>> THANK YOU. [00:00:01] >> ALL RIGHT COMMITTEE IT IS REALLY NICE TO SEE SO MANY OF YOU AND YOUR FACES. [1. Agenda for the June 15, 2020 TAG Advisory Committee Meeting] I AM GLAD YOU ARE DOING WELL. JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK THINGS. THIS IS THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING FOR JUNE 15, 2020. WE ARE JOINED BY OUR SCHOOL BOARD CLERK SUSAN AND SHE WILL HELP US IF WE RUN INTO ANY TECHNICAL ISSUES OR QUESTIONS THAT ARE POLICY RELATED THAT SHE CAN ADDRESS FOR US. SO WE WILL DO THAT. I THINK THE ADVICE IS IF MOST PEOPLE WANT TO MUTE AND THEN IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK YOU CAN RAISE YOUR HAND AND WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE CAN TALK. SUSAN WILL HELP ME MONITOR THAT. >> AND FOR THOSE, WHO MAY NOT BE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO ARE JOINING IN ON THE CALL, WE HAVE SET UP A WAY FOR YOU TO ADD A PUBLIC COMMENT. SO IF YOU GO TO THE ALEXANDRIA SCHOOL BOARD WEBSITE AND YOU GO DOWN THROUGH THE MEETING, AND THIS AGENDA, IT NOW HAS A LINK WHERE YOU CAN SUBMIT A COMMENT AND THAT WILL GO TO THE COMMITTEE AND WE CAN FOLLOW UP IF THERE IS A COMMENT OR QUESTION SO WE CAN GET BACK TO YOU. IF YOU'VE NEVER DONE A ZOOM WEBINAR BUT EVERYONE HAS BY NOW IF YOU OPEN UP THE PARTICIPANTS PANEL AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN THAT IS WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE OPTIONS RAISE YOUR HAND. CHANCE I HAVE SOME OPENING 2 REMARKS. THE NATIONAL TALKS WE ARE HAVING ABOUT RACE AND HOW WE HANDLE IT AFFECTS THE WORK OF THIS COMMITTEE. THE FOCUS IS TO DISCUSS COVID-19 THE EFFECTS ON GIFTED STUDENTS I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE MY OPENING REMARKS TO REVIEW THIS COMMITTEE'S WORK OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS SO ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC OR JOINING US CAN LEARN MORE AND GET THE SERVICES. >> FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION I INVITE YOU TO READ OUR STATEMENTS OF WORK END THE YEAR IN REPORTS THAT ARE POSTED ON THE SCHOOL BOARD'S WEBSITE. THIS REVIEW ALSO AFFORDS OUR COMMITTEE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASSESS WHAT WE HAVE DONE WELL, WHERE WE HAVE FALLEN SHORT, AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO MOVING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THE PROGRAM IS SERVING ALL STUDENTS AND ADDRESSING RACIAL INEQUITIES. WHEN WE MEET AGAIN WE WILL ADDRESS OUR STATEMENT OF WORK AND HOLD OUR COMMITTEE ACCOUNTABLE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF ALL STUDENTS AND CREATING AN EQUITABLE PROGRAM. WE WILL ALSO PUT ON OUR CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR AND SECRETARY, I HOPE OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE. >> WE DO HAVE OPEN SPOTS ON THE COMMITTEE AND WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR REPRESENTATIVES FROM SEVERAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. A QUICK RECAP OF OUR WORK. AND 2014 AT THE REQUEST OF THE GIFTED COORDINATOR AND COMMITTEE, A C.P.S. TRACK DATA ON THE GIFTED PROGRAM AND PUBLICLY RELEASED DATA ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. IT INCLUDES BREAKDOWNS BY SCHOOL RACE AND GENDER. OUR NUMBERS ARE NOT GREAT BUT DISTRICT IS UNIQUE IN RELEASING THE DATA BY NOT HIDING WE ARE PROVIDING TRANSPARENCY AND CAN ADDRESS THE INEQUITY SEES. FROM 2017 THROUGH 2019 MEMBERS LOBBIED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND ADMINISTRATORS AND SUCCEEDED TO GET FUNDING TO EXPAND THE YOUNG SCHOLARS PROGRAM. THIS WAS DEVELOPED BY FAIRFAX COUNTY SCHOOLS AND DESIGNED TO NURTURE GIFTED POTENTIAL AND STUDENTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS. IN 2018 AND 2019, THIS COMMITTEE CONSIDERED VARIOUS MECHANISMS IN WHICH THINGS COULD BE DELIVERED AND AND MORE EQUITABLE PROGRAM. [00:05:01] THE PRIMARY APPROACH WAS DIFFERENTIATION IN THE CLASSROOM. IN 2019-2020 WE HOSTED TWO GUEST SPEAKERS. THE AUTHOR OF THE NONVERBAL ABILITY TEST, AND MR. BILL OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GIFTED CHILDREN. THESE PRESENTATIONS HELPS US TO BETTER UNDERSTAND ABILITY TESTING AND LEARN ABOUT NATIONAL POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS ON PROVIDING EQUITY AND GIFTED PROGRAMS. WE ALSO HEARD FROM ACPS CONSULTANTS ABOUT DELIVERING DIFFERENT CURRICULUMS. IN CLOSING I INVITE THE COMMITTEE TO E-MAIL ME ANY CONCERNS YOU HAVE ABOUT THE COMMITTEE OR IDEAS YOU HAVE REGARDING OUR STATEMENT OF WORK FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR. I ALSO SUGGEST YOU DRAFT ACPS STRATEGIC PLAN, AVAILABLE ON THE ACPS WEBSITE. TAG IS CALLED OUT IN MULTIPLE PLACES THROUGHOUT THE DOCUMENT AND IS IN LINE WITH THE CONCERNS AND HOPES OF THE PROGRAM WE HAV EXPRESS. NOW I WOULD LIKE US TO RECEIVE A STAFF UPDATE AND AS A COMMITTEE WE WILL ADDRESS THE COVID-19 CLOSER AND BRING SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO IMPROVE THESE SERVICES DURING SUMMER SCHOOL AND ANY AT-HOME LEARNING THAT OCCURS IN THE FALL. >> WE CANNOT HEAR YOU. >>> I ALWAYS RECOGNIZE THAT ABOUT A FEW SENTENCES IN. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE RECAP. IT WAS A LOT OF IMPORTANT PIECES AND STEPS WE HAVE BEEN TAKING. THE LAST TIME WE WERE ALL TOGETHER WAS JUST PRIOR TO THE CLOSURE. THAT HAPPENED SO FAST, WE WERE SCHEDULED THAT WEEK TO MEET AGAIN. AND, IT HAS BEEN QUITE A WILD AND FAST AND FURIOUS THE WORK HAS BEEN. THAT WEEK I WAS ALSO SCHEDULED TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE TO THE SCHOOL BOARD IN PERSON. ON WHAT KIND OF WORK WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS YEAR AND HOW WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS MEETING THE RECOMMENDATIONS HERE THAT OF COURSE DID NOT HAPPEN EITHER AND WAS TABLED UNTIL JUST LAST WEEK WHERE IT WAS PRESENTED AT THE BOARD MEETING AS A BRIEF PERIOD SO IT IS AVAILABLE NOW THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS SEEN IT IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE. SO THAT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF HOW A LOT OF OTHER PRIORITIES JUMP QUICKLY IN OUR WORLD. AT THE TIME, TO SET US ON THE PATH THAT WE HAVE BEEN ON AND IN TERMS OF VIRTUAL LEARNING IN TERMS OF REACHING OUR STUDENTS AT A LOT OF DIFFERENT LEVELS, THE TEACHER AND THE DIVISIONS HAVE BEEN AMAZING WITH THE SUPPORT THEY CAP PROVIDED. 5 WITH THE STUDENTS ON A REGULAR BASIS AND WHEN THEY COULDN'T, THEY TRIED TO GO THROUGH THE TEACHERS TO DO SO. SO IT HAS BEEN QUITE AN ADJUSTMENT. BUT, THROUGH ALL OF THIS WE ARE LEARNING A LOT AND IT IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS AND AS WE APPROACH THE SUMMER, TAG HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN ALL OF THE CONTINUITY OF LEARNING. WE HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE ACTIVITIES AND LOOKING FOR WAYS WE COULD PROVIDE EXTENSIONS AND IDENTIFYING THEM AND SOMETIMES THEY ARE JUST EMBEDDED IN THE ACTIVITY. SO WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED. WE DIDN'T HAVE A SEPARATE APPROACH. IT WAS ALL HANDS ON DECK AND THE SAME THING AS HAPPENED WITH THE EVOLUTION OF THE SUMMER PROBLEM -- PROGRAM. SO WITH SUMMER SCHOOL IT BRINGS A NEW OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE IN THIS CASE, TAGS STUDENTS IDENTIFIED TAGS STUDENTS NOT HAVING APE SUMMER PROGRAM. THIS WAS NOT GOING TO INCLUDE THEM AND THAT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT COULD WE PROVIDE THROUGH THIS LENS. FOR ANY STUDENT WHO WANTED TO CONTINUE THEIR LEARNING. IT ALSO PROVIDED A CHALLENGE AND THAT NORMALLY WE WOULD HAVE OUR YOUNG SCHOLARS PROGRAM WHICH IS A SEPARATE PROGRAM WITH A FOCUS ON DEVELOPING POTENTIAL, LOTS OF LEARNING AND FIELD TRIPS AND LOTS OF THINGS YOU CANNOT DO IN THIS PARTICULAR ENVIRONMENT. [00:10:01] SO WHAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO FOR THE YOUNG SCHOLARS IS THE GENERAL SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM IS VERY RICH THIS SUMMER. 6 THE SUBJECT AREAS ARE COVERED FOR EACH GRADE LEVEL. IT IS RICH AND ENRICHED IN AND OF ITSELF BUT I STILL WANTED THE YOUNG SCHOLARS TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER. PART OF IT IS BUILDING A TEAM. AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE PROGRAM IS AND WHY WE EVEN HAVE IT. SO IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THAT IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, I ASKED AND WAS GRANTED TO GROUP THE YOUNG SCHOLARS TOGETHER WITH THE YOUNG SCHOLARS TEACHER. SO THEY WILL GET A CHANCE TO GET TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER. WE TRIED TO KEEP THEM TOGETHER BASED ON SCHOOL. IT IS A LITTLE TRICKY WITH THE DIFFERENT GRADE LEVELS AND THE OTHER THINGS. WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO EXTEND THAT INTEREST AND THAT NURTURING THAT THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED FOR SO I AM EXCITED ABOUT THAT. WE ARE NOW AT THE HIRING STAGE SO THEY WILL BE TRAINING FOR TEACHERS SO AT LEAST WE FOUND A WAY TO MAKE THIS SOMETHING THAT THEY WILL REMEMBER. SO I AM EXCITED ABOUT THAT. WE HAD TO MOVE ALL SCREENING THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO IN THE SPRING FOR THE FIRST TIME. WE WERE ON THE PRECIPICE OF BEING ABLE TO PLACE IN THE SPRING AND START THE BALL OFF WITH STUDENTS MOSTLY WHERE THEY NEEDED TO BE. AND OF COURSE THAT ALL CHANGED WHEN WE HAD TO SHUT DOWN. SO THE DECISION WAS MADE THAT BECAUSE WE SHUT DOWN AT THE END OF 3RD QUARTER WE CAN STILL DO SOME SPRING SCREENING DOIN DATA WE HAD AVAILABLE AT THE END OF 3RD QUARTER. BUT THAT WAS NOT GOING TO BE THE END OF IT. BECAUSE REALLY WE NEEDED UPDATED DATA FOR A LOT OF STUDENTS AND IT IS NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO TO SAY, YOU MISSED YOUR CHANCE THIS YEAR. SO WE DELAYED ALL OF THAT UNTIL THE FALL. WHENEVER WE GET BACK TOGETHER AGAIN AND WE CAN GET UPDATED DATA AND MAKE GOOD DECISIONS BASED ON A FULL PROFILE, THEN WE WILL MAKE THE DECISIONS. ANY DECISIONS WE COULD MAKE RIGHT NOW THAT COULD BE POSITIVE ARE BEING MADE. PARENTS ARE BEING NOTIFIED RIGHT NOW. I HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS VIRTUALLY WHEN NECESSARY DURING THE SPRING. WE -- I CONDUCTED APPEALS, RIGHT AFTER THE CLOSURE. WE HAD A BUNCH OF APPEALS THAT NEEDED TO BE HEARD. SO THE COMMITTEE AND I CONDUCTED THOSE VIRTUALLY. WE DOVE INTO THIS QUICKLY. SO WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP THINGS RUNNING IS THE MESSAGE I WANT YOU TO HEAR. ADJUSTING FOR FAIRNESS AND EQUITY ON ALL SIDES. SO NEXT FALL, IN CASE ANYONE IS ASKING NOW, WE WILL USE THE 1ST QUARTER TO GET WHATEVER ADDITIONAL DATA WE CAN GET ON THE EXISTING STUDENTS AND GENERATE NEW AUTOMATIC REFERRALS, AND THEN PARENTS AFTER THE 1ST QUARTER, IF YOUR CHILD AS NOT BEEN REFERRED AND YOU WANT THEM TO BE CONSIDERED YOU WILL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THE END OF THE 2ND QUARTER WHICH I THINK THE DEADLINE IS JANUARY 28 OR 29. 