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>> I WILL GO AHEAD AND KICK US OFF TO GET US STARTED FOR TODAY.
FIRST OF US GRADUATIONS TO EVERYBODY IN YOUR CANDIDACY.
AS YOU ARE GOING ON THIS JOURNEY THAT HAS JUST BEGUN BUT I AM REALLY EXCITED THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SEE EVERYONE ON A ZOOM AND TO PUT SOME FACES TO SOME NAMES BECAUSE I DO NOT KNOW EVERYBODY WHO IS A CANDIDATE FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD.
I HAVE DONE MY RESEARCH BUT I DON'T KNOW YOU PERSONALLY.
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS JOURNEY.
BEFORE WE BEGIN I WANT TO INTRODUCE MYSELF IF YOU DON'T ALREADY KNOW WHO I AM AS WELL I WILL INTRODUCE AND SHARE SOME ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ON THE ZOOM CALL AND THEN I'LL TURN THINGS OVER TO OUR
[1. School Board Member Responsibilities]
BOARD FACILITATOR.I WILL START BY SAYING I AM GREG HUTCHINGS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS AND I JUST COMPLETED MY THIRD YEAR AS SUPERINTENDENT.
THE PAST 15 MONTHS HAVE BEEN THE CRAZIEST TIME OF MY ENTIRE LIFE NOT EVEN CAREER, MY LIFE.
I AM HAPPY THE SCHOOL YEAR IS OVER, I'M READY TO HAVE A DO OVER TO START A NEW YEAR.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO US GETTING BACK INTO THE SWING OF THINGS AS WE TRANSITION BACK INTO OUR SCHOOLS THIS SUMMER AS WELL AS FALL.
MY ROLE AS A SUPERINTENDENT IS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF ALEXANDRIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SOME PEOPLE THINK I AM, I AM NOT, I'M A STAFF MEMBER LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.
I AM HIRED AND I HAVE A CONTRACT, I AM AN EMPLOYEE OF ALEXANDRA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I AM A POLITICALLY SAVVY BUT NOT A POLITICIAN.
I WANT TO MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR TO EVERYONE.
WE ALSO WERE BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE WITH US SEVERAL OF THEM WHO ARE ON THE CALL AND I'M GOING TO JUST INTRODUCE AND RUN THEM OFF REALLY QUICKLY BUT BEFORE I DO THAT I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THE RESPONSE BUILDINGS ARE.
AND SPECIFICALLY THEY ARE OUR GOVERNING BOARD.
THEY HANDLE ALL OF OUR GOVERNANCE, THEY ENSURE THAT THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS ADOPTED, THEY HIRE THE SUPERINTENDENT AS WELL AS EVALUATE THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
AND WE HAVE DEVELOPED A VERY STRONG PARTNERSHIP BECAUSE IN ORDER FOR ACPS TO WORK AND FUNCTION IT DOES REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD ON ENSURING THAT WE ARE IN SYNC AND THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE AGREE ON EVERYTHING BECAUSE WE DON'T.
IT IS HEALTHY NOT TO AGREE ON EVERYTHING.
WE ARE NOT RUBBER STAMPERS, THAT'S FOR SURE.
IT'S ALL ABOUT COLLABORATION AND ENSURING THAT THEY ARE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENTS AS WELL AS THEIR AREA OF EXPERTISE TO HOLD THE SUPERINTENDENT AND OUR STAFF ACCOUNTABLE FOR MEETING OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING GOALS.
WE HAVE OUR BOARD CHAIR WHO IS HERE MISS MEGAN ALDERTON, OR VICE CHAIR MISS VERONICA NOLAN, I SEE AND HEAR OUR FORMER BOARD CHAIR MISS RAMEE GENTRY ALSO FORMER BOARD CHAIR CINDY ANDERSON HAS JOINED US AND OUR BOARD MEMBER MS. MARGARET LORBER WHO IS ALSO ON HERE AS WELL.
YOU WILL SEE TWO OTHER VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE WHO HELPED THIS WHOLE OPERATION WORK AND WHEN IS MISS JENNIFER (NAME? ) AND SHE WORKS DIRECTLY WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD.
SHE SERVES ON THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM SUPERINTENDENT SO SHE WEARS A DUAL HAT WHICH IS VERY GOOD FOR CONSISTENCY BECAUSE SHE WORKED REPORTS DIRECTLY TO THE SCHOOL BOARD BUT SHE IS A VOICE AT THE TABLE OF OUR SENIOR LEADERS WHICH ALLOWS US TO HAVE THAT CONTINUITY.
SHE ALWAYS SAYS WAIT LET'S MAKE SURE THE BOARD APPROVES THIS, LET'S MAKE SURE WE RUN THIS BY THE BOARD PRIOR TO.
SO SHE DEFINITELY HELPS US WITH HAVING THAT CONSISTENCY AND CONTINUITY.
THE OTHER IS MISS SUSAN NIELSEN, WITH ELEVATED HER LAST WEEK, SHE'S A JACK OF ALL TRADES BUT HER MAIN RESPONSIBILITY IS TO SERVE THE BOARD AND TO THE BOARD CLERK TO ENSURE WE HAVE ALL OF OUR AGENDAS AND FOLLOWING IN COMPLIANCE AND THAT DOCUMENTS ARE UPDATED AND THAT WE ARE PROVIDING THE APPROPRIATE COMMUNICATION TO THE BOARD AND JUST ENSURING THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING OUR POLICIES.
SO SHE HELPS US TO MANAGE ALL OF OUR MEETINGS, TO MAKE SURE WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR BOARD MEETINGS AND ANY OF OUR WORK SESSIONS.
SO THANK YOU, MS. NIELSEN, FOR COORDINATING ALL OF THIS BECAUSE IT REQUIRES A LOT OF
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COORDINATION.IT'S COORDINATING THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE BOARD MEMBERS AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT COMES HER WAY.
AND SHE HAS BEEN DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB WITH THAT.
SO FINALLY BEFORE I TURN THINGS OVER TO LORI CROMWELL, SHE'S OUR FACILITATOR SHE CAN WORK WITH THE SCHOOL DIVISION FOR SEVERAL YEARS PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL.
SHE WAS ALREADY WORK WITH OUR SCHOOL BOARD ON A PREVIOUS SCHOOL BOARD AND I'M GOING TO TURN THINGS OVER TO LORI BECAUSE SHE COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HER ROLE AND RESPONSE BUILDINGS AND HOW TODAY'S GOING TO RENT.
>> THANK YOU GUYS, SO MUCH FOR STEPPING UP AND BE A PART OF THE TEAM AND THE POTENTIAL TEAM OF ACPS.
RUNNING FOR SCHOOL BOARD AND BEING A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO SCHOOL SYSTEMS BUT I WANT TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS EXACTLY.
AS DOCTOR HUTCHINGS MY NAME IS LAURIE CROMWELL WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH ACPS ESPECIALLY WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD ADMINISTRATION FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
WE WORK WITH MANY DIFFERENT SCHOOL SYSTEMS. WE DEVELOP EDUCATION FOUNDATIONS THAT SUPPORT PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH SCHOOL BOARDS AND SUPERINTENDENTS TO HELP CREATE A BETTER TEAM TO CREATE A BETTER WAY OF UNDERSTANDING EACH OTHER.
WHAT WE WILL DO TODAY SO YOU ARE AWARE IS WERE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
WHEN I WAS ELECTED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD IN 1999, DAY TWO IS WHEN THEY STARTED TALKING TO ME ABOUT THE ROLE OF A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
I REALLY WISHED I WOULD HAVE KNOWN BEFOREHAND WHEN I WAS OUT THERE KNOCKING ON DOORS AND WHEN I WAS TALKING TO PEOPLE EXACTLY WHAT MY AUTHORITY WAS AND HOW I COULD BE IMPACTFUL TO HELP OUR EDUCATORS AND OR STUDENTS.
THE NUMBER ONE RULE OF SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL BOARD IS REALLY TO KEEP YOUR EYE ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IS A NUMBER ONE GOAL OF WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
WERE TRYING TO CREATE STUDENTS WHEN THEY GRADUATE THAT THEY ARE CAREER READY, COLLEGE READY, MILITARY READY, WHATEVER THE NEXT STEP IS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE AS A SCHOOL BOARD HAVE DONE OUR PART TO MAKE THAT SUCCESS HAPPEN.
THAT IS REALLY OUR FUNDAMENTAL GOAL.
BUT HOW DO WE DO THAT? WE DO THAT IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
WE TALK ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER GENERICALLY BUT THIS CANDIDATE INFORMATION FORM WILL ALLOW US TO DIG DEEPER.
WE WILL HEAR FROM SUSAN, HEAR FROM JENNIFER, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD TO BE ABLE TO TRY TO ANSWER AS MANY QUESTIONS AS YOU GUYS HAVE SO AT THE END OF THE SESSION WE WILL ALLOW YOU TO UNMUTE AND ASK QUESTIONS.
SO WE CAN ACTUALLY GET TO THE ROOT OF WHAT YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING FOR SPECIFICALLY.
SO LET'S JUST DIVE RIGHT INTO IT.
SO IF YOU ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY SEEING THAT JUST RAISE YOUR HAND OR HOLLER OR WAVE OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
TODAY, WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON THREE AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO US KNOWING THE ROLE OF A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
THE FIRST IS UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE RESOURCES AND DOCUMENTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU AS CANDIDATES AND THREE OF YOU HAVE ALREADY WILL BE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AS WE MOVE INTO 2022.
SO BEING ABLE TO NOT ONLY LOOK AT WHAT CANDIDATES NEED TO UNDERSTAND BUT ALSO THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT RESOURCES OUT THERE FOR YOU AND SUSAN WILL DIG DEEPER INTO THAT.
IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW POLICY.
NOT ONLY DO WE SET POLICY, WE FOLLOW POLICY.
JENNIFER IS AN EXPERT IN THIS FIELD AND SHE WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT POLICIES AROUND CAMPAIGNING AND THE POLICIES AROUND BEING A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
ONE THING I THINK THAT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND IS THE POLICY, THE LAWS OF VIRGINIA, THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE IN PLACE THAT GUIDE US TO KEEP IT LEGAL IS NOT MEANT TO INHIBIT YOU.
IT'S NOT MEANT TO DO ANYTHING EXCEPT CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM TO UNDERSTANDING THE LAWS AND THE POLICIES TO FOLLOW THOSE BECAUSE THOSE HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE TO BE THE BEST THAT WE CAN BE SO THAT WE CAN BEAT TRANSPARENT IN THE COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS COMMUNITY CONCERNS
[00:10:01]
SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS INTERNALLY HOW WE ARE GOING TO EDUCATE OUR KIDS.ALL THOSE THINGS HAPPEN BUT THEY ARE GUIDED BY POLICY AND THERE GUIDED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
SO ONE THING I LEARNED DAY TWO AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER WAS THAT I HAD BEEN OUT THERE KNOCKING ON DOORS AND TELLING PEOPLE WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO WHEN I WAS ELECTED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND A DAY TO, YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE ZERO AUTHORITY TO GET THAT DONE BY YOURSELF.
I SAID WAIT, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? WHAT I LEARNED IS MY VOICE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BUT IT REALLY TAKES ALL NINE OF US WORKING TOGETHER, YOU CAN ACTUALLY TAKE NO ACTION, YOU CAN PROVIDE NO GUIDANCE TO VISUALLY AS A SCHOOL BUT MEMBER AND IT HAS TO BE DONE AT A CALLED MEETING THAT IS DULY CALLED AND IS IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT PUBLIC PART OF IT.
WHEN YOU HAVE A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, THERE'S A MISCONCEPTION MANY TIMES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS A COMMUNITY MEETING, IT IS NOT.
IT'S A MEETING HELD IN PUBLIC BUT IT IS YOUR MEETING AS A SCHOOL BOARD THAT YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DELIBERATE, TO DISCUSS THINGS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA AND WE ARE TO MOVE THE NEEDLE WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER ABOUT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
SO EVERY SINGLE MEETING SHOULD HAVE SOME COMPONENT OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD I WILL TELL YOU THAT THAT IS EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE.
