[00:00:02] >> WE'LL QUICKLY OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE... [1. Meeting Called to Order by Chair Alderton] -- THANK YOU, EVERYONE. I NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. >> MADAM CHAIR, WILL YOU ADOPT THE AGENDA FOR OCTOBER 20TH, 2022. [3. Adopt the Agenda for the October 20, 2022 School Board Meeting] >> I SECOND THAT. THE MOTION... >> OKAY. MOTION CARRIES, AND WE CAN MOVE ON TO COMMUNICATIONS AND ADDRESSES TO THE BOARD. SO -- ZARA'S NOT HERE TODAY, CORRECT? SHE'S ON -- SHE'S ON ZOOM, OKAY. BUT THAT'S OUT OF ORDER, YEAH. SO I'M GONNA GO BY THE ORDER I HAVE IN FRONT OF ME. SO WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO SIMPLY THE BEST, AND SO WE WILL HEAR FROM OUR WONDERFUL STUDENTS AT CHARLES BARRETT ELEMENTARY [4. "Simply the Best" School Spotlight: Charles Barrett Elementary School] SCHOOL ¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ FIRST, I WANT TO SAY GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING TO ALL OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, DR. WYATT'S FAMILY AND I'M HONORED TO BE THE PRINCIPAL AT CHARLES BARRETT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND HONORED TO BE HERE THIS EVENING WITH ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, MARCELLA, OUR SCHOOL COUNSELOR, SUSAN PRICE, OUR FIFTH GRADE STUDENT AMBASSADORS AND REPRESENTATIVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. CAN WE GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. AND OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES ARE THE ONES WHO ARE GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU ABOUT OUR AMAZING SCHOOL COMMUNITY, AND SO I CALL UP AMENA AND MATTHEW TO GET US STARTED TO EXPLAIN WHAT YOU JUST SAW. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. DR. KAYI AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. [00:05:03] MY NAME IS AMENA MORENA, I'M A FIFTH GRADE STUDENT AT AMBASSADOR CHARLES BARRETT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. YOU JUST WITNESSED THE SIGNING OF THE CONTRACT, WHICH IS A PART OF THE ACTOR'S TOOL BOX SEDA STRATEGY, CHANGING EDUCATION THROUGH THE ARTS, CHARLES BARRETT IS A CEDA SCHOOL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE KENNEDY CENTER AND IT IS THE HEART OF OUR SCHOOL IDENTITY. SIGNING THE CONTRACT HELPS US FOCUS, COOPERATE AND MAKE STRONG CHOICES, IT SIGNALS THAT WE ARE IN CONTROL OF OUR BODIES, OUR VOICES, OUR THOUGHTS AND THAT WE ARE WILLING AND ABLE TO COOPERATE AND COLLABORATE. IT IS USED IN EVERY CLASSROOM, EVERY DAY MULTIPLE TIMES PER DAY. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MATTHEW AND I'M A FIFTH GRADE STUDENT AMBASSADOR AT CHARLES BARRETT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. CEDA -- AND MAKES LEARNING ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERY TYPE OF LEARNING AT OUR SCHOOL. WE CAN SHOUT OUT A CONCEPT THAT NO ONE ELSE UNDERSTANDS AND READ AN ILLUSTRATION, WE CAN CREATE POETRY USING A SIX WEB STORY TO SHARE OUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT A TOPIC OR CONCEPT. WE ALSO GET TO GO TO THE KENNEDY TO SEE PERFORM ASS AS WELL AS HAVING THE KENNEDY CENTER COME TO US FOR, A CENTRAL PRESENTATIONS. CLASSES FOR OUR TEACHERS AND DEMONSTRATION LESSONS. AND NOW I INVITE PAUL. >> THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. MY NAME IS PAUL WILBER AND I'M A FIFTH-GRADER AT CHARLES BARRETT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. LIKE CEDA CHARLES BARRETT'S SUPPORT IS AT THE HEART OF OUR SCHOOL. PVIS IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR PEP SCHOOL CULTURE. PVIS BRINGS SOCIALRY EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE THAT ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND SCHOOL REQUIRE. WE HAVE FOUR EXPECTATIONS SCHOOL WIDE AND IN EACH OF OUR CLASS RULES. THESE KIND OF WORDS AND AS TO ACTIVELY LISTEN AND TAKE CARE OF OUR SCHOOL. A TEACHER STUDENT SUPPORT TEAM AND ADMINISTRATORS WOULD EXAMINE OUR SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL NEEDS TO HELP US GROW. THESE ASSEMBLIES COVER SERIOUS TOPICS LIKE KEEPING EVERYONE SAFE AT RECESS BUT OFFERING A INTERACTIVE DISCUSSION. ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL'S HELPERS. WE -- WHEN WE EARN ENOUGH WE CAN CASH THEM IN FOR PRIZE AT THE BAR TAIL AND USE THEM TO PARTICIPATE AT PVIS PARTIES. PVIS IS HOW WE TAKE CARE OF -- CELEBRATE ONE ANOTHER AND SPREAD KINDNESS TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. I NOW INVITE CHARLIE TO TALK ABOUT OUR SCHOOL -- OUR SCHOOL -- >> THANK YOU, PAUL. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MICHELLE BENJAMIN. I'M A FIFTH GRADE STUDENT AT BAXTER CHARLES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON BEING A WELCOMING SCHOOL AND AT CHARLES BARRETT AND ACPS, ALSO PART OF OUR SCHOOL DIVISION EQUITY MISSION. EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN OUR SCHOOL STRIVES TO MAKE ALL AT CHARLES BARRETT FEEL WELCOME AND ACCEPTED. THIS IS THE MAIN JOB OF MY FELLOW AMBASSADORS AND ME. WE ARE NEEDED IN OUR SCHOOL AND IT'S OUR MISSION TO WELCOME AND ENGAGE ALL WHO ENTER OUR SCHOOL. ONE OF OUR JOBS IS TO GIVE TOURS TO NEW STUDENTS SO THAT THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE IN THEIR NEW SURROUNDINGS. WE WILL INTRODUCE THEM TO THE ADMINISTRATION, THE OFFICE, THE SCHOOL SUPPORT TEAM, THE OFFICE STAFF AND OTHER SCHOOL HELPERS YOU MAY SEE ALONG THE WAY. THEY EXPLAIN THE SCHOOL'S EXPECTATIONS AND HOW THEY HELP SHAPE THE FORTUNE OF OUR SCHOOL ALONG WITH CEDA AND PVIS. WE ARE ROLE MODELS AND KNOW OUR VOICES ARE IMPORTANT. I CAN SPEAK FOR ALL THE STUDENT AMBASSADORS SEASON TONIGHT WHEN I SAY WE WELCOME YOU TO COME AND SEE OUR EFFORTS EVERY DAY. WE'LL EVEN GIVE YOU A SWEATER. >> GOOD EVENING. I'M MARCELLA AHERN, I'M THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT CHARLES BARRETT. THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION. I WANTED TO INTRODUCE OUR OTHER STUDENT AMBASSADORS WHO ARE HERE. [00:10:01] WE HAVE YVONNA, THEN DYLIN... LUCY. SHELLEY -- NOT SHELLEY, SORRY. LAYLA. COLNAE AND VIVIAN. AND WE WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THEM, BUT THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE. THAT WAS GREAT. OKAY. [5. Strategic Plan Video Vignette] WE DO HAVE A VIDEO VIGNETTE THAT WE'RE GOING TO I GUESS DEBUT THIS EVENING. SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO DEVELOP SOME SMALL VIDEO VIGNETTES TO JUST SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND OUR STRENGTHIC PLANNING PROCESS AND WHAT WE DO IN-HOUSE THAT SORT OF SPILLS OVER TO WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY. SO WITH THAT SAID, CHRISSY, INTRODUCTION TO VIDEO NUMBER 2, WHICH IS ALL ABOUT THE BUDGET. >> ENSURING THAT EACH STUDENT CAN SUCCEED. INSTRUCTIONAL OPERATIONAL WORK AT ACPS, EVERYONE HAS A ROLE TO PLAY AND STUDENT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE MAKING SURE OUR STUDENTS HAVE COUNSELORS AND SOCIAL WORKERS AND THAT WE HAVE BUSES AND DRIVERS WHO CAN TRANSPORT STUDENTS AND THE FUTURES ARE CLEAN AND WELL-MAINTAINED. THE SECURITY MEASURES KEEPS STAFF AND STUDENTS SAFE AND THE TEACHERS HAVE INSTRUCTIONAL AIDES AND OUR CLASSROOMS HAVE SUFFICIENT SUPPLIES. WE USE OUR STRATEGIC PLAN BASICALLY TO GUIDE OUR BUDGET DECISIONS. THE BUDGET PROCESS IS A YEAR-LONG UNDERTAKING THAT CONSISTS OF EXTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS AND COLLABORATIONS WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT, YOUR LEADERSHIP, ACPS STAFF, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY. IT IS BASED ON THE EDUCATIONAL AND OPERATIONAL NEEDS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE FUNDING THAT IS AVAILABLE. ADOPTING OUR ANNUAL BUDGET IS ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FUNCTIONS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. AT BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, ARE THE SCHOOL BOARD USES DATA AND LEARNING TO ESTABLISH BUDGET PRIORITIES FOR THE FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR. THESE PRIORS PROVIDE GUIDANCE IN A BROAD AREA OF FOCUS FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF DEVELOPING THE BUDGET FOR THE NEXT YEAR. THE ACS SCHOOL DIVISION IS FUNDED IN TWO PARTS. FUNDS CUT OF OF THREE SEPARATE FUNDS, OPERATING, GRANT AND SPECIAL PROJECTS AND SCHOOL NUTRITION. OVER 88% OF EXPENDITURES IN THE OPERATING BUDGET ARE SALARIES AND BENEFITS WITH THE REMAINDER OF EXISTING COMPENSATION COSTS. 82% OF THE ACS PRAYING BUDGET IS FUNDED PRIMARILY BY THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA, 17% COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA AND LESS THAN 1% OF OTHER LOCAL AND FEDERAL PROGRAMS. THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, CIP, BUDGET IMPROVES FUNDING FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS LIKE ROOF REPLACEMENTS, HVAC REPLACEMENTS. SCHOOL BUILDINGS, MODERNIZATION PROJECTS AND EVEN -- THE SUPERINTENDENT PROPOSES THE CIP BUDGET AND THE BOARD THEN REVIEW IT IS AND CONSIDERS ALL OF THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE INCLUDING COMMENTS MADE AT PUBLIC HEARINGS. THE SCHOOL BOARD THEN APPROVES THE CIP BUDGET IN DECEMBER. THE SUPERINTENDENT ALSO PROPOSES HOW TO FIND THE BUDGET FOR JANUARY. THE BOARD THEN REVIEWS AND BALANCES THE BUDGET IN FEBRUARY. FINALLY IN JUNE, AFTER THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVES THEIR BUDGET AND FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS ARE MADE, THE SCHOOL BOARD ADOPTS THE FINAL COMBINED FUNDS AND CIP FUNDS. THE SCHOOL BOARD HOST BUDGETARY MEETINGS FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS LIKE YOU TO GET INVOLVED IN THE BUDGET PROCESS AND OFFER SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS. THE JOB OF THE SCHOOL BOARD ALONG WITH THE WORK AND INPUT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT SENIOR LEADERSHIP, PCS STAFF, PARENTS AND FAMILIES IS TO PREPARE, PLAN, MONITOR AND CONTINUOUSLY EVALUATE TO ENSURE THAT THE DECISIONS WE MAKE ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR CORE [00:15:01] VALUES. BUDGETS ALWAYS PRESENT US WITH CHALLENGING DECISIONS. BUT THE DECISIONS WE REACH COLLABORATIVELY WITH OUR SCHOOL STAKEHOLDER REFLECT OUR EFFORTS TO DRIVE THE RESOURCES TO WHERE THEY FEED TO BE, IT CONSTANTLY IMPACTS OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR ABILITY TO SUCCEED AND ALSO ADDRESS LEARNING BARRIERS. AS WE CONTINUE TO REIMAGINE AND RECOVER FROM THE GLOBAL COVID-19 PANDEMIC IT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THE STRATEGIC RESOURCES, EMPOWERING ALL STUDENTS WITH AN EVER-CHANGING WORLD. . APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU, MR. OMBE FOR BEING -- I GUESS TECHNICALLY YOU'RE THE SECOND VICTIM. MS. BUSE I BELIEVE IS NEXT. SO -- BUT LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THIS NICE LITTLE SERIES AVAILABLE. I THINK IT'S GREAT. I'M EXCITE ABOUT IT. >> IT'S WONDERFUL. >> SO WITH THAT SAID, I WILL MOVE ON TO OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS. [6. Public Comments] SO JUST A REMINDER FOR OUR SPEAKERS, YOU'RE GIVEN 3 MINUTES TO DELIVER YOUR ADDRESSES TO THE BOARD. YOUR TIMED BY THE CLERK, AND ONCE THE 3 MINUTES IS UP, YOU WILL BE MADE AWARE THAT THAT TIME HAS RUN OUT. AND JUST A REMINDER THAT THE BOARD DOES NOT RESPOND TO PUBLIC COMMENT. HOWEVER, ANYONE CAN ALWAYS FOLLOW UP IF THEY HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. AND IF YOU'RE ON ZOOM AND YOU'RE COMMENTING, JUST MAKE SURE TO RAISE YOUR SAND HAS THAT THE CLERK CAN SEE YOU. SO WITH THAT SAID -- >> CAN I START? ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I'M ZOOD IN ON THE OCTOBER 6TH SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. I HAVE A FEW IMHENTS THAT. TO BEGIN ON A PEP NOTE, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR ADVANCING THE RESOLUTION TO REDUCE SPEED LIMITS IN SCHOOL ZONES TO THE CITY COUNCIL. AS ONE WHO LIVES ON A BUSY STREET I CAN ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT DURING THE PANDEMIC DRIVERS STARTED SPEEDING UP THE ROAD EVEN MORE KNOWING THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO WATCH OUT FOR THE SCHOOL CHILDREN. THE FACT THAT STUDENTS ARE FINALLY REPORTING BACK TO THE CLASSROOM HAS DONE NOTHING TO CHANGE THAT. HOWEVER, HOPEFULLY THE LOWER SPEED LIMITS AND SPEED CAMERAS WILL. WE ALSO LIKE TO THANK BOARD MEMBER DR. REEF FOR ACKNOWLEDGING AT LAST MEETING THAT PARENTS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT STAKEHOLDERS WHEN IT COMES TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL NEEDS'S ASSESSMENTS. LIKEWISE, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK A MEMBER OF MS.ING NASSIO FOR PURSUING A LINE OF INQUIRY ON THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP DIFFERENCES OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS WITHIN TWO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. I ENCOURAGE HER TO CONTINUE TO ASK THE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS THAT MUST BE ASKED IF ALEXANDRIA IS TO TRULY ELIMINATE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND NOW OF COURSE THE OTHER SHE DROPS. I FINISH ON A MORE SOMBER NOTE. TOWARD THE END OF THE LAST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING SOME OF THE MEMBERS VOICED THEIR APPRECIATION FOR THE HARD WORK THAT SCHOOL STAFF HAD BEEN DOING. THAT THE CHAIR -- DECLARED THAT THE STAFF WAS CLEARLY, QUOTE, FULFILLING THE MISSION AND VILINGS, END QUOTE. CONSIDERING, IT HAD BEEN REVEALED THAT SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS, ONE OF THEM BEING ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL, HAD BEEN ACCREDITED AT LEVEL 2, THAT IS ADECREED, QUOTE, WITH CONDITIONS. I FOUND THIS OFF-PUTTING. IT REVEALED TO THOSE WHO HAD KNOWN BEFORE AND CONFIRMED TO ME AND MANY OTHERS THAT THE MISSION DOES NOT INCLUDE IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED TO STUDENTS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. OTHERWISE, MORE MEMBERS WOULD HAVE ADMITTED THAT THERE WAS STILL WORK TO BE DONE AND RECOMMITTED THEMSELVES TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION FOR OUR CITIES TO BURST A DESERVING STUDENT BODY. AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU, AND GOOD NIGHT. >> THANK YOU. >> NEXT UP, J PATTERSON. [00:20:02] >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I'M DR. PATTERSON, THE PTA PRESIDENT FOR PATRICK-RY. WE'D LIKE TO THANK THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE SUPERINTENDENT TO LISTENING TO OUR URGENT MESSAGE BESIDE OVERCROWDING. WE APPRECIATE ALSO DR. FINNEY FOR ATTENDING OUR PTA MEETINGS TO DISCUSS OVERCAPACITY INS AND FOR ACPS TO OFFER TO SUPPLY ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE UNDERSTAND THE SHORT TERM MEASURE IS TRYING TO ASSIST OUR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, HOWEVER, WHAT