8 BUT HOPEFULLY, THIS WILL PASS AND WE CAN GET ON A BETTER SCHEDULE. EVERYTHING ELSE IS ONGOING, WITH THE PLAN, THE PLAN IS STILL BEING DISCUSSED AND REVISED. I AM WORKING WITH THE OFFICE TO ENHANCE OUR IDENTIFICATION USING THE TESTING AND PLACEMENT TESTING AND LANGUAGE TESTING AND SO FORTH WHEN STUDENTS COME INTO THE DIVISION. I'M SURE WE CAN MIND THAT FOR SOME ADDITIONAL WORK. WE ARE WORKING ON AN ALTERNATIVE PATHWAY THAT WILL INCLUDE THAT AS WELL AS BRINGING TOGETHER A SMALL ELEMENTARY TASK FORCE TO LOOK AT THE ELEMENT MODEL AGAIN AND TO MAKE SURE WHAT WE WANT TO PROPOSE OR RECOMMEND IS SOMETHING THAT ALL PARTIES ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH. >> SO THAT IN A NUTSHELL, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT TOOK BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR [00:15:02] PATIENCE AND LISTENING. I AM HERE. THANK YOU. SO I REALLY DO WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL AND I KNOW TYPICALLY WE HAVE TWO HOUR MEETING SO WE WILL SEE HOW THIS GOES. NO REAL QUICKLY I WANT TO GET INTO FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMITTEE AND WHAT THEY HAVE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THEIR OWN OBSERVATIONS, I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE AND THE OVERALL FEEDBACK THAT I HAVE RECEIVED IS THAT STUDENTS THAT ARE IN ONE OF THE SUBJECT SPECIFIC TAG CLASSES IN THE 4TH AND 5TH GRADE THE CLASSES SEEM TO GO A LONG AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE WERE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT BUT GIVEN THE ENVIRONMENT WE ARE IN THOSE CLASSES STAYED THE MOST ON IT DIDN'T SEEM TO BE, A LOT OF SERVICE BEING DELIVERED. I WOULD LIKE TO GET FEEDBACK AND AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS, STUDENTS NEVER HAVING A CLASS WITH THEIR TEACHER. NOT A SINGLE CLASS THIS WHOLE THREE MONTHS. I MEAN, ONLINE. SO I GUESS, TO QUESTIONS I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM LEIGH DUGAN YOU ARE OUR TEACHER REPRESENTATIVE. WHAT CONVERSATIONS YOU HAD WITH OTHER TAG TEACHERS. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT HOW TO APPROACH IT FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FOURTH GRADE SERVICES OR MIDDLE SCHOOL SERVICES. BUT I AM HOPING LEIGH DUGAN IF YOU CAN GIVE US SOME FEEDBACK THAT WOULD BE GREAT. >> OKAY SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE TEACHERS WERE GIVEN AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS AND I THINK ONE OF THE FAULT IS CONSTRAINED BY THE GUIDELINES FOR WHAT WE WERE GOING -- WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS WERE FOR TEACHERS. THOSE EXPECTATIONS FOR TEACHERS WEREN'T LIMITED TO 20 HOURS. WEEK OF A COMBINATION OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND DELIVERY TIME TO THE STUDENTS AND PLANNING TIME AND MEETING AND COLLABORATING WITH OTHER TEACHERS. GIVEN THE -- SO THERE IS ONE AREA WHERE IT WAS CHALLENGING. IT IS CHALLENGING TO MEET WITH STUDENTS WHO DON'T NECESSARILY -- WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR GOOGLE CLASSROOM ACCOUNTS AND MANY OF THE KINDERGARTEN THROUGH SECOND GRADE STUDENTS DIDN'T HAVE DEVICES WHERE WE COULD MEET 10 THEM. SO IT WAS A CHALLENGE AND THE WAY WE DECIDED AT OUR SCHOOL TO OVERCOME THAT WAS TO CREATE A NEWSLETTER THAT WAS POSTED TO THE SCHOOL'S WEBSITE AND WAS ASSESSABLE TO ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO WAS LOOKING FOR EXTENSION ENRICHMENT FOR THEIR CHILD. THAT WASN'T UPDATED EVERY WEEK BUT IT HAD A LOT OF RESOURCES THAT WERE COLLECTED BOTH FROM THE CITY AND FROM THE TAG TEACHERS AT OUR SCHOOL. SO THAT IS ONE WAY WE WERE PROVIDING RESOURCES. WE ALSO CONSULTED WITH THE HOMEROOM TEACHERS WHEN THEY WOULD ASK FOR RESOURCES FOR EXTENSION ENRICHMENT. I WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME RESOURCES TO THEM AND IN THE DELIVERY MODEL FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE IS TAG SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY THE HOMEROOM TEACHER. I KNOW SOME SCHOOLS DO IT A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY BUT THE CITY'S MODEL IS THAT TAG SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY THE HOMEROOM TEACHER WITH CONSULTATION AND SOMETIMES THAT IS DIRECT CONSULTATION WITH THE STUDENT AND SOMETIMES IT IS TEACHER TO TEACHER DOES THAT ANSWER THE QUESTION? >> IT DOES APPEAR IN MY OPENING COMMENTS I NEGLECTED TO MENTION MIDDLE SCHOOL AND [00:20:05] I DID GET FEEDBACK ON MIDDLE SCHOOL. I MEAN, I GUESS MY QUESTION AND WHAT I WANT TO POSE IS, I MEAN, MY OPINION AND TALKING TO OTHER PEOPLE PARTICULARLY KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE, WHAT IF WE REALLY ARE AT HOME IN THE FALL, THE MODEL YOU DESCRIBE, THAT IS NOT HAPPENING AT L -- EVERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 1 AND I THINK ALL OF US UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYONE'S WORLD WAS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN IN A DAY. AND WE KIND OF JUST ACCEPTED AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT ACPS PROVIDED IN THE SPRING. WHAT I AM HOPING THE COMMITTEE CAN DO IS GIVE SUGGESTIONS TO DONNA AND OTHERS THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO BE AT HOME, WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR DELIVERING THESE SERVICES TO THE STUDENTS IN THE FALL. WHAT COULD BE SOME UNIFORM THINGS MAY BE ACROSS THE SYSTEM THAT PARENTS COULD KNOW TO EXPECT, OR, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS BUT I THINK A LOT OF PARENTS WOULD LIKE MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION AND OPPORTUNITIES AND ENGAGEMENT. THE ONLY OTHER THING, THE CHALLENGING PIECE OF HAVING THE RESOURCES AND I HAVE SOME GREAT ONES IS THAT DOES LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE IT DOES PUT A LOT ON THE PARENTS. SO CAN WE BE MORE CREATIVE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE BUT IS THERE A CREATIVE WAY WE CAN MAKE SOMETHING AVAILABLE TO THE