[Call the Work Session to Order]
[1. ACPS 2020-21 Areas of Focus]
[00:05:12]
THIS IS TABLE EPITOME OF WHAT ALIGNMENT IS ALL ABOUT.
[00:05:14]
WHEN YOU START WITH YOUR STRATEGY PLAN AND THEN WE'RE USING OUR FY21 BUDGET PRIORITIES THAT WERE ADOPTED BY THE BOARD LAST FALL THAT GAVE US SOME DIRECTION WHAT WE NEEDED TO FOCUS ON AND THE FY20-21 SCHOOL YEAR.THAT HELPS US TO DEVELOP OUR FOCUS AREAS FOR THE 20-21 ACADEMIC YEAR.
THOSE FOCUS AREAS ALLOWS OUR SCHOOLS AND DEPARTMENTS TO HAVE SOME MARCHING ORDERS ON WHAT NEED TO BE INCLUDED OR WHAT THEIR FOCUS NEED TO BE WHEN DEVELOPING THEIR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLANS AS WELL AS DEVELOPING THEIR DEPARTMENT IMPROVEMENT PLANS.
THAT WILL LEAD TO THE ACTION STEPS THAT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS AND DEPARTMENTS WILL MAKE TO HAVE THE OUTCOMES THAT WE ARE SEEKING THROUGHOUT THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
ONE THING THAT IS GOING TO BE KEY AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT TODAY IS MAKING SURE WE DEVELOP THE APPROPRIATE METRICS WHICH I CAN'T WAIT TO TALK ABOUT THIS LATER ON IN THE PRESENTATION.
THE NEXT SESSION TALKING ABOUT OUR VISION WHICH IS KEY FOR US THIS IS WHAT WE ENVISION FOR OUR STUDENTS.
THEY ARE ABLE TO LEAVE READY TO THRIVE IN A DIVERSE AND EVER CHANGING WORLD.
I'VE SAID THIS TIME AND TIME AGAIN, OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS DURING THIS PANDEMIC, THIS IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF EVER CHANGING WORLD.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS REGARDLESS OF THE SITUATION OR CIRCUMSTANCE THAT MAY COME THEIR WAY, THEY ARE STILL GOING TO BE ABLE TO THRIVE OUT THERE IN THIS WONDERFUL WORLD.
I WANT TO US START WITH OUR DATA AND PASS THE MIC AND THE TORCH ON TO MR. CLINTON PAGE WHO WAS OUR CHIEF OF ACCOUNTABILITY SO WE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DATA AND ACTUALLY HAVE AN ACTIVITY WHERE WE WILL BE ABLE TO ENGAGE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THIS DATA.
PLEASURE TO SEE YOU ALL TONIGHT.
THIS IS ABOUT THE ALIGNMENT IN THE NEW STRATEGY PLAN.
IF WE FOCUS ON THE PLANS IN PLACE.
WE HAVE TO BE ALIGNED, PRIORITIZED AND STRATEGIC IN THE ACTIONS THAT WE TAKE NOT JUST THIS YEAR BUT NEXT YEAR AND THE YEAR AFTER AND THE YEAR AFTER THAT TO DISMANTLE THOSE INEQUITIES.
WITH THAT AND THE CRAFTING OF THE AREAS OF FOCUS IS ALSO USING THE STRATEGIC PLAN AS THE OVERALL UMBRELLA AS WELL AS LAST YEAR'S BUDGET PRIORITIES FROM THE BOARD AND LEVERAGING OUR DATA AND INEQUITY FOCUS TO DRIVE THE AREAS OF FOCUS WITHIN THE CURRENT YEAR.
THE DATA ON THIS SLIDE SHOULD LOOK VERY FAMILIAR TO THE BOARD.
THESE ARE DATA THAT LED TO THE AREAS THE BUDGET PRIORITIES THAT THE BOARD DEVELOPED LAST YEAR FOR FY21.
YOU'LL SEE ON THE LEFT THE FIRST GRAPHIC IS SHOWING THE DISPARITIES IN OUR LITERACY.
