[00:00:02]
THIS IS THE VIRTUAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING FOR JUNE 12TH, 2020.[Call to Order]
I'M CALLING THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 12:02.GOING TO DO ROLL CALL, SO PLEASE SAY PRESENT WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME.
>> RAMI GENTRY WILL JOIN US SOON.
[Item 2]
WE'RE STARTING WITH EIGHT AND ONE ABSENT.THE NEXT THING ON OUR AGENDA IS MOMENT OF SILENCE.
SO WE WILL START THAT NOW, THANK YOU.
MAY I NOW HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
>> MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE WE ADOPT THE AGENDA FOR JUNE 12TH, 2020.
[Item 3]
SECOND MS. GREEN'S MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
SO IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE AT THIS POINT, DOES ANYBODY HAVE AN AMENDMENT?
>> MADAM CHAIR, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE MY HAND RAISED.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO ADD TO THE AGENDA ITEM A RESOLUTION CONDEMNING SYSTEMIC RACISM AND AFFIRMING A COMMITMENT TO EDUCATIONAL EQUITY, ALL STUDENTS, FAMILY AND STAFF.
>> I THINK I HEARD MS. SUAREZ SECOND.
NOW I'M GOING TO CALL A ROLL CALL VOTE FOR THE AMENDMENT TO THE AGENDA.
NOW WE NEED TO VOTE ON, TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.
SO PLEASE INDICATE WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, CINDY ANDERSON, YES.
NEXT UP, WE HAVE OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND ADDRESSES TO THE BOARD.
[Items 4 - 8]
AND THIS WEEK WE HAVE SOME CELEBRATING THAT WE USUALLY DO IN A NICE RECEPTION AND THE BOARD ROOM AND UPSTAIRS WITH FOOD.BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT.
BUT WE STILL WANTED TO CELEBRATE PEOPLE.
I'M GOING TO NOW TURN IT OVER TO DR. HUTCHINGS.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF GUESTS WITH US TODAY.
WE'RE EXCITED ALWAYS DURING THIS TIME TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE SOME OF OUR WONDERFUL STAFF MEMBERS.
I KNOW WE WERE GOING TO SHOW ALL OF OUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR RECIPIENTS AS WELL AS SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR RECIPIENTS.
I BELIEVE WE WERE GOING TO SHOW THEIR NAMES.
I KNOW TODAY WE HAVE THE ACTUAL FINALISTS OR WINNERS OF THE YEAR ON THE CALL WITH MANY OF OF THEIR COLLEAGUES.
BUT CAN WE FIRST SHOW THE NAMES OF ALL OF OUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IN ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR THE 2020/2021
[00:05:04]
ACADEMIC YEAR.THIS IS GOOD WAIT TIME EVERYBODY.
IN THE CLASSROOM, THIS IS WHAT WE DO.
SO THIS RIGHT HERE IS JUST ALL OF OUR 2020 NOMINEES FOR OUR SUPPORT STAFF MEMBERS, YOU CAN LOOK THROUGH AND SEE, WE CAN GIVE OUR ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
I KNOW IT'S A ZOOM ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
BUT WE WANTED THEIR NAMES TO BE SEEN, WHICH I THINK IS SO IMPORTANT.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR LIST OF TEACHER OF THE YEAR CANDIDATES AS WELL.
THESE ARE ALL OF OUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES, WHICH WE HAVE CELEBRATED FOR YOU KNOW OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS.
WE ARE SO PROUD OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS.
I MEAN, RIGHT NOW REALLY HATS OFF TO ALL OF OUR STAFF IN ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE DURING THIS COVID 19 PANDEMIC.
BUT IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OF WHAT I CALL HEROS IN ALEXANDRIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO THEM.
AS WE TRANSITION INTO OUR ACTUAL ACPS TEACHER OF THE YEAR AND ACPS SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR AND THEN FINALLY WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR ACPS PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR.
SO LET'S START OFF WITH OUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR AND I'M GOING TO TURN THINGS OVER TO OUR CORE KELLY PRINCIPAL MS. CREWS TO INTRODUCE OUR 2020 TEACHER OF THE YEAR AND SAY SOME REMARKS ABOUT OUR WONDERFUL TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
>> FIRST OF ALL, IT'S NICE TO SEE EVERYBODY.
I AM EXTREMELY PROUD PRINCIPAL OF OUR WONDERFUL ASHLEY SANDAVOL WHO IS TEACHER OF THE YEAR FOR ACPS.
SHE IS NOT ONLY A PHENOMENAL PE TEACHER, SHE HAS BEEN HERE AT KELLY SINCE 2015, SHE STARTED HER TEACHING CAREER HERE.
SHE DOES ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WE CALL HER MS. SANDO FOR SHORT.
SHE HAS A VIRTUAL FIELD DAY GOING OUT.
VIRTUAL TALENT SHOW THAT SHE NORMALLY ORGANIZES FOR THE END OF THE YEAR HAPPENING
[00:10:21]
STILL.SHE DOES EVERYTHING, HELPING HER COLLEAGUES.
SHE HAS RELATIONSHIPS WITH STUDENTS.
MODIFIES HER LESSONS FOR OUR STUDENTS WITH NEEDS.
AND SHE IS GOING INTO THINKING ABOUT GOING INTO ADMINISTRATION DOWN THE LINE.
AND I AM EXTREMELY HERE TO SUPPORT HER AND SUPPORT HER.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU, ASHLEY FOR ALL YOU DO.
IF I FORGOT SOMETHING, I'M SORRY.
I LOVE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AT ACPS.
GIVE HER A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD SOME WORDS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE KIND WORDS.
I DID WANT TO THANK MY ADMIN TEAM AT CORA KELLY SPECIFICALLY FOR ALWAYS VALIDATING MY THOUGHTS AND ENCOURAGING ME TO CONTINUE TO THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, WHICH I THINK IS IMPORTANT AS A TEACHER.
I WANT TO THANK MY CO WORKERS, AS SHE SAID I AM ALL OVER THE SCHOOL, I APPRECIATE THEM ALLOWING ME TO COME INTO THE CLASSROOM, FROM THE GYM, TO PULL STUDENTS OUT FOR SAFETY PATROL, TALK TO STUDENT, HELP OUT IN THE CLASSROOM AT ANY TIME.
I WANTED TO THANK MR. HUMPHREYS, WHO IS THE HEAD OF HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION, GREAT SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR ME.
[00:15:05]
ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS.ALLOWING ME TO EXPLORE DIFFERENT VENUES WHEN IT COMES TO EVENTS.
AND ALWAYS BEING THERE FOR A PERSON TO TALK TO ABOUT THE PE WORLD.
I WANTED TO THANK MY MOM AND DAD AND BOYFRIEND FOR ALWAYS LISTENING TO ME WHEN I COME HOME AND I'M THINKING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AT ONE A.M.
ABOUT A STUDENT AND WHAT HAPPENED IN CLASS AND HOW I CAN FIX IT AND IMPROVE.
AND LIKE MS. CREWS SAID, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT I AM GETTING ALL OF THIS EXPERIENCE IN ACPS BECAUSE I AM LOOKING TO MOVE FORWARD INTO LEADERSHIP AND CURRENTLY IN GRAD SCHOOL.
IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR THIS AMAZING AWARD.
>> THE EQUITY WORK THAT IS HAPPENING AT MY SCHOOL.
I ALWAYS WANTED MY SCHOOL TO BE A SCHOOL OF COMMUNITY, WHERE I HAVE A DIVERSE SCHOOL.
AND WE HAD SOME TOUGH GOING THIS YEAR, AS WE TRIED TO GET THROUGH EQUITY TALKS.
WHAT I'M PROUD OF, IN LIGHT OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED, ALL OF MY STAFF IS COMING BACK AND SAYING WE GET IT.
I'M MOST PROUD OF REALLY PUSHING SOMETIMES THROUGH THOSE THINGS THAT ARE VERY HARD AND PUSHING THROUGH AND EMPOWERING THE STAFF.
I THINK WE'RE ALL BETTER FOR IT AT POLK.
I THINK WE'LL ALL BE BETTER AS WE NOW MAKE A COMMITMENT TO TALK ABOUT RACISM.
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT FIRST.
I THANK YOU ALL FOR THE AWARD AND LOVE YOU ALL.
AND I KNOW THAT MS. MILLS, SHE WANTED TO DEFINITELY MENTION, I SAW HER HAND WAS UP.
SHE WANTED TO MENTION THAT MR. SHARP WAS A TITAN, SHE FORGOT TO MENTION THAT.
ONCE A TITAN, ALWAYS A TITAN, WE GO STRONG AND WE GO HARD.
AND ALL OF OUR RECIPIENTS THIS EVENING.
SO I'M GOING TO TURN THINGS BACK OVER TO MADAM CHAIR TO SAY SOME WORDS ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD.
I AM SO HAPPY THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE WINNERS.
BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ALL THREE OF YOU.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF VISITING MS. JOHNSON'S SCHOOL MULTIPLE TIMES.
NOT TO MENTION I DID THE GUN SAFETY TRAINING WITH YOU.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYONE FOR HAVING SUCH COMMITMENT OVER SUCH TIME.
AND ALSO EVEN IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN HERE AS LONG, I SEE THE COMMITMENT AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
SO PLEASE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO IN THE FUTURE, ALL OF
[00:20:06]
YOU, STILL, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE END OF YOUR CAREER.SO NOW THE NEXT WE HAVE, I THINK WE HAVE I SEE MR. CARRANZA.
HOPEFULLY WE HAVE MS. CHISOLM TOO.
I DON'T HAVE THAT MANY SPACES.
SO WE HAVE NOT HEARD FROM OUR STUDENT REPS IN A WHILE.
SO WE ARE GETTING CLOSE TO THE END OF THE YEAR AND IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA.
AND IT WAS SUGGESTED ACTUALLY THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO HEAR FROM THEM AGAIN.
AND WE WANT TO THANK THEM ACTUALLY, FOR SERVING IN SUCH AN UNUSUAL YEAR.
AND I AM SORRY THAT IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT REALLY WE SAW YOU ALL OF THE TIME.
BECAUSE WE REALLY ENJOYED THAT.
