUCH GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYONE AND YOU KNOW IT'S SAD THAT YOU KNOW, OUR LEADERSHIP AT THE TOP HAS LED US TO WHERE WE ARE.
LET'S HOPE THAT THINGS WILL GET BETTER FROM THERE.
BUT, YOU KNOW IT'S KIND OF LIKE REAL MELON MELONCHOLY.
IT'S VERY CONFUSING TO US ALL.
TO LOOK AT YOU KNOW THE CAPITOL.
THEY COULD HAVE TAKEN IT DOWN.
THEY HAD EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE IT DOWN.
AND YOU KNOW WE HAVE OUR CHILDREN WATCHING THIS.
AND YOU KNOW THAT IS WHAT UPSETS ME THE MOST.
I WANT TO HAVE HOPE IN THIS NEXT WEEK THAT THINGS WILL BEGIN TO CHANGE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR TRUTH.
WE NOW PASS THE VIRTUAL TALKING PIECE TO MICHELLE.
WELL, I GUESS I WOULD AGREE WITH DR. HUTCHINS WAS SAYING ABOUT THIS BEING WHO WE ARE.
THERE WAS A REALLY GOOD PIECE BY EBRAM IN THE ATLANTIC WHERE HE SAID DENIAL IS HEART BEAT OF AMERICA WHICH IT WAS JUST A REALLY POWERFUL PIECE.
[00:20:02]
I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, THAT'S TRUE.WE HAVE YOU KNOW, WE HAD THESE DECISION ASKS AND THEY'VE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.
AND IT WAS ALSO SURPRISING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED VERY UPSETTING.
I GUESS ONE OF THE THINGS I WORRY ABOUT ASK THE RULE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE MEDIA IN THIS AGE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE THING THAT MAY BE DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS MOMENT IS JUST THE LEVEL OF FALSE INFORMATION THAT PEOPLE ARE BELIEVING TO BE THE TRUTH.
AND IT JUST HOW WE GET TO THESE PLACES WHERE YOU KNOW PEOPLE CANNOT DIALOGUE WITH ONE ANOTHER ANYMORE.
YOU NOW JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE SOLVE A PROBLEM THAT'S THIS -- THAT IS THIS SIGNIFICANT IN OUR COUNTRY AND YOU KNOW HAVING CHILDREN WHO ARE GOING TO GROW UP.
I THINK ABOUT YOU KNOW WHAT THE WORLD IS GOING TO BE LIKE FOR THEM.
THEY YOU KNOW THE BOOK -- THERE'S A BOOK I'M SURE YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH.
WHY ARE ALL THE BLACK KIDS SITTING TOGETHER IN THE CAFETERIA.
IT WAS 20-YEAR ANNIVERSARY VERSION.
AND SHE TALKED ABILITY HOW MUCH HAD CHANGED IN 20 YEARS.
BECAUSE SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW -- THIS WAS AFTER THE LAST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
SHE TALKED ABILITY HOW DIDS YOU KNOW GROWING UP TODAY THEY GROW UP AS YOUNG PEOPLE WITH OBAMA AS PRESIDENT AND THEN MOVING INTO THIS PERIOD WHICH IS SO UNSETTLING.
HOW THEIR TRAJECTORY OF THE NATIONAL EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING DURING THEIR LIFETIME HAS REALLY GONE IN A VERY NEGATIVE DIRECTION.
AND THINKING ABOUT HOW THIS IS GOING TO IMPACT THE GENERATION THAT ARE COMING UP RIGHT NOW.
IT'S YOU KNOW -- I MEAN I WORRY CERTAINLY FOR THE FUTURE.
AND I'M JUST ALSO THINKING YOU KNOW ABOUT HOW WE CAN OVERCOME SOME OF THESE CHALLENGES AND GET TO A BETTER PLACE AS A COUNTRY.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, I AGREE LIKE I THINK THE EMOTIONS ARE SO RAW RIGHT NOW AND JUST.
I JUST FEEL LIKE THE DAYS ARE VERY UP AND DOWN.
SOME DAYS I'M MORE OPTIMISTIC.
AND DETERMINED AND FEELING GOOD AND THEN OTHER DAYS ARE JUST KIND OF REALLY LOW AND HARD AND CHALLENGING.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR TRUTH.
WE'RE NOW GOING TO PASS THE VIRTUAL TALKING PIECE TO CHRISTOPHER.
AFTER CHRISTOPHER, WE WILL PASS THE TALKING PIECE ON.
>> SORT OF PIGGYBACKING A LOT OF WHAT DR. HUTCHINSS SAYING.
THESE EVENTS REALLY JUST EXPOSE THE SORT OF THE REALLY RACE.
UNDERBELLY OF AMERICA THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE IN THE COUNTRY.
FOR ME IT'S ABOUT THE STUDY OF CONTRAST.
DR. HUTCHINS MENTIONED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HOW OUR SOCIETY REACTS TO SOMEONE POSTING BLACK LIVES MATTER VERSES THIS RIOT.
I THINK ABOUT YOU KNOW, THE BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTEST IN LAFAYETTE SQUARE AND HOW THOSE WERE RESPONDED TO VERSES HOW THIS WAS RESPONDED TO.
I ALSO THINK ABOUT THINGS LIKE COLIN KAEPERNICK TAKING A KNEE TO STAND ON PRINCIPLE AND HOW THAT WAS RESPONDED AS OPPOSED TO THIS.
I'M THINKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE CAPITOL HASN'T BEEN BREACHED LIKE THIS SINCE 1812.
IF THIS DOESN'T PERSUADE AT LEAST MOST RATIONALE THINKING PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY YOU KNOW THAT WHITE PRIVILEGE EXISTS IN THIS NATION, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL.
AND SO I HOPE THAT YOU KNOW TRYING TO BE AN OPTIMIST, I HOPE THIS CAN REALLY FOSTER A CONVERSATION ONCE THE TRANSITION IS COMPLETE AND THERE'S EFFORT TO SORT OF HEAL THE COUNTRY THAT, YOU KNOW, HEY WHITE PRIVILEGE IS A REAL THING IN THIS COUNTRY.
WE NEED TO CONFRONT THAT HEAD ON.
AND I THINK ABOUT HOW THAT RELATES TO OUR WORK, BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHITE PRIVILEGE DOES IMPACT YOU KNOW THE WHOLE SCHOOL DIVISION AND ACPS WHETHER IT'S THROUGH OUR ACTION AS THE BOARD.
WHETHER ITS TRUE STAFF ACTIONS WHETHER IT'S THROUGH PARENTAL ACTIONS.
AND THAT'S NOT CASTING NEGATIVITY ON ANYONE.
IT'S JUST ACCEPTING THE REALITY OF THE SOCIETY UNCONSCIOUS, BIAS AND SO FORTH THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COUNTRY.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT NOW.
[00:25:03]
JUST HOW FRONT AND CENTER THIS PLACE WHITE PRIVELEGE.YOU HEAR ABOUT HOW PEOPLE WERE JUST SO CAVALIER, WALKING OUT WITH THE PODIUM OF NANCY PELOSI THINKING THEY WEREN'T GOING TO GET IN ANY TROUBLE.
AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE GUY WHO HAD THE HORNS WHO WENT TO JAIL ASKING FOR ORGANIC FOOD IN JAIL CELL.
ALL OF THESE KIND OF THINGS IT'S UNDERSCORE HOW PRIVILEGED WHITE PEOPLE ARE IN THIS COUNTRY AND IF WE CAN'T CONFRONT THAT NOW, WHEN ARE WE GOING TO CONFRONT IT.
>> THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR TRUTH.
WE WILL PASS THE VIRTUAL TALKING PIECE TOW CINDY AND THEN AFTER CINDY WE WILL PASS TO MARK.
>> I THINK IN WATCHING THE OTHER DAY, YOU KNOW I HAD ANGER AND OUTRAGE.
WANTING TO YELL AT THE TELEVISION.
BUT ALSO DISAPPOINTMENT IN THE LOW LEVEL OF SHOCK.
BECAUSE THEY THEY COULD GET AWAY WITH IT.
I'VE BEEN IN THE RONALD REAGAN FOR AN AFTER HOURS THING.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR LICENSE.
THERE'S NO WAY THOSE FLAGPOLES AND OTHER THINGS WOULD BE ALLOWED IN.
IT'S BUT I DO THINK THAT YOU KNOW WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN RACIST.
I THINK THERE WAS A PERIOD OF UPHEAVAL MAYBES IN 60S AND 70S, BUT THEN BY 80, I THINK THINGS GOT REALLY SUBTLE AND THAT'S HOW THEY STAYED UNTIL SORT OF REALLY OBAMA AND TRUMP KIND OF -- THEY KIND OF BROUGHT EVERYTHING TO THE FOREFRONT.
I AGREE WITH MICHELLE THAT SOCIAL MEDIA, THAT IS MY ONE OF MY BIGGEST CONCERNED GOING FORWARD IS THAT ALLOWINGS PEOPLE TO FIND EACH OTHER WHO WOULD NOT HAVE FOUND EACH OTHER AND IT MAKES THE DISINFORMATION THE MISINFORMATION HARD TO CONTROL.
I HAVE TO SAY MY KIDS THAT GREW BEFORE AND AFTER THEY DON'T TRUST SOCIAL MEDIA.
I WORRY ABOUT PEOPLE WHO GREW UP WITH IT THE ENTIRE TIME.
THEY DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.
>> THEY DON'T KNOW SOMETHING -- HOW IT MADE THEM FEEL TO SUDDENLY HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA WHEN THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT BEFORE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR TRUTH.
WE WILL PASS THE VIRTUAL TALKING PIECE TO MARGARET.
AFTER MARGARET, WE'LL PASS IT TO LORBER.
BOTH ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AT THE WHITE HOUSE BUT ALSO I WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING TO ME FOR THE PAST WEEK.
BECAUSE OF SOME -- SOME THINGS I SAID IN OUR LAST MEETINGS THAT I PROBABLY SHOULD NOT HAVE SAID AND THAT WERE TAKEN BY THE SOM OF THE PUBLIC IN WAY THEY WEREN'T INTENDED.
SOCIAL MEDIA PLAYS -- IT'S ABOUT THE DIVISIVENESS OF NOT BEING ABLE TO DIALOGUE AND TALK AND AGREE TO DISAGREE.
AND I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S THE THING THAT'S THAT'S GO -- MAKING SO HARD FOR THIS COUNTRY.
AND IT MAKES HARD FOR OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.
BUT I WAS JUST AMAZED AT THE LEVEL OF VENOM I RECEIVED IN SOME OF THE E-MAILS WHEN YOU KNOW I HAD NO IDEA THAT WHEN I SPOKE OUT TO SAY WHAT I BELIEVED IN THIS MEETINGS THAT PEOPLE WERE GOING -- IT WOULD BE MISINTERPRETED TO DEGREE IT WAS.
AND I SEE HOW MY WORDS MAY HAVE DONE THAT.
BUT I WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT MICHELLE AND CINDY ARE SAYING.
I THINK THE SOCIAL MEDIA ASPECT.
FIRST OF ALL, EVERYTHING THAT IS PUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA WHATEVER YOU HAVE SAID GET AMPLIFIED AND MISINTERPRETED 50 DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND THEN THE OTHER PIECE IN TERM OF THE NATIONAL SCOPE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY I WAS BAFFLED BY AS I WATCHED ON THE TELEVISION, SOME OF PEOPLE ON THE PROTESTOR IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT THAT, THAT WERE OUTSIDE THE CAPITOL JUST ON THE GROUNDS THEY LOOKED LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE AT A MARCH.
AND I HAD THIS FEELING THAT SOME OF THESE FOLKS TOTALLY BELIEVE THAT THE ELECTION WERE -- THEY'VE COMPLETELY BOUGHT THIS HOOK LINE AND SINKER.
[00:30:02]
AND THEY ARE NOT -- OR THEY HAVEN'T EVEN HEARD AND SEEN FROM THE OFFICIALS IN THE STATE WHO SAID, LOOK WE'VE DONE THIS THREE TIMES.PEOPLE ARE BELIEVING THINGS THAT AREN'T TRUE.
AND YET THEY DON'T FEEL -- OBVIOUSLY, THE FOLKS WHO GLOBING THE BARRIER AND VIOLENT INSIDE THE CAPITOL, THEY KNOW THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING WRONG.
BUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE JUST TO VOICE THEIR CONCERN BECAUSE THEY ARE STANDING UP FOR FREE ELECTIONS IT JUST WORRIED ME THINKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE MIGHT REALLY THINK THAT, THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
AND, AGAIN IT REMINDS YOU OF ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED HISTORICALLY.
NAZI, GERMANY, HOW MANY GERMANS JUST WEREN'T AWARE REALLY WHAT WAS GOING ON.
THEY THOUGHT -- IT'S JUST -- AND OF COURSE SOCIAL MEDIA JUST MAKING WORSE AND WORSE AND WORSE.
ON THE OTHER HAND, I DO LIKE TO BE HOPEFUL.
I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD.
HE'S FILLING HIS CABINET WITH INCREDIBLY OLDER EXPERIENCED PEOPLE WHO REALLY CAN HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND DON'T HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DO GOVERNMENT.
HE'S UP AGAINST A LOT, BUT OBAMA WHEN HE GOT IN THE RACISM PRACTICALLY CUT HIM DOWN.
THE ACTUAL I THINK OBAMA'S BIGGEST PROBLEM WAS THE SENATE WOULDN'T -- THE RACIST IN THE GOVERNMENT WOULDN'T ALLOW HIM TO GOVERN.
BIDEN WON'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO BE OPTIMISTIC AND ASSUME WE WILL MOVE AHEAD AND YOU KNOW THE CIA THE FBI THEY WILL ALL BE SEARCHING OUT THE MILITIAS AND WE WILL GRAB THIS THING.
IN TERMS OF MY OWN FEELINGS THIS WILL BE WHAT HAPPENED TO ME LAST WEEK.
I WILL TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO APOLOGIZE TO MY -- I FEEL ONE OF THE THINGS I'M FEELING IS DEPRESSED AND EMBARRASSED PARTLY FOR MY COLLEAGUES.
BECAUSE IN A WAY I FEEL LIKE SOME OF THE LETTERS THAT CAME TO ME MADE IT SOUND LIKE THEY THOUGHT IT -- THAT'S WHAT OUR SCHOOL BOARD THINKS.
I'VE SORT OF SOME OF THE PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT I JUST WAS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT DOESN'T WANT TO GET THE KIDS BACK INTO SCHOOL.
I'M FEELING PERPLEXED AND UP SET.
>> THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR HEART.
I WILL PASS THE PIECE TO VERONICA AND AFTER INVESTOR >> FIRST I WANT TO GIVE A VIRTUAL HUG TO MARGARET.
YES IT'S ONE OF THESE THINGS THAT IF ANY OF US LEARNED THE HARD WAY YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW IN TERMS LIKE CAN'T FATHOM WHAT IT LIKE TO BE IN THE POSITION UNTIL YOU ARE IN.
THE NUMBER OF THINGS WE SAY THAT COULD BE TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT OR MISUNDERSTOOD OR YOU KNOW SOCIAL MEDIA OBVIOUSLY ELSE SKA LAITING THAT.
I WANT TO SAY MARGARET, THAT I DO APPRECIATE YOU AND I KNOW THAT YOUR HEART IS SO COMMITTED TO THE KIDS AND THE FAMILIES OF ACPS.
THROUGH NOT ONLY YOUR PROFESSIONAL BUT YOUR PERSONAL LIFE AND SO ANY WAY THAT I WOULD NEVER QUESTION NO MATTER WHAT YOU SAY.
I WANT TO START OFF MY TRUTH WITH A VIRTUAL HUG TO MARGARET AND SAY HONORED TO SERVE WITH YOU ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF YOUR SINCERITY AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO YOUNG PEOPLE.
LIKE EVERYONE HAS SAID I WAS ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIED.
LIKE MANY OF YOU I'M SURE I HEARD ABOUT THE VIOLENCE THAT WAS BEGINNING AND WE TURNED ON THE TV IN HOUSEHOLD.
BUT THE TV WAS ON FOR 12 HOURS.
YOU COULDN'T TEAR YOUR EYES AWAY FROM THEM.
THE HORROR OF SEEING THAT THIS WAS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WAS ON LEVEL WITH WHAT I EXPERIENCED DURING 9/11 AND SEEING THE TWIN TOWERS COME DOWN.
I APPRECIATE AND COMPLETELY AGREE WITH GREG THE RACISM WASN'T A SHOCK, OBVIOUSLY.
IN FACT I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN BE BOLD TO SAY ONE THING I APPRECIATE ABOUT OUR CURRENT LEADERSHIP NO ONE CAN SAY THEY DON'T SEE IT.
EVEN IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO IT'S A CHOICE NOT TO.
BEFORE THE SAME AMOUNT OF RACISM EXISTED JUST MORE POLITE.
ON THE ONE HAND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM IT NOW AND CLAIM IT DOESN'T EXIST.
AND THEY'RE WE'RE POST RACIAL.
THAT'S THE ONLY POSITIVE YOU CAN NO LONGER HIDE AND SAY YOU DON'T SEE IT.
AGAIN THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT HAPPENED AT THE CAPITOL AND SEEING ELECTED OFFICIALS ON
[00:35:03]
THE FLOOR LIKE FRIGHTENED FOR THEIR LIVES STARTLING SITUATION.I WISH I COULD SAY I WAS SHOCKED.
BUT THAT WAS THE SCARY PART HOW NOT SHOCK -- YOU'RE SHOCKED.
IT'S SHOCKING TO WITNESS AND SEE FIRSTHAND.
GIVEN THE VERBIAGE OF OUR CURRENT LEADERSHIP AND THE COMPLACENCY OF OTHER ALLOWING IT TO TAKE PLACE.
WE HAD A PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES INCITE A RIOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS THE TOOL.
I WISH I COULD SAY THAT THE ACTION WERE SHOCKING.
