[1. Call to Order: Meeting Called to Order by Chair Anderson]
[00:00:02]
WELCOME TO THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING FOR JULY TEN, 2020.WE ARE STARTING THIS AFTERNOON AT 12:02 P.M.
PLEASE SAY PRESENT WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME.
>> SO EVERYONE IS PRESENT AND ACCOUNTED FOR.
NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR MOMENT OF SILENCE.
[2. Moment of Silence : Observe a Moment of Silence]
>> THANK YOU EVERYONE NOW CAN I GET A MOTION PLEASE TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
I MOVE WE ADOPT THE AGENDA TODAY.
>> MS. GREEN SECOND THE MOTION SO I WILL CALL FOR A BOAT ON THE AGENDA ADOPTING
[3. Adoption of Meeting Agenda : Adopt the Agenda for the July 10, 2020 Special Called School Board Meeting]
THE AGENDA.NEXT UP WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THAT PORTION OF THE MEETING IS A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE CONTINUITY OF LEARNING PLANS AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY WE HAD 65 PUBLIC COMMENTS POSTED.
[Items 4 & 5: Communications & Addresses to the Board : 4. Public Comments 5. Public Hearing on Continuity of Learning Plan 4.0]
AND JUST A REMINDER TO PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN DO THAT FOR EVERY MEETING, YOU CAN POST COMMENTS IF YOU WANT THEM TO BE PUBLICLY SEEN.TODAY WE HAVE, A FEW SPEAKERS, I THINK WE HAVE A TOTAL OF EIGHT SPEAKERS FOR THE CONTINUITY OF LEARNING PLANS.
WE WILL START WITH THOSE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW.
AND YOU HAVE 3 MINUTES TO SPEAK.
SO I THINK YOU CAN HEAR AND SEE ME NOW.
THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING THIS MEETING.
FIRST I WANT TO SAY THAT I COMMEND ACS FOR HAVING A CLEAR PROCESS THIS SUMMER TO INVOLVE ALL STAKEHOLDERS AND GIVE PARENTS AND TEACHERS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE AN INPUT.
AND INPUT ON WHAT SCHOOLS WILL LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD.
I AM A PARENT OF A STUDENT AND I'M ALSO A TEACHER IN ANOTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT SO I WILL SPEAK FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF BOTH A TEACHER AND A PARENT.
AND WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS I THINK EVERYONE AGREES THAT IN AN IDEAL PERFECT WORLD WE WOULD BE ABLE TO RETURN TO EDUCATION LIKE IT LOOKED LAST FEBRUARY.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE VIRUS HAS OTHER IDEAS.
SO, I WANT TO MAKE SOME MAIN POINTS OF THINGS I HOPE THAT THE BOARD KEEPS IN MIND MOVING FORWARD.
THE NUMBER ONE IS PRIORITIZE THE SAFETY AND HEALTH OF ALL STAKEHOLDERS KIDS AND ALSO TEACHERS, PROFESSIONALS, EVERYONE WHO NEEDS TO BE IN THE SCHOOL BUILDING BECAUSE NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO LEARN EFFECTIVELY IF WE DO NOT HAVE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE FEEL SAFE.
[00:05:01]
WHERE PEOPLE ARE NOT STRESSED ABOUT THE HEALTH RISK TO THEMSELVES AND FAMILIES.I WOULD STRONGLY URGE THE BOARD TO MAKE SURE THAT AC PS IS FOLLOWING ALL GUIDELINES AS FAR AS SAFE PROCEDURES AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF THE GUIDELINES ARE REALLY BEING FOLLOWED FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF EVERYONE.
I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO MAKE SURE, THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE FACE TO FACE WILL LOOK DIFFERENT RIGHT NOW.
GOING FORWARD WITH THOSE GUIDELINES, AND IT WILL BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO HAVE ENGAGING INTERACTION IN A FACE-TO-FACE SETTING.
I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK AT THE CASES, WHERE IT IS APPROPRIATE AND WHERE IT IS BENEFICIAL AND CHILDREN WILL GET THE MOST OUT OF IT AND WHERE IT IS SAFER AND BENEFICIAL TO CONTINUE WITH DISTANCE LEARNING BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT YOU CAN DO WITH DISTANCE LEARNING TO ENCOURAGE INTERACTION AND CREATE A SAFE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT THAT REALLY CAN'T BE DONE I EVERYONE IS 6 FEET APART WEARING A MASK.
I ALSO WILL RUN OUT OF TIME BUT.
I WILL SUBMIT SOME WRITTEN COMMENTS AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR SUBMITTING AND SPEAKING.
THE CLERK HAS ASKED ME TOO ASK PEOPLE WHO ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IF YOU COULD PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY.
WE WON'T GO BY MY ORIGINAL LIST.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE COMMENTS ON THE CONTINUITY PLAN.
MY NAME IS CAROLYN I HAVE THREE CHILDREN, TO ATTEND POLK ELEMENTARY.
ONE IS A RISING FIRST GRADER AND THE OTHERS WITH RISING THIRD GRADE.
MY OLDEST DAUGHTER HAS SPECIAL NEEDS AND AN IEP.
I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR LEARNING PLANS THAT ADDRESS CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
DURING THE SPRING IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO PROVIDE HER WITH THE SUPPORT SHE NEEDED TO SUCCEED.
THE CONTENT AND MATERIALS PROVIDED WERE BEYOND CAPABILITIES.
SHE WAS LOST AND CONFUSED AND BOTH OF US ARE FRUSTRATED ALL OF THE TIME.
I'M CONCERNED THERE WILL BE A ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL APPROACH AND REVIEWING THE MATERIALS HE LOOKS OR DISTANCE LEARNING.
I DON'T SEE PLANS WERE ADDITIONAL IN PERSON CLASSROOMS FOR DISABILITIES OR STUDENTS WITH OTHER NEEDS BEYOND WHAT IS BEING DONE FOR THE GENERAL POPULATION.
I UNDERSTAND DISTANCE LEARNING IS DIFFICULT.
I HAVE A FIRST GRADER AND SOME WAYS IT IS MANAGEABLE.
I KNOW IF I FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS YOU WILL LIKELY SUCCEED.
I DON'T FEEL THAT WAY WITH MY ELDERS.
MY HUSBAND AND I WORK FULL-TIME.
EDUCATING MY DAUGHTER WITH SPECIAL NEEDS VIA DISTANCE LEARNING IS IMPOSSIBLE.
SHE CAN'T WORK INDEPENDENTLY AND REQUIRES CONSTANT SUPERVISION.
SHE IS FALLING BEHIND AND I AM UNCLEAR HOW TO HELP HER.
VIRGINIA'S PHASING PLAN CALLS FOR VIRGINIA TO EDUCATE IN PERSON.
I UNDERSTAND THEY CAN DO IT FOUR DAYS.
WEEK AND ONE COUNTY ONCE MORE IN PERSON CLASS TIME.
THE PLAN SHOULD INCLUDE DIFFERENTIATION FOR A POPULATION THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE MOST.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOU ARE DOING.
AND NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO RITA M WHO IS COMING UP NEXT PLEASE.
I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT SOLUTIONS THAT RESEMBLED THE IN SCHOOL
[00:10:03]
LEARNING WE HAD.I DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS FOR DIFFERENT GRADES AND DIFFERENT TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY FOR SYNCHRONIZED LEARNING.
I NOTE SOME PARENTS ARE NOT HOME DURING THE DAY.
NO MATTER WHAT MIX OF IN PERSON LEARNING IS DETERMINED IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WON'T TAKE UP ONE 100% OF THE HOURS.
HOW CAN WE SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS AND HOME SCHOOLING PARENTS BY FILLING IN THE REMAINING HOURS WITH SUPPLEMENTAL LEARNING.
HOW CAN WE THINK OF THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK WE CAN ALL PLAY A ROLE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US MOBILIZE STAKEHOLDERS WHO ARE ABLE TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.
TOGETHER WE CAN SUPPORT TREAT -- TEACHERS TO OFFER LEARNING AND PARTS FOR THE STUDENTS.
THE STAKEHOLDERS I WILL LIST CAN SUPPORT LEARNING VIRTUALLY FOR ONE-ON-ONE EXPERIENCES, OR EVEN FOR THE WHOLE CLASS.
HOWEVER I THINK, WE CAN SAFELY EMPLOY THESE STAKEHOLDERS AS THEY MEET SMALL GROUPS OF STUDENTS IN SAFE FOR OUTDOOR SPACES NEAR THEIR HOMES, AND PERSON LEARNING HAS SO MANY BENEFITS.
THE STAKEHOLDERS WHO CAN BE PART OF THE SOLUTION CAN BE THE PARENTS.
MANY PARENTS VOLUNTEER IN THE CLASSROOM.
THEY ARE PLANNING TO SUPPORT THEIR CLASS.
LET'S WORK WITH EMPIRIC STUDENT TEACHERS.
THEY CAN'T GET THEIR EXPERIENCE THIS YEAR.
THEY ARE READY TO THINK CREATIVELY.
RECENT HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE GRADS THEIR PLANS HAVE BEEN DISRUPTED.
MAYBE THEY CAN BECOME A LOCAL SERVICE.
EVEN CURRENT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CAN HAVE CREDIT FOR THEM TO TUTOR THE YOUNGER NEIGHBORS AND HELP TEACH THEM.
RETIREES AND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FURLOUGHED FROM THEIR JOBS.
A NEIGHBOR OF MINE HAS BEEN GIVING MY DAUGHTER INDIVIDUALIZE SPANISH LESSONS OVER ZOOM.
I BET THERE ARE MANY AMAZING VOLUNTEERS WHO COULD DO THE SAME.
NONPROFITS, MANY OF OUR PARTNERS AND CLEARED TO WORK IN THE SCHOOLS.
LET'S MOBILIZE THEM ON A LARGER SCALE TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS NEARED THE STUDENTS HOMES ON DAYS THEY ARE NOT NEAR THE SCHOOLS.
LOCAL BUSINESSES CAN PARTNER TO OFFER VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS SO STUDENTS CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR STRONG COMMUNITY.
I KNOW ALEXANDRIA HAS SET UP A FUN AND PERHAPS WITH THIS FUN WE CAN OFFER A STIPEND TO SUPPORT SOME OF THESE INDIVIDUALS.
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE DO ALL WE CAN TO ENSURE STUDENT STAY ENGAGED AND EXCITED TO LEARN AND FEEL VALUED BY THE COMMUNITY.
OUR ACTIONS TODAY WILL HAVE PROFOUND CONSEQUENCES FOR YEARS TO COME.
I AM VOLUNTEERING, I WOULD LOVE TO JOIN ANY TEAMS THAT EXIST OR BE PART OF MOBILIZING TO CONNECT THE STAKEHOLDERS AROUND THIS NECESSARY EFFORT TO SUPPLEMENT SCHOOL LEARNING.
I THINK WE SHOULD MOBILIZE OUR MINIMIZE ACADEMIC LEARNING LOSS AND MAXIMIZE LEARNING GOING FORWARD.
HOPEFULLY, DO WE HAVE YOUR STATEMENT IN WRITING.
BUT IF WE DON'T, AND YOU ARE SPEAKING TODAY IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO GET THEM IN WRITING SO WE DON'T MISS ANY OF THE DETAILS.
>> HELLO MY NAME IS CINDY HART AND I AM THE MOTHER OF 8 INCLUDING TWO WITH SPECIAL NEEDS WHO MAY INTERRUPT WHILE I SPEAK.
I WANT TO SHOW MY GRATITUDE TO YOU ALL FOR THE ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT YOU DO TO PROVIDE FOR THE CHILDREN UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH MANY FAMILIES AND CHILDREN'S WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND THEIR EXPERIENCES.
ALTHOUGH THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ABOUT HOW THE ZOOM TIME RELATED TO THE SERVICES WOULD BE MADE UP, MANY PARENTS AGREE THAT THE TEACHERS DIDN'T WORK TIRELESSLY AND DID WHAT THEY COULD.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME FAMILY SAY THIS MODEL IS UNSUSTAINABLE AND DID NOT WORK.
IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW STUDENTS STRUGGLES, THE SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS STRUGGLE TO DO THIS EVEN WHEN THERE IS ONE-ON-ONE DRONE -- ZOOM INSTRUCTION.
THE ADULT NEEDS TO HAVE STRONG BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT SKILLS WHICH MAY REQUIRE THE HELP OF A PROFESSIONAL.
THE SOLUTION SHOULD NOT BE ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL.
SOME HAVE DISTANCE LEARNING THAT IS CHALLENGING.
IF WE END UP USING A HYBRID MODEL, THE SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS MUST BE GIVEN
[00:15:02]
PRIORITY.MANY WILL NEED TO BE IN SCHOOL FOR MORE TIME.
THOSE IN CERTAIN CITIES NEED TO BE IN CLASS DOUBLE THE TIME OF THE EVERSON.
IF WE END UP IN A DISTANCE LEARNING MODEL, WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE RESOURCES AND ZOOM TIMES RELATIVE TO IP SERVICES AT ANY GIVEN SCHOOL.
SOME STUDENTS, PLUS BEHAVIOR SUPPORT FROM THE FAMILIES.
AS TRACT -- ACPS FOCUSES ON SPECIAL ED STUDENTS, COMMUNICATION OF WHAT IS BEING DONE IS IMPORTANT.
PARENTS WANT TO HEAR DETAILS AND SPECIFICS.
IF THE PARENTS DON'T HEAR DETAILS THEY GET WORRIED.
PERHAPS A SEPARATE SECTION COULD SERVE THIS FUNCTION.
AND PARENTS WILL NEED DETAILS ABOUT EACH MODEL BEFORE THEY MAKE A DECISION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR WORK ON BEHALF OF THE CHILDREN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT NEXT UP ARE YOU THERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS AND FEEDBACK.
AS A PARENT AND A STAFF MEMBER THE SURVEY THAT WAS SENT OUT TO THE STAFF WAS NOT DETAILED ENOUGH.
PARENTS NEED MORE INFORMATION TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION REGARDING THE REOPENING FOR CHILDREN AND THE PUBLIC.
THEY RELEASE PLANS TO THE PUBLIC THIS WEEK.
IN THEIR PLANS THEY SHOWED THOUGHT AND CARE FOR THEIR FACULTY AND STAFF AS WELL AS THEIR CHILDREN.
AS YOU ALL KNOW MANY OF THE FACULTY AND STAFF OF DR. FAUCI HAVE SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN.
I NOT ONLY AS A PARENT, OF A PRESCHOOLER BUT AS A STAFF MEMBER, WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME THOUGHT PUT INTO HOW WE WILL BE ABLE TO RETURN SAFELY BUT AS WELL AS FOR THE FACULTY AND STAFF TO HAVE A PLACE FOR THE CHILDREN WHERE THEY WILL BE LEARNING.
IN THE NEXT COMING MONTHS MANY OF US WILL HAVE TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS WHETHER WE CAN CONTINUE WORKING BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF CHILDCARE OR SCHOOL SETTINGS FOR OUR CHILDREN.
WE ALL LOVE WHAT WE DO AS MEMBERS OF THE ACPS FAMILY AND DO NOT FEEL WE SHOULD CHOOSE BETWEEN TAKING CARE OF OUR FAMILIES OR BEING PART OF THE DR. FAUCI TEAM.
MANY OF MY TOPICS HAVE BEEN TOUCHED ON.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY, THE SURVEYS, AS A TEACHER AND A PARENT, I DON'T THINK IT REALLY ALLOWED US TO GET OUR FEELINGS AND OPINIONS ACROSS.
I AM THE PARENT OF THREE GRADE LEVELS.
I CAN ONLY ANSWER THE SURVEY FOR MY OLDEST CHILD.
ALL THREE OF MY CHILDREN ARE VERY DIFFERENT LEARNERS.
I KNOW SOME OF THEM, A COUPLE OF THEM WOULD BENEFIT FROM FULLY VIRTUAL AND THEY
[00:20:05]
DID PRETTY SUCCESSFUL BUT I HAVE ONE THAT WOULD DEFINITELY BENEFIT FROM A HYBRID PLAN.BUT I COULDN'T VOICE THAT IN ONE SURVEY.
AS A TEACHER, THE SURVEY WE WERE GIVEN, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME OPTION THAT THE PARENTS SURVEY DID.
THE PARENTS SURVEY, WE WERE ALLOWED, VIRTUAL OR HYBRID.
THEY OUTRIGHT GAVE US THE CHOICE.
TEACHER SURVEY, WE DIDN'T GET THAT CHOICE.
SORRY I DIDN'T GET THE CHANCE TO WRITE DOWN ALL OF MY THOUGHTS.
BUT I WISH THE TEACHER SURVEY WOULD HAVE GIVEN US SOME VOICE IF WE PREFERRED VIRTUAL OR HYBRID AND IT DIDN'T.
AND THAT IS PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
IF YOU WANTED TO SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS IF YOU WANT TO WRITE THEM AND SUBMIT THEM AGAIN PLEASE DO IF YOU THINK OF OTHER THINGS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING US THAT INPUT.
NEXT UP WE HAVE ANDY BAKER WHITE.
I'M THE PARENT OF A FIFTH AND THIRD GRADER.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAN.
I WANT MY KIDS TO RETURN TO SCHOOL.
>> REPEATED OUTBREAKS HAVE BEEN TIED TO THE SETTINGS INCLUDING LARGE CHURCHES AND CHILDCARE CENTERS AND OVERNIGHT CAMPS.
IF WE WANT TO GET BACK TO NORMAL WE HAVE TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.
AT THIS TIME I FULLY SUPPORT THE VIRTUAL OPTION BECAUSE IT IS THE BETTER OPTION TO STOP THE SPREAD.
THERE ARE THREE PRIMARY REASONS I PREFER THIS OPTION OF THE OTHERS.
FIRST THE COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION LEVELS.
THE WHO ADVISES BEFORE REOPENING SO CURRENT THAT THE POSITIVITY RATE SHOULD BE AT BELOW 5% FOR AT LEAST 14 DAYS.
ALEXANDRIA HAS HAD FEW OF THOSE DAYS.
IN THE CURRENT 70 AVERAGE WHICH IS NOW ABOVE 7% IS TRENDING UPWARDS.
THESE ARE INDICATIVE OF THE COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION LEVEL AND THE AVAILABLE TESTING CAN PROVIDE A FULL PICTURE OF WHERE THE VIRUS IS SPREAD.
WE NEED TO ENSURE TESTING AND CONTACT TRACY WILL BE ADEQUATE WITHOUT THE RISK OF SENDING KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL.
WE NEED TO KNOW THE TIME IT WILL TAKE FOR TEST RESULTS TO COME BACK AND THE LENGTH OF TIME FOR CONTACT TRACING.
IF THESE ARE TOO SLOW OR DELAYED THE VIRUS CAN QUICKLY SPREAD THROUGH THE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY.
THIRD THE ADHERENCE TO THE REQUIRED SOCIAL DISTANCING AND GATHERING GUIDELINES WILL BE DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN AND THEIR FAILURE WILL LEAD TO OUTBREAKS.
E CHALLENGING AND OTHER MITIGATION MEASURES SUCH AS PPE, PLEXIGLAS SHOULD BE ADDED.
EVEN WITH THESE MEASURES IT WON'T BE A MATTER OF IF AN OUTBREAK WILL HAPPEN BUT WHEN.
BECAUSE OF THESE CONCERNS I'VE SUPPORT THE VIRTUAL OPTION.
AGAIN I WANTS MY KIDS TO RETURN TO SCHOOL BUT IT MUST BE THEY FOR EVERYONE.
AND UNDER THE CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES IT WOULD PROMOTE THE WIDER SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.
THESE THINGS PLAY OUT WITH THE REOPENING OF BARS AND CHURCHES AND WE DON'T HAVE TO LIVE OUT THE NIGHTMARES.
NEXT UP WE HAVE, LINDSAY STEWART.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON MY NAME IS LINDSAY STEWART.
I AM AN ACPS ELEMENTARY TEACHER.
[00:25:02]
IN MY 11 YEARS IN EDUCATION AND EIGHT YEARS AT ACPS I NEVER FELT SO STRONG TO ADVOCATE FOR SAFETY.IF WE WERE HERE TO TALK SLOWLY ABOUT THE BEST CHOICE ACADEMICALLY MY COMMENTS WOULD BE DIFFERENT.
BELIEVE ME, I WANT TO BE BACK IN THE CLASSROOM WITH THE KIDS.
HOWEVER WE DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY TO CONSIDER HOW TO REOPEN THE SCHOOL SOLELY FROM AN ACADEMIC PERSPECTIVE THIS YEAR.
IF WE HAVE LEARNED ANYTHING SINCE MARCH IT IS THAT NO ONE WINS IN THE PANDEMIC.
CULVERT CASES ARE ACTIVE IN OUR CITY, STATE AND NATION.
EXPERTS SAY CONTINUE SOCIAL DISTANCING IS THE BEST WAY.
ACPS IS UNPREPARED TO RETURN IN PERSON WITH THE CURRENT GUIDELINES.
OPENING SCHOOLS IN PERSON HAVE SAFETY CONCERNS FOR STUDENTS, STAFF AND FAMILIES.
UNTIL A VACCINE IS AVAILABLE OR ADDITIONAL FUND TO CREATE JOBS, THE BURDEN OF PPE AND ENFORCING SOCIAL DISTANCING FALLS ON THE BACKS OF OVERBURDENED CLASSROOM TEACHERS AND STAFF.
I WILL GIVE YOU THREE EXAMPLES.
IN ARIZONA A TEACHER DIED AFTER TEACHING A VIRTUAL SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM WITH TWO OTHER TEACHERS IN THE ROOM.
THE OTHER TWO TEACHERS ALSO TESTED POSITIVE.
ISRAEL'S HEAD OF PUBLIC HEALTH STATED, THAT SCHOOLS, NOT RESTAURANTS OR GYMS CAP -- TURNED OUT TO BE.
I SEE THE SAFEST SOLUTION IS AN IMPROVED VIRTUAL PLAN WHICH GIVES US MORE TIME TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO OPEN SCHOOLS THAT IS SAFE FOR EVERYONE.
THIS PLANT MUST BE ECHOED FOR OVER STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION PLANS SUCH AS IP'S, AND OTHERS RECEIVING SERVICES AND THOSE WITHOUT ADEQUATE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET.
I REALIZE THE ASK HERE IS SIGNIFICANT BUT IT SHOULD NOT BE THE IMPAIRMENT OF A CHILD, STAFF MEMBER OR ANYONE'S LIFE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WE CANNOT APPROACH THIS SOLELY THROUGH THE LENS AS TO ONLY WHAT IS BEST ACADEMICALLY AT THIS TIME.
>> I UNMUTE IT BUT I AM CHRISTINA.
>> HOW ABOUT WE GO TO CHRISTINA FIRST.