STUDENTS AND IT WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE TO NECESSARILY BE LIMITED TO THE GRADE OR THE SCHOOL, AND WHAT MIGHT THAT LOOK LIKE. AREN'T THERE SOME WAYS AT A HIGH LEVEL WE COULD PROVIDE AN IMPACT FOR THE STUDENTS. >> I THINK THE ANSWER IS YES AND YES. I THINK THAT THE TAG TEACHERS IN THE CITY CAN PROVIDE SOME STANDARDIZED RESOURCES. I KNOW WHEN I WAS ABLE TO GET INTO THE BUILDING AND I WENT INTO MY ROOM TODAY AND I SAW SOME THINGS THAT HAD NOT BEE GRABBED A BUNCH OF RESOURCES FROM MY CLOSET AND I TOOK THEM HOME. WHEN WE ORIGINALLY CLOSED, WE THOUGHT WE WERE CLOSING FOR THREE WEEKS AND DID NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN LOVELY TO HAVE SO I COULD SCAN THEM AND SEND THEM OFF TO THE HOMEROOM TEACHERS AND THEY COULD DISTRIBUTE THEM TO THE STUDENTS. I THINK HAVING THESE RESOURCES NOW AT HOME, VERSUS HUNTING AND PECKING ONLINE TO FIND RESOURCES WILL BE EASIER AND I THINK MANY TEACHERS HAVE GONE TO THEIR CLASSROOMS AND THEY ARE LOOKING AHEAD TO THE FALL AND THEY ARE DOING THE SAME THING I DID. THEY GRABBED A BUNCH OF BOOKS AND THEY ARE TAKING THEM HOME AND WE ARE PLANNING ON -- WE HAVEN'T HAD A FORMAL THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DOING FOR THE SUMMER BUT I KNOW THAT MANY OF US ARE THINKING AHEAD TO WHAT ARE THE POSSIBILITIES THAT THE FALL WILL LOOK LIKE THIS AND HOW CAN WE BETTER SUPPORT THE KIDS IN WHATEVER FORM WE SEE YOU THEN. BECAUSE WE ALL WANT TO DO BETTER FOR THE KIDS. >> I WANT TO OPEN IT UP TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT. THIS IS OUR COVID-19 WORK SESSION SO IT IS 7:26 P.M. I WORKED AND OPENED IT WITH BROAD SWEEPING BUT IT IS A RATE OPPORTUNITY FOR USEFUL FEEDBACK. SO RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING. >> NONE OF YOU. >> NO THERE ARE THREE HANDS THAT ARE RAISED. >> I COULDN'T SEE IT. >> OKAY MARK IF YOU CAN OPEN YOUR MICROPHONE AND SPEAK. >> MY QUESTION IS, I SPOKE TO MY NEIGHBORS ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL 13 HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS TO TEACH THE CORE CURRICULUM. SO, SHOULD WE BE REALISTIC THAT TAGS SHOULD BE ART TO DO BECAUSE THE ACPS WILL [00:25:01] STRUGGLE TO GET THE NORMAL CURRICULUM OUT. SHOULD WE SET OUR EXPECTATIONS I GUESS WHERE SHOULD WE SET THEM ON WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE FALL AND WITH DISTANCE LEARNING BEING HARD ENOUGH AND THAT MAY BE SECOND FIDDLE TO GETTING INSTRUCTIONS TO EVERYONE. THAT'S ALL HAVE TO SAY. >> I WILL LET THE COMMITTEE KNOW, I DID HEAR FROM SEVERAL PARENTS THAT, THEY WERE EXPECTING THAT THE TAG STUDENTS WOULD CONTINUE TO RECEIVE SERVICES AND THEY SHOULD HAVE AN EXPECTATION FOR SERVICES AND THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SPECIFICALLY CALLS THAT OUT. AND IT'S IN THEIR GUIDANCE FOR SCHOOLING DURING THIS TIME. SO, THE STATE IS CALLING FOR IT. I GET WHAT YOU ARE SAYING. I AM REALISTIC ABOUT WHAT WE CAN OFFER. BUT ON SOME LEVEL IF THERE ARE SOME QUICK WINS THAT AREN'T BAD DIFFICULT THAT CAN PROVIDE THEM WITH SOMETHING, MAYBE YOU GET A PHENOMENAL GUEST SPEAKER AND YOU MAKE THE WEBINAR AVAILABLE. MAYBE SOMETHING. I DON'T WANT TO NECESSARILY LIMIT OURSELVES RIGHT OFF OF THE BAT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL BE REALISTIC. SUSAN WELLS HAS A QUESTION? >> I HAVE A QUESTION. CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> YES. WE HAVE A Q GOING SO I WILL PUT YOU IN THE LIST BUT NEXT WE HAVE MARY. >> OKAY. >> HELLO EVERYONE. 14 GOOD TO SEE YOU. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE BOTH MY EXPERIENCE AND SOME INFORMATION THAT WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE INFORMATION LAURA SHARED WHICH IS THE STUDENTS GOT VERY LITTLE IN TERMS OF ENRICHMENT IN THIS. BUT I THINK ONE PIECE OF FEEDBACK I WANTED TO SAY WAS MY THIRD GRADES STUDENTS DID GET ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES TO WORK ON AND I FOUND THOSE AS A TWO-PARENT WORKING HOUSEHOLD TO BE REALLY DIFFICULT FOR US TO DO BECAUSE IT ALWAYS SEEMS LIKE THOSE ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES ARE THE ONES THAT NEED THE MOST DIRECTION. CERTAINLY SHE IS CAPABLE OF DOING THEM BUT NOT ON HER OWN. SO I DO THINK TO THE EXTENT THAT WE ARE LOOKING ACTIVITIES IN THE FALL THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND THE MOST USEFUL FOR US WOULD BE ONES THAT HAVE AT LEAST SOME TEACHER DIRECTION GREAT PROJECTS, GREAT IDEAS BUT IT WASN'T SOMETHING WE COULD IMPLEMENT. SO I THINK THE TEACHERS ARE PUTTING IN THE WORK TO PUT IT TOGETHER BUT IF THEY IF THEY ARE NOT ACCOMPANIED WITH INSTRUCTION IT IS A LOST OPPORTUNITY AND A LOT OF WORK THAT THE STUDENTS DON'T SEE THE BENEFIT OF IT. >> NEXT. >> UNLESS YOU WANT TO RESPOND. >> HELLO EVERYONE. I JUST WANT TO PUT AN UNDERLINE IN! I WONDER WHAT MARYBETH SAID. SO AS SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER I HAVE A FIRST GRADER AND A SECOND GRADER WHO ARE BOTH IN THE SAME SCHOOL. THE POST COVID-19 DELIVERY OF SERVICES HAVE BEEN AN EXTENSION OF THE YEAR. ONE OF THEM HAD A GREAT TEACHER WHO DID A FANTASTIC JOB 15 DIFFERENTIATING. HE ALSO HAS A COLD HURT. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER STUDENTS IN HIS CLASS AND GRADE WHO ARE ALSO, WHETHER FORMALLY OR INFORMALLY, THEY HAVE BEEN GROUPED TOGETHER TO DO ADVANCED WORK AND THAT TEACHER WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT THE RESUME CALLS WITH ONE OF OUR MATH RESOURCE TEACHERS WHICH WAS FANTASTIC FOR HIM TO DO IT. THE OTHER STUDENT HAS HAD A REALLY ROUGH YEAR WITH THE TEACHER DIFFERENTIATION NOT IN HER SKILL SET. AND BEING SECOND-GRADE GIA HE DIDN'T HAVE ANYWHERE ELSE TO GO. AND THAT CONTINUES. HE HAS ZOOM CALLS WITH HIS CLASS, BUT HE IS BORED BY THE WORD. I CAN'T GET HIM TO DO PACKETS BECAUSE IT IS TOO MUCH WORK FOR US TO POUR THE [00:30:03] ENERGY INTO GETTING HIM INTERESTED. WHEN I REACHED OUT TO THE SCHOOL AND ASKED FOR OTHER PARENTS WHO WOULD BE WILLING TO TALK TO ME FOR THE MEETING AND COULD THE TEACHERS GIVE ME A LIST OF WHICH TAG SERVICES WERE BEING DELIVERED IT WAS VERY BASIC. 