Mar 30, 2023 School Board Meeting

[00:00:02]

ALL RIGHT.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

[1. Meeting Called to Order by Chair Alderton]

KAY-WYATT. ONCE AGAIN, GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

SCHOOL BOARD COLLEAGUES, STUDENT REP, OUR CLERKS, EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE, AND EVERYONE ONLINE VIRTUALLY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.

WE ARE ONE DAY OUT FROM SPRING BREAK.

LET'S GIVE A CHEER FOR THAT.

[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU.

I KNEW EVERYONE WOULD BE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THAT.

ALL RIGHT. I AM CALLING THE MARCH 30TH SCHOOL BOARD MEETING TO ORDER AT 6:33 P.M..

AND WE WILL HAVE ROLL CALL.

WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE INDICATE THAT YOU ARE PRESENT OR HERE.

MEAGAN ALDERTON IS ABSENT TONIGHT.

WILLIE BAILEY.

PRESENT. KELLY CARMICHAEL BOOZ.

PRESENT. ABDEL ELNOUBI.

PRESENT. JACINTA GREENE.

I'M HERE. CHRISTOPHER HARRIS.

I THINK HE IS ON HIS WAY.

TAMMY IGNACIO WILL BE JOINING US VIRTUALLY.

MICHELLE RIEF.

HERE AND DR.

ASHLEY SIMPSON BAIRD WILL BE ABSENT TONIGHT.

ALL RIGHT. WE WILL NOW OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

ALL RIGHT. WELL, THAT WAS SORT OF A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

OKAY. THE VICE CHAIR WILL NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.

[3. Adopt the Agenda for the March 30, 2023 School Board Meeting]

I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THE AGENDA.

SECOND. ALL RIGHT.

AND WE WILL TAKE THAT VOTE IN ESB.

WILLIE, MR. BAILEY.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

WE NOW NEED TO ALLOW PARTICIPATION OF BOARD MEMBER TAMMY IGNACIO BY ELECTRONIC MEANS.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE? WHEREAS BOARD MEMBER TAMMY IGNACIO IS NOTIFIED THE BOARD THAT SHE IS UNAVAILABLE TO BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT FOR TONIGHT'S SCHOOL BOARD MEETING DUE TO A PERSONAL MATTER, SPECIFICALLY ILLNESS.

AND. WHEREAS, BOARD MEMBER IGNACIO REQUESTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING BY VIDEO CONFERENCE CALL, WHERE THE CONFERENCE CALL SHALL BE HEARD BY ALL PARTICIPANTS IN THIS BOARD ROOM. AND. WHEREAS, A QUORUM OF THE BOARD IS PHYSICALLY ASSEMBLED IN THIS BOARD ROOM.

THEREFORE I MOVE PURSUANT TO CODE VIRGINIA.

VIRGINIA CODE 2.23708 THAT THE BOARD APPROVED THE PARTICIPATION OF BOARD MEMBER IGNACIO IN THIS MEETING.

TYPE IN THIS MEETING BY VIDEO TELEPHONE CONFERENCE.

SECOND. ALL RIGHT.

DR. RIEF SECONDS MS. BOOZ'S MOTION.

I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE, PLEASE.

THANK YOU. WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO COMMUNICATIONS AND ADDRESSES.

ADDRESSES TO THE BOARD AND.

RIGHT. I HAVE IT ON.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

AND THAT WILL BE STARTING OFF WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN VIDEO VIGNETTE.

[4. Strategic Plan Video Vignette]

ACPS HAD A 69% GRADUATION RATE FOR HISPANIC STUDENTS AFTER MORE THAN 24 MONTHS NAVIGATING THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC.

THE CLASS OF 2022 ALSO HAD A GRADUATION RATE OF 69% FOR HISPANIC STUDENTS COMPARED TO THEIR PEERS.

GRADUATION RATES FOR HISPANIC STUDENTS IN ACPS SHOW THAT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT DISPARITY THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, WHICH IS WHY IT HAS BECOME ONE OF OUR AREAS OF FOCUS IN OUR 2025 STRATEGIC PLAN.

ACPS IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION AND DIFFERENTIATED SUPPORT TO HELP ALL STUDENTS REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.

WITH AN AREA OF FOCUS ON CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP, WE'RE SEEING AN ON TIME GRADUATION RATES AMONG HISPANIC STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY HISPANIC

[00:05:09]

IN THIS VIDEO, WE SHARE EXAMPLES OF HOW ACPS SUPPORTS STUDENTS IN THEIR ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT AND ADVANCEMENT THROUGH PROGRAMS AND SYSTEMS THAT STRIVE TO KEEP STUDENTS ON TRACK FOR GRADUATION.

ACPS HAS WORKED CLOSELY WITH SEVERAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO ARE SUPPORTING HISPANIC STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.

ONE EXAMPLE IS CASA CHIRILAGUA, WHICH SUPPORTS, FIRST THROUGH 12TH GRADE STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES BY MENTORING AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMING AND PARENT LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.

THE GOAL OF THEIR PROGRAM IS TO SUPPORT THE ENTIRE FAMILY UNIT IN THE ACADEMIC, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL FORMATION OF THEIR STUDENTS.

THIS PARTNERSHIP SUPPORTS THROUGH STRENGTHENING STUDENTS EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND SELF-ADVOCACY, EMPHASIZING STUDENTS DEVELOPING SKILLS FOR HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS AND POSITIVE DECISION MAKING.

ACTING AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN ACPS AND SPANISH SPEAKING FAMILIES IN CHIRILAGUA AND SUPPORTING PARENTS IN BECOMING COMPETENT ADVOCATES FOR THEIR STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY IN REGARDS TO EDUCATIONAL EQUITY.

ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL ALSO HAS A PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, OR CIS NOVA, THROUGH WHICH FORCES COORDINATORS ARE ON SITE EVERY DAY TO SUPPORT OUR HISPANIC STUDENTS.

THEIR WORK IS DEDICATED TO THE RE-ENGAGEMENT OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE BECOME DISENGAGED WITH SCHOOLING FOR SEVERAL REASONS.

COORDINATORS WORK CLOSELY WITH THE PRINCIPAL SCHOOL SUPPORT TEAM, INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY AND ENGLISH LEARNERS TEAM TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH A FOCUS ON SUPPORTING HISPANIC MALE STUDENTS WITH THE GOAL OF IMPROVING GRADUATION RATES AND COLLEGE CAREER READINESS.

COORDINATORS ALSO PROVIDE BASIC NEED SUPPORT VIA THE RIGHT NOW NEEDS PROGRAM WITH PARTNER AMAZON AND ACCESS TO SCHOOLWIDE PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT FAMILIES AND STUDENTS SUCH AS THE FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CENTER.

SO TO EXPLAIN WHY WE USE THE WORD.

SO IN SPANISH, IT'S THE SAME WORD, RIGHT? OKAY. RIGHT.

IS LA PREGUNTA. RIGHT.

Y. BUT TO EXPLAIN WITH THE REASON WE WOULD SAY BECAUSE THE REST OF THE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OFFERED AT ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL IN FRANCIS C HAMMOND MIDDLE SCHOOL ADDRESSES THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF IMMIGRANTS MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS AS THEY ACCOMPLISH THE CHALLENGING TASK OF GRADUATING COLLEGE READY WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY LEARNING ENGLISH THROUGH THE INNOVATIVE USE OF STRATEGIC GROUPING, EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING, COLLABORATION AND LANGUAGE AND CONTENT INTEGRATION, STUDENTS ARE PROVIDED THE TARGETED SUPPORT AND STRATEGIES REQUIRED FOR THEIR SUCCESS.

THE DEDICATED INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY TEAM INCLUDES BILINGUAL COUNSELORS, A BILINGUAL SOCIAL WORKER AND A BILINGUAL SIS NOVA SITE COORDINATOR TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS NEEDS ARE HOLISTICALLY ADDRESSED.

THE PROGRAM ALSO OFFERS TARGETED NUMERACY AND LITERACY INTERVENTIONS, ACADEMIC SUPPORT CLASSES AND A VARIETY OF AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS PROMOTE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND ALL ASPECTS OF SCHOOL LIFE.

ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTS STUDENT SUCCESS IS THE MULTI-TIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORT, OR MTS, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF ALL STUDENTS AND IS INTENDED AS AN EARLY INTERVENTION TO PREVENT LONG TERM ACADEMIC FAILURE.

USING MTS STAFF IDENTIFY THE STUDENTS IN NEED OF SIGNIFICANT INTERVENTION AND SUPPORT FROM SOCIAL WORKERS, COUNSELORS AND LEARNING ACADEMY ADMINISTRATORS.

IN ADDITION, STUDENTS WHO NEED SPECIFIC ASSESSMENTS OR CLASSES IN THE SUMMER ARE ENCOURAGED AND ASSISTED WITH THE PROCESS SO THEY CAN RECOVER ANY CREDITS OR REQUIREMENTS NEEDED FOR GRADUATION.

FINALLY, CPS CONTINUES TO DEVELOP AN EARLY WARNING INDICATOR SYSTEM AS A DIVISION WIDE MONITORING STRATEGY TO PROACTIVELY ENGAGE INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE AT RISK OF EXPERIENCING POOR ACADEMIC OUTCOMES.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SEE, ESPECIALLY POST PANDEMIC, IS THAT THE STUDENT SUPPORT NEEDS HAVE PROBABLY BEEN HIGHER THAN I'VE EVER EXPERIENCED.

[00:10:06]

SO OUR PARTNERSHIPS RIGHT NOW ARE PROBABLY MORE ESSENTIAL THAN THEY'VE EVER BEEN.

I KNOW THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN NECESSARY FOR OUR STUDENT POPULATION, BUT WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH SOME HISTORIC NEEDS AS WE ARE ALL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

BUT I THINK WE ARE A VERY UNIQUE CITY AND I LOVE THE WAY THAT WE'RE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER, BOTH AS A SCHOOL DIVISION AND AS A CITY TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS.

THE WORK TO IMPROVE GRADUATION RATES FOR HISPANIC MALES CONTINUES.

AND WE KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES LIKE INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR RIGOROUS COURSEWORK, FOCUSING ON COLLEGE EARLY ON, AND COMBINING ACADEMICS WITH SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING TO HELP INCREASE GRADUATION RATES OF HISPANIC MALE STUDENTS.

I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF OUR PARTNERS AND OUR WONDERFUL STAFF FOR HELPING OUR STUDENTS GET TO SOME SORT OF COMPLETION AT THE END OF HIGH SCHOOL, WHETHER THAT'S GRADUATION OR WHETHER THAT'S ANOTHER FORM OF THEM BEING COLLEGE AND CAREER READY.

IT DOES TAKE MORE THAN JUST OUR TEACHERS.