>> IF YOU DON'T MIND JUST WAITING WE WILL GET TO YOU NEXT.
>> NOW WE HAVE BOTH PEOPLE ONLINE SO THAT IS GREAT.
MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND DR. HUDGINS AND THE DR. FAUCI COMMUNITY LISTENING AND WATCHING ONLINE.
I AM A RESIDENT AND A LIFELONG EDUCATOR FOR THE LAST 16 YEARS.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE EAA I SERVE ON THE VIRGINIA EDUCATION BOARD AND I AM A DIRECTOR FOR THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.
AFTER LISTENING TO LAST NIGHT'S PUBLIC HEARING WITH ONLY TWO SPEAKERS I FELT THE NEED TO SPEAK TODAY.
LET ME START BY SAYING UNEQUIVOCALLY THAT I WANT TO BE IN MY FIRST GREAT CLASSROOM IN THE FALL BUT ONLY WHEN IT IS SAFE.
I WANT TO TEACH THEM THAT I WOULD CAREFULLY CRAFT BUT ONLY WHEN IT IS A.
I WANT TO SEE THE YELLOW SCHOOL BUSES WHEN IT IS SAFE.
I MISS MY COLLEAGUES AND I WANT TO PLAN AND COLLABORATE AT SCHOOL BUT ONLY WHEN IT IS SAFE.
LIKE YOU, I WANT TO VISIT MY PARENTS WHO LIVE FAR AWAY.
I HAVE NOT SEEN THEM SINCE MID-FEBRUARY SICK BECAUSE I PROMISED MYSELF I WOULD ONLY SEE THEM WHEN IT IS SAFE.
I KNOW THESE DECISIONS ARE DIFFICULT AND I KNOW THERE'S NO GOOD SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.
WE NEED TO FOCUS ON ALL OF THE STUDENTS.
I KNOW DISTANCE LEARNING ONLINE IS HARD.
I LEARNED IT ON THE FLY AND DID IT FOR 13 WEEKS AND I JUST STARTED SUMMER LEARNING WITH RISING FIRST-GRADERS.
TWENTY-THREE OUT OF 40 ATTENTIVE.
I DON'T KNOW A SINGLE EDUCATOR WHO THINKS THIS IS EASY FOR STUDENTS EITHER.
I KNOW PARENTS ARE HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING CHILDREN TO SIT STILL.
[00:30:05]
THE OLDER ONES TO FIND MOTIVATION TO KEEP LEARNING FOR THE SAKE OF BUILDING THEIR SENSE OF SELF.BUT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER.
IN A PLANT THAT HAS CHILDREN OR STAFF IN THE BUILDING MUST ENSURE THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE EDUCATORS IN A BUILDING AND RETURN TO SCHOOLS YOU MUST PROVIDE PROPER PPE FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US EVERY DAY.
CAN YOU ENSURE EVERY SCHOOL WILL HAVE ENOUGH SOAP, PAPER TOWELS AND HAND SANITIZER IN THE PROPER PRODUCTS OR CUSTODIANS.
EXCUSE ME TOO KEEP THE BUILDING SAY.
I REMEMBER THE CLEANING LIST THAT WERE POSTED DURING H1 N1 AND EVEN THOUGH MY CUSTODIANS ARE AMAZING, THAT LIST IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET DONE WITH THE STAFF WE HAVE.
IF YOU WANT STUDENTS TO RETURN TO SCHOOL THERE MUST BE 6 FEET OF SOCIAL DISTANCING ON SCHOOL BUSES IN CLASSROOMS AND WHEN AGE-APPROPRIATE I WOULD WANT FACE MASKS REQUIRED AS WELL.
I KNOW THEY ARE HARD TO KEEP ON.
I THINK I'VE ONLY MADE THREE HOURS WITH ONE.
I UNDERSTAND THE REALITY OF LUNCH AND CLASSROOMS BUT WHO WILL SUPERVISE THAT WHILE I AM TAKING MY 30 MINUTE LUNCH.
CAN YOU IMAGINE A 6-YEAR-OLD HAVING LUNCH IN A CLASSROOM WITH MINIMUM TALKING BECAUSE THEY ARE 6 FEET APART.
I WARN YOU AND I IMPLORE YOU AND EVERYONE LISTENING TO CONSIDER WHAT SCHOOL WILL LOOK LIKE FOR A LITTLE ONE.
I KNOW KIDS NEED TO SEE EACH OTHER.
I KNOW FACE-TO-FACE INSTRUCTION IS BEST.
BUT ASKING ME IN EVERY OTHER EDUCATOR TO CHOOSE BETWEEN OUR JOB AND OUR HEALTH AND THE HEALTH OF OUR FAMILIES IS UNCONSCIONABLE.
I WILL HAPPILY GO BACK TO WORK BUT ONLY WHEN IT IS SAFE.
SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION BUT WE HAVE OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
>> I NO LONGER SEE HER ON THE LIST.
>> MS. SANDERS AND I DID OUT TO HER AS WELL.
AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT CONFUSION.
>> YES, WE HAD A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO ADDED AT THE END AND WE CHOSE A DIFFERENT ONE TO GO WITH AND THAT IS WHY TWO PEOPLE WERE THERE AT THE SAME TIME.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE MS. NIELSEN?
>> NO I THINK WE HAVE GOTTEN TO EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP.
SO THAT CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION ANYONE ON IF YOU HAVE MORE INFORMATION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE OR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE REOPENING PROCESS, PLEASE BE SURE TO E-MAIL US, EITHER THROUGH THE NORMAL E-MAIL CHANNEL OR TO BE ATTACHED TO NEXT WEEK'S MEETING.
I WOULD SAY THE SOONER THE BETTER BECAUSE THE MORE INFORMATION WE HAVE EARLIER, THE BETTER OFF WE ARE.
SO NOW WE ARE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM WHICH IS THE INTRODUCTION OF STUDENT
[6. Communications & Addresses to the Board: Introduction of Student Representatives to the School Board for 2020-2021]
REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR FOR THE 2021 SCHOOL YEAR WHICH IS AN EXCITING TIME.AND THEY ARE JOINING US TODAY.
SO A SHOUT OUT TO ASHLEY SANCHEZ AND LORRAINE JOHNSON.
WELCOME AND WE ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN THE NEXT YEAR.
LOVELY SOMETIME IN THE SAME GROUP.
WE WILL JUST HAVE TO PLAY THAT BY EAR.
SO, AT ANY RATE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> WE WILL HEAR FROM THEM AND SUBSEQUENT MEETINGS WHEN THEY ARE MADE OFFICIAL.
[Consent Calendar]
THEY WILL BE MADE OFFICIAL WITH THE NEXT PART OF OUR MEETING WHICH IS THE CONSENT CALENDAR.SO IF SOMEONE WOULD LIKE TO, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
>> MADAM CHAIR I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
>> OKAY MRS. A IS MOTIONING TO APPROVE.
>> I WILL ASK FOR THE ROLL VOTES.
[00:35:01]
THAT IS 9-0 CONSENT CALENDAR PROVED.
AND NOW WE HAVE THE TWO OFFICIALLY AS OUR STUDENTS REPS.
WE WILL GIVE THEM SOME APPLAUSE THERE.
IN WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
>> AND NOW, FOR THE BIG EVENT, HEARING ABOUT OUR CONTINUITY OF LEARNING
[16. Old Business & Action Items : Continuity of Learning Plan 4.0 Update (documents will be uploaded on 7/8/2020)]
PLANNING.I WILL TURN THAT OVER TO DR. UTCHINGS.
I SEE WE ARE CONVERTING OVER TO OUR PRESENTATION.
>> MY COMPUTER ASK FUNNY WHEN PEOPLE SHARE THEIR SCREEN.
BUT THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR FOR TURNING THINGS OVER TO US.
I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE PART OF THIS PROCESS.
THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING TIMES FOR ANY SCHOOL DIVISION, NOT JUST ACROSS THE COUNTRY BUT ACROSS THE WORLD BECAUSE NONE OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED A GLOBAL PANDEMIC LIKE WE ARE GOING THROUGH.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE, AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT TO DO IN THIS MOMENT SO WE ARE ALL LEARNING AND GROWING TOGETHER.
I HAVE SAID THIS BEFORE SINCE MARCH, WE ARE SO MUCH BETTER.
I JUST WANTED TO COMMEND THE STAFF AS WELL AS ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THE PLANNING PROCESS RIGHT NOW, THAT IS INCLUDING STUDENTS, STAFF MEMBERS, PARENTS AS WELL AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE DEVOTING THEIR TIME TO MAKE SURE WE GET THE BEST PLAN POSSIBLE FOR OUR STAFF AND STUDENTS.
SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO US IS TO MAKE SURE THAT HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS AS WELL AS OUR STAFF IS AT THE FOREFRONT FOR EVERYTHING AND EVERY DECISION THAT WE MAKE.
ONE THING I HAVE TO SAY, I KNOW I RECEIVED E-MAILS WITH COMPARISONS TO ACPS AND OTHER SCHOOL DIVISIONS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE OUR INFORMATION ON RIGHT AWAY.
WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS NOT BE FIRST BUT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE TALKING THROUGH LOGISTICS AND HOW ALL OF THIS IS POSSIBLE AND HOW DOES IT WORK FROM TRANSPORTATION TO FACILITIES TO SYNCHRONOUS LEARNING THAT HAS TO OCCUR DURING THIS PROCESS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TAKING THE NECESSARY TIME TO THINK THROUGH EACH OF THESE POSSIBILITIES SO THAT WHEN WE SHARE WITH OUR COMMUNITY, WHAT WE BELIEVE IS BEST FOR US REOPENING OUR SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY METHODICAL AND STRATEGIC AND HAVE A DEEP UNDERSTANDING AROUND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR DECISION-MAKING.
>> I DO WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR FAMILIES WHO HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO COMPLETE OUR SURVEYS.
WE STILL HAVE TIME, WE STILL HAVE UNTIL JULY 12.
WE REALLY NEED THAT INFORMATION.
INTENTIONALLY WE DID NOT AS PARENTS, DO YOU WANT TO COME BACK OR NOT.
THAT IS BECAUSE WE WILL BE SURVEYING THE FAMILIES AGAIN TOWARDS THE END OF JULY ONCE WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION THAT WE SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
THAT WAY THEY CAN MAKE A BETTER INFORMED DECISION AROUND THE FAMILY AS WELL AS THE STAFF.
THIS PROCESS OF THE SURVEY WAS TO GET SOME INSIGHT SO THAT OUR PLANNING TEAMS COULD USE THAT INFORMATION AND FEEDBACK TO MAKE THE MOST ROBUST REOPENING PLAN POSSIBLE FOR US.
ANOTHER PIECE THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE IS THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED AROUND THE SPRING AND THE LEARNING THAT TOOK PLACE DURING THE SPRING.
THERE'S A LOT OF LESSONS LEARNED.
WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND ON MARCH 13 WHEN WE CLOSE THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS, WE WERE PLANNING TO COME BACK IN THREE WEEKS.
WE WERE NOT PLANNING TO CONTINUE TO BE IN A VIRTUAL SETTING.
ON JULY 10 OF 2020, THAT WAS NOT PART OF THE PLANNING BUT JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IN THIS COUNTRY, THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC HAPPENED AND WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THAT AND
[00:40:03]
THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF LESSONS LEARNED ALONG THE WAY.ONE THING I WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THROUGH THOSE CHALLENGES THAT WE EXPERIENCE IN THE SPRING WITH OUR LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, WE ARE REFINING OUR APPROACH WITH OVERLEARNING AND WE ARE TAKING STUDENTS ARE ENGAGED IN OUR LEARNING PROCESS.
THAT REQUIRES US TO SHIFT TO HAVING EQUAL ACCESS TO AN EQUITABLE ACCESS FOR ALL OF THE STUDENTS IN MEETING THEM WHERE THEY ARE.
LEADING THEM WITH THE NEEDS WHETHER THE STUDENT OR THE FAMILY SO THEY CAN HAVE A PROSPEROUS LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND THROUGHOUT THIS EXPERIENCE, NOT ONLY ARE THEY LEARNING BUT THEY ARE GROWING.
THAT WILL BE KEY TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE AND WE ARE MAKING THE PLEDGE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE MEETING THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS AND THE STAFF.
THIS IS A VERY CHALLENGING TIME FOR SO MANY PEOPLE.
BUT ALSO THE STAFF MEMBERS HAVING TO STAY HOME WITH CHILDREN.
OR HAVING THEIR OWN HEALTH CONDITIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT MAY PUT THEM AT RISK.
AND THE INSIDE HE THAT COMES TO THAT.
WE WILL HAVE SUPPORT FOR THE STUDENTS AND THE STAFF.
WE ALSO WANT TO CONTINUE THAT THE FAMILIES DURING THIS TIME, THEIR NEEDS ARE BEING MET WITH TECHNOLOGY ACCESS WITH MEALS FOR THE STUDENTS DURING THIS TIME.
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT I'M SORRY OUR WORK NUTRITION DEPARTMENT HAS DONE A GREAT JOB WITH FEEDING THE STUDENTS OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS.
AT THE END OF THE DATE THE PLEDGES THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE, EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO MEET THE NEEDS O STUDENTS.
I WANTED TO PREFACE THAT WITH THOSE THINGS.
I'M HOPING THAT YOU ALL ARE IN FOR A TREAT OF INFORMATION.
WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER WENT NEXT WEEK.
TODAY WE WILL FOCUS ON THE FOUNDATIONAL INFORMATION THAT HELPS US GET TO THE HARD WORK THAT WE WILL SHARE IT NEXT WEEK WHICH IS SCHEDULING AND DIFFERENT SCHEDULING MODELS.
BUT LET'S GO INTO OUR QUESTIONS.
>> TODAY WE WANT TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY, WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.
THE LAST TIME WE TALKED ABOUT AND WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT OUR REOPENING AND PLANNING WAS ON JUNE 26.
WE WANT TO SHARE WHERE WE HAVE COME THIS FAR AND WE ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CURRENT WORK THAT OUR PLANNING TEAMS ARE CONDUCTING RIGHT NOW.
WE HAD A KICKOFF THIS PAST MONDAY.
AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.
YOU WILL GET AN UPDATE FROM THE CHAIRS OF EACH TEAM.
WE ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE VOICES OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
THAT IS THE STUDENTS AND STAFF AND FAMILIES, THE COMMUNITY, AND HOW WE ARE PLANNING TO GET THEM ENGAGED THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS AND TO KEEP THEM INFORMED THOUGH WE WILL GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION TODAY.
AND THEN SOME OF OUR FUTURE THINGS.
PEOPLE SAID THEY WANT TO KNOW SOMETHING TODAY BUT EVEN WITH THE TIMELINE, IT IS PRETTY QUICK.
IT IS NOT ALLOWING US, THE TIME THAT WE REALLY DO NEED TO BE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER A PLAN FOR THE UNKNOWN AND THE UNCERTAIN.
BUT WE WILL WORK WITHIN OUR TIMEFRAME AND STICK WITH OUR MILESTONES AND REMIND THE COMMUNITY AND THE BOARD OF THE FUTURE MILESTONES.
>> SO LOOKING BACK, ON THIS PAST YEAR, I'M SORRY THE PAST WEEKS THESE HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE EVENTS WE HAVE LOOKED AT.
I WANT TO POINT OUT THE FACT OF HEALTH AND SAFETY.
JUST RECENTLY MANY OF HER PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THE U.S.
SECRETARY OF EDUCATION TALK ABOUT THE NEED FOR KIDS TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL IN THE FALL ALL AT ONCE.
I HAVE TO PUBLICLY STATE THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE, PUTTING THE HEALTH AND
[00:45:04]
SAFETY OF THE STUDENTS STAFF AT THE FOREFRONT.WE ARE FOLLOWING THE CDC GUIDELINES, AND THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND GUIDELINES.
TO MAKE SURE WE DO OUR PLANNING.
IT WOULD BE HARMFUL FOR US, AND I THINK COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE TO SEND ALL OF OUR KIDS AND STAFF BACK TO SCHOOL.
IF WE DO IT ALL AT ONCE AND NOT ADHERE TO SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES.
SO WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT HEALTH AND SAFETY IS AT THE FOREFRONT.
OUR FEEDBACK HAS STARTED IN THE SPRING WE STARTED DOING OUR SURVEYS IN APRIL AND MAY.
AND THAT INFORMATION, WE HAD OPEN INDIC COMMENTS HAD TO ANALYZE THE INFORMATION.
THOSE COMMENTS WERE PARAGRAPHS WE ARE MAKING SURE ALL OF THE TEAMS HAVE THAT INFORMATION TO HELP GUIDE OUR DECISION-MAKING AND OPPORTUNITIES ARE CHALLENGES.
TWO WORDS I USE CONSTANTLY WITH THE TEAM IS GRACE AND PATIENCE.
THOSE ARE THE TWO WORDS THAT I CONSISTENTLY USE.
I WILL ADD A THIRD WHICH IS FLEXIBILITY.
BE BECAUSE OF OUR UNCERTAINTY AND INFORMATION CHANGES SO QUICKLY, WE HAVE TO BE EXTREMELY FLEXIBLE AS A SCHOOL DIVISION.
THIS IS A TIME WHERE WE CAN'T SAY, THIS IS THE ONLY SOLUTION TO SOLVE OUR PROBLEM.
EVERY DECISION EVERY SOLUTION EVERY PLAN WE BRING TO THE TABLE IS NOT GOING TO MAKE EVERYONE'S LIVES PERFECT AND IT WON'T MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY.
WE HAVE TO GO INTO THIS UNFORTUNATELY KNOWING THAT.
BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO STRIVE TO DO IS USE THESE CHALLENGES AND UNCERTAINTIES AS OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AS WELL AS TO NOT REPLICATE THE LESSONS THAT WE HAVE LEARNED OVER THESE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
WE ARE DEFINITELY MAKING A PLEDGE TO DO THAT.
>> THESE ARE JUST OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO REVISIT THESE.
THIS GUIDES THE WORK THAT OUR TEAMS ARE DOING.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO BELIEVE IN AND KEEP AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR DECISION-MAKING SO WE ARE NOT JUST LOOKING AT PROVIDING THAT EQUAL ACCESS THAT WE DO IN THE SPRING BUT THAT WE ARE PROVIDING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO ENSURE WE ARE MEETING KIDS WHERE THEY ARE AS WELL AS THE STAFF WHERE THEY ARE.
I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY STATE THIS.
YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING TIRELESSLY AND I KNOW WE SPENT THE SAME AMOUNT OF HOURS I HAVE TO REVIEW EVERYTHING YOU SEE IN ME OUR TEAM KNOWS WE READ EVERYTHING THAT COMES ACROSS MY DESK.
ACROSS MY E-MAIL OR ZOOM OR GOOGLE.
BUT YOU HAVE JUST REALLY BEEN DOING AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB AND I KNOW WE HAVE STRETCHED YOUR THINKING AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.
YOU HAVE RISEN TO THE OCCASION AND I WANT TO PUBLICLY SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING THE COCHAIR FOR THIS WORK.
I WANT TO TURN THINGS OVER TO THE DOCTOR.
>> I DON'T THINK WE CAN HEAR YOU.
THANK YOU ALSO FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT.
WHAT I REALLY WANTED TODAY IS HIGHLIGHT ESSENTIAL AREAS AND REALLY BEGIN TO HEAR FROM SOME OF THE CHAIRS AND COCHAIRS AND THE WORK THAT IS OCCURRING.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE DELIVERABLES THAT IS IN OUR WORK AS HE INDICATED, THESE TEAMS ARE REALLY DELVING INTO A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT FOCUS ON SCHEDULING AND TRANSPORTATION AND FACILITIES AND ENSURING SAFETY.
THEIR WORK IS GUIDED BY SOME DELIBERATE QUESTIONS.
[00:50:04]
NEXT WEEK WE WILL BEGIN WITH PRINCIPLES INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS.WE WILL LOOK AT SCHEDULES, ELEMENTARY, NO RECOMMENDATIONS OR DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE BUT THE TEAMS AND LOOK AT POTENTIAL EXAMPLES.
IN ADDITION I THINK SOMEONE ALREADY MENTIONED THIS, WE KNOW UNDER THE SEAL TEAM THEY WILL BE ENGAGING VERY -- VARIOUS TEACHERS WHO WILL RE-EXAMINE OUR STRUCTURAL MATERIALS THAT WILL HAVE TO ALIGN TO THE MODELS THAT ARE CHOSEN.
LASTLY HERE, OUR COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE TO GET INVOLVEMENT AND ENGAGEMENT SO WE CAN DELIVER THE BEST PLAN TO THE STATE FOR ALEXANDRIA.
>> THE DECISION WAS TO CREATE THESE TEAMS THAT ARE LISTED HERE AT THE TOP.
AND BELOW YOU ACTUALLY HAVE THE CORE INSTRUCTIONAL LEADS FOR THE VARIOUS AREAS.
WE HAVE A HYPERLINK FOR YOU, 100 PLUS MEMBERS THAT ARE WORKING WITH THE TEAM SPIRIT AND YOU WILL HEAR MORE FROM THE TEAMS LATER.
WORKING WITH EDUCATION ELEMENTS AND YOU WILL HEAR FROM THEM LATER.
WE KNOW THAT REOPENING BRINGS A LOT OF EMOTION AND FEELINGS AND IT'S ALL IN CERTAIN.
ALL OF THE WORK OF OUR TEAMS ARE GUIDED BY THESE FORMS. YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE FIVE NORMS HERE, PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY IS IMPORTANT.
BEING PREPARED FOR THE MEETINGS.
AND MAKING SURE THERE IS STRUCTURE AND CLARITY.
THESE -- WE JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT FOR USE SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS SINCE OUR LAST MEETING AS DR. HUTCHINS SAID EARLIER WE DID HAVE A TEAM AND THEY HAVE STARTED WORKING.
W ABOUT THE SURVEY THAT WAS DEVELOPED AND LAUNCHED AND YOU WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT SURVEY.
LASTLY YOU WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT THE FACILITY CAPACITY LATER DURING THIS PRESENTATION.
>> NOW WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS TURN IT OVER TO RHEINGOLD TO DESCRIBE WHERE WE ARE.
WE HAVE FINISHED NUMBER ONE AND NOW WE ARE STARTING THE SECOND PAIR.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR HAVING US HERE THIS MORNING.
I GUESS ACTUALLY IT IS THIS AFTERNOON.
THERE IS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF WORK AHEAD OF US.
AS WE JUST HEARD THROUGH PUBLIC COMMENTS AND THROUGH THE CONVERSATION OPENED BY DR. UTCHINGS, THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ENTIRE YEAR OF WORK THAT WE ARE TRYING TO FIT INTO THE SUMMER.
TYPICALLY DISTRICTS SPEND YEARS PLANNING AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE WEEKS TO PLAN.
