Dec 02, 2021 School Board Meeting

>> OKAY, I'VE MS. LORBER WHO SECOND'S MS. GENTRY'S MOTION.

SO, I WILL NOW NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT OR TO -- >> WE HAVE TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT.

I WILL TAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT.

>> SO, WE'LL GO AHEAD IN HERE AND DO A VOTE.

ALL RIGHT, SO, I'M GOING TO ASK ALL IN FAVOR?

AND SO, THAT IS 7 YES, AND TWO ABSENT.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW I NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.

>> MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.

I'M GOING TO ALL IN FAVOR?

AND SO, WE HAVE SEVEN YES AND TWO ABSENT.

THANK YOU, EVERYONE.

>>> ALL RIGHT, SO WE CAN ACTUALLY NOW MOVE ONTO A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

[5. Observe a Moment of Silence ]

(MOMENT OF SILENCE) >> OKAY.

THANK YOU, EVERYONE.

WE CAN MOVE ONTO COMMUNICATIONS, AND ADDRESSES TO THE BOARD.

[6. Public Comments ]

SO, JUST AS A REMINDER, WE WILL HAVE WE DO HAVE SOME FOLKS WHO ARE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS AND WE DO HAVE SOME SIGNED UP TO SPEAK VIRTUALLY.

THE CLERK WILL TIME, THERE'S THREE MINUTE TOSS ADDRESS THE BOARD.

AND IF YOU ARE ALREADY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, AND YOU ARE VIRTUAL, PLEASE JUST RAISE YOUR HAND ON THE ZOOM.

SO THAT WE COULD EASILY IDENTIFY YOU.

WITH THAT SAID, IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE OUR FIRST IN-PERSON COMMENTER IS MR. RICARDO ROBERTS, BUT I DO NOT SEE HIM IN THE AUDIENCE SO I'LL MOVE ONTO MS. PAM TOWNSEND WHO IS A PARENT.

>>> HI, I'M A MOM OF A 5TH GRADER AT BROOKS AND A 9TH GRADER AT HOWARD AND I WAS A MEMBER OF THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE FOR SIX YEARS UP UNTIL MARCH OF 2020.

I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE PROPOSED 2022 CALENDAR AND THE CALENDAR MAKING PROCESS.

NO CALENDAR WILL BE PERFECT, BUT THE PROPOSED CALENDAR IS SEVERELY FLAWED

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AND THE PROCESS HAS BEEN SKEWED.

AND I THINK THESE TWO THINGS ARE LINKED.

IN THE SPRING, THE NEW PUBLIC COMMITTEE PUBLISHED DRAFT CALENDARS, THESE WERE TERRIBLE, THE SURVEY HAD THREE CALENDARS BUT TWO WERE IDENTICAL.

THEY HAD THE SAME START AND END DATE, FOR SLIGHTLY DIFFERENTS THAT PEOPLE DON'T CARE ABOUT.

PEOPLE ASK FOR CLARIFICATION AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE.

I WROTE ABOUT IT TO LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THE CONFUSION, I ALERTED THEM TO THE MANY FACEBOOK COMMENTS THAT PARENTS WERE GIVING UP ON THE SURVEY AFTER SPENDING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT CALENDARS.

THERE WAS A SLIGHT CHANGE TO THE FEBRUARY CONFERENCE SCHEDULE.

AT THAT POINT, I CONNECTED WITH GRETA GORDON WHO IS THE CURRENT PARENT OBJECT THE COMMITTEE AND REACHED OUT TO THE PAST COMMITTEE MEMBER TOSS COME UP WITH A LIST OF OBJECTIVES FOR THE CALENDAR WHICH WE DID AND SHARED WITH DR. WILL GINS AND THE COMMITTEE CHAIR, CHERYL WALDREN.

AND NOTHING HAPPENED ON THAT FRONT.

I LEARNED THAT LET ALONE THANKED FOR THEIR PAST SERVICE.

THIS IS NO WAY TO TREAT YOUR DEDICATED TEACHERS AND STAFF WHO SERVED ON THE COMMITTEE, ESPECIALLY THIS GROUP OF EDUCATORS WHO I FOUND TO BE EXTREMELY THOUGHTFUL AND INFORMED AND CONCERNED ABOUT ALL STUDENTS.

AFTER THE SECOND ROBBED OF ROUND OF A SURVEY IN THE SPRING, THE PUBLIC HEARD NOTHING.

I LEARNED THAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE RESTARTING THE PROCESS IN THE FALL, BUT I SAW NOTHING ON THE WEBSITE OR IN THE E-MAIL.

THIS IS A COMMUNICATION FAILURE AND A MISSED OPPORTUNITY TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT ACPS WAS LISTENING.

THE PUBLIC SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT.

THIS INFORMATION SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATED IN THE SAME MANNER OF THE ORIGINAL SURVEY.

FAST FORWARD TO FALL, WE GET YET ANOTHER SURVEY WITH ONLY ONE CALENDAR CHOICE THAT ARE SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT FROM THE SPRING.

ALL THE SPRING VERSIONS BY THE WAY, ENDED ON A HALF DAY, FOR INSTANCE.

THIS NEW SINGLE VERSION INTRODUCED NEW PROBLEMS SUCH AS AN EXTREMELY CHOPPY FALL WITH THREE DAYS OFF, TWO DAYS ON, ONE DAY OFF, ET CETERA.

SOME OF THIS CHOPPINESS IS DUE TO THE GOAL OF RECOGNIZES OUR DIVERSE POPULATION WITH RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS, I BELIEVE THERE ARE MUCH BETTER WAYS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL WITHOUT PUTTING AN UNDUE BURDEN O FAMILIES WITHOUT CHILD CARE.

I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH AN E-MAIL LINING UP POSSIBLY SOLUTIONS.

I LEARNED SO MUCH WHEN I SERVED ON THIS COMETTY IN THE PAST.

WE TALKED ABOUT FOOD ACCESS, SNOW DAYS, KERFS, RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS, VETERANS DAY, SCHOOL SAFETY DURING ELECTION, SUMMER LEARNING LOSS, AND THE STATE LAW, KING'S DOMINION LAW WE CONSIDERED ALL OF THESE THINGS AND MUCH MORE TO TRY AND MAKE THE BEST CALENDAR TO SERVE OUR DIVERSE POPULATION.

I HOPE THE NEW COMMITTEE CAN BUILD ON WHAT THE PAST COMMITTEE DID AND MAKE A BETTER CALENDAR FOR '22-23.

>> NEXT UP, I HAVE MS. GRETA GORDON.

>> GOOD EVENING.

BOARD MEMBERS, GOOD EVENING, DR. HUTCHINGS, I'M GRETA GORDON AND I SERVE AS PTAX REPRESENTATIVE TO THE COMMITTEE.

WE WERE BRAND NEW IN OCTOBER OF 2020 WITH NO PREVIOUS MEMBERS BEING ASKED TO RETURN WHEN THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE RETIRED.

WE HAD NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE AND OUR TWO CONSECUTIVE FACILITATORS WERE NEW TO THE PROCESS, SO IT WAS A STEEP LEARNING CURB.

I HOPE TO OUT LINE SOME.

ULTIMATELY, WE ALL WANT A COHESIVE SCHOOL CALENDAR THAT SERVES OUR TEACHERS, STAFF AND FAMILIES.

I HAVE THREE POINTS.

FIRST, THERE ARE POLICIES THAT EFFECT THE CALENDAR THAT ARE BEYOND THE COMMITTEE'S JURISDICTION THAT ACPS NEEDS TO ADDRESS.

SECOND, THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE SHOULD HAVE OUTLINED GOALS AND PRIORITIES.

AND LASTLY, GIVEN THE RECENT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED BEFORE THE 22-23 CALENDAR WHERE APPROVED.

FOR EXAMPLE, LOOK AT CONFERENCES, ACPS SHOULD CONSIDER A CONVERSATION WITH SECONDARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, FULL DAYS OFF MEAN THAT WEED MORE DAYS AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

ARE OUR TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS OKAY WITH THAT? NO MATTER HOW MUCH TIME WE SET ASIDE FOR CONFERENCES, TEACHERS WILL NEVER HAVE

[00:10:01]

ENOUGH TIME TO MEET WITH PARENTS.

THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER SOLUTION BUT THAT'S NOT WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE TO MAKE THAT DECISION.

ACPS NEEDS TO ADDRESS THE LARGER QUESTIONS ESPECIALLY AS WE CONSIDER TEACHER RETENTION.

THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE SHOULD HAVE SET GOALS AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT LINE WITH ACPS POLICIES, THIS WILL TAKE SOME OF THE GUESS WORK OUT OF THE PROCESS, AND WILL ALSO LESSON THE FRUSTRATION AMONG OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

WE'RE TASKED WITH BUILDING A CALENDAR, YET UNLESS ACPS ADDRESSES THESE QUESTIONS, THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE CANNOT BE SUCCESSFUL.

DEFINE THE COMMITTEE MAKEUP AND STICK WITH IT.

WE'VE HAD ADDITIONS AND SUBSTRAKESS THIS YEAR MOST OF THE TIME WITH NO MENTION THAT SOMEONE DROPPED OFF OR THERE WAS A REPLACEMENT.

INITIALLY WE HAD TWO PARENTS ON THE COMMITTEE.

I PLEADED AND THE OTHER P PARENT ONLY ATTENDING THE FIRST MEETING LEAVING JUST ME.

I BLEEDED FOR MONTHS TO INCLUDE MORE PARENTS THAT CAN BRING VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES TO THE TABLE AND FINALLY I WAS ALLOWED TO RECRUIT A PARENT FROM PETEX DEI COMMITTEE WHO IS A WEST END HIGH SCHOOL PARENT.

AND, SHE BRINGS PERSPECTIVE THAT I DON'T HAVE.

ACPS WAS TASKED WITH BRINGING TWO ADDITIONAL PARENTS TO THE COMMITTEE.

AND, NEITHER OF THESE PARENT HAVES HIGH SCHOOLERS, AND DO NOT REPRESENT OUR WEST END SCHOOLS.

AND, I ASK IS THAT BEING EQUITABLE?

>> MS. GORDON, I'M SORRY, YOUR TIME IS UP AND MY SIGNAL ISN'T WORKING.

>> I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THAT WAS.

>> I DO ASK THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD IMPROVE THE WORK OF THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE AND DIRECT ACPS TO PROVIDE STRUCTURE TO THIS PROCESS.

>> NEXT UP, WE HAVE MS. BAZUR IS SHE ON?

SO, WE DO NOT SEE MS. BEZU AT THE MOMENT.

IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK FOR PROVIDE WIN PUBLIC COMMENTS IN THE NEXT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, BE SURE TO SIGN UP NO LATER THAN NOON THE DAY PRIOR TO THE MEETING, THERE'S A LINK AVAILABLE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING PAGE DO SO.

MOVING ON, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES, SHARE OUT THIS EVENING, I'LL START WITH MS. EMILY MILTON MILTON.

>> ALL RIGHT.

[7. Report from Student Representatives Emily Milton and Sylvia Rahim ]

>> I'M GOING TO START WITH MS. SYLVIA RAHIM.

>> SORRY.

GOOD EVENING.

BOARD MEMBERS AND ATTENDEES, I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH ME AND EMILY MILTON BOTH ATTENDED THE JULIE ELECTION BUS EVENT AND WE WERE HAPPY TO SEE THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL AS THE SUPERINTENDENT AND OVER ALL IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE TO SEE THE NEW INNOVATIVE WAYS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE ELECTRIC BUS NOW.

WE AND EMILY MILTON WERE BOTH EXCITED TO RIDE ON THEM.

AND ALSO, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO BE MORE ACTIVE ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND AFTER TODAY'S MEETING WE WILL START TWEETING RECAPS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS IN A MORE KID-FRIENDLY LANGUAGE, JUST BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME STUDENTS MAY NOT TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON, JUST TOUCH A SUMMARY OF IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, TO REACH MORE PEOPLE.

AND SO, WE JUST WOULD LIKE TO PLUG IN OUR TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM WHICH IS STUDENT REPS ON INSTAGRAM, AND STU UNDER SCORE REPS ON TWITTER STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER AQ HAS BEEN JOINING WITH THE HOPE HELP OF OUR SUPERINTENDENT.

AND AS A STUDENT, HEARING THESE EX-PRESENTATIONS OF GRATITUDE FROM STUDENT TO STUDENT OR STUDENT TO TEACHER OR TEACHER TO STUDENT, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY, WAS A REALLY GOOD MOOD BOOSTER AND I THINK THIS SHOULD BE A TRADITION FOR ALL ACPS SCHOOLS TO CONTINUE FOR YEARS TO COME.

NOW, STUDENTS ARE ALLOWED TO RETURN EIGHT DAYS AFTER EXPOSURE TO COVID WITH NO SYMPTOMS REDUCING IT FROM THE PRIOR 14 DAYS THAT WE HAD.

SO, THAT ALSO REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF TIME STUDENTS ARE MISSING FROM SCHOOL WHICH IS ALWAYS A PLUS.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MENTION THE ONGOING PROJECT OF ATTEMPTING TO FILM OUR FALL PLAY FACING OUR TRUTH THAT I HAD THE PLEASURE OF BEING IN.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT MY CAST MEMBERS AND I ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE BEEN A

[00:15:03]

PART OF THIS PROJECT AND WE WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE THIS WORK ON HAVING IT BE ON FILM, SO, STAY TUNED.

AND WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, ON THE ZOOM WORKSHOP THAT WE HAD LAST TIME.

AND, OVERALL, WE WERE ABLE TO GET MORE CONTACT WITH OTHER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER IN VIRGINIA, BUT NOW WE HAVE ACCESS TO OTHER STUDENT REPS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, AND NOW WE'RE TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER A NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION JUST REPRESENTING ALL DIFFERENT STUDENT REPS IN THE STATES OF AMERICA.

MOVING ONTO EMILY MILTON.

>>> HELLO, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY.

SYLVIA AND I ARE HONORED TO BE INVITED BY THE PTA COUNCIL TO WELCOME NEW BOARD MEMBERS VIA ZOOM AND ATTENDING.

INDOOR TRACK GYMNASTICS, ICE HOCKEY AND SWIM AND DIVE.

THE GIRL'S BASKETBALL TEAM HAD THEIR FIRST GAME ON MONDAY WHICH THEY WON AND THE BOY'S BASKETBALL TEAM WON THEIR FIRST GAME TOO.

THERE WILL BE A TEAM EVENT HELD ON THURSDAY DECEMBER 9TH.

THIS WILL BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUTH IN GRADES 6-12 TO GET INVOLVED AND SHARE THEIR OPINIONS IN THE COMMUNITY.

TIGHTEN MEDIA ALEXANDRIA POSTED ON YOUTUBE, THE OPEN MIC NIGHT AT ST. HE WILL MOW'S COFFEE HOUSE TO HIGHLIGHT YOUNG ARTISTS AND THEIR TALENTS.

COME TOGETHER TO LOOK AT AND PROPOSE CHANGES OR CONTINUATIONS OF THE CURRENT GRADING SYSTEMS OR CURRICULUMS IN PLACE.

AND WE'RE EXCITED TO CONTINUE THE WORK AND PLAN AND EVENTUALLY PRESENT TO THE BOARD WITH OUR FINDINGS.

>>> EXCELLENT, THANK YOU, LADIES, ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

SO, NEXT UP, I NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

[8. Consent Calendar ]

>> (INDISCERNIBLE) >> MOVE WE ADOPT THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

I HAVE MS. GENTRY WHO SECONDS MS. LORBER'S MOTION, ARE THERE ANY ITEMS TO BE PULLED?

>> (INDISCERNIBLE) >> ALL RIGHT.

SO, BEING THAT THERE ARE NONE.

WE CAN GO AHEAD AND VOTE.

ALL RIGHT, SO WE HAVE NO ITEMS FOR OLD BUSINESS TODAY, SO WE'RE MOVING RIGHT INTO NEW BUSINESS.

OKAY.

AND THE FIRST ITEM, IS A PRETTY HEFTY ITEM, SO, WE'VE HAD OUR EQUITY AUDIT POLICY REVISION COMMITTEE STARTED, AND SO, WE HAVE SOME BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE

[15. Equity Audit Policy Revisions- Student Discipline and Conduct ]

GOING TO SHARE INFORMATION THIS EVENING.

ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT I WILL JUST ASK EVERYONE AS WE ARE LISTENING THIS REALLY IS HOPEFULLY, YOU COULD DO JUST A LOT OF LISTENING, TO THIS THIS EVENING.

AND THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON RED-LINED ITEMS. SO, I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.

SO THAT WE KNOW, SORT OF HOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.

IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

OKAY.

SO, WITH THAT SAID, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO, I'LL START WITH MS. SHELL TAKE IT FROM HERE.

>> GOOD EVENING, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND DR. HUTCHINGS AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

THIS EVENING, I'M EXCITED TO BRING YOU OUR INITIAL LOOK AT A GROUP OF POLICIES THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH OUR EQUITY AUDIT REVIEW PROCESS AND OUR SCHOOL BOARD COMMITTEE PROCESS AND OUR COMMUNITY FEEDBACK PROCESS TO BRING YOU DRAFT REVISIONS AS THE FIRST GROUPING THROUGH OUR POLICY AUDIT.

AND THESE RELATE TO STUDENT DISCIPLINE AND CONDUCT.

AND WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE KEY PROPOSED REVISIONS AND A REVIEW OF THE TIMELINE THAT'S BROUGHT US TO THIS POINT TONIGHT.

AND THEN AS CHAIR ALDERTON ALLUDED TO, WE'LL DIG IN INTO THE PROPOSE THE REVISIONS AT OUR WORK SESSION NEXT WEEK.

AT THIS POINT, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO MS. WOOD, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EQUITY

[00:20:01]

AND ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS.

>> THANK YOU, SO MUCH, JENNIFER.

GOOD EVENING, DR. HUTCHINGS, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND THOSE WATCHING IN-PERSON AND AFAR.

ALTHOUGH WE'VE SEEN THESE SLIDES BEFORE, WE HAVE SHARED A COUPLE OF THESE SLIDES BEFORE, WE WANTED TO BRIEFLY REVISIT THE PURPOSE OF OUR EQUITY AUDIT.

AND EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF ALIGNING OUR SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES TO THE EDUCATIONAL ECTAD OUTLINED IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN 2025 EQUITY FOR ALL.

THROUGH IDENTIFYING UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES AND ROOT CAUSES THAT MAY PERPETUATE DISPARITIES AND ELICIT DISPROPORTIONATE OU COMES.

OUR EQUITY AUDIT TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING TOGETHER SINCE NOVEMBER OF 2020 TO INCLUDE OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, DR. RIEF AND MR. SUAREZ, AND OUR EXTERNAL PARTNERS FROM IDRI, MR. TERRANCE WILSON AND MS. JASMINE BOWLS.

THE TEAM APREACHED THE WORK OF THE POLICY AUDIT IN THREE PHASES, PHASE ONE IS OUTLINED BEFORE YOU.

WE STARTED WITH OUR GOAL AND NORM SETTING AND ESTABLISHED AN AGREEMENT FOR OUR WORK IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER OF 2021.

FROM JANUARY-JUNE WE BEGAN WITH TIERING OUR POLICIES AND MOVED INTO THE REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF OUR TIER ONE POLICIES.

WE ARE CURRENTLY IN PHASE TWO, WHERE WE HAVE IN OUR CONTINUING TO ENGAGE DIVERSE GROUPS OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS, WORKING WITH OUR SCHOOL BOARD COMMITTEE TO REFINE THE ACCOMMODATION AND MAKE REVISIONS TO SHARE WITH THE COMMITTEE FOR ADOPTIONS START SHALL THIS EVENING.

PHASE THREE, WE WILL CONTINUE OUR ACTION PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION AND BUILDING OUR IT CAPACITY AND LOOKING AT A FIVE YEAR OUTROOK.

AND NOW I'LL PASS IT OVER TO A MEMBER OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD POLICY COMMITTEE, MS. JACINTA GREENE.

SO, THE SCHOOL BOARD DECIDED THAT WE WOULD APPOINT THREE MEMBERS TO SERVE ON THIS COMMITTEE, THE DEEP DIVE, I SHOULD SAY INTO THE POLICIES.

MS. WOOD.

IT'S MYSELF, MS. THORNTON, AND MR. SUAREZ.

SO, WE WERE SELECTED FOR THE FIRST ROTATION AND OTHER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WILL BE FOR THE NEXT ROTATION.

