[00:00:02]
[1. Meeting Called to Order by Chair Alderton]
I WILL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AT THIS TIME.ON MARCH 122,020TH, RALPH NORTHAM DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
AS A RESULT THIS IS BEING HELD ELECTRONICALLY.
FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING THE CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS OF AND SCHOOL BOARD, OR THE DISCHARGE OF ITS LAWFUL PURPOSES DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
ALL MEMBERS ARE PARTICIPATING VIA ZOOM WITH FOUR PEOPLE IN PERSON IN THE MEETING ROOM.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION REMAINS VIRTUAL AND MAY BE ACCESSED BY THE PUBLIC THROUGH THE LYE BROADCAST THROUGH THE LIVE STREAM ON THE WEBSITE, OR VIA ZOOM BY FOLLOWING THE LINK AT THE TOP OF THE AGENDA.
WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE INDICATE YOU ARE PRESENT.
>> WE ARE ALL PRESENT WITH NINE BOARD MEMBERS.
WE NEED TO ADOPT THE AGENDA FOR TODAY'S MEETING.
[5. Adopt the Agenda for the April 8, 2021 Virtual School Board Meeting]
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.>> I MOVE WE ADOPT THE AGENDA FOR TODAY'S MEETING.
>> I HAVE MS. GREENE WHO SECONDS THE MOTION.
I NEED A MOTION TO DROP THE AGENDA ITEM FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
AND THAT IS SPECIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THIS WILL BE SOMETHING THAT IS ADDED AGAIN, IN JUNE.
SO MAY I HAVE A MOTION, TO DROP THAT AGENDA ITEM?
>> MADAME CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE DROP APPOINTMENT THE -- TO THE SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR ON THE AGENDA.
>> OKAY, I HAVE MS. GREENE, WHO SECONDS MS. ANDERSON'S MOTION.
SO NOW WE NEED TO VOTE TO AMEND THE AGENDA.
AND I WILL CALL FOR THAT VOTE.
>> OKAY, SO THE AGENDA HAS BEEN AMENDED.
AND NOW WE NEED TO VOTE TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
SO NEXT ON THE AGENDA WE NEED TO MOVE INTO OUR CLOSED MEETING.
VICE MADAME VICE CHAIR, ARE YOU ABLE TO READ US INTO CLOSE?
MADAME CHAIR I MOVE THE BOARD CONVENE A LOWED MEETING PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 2.2-37711 A.
6 FOR DISCUSSION OF THE INVESTMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS FOR COMPETITION OR BARGAINING IS INVOLVED AND WHERE IF MADE PUBLIC WOULD ADVERSELY EFFECT THE
[2. Closed Meeting--20 mins.]
FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THE BOARDS.>> OKAY I HAVE MS. JONESRY, WHO SECONDS INS NOLAND'S MOTION.
SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE.
OKAY, SO THE VOTE IS 9-0, AND WE WILL SHIFT INTO CLOSED.
>> MADAME CHAIR, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF US THAT DON'T HAVE THE LINK TO THE CLOSED MEETING.
IF THE CLERK CAN SEND THAT OR RESEND IT PLEASE.
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ALL RIGHT, AND JUST LET US KNOW IF YOU DON'T END UP GETTING IT.
[3. Certification of Closed Meeting]
MEAGAN ALDTERTON.AND ARE LAW ENFORCEMENTLY EXEMPTED WERE HEARD, DISCUSSED OR CONSIDERED BE I THE BOARD.
AND THE CLOSED MEETING HELD ON APRIL 82,021ST.
>> OKAY, SO I HAVE MR. SUAREZ WHO SECONDS THE MOTION.
MISSING CAPTIONING 06:48-10:34- COMPLETED AND WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
>>>MOVING ON TO COMMUNICATIONS AND ADDRESSES WITH THE BOARD.
SO WE HAVE SPEAKERS, OH IÂM SORRY.
WE DID ADOPT THE AGENDA? THATÂS OK.
SO WE HAVE COMMUNICATIONS AND ADDRESSES TO THE BOARD.
SO SPEAKERS, WE HAVE SPEAKERS WITH US THIS EVENING.
[6. Public Comments]
EACH SPEAKER IS GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.THE CLERK WILL BE TIMING YOU AND ANNOUNCE WHEN TIME IS EXPIRED.
IF YOUÂRE ALREADY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK THE BEST THING FOR YOU TO DO IS RAISE YOUR HAND AND THEN WE CAN FIND YOU EASILY.
>>YES SO OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT WE HAVE ANTHONY YIANILOS.
>>ALRIGHT HELLO MY NAME IS ANTHONY YIANILOS AND IÂM A 6TH GRADER AT GW MIDDLE SCHOOL.
IÂM ALSO A BOY SCOUT AND A BLACK BELT IN TAEKWONDO.
I LOVE ALEXANDRIA AND I LOVE GW AND MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GEORGE MASON.
BUT SOMETHING SEEMS WRONG TO ME AND IÂM HERE TODAY TO VOICE MY OPINION IN THE HOPES THAT MAYBE I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
OVER THE PAST YEAR I HAVE BEEN INSIDE A SCHOOL BUILDING FOR 4 DAYS TOTAL.
FRIENDS OF MINE AROUND VIRIGINA AND AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE BEEN GOING TO IN-PERSON SCHOOL FOR MONTHS.
WHY IS ALEXANDRIA ANY DIFFERENT? OPN THE 4 DAYS I HAVE BEEN IN SCHOOL, THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE: I SIT IN A BIG ROOM CALLED A CONNECTIONS CENTER, FOR ABOUT 5 HOURS A DAY WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER KIDS.
WHY IS THAT? BECAUSE ROUGHLY 66% OF MY TEACHERS ARE REMAINING VIRTUAL AND NOT TEACHING IN-PERSON.
SO EVEN THOUGH IÂM IN A SCHOOL AT GW I SIT IN A BIG ROOM WITH OTHER KIDS ON ZOOM ALL DAY.
THE SAME IS TRUE FOR MY 4TH GRADE SISTER.
66% OF HER TEACHERS ARE NOT IN PERSON EITHER.
I ASKED MY DAD WHY AND HE SAID TO ASK YOU ALL.
IÂM NOT HERE TO JUDGE MY TEACHERS THAT WOULDNÂT BE MY PLACE.
BUT I WANT, BUT IÂM HERE TO TELL YOU THAT THE RETURN PLAN FOR SCHOOL ISNÂT WORKING.
AND IT ISNÂT YEAH IT JUST ISNÂT WORKING FOR KIDS LIKE ME.
WHAT ACPS HAS DONE FOR MANY STUDENTS ISNÂT THE RETURN TO IN-PERSON SCHOOL THAT WE
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NEED.IT IS MORE LIKE ON-LINE SCHOOL, IN A SCHOOL BUILDING.
SO MANY OF MY FRIENDS HAVE ALREADY MOVED TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND EVEN MORE WILL PROBABLY MOVE NEXT YEAR.
FOR THOSE OF US STICKING TO ACPS SOME OF US WILL HAVE A CHOICE AND MANY OTHERS WONÂT.
CAN YOU PLEASE ASSURE US OF THOSE STICKING WITH ACPS WEÂLL SEE THE FOLLOWING 2 THINGS: THAT WE WILL BE FULLY IN-PERSON WITH NEARLY ALL TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM WHEN WE START SCHOOL NEXT YEAR?
>> AND TWO, THAT REMAIN WITH ACPS ARE NOT AALEFT BEHIND AND DISADVANTAGED.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS ANTHONY.
MOVING ON WE HAVE CINDY HART WHO IS A PARENT.
GOOD EVENING MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
I AM A PARENT AND A CHAIR OF THIS SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AS YOU KNOW STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES HAVE BEEN VERY HEAVILY IMPACTED BY THIS PANDEMIC.
IÂM HERE TO SHARE THE VIEWS OF SEAC REGARDING THE RETURN TO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
FIRST, SEAC FEELS THAT ITÂS A HIGH PRIORITY TO TELL ALL PARENTS WHO THOUGHT VIRTUAL WAS THE BEST OPTION FOR THEIR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD IN DECEMBER BASED ON WHAT THEY KNEW AT THAT TIME TO NOW CHOOSE IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION IF THEY WOULD LIKE.
THE DECEMBER DECISION WAS NOT PRESENTED AS BINDING FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND SPECIAL ED PARENTS NEED TO BE GIVEN THE OPTION TO RETURN THEIR CHILD TO IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION IF THEY NOW FEEL THAT THIS IS BEST.
SECONDLY, SEAC FEELS THAT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ALLOW STUDENTS IN CITY WIDE CLASSROOMS TO RETURN TO SCHOOL FOR 4 DAYS PER WEEK.
THESE STUDENTS HAVE THE MOST NEEDS AND REQUIRE THE GREATEST LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY.
THIRD MANY STUDENTS WITH IEPÂS NEED MORE CONSISTENCY THAN DOES THE TYPICAL STUDENT MAKING IT HARDER TO SWITCH BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN HOME AND SCHOOL INSTRUCTION AS DESCRIBED WITH THE HYBRID MODEL.
SEAC FEELS THAT HIGH NEED STUDENTS NOT IN CITY WIDE CLASSROOMS, IN OTHERWORDS THOSE WHO RECEIVE ALL OF THEIR READING AND MATH INSTRUCTION IN A SPECIAL ED SETTING SHOULD BE GIVEN HIGH PRIORITY ALSO FOR RETURNING TO SCHOOL 4 DAYS PER WEEK THIS SCHOOL YEAR IF POSSIBLE.
NOW THAT THE CDC HAS RELAXED GUIDANCE FOR SPACING HOPEFULLY SOME OF THESE ABOVE REQUESTS WILL BE EASIER LOGISTICALLY THAN THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN A FEW WEEKS AGO.
AS IÂM SURE YOU KNOW FAIRFAX COUNTY IS PLANNING TO ADOPT THE NEW 3 FOOT GUIDANCE FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS ALLOWING RETURN TO CLASS FOR ALL STUDENTS 4 DAYS PER WEEK, LATER THIS MONTH.
AND ARLINGTON HAS HAD THEIR HIGH NEEDS SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS IN THE BUILDING 4 DAYS PER WEEK SINCE DECEMBER.
FINALLY, LOOKING AHEAD TO SUMMER WE FEEL STRONGLY THAT 4 DAYS IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION FOR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS IS NEEDED IN THE SUMMER PROGRAM.
AND WE CERTAINLY HOPE THIS WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR THOSE FAMILIES WHO CHOOSE IT.
REGARDING THE END OF SUMMER INSTRUCTION, VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION IS PLANNED FOR 2 WEEKS IN AUGUST, I THINK VERY FEW FAMILIES OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES WILL SEE A NEED FOR THIS SEE VALUE IN THIS AND WE DO FEEL OUR SPECIAL ED TEACHERS NEED A BREAK BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR BEGINS IN AUGUST WHEN WE HOPE TO HAVE 5 DAYS OF IN-SCHOOL INSTRUCTION.
IÂD LIKE TO CLOSE BY COMMENDING THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OF OUR SPECIAL NEEDS TEACHERS AND OTHER STAFF DURING THIS CHALLENGING SCHOOL YEAR.
UP NEXT WE HAVE MR. HENRY E HAL CARDWELL AN ALUMNUS.
>>>CHAIR ALDERTON OTHER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE DURING THIS UNPRECEDENTED TIME.
THANKS ALSO TO DR. HUTCHINS AND THE ACPS LEADERSHIP TEAM.
I CANÂT IMAGINE THE AMOUNT OF TIME YÂALL HAVE SPENT TOUGH ISSUES DOING THE BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR CITY OVER THE LAST YEAR.
IÂD LIKE TO COMMENT ON ONE OF ISSUES BEFORE THE BOARD TONIGHT.
ON DECIDING THE NEW NAME FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL.
I COMMEND ACPS ON ALLOWING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT TO THIS PROCESS THROUGH 2 ROUNDS OF VOTING AND SPONSORING THE NAMING SESSIONS WITH DOUGLAS REED AMONG OTHERS.
CONTENT AND SUBSTANCE TO THE DISCUSSION AT THE END OF THE PROCESS WHERE THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER ALL THE INPUT AND MAKE THE DECISION THAT YOU ALL THINK IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR CITY AND OUR KIDS.
IÂD LIKE TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR AMENDING THE SUPERINTENDENTÂS RECOMMENDATION TO THE NAME OF THE CITY SOUL HIGH SCHOOL MY ALMA MATER AND MY KIDS ALMA MATER.
BY ADDING THE WORDS ÂTHE CITY OFÂ THE RECOMMENDED NAME ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL.
WHY? WELL WE ARE THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA.
NEIGHBORING PARTS OF FAIRFAX COUNTY TRIED TO CLAIM THE GOOD ALEXANDRIA NAME BUT WE ARE THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA.
AT THE BOAT HOUSE AT 1 ACL MADISON STREET NAMED THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA.
ROWERS AFFECTIONATELY REFER TO IT AS THE CITY.
[00:15:02]
BY ADDING ÂTHE CITY OFÂ TO THE HIGH SCHOOLÂS NAME WE GIVE OURSELVES THE OPTION OF THOSE IN THE KNOW, HEARING FOR THE CITY.AND OF COURSE, THAT WOULD ALLOW THOSE IN THE KNOW TO CONTINUE TO AFFECTIONATELY AND PASSIONATELY REFER TO OUR HIGH SCHOOL AS ÂTCÂ.
NO ONE IN THE KNOW EVER CALLED TC WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL.
SO, WITH THIS SUBTLE CHANGE THE COMMUNITY WOULD HAVE MORE CHOICES THAT REFER TO OUR UNITARY HIGH SCHOOL.
ALEXANDRIA, THE CITY, TC, OR THE FULL NAME.
THINK OF THE MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES.
WHATÂS YOUR POST HIGH SCHOOL, COA, COURSE OF ACTION OR CITY OF ALEXANDRIA? I THINK IT WOULD BE FUN.
AND OF COURSE, IT HONORS THE ROUGHLY 50,000 GRADUATES OF TC AND GIVES A NOD TO THOSE WHO DONÂT WANT TO CHANGE THE NAME.
AND PERHAPS MOST COMPELLING FOR ME SINCE I LOVE HISTORY WHAT 25 YEARS FROM NOW WHEN MY YET TO BE BORN TITAN GRANDCHILD ASKS, HEY WHY DO THE OLD-TIMERS CALL IT ÂTHE CITYÂ? TC? THATÂS WEIRD.
AND NOW WEÂVE GOT A TEACHABLE MOMENT.
TALK ABOUT ALEXANDRIA, ITÂS HISTORY, ABOUT RACISM, AND ABOUT CHANGE.
THE CHANGES, HOW IT HAPPENS, HOW FAR WEÂVE COME AND WHAT STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND AGAIN THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR CITY AND TO OUR KIDS.
UP NEXT, WE HAVE MS HELEN MORRIS WHO IS A PARENT AND FORMER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
AND WEÂRE HAVING A SCHOOL BOARD REUNION TONIGHT.
YES, IT IS FORMER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER NIGHT HERE.
GREAT TO SEE ALL OF YOU AND THANK YOU IÂLL ADD AS HAL DID THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND ALL THE WORK, I KNOW THAT YOUÂRE DOING THIS YEAR.
CHAIR ALDERTON, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, DR HUTCHINS, IÂM HERE TONIGHT NOT ONLY AS A PARENT AND FORMER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BUT AS THE CHAIR OF THE ALEXANDRIA CAMPAIGN ON ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY AND A MEMBER OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE PARTNERSHIP FOR HEALTHIER ALEXANDRIA TO TALK ABOUT THE CHILDREN AND YOUTH MASTER PLAN WHICH IS ALSO ON YOUR AGENDA TONIGHT.
PROBABLY I MIGHT BE THE ONLY ONE SPEAKING ABOUT TONIGHT MIGHT NOT BE AN EXCITING TOPIC.
BUT IÂM HERE TO SUPPORT YOUR ENDORSEMENT OF THE CYMP AND TO ASK YOU TO THINK BROADLY AND INNOVATIVELY ON BEHALF OF OUR YOUTH AND FAMILIES AND USE THE GREAT RESOURCE THAT YOU, THAT WE ALL NOW HAVE IN THE CHILDREN AND YOUTH MASTERPLAN.
THE CITY COUNCIL WILL ALSO BE ENDORSING VOTING ON THIS PLAN LATER IN APRIL.
THE PLAN ADDRESSES 3 VERY IMPORTANT GOALS IN OUR CITY THAT ALL CHILDREN YOUTH AND FAMILIES WILL BE PHYSICALLY SAFE AND HEALTHY, THAT EVERY CHILD WILL BE ACADEMICALLY SUCCESSFUL AND CAREER READY AND THAT EVERY YOUNG PERSON AND THEIR FAMILY WILL HAVE POSITIVE EXPERIENCES.
I THINK THESE ARE GREAT GOALS THAT WE ALL WOULD ASPIRE TO FOR OUR YOUTHS AND OUR FAMILIES.
MY INVOLVEMENT IN THE CHILDREN YOUTH MASTER PLAN IS AS LEADER OF THE DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS WORK GROUP WHICH IS A HUGE COMPONENT OF THE PLAN.
AND AS A TRAINER IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS AS WELL AS IN PREVENTING RISK TAKING BEHAIVORS ANOTHER PORTION OF THE PLAN THROUGH MY WORK AT THE CAMPAIGN ON ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY.
THE POWER OF THIS PLAN IS THAT ITÂS GROUNDED IN DATA THAT PROVIDES CONCRETE ACTIONS TO SUPPORT YOUTH AND FAMILIES.
AND IT PROVIDES SUPPORT SO THAT ANYONE WHO KNOWS YOUTH IN THEIR COMMUNITY WHO VOLUNTEERS WITH YOUTH AND FAMILIES IN THE CITY OR WORKS WITH OR ON BEHALF OF YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES CAN DO THEIR WORK MORE EFFECTIVELY AND WITH INTENTIONALITY.
AND THAT INCLUDES SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, RIGHT? AND SENIOR STAFF IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AS YOU KNOW, WEÂRE IN A POWERFUL MOMENT.
WHEN 3 CITY WIDE PLANS ARE BEING ADOPTED THIS SPRING, YOU KNOW OF COURSE ACPS 2025 NOW WE HAVE THE CHILDREN AND YOUTH MASTER PLAN AND SOON WE WILL HAVE THE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
AND THESE PLANS INCLUDE EXTENSIVE INPUT FROM SO MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THEY OFFER THE POTENTIAL TO ALIGN DECISIONS IN OUR CITY ON THE PRIORITIES OF EQUITY, ACCESS FOR ALL ALEXANDRIANÂS TO EDUCATION, WORK SERVICES AND AMENITIES.
AND USING RESOURCES TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD FOR ALEXANDRIANÂS WHOSE VOICES HAVE NOT BEEN PRIORITIZED IN THE PAST.
THE POTENTIAL CAN BE REALIZED BY ALL OF US TOGETHER IF WE WORK INNOVATIVELY THROUGH THE LENSE OF EQUITY AND OUTSIDE OF THE SILOS THAT WE KNOW STIFFLE PROGRESS.
TONIGHT, AS EVERY NIGHT, YOU ARE CONSIDERING DECISIONS ON IMPORTANT TOPICS FOR OUR CHILDREN, THEIR EDUCATION AND FOR ALL OF OUR FAMILIES.
JUST AS IMPORTANT ABOUT THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE ARE HOW YOU MAKE THESE DECISIONS; ON
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WHOSE BEHALF YOU MAKE THESE DECISIONS AND WHOSE LIVES AND VOICES YOU HAVE IN MIND AND WHOSE LIVES AND VOICES YOU DONÂT HAVE IN MIND WHEN YOU MAKE THESE DECISIONS.PLEASE INCLUDE ALL THREE OF THESE PLANS THAT HAVE CAPTURED DIVERSE VOICES AND THE GREAT EXPERTISE OF OUR CITY TO HELP YOU IN YOUR DELIBERATIONS AND DECISIONS ABOUT OUR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIESÂ FUTURES.
>>EXCUSE ME MISS MORRIS IÂM SORRY YOUÂVE REACHED YOUR ALLOTTED TIME.
>>AND I JUST FINISHED THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>>THANK YOU SO MUCH MISS MORRIS.
UP NEXT, WE HAVE MISS ERIKA MELMAN.
GOOD EVENING THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
IÂM HERE TONIGHT TO EXPRESS MY DISPLEASURE WITH ACPSÂS ANNOUNCEMENT YESTERDAY ABOUT PLANS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
THAT IS TO RETAIN 6 FEET DISTANCING AND NOT EXPAND FROM 2 TO 4 DAYS A WEEK OF HYBRID LEARNING.
WHEN I READ THE EMAIL, I WAS FURIOUS AS I THOUGHT ABOUT MY 2ND GRADE ACPS STUDENT HAS SUFFERED AND STRUGGLED WITH VIRTUAL LEARNING.
I ALSO STARTED THINKING BACK TO SOMETHING DR HUTCHINS SAID AT A PAST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.
HE REMARKED THAT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOW COMPLICATED SCHOOL OPERATIONS SUCH AS FOOD DISTRIBUTION, TRANSPORTATION, STAFFING AND SWITCHING CLASSROOMS IS THAT OPERATING IN ANY WAY THAN LIMITED CAPACITY SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE.
I THOUGHT ABOUT THE WORD ÂIMPOSSIBLEÂ ALL NIGHT.
LAST MARCH LIKE ACPS MY 4TH GRADERÂS NON-ACPS SCHOOL CLOSED.
THATÂS WHERE THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN HOW MY FAMILY EXPERIENCED PANDEMIC SCHOOLING ENDED.
COMMUNICATION FROM THE NON-ACPS SCHOOL WAS FREQUENT AND INCLUDED A TIMELINE FOR RE-OPENING IN-PERSON IN THE FALL.
I NEVER HEARD THE WORD IMPOSSIBLE.
DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, OPERATIONS FOR A PROGRAM THAT I WORK ON TO SERVE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS WAS SIGNIFIGANTLY DISRUPTED LAST MARCH.
WE FOUND OUT THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DO TWICE AS MUCH WORK IN HALF THE TIME WE USUALLY HAVE TO MEET OUR MILESTONES AND PROVIDE BENEFITS TO CONSUMERS.
HUNDREDS OF STAKEHOLDERS RE-ENGINEERED THEIR OPERATIONS.
NO ONE UTTERED THE WORD IMPOSSIBLE.
MY ASK TONIGHT IS THAT ACPS PIVOT AWAY FROM THE IMPOSSIBLE MINDSET AND MAKE A PLAN TO IMPROVE THE STATUS QUO NOW.
I THINK THE RIGHT MOVE IS TO REDUCE SPACING TO 3 FEET.
HOWEVER, IF YOU WANT TO STICK WITH 6 FEET DO IT.
BUT ALSO DETERMINE HOW MUCH ADDITIONAL CAPACITY YOU NEED TO SERVE ALL STUDENTS WHO WANT TO MOVE FROM VIRTUAL TO HYBRID NOW AND TO MOVE ALL HYBRID STUDENTS FROM 2 DAYS A WEEK TO 4 DAYS NOW.
5 DAYS A WEEK IN-PERSON FOR ALL STUDENTS WHO WANT IT NEXT FALL SHOULD NOT EVEN BE IN QUESTION.
FEDERAL MONEY IS AVAILABLE FOR EXPANDING CAPACITY AND OPERATIONS.