THEIR PRIORITY IS ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE SUCCESSFUL GRADUATES.
SO THE OTHER THING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW IS THAT MANY TIMES WHEN YOU ARE ELECTED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD YOU THINK IT IS YOUR JOB AS THE SCHOOL BOARD TO MANAGE THE SUPERINTENDENT.
ACTUALLY, THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY TRUE.
THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL ALWAYS KNOW MUCH MORE ABOUT EDUCATING STUDENTS THEN WE AS LAYPEOPLE WILL.
MANY PEOPLE ON THE CURRENT SCHOOL BOARD THAT HAVE VERY, VERY EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN EDUCATION BUT BEING A SUPERINTENDENT AND RUNNING A SCHOOL DIVISION IS A VERY UNIQUE SKILL SET AND SO WHAT WE DO IS WE WORK WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AS A SCHOOL BOARD IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS THAT GOVERNANCE AND OVERSIGHT BUT THEN WE ALLOW THE SUPERINTENDENT TO HANDLE THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS.
DOES THAT MEAN WE ARE OUT OF IT AS A SCHOOL BOARD? NO, THE COMMIT ACACIA PIECE IS IMPORTANT BUT WHAT IT MEANS IS AS YOU AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DAY-TO-DAY BUT THE SUPERVISION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.
IT REALLY IS NOT WHAT YOU MIGHT THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU ARE A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER THAT YOU DEAL WITH THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS.
THE MORE THE SCHOOL BOARD FOCUSES ON THEIR LANE OVER SPOTS ABILITY AND THE SUPERINTENDENT AND HIS TEAM WORK ON THEIR RESPONSIBILITY IT'S A HARMONIOUS PARTNERSHIP THAT CAN BE VERY IMPACTFUL FOR STUDENT DIVISION.
THE OTHER THING THAT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS A JEW AT ACPS IS THE ART LIAISONS TO AN ADVISORY TASK FORCE.
THOSE CAN BE SET UP AND THEY ARE ONGOING OR THEY CAN BE SET UP AS A TASK FORCE THAT HAS A SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITY IN MIND THAT THE CHAIR USUALLY APPOINTS THOSE COMMITTEES AND THOSE MEMBERS FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT THEN COME BACK TO THE FULL SCHOOL BOARD WITH THE RECOMMENDATION.
YOU WILL SEE MANY TIMES THAT MUCH OF THE HEAVY LIFTING IS DONE AT THE TASK FORCE LEVEL OR ADVISORY COMMITTEE LEVEL.
THESE TWO ARE ALSO MEETINGS THAT ARE HELD IN PUBLIC YET NOT NECESSARILY WITH PUBLIC INPUT.
SO THERE IS THIS TRANSPARENCY PIECE THAT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT ALL SCHOOL BOARDS THROUGHOUT THE NATION, WE WANT ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
I LAUGH ALL THE TIME BECAUSE IT'S VERY HARD TO GET THE COMMUNITY ENGAGED IN SCHOOL SYSTEMS PARTICULARLY IF THEY DON'T HAVE KIDS IN THE SYSTEM.
I DON'T THINK THAT IS NECESSARILY THE CASE IN ALEXANDRIA I THINK WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF ENGAGEMENT WHICH IS AWESOME.
LIKE DOCTOR HUTCHINGS MENTIONED EVEN IF WE JUST AGREE, AS LONG AS WE ARE RESPECTFUL TO EACH OTHER AND WE UNDERSTAND WHERE EACH OTHER IS COMING FROM, THE CONSENSUS OF THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD MOVES US FORWARD.
YOU GUYS ARE NOT GOING TO PICK WHO'S GOING TO BE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, THE COMMUNITY WILL.
YOU MAY NOT KNOW EACH OTHER OR PARTICULARLY LIKE EACH OTHER BUT THAT DOES NOT MATTER.
THAT IS IRRELEVANT TO THE WHOLE PROCESS.
THE PROCESS IS THAT YOU BRING YOUR SKILL SET, YOUR IDEAS, YOUR THOUGHTS, YOUR INFORMATION YOU RECEIVE FROM THE COMMUNITY AND COLLECTIVELY WE SHARE THOSE AND LEARN HOW TO BE BETTER AS A TEAM FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS.
THIS IS SCHOOL BOARD OPERATES CONTINUOUSLY.
SO I LIKE TO HAVE THIS VISUAL THAT THERE ARE 10 PEOPLE AND THEY ARE LIKE IN A THREE-LEGGED RACE AND THERE'S 10 OF YOU.
SO THERE'S NINE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND THERE'S A SUPERINTENDENT.
SO IF ONE GETS A WAY OUT IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU ALL FALL.
[00:15:02]
IF ONE STAYS BEHIND, YOU ALL FALL.WE NEED TO ALL STAY TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT WE MAKE DECISIONS.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE DATA, DELIBERATE THE DATA AND WE NEED TO DO WHAT WE BELIEVE IS THE BEST WE CAN DO.
NOTICE I SAID 10, MANY TIME SCUBA MEMBERS WHEN THEY ARE ELECTED THEY DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE OUGHT TO BE THIS TEAM OF 10, PERHAPS, IT DEPENDS ON HOW MANY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS YOU HAVE IT.
IT VARIES IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, I AM ACTUALLY LOCATED IN TEXAS AND MOST OF HER SCHOOL BOARDS HAVE ABOUT SEVEN PEOPLE.
AND SO, WE CALL IT A TEAM OF EIGHT HERE IN TEXAS.
THE REASON THAT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE GOING BACK TO THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF YOUR SUPERINTENDENT, IF WE DO NOT HAVE THAT PARTNERSHIP, THAT COMMUNICATION, THAT UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE OUR ROLES ARE ON EACH OF THOSE LANES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU WILL NOT BE AS EFFECTIVE.
THE WAYS TO BE EFFECTIVE IS TO PARTNER WITH EACH OTHER AND CREATE THIS TEAM.
AND SO, WHEN YOUR OTHER AND TALKING TO YOUR CONSTITUENCY AND TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT IDEAS, WHETHER YOU ARE A CANDIDATE OR A SITTING SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO SAY, I LIKE THAT IDEA, I WILL DEFINITELY CARRY THAT IDEA FORWARD, THIS IS SOMETHING I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT BUT THE SCHOOL BOARD COLLECTIVELY WILL ULTIMATELY MAKE DECISIONS.
I DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE THAT DECISION ON MY OWN AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
THEY ALSO DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DIRECT STAFF.
THAT IS THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATION, THEY HAVE ONE BOSS AND THAT IS THE SUPERINTENDENT.
THE SUPERINTENDENT MAY HAVE DEVELOPED LEVELS OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE FOR COMMIT ACACIA BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE SUPERINTENDENT RUNS THE SCHOOL DIVISION.
SO THE SCHOOL BOARD WORKS WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT DIRECTLY AND NOT NECESSARILY WITH SPECIFIC AS EMPLOYEES WHEN I WAS ELECTED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD I WAS EXTREMELY ACTIVE IN OUR PTA.
DAY TO AGAIN WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL THE THINGS I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO ON MY PARTICULAR CAMPUS FOR MY PARTICULAR STUDENT, MY CHILDREN, IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT TRANSITION FOR ME TO MAKE.
I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW GOING INTO THIS THAT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS DO GIVE UP A LITTLE BIT OF CONTROL INTERNALLY BECAUSE YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO GO ON CAMPUS AS A DIRECT EMPLOYEE.
THAT IS TYPICALLY NOT ALLOWED AND THERE ARE CERTAIN LAWS THAT PROHIBIT THAT KIND OF DIRECTION.
SO JUST KEEPING THAT IN MIND AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARE ALSO GIVEN EXTREMELY CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.
NOT ONLY INTERNALLY WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM BUT CONCERNING REAL ESTATE, CONCERNING CERTAIN THINGS ARE HAPPENING WITH THE SCHOOL DIVISION THAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DELIBERATE WITHOUT THE PUBLIC BEEN AROUND FOR THE PART SECTION OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION.
SO IF YOU'RE ELECTED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND YOU ARE INVOLVED IN A CLOSED SESSION IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO REALIZE THE LEVITY OF THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE TO KEEP THE INFORMATION CONFIDENTIAL.
NOT EVEN TO YOUR HUSBAND OR YOUR WIFE.
NOT EVEN TO YOUR PARTNER, YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THAT TO YOURSELF AND IF YOU NEED TO HAVE SOMEONE IN TO TALK TO, THAT'S WHERE THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN COME IN OR ONE OF YOUR FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS.
ANOTHER THING TO REMEMBER AND JENNIFER WILL GO INTO MORE DEPTH IN THE PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT AN OPEN RECORDS ACT, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMEMBER THAT PULLING EACH OTHER, HAVING A MEETING AT THE COFFEE SHOP IS NOT OKAY.
YOU CANNOT GATHER TOGETHER EVEN IF THERE'S THREE OR MORE, IT'S POSTED ON THE WEBSITE SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW YOU ARE ATTENDING A CONCERT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL THAT THERE WILL BE, THERE COULD BE THREE OR MORE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER'S THERE.
THIS IS ANOTHER TRANSPARENCY PIECE THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.
IT'S EASY FOR US TO SAY THAT I JUST WANT TO TALK TO MY FELLOW SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER'S BEFORE WE GET IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC AND TALK ABOUT IT BUT THAT IS NOT OKAY.
YOU NEED TO DELIBERATE IN ADVANCE OR DELIBERATE AT THE MEETINGS NOT IN ADVANCE.
IF YOU WANT TO GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM YOUR FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS THAT IS OKAY BUT ACTUALLY DELIBERATING AND ASKING HOW YOU'RE GOING TO VOTE ARE FROWNED UPON BECAUSE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT DISCUSSION TAKES PLACE IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC.
THE OTHER THING TO THINK ABOUT IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO SIGN A FORM, IF YOU HAVE A CONFLICT YOU NEED TO CONVEY THAT CONFLICT.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT A CONFLICT IS.
YOU CANNOT BENEFIT FROM A DECISION THAT YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE FINANCIALLY OR ANY OTHER WAY.
SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN LET'S SAY THERE IS GOING TO BE A CONTRACT AND YOU HAPPEN TO WORK FOR THAT COMPANY AND IT'S GOING TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE
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SCHOOL BOARD, YOU WOULD HAVE TO SHOW THAT THERE IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST ON YOUR PART, YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DISCUSS OR BE IN ANY KIND OF DELIBERATION OVER THAT CONFLICT AND YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO VOTE ON THE CONFLICT BECAUSE WE DO NOT WANT TO SHOW THAT YOU HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY KIND OF BENEFIT FROM THAT PARTICULAR DISCUSSION OR ACTION BY THE SCHOOL BOARD.THE OTHER THING THAT HAPPENS IS MANY TIME THERE ARE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER'S THAT ARE ELECTED TO HAVE SPOUSES OR PARTNERS THAT ARE EMPLOYEES OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THAT IS IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
NEPOTISM LAWS AND JENNIFER CAN TALK MORE ABOUT THIS, THEY ARE THERE FOR A REASON.
WE DO NOT WANT THE SCHOOL BOARD TO FORGET THAT WE ARE THERE FOR EVERY STUDENT, EVERY CAMPUS.
NOT YOUR CHILD, NOT AN EMPLOYEE, NOT YOUR SPOUSE.
IT IS EVERY STUDENT, EVERY CAMPUS.
SO YOU HAVE TO REALLY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THIS OVERARCHING UMBRELLA OF GOVERNANCE THAT YOU COLLECTIVELY AS A SCHOOL BOARD HAVE.
YOU DO RECEIVE COMPENSATION AND I BELIEVE SUSAN WILL GO INTO MORE ABOUT THAT.
I WILL TELL YOU FLAT OUT, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE PAID WHAT IS ACTUALLY WORTH, WE ARE WORTH.