THE PROCESS INCLUDES THE SCHOOL BOARD WORKING ALONG SIDE THE AUDIT COMMITTEE ALONG WITH IDRA AND WE DID A DEEP DIVE AND REVIEWED ALL OF THE POLICIES, DISCUSSING THEM IN ROUNDS AND THEN ALSO INCLUDING INFORMATION AND FEEDBACK THAT WE GET FROM FOCUS GROUPS AS WELL.

AFTER THAT DISCUSSION, WE ALL COME TO A CONSENSUS OF WHAT WE WANT IN THAT POLICY AND HOW IT MIGHT BE CHANGED TO BE MORE EQUITABLE AND WE BRING IT ALL TO THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR REVIEW.

>> I CAN TAKE IT FROM HERE, GOOD EVENING, DR. HUTCHINGS AND OTHER FOLKS FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD.

PART OF THE WAY WE'VE BEEN ASSISTING THESE FOLKS WORKING ON THIS EQUITY AUDIT IS HELPING TO SOLICIT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ON SOME ISSUES RELATED TO DISCIPLINE AND ALL THE POLICIES.

WE WERE ABLE TO HOST TWO REALLY GOOD CONVERSATIONS WITH GROUPS OF PARENTS EARLIER IN NOVEMBER.

AND I'M JUST GOING TO SHARE JUST A FEW THEMES HIGHLIGHTED FROM THOSE CONVERSATIONS, ONE WITH ARE PARENTS AND ONE WITH YOUN PEOPLE.

AND SO, WHEN WE HAD OUR PARENT CONVERSATION, WE HAD ONE IN ENGLISH AND WE HAD ONE CONVERSATION THAT WAS FACILITATED IN SPANISH.

AND WE FOUND OUT THAT A COUPLE OF THE THEMES THAT EMERGED WHEN IT CAME TO DISCUSSING DISCIPLINE WERE REALLY THAT A LOT OF THE PARENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT FELT THAT THE RULES THEMSELVES, A LOT OF THE POLICIES THEMSELVES WERE ACTUALLY FAIR AND THAT WERE SOME OF THE DIFFICULTY LAID WAS IN THE APPLICATION AND SOME OF THE PARENTS THAT WE SPOKE WITH FELT LIKE BASED ON WHATEVER CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF THEIR CHILDHOOD, WHERE THEY'RE RAISED, WHERE THEY'RE FROM OR THE SCHOOL THEY ATTEND DOES FELT THAT THE APPLICATION OF THE RULES

[00:25:01]

WERE UNFAIR.

AND SO, ANOTHER THEME THAT EMERGED IN THAT CONVERSATION WAS AROUND COMMUNICATION.

SOME OF THE PARENTS FELT LIKE, THEY DIDN'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WHEN AN OFFENSE TOOK PLACE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEIR CHILD WAS INVOLVED IN THE OFFENSE OR WHETHER THE OFFENSE HAPPENED AT THEIR CHILD'S SCHOOL, A LOT OF THEM MENTIONED THAT SOMETIMES THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON, ALTHOUGH, SOME OTHER PARENTS MENTIONED THEY HAD GREAT COMMUNICATION.

ONE PARENT MENTIONED EXCHANGING INFORMATION WITH SCHOOLS VI GENTLEMAN TEXTS AND CALLS WITH DIFFERENT FOLKS IN THEIR CHILD'S SCHOOL.

SO IT WAS VARIABLE THE RESPONSES IN REGARD TO COMMUNICATION.

AND ANOTHER THEME THAT WE HEARD IN REGARDS TO DISCIPLINE WAS AROUND RESOURCE OFFICERS.

AND SO, WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES ARE NOT HAVING RESOURCE OFFICES IN THE BUILDING, AND A LOT OF THEM MENTIONED THAT THEY REALL WANTED TO HAVE MORE INVESTMENT IN WHAT THE ALTERNATIVES SO RESOURCE OFFICERS WOULD BE.

IT WASN'T NECESSARILY ASKING FOR RESOURCE OFFICES TO COME BACK, BUT IT WAS WANTING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE COULD DO IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING STUDENTS AND HAVING BETTER RELATIONSHIPS WITH STUDENTS TO ADDRESS YOU KNOW, CERTAIN KINDS OF BEHAVIOR.

AND WE HAD CONVERSATIONS AROUND GRADING AND CURRICULUM THAT WE WILL REVISIT AND ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS AROUND CULTURE AND CLIMATE THAT WE WILL REVISIT.

BUT THERE WERE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PARENTS I WANTED TO SHARE, ONE OF THEM BEING, WAYS FOR COMMUNICATION.

HAVING A DIFFERENT WAY TO REPORT WHEN INCIDENTS HAPPEN IN SCHOOL AND A BETTER FOODBACK GROUP WHEN IT COMES TO INCIDENTS AND ALSO JUST MAKING SURE THAT OUR SCHOOL LEADERS AND EDUCATORS HAVING DIRECT CONTACT WITH OUR STUDENTS HAVE LOTS OF TRAINING AROUND WHAT THE SCHOOL OPTIONS ARE WHEN IT COMES TO RESPONDING TO STUDENT BEHAVIOR, SO THAT WE COULD HAVE MORE OF A UNIFORMED RESPONSE WHEN THINGS HAPPEN.

AND WE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH OUR STUDENTS, WE HAD TWO GROUPS OF STUDENTS, ONE AN ELEMENTARY MIDDLE SCHOOL, 5TH-8TH GRADE GROUP AND ANOTHER GROUP THAT INCLUDED FOLKS FROM HIGH SCHOOL.

AND, A COUPLE OF THE THEMES THAT CAME OUT OF THAT CONVERSATION WAS REALLY ONE OF THE MAIN THEMES THAT CAME UP WAS RELATED TO THE DRESS CODE, ESPECIALLY OUR FEMALE STUDENTS, BOTH IN ELEMENTARY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND IN THE HIGH SCHOOL SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT HOW HARMFUL SOME OF THE EXPERIENCES WERE RELATED TO DRESS CODING.

THE WAY THAT YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE STUDENTS FELT LIKE THEY WERE EMBARRASSED BY THE PROCESS, THAT THERE WAS A LACK OF REAL KIND OF DEFINITION FOR WHEN THOSE PROCESSES CAN HAPPEN, WHO SHOULD BE INVOLVED AND REALLY WANTED A MORE SUPPORTIVE WAY FOR ISSUES RELATED TO DRESS CODE TO BE HANDLED.

AND PARTICULARLY SEE AGO DOUBLE STANDARD WITH HOW MALE STUDENT ARE TREATED VERSUS FEMALE STUDENTS IN TERMS OF THE DRESS CODE.

I THINK THEY ALSO REFLECTED THAT UNDERSTANDING THAT SOMETIMES THERE ARE UNQUAIL APPLICATION OF THE RULES EVEN IF THE RULES ARE FAIR, RIGHT, CERTAIN FOLKS BASED ON SOME OF THEIR CHARACTERISTICS WHETHER IT BE THEIR RACE OR WHERE THEY ARE FROM ARE SINGLED OUT FOR DISCIPLINARY INTERVENTION THAT'S NOT UNIFORM ACROSS THE BOARD.

AND OTHER DISCIPLINARY IS LIKE THE SAME AS WHAT THE PARENTS TALKED ABOUT, RELATING TO TEACHER SUPPORT, IF WE DON'T HAVE THE DISCIPLINARY OFFICERS, THERE ARE WAYS TO PROVIDE IN A DIFFERENT WAYS TO DE-ESCALATE CERTAIN SITUATIONS BECAUSE THE STUDENTS RELY ON THE CLASSROOM TEACHERS IN A LOT OF INSTANCES THAT OUR TEACHERS NEED TO BE SURE THAT THEY'RE SUPPORTING THEM.

AND WE ALSO HAD ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS AROUND COURSE WORK AND CURRICULUM THAT WE WILL REVISIT AND AROUND CULTURE AND CLIMATE THAT WE WILL ALSO REVISIT, BUT I WANTED TO SHARE THOSE MAIN HIGHLIGHTS RELATED TO DISCIPLINE.

AND WE WILL AGAIN, CIRCLE BACK TO THESE COMMENTS.

WE ARE INCORPORATING WHAT WE HEAR INTO THE RECOMMENDATIONS CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE.

WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO HAVE FEEDBACK FROM STAFF, SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO STUDENT DISCIPLINE AND CONDUCT.

AGAIN, MENTIONING THAT, YOU KNOW, FOCUSSING ON PRO-ACTIVE APPROACHES, LIKE MT; RESTORATIVE PRACTICES, OVER KINDS OF POSITIVE INTERACTIONS ARE PREFERRED OVER PUNITIVE SANCTIONS AND ACTIONS OVER THE POLICIES.

AGAIN, RECOGNIZING THAT STAFF NEEDS MORE SPECIFIC PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES FOR

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UNIFORMITY AROUND HOW THE RULES ARE APPLIED TO DIFFERENT POPULATIONS AND THAT, STAFF HAVE SEEN THERE'S A DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT ON STUDENTS OF COLOR RELATED TO STUDENT DISCIPLINE AND CONDUCT.

AND I THINK THAT ANOTHER PIECE OF THIS THAT WAS MENTIONED ABOUT THE STAFF IS THINKING ABOUT, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND HOW ARE WE MEASURING WHAT THE RESPONSES ARE AND WHETHER THERE'S UNIFORMITY IN THE PRACTICE AND INTERPRETATION OF OUR DISCIPLINARY POLICIES AND OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS.

AND FINALLY, THE DESIRE TO UPDATE TERMINOLOGY WAS MENTIONED AS WELL AS SPECIFIC DEFINITIONS, AGAIN LOOKING FOR UNIFORMITY SO THAT POLICIES ARE APPLIED CONSISTENTLY, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS BOTH WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND WITH STAFF AND OTHER FOLKS FROM THE DISTRICT WHO ARE WORKING WITH A LOT OF THESE CONCEPTS FREQUENTLY.

AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO BRING THAT INFORMATION TO THE COMMITTEE.

AND WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO JENNIFER.

>> THANK YOU, SO MUCH, MR. WILSON.

AND JUST TO BUILD ON SOME OF THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK THAT YOU MENTIONED, I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE FOR THE PUBLIC THAT UPLOADED WITH THE MEETING MATERIALS FOR THIS EVENING IS THE FULL BREAKDOWN OF FEEDBACK FROM OUR FOCUS GROUP, BOTH OUR STAFF FOCUS GROUP AND OUR PARENT AND STUDENT FOCUS GROUPS, THE NOTES HAVE BEEN UPDATED WHICH GIVES A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE POLICY AS WELL AS IDENTIFIED THEMES AND EQUITY RELATIONSHIPS FOR THE POLICIES.

THAT'S PART OF OUR MEETING MATERIALS AS WELL.

HERE WE HAVE OUR DISCIPLINE AND CONDUCT POLICIES THAT THE COMMITTEE LOOKED AT.

AND YOU SEE IN ORANGE HERE THROUGH THE PROCESS, WE REALIZED THAT TWO NEW REGULATIONS NEEDED TO BE DEVELOPED.

AND SO YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT THOSE IN JUST A MOMENT.

BUT THESE ARE THE POLICIES THAT WE'RE GOING TO RUN THROUGH, SOME OF THE HIGH-LEVEL PROPOSED REVISIONS FOR.

AND AT THAT POINT, I'LL PASS IT OVER TO MR. SUAREZ WHO IS GOING TO TAKE YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FIRST FEW POLICIES ON THIS LIST.

IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

>>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, BEFORE I START DOING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT AS BOTH A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE THAT SORT OF WENT INTO IT AND NOW A MEMBER OF THE FIRST SUBCOMMITTEE IN THE ROTATION, TO SAY THAT, FIRST OF ALL, HAT'S OFF TO IDRA AND EVERYONE ON THE TEAM WHOSE BEEN WORKING ON THIS, I MEAN, THIS HAS BEEN A HER CUE ALL OUR POLICIES WITH AN EQUITY LENS AND DO SUPER CRITICAL WORK THAT WE'VE NEEDED TO DO FOR SOME TIME.

SO, I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO EVERYONE FOR THE WORK AND ALSO JUST SAY WITH REGARD TO ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE JUST DISCUSSED IN THE LEAD UP TO THIS THAT THE PROCESS THAT IS REALLY BEEN REALLY SOUN IN THAT YOU KNOW, THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE RECEIVED HAS BEEN SO HELPFUL FROM THE COMMUNITY, BOTH FROM STUDENTS AND FROM STAFF AND FROM IDRA, AND HAVE CAN JUST SAT THROUGH OUR FIRST SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING THE WORK, AND KIND OF WALKING THROUGH THE POLICIES, I THINK THIS PROCESS WILL EVOLVE WITH THE NEXT BOARD AND WITH EACH ROTATION, BUT IT'S A VERY VALUABLE PROCESS AND THERE'S NO REPLACEMENT FOR JUST SITTING DOWN AND DOING THE WORK AND REALLY GOING LINE BY LINE THROUGH THESE POLICIES WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT THE COMMITTEE WHICH DR. RIEF HAD BEEN ON WITH ME PRIOR TO THE START OF THE SUBCOMMITTEES HAD DONE, AND THEN LEADING INTO THESE MORE FOCUSED ANALYSIS THAT WE'RE DOING ON THE SUBCOMMITTEE.

I JUST WANTED TO PREFACE MY COMMENTS BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TO THE PUBLIC AND IT'S A PROCESS THAT WE WANTED PUBLIC'S SCRUTINY ON AND ATTENTION ON AND WE WANT IT TO BE A REALLY ROBUST PROCESS AND I'M EXCITED FOR THE WHOLE ENDEAVOR.

SO, WITH THAT, WE'RE ON SLIDE 11 AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THE HIGH-LEVEL BULLETS OF SOME OF THE POLICY REVISIONS THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING FOR SOME OF THESE POLICIES AND THIS IS ALSO FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE FULL BOARD THAT HAS NOT SEEN SOME OF THE DOCUMENTS OR HEARD ABOUT ANY OR SOME OF THIS YET.

SO, FIRST ON THE STUDENT CONDUCT CATEGORY, JUST A FEW POINTS, ONE IS THAT

[00:35:01]

GOING BACK TO THE STAFF FEEDBACK, WE REALLY WANT TO STRIKE A POSITIVE TONE NOT A PUNITIVE ONE.

I THINK SOMETHING THAT WE SAW WAS THERE WAS A LOT OF NEGATIVITY IN THE EXISTING POLICIES, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO PUNISH STUDENTS BUT WE WANT TO HAVE A MORE POSITIVE DISPOSITION.

WHAT ARE WAYS TO POSITIVELY SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND POSITIVELY PROP THEM UP.

THE OTHER THING I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE DATA PROCESSING PIECE.

WE WANT TO PUT IN THE POLICY STRUCTURE AT THE BUILDING LEVEL.

AT THE SYSTEM WIDE LEVEL MAKE SURE THAT THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM IS LOOKING AT DATA ANNUALLY.

MANY OF THESE THINGS ARE DONE BUT BY CODIFYING THENYL IN THE POLICIES, WE'RE MAKING OUR STRUCTURES MORE REBUST AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOCUSSING ON THE KEY ISSUES ESPECIALLY WITH THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE AROUND THE DIFFERENCE.

AT A HIGH LEVEL, THAT'S SLIDE 11.

SLIDE 12, IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT ONE WHICH IS ABOUT TEACHER REMOVAL OF STUDENTS FROM CLASS.

THIS HAS BEEN A CONCERN IN THE DIVISION, AND YOU KNOW, TO BE CLEAR WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION WITH THE WHOLE SRO DEBATE.

THIS IS REALLY BEEN AN ISSUE WITH STAFF AT THE TEACHER LEVEL PREDOMINATELY.

THIS IS WHERE WE'VE HAD PEOPLE BEING REMOVED FROM CLASS, SOMETIMES WHEN IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE AND WE WILL ARE HAVE SOME POLICY AROUN THIS, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S GOOD DOCUMENTATIONS AROUND EVERY TIME SOMEONE IS REMOVED FROM CLASS.

A LOT OF THE EDITS TO THIS POLICY, REFLECT THAT.

OBVIOUSLY, WE HAD ANOTHER SCHOOL SHOOTING THIS WEEK IN THIS COUNTRY, AND SO IF THERE ARE EMERGENCY TYPES OF SITUATIONS, WE WANT THE POLICIES TO APPLY TO THAT.

BUT IN THE DEFAULT SITUATION ALWAYS HAS TO BE THAT WE MAYFLY IS NOT THE FIRST REACTION TO SOMETHING.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAD A VERY ROBUST CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT'S SUPER IMPORTANT AND THAT WE'VE REALLY HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION AROUND, THE RESTORATIVE PRACTICES, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO BEFORE HAVING A REMOVAL? AND MAKING SURE THAT THE EXPLANATION OF WHY THE REMOVAL OCCURRED IS ALWAYS DOCUMENTED, SO THAT STAFF, PARENTS, CAN REVIEW THAT AND MAKE A DECISION.

SLIDE 13 IS ABOUT SPORTSMANSHIP, ETHICS AND INTEGRITY.

WE HAD AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION ABOUT THESE POLICIES, PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF SOME OF THE INCHES DENS WE HAD WITH SOME OF THE SPORTING EVENTS, RACIAL SLURS, THINGS LIKE THAT, THIS IS ANOTHER SUPER IMPORTANT AND TIMELY ISSUE RIGHT NOW.

THERE HAVE BEEN SOME, EFFORTS AT THE STATE LEVEL, SO SOME OF THE POLICY CHANGES DO REFLECT SOME OF THE STATEWIDE CONVERSATIONS.

BUT WE HAD A LOT OF TALK ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T JUST DO THIS FOR SPORTS, THAT THIS COVERS ALL EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, SOME OF WHICH ARE NOT UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE, FOR EXAMPLE, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS A GOOD POLICY AND WE ALSO TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE EFFECT OF THIS POLICY IS CALLED SPORTSMANSHIP IS THAT TOO LIMITED, WHEN THIS IS REALLY ABOUT A BROADER NOTION OF BEING NOT JUST A GOOD SPORT, BUT A GOOD CITIZEN, GOOD CITIZENSHIP, AND ALL EXTRACURRICULAR TYPES OF ACTIVITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THOSE WERE THE TYPES OF ISSUES THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.

AND OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S THE THING ABOUT HATE SPEECH BECAUSE AGAIN THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP RECENTLY IN THE STATE AND THAT WE AS A SCHOOL DIVISION HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY.

SO, THEN, SLIDE 14, THIS IS THE GANG ACTIVITY OR ASSOCIATION POLICY.

A LOT OF OUR CONVERSATION HERE DID CENTER AROUND MAKING SURE THAT WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE GANG TASK FORCE AND ALSO YOU KNOW, HAVE A FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH THEM AND GET THEIR INPUT.

WE HAD CONVERSATIONS AROUND GANG INSIGNIA, AND MAKING SURE THAT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THAT INFORMATION IS KEPT UP-TO-DATE.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THAT IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING.

SO OUR INFORMATION MAY NOT BE ALWAYS CORRECT.

SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE AT THE BUILDING LEVEL ARE ATTUNED TO THAT INFORMATION AND THAT WE'RE ON TOP OF THE CHANGING DYNAMICS WITH RESPECT TO GANG ACTIVITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THEN, SLIDE 15 IS THE LAST ONE I'M CORPSING IS ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS IN SCHOOLS.

YOU KNOW, GOING AWAY FROM THE ZERO POLL RANS TYPE POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN INEFFECTIVE AND PROBLEMATIC IN MANY SCHOOL SYSTEMS OVER THE YEARS.

AND THEN, CLARIFYING THIS IS IMPORTANT, CLARIFYING WHEN COUNSELLING MAY BE A

[00:40:02]

BETTER OPTION FOR EXAMPLE THAN GOING STRAIGHT TO A SUSPENSION OR EXPULSION.

SO, I AM GLAD THAT AS A BOARD WE'VE ENDEAVORED TO LOOK AT THESE POLICIES.

SO, FOR THE NEXT SET OF POLICIES, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY CLOTHING, MS. THORNTON WHO'LL GO THROUGH SOME OF THESE AS WELL.

>> THANK YOU, SO MUCH, MR. SUAREZ, AND I WANT TO ECHO YOUR COMMENTS AT THE BEGINNING THAT THIS HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL PROCESS THAT WE'VE STARTED.