IT TAKES THE FAMILY SUPPORT, IT TAKES COMMUNITY SUPPORT, AND IT TAKES FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION TO MAKE ALL OF THIS HAPPEN.

OUR TITANS ARE THE BEST STUDENTS AROUND, SO I AM VERY APPRECIATIVE OF EVERYBODY COMING TOGETHER TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND TO SUPPORT THE WORK THAT WE DO HERE AT ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL. WE ARE DETERMINED TO CONTINUE THE WORK OF PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION AND DIFFERENTIATED SUPPORTS, ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND FAMILIES AND ALLOCATE RESOURCES EQUITABLY TO ELIMINATE OPPORTUNITY AND ACHIEVEMENT GAPS AMONG UNDERSERVED STUDENT POPULATIONS AND ENSURE ALL STUDENTS GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL PREPARED FOR WHAT LIES AHEAD.

JOIN US IN THIS WORK AS WE PREPARE OUR STUDENTS TO GRADUATE READY FOR COLLEGE CAREERS AND LIFE AND ENSURE THAT ALL STUDENTS ARE EMPOWERED TO THRIVE.

ALL RIGHT. A LOT OF WONDERFUL INFORMATION THERE ON WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR OUR HISPANIC MALE STUDENTS.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM WHO ALWAYS PUT TOGETHER SOME WONDERFUL VIDEOS AND MAKE US LOOK REAL GOOD.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON NOW TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.

[5. Public Comments]

DUE TO THE NATURE OF COMMENTS, THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL WORK WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD CLERK TO RESPOND ACCORDINGLY.

EACH SPEAKER MAY SPEAK FOR UP TO THREE MINUTES IF MORE SPEAKERS SIGN UP AND CAN BE ACCOMMODATED IN ONE HOUR, SPEAKERS WILL BE ASKED TO LIMIT THEIR TIME.

ADDITIONAL TIME WILL BE PROVIDED FOR SPEAKERS WHO HAVE INTERPRETERS.

THE SCHOOL BOARD EXPECTS THAT EACH SPEAKER WILL BE COURTEOUS MODELING FOR OUR STUDENTS HOW ONE CAN RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH OTHER'S VIEWS.

OUT OF RESPECT, THIS LORBER REQUEST THE COMMENTS ON AN INDIVIDUAL, STUDENT OR EMPLOYEE RELATED MATTER NOT BE SHARED AT PUBLIC MEETINGS.

TO MAINTAIN DECORUM, WE ASK AUDIENCE MEMBERS TO REFRAIN FROM APPLAUDING OR COMMENTING.

THE SCHOOL BOARD ENCOURAGES SPEAKERS TO ALSO PROVIDE THEIR COMMENTS IN WRITING.

PLEASE EMAIL WRITTEN COMMENTS TO BOARDCLERK@ACPS.K12.VA.US.

THE CLERK WILL START THE TIMER WHEN THE SPEAKER BEGINS AND SPEAKERS SHOULD CONCLUDE THEIR REMARKS WHEN REQUESTED BY THE CLERK.

PLEASE BE SURE TO STATE YOUR NAME AND THE TOPIC YOU WILL SPEAK ABOUT WHEN YOU BEGIN.

SPEAKER SUBSTITUTIONS ARE NOT PERMITTED.

A SPEAKER MAY NOT YIELD THEIR TIME TO ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL BEFORE OR DURING THEIR REMARKS.

JUST THREE MORE IF A FOLLOW UP IS REQUIRED.

DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE COMMENTS, THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL WORK WITH THE APPROPRIATE STAFF TO RESPOND ACCORDINGLY FOLLOWING THE BOARD MEETING.

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SPEAKERS FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND MISS NIELSEN, PLEASE ANNOUNCE THE SPEAKERS.

MR. CHI CHI.

UM. HELLO.

MY NAME IS CHI CHI.

I'M A SENIOR AT ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL, AND I'M GOING TO BE THE I'M GOING TO BE ADDRESSING THE SITUATION REGARDING THE OR MY GRADES AND THE EXCHANGE PROGRAM I PARTICIPATED IN LAST YEAR.

UM. SO WHEN ME AND MY FAMILY FIRST SIGNED UP FOR THE EXCHANGE PROGRAM, WE OR AS IT WAS UNDERSTOOD, WE KNEW THAT OR WE UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WOULD OR THE GRADES WHEN WE RETURNED FROM THE PROGRAM IN THE YEAR ABROAD, THE GRADES WOULD BE

[00:15:08]

THAT'S WHAT WE WERE ROUGHLY EXPLAINED.

THERE WAS NO CLEAR POLICY THAT REALLY STATES THAT THE BRIDGE SHOULD BE TREATED AS OTHERWISE.

BUT AS WE COME BACK FROM THE WHOLE SITUATION, WE NOW STAND WITH THE GRADES BEING ACCOUNTED INTO.

MY CURRENT HIGH SCHOOL GPA, WHICH IS HAS HAD A REALLY BAD LONG TERM EFFECT ON ON ME PERSONALLY.

LIKE I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET INTO ANY COLLEGES I'VE ONLY BEEN ACCEPTED INTO NOVA COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

UM, IT'S HAD A EFFECT ON MY FAMILY AS WELL.

LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, YESTERDAY WE RECENTLY CHECKED IN MY MOTHER TO A MENTAL CLINIC BECAUSE SHE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY STRESSED OUT WITH EVERYTHING.

AND WE KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THIS WHOLE SITUATION HAS DEFINITELY BEEN A FACTOR IN THAT.

UM, BUT REALLY THE QUESTION THAT I WANT TO ASK IS.

WHY SHOULD THE GRADES BE COUNTED AGAINST ME? PRETTY MUCH BECAUSE I THINK THAT IT DISCOURAGES LIKE THE WHOLE EXCHANGE PROCESS OR LIKE.

THAT, LIKE WHY PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO GO ON EXCHANGE PROGRAMS WHEN THINK THAT.

AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE AGREE.

YOU CAN ASK SEVERAL OF MY TEACHERS WE HAVE A PETITION WHERE I ASK LIKE A BUNCH OF TEACHERS IF THEY THOUGHT THAT EXCHANGE PROGRAMS SHOULD BE LIKE ENCOURAGED.

RIGHT. SO WITH THINK THAT THEY SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED.

GUESS WHICH IS NOT REALLY WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

WE THINK THAT THEY'RE BEING DISCOURAGED.

AS OF RIGHT NOW. WHICH IS A BAD THING.

RIGHT? WHICH KIND OF LEADS INTO THE NEXT QUESTION AS TO, LIKE WHY WOULD SOMETHING AS AN EXCHANGE PROGRAM WHICH OFFERS SO MANY BENEFITS, LIKE IT'S BENEFITED ME QUITE A LOT, RIGHT? LIKE WHEN I FIRST WENT INTO THE PROGRAM, I BARELY KNEW LIKE ANY SPANISH BECAUSE I WENT TO SPAIN, RIGHT.

BUT WHEN I COME WHEN I CAME BACK, RIGHT, I NOW SPEAK SPANISH LIKE PRETTY MUCH FLUENTLY AND HAVE A MUCH MORE CLEAR LIKE WORLDVIEW.

AND I THINK I'VE LEARNED A LOT.

SO I GUESS THE QUESTION WOULD BE WHY WOULD SOMETHING THAT OFFERS SO MUCH BENEFITS BE, I GUESS, DISCOURAGED IN THIS CURRENT ENVIRONMENT AS IT STANDS? THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

IT. MR GEORGE CRAIGIE.

UH, GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS GEORGE CRAIGIE.

I SPOKE AT THE LAST MEETING.

THAT WAS MY SON.

AND I'LL BE ADDRESSING THE SAME TOPIC.

I THINK IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT I HAVE TO COME HERE DURING PUBLIC COMMENT IN ORDER TO ADDRESS AN ISSUE.

REALLY, IT'S A GRIEVANCE.

AND YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS ABSOLUTELY NO POLICY OR PROCEDURES THAT ALLOW SOMEONE TO ADDRESS A GRIEVANCE TO TO DISTRICT PERSONNEL OR TO THE BOARD OTHER THAN THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

THERE'S NO GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE.

YOU HAVE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE FOR KIDS WITH DISABILITIES.

YOU HAVE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES FOR SCHOOL DISCIPLINE SITUATIONS, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE JUST A GENERAL PURPOSE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE. MY SON AND I HAVE A LEGITIMATE GRIEVANCE.

YOU HAVE A POLICY THAT DISCOURAGES PARTICIPATION IN FOREIGN EXCHANGE PROGRAMS. IN FACT, IT PENALIZES STUDENTS DRASTICALLY FOR PARTICIPATING IN FOREIGN EXCHANGE PROGRAMS. MY SON'S GPA DROPPED FROM A 3.7 TO A 2.8 BECAUSE HE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED A FOREIGN EXCHANGE PROGRAM.

THAT'S NOT RIGHT.

WE KNOW IT'S NOT RIGHT BECAUSE I WASN'T TREATED THAT WAY WHEN I DID A FOREIGN EXCHANGE PROGRAM.

NEITHER WAS MY OLDER SON.

AND I'VE RESEARCHED SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

AND MOST SCHOOL DISTRICTS DON'T HAVE POLICIES LIKE THE ONE HERE OR ACTUALLY YOU DON'T HAVE A POLICY HERE.

YOU JUST TREAT HIM LIKE HE LIKE ANY STUDENT COMING FROM A FOREIGN COUNTRY.

THAT'S NOT THAT'S HE'S NOT ANY OTHER HE'S HE'S NOT A SPANISH STUDENT COMING TO THE UNITED STATES.

HE'S AN AMERICAN STUDENT WHO WENT TO SPAIN AND IS COMING BACK TO HIS HIGH SCHOOL AND HE'S BEING PENALIZED FOR THAT.

UH, BUT A BIGGER PROBLEM IS, IS THAT WE ADDRESS THIS FIRST TO HIS COUNSELORS.

THEY SAID WE HAVE NO CLEAR POLICY.

THEN WE ADDRESSED IT TO THE COUNSELOR SUPERVISOR.

SHE SAID, WE HAVE NO CLEAR POLICY.

THEN I WROTE A LETTER TO THE TO THE PRINCIPAL.

I GOT ABSOLUTELY NO RESPONSE, NO RESPONSE WHATSOEVER.

THEN I'VE ADDRESSED IT TO SOME PERSONNEL IN YOUR DISTRICT OFFICE.

I GOT SOME RESPONSE.

BUT BUT FRANKLY, THE FIRST SUBSTANTIVE RESPONSE I GOT FROM THE DISTRICT OFFICE WAS TODAY.