AND AND IN A SERIES OF SPRINTS.
AS SUCH IT -- DR. HUTCHINGS WENT THROUGH WE COMPLETED ONE ON JUNE 22 AND WENT THROUGH THE BEGINNING OF JULY AND WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE MIDDLE OF RENT TWO.
DURING OUR CONVERSATION YOU WILL HEAR REFLECTIONS ABOUT OUR WORK THAT STARTED WITH TEAMS AND THEY WILL DISCUSS THE DECISION THAT CONVERSATIONS THAT THEY ARE HAVING WITH THE PLANNING TEAMS AND WHAT THEY ARE DIGGING INTO.
WE WILL ALSO PREVIEW SOME OF THE SCHEDULING CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE NEXT WEEK ACROSS DIFFERENT PLANNING TEAMS AND THEN, YOU WILL NOTICE HERE, THAT OUR CONVERSATION NEXT FRIDAY WHIC BE A DEEPER REVIEW OF THE WORK.
AS WE DISCUSSED, AS WE GET INTO OUR MEETINGS WHICH ARE TWO HOURS, WE THEN SUMMARIZE THE INFORMATION.
A LOT OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE HIGHLIGHTED TODAY FROM THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WE WILL BE BUILDING OUT IN SPRINT THREE AND SPRINT FIRST.
I WILL TURN THIS OVER TO NATALIE WHO WILL DETAIL THE MEANINGS AND TASKS THAT THE TEAMS WILL BE DIGGING INTO NEXT WEEK.
[00:55:01]
>> THANK YOU AND GOOD AFTERNOON.
THIS IS NATALIE FROM NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ELEMENTS.
THIS PAST WEEK WE INITIATED OUR CROSS FUNCTIONAL PLANNING TEAMS. WORKING WITH LEADERS AND STAFF TO INVOLVE THEM IN DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS ABOUT DECISION-MAKING WE ARE MAKING WITHIN TEAMS AND ACROSS THE VARIOUS REOPENING MODELS.
WE ALSO WORKED WITH TEAMS TO REVIEW A STAFF AND FAMILIES SURVEY.
THIS WILL BE WHAT WE BRING NEXT WEEK TO BUILD A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF NEEDS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR THE OPEN MODELS PARTICULARLY WHEN WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MASTER SCHEDULING.
WE REALLY WANT TO START TO THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS THAT WILL ALIGN WITH EACH OF THE MODELS THAT BEST SERVES THE STAKEHOLDERS AND KEEPS EVERYONE SAFE.
WHAT ARE WHAT ARE IMPLICATIONS THAT WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT.
AND OF COURSE WHAT ARE THE FINANCIAL OPERATIONS AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS.
FINALLY WE WILL PREPARE SOME THAT WE WILL REVIEW WITH STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDING SCHOOL LEADERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OUR PARTNERS.
WE ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT DELIVERABLES THAT WE ARE WORKING TO PRODUCE EVERY WEEK.
WE WORK WITH THE PLANNING TEAMS. WE HAVE LINKED THEM IN THIS DOCUMENT FOR YOUR REVIEW AS WELL.
THE FIRST IS WHAT WE CALL FACILITATORS GUIDE WHICH IS WHAT THE CHAIRS AND COCHAIRS USED TO GUIDE DISCUSSIONS DURING THEIR MEETINGS.
AND THE SECOND IS THE PLANNING WORKBOOK WHERE THEY CAPTURE THEIR THOUGHTS, DECISION-MAKING AND NOTES THAT HAPPENED DURING THESE MEETINGS.
I THINK ANOTHER CELEBRATION TO MENTION HERE IS ACROSS THESE TEAMS WE ARE WORKING WITH OVER 100 STAFF MEMBERS, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
>> OKAY WE WILL TURN IT OVER TO THE COCHAIRS FOR SEAL.
AS DR. HUTCHINGS AND EDUCATIONAL ELEMENTS HAVE OUTLINED WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO OVER THE NEXT THREE WEEKS.
AND DR. CRAWFORD AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THE GROUP UNDERSTANDS THAT CN I ALONE IS A BIG GROUP SO WE SPLIT THAT INTO CNI1 AND TWO.
WE ARE COFACILITATORS WE WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE HAVE OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SPECIALIZING IN INSTRUCTION AND THEY ARE COORDINATING ONE GROUP AND ANOTHER IS LED BY ANOTHER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
AND FOR STUDENT SERVICES AND SUPPORT MR. DARRELL SAMSON.
EFFORT TECHNOLOGY WE HAVE DR. OOVER LEADING SOME OF HIS WORK.
ALSO AS BOOK GROUPS THIS WEEK, THE TEAM COMPLETED THE WORK AND WE ALSO HAD DISCUSSIONS AROUND INITIAL BUDGET APPLICATIONS.
KEY DECISIONS THAT WE NEEDED TO MAKE AND REVIEWING, THE ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS THAT CAME FROM THE VIDEO.
THERE WAS A SERIES OF READINGS AND DATA SOURCES AS WE TRIED TO BRING THE ENTIRE TEAM UP TO SPEED ON WHAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND LEARN AS WE TRY TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION OR RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD.
AT THIS POINT I WILL TURN IT OVER TO DR. CRAWFORD WHO WILL TALK YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE INITIAL DISCUSSIONS THAT THE TEAM HAD THIS WEEK.
I HAVE THE MUTE ON AND I WAS TRYING OUT NEW HEADPHONES SO YOU DIDN'T HEAR THE CHILDREN IN THE BACKGROUND.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE WORK OF OUR COMMITTEE.
FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THANKS, I KNOW THAT DR. UTCHINGS AND MORE SAID THIS BUT THAT OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE BEEN PHENOMENAL AND OUR LEADS HAVE COMMITTED SUCH A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME TO THE MEETINGS THIS WEEK.
THEIR WORK HAS BEEN CRITICAL TO FURTHERING OUR REOPENING DISCUSSIONS.
DR. MANN HIGHLIGHTED SOME AREAS WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WEEK AND OUR SUBGROUPS INCLUDING SUCCESS QUESTIONS FROM BUDGET IMPLICATIONS AND CUTE DECISIONS.
WITHIN THOSE DISCUSSIONS WE HAD SEVERAL THINGS EMERGE.
WE HAD A WORKBOOK THE TEAM IS ABLE TO WORK WITH INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A GROUP TO RECORD THEIR DISCUSSIONS.
WE HAS THE CHAIRS GO BACK AND LOOK FOR AREAS TO HIGHLIGHT WITH THE GROUP
[01:00:03]
OVERALL AND ALSO THINGS.WE WILL TAKE A MOMENT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE THINGS.
1ST AND FOREMOST EVERY GROUP WITHIN OUR AREA RECOGNIZE THE CRITICAL NEED WITHIN THE ACADEMIC LEARNING.
AND TRAUMA INFORMED INSTRUCTION AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR RETURN, WHATEVER THAT MAY LOOK LIKE.
WE KNOW 1ST AND FOREMOST THAT THIS HAS BEEN A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE FOR ALL INVOLVED BUT IN PARTICULAR FOR THE STUDENTS.
SO, THE THEME EMERGED, MAKING SURE WE ARE PUTTING EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AND MENTAL SUPPORT AND INFORMED CARE AT THE BEGINNING OF ALL RETURN AND RELATIONSHIPS.
WITHIN THAT WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO IDENTIFY A SCREENING TOOL THAT IS SPECIFIC TO COVID-19 AND PTSD RELATED EVENTS FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE STUDENTS HAVE WORKED ON SPECIFICALLY.
I WOULD TAKE A MOMENT TO SHARE AN EXAMPLE FROM THIS WEEK'S SUMMER SCHOOL THAT REALLY DRIVES HOME THE STUDENTS NEEDS.
AT ONE OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAMS THE STUDENTS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTARILY CHOOSE TO HAD OVER 100 STUDENTS ON THE FIRST DAY I BELIEVE, WHO JOINED THAT LESSON.
SO I THINK THAT TELLS US RIGHT STUDENTS WILL BRING BACK TO THE CLASSROOM THAT WE HAVE TO RESPOND TO SO THEY ARE AVAILABLE FOR LEARNING.
OBVIOUSLY, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AT THE FOREFRONT.
VERY IMPORTANT FOLLOWING THAT WE TALK ABOUT ACADEMICS AND FUNCTIONING.
THE TEAMS DISCUSSED AND IDENTIFIED HOW WILL WE ASSESS AND INTERVENE IMMEDIATELY TO IDENTIFY ANY AREAS MAKING SURE WE ARE DIFFERENTIATING AND ADJUSTING INSTRUCTION PRIORITIES.
OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW WE HAVE A DIVERSE GROUP OF STUDENT LEARNERS WHO NEED DIFFERENTIATION FROM THE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES TO OUR ENGLISH LEARNERS AND THEY ALL FALL WITHIN THE SUPPORT THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE TIER ONE WILL LOOK DIFFERENT REGARDLESS OF THE MODEL.
BUT HE NEEDS TO BE JUST AS SUPPORTIVE.
ANOTHER AREA THAT EVERY GROUP MENTIONED, I THINK EVERY INDIVIDUAL MENTIONED WAS HOW ARE WE IN THE REAL PREPROCESS CLEARLY COMMUNICATE WITHIN THE SUBGROUPS AND THE LARGER GROUP ON HOLD.
WHAT ARE THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND NEEDS AROUND CLASSROOM SET UP AND DIFFERENTIATION FOR THE POPULATION.
SO DRIVING HOME, THE COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION ASPECT AND SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS WAS AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR WORK THIS WEEK.
THE DOCTOR MENTIONED WE WILL DIG DEEPER INTO SCHEDULING AND HAVE A DISCUSSION NEXT FRIDAY ABOUT THAT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH DR. RAWFORD.
SO JUST AN OVERVIEW OF THE SURVEY DESIGN.
STARTING WITH WE ALL KNOW THAT DECISIONS ARE AS GOOD AS THE INFORMATION OF WHICH THEY ARE BASED SO THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING, IF YOU HAVEN'T YET FILLED OUT THE SURVEY PLEASE DO THAT AS WELL AS FAMILIES TAKE THE TIME IMPOSSIBLE.
IF YOU ARE A PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF MULTIPLE STUDENTS, PLEASE DO AND IF TIME ALLOWS GOING TO TAKE THE SURVEY MULTIPLE TIMES WITH EACH INDIVIDUAL STUDENT.
KNOWING THAT WE KNOW DECISIONS MAY VARY BASED ON UNIQUE NEEDS.
GIVEN THAT WE DESIGNED A SURVEY FOR DATA KNOWING THE INCREDIBLE DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH WE ARE IN PERCEPTIONS CHANGE AND DATA SHELFLIFE HAS NEVER BEEN SHORTER.
SO WE DIVIDE THE SURVEY TO BE AS CLOSE TO THE ACTUAL PLANNING PROCESS AS POSSIBLE.
AGAIN THE DATA WILL BE USED ONLY TO SUPPORT THE PLANNING OF THE TEAM.
SO NO INFORMATION FILLED OUT ON THE SURVEYS ARE PERMANENT DECISIONS FOR STAFF AND FAMILY.
THEY ARE SEEKING THEIR PERCEPTION OF WHERE THEY ARE TODAY BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE AND CERTAINLY I KNOW, AND THE POWERPOINT MOVING FORWARD YOU WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK THAT WILL BE COMING UP AND MORE INFORMATION IS COMING OUT.
[01:05:14]
ALSO BASED ON THE TIMING OF GETTING THE DATA, WE KNEW AND PLAN FOR QUALITY OF DATA TO COME IN IN JUNE.W YOU COMFORTABLE AND RETURNED TO IN PERSON INSTRUCTION.
THE TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING TO TRANSLATE AND CODE THOSE HUNDREDS OF PAGES.
THERE WERE OVER 5,000 AND WE WILL SUPPLIED THE DATA BASED ON SYSTEMATICS AND THE INDIVIDUAL PLANNING AS WELL AS THE DATA TO BEST INFORM THE DECISIONS MOVING FORWARD AND FOR PLANO PLANNING.
I WILL TURN THE MICROPHONE BACK OVER.
I'M THE COACH OF THE FACILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY TEAM.
WE HAVE 30 TEAM MEMBERS CONTRIBUTING.
CAPITAL PROGRAMS WHICH ARE LED BY ERICA.
I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO SEATING IMPACTS OF SOCIAL DISTANCING.
I JUST WANT TO BRIEFLY GO OVER THE ASSUMPTIONS WE ARE USING AT THIS TIME FOR PLANNING FOR REOPENING.
AND KEEPING IN MIND THAT, ULTIMATELY SOCIAL DISTANCING WILL LOOK DIFFERENT IN EVERY SCHOOL, IN EVERY GRADE AND IN EVERY SPECIFIC CLASSROOM.
THIS WILL GET US TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN HAVE NUMBERS THAT WE FEEL COMFORTABLE PLANNING AND WE WOULD BE ABLE TO EXECUTE LEARNING SAFELY.
SO THE GOAL IS TO MAINTAIN 6 FEET OF DISTANCE BETWEEN EVERYONE STAFF AND STUDENTS AT EVERY MOMENT.
WHAT THIS MAY LOOK LIKE IS A DIFFERENT ENTRANCE AND EXIT AND HAVING ONE-WAY HALLWAYS ESPECIALLY AT YOUNGER GRADE REQUIRE STUDENTS TO WEAR MASKS.
THINKING ABOUT WHAT PPE AND RECESS MAY LOOK LIKE MAY BE IMPORTANT AS IT PROVIDES EXTRA TIME FOR TRANSITION.
CURRENTLY THE NUMBER WE USED, WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL ARCHITECTS REACH OUT AND LET US ABOUT, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DOING AND LOOKING AT SCHOOLS.
GIVEN SOME OF THAT INFORMATION AS WELL AS KNOWING WHAT 6 FEET OF DISTANCE LOOKS LIKE AN PROVIDING SPACE, THIS WOULD BE A GOOD PLANNING NUMBER FOR US.
AND AS I NOTED THAT INCLUDES STAFF MEMBERS.
JUST THINKING ABOUT THE CONSIDERATION WE THINK THAT PROVIDES ENOUGH CONTINGENCY TO ACCOUNT FOR STRANGELY, DIFFERENT CONFIGURATIONS OF CLASSROOM AND CABINETRY AND DIFFERENT FURNITURE AND THIS IS ALL BASED OFF THE DATABASE OF THE SPACES WE HAVE IN OUR FACILITIES THAT COULD BE AN ACCURATE DEPENDING ON WHEN AND HOW THEY WERE MEASURED.
WE FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT WITH THAT NUMBER.
CLASSROOM INCLUDING KINDERGARTEN AND PRE-K WILL WE USUALLY HAVE PROFESSIONALS PAIRED.
CONSIDERING EVEN WITH MODELS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THIS ISN'T DEFINITIVE BUT WE CAN PROVIDE MORE THAN ONE STAFF MEMBER BUT THIS IS JUST THE NUMBER THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING.
USING THE NEXT CHART, USING ALL CURRENT CLASSROOM SPACES, WE DID NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT USING SPACES LIKE GEMS OR CAFETERIAS FOR LEARNING AT THIS TIME.
THAT IS SOMETHING WE WILL EXPLORE IN THE FUTURE.
I WILL NOTE THAT WE WILL ADD INSTRUCTION AND WE NEED TO ADD STAFF.
JUST THINKING ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THAT.
AND AGAIN ASSUMING THIS COULD LOOK DIFFERENT IN EVERY CLASSROOM.
THE TRANSITION WILL BE ELIMINATED OR LIMITED.
THE MORE WE HAVE STUDENTS TRANSITION INCLUDING AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL, THIS EXPOSES MORE STUDENTS TO DIFFERENT THINGS.
AGAIN WE MAKE CONTINUED TO CONTINUE WITH THIS.
IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS THE PRELIMINARY MAP BASED ON THE ASSUMPTIONS WE COULD CALCULATE FOR EACH OF OUR INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS.
THE FIRST COLUMN LISTS THE FACILITY.
PLEASE NOTE THAT JOHN ADAMS AND I GIVE HIM TROUBLE FOR THIS, IT DOES INCLUDE THE EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER WITHIN THAT NUMBER.
THE SECOND COLUMN IS THE SOCIAL DISTANCING CAPACITY, THAT IS THE 65 SQUARE FEET.
WE ALSO DID IN THE THIRD COLUMN IF WE DIDN'T WANT MORE THAN TEN INDIVIDUALS IN ANY ONE ROOM AT A TIME BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WAS SOME OF THE EARLY GUIDANCE.
[01:10:07]
WE DID DO THAT ANALYSIS AS WELL.>> AND THE 3RD AND 4TH COLUMN, IF WE DO CONTINUE TO TRANSITION BETWEEN EVERY PERIOD, YOU CAN SEE THEY DROP LOWER.
FRANCIS HAMMOND, SOCIAL DISTANCING WOULD BE A 52 STUDENTS.
IT IS ADJUSTED FOR THEIR SCHEDULE THAT THEY CAP OPERATED ON PREVIOUSLY.
JUST THINKING ABOUT THE IMPACT.
THAT IS WHAT WE TYPICALLY COMPARE.
THE SEVENTH COLUMN IS THE PROJECTIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
AGAIN I DON'T ANTICIPATE THE IMPACT OF COVERT WILL LEAVE US WITH AN ACCURATE PROJECTION.
BUT THAT WILL BE SOMETHING WE WILL MONITOR IN OUR MEETING.
AND THEN GETTING INTO THE PERCENTAGE COLUMN.
YOU SEE OUT THE% OF THE PROJECTED STUDENTS BASED ON CAPACITY.
WE HAVE HIGHLIGHTED HERE GEORGE WASHINGTON.
HOPING WE GET TWO TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS.
ONE BEING, WE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE MANY TOTAL STUDENTS WE CAN FIT THROUGHOUT THE FACILITIES BRIDGES A LITTLE BIT ABOVE 50% OF THE TOTAL PROJECTION.
BUT SCHOOL BY SCHOOL IT LOOKS DIFFERENT.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE OLDER MORE CROWDED SCHOOLS, IT WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE A 50% CAPACITY.
THINKING ABOUT ADDITIONAL SPACES THAT CAN BE USED AND HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THE MODEL OR THE SCHEDULE THAT WE PURSUE.
>> HUMAN RESOURCES TEAM HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON THE IMPACT OF THE WORKFORCE PLANS ON OUR STAFF.
OF COURSE THERE IS MANY ELEMENTS, SOME THAT ARE LEGALLY BINDING SUCH AS FML AND LEAVE.
OTHER THINGS WE JUST NEED TO CONSIDER ON THE HR DATA THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
THIS CHART REPRESENTS 65% OF THE RESIDE IN ALEXANDRIA.
WE NEED TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE STAFF AND FAMILIES AND CONSIDERING THEIR COMMUTES AND SCHEDULES AND CHILD CARE NEEDS AND THE SCHOOL PLANS IN THE COMMUNITY THEY RESIDE IN.
THIS IS REPRESENTING RESIDENCY AS REPORTED BY OUR PERSONAL DATABASE.
AS WE CAN CHANGE WORK THIS WEEK WE WILL LOOK AT OTHER DATA THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED INCLUDING THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED.
I AM THE CHAIR OF THE PLANNING TEAM FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY ALONG WITH MY COCHAIR.
AND SO YOU WILL SEE THE CORE AREAS INCLUDE STUDENT HEALTH, PPE, SCHOOL NUTRITION AND TRANSPORTATION.
BEFORE WE GET INTO THE NEXT LINE I WANT TO QUICKLY HIGHLIGHT THE DIVERSE MEMBERSHIP OF OUR TEAM.
WE DO HAVE EXPERTISE FROM PHYSICIANS.
EPIDEMIOLOGISTS AND SCHOOL NURSES ON OUR TEAM.
WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF OUR STAFF AND LEADERSHIP FROM VARIOUS AREAS.
FROM NUTRITION SERVICES TO SAFETY AND SECURITY AS WELL AS INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP AND REPRESENTATION.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PRINCIPLES ON OUR TEAM AND TEACHERS AND REPRESENTATIVES IN SPECIAL EDUCATION.
>> WHAT I WANTED TO BRIEFLY DISCUSS IS THE SEATING IMPACTS OF SOCIAL DISTANCING.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN, OUR FLEET IS COMPRISED OF VARIOUS SIZED PASSENGER BUSES.
YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A NORMAL CAPACITY COLUMN THAT ILLUSTRATES HOW MANY PASSENGERS WE CAN CARRY ON THE BUS.
IF WE GO TO A ONE STUDENT APPROACH YOU CAN SEE OUT THE NUMBERS REDUCED SIGNIFICANTLY.
BENCH, THE NUMBERS REDUCED EVEN FURTHER.
>> SOME OF THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE EMPLOYED WHEN WE WERE DEVELOPING THE ANALYSIS, REALLY CENTERED AROUND A RIDERSHIP SO WE HAVE 10,000 STUDENTS QUALIFIED TO RIDE THE BUS, HOWEVER 65 STUDENTS ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN THE RIDERSHIP.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 123 BUSES IN OUR FLEET.
IF WE USE ALL OF THE BUSES IT WILL LEAVE NO CONTINGENCY OPTIONS IN CASE A BUS BREAKS DOWN.
WE CAN HAVE MULTIPLE TRANSPORTATION MODELS WITH SCENARIOS BASED ON THE
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FLEET.WE CURRENTLY RUN ROUTES WITH TWO RUNS AND ANTICIPATE THOSE TWO INCREASE.
THIS IS OUR INITIAL ANALYSIS AND THE NUMBERS WILL CHANGE.
WE ARE ALSO INCLUDING SIBLINGS WILL BE ALLOWED TO SIT TOGETHER AND WE ARE DEFINING IT AS CHILDREN WHO RESIDE IN THE SAME HOUSEHOLD.
>> I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ILLUSTRATE EXAMPLES OF WHAT SOCIAL DISTANCING ON THE BUS COULD LOOK LIKE.
THE FIRST EXAMPLE WITH THE GREEN DOTS ILLUSTRATES THE ONE STUDENT.
YOU WILL SEE THAT STUDENTS ARE ALLOWED TO SIT ONE.
SEAT AND TYPICALLY WE CAN SIT 2-3 STUDENTS.
YOU CAN SEE HOW THE NUMBER CHANGES.
IF YOU GO DOWN TO THE BOTTOM ILLUSTRATION THAT IS THE ONE STUDENT.
ONE STUDENT ON EVERY OTHER ROW.
THIS BASED ON INDUSTRY CONVERSATIONS IS THE CONVERSATION THEY ARE GROWING WITH BECAUSE IT INCREASES SOCIAL DISTANCING BUT IT DOES FURTHER REDUCE CAPACITY TO TRANSPORT STUDENTS USING THIS MODEL.