JUST REALLY HAVING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE BOARD TO GET HAND'S ON WITH OUR POLICY, AS MR. SUAREZ SAID, WE GO LINE BY LINE AND DISCUSS HOW OUR POLICIES FIT WITH OUR OVERALL OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES.

SO WITH OUR NEXT POLICY HERE, WE HAVE OUR TOBACCO-FREE SCHOOL FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS POLICY.

WE REALIZE WITH THIS POLICY THAT UNLIKE SOME OF THE OTHER ONES THAT OUTLINE THE STEPS THAT WE TAKE WHENEVER A STUDENT VIOLATES SOMETHING LIKE DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, OUR TOBACCO POLICY WAS VERY, VERY, SHORT AND DID NOT REALLY GO INTO OUR GENERAL APPROACH TO DEALING WITH STUDENTS.

AGAIN, WE DID NOT WANT TO EMPHASIZE A PUNITIVE APPROACH BUT OUTLINE THE WELLNESS ASPECT OF THIS POLICY AND SOME OF THE PREVENTION STRATEGIES THAT WE COULD TAKE.

YOU NOTICED WE PROPOSED A NEW REGULATION THAT GOES INTO THOSE PREVENTION STRATEGIES, IT INCORPORATES OUR NT; APPROACH AND HAS RESOURCES THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE TO STUDENTS AND STAFF SHOULD THEY HAVE ISSUEWISE TOBACCO.

THIS IS A NEW REGULATION BECAUSE UNLIKE THE ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS POLICY, THIS WAS VERY, VERY, CONCISE AND DIDN'T OUTLINE THE STEPS THAT WE SHOULD TAKE SHOULD STUDENTS ENCOUNTER THIS ISSUE.

SO, YOU'LL SEE THAT NEW REGULATION.

MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, SEARCH AND SASH SEIZURE, THIS IS A SITUATION THAT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A SERIOUS ISSUE WHEN WE DEAL WITH THIS.

WE MENTIONED BEFORE THAT WE REALLY NEEDED TO FURTHER DEFINE SOME OF THE TERM THAT IS WE'RE USING WHEN IT COMES TO DISCIPLINE.

YOU'LL NOTICE IN THIS POLICY THAT WE MADE REALLY GREAT EFFORTS TO KIND OF GO THROUGH SPECIFICALLY IN WHAT CONDITION SHOULD A SEARCH AND SEIZURE OCCUR? CERTAIN TYPES OF SEARCHES, WE JUST RIGHT OUT DECIDED THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE IN OUR POLICY, THIS INCLUDING STRIP SEARCHES.

I WAS VERY SURPRISED THAT THIS WAS INCLUDE IN OUR POLICY AND WE DID CONFIRM WITH STAFF, ACPS DOES NOT PERFORM STRIP SEARCHES, WE NEVER HAVE TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, SO THERE'S NO REASON THAT IT HAD IT SHOULD BE IN OUR POLICY, SO WE DID X THROUGH THAT COMPLETELY.

WE FURTHER CLARIFIED LANGUAGE REGARDING PAT DOWNS.

AS WE CONTINUE TO TRY AND BE AN INCLUSIVE SCHOOL BOARD, WE REALIZE THAT HAVING TERMS SPECIFICALLY AROUND SEX IS NOT REALLY BUILDING ON OUR INCLUSIVE APPROACH.

SO, IF A PAT DOWN SHOULD OCCUR, BEFORE WE HAD IT THAT STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO PICK THE SEX OF THE ADMINISTRATOR WHO PERFORMS THAT PATDOWN.

WE REALIZE THAT SHOULD ACTUALLY BE GENDER TO BE INCLUSIVE OF THE VARIOUS IDENTITIES THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE.

YOU'LL NOTICE THAT'S A CHANGE THAT WE MADE THROUGHOUT A FEW OF OUR POLICY.

WE ALSO WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE WANT ALIGNMENT BETWEEN OUR VARIOUS POLICIES AND AGREEMENTS.

WE DO HAVE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE ALEXANDRIA POLICE DEPARTMENT AND WE WANTED TO BE SURE THAT'S MENTIONED BECAUSE LAW ENFORCEMENT COULD POTENTIALLY PERFORM A SEARCH AND SEIZURE OR A PAT DOWN.

WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THAT BE INCLUDED EVEN THOUGH THIS COULD CHANGE IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S ALIGNMENT BETWEEN OUR POLICY AND OTHER AGREEMENT THAT IS WE HAVE.

AND YOU'LL NOTICE TOO, THAT THAT DATE COLLECTION PIECE WILL BE IN EVERY REVISION THAT WE HAVE, BECAUSE WE CONSTANTLY WANT TO SAY THAT WE'RE NOT JUST COLLECTING DATA BUT REPORTING IT AND AGGREGATING IT TO SEE HOW IT'S IMPACTING OUR STUDENTS EXACTLY.

SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION AS YOU COULD IMAGINE, WE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME ON THIS ONE.

AND, AGAIN, WE REALLY, REALLY, WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT OUR APPROACH IS A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO STUDENTS.

WE DO NOT WANT TO CONSISTENTLY GO TO A PUNITIVE OUTCOME RIGHT AT THE FOREFRONT AND WE REALIZE A LOT OF OUR POLICIES LISTED THE PUNISHMENT FIRST AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANTED TO DO.

YOU'LL NOTICE THAT WE STARTED BY ARTICULATING SOME OF OUR OVERALL GENERAL GOALS FOR STUDENT BEHAVIOR AND THIS INCLUDES A LOT OF PREVENTIVE APPROACHES.

WE MENTION ALTERNATIVES TO EXPULSION AND SUSPENSION.

INCLUDING NT; SALE, MEDIATION AND COUNSELLING AND INTERVENTION REPORTS.

[00:45:04]

BEFORE, THESE ARE MENTION THE GENERALLY, BUT WE REALLY WANTED TO DO ALMOST LIKE A CHECK LIST THAT OUR ADMINISTRATORS AND STAFF CAN FOLLOW TO BE SURE THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY THINKING THROUGH A FULL ROUNDED WAY OF DEALING WITH STUDENT MAY HAVE YORE BEFORE GOING TO SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION.

SO, WE SPENT TIME OUTLINING THAT.

WE WANTED TO BE SURE THAT OUR POLICY REFLECTS CURRENT.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS AND GUARDIANS ARE IN A WAY THAT'S HELPFUL TO THEM.

WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT SHOULD A SUSPENSION OR EXPULSION COME UP, WE NEED TO BE COMMUNICATING WITH OUR FAMILIES ABOUT EXACTLY WHEN THIS PROCESS ENTAILS AND THEIR RIGHTS IN THE PROCESS.

THAT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE PROCEDURAL RIGHTS, OR LEGAL COUNSEL OR NEED RESOURCES OF PROBONO SERVICES.

>> WE WANTED TO SPECIFY SOME OF THE COMPONENTS OF SUSPENSION.

THAT STUDENT STILL NEEDS AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM DURING THAT TIME.

SO, WE DID OUTLINE THAT IN THE POLICY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE WANTED TO DISCUSS THE TERMS THAT SHOULD A STUDENT COME BACK FROM LONG-TERM SUSPENSION WHAT SHOULD THAT LOOK LIKE, WHAT SORTS OF DISCUSSIONS SHOUL TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS HAVE.

AND WHAT ARE ALTERNATIVE PLACEMENTS THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER AND AGAIN THAT DATA REPORTING PIECE IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL HERE.

IT'S NO SECRET THAT WE HAVE A HUGE ISSUE WITH DISPROPORTIONALITY PERTAINING TO SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION.

WE KNOW THAT SROS DO NOT SUSPEND OR EXPEL STUDENTS, BUT I THINK WHAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING AT IS THIS DISPROPORTIONALITY PIECE.

WE'RE REALLY EMPHASIZING THAT DATA REPORTING PIECE HERE.

AND SPECIFICALLY WE WANT TO KNOW WHEN STUDENT ARE BEING DISCIPLINED FOR THINGS LIKE DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR, WHAT IS DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR.

SO, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID WAS TRY TO PUT FORWARD A DEFINITION IT HAVE DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR, WHICH IS HARD, SO, I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR FOODBACK ONCE WE GO THROUGH THE POLICIES MORE IN DEPTH.

AND, AGAIN, TALKING ABOUT DIS-LYNN, DISCIPLINING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IS A SPECIAL AREA OF CONCERN.

SO, WE MADE SURE TO PUT FORWARD WHAT ARE THE INTERVENTIONS THAT ARE POSSIBLE AND WHAT ARE OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE.

' WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PARENT RESOURCE CENTER HAD A SHOUT OUT IN THE POLICY BECAUSE THAT'S A CRITICAL RESOURCE.

AND AGAIN, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PARENTS ARE AWARE OF THE PROCESS AND THEIR RIGHTS INCLUDING THE RIGHT'S OF THE STUDENTS.

AND THE SAFEGUARDS RELATED TO MANIFESTATION HEARINGS, AS SOMEONE WHO IS NOT AN EXPERT IN SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION, I THOUGHT THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.

FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, MANIFESTATION HEARINGS, ARE ESSENTIALLY MEETINGS THAT ARE HAD TO SEE WHETHER A STUDENT'S BEHAVIOR IS A RESULT OF THEIR DISABILITY OR SOME OTHER FACTOR.

THOSE HEARINGS ARE A VERY, VERY, CRITICAL COMPONENT TO HOW STUDENTWISE DISABILITIES ARE DISCIPLINED.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PARENTS UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THAT PROCESS ENTAILS.

DATA REPORTING IS IMPORTANT WITH ALL OF OUR POLICIES.

AND I'LL PASS IT DR. CRAWFORD TO ROUND US OUT.

AND I DO WANT TO ADD MY THANKS TO OUR COMMITTEE AND BOARD MEMBERS WHO ATTENDED SO MANY MEETINGS, AND A LOT OF HOURS OF POLICY REVIEW, NOT JUST DURING MEETING TIMES BUT HOURS AND COMING PREPARED TO OUR ACPS MEETINGS AND MR. WILSON AND

[00:50:21]

HIS TEAM MEMBERS WITH IDRA, IT'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK BUT THE COMMITMENT OF THE TEAM HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL.

THANKS.

THIS IS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN IN ACTION, AND REALLY DOING THE WORK WHAT THOSE WORDS MEAN.

FOR OUR NEXT STEPS, AS WAS MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING, WE HAVE A WORK SESSION NEXT WEEK WHERE WE WILL GO INTO GREATER DETAIL ON THE CHANGES AND THE RED LINING WITH THE DISCIPLINE POLICIES HIGHLIGHTED TONIGHT 57BD THEY WILL COME BEFORE THE BOARD FOR ACTION ON DECEMBER 16TH FOR YOUR APPROVAL.

WITH THAT WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

>> THANK YOU, EVERYONE.

I WOULD JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT THIS IS PHENOMENAL.

IT TRULY IS.

AND I APPRECIATE OUR FIRST BRAVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO DURING A VERY BUSY TIME WHO DID THIS ADDITIONAL WORK, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS AND I THINK YOU DID AN EXCELLENT JOB.

WITH THAT SAID, I WOULD ASK IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS THAT THEY'RE RELATED TO, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW FOR THE UPCOMING WORK SESSION, I THINK WOULD BE MOST APPROPRIATE.

DR. RIEF?

>> THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

MY QUESTION IS ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATOR FOCUS GROUP FEEDBACK, I WASN'T SURE HOW TO QUITE INTERPRET THAT, DID THEY RECEIVE THE POLICY, AND THESE WERE THEIR COMMENTS IN REGARDS TO THE ORIGINAL POLICY, CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN HOW I SHOULD BE READING THAT?

>> SURE.

I WILL ADDRESS THAT.

WE SENT THE POLICIES TO OUR GROUP OF ADMINISTRATORS IN ADVANCE, WE CONVERTED THEM TO GOOGLE DOCS SO THEY COULD TYPE RHO RIGHT INTO THE DOCUMENTS AND WE GATHERED EVERYONORY ZOOM AND WE TALKED THROUGH EVERYONE COMMENTS.

WE HAD REALLY CONTENT RICH CONVERSATION AND MANY OF THE FOLKS WERE TYPING COMMENTS INTO THE DOCUMENT AS WE HAD THE CONVERSATION OR AS, YOU KNOW, ONE IDEA SPURRED ANOTHER IDEA, THERE WERE LOTS, THERE WAS LOTS OF ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE AS WELL, PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT THEIR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF HOW THE POLICIES ARE BEING LEAVE ILIVED IN THE BUILDINGS, AND AT THE SAME TIME I WAS ACTING AS NOTE TAKER TO CAPTURE THAT CONVERSATION AS WELL.

SO, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE BIG ROBUST DISCUSSION ON THE 8TH.

>> YES.

>> ALL RIGHT.

GREAT.

NEXT UP WE HAVE OUR 2022-2024 ACADEMIC CALENDARS UP FOR

[12. 2022-2024 Academic Calendars ]

INFORMATION.

I GUESS I COULD TURN IT OVER TO DR. HUTCHINGS OR GO STRAIGHT TO DR. MELANIE KAY-WYATT.

I THINNED TO DR. DOCTOR KAY-WYATT.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, CALENDAR COMMITTEES, IT'S KIND OF LIKE A NO-WIN SITUATION.

BECAUSE EVERYBODY WANTS SOMETHING IN REGARDS TO CALENDARS AND UNFORTUNATELY WE CAN'T PLEASE EVERYBODY.

BUT WE TRIED TO DO OUR BEST WITH THE INPUT AND INSIGHT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND THAT'S BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL.

BECAUSE OUR CALENDARS ARE NOT JUST FOR OUR STUDENTS, BUT IT IMPACTS THE LIVES OF OUR STAFF AS WELL AS THEIR FAMILIES AND OUR STUDENT'S FAMILIES.

SO, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE LAYERS TO THIS WORK.

BUT, I'M GOING TO TURN THINGS OVER TO DR. KAY-WYATT WHO IS OUR ACTING CHIEF OF HUMAN RESOURCES TO BEGIN AND TAKE US THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION AND I KNOW THAT MS. WALDRON IS JOINING HER FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE MAY HAVE.

>> THANK YOU, DR. HUTCHINGS, AND THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO THIS AND SO, I DEFINITELY APPRECIATION YOU COMING SETTING US UP FOR OUR PRESENTATION.

I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU, THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE'S PROPOSALS FOR THE ACADEMIC CALENDARS FOR THE 2022-2024 SCHOOL YEAR.

SO, THE INFORMATION THAT I WILL SHARE WITH YOU THIS EVENING IS BASED ON THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS AND I DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO AGAIN, THANK MRS. WALLDRO IN, AND ALL OF OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR THIS EFFORT.

WE BEGIN THIS EVENING WHICH SPEAKS TO THE PROCESS, THE PURPOSES AND THE SCOPE OF

[00:55:05]

THE WORK FOR THIS COMMITTEE.

OUR ESSENTIAL COMMITTEE FOR THIS EVENS IS HOW WAS THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED, WHAT ARE THE KEY FEATURES FOR THE 2022-2024 ACADEMIC CALENDARS, HOW WAS THE INPUT GATHERED AND WHAT WAS THE FEEDBACK FROM ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS.

SO, THE NEXT SLIDE DOES HIGHLIGHT THE STRUCTURE OF THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE AND HOW THIS COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED.

PAST COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE INVITED.

NEW MEMBERS WERE INVITED TO INCLUDE OUR PARENTS, MEMBER OF OUR EAA, PARENT/TEACHER ADVISORY COUNSEL AND OUR TAG MEMBERS WERE INVITED.

THE COMMITTEE WAS COME PRIZED OF 19 VOTING MEMBERS AND TWO ALTERNATES AND IT WAS LED BY YOUR CHAIR AND FACILITIED BY OUR DIRECTOR OF COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS.

WE DISCUSSED THE TRANSITION AS WE CAME INTO OUR NEW ROLEWISE THIS THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY RECONVENE THIS FALL TO BE SURE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE EVERYONE A VOICE AND TO REALLY ADDRESS SOME OF OUR INCLEWSSIVE NEEDS THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE MOVING FORWARD.

SO, WE DID RECONVENE THIS CALENDAR COMMITTEE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2021, IT WAS A VERY DELIBERATE PROCESS AND WE HAD FIVE MEETINGS, THIS FALL ALONE.

SO, I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK OF THAT COMMITTEE.

THE NEXT SLIDE IS BASICALLY JUST A LIST OF THE VARIOUS REPRESENTATIVES THAT WERE ON OUR COMMITTEE.

AND OF COURSE, I WON'T READ THROUGH ALL OF THAT, BUT AS YOU COULD SEE, THERE ARE

TWO MEMBERS OF OUR HR STAFF THAT ARE NON-VOTING MEMBERS AND THIS IS MR. >> SO, THE NEXT SLIDE IS REALLY SOME OF THE DISCUSSION POINTS THAT WERE DISCUSSED, AGAIN, THERE WERE FIVE MEETINGS, SO THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE ALL OF THE DISCUSSION POINTS BUT THESE WERE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THIS EVENING.

ONE OF THEM WAS MAINTAINING THE FRAMEWORK ESTABLISHED IN THE 2021-2022 CALENDARS WITH A PRE-LABOR DAY START AND THE 990 INSTRUCTAL HOURS, WE DEVELOPED A PROPOSED 2022-2024 CALENDAR TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE FEEDBACK FROM THE SURVEYS OF APRIL AND MAY OF 2021 THAT INCLUDED COMMUNITY AND STAFF INPUTS.

ALSO DISCUSSED WAS EXTENDING THE SCHOOL YEAR TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE OF HOLIDAYS FOR OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF.

WE DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE SERVE A VERY DIVERSE POPULATION SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS ONE OF OUR FOCUS AREAS.

AND ALSO CONSIDERATION FOR FULL CONVERSATION DAY VERSUS HALF CONFERENCE DAYS.

THE COMMITTEE ALSO HAD DISCUSSION AROUND CONCERNS OF PLANNING SO FAR OUT WITH A TWO-YEAR CALENDAR THAT THEY WANTED THE FLEXIBILITY TO REVISE AS NEEDED.

I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO DISCUSSION, ESPECIALLY COMING OUT OF APP PANDEMIC AND TRANSITIONING BACK INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR.

SO, THIS SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS THE KEY FEATURES OF THE TWO PROPOSED CALENDARS FOR 2022 AND 2024.

EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR TO RECOGNIZE ALL OF THE DIVERSE HOLIDAYS AND THOSE DIVERSE HOLIDAYS INCLUDE RASHA AS WELL AS JUNETEENTH, ALTHOUGH WE'RE NOT IN SCHOOL ON JUNETEENTH, BUT I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT'S A DISCUSSION AND INCLUDED IT'S ON THE CALENDAR BUT WE'RE OUT OF SCHOOL AT THAT TIME.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE MINIMUM 990 INSTRUCTAL HOURS.

THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CONTAINS 1,053 HOURS AND IT EX-SEATEDS THE 990 REQUIREMENTS AND THE SECOND CALENDAR INCLUDES 1,094 INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS WHICH ALSO EXCEEDS THE 990 HOURS.

AND WE INCLUDED EIGHT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS AND THE.

THE NEXT TWO SLIDES THAT I'M GOING TO SPEAK TO ARE THE DATES THAT ARE AROUND OUR TWO CALL TARES AND THAT'S OUR TRADITION CALENDAR AND OUR MODIFIED CALENDAR.

THE TRADITION CALENDAR OF COURSE IS ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS EXCEPT SAMUEL TUCKER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND BOTH DO INCLUDE THE WINTER BREAK OF 10 DAYS FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AND 178 STUDENT DAYS AND THE 195 TEACHER CONTRACT WORK DAYS.

SO, THAT IS THE TRADITIONAL CALENDAR.

AND THE NEXT SLIDE IS OUR MODIFIED CALENDAR.

[01:00:01]

I DIDN'T GO OVER THE DATES THERE, YOU COULD SEE THEY DO HAVE DIFFERENT START DATES.

SO THE MODIFIED CALENDAR IS JUST FOR SAMUEL TUCKER AND FOR BOTH SLIDES YOU'LL SEE THE 2022 AND 2023 START DATE.

AND THE 2024 START DATE.

CAN WE GO BACK ONE SLIDE.

>> I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU SEE IT.