[00:14:09]
YOU HAVE YOU OUR BLACK STUDENTS THIS SLIDE IS SPEAKING TO WHAT WE KNOW FROM RESEARCH AND E AROUND TRAUMA AND HOW IT IMPACTS THEIR LEARNING.TRAUMA ADVERSELY IMPACTS STUDENTS ABILITY TO REGULATE EMOTIONS AND CREATE MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS BOTH WITH PEERS AND ADULTS.
TRAUMA CAUSES LOWER LEVELS OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND TRAUMA OF AFFECTED STUDENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO ENCOUNTER LEARNING DIFFICULTIES AND WE KNOW THAT TRAUMA IS NOT EXPERIENCED EQUALLY ACROSS ALL OF OUR GROUPS OF STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AND THAT TRAUMA OCCURS CERTAINLY ACROSS ALL SEGMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY.
RESEARCH HAS FOUND IN TERMS OF IMPACT FAMILIES IN LOWER ECONOMIC RESOURCES, HIGHER
[00:15:03]
PARENT STRESS LEVELS AND FAMILIES EXPERIENCING INSECURITY SUCH AS FOOD, SHELTER, EMPLOYMENT.OUR KNOWLEDGE IN TERMS OF THE PANDEMIC AND WHAT TRAUMA CAN DO TO OUR STUDENTS IN TERMS OF SOCIAL EMOTIONAL HEALTHS AND THEIR ABILITY TO ACCESS LEARNING, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHEN TALKING ABOUT THE AREAS OF FOCUS OUR STRATEGY PLAN AND THE GOAL AREAS.
THE GOAL AREAS OF SYSTEMIC ALIGNMENT, INSTRUCTIONAL EXCELLENCE, ACCESSIBILITY AND SUPPORT, FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND NOT JUST WHAT THOSE LOOK LIKE FOR ALL.
BUT IF YOU COULD -- BUT WHAT THOSE LOOK LIKE WHEN RACIAL EQUITY IS AT THE HEART OF THE WORK.
NOT WHAT DOES FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT LOOK LIKE BUT THROUGH A LENS OF RACIAL EQUITY.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN TERMS OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO ENSURE RACIAL EQUITY AND HOW WE DIFFERENTIATE OUR SERVICES TO MEET OUR FAMILIES AND STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE AND NOT WHERE WE ULTIMATELY EXPECT THEM OR WANT THEM TO BE.
SO WANTING TO THINK ABOUT THAT AS WELL IN OUR AREAS OF FOCUS DISCUSSION.
THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A VIRTUAL RISK WHERE WE ASK YOU ALL OF OUR STAFF TO ADJUST TO VIRTUAL LEARNING.
WE ARE GOING TO ADJUST TO VIRTUAL LEARNING.
SO HERE ON THE SLIDE WE SEE THE MISSION OF THE STRATEGY PLAN IN TERMS OF ACPS INSPIRING ALL STUDENTS AND ADDRESSING BARRIERS TO LEARNING TO ENSURE SUCCESS.
WHAT WE WANTED TO DO IS ALLOW THE BOARD ABOUT MAYBE THREE TO FIVE MINUTES TO INDIVIDUALLY REFLECT AND LIST OUT THREE CRITICAL AREAS FOR THE COMING YEAR THAT YOU FEEL MUST BE ADDRESSED BASED OFF ALL THE INFORMATION WE JUST WENT THROUGH.
THE QUANTITATIVE DATA, THE AUDIT DATA, THE DUAL PANDEMIC CONTEXT AS WELL AS OUR CURRENT STRATEGIC PLAN, WHAT ARE THE THREE AREAS THAT YOU FEEL ARE MOST IMPORTANT FOR THE DIVISION TO ADDRESS TO ADVANCE THE ORGANIZATION FORWARD AND WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL HAVE EACH BOARD MEMBER TO SHARE OUT THEIR AREAS AND I'LL KIND OF GO TO A GOOGLE DOC AND TAKE NOTES.
JUST AS AN EXAMPLE TO THE GRAIN SIZE.