4TH AND 5TH GRADE ARE CONTINUING. KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE IS WHAT YOU ARE GETTING WITH YOUR OWN KIDS. SO SOMETHING IS HAPPENING. BUT FROM MY EXPERIENCE AS A PARENT, KIND OF LIKE WHAT MARYBETH WAS SAYING, THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT STUFF IN THE PACKETS. THERE ARE TEARS WHEN I ASKED MY KIDS TO SIT DOWN WITH THE PACKETS. IT IS JUST TOO MUCH OF AN EFFORT AND I WOULD RATHER THAT MY OLDER CHILD WHO IS STRUGGLING HAVE A OTHER TAGUS STUDENTS OR GIA STUDENTS OR CURIOUS STUDENTS HOWEVER WE WANT TO DEFINE IT, EVEN YOUNG SCHOLARS EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT IN SCHOOL THEN SPEND THE TIME WITH HIS HOMEROOM TEACHER ON A DAILY CALL WHICH HE HASN'T BEEN ENJOYING AND I CAN IMAGINE THAT THE TEACHER HAS ENJOYED HAVING HIM BECAUSE HE IS NOT VERY NICE ABOUT IT. AND I WISH I HAD MORE INPUT FROM PARENTS BUT I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO THE OTHER TAG PARENTS ARE IN MY SCHOOL AND I WASN'T ABLE TO GET THAT INFORMATION. I COULDN'T REACH OUT TO ANY OF THEM. AND ONE MORE THING I WANTED TO ADD, IN TERMS OF CONSTRUCTIVE IDEAS. ONE IDEA THAT I HAD, THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WITH MY KIDS IN PARTICULAR IS PAIRING OLDER TAG STUDENTS WITH THESE YOUNGER STUDENTS ON A ONE-ON-ONE BASIS. IF MY KID AND HAD A SIXTH-GRADER OR AN EIGHTH GRADER OR EVEN A HIGHSCHOOLER THAT HE COULD SPEAK TO THAT THEY COULD SHARE JOKES WITH THEY COULD TALK ABOUT VIDEOGAMES AND THE OLDER STUDENTS COULD TELL HIM, HAVE YOU LEARNED MULTIPLICATION WILL HEAR IS HOW YOU WOULD USE IT OR HAVE YOU LEARNED TO READ THESE BOOKS. I THINK YOU WOULD REALLY ENJOY THESE BOOKS. I THINK THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC AND A WAY TO GIVE THEM THE ONE-ON-ONE ATTENTION THAT THEY NEED WITHOUT OVERLOADING THE TEACHERS EVEN MORE WHO ARE WORKING SO HARD. >> MR. CHRISTOPHER SUAREZ YOU ARE NEXT. >> I HAVE A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS AND I JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE 17 WHAT LAURA SAID AT THE BEGINNING AND I JUST WANT TO CALL THAT OUT BECAUSE WE ARE IN THIS MOMENT IN ITS REPAIR WITH RACIAL TENSIONS HIGH AND THE STRUCTURAL EQUITIES OF OUR SOCIETY HAS BEEN EXPOSED AND WE NEED TO CALL THAT OUT AND I WANTED TO START WITH THAT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THIS COMMITTEE WAS HAVING GOOD DISCUSSIONS BEFORE WE HAD TO GO BACK TO OUR HOUSES. I JUST WANT TO URGE THE COMMITTEE TO WORK TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND HAVE THE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE THE WAY TAG EXISTS HAS CREATED A SEGREGATED SYSTEM IN THE SCHOOLS. WE JUST HAVE TO OWN THAT AND CALL THAT OUT. SO, THAT IS ONE THING I WANTED TO SAY. THE OTHER POINT I WANTED TO MAKE WAS IN THIS PANDEMIC, I THINK IT IS REALLY FORCING US TO RECONCEPTUALIZE WHAT SCHOOL IS AS NOT A PLACE AS MUCH AS A SERVICE. WE ARE SERVICE PROVIDERS. SCHOOL IS NOT ABOUT BEING A PLACE. SO I SAY THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT PROVIDES US WITH AN OPPORTUNITY AND SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN HIGHLIGHTED, FOR EXAMPLE THE COMMENT ABOUT HAVING PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. IF WE CONCEPTUALIZE IT AS A SERVICE, WE CAN GET MORE CREATED AND WE DON'T HAVE TO LIMIT OURSELVES. IT PROVIDES SOUL STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT TAG IDENTIFIED TO RECEIVE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE ARE GIVING TO THE TAG STUDENTS SO LAURA MENTIONED THE EXAMPLE OF HAVING A PROVOCATIVE SPEAKER. [00:35:05] IF WE HAD SOME INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKERS SPEAKING TO TAG STUDENTS WHY WOULDN'T WE OPEN THAT UP TO EVERYONE. SO, I REALLY WANT THIS COMMITTEE AND I WANT TO CHARGE THE STAFF AND EVERYONE I THINK YOU ALREADY THINK THIS WAY BUT TO REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT DOES TAG LOOK LIKE IN THIS PANDEMIC. IF WE DON'T GO BACK TO SCHOOL IN THE FALL, IN THE TRADITIONAL WAY, AND SERVICES RBD #BEING DELIVERED IN AN ELECTRONIC MANNER, WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT IT PRESENT FOR US. MARK MADE THE COMMENT ABOUT WHAT ARE OUR EXPECTATIONS. I THINK WE CAN HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS BUT THAT MAY LOOK DIFFERENT. SO I JUST WANT TO URGE EVERYONE TO HIT THE ISSUES HEAD-ON AND THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS FOR MEANS FOR THE PANDEMIC AND WHAT THAT MEANS IN THE LONGER TERM AS WE GRAPPLE WITH SOME OF THESE REALITIES IN OUR CITY. SO I WILL LEAVE IT THAT THAT SOME ARE PROVOCATIVE BUT I REALLY THINK THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT, THE RACIAL JUSTICE THEME AND THE THEME OF SERVICE NOT PLACE IN THIS ENVIRONMENT. >> ASIA YOU ARE NEXT. THANK YOU MR. SUAREZ YOU ECHOED SOME OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO SAY. I THINK IN LIGHT OF EVERYTHING THAT IS HAPPENING NOW, WITH THE PANDEMIC IT DOES EXPOSE NOT JUST ACPS BUT THE WHOLE WORLD THE DISPARITIES THAT EXIST. COMING BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE THAT IS WHAT I WANTED TO FOCUS ON. HOW DO WE ADDRESS THOSE THINGS. I TOOK SOME NOTES AND IT SAYS WE ARE PLANNING AHEAD THROUGH THE