AND WE ENJOY YOUR PERSPECTIVE ALL OF THE TIME.
THERE WERE CRITICAL DECISIONS THAT YOU WERE THERE FOR.
SO I THINK THAT YOU DID HAVE QUITE AN EXPERIENCE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU DECIDED ONE OF YOU IS GOING FIRST OR NOT.
BUT IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HEAR FROM THE TWO OF YOU IN TERMS OF WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON.
WHATEVER YOU HAD PLANNED TO REPORT TO US TODAY.
SOMETIMES I KNOW YOU COORDINATE.
SO I DIDN'T WANT TO THROW YOU OFF.
BUT MR. CARRANZA, YOU'RE ON MY SCREEN FIRST.
SO MAYBE DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY?
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND EVERYONE ELSE AT ACPS FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART.
SO DID YOU WANT TO TELL US ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT MAYBE WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON OR HOW YOU DO YOU HAVE ANY FEEDBACK FOR US IN TERMS OF WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON WITH THE DISTANCE LEARNING?
THANKFUL FOR EVERYONE FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY AND EVEN THOUGH WE DIDN'T DO AS MUCH AS WE COULD, THE EXPERIENCE WAS THERE.
AND I DID LEARN A LOT OF NEW THINGS THAT IS GOING TO BE HELPFUL IN LATER YEARS, ESPECIALLY IN COLLEGE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT PRETTY MUCH.
AND THANKS OF COURSE, THE PRINCIPAL AND EVERYTHING.
AND REALLY BEST OF LUCK FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND I BELIEVE IT DIDN'T GET TO YOU, BUT I THINK THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING COMING TO YOUR HOUSE FOR YOU AS WELL.
BUT I DON'T THINK IT GOT THERE QUITE IN TIME.
OPEN THE DOOR WHEN SOMEONE IS OUTSIDE TRYING TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING.
BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
BUT THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SERVICE.
AND MS. CHISOLM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOME WORDS?
FIRST I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE ON THE BOARD FOR GIVING BOTH OF US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO JUST USE OUR PLATFORMS AND SPEAK FOR ALL STUDENTS ACROSS THE CITY.
[00:26:50]
IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME BEING THE CLASS PRESIDENT AT MY SCHOOL TO BE ABLE TO VOCALIZE THE ISSUES THAT I'VE SEEN WITHIN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY TO YOU GUYS.I THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR ALWAYS SPEAKING OUT ON THE ISSUES THAT THEY'VE SEEN.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR JUST THE SUPPORT THAT YOU GUYS HAVE TOWARDS EQUITY AND ALSO THE CONTINUATION OF SUPPORT TOWARDS OUR PROGRAMS SUCH AS BSU, OUR INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT SUPPORT, ESPECIALLY IN TIMES LIKE THIS, WITH POLICE BRUTALITIES, JUST THINGS HAPPENING SPECIFICALLY TO THE MINORITY GROUPS IN THE WORLD.
SO I DO HAVE A MOUTHFUL TO SAY.
BUT LIKE I SAID, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT BSU, ALL OF THOSE SOCIAL GROUPS THAT ARE PUSHING FOR EQUITY AND JUST HAVING STUDENT VOICES HEARD BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUST CHANGE THE CURRICULUM AND MAKE SURE THAT AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES ARE TAUGHT OR FOREIGN STUDIES ARE TAUGHT IN OUR SCHOOLS.
OR EVEN GOVERNMENT TAUGHT AT 9TH AND 10TH GRADE, WHERE IT'S IMPERATIVE TO LEARN.
WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHANGE THE REQUIREMENTS OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM YET.
SO PUSHING SUPPORT TO THOSE CLUBS WILL JUST HELP STUDENTS FEEL AS THOUGH THEY'RE IMPORTANT AND HELP THEM LEARN ABOUT THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.
TO THE COMMUNITY OF ALEXANDRIA, I KNOW THAT A LOT OF PARENTS AND ADULTS HAD A LOT OF INPUT IN THE YEAR, BUT I ALSO PUSHED YOU GUYS TO HAVE YOUR CHILDREN SPEAK TO THEIR STUDENT REPS SO WE KNOW, OR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE AFTER ME KNOW WHAT ISSUES THEY FEEL AS THOUGH ARE IMPORTANT TO BE HEARD.
OF COURSE WE HAVE GRADUATION COMING UP TOMORROW FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW.
IT WILL BE ON CHANNEL 71, FACEBOOK LIVE.
WE ALSO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO LIGHT UP ALEXANDRIA.
AND THEN THE DATES FOR RETURNED ITEMS, SPECIFICALLY FOR STUDENTS IS PROVIDED IN AN E MAIL AND THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS WILL BE PROVIDING INFORMATION ON HOW TO DO THAT.
LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO AGAIN THANK ALL OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
YOU HAVE EVEN PUSHED OUR STUDENT BODY TO GO OUT AND PROTEST AND EVEN START THEIR OWN PROTEST WITH DATES THAT WILL BE SOON PROVIDED TO YOU ALL.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT.
AND WE WILL HOPE THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS BOTH OF YOU, WITH THE NEW SCHOOL BOARD REPS, STUDENT REPS ONCE WE APPOINT THEM.
THEN THEY CAN GET SOME OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER.
USUALLY IT'S DONE BY THIS TIME.
NOW DR. HUTCHINGS WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.
>> SAY A COUPLE OF COMMENTS SPECIFICALLY TO OUR STUDENT REPS, I HAVE TO TELL YOU ALL THAT THESE PAST FEW WEEKS FOR ME HAVE BEEN SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU CALL LIKE A GRIEF CYCLE.
I'M CALLING IT THE GREG HUTCHINGS GRIEF CYCLE BECAUSE IT'S NOT EXACTLY TEXTBOOK WITH WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH.
LAST WEEK I WAS AT A PHASE WHERE I FELT LIKE I NEEDED TO SPEAK BECAUSE MY HEART WAS HEAVY.
I FELT YOU KNOW, JUST A LOT OF GRIEF.
AND OVER THE PAST WEEK, I HAVE EXPERIENCED SO MANY DIFFERENT YOU KNOW, EMOTIONS, FROM REALLY IN SOME CASES FEELING VINDICATEED, IN SOME CASES FEELING AFFIRMED, IN SOME CASES FEELING THAT I NOW HAVE A PLATFORM, I'M SAYING IN MY MIND FINALLY, I FEEL LIKE SOMETHING THAT I HAVE BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT AND I'VE DISCUSSED SEVERAL TIMES, THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO DON'T LOOK LIKE ME SAYING THE SAME THINGS AND NOW THE WORLD IS FINALLY LISTENING.
THIS IS NOT A NEW FEELING FOR ME.
I'M THANKING EVERYBODY FOR FINALLY SEEING THE REALITY THAT I HAVE KNOWN MY ENTIRE LIFE.
INCLUDING AS A STUDENT AT TC WILLIAMS AND THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA.
THIS TUESDAY, I MET WITH OUR SUPERINTENDENTS, WE SPOKE WITH A WOMAN HER NAME IS DR. MONTE JACKSON, PRESIDENT AND CO FOUNDER OF DIG DEEP FOR EQUITY.
SHE HAS HER DOCTORATE FROM HARVARD.
BRILLIANT AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN WHO REALLY TOUCHED NOT ONLY MY HEART BUT MY SPIRIT.
AND I FELT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO USE A FEW MOMENTS TO TELL YOU MY THOUGHTS.
I FEEL THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS COMING FROM ME AS YOUR SUPERINTENDENT TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
ANYBODY ELSE CAN TAKE IT HOWEVER THEY WANT IT.
I'M SPEAKING TO THE NEXT GENERATION BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR OLDER PEOPLE, YOUR MINDS ARE MADE UP IN SOME WAYS AND THE ONLY PERSON THAT IS GOING TO HELP YOU IS YOU.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO REALLY MOLD AND BUILD A FOUNDATION WITH YOUNG PEOPLE.
BECAUSE THEY'RE ABOUT TO START THEIR LIVES.
SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO TEAR DOWN ALL OF THE LAYERS THAT WE AS ADULTS HAVE TO TEAR DOWN TO GET TO WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO BE.
SO I WROTE DOWN A COUPLE OF THINGS FOR YOU ALL.
BECAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I DIDN'T MISS ANYTHING.
ONE IS WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT, AS YOU ALL ARE GRADUATING TOMORROW, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT DOES HAVE MODERN DAY SEGREGATION, WHETHER WE
[00:30:05]
WANT TO BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE DO.WHEN YOU WALK IN OUR HALLWAYS, THEY ARE VERY DIVERSE.
WHEN YOU GO INTO OUR CLASSROOMS, THEY ARE NOT.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR GRADUATES, YOU KNOW, AND YOU SEE PEOPLE WHO HAD ADVANCED DEGREES AND PEOPLE WHO DON'T, THERE ARE DISPARITIES.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR DISCIPLINE DATA AND YOU SEE WHO HAS BEEN SUSPENDED AN EXPELLED, WHO HAS NOT, THERE ARE RACIAL DISPARITIES.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR GRADE DISTRIBUTION AND WHO GETS A PASS IN TURNING IN THINGS LATE AND WHO DOESN'T.
WHAT TEACHERS ARE GOING TO BE STRICT ON CERTAIN KIDS LENIENT ON OTHERS, THERE IS A RACIAL DIVIDE.
I THINK SOMETIMES WE TRY TO FOCUS ON ALL OF THE THINGS THAT SEEM EASY, LET'S TALK ABOUT X.
BUT WE NEVER WANT TO TALK ABOUT RACE.
THE CORE REASONING THAT WE ARE WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
IT STARTED THE MOMENT THE FIRST AFRICANS ARRIVED IN 1619.
I'M NOT PROMOTING THE 1619 CURRICULUM, BUT I'M SAYING THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE EDUCATING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN THEN HAVE A VISCERAL REACTION TO WHAT IS HAPPENING TODAY.
I'M NOT THE PERSON THAT SAYS GO TEAR DOWN ALL OF THE STATUES AND CHANGE ALL OF THE NAMES.
BUT THIS IS WHAT I AM GOING TO SAY, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO.
