Jun 01, 2023 School Board Meeting

[1. Meeting Called to Order by Chair Alderton]

[00:00:04]

OKAY. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

WELCOME TO THE JUNE 1ST, 2023 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.

ME START OVER. I'VE NEVER HAD TO DO THAT BEFORE. ALL RIGHT.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

WELCOME TO THE JUNE 1ST, 2023 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.

I'M GOING TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 6:35 P.M.

I WILL DO A ROLL CALL FOR OUR CLERK SO THAT THEY KNOW WHO IS PRESENT.

MEGAN ALDERTON IS HERE.

WILLIE BAILEY PRESENT.

KELLY BOOS PRESENT.

ABDUL AL-NUBI IS ABSENT.

JACINTA GREENE HERE.

CHRISTOPHER HARRIS HERE.

TAMMY IGNACIO IS ABSENT.

MICHELLE RIEF HERE AND ASHLEY SIMPSON BAIRD IS ABSENT AT THE MOMENT.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

[2. Observe a Moment of Silence]

OKAY. THANK YOU.

I'M MOVING ON. NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.

[3. Adopt the Agenda for the June 1, 2023 School Board Meeting]

SECOND. OKAY.

HAVE DR. RIEF SECONDS.

VICE CHAIR GREENE'S MOTION.

OH, NO. OKAY.

MR. BAILEY IS. YES.

I'M A YES, TOO. I CAN.

OKAY. WE ALSO HAVE MISS GREENE AS WELL.

ANYBODY ELSE. ALL RIGHT.

SO WHILE THAT IS BEING ADDRESSED, WE WILL MOVE ON AND WE CAN ACTUALLY MOVE ON TO OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND ADDRESSES TO THE BOARD.

[4. "Simply the Best" School Spotlight-ACHS/Minnie Howard]

WE TO OUR SCHOOL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. TO OUR SCHOOL BOARD.

OUR CHAIR. UH, I'M SORRY, EVERYBODY.

I'M GETTING A LITTLE TONGUE TWISTED UP HERE, BUT I'LL SHARE OUR VICE CHAIR, OUR SUPERINTENDENT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

I PROMISED OUR STAFF AND OUR STUDENTS THAT I WOULD NOT TALK LONG, SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO THEM AS THEY HIGHLIGHT OUR MANY HOWARD EXPERIENCE.

MISS BONILLA. GOOD EVENING.

I AM ANNA VANILLA AND I'M THE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT SOCIAL WORKER AT ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL.

THE SOCCER PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED FOR THE NEED FROM THE STUDENTS TO FIND A PLACE OF BELONGING AND SAFETY WHERE THEY COULD GROW ACADEMICALLY AND PHYSICALLY.

THE PROGRAM WAS PRESENTED TO THE STUDENTS AS A PRIVILEGE AND IS A POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT FOR THEM.

OUR GOAL IS FOR OUR STUDENTS TO FEEL A SENSE OF ACCEPTANCE, RESPECT, SUPPORT AND INCLUSION IN ADDITION TO ACADEMIC SUPPORT.

THERE ARE THREE COMPONENTS OF THE PROGRAM SOCCER PRACTICE, TUTORING AND CAREER EXPLORATION, AS WELL AS PARENT INVOLVEMENT.

BUT I'M GOING TO STOP AND I'M GOING TO LET OUR STUDENTS TELL YOU ALL ABOUT THE PROGRAM.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS BRANDON LOPEZ.

I'M A NINTH GRADE STUDENT AT THE MINNIE HOWARD CAMPUS.

I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE SOCCER CLUB AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT IT HAS GIVEN ME.

MISS BONILLA COMES FROM A HISPANIC DESCENT, AND SHE KNOWS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO FEEL LESS THAN OTHERS.

SHE TOOK THAT INTO ADVANTAGE AND MADE A SOCCER CLUB FOR STUDENTS THAT LOOKED LIKE ME.

IN. MR. EARNEST IS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAN.

HE ALSO KNOWS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO FEEL LESS THAN OTHERS BASED OFF HIS RACE.

FOR MISS BONNIE AND MR..

[00:05:01]

SINCE LAST YEAR, I WENT FROM A 1.8 GPA TO THIS YEAR HAVING A 3.7 GPA.

THANK YOU. IT ALSO HELPED ME INTERACT WITH OTHER STUDENTS THAT LOOK LIKE ME AND ALSO COME FROM THE SAME BACKGROUND AS ME.

AND ALSO COME FROM HISPANIC DESCENT.

ALL BECAUSE HAD MISSED BONILLA AND I HAD THE SOCCER CLUB TO HELP PROVIDE ME WITH TUTORING AND PROVIDE ME WITH OTHER STUDENTS THAT ALSO LOOK LIKE ME.

THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS HENRY PACHECO.

I'M IN THE NINTH GRADE, AND I'M ALSO A PART OF THE MINNIE HOWARD SOCCER CLUB.

THIS PROGRAM HAS ALLOWED ME TO PURSUE MY ACADEMIC SUCCESS BY PUSHING ME TO DO MY BEST IN CLASS AND BY HAVING MS..

BONILLA YELL MY NAME OUT IN THE HALLWAYS.

THIS PROGRAM HAS HELPED ME ACHIEVE GREAT SUCCESS IN MY ACADEMICS.

THE TUTORING MS..

BONILLA HAS PROVIDED ME AND OTHER STUDENTS WAS IS ONE OF THE MANY, MANY WAYS THAT IT HAS HELPED ME AND MANY OTHER STUDENTS THAT LOOK LIKE ME BY GIVING US A SAFE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH WE CAN ALL GO STUDY AND GET HELP WITH GETTING OUR GRADES UP BY PROVIDING US WITH TUTORS AND ALLOWED ME TO GET COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS IN.

THIS PROGRAM HAS ALSO ALLOWED ME TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF COLLEGE BY TAKING ME TO COLLEGE VISITS SUCH AS GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY AND INTRODUCING ME TO SOME OF THE STUDENTS THERE THAT HAVE THAT COME BACK TO THE SAME BACKGROUND AS ME.

AND WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INVITE EVERYONE HERE TO OUR END OF THE YEAR CELEBRATION AT FORT WARD PARK ON TUESDAY, JUNE 6TH.

AND PLEASE, PLEASE BRING AN EMPTY STOMACH.

OH, THAT WAS ADORABLE.

HI, EVERYONE. I'M MISS BUTLER.

I'M AN AVID NINE TEACHER AT THE MINNIE HOWARD CAMPUS OF ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THE PROGRAMS AT OUR HIGH SCHOOL, SPECIFICALLY MINNIE HOWARD, BECAUSE IT'S THE FIRST STEP INTO THAT JOURNEY OF BEING A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT.

AND WE HAVE THE AVID PROGRAM, WE HAVE THE STEM PROGRAM, AND THEN WE DO WHAT WE CALL PBIS.

EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT THAT.

AND WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT, IT ALLOWS OUR STUDENTS TO BE COLLEGE AND CAREER READY.

WE KNOW THAT NOT EVERYBODY'S GOING TO COLLEGE, BUT SOME STUDENTS NEED A DIFFERENT PATH.

WITH OUR STEM PROGRAM, WHAT I LOVE IS IT ALLOWS OUR STUDENTS TO HAVE THAT HANDS ON EXPERIENCE.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A BIG PUSH WITH THE PROJECT BASED LEARNING.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE IN SOME OF THE PICTURES, OUR STEM PROGRAM AND AVID PROGRAM HAVE ALLOWED OUR STUDENTS TO HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THEIR POSSIBILITIES ARE LIMITLESS.

AND THEN AT MINNIE HOWARD, WE DO SUCH A GOOD JOB.

WE'RE A FAMILY. I WISH ALL OF THE MORE MANY FOLKS WERE HERE, YOU COULD REALLY UNDERSTAND THE COHESIVENESS THERE.

THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WITH PBIS, WE REALLY LET WE WANT TO CELEBRATE OUR STUDENTS AND WE WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CELEBRATION LOOKS LIKE.

IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.

THERE'S MORE OF A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING CARE OF EACH OTHER.

AND WITH THAT PROGRAM THAT WE STARTED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND REALLY JUST KIND OF MAKE IT ALLOW OUR STUDENTS TO SEE EACH OTHER, BE HEARD, GO TO DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.

I THINK SOMETIMES THE A, B, AND C IS NOT ALWAYS WHAT WE NEED TO CELEBRATE.

WE NEED TO CELEBRATE BEING TOGETHER AND FOCUSING ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT, AND THAT IS SCHOOL AND BEING SAFE AND BEING IN A PLACE WHERE WE FEEL SUPPORTED.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE AVID STEM.

WE ALSO HAVE GOVERNOR'S HEALTH AND MEDICAL SCIENCES AS WELL.

BUT WITH MINNIE HOWARD BEING THAT FIRST STEP, WE'RE JUST EXCITED THAT OUR KIDS HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND YOU CAN SEE IT WORKS.

SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'M INTRODUCE MY OTHER STUDENTS HERE.

I NEED A CLAP. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, SCHOOL BOARD.

MY NAME IS SHALOM SISI AND I'M A STUDENT AT ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL.

EVEN THOUGH I'VE ONLY ATTENDED THE ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH MINNIE HOWARD CAMPUS FOR ONE SCHOOL YEAR, I'VE ALREADY FALLEN IN LOVE WITH THE ENTIRE PROGRAM.

A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT REALLY STAND STOOD OUT TO ME ABOUT THIS SCHOOL.

AND MOST OR MOST MOST IMPORTANTLY, ARE THE TEACHERS.

THE TEACHERS AS WELL AS THE COUNSELORS.

COUNSELORS WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH ACADEMIC AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT.

WHENEVER YOU WHENEVER YOU NEED IT.

FUNNY EXAMPLE, IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, AND I WAS GOING THROUGH A TIME WHEN I WASN'T REALLY FEELING CONFIDENT IN MYSELF AND I HAD A LOT OF TROUBLES.

[00:10:08]

BUT FORTUNATELY I HAD SCHOOL COUNSELORS, AND THE ONE I WENT TO TALK TO WAS, IN FACT, THE FRESHMAN BASKETBALL COACH FOR THE MAIN CAMPUS, T.C. WILLIAMS. UM, I TALKED TO HIM FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES, AND AT THE END OF OUR TALK, I WAS FEELING 100% BETTER.

THEN I REALLY UNDERSTOOD HOW IMPORTANT THESE COUNSELORS ARE FOR ME.

THESE SMALL ACTS OF KINDNESS CAN REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A STUDENT.

ANOTHER THING THAT STANDS OUT TO ME, STOOD OUT TO ME, ARE THE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE AT MINNIE HOWARD.

I'VE JOINED MANY OF THEM, SUCH AS THE SGA TO HELP BETTER MYSELF SOCIALLY.

I'M PART OF THE BASKETBALL AND THE FOOTBALL TEAM.

THOSE PROGRAMS HAVE GIVEN ME CONFIDENCE I NEVER KNEW I HAD IN ME.

SO FINALLY, I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE FACULTY AND STAFF AT CPS FOR MAKING US STUDENTS FEEL LIKE WE'RE A PART OF TODAY'S SOCIETY AND HELPING US GROW TO BE REALLY GOOD ADULTS IN THE FUTURE.

THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS JAMAICA REINDORF AND TODAY I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT MY MINI HOWARD EXPERIENCE.

MY EXPERIENCE AT MINNIE HOWARD HAS BEEN LIKE NO OTHER, BOTH ACADEMICALLY AND SOCIALLY.

FROM THE EDUCATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, I'VE LEARNED THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING UP, OF KEEPING UP WITH MY GRADES AND THE EFFECTS IT HAS ON ME NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.

ONE WAY MANY HOWARD CELEBRATES ITS STUDENTS IS THROUGH PBIS AND THE ALL ACCESS PASS.

UM, WE HAVE TICKETS WHERE WE CAN PUT INTO RAFFLES OR WE WILL OR WE'RE ABLE TO USE AT OUR STORE.

IN ADDITION, MANY HOWARD DOESN'T JUST MAKE SCHOOL ABOUT OUR ACADEMICS, BUT ALSO HELPS US WHEN WE NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.

STUDENT MAY STUDENTS MAY SPEAK WITH THEIR COUNSELORS AND SOCIALIZE WITH PEERS.

LASTLY, MY SOCIAL EXPERIENCE AT MANY HOWARD HAS BEEN ENRICHING.

I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET NEW PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM DURING LUNCH AND HANGING OUT IN THE GARDEN.

IN ALL MY EXPERIENCE AT MANY, HOWARD HAS BEEN AMAZING FOR MEETING NEW PEOPLE AND ENGAGING IN SOCIAL ACTIVITIES TOO.

KEEPING UP MY ACADEMICS THROUGH VIA TUTORING AND PEER COLLABORATION AND PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL.

MANY HOWARD HAS ALLOWED ME TO BE AN INDIVIDUAL WHERE I COULD SPREAD MY WINGS EVEN MORE SOCIALLY AND EXCEL IN SCHOOL WITH THE HELP OF MY TEACHERS, TUTORS AND STUDENTS.

THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING.

I'M KELLY CHURCH. CONLEY AND I TEACH AT THE MINNIE HOWARD CAMPUS.

UM, WE ARE CARING.

WE ARE A CULTURE. WE ARE A COMMUNITY.

AND I HAD A TINA TURNER KIND OF CONNECTION HERE BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE TALK ABOUT CARING.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW.

BUTLER SONG SIMPLY THE BEST.

EXACTLY. BUT, UM.

AND THEN WE DON'T NEED HEROES BECAUSE WE ARE THE HEROES AND OUR KIDS ARE THE HEROES.

UM, AND WE'RE JUST, AGAIN, UM, WITH CULTURE, YOU BETTER BE GOOD TO ME BECAUSE WE ALL WANT TO BE SEEN.

WE ALL WANT TO BE HEARD.

SO AGAIN, WE'RE JUST A GREAT CAMPUS.

I'VE BEEN THERE 21 YEARS, AND SO I THINK THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES, UM, TO WHAT WE, WHAT WE DO, NOT JUST WHAT I DO, BUT WE, WE DO, UM, ALSO WE ARE FAMOUS FOR OUR WAFFLE WEDNESDAY.

SO IF YOU EVER WANT TO STOP BY ON, IT'S USUALLY THE LAST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH TO CELEBRATE BIRTHDAYS AND BABIES AND WEDDINGS AND YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT YOU KNOW OUR STAFF NEEDS AND WE'RE THERE TO SUPPORT AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR TEACHERS COME BACK BECAUSE BUILDING A GREAT STAFF IS AN IMPORTANT JOB.

SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE SIMPLY THE BEST.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, GUYS.

ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON.

[5. VIP Awards]

KAY WYATT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

WELL, FOR WEDNESDAYS, DEFINITELY SOUNDS LIKE A VIP MOMENT FOR ME.

EVERYONE KNOWS I'M A FOODIE, SO I'M GOING TO ASK OUR SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR TO COME ON DOWN AND JOIN US OUT FRONT AS WE BEGIN OUR RECOGNITIONS THIS EVENING.

SO THIS EVENING IT'S WITH GREAT PRIDE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE OUR FINAL CATEGORY OF VIPS FOR THE YEAR FOR ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

[00:15:09]

ALL FIVE OF OUR HONOREES SERVE THE SCHOOL DIVISION WITH VISION, INTEGRITY AND PASSION, MAKING THEM TRUE VIPS AND BEING NOMINATED ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT CHARLES BARRETT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

I'M LOOKING FOR HER.

SHE'S OVER THERE. OH, I CAN'T SEE YOU BEHIND THE WALL THERE.

MARCELLA AHERN DREW HIGH PRAISE FOR BEING A ROCK OF STABILITY AND SUPPORT FOR THE CHARLES BARRETT SCHOOL COMMUNITY THROUGH ITS MULTIPLE LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS AND THE PANDEMIC. IN FACT, CHARLES BARRETT, PRINCIPAL LAUREN BRODY, SAID MS..

AHERN HAS EARNED THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF RESPECT FROM STAFF, IS BELOVED BY STUDENTS AND IS DEEPLY APPRECIATED BY THE WIDER COMMUNITY.

FOR HER DEEP KNOWLEDGE, FRANKNESS AND COMMITMENT, PLEASE HELP ME CONGRATULATE MS..

AHERN.

NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO ASK YOU TO.

YEAH. YOU? YES. YOU HAVE TO STAND.

YOU OWE ME STANDING UP THERE BECAUSE WHEN I CAME TO PRESENT TO HER, WE WERE HIDING IN THE OFFICE AND SHE IGNORED US BECAUSE SHE WENT TO TO HELP A PARENT.

AND I'M JUST LIKE, SHE'S LIKE, I GOT IT.

AND SHE JUST SIT BY US.

SO SHE IS TRULY DEDICATED, EVEN WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO RECOGNIZE HER.

WE HAD TO WAIT AT THE SCHOOL TO SURPRISE HER.

SO OUR NEXT RECIPIENT IS GLADYS GORDON, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL AND COMMUNICATIONS, IS LAUDED FOR THE WORK SHE HAS DONE TO REVAMP THE WAY CPS SHARES INFORMATION AND STORYTELLING ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AND VIDEO.

AND ON OUR WEBSITE, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMUNICATIONS CATHY MEMBER, POINTS OUT GLADYS HAS A STRONG COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND IS PASSIONATE ABOUT ENSURING THAT MANY PERSPECTIVES AND VOICES ARE SHARED IN OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND THAT OUR DIVISION'S INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES AND IN MULTIPLE FORMATS.

CONGRATULATIONS, MISS GORDON.

OUR NEXT VIP IS VERY FAMILIAR FACE TO US, DR.

TRICIA JACOBS.

SHE IS THE DIRECTOR OF CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TEACHING, LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP AND IS BEING HONORED FOR HER DEDICATION AND LEADING THE DIVISION'S CTE PROGRAM AS SHE BUILDS A VISION USING ITS STRENGTHS AND AREA OF GROWTH.

DR. JACOBS HELPS EMPOWER CTE TEACHERS TO PROVIDE RIGOROUS AND RELEVANT CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION AND WORK BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS.

AS CTE BOARD ADVISOR AIDEN CHRISTIAN STATED, DR.

JACOBS HAS MADE A DIRECT IMPACT ON FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO EDUCATION FOR MANY STUDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE IN SPECIAL POPULATIONS.

HELP ME CONGRATULATE DR.

JACOBS. OUR NEXT RECIPIENT IS ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF DOUGLAS MACARTHUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

MISS REBECCA PITTMAN IS A VIP.

WITH HIGH QUALITY ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS, A CALMING PRESENCE AND ALWAYS READY TO TAKE ON THE CHALLENGES OF THE SCHOOL DAY WITH PATIENCE, KINDNESS AND POSITIVE ENERGY.

DOUGLAS MACARTHUR PRINCIPAL PENNY HARRISON PRAISED MS..

PITTMAN FOR HER EFFORTS AS A SCHOOL LEADER WHO IMPACTS ALL AREAS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING.

AND IN NOMINATING, MS. PITTMAN NOTED HER CLEAR VISION WITH SUPPORTING STUDENTS BY BUILDING AND FOSTERING RELATIONSHIPS.

CONGRATULATIONS, MISS PITMAN.

NEXT WE HAVE CHRISTOPHER SPIKE OR AS WE CALL HIM CHRIS SPIKE, CAMPUS ADMINISTRATOR AT ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL, IS HERE WITH US THIS EVENING.

NO. ALL RIGHTY.

WELL, MR. SPIKE DREW ACCOLADES.

YOU CAN STILL CHEER. YES.

THIS. THOSE TITANS, I TELL YOU.

UM, MR. SPIKE DREW ACCOLADES FOR HIS FOCUS ON SOLVING OPERATIONAL SAFETY AND SECURITY CONCERNS WITH HHS WHILE CREATING A CLEAR VISION FOR THE SCHOOL HOLDING STUDENTS TO THE HIGH STANDARD. MR. SPIKE WAS SINGLED OUT AS A VIP FOR SPEARHEADING A CHANGE IN CULTURE ACROSS ALL LEVELS AT HHS, OR AS HHS.

KING STREET LEAD ADMINISTRATOR FOR OPERATIONS MICHAEL BURT STATED.

HIS ENERGY AND LEADERSHIP IS INFECTIOUS UNLESS YOU'RE DELIVERING HIM A VIP AND HE WILL RUN OUT OF THE OFFICE.

SO WE HAD TO ALSO HUNT HIM DOWN.

SO HELP ME, PLEASE CONGRATULATE OUR LAST RECIPIENTS FOR THE VIP.

[00:20:13]

ONE, TWO, THREE.

STAFF. PLEASE DON'T FORGET WE WILL BEGIN OUR VIP IMMEDIATELY WHEN WE RETURN TO SCHOOL.

SO PLEASE MAKE SURE WE SEE MANY NOMINATIONS NEXT YEAR.

OKAY. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR VIPS.

MOVING ON. WE HAVE A WELCOME TO VIDEO THAT'S BEEN LONG AWAITED.

[6. Welcome to ACPS Video]

WELCOME TO ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

WITH OVER 15,700 STUDENTS, CPS WELCOMES STUDENTS FROM OVER 119 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES THAT SPEAK 124 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES ACROSS OUR 18 SCHOOLS.

WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN OUR EQUITY JOURNEY.

NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE GREAT SCHOOLS, WE HAVE A GREAT CITY.

LET'S TAKE A GLIMPSE.

FOUNDED IN 1749, IN JUST ABOUT EIGHT MILES SOUTH OF WASHINGTON, D.C., ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA, IS NESTLED ON THE COAST OF THE POTOMAC RIVER.

WHEN THE TEMPERATURE SLIGHTLY INCREASES IN THE SUMMER LIVE A HIKER'S DREAM LESS THAN TWO HOURS AWAY IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY, OR CHOOSE TO STAY LOCAL AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MOUNT VERNON TRAIL, ONE OF ALEXANDRIA'S MANY PARKS, OR TAKE A JOG AROUND THE PARK OR GRAY STADIUM AT ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL.

RICH IN HISTORY.

ALEXANDRIA HAS PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO BE SUBMERGED INTO THE PAST, WITH LOCAL MANUMISSION TOURS, A TRIP TO THE FREEDOM HOUSE MUSEUM OR THE FORT WARD HISTORIC SITE.

HEAD UP KING STREET, TAKE IN THE GREEN PASTURES AND BE MET WITH THE 333 FOOT HIGH.

GEORGE WASHINGTON MASONIC NATIONAL MEMORIAL.

NEIGHBORING ACP'S VERY OWN JEFFERSON HOUSTON PRE K THROUGH EIGHT INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL AND GEORGE WASHINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL.

CATCH A FREE RIDE DOWN KING STREET ON THE ALEXANDRIA TROLLEY OR THE DASH BUS IF YOU DECIDE TO HEAD INTO THE NATION'S CAPITAL DC IS ACCESSIBLE BY LAND OR WATER.

CATCH A RIDE BY TRAIN, BUS OR WATER.

TAXI. IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO GET OUT ON THE WATER IN A DIFFERENT WAY, EXPERIENCE SOME OF ALEXANDRIA'S WATER ACTIVITIES.

HOME TO A DIVERSE POPULATION OF NEARLY 160,000 RESIDENTS, ALEXANDRIA COMPRISES FOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, INCLUDING THE CARLYLE EISENHOWER AREA, DEL REY, OLD TOWN AND THE WEST END NEIGHBORHOODS KNOWN FOR ITS ART AND TIGHT KNIT COMMUNITY.

STOP BY THE DEL RAY AREA TO SEE BEAUTIFUL MURAL INSTALLMENTS.

DEL REY ALSO HAS DELICIOUS FOOD OPTIONS FROM A VARIETY OF CULTURES AND CUISINES.

OPPOSITE OF THE WATERFRONT DRIVE UP DUKE STREET, WHERE YOU WILL FIND FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY IN THE CARLYLE EISENHOWER NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE WEST END.

ENJOY NATURE. SITTING BEHIND ALEXANDRIA'S MARK CENTER, THE 44 ACRE OASIS KNOWN AS THE WINKLER BOTANICAL PRESERVE IS QUITE THE HIDDEN GEM OFFERING MULTIPLE TRAILS STREAM A LAKE AND A WATERFALL.

RIGHT NEXT DOOR IS BURNSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE FIRST SCHOOL IN ALEXANDRIA TO BE CREATED BY A RETROFITTING OFFICE SPACE THAT FEATURES AN INNOVATIVE ROOFTOP PLAYGROUND.

STROLL THE COBBLESTONE STREETS IN OLD TOWN AND EXPLORE MORE THAN 100 LOCAL BOUTIQUES AND RESTAURANTS.

ALSO KNOWN FOR ITS ART, IT WOULDN'T BE A TRIP TO OLD TOWN WITHOUT STOPPING BY THE TORPEDO FACTORY TO GET CREATIVE OR CHECK OUT AN ART EXHIBIT.

END YOUR NIGHT AT ONE OF OLD TOWN'S WATERFRONT RESTAURANTS OR WITH A SUNSET PICNIC IN FRONT OF THE LATEST ART INSTALLMENT AT THE WATERFRONT.

ALEXANDRIA IS A PLACE WHERE YOU WILL FIND SOMETHING EVERYONE WILL ENJOY FROM ITS DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS, TIGHT KNIT COMMUNITIES, AND ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES.

WELCOME TO APPLY TODAY.

THE LAST PART OF THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT APPLY TODAY.

SO THAT IS THAT WAS ONE OF A JOINT EFFORTS THAT OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM DID WITH THE CITY AS A RECRUITMENT TOOL.

SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THAT JOINT EFFORT.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

[7. Wear Orange Weekend-Gun Safety Awareness]

[00:25:05]

SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO VICE CHAIR GREENE, WHO HAS SOME COMMENTS.

THANK YOU, CHAIR ALDERTON AND COULD I GET KELLY JOHNSON AND IF ANY MEMBERS FROM MOMS DEMAND ACTION, ALEXANDRIA WOULD LIKE TO COME UP WITH HER. WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU UP FRONT.

WONDERFUL. CAN.

YOU CAN COME TO THAT THING. AND I'LL JUST.

I'LL SAY A FEW WORDS AND THEN I WILL LET KELLY SPEAK.

BUT ALEXANDER CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE ALEXANDRIA SCHOOL BOARD, WE'RE VERY, VERY PROUD TO BE A PARTNER WITH MOMS DEMAND ACTION ALEXANDRIA FOR MANY YEARS WITH EACH INSTALLMENT, I GUESS, OF A SCHOOL BOARD BEGINNING OF EACH TERM, WE ADOPT A RESOLUTION ABOUT THE PREVENTION OF GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY AND OUR STATE AND OUR CITY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IN OUR SCHOOLS AS WELL, AND GUN PREVENTION AWARENESS.

AND SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.

WE STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH EVERYONE THAT'S IN SUPPORT OF THIS.

WE WEAR ORANGE AT OUR FIRST MEETING IN JUNE, EVERY YEAR, EVERY YEAR.

BUT WE DO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION EVERY THREE YEARS.

I'M GOING TO GIVE SOME UPDATED INFORMATION WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT FROM WHEN WE ADOPTED IT LAST YEAR.

BUT AS OF LAST YEAR, MORE THAN IT SAYS MORE THAN 311, 11,000 STUDENTS ATTENDING, MORE THAN 331 PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THAT IS NOW GONE UP TO 352,000 AND 380.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE EXPERIENCED A SHOOTING ON CAMPUS SINCE THE COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL MASSACRE IN 1999.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT FACT WHEREAS THERE ARE MORE THAN 45,000 GUN DEATHS PER YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES, THAT HAS NOW GONE UP TO 48,000 IN 1 YEAR. AND THEN ANOTHER IMPORTANT FACT HERE, WHEREAS THE UNITED STATES IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE MORE THAN 380 MILLION FIREARMS AS OF LAST YEAR, IT'S 466 MILLION FIREARMS IN CIRCULATION AS OF THIS YEAR AND 303.4 MILLION SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN.