WHEN I ASKED THE MAYOR DURING HIS LAST TOWN HALL, ACPS HAD NOT YET REQUESTED ANY FUNDING FROM CITY COUNCIL.
LEAVING THAT MONEY ON THE TABLE WHILE STUDENTS AND PARENTS ARE SUFFERING IS UNCONSCIONABLE.
ONE TAGLINE OF A PANDEMIC HAS BEEN ÂTOGETHER, APARTÂ.
WITH VACCINES AND THE BACKING OF SCIENCE LETÂS CHANGE THE TAGLINE TO ÂTOGETHER, WITH 3 FEET BETWEENÂ.
>>THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS MISS MELMAN.
NEXT UP WE HAVE MISS MAUREEN MCNULTY.
GOOD AFTERNOON DR. HUTCHINS AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
AS A NURSE WHO WORKS IN COVID CLINICAL RESEARCH AND AS A PARENT OF TWO TEENS ENROLLED AT ACPS I HAVE SIGNIFIGANT CONCERNS ABOUT THE APPROACH ACPS IS TAKING TOWARD IMPROVING VENTILATION IN SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND THE RISK THIS POSES FOR OUR UNVACCINATED STUDENTS AND STAFF.
TO SAFELY RE-OPEN OUT SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND REDUCE THE RISK OF VIRAL TRANSMISSION, THE CDC THE HARVARD CHAN SCHOOL THE HEALTHY BUILDING PROGRAM AND PROMINENT AEROSAL SCIENTISTS HAVE ADVISED SCHOOL OFFICIALS TO OPEN CLASSROOM WINDOWS, INSTALL HEPPA FILTERS AND ENSURE THAT CHILDREN ARE EATING OUTSIDE.
UNFORTUNATELY, ACPS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ADHEREING TO THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AS OFFICIAL POLICY REMAINS THAT CLASSROOM WINDOWS ARE NOT TO BE OPENED AND HEPPA FILTERS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE IN HEALTH CLINICS AND SELECT CLASSROOMS.
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ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE NOT YET SEEN ANY FORMAL GUIDANCE ON LUNCH PROTOCALS FROM ACPS NOR HAVE WE LEARNED OF ANY INVESTMENT INTENT FOR OUTDOOR EATING STRUCTURES.ITÂS WORTH NOTING THAT OUR NEIGHBORS IN ARLINGTON HAVE NOT ONLY ISSUED GUIDANCE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF OUTDOOR LUNCHES BUT HAVE ALSO INSTALLED HEPPA FILTERS IN EVERY CLASSROOM.
HERE IN ALEXANDRIA, WE ARE BEING TOLD BY CENTRAL OFFICE LEADERSHIP THE BUILDING VENTALATION IS NOT PERCEIVED TO BE A PROBLEM AND ARE DIRECTED TO THE HVAC FAQ DOCUMENT WHICH HIGHLIGHTS THE INSTALLATION OF MERV13 FILTERS IN SELECT BUILDINGS.
WHAT IS MISSING FROM THIS DOCUMENT HOWEVER ARE CRITICAL PIECES OF DATA SUCH AS HOW MANY SCHOOL BUILDINGS ACTUALLY HAVE MERV13 FILTERS AND HOW MANY OUTDOOR AIR EXCHANGES DO OCCUR THROUGH THESE FILTERS PER HOUR TO ENSURE AIR POLLUTION.
ADDITIONALLY, ACPS APPEARS TO BE UTILIZING A VENTILATION ONE SIZE FITS ALL APPROACH EVEN THOUGH AN ALMOST BRAND-NEW BUILDING AND DW MIDDLE SCHOOL WHICH IS OVER 75 YEARS OLD AND HAS A WELL DOCUMENTED MOLD PROBLEM CLEARLY PRESENT 2 DIFFERENT VENTILATION RISK PROFILES.
SINCE ACPS IS NOT PROVIDING AIR QUALITY DATA IN EACH BUILDING AND GIVEN THE HISTORY AND REALITY THAT AN AGING FACILITY WE CAN ONLY SURMISE THAT MANY OF OUR 1,300 CLASSROOMS ARE AT RISK FOR POOR VENTILATION AND VIRAL TRANSMISSION.
WHAT WE DO KNOW IS 7 OF THE ACPS SCHOOL BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN GIVEN A GRADE OF D OR BELOW BY THE JOINT FACILITIES TASK FORCE.
AND THAT 3 OF THESE BUILDINGS ARE SLATED TO BE TORN DOWN DURING THE NEXT 5 YEARS.
WITH THE CDC REDUCING DISTANCING TO 3 FEET WHICH WILL THEREBY INCREASE BUILDING CAPACITY, AND THE NEWS OF THE HIGHLY TRANSMISSABLE VARIANT WE NEED TO ACT NOW TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF OUR STUDENTS.
THEREFORE, I IMPLORE OUR SCHOOL BOARD TO DO THE FOLLOWING: 1.
REQUEST DATA FROM ACPS ON AIR QUALITY AND AIR EXCHANGES IN OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
NUMBER 2 IF THAT DATA IS NOT AVAILABLE THEN ACPS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO HIRE AN AIR QUALITY SPECIALIST TO PERFORM AN ASSESSMENT OF OUR MOST AT-RISK SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
FINALLY, UTILIZE FEDERAL FUNDING TO IMMEDIATELY PURCHASE AND INSTALL HEPPA FILTERS IN OUR MOST AT-RISK BUILDINGS AND PURCHASE EQUIPMENT FOR OUTDOOR EATING.
WE CANÂT BURY OUR HEADS IN THE SAND ON THIS ISSUE.
LETÂS DO THE RIGHT THING FOR OUR KIDS AND THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU VERYMUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR OUR STUDENTS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH MISS MCNULTY FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
NEXT, WE HAVE MISS AMANDA RUFF.
IÂM A PARENT OF STUDENTS ATTENDING MOUNT VERNON, GW, AND MINNIE HOWARD.
AND MY HUSBAND IS A TC CLASS OF 83 GRADUATE.
THERE IS A REOCCURING THEME THAT PARENTS ARE EITHER WANTING KIDS BACK IN SCHOOL RIGHT NOW OR THEY WANT TO CONTINUE WITH VIRTUAL LEARNING AND THIS IS NOT TRUE.
I WANT IT TO BE KNOWN THAT THERE ARE PARENTS WHO WANT NOTHING MORE BUT TO SEND THEIR KIDS BACK INTO SCHOOL BUILDINGS BUT WITH ADHERENCE TO ALL CDC GUIDELINES AND OTHER PREVENTION STRATEGIES IN PLACE.
NOT JUST HAND WASHING, MASKS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING.
MUCH TO THEIR DISAPPOINTMENT MY STUDENTS ARE REMAINING VIRTUAL BUT WE ABSOLUTELY WANT THEM TO BE BACK IN THE BUILDING AS SOON AS SAFELY POSSIBLE.
WITH ALL BEST PRACTICES IN PLACE.
WITH LIMITED TIME ON THE AGENDA TODAY I AM FOCUSING ON VENTILATION WHICH SEEMS TO BE FORGOTTEN AT THE REQUIRING USE OF MASKS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING.
IN ORDER FOR SCHOOLS TO BE HEALTHY, YOU NEED BOTH AIR FILTRATION AND IMPROVED VENTILATION WE NEED TO BE BRINGING IN MORE OUTSIDE AIR.
I APPRECIATE THE ADDITION OF THE MERV FILTERS BUT ACPS SHOULD BE BRINGING OUTSIDE EXPERTS IN WHO SPECIFICALLY FOCUS ON AIR QUALITY IN BUILDINGS.
ACPS HAS NOT BEEN A STRANGER TO CONSULTANTS AND WE SHOULD NOT START NOW.
WE NEED AN ASSESSMENT OF OUR SCHOOLS AIR QUALITY PARTICULARLY WITH A FOCUS ON VIRAL TRANSMISSION.
IF STUDENTS ARE EATING IN CLASSROOMS ACPS NEEDS TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND BEST PRACTICES TO MAKE SURE THE AIR QUALITY IS SAFE.
INDOOR ACTIVITIES PARTICULARLY WITHOUT MASKS AS IS THE CASE WITH DINING, CONTINUE TO REMAIN HIGH RISK.
OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, WEÂVE LEARNED THAT THE PLEXIGLASS BARRIERS RESTRICT AIRFLOW CREATING STAGNANT POCKETS OF UNCIRCULATED AIR.
THEY ALSO DONÂT STOP AEROSOL TRANSMISSION.
I KNOW IT WAS DONE WITH GOOD INTENT BUT LIKE MANY THINGS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE US THIS LAST YEAR WE MUST BE FLEXIBLE AND CHANGE AND ADAPT.
WITH IMPROVED VENTILATION YOU DRIVE DOWN RISK TO ACCEPTABLE LEVELS.
AS WE NAVIGATE THIS NEXT PART OF THE PANDEMIC UNDER VARIANTS AND PEOPLE GETTING REINFECTED FUNDING FOR BETTER VENTILATION SHOULD BE A TOP PRIORITY IN ORDER TO GET ALL KIDS BACK IN BUILDINGS EACH DAY.
THEY DESERVE TO BE IN A SCHOOL JUST AS MUCH AS SOMEONE WHO IS NOT HIGH
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RISK.THERE MUST BE GREATER CONSIDERATION INTO AIR QUALITY.
ALSO, I DO WANT TO THANK ACPS FOR KEEPING THE DISTANCE OF 6 FEET AT THIS TIME.
I DO NOT THINK WEÂRE READY TO GET ANY CLOSER TO A 3 FOOT STANDARD.
>>THANK YOU, MISS RUFF, FOR YOUR COMMENT.
NEXT UP WE HAVE MISS LEE ABBOTT.
MY NAME IS LEE ABBOTT AND IÂM AN ACPS PARENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW DECISIONS ARE MADE BY THE SCHOOL BOARD.
HAVE ANY DECISIONS ABOUT SCHOOL RE-OPENINGS BEEN VOTED ON BY THE BOARD? IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT BOARD MEMBERS ARE ACTIVIE PARTICIPANTS IN ANY DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.
WHY IS ACPS USING 6 FEET INSTEAD OF THE RECOMMENDED 3 FEET BY THE CDC AND THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH? IT APPEARS AS DR. HUTCHINS SELF-NAMED GOLD STANDARD THAN THE VAST EPIDEMIOLOGICAL RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY DRÂS AT THE TOP OF THEIR FIELDS AT THE CDC.
DONÂT YOU FIND THAT ODD? MOVING ON HAVE YOU SUBMITTED YOUR RESEARCH ON MOBILE COMMUNITY LOCATIONS TO ADD MORE CLASSROOMS IF NEEDED? THE MAYOR ASKED FOR IT OVER 2 MONTHS AGO.
AND WHY EXACTLY ARE YOU NOT USING THE MONEY THAT IS AVAILABLE FROM THE CITY? WHEN WILL YOU SEND OUT THE LONG OVERDUE FOLLOW UP SURVEYS TO FAMILIES TO DETERMINE IF THEYÂVE CHANGED THEIR MINDS ABOUT HYBRID? THERE ARE EMPTY DESKS AT SCHOOL RIGHT NOW AND FAMILIES WAITING TO GET IN.
WHY HAVE THESE SURVEYÂS BEEN DELAYED? ARENÂT YOU WONDERING THAT? WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR HAVING STUDENTS IN SCHOOL 5 DAYS A WEEK WITH IN-PERSON TEACHERS? IT SURE HAS BEEN A LONG TIME TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
I CERTAINLY HOPE THERE ARE NO WORDS LIKE ÂWE JUST DONÂT KNOWÂ OR ÂWEÂRE HAVING SOME GREAT DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THATÂ AT THE UPCOMING LONG OVERDUE COMMUNITY SESSION FOR PARENTS.
THERE ARE EXACTLY 95 WORKING DAYS LEFT UNTIL SCHOOL OPENS ON AUGUST 23RD.
IF YOUÂRE NOT WORKING OVER THIS SUMMER AS A BOARD THAT THE DAYS AVAILABLE TO FIGURE THIS OUT DROP SIGNIFIGANTLY.
IF YOU HAVE DONE ANY OF THE THINGS IÂVE MENTIONED, MY BAD.
BUT PLEASE DONÂT PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACKS FOR DOING THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE WAY EARLIER.
PLEASE KNOW THAT OUR INTELLIGENT PARENT COMMUNITY SEES THROUGH ALL OF THE EXCUSES.
HAVE ANY OF YOU BEEN DOING ANY RESEARCH? IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR QUESTIONING ONE ANOTHER.
YOU ARE THE PEOPLE THAT DR. HUTCHINS REPORTS.
RIGHT NOW IT SEEMS LIKE ITÂS THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
YOU ARE THE BOSS YOU ARE IN CHARGE.
THE FACT THAT THESE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE WITHOUT INPUT FROM BOARD MEMBERS IS INCREDULOUS.
THESE DECISIONS IMPACT EVERYONE IN OUR CITY.
THEY HAVE NOT BEEN PUT TO A VOTE IS REPHRENSIBLE.
I HAVE POSED VERY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THEY ARE ALL IN THE EMAIL I SENT EACH OF YOU, TWICE.
AND NO, I DONÂT NEED A BABYSITTER AND NO I AM NOT RICH AND DOES IT MATTER IF IT WAS? THANK YOU.
NEXT UP WE HAVE MR CHRIS PYKE WHO IS A PARENT.
DR HUTCHINS AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS I APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY.
IÂM HERE BECAUSE CLASSROOM AIR QUALITY IS A CHALLENGE FOR ACPS AND A CRITICAL ASPECT OF A SAFE AND HEALTHY RE-ENTRY DURING COVID-19.
MY REMARKS COMPLIMENT AND SUPPORT COMMENTS BY MCNULTY AND RUFF.
IÂM AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST I WORKED ON SPACES AND BUILDINGS FOR 20 YEARS WITH ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING THE US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AND CURRENTLY THE US GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL.
IÂM ALSO THE PARENT OF 2 ACPS STUDENTS.
QUICK FACTS, THE SCIENCE IS CLEAR.
COVID IS SPREAD THROUGH THE AIR.
THE PRIMARY MODE OF INFECTION IS SHARED AIR IN AN INDOOR ENVIRONMENT.
THE MOST VALUABLE RISK MITIGATION EFFORTS ARE OXYGEN DENSITY MANAGEMENT, PPE MASKS AND VENTILATION.
IÂM HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE LAST ONE VENTILATION.
IÂM CONCERNED THAT ACPS IS NOT EFFECTIVELY HANDLING AIR QUALITY ACROSS ITS 1,300 CLASSROOMS. I WANT MY KIDS TO GO BACK TO ACPS BUT I WANT IT TO BE IN A SAFE AND SCIENCE BASED WAY.
BASED ON EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE WITH DR HUTCHINS DR HART AND THEIR TEAMS IÂVE OBSERVED THAT ACPS POLICY ARE NOT ADEQUATLEY ALIGNED WITH SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE ON INDOOR AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT.
THEY HAVE BEEN RELUCTANT TO ENCOURAGE OPENING WINDOWS AND OTHER BASIC STEPS TO INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF CLEAN OUTDOOR AIR.
ACPS HAS NOT ESTABLISHED AND COMMUNICATED CLEAR MANAGEMENT PROCESS FOR
[00:35:03]
INDOOR AIR QUALITY.THERE IS NO SINGLE POINT OF RESPONSIBILITY AT INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS OR THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE.
ACPS HAS NOT PROVIDED INFORMATION ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SPECIFIC INDOOR AIR QUALITY STRATEGIES ACROSS SCHOOLS OR CLASSROOMS. FRANKLY, THERE IS NO INFORMATION TO AFFIRM THAT POLICIES ARE BEING CARRIED OUT AS INTENDED OR SUSTAINED OVER TIME.
AT ANY CLASSROOM OR SCHOOL AT ANY TIME.
ACPS HAS NOT ESTABLISHED POLICIES OR PROVIDED INFORMATION ABOUT CLASSROOM MEASUREMENTS INDOOR AIR QUALITY INCLUDING AIR CHANGES, CARBON DIOXIDE, RELATIVE HUMIDITY IN OTHER WORDS WE DO NOT KNOW IF ACPS POLICIES AND PRACTICES ARE ACTUALLY WORKING.
AND ACPS HAS FUTHER NOT PROVIDED A MECHANISM TO COLLECT AND ANALYZE FEEDBACK FROM FACULTY AND STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOMS. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY HAVE NOT ASKED FOR HELP UNDERSTANDING CURRENT CONDITIONS.
THESE ARE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF EFFECTIVE INDOOR AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND COVID TRANSMISSION RISK REDUCTION.
THESE PROCESSES ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED BY JURISDICTIONS ACROSS THE U.S.. THE BOARD CAN AND SHOULD EXPECT SIMILAR PRACTICES FROM ACPS.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT MANAGING INDOOR AIR QUALITY IS FIRST AND FOREMOST A MANAGEMENT CHALLENGE.
IT REQUIRES CLEAR LEADERSHIP, RIGOROUS EXECUTION, RELEVANT PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.
ACPS HAS NOT ESTABLISHED OR COMMUNICATED THESE ESSENTIAL MANAGEMENT ELEMENTS.
A RIGOROUS SYSTEMATIC APPROACH BY EQ IS ESSENTIAL TO FIGHT COVID.
FORTUNATELY IT WILL ALSO ENHANCE TEACHER AND STUDENT HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE DOWN THE ROAD.
IEQ IS A NO REGRETS INVESTMENT AND YOU SHOULD ASK FOR THE MONEY.
I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR HELP >>EXCUSE ME MISTER PYKE, MISTER PYKE?
>> MISTER PYKE IÂM SORRY YOUÂVE EXCEEDED YOUR TIME THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR COMMENTS MISTER PYKE.
>>>OK MOVING ON JUST SO YOU KNOW WE HAD RECEIVED SOME WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS CDC GUIDELINES, AND VENTILATION ALL OF WHICH WERE POSTED ON THE AGENDA UNDER PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AND IÂM HAPPY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE PEOPLE WHO SUBMITTED PUBLIC COMMENTS, MS JESSICA HUGHES WHO IS A PARENT, IAN RUAN WHO IS A PARENT, MISS MEGAN RAYNE, SEPTEMBER HOWARD WHO IS A PARENT, AND CHANTEA SMITH WHO IS ALSO A PARENT.
OK SO JUST A REMINDER TO ALL IF YOU WISH TO SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENTS TO SPEAK AT THE NEXT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING MAKE SURE YOU SIGN UP NO LATER THAN NOON THE DAY PRIOR AND YOU CAN USE THE LINK THAT IS AVAILABLE ON THE SCHOOLBOARD WEBPAGE.
[7. Report from Student Representatives Lorraine Johnson and Ashley Sanchez-Viafara]
MOVING ON IN OUR AGENDA WE HAVE REPORTS FROM OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES.I SAW LORAYNE JOHNSON EARLIER, I WANTED TO START WITH MISS JOHNSON.
>>>YEP HELLO EVERYBODY GOOD EVENING.
SO AS MANY OF YOU KNOW TONIGHT IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE TONIGHT WE REWRITE HISTORY IN ALEXANDRIA.
THIS FEELING BRINGS ME BACK TO SEPTEMBER 2019 WHEN I WAS A PUBLIC COMMENTER ON THE NIGHT THE BOARD DECIDED TO KEEP ALEXANDRIA UNITED AS ONE HIGH SCHOOL.
AND I WAS IN A ROOM FULL OF OVER 50 ADAMANT PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND IT WAS ME MY FRIENDS AND MAYBE 1 OR 2 OTHER STUDENTS SPOKE THAT NIGHT.
AND WE KNEW THAT THE TRUE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE WAS NOT BEING PRESENTED TO THE BOARD AND WE NEEDED TO ACT QUICKLY SO WE STAYED UP ALL NIGHT GETTING OUR STATEMENTS JUST RIGHT SO THAT WE CAN DO OUR BEST AND EVER SINCE THAT NIGHT I HAVE TRIED AND DONE EVERYTHING THAT I CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS ARE HEARD NOT ONLY BY YOU AS A SCHOOL BOARD BUT BY THE ADMINSTRATORS AND TEACHERS.
I HAD BUTTERFLIES ALL DAY AND ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENTS I WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY THE BOARD DR HUTCINS MISS BALLACE AND ERGOS AND ALL OF THE OTHER
[00:40:06]
ACPS STAFF WHO REALLY PRIORITIZE STUDENTS IN THIS PROCESS OF CHANGE.BUT MOST OF ALL I WANT TO CREDIT THIS VICTORY TO THE STUDENTS WHO ARE TRULY THE ONES WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED BY THIS.
TO THE 100S OF STUDENTS LEADERS WHO RESEARCHED BOTH SIDES ABOUT THE NAME CHANGE BUT I AM SURE THAT MR BALLACE WAS WARNED ABOUT THE CLASS OF 2021 THEY KNEW WE WERE COMING ALSO 2020 WAS NOT READY FOR US.
BUT THE CLASSES OF 2020 AND 2021 HAVE HAD A UNIQUE AND HARD SR YEAR.
BOTH OF OUR CLASSES HAD OUR TENACITY AND WITH THAT WE CREATED CHANGE.
ANY OF THE NAMES WOULD MAKE US SO PROUD.
I LIKE THE TITANS COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL.
IT WOULD CONNECT THE ALUMNI AND THE STUDENTS.
THE TITAN IS ALL THE MOMENTUM WE NEED TO TAKE WITH US AS WE TAKE THIS HUGE STEP FOR THE FUTURE OF ALEXANDRIA.
TO THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OF ACPS AND FOR YEARS TO COME YOUR NAME WILL BE AMONST THE LEGENDARY TITANS.
ITÂS GONNA BE YOUR TIME TO SHINE IN THIS HIGH SCHOOL, AND WHEN IT HAPPENS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY AND CONTINUE TO REWRITE HISTORY.
NO MATTER WHAT NAMES ARE CHOSEN TONIGHT I FEEL WE AS STUDENTS HAVE ALREADY WON.
>>THANK YOU LORRAINE AND I HAVE TO SAY AS STUDENTS YOU HAVE ALREADY WON.
THANK YOU LORRAINE THAT WAS VERY INSPIRING JUST MOVING.
I DECIDED TO GIVE LESS OF A REPORT AND MORE OF MY THOUGHTS ON MANY OF THE EVENTS WITHIN ACPS.
MANY OF US ARE AWARE OF THE UNFORTUNATE EVENT THAT OCCURRED WITH OUR JV FOOTBALL TEAM, WITH OUR STUDENT ATHLETES WHO WERE SUBJECT TO INAPPROPRIATE RACIST BEHAIVORS.
IT IS DISHEARTENING TO SEE STUDENTS OF COLOR HAVE TO EXPERIENCE THESE TRAUMATIZING EVENTS.
WHICH WILL MOST LIKELY CARRY WITH THEM THROUGH THEIR HIGH SCHOOL CAREERS AND BEYOND.
AS PART OF THIS COUNTRYS HISTORY RACISM HAS MANIFESTED ITSELF THROUGH VARIOUS INSTITUTIONAL SPACES INCLUDING OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM.
AS A RESULT, STUDENTS OF COLOR HAVE BEEN RENDERED DISPOSIBLE BECAUSE OF THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCES CHARACTERIZED BY INEQUITY, POVERTY, AND INJUSTICE.
WHETHER ON THE FIELD OR IN THE CLASSROOM EXPERIENCES ROOTED IN RACISM MAKE YOU FEEL UNWANTED, UNLOVED AND AS IF YOU DIDNÂT MATTER ABOVE ALL.