I KNOW YOU RECEIVED THIS POWER POINT THIS ADVANCE.
YOU CAN CERTAINLY PUT DOWN THINGS THAT ARE LISTED AS AREAS OF FOCUS FOR THE YEAR.
IF YOU HAVE OTHER THOUGHTS, THOSE ARE CERTAINLY WELCOME.
JUST AN EXAMPLE OF GRAIN SIZE WOULD BE SOMETHING LIKE STRATEGIC PLAN.
STRATEGIC PLAN IMPLEMENTATION.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I FEEL AS A BOARD MEMBER IS ONE OF THE TOP THREE CRITICAL THINGS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO NAIL AS AN ORGANIZATION THIS YEAR.
I'M GOING TO ALLOW A LITTLE WAIT TIME TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THREE TO FIVE MINUTES.
I'LL GAUGE IT OFF OF READING YOUR FACES FROM VIDEO IN TERMS OF WHERE EACH BOARD MEMBER IS IN TERMS OF LISTING OUT THEIR THREE AREAS AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH A CALLOUT WHERE YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE YOUR THREE AREAS.
[00:21:49]
>> YOU CAN BRING THE MUSIC BACK.
>> LET'S GO AHEAD AND COME BACK TOGETHER AS A GROUP.
>> I THINK YOU ARE ON MUTE MARGARET.
>> FOR ME SPECIAL EDUCATION EVALUATION.
IN OTHER WORDS WE'RE TRYING TO SEE WHAT WE CAN LOOKING AT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE THREE YEAR EVALUATION ON SPECIAL EDUCATION IS NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER TWO THE MULTITUDE SYSTEM OF SUPPORT WHICH IS ONE OF THE BIG RECOMMENDATIONS OF THAT EVALUATION THAT AFFECTS ALL STUDENTS AND THE WHOLE SYSTEM.
THAT EQUITABLE APPROACH TO EDUCATION THAT KIDS GET WHAT THEY NEED, DIFFERENT LEVELS AND SOMETHING THAT HAS GREAT POTENTIAL BUT WE HAVEN'T REACHED THAT POTENTIAL YET.
AND THE THIRD ONE IS FAMILY ENGAGEMENT WITH AN EMPHASIS ON FAMILIES WHO DON'T SPEAK
[00:25:09]
ENGLISH.I THINK WE'VE COME A LONG WAY REACHING OUT TO OUR FAMILIES.
BUT I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO PUT A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON THAT TWO WAY COMMUNICATION WITH PARTICULAR FAMILIES WITH LIMITED ENGLISH,.
>> SO I'M GOING TO PIGGY BACK ON THE MTSS COMPONENT AND THE REASON I'M GOING TO PIGGY BACK ON THAT IS BECAUSE I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT FALL WITHIN THAT.
I'M ALL ABOUT THE HIGHEST LEVERAGE TOOL TO MEET THE MOST GOALS.
I CHOOSE MTSS BECAUSE I THINK IT IMPROVES SPECIAL ED.
IT IMPROVES WE'VE BEEN -- WE CAN HAVE A CONTINUED FOCUS ON THE K THROUGH 2 LITERACY PIECE AND DEVELOPING PROFICIENT READ HERBS.
WE NEED THESE DOUBLE INTERVENTION PATHWAYS TO MAKE SURE THESE GAPS DON'T GET WIDER.
MTSS AND RELATED TO THAT IS THE REMOVAL OF ANY OF THESE SYMBOLIC RACIST ELEMENTS WE HAVE.
COMBINING THOSE TWO THINGS TOGETHER TO MAKE ALL OF THESE CHANGES REALLY MEANINGFUL.
THAT INCLUDES RENAMING MORERY, RENAMING TC.
I THINK THAT WOULD COVER A LOT OF GROUND.
I GUESS THAT'S TWO THINGS BUT ONE OF THEM HAS A LOT OF THINGS.
IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF THESE THINGS CONTAIN A LOT IN THEM AND THEY ARE ALL OVERLAPPING AND LINKING WITH EACH OTHER.