THE BOARD HAS THE AUTHORITY TO CHANGE NAMES.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THE SUPERINTENDENT GETS TO DO.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO HAVE DEEP DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE NAME THOMAS WILLIAMS. YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ABOUT TRYING TO CHANGE NAMES AND TEAR DOWN STATUES BECAUSE THIS IS LIKE A FAD.
I THINK THE MORE WE EDUCATE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND WE TELL THE TRUTH, THEN LET'S SEE WHAT OUR REACTIONS ARE ONCE THEY KNOW WHO HE IS.
ONCE THEY KNOW THE STATUES OF THESE CONFEDERATE LEADERS, WHO THEY WERE, THEN LET'S LISTEN TO THE CONVERSATION AND DETERMINE WHAT OUR NEXT STEPS ARE.
MOVING INTO THIS WHOLE NEW STRATEGIC PLAN, QUESTION I ASKED FOR ANYBODY THAT IS WATCHING, AS WE'RE MOVING INTO THIS NEXT 2025, STRATEGIC PLAN, EQUITY, CORE, WHICH I HOPE WE'RE INCLUDING RACIAL EQUITY.
EVERYTHING ELSE STEMS FROM RACIAL EQUITY.
EVERYTHING ELSE STEMS FROM THAT.
RACIAL EQUITY BEING THE CORE, THAT IS OUR CORE.
THE QUESTION ARE WE, THIS IS JUST A QUESTION, I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY WHAT I BELIEVE OR WHAT WE SHOULD DO.
BUT ARE WE ALLOWING FOR THESE YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE IN A SITUATION THAT MAY CAUSE THEM TO INTERNALIZE CERTAIN FORMS OF OPPRESSION, THAT WE CAN'T SEE.
WE CAN'T SEE WHAT IT'S DOING TO THEM.
BUT IT COULD CAUSE INTERNALIZED FORMS OF OPPRESSION THAT THEY WILL TAKE THROUGHOUT THEIR ENTIRE LIVES.
THAT CAN LITERALLY HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.
BY US NOT DOING SOMETHING OR AT LEAST LISTENING AND EXPLORING THIS POSSIBILITY, ARE WE BEING DISINGENUOUS TO THE MISSION AMBITION THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE VOTING ON OR YOU ARE GOING TO BE VOTING ON SOON.
BECAUSE WE'RE SAYING ALL OF THESE THINGS, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE BIGGER THAN CHANGING THE NAME.
IF WE DO DOWN THE PATH AND IT HAPPENS, IT'S GREAT.
BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO ALSO KNOW THAT IN ADDITION TO CHANGING NAMES AND REMOVING STATUES ON SOUTH WASHINGTON STREET, WE ALSO ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DISMANTLE SOME OF THE DIVIDE, THE RACIAL DIVIDE AS WELL AS THE ECONOMIC DIVIDES THAT WE HAVE AND EQUITY DIVIDES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SCHOOLS.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT HONORS, SPECIAL ED, TALK ABOUT THE MASTER SCHEDULE, WHICH I BELIEVE THE MASTER SCHEDULE IS THE BIGGEST INEQUITY IN PUBLIC EDUCATION.
WHERE KIDS ARE AND WHERE THEY'RE LEARNING.
THAT IS THE ONE THING THAT WE'RE AFRAID TO DO.
BECAUSE WE GET BOMBARDED WITH E MAILS ON HOW YOU'RE CHANGING SOMETHING.
WHAT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IS PEOPLE DON'T FEAR CHANGE.
[00:35:03]
PEOPLE FEAR LOSS.THEY'RE FEARING THE LOSS OF SOMETHING.
AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BE VERY CREATIVE IN DOING, I THINK OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO CHANGE THIS.
I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE ALL OF US.
YOU ALL ARE GOING TO MAKE THE DECISION.
THE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE THE FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TO CHANGE THIS NARRATIVE FOR OUR FUTURE.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE THE COURAGE AND THE BOLDNESS TO BE ABLE TO SET OUR POLITICS ASIDE, TO NO LONGER ALLOW CERTAIN GROUPS THAT HAVE LITERALLY RUN THIS ENTIRE CITY, SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME, CERTAIN GROUPS THAT HAVE LITERALLY RUN ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR POLICIES AND PRACTICES, TRADITIONALLY HAVE BEEN TO SERVE ONE PARTICULAR GROUP.
AND IF WE DON'T ADMIT IT, AND OWN IT, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PERPETUATE WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH TODAY.
AND I JUST FELT COMPELLED TO SAY THIS BECAUSE I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, 30 YEARS FROM NOW, SOMEBODY IS GOING TO ASK ME, DR. HUTCHINGS YOU WERE A SUPERINTENDENT IN SCHOOLS IN 2020, WHEN THE WORLD WAS IN DISARRAY, WHAT DID YOU DO? I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M ABLE TO TELL MY GRANDCHILDREN AND MY CHILDREN THAT I DID EVERYTHING WITHIN MY POWER TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE.
AND THAT I CONTRIBUTED TO CHANGING THE NARRATIVE AND DIDN'T JUST SIT BACK AND CONTINUE TO BE QUIET AND SUPPRESS MY THOUGHTS, MY TRUTH, MY EXPERIENCES BECAUSE OF MY POSITION.
AND I THINK IT HAPPENS SO MUCH FOR BLACK PEOPLE THAT WE ARE FORCED TO HAVE TO SET ASIDE OUR WHAT WE FEEL IN OUR TRUTH, PEOPLE MAKE US FEEL AT TIMES, INCLUDING ME, THIS HAPPENS ALMOST EVERY DAY, FROM E MAILS TO HOW PEOPLE TALK TO ME TO WHAT THEY SAY TO ME, TO WHAT THEY PUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT ME.
PEOPLE CONSISTENTLY TEST ME BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF MY SKIN.
PEOPLE DISRESPECT ME BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF MY SKIN.
I STILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THOSE PEOPLE ON TOP OF BEING THE SUPERINTENDENT, DEALING WITH THE STRESSFUL JOB, LIKE ANY OTHER SUPERINTENDENT, I'M A BLACK MAN IN AMERICA.
EXTRA BURDEN THAT I CARRY THAT I CAN'T CHANGE.
I CAN'T CHANGE THE COLOR OF MY SKIN.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE OUR STUDENTS THE WORDS OF WISDOM.
I'M GLAD THAT THIS IS RECORDED SO PEOPLE CAN LISTEN TO IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
IT CAME OUT OF MY MOUTH TO YOUR EARS.
I'M ASKING PEOPLE TO RESPECT MY TRUTH.
THE SAME WAY I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY RESPECT EVERYBODY ELSE'S TRUTH.
I DON'T AGREE WITH A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I TALK TO, BUT I RESPECT THEM.
SOMETIMES I CHANGE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO DO BECAUSE OF IT.
SO I HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT TOO.
I JUST TELL YOU ALL MY LAST WORDS IS THAT YOUR VOICE IS POWER AND YOU KNOW, AMIYA AND WILMER, YOU HAVE BEEN SO POWERFUL THIS YEAR IN MORE WAYS THAN YOU COULD IMAGINE.
I REMEMBER THE TIME WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF ONE SCHOOL, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY TWO SCHOOLS ARE IMPORTANT, I UNDERSTAND THAT PURPOSE BECAUSE OF SPACE.
BUT THEN WE HAVE TO ALSO THINK ABOUT STRUCTURES THAT WE MIGHT CREATE THAT PERPETUATES WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET RID OF TODAY.
I COMMEND YOU ALL FOR ALWAYS BEING A VOICE.
AMIYA, YOU DOING YOUR THING AND REPRESENTING US.
I KNOW I'M NO LONGER THE PRESIDENT.
I'M SURE THEY WISH I WAS PRESIDENT NOW.
ESPECIALLY AFTER THAT CALL ON TUESDAY.
BECAUSE I GAVE THEM A PIECE OF MY MIND.
I APPRECIATE YOU FOR SPEAKING YOUR TRUTH.
AND WILMER, ACCEPTING THAT AWARD AND SCHOLARSHIP, THAT IS HUGE.
YOU ARE SETTING A WHOLE DIFFERENT TRAJECTORY FOR YOUR LIVE.
EXAMPLE FOR OUR LATINO COMMUNITY.
AND WHEN I SAW THAT YOU WON THAT AWARD, IT LITERALLY BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES BECAUSE I SAW HOW APPRECIATIVE YOU WAS OF THAT.
YOU ALL HAVE NO CLUE AS TO WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR ME JUST BY SERVING ON THIS BOARD.
I'M SURE FOR THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL.
I JUST APPRECIATE YOUR REALNESS, RAWNESS.
I CAN'T WAIT TO READ ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL ARE PLANNING TO DO IN YOUR FUTURES.
[00:40:01]
JUST KNOW THAT YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME BACK IN ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.AND ALWAYS REMEMBER ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
BECAUSE I HOPE THAT WE LEFT AN IMPRESSION GOOD AND BAD THAT WILL HELP YOU MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS AS YOU MOVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF YOUR CAREER OF YOUR LIVES.
I WANT TO THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR FOR GIVING ME THE TIME.
>> DR. HUTCHINGS, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, NUMBER ONE, FOR SPEAKING FROM THE HEART.
I WANT TO SPEAK FROM MY HEART.
I THINK PROBABLY I'M SPEAKING FOR THE WHOLE BOARD.
AS THE OLDEST MEMBER OF THE BOARD, ONE WHO HAS LIVED THROUGH ALL KINDS OF PERIODS AND THINGS, ALWAYS WISHING THAT THIS MOMENT WOULD COME AND WONDERING IS THIS REALLY THE MOMENT.
IS THIS, HAS IT COME AND ARE WE GOING TO SEE CHANGE.
I FEEL EXTREMELY LUCKY TO BE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD RIGHT NOW.
I FEEL EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THAT YOU'RE OUR SUPERINTENDENT.
THIS IS THE VISION THAT YOU ARRIVED WITH AND IT COULD NOT HAVE, IN SOME WAYS, YOU KNOW, THAT WE ARE IN THIS MOMENT, BOTH WITH THE PANDEMIC, WHICH HELPED SHOW AND DEMONSTRATE WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS SOCIETY IN TERMS OF THE RACIST SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE, THAT DOESN'T ALLOW EQUAL ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, FOR EXAMPLE.