INSTEAD IT WAS ALMOST A FITTING ENDING TO THIS LEGACY OF THIS PRESIDENT GIVEN THIS EXACTLY HOW I VIEWED THIS INDIVIDUAL AND HIS PRESIDENCY IN TERMS OF LIKE HIS LANGUAGE AND THE RESULT OF THAT LANGUAGE.
WITH THAT SAID SIMILAR ACTION TO WHAT MARGARET SAID.
I THINK THAT YOU KNOW THE WAY TO HEAL AS THE NATION IS TO NOT ALLOW OR HAVE ACCEPTANCE FOR PEOPLE'S VIEWPOINT.
WE CAN SAY AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
KY SAY THAT HAVING BEEN ON THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR FIVE YEARS.
THE VISCERAL LANGUAGE PEOPLE USE WHEN E-MAILING AND TALKING TO US IS LIKE NOTHING I'VE EVER WITNESSED.
ONE OF THE THINGS I USED TO JOKE ABOUT IS THAT IN ALEXANDRIA, EVEN WHEN SOMEONE IS UPSET.
THERE'S A DECORUM AND POLITENESS TO IT.
I ALWAYS APPRECIATE IT SOMEONE BEING FROM JERSEY AND NEW YORK.
I APPRECIATE THE POLITENESS OF WHEN PEOPLE DISAGREED WITH YOU.
THAT UNFORTUNATELY A LOT OF THAT HAS SUBSIDED.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE AT THE END OF THEIR ROPE.
I THINK WHILE WE CAN DISAGREE WITH EACH OTHER.
SIMILAR TO WHAT MARGARET SAID I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT LISTENING.
WANTING THE BEST FOR PEOPLE AND EVEN AGREEING TO DISAGREE AT THE END OF THE CONVERSATION.
CALL LOU FOR HEALTHY DIALOGUE.
I WILL SHARE A PERSONAL ANECDOTE.
THE BEST CONVERSATION I'VE EVER HAD DURING THE GEORGE FLOYD UPRISING AND PROTEST WAS THAT I HAD INDIVIDUAL WHO I ENGAGED WITH A LOT OF CONVERSATION WHO SHARED WITH ME A CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL THEY HAD VOTED FOR PRESIDENCY.
WHICH WAS THE OPPOSITE OF THE PERSON I VOTED FOR.
LET'S JUST SAY ONE OF THE BEST CONVERSATION I HAD DURING THE PROTEST THAT INDIVIDUAL HAD CALLED ME UP AND SAID I HEAR YOU NOW.
THERE WERE SO MANY TIME YOU TALK TO ME AS A WHITE MAN I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU WERE COMING FROM.
BUT YOU KNOW YOU CANNOT NOT SEE WHAT JUST HAPPENED TO GEORGE FLOYD AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M LISTENING.
AND HEARING YOU AND THINKING ABOUT THE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU AND I HAVE ENGAGED.
IN THAT MEANT A LOT TO ME IN TERMS OF AS A WHITE MAN HE WAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE DIDN'T SEE THE RACISM I WAS INSISTING EXISTED AND POINTING OUT.
THROUGH THAT DIALOGUE, I WAS -- WE WERE WILLING TO ENGAGE WITH EACH OTHER.
YOU KNOW HE IS NOW ONE OF LIKE THE BIGGEST CHAMPIONS OF BLACK LIVES MATTER THAT I'VE MET.
HE'S DOING A TOTAL ADJUSTMENT OF HOW HE SPENDS MONEY; HOW HE ENGAGES IN THE WORKPLACE.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN EVERY TIME OR SOLUTION.
LESSON LEARNED FOR ME A CONVERSATION THAT I FIRST DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO HAVE AND ENGAGE IN.
AND THERE WERE SOME I FELT MOVEMENT AS A RESULT AND SO I THINK THERE'S SOME POWER IN THAT AND THAT'S SOMETHING I'M KEEPING IN MIND AND TRYING TO EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE I FEEL ATTACKING US AT TIMES AND AT THE EDGE OF THE ROPE.
THERE'S SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT ENGAGING AND LISTENING.
EN AT THE END WE WILL HAVE TO AGREE TO DISAGREE.
THAT'S SORT OF MY THOUGHT AND WHERE I THINK IN REGARD TO THIS CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THEM WITH YOU.
I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION.
I APPRECIATE WE CAN COME TOGETHER THIS WAY.
>> THANK YOU SO FOR SHARING YOUR TRUTH.
WE WILL PASS TO MEAGAN AND THEN RANEE.
>> IT'S ALMOST HARDER TO SPEAK AFTER SO MANY OTHERS HAVE GONE BEFORE YOU.
BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH TO PROCESS.
I HAVE TO SAY THAT MY REACTION WAS ONE THAT WAS SIMILAR TO CINDY AND I THINK VERONICA SAID THE SAME.
I WAS MORE DISAPPOINTED THAT I WASN'T SURPRISED.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT I EXPECTED TO HAPPEN.
WHAT FRUSTRATED ME AND WHAT FRUSTRATES ME THE MOST IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I KEEP ASKING MYSELF THE QUESTION, HOW DO WE NOT OR DID SOME PEOPLE NOT UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE THE RESULTED.
[00:40:04]
AS A HISTORY PERSON THERE'S SO MANY EXAMPLE THAT WE KNOW THROUGHOUT HISTORY THAT THIS WAS A FORMULA FOR WHAT HAPPENED ON WEDNESDAY.AND IT JUST BLOWS MY MIND TRYING TO THINK HOW -- HOW DID PEOPLE NOT KNOW THAT THIS IS WHERE WE ARE HEADED.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF MY RESPONSES TO YOU KNOW SOME THE LEGISLATORS WHO ARE NOW COMING OUT AND SAYING NOW, THIS IS ENOUGH.
IT'S WHY IS THIS ENOUGH? WHEN THERE WERE SO MANY THINGS HAPPENING PRIOR THAT MADE IT OBVIOUS TO ME THAT WAS PROBLEMATIC.
THE WHOLE -- I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT TRICKLE DOWN BEHAVIOR.
WHEN YOU ARE IN A POSITION WHERE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT YOU, IT IS IMMENSELY IMPORTANT WHAT YOU SAY.
THE TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT THAT, THAT HAS CAN LITERALLY YOU KNOW MAKE SOMETHING OR CAN LITERALLY DESTROY SOMETHING.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW ANOTHER THING TO THINK ABOUT.
SO MANY THINGS TO THINK ABOUT.
I ALSO HAVE ALWAYS CONSTANTLY BEEN THINKING ABOUT THE LAST FOUR YEARS, IS THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US NEEDS TO BE CONSCIOUS OF THE WAY IN WHICH WE MAY PLAY A ROLE IN THIS.
HOW TO HAVE CIVIL CONVERSATIONS, CIVIL DISCOURSE.
DR. HUTCHINS BROUGHT THAT UP IN THE LAST RETREAT.
AND TO ME THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE EXAMPLES LIKE THIS IS WHY WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT CIVILITY.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT IT WE DIVIDE OURSELVES.
YOU KNOW IT'S JUST BEEN A LOT TO PROCESS AND A LOT OF DISAPPOINTMENT.
HAVEN'T REALLY FELT ANGER, JUST MORE LIKE, YOU KNOW OF THIS LIKE, COME ON.
IS THIS -- WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET OUT OF THIS CYCLE? BECAUSE IT IS.
IT'S JUST SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AT WHAT POINT DO PEOPLE JUST GET SO TIRED THAT THEY -- WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE ALL JUST GET TIRED AND GIVE UP?
BUT THAT'S WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR TRUTH.
WE WILL NOW PASS THE VIRTUAL TALKING PIECE TO RANEE.
IT'S BEEN LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO NOT PRETTY MUCH THINK ABOUT THIS 24/7.
IF I DON'T THINK ABOUT BEING SCHOOL BOARD AND ELECTED OFFICIAL AND THAT RESPONSIBILITY, I'M DOING MY DAILY JOB AT THE HOLOCAUST WHICH IS BLOCK AWAY FROM THE CAPITOL BUILDING AND WE GO THERE EVERY YEAR.
WE'RE HAVING TOUGH CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR LEADERSHIP ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING OR NOT DOING.
IN HELPING ENGAGE IN THIS KIND OF CONVERSATION.
I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW EMOTIONALLY IT'S HARD FOR ME.
TO GO BACK TO US, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO SAY, I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE.
I'M SO GRATEFUL TO BE ON THIS BOARD AND TO BE WITH YOU ALL.
I AM THINKING THAT JUST DOWN THE ROAD RIGHT NOW THERE ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE HAVING TO TRY TO GOVERN WITH OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THOSE ELECTED OFFICIALS SOME OF THOSE ELECTED OFFICIALS, EVEN AFTER THERE WERE LITERALLY IN A LIFE-AND-DEATH SITUATION THOSE ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE SAYING -- ARE CONTINUING TO SAY A LIE.
AND IT'S A LIE THAT IS KILLING PEOPLE.
AND WE'RE WAY BEYOND OH, I THINK WE SHOULD DO, YOU KNOW ON THIS PARTICULAR POLICY, I SHOULD BE CHOICE A OR CHOICE B.
[00:45:03]
THIS LIE, THIS IS SOMETHING ELSE.AND YOU KNOW I HAD TO KIND OF CHUCKLE MR. BALDWIN, YOU KNOW, I'M A BIG FAN OF COMMUNITY CIRCLES.
I'VE GOTTEN TO BE IN COMMUNITY CIRCLE WITH MR. BALDWIN.
BUT I LOOK AT THAT FIRST THING AND IT SAID EVERYONE SHOULD GET TO SPEAK THEIR TRUTH.
SOMETIMES I CAN'T IMAGINE TRYING TO BE IN COMMUNITY CIRCLE WITH SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, AT WHAT POINT DO WE SAY -- I WANT TO BE CLEAR.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT MAYBE SOMEONE AT HOME THAT'S TRUMP SUPPORTER THAT'S ANGRY RIGHT NOW.
BUT I GET WHAT SOME OF YOU SAID EARLIER.
THOSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LIED TO BY PEOPLE THAT UNDERSTOOD THEY COULD -- THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO TRUST.
AND I JUST -- I'M JUST REALLY REMINDED OF -- I CONSIDER OUR WORK IMPORTANT.
BUT I'M GLAD WE DON'T HAVE TO DO PARTICULAR THING RIGHT NOW.
I'M GRATEFUL THAT I WORK WITH ALL OF YOU.
BECAUSE WE CAN HAVE DIFFERENCES BUT I KNOW THAT WE WILL BE TRUTHFUL WITH EACH OTHER.
AND THAT WE REALLY ARE -- WE CAN PUT YOU KNOW WE ALWAYS WILL PUT KIDS FIRST AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
I JUST WANT TO ALSO SAY I'VE HEARD A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA.
I WOULD SAY THAT AGAIN, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND IT SOUNDS LIKE FINALLY, FINALLY HAPPENING.
YOU KNOW, THE CONCEPT OF WHERE YOU STOP THE LINE ON THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT.
IT'S WHY THEY HAVE THE FAMOUS YOU CAN'T CRY FIRE IN A THEATER.
I'M GLAD THAT PEOPLE ARE FINALLY STARTING TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S SOME LINES ON THAT.
EVERY TIME THERE'S A NEW TECHNOLOGY OR NEW WAY OF COMMUNICATING TAKES A WHILE TO CATCH UP.
SOCIAL MEDIA CAN BE DANGEROUS AND AMAZING.
WE KNOW ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE BECAUSE THERE ARE MILLIONS SLUTHS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
SOME OF WHOM HAVE BEEN TRACKING WHITE SUPREMACY GROUPS TRACKING ANTI SEMITIC GROUP.
RACIST GROUP THAT ARE HELPING PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THESE PEOPLE.
THESE ARE DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE DOING THIS KIND OF STUFF.
THIS POLITICAL ACTIVISM FOR GOOD.
WHAT I WOULD SAY MAYBE FOR US TO THINK ABOUT WE TALK A LOT ABOUT WE TALKED ABOUT K-2 LITERACY.
GRADUATION RATE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF CRITICAL THINKING.
WE NEED TO TEACH CHILDREN HOW TO MOVE THROUGH THIS VERY COMPLICATED WORLD WITH ALL THIS INFORMATION BEING THROWN AT THEM FROM ALL DIFFERENT SOURCES AND WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM THE TOOLS TO BE ABLE THE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS TRUE AND WHAT IS A LIE SO THAT THEY CAN THEN MAKE DECISIONS.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT -- WE HAVE TEACH THEM ONE POLITICAL DOCTRINE OR ANOTHER.
THIS IS ABOUT CRITICAL THINKING.
THAT SHOULDN'T BE CONTROVERSIAL.
BUT THERE MAY BE SOME PEOPLE THAT WILL BE RILED UP AND WILL SUGGEST THAT WE ARE BEING PARTISAN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE US ALL TO STAY FIRM AND TRUE AND KNOW THAT IS WHAT WE MUST DO FOR OUR CHILDREN AND FOR OUR COUNTRY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SHARING YOUR TRUTH.
AND AS WE PREPARE TO SLOWLY CLOSE OUT THE CIRCLE.
WE NOW WANT TO PASS THE VIRTUAL TALKING PIECE TO HEATHER.
THIS REALLY A GOOD SPACE TO BE IN.
I APPRECIATE EVERYONE HONESTY.
EYE BEEN REALLY TRYING TO PROCESS IN MY OWN HEAD HOW I'M FEELING RIGHT NOW.
AND I THINK A LOT OF YOU HAVE KIND OF ARTICULATED THAT FOR ME.
BUT I DEFINITELY WAS REMINDED MANY MOONS AGO LET'S SAY I WORKED IN THE CAPITOL FOR A SENATOR.
[00:50:01]
AS PART OF MY DUTIES I WOULD GIVE TOURS OF THE CAPITOL.AND THERE'S A ROOM IN THE CAPITOL WHERE THEY HAVE PRESERVED SOME OF THE ORIGINAL FURNITURE AND PIECE THAT WERE BURNED IN 1812.
AND PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS LIKE SHOCKED BY THE FACT THAT THE CAPITOL LITERALLY BURNED DOWN BY THE BRITISH BACK IN THE DAY AND WAS REBUILT INTO THE BEAUTIFUL THING IT IS NOW.
IN ADDITION TO NOT BE SADLY SHOCKED BY WHAT HAPPENED; I WAS JUST VERY, VERY SAD.
BECAUSE THE CAPITOL IS JUST SUCH A BEACON -- NOT JUST TO AMERICANS BUT AROUND THE WORLD.
AND YOU KNOW, I ALSO WORKED AS A DIP ALTHOUGH MATT.
ONE OF THE MAIN DUTY WAS TALKING ABOUT HUMAN RIGHT AND TALK ABOUT FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND RESPECT FOR DIFFERENCES AND OTHER PEOPLE.
I REMEMBER THAT I GOT ASKED A LOT OF TIMES BY PEOPLE IN SOME OF THE MOST REPRESSED COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD DO YOU FEEL SAFE IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY AS A BLACK WOMAN? BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY WERE SAYING THEY FELT THE NEED TO ASK ME THAT QUESTION.
AND LITERALLY FOUR YEARS AGO ALMOST TO THE DAY I HAD TO RESIGN BECAUSE I REALIZED THAT I FELT LIKE A HYPOCRITE BECAUSE HONESTLY, I DIDN'T.
A LOT OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS DIDN'T.
HOW DARE I GO TO OTHER PLACES AND TELL THEM YOU KNOW, WHAT WE SHOULD -- WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING.
AND SO I JUST HONESTLY I WAS -- I REMEMBER THE TIME AND THE FEELINGS THAT MADE ME WANT TO COME BACK HOME AND WORK AT HOME TO FIX OUR OWN PROBLEMS BEFORE TELLING OTHER PEOPLE TO FIX THERE'S.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASON I'M HERE ON THIS SCHOOL BOARD AND BACK HOME IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I JUST REALLY HOPE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH AMERICA REPRESENTED TO THE WORLD.
I THINK MORE THAN ANYTHING THAT'S REALLY WHAT WILL TAKE A LOT OF TIME TO REBUILD.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, I'M REMINDED OF THE QUOTE DR. HUTCHINS TALKED ABOUT IN OUR CIVILITY CONVERSATION WHERE THIS RACISM IS NOT NEW BUT SIMMERING UNDER THE SURFACE FOR A LONG TIME.
IT'S COME TO HEAD SOME SAY IT'S POPPED.
NOW WE DON'T HAVE TO ARGUE THE MERIT AND WHITE PRIVILEGE OR SYSTEMIC RACISM EXIST.
AND NOW AS RANEE SAID IT'S TIME TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.
IT'S CLEAR SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE.
AND BEFORE THAT WAS EVEN UP FOR ARGUMENT.
NOW WE KNOW SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE.
WE MAY HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT WHAT THE CHANGE SHOULD BE.
AT LEAST NOW WE CAN BE SOMEWHAT IN THE SAME WAY OF THINKING.
I HATE TO SAY A LOT OF THE VIDEO THAT HAVE BEEN COMING OUT AFTERWARD OF PEOPLE GETTING ARRESTED THAT ARE NOW NO-FLY LIST.
THERE'S ONE VIDEO OF A GUY WHO SAYS AS HE'S TACKLED BY POLICE YOU'RE TREATING ME LIKE A BLACK PERSON.
WITH A LOT OF EXPLETIVES THROWN IN THERE.
YOUR TREATING ME LIKE A BLACK PERSON FOR THROWING ME ON THE GROUND AND BRUTALIZING ME.
THE FACT THAT'S ON VIDEO PEOPLE HAVE ALL SEEN THE SAME THING AS THE DAYS GO ON WE HEAR MORE AND MORE ABOUT HOW HORRIBLE THAT DA WAS.
POLICE OFFICERS WERE GETTING BEAT BY BLUE LIVES MATTER FLAGS.
THIS COUNTRY DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE.