ACPS NEEDS IN THE LONG TERM, ESPECIALLY AT PATRICK HENRY, A TITLE 1 SCHOOL, AND SAMUEL TUCKER, ARE SMALLER CLASS SIZES. SMALLER CLASS SIZE ALSO HAVE A GREATER IMPACT ON OUR STUDENTS AT A FASTER RATE THAN LARGER CLASS SIZES WITH THE ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT. AND WE KNOW THOSE SMALLER LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR OUR STUDENTS TO SUCCEED. SMALLER CLASS SIZES PROVIDE STUDENTS'S INDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION AND INTERACTIONS WITH THE TEACHER, LESS DESCRABSES FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON TEACHING AND LEARNING. INCREASE PARTICIPATION IN CLASS AND BETTER PERFORMANCE AND HIGHER GRADES FOR OUR STUDENTS. UNFORTUNATELY, PATRICK HENRY AND TUCKER STUDENTS IMPACTED BY THESE EXCEPTIONALLY LARGE CLASS SIZES WILL NOT HAVE THESE OPPORTUNITIES. AND WHERE OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT GET THIS BE OPPORTUNITY. AND WE FEEL THIS IS NOT EQUITY. HOW WILL YOU GET OUR SCHOOLS TO SMALLER CLASS SIZES? PATRICK HENRY AND STANLEY TUCKER FAMILIES AND TEACHERS WANT TO YOU THINK ABOUT THE OVERARCHING PROBLEM AND COMMUNICATE HOW WE CAN SUCCESSFULRY GET TO SMALL CLASS SIGH. WE WANT TO WORK TOGETHER TOWARDS A SOLUTION, TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND RETAIN OUR TEACHERS. SMALL CLASS SIZES SHOULD BE A CORE FUNDAMENTAL PART OF THE ACPS STRATEGIC PLAN. IN THE SHORT TERM THERE'S BEEN NO INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED TO OUR OVERCROWDED CLASSROOMS AS PROMISED. AT PATRICK HENRY OUR FIRST AID CLASSES ARE REACHING THE CODE OF VIRGINIA SIZE. ALL FIVE CLASSES ARE 29 TO 30 STUDENTS PER CLASS. AT TUCKER THE KINDERGARTEN CLASSES CONTINUE TO RECEIVE STUDENTS. IN ALL CLASS SIZES HAVE 26 OR 27 STUDENTS. IN THIRD GRADE CLASS, HAVE 29 STUDENTS. EVERY DAY OUR CHILDREN ARE LOSING THEIR ABILITY TO LEARN AND OUR TEACHERS ARE LOSING THEIR ABILITY TO TEACH. WE KNOW YOUR HELP AND WE KNOW YOUR SUPPORT AND WE KNOW ACTION NOW. WE REQUEST THE FOLLOWING. PUBLISHED DISTRICT WIDE SCHOOLEN ROLEMENT NUMBERS AND CLASS SIZES, SO FAMILIES CAN UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION AND WORK WITH ECPS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. IN THE SHORT TERM, WHAT IS YOUR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT TO THESE OVERCROWDED CLASSED ROOMS? WHAT IS THE INTERIM SHORT TERM SOLUTION WHILE THE INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORTS ARE BEING HIRED. WE KNOW HIRING IS AN ISSUE RIGHT NOW. WE KNOW HELP NOW, AND THERE'S LEARNING LOSS EVERY DAY. LONG TERM, WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO IMPLEMENT SMALLER CLASS SIZES ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND MAKE IT EQUITABLE AT EACH SCHOOL, AND LASTLY WHEN WILL REDISTRICTING HAPPEN AND HOW CAN OUR PTAS BE INVOLVED. WE KNOW TO RE-ZONE OUR SCHOOLS TO ACHIEVE SMALLER CLASS SIZES. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> OKAY. NEXT UP, WE'RE MOVING TO PUN COMMENTS VIA ZOOM. THE FIRST ON THE LIST IS STEVENSON WALSH. >> I DON'T THINK WE CAN HEAR HIM...  . >> GOOD EVENING. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? >> YES. KAY, THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS HOCKLY WALSH, I'M A 10-YEAR RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA AND HAVE TWO CHILDREN IN TUCKER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I FIND IT INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING THAT THESE PUBLIC COMMENT SESSIONS ARE BECOMING AN ECHO CHAMBER WHERE THE SAME CONCERNS AND REQUESTS ARE REPEATED AGAIN AND AGAIN BECAUSE THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY TRANSPARENCY AS TO WHAT'S BEING DONE TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS. SO HERE I AM ADDING MY VOICE TO THAT NARRATIVE THAT YOU HEARD LAST MONTH AND THE MONTH BEFORE BECAUSE THAT NARRATIVE HAS NOT BEEN MET WITH THE RESPONSE AND THINGS THAT IT DESERVES, AND THAT BEING THE OVERCROWDING IN THE SCHOOLS ON THE WEST END. PARENTS AND PTA MEMBERS AT BOTH SAM TUCKER AND PATRICK HENRY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS HAVE OUTLINED THEIR CONCERNS TO YOU OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS AND QUITE CONCISELY IN THEIR LETTERS, WRITTEN STATEMENTS AND ORAL PRESENTATIONS. I KNOW I ONLY HAVE A FEW MINUTES SO I WANT TO GET ONE POINT QUITE FIRMLY BECAUSE I THINK IT YOINLD SCORES EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, AND THAT IS SPECIFICALLY THE CLASSROOM SIZE NUMBERS. [00:25:03] I KNOW THERE ARE MANY OF YOU ON THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHAT THESE NUMBERS SHOW BECAUSE WE CAN'T ADDRESS HOW TO FIX A PROBLEM WITHOUT KNOWING THE PROBLEM. IN TALKING TO PARENTS AND TEACHERS AT SAM TUCKER AS OF THIS WEEK, THE FIVE KINDERGARTEN CLASSES WITHIN SAMUEL TUCKER EACH HAVE 28 STUDENTS. 28 STUDENTS. YET KINDERGARTEN CLASSES AT OTHER SCHOOLS SUCH AS RAMSEY HAVE BETWEEN 14 TO 18 STUDENTS PER ROOM. THAT'S ALMOST DOUBLE THE STUDENTS IN A SINGLE ROOM AND THERE'S AN EMPTY KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM IN SAM TUCKER THAT SITS VACANT AND UNSTAFFED. THIS IS NOT EQUITY FOR ALL. THE FY-2022 WASHINGTON AREA BOARDS OF EDUCATION GUIDE CITES THE TEACHER STAFFING RATIO FOR ALEXANDRIA CITY TO BE 22 STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN CLASSES. THE RATIO IS 24 STUDENTS FOR GRADES 1 AND 2, AND 26 FOR GRADES 3, 4, AND 5. WE ARE WELL PAST THOSE NUMBERS. MY SON'S THIRD GRADE CLASSROOM ALONE IS AT 31.  DOCTOR, THERE HAVE BEEN REQUESTS FOR CLASSROOM NUMBERS DIRECTED TO YOU AND YOUR OFFICE FOR TWO MONTHS THOUSAND. THOSE REQUESTS HAVE GONE EITHER UNANSWERED OR DISMISSED BECAUSE NUMBERS ARE, QUOTE, FLUID. LET'S FREEZE THE CLOCK AND USE TODAY AS A BASELINE FOR COMPARISON SO THAT EVERYONE HAD THIS ROOM HAS BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING AS OF NOVEMBER 1ST YOUR OFFICE -- CENTRAL OFFICE IS REQUIRED BY THE COMMONWEALTH VIRGINIA TO REPORT SCHOOL NUMBERS AS PUBLIC INFORMATION. SO WHY ARE THESE NUMBERS KEPT UNDER WRAPS? PLEASE RELEASE THEM NOW SO WE ALL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT KIND OF PROBLEM WE ARE DEALING WITH SO WE CAN FIND IMMEDIATE, MID, AND LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE DON'T MAKE US ALL WAIT ANOTHER TWO WEEKS UNTIL YOU'RE REQUIRED BY STATUTE TO RELEASE THE NUMBERS ANYWAYS. RELEASE THEM TOMORROW. OUR KIDS AND TEACHERS DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO WASTE. THANK YOU. >> OKAY. NEXT UP, WE HAVE ALLISON... >> WE HAVE REBECCA...  . >> HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> YES. >> GREAT. HELLO. MY NAME IS BECKY MACAULAY WRENCH. I AM THE PARENT OF A KINDERGARTENER AT SAMUEL TUCKER. YOU MAY KNOW WHAT I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT. >> I'M NOT GOING TO REHASH WHAT WAS ALREADY SAID, BUT MY DAUGHTER RIGHT NOW IS IN A CLASSROOM OF 27, 28 KIDS. I KNOW IT IS FLUID, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER THE CLASS SIZES GO DOWN, THEY JUST GO RIGHT BACK UP AGAIN AS NEW STUDENTS COME IN, AND SO THIS PROBLEM IS PERSISTING REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD IS AWARE OF IT. AS I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL AWARE, HEAD COUNT GROWTH AND EXCEEDING THE CLASS SIZES CAN CAUSE A HOST OF PROBLEMS, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH ARE SAFETY, CONCERNS RELATED TO FIRE CODE ANDS STUDENT BEHAVIOR. THE CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION WILL OFFER WHEN TEACHERS CANNOT OFFICIALLY -- EFFICIENTLY INSTRUCT CHILDREN TO PROVIDE INTERVENTION AND CLOSING ANY ACHIEVEMENT GAPS. CLASSROOM COMMUNITY SUFFERS WHEN AN OVERCROWD CLASSROOM HINDERS THE ABILITY TO FORM A TIGHT-KNIT GROUP. AND TEACHERS SPEND MORE TIME DEALING WITH BEHAVIOR ISSUES AND LESS TIME TEACHING. WHEN CHILDREN'S NEEDS ARE NOT MET, DISRUPTIONS OCCUR, BECAUSE THOSE THAT ARE CHALLENGED ARE BORED, AND CHILDREN THAT NEED MORE GUIDANCE ARE AT RISK. ACPS SCHOOLS ARE COMMITTED TO EQUITABLE LEARNING AND THAT IS SUFFERING WHEN SPECIAL EDUCATION INSTRUCTORS HAVE STRAINED RESOURCES AND TIME TO MEET THE LEELTLY REQUIRED SERVICES OF THOSE STUDENTS. AND STUDENTS WHO HAVE UNDIAGNOSED SPECIAL NEEDS ARE LESS LIKELY TO GET NEEDED SUPPORT BECAUSE THEIR NEEDS ARE NOT IDENTIFIED BY OVERWHELMED TEACHERS OR TEACHERS THAT ARE UNABLE TO FIND THE CAPACITY TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF GETTING THEM SERVICES. 39% OF THE STUDENT BODY AT TUCKER ARE MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS. MANY AT THE BEGINNING LEVELS OF ENGLISH PROFICIENCY. THESE STUDENTS'S NEEDS ARE NOT BEING CONSISTENTLY MET WHEN TEACHERS IN CLASSROOMS ARE STRAINED. [00:30:04] THE NUMBER OF EQUIPMENT IS NOT DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE THIS NUMBER OF STUDENTS CURRENTLY BEING USED AT THE SAME TIME. WE KNOW IMMEDIATE SOLUTIONS. SHORT TERM, LIKE STARTING TOMORROW, WE KNOW SOLUTIONS IN THE CLASSROOM TO MAKE IT SO THAT THESE KIDS ARE GETTING THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY ALL DESERVE. WE KNOW SHORT-TERM SOLUTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROBLEM IS ADDRESSED FOR TUCKER, FOR THESE OTHER SCHOOLS. YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE CHALLENGES WITH RESOURCES. BUT WE KNOW SHORT-TERM SOLUTIONS AND THEN WE FEED LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS. WE KNOW WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN, THAT THE SCHOOLS HAVE THE CAPACITY TO HANDLE LATE-TERM ENROLLMENTS SO THAT THESE CLASS SIZES DON'T GROW BEYOND WHERE THEY REALLY SHOULD BE TO MAXIMIZE THE STUDENT LEARNING THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOM. SO I URGE YOU, LIKE ALL THE OTHER PARENTS ARE URGING YOU -- >> MS. WRENCH, I'M SORRY. YOU'VE GONE OVER YOUR TIME. >> GOT IT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> OKAY. SO WE'LL MOVE ON FROM PUBLIC COMMENTS, BOARD MEMBERS, WE DO HAVE WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM FOUR PEOPLE, SO MAKE SURE YOU CHECK THOSE OUT. AND IF YOU WISH TO SIGN UP TO SPEAK, AS USUAL, MAKE SURE THAT YOU SUBMIT THOSE COMMENTS -- I'M SORRY. MAKE SURE YOU SIGN UP TO SPEAK BY NOON WEDNESDAY PRIOR TO THE NEXT MEETING. AND YOU CAN DO SO ON THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING PAGE. WITH THAT SAID, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES, MS. MILTON AND RICKS. [7. Report from Student Representatives Emily Milton and Torenzo Ricks] >> HELLO, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS EMILY. I FIRST WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING THAT TORRENZO AND I GOT THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING AND ANNOUNCING AT THE ANNUAL ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME CRER MOAN FOR ALEXANDRIA C HIGH SCHOOL, AND I THINK IT HIGHLIGHTS HOW MUCH ALEXANDRIA CARE BESIDE ITS ALUMNI AND THAT KEEPS THE PARTNERSHIP ALIVE AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY SPECIAL. ONCE YOU GRADUATE YOU'RE US A A TITAN, AS WE SAY. I ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT VIRGINIA DELEGATE ELIZABETH BENNETT PARKER SUBSTITUTED AT ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL FOR GOVERNMENT TEACHER THAT WAS OUT ONE DAY. AND I THINK THAT THAT REALLY ALSO SHOWS DEDICATION TO THE TEACHER SHORTAGES THAT WE'RE ALSO DEALING WITH AS BROUGHT UP. AND I THINK ALSO I WANTED TO ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO CAN TO SUBSTITUTE. WE ARE IN A TEACHER SHORTAGE, WE'RE IN A SUBSTITUTE SHORTAGE AND EVERYTHING, AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT HIGHLIGHT TO SHOW HOW MUCH, ONE WE ARE IN NEED OF SUBSTITUTES, AND ALSO HOW WILLING PREMIUM TO STEP UP AND REALLY HELP OW. AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE OTHER PEOPLE TO DO THE SAME.  . >> WE ATTENDED CITY COUNCIL AND WERE ABLE TO HEAR ABOUT ALL OF THE OTHER STUDENTS'S OPINIONS AND IT HELPS US AND IT WAS A GREAT FIRST MEETING OF THE YEAR. THEY HAVE BEEN SO INVOLVED IN FIGURING OUT PLACES, COMING BACK TO THE PANDEMIC, ALSO EXERCISING EQUITY THROUGHOUT ENTIRE WAY AND WE WANT TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT-OUT TO THEM AND ALL OF THE HARD WORK THEY'RE DOING TO GET THIS BACK ON TRACK AND BACK TO NORMAL. WE WANTED TO ADVERTISE -- AND ANYONE IS WELCOME TO COME TO THE HOMECOMING FOOTBALL GAME THE FRIDAY BEFORE ON NOVEMBER 4TH, TO ALSO CELEBRATE GETTING BACK TO WHAT ALEXANDRIA CITY IS ALL ABOUT, AND TICKETS FOR THE HOMECOMING DANCE GO ON SALE ON THE 31ST AND HOMECOMING WILL OFFICIALLY BE AT ST. JAMES WHERE THEY WERE ALSO GRATEFUL ENOUGH TO OFFER US SPACE DURING -- I BELIEVE IT WAS 2019 FOR OUR FOOTBALL GAMES AND SPORTS GAMES SINCE WE WERE GETTING OUR FIELD BUILT AT THAT TIME. I ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE OCTOBER ACPS PARTNERS, MOVE TO LEARN IS ONE OF THEM FORMALLY RUNNING BROOK, WHICH EMPHASIZE TUFTS FOR ALL STUDENTS TO RECEIVE THE BEST KIND OF LEARNING THEY CAN AND THEY IMPLEMENT ACTIVE SEATING AND A LOT OF OTHER OPTIONS. AND THE OTHER HIGHLIGHT IS THE BEST BUDDIES INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM, AND WE ALSO HAVE A PROGRAM AT THE HIGH SCHOOL SPECIFICALLY, WHICH SUPPORTS FRIENDSHIP AND A ONE ON ONE CONNECTION WITH STUDENTS WITH OR WITHOUT INTELLECTUAL AND PHYSICAL DISABILITIES TO FACILITATE ACPS'S TRUE STATEMENT OF EQUITY WITHIN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND THAT ALSO BRINGS ME TO THE POINT, DR. KAY WYATT ALSO ATTENDED ONE OF THE GAMES THAT BEST BUDDIES [00:35:05] 20 TO, A BASEBALL PROGRAM TO HELP STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES TO BE ABLE TO BE JUST LIKE ANY OTHER PERSON AND PLAY SPORTS. THERE IS ALSO A VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING ON THE GW AMBASSADOR MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETIC FIELD IMPROVEMENT, IT IS THIS THURSDAY OCTOBER 27TH AND WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO ATTEND, AND WE ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT TEACHER OF THE YEAR FOR ALEXANDRIA CITY CAN BE SUBMITTED TO MR.BALLIS FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL SPECIFICALLY BY THE 24TH TO GET OUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS FOR THAT SCHOOL SPECIFICALLY WHICH THEN GOES INTO THE PILE FOR ACPS. AND I'LL PASS IT ON TO TORENZO. >> GOOD EVENING, ALL. AGAIN, MY NAME IS FORNZO. THIS WEEK IS NATIONAL SCHOOL BUS WEEK. WE DO KNOW THAT SCHOOL BUS SAFETY IS VERY IMPORTANT HERE AT ACPS, AND WE TAKE THIS TIME TO HONOR ALL OF THOSE WORKING FOR TRANSPORTATION, ESPECIALLY OUR BUS DRIVERS, I PERSONALLY HAVE TO COMMEND THESE WORKERS BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE THE FIRST ONES TO SEE OUR ACPS STUDENTS AND POSSIBLY DEAL WITH THE MORNING CRANKINESS, SO OF COURSE WE HONOR THEM. OUR ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA LED BY THE FABULOUS MS. JACKSON PERFORMED FOR THE COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS NATIONAL LEADERSHIP YORCHES THEY RECEIVED A STANDING OVATION FROM THE AUDIENCE INCLUDING THE FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, DR. BIDEN. SPEAKING OF OUR MUSIC DEPARTMENT NEXT WEDNESDAY, THE 26TH, THE ACP DEPARTMENT WILL BE SHOWCASING THEIR NEW CONCERT, INCLUDING JAZZ BAND A DIRECTED BY MR. ROGERS AND THE ORCHESTRA LED BY MS. JACKSON AS WELL AS THE WIND ENSEMBLE CONDUCTED BY MR. TIMOTHY GRANT AND OF COURSE THE CHOIR, WHICH I AM A PART OF, LED BY THEODORE THE THIRD. WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE ALL TO PLEASE COME OUT AND SUPPORT OUR FELLOW TITANS. AND IF YOU'RE WILLING TO DONATE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION AT THEIR INSTAGRAMS AT TITANS CHOIR AT HEH CSR CH AND AT TITANS BAND. WE ARE ALREADY AT THE END OF QUIET 1 FOR ALL ACPS STUDENTS. EMILY AND I AS WELL AS ZARA ENCOURAGE ALL OF OUR PEERS TO CONTINUE PRESSING YOUR WAY FORWARD TO END THE QUARTER ON A STRONG NOTE AND STAY FOCUSED FOR ALL OF THE QUARTERS TO COME. NEXT MONDAY ACPS SCHOOLS AND OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED IN CELEBRATION OF THE HOLIDAY, DEWALLY. DEWALLY IS A HOLIDAY CELEBRATED IN THE HINDUISM RELIGION AND WE AT ACPS WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THOSE WHO PARTAKE IN THIS RELIGION, AND THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW ACPS PORTRAYS THE EQUITY FOR ALL OF 2025 PLANS. AND JUST BECAUSE I'VE BEEN GIVEN PERMISSION BY THE WONDERFUL MADAM, WE DO HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT HOLIDAY THAT WILL BE COMING UP IN BH TWO WEEKS. YOU GUYS WANT TO TAKE A GUESS AT IT? >> ELECTION DAY. >> BUT MY BIRTHDAY IS COMING UP. YES, I ACCEPT ALL CASH, CREDIT, CHOK LAY, ABSOLUTELY BUT I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THE TIME OUT, AND FORGIVE ME FOR BEING SAPPY, BUT I HAVE TO SAY I LOVE WORKING WITH THIS BOARD. I LOVE WORKING WITH EMILY AS WELL AS ZARA. I HAVE BEEN ONE THAT HAS HAD A HARD TIME GETTING A JUSTED TO WORKING WITH PEOPLE. I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO WORK BY MYSELF, BUT I HAVE TO SAY YOU GUYS HAVE ALLOWED ME TO REALLY PUT FORTH MY BEST SELF, SO I THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH, AND I NOW PASS IT OVER TO ZARA. >> HI, EVERYONE. I'M SARA. AND THIS EVENING I WOULD LIKE TO START BY SHARING SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM INTERMISSION ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOL. HAMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY IS WORKING ON PREPARING ITS HISPANIC HERITAGE ASSEMBLY TO CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH. THEY ALSO STARTED A SOCCER CLUB WITH THE ALEXANDRIA SOCCER ASSOCIATION. MR. CARTER, EIGHTH GRADE SCIENCE TEACHER AND MS. HARRIS, EIGHTH GRADE ALGEBRA TEACHER, ARE STARTING A ROCKET CLUB AT THE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY ACADEMY. AND FOR ACHS, WE ARE PARTNERING WITH ALEXANDRIA POLICE AND COMMUNITY FOR SOCCER GRANTS AND POSSIBLY [00:40:08] END WITH BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS AND THE WINTER OR OTHER SPORTS. COLLEGE COMPETENCE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY IS A NEW CLASS AT INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY AND THE STUDENTS BEGIN BY LOOKING FOR NEW SOURCES AND THEY ALSO LEARN ABOUT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AND FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION PROCESS. THE STUDENT LEADERS FROM MS. CARTER AND MR. HENRY'S CLASS WITH THE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY STUDENTS WORK TOGETHER AND MADE VIDEOS AND THEIR PHOTOS ARE FOR HOMECOMING. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO THANK YOU TO ALL THREE OF YOU FOR THE UPDATES. ALWAYS LOVE HAVING YOU GUYS AND HEARING FROM YOU. BEST PART OF THE MEETING, FOR SURE. >> ALL RIGHT. SO WE WILL MOVE AHEAD IN THE AGENDA. [Consent Calendar] AND I WILL NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT CALENDAR. >> MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE TO ADOPT THE SCENT CALENDAR. >> SECOND. >> MR. HARRIS SECONDS DR. REEF'S MOTION. ANY ITEMS TO PULL? OKAY. >> THANK YOU, EVERYONE FOR THAT. WE'VE ADOPTED THE SCENT CALENDAR. AND SO WE DO NEED TO MOVE INTO A CLOSED SESSION. [14. Closed Meeting] SO MADAM VICE CHAIR WOULD YOU PLEASE READ US INTO CLOSED. >> YES MARKED AM CHAIRMAN. I MOVE THAT THE BOARD CONVENE A CLOSED MEETING PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 2.2-3711882 FOR THE DISCUSSION ON MATTERS THAT WOULD INVOLVE DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION CONTAINED IN A SCHOLASTIC RECORD CONCERNING STUDENTS, AND MADAM CHAIR, A MOVE THAT THE BOARD CONVENE A CLOSED MEETING PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 2.2-3711829 FOR THE DISCUSSION OF THE AWARD OF A PUBLIC CONTRACT INVOLVING THE EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS INCLUDING INTERVIEWS OF BIDDERS OR OFFERERS AND DISCUSSION OF THE TERM OF SUCH CONTRACT WHERE DISCUSSION IN AN OPEN SESSION WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE BARGAINING POSITION OR NEGOTIATION -- NEGOTIATING STRATEGY OF THE BOARD. MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THE BOARD CONVENE A CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 2.2-3711A19 FOR THE DISCUSSION OF PLANS TO PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY AS IT RESULTS TO VULNERABILITIES BY STAFF MEMBERS CONCERNING ACTIONS TAKEN TO RESPOND TO SUCH MATTERS OR A-RELATED THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY, DISCUSSION OF INFORMATION SUBJECT TO THE EXCLUSION IN SUBDIVISION 4 OR 14 OF VIRGINIA CODE 2.2-3705.2 WHERE DISCUSSION IN AN OPEN MEETING WOULD JEOPARDIZE THE SAFETY OF ANY PERSON OR THE SECURITY OF ANY FACILITY BUILDING, STRUCTURE, OR STRUCTURES OR DISCUSSION OF REPORTS OR PLANS RELATED TO THE SECURITY OF ANY BUILDING OR STRUCTURE OR THE SAFETY OF PERSONS USING SUCH FACILITY, BUILDING, OR STRUCTURE. >> SECOND. >> I KEPT LOOKING -- SHE KEPT LOOKING AT HER. ALL RIGHT, DR. REEF BRINGS THE MOTION, VICE CHAIR. >> OKAY. WE'LL BE BACK SHORTLY. SCHOOL LEADERS WITH POSITION AND LABOR AND WE'RE THRILLED THAT WE HAVE EACH OFFERS RECENTLY. [15. Certification of Closed Meeting] AND SO OF COURSE THIS IS NOT THE ENTIRETY OF THE VACANCIES IN ACPS. THIS IS A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF THE MORE INSTRUCTIONAL AREAS I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT. THE OTHER CAVEAT OF COURSE IS JUST DAY TO DAY BASED ON TRANSITIONS, [00:45:58] COMINGS AND GOINGS. BUT I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT TWO QUICK ITEMS. ONE WHILE THE INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT NUMBER MAY LOOK HIGH, OF COURSE THERE ARE [16. HR Recruitment Update] FILLED OVER HALF ACTUALLY THROUGH CONTRACTED STAFF. SO THEY ARE NOT ACTUALLY UNFILLED POSITIONS. THEY'RE JUST BEING SERVED THROUGH OTHER ITEMS. WE ALSO HAVE MANY OTHER POSITIONS FILLED THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS AND CONTRACTS. SO WHILE WE SEE THAT POSITION AS BIG IN OUR BUDGET IT'S CERTAINLY BEING OFFERED THROUGH SERVICES ELSEWHERE, SO ALWAYS A CAVEAT THERE. SO CHALLENGES. AS I MENTIONED, IT WAS A CHALLENGING YEAR, OF COURSE, THERE IS CHALLENGES BOTH IN ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA NATIONWIDE AND ON ALL FACETS OF RECRUITING EDUCATION STAFF, BOTH INSTRUCTIONAL AND SUPPORT. WE SAW THAT MOST ACUTELY IN OUR HARD TO FILL AREAS, PRE-PANDEMIC AND REMAIN SO MAINLY OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION AND EL POOLS. AND I'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CREATIVE WAYS THAT WE ARE PIVOTING TO FILL THOSE NEEDS. RECRUITMENT FAIRS, THE ATTENDANCE WAS DOWN IN PRIOR YEARS AND THAT IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE DECLINING ENROLLMENT IN TRADITIONAL TEACHER PREP PROGRAMS. AND AGAIN WE'LL TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING AFTER THOSE CAREER SWITCHERS TO OFF-SET THAT. WE DO HAVE INCREASED VACANCIES THIS YEAR WHICH WASN'T ANTICIPATED AND PLANNED FOR. AND THERE'S STILL SOME LINGERING COVID CONCERNS WITH OUR POPULATION BUT AGAIN I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT. SO FOR EVERY PROBLEM WE'RE FINDING A SOLUTION. SO WHAT WORKED? MANY THINGS DID WORK. AND I THINK A LOT OF SCHOOL LEADERS WILL AGREE THAT THE NEW DIFFERENT WAY HAVE HIT OFF. FIRST AND FOREMOST AS I MENTIONED, WE ESTABLISH APPLICANT MOOLS. IN PRIOR YEARS INDIVIDUALS WOULD APPLY FOR INDIVIDUAL VACANCIES POSTED ON THE WEB SITE MEANING SECOND GRADE AT NAOMI BROOKS. WE'VE TURNED IT ON ITS HEAD AND INSTEAD HAD GENERAL PLIK CABILITY POOLS WHERE INDIVIDUALS WERE APPLYING TO ELEMENTARY SPECIAL EDUCATION, ELEMENTARY 4-5. THAT DID TWO KEY THINGS. ONE IT STREAMLINED THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR APPLICANTS. THEY WEREN'T APPLYING TO 50 OR 20 POSITIONS BUT COULD APPLY TO 1 AND THAT WOULD BE VIEWED BY ALL PRINCIPALS. AND ANY OTHER DESIGNATEIES IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR. SO A LOT OF VISION TO OUR SCHOOL LEADERS. AND TWO, ALLOW OUR SCHOOL LEADERS ACCESS TO A WIDER ARRAY OF CANDIDATES. [00:50:06] MANY OF OUR CANDIDATES DO COME FROM OUT OF STATE, SO THEY MAY NOT KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SCHOOLS BUT WANT TO A PART OF ACPS SO THEY COAPPLY TO THAT POOL AND HAVE MANY DIFFERENT INTERACTIONS WITH MANY DIFFERENT SCHOOL LEADERS. WE ALSO FOR THE FIRST TIME DID SPECIALIZE RECRUITMENT EVENTS. WE KNOW WE HAVE THE LARGE ACPS RECRUITMENT DAY. WE'LL HAVE IT OF COURSE AGAIN THIS SPRING. THEORY YEAR WE STARTED DOING SMALLER AND MORE TARGETED EVENTS. FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD THREE SPECIAL EDUCATION INTERVIEW FAIR DAYS WHERE THE ENTIRE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM TEAM COULD INDIVIDUALLY INTERVIEW PANELISTS BASED ON THEIR AREA. MEANING OUR SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS IN AUTISM COULD TARGET ANYONE WHO IS APPLYING FOR AUTISM. THAT ALLOWS US TO GET A SENSE OF THE QUALITY OF THE CANDIDATES AND WHAT WE ENVISION THERE, WHICH WE THOUGHT WAS A GREAT MATCH. WE OF COURSE GREW STRONG PARTNERSHIPS. I'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE ALEXANDRIA WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CENTER, A WONDERFUL PIPELINE FOR OUR SUPPORT ROLES. I'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE UNIVERSITIES, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN THE AREA, AND WILL SOON BE ABLE TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT A FORMAL PARTNERSHIP. I AM ESTABLISHING FOR A TEACHER PINE LINE. I'LL TALK ABOUT THIS MORE BUT I'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING WITH ALL OF OUR SCHOOL LEADERS TO RESHAPE THEIR VIEW ON WHAT RECRUITMENT IS. I TRULY BELIEVE IT IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT. I MAY BRING A STRATEGY AND IDEAS, BUT THERE ARE OF COURSE BOOTS ON THE GROUND SELECTING INDIVIDUALS IS AND WE HAVE TO BE IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION AND HAVE A SHARED MISSION AND VISION ON WHAT WE WANT TO BRING TO THE TABLE FOR THEIR SCHOOL AND ACPS, AND THAT MEANS MEETING OFTEN, MEETING WITH DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS AND BEING STRATEGY AND THOUGHT PARTNERS TOGETHER. THE LAST THING IS WE ALSO KNEW WE HAD TO CHANGE THE GAME WHEN IT CAME TO SUBSTITUTE TEACHING. WE KNOWED MORE SUBSTITUTES, MORE DEDICATED STUDENTS AND FOLKS IN THE DOOR QUICKLY. WE REVAMPED THE SUBSTITUTE PROCESS TO BE MUCH MORE EFFICIENT AND I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT WE ARE ON TRACK SO FAR THIS SCHOOL YEAR ACTUALLY ON BOARD NEARLY DOUBLED THE AMOUNT OF SUBSTITUTES THAT WE HAVE SO FAR THIS SCHOOL YEAR AND AT THE SAME TIME NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. SO THOSE EFFORTS AGAIN ARE STARTING TO PAY OFF, WHICH WE'RE THRILLED ABOUT. >> SO, AGAIN, IT'S OCTOBER. WE DON'T NORMALLY THINK OCTOBER IS KEION BOARDING BUT IT IS A YEAR-AROUND EFFORT AND OUR WORK FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS IS SETTING OURSELVES UP FOR ABSOLUTE SUCCESS BEGINNING IN JANUARY WHEN THINGS REALLY KICK OFF. SO WHAT ARE WE DOING TO PREPARE? ONE, AGAIN, WE'RE REALLY WORKING ON ESTABLISHING THOSE PARTNERSHIPS. WE KNOW THAT IF WE CAN WORK WITH COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES, ORGANIZATIONS SHOW THEM THE VAULT OF ACPS, THE JOIT THAT WE BRING TO OUR STUDENTS, THAT WE KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE TOPS OF OUR LISTS WHEN THEY'RE SENDING FOLKS OUT FOR INTERVIEWS AND APPLICATIONS. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO PREPARE FOR OUR FAIR SCHEDULE [00:55:06] MONTHS EARLIER THAN IN YEARS PAST. I REALLY WANT SCHOOL YEARS TO HAVE A REAL PART IN CHOOSING WHICH FAIRS THEY GET TO ATTEND. WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT EXPANDING WHERE WE'RE GOING TO FAIRS, I'LL TALK ABOUT IT MOMENTARILY, BUT OF COURSE OUR HPCU ORGANIZATIONS ARE PARAMOUNT TO THE SUCCESS THERE AND WE'RE REALLY BEING THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHICH STATES WILL HAVE WHICH SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS AND GETTING TO KNOW THE DEANS AND CHANCELLORS AT UNIVERSITIES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE SCHEDULING YOUR ACPS HIRING EVENT THAT IS OUR TRANSFER FAIR. AS WELL AS OUR COME ONE, COME ALL LARGE-SCALE ACPS EVENT. WE WANT BEAT OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO THE PUNCH. I PROPOSE, I LOVE MANY OF THEM, BUT WE ARE THE BEST AND WANT TO KEEP BEING THE BEST. SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE OURS -- EVENTS IN FEBRUARY. TYPICALLY WE HAVE THEM IN MARCH. SO WE'RE GONNA HIT THE GROUND RUNNING IN THE WINTER. WE'RE ALSO REALLY THRILLED ABOUT SOME OF THE WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH OUR STUDENT TEACHERS. I'M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT GETTING TO KNOW OUR STUDENT TEACHERS NOW AND SEEING THEM AS A WONDERFUL PIPELINE IS ABSOLUTELY PARAMOUNT AND SO WE'RE DOING A LOT OF RECRUITMENT CONVERSATIONS AND CONNECTIONS WITH SCHOOL LEADERS SO THAT THEY COULD QUICKLY AND EASILY CONVERT THOSE TEACHERS AND INTERNS GRADUATING IN DECEMBER AS WELL AS IN MAY. AND LAST WE'RE GOING TO POST OUR APPLICANT POOLS EARLIER. TYPICALLY WE DO THOSE IN LATE JANUARY BUT AGAIN IN THE SPIRIT OF MOVING UP, WE'RE GONNA POST THOSE BY JANUARY 15TH. SO WHAT'S GONNA BE REALLY OUR MISSION AND VISION FOR THE NEXT RECRUITMENT SEASON? AS I MENTIONED, APPLICANT DIVERSITY IS A HUGE FOCUS AREA FOR US. WE DID START THAT LAST SEASON AND WE'RE GOING TO REPLICATE THAT, PARTICULARLY AROUND LATIN X ORGANIZATIONS. I DID PARTNER WITH BOTH PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND I'M ALSO WORKING WITH OUR DUAL LANGUAGE AND ELL TEAMS TO GO OUT TO UNIVERSITIES WHO HAVE STRONG PROGRAMS, TALKING ABOUT PUERTO RICO AND A LIVEN STATES AREN'T