BUT ALSO THEN WITH THE REACTION ACROSS THE COUNTRY ASKING FOR CHANGE, ASKING FOR OUR ANTI RACISM TO BE EMBRACED AND I JUST THINK WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ALIVE AT THIS TIME.
AND I PRAY THAT WE SEE, I CERTAINLY WILL DEDICATE MYSELF TO SUPPORTING WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH IN ANY WAY THAT I CAN.
AND I'M GUESSING THAT EVERYONE ELSE ON THE BOARD FEELS THE SAME WAY.
THERE ARE ALSO A COUPLE OF BOARD MEMBERS WHO WANT TO SAY SOME THINGS, PARTING WORDS FOR OUR STUDENT REPS.
AND TO WILMER AND AMIYA, I HAVE NEVER HIDDEN MY LOVE FOR YOU.
JUST YOUR VOICE AND YOUR PASSION FOR ALL OF OUR ACPS STUDENTS.
YOU GUYS, EVEN THOUGH YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO FINISH ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WANTED TO ACCOMPLISH, KNOW THAT WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU AND WE APPRECIATE YOU AND PLEASE CELEBRATE YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND KNOW THAT WE ARE HERE FOR YOU AND PLEASE COME BACK TO VISIT US.
AND JUST GO OUT AND CHANGE THE WORLD.
BUT PLEASE, DON'T FORGET ABOUT ALL THAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED AND THE GREAT THINGS THAT I KNOW THAT YOU WILL DO IN THE FUTURE.
AND THANK YOU DR. HUTCHINGS FOR THAT TOO.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU REALLY QUICK.
I ALSO HAD MR. SUAREZ HAD INDICATED HE WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING.
AND THEN MS. ALDERTON HAD HER HAND RAISED.
I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE BOTH OF YOU, AMIYA AND WILMER.
I WANT TO MAKE VERY CLEAR THAT ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS, REMARKS, YOU KNOW, WERE TREMENDOUSLY HELPFUL TO THE BOARD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND I REALLY WANT TO PINPOINT SOMETHING YOU SAID, AMIYA AND PUSH BACK.
IT'S THAT YOU HAD SAID WE CAN'T CHANGE THINGS.
AND YOU ACTUALLY DID WITH A LOT OF YOUR ADVOCACY.
AND SO I, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT BECAUSE YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR STUDENTS FEEL TOO OFTEN, WE CAN'T CHANGE ANYTHING.
YOU KNOW, IF WE SPEAK TO THE BOARD, THE EFFORT IS GOING TO BE FUTILE OR WE'RE JUST THE STUDENTS AND OUR VOICE DOESN'T MATTER.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT YOUR VOICE DOES MATTER.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO YOU KNOW, WHATEVER YOU DO IN COLLEGE, IN THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE, YOU KNOW, AS A CLASS PRESIDENT, YOU KNOW, LIKE MOBILIZE PEOPLE, ENCOURAGE THEM TO SPEAK UP.
PLEASE ENCOURAGE YOUR CLASSMATES WHO WILL REMAIN AT TC AND DIVISION TO SPEAK
[00:45:03]
UP.THE VOICES WE HEAR FROM STUDENTS ARE CRITICAL.
YOU ARE THE ONES WHO ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE DECISIONS WE MAKE.
SO IT'S JUST SO VITAL THAT WE HEAR MORE FROM YOU ALL.
AND THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO SAY TOO, TO WHAT DR. HUTCHINGS SAID, WE REALLY HAVE TO CONFRONT THESE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT RACE IN THIS DIVISION AND IN THIS COMMUNITY.
SO THE STUDENTS I THINK REALLY HAVE A CRITICAL ROLE TO PLAY IN THAT.
NOT THAT I WANT TO PLACE THE BURDEN ON ALL OF THE STUDENTS, TO BE CLEAR.
THE BURDEN IS ON THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
BUT I DO THINK THAT YOU ALL ADVOCATING FOR THESE REALLY DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS OF WHAT THE FUTURE OF TC LOOK LIKE, WHAT DOES THE NAME OF TC LOOK LIKE.
WHAT ARE THE SYMBOLS WE SHOULD BE, THOSE ARE THINGS YOU DO HAVE POWER OVER.
I THINK WE NEED TO CONFRONT THOSE CONVERSATIONS HEAD ON.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THANK YOU FOR YOU KNOW, THE LEVEL OF DETAIL YOU PUT IN TO YOUR STATEMENTS EVERY TIME YOU SPOKE WITH US.
AND REAL THOUGHTFULNESS AROUND THE ISSUES.
AND JUST FINALLY, I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU DR. HUTCHINGS FOR YOUR REMARKS THAT YOU MADE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU YOU KNOW, SPOKE YOUR TRUTH THERE.
AND VERY HONEST WITH THE COMMUNITY.
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALSO THAT YOU CALLED THINGS OUT THAT ARE OFTEN UNSAID.
THAT YOU USED THE WORD SEGREGATION, WHICH IS A WORD THAT PEOPLE SOMETIMES ARE AFRAID TO US.
THERE IS SEGREGATION IN OUR DIVISION, BOTH WITHIN SCHOOLS AND ACROSS SCHOOLS.
UNTIL WE TALK ABOUT THAT AND OWN THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND THE WAY TO MOVE FORWARD IS REALLY TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT RACE HEAD ON.
AND SO YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO VALIDATE WHAT YOU SAID DR. HUTCHINGS AND SORT OF RECOGNIZE THAT YOU KNOW, WHAT WE DO AS A BOARD, IT CAN'T JUST BE SYMBOLIC.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT A STATEMENT CONDEMNING RACISM LATER TODAY, WHICH I THINK IS GREAT.
I THINK WE NEED TO ISSUE THAT STATEMENT.
I ALSO THINK WE NEED TO YOU KNOW, TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY THESE CALLS ABOUT POSSIBLE NAME CHANGES OR STATUES BEING REMOVED.
BUT IF WE ONLY DO THOSE THINGS AND WE DON'T TACKLE THE SYSTEMIC RACISM AND SYSTEMIC ISSUES IN OUR SOCIETY HEAD ON AND HAVE THE HARD CONVERSATIONS, THOSE THINGS AREN'T GOING TO MEAN VERY MUCH OF ANYTHING.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO DO THIS WORK WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND REALLY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT YOU, AMIYA, WILMER AND THE OTHER STUDENTS CONTINUE TO DO AS YOU GO OUT INTO THE WORLD.
BECAUSE I DO THINK HAVING GONE TO PUBLIC SCHOOL IN ALEXANDRIA, UNIQUE PLACE LIKE TC, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A PERSPECTIVE THAT IS VALUABLE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DID FOR US THIS YEAR.
TO WILMER AND AMIYA, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR SERVING ON THE BOARD.
YOU GUYS ARE WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.
YOU KNOW, YOUR IMPACT, YOUR INPUT IS MORE THAN VALUABLE.
IF I COULD JUST SORT OF SAY SOMETHING TO YOU GUYS, IT WOULD BE ALONG THE LINES OF ONE THING THAT MR. SUAREZ SAID AND THAT IS YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE THE POWER.
I REALLY WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT YOU CAN GO OUT AND CHANGE THE WORLD.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE WORLD IS A VERY BIG PLACE.
BUT THERE IS A PLACE FOR YOU IN IT.
THERE IS A PLACE FOR YOU TO HAVE A POWERFUL, CONVINCING AND JUST A VOICE.
VISIT AS MANY PLACES IN THE WORLD AS YOU CAN.
BECAUSE THE MORE YOU KNOW, THE MORE TYPES OF PEOPLE YOU KNOW, THE MORE PLACES YOU GO IN THE WORLD, THE MORE YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SOCIETY.
[00:50:03]
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS IS I DON'T THINK WE DO A GOOD ENOUGH JOB IN THE CIVICS REALM AND REALLY TEACHING OUR STUDENTS OF LIKE THE POWER OF CIVIC DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY THERE.I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY SERIOUSLY.
YOU KNOW, GET INVOLVED IN ALL OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS, LIKE WE NEED YOU AND WE NEED PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE YOU IN THESE SEATS.
SO NEVER UNDERESTIMATE WHAT YOU CAN DO.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE COUNTING ON YOU.
WE WANT YOU GUYS TO COME AFTER US AND FILL THESE SEATS.
I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO AWESOME THINGS AND NOT ONLY COME BACK TO ACPS, COME BACK AS A TEACHER.
>> IT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID HOW PHENOMENAL YOU ARE.
I CAN'T WAIT FOR YOU TO COME BACK.
SO EXCITED FOR YOU TO PROCEED FORWARD WITH YOUR DREAMS. TAKE CARE NOW.
WELL, YOU GUYS ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR DAY.
LOOK FOR SOMETHING TO BE COMING TO YOU.
A LITTLE BIT OF AN APPRECIATION.
THANK YOU TO MR. SUAREZ, TO MS. NOLAND, ESPECIALLY FOR THE REASSURANCE OF OUR POWER AND OUR VOICE.
AND JUST TO MS. ALDERTON, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR RESTATING AS I TRIED TO IN MY INITIAL SPEECH, JUST THE IMPORTANCE OF CIVIC DUTY AND TEACHING IT TO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
THANK YOU FOR JUST SHINING LIGHT ON THAT AND KNOWING THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT.
I LOVE ALL OF YOU GUYS AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THIS EXPERIENCE.
>> MAY I SAY SOMETHING AS WELL?
>> I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE WHAT AMIYA SAID.
ESPECIALLY THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AND MOST I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE AT TC, BUT I KNOW THAT SOME OF US ARE LIKE STRUCTURED TO BELIEVE THAT THE WAY WE'VE BEEN LIVING IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS IS THE NORM.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN LIKE ASPIRING GREAT FUTURE REPRESENTATIVES FOR NEXT YEAR THAT WORK HARDER THAN US AND ACTUALLY ACHIEVE BETTER ACCOLADES AND I JUST WANT THEM TO, AND MOST DEFINITELY TRY THIS, TO HELP THEM IN THE PROCESS AND TO LEARN EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED TO KNOW TO BE A REPRESENTATIVE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD.