>> SO HERE IS OUR FIRST ANALYSIS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION CAPACITY.
WE ARE PROVIDING TWO SCENARIOS.
THE FIRST BEING, IF WE ONLY UTILIZING 90 OF THE BUSES.
AND THEORETICALLY WE COULD TRANSPORT OVER EXISTING RIDERSHIP OF 6500 STUDENTS USING 90 BUSES.
IF WE EMPLOYED THIS WHEN IT REDUCES RIDERSHIP TO 1934.
IF WE FURTHER REDUCE IT TO THE ALTERNATING MODEL WE ARE DOWN TO 971 STUDENTS THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY TRANSPORT.
YOU WILL SEE THAT IS A CAPACITY CHANGE OF 70% AND 85% RESPECTIVELY.
>> IF WE LOOK AT THE SECOND SCENARIO TO UTILIZE OUR ENTIRE FLEET OF 123 BUSES LEAVING NO CONTINGENCY, WE COULD THEORETICALLY TRANSPORT 2,000 STUDENTS USING THE ONE.
BENCH MODEL OR 1,367 STUDENTS USING THE ALTERNATING MODEL.
ALTHOUGH, SO, WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO SHARE THIS.
ADDITIONAL REITERATIONS WILL COME BUT WE WANT EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN OUR ABILITY BASED OFF THE SOCIAL DISTANCING MODELS.
I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO THE NEXT GROUP.
HOPEFULLY EVERYONE CAN HEAR ME.
I HAD UP THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PLANNING TEAM AND MR. ROBERT EASLEY WHO HEADS UP THE BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE.
I HAVE MR. MICHAEL COVETING HEADING UP PAYROLL.
AND MISS MARIAH HEADING UP TECHNOLOGY.
WE KNOW THIS WILL HAVE TO SIT WITHIN OUR FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS.
FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE FLEXIBLE WITH OUR BUDGET BECAUSE WE KNOW DEPENDING ON THE MODEL WE WILL HAVE TWO PIVOT FUNDS THROUGHOUT DR. FAUCI.
WE WILL HAVE VARIOUS FUNDS TO ASSIST.
WE GO WITH ANY ON-SITE MODEL WE WILL HAVE TO GIVE FUNDS TO OTHERS TO ASSIST.
WE WERE FORTUNATE TO NOT HAVE TO CODE ANY OF OUR EXPENDITURES TO THE CARES ACT FUNDING.
THAT LEAVES THE TOTAL $.7 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR USE IN 2021.
THE DEADLINE FOR US TO SUBMIT OUR APPLICATION IS AUGUST 1.
AS WE SAID IN THE SPRING, A BROAD SPECTRUM OF EXPENSES THAT SIT UNDERNEATH THE CARES ACT.
THIS MONTH, JULY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ISSUED A FINAL RULING ON THE CARES ACT FUNDING WHICH STATED, IF THE SCHOOL DIVISION WERE TO USE THE FUNDS TO SUPPORT ALL SCHOOLS WITHIN THE DIVISION IT WOULD HAVE TO HAVE EQUITABLE SERVICES.
AND IN LAYPEOPLE TERMS THEIR MEANS THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING SET ASIDE TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO COMPLETE OUR APPLICATION FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND PART OF THAT IS THE INTENT TO PARTICIPATE
[01:20:08]
FOR THE QUALIFYING PRIVATE SCHOOLS.AND THEY HAD 14 DAYS TO RESPOND.
THEN WE HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS AS WELL AS THE PLAN FOR DR. FAUCI.
THOSE MEETINGS ARE BEING SCHEDULED.
WE HAVE GOTTEN BACK THE LETTERS OF INTENT.
WITH THAT SAID, REGARDLESS OF THE MODEL WE GO WITH, WE KNOW IT HAS TO BE WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS AND WE KNOW OUR BUDGET WILL HAVE TO BE EXTREMELY FLEXIBLE TO MOVE FUNDS.
>> NEXT LINE AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
>> I AM THE NEW CHIEF OF SCHOOL AND I'M JOINT I DO WANT TO START OUT BY SAYING THAT, I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A WEEK AND SO MUCH OF THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE HAS BEEN DONE BY THAT TEAM STARTING WITH KURT AS WELL AS HELEN WHO HEADS OF COMMUNICATION AND FAMILY OUTREACH IS BEING HANDLED AND OF COURSE OUR PHASE TEAM.
>> I WANTED TO SAY THERE'S PLENTY OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE ON THE TEAM.
WE ACTUALLY JUST ADDED ONE OF OUR LIAISONS AND WHICH WE FELT WAS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT TO ADD.
I THINK WHAT'S BEEN WONDERFUL ABOUT OUR TEAM, THE COLLABORATION THAT WE HAVE HAD BRINGING THE DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER REALLY CHOSE THE TEAMS AND THE EXPERTISE OF BEEN FORTUNATE TO START WITH SUCH A BIG PROJECT.
AND BEING ABLE TO SEE THE EXPERTISE OF THE TEAM WORKING TOGETHER.
THEY HAVE BEEN A GREAT SUPPORT SO I WANT TO FOR THE WORK THEY HAVE DONE.
>> I MOVE ONTO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS SURVEY WENT OUT AND WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON THAT.
THIS IS REALLY GOING TO HELP US AND WE HAVE A COUPLE MORE DAYS.
OUR FOCUS PRIMARILY ON THIS SLIDE, THE PLANS WE HAVE COME AT THE TEAM HAS BEEN HARD AT WORK PLANNING FOR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT REOPENING WHICH WILL BE TAKING PLACE THROUGH JULY 20.
WE HAVE SCHEDULED A COUPLE DURING THE DAY BUT MOST ARE THE AFTERNOON.
TENTATIVELY I WILL GIVE YOU THE SCHEDULE BUT WE ARE STILL CONFIRMING WITH OUR MODERATORS AND THEN I WILL TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT THE CONVERSATIONS WILL LOOK LIKE.
ON MONDAY WE ARE HOPING TO HOST IN THE AFTERNOON AT 4:00 P.M.
AND THAT WILL BE WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT HOUSING COMMITTEE AND WE WANT TO WORK WITH THE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON TUESDAY AT NOON.
WE ARE HOSTING A SPECIAL NEEDS SESSION ON TUESDAY JULY 21 AT 4:00 P.M.
THEN WE WILL HOST A SERIES OF CONVERSATIONS IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
THE ARABIC COMMITTEE WILL WORK WITH THEM ON WEDNESDAY AND THEY WILL MEET AT 4:00 P.M.
THEN WE WILL ALSO SPEAK AND MEET ON THURSDAY.
I WANT TO REITERATE THAT WE ARE STILL WORKING TO CONFIRM WITH SOME OF THE MODERATORS AND PARTICIPANTS.
WE WILL BE SENDING OUT MORE DETAILS EARLY NEXT WEEK.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND WHAT THEY WOULD LOOK LIKE.
WE WILL HAVE A MODERATOR THAT IS A COMMUNITY MEMBER TO HELP US DRIVE THE CONVERSATION.
WE WILL HAVE OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE EXPERTS IN THE AREAS THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO DISCUSS.
SO ONCE WE HAVE THAT WE WILL SHARE THAT.
ONE OF THE UNIQUE PIECES ABOUT THIS MODEL IS THAT IT WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH US THROUGH CHAT, SENDING US QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE SO WE ARE
[01:25:05]
PREPARED AS WELL AS TAKING LIVE QUESTIONS DURING THE ACTUAL CONVERSATION.ONE THING IS WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE DATA HAVE A DEEPER DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CONCERNS AND CHALLENGES OR THINGS WE NEED TO KNOW AND THINGS THAT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY, IN A SURVEY.
SO THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE EASIEST WAYS FOR US TO ENGAGE EVERYONE AND HEAR FROM EVERYONE AND ADDRESS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS COMING UP.
SO WE WILL BE PUTTING UP THOSE DETAILS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AND WE CAN SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH THE COMMUNITY.
JUST TO RECAP WE WILL HAVE TWO OF THE CONVERSATIONS ON JULY 21 AND THE 23RD AT NOON.
THEN THROUGHOUT THAT WEEK, JULY 20 THROUGH 24 EVERY DAY 4:00 P.M.
WE WILL HAVE ONE FOR DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
EVERYONE IS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY THAT THEY FEEL THEY WANT TO.
WE ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE MEMBER.
>> THIS PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE HAVE COME FROM AND WHERE WE ARE NOW WHERE WE ARE GOING.
AND WHAT HAS BEEN REALLY EVIDENT IS THAT THE COMMUNITY IS CRITICAL TO OUR SUCCESS.
SO, WE HAD MANY PARTNER MEETINGS TO DISCUSS THIS AND GET US PREPARED AT THIS POINT.
AS FAR AS WHAT'S DRIVING THIS IS THE STATE GUIDANCE.
AT THIS STAGE WE ARE AT THE CROSS PLANNING TEAMS AND THAT WILL DRIVE A LOT OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE AS WELL AS LEADING US TO THE BOARD VOTE.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD BEHIND THE SCENES AND NEXT WEEK, OUR TEAM, WILL BE WORKING WITH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT TEAMS AND PUT IN DIFFERENT GROUPS SO WE CAN SHAPE SOME OF THE COMMUNICATION AND WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT TAKING PART IN THE GROUPS AND TO LEARN OUR SUPPORT.
>> LASTLY, JUST LOOKING AHEAD, I KNOW THE DOCTOR MENTIONED THIS EARLIER AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION BUT WE ARE DEFINITELY IN THE SPRINT.
NEXT WEEK WE WILL CONTINUE ARMOR SPRINT.
AS WE FINALIZE PLANS AND GET US ALL THE WAY INTO THE BOARD VOTE AS WELL AS THE PLANS TO THE STATE.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF US BUT I'M EXCITED TO BE PART OF THE TEAM.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EXPERTISE AND DEEP THINKING ON THE REOPENING OF THE SCHOOL AND WE CAN ENSURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING A ROBUST AND MEANINGFUL SCHOOL FOR THE STUDENTS.
>> AND LOOKING FORWARD ON SOME OF THE DELIVERABLES.
TODAY WE RECEIVED UPDATES FROM THE CHAIRS.
WE WILL BE DOING SOME DEEP DIVING INTO THE SURVEY RESULTS AS SOON AS THEY ARE COMPLETED.
CONTINUE TO FURTHER EXPLORE THE DESIGNS OF THE SCHEDULES.
AND AS I MENTIONED, PLANS FOR THE COMMUNITY REOPENING CONVERSATIONS.
>> THANK YOU AND NOW I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO DR. HUTCHINGS.
>> MADAM CHAIR WE JUST WANT TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR QUESTIONS WERE THE BOARD MEMBERS.
I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WE ARE SHARING AS WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND, THIS IS A LOT OF WORK.
SO IT IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A LOT OF INFORMATION.
NEXT WEEK WILL BE FOCUSED ON THE SCHEDULES AND WHAT THE POTENTIAL SCHEDULES WILL LOOK LIKE.
WE WILL SPEND A LOT OF TIME DOING THAT AND WE WILL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
I'M IN WEST VIRGINIA WHERE THE WI-FI IS NOT GREAT SO I'M CALLING YOU ON MY PHONE FROM THE CAR.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE METHODICAL APPROACH AND THE RESPONSIVE APPROACH AS WELL.
THE TEAMWORK WAS REALLY GREAT.
THE FIRST WAS ABOUT THE SURVEY THAT WENT OUT.
WE RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE WHO REALLY WISHED THE TRADITIONAL MODEL WAS INCLUDED AS AN OPTION.
I UNDERSTAND IT IS THE LEAST LIKELY BUT IT SEEMS IT MAY BE HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND THE INTEREST LEVEL.
[01:30:01]
I WANTED TO GET FEEDBACK ON WHY THAT OPTION WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SURVEY.THE SECOND QUESTION ANSWER DO WITH THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE AROUND, BUILDING TRUST AND ALLOWING CREATIVE IDEAS REOPENING.
I WAS REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THAT.
I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU GUYS ARE THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX.
A LOT OF OUR SPEAKERS TODAY DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, SHE MADE SOME SUGGESTIONS ABOUT PARTNERING WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
SOMETHING I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT AND REFLECTING ON ALL OF THE OPTIONS THAT I'VE BEEN HEARING AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS.
THEY DON'T DO GOOD IN A VIRTUAL MODEL, SECONDARY STUDENTS GENERALLY, IT CAN BE MORE DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE FOR THEM THEY ARE MORE CAPABLE BEING SELF-DIRECTED.
THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE USING SECONDARY SCHOOLS.
FROM AN OUTSIDER, THEY ARE LOCALLY AND PERHAPS, NATIONALLY COMING TO THE SAME ASSUMPTION OF THIS HYBRID MODEL MAKING FULLY VIRTUAL LEARNING AVAILABLE.
IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE IS COMING TO THAT ONE CONCLUSION IF YOU CAN THINK OF WAYS YOU ARE THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
>> SO I WILL HAVE MR. PAIGE TALK ABOUT THE SURVEY PIECE JUST TO ANSWER YOUR SECOND QUESTION.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OBSERVATIONS IS LOOKING AT HOW IS IT EVEN OPERATIONAL OR FEASIBLE TO DO THE HYBRID.
WE ARE TAKING A DEEP DIVE INTO LOGISTICALLY FOR TRANSPORTATION.
DOES IT WORK FOR THE STAFFING.
WILL WE HAVE A HYBRID APPROACH SO WE ARE NOT JUST DOING WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING, WE WILL DO WHAT IT'S GOING TO BEST SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE SO MANY EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL FACTORS THAT HAVE AN IMPACT ON WHICHEVER OPTIONS WE GO WITH AND UNFORTUNATELY WE WILL HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PIVOT IF THERE IS A SITUATION OR UPTICK IN NUMBERS OR ANY SITUATION.
SO WHAT WE ARE DOING THAT'S UNIQUE, WE WILL MAKE SURE WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT A HYBRID APPROACH OR LOOKING AT THE 100% VIRTUAL WE ARE LOOKING AT THE FEASIBILITY OF EACH OF THOSE OPTIONS.
THE CONCEPT MAY SOUND GOOD BUT THEN WE GET INTO A SITUATION WHERE WE DON'T HAVE THE STAFFING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN OR WAIT TO GET KIDS TO AND FROM SCHOOL IN A SAFE MANNER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
MR. PAGE CAN TALK ABOUT THE QUESTION ABOUT THE QUESTIONS NOT INCLUDING ALL OF THE STUDENTS RETURNING BACK TO SCHOOL.
>> WE WANT TO BE AS TRANSPARENT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC AS POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
I THINK THIS HAS ELIMINATED IN THE SLIDES, WHEN CONSIDERING THE SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES AND ALL MEETINGS HOW TO DO THIS SAFELY.
THE OPTION OF HAVING THE STUDENTS BACK AT SCHOOL FULL-TIME IS SIMPLY NOT FEASIBLE IF WE ARE TO ADHERE TO THE SAFETY GUIDELINE.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO PUT AN OPTION KNEW BASED OFF OF OUR PLANNING FACTORS AS WELL AS CURRENT AND LOCAL GUIDELINES WOULD NOT BE FEASIBLE WHILE ENSURING AS WE CAN THE SAFETY OF THE STUDENTS AND STAFF.
>> NEXT UP I HAVE MISS GENTRY.
I THINK IT IS WONDERFUL FOR EVERYONE TO SEE JUST HOW MANY STAFF HAVE TO COME TOGETHER ACROSS THE DIFFERENT AREAS IN ORDER TO THINK ABOUT THIS.
THIS IS FUNDAMENTALLY RETHINKING THE WAY WE ARE PROVIDING OUR CORE SERVICE AND EDUCATING CHILDREN.
I APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTFULNESS.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LOT BEING WORKED OUT.
I HAD ONE CLARIFYING QUESTION RELATED TO THE PORTION THAT MR. TURNER WAS TALKING ABOUT.
I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND, THE PORTION RELATED TO THE $3.7 MILLION CARE'S FUNDING AND BASED ON WHAT YOU WERE SAYING IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A PORTION OF THAT
[01:35:06]
$3.7 MILLION THAT MAY ULTIMATELY GO TO SOME OF THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA.I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD GIVE US A TIMELINE OF WHEN WE WILL KNOW THAT AND WHAT WILL THE AMOUNT BE BECAUSE I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THAT IT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT ALL OF THE OTHER PLANNING THAT EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING.
SO THE DEADLINE TO RETURN THE LETTERS OF INTENT TO PARTICIPATE FORMS WAS TODAY.
SO HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF TODAY WE WILL HAVE ALL OF THE LETTERS OF INTENT TO PARTICIPATE.
N PRIVATE SCHOOLS TO BE ABLE TO GO OVER WHAT THE FUNDING COULD BE USED FOR.
JUST A REMINDER, WE DO HAVE BROAD FOCUS AREAS AND FACILITIES AND ONE IS SLIPPING MY MIND RIGHT NOW.
I CAN'T REMEMBER THE FOURTH ONE OFF OF THE TOP OF MY HEAD BUT THOSE ARE THE AREAS THAT DR. AUCI WOULD FOCUS THE CARES ACT ON.
ONCE WE HAVE THE CONSULTS WITH THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS WE CAN PUT TOGETHER THE APPLICATION AND THAT WILL THE FINE AND SET ASIDE THAT WHAT WE HAVE.
THE FORMULA IS BASED ON THE ENROLLMENT THAT WE HAVE VERSUS THE ENROLLMENT IN EACH ONE OF THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND THAT IS TOTAL ENROLLMENT AND THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS NOT JUST THE TITLE I ELIGIBLE ENROLLMENT IN THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
SO WE SHOULD KNOW, AUGUST 1 IS THE DEADLINE.
SO WE WILL KNOW THE PORTION WE HAVE TO SET ASIDE WHEN WE SUBMIT THE APPLICATION ON AUGUST 1.
WE HAD OUR FOUR ITEMS INCLUDING MEAL DISTRIBUTION PERIOD IF THEY ARE GOING TO USE THE FUNDS THEY WOULD HAVE TO USE IT FOR THE -- UNDER THE SAME BROAD CATEGORIES OR NOT NECESSARILY?
>> YES, WE WANT THEM TO USE THE FUNDING IN THE SAME AREAS THAT WE ARE BECAUSE IT IS EQUITABLE SERVICES OF WE ARE USING OUR MONEY ON CLEANING WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO USE IT IN THE SAME THAT IS A DISCUSSION WE WILL HAVE TO GO OVER IT.
THEY WOULD BE SUBMITTING AN THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE SERVICES.
>> THANK YOU CHAIR ANDERSON I JUST WANT TO ECHO EVERYONE'S GRATITUDE TO THE TEAM SUCH A ROBUST PRESENTATION AND SO MANY COMPLEX PIECES.
I JUST WANTED TO SHOUT OUT FOR ALL OF THE GREAT HARD WORK.
MY QUESTION IS, IT IS TWOFOLD.
ONE IS, I THINK DURING THIS PANDEMIC WE MUST CONCEPTUALIZE SCHOOLS AS A
[01:40:12]
SERVICE NOT A PLACE AND FOCUS ON THAT.AND, TO ME I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE NOT ONLY THINKING ABOUT THE SERVICES FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES BUT THE SERVICE WITH THE TEACHERS.
SOME MAKE PASSIONATE REMARKS ABOUT HOW THEIR HEALTH COULD BE EFFECTIVE.
I THINK THIS WILL BE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AND MY FIRST QUESTION IS ABOUT THE PROTOTYPES THAT WE WERE TOLD ABOUT.
I GUESS I JUST LIKE TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT DELIVERABLE WILL LOOK LIKE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY AT SOME POINT WE WILL HAVE DIFFERENT OPTIONS OF WHAT WE WILL DO.
AS DR. HUTCHINGS SAID IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE PRESERVE FLEXIBILITY THROUGH THE INITIAL PLANNING AND WHEN THE SCHOOL YEAR BEGINS.
I JUST WANT HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE ARE PRESENTING THE PROTOTYPES.
HOW WE ARE CENSURING THE IMPACTS ON THE STUDENTS AND THE TEACHERS LIKE THE PROS AND CONS.
AND ALSO, HOW WE ARE CONCEPTUALIZING THE PROTOTYPES SO WE CAN THINK ABOUT WAYS TO COMBINE THEM OR DO THINGS IN DIFFERENT WAYS BECAUSE, IT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND DIFFERENT MODELS WILL BENEFIT DIFFERENT FAMILIES.
THAT'S ONE QUESTION SO I WILL PUT THAT TO THE SIDE.
THE SECOND QUESTION RELATES TO THE DATA PIECE.
AND, WE HAVE DONE THE SURVEY RECENTLY TO ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE'S INTERESTS ARE IN TERMS OF THEIR OPTIONS AND WHAT MODEL THEY MAY PREFER.
OBVIOUSLY, IT WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO GET EVERY PERSON TO RESPOND.
I WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE WILL DO TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE REALLY GOTTEN EVERYTHING WE CAN FROM THE FAMILIES IN TERMS OF THEIR PREFERENCES WHEN THE WHEN THE SURVEYS ARE COMPLETED AND WE SEE WE'VE ONLY GOTTEN A CERTAIN RESPONSE RATE.
AND THE NEXT QUESTION, WE JUST HEARD A TEACHER SPEAK TO US ABOUT EVEN IN SUMMER SCHOOL WE HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF STUDENTS ENROLLED.
SOME WORRY WE -- WE HAVE SHOWN THAT DATA AS WELL.
SO, IF SOMEONE COULD ANSWER THE FIRST QUESTION ABOUT THE PROTOTYPES AND SECOND, SOMEONE ANSWER HOW WE WILL MAKE SURE WE GET AS MUCH OF THE DATA AS WE CAN ESPECIALLY FROM AN EQUITY STANDPOINT.
>> SO, I'M GOING TO HAVE TWO PEOPLE ANSWER THAT.
I WILL FIRST HAVE RHEINGOLD TALK ABOUT THE ACTUAL MODULES THAT WE WILL SHARE.
THEN WE WILL HAVE KURT TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOME OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT IS OCCURRING.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
WHEN IT COMES TO PROTOTYPES THIS IS A TERM THAT IS TYPICALLY USED IN SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT.
A PROTOTYPE IS AN EXAMPLE AND IT IS QUICKLY PUT TOGETHER AND WE CAN USE IT TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT IT MAY FEEL LIKE TO BE IN SCHOOL NEXT YEAR.
WHAT WE WILL DO AS PART OF THE TEAM OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS IS CREATE PROTOTYPES.
THIS WILL HELP UNCOVER ALL OF THE ASPECTS AROUND MEALS AND TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSITION BETWEEN CLASSROOMS. A LOT OF THE DETAILS THAT THE CHAIRS AND REPRESENTATIVES EXPLAINED, IT WILL PULL THAT TOGETHER AND MAKE THEM FEEL MORE LIKE AN ACTUAL STUDENT, TEACHER, STAFF MEMBER OR PARENT.