YOU WILL BE PAID JUST BASED ON WHAT IT IS THAT THE LAWS OF VIRGINIA OR THE POLICIES OF ACPS HAVE DETERMINED.
SO THE COMPENSATION I'M IN A TELL YOU RIGHT NOW IS NOT IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE NUMBER OF HOURS YOU SPEND OR TIME THAT YOU SPEND PREPARING FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS OR ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES, IT'S MEANT TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE VALUED AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
ANOTHER THING I WANT TO TOUCH ON AND THIS COULD BE SOMETHING THAT I REALLY CAN SEE SOME QUESTIONS COMING AROUND IS COMMUNICATING WITH THE PUBLIC MEDIA AND STAFF.
RIGHT NOW, IF YOU'RE NOT A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER YOU ARE FREE TO COMMUNICATE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU WANT TO AS A CANDIDATE AND WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN IF YOU ARE ELECTED AS A SCOOPER MEMBER IS MORE RESTRICTED THEN FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER'S EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT RUNNING FOR REELECTION.
RECEIVING COMPLAINTS, TALKING TO THE MEDIA, TALKING TO STAFF, ALL HAVE A PROTOCOL.
IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT OUR BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES, THE BOARD ITSELF GOVERNS ITSELF THROUGH BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURE.
WE ALL HAVE A RULEBOOK ON HOW WE OPERATE.
HOW DO YOU PUT SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA, IF YOU ARE CONTACTED BY THE MEDIA WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE.
IN JANUARY WHEN WE HAVE A NEW SCHOOL BOARD WHICH ANYTIME ANY ONE MEMBER CHANGES, THE TEA CHANGES.
AS YOU KNOW, OR CAN HAVE QUITE A FEW AND THEY ARE GOING TO CONSTITUTE A MAJORITY OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, ARE GOING TO BE NEW PEOPLE.
ONCE YOU ARE ELECTED IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO REVISIT AND MODIFY THOSE BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE, THEY REFLECT THE WAY WE OPERATE.
SO IF YOU HAVE NOT TAKEN A MOMENT, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS IF I HAD TO SAY THAT YOU NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT RIGHT NOW.
SO, A BOARD MEMBERS RESPONSIBILITY CONTINUES THROUGH MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
IT'S EASY WHEN YOU ARE A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TO BE TAKEN OFF OF WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT BECAUSE WE HAVE FACILITY ISSUES, TRANSPORTATION ISSUES, ATTENDANCE ISSUES, NEVER CAN HAVE ISSUES AROUND VIRTUAL AND IN PERSON AND IS THE RIGOR OF VIRTUAL MEETING WHAT'S IN PERSON.
ONE OF THE MOST TIME-CONSUMING THINGS I SEAT WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD IS DEALING WITH OPERATING BUDGETS.
WORKING WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, DEVELOPING WHAT IT IS WE NEED TO OPERATE AND TO MOVE FORWARD AND WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO FOCUS ON WHEN YOU'RE STILL TRY TO FOCUS ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO WEAVE THAT INTO CONVERSATION WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT FACILITIES, IT WILL HELP US TO HELP KIDS LEARN BECAUSE THE ENVIRONMENT NEEDS TO BE CONDUCIVE TO WHAT IS GOING ON WHAT'S GOING TO PROPEL THEM.
MAKING SURE WE UNDERSTAND AND IT REVISIT WHY WERE HAVING CERTAIN DISCUSSIONS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT PUBLIC COMMENT, SO YOU AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER YOU ARE THE CONDUIT BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND THE SCHOOL BOARD.
WHEN YOU ARE ACTUALLY A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND YOU RECEIVING INFORMATION EITHER AT A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING OR INDIVIDUALLY IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SYNTHESIZE THAT INFORMATION AND TO SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS AS A BOARD OR WHETHER THIS IS A SPECIFIC PROBLEM THAT MAY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BY ADMINISTRATION.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO ASCERTAIN WHERE THAT LANE MIGHT COME IN.
I WILL TELL YOU THIS A BOARD REALLY ENJOYS HAVING PUBLIC COMMENT.
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THEY MISSED HAVING IT IN PERSON.I THINK PUBLIC COMMENT IS SOMETHING THEY FEEL IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND MOST SCHOOL BOARDS DO.
IT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT.
I BELIEVE THERE ARE SOME VIRGINIA LAWS THAT REQUIRE CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME OR MAYBE SOME PUBLIC COMMENT THAT HAS COME IN BUT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO REALIZE THIS IS JUST INFORMATION FOR US TO SYNTHESIZE.
WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT RESPONSIBILITIES, MEETING PREPARATION AND TIME COMMITMENT ARE TWO THINGS THAT COME UP ON A REGULAR BASIS.
THE TIME COMMITMENT IS SOMETHING THAT WE AS A SCHOOL BOARD NOW TALK ABOUT A LOT.
I WILL TELL YOU DURING COVID IT HAS BEEN MORE TIME INSTEAD OF LESS TIME.
I THINK IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MUCH EASE AND BEING ABLE TO HOP ON A ZOOM MEETING WHEN WE NEED TO OR WE CAN CALL A MEETING AND IT'S EASIER TO HAVE OTHER PEOPLE ATTEND VIRTUALLY.
THAT WILL CHANGE IF IT HAS NOT ALREADY AND WE WILL START TO SEE MORE IN PERSON AND SO I THINK THAT WHAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE TIME COMMITMENT IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
SUSAN HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB OVER THE LAST WEEK DISSECTING WHAT THAT IS AND I HOPE SHE WILL SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU BUT THE AMOUNT OF TIME SHE WENT BACK TO 2018, IN GENERAL THAT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER'S ARE SPENDING ON AVERAGE IS A MOMENT.
ANOTHER THING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT YOU CAN RECEIVE SO MUCH INFORMATION AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER YOU ARE GOING TO GET PACKETS OF INFORMATION BEFORE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS AND WHAT YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IS OPEN UP THE PACKET AT THE MEETING.
YOU NEED TO DO A COUPLE OF THINGS, YOU NEED TO DIGEST THE INFORMATION IN ADVANCE SO YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT SO THAT YOU CAN FIND OUT INFORMATION THAT MAY NOT BE APPARENT TO YOU.
AND YOU CAN GIVE THE SUPERINTENDENT AND ADMINISTRATION TIME IT TO GET THAT INFORMATION BACK TO YOU.
SOMETIMES, WHEN YOU'RE AT A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AND THERE'S AN AGENDA ITEM AND THERE'S NO DECLARATION, PEOPLE THINK THEY ALREADY DID THAT DELIBERATING IN ADVANCE IN PRIVATE, THAT IS NOT TRUE.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THEY HAD ALL THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED EITHER THROUGH WORK SESSIONS OR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD TO BE TOGETHER.
THEY HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO TALK TO THE SUPERINTENDENT SO THEY CAN GET THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND THEN WHEN THEY GO TO SCHOOL BOARD MEETING THERE MAY NOT BE NECESSARILY AN OPPORTUNITY OR NEED TO BE ABLE TO TALK IN PUBLIC ABOUT A CERTAIN ITEM.
SO AT THE END WE WILL TALK ABOUT SOME A QUESTION AND ANSWERS AND OPEN IT UP TO YOU GUYS BUT I WOULD LIKE TO AT THIS TIME TURN IT OVER TO SUSAN TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU AS CANDIDATES AND AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
SO YOU CAN CONTINUE TO BE EMPOWERED.
THAT'S OUR GOAL HERE IS TO EMPOWER YOU SO THAT THOSE WHO ARE ELECTED WILL BE OFF AND RUNNING DAY TO AND NOT IN THE DARK, DAY TWO.
SO BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION TODAY I THINK IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AND TAKEN A SATURDAY TO BE ABLE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT, WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND I THINK YOU FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT.
SO LAURIE HAS DONE A VERY THOROUGH JOB SOME ATTENTION ON THESE BRIEFLY BECAUSE MOST OF THESE ARE POSTED AND THEY ARE THINGS THAT ARE PROBABLY VERY GOOD RESOURCES FOR YOU AT THIS TIME.
THE VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION DOESN'T PUT OUT A CANDIDATE GUIDE AND THAT IS VERY THOROUGH AND IT DOES WALK YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE DO'S AND DON'TS OF BEING A CANDIDATE.
AS WELL AS, GIVING YOU SOME RESOURCES AS WELL FROM THEM THAT THEY CAN, YOU CAN ALSO LOOK AT.
THE VIRGINIA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT IS THE HARDEST ONE FOR CANDIDATES AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TO REALLY LOVE.
BECAUSE IT IS THE THING THAT KEEPS YOU FROM DOING SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO DO.
YOU CANNOT MEET MORE THAN A COUPLE OF PEOPLE AT A TIME AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS WHEN YOU HAVE A THREE, IT'S A MEETING, AND THAT MEETING INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
AS A BOARD, YOU MUST OPERATE TRANSPARENTLY SO ANYTHING THAT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE, AS ACPS SAID, DECIDING THINGS AHEAD OF TIME AS A GROUP, IS JUST NOT ALLOWED.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT IS THE GOVERNING FORCE OF WHAT YOU CAN AND CANNOT DO, WHAT KIND OF MEETINGS YOU CAN AND CANNOT HAVE AND WHAT THINGS MUST BE POSTED AND SHOWN IT TO THE PUBLIC BEFORE THE MEETING SUCH AS AGENDAS AND AFTER THE
[00:30:07]
MEETING THERE MUST HAVE MINUTES.THAT'S A VERY BRIEF, AS LAURIE SAID, THE SCHOOL BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES IS ADOPTED BY THE BOARD SO WHEN YOU ALL ARE BOARD MEMBERS YOU WOULD ADOPT YOUR OWN AND YOU WOULD PROBABLY TAKE THE ONES THAT ARE CURRENTLY POSTED TO THIS MEETING AND MODIFY THEM SOMEWHAT TO FIT YOUR NEEDS.
BUT THESE ARE REALLY YOUR GUIDELINES FOR HOW TO CONDUCT BUSINESS AS A BOARD MEMBER AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE ENTIRE BOARD HAS AGREED ON SO WHEN, A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE HOT TOPICS, AND PEOPLE GET CALLED BY THE PRESS AND THEN THEY GIVE A WHOLE SPIEL WHICH IS NOT REALLY THE BOARDS SPIEL, SO IT'S A WAY TO KEEP EVERYONE WITH THE SAME MESSAGE.
ESPECIALLY ONCE THE BOARD HAS ADOPTED SOMETHING IT IS SORT OF THE BOARD HAS TO OWN IT EVEN IF YOU WERE NOT THE ONE WHO AGREED WITH IT, YOU NOW ARE THE OWNER OF THAT WHATEVER IT WAS THAT PAST.
AND THEN THE STANDARDS OF CONDUCT AND CODE OF ETHICS, THAT SOMETHING IS ADOPTED EVERY YEAR AT THE ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS.
IT DOESN'T DESCRIBE SORT OF THINGS OF HOW YOU SHOULD OPERATE JUST IN GENERAL, BE NICE KIND OF THINGS.
THE RULES OF ORDER IS HOW ARE BOARD MEETINGS ARE RUN AND BYLAWS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
SO THESE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.
[2. School Board Candidate Resources]
THESE ARE THINGS THAT YOU PROBABLY WANT TO REVIEW BECAUSE THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WILL TELL YOU THE MOST ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, NOT SCHOOL BOARD, SCHOOL DIVISION.IT WILL GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF EXACTLY WHAT THE BOARD IS WORKING ON.
SOME OF THESE ARE JOINT VENTURES WITH THE CITY SUCH AS THE JOINT CITY SCHOOLS FACILITIES TASK FORCE AS WELL AS EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES PLAN AND SO THOSE ARE VERY HELPFUL BECAUSE THOSE ARE GUIDING OUR SCHOOLS, OUR BUILDING, OUR NEW BUILDS, MODERNIZATION OF CURRENT SCHOOLS SO THOSE ARE IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS, AS WELL.