THESE ARE THE PROPOSED CALENDAR DATES WITH THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AND THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL FROM THE 2022 AND 2023 SCHOOL YEAR AND THE 2024 FOR TRADITIONAL, AND THESE ARE THE START AND END DATES FOR BOTH CALENDARS FOR SAMUEL TUCKER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

ON THE NEXT SLIDE I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU WAS AROUND THE COMMUNITY AND STAFF INPUT.

THE PROPOSED CALENDARS THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET INCORPORATE THE BASIC AGREEMENT OF THE 2021-2022 CALENDAR.

THAT WAS THE FOUNDATION AND THE STARTING POINT FOR ALL OF THE DISCUSSIONS.

THE PRIMARY QUESTIONS SOUTH FITTEDBACK ON EXTENDING THE 2022-2024 SCHOOL YEAR TO RECOGNIZE OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY.

PROPOSED CALENDARS DEMONSTRATED RESPECT FOR THE NEED IT HAD INSTRUCTIONAL TIME FOR ALL STUDENT LEVELS AND WHETHER IT HONORED COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND WAS RESPONSIVE TO COMMUNITY STUDENT AND STAFF NEEDS.

ALSO THESE ACADEMIC CALENDAR ONLINE FEEDBACK FORM PRIVATE SECTOR CREATED BOTH FOR THE TRADITIONAL AND MODIFIED CALENDARS AND DISTRIBUTED THROUGH OUR ACPS INSIDER, OUR ACPS EXPRESS AND IT WAS ALSO ON OUR ACPS WEB PAGE AND MADE AVAILABLE IN SPANISH, ARABIC AND ENGLISH.

AND WE HAD RESPONSED, OVER 1,000 RESPONSES AND I'LL SPEAK TO THOSE ON OUR NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES.

ON THIS SLIDE HERE, THIS IS FROM THE FALL SURVEY OF 2021.

WE DID TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INCORPORATED THE TWO SPRING SURVEYS WHERE THEY WERE THREE OPTIONS.

WE WERE HOPEFUL THAT THIS WOULD GIVE US MORE FEEDBACK.

QUESTION NUMBER ONE, THE PROPOSED '222024 SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR HONORED THE DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY STUDENTS AND STAFF BY RECOGNIZING RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS.

WITH THE 64%, FAVOR HABEL RESPONSES THAT WE ACCOMPLISHED THAT WITH THIS COMMITTEE WORK.

THE QUESTION NUMBER TWO, IS THE PROPOSED CALENDAR SCHOOL YEAR APPROPRIATELY RESPECTED THE NEED FOR INSTRUCTAL TIME FOR ALL STUDENT LEVELS AND AGAIN, YOU COULD SEE WITH THE 62% IF YOU LOOK AT THE VERY BOTTOM THERE, THAT WAS THE MAJORITY WHO RESPONDED FAVORABLY AS WELL.

THERE'S A LOT OF DATA IN HERE AND I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT MORE IN YOUR PACKET, SO WE HOPE THAT WILL BE HELPFUL FOR YOU.

QUESTION NUMBER THREE, THE PROPOSED SCHOOL YEAR CALENDARS HONORS THE COMMUNITY FEED BACK AND IS RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY STUDENT'S AND STAFF NEEDS AND THAT IS AT A 51%, WHICH STILL MAJORITY VOTING FAVORABLY.

AND THE NEXT SLIDE WHICH IS OUR LAST SLIDE AS A RESULT OF THIS FALL SURVEY, BY CATEGORY OF RESPONDENTS FOR THE TRADITIONAL CALENDAR, THERE WERE 95 EMPLOYEES WHO RESPONDED, 811 PARENTS, 38 WHO WERE A PARENT AND EMPLOYEE, 8 STUDENTS AND 5 COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

FOR THE MODIFIED CALENDAR, THERE WERE 19 EMPLOYEES, 355 PARENTS, 5 PARENT AND EMPLOYEES, EIGHT STUDENTS AND 52 COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND THERE WERE 439 ADDITIONAL COMMENTS RELATED TO THE TRADITIONAL CALENDAR AND 86 TO THE MODIFIED CALENDAR THAT WE SHARED WITH YOU.

THIS COMMITTEE SPENT A NUMBER OF HOUR TOSS TRY TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S VOICE WAS HEARD, IT'S VERY HONORABLE THAT THEY TOOK THEIR OWN TIME TO COME AND GIVE TO THIS PROJECT AND AGAIN, I THANK THEM FOR THEIR COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION FOR THIS WORK.

AND THAT'S ALL WE HAVE THIS EVENING, AND WE'RE SISTER HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

>> THANK YOU, EVERYONE.

I DO APPRECIATE THE CHALLENGES OF THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE HAVING GONE THROUGH IT A NUMBER OF YEARS, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HEAR

[01:05:05]

SOME FROM THE COMMENTS TONIGHT AND SOME OF THE COMMENTS IN THE PRINTED FEEDBACK THAT WAS COLLECTED, I DO THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S CHALLENGING ABOUT THE CALENDAR IS, IS THIS QUESTION OF COMMUNICATING THE PROCESS AND COMMUNICATING THE KNOWLEDGE, AND SOMETIMES, PARTICULARLY THIS TIME, BECAUSE WE HAD THESE STARTS AND STOPS, BUT IT STRETCHES OUT OVER A LONG PERIOD AND I THINK IT IS DIFFICULT TO FIND A WAY TO REACH PEOPLE SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHEN IT'S HAPPENING, WHY IT'S HAPPENING, SO THEN THEY DON'T FEEL, LATER, LIKE, WHY AM I HEARING ABOUT THIS NOW, OR IT FEELS TOO LATE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO, I'M SAYING THIS NOT WITHOUT AN ANSWER, BUT, I THINK YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN I LOOK AT THE CALENDAR ITSELF, THE FINAL PRODUCT, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SEE SOMETHING THAT I WOULD DEFINITELY CIRCLE AND SAY, NOPE, I THINK WE SHOULD CHANGE THIS TO THIS, BECAUSE I COULD SEE THE BALANCING ACT THAT WAS HAPPENING.

BUT, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE HEARING SOMETIMES IS JUST PEOPLE THAT ARE -- IT'S A CALL TO REFINE THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS SO THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE GETTING A WINDOW INTO THAT KIND OF BALANCING AND STUFF THAT WENT ALONG.

AND I'M JUST GOING TO USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE ONE EXAMPLE.

I KNOW THERE'LL ALWAYS BE A CERTAIN BLOCK OF PEOPLE THAT NO MATTER WHAT WILL WANT TO START SCHOOL AFTER LABOR DAY.

I ALSO THINK THERE ARE MAY BE SOME MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVEN'T NECESSARILY FOLLOWED THE SORT OF YEARS' LONG EVOLUTION PROCESS THAT HAS LED US TO WHERE WE ARE NOW TO STARTING BEFORE LABOR DAY.

IT WAS A CONCERTED EFFORT AMONG ALL OF THE SCHOOL DIVISIONS IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA TO LITERALLY BE ABLE TO WRESTLE CONTROL FROM A STATE-MANDATED DECISION THAT DICTATED THE START DATE OF SCHOOLS AND BRING IT BACK TO THE LOCAL LEVEL.

AND WHAT WAS INTERESTING IS THAT ACTUALLY, MANY, MANY, MANY, OF THE OTHER SCHOOL DIVISIONS HAD AN OUT THAT THEY WERE USING THAT WAS A WEATHER-RELATED WAIVER.

BUT US BEING IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA, AND KUDOS TO OUR TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WE WERE MORE LIKELY TO TO HAVE FEWER SNOW DAYS.

SO, WE NEVER QUALIFIED FOR THAT WAIVER, SO WE ALWAYS HAD TO START AFTER LABOR DAY, EVEN THOUGH, LITERALLY, EVERYONE ELSE WAS STARTIN BEFORE LABOR DAY.

AND THERE WAS A REASON THEY WERE DOING THAT AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF HAVING THAT EXTRA TIME.

THAT'S EXTRA TIME THAT THE KIDS ARE IN SCHOOL BEFORE SOME OF THE END OF YEAR ASSESSMENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING.

THAT'S EXTRA TIME FOR ALL OF THE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE AP CLASSES WE'VE HAD OVER THE YEAR, MULTIPLE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS COME BEFORE THE SCHOOL BOARD AND URGE US TO CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TO LOBBY FOR THIS LAW TO GET CHANGED, THE LAW THAT WAS REFERRED TO AS THE KING'S DOMINION LAW AND FINALLY IT WAS CHANGED.

SO, NOW IT'S NOT THAT WE ARE AN OUTLIER, IT'S NOW THAT WE ARE DOING SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS BEEN DOING IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA WHICH IS STARTING BEFORE LABOR DAY.

I FULLY APPRECIATE THIS AS AN ADJUSTMENT PROCESS FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE MAY BE GOTTEN INTO A RHYTHM OF VACATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT CONTEXT.

AND I'M GIVING THIS AS ONE EXAMPLE AS SOMETIMES, THIS BECOMES A COMMUNICATION OPPORTUNITY, I THINK THERE ARE OTHER EXAMPLES OF THE PUSH PULL THAT HAPPENS, THE DISCUSSIONS AND PROS AND CONS OF SOME OF THE VACATIONS DISCUSSIONS OR CONFERENCE DISCUSSIONS, I JUST WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR ALL THE WORK AND JUST TO ME, I THINK THE BIGGEST TAKE AWAY FROM THIS IS FOR US TO CONTINUE TO PUSH FORWARD IN THINKING ABOUT COMMUNICATION OF THE EFFORT AND THE PROCESS.

>>> THANK YOU, MS. GENTRY, MS. NOLAN?

>> YES, I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO MEMBER GENTRY'S COMMENTS ABOUT THANK YOU SO MUCH DR. KAY-WYATT TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.

THIS IS NOT AN EASY PROCESS IT'S ESPECIALLY COMPLICATED GIVEN, NOT JUST THE DIVERSITY BUT THE CAPACITY ISSUES.

ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE REALLY HAVING WITH THE CONFERENCES FOR EXAMPLE, IS BEING ABLE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS, I COULD SHARE AS A MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENT I

[01:10:03]

WASN'T ABLE TO SQUEEZE IT IN BECAUSE IT WAS FILLED UP BY THE TIMETY SIGNED UP.

THAT CONTINUES TO BE TOP OF MIND EVERY YEAR.

WE DID HAVE TWO PUBLIC COMMENTS TODAY FROM FOLKS THAT WANTED TO PROVIDE THEIR FEEDBACK ABOUT THE CALENDAR, SOME OF THE COMMENTS I HEARD WAS A DISCONNECT REGARDING THE PROCESS AND WHO WAS INVITE ON THE COMMITTEE, WHO WASN'T, HOW DID WE GO ABOUT INCORPORATING PARENTAL FEEDBACK, THE CONFERENCES, AND THE GOALS OF THE COMMITTEE, SO I WANTED TO ALLOW YOU THE OPPORTUNITY, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANTED TO RESPOND IN TERMS OF THE FEEDBACK, OF HOW CAN WE TAKE THE LESSONS LEARNED AND THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED TODAY TO PROCEED FORWARD.

THIS IS THE TYPE OF SITUATION, TOO, A) A NEW EMPLOYEE YOU WERE THRUST INTO THIS PROCESS, PROBABLY, FOUR FIFTHS OF THE WAY THROUGH, SO, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE WERE YOUR UNFORTUNATELY PUT INTO A SITUATION WERE YOUR ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT A PROCESS THAT YOU JUST GOT ON IT.

WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR YOU AND IF ANYTHING WE HOPE YOU TAKE TODAY'S COMMENTS FROM FOLKS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE COMMITTEE, TWO INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WE'VE HAD A PLEASURE OF REALLY WORKING HARD ON THE ACPS.

THEY'VE GIVEN SO MUCH OF THEIR TIME TO ACPS.

IF ANYTHING, HOPEFULLY, THEY REPRESENTING FOLKS THAT REALLY CARE ABOUT ACPS, WORK HARD FOR ACPS, AND I KNOW GIVEN THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME THAT YOU ARE IN ACPS, THAT'S THE KIND OF FEEDBACK.

I KNOW THAT YOU ARE BEING ASKED TO ANSWER A PROCESS THAT YOU YOURSELF DIDN'T BEGIN.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO RESPOND TO OR ANY LESSONS LEARNED ON HOW TO PROCEED TO MAKE A SMOOTHER PROCESS BECAUSE THERE SEEMS TO BE AN IMPORTANT FOR LESSONS LEARNED HERE.

>> THANK YOU, IT'S OKAY BEING PUSHED INTO IT BECAUSE IT'S A PLEASURE TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY.

I SAW THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH.

ONE OF OUR PRESENTERS TONIGHT, OUR SPEAKERS TONIGHT WAS ACTUALLY ON THE COMMITTEE AND I DID HAVE A CONVERSATION AROUND HOW WE CAN IMPROVE, SO I WAS AWARE OF SOME OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.

UNFORTUNATELY, LET ME BACK UP AND EXPLAIN THIS THIS COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED PRIOR TO MY ENTRY AND ALSO MS. WALDRON CAME ON ONCE THE PERIMETER OF THIS COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED.

WE'RE AWARE THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO LEARN AND CHANGE MOVING FORWARD.

WE DO THINK BOTH OF THOSE SPEAKERS THIS EVENING FOR THEIR COMMENTS AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH INCORPORATED AND LISTENING TO THE VOICES THAT WE HEARD.

WE DID HAVE THIS DISCUSSION IN OUR MEETINGS, TOWARDS THE END OF OUR LAST FEW MEETINGS, ABOUT HOW TO IMPROVE UPON COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMITTEE STRUCTURES.

SO, THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION.

BUT YES, WE'RE TAKING THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW.

AND WE THANK BOTH OF THEM FOR SHARING THEIR CONCERNS AND SUGGESTIONS AS WELL.

SO, THANK YOU.

IF YOU'LL ALLOW ME A FOLLOWUP QUESTION? THANKS, I WANTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET A CHANCE TO INCORPORATE THE FEEDBACK WE HEARD EARLIER AND SEE WHAT THE PROCESS IS FOR MOVING FORWARD.

THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD, AND AGAIN, YOU MAY NOT TAMPA BAY IN THE POSITION TO ANSWER THIS, DR. KAY-WYATT, HAVE WE GIVEN THOUGHT PARTICULARLILY GIVEN THE POPULATION WE SERVE AND STUDENTS AND ALL THE INFORMATION COMING BACK FROM COVID, UNFORTUNATELY THE COVID LAG THAT IN-PERSON LEARNING IS SO EFFECTIVE, HAVE WE EVER CONSIDERED ADDING ON TO THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR, AND I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THERE WAS ANY DISCUSSION OF LENGTHENING THE CALENDAR YEAR.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN CURIOUS ABOUT THEIR RESULTS IN COMPARISON TO THE RELATE OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT LENGTHENING THE SCHOOL YEAR BASED ON THE DATA THAT IN-PERSON LEARNING PARTICULARLY FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IS REALLY WHAT HELPS TO MOVE THE NEEDLE ACADEMICALLY FOR STUDENTS.

>> THAT'S A HEAVE QUESTION BECAUSE IT INVOLVES A LOT OF INSTRUCTIONAL AROUND IT.

WE'RE TRYING TO GO BACK AND FIND WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS WHO MAY HAVE HAD LEARNING LOSS DURING THAT TIME.

THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT INSTRUCTION, BUT THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF TALKING ABOUT EXTENDING THE CALENDAR YEAR.

AND MS. WALDRO IN, IF I'VE FORGOTTEN SOMETHING THERE, PLEASE JUMP IN.

[01:15:01]

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF RESTRICTIONS ABOUT THE COMMITTEE KNOWING ALL OF THE ELEMENTS OF OUR INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS SOMETIMES, SO, I THINK WE NEED TO STEP BACK AND ADDRESS THAT MOVING FORWARD.

BUT, YES, WE'RE ALWAYS FOCUSED ON INSTRUCTION.

>> MR., KAY-WYATT, I WANTED TO MENTION, JUST TO ADD ONTO WHAT YOU SAID.

IT WASN'T NECESSARILY CONVERSATION THAT WAS HAD WITH THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE, HOWEVER IT IS A DISCUSSION THAT HAPPENS WITH THE TEACHING AND LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE.

AND THIS IS WHY WE'RE EXTENDING THE SUMMER LEARNING OPPORTUNITY THAT IS WE HAVE FOR STUDENTS LOOKING AT A VERY DIFFERENT FORMAT OF HOW WE DELIVER INSTRUCTION DURING THE SUMMER.

IDENTIFYING THE STUDENTS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING OR HAVING CHALLENGING IN REGARDS TO SOCIAL EMOTIONAL OR ACADEMIC LEARNING SO WE'RE INTENTIONAL OW WHOSE INVITED.

OPENING THESE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL KIDS BUT BEING INTENTIONAL FOR STUDENTS THAT WE KNOW NEED THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS AND THAT EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR OPPORTUNITIES.

WE ALSO DO THE EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR FOR OUR STUDENTWISE SPECIAL NEEDS WHICH YOU ARE ALREADY AWARE OF.

BUT THESE ARE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

LAST YEAR WE DID EXPAND THE TIMEFRAME FOR OUR SUMMER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND WE'LL DO THE SAME THIS YEAR.

WE'VE ALREADY STARTED IN THE DESIGN PHASE OF OUR SUMMER LEARNING AND WE'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD AROUND FEBRUARY-MARCH ABOUT THE SUMMER PROGRAMS THAT WE WILL BE OFFERING.

BECAUSE IT WASN'T DISCUSSED WITH THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE, BECAUSE THEY REALLY HAVE PERIMETERS, FOR ONE, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT TEACHER WORK DAYS, BECAUSE AS FOR COMPENSATION PERIMETER.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF HOURS OR DAYS OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME THAT'S PERTAINING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PERIMETER AND THEN WE HAVE TO LOOK AT SPECIFIC HOLIDAYS THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO OFFER OUR STUDENTS, OUR FAMILIES AS WELL AS OUR STAFF MEMBERS.

>>> MS. LORBER IN >> THANK YOU, SO MUCH, CHAIR, AND THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I'LL JUST PIGGY BACK ON BOTH OF MY COLLEAGUE'S COMMENTS, I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED TONIGHT THAT ONE OF THE SPEAKERS OUTLINED THE THREE ISSUES, AND THE MAIN ISSUE BEING THINGS THAT THE COMMITTEE CAN'T REALL ANSWER.

BEING SUCH AS TO ME, THE THING THAT LEAPT OUT AT ME, IS PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES.

AS A BOARD MEMBER LEAVING THE BOARD AND AS SOMEONE WHO WORKED INSIDE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR NINE YEAR, WE HAVE YET TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION.

AND BECAUSE I BELIEVE SO STRONGLY IN THIS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARENTS AND TEACHERS, AND WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THE TEAM, YOU'RE PART OF THE TEAM, AND YET WE HAVE A VERY HARD TIME HAVING EVERY SINGLE PARENT FEEL LIKE THEY ARE ARE MEMBER OF THE TEAM.

PARTICULARLY WHEN YOUR CHILD ISN'T KEEPING UP AS WELL, OFTEN TIMES YOU NEVER GET ON THAT TEAM.

SO, I WOULD JUST PLEAD THAT WE NOT SET THIS ASIDE AS IRRELEVANT BUT, IT'S WAY MORE THAN A CALENDAR ISSUE, BUT THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER SOLUTION AND I'M SURE WITH ALL THE BRILLIANT MINDS IN ACPS, WE COULD COME UP WITH ONE.

>> MS. GREENE.

>> THANK YOU, CHAIR ALDERTON, AND THANK YOU, DR. KAY-WYATT, MS. WALDRON FOR YOUR WORK AROUND THE ACADEMIC CALENDAR PROCESS, IT SEEMS THAT WE HAVE A LOT MORE WORK TO DO IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING TOGETHER OUR ACADEMIC CALENDAR AND I KNOW THAT WE WILL PUT FORTH OF EFFORT TO DO THAT.

I'M KIND OF CONCERNED.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MS. TOWNSEND AND MS. GORDON FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR SERVICE ON THE COMMITTEE AS WELL.

I'M CONCERNED WITH THE COMPLETE TURNOVER OF THE COMMITTEE, LIKE MS. TOWNSEND SAID, MANY PEOPLE HAVE WORKED FOR QUITE A NUMBER OF YEARS ON THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE AND IT SEEMS LIKE IF IT WAS I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY ALL NEW PEOPLE WERE PLACED ON IT THIS TIME.