SO THE PROTOTYPES OVER THE NEXT WEEK, WE CAN ACTUALLY PRESENT THIS TO YOU NEXT WEEK.
THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS WILL BE CUSTOMIZED WITH THE LEADERS AND WITH THE CHAIRS HERE.
THEY WILL LIKELY BE IN THE FORMAT OF A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION WHERE IT AS A DEMONSTRATION OF A DAY IN THE LIFE OR A STUDENT.
WHAT ARE THE CONSIDERATIONS THE STUDENTS WILL GO THROUGH AND WHAT ARE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WHAT WE ARE CALLING MODULES AND SCHOOL NUTRITION, AND ENTERING AND EXITING THE BUILDING, MOVEMENT BETWEEN CLASSROOMS AND DIFFERENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED.
AND WHAT I CAN PUT TOGETHER ARE SOME EXAMPLE PROTOTYPES THAT WE HAVE WORKED WITH OTHER DIVISIONS ON SO YOU CAN GET A LOOK AND FEEL AS TO WHAT INFORMATION WILL BE PRESENTED.
IN RESPONSE TO COMMUNITY AND LET YOU ALL KNOW, IF YOU WEREN'T AWARE, OUR LIAISONS AND ALBERT LANGUAGE THE SIFT SPECIFIC IS CONTINUING THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JULY TO HAVE OUR E-MAIL QUESTIONS THAT COME TO THEM AND PHONE CALLS AND THEY ARE OFFERING SUPPORT FOR ANY QUESTION THAT COMES IN FROM THE
[01:45:05]
COMMUNITY.THEY ARE ON TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAYS ANSWERING MANY QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF EVERYTHING FROM SUMMER, SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO ANY KIND OF QUESTION CONNECTING THEM TO THE RIGHT RESOURCES.
JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT IS STILL GOING ON.
THEY WILL EVEN HELP US WITH MAKING SURE PARENTS KNOW ABOUT THE SURVEY.
THOSE TYPE OF THINGS AND THE GREAT THING IS, WE ARE MANAGING THAT SO THEY CAN PIVOT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO THE LATEST MESSAGING AND GET THAT OUT TO THE VERY HARD TO REACH FAMILIES.
WE KNEW THAT WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF THIS THEY HAVE SUCH STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH BOTH FAMILIES.
WE KNOW THAT MANY FAMILIES VOW TO THEM AS A TRUSTED RESOURCE FOR INFORMATION.
THAT IS HAPPENING AND WE HAVE CONTINUED DATA AND REFLECTION ON THAT DATA IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT.
IN TERMS OF THE UPCOMING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ABOUT REOPENING OF THE SCHOOLS AS THE DOCTOR SAID, BUT WEEK OF THE 20TH WE ARE SETTING UP MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS, COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS WITH DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS IN TERMS OF EVERYTHING FROM FAMILIES PERSPECTIVES, AND JUST UNDERSTAND THAT AVENUE AND PATHWAY TO ENGAGEMENT ALL THE WAY TO SPECIAL NEEDS.
WE ARE SETTING UP THOSE CHATS IN A CONSISTENT WAY THROUGH THE WEEK OF THE 20TH WHERE BEFORE THE CHATS OCCUR THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE PARENTS AND THOSE STAKEHOLDERS TO ASK QUESTIONS AND THEN WE WILL LOOK AT THE QUESTIONS THAT COME IN BEFORE THE CHAT AND FIND IF THERE ARE PATTERNS IN THE QUESTIONS AND WHAT DO WE WANT TO ADDRESS WITH DR. HUTCHINGS AND PROBABLY ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER WILL BE PART OF THE CHATS ALONG WITH A MODERATOR THAT HAS A REAL TRUSTED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GROUP.
SO IF IT IS OURS WE WILL GO TO THE DIRECTOR THAT DOES THEIR PROGRAMMING FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.
WE WILL LET THEM MODERATE THAT WITH US.
WE WANT TO HAVE A REAL COMMUNITY CONNECTION WITH THE CHATS SO AGAIN, WE ARE DOING TRUSTED RELATIONSHIP WORK WITH THE GROUP SPIRIT THAT WILL HAPPEN THE WEEK OF THE 20TH.
WE ARE ALSO GOING TO HAVE CONSISTENCY SO IF THERE IS CLARITY AND INFORMATION, AS WE ALL KNOW, OUR OFFICES OVERALL GOAL IS TO SPONGE UP THE INFORMATION, ASK FROM QUESTIONS ABOUT THE INFORMATION, MAKE SURE WE CAN GET IT OUT TO THE TAKE HOLDERS IN A CLEAR AND CONSISTENT WAY.
THAT WILL HAPPEN THE WEEK OF THE 20TH BUT AGAIN IT DOESN'T JUST STOP THERE WITH OUR GROUP.
COMMUNICATIONS WILL WORK TOGETHER AND WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO KEEP COMMUNICATION, STARTING WITH THE HARDEST TO REACH FAMILIES.
REALLY DEDICATING MEANS AND HOW DO WE DO THAT IN MULTIPLE WAYS.
THAT IS WHAT IS HAPPENING AND WE CONTINUE OUR WORK THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER OF COURSE.
RID OF THE VIDEO DOES THAT MAKE IT BETTER?
IT IS IMPRESSIVE THIS IS HOW WE ARE LOOKING AT THE HYBRID MODEL AND WHETHER IT COULD INCLUDE IN PERSON LEARNING FOR THE STUDENTS.
[01:50:06]
I DID WANT TO CLARIFY ARE WE CONSIDERING CERTAIN GRADES AND THE REASON I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION AS THERE HAS BEEN SOME GUIDANCE.AND WHETHER IT WAS FROM THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS I JUST WANT TO GET CLARIFICATION ON WHETHER OR NOT THIS HYBRID MODEL CAN INCLUDE ONE 100% IN PERSON LEARNING FOR SOME GRADES AND NOT OTHERS.
AS WE LOOK FOR SCHEDULES WE HAVE TO LOOK AT MULTIPLE IMPLICATIONS FOR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MODELS.
SO HAVING ALL STUDENTS IN AND HAVING MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AT HOME, CONSISTENTLY IF YOU LOOK AT OUR DATA YOU WILL SEE MOST OF THE KIDS WHO WERE NOT ENGAGED WERE AT THE SECOND LEVEL.
SO WE ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT THE HYBRID APPROACH WHY YOU SELECTED THE HYBRID APPROACH, IT THE THINKING BEHIND OR REASONING BEHIND THAT SELECTION TO SEE IF IT IS FEASIBLE FOR THE FAMILIES BUT YES WE WILL BE LOOKING AT MULTIPLE SCENARIOS THE TEAM.
>> I CAN HEAR YOU BUT YOU ARE GOING IN-AND-OUT BUT LET'S TRY.
>> YES IT IS STILL GOING IN-AND-OUT.
WE HAVE TO CONTINUE THANKING THE STAFF AND EVERYONE WHO SPOKE TODAY.
WE ARE ALL WITNESSING THE BEST OF ACPS AND WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE EACH INDIVIDUAL SHARE WHAT THEIR FEEDBACK IS AND THE PROCESS OF LEADERSHIP SHARING.
I THINK, IT BEARS REPEATING THAT THE EMPHASIS IS ALSO WHAT A TRUE CRISIS THIS IS.
THE QUESTIONS AND THE LOGISTICS ARE UNFATHOMABLE AND DAUNTING.
I KNOW WE HAS A SCHOOL DIVISION ARE LASER FOCUSED.
I APPRECIATE THAT GIVEN THE ENEMY IMAGINABLE TASK AT HAND.
SO MY QUESTION IS, I HAVE A TWO-PART QUESTION IN TERMS OF THE WORK BEING DONE.
NUMBER ONE IS, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THE COMMUNITY, DR. HUTCHINGS DO YOU MIND SHARING HOW THIS GROUP GOT RECRUITED AND HOW DID THAT EVOLVE SO THE COMMUNITY IS AWARE.
THE SECOND IS, HOW DO WE OFFER FEEDBACK.
IS IT THE SURVEY? I KNOW YOU HAVE A SERIES, I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HEAR PUBLICLY HOW IT CAME ABOUT AND HOW PEOPLE WERE RECRUITED AND THE FEEDBACK GROUPS PEOPLE CONTINUE TO USE WHILE MAKING DECISIONS.
>> I WILL START WITH THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW PEOPLE WERE RECRUITED AND I WILL ASK THE DOCTOR TO TAKE IT HOME WITHOUT.
INITIALLY, SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS WE WERE LOOKING FOR, FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PART OF THE PLANNING TEAM, WHERE PEOPLE WHO HAD AN EXPERTISE IN EACH OF THE
[01:55:02]
FIVE CATEGORIES.SO SOME FORM OF EXPERTISE WHETHER THEY WERE STAFF MEMBERS OR WHETHER IT WAS A PARENT BECAUSE WE HAVE PARENTS WHO HAPPEN TO BE DOCTORS AND NURSES OR PART OF THE MEDICAL FIELD OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAD OUR STAKEHOLDER GROUPS IDENTIFIED SUCH AS OUR STAFF MEMBER GROUP AND PARENT GROUP AND COMMUNITY MEMBER GROUP AND STUDENT GROUP.
JUST MAKING SURE WE HAVE MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVE AND DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES AROUND THE TABLE.
WE WERE ALSO LOOKING FOR SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS OF PEOPLE WHO WERE ABLE TO LOOK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX.
WE DID NOT WANT SOMEONE FOCUSED SOLELY ON HOW THINGS WORK BECAUSE WE ARE NOT GOING BACK.
WE NEED PEOPLE WHO ARE ABLE TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THE UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES AND TRY TO DEVELOP SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T EXIST TODAY.
THIS IS WHERE SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS WE WERE LOOKING AT.
DR. IF YOU COULD GO INTO MORE DETAILS ON HOW THE CHAIR IS DEVELOPED AND HOW THEY DEVELOP THEIR TEAM MEMBER LIST OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS AND HOW THAT CAME ABOUT.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID, I WANTED TO STEP BACK.
EARLIER WHEN YOU READ ALL OF THESE REPORTS THAT WHEREBY SEVERAL COMMISSIONS AND GROUPS IT WAS FIRST STATED THAT EVERY SYSTEM MUST HAVE A PERSPECTIVES FROM DIFFERENT GROUPS INVOLVED IN THIS DECISION.
AND LIKE DR. HUTCHINGS INDICATED WE KNEW EARLY ON WE NEEDED TO LOOK AT EVERY ELEMENT OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SO THE TEAMS REPRESENT EVERY ASPECT OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AS WELL AS PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY.
SO WHAT THE CHAIRS HAVE DONE, AN INVITATION WAS DEVELOPED AND WE PREPARED ONE THAT GAVE A LOT OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION TO THOSE THAT COULD BE INVITED.
IT INCLUDED INFORMATION ABOUT BOTH GOALS AND THE MEETINGS AND SO, THE CHAIRS ACTUALLY SENT INVITATIONS TO VARIOUS INDIVIDUALS.
ALSO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE TEACHER ADVISORY COUNCIL.
WE JUST HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT IDENTIFYING TEACHERS AS IDENTIFIED WITH THOSE CHARACTERISTICS.
TEACHERS ARE VOLUNTEERING AND REGARDLESS OF THE NUMBER WE ARE LOOKING AT THE PEOPLE AND WE WANTED A NUMBER.
>> WHAT SHE MENTIONED IT WAS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WAYS TO GET COMMUNITY INPUT.
>> AND ALSO WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS E-MAILING US DIRECTLY WHETHER IT IS COMING FROM THE COMMUNITY OR BOARD MEMBERS.
ANYONE WHO E-MAILS US, WE LOOK AT THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND TRY TO MAKE A DECISION AND SHARE WITH DIFFERENT CHAIRS.
REMEMBER, WE ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP THE GROUPS ON CERTAIN SIDES.
WE ARE CREATING SUB TEAMS. WE HAVE THE CORE TEAMS, WE HAVE THE SUB TEAMS AND OTHER GROUPS ARE BEING FORMED THAT CAN ADDRESS OTHER AREAS.
WE ARE PRETTY MUCH SAYING YES AND GIVING PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE BASED ON THOSE CHARACTERISTICS.
>> IN ADDITION, WITH OUR COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS THEY WILL BE OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY EVEN THOUGH TARGET GROUPS ARE OPEN AND WE ARE RECORDING ALL OF OUR SESSIONS AND PROPOSING THEM ON OUR ACPS WEBSITE.
WE ARE ENCOURAGING COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO STAY IN TUNE WITH THAT.
THAT ALLOWS THE COMMUNITY TO SEE FIRSTHAND SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS AND THINGS HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES TO GET SOME OF THE PRESENTATIONS WE ARE SHARING.
WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE OUR COMMUNITY TO BE ENGAGED IN THE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS.
WE APPRECIATE THE FACT THE BOARD IS OPENING UP PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE WE WANT TO GET THE WORD OUT THAT PUBLIC COMMENT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO SPEAK.
EVEN TODAY WITH THE FEEDBACK, I KNEW I TOOK SOME NOTES FOR EVERYONE AND IT IS MEANINGFUL INPUT THAT CAN HELP US MAKE THE BEST PLAN POSSIBLE.
>> BY TWO-PART QUESTION WAS UNDERSTANDING THE FRAMING OF THIS.
MY SECOND QUESTION IS, IT'S LIKE I IMAGINED A WARGAMING ROOM WHERE THEY ARE LOOKING
[02:00:02]
THROUGH SCENARIOS AND I APPRECIATE SHARING PROTOTYPES.W SCENARIO BUT A VARIETY OF SITUATIONS THAT COULD OCCUR AND I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT IS THE COMMUNICATION THAT WE WILL HAVE TWO UNFORTUNATELY GO THROUGH AND WE WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH A FEW DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
IS THERE A FLOWCHART, WHAT WILL THE COMMUNICATION BE TO THE PARENTS IF THEY CAN WALK THROUGH EASILY THE LEVELS OF DECISIONS AND WHAT TO DO IN A WORST-CASE SCENARIO, IF THIS HAPPENS THEN WE GO TO THAT.
I'M CURIOUS OF THE THINKING BEHIND THAT AND COMMUNICATING TO PARENTS SO THEY UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
>> WHEN WE ARE INTRODUCING THE PLAN TO THE BOARD WE WILL SHARE CONTINGENCY PLANS.
SOME OF OUR CONTINGENCY PLANS MAY NOT BE ANYTHING WE HAVE CREATED BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SITUATION MAY HAPPEN.
BUT REALLY, SOME OF OUR CONTINGENCY PLANS FALL BACK TO, WHAT WE HAD TO DO IN REGARDS TO CONCEPT.
NOT THE SAME WAY OF DELIVERY BUT WHAT WE HAD TO DO ON MARCH 13 AND TAKE ONE 100% VIRTUAL.
THAT WILL ALWAYS BE, NO MATTER WHAT THE ULTIMATE CONTINGENCY PLAN AND IF THINGS FIGHT, AND THINGS SHUT DOWN AGAIN WE WILL GO BACK TO THE VIRTUAL LEARNING.
WHAT WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR AND WHAT WE WANT TO ENGAGE THE BOARD IN AND THE COMMUNITY IN IS WHAT VIRTUAL LEARNING WILL LOOK LIKE.
EITHER OPTION WHETHER ONE 100%, VIRTUAL LEARNING WILL BE INVOLVED.
WE WILL HAVE TO PROVIDE LEARNING TO ENSURE WE DON'T HAVE SOME OF THE SAME HICCUPS THAT WE HAD IN THE SPRING.
W EXPERIENCE LOOK LIKE NOW FROM THE LESSONS LEARNED.
BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE WILL HAVE A CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR WHATEVER PLAN WE SHARE WITH THE BOARD.
THE FINAL PLAN AND, MOST LIKELY OUR CONTINGENCY WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS WILL BE BACK TO ONE 100% VIRTUAL FOR ALL OF THE STUDENTS AND THE STAFF SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAD TO DO IN MARCH THROUGH JUNE.
BUT REFINED AND NOT IN THE SAME WAY IT WAS DONE IN MARCH THROUGH JUNE BUT SOME OF THE LESSONS WE LEARNED MAKING IT MORE ROBUST.
>> OKAY, ARE YOU THERE, WE WILL TRY AGAIN.
IF NOT IF YOU COULD HEAR ME, YOU CAN E-MAIL THE QUESTION TO ME AND I CAN DO IT.
>> OKAY YOU'RE GOING TO TEXT ME THAT QUESTION.
>> I DON'T HAVE IT YET BUT I WILL BE ALT-A LOOKOUT FOR IT.
I WILL GO TO THE NEXT QUESTION IN THE MEANTIME.
AND AGAIN THANK YOU TO THE TEAM, JUST LIKE MS. NOLAN I DON'T THINK WE CAN RESTATE HOW HUGE THIS IS.
ONE OF THE THINGS I HAVE BEEN GRAPPLING WITH, IT SORT IT WRAPS AROUND TO COMMENTS MADE BY MS. LINDSAY EARLIER IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND ALSO THOSE SET FORTH BY MR. SUAREZ.
COMING FROM THIS AS AN EDUCATOR AND A TEACHER, SCHOOL IS A PLACE BUT EDUCATION IS AN EXPERIENCE.
SO, ONE OF THE THINGS I'M STRUGGLING WITH IN THE DISCUSSION IS THE SIMPLE NOTION THAT IN PERSON SCHOOL IS BETTER WHEN IN PERSON SCHOOL WILL NOT BE LIKE IN PERSON SCHOOL UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO YOU KNOW, THAT REALLY HAS GOT ME AROUND TO BEING PART OF THIS PROCESS AND IT'S ABOUT FIGURING OUT WHAT OUR REAL PRIORITY IS.
SO I WILL EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT.
AND SEE IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY COMMENTS.
BUT YOU KNOW I SAY THAT FOR EXAMPLE, WE ASKED TEACHERS TO TEACH IN WAYS, AND IN BOTH CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT PARTICULARLY IN THE IN PERSON HYBRID MODEL, IT HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE FOR YEARS.
A SOCIAL DISTANCE ENVIRONMENT GOES AGAINST THE COMPONENTS THAT WE KNOW FROM INSTRUCTION.
[02:05:01]
IF KIDS ARE ALL FACING FORWARD, IN ROWS, MOST OF WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IS LECTURING.LECTURING KIDS IN ROSEBURG NO GROUP WORK.
THE REMOVAL OF A FORM OF COMMUNICATION.
WHICH IS -- 75% OF COMMUNICATION IS NONVERBAL.
IT IS, LIKE I SAID IT IS BODY LANGUAGE.
SO WHEN YOU HAVE A TEACHER WITH A MASK ON, I STRUGGLE WITH MY THOUGHTS.
AND THE AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL TRAINING THAT WILL BE REQUIRED BECAUSE NOW, WE ARE LOOKING AT, IN AND IN PERSON MODEL, TRAINING ON HOW TO USE THE PPE.
THAT REALLY WOULD NEED TO BE AN EXTENSIVE COMPONENT.
SO, WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS, I'M WONDERING, IF IT IS HELPFUL TO FRAME THE DISCUSSION ON THE TRUE PURPOSE OF COMING BACK TO AND PERSON LEARNING.
I I'M THINKING, IF WE CAN FRAME WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO MAYBE THAT MAY HELP ME OR HELP US MAKE DECISIONS BETTER.
YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, IF IT IS FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF A PLACE TO STAY, WHICH MAY BE A SAFE PLACE FOR KIDS TO STAY, IT MAY BE A VALID NEED AND THAT IS WHAT HAS TO BE PURE CAP HARD TIME ASSERTING THAT IT IS FOR THE EDUCATION THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE BECAUSE OF THE ENVIRONMENT UNDER THESE PROTOCOLS.
SO, THE EXECUTION OF THE LEARNING AND THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE ALSO MATTERS.
SO I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS, THROUGH ALL OF THESE DISCUSSIONS, IS THERE GOING TO BE A LOOK AT INSTRUCTION AND WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE AND HOW EFFECTIVE IT CAN BE UNDER THIS SOCIALLY DISTANCE MODEL.
BECAUSE, I GET ALL THE PHYSICAL STUFF.
WE HAVE TO BE SAVED, WE HAVE TO BE HEALTHY.
BUT THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY LEND ITSELF TO HIGH-QUALITY INSTRUCTION.
SO, IT IS SUCH A DEEP CONVERSATION THAT I THINK HAS TO BE BROUGHT INTO THE MIX.
>> YOU KNOW I THINK YOU BRING UP SOME REALLY GOOD POINTS.
WHEN I STARTED OFF I TALKED ABOUT OUR OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES AND THE UNCERTAINTIES.
AND I THINK THIS IS ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES AND AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T ALWAYS DONE DELIVERY OF INSTRUCTION WELL ACROSS THE COUNTRY ANYWAY.
WE HAVEN'T ALWAYS HAD A WAY TO TEACH KIDS AND MEET EVERY CHILD WHERE HE OR SHE ARE.
I LEARNING ALL OF OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING IS GEARED TOWARDS A FULL CLASS OF LEARNING IN A ROOM WE HAD PEOPLE CLOSER AND A LOT WERE CLOSER.
THE STRUCTURE WILL CHANGE SO WE WILL HAVE TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING ON OUR NEW NORMAL.
WHAT MAKES THIS COMPLICATED AS WE DEFINE WHAT INSTRUCTION SHOULD LOOK LIKE THE EXTERNAL FACTORS SOME FAMILIES WHOSE KIDS NEED THE INSTRUCTION WE SET UP MAY NOT BE ABLE TO COME TO THAT ENVIRONMENT FOR WHATEVER REASON.
THE STAFF MEMBER WHO IS ABLE TO DELIVER THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO COME INTO THAT ENVIRONMENT.
AND THEY MAY HAVE STARTED THERE BUT THEN THEY CAN'T BE THERE.
HE COULD BE AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT.
THAT IS WHAT MAKES IT SO COMPLICATED.
WE ARE ALWAYS AT THE RISK OF SOMEONE GETTING SICK.
NOW WITH THIS COVID-19, IT IS A SICKNESS THAT SPREADS THAT LEADS TO DEATH.
IS NOT A SITUATION WHERE YOU WILL BE OUT FOR A DAY AND PEOPLE WILL SAY HOW ARE YOU DOING.
IT IS A STIGMA THAT COMES ALONG WITH THIS.
THE MOMENT SOMEONE TESTS POSITIVE AND IF THEY MAKE THAT INFORMATION WHERE TO OTHERS PEOPLE BECOME SKEPTICAL.