THAT'S 4.6 THIS YEAR.

LIVE IN HOMES WITH MORE WITH ONE OR MORE OF THOSE FIREARMS. COMPELLING COMMUNITIES TO INCREASE EDUCATION EFFORTS.

ABOUT RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP, INCLUDING THE BE SMART AND THE ASK MOVEMENTS.

SO JUST A FEW FACTS THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, THINGS INCREASINGLY INCREASE EACH YEAR.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE WE STAY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS EFFORT.

SO THANK YOU.

WE WE THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

MOMS DEMAND ACTION.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE TAKEN IT ANOTHER STEP WHERE TOMORROW ON WEAR ORANGE DAY THE ENTIRE SCHOOL SYSTEM WE'RE ASKING TO WEAR ORANGE AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY AN IDEA OF OUR INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT, DR.

MELANIE WYATT. SO WE THANK YOU AND WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU ON THIS MOST IMPORTANT EFFORT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AGAIN, AS SHE SAID, MY NAME IS KELLY JOHNSON.

I AM THE DEPUTY LOCAL GROUP LEAD FOR MOMS DEMAND ACTION HERE IN ALEXANDRIA.

AND WE ARE VERY, VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP.

WE'RE GRATEFUL TO LIVE IN A COMMUNITY THAT TAKES THIS ISSUE SERIOUSLY.

AND I HEAR THESE STATISTICS ALL THE TIME.

I LIVE AND BREATHE THESE STATISTICS, AND IT STILL TAKES MY BREATH AWAY SOMETIMES TO HEAR THAT.

AND SO WEAR ORANGE AS A CAMPAIGN STARTED ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO, AND IT WAS STARTED AFTER A YOUNG WOMAN BY THE NAME OF HADIYA PENDLETON WHO MARCHED IN PRESIDENT OBAMA'S INAUGURATION PARADE ON JANUARY 21ST, 2013.

AND A WEEK LATER, SHE WAS SHOT AND KILLED ON A PLAYGROUND IN HER HOMETOWN.

AND HER FRIENDS, IN HONOR OF HADIYA'S LIFE DECIDED TO WEAR ORANGE BECAUSE IT WAS HER FAVORITE COLOR, BUT ALSO BECAUSE ORANGE IS THE COLOR THAT HUNTERS WEAR IN ORDER TO NOT BE SHOT.

AND SO SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE MOMS DEMAND ACTION, ALONG WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION ORGANIZATIONS HAVE HAVE MADE THE FIRST WEEKEND IN JUNE WEAR ORANGE WEEKEND AND WE TOMORROW ON FRIDAY IS NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS DAY.

AND SO WE WEAR ORANGE WITH YOU ALL BY THE WAY.

YOU ALL LOOK BEAUTIFUL IN YOUR ORANGE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

WE WEAR ORANGE TO HONOR AND HADIYA'S LIFE AND TO HONOR THE 48,000 AMERICANS, AS YOU MENTIONED, THAT ARE KILLED BY GUN VIOLENCE EVERY YEAR. AND THIS IS IMPORTANT TO THE MORE THAN 76,000 WHO ARE WOUNDED BY GUN VIOLENCE.

AND I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT, TOO, AS A MOM AND AS A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, THOSE ONES WHO WITNESS WHO MAYBE THEY AREN'T WOUNDED, MAYBE THEY DIDN'T LOSE A FAMILY MEMBER, BUT

[00:30:01]

SO WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ALL OF YOU.

YOU'VE ALL RECEIVED AN INVITATION.

BUT TO THE REST OF THE FOLKS IN THE ROOM, WE'RE HAVING A WEAR ORANGE RALLY TOMORROW NIGHT IN MARKET SQUARE AT 7:00.

WE'LL HAVE SPEAKERS THERE, GUN VIOLENCE SURVIVORS, AS WELL AS SOME ELECTED OFFICIALS.

AND WE'D LOVE FOR ANY OF YOU ALL TO COME OUT AND JOIN US FOR THAT.

SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY.

SO WE DO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON OUR ESSER THREE FUND PLAN, AND WE DO HAVE TWO SPEAKERS.

[8. Public Hearing on ESSER III Fund Plan]

DEBORAH MCKEEMAN IS OUR FIRST SPEAKER.

HELLO AGAIN. GOOD EVENING.

READ THE MARCH MARCH REPORT ON CURRENT EXPENDITURES OF ESSER THREE FUNDS AND NOTED THAT THERE IS ABOUT $10 MILLION LEFT BETWEEN THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LINE ITEMS. INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT AND OTHER.

I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT THESE FUNDS BE APPLIED TO FILL SOME OF THE GAPING HOLES THAT CURRENTLY EXIST IN OUR TEACHING STAFF BEFORE THE START OF THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

AT THE LAST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING YOU WERE PROVIDED WITH SOME EXCELLENT UPDATES FROM THE SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE CENTRAL OFFICE ON THE SPECIAL EDUCATION AND TAG PROGRAMS, RESPECTIVELY.

THESE UPDATES INCLUDED INSIGHTS, NEEDS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BOTH PROGRAMS TO INCLUDE A PLEA FOR ADDITIONAL SPECIALIZED TEACHING STAFF TO ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE CURRENT AND ONGOING NEEDS OF STUDENTS.

I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU HIRE THESE ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL, THE PROGRAMS WILL NOT ONLY FLOURISH AS ENVISIONED, BUT THEY WILL ALSO PROVIDE AN INVALUABLE RESOURCE TO OTHER TEACHERS ON HOW TO RECOGNIZE, SUPPORT AND OR RECOMMEND STUDENTS WITHIN THEIR OWN CLASSROOMS FOR THE SPECIAL NEEDS OR TAG PROGRAMS. I'M ASKING YOU TO PUT ACTION BEHIND YOUR WORDS TO SUPPORT THE DIVERSITY WITHIN OUR STUDENT PROGRAM BY SEEKING OUT AND HIRING THE STAFF THEY DESERVE.

THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT.

CATHERINE EATON. KLINGER.

CATHERINE. IAN KLINGER.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

SO WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF OUR AGENDA.

[9. Public Comments]

THE SCHOOL BOARD WELCOMES PUBLIC COMMENT AT MOST REGULAR MEETINGS AND OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS.

FOR EACH BOARD MEETING, WE ALLOCATE UP TO ONE HOUR FOR PUBLIC SPEAKERS.

SPEAKERS WILL HAVE THE OPTION TO SHARE THEIR COMMENTS IN PERSON OR USING ZOOM AND SHOULD ADDRESS THEIR COMMENTS TO THE ENTIRE SCHOOL BOARD, NOT ONE INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER.

THE SUPERINTENDENT.

INDIVIDUAL STAFF MEMBER OR THE AUDIENCE.

GENERALLY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.

WE DO NOT RESPOND TO PUBLIC COMMENT DURING A MEETING, BUT IF FOLLOW UP IS REQUIRED DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE COMMENTS, THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL WORK WITH THE BOARD TO FOLLOW UP ACCORDINGLY.

JUST A REMINDER, EACH SPEAKER HAS THREE MINUTES AND IF MORE SPEAKERS SIGN UP THAN CAN BE ACCOMMODATED IN THE ONE HOUR, WE COULD ASK FOR LIMITING THE TIME.

ADDITIONAL TIME WILL BE PROVIDED TO SPEAKERS WHO DO HAVE INTERPRETERS.

WE EXPECT SPEAKERS TO BE COURTEOUS MODELING FOR OUR STUDENTS, HOW WE WANT TO RESPECTFULLY DIALOG AND OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD.

OUT OF RESPECT, THE SCHOOL BOARD REQUESTED COMMENTS ON AN INDIVIDUAL STUDENT OR AN INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE MATTER NOT OCCUR IN THE MEETINGS.

ALWAYS MAINTAIN DECORUM.

AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE YOUR COMMENTS IN WRITING, YOU'RE ALSO ABLE TO DO SO.

AND YOU CAN TURN THOSE IN TO BOARD CLERK AT K-12 DOT US THERE IS A TIMER, SO THE CLERKS WILL KEEP TRACK OF TIME AND WHEN THAT TIME IS UP YOU WILL BE MADE AWARE OF WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP.

AND I THINK THAT COVERS EVERYTHING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, TRYING TO COVER ALL THE THINGS IN OUR POLICY.

SO I THINK THAT'S IT.

SO WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ADO, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MISS NILSSON TO CALL ON SPEAKERS.

[00:35:07]

UH, GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS AND ATTENDEES.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AS A PART OF THE MEETING TONIGHT.

I'M A JUNIOR AT ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL, AND I'M HERE BECAUSE OF THOSE 4000 STUDENTS IN HHS, THE TEENAGERS WITH LOTS OF DREAMS AND GOALS, BUT LACK OF ENERGY, COURAGE AND MOTIVATION.

EVERYONE HAS A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF TOLERANCE AND HOW MANY PROBLEMS THEY CAN OVERCOME.

THEY HAVE DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO THEM THAT CAN HURT THEIR EMOTIONS AND ENABLED THEM TO DO THEIR BEST IN THEIR LIVES.

AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU ALL THAT THOSE STUDENTS REALLY NEED HELP WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS. AS SOME OF US MIGHT KNOW, THAT CDC, CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION SAID, ALMOST 3 IN 1 AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AND MORE THAN 40% OF THEM WERE PERSISTENTLY SAD OR HOPELESS.

IN ADDITION, IN A SURVEY I CONDUCTED OF 100 PEOPLE INSIDE HHS, HALF OF THEM SAID THAT THEY DO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS. TRUSTEE LESSONS ARE GREAT, BUT.

WELL DATE. WELL, STUDENTS TALK ABOUT THEIR EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS IN A CIRCLE OF STUDENTS THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WELL, WILL THEY? WILL THE PEOPLE THAT ATTEMPTED SUICIDE ARE GOING TO TALK IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE SCHOOL ABOUT HOW THEY ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AND WHY THEY ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

THOSE STUDENTS NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO, TO TALK TO THEM WITHOUT THEM FEELING CRAZY AND TO UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE BEING SO AGGRESSIVE AND CARELESS ABOUT SCHOOL INSIDE THE SCHOOL AND WITH OTHER STUDENTS.

AND YES, THEY CAN TALK TO YOUR COUNSELORS.

NEVER AS STUDENTS WITH BAD CONDITION AND MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS COULD WAIT A WHOLE MONTH OR TWO TO BE ABLE TO MEET THEIR COUNSELOR.

AND WHILE THEIR COUNSELOR IS SO BUSY, WHILE THEY'RE IN CHARGE OF MORE THAN 200 KIDS, THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO CARE ABOUT STUDENTS EMOTIONS.

SO HERE'S WHAT WE NEED.

STUDENTS NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO THEM INDIVIDUALLY AND A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN WALK INTO AND ASK FOR HELP AND BE SURE THAT SOMEONE WILL HELP THEM.

MORE PSYCHOLOGISTS THAT CAN HELP THEM CAN HELP STUDENTS AND HAVE THEIR TIME AND DOOR OPEN.

SO WHENEVER A STUDENT FEELS BAD, THEY CAN WALK INTO THEIR DOORS AND HAVE ASK FOR HELP NEXT TO IT.

AN APP ADDED TO THE CLEVER PORTAL THAT CAN MEASURE STUDENTS MENTAL HEALTH AND GIVE THEM SOME TIPS ABOUT HOW TO PERFORM BETTER AT SCHOOL AND IN THEIR LIVES. SO THEY HAVE BOTH INDIVIDUAL IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL OPTION AS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EVERYONE IN TO HELP EACH STUDENTS TO GET SOMETHING GOOD WHEN THEY GRADUATE OUT OF SCHOOL, NOT DEPRESSION.

THANKS. THANKS FOR LISTENING.

DAVID PALADIN FERNANDEZ.

GOOD EVENING. I AM DAVID PALADIN FERNANDEZ, AND I'M HERE FOR A FIFTH TIME TO ADVOCATE FOR THE PASSAGE OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

AND SOME OF MY PREVIOUS COMMENTS, I TALKED ABOUT HOW VITAL COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IS AND RESPECTING OUR EDUCATORS.

BUT IT GOES DEEPER THAN THAT.

IT'S ABOUT ASKING WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY DO YOU WANT TO LIVE IN? ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS ABOUT ALEXANDRIA IS THAT WE ARE A VIBRANT, DIVERSE AND UNDERSTANDING COMMUNITY.

WE PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO THOSE WHO SEEK THEM, AND TO GIVE IS A CORE PART OF WHO WE ARE.

BUT THIS CULTURE IS NOT CULTIVATED BY ACCIDENT.

IT'S QUITE THE OPPOSITE.

THIS CULTURE IS CONSCIOUSLY CULTIVATED BY MANY THINGS, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN MAINTAINING THIS CULTURE IS TEACHING OUR CHILDREN.

OUR EDUCATORS PERFORM THIS VITAL SERVICE OF PREPARING OUR STUDENTS FOR THE REALITIES OF LIVING IN THE 21ST CENTURY NOBLY AND REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEIR CLASSROOMS ARE.

OUR CLASSROOM TEACHERS EDUCATE OUR STUDENTS ON CORE AND ELECTIVE SUBJECTS, ENSURING THEY KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF ACADEMICS.

OUR SPED TEACHERS EDUCATE OUR STUDENTS ON COMPASSION, UNDERSTANDING AND HOW TO PROVIDE FOR YOURSELF, ENSURING THEY CAN GIVE WITH THEIR HEARTS JUST AS MUCH AS THEIR BRAINS.

OUR ACADEMIC AND ATHLETIC COACHES EDUCATE OUR STUDENTS ON THE VIRTUE OF SPORTSMANSHIP AND WORK ETHIC, ENSURING THEY COUPLE THEIR TALENTS WITH THE DRIVE NEEDED TO MAXIMIZE THEM.

AND OUR TRANSPORTATION OFFICERS EDUCATE OUR STUDENTS ON PROPER BUS ETIQUETTE, ENSURING THEY KNOW HOW TO RIDE A DADGUM BUS PROPERLY AND REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT DEPARTMENT THEY ARE IN.

EVERY SINGLE EDUCATOR DESERVES THE RIGHT TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

THEY DESERVE TO SEE THE FRUITS OF THE LABOR.

THIS BOARD AND THE CITIZENS OF ALEXANDRIA DO NOT SEE THE COUNTLESS HOURS OF GRADING OVER DINNER.

[00:40:01]

THE MONTHS ARE ACADEMIC AND ATHLETIC.

COACHES TRAIN AND EMOTIONALLY INVEST IN THEIR TEAMS TO ENSURE THEIR SUCCESS.

THE COUNTLESS DAYS OUR FRIENDS AT TRANSPORTATION GET HOME AT 9 P.M.

TO ENSURE OUR STUDENTS GET HOME AT FIVE.

THOSE ARE THE SACRIFICES WORTHY OF REWARD.

THOSE ARE THE SACRIFICES WORTHY OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

AND IT IS TIME YOU MAKE THE CONSCIOUS CHOICE TO MAKE TO GIVE EVERY EDUCATOR HERE IN THE RIGHT TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

BECAUSE ANOTHER VITAL PART OF ENSURING ALEXANDRIA'S CULTURE CONTINUES TO BE CONSCIOUSLY CULTIVATED ARE THE CHOICES ITS LEADERS MAKE.

AND RIGHT NOW, OUR LEADERSHIP IS CHOOSING TO SAY IT COULD TAKE UP TO TWO YEARS FOR OUR EDUCATORS TO GET THE RIGHT TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, WHICH WOULD BE FOUR YEARS AFTER OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS AND THREE YEARS AFTER OUR SURROUNDING SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

SO I MUST RESPECTFULLY ASK, WHY IS LEADERSHIP CHOOSING TO MAKE ITS EDUCATORS WORK TWICE AS HARD TO EARN HALF AS MUCH? WHY IS LEADERSHIP CHOOSING TO POTENTIALLY TAKE FOUR YEARS TO DO SOMETHING OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS DID? AND ONE. YOU HAVE THE POWER TO ADDRESS THESE QUESTIONS BY PASSING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

NOW YOU HAVE THE POWER TO ENSURE ALEXANDRIA HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE BY INVESTING IN PEOPLE WHO HAVE INVESTED THEIR LITERAL BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS INTO EDUCATING OUR STUDENTS.

PLEASE MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE.

OUR CHILDREN AND COMMUNITY ARE WATCHING.

MR. DICK GRIFFIN.

HI, MY NAME IS DICK GRIFFIN AND I AM A SCHOOL BUS DRIVER.

THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO CONGRATULATE OUR NEW BOSS.

THANK YOU FOR THE NOTE YOU SENT ME EARLIER, BY THE WAY.

ONCE AGAIN, I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO APPRECIATE WHY TRANSPORTATION STAFF ARE REQUESTING THAT AKPBS ADOPT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

WE APPLAUD OUR NEW BOSS, MICHAEL JOHNSON, AS OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND FLEET MANAGEMENT FOR HER LEADERSHIP IN RECRUITING NEW STAFF.

AND I'LL LIST A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF CHALLENGES AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMPENSATION THAT CAN CONTINUE TO HAMPER DIRECTOR JOHNSON AND ACCELERATE RETIREMENT OF OUR LONG SERVING STAFF.

LAST MONTH I MENTIONED THAT CPS NEEDS 100 DRIVERS, BUT IT HAS BEEN OPERATING WITH 86.

AND CURRENTLY WE ONLY HAVE THREE NEW DRIVER CANDIDATES IN THE HIRING PIPELINE.

A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS THAT NEIGHBORING SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN RATES OF PAY BETWEEN THEIR SALARIES AND THE STAFF.

STARTING WAGE AT ALEXANDRIA IS $22.18.

ARLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOL IS $23.10.

THAT'S $0.82 MORE THAN WE MAKE PER HOUR.

FAIRFAX COUNTY IS STARTING AT $22.91 PER HOUR.

THAT'S $0.73 MORE THAN WE MAKE.

BUT THEY ALSO GET A $3,000 SIGNING BONUS.

AND AT LOUDOUN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE RATE IS $24.43 AN HOUR.

AND THEY ALSO GET A $2,500 HIRING BONUS.

AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY, AT $23.17, IS $0.89 HIGHER THAN OURS.

BUT IT'S MORE THAN PAY DISCREPANCIES AT ISSUE.

IT'S HOW THE STAFF IS VALUED.

THE ATTACHED PICTURES TAKEN YESTERDAY ARE FROM THE MEN'S ROOM IN OUR MAIN OFFICE.

THEY EXEMPLIFY THE GENERAL SUB STANDARD 40 YEAR OLD PLUS BUILDINGS CONDITION.

IT'S BEEN SCHEDULED TO BE UPGRADED DURING MY ENTIRE SEVEN YEAR EMPLOYMENT PERIOD.

A TEMPORARY DRIVER'S LOUNGE TOOK TWO YEARS TO BECOME AVAILABLE AND ITS WINDOWS HAVE NEVER BEEN WASHED.

STILL HAVE THE MANUFACTURER'S STICKERS ON THEM AND THE PAINT IS NOW PEELING OFF ITS ENTRY DOORS AND IT'S NOW GONE TWO YEARS WITHOUT ITS PROMISED FURNITURE.

THE BUS PARKING LOT ALSO HAS CHALLENGES EXPANDING ELECTRIC CHARGING STATIONS TO TRANSITION THE FLEET FROM TRADITIONAL FUEL VEHICLES COMPLICATES THE REAL ISSUE. THE FLEET HAS OUTGROWN ITS PARKING SPACE.

AC MUST USE A DASH LOT A BLOCK AWAY FOR PARKING AND FOR STORAGE OF SPARE BUSSES AT THE MAIN LOT.

SOME BUSSES MUST PARK ONE BEHIND THE OTHER IN FIVE ROWS, FRONT TO REAR.

FREQUENT SHUFFLING IS REQUIRED FOR AN ABSENT DRIVER IF THERE ISN'T THERE TO MOVE HIS OWN BUS OUT OF THE WAY OF OTHERS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO KEEP TO OUR SCHEDULE.

BEYOND THAT, MOST TRANSPORTATION STAFF BELIEVE THAT TRANSPORTATION NEEDS ARE UNFAIRLY RATED AT THE LOWEST PRIORITIES REGARDING RECOGNITION AND COMPENSATION.

[00:45:04]

WE BELIEVE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING WILL PROVIDE US A VOICE WHEN ADDRESSING THESE AND OTHER SHORTCOMINGS.

MR. GRIFFIN, I'M SORRY YOU'VE EXCEEDED YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. WELL, WE WANT TO ASK THAT YOU GUYS LET US JOIN YOUR VOICE IN SOLVING THESE PROBLEMS. THANK YOU.

NEXT. NEXT.

NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. VIDA GILL.

GOOD EVENING, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES.

MY NAME IS JUWITA GIL.

I HAVE TAUGHT AT ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL, KING STREET CAMPUS SINCE 2010.

I AM A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY.

I HAVE TAUGHT MANY SUBJECTS WHILE AT THE KING STREET CAMPUS AS AN ELL TEACHER.

I CURRENTLY TEACH DIGITAL APPLICATIONS AND HAVE COORDINATED THE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY INTERNSHIP ELECTIVE SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2014. TODAY.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADVOCATE FOR THE RIGHTS OF THE COMMUNITY, OF PROFESSIONALS THAT SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS EDUCATION.

AND SO I STAND BEFORE YOU TO ASK THAT YOU BEGIN WORKING WITH THE EAA TO DRAFT A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RESOLUTION, BECAUSE HAVING A UNION WILL LEAD TO BETTER OUTCOMES FOR TEACHERS, EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS AND STUDENTS.

AS A PROFESSIONAL, I WANT TO WORK FOR AN EMPLOYER THAT RESPECTS MY PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL NEEDS BY GIVING ME A VOICE AT THE TABLE.

AFTER ALL, ISN'T THAT WHAT'S EXPECTED OF ME? YOU KNOW, FOR MY STUDENTS, THE 2025 STRATEGIC PLAN MISSION IS, AND I QUOTE, TO ENSURE SUCCESS BY INSPIRING STUDENTS AND ADDRESSING BARRIERS TO LEARNING.

TODAY, I WILL BRIEFLY ADDRESS ONE BARRIER THAT HAS GREAT CONSEQUENCES FOR ME AND ENGLISH LEARNERS.

LARGE CLASS SIZES, LARGE CLASS SIZES HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE I STARTED WITH ACP.

AND EVEN THOUGH PARENTS, TEACHERS AND RESEARCHERS KNOW LARGE CLASSES NEGATIVELY IMPACT BOTH TEACHING AND LEARNING.

HOWEVER, I WILL SPEAK FOR MY EXPERIENCE WHEN MY CLASSES ARE OVERCROWDED.

MY EFFICACY AS A TEACHER DECREASES SIGNIFICANTLY.

I AM UNABLE TO PROVIDE ALL STUDENTS WITH TIMELY FEEDBACK.

I AM ALSO NOT ABLE TO ADEQUATELY DIFFERENTIATE FOR ALL THE VARYING LEVELS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY THAT ARE PRESENT IN THE CLASSROOM.

THEREFORE, THERE ARE DAYS WHEN I DO NOT MEET THE NEEDS OF EVERY STUDENT.

THE EFFECT ON STUDENT LEARNING IS VARIED.

WHILE SOME STUDENTS WILL ALWAYS THRIVE DESPITE THE CIRCUMSTANCES DUE TO GRIT, TOO MANY SIMPLY STOP TAKING RISKS.

INSTEAD, THEY SHUT DOWN, DO LESS AND LEARN LESS.

SOME START SKIPPING AND SOME DROP OUT.

BUT THINK YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS.

AS THE 2022 GRADUATION RATE FOR HISPANIC MALES WAS ONLY 69%.

THIS WAS DOCUMENTED IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN VIGNETTE.

I WOULD LIKE TO END BY REFERENCING THE STRATEGIC STRATEGIC PLAN VISION, WHICH IS EMPOWERING ALL STUDENTS TO THRIVE IN A DIVERSE AND EVER CHANGING WORLD. I ASK THAT YOU TAKE A COURAGEOUS STEP TO EMPOWER OUR STUDENTS TO THRIVE BY ALLOWING THEIR TEACHERS TO THRIVE, BY GIVING TEACHERS AND ESPS THE PROFESSIONAL RESPECT AND DIGNITY.

I'M SORRY.

OKAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

HARD. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NICHOLAS HILDA BYNOE.

I APOLOGIZE.

IT'S THE FIRST TIME SOMEBODY MISPRONOUNCED THAT.

UH, GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.

I AM NICK HILTEBEITEL, AND I'M A HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER AT JEFFERSON HOUSTON.

I'M ALSO THE PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN WHO ATTEND MOUNT VERNON COMMUNITY SCHOOL.

I ORIGINALLY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TONIGHT ABOUT HOW OVER MY TIME AS A TEACHER, I'VE SEEN THE STRUCTURES PUT INTO PLACE BY COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, FOSTER COLLABORATION BETWEEN

[00:50:01]

BUT THEN ON WEDNESDAY MORNING, I RECEIVED AN EMAIL NOTIFYING ME ABOUT SCHOOL REASSIGNMENTS FOR ENCORE TEACHERS ACROSS THE DIVISION.

IT HAS BECOME EVIDENT THAT THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION WITH TEACHERS OR SCHOOL LEADERS IN ADVANCE OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT.

THERE HAS BEEN NO TRANSPARENCY AROUND THE PROCESS OF MAKING THIS DECISION.

BECAUSE TEACHER CONTRACTS ARE COMING OUT NEXT WEEK.

WE'RE BEING GIVEN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME TO MAKE WHAT COULD BE A LIFE ALTERING DECISION.

I WORK AT JEFFERSON HOUSTON BECAUSE I WANT TO.

I LOVE THE COMMUNITY.

I LOVE MY STUDENTS.

I LOVE MY COLLEAGUES.

I LOVE THE FACILITY.

I AM NOT BEING ASKED TO CHANGE MY POSITION, BUT PEOPLE IN MY BUILDING ARE, AND I CAN APPRECIATE HOW DISRUPTIVE THAT COULD BE TO THEM.

I CAN APPRECIATE HOW DISRUPTIVE THAT COULD BE TO THEIR STUDENTS.

I COULD APPRECIATE HOW DISRUPTIVE THAT COULD BE TO MY CHILDREN.

I'M SURE THAT THIS SCHOOL BOARD BELIEVES THAT THEY WANT TO RETAIN GREAT TEACHERS IN CPS.

A PROCESS THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE STAKEHOLDERS AND HAS NO TRANSPARENCY IS NOT THE WAY TO DO THAT.

THE WAY GOING FORWARD IS TO PASS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

ALEXANDRIA POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS HAVE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

TEACHERS IN ARLINGTON, FAIRFAX AND LOUDOUN COUNTIES, JUST TO NAME A FEW, HAVE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

WE NEED COLLECTIVE BARGAINING NOW, NOT IN TWO YEARS.

PARTICULARLY IN A DISTRICT THAT IS SO WILLING TO MAKE ENORMOUS CHANGES TO STUDENTS, TEACHERS, SCHOOLS AND PARENTS LIVES WITHOUT CONSULTING THOSE WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DEBORAH MCKINNON.

GOOD EVENING. TONIGHT I SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN 2025 AND SOMETHING THAT I'VE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT FOR QUITE A WHILE.

WHENEVER THE SCHOOL BOARD SPEAKS FOR PUBLICATION OR BROADCAST, IT ALWAYS MENTIONS THE DIVERSITY OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

AS IF BY MAKING THAT STATEMENT, YOU CONFER AN UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECT FOR THAT DIVERSITY.

THE FACT THAT IT TOOK YOU UNTIL THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR TO GATHER THE SCATTERED STAFF OF FAITH, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INTO A SINGLE PERMANENT HOME AT FERDINAND IS CLEAR EVIDENCE THAT YOU ONLY KNOW YOUR STUDENT POPULATION IN THE MOST SUPERFICIAL WAY.

TONIGHT, I WILL EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT DIVERSITY MEANS ON THE WEST END OF ALEXANDRIA.