AND I DO REMEMBER DISCUSSIONS THIS LAST GO-ROUND WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD WHERE WE WANTED TO BRING IN NEW PEOPLE, BUT I DON'T THINK WE MEANT A TOTAL OVERHAUL WITH NO PEOPLE REMAINING FOR CONSISTENCY AND CONTINUITY, SO, PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME THE PROCESS OF WHY IT'S A TOTALLY NEW COMMITTEE AND IF WE WERE HAVING MEMBERS SHOWING UP FOR ONE MEETING AND NONE OF THE OTHERS, DO WE REPLACE THOSE PEOPLE WHAT IS THE PROCESS SO WE HAVE FULL ENGAGEMENT OF EVERYONE THAT'S WORKING ON THE COMMITTEE?

>> THANK YOU, MS. GREENE.

AGAIN, THIS IS ANOTHER LESSON LEARNED.

THE TURNOVER I REALLY CAN'T SPEAK TO COMING INTO MY ROLE THIS YEAR, BUT WE DID SPEAK AT A FEW OF OUR LAST COMMITTEE MEETINGS, ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE

[01:20:02]

THIS COULDN'TITY MOVING FORWARD WITH SOME OF OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS SO WE COULD KEEP THAT HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE.

SO MOVING FORWARD, WE WILL DEFINITELY ADDRESS THAT CONCERN, BUT OF COURSE, THAT WAS PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL.

AND MS. WALDRON STARTED TO FACILITATE IT FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR, SO I'M NOT SURE IF SHE COULD SPEAK TO THAT EITHER, SO.

>> THANK YOU, DR. KAY-WYATT.

THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE AS WHEN I MOVED INTO THE FACILITATOR OR CHAIR ROLE WAS ALREADY ESTABLISHED.

AND I DID NOT HAVE HISTORY ON THE REFORMATION OF THE CALENDAR.

WE DID HAVE TRANSITION WITH SEVERAL MEMBERS RETIRING AND LEAVING THE COMMITTEE.

AND AS THEY WERE RETIRING AND COMING DOWN TO THEIR LAST DAYS, THEY WEREN'T ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING, SO THE ACTION TO FILL MEMBERSHIP WAS TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THE COMMITTEE MADE ABOUT ADDIN DIVERSITY IN THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE.

AND ALSO ADDING PARENTS WHO COME FROM DIVERSE FAMILY BACKGROUNDS, AND WE DID REACH OUT TO THE PRINCIPALS FOR THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS BOTH FOR STAFF AND FOR PARENT MEMBERS FROM OUR COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CALENDAR AND ADDED THOSE WHEN WE RECONVENED IN SEPTEMBER.

AND THEN WE WERE VERY GRATEFUL FOR GRETA GORDON TO BRING ON A MEMBER OF THE PTEK/DEI COMMITTEE TO FURTHER ENHANCE THE DIVERSITY OF OUR PARENTS.

>> DR. RIEF?

>> YES, THANK YOU FOR THE CONVERSATION.

AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE STAFF AND THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND EVERYONE WHO WORKED ON THE CALENDAR, BECAUSE, I AGREE, THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PARTS TO IT AND I KNOW IT'S REALLY COMPLEX, SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO WORKED ON THAT.

AND I GUESS I WOULD LIKE TO BUILD ON SOME OF MY COLLEAGUE'S COMMENTS.

I THINK AS A DIVISION, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT WE WANT OUR PARENTS AS WELL AS OUR STAFF MEMBERS TO FEEL THAT THEIR INPUT IS VALUED AND INCLUDED IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS.

AND I THINK, IT'S ALWAYS HARD TO HEAR WHEN PEOPLE ARE NOT FEELING THAT WAY.

AND I THINK, I KNOW SOMETIMES THAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE DON'T GET THE OUTCOME THEY WANT.

BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS CASE.

I THINK THAT PEOPLE, JUST YOU, I READ THROUGH ALL THE DIFFERENT COMMENT THAT IS FOLKS COMMITTED ON THE CALENDAR, THERE WAS DEFINITELY A LOT OF KIND OF MISUNDERSTANDINGS THERE, BUT ALSO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WERE FEELING LIKE THEIR FEEDBACK WASN'T REALLY BEING HEARD.

I JUST HOPE, MOVING FORWARD, WE CAN THINK ABOUT HOW TO IMPROVE THE PROCESSES AS SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT.

AND ANOTHER THING IS UNDERSTANDING THE GUIDING PRINCIPALS.

I KNOW MS. GENTRY TALKS WHY WE'RE STARTING BEFORE LABOR DAY AND WHAT IT TOOK TO GET TO THE POINT AND THERE'S THE MINUTE NAIL NUMBER OF INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS.

BUT BEYOND THAT, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE WHAT ARE YOUR GUIDING PRINCIPALS GOING INTO THE CALENDAR PROCESS.

I THINK SOME OF THAT KNOWLEDGE HAS BEEN PASSED ABOUT DOWN BY SOME COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WE HAVE NEW BOARD MEMBERS COMING IN AND I THINK FOR THE COMMUNITY WHEN LOOKING AT THE CALENDAR, IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND.

WHY WOULD YOU HAVE A HOLIDAY ON THE FRIDAY BEFORE LABOR DAY, WELL, BECAUSE IT'S A STATE LAW.

SOME OF THE PERIMETERS CAN BE EXPLAINED ON THE WEBSITE OR A RESOURCE THAT WE COULD POINT PEOPLE TO FOR EXPLANATION, I THINK THAT WOULD BE SUPER HELPFUL.

THERE'S KIND OF LIKE TWO ISSUES THAT I WANTED TO DIG INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE.

AND ASK FOR FEEDBACK OR MAY BE EVEN MORE INFORMATION COMING BACK TO THE BOARD AT A LATER TIME.

THE FIRST ONE IS AROUND COMMENTS THAT I'VE HEARD FROM STAFF OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

AND I JUST WANT SOME I'M JUST LOOKING FOR MORE CLARITY ON THIS, AND THAT IS THAT IT SEEMS LIKE STAFF MEMBERS IN ACPS, OR I'M HEARING THAT, THERE'S MORE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, MORE TEACHER WORK DAYS REQUIRED IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION THAN SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORING SCHOOL DIVISIONS, THAT'S JUST A COMMENT THAT I'VE HEARD CONSISTENTLY, AND IT SEEMS TO BE A CONCERN.

SO, I DON'T KNOW IF DR. HUTCHINGS OR SOMEONE CAN SHED LIGHT ON THAT OR MAY BE WE COULD LOOK AT THAT IN THE FUTURE WHEN LOOKING AT THE CALENDAR TO SEE HOW WE'RE COMPARING TO OTHER SCHOOL DIVISIONS.

AND THEN WITH REGARDS TO FAMILIES ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT I HEAR COMING UP A LOT IS CONCERNS AROUND CHILDCARE PLANNING.

AND OF COURSE, I UNDERSTAND THAT OUR MISSION IS TO EDUCATE CHILDREN, WE'RE NOT HERE FOR CHILDCARE PER SE, BUT OUR SCHEDULE AND CALENDAR CERTAINLY EFFECTS FOLKS AND JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR FAMILY'S NEEDS ARE IN

[01:25:01]

RELATION TO CHILDCARE.

LIKE, SOME OF THE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WANT THE FEDERAL HOLIDAYS OFF FOR THE KIDS.

OR SOME OF THE FAMILIES TALKED ABOUT, LIKE THE CHOPPY SCHEDULE WHEN IT'S A DAY OFF HERE AND A DAY OFF THERE THAT IT'S HARDING TO FIND THE CHILDCARE.

DIGGING IN TO UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS AND HOW TO SUPPORT THEM.

EVEN IF IT'S JUST HAVING THE INFORMATION EARLY AHEAD OF TIME AND WHAT FAMILIES ARE LOOKING FOR IN TERMS OF THAT SUPPORT.

IF WE COULD DIG IN ON THOSE TWO ISSUES AS FAR AS STAFF AND FAMILY, I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL BASED ON THE FEEDBACK I'M HEARING.

>> THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS, I WANT TO RESPOND AND SAY THAT WE HAVE MEETINGS WITH EAA AND WITH TAC, THOSE ARE MEETING IN PLACE, IN GENERAL SCHOOL RELATED OR DIVISION-WIDE CONCERNS THAT HAPPEN.

THOSE ARE CONSISTENT ALL YEAR LONG.

AS WELL AS FOR THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.

SO, I DO WANT TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT INTERNALLY, WE HEAR FROM MANY STAFF MEMBERS, BUT, EVERY STAFF MEMBER WILL NOT BE ON THE SAME PAGE AS TO WHAT FEEDBACK AND WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN OUR CALENDAR SO IT'S REALLY A WIN AND LOSE SITUATION.

SO, I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR, ESPECIALLY WITH THE FACT THAT YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY WE JUST CANNOT MEET EVERY EXPECTATION AS WELL AS FROM OUR PARENTS YOU KNOW WITH THE FEDERAL HOLIDAYS.

YOU DO A FEDERAL HOLIDAY, THEN YOU HAVE TO GIVE UP SOMETHING ELSE, BECAUSE YOU STILL HAVE TO STAY WITHIN A CERTAIN NUMBER OF DAYS OR HOURS THAT STUDENTS HAVE TO HAVE INSTRUCTION.

SO, GIVING UP THAT FEDERAL HOLIDAY MAY MEAN YOU TAKE AWAY A DAY OFF OF SPRING BREAK OR A DAY OFF OF WINTER BREAK AND PEOPLE SAY, OH, NOW WE'RE GOING TO LOSE, AND NOW WE DON'T GET 10 DAYS AND WE ALWAYS HAVE 10 DAYS.

IT'S REALLY A GIVE AND TAKE, UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE WE'RE STUCK WITH A NUMBER OF HOURS AND DAYS THAT WE DO HAVE TO STICK TO.

THERE'S NO FLEXIBILITY WITH THAT.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND, DURING THIS PANDEMIC, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS GO-ROUND, THIS IS NOT A TYPICAL CALENDAR COMMITTEE TIME.

WHERE PEOPLE ARE EVEN IN THE MINDSET TO BE THINKING ABOUT TWO YEARS FOR ONE, AND THEN TWO, BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S SO EXHAUSTED, PEOPLE WILL WANT TO HAVE ALL THE DAYS OFF FOR THE WHOLE YEAR, I'M JUST BEING REAL, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE EXHAUSTED AND THEY'RE HAVING TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS, AND IT'S HARD TO THINK ABOUT TOMORROW RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS, I HOPE AN ANOMALY IN REGARDS TO THE FRUSTRATIONS AND STRESS THIS GO AROUND.

I BELIEVE IT WAS IN A SENSE A PERFECT STORM BECAUSE WE HAVE A NEW HR DEPARTMENT COMPLETELY NOW TAKING ON THIS NEW TASK, HOWEVER IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, TOO, BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE INNOVATION AND NEW IDEAS THAT CAN COME TO THE TABLE THAT PEOPLE AREN'T STUCK IN HOW THINGS USED TO BE.

THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO START REIMAGINING HOW WE DO THIS PROCESS AND THE FEEDBACK WE GET FROM OUR PARENT GREATLY APPRECIATED AS WELL AS THE INPUT WE GET FROM STAFF MEMBERS AND TEACHERS WITH REGARD TO THIS.

>> WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT IT'S A NO-WIN SITUATION, I THINK THAT'S WHAT I WAS GETTING AT WITH THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES, LIKE WHEN WE DO THE CALENDAR SURVEY, WE'RE SAYING, HEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS CALENDAR, BUT WE'RE NOT SAYING, THIS IS WHAT'S DRIVING INSTRUCTION, THIS IS HOW WE'RE THINKING ABOUT WHAT, WE'RE PRIORITIZING MORE INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS, CONSOLIDATING OR NOT, IF WE COULD LAY OUT THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES AHEAD OF TIME, I THINK THAT WOULD BE SUPER HELPFUL.

AND YOU MENTIONED HOW FOLKS ARE NOT REALLY WITH THE PANDEMIC, IT'S REALLY AFFECTED HOW PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT LOOKING AHEAD.

SO, I'M WONDERING, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES THAT WE'RE MAKING THIS YEAR, IF IT REALLY MAKES SENSE TO DO THE TWO-YEAR CYCLE THIS YEAR, JUST GIVEN THAT THIS IS A BIG CHANGE AND ONE OF THE BIG PIECES OF FEEDBACK THAT CAME THROUGH, IS THAT FOLKS DON'T LIKE TO HAVE THE CALENDAR AND HAVE CHANGES MADE TO IT LATER.

ARE YOU ALL STILL FEELING SET IN WANTING TO HAVE A TWO-YEAR CYCLE OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE MIGHT THINK ABOUT DELAYING.

>> I THINK WE CONSIDERED THE TWO-YEAR, CAME OUT OF COMMENTS THAT WE GOT FROM FAMILIES AS WELL AS STAFF IN HAVING A TWO-YEAR PLAN.

[01:30:01]

AND IT ALLOWS US TO GET INFORMATION OUT AS YOU TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, DO WE COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND WE DO.

WITH OUR DATES, DOES EVERYBODY COMPLY? NO, THEY DON'T.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SPRING BREAK FOR EXAMPLE, YOU'LL SEE THERE ARE NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE THE SAME SPRING BREAK BUT THERE'S ONE THAT DOES NOT OUT OF THE THREE.

SO, THAT HAPPENS AT TIMES, BUT I THINK THIS ALLOWS US TO GET AHEAD WITH PLANNING FOR CERTAIN THINGS AND IT ALSO ALLOWS US TO KIND OF LEAD THE WAY IN A SENSE, WHEN IT COMES TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS LOOKING AT THEIR DAYS.

AND WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.

IN THE FUTURE, SO, A LOT OF THIS CAME OUT OF THE FEEDBACK WE GOT PREVIOUSLY FROM FAMILIES AS WELL AS STAFF ABOUT BEING ABLE TO PLAN OUT AHEAD OF JUST A YEAR AND THAT'S WHERE THAT FEEDBACK CAME FROM.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL A GOOD CHOICE TO DO THE TWO YEARS, BUT WE CAN'T PREDICT THE FUTURE AND I'M NEVER GOING TO TRY TO.

AND IF WE HAD TO MAKE CHANGES IN THE FUTURE DUE TO SOMETHING LIKE COVID-RELATED MATTERS, THEN WE WOULD.

BUT, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE MAKING ANY CHANGES BECAUSE WE HAVE ANOTHER IDEA OF DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT FOR TWO YEAR.

YEAR TWO CHANGE HAPPENING WOULD BE BECAUSE OF SOMETHING HAPPENING WORLDWIDE OR THINGS THAT ARE UNPREDICTABLE SUCH AS THI PANDEMIC THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY IN.

WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON FROM THIS DISCUSSION, IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, THE ITEM IS UP FOR INFO NOW, SO, PLEASE DEFINITELY REACH OUT TO DR. HUTCHINGS

[13. Program of Studies 2022-2023 ]

WHO CAN GET ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ANSWERED FOR EVERYONE.

NEXT UP, WE HAVE OUR EARLY WARNING INDICATORS, THIS IS AN ITEM UP FOR INFO, SO I'LL HAND IT OVER.

>> IT'S PROGRAM OF STUDIES.

>> I'M MOVING AHEAD.

LET ME TAKE A STEP BACK.

PROGRAM OF STUDIES.

>> PERFECT, AT LEAST I'M FOLLOWING ALONG EVERYBODY.

THANK YOU, MY EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT FOR KEEPING ME IN ORDER AND IN LINE.

WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION INTO OUR PROGRAM OF STUDIES, WHICH IS ALSO ANOTHER COMMITTEE THAT WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO PROVIDE OUR FAMILIES, OF COURSE, AS WELL AS OUR STUDENTS WITH THE CORE SELECTIONS FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR, BUT I'M GOING TO TURN THINGS OVER TO DR.MAN WHO'LL GO THROUGH THIS FOR OUR

2022-2023 PROGRAM OF STUDY FOR OUR SCHOOLS >>.

MANY OF YOU OVER THE YEARS, COULD PROBABLY DO THIS PRESENTATION FOR ME, AS WE WORKED TOGETHER, I BELIEVE ME AND MS. GENTRY WENT LINE BY LINE ON THIS FOR A COMMITTEE AND IT LOOKED DIFFERENT.

SOME OF YOU WILL SEE THE LEGACY THINGS THAT YOU'VE ASKED FOR ARE COME TO GO FRUITION.

AS WE GET INTO OUR 2022-2023 PROGRAM OF STUDIES, WE'LL GET STARTED.

SO, WE HAVE FIVE ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS THIS EVENING, AGAIN, WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES? WHAT'S NEW FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR? WHAT COURSES AND CHANGES AND DESCRIPTIONED CHANGED FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR AND WHAT IS OUR VIRTUAL OPTION FOR STUDENTS IN 2022-2023.

WITH THE SYSTEMATIC ALIGNMENT, AND THIS IS A TEAM EFFORT AS WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OUR PROGRAM OF STUDIES, BUT ALSO THIS IS AN SLT PARTNERSHIP.

WE HAVE WORK WITH STUDENT SERVICES, OUR IT DEPARTMENT.

>> SORRY, WE CAN'T SEE THE PRESENTATION SLIDE, ARE YOU ABLE TO RESHARE YOUR SCREEN?

>> YES.

SORRY.

>> >> IT'S WORKING NOW, DR. MANN.

>> DO YOU SEE THE TLL SLIDE?

>> YES.

>> THIS IS, AGAIN, THE TLL SLIDE DEMONSTRATING HOW WE'RE ALL SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS AND THAT'S WHAT THE PROGRAM STUDIES IS FOR.

BUT ALSO HOW WE WORK ACROSS THE ENTIRE SOP, SO, THANK YOU TO ALL THE TEAM MEMBERS FOR HELPING TO PREPARE THIS PROGRAM OF STUDIES.

SO, THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM STUDIES BEGINNING OUR ADVICEMENT PERIOD AND THANK YOU TO THE TEAM AS WE PREPARE OUR COUNSELORS AT ALL GRADE LEVEL IFS ON WHAT'S IN THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES AND HOW THEY CAN HELP STUDENTS.

[01:35:02]

BUT ALSO ACADEMIC AND CAREER PLANNING, EXPECTATIONS AND GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS AND AS WE CONTINUE TO ADD ACADEMIES AND PROGRAMS, IT ALSO OUTLINES HOW STUDENTS CAN ENTER INTO THOSE PROGRAMS. AND THIS YEAR WE'RE EXCITED AS WE KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN ASKED AND TALKED ABOUT CONSTRUCTION, SO WE'RE NOW ADDING FIVE NEW COURSES TO OUR PROGRAM OF STUDIES AND IT CONTINUES TO BUILD OUT, SO IS OUR CT OFFERINGS, OUR CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY COURSE WILL BE AN INTRODUCTION TO STUDENTS, IT WILL BE HANDS-ON PROJECTS AND THEY WILL BE INTRODUCED TO THE COMMERCIAL INDUSTRY STANDARDS, RESIDENTIAL, ET CETERA.

IN THE HELP THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CAREERS ARE AVAILABLE IN CONSTRUCTION AND THIS IS OUR FIRST STEP IN BUILDING OUT THIS PATHWAY.

WE'RE AIDING TWO PEER TUTORING SERVICES AS WE CONTINUE TO TAP INTO THE RESOURCES OF OUR STUDENTS HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT EACH OTHER AT HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THIS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS 9-12TH GRADE.

AND IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL WE CONTINUE TO BUILD OUT OUR DUAL-LANGUAGE PROGRAM.

WE'RE ADDING TWO COURSES HERE, A SPANISH LANGUAGE ARTS THREE AND CIVICS AND ECONOMICS.

AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF DELETIONS HERE, MUSIC OF OUR LIVES AND MARKETING ONE ARE BEING DELIGHTED BECAUSE OF LOW ENROLLMENT AND STUDENT INTEREST.

AND YOU'LL NOTICE THE DUEL ENROLLMENT PHARMACY TECHNICIAN, THIS ONE IS ON HOLD AS WE'RE WORKING WITH THE STATE AS THEY HAVE CHANGES FOR TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS.

SO, WE CAN ALWAYS ADD THIS BACK IN BUT IT'S NOT AN OPTION FOR STUDENTS THIS COMING SCHOOL YEAR.

AND THEN FOR VIRTUAL LEARNING.