BUT IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU KNOW SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO AIR THE FAMILY'S DIRTY LAUNDRY TO FIX THINGS.
I HOPE THAT'S THE POINT WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.
I THINK AS LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ALL SAID THIS AND I AGREE.
TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS IN WHICH THERE'S DISAGREEMENT IS SO SO IMPORTANT.
AND IT'S SKILL THAT MANY ADULTS SIMPLY DON'T HAVE TODAY.
WE'RE IN THE INFORMATION AGE BUT EVERYONE GETS TO PICK THEIR OWN INFORMATION.
WHEREAS 50 YEARS AGO FOR THE MOST PART EVERYONE READ THE SAME NEWSPAPER.
THEY MIGHT DISAGREE AND TERM THEM DIFFERENTLY.
FOR THE MOST PART PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD FACTS AND WHAT TRUTH WAS.
WE CAN PICK OUR OWN FACTS AND CHAMBERS.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S NECESSARILY A BAD THING.
SURE IT CAN BE QUITE DANGEROUS.
I THINK IF PEOPLE LEARN HOW TO EXPLAIN THEIR BELIEFS AND THEIR VIEWS BASED ON THEIR EVIDENCE, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WILL BE SO VALUABLE FOR OUR STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY AT-LARGE.
WE'RE NEVER ALL GOING TO AGREE.
AS LONG AS YOUR BRIEFS DON'T INFRINGE ON MY RIGHT AS A HUMAN BEING.
WHEN THEY GET TO STATE LAST WEEK, THAT'S WHEN WE DEFINITELY NEED TO BE EVALUATED AS A SOCIETY.
AND SO I'M DETERMINED TO DO THAT.
[00:55:01]
AS A BOARD I HOPE WE CAN MODEL THAT BEHAVIOR.DEFINITELY WITH OUR CIVILITY CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW.
BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT STEP AND CHANGE IS NEVER EASY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH MISS THORTON FOR SHARING YOUR TRUTH.
AT THIS TIME FAMILY, I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU JUST OUR CLOSING SLIDE AND WE DO THIS WITH OUR STAFF AND I WANT TO SAY TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND THIS BOARD THIS THE PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST-KEPT SECRETS AT ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND I SHARE MY OWN PERSONAL STORY THAT MY ALMOST 30 YEARS IN MY SERVICE IN EDUCATION TO THE FAMILY OF ALEXANDRIA.
I'VE HAD SITUATIONS AND CHALLENGES WHERE I'VE ACTUALLY ACCESSED THE BENEFITS OF THIS PROGRAM.
AND SO I SAY TO YOU THE SAME THING I SHARE WITH OUR OTHER COLLEAGUES, YOU KNOW, DON'T SUFFER IN SILENCE.
DESPITE CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES WE'RE ALL CONNECTED, CONTINUE TO REACH OUT TO YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM, STAY IN COMMUNICATION TO EACH OTHER.
AND SO AGAIN LASTLY WE JUST WANT TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THIS INFORMATION, EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT OFFERS EXCELLENT SUPPORT SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THE STAFF OF ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND THE CONTACT INFORMATION IS LISTED HERE.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA, THE FAMILIES WHO SERVED.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING BOLD, TO BEING COURAGEOUS, FOR ENGAGING IN ANTI RACIST JOURNEY.
AND I HAVE BEEN PART OF ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ALL OF MY LIFE.
AND I SAY THIS WITH ALL SINCERITY, BY FAR THIS IS BRAVEST BOARD I'VE EVER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.
TO DR. HUTCHINS YOUR LEADERSHIP, SIR, YOUR GRIT.
YOUR DETERMINATION I TRULY APPRECIATE.
I THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE YOU TONIGHT.
I KNOW YOU HAVE OTHER BUSINESS AT HAND.
PART OF THE AMAZING THINGS FOR ME.
I BROUGHT UP DIFFERENT OPINIONS.
AND WE ALL GOT TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
AND JUST BETWEEN THAT PERIOD OF TIME AND NOW IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S BECOME SO RELEVANT; RIGHT? AND SO WHETHER WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO MARGARET OR WHETHER WE TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED A FEW MILES AWAY FROM YOU GUYS.
OR WHETHER YOU TALK ABOUT DIFFERENCES OF OPINION IN LEADERSHIP.
ALL SORTS OF THINGS REALLY CAN HAVE THIS LAYER OF CIVILITY ATTACHED TO THEM.
I THINK IT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE AND MAYBE CIRCLE BACK IN CLOSE THE WHOLE CIVILITY TIE-IN TO WHAT WE WENT THROUGH.
WE WANT TO BE THE BEST TEAM WE CAN POSSIBLY BE.
YOU KNOW BUT ARE THERE WAYS WE CAN TREAT EACH OTHER DIFFERENTLY? OR BETTER? OR DISCUSS WAYS THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER THAT MIGHT HELP US BE BETTER IN OUR DECISION MAKING? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP ABOUT EITHER CIVILITY CONVERSATION THAT WE INITIATED A MONTH AGO OR ANYTHING SPECIFIC ABOUT THE WAY WE TREAT EACH OTHER AS A BOARD.
>> IT WOULD BE HAPPY TO START.
BECAUSE I STILL -- I WANT TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF BLAME.
IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, I THINK MY WORDS WERE CHOSEN AND EXPRESSED IN THE WAY.
THIS RELATES TO CIVILITY AND OUR ABILITY AS THE BOARD TO PROMOTE -- HELP THE COMMUNITY BE LESS DEVISIVE.
I FEEL LIKE I FED INTO BY BEING SOMEWHAT OVERDRAMATIC.
DO -- YOU COULD CHOOSE BETWEEN LIFE OR EDUCATION.
[01:00:03]
IT SOUNDED THAT WAY.I DIDN'T THINK I WAS SAYING THAT.
BUT THE POINT IS I SHOULD HAVE USED BETTER WORDS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY I DON'T THINK I'M OFF THE HOOK.
I THINK I'M PARTLY TO BLAME FOR REACTION FOR PEOPLE WHO YOU KNOW WERE ALREADY EXTREMELY STRESSED.
WITH REGARD TO EACH OTHER, THE ONLY THING I WOULD ASK, IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE COULD COMMUNICATE JUST CALL EACH OTHER MORE OFTEN.
NONE OF US HAVE THAT MUCH TIME.
I LOVE IT WHEN I END UP MICHELLE GIVES ME CALL.
WHEN I TALK TO SOMEONE I ENJOY IT.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL REALLY, REALLY BUSY.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE GENERATE THAT.
BUT THAT WOULD BE MY THOUGHT IF THERE'S SOME WAY THAT WE CAN KEEP A LITTLE BIT BETTER IN TOUCH WITH ONE ANOTHER.
I WASN'T SURE IF WE DOING THAT OR NOT.
I STARTED THINKING ABOUT THE CIVILITY THING.
PART OF IT YOU KNOW, OF ALL THE THINGS WHERE THAT I SAW THAT PEOPLE WERE DIRECTING THINGS, ONE PERSON REALLY DID KIND OF LIKE WHAT I FEEL LIKE MY KIDS WERE TAUGHT IN PRESCHOOL, THIS IS WAY YOU SAID MADE ME FEEL.
THERE WAS ONE PERSON WHO KIND OF DID IT THAT WAY.
AND THAT I THINK IS A HEALTHIER WAY AND ALSO A WAY OF COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER, THE PUBLIC AND THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT ACTUALLY CAN IS MORE LIKELY TO HAVE A BETTER OUTCOME FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT HAPPY.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING IF THE PUBLIC COULD REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT.
THE THINGS WHERE NOT JUST ABOUT US BUT CITY COUNCIL, ANY ELECTED PERSON OR ANY PERSON IN A POSITION OF POWER, GREG, TOO.
THEY DON'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND HE'S NOT ELECTED.
I CAN SEE WHATEVER I WANT TO THEM.
BUT I'M THINKING BUT THE POINT IS WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? IF YOU TRYING TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD, AND YOU'RE NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT.
I FEEL LIKE AUTOMATICALLY WANT TO SHUTDOWN WHEN PEOPLE.
I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT.
IT'S JUST LIKE BECAUSE I DON'T WANT REWARD.
I DON'T WANT TO REWARD THAT BEHAVIOR.
THAT'S JUST NOT THE KIND OF BEHAVIOR.
I DO THINK THAT THOUGHT ABOUT THE CIVILITY.
MAYBE SOMEONE IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT.
I WAS ONBOARD WITH THE DISCUSSION LAST MONTH ABOUT IT NOT BEING KIND OF -- KIND OF ODD AND MAYBE PEOPLE WOULD MISINTERPRET.
BUT I THINK THAT THE EVENTS IN THE LAST WEEK HAVE CHANGED THAT SOME, MAYBE.
>> >> MEAGAN, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?
AS I SAID EARLIER THE THINGS THAT RESONATES WITH ME WHEN YOU ARE IN A POSITION OF QUOTE, UNQUOTE POWER.
THE IMPACT OF HOW YOU OPERATE, THE THINGS THAT YOU SAY, HOW YOU INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER, REALLY HAS -- IT HAS A TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT.
I THINK THE CHALLENGE FOR OUR BOARD IS WHEN WE DO DISAGREE ABOUT STUFF, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALWAYS DOING IT IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T YOU KNOW COMMUNICATE TO THE COMMUNITY IN SOME WAY THAT THEY CAN BE DEVISIVE.
I THINK THAT'S JUST LIKE OUR CONSTANT CHALLENGE.
BECAUSE LIKE VERONICA SAID OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS YOU CAN SEE DIVISIVENESS HAS BECOME A CULTURE AMONG EVERYBODY.
EVEN IF YOU ARE ON THE SAME SORT OF SIDE OF THE AISLE.
THERE'S JUST LIKE THIS VISCERAL YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT MY WAY.
IT'S THE HIGHWAY KIND OF THING.
THAT YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE ALMOST I FEEL LIKE AGAIN IT'S A TRICKLE DOWN.
BECAUSE OF BEHAVIOR THAT WE'VE SEEN AT THE TOP.
PEOPLE JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S OKAY TO DIVIDE AND CONQUER.
[01:05:01]
YOU KNOW TO, GET THEIR WAY I JUST THINK LIKE -- HIGHLIGHTED TO ME HOW MUCH OF A CHALLENGE IT IS TO EVEN HOW YOU SHOW DISAGREEMENT WHEN YOU ARE IN THE POSITION EVEN LIKE OURS.I JUST THINK THAT WILL BE LIKE YOU KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND AS WE DO THE THINGS THAT WE DO.
IN TERMS OF THE CIVILITY CONVERSATION, I MEAN THE REALITY IS YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW COMMUNICATION IS THE FEEDBACK LOOP.
YOU KNOW, EVEN YOU KNOW, CAN I GIVE THE VIRTUAL HUGS TO MARGARET TOO.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW MARGARET'S HEART.
I KNOW MARGARET SAYING WHAT SHE SAID DIDN'T EVEN LIKE YOU KNOW COME ACROSS IN ANY KIND OF WAY TO ME.
BECAUSE I KNOW WHO MARGARET IS.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW PART OF IT MAY HAVE BEEN YOU KNOW PEOPLE PERCEIVED IT AS HARSH.
PART IS LIKE A CULTURE OF JUST YOU KNOW -- IT'S LIKE AN ATTACK CULTURE WE'RE IN.
IT'S BECOME MORE SO OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS.
WE GOT TO FIGURE OUT YOU KNOW IN A WAY IT'S TOUGH.
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE IN PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT POSITIONS WHICH IS HOW DO WE BRING OUR COMMUNITY A LITTLE BIT MORE TOGETHER.
THEY WILL LOOK AT US TO EITHER COMBINE OR DIVIDE.
I WANTED TO ASK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
CAN YOU MEAGAN, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT LIKE DISAGREEING, WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IN AN IDEAL SCENARIO VERSES WHAT IT WOULDN'T LOOK LIKE? COULD YOU -- I WOULD LIKE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND YOUR POSITION ON THAT IF YOU COULD TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK I'M 100% SURE WHAT THE IDEAL SCENARIO IS.
I DO THINK PART OF IT, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY THE MEDIA FOR EXAMPLE.
WE'VE HAD SO MANY INSTANCES -- EVEN JUST THIS WEEK WHERE THE MEDIA REACHED OUT TO US.
AND WE'VE ALL HAD TO YOU KNOW TAKE THAT -- WE'VE HAD TO MAKE THE DECISION IN THAT MOMENT OF HOW WE ARE GOING TO RESPOND.
WERE WE GOING TO STICK TO OUR YOU KNOW, PROTOCOL WHICH WE'VE ALL AGREED UPON AND OR WERE WE GOING TO RESPOND TO INDIVIDUALS AS THINGS.
WE CONSTANTLY HAVE TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
AND THAT'S THE CAREFUL LINE THAT WE WALK.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE, I THINK OF HOW WE CAN EITHER LIKE WE HAVE THE POWER; RIGHT? WE LITERALLY HAVE THE POWER TO BRING US ALL TOGETHER OR YOU KNOW DIVIDE -- ALLOW THE DIVIDE AND CONQUER.
EVERYBODY BROUGHT UP SOCIAL MEDIA AS AN ISSUE.
AND THE MEDIA IS USING SOCIAL MEDIA.
YOU KNOW, THE CLIP -- THE CLIP ABOUT MARGARET LITERALLY CAME OFF OF A SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE.
EVEN -- IT EVEN MADE ME THINK ABOUT, OH, GOSH NOW EVERY TIME I REACT OR DO SOMETHING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, I HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW THE MEDIA MIGHT USE THAT TO YOU KNOW PRESENT THE ENTIRE BOARD.
EVEN IF IT IS JUST MY OPINION.
IT'S SUCH A FINE LINE THAT WE WALK THAT I THINK CAN BE CHALLENGING IF WE'RE NOT ALWAYS REMINDED.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S HARD ABOUT IT.
I THINK WE DEFINITELY HAVE UNITED MISSION TOGETHER AND YOU KNOW BUT WE'RE ALSO INDIVIDUALS.
HOW DO YOU FIND THAT BALANCE WHEN YOU'RE INTERFACING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
THEY ALSO WANT TO KNOW WHAT DO YOU THINK?
[01:10:03]
IT'S JUST FINDING THAT BALANCE.YOU KNOW ONE THING I WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT CIVILITY THAT EYE BEEN THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW AND KIND OF BUILDS ON THE COMMENTS THAT FOLKS SHARED EARLIER.
BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR ME AS THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, LIKE I -- I DON'T ALWAYS AGREE MAYBE WITH ISSUE -- CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE BRING BEFORE US.
I TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM.
I TRY TO HEAR THEM AND FOUND WHEN I WAS READING MATERIALS ABOUT CIVILITY.
THERE WAS A LINK IN THEM THERE WAS A REFERENCE TO THIS NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR CIVIL DISCOURSE.
AND THEY HAD THIS GUIDELINES OR BEST PRACTICES FOR LIKE HOW TO CIVIL DISCOURSE.
IT WAS ABOUT LIKE TRYING TO LISTEN FOR UNDERSTANDING AND TRY TO HAVE EMPATHY, AND YOU KNOW IT'S INTERESTING I DON'T KNOW I YOU RECALL THIS.
SOMETIME MAYBE A YEAR OR SO AGO WHEN WE WERE HAVING UPDATE ON SOME OF THE EQUITY WORK AND I WAS ASKING ROBINSON AND ABOUT SINCE HE HAD BEEN DOING THE WORK FOR A LONG TIME.
>> HOW SHE HAD SEEN IT CHANGE OVER TIME.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHE SAID WAS THAT IT'S REALLY MOVED TO THE PLACE OF BUILDING MORE EMPATHY BETWEEN PEOPLE.
THAT KIND OF GOES LIKE STORY OF VERONICA WAS SHARING.
YOU KNOW BUT JUST TRYING TO CONTINUE TO KEEP THOSE -- KEEP THE WALLS DOWN AND KEEP DIALOGUING.
I THINK -- THAT'S HOW WE'RE CIVIL.
I THINK THAT'S TO ME THAT'S WHAT -- THAT'S A WAY TO BE CIVIL, JUST TO TRY DIALOGUING.
AND IT'S REALLY HARD WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE NATIONAL CLIMATE AND EVERYTHING, BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE YOU KNOW SOME PEOPLE YOU JUST FEEL LIKE, WHAT COULD I POSSIBLY HAVE TO SAY TO YOU.
HOW COULD I POSSIBLY DIALOGUE WITH YOU WHEN YOU HAVE PARTICULAR VIEWS THAT I JUST FIND SO PROBLEMATIC.
BUT I THINK THAT DIALOGUE IS HOW YOU DO HAVE -- THAT'S HOW WE DRAW PEOPLE IN AND HOW WE PEOPLE CAN CHANGE, TOO.
I DON'T KNOW FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH.
I JUST WANT TO QUICKLY RESPOND TO DIALOGUE.
I THINK YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZING WHEN PEOPLE ARE REACHING OUT TO US TO DIALOGUE, SOMETIMES, WHAT THEIR INTENTIONS ARE.
I THINK THAT'S -- I'VE STARTED TO DISCOVER IT'S A SUPER FINE LINE.
THAT WE WALK AND LIKE TRYING TO PROCESS LIKE, OH THIS PERSON WANTS TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ME ABOUT X.
AND KNOWING WHEN TO SAY LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT'S NOT MY PLACE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOU.
WE HAVE THIS PERSON ON STAFF WHO KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT THAT.
MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO THEM FIRST.
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE BECAUSE IN THAT MANNER SOMETIMES LIKE I HAD TO THINK ABOUT YOU KNOW, I COULD ALSO SAY SOMETHING, SOMETIMES THAT WILL PUT STAFF IN A BAD POSITION.
IT'S ALWAYS LIKE THIS WHACKY LINE OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT AND THINKING ABOUT YOU KNOW, EVEN WHEN WE BREAK DOWN THOSE WALLS.
WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE WALLS WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
WE JUST GOT TO PROTECT EACH OTHER AND OUR STAFF TOO.
I'M SO THANKFUL, CAN FOLLOW THAT COMMENT.
ONE THING I'M MINDFUL AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER ALIGNING WITH THIS CONVERSATION, NUMBER ONE, LIKE ARE WE STAYING IN OUR LANE THAT WHEN WE ARE ASKED BY THE COMMUNITY IS IT SOMETHING BETTER QUESTION BY STAFF AND ARE WE -- ARE WE BEING ASKED INFORMATION FOR INFORMATION OR OPINIONS OR THOUGHTS ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S NOT WITHIN OUR LANE.
THAT'S -- I'M JUST ALIGNING WITH WHAT YOU SAID.
THE OTHER THING I THINK ABOUT ALL THE TIME THAT I WORRY ABOUT IN TERMS OF LIKE WHEN THE COMMUNITY ASKED FOR INFORMATION IS JUST MAKING ENSURING THAT WE'RE TRANSPARENT AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL.
I'M CONSTANTLY THINKING ABOUT HOW ONE THIRD OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION THEIR
[01:15:03]
PARENTS DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH.AND WE HAVE A LOW -- SOME OF THE POPULATION LOW LITERACY RATE OR CONNECTIVITY TO TECHNOLOGY AND SO NOT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO YOU KNOW E-MAIL AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE TO CONTACT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
I JUST AM ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT HOW DO I ENSURE THAT ANYTHING EITHER I'M SAYING OR IS PUBLIC AND TRANSPARENCE BUT ALSO ACCESSIBLE.
FOR EXAMPLE, JUST RECENTLY, YOU KNOW I WAS ASKED TO PROVIDE WRITTEN COMMENTS TO A PTA AND INSTEAD I SAID MY RESPONSE.
I'M JUST REALLY CONCERNED THAT ONE PTA IS GETTING ONE SET OF INFORMATION, AND INSTEAD I WOULD MUCH RATHER WITH THE PLAN FOR EXAMPLE FOR OPENING OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT WE ARE ENSURING THAT MAYBE PTAC CAN SURVEY OUR PTA AND FIND OUT WHAT QUESTIONS DO ALL PTA'S HAVE.
I'M SURE IF ONE SCHOOL QUESTION HAS THE OTHER SCHOOL DOESN'T.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M IN LINE WITH THE WEB SITE.
I PREFER THE WEB SITE TO BE THE DATA POINT AND THE CLEARINGHOUSE OF WHERE EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF WHAT LANGUAGE CAN GO TO OUR IN OUR DIVISION TO FIND OUT SCHOOL OPENING PLAN.
IT'S NOT PEOPLE COMING UP TO ME AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER FEELING LIKE THEY ARE GIVING DIFFERENT INFORMATION OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAN WHAT'S BEING PROVIDED PUBLICLY.
IT SOUNDED CLEAR IN MY HEAD THAN WHEN IT CAME OUT LOUD.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WE'RE ARE NOT FEELING SOMEONE TURNS TO US AND DOES ASK OUR OPINION OR FOR INFORMATION THAT THEY FEEL THEY -- THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO GET INFORMATION IF YOU KNOW A SCHOOL BOAR MEMBER.
I WANT THE WEB SITE IN THE NEWSLETTER.
EVEN PUBLIC MEETING TO BE WHERE EVERYBODY HAS EQUAL ACCESS REGARDLESS OF YOUR INTERNET ACCESS, YOUR AGE, YOUR INCOME LEVEL, YOUR LANGUAGE SPOKEN.
FOR SO LONG IN MANY COMMUNITIES INCLUDING ALEXANDRIA PEOPLE FELT LIKE THEY NEEDED TO HEAR INSIDE SCOOP FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER VERSES COMING TO THE PUBLIC INFORMATION THAT'S PROVIDED.
ESPECIALLY SOMETHING AS COMPLICATED THE MOMENT IN TIME WE'RE IN.
I WOULD HATE FOR PEOPLE TO FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE TO HAVE ACCESS TO US IN ORDER.
THAT'S AGAIN WHY I'M OBSESSED WITH CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
I THINK IT'S THE BEST WAY FOR EQUITABLE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM THAT NOT ONLY ALLOWS ALL OF US TO ACCESS INFORMATION BUT EQUALLY, I ALSO ON THE FLIP SIDE REALLY ADMIRE THE COMMUNITY OF ALEXANDRIA AND APPRECIATE JUST HOW INFORMATIVE OUR COMMUNITY IS AND I APPRECIATE THE LENSES AND THE EXPERTISE.
WE HAD EPIDEMIOLOGIST ON OUR REOPENING TRANSITION COMMITTEE.
HOW MANY COMMUNITIES CAN SAY THEY HAVE SO MANY EXPERTS THAT ARE COMMITTED ACPS.
THE FLIP SIDE I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CAPTURING FEEDBACK FROM THE KNOWLEDGEABLE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE UTILIZING TO GIVE KIDS A PHENOMENONAL EDUCATION.
I WANT TO BE TRANSPARENT AND ACCESSIBLE WHEN WE HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CONSTITUENTS.
THANKS FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THAT FEEDBACK.
I THINK A LOT OF WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT APPLICABLE ACROSS A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
WE'VE HAD OTHER CHALLENGING ISSUE OR MOMENTS OR VOTES AND THAT KIND OF THING.
YOU KNOW, AND WE HAD THE SAME SORT OF PHENOMENON ABOUT CERTAIN REALLY ACTIVE PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND HOW DO WE NEGOTIATE THAT KIND OF COMMUNICATION VERSES OVERALL COMMUNICATION AND HOW DO WE YOU KNOW EACH HAVE OUR OWN INDEPENDENCE AS INDIVIDUAL PERSON THEN ACT AS BOARD.
I ACTUALLY WANTED -- THERE'S SOMETHING I THINK UNIQUE ABOUT THIS.
I THINK IT'S -- I THINK IT'S A COMBINATION OF THE PANDEMIC BUT ALSO THE HEIGHTENED RHETORIC NOW WHICH I HAVE FOUND I'M GETTING INCREASINGLY DISTURBED AS EACH MEETING GOES ON.
I HAVE A PERCEPTION THERE'S A GROUP IN THE COMMUNITY THAT FEELS THAT THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY FOR THEM TO GET THEIR POINT ACROSS IS TO TELL THE MOST DRAMATIC VERSION OF A STUDENT IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
[01:20:01]
THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL STUDENT'S PERSONAL INFORMATION AND THIS IS NOW OUT FOR EVERYONE TO SEE.TO MICHELLE'S POINT, I'M EMPATHETIC.
I WILL JUST TELL YOU ALL THEY WILL NEVER KNOW HOW EMPATHETIC I AM.
WHEN I SAY, I HAVE A VERY KEEN UNDERSTANDING OF THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISISES HAPPEN WITH OUR YOUTH RIGHT NOW.
SO GETTING ON THE MIC OR CALLING UP THE PAPER OR WRITING A LETTER IS NOT -- WE SHOULD NOT BE -- WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO NOT ENCOURAGE THIS.
WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND I KNOW THAT OUR STAFF -- ALL OF RUSS COMMITTED TO SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING.
WE CAN'T GIVE THEM BACK FIVE DAYS A WEEK RIGHT NOW.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE -- I KNOW OUR STAFF WILL DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO GET THAT FAMILY IN CRISIS THE HELP THAT WE NEED.
BUT IT FEEL A LITTLE BIT WEIRD TO TIE THE CIVILITY THING.
I FEEL LIKE THERE'S THIS NOT QUESTION ABOUT REDISTRICTING OR ABOUT HOW MUCH -- WHERE THE BORDER LINE WILL BE ON MCARTHER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INDIVIDUALS STUDENTS IN CRISIS AND WE'VE GOT TO HELP THE COMMUNITY FIND I DON'T KNOW IF WE WRAP IN CIVILITY OR SOMETHING ELSE.
WE'VE GOT TO HELP THEM FIND A WAY TO COMMUNICATE THIS BETTER.
BECAUSE -- REALLY DON'T WANT THIS TO KEEP HAPPENING.
I REALLY DON'T WANT ANOTHER MEETING OF PEOPLE DOING THIS.
I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT.
>> I THINK A LOT OF IT GOES BACK TO WHAT'S HAPPENING NATIONALLY WHERE IT'S BECOME ACCEPTABLE TO SORT OF PREPET PERPETUATE NARRATIVES THAT ARE WRONG.
WITH RESPECT TO THE BOARD, THE NARRATIVE THAT'S BEING PUT OUT THERE IS NARRATIVE OF IT'S CONSPIRACY.
BOARD JUST WANTS TO DELAY AND NEVER OPEN SCHOOLS FOR THE REST OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND DR. HUTCINGS IS LEADING THE CONSPIRACY.
DR. HUTCHINGS HAS LAID OUT A CLEAR PLAN.
BUT VACCINES ARE GOING INTO THE ARMS OF TEACHERS, RIGHT AS WE SPEAK.
IF THE COMMUNITY SPREAD GOES DOWN, DR. HUTCHINGS WILL MADE ASSESSMENT AND SAY WE WILL START TO REOPEN.
BECAUSE THERE'S A NARRATIVE THAT WE'RE JUST NEVER GOING TO REOPEN, PEOPLE ARE SEIZING ON THAT AND GOING TO THESE EXTREMES THEY ARE IDENTIFYING WHERE THESE SORT OF CONSPIRACY THEORIES, YOU KNOW THAT ARE OUT THERE AND HOW CAN WE STATE VERY CLEARLY ON THE RECORD THAT, THAT'S NOT WHAT IS GOING ON HERE AT ALL AND CORRECT THE RECORD, YOU KNOW AND DO IT IN A VERY AUTHORITATIVE WAY.
WE JUST DID A NICE JOB OF THAT WITH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING LETTER THAT MEAGAN JUST SENT BACK.
THIS IS ANOTHER CONSPIRACY THEORY.
THE BOARD IS TRYING TO YOU KNOW PROMOTE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON SCHOOL CAMPUSES AND I GOT THE LETTER QUITE SAID THERE'S NO ISSUE ON THE TABLE.
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER ALLUDED TO IN POWERPOINT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I THINK THIS IS TIME WHERE EVERYONE IS TRYING TO THINK THROUGH, YOU KNOW BECAUSE
[01:25:07]
OF FEAR.BECAUSE OF ANXIETY IN THE COUNTRY.
PEOPLE ARE DOING THIS KIND OF STUFF IN WAYS THAT YOU HAVEN'T TRADITIONALLY MAYBE SEEN.
AND MY SECOND POINT IS I THINK JUST IN TERMS OF MODELLING CIVILITY.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE TRY TO GET TO FACT AS MUCH AS WE CAN IN DEBATING ISSUE.
IT'S OKAY TO HAVE DISAGREEMENT OR DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW.
BACK TO MISS GENTRY'S POINT WHAT DO WE MODEL FOR THE STUDENT.
AS FORMER HIGH SCHOOL DEBATER.
BECAUSE THEY CAN SEE EVIDENCE FROM DIFFERENT SIDES AND SORT OF PUT IT TOGETHER AND UNDERSTAND THAT MAYBE THERE'S ONE POINT OF VIEW THAT'S THIS WAY AND ONE THAT WAY.
OUR KIDS NEED BE ABLE TO DO THAT NOW.
THIS GOES DOWN TO EDUCATION AS WELL.
BUT THE MORE WE CAN MODEL THAT THE BETTER.
I THINK WE DID A NICE JOB OF THAT SRO VOTE IN DISCUSSION.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S DATA ON THE TABLE.
SOME THOUGHT THERE WAS ENOUGH DATA.
SOME THOUGHT THAT WASN'T ENOUGH.
SOME THOUGHT THE NATIONAL NARRATIVE MORE INFORMATIVE.
SOME THOUGHT IT WAS LESS RELEVANT.
IT WAS DISCUSSED IN THE OPEN AIR AND A DECISION WAS MADE.
YOU KNOW, AND I THINK PEOPLE RESPECTED THAT DECISION.
AND SO SIMILAR WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT.
HOW CAN WE MODEL THAT FACT-BASED DEBATE AND REITERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT IN OUR MEETINGS, YOU KNOW.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY AN IMPORTANT THING.
BUT CATCHING THE CONSPIRACY RUMBLINGS AND MAKING SURE WE QUASH THEM PRO ACTIVELY AS THE BOARD WITH ONE VOICE IS IMPORTANT TOO.
>> I KNOW MARGARET AND THEN GREG.
>> I JUST WANT TO MAKE A LITTLE COMMENT.
AD-PRO PO THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE.
IT'S AMAZING ONE OF PARENT THAT I KNEW FROM BEFORE GOT IN TOUCH WITH ME TO SAY SHE'S WORRIED ABOUT A FAMILY WHO WAS JUST SINGLE MOM WHO LOSING WHAT THEY COULD DO.
I ASKED AND SHE HAD CONTACTED HER SCHOOL.
IN THE MEAN TIME BETWEEN THE SCHOOL AND THE CITY SHE GOT HELP I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYONE KNOW THERE'S THIS VAN.
MOBILE VAN THAT GOES AROUND FOR MENTAL HEALTH EMERGENCIES.
THEY WILL DO AN EVALUATION ON THE SPOT.
THERE'S A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL.
AND THEN THEN THEY GET YOU SERVICES NO COST, ET CETERA.
WE REALLY HAVE THINGS PRETTY ACCESSIBLE FOR FOLKS IN CRISIS.
MARGARET SHE JUST ACTUALLY COVERED WE HAVE A LOT OF SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORTS FOR OUR STUDENT.
I THINK DISHEARTENING FROM ME TO HEAR FAMILIES SAY, SHARE WITH US SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE FACING.
IT'S DISHEARTENING WHEN WE LEARN THAT INFORMATION FROM A BOARD MEETING.
WHEN WE FOLLOW UP THE TEACHERS AREN'T AWARE.
THEY DON'T SEE THAT DURING THE ZOOM IN IF YOUR CHILD AT THE POINT WHERE THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND THINGS THROUGH THAT, YOU KNOW I SHOULDN'T BE FIRST HEARD OPENING REMARKS.
LIKE BECAUSE WE ARE HERE TO SERVE OUR KIDS.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES ME FEEL CONCERNED.
THAT WE HAVE FIND OUT SOME OF THOSE THINGS FROM A BOARD MEETING.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, TOO, WHEN WE HEAR FROM OUR STAFF AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.
I THINK MICHELLE YOU MENTIONED THIS EARLIER.
HAVING EMPATHY FOR ANY PERSON WHO SPEAKS BEFORE THE BOARD, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE AGREE OR NOT.
WE NEED TO TRY TO FIND SENSE OF UNDERSTANDING.
I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND ON THE OTHER HAND I BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO NOT USE THAT ONE NARRATIVE TO THEN DO OUR REACTION.
BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY FAMILIES WHEN I SPEAK TO OUR PRINCIPALS WHO HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT STORY FROM THE STORIES YOU ALL HEAR.
AND I JUST RECENTLY TALK AND THEY WERE SAYING PATRICK HENRY FAMILIES.
THEY ARE PRAISING BOARD AND SAYING THANK YOU ALL FOR CARING ABOUT US ENOUGH THAT
[01:30:01]
YOU'RE NOT FORCING THE SUPERINTENDENT TO MAKE EVERYBODY COME BACK OR FOR US TO LOSE OUR TEACHER WE LOVE AND THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THE STAFF.AND THAT YOU TRY TO MAKE REASONABLE DECISIONS.
YOU KNOW IT'S NOT THAT OUR DECISION MAKING IS WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO RETURN.
IT'S THAT WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO RETURN UNTIL WE ARE AT HEALTHY AND SAFE LEVEL FOR THE RETURN.
WE'RE USING ALL OF IF GUIDELINES THAT HAVE BEEN SHARED FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FROM THE CDC AND WE WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THE ALEXANDRIA HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
ONCE AGAIN AND THIS IS HAPPENING TIME AND TIME AGAIN FROM MARCH UNTIL NOW.
ONCE AGAIN ALEXANDRIA, IS AT THE FOREFRONT FOR EVEN THE VACCINE.
I MEAN WE'RE THE FIRST SCHOOL DIVISION TO ISSUE THE VACCINE.
THAT'S WHY THE GOVERNOR WAS HERE.
EL DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE THE FIRST PEOPLE.
I DIDN'T KNOW CONFIRMED UNTIL 6:00 LAST NIGHT.
THAT OKAY THE GOVERNOR COME BECAUSE WE'RE THE FIRST SCHOOL DIVISION.
THAT'S ONCE AGAIN WE ARE AT THE FOREFRONT.
WE HAVE STAYED THE COURSE FROM THE BEGINNING.
YOU LOOK AT EVERY ARTICLE ABOUT THIS PANDEMIC, AND ABOUT SCHOOL DIVISIONS, AND YOU WILL SEE A COUPLE OF NEGATIVE ARTICLES OUT THERE.
MAJORITY OF THE NEGATIVE ARTICLES ARE COMING FROM OUR VERY OWN PEOPLE TRYING TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE.
SOME OF THE STUFF IS NOT TRUE.
IT'S NOT EVEN FACTUAL INFORMATION.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS OUT THERE.
AND I THINK THAT WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE HOW METHODICAL AND STRATEGIC WE HAVE BEEN FROM THE BEGINNING.
AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOU ALL AND ALL OF THESE OTHER BOARDS IN THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA REGION IS THAT YOU ALL ARE BEING RATIONALE, YOU ARE ALL ASKING FOR DATA, YOU ARE ALL MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALIGNING OUR GUIDELINES WITH THE VV DEPARTMENT OF HELP AND ASKING ABOUT THAT TYPE OF ALIGNMENT.
AND YOU'RE ALLOWING TO US BE METHODICAL WITH OUR APPROACH VERSES REACTING TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE POLITICS.