THE GRADE LEVEL CONFIGURATION STUDY IS KIND OF WHAT GUIDES OUR EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS.
IT IS SORT OF WHAT GUARANTEES THAT WE HAVE A GOOD EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS SO THAT THEY ARE GETTING THE BEST EDUCATION POSSIBLE.
AND THEN, THESE ARE MORE DOCUMENTS, THE FIRST TWO ARE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY AND THE ED SPECS DESCRIBES HOW EVERY ROOM IN A BUILDING WILL BE LIKE WERE TRYING TO BUILD A NEW BUILDING LIKE THE HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT, THE ED SPECS SAYS FOR HIGH SCHOOL CLASS IT HAS TO BE THIS BIG OR ROOM FOR THIS MANY STUDENTS OR IF YOU HAVE AS MANY STUDENTS IN THE ROOM THIS IS HOW BIG THE ROOM WILL BE.
JUST GUIDELINES FOR HOW YOU WOULD BUILD YOUR SCHOOL.
AND THEN, THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS AND VIDEOS AND MINUTES ARE ON A DATABASE WE USED CALLED ELECTRONIC SCHOOL BOARD.
ALL OF OUR DOCUMENTS FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS ARE POSTED THERE.
THERE'S A LINK THAT IS A PUBLIC LINK WHICH I WILL SEND TO YOU ALL IF IT DOES NOT COME UP HERE.
AND THAT IS WHERE YOU CAN GO IN AND READ THE DOCUMENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY THE BASIS OF ALL OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS.
WE TRY TO GET ALL OF OUR DOCUMENTS UP ON THE FRIDAY BEFORE THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING THAT HAPPENS ON A THURSDAY SO THAT THERE IS ENOUGH TIME FOR NOT ONLY BOARD MEMBERS BUT FOR THE PUBLIC TO READ AND REACT.
AT TIMES, WE CAN'T GET A DOCUMENT UP BECAUSE LIKE DURING COVID SEASON HERE WE HAVE BEEN CREATING DOCUMENTS AND THEN STARTING ON THE NEXT DOCUMENT IMMEDIATELY.
THOSE DOCUMENTS TAKE A LITTLE WHILE TO BUILD.
SO SOMETIMES ARE NOT AS EARLY AS WE WOULD LIKE.
OF COURSE, VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE AND YOU CAN GO TO THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING PAGE OR ANY OF THE SCHOOL BOARD WEBSITE PAGES AND THERE IS A BUNCH OF RESOURCES THERE FOR YOU.
OF COURSE, THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS THE GOALS OF THE DIVISIONS SO THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT DOCUMENT, AS WELL.
LAURIE TOLD ME I WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT COMPENSATION, BOARD MEMBER'S ARE PAID
[00:35:03]
$15,000 PER YEAR.IT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY IF THIS IS YOUR FULL-TIME JOB.
THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD, I AM A VERY NERVOUS, I DO NOT KNOW WHY, THE BOARD CHAIR DOES GET JUST A TINY BIT MORE, THEY WOULD GET $17,000 PER YEAR.
AND THEN, THERE WAS ONE OTHER THING, OH, THE TIME COMMITMENT.
WE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT HOW LONG BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SPENT OVER THE LAST SO MANY YEARS AT BOARD MEETINGS AND WORK SESSIONS.
THAT IS ALL THAT I DID WAS LOOK AT MINUTES FROM THINGS THAT TO TOTAL IT UP AND ENDS UP AND I AM GOING TO ESTIMATE BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MEETING VIDEOS, THERE A BIT COMPRESSED, THEY TAKE A LOT OF STUFF OUT WHERE STUFF WORSE IS NOT GOING ON.
IT'S ABOUT 150 HOURS PER YEAR.
BUT IT IS A LOT OF TIME COMMITMENT AND THAT'S JUST THE MINUTE FROM WHEN THE MEETING STARTS WHEN THE MEETING ENDS.
THAT DOES NOT COUNT ALL THE DOCUMENTS YOU HAVE TO READ, GETTING TO THE MEETINGS, ANYTHING ELSE THAT HAPPENS AROUND THE MEETING.
IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THAT, AS WELL.
SO BEING A BOARD MEMBER IS A BIT TIME, BIG TIME COMMITMENT, SO YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALLOW TIME FOR READING PACKETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
IT WILL HELP PREPARE YOU BEST FOR THE MEETING SO THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND THEN BESIDES ALL THAT, YOU WILL HAVE ASSIGNMENTS AS A BOARD MEMBER TO BE HONEST CITY COMMITTEES AS WELL AS ON ADVISORY COMMITTEES TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND POSSIBLY AD HOC OR OTHER COMMITTEES AS WELL.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO, AS WELL.
THOSE ARE GOOD COMMITTEES SO WORK ON THOSE IS VERY GOOD AND YOU SHOULD NOT SHY AWAY FROM IT IF POSSIBLE BECAUSE THERE GOOD COMMITTEES.
SOME ARE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY SO THAT IS HELPFUL, AS WELL.
AND I THINK THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, SUSAN IS A WEALTH OF INFORMATION AND YOU DO NOT LOOK NERVOUS.
>> OH MY GOSH, I WAS SPITTING OUT THE WRONG WORDS.
>> I DO THINK THE TIME THAT WE NEED TO SPEND ON UNDERSTANDING POLICIES AS
[3. ACPS Policies re: Political Campaigns]
YOU ARE OUT THERE CAMPAIGNING.YOU DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO VIOLATE POLICY OR LAWS THAT ARE IN PLACE.
WE WANT TO START OUT ON THE RIGHT FOOT.
CAMPAIGNING AND POLITICS I WILL TELL YOU, I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT STAND RUNNING AN ELECTION.
I LOVE YOU BEEN A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BUT ACTUALLY RUNNING A COMPANION IS REALLY DIFFICULT FOR SOME AND SO UNDERSTANDING SOME OF THESE GUIDELINES I HOPE WILL BE HELPFUL FOR YOU.
JENNIFER, DO YOU WANT TO GUIDE US THROUGH THAT?
I AM IN JENNIFER, THE DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND BOARD INITIATIVES FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO I DON'T ALREADY KNOW.
IT IS A PRETTY DIFFICULT ITALIAN LAST NAME I HAVE.
AND I MENTIONED THAT SO YOU WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT FOR EMAIL I JUST WANTED TO GIVE EVERYONE A HEADS UP THAT MY EMAIL IS POLICY AT ACPS.
EVERYONE KNOWS THE EMAIL EXTENSION OF - IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT POLICIES JUST REACH OUT TO ME I'M HAPPY TO TALK TO OFF-LINE ABOUT THAT.
AND I ALSO MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE AFTER SIX YEARS OF ACPS I AM VERY AWARE THAT NOT EVERYONE FINDS IT AS ENTHRALLING AS I DO SO FOR THAT REASON CAN HIGHLIGHT FOR POLICIES TODAY AND TRY TO BE VERY BRIEF AND AGAIN SO IF YOU HAVE FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS OR WANT TO DISCUSS THIS IN MORE DETAIL JUST SHOOT ME AN EMAIL.
THE FIRST POLICY I WOULD LIKE TO JUST REVIEW FOR EVERYONE AND WERE DOING THIS JUST SO YOU ALL AND UPON EVEN THE PLAYING FIELD FOR THE CAMPAIGN SO EVERYONE KNOWS THE GROUND RULES.
THE FIRST ONE IS A POLICY GBG/KE THAT IS STAFF PARTICIPATION IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES AND SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION CAMPAIGNS.
WE WILL SEE THAT WE WANT YOU TO BEWARE OF THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT ACPS DOES NOT SUPPORT OR OPPOSE ANY ONE CANDIDATE AND SO THIS POLICY IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT ACTIVITIES FROM OCCURRING WHICH COULD GIVE THAT IMPRESSION.
SO WE ASK THAT IN YOUR CAMPAIGN LITERATURE, AND YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA DURING YOUR CAMPAIGN YOU REFRAIN FROM USING ACPS LOGOS OR ANY ACPS RESOURCES.
OF COURSE WE CONSIDER STAFF TIME TO BE A ACPS RESOURCE.
YOU CAN LINK TO ACPS RESOURCES IN YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA USE IF YOU'RE TRYING
[00:40:07]
TO DIRECT YOUR CONSTITUENTS TO A PARTICULAR ACTION OF THE BOARD OR THE SCHOOL DIVISION OR A PARTICULAR DOCUMENT YOU THINK THEY SHOULD READ OR SOMETHING TO BE AWARE OF, THAT IS FINE.BUT WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT ANY OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ARE ACTUALLY COMING FROM A ACPS OR ARE IT ENDORSED BY ACPS.
OF COURSE, IN THE SECOND SMALL BULLET HERE ABSOLUTELY STAFF IT MAY SUPPORT YOUR CAMPAIGN ON THEIR OWN TIME JUST NOT DURING THE SCHOOL DAY.
THE SECOND ONE ON THE NEXT SLIDE IS POLICY KF, THAT'S A DISTRIBUTION OF MATERIALS ON SCHOOL PROPERTY.
IT IS PROHIBITED TO DISTRIBUTE LITERATURE ON SCHOOL PROPERTY.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT BECAUSE THIS COMES UP YEAR AFTER YEAR ON THOSE EVENINGS WHERE WE HAVE DEBATES OR CANDIDATE FORUMS. THE WAY THIS IS HANDLED, I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL AWARE EVERY ELECTION WILL HAVE A CANDIDATE FORUM THEY WILL GENERALLY PRODUCE A TRIFOLD HANDOUT THAT SUMMARIZES THE POSITIONS OF ALL THE CANDIDATES, IT IS PRODUCED BY THEM AND THEN EVERYONE HAS A CHANCE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT DOCUMENT.
AND THEN TRADITIONALLY, THE CANDIDATE WILL HAVE THEIR OWN VOLUNTEERS OR SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL FACILITY WHERE THE CANDIDATE FORUM IS HELD ON THE SIDEWALK JUST READING THEIR LITERATURE.
THAT IS ABSENTLY FINE BUT WE DON'T DISTRIBUTE THE LITERATURE WITHIN THE BUILDING ITSELF.
WITH EVERY RULE THERE IS AN EXCEPTION.
THAT IS WHAT THE NEXT BULLET IS POINTING TO.
IN OUR SCHOOL FACILITIES USE POLICY AND IT IS ASSOCIATED REGULATION THERE'S A STIPULATION YOU DO HAVE THE RIGHT AS A CANDIDATE IF YOU CHOOSE TO RENT ONE OF OUR FACILITIES IF YOU LIKE TO HOST A FUNDRAISER OR AN ORGANIZED CAMPAIGN EVENT, YOU CAN GO THROUGH THE FORMAL PROCESS OF RESERVING ONE OF OUR FACILITIES AND HOSTING WHEN THE CAMPAIGN EVENTS THERE.
IF THAT'S THE CASE THEN YOU CAN DISTRIBUTE YOUR LITERATURE BECAUSE YOUR HOSTING THE EVENT AND YOU HAVE GOVERNANCE OVER THE INVITEES AND PEOPLE ARE COMING SPECIFICALLY TO SEE YOU.
SO THAT'S THE EXCEPTION TO THE GENERAL RULE.
AND THEN FINALLY, POLICY K LITURGY REGARDING ADVERTISING IN THE SCHOOLS.
AGAIN, IN THE INTEREST OF NOT APPEARING TO SUPPORT OR OPPOSE ANY ONE CANDIDATE, THE POLICY PROHIBITS USING STAFF MEMBERS OR STUDENTS IN YOUR CAMPAIGN MATERIAL.
IF YOU WANT TO HAVE SOME OF YOUR VOLUNTEERS FEATURED IN YOUR CAMPAIGN MATERIAL AND THEY HAPPEN TO BE ACPS EMPLOYEES THAT IS FINE AS LONG AS AND IDENTIFIED AS SUCH.