ALLEN EILEY ONCE SAID ONE OF THE WORST THINGS ABOUT RACISM IS WHAT IT DOES TO YOUNG PEOPLE.
AS A SCHOOL DIVISION I RECOGNIZE YOU WORKING ON ANTI RACISM POLICIES AND UNAPOLOGETICALLY ADDRESSING THE RACISM AND RACIAL INJUSTICES PRESENT.
THE IDENTITY PROJECT SERVCES AS A SYMBOLIC REPRESENATION OF FIGHTING AGAINST MARGINALIZATION AND INEQUITY BY CREATING SPACES FOR ALL STUDENTS TO FEEL WELCOME, RESPECTED AND SUPPORTED.
NONETHELESS THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.
ACPS HAS MUCH WORK AHEAD OF THEM.
MOVING FORWARD I HOPE THE THOUGHTS AND EXPERIENCES EXPRESSED BY MANY OF US BOTH STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGHOUT THE IDENTITY PROJECT WILL BRING POSITIVE IMPACTS THAT WE NEED IN OUR DISTRICT AND IN OUR CLASSROOMS. AS A SCHOOL I HOPE WE WILL HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS NOT ONLY ABOUT SYSTEMS OF OPPRESSION BUT ON THE WAYS WE CAN BE COURAGEOUS AND PASSIONATE AND CONSCIOUS OF EACH OTHERS DIFFERENCES AND IDENTITIES.
IN A WORLD THAT DELIBERATELY SILENCES PEOPLE OF COLOR MAKING THEM AND THEIR EXPERIENCES INVISIBLE WE NEED TO CONTINUE CREATING SPACES AND EDUATING OURSELVES.
I WILL END OFF WITH A QUOTE BY JAMES BALDWIN.
THE PARADOX OF EDUCATION IS PRECISELY THIS- THAT AS ONE BEGINS TO BECOME CONSCIOUS ONE BEGINS TO EXAMINE THE SOCIETY IN WHICH THEY ARE BEING EDUCATED.
[00:45:06]
SO WEÂRE GONNA MOVE ON NOW TO ADOPT THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
[Consent Calendar]
SO I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR.>>MADAM CHAIR I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR FOR THE EVENING.
>>OK SO I HAVE MISS ANDERSON WHO SECOND MS. GENTRYÂS MOTION.
SO IÂM GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE.
>>(INAUDIBLE) >>MR PASCAL WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>>OK I DID NOT MISS ANYONE I DONÂT BELIEVE.
AND SO THE CONSENT CALENDAR HAS BEEN ADOPTED WITH 9-0.
[13. Superintendent's Naming Recommendation: T.C. Williams High School]
OK WE ARE MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS AND WE ARE MOVING ON TO THE NAMING RECOMMENDATION FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL.FIRST OUR STUDENTS REALLY HAVE WON AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS PROCESS WAS A VERY INTENSIVE AND EXTENSIVE PROCESS TO SAY THE LEAST, HATS OFF TO OUR STUDENTS AND ALLOWING OUR STUDENTS TO HAVE THAT VOICE.
YOUR VOICE IS POWER AND THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE POWER YOUR VOICE CAN HAVE.
IT IS FINALLY THE TIME TO GO INTO A DISCUSSION TO HOPEFULLY HAVE A VOTE ON THE NAME OF THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL, THE NEW NAME OF TC WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL.
THE RECOMMENDATION THAT I MADE TO THE BOARD WAS THE ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL AND THE REASON I WANTED TO EXPRESS TODAY WAS WE ARE FILTERING THROUGH ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL THERE WERE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL AND THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL.
THE MAJORITY OF THE VOTES STATED ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL.
I KNOW THE LAST TIME WE DISCUSSED THE PROCESS TODAY IT IS ABOUT THE BOARD TAKING A VOTE ON THE NAME.
>>ALRIGHT THANK YOU DR HUTCHINS.
I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR WORK DURING THIS PROCESS.
ITÂS A BIG DEAL AND IT WILL MEAN A LOT FOR OUR FUTURE.
SO WITH THAT SAID I WILL NEED A MOTION FOR THE RENAMING OF TC WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL TO ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL WHICH IS THE SUPERINTEDENTS RECOMMENDATION.
>>MADAM CHAIR I MOVE THAT THE BOARD RENAME TC WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL AS ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL.
>>OK SO I HAVE MISS ANDERSON WHO SECONDS MISS NOLANS MOTION.
[00:50:01]
AND SO IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IÂM GONNA OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME.I SEE A HAND FROM, MISS GENTRY WAS FIRST.
>>THANK YOU SO MUCH I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THIS, THIS IS REALLY EXCITING.
ITÂS TURNED OUT A WEIRD QUIRK OF THE CALENDAR THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF BIG THINGS GOING ON THIS EVENING I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN THE BIGGEST THING THAT WOULD BE HAPPENING BUT I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS.
I ALSO JUST WANT TO SAY HOW PLEASED I AM ABOUT THIS PROCESS.
IT REALLY WAS EXTENSIVE THERE WAS A HUGE PUSH FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME TO HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD.
AS IS SOMETIMES THE CASE I MUST CONFESS BEING SOMETIMES A LITTLE BIT FRUSTRATED ABOUT THIS ASPECT OF SCHOOL BOARD WORK BUT I RECOGNIZE THAT ITÂS JUST A PART OF THE PROCESS.
ALTHOUGH IT WAS FAIRLY WELL PUBLICIZED ABOUT ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL AND KNOWN FOR A WHILE THAT WAS THE TOP VOTE GETTER, AND THAT WAS THE RECOMMENDATION THERE WAS A VERY CONCERTED LAST-MINUTE PUSH I KNOW CERTAINLY THERE WAS A GROUP THAT WAS INTERESTED IN PRESERVING THE LETTERS T & C, AND WE SAW THAT IN A COUPLE DIFFERENT WAYS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
THE TITAN COMMUNITIES SCHOOL, THIS IDEA OF THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA IM GOING TO SAY I REALLY, THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE FOLLOWED ME OVER THE YEARS KNOW THAT I REALLY AM A BIG BELIEVER IN PROCESS AND I FEEL LIKE IF WE HOLD TRUE TO PROCESS THAT REALLY IS OUR BEST WAY FORWARD.
YOU KNOW THERE WERE OPTIONS ON THE TABLE THAT PRESERVED T &C, AND THOSE DIDNÂT END UP BEING THE TOP VOTE GETTER.
AND WHAT I WOULD SAY ABOUT THAT IS I STILL IN SOME WAYS FEEL LIKE TO KEEP TC WEÂD BE DOING IT, IT WOULD STILL BE BACK TO TC WILLIAMS. AND THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS IS THAT WE WANT TO START SOMETHING NEW.
HAVING SAID THAT, I DO HEAR PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE ALUMS AND THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO TELL YOU.
YOU WILL ALWAYS BE A TC WILLIAMS GRADUATE.
AND YOU CAN WEAR THAT WITH PRIDE.
IÂM LITERALLY IN A ROOM RIGHT NOW WITH A DIPLOMA FROM MY KIDS WHO ARE GRADUATES OF TC WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL WHICH THEY WILL CONTINUE TO SAY.
WE DONÂT ERASE THAT PART OF ALEXANDRIA HISTORY.
BUT THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A NEW PERIOD OF HISTORY.
AND RECOGNIZING WE HAVE ONE HIGH SCHOOL AND WE ARE ALEXANDRIA AND SO THATÂS WHY IÂM PLEASED TO VOTE IN SUPPORT OF ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL.
NEXT UP WE WILL GO TO MISS LORBER.
>>>THANK YOU CHAIR ALTERMAN AND MISS GENTRY I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR YOUR POSITION ON THINGS BUT SOMEHOW, I GUESS I WAS STRUCK BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WERE INTERESTED I GUESS I WISH I KNEW WHAT THE STUDENTS AND THE SCHOOL FEEL ABOUT SAYING TC, CITY OF ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL.
I FEEL LIKE WE ARE ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ACPS.
HEARING YOU NOW SAY THAT IN SOME WAYS IT MEANS WEÂRE NOT REALLY CHANGING EVERYTHING TO THE DEGREE WE WANT TO AND IÂM JUST STRUGGLING I CAME PREPARED THIS EVENING TO, IN SUPPORT OF THIS, YOUÂ RE CORRECT THAT IT ISNT FOLLOWING THE
[00:55:06]
PROCESS AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED THE LAST TIME WE NAMED A SCHOOL AND AT THE VERY LAST-MINUTE THINGS WERE CHANGED.IÂD BE INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM OTHER BOARD MEMBERS BUT IÂM READY TO VOTE WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD EITHER WAY BUT I DONÂT THINK ITÂS A BAD IDEA.
I THINK THATÂS, I KNOW YOUÂRE RIGHT THATÂS WHY WE OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION.
FOR ALL VIEWS TO BE HEARD SO THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOURS.
MY LIST >>MADAM CHAIR >>OH DR HUTCHINS WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT FIRST >>I JUST WANTED TO SEE ABOUT I KNOW MR BALLAS OUR HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL IS ON AND I JUST WANTED TO, MISS LORBERS QUESTION ABOUT WHAT HEÂS HEARING WITHIN THE SCHOOL BECAUSE I KNOW HE HAS A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND THEY HAVE NO PROBLEM COMING TO MR BALLAS ABOUT THEIR THOUGHTS SO MR BALLAS ARE YOU ABLE TO GIVE OR SHED SOME LIGHT ON WHAT YOUÂVE HEARD?
SINCE YOUR RECOMMENDATION FOR ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL REALLY THE ONLY FEEDBACK I HAD HEARD FROM IS ABOUT THE WORD CITY.
BEING THERE TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN ALEXANDRIA AND ALEXANDRIA CITY.
IN TERMS OF, I HAVE NOT HEARD MUCH FROM STUDENTS EITHER WAY IT HAS BEEN PRETTY SILENT IN TERMS OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY LIKE OR OPPOSE THAT I WOULD HAVE TO SAY IF THERE WAS OPPOSITION LIKE YOU SAID MY STUDENTS ARE NOT SHY THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY VOCAL ABOUT THIS AND I HAVE NOT REALLY HEARD ANY SORT OF STUDENT MOVEMENT AT THIS TIME ABOUT THE RETENTION OF THE LETTERS T & C.
>>ALRIGHT THANK YOU MISTER BALLAS.
>>>YES THANK YOU CHAIR ALDERTON.
I AGREE WITH WHAT MR BALLAS JUST SAID I WOULD LIKE TO LISTEN AND HEAR THE BOARDS THOUGHTS ABOUT HAVING CITY SOMEHOW IN THE NAME JUST BECAUSE I DO THINK ITÂS GONNA PROMOTE SIGNIFIGANT CONFUSION FOR DECADES TO COME FOR PEOPLE WHO PERHAPS ARE NOT WELL FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AND THEYÂRE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT TC METRO REGION IS A VERY TRANSIENT AREA SO IÂD HATE FOR PEOPLE TO CONSTANTLY BE ASKING WAIT IS THAT HIGH SCHOOL IN FAIRFAX COUNTY ALEXANDRIA IS IT ALEXANDRIA CITY? SO I DO THINK ITÂS WORTH SEEING IF THE WORD CITY COULD BE INCLUDED IN THE HIGH SCHOOL NAME FOR THOSE PURPOSES AROUND-57:55
>> AND TO INDICATE WE ARE ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL AND THAT'S JUST SOME OF MY FEEDBACK I WANTED TO SHARE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING OTHERS THOUGHTS.
AND MR. SUAREZ AND MISS SANCHEZ.
>> I WAS WONDERING IF I COULD HEAR THE COMMENTS BEFORE I SPEAK.
I'M CURIOUS TO WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY.
I PERSONALLY DON'T THINK WE SHOULD REMAIN TETHERED TO THE TC PART.
IN THE NEW NAMING IN THE NEW NAMING OF OUR SCHOOL BECAUSE THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE IDENTITY PROJECT WAS US TRYING TO REDEFINE OURSELVES AND TO CREATE AN IDENTITY FOCUSED ON THE ALEXANDRIA AND WHAT WE STAND FOR AND TO THAT TC PART OF OUR NAME AND THIS IS A DISSERVICE TO STUDENTS BECAUSE A LOT OF STUDENTS MENTIONED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS THAT THEY NEVER FELT THEY WERE WELCOMED KNOWING THAT THEY GO TO THE SCHOOLS THAT HAS THOSE INITIALS AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S KNOWN FOR.
IT'S SOMETHING I DON'T THINK A LOT OF STUDENTS WANT TO SEE.
I FEEL LIKE WE WANT TO SEE THAT NOW.
SPEAKING ON OUR EXPERIENCES AND TALKING ABOUT OUR THOUGHTS ON THIS, WE WANT TO
[01:00:01]
SEE SOMETHING NEW AND A CHANGE THAT'S POSITIVE AND THAT IS WELCOMING OF ALL STUDENTS AND SO US SAYING THAT I GO TO TC, I FEEL WE WORK SO HARD AND THEN WE'RE NOT GETTING WHAT WE WANTED, WHICH WAS A NEW NAME TO REDEFINE OURSELVES AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS REFLECTED ALL OF US.AND, LIKE, DURING THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CONVERSATIONS, LIKE, A NAME HOLDS VALUE.
IT HOLDS VALUE AND IT TELLS YOU A LOT ABOUT THE SCHOOL AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE CITY AND SO I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM THE TC PART OF TO WHATEVER ME DECIDE TO VOTE ON.
>> I AGREE WITH MR. BALLICE, THEIR MAIN CONCERN IS THAT IF WE DO ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL, I DON'T THINK ADDING THE CITY PART WOULD REALLY RUFFLE FEATHERS OR BE CONTROVERSIAL OR ANYTHING.
SO YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY IF YOU DO ALEXANDRIA CITY, I THINK THIS SOUNDS I THINK IF IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE BOARD TO ADD CITY ON THERE, JUST TO MAKE CLARIFICATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I THINK THE STUDENTS WOULD BE ON BOARD.
>> I'LL GO BACK TO MR. SUAREZ.
>> I RESPECT THE NOTION AND I THE ONE ARGUMENT THAT I AM GIVES ME HESITANCE AND I COULD SEE THAT AND IT MEANS THE CITY AND I WANT TO HEAR THE REST OF MY COLLEAGUES AND LISTENED TO WHAT'S PROPOSED.
I COULD SEE ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL BEING A VIABLE OPTION.
ONE OTHER COMMENT I WANTED TO MAKE, TOO, TO THE EXTENT COLLEAGUES WANTED TO PRESERVE THE TC, ANOTHER THOUGHT I HAD IS FROM BASEBALL, YOU KNOW, SOME OF YOU HEARD THE MINNESOTA WINS, THEY HAVE A CAP THAT SAYS TC ON IT, LIKE THE TC WILLIAMS LOGO USED FOR THE SPORT'S TEAMS. THEY'RE CALLED MINNESOTA TWINS AND THERE COULD BE A WAY TO PRESERVE THIS, PERHAPS IN ATHLETICS, BUT NOT THE SCHOOL ITSELF.
AND THAT WAS JUST ANOTHER THING I WAS THINKING ABOUT.
BUT, YEAH, I COULD SEE THE ARGUMENTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS ISSUE.
AND MY BIGGEST CONCERN WOULD BE THE CONCERN RAISED.
>> THIS WAS AT THE END THAT EVERYBODY CAME UP WITH THIS AND I WAS SENSITIVE TO THAT BUT THE CITY PART AS I WAS DRIVING RIGHT ONE TO THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA AND WAS IN THE FAIRFAX PART AND IT'S SO CONFUSING AND IT CONFUSES PEOPLE WHEN THEY REGISTER THEIR CARS AND SO I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WANT TO ADD TO THAT CONFUSION.
[01:05:10]
IT MAKES SENSE.AND I GUESS GOING AFTER MISS ANDERSON IS PERFECT BECAUSE ME BECAUSE I DID WANT TO REITERATE BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE THE DISTINCTION WE'RE THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA IF SOME WAY AND I WANTED TO HARKEN BACK TO OUR POLICY WHICH DOES HAVE THE NEW NAME SHOULD NOT CAUSE CONFUSION IN ALEXANDRIA, ADJOINING OTHER AREAS OF THE COMMONWASN'T AND IF WE KEEP THIS AS IS, THEN IT DOES NOT MEET THAT CRITERIA AND IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, THE CITY SHOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO THE NAME.
REGARDING THE TC ASPECT, I INITIALLY HONESTLY COULD GO EITHER WAY ON THIS.
MY NATURAL UN CLINNATION IS THAT I WANTED TO DO AWAY WITH THE TC.
AND AGAIN, HARKENING BACK TO THE POLICY, SHOULD WE DECIDE TO KEEP THIS ELEMENT, THERE IS SECTION ONE THAT SAYS, THE NAME COULD HONOR INDIVIDUALS OR OTHER EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND THE SCHOOL PROGRAM AND IT COULD RECOGNIZE PLACES OR EVENTS OF SIGNIFICANCE AND WE ARE FOLLOWING THE POLICY EITHER DIRECTION AND THE CITY POLICY IS AN ESSENTIAL PART TO FOLLOW THE POLICY, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN A PART OF THIS PROCESS AND I'M HAPPY WE'RE AT THIS POINT IN A PROCESS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, MADAM CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENT TO THE CURRENT MOTION BY ADDING THE CITY OF IN FRONT OF ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL.
THIS CHANGE IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LIKENESS.
FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD POLICY STATING NAPE CHANGES SHOULD NOT CAUSE CONFUSION TO OTHER FACILITIES IN ALEXANDRIA AND ADJOINING JURISDICTIONS OR OTHER AREAS OF THE COMMONWEALTH.
ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL CAUSING CONFUSION TO THE ALEXANDRIA PART OF THE FAIRFAX COUNTY FOR GOING TO CORRECTLY NAME THE ONLY PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL AFTER OUR CITY AND WE SHOULD USE THE NAME THAT WE CALL OURSELVES, WHICH IS THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA AND WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE.
>> DR. REED WHO SECONDS AND HIS GREEN WITH THE AMENDMENT AND SO AN ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION OF EMPTY HANDS AND I'LL START WITH MISS GENTRY AND GO TO DR. REEF.
>> SUPER FUN FOR THE CHAIR AND THIS IS THE WAY IT HAS TO WORK BUT IT'S A LOT OF FUN AND I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION AND FOR THE SAKE OF PROCESS, IF WE WANT TO GO FOR THIS PARTICULAR ONE, I'M GOING TO SAY THAT IF WE END UP PUTTING THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA UP TO A VOTE FOR THE SAKE OF PROCESS, I'LL VOTE NO AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON WHY I WOULD BE VOTING NO.
IT WOULD BE BECAUSE WHAT I'M HOPING FOR, BECAUSE I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF REDUCING CONFUSION.
BUT I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN IS ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE BOTH REDUCE THE CONFUSION AND I THINK WE ARE ACPS, ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL AND I THINK IT WOULD I JUST REALLY WANT TO HARKEN BACK TO OUR STUDENT
[01:10:04]
REPRESENTATIVE'S REMARKS AND SOMETHING I WAS THINKING OF, AS WELL, AND STILL FEEL STRONGLY THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO ACKNOWLEDGE, YOU KNOW, THE GREAT STUDENTS AND WHAT THEY DID WHILE THEY WERE AT TC WILLIAM'S HIGH SCHOOL AND I THINK I FEEL LIKE TO PUT THAT MUCH EMPHASIS ON PRESERVING TC IS MAYBE IS NOT MY PRIORITY.I ALSO THINK AS A REALITY, THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA IS QUITE A MOUTHFUL AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.
I THINK THERE MIGHT BE A SUBSET OF PEOPLE THAT FOR THEIR REASONS HOLD ONTO SOME NOTION OF TC, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S HOW PEOPLE WILL WRITE IT.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S HOW PEOPLE REFER TO IT OR ANYTHING ELSE.
I THINK YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO GET WIDE SPREAD ADOPTION WITH THE CITY.
AND I THINK THE DISCUSSION IS GREAT.
I'M JUST EXPLAINING WHY IF WE DO END UP TAKING THIS PARTICULAR TO A VOTE WHY I WOULD BE VOTING NO BECAUSE I'M HOLDING OUT TO SEE IF ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL WOULD HAPPEN.
>> THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR THE DISCUSSION.
I WANT TO SAY, TOO, I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A ROBUST PROCESS AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE PROCESS AND I'VE BEEN PLEASED WITH HOW IT'S BEEN GOING AND I REALLY JUST APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS FROM SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO POINTED OUT THE POLICY BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE FOLLOW OUR POLICY, AS WELL, AND THINK THIS ISSUE ABOUT THE CITY HAS BEEN RAISED.
A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN BE CONFUSED WITH OTHER PARTS OF OUR REGION AND I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, I KIND OF REFLECTED ON ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL AND THE REALITY IS, THAT WE ALWAYS REFER TO OUR CITY AS THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA.
IF SOMEONE ASKS WHERE YOU'RE FROM, YOU SAY I'M FROM THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA.
AS FAR AS THE VIEWPOINTS ON THE TC ISSUE, I THINK THIS NAME GIVES FLEXIBILITY AND I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE DRIVING REASON FOR THIS NAME, BUT THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL AND I THINK THAT'S WHY I WILL SUPPORT THE BILL.
>> THIS ABOUT THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL AND I WAS HONESTLY PERSUADED BY OUR STUDENT REPS WHO SPOKE ABOUT THE PROCESS THEY'VE GONE THROUGH AND THEIR FEELINGS ABOUT THE NAME AND WHAT THEY'RE PRESERVING AND I SEE MISS SANCHEZ HAS HER NAME RAISED AND I'M CURIOUS.
I THINK THE HIGH SCHOOL IS ANOTHER VIABLE OPTION THAT CAN SUCCINCTLY GETS TO WHAT WE'RE SAYING AND THERE'S A DISTINCTION TO ELIMINATE CONFUSION WHICH I THINK MISS THORTON ALIGNS WITH OUR POLICY AND I GUESS I'M ASKING MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE YET TO SPEAK, WHAT ARE THE THOUGHTS OF THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA VERSUS THE CITY HIGH SCHOOL? THANK YOU, LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING MISS SANCHEZ'S THOUGHTS ON THIS, AS WELL.
>> IN BETWEEN THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA AND ALEXANDRIA CITY, I THINK THAT, LIKE, MISS MULLEN SAID, ALEXANDRIA CITY WOULD BE THE MOST VIABLE OPTION AND IT'S A COMPROMISE FOR THOSE THAT DON'T WANT THE TC AND THE OTHER OPTIONS IN THE CITY.