TODAY IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER HEARD FROM ANYONE FROM THE DISTRICT OFFICE WHO SEEMS WILLING, FIRST OF ALL, TO ACCEPT THAT THIS IS AN ACTUAL PROBLEM

[00:20:06]

IN THE MEANTIME, SIX MONTHS HAS GONE BY AND MY SON HERE HAS BEEN NEGATIVELY IMPACT IMPACTED BY THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT'S FAILURE TO ADDRESS OUR GRIEVANCE IN A TIMELY FASHION OR EVEN TO LISTEN TO US.

TODAY IS THE FIRST TIME I FELT LIKE ANYONE FROM YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT LISTENED TO ME.

UM, I'VE ONLY GOT THREE MINUTES.

THAT'S A PROBLEM.

I HAVE ALL KINDS OF EVIDENCE I WANT TO PUT BEFORE YOU TO CONSIDER.

BUT I DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO THAT.

I DON'T HAVE PROCESS TO DO THAT.

MY SON WRITES, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, HAVE BEEN DENIED, UM, TO GREAT DETRIMENT.

AND I HAVE NO VOICE.

I HAVE BEEN SILENCED BY THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT.

WE DEMAND TO BE HEARD AND WE DEMAND JUSTICE.

YOU'VE EXTENDED. THANK YOU.

NEXT UP IS MRS J.

OK. GOOD EVENING.

SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE AND STAFF.

MY NAME IS JAY FAULK.

YOU'VE HEARD FROM ME BEFORE? I'M A TEACHER AT MINNIE HOWARD, A MEMBER OF THE CHILDREN FAMILIES AND YOUTH COMMISSION, A GRADUATE OF CPS AND A BUILDING REP FOR OUR TEACHERS UNION.

I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU TO STOP DELAYING AND PUT THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RESOLUTION ON THE AGENDA.

NEXT MEETING APRIL 20TH.

BY NOT PASSING THE RESOLUTION THIS YEAR, THE SCHOOL BOARD IS STANDING IN THE WAY OF A FREE AND FAIR ELECTION FOR OUR UNION THAT EMPOWERS TEACHERS AND ESPS TO HAVE AN EQUAL SEAT AT THE BARGAINING TABLE DURING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS TOLD YOU THAT WAITING IS GOOD STEWARDSHIP AND THAT'S IMPORTANT AND A VALID POINT TO MAKE.

SHE'S TOLD YOU THAT WAITING UNTIL ACPS CAN HIRE A LAWYER WITH EXPERIENCE IN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING WILL MAKE THIS PROCESS SMOOTHER AND MORE EFFECTIVE.

I KNOW YOU ARE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR DISTRICT, BUT TO BE HONEST, FOLLOWING THIS REQUEST IS IS NOT GOOD STEWARDSHIP.

AND THE REQUEST FOR DELAY REFLECTS A HIDDEN ANTI-UNION AGENDA FOR FIVE REASONS.

ONE DELAYS ALLOW ACPS TO REWRITE THE CURRENT RESOLUTION TO BE MORE ANTI UNION.

THE REASON ACPS WANTS TO WAIT IS BECAUSE THE RESOLUTION CAN BE REWRITTEN BY A SPECIAL COLLECTIVE BARGAINING LAWYER WHO CAN REWRITE THE RESOLUTION TO LIMIT TOPICS FOR BARGAINING AND TO WEAKEN TEACHER AND ESP POWER AT THE BARGAINING TABLE.

YOU ARE PRO-UNION.

YOU ARE PRO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

YOU DON'T NEED TO REWRITE THE RESOLUTION TO EMPOWER THE UNION.

WE ALL WANT TO WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE A STRONG CONTRACT.

WE ALREADY EMPLOY ATTORNEYS AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL WHO CAN MAKE SURE THE RESOLUTION AS IT STANDS IS LEGALLY SOUND.

YOU DON'T NEED TO WAIT TO HIRE SOMEONE TO DO THAT.

SECOND, THESE DELAYS THROW HUNDREDS OF AUTHORIZATION CARDS THAT TEACHERS AND ESPS HAVE PAINSTAKINGLY COLLECTED IN THE TRASH.

IF YOU WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR, THE TEACHER AND ESP TURNOVER WILL MEAN THAT HUNDREDS OF OUR UNION AUTHORIZATION CARDS ARE NO LONGER VALID.

DELAYS ALSO PUT US BEHIND OUR PEER DISTRICTS.

RICHMOND, PRINCE WILLIAM, FAIRFAX, FALLS CHURCH, ARLINGTON, MONTGOMERY, CHARLOTTESVILLE AND LOUDOUN COUNTY WILL ALL HAVE THEIR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RESOLUTIONS IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR BY APRIL 13TH.

AND MANY OF THESE DISTRICTS ARE LESS PROGRESSIVE THAN WE ARE.

IF WE DON'T PRESENT OUR RESOLUTION IN THE APRIL 20TH MEETING, WE WILL BE LETTING THEM LEAVE US IN THE BEHIND AND THEY WILL MOVE ON TO THEIR UNION ELECTIONS WHILE WE SIT IN THE SAME SPOT WE WERE A YEAR AGO.

AND FRANKLY, THESE DELAYS MEAN THAT OUR TEACHERS, WHO WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP, WILL GO TO THESE UNION BARGAINING DISTRICTS.

THE LONGER WE DON'T HAVE BARGAINING, THE MORE OUR TEACHERS WILL GO ELSEWHERE.

I KNOW THAT YOU ARE GOOD STEWARDS, BUT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RESOLUTION NEXT MEETING.

THANK YOU. MR. DAVID PALADIN FERNANDEZ.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DAVID PALADIN FERNANDEZ AND I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF ALEXANDRIA SINCE 2017 AND AN EDUCATOR OF ACPS SINCE 2016.

AND I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE PASSAGE OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING FOR STAFF MEMBERS.

YOU SEE, AS A RESIDENT, I RECOGNIZE OUR CITY HAS A LOT TO BE PROUD OF, BUT AT THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT, I CAN'T SAY THAT I'M A PROUD EDUCATOR OF ALEXANDRIA CITY.

AS I BEGAN MY CAREER, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STRUCK ME WAS HOW EXACTLY STUDENTS DETERMINE THEIR STAFFING.

I HAD ORIGINALLY ASSUMED STAFF NUMBERS WERE BASED ON THINGS LIKE THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS, THE COMMUNITY AND THE LIKE.

[00:25:03]

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT KNOW, IT WORKS SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

YOUR SCHOOL'S TOTAL ENROLLMENT IS FED INTO AN ALGORITHM WHICH SPITS OUT THE APPROPRIATE NUMBER OF STAFF MEMBERS, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.

NO DEEP ANALYSIS OF THE STUDENTS IN THEIR COMMUNITY JUST RUNNING AN EQUATION, AS I WAS ONCE TOLD, LETTING THE MATH DO ITS THING.

THE PROBLEM WITH LETTING THE MATH DO ITS THING IN THIS CASE IS THAT THESE ALGORITHMS HAVE THIS BITTER SWEET SPOT WHERE YOU HAVE JUST ENOUGH STUDENTS TO STRAIN THE RESOURCES OF A SCHOOL, BUT NOT ENOUGH STUDENTS TO GET YOU MORE HELP.

THE SCHOOL CAN ADVOCATE FOR MORE STAFF MEMBERS, BUT THOSE CALLS ARE RARELY, IF EVER, HONORED AS SUCH.

AT MY SCHOOL, WE HAVE TWO SCIENCE TEACHERS TO SERVE AS THE THREE GRADES OF MIDDLE SCHOOL.

CONSEQUENTLY, WE HAVE A LIMITED SPACE TO ENROLL STUDENTS, AND INEVITABLY THERE ARE CLASSES THAT EITHER HAVE TOO MANY STUDENTS, HAVE ALL THE STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, OR BOTH. THIS OFTEN REQUIRES SUPERHUMAN FEATS JUST TO QUIET A CLASS DOWN, MUCH LESS HAVING THE TIME NEEDED TO PRODUCE MODERN CITIZENS.

THIS RIGMAROLE LEADS TO THE UNAVOIDABLE FEELING LIKE I'M NOT BEING THE BEST TEACHER I CAN BE.

BUT WHEN I ADVOCATE FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, I WILL INEVITABLY NOT RECEIVE IT BECAUSE THERE SIMPLY AREN'T ENOUGH STAFF MEMBERS IN THE BUILDING.

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING CAN BEGIN TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES NEEDED FOR ALL STUDENTS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE ALGORITHM DOES NOT SEE THE STUDENTS.

THIS ALGORITHM DOES NOT HAVE A VARIABLE THAT CONSIDERS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A STUDENT WITH AN IEP IN A POST-COVID WORLD WHOSE PARENTS ARE WORKING MULTIPLE JOBS IN THE AFFLUENT AREA.

THAT IS ALEXANDRIA.

AND THAT BRINGS ME TO MY BIGGEST POINT OF FRUSTRATION THAT ALEXANDRIA IS A WEALTHY ENOUGH AREA THAT ALGORITHMS SHOULD NOT BE THE FINAL ARBITER OF WHICH STUDENTS HAVE THEIR NEEDS MET OR NOT. EVERY STUDENT SHOULD HAVE THEIR NEEDS MET BECAUSE WE HAVE THE MONEY AND MEANS TO INVEST IN OUR STUDENTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO EDUCATE THEM.

WE NEED THESE EDUCATORS BECAUSE, PUT BLUNTLY, OUR STUDENTS ARE BEHIND.

AS SUCH, WE SHOULD NOT BE STRIVING TO KEEP SYSTEMS WHICH GET US THE SAME RESULTS.

WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT ANY AND ALL WAYS TO CHANGE THE PARADIGM, BECAUSE I'M FEARFUL FOR THE ACADEMIC, ECONOMIC AND SOCIETAL FUTURE FOR OUR GREAT CITY.

HOWEVER, THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT IT IS NOT TOO LATE.

BY PASSING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, WE CAN START TO GIVE EDUCATORS THE RESPECT AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO CLOSE THE GAPS WE SO CLEARLY SEE.

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, COUPLED WITH THE VAST RESOURCES OF ALEXANDRIA, WOULD ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT IN ACPS HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO FLOURISH AND SHOW THE COUNTRY THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE EVERY STUDENT SUCCEED, REGARDLESS OF THE COST.

IMAGINE BEING ABLE TO VISIT ANYWHERE IN ASIA AND SEE STUDENTS NOT ONLY LEARNING BUT LOVING IT TOO.

THESE DREAMS ARE POSSIBLE, AND THE ONLY THING STOPPING PROGRESS IN THIS MOMENT IS THE WILL OF THIS BOARD.

IF YOU PROPOSE AN APPROVED COLLECTIVE BARGAINING BEFORE MAY 4TH, WE CAN START BENEFITING EDUCATORS AS EARLY AS NEXT YEAR.