THIS IS WHY YOU ARE DIFFERENT.
AND I THINK IF WE KEEP STAYING THAT COURSE, MOVING FORWARD, WE WILL SEE THAT ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL KEEP LEADING THE WAY IN THIS AREA.
AND PEOPLE WILL FOLLOW OUR LEAD.
IT'S -- PEOPLE DON'T NOTICE IT YET.
THEY -- WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE LIKE KNOWN ABOUT HOW WE WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
UNFORTUNATELY, BUT I JUST COMMEND THIS BOARD AND OUR STAFF FOR STAYING THE COURSE AND TRYING OUR BEST NOT TO FALL INTO THE POLITICS THAT COME ALONG WITH YOU KNOW THE POLITICS THAT COME ALONG WITH ALL OF THIS.
>> ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? BEFORE WE CONTINUE.
>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT CHRIS SAID.
I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY HELPFUL TO ME.
AS I THINK ABOUT TRIGGERING WHICH IS MAKING SURE WE'RE -- DEN FYING CONSPIRACY THEORY AND HAVING SUCCINCT QUICK UNIFIED RESPONSES.
I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA IN THANKS, CHRIS.
>> >> ONE THING, TOO THAT I KNOW WE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY BUT I THINK WILL COME TO FRUITION SOONER THAN LATER.
ONCE THE COMMUNICATION TEAM IS COMPLETE AT ACBS.
WE WANT TO ENGAGE IN TRAINING TO THE BOARD ON HOW TO DEAL WITH PERHAPS MEDIA NOT ALL OF YOU AND YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT IT.
NOT ALL OF YOU MAY BE ON YOUR TOWS ABOUT HOW TO RESPOND TO MEDIA WHEN THEY CONTACT YOU.
EVEN IF YOU ARE SAYING YOU KNOW OUR SPOKESMAN IS CHAIR OF THE BOARD AND YOU NEED TO CONTACT THEM.
OR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT WHATEVER YOU MAY FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH.
AS WE LEARN FROM MARGARET'S SITUATION IT MAY NOT ALWAYS BE A MEDIA CONVERSATION THAT YOU'RE HAVING.
IT MAY BE TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT OR DISTORTED.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE SEE WITH ZOOM.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE SEE WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR SITUATION AND THIS IS NATIONAL PROBLEM OF SCHOOL REOPENING.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO FEEL LIKE YOU'RE AN ISLAND AND THAT THE CRITICISMS THAT
[01:35:03]
YOU'RE RECEIVING ARE DIRECTED AT YOU.COULD BE THE BAGGAGE THEY ARE CARRYING.
AND THE SITUATION THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS PUT THEM IN.
AND WE'RE GOING TO FEEL THE NEED, A LOT OF YOU KNOW FEEL THE STRONG NEED TO BE FIXER WHEN SOMEONE CONTACTS YOU TO RESPOND TO A PROBLEM THAT THEY HAVING.
AND THAT'S A REAL SLIPLY SLOPE FOR YOU TO BE IN.
WE WANT TO RESPECT AND BE CIVIL TO PEOPLE.
EVEN WHEN IT'S OUT OF CONTROL LIKE SOME OF THE THINGS HAPPENING NOW.
PROMISING AND FIXING AND THINGS LIKE THAT CAN GET YOU IN A REALLY DIFFICULT SITUATION.
I JUST CAUTION YOU, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ARE DEALING WITH SOME OF THE ISSUES, AND AS YOU GUYS KNOW, I MEAN, THEY LUMP ALL YOU TOGETHER INTO ONE CATEGORY.
WHICH IS SCHOOL BOARD AND YOU ALL HAVE NINE DIFFERENT OPINIONS.
AND YOU'RE TAKING ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN FROM YOUR ADMINISTRATION AND YOUR SUPERINTENDENT AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE IN YOUR SHOES.
BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS REALLY TOUGH TIME.
AND REALLY TOUGH TIME TO MAKE DECISION THAT WE KNOW HAVE ADVERSE EFFECTS ON OUR FAMILIES AND STUDENTS.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS -- THIS ISN'T JUST IN ALEXANDRIA.
IT'S NOT AN EASILY SOLVABLE PROBLEM.
>> JUST VERY QUICKLY IF I MAY.
THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WAS A GREAT WAY TO KIND OF SHUT DOWN CONSPIRACY THEORIES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
AND I I WAS WONDERING, YOU KNOW HOW APPROPRIATE IT WOULD BE TO ISSUE A STATEMENT LIKE THAT ACTUALLY LIKE TO THE MEDIA.
BECAUSE SIMILARLY TO WHAT VERONICA WAS SAYING BEFORE.
MY CONCERN THAT IF WE ONLY E-MAIL TO THOSE TWO ASSOCIATIONS WHO HAPPEN TO E-MAIL THE BOARD THERE'S MANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO WILL -- MIGHT SHARE THIS YOU KNOW -- CONSPIRACY THEORY, MISINFORMATION ABOUT THIS TOPIC.
WE TYPICALLY LIKE TO LET OUR COMMUNICATIONS ISSUE PRESS RELEASES ONCE THE BOARD MAKE A VOTE OR SOMETHING MAJOR HAPPENS.
BUT I THINK IT WOULD BEHOOVE THE BOARD.
WE TALKED ABOUT IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL TRIGGER POINTS.
I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE CHAIR EVEN IF IT COMES THROUGH COMMUNICATION TO PUT OUT OFFICIAL STATEMENTS TO CORRECT MISINFORMATION.
LET US GET AHEAD INSTEAD OF TALKING TO PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCENES.
BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THAT.
>> I WILL YOU THAT YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH EDUCATION HAS A POLITICAL SPIN ON IT NO MATTER WHAT THE ISSUE IS.
IF YOU CAN BE STRATEGIC AND PUTTING OUT INFORMATION WELL IN ADVANCE OF A VOTE OR MOVEMENT ON A SPECIFIC ISSUE THAT YOU KNOW MIGHT BE DEVISIVE IN THE COMMUNITY OR BRING ATTENTION TO CERTAIN GROUP OF PEOPLE GETTING AHEAD OF IT WITH INFORMATION.
I KNOW WHEN A GROUP OF PEOPLE FORM TOGETHER ABOUT OPINION AND THEY ARE VOCAL.
CALMING THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY DOWN IS REALLY A HUGE STRATEGY SO THAT YOU AREN'T CATERING INFORMATION TO THE LOUDEST VOICE.
SOME PEOPLE DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE SCREAMING FROM THE ROOFTOP ABOUT THEIR OPINION.
IT'S KIND OF A BALANCE, BUT I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT PARTICULARLY WHEN THE TEAM THAT GREG IS PUTTING TOGETHER WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS PIECE THAT WE REALLY THINK ABOUT STRATEGICALLY TRYING TO COMMUNICATE THINGS WELL IN ADVANCE WHEN THEY ARE COMING DO DONE PIKE.
TOW PROTECT NOT ONLY YOU BUT THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
>> >> WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?
>> I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL THAT, THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE REACT EVERY TIME WE HAVE A SITUATION.
I THINK MAYBE TYING THINGS TO FOR EXAMPLE LIKE THE CIP DISCUSSION OR -- LIKE I THINK WE SHOULD TIE IT TO SOMETHING.
SOMETIMES THE E-MAILS I DO RECEIVE ARE SENSATIONAL.
WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT'S THE WAY TO GET PRESS RELEASE.
IT WILL START A PATTERN THAT WE INTEND TO START.
I MEAN I THINK THAT IF WE CAN HAVE -- I'M REFERRING TO THE E-MAIL JUST RECENTLY
[01:40:05]
WENT TO ASSOCIATIONS.THAT'S WHY I MENTIONED THE CIP.
IF WE TIE IT TO SOMETHING THE BOARD THE WORKING ON, AND GETTING THOSE POINTS OUT, I THINK THAT TO ME COULD BE -- COULD BE HELPFUL.
>> >> I TAKE YOUR POINT, GREG.
I KNOW IF MEMORY SERVES FROM THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD WHEN WE HAD JOINT MEETING WITH THE CITY.
THERE'S -- THEY SORT OF DEADLINE BY THE END OF JANUARY ON SOME KIND OF KEY PIECES OF INFORMATION.
I WOULD ARGUE IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, MAYBE YOU KNOW IT'S KIND OF TIEING TO THAT.
I DEFINITELY THINK IT SHOULD NOT BE EVERY SINGLE E-MAIL.
I THINK THIS IS ONE WHERE -- THIS IS WHAT I'VE SAID THE WHOLE TIME I'M ON THE BOARD.
I LOVE READING ABOUT EDUCATION.
I LIKE TO TRY TO GEEK OUT ON THAT.
I DEFER TO THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERTS.
THAT'S -- THE ONE THING THAT I THINK THE BOARD IS SORT OF THE EXPERT ON IS WE HAVE A SENSE OF SORT OF THE PULSE OF WHAT IS KIND OF FLOWING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY.
OUR BOARD LEADERSHIP CAN WORK WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AS BAROMETER ON, I THINK THIS MAY ONE OF THOSE ONES WHERE LET'S STRATEGIES ABOUT THE WAY WE CAN CONNECT TO SOMETHING OR SOMETHING ELSE.
FOR THIS PARTICULAR ONE, THEORETICALLY WE MAY NOT VOTE ON THIS -- THERE MAY NOT BE A REASON FOR US TO VOTE HAVE A VOTE REMOTELY TIED TO THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE FOR MONTHS.
AND THAT -- IF WE DON'T SAY ANYTHING, I CAN JUST SPIN AND SPIN AND SPIN.
I THINK ONE OF THESE WHERE I THINK WE'VE SEEN A TOOL THAT WE CAN USE IN OUR TOOL BELT.
YOU KNOW THE LETTER FROM THE CHAIR.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE BOARD LEADERSHIP.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE US AS BOARD MEMBERS IF OUR BAROMETER IS -- WE WITH TAKE TO BOARD LEADERSHIP AND SAY, MAYBE, MAYBE THIS IS WORTH THINKING ABOUT THEN BOARD LEADERSHIP CAN WORK WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND AGAIN NOT EVERY SINGLE TIME.
IF NOTHING ELSE IF WE PUT OUT PRESS RELEASE EVERY DAY EVERYONE STOP LOOKING AT THEM.
WHAT HAPPENED WITH THIS ONE IS YOU KNOW CAME IN BEFORE THE BREAK AND THEN WE SENT IT TO JOHN AND THEN WE DIDN'T HEAR BACK IN THE CITY WAS TALKING ABOUT TO HIM ABOUT IT.
AND SO I THINK THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT IS THAT YOU COULD MAYBE -- COULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BE MORE PEOPLE TO BE ENGAGED IN A WAY THAT WE DON'T NEED THEM TO BE AT THIS POINT.
I THINK IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION, WE DO NOT HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS.
AND YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY, WE'LL SEE HOW THIS WORKS.
BUT I THINK IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SEEN AS CONFORMING NECESSARILY TO SOME OF THE PRESENTATIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN IN ATTENDANCE INCLUDING ONES THAT MAY BE CITY STAFF HAVE GIVEN.
I THINK THIS IS A V ERY -- IT'S -- IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME.
WHERE THIS PARTICULAR ONE IS GOING.
I THINK THE OTHER SIDE OF IT IS WE MAY PUT IT ON THE RADAR, PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T HAVE IT ON.
AND I THINK THE LESS SAID WHICH IS WHAT THE ADVICE WAS BETTER.
INVITES MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IT IS.
WE'RE GETTING IN THE WEED ON THIS ONE.
I THINK -- I'M JUST GOING TO SPEAK FOR MYSELF.
I'M A LITTLE BIT FRUSTRATED HOW HARD IT IS TO GET INFORMATION ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC.
AND I THINK WE'RE BEING HONEST ABOUT WHAT WE KNOW.
AND IF WE'RE EXPLAINING WHERE WE ARE AND OH THIS KIND OF ON THE CITY SIDE.
AM I GOING TO BE SUPER UPSET IF THE CITY START GETTING A LOT OF HEAT ABOUT PEOPLE NOT BEING HAPPY ABOUT THE WAY THIS IS HAPPENING? I'M NOT SURE I AM.
IF THEY SAY DIFFERENT THINGS, CINDY.
I THINK IF THEY SAY DIFFERENT THINGS IN THEIR MEETING WHEN WHAT THEY TELL US, YIKES.
>> IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE I THINK THERE'S VALID POINTS ALL AROUND HERE.
[01:45:07]
OBVIOUSLY WE TABLE IT HERE.WE CAN THINK ABOUT ONE GAGING THAT TEMPERATURE AND, TWO, DETERMINING THE SORT OF STRATEGICALLY APPROPRIATE POINT TO THINK ABOUT A PRESS RELEASE BECAUSE I APPRECIATE WHAT HEATHER SAID AND I ALSO FEEL A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT CINDY SAID BEING IN A LITTLE BIT OF THE MIDDLE OF IT.
>> I THINK WE DEFINITELY YOU KNOW HAVE BROUGHT UP SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT AND TO TALK ABOUT.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ALWAYS REFER BACK TO THIS IF WE NEED TO.
WE CAN ALWAYS TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK AT IT AGAIN IF WE NEED TO REFRESH OURSELVES.
JUST LIKE ANYONE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
[3. ACPS School Board Evaluation Comparison]
YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEND THE REMAINDER OF THE TIME IF POSSIBLE TALKING ABOUT OUR BOARD ASSESSMENT.AND DISSECTING THAT A LITTLE BIT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE LOOKED AT THE POWERPOINT.
WHAT I DID -- WE MAY NOT NEED TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS JUST OVERALL TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE RESULTS AND THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT SPECIFIC STRATEGIES THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE.
OVERALL WHAT WE DID WE DID THE EXACT SAME ASSESSMENT TOOLS SURVEY AS WE DID A YEAR AGO IN JANUARY.
AND IT PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MY FIRST CHOICE IF WE WERE NOT IN PANDEMIC AND WE COULD MEET AND DISCUSS THE INSTRUMENT TO A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH.
BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF BUY-IN TO THE FIRST ONE.
BECAUSE YOU WERE MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
REGARDLESS, I THINK THAT IT GAVE US A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION.
I'VE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME LOOKING AT IT.
FOR THE MOST PARLIAMENT 38 QUESTIONS.
MEANING A LOT MORE OF YOU SAID THAT EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS.
THERE WERE ABOUT 8 QUESTIONS THAT SHOWED IMPROVEMENT BUT NOT DRASTIC IMPROVEMENT.
THERE WERE 13 THAT WERE ABOUT THE SAME.
AND THEN THERE WERE THREE OR FOUR THAT ACTUALLY KIND OF TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF A DECLINE IN WHAT YOU THOUGHT WAS HIGH EXPECTATION.
JOFSH ALL THE COMPARISON BETWEEN 2021 AND 2020 IS THE 20231 IN THE BLUE.
YOU SEE THAT THE DIFFERENT LEVELS PERCENTAGEWISE OF WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE.
WE OBVIOUSLY WANT THE BLUE TO GO UP ON EXCEEDS OR MEETS.
AND TO GO DOWN ON PARTIALLY OR JUST NOT.
I WILL GO THROUGH THEM QUICKLY.
BUT THE SCHOOL BOARD COLLABORATES WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT LOOKS LIKE WE DID MUCH BETTER ON THIS ONE.
THE COLLABORATES WITH SUPERINTENDENT TO DEVELOP LONG-RANGE PLAN FOR THE SCHOOL DIVISION AND YOU ALL STOP ME AT ANY TIME.
I KNOW YOU ARE LITTLE SMALL SQUARES.
YOU STOP ME AT ANY TIME THAT YOU HAVE A QUESTION.
STRIVES FOR CONTINUIOUS IMPROVEMENT.
NO ONE FELT THAT WE HIT THE HOME RUN ON THIS ONE.
THAT WE DON'T PERIODICALLY REVIEW OR VEHICLES VICE IF NECESSARY THE VISION AND MISSION OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
IT LOOKS LIKE THAT WE ACTUALLY ARE PRETTY GOOD ON THE MEETS PART.
[01:50:02]
BUT WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF WAYS TO GO TO KEEP MOVING IT OVER TOWARDS THE EXCEEDS CRITERIA.THROUGHOUT THIS QUESTIONNAIRE, COVID INTERFERED.
I ALMOST NEVER SAID EXCEEDS CRITERIA.
I FEEL LIKE IN EVERY ASPECT, AS MANY OF THESE; EXISTENCE OF COVID SINCE MARCH REALLY PUT A DAMPER ON THE ABILITY TO DO A LOT OF THESE THINGS.
I THINK THINGS MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED DIFFERENTLY HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR COVID.
IN SOME WAYS IT FEELS FUNNY TO -- JUST HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT.
I FEEL LIKE IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARD TO FAIRLY CRITIQUE -- GREG HAS BEEN BUSY WITH COVID.
AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO AS MANY THINGS THAT WE WOULD HAVE DONE COLLABORATIVELY IN TERMS OF MONITORING AND KEY MEASURES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
>> I THINK THAT'S TOTALLY VALID.
YOU KNOW WE'VE HAD TO LEARN HOW TO DO EVERYTHING ALL OVER AGAIN.
IT'S NOT AS EASY TO HAVE ASSESSMENT OR ACTIVITIES.
>> I WAS GOING TO ADD WHAT I THINK AMAZING THE FACT THAT IN SPITE OF THE PANDEMIC, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ADOPT THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND TO ALSO BEGIN TO DEVELOP WAYS TO MONITOR PROGRESS.
WHEN YOU THINK BACK AT ADDING WHICH JUST CAME FROM OUR FIRST BOARD RETREAT IN AUGUST, IN WANTING TO MACH SURE WE ADD THE AREAS OF FOCUS INTO OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AND HAVING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THEM AND THEN HAVE THE EVALUATION THAT WILL HAPPEN IN FEBRUARY.
FOR MARCH AND THEN THE ANNUAL PROGRESS.
