>> I'M GOING TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
[1. Meeting Called to Order by Chair Alderton]
[00:00:06]
IT'S MAY 26, 2022.WELCOME TO THE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING.
SO WE'LL QUICKLY DO A ROLE CALL VOTE AT THIS TIME.
WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME JUST INDICATE THAT YOU ARE PRESENT.
TO START OFF THIS MEETING TODAY, WE ARE GOING TO OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
[2. Observe a Moment of Silence]
BUT I WANT TO SHARE SOME REMARKS BEFORE WE DO.IRTHINK EVERYONE -- I THINK EVERYONE IS AWARE, IF YOU ARE NOT AWARE OUR COMMUNITY SUFFERED -- A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT LOSS ON MAY 24.
THAT'S WITH THE PASSING OF ONE OF OUR TITAN STUDENTS FROM THE CLASS OF 2022.
I JUST WANT TO ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND ON BEHALF OF ACPS LEADERSHIP EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY.
WE ALSO EXTEND OUR SIMPLE THINKS TO LOUIS' FRIENDS, TO THE STAFF WHO WORKED WITH HIM AND REALLY OUR ENTIRE TITAN COMMUNITY.
I THINK WE'RE ALL VERY STUNNED AND GRIEVING REGARDING THIS -- LOSS.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT LOSE HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY.
HE REALLY WORKED CLOSELY WITH HIS TEACHERS TO MAKE SURE THAT HE MET HIS GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS.
HE WAS VERY DILIGENT ABOUT THAT.
AND HE WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT TAKING PART IN THE UPCOMING COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY.
HIS GOAL WAS TO MOVE ON AND WORK IN MECHANICS AND CONSTRUCTION.
SO UNFORTUNATELY WE KNOW THAT THAT IS NOT WHAT'S GOING TO BE BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE HIS LIFE.
HE WILL ALWAYS BE A TITAN, ALWAYS BE A PART OF OUR ACPS FAMILY.
I THINK THAT WE ARE ALSO, WE'RE MOURNING A LOT AS WE'RE MOURNING LUIZ HERE IN ALEXANDRIA, I THINK WE HAVE TO TAKE TIME EXTEND OUR THOUGHTS TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE TRAGEDY IN TEXAS, ESPECIALLY THE COMMUNITY AND THE LOVED ONES OF THE 19 CHILDREN AND TWO EDUCATORS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES.
WHAT I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, EVEN THINGS THAT HAPPEN FAR AWAY FROM US IMPACT US HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS HAS BEEN A CHALLENGING WEEK FOR OUR FAMILIES.
EVERYDAY YOU SEND YOUR SID OFF TO -- KID OFF TO SCHOOL, IF YOU ARE A PARENT, AND I DON'T THINK MANY OF US, IF ANY OF US, EXPECT FOR OUR CHILDREN NOT TO RETURN HOME FROM SCHOOL THAT DAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, MAY 24 WAS A REALLY HARD DAY.
I'M NOT SURE THE FOLLOWING DAYS HAVE FELT MUCH ANY BETTER.
I DO THINK IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE AS A BOARD AND AS A SCHOOL DIVISION, WE CONTINUE TO ASSURE OUR FAMILIES THAT THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS IS OF UTMOST PRIORITY.
I HAVE WATCHED OUR SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM REALLY WORK TIRELESSLY OVER THESE PAST FEW DAYS.
THEY ALWAYS WORK TIRELESSLY BUT I THINK IT HAS BEEN PRETTY NONSTOP OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT OUR STUDENTS FEEL SAFE IN OUR SCHOOLS.
THIS IS BOTH THEIR PHYSICAL SAFETY AND THEIR MENTAL SAFETY.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IS WELL KNOWN FOR THE COMMUNITY.
FOR THOSE WHO I'M SURE MOST PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE.
NEXT WEEK THIS BOARD WILL REAFFIRM ITS COMMITMENT TO GUN SAFETY.
ON JUNE 2, YOU'LL SEE ALL OF US WEARING ORANGE ALONG WITH OUR STAFF AND ANYONE WHO COMES TO THE BOARD MEETING IS WELCOME TO WEAR ORANGE ON THAT DAY.
IF YOU ARE SITTING ON ZOOM AND YOU WANT TO SIT IN SOLIDARITY YOU, TOO, ARE
[00:05:01]
WELCOME TO WEAR ORANGE.AT THAT TIME, WE WILL ADOPT A REVISED RESOLUTION TO REAFFIRM THAT GUN SAFETY IS A PRIORITY FOR US BECAUSE OUR CHILDREN'S SAFETY IS A PRIORITY.
SO LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I JUST TODAY ASK THAT WE USE THIS MOMENT OF SILENCE TO HOLD SPACE IN OUR HEARTS FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY SUCH A TRAGIC WEEK.
I THINK IF I ALSO WANT TO GUST THROW IN SORT OF MY OWN ASK, AND I THINK WE'RE IN SOME REALLY HARD TIMES AT THE MOMENT.
I JUST ASK THAT, LET US PUT ASIDE JUDGMENT.
LET US CAST ASIDE BLAME, AND OUR WORLD IS CLEARLY HURTING.
SO LET US JUST CHOOSE LOVE AND CHOOSE TO RISE ABOVE.
[3. Adopt the Agenda for the May 26, 2022 Special Called School Board Meeting]
AT THIS TIME, I DO NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.I HAVE MR. HARRIS, I NEED ONE MOTION.
I'VE MISS LOOSE WE'LL DO A ROLE CALL.
SO THE AGENDA HAS BEEN APPROVED.
I NOW NEED A MOTION TO ALLOW DR. ASHLEY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING ELECTRONICALLY.
>> MADAM CHAIR, WHEREAS BOARD MEMBER HAS NOTIFIED THE BOARD SHE IS UNAVAILABLE
[4. Allow Participation of Board Member Ashley Simpson Baird by Electronic Means]
TO BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT FOR TODAY'S SPECIAL CALL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING DUE IT A PERSONAL MATTER PERSONAL PERSONAL TRAVEL AND WHERE SHE HAS NOT PARTICIPATED IN MORE THAN 2 OR 25% OF SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS ELECTRONICALLY AND WHERE AS ASHLEY REQUESTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A SPECIAL CALL MEETING BY VIDEO CONFERENCE CALL FROM FLORIDA WHERE THE CALL SHALL BE HEARD BY ALL PARTICIPANTS IN THE BOARD ROOM AND WHEREAS THE QUORUM OF THE SCHOOL BOARD IS PHYSICALLY ASSEMBLED IN THE BOARD ROOM.THEREFORE I MOVE PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 2.2 THAT THE BOARD APPROVE THE PARTICIPATION OF ASHLEY IN THIS MEETING BY VIDEO CONFERENCE CALL.
I'VE DR. RIEF SECOND MISS GREENE'S MOTION.
SO DR. SIMPSON BEARD IS ALLOWED TO JOIN US THROUGH ZOOM.
SO I NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
>> I'VE MR. BAILEY WHO SECONDS DR. RIEF'S MOTION.
I'LL DO A ROLL CALL VOTE AND DR. SIMPSONBEARD, YOU CAN VOTE THIS TIME.
THE MEETING IS
ADJOURNED AT 6:53 P.M.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.