FOR ME I DEFINITELY WOULD SAY NUMBER SOMEONE LOOKING AT THE VARIOUS DISPARITIES, ACADEMIC DISPARITIES AMONG THE STUDENTS.
SPECIFICALLY FOR ME TAG IS FRONT OF MIND.
I THINK FOR SO LONG THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN TOUGH TO DEAL WITH ESPECIALLY WHEN TALKING ABOUT THE PUSH VERSUS PULLOUT.
THE UNDER REPRESENTATION OF SOME OF OUR STUDENTS IN THE TAG PROGRAM.
I JUST THINK AS A COMMUNITY THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN DIFFICULT AND IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE MORE DIFFICULT APPROXIMATE WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT MAKING RACIAL EQUITY AT THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING WE DO.
IF WE CAN HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT TO ME WOULD BE A PRIORITY.
AND I GUESS GOING ALONG WITH THAT IS NOT TAG BUT THINKING ABOUT THE UNDERREPRESENTATION OF BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS.
I GUESS I CAN SAY IT THAT WAY.
I'M THINKING OF THE OVERIDENTIFICATION OF STUDENTS IN OTHER AREAS.
LIKE BLACK MALES BEING OVERLY IDENTIFIED AS HAVING EMOTIONAL DISABILITY OR REQUIRING SPECIAL SERVICES.
NUMBER TWO I JUST CALLED COVID RECOVERY.
THAT INCLUDES OUR REOPENING OF SCHOOLS, DEALING WITH ASSOCIATED LEARNING LOSSES, THE EMOTIONAL SOCIAL EMOTIONAL COMPONENTS THAT COME WITH THAT.
THAT IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING WE FOCUS ON THIS YEAR.
AND THEN NUMBER THREE FOR ME IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
BUT AGAIN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIFICALLY ON THE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS WE NEED TO HAVE.
THAT INCLUDES NOT ONLY LIKE THE TAG AND STUDENT DISABILITY CONVERSATIONS.
BUT OUR RENAMING CONVERSATIONS.
I THINK OUTREACH TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMPONENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND NOT JUST TYPICAL ONE WES HEAR FROM SHOULD BE FRONT OF MIND FOR US.
I THINK MINE OVERLAPPED QUITE A BIT WITH SOME OF THE OTHERS.
NUMBER ONE IS A DIFFERENT ONE WHICH I WOULD PUT FIRST WHICH IS THE HUMAN RESOURCES
[00:30:03]
PIECE.IT'S GOING TO BE VITAL WE COUNT FOR TRACK AND UNDERSTAND WHERE THE MIND SETS OF EVERY EMPLOY OF THE DECISION IS IN TERMS OF SYSTEMIC RACISM.
WHEN I TALK TO STUDENTS AND TALK ABOUT DISPROPORTIONALTY AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS, I HEAR A LOT ABOUT HOW TEACHERS AND STAFF HOWEVER WELL INTENTIONED MAY SOMETIMES HARBOR SOME OF THE BIASES WE ARE GRAPPLING WITH AS A COUNTRY WHICH PERPETUATES THE INEQUITIES WE SEE IN TAG AND DIFFERENCES IN DISCIPLINE AND THESE THINGS.
UNTIL WE USE OUR HR DEPARTMENT BOTH TO SUPPORT TEACHERS AND DEVELOPING THOSE TYPES OF SKILLS AND IN SORT OF SCREENING ON THE FRONT END FOR THE MIND SETS WE NEED OR AT LEAST A WILLINGNESS TO ADOPT THE MIND SETS WE NEED TO MOVE THE NEEDLE IN THE DIVISION, I THINK THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE EVEN IF WE TRY TO FOCUS ON SOME OF THESE MORE SPECIFIC STRATEGIES.
NUMBER TWO IS ONE THAT I THINK MARGARET TOUCHED ON AND ALSO HEATHER TOUCHED ON WHICH IS THE COMMUNICATIONS PIECE.