BUT I THINK KEEPING THE CITY AND JUST HAVING THE ACRONYM LIKE TC, LIKE, A LOT OF STUDENTS, I'M TALKING TO A LOT OF STUDENTS RIGHT NOW AND THEY JUST DON'T WANT THE TC, THEY WANT EITHER ALEXANDRIA OR ALEXANDRIA CITY JUST BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY WE'VE HAD IN OUR CITY, BUT ALSO BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE AND THIS PROCESS, IT WASN'T JUST ABOUT THE END GOAL BUT ABOUT THE JOURNEY AND ABOUT THE TRAUMATIZING EXPERIENCES AND REITERATING OVER AND OVER AGAIN HOW THEY FELT EVEN THOUGH IT'S PAINFUL FOR THEM, BUT THEY KNEW IT WAS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO BRING A POSITIVE CHANGE AND A POSITIVE IMPACT IN OR SCHOOL COMMUNITY AND IN OUR
[01:15:05]
DIVISION AND SO I THINK IF WE HAVE TO MAKE A COMPROMISE ONE THINK THE MOST VIABLE AND FEASIBLE OPTION WERE TO USE THE NAME ALEXANDRIA CITY JUST FOR ME PERSONALLY, I JUST THINK THAT WOULD BE OUT OF RESPECT TO THE STUDENTS THAT GO TO OUR SCHOOL IN A SPACE NAMED AFTER KNOWING THAT THE ACRONYMS MEANT SOMETHING ELSE, TC WILLIAMS AND HAVING TO KEEP THAT, LIKE I SAID, IT'S A DISSERVICE AND WE SHOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THOSE STUDENTS MOST IMPACTED BY KEEPING THAT ACRONYM TC.IF WE HAVE TO MAKE A COMPROMISE, I JUST DON'T WANT THAT ACRONYM AND A LOT OF STUDENTS I'M SPEAKING TO, THEY DON'T WANT TO KEEP THE TC ANY MORE.
WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE HISTORY AND ACKNOWLEDGE IT AND REDEFINE OURSELVES AND MAKE CHANGES FOR THE BETTERMENT WITH EVERYONE.
I'LL THROW IN MY COMMENTS HERE.
WHO KNEW THAT NAMES COULD BE SO HARD.
I DO WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT NAMES AND NAMING THINGS.
AND, YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, I HEAR EVERYONE 100% AND I REALLY APPRECIATE SORT OF THE WAY THAT YOU JUST WRAPPED THIS UP, MISS SANCHEZ, BECAUSE THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL TO ME.
ONE OF THE THOUGHTS I'VE HAD IN THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR DECISION TONIGHT, BUT JUST OVERALL WITH NAMES AND I THINK ALSO SOMETIMES IT'S GOOD FOR US TO THINK ABOUT THE POWER IN RECLAIMING A NAME.
AND IN CHANGING A NAME TO MEAN SOMETHING OTHER THAN WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS USED IT FOR.
SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE WE GIVE NAMES WAY TOO MUCH POWER OVER WHAT WE, YOU KNOW, KNOW IS GOOD.
>> I MAKE THIS AMENDMENT BECAUSE IF I NAME THE HIGH SCHOOL AFTER US, WE ARE THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA, I UNDERSTAND BOTH SIDES OF THIS, WE HAVE OVER 50,000 GRADUATES THAT ARE VERY ENDEARED BY THE NAME, BY THE INITIALS TC, AND WE HAVE CURRENT STUDENTS THAT STILL LOVE BEING A TC TITANS COMING ALONG THE WAY THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO, FRIENDS OF STUDENTS AND FRIENDS OF MINE AND THAT TC MEANS SOMETHING, BUT IN MOVING FORWARD, I WANT TO SAY I UNDERSTAND BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE.
I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY ENDEARED, AND EVEN WHEN I KNEW WE WOULD START TALKING TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION AND THERE'S PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE AND I WANT TO MAKE THAT HEARD.
SO THAT ALL VOICES ARE HEARD IN MAKING THAT DECISION.
[01:20:14]
AND TC TITAN IS A MIGHTY BRAND AND I THINK THE OLYMPIC TRIALS AND I SAW HIM WEAR HIS TC TITAN JERSEY IS TO PRESERVE THAT IS A FOOD THING.BUT THIS WOULD NOT MEAN THAT ANY MORE AND TO MANY PEOPLE, IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT AND NEVER MEAN THAT, THANK YOU.
AND I WAS JUST WORNERRING IF WE COULD HEAR FROM LORAINE JOHNSON BECAUSE I WAS HAVING A QUALM BECAUSE SHE SAID SHE VOTED FOR TITAN COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL AND I VOTED, ALSO, BECAUSE I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO PRESERVE THE TC IF THAT'S WHAT THE STUDENTS SUGGESTED.
BUT NOW I GET A SENSE THAT MAYBE THERE'S A DIVISION HERE AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HEAR FROM MISS JOHNSON.
>> LIKE I SAID, I THOUGHT KEEPING THAT THROUGH THE MEMBER OF THE TITAN DAYS, WE ALL REMAINED TITANS DAYS, WE CAN TURN, LIKE, THOSE ACRONYMS AND KEEP IT TITANS AND THE HIGH SCHOOL WE HAVE NOW, THE ONLY THING THAT WAS CONSTANT WAS THE MASCOT AND THE TITAN PRIDE AND EVERYTHING.
I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NICE FOR US TO KEEP THE TC PART, EXCEPT NOW STUDENTS WILL BE PROUD TO KNOW IT STANDS FOR THE TITAN COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING TITAN COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE NECK AND NECK AND THAT WOULD CONNECT VIA ALUMNI AND STUDENTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY GOING TO TC RIGHT NOW.
I THOUGHT THAT KEEPING THE TITAN NAME AND LEGACY BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS STOOD FOR THE SAME THING AND JUST KEEPING US CONNECTED IN THAT ONE WAY.
>> AND SO, MISS THORNTON AND MR. SUAREZ ARE SAVING ME RIGHT NOW.
THIS HAS BEEN A HELPFUL DISCUSSION AND, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE YOUR REMARKS, TOO, ABOUT THE POWER OF NAME AND WHAT WE MAKE IT.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE CURRENT MOTION OF THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL AND THIS IS A LONG NAME AND VERY LIKELY THAT WHEN PEOPLE REFER TO THAT NAME, SHOULD WE GO TO IT, THEY WON'T SAY THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL.
SO, REALLY, PEOPLE CAN MAKE WHAT THEY WANT OF THAT NAME.
SOME PEOPLE CHOOSE TO REFER TO IT BY THE TC INITIAL AND SOME MAY SAY ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL ANYWAY.
I IMAGINE ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION, WE WON'T WRITE THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL EVERY TIME.
AND LIKELY WILL BE SHORTENED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE US AGAIN, THIS IS AN OFFICIAL NAME, BUT THE NAME WILL BE, AGAIN, WHAT WE MAKE IT.
IF PEOPLE WANT TO CHOOSE TO FOCUS ON THE TC ELEMENT, I THINK THIS NAME DOES PROVIDE THAT FLEXIBILITY.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO REFER TO IT BY THE WHOLE NAME EACH AND EVERY TIME.
SO, YOU KNOW, NAMES MATTER, BUT, AGAIN, WE MAKE THE NAMES WHAT WE WANT THEM TO BE.
AND I WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE.
JUST ONE LAST REFLECTION AND COMMENT AND SORT OF IN THE INTEREST OF TRYING TO BUILT UNANIMITY AND A WAY TO SQUARE THE CIRCLE.
[01:25:02]
IT SEEMS THE CITY HIGH SCHOOL IS A NAME THAT HAS A CERTAIN LEVEL OF COMFORT FOR PEOPLE, THAT IT RETAINS THE CITY ASPECT IN THE NAME TO CREATE TO ADDRESS THE POLICY CONCERN THAT MISS THORNTON BROUGHT UP AND, YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN GOOD POINTS MADE ABOUT TITAN COMMUNITY AND TC.AND TO ME, THE TC ASPECT IS A BRAND FOR OUR SPORT'S TEAMS, ATHLETIC TEAMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IN DEFERENCE TO SCHOOLS AND THE TITAN COMMUNITY, FRANKLY, SHOULD THEY CHOOSE TO CO OP TC AND EVERYONE IS STILL A TC TITAN AND THAT'S CLEARING THE MESSAGE, THAT MIGHT BE A WAY TO RECTIFY SOME OF THE PROCEDURAL CONCERNS OF MY COLLEAGUES, BUT ALSO, AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, GIVE THE STUDENT BODY THE FLEXIBILITY TO PRESERVE THE TC EXPECT BRANDING AND THOSE ASPECTS, BUT DO IT IN A WAY THAT MAKES IT VERY CLEAR THAT WE'RE SORT OF CASTING ASIDE THE COMMUNITY OR THE CITY OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
SO THAT'S JUST A FINAL REFLECTION THAT I HAD.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I DO AGREE WITH MISS THORNTON WHEN SHE SAYS MISS THORNTON AND ALDERTON, THAT A NAME IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT.
AND SO LIKE, RIGHT NOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL SAY I GO TO TC, BUT THERE'S PEOPLE AT WEST PATOMIC, AND THE WHOLE NAME IS WEST PATOMIC, BUT ALL IN ALL, I RESPECT THE PROCESS OF THE NAME CHANGING PROCESS AND, YEAH.
>> DEAR I ASK YOUR PREFERENCE? MISS NOLAN.
>> I THINK THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO HOLISTICALLY INTO ONE, AND THEN EMPHASIZE THE TITAN COMMUNITY SO PEOPLE CAN HAVE THE OPTION THEY SO CHOOSE TO SHORTEN THAT ANYWAY THEY CHOOSE SO I WANTED TO ECHO MY APPRECIATION.
>> AND SO MR. SUAREZ, CAN YOU CLARIFY THE SUGGESTION FOR ME?
>> WELL, THE THOUGHT WAS JUST THAT THE NAME OF THE SCAL, THE FORMAL NAME COULD BE ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL, BUT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULDN'T FORECLOSE IN THE CONTEXT OF SPORT'S TEAM BRANDING AND SORT OF NAMING THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL THE TC TITANS USE A TC LOGO STANDING FOR TITAN COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT'S STILL THE TITANS.
YOU COULD HAVE A TC PATCH ON THE UNIFORM AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
>> OK, IF YOU COULD HOLD ON FOR A SECOND.
I'M GOING TO PUT MR. BALLACE ON THE SPOT HERE.
ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT MR. SUAREZ'S THOUGHTS SOME.
>> I THINK, IF I WERE TO GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN ALEXANDRIA AND ALEXANDRIA CITY OR ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL, MY THOUGHTS I DO HAVE REFLECT MOSTLY WITH WHAT OUR STUDENT ASHLEY SAID, I WOULD RECOMMEND ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL.
I DO THINK WE DO HAVE IN OUR SPORTS I KNOW THAT'S BEEN MENTIONED WITH TC TITANS AND I KNOW AC TITANS IS NOT TOO FAR OFF FROM WHAT SLIPS OFF THE TONGUE THERE.
I DO THINK I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT A MOVE TO PRESERVE THE LETTERS T AND C IN SOME WAY WITHOUT HAVING FURTHER ENGAGEMENT OF OUR STUDENTS.
[01:30:01]
I DO THINK THAT AS WE CAN SEE HERE, YOU KNOW, JUST WITH OUR TWO STUDENTS AND JUST THE FOLKS ON THE BOARD HERE, THAT CLEARLY THE DIFFERING OPINIONS.BUT FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, ESPECIALLY NOT THE PRESERVATION OF TC AS MISS ASHLEY SAID, AND ALSO, I DO BELIEVE ALEXANDRIA CITY DOES SATISFY THE PART OF THE PROCESS AND THE SCHOOL BOARD POLICY AROUND DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN ALEXANDRIA AS A WHOLE AND ALEXANDRIA CITY.
AND SO I KNOW I HAVE COMMENTS FROM MISS GENTRY IS MISS SANCHEZ.
I DO NEED TO GET MYSELF PROCEDURALLY IN ORDER BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE THAT ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL IS ON THE TABLE AND I MAY NEED SUSAN TO GUIDE ME ON AMENDING, IF WE NEED TO AMEND A SECOND TIME BUT GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE WITH THE DISCUSSION.
I'LL START WITH MISS SANCHEZ AND THEN TO MISS GENTRY.
>> I'M JUST ECHOING WHAT MISS BALLACE SAID, IF THE DISCUSSION IS ON THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA OR ALEXANDRIA CITY, I FEEL THAT WE SHOULD BRING ANOTHER WE SHOULD HAVE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AS A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION.
I FEEL LIKE LORAINE AND I'S VOICE IS ONE PERSPECTIVE, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO HEAR THE PERSPECTIVES OF THE OTHER STUDENTS AND WHAT THEY THINK.
AND IF ALEXANDRIA CITY IS NOW ON THE TABLE.
THE ENTIRE PURPOSE OF THE IDENTITIES PROJECT WAS TO BE STUDENT LEAD FOR OUR VOICES TO BE ON THE FRONTLINES AND FOR US TO SPEAK OUR TRUTH UNAPOLOGETICALLY AND OUR EXPERIENCES AND WE THINK NEEDS TO CHANGE.
SO I THINK THAT STUDENT ENGAGEMENT SHOULD DEFINITELY BE CONSIDERED RIGHT NOW IF ALEXANDRIA CITY IS ON THE TABLE AND THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS.
>> I COULDN'T HEAR YOU, BUT CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YEAH, I JUST AS A PERSON WHO SAT MANY HOURS STARING AT MANY JERSEYS, TRACK IS A LONG HAUL ACTIVITY.
NOAH DESIGNED A SHIRT FOR THE TRACK TEAM AND THE DESIGN ON IT WAS HE IT WAS A SYMBOL OF A TITAN, THE ACTUAL GRAPHIC AND THAT'S THE BRAND.
THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
I FREELY ADMIT, I HAVE SHOUTED GO TC OVER THE YEARS BECAUSE THAT IS THE NAME OF THE SCHOOL.
I WILL HAPPILY SHOUT GO AC IF THAT IS WHAT WE GO WITH.
AGAIN, YEAH, I DON'T ENVY THE CHAIR, BECAUSE THESE VOTES WITH AMENDMENTS TO AMENDMENTS ARE SUPER FUN AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE EASIEST THING IS TO DO THE AMENDMENT ON THE TABLE AND SEE HOW IT GOES.
BUT ONE THING EVERYBODY WATCHING AT HOME SHOULD UNDERSTAND, A PERSON VOTING NO FOR A CERTAIN THING IS NOT SAYING NO ONE VOTING NO AT ANY POINT IN THE PROCESS IS SAYING THEY WANT TO DEEP THE NAME TC WILLIAMS' HIGH SCHOOL.
WE WANT TO CHANGE THE NAME AND WITH THAT CLARIFICATION OUT OF THE WAY, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I'M OPEN FOR ALEXANDRIA CITY AND WE'LL SEE HOW THIS PROCESS GOES.
>> OK, SO I HAVE MY SIDEBAR WITH THE FABULOUS CLERK TO MAKE SURE I HAVE MYSELF IN ORDER HERE AND WHAT I WILL NEED IF THIS IS A DESIRE, I WILL NEED AN AMENDMENT TO
[01:35:06]
SUBSTITUTE THE FIRST.SO I WOULD NEED SOMEONE TO MOVE TO AMEND THE MOTION TO SUBSTITUTE ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL.
>> AND I MOVE THAT WE MAKE A SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT FOR THE AMENDMENT FOR THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL TO READ ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL.
SO I HAVE MISS NOLAN WHO SECONDS MISS GENTRY'S MOTION AND NOW I HAVE TO CALL FOR A VOTE ON THIS MOTION.
>> SO NOW WE'RE ALMOST THERE I WILL CALL FOR VOTE TO AMEND THE ORIGINAL MOTION TO CHANGE ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL TO ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL.
(ROLE CALL) >> I'M CONFUSED FOR WHAT WE VOTED ON.
>> THIS IS THE VOTE OF THE MAIN MOTION NOW?
>> THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING, BUT I'M CHECKING WITH SUSAN.
>> SO YES, WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
>> SO FOR THE NAME TO BE WHAT?
>> SO NOW THE ORIGINAL MOTION IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE ORIGINAL MOTION, WE HAVE TO VOTE TO AMEND THE MOTION TO CHANGE IT TO ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL TO ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL.
>> SO VOTING FOR ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL?
>> DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO EVERYONE?
I'M GOING TO SAY THIS AGAIN IS I'M REALLY SORRY.
WE'LL VOTE TO CHANGE ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL TO THE NEW PROPOSED LANGUAGE, WHICH IS ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL.
(ROLE CALL) >> NOW WE'RE ALMOST THERE.
AND I PROMISE THIS IS THE LAST ONE.
AND SO NOW WE NEED TO CALL FOR THE VOTE TO RENAME TC WILLIAM'S HIGH SCHOOL TO ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL.
SO I'M GOING TO CALL FOR THIS FINAL VOTE.
>> AND WE HAVE A NEW NAME FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL, ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL.
AND SO, WOW! WE ARE MOVING ON BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE TO RENAME ANOTHER SCHOOL SO I WANT TO HEAR
[14. Superintendent's Naming Recommendation: Matthew Maury Elementary School]
[01:40:03]
FROM DR. HUTCHINGS FOR MATTHEW MOORING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.>> I HOPE IT WON'T BE AS LONG, BUT WE'LL SEE BUT I'M HAPPY WITH THE NAME, ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL, GO AC! NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MATTHEW MOORY AND THE RECOMMENDATION A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO IS FOR NAOMI BROOKS AND I DID NOT PERSONALLY KNOW NAOMI BROOKS, BUT AS I LEARNED ABOUT HER, I AM SO HONORED, THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS PUSHING TO HAVE MATTHEW MOORY RENAMED.
NOT ONLY IS SHE A GRADUATE, THE FIRST TO GO TO COLLEGE IS TO COME BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITY TO TEACH AS WELL AS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
SHE TOUCHED LIVES OF STUDENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
WHEN I INTRODUCED NAOMI BROOKS TO THE BOARD, SHE IS THE EPITOME TO ALEXANDRIA.
AND SO, I WANTED TO RECOMMEND NAOMI BROOKS AS THE NEW NAME FOR MATTHEW MOORY.
>> DO HAVE A RECOMMENDATION TOR DR. HUTCHINGS' RECOMMENDATION?
>> I MOVE THAT WE RENAME MATTHEW MORERY ELEMENTARY TO NAOMI BROOKS?
>> THERE'S A MOTION AND DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION?
>> YOU THINK MISS GREEN WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING?
>> I SAID HOW SPECIAL MISS BROOKS WAS AS A SPECIAL AND THIS IS SUCH A FITTING NAME AND I AM VERY GLAD THAT WE LANDED WITH MISS BROOKS AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENT TO THE CURRENT MOTION BY ADDING THE MIDDLE INITIAL L.
IN THE NAME OF NAOMI BROOKS MAKING THE NAME NAOMI L.
BROOKS MIDDLE SCHOOL BECAUSE SHE DID USE THE MIDDLE INITIAL L.
WHEN SIGNING HER NAME AND I THINK WE SHOULD CHANGE IT TO THAT.
I HAVE DR. REEF WHO SECONDS MISS GREEN'S AMENDMENT AND SO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT.
AND SO, I WILL START WITH MYSELF.
(ROLE CALL) >> SO NOW, THE AMENDMENT WAS APPROVED 9 0, AND WE NEED TO NOW VOTE ON SO NOW WE CAN VOTE ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION WITH THE SUBSTITUTE AND SO I NEED A MOTION TO ADD L.
TO THE ORIGINAL, RIGHT? SO I NEED A VOTE ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION WITH THE L IN THE NAME.
>> CHAIR, I'M NOT SURE YOU CALLED YOURSELF.
[01:45:01]
>> I'M UP HERE SWEATING, GUYS.
>> SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THE NEWLY MAKE NAOMI BROOKS SCHOOL.
>> I FORGOT TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNICATION'S TEAM BECAUSE THEY REALLY LEAD THIS IDENTITY PROJECT AND THE EFFORTS AND IT IS SO IMPORTANT.
THEY WORKED DIRECTLY WITH OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES IN SETTING UP THE HISTORY MOMENTS THAT WE HAD AND JUST THANK YOU TO OUR ENTIRE COMMUNICATION'S TEAM FOR THIS HUGE EFFORT AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I SAID THAT BEFORE WE WENT TO OUR NEXT ITEM.
[15. Endorsement of the Children and Youth Master Plan 2025 (CYMP 2025)]
AND SO NOW WE ARE MOVING ONTO THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE CHILDREN AND YOUTH MASTER PLAN FOR 2025.
AND ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS BEFORE WE ENDORSE THE PLAN? DR. HUTCHINGS, ANY ENDORSEMENT? THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM.
>> AND SO I HAVE MY GENTRY WHO SECONDS MISS GREEN'S MOTION.
>> WE HAVE ADOPTED THE PLAN AT 9 0.
>> A LOT GOING ON HERE AND SO NOW WE'RE MOVING ONTO OUR HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT DESIGN CONCEPTS.
[16. The High School Project: Design Concepts]
>> AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE TEAM HERE IN REGARDS TO OUR HIGH SCHOOL CONCEPTS, WHICH I KNOW MANY ARE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO FINALLY GETTING TO THIS PORTION OF THE HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT.
SO MISS GULICK, IF YOU COULD INTRODUCE OUR TEAM AND WE COULD GO INTO THE CAMPUS.
YOU HAVE A LOT ON THIS AGENDA.
I DEFINITELY DO NOT ENVY YOU ALL.
SO WE WILL GET STARTED RIGHT AWAY.
IF I COULD ASK IF YOU COULD PULL UP THE PRESENTATION.
SO TONIGHT, WE ARE ASKING FOR A VOTE ON THE DESIGN CONCEPT FOR THE NEW MINI HOWARD CAMPUS AND WE HAVE BROUGHT TO YOU THREE CONCEPTS PREVIOUSLY AND WE HAVE NARROWED THAT DOWN TO TWO AND THERE ARE TWO THINGS.
THERE WERE COMMENTS THAT PEOPLE LIKED A BUS LAY OUT AND MAYBE THE BUILDING OF OTHERS AND WE FOUND THE BUS LAY OUT COULD BE INTERCHANGEABLE WITH EITHER OF THE BUILDING CONCEPTS.
SO YOU'RE BE VOTING TONIGHT ON A BUILDING CONCEPT.
AND EITHER THE HAND OR PINWHEEL AND EITHER ITEM OPTION A OR B AND OUR TEAM WILL GO THROUGH AND DESCRIBE WHAT THE DIFFERENCES OR BETWEEN THOSE AND WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND SO, WE WANT TO GO OVER, JUST GO THROUGH THE TYPELINE OF HOW THESE CONCEPTS HAVE EVOLVED ON THE FEEDBACK AND WE HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF FEEDBACK AND IT HAS BEEN A SHORT TIMEFRAME, AND, FORTUNATELY, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED AND WE'RE ANXIOUSLY AWAITING THIS AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK.
YOU WILL NOTE THIS PRESENTATION IS SLIGHTLY UPDATED AND MR. BALLACE
[01:50:04]
HELPED US TO GET OUT A SURVEY AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS INCORPORATED INTO THE PRESENTATION.WE'LL GO INTO THE SITE OPTIONS ABOUT WHAT IS CONSIDERED.
AND WE'LL ALSO TALK ABOUT THE OPTIONAL CITY SPACES THAT ARE STILL CONSIDERED AND HOW WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
AND THEN THE NEXT STEPS, ONCE YOU MAKE THIS VOTE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
AND SO, IF YOU REMEMBER, WE STARTED WITH THIS CHART BACK IN JANUARY AND YOU ALL HAVE CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT IN KEEPING US ON SCHEDULE BY COMPLETING ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS AND WE DECIDED ON NOT HAVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND YOU APPROVED THE COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM WHICH INCLUDED THE DESIGN TEAM'S PROGRAM INTO THAT PROCESS AND NOW WE'RE COMING TO YOU TODAY FOR THE DESIGN CONCEPT DECISION SO THAT WE CAN MOVE THROUGH THE DESIGN PROCESS.