LIKE THEY'RE NOT IN A ACPS T-SHIRT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THOSE ARE THE GENERAL RULES AND AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS THE END OF THE PRESENTATION SO IF LAURIE OPENS THE Q&A I'M HAPPY TO CIRCLE BACK ON SOME OF THESE GENERAL RULES OR IF YOU HAVE LONGER QUESTIONS JUST EMAIL ME.
>> I SEE YOUR HAND UP I WILL GET TO YOU IN JUST A MOMENT.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO NOW IS WE HAVE A CURRENT TREND ONES THAT ARE SHARING THEIR TIME WITH US TODAY AND WE THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE IMPORTANT OR EVEN ADVANTAGEOUS TO HEAR SOME OF THE WORDS OF WISDOM OR LESSONS LEARNED WHEN THEY FIRST WERE ELECTED AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER'S.
I ALWAYS HERE IF I HAD A DO OVER AGAIN I WOULD DO X, THAT'S VALUABLE INFORMATION TO YOU AS A CANDIDATE.
SO THIS SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THAT WERE GOING TO TAKE IS NOT MEANT FOR ANYONE TO BE ABLE TO ASK ANYONE ABOUT SCHOOL BUSINESS THAT IS CURRENTLY TAKING PLACE.
SO WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING POSTED TO THE AGENDA FOR A SPECIFIC ISSUE SO IF YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION INTO A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER ABOUT HOW THEY VOTED OR HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT A CERTAIN ISSUE, THIS IS NOT OUR PLATFORM.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE TO BE THE BEST CANDIDATE AND PERHAPS A BEST SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AS POSSIBLE.
I'M IN HAVE YOU HELP ME HERE, IF WE COULD PUT TAKE A LOOK AT THE CURRENT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS IF YOU WOULD KIND OF UNMUTE YOURSELF OR WAIVE OR RAISE YOUR HAND THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING, PLEASE DO.
MARGARET, DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING?
>> NO, I DON'T WANT TO SAY ANYTHING I WAS ACKNOWLEDGING THAT I'M HERE AND READY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
>> RAMEE, DO YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING?
>> THANKS EVERYONE FOR PUTTING YOURSELF OUT THERE.
THIS IS DEFINITELY THE ROUGHEST PART IS SIMILAR TO LAURIE.
[00:45:01]
I DEFINITELY LOATHED THE CAMPAIGN PART.AS FAR AS THE SCHOOL BOARD PART THE WAY I WOULD SUM IT UP TO PEOPLE AS IF YOU WERE CALLED, IT WAS MORE POPULAR IN THE 1980S, THE TELEVISION AD FOR THE PEACE CORPS, THE TOUGHEST JOB YOU WILL EVER LOVE.
A NICE WAY OF SUMMING UP WHAT IS LIKE TO BE IN THE SCHOOL BOARD.
I AM SO GLAD AND I THINK I TOUCHED ON THESE POINTS, I WANT TO GO BACK TO THEM, WE ARE A PUBLIC INSTITUTION AND THAT MEANS WE REALLY DO HAVE TO SHOW OUR WORK.
WHAT IS GREAT ABOUT THAT IS THAT FOR YOU AS A CANDIDATE, I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE FEEL THAT THERE IS MAYBE AT SIGNIFICANT DISADVANTAGE IF YOU ARE A CANDIDATE THAT IS NOT ALREADY EIGHT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER OR ALREADY BEEN ON A SCHOOL BOARD OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE IS THAT WE DO SURE WORK AND IT'S ALL OUT THERE AND IT HAS TO BE OUT THERE FOR ALL THE REASONS.
USE THIS TIME TO REALLY SCOUR OUR WEBSITE.
THE SLIDES GAVE GREAT POINTERS FOR THINGS TO LOOK AT.
IT REALLY, REALLY HELPED ME TO READ ALL OF THOSE MATERIALS TO REALLY GRASP WHAT WAS GOING ON TO HAVE A REAL SENSE OF THE DATA AND IT REALLY HELPED ME UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
THAT I WAS GETTING WHEN I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF CAMPAIGNING.
SO ALONG WITH THE READING I WOULD ALSO REALLY, REALLY RECOMMEND WATCHING MEETINGS.
AGAIN, THEY ARE ALL VIDEOTAPED EVEN BEFORE COVID, THEY WERE ALWAYS FILMED.
SALMON CHASE TO GET A SENSE OF THE DYNAMICS AND ALSO IT'S PARTICULARLY INTERESTING WE OF COURSE FOLLOW THE RULES OF ORDER BUT ONE THING I STARTED TO LEARN OVER THE YEARS IS THAT THERE ARE STILL DIFFERENT SHADES OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS CAN CORRECTLY USE ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER.
WE USE IT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENTLY THAN THE CITY COUNCIL, FOR EXAMPLE.
I FOUND IT REALLY, REALLY HELPFUL AND WHILE IT IS ALWAYS A BIG SHOCKING TRANSITION, REALLY HAVING WATCHED AS MANY MEETINGS AS POSSIBLE I FELT WAS REALLY HELPFUL FOR ME AND MAKING THE TRANSITION.
AND THEN I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT SAY, THANK YOU SUSAN FOR DOING THE MATH BUT BOY DID I LAUGH WHEN I HEARD 150 HOURS.
PLEASE FORGET YOU EVER HEARD THAT NUMBER.
>> I WANT TO CLARIFY, THAT IS ACTUAL MEETING TIME ONLY.
>> I KNOW THAT AND I AM STILL LAUGHING AT IT.
IT IS A HUGE, HUGE, HUGE TIME COMMITMENT.
IT'S A REALLY HUGE TIME COMMITMENT.
I SAY THAT NOT TO SCARE YOU OFF BUT JUST BECAUSE I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO BE ABLE AWARE OF IT.
THE CALENDAR, THE POSTED CALENDAR, WILL NOT NECESSARILY SHOW THAT.
YOU WILL HAVE THE INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS THAT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR, THE LIAISONS, ALL THE READING MATERIAL, INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS YOU MIGHT BE HAVING WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT.
IT'S A SIGNIFICANT TIME COMMITMENT.
SO PLEASE, PLEASE DO BE MINDFUL OF THAT.
AND THEN, THE ONLY LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS THAT AND AGAIN, I HOPE PEOPLE DON'T TAKE THIS AS A DISCOURAGING THING, IT'S ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT LAURIE WAS SAYING OF THINGS THAT YOU WISH YOU WOULD HAVE KNOWN AND THINGS TO THINK ABOUT, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ATTRACTED TO RUNNING FOR SCHOOL BOARD BECAUSE THEY HAVE A REAL PASSION.
THEY ARE BROUGHT TO IT BECAUSE THERE ARE PARTICULAR CERTAIN LIMITS OF SCHOOL WORK OR SCHOOL LIFE THAT THEY ARE PARTICULARLY PASSIONATE ABOUT.
AND THEY HAVE GOTTEN INVOLVED BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN AN ADVOCATE OVER THE CERTAIN KINDS OF THINGS.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS A REAL SOMETIMES CAN BE, IT'S A TRANSITION FOR EVERYONE, SOMETIMES IT CAN BE HARDER FOR OTHERS IS THAT WHEN YOU TAKE ON THE ROLE OF THE ELECTED OFFICIAL AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GOVERNANCE OF THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION AND ONE OF THE TEAM OF ALL THE OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS, YOU ARE DEFINITELY RELINQUISHING IF YOU HAD AN ADVOCATE ROLE YOU ARE DEFINITELY RELINQUISHING SOME OF THAT ADVOCATE ROLE.
THAT OBVIOUSLY CAN HAVE PLUSES AND MINUSES DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU WANT TO DO AND
[00:50:03]
WHAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, THAT CAN BE FINE.BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT DISTINCTION AND I THINK SOMETIMES THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ULTIMATELY COME TO A CONCLUSION THAT, YOU KNOW, IF I WANT TO BE PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS ONE PARTICULAR THING I ACTUALLY CAN GET MORE DONE REMAINING IN AN ADVOCATE ROLE AND PURSUING THAT VERSUS THE SCHOOL BOARD ROLE.
SO AGAIN, NOT MEANT AS A DISCOURAGEMENT FOR EVERYONE BUT I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION AND I THINK IT'S INTERESTING TO THINK ABOUT.
THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING ME THE TIME.
AS I THINK MOST OF YOU KNOW I AM NOT RUNNING AGAIN.
WHICH MEANS I HAVE SOME MORE TIME.
SO JUST HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS NOW OR LATER BUT THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
>> VERONICA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING?
>> SO, FIRST OFF, THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU FOR BE WILLING TO RUN AND SURF.
FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS LIVED IN ALEXANDRIA FOR 20 YEARS AND ON THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR SIX I LOVE ALEXANDRIA AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO DEVOTE YOUR FREE TIME TO THE BETTERMENT OF ALEXANDRIA.
I ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT I DO CALL LAURIE CROMWELL THE SCHOOL BOARD WHISPER.
WE ARE EXCEPTIONALLY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE THE GOOD FORTUNE TO STUMBLE UPON HER.
THE FACT THAT SHE'S A NATIONAL EXPERT AND LEADER IN HIS FIELD WE ARE REALLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOUR TIME TODAY.
I WANT TO THANK LAURIE FOR SPENDING YOUR TIME TODAY.
PLEASE A SILKEN THESE PEARLS OF WISDOM BECAUSE IT WILL BE HELPFUL LATER ON DOWN THE ROAD.
A FEW THINGS I WANT TO SHARE, SO I'M A FORMER TEACHER, ME AND MEGAN AND ALDERTON ARE FORMER TEACHERS AND SO WE GOING TO THINKING OF HOW CAN WE BE SUPPORTIVE TO PEOPLE SUCH AS YOURSELVES.
SO FOOD FOR THOUGHT IN CASE IT'S HELPFUL.
IF I HAD TO QUANTIFIED IT'S ABOUT 25 - 40 HOURS A WEEK.
SO THOSE OF YOU THAT JOBS AND LIFE COMMITMENTS, KEEP IN MIND, LIFE BALANCING.
IT DEPENDS ON THE SEASON AND THE MOMENT WE ARE IN.
DURING COVID, THIS TIME LAST SUMMER WE TRULY, TRULY AS A NATION DID NOT KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO RETURN TO SCHOOLS ARE NOT, THAT WAS A SIGNIFICANT TIME COMMITMENT.
WE MET AS A SCHOOL BOARD EVERY SINGLE FRIDAY EVEN THOUGH TYPICALLY WE ARE IN A RECESS DURING THE SUMMER SO THAT IS AN EXAMPLE WHERE THE HOURS REALLY TICKED UP.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE BEING SUPPORTIVE OF DOCTOR HUTCHINGS AND THE TEAM, I WAS AVERAGE IT'S 20 - 25 HOURS A WEEK.
THE OTHER THING, RAMEE I HAD THIS IN MY NOTES, I WILL PIGGYBACK OFF YOUR NOTES.
I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH WHAT RAMEE SAID.
IF YOU'RE THINKING SECRETLY OR NOT SO SECRETLY IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND THAT AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER YOU'LL FOR THIS ONE PET PROJECT.
I HATE TO DISAPPOINT YOU BUT YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME.
IF THERE'S ONE THING OR THREE THINGS THAT YOUR GIANT TO MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL THINK WHAT THE DIVISION IS TO HEAD, THE SCHOOL BOARD IS NOT THE RIGHT ROLE FOR YOU.
YOU SHOULD BE THINK OF AN ADVOCATE ROLE OR JOINING A COMMITTEE OR SOMETHING WE CAN INFLUENCE THAT ONE - THREE ISSUE AREAS OR CONCERNS OR PET PROJECTS YOU HAVE.
THE SCHOOL BOARD REALLY IS HUNDRED THOUSAND FEET OVERSIGHT ROLE AND IT CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH THE MAJORITY OF OUR ROLE IS ALREADY FULLY BAKED AS TO WHERE THE PRIORITIES NEED TO LIGHT, BASED ON THE BUDGET, WHAT WE HAVE TO DO LEGALLY, WHAT THE STATE REQUIRES OF US, THE POLICIES THAT HAVE TO BE UPDATED.