THIS COMING SCHOOL YEAR WE WILL HAVE THE ABILITY FOR STUDENTS TO BE CONTINUE IF THEY WANT A FULL VIRTUAL LEARNING OPTION, THEY WILL DO THIS THROUGH VIRTUAL VIRGINIA.

THEY WILL STILL REACH OUT TO THEIR COUNSELORS TO GET MORE INFORMATION AND THEY CAN.

AND THEN, EVERY YEAR WE DO CHANGE SOME DESCRIPTIONS AND SOMETIMES THEY COULD BE HAPPY AND MAY BE A SMALL CHANGE.

9-12TH GRADE, THOSE ARE COME OF THE CHANGES AND SO, YOU COULD SEE HERE THEY RANGE FROM OUR AVID PROGRAM DOWN TO MATHEMATICS AND AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT HOW TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND THEN MAKE SURE THAT THINGS IN OUR DESCRIPTION ARE CLEAR AND THAT'S USUALLY WHAT OUR UPDATES OF DESCRIPTIONS ARE.

AT THIS TIME, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO MADAM CHAIR AND DR. HUTCHINGS.

>> THANK YOU, MR. MANN.

ALWAYS A APPRECIATE TO HEAR THIS PRESENTATION.

I'M SORRY, I CALLED YOU MR. MANN, IT'S LIKE OLD TIMES.

DR. MANN.

HE WAS MY BOSS, HE WAS MR. MANN.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?

>> MS. NOLAN AND THEN MR. SUAREZ?

>> THANK YOU, DR. MANN AS ALWAYS FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.

THIS IS NOT AN EASY TASK PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE DIVERSITY AND NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS BUT ALSO THE NEEDS OF HOW VAST OUR SCHOOLS OUR.

AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF ACPS IS THAT WE OFFER SO MANY INTERESTING COURSES THAT REALLY ALLOW TO MEET STUDENT'S NEEDS OF WHERE THEY ARE.

I'M ALWAYS AMAZED BY THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES AND WHAT IT PROVIDES FOR THE STUDENTS.

ARE THERE ANY CLASSES ON THE HORIZON THAT YOU WOULD EVENTUALLY LIKE TO ADD IN BUT DUE TO LACK OF RESOURCES WHETHER IT BE MONEY, TIME, BAND WIDTH, HUMAN CAPITAL, NOT HAVING THE TEACHERS THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO AUDIT.

I'M CURIOUS ABOUT A WISH LIST IF YOU HAVE ONE AND IN PARTICULARLY, ONE THE CTE ESPECIALLY TRYING TO MEET STUDENT'S NEEDS PARTICULARLY FOR COLLEGE MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST OPTION FOR THEM RIGHT OUTSIDE OF HIGH SCHOOL, CAN WE PROVIDE THEM OPPORTUNITIES TO ALLOW CAREER.

AND SECONDLY, ESPECIALLY, OUR RECENT DATA ENROLLMENT AND SEEING, YOU KNOW, WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE AND WHO OUR STUDENTS ARE SERVING, I'M CURIOUS IF THERE ARE THOUGHTS ABOUT ADDING LANGUAGES, PARTICULARLY ARABIC OR AGAIN, THE OVERARCHING QUESTION IS, ARE THERE ANY VISIONS OF NEEDE CLASSROOMS DOWN THE ROAD THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THOUGHT TO IN THE FUTURE, IN PARTICULARLY, IS THERE

[01:40:01]

ANY DISCUSSION WITH REGARDS TO LANGUAGES, GIVEN THE POPULATION THAT WE SERVE AS WELL AS CTE COURSE OFFERINGS.

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT, MS. NOLAN, HAVE YOU BEEN IN ALL THE DISCUSSIONS IN THE BOARD? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE GO THROUGH THROUGH THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES, PEOPLE MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF THE PRINCIPALS, THE SPECIALISTS AND THEN IT COMES TO ME.

AND WE START TO LOOK AT IT.

ONE THING THAT WE PUT IN SEVERAL YEARS AGO NOW, WAS THAT IF WE ADD A NEW COURSE, EXCEPT FOR AP AND CTE, THAT WE HAVE A YEAR TO MAKE SURE, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, DO WE HAVE THE FUNDS AND TIME TO DEVELOP THE CURRICULUM.

AND ALSO STAFFING.

SO, MANY OF THE QUESTIONS AND JUST THINKING OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS WHAT THEY'VE ASKED FOR, SPECIFICALLY AT HAMMOND.

DO WE HAVE THE STAFFING, AND THE BUDGET PROCESS, AND ONE THING THAT WE HAVE LEARNED IS CURRENTLY WE COULD ADD ARABIC, BUT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD GAIN TEACHER CERTIFICATION CURRENTLY WITH THE STATE OF VIRGINIA.

SO, MANY OF THE REQUESTS, ACTUALLY BEFORE THIS MEETING, I WANTED TO COME BACK TO.

WE KNOW THAT WE WANT TO EXPAND OUR OFFERINGS, CONSTANTLY IN CT, SO DR. JACOBS AND I MEET EVERY OTHER WEEK AND OUR CONVERSATIONS IS HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND DOWN TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND EXPOSE OUR CHILDREN IN 5TH GRADE.

I'M LOOKING AT MS. ANDERSON'S TILE, HOW MANY YEARS SHE SAYS, HEY, DR. MANN, HOW DO WE BUILD UP THE PATHWAY FOR CONSTRUCTION, AND HOW DO WE FIND THE RESOURCES, AND I SAY, FIND THE RESOURCES, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE RESOURCE RICH, BUT MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE CURRICULUM AND THEN ALSO WORKING THE KEY PIECE FOR MANY OF THE COURSES THAT STAFF WOULD LIKE TO ADD ARE FTES, AND THAT'S SOMETHING AS WE KNOW IN LEAN TIMES AND IN GOOD TIMES WE STILL HAVE TO BE, GO THROUGH THE PRIORITY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT AND THAT THERE'S ROOM FOR THAT IN THE BUDGET.

SO, WE HAVE A FULL LIST OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE HAVE ASKED FOR, AND SO WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THAT.

BUT THE ONE THING THAT THE SCHOOLS UNDERSTAND IS THEY CAN HAVE THE BEST IDEA, BUT IT'S STILL, UNLESS IT'S AP OR CTE OR DUEL ENROLLMENT BECAUSE THOSE COME ALREADY READY, IT IS THAT YEAR SO WE COULD MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE READY AND WE'RE NOT PUTTING TEACHERS UNDER THE GUN OR THE REST OF MY TEAM TO TRY AND DEVELOP A CURRICULUM IN FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS.

I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT VIRTUAL.

JUST, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO OFFER THE VIRTUAL VIRGINIA OPTION, ESPECIALLY AS THE PANDEMIC CONTINUES AND SOME FAMILIES MAY PREFER THAT, OPTION.

BUT, I WAS CURIOUS, BECAUSE WE HAD HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS DURING THE PANDEMIC ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE PANDEMIC MAY BRING IN TERMS OF CONTENT DELIVERY, RIGHT? IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO RECORD LESSONS, HAVE MORE INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE ABLE TO YOU KNOW, RECORD CONTENT AND MAY BE DELIVER IT IN ALTERNATIVE WAYS.

AND, I'M WONDERING IF WE'VE GIVEN ANY THOUGHT TO SIMILAR FOR COURSES WHERE A LOT OF STUDENTS NEED THE COURSE WHETHER FOR EN RICHMENT OR REMEDIATION OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, PACKAGING CONTENT THAT IS WHETHER IT'S IN A MINI COURSE OR A FULL COURSE BUT YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT AS SOMETHING SOMEONE COULD AUDIT OR LISTEN TO, KIND OF LIKE IN COLLEGE HOW YOU COULD TAKE A COURSE OR CREDIT HOW YOU COULD LISTEN TO IT.

SO THAT ALL STUDENTS CAN HAVE ACCESS TO ADDITIONAL CONTENT OF INTEREST.

IT SEEMS LIKE IT COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS AS THEY'RE EXPLORING THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES AND SAY, I WANT TO SEE IF I LIKE THIS COURSE AND I COULD LOOK AT THE FIRST TWO LECTURES OF THIS.

I'M STRUGGLING WITH GEOMETRY.

I'M WONDERING IF WE'VE GIVEN THOUGHT TO LEVER ELEVERAGING THESE RESOURCES

[01:45:01]

TO CREATE CONTENT THAT COULD COMPLIMENT THE MORE TRADITIONAL INSTRUCTION AND HAVE THAT AS A RESOURCE IN THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES, SO THAT WHENEVER SOMEONE FEELS LIKE IT THEY CAN DONE LOUD DOWNLOAD SOME CONTENT.

SO, I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE COOL IF WE COULD MOVE TOWARDS SOMETHING LIKE THAT OVER TIME.

AGAIN, IT'S AN ADDITIONAL RESOURCE AND I'M CURIOUS IF THERE WAS ANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THOSE TYPES OF OPPORTUNITIES.

>> THANK YOU, MR. SUAREZ, AND WE HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS AROUND AUDITING CLASSROOMS AND ADDITIONAL VIRTUAL OPPORTUNITIES, IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A NEW POSITION OR I GUESS WE REFINED THE POSITION WITH THERE DR. EVERSON WHICH IS OUR VIRTUAL LEARNING ADMINISTRATOR.

AND SPECIFICALLY IT'S TO HELP US OVER THE NEXT YEAR, NOT FOR THE YAP COMING YEAR BUT OVER THE NEXT YEAR WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING TO DEVELOP VIRTUAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.

THINGS SUCH AS LIKE YOU HAD JUST MENTIONED, MR. SUAREZ IN REGARDS TO AUDITS OF CLASSES, WORKING THROUGH THE WHOLE PIECE OF HAVING CAMERAS IN THE CLASSROOM AND WHILE THOSE THINGS ARE IN THE WORKS RATE NOW TOO, THAT WILL AFFORD THESE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES.

BUT WE'RE SPENDING NEXT YEAR TO START TO DEVELOP OTHER ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF STUDENTS RECEIVING INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY AND HAVING EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES INCLUDING THINGS AS YOU JUST MENTIONED WITH THE AUDIT OF CLASSROOMS. THAT IS UNDERWAY, AND WE'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION TO SHARE ABOUT THIS IN THE UPCOMING YEAR.

BUT, YES, WE HAVE BEEN HAVING THOSE INTERNAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS.

GREAT.

>> MS. GENTRY?

>> HOORAY FOR PROGRAM OF STUDIES, I JUST REALLY GET EXCITED ABOUT THIS, IT'S A COOL THING TO BRAG ABOUT.

I REALLY WOULD WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE FOR A SHOUT OUT FOR THE ADDITION OF THE PARATUTORING CLASSES.

THERE HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT KINDS OF VERSIONS OF THIS, AND THE ONE THAT'S ESTABLISHED IS THE WRITING CENTER AND IT'S A REALLY GREAT PROGRAM THAT IS REALLY GREAT FOR ALL OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE INVOLVED.

EITHER THE STUDENTS THAT ARE GETTING ASSISTANCE, BUT FOR THE STUDENTS THAT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUST SERVE YOU KNOW AS TUTORS, YOU KNOW, IT'S A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM, I THINK FOR SOME IT BECOMES A THING THAT SPARKS MAY BE SOME INTEREST IN TEACHING, BY WELCOME WE'RE ALWAYS EXCITED ABOUT HERE.

SO, JUST EXCITED TO SEE THE EXPANSION INTO THE OTHER SUBJECT AREAS, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.

>>> GREAT.

DR. RIEF? THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR WORKING ON THIS DR. MANN AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO CONTRIBUTED.

I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THE DUEL LANGUAGE COURSES THAT ARE NEW THIS YEAR FOR THE 8TH GRADERS AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.

I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN THE WORK FOR EXPANDING DUEL LANGUAGE IN HIGH SCHOOL AND I KNOW THIS YEAR WE ADDED THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES COURSE AND I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD OFFER INSIGHT ON THE ENROLLMENT OR HOW THAT'S BEEN GOING BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S A GREAT ADDITIO TO OUR PROGRAM OF STUDIES AS WELL.

>> YES, THE FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION, YES, DR. NICKERSON, AND OUR DUEL LANGUAGE COORDINATOR ARE WORKING ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR EXPANSION FOR DUEL LANGUAGE INTO THE HIGH SCHOOL AND SO, WE WERE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT THIS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.

AND SO THEN MEETING WITH THE TEAM AND WORKING OUT WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.

AND I WOULD HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THE ANSWER OF HOW THE ENROLLMENT FOR THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES IS GOING AT THIS TIME, I DON'T HAVE THAT AT THE READY AT THE MOMENT.

SO, AGAIN, THIS ITEM IS UP FOR INFO, IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, BE SURE TO SEND THEM ALONG AND YOU'LL SEE IT LATER FOR ACTION.

AND NOW, WE CAN TURN FORWARD TO OUR EARLY WARNING INDICATORS.

[14. Early Warning Indicators ]

[01:50:03]

AND MADAM CHAIR AND I'M GOING TO TURN THINGS OVER TO DR. SIMMS WHOSE OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT, AND BEFORE I DO THAT, I WANT SO SAY AGAIN, THIS EARLY WARNING SYSTEM, I KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE EARLY WARNING SYSTEM, THIS WAS AN EFFORT THAT WE HAD MANY YEARS AGO, AND ACTUALLY LAST TIME I WAS HERE AS A DIRECTOR OF PRE-K-12 INITIATIVES.

AND TERRI BARNETTE WAS THE COORDINATOR OF THAT OUTSIDE OF THE HIGH SCHOOL.

I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE REVISIONS AND REFINEMENTS DONE TO THIS SYSTEM THAT DR. SIMMS WILL SHARE WITH YOU TODAY.

I WANTED TO START WITH THE FACT THAT THIS ISN'T A NEW CONCEPT BUT IT'S A MORE INNOVATIVE REFINED CONCEPT THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING INTO ACPS.

AND IT'S COMPLETELY ALIGNED WITH OUR WORK AND OUR AREAS OF FOCUS.

I'LL TURN THINGS OVER TO DR. SIMMS AND TAKE IT AWAY.

DR. HUTCHINGS FOR THAT CONTEXT AS A MATTER OF FACT I WANTED TO SAY TO THE BOARD MEMBERS, GOOD EVENING, I'M EXCITED TO SHARE INFORMATION WITH YOU ABOUT THE EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM.

I'M JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUE MR. SAMSON THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR STUDENT SUPPORT TEAMS THIS EVENING.

AND AS DR. HUTCHINGS MENTIONED I'M REALLY EXCITED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT WE VIEW AS HOPEFULLY INNOVATIONS AND BUILDING ON THE WORK OF EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEMS AND ESPECIALLY HOW WELL IT'S ALIGNED WITH WHAT I STILL CONSIDER ONE OF THE MOST ROBUST AND PROGRESSIVE STRATEGIC PLANS AROUND EQUITY IN THE COUNTRY.

THE EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM IS A CROSS DEPARTMENTAL EXPERT DRAWEN ON DEPARTMENTS OF ACCOUNTABILITY, TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, STUDENT SERVICES, TEACHING, LEARNING, AND LEADERSHIP AS WELL.

RECENTLY, THE BOARD HEARD A PRESENTATION ABOUT SOME OF THE EXCITING INNOVATIONS TO IMPROVE OUR MONITORING SYSTEM FOR MULL TIERED SYSTEMS OF SUPPORTS.

THE EARLY WARNING INDICATE ARE SYSTEM IS DEEPLY CONNECTED TO THE MT; STRUCTURE THE EARLY WARNING CANEDER SYSTEM PROVIDING A TARGETED EVER SAYS IN PROACTIVELY ENSURING STUDENTS ARE ON TRACK FOR SUCCESS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL.

THE EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM MONITORS PROCESS ON LEARNING DATA POINTS AND SERVES AS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF IMPLEMENTING A STRAIGHTIC PLAN BY EXPANDING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS, ALIGNING.

AND THAT REALLY IS THE HUB OF OUR WORK WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN.

THE EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM IS A ROBUST TOOL THAT WILL ALLOW THE DIVISION TO SIGNIFICANTLY EXPAND ANALYSIS AND MONITORING RELATED TO ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL RISK FACTORS SO WE COULD ENSURE STUDENTS ARE ON TRACK FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS ACROSS LATE, ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS AND ASSIST THE DIVISION IN OUR FISCAL PLANNING BY PROVIDING CRITICAL INFORMATION TO DETERMINE WHICH OF OUR INNOVATIONS ARE PROVING TO BE OUR GREATEST RETURN ON ACADEMIC RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

OUR ESSENTIAL QUESTION FOR THE EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM IS, WHAT IS AN EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM AND IT'S REALLY A SYSTEM ADOPTED PRIMARILY ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS A DROPOUT PREVENTION MEASURE BUT WE SEE THIS AS A FOCUS FOR US TO LOOK AT HOW WE IDENTIFY STUDENTS IN 6-12TH GRADE WHO MAY FALL AT RISK OF NOT GRADUATES AND WE USE IT TO ANALYZE DATA OF STUDENTS WHO ARE AT RISK SO THAT WE COULD LOOK AT HOW WE CAN PUT THOSE STUDENTS ON A SUCCESS TRAJECTORY SO THEY HAVE A PATH TOWARDS SUCCESSFUL HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION AND ALLOWS US TO FOCUS ON THAT.

>> OUR EARLY WARNING INDICATOR FOCUSES ON STUDENTS AT RISK OF NOT MEETING BASIC PROFICIENCY IN COURSE WORK, IT ENABLES US TO DISCERN STUDENT

[01:55:07]

ACHIEVEMENT AND SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT PAT TERNS THAT CONTRIBUTES TO STUDENTS MOVING OFF TRACK.

WE WANT TO DEVELOP A BROADER SENSE OF WHAT ARE THE FACTORS OF THE STUDENT PROFILE FACTORS FOR OUR STUDENTS PERSIST TENTLY STRUGGLED WITH SUCCEEDING IN SCHOOL.

AND WHEN THEY ACTIVELY UPDATE STUDENTS PERFORMANCE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SO THIS IS A LIVING DOCUMENT IN OUR SCHOOLS TO SEE HOW STUDENTS ARE PROGRESSING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR RATHER THAN LOOKING AT THINGS END OF YEAR, AND IT ALLOWS US TO MAKE INCREMENTAL ADJUSTMENTS FOR THESE STUDENTS.

AS I SHARED, WE SEE THE EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM AS A MAJOR COMPONENT OF THE WORK EMANATING FROM THEORY OF ARKANSAS.

I HEARD EARLIER, BOARD MEMBERS REFERENCING ISSUES RELATED TO OUR DISPARITIES WHEN WE BEGIN TO LOOK AT THE PATTERNS OF WHERE STUDENTS ARE EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTIES, BOTH SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING DIFFICULTIES, WE CAN THEN IDENTIFY PROACTIVELY WHERE TO TARGET INTERVENTIONS AT LATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND IN MIDDLE SCHOOL TO ENSURE THAT THE STUDENTS ARE ON TRACK FOR SUCCESSFULLY ENGAGING IN HIGH SCHOOL AND 9TH GRADE TO PUT THEM INTO A POSITION OF SUCCESS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THEIR HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM.

IN THIS WAY, IT ALLOWS US TO FOCUS IN OUR INSTRUCTIONAL EXCELLENCE DONATE, DIFFERENTIATING, AND LOOKING AT STUDENT'S STRENGTH AND BEING RESPONSIVE TO SOCIAL EMOTIONAL ACADEMIC NEEDS AND ALLOW STUDENT TOSS EXPLORE AND SUCCEED IN THEIR EDUCATIONAL PATHWAYS.

OUR EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM DRAWS FROM DATA THAT WE CURRENTLY USE IN OUR POWER SCHOOL STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEM, PERFORMANCE MATTERS IS THE ANALYTIC TOOL AVAILABLE AND DRAWS ON DATA THAT WE COLLECT ARE REGARD TO ABSENTEEISM, BEHAVIOR REFERRALS, COURSE FAILURES, GPA TARGETS, STUDENT MOBILITY CHARACTERISTICS, GRADE RETENTION, STATE AND LOCAL ASSESSMENT DATA AND OTHER DATA.

SO, WE WILL DRAW ON THE DATA THAT ARE CURRENTLY HOUSED AND DEVELOP THRESHOLDS WITHIN OUR STUDENT INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AS THE WARNING INDICATORS THAT WILL FORM THE BASIS FOR OUR EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM.