I'VE LIVED ON THE OTHER ON THE OUTER EDGE OF THE WEST END FOR MANY YEARS AND KNOW WELL THE DIVERSITY OF THE STUDENT POPULATIONS THAT ATTEND BOTH WILLIAM RAMSEY AND JOHN ADAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

AND WHEN I SAY DIVERSITY, I MEAN THE ETHNIC, ECONOMIC AND SPECIAL NEEDS OF THESE CHILDREN.

MOST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE FIRST GENERATION AMERICANS WHOSE PARENTS HAVE BEEN IN THIS COUNTRY FOR LESS THAN 20 YEARS, HAVING WAITED 5 OR 6 YEARS PREVIOUSLY TO WIN A WORK VISA IN THE UNITED STATES.

THEY CAME FROM COUNTRIES ALL OVER THE WORLD, INCLUDING SOME WHERE GIRLS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO GO TO SCHOOL OR CHILDREN DROPPED OUT BEFORE GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL TO START WORKING.

MANY OF THE RAMSEY AND ADAMS STUDENTS SPEAK ABOUT SPEAK MORE ENGLISH THAN THEIR PARENTS.

SOME HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH IN THEIR HOMES SO AS NOT TO EMBARRASS THEIR PARENTS, WHILE OTHERS HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY AREN'T ALLOWED TO SPEAK ENGLISH AT HOME AT ALL. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR FIVE PEOPLE TO LIVE IN A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT ON THE WEST END OR FOR THREE GENERATIONS TO SHARE A SMALL APARTMENT.

THAT'S BECAUSE ONLY ONE PERSON IS WORKING TO SUPPORT THE OTHERS, OFTEN WEEKNIGHTS, WEEKENDS WITH A SECOND OR THIRD JOB.

THESE HOUSEHOLDS CAN'T AFFORD INTERNET ACCESS, LET ALONE A COMPUTER, EVEN LESS A TUTOR TO HELP THEIR CHILDREN WITH SCHOOLWORK.

BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR ECONOMIC OR EDUCATIONAL CHALLENGES, PARENTS LIVING ON THE WEST END WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO GET A QUALITY EDUCATION. I HAVE TUTORED WEST END STUDENTS IN EXCHANGE FOR HOT, HOMEMADE COOKED MEALS AND ON OCCASION FOR FREE MUCH MORE OFTEN.

I HAVE EXPLAINED SCHOOL DOCUMENTS OR PROGRAMS TO PARENTS OF STUDENTS ATTENDING WILLIAM RAMSEY, JOHN ADAMS AND FRANCIS HAMMOND.

THE BEST WAY TO HELP STUDENTS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD REALIZE EQUITY AND REACH THEIR FULL EDUCATIONAL POTENTIAL IS TO PROVIDE THEIR PARENTS WITH EASY ACCESS TO INFORMATION ABOUT SCHOOL SERVICES AND PROGRAMS.

[00:55:04]

I SAY SHAME ON YOU.

THANK YOU. GOOD NIGHT.

MISS LAURA TAUSCHER.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LAURA TORSHA AND I'M AN INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC TEACHER FOR NAOMI BROOKS AND CORA KELLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

AND I COME TO YOU TONIGHT WITH FEELINGS OF DISGUST, DISAPPOINTMENT AND SHAME FOR THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT REGARDING THE ENCORE REALLOCATION NOTICE THAT WE RECEIVED ONLY 48 HOURS AGO STATING THAT OUR MUSIC TEACHERS ON THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL AT LOWER ENROLLMENT SCHOOLS WILL HAVE TO BE SPLIT TO LARGER SCHOOLS NEXT YEAR.

THIS IS A MAJOR CAREER SHIFT FOR MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES, AND THE WAY THAT THIS SITUATION WAS HANDLED DEFINES UNPROFESSIONALISM AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL.

WHEN DID HUMAN RESOURCES FORGET ABOUT THE HUMAN ASPECT OF OUR JOBS? THIS DECISION WILL HAVE MASSIVE REPERCUSSIONS.

LET ME ILLUSTRATE SOMETHING FOR YOU.

IMAGINE THAT AS MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD, IN ORDER TO KEEP YOUR JOB, YOU HAD TO SHARE YOUR DUTIES AT A NEIGHBORING SCHOOL DISTRICT.

LET'S SAY ARLINGTON, FOR EXAMPLE.

YOU'D BE PERFORMING THE SAME DUTIES, BUT YOU'D HAVE TO SPLIT YOUR TIME BETWEEN TWO BOARDS WITH DIFFERENT ISSUES, POLICIES AND DEMOGRAPHICS OF STUDENTS.

AND YOU'D BE RECEIVING THE SAME PAY.

WOULD YOU SIGN TO DO THAT? I DON'T THINK SO.

THERE ARE MAJOR EFFECTS THAT WILL RIPPLE OUTWARD AS A RESULT OF THIS DECISION.

NUMBER ONE, SCHEDULING.

I WORK BETWEEN TWO SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT MY EIGHT YEARS HERE, AND IT'S TAKEN ME EIGHT FULL YEARS TO BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH A SCHEDULE THAT IS BALANCED AND EQUITABLE FOR BOTH OF MY SCHOOLS. NOW YOU'RE THROWING IN THREE, FOUR, FIVE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.

YOU'RE PUTTING SO MUCH PRESSURE ON ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION.

SPEAKING OF EQUITY, THIS WILL CHANGE AND AFFECT HOW OUR STUDENTS RECEIVE ENCORE CLASSES.

NO MORE AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS.

WE HAVE AMAZING DRAMA CLUBS AND ART CLUBS AND MUSIC LESSONS AT BROOKS.

NO MORE OF THAT.

ONLY ONE SET OF EYES AND LIMITED ACCESS TO LIFE SAVING UNITS LIKE SWIMMING LESSONS, BIKING, SAFETY AND FAMILY LIFE.

MORE PRESSURE WILL BE PUT ON OUR LIBRARIANS TO FILL IN THE GAPS WITH NO ASSISTANCE.

AND IF WE CAN'T COMPROMISE WITH THE SCHEDULE, CERTAIN PARTS OF OUR ENCORE MIGHT HAPPEN AT DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE DAY.

WE COULD SEE PULL OUT LESSONS FROM CONTENT CLASSES.

THIS VIOLATES OUR EQUITY 2025 INITIATIVE, WHICH PLEDGES TO PROVIDE AN EQUITABLE, HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION, WHICH IS ACCESSIBLE AND ENGAGING TO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THIS IS THE WORST THING WE CAN DO FOR STAFF RETENTION.

WE'RE ALREADY FACING A TEACHER SHORTAGE, AND THIS IS A SUREFIRE WAY TO ENHANCE THAT EXODUS.

ENCORE TEACHERS ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR SCHOOLS.

AT BOTH OF MY SCHOOLS, OUR TEACHERS DO SO MUCH MORE THAN OUR JOB DESCRIPTION.

PBIS LEADERSHIP.

MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS, RUNNING ART CONTESTS, MLK, PTA REFLECTIONS DISPLAYING THIS ARTWORK THAT YOU SEE HERE ON THE BOARD HERE, COORDINATING MAJOR EVENTS LIKE PROMOTION FIELD DAY TALENT SHOWS, ALL CITY BAND, ORCHESTRA AND CHOIR.

WE SERVE AS CROSSING GUARDS, GREETERS, SUPERVISORS.

WHEN YOUR KIDS COME IN THE MORNING AND WE MAKE SURE YOUR KIDS GET HOME SAFE AT KISS AND RIDE, SPLITTING TEACHERS WOULD ENSURE THAT THESE POSITIONS AND VITAL PARTS OF OUR FUNCTIONALITY OF OUR SCHOOL WOULDN'T EXIST.

WE'RE HUMAN BEINGS, DEDICATED TEACHERS, MASTERS OF OUR CRAFT, AND WE NEED TO BE TREATED AS SUCH.

WE DESERVE AN APOLOGY AND A BETTER SOLUTION.

PLEASE THINK ABOUT AND COME UP WITH A SOLUTION AND TREAT US THE WAY THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED.

THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LUISA TEO.

WELCOME. I'M LOUISA TIO AND I LOVE APPS.

I'VE TAUGHT AT ASU FOR 18 YEARS.

12 YEARS AT NAOMI BROOKS.

SO I THINK ALL MY PARENTS AND STUDENTS THAT ARE HERE, MY COLLEAGUES, MS..

TAUSCHE IS ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES, SO I CAN'T SAY A LOT BETTER THAN WHAT SHE JUST SAID.

BUT I'M THE ART TEACHER AND I WANTED TO COME AT IT FROM THE ART TEACHER PERSPECTIVE.

I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING MS..

TAWSHA SAID. YOU KNOW, I'M TEACHING ART TO MY STUDENTS AND I'M HOPING THAT THEY ARE LEARNING TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES VISUALLY, GET THEIR EMOTIONS OUT THROUGH ART. I FEEL LIKE MY MUSIC COLLEAGUE, MS..

[01:00:01]

MY TEACHERS ARE DOING THE SAME, GETTING KIDS OUT, EXPRESSING THEMSELVES PHYSICALLY.

FOR MANY OF OUR KIDS, OUR SUBJECTS ARE THE ONLY THINGS THAT BRING KIDS JOY DURING THE WEEK.

WE GIVE SOME KIDS THE ONLY PLACE THEY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL WHEN THEY'RE NOT AS SUCCESSFUL IN ACADEMIC SUBJECTS.

SO I HOPE YOU CAN TELL THAT I FEEL VERY PASSIONATELY ABOUT OUR SUBJECTS, BUT WE TEACHERS DO MORE THAN JUST THAT.

AS MS.. TORSHA SAID, YOU KNOW, WE ARE DOING HALL DUTY IN THE MORNING.

WE ARE GREETING KIDS.

WE ARE IN MY SCHOOL.

WE ARE ALSO FILLING IN.

ANYTIME THERE'S SOMEONE'S ABSENT, WE GET PULLED TO COVER FOR THAT.

WE ARE DOING AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS, WE DO SCHOOL PLAYS, WE DO GLEE CLUBS.

WE HAVE SO MANY ACTIVITIES AFTER SCHOOL.

WE ALSO HAVE HALL DUTY. AT THE END OF THE DAY, I DO MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS.

MY MUSIC TEACHER RUNS PBIS.

WE ARE PART OF THE VERY RUNNING OF OUR SCHOOL AND TAKING US AWAY TO GO TO OTHER SCHOOLS IS GOING TO DRAMATICALLY CHANGE THE SITUATION AT OUR SCHOOL. AND WE JUST FOUND OUT 48 HOURS AGO THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

NONE OF IT'S IN OUR CONTRACT.

OUR PRINCIPALS HAD BEEN APPROVED, OUR FTES TWO MONTHS AGO WITH THE BUDGET THAT WAS APPROVED.

SO ALL OF THIS IS A COMPLETE SHOCK TO US.

AND I WANT TO SAY ALSO, I RUN THE MLK EXHIBIT.

I MEAN, WE DO SO MANY MORE THINGS THAN JUST OUR LITTLE DESCRIPTION.

I'M ALSO THE LEAD ART TEACHER, SO I HELP COORDINATE ALL THE ELEMENTARY ARTS TEACHERS.

AND IT'S NOT JUST AFFECTING NAOMI BROOKS.

IT IS GOING TO BE AFFECTING LYLES, CROUCH, JEFFERSON HOUSTON, CORA KELLY, GEORGE MASON AND MY SCHOOL.

SO WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ONE LITTLE SCHOOL IS GETTING AFFECTED.

THEY'RE STAFFING ALL ACROSS THE BOARD, AS MISS TOSHA SAID, WITH SCHEDULING.

SO I HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONSIDER THAT.

AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, AS LEAD ART TEACHER, I KNOW THAT SOME OF MY TEACHERS ARE STRETCHED THIN WITH WAY MORE CAPACITY OF KIDS THAT THEY ARE TEACHING.

AND I DO WANT TO SUPPORT THOSE TEACHERS.

SO I HOPE THAT WE MAYBE ESSER FUNDS THAT WE CAN FIND BETTER WAYS TO SUPPORT THOSE TEACHERS WHO HAVE TOO MUCH WORKLOAD, TOO MUCH STUDENT LOAD. I DO NOT WANT TO HURT THOSE TEACHERS, BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT TO HURT ALMOST HALF THE SCHOOLS IN OUR SYSTEM AND ALSO HURT THE QUALITY OF THE EDUCATION THAT WE ARE PROVIDING OUR STUDENTS.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR FOR LISTENING TO THIS AND I HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER THAT AS WE WALK THROUGH.

THANK YOU.

MISS MEG ZEEMAN.

MISS MEG SIMON.

GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT.

MY NAME IS MEG ZEEMAN.

I'M THE MOTHER OF TWO STUDENTS AT KELLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND A LONG STANDING MEMBER OF THE KELLY PTA EXECUTIVE BOARD.

I'M HERE TONIGHT REPRESENTING OUR MEMBERSHIP.

YESTERDAY, THE CORE KELLY PTA WAS ALERTED TO AN ALARMING LAST MINUTE CHANGE IN ON CORE STAFFING FOR THE 2324 SCHOOL YEAR, IN WHICH FINANCE AND HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENTS DETERMINED ON CORE STAFF ACROSS THE DIVISION, INCLUDING OUR OWN CORE KELLY ART AND MUSIC TEACHERS WILL NO LONGER HAVE DEDICATED HOMESCHOOL APPOINTMENTS AND INSTEAD HAVE THEIR FTE SPLIT BETWEEN TWO OR MORE SCHOOLS.

THESE STAFFING CHANGES CONTRADICT PAGE 174 OF THE APPROVED FY 24 BUDGET, WHICH INDICATE NO FTE CHANGES TO ON CORE STAFF AT CORE KELLY FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR. FURTHER, NO PUBLIC COMMENT WAS SOUGHT AND THE SCHOOL BOARD DID NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON THESE CHANGES.

THE CLANDESTINE NATURE OF THIS DECISION MAKING PROCESS, THE FACT THAT PARENTS HAVE NOT BEEN ALERTED AND THAT THERE IS NO MENTION OF THESE SIGNIFICANT STAFFING CHANGES ANYWHERE ON THE WEBSITE RAISES MAJOR CONCERNS ABOUT DISTRICT COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPARENCY AND ERODES TRUST BETWEEN THE DISTRICT AND THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY SERVE.

THE IMPACT OF THIS ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION CANNOT BE UNDERSTATED.

THE DEDICATED ON CORE TEAM AT CORE KELLY NOT ONLY PROVIDE ENGAGING INSTRUCTION THAT ENRICHES THE WAYS OUR STUDENTS SEE AND INTERACT WITH THE WORLD AND PROMOTE POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT, BUT THEY ALSO OFFER VITAL SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT TO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, MANY OF WHOM AT OUR TITLE ONE SCHOOL HAVE EXPERIENCED THE DEVASTATING IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC, ESPECIALLY ACUTELY ON CORE STAFF, CONTRIBUTE TO THE SCHOOL'S CULTURE.

THEY LEAD AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS.

THEY PLAN ADAPTIVE ON CORE PROGRAMING FOR OUR CITYWIDE STUDENTS, ASSIST WITH SUPERVISION, SUPPORT, DUTY, POST AND COVERAGE, AND ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY EVENTS. OUR ON CORE STAFF ARE NOT MERE AUXILIARY PERSONNEL.

THEY MAKE UP THE VERY FABRIC OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

REMOVING THEM WILL UNDOUBTEDLY DIMINISH THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED AND DEPRIVE STUDENTS OF ESSENTIAL SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT.

[01:05:04]

WHY, ACROSS THE COUNTRY INCLUDED, DO WE CONTINUE TO TOUT OUR EDUCATORS AS HEROES IN ONE BREATH WHILE COMMANDING THEM TO DO MORE WITH LESS IN THE NEXT? THEIR RESILIENCE AND DEDICATION IS ADMIRABLE, BUT THEY'RE HANGING ON BY A THREAD, AND THIS MAY VERY WELL BE THE TRIGGER THAT LEADS TO A CASCADE OF STAFF DEPARTURES, ESPECIALLY IF NEIGHBORING SCHOOL DISTRICTS CAN OFFER THE SAME OR BETTER PAY WITH FULL TIME CONSISTENT APPOINTMENTS.

EXCUSE ME. MAKE NO MISTAKE THE DECISION TO RELEGATE OUR EXCEPTIONAL ON CORE STAFF TO DE FACTO PART TIME FLOATERS WILL EXACERBATE ATTRITION AND STAFFING SHORTAGES.

IT WILL ERODE THE CULTURE AND REPUTATION OF OUR SCHOOLS, STAFF MORALE AND EDUCATIONAL QUALITY.

IT IS A SHORT SIGHTED, TEMPORARY SOLUTION THAT WILL HAVE DEVASTATING LONG TERM RIPPLE EFFECTS FOR OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS DECISION WAS NOT MADE BY THE CPS, BY THE SCHOOL BOARD AND WAS INSTEAD MADE BY CPS ADMINISTRATION.

WE COME TO YOU AS YOUR CONSTITUENTS IN THE HOPES THAT YOU CAN ELEVATE THIS MATTER AND COME TO A SOLUTION WITH CPS ADMINISTRATION.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.

NEXT. NEXT UP.

NEXT UP, WE HAVE MISS ASHLEY BENDER.

MISS ASHLEY BENDER, PLEASE.

LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST.

HELLO, MY NAME IS ASHLEY BENDER.

SOME OF YOU MAY RECOGNIZE ME AS ASHLEY SANDOVAL.

I WAS THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR IN 2020.

IN THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC.

I STILL FELT LOVE AND COMPASSION FOR MY STUDENTS, COWORKERS AND DISTRICT LEADERS.

HOWEVER, I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY COMPLETELY TORN APART BECAUSE OF THE TRUST AND THE LOVE THAT HAS LED MYSELF AND ENCORE TEACHERS THROUGH THE HARDEST TIMES OF EDUCATION.

NOT JUST BY THE DECISION TO REALLOCATE ELEMENTARY ENCORE TEACHERS, BUT THE CONSISTENT DISAPPOINTMENTS FROM ACP LEADERS ON THE DAY TO DAY SCENARIOS IN SCHOOLS.

BUT TODAY IS NATIONAL SAY SOMETHING NICE DAY.

SO I WANT TO BEGIN WITH TWO LETTERS RECEIVED BY STUDENTS TODAY WHO GAVE ME PERMISSION TO SHARE THESE.

ONE STUDENT WRITES ON, TEACHERS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY TEACH YOU LIFE SKILLS.

AND MRS GOT EXCUSE ME IF I'M NOT ALLOWED TO SAY NAMES.

THE LIBRARIAN TEACHES ME WAYS TO CALM DOWN MY BODY AND SAME AS THE ART TEACHER AND EVERY ENCORE TEACHER ARE IMPORTANT AND I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FORWARD TO THEM. AND IF I COULD CHANGE SOMETHING, IT WOULD BE SEEING THEM MORE ALL DAY LONG.

ANOTHER STUDENT WRITES, ENCORE TEACHERS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY HELP YOU WITH EVERYDAY LESSONS IN LIFE AND MORE.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE TEACHERS, WHICH MEANS PHYSICAL EDUCATION.

THEY WROTE THAT WENT TO COLLEGE TO TEACH US.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS THE ART TEACHER.

HE HELPS PEOPLE BE MORE CREATIVE AND GIVES PEOPLE A COOL TALENT, WHICH IS ART.

AND IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THESE ENCORE TEACHERS ALL DAY LONG, WE WILL BE IN A CRISIS BECAUSE WE NEED TO STAY HEALTHY.

AND THIS IS HEADING REALLY CLOSE TO PE.

AND TO END IT OFF IS THAT EVERYONE NEEDS.

ENCORE. WHEN I FIRST CAME TO ASU, I DID NOT KNOW WHAT ENCORE WAS.

I HAD ALWAYS REFERRED TO THESE CLASSES AS SPECIALS, BUT AS TIME WENT ON, I REALIZED THE ENCORE TEACHERS ARE THE ENCORE.

THE BEST PART OF A KIDS DAY, THE TIME THAT THEY JUST WANT A LITTLE BIT MORE OF BESIDES THE LOVE AND DEVOTION THAT A SCHOOL COMMUNITY HAS FOR ENCORE TEACHERS, THE DECISION TO REALLOCATE TEACHERS ACROSS THE DISTRICT HAS A MULTITUDE OF LAYERS, ALL LEADING TO PROBLEMS WITH FEW, IF NOT ANY SOLUTIONS.

SOME OF THE LARGE EFFECTS THAT RIPPLE ACROSS GRADE LEVELS IN SCHOOLS WILL BE THE INABILITY TO ABSOLUTELY CONVEY A SCHEDULE FOR MASTER SCHEDULES THAT COMBINES 4 TO 5 SCHOOLS.

YOU ARE GOING TO LOSE SPECIAL EDUCATION MINUTES.

YOU ARE GOING TO LOSE THE ABILITY TO HAVE LUNCHES AT THE RIGHT TIMES AND TO HAVE ENCORE ALIGNED UP WITH ALL OF THIS, INCLUDING THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, WHICH IS TESTING, RIGHT? BUT YOU CAN'T DO THAT IF YOU PUT ALL OF US TOGETHER.

I END WITH THE FACT THAT AT OUR TITLE ONE SCHOOL, THERE IS A NEED.

THERE'S A STUDENT THAT NEEDS ART BECAUSE THEY CANNOT SPEAK ENGLISH.

THERE IS A STUDENT THAT NEEDS MUSIC BECAUSE THEIR TRAUMA CAUSES A LOSS FOR WORDS.

AND THERE IS A STUDENT THAT NEEDS PHYSICAL EDUCATION OR FAMILY LIFE BECAUSE THEY HAVE NEVER OWNED A PAIR OF SNEAKERS OR ACCESS TO A SHOWER.

[01:10:06]

THANK YOU. I HOPE YOU'VE TAKEN THIS CONSIDERATION TO FIND A SOLUTION SO THAT THE ENCORE TEACHERS STAY ON BOARD WITH CPS.

OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

THANK YOU FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

JUST A REMINDER FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK, YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

PLEASE DO SO BY NOON THE DAY PRIOR AND THERE'S A SIGN UP LINK ON THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING PAGE.

WE NOW HAVE TO RECOGNIZE OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE WHO WILL BE MOVING ON TO DO GREAT THINGS

[10. Recognition of Student Representative Emily Milton]

SO EMILY IS GOING TO WALK ACROSS THE STAGE ON SATURDAY, UM, AND THINK THAT. YES, LET'S APPLAUD.

AND I'LL GIVE, YOU KNOW, BOARD MEMBERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

BUT I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF KNOWING MISS MILTON IN SOME CAPACITY SINCE SHE WAS A MIDDLE SCHOOLER.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR SERVING.

YOU ARE.

I THINK WE ALREADY KNOW YOU ARE GOING TO BE A PHENOMENAL WOMAN.

YOU'RE ALREADY A PHENOMENAL YOUNG LADY.

AND I KNOW YOU ARE GOING TO GO OUT AND DO BIG THINGS IN THIS WORLD.

AND I JUST HOPE THAT YOU REMEMBER THIS EXPERIENCE.

YOU USE WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED IN THIS EXPERIENCE AS A SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVE TO GO OUT AND AND REPRESENT YOUR COMMUNITY WHEREVER THAT ENDS UP BEING.

SO THANK YOU FOR SERVING.

THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH AN AWESOME YOUNG LADY.

AND WE FULLY APPRECIATE YOU.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS ANYTHING TO SAY OR MISS MILTON, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY.

I WROTE DOWN SOME COMMENTS BECAUSE I KNEW THAT I WANTED TO SAY SOME THINGS.

I DIDN'T WANT TO FORGET ANYTHING.

BUT THIS POSITION HAS CHANGED MY LIFE IN WAYS THAT I HAD NO IDEA WERE POSSIBLE.

I DIDN'T PLAN ON BEING A STUDENT REP IN MIDDLE SCHOOL OR EVEN THE BEGINNING OF HIGH SCHOOL UNTIL I FOUND MYSELF APPLYING FOR IT.

AND IT WAS POSSIBLY THE GREATEST DECISION I MADE IN MY ENTIRE FOUR YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL.

I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT MYSELF, OTHER PEERS, AND HAS TAUGHT ME ABOUT WHAT I WANT TO DO IN MY FUTURE AND INCLUDE IN THE REST OF MY LIFE, WHICH IS SERVICE TO OTHERS AND FORMING BONDS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I WANT TO THANK EVERY INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER, ALEX, SUSAN AND JUST EVERYONE FOR HOW MUCH SUPPORT THAT THEY'VE GIVEN ME AND ESPECIALLY THROUGHOUT.

WE EVEN HAD A WHOLE NEW BOARD WHEN I STARTED HERE.

UM, MY FIRST YEAR WE HAD A WHOLE TRANSITION THERE AND THAT FELT SO LONG AGO.

BUT ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN SO SUPPORTIVE AND WONDERFUL TO GROW AND WORK WITH.

AND TO ANY STUDENTS OUT THERE OR TEACHERS WHO KNOW STUDENTS THAT MIGHT BENEFIT FROM THIS VISION, ALL I CAN SAY IS APPLY BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS POSITION, IT'S SO MUCH DIFFERENT THAN YOU WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE.

AND YOU LEARN SO MUCH BEHIND THE SCENES AND JUST ABOUT LIFE IN GENERAL, WHICH I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, BUT DEFINITELY THE BEST DECISION I COULD HAVE MADE. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

OKAY. SO WE DO HAVE A REPORT FROM MS..

[11. Report from Student Representatives Emily Milton and Torenzo Ricks]

UM, DO YOU HAVE A REPORT THIS EVENING? OH, YOU DO HAVE A REPORT.

OH, ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MISS MILTON WILL HAVE HER REPORT, AND THEN MR. RAHIMI. MY APOLOGIES.

I SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT TO OUR OTHER STUDENT.

REPRESENTATIVE TERENZO RICKS IS NOT HERE TONIGHT.

HE'S AT THE CHOIR CONCERT, AND WE WISH THE BEST OF LUCK TO HIM.

I WANT TO FIRST START OFF BY SAYING HAPPY PRIDE MONTH TO AND CELEBRATING ALL OF OUR LGBTQ+ STUDENTS AND STAFF AND CELEBRATING LOVE ALL OF THE YEAR ROUND.

STUDENTS ARE PUTTING ON A ONE ACT PLAY ENTITLED A FLAME OF EULOGY IN THE BLACK BOX THEATER ON FRIDAY AT 7 P.M.

WITH FREE ENTRY TO ALL. AND I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO CHECK THAT OUT IF YOU HAVE TIME TO SEE IT.

I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT MOUNT VERNON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAD THEIR SPRING CONCERT ON TUESDAY HIGHLIGHTING THEIR WONDERFUL BAND, ORCHESTRA, CHOIR, ORFF ENSEMBLE, AND I

[01:15:05]

OUR STUDENTS ARE SO TALENTED AND WE HAVE GREAT ENCORE TEACHERS, AS WE JUST HEARD FROM THIS POINT IS MORE OF A COMMENT.

BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY IN THE COMING MONTHS, HHS IS GOING TO NEED ALL THE SUPPORT THAT THEY CAN GET.

I KNOW THAT THE BOARD WILL COME THROUGH, BUT THERE IS SO MUCH CHANGE HAPPENING THERE WITH THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL BEING BUILT, A NEW EXECUTIVE PRINCIPAL COMING, NEW BELL SCHEDULES NEXT YEAR AND THE NEW WEAPONS ABATEMENT TECHNOLOGY.

HHS IS MY HOME, AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS, AND I KNOW THAT THEY CAN THRIVE IN THIS NEW GROWTH AS LONG AS THEY HAVE THE SUPPORTS MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, TEACHING STAFF AND JUST SUPPORT IN GENERAL THAT THE BOARD CAN GIVE THEM.

AND I KNOW THAT THEY CAN DO THAT.