IF IT'S ONE PERSON IN THE CLASSROOM AND THEY TEST POSITIVE AND WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING AND NOW THEY HAVE TO QUARANTINE FOR 14 DAYS AND THE CLASS IS NO LONGER
[02:10:01]
THERE.THE POINT I'M MAKING IS INDEED YOU ARE SPOT ON IN US PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING ABOUT HOW TO DELIVER INSTRUCTION AND I'M ALSO INCLUDING THE COMPLICATIONS THAT COME WITH THE EXTERNAL FACTORS ONCE WE DEFINE WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
THERE'S ALSO EXTERNAL FACTORS THAT MAKE THE SITUATION MORE COMPLICATED.
SO YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN AND OUR TEAMS WILL BE GRAPPLING WITH THIS THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
WE ARE HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
WITH FAMILY SPEAKING 100 LANGUAGES WE ONLY TALKED ABOUT REACHING OUT TO THE TOP THREE LANGUAGES.
SHE SAID THERE IS ALSO A NEXT LEVEL OF EIGHT LANGUAGES THAT WE KNOW ABOUT AND REACHING OUT TO THE OTHERS AND HAVE A MEETING WHERE THEY HAVE THEIR OWN INTERPRETERS SO THAT, MAY BE THE ONES WHO ARE 10% OR MORE, MORE THAN THE TOP THREE.
SHE IS CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT WE WILL DO WITH THOSE LANGUAGE SPEAKERS.
>> SO THAT IS ACTUALLY A GOOD QUESTION.
SOME THINGS WE ARE DOING IS USING OUR LANGUAGE BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE LANGUAGE.
IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE LANGUAGE OF CHOICE AND A WAY FOR FAMILIES TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE SCHOOL DIVISIONS THIS IS WHERE WE MAY NOT HAVE AN ACTUAL TRANSLATOR ON STAFF.
WE DO HAVE A LANGUAGE LINE THAT ASSIST US WITH DEFINING WHAT LANGUAGE WE NEED TO USE.
THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY WHEN WE DO OUR ENROLLMENT FOR THE STUDENTS, THAT WE ASK THE LANGUAGE SPOKEN AT HOME BECAUSE THAT GIVES US AN IDEA OF WHAT SERVICE OR ADDITIONAL SERVICE WE WILL NEED TO PROVIDE FOR THE FAMILY SPIRIT WE WILL CONTINUE TO USE THE LANGUAGE SERVICES.
I DON'T KNOW IF DR. NICKERSON IS ON THE CALL.
BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT I HAVE LEFT OUT, CAN YOU PLEASE ADD IT OR CONFIRM.
>> THEY INFORM ME AND I KEEP ALL OF THAT IN MY HEAD.
SOMETIMES I CAN GET THINGS WRONG.
YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE I HAVE THIS ACCURATE.
WHAT WE CAN DO IS FOLLOW-UP IN WAYS WE CAN PROVIDE MORE SUPPORT IN THE AREA.
I'M TEXTING HER BACK-AND-FORTH NOW.
I'M GLAD WE COULD GET IT OUT THERE.
I GUESS FOR THE NINTH TIME, I WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE LEADS AND CHAIRS, EVERYONE INVOLVED WITH THE PROCESS.
WE KNOW IT'S NOT EASY AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN SO THANK YOU.
I HAVE A QUESTION AND A COMMENT.
THE FIRST ONE IS FOR MR. PAGE.
REALLY IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS ON OUR SURVEY AND THERE YOU ARE, AND VERY IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS THAT ARE COMING IN AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TRY TO REACH ALL OF THE PARENTS AND IN PARTICULAR THOSE WITH MULTIPLE KIDS.
I DID HEAR YOU SAY EARLIER, THAT SURVEY MULTIPLE TIMES.
WITH THAT BEING SAID ARE THEY ABLE TO DO THAT USING THE SAME COMPUTER OR DOES IT BLOCK THEM OUT PARAGRAPH AT MULTIPLE QUESTIONS ON THIS COME IN.
>> THEY CAN ABSOLUTELY USE THE SAME COMPUTER AND IP ADDRESS IN RESPONDING TO THE SURVEY WITH EACH STUDENT THAT WON'T BLOCK THEM OR RESTRICT THEIR ACCESS IN ANY WAY.
>> AND I WANTED TO THANK A FEW PEOPLE, THE ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN IS
[02:15:01]
ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE REACH OUT TO THE LEADERS IN THOSE COMMUNITIES AND WORK WITH THOSE PARENTS AND FAMILIES THAT WE CERTIFIED THAT WE GET IN TOUCH WITH THEM WITH MANY CREATIVE WAYS.
I APPRECIATE THE PLAN AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT HOW WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO GET THE WORD OUT WITH THE KIDS NOT BEING IN SCHOOL.
I KNOW IT WILL BE DIFFERENT BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR WAYS THAT WE WILL PUSH THE WORD OUT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEANINGS.
THANK YOU FOR THE WORK GOING INTO THAT AND TRYING TO GET THE DIVERSE GROUPS INVOLVED IN WHAT WE ARE DOING.
I CAN JUST ADD ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE PLANNING AS PART OF THE PLAN, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER WE HAVE A MEETING TODAY AS WELL.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO DO IS ENGAGE THE FAMILIES AND THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A PLAN WHERE KIRK ON HOW TO DO TARGETE MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE FAMILY SPIRIT ONE REASON WE WANTED TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN SO THEY CAN HELP US BE AMBASSADORS AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS COMING AND PARTICIPATING IN THE CONVERSATIONS.
WE KNOW THEY WILL BE INVESTED IN THAT.
THAT WILL BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
IN ADDITION HAVING THE TRUST.WITH THE INFORMATION AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.
>> AND TO ADD TO THAT, WE ARE ALSO DOING COMMUNITY OUTREACH IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND CONNECTING TO FACEBOOK GROUPS, I KNOW THERE ARE SPANISH-SPEAKING GROUPS AND OTHER AREAS THAT HAVE COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND PEOPLE ARE SPEAKING AT THOSE AND GIVING INFORMATION.
I KNOW OUR CLUBS WHERE SHANA RUNS THE CLUBS AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS WE ARE STILL CONNECTING WITH THOSE FAMILIES SO WE ARE DOING IT THROUGH THOSE CHANNELS TOO.
AS JULIA SAID AND WITH THE ADDITIONAL WAYS WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE TO REALLY FIND MULTIPLE WAYS TO DO THIS OUTREACH.
>> ACTUALLY, I DIDN'T ASK ANY QUESTIONS JAN AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK EVERYONE.
IT IS SUCH A COMPLEX PUZZLE TO SOLVE.
I WANTED TO JUST GO BACK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WAS SAID ABOUT SPACES AND THANKING EVERYONE AND HOW THE SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING CAME AND I HAD SOMEONE E-MAIL ME AND THINGS THAT ARE IN OUR INVENTORY BUT WE MAY BE ABLE TO EXPAND TO AND I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S ANYTHING TO REPORT ABOUT THAT?
>> AT THIS TIME WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT ABOUT THAT.
>> NO WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT AT THIS MOMENT.
>> THE OTHER THING I HAVE THAT I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THAT CAME THAT STRENGTH BECAME APPARENT WAS THINKING ABOUT WHAT IS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE AFTERSCHOOL, DIRECT AND IF WE CAN EXPAND THE TIME, IF WE HAVE A HYBRID MODEL THAT THEY CAN SPEND MORE TIME DURING THE DAY? TO AND JUST, SO WE ARE HAVING CONSTANT COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE CENTER AND HAVING DISCUSSIONS AROUND, HOW DO WE MANAGE THE SPACE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WHERE WE ARE WE ARE IN A PLACE WHERE IT WILL BE LIMITED ESPECIALLY IF WE GET BACK TO A HYBRID APPROACH.
THERE ARE STILL KIDS COMING INTO THE SCHOOL ON THOSE DAYS AND TRYING TO MEET THOSE SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES AND IT MAKES IT EVEN MORE CHALLENGING AND LIMITING IN REGARDS TO HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO BE IN SPACES.
WE ARE IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH THE CENTER TO COORDINATE AND WORK COLLABORATIVELY ON WHETHER IT IS AFTERSCHOOL OR BEFORE SCHOOL OR JUST CHILDCARE SERVICE AND OFFERINGS.
SO THOSE ARE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE ARE HAVING AS WELL.
>>> SO I THINK EVERYONE HAS HAD A QUESTION AND I SEE A HAND RAISED BUT I SEE IT MAY
[02:20:05]
BE LEFT OVER.>> I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE BEFORE SAID NO HANDS UP.
>> ALL RIGHT, SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE UPDATE NEXT WEEK.
I KNOW I AM WAITING ANXIOUSLY TO SEE WHAT GREAT WORK COMES OUT OF IT.
SO WE WILL MOVE ON NOW TO OUR NEXT ITEM WHICH IS THE DRAFT BUDGET CALENDAR.
[17. New Business and Reports to the Board: FY 2022 DRAFT Budget Calendar]
CHANCELLOR AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO TURN THINGS OVER TO OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER MR. TURNER.FOR THE STAFF BUDGET CALENDAR IT WAS ASKED TO BE PRESENTED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD LAST FALL.
WE WANTED TO GET A DRAFT TO EACH OF YOU BEFORE THE START OF THE NEW ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR.
WE WORKED WITH THE BOARD CLERK AND THE DIRECTOR OF POLICY AS WELL AS OTHERS TO PUT TOGETHER THE DATES FOR NEXT YEAR.
WE WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO GET ANY FEEDBACK FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD ON ANY DATES THAT MAY NEED TO BE CHANGED AND ONCE WE HAVE THE FEEDBACK WE CAN PUT TOGETHER THE FINAL DRAFT IN SEPTEMBER AND THE ADOPTION IN SEPTEMBER.
>> I'M SORRY ERIC I SEE WE HAVE A HAND UP.
>> MS. THORTON HAS A QUESTION.
MR. TURNER WERE YOU FINISHING A COMMENT?
>> ARE JUST GOING TO TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE CHAIR.
SO, IF WE LOOK AT THE CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY 16 AND FEBRUARY 18, I BELIEVE ON THE 16TH THAT IS WHEN THE CITY MANAGER ESTIMATED TO PRESENT THE CITY'S FISCAL YEAR 2022 BUDGET OR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE CITY.
TWO DAYS LATER ON THE 18TH THE SCHOOL BOARD ADOPTS THE CONFINED FUNDS.
I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP IN PREVIOUS ITERATIONS BUT I REALLY DO THINK THOSE TWO DATES SHOULD BE REVERSED SOMEHOW.
I STILL IN THE PROCESS OF DETERMINING OUR PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND SOMETIMES IT'S AT THE LAST MINUTE THAT WE COME UP WITH OUR FINAL DETERMINATIONS.
OFTEN TIMES THE CITY PRESENTS A BUDGET THAT APPEARS TO INCLUDE EVERYTHING THE SCHOOL BOARD WANTED BUT IT'S HARD TO SAY THAT IS THE CASE WHEN WE HAVEN'T OFFICIALLY VOTED ON A BUDGET YET.
I THINK PROCEDURALLY IT WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE FOR US TO HAVE FULLY ADOPTED AND VOTED OUR BUDGET BEFORE THE CITY MANAGER IS PRESENTING SOMETHING WHICH SUPPOSEDLY INCLUDES THE SCHOOL BOARDS ESTIMATES FOR THE BUDGET FOR THE COMING YEAR.
SO I KNOW, I HAVE BEEN TOLD IN THE PAST, IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO SHIFT THE DATES FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REASONS BUT I DID WANT TO BRING IT UP AGAIN JUST TO SEE IF IT IS SOMETHING IN THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY.
>> THROW ONE OF MY CLICHÉ QUOTES THAT I SAY DURING OUR TEAM IS WE CAN DO ANYTHING BUT NOT EVERYTHING.
WE CAN DEFINITELY MOVE THAT FORWARD AND THE OTHER SCHOOLBOARD DATE COULD BE FEBRUARY 4.
BY DOING THAT IT WOULD CUT OUT MANY OF YOUR WORK SESSIONS AND COMPRESSED ANY RESPONSES.
AND TO DETERMINANT WHAT YOUR QUESTION WILL BE TO STAFF AND SO FORTH.
SO WE CAN MOVE IT TO FEBRUARY 4 IT WILL JUST CUT OUT MANY OF THESE THINGS.
JUST SO THAT WE CAN CLEARLY KNOW WHAT OUTCOME WE ARE SEEKING AND WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS SO YOU GUYS CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.
THAT WOULD NEED TO COLLABORATE WITH THE CITY AS WELL.
[02:25:06]
THE MAYOR WILL HAVE DISCUSSION AROUND THIS.I WOULD WANT TO MOVE THE CONVERSATION WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND THE RATIONALE FOR THE TIME THAT IT OCCURS.
IT DOESN'T MEAN BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN THAT WAY WE HAVE TO KEEP IT THAT WAY.
WE NEED TO KNOW WHY WE WANT TO CHANGE IT AND WHAT IMPLICATIONS -- >> I WOULD BE OPEN TO THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
SO, WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK BUT I WOULD SAY, I THINK WE HAVE HEARD THIS ENOUGH OVER THE YEARS.
I THINK, IN TERMS OF THE TIMING OF THOSE TWO MOMENTS, THE BUDGET AT THE SCHOOL BOARD ADOPTION, I THINK IT IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE, EVEN IF, EVEN IF THERE WASN'T A LOT OF DAYLIGHT BETWEEN WHAT THE SCHOOL BOARD WAS PLANNING TO ADOPT AND WHAT THE CITY MANAGER WAS PLANNING TO PROPOSE, I THINK IT DOES, IT CAN LEAD TO A PERCEPTION ISSUE.
I DO THINK IT WOULD BE WORTH EXPLORING IT TO OTHER POINTS.
IT MIGHT BE THAT WE HAVE THE DISCUSSION THEN WE REALIZE THAT THE TRADE-OFFS DON'T WORK BUT I THINK, WE HAVE HEARD THIS ENOUGH TIMES, THERE IS A LOT OF MOVEMENT, WE CAN'T NECESSARILY SYSTEMATICALLY RETHINK EVER ASPECT OF THE BUDGET CALENDAR BUT IT DOES SEEM THERE IS ENOUGH INTEREST IN GIVING THIS ONE AREA A HARD LOOK AND IT'S WORTH USING AND SAYING THAT NOW AND SEEING IF WE CAN USE THE TIME TO LOOK AT IT.
AND WHATEVER WE DECIDE, IT WILL BE A ROBUST INVESTIGATION.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT AGAIN, THIS IS MY TREND FOR THIS MEETING TODAY.
WE -- OUT OF JUST ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CARES ACTOR IT'S A REMINDER TO EVERYONE THAT REGARDLESS OF WHAT KIND OF BUDGET CALENDAR WE ARE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW, GUARANTEED THIS WILL BE A WEIRD BUDGET YEAR.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING MAY BE COMING OUR WAY OR WHAT ADDITIONAL EXPENSES MAY HAVE TO BE MOVED OR ADJUSTED.
SO I THINK ALL OF US WILL HAVE TO BE VERY MINDFUL THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A NORMAL BUDGET YEAR BECAUSE OF THE EXTREME SITUATION THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH WITH THE PANDEMIC.
JUST A REMINDER TO ALL OF US ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A REWORKING OF THE WHOLE THING IF WE LOOK AT THAT.
SO WE WILL WAIT TO HEAR WHAT COMES OF THAT.
[18. New Business and Reports to the Board : Request to Rename T.C. Williams High School]
>> OKAY NEXT UP, WE HAVE THE POLICY ABOUT RENAMING THAT IS ON THE AGENDA AND THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THE SCHOOL BOARD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR AS POLICY AND WE HAVE JOINING US TODAY OUR POLICY DIRECTOR TO TALK TO US ABOUT OUR POLICY AND THE REGULATIONS.
THE CHAIR DID ASKED ME TOO SPEAK THIS AFTERNOON TO LET THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT ON JUNE 15, THE BOARD DID RECEIVE A REQUEST WITH A SUPPORTING PETITION TO RENAME TC WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL.
THE PROPOSED NEW NAME WAS CHAVEZ HIGH SCHOOL AND THE CHAIR SUBSEQUENTLY ASKED ME TOO REVIEW THE CONTROLLING POLICY AND REGULATION FOR THIS ISSUE.
THAT POLICY, RENAMING A SCHOOL AND SCHOOL DIVISION FACILITIES.
WHAT THIS POLICY AND REGULATION DO IS THEY AUTHORIZE THE BOARD TO NAME OR RENAME ANY BUILDING, FACILITY, ROOM, FIELD, GROUNDS OR ANY PORTIONS OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION FACILITY.
SPECIFICALLY THE REGULATIONS IN SECTION THREE ADDRESSES RENAMING AN EXISTING SCHOOL.
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THE SECTION DISCUSSES THAT THE BOARD AT ITS DISCRETION MAY CONSIDER REQUESTS TO RENAME AN EXISTING SCHOOL AND LAYS OUT THAT THAT PROCESS BEGINS WITH RECEIPT OF A REQUEST AND SUPPORTING PETITION AS HAS HAPPENED HERE.UPON RECEIPT OF SUCH A REQUEST IT DIRECTS THE BOARD MAY VOTE TO PURSUE SUCH A REQUEST TO NAME -- RENAME A SCHOOL.
ABLE TO PURSUE -- PURSUE A NAME IT DOES NOT COMMIT THE BOARD TO ANY FUTURE RENAMING.
IT IS SIMPLY A BOAT THAT DIRECTS THE SUPERINTENDENT TO INITIATE A ROBUST PUBLIC PROCESS WHICH IS OUTLINED IN SECTION ONE OF THE REGULATION.
I WILL WALK YOU THROUGH A FEW STEPS TO GIVE THE COMMUNITY A SENSE OF WHAT WOULD BE INVOLVED HERE.
SO IT WOULD BEGIN WITH THE TIMETABLE AND A LIST OF TASKS THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR THE RENAMING.
THE TIMETABLE WILL ALLOW FOR ADEQUATE TIME FOR THE COMPLETION OF ALL TASKS AND THE TIMETABLE WOULD DETERMINE THE TIME PERIODS FOR SUBMISSION OF COMMUNITY NOMINATIONS FOR NEW NAMES AND ALSO FOR COMMUNITY VOTING AND STAFF TABULATION COMPILATION OF THE RESULTS.
IT ALSO SETS OUT THE PLAN FOR COMMUNITY MEETINGS, PUBLIC HEARINGS, SURVEYS AND ROLL SPIRIT WHAT PLATFORMS MAY BE USED TO SECURE NOMINATIONS AND ET CETERA.
AFTER THE REVIEW OF COMMUNITY NOMINATIONS THE SUPERINTENDENT WOULD FORMULATE HIS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION AND SUBMIT HIS REPORT TO THE BOARD.
THE BOARD OF COURSE WOULD THEN FOLLOW REGULAR ORDER UPON RECEIPT OF THAT RECOMMENDATION AND REPORT MEETING THE BOARD WOULD RECEIVE IT AT ONE MEETING FOR INFORMATION AND THERE WOULD BE A PUBLIC HEARING AND SUBSEQUENT TO THAT AND AFTERWARDS, THERE WOULD BE A SECOND REGULAR BOARD MEETING WHERE THE BOARD COULD POTENTIALLY TAKE ACTION ON THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
NOW THE REGULATION DOES ALSO DIRECT THAT ANY FINAL BOARD ACTION, BE COMPLETED AND IN TIME TO PURCHASE NEW EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS, ANYTHING REQUIRED IN NAME.
SO THAT IS A SHORT WALK THROUGH THE POLICY AND THE REGULATIONS.
I BELIEVE THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ON THE MATTER AT THIS POINT.
>> I DON'T SEE ANYONE'S HANDS UP.
SO, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT OVERVIEW.
I KNOW THAT WE ALSO HAVE A MOTION THAT HAS BEEN SHARED PUBLICLY ON THE TABLE.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THANK EVERYONE WHO SIGNED THE PETITION AND WHO HAS WRITTEN TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.
WE HAD MANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AS YOU MENTIONED CHAIR ANDERSON THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR ANYONE TO PUBLICLY VIEW IF THEY'VE LIKE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO ME OVER THE PAST MONTH SINCE THIS ISSUE CAME UP IS THAT, MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, EVEN ALUMNI, CURRENT STUDENTS AND PARENTS, REALLY DO NOT KNOW WHO TC WILLIAMS WAS.
I THINK BECAUSE OF THE MOVIE, REMEMBER THE TITANS SOME ASSOCIATED THE NAME WITH DESEGREGATION EFFORTS.
BUT AS WE ALL KNOW, SUPERINTENDENT TC WILLIAMS SUPPORTED SEGREGATION AND I THINK THAT REALLY RUNS COUNTER TO OUR VALUES THAT WE HAVE TODAY THAT WERE EXEMPLIFIED BY OUR RESOLUTION AS WELL AS OUR NEW STRATEGIC PLAN WHICH PLACES IT AT THE CENTER.
I THINK IT IS LONG-OVERDUE THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD CONSIDERS RENAMING OUR ONE HIGH SCHOOL SO I DO SUPPORT PURSUING THIS REQUEST AND I ALSO SUPPORT A PROCESS THAT ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY SO WE CAN HEAR FROM ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THIS.
I THINK THAT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY.
I TO ASK, WITHIN THE MOTION HE RECOMMENDS A PROCESS FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT TO COME BACK WITH A PRESENTATION IN THE SPRING OF 2021.
I KNOW THAT WAS DR. HUTCHINGS RECOMMENDATION BASED ON A TIME FRAME YOU
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FELT WAS FEASIBLE.I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO WIND THAT, WHAT YOU THINK IT WOULD TAKE THAT AMOUNT OF TIME TO COME BACK WITH THAT PRESENTATION.
SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FACTORS THAT WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONSIDER IF WE ARE PUBLICLY ENGAGING AS WELL AS COLLECTING THE NECESSARY DATA FOR THE BOARD TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.
WHAT I WANTED US TO DO IS HAVE A TIMEFRAME, DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTIES FOR THE FALL AND NOT KNOWING EXACTLY HOW WE WERE PLANNING TO OPEN BUT IT IS HARD FOR US TO FORESEE IF IT WILL HAPPEN AS PLANNED.
WE DIDN'T EXPECT TO HAVE A PANDEMIC ON MARCH 13.
WE EXPECTED TO BE BACK THREE WEEKS LATER AND I DIDN'T HAPPEN.
I'M TRYING TO PREVENT US FROM MAKING A COMMITMENT BECAUSE OF UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES WE CAN'T REALLY LIVE UP TO THAT EXPECTATION.
WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT DURING THAT TIME.