THERE IS EXCEPTIONALLY LITTLE WIGGLE ROOM FOR ANY OF US TO TRY TO FURTHER ANYTHING.
I CAN SAFELY SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
IF YOU ARE RUNNING BECAUSE YOU'D SPECIFICALLY SEE THIS ONE ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED OR THIS ONE FOCUS AREA, THIS IS NOT THE PLACE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
IT'S JUST NOT THE OVERSIGHT ROLE, WE ARE A BODY OF ONE OF NINE AND YOU'RE JUST ONE OF NINE.
SO AGAIN, MOST OF THE AGENDA, I CAN SAY IS SOMEONE THAT'S BEEN A PART OF AGENDA SETTING IN A LEADERSHIP ROLE FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS IT'S ALREADY BAKED.
I AS A VICE CHAIR HAVE NEVER ONCE PUT AN AGENDA ITEM ON A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.
THE HOURS ARE THERE AND ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING ARE THINGS THAT HAVE TO GET DICTATED TO HELP THE STAFF.
I ALSO JUST THINK THAT WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD ROLE THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT MISCONCEPTION AS TO WHAT THE ROLE ITSELF IS AND WHAT IS THE SCHOOL BOARD LANE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE STEP OVER THAT LANE AND THINK WE ARE DOING THE JOB OF STAFF.
[00:55:01]
THAT IS STEPS ROLE.SO DOCTOR HUTCHINGS LEADS THE DAY TODAY.
IF YOU ARE DISCUSSING ANYTHING HAPPENING DAY-TO-DAY YOU'RE ALREADY IN THE WRONG CONVERSATION AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
IT IS 100,000 FEET OVERSIGHT, IT'S POLICY AND BUDGET AND SUPPORTING THE SUPERINTENDENT.
THAT'S THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD IF YOU WANT TO SEE SUCCESS HAPPEN.
ANYTHING ELSE IS JUST THAT'S NOT THE SCHOOL BOARD ROLE.
WHAT'S REALLY CHALLENGING ABOUT THAT IS MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT A SCHOOL BOARD ROLE IS INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY THAT'S EMAILING YOU AND REACHING OUT TO YOU AND SAY THEY NEED YOU TO DO THIS, THERE'S A SITUATION HAPPENING IN MY KIDS FIRST GRADE CLASS, I DO LIKE THE TEACHER, THE TOILET PAPER AT THIS ONE SCHOOL, YOU ARE GETTING BOMBARDED CONSTANTLY ACTING LIKE YOU ARE THE CUSTOMER HELP DESK LIKE AT A MAJOR RETAIL STORE AND THE MOST FRUSTRATING AND CHALLENGING PART OF A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER IS SOMETIMES THAT THERE ARE THINGS YOU AGREE WITH.
YEAH, I KNOW THAT TEACHERS NOT UP TO PAR, I KNOW THAT ROOF IS LEAKING OR I KNOW THAT WHATEVER, THERE ARE THINGS AND SITUATIONS YOU SEE AND IS NOT YOUR ROLE.
IF YOU WANT TO GET A JOB AT ACPS THEN MAYBE YOU CAN APPLY AND THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE BUT AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER YOU'RE CONSTANTLY GETTING PROVIDED BY THE COMMUNITY TO FIX THINGS THAT YOU HAVE NO INFLUENCE OVER, NO CONTROL OVER, AND THAT IS REALLY CHALLENGING.
IT'S NOT JUST SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER'S NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ROLE IS JUST MAKE SURE YOU'RE FULLY AWARE AND THIS IS WHERE LAURIE IS REALLY HELPFUL BUT YOU NEED TO CONSTANTLY EDUCATE PEOPLE COMING AT YOU.
YOU CAN SAY I UNDERSTAND BUT LET ME HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE RANK AND PROTOCOL OF WHO YOU SHOULD BE PULLING THAT LEVELER.
YOU NEED TO TALK TO THE KIDS TEACHER, THE PRINCIPAL, YOU NEED TO TALK TO THIS PERSON BUT I'M NOT THE PERSON THAT'S ABLE TO FIX THE SITUATION.
YOU DON'T RUN THE SCHOOL DIVISION, IT'S AN OVERSIGHT ROLE.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I AM JUST A HUGE BELIEVER IN BEING TRANSPARENT ANYBODY WHO KNOWS ME KNOWS I'M EXCEPTIONALLY DIRECT.
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU'RE BORN IN THE NEW YORK NEW JERSEY AREA.
I AM A BIG BELIEVER THAT ALL THINGS THAT TAKE PLACE AT THE SCHOOL BOARD LEVEL SHOULD BE TRANSPARENT SOME A BIG BELIEVER THAT CONVERSATIONS SHOULD BE HAPPEN IN SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, THEY SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
I HOPE DOCTOR HUTCHINGS YOU COULD GIVE ME A THUMBS UP ON THIS, I DON'T LOBBY DOCTOR HUTCHINGS, I DON'T CALL HIM AND SAY THIS IS WHAT I NEED TO HAPPEN.
MY COLLEAGUES CAN SAY I NEVER ONCE CALLED ANY OF YOU AND ASKED HOW YOUR VOTING OR TRY TO LOBBY ANY OF YOU.
I DON'T HAVE A BEHIND THE SCENE CLOSED CONVERSATIONS.
I AM UPFRONT, TRANSPARENT, AND THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING IS A TOOL TO BE HAVING CONVERSATIONS AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I THINK ALEXANDRIA DESERVES THAT.
AS A RAMEE SAID EARLIER, OR AN OPENING GOVERNING BODY AND WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY SO I HOPE THIS NEXT SCHOOL BOARD CAN DO AT THIS SCHOOL BOARD DOES WHICH IS HAVE TRANSPARENT, OPEN CONVERSATIONS.
DOCTOR HUTCHINGS IS TRANSPARENT WITH US AS WELL.
SO AGAIN, SORRY, I THINK I TALKED A LITTLE LONGER THAN I WAS PLANNING TO BUT I THINK THIS ROLE IS SO IMPORTANT AND IS SUCH AN HONOR FOR ME TO SERVE IN IT.
I TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY WHO IS GOING TO BE IN THE ROLE AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE PASSING ON ANY INFORMATION TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM OF YOU THAT CAN BE OF USE.
>> THANKS EVERYBODY FOR JOINING.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE ALL THESE FACES.
JUST WELCOME YOU TO THE CRAZY WORLD OF CAMPAIGNING.
I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT BECAUSE I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT.
I AM ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO DOES NOT ENJOY CAMPAIGNING.
BUT, I AM COMMITTED TO THE WORK.
SO IT IS JUST PART OF GETTING THERE.
I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THE TIME THING.
I WAS GONNA SAY WHAT RAMEE SAID, WHEN SUSAN SAID 150 HOURS A YEAR, I UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE WAS SAYING.
MEETINGS, YES, BUT THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE ALL THE OTHER THINGS WE DO.
WE HAVE TWO BY TWOS WHEN WERE WORKING THROUGH CERTAIN THINGS SO THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO DELIBERATE BIG ISSUES.
WE, I DON'T KNOW, SOMEWHAT WEEKS LATELY I HAVE SPENT 40 - 50 HOURS.
AND AGAIN, NOT TO DETER JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A REALITY.
I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE, PLEASE LISTEN TO LAURIE, LISTEN TO LAURIE AND TAKE IT
[01:00:06]
TO HEART.WHEN YOU'RE ON THE TRAIL, YOU ARE AN INDIVIDUAL, WHEN YOU ARE ELECTED, IF YOU ARE ELECTED, YOU ARE A MEMBER OF A TEAM.
I WILL SAY, I DO 100 PERCENT FEEL THAT I HAVE HAD AN IMPACT.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT BECAUSE IT IS NOT YOU AND WE ALL HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER, BECAUSE YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY HAVE AN IMPACT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THE IMPACT COMES FROM YOUR ABILITY TO WORK AS A TEAM.
THAT TO ME IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT, POWERFUL THINGS YOU CAN TAKE AWAY.
IF YOU CANNOT WORK, IF YOU CAN CONSIDER YOURSELF A TEAM MEMBER AND YOU WORK AS A TEAM, THE IMPACT WILL HAPPEN.
BUT IF YOU HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL GOAL OR AN INDIVIDUAL THING IN MIND AND THAT IS ALL YOU WANT TO PUSH, YOU WILL NOT HAVE THE IMPACT THAT I THINK YOU PROBABLY WANT TO HAVE.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO REITERATE AND THINK ABOUT.
THAT HELPS YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO PROMISE WHEN YOU'RE ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.
JUST BE CLEAR THAT THOSE ARE THINGS THAT YOU CAN, IF YOU REALLY HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
SO, I THINK THAT WAS ALL I WANTED TO ADD, EVERYBODY ELSE SAID ALL THE THINGS.
AND VERONICA, WHERE IS VERONICA? WE PUT STUFF ON THE AGENDA, VERONICA.
>> WHAT I MEAN IS IT'S NOT LIKE, NO SORRY, YET.
WE HELP WITH THE AGENDA BUT IT'S NOT LIKE HEY MEGAN, I SECRETLY WANT TO THIS JUNGLE GYM AT MY KIDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
LET'S WEEK, WEEK PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA.
IT'S MORE ABOUT PUSHING THE WORK OF THE DIVISION FORWARD VERSUS OUR INDIVIDUAL PET PROJECTS THAT WE SECURELY WANT TO SNEAK IN AND MAKE SURE WE GET, SO I'M GLAD YOU CLARIFIED.
THAT'S A NATIONALLY KNOWN A THING, THE TEAM ASPECT.
YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING UNLESS YOU'RE PART OF THE TEA.
>> SO MARGARET HAD ONE THING THAT HE WANTED TO ADD AND THEN I'M GONNA LET ELNOUBI ABDEL ASK HIS QUESTION.
>> BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH TO LEARN AND SO MUCH READING IS VERY USEFUL TO PICK UP A COUPLE OF AREAS THEY WANT TO SPECIALIZE IN AND REALLY DEVELOP AN EXPERTISE.
IN MY CASE SPECIAL EDUCATION AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS WERE THE TWO AREAS THAT INTERESTED ME THE MOST AND THAT ABLE OUT WAS ABLE TO HELP MY COLLEAGUES EDUCATE THEM MORE ON THE ISSUES AND I FOUND IT DIFFERENT RIVERS OF THE BOARD WHO HAD AN EXPERTISE IN OTHER FACILITIES, FOR EXAMPLE.
THE INSTRUCTION, THE DESIGN, YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THAT YOUR COLLEAGUES ALL HAVE SPECIAL SKILLS AND INTERESTS.
YOU DON'T NEED TO BE SO DAUNTED BY BEING A TOTAL EXPERT IN EVERYTHING.
YOU SIMPLY CANNOT, THERE'S TOO MUCH TO DIGEST.
WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU CAN HAVE THE MOST IMPACT.
WHERE YOUR STRENGTH LIES, YOUR PAST, YOUR EXPERIENCE.
AND THEN YOU DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THAT WAY.
ABDEL, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION?
>> I HAVE A COUPLE OF OVERLAPPING QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
THANK YOU CURRENT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER'S AND DOCTOR HUTCHINGS FOR YOUR SERVICE.
IT'S BEEN A HELL OF A YEAR SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU DO FOR OUR KIDS.
MY TWO QUESTIONS ARE REGARDING THE CAMPAIGNING AT RULES THAT ACPS HAS THAT YOU JUST WENT, THAT SUSAN JUST WENT OVER IT.