NOW, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT TODAY I HAD THE HONOR OF PARTICIPATING IN THE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL WALK THROUGH WHERE ALL THE GRADUATES WALKED THROUGH THEIR HIGH SCHOOL, MANY HOWARD, GW OR HAMMOND OR JEFFERSON HOUSTON AND THEIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS RESPECTIVELY.

I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WALK THROUGH HHS, MINNIE HOWARD CAMPUS, GW AND MY ALMA MATER, MOUNT VERNON COMMUNITY SCHOOL.

ALL THE SCHOOLS WERE INCREDIBLY WELCOME AND IT WAS SO SPECIAL TO SEE ALL OLD CLASSROOMS. OLD TEACHERS AND STUDENTS WERE SO KIND AND RECEPTIVE TO US.

BUT I HAVE TO HIGHLIGHT MOUNT VERNON COMMUNITY SCHOOL.

THAT SCHOOL.

IT HAS MADE SUCH AN IMPACT ON MY LIFE.

WE HAD OLD TEACHERS COME BACK WHO DON'T WORK AT MOUNT VERNON CURRENTLY, BUT WHO CAME BACK TO GIVE SPEECHES TO US TODAY TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR US.

THEY SHOWED OUR FIFTH GRADE PROMOTION VIDEO TO ALL OF US STUDENTS.

THEY HAD STUDENTS MAKE FLAGS.

THEY HAD STUDENTS COME UP AND HUG US.

WE GOT TO SEE OLD CLASSROOMS. WE WE DID A PARACHUTE IN THE GYM WITH ALL OF US STUDENTS UNDERNEATH THERE.

AND IT JUST REALLY HIGHLIGHTED TO ME WHAT IS ABOUT AND THE COMMUNITY THAT CPS PROVIDES TO STUDENTS AND PROVIDES TO ME.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I'M GOING TO TAKE WITH ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

THANK YOU. YOU DON'T MAKE US ALL CRY.

YEAH. THANK YOU, EMILY.

ALL RIGHT, MISS RAMEE.

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

I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING THAT ON MAY 15TH, WE HAD OUR INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY END OF YEAR CELEBRATION AND INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY STUDENTS ALSO ORGANIZED A SENIOR GALA FOR OUR INTERNATIONAL SENIORS TO CELEBRATE THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

AND AS EMILY SAID, THAT THE THEATER DEPARTMENT IS HOLDING A WRITER FESTIVAL PERFORMANCE.

AND I'M EXCITED TO SAY THAT BECAUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME, INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY STUDENTS ARE ALSO GOING TO DO A PERFORMANCE THERE AND WHICH IS LEAD BY MR. MONSON, AND IT IS BASED ON THE STORIES OF INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY STUDENTS.

SO I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE.

AND I'M ALSO GOING TO BE IN THE PERFORMANCE HERE ON NOVEMBER.

RESETTLING AFGHAN FAMILIES TOGETHER IS DOING A SUMMER TUTORING PROGRAM FOR AFGHAN STUDENTS FROM ELEMENTARY TO HIGH SCHOOL.

THEY WILL TUTOR THEM IN READING AND WRITING, AS WELL AS PREPARING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FOR NEXT YEAR, AS WELL AS THE TUTORING PROGRAM WILL TAKE PLACE IN WILLIAM RAMSEY RECREATION CENTER.

AND I THINK I SHOULD PROPOSE A PROGRAM FOR ALL REC CENTERS TO DO SUCH A TUTORING PROGRAM OVER SUMMER FOR OUR STUDENTS AND TO PASS THEIR SOULS. AND IT SHOULD BE ESSENTIALLY FOCUSED ON ESOL PREPARATION, BECAUSE MANY OF OUR INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY STUDENTS ARE STRUGGLING WITH PASSING THEIR A-LEVELS.

I BELIEVE THAT HAVING AN EXTRA SUPPORT OTHER THAN A SCHOOL WILL HELP THEM TO PASS THEIR ASSAULTS.

CURRENTLY, THERE IS NO SUMMER SUPPORT FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO PREPARE THEM FOR FOR THEIR ASSAULTS AND ALSO HOME AND MIDDLE SCHOOL.

THEIR EIGHTH GRADE DANCE IS GOING TO BE ON JUNE 9TH FROM 6 TO 8.

AND AS EMILY IS LEAVING US, IT'S SAD FOR US, BUT I'M SURE SHE WILL HAVE A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD OF HER.

AND IT WAS REALLY NICE, YOU KNOW, TIME TO SPEND WITH YOU.

I'M NOT GOING TO GET EMOTIONAL, BUT I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU BOTH.

OKAY. SO WE NEED TO ADAPT OUR CONSENT CALENDAR.

[Consent Calendar]

SO. CHAIRMAN.

SECOND. OKAY.

HAVE MR. HARRIS WHO SECONDS MR. NEWBY'S MOTION.

ARE THERE ANY ITEMS TO PULL? OKAY. THERE ARE NONE.

WE CAN VOTE.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

UM, SO WE DO HAVE TO GO INTO.

[23. Closed Meeting]

YES, WE DO HAVE TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.

UM, SO WE NEED A MOTION FOR THE CLOSED MEETING.

MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THE BOARD, CONVENE A CLOSED MEETING PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 2.23711.

[01:20:01]

AND, MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THE BOARD CONVENE A CLOSED MEETING PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 2.2 3711A6 FOR DISCUSSION OR CONSIDERATION OF THE INVESTMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS OR COMPETITION OR BARGAINING IS INVOLVED AND WHERE, IF MADE PUBLIC, WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE FINANCIAL INTERESTS OF THE BOARD.

OKAY. MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD CONVENE A CLOSED MEETING PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 2.2 3711A1 FOR THE DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF EMPLOYMENT, PERFORMANCE AND CONTRACTUAL MATTERS FOR 12 SPECIFIC PUBLIC EMPLOYEES.

I'M SORRY, WHAT? 2500.

DID YOU SAY 25? THANK YOU.

EXCUSE ME. 2500 SPECIFIC PUBLIC EMPLOYEES.

SECOND. ALL RIGHT.

NOW THAT WE GOT THAT RIGHT AND HAVE DR.

RIEF SECONDS.

VICE-CHAIR GREENE'S MOTION AND VOTE.

OKAY. WE'LL RETURN SHORTLY.

ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO HAVE US GO AHEAD AND CERTIFY THE CLOSED MEETING.

AND THEN WE HAVE.

A COUPLE OF OLD BUSINESS ITEMS THAT SHOULD NOT TAKE VERY LONG TO GET THROUGH.

UM, SO GO AHEAD, MADAM VICE CHAIR.

[24. Certification of Closed Meeting]

I MOVE THAT THE BOARD.

I SENT THE CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 2.2371 TO 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 JUNE 1ST, 2023.

SECOND. ALL RIGHT. I HAVE DR.

RIEF SECONDS. VICE CHAIR GREENE'S MOTION.

I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.

OKAY. SO MOVING RIGHT ALONG FOR OUR OLD BUSINESS ITEMS, WE WANT TO LIKE I SAID, THEY SHOULD BE FAIRLY QUICK.

[25. Alexandria City Public School/Alexandria Police Department Memorandum of Understanding]

DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM DR.

HART BEFORE WE EMBARK ON THAT? YES, I DO BELIEVE DR.

HART WOULD JUST GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW AND HIGHLIGHT SO I WOULD TURN IT OVER TO YOU.

DR. HART. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH AND GOOD EVENING.

CHAIR ALDERTON, VICE CHAIR, GREENE AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

TONIGHT, WE ARE REQUESTING YOUR APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FINAL REVISED MOU AGREEMENT EXCUSE ME, MOU AGREEMENT WITH ACP AND APD.

TO QUICKLY RECAP, SOME OF THE MAJOR UPDATES INCLUDE ADDITION OF A USE OF SHARED TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES SECTION TO ADDRESS HOW ACP AND APD MAY JOINTLY USE TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT SECURITY POSTURE.

ADDITION OF A GLOSSARY OF TERMS SECTION TO BETTER DEFINE TERMINOLOGY USED WITHIN THE MOU INCLUSION OF SLEP ADVISORY GROUP FEEDBACK WITHIN APPENDIX ONE SPECIFIC TO ORDER MAINTENANCE AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

ACP LAW ENFORCEMENT OCCURRENCE FORM UPDATES FOR MORE SOUND DATA COLLECTION AND THE CREATION OF AN SRO ASSESSMENT FORM.

THIS FORM WAS DEVELOPED TO ACCOMPANY THE QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT ITEMS THAT ARE ALREADY REQUIRED AS PART OF THE MOU, SUCH AS SRO ATTENDANCE, NUMBER OF ARRESTS, NUMBER OF SCHOOL PRESENTATIONS, ETCETERA.

DISCUSSIONS ON THIS TOPIC HAVE OCCURRED AT A FEW MEETINGS, SO WE REVIEWED THE INITIAL DRAFT WITH YOU, WHICH WAS VERSION ONE ON MAY 4TH AND UPDATED DRAFT, WHICH WAS VERSION TWO WAS INCORPORATED, WHICH INCORPORATED FEEDBACK FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING ON MAY 4TH WAS SHARED WITH BOTH JOINT ELECTED BODIES ON MAY 15TH, AND BASED ON THE JOINT MEETING, ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK WAS INCORPORATED INTO THE FINAL DRAFT, WHICH IS VERSION THREE.

IN ADDITION, WE HAD OUR REQUIRED PUBLIC COMMENT HEARING ON THE REVISIONS, WHICH WAS HELD ON MAY 18TH OF THIS YEAR.

SO THIS CONCLUDES MY REMARKS AND I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

DR. HART, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? OKAY IF THERE ARE NONE, THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM.

SO I THINK WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MOU.

I JUST NEED A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE.

YEAH. WE MOVE. SO MOVED.

[01:25:03]

I'M SORRY. MRS. YEAH.

I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ALEXANDRIA POLICE DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.

SECOND. ALL RIGHT.

I HAVE DOCTOR SIMPSON.

BAIRD WHO'S SECONDS MS..

BOOTH'S MOTION.

I'LL VOTE.

OKAY. AND THE MOU IS APPROVED.

ALL RIGHT. IT'S BUDGET TIME.

[26. Adoption of the FY 2024 Combined Funds Budget]

SO, MR. TURNER, ARE YOU KICKING IT OFF? SURE I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO PRESENT FOR THE COMBINED FUNDS BUDGET, BUT I DID JUST WANT TO TAKE A COUPLE OF MINUTES JUST TO THANK, UM, A FEW FOLK. SO DEFINITELY WANT TO THANK OUR TEAM IN THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOR BEING ABLE TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS ANOTHER YEAR AND PUTTING TOGETHER A BUDGET THAT WE BELIEVE WILL ADDRESS ALL OF THE SCHOOL BOARD PRIORITIES AND GET US TO WHERE WE WANT TO BE AS A SCHOOL DIVISION.

SO THANK YOU TO THE BUDGET OFFICE AND THE FINANCIAL SYSTEMS OFFICE.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT CAME TOGETHER TO BE ABLE TO PUT THIS BUDGET TOGETHER AS WELL.

THAT'S ALL OF THE SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.

I SEE WE HAVE SOME OF THOSE FROM AND STUDENT SERVICES HERE TONIGHT, SO DEFINITELY APPRECIATE Y'ALL WORKING AS A TEAM THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.

AND THEN LASTLY, I WANT TO THANK THE SCHOOL BOARD, UM, FOR APPROVING THE BUDGET BACK IN FEBRUARY, WHICH INCLUDED, UM, THE LARGEST PAY RAISE THAT WE'VE SEEN IN OVER A DECADE HERE FOR OUR TEACHERS.

THIS IS ALSO THE LARGEST TEACHER RAISE THROUGHOUT THE AREA CURRENTLY.

SO RIGHT NOW THAT 6% INCREASE IS THE LARGEST TEACHER INCREASE THROUGHOUT THE JURISDICTIONS RIGHT NOW.

SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL DOING THAT BACK IN FEBRUARY.

AND I HOPE TONIGHT IT'LL GET ADOPTED INTO THE FINAL BUDGET.

SO THANKS EVERYBODY, FOR COMING TOGETHER WITH THIS PROCESS.

I KNOW EVERY YEAR PUTTING TOGETHER A BUDGET IS A VERY DIFFICULT PROCESS.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS.

YOU CAN ONLY STRETCH A DOLLAR, BUT SO FAR.

BUT I BELIEVE BEFORE YOU ALL, TONIGHT IS A BUDGET THAT WILL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS A LOT OF THE GAP AREAS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN CPS.

SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT BACK TO YOU.

CHAIR ALDERTON. THANK YOU.

AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO VICE CHAIR GREENE TO.

TALK ABOUT ALL THE BIG NUMBERS.

WHY, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

MADAM CHAIR, I MOVED THAT THE ALEXANDRIA CITY SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED THE FY 2024 COMBINED FUNDS BUDGET AS FOLLOWS THE FY 2024 OPERATING BUDGET IN THE AMOUNT OF $333,442,978 FOR BOTH REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES.

THIS INCLUDES OTHER FINANCING SOURCES AND USES, AS WELL AS A PLANNED USE OF GENERAL FUND BALANCE IN THE AMOUNT OF $8,722,578, INCLUDING A TRANSFER OUT TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM OF $1,966,021, ALONG WITH A $1,200,000 TRANSFER IN FROM THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AND A TRANSFER OUT OF 2,000,003 $30,546 TO THE GRANTS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS FUND.

THE OPERATING BUDGET INCLUDES TWO 2442 FTES AND A TOTAL CITY APPROPRIATION OF $258,686,800.

THE $1,966,021 TRANSFER TO THE CIP SHALL BE CONTINGENT UPON THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS FROM THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA. THE SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM GROWS TO A MINIMUM OF 200 PARTICIPANTS.

A PARTNERSHIP WITH CPS IS ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE A MINIMUM OF 150 STUDENTS WITH EMPLOYMENT.

EXPLORE INCREASING THE SALARY FOR THE PROGRAM FROM $12 AN HOUR TO AT LEAST $15 AN HOUR TO ENSURE THE ALEXANDRIA LIVABLE WAGE IS MET.

THE FY 2024 GRANTS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS BUDGET IN THE AMOUNT OF $17,850,779 FOR REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES.

THIS ALSO INCLUDES A TRANSFER OF $2,030,546 FROM THE OPERATING FUND TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING SUPPORT TO THE VIRGINIA PRESCHOOL INITIATIVE PROGRAM.

THIS BUDGET INCLUDES A TOTAL OF 111.45 FTES.

THE FY 2024 SCHOOL NUTRITION SERVICES BUDGET TOTALS $12,600,871 FOR REVENUES AND $12,600,871

[01:30:08]

THIS BUDGET INCLUDES A TOTAL OF 121 FTES.

THE SUPERINTENDENT IS GRANTED THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE THE NECESSARY MINOR CHANGES TO COMPLY WITH THE INTENT OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.

ADDITIONALLY, THE SCHOOL BOARD AUTHORIZES THE ENCUMBRANCES REMAINING AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2023 TO CARRY FORWARD FROM FY 2023 TO FY 24 AS AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE FINAL BUDGET.

GOOD JOB JACINTA.

ALL RIGHT. SECOND IN, DR.

RIEF WAS SO EAGER TO SECOND.

ALL RIGHT, SO WE HAVE DR.

RIEF SECONDS, VICE-CHAIR GREEN'S MOTION.

AND HERE WE GO.

OKAY. AND WE HAVE OUR BUDGET FOR FY.

24. ALL RIGHT.

AND SO WE ALSO NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET.

[27. Adoption of the FY 2024-2033 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Budget]

OKAY, DR. HART.

THANK YOU. AND I WILL DEFINITELY KEEP IT BRIEF.

I JUST WANT TO ALSO THANK MY TEAM FOR THE GREAT JOB DONE THIS SEASON AND DEVELOPING OUR BUDGET.

IT'S ALWAYS A CHALLENGE TO GET THROUGH THIS PROCESS, BUT THE TEAM DOES IT AND JUST THEIR AMAZING FLEXIBILITY.

SO SPECIFICALLY THE CAPITAL PROGRAMS PLANNING AND DESIGN TEAM, WHICH IS ERICA GULICK AZKABAN, BARTLETT, SOPHIE HUEMER AND OUR EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES TEAM, JOHN FINNEGAN AND HIS GROUP AS WELL, JUST WORKING TOGETHER COLLABORATIVELY, COLLABORATIVELY TO PUT FORTH A BUDGET THAT WILL KEEP OUR FACILITIES IN THE BEST SHAPE POSSIBLE.

SO THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, DR. HART.

AND MADAM VICE CHAIR.

MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT ALEXANDRIA CITY SCHOOL BOARD ADOPT THE FY 2024 TO 2023 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM BUDGET AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $460,763,500, WITH $51,255,900 IN FY 2024. THE SUPERINTENDENT IS GRANTED THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE THE NECESSARY MINOR CHANGES TO COMPLY WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD.

SECOND TO HAVE DR.

RIEF SECOND VICE CHAIR GREENS MOTION.

OKAY. AND WE HAVE ADOPTED OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET.

RIGHT. SO THANK YOU TO THE STAFF TEAMS FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THAT.

AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.

THANK YOU. YES. YOU HAVE CHEERLEADERS IN THE BACK.

HE DID. I LIKE THAT.

ALL RIGHT, MR. TURNER, I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME ESSER FUNDS THAT YOU NEED TO TALK ABOUT, SO GO AHEAD.

[28. ESSER III Fund Plan Update]

SO BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS JUST OUR SEMIANNUAL ESSER UPDATE.

ESSER THREE UPDATE.

THAT IS. UM, AND I'LL PROBABLY JUST TRY TO FOCUS ON THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE COMPLETED, THE THINGS THAT ARE ONGOING, AND THEN THE REVISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE SINCE OUR LAST SIX MONTH UPDATE FOR YOU.

UM, SO JUST AS A REMINDER, THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW DIFFERENT POTS OF MONEY UNDER ESSER.

WE'VE HAD THE CARES ACT WHERE WE RECEIVE $4.23 MILLION.

WE'VE HAD THE CORONA RELIEF FUNDS, WHICH WE RECEIVED $2.82 MILLION.

THEN WE HAD THE CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE AND RELIEF SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, WHICH WE RECEIVED 15.66 MILLION.

AND THEN LASTLY, WHICH IS THE FOCUS OF THIS PRESENTATION UNDER THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN AS THREE $39.2 MILLION.

AND JUST SO EVERYBODY WILL UNDERSTAND, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE $39.12 MILLION, WE HAVE BEEN EXHAUSTING OUR FUNDS, BUT WE'VE HAD TERM DATES FOR THESE DIFFERENT GRANTS. AND WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING IS EXHAUSTING THE FUNDS WITH THE EARLIEST TERM DATE FIRST AND THEN MOVING ON TO THE NEXT POT OF MONEY TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN UTILIZE ALL OF THE FUNDING FOR.

SO THE 4.23 MILLION UNDER THE CARES ACT HAS BEEN EXHAUSTED.

THE 2.82 MILLION UNDER THE CORONA CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUNDS HAS BEEN EXHAUSTED AND ABOUT 88% OF THE 15.66 MILLION HAS BEEN EXHAUSTED. SO JUST AS A REMINDER, THE PURPOSE OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND IS TO SAFELY OPEN,

[01:35:05]

EVERY SIX MONTHS WE CONDUCT A SURVEY AND HOST PUBLIC HEARING TO SEEK COMMUNITY INPUT ON HOW WE USE THESE FUNDS.

WE THEN TAKE THOSE FEEDBACK, THAT FEEDBACK AND THOSE COMMENTS THAT WE GET IN THE SURVEY TO THEN TRY TO INCORPORATE IT IN REVISIONS TO OUR PLAN.

UM, SHORTLY WE'LL BE POSTING THOSE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY ON THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK LINK.

WE JUST HAD A PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT.

UM, WE'VE HAD THE COMMUNITY FORUM BACK IN OCTOBER AND AS ALWAYS, THOSE WATCHING HERE IN THE ROOM OR AT HOME, YOU CAN ALWAYS EMAIL US AT BUDGET AT ACP'S K12 FOR US TO HAVE YOUR VOICE HEARD.

THESE WERE GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR DEVELOPING OUR PLAN.

WE WANTED TO CONCENTRATE OUR EFFORTS, BUILD INTERNAL CAPACITY, AND IMPLEMENT WITH FIDELITY THROUGHOUT ACP'S.

OUR PLAN WAS BUILT ON FIVE DIFFERENT GOAL AREAS SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, ACADEMIC LEARNING, COVID 19 MITIGATION PROJECTS, TECHNOLOGY, INFRASTRUCTURE, HUMAN RESOURCES, SO STAFF AUGMENTATIONS, AND THEN ADDRESSING COMMUNITY NEEDS.

WE HAD A BALANCED APPROACH WITH OUR PLAN.

WE WANTED TO FOCUS ON SOME LONG TERM THINGS THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO LAST WITH BEYOND THE TERM LIMIT OF THE GRANT, AND THEN ALSO SOME IMMEDIATE THINGS TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THE NEEDLE FROM THE LEARNING LOSS.

I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS, BUT THIS IS WHAT OUR PLAN WAS.

AGAIN, THIS HAS BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE.

I REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON WHAT WE'VE COMPLETED, THE ONGOING AND THEN WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE THE LAST SIX MONTHS.

SO AGAIN, WE'VE DEDICATED 40% OF OUR FUNDING TO SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, ACADEMIC LEARNING.

WE WERE REQUIRED TO DEDICATE 20% OF OUR FUNDING FOR ACADEMIC LEARNING LOSS.

SO AGAIN, I WON'T READ THROUGH HOW THE HOW THE PLAN WAS PUT TOGETHER, BUT I WILL FOCUS ON WHAT WE'VE COMPLETED ONGOING AND OUR REVISIONS.

SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE COMPLETED SO FAR UNDER SEAL, WE'VE HIRED SOCIAL WORKERS, SUBSTANCE ABUSE SPECIALISTS.

WE'VE REALLY FOCUSED ON OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME.

UM, AND WE'VE ALSO HAD INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS TO SUPPORT OUR LEARNERS MATH, ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND STEM PROGRAMS AND AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL LIBRARY RESOURCES. SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE'VE COMPLETED THUS FAR.

ONGOING ACTIVITIES.

WE HAVE SERVICES AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR FUNDING FOR THE SUMMER ACADEMIC ACADEMY SUCCESS FOR THIS COMING SUMMER.

WE'RE UTILIZING FUNDING TO ASSIST SCHOOLS UNDER ACADEMIC REVIEW FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2324.

AGAIN, OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME.

THIS HAS BEEN A BIG ONE FOR US WITH THAT, WHAT WE'RE USING FOR OUR SEAL DOLLARS.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE GRANT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE TO ASSIST WITH THE MONITORING.

YOU KNOW, I'M PROUD THAT OUR TEAM HAS, WITH THE HELP OF JUST TWO ADDITIONAL PEOPLE, BEEN ABLE TO MANAGE ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT GRANTS.

MANY OTHER DIVISIONS HAVE HIRED ENTIRE OFFICES TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL OF THE COMPLIANCES WITH THESE GRANTS, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MANAGE IT WITH WHAT WE'VE HAD.

AND THEN TWO ADDITIONAL FTES AND OUR GRANTS OFFICE.

UM, TO DATE WE'VE SPENT $3.7 MILLION OF THE TOTAL OUT OF WHAT WAS DEDICATED FOR SEAL.

UM, ONE OF THE REVISIONS SINCE THE PLAN WAS LAST UPDATED BACK IN DECEMBER.

UM, WE ARE WE REALIGNED FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO HIRE A SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COACH OR A READING INTERVENTION TEACHER AS WELL AS A PARENT LIAISON.

MOVING ON TO THE COVID MITIGATION PROJECTS.

THIS IS SOME OF THE LONG TERM VISION THAT WE'VE HAD FOR THESE FUNDS THAT WILL LAST WITH BEYOND THE GRANT TERM DATE AGAIN, WON'T RUN THROUGH HOW THE PLAN WAS PUT TOGETHER AND WHAT WE'RE DOING, BUT WILL FOCUS ON THESE ACTIVITIES.

SO WE PROCURED ENHANCED CLEANING FOR ALL SCHOOLS.

WE'VE REALLY BEEN FOCUSING ON OUR HVAC MAINTENANCE, ON THE REPAIRS AND TO IMPROVE AND MAINTAIN INDOOR AIR QUALITY.

THIS IS GOING TO LAST AGAIN BEYOND THE TERM DATE.

THE TERM DATE FOR THIS GRANT IS SEPTEMBER 30TH OF 2024.

SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT WILL LAST FOR STUDENTS BEYOND WHEN THE FUNDS RUN OUT.

THEN WE'VE ALSO HIRED SHORT TERM STAFF TO ASSIST WITH THE CONTACT TRACING.

IN PROGRESS AGAIN.

HVAC RENOVATIONS AND REPAIRS.

HUGE. I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING IN FOR A WHILE.

WE CONTINUE TO HAVE SHORT TERM STAFF TO DO COVID CONTACT TRACING.

WE'VE INSTALLED HEPA AIR FILTERS THAT'S BEEN COMPLETED, BUT THE VAPE DETECTORS IS ONGOING.

AND THEN WE'VE BEEN USING SOME OF THE FUNDS FOR BUS DRIVER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, OFFERING RECRUITMENT BONUSES AND RETENTION BONUSES FOR OUR BUS DRIVERS.

REVISIONS TO THE PLAN.

SO FAR AS WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE REALIGNED FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ADDED SECURITY PERSONNEL AS WELL AS WE ARE ABOUT TO ADD SYSTEMS FOR OUR SCHOOL BUS.

[01:40:04]

AGAIN, TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE IS A BALANCED APPROACH.

THESE THINGS WILL BE LONG TERM, WON'T FOCUS ON THESE COMPLETED ACTIVITIES.

WE'VE INSTALLED CLASSROOM CAMERAS.

WE'VE ALSO REPLACED PAS AND ALLOWS CROUCHING WITH BROOKS.

WE DEPLOYED ZOOM PHONES AND THEN ALSO PURCHASED CHROMEBOOKS, AUDIO VISUAL AND OTHER STAFF AND STUDENT DEVICES IN PROGRESS IS THE TELLER CENTER YOU UPGRADES? WE'RE SWITCHING FROM ZIMBRA TO GMAIL.

I KNOW THAT'S GETTING SOME CLAPS FROM STAFF.

OH OH.

AND THEN ALSO NETWORK SERVICES AND TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT FOR THE NEW DOUGLAS MACARTHUR ELEMENTARY.

TO DATE, WE SPENT $3 MILLION ON TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE.

HUMAN RESOURCES.

SO WITH OUR HUMAN RESOURCES, THE MAJORITY OF THIS MONEY IS FOR STAFF AUGMENTATION, RIGHT? BEING ABLE TO HIRE INSTRUCTIONAL MONITORS AND CLASSROOM MONITORS.

BUT WE'VE ALSO DONE SOME OTHER THINGS.

SUCH AS? UM, SORRY, I THINK I SKIPPED PAST IT.

UM, BUT OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE IS INSTALL A WELLNESS PROGRAM.

WE'RE ALSO STARTING TO HAVE A HEALTH BENEFITS COMMITTEE TO BE ABLE TO REVIEW ALL OF OUR PLAN OPTIONS AND THEN ALSO HUMAN RESOURCE CONSULTANT SERVICES JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MOVING HUMAN RESOURCES IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

UM, SO EVERYBODY AT HOME AND WATCHING, UM, THE MAJORITY OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL MONITORS AND CLASSROOM MONITORS HAVE BEEN GETTING PAID OUT OF ESSER TWO.

THAT'S THE 15.66 MILLION.

BUT WE HAVE ALSO FUNDED SOME INSTRUCTIONAL MONITORS AND CLASSROOM MONITORS OUT OF ESSER THREE AS WELL.