FOR THAT, I LEAVE ALL Y'ALL TO THIS AND THANK YOU AGAIN.
WE'RE GOING TO HOLD YOU TO THAT.
ONCE YOU'RE BACK IN PERSON, WE HOPE TO SEE YOU WHEN YOU'RE BACK ON BREAK OR WHATEVER, PLEASE COME BY AND JOIN US.
WE HOPE THAT IS SOONER THAN LATER, BUT WE DON'T KNOW.
YOU GUYS, HAVE A GREAT SUMMER AND GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR STUDIES GOING ON.
AND THANKS EVERYBODY FOR GIVING THEM A SENDOFF.
WE HAVE GOOD STUFF TO TALK ABOUT.
>> I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
IS IT OKAY? MS. GREEN, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE?
>> JUST REALLY QUICKLY, I WAS JUST GOING TO TELL WILMER AND AMIYA THAT YOU STILL OWE ME ANOTHER STARBUCKS PLANNING MEETING.
YOU KNOW I WORK AT STARBUCKS NOW.
>> NOT A LONG COMMUTE THEN TO THE MEETING.
SO NEXT WE HAVE, I JUST WANT TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[Item 9]
[00:55:01]
PLEASE BOARD MEMBERS, MAKE SURE YOU REVIEW THEM.THEY ARE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH THE AGENDA.
SO THEY CAN ALSO BE REVIEWED BY THE PUBLIC.
AND IF PEOPLE WANT TO CHIME IN ON FUTURE MEETINGS, THE PUBLIC, THERE ARE WAYS, YOU CAN EITHER WRITE TO US AS YOU USUALLY DO, OR YOU CAN WRITE TO HAVE YOUR COMMENTS INCLUDED WITH OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING.
THAT IS THE WAY THAT WE'RE HANDLING IT INSTEAD OF PUBLIC COMMENTS, BECAUSE THEN THEY ARE TRULY PUBLIC.
THE NEXT THING ON OUR AGENDA IS THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
[Consent Calendar]
SO IF I COULD GET A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT CALENDAR, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.>> MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THE CONSENT CALENDAR FOR TODAY'S MEETING.
>> MS. GREEN SECONDS MS. ALDERTON'S MOTION.
ANYTHING TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR? IF NOT I'M GOING TO CALL FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE.
>> SO THAT IS 8 YES, AND ONE ABSENT FOR THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
NOW WE HAVE OUR RESOLUTION, I THINK IS NEXT.
DO WE, SO NEW BUSINESS IS THE RESOLUTION.
AND I WANTED TO REALLY GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MS. THORNTON FOR JUST ALMOST AS SOON AS I
[Item 13]
SENT IT OUT, JUST GETTING ON IT, AND SENDING OUT TO BOARD MEMBERS AND SOLICITING THEIR FEEDBACK AND INPUT.SO I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO HELPED WITH THAT.
BUT IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE SOMEONE TO SPEARHEAD IT SO THAT WE COULD GET IT DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER.
I WAS WONDERING WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO MY SCREEN.
THERE ARE ACTUALLY NINE PARAGRAPHS.
SO I THOUGHT THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A BRAIN EXERCISE.
I THOUGHT MAYBE WE COULD EACH TAKE ONE PARAGRAPH AND I WAS THINKING OF THE ORDER BECAUSE THAT CAN BE DIFFICULT ON THESE MEETINGS.
BUT THE BRAIN EXERCISE PART OF IT IS REMEMBERING YOUR SPOT.
SO I WAS GOING TO START WITH MS. THORNTON AND GO STRAIGHT DOWN SO YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER WHO YOU USED TO BE SITTING BY BUT THERE ARE NINE PARAGRAPHS.
SO I THOUGHT WE WOULD DO IT THAT WAY.
NEXT WEEK, IF EVERYBODY IS FINE WITH IT, IT CAN GO ON OUR CONSENT CALENDAR.
SO THIS WOULD BE THE TIME THAT WE WOULD BE READING IT.
IF THERE ARE CHANGES, WE CAN READ IT AGAIN.
BUT I THINK THERE HAS BEEN A GOOD DEAL OF WORK ON IT.
>> WELL, HEATHER, MS. THORNTON WILL HAVE TO READ TWO.
SHE'LL READ THE FIRST AND THE LAST.
SO WHY DON'T YOU START US OUT MS. THORNTON AND THEN WE'LL GO DOWN THE LINE.
>> THANK YOU TO MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M HONORED TO SHARE A COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ADDRESSING ANTI RACISM.
WHEREAS MEMBERS OF THE /A*EUPBLG CITY SCHOOL BOARD ARE SADDENED AND OUTRAGED OF THE RECENT DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD, A BLACK FELLOW AMERICAN, AND BY THE PRECEDING UNJUST DEATHS OF AHMAUD ARBERY AND MANY OTHERS.
WHEREAS WE RECOGNIZE THAT NATIONAL PROTESTS DEMANDING JUSTICE FOR MR. FLOYD HAVE HIGHLIGHTED THE SYSTEMIC RACISM AND JUSTICE.
>> WHEREAS WE CONDEMN RACISM AND HATE IN OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR SOCIETY.
>> WHEREAS, WE CANNOT BE SILENT.
WE MUST URGENTLY ACT TO STOP THE RACIAL INJUSTICES AND STRUCTURAL INEQUITIES THAT HARM AND ANGUISH BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE, WHO ARE OUR FAMILY, FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, STUDENTS, STAFF MEMBERS AND FELLOW AMERICANS.
>> WHEREAS, WE MUST LISTEN, ENGAGE IN CRITICAL SELF REFLECTION, AS WE LISTEN TO THOSE WHO HAVE ENDURED CENTURIES OF DISCRIMINATION AND INTOLERANCE.
AND WE MUST SEEK WITH GREAT EMPATHY TO UNDERSTAND THEIR CHALLENGES AND PAIN.
WHEREAS WE MUST LEARN IT IT IS TIME TO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY IN MEANINGFUL AND
[01:00:04]
HONEST CONVERSATIONS ABOUT RACIAL INJUSTICES, TO WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT OUR SHARED CONVICTION THAT RACISM MUST END.EACH OF US, INDIVIDUALLY, AND COLLECTIVELY, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING AND NURTURING AN ANTI RACIST LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, WHERE EVERY CHILD IS RESPECTED AND VALUED FOR WHO THEY ARE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR SKIN COLOR.
WE REAFFIRM THAT BLACK LIVES MATTER AND RECOGNIZE THE URGENT NEED TO PLACE EQUITY AT THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING THAT WE DO AS A SCHOOL DIVISION.
GUIDED BY OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, WE WILL WORK TO CHANGE THE CULTURE WITHIN /A*EUPBLG CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO INSPIRE STUDENTS AND ADDRESS BARRIERS TO LEARNING.
>> NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT WE, MEMBERS OF THE /A*EUPBLG CITY SCHOOL BOARD STAND STEADFAST IN YOUR COMMITMENT TO FOSTER INCLUSIVE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT, WHERE EVERY STUDENT, TEACHER, SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL, PARENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBER IS TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT.
WE AFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE FIGHTING FOR RACIAL JUSTICE.
ADOPTED AND APPROVED BY THE /A*EUPBLG CITY SCHOOL BOARD.
SO THAT IS THE GROUP WORK PRODUCT.
SO I'M NOT SURE IF ANYONE HAS ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS RIGHT NOW.
BUT PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU OKAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MADAM CHAIR.
AGAIN, THANKS TO THE BOARD FOR ALL YOUR INPUT ON THIS.
I WAS REALLY KIND OF HOPING THAT WE WOULD ISSUE SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
AND I THINK IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE IT CLEAR WHAT OUR VIEWS ARE AND WHAT OUR STANDPOINT IS.
ESPECIALLY WHEN WE, AS A COUNTRY, ARE KIND OF BEING FORCED IN THIS PERIOD OF SELF REFLECTION.
AND DR. HUTCHINGS KIND OF SAID IT PERFECTLY AT THE BEGINNING.
THERE ARE A LOT OF DISCREPANCIES IN /A*EUPBLG CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
BUT I THINK THE FACT THAT WE ARE IN THIS PERIOD RIGHT NOW IS SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US.
AND I WANT US TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
BECAUSE IT'S SO EASY FOR THESE KIND OF, I HATE TO CALL IT A TREND, BUT THAT IS KIND OF WHAT IT'S BEEN IN THE PAST.
ESPECIALLY WHEN WE DO HAVE INCIDENTS LIKE WHAT WE HAD WITH MR. GEORGE FLOYD.
AND I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE ANOTHER TREND.
SO I REALLY HOPE THAT AS A BOARD THAT WE COMMIT TO THESE WORDS AND THAT WE ARE INTENTIONAL ABOUT THIS STRATEGIC PLAN PROCESS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH.
IT'S EASY TO LET A STRATEGIC PLAN TO KIND OF SIT ON THE SHELF.
BUT I BELIEVE THAT THIS BOARD HOLDS TRUE TO OUR DEFINITION OF EQUITY OF REMOVING BARRIERS FOR ALL STUDENTS.
I WANT US TO RECOGNIZE THAT THAT ESPECIALLY MEANS OUR BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS.
WHO FOR TOO LONG HAVE NOT BEEN RECEIVING THE ATTENTION THAT THEY NEED TO RECEIVE.
I BELIEVE IN EQUITY AND NOT EQUALITY.
THAT IS A RADICAL STATEMENT TO SOME.
BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTRY IS INCREASINGLY BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND WHY THAT NEEDS TO BE.
SO I APPRECIATE THESE WORDS THAT THE BOARD IS MAKING.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LISTEN TO ONE OF THE LAST PARAGRAPHS WHERE WE SAY WE MUST LEAD AND DO BETTER.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN, MADAM CHAIR FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADOPT THIS RESOLUTION.
NEXT UP WE HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT Q&A AND REPORT.
[Items 14 & 16]
WE'RE NOW AT 1:06.BUT LET ME SEE WHAT DR. HUTCHINGS WANTS TO SAY OR IF HE WANTS TO ENTERTAIN A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, BUT WE ARE OVER TIME, JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS.