AND I SINCERELY HOPE YOU DO SO.

THE FUTURE OF ALEXANDRIA STUDENTS AND EDUCATION DEPENDS ON IT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

MR CHRISTOPHER FULLER.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CHRIS FULLER.

I'M A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER AT ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL, AND I'M PART OF THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING COMMITTEE THROUGH EAA.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TIME TO SPEAK HERE.

AND LET ME TALK ABOUT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID A LOT SO FAR, BUT.

THE MAIN POINT IS MANY MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD HAVE SUPPORTED COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IN THE PAST, BEFORE AND DURING BEING ON THE SCHOOL BOARD.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME TO PASS A RESOLUTION ON COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, AS JAY HAS MENTIONED, THAT WE'RE GOING TO LOSE A LOT OF OUR AUTHORIZATION CARDS.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WE NEED TO INTRODUCE A RESOLUTION FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING NO LATER THAN MAY 4TH.

SOONER WOULD BE BETTER, BUT NO LATER THAN MAY 4TH.

IF WE CAN GET THIS DONE IN THE TIME THAT WE NEED TO GET IT DONE.

SO MANY OTHER COUNTIES NEARBY HAVE MADE EFFORTS TOWARDS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, HAVE PASSED, RESOLUTIONS HAVE PASSED CONTRACTS, AND WE DON'T WANT TO BE LEFT BEHIND IN THE PROCESS. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT I COULD DISCUSS TODAY.

I COULD DISCUSS CLASS SIZE.

I COULD DISCUSS RESOURCES.

I COULD DISCUSS ANYTHING.

BUT I WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO DISCUSS SOME OF REPRESENTATION THAT WE DON'T HAVE HERE TONIGHT, AND THAT IS ESPS.

THOSE ARE EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS.

SO THOSE ARE PROFESSIONALS WHO PERFORM CLERICAL SERVICES, CUSTODIAL AND MAINTENANCE WORK, NUTRITION SERVICES, HEALTH SERVICES, INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANCE, SECURITY, TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND TRANSPORTATION.

THEY ARE THE BACKBONE OF ANY SCHOOL.

THE INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS THAT I WORK WITH EVERY DAY IN THE CLASSROOM ARE SUPPORTING MY STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES THROUGH LIFE SKILLS ACTIVITIES, ACCESSING GENERAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM, AND PREPARING THEM FOR LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL THROUGH EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND INDEPENDENT LIVING.

CURRENTLY THEIR STARTING SALARY IS $17.76 AN HOUR.

I CAN GO INTO A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT COST OF LIVING AND THIS AND THAT, BUT LET'S LET'S DO A COMPARISON.

IN ARLINGTON COUNTY, THE STARTING SALARY RIGHT NOW IS $19.22 AN HOUR.

[00:30:03]

IN RICHMOND.

THEIR CONTRACT STATES THAT THEY WILL BE RAISING SALARIES BY ABOUT 40% OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

ONCE AGAIN, THE STARTING SALARY FOR AN INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT IN ACPS IS $17.76 AN HOUR.

CHICK FIL A'S STARTING SALARY IS $19 AN HOUR.

NEARLY EVERY COUNTY AROUND US IS IN THE PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

THESE COUNTIES WILL PROVIDE GREATER INCENTIVES FOR QUALIFIED AND HARDWORKING STAFF TO GO ELSEWHERE.

I'M CALLING ON YOU TO INTRODUCE A RESOLUTION FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING NO LATER THAN MAY 4TH.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND HAVE A GOOD EVENING.

MISS DON LUCAS.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DON LUCAS.

I'M HERE TO SPEAK TONIGHT ABOUT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

GOOD. GOOD EVENING, CHAIR.

I'M SORRY. VICE CHAIR GREENE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, DR.

WYATT AND OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE.

MY NAME IS DAWN LUCAS.

AS STATED BEFORE, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION OF ALEXANDRIA AEAA.

I'M ALSO A FULL TIME SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER IN THE ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

I'M HERE TONIGHT TO CONTINUE AEAS ADVOCACY FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND CPS.

AS STATED BEFORE, THERE IS A STRONG THERE IS STRONG SUPPORT FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.

THROUGH OUR PERSISTENT EFFORTS, WE WERE ABLE TO GET OVER 1200, 1200 ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES TO SIGN OUR AUTHORIZATION CARDS WITH MORE TO COME.

EMPLOYEES ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IN CPS.

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING GIVES EMPLOYEES A STRONGER VOICE IN TEACHING AND WORKING CONDITIONS.

WE KNOW THAT EDUCATOR WORKING CONDITIONS ARE STUDENT LEARNING CONDITIONS.

E BELIEVES THAT HAVING STRONG COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS WILL HELP MAKE ACPS A MORE COMPETITIVE SCHOOL DIVISION WHEN IT COMES TO RETAINING AND RECRUITING THE VERY BEST EDUCATORS AND STAFF.

MANY SCHOOL DIVISIONS ACROSS THE STATE, SOME THAT WERE MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, SUCH AS ARLINGTON, FAIRFAX, FALLS CHURCH, PRINCE WILLIAM AND RICHMOND HAVE ALREADY PASSED COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RESOLUTIONS WITH MONTGOMERY COUNTY, VIRGINIA AND CHARLOTTESVILLE TO FOLLOW IN APRIL.

E WANTS TO BE A PART OF THIS ELITE GROUP OF SCHOOL DIVISIONS WHICH OPENLY EMBRACES COLLECTIVE BARGAINING WITH CLEARLY DEFINED PROCESSES FOR IT.

OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.

E HAS ENJOYED A POSITIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH BOTH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE SCHOOL BOARD.

I, ALONG WITH OTHERS, HAVE BEEN IN CPS LONG ENOUGH TO REMEMBER A TIME WHEN THIS WAS NOT THE CASE.

E WANTS TO BE.

I'M SORRY. WE BELIEVE THAT WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RESOLUTION WILL MAKE THIS RELATIONSHIP EVEN STRONGER.

E FEELS THAT ACPS HAS SHOWN ITS COMMITMENT TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING BY ADOPTING A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT AS WELL AS ADOPTING IT AS ONE OF ITS PRIORITIES FOR THE FY 2024 COMBINED FUNDS BUDGET.

HOWEVER, WE NEED THE SCHOOL BOARD TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP BY PASSING A RESOLUTION WHICH OUTLINES HOW COLLECTIVE BARGAINING WILL WORK IN CPS.

E WANTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A FAIR DEMOCRATIC SECRET BALLOT UNION CERTIFICATION ELECTION.

WE WANT TO NEGOTIATE ALL WORKING CONDITIONS.

E BELIEVES THAT WE DESERVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE TO COLLECTIVELY BARGAIN FOR THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE IMPORTANT TO THE EMPLOYEES AND CPS.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING COLLABORATIVELY, COLLABORATIVELY WITH CPS TO CREATE A RESOLUTION AND TO MOVE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING FORWARD IN THIS IN THE SCHOOL DIVISION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.

LAST WE HAVE MISS ELIZABETH STANLEY.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ELIZABETH STANLEY AND I AM A COMMUNITY MEMBER FROM SOUTHEAST OLD TOWN HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT SAFETY IN OUR SCHOOLS.

I'M DISAPPOINTED BUT UNSURPRISED THAT THE DISTRICT HAS DECIDED TO MOVE AHEAD WITH THE WEAPONS ABATEMENT SYSTEM.

I AM SO UNSURPRISED.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY I'M DISAPPOINTED.

BUT HOPE DOES LIVE IN THE HUMAN HEART.

IT WAS PRETTY CLEAR WHEN THE IDEA WAS FIRST PRESENTED THAT THE DECISION TO SELECT SOME SYSTEM HAD ALREADY BEEN MADE.

A NUMBER OF YOU KEEP SAYING THIS IS A HARD DECISION, BUT NOT WHY.

FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS THE EASIEST DECISION TO MAKE BECAUSE IT'S EASIER THAN DOING NOTHING.

IT GIVES THE APPEARANCE OF DOING SOMETHING NOW.

OKAY, SO WHAT PROBLEM DOES THIS SYSTEM SOLVE? IT ALERTS STAFF TO THE PRESENCE OF A WEAPON ON A PERSON ATTEMPTING TO ENTER THE SCHOOL SO STAFF CAN RESPOND APPROPRIATELY.

[00:35:04]

THE QUESTION THIS INSPIRES FOR ME IS WHY ARE OUR STUDENTS EITHER SO FRIGHTENED OR SO ANGRY THAT THEY FEEL THEY NEED TO BRING WEAPONS TO THE SCHOOL IN THE FIRST PLACE? I'M LOOKING AT YOU AND SAYING, WHAT HAVE WE DONE ABOUT THAT? EVERY TIME A STUDENT BRINGS A WEAPON TO SCHOOL, THIS REPRESENTS A COMMUNITY FAILURE.

ADULTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE TRUSTWORTHY AND APPROACHABLE ENOUGH TO GUIDE KIDS THROUGH THE DARKEST AND MOST FRIGHTENING TIMES.

AND THIS DECISION IS TELLING ME THAT TRUST IS SO ERODED AND THE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY CULTURE ARE SO BLEAK AND SHATTERED THAT SURVEILLANCE AND ARMED PERSONNEL ARE THE ONLY WAY FORWARD. EVERY TIME WE FIND A WEAPON, IT IS AN INDICTMENT OF THIS COMMUNITY.

THE KID MIGHT HAVE BROUGHT IT, BUT THAT DOESN'T COME OUT OF NOWHERE.

WHY ARE WE LOOKING FORWARD AND SEEING ONLY AN ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE AND TERROR? THIS IS A BARE ADMISSION OF NOT ONLY A TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL, BUT NAKED DEFEATISM.

MAYBE YOU THINK I'M BEING UNFAIR, BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT THE IDEA THAT NO COST IS TOO HIGH TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.

WELL, THE THING IS, YOU'VE ALREADY PUT LIMITS ON WHAT WE'RE WILLING TO PAY FOR SAFETY.

LIKE I SAID, PUTTING THIS SYSTEM IN IS EASY.

CONTINUING THE SRO PROGRAM IS EASY.

LET'S BE HONEST.

WHAT'S HARD IS PUSHING CITY COUNCIL AND RALLYING THE COMMUNITY FOR MORE STAFF AND MORE TEACHERS, ESPECIALLY A SUFFICIENT NUMBER AND VARIETY OF STAFF THAT SPECIALIZE IN GUIDANCE, CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION.

WHAT'S HARD IS GETTING THE ADULTS, INCLUDING ALL OF US, INCLUDING ME, TO STOP ACTING LIKE WE'RE TOO COOL TO LET OURSELVES BE EMOTIONALLY AVAILABLE TO THE KIDS AND FACE THAT DISCOMFORT HEAD ON INSTEAD OF RUNNING FROM IT.