FALL AND WE WANT TO ADDRESS SOME ISSUES BUT HOW DO WE DO THA DON'T KNOW -- WE HAVE SPOKEN TO SOME PARENTS BUT WE HAVEN'T DID ANY RESEARCH WHERE WE REACHED OUT TO THE COMMUNITY SO WE COULD MAKE CHANGE. I THINK IT IS TIME FOR US TO MOVE PAST WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS BUT TO ME IT IS FRUSTRATING BECAUSE I WANT TO SEE ACTION. I WANT US TO TAKE MEANINGFUL STEPS IN THE FUTURE TO COMMUNICATE TO EVERYONE NOT JUST THE TAG PARENTS BUT A SYSTEM ON HOW WE CAN GET INFORMATION SO WE CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THE DISPARITIES THAT EXIST. I THINK MOVING FORWARD WE NEED TO COLLECT DATA, WE CAN'T JUST MAKE CHANGES FOR THINGS WE DON'T KNOW IF THE ISSUES ARE SYSTEMIC, I FEEL THE FRUSTRATION WITH THE WAY THINGS WERE ROLLED OUT BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC. I HAVE HAD SIMILAR ISSUES AS WELL BUT I WON'T TALK ABOUT THEM BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS JUST ME OR EVERYONE BUT REGARDLESS I THINK WE NEED TO SPEAK TO PARENTS. WE NEED TO GATHER DATA AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS SPECIFIC ISSUES ESPECIALLY THOSE IN REGARDS TO DISPARITY. BECAUSE SOME KIDS MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO INTERNET. SOME PARENTS MAY HAVE HAD TO WORK, LET'S TALK TO THE PARENTS LETS TALK TO THE PRINCIPAL SPIRIT I HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE PRINCIPAL FROM MY SCHOOL TO HAVE A MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION AND SHE NEVER SPOKE TO ME. SO, YOU KNOW I THINK AS A COMMITTEE MEMBER I WANT TO MAKE MORE OF AN IMPACT. WHAT KIND OF ADVICE CAN YOU OFFER FOR ME TOO REACH OUT TO THE SCHOOL TO REALLY GATHER INFORMATION, NOT JUST FROM ON PART OF TAG BUT WITH EVERYONE. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT TAG. IT IS ABOUT IF YOU WANT TO BE DIVERSE YOU HAVE TO REACH OUT BEYOND TAG TO GET THEM INVOLVED. SO THANK YOU MR. SUAREZ FOR WHAT YOU SAID. YOU ARE MORE ELOQUENT THAN I AM. AND COMING BACK WITH EVERYTHING THAT IS HAPPENING, THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT. HOW DO WE REALLY MAKE A CHANGE AND HOW DO WE ADDRESS THESE THINGS MOVING FORWARD AND HOW DO WE COLLECT THE DATA SO WE CAN MAKE AN IMPACT. >> REESEY DU PONT YOUR NEXT. >> HELLO EVERYONE. I THINK I HAVE BEEN GATHERING SMALL POINTS THROUGH EVERYONE TALKING POINTS AND THE FIRST THING I WANTED TO MENTION IN TERMS OF MENTORSHIP, I KNOW A LOT [00:40:04] OF PEOPLE IN HIGH SCHOOL THAT WOULD BE WILLING TO DO THAT ACROSS-THE-BOARD AND ACROSS GENDER AND RACE. I THINK THAT WOULD BE A MEANINGFUL THING NOT JUST FOR TAX STUDENTS BUT FOR STUDENTS IN THE YOUNG SCHOLARS PROGRAM AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD BE WILLING TO DO IT EVEN IN THE SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM BECAUSE I THINK, HAVING THE STUDENT TO TEACHER INTERACTION WITH DIFFERENT TEACHERS DIFFERENT TEACHERS, I KNOW IN A LOT OF MY CLASSES IT IS THE TEACHER TALKING AND EVERYONE ELSE IS SILENT. IF YOU ARE MISSING THE BACK-AND-FORTH INTERACTION YOU LOSE FOCUS AND NO ONE HAS ANY MOTIVATION TO DO THE WORK THAT IS BEING ASSIGNED. I ALSO THINK THAT IN TERMS OF CREATIVITY MOVING FORWARD, DISTRIBUTING RESOURCES THAT PACKETS OR SOMETHING THAT WOULD INTEREST STUDENTS MORE PYRRHIC I KNOW ACPS HAS A STRICT POLICY AS I HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT FOR SOMETHING I WAS WORKING ON BUT I THINK IT IS POSSIBLE TO DISTRIBUTE FROM SCHOOLS AND WITH CERTAIN CLASSES. I KNOW I HAD A TEACHER WHO WAS A TEACHER AND SHE WAS DELIVERING CLAY TO PEOPLES HOUSES SHE WAS A CERAMICS TEACHER. I THINK THERE COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE THE STUDENTS MORE DIRECTLY. THE LAST THING I WAS THINKING ABOUT IS WHEN TALKING WITH MY PEERS AND CLOSE FRIENDS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED, WHETHER THEY WERE INTACT OR THEY ONE IN TAG AND THEY FELT THERE'S JUST A LOT OF STUDENT EXPERIENCE LACKING FROM THE COMMITTEES AND FROM THESE KINDS OF CONVERSATIONS AND GOING FORWARD IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PLANS FOR THE FUTURE IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO HAVE STUDENTS WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH TAG OR WHO HAS GONE THROUGH, EVEN JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OUTSIDE OF TAG SPEAKING ON THEIR EXPERIENCE WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO LOOK FORWARD TO. >> MR. MILLER, YOUR NEXT. >>> THANK YOU. HAVING KIDS IN MULTIPLE DIFFERENT GRADE LEVELS AND SCHOOLS AND SPEAKING TO OTHER PARENTS, I THINK THE OVERALL EDUCATION QUALITY OF THE PAST FEW MONTHS HAS BEEN ALL OVER THE PLACE. FRANKLY THE TEACHERS THAT I SPOKE TO WERE GOOD AND EFFECTIVE AT REACHING THE STUDENTS AND THEY CONTINUE TO DO THAT WELL EVEN AFTER WE TRANSITIONS ONLINE. MY FOURTH GRADER IN MY 2 TEACHERS KEPT DOING GOOD AND THE BAD TEACHERS, DIDN'T DELIVER. AND IN SOME CASES IT GOT WORSE. I DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING REDEEMING ABOUT THE FIRST GRADE PROGRAM. WE SPENT A FEW MONTHS LIKE ONCE A WEEK A PACKET IN THE MAIL YOU GOT 30 MINUTES WITH THE TEACHER ONCE. WEEK. EVERYTHING ELSE WAS PUSHED ONTO THE PARENT WHICH FROM A -- IT'S A VERY INTERESTING SCENARIO AND I THINK IT IS HIGHLIGHTED TO A SET THAT IS A DISADVANTAGE AS I WATCH PARENTS ON FACEBOOK AND PARENT SAY IT IS HARD TO WORK AND TEACHER KID. YES, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THAT IN THE COMMITTEE. IT IS HARD IF YOU HAVE OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES AND YOU CAN'T DEVOTE TIME TO YOUR KIDS TO NECESSARILY GET EVERYTHING THAT YOU WANT FOR YOUR CHILD OUT OF THAT. SO IT IS A