>> IF YOU ARE FINE WITH BEING OVER TIME, I JUST WANT TO GIVE A COUPLE OF UPDATES ABOUT THE GUIDELINES, I THINK THOSE ARE IMPORTANT THAT CAME OUT THIS WEEK.
THERE WERE THREE DOCUMENTS IN PARTICULAR THAT I SHARED WITH THE BOARD ON TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY OF THIS WEEK.
AND ASKED THAT YOU JUST REVIEW THAT TO PREPARE FOR THE DISCUSSION TODAY SO THAT YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE WHAT IS HE TALKING ABOUT, THAT TYPE OF THING.
I'M NOT GOING TO DO A QUIZ OR ANYTHING.
I JUST WANTED YOU TO HAVE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE.
THE FIRST DOCUMENT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WAS THE ORDER OF THE STATE HEALTH COMMISSIONER THAT WAS RELEASED BY THE GOVERNOR ON TUESDAY.
[01:05:01]
SPECIFICALLY WHAT THIS IS REQUIRING SCHOOL DIVISIONS TO DO IS SUBMIT A HEALTH PLAN FOR PHASE TWO AS WELL AS PHASE THREE OF OUR REOPENING.SO WE WILL HAVE TO SUBMIT A HEALTH PLAN FOR ANYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING THIS SUMMER.
FOR EXAMPLE, RCPA IS GOING TO BE DOING SOME THINGS IN OUR SCHOOLS.
WE DO HAVE TO SUBMIT A HEALTH PLAN TO THE STATE AND WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON THAT NEXT WEEK BECAUSE IT HAS TO OCCUR BEFORE YOU CAN OFFICIALLY OPEN THOSE DOORS.
SO WE WANT TO GET THAT DONE SOONER OR LATER.
WHAT IT DOESN'T REQUIRE US JUST HAVING LIKE A PLAN FOR PPE, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE HAVING TEMPERATURE CHECKS DONE, WITH OUR STUDENTS AS WELL AS ANY STAFF MEMBERS OR WORKERS WHO ARE IN OUR FACILITIES AT ALL TIMES.
IT HAS TO HAPPEN ON A DAILY BASIS.
ALSO EDUCATING ANYBODY WHO RETURNS INTO OUR BUILDINGS AROUND IF YOU'RE SICK, STAY HOME.
YOU KNOW, HAVING A PLACE IF SOMEBODY BECOMES SICK DURING THE DAY, WHERE DO YOU PUT THEM.
HAVING LIKE A STATION OR A LOCATION FOR THEM TO BE DURING THAT TIME.
BUT THAT IS WHAT THIS WHOLE PROCESS OR ORDER IS ASKING US TO DO AND SHOWING THAT WE DO THAT.
THE NEXT ITEM THAT I WANTED TO QUICKLY DISCUSS IS THE PHASE GUIDANCE FOR VIRGINIA SCHOOLS.
THIS CAME OUT OF THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AS WELL.
AND THIS JUST TALKS ABOUT EACH OF THE THREE PHASES.
SO WE'RE GOING INTO PHASE TWO TODAY.
SO PHASE ONE IS IRRELEVANT TO TALK ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
BECAUSE AS OF TODAY WE'RE IN PHASE TWO.
PHASE TWO BEGINS TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE ARE NOW ABLE TO OPEN OUR DOORS TO STUDENTS.
YOU KNOW, WHO CAN COME IN DURING THIS TIME.
WE ARE STAYING TRUE TO OUR SUMMER LEARNING PLANS DURING THE PHASE TWO TIME.
LET ME JUST GIVE YOU REASONS AS TO WHY WE'RE DOING THAT.
THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLICATIONS THAT COME ALONG WITH TRYING TO OPEN THE DOORS FOR ADDITIONAL STUDENTS.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE OUR PPE IS ACTUALLY IN PLACE.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT ON OUR TRANSPORTATION GUIDELINES IN OUR PHASE TWO, IT STATES YOU CAN ONLY HAVE ONE STUDENT PER SEAT ON A BUS, EVERY OTHER SEAT.
SO WE HAVE TEN KIDS ON A BUS, MAYBE TEN KIDS.
IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE BUS.
AND OUR CLASSROOMS, THEY HAVE TO BE SIX FEET APART.
AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN PHASE TWO, SAYING OPEN THE DOORS FOR K 3, JUST THINK THOSE ARE THE YOUNGER KIDS WHO ARE NOT GOING TO WEAR MASKS.
EVEN MY TEN YEAR OLD, HE DOESN'T LIKE TO PUT ON THE MASK.
I CAN'T BREATHE, THAT TYPE OF THING.
SO IT REALLY IS UNREALISTIC FOR US IN TWO WEEKS TO WORK THROUGH OPENING THE DOORS FOR K 3 STUDENTS.
AND I THINK THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO REALLY WORK THROUGH SOME OF THE DYNAMICS AND THE COSTS THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE FOR US TO MAINTAIN THIS.
IT'S FINE TO DO IT FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS OR WEEKS, BUT YOU KNOW I'M NOT SURE HOW LONG WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAINTAIN THIS.
AND EVERY TIME WE HAVE MORE TIME ADDED, IT DOES COST MORE MONEY.
TIMES WHEN OUR BUDGET IS BEING CUT TOO.
ANOTHER PIECE IN PHASE TWO, IT TALKS ABOUT ATHLETICS AND YOU KNOW, FORTUNATELY WE DON'T HAVE YOU KNOW, SPORTS TEAMS THAT ACTUALLY START IN THE SUMMER.
BUT WE DO HAVE PRACTICES AND THINGS THAT DO OCCUR DURING THE SUMMER.
BUT THERE ARE SPECIFIC GUIDELINES THAT I SPOKE RECENTLY WITH MR. PARKER, OUR DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS AROUND MAKING SURE WE'RE USING THOSE GUIDELINES, THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE ANY PLAN FOR KIDS, YOU KNOW, BEING A PART OF TRAINING OR PRACTICE THIS SUMMER.
BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE SIGNIFICANT GUIDELINES FOR ATHLETICS.
NOT NECESSARILY SIX FEET APART.
KIDS ARE SWEATING, YOU KNOW THAT TYPE OF THING.
DIFFERENT EXPECTATIONS THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
WE WILL HAVE TO SUBMIT THAT TO BE APPROVED AS WELL BEFORE THAT CAN START.
SO ALL THESE THINGS HAVE TO BE VETTED BY THE VDOE.
IT'S NOT BY LAW THAT IT HAS TO OCCUR.
BUT I WAS ON A CALL WITH MCGUIRE WOODS, WHO ARE THE ATTORNEYS FOR THE VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS.
I WAS ON A WEBINAR THAT THEY HOSTED RECENTLY.
THEY SAID IT BEHOOVES SCHOOL DIVISION TO FOLLOW THE CDC GUIDELINES.
THAT IS WHAT IS GOING TO COVER YOU THE MOST.
THERE IS FLEXIBILITY, BUT WHEN YOU BEGIN TO USE YOUR KIND OF AUTHORITY WITH THE
[01:10:01]
FLEXIBILITY, YOU PUT YOUR ORGANIZATION AT RISK BECAUSE IF SOMETHING DOES OCCUR, YOU CHOSE BECAUSE YOU HAD THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT, WHERE WE COULD FOLLOW CDC'S GUIDELINES AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S GUIDELINES, WHICH ARE MORE STRINGENT THAN OTHERS.I THINK WE SHOULD FOLLOW THE CDC.
THAT IS WHAT MOST OF THE GOVERNOR'S PHASES ARE, THEY'RE ALIGNED WITH THE CDC.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THOSE GUIDELINES EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT LAW, OR REQUIRED.
SO YOU WILL SEE SOME SCHOOL DIVISIONS DOING OTHER THINGS, BY THE WAY.
THAT IS WHY I KEEP TELLING YOU ALL, I DON'T WANT TO BE THE SUPERINTENDENT THAT YOU KNOW, TAKES THE RISK.
BECAUSE THERE ARE DIFFERENT PHASES OF LESS RISK, MORE RISK, AND SIGNIFICANT RISK.
AND I WANT US TO TRY TO BE IN THE LESS RISK PHASE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
BECAUSE WE'RE DEALING WITH CHILDREN'S LIVES AND OUR STAFF'S LIVES.
PHASE THREE, WE DON'T HAVE A DATE OF PHASE THREE.
BUT THERE IS INFORMATION THAT YOU'LL SEE IN HERE IN REGARDS TO THE PHASE THREE.
BUT THERE IS NO DATE YET BECAUSE THEY'RE BASING ALL OF THIS OFF OF OUR DAILY COUNT OF NEW POSITIVES YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
THAT IS WHAT IS DRIVING YOU KNOW, HOW WE GET INTO THESE DIFFERENT PHASES.
SO WE SHOULD HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT REALLY SOON.
AND THEN THE FINAL DOCUMENT THAT I SHARED WITH YOU ALL WAS THE RECOVER REDESIGN RESTART.
AND IT'S A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO ALL SCHOOL DIVISIONS BY THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT EDUCATION.
I MEAN, EVERYBODY FROM EVERY PERSPECTIVE HAD THEIR HANDS IN THIS.
BUT IT GIVES US CLEAR GUIDELINES AND SOME GUIDING QUESTIONS FROM ALL DIFFERENT ANGLES AS WE'RE TRYING TO REOPEN OUR SCHOOLS TO USE OUR THOUGHT PARTNERS RECEIVED THIS INFORMATION.
IT'S ALSO POSTED TO OUR DIVISION WEBSITE.
POINTS THAT I WANT TO MAKE AS I CONCLUDE ABOUT THE THOUGHT PARTNERSHIP.
I'M GETTING E MAILS, WHY AM I NOT ON THE THOUGHT PARTNER GROUP.
IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T WANT TEACHERS ON THE THOUGHT PARTNER GROUP OR PEOPLE IN THE THOUGHT PARTNER GROUP.
IT'S INTENDED TO HAVE REALLY HIGH LEVEL EXPERTS WHO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO KIND OF LOOK AT THE CITY AS A WHOLE AND NOT JUST ONE PARTICULAR GROUP OR ONE PARTICULAR OPINION.