I SEE THE EAGERNESS FOR THE WEAPONS ABATEMENT SYSTEM AND THE SRO PROGRAM AND COMPARE THAT TO THE WAY OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS, INCLUDING STAFF AND TEACHERS, HAVE HAD TO MOUNT ENTIRE CAMPAIGNS TO EXTRACT SUPPORT FROM YOU FOR WHAT IS STILL INSUFFICIENT STAFFING LEVELS.

AND I SEE EXCUSES AND SMOKE AND MIRRORS, AND I REALLY QUESTION YOUR RESOLVE TO ACCOMPLISH THE HARD WORK.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

AND AS ALWAYS, IF YOU WISH TO SIGN UP TO SPEAK OR SUBMIT WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS, PLEASE VISIT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS PAGE FOR A LINK TO SIGN UP BY NOON ON WEDNESDAY PRIOR TO THE NEXT MEETING.

ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO NOW MOVE ON TO OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATE.

[6. Advisory Committee Comments--BAC]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING.

IT'S SUCH A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

AND WE REALLY WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING.

MY NAME IS NANCY DRAIN.

I'M THE CHAIR OF THE BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE PARENT OF A NINTH GRADER AT MINNIE HOWARD, WHO'S A STUDENT OF THE LOVELY MS..

FOXX. SO IT WAS WONDERFUL TO SEE HER.

UM, SO.

OH, SUSAN, CAN I HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE WHEN YOU HAVE A CHANCE? THANK YOU. SO I FIRST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MEMBERS OF THE BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR ALL OF THEIR HARD WORK. WHEN WE GET TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND IF YOU SEE IT BEFORE YOU.

OH, NO PROBLEM.

WE HAVE A LIST OF VOLUNTEER MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.

WE'RE ALSO INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL TO MISS BOOZ, WHO IS OUR LIAISON, WHO MEETS WITH US MONTHLY TO PROVIDE US WITH FEEDBACK ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.

AND OF COURSE, SPECIAL THANKS TO MR EASLEY, WHO IS HERE, WHO IS OUR STAFF LIAISON.

IT'S ALWAYS JUST A PLEASURE TO MEET WITH HIM.

HE TOLD ME I HAD TO SAY NICE THINGS ABOUT HIM TONIGHT, WHICH WAS NOT A HARD THING TO DO.

I TOLD HIM IT WAS NUMBER ONE ON OUR AGENDA.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, SUSAN.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO OUR HOPE TONIGHT IS TO SHARE WITH YOU OUR SCOPE OF WORK WHAT WE'RE UP TO THIS YEAR.

TALK ABOUT HOW THE BOARD CAN HELP PROMOTE BROADER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON BUDGET ISSUES.

TO GIVE YOU A PREVIEW OF A MEMO THAT WE'RE WORKING ON WITH THE CITY'S EQUIVALENT OF BACK, WHICH IS THE BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND THEN SHARE SOME IDEAS OF HOW WE THINK BAC CAN BE MOST HELPFUL TO THE BOARD.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO OUR SCOPE OF WORK THIS YEAR IN SOME WAYS HARKENS BACK TO OUR WORK OF LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS A COMPREHENSIVE MEMO THAT WE WORKED ON TO FOCUS ON BUDGET RELATED COMMUNICATIONS.

THE MEMO LOOKED AT CURRENT COMMUNICATIONS BY BOTH THE BOARD AND THE STAFF.

[00:40:02]

WE RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, SO WE TALKED TO PTECH.

WE TALKED TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT WHAT THEY UNDERSTOOD OR WISHED.

THEY UNDERSTOOD MORE ABOUT THE BUDGET.

WE EXAMINED EIGHT LOCAL OR COMPARABLE SCHOOL DIVISIONS TO LOOK AT HOW THEY APPROACHED BUDGET RELATED COMMUNICATIONS AND IN THE END MADE A SERIES OF SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE BOARD AND FOR THE STAFF TO CONSIDER.

AND I MUST SAY, IN PREPARING FOR THIS, I TOOK ANOTHER LOOK AT THE MEMO AND IT REALLY HAS A WIDE RANGE OF REALLY TERRIFIC, ACTIONABLE IDEAS THAT WE HOPE THAT THE STAFF AND BOARD WILL CONSIDER.

OUR OTHER WORK THIS YEAR IS TO WORK ON THE JOINT MEMO THAT I REFERENCED AND TO DO A SERIES OF SMALLER MEMOS, ONE OF WHICH WAS FOCUSED IN PARTICULAR ON THE COMMUNITY BUDGET FORUM, WHICH HAS HAPPENS IN THE FALL.

WE SUBMITTED THAT MEMO TO YOU EARLIER THIS MONTH.

SO WITH THAT, I AM GOING TO TURN THE MIC OVER TO RYAN, WHO WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR WORK THIS YEAR.

THANKS, NANCY. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US TODAY.

I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SUMMARY OF WHAT WAS INCLUDED IN THAT MEMO AND JUST SHARE A FEW OF OUR THOUGHTS IN TERMS OF HOW YOU ALL CAN BEST SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY IN ENGAGING THEM.

SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO THE TWO BIG MESSAGES IN THE MEMO, FIRST BEING THAT WE REALLY THINK THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD AROUND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AROUND THE BUDGET, AND TO DO THAT IN A WAY IN WHICH THAT EXISTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR RATHER THAN JUST IN A SORT OF NARROWER TIME FRAME.

THE SECOND IS I'LL FOCUS ON IN JUST A MINUTE AROUND SOME OF THE TOOLS THAT WE THINK ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP DO THAT.

SO FIRST, WE REALLY THINK THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A MORE PROACTIVE CONNECTION AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY WHEREBY THE BOARD MEMBERS YOURSELVES ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY REALLY REPRESENTING AND SEEKING THAT INPUT.

SO THE DIVISION HAS DONE FABULOUS WORK WITH THE BUDGET FORUM AND WITH ALL OF THE PRESENTATIONS, AND WE THINK YOU ALL ALSO SHOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

IN PARTICULAR, WE THINK THERE'S A WAY TO ENABLE GREATER TWO WAY FEEDBACK RIGHT NOW AS BECAUSE OF THE TIMELINES, OFTEN THE WINDOW FOR ENGAGEMENT IS PRETTY SHORT AND SO A LOT OF PRESENTATION IS HAPPENING AND MAYBE NOT AS MUCH COMMUNITY LISTENING.

AND WE THINK THAT BY EXTENDING THAT OPPORTUNITY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE CAN BEGIN TO ENGAGE COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM ACROSS THE CITY IN A MORE COHERENT WAY. IN PARTICULAR, WE THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A GREATER FOCUS ON THE WHY THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS SHOULD ACTUALLY ENGAGE IN CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE BUDGET.

I THINK FAR TOO OFTEN WE HEAR THE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAPPEN WITH THIS BOARD AND IN THE CONVERSATION WITH THE COMMUNITY IN A VERY NARROW FOCUSED, WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION, WHEREAS WE FEEL LIKE THE COMMUNITY, ONCE THEY COULD, UNDERSTOOD THE BUDGET A LITTLE BIT MORE, MAY BE ABLE TO ENGAGE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WITH YOU ALL IN A MORE PROACTIVE WAY THEMSELVES.

FINALLY, I THINK WE ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN FOCUSED ON TRYING TO EXPAND ENGAGEMENT TO THE FULL SET OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

WE KNOW THAT THAT'S A PRIORITY OF THE DIVISION AND OF THE INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT, AND WE WOULD LOVE TO FIND WAYS TO ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT YOU ALL IN DOING THAT.

WORKING WITH SOME OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WE SAW EARLIER ON THE VIDEO CASSETTE BEING A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT, REALLY ALLOWING THEM TO BE BOTH SPOKESPEOPLE FOR THE BOARD AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO ENGAGE THEIR COMMUNITIES AROUND WHAT PRIORITIES THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE BUDGET MOVING FORWARD. ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WE TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT SOME OF THE TOOLS THAT WE THINK COULD HELP DO THIS IN A WAY THAT IS A LITTLE BIT MORE GROUNDED IN A LAYPERSON LAY AUDIENCE PERSPECTIVE.

SO I THINK PIVOTALLY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE ENGAGEMENT AROUND THE BUDGET NEEDS TO BE DONE IN BITE SIZED WAYS, RIGHT? IN WAYS THAT FOLKS CAN INTERACT WITH, EVEN IF THEY DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE FULL FISCAL SITUATION.

AND SO PART OF WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR WHEN WE LOOKED AT OTHER SCHOOL DIVISIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SOME HERE IN THE DC REGION, SOME ELSEWHERE, WAS WHAT ARE THE WAYS IN WHICH THEY'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE THAT SORT OF LAY AUDIENCE COMMUNICATION AROUND BUDGETS? WE THINK INFOGRAPHICS ARE GREAT, VIDEOS ARE GREAT.

COMMUNICATION AND MESSAGE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA IS A GREAT WAY TO DO THAT.

AND WE HAVE SOME EXAMPLES THAT WE'RE GOING TO SHOW ON THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES TO POINT OUT A FEW OF THOSE.

[00:45:01]

THIS FIRST EXAMPLE COMES FROM ARLINGTON, AND THIS IS A AT A GLANCE GUIDE AROUND THE BUDGET.

WE THOUGHT THIS WAS PARTICULARLY USEFUL BECAUSE IT BOTH SHOWED WHERE THE MONEY WAS COMING FROM AND THE CHANGES OF THE DIVISION OVER TIME AND THEN CONNECTED THAT SPECIFICALLY WITH THE THE BUDGET INVESTMENT STRATEGIES FROM THE DIVISION, AS WELL AS GIVING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT HOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS COULD ENGAGE WITH THE BUDGET MOVING FORWARD.

ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WE HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF TWO VIDEOS THAT FAIRFAX COUNTY HAS PUT FORWARD, AND WE KNOW THIS BOARD HAS PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO THE COMMUNICATIONS WORK OF THE DIVISION AND THERE'S BEEN GREAT WORK OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IN TRANSITIONING TO MORE VIDEOS, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY WAY MORE ENGAGING PROCESS FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO JOIN THE BOARD IN THE CONVERSATION.

AND SO THESE ARE TWO EXAMPLES THAT WE THINK WOULD BE GREAT TO REPLICATE FROM THE DIVISION STANDPOINT.

THE FIRST IS A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

THINK TWO MINUTE VIDEO BASICALLY AROUND SOME OF THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT GO INTO THE DECISIONS YOU ALL HAVE TO MAKE SO THAT FOLKS UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE HARD CHOICES ARE.

AND THE SECOND IS JUST A 32ND VIDEO OF UPCOMING PRIORITIES FOR THE BUDGET.