AND WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND I'LL TURN IT OVER NOW AND WE HAVE OUR ARCHITECT WHO WILL BE DOING THE MAJORITY OF OUR PRESENTATION TONIGHT.
SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MR. SHAWN O'DONNELL, WHO IS THE PRINCIPAL.
I WANT TO SAY HOW HONORED WE ARE TO BE HERE IN FRONT OF A THOUGHTFUL BODY AND BASED ON EVERYTHING THAT WE JUST WITNESSED HERE.
AND BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION TO THE CONCEPTS AGAIN, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH IS EVERYTHING WE'RE PRESENTING IS BUILT ON STAKEHOLDER ENGAMEMENT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS AND THAT INCLUDES FACULTY AND THE EDUCATIONAL DESIGN TEAM, THE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, MANY OF WHICH HELPED US TO ESTABLISH THE CRITERIA IN THE SPECIFICATIONS THAT YOU APPROVED A SHORT WHILE AGO.
THAT'S DEMONSTRATED IN MANY WAYS BIT ORGANIZATIONAL DIAGRAM ON THE SCREEN HERE WHICH GETS INTO INTERDISCIPLINARY SCALES THAT REFLECT STRONG RELATIONSHIPS THAT WILL BE ESTABLISHED IN THIS NEW LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE BUILDING, THE MORE ACTIVE ENVIRONMENTS AND CTES ON THE CAMPUS.
THESE ARE THE DESIGNS CONCEPTS THAT YOU SEE TONIGHT AND SO WITH THAT, THIS IS ACTUALLY SOME GRAPHICS DEMONSTRATES THE FEEDBACK FROM THE MEETING WHICH WAS THE FIRST FULL ON WORKSHOP AND US RECEIVING BACK FEEDBACK, YOU KNOW, ON THE MASSING ON EACH OF THE CONCEPTS AND THE VEHICULAR AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO THE SITES AND THE OPEN SPACE ASPECTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL CONCEPTS, THE THREE PUT
[01:55:17]
FORWARD, AGAIN, HAND CRESCENT AND THE WHEEL AND THE REACTIONS TO EACH OF THE ISSUES ON EACH CONCEPT, AS WELL.THESE ARE SOMEWHAT INDEPENDENT OF EACH OTHER AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN THIS OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, THE DESIGN PRINCIPAL, TO WALK US THROUGH SOME OF THE ISSUES WITH THE SITE BUILDING.
OMAR, YOU MAY BE ON MUTE IF YOU'RE SPEAKING.
>> AS SHAWN SAID, WE'VE DISASSOCIATED THE DESIGN OF THE SITE FROM THE BUILDING BECAUSE IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY IN THE CHOICES THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE ABOUT THE SITE AND SO THE THING TO REMEMBER ABOUT THE SITE DESIGN IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO REPLACE THE SAME PROGRAM, A RECREATION IN THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM.
THIS IS CONFIGURED SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT AND WE'RE GETTING TO THOSE DISTINCTIONS.
IN OPTION A, WE SEE THE BUS LOOP IS IN A LOCATION BETWEEN THE ATHLETIC AND RECREATION SPACES IN THE SCHOOL AND IN OPTION B, THAT BUS LOOP MOVES TO A ZONE IN FRONT OF THE ATHLETIC FIELDS AND BRADICK ROAD AND THAT HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR MOBILITY MOVEMENT AROUND THE SITE.
AS THE COMMITTEE FEEDBACK AND ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK CAME TO ON THE VARIOUS DESIGNS, IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE SECOND CONCEPT, WHAT WE CALL A CRESCENT CONCEPT WAS NOT RECEIVING A LOT OF ATTENTION AND CONSIDERATION BECAUSE OF LARGEST VERSIONS AND AS FAR AS MANY OTHERS, WE STARTED TO NARROW DOWN THE POSSIBILITIES TO WHAT WE'RE PRESENT TO YOU, WHICH IS THE HAND CONCEPT AND THE PINWHEEL CONCEPT.
SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE HAND CONCEPT FIRST AND THIS IS BY WAY OF SUMMARY AND I TRUST YOU'VE REVIEWED THIS AND WHAT WE SEE IS A BUILDING THAT HAS NEIGHBORS OF CLASSROOMS, ORIENTED IN THE NORTH AND SOUTH.
YOU SEE A PAIR OF WINGS THAT ARE PLANKING A COURTYARD SPACE AND THIS COURTYARD SPACE IS FACING THE PARKING AREA, FACING EAST.
THAT ALLOWS THE GYMNASIUM AND ALL OF THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION SPACES TO FACE TO THE WEST AND BE PROPERLY ORIENTED AS WE WOULD LIKE TO THE REST OF THE ATHLETIC AND RECREATION SPACES ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE SITE AND WITH THE COURTYARD CONCEPT, SOMETHING THAT WE'VE HEARD IN THE FEEDBACK THAT'S COME BACK TO US IS THAT THERE'S A
[02:00:01]
GREAT DEAL OF IMPORTANCE PLACED IN EDUCATIONAL SPACES THAT HAVE SOME DIRECT RELATIONSHIP TO OUTDOOR SPACE AND SO IN THIS CONCEPT, BY CREATING A COURTYARD TO IMMEDIATELY ADDRESS AND BE ADJACENT TO THE PART OF THE SCAL, CREATING THIS BETWEEN THE TWO SPACES.AND SO HERE ARE FLOOR PLANS AND I WON'T DWELL TOO MUCH BUT BETWEEN THE TWO CONCEPTS, THERE'S NO LOSS OF ACADEMIC AND LEARNING SPACE.
BOTH CONCEPTS HOUSE ALL OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING IN THE PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN LAID OUT IN THE EDUCATIONAL SPECIFICATIONS.
YOU SEE THIS SO THAT THEY TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE DAYLIGHT, EXPRESSING TO THE SOUTH AND TO THE NORTH.
AND ONE THING THAT HAS NOT FIGURED IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE PRESENTATION HERE IS THAT REALLY HIGH ASPIRATIONS FOR ENERGY CONSERVATION.
YOU CAN TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE HIGH ENERGY OF THE SUN.
SO HERE IS AN OVERALL VIEW AS IT SITS ON THE SITE OF A MODEL OF IT AND YOU CAN SEE THE RECREATION OF THE LEFT, A LARGER RECTANGLE AND THE SMALLER RECTANGLE IN THE UPPER LEFT CORNER AND THE RELOCATED TENNIS COURTS THAT ARE SCENED TO ALSO ACCEPT THE PICKLE BALL PLAY AND INCLUDED IN THE BASKETBALL COURT WHICH EXISTS TODAY.
YOU SEE THAT THE MODEL SHOWS THE CONFIGURATION WHERE THERE IS THE BUS LOOP BETWEEN THE FIELDS AND THE SCHOOL AND THE CONCERN THERE IS FOR VERY EASY ACCESS FROM THE BUSES TO THE SCHOOL.
YOU HAVE THE PLAZA THAT'S PROVIDED IN THE FOREGROUND AND THEN THE TWO ACADEMYING WINGS, THIS PAIR, I LIKE TO REFER TO THEM AS SIBLINGS THAT ARE FACING EAST, FACING THE COURTYARD AND PARKING AREA ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE PROPERTY.
SO, TO TALK ABOUT THE SITE PLAN AND HOW THIS PARTICULAR BUILDING IDEA, THE HAND SCHEME CAN WORK WITH BOTH CONCEPTS.
SO HERE WE'RE SHOWING THE BUS LOOP IN THE CENTER OF THE SITE AND SHOWING HOW THAT HAS VERY EASY ACCESS FROM THE BUSES TO THE WESTERN ENTRANCE OF THE SITE, YOU MIGHT RECALL THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE OF TOPOGRAPHY AND GRADE AND THE BUILDING CONNECTS THE EAST ENTRANCE WITH THE WEST ENTRANCE INTO WHAT WE REFER TO AS THE HEART OF THE SCHOOL.
AND THE EAST SIDE, WE HAVE ANOTHER ENTRANCE THAT FACES THE PARKING AREA AND THAT IS ACCESS VIA A COURTYARD SPACE, AS WAS ILLUSTRATED BEFORE AND THEN YOU SEE THE HATCH AREA THERE SHOWING THE POSSIBILITY FOR FUTURE EXPANSION, NOT KNOWING WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR US.
AND THE SCHOOL MAY NEED FLEXIBILITY TO ADD ANYWHERE BETWEEN 30 AND 40,000 SQUARE FEET AND THIS PLAN ACCOMMODATES A FUTURE EXPANSION IN A WAY THAT IS ILLUSTRATED IN THE PLAN.
AND IT'S THERE ALONG THE EAST SIDE.
AND THEN ON THE WEST SIDE, AS I SAID, THE BUS LOOP, WHICH SHOWS STRIPING FOR CARS, SO THAT WHEN THE BUSES ARE NOT THERE, THAT SURFACE CAN BE USED FOR PARK AND TEMPORARY PARKING FOR THE SCHOOL AND, BUT ALSO ON THE WEEKENDS, THAT PARKING AREA CAN BENEFIT THE PART BY PROVIDING EASY ACCESS TO THE BENEFIT OF THE FIELDS AND TENNIS COURTS.
AND SO HERE IS THE SAME CONCEPT, THE HAND CONCEPT WITH THE OPTION B SITE PLAN AND THE MAIN SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO IS HOW THE BUS LOOP IS RENDERED HERE AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE BUSES ENTER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SITE AND IN A COUNTERCLOCK WISE MOTION, THEY EXIT ON THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE PROPERTY AND THAT ALLOWS THE BUSES TO LINE UP AND SAFETY PICK UP AND DROP OFF STUDENTS TO THE RIGHT SO THAT THE STUDENTS ARE NOT NEGOTIATING CROSSING BUS LANES TO GET TO THE BUSES.
[02:05:03]
AND ALSO, THE EXIT ON THE LEFT TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE EXISTING MEDIAN BREAK.SO THE BUSES AT THAT POINT HAVE THE POSSIBILITY FOR EITHER MAKING A RIGHT TURN OR A LEFT TURN AND THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT FEATURE OF THE PLAN.
ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, WE'RE SHOWING ANOTHER POSSIBILITY FOR FUTURE EXPANSION ON THE SAME CONCEPT, ONE IN WHICH THE WINGS ARE EXTENDED.
SO WE'RE SHOWING THE HATCHED AREA TO UNFORTUNATELY STRAIGHT THE LEVEL OF FLEXIBILITY.
NOW BY ROTATING THE BUSES ALONG BRADDOCK ROAD, WE COMMIT FOR THE SAFE MOVE THE OF STUDENTS BETWEEN THE SCHOOL AND THE FIELDS IN A DIRECT WAY.
THESE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF ARCHITECTURE WE THINK IS SYMPATHETIC WITH THE WITH WE WERE IMAGINING THESE BUILDING.
WE ARE A PAIR OF WINGS THAT BEHAVED AS SIBLINGS OF ONE ANOTHER AND THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF BUILDINGS THAT DO THAT AND JUST HELP US KIND OF VISUALIZE.
ALSO, THESE EXAMPLES ARE ALL FOUR STORY BUILDINGS AND THEY UNDERSTAND THE MASSING AND THE OUTLOOK OF THE BUILDING.
AND IT'S NOT ILLUSTRATIONS WE'RE USING TO DENOTE THE MATERIAL, BUT MORE ABOUT THE MASSING AND THE BULK OF THE BUILDING.
ON THE BOTTOM, THERE'S AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE SECTION THROUGH THE SITE AND YOU CAN SEE THE GREEN AREAS WHERE THE FIELDS ARE LOCATED EXPECT BUS SURFACE AREA AND THEN THE SCHOOL BUILDING AND HOW THAT CAREFUL PLACEMENT OF THE BUILDING TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE TOPOGRAPHY TO HAVE THE ENTRANCE OF THE LOWER LEVEL.
SO NOW, FOR THE PINWHEEL CONCEPT, THIS IS THE SECOND CONCEPT AND THE MAIN DISTINCTIVE FEATURE IS HOW THE WINDS ARE ORGANIZED.
YOU CAN SEE RATHER HAVING THE POWER OF WINGS FACING EAST TOWARDS THE PARKING AREA, WE NOW HAVE THE WINGS OF ACADEMY SPACES DIAGONAL AND THE COURTYARD MOVES TO THE WEST SIDE FACING THE FIELD AND SO, THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT FOREIGN CHANGE FROM THE PREVIOUS ONE.
SO WITH THE PINWHEEL, WE THINK THE HEART OF THE SCHOOL IS THE CONNECTIVE TISSUE WITH THE PARTS AND PROVIDES FOR THAT INDOOR, OUTDOOR CONNECTION POINT BETWEEN THE CENTER OF THE SCHOOL AND THE FIELDS TO THE WEST.
SO HERE ARE SOME FLOORPLANS AND THE BLUE YEARS REPRESENT CLASSROOMS AND THE TEAL COLOR OR THE CTE LABORATORIES AND SPECIALTY LABORATORIES SPACES AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE LOCATION OF THEM ARE REALLY ALL RELATIVE TO THE CENTER OF THE SCHOOL AND WE LIKE THAT.
WE LIKE THE FACT THAT WHEN YOU ENTER THE HEART OF THE SCHOOL, ALL OF THE WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE SCHOOL HAS TO OFFER ARE IN PLAIN SIGHT AND AVAILABLE FOR THE STUDENT.
AND SO, THE ABILITY TO CREATE THAT, AS SHAWN WAS DESCRIBING, IS VERY MUCH PRESENT IN THIS CONTENTS.
THIS IS AN AERIAL VIEW APASSING OF THE BUILDING, SHOWING, AGAIN, THE FIRST IDEA OF THE VEHICULAR MOVEMENT WITH THE BUSES IN THE CENTER OF THE SITE AND THIS IS ILLUSTRATED BEFORE AND THIS IS THE BUILDING CONCEPT TO THE RIGHT SHOWING THE COURTYARD FACING WEST AND CONNECTS THE CENTER OF THE SCHOOL WITH THE ATHLETIC FACILITIES.
AND THIS ALLOWS FOR A DEDICATED DROP OFF LANE TO THE LEFT OF THE SCHOOL.
SO HERE IS OPTION A SITE, SHOWING THE PARKING TO THE RIGHT AND INCIDENTALLY, THE CHOICE SEPARATING FROM THE BUSES FROM THE CARS IS DELIBERATE, TRYING TO CREATE TWO DIFFERENT TRAFFIC PATTERNS SO THE BUSES AND THE CARS ARE NOT IN CONFLICT AND VERY LITTLE IS HAPPENING SPILLING OUTSIDE OF THE PROPERTY AND THAT'S ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT FEATURE FOR BOTH CONCEPTS.
[02:10:03]
AND ALSO, FAIL TO MENTION THE GREEN ZONES IS UNDERSTOOD BETTER AND THAT'S THE STORM WATER MANAGEMENT REIMBURSEMENTS FOR THE SITE, WHICH ARE SIGNIFICANT.HERE IS THE OPTION B, SHOWING BUSES ALONG BRADDOCK ROAD AND PARKING IS THE SAME.
AND ILLUSTRATIONS FOR BUILDINGS AND SOME OF THEM ARE OWN BUILDINGS AND NOT SO MUCH MATERIALALITY AND THEN COMPOSED OF PARTS AND AS I EXPLAIN THE MASSING OF THE BUILDING IS ONE LARGE BUILDING CAN BE MADE OUT OF SMALLER PIECES AND SO THAT'S THE SIGNIFICANT OUTLOOK OF THE MASSING HERE AND IT'S A BUILDING COMPOSED OF PARTS.
AND SO SHAWN SPOKE ABOUT THE FEEDBACK AND THERE WAS A LOT OF IT AND SO WE WANT TO ILLUSTRATE SOME OF THE FINDINGS HERE, EDT MEETING AND COMMUNITY MEETING AND ADVISORY GROUP MEETING AND THERE ARE FEELINGS ABOUT THE BUS LOOP LOCATION AND THE BUILDING CONCEPT.
THIS IS THE FEEDBACK, PURPLE AT THE BOTTOM AND IT THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT, I GUESS, UNDERSTANDING OF THE PINWHEEL CONCEPT, A PREFERRED IDEA.
AND THEN, ON THE TOP, THE BUS LOOP ALONG BRADDOCK ROAD AND WE APPRECIATE ALL OF THE FEEDBACK AND THEIR PREFERENCE IS IN BETWEEN THE SCHOOL AND THE ATHLETIC FIELDS, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THE OTHER GROUPS.
WE ALSO POLLED THE STAFF AND THE STUDENTS AND THIS IS THE RESULT OF THAT SURVEY.
AND THE PINWHEEL CONCEPT GAINING A LOT OF INTEREST.
AND SO RETURNING BACK TO THE COMPARISON OF THE CONCEPT WHICH SHAWN BRIEFLY SHARED.
WE PASS OUR ANALYSIS AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT BOTH CONCEPTS CAN SATISFY THE PROGRAM TO THE FULLEST AND SO THERE IS NO COMPROMISING IN TERMS OF THE ACADEMIC OFFERINGS ON EACH CONCEPT, BUT WE DO NOTE THE PINWHEEL CONCEPT HAS A FEW MORE THAN THE HAND CONCEPT, BUT ONLY MARGINAL.
TO SUMMARIZE FOR EACH CONCEPT ON THE ONE HAND.
THE HAND CONCEPT, THE LEAST EXPENSIVE, BUT THAT IS MARGINAL, IS 1% DIFFERENCE IN COST.
THIS OFFERS FLEXIBILITY FOR FUTURE EXPANSION ALONG BRADDOCK ROAD.
HERE THEY ARE, EXCEPTING THE COMMENTARY AND FEEDBACK THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS AND AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE, THE HAND CONCEPT WITH THE PARKING AND SHOWING THE POSSIBILITY FOR SCHOOL EXPANSION IN THE FUTURE AND ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE, THE PINWHEEL CONCEPT WITH THIS RELATED SITE PLAN IDEA.
AND IT'S SHOWING THE ENTRANCE FACING BRADDOCK ROAD AND DROP OFF LOOP IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING THERE.
[02:15:04]
NEXT.AND NOW I WOULD LIKE TO HAND THIS OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, ANDREA SHAW, WHO WILL WALK US THROUGH THE OTHER LOGISTIC SIZE IS COSTS.
>> WE HAVE A COMPARESON MATRIX BETWEEN THE STATS AND THERE'S NOT MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO HANDS AND PINWHEEL CONCEPTS.
THE BUILDING GROSS SQUARE FOOTAGE IS SLIGHTLY HIGHER AND WHEN WE LOOK AT OPEN SPACE, BECAUSE OMAR IS SPEAKING THE PINWHEEL HAS A MORE COMPACT PINWHEEL.
THIS IS TO CONSTRUCT THE SITE AS WELL AS THE SCHOOL PORTION OF THE BUILDING AND NOT INCLUDED IN THAT COST ARE THE THREE ITEMS BELOW UNTIL OPTIONAL PROGRAM, THE AQUATIC FACILITY AT 15 MILLION AND THE TWO COLLOCATED SPACES OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S TEEN WELLNESS CENTER AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND THOSE TWO TRACKING AT SLIGHTLY LESS THAN ONE MILLION DOLLARS.
WE ADD IN THE OTHER 17 MILLION FROM THE COLLOCATED SPACES AND THE PROJECT IS AT 167 MILLION.
AND SO, I WILL NOW TURN THIS OVER TO MISS KULICK.
SO JUST WRAPPING UP, AGAIN, ALL THESE DECISIONS WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR, OUR TIMELINE IS DRIVING THAT AND ONCE WE HAVE A CONCEPT APPROVED, WE'LL MOVE THROUGH THE DESIGN AND I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT JUST ONE CLARIFICATION, I THINK ONE OF OUR CHARTS MIGHT BE INCORRECT AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
THE STUDENTS SUPPORTED THE HAND, THE STAFF SUPPORTED THE PINWHEEL AND BOTH SUPPORTED OPTION B, JUST TO CLARIFY AND WE HAVE PINWHEEL AND HAND FLIPPED ON THAT CHART AND WITH THAT SAID, WE ARE LOOKING FOR A VOTE TONIGHT ON THE CONCEPT SO WE CAN CONTINUE THROUGH THE DESIGN AND WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE MR. SUAREZ.
JUST FOLLOWUP FROM A PRIOR MEETING WHERE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE AQUATIC FACILITY AND SOME OF THE FINANCIAL ISSUES WITH THAT.
AND I GUESS PART OF MY QUESTION IS, I ASSUME WE COULD ADD THE AQUATIC FACILITY ONTO EITHER OPTION AND THEN ASSUMING THAT'S TRUE, WHAT IS THE SORT OF TIME CONSTRAINT IN US SORT OF BEING ABLE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET THAT MONEY FOR THE AQUATIC FACILITY AND STILL BE ABLE TO INCLUDE THE AQUATIC FACILITY AS A PART OF THE CONSTRUCTION, WHICHEVER WAY WE GO? AND THIRD, IS THERE ANY UPDATE IN TERMS OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE BEEN HAVING WITH THE NEW PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP'S PERSON, WITH THE CITY AND ANY DISCUSSIONS WE'RE HAVING WITH THAT ISSUE?
>> I DON'T THINK ANY UPDATES FOR TODAY, BUT JUST TO NOTE THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR
[02:20:01]
PROCUREMENTS, AS WELL AS THE CITY'S NEW PUBLIC PRIVATE PUBLIC CITY MANAGER, I THINK, IS THAT PERSON'S TITLE.WE'LL BE WORKING ON THAT AND HOPEFULLY HAVE AN UPDATE.
CURRENTLY, THE POOL IS STILL INCLUDED AND THE AQUATIC'S FACILITY IS BELOW THE GYMNASIUM AND IN THE EVENT WE TAKE IT OUT, THE GYMNASIUM WILL BE AT THE FIRST FLOOR, BASICALLY, AND DESIGN PROFESSIONALS, CORRECT ME, IF I'M MISREPRESENTING, I'M SURE THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE'LL HAVE TO WORK THROUGH RELATED TO THAT, BUT WE DID TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CONCEPTS COULD BE ADJUSTED AT A LATER DATE AND NOT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED WHAT THE SCHOOL BOARD WAS VOTING ON TONIGHT.
SO THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, WE DO NEED TO FIGURE THAT OUT RATHER THAN LATER AND WE'RE IN CONSTRUCTION A YEAR FROM NOW AND WE'LL HAVE A GOOD IDEA BY THE FALL WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S INCLUDED.
WE'LL CONTINUE THROUGH OUR DESIGN PROCESS AND I KNOW THE CITY HAS BEEN WORKING WELL WITH US ON OTHER PROJECTS AND INCLUDING THIS ONE AND UNDERSTANDS SOME OF THE CHALLENGES AND IF WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT OUT AT A LATE DESIGN SUBMISSION OR CONTINUE TO INCLUDE THE POOL, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL WORK WITH THEM ON.
HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I BELIEVE IN CONSULTATION, THEY PREFERRED THE PARKING TO BE BETWEEN THE SCHOOL AND THE FEELS.
OR DOES IT SEEM LIKE COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAD THE REFERENCE ALONG BRADDOCK ROAD.
I'M WANTING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE CITY STAFF MAKES IT UNDERSTAND WHY THAT'S A BETTER OPTION?
>> THEY HAD A SERIES OF REASONINGS WHICH I WON'T BE ABLE TO ENUMERATE THEM ALL.