ONE OF THE REVISIONS IS WHAT ONE OF THE REVISIONS SINCE DECEMBER IS.

WE'VE BEEN USING SOME OF THE FUNDINGS TO BE ABLE TO ADVERTISE OUR POSITIONS, TO BE ABLE TO RECRUIT ADDITIONAL STAFF HERE TO.

LASTLY, COMMUNITY IDENTIFIED NEEDS.

WE'VE ALLOCATED $1.3 MILLION FOR COMMUNITY IDENTIFIED NEEDS.

AND THIS IS WHERE IF YOU COME OUT FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING, I TAKE MY NOTES.

IF YOU FILL OUT THE SURVEY THAT WE HAVE EVERY SIX MONTHS, THIS IS WHERE WE CAN INCORPORATE AND USE THESE DOLLARS TO TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE THINGS WHILE ALSO REALIGNING SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS AS WELL.

SOME OF THE COMPLETED ACTIVITIES WON'T READ THROUGH ALL OF THEM, BUT FAMILY LITERACY CLASSES AT BROOKSIDE SCIENCE FOCUSED, SCIENCE FOCUSED WORKSHOPS FOR FAMILIES IN PROGRESS. I'M PROBABLY GOING TO MISPRONOUNCE THIS, BUT KIRA COVEY SOFTWARE PLATINUM PLATFORM TO SUPPORT OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME.

AGAIN, WE'VE REALLY BEEN HITTING OUT OF SCHOOL TIME.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND AND HAVE MORE STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN.

AND THEN ALSO CONTINUATION OF OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH KINDRED COMMUNITIES.

TO DATE, WE SPENT A LITTLE MORE THAN HALF $1 MILLION ON COMMUNITY IDENTIFIED NEEDS.

THESE LAST FEW SLIDES ARE JUST A BUDGET SLIDE THAT SHOWS YOU WHAT THE ORIGINAL BUDGET WAS AND WHAT WE'VE EXPENDED.

AGAIN, THE FIRST THE CARES ACT.

WE'VE EXHAUSTED ALL OF IT, THE CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUND, WE'VE EXHAUSTED ALL OF THAT.

AND UM, ESSER TWO, WE'VE EXHAUSTED 88% OF THOSE FUNDS.

WE HAVE ABOUT $1.8 MILLION LEFT IN ESSER TWO.

WE ARE GOING TO EXHAUST THOSE BY SEPTEMBER 30TH OF 2023.

SO WE HAVE A FEW MORE MONTHS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UTILIZE THOSE SO OUR STUDENTS HERE IN ASIA GET THE BENEFIT OF ESSER TWO.

UM, AND THEN LASTLY, THIS IS THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.

ESSER THREE. UM, AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE THE MICRO GRANTS, WHICH ARE THE SET ASIDES AND THEN THE LARGER GRANTS WHICH WAS FOR BACK THERE AT THE BOTTOM.

WITH THAT.

UM. OH, I'M SORRY.

THIS IS JUST A BREAKDOWN BY CHARACTER.

SO YOU CAN SEE, UM.

YOU KNOW HOW THE MONEY WAS BUDGETED BY CHARACTER.

AND WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS.

OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. TURNER. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE ESSER PLAN UPDATE? OKAY, MR. TURNER.

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ALONG TO NEW BUSINESS AND REPORTS TO THE BOARD.

AND WE'RE NEXT UP IS THE BOUNDARY ANALYSIS UPDATE.

[29. Boundary Analysis]

THIS EVENING WE DO HAVE MS..

GULICK AND HER TEAM, ALONG WITH DR.

HART AND MISS BARTLETT AND SOPHIE HUEMER, WHO WILL PRESENT THIS EVENING.

SO DR. HART WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM.

AND I DO BELIEVE MISS GULICK IS TAKING LEAD ON THAT THIS EVENING.

YES. AND I'M GOING TO PASS IT RIGHT TO ERICA.

[01:45:05]

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT THE BOUNDARY ANALYSIS.

WE ARE VERY EXCITED.

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I'LL SAY IS A BOUNDARY ANALYSIS DOES NOT MEAN REDISTRICTING ITSELF.

IT IS JUST THE PRECURSOR, LET'S SAY.

SO WE'RE GOING TO WALK THROUGH SOME OF THE DATA AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.

AND YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO OUR ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS TONIGHT, WHAT IS A BOUNDARY ANALYSIS AND WHY ARE WE CONDUCTING ONE NOW? WHAT ARE THE CURRENT LIVING AND ENROLLED? YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR THESE TERMS A LOT.

LIVING AND ENROLLED.

AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE DEMOGRAPHICS BY DIFFERENT GRADE LEVELS.

WHAT DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY IS EXPECTED IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS THAT MAY FURTHER IMPACT OUR DEMOGRAPHICS OR STUDENT ENROLLMENT IN OUR SCHOOL BOUNDARIES? AND THEN WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY FINDINGS FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD'S CONSIDERATION? SO FIRST, IN SPEAKING ABOUT A BOUNDARY ANALYSIS AND WHERE DID IT COME FROM? THE SCHOOL BOARD POLICY ESTABLISHED DURING THE THE LAST REDISTRICTING PROCESS STIPULATES THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL CONDUCT A BOUNDARY ANALYSIS EVERY FIVE YEARS OR WITH THE OPENING OF THE NEW SCHOOL.

WE LAST IMPLEMENTED REDISTRICTING IN 2018, WHICH IS FIVE YEARS AGO, AND THE NEW DOUGLAS MACARTHUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS OPENING THIS FALL.

SO WE MEET NOT ONE REQUIREMENT, BUT BOTH OF THOSE TO CONDUCT A BOUNDARY ANALYSIS.

ON FEBRUARY 16TH, WE PRESENTED A PROPOSED BOUNDARY ANALYSIS.

WE HAVE NOT DONE THIS BEFORE, BUT WE ARE PROPOSING A BOUNDARY ANALYSIS AND THAT IS THE THE OUTCOMES OF THAT YOU WILL SEE TONIGHT.

THIS IS OUR FIRST BOUNDARY ANALYSIS.

AGAIN, AS I OPENED WITH A BOUNDARY ANALYSIS, IS NOT REDISTRICTING, BUT RATHER IT PROVIDES A CURRENT GEOGRAPHIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC DATA THAT MAY INDICATE THE NEED FOR A REDISTRICTING PROCESS.

THE SCHOOL BOARD SHOULD USE THIS DATA TO INFORM ANY CONSIDERATION OF A FUTURE REDISTRICTING PROCESS, AND IF SO, USE IT TO DEFINE THE SCOPE AND CRITERIA OF THAT.

SO SO THE SCOPE COULD BE WE JUST WANT TO FOCUS ON ELEMENTARY.

WE ONLY WANT TO FOCUS ON THESE FEW SCHOOLS.

OR IT COULD BE MORE COMPREHENSIVE.

JUST TO NOTE THAT ALL DATA THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE TONIGHT IS FROM THE 2022 TO 2023 SCHOOL, WHICH IS THE FALL MEMBERSHIP REPORT, THE FINAL ENROLLMENT THAT MARIA PROVIDES IN HER NOVEMBER UPDATE.

THE ONLY EXCEPTION TO THAT IS FOR THE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENT DATA, WHERE WE'RE USING THE MARCH 30TH OR MARCH 31ST, 2023 DATA IS USED FOR THAT ITEM JUST BECAUSE IT'S MORE ACCURATE LATER ON, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER ON PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION.

WE TALK ABOUT LIVING STUDENTS.

THOSE ARE STUDENTS WHO LIVE IN THE SCHOOL'S BOUNDARY.

AND FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE BOUNDARY ANALYSIS TONIGHT, WE WANT YOU TO FOCUS ON THE LIVE IN NUMBERS AS WELL AS STUDENTS ENROLLED, AND THAT IS THE STUDENTS WHO ACTUALLY ATTEND EACH OF THOSE SCHOOLS. IN EACH CASE, IN EACH DIFFERENT DATA SET THAT WE'RE SHOWING YOU TONIGHT, THESE WILL BE SHOWN AS A PERCENTAGE COMPARED TO THE TOTAL.

IT'S IT'S TOTAL SCHOOL POPULATION.

AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THAT AGAINST THE DISTRICT WIDE DEMOGRAPHIC.

THE SPECIFIC THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT ARE THE TOTAL STUDENT POPULATION, THE GRADE, THE GENDER, RACE, SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER IF THEY'RE RECEIVING SERVICES, ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STATUS.

THE ONE THAT WE DID MENTION IN FEBRUARY THAT IS NOT INCLUDED TONIGHT IS THE WALK BOUNDARY.

WE JUST HAVE SOME FURTHER DIGGING TO DO ON THAT ONE WITH TRANSPORTATION AND WE'LL ALSO PROVIDE THE CAPACITY CHART.

THE FIRST ITEM WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT VERY BRIEFLY IS JUST PRE-K.

WE'RE JUST SHOWING YOU HERE PRE-K IS NOT NOT NECESSARILY A SOMEWHAT SOMETHING WHERE WE COMPARE TO SCHOOL CAPACITY BECAUSE WE PROVIDE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SEATS THROUGH OUR API AND EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL ED PROGRAMS AS REQUIRED OR AS AS FUNDED BY THE STATE.

THIS IS REALLY JUST TO SHOW YOU WHERE WE CURRENTLY HAVE PRE-K PROGRAMS. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE HEAD START COMPANIONS, HEAD START PROGRAMS COMPARED TO THE STUDENT ENROLLMENT, THE STUDENT LIVING POPULATION IN EACH OF THOSE SCHOOLS.

SO THE WAY TO READ THIS WOULD BE AT CHARLES BARRETT.

45 STUDENTS ACTUALLY GO TO PRE-K AT CHARLES BARRETT.

15 STUDENTS ACTUALLY ARE 15 OF CPS.

PRE-K STUDENTS ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE CHARLES BARRETT BOUNDARY.

AND THAT'S NOT SAYING THAT THOSE 15 GO TO CHARLES BARRETT.

THEY MAY ATTEND DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. SO THAT'S HOW YOU COULD READ THIS.

WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO ELEMENTARY, WHICH IS REALLY PROBABLY THE MEAT OF MOST OF WHAT YOU'LL BE CONSIDERING.

THIS IS THE OUR ENROLLMENT AND UTILIZATION CHART.

SO IN THE FIRST COLUMN, YOU HAVE ENROLLED K-5.

I WANT TO NOTE THAT ALL OF THESE STUDENTS ARE STUDENTS WHO LIVE WITHIN THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA.

[01:50:06]

EXACTLY. AND THAT IS BECAUSE WE ARE JUST USING STUDENTS WHO LIVE WITHIN THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA.

YOU THEN HAVE THE LIVE IN K-5 BASED ON THOSE SAME ENROLLMENT NUMBERS, THE CAPACITY, THAT'S THE K-5 CAPACITY FOR THE SCHOOL.

AND THEN YOU HAVE YOUR ENROLLED UTILIZATION THAT'S K THROUGH FIVE.

IT DOES NOT INCLUDE PRE-K AND THEN THE LIVING UTILIZATION ALSO K THROUGH FIVE.

AND SO IF YOU LOOK AT THIS CHART, WE WANT TO FOCUS AGAIN ON THE LIVE IN UTILIZATION AND YOU'LL SEE SOME REALLY HIGH NUMBERS.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, PATRICK HENRY IS AT 134%, MEANING THAT IF ALL OF THE STUDENTS WHO LIVED IN THE K-5 BOUNDARY AT PATRICK HENRY WENT TO PATRICK HENRY, THEY WOULD BE OVERCROWDED AT 134% UTILIZATION RATE.

WE KNOW WE'VE HAD TO DO CAPACITY, REASSIGNMENTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS AT THAT SCHOOL TO ACCOMMODATE THE STUDENT POPULATION.

AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE RED IS WHERE EVERYBODY IS OUTSIDE OF THE 90 TO 110 UTILIZATION RATE ON THE HIGHER END.

AND SO THOSE ARE SCHOOLS THAT WE WOULD SAY THEIR BOUNDARY IS TOO BIG, IT HAS TOO MANY STUDENTS IN ORDER FOR THEM TO GO TO THAT SCHOOL.

EVERYWHERE WHERE YOU SEE YELLOW OR THAT GOLD COLOR IS WHERE IT IS BELOW 90% WITHIN THE LIVE IN POPULATION, MEANING THAT THAT BOUNDARY COULD GROW, THEY COULD ACCOMMODATE MORE STUDENTS WITHIN THEIR BOUNDARY.

AND SO WITH THAT, I AM GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO SOPHIE HUFFMAN TO GO THROUGH MORE OF THIS DATA.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, ERICA.

GOOD EVENING, CHAIR ALDERTON AND MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.

I JUST WANT TO BRIEFLY GO OVER HOW I'M GOING TO APPROACH THESE NEXT SLIDES, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF NUMBERS AND A LOT OF DATA ON THEM.

SO I WILL GO THROUGH EACH DEMOGRAPHIC AND BREAK DOWN HOW THE TABLES ARE ARRANGED.

GENERALLY, THE COLUMNS THAT ARE IN BLUE ARE THE STUDENTS THAT ARE ENROLLED OR ATTEND THAT SCHOOL, AND COLUMNS THAT ARE IN GREEN ARE STUDENTS THAT LIVE IN THE SCHOOL BOUNDARY.

SO EACH TABLE IS GOING TO HAVE A DIVISION WIDE DEMOGRAPHIC PERCENTAGE FOR THAT SEGMENT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TABLE.

AND SINCE THE NUMBER OF STUDENT CHANGES FROM ENROLLED TO LIVE IN POPULATIONS, THE DEMOGRAPHIC NUMBERS REPRESENTED AS A PERCENTAGE IN ORDER FOR US TO COMPARE THEM TO THE DIVISION WIDE PERCENTAGE.

SO LOOKING AT ELEMENTARY BY GRADE, WE HAVE THE DIVISION WIDE PERCENTAGE OF EACH GRADE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TABLE, AND EACH SCHOOL SHOWS THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS IN EACH GRADE LEVEL FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE ENROLLED AND STUDENTS WHO LIVE IN THE SCHOOL BOUNDARY.

FOR EXAMPLE, LOOKING AT THE GREEN COLUMNS, 15.7% OF STUDENTS LIVING IN THE CHARLES BARRETT BOUNDARY ARE KINDERGARTNERS.

AND THIS IS A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE DIVISION WIDE PERCENTAGE OF KINDERGARTNERS AT 17.31%.

JUST A FEW NUMBERS THAT ALSO STAND OUT ON THIS CHART.

SINCE COVID, OUR NUMBERS AT THE FIRST GRADE HAVE BEEN OUR LARGEST GRADE COHORT OUT OF ALL OTHER GRADES, WHEREAS KINDERGARTEN USED TO BE THE LARGEST EACH YEAR.

JUST A NOTE A LITTLE CONTRARY TO THAT CORE.

KELLY, JOHN ADAMS AND FERDINAND DO HAVE A LARGER PERCENTAGE OF KINDERGARTNERS THAN FIRST GRADE THAT LIVE IN THE BOUNDARY.

UM, AGAIN, WE HAVE ENROLLED IN BLUE AND LIVING IN GREEN FOR THIS ELEMENTARY BY GENDER DIVISION WIDE.

THERE ARE MORE FEMALE OR SORRY, THERE ARE MORE MALES THAN FEMALES AND ALL SCHOOLS ARE GENERALLY CLOSE TO THIS DIVISION WIDE PERCENTAGE.

NOW LOOKING AT RACE AND ETHNICITY FOR K THROUGH FIVE.

RACE AND ETHNICITY ARE IN THE COLUMNS.

ANY NUMBER WITH AN ASTERISK MEANS THAT THE UNDERLYING STUDENT NUMBER HAS A SAMPLE SIZE OF LESS THAN TEN STUDENTS.

SO JUST LOOKING AT OUR DIVISION WIDE DEMOGRAPHIC, HISPANICS MAKE UP THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF THE K-5 GRADE POPULATION.

WHITE STUDENTS MAKE UP THE SECOND LARGEST DEMOGRAPHIC AND BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS BEING THE THIRD LARGEST.

CORK SORRY.

CHARLES BARRETT, CORK, KELLY AND WILLIAM RAMSEY BOUNDARIES ALL HAVE HIGHER PERCENTAGES OF HISPANIC STUDENTS LIVING IN THEIR RESPECTIVE BOUNDARIES.

AND ALSO TO KNOW JEFFERSON HOUSTON HAS A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS LIVING IN THAT BOUNDARY, WITH 38.95% COMPARED TO 22.68% OF THE DIVISION WIDE.

IN THIS TABLE. WE'VE JUST PROVIDED THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS RECEIVING SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION.

A LOT OF THESE SCHOOLS ARE CLOSE TO THAT DIVISION WIDE NUMBER OF 8.7%.

JUST TO NOTE, WE DO HAVE ADDITIONAL SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION PROGRAMS AT KELLY AND JEFFERSON HOUSTON, WHICH ACCOUNT FOR THOSE LARGER ENROLLED PERCENTAGES.

NEXT, WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT THE PERCENTAGE OF ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS.

[01:55:05]

WITH THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS LIVE IN FERDINAND FERDINAND DE AND WILLIAM RAMSEY BOUNDARIES, AND THE LOWEST PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS IN A BOUNDARY LIVE IN THE LOUSE CROUCH AND NAOMI BROOKS DISTRICT.

SO DIVISION WIDE, 43% OF K-5 STUDENTS ARE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS.

THE PERCENTAGE OF THE STUDENT POPULATION AT THESE SCHOOLS VARY WIDELY.

WILLIAM RAMSAY AND FERNANDI HAVE A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS LIVING IN THEIR BOUNDARY THAT ARE STUDENTS.

LYLE CROUCH AND NAOMI BROOKS HAVE THE LOWEST PERCENTAGE OF BOUNDARY STUDENTS.

SO MOVING RIGHT ALONG TO MIDDLE SCHOOL.

WE'RE LOOKING AT A UTILIZATION CHART SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT ERICA WENT OVER FOR THE K THROUGH FIVE GRADES.

WE'VE PROVIDED THE NUMBER OF ENROLLED STUDENTS, THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS LIVING IN THE BOUNDARY, THE CAPACITY AND UTILIZATION FOR EACH SCHOOL.

JUST TO NOTE, WE'RE SHOWING JEFFERSON, HOUSTON AND PATRICK HENRY'S CAPACITY BASED ON THE CURRENT UTILIZATION OF THOSE CLASSROOMS, BASED ON THEIR NEED GRADES EIGHT, GRADES SIX THROUGH EIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE A PLAN CAPACITY OF 180 STUDENTS FOR EACH SCHOOL.

SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE CHARTS.

WE'RE ALSO SHOWING THAT THE EAST END AND WEST END SCHOOLS, WE'RE SHOWING THESE TWO REGIONAL GROUPS OF SCHOOLS TOGETHER TO SHOW WHERE PATRICK HENRY OR JEFFERSON HOUSTON STUDENTS WOULD GO IF THEY ELECTED TO GO TO THOSE TRADITIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOLS.

AGAIN, YOU SEE, PATRICK HENRY HAS A VERY HIGH LIVE IN UTILIZATION RATE AND WOULD BE OVERCROWDED AT THOSE GRADES SIX THROUGH EIGHT IF ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS WENT TO PATRICK HENRY. LOOKING AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADE LEVELS, EACH GRADE LEVEL IS ABOUT THE THIRD OF THE DIVISION WIDE POPULATION.

JEFFERSON HOUSTON HAS THE MOST DEVIATION FROM THE DIVISION WIDE, WITH 4,040% OF STUDENTS WHO LIVE IN THE BOUNDARY BEING SIXTH GRADERS AND 28% BEING EIGHTH GRADERS. MIDDLE SCHOOL FOLLOWS THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PATTERN HAVING MORE MALES THAN FEMALE AND NON-BINARY STUDENTS.

BUT ALL SCHOOL BOUNDARIES ARE GENERALLY CLOSE TO THE DIVISION WIDE PERCENTAGES.

TAKING A LOOK AT MIDDLE SCHOOL BY RACE AND ETHNICITY.

HISPANICS AGAIN MAKE UP THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF THE DIVISION WIDE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS.

BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS ARE THE SECOND LARGEST AND WHITE STUDENTS ARE THE THIRD LARGEST.

JEFFERSON HOUSTON HAS A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS THAT LIVE IN THAT BOUNDARY AT 47% COMPARED TO THE DIVISION WIDE PERCENTAGE OF 27%. THIS CHART SHOWS THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENT POPULATION RECEIVING SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION.

ALL SCHOOLS ARE AGAIN CLOSE TO THAT DIVISION WIDE NUMBER.

JEFFERSON HOUSTON HAS A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF ENROLLED STUDENTS DUE TO THE ADDITIONAL PROGRAM THERE.

THIS CHART SHOWS THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AT EACH SCHOOL.

PATRICK HENRY HAS THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS THAT LIVE IN THAT BOUNDARY.

GEORGE WASHINGTON HAS THE LEAST PERCENTAGE.

AND AGAIN, THERE'S A LARGE VARIATION BETWEEN BOTH THE TRADITIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND BETWEEN THE PROGRAM SCHOOLS.

LOOKING AT ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER STATUS DIVISION WIDE.

30% OF MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE ELL STUDENTS.

FRANCIS HAMMOND HAS A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS THAT LIVE IN THERE BOUNDARY, WHILE JEFFERSON HOUSTON HAS THE LOWEST PERCENTAGE THAT LIVE IN THEIR BOUNDARY.

AND AGAIN, THERE'S A LARGE VARIATION BETWEEN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE TRADITIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND BETWEEN THE K-8 PROGRAMS. WE DO HAVE HIGH SCHOOL DEMOGRAPHICS, BUT I AM JUST GOING TO FLIP RIGHT THROUGH THEM.

SINCE WE ARE ONE BOUNDARY AND ONE HIGH SCHOOL.

I'LL LET YOU PERUSE THEM ON YOUR OWN AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THEM.

I'M GOING TO SKIP RIGHT TO THIS.

DEVELOPMENT MAP.

THIS IS A MAP OF THE EXPECTED DEVELOPMENT OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS IN THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA.

THE CITY IS VERY COMMITTED TO BUILDING A LOT MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AS COMPARED TO THE LAST 5 TO 10 AND SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THAT.

THIS MAP SHOWS THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS BY THE BOUNDARY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BUT ANY STUDENTS GENERATED FROM THESE PROJECTS WOULD BE AT ANY GRADE LEVEL.

I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THOSE LARGER DEVELOPMENTS AND WHERE THEY ARE.

FIRST IS THE GLEBE ROAD PROJECT IN THE MOUNT VERNON BOUNDARY THAT'S EXPECTED TO OPEN IN 2026.

[02:00:06]

I'M SORRY. DID SHE FREEZE? YES, SHE DID FOR US, MISS GULICK.

OH, SHE'S BACK NOW.

AM I BACK? SOPHIE, YOU'RE BACK.

SORRY ABOUT THAT. OKAY. DID YOU GUYS CATCH THE DEVELOPMENT? I THINK YOU'RE ON THE LAST ONE.

OKAY. UH, SAMUEL MADDEN IN THE JEFFERSON HOUSTON AND NAOMI BROOKS BOUNDARIES IN 2027.

THAT DEVELOPMENT KIND OF STRADDLES TWO OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ZONES.

SO I'M GOING TO HAND IT BACK OVER TO ERICA.

GREAT. THANK YOU, SOPHIE.

UM, SO SOME KEY FINDINGS THAT WE WANT TO GO THROUGH.

WE KNOW THAT THAT WAS A LOT OF DATA, SO HOPEFULLY THIS JUST PULLS OUT SOME OF THE KEY POINTS.

LIVE IN ENROLLMENT AT CHARLES BARRETT, CROUCH, PATRICK HENRY AND TUCKER ALL EXCEED THE 110% IDEAL UTILIZATION RANGE, MEANING MORE STUDENTS LIVE IN THE BOUNDARY THAN CAN GO TO THOSE SCHOOLS.

THIS, AS YOU KNOW, MAY CONTINUE TO EXACERBATE OUR CAPACITY REASSIGNMENT PROCESS.

CLASS SIZES.

ET CETERA.

I JUST JUST HIGHLIGHTING HERE THE LARGEST OF THOSE BEING AT PATRICK HENRY WITH 138% LIVE IN ENROLLMENT AT CORA, KELLY MACARTHUR, GEORGE MASON, JEFFERSON HOUSTON, MOUNT VERNON, WILLIAM RAMSEY ARE ALL BELOW THE 90% IDEAL UTILIZATION RANGE, MEANING THEY HAVE ROOM FOR MORE STUDENTS THAT WE COULD MAKE AVAILABLE BELOW.

SO THOSE BEING CORA KELLY AT 73% UTILIZATION DIVISION WIDE, I BELIEVE IS ABOUT 96%, MEANING WE'RE WITHIN THAT 90 TO 110% UTILIZATION UTILIZATION RATE.

AND IF WE DID PURSUE A REDISTRICT REDISTRICTING EFFORT, COULD BRING ALL SCHOOLS WITHIN THIS RANGE RACE, ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STATUS.

AND THE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS RECEIVING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING SERVICES HAVE THE GREATEST VARIATION FROM THE DISTRICT WIDE DEMOGRAPHICS. AND EACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STUDENT BODY.

THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOKED AT DURING THE LAST REDISTRICTING EFFORT, AND THE SCHOOL BOARD MAY CHOOSE TO MAKE A PRIORITY FOR THE NEXT REDISTRICTING EFFORT.

A LOT OF THAT IS DRIVEN BY HOUSING TYPES AND COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS WITHIN THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA, BUT IT IS A CONSIDERATION AS WE WOULD GO INTO ANY REDISTRICTING PROCESS.

YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

MIDDLE SCHOOL KEY FINDINGS.

SO STRUCTURING IT THE SAME WAY LIVING ENROLLMENT AT GEORGE WASHINGTON AND PATRICK HENRY EXCEEDS THE IDEAL 110%, 152% AT PATRICK HENRY. THAT IS EXTREME.

AND THE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADES AT PATRICK HENRY CANNOT ACCOMMODATE THAT MANY STUDENTS.

THEY CAN BARELY ACCOMMODATE THE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY GOING TO.

PATRICK HENRY LIVE IN ENROLLMENT AT JEFFERSON.

HOUSTON IS THE ONLY MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADES WHERE IT WAS BELOW THE 90% AND NOT TOO FAR BELOW, BUT IT IS AT 84% AT JEFFERSON HOUSTON.

AGAIN, UTILIZATION DIVISION WIDE BETWEEN THE FOUR SCHOOLS PROVIDING MIDDLE SCHOOL CAPACITY IS WITHIN 90 TO 110%, MEANING POTENTIALLY WE COULD GET WITHIN THE IDEAL RANGE AT ALL SCHOOLS.

AND AGAIN, THE SIMILAR VARIATION ACROSS THE SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT WIDE DEMOGRAPHICS, SPECIFICALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT FRANCIS HAMMOND AND PATRICK HENRY VERSUS GEORGE WASHINGTON AND JEFFERSON HOUSTON, NEXT SLIDE, HIGH SCHOOL, WE'RE GOING TO SKIP.

BUT THE ONLY THING TO NOTE HERE IS THAT THE NEW MINI HOWARD IS OPENING IN 2025 WILL PROVIDE A CAPACITY OF 1600 STUDENTS.

SO THAT WILL BRING HIGH SCHOOL CAPACITY WITHIN THAT 90 TO 110.

AND THEN THIS IS JUST A SUMMARY.

MORE SCHOOLS HAVE LIVE IN UTILIZATION OUTSIDE OF OUR IDEAL RANGE THAN DO IN RANGE.

SO THAT WOULD INDICATE TO US THAT MAYBE THERE IS A BOUNDARY ISSUE THAT COULD BE ADDRESSED.