UNIQUE TIME TO DO TRADITIONAL REACHING OUT WHILE EVERYONE IS OFF BALANCE IN TERMS OF ACADEMIA AND SAY, WHAT DID I EXPECT. HOW AM I NOT GETTING IT, WHAT CHANGE. I THINK EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED. IT IS A GOOD POINT TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS. ANOTHER THING FROM A TECH COMMITTEE AND, YOU ARE IN A GREAT SPOT TO DO THIS. ALL OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE BEEN HAVING ABOUT DIFFERENTIATION AND CHALLENGING THE STUDENTS WILL BE ABSOLUTELY OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE AS WE RECOVER FROM THIS ACADEMICALLY. FOR US TO SAY, WE NEED TO WORK HARDER WITH THE TEACHERS BECAUSE WHILE SOME KIDS HAVE HAD GOOD EXPERIENCES I AM WITH YOU, WHEN 23 THE PACKET COMES [00:45:04] THROUGH THE MAIL MY FIRST GRADER BURST INTO TEARS. THERE IS NO INTEREST IN DOING 100 PAGES COMING IN. WEEK. IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO HAPPEN HERE PYRRHIC SO HOW WE CAN DO DIFFERENTIATION AND HOW WE CAN RECOVER FROM THE LOSS AND I THINK IT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PUSH THE TRAINING THAT WE WERE WORKING ON AND SAY THIS IS HOW WE WILL DO IT AND I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF PAIRING TAG STUDENTS ACROSS GRADE LEVELS AND MAY BE GETTING SOME LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS TO WORK WITH STUDENTS WITHIN TO GET SOME LEADERSHIP SKILLS ESTABLISHED AND GET ROLE MODELS AND BENEFIT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL GROUP THAT WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE A MENTOR TO SOMEONE BELOW THEM. >>> >> WE CANNOT HEAR YOU. >> CAN YOU RAISE THE VOLUME? >> HOW ABOUT NOW? >> WE CANNOT HEAR YOU. >> OKAY, HOW ABOUT NOW. >> BARELY PYRRHIC. >> MY KIDS ARE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. SOME OF THE KIDS DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. >> WAS I ON MUTE. ANYWAYS PYRRHIC SUSAN, HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE. >> JUST ONE MORE. >> SO I'VE READ DR. HUTCHINS ARTICLE AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT HE STATED THINGS AS THEY WERE. ACPS TO ECHO HIM IS DIVERSE IN THE HALLWAYS BUT NOT IN THE CLASSROOMS. SO ONE OF THE THINGS, ONE THING WE KNOW THAT THE TAG CLASSROOMS ARE NOT DIVERSE. WE KNOW THAT BY LOOKING AT THE DATA. 2 COMMITTEE TO DISMANTLE THE SYSTEM AS IT IS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WHAT IT SEEMS LIKE, IT SEEMS SO APARTHEID. LIKE AN APARTHEID SYSTEM TO BE QUITE HONEST. [2. Minutes for the February 24, 2020 TAG Advisory Committee Meeting] I LIKE THE IDEA OF JUST EXPOSING ALL CHILDREN TO MORE RIGOR. WE WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST DISTRICT TO DO THAT. THERE ARE SCHOOLS THAT DOESN'T. HIGH TECH HIGH DESERT. NEW YORK IS DOING IT. I JUST CHALLENGE THE COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT SOMETHING, TO BEGIN TO LOOK AT SOMETHING DIFFERENT. THAT IS IT. >> SORRY GUYS. TOO MANY BUTTONS ON MY COMPUTER. ALRIGHT I AM BEING CONSCIOUS OF THE TIME. I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S INPUT. I HAVE A COUPLE OF CLOSING COMMENTS AND ACTION ITEMS FOR THE COMMITTEE BUT I WAS HOPING THAT WE COULD, REALLY QUICKLY APPROVE THE FEBRUAR MINUTES. I SENT THOSE IN ADVANCE PYRRHIC ACTUALLY, HOW DO WE DO THAT SUSAN ON THE CALL? >> YOU WOULD JUST ASK FOR A MOTION AND THEN ASK FOR A SECOND AND WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE A VOTE BY ROLL CALL PYRRHIC. [00:50:03] >> OKAY. TANT DO YOU NEED ME TOO SHOW THE MINUTES PYRRHIC. >> I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE DOES ANYONE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE MINUTES. >> SO I NEED CAN I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FEBRUARY MINUTES. >> SECOND PERIOD. >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED? >> SO I THINK WE CAN ACCEPT THE 25 FEBRUARY MINUTES. >> WHO DID THE SECOND, I DID NOT CATCH THAT. >> LEIGH DUGAN AND THE -- D. OHLANDT. >> I WROTE A DRAFT A DRAFT OF THE END-OF-THE-YEAR REPORTS PYRRHIC FOR TIME [3. DRAFT 2019-2020 TAGAC End of Year Report] PURPOSES I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF THE COMMITTEE COULD REVIEW IT AND YOU COULD INDIVIDUALLY E-MAIL ANY COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS AND WE WILL UPDATE IT TO INCLUDE THIS MEETING WHICH I AM THANKFUL WE COULD HAVE. WE DIDN'T THINK THAT WOULD HAPPEN PYRRHIC SO I'M LOOKING FOR THAT. MIGHT GUESS, AND I WILL OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMITTEE, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO, I WASN'T REALLY ANTICIPATING THE COMMITTEE WOULD WANT TO GET TOGETHER IN JULY OR AUGUST OR WE COULD FIND TIME WHERE WE COULD HAVE ENOUGH OF US. IF YOU GUYS FEEL STRONGLY OTHERWISE IN WE COULD GET CONSISTENCE AND YOU WANT TO MEET AND DIG INTO THESE ISSUES, I AM OPEN TO THAT. I JUST FOUND OUT FROM SUSAN IT SEEMS WE COULD DO THAT THIS SUMMER. SO WHY DON'T YOU E-MAIL ME, WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE. IF WE DON'T GO THAT ROUTE AND HAVE A JULY OR AUGUST MEETING WHAT I WOULD ENVISION FOR SEPTEMBER WOULD BE THAT -- WHAT I WOULD DO OVER THE SUMMER BASED ON INPUT FROM YOU IS TO WORK ON A STATEMENT OF WORK FOR NEXT YEAR. I WOULD SHARE THAT IN SEPTEMBER. WE WOULD GET THAT FEEDBACK. WE COULD SPEND A MONTH OR TWO MONTHS, FINALIZING OUR STATEMENT OF WORK. WE DON'T HAVE TO DO IT BY A 26 CERTAIN MONTH. WE WOULD HAVE TIME TO DO THAT. I ALSO WANT TO BRING NOMINATIONS FOR THE CHAIR, VICE CHAIR AND SECRETARY. 