SO NOT HAVING TO WADE THROUGH A 500 PAGE BUDGET BOOK, BUT JUST QUICKLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS BEING PUT FORWARD IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND THEN LASTLY, ONE EXAMPLE FROM OUTSIDE OF THIS REGION.

THIS IS FROM HIGHLINE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHICH IS A SUBURB OF SEATTLE, KIND OF RELATIVE SAME DIVERSITY AS OUR COMMUNITY.

THIS MAY OBVIOUSLY TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME AND INVESTMENT, BUT THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET BOOK WE FOUND TO BE ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO CLEARLY AND EASILY COMMUNICATE THE INVESTMENT STRATEGY OF THE PARTICULAR DISTRICT.

SO THE NOT ONLY DOES IS EACH SECTION BROKEN DOWN BY THE KEY TOPIC, IT SORT OF PROVIDES A HISTORICAL NARRATIVE AROUND WHERE INVESTMENT HAS BEEN MADE IN THE PAST, WHERE THE DIVISION IS GOING IN THE FUTURE, WHAT TO ANTICIPATE WITH CHANGES THAT THEY SEE COMING IN TERMS OF DIFFERENT CAPITAL PROJECTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

SO JUST A FEW EXAMPLES AND ALL OF THOSE ARE LINKED TO IN OUR MEMO THAT WE WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU AND YOUR STAFF TO CONNECT WITH AND CERTAINLY FIND OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONTINUING TO HELP WITH THAT OUTWARD COMMUNICATIONS.

AND I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO NANCY.

GREAT. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE TWO ADDITIONAL POINTS THAT WE MADE IN SOME OF THOSE PRIOR SLIDES.

ONE OBSERVATION THAT WE HAD IN LOOKING AT THE THE VARIETY OF WORK SESSIONS THROUGHOUT THIS BUDGET SEASON IS THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF TOPICS THAT THE COMMUNITY SEEMED CONFUSED ABOUT OR MISINFORMED ABOUT OR NEEDED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND.

SO ENROLLMENT CAPACITY, HOW THOSE DECISIONS ARE MADE.

AND AND ONE THING THAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND IS TO THINK ABOUT WHETHER WORK SESSIONS OUTSIDE OF THE CRUNCH OF THE BUDGET SEASON ON THOSE TYPES OF TOPICS MIGHT NOT ONLY BENEFIT YOU BUT ALSO BENEFIT MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY SO THAT THEY COME TO THE BUDGET PROCESS BETTER.

UNDERSTANDING THOSE ELEMENTS OF THE BUDGET, HOW THOSE DECISIONS ARE MADE SO THAT THE ENGAGEMENT DURING BUDGET SEASON CAN BE MOST EFFICIENT.

AND I THINK A LOT OF TIME IS OFTEN SPENT DURING BUDGET SEASON EXPLAINING THINGS.

THIS IS HOW WE DO THINGS, THESE ARE HOW WE MAKE THESE DECISIONS.

AND I THINK HAVING AS MUCH INFORMATION SHARED OUTSIDE OF THE BUDGET SEASON WILL HELP EVERYBODY TO REALLY FOCUS ON THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT.

AND THEN THE SECOND THING I JUST WANTED TO SAY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR YOU KNOW, WE MEET WITH ROBERT AND THE BUDGET TEAM, BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT THESE INVESTMENTS IN COMMUNICATIONS ARE NOT THINGS THAT THE BUDGET TEAM CAN DO ALONE.

THERE NEEDS TO BE DEDICATED COMMUNICATION SUPPORT TO DO A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE SUGGESTED.

SO HAVING A PROACTIVE STRATEGY OF HOW TO INCORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS INTO BUDGET SEASON AND THEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR SO THAT THERE'S THERE'S CAPACITY TO REALLY MEET SOME OF THESE THINGS.

YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET TEAM HAS BEEN VERY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT DURING BUDGET SEASON, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, THEY'RE DOING THE BUDGET, SO THERE'S JUST LIMITED TIME TO WORK ON THESE THINGS.

SO I WANTED TO SPEND A COUPLE OF MINUTES JUST TALKING ABOUT THE MEMO THAT WE'RE WORKING ON WITH THE CITIES BUDGET COMMITTEE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO ANNUALLY TO COORDINATE WITH THE CITY SIDE TO FOLLOW UP ON THE 2018 JOINT TASK FORCE, WHICH, AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, WAS FOCUSED ON COORDINATION AND PLANNING AND COMMUNICATION, PARTICULARLY AROUND CAPITAL PLANNING AND CAPITAL INVESTMENTS.

SO EVERY YEAR WE COME TO BOTH ELECTED BODIES TO HAVE SOME REFLECTIONS ON HOW PROGRESS IS BEING MADE TOWARDS THE GOALS OF THE JOINT

[00:50:06]

SO THAT'S WHAT WE HOPE TO DO AND WE HAVE PAID ATTENTION TO A LOT OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU ALL HAVE HAD WITH CITY COUNCIL.

WE'RE MEETING WITH STAFF ON BOTH THE CITY SIDE AND THE SCHOOL SIDE.

WE'VE TALKED TO ELECTED LEADERS, SO WE REALLY WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING FEEDBACK FROM EVERYBODY, BUT IN PARTICULAR THAT WE'RE GETTING REALLY SPECIFIC CONCRETE IDEAS OF HOW TO IMPROVE AND STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNICATION THAT OBVIOUSLY IS ALREADY HAPPENING QUITE ROBUSTLY.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO SOME OF THE THEMES THAT WE ANTICIPATE COVERING IN THE MEMO INCLUDE JUST A RENEWED COMMITMENT TO SHARED VALUES AND COMMUNITY VISION.

I RECALL THAT DR.

RIEF MADE A COMMENT DURING THE LAST JOINT SESSION ABOUT THE BODIES, PERHAPS EVEN COMING TOGETHER TO AGREE ON SOME BROADER PRIORITIES THAT BOTH BODIES COULD WORK TOWARDS THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.

THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF THE TYPE OF THING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO THINK ABOUT AND MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND.

WE ALSO ARE LOOKING AT THE COMMUNICATION THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENING BETWEEN THE CITIES AND THE SCHOOLS AND HOPING TO MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO MAXIMIZE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF MEETINGS, THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO TALK.

YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE REALLY MAKE THOSE AS ACTIONABLE AS POSSIBLE? HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT DECISIONS ARE TEED UP APPROPRIATELY FOR YOU TO MAKE AND CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU NEED TO MAKE TOGETHER HAPPEN? YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE VERY FOCUSED ON IS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL KNOW, OF COURSE, THAT INVESTMENT IN ACPS IS NOT JUST AN ISSUE FOR ALL OF YOU AND FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

IT'S AN IMPORTANT INVESTMENT FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.

AND SO WE THINK THAT THAT JOINT COMMUNICATION WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AND WITH ALL OF YOU CITIES AND SCHOOLS TO REALLY TALK ABOUT THAT COMMUNITY INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION AND WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY CRITICAL.

WE'LL ALSO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT REVENUE.

ARE THERE CREATIVE WAYS TO THINK ABOUT REVENUE THAT'S COME UP A COUPLE OF TIMES DURING SOME OF THE JOINT SESSIONS? IS IT FOUNDATION WORK? IS IT MORE FOCUSED ON GRANTS AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES? IS IT LOBBYING? YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO RAISE REVENUE WHEN WE KNOW THAT, OF COURSE, REVENUE IS AT A PREMIUM HERE IN ALEXANDRIA? AND THEN FINALLY, YOU KNOW, SOME SPECIFIC IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO LEVERAGE THOSE SHARED RESOURCES AND ASSETS THAT THE CITIES AND SCHOOLS HAVE TOGETHER.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO FINALLY, WE JUST WANT TO SAY TO YOU THAT WE REALLY WELCOME YOUR FEEDBACK ABOUT HOW WE CAN BE HELPFUL.

WE ARE ONE OF YOUR ADVISORY COMMITTEES.

WE APPRECIATE GETTING FEEDBACK FROM MS. BOOZ AND FROM ALL OF YOU ABOUT HOW WE CAN BE HELPFUL.

SO WE WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU REFLECT ON THE BUDGET PROCESS AND PROVIDE US WITH FEEDBACK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO BE HELPFUL TO ALL OF YOU.

THAT'S THAT'S REALLY OUR PRIMARY FOCUS AND AN OBJECTIVE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'LL BE DOING THIS YEAR IS LOOKING A LITTLE BIT AT HOW THE BFAC IS STRUCTURED AND WHAT THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY COUNCIL IS.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF WAYS THAT THEY'RE SET UP THAT WE THINK THE BOARD MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, EVERY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER APPOINTS A MEMBER TO THE BUDGET COMMITTEE AND THAT CREATES A NATURAL LIAISON BETWEEN EVERY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AND EVERY MEMBER OF BFAC.

BFAC ALSO HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO PRESENTATIONS THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET PROCESS ON TOPICS THAT OFTEN THE CITY COUNCIL IDENTIFIES.

SO THEY WANT MORE ANALYSIS OF THIS OR THAT OR MORE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ON THIS OR THAT.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE OF COURSE HAPPY TO DO.

AND AGAIN, WE JUST REALLY WELCOME YOUR FEEDBACK SO THAT WHEN WE'RE DEVELOPING OUR NEXT SCOPE OF WORK, IT'S REALLY REFLECTIVE OF WHAT WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL TO ALL OF YOU. SO THAT'S ALL WE HAVE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

AND AGAIN, IT WAS REALLY OUR PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

THANK YOU, MISS JANE.

AND THANK YOU, MR. REYNA. WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU DO, YOUR SUPPORT AND THE PARTNERSHIP.

AND WE KNOW IT'S NOT EASY.

YOU KNOW, WE WE GET THE 400 PAGE BUDGET BOOK, YOU GET THE SAME BOOK.

AND DIVING THROUGH THAT IS VERY DIFFICULT, BUT YOU DO REALLY GOOD WORK.

SO WE APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR LIAISONS AS WELL.

MS. BOOZ AND MR. EASLEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WORKING WITH THE COMMITTEE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU AGAIN SOON.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

[00:55:05]

[8. Report from International Academy Student Representative Zahra Rahimi]

SO WE WE MISS THEM, BUT WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.

MISS RAHIM, THANK YOU.

ON APRIL 12TH AT 6:30, WE ARE HAVING A RAMADAN IFTAR EVENT AT HHS.

ALL ARE WELCOME AND HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL ON THERE.

