MOVING RIGHT ALONG, WE CAN MOVE INTO OUR RETREAT. [00:00:03] SO, I AM GOING TO TURN THINGS OVER TO MS. LAURIE CORNWELL. >> SPEAKER: GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY. ONE THING SOMEONE ASKED ME TO DO AND I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY APPROPRIATE IS TO REMIND EVERYBODY WHY WE HAVE THESE RETREATS AND THE PURPOSE OF THEM IN THE STRUCTURE OF THEM. IT IS TYPICALLY A LITTLE MORE INFORMAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BOARD TO TALK ABOUT SPECIFIC INITIATIVES OR WAY THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY WORK TOGETHER BETTER. AS YOU KNOW, WE WERE ALL ELECTED INDIVIDUALLY. WE DID NOT ASK FOR THIS TEAM, WE WERE GIVEN THIS TEAM AND IT DOES TAKE TEAMWORK TO MAKE DECISIONS. MY JOB IS TO WORK WITH THE BOARD, SPECIFICALLY IN THAT TEAMWORK ARENA TO TRY AND WORK THROUGH ANY ISSUES OR WAYS WE CAN BE BETTER. IT DOESN'T MEAN BECAUSE WE ARE DOING TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES DOESN'T MEAN WE WORK WELL AS A GROUP WE CAN ALWAYS WORK BETTER. TONIGHT WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THREE SPECIFIC AREAS. ONE IS THE BOARD ASSESSMENT. WE DID ONE IN JANUARY 2020. THEN WE DID ONE IN JANUARY 2021. THE REASON THERE WAS NO MOVEMENT OR DISCUSSION BETWEEN 20 AND 2021 WAS OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE OF COVID. WHEN WE MET IN JANUARY WE MET AND REVIEWED THE RESULTS BETWEEN 20 AND 2021 AND WE IDENTIFIED TWO AREAS. ONE BEING THE COMMUNITY AND COMMUNICATION PIECE. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PIECE. THEN THE SECOND AREA HAS TO DO WITH OUR VALUES AND THE WAY WE OPERATE AS A TEAM AND A DIVISION. SO, THOSE TWO AREAS WE WILL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE. I WILL BE SENDING OUT A REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INDICATORS THAT WE WOULD PUT ON OUR ASSESSMENT FOR THE NEXT TIME WE DO IT. I WOULD LIKE US TO TAKE A MOMENT AND TALK ABOUT THAT SPECIFIC AREA OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD ASSESSMENT. AS SOON GO THROUGH A LITTLE BIT MORE ON WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO TONIGHT. THE SECOND THING WE ARE GOING TO DO IS TALK ABOUT THE STRUCTURE OF THE BOARD. WE ARE ALL ELECTED EVERY THREE YEARS TO THESE POSITIONS . THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST STRUCTURE, OR MAYBE IT IS. WE AS A BOARD HAVE BEEN HAVING SOME VERY HIGH LEVEL DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS. WE WANT TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT AS WELL. WE ARE NOT GOING TO GO DEEP INTO THAT BUT WE WILL HAVE SOME FEEDBACK. AT SOME POINT, PROBABLY AT OUR NEXT RETREAT WE MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER A SWOT ANALYSIS. WHAT THAT IS IS BASICALLY FINDING OUT THE STRENGTH OF THE STRUCTURE WE HAVE NOW. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WEAKNESSES PROVIDED. WHAT ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES MIGHT HAVE AVAILABLE TO US IF WE WERE TO CHANGE THAT STRUCTURE? AND, WHAT KIND OF THREATS WOULD HAPPEN? IF WE WERE TO CHANGE THE STRUCTURE. THE FINAL PIECE WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IS THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT COMMUNICATION. THIS IS HOW WE CAN BE BETTER COMMUNICATORS WITH EACH OTHER AND TALK ABOUT CERTAIN THINGS THAT MAY IMPEDE US FROM BEING THE BEST TEAM WE CAN. WE WANT TO FOCUS ON THOSE THREE AREAS AS WELL. WE'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC ATTENTION ABOUT NOT ONLY OPENING OUR SCHOOLS BUT IN GENERAL, HOW WE OPERATE . THERE'S A LOT OF INPUT THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE BOARD RIGHT NOW. I KNOW YOU ARE INUNDATED WITH EMAILS AND PEOPLE REACHING OUT. IF WE NEED TO DECOMPRESS ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY SCHOOL BOARD THAT IS FEELING PRESSURE. IT IS TOTALLY NORMAL. I THINK MOST TIMES MOST PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY DO NOT KNOW OR UNDERSTAND THE ROLE YOU ARE IN AND THE PRESSURE YOU ARE IN. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT THAT AND THE PRESSURES YOU MIGHT HAVE. SO, WE WILL STRIVE TO HIT THAT 10:00 MARK. WE MIGHT GO OVER BECAUSE OF THE SPECIAL MEETING BUT WE WILL TRY TO STAY IF WE CAN WITHIN THAT 10:00 TIMEFRAME. I KNOW YOU HAVE ALL HAD A REALLY LONG DAY AND THIS COMES AT THE END OF THE DAY AND PUT YOUR FRESH HEAD ON AND YOUR EYES AND LET'S FIGURE OUT HOW WERE GOING TO MAKE THIS RETREAT HAPPEN FOR US. IT'S NOT A VERY STRUCTURED ENVIRONMENT BUT IT IS RECORDED IF ANYONE WANTS TO LOOK AT IT. WE ARE A VERY TRANSPARENT GROUP AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. I HAVE TALKED TO EACH ONE OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY AND WE HAVE DISCUSSED IT ANY TIMES [00:05:04] INDIVIDUALLY. LET'S DIVE RIGHT IN AND TALK ABOUT THAT ASSESSMENT PIECE AND ANY THOUGHTS THAT YOU [School Board Assessment: Review Priorities] MIGHT HAVE. I ASKED FOR SOME FEEDBACK THAT I DIDN'T GET A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM YOU GUYS. LAST JANUARY WHEN WE MET ABOUT THE ASSESSMENT WE HAD A LOT OF BALLS IN THE AIR, OBVIOUSLY. ANY THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS? ALSO, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHEN YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT ASSESSMENT AGAIN. AS THIS BOARD, I THINK IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A SNAPSHOT INTO THOSE TWO AREAS BEFORE WE SEE THE NEXT ELECTION TAKE PLACE AND NEW PEOPLE, PERHAPS, IN THESE SEATS. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE. IT IS GOOD FOR THE BOARD TO TALK ABOUT THE TIMING AND WHEN YOU WANT TO DO IT AGAIN AND WHEN YOU HAVE MADE IMPROVEMENT IN THOSE AREAS. >> CHAIR: SOUNDS GOOD. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: THE COMMUNICATION PIECE WAS ONE AND THE SECOND PIECE WAS THE VALUES. HIGH-LEVEL THOUGHTS. I WILL SEND YOU OUT, BECAUSE WERE NOT COMING TO ANY CONCLUSIONS TONIGHT BUT I WILL SEND YOU THOSE TWO AREAS IF YOU HAVEN'T LOOKED AT IT LATELY OF THOSE SURVEY QUESTIONS. >> BOARD MEMBER: I HAVE A QUESTION, I DON'T REMEMBER SETTING GOALS FOR THESE AREAS. DID WE DO THAT? I THINK THAT WOULD BE DESIRABLE IN THE FUTURE. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: THAT IS WHERE WE ARE HEADED, HOPEFULLY. YOU GUYS TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD BEFORE. SEE IF THERE IS ANYTHING MISSING THAT WILL BE AN INDICATOR FOR US TO LOOK AT FOR OUR NEXT TIME THAT WE DO THE ASSESSMENT. I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE FOCUS ON THOSE TWO AREAS FOR NOW SINCE THOSE ARE THE TWO AREAS WE ARE TRYING TO HONE IN ON AND NOT GET CLOUDED WITH THE OTHER AREAS THAT ARE EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT. THESE TWO ROSE TO THE TOP WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT OUR PRIORITIES. THOSE TWO AREAS, WHAT I WILL BE DOING IS SENDING OUT THE SURVEY QUESTIONS THAT WE DID BEFORE AND THE COMPARISON BETWEEN 20 AND 21 SPECIFICALLY BETWEEN THOSE TWO AREAS. DOCTOR HUTCHINSON DID SEND ME SOME THINGS THAT YOU WANTED TO SEE ON THE NEXT ASSESSMENT. YOU PROBABLY FORGOT THAT. AT THE NEXT RETREAT WE WILL TAKE YOUR INPUT. I AM SERIOUS. I WANT YOU GUYS TO HAVE SOME INPUT IN THOSE AREAS AND HAVE AN INDICATION OF GOALS FOR THOSE TWO AREAS AT THE NEXT RETREAT. THOUGHTS ON WHEN WE WANT TO DO IT? TO LAUNCH IT AGAIN? >> CHAIR: I AM THINKING AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR? BECAUSE, WE ARE ALSO THERE TO START GETTING INTO THE 360 FEEDBACK CYCLE. THAT COULD BE SOME EVEN MORE DATA TO COMPARE . HOW IS EVERYONE AROUND US FEELING? OUR STAFF, OUR FAMILIES, OUR PRINCIPALS, OUR TEACHERS, OUR CENTRAL OFFICE COMPARED TO HOW WE ARE SEEING OURSELVES. AT THE END OF THE YEAR WOULD BE A GOOD TIME. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: I THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD, TO. WE WILL PROBABLY NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHEN WE ARE GOING TO GET THAT. WE PROBABLY WANT TO FIGURE OUT WHEN WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO HAVE THE NEXT RETREAT TO HAVE THOSE GOAL AREAS. I CAN WORK WITH SUSAN ON THAT BUT THE SOONER WE CAN DO THAT BETTER. WE WILL CIRCLE BACK AFTER WE HAVE HAD THIS RETREAT TO SEE WHAT BUBBLES TO THE PRIORITIZED AREAS BASED ON TONIGHT. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU GUYS COME UP WITH THOSE GOAL AREAS AND THOSE TWO SECTIONS AND SEE IF YOU MEET THOSE INDICATORS TOWARD THE END OF THE YEAR. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? >> BOARD MEMBER: I AGREE. I THINK IT'S A GREAT MOMENT FOR REFLECTION AND LOGISTICALLY IF WE ARE THINKING ABOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE CALENDAR YEAR THAT IS THE BEST MOMENT. HEADING INTO FALL THERE WILL BE ALL THE BACK TO SCHOOL STUFF AND ADDITION TO THAT [00:10:09] THE MEMBERS THAT ARE RUNNING FOR ELECTION ARE GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT AS WELL. I THINK IF WE ARE FOCUSING ON AN ASSESSMENT OF THIS TEAM, THIS CURRENT TEAM IT IS PROBABLY BETTER TO DO IT, I THINK AT THE END OF THIS CURRENT ACADEMIC YEAR. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: ANY OTHER THOUGHT? I THANK YOU'RE RIGHT. IF WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE COMING ON PERHAPS IN JANUARY, WE REMEMBER THOSE WHO WERE ELECTED LAST CYCLE WHERE YOU ARE SAYING I'M DOING WHAT EXACTLY? WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THIS ASSESSMENT? THAT KIND OF THING. NOW THAT YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT AND YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE TOOL CAN BE USED FOR, YOU WANT TO USE THAT TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY. >> BOARD MEMBER: THAT WAY, I KNOW THERE IS LOTS OF INTEREST IN THE FALL WHEN THERE IS THAT TRANSITION TIME TO FOCUS ON TRANSITION STUFF AND NOT JUST CURRENT BOARD POSITION STUFF. WE CAN GET THIS DONE AND WE CAN ALSO LEAVE TIME FOR THOSE TYPES OF MOMENT. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: I DON'T THINK IT WILL BE DIFFICULT I THINK THAT LIFE WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN AND WE WILL HAVE THE DELAYS AND WE WILL STAY FOCUSED ON THAT. I WILL WORK WITH SUSAN TO GET THAT PROPOSED TIMELINE DOWN. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE SCHOOL BOARD STRUCTURE? GO AHEAD. >> CHAIR: I THINK MICHELLE'S HAND WAS THAT. >> BOARD MEMBER: I'M SORRY I WAS RAISING MY HAND THAT IT BLENDS IN WITH MY WALL. [LAUGHTER] I WAS GOING TO ADD THAT WE HAVE A NEW COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR AND I DON'T KNOW IF - IF THE BOARD IS WORKING ON RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS. WITH COMMUNICATIONS, I DON'T KNOW IF IT MAKES SENSE TO MEET WITH THEM AND TRY TO COLLECTIVELY GET ON THE SAME PAGE, TOO ABOUT THAT. IT SEEMS LIKE THEY SHOULD BE A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION. AND ALSO, DURING THE COVID TIME PERIOD IT'S BEEN CHALLENGING AS A BOARD MEMBER BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A CHANCE TO BE AROUND STAFF. WE HAD THOSE INFORMAL BOARD MEETINGS AND THE STAFF IS THERE BUT THERE COULD BE A BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW ANOTHER AND WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT. WE HAVEN'T HAD MANY FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME TO TALK ABOUT THIS BUT IN THINKING ABOUT THE LAST YEAR, I THINK THERE HAS BEEN A RECURRING THEME THAT I HAVE BEEN HEARING FROM MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. AND, I FEEL LIKE OUR COMMUNICATIONS HAVE IMPROVED A LOT. SOMETIMES IT IS STILL MISSING THE MARK WITH FOLKS. YOU KNOW, I THINK PART OF IT IS LEADING WITH OUR VALUES MORE AND CONTINUE TO LEAD WITH OUR VALUES AND SHOWING EMPATHY FOR ALL. THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY HARD SITUATION ON EVERYONE THIS PAST YEAR AND ALSO THIS IDEA OF WANTING TO BE REALLY PROACTIVE IN THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING. THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT I FEEL LIKE I KEEP HEARING. AND SO, I THOUGHT I WOULD MENTION THAT SO WE COULD TALK ABOUT IT. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: I KNOW THAT GREG AND I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AS WELL. GREG? >> DR. HUTCHISON: YES. I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR THE NEW COMMUNICATION TEAM TO PROVIDE THE BOARD WITH AN IDEA OF REALLY WHAT THE STRUCTURE IT IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE MOVING FORWARD. WE ARE PLANNING TO DO SOMETHING IN LATE MAY AT ONE OF OUR BOARD MEETINGS IN MAY MOST LIKELY THE MAY 20 MEETING TO PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION IN REGARDS TO THE RESTRUCTURING. BECAUSE, WE HAVE HAD, AS YOU KNOW A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, KATHY JUST STARTED THREE WEEKS AGO, A WEEK BEFORE BREAK. SO, EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS HIRED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO SHE DIDN'T START UNTIL AFTER [00:15:04] THE BREAK. THERE ARE SOME RESTRUCTURING THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING AT THIS TIME BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING SOME TRANSITION THAT AFFORDS US THE OPPORTUNITY WITHOUT DISPLACING PEOPLE. I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY WHAT THE OUTCOMES ARE THAT WE ARE SEEKING AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM. I THINK IT WILL BE TIMELY FOR US TO DO THAT. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: MEGAN, DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOME THING OR WERE YOU COMMENTING THAT MICHELLE HAD HER HANDS UP? >> CHAIR: NO. I THOUGHT I WAS BUT ACTUALLY, I THINK GREG JUST SHARED A GOOD BIT. I AM GOOD. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: STAY TUNED ON THAT. DON'T LET IT GET TOO FAR FROM YOUR VISION. WE HAVE BEEN HAMMERING THIS HORSE FOR A LONG TIME AND WE DON'T WANT TO KILL IT. LET'S MOVE INTO THE SCHOOL BOARD STRUCTURE. [School Board Structure: SWOT Analysis] LET'S TALK ABOUT IN GENERALITY, I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THE BOARD PREVIOUS TO THIS TEAM HAD SOME SIMILAR CONVERSATIONS. THE BOARD HAS BEEN TURNED OVER THE LAST TWO ELECTION CYCLES THE MAJORITY OF TWO PEOPLE WHICH IS NOT NECESSARILY THE BEST CONTINUITY FOR A TEAM. SO, WE HAVE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS YEARS AGO AND CREATED SOME RESOLUTION LANGUAGE SAYING WE WANT TO EXPLORE THIS AND WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? THERE'S A LOT OF HOOPS. I WANT TO MAKE IT REALLY CLEAR THAT YOU GUYS HOPEFULLY KNOW THIS. EVEN IF WE WENT ON THE FASTEST TRACK POSSIBLE WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT THIS ELECTION. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT YEARS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. SO MANY OF THE PIECES NEED TO BE IN PLACE. ONE, STRUCTURALLY WHAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO LEGALLY TO MAKE ANY CHANGES THAT ARE BEING REQUESTED. THERE ARE MULTIPLE GOVERNMENT ENTITIES AND BODIES INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS. THE TIMELINE IT SELF IS PRETTY LENGTHY. AND THEN, WE ALSO HAVE THE PUBLIC INPUT AND PUBLIC PERCEPTION PERHAPS EVEN INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS OF MAKING THAT CHANGE AND GIVING US A THUMBS UP OR THUMBS DOWN. THEY ARE ALL MOVING PARTS. WE DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO COME UP WITH A STRATEGY WE JUST NEED TO COME UP WITH IN TERMS OF YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN ON THIS BOARD, EVERY ONE OF YOU A MINIMUM OF TWO YEARS PLUS. KNOWING WHAT YOU WENT THROUGH AND NOW YOU ARE STARTING TO UNDERSTAND THE JOB AND PURPOSE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND HOW TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE CHANGE. WE ARE GOING TO GO DEEP INTO AN ELECTION CYCLE. I AM GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO THE FLOOR FOR YOU GUYS TO HAVE THOUGHTS. AGAIN THIS IS HIGH LEVEL. IT IS NOT TRYING TO SOLVE ANYTHING AT THE MOMENT. I KNOW THAT JENNIFER AND I TALKED ABOUT LOGISTICALLY SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO HAVE AUTHORITY OVER MAKING CHANGE OF AND SOME THAT WE DON'T. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT I AM SURE SHE CAN HELP GUIDE THAT CONVERSATION AS WELL. >> BOARD MEMBER MARGARET LORBER: I AM A LITTLE CONFUSED. ARE YOU LOOKING FOR OUR THOUGHTS ON CHANGING THE STRUCTURE OF THE BOARD? >> LAURIE CORNWELL: YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT. WHETHER IT BE THE NUMBER OF BOARD MEMBERS WE HAVE ON THE STAGGERED TERM VERSES ALL BEING UP FOR REELECTION AT THE SAME TIME. JUST THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE HAVE TWO OPERATE. WE CAN CREATE THE TEAM INSIDE OF THE PARAMETERS THAT ARE SET FOR US ON THE ELECTIONS. IF YOU COULD WAVE A WAND WOULD YOU LEAVE AT THE SAME OR WOULD YOU MAKE CHANGES? IF YOU COULD MAKE CHANGES WHY WOULD THOSE CHANGES MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR US MOVING FORWARD AS A GOVERNING BODY? >> BOARD MEMBER MARGARET LORBER: ARE WE RAISING OUR HANDS? WE DISCUSSED THIS BEFORE. I THINK STAGGERED TERMS MAKES A LARGE TURNOVER WHEN YOU HAVE MORE THAN HALF OF THE BOARD CHANGING AT EVERY ELECTION IT IS HARD TO HAVE CONTINUITY. THE SIZE I DON'T CARE AS MUCH ABOUT HAVING A SMALLER BOARD. [00:20:24] I THINK WE DON'T HAVE A LARGE CITY BUT WE HAVE A VARIETY OF CONSENTS TO IT'S DIVERSITY. I THINK WE ARE LESS LIKELY TO GET MEMBERS OF THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY AND ETHIOPIAN COMMUNITY AND THE SMALLER THE BOARD WE WOULD LESS LIKELY TO HAVE THAT REPRESENTATION FROM THE OTHER COMMUNITIES. WE DON'T HAVE IT YET BUT AS WE MOVE ALONG IN THE FUTURE, IT IS CONCEIVABLE THAT WE COULD HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THESE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: BOARD MEMBER RAMEE GENTRY WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? >> BOARD MEMBER RAMEE GENTRY: I ACTUALLY LOWERED MY HANDS BECAUSE EVERYONE KNOWS HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT. THIS STAGGERED ELECTION PART IS AN INTERESTING ONE BECAUSE AS WE KNOW FROM THE RESEARCH THAT WAS DONE EARLIER, FOR US TO DO IT, IT REALLY INVOLVES THE COUNSEL DOING IT AS WELL. SO, I DO HOPE WE CAN ENGAGE IN A CONVERSATION WITH THEM AND REALLY WITH THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF BENEFITS TO THAT AND AGAIN THESE STAGGERED ELECTIONS. AND, I THINK SOME PEOPLE MAY PERCEIVE THAT IT IS SOMEHOW TRYING TO PRESERVE PEOPLE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT BUT THAT MATHEMATICALLY IS NOT HOW IT WORKS. EVERYONE, EXCEPT FOR WHATEVER WEIRD MOMENT OF TRANSITION THERE COULD BE A ONE-TIME THING. ANY INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER IS UP FOR THEIR THREE-YEAR TERM. I THINK IT ALLOWS AGAIN, I THINK IT GIVES THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF FRESH NEW PERSPECTIVE. YOU KNOW? BUT ALSO SOME CONTINUITY. AND JUST RECOGNIZING THAT. I REALLY DO HOPE THAT WE CAN DO THE STAGGERED ELECTIONS. I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT I'M ALSO IN FAVOR OF A REDUCED SIZE OF THE BOARD. THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF THESE WHERE I DON'T WANT THAT TO IMPLY THAT I HAVEN'T TREMENDOUSLY ENJOYED EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT I HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH. THIS IS THINKING ABOUT LONGER-TERM STRUCTURE. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THERE TO BE TIMES WHERE THERE IS NOT A CONTESTED ELECTION. THERE LITERALLY AREN'T ENOUGH CANDIDATES AVAILABLE. SO IT ENDS UP BEING, THERE DOESN'T END UP BEING A COMPETITION. LET ESSAY. I THINK THE COMMUNITY LOSES OUT ON THAT IF THEY ARE NOT GETTING PEOPLE THAT ARE TRULY COMMITTED AND WILLING TO PUT IN THE TIME AND WILLING TO SORT OF, YOU KNOW, FIGHT FOR A SEAT AT THE TABLE, SHALL WE SAY. I WOULDN'T WANT, I AM HAPPY TO CONSIDER THEM BOTH SEPARATELY AS WELL. I AM CERTAINLY NOT SAYING I NEED BOTH FOR US TO MOVE IT FORWARD. IF THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN ONE ASPECT AND NOT ANOTHER I AM PERFECTLY HAPPY FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ONE ASPECT. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: IT HAS ALSO BEEN THROWN OUT THERE I DON'T THINK OFFICIALLY WITH THE GROUP BUT IF WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS STAGGERED TERMS AND THE NUMBER OF BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD WE ALSO WHILE WE ARE RESEARCHING AND PULLING BACK LAYERS FOR THE BEST STRUCTURE, TAKE A LOOK AT THE LENGTH OF THE TERM? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS THROWING ANOTHER WRENCH IN THERE AS WELL. I THINK THERE ARE LOTS AND LOTS OF VARIATIONS OF THIS. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD THAT WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE WITH THIS. JENNIFER, PLEASE JUMP IN. THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS THE AUTHORITY TO DECIDE THAT. BUT THE STAGGERED TERMS WOULD HAVE TO BE NOT ONLY APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL THAT THEY WOULD ALSO HAVE TO MOVE TOWARDS STAGGERED TERMS TO BE LIKE US, STRUCTURALLY. AND THEN, ULTIMATELY IT WOULD GO TO A DELEGATE ASSEMBLY TO BE ABLE TO MAKE CHANGES TO OUR CHARTER OR ANYTHING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT. I KNOW VERONICA AND JACINTA YOU HAVE YOUR HANDS UP. I WANT JENNIFER TO JUMP IN REALLY FAST TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS TO MAKE SURE I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING WRONG. [00:25:03] >> SPEAKER: THANK YOU LAURIE CORNWELL. I WANT TO MAKE ONE CLARIFICATION. CITY COUNCIL WOULD STILL HAVE TO APPROVE IF THE BOARD WANTED TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS. IT WOULD STILL BE A CHANGE TO THE CITY CHARTER AND APPROVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. THE BOARD DOES NOT HAVE THE SOLE AUTHORITY TO MAKE THAT CHANGE. THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF BOARD MEMBERS. THE REASON IT IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN HAVING THE DISCUSSION OF THE LENGTH OF THE TERM OR WHETHER OR NOT THE ELECTIONS WERE STAGGERED IS THAT IS THE ONE ELEMENT THAT WOULD NOT IMPACT THE CITY COUNCIL IN THE SAME WAY. THE CITY COUNCIL COULD APPROVE THE BOARD'S REQUEST TO CHANGE THE SIZE OF THE BOARD TO REQUEST AN AMENDMENT BY THE CITY CHARTER TO BE APPROVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND CITY COUNCIL WOULD NOT HAVE TO REDUCE THEIR NUMBERS AT THE SAME TIME. THAT IS THE DISTINCTION. ANY CHANGE AT ALL TO THE COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD, THE LENGTH OF THE TERM THE ELECTION CYCLE, THOSE ALL REQUIRE CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL AND GENERAL ASSEMBLY APPROVAL. IT IS THAT THE SIZE OF THE BOARD DOES NOT REQUIRE THE COUNCIL TO MAKE THE SAME CHANGE TO IT'S OWN BODY. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: ALL RIGHT. VERONICA, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? >> BOARD VICE CHAIR VERONICA NOLAN: FOR ME, PERSONALLY, THE STAGGERED TERMS IS A NO-BRAINER. THE ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ARE THE TWO THEMES AND LINENS THAT I COME OUT WITH THE TOPIC OF DISCUSSION. FIRST OFF WITH THE STAGGERED TERMS YOU HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF AN ENTIRE SCHOOL BOARD BEING COMPLETELY BRAND-NEW AT ANY POINT AND JUNCTURE COULD BE POTENTIALLY DISASTROUS FOR THE SCHOOL DIVISION FOR THE FIRST YEAR YOU ARE TRYING TO GET YOUR FEET WET AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING AND TRY TO CATCH UP TO SPEED. THE SECOND, YOU GET YOUR GROOVE IN THE THIRD YOU ARE EITHER DOING A CAMPAIGN AGAIN OR NOT. I GET REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT, WE HAVE PRIORITIES, BUDGET GOALS, A SYSTEM AND A WAY OF DOING THINGS. I'M CONCERNED AT 1POINT THERE COULD BE ALL NINE ELECTED AND THAT WOULD BE A YEAR OR A POTENTIAL TWO YEARS LOSS FOR THE SCHOOL DIVISION AND WE CAN'T AFFORD THAT. I THINK THE STAGGERED TERMS WOULD BE A NO-BRAINER. I ALSO FEEL PASSIONATE ABOUT NINE NEW BOARD MEMBERS BEING TOO BIG FOR A JURISDICTION THIS SIZE. ALSO THE ORGANIZATION, STRUCTURE AND FRAMEWORK. NUMBER ONE IF YOU LOOK AT THE STATE RATIOS OF SCHOOL BOARDS TO STUDENT POPULATION VERSES HOW MANY MEMBERS IT TAKES TO OPERATE AND OVERSEE THAT DIVISION, WE ARE WAY OUT OF WHACK FROM A RATIO PERSPECTIVE OF. WE HAVE TOO MANY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND COMPARED TO THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WE HAVE. I THINK WE HAVE THE MOST OFF RATIO TO ANY SCHOOL DIVISION ACROSS THE STATE. THAT IS ONE THING TO CONSIDER AND KEEP IN MIND. ALSO, FOR A MIDSIZE DIVISION WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT FOR ACPS YOUR LEADERS HAVE TO BE DOERS WHEN YOU HAVE LARGE JURISDICTIONS WHERE YOU HAVE 12 SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS THE CHIEF AND SUPERINTENDENT HAVE A LOT MORE LAYERS TO THEM AND A LOT MORE PEOPLE THEY CAN DELEGATE TWO. FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT TO BE ON CALL TO ALL NINE MEMBERS AND NOT HAVE THE PROPER LAYERS LIKE FAIRFAX COUNTY OR MONTGOMERY COUNTY HAS FOR THE NEED AND SUPPORT AND ASKS. SAME WITH THE CHIEFS. THEY'RE CONSTANTLY BEING FORWARDED OUR QUESTIONS AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE LAYERS THAT THAT REQUIRES A NINE-MEMBER BOARD. THAT CONCERNS ME AS WELL. WE ARE UNDULY PROVIDING STRESS ON THE LEADERSHIP TEAM. BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS TO RESPOND TO AND HAVE QUESTIONS TO. I ALSO THINK IT ADDS TO LONGER MEETINGS AND THE LONGER THE MEETINGS ARE THE MORE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE THINKING TO THEMSELVES, THAT'S NOT HOW I WANT TO SPEND MY THURSDAY NIGHT. IT REALLY PREVENTS US FROM READING THE TOP TALENT TO WANTING TO ENGAGE AT THE SCHOOL BOARD LEVEL BECAUSE IT REQUIRES A LOT OF TIME AND ATTENTION. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED. IT ALSO PREVENTS US, NOT THIS PARTICULAR BOARD, I ENJOY WORKING ON THIS BOARD BUT A NINE PERSON ENTITY CAN PREVENT TEAMWORK FROM HAPPENING. IF YOU TALK TO ANYONE THAT'S WORKED AT THE SCHOOL BOARD THE NUMBER ONE ASPECT OF A SUCCESSFUL BOARD IS CAN THEY COME TOGETHER AND WORK AS A TEAM AND HAVE A UNITED FRONT AND FOCUS SCHOOLS AND PRIORITIES. THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT'S GOING TO LEAD TO THE SCHOOL BOARD HAVING SUCCESS . WHEN YOU HAVE NINE PEOPLE FOR AN ELECTED BODY AND THE SUNSHINE LAWS THAT PREVENTS US FROM WORKING AS A TEAM, WE DON'T HAVE A STAFF MEETING . WERE NOT TYPICALLY ALLOWED TO. AS A RESULT HAVING NINE FOLKS THAT YOU NEED TO TOUCH BASE, I PERSONALLY AM NOT IN A SITUATION WHERE I CAN CALL NINE PEOPLE EVERY MONTH TO SEE HOW PEOPLE ARE DOING. [00:30:05] I THINK IT'S UNREALISTIC AND WERE SET UP FOR FAILURE IN ORDER TO BE EFFICIENT AND WORK AS A TEAM. YOU ALSO HAVE THE DANGER OF HAVING FOLKS COMING IN WITH THEIR OWN SIDE PET PROJECTS AND INDIVIDUAL DESIRES INSTEAD OF BEING FORCED TO WORK TOGETHER WHERE CLIQUES CAN RESULT. THIS CAN DISABLE THE BOARD FROM GETTING THE WORK DONE. I ALSO THINK TO MARGARET! COME THE BIGGEST BARRIER TO HAVING DIVERSITY ON A SCHOOL BOARD IS THE FACT THAT WE ARE AND ELECT THE BODY VERSES APPOINTED . THE CAMPAIGN ITSELF IS REALLY GOING TO PREVENT FOLKS, PARTICULARLY FROM LOWER INCOME BACKGROUNDS TO PRODUCE A PAY . EITHER FROM A TIME PERSPECTIVE LIVE OR WHAT IT TAKES TO BE OVERSEEING A CAMPAIGN. IT ADDS ANOTHER LAYER AN ELEMENT TO PREVENT SOME OF THE TOP TALENT THAT DO WORK IN ALEXANDRIA AND HAVE A BACKGROUND THAT WE WANT IN THE SCHOOL BOARD TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE. EITHER THE CAMPAIGN FRUSTRATES THEM OR INTIMIDATES THEM OR IT'S NOT ANYTHING THEY WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN. THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS ON WHY IS A WORTHWHILE ENGAGEMENT AND WHY IT COULD REALLY BENEFIT AND SUPPORT AN EFFICIENT BODY TO REALLY SUPPORT THE SCHOOL DIVISION. THOSE ARE SOME OF MY THOUGHTS ON WHY THINK THIS IS A CRITICAL DISCUSSION. THANK YOU. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: I'M GONNA GO TO JENNIFER AND THEN JACINTA. JACINTA WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? >> BOARD MEMBER JACINTA GREENE: I WAS GOING TO SAY IF WE WERE GOING TO RECOMMEND SOMETHING TO THE CITY COUNCIL AS WE WANT TO CHANGE OUR STRUCTURE, THEY COULD EITHER DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO EVEN LOOK AT THAT OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? IF THEY DO VOTE ON IT, WE WOULD HAVE TO MIRROR THE SAME THING, ACCORDING TO THE CITY CHARTER. CORRECT? THEY WOULD CHANGE THEIR WHOLE STRUCTURE IS TO BE LIKE OURS? IF THEY WERE TO AGREE WITH WHAT WE WANTED? >> LAURIE CORNWELL: THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S WHY IT'S SUCH A LOFTY LONG-TERM ISSUE. THEY WILL HAVE TO HAVE AN ANALYSIS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL UNDERSTAND THE GOOD, BAD AND INDIFFERENT WITH ANY CHANGES. WE ARE AT THE MERCY OF THE CITY COUNCIL IF WE WANT TO CHANGE BECAUSE IT WILL AFFECT THEM, TOO. IF WE WEREN'T AFFECTED BY REQUESTING CHANGE SUCH AS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE, IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BALLGAME. WITH US HAVING TO MIRROR EACH OTHER, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT SIX PEOPLE THERE, NINE PEOPLE HERE, BOTH GOVERNING BODIES BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT IT FROM TOTAL DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES FROM THEIR ROLE IN DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT KIND OF STRUCTURAL CHANGE IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BOTH WANT. >> BOARD MEMBER JACINTA GREENE: JUST A QUESTION, WHY ARE WE LOOKING AT THIS NOW WITH THE SITUATION THEY ARE IN AND WE ARE IN WITH THE PANDEMIC. IT'S JUST A QUESTION, I JUST WANT TO KNOW. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: I THINK IT'S COME UP FROM MULTIPLE BOARD MEMBERS BECAUSE AT SOME POINT WE WANT TO HAVE A LAUNCH. THE PREVIOUS BOARD WANTED TO TACKLE THIS AND DIDN'T GET IT DONE. THEN WE HAD FIVE NEW PEOPLE THAT WERE ELECTED OVER TWO YEARS AGO. BASICALLY WHEN THAT HAPPENS THE CONVERSATION REALLY NEEDED TO START AT GROUND ZERO AGAIN. WE DON'T HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO EVEN HAVE A CONVERSATION WHEN YOU ARE NEWLY ELECTED. YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY THAT CONVERSATION WOULD HAPPEN. ABOUT A YEAR AGO WE DECIDED WE WERE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO AND THEN COVID TOOK PRIORITY THEN. AT SOME POINT WE HAVE TO DECIDE IF IT IS IMPORTANT ENOUGH FOR THIS BOARD TO HAVE A LAUNCHED POINT INTO THAT DISCUSSION. IN JANUARY UNLESS ALL NINE OF YOU ARE REELECTED WE WILL HAVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT WILL HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE STRUCTURE AND ANALYSIS OF IT AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR ALL THE REASONS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. >> BOARD MEMBER JACINTA GREENE: AUDIT. OKAY. THIS. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: WE WILL TALK TO YOU AFTER WE TALKED TO CHRIS AND CINDY. >> SPEAKER: I DID RAISE IT ONE MORE TIME BECAUSE I WAS NOT CLEAR. [00:35:01] I WANTED TO REITERATE THAT THE SIZE OF THE BOARD IS THE ONE CHANGE THAT WOULD NOT IMPACT CITY COUNCIL. IT REQUIRES CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL BUT IF THE BOARD WAS TO REDUCE IT'S NUMBERS, CITY COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE TO REDUCE IT'S NUMBERS. THAT'S ALL. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: CHRIS, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? >> BOARD MEMBER CHRISTOPHER SUAREZ: I WILL NOT REITERATE THE BOARD AND HE STAGGERED TERMS. IF WE CAN'T DO ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER I DON'T SEE THE POINT AS MUCH AS OTHER OF MY COLLEAGUES. FOR ME IT FUNDAMENTALLY GOES BACK TO THIS LEGAL QUESTION. AND, MAYBE I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. IS THE ISSUE THAT COUNSEL HAS TO APPROVE THESE THINGS BUT IS IT NECESSARILY THE CASE THAT WILL BOARD AND CITY COUNCIL HAVE TO BE IN THE EXACT SAME ELECTION CYCLE? IS THAT A LEGAL REQUIREMENT OR IS IT A PREFERENCE? MY SENSE IS THAT IT IS A PREFERENCE. MY POINT IS IF THERE WERE TO BE STAGGERED TERMS IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO HAVE A THREE YEAR. IT SHOULD NEED TO BE A FOUR-YEAR AND YOU STAGGER EVERY TWO YEARS. I ASK THIS BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THE PRACTICE IN ALEXANDRIA IS TO TETHER WHAT WE DO TO CITY COUNCIL. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS TECHNICALLY A LEGAL REQUIREMENT OR THAT IS WHAT THE COUNCIL SAYS WE HAVE TO DO. JENNIFER DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF THAT DISTINCTION BECAUSE I'M WONDERING IF IT'S A LEGAL RULE THAT WE CANNOT DEVIATE AT ALL. >> SPEAKER: THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. IT IS A LEGAL RULE. YOU CANNOT DEVIATE AT ALL FROM YOUR GOVERNING BODY WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE LENGTH OF YOUR TERM AND THE ELECTION CYCLE. THE ONLY ELEMENT YOU CAN DEVIATE IS THE SIZE OF THE BOARD AND THAT IS THE CODE IN VIRGINIA. >> BOARD MEMBER CHRISTOPHER SUAREZ: THAT IS A STATE STATUE? >> SPEAKER: IT IS A STATE STATUTE AND I CAN EMAIL THAT IN THE LINK. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: HEATHER? >> BOARD MEMBER HEATHER THORNTON: THANK YOU. I WORRY THAT THIS IT IS GOING TO BE A DISCUSSION THAT WILL BE EASY TO CONTINUE TO PUT ON THE BACK BURNER. I FEEL LIKE THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT BECOMES A BIGGER PRIORITY OTHER THAN THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT THE STRUCTURE OF OUR GOVERNANCE. AND IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN. WE COULDN'T HAVE PREDICTED COVID BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS A VERY BIG BROAD LOFTY GOAL THAT WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO TACKLE UNLESS WE NARROW IT DOWN A BIT. I KNOW LIKE CHRIS WAS SAYING IT MAKES SENSE TO DO BOTH AT THE SAME TIME, BUT, IT SEEMS LIKE ONE OF THESE GOALS IS MORE LIKELY THAN THE OTHER. I THINK WHAT WOULD BE PRUDENT IF THE BOARD DISCUSSES IF SIZE IS REALLY A FACTOR AND WE WANT TO DISCUSS, THAT SEEMS TO BE A MORE LIKELY GOAL THAT WE COULD ACHIEVE IF WE DECIDED WE WANTED TO REDUCE THE BOARD. I THINK THE STAGGERED ELECTIONS WILL BE A VERY COMPLEX ISSUE TO TACKLE AND WE HAVE WAY TOO MANY ISSUES TO TACKLE RIGHT NOW. JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE THAT I THINK WE NEED TO NARROW DOWN THE FOCUS OF THIS CONVERSATION A BIT. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: CINDY, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? >> BOARD MEMBER CINDY ANDERSON: I HAVE ENJOYED LISTENING TO MY COLLEAGUES AND I THINK EVERYONE WILL KNOW I HAVE HAD FOR STAGGERED ELECTIONS AND WE HAVE HAD AS MANY AS SEVEN THAT HAVE TURNED OVER. THAT IS NOT GOOD FOR CONTINUITY FOR GETTING THINGS DONE. I THINK, REDUCING THE SIZE, IT DID USED TO BE SIX. I THINK THAT THAT MORE MIRRORS CITY COUNCIL ANYWAY. I THINK, I STRUGGLED WITH THE TERMS BECAUSE AGAIN WHEN I THINK ABOUT CONTINUITY, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE DONE TO TERMS, FROM THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW FROM MY TIME BEING INVOLVED, IT STARTED IN THE MID-90S. AND, I THINK OF IT AS, WOULD PEOPLE BE MORE LIKELY TO RUN FOR A SECOND TERM IF IT WAS FOR? THEN THAT WOULD BE EIGHT YEARS. THAT'S WHAT I STRUGGLE WITH. NOT KNOWING WHERE I COME DOWN ON THAT. THEN YOU WOULD BE LOOKING AT FOR YEARS VERSES SIX YEARS OF MAYBE KEEPING PEOPLE. [00:40:01] I DON'T KNOW WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THAT. I THINK THE CITY COUNCIL HAS HAD OVER THE YEARS AT LEAST IN RECENT YEARS UNTIL THE LAST ELECTION, LESS TURNOVER WHICH I THINK MADE THEM LESS INTERESTED IN HAVING THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE THEY WERE LESS IMPACTED BY THE ELECTION CYCLE. NOW HAVING THE SECOND TIME IN A ROW WHEN THEY ARE HAVING TO BE GREATLY IMPACTED, IT MAY BE THE TIME TO ENGAGE THEM IN THAT DISCUSSION. I ALSO REALLY APPRECIATE HEATHER'S COMMENTS THAT, DO WE FIGHT OFF WHAT WE THINK WE CAN GET ACCOMPLISHED MORE AND NARROW IT DOWN? I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING TO THAT AS WELL. I THINK ABOUT THIS A LOT AND THEN MY MIND TRIES TO DECIDE HOW TO ACTUALLY GET IT DONE. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: WHAT ARE YOURS? >> BOARD MEMBER MICHELLE RIEF: I GUESS ONE OF MY THOUGHTS IS, WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WE ARE TRYING TO SOLVE? HOW DO WE KNOW THAT SOME OF THESE SOLUTIONS AREN'T GOING TO GET US TO WHERE WE WANT TO BE? ONE THING THAT I MENTIONED, THE LAST TIME WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, WHEN WE CAME ON THE BOARD, WE HAD BEEN SHARED A BOOK, GOVERNING AT THE TOP BY DOUG EADIE. HE IS DESCRIBED AS A PERSON WHO RUNS A CONSULTING FIRM AND SPECIALIZING SCHOOL BOARDS AND SUPERINTENDENTS TO DO HIGH-IMPACT GOVERNING WORK. IN THE BOOK HE TOUCHES ON THIS ISSUE OF THE SIZE OF WORDS AND HE SAID SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL DOUBT THAT SMALLER BOARDS CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT. IN HIS EXPERIENCE AND HE IS SOMEBODY WHO AGAIN, SPECIALIZES IN BOARD SUPERINTENDENT RELATIONSHIPS AND AFFECT LIVE GOVERNANCE. HE SAID THESE MINOR EFFICIENCY BENEFITS ARE IN HIS EXPERIENCE OUTWEIGHED BY SIGNIFICANT CLAUSE. THOSE ARE LESS EXPERIENCE ON YOUR BOARD, LESS KNOWLEDGE THAT YOUR BOARD MEMBERS BRING TO THE PROBLEM-SOLVING PROCESS LIKE EXPERTISE, FEWER PERSPECTIVES WHEN MAKING COMPLEX DECISIONS. IT ALSO REDUCES TIES TO THE COMMUNITY, MAKING PUBLIC AND STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS EVEN MORE CHALLENGING. AND, SMALLER BOARDS ARE MORE VULNERABLE TO BEING HIJACKED BY SINGLE ISSUE ACTS GRINDING CONTINGENTS. SO I THINK THAT IS ADVICE THAT WE SHOULD REALLY HEED. I WILL ALSO SAY THAT WHEN THIS ISSUE CAME UP I SPOKE WITH A BOARD MEMBER IN ARLINGTON ABOUT THE SIZE OF THEIR BOARD AND THE FEEDBACK I RECEIVED WAS THEY WISHED THEY WERE LARGER. BECAUSE, WHEN IT COMES TO WORKLOAD AND THINGS LIKE TRYING TO ADD AD HOC COMMITTEES TO DO DIFFERENT WORK IT IS REALLY CHALLENGING. AND SO, I THINK THAT IS, AGAIN SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. I THINK WE HAVE IDEAS ABOUT WHAT IT IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT. I'M NOT SURE THAT REDUCING OUR BOARD WILL ACHIEVE SOME THINGS THAT FOLKS ARE TALKING ABOUT. I THINK WE HAVE SOME REAL CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW TO TRY TO PROVIDE FIVE DAYS OF IN PERSON INSTRUCTION IN THE FALL, WE HAVE TO BUILD NEW SCHOOLS, REPAIR OLD SCHOOLS, IMPLEMENT THE FIRST EVER CONNECTED HIGH SCHOOL NETWORK. THERE SO MANY THINGS. I DON'T SEE CHANGING THE SCHOOL BOARD IT IS GOING TO SOLVE ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS. YOU KNOW, NOR DO I THINK THE COMMUNITY HAS ANY INTEREST IN THIS ISSUE. NO ONE IN THE COMMUNITY HAS SAID TO ME, MICHELLE, YOU NEED TO MAKE THE SCHOOL BOARD SMALLER. WHAT I HAVE HEARD IS THAT WANTS A MORE RESPONSIVE SCHOOL BOARD. AND SO, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT. EVEN LOOKING AT OUR OWN BOARD EVALUATION CONCERNS IT WAS AROUND COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND OUR VALUES. IF YOU LOOK AT THE VALUES THAT WE HAVE IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN, WE WANT TO BE WELCOMING, EQUITY FOCUS, EMPOWERING, AND NATIVE AND RESULTS DRIVEN. SOME OF OUR GOALS INCLUDE FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THAT REDUCING THE BOARD IT IS GOING TO DO THAT. AS FAR AS THE STAGGERED TERM, I THINK AS I REFLECTED ON THIS I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE VALUES OF TRYING TO KEEP THE CONTINUITY OVER TIME. [00:45:04] IF WE HAVE A THREE YEAR CYCLE AND MOST LIKELY WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT, IF WE HAVE OUR CURRENT SIZE IT WILL BE THREE PEOPLE UP FOR REELECTION EVERY YEAR. THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL CHANGE. THEN YOU WOULD BE ADDING THE FACT THAT YOU WOULD BE HAVING AN ELECTION EVERY YEAR WHICH I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE A DISTRACTION FOR THE BOARD. IF YOU HAVE A NINE-MEMBER BOARD AND THE TERM IS THREE YEARS, I SAW RAMEE SHAKING HER HEAD. >> BOARD MEMBER RAMEE GENTRY: I JUST WANTED CLARIFICATION FROM JENNIFER ON THAT. >> BOARD MEMBER MICHELLE RIEF: WE HAVEN'T MADE ANY DETERMINATION ON WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE. WHAT I'M SAYING IS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE FREQUENT ELECTIONS WHICH ARE DISRUPTING IN THERE OWN WAY. FOR ME WE ARE PUSHING AROUND THE VEGETABLES ON OUR PLATE. I DON'T KNOW IF WE ARE MAKING A CONSTRUCTIVE CHANGE. IF WE WANT TO MAKE MEETINGS MORE EFFICIENT AND HAVE LESS MEETINGS WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT BUT OUR JOB IS NOT MAKING THE LIFE OF A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER EASIER. IT IS TO HELP THE COMMUNITY AND CARRY OUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN. THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: VERONICA? >> BOARD VICE CHAIR VERONICA NOLAN: A FEW POINTS AND CLARIFICATION. FOR ME, TOO UNDERSTAND IT WOULD BE AN ELECTION EVERY THREE YEARS? EVERY THREE YEARS IT WOULD BE UP? THAT IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE NOW HERE THOSE ARE DATA POINTS TO PROVIDE. IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF MORE ELECTIONS IT WOULD BE A MATTER OF SPACING IT OUT AND PEOPLE SIGNING ON. THE OTHER THING, TO YOUR POINT MICHELLE, I WAS TRYING TO GET THAT WITH THE STUDENT RATIO. ARLINGTON HAS 26,000 STUDENTS. WE HAVE 16,000. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. I COULD UNDERSTAND WHY THEY THINK FIVE IS TOO SMALL BECAUSE THEY HAVE 10,000 MORE STUDENTS THAN WE HAVE. IT'S USING THE DATA TO LOOK AT IT. WHAT IS THE DATA AND RATIO THAT A SCHOOL SYSTEM CAN HAVE AS FAR AS HOW MANY WILL BOARD MEMBERS. I DON'T THINK SIX IS CONSIDERED A SMALL SCHOOL BOARD. YOU CAN STILL GET TO WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF CONSISTENCY AND DIVERSITY AND THAT NATURE. I THINK YOUR POINT AND YOUR CONCERN IS WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACHIEVE HERE? I THINK WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE AN EFFICIENT BODY THAT SUPPORTS THE SCHOOL DIVISION TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS. IN A SCHOOL SYSTEM OF 16,000, NINE, WE ARE BIGGER THAN THE CITY COUNCIL. THEY LOOK OVER AND I THINK THAT IS WILD. THEIR BUDGET IS BIGGER, THE NUMBER AND DIVISIONS AND DEPARTMENTS THEY OVERSEE IS BIGGER AND THEIR NUMBER OF CONSTITUENTS AND REQUEST THEY GET. THE BIGGEST CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT THE SCHOOL DIVISION IS NOT BUILT TO HANDLE THIS SIZE OF A SCHOOL. WE ARE HURTING THE EFFICIENCY AND THE GOALS BEING ACHIEVED WITHIN A DIVISION OF THE GROUP THIS BIG. I THINK WE COULD HAVE AN ACHIEVE MORE FOR THE DIVISION BY HAVING SIX AS THE CITY SUGGESTED. I THINK THOSE ARE THE THOUGHTS THAT I WANTED TO HAVE. AT SOME POINT, I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO HEAR WHERE PEOPLE STAND ON THIS ISSUE. I WOULD BE CURIOUS DURING THE DISCUSSION IF WE COULD GET A THUMBS UP OR THUMBS DOWN TO KNOW WHAT THE APPETITE IS TO CONSIDER THIS AND EXPLORING IT PEER THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: I DON'T KNOW IF WE WILL DO THUMBS UP OR THUMBS DOWN BUT WE CAN DO MOVING FORWARD WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS? ARE WE GOING TO TACKLE IT AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD. CINDY, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? >> BOARD MEMBER CINDY ANDERSON: SOME OF MY THOUGHTS OF WHAT WAS JUST SAID THERE, ONE, I'M NOT SURE IF WE WERE TALKING ONLY ABOUT ELECTED BOARDS OR APPOINTED. OTHER NONPROFIT BOARDS THAT I HAVE BEEN ON IT IS REALLY NICE BECAUSE YOU CAN FILL THE HOLES OF EXPERTISE. YOU CAN LOOK FOR BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE PARTICULAR THINGS. I CAN SEE THAT MAKES SENSE. ON THE ELECTED BOARD, WE ARE GOING TO GET NINE PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR BACKGROUNDS. I DON'T KNOW IF THE NINE REALLY GETS YOU, NECESSARILY, YOU MIGHT HAVE DUMB LUCK BUT IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY GIVE YOU THE BREATH THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT JUST BY BEING NINE. I ALSO THINK THAT COMMUNICATION CAN BE MORE DIFFICULT WHEN YOU HAVE NINE PEOPLE. YOU HAVE TO KEEP AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE, OR ONLY ALLOWED PUBLIC MEETINGS. IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO HAVE TIMELY AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME MESSAGE WHEN THERE ARE NINE OF US. AND ALSO IN TERMS, IT'S NOT ABOUT MAKING IT EASIER FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, I [00:50:01] THINK WE'VE HAD LOTS OF COMMON WITH OUR RECENT MEETINGS WITH HOW LONG THEY ARE. I HAVE TRIED FIRST I TRIED WITH RAMEE AND WITH VERONICA TO MAKE OUR MEETINGS SHORTER . PARTLY, NOT TO WHERE THE STAFF OUT BUT TO NOT WEAR THE PUBLIC OUT. THAT'S WHERE WE ARE SEEING THE COMMENTS IS THAT THEY CANNOT STAND TO GO INTO IT. IT MAKES US LESS ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC WHEN WE HAVE LONG MEETINGS. WHEN WE LOOK AT IT BECAUSE THERE ARE NINE OF US, ANYTIME THERE IS A QUESTION IF YOU HAVE NINE PEOPLE ASKING A QUESTION ON ANY TOPIC YOU CAN ONLY MAKE IT SO SHORT. IT'S JUST A MATHEMATICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE IT SHORTER. ALTHOUGH ON THE POINT OF MAKING IT EASIER ON SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, IF YOU WANT DIVERSITY AND YOU WANT A DIVERSITY AND INTEREST OF PEOPLE, YOU ARE GOING TO LOOK FOR A DIVERSITY OF TIME THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SPEND DOING SCHOOLBOARD WORK. I THINK THAT IS MAKING IT INACCESSIBLE TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO MIGHT HAVE VERY VALUABLE VIEWPOINTS AND MIGHT ACTUALLY BE VERY GOOD AT HELPING US WITH GOVERNANCE BUT THERE'S NO WAY TO ADMIT THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IS CURRENTLY NEEDED. I CAN REALLY TELL YOU FROM THE FIRST YEAR ON THE BOARD, STAFF RETENTION, IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AFFECTING IN A VERY CONCRETE WAY, STAFF RETENTION, THE LENGTH OF THE MEETINGS. THAT IS MY THOUGHT ON THAT. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: DID YOU TAKE YOUR HAND BACK DOWN? >> BOARD MEMBER RAMEE GENTRY: ONLY BECAUSE I REALIZE THAT TURNED MEAGAN HAD NOT SPOKEN AND EVERYONE ELSE WAS. >> BOARD CHAIR MEAGAN ALDERTON: I'M SORRY I WAS JUST LISTENING TO EVERYBODY. YOU KNOW, I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT CONTINUITY. I THINK I HAVE SEEN SO MUCH TURNOVER IN THE DIVISION. I THINK TURNOVER IN EDUCATION IS A BIG PROBLEM. BECAUSE IT PREVENTS FOLLOW-THROUGH, IT PREVENTS THE TIME TO ESTABLISH AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS THAT CONTINUE SO YOU CAN MOVE INITIATIVES FORWARD. SO, CONTINUITY IS A PROBLEM. I THINK FOR A BOARD, I ALSO WORRY ABOUT STAFF WHO ARE SORT OF UNDER THIS THING WHERE I CAN HAVE A SCHOOL BOARD THAT JUST TURNS OVER BY SIX OR SEVEN PEOPLE EVERY THREE YEARS DID THEY ARE THEN RESTARTING AND RECALIBRATING WHEN THEY HAVE JUST STARTED, USUALLY. THAT IS A BIG CONCERN FOR ME. IT IS A CONCERN. I THINK IT IS WORTH - I GUESS MY NUMBER ONE THING AT THIS TIME IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT THAT IS CONCEPTUAL RIGHT NOW. I DO THINK, TOO MICHELLE! , WE DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL BE EFFECTIVE AND WON'T BE EFFECTIVE. WE HAVE TO CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE DO THE ANALYSIS AND THAT IS WHY I THINK THAT EVEN IF WE DID SWOT OF STAGGERED WARD MEMBERS AND TERM LENGTH, THAT GIVES US A LENS TO WHICH TO LOOK AND SAY THIS PARTICULAR THING RIGHT HERE WOULD BE AN OFFICIAL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH. I THINK ALSO IN ANY OF THESE DISCUSSIONS, BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A CITY COUNCIL, HAVE TO BRING THEM SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE CONCRETE TO SHOW HOW WE HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT IT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT IS MY THINKING AROUND IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WANT TO PURSUE, THE NEXT STEP IS LOOKING AT THE STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS. PUTTING THOSE OUT THERE CONCRETELY SO THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN FURTHER DISCUSS IN SOMETHING THAT WE CAN THEN PRESENT TO THOSE WHO WOULD HAVE TO BE INVOLVED IN THE CONVERSATION. BECAUSE I THINK EVERYBODY HAS MADE A GREAT POINT. [00:55:04] HEATHER, YOUR POINT REALLY MAKES -HITS HOME FOR ME ON WHY WE SHOULD DO A SWOT ANALYSIS BECAUSE THAT COULD HELP EVERYONE SAY ALL RIGHT. LOOKING AT THIS ONE, THAT IS A HEAVY LIFT RIGHT NOW. BUT THIS ONE IS WORTH ATTACKING. BECAUSE, AT SOME POINT, I DO THINK IT HAS TO BE DONE. IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP. IT CAN JUST KEEP PASSING FROM BOARD, TO BOARD, IF THAT IS WHAT WE WANT. I DON'T THINK THAT IS WHAT WE WANT. YOU KNOW, IT IS ABOUT GOVERNANCE. AND IT DOES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO LEAVE A LEGACY THAT MIGHT BENEFIT FUTURE GOVERNING. THAT IS MY THOUGHTS AROUND IT. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: TREND 25? >> BOARD MEMBER RAMEE GENTRY: I WANT TO BUILD OFF SOME COMMENTS. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US, WHAT I HAVE HEARD FROM THIS DISCUSSION IS A LOT OF PEOPLE POINTING OUT WHAT THEY PERCEIVE AS THE ADVANTAGES FOR BOTH THE STAGGERED ELECTIONS AND THE REDUCED NUMBER . WE ARE GOING TO KEEP, LOOK, IT IS RAMEE SAYING PROCESS! SHOCKER! THIS IS ULTIMATELY NOT RADICALLY DIFFERENT FROM ANYTHING ELSE. WE HAVE A TOPIC. IF WE WANT TO PURSUE THE TOPIC HAVE TO CREATE THE PROCESS BY WHICH WE MOVE FORWARD AND WE HAVE TO STATE OUR INTENTS. WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HAVING SOME DISCUSSIONS IN THE RETREAT AND SAYING OUR INTENT IS TO MOVE FORWARD PURSUING THIS TOPIC. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT FIVE MINUTES AFTER WE UTTER THAT STATEMENT, THE THING WILL HAPPEN. WE ALL KNOW THAT. RIGHT? THERE ARE DISCUSSION MOMENTS AND BOATING MOMENTS AND THAT KIND OF THING. WE HAVE TO STATE THAT WE WANT TO PURSUE THESE BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT ALLOWS US TO SET UP. THERE'S NO REASON TO SCHEDULE A DISCUSSION WITH CITY COUNCIL TO TALK ABOUT THIS IF WE ARE NOT WILLING TO TAKE A MOMENT NOW TO MAKE A STATEMENT THAT THERE IS A MAJORITY CONSENSUS ON THE BOARD TO MOVE FORWARD AND PURSUE THIS. I DO THINK WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO DO THAT. AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, JOINING THE CHORUS AND SAYING I DO THINK AS HEATHER MENTIONED WE CAN STATE OUR INTEREST IN BOTH EVEN IF PROCESS WISE WE MAY BE FROM A SEQUENCING OR PROCESSING AND FOCUSING ON ONE ASPECT MORE THAN ANOTHER, WE ARE A CONTINUING BODY. THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THIS FORM OF THE BOARD, IF WE THINK IT IS WORTH PURSUING, WE NEED TO MAKE A CLEAR MOMENT NOW SO THAT THE NEXT BOARD INHERITS THE WORK. IN THE SAME WAY THE NEXT BOARD INHERITS OUR 2025 STRATEGIC PLAN. OBVIOUSLY THEY WILL PUT THEIR OWN STAMP ON IT BUT IT IS A CONTINUING BODY AND THEY HAVE TO INHERIT THE WORK. IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING NOW IT WON'T BE INHERITED WORK AND WE WILL HAVE THE SAME SORT OF MOMENTS. THIS IS WHAT KEPT HAPPENING. THERE'S BEEN A MOMENT. EVERY BOARD GETS AN INTEREST AND THEN THINGS HAPPEN AND WE DON'T PUSH TO THE NEXT STEP AND THEN IT TAKES A WHOLE OTHER BOARD AND THEN THEY HAVE THEIR OWN EPIPHANY MOMENTS. A STAGGERED ELECTION OR THINKING OF WARD SIZE COULD BE A GOOD IDEA. WE CAN'T KEEP DOING THAT. WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO HONOR THE CONTINUOUS BODY PROCESS AND HANDING WHAT WE THINK IS GOOD WORK OFF TO THE NEXT BOARD. PROCESS RAMEE IS INTERESTED IN THINKING OF THE NEXT STEP PROCESSES FOR THIS. [LAUGHTER] >> LAURIE CORNWELL: ALL RIGHT MARGARET, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? >> BOARD MEMBER MARGARET LORBER: I ALREADY EXPRESSED AN OPINION BUT I HAVE A QUESTION, I THOUGHT WE DID PAST WHETHER IT WAS A RESOLUTION OR MOTION OF INTENT AT THE END OF LAST YEAR'S SCHOOL BOARD SESSION. WE DID SOMETHING. IT SAID WE WERE SERIOUS ABOUT THIS AND WE WERE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT IT HERE JENNIFER, ARE YOU THERE? >> SPEAKER: MARGARET, I AM HERE. >> BOARD VICE CHAIR VERONICA NOLAN: MARGARET, UNFORTUNATELY WE PLEDGED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION CARED WE PLEDGED TO MAKE A PLEDGE. [01:00:06] AND I SAID PUBLICLY AT THE TIME I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE DID IT. I THINK THERE WAS A MATTER THAT WE ONLY HAD A VERY LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME LEFT. WE BASICALLY SAID TO THE BOARD THAT WE WOULD DO IT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME IN THE LAST TERM. >> BOARD MEMBER MARGARET LORBER: I THINK I REMEMBER THAT. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: IT WAS A RESOLUTION THAT WENT FROM THE PREVIOUS BOARD THAT WENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT SAID THIS IS SOMETHING WE WERE LOOKING AT AND LIKE VERONICA SAID, WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO COMPLETELY EXPLORE IT. WE ARE GOING TO ASK THE NEXT BOARD COMING IN TO TAKE OFF WHERE WE LEFT OFF. >> BOARD MEMBER MARGARET LORBER: THEN IT WENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: CHRIS? >> BOARD MEMBER CHRISTOPHER SUAREZ: I WAS GOING TO SAY, LISTENING TO EVERYONE IT WASN'T THAT MUCH OF A COMPELLING REASON TO DO STAGGERED TERMS. I CAN SEE ARGUMENTS IN THE REDUCTION OF SIZE BUT THE STAGGERED TERMS THE CONTINUITY PIECE SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE IS CONCERNED ABOUT. FOR ME, IT GOES BACK TO AND JENNIFER SENT ME THE STATUTE AFTER I SPOKE LAST TIME. WE REALLY ARE TETHERED TO WHAT THE COUNCIL DOES. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT UNLESS WE CAN SET OURSELVES UP TO MAKE THE CASE AS TO WHY IT IS SILLY THAT WE HAVE THREE YEAR TERMS THAT ARE ALL ALIGNED, WE NEED TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION AND DATA ABOUT THAT. FOR EXAMPLE, ARE WE UNIQUE IN THE STATE WHERE WE HAVE THIS THREE-YEAR EVERYONE GOES UP AT THE SAME TIME KIND OF THING? I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT INFORMATION TO SHOW COUNSEL THIS IS SILLY WHAT WE DO HERE. I FIND IT TO BE WEIRD. I WILL ALSO SAY WE ARE ALSO TIED TO THE DATE OF ELECTION TO THE STATUTE HEAR THE COUNCIL HAD NO PROBLEM YEARS AGO BECAUSE IT SERVED THEIR POLITICAL INTEREST TO MOVE THE ELECTION FROM SPRING TO NOVEMBER. WE ALL KNOW WHY POLITICALLY THERE WERE REASONS IT WAS DONE. I WILL BE BLUNT ABOUT THAT. THERE WAS A WILL AND A WAY TO MAKE CHANGES. AND, I DO TAKE CINDY'S POINT ABOUT THE FACT THAT THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD TIME TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH COUNSEL EVEN THAT THEY ARE STARTING TO SEE THE TURNOVER. IT MIGHT BE WORTHWHILE TO DO IT. MY BIGGER CONCERN IS THE CONTINUITY OR THE SIZE, LIKE I SAID, I THINK SMALLER IS PROBABLY BETTER. I CAN SEE ARGUMENTS EITHER WAY FOR THAT. AND SO, I GUESS THAT IS TO SAY TO HEATHER'S POINT, I GET YOUR POINT ABOUT WANTING TO FOCUS. IF I WERE TO FOCUS ON ONE I WOULD FOCUS ON THE STAGGERED TERMS. >> BOARD MEMBER RAMEE GENTRY: FIRST OFF, I DEFINITELY KNOW THAT JENNIFER, WHEN JENNIFER INITIALLY DID THE RESEARCH SHE PULLED UP SOME GREAT INFORMATION ABOUT HOW WE REALLY ARE VERY SPECIAL IN BEING EVERYBODY UP IN THREE YEARS. YES, WE ARE VERY UNIQUE ACROSS THE STATE. WE ARE UNIQUE IN TERMS OF OUR BOARD SIZE, WE LIKE BEING SPECIAL. ALSO, CHRIS, WHILE THIS WAS A POINT. WHILE IT WAS THE CITY THAT MADE THE CHANGE IN NOVEMBER, IT IS NOW STATE LAW ACROSS THE STATE. ALL OF THE SCHOOL BOARDS NOW, ISN'T THAT CORRECT JENNIFER, CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT FOR ME? DIDN'T IT JUST GET PAST THIS YEAR? >> SPEAKER: I WOULD HAVE TO CONFIRM THAT. >> BOARD MEMBER RAMEE GENTRY: I'M SURE THAT IS ONE THING THAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR. THE OTHER THING I WOULD WANT TO SAY IS I THINK THE GREAT THING ABOUT US MOVING FORWARD IN SOME KIND OF WAY, EVEN THOUGH WE MIGHT UNDERSTAND THERE MIGHT BE CHALLENGES WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, DOING IT THIS WAY MAKES IT OFFICIALLY A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION. RIGHT? IT FORCES, I DON'T MEAN TO USE THE WORD FORCE BUT IT COMPELS THE CITY COUNCIL TO HAVE TO RESPOND TO THE COMMUNITY AND GIVE REASONS WHY DESPITE WE COME UP WITH THE ANALYSIS THEY DO NOT FIND STAGGERED ELECTIONS, THEY DO NOT FIND CONTINUITY VALUABLE. AND THAT IS HELPFUL, I THINK. IT IS ANOTHER REASON WHY MOVING THIS INTO A MORE EXPLICIT ARENA IS BENEFICIAL. IT ALSO GIVES THE COMMUNITY AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENTS. AND THERE FEEDBACK TO US AND THE COUNCIL. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: WHAT DO YOU GUYS WANT TO DO FOR NEXT STEPS? [01:05:05] I HAVE HEARD A BUNCH OF THINGS. >> BOARD CHAIR MEAGAN ALDERTON: I AM WONDERING IF NEXT STEPS, IN LISTENING, WOULD BE MAY BE THE FIRST THING IS GATHER OR RECOMPILE OR SEND OVER THAT DATA ABOUT WHATEVER DATA WE ALREADY HAVE ABOUT STAGGERED TERMS. AND THEN I THINK AGAIN, IF WE ARE GOING TO PRESENT SOMETHING TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT SHAPES OUR ANALYSIS OF THAT SECULAR THING. BECAUSE, THAT WOULD MAKE IT, I THINK, MORE OF A COMPELLING CONVERSATION. RIGHT? NOT JUST HERE IS THE CITY COUNCIL AND HERE IS THE DATA BUT HERE CITY COUNCIL, THIS IS THE DATA IN THE THINGS THAT WE ANALYZE AS ESSENTIAL GAINS, POTENTIAL CHALLENGES, LIKE THE WHOLE THING. BACK IN SHAPE THE CONVERSATION MORE CONCRETELY. I WOULD JUST SAY, MY THING IS WHATEVER CONVERSATION IS HAD IT NEEDS TO BE CONCRETE. NOT JUST IDEAS. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MAKES SENSE. >> BOARD MEMBER MICHELLE RIEF: I HAVE A QUESTION. THAT IS ABOUT THE DISTRICTS. BECAUSE, THE CITY COUNCIL IS IN CHARGE OF DRAWING THE ABC DISTRICTS AFTER THE 2020 CENSUS. I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT THAT TIMELINE IS. >> BOARD MEMBER JACINTA GREENE: I BELIEVE IT COMES OUT IN AUGUST, THE DATA. >> BOARD VICE CHAIR VERONICA NOLAN: IF WE WANTED TO HAVE THE SIX IN THE DISTRICTS, THAT WAS THE INTENTION. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO MOVING FORWARD? DO YOU WANT WHAT MEAGAN WAS SUGGESTING TO HAVE A SPOT ANALYSIS OVER WHAT WAS ALREADY COMPILED PREVIOUSLY WHEN THIS DISCUSSION WAS AT THE FOREFRONT? IS ANYONE NOT INTERESTED IN THAT AND WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THAT? >> BOARD MEMBER MICHELLE RIEF: I WOULD RATHER NOT DO IT. [CHUCKLE] >> LAURIE CORNWELL: I WILL WORK WITH SUSAN TO TRY TO GET A TIMEFRAME. AGAIN NOT ONLY FOR THE FIRST ITEM WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT THE WHOLE RESTRUCTURING OF THE BOARD AND DOING THE PLEASE STAND BY ANALYSIS. JUST SO YOU KNOW MICHELLE, IT MAY BE THE SWOT ANALYSIS WILL HELP. IT'S NOT GOING TO CREATE AN OBLIGATION ON OUR PART BUT IT COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO NOT HAVE THIS THEORY TYPE CONVERSATION AND REALLY START TO SEE WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE IF WE WERE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT OR NOT. THE PLEASE STAND BY ANALYSIS IS JUST THAT. IT HELPS YOU ANALYZE IT IF IT'S WORTH MOVING FORWARD WITH THE NEXT STEPS OR WHETHER IT IS BEST LEFT ALONE OR IF THERE ARE ACTIONS NEEDED OR NOT. WE WILL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY . FINAL THOUGHT TURNED 25? >> BOARD MEMBER RAMEE GENTRY: JUST A QUESTION FOR EVERYONE IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATION PROCESS. THERE IS THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MONTHLY SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING BETWEEN THE SCHOOL BOARD AND CITY COUNCIL. I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE HAVE THOUGHTS ABOUT IF IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR TO INDICATE TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT WE ARE DOING THIS OR IF WE WANT TO FINISH IT 1ST AND SEND IT OVER IN A MEMO? I AM TRYING TO THINK ABOUT COMMUNICATION MOMENTS. RIGHT NOW I REALIZE I AM SAYING THIS IN A PUBLICLY BROADCAST MEETING BUT THESE ARE A DIFFERENT FORMAT IN DIFFERENT SETTING. I AM TRYING TO THINK IF WE HAVE TO HAVE A MORE DISTINCT COMMUNICATION MOMENT. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: I PERSONALLY THINK THAT MORE COMMUNICATION IS BETTER TO HELP ALLEVIATE ANY CONCERNS OR ANXIETY THAT WE ARE TAKING AN ACTION OR A HARD LINE IN THE SAND ABOUT ANYTHING HERE THIS IS ABOUT A PURE DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT BOTH GOVERNING BODIES HAVE EXPERIENCED. [01:10:02] WITH EVERYBODY UP FOR REELECTION AT THE SAME TIME KIND OF STRUCTURE. I DON'T SEE US DOING ANYTHING TO HURT OURSELVES BY INFORMING THEM THAT WE ARE HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS AND EXPLORING IT FURTHER. I WILL LEAVE THAT UP TO LEADERSHIP . ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE INTO BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT COMMUNICATION . [Board/Superintendent Communication] THIS IS AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY FOR US IN AN INFORMAL WAY TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN BE BETTER AS A TEAM . HOW WE CAN COMMUNICATE BETTER WITH EACH OTHER AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A LANE AND A ROLL AND A RESPONSIBILITY AS A SCHOOL BOARD AND THE LANE AND ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF A SUPERINTENDENT GOOD THEY ARE NOT MEANT TO CROSS PATHS AND MESH. IT IS MEANT TO BE VERY DEFINED AS A GROUP. LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE AROUND THAT. GREG, DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? >> SPEAKER: I WILL START OFF. FIRST I WILL START OFF BY SAYING WHAT A MEETING! [LAUGHTER] I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY I CAN HONESTLY SAY WITH THE MOTION AND WITH OUR TEAM, WE ARE REALLY ON THE SAME PAGE. I THINK EVEN WHEN I MET WITH OUR TEAM ON MONDAY AND WE TALKED THROUGH, BECAUSE WE WERE ALREADY STRATEGIZING. WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE DEFINITIVE DATE AT THAT TIME. WE WERE ALREADY PREPARING TO PIVOT. WE WERE TRYING TO FOCUS ON THE MOST RECENT PIVOT WE WERE DOING PRIOR TO SPRING BREAK WHICH WAS RINGING BACK ADDITIONAL STUDENTS ON APRIL 20 AN ADDITIONAL STUDENTS ON APRIL 27 AND MAKING THOSE PERSONAL CONTACTS WITH THE FAMILIES BASED ON THE PRIORITIZATION MATRIX. I DID WANT TO TAKE SOME TIME TO GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF UPDATES FROM LAST THURSDAY. WE DID SOLIDIFY SOME OF OUR PLANNING YESTERDAY. ONE THING THAT WE KNOW THAT WE DEFINITIVELY WILL BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IS WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE ALL OF OUR CLASSROOMS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DIVISION ADJUSTED TO THE THREE FEET BY APRIL 26. THERE WAS SOME GRUMBLINGS ABOUT IT OF COURSE BECAUSE THE THE CUSTODIAL STAFF AND FACILITY STAFF STILL TRYING TO DO SOME OF THE MEASUREMENTS AND ARE WORKING ON HOW TO ACCOMMODATE SUMMER IN THE FALL. SO WE HAD TO TELL THEM, JUST PAUSE FOR A MINUTE SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND PIVOT. WE WILL BRING IN SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO GET IT DONE IN AN EXPEDITED FASHION SO THAT WE CAN HAVE IT BY THE 26TH. AND THEN BY APRIL 26 AND THEN WE WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO HAVE OUR PLANNING IN REGARDS TO HOW DO WE ACCOMMODATE THE SIX FOOT LUNCH? REMEMBER, THREE FEET IS FOR THE CLASSROOM SETTING, SIX FEET FOR LUNCH AND WORKING THROUGH HOW DO WE ACCOMMODATE THAT DURING THE DAY? PRINCIPALS ARE WORKING WITH THEIR TEAM AND THEY ARE WORKING THROUGH FINALIZING THOSE PIECES AS WELL. ANOTHER THING WE TALKED ABOUT YESTERDAY IS WE REALLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO MEET ON THE 22ND WITH THE BOARD TO PROVIDE THE UPDATES FOR THE SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL AS WELL AS AIR POLITY UPDATE. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO REALLY TOUCH ON THE IMPORTANCE OF US HAVING THE TWO COHORTS AND KEEPING THAT THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE SPRING. BECAUSE, IT WILL AFFORD US AN OPPORTUNITY TO REACH MORE STUDENTS. ONE THINK WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT CONSISTENTLY OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS IS THE FACT THAT WE WANTED TO REACH AS MANY STUDENTS AS POSSIBLE. HAVING THOSE TWO COHORTS WILL AFFORD THAT. ANOTHER THING IS THAT WE DON'T WANT TO PUT OURSELVES IN A SITUATION WHERE SOME FAMILIES BEGIN TO MAKE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE TWO DAYS AND THEN THEY BEEN ABLE TO WORK SOME THINGS OUT. SOME FAMILIES HAVEN'T IN SOME FAMILIES HAVE. WE DID HAVE ONE DISRUPTION BECAUSE IT DOES TAKE TIME TO PIVOT INTO THE FOUR DAYS AND WE ARE NOW WELL INTO APRIL. BUT IT CAN ALSO CAUSE SOME ADDITIONAL HARDSHIPS FAMILIES NOW WHO MIGHT NEED JUST ONE DAY OR WHO MIGHT STILL HAVE FOR WHATEVER REASON THAT NEED FOR ADDITIONAL CHILDCARE OPTIONS. ANOTHER THING THAT PIVOTING TO 4 DAYS, IT DOES DECREASE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE. FOR EXAMPLE AND THIS IS JUST A HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE, DOCTOR HART AND HER TEAM [01:15:07] WILL BE ABLE TO TELL THIS BETTER ON APRIL 22. LET'S JUST SAY WE HAVE A CLASSROOM THAT FITS SIX KIDS. WE KNOW THERE ARE SIX STUDENTS ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AND 6 STUDENTS ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. GOING TO 3 FEET DOESN'T NECESSARILY ALLOW US TO HAVE 12 SEATS IN THE CLASSROOM BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER THINGS WITHIN THE CLASSROOM AND SPACES THAT WE STILL HAVE TO PUT INTO CONSIDERATION. IT'S NOT JUST AN OPEN SPACE IN EVERY ROOM. YOU DON'T AUTOMATICALLY GET TO DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF DESKS OR STUDENTS IN THAT SPACE. LET'S SAY WE GO FROM SIX FEET TO 3 FEET AND NOW WE'RE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE 10 STUDENTS. OVER FOUR DAYS WE CAN ACCOMMODATE 10 BUT WE HAVE 12. WE ARE NOW HAVING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO AND THAT WOULD REQUIRE US MOVING THOSE TWO KIDS OUT THAT SETTING AND PUTTING THEM IN ONE OF OUR OTHER LOCATIONS WHICH WE HAVE BEEN DOING TO ACCOMMODATE OUR ADDITIONAL STUDENTS AND THAT'S WHY WE WERE USING THE CAFETERIA SPACE, HALLWAYS, GYMS, LIBRARIES TO ACCOMMODATE THE DIFFERENT SPACES. IT WILL NOT AFFORD US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IN MORE KIDS. WE WOULD HAVE TO KEEP THE NUMBERS WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND WERE ALREADY ABOUT TO TRANSITION 3000 MORE STUDENTS IN. THAT IS ALREADY SET. THAT'S NOT SOME THING, WE HAVE 3000 SPOTS. I DON'T KNOW IF ALL 3000 WELCOME BACK BUT WE DO HAVE 3000 SPOTS AND THAT WILL GROW AS WE ADD THESE ADDITIONAL SEAT FROM THE THREE FEET. THAT IS ONE REASON WHY THE TWO COHORTS IS WHY WE NEED TO STAND SO WE CAN KEEP MORE STUDENT OPTIONS AND BRING BACK MORE OF OUR STUDENTS. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE SPECIFIC THINGS WE ARE WORKING THROUGH. WE ARE FINALIZING OUR PLAYGROUNDS. WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THE MORE STUDENTS BRING IN AND IT BECOMES MORE OF A CHALLENGE WITH THE PLAYGROUNDS WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THAT. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING ADDITIONAL SCHOOL MONITORS AND WE ARE HOPING THAT WE CAN REPURPOSE SOME OF THE CLASSROOM MONITORS FOR THE STAFF THAT HAD CHILDREN OR CHILDCARE ISSUES AS THEY TRANSITION BACK ON MAY 3. WE ARE HOPING THAT WILL ALLOW US TO FREE UP SOME OF THE CLASSROOM MONITORS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN PLACE. AND REPURPOSE THEM FOR DIFFERENT ROLES IN THE SCHOOL. YOU MIGHT BE MONITORING STUDENTS WHILE THEY ARE EATING OR ON THE PLAYGROUNDS. SO WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THE ADDITIONAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WILL BE COMING INTO THE BUILDING. WE ARE STILL HAVING A CHALLENGE TO GET MORE CLASSROOM MONITORS BECAUSE EVERYONE NEEDS CLASSROOM MONITORS. NOT JUST ACPS BUT ALL OF THE SCHOOL DIVISIONS . WE ARE DOING THE BEST WE CAN. RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE A VOID WHICH IS GOOD. WE DON'T HAVE ANY MAJOR SITUATIONS BUT WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO PREVENT AND ALLEVIATE ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES AS WE MOVE FORWARD. WE ARE GOING TO WORK THROUGH THEM. OUR TEAM IS RESILIENCE SO FAR AND WE WILL KEEP PRESSING FORWARD. I WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL THAT UPDATE TO LET YOU KNOW WE BELIEVE IN THREE FEET. AND ALSO WE ARE GOING TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT PRIOR TO THE END OF THIS MONTH. THAT IS THE GOAL. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: I AM GLAD YOU CLARIFIED THAT BECAUSE I DID WATCH THE VIDEO ON FRIDAY. OF THAT PARTICULAR CONVERSATION. I THINK THAT SOME OF THE MEDIA TRADED AS DIFFERENT OPINIONS BETWEEN THE BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION. I'M GLAD YOU CLARIFIED THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT WAS NOT A DIFFERING OF OPINIONS OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING BETWEEN THE THREE FEET VERSES SIX FEET. WE MOVE INTO THE CONVERSATION AND OPEN IT UP FOR COMMENTS AND THOUGHTS I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T GET TOO FAR DOWN INTO THIS. THIS IS NOT A WORK SESSION. WE DON'T NEED TO TALK ABOUT IN RELATION WHICH I KNOW IS HEAVY ON SOME OF Y'ALL'S MINDS. WE DON'T NEED TO TALK ABOUT PLAYGROUNDS AND TIMEFRAME OF WHEN THE KIDS WILL EAT IF THEY GET TO EAT WITH JOHNNY, WE DON'T NEED TO GET INTO THAT KIND OF DISCUSSION. IT WILL HAPPEN. Y'ALL ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT ALL OF THIS LIKE EVERY SCHOOL BOARD THAT I [01:20:05] THINK IT SUITED BETTER IN A WORK SESSION. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT FRIDAY'S COMMUNICATION. IF THERE IS ANYTHING WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT AS A GROUP OR IN GENERAL ON HOW WE ARE REACTING WITH US AS A TEAM AND WITH US AS THE ADMINISTRATION. MICHELLE? >> BOARD MEMBER MICHELLE RIEF: AS A POINT OF CLARITY, DOCTOR HUTCHINS, I KNOW THAT YOU HAD DISCUSSED ACPS MOVING TO FRIDAY AND I WASN'T AWARE THAT THAT WAS HAPPENING AND I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN SAY IF THAT WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. AFTER HAVING THAT AFTER THE BOARD MEETINGS WAS HELPFUL IN THE SENSE THAT WE HADN'T USUALLY DISCUSSED THINGS RIGHT AS THEY WERE PUBLISHED. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE PLAN FOR THAT MOVING FORWARD? >> DR. GREGORY HUTCHINS: WE ARE MOVING BACK TO FRIDAY. REALLY, FRIDAY'S WORK BETTER, HONESTLY I'M UP FOR THE SAME REASONS YOU MENTIONED. SOMETIMES WE HAD TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE MESSAGING BASED ON THE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE BOARD. DIFFERENT THINGS THAT TRANSPIRED IN A RESPONSE TO THAT SPECIFIC TOPIC. THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WOULD COME ON MONDAY INSTEAD OF FRIDAY TO GIVE US SOME TIME TO DO TRANSLATIONS. WE ARE GOING TO GO BACK TO THAT. PRIOR TO SPRING BREAK THEY WERE WORKING WITH THE TEAM AND THEY LIKED A WEDNESDAY DATE INSTEAD OF THE FRIDAY. I WENT ALONG WITH IT. SHE JUST CAME ON BOARD THAT'S FINE, WE WERE ALREADY DOING IT ON WEDNESDAY SO IT WAS NOTHING NEW. I THINK NOT THAT THIS SITUATION BECAUSE THAT, REALLY WHAT THE CONFLICT WAS WAS THE MISCOMMUNICATION WHICH WAS PART OF THE ACPS AND WHAT THEY EXPRESSED. IT WAS THE SPECIFIC STATEMENT IN BOLD THAT STATED WE WOULD BE AT SIX FEET FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR HERE THAT IS WHAT CAUSED THE MISCOMMUNICATION IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THAT WASN'T THE INTENT. WE WERE HAVING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT PRIOR TO SPRING BREAK BUT THAT WAS PRIOR TO US REALLY DELVING INTO THE CDC GUIDANCE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THAT WASN'T THE EXPECTATION FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. THE EXPECTATION IS WE WOULD RETURN AFTER SPRING BREAK STILL AT SIX FEET. WE DID NOT WANT TO MAKE A DECISION TO PIVOT TO THREE FEET AFTER SPRING BREAK WHEN WE WERE STILL WORKING THROUGH TAKING A DEEP DIVE INTO WHAT THE GUIDELINES STATED AND ALL THE YACHT. I DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE JUMPING INTO SAYING FOR GOING TO 3 FEET RIGHT AFTERWARD . THE INTENT WAS NOT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE ENTIRE SCHOOL YEAR. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON COMMUNICATION OR LAST FRIDAY'S MEETING? HEATHER? >> BOARD MEMBER HEATHER THORNTON: ON THE SUBJECT OF THE ACPS EXPRESS I'M HAPPY TO SEE IT REVERT BACK TO FRIDAY I THINK PROCEDURALLY IT WILL WORK BEST FOR EVERYBODY ON FRIDAY. ONE THING WE'VE DONE A FEW TIMES BEFORE AND I'M INTERESTED TO SEE IT HAPPENED MORE IS FOR VERY IMPORTANT TOPICS THAT WE KNOW WOULD BE HOT TOPIC ISSUES IN THE COMMUNITY, A FEW TIMES THE BOARD WAS ABLE TO SEE A DRAFT THAT COULD GO OUT WHETHER IT WAS ABOUT ANY KIND OF CHANGES IN POLICY. IF YOU GIVE US A DAY I WOULD APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO AT LEAST SEE WHAT'S GOING OUT IN THE ACPS EXPRESS TO SEE THE IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT COME OUT. I KNOW THAT COMMUNICATION CAN MOVE QUICKLY BUT I'M JUST PASSING THAT ON TO SEE IF THAT'S POSSIBLE. >> DR. GREGORY HUTCHINS: USUALLY THE BOARD MEETINGS WOULD HELP WITH THAT. A LOT OF SOUNDBITES WOULD COME OUT OF THE BOARD MEETING SESSIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, I WOULD GO BACK TO, I DON'T THINK IT IS A WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY ISSUE . THE ISSUE WAS THE OLD SIX FEET UNTIL THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. ON WEDNESDAY IF THE LANGUAGE IS AS IT WAS INTENDED TO BE IF WE ARE AT SIX FEET RIGHT NOW BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT THE SPECIFIC GUIDELINES TO MAKE REVISIONS MOVING FORWARD, I DON'T THINK WE WOULD HAVE HAD THE SAME RESPONSE WITH THE COMMUNITY IN REGARDS TO THAT. SORRY, THAT IS MY SUN I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. HE IS ALL RIGHT THOUGH. I THINK. [LAUGHTER] ONE THING THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR US IS AS WE GO THROUGH THE BOARD MEETINGS, TYPICALLY WHAT WE DO IS TAKE A GAUGE OF THE COMMENTS THAT COME AFTER THE PRESENTATIONS THAT HELP US WITH OUR MESSAGING FROM THE BOARD. [01:25:04] IT IS NOT NEW INFORMATION TO BOARD MEMBERS WHEN IT GOES OUT. A LOT OF IT IS INFORMATION THAT CAME OUT OF OUR DISCUSSIONS SO IT IS NOT A SURPRISE. I THINK IN THAT FORMAT WE JUST STARTED. WE WEREN'T ALWAYS DOING IT THAT WAY, EITHER. I THINK WE WANT TO SAY IN NOVEMBER WHEN WE STARTED DOING IT ON FRIDAYS. I THINK IT WORKED REALLY WELL. TO YOUR POINT, IT WILL HELP US TO MAKE SURE THAT IT ISN'T SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THE BOARD HAS ALREADY SAID IF WE KEEP IT ON FRIDAYS. SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO CHANGE IT TO MONDAYS IF IT IS A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF ITEMS. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: CHRIS? >> BOARD MEMBER CHRISTOPHER SUAREZ: THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE CLARIFICATIONS DOCTOR HUTCHINS. ONE SUGGESTION I WAS GOING TO OFFER IS FOR THE COMMUNICATION TEAM WHEN THEY REVIEWED THE EXPRESS TO BE A TUNE TO WHICH STATEMENTS MIGHT BE POLICY TYPE STATEMENTS THAT WOULD REQUIRE INPUT. SO THAT THERE IS ANOTHER CHECK IN THE PROCESS TO SAY THIS MIGHT BE SOME THING WHERE THE BOARD IT IS GOING TO SAY THIS IS POLICY. AND MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T PUT THIS ONE OUT YET. TO YOUR POINT, THE WEDNESDAY OR FRIDAY DOESN'T MATTER AS LONG AS WHAT COMES OUT FROM POLICY PERSPECTIVE IS CONSISTENT TO OUR BOARD MEETINGS. I THINK THAT IS WHERE MY CONCERN MAINLY AROSE IS THAT A NEW POLICY WAS BEING ENACTED COMMUNICATION THAT HADN'T BEEN DISCUSSED WITH THE BOARD. I THINK THE MORE THE COMMUNICATION STAFF IS ATTUNED TO WHAT IS A POLICY COMMUNICATION AND SORT OF TRAINED ON THAT, YOU CAN REVIEW THAT WITH THEM I THINK IT WILL PREVENT THESE KINDS OF ISSUES IN THE FUTURE. >> DR. GREGORY HUTCHINS: I TOTALLY AGREE. ONE ADVANTAGE WE HAVE IS TO HAVE JENNIFER AS PART OF THE SLT AND THIS WASN'T A TOPIC FOR THAT BECAUSE IT'S ALSO ON THURSDAY THAT'S ANOTHER REASON IS TO BE ON FRIDAY. [LAUGHTER] JENNIFER, SHE CHIMES IN AND EVEN THOUGH SHE HAS THE ABILITY TO CATCH SOME THINGS WHEN WE HAVE THOSE MEETINGS PRIOR TO AND THAT IS ANOTHER REASON WHY FRIDAY REALLY DOES WORK WELL FOR US. AND POINT TAKEN. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: VERONICA? CHRIS, WERE YOU DONE? >> BOARD MEMBER CHRISTOPHER SUAREZ: YES, THAT'S IT FOR NOW. >> BOARD VICE CHAIR VERONICA NOLAN: GREAT POINT, CHRIS. I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION AND THANK YOU DOCTOR HUTCHINS FOR WALKING US THROUGH THIS. IT'S ANOTHER DATA POINT. WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND USE THE SCHOOL BOARD TO DO THAT. I WASN'T AWARE UNTIL RIGHT NOW DURING THIS STATEMENT THAT THERE WAS INTENTION TO GO THREE FEET. I AM LITERALLY LEARNING THIS RIGHT NOW DURING THE RETREAT. FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO SHARE DURING THE MEETING AND TO SHARE WHAT THE BLUNDER WAS WITH THE COMMUNICATION AND THE PROCESS THAT WENT INTO MAKING THAT DECISION. I THINK IT'S ANOTHER HELPFUL DATA POINT AND SOLID REMINDER. WHEN YOU ARE IN IT YOU CAN REMEMBER WHERE IT'S COMING FROM AND I AM GETTING FEEDBACK FROM FOLKS THAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY TUNING IN AND USING THE SCHOOL BOARD AS A MEANS TO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN REAL TIME. WE MIGHT WANT TO THINK AS FAR AS AN AGENDA PERSPECTIVE TO PUTTING THE SCHOOLS AT THE TOP OF THE AGENDA BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WAITING THROUGH A LOT OF OTHER AGENDA ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ALL FASCINATING. 35 MINUTES OF THE HIGH SCHOOL SPECS MIGHT BE MUCH TO ADD TO PEOPLE'S ATTENTION. SOME THOUGHTS ON THE AGENDA AND I THINK IT'S A REMINDER FOR US THAT THIS IS A FRUSTRATING TIME FOR FOLKS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE SCHOOL DATA ON WHAT IS BEST FOR CHILDREN. AT THIS POINT EVERYONE IS VULNERABLE. THE MORE THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH FOLKS ON WHAT THE INTENTIONS ARE AND BE EXPLICIT ABOUT IT THE BETTER. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT. >> DR. GREGORY HUTCHINS: I TOTALLY AGREE. I REALLY DO. I WANT TO SAY AND I WANTED TO SHARE THIS WITH THE TEAM YESTERDAY. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT, I WAS TELLING THE TEAM, THE BOARD AND I ARE ON THE SAME PAGE. I DON'T WANT YOU ALL TO FALL INTO ANYTHING YOU READ IN THE NEWS. BECAUSE THEY KNEW BETTER AS WELL. I WANTED PEOPLE TO NOT WALK AWAY FROM OUR MEETING INKING THAT WE ARE NOT A TEAM. ONE THING I TRULY BELIEVE IN, WE HAVE COME SO FAR. GRANTED, I DON'T THINK WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION EVEN LIKE THIS IF IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO. [01:30:06] BECAUSE WE WERE HAVING SOME CHALLENGES WITH HOW DO WE WORK GATHER AND HOW DO WE UNDERSTAND PEOPLE'S INTENT AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. I FEEL WE HAVE GROWN SO MUCH AS A TEAM. I FEEL LIKE I HAVE GROWN A LOT AS A SUPERINTENDENT WITH THE FEEDBACK AND WORKING WITH LAURIE CORNWELL. I AM TAKING THAT ALL IN. I WANT THIS TO CONTINUE TO KEEP THIS TYPE OF TEAM EFFORT AND IT IS OKAY TO HAVE DISAGREEMENTS. IT'S OKAY TO TALK PUBLICLY ABOUT SOME OF OUR QUESTIONS AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE THAT ONE, WE ARE HUMAN. AND 2, WE CAN WORK THROUGH OUR CHALLENGES AND ISSUES AS PROFESSIONALS. AND KEEP IT MOVING AND KEEP OUR EYES ON THE PRIZE. WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE. SEPARATE FROM THE FEET PIECE, WE HAVE A TON OF THINGS TO WORK THROUGH WHEN WE TALK ABOUT APRIL 22 FOR SUMMER AND FALL AS WELL. I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE A SPACE WHERE WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND TALK THROUGH AND HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE UNDERSTANDING. THANK YOU FOR THAT. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT, HONESTLY. IT TAKES TIME TO DEVELOP A TEAM BECAUSE IT'S A RELATIONSHIP. WE DON'T HAVE TO AGREE BUT EVERYBODY COMES AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY. AND UNTIL YOU GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER TO KNOW WHERE THEY ARE COMING FROM. IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY ARE COMING FROM YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY IN A NONTHREATENING WAY TO SAY, I DON'T UNDERSTAND OR YOU ARE COMING FROM WITH THIS. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT. AGAIN, WHEN I SAW THE VIDEO I DID NOT SEE THE TEAM BREAK APART LIKE SOME MAY HAVE THAT DON'T KNOW YOU GUYS. WHAT I SAW WAS REALLY, TRULY, MISCOMMUNICATION. I THINK IT WAS HAPPENING SO FAST, PERHAPS, WITH ACPS EXPRESS, THE WASHINGTON POST, TRYING TO CONTACT BOARD MEMBERS ABOUT SITUATIONS, HAVING A BOARD MEMBER THAT NIGHT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY STARTING TO EMAIL YOU GUYS AND COMMENT ON THE POST. I THANKFUL OF IT WAS HAPPENING AT ONE-TIME. IT CREATED A LOT OF CONFUSION FOR EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON. I THINK THIS KIND OF CONVERSATION, IF YOU SEE A MISSTEP IT IS SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. BECAUSE IGNORING IT OR NOT HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY, WE ALL KNOW HOW HARD IT IS FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TO BE TRANSPARENT AND HAVE OPEN MEETINGS. IF WE IGNORE IT AND MOVE ON IS STARTS TO BUILD UP LIKE ANY RELATIONSHIP YOU DON'T TAKE CARE OF. I SOUND LIKE A THERAPIST BUT I'M NOT. I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR TEAM REALLY DOES TAKE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO CARE FOR OUR TEAM. THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE ARE GOING TO MAKE GOOD CHANGES AND GOOD DECISIONS FOR OUR KIDS. I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU GUYS BUT EVERY GROUP I AM DOING RIGHT NOW, IT IS A COMPLETE NEW BALLGAME AND THEY ARE TRYING THEIR BEST TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO EDUCATE KIDS, TO MAKE OUR TEACHERS HAPPY AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DIVISION MOVES FORWARD. I APPLAUD YOU GUYS. I HAVE TALKED TO MOST OF YOU AND YOU HAVE, ONE THING I LOVE ABOUT THIS GROUP IS THAT YOUR HEADS ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE. YOUR DESIRES ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND YOU ALL WANT THE SAME THING. YOU WANT THIS DIVISION TO BE GREAT, YOU WANT TO PRODUCE A GREAT GRADUATE AND YOU ALL HAVE THE SAME VERY PARALLEL OUTCOMES OR DESIRED OUTCOMES. NOW, HOW TO GET THERE, IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM EACH OF YOU. I AM REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK YOU ARE DOING THROUGH COVID AND OTHERWISE. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT TO YOU WHILE I HAVE YOU TOGETHER AT 1POINT. ANY OTHER POINTS THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT? >> BOARD CHAIR MEAGAN ALDERTON: ONE COMMENT THAT I WILL HAVE ON COMMUNICATION AND SOMETHING THAT I HAVE STARTED TO REALIZE IS THAT ONE THING WE MIGHT WANT TO DO A BETTER JOB OF IS COMMUNICATING THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING. BECAUSE, I FEEL LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE DECISION-MAKING MATRIX. AND I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE IT WAS OUT THERE SCHOOL BY SCHOOL, BUT I DIDN'T GET A SENSE THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY EVEN KNEW WAS A THING. [01:35:04] RIGHT? WE KNEW IT WAS A THING BECAUSE WE WERE BRIEFED ON IT. BUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I ALMOST FEEL LIKE WE ARE UNDER SERVING OURSELVES IN THE INFORMATION THAT WE PUT OUT. I KNOW IT'S A CHALLENGE TO YOU. WE ARE IN THIS CONSTANT ISSUE OF ARE WE COMMUNICATING TOO MUCH? IS IT TOO MUCH INFORMATION? I THINK WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH WHAT THE COMMUNICATION LOOKS LIKE FOR US. I DID NOTICE THAT SOMETIMES I HAVE SAID SOME THINGS TO PEOPLE AND THEY SAID I HAD NO IDEA THAT WAS HAPPENING. YOU KNOW? THEY ARE LIKE, THAT'S REALLY GOOD, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT. SO, MAY BE, AND MAY BE IN AN AGENDA SETTING SOMETIMES WE SIT AND SAY WHAT ARE SOME HELPFUL NUGGETS THAT WE KNOW INTERNALLY THAT WE THINK WOULD BE GOOD TO GO OUT IN COMMUNICATION SOMETIMES. THAT'S MY TWO CENTS. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: I WOULD IMAGINE IF I COULD GUESS AND I DON'T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN CRAIG'S MOUTH IS THAT THE COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT IS RESTRUCTURING. I CAN SEE HOW YOU CAN PLAY A ROLE IN THE INPUT AND OPTICS OF WHAT YOU SEE. THE SCHOOL BOARD IS SUPPOSED TO BE A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL DIVISION IN THAT REGARDS. I THINK THERE MIGHT BE OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT MOVING FORWARD. I THINK THAT IS A GREAT POINT MOVING FORWARD MEAGAN. >> DR. GREGORY HUTCHINS: I WAS GOING TO SAY I AGREE 100 PERCENT. WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT OUR COMMUNICATIONS STRUCTURE THAT WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD TIME FOR US TO ASK THE BOARD, WHAT ARE SOME AND MAYBE YOU ALL CAN START INKING ABOUT THAT SO THAT YOU ARE NOT JUST CAUGHT OFF GUARD. YOU CAN BE PROVIDING US WITH SOME GUIDANCE FROM SOME EXPERIENCES. THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED. KATHY AND JULIE, GRANTED JULIE HAS BEEN HERE SINCE JULY THAT SHE HAS BEEN CONSUMED IN COVID. SHE IS STILL NOT ABLE TO UNDERSTAND OUR COMMUNITY, AND OUR COMMUNITY IS FACE-TO-FACE. SHE HAS BEEN A PART OF SOME THINGS BUT YOUR INSIGHT AROUND, SOME OF THE EXPERIENCES WE HAVE HAD AND WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE ESCO COULD BE VERY HELPFUL AS WE ARE LOOKING TO FILL THESE POSITIONS AS WELL AS REVISING PEOPLE'S ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: ALL RIGHT, RAMEE. >> BOARD MEMBER RAMEE GENTRY: I WANTED TO BUILD OFF WHAT MEAGAN AND GREG JUST SAID. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD IS NOT AN EXPERT IN. YOU KNOW? WE REALLY LIKE TO RECEIVE INFORMATION FROM THE STAFF AND PROCESS IT AND REACT IN IT. WHEN AREA WE CAN PROVIDE INSIGHT IN IS, WE ARE HEARING, OR SEEING HOW THE COMMUNITY IS REACTING TO THINGS. IT IS SOMETHING THAT I REALLY WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. THERE IS SO MUCH POTENTIAL WORK THAT COMMUNICATIONS CAN DO AND I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON THE STUFF THAT REALLY IS GOING TO MEET THE NEEDS AND REALLY CELEBRATE THE GREAT STUFF THAT WE DO. I WAS REMINDED OF THIS THE OTHER DAY, MY SON CONTACTED ME WHILE IN COLLEGES BECAUSE HE SAW THE WASHINGTON POST STORY. WHAT A FANTASTIC STORY ABOUT A DIFFERENT WAY OF THINKING ABOUT HOW ACPS IS CONFRONTING THE PANDEMIC. THESE IDENTIFYING KIDS, THEY ARE NOT SHOWING UP TO SCHOOL. WHY? LET'S DRILL DOWN AND FIND OUT. IT'S BECAUSE THEY ARE HAVING TO TAKE ON MORE DAYTIME WORK HOURS BECAUSE NUMBERS OF THEIR FAMILY ARE OUT OF WORK BECAUSE OF COVID. FOR US TO CREATE THAT TO BE ABLE TO DASH WHAT A FANTASTIC STORY. I AM SO GLAD THAT PEOPLE GOT TO HEAR THAT LAST WEEK ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER STUFF. [01:40:02] WE HAVE GREAT STORIES TO TELL. WE HAVE GREAT STORIES TO SHARE WITH OUR COMMUNITY. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: ABSOLUTELY. I HAVE SAID THIS TO YOU GUYS BEFORE BUT IT IS HUMAN NATURE. YOU COULD DO 100 THINGS VERY WELL. ONE THING YOU GET BEAMED FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT AND YOU ALL FOCUS ON THAT ONE THING INSTEAD OF THE 10 THINGS YOU DID REALLY WELL. WE DON'T ALWAYS DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF FOCUSING ON ALL THE THINGS YOU'RE DOING WELL. IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU IGNORE IT PAIRED WHEN YOU SCREW UP OR HAVE A MISCOMMUNICATION YOU OWN IT. YOU DO THE BEST YOU CAN TO EXPLAIN IT. THEN, YOU MOVE ON. THAT IS THE WAY IT WORKS. I DON'T WANT US TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THE WORK YOU ARE DOING IS SIGNIFICANT. AND, IT IS REALLY GOOD WORK. REALLY GOOD WORK. CINDY? >> BOARD MEMBER CINDY ANDERSON: . MY ALSO SENT SUN ALSO SENT ME THE ARTICLE THIS WEEK. WHAT I HAD BEEN THINKING ABOUT BEFORE, THIS WAS ABOUT MEGAN'S SPEAKING REMINDED ME ABOUT THE POSITIVE THINGS. I WAS WONDERING IF IT WAS ON THE WEBSITE TO SHOW HOW MANY STUDENTS WE HAVE RETURNED TO SCHOOL. AND SEE IT TICKED UP AS WE GET MORE AND MORE RETURNING HERE SOMEPLACE WHERE IT SHOWS BECAUSE I THINK SOME PEOPLE WILL WITH ALL THE NOISE WHO DON'T HAVE KIDS IN THE SYSTEM, THERE IS NOBODY RETURNING. WITH ALL OF THE COMPLAINING GOING ON THEY MIGHT THINK THAT NO ONE IS BACK BECAUSE THEY SEE THE OPEN ACPS ALL OVER THE PLACE. THAT IS A THOUGHT THAT I MEANT TO SEND AS AN EMAIL BUT I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THAT THOUGHT. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: IS THAT ON THE WEBSITE, CRAIG, DO YOU KNOW? >> DR. GREGORY HUTCHINS: NO. IT IS NOT ON THE WEBSITE AS OF RIGHT NOW. >> BOARD CHAIR MEAGAN ALDERTON: IT IS SUCH A GOOD IMAGE, CINDY, SEEING THIS ROLLING NUMBER. >> DR. GREGORY HUTCHINS: I'M GOING TO MENTION THAT TO JULIA. I ASKED HER TEAM TO WATCH THIS PORTION OF THE RETREAT BECAUSE IT IS RECORDED. I THINK IT WILL BE HELP ALL FOUR HER AND HER TEAM BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS VALUABLE INFORMATION. HER TEXT BACK TO ME SAID THIS IS VERY HELPFUL. I WAS GIVING HER TIDBITS BUT I THINK THIS KIND OF TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION ON OUR AND WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR THE TEAM. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, ONE THING THAT BOARD MEMBERS DO HAVE EXPERTISE IN IS COMMUNICATING WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DO. I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE EMBRACING THAT AND GETTING THAT INSIGHT. THIS IS A SPOT ON CONVERSATION AND I THINK THEY ARE REALLY GOING TO EMBRACE IT. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: EXCELLENT, JACINTA? >> BOARD MEMBER JACINTA GREENE: THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT DOCTOR HUTCHINS. I DON'T NEED TO SAY IT BUT COMMUNICATION IS OUR DOWNFALL. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE RESTRUCTURE AND MOVING FORWARD WITH THE COMMUNICATION AUDIT. CAN YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ON WHERE WE ARE AT WITH THAT? I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD THE INFORMATION IN A WHILE ON THE AUDIT. >> DR. GREGORY HUTCHINS: I THINK THE UPDATE IS SCHEDULED FOR MAY OR JUNE. I DON'T KNOW ANY SPECIFICS THAT I CAN GIVE YOU RIGHT NOW AT THIS MOMENT. I DO KNOW THAT IT IS SCHEDULED FOR MAY OR JUNE. WE PUSHED IT OUT ORIGINALLY. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN APRIL. WE DID HAVE A CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP WITH THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. SO WE PUSHED IT OUT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR. >> BOARD MEMBER JACINTA GREENE: OKAY, THANK YOU. AND, LAURIE CORNWELL, I WOULD SAY YOU REALLY ARE A THERAPIST. DON'T EVER SAY YOU AREN'T, DON'T EVER SAY THAT AGAIN! >> LAURIE CORNWELL: I WILL SAY, I HAVE TOLD PEOPLE, VERONICA ALWAYS SAYS SHE IS THE SCHOOL BOARD WHISPER, I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT AND I TAKE THAT AS A COMPLIMENT. I DO. I APPRECIATE SO MUCH WHAT YOU GUYS DO BECAUSE I HAVE SAT IN YOUR SEAT. [01:45:02] IT IS REALLY HARD TO EXPLAIN TO SOMEBODY THE ROLE OF A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND WHAT YOU ARE UP AGAINST IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE IT BEFORE. IT IS LIKE A PARENTS. SOMEONE TRYING TO TELL A PARENT HOW TO PARENT WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE A CHILD. YOU CAN DO IT BUT IT IS A DIFFERENT DYNAMIC OF WHERE YOU SET AND WHAT YOU GO THROUGH. SO, YEAH, THANK YOU, JACINTA, THAT'S VERY SWEET. I ENJOY EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AND I DON'T THINK I HAVE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH EITHER OF YOU WHEN I HAVE HUNG UP THE PHONE AND SAID THAT SCHOOL BOARD IS GLAD TO HAVE THEM ON THE BOARD. ALL RIGHT, WHO HAS NOT TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT IS REALLY ARE GOING ON IN OUR DISCUSSIONS. HEATHER WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING ABOUT THE WHOLE COMMUNICATION PIECE? >> BOARD MEMBER HEATHER THORNTON: NO. I AM HAPPY TO HEAR THERE ARE A LOT OF LESSONS LEARNED. WE HAVE HAD QUITE A FEW OF THEM OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM. I THINK WE CAN MAKE THAT ENGAGEMENT TOGETHER THE BETTER WE WILL BE AS A DIVISION SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: I HAVE MADE IT CLEAR TO ALL OF YOU GUYS AND I THINK WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE. HE IS NOT GOING TO BE EASY TO RESTRUCTURE OUR COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT. IT'S NOT. IT TAKES WORK AND A LOT OF ATTENTION. YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO RESTRUCTURE AND THEN ALL THE SUDDEN YOU ARE DONE. IT IS A CONTINUAL WORK IN PROGRESS. RIGHT? ONE THING THAT COULD BE REALLY HELPFUL THAT I HAVE HEARD FROM ALL 10 OF YOU IS, ACTUALLY EVERYBODY ON THIS PANEL RIGHT NOW IS THAT WE NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE PROACTIVE IN POLITICALLY CHARGED CONVERSATIONS AND HOW TO CREATE SOME OF THOSE SILENT STEPS TO CREATE AWARENESS AND COMMUNICATION IN THE COMMUNITY WHEN THERE'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE THAT MIGHT BE EMOTIONAL OR CHARGING. THE OTHER THING WE HAVE LEARNED AS SCHOOL SYSTEMS IS WE GOT CAUGHT, EVERYBODY GOT CAUGHT WITH COVID. I DON'T MEAN THAT LITERALLY BUT EVERYBODY GOT CAUGHT NOT KNOWING HOW TO HANDLE A CRISIS LIKE THAT. THERE'S A LOT OF CRISIS AND COMMUNICATION PLANS THAT ARE BEING ADDRESSED OR CREATED IN THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENTS. GREG, THOSE MAY BE SOME OTHER WAYS THAT THE BOARD CAN GIVE INPUT FROM GOING THROUGH THIS LAST COVID CRISIS. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AND DID WE HAVE ANY LESSONS LEARNED FROM OUR COMMUNICATION PIECE NOT JUST ANY SNAPSHOT BUT OVERALL THAT NEEDED TO BE THANK YOU INTO SUCH A THING AS A CRISIS PLAN OR IN WAYS THAT WE ENGAGE MEDIA OR NOT OR THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. ANY THOUGHTS ON THE CRISIS OR ANY KIND OF OUTREACH THAT WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL LOVE? I MEAN, IN TWO YEARS IF YOU LOOK AT THE POLITICALLY CHARGED TOPICS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN IT IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT. PRETTY SIGNIFICANT. IT IS NOT THE NORM. YOU HAVE HAD MORE THAN YOUR SHARE OF THOSE KINDS OF HOT TOPICS. I DO THINK THAT IT IS A REALLY GOOD IDEA TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT SO IT'S NOT AS HOT. THERE ARE SOME STRATEGIES TO MAKE THEM NOT AS QUITE AS EMOTIONALLY CHARGED IN THE COMMUNITY. ALL RIGHT. GO AHEAD MEAGAN. >> BOARD CHAIR MEAGAN ALDERTON: IS NOT MAGGIE! IT IS MEAGAN. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I CAN DEFINITELY SAY IS WE HAD A LOT GOING ON AT THURSDAY'S MEETING. BUT I THINK, I HAVE TO SAY THAT WE CAME TOGETHER AS A TEAM. THROUGH VARIOUS BIG CONVERSATIONS BACK TO BACK. I FELT LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE WERE A TEAM. WHETHER IT WAS ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL DISCUSSION, EVERYBODY STARTED OFF IN DIFFERENT PLACES AND SOMEHOW WE CAME TO A COMMONPLACE. YOU KNOW? IT WAS JUST RESPECTING AND LISTENING TO EVERYBODY'S THOUGHT AND USING THAT TRUE LIBERATION TO MEET CONSENSUS. I WAS PROUD OF YOU GUYS. WAY TO GO. [01:50:01] >> BOARD VICE CHAIR VERONICA NOLAN: IT WAS A LOT OF TEAMWORK ON THURSDAY. I TOTALLY AGREE. >> BOARD CHAIR MEAGAN ALDERTON: I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ONE OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT WAS EASY. [LAUGHTER] >> BOARD MEMBER MARGARET LORBER: I GUESS I HAVE TO EXPRESS THIS. I FELT VERY SAD AFTER THE MEETING AND PARTICULARLY THE NEXT DAY AS I READ THE NEWSPAPERS. I FELT THAT WE WERE ALL BLINDSIDED, ON THE ONE HAND, I FOR ONE WAS THE LEAST BIT SURPRISED. I KNEW WE HAD NOT YET MADE A DECISION AS A BOARD TO HOLD OFF AND STICK WITH THE SIX FEET UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR. HOWEVER, I KNEW THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF TEACHERS WITH HESITANCY TO MOVE FROM VIRTUAL TO IN SCHOOL. THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONING ON THE STAFF. THERE STILL A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT SAFETY ISSUES AND ABOUT THE WORK. THE FACT THAT THEY HAD PUT SO MUCH INTO CREATING A VIRTUAL SYSTEM AND THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT'S JUST IN EASY THING TO AUTOMATICALLY SLIP TO THE NEXT PHASE. WHEN THE SIX TO 3 FEET CAME UP I THOUGHT ABOUT THE EXPECTATION THAT A SCHOOL SYSTEM CAN SHIFT GEARS SO QUICKLY I THINK IS UNREALISTIC. I WAS NOT HAPPY WHEN I SAW THAT WE HADN'T, MY HUSBAND READ ME THE ARTICLE IN THE POST AND I SAID THAT WAS CRAZY. WE DIDN'T VOTE ON THAT, THAT WAS IN OUR POLICY. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND - I DON'T KNOW. WHEN I TALKED TO DOCTOR HUTCHINS IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE YOU SAY YOU'RE SORRY AFTERWARDS BUT HE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT HE WASN'T DOING SOMETHING. I WAS READY TO ACCEPT THAT BECAUSE MY SENSE WAS THAT THEY REALLY DID WANT TO STUDY IT. OBVIOUSLY WE ARE BOMBARDED DAY IN AND DAY OUT THE FOLKS THAT ARE CRITICAL OF STUDYING THE ISSUE. THE BOTTOM LINE IS BECAUSE THE PRESS SO LOVES TO POUNCE ON WHAT IS THE WORD I WANT TO SAY? NOT NEGATIVE BUT ATTENTION-GETTING LANGUAGE. OKAY? I FELT IT WAS AN EMBARRASSMENT. I FELT THE ARTICLES MADE IT LOOK LIKE HE HADN'T COME TOGETHER AT ALL BUT WE WERE ACTUALLY AT ALL. I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY UNFORTUNATE. AND ALL THE OTHER ISSUES I FELT LIKE WE CAME TOGETHER AS A BOARD AND I WAS HAPPY WITH THE RESOLUTION THAT WE ALL DID VOTE ON THE MOTION TO MOVE AHEAD TO REASSURE THE PUBLIC THAT THIS IS WHERE WE WERE GOING. I FELT BADLY THAT THE INTERPRETATION WAS BY, THROUGH THE PRESS THAT THIS WAS SOMEHOW NOT WHAT DOCTOR HUTCHINS HAD WANTED AND THAT BOTHERED ME. AND THAT IS JUST HOW I FELT. I WANTED TO BE HONEST BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE ARE ALL COMING TOGETHER AND AS YOU KNOW, I REALLY LIKE THIS BOARD AND I DO FEEL LIKE WE DO COME TOGETHER BUT THIS I FOUND VERY TROUBLING. I THINK WE HAVE TO BE AWARE THAT THE PRESS LOVES TO PICK UP ON SENSATIONAL LANGUAGE. I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SAY. I WISH WE COULD'VE ALL OUR LANGUAGE A LITTLE LESS SENSATIONAL SO THEY COULDN'T HAVE HAD SUCH A STORY. I DON'T THINK IT IS GOOD FOR A SCHOOL SYSTEM. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: DID YOU TAKE YOUR HAND BACK DOWN? YOU DID? >> DR. GREGORY HUTCHINS: I THINK IT'S WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE AT THIS POINT. I REALLY DO. I THINK WE ARE MOVING FORWARD FOR EVERYBODY. I HAVE RESPECT FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU AND I VALUE THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE SEPARATE FROM THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT RELATIONSHIP. AND THAT'S ON PURPOSE BECAUSE WE ARE DOING SOME OF THE TOUGHEST JOBS IN THE WORLD. WE REALLY ARE. IF WE HAD NO RELATIONSHIP IN ADDITION TO THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT, WE WOULD FAIL. THE REASON WHY I AM ABLE TO STAND TALL AND KEEP ON COMING BACK AND DOING THIS IS BECAUSE I DO HAVE A BOARD LIKE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. [01:55:01] WE HAVE A GREAT STAFF DON'T GET ME WRONG. THE STAFF IS VERY SUPPORTIVE. YOU ALL HELPED ME DO THIS WORK. I DO NOT FEEL ALONE. THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE LONELIEST JOBS OUT THERE AND NOBODY WANTS TO BE A SUPERINTENDENT RIGHT NOW. NOBODY IS SIGNING UP TO DO MY JOB. THEY DON'T WANT IT. NOT AT THIS TIME! MAYBE ONE DAY BUT NOT TODAY. IT IS A PRETTY LONELY PLACE. I NEVER GENUINELY FEEL ALONE BECAUSE I KNOW I DO HAVE NINE OTHER PEOPLE AND 10 BECAUSE I DO COUNT LAURIE CORNWELL THAT I CAN COUNT ON TO TALK ABOUT CHALLENGES. I APPRECIATE THAT AND I KNOW I COULDN'T DO THAT TWO YEARS AGO AND I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THIS TWO YEARS AGO AND IT CAN ONLY GET BETTER UNTIL SOME OF YOU DON'T COME BACK IN A YEAR. I UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYBODY HAS TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THEM THAT I WANT YOU ALL TO GENUINELY KNOW I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. I VALUE OUR RELATIONSHIP ASIDE FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERINTENDENT RELATIONSHIP. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: I WOULD SAY, MARGARET I WOULD GUESS YOU WEREN'T THE ONLY ONE WHO WAS LEFT THERE NOT FEELING LIKE EVERYBODY WAS HAPPY. I THINK IT'S FAIR WHAT YOU SAID AND YOU KNOW, IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. THINGS LIKE THIS WILL HAPPEN AND THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THESE RETREATS HAPPEN. IT'S THAT THIS RETREAT WAS SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE WHEN IT WAS. IT'S PERFECT TIMING BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO MEET SINCE JANUARY AND WE DIDN'T NEED TO HAVE A TOPIC RIGHT NOW, WE NEEDED A GOOD GRIEF THIS IS HARD MOMENT. I THINK THAT'S OKAY AND WE DON'T GET TO HAVE THAT VERY OFTEN TOGETHER. I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS, MARGARET . WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME LEFT I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE US TO THE END OF NINE OF TALK. IF WE ARE THROUGH, SUSAN, I DID HAVE A QUESTION. WHEN I PRINTED THE AGENDA EARLIER, I DON'T REMEMBER HEARING ABOUT WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS, WAS THAT TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO ANY COMMENTS THAT THE BOARD WAS RECEIVING AROUND COMMUNICATION PIECES? >> SPEAKER: THAT IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE PUBLIC TO SUBMIT WRITTEN COMMENTS IF THEY WISH TO BUT WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY THIS WEEK. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: OKAY. >> SPEAKER: THAT IS SOMETHING WE ARE DOING AT EVERY MEETING NOW GIVEN THAT WE ARE NOT MEETING PUBLICLY. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: OKAY. ARE THEY SPECIFIC TO THE MEETING ITSELF THAT ARE COMING UP? >> SPEAKER: NOT NECESSARILY. IF WE RECEIVE ANY THING SPECIFIC TO THE MEETING I WOULD BE HAPPY TO FORWARD THEM TO YOU AS WELL. NOT NECESSARILY. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: OKAY. ANY CLOSING THOUGHTS GUYS? YES, JACINTA? >> BOARD MEMBER JACINTA GREENE: I WAS WONDERING IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE WHEN WE HAVE THE MEETING AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR TO DO IT IN PERSON? I GET MORE OUT OF THE RETREATS WHEN THEY ARE IN PERSON MORE SO WHEN THEY ARE ON ZOOM. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE FEELS THAT WAY. IT'S VERY DIFFERENT HAVING IT ON ZOOM. IT'S NOT AS EFFECTIVE IN MY OPINION. I WOULD LIKE TO PUT THAT THOUGHT OUT THERE FOR THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR RETREAT. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: I DEFINITELY, I MEAN, I THINK IF WE ARE GOING TO BE OPENING SCHOOLS AND TRYING TO GET AS MANY KIDS INTO SCHOOL, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THAT LEAD, THAT EXAMPLE. I KNOW THAT IS A BIG, BLANKET STATEMENT AND EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN COMFORT LEVEL ON THAT. I THINK IT IS WORTHY OF DISCUSSION. I THINK I HAVE TOLD A COUPLE OF YOU GUYS THIS, MY SISTER CAME TO VISIT AND SHE LIVES IN VIRGINIA. AND, SHE SAID, I WOULD LOVE TO STATE THAT THE PROTOCOL IS TO WEAR DOUBLE MASKS AND I LANDED IN A STATE WHERE NO ONE IS WEARING MASKS. IT IS A VERY DIFFERENT WORLDS. I DO TRAVEL. NOT A LOT BUT ABOUT HALF OF OUR CLIENTS ARE MEETING IN PERSON AND WE ARE STILL SOCIAL DISTANCING IT MANY TIMES, EVERYBODY IS WEARING MASKS. IT IS ON A CASE-BY-CASE AS TO WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. I AM WILLING TO TRAVEL TO COME AND MEET WITH YOU GUYS. I THINK WE HAVE THE SPACE IN THE ROOMS TO SOCIAL DISTANCE. I KNOW I AM GOING TO HAVE TO YIELD TO THOSE THAT ARE NOT COMFORTABLE OR WHAT THOSE LAWS MIGHT LOOK LIKE OR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT LOGISTICS SURROUNDING HYBRIDS AND [02:00:04] NON-HYBRIDS AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT AND I AM NOT VERSED ENOUGH ABOUT. I DEFINITELY THINK IT'S WORTHY OF A CONVERSATION. SUSAN AND I WERE UP IN THE AIR IN THE BEGINNING WHEN WE STARTED PLANNING THIS RETREAT AND THEN THAT WENT AWAY. I THINK WE ARE GETTING CLOSER TO IT BECOMING MORE OF A REAL CONVERSATION INSTEAD OF A WISH CONVERSATION. HEATHER? >> BOARD MEMBER HEATHER THORNTON: ON A SLIGHTLY RELATED NOTE, IN THINKING ABOUT OUR EARLY DISCUSSION ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TIME AND EFFORT TO DO SCHOOL BOARD, I THINK THE TIMING OF OUR MEETINGS AND I GUESS IN THE COVID PERIOD AND MEETING IN PERSON, THESE THINGS MATTER. THESE IN PERSON MEETINGS THAT WE ARE HAVING AT 5:00, I WILL BE HONEST IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME WITH MY JOB CIRCUMSTANCES RIGHT NOW. 7:00 IS GREAT. IT GAVE ME ENOUGH TIME TO COMMUTE AND EVERYTHING. I HOPE MOVING FORWARD WE ARE COGNIZANT OF WHEN WE ARE HAVING MEETING TIMES TO THE DEGREE THAT WE NEED TO START HAVING THEM ON FRIDAYS AGAIN, NOON IS ALSO A DIFFICULT TIME. I WANT US TO BE CONSCIOUS OF THAT BECAUSE IT REALLY DOES IMPACT WHO IS ABLE TO DO SCHOOL BOARD MOVING FORWARD. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: RAMEE? >> BOARD MEMBER RAMEE GENTRY: I WILL TAKE IT FURTHER. I THINK THESE ARE GOOD POINTS TO THINK ABOUT NOW. IT HAS BEEN VERY, IT'S GIVEN ME A LOT OF THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE LENGTH OF OUR MEETINGS AND THE SHEER AMOUNT OF MATERIAL WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND THE REALITY THAT WHILE THERE'S DEFINITELY BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT IN PERSON MEETINGS CAN WE START EARLIER? THERE MIGHT BE REASONS WHY WE CAN'T AS HEATHER INDICATED. I AM GOING TO THROW SOMETHING OUT HERE NOW. IN THE SAME WAY OF WHEN I WAS STILL CHAIR, WE HAD JUST BARELY TOUCHED ON SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT COULD WE, THERE ARE MANY POINTS IN THE YEAR AND A LOT AT THE END OF THE YEAR WHEN THE SCHOOL BOARD RECOGNIZES DIFFERENT GROUPS AND ENTITIES AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE MEETING. THERE WAS SOME BEGINNING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT PERHAPS WE COULD INSTEAD CREATE A SEPARATE EVENT FOR THAT IN A NICE, BIG SPACE WHERE EVERYONE, ALL THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF PEOPLE COULD ATTEND AND IT WOULD BE FOCUSED ON THEM. BECAUSE, I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IS THE BEST WAY FOR US TO FIND OUT, TOO MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH OUR SCHOOLS TO CONTINUE THE LONG-HELD PROCESS OF DIFFERENT SCHOOLS COMING TO EACH MEETING AND DOING PRESENTATIONS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. BY THE TIME THEY ARE ALL DONE AND EVERYONE HAS LEFT AND KEEP IN MIND A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE IT MIGHT BE A BURDEN FOR THEM TO COME. MAYBE THERE ARE KIDS THAT CAN'T DO THAT THIS PATIENT BECAUSE OF THE TIMING OF STUFF LIKE THAT. IS THAT REALLY THE BEST WAY FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD TO CONNECT WITH OUR SCHOOLS? OR DO WE TO FIND OTHER WAYS TO CONNECT WITH THE SCHOOLS. DO WE NEED TO, EVERYONE HAS GOTTEN SO GOOD AT VIDEO PRESENTATIONS NOW. WHAT IF A PREPARED VIDEO PRESENTATION THAT CAN BE SHARED ON THE WEBSITE, SHARED ON THE CABLE CHANNEL AND NOT WITH US NOT NECESSARILY IN THE CONFINES OF THE MEETING. SOMETIMES IT IS OVER AN HOUR BEFORE WE ARE, IN THE OLD WAY, WE WERE STARTING THE ACTUAL PROCESS OF THE MEETING. THAT IS AN HOUR LATER THAT STAFF ARE GETTING HOME, IT'S AN HOUR LATER FOR THE PEOPLE WATCHING AT HOME AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I AM JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE. I THINK IT MIGHT BE WORTH THE CHANGES THAT WE HAD TO MAKE BECAUSE OF COVID, WE MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT MIGHT BE WORTH MAINTAINING EVEN WHEN WE ARE IN AND IN PERSON SETTING. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: DID YOU STILL WANT TO TALK HEATHER? OKAY. RHONDA CUT DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOME THING? >> BOARD VICE CHAIR VERONICA NOLAN: REALLY FAST I DON'T TYPICALLY LIKE TO REPEAT WHAT SOMEONE SAYS BUT IT BEARS REPEATING. CINDY BROUGHT UP EARLIER AND RAMEE IS BRINGING IT UP AGAIN WE HAVE LOST SOME SIGNIFICANT TALENT IN STAFF BECAUSE THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS ITSELF OR CONSIDERING A DRAIN ON THEM I'M TALKING EXCEPTIONALLY TALENTED PEOPLE. IT WAS A REAL LOSS TO LOSE THEM HERE THEY COME A POINT LINK MENTIONED THE SCHOOL [02:05:05] BOARD MEETING IS NOT AN ASSUMPTION. THEY SHARED IN THE RESIGNATION LETTER THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING WAS A DRAIN ON THEM AND THEIR FAMILY AND THEY WE'RE ABLE TO GO ON TO OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES WHERE EVENINGS AND NIGHTS WERE NOT CONSIDERED PART OF THE PACKAGE AND THEY COULD MAINTAIN THEIR SALARY. I THINK WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF HOW LATE WE START AND HOW LATE WE ARE KEEPING STAFF AND HOW ARE WE DOING THE RETAINING. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN DO IT AT TIMES WHERE WE DO THE MEETING AND THEN THEY ARE GETTING UP FRESH. IT'S NOT ONLY LEADERS BUT THEY ARE LEADING TEAMS AND THE WHOLE THING TRICKLES DOWN. WE ARE ALSO ASKING COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO TUNE IN BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE A TRANSPARENT GOVERNMENT. ESPECIALLY MOST OF OUR CONSTITUENTS OUR PARENTS. A JOKE FOR I FEEL LUCKY IF MY KID LEAVES THE HOUSE WITH A PAIR OF MATCHING SOCKS. I FEEL LIKE I'VE WON THAT DAY. TO ASK ME AS A WORKING MOM TO THEN TUNE INTO A NIGHT MEETING FOR A FEW HOURS TO TRY TO SIPHON THROUGH WHAT IT IS GOING ON. THEN YOU ADD 63 PERCENT FREE AND REDUCED SCHOOL LUNCH DIVISION, THE PTSD AND THE STRESS OF LOW INCOME AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT ONE THIRD OF OUR PARENTS DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH AS A FIRST LANGUAGE. IT'S DIFFICULT. I WANT TO REITERATE AND THINK RAMEE FROM A COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE AND STAFF AND LIKE ANYTHING IN LIFE WHEN THERE IS A CRISIS, NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION. I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE AS A BOARD TO ALLOW PUBLIC COMMENT TO REMAIN VIRTUAL EVEN POST COVID. ONE THING I NEVER UNDERSTOOD IS HOW CAN WE AS PARENTS USE THEIR BABYSITTING CHIP WHICH IS REALLY HARD TO GET AS A PARENT TO COME AND BABYSIT YOUR KID AND THEN PAYING SOMEONE ON TOP OF IT AN HOURLY RATE TO THEN FLY INTO A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AND MAKE A COMMENT FOR 3 MINUTES AND THEN HEAD BACK OUT AND FIGURE OUT PARKING AND ALL OF THAT. I DO THINK WE HAVE A BETTER SHOT IN CONTINUING TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IF WE CONTINUE WITH VIRTUAL PUBLIC COMMENT. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THOSE COMMENTS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND I WANT TO SAY DITTO. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: ANY CLOSING THOUGHT? I WANT TO TELL YOU GUYS A FUNNY STORY ON A SCHOOL BOARD I WAS WORKING WITH THE OTHER DAY. HE IS A NEW SUPERINTENDENT SO I'M GOING TO PREFACE THAT I SAYING THAT. HE IS ALSO A CITY COUNCILMEMBER. I'M GOING TO SAY THAT. IT IS NOT IN VIRGINIA. HE BASICALLY SAID, IT IS A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. I WILL ATTEND UNTIL 10:00 IF THEY WANT TO GO ON PAST 10 THEY ARE WELCOME TO DO IT BUT I LEAVE AT 10. AND I WAS LIKE HOW IS THAT GOING OVER? AND EVERYBODY WAS LIKE FINE. SURE. TOTALLY FINE. I WAS JUST LIKE, I HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE IN MY LIFE. FIRST OF ALL, MOST SUPERINTENDENTS WOULDN'T LEAVE THEIR BOARD ALONE AT A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. I THOUGHT THAT WAS FUNNY. I THINK WE ARE HAVING NEW NORMS COMING ABOUT, RAMEE TO YOUR POINT, WE ARE LEARNING TO BE RESILIENT. WE ARE LEARNING THAT WE CAN STILL GET THE WORK DONE BUT WERE NEVER GOING TO GO BACK THE WAY IT WAS EXACTLY. WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT MOVING FORWARD WHAT IS GOOD ABOUT VIRTUAL STUFF. I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE NONPROFIT WORK WE DO EDUCATION FOUNDATIONS AS WELL. WE ARE SEEING A GREATER NUMBER OF ATTENDANTS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL TO GO TO MEETINGS. THERE'S ALL SORTS OF PROS AND CONS. A GOOD PLEASE STAND BY ANALYSIS. >> BOARD VICE CHAIR VERONICA NOLAN: I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE ON WHAT LAURIE CORNWELL SAID BUT I THINK IT'S HELPFUL WITH STAFF RETENTION TO CONSIDER VIRTUAL PRESENTATIONS OF STAFF AS WELL. I THINK IT'S WHAT WERE LEARNING ABOUT ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY. >> BOARD MEMBER RAMEE GENTRY: IF THEY COULD JUST GO HOME AND GET ON WITH THEIR EVENING BUT THEN TUNE IN FOR THAT, IT'S 10:00, I HAVE TO BE THERE FOR THE 15 MINUTES. THAT WOULD BE A GAME CHANGER, I AM SURE! [CROSSTALK] >> BOARD MEMBER JACINTA GREENE: THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. >> LAURIE CORNWELL: I WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH THE MEETING. THERE WERE 20 SPEAKERS AND IT WENT SEAMLESSLY. Y'ALL HAVE GOT IT DOWN NOW AND IT SEEMED LIKE IT WENT REALLY WELL. NOT JUST WITH THE STAFF BUT PEOPLE FROM THE CDC AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ALL SORTS OF OTHER PRESENTERS. GOOD JOB ON THAT. IT WAS NOT PAINFUL TO WATCH AT ALL. ALL RIGHT. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK! DO YOU WANT TO CLOSE US OUT? >> BOARD CHAIR MEAGAN ALDERTON: THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THIS EVENT. [LAUGHTER] I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS. I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY BUT GOOD NIGHT AND THANK YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.