ABLE TO BRING IN THOSE CANDIDATES. ALSO WORKING WITH SOME HCPU ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS UNIVERSITIES DIRECTLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ATTEND THOSE EVENTS. AND GONNA ESTABLISH THOSE PARTNERSHIPS. AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, NATIONWIDE, THERE IS A TREND OF DECLINING ENROLLMENT INTO TEACHER PREP PROGRAMS. WE'RE STILL OF COURSE GOING TO BE TARGETING THOSE FOLKS BUT THE CALL TO US IS ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR CAREER SWITCHERS. THERE IS A GROWING -- I'VE BEEN TRACKING THE DATA -- A GROWING AMOUNT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY BE LATER IN THEIR CAREER AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO EDUCATION. WHILE THE PANDEMIC HAS BEEN HARD, IT'S ALSO SHOWN A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS THE NEED FOR TALENTED EDUCATORS. ONE OF THOSE EFFORTS IS WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK AROUND LONG-TERM SUBSTITUTE WORK EQUIPMENT AND THOSE TEND TO BE -- WONDERFUL LICENSED SPECIALIST HASN'T HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH MANY OF THOSE TO TALK ABOUT SOME ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS TO LICENSE ARE SURE THAT WOULD MAKE THEM ELIGIBLE TO BE FULL-TIME TEACHERS AND THE SPECIALIZED EVENTS WE TALKED ABOUT, WE'VE ALSO DONE THAT FOR ELL. I ACTUALLY HAVE ONE NEXT WEEK. TRANSPORTATION, BUILDING, ENGINEERS, SOME OF THOSE REALLY TRICKY AREAS. AND LASTLY I'M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT WE'RE GONNA GET STRONG CANDIDATES AND WE'RE GONNA SWAY PEOPLE TO ALEXANDRIA BEYOND FAIRFAX, ARLINGTON, PRINCE WILLIAM IF WE CREATE RELATIONSHIPS. AND THE WAY WE'RE GONNA DO THAT IS BY GETTING THEM INTO OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS, WATCHING OUR STUDENTS LEARN, WATCHING OUR TEACHERS DO WHAT THEY DO BEST, WHICH IS TEACH, AND SO I'LL BE WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH SCHOOL LEADERS THIS YEAR TO ESTABLISH WALK-THROUGHS, VISITS, LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR CANDIDATES TO GET OUT OF ZOOM, GET OUT THEIR HOMES AND INTO OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS, WORK CLOSELY WITH THEIR PRINCIPALS IN PERSON AND I THINK THAT'S GONNA KEEP THEM ON OUR SIDE. SO IN TERMS OF THE OVERALL PLARNG I'VE TALKED ABOUT FOCUS AREAS, SO THIS IS A QUICK SUMMARY. I DON'T WANT TO REHASH, BUT AGAIN WE'RE GOING TO REALLY TARGETED STRATEGY AND PICK SPECIALIZE, THREE WORDS THAT I'M GOING TO USE REPEATEDLY OVER THE NEXT SIX TO NINE MONTHS. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THOSE ATTENDING THE MYRIAD EVENTS IN THE D DMV AND ALL DOWNTOWN EAST COAST, WEST COAST, SPECIALIZED ON THE NEED. WE'RE LZ GOING TO REVAMP THE EARLY OFFER PROCESS. IT STARTED AT -- WE WEREN'T REALLY ABLE TO GET FULL STEAM LAST SPRING AS MUCH OF AS WE WANTED TO AND NOW IT WILL BE ANOTHER TOOL FOR US TO HOOK CANDIDATES THAT ARE REALLY [01:00:07] STRONG, EVEN IF WE DON'T HAVE A CONFIRMED VACANCY BUT CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL HAVE THE ELEMENTARY VACANCY AT, SAY, CHARLES BARRETT. WE'LL BE ABLE TO KEEP THEM ON ACPS'S RADAR AND I CAN GET THEM ON OUR BOOKS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE'RE GOING TO DO A LOT OF CREATIVE ENGAGEMENT, NEWSLETTERS, OUTREACH FOR APPLICANTS, PARTICULARLY IN THE SPRING SEASON. PARTICULARLY FOR OUR FOLKS WHO ARE LOOKING TO GRADUATE IN MAY. WE'RE GONNA BE ISSUING HIGH BENCHMARKS FOR PRINCIPALS. WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT PLANNING AND STRATEGY AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO PUT SOME TEA INTO THAT AND WHERE WE EXPECT THEM TO HIT IN TERMS OF FILLING VACANCIES BY CERTAIN DATES. OF COURSE WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THOSE POOLS. WE LOVE POOLS, PRINCIPALS HAVE REALLY COME AROUND TO THEM, WHICH WE'RE THRILLED. AND THEN OF COURSE WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE SIGNIFICANT ONLINE MEDIA I'VE BEEN WORKING A LOT WITH THE WASHINGTON POST WITH OUR SUBSIDIARY PUBLICATIONS, ONLINE ADVERTISING. WE KNOW THAT OUR YOUNGSTER DRAW TO SOCIAL MEDIA, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM AND THE LIKE, AND SO WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM MORE AS WE HAVE, WHICH SHOUT-OUT TO THEM, TO REALLY DO ALL THAT SOCIAL MEDIA WORK, I'VE BEEN DOING INTERVIEWS, WHICH HAS BEEN A GREAT WAY TO SHARE SUCCESS STORIES OF ACPS AND SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING. >> SO WITH THAT, THAT IS THE PRESENTATION. I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING ANY QUESTIONS THAT MEMBERS MAY HAVE. THAT YOU. WITH THAT SAID, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER FOR QUESTIONS, AND I'LL START WITH MS. BUSE. >> I GOT IN BEFORE DR. RIEF. >> THANK YOU. MS. BROWN, SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION TONIGHT. IT'S HELPFUL TO SEE WHERE WE ARE. I KNOW WE ARE NOT UNIQUE TO THE CHALLENGES OF RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION IN THE SCHOOL DIVISION. SO ONE REQUEST AND A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SEE HOW WE'RE BREAKING DOWN THOSE OPENINGS BY GRADE AND SUBJECT AREA AND I THINK IT'S SOME OF THE MORE CHAING ROLES TO FILL, BUT JUST SO WE HAVE A SINCE AND CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THAT REPORT. THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE, IN TERMS OF RETAINING TEACHERS -- IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT -- A LOT ABOUT RECRUITMENT, BUT IN TERMS OF RETAINING TEACHERS, WHEN WE'VE DONE SOME OF THE EXIT INTERVIEWS OVER THE LAST YEAR AND WE'VE HAD SOME STAFF LEAVE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE DOING -- WHAT IS SOME OF THE FEEDBACK WE'RE GETTING ON WHY TEACHERS ARE LEAVING OR SUPPORT STAFF ARE LEAVING AND WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ALSO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE RETAINING THE TEACHERS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. BECAUSE THAT IS ALSO PART OF -- YOU CAN CONTINUE TO FILL A BUCKET FULL OF HOLES BUT IF YOU DON'T FIX THOSE HOLES AND TRY TO HOLD ON TO IT, WE'RE GOING TO LOSE SOME OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, GREAT TEACHERS. >> MS. BROWN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE THAT OR WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO TAKE THAT ONE? >> YOU'RE WELCOME TO TAKE IT. >> SO OF COURSE WE DO RETENTION ALL YEAR, AND MS. BROWN AND HER TEAM, WE DO HAVE AN EXIT SURVEY AND ARE EMPLOYING DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS NOT MS. BROWN'S DEPARTMENT, THEY'VE ACTUALLY REVISED THE EXIT SURVEY LAST SPRING TO CHANGE THE QUESTIONS TO BETTER SUIT GETTING -- THE PREVIOUS SURVEY WAS WHERE YOU'RE LIVING, DIDN'T SAY WHERE YOU'RE GOING. SO WE HAVE HALF OF THAT DATA THAT KIND OF HAS THE OLD QUESTIONS ON IT AND THEN THE LATER PART OF THE YEAR SO THEY'RE TRYING TO DECIDE HOW WE CAN USE THAT DATA SINCE THERE'S TWO PARTS OF THE EXIT SURVEY. SO THAT TEAM FROM THE ENGAGEMENT STANDPOINT ARE WORKING ON THAT AND WILL HOLD IT OVER TO MS. BROWN'S TEAM AND OF COURSE AS YOU KNOW WE ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON RETENTION TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A GREAT CULTURE FOR OUR TEACHERS AND THAT COMES OUT THE EMPLOYMENT ENGAGEMENT RELATIONS PEOPLE DID MS. BROWN FEEL FREE TO ADD ANYTHING I MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN BECAUSE I KNOW YOU WORK CLOSELY WITH THAT MACHINE. BUT THERE ARE THREE DEPARTMENTS, THEY DON'T WORK SINGLY THEY WORK TOGETHER BUT IF WE DO PRESENT THAT DATA I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS WE ALWAYS HAVE TO DO A PUSH TO GET TOWER STAFF TO DO THE EXIT SURVEYS AND WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT CRAFTING EXIT INTERVIEWS, BUT WITH THE WAY WE TRANSITIONED LAST YEAR WITH COVID IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET FOLKS IN PERSON. SO WE'LL HAVE TO RELY MORE ON THE DATA, I BELIEVE IT'S LIKE 15 QUESTIONS. >> YEAH, THANK YOU. AND I KNOW THIS PRESENTATION IS REALLY FOCUSED ON THE RECRUITMENT SIDE OF THINGS BUT I THINK THOSE TWO STILL REALLY GO HAND IN HAND. SO IT WOULD BE HELPFUL AS A FOLLOW-UP TO GET SOME OF THAT INFORMATION, TOO. ONE THING -- ONE ARTICLE THAT I'VE READ RECENTLY, WHICH THEN I CAN SEND IT AROUND, WHICH IS REALLY INTERESTING IS THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SCHOOL DIVISIONS THAT ARE NOW ALSO DOING [01:05:09] STAY INTERVIEWS, LIKE WHY ARE YOU CHOOSING TO STAY AND HAVING THAT INFORMATION AND THAT IS REALLY VALUABLE BECAUSE THEN WE CAN ALSO SAY, OKAY, THESE INCREDIBLE STAFF ARE STAYING, AND HERE'S WHY. OR THEY'VE THOUGHT ABOUT LEAVING, AND HERE ARE THE REASONS WHY THEY'RE THINKING OF LEAVING BUT THEY'RE STAYING. AND THAT CAN BE INFORMATION FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SAY, OKAY, WHAT DO WE KNOW TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING TO RETAIN OUR EXCEPTIONAL STAFF. >> I CAN ANSWER THAT BUT ALSO AT THE END OF LAST YEAR WE DID CREATE DRAFTS DAY INTERVIEW THAT WILL GO OUT THIS YEAR AND DOING A 90 DAY CHECK-IN FOR NEW STAFF, SO THEY'LL GET A LITTLE SURVEY OF ANY QUESTIONS WE CAN ADDRESS THAT MAYBE WE DIDN'T ADDRESS. SO SOMETIMES YOU KNOW WHEN WE GET A NEW TEACHER LICENSED AFTER ORIENTATION, THAT WAS A REALLY QUICK THREE DAYS SO WE GIVE THEM ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY AT THE 90 DAY, KIND OF LIKE THE CORRECT-IN WHERE THEY CAN GET THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND WE ALSO -- IT'S A CHECK-IN POINT AND OF COURSE WE STILL HAVE THE MENTORING PROGRAM, AND HR AND TLL ARE STILL WORKING TO EXPAND AND LOOK AT BETTER OPTIONS FOR OUR MENTORING PROGRAM. RIGHT NOW IT'S A MENTORING PROGRAM FOR YEAR 1. BUT I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE SEND THAT OVER AT LEAST TO A TWO-YEAR SUPPORT PROCESS FOR THOSE NEW TEACHERS, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE LOOKING AT CAREER SWITCHERS. >> THAT'S FANTASTIC. THAT'S GREAT. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT THAT IN THE FUTURE. >> AND I'M SORRY OKAY, I'LL BE QUIET NOW. >> ALL RIGHT. SO HERE'S ONE LAST RECRUITMENT QUESTION, ACTUALLY RECRUITMENT. SO THE -- I LOVE THE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE TAKING AND PARTICULARLY THE CAREER SWITCHER. WHAT ARE WE DOING -- I KNOW WE'VE WORKED ON SOME GROW YOUR OWN PROGRAMS BUT ARE WE DOING ANYTHING TO EXPAND THAT WITH ACPS AND SAY WE MIGHT HAVE A NUMBER OF SUPPORT STAFF THAT MAY BE INTERESTED IN BECOMING A TEACHER AND CAN WE FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THEM, GIVE THEM THE LEAVE TIME THAT THEY NEED AND ALSO PAY FOR SCHOOLING SO WE'RE RECRUITING AND GROWING FROM WITHIN. >> SO ACTUALLY LOTS OF FEEDBACK THERE. SO I HAVE A VERY WONDERFUL -- WONDERFUL SPECIALIST ON MY TEAM AND I'VE CHARGED HER WITH CONNECTING WITH NOT ONLY INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANCE BUT ALSO TO SERVE LONG-TERM SUBSTITUTES TO ENGAGE ACCESSIBILITY SO THAT WE CAN CONVERT THOSE INDIVIDUALS INTO FULL-TIME TEACHERS OF RECORD. I DO YOUR PROGRAM AND WORK VERY CLOSE WITH IT. WE DID RECEIVE SOME MONEY FROM THE VIDEO-E THAT WILL ACTUALLY GO TOWARDS -- WE WON A GRANT AND IT'S VERY EXCITING -- THAT WILL GO TOWARDS COVERING TUITION FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN OBTAINING A PROFESSIONAL LICENSE. SO THAT'S ABSOLUTELY SOMETHING WE'RE WORKING ON CURRENTLY AND WHAT I REFERENCED EARLIER IS ALSO TO ESTABLISH A PIPELINE OF TEACHERS WHO ARE INDIVIDUALS WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE BUT DO NOT HAVE AN EDUCATION DEGREE, AND THAT COULD BE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CURRENTLY EMPLOYED AND IT COULD BE EXTERNAL FOLKS THAT WILL BE ABLE TO GO TO THE UNIVERSITY, WILL COVER PART THAT HAVE TUITION AND ALSO SIMULTANEOUS EMPLOYEES OF OURS IN TEACHERS POSITIONS. SO MANY ITEMS AT PLAY THERE TO SOLVE THAT NEED. >> GREAT. THANK YOU. I WILL PASS THE MIC. I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL STOP. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MS. BROWN, JUST WANT TO -- BEFORE I BEGIN MY QUESTIONS, I WANT TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO YOU AND THE WHOLE HR DEPARTMENT BECAUSE IN THIS JOB MARKET, THAT'S HARD TO RECRUIT ANYONE LET ALONE TEACHERS. SO YOUR EFFORTS CERTAINLY DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED AND NOW YOUR TEAM AND THE WHOLE HR DEPARTMENT. SO I WANTED TO START WITH THAT. >> APPRECIATE IT. >> TWO QUICK QUESTIONS. IF YOU CAN JUST EXPLAIN AGAIN THE IA, HOW'S IT CONTRACTED, SO THESE VACANCIES, WHAT DO THEY ACTUALLY PRESENT? I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT. AND ALSO IF YOU CAN JUST TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE SUBSTITUTE PROCESS, HOW IT WAS REVAMPED. TELL ME MORE ABOUT THAT ALSO. >> ABSOLUTELY. SO SOME OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT VACANCIES ARE IN OUR CITY WIDE PROGRAMS FOR SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION, AND THERE'S A WONDERFUL TEAM AS YOU GUYS KNOW, AND SO THEY HAVE PARTNERED WITH CONTRACTING AGENCIES TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS THROUGH OUTSIDE INDIVIDUALS. SO RECOGNIZING THAT, ONE, THERE ARE CERTAINLY A CHALLENGE IN RECRUITING INDIVIDUALS CURRENTLY BUT ALSO THAT THOSE POSITIONS CAN'T GO UNFILLED, THAT MANY OF THOSE WERE FILLED THROUGH CREATIVE AND ALTERNATIVE WAYS. SO I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT, AND ACPS VACANCY DOES NOT ALWAYS EQUATE TO LACK OF SERVICES, THAT IT JUST MAY BE FILLED THROUGH AN [01:10:03] ALTERNATIVE METHOD. BUT WONDERFUL QUESTION. I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING. TO THE QUESTION REGARDING SUBSTITUTES, SELF-PROCLAIMED DATA NERD. SO WE'RE DOING A LOT OF DATA REVIEW IN TERMS OF CONVERSION RATES, APPLICATION RATES AND RETENTION RATES AROUND SUBSTITUTES. AND IT'S ALSO A TREND NATIONWIDE THAT MANY INDIVIDUALS AS PART OF THE PANDEMIC ARE COMING OUT -- AN INDIVIDUAL APPLYING TO MANY HOURLY ROLES, AND WHAT I FOUND IS THAT IF WE DON'T GET SOMEONE ON BOARD TRULY WITHIN 10 TO 15 BUSINESS DAY WINDOW, THE INDIVIDUAL WHO'S LIKELY APPLIED TO 10 OR 15 HOURLY GIG-TYPE ROLES IS THE LOW LIKELIHOOD OF CONVERSION. SO RATHER THAN HAVING EVERY OTHER WEEK WE NOW HAVE INTERVIEWS TWICE A WEEK EVERY WEEK. WE ARE INTERVIEWING PEOPLE AT A MUCH FASTER RATE AND ALSO SPENDING MORE HOURS INTERVIEWING SO THAT AN INDIVIDUAL -- FOR EXAMPLE, I SUPPORTED SOME INTERVIEWS TODAY, WHICH I SECRETLY LOVE. INDIVIDUAL APPLIED LAST WEEK, AND IT WAS THRILLING AND THEY ACTUALLY GAVE FEEDBACK THAT THEY APPLIED TO OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THEY'RE GOING US WITH BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO INTERVIEW THEM WITHIN A WEEK. AND SO WHAT WE'VE IS FOUND THAT WE JUST NEED TO HOOK THEM INSTANTLY BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, AGAIN, THAT CONVERSION RATE BY THE DAY DROPS EXPEDIENTIALLY, AND SO TO THE DAD WHO WAS ABLE TO BRING ON MORE SUBSTITUTES FASTER AND IN CLASSROOMS, THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT OF COURSE IS WORKING WITH THE CURRENT SUBSTITUTE RATE POPULATION, GETTING THEM REINVIGORATED AND GETTING A LOT OF WORK WITH MY TEAM HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET THEM EXCITED. I'VE STARTED DOING A LOT MORE MESSAGING THROUGH FRONTLINE SYSTEM AROUND LONG-TERM OPPORTUNITIES, NEEDS AT SCHOOLS THAT HAVE A HIGH AMOUNT OF VACANCIES AS A WAY TO REINVIGORATE THE CURRENT POPULATION TO TAKE THOSE ASSIGNMENTS. >> OKAY. MS. GREEN. >> THANK YOU. I GOT IT. I THINK SO. I THINK SO. ALL RIGHT. I WASN'T SURE. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, MS. BROWN. I GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION AND THE REFRESHING APPROACH THAT YOU BRING TO RECRUITMENT. IT'S REALLY EXCITING. SO I WILL DEFINITELY VOLUNTEER FOR THAT PUERTO RICO TRIP. >> NOTED. >> I CAN RECRUIT SOME TEACHERS, MS. BROWN. ALL RIGHT. AND STUDENTS, RIGHT. THE WHOLE BOARD. THE WHOLE BOARD, WE'LL ALL GO. SO MY QUESTION IS, AND I KNOW WE'RE ALWAYS ASKING ABOUT DATA AND RESEARCH, BUT I TRULY THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, AND MAYBE WE ALREADY HAVE THIS IN PLACE, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW IN EACH GROUP THAT WE'RE RECRUITING, WHAT IS THE BEST METHOD, WHAT IS -- WHAT'S BRINGING IN THE MOST CANDIDATES? AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S SOMETHING IN PLACE WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE FIND THAT OUT, THEY WERE, YOU KNOW -- IF WE FOUND THEM AT A RECRUITMENT FAIR, IN PERSON, ARE DID THEY HEAR ABOUT IT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA OR, YOU KNOW, DID SOMEONE WITHIN ACPS RECOMMEND THEM? AND I KNOW IT WOULD PROBABLY BE DIFFERENT IN EACH GROUP. IT'S VERY DIFFERENT I'M SURE TO RECRUIT A TEACHER THAN A BUS DRIVER. BUT I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW THE BETTS MECHANISMS THAT WE'RE USING FOR EACH GROUP THAT WE'RE RECRUITING AND HOW THOSE EFFORTS ARE WORKING. >> SURE. AND I CAN CERTAINLY PULL THAT DATA. I WILL SAY IT'S EVEN MORE NUANCE, THAT IS NOT -- THERE ARE DIFFERENT METHODOLOGIES NOT JUST FOR TEACHER VERSUS BUS DRIVER, BUT DIFFERENT METHODOLOGIES FOR ELEMENTARY VERSUS SECONDARY SPECIAL EDUCATION. AND SO THAT IS WHY THIS WORK IS SO COMPLEX BECAUSE IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT 15 VACANCIES, THE WAY THAT YOU'RE GONNA FIND SUCCESS MAY BE 15 DIFFERENT EMPLOYEES, AND THE WAY I'M FINDING SUCCESS IS IF WE'RE COUPLING -- MANY WAYS OF HAVING THE LARGE-SCALE FAIRS. WE'RE HAVING THE SPECIALIZED EVENTS FOR CERTAIN POSITIONS. THAT WAS REALLY SUCCESSFUL FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR EXAMPLE AND WE ALSO HAVE TO GET CANDIDATES FROM THE ELEMENTARY THROUGH THE ACPS FAIR. HOWEVER, I WAS ABLE TO FIND QUITE A FEW OF OUR SECONDARY ENGLISH AND HIGH SCHOOL AT UNIVERSITY FAIRS. SO A WONDERFUL QUESTION THAT WE CAN WORK ON THAT DATA. BUT I THINK IT'S -- I JUST START TO UNPEEL THE ONION AND REALIZE THAT -- OR EVEN A FIFTH GRADE ELEMENTARY RECRUITMENT STRATEGY IS GOING TO LOOK DIFFERENT THAN A KINDERGARTEN STRATEGY. IT'S ALSO KNOWING ABOUT WHICH SCHOOLS HAVE A FOCUS ON WHICH POSITIONS. SO IF YOU GO TO JMU AND SAY, GOSH, LET ME GET THESE THREE, I KNOW I NEED GO TO GW AND GET THESE THREE, EVEN THOUGH THEY ALL MAY STILL BE ELEMENTARY. WONDERFUL QUESTION, AND I CAN MAKE THAT NOTE REGARDING THE DATA REQUEST. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND YOU KNOW, NOT A HIGH PRIORITY, WE KNOW TO GET THE PEOPLE IN FIRST, BUT WHEN THERE'S SOME SPARE TIME TO PULL THAT DATA, THAT'D BE GREAT. [01:15:08] THANK YOU. >> DR. RIEF. >> THANK YOU. SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, MS. BROWN. AND I ECHO MY COLLEAGUE'S SENTIMENTS, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING. THE PLAN LOOKS REALLY GREAT AND YOUR ENTHUSIASM DEFINITELY COMES THROUGH. WE CAN TELL YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT RECRUITMENT, SO THAT'S EXCELLENT. I WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW YOUR -- YOU'RE COLLABORATING WITH THE SCHOOL LEADERS ON RECRUITMENT. YOU TALKED ABOUT IN THE PRESENTATION THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT STRATEGY MEETINGS, STARTING NOVEMBER FIRST. I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF SCHOOLS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE MEETING WITH AND THE OTHER QUESTION IS -- I'M SURE YOU KEEP A MASTER CALENDAR OF ALL OF THE FARES -- FAIRS AND TARGETED GROUPS THAT YOU'RE RECRUITING TOO. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU SHARE WITH SCHOOL LEADERS AND OTHERS SO THEY CAN SAY HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THIS OR WHAT ABOUT THIS? SO IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT THAT, I APPRECIATE IT. >> ABSOLUTELY. AND I'LL TACKLE THE SECOND QUESTION FIRST AS I WAS WORKING ON THE CALENDAR EARLIER TODAY, SO IT'S TOP OF MIND. YES, SO MAJORITY OF THE FAIRS ARE JANUARY THROUGH APRIL, THAT IS SORT OF PEAK SEASON. THAT SAID WE ACTUALLY HAVE OUR FIRST FAIR ON NOVEMBER 4TH, SO THE SEASON IS KICKING OFF BRIGHT AND EARLY THIS YEAR. BUT I DO SHARE THAT WITH SCHOOL LEADERS AND PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY GIVE FEEDBACK TO ALSO INDICATE TO WHICH FAIR THEY'D LIKE TO ATTEND. I DO PROVIDE FEEDBACK WHEN I -- BECAUSE I'M -- THIS IS A STRONG X PROGRAM, I KNOW YOU'RE ANTICIPATING VACANCIES HERE, THIS MIGHT BE A RIGHT FIT. SO WE DO COLLABORATE THERE. THAT LED INTO YOUR FIRST QUESTION AROUND COLLABORATION. TO ME, THAT IS POTENTIALLY THE NUMBER ONE SUCCESS THAT I THINK WE ARE GOING TO FIND. I THINK IN YEARS PAST, THERE WAS MORE OF A TRANCE ACTIONAL RELATIONSHIP WHEN IT COMES TO RECRUITMENT, RECRUITMENT BRINGS FOLKS, SCHOOL LEADERS PICK THEM, WE HIRE THEM. THAT WILL WORK VERY SURFACE LEVEL AND ONLY TO A CERTAIN DEGREE. I VERY MUCH VIEW RECRUITMENT AS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT. I NEED TO UNDERSTANDS NOT ONLY WHERE YOUR VACANCIES ARE BUT WHAT IS THE TYPE OF CANDIDATE THAT IS GOING TO WORK WELL WITH YOUR SCHOOL POPULATION, YOUR STUDENTS AND YOUR COMMUNITY. WHAT ARE THE UNIQUE THINGS AROUND THE CURRICULUM AT YOUR SCHOOL THAT I NEED TO HIGHLIGHT TO A UNIVERSITY WHEN I'M TALKING TO THEM? SO THAT MEANS I NEED TO SPEND TIME WITH YOU TO GET TO KNOW YOUR SCHOOL NEEDS ON A VERY DEEP LEVEL, AND THE WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT IS BY MEETING REGULARLY. NOT JUST THE CHECK-IN ON BUDGET, HOW ARE THINGS GOING SIX MONTHS LATER, BUT HAVE A PRACTICE WHERE WE ARE ROUTINELY AND REGULARLY COLLABORATING. WE ARE ALIGNED WITH OUR VISION OF WHAT WE THINK IS GONNA FIND SUCCESS FOR THE DISTRICT. AND I TALK WITH OUR PRINCIPALS -- I THINK ALL OF THEM, WHICH I ENCOURAGE -- VERY FREQUENTLY, AND I ADORE THEM. SO COLLABORATION, COMMUNICATION, AND SHARED VISION IS WHAT'S GONNA MOVE US FORWARD. >> THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU. AND I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR HOW THE RECRUITMENT SEASON GOES. THANKS. >> MR. HARRIS. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. I'M SURE EVERYONE IS EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK YOU'RE DOING. MY QUESTION IS, HAVE YOU CONSIDERED -- OR HAVE YOU TALKED TO IAS ABOUT THE COMING TEACHERS? >> YES. ABSOLUTELY. AS I MENTIONED, SARAH LOONEY, WHO IS MY SENIOR SPECIALIST, I HAVE CHARGED HER WITH DOING JUST THAT. AND THE COMMUNICATION AROUND THE GRAWNTDING THAT WE RECEIVED TO PAY FOR TUITION DID ALSO INCLUDE OUR A POPULATION AND SHE'S ACTUALLY IN CONVERSATION WITH QUITE A FEW WHO ARE LOOKING TOWARDS THE TEACHER PATHWAY. WE'RE HOPING MANY CAN CONVERT THIS SCHOOL YEAR BUT SOME MAY A LONG-TERM PATHWAY FOR THEM, BUT ABSOLUTELY, THEY ARE CERTAINLY PART OF OUR CONVERSATIONS AROUND VACANCIES. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MS. BROWN, I LOVE YOUR PAP PANEL ENERGY AROUND RECRUITMENT. IT'S VERY INFECTIOUS. SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT LATE ON A THURSDAY NIGHT. I HAVE ONE QUESTION, I'M CURIOUS. I KNOW THE STATE IS PAYING A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THE ISSUE OF TEACHER SHORTAGES AS WELL. YOU MENTIONED THE GRANT. JUST CURIOUS WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON SOME OTHER POSITIONS THE STATE HAS TAKEN AROUND POLICY CHANGES OR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE HAD. >> YOU WANT ME TO GRAB THAT, DOCTOR? OKAY. SURE, AS SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN IN EDUCATION FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS, FOLLOWING STATE-LEVEL DECISIONS [01:20:03] AND TRENDS AND POLICY CHANGES, HAS ALWAYS BEEN TOP OF MIND, I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR CANDIDATES IS TO UNDERSTANDS THAT WE ARE WITHIN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, AND WE OF COURSE FOLLOW THE DEREGULATION, BUT THAT THEY REALLY UNDERSTAND THE ACPS MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES AND HOW THOSE TWO THINGS CAN WORK COHESIVELY AND COLLABORATIVELY. WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF DECISIONS THAT HAVE JUST HAPPENED THAT CAN BE CHALLENGING AS IT AFFECTS RECRUITMENT, AND THAT IS A REALITY, AND IT'S UP TO MYSELF AND MY TEAM AND COLLABORATION WITH LEADERS TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE, MAKE SURE THAT APPLICANTS UNDERSTAND -- LIKE I SAID, THE VALUE OF ACPS, AND THE WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT IS BY GETTING THEM CONNECTED TO OUR SCHOOL LEADERS. >> THANKS. I THINK I CODED MY QUESTION A LITTLE TOO MUCH. BUT I APPRECIATE THAT TAKE. BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS I KNOW VIDEO IS TAKING A LOT OF INITIATIVES -- I THINK IT'S CALLED TURNING THE TIDE INITIATIVE AND LOWERED SOME BARRIERS FOR TEACHERS AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACCESSING HIGHER EDUCATION. I'M JUST CURIOUS ARE THOSE ALIGNMENTS PRIORITIES OR ARE WE ACCESSING THAT. >> I'LL ANSWER THAT, IF YOU DMIENTD, MS. BROWN. SO THE NEW ADMINISTRATION DOES TAKE A VERY DIFFERENT LOOK AT THE WAY WE SEE HOW YOU QUALIFY TEACHERS. PLEASE KNOW THAT ACPS WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS. WE KNOW THAT THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN ALTERNATE ROUTES TO LICENSURE BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WHATEVER THEY PUT OUT ON POLICY THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PUTTING IN FRONT OF OUR STUDENTS THE BEST CANDIDATES THAT WE CAN. WHILE THAT IS STILL IN DRAFT FORM AND STILL IN DISCUSSION, I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO WAIT TO SEE WHAT COMES FROM THAT, BECAUSE ROUTE NOW I FEEL LIKE IT'S JUST TOO MUCH OF A CONVERSATION TOPIC WITHOUT A LOT OF STRUCTURE AND BONES TO IT. TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING IN THE UPCOMING RECRUITMENT SEASON. IF IT HELPS US, THAT'S FINE. BUT PLEASE KNOW THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT WITH ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS MENTORING PROGRAMS. >> THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU. AND I THINK IT COULD EVEN BE A BRIDGE FOR, SAY, SOME OF THOSE IAS WHO BE WANT TO GO INTO THE FLEET LICENSED POSITION OR EVEN SOMEONE LIKE MYSELF WHO'S BEEN OUT OF THE CLASSROOM FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND MY LICENSE HAS LAPSED, IT COULD BE A WAY TO GET SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE BACK. >> YES. AND WE HAVE HAD IAS GO THROUGH DIFFERENT PROGRAMS LIKE THE UVA SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS AS WELL AS OTHER PROGRAMS BECAUSE THEY ARE INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS WITH DEGREES AND WE CAN USE ALTERNATE ROUTES FOR LICENSURE OVER THE YEARS. >> THANK YOU. >> OKAY. MR. BAILEY. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MS. BROWN, YOU MENTIONED A LOT OF THE GREAT PLACES THAT YOU'RE RECRUITING, BUT I NOTICE YOU DID NOT MENTION THE MILITARY. IS THERE A REASON BEHIND THAT? AND THE ONLY REASON I'M BRINGING THAT UP IS THAT I JUST THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE LIFE EXPERIENCE, MOST MILITARY FOLKS GET A HEAD START ON LIFE BECAUSE THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH. YOU KNOW, SO WHEN THEY COME OUT, THIS HE HAVE THAT LIFE EXPERIENCE, TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS, TEAM BUILDING SKILLS. I JUST THINK THEY BRING SO MUCH TO THE TABLE, AND SO I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY NOT MILITARY BASES. >> SO THAT WAS AN ERROR ON MY PART TO NOT CALL IT OUT, BECAUSE I ACTUALLY HAVE. AND I'VE ACTUALLY ATTENDED EVENTS AT ANDREWS RECENTLY. THERE IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS WITH MILITARY BY AS AND PUTS ON RECRUITMENT EVENTS. I DO HAVE A CONTACT THERE THAT I WORK WITH REGULARLY AND WE DO ATTEND EVENTS THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION AND PLAN TO DO SO AGAIN THIS YEAR. SO MY APOLOGIES BUT WE HAVE AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. >> OKAY. BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF MILITARY BASES HERE IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR. >> RIGHT. >> SO BUT THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME KNOW THAT. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> OKAY. WELL, GOOD DISCUSSION, AND WE KNOW THAT WORK CONTINUES AND WE'LL CONTINUE AND WON'T STOP. I WILL HAVE TO SAY I'VE BEEN -- THE PATES AT WHICH WE'VE BEEN DOING INTERVIEWS COULD FEEL LIKE SINCE -- I MEAN, THE END OF LAST YEAR HAS BEEN ALMOST OVERWHELMING, SO I THINK OBVIOUSLY THE RECRUITMENT IS HAPPENING. PEOPLE ARE APPLYING FOR THE JOBS. , YOU KNOW, WE'RE HIRING, BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOUR POINT, DR. KAY WYATT TO MAKING SURE WE CONTINUE TO HAVE HIGHLY QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS IN OUR CLASSROOMS. YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS SAY -- AND I DON'T MEAN TO SOUND HARSH BUT WE DON'T JUST WANT BODIES IN CLASSROOMS, WE WANT THE BEST THAT WE CAN PUT IN FRONT OF OUR KIDS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY DESERVE. [01:25:06] SO -- YEAH. >> I KNOW IT'S GETTING LATE, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY ONE MORE THING. I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT RECRUITMENT IS NOT JUST A RECRUITMENT DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY. EVERYTHING WE DO, AS STAFF MEMBERS AND BOARD MEMBERS IS PART OF OUR RECRUITMENT PROCESS BECAUSE WHEN WE GO OUT TO RECRUIT, THEY'RE WATCHING OUR BOARD MEN, THEY'RE LOOKING AT OUR COMMUNITIES AND WATCHING ALL THAT WE DO. SO RECRUITMENT WHILE YES SHE'S THE FACE THAT HAVE TONIGHT, HAD HER TEAM AND WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR IT. EACH ONE OF SUCCESS A RECRUITER FOR THIS DIVISION AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL AWARE OF THAT. SO THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT. GREAT. SO WITH THAT SAID, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO -- WE DO HAVE AN ACTION ITEM, WHICH IS -- WHICH [17. FY22 Q4 & FY23 Q1 CIP Quarterly Report] IS OUR QUARTER 4CIP REPORT. SO IT'S FY-224 AND 1. SO I CAN JUST TURN IT OVER TO DR. KAY WYATT WHO WILL TURN IT OVER TO JOHN -- >> SURE. A LOT OF TURNING OVER. I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE AMAZING FACILITIES AND OPERATION TEAM. WE DO HAVE ERIC WHO'S OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND JOHN FINNEGAN WHO'S OUR DURING THE COURSER OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES THIS EVENING WHO WILL PRESENT TO YOU SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU. >> AND JOHN WILL KICK US OFF. GO AHEAD, JOHN. >> GREATS. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING TO ALL OF OUR MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. IN ORDER TO GO OVER THE LATEST QUARTERLY REPORT WHICH DUE TO THE SUMMER BREAK IS ACTUALLY A COMBINATION OF QUARTER 4 OF FISCAL YEAR 22 AND QUARTER 1 OF FISCAL YEAR 23. AND SO AGAIN EACH TIME WE DO THIS, WE ASK THESE ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS, WHAT CONSTITUTES THE CIP, WHAT PROGRESS WAS MADE DURING THIS PERIOD? WHAT FUNDS ARE REMAINING AND WHAT PROGRESS IS ANTICIPATED FOR THE NEXT QUARTER. SUSAN... SO WHAT COMPROMISE THE CPO -- CIP ISED CAPACITY AND NON-CAPACITY FACILITY PROJECTS, RENOVATIONS EVERYTHING FROM KITCHENS TO ROOFTOPS, HVAC IMPROVEMENTS, ET CETERA, AND ALSO IS THE FLEET REPLACEMENT FOR TRANSPORTATION THAT INCLUDES BUSES AS WELL AS THE WHITE FLEET. TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM, WI-FI, ET CETERA, AND ALSO TEXTBOOKS. SUSAN. SO THE FOURTH QUARTER SPENDING PROGRESS -- WE'LL GO THROUGH THIS KIND OF QUICKLY, YOU CAN SEE OVER THERE ON THE FAR RIGHT CORNER THAT WE ENDED THE QUARTER WITH $THRAI MILLION. AND YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT PROGRESSED DOWN AS WE WERE SPENDING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THAT WAS $38 MILLION. THIS NEXT SLIDE PROVIDES A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL. IT GOES THROUGH EACH SCHOOL AS WELL AS TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES, ET CETERA. AND I'LL JUST POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS ON THE FAR RIGHT COLUMN. THERE'S SOME LARGE ITEMS OVER THERE, YOU SEE DOUGLAS MCARTHUR, BECAUSE THAT'S MODERN SAYS, THERE'S ALMOST $19 MILLION REMAINING THERE. A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS TO POINT OUT, SYSTEM WYATT WHICH WE USE FOR A VARIETY THINGS OFTEN TO SUPPLEMENT SOME OF THE ONGOING PROJECTS AS WELL AS FRANCIS HAMMOND. THERE IS A LARGE HVAC PROJECT WHICH WE ARE PHASING. THERE'S OVER 3 MILLION THERE. GEORGE WASHINGTON ALSO OVER 2 MILLION, AGAIN, A LARGE PROJECT. SO THAT TAKES US TO THE FISCAL YEAR '23 FIRST QUARTER. WHICH WAS JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER. AND AGAIN THAT $38 MILLION NOW GOT ROLLED OVER AND THEN WILL YOU SEE THAT THE FISCAL YEAR '23 BUDGET KICKED IN WHICH WAS OVER $240 MILLION AND THEN WE SPENT 13 MILLION OF THAT THROUGH THE FIRST THREE MONTHS. SO YOU'LL SEE OUR CURRENT REMAINING BUDGET YEAR END BALANCE A LITTLE OVER $229,669,000. AND AGAIN JUST TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, A COUPLE OF THE LARGE DOLLAR FIGURES, FOR KELLY YOU SEE THERE, ALMOST $2 MILLION. FRANCIS HAMMOND, AGAIN, HVAC. GEORGE WASHINGTON, HVAC. WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF KITCHENS IN THERE, AS WELL. LYLES CROUCH IS A COMPLETE KITCHEN RE-DO. AND PATRICK HENRY AS THAT WILL RELATE TO TRANSFERRING OUT OF THE EXISTING SWIM SPACE BACK TO THE NEW DOUGLAS MCARTHUR SCHOOL AND THAT WILL BE THE REINSTALLATION OF THE FIELDS IN THAT SPACE. [01:30:03] SUSAN... AND I WILL TURN IT BACK TO ERIKA TO GO OVER THE PROJECTS. >> SO JUST SOME BRIEF UPDATES ON OUR MAJOR CAPACITY PROJECTS WE HAVE GOING ON RIGHT NOW. FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL PROJECTS IN QUARTER 4 AT THE END OF THE LAST SCHOOL YEAR, WE COMPLETED THE 100% CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS, WE ALSO STARTED CONSTRUCTION IN THE END OF APRIL. ON THAT PROJECT. AT MINI HOWARD FOR QUARTER 1 WE STARTED WITH SHOOTING AND SHORING AND EXCAVATION AND SITE CLEARING. WE'VE STARTED WORKING ON UTILITIES AND RECEIVED THE FINAL EGG IS MUST BELIEVED FOUNDATION PERMIT ANTICIPATED IN THE QUARTER, WE'RE NOW EXPECTING THAT APPROVAL OF THE BUILDING PERMIT WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO GO VERTICAL. AND THE G.O.P. 4 THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL BE ASKED TO IMPROVE A FOURTH GMP WHICH IS REALLY TOO THE LOW VOLTAGE WHICH IS A LOT OF THE TECHNOLOGY IN THE BUILDING. AND STARTING THAT THIS NOVEMBER. FOR DOUGLAS MACK ARTHUR, IN QUARTER 4 WE COMPLETED FOUNDATION WALLS. LAST YEAR WAS REALLY WHEN YOU STARTED TO SEE A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING ON THAT SITE. IN QUARTER 1, WE FINISHED THE STEEL ERECTION WHERE WE HAD A TOPPING OUT. WE ALSO STARTED SOME OF THE SLAB ON DECK 4 AND CONTINUE WORKING THROUGH JUST GETTING THAT BUILDING READY TO BE ENCLOSED. WE'LL CONTINUE THAT PROGRESS OVER QUARTER 2. INCLUDING THE WALL INSTALLATION, UTILITIES, WATERPROOFING AND FIREPROOFING ON DIFFERENT ITEMS GOING ON OVER THERE. AND THEN FOR 1703, WE STARTED THE PROCUREMENT FOR THE DESIGN SERVICES, AND ANTICIPATED IN QUARTER 2 THAT THE PLANNING AND DESIGN WILL BEGIN AND WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD'S APPROVAL OF THAT DESIGN CONTRACT WHICH WE ARE ON TARGET. SO I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU, JOHN. >> THANK YOU. AND SUSAN, IF YOU COULD ACTUALLY -- THAT WAS RELATED TO WHAT ERIKA JUST SPOKE ABOUT. SO IF COULD YOU CONTINUE, PLEASE. OKAY. RIGHT THERE. SO NOW I'M GOING TO GO OVER SOME NON-CAPACITY PROJECTS JUST TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON SOME OF THE FIELD OF PROJECTS THAT WE DID OVER THE LAST TWO QUARTERS. IT'S KIND OF EXCITING BECAUSE NOW THAT WE ARE IN A BETTER POSITION WITH OUR BUILDINGS THAT WE ARE WATERTIGHT, WE'VE GOT NEW ROOFS, WE'RE WORKING ON HVAC. NOW WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO YUBLEDZ TAKE A FEW OF THOSE MORE FUN PROJECTS, THINGS THAT ARE A LITTLE MORE ESTHETIC. SO THE JOHN ADAMS LIBRARY RENOVATION INCLUDED NEW FLOORING, A COMPLETE DEMOLITION AND RE-DO OF THE ACOUSTIC CEILING GRID AND TILES. NEW L.E.D. LIGHTS SO IT'S MUCH BRIGHTNER THERE, SKY LIGHTS AND ENCLOSURES AND BLINDS AND SKY LIGHT SHADES ARE BEING INSTALLED. WE ALSO WILL COME BACK WITH SOFT FURNITURE, SO LITTLE STOOLS AND SQUISHY FURNITURE FOR THE KIDS AND OBVIOUSLY IT WAS PAINTED SO A MUCH BRIGHTER, MORE WELCOMING FUN SPACE FOR THE KIDS AND THAT SQUISHY FURNITURE WILL ALSO ADD SOME COLOR IN THERE, AS WELL. SUSAN, IF YOU WILL MOVE FORWARD PLEASE. ALSO CHARLES BARRETT, THE HOME KINDERGARTEN POD HAD ASBESTOS REMEDIATION THROUGHOUT THE HALL, THE COMMON SPACE IN THE CLASSROOMS. IT'S GOT THE FLOOR LEVELING AND THEN THE BRAND-NEW LUXURY VIABLE TILE. SO THAT WHOLE WING OF THE SCHOOL IS NOW DONE. SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO EACH TIME WE FINISH THESE ASBESTOS REMEDIATION AND FLOORING PROJECTS IS TO COME BACK THROUGH AND PATCH WALLS AND PAINT, ET CETERA. SO THAT WILL KIND OF BE ONGOING. WE STILL ARE DEALING WITH SOME SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES. FORTUNATELY WE WERE ABLE TO GET ALL OF THE MATERIAL IN HERE, AND EVERYTHING IS DONE. BUT AGAIN NOW WE'LL GO BACK AND MAKE SOME OTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO, YOU KNOW, MATCH THE PAINT TO THE FLOORING, ET CETERA. >> GEORGE WASHINGTON, I POINTED THIS OUT IN THE OVERALL BUDGET VIEW, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THIS WASN'T A VERY LARGE PROJECT. THIS WAS THE ENTIRE THREE-STORY A WING, HVAC RENOVATION. SO IT WAS FAN COIL UNITS, IT WAS THE DUAL OUTSIDE AIR SYSTEM, AIR HANDLING UNITS, ROOFTOP UNITS, ALL OF THE DUCT WORK, PIPING, ELECTRICAL AND CONTROLS FOR THE ENTIRE SYSTEM. SO THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE AS WE PHASE THESE PROJECTS OUR CONTROLS ARE FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOL SYSTEM, BUT WE WERE JUST DOING WHEN IT'S IMPORTANT TO INTEGRATE THOSE IT CONTROLS AND STILL HAVE THE OLD SYSTEM AND NEW SYSTEM WORKING TOGETHER, AND NOW OUR NEXT STEP HERE WOULD BE LOOKING AT THE BOILERS, CHILLERS AND THEN THE C WING IN REPLACING FAN COIL UNITS THERE. [01:35:04] SUSAN. JAMES POLK, THIS IS ALSO KIND OF EXCITING BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE FROM THE UPPER PICTURE JUST HOW BAD THESE COUNTERTOPS HAD GOTTEN. THERE WAS SOME WATER INTRUSION, THERE WAS A LOT OF WARPING. THE PLASTIC LAMB INABILITY WAS COMING APART, IT WAS CREATING A SINKING HAZARD, AS WELL. SO AT THE BOTTOM YOU CAN SEE OUR NEW INSTALLATION, IT INCLUDED THE ENTIRE CABINETS, FAUCETS, BUBBLERS, CORIAN COUNTERTOPS WHICH HAVE INTEGRATED SINKS. SO THESE WILL LAST MUCH LONGER. AND SO I'M SO EXCITE ABOUT NOT ONLY THE DURABILITY BUT THE ESTHETICS OF THAT. ANOTHER PROJECT THAT JUST WRAPPED UP WAS SAMUEL TUCKER. I GOT A LIST HERE OF EVERYTHING, A SPLIT SYSTEM, VARIABLE AIR VOLUME, THE CHILLERS, THE PUMPS, THE PIPING, THE CONTROLS. THAT WAS A VERY EXTENSIVE PROJECT WHICH IS ALWAYS TOUGH AT SAMUEL TUCKER'S SINCE THEY'RE NOT ON THE REGULAR SCHOOL CALENDAR, AND WE'VE GOT TO TRY TO DO THIS STUFF IN THEIR AIR SESSIONS AND MUCH SHORTER. SUSAN. SO A FEW ONGOING UPCOMING PROJECTS THAT WE WANT TO TOUCH UPON BRIEFLY. CHARLES BARRETT IS ANOTHER ONE OF OUR UPCOMING HVAC PROJECTS, WE HAVE AWARDED A CONTRACT ON THAT. WE HAVE ORDERED THE LONG-NEED ITEMS WHICH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WE KEEP HAVING THE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUE SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUT IN FRONT OF THINGS, GET THINGS ORDERED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN TRY TO GET THEM IN FOR NEXT SUMMER. SO WE ARE OUT AHEAD OF THAT, THINGS HAVE BEEN ORDERED. WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO TAKE A FEW SMALL STEPS, DO A COUPLE OF THINGS ON THE ROOF, WITH SORT OF THE PIPING, ET CETERA. SO THAT HAS COMMENCED. A FEW OF OUR COURTYARDS WE GOT, FOR INSTANCE IN MOUNT VERNON, MOUNT VERNON ALL OF THE STORE BOUGHT IMPROVEMENTS AND PIPING AND THE REDESIGN IS PERMITTED. IT'S AN EXCITING PROJECT BECAUSE IT WILL REINTRODUCE THAT OUTSIDE COURTYARD TO OUTDOOR LEARNING AND BE A MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE SPACE FOR THE STUDENTS WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT ANY SURROUNDING WATER INTRUSION ISSUES. AT LYLES CROUCH, THE DESIGN IS ONGOING. WE ARE LOOKING AT OUTDOOR LEARNING SPACES, REVAMPING THE PLAYGROUND AND ALSO REDOING THE FIELD, WHICH IS GRASS AND PUTTING IN A SYNTHETIC SURFACE. AND THE CITY HAS ALSO ASKED TO US LOOK AT BASICALLY SOME MORE STORM WATER RETENTION BECAUSE THAT AREA IS SO CLOSE TO THE RIVER THERE'S HIGH WATER AND CONSTANT FLOODING. SO THAT SHOULD HELP OUT THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD. ALSO FRANCIS MELAND, OUR STORM WATER MANAGEMENT REDESIGN AT THE COURTYARD IS COMPLETE. WE DID VIDEO CAMERAING OF ALL OF THE STORM WATER ALLIANCE, FOUND CRACKS, FOUND WHERE PIPES WERE COMING APART. SO WE HAVE A PLAN NOW TO ADDRESS ALL OF THOSE THINGS AS WELL AS WORK ON THE ESTHETICS OF THE COURTYARD AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL NOW ON WHICH OPTIONS WE'LL USE ARE TO THE LEARNING SPACES. AND THEN LYLES CROUCH, WE'VE GOT A KITCHEN AND CAFETERIA PROJECT ONGOING. THAT IS FINISHING UP THE CONSTRUCTION DOCS. SO PROBABLY WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS THAT WILL BE COMPLETE. WE'LL BE GOING IN FOR PERMITTING AND GOING OUT FOR AN INVITATION TO BID AND HOPEFULLY GETTING THAT PROJECT STARTED THIS SUMMER. AND THEN FINALLY, MAY ONLY ME BROOKS, WE WORKING ON A SECURE INTEREST VESTIBULE. CURRENTLY WHEN YOU ARE BUZZED INTO THE SCHOOL, YOU GO UP THE STAIRS AND THEN YOU'RE IN THE BUILDING AND THERE'S NO OTHER TYPE OF CONTAINMENT. SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS BASICALLY ADDING A GLASS WALL AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS, WHICH WILL BE A SECONDARY POINT OF ENTRANCE THAT YOU HAVE TO BE BUZZED THROUGH, AS WELL, SO IT ALLOWS DOUBTER BUZZ IN FROM THE INITIAL DOOR INTO WHAT NOW CAN BASICALLY BE A HOLDING AREA WHILE THEY VIEW THEM AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS SAFE BEFORE THEY BUZZ THEM INTO THE REST OF THE SCHOOL. THAT IS COINCIDING WITH THE COMPLETE LOBBY RENOVATION. SO WE'RE KIND OF TAKING THAT ELEMENT INTO THE LIBRARY AS WELL, WHICH WILL BE THE NEXT RENOVATION, THAT'S HELPING THEM FIND IT. WE'RE ADDING A WINDOW INTO THAT SPACE, WE'RE ADDING SOME LIGHT. TRYING TO BRING SOUTH SOME OF THE ARCHITECTUAL ELEMENTS THAT HAVE BEAUTIFUL OLD BUILDING SO THAT DESIGN DEVELOPMENT IS ALMOST COMPLETE AND THAT AGAIN WILL BE A PROJECT FOR NEXT SUMMER. AND SUSAN, IF YOU WILL FORWARD AGAIN, PLEASE. SO BASICALLY THAT IS ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT. IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, WE'LL TAKE THOSE IN JUST A SECOND. [01:40:01] BECAUSE WE DID HAVE 64 DIFFERENT PROJECTS ONGOING, AND OF THOSE 64 PROJECTS, IT WAS BASICALLY SPLIT INTO THIRDS AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER BECAUSE WE KIND OF CAME OUT OF OUR CONSTRUCTION SEASON AND WE HAD HALF -- EXCUSE ME, A THIRD OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT WERE IN CLOSE-OUT. SO THAT JUST SHOWS THE PROGRESSION OF FINISHING OUR CONSTRUCTION SEASON AND GETTING THESE PROJECTS WRAPPING UP WHILE WE ARE CONTINUING TO GO AHEAD AND PLAN FOR NEXT SUMMER. SO WE'RE USING THE DATA TO DRIVE THE PRIORITIES, WE ARE USING INNOVATIVE APPROACHES, WE'RE USING PHASING, WE'RE TRYING TO DO THINGS AFTER-HOURS. WE'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE BREAKS AND AGAIN WE'RE WORKING AROUND SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES AND DOING THINGS UNDER CONTRACT AND GOING AHEAD AND STARTING THE LONG LEAD ORDERING WHILE WE WORK AND OUR AGGRESSIVE TIMELINE CONTINUES AS WE'RE DOING A METHODICAL APPROACH TO THESE BUILDINGS AND, AGAIN THAT'S REFLECTIVE IN OUR FILLS CONDITION INDEX WHICH ACTUALLY HAS TAKEN SOME OF OUR CHRONIC UNDERPERFORMING BUILDINGS AND GIVEN THE NEW SCORE THAT'S COME TO TRANSFORM THEM INTO STRONG PERFORMING BUILDINGS SUCH AS LYLES CROUCH, MOUNT VERNON AND JOHN ADAMS. SO WE ARE MAKING SOME GOOD PROGRESS, AND SUSAN, IF YOU WILL FORWARD ONE MORE, PLEASE. THAT'S BASICALLY THE SAME, SUSAN, ONE MORE, PLEASE. SO WE WILL GO AHEAD AND TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF ANYONE HAS ANYTHING WITH WHAT I WENT OVER OR ANY OF THE PROJECTS, WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE THIS UPDATE VERY MUCH. >> A LOT OF WORK ACROSS THE