JUST REITERATING THAT THIS THIS SCENARIO THAT WE HAVE WILL CONTINUE TO EXACERBATE CLASS SIZE DISCREPANCIES POTENTIALLY THROUGHOUT THE DIVISION AS WELL AS INCREASED CAPACITY REASSIGNMENTS AT THE ELEMENTARY GRADE.

WE DON'T CURRENTLY DO THAT AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AT ANY OTHER GRADE LEVELS.

UM, WITH THE OPENING OF THE NEW MINI HOWARD, ALL GRADE LEVELS SHOULD BE WITHIN THE IDEAL UTILIZATION RANGE SO THAT WE SHOULD HAVE ENOUGH CAPACITY DIVISION WIDE FOR EACH GRADE BASED ON CURRENT ENROLLMENT.

THAT BEING SAID, THE DEVELOPMENT THAT SOPHIE PRESENTED ON AND THEY WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA ON THOSE PROJECTIONS INDICATES

[02:05:05]

ONE THING JUST TO NOTE IS THE SAMUEL MADDEN IN PARTICULAR.

THAT'S CLOSE TO 300 STUDENTS IN THE JEFFERSON HOUSTON AND NAOMI BROOKS ZONE.

NAOMI BROOKS SCHOOL SIZE IS ABOUT 300 STUDENTS.

SO THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE THAT WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR.

UM, MODERNIZATION OF NEW SCHOOLS CREATES THE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY SUCH AS DOUGLAS MACARTHUR AND SOON GEORGE MASON WILL BE KICKING OFF.

WE SHOULD OPTIMIZE THAT USE RATHER THAN LET BRAND NEW SCHOOLS SIT NOT FULLY, NOT FULL TO THEIR TO THE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS THEY COULD HOLD.

AND THEN JUST REITERATING THAT WE DO HAVE SOME DEVIATIONS IN OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC ASIDE FROM ENROLLMENT CAPACITY AND OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC AREAS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.

UM. AND AS FAR AS NEXT STEPS GOES, THIS IS OUR INITIAL CONVERSATION ON THIS BOUNDARY ANALYSIS.

WE HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL TAKE THE DATA AND LOOK AT IT AND EITHER DEVELOP QUESTIONS TONIGHT OR FOR FUTURE DISCUSSION, AND THEN CONSIDER IF ANY REDISTRICTING EFFORT MIGHT BEGIN.

THE SCHOOL BOARD MIGHT LIKE TO PURSUE POTENTIALLY IN THE FALL.

THE LENGTH OF TIME FOR ANY REDISTRICTING EFFORT WILL DEPEND ON THE SCOPE OF IT, THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT AND ANY IMPLEMENTATION POLICIES THE SCHOOL BOARD SHOULD CHOOSE TO ADOPT.

AND SO WITH THAT, WE WILL WE ARE DONE AND WE WILL TURN IT OVER FOR QUESTIONS.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MISS GULICK, AND.

TEAM. QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION THERE FOR US TO DIGEST.

DEFINITELY. I KNOW. WE KNOW WE HAVE QUESTIONS ON THIS ONE, SO I'LL START OFF WITH MR. NEWBY. THANK YOU, MADAM VICE CHAIR.

QUICK, QUICK CLARIFICATION.

SO WE MISS.

YOU MENTIONED THE MODERNIZATION.

SO THIS DATA IS CALCULATED BASED ON THE NEW CAPACITY FOR DOUGLAS MACARTHUR AND MASON OR THE THE CURRENT ONE FOR MASON AND THE OLD ONE FOR MACARTHUR.

IT IS THE CURRENT ONE FOR MASON AND THE SWING SPACE, ONE FOR MACARTHUR.

SO THAT SOPHIE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

THAT'S CORRECT. RIGHT? YEAH. SO THE AMOUNT OF ROOM THAT WILL HAVE AT MACARTHUR WILL GROW EVEN MORE WHEN THE NEW SCHOOL OPENS.

AND SAME FORMATION, RIGHT? YOU SAID CURRENT FORMATION.

SO IT'S THE CURRENT MASON? YES. OKAY. SAME FORMATION WILL ALSO GROW THE CAPACITY.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. MISS BOOZE.

YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THESE UPDATES.

THIS IS EXCITING TO DIVE INTO THE DATA AND THE BOUNDARY ANALYSIS AND TO REALLY GET THE ANSWER THE QUESTION OF WHY, YOU KNOW, IT'S NECESSARY TO START TALKING ABOUT REDISTRICTING AND AND BE ABLE TO SHOW THE STORY OF WHERE OUR ENROLLMENT IS.

SO PIGGYBACKING ON THE MACARTHUR QUESTION, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO GET KIND OF AN UPDATED PICTURE OF WHAT MACARTHUR WOULD LOOK LIKE STARTING NEXT YEAR? BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE, I THINK, A CITYWIDE PROGRAM THAT'S MOVING THERE, A PRE-K GROUP IN ADDITION TO MORE CAPACITY WITHIN THE SCHOOLS.

SO WE'RE COMPARING YOU KNOW, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THAT SENDS THE PERCENTAGES DOWN EVEN MORE.

IN TERMS OF THE ENROLLED VERSUS LIVING.

YES. SO WE CAN LOOK WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT.

I WOULD SAY FOR THIS, THE SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION CLASSES HAVE DEDICATED ROOMS THAT WOULDN'T BE FACTORED INTO THE OVERALL CAPACITY.

THE IN ENROLL OR PLAN CAPACITY FOR THE NEW DOUGLAS MACARTHUR IS ROUGHLY 825 AND THAT INCLUDES FOR PRE-K.

SO IT SHOULD FROM AK5 PERSPECTIVE, IT SHOULD STILL BE GROWING.

BUT YOU ARE CORRECT IN THAT IT MAY NOT BE AS MUCH AS WE'RE THINKING RIGHT NOW.

YEAH, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, HELPFUL FOR US TO SEE SINCE THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIG A BIG CHANGE THIS FALL.

THE OTHER TWO OTHER QUESTIONS THE LIVE IN IS THAT THE LIVING ONLY TAKEN IN COUNT ENROLLED STUDENTS IN ALEXANDRIA AND LIVE IN MEANING THEY ARE ENROLLED STUDENTS, BUT THEY MAY BE GOING TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL.

OR DOES THAT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS? DO WE HAVE DATA ON, YOU KNOW, WHO THE PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE? AND I KNOW SOME STUDENTS SHIFTED TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS DURING THE PANDEMIC.

AND JUST WHAT I WANT TO DO IS MAKE SURE WE'RE ACCOUNTING FOR FAMILIES THAT ARE COMING BACK TO US.

WE DO NOT HAVE ANY DATA ON STUDENTS WHO ARE ENROLLED IN PRIVATE SCHOOL.

SO THE LIVE IN POPULATIONS THAT YOU'RE SEEING ARE JUST STUDENTS ENROLLED IN CPS WITHIN THOSE GRADES THAT LIVE WITHIN WHATEVER BOUNDARY IT IS

[02:10:08]

WE USE ALL OF THE DATA THAT WE HAVE IN POWERSCHOOL TO BE ABLE TO MAP STUDENTS AND OR TO DO ANY KIND OF ANALYSIS.

AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE ANY PRIVATE SCHOOL DATA.

THE ONLY REALLY THE ONLY PRIVATE SCHOOL INFORMATION OR OR NUMBERS THAT WE COULD ESTIMATE FROM COME OUT AS PART OF CENSUS DATA.

AND LOOKING AT THAT OR JUST IN KNOWING KNOWING SOME OF THE TRENDS THAT WE'VE HAD IN OUR SCHOOLS, BUT THERE'S OTHERWISE NO REAL WAY FOR US TO CAPTURE THAT. OKAY.

UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND THEN MY FINAL QUESTION.

WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT SLIDE 33 WITH THE EXPECTED DEVELOPMENT, UM, THAT'S MOST DEFINITELY ALARMING WHEN YOU LOOK AT MOUNT VERNON, WHICH IS ALREADY OVER CAPACITY AND 393 STUDENTS COMING IN, POTENTIALLY COMING IN WITH THE, YOU KNOW, BUILD PATRICK HENRY WHICH IS ALSO ALREADY OVER CAPACITY LOOKING AT 318 POTENTIAL NEW STUDENTS.

AM I READING THAT CORRECTLY? SO YEAH, SO IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT, THAT WAS VERY COMPELLING IN TERMS OF THE WORK WE NEED TO DO.

YEAH, IT IS. AND I DO JUST WANT TO POINT OUT, SINCE YOU BROUGHT UP THE QUESTION, UM, MS..

BOOS, SOME OF THESE NUMBERS DON'T NET OUT THE CURRENT STUDENTS THAT GO THERE.

MOST OF THESE PROJECTS THAT ARE ESPECIALLY DRIVEN BY THE CITY'S HOUSING DEPARTMENT, THERE WERE ALREADY STUDENTS LIVING THERE.

SO SAMUEL MADDEN HAD A I'M THESE ARE NUMBERS THAT I RAN EARLIER LAST YEAR, SO THEY MAY BE UPDATED SINCE THEN.

BUT THERE ARE ABOUT 72 STUDENTS LIVING IN SAMUEL MADDEN BEFORE IT WILL GET DEMOLISHED AND REBUILT.

OF COURSE, THESE NUMBERS ARE MUCH BIGGER THAN THAT.

SO THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF NETTING OUT BECAUSE SOME OF THESE STARTED CONSTRUCTION ALREADY AND WE DON'T HAVE DATA KIND OF THAT FAR BACK.

THIS WAS BASED OFF OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR'S DATA.

UM, JUST TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.

BUT, BUT THE NUMBERS ARE QUITE LARGE.

GREAT. THANK YOU. DR.

SIMPSON. BAIRD. THANK YOU, MADAM VICE CHAIR.

UM. NOT QUITE SURE HOW TO PHRASE THIS QUESTION.

SO I KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAVE YOUR HEADS IN THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAN I DO AT THIS POINT, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO SORT OF THINK ABOUT HOW, LIKE, THIS IS OUR KIND OF MOMENT IN TIME, REALLY FROM THE FALL.

AND IF WE REDISTRICT, WE NEED TO REDISTRICT FOR THE FUTURE.

IS THERE ANY WAY THAT I KNOW WE HAVE SOME KIND OF BIRTH RATE DATA THAT WE USE TO MAKE LONGER TERM PREDICTIONS? IS THERE ANY WAY TO SORT OF LAYER ANY OF THAT ONTO THIS TO UNDERSTAND, UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE MAKING A DECISION FOR TWO YEARS OUT WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE? YES. SO THE BOUNDARY ANALYSIS AND AGAIN, THIS IS OUR THIS IS OUR FIRST ONE.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO DEFINE WHAT IT IS.

AND REALLY, REALLY WE TRIED TO LOOK AT LOOK AT CURRENT AND EXISTING INFORMATION JUST BECAUSE THE PROJECTIONS ARE HYPOTHETICAL.

SO TO GIVE YOU THAT CURRENT PICTURE OF HERE'S WHAT BOUNDARY, HERE'S WHAT THE BOUNDARY ANALYSIS SAYS.

BUT THROUGH THE ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS, WHICH WE DO FOR TEN YEARS, TEN YEARS OUT AND DO INCORPORATE BIRTH DATA AND SOME OF THE OTHER KIND OF DECREASES THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD, WE CAN LOOK AT, WELL, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN THREE YEARS OR WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN FOUR YEARS AND GIVE THAT PICTURE AS WELL AT A LATER TIME.

THAT'S HELPFUL. SO IF WE IF WE DECIDE TO MOVE IN THE DIRECTION OF SOME SORT OF REDISTRICTING OR FURTHER WORK, THAT IS SOMETHING WE COULD LOOK AT AT THAT TIME.

YES. THANK YOU.

THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS.

SECRETARY. OKAY.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING SOME MORE TIME TO DIG INTO THE DATA.

I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS, THOUGH, NOW.

ONE IS HOW WHAT IS WHAT IS PLANNED FOR AND MAYBE THIS IS FOR DR.

WYATT. WHAT IS THE PLAN SORT OF NEXT STEP? IS THIS GOING TO COME BACK ON AT OUR MEETING ON JUNE 15TH TO DISCUSS MORE OR IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS, SHOULD WE EMAIL THEM? WHEN WOULD THE DECISION IF WE'RE GOING TO REDISTRICT OR NOT OR BE MADE? WELL, I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME TIME NEEDED TO REVIEW ALL THE DATA.

SO IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, I THINK YOU PROBABLY WILL AFTER YOU REALLY SIT DOWN AND LOOK AT THE DATA, THEN WE CAN COME BACK AND HAVE A FURTHER DISCUSSION HERE AND THEN DECIDE ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH NEXT STEPS.

BUT I REALLY BELIEVE ONCE MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD TAKE A LOOK AT THE DATA, THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD QUESTIONS.

SO IF YOU WANT TO SEND THEM TO US IN ADVANCE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL BECAUSE I THINK MAYBE AFTER YOU DO THAT, SOME OF YOU WILL HAVE THE SAME QUESTIONS.

OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND I WAS WONDERING HOW JUST AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE K TO EIGHT ANALYSIS AND HOW.

[02:15:08]

WE DO HAVE STAFF WORKING ON THAT AT THIS SIMULTANEOUSLY AS WELL.

GREAT. THANK YOU. AND MY LAST QUESTION IS JUST I WAS WONDERING IF CPS IS WORKING AT ALL WITH THE CITY ON I KNOW THEY HAVE A BIG INITIATIVE RIGHT NOW, THE ZONING FOR HOUSING AND HOUSING FOR ALL, WHICH I THINK IS LIKE A REALLY SIGNIFICANT DISCUSSION THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS HAVING.

AND IT CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, GOING TO IMPACT SCHOOLS IN THE FUTURE.

AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF STAFF AND AND CITY STAFF ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT AND HOW WE CAN GET, YOU KNOW, BECOME A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION. BECAUSE I THINK SOME OF THESE ISSUES, I MEAN, IT'S GOING TO AFFECT US A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE OUTER YEARS, BUT IT'S IT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO IMPACT, YOU KNOW, OUR PLANNING. MISS GALLAGHER.

DR. HART, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE BECAUSE.

SORRY. SOPHIE MIGHT BE THE BEST PERSON TO ANSWER THAT.

SOPHIE GEORGE YEAH, JUST ON A, ON A KIND OF ON MY STAFF LEVEL.

I'M CERTAINLY AWARE OF THE, THE INITIATIVE THAT THE CITY IS UNDERTAKING.

UM, WE DO LOOK AT LIKE THE DEVELOPMENT THAT I SHOWED YOU COMES OVER ON A MONTHLY SPREADSHEET FROM THE CITY, AND THEN WE USE THAT INTERNALLY JUST TO KEEP TRACK OF PROJECTS SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT'S COMING ON AND GETTING APPROVED.

AND SO THAT'S OUR FRAMEWORK FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, KNOWING THAT DEVELOPMENT CAN CHANGE AND DIFFERENT THINGS CAN HAPPEN, FINANCING CAN FALL THROUGH TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE MICRO CHANGES IN THE PROJECTED ENROLLMENT.

WE ACTUALLY PRESENTED A DEVELOPMENT, PROJECTED ENROLLMENT, I BELIEVE, AT THE MARCH JOINT CITY COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING.

BUT WITH REGARDS TO THAT ACTUAL PROJECT, DR.

RIEF, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE TIMELINE IS QUITE LONG ON THAT.

AND SO WE'RE JUST KEEPING THAT IN THE BACK OF OUR MINDS AS WE DEVELOP OUR PROJECTIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CIP THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING WILL INCREASE AND AS A PRIORITY FOR THE CITY.

WE ALSO JUST WORK CLOSELY WITH THEM ON ANY OTHER PROJECTS THAT THEY'RE DOING, SMALL AREA PLANS, THAT SORT OF THING.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE APPRECIATE THAT.

AND I'M SURE THERE'S DEFINITELY MORE TO COME AROUND.

BOUNDARY ANALYSIS.

WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON NOW TO THE SPECIAL EDUCATION UPDATE.

[30. Special Education Update]

WYATT. ALL RIGHT.

WELL, I AM GOING TO BRING UP DR.

TERRY WARNER, WHO WILL BE PRESENTING HER UPDATE THIS EVENING.

SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.

GOOD EVENING, MADAM VICE CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

MADAM SUPERINTENDENT, I'M TERRY WARNER, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION.

AND I AM HERE TONIGHT TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE ISSUES AROUND DISPROPORTIONALITY AND SPECIAL EDUCATION.

THE ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS TONIGHT.

HOW DOES THE DATA REGARDING REFERRALS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION LOOK THROUGH AN EQUITY LENS AND WHAT ACTIONS SHOULD TAKE BASED UPON THIS DATA? BEFORE WE START THIS CONVERSATION, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO FRAME THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE FACT THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT STUDENTS WITH SOCIAL EMOTIONAL ISSUES.

BEHAVIOR IS A COMMUNICATION AND IT IS A SUBSET OF A SOCIAL EMOTIONAL ISSUE.

SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT BEHAVIOR ISSUES.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN WITH SOCIAL EMOTIONAL NEEDS.

WHAT DOES THE DATA TELL US? I AM GOING TO GO THROUGH SOME QUITE DISCRETE DATA WITH YOU, AND SO I'M GOING TO WALK THROUGH A LOT OF THE STEP BY STEP.

FIRST OF ALL, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO REALIZE WHAT THE REFERRALS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION HAVE LOOKED LIKE OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

2019, 20 SCHOOL YEAR.

THE YEAR BEFORE COVID, WE HAD 113 REFERRALS FOR SPECIAL ED EVALUATION.

THE COVID YEAR 2020 THROUGH 2021, WE HAD 102 THE FIRST YEAR BACK FROM COVID.

WE HAD 214.

THIS YEAR WE HAD 258 REFERRALS FOR SPECIAL ED EVALUATION.

I HAVE NOTED THAT THE 39 EVALUATION RESULTS ARE PENDING BECAUSE YOU WILL SEE, YOU'LL SEE IN FURTHER DATA WHY THAT'S RELEVANT.

LET'S LOOK AT THE DEMOGRAPHICS FOR STUDENT REFERRALS THIS YEAR.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE FAR LEFT COLUMN, YOU SEE WHAT THE RACE AND ETHNICITY IS BREAKDOWN BY TOTAL STUDENTS IN THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA.

YOU THEN SEE THE PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION THAT THEY MAKE UP.

YOU THEN SEE WHAT THE REFERRALS TO SPECIAL EDUCATION LOOK LIKE BY RACE AND ETHNICITY.

WE HAVE HIGHLIGHTED THREE PARTICULAR AREAS, TWO IN RED.

IF YOU LOOK AT OUR REFERRALS FOR BLACK STUDENTS, THEY MAKE UP 25% OF OUR POPULATION AND THEY CONSTITUTED 32% OF THE REFERRALS FOR SPECIAL ED EVALUATION AND 35% OF THE ELIGIBILITIES.

[02:20:01]

20% OF THE REFERRALS AND 16% OF THE ELIGIBILITIES.

THAT IS BASED ON IF YOU LOOK AT THE END OF 219, THAT'S BECAUSE 38 FINAL DECISIONS ARE STILL PENDING.

SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 258 AND THE 219.

THE DISABILITY DEMOGRAPHICS.

I PICKED THE MOST.

THE HIGH INCIDENCE ISSUES MEAN THESE ARE REALLY OUR HIGH INCIDENCE STUDENTS.

AUTISM, 39% OF THE CHILDREN ARE BLACK, 22% OF THE STUDENTS ARE HISPANIC, 22% ARE WHITE.

OUR STUDENTS WITH EMOTIONAL DISABILITIES, 53%, ALMOST 54% ARE BLACK, 25% ARE HISPANIC, 10% ARE WHITE.

OUR STUDENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, 44% ARE BLACK, 37% ARE HISPANIC AND 10% ARE WHITE.

EXCUSE ME, OUR 10% ARE WHITE.

OTHER HEALTH IMPAIRMENT, 40%, ALMOST 41% ARE BLACK, 30% ARE HISPANIC, 25% ARE WHITE.

SPEECH AND LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENT, 27% ARE BLACK, 35% ARE HISPANIC.

AND 2320 6.3% ARE WHITE.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE REFERRAL SOURCE FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN REFERRED FOR EVALUATION BASED ON SOCIAL EMOTIONAL CONCERNS, WE LOOK AT THE RACE AND ETHNICITY OF THE REFERRING SOURCES.

IN THE 2122 SCHOOL YEAR, THE PARENTS MADE UP 72%.

THIS, AGAIN IS OUR FIRST YEAR POST-COVID.

WE HAVE THE DATA BROKEN DOWN IN FOR THESE TWO YEARS IN THIS MANNER BECAUSE WE HAD STARTED A PARTICULAR INTERVENTION AT THIS TIME.

SO WE CHARACTERIZE THE DATA IN THIS FORMAT.

SO FOR OUR 2122 SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAD 72% OF THE REFERRALS WERE FROM PARENTS.

AND AGAIN, THIS WAS OUR FIRST YEAR POST-COVID, AND THEN WE HAD 28% OF THE REFERRALS WERE FROM STAFF.

I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT ALL OF THE STAFF REFERRALS WERE FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE WHITE AND NOT A SINGLE TEACHER OF COLOR REFERRED A STUDENT OF COLOR FOR A SPECIAL ED EVALUATION.

THE 2223 SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAD 82% OF THE PARENTS THAT MADE THE REFERRALS.

WE HAD 18% OF THE STAFF MEMBERS WHO MADE REFERRALS.

AND AGAIN. ALL OF THE REFERRALS FOR STUDENTS OF COLOR WERE MADE BY WHITE STAFF MEMBERS.

WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR DISPROPORTIONALITY DATA, WE HAVE AN INDICATOR TEN, WHICH IS BASED ON OUR DECEMBER 1ST COUNT OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.

WE HAVE BEEN UP UNTIL THIS YEAR, DISPROPORTIONATE IN THE AREAS OF EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE AS IDENTIFIED BY THE STATE.

THE RISK RATIO BY THE STATE IS A REALLY COMPLEX FORMULA THAT THEY PUT TOGETHER, BUT THEY LOOK AT YOU ARE IDENTIFIED AS DISPROPORTIONATE. ONCE YOU GO ABOVE 2.0 AND IF YOU ARE ABOVE 3.0 FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS, YOU THEN ENTER INTO A DIFFERENT CATEGORY, WHICH WE ARE IN.

AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A FEW MINUTES.

BUT THIS YEAR, OUR DISPROPORTIONALITY INDICATORS HAVE INCREASED FOR OTHER OTHER HEALTH IMPAIRMENTS AS WELL AS INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES.

AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE RISK RATIOS.

SO WE ARE IDENTIFIED DISPROPORTIONATE BY VDOE.

ONCE YOU REACH THE THRESHOLD OF CONSECUTIVE YEARS OVER A RISK RATIO OF 3.0, YOU ARE FLAGGED AS A COORDINATING, COMPREHENSIVE, COORDINATED, EARLY INTERVENING SERVICES SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH MEANS YOU MUST SET ASIDE 15% OF YOUR GRANT TO PROVIDE EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES TO PREVENT THE REFERRALS BECAUSE YOU ARE CLEARLY DISPROPORTIONATELY REFERRING AND IDENTIFYING STUDENTS.

SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE OUR RISK RATIOS WERE AND HOW THEY HAVE COME FROM 2018 TO 2022.

WE ARE COMING DOWN IN ED, BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IS PEOPLE ARE REFERRING STUDENTS FOR OTHER HEALTH IMPAIRMENT BASED ON MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES INSTEAD.

AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE NOW DISPROPORTIONATE IN HIGH AS WELL.

SO WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF ALL THIS DATA? FIRST OF ALL, THERE ARE MANDATES THAT ARE BEING IMPOSED UPON US.

THE PROVISION OF FEDERALLY MANDATED, COORDINATING COMPREHENSIVE EARLY INTERVENING SERVICES MEANS THAT WE MUST MAKE SERVICES AVAILABLE TO GENERAL EDUCATION.

[02:25:05]

THE TERMINATION OF CCS IS AN IDEA MANDATE.

THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT, WHICH IS THE FEDERAL LAW GOVERNING SPECIAL EDUCATION.

IT REQUIRES STATES TO IDENTIFY SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE SIGNIFICANT, SIGNIFICANT DISPROPORTIONALITY IN CERTAIN RACIAL OR ETHNIC GROUPS, EITHER IN THE IDENTIFICATION, DISABILITY PLACEMENT OR DISCIPLINE OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.

VDOE NOTIFIES THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ANNUALLY OF THEIR DISPROPORTIONALITY AND REQUIRES THAT SET ASIDE.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE YEARS THAT WE HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY IDENTIFIED AND WE HAVE SET ASIDE THAT FUNDING.

15% OF OUR FUNDING FOR THIS PAST YEAR WAS $560,000.

THE FUNDS MUST BE USED TO DEVELOP AND SUPPORT TIERED INTERVENTIONS FOR IDENTIFIED DISPROPORTIONATE STUDENT GROUPS.

AND FUNDS CANNOT BE USED TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CORE ACTIVITIES.

IN OTHER WORDS, NO TIER ONE INTERVENTION, IT MUST BE TIER TWO OR TIER THREE INTERVENTIONS.

SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN? I HAVE MY ONE OF MY MY TEAM AND MY PARTNERS ARE HERE WITH ME TONIGHT BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A SPECIAL ED ISSUE.

THIS IS A GENERAL EDUCATION ISSUE.

IT JUST HITS SPECIAL ED BECAUSE IT'S ROLLED DOWNHILL.

THIS IS A GENERAL ED ISSUE.

WE MUST ENSURE THAT THERE IS AN EQUITABLE APPROACH TO ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF EACH AND EVERY STUDENT.

WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT HIGH RISK STUDENTS ARE ONLY REFERRED FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.

AFTER ALL, GENERAL ED, ALL GENERAL ED INTERVENTIONS HAVE BEEN EXHAUSTED.

SPECIAL ED SHOULD BE THE LAST RESORT AND WE MUST ENSURE FIDELITY TO THE SPECIAL EDUCATION REFERRAL PROCESS.

WHAT HAVE WE DONE SO FAR AND WHERE DO I THINK WE WANT TO GO NEXT? THE FIRST THING THAT MUST BE DONE WHEN A SCHOOL DIVISION IS IDENTIFIED AS A CCS DIVISION IS THAT YOU HAVE TO DEVELOP A PLAN.

AND THE PLAN IS TO HOW THAT MONEY IS GOING TO BE SPENT IS PROVIDED TO VDOE, IT IS APPROVED, AND THEN WE CAN IMPLEMENT THE THE PROGRAMING.

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE COORDINATING EARLY INTERVENING SERVICES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS ARE SOME SIGNIFICANT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'VE DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE EQUITY PROGRAMING, ESPECIALLY FUNDING VALBRUN AND THE EQUITY WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE HERE IN THE DISTRICT.

WE'VE PROVIDED THERAPEUTIC GUIDANCE AND MODELING.

WE HAVE A TEAM OF SPECIALISTS WHO ARE WORKING WITH SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE ARE UNIQUE SITUATIONS AND THEY GO IN AND THEY PROVIDE SERVICES, THEY MODEL, THEY COACH AND THEY COUNSEL WITHIN SCHOOLS.

WE ALSO HAVE PROVIDED CONSULTATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE SUPPORT WITH OUR STUDENT SERVICES PARTNERS AROUND MTC'S ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM AND TEACHERS AND STAFF APPROACHES TO WORKING WITH STUDENTS.

WE ALSO HAVE CONSTITUTED A SPECIAL TEAM OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE CONSIST OF A LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER, A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND A DIAGNOSTICIAN WHO NOW WORK IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE SCHOOLS TO CONDUCT THE ELIGIBILITY EVALUATIONS FOR ANY STUDENT REFERRED FOR SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL OR BEHAVIORAL CONCERNS.

PLANS AND NEXT STEPS.

REGULAR AND ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS ON TOPICS THAT INCLUDE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT AND EMOTIONAL AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT, CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE DISCIPLINE, RACIAL IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING.