I THINK THAT WE NOW HAVE SET UP A PROCESS FOR THE BOARD, WHICH IS ABOUT FIRST YEAR HAVING THE PROCESS.
NOW WE HAVE, A ROAD MAP TO USE TO HELP US ON OUR WAY AND IN SPITE OF THE PANDEMIC, WE ARE STILL STAYING TRUE TO THAT AND MAKING SURE THAT FROM THE SCHOOL'S PERSPECTIVE AND THE SCHOOL DIVISIONS PERSPECTIVE, THAT MAYBE THE FOCUS MIGHT BE NOT WHAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IF WE WEREN'T IN THE PANDEMIC BUT STILL RELATED TO ACHIEVEMENT AND SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL AND HISPANIC STUDENTS ALL OF THOSE PRIORITIES THAT THE BOARD SET FORTH.
FOR US THAT WE WERE STILL ABLE TO KIND OF MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.
I JUST FEEL LIKE IT WAS REALLY HARD TO COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES AND IT WOULD GO WAY DOWN.
I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED IT DIDN'T.
I THINK THAT -- I THINK THAT'S REALLY GOOD NEWS INDICATE FRANKLY.
APOLOGIES IF YOU'RE EXPLAINING THIS.
IT LOOKS LIKE NINE PEOPLE DID IN IT 2020 AND 10 PEOPLE DID THE SURVEY IN 2021.
I WAS JUST WONDERING -- >> WHEN IT CAME TO ASSESSMENT.
I TOOK YOUR NUMBERS OUT BECAUSE IT WOULD SKEW THE NUMBERS.
WHEN IT CAME TO ASSESSMENT OF THE OVERALL IT'S 9-9 BECAUSE I WANTED IT TO BE APPLES TO APPLES.
I INVITED THEM TO PARTICIPATE.
I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE OR ANY SUPERINTENDENT TO CREATE THIS TEAM OF TEN SO WE HAVE -- IT'S ANONYMOUS.
HE PUT THINGS IN HIS COMMENTS THAT MADE ME KNOW WHO IT WAS.
>> AND THE INTERESTING THINGS AS I LOOK THROUGH THIS.
I'M GLAD YOU SHARED MY NUMBERS AREN'T IN THERE.
I'M ALIGNED WITH WITH THE GROUP.
I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT I'M ALIGNED WITH YOU ALL.
THE ONES THAT YOU SEE FROM THE INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS.
THE OVERALL ASSESSMENT ON THAT YOU SAW AT THE BEGINNING AND THEN MY INTERPRETATION OF HOW WE DID PER SECTION THOSE NUMBERS ARE WE WILL CHECK IT OUT.
THESE INDIVIDUAL ONES MICHELLE YOU WILL SEE THAT WILL BE TEN COMPARED.
THE SCHOOL BOARD LEADERSHIP AND SUPERINTENDENT CONDUCT THE NEW SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ORIENTATION EVERY THREE YEARS.
WE'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE DOING AND THAT'S KIND OF ROLL OUR SLEEVES UP AND EXPLAIN, PARTICULARLY IF WE HAVE ANY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS COME ON THAT WE WILL HAVE TO REALLY EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT THEIR ROLE IS.
[01:55:03]
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT AS WE MOVE CLOSER TO THE ELECTION CYCLE I WILL RECOMMEND THAT WE REALLY BEEF UP THAT WHOLE ORIENTATION TO CANDIDATES EVEN NOT JUST SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.AND NOT JUST THROW IT OUT THERE.
BUT REALLY TRY AND BRING PEOPLE IN TO UNDERSTANDING WHAT THAT ROLE IS PRIOR TO THEM BECOMING ELECTED.
>> THE SCHOOL BOARD HIRES ANNUALLY EVALUATES THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT USING EVALUATION INSTRUMENT.
AT LEAST WE'RE MEETING THE CRITERIA A LOT HIGHER.
I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE WE WORK HARD FOR THE TASK FORCE TO MAKE THAT INSTRUMENT SOMETHING THAT WE COULD USE.
WE'RE STILL NOT PROBABLY WHERE WE WANT TO BE BECAUSE EXCEEDS IS STILL YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SAME AS IT WAS LAST YEAR.
THE SCHOOL BOARD FOCUSES ON STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP AND POLICY MAKING.
I'M NOT REALLY SURE EXACTLY AND MAYBE YOU CAN ENLIGHTEN ME ON THIS ONE.
THE WHOLE -- THERE'S ONLY TWO QUESTIONS ABOUT POLICY MAKING AND I THINK THAT I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BECAUSE OF COVID OR WHAT.
IT DIDN'T GET AS HIGH OF MARKS AS I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WOULD HAVE.
WE KID MOVE OVER TO EXCEEDS CATEGORY.
THAT'S BECAUSE JEN -- JENNIFER IS ONBOARD.
I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT WOULD HAVE SCORED HIGHER.
IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS ON THAT ONE.
>> I THINK IS IMPACTED BY TIME.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
NOT TO MENTION WE HAD TO DO MORE -- SOME THINGS HAD TO BE CHANGED THERE'S A LOT OF POLICY STUFF HAPPENING.
MAYBE WITHOUT HER, WE WOULD BE LOST.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS RESPECT DECISIONS OF THE FULL BOARD AND SUPPORT THE DECISION OF THE MAJORITY PUBLICLY.
THIS IS WHERE WE ARE AT ON THIS ONE.
SOME THOUGHT -- I THINK JUST -- ONE WENT OVER TO EXCEED AND ONE WENT DOWN TO DOES NOT MEET CRITERIA.
A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH ON THAT ONE.
THE SCHOOL BOARD MODELS CULTURE OF HIGH EXPECTATIONS THROUGHOUT THE DIVISION.
MOVING CLOSER OVER TO MEETING THE DIE CAREERA.
MONITOR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT RESULT AGAINST EXPECTATIONS.
AGAIN, NOT WHOLE LOT OF IMPROVEMENT HERE.
WE DID AT LEAST MOVE THE NEEDLE A TAD BIT.
>> THE SCHOOL BOARD GIVES DIRECTION TO SUPERINTENDENT THROUGH MAJORITY OF DECISION OF THE FULL BOARD.
AND INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO ACT -- TAKE ACTION ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
AGAIN, A LITTLE BIT OF IMPROVEMENT.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS HOLD THEMSELVES ACCOUNTABLE BY ENSURING ACTION ARE CONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW AND POLICY.
THE SCHOOL BOARD ANNUALLY REAFFIRMS THE CODE OF ETHICS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN GO AGAINST THAT.
>> SCHOOL BOARD CONDUCT ANNUAL REVIEW OF ITS PERFORMANCE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS LAST YEAR A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
>> SCHOOL BOARD CONDUCTS TIMELY POLICY REVIEW AMENDMENT AND ADOPTION.
ANYONE WANT TO COMMENT ON THIS ONE?
>> SAME KIND OF THING, MAYBE PERHAPS.
INVITE PUBLIC AND STAFF INPUT AND REQUEST SUPERINTENDENT ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION ON ALL PROPOSED CHANGES.
THE SCHOOL BOARD ADHERES TO THE PRINCIPLE THAT THE PUBLIC'S BUSINESS SHOULD BE CONDUCTED IN PUBLIC VIEW BY OBSERVING AND FOLLOWING THE LETTER AND SPIRIT OF INFORMATION ACT AND THAT USING CLOSE MEETING TO ONLY DEAL WITH CERTAIN CLOSED MEETING TOPICS ALLOWED BY LAW.
ALL OF THESE ARE MINOR IMPROVEMENTS WHICH IS GOOD.
>> WITH WE GO BACK TO THAT ONE.
[02:00:01]
WHAT DID I PUT.I REMEMBER I DIDN'T -- I AGREED.
I THINK -- I THINK I -- I THINK I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE THAT WE MEET THE CRITERIA.
I WOULD GO SO FAR AS TO SAY IT MAY BE HELPFUL FOR US TO IN THE SPIRIT OF FURTHER SORT OF TRANSPARENCY I DON'T THINK MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND JUST HOW -- HOW ADAMANTLY WE STICK TO THIS.
THERE AREN'T SECRET BACK ROOM MEETINGS HAPPENING OUT OF THEIR VIEW.
I WONDER IF THERE'S WAY WE CAN HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THIS.
BECAUSE I'M PROUD TO BE ON A BOARD THAT I FEEL -- THAT WE DO -- I THINK ALL TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY.
>> THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AGENDA REFLECTS THE GOAL POLICIES AND APPROPRIATE GOVERNANCE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD FOLLOWED BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
I THOUGHT THAT WOULD HAVE SCORED HIGHER BECAUSE OF THE NEW FOCUS MOMENT.
SCHOOL BOARD DISCUSSION ARE EFFECTIVE AND RESULT IN CLEAR DECISIONS.
SO NOT AS MUCH -- IN FACT, DECISION MAKING SCORED LOW OVER OVERALL ON THE SURVEY.
>> THE SCHOOL BOARD WELCOME DIVERSE VIEWPOINTS DURING DELIBERATIONS AND RESPECT DISSENT.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER RESPECT THE CONFIDENTITY OF EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.
STILL NOT 100% WHERE WE NEED TO BE ON THAT.
I HOPE THAT WE ALL KNOW THAT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
>> SCHOOL BOARDMENS IDENTIFY ISSUE OF CONCERN AND CIRCULATE PROPOSED MOTION AND AMENDMENTS BEFORE MEETINGS.
AND STILL SOMEONE IS CONCERNED THAT, THAT'S NOT HAPPENING.
MAYBE THE SAME PERSON LAST TIME.
FROM WHAT POINT OF VIEW ON THE OUTSIDE.
I SEE THIS IS ACTUALLY BETTER.
MAYBE NOT EVERYTHING BUT THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE CONTROVERSIAL OR WHAT NOT TO HAMMER OUT SOME OF THOSE VERBIAGE ISSUES IN ADVANCE.
>> SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ALL RECEIVE THE SAME INFORMATION FROM THE DIVISION ON MATTER OF SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS.
THE SCHOOL BOARD ADOPT OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET THAT SUPPORT THE BOARD IDENTIFIED GOALS.
SOME PRETTY BIG IMPROVEMENT HERE.
CAPITAL FUND ARE SPENT WISELY.
AGAIN SOME PRETTY GOOD MOVEMENT HERE.
THE SCHOOL BOARD MONITORS FACILITY PLAN THAT MEET HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATIONS.
THIS WAS A NICE SLIDE I THINK TO SEE THAT YOU GUYS ARE MAKING SOME PROGRESS HERE.
I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT ONE TO DEAL WITH.
>> THE SCHOOL BOARD SUPPORT COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION IN ORDER TO RECRUIT HIGHLY EFFECTIVE EDUCATORS.
IT'S FUNNY, BECAUSE JUST AS MANY PEOPLE THAT WENT HIGHER WENT LOWER.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE THEY ARE MAYBE A BALANCE OR SOMETHING THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE NUMBERS.
BUT SOME FEEL WE WENT DOWN SOME FEEL WE WENT UP ON THAT PARTICULAR -- >> CAN I.
>> I RESPECT EVERYONE -- THE WHOLE DUTY OF THIS THAT EVERYONE DOES IT INDIVIDUALLY.
I WOULD LOVE HEAR FROM PEOPLE.
WE KNOW WHAT'S IN THE -- WE KNOW WHAT'S IN THE OPERATING BUDGET.
IF PEOPLE FEEL LIKE SHARING, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT DOES NOT MEET CRITERIA.
BECAUSE THERE'S MORE THAN 10 PEOPLE ANSWERING THE QUESTION ACCORDING TO THIS.
I THINK THERE'S AN ERROR IN THE SLIDE.
>> I THINK YOU MAY BE ON TO SOMETHING.
>> THERE WAS ONE OTHER SLIDE LIKE THAT TOO, I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT.
I GO 4 AND A HALF A LITTLE BIT.
AND 3 AND A HALF A LITTLE BIT.
IT'S PEOPLE WANTING TO DO DECIBELS AGAIN.
[02:05:01]
>> WE DON'T HAVE THE BRAIN FOR THIS WORK.
DID YOU WRITE 3.5? I'M JUST KIDDING.
>> I HAVE A HARD TIME WITH IT.
I PROBABLY WAS -- DID NOT MEET CRITERIA ON THIS ONE.
THERE WERE 7 MEETS, TWO PARTIALLY MEET.
THE DOES NOT MEET IS NOT AS HIGH AS WHAT YOU SEE THERE.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING ON THE FACILITIES SLIDE IF I MAY.
YOU SAID -- I'M HAPPY WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS HERE.
I WANT TO MAKE NOTE FOR EVERYONE THAT THE BUILDING HAS BEEN -- THE BUILDING HAVE BEEN CLOSED SINCE MARCH.
I THINK THIS IS VERY DIFFERENT IF THE BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN OPEN.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE COME NEXT YEAR ONCE THE BUILDINGS ARE OPEN.
>> I THINK YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THIS SLIDE?
I THINK IN MY MIND IT'S MORE OF LIKE THE WISH THAT WE CAN DO BETTER.
I THINK YOU KNOW WE'VE DONE THE COMPENSATION STUDIES AND WE HAD TO DO THOSE BECAUSE WE GOT SO FAR BEHIND IN CERTAIN AREAS.
I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IF WE COULD SOMEHOW CATCH UP ON SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
LIKE I DO THINK, YOU KNOW WHAT WE CAN -- WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO PAY PEOPLE AND HOW WE ARE ABLE TO COMPETE WILL GIVE US THE HIGHEST QUALITY ACCESS TO HIGHEST QUALITY PERSONAL.
THAT'S WHY I WAS A LITTLE BIT DOWN ON THAT ONE.
NOT THAT WE'RE NOT WORKING ON IT, BUT I DO THINK IT'S A BIGGER ISSUE THAN PEOPLE MIGHT FULLY UNDERSTAND.
I DIDN'T WANT IT TO BE -- I DIDN'T WANT TO SEEM LIKE WE THOUGHT WE WERE DOING ALL THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.
BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF LIKE OUR HANDS ARE A BIT TIED.
WE'RE DOING MAYBE AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING ALWAYS AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
BUT WE ARE REALLY LIMITED IN WAYS WHICH WISH WE WEREN'T.
I FEEL THAT WAY ABOUT THIS ONE, TOO.
>> >> THE SCHOOL BOARD ACTIVELY PROMOTE THE BELIEF IN THE SUCCESS OF ALL STUDENTS.
>> I WOULD ADD SOMETHING ABOUT FACILITIES AND COMPENSATION SLIDE.
ONE THING IMPORTANT FOR US IN REGARD FACILITATION SLIDE.
BUT A GIFTED TIME WITH REGARD TO FACILITIES.
BECAUSE I GOT TO VISIT ALL THE SCHOOLS THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS.
A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO TO TRY TO GET US ON THE RIGHT PATH THAT WE'RE ALL STRIVING FOR NOT HAVING STUDENTS IN OUR BUILDING OVER THE PAST TEN MONTHS HAS ALLOWED US AND AFFORDED US OPPORTUNITIES TO GET A LOT OF THE PROJECTS DONE AT A FASTER PACE WHICH IS REALLY GOOD THING FOR US.
AND EVEN IN SPITE OF THE PANDEMIC, WE ARE STILL ABLE TO GET DOUGLAS MCARTHER PROJECT MOVING FORWARD.
HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT MOVING FORWARD.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE I POINT THAT OUT EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT IN SCHOOL THAT THERE'S STILL -- I THINK IT'S MORE WORK HAPPENING WHILE THE KIDS AREN'T AT SCHOOL.
BECAUSE OUR MONTHS DURING THE YEAR ARE MORE LIKE SUMMER MONTHS NOW.
BECAUSE NO ONE IN THE BUILDING.
IN REGARD TO COMPENSATION, YOU KNOW I THINK WHEN WE THINK OF US HAVING FREEZE ON OUR SALARIES.
NOT BEING ABLE TO COMPENSATE OUR STAFF.
HOWEVER WE ARE MAKING THAT COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE TO DO OUR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION STUDIES FROM A THIRD PARTY WHICH I THINK IS KEY.
MAKING SURE WE MONITOR AND HAVE THE DATA TO DETERMINE IF WE NEED TO HAVE
[02:10:03]
INCREASES AND HOW THAT WORKS.BUT I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT I'M HOPING AS WE DISCUSS COMPENSATION THIS WEEK AT WORK SESSION THAT WE'RE ABLE TO START TALKING THROUGH HOW WE CAN CONTINUE ON THIS PATH TORY YEAR TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GIVING SOME KIND OF STEP OR ONE TIME MEMBER AND MAKE COMMITMENT TO THAT MOVING FORWARD SO WE CAN STAY COMPETITIVE.
SCHOOL BOARD OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES ACCOMMODATE CULTURE DIFFERENCES AND VALUES IN COMMUNICATION.
SCHOOL BORDEAUX MEMBERS APPROACH DECISION MAKING FROM MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVE ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE IMPACT ON DIVERSE CULTURE.
THE SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTS AND SERVES THE INTEREST OF THE CITIZENS OF DEMONSTRATES COOPERATION AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE GETTING INTO THE COMMUNITY SECTION NOW.
>> THE SCHOOL BOARD ENSURES RESPECTFULLY AND TIMELY MANNER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS MAY FACILITY CONSTITUENT NAVIGATION OF THE SYSTEM WITHOUT GUARANTEEING ANY PARTICULAR RESOLUTION.
WE SEE WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF INCREASE IN MEETS.
SCHOOL BOARD REGULARLY REPORTS TO THE COMMUNITY ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT OPERATIONAL GOALS AND INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE ACHIEVEMENT AND NOT MUCH MOVEMENT.
SCHOOL BOARD ESTABLISHES EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS STUDENT STAFF AND COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE WENT DOWN ON THIS ONE.
A LITTLE BIT THE SCHOOL BORE ADVOCATE WITH RESIDENT OF THE CITY.