OUR GOAL IS ONCE WE KNOW THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE SAFE AND THE STUDENTS ARE IN THE SCHOOLS AND WE HAVE OUR PLANS AND THEY ARE SOLIDIFIED, THAT WE ARE WILLING TO GO FULL SPEED AHEAD TO GET THE ENGAGEMENT PIECE AND TO GET THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED AND TO EDUCATE THEM AND TO PROVIDE THE BOARD WITH THE NECESSARY DATA THAT THEY WILL NEED AND YOU WIL INFORMED DECISION.
WE HOPE WE DON'T TAKE IT UNTIL THE END OF SPRING.
WE WANTED WIGGLE ROOM BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FALL.
AND WE DON'T KNOW HOW THE FALL WILL LOOK.
IS THIS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT GOING TO HAVE TO BE PUBLIC.
ARE WE GOING TO HAVE THE STAFF AND OFFICE.
THERE ARE SO MANY FACTORS COMING INTO PLAY THAT RIGHT NOW, IT'S UNCERTAIN AND HARD TO GIVE A DEFINITIVE DATE.
OUR GOAL IS TO MOVE THIS PROCESS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND ON AUGUST 27 I CAN LAY OUT MORE SPECIFICS IN REGARDS TO WHAT THAT TIMELINE COULD AND SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
JUST TO GIVE THE COMMUNITY AND UNDERSTANDING OF HOW LONG THIS WILL TAKE US TO DO.
I THINK ONE KEY FACTORS MAKING SURE, SOMETHING I HAVE SHARED WITH A NUMBER OF PEOPLE, THAT I MET WITH RECENTLY IS MAKING SURE OUR STUDENTS ARE ALSO EDUCATED AND ENGAGE ABOUT THE SITUATION AND UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS MEANS.
THE ONE THINK WE SHOULD BE WILLING TO DO IS ALLOW FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE, WHICH ARE THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS, TO HAVE A VOICE IN THIS MATTER AND TO HELP US SO THAT WHEN WE ARE TALKING THROUGH OUR DECISION OR WHEN THE BOARD IS MAKING THEIR FINAL DECISION, THEY ARE ABLE TO USE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE FROM PEOPLE OR THE STUDENTS BEING IMPACTED BY THE SITUATION.
I JUST WANT TO GET THIS PLUG-IN MICROPHONE.
WE ARE CALLING THOMAS CHAMBERS WILLIAMS WHO IS AND FOR WHAT HE IS.
WE ARE LETTING THE COMMUNITY KNOW WHAT HE STANDS FOR.
THE MORE WE EDUCATE PEOPLE WE WILL SEE HOW DOES THAT IMPACT YOU IN YOUR LEARNING IF YOU ARE NOT WALKING INTO A SCHOOL KNOWING THIS PERSON DID NOT WANT BLACK-AND-WHITE CHILDREN TOGETHER LEARNING.
IT WAS OVER HIS DEAD BODY FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
I THINK THIS WILL BE A VERY ROBUST PROCESS THAT WILL ALLOW THE BOARD TO NOT JUST GET THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY BUT ALSO TO UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE FACTORS THAT CHANGING A NAME BRINGS SUCH AS FINANCES AND CHANGES OF THE GYM AND THE STADIUM WHICH IS IN PLACE NOW.
ALL OF THOSE FACTORS NEED TO BE WORKED THROUGH SO YOU CAN BE WELL-INFORMED WHEN MAKING DECISIONS.
>>> NEXT I HAVE MISSED THORTON.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION JUST WALKING THROUGH THE POLICIES.
THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE TAKEN TIME TO SUBMIT THIS PETITION AND GET THIS DISCUSSION GOING.
I DID WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO DO SO, THE PEOPLE THAT WROUGHT THIS ISSUE UP BEFORE IN THE PAST.
AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE DISCUSSION DID NOT OCCUR AS ROBUSTLY AS IT COULD HAVE AT
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THOSE TIMES.I DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MR. GLEN HOPKINS AND THE HOPKINS HOUSE WHO FIRST THIS UP IN THE EARLY 90S.
ESTHER HOWARD WOODSON THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE ALEXANDRIA NAACP WHO TRIED TO GET THIS CONVERSATION GOING AS THE HIGH SCHOOL WAS BEING REBUILT IN 2,004 AND 2,005.
I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY THAT CURRENT EVENTS HAVE MADE THESE EFFORTS WHICH I'VE ALWAYS BEEN EXISTING, IT REALLY TO THE FOREFRONT.
WE BROUGHT IN DIVERSE SEGMENTS FROM ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE NOW ENGAGE IN THIS CONVERSATION.
BUT I DO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT JUST TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, PEOPLE OF COLOR HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE.
I'M GLAD THE MOMENT IS MAKING THIS A CONVERSATION WE CAN HAVE AS A COMMUNITY.
>> SO I GUESS LOOKING, AT THE PETITION AT HAND, I COMPLETELY AGREE, NOW IS A TIME FOR US TO DEFINITELY LOOK AT PURSUING THE NAME CHANGE ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF OUR RECENT UPLOADING OF EQUITY AND OF OUR NEW STRATEGIC PLANT WHICH PLACES RACIAL EQUALITY AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING.
I DO WANT TO ASK ABOUT THE TIMEFRAME THAT IS IN THE MOTION WE POSTED WHICH HASN'T BEEN BROUGHT UP YET BUT WE ALL HAVE SEEN IT.
I GUESS THIS IS A QUESTION FOR -- THE MOTION AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS WHICH LISTS A TIMEFRAME OF RECEIVING THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE SPRING OF 2021, DOES THAT AS WRITTEN LEAVE ROOM FOR FLEXIBILITY FOR THE BOARD TO REQUEST THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS SOONER IF IT IS DETERMINED THAT THE COVID-19 REOPENING PLANS IS NOT AS ALL-ENCOMPASSING AND ANTICIPATE THAT IT WILL BE IN THE FALL.
IS THERE ROOM OR FLEXIBILITY OF THE LANGUAGE IS WRITTEN TO REQUEST THOSE MAKING -- RECOMMENDATIONS?
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION.
THE MOTION IS TO HAVE -- I CURRENTLY HAVE THE ONE YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL PRESENT HIS REPORT TO THE BOARD AND THE SPRING OF 2021.
THE SPRING, THE LANGUAGE WAS USED BECAUSE IT IS FLEXIBLE.
I DO NOT ANTICIPATE THAT IT WOULD COME TO THE BOARD SOONER THAN THAT IF WE HAVE THE FULL AND ROBUST PROCESS.
OF COURSE THE BOARD, ABSOLUTELY HAS THE AUTHORITY TO REQUESTED EARLIER, YOU COULD ALSO RECOMMEND A LANGUAGE CHANGE IN THE MOTION THAT SAYS THE SCHOOL BOARD BY THE SPRING OF 2021 INSTEAD OF IN THE SPRING OF 2021.
BUT THE LANGUAGE I BELIEVE EVERYONE WEIGHED IN TO PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY.
>> OKAY NEXT I HAVE MISSED NOLAN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MISSED THORTON FOR YOUR OPENING REMARKS.
I THINK THERE DOES NEED TO BE HOMAGE PAID FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY THAT HAS FALLEN FOR THIS FOR SO LONG.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THAT.
AT FIRST I JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE ALL OF THE PEOPLE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT CHANGING THE NAME.
AS A SIGNAL TO ME THAT WE HAVE ALLIES IN THIS WORK THAT WANT TO HELP DISMANTLE RACISM.
SECONDLY I WANTED TO SHARE AS A FOR ONE AND NO ONE I SPOKE FOR IS DEFENDING THE ACTIONS OF THIS GENTLEMAN.
IN FACT WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE HE DID NOT ACT ALONE AND WE REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY AND WHAT IT WAS LIKE BACK THEN THAT HE WAS ABLE TO DO THIS WORK OF SEGREGATION AND WE STILL HAVE ROOM OF THE COMMUNITY TO DISMANTLE RACISM AND THAT YOU.
SO AGAIN I WANT TO SHARE, THE GOOD NEWS IS THE MAJORITY OF US ARE ON THE SAME PAGE REGARDING THE TYPE OF COMMUNITY WE WANT TO LIVE EMPIRICALLY ARE ON THE SAME TEAM.
THE SCHOOL BOARD SHARES THIS VISION WHICH IS WHY WE RECENTLY APPROVED A STRATEGIC PLAN, AFTER YEAR PLANNING IS TO HAVE RACIAL EQUALITY AS A SINGLE DRIVING FORCE.
BECAUSE WE ARE COMMITTED THAT IS WHY THE BOARD RIGHT NOW SUPPORTING THE PROCESS THAT IS IN PLACE TO ACCEPT THE PETITIONER TO REQUEST AND WE WILL RETURN ON HOW TO SUCCEED.
WE HAVE SPOKEN TO A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE MAJORITY OF THOSE THAT I HAVE SPOKEN TO INCLUDING THOSE THAT SIGNED THE PETITION TO SUPPORT THIS PROCESS.
I DO THINK IT HAS TO BE NOTED THERE WAS A SMALL SUBGROUP THAT WANTS TO DEMAND THE CHANGE OF THE BOAT TODAY.
I WANTED TO PUBLICLY SHARE MY FEEDBACK TO THE GROUP THAT WROTE IN PARAGUAY IT IS MY HOPE THAT AS A BOARD MEMBER THE PROCESS PLAYS OUT.
NUMBER ONE I HOPE THE COMMUNITY CAN APPRECIATE THE BOARD IS COMMITTED TO A
[02:45:03]
TRANSPARENT PROCESS AND NOT WILLING TO MAKE SUCH A MONUMENTAL DECISION DURING A TIME THEY ARE TRADITIONALLY ON RECESS AND NO TRANSPARENCY OR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.AFTER BELIEVE THIS COMMUNITY, REALLY SUPPORTS I WANT DEMOCRACY AND EMBODIES THOSE PRINCIPLES AND WANTS THIS TO BE A TRANSPARENT BOARD.
I THINK WE NEED TO PROVIDE THE SUPERINTENDENT TO LASER FOCUS ON HOW TO OPEN THE SCHOOLS IN THE FALL.
I CAN'T IMAGINE, I HAVE TO IMAGINE THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT IS SITTING HERE LISTENING TO THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING UNDERSTANDS THE MONUMENTAL CIRCUMSTANCES WE HAVE BEFORE US AND THE FACT THAT THE NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS MAKING EVERY SINGLE DESIGN, I FIND IT APPALLING.
THIS IS INDEED A CRISIS THAT THE SAFETY OF THE STUDENTS AND STAFF HAVE TO BE PARAMOUNT AS WELL AS HOW TO ACADEMICALLY MEET STUDENTS.
LITERALLY EVERY MOMENT THAT SUMMERS GOT TO BE DEVOTED TO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO ACADEMICALLY REMEDIATE STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN OUT WITHOUT INSTRUCTION FOR SIX MONTHS, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS 63% REDUCED LUNCH RATE.
I HAVE TO BELIEVE WITH THIS BEING A SMALL COMMUNITY THREE REALLY UNDERSTAND THE CRISIS CHILDREN ARE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW.
I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE WHAT A CRISIS WE ARE IN AND WE HAVE TO ALLOW THE DIVISION AND DR. UDGINS EVERY MINUTE DEVOTED OVER THE NEXT MONTH SO WE CAN SUBMIT OUR PLANT THAT IS DUE ON AUGUST 10 TO THE STATE.
I COMMUNITY IN THE EYE AND SAY THAT A NAME CHANGE SHOULD BE OUR TOP PRIORITY.
SIGN ME UP FOR THAT GIG AFTER THIS PRESENTATION.
I WISH THAT COULD BE OUR FOCUS RIGHT NOW.
IT WOULD BE AMAZING AND IT WOULDN'T BE -- IT WOULD MEAN WE ARE PRESS THE CRISIS WERE CURRENTLY IN PIXEL FOR THE SAKE OF TRANSPARENCY AND MAKE SAFETY A TOP CONCERN, I BELIEVE IN THIS PROCESS AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR IT.
I JUST WANT TO SHARE THAT I DO REALLY TAKE IT SERIOUSLY EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT SIGNED THEIR NAME TO THIS PETITION AND I SEE YOU AS AN ALLY.
THERE'S MUCH ACTION THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ARE WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND THINK ABOUT SOME THINGS LIKE CAN WE ALL, I REALLY APPRECIATED THE SPEAKER TALKED ABOUT VOLUNTEERS, CAN WE GET EVERY PERSON TO VOLUNTEER AND MENTOR A KID.
CAN WE DONATE TO THE SCHOLARSHIP FUND GIVEN THAT MANY KIDS WILL HAVE TO FINANCIAL NEEDS THEY CAN'T GO TO COLLEGE CAN WE HAVE FOOD DISTRIBUTION.
THERE WAS A CALL I LISTENED IN ON IN FAIRFAX COUNTY AND IN ONE WEEK THEY DISTRIBUTED WITH FOOD WE ALEXANDRIA, A SMALLER SUBSET, WE GAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF FOOD.
SO THERE IS NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND ALSO, WE CAN THINK ABOUT GIVING A KID A JOB GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF FAMILIES IN NEED RIGHT NOW.
SO AGAIN, I DON'T WANT THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING OR RUNNING INTO THIS I HOPE THEY FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE PROCESS BUT WE WILL NEED YOUR ENERGY IF THE K THEY DESERVE.
SO GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF INTEREST THIS TOPIC AS I WANTED TO SAY A FEW WORDS ARE SO MUCH HERE.
NEXT UP WE HAVE MRS. ALDERTON.
>> THANK YOU I JUST WANTED TO, I HAVE HEARD EVERY SINGLE BOARD MEMBERS SO FAR HAS ECHOED A LOT OF MY THINKING.
I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH SUCH THOUGHTFUL COLLEAGUES.
BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THESE ARE JUST NOT EASY TIMES.
AT THE VERY LEAST THESE ARE NOT EASY TIMES.
I APPRECIATE THE REITERATION OF THE FACT THAT, EVERYBODY ON THIS BOARD AND ON THIS PANEL DEFINITELY UNDERSTANDS AND KNOWS AND PROBABLY DOES NOT WANT, THE NAME OF A SEGREGATIONIST OR RACES ON BUILDING OR PUBLIC PROPERTY.
FOR ME AS A MEMBER OF AN ELECTED BODY I DO VALUE DEMOCRACY.
I BELIEVE I MUST ADHERE TO A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
MY THOUGHTS AND MY OPINIONS ALONE CAN'T DRIVE MY GOVERNING DECISIONS.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN THIS UP AS A ROBUST PROCESS THAT ALLOWS IT HAS MANY CONSTITUENTS AS POSSIBLE TO CHIME IN.
WHETHER WE WANT TO OR NOT IT IS A CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE.
WE NEED TO HEAR FROM CONSTITUENTS WHO DON'T LOOK LIKE US WHO DON'T SPEAK OUR NATIVE LANGUAGE WHO DON'T THINK LIKE WE DO.
I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY IF WE FAIL TO ALLOW THAT TYPE OF DUE PROCESS, YOU MAY BE
[02:50:03]
CONCERNED AS A COMMUNITY AS MS. NOLAN SAID.S DR. UTCHINGS HIGHLIGHTED WHICH IS THE STUDENTS.
YOU KNOW ME AND YOU HEARD ME SPEAK I'M ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT THE KIDS.
THEY ARE, THEY SHOULD BE AT THE CENTER OF ALL OF OUR DECISION-MAKING.
I THINK THE CHANGE THAT WE SEEK, WHAT I AM HEARING FROM THE PETITIONS IS REALLY LIKE THIS CALL AROUND THE CULTURE AS A COUNTRY.
BUT I BELIEVE THE CHANGE WILL ONLY BE SUSTAINED BY ALLOWING THE EMERGENCE OF OUR CHILDREN'S VOICES.
THE VOICES TO BE HEARD AND TEACHING THEM ALL, ALL OF THE STEPS IT TAKES TO SAVE THE WORLD.
AS A SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER, I BELIEVE, I REALLY BELIEVE THE CONDITION WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW WHICH I THINK MOST OF US ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO SUBMITTED THE PETITION, THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT TODAY IT IS A MAJOR REFLECTION OF OUR FAILURE TO TEACH THE NECESSITY AND THE POWER OF CIVIC DUTIES IN SCHOOL.
SO HERE LIES A MAJOR OPPORTUNITY TO INVOLVE THE STUDENTS AT TC.
THIS TYPE OF CHANGE NEED TO HAVE STUDENT VOICES AT THE CENTER.
THE PROCESS NEEDS TO BE AN EDUCATIONAL MOMENT.
FOR THEM ON TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE.
BUT WE HAVE TO TEACH OUR STUDENTS THAT SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION -- TRANSFORMATION TAKES DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH SO WE DRAW FINAL CONCLUSIONS.
SO I APPRECIATE THIS PROCESS REALLY ALLOWING THE KIDS TO JUMP IN AND LEARN SOMETHING REAL HERE.
AND, FINALLY I THINK MY FINAL THINGS ARE ABOUT THE VALUE OF EDUCATION.
I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF THE FEEDBACK AND RECEIVED A LOT OF THE COMMENTS.
YOU KNOW, MY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE ON WHAT IT TAKES TO BE AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION THAT HAS THE VISION AND TOOLS REQUIRED, LEADS TO ONE CORE VALUE AND THAT IS WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON THE STUDENTS IN THEIR FULL EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE.
FOR ME, THIS WHOLE PROCESS IS NOT AS SIMPLE AS RIPPING DOWN A STATUE.
EDUCATION IS A MUCH MORE COMPLEX ART AND DANCE.
AND SO, I THINK I CAN DEFINITELY ASSURE YOU OF THAT.
SO, TRYING TO DO ALL OF THIS IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC IS AN EQUIVALENT OF WALKING AND CHEWING GUM.
I WILL TELL YOU MOST EDUCATORS THEY ALREADY KNOW HOW TO WALK AND CHEW GUM.
RIGHT NOW, THEY ARE WALKING WHILE CHEWING GUM AND JUGGLING 10 BALLS AT THE SAME TIME ON A TIGHT ROPE WITH NO END IN SIGHT.
SO I APPRECIATE THIS PROCESS ALSO AS REALLY IMPORTANT TO GIVE STAFF TIME TO WORK DOUBLE DUTY HERE, TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS IN OUR POPULATION WE HAVE A 2% FARM RATE.
I LIKE TO SHARE, I'VE BEEN DOING SOME WORK WITH SOME FOLKS WHO ARE PRETTY MUCH EXPERTS ON INTERVENTION.
ONE OF THE THINGS THEY HAVE BEEN SHARING AS THEY HAVE DONE THEIR RESEARCH IS IN THIS PARTICULAR CLIMATE THAT WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW, WITH THE PANDEMIC, WHATEVER YOUR SECONDARY TEARS ARE ARE REQUIRED FOR YOUR STUDENTS YOU CAN EXPECT THAT NUMBER TO INCREASE BY 25%.
SO THAT IS AN ADDITIONAL 25% OF THE STUDENTS IN EITHER TIER ONE OR TIER TWO CATEGORIES THAT WILL NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND INTERVENTION.
IT'S NOT A HEAVY -- IT IS A HEAVY LIFT.
SO, YOU KNOW AS WE TACKLE ALL OF THESE RACIAL INEQUITIES AND THE PANDEMIC HAS REALLY BROUGHT ABOUT AND HIGHLIGHTED HOW VAST THESE RACIAL INEQUALITIES ARE WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING THOUGHTFULLY IN A FASHION AND WE HAVE TO DO IT AT THE SAME TIME.
SO AGAIN I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S INPUT AND COMMENTS AND, I THINK AS A TEAM AS YOUR SCHOOL BOARD, I THINK WE ARE READY.
BUT AGAIN, I KNOW THERE WERE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MOTIONS I JUST WANTED TO SHARE MY
[02:55:02]
THINKING AROUND ALL OF THIS.>> THANK YOU AND THEY KEEP BLAMING THE LATER SO I COULD START OFF BY SAYING I WANT TO ECHO THE WONDERFUL REMARKS THAT MY PREVIOUS COLLEAGUES DID.
REALLY JUST TO REEMPHASIZE SPEAK PLEASE NOTE THAT THE BOARD'S ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION, THIS IS OUR COMMITMENT TO DOING THIS PROCESS.
I UNDERSTAND THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT SOMETIMES GET FRUSTRATED WITH THE PACE OF CHANGE.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A REALITY OF DEMOCRACY.
IT'S A REALITY OF WORKING WITH BEING AN ELECTED BODY THAT DOES VALUE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND TRANSPARENCY IN OUR PROCESS.
I ADVOCATING UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES, WE ARE DEALING WITH A TRULY UNPRECEDENTED SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES WITH THE PANDEMIC.
THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WATCHING THIS MEETING UP YOUR JOINING FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE MEETING SO YOU COULD HEAR JUST HOW MUCH WORK EVERYONE IS HAVING TO DO RIGHT NOW IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
>> WE HEARD FROM SOME PEOPLE THAT POINTED OUT, AGAIN THAT MAY BE FRUSTRATED WITH THE RATE OF CHANGE HAVE POINTED OUT THE FASTER ACTION OF THE REMOVAL OF STATUES OR MONUMENTS THAT ARE CONNECTED AND HONORING THE CONFEDERACY OR PEOPLE WHO WERE INVOLVED WITH THE CONFEDERACY.
THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY ABOUT THAT IS, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE STATUES COMING DOWN, WHILE THAT MAY HAVE FELT FAST AT THE END, EVEN THAT WAS PART OF A LONGER PROCESS.
THERE WAS AN ENTIRE DISCUSSION THAT WAS HAPPENING AT LOCAL LEVELS GOING BACK TO THE PROTESTS IN CHARLOTTESVILLE WITH FRUSTRATION ABOUT HOW THERE WASN'T LOCAL AUTHORITY TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THESE KINDS OF REMOVALS AND IT LED TO A PROCESS GOING THROUGH THE STATE, THE VIRGINIA STATE LEGISLATOR WHICH LED TO LEGISLATION BEING PASSED WHICH LED TO THE ABILITY FOR STATUES LIKE THAT TO COME DOWN.
IF LOCAL COMMUNITIES WERE INTERESTED AND WILLING FOR TO HAPPEN.
EVEN THAT PROCESS, WHICH HAS BEEN ABLE TO HAPPEN FASTER STILL HAD TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS.
WE WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS AND ULTIMATELY, IN A LOT OF WAYS WE ARE DIFFERENT WITH A LOT OF THINGS.
ONE COULD MAKE A DECISION TO REMOVE THE STATUTE AND THAT PLOT OF LAND THERE'S NOTHING TIME SENSITIVE OR URGENT ABOUT WHAT GOES THERE INSTEAD.
THIS DECISION WILL HAVE TO HAVE MULTIPLE CHANGES IT IS SURPRISING HOW MUCH GOES INTO NAMING AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE WILL LEARN IS THE COMMUNITY AND THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL LEARN ABOUT THE THINGS INVOLVED IN THAT.