KANIKA AND I ARE MEETING AND HAVE MET WITH OUR BOTH OF OUR TEAMS TO HAVE BRING IN VALBRUN TO DO SOME VERY SPECIFIC AND TARGETED WORK WITH SOME ADDITIONAL CONSULTANTS AROUND THE PROCESS AND HOW WE CAN STRENGTHEN AND IMPROVE AND LOOK AT VERY TARGETED TIER TWO AND TIER THREE INTERVENTIONS AT THE MTS LEVEL.

WE ALSO NEED TO PROVIDE REGULAR AND ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR STAFF ON THE MTS AND CSES, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO BEHAVIORAL AND BEHAVIORAL MANAGEMENT AS WELL AS OTHER HIGH RISK DISABILITY CATEGORIES.

AS I SAID, WE HAVE A SMALL CORE TEAM WHO IS WORKING WITH SCHOOLS WHEN SIGNIFICANT ISSUES ARISE AND IT IS A JOINT TEAM.

PART OF IT IS FUNDED THROUGH THE CCIS AND PART OF IT WORKS WITH THE.

SPECIALISTS OUT OF THE STUDENT SERVICES.

WE CALL IT OUR BISAC TEAM, WHICH YOU SAW REFERRED TO EARLIER.

THEY'RE OVERWHELMED.

THEY'RE OVERWHELMED. YOU'RE HEARING CONSTANTLY ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND CHALLENGES THAT OUR STUDENTS FACE.

AND YOU'RE SEEING IT PLAY OUT RIGHT HERE.

THOSE TEAMS ARE FULL TILT TRYING TO HELP PROVIDE THOSE EARLY INTERVENTIONS.

AND THEN WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ADDITIONAL TRAINING TO ENSURE THE FIDELITY OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATION ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION PROCESS, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO HIGH RISK DISABILITY CATEGORIES, INCLUDING LOOKING AT THRESHOLDS FOR THOSE REFERRALS, AND THAT THERE HAS BEEN CONSISTENT DATA AND INTERVENTION.

[02:30:08]

THERE WE GO. QUESTIONS WENT THROUGH A LOT OF DATA AND A LOT OF INFORMATION VERY QUICKLY.

NO, VERY. YEAH, A WHOLE LOT.

THANK YOU, MS.. WARNER. ANY QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? DR. RIEF, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

IT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION, SO I'M STILL PROCESSING.

SO LET ME SEE.

SO. I GUESS IT MAY HELP ME TO JUST KIND OF LIKE TRY TO STAY IN MY OWN WORDS, LIKE WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY.

SO A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

SO THE REFERRALS ARE UP, THE RISK RATIO IS GOING DOWN, BUT THERE'S STILL THERE'S ALSO DISPROPORTIONALITY IN THE ELIGIBILITY.

WE'RE INCREASING WHILE ANY IS GOING DOWN A LITTLE BIT IS GOING DOWN, BUT OTHER CATEGORIES ARE GOING UP, OTHER CATEGORIES ARE UP.

SO THE DISPROPORTIONALITY IS STILL IS THE SAME AND THE REFERRALS ARE UP.

SO SO WE'LL SEE HOW THAT KIND OF EVOLVES.

GUESS DO YOU WHEN YOU ALL ARE LOOKING AT THIS AND I GUESS I'M WONDERING, ARE YOU DO YOU LOOK TO SEE IF THERE ARE PATTERNS WITH REFERRALS FROM PARTICULAR SCHOOLS? AND IS AS THE PD TARGETED IN THAT WAY? THAT'S OUR PLAN. YES, I CAN.

I KNOW EXACTLY WHICH SCHOOLS ARE REFERRING.

I KNOW. I KNOW AT ALL.

OKAY. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, WELL, IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, I'M SURE YOU WILL RECEIVE EMAILS.

THANK YOU. BUT CAN I JUST MAKE ONE MORE PERSONAL STATEMENT? YES, PLEASE. THIS IS MY LAST PRESENTATION.

TO MY FOURTH WARD.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY IT'S I DIDN'T THINK I WAS GOING TO CRY.

WELL, THAT WAS ALL. IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH.

AN AMAZING SET OF COLLEAGUES, HAVE HAD SUCH WONDERFUL PEOPLE THAT I'VE WORKED WITH.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

IT'S BEEN A GREAT RIDE AND I WISH YOU NOTHING BUT THE BEST.

SO THANK YOU, MISS WARREN. OH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE APPRECIATE ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR CPS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOW, I GOT TO SCRATCH THAT OFF OF MY COMMENT.

DR. WARNER, YOUR COMMITMENT IN WHAT YOU'RE LEAVING US WITH IS VALUABLE INFORMATION AND SOME GOALS TO REALLY HELP OUR STUDENTS MOVE FORWARD.

WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT.

SO WON'T BE SAYING THAT LATER.

UM, BUT SO I WILL SAY THAT NOW AND JUMP AHEAD.

SO WE DO WANT TO HONOR YOU AND I'M SURE THERE'LL BE SOME MORE TALKS ABOUT THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH SLT.

SO THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION TONIGHT AND FOR SHARING WITH US HERE AT ALL OF YOUR GIFTS AND TALENTS.

AND THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON THE JOINT CITY COUNCIL, SCHOOL BOARD, SELECT COMMITTEE.

[31. Joint City Council/School Board SLEP Subcommittee]

IT OUT. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. YES.

I WILL BE TURNING THIS OVER TO DR.

HART AT THIS TIME.

OKAY. THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING AGAIN.

SO AT THE FEBRUARY 27TH, 2023, JOINT CITY COUNCIL SCHOOL BOARD WORK SESSION, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION REGARDING THE CREATION OF A CITY SCHOOLS COMMITTEE THAT WOULD FURTHER THE WORK OF THE SLEP ADVISORY GROUP.

AS DISCUSSED, THIS COMMITTEE WOULD CONSIST OF TWO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, TWO SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND ONE RESPECTIVE STAFF MEMBER FROM EACH ORGANIZATION TO SUPPORT THE COMMITTEE IN ITS WORK. A DRAFT SCOPE OF WORK FOR THE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN SHARED AS PART OF THE BOARD PACKET FOR TONIGHT.

IN ORDER FOR THE COMMITTEE PROCESS TO FORMALLY MOVE FORWARD, WE WOULD NEED A BOARD VOTE TO APPROVE THE CO-CREATION OF THE COMMITTEE AND UPON BOARD APPROVAL.

THERE WILL BE A SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION AT ONE OF THE FUTURE JUNE MEETINGS FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF THE TWO SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS FOR THIS COMMITTEE.

I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR DR.

HART? ALL RIGHT.

SO YOU'RE SAYING YOU NEED A VOTE FROM US, CORRECT? CORRECT. TO ACTUALLY THE VOTE IS TO AGREE TO CO-CREATE THIS COMMITTEE WITH THE CITY.

ALL RIGHT. MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE TO FORM THIS JOINT CITY COUNCIL.

SCHOOL BOARD SUBCOMMITTEE.

SECOND. ALL RIGHT.

IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY DR.

[02:35:01]

CREATE THE JOINT CITY COUNCIL, SCHOOL BOARD, SELECT COMMITTEE.

AND WE WILL VOTE ON THAT IN.

ALL RIGHT. VOTE PASSES.

AND WE'LL BE HEARING MORE ABOUT THAT IN THE FUTURE.

ALL RIGHT. LET'S KEEP IT MOVING HERE.

[32. Policy Revisions]

IT IS ACTUALLY THE 11:00 HOUR.

SO. IT GOT YOU A LITTLE BIT LATER THAN THE 10:00 HOUR.

THIS TIME IT IS LATER THAN 10:00 HOUR.

BUT I APPRECIATE IT'S NOT THE 12:00 HOUR, SO WE'LL REWARD THE LITTLE THINGS AND CELEBRATE THE LITTLE THINGS HERE.

THANK YOU, MR. SMITH. THANK YOU.

AND SO I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH POLICIES NOW.

UH, FULL DISCLOSURE, THERE ARE 19 TONIGHT.

I TOLD YOU LAST TIME IT WAS GOING TO BE 18, BUT THE CODE OF VIRGINIA CHANGED, AND SO WE TOOK THE ADVANTAGE OF FIXING ONE MORE WHILE WE WERE AT IT.

SO BUT WE'LL MOVE CRISPLY THROUGH THESE AND HOPEFULLY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

SO YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE BASIC CONCEPTS HERE ABOUT THE PROCESS.

A LOT OF THIS STUFF IS ALIGNMENT TONIGHT ACROSS POLICIES, AND YOU'LL NOTICE A LOT OF THE POLICIES I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT ARE COMING FROM ACTIONS YOU'VE JUST TAKEN, FOR EXAMPLE, THE POLICE MOU, THE GIFTED SERVICES, LOCAL PLAN, ETCETERA.

SO WE'RE RESPONDING TO THOSE THINGS.

I'VE ORGANIZED THEM SORT OF BY TOPICS.

AND SO THEY ARE NOT IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER, BUT THEY ARE BY TOPIC.

HOPEFULLY THAT MAKES SENSE TO YOU AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THESE A LOT OF CODE ALIGNMENTS AS WELL TONIGHT.

UM, SO THE VERY FIRST ONE YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE IS HOMEBOUND CORRESPONDENTS AN ALTERNATIVE MEANS OF INSTRUCTION? I PRESENTED THIS TWO WEEKS AGO TO YOU.

THERE'S ONE MINOR REVISION HERE.

THE STATE, IN THEIR WISDOM, HAS DECIDED TO CHANGE THE NAME NURSE PRACTITIONER TO ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE.

THAT HAS IMPLICATIONS ON ABOUT HALF A DOZEN OF OUR POLICIES THAT YOU WILL BE SEEING OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT YEAR.

BUT WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF MAKING THAT ONE CHANGE IN THIS POLICY IS SIMPLY A DEFINITION CHANGE.

THE NEXT SET ARE ONES RELATED TO THE MOU, AND WE HELD OFF ON OUR SAFETY POLICIES AND SECURITY POLICIES, JUST PENDING CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE MOU TO BE SURE EVERYTHING ALIGNED.

AND SO WE'RE COMING BACK HERE.

THIS IS HERE REALLY BECAUSE OF THAT LAST BULLET.

THERE WAS A CODE CHANGE LAST YEAR REQUIRING UPDATING OF REPORTING OF CERTAIN SORTS OF INCIDENTS RELATING PRINCIPALS HAVE TO DO THAT, SUPERINTENDENTS HAVE TO DO THAT. SO THIS IS REALLY PRIMARILY A CODE CHANGE.

WHILE WE WERE DOING THAT, WE BUILT IN A BOARD BELIEF STATEMENT, DID SOME REWORDING AND SOME BREADCRUMBS ACTIONS.

EXAMPLES PREVENT VIOLENCE.

WE ADDED RESTORATIVE PRACTICES AND PARTNERSHIPS AS ACTIONS THAT WE ARE TAKING TO PREVENT IT THESE THINGS FROM HAPPENING AND THEN ENSURED AND YOU'LL SEE A COUPLE OF TIMES WHERE WE REINFORCE THAT SORT OF OUR CONTEXT AND OUR AGREEMENTS WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE PER THE MOU, RIGHT? SO BREADCRUMBS OVER TO THAT.

THAT'S OUR PRIMARY DOCUMENT THAT WE USE TO UNDERSTAND THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.

AND SO THESE POLICIES REFER BACK TO THAT RATHER THAN TRYING TO REDEFINE THAT KEEPS IT ALL IN ONE PLACE, AS IT SHOULD BE.

UH, THE NEXT ONE IS SCHOOL CRISIS, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, MEDICAL RESPONSE ONES.

THIS ONE, THERE'S A CODE CHANGE.

AS YOU NOTICE, THERE ARE THREE CODE CHANGES ACTUALLY, IN THIS ONE.

UM, THE FIRST ONE REFERS TO COLLABORATION WITH THE CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IN REFERENCE TO CREATING THOSE PLANS.

SO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS TO LOOK AT OUR PLANS TO BE SURE THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH OUR PLANS.

UM, THERE'S A SECOND ONE, WHICH IS SAFETY AUDIT HAS TO INCLUDE FLOOR PLANS, BUT WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT FLOOR PLANS ARE NOT CONSIDERED PUBLIC INFORMATION.

THEY ARE SECURE INFORMATION.

UM, AND SO THOSE ARE NOT AVAILABLE PUBLICLY, ALTHOUGH THEY DO HAVE TO BE PART OF THE AUDIT.

THOSE ARE NOT RELEASED FOR SAFETY, EVERYBODY'S SAFETY ISSUES.

SO JUST WANT TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR ABOUT THAT.

UM, AND THE LAST ONE WAS ACTUALLY A REVISION FROM THIS YEAR.

WE HAPPENED TO CATCH IN THAT YOU HAVE TO DECLARE A SAFETY OFFICIAL, BUT THIS IS A SORT OF A DIFFERENT KIND OF SAFETY AND THIS IS A RESPONSE TO THE SITUATION, YOU MAY RECALL WHERE THERE WAS AN EMPLOYEE OF A SCHOOL SYSTEM WHO HAD COMMITTED SOME SORT OF A FELONY AND THEN WAS HIRED BY ANOTHER SCHOOL SYSTEM.

AND THEN THE EMAIL DIDN'T GO THROUGH AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW AND THE STATE STEPPED IN.

WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.

SO THIS IS A RESPONSE TO THAT.

EVERY SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS TO DECLARE A SAFETY OFFICIAL.

THAT'S JUST A PERSON AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION, THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, ETCETERA, HAVE TO NOTIFY THAT PERSON.

IF SOMEBODY WHO IS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS IS CONVICTED OF SOMETHING OR AND THEY HAVE TO THEN REPORT THAT UP TO THE STATE.

[02:40:08]

THE STATE MAINTAINS CONTACTS OF ALL THESE PEOPLE.

AND SO YOU KNOW HOW TO CONTACT THE OTHER PERSON.

SO THIS IS THE STATE SOLUTION TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING.

IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

I THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD IDEA WAS PASSED JUST THIS PAST YEAR AND IT'S GOING RECOMMEND GOING INTO YOUR POLICY NOW.

UH, THE NEXT ONE IS THREAT ASSESSMENT TEAM.

SO THESE ARE CURRENTLY CALLED SAFETY TEAMS, BUT IN PRACTICE THESE ARE CONSIDERED THREAT ASSESSMENT TEAMS AS THEIR DESIGN IS TO, IS TO DETERMINE IF THERE'S AN ACTUAL THREAT ACTUALLY OCCURRING.

UM, SO WE RENAMED THEM TO THREAT ASSESSMENT TEAMS. THE CURRENT POLICY REFERS TO A CENTRAL TEAM AND THERE'S NO ACTUAL TEAM.

THERE'S STAFF MEMBERS ASSIGNED TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL SCHOOL TEAMS, BUT THERE'S NO CENTRAL TEAM, SO WE REMOVE THAT FROM THE POLICY.

UM, THERE'S THE UPDATED OF THE REFLECTION OF THE INCLUSION OF THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS ON THE TEAMS, AND THAT'S PER THE CODE FROM LAST YEAR AS WELL, AND COULD CHANGE THIS YEAR WAS THAT THE THREAT ASSESSMENT TEAMS HAVE TO RECEIVE TRAINING SO NEW MEMBERS COME ON BOARD.

THEY HAVE TO BE TRAINED AS SOON AS YOU COME ON BOARD AND AFTER THAT YOU HAVE TO BE RETRAINED EVERY THREE YEARS.

SO THAT WAS A CODE CHANGE FOR THIS YEAR.

SO KIND OF NICE.

WE CAUGHT THAT AS PART OF THIS POLICY CHANGE.

VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

UH, CAUGHT A LOT OF THESE.

ACTUALLY MADE ME PRETTY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

UH, EMERGENCY RESPONSE DRILLS.

WE SORT OF JUST DID THIS ONE JUST BECAUSE WE WANT TO LOOK AT ALL OF THEM AT THE SAME POINT IN TIME.

THEY'RE ALL THE SAME FIVE YEAR CYCLE.

SO THE NUMBER IS ACTUALLY NOT QUITE RIGHT.

IT WAS, IT WAS ECPA, BUT IT ACTUALLY IN THE VSBA MODEL POLICY, IT'S ACTUALLY I DON'T KNOW WHO MADE THAT TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR OR HOW MANY YEARS AGO, BUT WE'RE GOING TO CORRECT THAT NOW TO ALIGN YOU WITH THE MODEL POLICIES.

AND ONE REVISION RECOMMENDED BY STAFF IS TALKING ABOUT SOMETIMES IT'S THE DECISION.

YOU MAKE A DECISION WHETHER IT'S SAFER TO SHELTER IN PLACE OR TO EVACUATE.

SO WE'VE ADDED A SENTENCE TO JUST SORT OF CLARIFY THAT.

UM, EMERGENCY SERVICES REALLY JUST MINOR CHANGES TO THIS ONE AND MINOR REWORDING.

NOTHING SUBSTANTIAL ON THAT ONE.

UM, AND THE RELATIONS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES SORT OF UPDATING ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, UPDATING NOTIFICATIONS.

UM, ONCE AGAIN, THAT ALIGNMENT BACK WITH THE MOU CONCEPT, WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT IDEA OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

AND THEN THAT SAME ONE THAT REFLECTED CLA REPORTING INCIDENCES, INCIDENTS ALSO GOES IN.

THAT'S THAT SAME CONCEPT OF REPORTING OF THE INCIDENT.

SO THAT'S THESE ARE MOSTLY CODE CHANGES, MOSTLY REFERENCES BACK TO ALIGNMENT WITH THE MOU AND RE SUPPORTING THE MOU.

AND THEN A COUPLE OF PROCESS CHANGES REFLECTING YOUR EXISTING PROCESSES.

SO THOSE ARE THE POLICIES RELATING TO SAFETY.

THESE WERE ALL ON HOLD PENDING THE MOU STAFF LOOKED AT THESE AFTER THE MOU TO BE SURE THEY WERE ALL IN ALIGNMENT AND SUPPORTED THE MOU AND THEY FELT THAT THEY DID.

SO NOW WE'RE BRINGING THEM FORWARD.

NOW THAT YOU HAVE PASSED THE MOU WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

NEXT TOPIC, GIFTED STUDENTS, ANOTHER ONE HELD PENDING ADOPTION OF SOMETHING.

IN THIS SITUATION, YOU'VE JUST ADOPTED LOCAL PLAN FOR THE GIFTED.

IF YOU RECALL WAY BACK IN, I GUESS IT WAS JANUARY, UH, DR.

TEMPLE MILLER AND I PRESENTED A PROPOSAL TO BRING THE LOCAL PLAN FOR THE GIFTED AND THE POLICIES CONCURRENTLY.

WE'RE SIMPLY EXECUTING THAT.

AND SO SHE PRESENTED THE LOCAL PLANS FOR THE GIFTED LAST TIME.

YOU APPROVED IT TONIGHT. SO I'M PRESENTING THE POLICIES TODAY.

IN THIS SITUATION, THE GENERAL POLICY WAS WAS FINE.

WE JUST SORT OF ADDED AND TALENTED TO IT AND REALIGNED IT WITH THE MODEL POLICY.

IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF REWRITING, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THE LAST TIME THIS POLICY WAS CHANGED WAS 2005.

SO IT HAD DRIFTED A LITTLE BIT FROM THE MORE MODERN STANDARDS AND THE WHAT IS THAT, 17 YEARS TIME, 18, 18, 18 YEARS. SO THAT'S A IT WAS TIME TO REVIEW THIS POLICY.

UH, IT'S NOT THE OLDEST ONE, BUT IT WAS CLOSE.

SO THAT'S THAT CHANGE.

THE BIGGER CHANGES IN THE ACCELERATION.

IF YOU RECALL, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE.

FROM A STATE PERSPECTIVE, ACCELERATION IS VERY LIMITED SCOPE.

IT WAS JUST DESIGNED TO TALK ABOUT A MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT TAKING A CLASS FOR HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY CANCEL ON THEIR TRANSCRIPT OR NOT.

AND THE IDEA IS TO ENCOURAGE KIDS TO DO THAT AND NOT HAVE TO TAKE THAT RISK OF HAVING THAT CLASS COUNT.

BUT I THINK BECAUSE TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, YOUR LOCAL PLAN FOR THE GIFTED HAD BECOME OLD, YOUR ACCELERATION POLICY CAN BE SORT OF A SURROGATE FOR SOME GIFTED SERVICES.

AND SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE LOOKED TO THIS ACCELERATION POLICY, FOUND ALL THE CONTENT THAT WAS REDUNDANT WITH THE LOCAL PLAN FOR THE GIFTED, AND THEN SIMPLY STRUCK IT FROM THE POLICY BECAUSE NOW IT'S PART OF THE LOCAL PLAN FOR THE GIFTED.

THAT'S THE PROPOSAL THAT DR.

MILLER AND I PROPOSED WAY BACK IN JANUARY.

AND SO WE'VE SIMPLY EXECUTED THAT.

WHEN YOU'RE ALL DONE WITH THAT, YOU'RE NOT LEFT WITH VERY MUCH IN THE POLICY.

YOU'VE REALLY GOT TWO MAJOR COMPONENTS.

ONE MAJOR COMPONENT WAS THAT WHOLE CREDITS FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT, WHICH IS THE CODE LANGUAGE, AND THE OTHER ONE WAS UNDER PLEDGE PLACEMENT OF FIRST GRADE

[02:45:07]

SO WHICH OF COURSE SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN.

SO WE ADDED A LITTLE BLIP TO THAT IN THE POLICY JUST TO SPEAK TO IT.

AND THEN THE REGULATION, BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING LEFT OTHER THAN UNDERAGE PLACEMENT OF FIRST GRADERS.

WE RENAMED THE REGULATION TO UNDERAGE FIRST GRADE PLACEMENT.

SO IT MAKES MORE SENSE ABOUT WHAT THAT IS.

SO THERE'S NO NECESSARILY VSBA MODEL REGULATIONS FOR THIS ONE.

SO THAT'S WHY THAT WAS RENAMED SO SUBSTANTIAL REWRITE ON THAT ONE.

UM, NEXT ONE MAJOR TOPIC HERE, LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER.

SO DID A LOT OF WORK ON THIS ONE.

AND I'M REALLY ACTUALLY VERY HAPPY WITH ALL THIS BECAUSE IT REALLY NEEDED AN OVERHAUL.

WE DID A FIVE YEAR REVIEW BOARD STATEMENT ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF THE LIBRARY MEDIA CENTERS AND REALLY ADAPTED ADDED A SECTION AROUND CULTURALLY EXCLUSIVE CONTENT. BUT PROBABLY THE BIGGEST CHANGE HERE WAS AN ACTUAL PROCESS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CIRCULATION AND HOW WE MAINTAIN OUR COLLECTIONS OVER TIME AND WHAT THAT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE. THERE'S REALLY NO NO GOVERNANCE OVER THAT.

SO ESTABLISHING STANDARDS ABOUT HOW THE LIBRARIANS GO ABOUT THAT, WHICH MADE ME SEEM LIKE A LITTLE THING, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY A PRETTY BIG THING FOR THE DAILY MAINTENANCE OF THOSE THINGS. SO WE DID THAT AND CLARIFIED AROUND FEES AND FINES.

THAT'S SORT OF AN EQUITY ISSUE. WE WANT TO BE SURE THE SCHOOLS HAVE CONSISTENT PRACTICES AROUND THOSE THINGS AND SO WE SORT OF TAKING AWAY SOME OF THE SORT OF MAKING STANDARD DECISIONS AROUND THAT.

AND WE ADDED BREADCRUMBS TO THE RECONSIDERATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS TO ANOTHER POLICY WHICH I'M GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT NEXT, WHICH IS THE PUBLIC COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE CURRICULUM OR INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES.

IF YOU RECALL, WAY BACK IN DECEMBER WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIALS, WE SET UP THAT CONCEPT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF MATERIALS.

WE TALKED ABOUT TEXTBOOKS, WE TALKED ABOUT SUPPORTING MATERIALS OR SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS.

TEXTBOOKS ARE ADOPTED BY THE BOARD.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS ARE THINGS THAT ARE ADOPTED BY THE CENTRAL OFFICES OR PERHAPS BY A TEACHER.

AND THEN THE THIRD THING WE TALKED ABOUT WAS LIBRARY MATERIALS, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THOSE IDEAS.

WHAT WE HAVE DONE HERE IS REALLY LOCKED IN THOSE DEFINITIONS IN THE POLICY ITSELF.

SO THIS TALKS ABOUT THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THOSE THINGS AND CREATES A PROCEDURE AND A PROCESS FOR THE RECONSIDERATION OF THOSE.

BUT IT ALSO DEFINES WHAT EACH OF THOSE THINGS ARE, SO REALLY CLEARLY DEFINES THE SCOPE OF WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

AND PROBABLY THE KEY TO THIS ONE HERE REALLY IS THE STATEMENT THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO REMOVE THE RESOURCE DURING THE RECONSIDERATION.

JUST BE PEOPLE ARE CRYSTAL CLEAR JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY ASKED IT TO BE REMOVED.

WE DON'T REMOVE IT. WE'LL MAKE A DECISION.

AND THEN WE CREATED A FOUR LEVEL PROCESS FOR DOING THIS.

AND THIS IS TO PROTECT THE BOARD, RIGHT? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, IF SOMEBODY WANTS SOMETHING, THEY CAN JUST WRITE THE BOARD AND THERE'S NOTHING IN THEM TO PREVENT PREVENT THEM FROM DOING THAT.

WE'VE CREATED A FOUR LEVEL PROCESS.

THEY HAVE TO GO TO THE PRINCIPAL FIRST.

IF THE PRINCIPAL GIVES THEM AN ANSWER AND THEY DON'T LIKE IT, YOU CONVENE A SCHOOL COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT IT.

THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE HAS AN ANSWER.

THEY DON'T LIKE IT.

CENTRAL OFFICE COMMITTEE.

THEY HAVE TO GIVE YOU AN ANSWER.

THEY DON'T LIKE IT.

THEN IT GOES TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.

SO A PROTECTION OF THE SCHOOL BOARD THERE AND REALLY SOME SCHOOL SYSTEMS. YOU'VE SEEN SITUATIONS WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING STRAIGHT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD WITH THIS AND IT'S JUST VERY OVERWHELMING.

SO WE WANTED TO DO THAT. WE ALSO PUT LIMITS ON WHO CAN DO THIS TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE A CONSIDERED, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR LOCAL FOLKS.

SO THAT'S PARENTS, OBVIOUSLY STAFF MEMBERS AND THEN RESIDENTS OF ALEXANDRIA, WHICH MEANS SOMEBODY'S LIVING, YOU KNOW, IN MILWAUKEE COULDN'T COME AND PROTEST A BOOK IN YOUR LIBRARY BECAUSE THEY DON'T THEY'RE NOT HAVE A LOCAL GENUINE INTEREST.

WE PUT A RESTRICTION AROUND THAT.

UM, SO THAT HOPEFULLY THOSE YOU DON'T BECOME KNOW SITUATIONS WHERE THAT'S OUTSIDE NATIONAL INTERESTS COME AFTER YOU GUYS RIGHT SO THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO TRY TO PREVENT.

WE'LL KEEP IT LOCAL. WE WANT TO BE HAVE VALID, VALIDLY BE ABLE TO HAVE PEOPLE CHALLENGE STUFF IF THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IT.

BUT WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT THERE ARE LOCAL PEOPLE, OUR STUDENTS, OUR PARENTS, OUR STAFF MEMBERS AND OUR CITIZENS.

UM. TORTURE.

THERE'S A LOT OF THESE THINGS. SORRY ABOUT THAT.

UH, POSSIBLE COMPUTER USE.

THIS ONE HAS TO BE UPDATED EVERY TWO YEARS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.

AND NORMALLY IT'S ON A DECEMBER CYCLE.