ONE WAS PROBABLY A MINOR REASON IN MY OPINION.
BUT THEY FELT, ALSO, THE PRESENCE OF THE PARK AND ACCESSIBILITY THROUGH THE PARK IN THE OFF HOURS, ON THE WEEKENDS, IT COULD BE IMPROVED IF FROM THE SIDEWALK TO THE FIELDS, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO CROSS THE BUS LOOP.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER REASON THAT I THINK IT FACTORED INTO THEIR THINKING.
AND SO, THERE'S WAYS IN WHICH, PERHAPS, THE BUS LOOP AND THE OTHER CONCEPT COULD BE IMPROVED SO THAT'S IT'S A SAFE CROSSING ZONE.
BUT YOU THINK THOSE ARE TWO OF THEM THAT COULD BE REMINDED BUT TWO ELEMENTS THEY WERE CONCERNED WITH.
>> I THINK IN GENERAL, WE HAVE TO REPRESENT OUR SCHOOL NEEDS AND OUR CITY REPRESENTS THE COMMUNITY NEEDS AND JUST TRYING TO MAKE THAT MORE ACCESSIBLE.
AND MAYBE MORE INVITING TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THE THOUGHT WAS IT WAS BETTER TO HAVE THAT OPEN SPACE RIGHT ALONG BRADOCK ROAD.
THE MORE CURB CUTS OR PLACES WHERE VEHICLES ENTER THE SITE, THE MORE CHALLENGES YOU'RE CREATING FOR PEDESTRIANS TO HAVE TO CRASS OVER AND INSIDE OPTION B, THERE WERE TWO CURB CUTS BECAUSE THE BUSES COME IN IS GO OUT AND INSIDE OPTION A, THEY LOOP.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING TO WORK ON BECAUSE YOU NOTICE IN THE PINWHEEL, TWO CURB CUTS FOR CAR DROP OFF AND WE WOULDN'T WANT FOUR IF WE HAD OPTION B.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL WORK THROUGH.
BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE I THINK ONE OF THEIR CONCERNS, AS WELL.
AND FROM THE SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE, WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT CONNECTING THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT TO OUTDOOR AND MAKE IT FEEL LIKE A CAMPUS AND I THINK THAT'S WHY WE'RE SEEING SO MANY OF THE STAFF AND STUDENTS SUPPORTING THAT OPTION.
I THINK THAT IN TERMS OF THAT QUESTION, I KNOW THE CURB CUTS WITH PATRICK HENRY, AS WELL, BUT YOU THINK THERE COULD BE A BACK UP, I WOULD THINK, IF THERE'S ONE IN AND OUT FOR THE BUSES.
I THINK THEY SEEM MINOR AND I THINK WE CAN WORK THROUGH THE CURB CUT SITUATION.
[02:25:06]
IT'S A LONG SITE.I DON'T KNOW I JUST THINK THAT I AGREER WITH MISS GULICK THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR THE SCHOOL AND IT'S MUCH MORE BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO BE AND GREEN IF YOU'RE NOT SEEING THE PARKING LOT IN THE MIDDLE.
SO ONCE AGAIN, CHAIR GETS TO HANDLE VOTING OF MULTIPLE OPTIONS AND LET'S SEE IF WE CAN MAKE THIS AS STRAIGHTFORWARD AS POSSIBLE.
SINCE WE HAVE TWO ELEMENTS, IT MAKES SENSE TO DO A VOTE ON THE BUILDING FIRST AND MOVE ONTO THE SITE.
AND SO, MADAM CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVE THE PINWHEEL CONCEPT FOR THE NEW HOSPITAL.
>> SO I HAVE MISS ANDERSON WHO SECONDS MISS GENTRY'S MOTION AND UNLESS THERE'S ANY DISCUSSION, I WILL CALL FOR THE VOTE.
(ROLE CALL) >> SO THE BOARD HAS APPROVED THE DESIGN CONCEPT AS THE PINWHEEL.
AND SO MOVING ON, YOU WILL NEED A POSSESSION FOR THE SITE PLAN.
>> CHAIR, WE NEED THEM UP ON THE SCREEN.
>> MADAM CHAIR, I'LL WAIT UNTIL IT'S LOADED.
>> I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OFF ADOPT THE SITE PLAN OPTION B WITH THE BUS LANE ON BRADDOCK ROAD FOR THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT.
>> I HAVE MISS ANDERSON WHO SECONDS MISS GENTRY'S OPTION.
UNLESS THERE'S ANY DISCUSSION, I WILL CALL FOR THE VOTE.
>> SO OPTION B HAS BEEN OFF PROVED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD.
AND SO, MOVING ALONG, WE'RE GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO DR. HUTCHINGS FOR THE
[17. Update on Hybrid Phased Re-entry Transition Plan]
REOPENING UPDATE AND HERE WE GO.>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUT FACILITY'S AND OPERATION'S TEAM FOR ALL OF THE HARD WORK BECAUSE WE HAVE MUCH MORE TO DO WERE EVERYBODY, BUT AT LEAST THERE'S A CONCEPT IN PLACE AND WE'RE MOVING INTO THE DESIGN PHASE.
BEFORE WE BEGIN OUR UPDATE, I WANTED TO START OFF BY ADDRESSING SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED JUST RECENTLY IN REGARDS TO THE CDC GUIDELINES, SPECIFICALLY, ABOUT THREE FEET VERSE SIX FEET.
AND, SPECIFICALLY, I WANTED TO MENTION TO NOT ONLY THE BOARD BUT ALSO OUR COMMUNITY THAT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WHEN WE RECEIVED THE CDC GUIDELINES, WE SHARED THIS INFORMATION WITH OUR TRANSITION AND WE WERE EXCITED ABOUT THE FACT THAT THREE FEET WILL ALLOW US TO BRING OR STUDENTS INTO OUR SCHOOLS AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE ALL REALLY WANTED WITHIN OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
SPECIFICALLY, THIS WILL ALLOW US TO BEGIN TO START PRIORITIZING AND TONIGHT,
[02:30:07]
WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT OUR HYBRID PRIORITIZATION MATRIX AND WE HAVE BEGUN TO CONTACT FAMILIES AND WE WILL START BRINGING IN THAT NEXT GROUP OF STUDENTS ON APRIL 20TH AND THEN WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER GROUP OF STUDENTS COMING INTO OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS ON APRIL 27TH.AND NOW THAT WE HAVE THAT UNDER WRAPS, WE'RE BEGINNING TO HAVE OUR FINALIZATION IN REGARDS TO HOW DO WE TRANSITION TO THE THREE FEET? PRIOR TO BREAK, WE WERE FOCUSED ON AND THIS WAS INTENTIONAL TRYING TO COME UP WITH OUR CONCEPT, AS WELL AS OUR PROCESS.
WE WELCOMED FIVE THOUSAND LAST MONTH IS WE'LL BRING UP TO THREE HOUSE MORE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AND THAT IS SIGNIFICANT AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT TAKES A LOT OF TIME, ENERGY AND EFFORT AND I JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH OUR TEAM, THANK YOU FOR THAT HARD WORK AND DEDICATION.
THE POINT I WANT TO MAKE BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR DISCUSSION TODAY, AND ONE IS, WE ARE COMMITTED TO BRINGING BACK AS MANY STUDENTS AS WE CAN.
THREE FEET WILL ALLOW US TO DO THAT.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD, SPECIFICALLY, WHAT THOSE IMPLICATIONS ARE SO WE'RE NOT PROVIDING AN ARBITRARY DATE OR SPECIFIC TIME WITHOUT PROVIDING YOU WITH THE IMPLICATIONS MOVING FORWARD.
WE WANT TO BRING AN IMPLICATIONS WHERE WE NEED TO STAND AND WHAT TIME FRAME TO DO THAT IN.
AND ALSO ON THE RECORD, I WANT TO STAY THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO FIVE DAYS A WEEK AND THAT IS A COMMITMENT FOR FAMILIES WHO WANT IN PERSON AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO FOUR DAYS A WEEK THIS SUMMER BECAUSE WE'RE WORK ON SUMMER LEARNING PLANS, AS WELL.
AND WE'LL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION IN REGARDS TO FALL OPENING, IN REGARDS TO SUMMER PLANNING ON APRIL 22ND.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO CONTINUE TO BE VERY METHODICAL AND STRATEGIC WITH OUR PLANNING.
SO I WANTED TO CLARIFY SOME OF THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT WILL BEHOOVE US TO EXPLICITLY STATE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING CDC GUIDELINES AND USING THE COLLABORATION OR INFORMATION THAT COMES OUT OF THE COLLABORATION WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH GUIDELINES THAT HAVE BEEN REVISED AND RELEASED ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
THIS WILL GIVE YOU A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE WE ARE AND PROVIDE CLARITY AROUND THIS, AS WELL, SO THAT ALL OF US, BECAUSE EVERYBODY CAN'T WATCH TONIGHT'S SESSION AND MEETING, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHERE WE STAND AND HOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
SO I WILL CONTINUE TO ASK YOU ALL AND I KNOW PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF HEARING THE GRACE, YOU KNOW, AND THE PATIENCE, BUT THE PANDEMIC IS STILL IN PLACE AND I WANT TO SAY THAT EVEN THOUGH I KNOW PATIENCE IS THIN AT THIS POINT.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WE WANT TO BRING AS MANY CHILDREN BACK INTO OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND OUR TEAM IS CONTINUING TO WORK TOWARDS THAT.
SO WITH THAT SAID, I WANT TO TURN THINGS OVER TO DR. MAZINGO WHO WILL GUN OUR PRESENTATION AND GO OVER THE UPDATES AS WELL AS ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REOPENING UPDATE FOR TODAY.
>> BEFORE YOU, WE HAVE THE THREE ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS.
AGAIN, WE WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE IN TERMS OF THE CURRENT HEALTH GUIDELINES, AS WELL AS ALEXANDRIA HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
ALSO, TONIGHT, STAFF WILL PROVIDE SOME SUBJECT UPDATES IN FIVE AREAS AND SOCIAL PHYSICAL SOCIAL DISTANCING, CHILDCARE STATUS AS WELL AS INCOMED THE PHASE RE ENTRY OF HYBRID STUDENTS AND SEALED SUPPORT MONDAYS AND LASTLY, BY PROVIDING AN UPDATE OF THE TOPICS THAT WILL BE ON THE AGENDA FOR APRIL 22ND.
[02:35:02]
AND NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN THIS PART OF THE PRESENTATION OVER THE MISS CHRISTINA TARMINAR OF THE ALEXANDRIA HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH INDICATORS FOR TODAY.I'M THE EPIDEMIOLOGY SUPERVISOR AT THE ALEXANDRIA HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THIS.
THE CORE INDICATORS ARE THE NUMBER OF NEW CASES PER 100,000 PEOPLE IN OUR POPULATION IN THE LAUGH SEVEN DAYS AND ALSO THE PERCENTAGE OF MOLECULAR TESTS THAT ARE POSITIVE OUT OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF TESTS PERFORMED.
IF YOU FOCUS ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN, WE CAN SEE THAT AS FAR AS OUR POPULATION HEALTH INDICATORS, WE HAVE DROPPED BELOW ONE HUNDRED CASES PER ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND AND THIS HAS TRENDED UPWARD IN THE LAST WEEK.
WHILE THE PERCENT POSITIVITY OF OUR PCR TESTING IS BELOW 5%, WE KNOW THAT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE GETTING TESTED HAS GONE DOWN.
AND OUR SECONDARY INDICATORS INCLUDED CHANGE IN NEW CASES PER 100,000 POPULATION AND THE PERCENT OF HOSPITAL BEDS OCCUPANTED, THE BEDS WITH COVID 19 CASES.
AND WHILE OUR HOSPITAL MEASURES ARE GOOD, OUR OVERALL COMBINED INCOMERS INDICATE A SPREAD IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THE CDC GUIDANCE USED THE INDICATORS WHEN THEY DO NOT ALIGN, SO IT'S LOOKING LIKE IT'S GOOD IN PERCENT POSITIVITY BUT IN THE CASE COUNTS PER ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE, THEY ARE QUITE HIGH.
SO I JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE, WHILE WE'RE SO GLAD WE'RE NOT IN THE SITUATION WE WERE IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY, OUR CURRENT CASE COUNTS ARE ABOVE WHAT WE WERE SEEING THIS SUMMER AND WE CAN'T GIVE INTO THIS PANDEMIC.
THIS WEEK ON THE NEWS, THE U.K.
VARIANCE WHICH SPREADS MORE EASILY IS NOW THE MOST LINEAGE IN THE UNITED STATES AND OVER ONE THIRD IDENTIFIED HAVE BEEN IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA.
SO WE MUST FOLLOW GUIDELINES OF PHYSICAL DISTANCING, MASK USE, RESPIRATORY ETIQUETTE AND CONTACT TRACING UNTIL MORE OF THE POPULATION CAN BE VACCINATED.
SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DR. CRAWFORD.
AS DR. HUTCHINGS MENTIONED, THE CDC UPDATED THE GUIDELINES, SO I WILL BRIEFLY REVIEW A SUMMARY FOR YOU.
AS THE BOARD IS AWARE, THE CDC REVISED THE PHYSICAL DISTANCING TO INCLUDE THREE FEET BETWEEN STUDENTS AND CLASSES AND SPECIFIED INSTANCES WHEN THE DISTANCE SHOULD REMAIN THE SIX FEET.
NOW, ANOTHER FABULOUS EPIDEMIOLOGIST FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL SHARE ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT THE DISTANCING AND MISS ZIMMERMAN WILL GO INTO DETAIL, I'LL HIGHLIGHT THE FOUR BULLETS.
THEY PROVIDED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION LEVELS WHEN MAKING DECISIONS SUCH AS WHEN TO LEAVE SCHOOLS OPENED, CLOSED AND PROVIDED ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE ON INTERVENTIONS WHEN WE DO SEE CLUSTERSES OCCUR WHICH THANKFULLY WE HAVE AVOIDED TO DATA.
I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MISS ZIMMERMAN.
I'M THE POPULATION HEALTH EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
I'M A MEMBER OF OUR SCHOOL RESPONSE TEAM WHICH INCLUDES MYSLEF, TWO PUBLIC HEALTH NURSES AND TWO COVID 19 CASE INVESTIGATORS.
IT FEELS LIKE FOR THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS, WE'VE BEEN IN NEAR CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH OUR PARTNERS WHICH IS GREAT.
I'M HERE TO DIVE INTO THE REVISED SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL DISTANCE GUIDANCE THAT THE CDC RELEASED A FEW WEEKS AGO.
I WANT TO SAY THAT THE DAY THAT THIS GUIDANCE GOT RELEASED, MY PHONE WAS BLOWING UP.
PEOPLE WERE ASKING ME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE KIDS CAN MOVE DESKS CLOSER TOGETHER
[02:40:03]
AND ALL OF THE NEWS HEADLINES WERE, WOW, THREE FEET APART.THIS IS WONDERFUL, WE WANT OUR KIDS BACK IN THE CLASSROOM AND WANT TO BE ABLE TO BRING KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL.
BUT WE START TO SEE THERE ARE A LOT OF CAVEATS TO THAT UPDATED GUIDANCE.
YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CDC'S RECOMMENDATION VARIES DEPENDING ON THE GRADE LEVEL, TAKING MASKS OFF AT THEIR DESKS, ONLY FOR STUDENTS.
IT DOESN'T APPLY TO ADULTS OR A TEACHER WHO MIGHT BE WITHIN SIX FEAT OF A STUDENT AND THE TRANSMISSION BETWEEN STAFF IS MORE COMMON IN THE SCHOOL SETTING AND TRANSMISSION BETWEEN STAFF AND STUDENTS THAN TRANSMISSION BETWEEN STUDENTS AND STUDENTS.
AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE CDC'S GUIDANCE RECOMMENDS DISTANCE WHERE THERE IS INCREASED REIMBURSEMENT DROPLETS IN SINGING, SHOUTING AND BANDS, SPORTS OR EXERCISE.
THE DEFINITION OF A CLOSE CONTACT HAS NOT CHANGED.
SO THEREFORE, IF WE'RE MOVING DESKS WITHIN SUGGESTION FEET APART, ALEXANDRIA HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THE CDC AND VDH CONSIDER A CLOSE CONTACT SOMEONE SIX FEET OF AN INDIVIDUAL OF COVID 19 DURING AN INFECTIOUS PERIOD.
WE THINK OF THE DISRUPTION AND SCHOOL PLACES IN CASE OF A CLASSROOM OF A DESK MOVED SIX FEET APART.
SO ALL OF THE DIFFERENT CAVEATS ARE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUT SCHOOLS NEED TO CONSIDER AND THEY NEED TO DETERMINE HOW TO BEST APPROACH THOSE DIFFERENT CAVEATS SO THAT WE CAN REALLY OPERATIONALLIZE THE CDC'S GUIDANCE.
THE CDC INCLUDED ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS SUCH AS COHORTING OR PODDING WHICH IS WHERE STUDENTS ARE IN ASSIGNED GROUPS OR COHORTS AND MINIMIZING SO IF THERE'S A CASE IDENTIFIED IN ONE COHORT, THEY QUARANTINE OR THE POTENTIAL EXPOSURE IS LIMITED TO THE SPECIFIC COHORT.
THE CDC SUGGESTS LIMITING BETWEEN TEACHERS AND STAFF THAT COULD LEAD TO THAT ADULT TO ADULT TRANSMISSION, AS WELL AS STAGGERING SCHEDULES.
THIS HELPS WITH THE COHORTING TO PREVENT THE MIXING OF COHORTING, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, AT THE BUS LAP OR THE DROP OFF OR IN THE HALLWAYS BETWEEN CLASSES, AS WELL AS ALTERNATING SCHEDULES WITH FIXED COHORTS.
SO THAT, AGAIN, WE'RE PREVENTING THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE, THE NUMBER OF COHORTS THAT WE HAVE MIXING, SO THAT WHEN THERE'S A CASE, IT'S EASIER TO IDENTIFY WHO NEEDS TO QUARANTINE AND WE'RE GOING TO BE IDENTIFYING FEWER PEOPLE WHO WILL BE QUARANTINING.
NEXT I'LL HAND IT OVER TO DR. WILKINS.
>> THANK YOU, I'M THE CHIEF OF STAFF AND I WILL REVIEW A CHANGE IN THE REMOTE WORK STATUS FOR STAFF WITH CHILDCARE NEEDS AND THEY MUST ARRANGE FOR CHILDCARE AND BE AVAILABLE FOR ON SITE WORK STARTING MAY 3RD, 2021.
TO REVIEW, IN FEBRUARY, WE ASKED STAFF ABOUT THEIR AVAILABILITY TO RETURN TO WORK IS THAT FALL, OUR STAFF INFORMED WHETHER THEY WERE UNABLE TO RETURN FOR HEALTH RELATED OR CHILDCARE NEEDS AND THE STAFF PROVIDED A PERSONAL STATEMENT SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION FOR THEIR INDIVIDUAL SITUATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
AND HUMAN RESOURCES SUBSEQUENTLY INFORMED EACH EMPLOYEE THAT THE TEMPORARY REMOTE WORK STATUS WAS SUBJECT TO REVIEW PENDING CHANGES OR AS OTHER CONDITIONS WARRANT.
FOR THOSE STAFF WITH CHILDCARE NEEDS, WHILE WE DID NOT PUT STAFF ON LEAVE OR ABSENCE FROM WORK OR ON REMOTE WORK STATUS, WE DEFINED REASONS FOR
[02:45:05]
CHILDCARE COVERAGE AT THE EMPLOYEE IS CARING WHERE A PLACE A CLOSED.THE VOLUNTARY EXTENSION OF THIS PREVIOUSLY MANDATED COVERAGE EXPIRED MARCH 31ST, 2021 AND WE USED THIS DATE AS THE END DATE FOR A REMOTE WORK STATUS FOR CHILDCARE NEEDS.
SUBSEQUENTLY, ACPS USES THAT DATE, MARCH 31ST, TO SET A TRANSITION PERIOD FOR CHILDCARE NEEDS TO ARRANGE FOR CHILDCARE BY MAY 3RD, 2021 AND BE AVAILABLE FOR ON SITE WORK FOR THE PROGRAM.
I WILL PASS THIS TO KURT HOFFMAN FOR QUESTIONS.
>> I'M KURT HOFFMAN AND WANTED TO PROVIDE A BRIEF UPDATE.
THE FIRST PART IS TALKING ABOUT NUMBERS IS WE OFFER APPROXIMATELY 260 STUDENTS FREE CHILDCARE BASED ON IF YOU RECALL, TITLE ONE, WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT THROUGH THE YMCA, GIRL'S IS BOY'S CLUB AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 240 ADDITIONAL STUDENTS WHO ARE GETTING CHILDCARE PROVIDED BY OTHER PARTNERS ON OUR SITES AT OUR FACILITIES.
AND ALEXANDRIA SOCCER ASSOCIATION.
BUT THOSE NUMBERS DON'T INCLUDE THE MULTIPLE OTHER PROVIDERS IN ALEXANDRIA.
AN EXAMPLE IS CREATIVE PLAY SCHOOLS.
YOU HAVE PROVIDERINGS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, WHETHER IT'S A PRIVATE PROVIDER OR ORGANIZATION THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THIS IS A GREAT GROUP AND WE'RE AT ABOUT 36 MEETINGS NOW, IF YOU CAN BELIEVE IT AND WE STRENGTHEN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM IS WE TALK ABOUT CHALLENGES AND WE TALK ABOUT ADJUSTMENTS AND I INFORM THEM OF ANY DIVISION WIDE UPDATES SO THEY CAN BE READY FOR ANY ADJUSTMENTS THEY NEED TO MAKE.
AND IT'S BEEN PRETTY COOL TO SEE NOT OWN A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OURSELVES AND THESE PROVIDERS, BUT ALSO PROVIDER TO PROVIDER.
AND THEY TALK TOGETHER ABOUT, OK, HOW DID YOU ONBOARD YOUR STAFF AND IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT A GROWING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROVIDERS.
THEY FIGURED OUT A WAY WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON, THEY CONTINUED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER CHILDCARE JUST AS THEY DID SEVERAL MONTHS AGO BY USING SPACES THAT WERE STILL AVAILABLE IN EACH BUILDING.
OF COURSE, THE BUILDING PRINCIPALS WORKED WITH THEM AND IT'S AMAZING AND A TRIBUTE TO THE PROVIDERS TO BE ABLE TO IN OUR BUILDINGS, EVEN WITH STUDENTS COMING
[02:50:01]
BACK AND THAT'S GREAT TO KNOW.ALSO, WE KNEW WE WANTED TO CONTINUE WITH LIFE CHANGES.
WE WANTED TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ANY NEW REQUESTS FOR CHILDCARE AND SO WE HAVE THIS WEBSITE, THE ACPS CHILDCARE WEBSITE THAT OFFERS, FIRST OF ALL, A HUGE LIST OF ALEXANDRIA POTENTIAL PROVIDERS, PRIVATE AND ORGANIZATIONS, THAT STAFF OR PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN ALEXANDRIA, YOU KNOW, FAMILIES, CAN REACH OUT AND LOOK AT THAT.
IT'S ABOUT 180 DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO SAY WHAT'S A GOOD FIT? LET ME CALL OR EMAIL.
WE PUT OUT THE ALEXANDRIA EMERGENCY CHILDCARE COLLABORATIVE SUPPORT LINE AND THAT'S THE ORGANIZATION THAT RUNS, HEY, YOU NEED CHILDCARE AND WE'LL HELP YOU OUT.