RECENTLY, THE STATE HAS DEVELOPED A NEW SYSTEM FOR HOW WE CODE STUDENT BEHAVIOR DATA.

AND SO, THE STUDENT BEHAVIOR ADMINISTRATOR RESPONSE INDICATORS WILL GIVE US AN EVEN MORE FINE-TUNED WAY OF LOOKING AT THE BEHAVIORAL DATA THAT WE WILL COLLECT.

WE'LL COLLECT BEHAVIORAL DATE THAT RELATIONSHIP DATA, SAFETY AND CONCERN, SO AS WE EXPAND OUR EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM AND MR. SAMSON WILL SHARE OTHER INNOVATIONS THAT WE LOOK FORWARD TO IN OUR SYSTEM, WE WILL BE ABLE TO ISOLATE BEHAVIORAL DATA RATHER THAN BROADLY SAYING DISCIPLINE DATA OR SCHOOL SUSPENSION DATA, WE CAN NOW WITH THE NEW SYSTEM LOOK AT DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS RELATED TO THE BEHAVIORAL DATA THAT WE CAPTURE.

OUR EARLY WARNING, I REFERENCED AN EXPANSION OF OUR EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM, TRADITIONALLY, THE SYSTEMS FOCUS ON THE ACADEMIC AND BEHAVIORAL DATA FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS.

WE WANT TO FOCUS ON SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND IT'S IMPACT ON ACCELERATE TING STUDENT LEARNING.

SO WE SEE OUR EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM TO ALLOWS US TO LOOK AT THE THINGS THAT IT CAN TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE PROFILES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF STUDENTS AND WHERE THEY'RE EXPERIENCING CHALLENGES AS THEY ENTER MIDDLE SCHOOL TO

[02:00:03]

WE COULD BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN WORK PROACTIVELY AROUND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL NEEDS FOR STUDENTS EVEN AS EARLY AS LATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

JUST WANTED TO SHARE SOME OF WHAT WE KNOW AND SORT OF THE GROUNDING WORK AROUND EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM AS WE BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT THE COROLLATES OF STUDENT SUCCESS.

APPROACHES TO LEARNING THAT WE LEARN COGNITIVE SKILLS THESE ARE SEEN AS COROLLATES THAT IMPACT SUCCESS IN OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

AND AS YOU KNOW IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WE START LOOKING AT COROLLATES TO SUCCESS AS READING IN THIRD GRADE.

AGAIN, STRONG CORE ROW THE THAT ALLOW US TO LOOK AT WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW ARE THE SUCCESS CORRELATES, FOR STUDENTS AND HOW CAN WE INTERVENE FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE HAVING CHALLENGES SO WE COULD PREDICT SUCCESS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

I'LL NOW TURN THE DISCUSSION OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE MR. SAMSON TO TELL US MORE ABOUT AN EXCITE INNOVATION.

>> WE ARE EXCITED.

WE HAVE A CONTRACT, WHICH IS GREAT NEWS FOR US, BUT WE ARE LOOKING TO BEGIN TO UNPACK THE DE; A UNIVERSAL SCREENING TOOL.

THAT'S THE DEVEREUX STUDENT STRENGTH ASSESSMENT.

AND THE ASSESSMENT FOCUSES ON IDENTIFYING THE AREAS OF RESILIENCY IN STUDENTS AS WELL AS AREAS IN WHICH THEY HAVE STUDENT ASSETS AND REALLY HELPING US TO THINK ABOUT WHERE THERE ARE AREAS OF STUDENT'S STRENGTH VERSUS ALWAYS LOOKING AT STUDENT DEFICITS AND WHERE WE HAVE AREAS WHERE WE COULD BUILD UP THE DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS AND COMPETENCIES IN OUR STUDENTS.

AND REALLY OUR GOAL HERE IS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE LOOKING HOLISTICALLY AT STUDENTS.

ULTIMATELY, YES, OUR GOAL IS ALWAYS TO HAVE STUDENT THAT IS LEAVE US, BE IT ACADEMICALLY, AND SOCIALLY EMOTIONALLY SUCCESSFUL, BUT WE WANT TO LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT FACTORS STARTING AT AS YOUNG AN AGE AS WE CAN TO HEAD OFF POTENTIAL CHALLENGES AND MAKE SURE THAT THE STUDENTS HAVE ALL THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES OF SOCIAL EMOTIONAL EARLY AND ACADEMICALLY THAT THEY MAY NEED FOR THIS SUCCESS.

THIS PARTICULAR TOOL IS ALIGNED TO THE COLLABORATIVE OF THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND IT'S REALLY COMPATIBLE AND DUCK TAILS NICELY WITH THE RULER PROGRAM THAT MS. WOOD SHOP IN THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS IS SUPPORTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.

THERE ARE TWO ASSESSMENT BATTERIES HERE, WE HAVE THE DE; A MINI DESSA MINI, AND IT'S FOR OUR STUDENTS, K-8.

AND IT CAN BE USED FOR MONITORING AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO EVALUATE WHERE THE STUDENTS ARE IN BEGINNING MID OR END OF THE YEAR.

WE CAN CONSTANTLY USE THAT TOOL TO CHECK IN AND MONITOR IF WE'RE SEEING PROGRESS IN OUR STUDENTS AS WELL AS IN THE SCHOOLS AND ACROSS THE DIVISION.

AND WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE DESSA STUDENT SELF REPORT IN GRADES 9-12 AND THAT'S A LONGER GROUP OF QUESTIONS BUT IT IS ONE THAT THE STUDENTS THEMSELVES WILL TAKE AND PROVIDES IMMEDIATE RESULTS AND THEN FEEDBACK FOR THOSE STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THEIR RESULTS AND GET INFORMATION MATERIALS ON HOW THEY CAN BUILD MORE ASSETS OR USE SOME OF THOSE STRENGTHS MOVING FORWARD.

WE'RE LOOKING TO DEVELOP TRAINING FOR THIS UPCOMING SPRING FOR SCHOOLS AND THEN REALLY TRYING TO DO THAT IN A WAY THAT WE INVOLVE A TEAM OF SCHOOL BASED STAKEHOLDERS THAT THEY SOME VOICE IN WHAT WILL WORK PASCHEN FOR THEM AS THEY

[02:05:03]

TRY AND TRAIN THEIR TEACHERS OR SET UP THE SCHEDULES FOR THEIR STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT.

AND THE SPRING ADMINISTRATION WILL BE ABLE TO INFORM SCHOOLS AND AREAS FOR THE PLANNING OF THE '2022-23 SCHOOL YEAR.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF THE EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM AND FOR ME WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE CHARGE PUT FORTH IN SUCH A BOLD, STRATEGIC PLAN THAT CALLS FOR US TO REALLY BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE CHANGE OUTCOMES IMPROVE OUTCOMES FROM STUDENTS WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED PERSIST TENT CHALLENGES SO THAT WE COULD BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT WHAT DO WE NEED TO CHANGE ABOUT HOW WE SCHOOL AND PROVIDE EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS TO ENHANCE THEIR ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE A BETTER SENSE OF WHAT ARE THE PREDICTORS AND FACTORS STRONGLY CORRELATED WITH SCHOOL SUCCESS FOR OUR STUDENTS AND PARTICULARLY FOR BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS WHO HAVE HAD PERRENT CHALLENGES.

THE EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM SAYS IT WILL ALLOW US TO UTILIZE LOTS OF DATA THAT WE HAVE ABOUT STUDENTS BUT USE IT IN A WAY TO FOCUS ON DIVISION LEVEL LEARNING CHARACTERISTICS IMPACTING SCHOOL SUCCESS TRAJECTORIES.

AND THEN, LASTLY, IT PROMOTES AN EQUITY FOCUSED APPROACH TO PROACTIVE AND EARLY INTERVENTION OF STUDENTS PLACED MOST AT RISK OF NEGATIVE SCHOOL OUTCOMES.

>> AND JUST TO GIVE A SENSE OF WHERE WE ARE, THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR THAT WE'VE BEGUN TO ROLL OUT, OUR FIRST STEP WAS ESTABLISHING THAT CROSS DEPARTMENTAL TEAM.

WITHIN OUR FIRST YEAR, WE WILL BEGIN TO LOOK AT PATTERNS AND COMMONALITIES FOR LEARNING NEEDS AND CHARACTERISTICS AMONG STUDENTS WHO ARE PLACED AT RISK FOR ACHIEVING PROFICIENCY.

WE WANT TO LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN OF THE AFFECTIVENESS OF SCHOOL BASED INTERVENTIONS, HOW ARE WE FAIRING IN TERMS OF OUR SCHOOL BASED INTERVENTIONS AND HELPING OUR STUDENTS TO BE ON TRACK FOR SUCCESS IN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL AND EVENTUALLY GRADUATION.

SO, IT WILL HELP US, OUR FOCUS IS ON LOOKING AT THOSE SUCCESS TRAJECTORIES AND ESPECIALLY FOR OUR HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED STUDENTS.

AND JUST TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A SENSE OF SORT OF A THE THREE PHASES, THIS FIRST PHASE, ESTABLISHING THE CROSS DEPARTMENTAL TEAM AND OUR ANALYTICS AND ONBOARDING OUR TECHNOLOGY SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL AND ALL OF THE DATA MIGRATION WORK INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT AND THEN OUR NEXT PHASE WILL BE TO ESTABLISH SOME OF THE THRESHOLDS INDICATORS, DR. JACKSON WAS REALLY HELPFUL IN HELPING US TO LEARN ABOUT THE NEW INFORMATION FOR THE STATE, AROUND BEHAVIOR INDICATORS, BUT WE WILL DIG INTO ESTABLISHING THRESHOLDS IN THIS PHASE TWO AND PHASE THREE, INITIATING PILOTS, AS ARTICULATED IN OUR PLAN THAT WE WANT DO PILOT SOME OF OUR EFFORTS EARLY ON AND WORK OUT KINKS AS WE BEGIN TO ROLL IT OUT DIVISION-WIDE.

>> SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND LOVE TO RECEIVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THE EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM.

>> I DO HAVE A QUESTION FROM MR. SUAREZ AND THEN MS. LORBER.

>> AND AS USUAL I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTWISE A QUESTION EMBEDDED IN THERE.

FIRST OF ALL, LET ME PREFACE THIS BY SAYING CONCEPTUALLY, THIS IS AWESOME AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE WORKING TO PREVENT DROPOUTS AND MINIMIZE THE LEARNING LOSSES AND RISKS IN OUR DIVISION.

SO, I COMMEND ALL OF YOU FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.

I DO WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT, THOUGH JUST TO SORT OF PUSH THE ENVELOPE AND IT'S INFORMED BY THE POLICY AUDIT WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING AND FRANKLY SOME REFLECTIONS I'VE PERSONALLY HAD ON LEADERSHIP LATELY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF LANGUAGE.

THE LANGUAGE WE USE IN SORT OF DOING LEADERSHIP.

AND SO, I HAD A VISCERAL REACTION TO TWO ASPECTS OF THIS.

[02:10:02]

ONE IS THE FACT THAT WE'RE CALLING THIS A WARNING SYSTEM.

WARNING WARNING, TYPE OF THING.

AND THEN SECOND THAT WE CONTINUE TO REFER TO USE THE LANGUAGE AT-RISK.

I LOVED THE PART OF THE PRESENTATION WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THE USE OF THIS TOOL TO LOOK AT THE STRENGTHS OF OUR STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, RIGHT, AND TO THINK ABOUT ALL THE ASSETS AND STRENGTHS OF OUR STUDENTS, BUT, I WONDER IF THERE'S A WAY AND I PUT THIS TO MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL, TO SEHRT OF FRAME THE SYSTEM AS A POSITIVE TOOL, RIGHT? I MEAN, THERE'S A REASON WHY PBIS IS CALLED THAT, POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION SYSTEM, IT'S ABOUT DOING SOMETHING THAT POSITIVE.

AND I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW THIS BEING BRANDED IS A WARNING SYSTEM COULD TRICKLE DOWN TO STAFF IF IT'S NOT MESSAGED RIGHT.

AND I GUESS I'M ALSO THINKING ABOUT THIS THROUGH THE LENS OF MISIDENTIFICATION, I'M STRUGGLING WITH THE TERMINOLOGY BUT I'M WONDERING IF THIS COULD BE FRAMED IN A MORE PROACTIVE POSITIVE, INTERVENTION SYSTEM, SO WE'RE GOING TO PROP UP OUR STUDENTS PROACTIVELY, RATHER THAN WARNING, WARNING, WARNING, TYPE OF THING.

I JUST WONDER IF THAT WOULD PROMOTE A MORE POSITIVE CULTURE AND LEAD TO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.

SO, TO BE CLEAR, LIKE, I THINK THIS IS AWESOME.

THE CONCEPT BEHIND THIS IT AWESOME.

BUT, I HAD A VISCERAL REACTION SYMPTOM MAN TICKLY TO THE FRAMING OF WHAT THIS IS CALLED AND HOW WE'RE MESSAGING IT IN THE PRESENTATION.

AND I KNOW, DR. SIMMS THAT'S THE LAST THINK YOU WANT TO DO BECAUSE YOU'RE ALL ABOUT PROPPING PEOPLE UP.

SO, THIS IS NOTHING ON YOU OR THE STAFF, BUT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN THING ABOUT THE POLICY WORK AND HOW WE HAVE A LOT OF THIS PUSH DOWN LANGUAGE AND POLICY, AND NOT PROP UP TYPE OF THING.

EYE THINKING ABOUT HOW THIS ALIGNWISE THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND HOW WE MESSAGE THIS IN THE DIVISION WHILE ACHIEVING THE SAME OUTCOME.

I'M CURIOUS, YOU THINK ABOUT THAT AND ALSO MY COLLEAGUES THINK ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS TAN EXCITING INITIATIVE AND I LOVE THE STRENGTH-BASED FOCUS OF THE DATA COLLECTION AND THE ANALYSIS.

BUT I WORRY IF THIS IS NOT FRAMED IN THE RIGHT WAY, IT COULD ACTUALLY CAUSE US CERTAINLY CHALLENGES.

SO, ANYWAY.

I APPRECIATE THE QUESTIONS AND MR. SUAREZ, MY FIRST REACTION IS THAT'S AN INTERESTING PERSPECTIVE ON IT.

NATIONALLY, PEOPLE ARE USED IT, TALKED ABOUT EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEMS, AND I SAID, I WONDER IF IT WOULD MEET THE NEED BY SAYING EARLY SUCCESS INDICATOR SYSTEM, BECAUSE THE FLIP SIDE IS THAT WE REALLY ARE IDENTIFYING WHEN STUDENTS ARE NOT ON A SUCCESS TRAJECTORY SO THAT THE FOCUS IS HOW TO GET THEM ON A SUCCESS TRAJECTORY.

SO, IF IT'S A MATTER OF LOOK AT OUR INTERVENTIONS AND ALIGN INTERVENTIONS AND KNOW WHETHER IT'S AN INTERVENTION NEEDED AROUND A SPECIFIC ACADEMIC AREA OR IS IT AN INTERVENTION AROUND ACCESSING DR. CRAWFORD HELPS US, REMINDS US OFTEN AND THE WHOLE TEAM ABOUT THE WHOLE NOTION OF WHAT ACCESSING CONTENT, RIGHT, AND CONNECTIONS BEFORE CONTENT, MAY BE IT'S A SOCIAL EMOTIONAL FOCUS.

SO THE REAL FOCUS ON THIS WORK IS HOW EARLY CAN WE FIND OUT WHERE STUDENT'S NEEDS ARE.

AND THIS IS A CONNECTION AGAIN TO MT; BECAUSE WE HAVE LARGE BANDS OF STUDENTS AND THAT'S WHAT THE EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM ALLOWS US TO DO.

WE HAVE BANDS OF STUDENTS IN REFERENCE TO THE DISPARITY THAT'S BEEN REFERENCED, BANDSES OF STUDENTS THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN MARGINALIZED.

AND TO YOUR OTHER POINT, AND SOMETIMES, IT'S MISSED WHEN I SAY IT, BUT, I ALWAYS REFERENCE STUDENT'S PLACED AT RISK.

I DON'T TALK ABOUT STUDENTS AT-RISK.

BECAUSE STUDENTS ARE PLACED AT-RISK FOR POOR OUTCOMES BECAUSE OF A NUMBER OF

[02:15:07]

THINGS.

OFTEN WHEN WE SAY AT-RISK, WE INAPPROPRIATELY IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES OF BEING AT-RISK BUT REALLY IT'S HOW STUDENTS ARE PLACED AT-RISK FOAF NEGATIVE OUTCOME.

>> AND I WANTED TO ADD ONTO THAT.

I THINK WE'RE USING THE LANGUAGE BECAUSE IT'S THE NATIONAL LANGUAGE, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO USE IT.

THAT'S A CONCEPT OUT THERE, BUT AS YOU MENTIONED, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN 2025, US HAVING DISCUSSIONS AROUND HOW SOMETIMES TERMINOLOGY CAN ALSO MARGINALIZE STUDENTS IN CERTAIN POPULATIONS, I THINK YOU RAISE A VERY GOOD POINT THAT WE DO NEED TO REVISIT IN REGARDS TO OUR BRANDING PIECE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A CONCEPT BECAUSE WE LEARN THESE CONCEPTS IN SCHOOL.

EDUCATORS WE KNOW HOW TO IDENTIFY, SOMEBODY SAYS EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT IS.

BUT, I THINK THAT IN REGARDS TO HOW WE BRAND IT AND HOW IT'S USED IN ACPS, BECAUSE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE FORWARD THINKING AND REALLY ESTABLISHING AN ANTI-RACIST AND EQUITABLE COMMUNITY THAT I THINK THAT IT BEHOOVES US TO FIND LANGUAGE THAT DOES HAVE A POSITIVE CONNOTATION THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT.

AND THAT'S IN LINE WITH THE WORK THAT WE JUST WENT OVER EARLIER TODAY IN REGARDS TO OUR POLICIES.

THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.

>> MS. LORBER?

THANK YOU, MR. SUAREZ FOR RAISING THAT OUT.

>> I'M LESS WORRIED ABOUT SEMANTICS, BUT I'M MUCH MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ISN'T A TOTALLY NEW STRATEGY.

FOR YEARS IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS BY FEBRUARY TEACHERS WERE SUPPOSED TO INFORM THEIR FAMILIES IF THEIR STUDENT IS AT-RISK OF FAILING THE YEAR.

AND THAT'S WHEN THIS WHOLE TEAM IS SUPPOSED TO KICK IN.

SO, ONE QUESTION I WOULD HAVE IS I THINK WE DO NEED TO, WHAT ISN'T REALLY A NEW PROGRAM, BUT NOT START IT 6-12 BUT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AS WELL AS SECONDARY, BUT ALSO MY REAL QUESTION IS ARE WE GOING TO STAFF UP? BECAUSE, I KNOW THE REASON I WOULD CONTINUALLY WHEN I WORKED IN THE SYSTEM AS A PARENT LIAISON AND I WOULD LOOK AT THE REPORT CORD OF THESE STUDENTS AND THINK HOW DID THIS STUDENT, THIS IS HIGH SCHOOL NOW, HOW IS THIS STUDENT ALLOWED TO GET TO THE THIRD QUARTER WITH THESE GRADES, WHY WASN'T SOMEBODY LOOKING.

AND I THINK IT WAS DOWN TO A CERTAIN DEGREE, NOT ENOUGH STAFF.

TEACHERS DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO REALLY INDIVIDUALIZE AND SO, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE A SYSTEM THAT HELPS IDENTIFY, BUT, I THINK WE CAN ALREADY IDENTIFY THE KIDS WHO ARE FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS OR FALLING BEHIND OR NOT KEEPING UP.

THE ISSUE IS HAVING ENOUGH STAFF TO DEVELOP THOSE RELATIONSHIPS TO BRING THESE KIDS ALONG.

AND I'M NOT TRYING TO, I MEAN, YOU WERE REALLY ARTICULATE AT SAYING, THIS IS A WONDERFUL CONCEPT, I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT CONCEPT, BUT I THINK WE REALLY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE RESOURCES THAT WE NEED TO MAKE IT WORK BEYOND THE CONCEPTUAL PIECE.

I WONDER WILL WE INCREASE STAFF, PEACHING STAFF, PEER STAFF OR WHATEVER, AND I ALSO ASK WILL WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING PRACTICES ALWAYS IN PLACE BUT I THINK THAT HAVEN'T BEEN CONTINUED TO BE AS IN PLACE SO THAT FAMILIES REALLY FIND OUT EARLY WHEN THEIR STUDENT NEEDS FOR INPUT TO KEEP UP.