SO WE NEED PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO GIVE US A VISION FOR ALL AND NOT FOR MY THING OR WHAT I LOVE.
THOUGHT THAT TEACHERS CAN'T DO THAT, BECAUSE THEY CAN.
BUT WE TRIED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD YOU KNOW, TOP EXECUTIVES OR TOP LEVEL FIGURES AT THE THOUGHT PROCESS TABLE.
THEY'RE INTERACTING WITH CONSTITUENTS.
WE ARE ESTABLISHING PLANNING TEAMS. AND THE PLANNING TEAMS WILL HAVE TEACHERS AND PARENTS AND NURSES, ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT GROUPS REPRESENTED BASED ON THE AREA.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PLANNING GROUPS THAT DEAL WITH HEALTH, OF COURSE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE NURSES THERE.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PLANNING GROUPS THAT DEAL WITH NUTRITION, OF COURSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CAFETERIA WORKERS THERE.
THE PLANNING TEAMS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE WORK REALLY HAPPENING.
THE THOUGHT PARTNERSHIP IS JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE COVERING ALL OF OUR BASES AND THINKING ABOUT THE ENTIRE CITY AND THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DIVISION AS A WHOLE.
IT'S REALLY JUST THOUGHT PROVOKING IN A SENSE SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE APPROPRIATE MARCHING ORDERS FOR OUR PLANNING TEAMS. SO PLEASE LET EVERYBODY KNOW ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS AND GROUPS THAT WE ARE GOING TO HEAR THEIR VOICES.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE SOME FOCUS GROUPS AND THINGS TO HEAR FROM OUR STAFF, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE REALLY DO NEED TO GET YOU KNOW, A PULSE OF WHERE STAFF, SEPARATE FROM THE PULSE SURVEY, EVERYBODY, BUT TO GET A PULSE, VERBALLY IN HAVING SOME ENGAGEMENT OR WORKING THROUGH THAT NEXT WEEK, FOCUS GROUP WHERE STAFF MEMBERS CAN TALK THROUGH, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CONCERNS, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THEY FEEL WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT AS WE REOPEN THE SCHOOLS IN THE FALL.
WE'RE DOING ALL OF THIS AT A RAPID PACE.
WE DON'T WANT TO JUMP TOO FAST.
FAIRFAX, THEY'RE GOING TO BE POSTING THEIR SCHEDULES AND THINGS TODAY.
[01:15:03]
LET THEM DO THAT.IF THAT IS WHAT THEY CHOOSE TO DO.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN DO THAT WHEN WE JUST GOT THE GUIDELINES ON TUESDAY.
HOW CAN YOU BRING IN INPUT AND HEAR FROM PEOPLE IF WE'RE MAKING A DECISION IN TWO WEEKS.
JUNE 26TH, WE'RE GOING TO BE SHARING WITH YOU ALL THE OVER ARCHING KIND OF PLAN.
BUT THE REAL DETAILED PLANNING IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN JULY.
IT CHANGES THE GAME IN A LOT OF AREAS.
EVEN WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT 25, 50 PERCENT OF STUDENT POPULATION IN OUR SCHOOLS, THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE.
THE GUIDELINES STATES THAT WE NEED TO HAVE KIDS SIX FEET APART.
WELL, IN SOME SCHOOLS TO HAVE KIDS SIX FEET APART MIGHT BE 30 PERCENT OF THE STUDENT POPULATION, ANOTHER SCHOOL, TEN PERCENT.
IT CAN'T BE A BLANKET 25 PERCENT OF THE KIDS FOR YOUR SCHOOL.
WE'RE NOW GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH EVERY SCHOOL AND EVERY CLASSROOM TO DETERMINE HOW MANY KIDS CAN BE IN THERE.
AND THAT IS GOING TO GIVE US OUR PERCENTAGE.
BUT THAT IS JUST SOMETHING THAT CAME OUT FROM OUT OF TUESDAY.
SO IT'S VERY VERY COMPLICATED.
AND I'M ASKING OUR COMMUNITY TO GIVE US SOME GRACE AND FLEXIBILITY AND WE DO WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
AND WE DO APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK.
AND WE ALSO APPRECIATE THE EXPERTS TELLING US FEEDBACK TOO.
BECAUSE I SAID BUT IN OUR VIDEO.
THAT SAID, I'M GOING TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
THANKS FOR THAT, DR. HUTCHINGS, BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO ASK A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REOPENING PLANNING.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING DETAILS ABOUT THAT.
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO VISIT THE WEBSITE.
I KNOW YOU WILL BE UPDATING THAT REGULARLY FOR INFORMATION.
I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT STRATEGIC PLAN.
BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE COMING BACK TO THE BOARD FOR A VOTE.
I KNOW WE DIDN'T HAVE TOO MANY PUBLIC SPEAKER, BUT WE HAVE GOTTEN GOOD FEEDBACK AND I HAVE ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK THAT I WANT TO SHARE FROM THE CTE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
MY QUESTION WAS THAT IF THAT DOCUMENT IS GOING TO BE, IS IT GOING TO BE REVISED IN SOME WAY BEFORE IT COMES BACK TO US FOR REVIEW AND WILL WE HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE, I SAW THERE WAS A SEPARATE E MAIL TO SET UP FOR TEACHERS TO SUBMIT FEEDBACK.
WILL THE BOARD BE SEEING SOME OF THAT FEEDBACK THAT COMES BACK.
IF YOU COULD SHARE ABOUT THAT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
YOU ALL WILL SEE SOME REVISIONS MADE TO THE CURRENT STRATEGIC PLAN OR THE DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE DO HAVE.
AND WE WILL ACCOMMODATE THAT WITH SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT LED TO SOME OF THOSE CHANGES.
SO YOU'LL SEE ALL OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE GATHERED, WE'RE GATHERING THEM IN A DATABASE.
SO YOU'LL SEE THOSE COPIES AND SEE THE CHANGES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH DR. REIF FOR THAT QUESTION.
THE MORE WE GET FEEDBACK, THE STRONGER IT'S GOING TO BE.
MINE IS A SIMILAR QUESTION, BUT NOT SO MUCH WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT RETURNING TO SCHOOLS AND WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE.
I APPRECIATE YOU LAYING IT OUT BECAUSE I THINK AS WE'VE ALL SAID THE ENTIRE TIME, THE MORE TRANSPARENT WE CAN BE, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY NEW TO EVERYONE IN THE COUNTRY.
THERE IS NOT A PLAN THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING.
I THINK THE MORE COMMUNICATIVE WE CAN BE, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
I'M SURE YOU DID GET A LOT OF E MAILS ABOUT PEOPLE WANTING TO JOIN THE THOUGHT PARTNER GROUP.
WE HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTFUL PEOPLE AND THEIR FEEDBACK IS INVALUABLE.
IS THERE GOING TO BE A MECHANISM THAT PARENTS AND PARTICULARLY THOSE ON THE GROUNDS WITH INSIDE OUR SCHOOLS, SUPPORT STAFF, TEACHERS, THAT WILL BE ABLE TO OFFER FEEDBACK.
BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO THINK OF THINGS BEING ON THE GROUND THAT LENDS.
SO I'M CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT IS THE FEEDBACK MECHANISM SO THAT YOU CAN BE GETTING ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS THAT CAN ONLY MAKE OUR PLANS STRONGER?
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FOCUS GROUPS AND OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THAT.
PULSE SURVEY NUMBER TWO, THERE WAS AN OPEN ENDED QUESTION ABOUT THE REOPENING OF SCHOOLS.
I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE, WE DID EXTEND OUR PULSE SURVEY THROUGH THIS WEEKEND.
WE'RE EXTENDING IT THROUGH SUNDAY, SO YOU PROBABLY SAW SOME OF THE OUTREACH, THAT YOU GOT A TEXT OR E MAIL TODAY.
IF YOU CAN ENCOURAGE, STRONGLY ENCOURAGING ANYBODY WHO IS LISTENING, PLEASE
[01:20:02]
STRONGLY ENCOURAGE OUR COMMUNITY TO TAKE THE SURVEY.THE FIRST QUESTIONS ARE EASY QUESTIONS, BUT THE LAST TWO ARE REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO GIVE SOME SPECIFIC FEEDBACKS TO GIVE US RESOURCES THAT YOU MIGHT KNOW OF.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SENDING IN EXAMPLES, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN SHARING THEM WITH OUR TEAM.
BUT THAT IS ANOTHER MECHANISM TOO THAT FOLKS CAN GET ENGAGED.
AND ALSO, WE DO VALUE E MAILS.
I DON'T MIND PEOPLE SENDING US E MAILS.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE E MAILS.
I GET BACK TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.
I READ ALL OF THEM AND I GET BACK TO YOU.
BUT GIVEN THOSE E MAILS, I DO GIVE THEM TO THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE.
>> NEXT UP, I HAVE MS. ALDERTON.
I GUESS MY GENERAL QUESTION WAS AROUND LIKE DO WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE GOING TO, OR ARE WE TRYING TO SET SORT OF LIKE A HARD DEADLINE ON DECISIONS? BECAUSE READING THROUGH THAT DOCUMENT LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT, WHAT IS EXPECTED OR WHAT WOULD BE RECOMMENDED IN THE DIFFERENT PHASES, I MEAN, IT MADE MY HEAD SPIN THINKING ABOUT THE NUMBER OF KIDS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SCHOOLS.
EVEN GOING BACK TO SOMETHING THAT YOU SAID EARLIER, DR. HUTCHINGS, WHICH IS ONE OF MY BIG SOAP BOXES IS THE MASTER SCHEDULE AND HOW POWERFUL THAT IS AND HOW IT'S LIKE THE CORNERSTONE OF THINGS WORKING WELL OR FALLING APART.
SO YOU KNOW, I'M JUST WONDERING, IT'S SO MUCH INFORMATION TO DIGEST.
ARE WE THINKING WE WILL HAVE A HARD DEADLINE FOR WHEN WE SAY YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE X, SIMPLY BECAUSE THEN THERE IS THE PART OF ACTUALLY EXECUTING.