ON MARCH 28TH, A GROUP OF NEWLY ARRIVED AFGHANI STUDENTS WHO ARE IN THE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY AND ARE YOUTH LEADERS WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION NOVA RAV RESETTLING AFGHAN FAMILIES TOGETHER, WAS INVITED TO GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES AND PERSPECTIVES, PERSPECTIVES WITH COLLEGE STUDENTS AND ALSO ON BEHALF OF OUR MUSLIM STUDENTS AND STAFF.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ACPS AND OUR HHS ADMINISTRATORS FOR PROVIDING US A PLACE TO PRAY IN THE HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[Consent Calendar]

THE VICE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE TO ADOPT THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

SECOND. ALL RIGHT, MR. ELNOUBI. SECOND DR.

RIEF'S MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

WE WILL VOTE IN ESB.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

MOVING RIGHT ALONG.

ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP.

ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP, WE ARE MOVING INTO THE ACPS PROGRAM EVALUATION CALENDAR.

[17. ACPS Program Evaluation Calendar]

CAN WE ASK ANY MORE QUESTIONS? OH, I'M SORRY. YES, YOU MAY.

DOCTOR, I'M SORRY. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? DR. RIEF? YEAH.

HI, MR. PAGE. DR.

PAGE, RATHER.

I DID HAVE A I DID HAVE A QUESTION THAT I WANTED A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THE THE FIRST PROGRAM THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO EVALUATE IS THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING.

AND AND THAT STARTS IN APRIL, WHICH IS NEXT WEEK.

SO I WAS WONDERING WHAT, WHEN, UM, WHEN CAN THE BOARD EXPECT? LIKE WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE THE NEXT KIND OF TOUCHPOINT OR INTERACTION THAT THE BOARD WOULD HAVE ON THAT EVALUATION? THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION. THEN I HAVE ONE OTHER ONE.

SURE. SO AS WE DISCUSSED LAST MEETING.

RIGHT, KIND OF THE TYPICAL EVALUATION TIMELINE, THAT PHASE ONE IS REALLY WHEN WE ARE ENGAGING WITH THE PROGRAM LEADS AND KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND DEVELOPING LOGIC MODEL, RELEASING AN RFP, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

TYPICALLY WHAT WE WILL DO IS ONCE WE GET TO A POINT WHERE WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AN EVALUATOR OR EVALUATION TEAM AND HAVE A, YOU KNOW, THE LOGIC MODEL, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, WE WOULD THEN UPDATE THE BOARD IN TERMS OF THE TIMELINE OF EVALUATION ACTIVITIES.

AND THOSE EVALUATION ACTIVITIES WITHIN THIS TIMELINE WOULD LIKELY BEGIN IN THE FALL OF NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

SO WE COULD ANTICIPATE AN UPDATE EITHER POTENTIALLY BY THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR OR EARLY IN, SAY, AUGUST AS WE RETURN.

GREAT. THAT'S HELPFUL.

AND I WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST THINKING ABOUT THE THE PROGRAM EVALUATION ON SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING SINCE I DON'T KNOW WHEN YOU'RE COMING BACK TO US, BUT, I MEAN, YOU JUST YOU DID CLARIFY THAT.

I WAS KIND OF THINKING ABOUT TWO THINGS.

ONE, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU MAYBE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN PROVIDE ANY CLARITY ON IF RESTORATIVE PRACTICES IS LIKE TOUCHES OR HOW IF THAT'S A PART OF THIS, GOING TO BE A PART OF THIS EVALUATION IN ANY WAY.

AND THEN THE OTHER THING I WAS THINKING ABOUT IS OUR EQUITY POLICY AUDIT TEAM WAS DISCUSSING THE GRADING POLICY.

WE HAD KIND OF A FOCUS GROUP CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT STUDENTS SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AT THE ELEMENTARY GRADE LEVEL, THERE IS A WAY THAT STAFF TEACHERS ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO FAMILIES ON THE PROGRESS REPORT OR WHAT WE CALL THE REPORT CARD, RIGHT, WHICH

[01:00:05]

AND SO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE SEE THAT REFLECTED THEN IN THE WAY TEACHERS MIGHT GRADE.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THOSE THINGS ARE KIND OF ON YOUR RADAR AS FAR AS GOING INTO DEFINING THE SCOPE.

BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT A PLUG IN FOR THOSE WHILE I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY.

THANK, THANK YOU, DR. RIEF.

AND AS YOU ALLUDED TO, RIGHT, WE DON'T HAVE THOSE ANSWERS TONIGHT.

WE BELIEVE IN A VERY PARTICIPATORY PROCESS WHERE WE SEEK COLLABORATION AND VOICE FROM THOSE INVOLVED IN THE DESIGN OF THE PROCESS.

I WILL SAY FREQUENTLY, RIGHT.

NATURALLY, CONVERSATIONS REVOLVE AROUND CRITICAL AREAS WITHIN A GIVEN SECTOR AND THAT THOSE AREAS USUALLY ARE FOLDED INTO THE EVALUATION.

LIKEWISE, POTENTIAL GAPS, RIGHT IN TERMS OF WHAT EXISTS IN THE CURRENT AND WHAT WE ASPIRE TO IN THE FUTURE ARE ALSO THINGS THAT ARE CERTAINLY TOPICS THAT EMERGE THROUGH THE EVALUATION AND CAN FOLD INTO RECOMMENDATIONS, ETCETERA, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, NO IDEA ABOUT WHAT THE SPECIFICS OF THAT WILL BE FOR THIS COMING EVALUATION, BUT THAT'S JUST A LITTLE INSIGHT ABOUT OUR TYPICAL PROCESS.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.

I WILL NEED WE WILL NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE ECB'S PROGRAM EVALUATION CALENDAR.

MADAM VICE CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THE PROGRAM EVALUATION CALENDAR.

ALL RIGHT, MR. HARRIS.

SECONDS. MS.. BOOZ'S MOTION.

I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE IN ESB.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALL RIGHT. WE WILL NOW NEED TO MOVE INTO CLOSED SESSION AND I WILL NEED A MOTION TO DO THAT, PLEASE.

[Closed Meeting and Certification of Closed Meeting (if needed)]

FOR THE DISCUSSION OF THE AWARD OF A PUBLIC CONTRACT INVOLVING THE EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS, INCLUDING INTERVIEWS OF BIDDERS OR OFFERS, AND DISCUSSION OF THE TERM OF SCOPE OF SUCH CONTRACT, WHERE DISCUSSION IN AN OPEN SESSION WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE BARGAINING POSITION OR NEGOTIATING STRATEGY OF THE BOARD.

SECOND, DOCTOR.

EIGHT SECONDS. MRS MOTION.

I'LL NOW CALL FOR THE VOTE.

ALL RIGHT. WE WILL NOW PROCEED TO CLOSED SESSION.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MISS BOOZ.

CAN WE HAVE CERTIFICATION OF THE CLOSED MEETING, PLEASE? YES. NOW THAT MR. HARRIS HAS REJOINED US PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 2.23712.

I MOVE THAT THE BOARD CERTIFY THAT TO THE BEST OF EACH MEMBERS KNOWLEDGE, ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS IDENTIFIED IN THE MOTION BY WHICH THE CLOSED MEETING WAS CONVENED AND ARE LAWFULLY EXEMPTED BY THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT WERE HEARD, DISCUSSED OR CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD IN THE CLOSED MEETING HELD ON MARCH 30TH, 2023.

SECOND. ALL RIGHT.

DR. RIEF SECONDS MRS MOTION CALL FOR THE VOTE, PLEASE, AND BE.

NOW WE HAVE A QUORUM.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALL RIGHT. SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE REPORTS.

[18. Report from Meagan L. Alderton]

SPRING BREAK BEGINS ON APRIL 3RD.

THANK YOU, DONNA. I APPRECIATE THAT.

ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.

AND WE WILL HAVE BOARD MEMBERS THAT WILL TRAVEL TO THE NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE STARTING TOMORROW, AS WELL AS THE INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT HEADED OUT TO THE ACC CONVENTION.

ALL RIGHT. REMINDER THAT APRIL 10TH IS A TEACHER WORK DAY, SO NO STUDENTS REPORT THAT DAY.

APRIL 20TH IS OUR NEXT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.

THAT'S APRIL 20TH.

THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING ON SCHOOL BOARD, STAGGERED ELECTION TERMS AT THAT MEETING.

AND THEN ON MAY 4TH, THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AND BUDGET WORK SESSION.

ALL RIGHT. DOCTOR, DO YOU HAVE A REPORT?

[19. Report from Interim Superintendent Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt]

I HAVE QUITE A NUMBER OF RECOGNITIONS THIS EVENING, SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED AS EVERYONE'S LOOKING AT ME.

BUT THESE TONIGHT, LET ME JUST SAY THE RECOGNITIONS, ARE SOMETHING WE REALLY NEED TO CELEBRATE.

AND I'M GOING TO START WITH THE VERY FIRST ONE.

WE HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL SUBSTANCE ABUSE WORKSHOP THAT WAS DELIVERED ALL IN SPANISH ON MARCH THE 22ND TO HELP INFORM AND EMPOWER OUR FAMILIES, TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS SAFE

[01:05:07]

IT WAS THE TURNOUT.

I THINK THERE WAS OVER A HUNDRED AND SOME FAMILIES WHO PARTICIPATED THAT EVENING.

SO I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES COORDINATOR, MR. FREDDY MARTINEZ, WHO LED THE CONVERSATION.

AND HE WAS SUPPORTED BY DEA DIVERSION PROGRAM, THE FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CENTER, OFFICE OF STUDENT SUPPORT TEAMS AND THE OFFICE OF SAFETY AND SECURITY SERVICES.

SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR FAMILIES WHO JOINED.

AND WE DO HAVE ONE THAT'S GOING ON TONIGHT THAT'S ACTUALLY IN PERSON AT FRANCIS HAMMOND MIDDLE SCHOOL.

THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL ONE THAT WILL BE LIVE STREAMED ON FACEBOOK ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL THE 19TH, FROM 630 TO 8 P.M.

AND THAT ONE WILL BE AT ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL, KING STREET.

OUR DIVISION IS VERY PROUD OF ALL OF OUR WONDERFUL EDUCATORS, AND HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THEM WITH A JOB WELL DONE.

BY SUBMITTING A NOMINATION FORM FOR THE ALEXANDRIA PTA COUNCIL'S 2023 GOLDEN APPLE AWARDS.

SO PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU SEND IN YOUR NOMINATIONS AND YOU CAN GET MORE INFORMATION IN THE FRIDAY, APRIL I'M SORRY, NOMINATIONS ARE DUE ON FRIDAY, APRIL 21ST, BUT IT IS IN OUR EXPRESS THAT WILL GO OUT AGAIN ON FRIDAY.

COMING UP ON APRIL THE 29TH, ACPS IS HOSTING ITS FIRST MENTORING SATURDAY EVENT.

IT'S CALLED YOUR FUTURE TODAY.