I GUESS, THE FIRST QUESTION IS, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S MEANT TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD AMONG CANDIDATES BUT WHAT ACTUAL SORTS OF TOOLS OR MECHANISMS DOES ACPS HAVE, IF THEY'RE NOT VIRGINIA LAWS, I DON'T THINK THEY ARE, ESPECIALLY WHICH LEADS TO MY SECOND QUESTION, LIKE TAKING PICTURES OF THE FACILITY AND HOW NUANCED IS THAT POLICY? ARE WE ACTUALLY NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE A PICTURE OF US IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL AND USING CAMPAIGN MATERIAL TO MAKE SINCE THESE ARE PUBLIC BUILDINGS CONNECT? WHAT IF SOMEONE BREAKS THESE RULES AND HAS AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE?
[01:05:02]
>> JENNIFER, DO YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT?
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION MR. ELNOUBI.
SO THE SOURCE OF THE AUTHORITY COMES FROM 22.178 OF THE VIRGINIA CODE WHICH GIVES THE SCHOOL BOARD IN GENERAL AUTHORITY TO PROMULGATE - BUT YOU'RE ACTUALLY RIGHT THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE SCHOOL DIVISION IS NOT AN ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
SO THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT CANDIDATES FROM THE OFF ONSET KNOW THE GENERAL RULES SO WE CAN KEEP THE PLAYING FIELD EVEN BUT YOU ARE RIGHT, WE CANNOT ENFORCE IT, THERE ARE VIOLATIONS EVERY CAMPAIGN SEASON.
WE WILL REACH OUT TO THE CANDIDATE AND ASK THEM TO PLEASE STOP DISTURBING YOUR LITERATURE ON SCHOOL PROPERTY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT YOU ARE RIGHT, THE POINT IS TO TRY TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT EARLY SO EVERYONE KNOWS THE GROUND RULES BUT WE ARE NOT AN ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
>> I WOULD PIGGYBACK ON THAT TO SAY, UNDERSTANDING THE RULES THAT WE ARE WORKING FROM AN INTENTIONALLY VIOLATING THOSE TYPE OF GUIDELINES THAT ARE SET BY THE STATE OR THE SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION OR THE DIVISION ITSELF, INTENTIONALLY VIOLATING THEM IS PROBABLY, THE SCARE IS NOT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE SCARE IS MORE ON THE POLITICAL SIDE OF MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE ELECTING PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO DO WHAT IS BEST FOR THE DIVISION EVEN IF IT MEANS CHANGE.
BUT NOT TRYING TO DISREGARD CURRENT SYSTEM KNOWINGLY.
SO I THINK THERE IS PROBABLY ALWAYS THERE'S A POLITICAL SIDE TO THINK ABOUT AND THEN THERE IS THE LEGAL EXCITED TO THINK ABOUT.
EVEN WITH ALL THE RESTRICTIONS THERE ARE WAYS TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.
THERE WILL BE WAYS THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THINGS AS A TEAM OR INDIVIDUALLY ABOUT CERTAIN SITUATIONS THAT A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER ARE GOING THROUGH BUT I THINK THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE RESOURCES TO BE THE ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
MOST TAXPAYERS REALLY WANT US TO STAY OUT OF POLITICS SO THEY WANT US TO REALLY BE FOCUSED ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
WE DON'T EVEN HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO DO ALL THE THINGS WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO SO THAT IS PROBABLY WHY A LOT OF THESE TO PUT IN PLACE.
SOBER HABIT THE USE OF GENERAL OPERATED FUNDS FOR THE BENEFIT OF CANDIDATE.
>> THE SECOND QUESTION I ASKED IS ABOUT HOW NUANCED IS THE POLICY ABOUT TAKING PICTURES LIKE A CAN I TAKE A PICTURE WITH THE SCHOOL IN THE BACKGROUND AND USE IT FOR MY CAMPAIGN MATERIAL? I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT POLICY.
>> SO IN THE PLAIN READING OF THE POLICY THAT IS PROHIBITED BECAUSE THAT IS CONSIDERED ALMOST, IT COULD COME ACROSS AS IF AN ACPS ENDORSEMENT.
BUT AGAIN, IT IS DEFINITELY HAPPENED IN THE PAST AND IT LITERATURE AND VIDEOS AND LOTS OF WAYS.
AGAIN, ALL WE CAN DO IS TO MITIGATE SO EVERYONE'S PLAYING BY THE SAME RULES.
>> IF I CAN JUMP IN REAL QUICK.
I HAVE THE SAME INITIAL KIND OF THING AND I FELT LIKE HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS TEA IT ACTUALLY ENDED UP BEING PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
FOR THE CAMPAIGN WEBSITE THERE ARE PLENTY OF GENERIC EDUCATION HE TYPE OF PHOTOS.
YOU CAN FIND FRIENDS AND CHILDREN AND FIND ANOTHER PLACE THAT IS NOT IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL BUILDING AND TAKE PICTURES.
THERE IS LOTS OF WAYS AROUND THAT.
I DO THINK THE MAIN THING IS I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE PEOPLE THAT MIGHT HAVE A MORE DIRECT CONNECTION WITH ACPS ARE GIVEN WHAT COULD BE A REAL TREMENDOUS ADVANTAGE OVER A CANDIDATE THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY CURRENTLY HAVE AN ACPS STUDENT OR SOME OTHER KIND OF ACPS CONNECTION.
>> (NAME? ) TO GIVE A QUESTION? DEBBIE, ARE YOU FROZEN? LET ME GO TO ASHLEY AND THEN I'LL COME BACK TO DEBBIE.
>> THANK YOU LAURIE AND WELCOME EVERYONE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I THINK OBVIOUSLY EVERYONE IS HERE BECAUSE THEY'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT THE CITY SCHOOLS SO THANK YOU FOR THAT PASSION.
SORRY TO HARP SO MUCH ON THIS POLICY KJ IN THE DEFINITION OF THE POLICY HOW ARE PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS ARE DEFINED IS JUST PRINT MATERIALS, WEB MATERIALS, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, WHAT CONSTITUTES PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS?
[01:10:06]
BUT AGAIN, IT IS FINE TO INCLUDE A ACPS A STUDENT OR STAFF MEMBER AS LONG AS THEY'RE NOT WEARING LIKE A ACPS T-SHIRT.
IT'S FINE FOR A CANDIDATE SAY MY CHILDREN ATTENDED ACPS SCHOOLS AND HAVE A PHOTO WITH YOUR CHILDREN.
THAT'S YOUR FAMILY BUT SOMETHING THAT IS A PHOTO WITH SEVERAL ACPS STAFF MEMBERS AND THEY ARE WEARING THEIR LANYARDS OR THEIR WEARING THEIR T-SHIRTS OR THE STUDENTS ARE WEARING THEIR ACPS GEAR, THAT'S WHERE YOU DRAW THE LINE THERE.
>> DEBBIE, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION:? WE ARE NOT HEARING YOU, YET.
>> SHE PUT, CAN SHE PUT HER QUESTION IN THE Q&A?
>> CHECK YOUR PHONE VOLUME AND MAKE SURE THE VOLUME IS UP.
>> I THINK SHE IS TRYING TO CALL IN USING THE NUMBER, ZOOM A CONFERENCE PHONE NUMBER.
>> WE HAVE A Q&A BUT WE CANNOT DO CHAT.
IT IS TURNED OFF FOR THIS, THANK YOU.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS A WHILE, I AM SORRY DEBBIE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING.
>> I THINK SHE'S CALLING AND TRYING TO GET INTO THE CONFERENCE USING THE PHONE LINE.
CAN YOU CHECK IF SOMEONE IS TRYING TO ENTER THE CONFERENCE USING THE PHONE LINE?
>> I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO RAISE MY HAND.
THANK YOU ALL FOR SHARING THE INFORMATION.
I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS BUT I'M GOING TO TRY TO STAY ON TOPIC.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE, SO IF OUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE, ARE WE AN ADVISORY MODE TO ACPS ONLY BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE ALTHOUGH WE CAN RECOMMEND THINGS, AS I HAVE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR THE LAST 18 YEARS.
WE OFFER OPINIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THEN THEY SEEM THAT THEY ARE IGNORED BY THE BOARD AND HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT TO DO THEIR JOB.
HOW DO WE HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE? LET'S SAY DOCTOR HUTCHINGS HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING AS A SUPERINTENDENT AND WE NEED IS LEADERSHIP HOWEVER SOME OF HIS STAFF HAVE NOT BEEN CONVINCED TO DO THEIR JOBS.
SO HOW DO WE SERVE THE SUPERINTENDENT IN THE CAPACITY OF OFFERING HIM AN OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT SOME OF THESE ERRORS?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS, YOU HIRE THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE SCHOOL BOARD COMES UP WITH THEIR EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF THE DIVISION.
SO YOU AS A SCHOOL BOARD ARE LOOKING FORWARD OUTCOMES WHETHER IT BE AROUND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT OR RELATED TO THE CLIMATE OF LEARNING, WHETHER IT BE RELATED TO RESOURCES, YOU SET WHAT IT IS THAT YOU EXPECT TO HAPPEN AND THEN THE SUPERINTENDENT PICKS HIS TEAM TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
SO AS SCHOOL BOARDS IF WE GET INVOLVED IN PICKING THE TEAM THEN THAT REALLY TIES AT THE HAND OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.
SO YOU CAN EQUATE THAT TO THE COACH.
IF LET'S SAY YOU ARE A COACH OF A TEAM AND I CAME IN AND I SAID I AM HIRING YOU TO BE THE COACH OF THIS TEAM AND HERE ARE YOUR PLAYERS AND YOU CANNOT CHANGE ONE OF THOSE PLAYERS BUT I WANT YOU TO GO AND WIN THE SUPER BOWL THIS YEAR, THAT MAY NOT BE A CONNECTION THAT CAN HAPPEN.
IT MAY BE A HUGE DISCONNECT BECAUSE YOU HAVE STRAPPED THAT COACH WITH BEEN ABLE TO THEN HAVING TO WORK WITH THE TEAM THAT YOU PICKED AS PERHAPS THE OWNER.
SO IT IS INCUMBENT ON A SCHOOL BOARD TO BE ABLE TO SET THOSE CRITERIA AND EXPECTATION AND IF THE SUPERINTENDENT DOES NOT MEET THE EXPECTATIONS IT IS IN THE AUTHORITY OF THE SCHOOL BOARD TO SAY WE NEED A DIFFERENT LEADER OF THE DIVISION TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE OUTCOMES HAPPEN.
>> SO AGAIN, MY QUESTION IS SIMPLE.
SINCE THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS TO GO WITH THE POLICIES AND IT SINCE THE SCHOOL BOARD OR THE NEW SCHOOL BOARD HAS TO GO ON THE POLICIES OF OTHER PEOPLES OF OTHER SCHOOL BOARDS PREVIOUS SCHOOL BOARDS THEN HOW DO WE MAKE A CHANGE IF WERE GOING DOWN
[01:15:02]
THE WRONG ROAD AS A COACH? AND I HAVE COACH FOR THE LAST 40 YEARS AND LIKE I SAID, ONE OF THE ISSUES I HAVE IS THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT HAVE BEEN HANDED STRUCK WITH DEAL WITH THE POLICIES MADE BY BOARDS WHO, SOME NO DISRESPECT, SOME OF THE POLICIES DON'T WORK FOR OUR PARTICULAR CLIENTS, THE STUDENTS.>> I WOULD SAY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I NOTE THAT YOU'RE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT AND I THINK IF YOU ARE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD AND ELECTED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THERE ARE CERTAIN POLICIES THAT YOU BELIEVE ARE NOT IN KEEPING WITH WHAT WE WANT TO SEE HAPPEN AND THE CONSENSUS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AT A MEETING THAT'S ON THE AGENDA AGREES WITH YOU THEN THAT POLICY COULD BE CHANGED AT ANY TIME.
IT GOES BACK TO THAT RACE, IF YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT BELIEVES THAT THE POLICY IS NOT IN KEEPING WITH WHAT WE WANT TO SEE FOR OUR STUDENTS, THEN THAT'S ONE OF THOSE FRUSTRATION POINTS YOU'LL HAVE TO LIVE WITH.