WHICH WILL TAKE YOU KNOW, ENERGY, EFFORT AND TIME AND WE WANT IT TO BE EXECUTED AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.
>> I KNOW IT'S A BIG QUESTION.
>> I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE ENGAGING IN CONVERSATION WITH CONSULTANT TO KIND OF HELP US WITH SOME OF THIS.
BECAUSE IT IS, WE'RE HAVING TO BRING SO MANY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER THAT HAVING OUR CHIEFS, WHICH OUR CHIEFS ARE CO CHAIRS OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT YOU KNOW PLANNING TEAMS. BUT AS A CHIEF IS FACILITATE, ENGAGE IN DISCUSSIONS.
I CAN'T ENGAGE IF I'M FACILITATING.
I CAN'T THINK AND ACTUALLY HEAR WHAT EVERYBODY IS SAYING THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
WE'RE GOING TO BE ENGAGING A CONSULTANT TO WORK WITH US.
ONE THING THAT WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON IS HAVING A CLEAR DEADLINE AS TO WHEN FAMILIES SHOULD AND STAFF, SHOULD EXPECT TO GET SOME SPECIFIC DETAILS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SHARE ALL OF THAT ON JUNE 26TH WITH YOU ALL.
WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE EXPECTING TO GET THAT INFORMATION.
WE DO HAVE TO HAVE OUR PLAN INTO THE VDOE IN AUGUST.
WE DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE TIME IN THE WORLD.
WE CAN'T WAIT UNTIL SEPTEMBER, THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.
BECAUSE WE HAVE TO SUBMIT OUR PLAN AND IT DOES HAVE TO GET THE APPROVAL OF THE VDOE TO SHOW THAT IT'S ALIGNED WITH THE GUIDELINES.
WE KNOW THAT OUR ULTIMATE DEADLINE IS AUGUST.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CLEAR MILESTONES AND DATES FOR THE BOARD ON JUNE 26TH, SO YOU ALL ARE CLEAR, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY IS CLEAR SO THEY WON'T HAVE TO KEEP ASKING.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SHARE ON JUNE 26TH, YOU KNOW, WHEN THESE CHECK IN POINTS ARE GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO THE PULSE SURVEY THAT IS OUT NOW, WHEN THE CHECK IN POINTS WHERE YOU CAN HAVE A VOICE AND SAY THINGS, WE'RE GOING TO INCLUDE THAT AS A PART OF THE JUNE 26TH PLAN TOO.
SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE SUMMER LEARNING ROLLOUT.
WE WON'T DO THAT AGAIN, I CAN TELL YOU THAT.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT PRESSING LIKE EVERYTHING HAS TO BE DONE ON JUNE 26TH.
IT WOULD BE A DISASTER, LIKE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE MIGHT HAVE HAD WITH THE SUMMER LEARNING PUSH OUT.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BEING VERY METHODICAL AND STRATEGIC, IT'S SO MASSIVE, IT'S REQUIRING OUR TEAM TO HAVE MORE TIME AND TO BRING SUPPORT WITH US DURING THIS TIME.
ONE FINAL THING, BEFORE YOU END.
BECAUSE WE ASKED FOR IT, THERE WERE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BALANCE LITERACY.
[01:25:05]
I ASKED THEM TO JOIN US BECAUSE I FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE BOARD TO HEAR FROM SOME OF OUR EXPERTS.YOU KNOW, OUR PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS WHO ARE ENGAGED IN THIS WORK.
IF WE CAN TAKE A COUPLE OF MINUTES, IF THE BOARD CHAIR DOESN'T MIND FOR THEM TO SPEAK TO THAT.
BECAUSE WE DID ASK THEM TO BE ON THIS TODAY.
BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE WOULD HAVE TIME FOR QUESTIONS REGARDING THAT.
>> THAT IS THE MYSTERY TODAY WE'RE GOING TO ASK KIMBERLY SHELL TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN UPDATE AS TO WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE AND RESPONSIVE LITERACY PROGRAM AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WORK THAT ALIGNS WITH YOUR GOALS IN TERMS OF THE K 2 TASK FORCE.
KIM WILL START AND THEN WE'VE ASKED MR. PASCAL TO SHARE ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LITERACY PROGRAM IN OUR DIVISION.
CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME OKAY? OKAY.
SO WE REALLY APPRECIATED SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME FORTH AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD OPPORTUNITY TO HELP EXPLAIN AND PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORK THAT IS BEING DONE IN LITERACY IN K 12, BUT SPECIFICALLY K 2, AS THAT A PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND IMPORTANT PART OF OUR WORK.
A LOT OF IT CAME AROUND THIS PAST FALL AND WINTER WITH SOME CRITICISMS ABOUT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS BEING USED.
ESPECIALLY IN REGARDS TO THE TERM BALANCED LITERACY.
BALANCE LITERACY BEGAN AS A MODEL AND FRAMEWORK, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A SPECIFIC PROGRAM.
AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THE CRITICISMS AND SOME OF THE WORK THAT HAS COME OUT IN THE LITERACY RESEARCH, WE PUT TOGETHER THIS K 2 TASK FORCE.
I'M EXCITED TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT THIS TASK FORCE REPRESENTED EVERY SINGLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT AND IT HAD BOTH ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS AND READING SPECIALISTS ON IT.
THIS TASK FORCE CAME TOGETHER TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES WITH THE TERM BALANCE LITERACY AND HOW WE MOVE FORWARD WITH REVISING AND REVISITING HOW THAT LANGUAGE WORKS.
AND AS A RESULT OF THE TEAM THIS COMMITTEE GETTING TOGETHER, ANALYZING STUDENT DATA, REVIEWING THE CURRENT LITERATURE AND RESEARCH, WE REALIZED THERE WAS A NEED TO SHIFT TO A LANGUAGE THAT INVOLVES BOTH COMPREHENSIVE AND FLEXIBLE RESPONSIVE LITERACY.
AND SO THE COMPREHENSIVE LITERACY PART INCLUDES ALL OF THE COMPONENTS THAT ARE RESEARCHED BASED THAT SUPPORT LITERACY DEVELOPMENT.
AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT THE TASK FORCE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED WAS THE NEED TO INCLUDE A MORE EXPLICIT AND SYSTEMATIC PHONETICS INSTRUCTION PROGRAM.
SO THAT IS ONE OF OUR FIRST RECOMMENDATIONS AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT.
WE ARE SET TO PRESENT ON JUNE 26TH.
SO THE K 2 COMMITTEE, I'M HAPPY TO SHARE, THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB AT ANALYZING WHAT EXISTS AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE AND PUT TOGETHER A PHENOMENAL PLAN TO MOVE K 2 LITERACY FORWARD.
SHE WAS GOING TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE PHONETICS COMPONENT.
MY CONTRIBUTION TODAY IS SIMPLY GIVE A BRIEF WHERE WE STAND TODAY WITH THE PHONETICS PORTION OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM.
I WANTED TO DISPEL THE NOTION RIGHT AWAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE AN EXPLICIT AND SYSTEMIC PHONETICS PROGRAM, BECAUSE WE DO.
WORDS THEIR WAY, WHICH FALLS UNDER THE BANNER WORD STUDY, CERTAINLY COVERS PHONICS INSTRUCTION.
IT STARTS IN THE KINDERGARTEN WITH HOMOGRAPHS, SOUNDS, BLENDS, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD SEE IN A TRADITIONAL PROGRAM.
[01:30:03]
WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT OUR PARTICULAR PROGRAM IS THAT THERE ARE ALSO COMPONENTS THAT ARE EMBEDDED IN THE READING AND WRITING WORKSHOP THAT ARE THE OTHER PEGS OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM.SO IN A K 2 CLASSROOM, IN ADDITION TO THE EXPLICIT PHONETICS THAT IS TAUGHT THROUGH WORDS THEIR WAY, YOU WOULD SEE EVIDENCE OF PHONICS BEING SUPPORTED NATURALLY IN TERMS OF THE SHARED READING, INTERACTIVE WRITING AND SOME OF THE SMALL GROUP WORK.
WHAT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT ABOUT OUR PROGRAM IS THE WAY THAT IT'S DIFFERENTIATED.
I TAKE IT FROM SOME OF THE WRITTEN COMMENTS THAT PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO MAYBE SEE A WHOLE GROUP 30 TO 45 MINUTE BLOCK SOLELY DEDICATED TO PHONICS.
IN OUR CURRENT MODEL WE HAVE A DIFFERENTIATED GROUP WHICH WE BELIEVE SPEAKS TO AN EQUITY ISSUE.
STUDENTS ARE ASSESSED, THEY ARE CLUSTERED WHERE THEY'RE AT AND THEY ARE INSTRUCTED IN WHATEVER THE PHONICS SCHEDULE RIGOR, WHATEVER LEVEL THEY'RE AT, THAT IS WHERE THEIR INSTRUCTION TAKES PLACE.
I'M GLAD THE K 2 TASK FORCE IS LOOKING AT THIS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THEIR ACTIONS AS WELL AS OUR ACTIONS MOVING FORWARD.
SO IS THAT, NO ONE ELSE IS GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW, IS THAT RIGHT?
>> THAT IS THE UPDATE FOR TODAY.
BUT OUR GOAL IS TO BRING FORWARD TO YOU THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE K 2 TASK FORCE AND ONE RECOMMENDATION IS WE WANT TO RESTATE IS THAT WE DO NEED TO INTRODUCE AN EXPLICIT PROGRAM COMPONENT IN OUR CURRENT MODEL THAT ADDRESSES PHONICS.
SO WE WILL BE PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON JUNE 26TH.
I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU AND GLAD TO KNOW WHY YOU'RE HERE NOW.
I KEPT LOOKING TO SEE THAT I LEFT SOMETHING OFF MY AGENDA.
I THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS A WHOLE ITEM THAT I WAS SKIPPING OVER.
I THINK EVERYBODY WE'RE AT THE END.
THANK YOU ALL FOR A GOOD MEETING.
WHAT WE DO NEED IS A MOTION >> I MOVE THAT WE END THE MEETING TODAY.
>> MR. SUAREZ SECONDS MS. LORBER'S MOTION TO ADJOURN TODAY'S MEETING.
>> EVERYBODY HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND AND SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.