'S OVER THE SUMMER IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE SOMEONE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE YOURSELF WE COULD START THAT AND IN SEPTEMBER WE COULD FORMALLY DISCUSS THAT EVENT WE COULD VOTE FOR THE POSITIONS HOPEFULLY IN THE OCTOBER MEETING. WE ARE A LITTLE BACKED UP BECAUSE OF THIS BUT THAT IS MY HOPE OF WHERE THIS WILL GO PYRRHIC ALSO, ON THE COMMITTEE THERE ARE SOME MEMBERS WHO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RETURN YOU NEED TO GO TO THE SCHOOL BOARD WEBSITE AND RESUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION THERE'S JUST THE REQUIREMENT THAT YOU HAVE ATTENDED 75% OF THE MEETINGS I DO HAVE TO LOOK AT AND SEE HOW MANY THAT WOULD BE SINCE SEVERAL WERE CANCELED. AND REESEY DU PONT I HOPE YOU CAN STAY ON THE COMMITTEE GOOD. YOU -- THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE HAS TO APPLY EVERY YEAR SO IF YOU COULD REAPPLY THAT WOULD BE GREAT. >> I WILL SEND OUT A LINK TO ALL OF YOU SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOOK UP THE APPLICATION. >> SUSAN WILL DO THAT. >> SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. I ALSO, DID NOT WANT TO GO OVER AN HOUR I KNOW PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF THE RESUME CALLS AND WE HAVE A LOT TO GET INTO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME IN THE LAST COUPLE MINUTES DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY OTHER WORDS THEY WANT TO BRING FORTH BEFORE CLOSE THE MEETING? >> SOMETHING QUICKLY, LAURA. 2 QUESTION YOU RAISE. I PERSONALLY WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF CONTINUING TO MEET OVER THE SUMMER TO DIVE INTO SOME OF THESE ISSUES AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF PIECE OF CONTEXT I WANT TO PROVIDE [00:55:05] THAT ARE RELEVANT. NUMBER ONE THE BOARD IS GOING TO LOOK AT AND FINALIZE AND ADOPT THE STRATEGIC PLAN IN THE COMING WEEKS. AND AS YOU MENTIONED THAT WILL BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO THIS COMMITTEE'S WORK. SO, I DO THINK, TO THE EXTENT THE COMMITTEE IS INTENDING TO ADOPT A STATEMENT OF WORK AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN, I THINK IT WILL BE CRITICAL IF THAT IS A LINE WITH THE NEW STRATEGIC PLAN AND I WANT THE BOARD AND THE MINDSET OF LINING EVERYTHING UP. I WOULD LIKE THIS COMMITTEE TO DO THAT AS WELL IF THE COMMITTEE AGREES. AND THEN THE OTHER PIECE TOO IS THE REOPENING PLAN. AT SOME OF YOU KNOW THERE IS A THOUGHT PARTNER OR PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE CITY MEETING, THEY WILL PROPOSE SOMETHING TO THE SCHOOL BOARD ONE WEEK FROM FRIDAY, AND THAT IS GOING TO BE DECEMBER 26 AND THAT WILL BE AN INITIAL PROPOSAL OF WHAT THE REOPENING MAY LOOK LIKE BUT EVEN THAT MAY BE IN FLUX BECAUSE THEY'RE SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY WITH THE PANDEMIC. I THINK IT WILL BE USEFUL FOR THIS COMMITTEE TO HAVE TOUCH POINTS OVER THE SUMMER TO SYNC UP WITH WHAT THE REOPENING MAY OR MAY NOT LOOK LIKE SO WE KNOW. SO I JUST THINK GIVEN THE NUMBER OF MOVING PIECES HERE, IT MAY BE WORTHWHILE TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS OVER THE SUMMER. 2 THAT I REFERENCED BEFORE. THERE'S A TIME WHEN THERE IS MOMENTUM AND IT IS A BETTER TIME THAN EVER TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS TOO. >> OKAY LEIGH DUGAN HAVE A COMMENT. >> THANK YOU. I'M VERY ABSOLUTELY FOR MEETING OVER THE SUMMER AND I WONDER IF MAYBE THE DR. GLASSER THIS QUESTION TO TWO ASHA MEDE'S POINT DEALING WITH DATA CAN WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE OVERALL DATA FROM THE SURVEY FROM PARENTS AND TEACHERS AND COULD WE DIVE INTO THAT SOURCE. IT'S NOT SPECIFIC BUT COULD WE DIVE INTO SOME OF THAT DATA THAT WAS APPLICABLE TO THE COMMITTEE DURING THE SUMMER? >> DONNA AND I WILL CIRCLE BACK WITH ACCOUNTABILITY. AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK AS MR. SUAREZ SAID. WE ACTUALLY HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW AND WE WILL GET SOME OF THE COMMITTEE WORK STARTED SO WE COULD MAKE THE TIMELINE FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD AND TO RANK LAURA FOR HER LEADERSHIP WITH THE TAG ACT AND ASKING THE SOUP -- SCHOOL BOARD SUPERINTENDENT IF WE COULD MEET. I WANT TO THANK LAURA AND THE EXECUTIVE TEAM ON THEIR WORK AND THEIR SUPPORT FOR DONNA AND EVERYONE. THANK YOU ALL. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> BEFORE YOU BREAK. BEFORE YOU BREAK I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY ABOUT MEETING SPIRIT AS LONG AS WE ARE IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY BY THE GOVERNOR, WE CAN ALL CONTINUE TO MEET BY ZOOM 29 BUT IF THE STATE OF EMERGENCY GETS LIFTED, YOU WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO MEET IN PERSON. SO YOU MAY HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A LOCATION THAT ALLOWS FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING. BUT WE ARE STILL IN THE STATE OF EMERGENCY SO GO AHEAD AND PLAN YOUR MEETING AND WE WILL TRY TO MAKE THEM HAPPEN FOR YOU. OKAY. >> WELL BASED ON THAT, THE THING THAT WE FEEL MOST CRITICAL IS IF YOU ARE ONE OF THE MEMBERS THAT I MENTIONED THAT NEEDS TO RE- UP, AND SUSAN WILL SEND YOU A REMINDER, TURN THOSE AROUND REALLY FAST BECAUSE I WILL NEED TO KNOW WHO IS ON THE COMMITTEE IF WE WILL TRY TO PULL TOGETHER A MEETING IN JULY. SO I NEED TO HAVE THAT IF YOU COULD JUST FIGURE THAT OUT THIS WEEK, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT. OTHER THAN THAT, IT IS GREAT TO HAVE ALL OF YOU HERE. IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND HEARING FROM YOU THROUGH E-MAIL OR PHONE. THAT IS ALL I HAVE. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU LAURA. >> THANK YOU * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.