BECAUSE IT'S A TEAM THAT MAKES THE DECISIONS AND NOT INDIVIDUALS.
>> SO, WE ARE RUNNING AS A DISTRICT, I'M READY FOR DISTRICT B.
AND SO THE UNIQUENESS OF DISTRICT B, CAN WE MEET AS A TEAM WITH DISTRICT B AND DISCUSS WHAT WE WANT TO PRESENT TO THE WHOLE?
>> WOW, CAN THAT POLICY CHANGE?
WHEN YOU ARE ELECTED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD YOU DON'T REPRESENT DISTRICT B ONLY ANYMORE.
YOU REPRESENT EVERY STUDENT, EVERY CAMPUS.
YOU ARE NOT MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON YOUR SMALL CONSTITUENCY YOU'RE MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON A DIVISION, YOU'RE GOOD TO BE GOVERNING THE ENTIRE DIVISION.
IT'S KIND OF A MISCONDUCT, MISUNDERSTANDING A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU'RE FROM A DISTRICT WHETHER WHATEVER DISTRICT THAT YOU ARE SERVING, YOU DO TAKE THAT INFORMATION IN AND YOU ARE ELECTED BY THE CONSTITUENCY BUT YOU ARE NOT REPRESENTING EVERY STUDENT ON EVERY SINGLE CAMPUS.
SO YOU GIVE UP JUST THAT A NARROW POINT OF VIEW TO A MUCH BROADER GOVERNING POSITION FOR THE ENTIRE DIVISION.
>> AGAIN, SO THE CITY COUNCIL CAN COME IN AND CHANGE THAT PARTICULAR THING OR WE HAVE THE OPINION WHEN ALL NINE OF US GET TOGETHER?
>> THIS IS A LAW THAT'S IN EVERY STATE, EVERY STATE HAS THIS LAW.
THE GOOD NEWS IS IT FOR YOU THAT THERE ARE WAYS TO BE ABLE TO BE PASSIONATE ABOUT CHANGE BUT YOU HAVE TO GO ABOUT IT SO THAT IT IS TRANSPARENT AND THAT YOU'RE NOT MAKING DECISIONS FOR JUST ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ELECTED TO DISTRICT B.
>> MY CONCERN IS A PASSION DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT.
IF IT'S RIGHT IT'S RIGHT IF IT'S WRONG IS WRONG IF THE POLICIES DON'T WORK.
>> YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR LEGISLATURE TO CHANGE IT.
>> YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET THAT DONE.
>> I WANT TO MAKE SOME CHANGE HAPPEN.
>> I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY A COUPLE OF POINTS BECAUSE I THINK MR. ROBERTS RAISED A COUPLE OF EXCELLENT QUESTIONS THAT IS SOME CLARIFICATION.
FIRST OF ALL, JUST TO CLARIFY, THE BOARD DOES NOT MERELY SERVE IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY, THE BOARD SPEAKS THROUGH OFFICIAL ACTION, IT SPEAKS THROUGH ITS VOTES, IT DIRECTS THE ACTIONS OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION THROUGH VOTES.
IT IS NOT MERELY AN ADVISORY BOARD.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.
IT IS A DIRECTING THE ACTIONS OF THE DIVISION THROUGH VOTES AND HAS THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT.
IT ALSO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE AND AMEND ITS POLICY AS LONG AS THEY STAY WITHIN THE STATUTORY CONSTRAINTS.
SO IF THERE'S A POLICY THAT OF MAJORITY OF THE BOARD NO LONGER AGREES WITH AS LONG AS YOU STAY WITHIN THE STATUTORY FRAMEWORK, ABSOLUTELY THE BOARD AMENDS POLICIES ALL THE TIME.
THAT'S AN ABSOLUTE FUNCTION OF THE BOARD GIVEN IT TO ITS BYLAWS AND HAS THE AUTHORITY TO DO SO.
THAT IS CERTAINLY WITHIN THE BOARDS LANE BUT THE FINAL THING I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, THE CANDIDATES, AS CANDIDATES YOU MAY MEET ONCE YOU ARE ELECTED AT ANY TIME AT LEAST THREE OF YOU MEET TO DISCUSS BUSINESS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO CLARIFY IS THAT IT IS AN OFFICIAL MEETING SO MUST BE HELD IN PUBLIC.
WE ARE NOT SEEN IT CAN NEVER HAPPENED.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A SPECIAL TITLE, SPECIAL CATEGORY, THEY ARE CALLED MEETINGS OF CERTAIN BOARD MEMBERS.
[01:20:01]
WE ACTUALLY CATEGORIZED TODAY'S MEETING IN THAT CATEGORY.WHAT WE NEED YOU TO KNOW IS THAT THREE BOARD MEMBERS ONCE ELECTED FOR INSTANCE DISTRICT B REPRESENTATIVES WANT TO GO TO COFFEE SHOP AND TALK ABOUT AN UPCOMING VOTE, IT CANNOT JUST HAPPEN THAT WAY.
IT HAS TO BE ADVERTISED IN ADVANCE, AS A PUBLIC MEETING, MINUTES HAVE TO BE TAKEN, THERE HAS TO BE AN AGENDA.
WE ARE JUST TRYING TO LET YOU KNOW THERE ARE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT RULES THAT PERTAIN BUT WE ARE NOT SAYING THOSE MEETINGS CAN NEVER HAPPEN.
IT JUST RULES APPLY AND THEY JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT.
>> SO AGAIN, THIS IS MY LAST QUESTION.
IF I WANT TO MEET WITH THE CONSTITUENTS OF DISTRICT B AND ALL THREE OF THE CANDIDATES OR MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND DISTRICT BE B WENT TO MEET ON SPECIFIC ISSUES RELATED TO DISTRICT B, WE CAN MEET AS LONG AS IT PUBLIC?
>> HOW WE HAVE HANDLED IN THE PAST, AS CANDIDATES YOU ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THESE RULES, ONCE ELECTED WHAT WE HAVE OFTEN DONE IS SAY IF IT REPRESENTATIVES OF A PARTICULAR DISTRICT WANT TO MEET WITH THEIR CONSTITUENTS THEY OFTEN WILL HAVE ONLY TWO OF THE THREE MEMBERS GO OR MAYBE TO GO FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE EVENT AND THEN ANOTHER CULMINATION OF THE THREE ARE THERE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE EVENT OR IT HAS TO BE ALL FALL WITHIN THE RULES I MENTIONED EARLIER.
ADVERTISE IN ADVANCE, MAKE IT PUBLIC, POST MINUTES, ETC. IN A LOCATION WHERE PEOPLE CAN EASILY COME, THAT SORT OF THING.
IT CAN HAPPEN THERE'S JUST RULES THAT ARE ATTACHED.
I DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN A RABBIT HOLE.
>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
>> I THINK MAYBE WE HAVE DEBBIE.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS IN PUTTING THIS ON SUSAN AND DOCTOR HUTCHINGS AND EVERYONE HAS SPOKEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
MY QUESTIONS ARE VERY SHORT REGARDING ARE ALL THE CANDIDATES FOR SCHOOL BOARD A B AND C ON THIS CALL? NEXT, HOW MANY SEATS ARE UNOPPOSED OR HOW MANY CANDIDATES ON THIS CALL HERE DON'T WILL NOT HAVE AN ELECTION BUT THEY WILL ACTUALLY SIT ON THE BOARD? IT ALSO LIKE TO NOTE CAN WE GO THROUGH EVERYBODY'S NAME AND WHAT DISTRICT ARE IN? THANK YOU.
>> I BELIEVE DISTRICT C HAS THREE PEOPLE AND YOU AND I ARE GOOD HAVE TO TAGTEAM ON US.
DISTRICT B HAS THREE PEOPLE, CHRIS, ABDEL AND MEGAN.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CAMPAIGN LOOKS LIKE BUT THOSE THREE IT LOOKS LIKE ARE GOING TO BE BECOME A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
>> WE HAVE FIVE CANDIDATES AND DISTRICT A.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO DO THIS YOURSELF BUT I'LL REDO THE CANDIDATES ARE.
WILLIE BAILEY, ISSUE BOYLE, JACINTA GREEN, D OHLANDT AND MICHELLE RIEF.
DEBBIE ASH, KELLY CARMICHAEL, I'M NOW IN THE B, I'M STARTED IN THE B'S.
WE HAVE SEVEN CANDIDATE'S AND B.
>> YOU FORGOT JACINTA GREEN AND A.
>> SO IN B WE HAVE DEBBIE ASH, KELLY CARMICHAEL, TAMMY IGNACIO, RICARDO ROBERTS, ASHLEY SIMPSON BAIRD, BRIDGET WESTFALL.
AND THEN IT DISTRICT C THERE ARE THREE CANDIDATES AND THEY'RE ALL RUNNING UNOPPOSED.
THEY ARE MEGAN BAIRD, ABDEL ELNOUBI AND CHRIS HARRIS.
>> SURE, ONE AT LAST QUESTION, ABDEL.
>> I HAVE A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION ON SOMETHING WE WERE DISCUSSING EARLIER.
GO AHEAD AND HAVE IT WILLIE ASKED, IT WAS SOMETHING RICARDO WAS TALKING.
WE CAN'T MEET THREE SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES.
NOT CANDIDATES, THREE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
HOW ABOUT FROM TWO DIFFERENT BODIES IF IT'S TO SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS? CAN WE MEET OR DO WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE SAME RULES?
IT'S ABOUT EACH BODY HAVE AN INFORMANT.
THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF RESTRICTING THAT IS THAT THEY, THE TRANSPARENCY PIECE IS THAT THEY DON'T WANT A QUORUM OF THAT BODY OR RECEIVING INFORMATION THAT
[01:25:07]
NOT EVERYBODY IS RECEIVING OR DISCUSSING ITEMS WITH CONSTITUENTS THAT NOT EVERY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER IS RECEIVING THE BENEFIT OF THAT DISCUSSION.SO YES, EACH BODY HAS THEIR OWN LAWS AND REGULATIONS CONCERNING OPEN MEETINGS.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING THE FORUM TODAY.
I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A QUESTION I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT IS THERE NOW FOR THEIR TIME, DEDICATION AND EVERYTHING THEY HAVE DONE THE PAST THREE YEARS AND SOME OF THEM THE PAST SIX YEARS.
AND I KNOW SOME OF THEM HAVE KIDS IN THE TIME THAT IT TAKES TO BE A PART OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND ALL THE HOURS YOU TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
I JUST THINK, I APPLAUD THEM FOR ANYTHING THEY'VE DONE.
AND ALSO DOCTOR HUTCHINGS, WHAT YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH THE PAST YEAR AND AND A HALF OR SO ADDING ON TOP OF RUNNING A SCHOOL SYSTEM BUT DEALING WITH A PANDEMIC.
BEING IN PUBLIC SAFETY I KNOW HOW THE PAST YEAR AND AND A HALF HAS GONE AND SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH.
AGAIN, I THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE.
AS SOMEONE WHO, OUR KIDS WENT TO SCHOOL HERE, IF IT WASN'T FOR FOLKS LIKE YOU, I WOULD NOT BE WHERE I AM TODAY.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE.
>> THAT IS AWESOME, THAT'S A GREAT ENDING FOR US.
IS JUST APPRECIATION FOR EVERYBODY AND APPRECIATION FOR EACH OTHER.
HAPPY CAMPAIGNING, KEEP IT RESPECTFUL.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THOSE THAT ARE ELECTED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THOSE THAT ARE NO LONGER GOING TO BE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT I HAVE WORKED WITH.
YOU ARE RIGHT WILLIE, THEY ARE AMAZING PEOPLE AND THE HEART IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
THEY DO THE BEST THEY POSSIBLY CAN AND THEY GIVE SELFLESSLY OF THEMSELVES.
THANK YOU, GUYS, FOR DOING THE SAME TODAY.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR DEDICATION AND SUPPORT OF ACPS AND I HOPE YOU HAVE A FANTASTIC SATURDAY AND THE REST OF YOUR WEEKEND.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ANY OF US.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.