>> YOU ARE CORRECT THAT ATTENDANCE OR ACADEMIC DATA IS NOT NEW.

BUT WHAT THIS DOES IS IT GIVES US (INAUDIBLE) >> .

(LOST AUDIO) >> IT GIVES US A FRAMEWORK TO IDENTIFY OTHER SUPPORTS AND INCREASING FTES, WHICH ARE STUDENT SUPPORT TEAMS ALREADY IN PLACE AND WE HAVE OUR MTS S AND WE HAVE IN THIS IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE MAKING THE

[02:20:14]

APPROPRIATE CONNECTIONS.

AND YOU KNOW, STAFF A PART OF BEING A TEACHER, AND I JUST HAVE TO SAY THIS, A PART OF BEING A TEACHER IS MAKING (INDISCERNIBLE) IDENTIFYING STUDENTS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING SOME TYPE OF TRAUMA, OR NOT HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE COME INTO YOUR CLASSROOM AND FIGURE THAT OUT FOR YOU.

RIGHT, THAT'S A PART OF YOUR ROLE, THAT'S A PART OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.

NOW, WHAT WE DO HAVE ARE ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS THESE TIER 1 SUPPORTS THAT YOU MAY HAVE IN PLACE, THE STUDENT IS STILL NOT REACTING FROM THAT OR NOT SEEING PROGRESS FROM THAT AND THEN YOU GO, I'M GOING TO NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, WHETHER IT'S I'M GOING TO NEED AN INSTRUCTIONAL COAC TO COME IN AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES THAT MAYBE I NEED TO LEARN IN MY CLASSROOM OR IMPLEMENT INTO MY CLASSROOM THAT CAN MEET CERTAIN STUDENT'S NEEDS.

OR GOING TO AN SST WHERE YOU HAVE AN COUNSELOR AND ADMINISTRATOR THERE PROVIDING GUIDANCE AND PUTTING REMEDIATION OR SUPPORTS IN PLACE FOR THAT STUDENT.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT, BECAUSE YOU'RE IMPLEMENTING YOU KNOW, A AN EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM, IT DOES NOT WARRANT ADDITIONAL FTES, IT DOES WARRANT MAKING CONNECTIONS TO ALL THE SUPPORT THAT IS WE HAVE IN PLACE AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE BEING UTILIZED AND IT HELPS STAFF AND TEACHERS UNDERSTAND WHEN I NEED TO GO BEYOND WHAT I COULD DO IN MY CLASSROOM AND THAT'S WHAT MTSS DOES ANYWAY.

OUR MULTITIERED SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND STUDENT SUPPORT TEAMS. AND I WANTED TO GET THAT IN THERE.

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT YOU KNOW, THIS HAS TO INCREASE FTES, FROM IMPLEMENTING SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

>> I JUST A FOLLOW UP, I WASN'T SUGGESTING THAT WE NEED THE ADDITIONAL RESOURCE PEOPLE, IT'S JUST BEEN MY EXPERIENCE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT THE

TEACHERS (INDISCERNIBLE) >> THEY KNOW THEIR ROLE AND THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR, AND IT'S TURNED OUT (INDISCERNIBLE) THE GROWN, IT HAS THE TEACHERS HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THAT KIND OF KEEPING TRACK TO THE DEGREE THAT THEY PROBABLY SHOULD.

AND SO, I'M SIMPLY SUGGESTING THAT TO SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IN ADDITION TO OTHER EXISTING SUPPORTS, I'M NOT SAYING WE NEED -- (INDISCERNIBLE) ASIDE FROM THAT, THE REAL, I THINK THE REAL SUCCESS HERE HINGES ON TEACHERS FEELING THEY HAVE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT THEY CAN HANDLE AND REALLY FULFILL THEIR ROLE AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER AND I THINK SOMETIMES WE FORGET AS CLASS SIZE GROWS PARTICULARLY IN HIGH SCHOOL THAT TEACHERS HAVE NOT BEEN KEEPING UP WITH THAT ROLE SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE NUMBERS, I'M JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE.

NOT TO BE CRITICAL, JUST TO BE THROWING IT OUT THERE AS ANOTHER PIECE OF THE PUZZLE, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

>> I USUALLY DON'T INTERJECT HERE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO PUT IN ONE THING ABOUT ALL OF THIS.

A BIG PART OF THIS ALSO IS A MINDSET SHIFT.

FOR ALL OF US INCLUDING OUR EDUCATORS.

IT'S VERY INTERESTING, WE JUST HAD OUR EQUITY MEETING AS A GROUP AND I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER THE TERMINOLOGY BUT IT WAS TELLING TO ME, THAT IN THE ASSESSMENT THAT WAS DONE, THE MINDSET OF MOST OF THE ADULTS DR. HUTCHINGS, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO

[02:25:04]

GIVE ME THE TERM, BUT IT'S AN INDICATOR OF FAIRNESS.

YOU KNOW, WELL, EVERYTHING (INDISCERNIBLE) EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM, IF YOU HAVE AM BUNCH OF PEOPLE, YOU COULD ADD 20 MORE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THAT MINDSET, IT'S STILL GOING TO BE UNSUCCESSFUL.

SO, I THINK THAT'S A HUGE PIECE OF THIS EQUITY WORK IT'S, THE BIGGER CHALLENGE IS NOT ADDING MORE PEOPLE, THE BIGGER CHALLENGE IS CHANGING PEOPLE'S MINDSETS.

>> MS. ALDERTON, MADAM CHAIR, I WAS GOING TO ADD, MINIMIZATION IS WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT.

>> AND I'M JUST ADDING TO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE GRADING POLICY WAS MENTIONED BY STUDENTS EARLIER.

FOR THAT.

AND I'VE BEEN SITTING IN ON SOME OF THAT DISCUSSION, THERE'S A MINDSET PROBLEM THAT LEADS TO ALL OF THESE THINGS.

AND SO, I JUST THINK IT IS INDICATIVE OF THE VAST AMOUNT OF WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO AND WE EVEN HAVE TO GET OUR OWN MINIMIZING MINDSETS.

TO MUSH THIS FORWARD.

SO, I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT IN THERE.

MS. ANDERSON, I'M SORRY.

>> I JUST WANDED TO SUGGEST, EARLY ACTION INDICATORS, THAT'S ALL.

IT'S THE INDICATOR OF WHEN WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION EARLIER.

>> DR. RIEF?

>> THANKS (INDISCERNIBLE).

YOU KNOW, HAVING A MORE CREATIVE THINKING ABOUT THAT TO FIND THE BEST THING, BUT, MY THAT'S ONE OF OUR STRATEGIC AREAS OF FOCUS.

AND IT'S JUST ANY PREVIOUS >> I BELIEVE IT'S IN MARCH WHERE YOU'LL GET INFORMATION ABOUT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.

>> WELL, THANK YOU EVERYONE, GREAT DISCUSSION, AGAIN THAT WAS INFO, SO PLEASE, YOU KNOW, SHARE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAV THROUGHOUT.

AND, THIS IS MY PART NEXT.

SO, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MYSELF.

>> AND IT IS PRETTY STRAIGHT FORWARD AND SIMPLE, BUT YOU HAVE A MEMO THAT HAS BEEN DRAFTED TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY AS WE HAVE EMBARKED ON THIS

[16. New School Board Advisory Committees—Spanish, Amharic and Arabic-Speaking Info Communities ]

JOURNEY FOR RACIAL EQUITY, AND I KNOW DR. HUTCHINGS HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH LEADERSHIP AND HE AND I HAVE TALKED AND EVEN I WOULD SAY SPENDING TIME ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, I REALIZED THAT WE HAVE TWO MAJOR COMMUNITY GROUPS WHO WE DO NOT REALLY HAVE A GOOD SOLID FORMALIZED RELATIONSHIP WITH.

AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BEING EQUITABLE AND MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE, WE REALLY NEED TO DO SOME WORK IN THIS AREA FOR OUR SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITIES AND OUR AMHARIC AND ARABIC SPEAKING COMMUNITIES.

WITH THAT SAID, WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED IS TO ADD TO OUR ADVISORY BOARDS, TWO

[02:30:03]

COMMITTEES WHO ARE FOCUSED ON BRINGING THAT VOICE TO OUR POLICY AND DECISION MAKING AS A BOARD.

THAT IS PRETTY STRAIGHT FORWARD AND SIMPLE, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?

>> MS. THORNTON?

>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, I THINK THIS IS SPOT ON.

WE ABSOLUTELY DO NEED TO HAVE BETTER COMMUNICATION WITH THESE COMMUNITIES.

I THINK MY QUESTION IS JUST IN LIGHT OF THE CURRENT AD HOC SCHOOL BOARD COMMITTEE THAT WE HAVE WHICH EVALUATES THE ROLE OF OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEES AND HOW WE CAN BETTER WORK WITH THEM.

AND ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HEAR IS THE ISSUE OF DIVERSITY AND REPRESENTATION ACROSS ALL OF OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEES.

SO, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE THINKING IN CREATING SEPARATE COMMITTEES FOR THESE GROUPS INSTEAD OF TRYING TO INCORPORATE MORE MEMBERS THROUGHOUT THE VARIOUS COMMITTEES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE AND WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS FOR THAT.

>> SO, I CAN JUMP IN AND DR. HUTCHINGS YOU COULD JUMP IN AS WELL.

FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I THINK THERE'S VALUE TO BOTH.

BECAUSE, I THINK IT'S ESSENTIAL, OBVIOUSLY FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES TO HAVE A VOICE ON ALL, THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO HAVE A VOICE AND FEED INTO ALL OF OUR COMMITTEES, HOWEVER, WHAT I STRUGGLE WITH AT TIMES IS THAT, OVEN THOSE OTHER COMMITTEE ARE DEALING WITH VERY SPECIFIC THINGS, SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION, CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION, AND WHAT I KIND OF FOUND WAS THAT PEOPLE REALLY AND THIS IS JUST AN OPINION, SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A FACT, BUT, I THINK IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE SOMETHING JUST FOCUSED ON HOW WE EVEN, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATE OUT TO THOSE COMMITTEES, WHAT IS THE BEST WAY, TO THOSE COMMUNITIES, WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO COME OUT AND TO REACH THOSE COMMUNITY .

THAT'S JUST MY TAKE.

AND IT COULD BE DIFFERENT.

>> MR. SUAREZ AND THEN DR. HUTCHINGS?

>> I'LL BE BRIEF.

TO, MS. THORNTON'S COMMENT AND I DEFINITELY WAPITI SAY THIS INITIATIVE WOULD BE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE FROM INCREASING THE REPRESENTATION ON THE OTHER COMMITTEES AND IN FACT, I THINK IT COULD CREATE AN EXCELLENT PIPELINE FOR PEOPLE IN THE VARIOUS OTHER COMMITTEES AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THAT AND BEING IN A DIVISION WHERE WE HAVE OVER 120 LANGUAGES SPOKEN, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO SET THE TONE AS A DIVISION TO HAVE THESE GROUPS AND OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD INSTITUTIONALIZE THESE TWO BUT IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THERE WERE MANY MORE OF THEM AND THIS COULD CREATE A CULTURE LIKE WE CALL ALL THE CULTURES IN OUR DIVISION AND WE HAVE THE DIFFERENT GROUPS FOSTERING MORE INCLUSIVITY IN ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT DIVISION.

>> DR. HUTCHINGS, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT AS WELL, ALSO, THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM MAY WANT TO CHIME IN AS WELL.

>> I WAS GOING TO MENTION, SPECIFICALLY OUR FACE TEAM WILL BE THERE, THEY'RE ALREADY DOING SOME EFFORTS IN OUTREACH IN REGARDS TO TRYING TO GET MANY OF OUR FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE NOT HAD A SEAT AT THE TABLE IN MANY CIRCUMSTANCES AND THERE'S A HUGE EFFORT IN THAT, THIS IS REALLY JUST SOMETHING THAT WILL COMPLIMENT THAT WORK AND WE'RE STILL GOING TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH OUR FACE TEAM, I REALLY THINK THAT OUR TEAM WILL HELP LEAD (INDISCERNIBLE)

SOME EFFORTS FROM THE STAFF'S (INDISCERNIBLE) > (INAUDIBLE) >> (LOST

AUDIO) >> LOST AUDIO) >> BOTH DR. HUTCHINGS AND I.

(INAUDIBLE) >> (INAUDIBLE), THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS BEING CONSIDERED.

THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS BEING CONSIDERED.

AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE AN ABLE TO INCREASE.

[02:35:04]

EXCITING ENDEAVOR AND IT REALLY SHOWS THE COMMITMENT AGAIN ABOUT OUR TRUE DEDICATIONS FOR ALL MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE HEARING ALL THE VOICES.

SO, I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERING THIS AND I THINK THIS WILL BE A GREAT ADDITION AND A GREAT WAY TO CAPTURE THOSE FOLKS.

>> MS. LORBER?

>> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO EXPRESS MY OWN EXCITEMENT ABOUT THIS INITIATIVE.

AND I WANTED TO BE SURE IT WAS BUILDING ON WHAT FACE IS DOING, BUT KNOWING THAT IT'S BEEN BUILDING ON THESE LAST THREE YEARS, SO THEY HAVE A STARTING PLACE AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE BOARD, I THINK AS SOMEONE

SAID, THIS COULD BE A TYPELINE TO GETTING MORE AND MORE OF OUR (INAUDIBLE) >> LANGUAGE LINE REVERSIBLE SO THAT A FAMILY CAN CALL IN ON A LANGUAGE LINE.

THESE ARE NOW TWO THINGS THAT I THINK ARE REALLY MAKING US UNIQUE AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM AND GOING TO HELP OUR COMMUNICATION TREMENDOUSLY.

SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER THAT WE WILL BE SHARING WITH THE BOARD IN THE COMING WEEKS THAT EXPAND ON THE EFFORTS TO REALLY JUST CREATE THAT BETTER TWO-WAY ENGAGEMENT WITH YOUR FAMILIES THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH US IN THEIR LANGUAGES JUST LIKE WE'LL BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH THEM AND WE HAVE A BOARD MEETING IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS THAT I THINK YOU'LL BE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.

GREAT, THANK YOU, EVERYONE.

SO, THAT'S FOR INFO AND ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS, SEND THEM ALONG PRIOR TO THE NEXT MEETING.

[18. Report from Meagan L. Alderton ]

>>> ALL RIGHT.

AND WE ARE TO THE CHAIR'S REPORT.

SO, JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS.

THE 50TH ANNUAL SCOTTISH PARADE WILL BE THIS SATURDAY.

IN OLD TOWN AND IT STARTS AT 11:00 A.M., AND I HOPE TO SEE MOST IF NOT ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES THERE DRESSED IN PLAID.

WE CAN HAVE A PLAID COMPETITION.

>> IS I KNOW MS. SCREEN WILL BE DYNAMITE.

>> DECEMBER 8TH WE HAVE OUR SPECIAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AND WE WILL HAVE A CLOSED SESSION QUICKLY FOR A CONTRACT, IT SHOULDN'T TAKE MUCH, BUT I JUST TALKED TO SUSAN AND DR. HUTCHINGS ABOUT ADDING THAT, THAT'S INFORMATION FOR THE BOARD.

WE ALSO WILL SO, WE DID NOT HAVE ANY ADD/DELETES FOR THE CIP, BUT WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE A QUICK PUBLIC MOMENT TO GIVE THE THUMB'S UP TO OUR FINANCIAL TEAM AND THEN WE'LL GO STEEP INTO OUR STATUTORY REVISIONS FOR THE EQUITY VOTE.

STATUTORY REVISIONS AND THEN OUR EQUITY POLICY AUDIT REVISIONS.

>> SO, THIS IS DEFINITELY (INDISCERNIBLE) >> SO DECEMBER 14TH, 2021, ADD/DELETE WILL PROBABLY BE CANCELLED, SHOULD BE CANCELLED.

SO, THAT WILL NOT.

I SEE THUMB'S UP AROUND.

>> SO THAT WILL NOT BE HAPPENING.

AND DECEMBER 16TH, THAT SHOULD BE OUR LAST MEETING BEFORE WE GO ON OUR EXTENDED HOLIDAY.

SO, WE SHOULD HOPE TO ADOPT OUR CIP BUDGET AT THAT MEETING, APPROVE THE CALENDARS AND OUR PROGRAM OF STUDIES.

SUPERINTENDENT, DO YOU HAVE A REPORT, SIR?

[19. Report from Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr. ]

>> I JUST HAVE TWO ITEM THAT IS I WANT TO SHARE.

FIRST I WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO THE STAFF AND MORE THAN 80 VOLUNTEERS WHO WORKED TO MAKE SURE THAT 10,000 MEALS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO 2,000 ACPS STUDENTS LAST WEEK WHEN WE WERE CLOSED FOR THANKSGIVING.

HUGE.

HUGE DEAL.

I'M SO PROUD OF OUR OFFICE OF SCHOOL AND NUTRITION SERVICES FOR THE REMARKABLE

[02:40:03]

JOB THAT THEY DO EVERYDAY PROVIDING OUR STUDENTS WITH BREAKFAST AND LUNCH AND WORKING WITH SOME OF OUR PARTNERS LIKE OUR SENIOR SERVICES OF ALEXANDRIA.

(INAUDIBLE).

>> STARTING TOMORROW GOING OUT (INAUDIBLE) >> (LOST AUDIO) >> SIGN UPS FOR.

(INAUDIBLE) >> MAKE SURE KEEP DOING IT BECAUSE WE WANT TO KEEP (INAUDIBLE)

>> LAUNCHED A NEW LEARNING RESOURCES WEB PAGE OVER THE THANKSGIVING BREAK AND IT WILL BE UPDATED AND AVAILABLE FOR ALL MAJOR SCHOOL BREAKS INCLUDING OUR WINTER BREAK COMING UP.

IT'S CALLED LEARNING DURING BREAKS, IT'S A WEB PANEL THAT'S USEFUL FOR FAMILIES LOOKING FOR AT-HOME, EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES TO HELP THE KIDS TO STAY FOCUSED ON LEARNING DURING THIS TIME.

SOMETIMES IT'S DIFFICULT, FOR FAMILIES TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE KIDS ARE GOING TO DO SO THEY'RE NOT STAYING ON THE ELECTRONICS THE WHOLE TIME.

YOU COULD GET THEM TO BE LEARNING THAT CAN BE FUN.

SO, I WANTED TO SHARE THOSE TWO RESOURCES AS WELL.

THAT CONCLUDES MY ANNOUNCEMENTS.

>> THANK YOU, DR. HUTCHINGS.

DO WE HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS?

[20. Announcements ]

>> MS. GREENE?

>> THANK YOU, CHAIR ALDERTON.

THERE'S A NON-PROFIT THAT I'M FOND OF CALLED QUEST BRIDGE AND I'M FOND EMTHEM BECAUSE THEY GIVE SCHOLARSHIPS TO LOW-INCOME STUDENTS, THE BRIGHTEST SCHOLARS AND STARS IN OUR COUNTRY.

AND WE'RE FORTUNATE IN ACPS, THAT ONE OF OUR STUDENTS RECEIVED THIS QUEST BRIDGE SCHOLARSHIP THIS YEAR, IT'S JUST ABOUT LIKE $300,000, IT'S NOT JUST FOR ACADEMIC, THEY COVER EVERYTHING.

EVEN YOU KNOW, THE FLIGHT (INAUDIBLE) ACPS, AND I HOPE THAT MORE (INAUDIBLE) OF

THOSE SCHOLARSHIPS WILL COME (INAUDIBLE) >> (LOST AUDIO) >> CAREER CERTAINTY, I STARTED WORKING WITH THEM.

(INAUDIBLE) >> TO THIS DAY.

VOLUNTEERING WITH (INAUDIBLE) >> MS. MORRIS WHO HEADS THAT (INAUDIBLE) AND HE MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN A $300,000 SCHOLARSHIP TO GO TO COLLEGE IN MAINE.

SO, JUST A SHOUT OUT TO ALL THAT THEY DO IN THE COLLEGE AND CAREER CERTAINTY AND YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT EVERYONE DOES TO MAKE SURE OUR STUDENTS SUCCEED PAST HIGH SCHOOL, SO, THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, AT THIS POINT, I NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

WONDERFUL NEWS.

>> MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE ADJOURN.