ABOUT THE NEEDS OF ACPS AND THE CHILDREN IT SERVES.
TO LOCAL STATE AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS.
A LITTLE BIT OF CHANGE THERE FOR THE BETTER.
>> SCHOOL BOARD RESPECT THE VALUE IMPORTANCE OF EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS AND SEASONABLY INVOLVES THEM IN THE DECISION MAKING.
>> SCHOOL BOARD KEEPS THE COMMUNITY INFORMED ABOUT THE FINANCIAL NEED OF THE DIVISION.
>> THIS IS WHAT I TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION.
I TOOK EVERY SECTION AND I LOOKED AT WHAT WENT UP, WHAT WENT DRASTICALLY UP AND WHAT WENT DOWN.
WHAT LOOKED LIKE REPETITIVE KIND OF THEME IN EACH OF THESE SECTION.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF QUESTIONS AND NOT WEIGHED IN AND THAT KIND OF THING.
IT'S HARD TO MAKE IT MORE SCIENTIFIC.
BUT MY ASSESSMENT WAS THAT YOUR HIGHEST AREA OF IMPROVEMENT WAS IN YOUR VISION.
I THINK THAT'S DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN PROCESS THAT YOU WENT TO IF I HAD TO GUESS.
YOUR SECOND HIGHEST AREA IN MY ASSESSMENT IS YOUR RESOURCES AND IF I HAD TO GUESS IT'S MAYBE BECAUSE YOU HAVE CHANGED THE PROCESS FOR THE WAY THE BUDGET IS DEVELOPED AND HOW THOSE RESOURCES ARE ALLOCATED.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS ONE IMPROVE.
LEADERSHIP CALLING IT LEADERSHIP WHICH IS THE SECTION THAT I THINK WAS THE NEXT PROBABLY LESS IMPROVED TIED WITH THE GOVERNANCE OF THAT.
LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE I THINK COULD USE A LITTLE BIT OF HELP.
THERE'S A SECTION IN THERE I JUST CALLED VALUES.
HAD TO DO WITH TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION SOME CULTURAL ASPECT OF THINGS THAT DIDN'T SEEM TO SCORE VERY HIGH.
AND THEN POLICY AGAIN I THINK THAT'S JUST MAYBE A COVID SITUATION.
I DON'T THINK I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THAT.
I THINK YOU HAVE A PRO TEST PLACE AND MAYBE THE REASON IT DIDN'T SCORE BECAUSE WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER.
THIS ONE I DO THINK WE NEED TO HAVE DISCUSSION ABOUT.
BUT THE QUESTION ABOUT THE COMMUNITY DID GO DOWN.
I THINK SOME OF THE COMMUNITY QUESTIONS WE PROBABLY OUGHT TO JUST FLUSH OUT AS IF WE THINK WE NEED TO EDGE FOUST ON IT FURTHER.
AND IT MAY BE THAT WE'RE FACING THIS WHOLE PANDEMIC AND COMMUNITY IS DIFFICULT.
[02:15:08]
IT MAY YOU TOOK ASSESSMENT WHEN EVERYTHING WAS HITTING THE FAN.I DO THINK THAT IN MY ASSESSMENT THAT WAS PROBABLY WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER TO BE NEEDS MOST IMPROVEMENT.
>> I THINK COMMUNITY THEME IMPACTED BY COVID TOO.
OUR KNOWING HOW OUR COMMUNICATIONS ARE BEING RECEIVED IN THE COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE WE PRETTY MUCH HAVE THIS VERY VOCAL GROUP AND I THINK WE'RE DOING COMMUNICATING, BUT WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY IN THE YOU KNOW GOING TO MEETING AND PUBLIC WHERE WE ARE GETTING FEEDBACK OR SEEING THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING THE OTHER COMMUNICATIONS.
THAT'S NOT TO SAY THEY ARE NOT.
I THINK FOR THAT, TOO, YOU KNOW OUR CUSTOMER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THING THAT WE WANT TO HAVE.
I THINK DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT IN THAT CALL GORY.
I MEAN I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE A LOT MORE OF COMING THROUGH THAT SYSTEM AND HAVING IT BE NOT INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE RESPONDING TO CERTAIN PEOPLE SO THAT YOU KNOW WE BECOME LIKE SOLVING THE PROBLEMS, AGAIN.
I THINK -- I DON'T KNOW WE'RE BEYOND THAT.
AND WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET BEYOND THAT UNTIL WE GET CUSTOMER RESPONSE SYSTEM.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE THINKING ON THAT ONE.
>> WELL, I WOULD SAY I'M APPRECIATIVE THAT JACINTA TWO TIME MADE A POINT IS REALLY INTERESTING WITH REGARD TO COMMUNICATION.
IT'S THE NEED -- SHE'S THERE -- SHE'S WORKING WITH THE FAMILIES AND SHE DOESN'T HAVE A ONE SHEETER.
I KNOW -- ON MY OLD ORGANIZING DAY BACK IN THE 70S.
THE ONE SHEETER WAS SO EFFECTIVE.
I THINK YOU KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD DO MORE OF.
THE SORT OF -- I THINK THERE'S A SENSE THAT TWO THIRDS OF OUR FOLKS KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON BUT THERE'S THAT THIRD THAT DOESN'T.
BASICALLY IT'S THE THIRD THAT DOESN'T HAVE EQUITY OR DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH.
THEY ARE WORKING ALL THE TIME.
TO BE REALLY CONVINCED THAT THESE FOLKS ARE ALL MORE USE OF BANK, BASIC FACT SHEETS TO POST THEM ON THE WALLS.
JUST TO GET OUT TO CERTAIN GROUP OF PUBLIC MAYBE NOT GETTING OUR MESSAGES.
>> I'VE BEEN WANTING TO TELL YOU THAT FOR A WHILE.
>> I HAVE TWO THOUGHTS THAT I'M THINKING.
ONE IS I THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD LIKE DO LIKE A SUPER QUICK POLL.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S EASY ENOUGH TO DO.
>> I KNOW ON REGULAR ZOOM YOU CAN POLL.
I WOULD LIKE TO -- I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF WE COULD PICK LIKE, YOU KNOW, TWO OR THREE THAT WE ALL WOULD CONSIDER TO BE A TOP PRIORITY.
AND THEN THE SECOND THING IS GIVEN THAT SOME OF THE SLIDES MAY AT SOME POINT IF WE COULD EITHER GET THE DATA THAT YOU HAVE LAURIE.
SOME OF THEM HAD MORE THAN TEN.
WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ACCURATE SUMMARY OF THE OUTCOMES.
BUT I THINK WE MAY BE ABLE TO JUST BASED ON THE DISCUSSION WE'VE HAD HERE IN SOME WAY IF PEOPLE WANT TO THINK ABOUT LIKE SOME KIND OF A POLL OR WAY TO PRIORITIZE THE TOP TWO THINGS THAT PEOPLE SHOULD FOCUS ON AS A BOARD.
>> I THINK THE POLL APPLICATION IS ACTIVE.
[02:20:07]
WE WILL PICK TWO EACH.HELP US KNOW KIND OF WHERE OUR PRIORITIES LIE.
WE HAVE VISION, RESOURCES, DECISION MAKING, LEADERSHIP, GOVERNANCE, VALUES, AND THAT'S KIND OF CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS AND DECISION MAKING OR AWARENESS.
I WILL GET RID OF THIS SLIDE SO I CAN SEE YOUR HANDS.
I DON'T -- BY GOALS I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU MEAN.
>> I THINK FOCUS AREAS AND THEN WE CAN LOOK AT WHEN I SEND YOU GUYS THE SURVEY DATA WE CAN DO BRAINSTORMING NOW AND WE CAN REFINE WHAT SOME OF THOSE AREAS.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE ONES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT GOT THE LOWEST SCORE ONE WAS THE SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTS AND SERVES THE INTEREST OF THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA AND DEMONSTRATES RESPECT AND COOPERATION IN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY.
THE SCHOOL BOARD ENSURES A ACPS RESPOND TIMELY MANNER TO ISSUE RAISED BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS MAY FACILITY CONSTITUENTS NAVIGATION OF SYSTEM WITHOUT GUARANTEE ANY PARTICULAR RESOLUTION.
THOSE TWO PROBABLY SCORED THE LOWEST IN THAT PARTICULAR CATEGORY.
>> THOSE ARE ALL UNDER COMMUNITY?
>> I'M THINKING THIS WHAT WE WILL DO.
IT'S VERY, VERY COMPLICATE PROD SESSION.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO TRY AND NARROW DOWN SOME OF THESE AREAS.
THAT MAYBE DON'T NEED ATTENTION OF OUR BOARD.
IF WE CAN KIND OF FEEL LIKE BASED ON THAT QUICK REVIEW OF THE ANSWERS THAT YOU GUYS GAVE, AND KNOWING PERHAPS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU FELT THAT YOU DIDN'T SCORE HIGH THAT YOU FEEL LIKE WE AS A BOARD CAN DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO BE WHEN WE TAKE THIS ASSESSMENT AGAIN NEXT YEAR WE WILL SEE MUCH GREATER IMPROVEMENT BECAUSE WE'VE ADDRESSED SOME OF THOSE AREAS THAT NEED HELP.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH EACH OF THESE AND WE WILL VOTE ON TWO?
>> I WANT TO -- I GUESS I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE COULD HAVE ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF THOUGHT.
JUST INTERPRETING THIS DIFFERENTLY.
I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE VALUES, ONE IS ABOUT REALLY TRYING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OR COMMUNICATE BETTER WITH UNDERREPRESENTED FAMILIES.
>> ONE OF THEM WAS SCHOOL BOARD OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY ACCOMMODATE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES AND VALUES AND COMMUNICATION.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS APPROACH DECISION MAKING FROM MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVE ASKING QUESTION ABOUT THE IMPACT ON DIVERSE CULTURE.
>> I FEEL LIKE I DEFINITELY PROBABLY DINGED THAT FOR BEING IN COVID.
WE'RE REALLY MISSING SOME OF THE OUTREACH KINDS OF THINGS FOR SOME OF THE HARDER -- OR I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE SEE IT LESS THAN WE SEE IT NORMALLY.
WE'RE NOT -- WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO GO TO MEETINGS WHERE PARENTS ARE SO WE COULD OBSERVE IT.
I FELT LIKE -- >> I THINK THAT'S A VALID POINT.
THERE'S A LOT OF DATA THAT SUPPORTS THAT NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IS MORE POWERFUL THAN VERBAL COMMUNICATION.
WHEN YOU ARE IN PANDEMIC AND YOU CAN'T SEE.
YOU SEE LIKE ATTENDEES PERHAPS YOU DON'T REALLY SEE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SPEAKING TO YOU.
IT DOES TAKE AWAY THE COMMUNICATION PIECE THAT MAYBE BE REFLECTED IN SOME OF THIS.
MAY NOT EVEN -- MAYBE THERE IS TIME THAT NEEDS TO BE SPENT OR FOCUS BY THE BOARD ON HOW THE COMMUNICATION BETTER DURING COVID.
I'M NOT SURE IT WILL EVER GO BACK TO THE WAY THAT IT WAS EXACTLY.
HOLDING OUR BREATH MAY NOT BE THE BEST STRATEGY FOR THAT KIND OF COMMUNICATION PIECE.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS REALLY FOR YOU GUYS TO DECIDE.
MEAGAN ARE YOU GOOD WITH TWO OR THREE?
[02:25:03]
LET'S START AT THE TOP WITH RESOURCES.
ALL THOSE THAT WANT TO SPEND TIME ON RESOURCES.
ALL THOSE THAT WANT TO SPEND TIME ON VISION? DECISION MAKING?
LEADERSHIP? GOVERNANCE? HEATHER AND CINDY.
>> COMMUNITY? I GOT ALL OF YOU ON THAT ONE.
THE SECOND ONE WAS VALUES WITH THREE.
DOES ANYONE WANT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF ANYTHING OTHER THAN TWO.
I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE THE QUESTIONS IN FRONT OF YOU.
OR WE CAN JUST HAVE SOME BRAINSTORMING ABOUT WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN TO YOU AS A BOARD.
OR EITHER VALUES CULTURE VALUE OR DEALING WITH THE COMMUNITIES.
EITHER ONE OF THOSE THAT YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT SPECIFICALLY REFER TO YOU.
CHRIS, ARE YOU RAISING YOUR HAND TO THAT? OR WERE YOU RAISING YOUR HAND TO THE COMMUNITY THING?
>> AND THE PHRASE OF 2020 WILL CONTINUE TO 2021 YOU'RE ON MUTE.
>> ANY THOUGHTS ON EITHER ONE OF THOSE? .
>> WANT TO MAKE SURE COMMUNICATION IS PART OF THAT.
THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID; CORRECT?
>> COMMUNITY IS REALLY DOES RESOLVE AROUND COMMUNICATION.
THE INFORMATION WE DISSEMINATE.
THAT'S A FAIRLY LARGE SECTION OF THE SURVEY.
>> I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
WE HAD THE COMMUNICATION AUDIT, WE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HAVING THIS CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM FOR SOMETIME.
WHICH I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW THE STATUS OF THAT.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE YOU KNOW OUR COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR RECENTLY IS MOVING TO DIFFERENT JOB.
I THINK WE DID, YOU KNOW IN THE PAST WITH OUR BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
I FEEL LIKE IT MAY WARRANT ANOTHER DISCUSSION IN FUTURE ABOUT YOU KNOW LIKE WHAT IS THE OPTIMAL WAY WE WOULD BE COMMUNICATING WITH THE COMMUNITY? JUST KIND OF THE MORE WE CAN GET ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT THAT.
BECAUSE I HEARD THE POINT THAT WAS MADE EARLIER ABOUT SAY PTA MEETING, YOU KNOW SPEAKING OR SHARING OUT TALKING POINTS AND HOW -- LIKE TRYING TO DO THAT IN MORE ORGANIZED FAST THROUGH SOMETHING LIKE PTA COUNCIL.
I THINK OPTIMAL COMMUNICATION PROCEDURES WERE IN PLACE, THEN IT WOULD -- THERE WOULDN'T BE THIS ISSUE OF YOU KNOW FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY COMING TO US MAYBE AS MUCH OR WHATEVER OR FEELING LIKE WE YOU KNOW NEED TO SHARE INFORMATION BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED.
I GUESS YOU KNOW MY SENSE LIKE.
I FEEL LIKE THE WE -- I THE THE WEB SILENT IS -- WEB SITE IS GREAT.
[02:30:02]
WHAT'S MISSING A LITTLE BIT MORE LIKE STRATEGIC APPROACH, YOU KNOW, AND SOME OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT LIKE HOW DO YOU GET AHEAD OF ISSUE IN THE COMMUNITY.HOW DO YOU KIND OF PUT SOMETHING AT DEFINITIVE WAY OR STOP KIND OF FALSE INFORMATION THAT STARTS TO CIRCULATE.
THOSE ARE THE MORE STRATEGIC THINGS I THINK WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT.
I THINK TO THE EXTENT WE CAN COLLECTIVELY AGREE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE SO WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT THAT.
I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY IN THAT WE WILL BE HIRING COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR AS WELL.
>> THAT'S ACTUALLY A GOOD POINT, MICHELLE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP.
I THINK LAURIE SAID THAT -- WELL, I KIND OF -- WHAT YOU SAY MICHELLE I THINK TWO BULLET POINTS.
I THINK ONE IN THE SPIRIT OF SUPPORTING VERONICA GETTING THAT CUSTOMER RELATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM LIKE YOU KNOW AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AS YOU KNOW SUCCESSFULLY AS POSSIBLE GETTING THAT IN.
AND TWO, LAURIE MADE A POINT ABOUT I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW WITH HIRING SOMEONE.
AND HIRING SOMEONE WHO IS POLITICALLY SAVVY.
I THINK COULD GO A SUPER DUPER LONG WAY.
I SEE THAT AS AN ACTION WE COULD SUPPORT.
AND THEN MY OTHER THOUGHT -- THOSE ARE TWO CONCRETE THINGS.
MY OTHER THOUGHT IS THAT JUST SOME BOARD TRAINING.
ON COMMUNICATION MIGHT BE HELPFUL -- HELPING US TO KNOW WHEN TO STAY SAFE.
WHEN WE DO SAY IT, WHAT WE SAY.
>> CAN I ADD CRISIS COMMUNICATOR TO POLITICALLY SAVVY, PLEASE.
>> OH MY GOD, JACINTA, SHE MAKES ME LAUGH.
IT'S BECAUSE I CAN HEAR YOU STILL TALKING IN MY HEAD.
AFTER YOU SAID THAT I KNOW WHAT ELSE YOU SAID.
BUT ONE THING I DO THINK IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMEMBER IS THAT WHEN WE DID THE COMMUNICATION AUDIT, THERE WAS COMMUNICATION PLAN PUT -- THAT WAS DEVELOPED.
WE HAVE NOT INITIATED THAT BECAUSE WE PUT IT ON HOLD ONCE COVID STARTED.
I WANT TO I ABOUT JUNE WHEN WE PUT THAT ON HOLD.
BECAUSE WE HAD COVID THEN THE IDENTITY PROJECT.
THAT WAS PUT ON HOLD FOR A MOMENT.
BUT ONE THING THAT JULIA AND I SPOKE ABOUT AS WE LEARNED THAT OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WAS GOING TO BE GOING TO DIFFERENT SCHOOL DIVISION THIS WAS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO NOW FULFILL THE PLANNING THAT WE LAID OUT.
I HAD THE WEB SITE AND THE CUSTOMER RELATIONS YOU KNOW MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
SO ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE ALREADY LAID OUT.
WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE MEANS TO EXECUTE.
THIS IS A BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR US.
WE'VE RESTRUCTURED SOME OF THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.
AND A LOT OF THAT WAS PUT ON HOLD IN REGARDS TO THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.
JUST BECAUSE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN JULIA CAME ONBOARD.