SO WE WOULD BE READY, WHEN IT HAPPENS TO FULLY IMPLEMENT.
I JUST, I HOPE THAT, ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT TOOK THE TIME TO SIGN THE PETITIONS THAT TOOK THE TIME TO WRITE TO US, I HOPE YOU MAINTAIN YOUR PASSION AND YOUR ENTHUSIASM AS WE CONTINUE THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND YOU MAINTAIN YOU CONTRIBUTE THE ENTHUSIASM THAT ONLY TO THIS ISSUE BUT AS MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES AS ALLUDED TO WHEN WE ADOPTED THE PLANT WITH THE FOCUS OF RACIAL EQUITY WE DID IT BECAUSE WE KNEW WE HAD MULTIPLE AREAS THROUGHOUT OUR DIVISION THAT NEEDED FOCUS IN TERMS OF RACIAL EQUITY.
ANYTHING AROUND THE RENAMING OF THE SCHOOL, WOULD BE ONE OF MANY THINGS WE WOULD NEED TO DO.
WE WILL NEED COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND DEDICATION FOR MANY OTHER ENDEAVORS THAT WE WANT TO TACKLE IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
[03:00:01]
MS. GREEN.I TOO WANT TO SAY I AM THANKFUL TO WORK WITH A BOARD THAT SUPPORTS DOING THE RIGHT THINGS FOR THE STUDENTS, FROM OUR STANCE ON RACISM TO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
I WILL BE DIFFERENT ON THIS ONE.
I DO THINK THIS PROCESS CAN BE DONE FASTER IF IT IS TRULY WHAT WE WANT TO DO, AND WHAT WE BELIEVE IN, IT CAN BE DONE FAST.
AND I AM ALL FOR GETTING THE SCHOOL AND STUDENTS BACK TO SCHOOL AND MAKING IT HAPPEN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
WHATEVER PLAN WE DECIDE TO TAKE BUT FROM THAT POINT ON, WE SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AND TAKING HIS NAME OFF OF OUR ONLY PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL.
IT WILL NEED TO HAPPEN SOONER THAN LATER.
>> THANK YOU MY COLLEAGUES FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL COMMENTS I WANT TO START FROM THE PLACE OF TC WILLIAMS. HE IS DESPICABLE AND WHAT HE DID WAS, IS REALLY A SCAR ON THIS COMMUNITY.
HE ENTRENCHED, THE HE DIDN'T DO IT ALONE AND THIS BOARD THE SCHOOL BOARD AND.
>> BUT THAT IS A HISTORY THAT I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE BUT THEY MADE EFFORTS TO RAISE THE ISSUE.
AND THEY WERE NOT CONSIDERED IN A MEANINGFUL WAY BY THE COMMUNITY AT THAT TIME.
I THINK MAYBE AROUND THAT TIME, THEY WILL BE FOCUSED ON THE DISNEY FAIRYTALE THAT WAS CREATED WITH REMEMBER THE TITANS OR AT THE COMMUNITY READY TO GRAB THAT CONVERSATION.
BUT, I JUST WANT TO SAY UNEQUIVOCALLY THAT, THIS BOARD'S ACTIONS, AT LEAST IN THE TIME THAT I HAVE BEEN ON THIS BOARD, UNEQUIVOCALLY DEMONSTRATED A COMMITMENT TO RACIAL EQUITY AND INJUSTICE.
E MEETINGS, HAS EXEMPLIFIED THAT.
OR THE LAST THREE BOARD MEETINGS.
FIRST WITH THE PASSING OF THE RESOLUTION AGAINST SYSTEMATIC RACISM IT IS SYMBOLIC BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT INITIAL STEP ESPECIALLY IN THIS CLIMATE OF RACIAL INJUSTICE WITH WHAT HAPPENED WITH GEORGE FLOYD AND EVERYTHING ELSE GOING ON IN THE WORLD.
THAT AND THE NEXT MEETING AFTER THAT WE PASSED THE STRATEGIC PLAN WHICH IS THE 1ST AND MY UNDERSTANDING AND NO ONE HAS CORRECTED ME, THE FIRST STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE HISTORY OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND CALLED OUT RACIAL INEQUITY BY NAME ANNA SAID THAT IS THE LENS THROUGH WHICH THIS BOARD WILL MAKE EVERY DECISION GOING FORWARD.
IN THIS MEETING, WE ARE DOING TWO THINGS THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH THAT.
ONE IS, AND I WANT TO MAKE IT A POINT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THEM, WE HAD TWO EXCELLENT STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES AND ONE IS LORRAINE JOHNSON WHOM I
[03:05:02]
STILL REMEMBER HER APPOINTMENT AND CRITICAL REMARKS THAT SHE MADE DURING THE HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT VOTE.REALLY UNPACKING SOME OF THE SYSTEMIC RACISM THAT CONTINUES TO EXIST AT TC WILLIAMS. AND ALSO SANCHEZ WHO IS PART OF THE MINORITY STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT NETWORK.
BOTH WERE FEATURED IN AN ARTICLE TALKING ABOUT HOW, THERE AP CLASSES THAT MAY ONLY HAVE ONE STUDENT OF COLOR AND TALK ABOUT THE DISPARITY GRADUATION RATE BETWEEN BLACK, HISPANIC AND DIPLOMAS THEY RECEIVED IN THE DIVISION.
I AM EXCITED FOR THEM TO, CONTINUE TO UNPACK THE LEGACY AND FRANKLY HOLD THE SCHOOL BOARD ACCOUNTABLE FOR SOME OF THESE REAL ISSUES.
AND THIS TRANSITION TO THE MOTION THAT HAS BEEN PUT ON THE TABLE OR THAT WILL BE PUT ON THE TABLE WHICH IS REALLY SAYING TO THE COMMUNITY, WE TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY.
WE CONDEMN THIS NAME OF A RACIST.
WE ARE SAYING THAT HE DID THINGS THAT WERE MORALLY REPREHENSIBLE.
THAT IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO CALLOUT.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE A COUPLE OF CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED BY THE COMMUNITY AND ADDRESS THEM.
ONE IS I WANT TO VALIDATE THE FACT THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY STUDENTS OF COLOR WHO CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE TRAUMA AS A RESULT OF THIS NAME BEING ON THE BUILDING.
THAT IS A PROBLEM AND SOMETHING WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IN THE FALL.
WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT, IN TAKING THIS STEP WHAT I HOPE THE COMMUNITY WILL APPRECIATE IS THAT THE BOARD IS SAYING WITH ONE VOICE, THEY WILL SAY WITH ONE VOICE THAT THIS NAME IS MORALLY WRONG.
THIS IS A MORALLY REPREHENSIBLE SITUATION THAT WE HAVE THIS NAME ON THE SCHOOL PICKS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD IS TELLING THAT TO EVERY STUDENT.
SO THE BOARD IS NOT TAKING A POSITION OF ENDORSING THE NAME.
I ASKED PEOPLE TO CONSIDER THAT.
>> THE OTHER THING THAT I WANT TO SAY IS, I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME MAY SEE THIS MOTION AND SOME HAVE SUGGESTED IT IS AN EFFORT TO DELAY.
>> AND THERE IS REALLY IT DOES COMPLY WITH OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.
IT ALSO COMPLIES WITH LEGAL REQUIREMENTS.
THERE HAS BEEN LITIGATION AND TIMES AROUND THESE PROCESSES AND MAKING SURE THEY ARE FOLLOWED SAFELY AS A LAWYER THAT IS SOMETHING I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT.
I DID WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE COMMUNITY AND HOW THE COMMUNITY FELT ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN TRAUMA THERE HAS BEEN, A DISTRUST IN THE BOARD AND I THINK WE HAVE TO DO IT NOW WE HAVE TO COMPLETE THE PROCESS VERY QUICKLY.
I LAID OUT SOME OF THE THINGS THE BOARD HAS BEEN DOING AND MY COLLEAGUES DID THAT BETTER THAN I DID AS WELL.
JUST TO UNDERSCORE THAT THIS BOARD IS COMMITTED TO RACIAL JUSTICE.
THIS BOARD WILL LOOK THROUGH EVERYTHING THROUGH THE LENS OF RACIAL EQUITY AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT THIS PROCESS WILL BE EXECUTED WITH FIDELITY AND IN A WAY THAT IS FAITHFUL TO THE COMMUNITY AND FAITHFUL WITH THE REQUEST THAT HAVE BEEN MADE VIA THE PETITION.
I APPRECIATE EVERYONE LISTENING.
[03:10:02]
W UP WITH A COMMENT.>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, I AGREE WITH ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS AND SAYING THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON A STUDENT BOYS BECAUSE I FEEL THAT IS THE CENTER OF US BEING ABLE TO MAKE ADEQUATE DECISIONS AND DECISIONS FOR THE EDUCATION OF STUDENTS.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY HAVE ALWAYS FOCUSED ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ADDRESSING RACIAL INEQUITY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE AND UNDERSTANDING THAT, WE LIVE IN ALEXANDRIA AND THE TC SCHOOL COMMUNITY AND IT IS DIVERSE WITH THE STUDENTS OF MULTIFACETED IDENTITIES.
I FEEL LIKE IT IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO CENTER THE CONVERSATION ON STUDENT VOICES BECAUSE WE ARE THE ONES GOING TO SCHOOL AND WE ARE THE ONES EXPERIENCING THESE BIASES AND MICRO AGGRESSIONS.
AND SO, I WANTED TO SAY, THERE ARE MANY LOGISTICAL FACTORS THAT GO INTO THAT.
THERE ARE MANY CONVERSATIONS THAT NEED TO BE HELD BEFORE A DECISION IS MADE.
BUT CERTAINLY, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME TO BEGIN THE PROCESS.
AND LIKE BOARD MEMBER GREENE WAS SAYING, THIS CONVERSATION HAS BEEN IN THE MAKING FOR A LONG TIME.
WE HAVE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS IN THE PAST.
I FEEL IT IS ONLY FAIR TO DO SO NOW KNOWING WE HAVE SEEN EVENTS TRANSPIRING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND GOING BACK TO THE WHOLE POINT OF STUDENT BOYS, SOCIAL MEDIA IS ONE OF THOSE RESOURCES WHERE STUDENTS CAN AMPLIFY THEIR VOICES AND HONESTLY IT IS AMAZING TO SEE HOW STUDENTS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INTERNALIZE AND BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THEIR VOICE AND PLATFORM TO EDUCATE OTHERS AND GET THE VOICE OUT.
AND JUST EDUCATING OTHERS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING RESPONSIBLE AND INTERNALIZING THESE BEHAVIORS.
SO WITH THAT SAID, I FEEL LIKE A VERY GOOD PLACE TO START, FOCUSING ON THE VOICES.
>> I THINK WE HAVE EIGHT TECHNOLOGICAL PROBLEM BUT IT WAS VERY NICE TO HEAR FROM OUR NEW REPRESENTATIVE THE FIRST DAY.
I FEEL GOOD ABOUT OUR SELECTION.
>> I JUST WANT TO FINISH BY SAYING IT IS GREAT THAT WE HAVE STARTED TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE, I WOULD SAY EVERYONE HAS A ROLE IN THE WORK OF ANTIRACISM.
SO THAT IS WHAT I WANTED TO END WITH.
I THINK DR. HUTCHINS 12 AT SOMETHING.
THIS IS REALLY WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT, THIS IS THE NEXT GENERATION.
I AM INSPIRED TO SEE THE YOUNG PEOPLE AT THIS TIME HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD ESPECIALLY FOR THE SIMPLE FACT MINUS YOUR VOICE IS POWER.
WHEN YOU LEARN AT A LOT YOUNG AGE, YOU ARE UNSTOPPABLE.
YOU ARE LITERALLY UNSTOPPABLE IN THIS WORLD.
SO ACTUALLY JUST KEEP THIS UP AND THIS IS WHAT IT IS ABOUT.
I'M HONORED TO BE PART OF THE TEAM AND HAVE A BOARD TO CALL THIS WHAT IT IS.
T NOT -- DIDN'T WANT BLACK AND WHITE STUDENTS UNDER THE SAME ROOF.
WE SAID THIS PRIOR TO THIS RACE ISSUE THAT IS HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THE RACIAL CONVERSATION HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WE PROVIDED THIS INFORMATION LAST YEAR.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT PARKER GRAYS HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY COMING UP HERE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MAKING SURE WE HAD A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT HAD RACIAL EQUITY AT THE HEART OF OUR WORK AND MAKING SURE THAT EQUITY FOR ALL WAS THE CENTER OF WHAT WE DO.
THIS WAS PRIOR TO EVERYONE ELSE WHO SENT PETITIONS.
I JUST WANT TO THANK MS. THORTON FOR ACKNOWLEDGING MR. HOPKINS AND MR. WOODSON, AND ALL OF THOSE WE ARE NOT AWARE OF.
[03:15:04]
I TRY TO FIND THE PETITIONS BECAUSE I KNOW THERE ARE PROBABLY MORE.AND I THINK IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW THAT WE STAND ON SHOULDERS OF PEOPLE LIKE MR. HOPKINS AND MR. WOODSON WHO WERE TURNED AWAY.
THEY DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO TALK BEFORE THE BOARD ABOUT WHY THIS WAS NOT IMPORTANT OR WHY THIS WAS NOT A GOOD NAME FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL.
I COMMEND THE BOARD FOR TAKING IT THIS FAR.
THE GOAL IS TO TAKE IT TO THE FINISH LINE.
I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE ARE TAKING AND TALKING ABOUT THE DEMOCRACY THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.
MANY SPOKE ABOUT THIS AND THE SIMPLE FACT THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE'S ALWAYS TWO SIDES TO A STORY.
IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S OPTIONAL WE ARE DOING BUT IF WE ARE NOT TAKING THE OATH AND SAY WE WILL HEAR OUT THE COMMUNITY, AND HEAR FROM THE STAKEHOLDERS AND I HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO PEOPLE ALL OF THE TIME, NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAY I HAVE TO LISTEN TO THEM.
THAT IS WHAT THE COMMUNITY DESERVES.
THAT IS FOLLOWING AND RESPECTING, OUR POLICIES AND WHAT WE STAND FOR.
I WANTED TO SAY I DO WANT TO GO BACK TO WHAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US, IF THE BOARD IS WILLING, TO CHANGE THE MOTION SO IT SAYS BY THE SPRING OF 2021.
BECAUSE THAT DOES ALLOW US TO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS A SENSE OF URGENCY AND IT WILL ALLOW US TO, FROM A PERSPECTIVE TO ENSURE WE GET THE KIDS BACK IN SCHOOL.
AND WITH THIS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND US GATHERING DATA THAT WE ARE DOING IT AND WE ARE MAKING SURE IT IS A ROBUST ENGAGEMENT AND WE ARE DOING IT AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
THAT GIVES US THE FLEXIBILITY, THAT IT DOESN'T REQUIRE US TO WAIT UNTIL THE SPRING.
SO, THAT TO ME WILL BE A REVISION.
I THINK AT THIS POINT EVERYONE WHO WANTED TO SPEAK HAS BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK HERE AND ONE THING I WILL SAY WE DON'T USUALLY POST MOTIONS LIKE THIS, WE DON'T USUALLY POST MOTIONS.
BUT THIS IS A LENGTHY WON AND BECAUSE WE ARE DOING THINGS VIRTUALLY, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HARD, WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NO MISUNDERSTANDING WITH THE PUBLIC READING OF IT OR BETWEEN THE BOARD MEMBERS BECAUSE OF THE LENGTH SO WE CAN BE SURE WE CAN ALL SEE IT.
SO, I THINK IF SOMEONE, WANTS TO MAKE THAT MOTION,.
>> MAKE IT RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T MADE A MOTION YET.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE MOTION.
AND JUST BEFORE I DO SO I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE FOR PROVING WHAT I SAID BEFORE WHICH IS THAT WE WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR RACIAL EQUITY AND THE STUDENT BOYS WILL BE KEY TO THIS PROCESS.
AND THANK YOU DR. HUTCHINGS FOR OFFERING THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT AND FOR FULL DISCLOSURE WHAT ARE WILL READ WILL INCLUDE THE CHANGE.
AND HAVING HEARD NO OBJECTIONS ON THAT.
SO MADAM CHAIR, I MAKE THE FOLLOWING MOTION.
IN RECOGNITION OF JUNETEENTH AND TO REAFFIRM THAT BLACK LIVES MATTER OF THE ALEXANDRIAN SCHOOL BOARD UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED A RESOLUTION CONDEMNING THE SYSTEM RACISM AND A COMMITMENT TO RACIAL EQUITY FOR ALL STUDENTS, FAMILY AND STAFF.
THE BOARD RESOLVE THE RESOLUTION TO FOSTER AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERY STUDENT, STAFF MEMBER, PARENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBER IS TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT AND REAFFIRMED THE COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE FIGHTING FOR RACIAL JUSTICE.
ON JUNE 26, 2020 THE BOARD ADOPTED THE EQUITY FOR ALL STRATEGIC PLAN WHICH WILL GUIDE WORK FROM 2020 THROUGH 2025.
THE PLAN HAS A FORWARD-LOOKING VISION OF EMPOWERING ALL STUDENTS TO
[03:20:02]
THRIVE IN A DIVERSE WORLD.AND DICTATES `RACIAL EQUITY WILL BE AT THE CENTER OF EVERY DECISION THAT THE SCHOOL DIVISION WILL MAKE YOUR THE STRATEGIC PLAN REFERENCES THE FACT THAT THEY RESISTED THE EFFORTS THROUGHOUT THE 1950S AND 1960S AND EVEN IN THE 1970S.
SUPREME COURT 1954 BROWN VERSUS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION DECISION.
THE PLAN ACKNOWLEDGES THAT MODERN-DAY SEGREGATION STILL EXISTS AND THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD'S WORK TO DO THIS.
MADAM CHAIR, ON JUNE 15, 2020, THE SCHOOL BOARD RECEIVED A REQUEST TO RENAME TC WEBSITE SCHOOL THAT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY 100 SIGNATURE OF ALEXANDRA RESIDENCE AS REQUIRED BY REGULATION FF -- R IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED THAT THROUGHOUT HIS TENURE AS SUPERINTENDENT THOMAS CHAMBLISS WILLIAMS EXHIBITED RACISM, FALSEHOOD MAINTAINS AGGRAVATION IN DR. FAUCI, AND PROMOTED THE SCHOOLS DIVISION MASSIVE RESISTANCE TO DESEGREGATION EFFORTS.
THIS IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE FORWARD-LOOKING VISION AND VALUES EXPRESSED IN THE EQUITY FOR ALL 2025 STRATEGIC PLAN.
THE MORE CONDENSED THOMAS WILLIAMS PAST ACTIONS TO PROMOTE SEGREGATION AND RACISM WITH ACPS, AND AGREES THAT THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO EXAMINE A NAME CHANGE FOR ALEXANDRIA'S ONLY HIGH SCHOOL.
I THEREFORE MOVE PURSUANT TO SECTION 3B OF REGULATION FF -- R THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD OFFICIALLY CONSIDER THE REQUEST TO RENAME TC WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL.
ACCORDINGLY THE SCHOOL BOARD HEREBY EMPOWERS THE SUPERINTENDENT TO INITIATE THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS OUTLINED IN THE SECTION.
I FURTHER MOVE AT THE AUGUST 27 WORK SESSION THE SUPERINTENDENT AND SCHOOL BOARD SHALL DISCUSS THE SCOPE AND PROCESS INVOLVED IN A NAME CHANGE.
GIVEN THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND THE SCHOOL REOPENING PLANNING CURRENTLY UNDERWAY THE SUPERINTENDENT SHALL INITIATE THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND THE FALL OF 2020 AND PRESENT A REPORT WITH RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE SCHOOL BOARD BY THE SPRING OF 2021.
>> OKAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND PAIR WE HAVE ALREADY HAD A DISCUSSION IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BECAUSE, IF NOT I WILL CALL FOR A VOTE.
I WILL CALL FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE.
CINDY ANDERSON, GOETZ, MONICA.
>> MARGARET IS HAVING TECHNOLOGY ISSUES.
TEN SHE TEXT YES, THE CLERK AND TELL ME.
SHE IS HAVING COMMUNICATION ISSUES.
>> NOW WE ARE ALMOST AT THE END.
[19. Chair's Report : Report from Cindy M. Anderson]
I HAVE IN MY REPORT I ONLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THE ADDITIONAL PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE CONTINUITY OF LEARNING PLANS.SO WE HAVE ONE ON THURSDAY AUGUST 6 AT 7:00 P.M.
AND ANOTHER ON FRIDAY AUGUST 7 AT 12:00 P.M.
[Items 20 & 21: 20. Superintendent's Report: Report from Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr. 21. Adjourn]
>>, YES, I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK UPDATE REGARDING A WELCOME TO ALL OF OUR NEW ADMINISTRATORS.
AS WELL AS CENTRAL OFFICE ADMINISTRATORS AND LEADERS.
WE JUST RELEASED OUR NEW RELEASE AND WE WERE ABLE, THE BOARD WAS ABLE TO APPROVE SOME OF OUR FINAL OF OUR FINAL HIRES WHICH WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT.
YOU CAN LOOK AT THE PRESS RELEASE.
I THINK IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMIND OUR COMMUNITY THAT I CAME BEFORE THE BOARD BACK IN JANUARY, ACTUALLY IN DECEMBER INITIALLY AND JANUARY WAS APPROVED TO TO CONDUCT A REORGANIZATION OF OUR CENTRAL OFFICE AND THAT WENT INTO EFFECT ON JULY 1 WHICH WAS LAST WEEK AND UNFORTUNATELY WE DIDN'T HAVE A BOARD MEETING UNTIL JULY 10 TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION.
I AM SO EXCITED TO HAVE SO MANY NEW FACES AND SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE MOVED INTO NEW ROLES AND POSITIONS WITHIN OUR SCHOOL.
THIS IS TO HELP US ATTAIN THOSE GOALS THAT IS IN THIS COURAGEOUS AND BOLD PLAN.
WE NEEDED EFFICIENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ON THE
[03:25:03]
STREAMLINING OF THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE.SO I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT THE FUTURE WILL HOLD AND I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT OUT THERE TO THE COMMUNITY AND YOU WILL SEE THE NEWS RELEASE TODAY.
NOW THERE'S NOTHING LEFT OTHER THAN ADJOURNING.
EXCEL IF SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO MOVE.
>> MADAM CHAIR I MOVE THAT WE ADJOURN.
>> I HEARD MS. GREEN SECOND THE MOTION SO I WILL CALL FOR ROLL CALL VOTES.
>> OKAY EVERYONE THAT IS 9-02 ADJOURN AND WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 3:28 P.M.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.