AND IN ADDITION, WE KNOW THAT STAFF MAY NOT LIVE IN ALEXANDRIA AND WE PUT OUT NEIGHBORING DIVISION AND FOR FAIRFAX AND LOUDEN AND OTHER NEIGHBORS AREAS TO LOOK INTO AND SEE IF THERE'S A GOOD OPTION FOR THEM AND ALSO IF YOU'RE A STAFF MEMBER, IT'S EASY TO FIGURE OUT AND LOOK AT THAT LISTING FOR THE DIVISIONS.
AND WE HAVE CONSTANT CONTACT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE GIVING ALL OF THE SUPPORT.
IF THEY WRITE TO ME, WE RESPOND AND HELP THEM OUT.
AND THEN, FINALLY, WE KNOW THAT CHANGE IS CONSTANT IN THIS ENVIRONMENT WE'RE IN AND SO DR. HART IS I TRY TO BE AS PROACTIVE TO DISCUSS, WHAT IF WE DID NEED ADDITIONAL SITES FOR CHILDCARE, FOR SOME OF OUR PROVIDERS TO MOVE INTO? LIKE I SAID, WE'RE OK, BUT YOU JUST NEVER KNOW.
AND SO WE'RE TALKING WITH THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA AND, ACTUALLY, VISITING ALEXANDRIA AND FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND LOCATIONS, JUST TO HAVE THEM AND KEEP THAT COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIP STRONG IN CASE WE NEED TO REVISIT EXTERNAL SPACES.
I'LL PASS THIS ONTO MISS PETERS.
AND YOU THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU OUR TIMELINE AND PROCESS FOR THE PHASE THREE ENTRY OF HYBRID STUDENTS.
WE HAVE BEEN ASSESSING OUR SPACE AND CAPACITY FOR ACCEPTING ADDITIONAL HYBRID STUDENTS.
AS A RESULT OF THIS ASSESSMENT, THE PRINCIPALS AND CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF COLLABORATIVELY ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS AND TIMELINE PRIOR TO SPRING BREAK FOR THE RE ENTRY OF PRE K THROUGH 12 STUDENTS IS DEVELOPED A TWO STEP PROCESS CONFIRMING THE INTENT OF FAMILIES WHO SELECTED HYBRID LEARNING BUT HAVE NOT ATTENDED CLASS WITHIN A SCHOOL BUILDING TO DATE AND SECOND, PRINCIPALS ARE IMPLEMENTING FOR ACCEPTING ADDITIONAL HYBRID STUDENTS.
TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DETAIL, THE FIRST STEP INVOLVES CONFIRMING THE INTENT OF SECURITY HYBRID STUDENTS.
PRINCIPALS BEGAN ENGAGING IN THIS STEP PRIOR TO SPRING BREAK AND PRINCIPALS ARE WORKING WITH SUPPORT TEAMS AND REGISTRARS.
THEY ARE CALLING PARENTS AND SHARING MORE ABOUT HYBRID INSTRUCTION.
UPON CONFIRMATION, HYBRID STUDENTS WHO HAVE NOT ATTENDED BY TUESDAY, APRIL 13TH, WILL BE CONVERTED BACK TO VIRTUAL.
AND THE SECOND STEP IN OUR PROCESS IS THE PROCESS FOR ACCEPTING HYBRID STUDENTS AND DETERMINING WHICH HOMEROOMS AND TREATMENTS HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR ACCEPTING ADDITIONAL ACCEPT HYBRID STUDENTS, IT'S CONTINGENT UPON THE SEATING CAPACITY.
THEY WILL CONTACT PARENTS FOR THE TIMELINE.
THE PRIORITIZATION WAS AN EXTENSION TO THE MATRIX PREVIOUSLY DEVELOPED WENT WE
[02:55:10]
FIRST BEGAN DISCUSSION INTO THE PHASE THREE ENTRY OF THE STUDENTS.SCHOOL SUPPORT TEAMS WILL INTERNALLY PRIORITIZE FOR PRE ENTRY ON THE FOLLOWS CRITERIA, SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, ENGLISH LEARNERS, 504 STUDENTS, STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, SPECIAL POPULATIONS.
WE HAVE VIRTUAL STUDENTS REFERRED FOR SUPPORT MONDAYS, STUDENTS WHO HAVE EARNED A GRADE OF D OR F, STUDENTS BEING PROGRESSED MONITORED THROUGH MULTITIERED PROGRAMS AND NEW STUDENTS INVOLVED AS OF JANUARY OF 2021.
OUR TIMELINE FOR HOW WE WILL PHASE IN OUR HYBRID STUDENTS, FOR PRE K THROUGH 5, APRIL 9TH, THE PRINCIPALS WILL CONFIRM THE CURRENT INTENT AND UPDATE THE MATRIX AND WE WILL UPDATE OUR TRANSPORTATION LIST BY APRIL 12TH.
PARENTS OR NEW STUDENTS WHO WILL ENTER FOR HYBRID INTRODUCTION, WE WILL HAVE THE PHASE THREE ENTRY ON APRIL 20TH AND THAT IS FOR THE PRE K THROUGH 5.
FOR PHASED RE ENTRY FOR SECONDARY, BY APRIL 16TH, WE WILL CONFIRM THE INTENT THE CURRENT HYBRID STUDENTS AND UPDATE THE INFORMATION AND CONFIRM NEW STUDENTS FOR OUR MATRIX AND WE WILL UPDATE THIS INFORMATION BY APRIL 19TH.
COURSE INFORMATION WILL BE SENT TO SECONDARY STUDENTS BY APRIL 14TH AND WE WILL HAVE THE FIRST PHASE RE ENTRY OF SECONDARY STUDENTS ON APRIL 27TH.
AND NOW WE WILL HAVE MR. SAMPSON TO DISCUSS THE SUPPORT MONDAYS.
I'M EXCITED TO SHARE A BRIEF UPDATE ON OUR MONDAY'S PROGRAMMING.
SEAL MONDAYS BEGIN ON MONDAY, APRIL 26TH.
THIS TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE TIME THAT HAS BEEN NEEDED TO IDENTIFY THE STUDENTS, NOTIFY THE PARENTS AND TO MAKE THAT CONTACT AND THEN ALLOW TRANSPORTATION, THE TIME THEY NEED TO DEVELOP BUS ROUTES.
THIS TAKES INTO ACCOUNT, MONDAY, APRIL 19TH, HAS BEEN A TEACHER WORK DAY.
SO SCHOOLS HAVE IDENTIFIED STAFF TO PROVIDE INTERVENTIONS AND WORKING TO DISCUSS ANY GAPS THAT MAY EXIST IN A GIVEN SCHOOL WITH STAFFING AND WORKING WITH THEM TO BE ABLE TO PROBLEM SOLVE GAPS.
WE ARE PROVIDING STAFF WITH COMPENSATION FOR THE LOSS OF SOME OF THEIR PLANNING TIME ON MONDAYS SHOULD THEY BE PROVIDING THOSE IN PERSON INTERVENTIONS.
AND SCHOOLS HAVE ALSO IDENTIFIED STUDENTS WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM THESE TARGETED ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL INTERVENTIONS HAVE CONTACTED THEIR FAMILIES TO GET THAT INFORMATION ABOUT INTEREST TRANSPORTATION NEEDS.
AND THEN THEY'RE FINALIZES LISTS THIS WEEK.
DR. SIMMS, MY PARTNER, AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING TO ATTEND THE SALE MONDAY'S WORKSHOPS TO ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SEAL MONDAYS AND SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR PROGRAMMING AND NOW OVER TO DR. CRAWFORD.
>> I WOULD LIKE AN UPDATE ON THE COVID 19 DASHBOARD THAT WENT LIVE TODAY, BUT THIS IS A WAY TO COMMUNICATE AND TO BE TRANSPARENT TO OUR FAMILIES AND STAFF MEMBERS ABOUT THE CASES WE SEE IN OUR SCHOOLS.
ON THIS SLIDE BEFORE YOU, YOU SEE TWO VISUALS, AND THIS IS NOT THE DASHBOARD ITSELF, BUT JUST A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF WHAT IS ON THE DASHBOARD.
AND INCLUDED, THE NUMBER OF CASES BY LOCATION AND THE NOTIFICATION DATE SENT.
THE DATA THAT IS PUT ONTO THE DASHBOARD MARCH 1, 2021, A TIMELINE OF WHEN SOONS RETURNED FOR HYBRID.
AND THE DASHBOARD IS UPDATED EVERY MONDAY BY 4:00 P.M.
[03:00:08]
WHAT YOU CAN'T SEE ON THIS SLIDE RIGHT NOW IS THAT THERE ARE OTHER RESOURCES THAT ARE LISTED AND LINKS TO OTHERS DASHBOARDS SUCH AS THE ALEXANDRIA HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS A DASHBOARD UPDATED DAILY AND THE LINK TO THE VIRGINIA DASHBOARD AND THIS WILL REPRESENT MONTH TO MONTH COMPARISONS, LOOKING FOR TRACKS.IF WE SEE, PERHAPS, CASES THAT ARE CLOSE TOGETHER IN DATAS OR WORKING WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IF ANYTHING IS AN OUTBREAK AND LOOK AT HOW WE MODIFY THAT.
ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT SAFETY IS A TOP PRIORITY AND WE HAVE THE LINKS TO OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES.
I WILL SAY THAT WHEN THIS WAS EXCUSE ME WHEN THE POWER POINT WAS PUT TOGETHER, THERE WERE NINE CASES WHEN THIS WENT UP.
WHILE WE WANT ZERO, WE ARE PLEASED THAT NINE REPRESENTS ANY INTERACTION AND WE KNOW THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES IN PLACE, INCLUDING THE TEMPERATURE CHECKS AND REALLY THE SUPPORT FROM THE FAMILS OF KEEPING CHILDREN HOME WHEN THEY'RE EXPERIENCING SOME TYPE OF SYMPTOM.
WE'RE GLAD TO PUT UP THE DASHBOARD AND IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, USE STUDENT SERVICE'S EMAIL ADDRESS AND IT WILL BE RESPONDED TO.
WITH THAT, I'LL TURN THIS OVER TO DR. MAZINGO.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR. CRAWFORD.
THIS IS THE LAST SLIDE AND WE WANT TO QUICKLY PROVIDE YOU THE FUTURE PRESENTATIONS FOR APRIL 22ND.
THE SUMMER LEARNING, AS WELL AS FALL REOPENING AND SPACE NEEDS CONSIDERATIONS, VACCINATION POLL RESULTS AND CLASSROOM STATUS.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO DR. HUTCHINGS.
>> THIS IS A LOT OF INFORMATION TO SHARE AT ONCE, BUT I WANT TO REITERATE THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO FOLLOW THE CDC GUIDELINES AND THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO BRING BACK MORE STUDENTS.
WHAT WE WANT TO BE AN TO WORK THROUGH IS MAKING SURE THAT AS WE BEGIN TO PREPARE AND BRING MORE STUDENTS BACK, THAT WE ARE DOING ALL OF THE APPROPRIATE HEALTH AND SAFETY MITIGATIONS AND WORKING THROUGH THE IMPLICATIONS BECAUSE WE HAVE COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN OUR BUILDINGS AND WORKING THROUGH THE LOGISTICS.
WE ALSO WANT TO STAY TRUE TO KEEPING OUR STUDENTS WITH THEIR TEACHERS.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO CAUSE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF DISRUPTION TO STUDENTS AGAIN.
WE MADE THAT COMMITMENT AND WE'LL STICK TO THAT AND IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE WANT OUR STUDENTS BACK.
WE HAD FIVE THOUSAND BACK LAST MONTH AND BRINGING BACK THREE THOUSAND MORE AND WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS IN THAT AREA.
WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS SUMMER LEARNING TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE IN PERSON, FOUR DAYS A WEEK DURING THE SUGGESTION WEEK SESSION IN THE SUMMER AND MAKING SURE WE'RE MAKING SURE PLANS IN PLACE IN THE FALL.
BUT WITH THAT SAID, I WANT TO GO BACK TO MADAM CHAIR TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR QUESTIONS.
>> IT WAS GOOD TO HEAR FROM THE STAFF AND DR. HUTCHINGS.
THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST FRUSTRATED I'VE EVER BEEN I FEEL THERE HAS BEEN A REAL DISCONNECT IN THE COMMUNICATIONS AND A BREAK DOWN IN THE PROCESS THAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS.
[03:05:01]
WE HAVE HEARD A LOT OF FRUSTRATION FROM THE COMMUNITY AND I, QUITE FRANKLY, SHARE THAT FRUSTRATION.THE RIGHT REMARKS TO FOLLOW CDC GUIDELINES AND DO THE THREE FEET, THAT IS THE NOT THE MESSAGE THAT ACPS SENT OUT YESTERDAY.
I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE ACPS EXPRESS HAS BEEN EDITED AND I'M GLAD I SAW IT YESTERDAY AND WROTE IT DOWN AND SAY IT.
ON THE WEBSITE, IT SAID, AT THIS TIME, ACPS IS MAINTAINING SIX FEET OF PHYSICAL DISTANCING THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE SCHOOL AREA.
THAT IS UNSURPRISINGLY THE "WASHINGTON POST" WROTE.
WHY? BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A SURPRISING, ADVISING STATEMENT TO MAKE.
BECAUSE IT IS COMPLETELY COUNTER TO THE CDC GUIDELINES, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN SAYING ALL ALONG.
WE'VE BEEN HOLDING THE LINE SINCE MARCH OF LAST YEAR, THAT WE ARE GOING TO FOLLOW THE CDC GUIDELINES.
AND THE CDC GUIDELINES ARE NOW SAYING THREE FEET.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD ASK IF SLIDE FIVE COULD BE SHOWN.
SO I APPRECIATED THIS RUN THROUGH OF THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE.
BUT I HAVE TO SAY, WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, THERE IS NOTHING HERE THAT I SEE THAT PREVENTS US FROM GOING TO THREE FEET.
WE PUT IN THE HEALTH MITIGATIONS AND WE GET TO TAKE SOME AWAY.
I AM AWARE THAT, YES, STUDIES HAVE INDICATED THAT A TRANSMISSION IS MORE COMMON AMONG STUFF AND CERTAINLY, WE HAVE THE CLASSROOM WITH THE LINE AND SO THAT WILL REDUCE STAFF, BUT, OF COURSE, THE OTHER FACTOR, WHICH IS A GREAT SUCCESS FOR ACPS IS THAT EVERY SINGLE STAFF PERSON HAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE VACCINATED.
AND SO, WHEN I SEE ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, I AM TRULY BEWILDERED THAT A COMMUNICATION WOULD HAVE GONE OUT SAYING SIX FEET OF PHYSICAL DISTANCING THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE SCAL YEAR AND, QUITE FRANKLY, NOT AN ACKNOWLEDGE THE AS OF THIS PRESENTATION, THAT WE SEEM TO BE SAYING CONTRADICTORY THINGS RIGHT NOW.
AND I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BOARD AND THESE KINDS OF AND, YOU KNOW, TO WHAT EXTENT WE HAVE BEEN OVERSEEING AND UPON TORRING THE PROCESS AND TO THOSE PEOPLE, THIS IS WHAT ACCOUNTABILITY LOOKS LIKE.
WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING AND WE'VE SPENT MANY, MANY HOURS WITH THE STAFF WHO HAVE PREPARED A HUGE NUMBER OF REPORTS AND I THANK YOU FOR ALL THE REPORT AND QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ASKED.
MY FRUSTRATION IS, THAT MOMENT DIDN'T HAPPEN WHEN IT WENT OUT YESTERDAY AND IT FELT LIKE A DONE DEAL.
AND THIS IS OUR MOMENT WHERE, AT LEAST I AM SAYING WE NEED TO FOLLOW CDC GUIDELINES AND I AM SURE OFF THE TOP OF MY MED THE BUSES WILL BE A LOGISTICAL THING.
I'M SURE THE CDC WAS AWARE OF THAT AND CHANGED TO THE THREE FEET.
[03:10:11]
WE NEED TO DO THIS NOW AND IN THE SPRING BECAUSE BY THE SUMMER AND INTO THE FALL, WE HAVE TO OFFER FULL IN PERSON LEARNING FOR EVERYONE.FOR PEOPLE AT HOME THAT ARE WORRIED, IN ADDITION TO DR. HUTCHINGS' EMPHASIS, LET'S ME JUST SAY, YES, I'M TELL YOU IT WILL HAPPEN.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE MY WORD BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR SIGNED A BILL INTO LAW THAT WILL HAPPEN I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING MORE IN THE COMING PRESENTATIONS ABOUT THAT.
AND SO, AGAIN, JUST KIND OF A TOUGH MOMENT FOR ME.
BUT I JUST REALLY I REALLY FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO GET THOSE THOUGHTS OUT.
>> I'M STILL BACK ON THE CONCERN AROUND BEING READY I'M NOT HUNG UP ON THE THREE VERSUS SIX DAYS.
I THINK IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT THIS NEWS WENT OUT WHEN THE BOARD HADN'T FULLY DISCUSSED IT.
BUT I WAS NOT SURPRISED BECAUSE TO PIVOT SUDDENLY FROM SIX TO THREE, I COULD SEE THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF IMPORTANT STEPS THAT NEEDED TO BE EXAMINED.
I THINK THREE OF OUR PUBLIC COMMENTERS THIS EVENING PUT THEIR FINGER ON THE THING I'VE BEEN MOST CONCERNED ABOUT THROUGHOUT THIS CRISIS.
I THINK ONE OF THE OTHER COMMENTERS SAID SHE FELT WE WERE NOT READY TO GO TO THREE BECAUSE WE HAD NOT SUSPICIOUSLY LOOKED AT AIR QUALITY.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IS IF WE COULD BE MORE TRANSPARENT REGARDING WHAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE IN PLACE.
AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING WHERE WE DISCUSSED AIR CIRCULATION IN CLASSROOMS, MR. FINNEGAN TOLD US OUR CLASSROOMS ARE ARRANGED THAT NO MORE THAN FOUR CLASSROOMS IS AFFECTED BY EACH UNIT OF AIR CONDITIONING IN OUR SYSTEMS. THEREFORE AND I REMEMBER REPEATING AND ASKING, DID HE REALLY SAY FOUR CLASSROOMS? BECAUSE THEN HE TALKED ABOUT THE ABILITY TO MEASURE THE AIR AS IT WENT IN AND OUT.
I FEMALE THERE'S MORE GOING ON IN TERMS OF AIR QUALITY THAN THE PUBLIC REALIZES.
HOWEVER, I AGREE WITH FOLKS TONIGHT WHO TESTIFIED SAYING AND THIS COULD GO ON OUR DASHBOARD.
THERE HAS TO BE DAILY MONITORING OF THE ACTUAL AIR QUALITY IN THE CLASSROOMS. AND I THINK THE PUBLIC WOULD FEEL, MANY OF THOSE NOT READY TO GO TO THREE DAYS A WEEK AND NOT READY TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN BACK TO SCHOOL WOULD FEEL MUCH MORE READY IF THEY KNEW THAT WE ARE MONITORING ON A DAILY BASIS, WHICH YOU BELIEVE WE ARE DOING, BUT I THINK WE HAVE NOT MADE THAT CLEAR.
AND I THINK THAT IF WE HAD THE DATA, IN FACT, WE MIGHT FIND THAT IN SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS I FORGOTTEN THE NAME THE HIGH POWERFUL FILTERS ON OUR HVACS, IN SOME OF THE SCHOOLS, IT ISN'T ENOUGH.
AND THAT WE DO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, HEPPA AIR FILTERS IN CLASSROOMS THAT ARE NOT GETTING ENOUGH TURN OVER OF PURE AND FRESH AIR.
I THINK IT'S BEEN MADE VERY CLEAR WHAT SPREADS COVID THE MOST IS THE AIR, THE PARTICLES OF THE YOUR AND WE'VE GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO WORK ON THAT, BUT BECAUSE OF OUR TRACK RECORD AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM AND, OBVIOUSLY, SCHOOL BY SCHOOL, OUR OLDER SCHOOLS HAVE HAD A CHALLENGING TIME OF IT.
I DO RECALL DR. HUTCHINGS SAYING THAT IN FACT, IN SOME SCHOOLS WE ARE PLACING HEPPA FILTERED SYSTEMS IN PLACES THAT ARE HARDER TO REACH.
SO I THINK WE CAN REASSURE THE PUBLIC BETTER THAN WE HAVE BEEN DOING BY PROVIDING MORE INFORMATION, BUT THEN ALSO BEGINNING TO REASSURE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE DAILY REPORTING ON SCHOOL BY SCHOOL CLASSROOM ON AIR QUALITY SO WE CAN ALL FEEL THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO MAKE THE AIR QUALITY RIGHT FOR THE LACK OF SPREAD OF COVID.
>> I JUST WANT TO ECHO A FEW REMARKS AND THANK YOU.
I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THE AIR QUALITY IS IMPORTANT AND I DO KNOW THAT SOME
[03:15:05]
DISTRICTS ADOPTED USING THE FILTERS.THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT QUESTION WE'RE GETTING FROM A LOT FOLKS.
WE HAD MEMBERS WHO WERE EXPERTS AND I HOPE WE'RE REALIZING THE SKILLSET AND I DO THINK IF WE COULD ADD THE INFORMATION TO THE METRICS, NOT ONLY TO ASSURE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, BUT ALSO STAFF THAT'S HAPPENING, BECAUSE THE MORE TRANSPARENT TO THE BUILDINGS AND CLASSROOMS PEOPLE ARE WALKING INTO, THE BETTER.
I WANT TO SAY DITTO, I LEARNED ABOUT SIX FEAT TO THREE FEET, AND WE HAVE TO BE OVERLY TRANSPARENT TO THIS INFORMATION TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE DISCUSSIONS AND THAT IS NOT A GREAT WAY TO EITHER READ THE POST OR ACS EXPRESS TO WHAT THE PLANS ARE.
AND I THINK WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT, AS TO WE HAVE BEEN SAYING ALL ALONG, FOLLOWING THE CDC GUIDELINES IS OUR METRICS AND OUR COMPASS.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE FOLLOWING THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US GET TO THREE FEET, IF POSSIBLE, BY THE SPRING.
AND I DID NOT SEE THAT ON THE APRIL 22ND MEETING.
I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE NOT TALKING ABOUT SUMMER AND FALL, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE SPRING.
IF THE GUIDELINES ARE SAYING THREE FEET IN ANY CLASSROOMS, WE NEED TO GO THERE.
IF FOR NO OTHER REASON, THE OTHER INFORMATION IS SAYING IN PERSON LEARNING IS IMPORTANT.
YOU TALKED ABOUT THE TOP SEVEN PRIORITIES, EVERY KID FITS INTO THE TOP CERTAINLY CATEGORIES, ESPECIALLY A SCHOOL DIVISION OF THE LUNCH RATE AND A THIRD OF THE STUDENTS DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH, THAT'S NUMBER ONE.
THE OTHER THING, IT WOULD BE NICE TO GET ALL OF THE KINKS WORKED OUT IN THE SPRINGTIME TO HIT FALL WITH NO ISSUES AND TO LESSONS LEARNED.
IF WE CAN LEARN NOW TO GET STUDENTS IN WITHIN THREE FEET AND AS MANY DAYS AS POSSIBLE, THAT WILL MAKE FOR A STRONGER FALL TO NOT LEARN THE LESSONS THEN.