CITIES DIDN'T SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD DILIGENT LEADERSHIP AND WORK HERE. QUESTION ABOUT MCARTHUR. AND SOME OF THIS I KNOW, I'M ON THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND SOME HAS JUST COME TO THE ADVISORY MEMBERS BUT I ALSO WANT TO SAY I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT WE'RE STILL ON TARGET FOR OPENING, WHICH IS GREAT. ARE THERE ANY CONCERNS THAT YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW, ANY SUPPLY CHAIN CONCERNS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY JEOPARDIZE AN AUGUST OPENING? >> I WOULD SAY THIS, THE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES. >> WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR WHEN MATERIALS ARE BEING DELIVERED AND WHEN THEY'RE BEING STORED AND MAKING SURE THAT SCAN IS GOOD AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE THEY'RE EXECUTING THEIR CONTRACTS AND ORDER WHAT THEY NEED TO, SO I WOULD SAY IT'S AN ONGOING CONCERN. AT THIS TIME EVERY MAJOR CONTRACT HAS BEEN PROCURED AND WE'RE FINDING ALTERNATE WAYS TO DEAL WITH THEM AND RESEQUENCE AS THINGS COME UP BECAUSE EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THE SCHOOL WILL OPEN FOR AUGUST. SO THAT'S ALL. THERE'S NOTHING SPECIFIC I WOULD CALL OUT RIGHT NOW JUST THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH THOSE ISSUES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN WORK WITH THE SCHEDULE AND DELIVER THE BUILDING ON TIME. >> GREAT. THANK YOU. AND WILL THE PLAYGROUNDS FOR MCARTHUR ALSO BE DONE AT THE OPENING DATE IN AUGUST? >> YES. SO ONE OF THE THINGS WITH THE PLAYGROUNDS THAT I WILL MENTION, THOUGH, AND AS YOU MAY RECALL IN YOUR TIME ON THE ADVISORY GROUP, WE ARE REALLY USE -- REUSING THE PLAY EQUIPMENT THAT'S CURRENTLY AT THE SWING SPACE, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY NEED THAT FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR, SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL TO DETERMINE WHEN WE CAN PULL THAT EQUIPMENT TO MAKE SURE IT GETS OVER TO THE NEW MCARTHUR IN TIME, SO THAT'S THE ONE PIECE THAT IS A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGING AND MIGHT NOT BE A CLEAN, YOU KNOW, THAT IT WILL HAVE ALL OF ITS PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT RIGHT AWAY OR THAT DOUGLAS MACARTHUR IN THE SWING SPACE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THEIR EQUIPMENT THE WHOLE TIME BUT THOSE AREN'T THE ONLY PLAYGROUND PIECES IN THE NEW BUILDING. AND SO THERE WILL STILL BE PLENTY OF PLAY SPACE AVAILABLE AND JUST A REQUEST FOR A FUTURE MEETING. I KNOW WE'RE KIND OF THINKING ABOUT THE STRUCTURAL KIND OF DAY TO DAY THAT WILL WORK IN MACARTHUR AND ACADEMIC WISE AND WHERE THE PRE-K STUDENTS WILL GO AND IT WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL TO KIND OF LAY OUT WHAT THE TRANSITION PLAN PHYSICALLY WILL BE. I KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE BUILDING WILL OPEN UP IN AUGUST, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WILL ALL OF THE TEACHERS AND STAFF AND MATERIAL GET TO THE CLASSROOM. ARE WE GOING TO PROVIDE A EXTRA TIME FOR STAFF TO GO TO SET UP THEIR OWN CLASSROOMS. NOTHING YOU HAVE TO ANSWER RIGHT NOW BUT WOULD BE GOOD IN A FUTURE MEETING THAT IS LIKE WHAT IS THAT. NOW THAT WE'RE GETTING TO THE FINISH LINE, WHAT DOES THE FINISH LINE LOOK LIKE TO GET THERE. [01:45:01] >> YES, AND I'LL JUST SAY AS AN UPDATE, OUR TEAMS HAVE HAD A RECENT CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE SET UP, FORTUNATELY OR UNFORTUNATELY, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU LOOK AT IT. WE JUST WENT THROUGH SOMETHING SIMILAR WHEN WE MOVED INTO THE SWING SPACE AND BROUGHT A MOVE MANAGEMENT FROM THE BOARD AND THEY TALKED WITH THE TEACHERS AND I FELT LIKE THE TEACHERS REALLY FELT COMFORTABLE THAT PROCESS AND FELT LIKE THEY WERE ABLE TO HAVE SUFFICIENT TIME TO MOVE IN. SO A LOT OF THEM RECALL THAT AND WILL BE DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR FOR THIS. >> GREAT. THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT. MS. GREEN... >> I'M SO EXCITED... THANK YOU, CHAIR. HEY THERE, MR. FINNEGAN, HOW ARE NEW. >> DOING WELL, THANK YOU, HOW ARE YOU? >> PROBABLY KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK YOU. BUT I ACTUALLY HAVE TWO QUESTIONS. IF YOU COULD START OFF WITH PARKER GRAY STADIUM AND THE THINGS THAT HADN'T BEEN COMPLETED, THE LAST UPDATE, AND I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW IF WE'VE DONE ANY MORE RESEARCH ON GETTING SOME LIGHTNING THERE ON THOSE AREAS THAT ARE PRETTY DARK JUST -- I WORRY ABOUT SAFETY ISSUE THERE IS AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE -- I KNOW THE LIGHTS WITH THE TECHNOLOGY, THEY'RE STRAIGHT RIGHT ON THE FIELD. THERE'S REALLY NOT A LOT OF LIGHT OUTSIDE OF RIGHT ON THE FIELD AREA. SO I'D LOVE TO KNOW IF WE'RE CONSIDER, ADDITIONAL LIGHTS AND IF WE POTENTIALLY COULD EXCUSE OR TALK ABOUT OR IF THERE'S PLANS FOR ADDITIONAL SEATING. >> LET ME TRY TO REMEMBER EACH OF THOSE. ACTUALLY IN MY BACKGROUND IS THE RESTAURANT AND STORAGE BUILDING AT THE STADIUM AND YOU'LL SEE THAT OVER SUMMER WE WORK ON THE PUNCH LIST, SO ALMOST EVERYTHING IS COMPLETE AND THERE'S JUST A COUPLE OF ITEMS THAT I'LL TOUCH BASE ON IN A MOMENT THAT WE STILL HAVE TO ADDRESS. THE ROOF WAS FINISHED, ALL OF THE FLASHING, THE COPING, THE METAL WORK. WE HAD THEM COME BACK OUT AND DO A FEW THINGS WHERE SOME THINGS GOT CHIPPED, ET CETERA, SO THAT'S ALMOST COMPLETE WITH THE PUNCH LIST. THE LAST THINGS THAT REMAIN ARE SOMEWHAT VISIBLE, THERE'S THE SLIDING BARN DOOR ON THAT BUILDING BEHIND ME, AND THAT IS -- WAS A ISSUE, HAVING TROUBLE GETTING THAT MATERIAL IN, AND WE REALLY COULDN'T TRY TO COME UP WITH SOME OPTIONS BUT BECAUSE OF THE WEIGHT OF THE PLYWOOD AND FINISH MATERIAL, IT GOT TO BE TOO MUCH FOR THAT LARGE -- THAT'S A LARGE METAL FRAME DOOR THAT ROLLS BACK AND FORTH, IT GETS VERY HEAVY, SO WE REALLY COULDN'T DEVIATE TOO MUCH, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY OPTIONS. THE OTHER THING IS WHAT WE DID TO ALLOW US TO PLAY IN THE FOOTBALL SEASON LAST YEAR, WE COULD NOT GET THE BORED IN, SO WITH THE CITY, WE WORKED OUT THREE DIFFERENT SHADES OF RED, THREE DIFFERENT SHADES OF BLUE, AND IN -- AND THAT IS WHAT HIGHLIGHTS THAT BUILDING IN A FEW DIFFERENT AREAS ON SOME OF THE SIDES, ET CETERA. YOU SEE WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT BEHIND ME IS THE BRICK PORTION. BUT OF THE INSET GOING INTO THE RESTROOMS, THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THOSE COLORS ARE. ON THE SIDES OF THE CONCESSION BUILDING, THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THOSE COLORS ARE. SO WE HAD TO GET THAT SKIN UP SO THAT WE COULD USE IT FOR THE LAST TWO FOOTBALL SEASONS. WE'RE FINALLY ABLE TO GET THAT IN BUT NOW THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE TAKING ALL THAT HAVE SKIN OFF AND REDOING IT. IS DIDN'T ALSO AUDIO-VISUAL. BECAUSE OF LAWSUITS AND KIND OF THE DURATION OF THIS PROJECT, SOME OF THAT AUDIO-VISUAL EQUIPMENT HAS BECOME OBSOLETE, SO WE HAD TO REPLACE THAT. THAT'S ANOTHER THING WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW. OTHER THAN THAT, THE STADIUM'S PRETTY MUCH DONE. WE'VE BEEN LIKE I MENTIONED ALL OVER THE PLACE. OTHER THAN THAT, WE FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THE LIGHTING AROUND TO GET YOU KNOW FROM THE HOME SITE TO THE VISITORS SITE. WE'VE GOT A STRING OF LIGHTS OVER THERE, AND LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S DARK OUTSIDE OF THOSE AREAS, SO WE ARE LOOKING ON THE EAST SIDE IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT SPOTS. AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY WILL END UP ADDING SOME LIGHTING BECAUSE IT IS NEEDED. AND DID I MISS ONE OTHER QUESTION? SEATING. ADDITIONAL SEATING. >> OKAY. SO BLEACHERS ARE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE REQUESTING IN THE BUDGET. [01:50:04] THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE AGREE THAT IS NEEDED, AND NOT SURE WHY THAT NEVER WAS PART OF IT. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A COST ISSUE BUT THAT WOULD BE NICE TO GET THE BLEACHERS INTO THE PROJECT, YES. . >>> OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE. AND THE SECOND QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH WATER INTRUSION. I KNOW YOU YOU AD ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AT POAG. I KNOW A NUMBER OF SCHOOLS HAD ISSUES WITH WATER INTERVIEW ITION. IS THAT PROBLEM GETTING WORSE WITH FLOODING AND CLIMATE CHANGE? JUST, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR OLD BUILDINGS, AND AREAS -- SCHOOLS THAT ARE FLOOD ZONES, ET CETERA, JUST WANTING TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING TO MITIGATE THOSE ISSUES IF. >> IT'S A LITTLE TOUGHER FOR US ON THAT FRONT BECAUSE OUR BUILDINGS WERE IN SUCH POOR SHAPE A FEW YEARS AGO WITH ROOFS THAT WERE FUNCTIONALLY OBSOLETE AND YEARS BEYOND THEIR EXPECTED LIFE EXPECTANCY. NOW THAT WE'VE KIND OF CAUGHT UP AND HAVE WATER-TIGHT FACILITIES, THINGS AREN'T AS BAD. EVERY TIME IT USED TO RAIN, WE WOULD SAY, OH, NO. WE'VE GOTTA GET THERE EARLY IN THE MORNING, TO THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT SCHOOLS THAT WE KNEW WOULD BE FLOODED. THE OTHER THING WE'VE DONE IS SPENT SOME MONEY TO GO IN AND DO SOME SITE CORRECTIONS, LYLES CROUCH WAS NOTORIOUSLY FLOODED SCHOOL. I DON'T THINK WE FLOODED THERE AT ALL IN A YEAR OR MORE. AND IT USED TO FLOOD SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR. PART OF THAT WAS GETTING INTO THE STORM WATER RETENTION AREAS AND CHANGING OUT FILTERS, VACUUMING OUT MANHOLES, ET CETERA. NOW THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT HAS IT ON THEIR LIST TO KEEP THAT UPGRADED EVERY YEAR. BUT IT HAD BEEN NEGLECTED FOR A WHILE, SO A LOT OF OUR WATER INTERVIEW ITION -- INTRUE ITION -- INTRUSION ISSUES WERE BECAUSE OF THE STATE OF OUR BUILDINGS. NOW WE'RE NOT HAVING THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES HOWEVER AS FAR AS THE CLIMATE AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, THE ONE SCHOOL WHERE WE ARE STILL HAVING SOME ISSUES IS GEORGE WASHINGTON. THAT IS PROBABLY DUE TO HIGH WATER TABLE. IF YOU WERE TO FOUR MILE RUN AND TURN THERE'S A CREEK THAT GOES TO SOUTH FROM THERE AND RUNS RIGHT BEHIND CORA COUNTY. AND IT'S A CREEK FOR A COUPLE HUNDRED YARDS AND GOES INTO A BIG PIPE, THAT BASICALLY RUNS ALL ALONG MOUNT VERNON AVENUE, SO THAT'S PARTIALLY THE REASON WE'VE HAD THE ISSUES AT CORA KELLY, MOUNT VERNON, GEORGE WASHINGTON. WITH SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE AT THOSE OTHER SCHOOLS WE'RE NOT SEEING, IT BUT GEORGE WASHINGTON, WE ARE GETTING SINKHOLES THAT POP UP AROUND THE SITE, AND IF YOU REMEMBER, WE ACTUALLY HAD A CIVIL ENGINEERING STUDY DOWN HERE A YEAR OR SO AGO, AND THEY STUDIED THE SITE, THEY THOUGHT THAT MAYBE WE HAD SOME SPRINGS AND OTHER ISSUES BUT WE DON'T. IT IS JUST A MATTER OF HIGH WATER TABLE AND JUST -- THE CITY'S UNDERPERFORMING SYSTEM, AS WELL. WE'VE GOT 48 INCH PIPES THAT -- WE'VE GOT FOUR OF THEM THAT ACT AS RETENTION. BUT WHEN THOSE GO OFF-SITE THEY GO DOWN TO A 36 INCH PIPE, THE CITY'S SEWER SYSTEM. SO IT'S KIND OF A CHOKE POINT THERE, AND THEY'RE SURCHARGING AND BASICALLY BACK-FLOWING. THAT'S PROBABLY WASHING AWAY SOME OF THE FINES. SO WHAT THE REPORT SAYS, EACH TIME YOU HAVE THESE SINKHOLES YOU JUST HAVE TO KIND OF OVEREXCAVATE, PUT DOWN SOME FILTER FABRIC, COMPACT IT MORE AND, YOU KNOW, PUT BACK THE SOIL OR THE ASPHALT OR WHATEVER, BUT THERE IS NOT SOMETHING SPECIFICALLY THAT WE CAN POINT TO. WE JUST KNOW THAT THE CITY'S DONE A LOT OF INLET IMPROVEMENTS UP ON VERNON AVE AND ALSO HAVE RAIN GAUGES AT A HANDFUL OF LOCATIONS SO THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON AS WELL. BUT THERE'S NOTHING SPECIFICALLY -- IT'S A HIGH WATER TABLE, WE JUST HAVE TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES AS THEY COME UP. >> OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> DR. RIEF. >> THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, MR. 15 BEGIN AND ALL YOUR WORK ON OUR FACILITIES. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE MAKING A LOT OF PROGRESS AND HEARING A LOT OF PEP FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT A LOT OF THE IMPROVEMENTS WE'RE MAKING. I HAD A QUESTION ALSO ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL, TWO THINGS, ACTUALLY. THE FIRST IS I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD GIVE US AN UPDATE ABOUT THE PARKING GARAGE, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A VERY HIGH TRAFFIC AREA, AND JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD TELL US KIND OF WHAT'S THE TIMELINE FOR THAT PROJECT, AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ANSWER THIS RIGHT NOW, BUT YOU MENTIONED THAT ONE OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE CIP BUDGET IS TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE. AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN ISSUES WITH THE WI-FI RECEPTION IN THE HIGH SCHOOL FOR SOME TIME AND I KNOW THERE WERE SOME INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES OVER THE SUMMER AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF THOSE -- I'M CURIOUS TO HEAR HOW THOSE ARE WORKING AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S MAYBE NOW OR MAYBE SOMETHING IN FUTURE BUT I WOULD LOVE TO GET AN UPDATE ON THE WI-FI SITUATION AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. >> ON THE WI-FI SITUATION, I'LL HAVE TO DEFER AND GET BACK TO YOU BECAUSE REALLY THAT'S MORE OF A IT ISSUE. [01:55:06] AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON UPGRADING SOME OF THAT. THAT SCHOOL IS A BUNKER. IF YOU EVER TRIED WALKING THROUGH THERE WITH YOUR CELL PHONE YOU'LL GET CUT OFF 10 FEET IN. SO THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE ADDING MORE ROUTERS, ET CETERA. BUT LET ME TALK TO IT. >> MR. 15 BEGIN I CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO THE IT ISSUE. WE HAVE A TECHNOLOGY BOARD UPDATE THAT'S COMING SOON. AND THAT IS ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'LL BE UPDATING. WE WERE ABLE TO GET 350 SPACES FOR THE GARAGE, WHAT WAS HAPPENING IS UNTIL WE HAD THAT, AFFECT CULL WAS PARKING AND PUSHING THE STUDENTS TO PARK ELSEWHERE. SO THAT WAS KIND OF THE CHOAG HOLD. NOW WE'VE GOT THE 350 SPACES AND WE HAVE COMIEWKED THAT LAST WEEK AND ASKED THE SCHOOL TO PLEASE MAKE SURE THOSE ARE BEING PARKED BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE BECAME COMFORTABLE WITH PARKING AND NOT WANTING TO USE THE TOP DECK AND THERE WOULD BE A HANDFUL OF SPACES THAT WERE NOT UTILIZED. SO OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS, WE'VE BEEN MONITORING, THAT GARAGE HAS BEEN FULL, WE'VE HAD SOME WEATHER DELAYS WITH RAIN BECAUSE THE LAST BIT THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS CONCRETE. SO WE WERE ABLE TO DO A CONCRETE POUR ON WEDNESDAY. SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS WHEN THAT HAPPENS WE HAVE TO WAIT SEVEN DAYS FOR A BREAK. SO BASICALLY WHEN THEY POUR THAT CONCRETE, THEY POURED IT INTO A HANDFUL OF CANISTERS, WE TAKE THEM BACK TO THE LAB, ANALYZE THEM AND SEE HOW THEY CRACK AND WHETHER THERE WILL BE ANY ISSUES WITH THE CONCRETE MIX. IF IT PASSES, WE ARE FINE AND CAN START ON THE PARKING LOT. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HOPING AND THAT REALLY FREES UP MORE SPACES THAN JUST WHERE THAT WORK WAS BECAUSE WE CAN'T LET THEM PARK BELOW THAT EITHER. SO AS SOON AS THAT SPACE OPENS UP, IT'S 30 SPACES, WE ACTUALLY WILL HAVE 60 MORE SPACES COME ONLINE BECAUSE WE CAN'T PARK UNDER THAT N IT'S SAFE. NOW WE'VE ADJUSTED OVER TO THE LAST LITTLE BIT, AND AGAIN, IT'S 30 SPACES. BUT WE'RE NOT WAITING FOR THE CONCRETE BREAK. WE JUST NEED TO LEAVE ENOUGH ROOM TO BASICALLY HAVE A DRY AISLE TO GET TO THE REST OF THE PARKING GARAGE. SO IT'S PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, FOUR OR FIVE SPACES FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, AND IT'S 6:00 TO 8:00 AND BY THE TIME WE OPEN UP THE OTHER SIDE WE'LL CLOSE OFF AND DO THE CONCRETE POUR OVER THERE IN ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF. SO WE ARE GOING TO BE OVER 350 SPACES HERE IN ABOUT A WEEK, AND THE PROJECT SHOULD BE WRAPPING UP RIGHT AROUND THE END OF THE MONTH, AGAIN, UNLESS WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, SOME WEATHER DELAYS AND -- FOR THAT NEXT CONCRETE POUR. >> OKAY. >> APOLOGIES IF THIS IS THE FORMER BUT OVER THE SUMMER WE GOT AN UPDATE ON THE MEDIA CENTER OR TV STUDIO ABOUT SOME FUNDS WILL BE ALLOCATED ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE MEDIA CENTER AND WAS GOING TO BE IN THE FY 24 CYP AND I WAS CURIOUS IF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE MENTIONED OVER THE SUMMER HAVE BEEN MADE YET AND IF THERE WAS ANY PROGRESS THERE. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH COMMUNICATIONS AND THE STAFF AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. THEY DID GET A COUPLE OF BIDS FOR SOME OF THAT EQUIPMENT. THAT IS VERY SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT SO THERE WILL BE A LONG NEED FOR ITEMS ON THAT AND WE ARE WORKING WITH PROCUREMENT ON DRAFTING UP SOMETHING TO MAKE SURE WE ARE COVERED THROUGH PROCUREMENT BECAUSE IT'S VERY SPECIALIZED AND IT'S ALSO EXPENSIVE WHERE WE HAVE TO GO OUT FOR A R TBR RFP AND WE CAN'T HIRE SOMEONE TO COME IN AND DO THAT SO WE ARE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF WRITING OUT THE SCOPE WILL WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE STAFF AND THE OTHER THING WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS BREAK SOME THINGS OUT. THEY DID GET SOME GRANT MONEY I CAN'T REMEMBER I THINK IT'S 120 OR HUNDRED 20,000 THEY WANT TO SPEND THAT ON SOME THINGS THAT ARE PROBABLY EMERGENCY WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WHATEVER WE BUY NOW [02:00:04] IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE OVERALL SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS AND WE ARE TRYING TO BREAK OUT THE STUDIO SET DOWN IT'S NOT AS SPECIALIZED IN ITS MORE FURNITURE AND DESKS IN THE SPACE AND THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT TRACKS WE ARE TAKING TO TRY TO SPLIT THAT OUT AND JUST MAKING SURE WE ARE COVERING OUR BASES. IT'S VERY TECHNICAL AND SPECIALIZED AND THAT IS ONGOING AND THEN IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT WE DID ASK FOR MONEY AND RECEIVED IT IN THE LAST BUDGET FOR AUDIOVISUAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE AUDITORIUM THAT IS ONGOING. WE HAVE VISITED THE AUDITORIUM WE HAVE SOME CONTRACTS FOR IMPROVEMENT FOR LED LIGHTING IT UP ON THE STAGE IT'S MUCH MORE SPECIALIZED LIGHTING AND CONTROLS IN THE SYSTEM CENTER AND MOTHERBOARD ETC. ALL THAT IS ONGOING AS WELL WE ARE TRYING TO BREAK THINGS OUT AND DO SOME THINGS LIKE RECARPETING THE ENTIRE AUDITORIUM IT'S MUCH EASIER AND VISUALLY WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND WE ARE TRYING TO PICK THAT LOW HANGING FRUIT AND MAKE SOME PROGRESS BEHIND THE SCENES. >> THANK YOU. I DO NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS REPORT AND MAKE SURE SO IF I COULD I NEED A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CIP QUARTERLY REPORTS FOR FY 20 TWO QUARTER NUMBER FOUR AT FY 23 QUARTER NUMBER ONE. >> I MOVE THE SCHOOL BOARD ACCEPT THE COMBINED QUARTERLY REPORT FOR FY 20 THREE-QUARTER >> SECOND. >> I'M NOT SURE WHY. [INDISCERNIBLE] IS ABSENT. [LAUGHTER] ALL RIGHT. THERE WE GO. LAST BUT NOT LEAST WE NEED THE CIP RESERVE QUARTERLY REPORT WE [18. CIP Reserve Quarterly Report] CAN GO STRAIGHT TO MR. FINNEGAN. >> SO FOR THE RESERVE REPORT IS JUST FOR INFORMATION AND BASICALLY THAT RESERVE ACCOUNT STILL STANDS AT TWO $35,759.77 AND HAS NOT CHANGED WHERE THERE HAS BEEN NO ALLOCATIONS OR WITHDRAWALS THIS QUARTER SO WE JUST HAVE THAT FOR MORE INFORMATION. >> ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. WE CAN MOVE RIGHT ALONG. I DO NOT HAVE A REPORT SO I WILL MOVE ON TO THE SUPERINTENDENTS [20. Report from Interim Superintendent Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt] REPORT. >> THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH I HAVE TO SAY IS OUR AMAZING STUDENT REPS, WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION WHEN I WAS VISITING THE OTHER DAY AND I THOUGHT WE HAD AN AGREEMENT ABOUT WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO. THAT DID NOT WORK BUT I AM PROUD AND HONORED THAT THEY REALLY TAKE THE TIME TO HIGHLIGHT OUR STAFF AND ACTIVITIES SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND THANK YOU FOR SPENDING TIME WITH ME THE OTHER DAY AND GIVING ME THE ADVICE I DID NOT NEED ON HOW TO BE A TEENAGER BUT I WILL GET THERE AND BE COOL AGAIN ONE DAY. I DO HAVE A NUMBER OF COMMENTS. I DO WANT TO START WITH HAVING THE PRIVILEGE OF PARTICIPATING IN THE PILGRIMAGE TO THE EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE WE JUST CALLED IT THE PILGRIMAGE IT WAS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL WITH A NUMBER OF CITIZENS AS WELL AS PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE HAD BOARD MEMBER KELLY CARMICHAEL AND WE ALSO HAVE THE VICE CHAIR AN AMAZING LIFE-CHANGING OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STUDENTS THERE'S ANOTHER PART OF THAT THAT'S AN EDUCATIONAL PART. [02:05:03] I DON'T WANT TO GIVE IT AWAY. I PROMISE THE STUDENTS THERE WOULD BE SOMETHING COMING OUT THIS SPRING YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IT'S GOING TO BE AMAZING PROJECT THEY ARE PUTTING TOGETHER AND I'LL TRY NOT TO SAY WHAT IT IS BUT I AM TRYING NOT TO TELL YOU IT'S AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND THEY WILL PUT TOGETHER SOMETHING YOU WILL BE VERY PROUD OF AND WHILE WE WERE THERE BACK ON THE ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME WAS HAPPENING FOR THE 2022 INDUCTEES. 24 ATHLETES AND THE 1945 IN 1977 HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL TEAMS WERE INDUCTED ATHLETES REFLECT DIVERSITY AND THEY HAVE REFLECTED A CPS WITH HIGH STANDARDS OF CITIZENSHIP AND CHARACTER AND THEY SERVE AS WONDERFUL ROLE MODELS WHO HAVE HELPED PAVE THE WAY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO BE AFFORDED AN EQUITABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN THE SCHOOLS AND ON AND OFF THE PLAYING FIELDS AND WE HAD SOME NEW INDUCTEES WHO WERE HONORED BY THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA AT A RECOGNITION CEREMONY AT CITY HALL AND THEY ARE GREAT AMBASSADORS AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL OUR MAYOR PRESENTED THEM WITH A KEY TO THE CITY AND I GUESS I'M KIND OF OLD SCHOOL. I THOUGHT THE KEY WAS A BIG KEY. IT'S MODERNIZED NOW. IT'S TRULY A KEY. SO MAYOR WILSON I'M SORRY BUT IT'S A BEAUTIFUL KEY AND I'M GLAD TO BE PART OF IT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I ENVISIONED BUT IT WAS NOT A KEY LIKE THAT. I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID THAT BUT I WAS SO EXCITED AND I WANTED TO GO UP AND TOUCH IT SO TURNING TO OUR RECOGNITIONS FOR THIS MONTH. PARDON ME STUDENT REPS I AM TAKING THE LIBERTY OF SHARING ITS NATIONAL OR SCHOOL BUS SAFETY WEEK I WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR OUR DILIGENT BUS DRIVERS AND REINFORCE THE SAFETY RULES FOR THE STUDENTS AND I AM PROUD TO SHARE SOME STATISTICS WE HAVE 47 BUS DRIVERS WHO RECEIVE SAFETY AWARDS FOR FIVE YEARS OR MORE. 37 OF THOSE HAVE HAD THEIR SAFE DRIVING RECOGNIZED FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS SO WE ARE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE THEM SERVE SO IF YOU SEE THEM, PLEASE CONGRATULATE THEM AND THANK THEM FOR THE DEDICATION TO OUR STUDENTS IN OCTOBER IS A BUSY MONTH FOR RECOGNITIONS EVERY TIME I COME IN OCTOBER IT'S ALSO NATIONAL CRIME PREVENTION MONTH AND THIS IS AMERICA SAFE SCHOOLS WEEK WHERE WE ARE OFFERING THE OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN DO A PART TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SAFETY OF STUDENTS AND STAFF SO PLEASE NOTE THAT WE WILL BE ROLLING OUT SOME INFORMATION IN OCTOBER MARKS NATIONAL BULLYING PREVENTION MONTH END BULLYING AND INTIMIDATION AND HARASSMENT IN PERSON OR ONLINE ARE NEVER TOLERATED AND I WANT TO INVITE YOU TO LOGIN TO THE STAND UP TO BULLYING VIDEO SERIES THAT WILL PREMIERE OCTOBER 27 FROM 6 TO 7 PM FOR VIRTUAL SCREENING AND DISCUSSION THAT WILL BE HELD BY THE CAMPAIGN TO END BULLYING. THE PRESENTATION WILL FEATURE VIDEOS BY OUR VERY OWN TV PRODUCTION STUDENT SO MAKE SURE YOU WATCH THAT AND MORE INFORMATION THAT WILL COME OUT AND ALL OF THOSE DETAILS CAN BE FOUND AND I ALSO WOULD ASK THE FAMILIES TO JOIN US ON WEDNESDAY THE 26TH FOR THE SCHOOL PUBLIC SAFETY FORM THAT WILL BE HOSTED BY A CPS THE PTA COUNSEL AND PARENTS FOR SAFE SCHOOLS THAT WILL BE HELD AT THE GEORGE WASHINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL AUDITORIUM YOU CAN ALSO WATCH BY ZOOM WE WILL HAVE INTERPRETATION SERVICES AND ALL OF THOSE DETAILS CAN BE FOUND IN THE EXPRESS. AT THIS TIME I WANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF OUR A CPS STUDENTS TO TAKE PART IN THE RED RIBBON WEEK POSTER CONTEST EACH WEEK FROM OCTOBER 23-31 POSTER SUBMITTED TO PROMOTE A DRUG-FREE LIFESTYLE WITH THIS YEAR'S THEME BE CELEBRATE LIFE, LIVED DRUG-FREE THREE WINNERS WILL BE SELECTED ONE FROM ELEMENTARY, ONE FROM MIDDLE AND ONE FROM HIGH SCHOOL. POSTERS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY THE 15TH AND FULL DETAILS ARE IN THE EXPRESS. YOU MUST LOOK AT THE EXPRESSIVE SUITE BECAUSE EVERYTHING I MENTIONED THIS IN MORE DETAIL IN THE EXPRESS AND VERY IMPORTANT IT'S TIME TO NOMINATE THE A CPS PRINCIPLES AND TEACHERS FOR THE [02:10:04] "WASHINGTON POST" PRINCIPAL AND TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARDS. NOMINATIONS ARE DUE OCTOBER 24. WE NOW SEE A LOT OUT THERE SO PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU GET THEM IN. DETAILS ARE IN EXPRESS OR YOU CAN REACH OUT TO SHERRY AND THE DEPARTMENT OF TEACHING LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP. OCTOBER 24. THE A CPS PRINCIPLE OF THE YEAR AND TEACHER OF THE YEAR WILL BE SELECTED BY A A CPS PANEL IN EARLY 2023 SO GET THOSE NOMINATIONS IN AND DON'T FORGET SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27 IS MAKE A DIFFERENCE TODAY. A SINGLE ACT OF KINDNESS CAN MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE. I HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE EVERYONE IS LOOKING AT ME LIKE I'M STANDING IN BETWEEN THEM ATTENDING THIS MEETING BUT I HAVE AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT SINCE THE START OF SCHOOL, THE COMMUNITY HAS RAISED CONCERNS OVER CLASS SIZES AS THE ENROLLMENT CONTINUES TO GROW. THE LEADERSHIP TEAM AS THE NORMAL COURSE OF SCHOOL OPENINGS HAVE BEEN MONITORING CLASSROOM SIZES AND HAVE BEEN MEETING REGULARLY TO CONDUCT A DETAILED REVIEW OF CLASSROOM CAPACITY ACROSS THE DIVISION. BASED ON THE REVIEW WE WILL BE ROLLING OUT SOME CHANGES TO SOME CLASSROOMS WHERE WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A NEED FOR ADJUSTMENTS RELATED TO CLASS-SIZE BASED ON EXPERTISE AND RECOMMENDATIONS. WE HAVE KEPT IN MIND THAT WE ARE WELL STAFFED IN SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOL AT A LEVEL SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER THAN WHAT IS REQUIRED OF THE STATE TYPICALLY THE CLASS SIZES ARE BETTER THAN THE SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS AND ARE ON PAR WITH SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL AND WE PROVIDE NUMEROUS SUPPORT POSITIONS WHICH PLACE THE STUDENT TO STAFF RATIO AS THE BEST IN THE AREA AND THE BEST FOR SECONDARY. WE ARE IN THE FINAL STAGES OF WORKING OUT THE DETAILS AND PREPPING FOR CLASSROOM ADJUSTMENTS TO BE READY FOR THESE CHANGES. THE COMMITMENT IS TO SEND OUT A COMMUNICATION TO OUR FAMILIES THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY THESE CHANGES NEXT WEEK THOSE FAMILIES THAT WILL BE IMPACTED DUE TO CLASS SIZES IN SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION WILL BE COMMUNICATING WITH YOU NEXT WEEK. AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE. >> DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? [21. Announcements] >> MR. HARRIS. >> I HAD THE PLEASURE OF VISITING SAMUEL TUCKER AS LIAISON YESTERDAY AND I MET WITH TEACHERS AND THE PRINCIPAL AND THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME AND ASSURING ME AROUND I DID GET A CHANCE TO STEP INSIDE SOME OF THESE CLASSROOMS AND MEET WITH SOME OF THESE TEACHERS AND I'M CONFIDENT WHATEVER THE IMPLEMENTATIONS ARE THAT ARE COMING WILL BE BENEFICIAL AND WILL ADDRESS SOME NEEDS AND CONCERNS. THANK YOU FOR TIME AND FOR ASSURING ME AROUND. I APPRECIATE IT. [INDISCERNIBLE] [LAUGHTER] >> THEY WERE USHERING ME. WE WERE VISITING THE KIDS AND THEY WERE LIKE THIS GO. >> THANK YOU. >> ALSO NOT TO STEAL MR. HASHES THUNDER AS A LIAISON FOR PATRICK HENRY I HAD A CHANCE TO TOUR THE FIRST GRADE CLASSES IN KINDERGARTEN CLASSES WITH DOCTOR AND THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TEAM BEING PROACTIVE. I APPRECIATE YOU ORGANIZING THAT TOUR AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE DETERMINED TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO THIS PROBLEM WITH MANY MOVING PARTS AND INTRICACIES AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD AS THE IMPLEMENTATIONS AND ADJUSTMENTS TO SEE AND HEAR MORE HEAR FEEDBACK FROM TEACHERS AND TEACHERS THAT ARE THE MOST IMPACTED IN THIS CASE AND THE PARENTS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR TEACHERS ARE SUPPORTED AND HEAR HOW THEY, HOW THAT WILL WORK THANK YOU. >> I NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN. >> SECOND. >> MR. HARRIS. [INDISCERNIBLE] [02:15:18] HAVE A GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.