WE UPDATED IT TO A MAY CYCLE OR JUNE, SO IT'S READY FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

THAT MAKES SENSE. YOU DON'T WANT TO UPDATE THE RULES AROUND USING THE TECHNOLOGY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

UH, IN THIS ONE WE MADE A COUPLE OF CHANGES.

ONE SORT OF NOTING THAT INCIDENTAL PERSONAL USE OF COMPUTER SYSTEMS IS OKAY RIGHT NOW.

EVEN CHECKING YOUR PERSONAL EMAIL ON YOUR DEVICE WOULD BE PROHIBITED.

WE RATHER EXPAND THE RULES JUST A LITTLE BIT AND PUT BUMPERS AROUND IT.

[02:50:04]

THIS IS A LOT MORE THAN DEVICES.

THIS APPLIES TO ALL THE NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE, ALL THE REST OF THAT SORT OF STUFF.

UM, WE MODERNIZE LANGUAGE AROUND THE CITIZENSHIP REORGANIZATION.

UH, AT A REQUEST, I THINK, OF A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.

WE ADDED A PROHIBITION ABOUT TAKING THE DEVICES OVERSEAS IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS, RIGHT? CERTAIN COUNTRIES, THERE IS A RISK.

AND SO WE LOOKED AT WHAT THE US DEPARTMENT OF STATE PUBLISHES RISK LEVELS FOR EVERY SINGLE COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.

UH, YOU KNOW, ONE BEING THE LOWEST RISK AND FOUR BEING THE HIGHEST RISK.

AND WE'RE SAYING ESSENTIALLY YOU CAN'T TAKE IT TO A THREE OR A FOUR, RIGHT? AND THAT'S BECAUSE THERE'S A RISK OF THEFT, RISK OF CYBER BREACHES.

HACKING INTO THIS NETWORK MAY NOT BE VERY SECURE.

YOU'RE TAKING IT OVER THERE.

YOU'RE READING AN EMAIL THAT BACKDOORS INTO THE MAIL SYSTEMS OR WHATEVER THOSE THINGS ARE.

SO THAT'S PROTECT YOUR DATA ON THOSE THREES AND FOURS ON THOSE ADVISORIES.

AND THE NEXT ONE, WHICH IS PART OF OUR MOST RECENT CODE UPDATE, IS THAT YOU CANNOT ACCESS TIKTOK FROM OUR DEVICES OR OUR NETWORK.

AND AND ACTUALLY THE CODE TALKS ABOUT THE COMPANY THAT'S BEHIND TIKTOK.

BUT I PUT TIKTOK HERE IN THIS PRESENTATION BECAUSE NOBODY KNOWS THE COMPANY.

BUT WHEN I SAY TIKTOK IS PROHIBITED ON OUR DEVICES OR ACCESSING IT THROUGH OUR NETWORK UNDER THE CODE OF VIRGINIA.

SO ALL OF YOU NEED TO TAKE OFF ALL YOUR OFF YOUR COMPUTERS RIGHT THERE.

UM, SO THAT'S THAT CHANGE THERE.

AND NOW WE'RE GETTING TO ONES THAT ACTUALLY PEOPLE HAVE SOME SOME INTEREST.

THERE'S SOME PERSONAL INTEREST COMING IN THESE LAST COUPLE OF ONES.

THIS NEXT ONE IS THE STUDENT USE OF PERSONAL MOBILE DEVICES.

SO THIS IS THE STUDENT CELL PHONE REGULATION THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AN AWFUL LOT.

UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF DETAILS IN IT IN IT, A LOT OF WORK WENT INTO THIS.

A LOT OF THOUGHTS WENT INTO THIS.

I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER ALL THE DETAILS HERE.

YOU'VE ALL SEEN THE YOU'VE SEEN THE REGULATION.

BUT I'M GOING TO SORT OF HIGHLIGHT THE ELEMENTS OF IT.

UH, ESSENTIALLY THE FIRST AND FOREMOST, THIS IS FOR SAFETY, RIGHT? WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF EVERYBODY.

UM, AND SOMETIMES THE CELL PHONES CAN BE USED FOR NEFARIOUS PURPOSES.

UM, NUMBER ONE, THE TEACHER HAS DECISIONS.

WHEN THE TEACHER IS IN CHARGE, THE TEACHERS GET TO CONTROL THEIR CLASSROOMS NO MATTER WHAT THE SITUATION IS, BE IT A FIELD TRIP, IF THEY'RE INSTRUCTING, THE TEACHER GETS TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. THAT'S REGARDLESS OF ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL.

THE NEXT LEVEL UP GENERALLY IN HIGH SCHOOL FOR MOST OF THE STUDENTS IS NOT GOING TO BE A CHANGE HERE.

IT'S OKAY FOR THEM TO USE IT IN THE HALLWAYS AT LUNCH, THAT SORT OF STUFF.

NOT OKAY TO USE IN THE BATHROOMS OR LOCKER ROOMS. AND THAT'S BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE A REASONABLE RIGHT TO EXPECT EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY IN THOSE AREAS.

WE DON'T WANT THOSE PHONES THAT ARE TAKING PHOTOS OR THAT SORT OF THING.

SO FOR MOST HIGH SCHOOL KIDS, PROBABLY NOT MUCH OF A CHANGE TO THEIR GENERAL LIVES.

UM, MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS ESSENTIALLY IS PUT AWAY FROM THE FIRST BELL TO THE LAST BELL, RIGHT? SO IT'S OKAY BEFORE THE FIRST BELL WALKING IN THE BUILDING, FIRST BELL, THE LAST BELL, A LITTLE MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN HIGH SCHOOL, BUT THEY'RE HAVE A HARDER TIME MAKING TRANSITIONS, RIGHT? TELLING A MIDDLE SCHOOLER TO PUT IT AWAY.

TAKE IT OUT. YEAH, THEY STRUGGLE WITH THAT A LITTLE BIT.

SO THIS IS MUCH SIMPLER.

CLEANER. AGAIN, TEACHER MAKES A DECISION FOR THEIR CLASSROOMS, RIGHT? TEACHER WANTS TO DO SOMETHING IN THEIR CLASSROOM.

THEY'RE WELCOME TO DO THAT.

BUT IN GENERAL, IT'S A WAY BETWEEN THE BELLS ELEMENTARY STUDENTS ONE NEXT STEP FURTHER AWAY FROM THE TIME YOU WALK INTO THE BUILDING UNTIL THE TIME YOU WALK OUT OF THE BUILDING, RIGHT? SO NO, BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL SORT OF A SITUATION WHEN YOU ARE INSIDE THE BUILDING.

SO SLIGHTLY MORE RESTRICTIVE.

FOR THE MOST PART, THIS APPLIES TO ESSENTIALLY PRACTICES PEOPLE ALREADY HAVING THIS WAS VETTED BY THE PRINCIPALS, BY THE SYSTEM PRINCIPALS VERY, VERY WIDELY.

LOTS OF LISTENING AROUND THAT WENT INTO ALL OF THIS.

WE WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THIS APPLIES TO ALL CONNECTED DEVICES.

THAT'S WHY IT'S NOT CALLED A CELL PHONE POLICY, BECAUSE THAT'S ANYTHING THAT HAS CONNECTIVITY.

SO THAT'S A CELL PHONE. THAT'S A TABLET.

THAT'S A SMARTWATCH, RIGHT.

SO A SMARTWATCH THAT IS ACTUALLY DIRECTLY CONNECTED.

SOME ARE, SOME ARE NOT.

THE IDEA IS THAT CONNECTIVITY MORE SO THAN WHAT THE ACTUAL HARDWARE IS CONSIDERED? WE PUT A SPECIFIC EXCEPTION IN FOR MEDICAL USE.

FOR EXAMPLE, A STUDENT WHO IS HARD OF HEARING MIGHT USE THEIR CELL PHONE TO CONTROL THEIR HEARING AIDS.

OR IF THE STUDENT IS DIABETIC, THEY MIGHT BE USING A CELL PHONE TO MONITOR THEIR GLUCOSE LEVELS.

RIGHT. SO IN THOSE SITUATIONS.

THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS FOR THAT, AND THAT'S WRITTEN INTO THE INTO THE REGULATION ITSELF.

WE WOULD OBVIOUSLY KNOW WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE AND WHAT THOSE SITUATIONS ARE.

SO WE THINK WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S PRETTY REASONABLE, PROTECTS EVERYBODY AND ACCOMMODATES THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE THERE MIGHT BE A MEDICAL NEED FOR IT.

UM, AND THE LAST ONE IS THE, I THINK THIS LAST ONE IS THE SCHOOL CALENDAR REGULATIONS.

WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT A WORK SESSION IN EXQUISITE DETAIL.

I'M NOT GOING TO BORE YOU WITH ALL THE DETAILS BECAUSE ALL THOSE SLIDES I WENT THROUGH IN THE PRESENTATION ARE WHAT IS IN THE REGULATION.

THERE WAS NO. THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH IT.

[02:55:01]

THIS REPRESENTS A LOT OF WORK FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT SCHOOL DIVISIONS AND SURROUNDING NORTHERN VIRGINIA, ARLINGTON, ALEXANDRIA, FAIRFAX, LOUDOUN FALLS CHURCH WERE THE PRIMARY PLAYERS, WERE STILL A CATHOLIC DIOCESE IS GOING TO BE COMING INTO OUR GROUP HERE WITH OUR NEXT MEETING IN NEXT MONTH.

SO TRYING TO BRING ALL OF THESE GROUPS TOGETHER, REACHING ACROSS THE RIVER TO PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, REACHING ACROSS TO MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TRYING TO MAKE THIS AS COMPREHENSIVE AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

UM, AND REALLY, IT DOES A COUPLE OF THINGS.

IT SURROUNDS WITH SORT OF STANDARD PRACTICES, THINGS PEOPLE ARE DOING ANYWAY, BUT SORT OF LOCKS IN THOSE STANDARD PRACTICES AS THEY'RE COMMON ACROSS THE DIVISIONS.

THAT'S AN IDEA DOESN'T MAKE MUCH OF A CHANGE.

WHEN PEOPLE ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE CALENDAR, IT'S NOT GOING TO LOOK OR FEEL ANY DIFFERENT THAN IT DOES NOW, RIGHT? IT'S JUST GOING TO BE MORE CONSISTENT YEAR AFTER YEAR.

THAT'S THE BIG THING.

UM, AND SO IT PROVIDES SOME GOVERNANCE OVER HOW THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE RUNS.

WE TALKED ABOUT THOSE LAST TIME AND REALLY SORT OF EVERYTHING BREAKS INTO SORT OF THESE TWO BIG CATEGORIES.

SO STANDARD PRACTICES ARE THINGS LIKE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, WHICH IS GOING TO BE TWO WEEKS BEFORE LABOR DAY OR THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL, WHICH IS BEFORE JUNETEENTH, NOT WHAT DAY IT IS, BUT IT'LL BE BEFORE JUNETEENTH.

NOBODY WANTS TO END AFTER JUNETEENTH, RIGHT? IT'S THAT SORT OF STUFF.

THESE ARE THE HOLIDAYS WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING TWO WEEKS AT WINTER BREAK, ONE WEEK OF SPRING BREAK, THE SPECIFIC DAYS OF THANKSGIVING, CERTAIN VETERANS DAY, ETCETERA, ETCETERA, ETCETERA. LISTING ALL THOSE HOLIDAYS AND THE CONCEPT OF A CULTURAL OBSERVANCE DAY.

SO THOSE ARE THE ONES WHERE YOU WOULD GO TO SCHOOL, BUT YOU MAY YOU MAY NOT HAVE A TRYOUT IF THERE'S NO OPPORTUNITY FOR TRYOUT.

UM, ON ANOTHER DAY.

WE WANT KIDS WHO MIGHT HAVE A CULTURAL OBSERVANCE AFTER SCHOOL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WE DON'T WANT THEM TO MISS OFF ON THESE ONE OPPORTUNITIES OR HIGH STAKES TESTS THAT SORT OF AN IDEA.

UM, EVEN EVEN SPORTS ACTIVITIES OTHER THAN VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE SPORTS ACTIVITIES, WHICH OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T NECESSARILY CONTROL.

THAT MEANS THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE IS MUCH MORE FOCUSED ON.

THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLOW OF THE YEAR.

RIGHT. SO THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AND OPERATE UNDER THE PARAMETERS OF ALL THESE STANDARD PRACTICES AND SAY, OKAY, WHAT AM I LEFT WITH? AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE PLACING THINGS LIKE WHERE OF THE GRADE PREP DAYS GO, WHERE DO THE MARKING PERIODS END, WHAT THEY SHOULD CONFERENCES BE, WHERE'S THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DAYS SO THAT YOU MAKE A CALENDAR THAT'S ALIGNED WITH INSTRUCTIONAL BEST PRACTICES WITHIN SORT OF THE BUMPERS OF THE HOLIDAYS THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE, RIGHT? SO YOU CAN'T REALLY CHANGE THE ELECTION DAYS ON A TUESDAY.

OKAY. SO YOU DON'T HAVE ISOLATED INSTRUCTIONAL DAY.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING DO WITH MONDAY? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? THEY'RE GOING TO GET A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DAY, MAKE IT INTO THE MARKING PERIOD.

WE'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT THAT. SO THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE'S ROLE CHANGES A LITTLE BIT TO SORT OF THINK ABOUT IT MORE INSTRUCTIONALLY AND THE FLOW OF THE THE FLOW OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND INSTRUCTION RATHER THAN WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO GO ON A CERTAIN HOLIDAY.

SO WE THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY APPROPRIATE THERE TO CHANGE THAT FOCUS.

AND THAT'S IT.

THAT'S THAT'S YOUR 19 FOR TODAY.

AND HERE'S YOUR FINAL SCORECARD.

WE CAME VERY CLOSE TO VERY CLOSE.

SO CLOSE WAS SO CLOSE.

I'VE LOOKED AT 249 OF THEM.

EQUITY TEAMS LOOK AT 139 POLICY TEAMS HAVE DONE, 97 LEADERSHIPS HAVE DONE 83.

SO WE'VE GOT A LITTLE QUEUE UP THERE FOR LEADERSHIP.

I'VE GIVEN THE LEADERSHIP TEAM A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK HERE.

SUBCOMMITTEES LOOKED AT 93.

THE REASON THAT'S HIGHER IS BECAUSE THE SUBCOMMITTEES ACTUALLY TEAM REVIEW TEAM FOR CERTAIN POLICIES.

I'VE PRESENTED 81 FOR INFORMATION WITH THESE 19 TONIGHT AND YOU HAVE ADOPTED 62 ALREADY HAVE 132 ON THE SCHEDULE FOR NEXT YEAR.

MOST OF THIS ARE ACTUALLY ALREADY STARTED.

ALL RIGHT. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE IN GOOD SHAPE NEXT YEAR, HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING IN THE FIRST DAY.

SO THE FIRST BOARD MEETINGS OF THE SCHOOL YEAR THIS YEAR, WE DIDN'T START TILL OCTOBER.

UNTIL DECEMBER, RIGHT WHEN WE START THE FIRST DAY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

THIS UPCOMING YEAR, CODE CHANGES, REQUESTED CHANGES, THAT SORT OF STUFF HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND NEXT YEAR SHOULD BE SMOOTH SAILING, I'M HOPING.

I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. SMITH? DR. SIMPSON. UM, MR. SMITH, I JUST WANTED TO FIRST OFF, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND YOUR CONTINUED WORK ON THIS.

I ALSO WANTED TO EXTEND AN EXTRA THANK YOU TO YOUR WORK ON THE CALENDAR, UM, REGULATION AND YOUR LEADERSHIP ACROSS ALL DIVISIONS FOR SORT OF BRINGING THAT TOGETHER.

IT WAS NOT A SMALL TASK AND YOU WORKED VERY DILIGENTLY ON IT.

SO I REALLY JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS APPRECIATION, APPRECIATION.

I ALSO WANTED TO SEE IF WE COULD MAKE ONE SMALL ADDITION, WHICH YOU AND I HAVE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT BUT WANTED TO JUST SAY IN FRONT OF EVERYONE, UM, ON THE THIRD PAGE WHERE IT SAYS THE FOLLOWING DAYS SHOULD BE NON-SCHOOL DAYS FOR STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING SLASH TEACHER WORKDAYS FOR STAFF.

WE HAVE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY, ELECTION DAY AND I THINK WE NEED TO ADD PRIMARY ELECTION DAY.

UM, TYPICALLY FOR OUR LOCAL ELECTIONS, THIS OCCURS LATER IN JUNE ANYWAY, SO THAT DOESN'T IMPACT US ON A DAILY, ON A YEARLY BASIS.

EXCUSE ME, BUT EVERY FOUR YEARS WHEN WE HAVE THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S JUST ON THE LIST OF THINGS THAT THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE IS REVIEWING.

[03:00:01]

YEAH, SO OUR LOCAL PRIMARIES OCCUR AFTER THE SCHOOL YEAR IS OVER, SO THOSE WILL NOT BE IMPACTED? I THINK THAT'S CORRECT. BUT THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY AND BECAUSE IT ONLY HAPPENS EVERY FOUR YEARS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE MIGHT NOT BE MIGHT NOT BE FRONT OF MINE FOR THEM.

YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT ADDITION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THAT.

BUT THAT WE WILL ABSOLUTELY ADD THAT PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE STUCK IN THAT SORT OF ISSUE FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR.

AND WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO FORGET FOUR YEARS FROM NOW.

RIGHT. SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT. OUR FUTURE SELVES.

THANK YOU. YES, OUR FUTURE SELVES.

THANK YOU. DR.

RIEF, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON ALL OF THESE POLICIES.

MR. SMITH, I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF WORK AND WE'RE REALLY MAKING A LOT OF PROGRESS IN UPDATING OUR POLICIES.

AND SOME OF THESE ARE REALLY, REALLY BIG ONES AND IMPORTANT ONES.

MY QUESTION IS, I'M NOT SURE IF IT WOULD BE FOR YOU OR DR.

WYATT, AND THIS MIGHT JUST BE A COMMENT, ACTUALLY.

BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT LIKE HOW SOME OF THESE CHANGES I'M ASSUMING THESE ARE COMING BACK NEXT WEEK FOR US TO VOTE ON.

YES. SO I'M THINKING LIKE HOW SOME OF THESE ARE GOING TO BE COMMUNICATED TO, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DIVISION.

AND ONE ONE THAT PARTICULARLY STOOD OUT TO ME WAS THE ONE ON RESPONSIBLE COMPUTER USE.

I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, CYBERSECURITY IS LIKE A HUGE TOPIC RIGHT NOW.

AND THIS IDEA THAT THAT'S BEING WRITTEN INTO THE POLICY THAT WE'RE ASKING FOLKS NOT TO TAKE THEIR COMPUTERS, THEIR THEIR ISSUED DEVICES TO COUNTRIES WITH TRAVEL ADVISORIES, LIKE IF WE ADOPT THAT AT OUR NEXT MEETING, I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE CAN KIND OF PUT PUBLICITY OUT BEFORE PEOPLE'S SUMMER TRAVEL, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S JUST A HUGE CONCERN.

AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WORD GETS OUT TO FOLKS.

YES, WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOME COMMUNICATIONS AROUND THAT.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ACTUALLY WORK WITH TECHNOLOGY TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THEY CAN DO TO HELP MITIGATE THAT.

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE TO PUT SOME PARENTSQUARE MESSAGES OUT.

AND TO THAT POINT, ALSO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CELL PHONE POLICY.

I THINK THAT'S THAT'S THE PROBABLY THE BIGGER ONE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COMMUNICATE OUT, NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THROUGH PARENTS AND STUDENTS, BUT JUST THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS AS NEW STUDENTS ARE COMING IN, THAT IF WE'RE DOING ALL THIS PUSH NOW, WHAT IS THAT GOING TO LOOK LIKE FOR MAYBE A NEW FAMILY COMING IN? BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IT'S BEEN A PRACTICE AND AN UNDERSTANDING THAT CELL PHONES HAVE BEEN A PART OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

SO WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO HAVE TO WORK TO GET THAT MESSAGE OUT.

YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THAT THAT IS THE OTHER BIG POLICY I WAS THINKING ABOUT.

I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE IT.

I'M HAPPY TO SEE HOW THERE'S THE SORT OF DIFFERENT LEVELS FOR ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS DIVISION WIDE STANDARD POLICY AND THAT WE'RE APPROVING IT NOW SO THAT IT CAN REALLY GO INTO EFFECT AND BE WELL PUBLICIZED BEFORE THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. SMITH? ALL RIGHT.

WELL, MR. SMITH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

EXCELLENT WORK, AS ALWAYS.

WE'LL HIT THAT MARK NEXT YEAR.

I KNOW WE WILL. WE MIGHT EVEN SET A HIGHER GOAL.

WHO KNOWS? YOU NEVER KNOW.

AND THAT'S A WRAP FOR THIS YEAR.

WON'T BE PRESENTING ANY POLICIES NEXT.

NEXT TIME. BECAUSE THAT'S IT.

NEXT MONTH WE'LL COME BACK IN THE FALL.

SO WE HAVE TRANSPARENCY IN ALL OF OUR ADOPTIONS.

EXCELLENT. AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE INVOLVED, INCLUDING OUR SCHOOL BOARD SUBCOMMITTEE AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION.

ALL RIGHT. AND LOOKING AT LOTS OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THIS, YOU CAN SEE THE LINK TO THE SPREADSHEET ON THIS.

EVERYBODY INVOLVED? YEP.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.

MOVING RIGHT ALONG.

[33. Report from Meagan L. Alderton]

WE ARE ALL LOOKING VERY LOOKING FORWARD TO GRADUATION ON SATURDAY TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE OUR CLASS OF 2023 TITANS.

SO THAT'S SATURDAY, JUNE 3RD.

BRIGHT AND EARLY AT EAGLEBANK ARENA, 8 A.M., GUYS.

8 A.M.. ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER SCHOOL BOARD MEETING ON JUNE 15TH, AND WE'LL BE SHOWCASING OUR STUDENT ARTS THAT WILL DISPLAY ON THAT WILL BE DISPLAYED ON OUR WALLS FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

AND THEN THERE'S A SPECIAL CALLED SCHOOL BOARD MEETING ON JUNE 22ND AND THEN JOINT SCHOOL BOARD, CITY COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING ON JUNE 26TH.

AND WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO DR.

[34. Report from Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt]

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I DO STILL HAVE A FEW ANNOUNCEMENTS AT THIS LATE HOUR.

WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT ANIKA BUSTER SINGLETON HAS BEEN PROMOTED TO THE ROLE OF PRINCIPAL AT FRANCIS HAMMOND MIDDLE SCHOOL.

SHE HAS BEEN SERVING AS THE MIDDLE SCHOOL'S ACTING PRINCIPAL THIS ACADEMIC YEAR AND HAS PROVEN TO BE A STRONG COLLABORATIVE LEADER, CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH STUDENTS AND STAFF CAN THRIVE.

AND MS.. BUSTER SINGLETON IS DELIGHTED TO BE HAMMOND'S PRINCIPAL, HAVING BEEN A STUDENT THERE JUST A FEW YEARS BACK OR SO.

I WON'T SAY HOW MANY YEARS I KNOW NOW WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT A PLEASURE IT WAS TO TAKE PART IN THE SCHOLARSHIP FUND OF ALEXANDRIA'S ANNUAL

[03:05:06]

AMONG THIS YEAR'S 208 SCHOLARSHIPS, 17 WERE AWARDED FOR FIRST TIME RECIPIENTS, AND IT WAS JUST WONDERFUL TO TAKE PART IN THE CELEBRATION THAT INTRODUCED THE SCHOLARSHIPS, THEIR DONORS AND ALL OF THEIR POST-SECONDARY PLANS AND CAREERS.

SO JUST TO REALLY HEAR WHERE STUDENTS WERE HEADED WAS VERY EXCITING.

IF YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PARTICIPANT OR JUST AN OBSERVER.

THIS EXPERIENCE, OF COURSE, UNDERSCORES JUST HOW IMPORTANT THE PARTNERSHIP IS BETWEEN ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE SCHOLARSHIP FUND OF ALEXANDRIA AS IT SERVES STUDENTS WITH THE GOAL OF REMOVING BARRIERS TO GET TO COLLEGE AND TO GET THROUGH COLLEGE.

AS FOR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AND THEY'RE RENEWABLE.

SO THAT'S THAT'S A GREAT THING TO SHARE AND TO HAVE FOR OUR STUDENTS.

AMONG OUR STUDENT RECOGNITIONS.

ALSO THIS EVENING WAS ALLISON CASTILLO, WHO WAS A NINTH GRADE STUDENT AT ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL'S MINNIE HOWARD CAMPUS, HAS BEEN SELECTED AS THE 2023 ABBOTT SUMMER INSTITUTE STUDENT SPEAKER THIS JUNE AT THE ABBOTT SUMMER INSTITUTE IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA, ALLISON WILL SHARE HER INSPIRING STORY WITH THOUSANDS OF EDUCATORS WHO HAVE DEDICATED THEIR LIVES TO CLOSING THE OPPORTUNITY GAP AND ENSURING STUDENTS ARE PREPARED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL TO ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS. SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT HONOR.

ALSO, CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR HHS GERMAN PROGRAM STUDENTS WHO TOOK PART IN THE ANNUAL AWARD CEREMONY.

15 STUDENTS WERE INDUCTED INTO THE GERMAN HONOR SOCIETY AND 15 WERE AWARDED SENIOR HONOR CORDS.

WHAT AN HONOR. CONGRATULATIONS.

OF THOSE MORE THAN 70 HHS STUDENTS WHO TOOK THE NATIONAL GERMAN EXAM, OUR STUDENTS EARNED 15 MEDALS AND 18 CERTIFICATES OF ACHIEVEMENT.

TWO STUDENTS, HHS JUNIORS AND ESTHER BAER AND JACK RYDER, WERE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR PRESTIGIOUS VIRGINIA GOVERNOR'S ACADEMY FOR GERMAN THIS SUMMER AT WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY.

IT'S A FULL IMMERSION PROGRAM.

STUDENTS MAY NOT SPEAK ANYTHING BUT GERMAN THE ENTIRE TIME, SO GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.

WHAT AN HONOR.

ALSO, CONGRATULATIONS AS WELL TO GRADUATING SENIOR RUTGER WINTERS BEING AWARDED THE FELLOWSHIP FROM THE CONGRESS OF BUDDHIST SAYING I HOPE I'M PRONOUNCING THAT CORRECTLY.

YOUTH EXCHANGE THIS LATE HOUR.

FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, THE OPPORTUNITY PROVIDES SELECTED YOUTH FOR PROFESSIONALS FROM THE UNITED STATES AND GERMANY TO SPEND ONE YEAR IN EACH OTHER'S COUNTRY. FIRST PLACE HONORS WERE EARNED BY GEORGE MASON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

THIS IS AN HONOR HERE. THEIR FIFTH GRADE MODERN BAND AT SIX FLAGS MUSIC PARK.

IN THE COMPETITION THERE, THE STUDENTS ALSO RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF DECOR AWARD FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL CAMARADERIE, RESPECT, DISPOSITION, KINDNESS AND CARE THAT THEY DISPLAYED. AND STUDENT TANISHA ISKANDER WAS RECOGNIZED AS OUTSTANDING SOLOIST.

SO CONGRATULATIONS TO GEORGE MASON STUDENTS AND THE BAND TEACHER HEATHER ROSNER FOR MAKING THE SCHOOL DIVISION PROUD.

AND IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TO HER CLASSROOM, YOU ARE MISSING OUT.

SO CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE THIS EVENING.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, DR.

WYATT. ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS?

[35. Announcements]

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

PLEASE MOVE THAT. WE ADJOURN.

SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MS..

BOOS, SECONDED BY DR.

RIEF THAT WE ADJOURN AND WE WILL TAKE A VOTE ON SB.

NO. YOU HAVE TO BE WORKING NOW.

YEAH. THANK YOU, EVERYONE.

MEETING ADJOURNED AT 11:36 P.M..

THE START OF THE NIGHT.

SO IT DOES.

YES. YEAH.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.