I WOULD LIKE THIS ADDED TO THE PRESENTATION FOR THE APRIL 22ND MEETING, NOT JUST FALL AND SUMMER, BUT WHAT IS POTENTIALLY POSSIBLE FOR THE SPRING.
I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT SOME WHAT THE SPEAKER TALKED ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE MONEY FROM THE CITY AND THE SPACE BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN WORKING AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THE ASK HAS NOT HAPPENED.
I KNOW IT HAS AND I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THE SITUATION.
KURT HOFFMAN AND I ARE FINALIZING THAT DOCUMENT AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE DR. HUTCHINGS AND THE BOARD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE EYES ON THE REQUEST THAT WE WILL MAKE AND THE INTENT IS TO RETURN THAT TO THE CITY BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK.
>> I'M GOING TO MOVE TO DR. REEF.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS.
I WANTED TO KIND OF REITERATE TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO EVERYONE.
I UNDERSTAND THERE WERE TWO MISSED STEPS THAT HAPPENED.
ONE WAS THIS IS WITH REGARDS TO THE THREE FEET VERSUS SIX FEET.
THIS BOARD HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO FOLLOWING THE CDC GUIDELINES AND CERTAINLY, I APPRECIATE WALKING THROUGH THE CAVEATS OF THE NEW GUIDELINES AND THAT SAID, I THINK THEY ARE CHALLENGES THAT WE CAN TALK.
BUT THINK THE TWO MISSTEPS IS THAT ONE, THE INFORMATION WENT OUT YESTERDAY BEFORE THE BOARD DELIBERATION AND THAT WAS PROBLEMATIC AND THAT WAS AN ADMITTED MISSTEP AND THE INFORMATION THAT WENT OUT, STICKING WITH SIX FEET WASINCORRECT.
IT WAS PREVIOUS DRAFT AND CHANGES IN THINKING AT THAT TIME.
SINCE WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, I KNOW THAT THE BOARD, THIS QUESTION OF
[03:20:02]
WHERE THE BOARD'S AUTHORITY IS AND WHAT WE SHOULD BE VOTING ON, I WANTED TO BROACH THAT FOR A SECOND.IN OCTOBER, THE BOARD VOTED TO SUPPORT A PHASED IN APPROACH FOR IN PERSON LEARNING AND WE TALKED ABOUT GIVING DR. HUTCHINGS THE FLEXIBILITY TO ADJUST TO CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND THE BOARD NEEDS TO BE VOTING ON FOR ASPECTS OF THE PROCESS.
I, FOR ONE, I WANT TO STATE I AM COMMITTED TO REQUIRING AS MANY STUDENTS AS POSSIBLE TO IN PERSON LEARNING THIS SCHOOL YEAR AND I WOULD SUGGEST I WOULD MAKE A MOTION THAT ACPS TRANSITION TO THREE FEET OF PHYSICAL DISTANCING BETWEEN DESKS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR.
>> I WOULD SECOND THAT MOTION FOR DISCUSSION.
>> SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE WITH DISCUSSION.
AND SO I WILL CALL ON MR. SUAREZ.
THIS IS CRITICAL THAT THESE DECISIONS INVOLVE THE BOARD AND THE REASON I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT IT AND I WILL GET TO THE MOTION WE ADOPTED BECAUSE YOU THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO DISCUSS THAT AND THE CONTEXT AND UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE HERE WHERE WE ARE.
WHEN WE ADOPTED THIS MOTION BY ME, TO PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY AROUND COMMUNITY HEALTH METRICS, THAT WAS A CONTEXT WHERE WE WERE MEETING EVERY WEEK.
WE WERE ASKING POINTED QUESTIONS AND IF WE FELT SOMETHING WASN'T GOING THE RIGHT WAY, WE WOULD TALK ABOUT THAT AND HAVE A SCHOOL BOARD RELATIONSHIP ON THOSE SORTS OF DISCUSSIONS AS THEY WENT.
I WAS FINE WITH THE MOTION AT THAT TIME AND WAS FINE WITH HAVING THAT DISCUSSION.
WE WERE MEETING EVERY WEEK BACK THEN AND TALKING ABOUT THESE THINGS CONSTANTLY.
THE CDC GUIDANCE CHANGED AND THE DECISION OF WHETHER TO GO WITH THE CDC GUIDANCE, THAT IS NOT A DISCRETIONARY DECISION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.
THAT IS A POLICY DECISION AND THAT'S A POLICY DECISION.
IS IT THE SCHOOL GOING FORWARD WITH THREE FEET OF DISTANCING AS THE POLICY OR NOT? AND THE POLICY, THINK, THAT THE BOARD SORT OF WAS OFF ASSUMING AS BACKGROUND, YOU KNOW, DURING WHEN IT ADOPTED THE LAST MOTION WAS THAT WE WERE FOLLOWING THE SCIENCE AND GOING WITH THE GUIDELINES.
AND SO, I GUESS ALL OF THAT IS TO SAY IS THAT I THINK THE BOARD REALLY DOES NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION, WHICH IS WHY I SECONDED THE MOTION, ABOUT WHAT DOES THE POLICY LOOK LIKE NOW IN TERMS OF GOING FORWARD, GETTING TO KIDS BACK IN THE CLASSROOM? IT'S BEEN A YEAR AND, AGAIN, TIMES HAVE CHANGED A LOT.
DR. HUTCHINGS, I DID APPRECIATE YOU EXPRESSING THE POSITIVIVETY AROUND WE WANT TO GET THE KIDS IN THE CLASSROOM AND WE'LL DO THE BEST WE CAN TO DO THAT FOR THE FALL AND IN THE SUMMER, WE'LL GO TO FOUR DAYS.
BUT THERE'S A SENSE OF URGENCY HERE.
GOING BACK TO MISS GENTRY'S OTHER POINT AND BACK TO THE PRESENTATION, WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE RISK ZONE.
IN SOME WAYS, THIS IS NORMALIZING THIS IS WHAT DR. HUTCHINGS I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE IS A WAY TO WORD IT.
AND YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE WE WANT IT SO DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN BE SO, SO MAYBE SOMETHING THAT MR. SUAREZ WAS SAYING AND WE RECOGNIZE THERE ARE CERTAIN CONSTRAINTS.
AND MAYBE ATTACHING SOMETHING THAT IT SAYS ALSO AUTHORIZING THE SUPERINTENDENT TO MAKE NEW RESOURCE REQUESTS OR UTILIZE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT INCORPORATES GIVES MORE POWER, THE SUPERINTENDENT TO PUSH HARDER ON THE CITY.
THE CITY HAS BEEN PROMISING AND HASN'T PRODUCED SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE MORE SPACE TO TEACH THE KIDS.
I'M JUST MORE ONLY WITH THE WORDING, I GUESS.
>> I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED.
AND I NI FOR THINK FOR ME, THAT FIRST GROUP THAT IS IN OUR PRIORITIZATION MATRIX IS A HUGE PRIORITY.
SO, AND THEY WOULD DEFINITELY FALL IN TO THAT CATEGORY.
[03:25:07]
SO CAN ANYONE ANSWER THAT QUESTION ABOUT THOUGHTS THAT HAVE GONE IN TO ADDITIONAL DAYS FOR THAT GROUP?>> SO FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THE MOST SEVERE CONCERNS, IT'S NOT GOING IN TO FOUR DAYS A WEEK.
BUT WE ARE HAVING THOSE STUDENTS A PART OF OUR SEAL MONDAYS.
THAT'S ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THAT COMES IN ADDITION TO THEIR TWO DAYS THAT THEY HAVE IN PERSON LEARNING.
THAT IS THE STANCE THAT WE'VE BEEN TAKING TO TRY TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THOSE STUDENTS.
AND THAT'S STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT JUST STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
THESE ARE ALSO SOME STUDENTS WHO ARE IN OUR TIER 2, TIER 3 WHO MAY NOT HAVE AN IEP BUT ARE EXPERIENCING CHALLENGES WITH THE PANDEMIC.
SO THAT IS THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THAT WE ARE PROVIDING.
OR THE ADDITIONAL DAY THAT WE ARE PROVIDING.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING TO REALLY BE CLEAR ABOUT, TOO.
BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE SEAL SUPPORT MONDAY IS AN EXTRA DAY OFFERED TO PRIORITIZED STUDENTS.
IT'S GOOD TO CLARIFY FOR ME, FOR BOARD MEMBERS, AND FOR THE PUBLIC.
SO YOU KNOW, I THINK OH, I SEE MS. GREEN HAS A HAND UP.
I THINK THE ONLY THING I'D WANT TO REITERATE IS ABSOLUTELY, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE STING WAS ABSOLUTELY FELT WHEN INFORMATION WENT OUT IN THE ACPS EXPRESS.
AND YOU KNOW, DELIBERATION ESPECIALLY FOR ISSUES LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE ALL KNOW THESE DISCUSSIONS NEED TO HAPPEN HERE PRIOR TO YOU KNOW, BIG THINGS GOING OUT.
THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO ALWAYS REMEMBER BECAUSE IT'S ALSO ONE OF THOSE THINGS, YOU KNOW, I'M A CHAMPION OF THE STAFF.
AND SO IT'S JUST ANOTHER WAY TO ALWAYS KIND OF US BEING COGNIZANT OF HELP EACH OTHER HELP EACH OTHER.
I THINK IT WAS UNFORTUNATE, BUT WE'RE MOVING ALONG.
WE CAN MOVE ALONG FROM HERE IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION.
THAT'S WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT FOR ME AT THIS TIME.
I JUST ALSO WANTED TO SAY I'M JUST HAPPY THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD NOW IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION AS WELL.
AND ALSO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THE MOTION THE SAME.
AND WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE MOTION AS WRITTEN.
AND THEN I THINK THE MOTIONS ARE ON THE TABLE.
WE'LL NEED TO VOTE FOR THE MOTION.
I JUST HAD A CLARIFYING QUESTION.
MAYBE IT'S FOR DR. REEVE, OR I'M NOT SURE.
WHAT ARE THE TERMS, IN TERMS OF TIME LINE.
ON ONE HAND, WE WANT TO GET STUDENTS IN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW DOES THE TIMELINE BE INCORPORATED IN TO THE MOTION OR WHAT'S THE THOUGHT PROCESS AROUND THAT?
>> SPEAKING >> > I'LL JUST SPEAK FOR MYSELF, FOR ME, THIS REALLY REPRESENTS THE FACT THAT WE ARE REALLY COMMITTED TO DOING THIS AND TO FOLLOWING THE CDC GUIDANCE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME TRANSITION IN ORDER TO MAKE IT IN ORDER TO EXECUTE IT.
SO I THINK THAT'S FOR DR. HUTCHINGS TO REALLY EXPLAIN WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE AND HOW THE TIMELINE IS GOING TO WORK WITH THAT.
DR. HUTCHINGS, DID YOU HAVE THINGS YOU WANTED TO SAY?
>> ONE, I JUST WANT TO SAY I HAVE TO GO BACK AND REALLY TALK TO OUR TEAM ABOUT A DEFINITIVE DATE.
I THINK IT WOULD BE UNFAIR FOR ME TO THROW OUT A DATE TODAY.
WHEN I KNOW WE HAVE BEEN WORKING THROUGH A TIME FRAME, BUT NOT NECESSARILY A DAY.
LIKE THIS IS WHEN IT'S GOING TO BE.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M ABLE TO CALL A SPECIAL MEETING FOR OUR TRANSITION TEAM TO WORK WITH THEM AS WELL AS OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS BECAUSE IT DOES HAVE SOME IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS ON THEM AS WELL.
SO THAT WE CAN JUST WORK WITH EVERYONE SO THAT IT'S NOT A COMPLETE KIND OF, LIKE, JUST TURNOVER OVERNIGHT WITHOUT ALLOWING SOME OF OUR PARTNERS TO HAVE CONTINGENCY PLANS.
THAT I KNOW MANY OF THEM ALREADY HAVE SOME JUST IN CASE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE WERE GOING TO ADDITIONAL SPACES.
SO I JUST WANT TO DEFER TO OUR TEAM.
IT'S NOT GOING TO TAKE WEEKS FOR ME TO MEET WITH THEM.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO CALL A MEETING EARLY NEXT WEEK SO THAT I CAN GIVE EVERYBODY ADEQUATE TIME TO BE IN THE SESSION MONDAY OR TUESDAY NEXT WEEK TO TALK THROUGH A
[03:30:09]
SPECIFIC DATE.AND THAT ACTUALLY MADE ME THINK OF ONE MORE THING, WHICH WAS ALONG THE LINES OF MS. NOLAN'S COMMENTS ABOUT THE APRILB 22ND MEETING.
OR IS IT POSSIBLE TO ALONGSIDE, BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT CHART THAT SAYS WHAT THE CONSTRAINTS ARE.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO ALONGSIDE THAT LIST OF CONSTRAINTS AND MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE TRANSITION GROUP CAN DO IS TO COME UP WITH JUST TO SEE JUXTAPOSE POTENTIAL WAYS TO REMOVE THOSE BARRIERS.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO ANYONE? I KNOW IT WILL BE HELPFUL FOR ME TO SEE, HERE'S THE CONSTRAINT.
HERE'S WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO REMOVE THAT BARRIER.
SO I'LL JUST I GUESS I'M JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE FOR TO CONSIDER.
>> SO WE WERE PLANNING TO BRING ALL OF OUR KIND OF CONSTRAINTS AS WELL AS BARRIERS TO THE APRILB 22ND MEETING.
BUT THAT WAS ALREADY IN MOTION.
IT APPEARS THAT WE WANT THINGS SOONER THAN THAT.
SO I WANT TO WORK WITH OUR TEAM TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON HOW WE CAN EXPEDITE THAT
[03:35:15]
INFORMATION.IF THAT IS THE CASE, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE HAVE A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OR SOMETHING, IF IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BEFORE THE APRILB 22ND TIMEFRAME.
WE'LL JUST NEED TO WORK THROUGH THAT.
[03:41:05]
SO I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DISCUSS AT AGENDA SETTING, TOO.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE.
AND I WILL SUSAN, DO YOU HAVE THE LANGUAGE FOR THE MOTION? OKAY.
>> THE MOTION IS APPROVED 9 0.
THAT IS THE END OF THE HYBRID REOPENING UPDATE.
>> EXCUSE ME, I DID HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
[03:45:03]
I'M SORRY.>> WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE THREE FEET VERSUS THE SIX FEET.
I WAS KIND OF STICKING TO THAT.
BUT I DID HAVE A QUESTION JUST BEFORE WE WRAP UP ABOUT THE PHASED REENTRY PROCESS THAT I WANTED TO ASK.
SINCE OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING IS GOING TO BE ON THE 22ND AFTER THIS PROCESS IS ALREADY STARTED.
I WANT TO BE ABLE TO ASK THIS, WHICH IS THAT I UNDERSTAND THE CAPACITY HAS TO BE DETERMINED ON THE CLASSROOM BY CLASSROOM BASIS.
WHICH I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT HAS TO BE DETERMINED ON A CLASSROOM BY CLASSROOM BASIS.
AND AS YOU PRESENTED THIS EVENING, THE SCHOOL TEAMS WILL BE DIRECTLY CONTACTING FAMILIES ABOUT TRANSITIONING.
IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN TRANSITIONING FROM VIRTUAL TO HYBRID.
OR IF THEY'RE TRANSITIONING FROM VIRTUAL TO HYBRID.
I TAKE THAT TO MEAN THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANOTHER SURVEY OR FAMILY CHOICE FORM.
AND I JUST, I REALLY WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONFUSION REGARDING THE FAMILY CHOICE FORM IN DECEMBER.
I KNOW THAT THERE WERE SOME COMMUNICATIONS THAT WENT OUT SAYING THAT THAT FORM WAS NOT BINDING.
AND THAT FAMILIES WOULD HAVE BEEN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THEIR RESPONSE LATER.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF DR. HUTCHINGS WANTS TO MAKE ANY COMMENT ABOUT THAT.
BUT I KNOW I'VE SEEN THAT SOME SCHOOLS ARE ENCOURAGING PARENTS TO CONTACT PRINCIPALS IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN TRANSITIONING.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CLARIFY FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS NOT A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS.
SO I'M REALLY GLAD TO SEE THE PRIORITIZATION OF STUDENTS FOCUSING INITIALLY ON THOSE WHO HAVE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND ACADEMIC LEARNING NEEDS.
GETTING TO THAT SIXTH PRIORITIZATION GROUP, HOW WILL IT BE HANDLED IF THERE'S MORE INTEREST THAN THERE ARE SPACES? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT BECAUSE EVERY SCHOOL STAFF IS GOING TO BE CONTACTING THESE FAMILIES, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS SORT OF THE FAIR OPPORTUNITY TO INDICATE THAT THEY ARE INTERESTED IN TRANSITIONING AT THIS TIME.
AND ALSO, THAT WE ARE TAKING STEPS TO REACHING OUT TO MAYBE VULNERABLE FAMILIES ABOUT SOME OF THE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN TAKING SO THAT IF THEY ARE RELUCTANT TO COME BACK, THEY CAN BE ASSURED THAT THEY ARE COMING BACK IN TO A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
SO IF YOU COULD JUST SPEAK ABOUT THAT, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE SOME CLARIFICATION ABOUT THAT.
>> I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A DISCUSSION THAT OUR LEAD PRINCIPALS HAVE BEEN HAVING IN REGARDS TO THE PRIORITIZATION MATRIX.
SO I'M GOING TO ASK FOR EITHER MR. PASCAL, MS. PETERS TO SPEAK TO THAT.
AND I CAN START WITH THAT, DR. HUTCHINGS.
THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS FOR THE LAST WEEK HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT, FIRST OF ALL, AS MS. PETERS SAID EARLIER, TO CONFIRM WITH THE FAMILIES OF THE STUDENTS THAT DIDN'T SHOW UP.
IF INDEED, THAT IS THEIR INTENT TO REMAIN VIRTUAL OR IF THEY JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
AFTER THAT, WE PRIORITIZED WE USED THE PRIORITIZATION MATRIX TO IDENTIFY STUDENTS TO FILL EACH AND EVERY SPACE IN OUR AVAILABLE ROOMS. FOR US AT TUCKER, THAT WAS ABOUT 50 STUDENTS.
SO JUST TODAY, I ENTERED DATA IN TO THE WORKSHEET THAT LETS TRANSPORTATION KNOW I HAVE 27 NAMES TO GIVE YOU TO GET A BUS FOR FOR APRILB 20TH.
SO WE'RE ABOUT HALFWAY TO FILLING OUR SPACES.
AND AS IT TURNS OUT, IN SOME CASES WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET ALL THE WAY THROUGH THAT PRIORITIZATION MATRIX.
BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW, THERE REMAIN MANY FAMILIES WHO ARE STILL UNCOMFORTABLE HAVING THEIR STUDENTS RETURN TO THE BUILDING.
SO WE HAVE TAKEN RECORD OF EVERY SINGLE FAMILY THAT HAS CALLED IN TO EXPRESS AN INTEREST.
WE'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR THAT IT'S NOT A WAITING LIST.
IT'S NOT A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED.
BUT WE HAVE RECORDED THEIR NAMES.
AND INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, WHEN YOU CROSS REFERENCE THE LIST OF THE NAMES OF THE STUDENTS FROM MTSS OR THE NEEDY ELS, STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, MANY OF THOSE FAMILIES HAVE INDEED BEEN ON THE LIST TO WELCOME BACK.
SO OUR PLAN IS IF WE GET TO THE END OF THE LIST, AND THERE ARE NO NAMES, WE WON'T SEND OUT A WHOLE SURVEY.
BUT WE WILL SELECTIVELY BEGIN TO CALL FAMILIES AND JUST SAY, WE HAVE ADDITIONAL SPACES IN YOUR CHILD'S HOME ROOM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED.
BUT WE'RE WORKING COLLECTIVELY.
THERE'S AN IMPORTANT DEADLINE TOMORROW AND THEN MONDAY.
AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO BE WELCOMING BACK.
TO ME, THE BOTTOM LINE IS ALL OF US, EVERY BUILDING LEADER, EVERY TEACHER WANTS TO WELCOME BACK AS MANY KIDS AS POSSIBLE.
[03:50:01]
AND I THANK YOU, DR. REEF FOR BRINGING UP THE TWO IMPORTANT WORDS IN THE CDC GUIDELINES, WITH CAVEATS BECAUSE THOSE CAVEATS WEREN'T EXPRESSED VERY CLEARLY ON THE EVENING NEWS.BUT THOSE REMAIN OUR OBSTACLES, OR CHALLENGES I SHOULD SAY MOVING FORWARD.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO FILL EVERY SINGLE SPACE AND MOVE FORWARD EVERY TIME.
THIS PROCESS IS SIMILAR AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL EXCEPT FOR WE DO IT ON A TEAM BY TEAM BASIS.
AND THEN FOR OUR CONTENT AREAS WE HAVE TO DO IT CLASS BY CLASS.
SO VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT MR. PASCAL SHARED, WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PRIORITIZATION MATRIX MAKING SURE WE PROVIDE AS MUCH OPPORTUNITY AND FILLING IN ALL THE SPACES THAT WE DO HAVE AVAILABLE.
FOR THE SECONDARY MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE DO HAVE TO GO TEAM BY TEAM, AND HIGH SCHOOL CONTENT AREA BY CONTENT AREA.
SO THAT CONCLUDES THAT PORTION OF OUR MEETING.
WE HAVE TO GO IN TO OUR WORK SESSION.
DO WE HAVE A SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT?
[18. Report from Meagan L. Alderton]
NOTHING.OH, THIS IS A GOOD THING TO REPORT.
SO WE'LL HOST SESSIONS FOR FAMILY, STAFF AND STUDENTS WHO HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING HYBRID LEARNING PLAN, SUMMER LEARNING, AND THE OUTLOOK FOR THE FALL.
THOSE SESSIONS ARE HAPPENING ON MARCHB 19, '21, 22.
EACH PANEL WILL INCLUDE REMEMBER BOARD, TWO BOARD MEMBERS, SO DON'T FORGET YOUR SIGN UPS.
EACH SESSION WILL INCLUDE TWO BOARD MEMBERS.
PLEASE SEE THE WEBSITE FOR DETAILS.
WE HOPE WE HAVE LOTS OF ENGAGEMENT.
LET'S SEE, ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS?
>> MS. ALDERTON, THAT'S IN APRIL.
AND I MAY HAVE MISS PUT THAT DOWN ON PAPER FOR YOU GUYS.
>> THE SESSIONS ARE IN APRIL, NOT MARCH.
I MEAN APRIL 19TH, 21ST AND 22ND.
ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? WE ARE GOING TO GO IN TO RECESS FOR THE PURPOSE OF GOING IN TO WORK SESSION.
WE DO HAVE TO GO IN TO A CLOSED MEETING.
WE ARE IN RECESS RIGHT NOW AT 9:18 AND THAT'S IT.
READ US OUT OF CLOSED SESSION.
[21. Closed Meeting and Certification of Closed Meeting]
>> YES, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD CERTIFY THAT TO THE BEST BY WHICH THE CLOSE OF MEETING WAS CONVENED HEARD, DISCUSSED, CONSIDERED IN THE BOARD IN THE CLOSED MEETING HELD ON APRIL 8, 2021.
I HAVE MS. GENTRY WHO SECONDS MS. NOLAN'S MOTION.
>> I NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
>> I HAVE MS. LORBER WHO SECONDS MS. ANDERSON'S MOTION.
[03:55:09]
I'M GOING TO CALL FOR THE VOTE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.