THIS WORKSHOP IS GEARED TOWARDS BLACK MALES IN GRADES EIGHT THROUGH 12 AND KEEPING WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLANS EQUITY FOR ALL FOCUS.

BUT OF COURSE, ALL STUDENTS IN THOSE GRADES ARE WELCOME TO REGISTER.

THE YOUR FUTURE TODAY WORKSHOP IS BEING HELD AT FRANCIS C HAMMOND.

AGAIN, THAT'S ON APRIL THE 29TH FROM 9 TO 1 P.M.

BUT PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU REGISTER YOUR STUDENTS.

WE DO HAVE SOME STUDENT AND STAFF RECOGNITIONS TO HIGHLIGHT.

I'M SO PROUD TO SAY THAT THE ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL'S BLACK STUDENT UNION THEATER DEPARTMENT AND TELEVISION AND MEDIA PRODUCTIONS DEPARTMENT STUDENTS WERE AWARDED THE VIRGINIA EDUCATION BARBARA JOHNS YOUTH AWARD FOR HUMAN RELATIONS AND CIVIL RIGHTS.

I SEE SOME CLAPPING HERE.

THAT IS A HUGE HONOR TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD.

THE STUDENTS EARN THIS HONOR FOR THE DOCUMENTARY THEY COLLABORATED ON AS PART OF THE ALEXANDRIA COMMUNITY REMEMBRANCE PROJECT, WHICH THEY REFLECTED ON THE IMPACT OF CIVIL RIGHTS TOUR TO THE EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVES, NATIONAL MEMORIAL FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE AND LEGACY MUSEUM IN SELMA, ALABAMA.

SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE STUDENTS.

AND THEY WERE LED BY MISTER SHABAZZ, MISS JONES, MISS ZAFRAN, AND THEN ALSO FORMER ACPS TEACHER, MR. LYONS. SO CONGRATULATIONS, STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ON THAT WELL-DESERVED HONOR.

AND SO JUST RECENTLY WE HAD SOME ROBOTICS STUDENTS IN DOING THEIR DEMONSTRATION.

SO WE CAN SAY NOW CONGRATULATIONS TO GO OUT TO OUR ROBOTICS TEAM FOR THEIR INSPIRING WORK AT THIS MONTH FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, FIRST, ROBOTICS COMPETITION.

WE ENGAGE IN A LOT OF COMPETITIONS THAT HAVE LONG TITLES, SO BEAR WITH ME.

THEY'RE HARD WORK TO MAKE THIS STEM PROGRAMS MORE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL STUDENTS.

EARN THEM THE FIRST ROBOTICS IMPACT AWARD, ANOTHER FIRST FOR ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

SO CONGRATULATIONS AND ACCOLADES FOR JACK POCHE, WHO IS ALSO RECOGNIZED AS THE SEMIFINALIST FOR THE FIRST DEAN'S LIST AWARD, GIVEN TO EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS AND ADVOCATES IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

MORE RECOGNITIONS ARE COMING.

WE'RE ALSO VERY PROUD WE HAD 14 CADETS FROM THE ARMY JROTC DRILL TEAM WHO, ALONG WITH SERGEANT FIRST CLASS FELICIA HOLDEN AND WILLIAM BIERI, ATTENDED THE FOURTH BRIGADE BEST OF THE BEST COMPETITION IN NORTH CAROLINA, AND THEY RECEIVED THREE TROPHIES.

FIRST PLACE IN COLOR GUARD, THIRD PLACE IN REGULATION PLATOON, AND THIRD OVERALL IN THE UNARMED DIVISION.

SO CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR CADETS.

THIS IS A GREAT NIGHT FOR RECOGNITIONS.

ALSO, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HHS DEBATE TEAM ON A SUCCESSFUL SEASON IN THEIR LEAGUE, TAKING HOME THIRD PLACE HONORS FOR OVERALL POINTS THIS YEAR.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, ELENA COOPER AND JOHN BROCK WERE QUALIFIED TO COMPETE AT THE NATIONAL TOURNAMENT, WHILE APOLLO AND SOFIA BASSINGTHWAIGHTE COMPETED IN THE JUNIOR VARSITY METRO FINALS TOURNAMENT.

SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE STUDENTS.

MORE. I'M SO EXCITED WHEN I WHEN I SAW ALL THE STUDENT RECOGNITIONS TONIGHT.

YOU JUST CANNOT IMAGINE HOW EXCITED I WAS.

SO WE DO HAVE A FEW MORE.

SO SEVERAL STUDENTS ADVANCED TO THE STATEWIDE COMPETITION NEXT MONTH AFTER SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING IN THE VIRGINIA HISTORY DAY DISTRICT FIVE COMPETITION.

[01:10:01]

ALSO, CONGRATULATIONS ARE IN ORDER FOR OUR 39 HHS DECA STUDENTS.

YES, 39 DECA STUDENTS WHO COMPETED IN VIRGINIA BEACH THIS MONTH BEING AWARDED TEN DIFFERENT TITLES.

EIGHT TITANS WILL MOVE ON TO COMPETE AT THE INTERNATIONAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA, IN APRIL.

IN ADDITION, THE FASHION MARKETING TEACHER TERESA CHAVEZ AND CATHERINE LEWIS, WHO'S A DUAL ENROLLMENT INSTRUCTOR AND ADJUNCT PROFESSOR FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP COURSES, WERE ALSO AWARDED OUTSTANDING DECA ADVISOR AWARDS.

SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL.

AND I'M GOING TO END ON SOMETHING THAT'S A REALLY FUN AND EXCITING NOTE TONIGHT, SO I WANT EVERYONE TO LISTEN VERY CLOSELY.

SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES GOES OUT TO ACP'S LONGEST SERVING TEACHER, MR. LOU KOKONAS, WHO CELEBRATES HIS 91ST BIRTHDAY ON APRIL THE 3RD.

WHILE WE'RE ON SPRING BREAK.

SO HE JOINED OUR SCHOOL DIVISION IN 1959, AND HE CONTINUES TO TEACH MATH TODAY AT THE KING STREET CAMPUS.

SO WE ARE FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF HIS YEARS OF SERVICE, HIS NEVER ENDING SERVICE THAT HE GIVES TO OUR MATH STUDENTS.

SO IF YOU ARE WATCHING THIS EVENING AND EVERYONE IF YOU COULD HELP ME WISH MR. KOKONAS A HAPPY 91ST BIRTHDAY ON APRIL THE 3RD.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

MADAM VICE CHAIR. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, DR. WYATT.

ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS?

[20. Announcements]

I'LL TRY TO BE QUICK.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE TWO ANNOUNCEMENTS.

THE FIRST IS THAT THE.

WHAT'S SO FUNNY DOWN THERE ON THE DAIS? UM, I WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT WE HAVE RESUMED OUR AD HOC SCHOOL BOARD ADVISORY SUPPORT COMMITTEE, WHICH IS MADE UP OF MYSELF, ABDUL AND ASHLEY, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR BOARD ASSIGNMENTS.

AND OUR PURPOSE IS FIGURING OUT HOW TO BETTER UTILIZE OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEES AND IMPROVE TWO WAY COMMUNICATION.

AND WE HEARD SOME OF THAT TONIGHT.

SO I'M SHARING THAT BECAUSE WE ARE MEETING AND TALKING ABOUT IT.

AND IF ANY OF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR THAT, WE'D LOVE TO HEAR IT.

AND THEN ALSO JUST A REMINDER THAT ON MONDAY, MAY 8TH, OUR SCHOOL DIVISION IS GOING TO BE HOSTING THE VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION'S NORTHEASTERN REGIONAL SPRING FORUM AT OUR HIGH SCHOOL.

AND WE HAVE THE SPEAKERS ARE GOING TO BE ANN HOLTON AND DR.

INGRID GUERRA LOPEZ FROM GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY, TALKING ABOUT A REGIONAL COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND HOPE TO SEE ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES THERE ON MAY 8TH.

PLEASE LET THE BOARD CLERKS KNOW YOU'LL BE THERE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DR.

RIEF. ANY FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? MS. BOOZ? YEAH.

I HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING THE AVID FAMILY EVENT A COUPLE SATURDAYS AGO.

I FEEL LIKE THE DAYS ARE ALL BLENDED TOGETHER, BUT IT WAS A FANTASTIC EVENT.

KUDOS TO MS. PETERS AND ALL OF THE INCREDIBLE STUDENTS THAT SHE HAS WORKED WITH OVER THE YEARS.

SHE HAS A COUPLE OF MENTORS THAT ARE FORMER STUDENTS OF HERS.

ALEXANDRIA AND AVID AVID STUDENTS, AND AND GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO SPEND SOME TIME IN THE COLLEGE AND CAREER CENTER AT HHS AND LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE GREAT PROGRAMING THAT WE DO THERE.

SO GOOD EVENT.

DEFINITELY WORTH GOING TO WHEN THEY DO IT AGAIN.

THANK YOU, MISS BOOZE. WE LOVE AVID.

IT IS A GREAT PROGRAM.

ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? MR. BAILEY, DO YOU HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT? ALL RIGHT. JORDAN HAS A MOTION.

OKAY, BYE.

I'M SORRY. MR HARRIS HAS AN ANNOUNCEMENT.

UM, YES. REAL BRIEFLY.

YESTERDAY I HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING THE OPTIMIST CLUB AT LOS CROUCH, WHERE I THINK SEVEN OF OUR STUDENTS RECEIVED AWARDS CASH AWARDS FOR ESSAYS THAT THEY WROTE.

UM, VERY, VERY, VERY POWERFUL PROGRAM.

THESE ESSAYS ARE COMING FROM, UM, SIXTH AND SEVENTH GRADERS THAT WERE VERY POWERFUL.

AND WE HAVE SOME GREAT UPCOMING LEADERS THAT ARE COMING UP IN OUR CITY.

AND IT WAS A VERY GOOD PROGRAM AND WE SHOULD CHECK IT OUT NEXT YEAR.

THANK YOU. LIKE THE NAME OF THAT CLUB, THE OPTIMIST CLUB.

CONGRATS TO THOSE STUDENTS AT LOS CROUCH.

ALL RIGHT. ANY FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? GOING ONCE. GOING TWICE.

ALL RIGHT. THE VICE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

BUT FIRST, THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT MEETING.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AND HAPPY SPRING BREAK.

[INAUDIBLE] BAILEY MOTION. WE'LL NEED A MOTION.

MR. BAILEY. ALL RIGHT, HE SO MOVE.

ALL RIGHT. IS THERE. IS THERE A SECOND? MR. HARRIS SECONDS MR.

[01:15:02]

I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE IN ESB.

YOU DON'T LAUGH. WHAT ELSE ARE YOU DOING? THANK YOU.

GOOD NIGHT. AND ONCE AGAIN, HAPPY SPRING BREAK.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.