SHE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO GO OVER 90-DAY PLAN AND ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
THAT'S IN WORKS SOONER THAN LATER.
AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO ALL TO THINK WE HAVE TO DEVELOP SOMETHING BECAUSE SOMETHING -- IT WAS ALREADY DEVELOPED.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF US EXECUTING THAT PLAN.
AND THIS IS GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HAVE IT.
ONE OTHER THING THAT COMES TO MIND FOR ME IN THIS CATEGORY THAT I GRAPPLE WITH.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS COULD BE LIKE PART OF THE BOARD'S EQUITY TRAINING.
IS THAT RECOGNITION OF RECOGNIZING WHO YOUR LOUDEST VOICES ARE.
AND NAVIGATING BEING RESPONSIVE BUT ALSO WHILE ALSO BEING SURE THAT YOUR PRIORITIZING THE LEAST VOCAL.
I SEE THAT AS AN EQUITY ISSUE THAT'S SIGNIFICANT IN THIS DIVISION.
[02:35:06]
I WONDER IF IT'S HELPFUL FOR TO US HAVE SOME KIND OF LIKE SESSION OR TRAINING ON HOW TO STAY FOCUSED ON THAT AS A PART OF OUR THINKING WHEN WE ARE RESPONDING.>> I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MAKES SENSE TO ANYONE ELSE.
>> COULD YOU REPEAT THAT AGAIN.
I DIDN'T HEAR THE -- >> I WAS SAYING AS PART OF LIKE THE BOARD'S EQUITY TRAINING TO HAVE A SESSION OR DISCUSSION OR LIKE THAT GUIDES US ON STRATEGIES ABOUT NAVIGATING HOW WE CAN RESPOND TO THE MOST VOCAL COMPONENT OF OUR COMMUNITY WHILE NAVIGATING THE FOREFRONT THEY ARE NOT THE NECESSARILY THE MAJORITY OF THE STUDENTS THAT WE SERVE.
AND HOW DO WE YOU KNOW RIDE THAT ROAD IN AN EQUITABLE MANNER SO WE DON'T CONTINUE TO PERPETUATE THE INEQUITY THAT EFFECTING OUR MOST VULNERABLE GROUPS OF KIDS AND OUR FAMILIES.
>> I THINK THAT'S A CHALLENGE THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO PUT STRATEGIES AROUND.
I'M NOT SURE YOU WILL EVER BE ABLE TO CHECK THE BOX COMPLETELY.
I THINK THERE'S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
I LAUGH AND I SAY THIS IN THE MOST LOVING WAY TO YOU GUYS.
BUT YOU HAVE MORE FLARE-UP AND CRISIS IN YOUR COMMUNITY ABOUT ISSUES THAN MOST CLIENT I'VE DEALT WITH.
YOU DEFINITELY GET THE GOLD STAR ON THAT WHICH IS NOT SOMETHING.
>> WE TOLD YOU WE WERE SPECIAL WHEN WE HIRED YOU LAURIE.
>> SOME OF IT HAS BEEN SELF-INFLICTED.
BEING ABLE TO AVOID THAT WOULD BE THE GOAL; RIGHT.
I DO THINK THAT -- I THINK YOU COULD PROBABLY NEVER COMMUNICATE ENOUGH.
THE HARD PART WHEN YOU COMMUNICATE JUST INFORMATION BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T ABSORB INFORMATION.
IT'S WHEN YOU CAN BE TANGIBLE AMOUNT A SITUATION THAT EXUDES THAT EMPATHY.
THAT'S THE COMMUNICATION TO HAPPEN.
WHEN GROUPS OR PEOPLE ARE UPSET ABOUT THING, THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS LOOKING FOR YOU TO TELL THEM WHY THEY SHOULDN'T BE UPSET.
THEY ARE LOOKING FOR REASONS TO SUPPORT THEIR POSITION.
BEING ABLE TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
WE'RE RUNNING A LARGE CORPORATION.
IT EFFECTS EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
HAVING THAT BALANCE AND THAT HAT IS SOMETIMES A DIFFICULT ONE TO HANDLE.
AND I DO THINK THAT NOT ONLY SOME MEDIA COMMUNICATION, TRAINING, WOULD BE HELPFUL.
BUT IT MIGHT EVEN AT LEAST GIVE YOUR PERMISSION AT TIME WHEN YOU KNOW SOMEONE DISAGREES WITH YOUR POSITION OR THE BOARD'S POSITION.
MIGHT GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM THAT IS NOT VOLATILE OR ENDING IN A REALLY BAD WAY.
BECAUSE CONFLICT RESOLUTION IS NOT SOMETHING THAT COMES NATURALLY.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU LEARN.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY A GOOD OPPORTUNITY ALSO DURING THAT MEDIA COMMUNICATION TRAINING THAT I HOPE WILL TAKE PLACE.
WE HAVEN'T DECIDED YET WHEN OR WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
I THINK IT DEPENDS ON WHEN THE NEW PERSON IS HIRED TO BE PART OF THAT.
AND THEN PUT TOGETHER A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE BOARD IN THAT AREA.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT COMMUNICATION AND SOME OF THE TOOLS THAT I THINK WE HAVE IN PLACE.
DURING COVID I WILL TELL YOU THERE'S A LOT OF SCHOOL SYSTEMS THAT ARE REALLY LOOKING TO BE MUCH MORE VERY VIRTUAL.
I THINK YOU ARE PROBABLY HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
YOU KNOW EVERYBODY IS COMING UP FOR AIR A LITTLE BIT NOW ALL HAPPENED.
WE'RE SEEING THAT WE'VE GOT ADJUST TO NEW NORM.
[02:40:03]
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO DIG A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO THIS NOTION OF SECTION I'M CALLING VALUES THAT DEALS WITH CULTURAL AWARENESS AND DECISION MAKING AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO SPEAK TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT COME TO MIND THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF PUT MEAT ON THE BONE LATER ON ABOUT STRATEGIES.
THE LAST THING I SAID FEET NEATLY INTO THAT CATEGORY.
HOW TO GIVE A VOICE TO THOSE THAT ARE NOT SPEAKING.
>> ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON ANY OF THIS? I KNOW YOU ARE STARTING TO GLAZE OVER.
I KNOW WAY BACK I THINK IN OUR FIRST YEAR, WE TALKED ABOUT LIKE THE BOARD ROLE AS LIAISONS TO SCHOOLS AND HOW SHOULD WE BE GIVING INFORMATION OUT AT PTA MEETING.
LISTENING TO VERONICA GIVE REPORT OF REOPENING PLAN WHERE I WILL BE HONEST FOR SOME SCHOOLS IT'S HARD ENOUGH JUST TO FIND OUT IS THERE A PTA MEETING GOING TO HAPPEN.
I HAVE TO CHASE PEOPLE DOWN TO FIGURE OUT THAT BASIC QUESTION.
SOMETIMES I THINK WE'RE TOO ACCESSIBLE TO CERTAIN GROUPS.
YOU KNOW I THINK WE DISCUSSED THIS IDEA BEFORE.
WHERE MAYBE WE DON'T NEED TO GO EVERY PTA MEETING.
MAYBE ONE PTA MEETING A MONTH OR SOMEHOW WE NEED A MODERATE THAT INTERACTION.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THOSE LOUD VOICES LIKE GET THEIR ADVOCACY FROM.
WHERE THEY ORGANIZE AND THEY GET LITTLE TIDBITS OF INFORMATION THEY USE TO SPREAD WILDFIRE.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE ONE AREA WHERE WE COULD FIGURE OUT.
DO WE NEED TO WORK WTAC AND THE PTA PRESIDENT TO GET INFORMATION FROM THEM.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ANSWER.
I THINK THAT'S AN AREA WE CAN LOOK AT.
I THINK WE YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT NEGATE -- ITS NOT LIKE WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE ACCESS.
THERE'S SUCH THING AS TOO MUCH ACCESS.
NOT NECESSARILY FOR THE GREATER GOOD.
>> I JUST WANT TO THROW IT OUT THERE.
>> I KNOW CINDY WORKED WITH PTAC.
WE STARTED AND MEGAN YOU COULD CONTINUE WITH THIS.
THIS JUST RECENTLY STARTED WITH US TRYING TO PROVIDE THE TIME THAT PTAC TO GO OVER QUESTIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE THE PAST THREE MONTHS, I KNOW THAT I'VE ANSWERED QUESTIONS FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR.
TO PTAC MEMBERS ANY QUESTION THAT ASK.
AND I THINK THAT IF WE CAN FIND A WAY TO HAVE WHEN WE ARE ANSWERING QUESTIONS LIKE THAT FOR PTAC TO DISSEMINATE THE INFORMATION AND HAVE AN UPDATE FROM PTAC, WE GOT AN UPDATE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT.
THESE ARE Q&A THAT CAME OUT OF THAT.
I THINK WE JUST STARTED RECORDING THOUGH; RIGHT.
IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE MESSAGING.
THEY HAVE A SECRETARY OF THE PTAC.
THEY HAVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE TAKING NOTES.
I THINK THIS IS WAY FOR THEM TO TAKE ON THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES TO ASSIST WITH YOU KNOW MAKING SURE EVERYBODY IS INFORMED.
>> I WILL SAY THAT HISTORICALLY.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A BOARD AT EVERY MEETING.
IT'S SOMETHING -- >> IT'S NOT THE NORM.
>> IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN THE BOARD BEFORE THE BOARD I CAME ON.
I THINK THAT EXPECTATIONS I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAD BETWEEN ME AND THAT.
IN FACT, I DON'T EVEN THINK THEY WERE ALWAYS AT PTAC, ACTUALLY.
THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS AT PTAC.
BUT THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS ALWAYS THE STAR OF THE SHOW IN TERMS OF HEARING THE
[02:45:06]
REPORT.BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE CAME TO HEAR THE SUPERINTENDENT GIVE THE UPDATE ON WHAT'S GOING ON.
>> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT VIRTUAL STUFF.
MAYBE YOU KNOW NOW IS GOOD TIME TO BRING IT BACK UP.
BECAUSE THERE WAS FEELING AT ONE TIME IT WOULD BE NOT WORTH THE CONVERSATION TO STOP ATTENDING PTA MEETING, IT WOULD CAUSE PROBLEMS. I THINK THAT YOU KNOW IT'S AGAIN THAT TRAINING MOMENT THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ROLE OF THE BOARD IS.
I'M NOT SO SURE THAT WE'VE COME VERY, VERY, VERY LONG WAY BUT I STILL THINK WE HAVE A VERY, VERY LONG WAY TO GO HELPING THE BOARD -- HELPING THE COMMUNITY REALLY UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF A SCHOOL BOARD.
I'M NOT SURE THAT OUR MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND THE NON-PTA, VARIOUS COMMITTEES AND REPRESENTATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN KIND OF -- LIKE -- AND THAT'S WORK THAT REALLY YOU KNOW IF WE DON'T GO TO THAT; WE JUST DON'T GO TO THAT.
THEN WE REALLY DON'T GET THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF WINDOW OF INFORMATION AND THAT PARTICULAR GROUP OR THAT PARTICULAR THING WHERE THERE'S STILL PLENTY OF WAYS TO MAINTAIN OVERALL CONTACT WITH THE PTA THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
I'M ALSO JUST RAISING MY HAND AND SAYING I'M IN AGREEMENT THIS THE WORTH PURSUING.
I WILL HELP US BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON THE OTHER THING.
ON A LOT OF THE OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS TOO.
>> ESPECIALLY IF WE GET BACK IN-PERSON MEETINGS YOU GUY ALREADY HAVE SO MUCH TO DO.
YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST BEING ABLE TO UTILIZE YOUR TIME MOST EFFECTIVELY FOR YOU AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS I THINK SHOULD BE YOUR GOAL.
YOU CAN REACH YOUR CONSTITUENCY WITHOUT GOING TO PTA MEETING IS MY PERSONAL OPINION.
YOU KNOW I THINK IT JUST SETS YOU UP FOR PEOPLE STARTING TO BOMBARD YOU WITH QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE BEING IN THAT SCENARIO.
>> HEATHER, DID YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP.
YOU KNOW THAT; RIGHT? YOU KNOW THAT.
YOU'RE WORK IS INSTRUMENTAL AND IT'S SO HARD IN GENERAL AND YOU JUST THROW THE ICING OF COVID ON TOP OF THE CAKE.
AND I SAY THIS EVERY TIME WE CLOSE ONE OF THESE RETREATS.
THAT YOU ARE MAKING A HUGE DIFFERENCE AND YOU ARE SO APPRECIATEDEN IF PEOPLE DON'T TELL YOU.
THE ONLY TIME PEOPLE WILL COME TO YOU WHEN THEY ARE UP SET.
YOU NEED TO KNOW YOU ARE SUCH A VALUE IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOUR SERVICE IS ABOVE AND BEYOND.
>> OUR GROWTH IS IN THANKS TO YOU.
REALLY APPRECIATE YOU AND ALL YOUR GUIDANCE BUT ALSO I APPRECIATE YOUR WORDS.
IT REALLY INCREDIT -- WE'RE SCHOOL BOARD TOGETHER DURING COVID.
THAT'S NONE OF US LIKE EVEN DREAMED THIS WAS REMOTELY POSSIBLE WHEN WE ALL RAN.
EVEN SEEING SOME OF THE GROWTH IN OUR SELF-EVALUATION.
WE RARELY GET THE MOMENT TO REALLY REFLECT AND THINK WE'RE SO BUSY.
EVERY SINGLE FRIDAY AT 12:00 AND LIKE WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR HOURS.
AGAIN I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT MOMENT OF REFLECTION.
WE RARELY GET IT AS THE BOARD THIS INCREDIBLE WHAT WE ARE DOING.
I'M HONORED TO SERVE WITH EACH OF YOU.
>> IT'S A TIME TO CELEBRATE, GUYS.
AND YOU KNOW THAT MY PHONE IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO CALL AND SAY, I HATE THIS.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING.
I WILL BE RIGHT THERE TO LISTEN.
AT ANY TIME YOU NEED TO DO THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT MANY -- ESPECIALLY SUPERINTENDENTS THEIR SPOUSES GET SICK AND TIRED OF HEARING WHAT'S GOING ON.
I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND CELEBRATE EVEN THE SMALL VICTORIES.
BECAUSE OUR KIDS ARE COUNTING ON YOU.
[02:50:05]
THEY ARE COUNTING ON YOU.I THINK GREG WANTED TO SAYING THIS.
I WANT TO TELL ALL OF YOU I WANT TO REITERATE WHAT LAURIE AND VERONICA SAID.
I THINK ITS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO HEAR EVEN FROM GREG TO MENTION THAT THIS IS A BOARD THAT HE'S NEVER SEEN KIND OF LIKE THIS TYPE OF BOARD, EVER.
HE'S THROUGH AND THROUGH ALEXANDRIA FROM KINDERGARTEN TO EDUCATIONAL CAREER.
I BELIEVE YOU ALL, EVERYTHING YOU SAID YOU WERE WHEN YOU WENT AND YOU RAN.
I TOLD YOU I WATCHED ALL OF YOUR CAMPAIGNS.
THAT RIGHT THERE TO ME IS -- IT MEAN A LOT.
I KNOW TO MY COLLEAGUES, MY SUPERINTENDENT COLLEAGUES DO NOT HAVE THE SAME KIND OF RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR BOARD MEMBERS AND NOT TO SAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE ISSUES IN AREAS TO GROWTH.
WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE AREAS TO GROW.
I DON'T THINK NONE OF US WILL BE PERFECT.
WHAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED AS THE TEAM IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR 16,000 STUDENT AND 3,000 STAFF MEMBERS THAT WE HAVE.
THAT'S SOMETHING EVEN IF TODAY WAS OUR LAST DAY.
WE HAVE A ACCOMPLISHED ALL OF THAT.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT.
I KNOW IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE BOARD.
OUR TEAM CAN'T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU.
WE NEED YOU JUST AS MUCH AS YOU NEED US.
AND I TELL OUR TEAM THAT CONSISTENTLY.
THAT ALL OF THE DECISIONS WE MAKE.
WE CAN'T MAKE WITHOUT THE BOARD'S SPOT SUPPORT.
I GENUINELY MEAN IT THAT YOU ARE GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND.
I WISH EVERYBODY WOULD COME TO SERVE ANOTHER TERM AND WE CAN KEEP THE SAME TEAM.
I JUST FEEL ACPS HAS NOT HAD THE CONSISTENCY AND HAS NOT HAD WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE.
I KNOW EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN THOUGHTS.
I WILL USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DO WHILE EVERYONE FEELS GOOD.
MY PERSONAL PLEA AT LEAST CONSIDER SERVING ANOTHER TERM.
IF YOU HAVE NOT IF YOU WERE THINKING NOT TOO.
BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET AGAIN.
NOT TO SAY WE CAN'T HAVE ANOTHER GREAT BOARD.
I THINK THAT THE FUTURE -- WE'RE NOT END-ALL BE ALL.
BUT FOR US TO HAVE THREE MORE YEARS OF DOING REALLY -- REALLY FOUR MORE YEARS.
THAT 2025 PLAN COULD BE REALITY.
LIKE IT COULD COME TO FRUITION.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THAT THING THAT EVERYBODY TALKED ABOUT AND THAT SLOGAN WE HAD.
JUST STRONGLY CONSIDER IF YOU ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT RUNNING AGAIN TO JUST RUN AGAIN.
AND I KNOW OUR STAFF NEEDS YOU.
AND I KNOW OUR STUDENTS THEY NEED YOU.
I WILL TELL YOU INDIVIDUALLY WHEN I TALK TO YOU AGAIN EVERY TIME EVERY MONTH THAT WE HAVE OUR ONE ON ONE.
YOU WON'T -- THIS WON'T BE LAST TIME YOU HEAR IT OUT OF MY MOUTH.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO TOO.
WE HAVE CONNECTED AND WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP AS WELL AND I APPRECIATE YOU.
>> BYE-BYE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.