AND I THINK IT GOES BACK TO THIS NOTION OF MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MEETING ALL KID WHERE THEY ARE AND NOT WHERE WE WANT THEM TO BE.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE VITAL THAT OUR COMMUNICATION IS CLEAR AND AS MARGARET SAID TWO WAY COMMUNICATION SO THAT WE CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS ARE AT ANY GIVEN POINT OF TIME AND ADJUST TO THOSE NEEDS ACCORDINGLY.
I THINK THAT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT NOW DURING THE COVID TIME WHETHER ANXIETY IS HIGH AMONGST OUR COMMUNITY WHEN WE NEED TO BE CLEAR IN WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE AND WE NEED TO REALLY SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AS EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE.
THAT TO IT SEEMS TO ME GOING TO BE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AND TRAINING OUR STAFF AND TRAINING THE CULTURE WITHIN THE SCHOOL DIVISION TO REALLY BE COMMUNICATIVE WITH ALL OF OUR FAMILIES IS GOING TO BE VITAL.
AND THEN THE THIRD AREA I IDENTIFIED, I THINK IS ANOTHER COMMON AREA.
I CALLED IT DISPROPORTION ALTY BECAUSE IT CUTS THROUGH SO MANY AREAS.
THAT WOULD CUT THROUGH THE TAG DISPROPORTIONALTY.
THE DISPROPORTIONATE DISCIPLINE ISSUES FOR BLACK MALES.
OVERIDENTIFICATION OF STUDENTS AS EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED DISPROPORTIONATE.
GRADUATION RATES AMONG HIS 35 PANIC STUDENTS AND THOSE ISSUES.
HIGHLIGHTING THE PROBLEM IN THE DIVISION AND MAKING THAT TOP OF MIND FOR EVERYONE BECAUSE IT CUTS THROUGH SO MANY AREAS COULD BAY WAY TO REALLY MAKE SURE WE'RE WORKING ON THOSE MIND SETS AND REALLY BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT EVERYTHING WE DO.
AND TO BE CLEAR, MY THREE AREAS AREN'T TO THE EXCLUSION OF WHAT ANYONE ELSE SAYS, I AGREE ABOUT THE MTSS BEING IMPORTANT AS WELL.
THOSE ARE THE THREE BUCKETS I PUT MY PRIORITIES.
I PUT MINE AS NEW TRANSITION, HEALTH AND SAFETY.
PEOPLE NEED THEIR BASIC NEEDS MET OR THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE OPEN FOR LEARNING.
AND DISPROPORTIONALTY AND I WAS THINKING ALONG THE LINES OF NOT JUST ACADEMIC, DISCIPLINE THE WHOLE THING, IDENTIFICATION, POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE ABOUT THE WAY THINGS ARE HAPPENING.
I WANTED TO NAME SEVERAL OF THEM.
HR WHICH DOES HAVE SOME OVERLAP.
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO REMEMBER TO KEEP WORKING TOWARD THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT FOR THE ORGANIZATION.
[00:35:03]
I CAN'T IMAGINE DISAGREEING WITH ANYTHING MY COLLEAGUE VERSUS SAID SO I APPRECIATE THE ROBUST CONVERSATION AND LASER FOCUS ON THE NEEDS OF THE DIVISION.
WHAT I LISTED AND MR. PAGE I WAS HOPING TO CHEAT AT FIRST AND DO THREE FOR COVID AND THREE FOR SYSTEMIC RACISM BUT I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT TO YOU.
IF I HAD TO NARROW IT DOWN TO THREE, NUMBER ONE AND I'M ASSUMING THIS COULD BE WITH ACADEMIC NEED, ACCESS TO A ROBUST CURRICULUM THAT START EARLY ON.
SPEAKING TO A LOT OF COLLEGE ADMISSIONS OFFICERS.
I SPOKE TO ONE RECENTLY THAT WE WERE DISCUSSING THE CHALLENGE THEY FIND IN RECRUITING LOW INCOME STUDENTS AND IT STARTS EARLY ON.
IF THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE AP CLASSES AND NEED TO HAVE HAD A FOUNDATION TO BE PREPARED FOR THE A.P.
CLASSES THAT IS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THEY ARE HAVING.
ACCESS TO A ROBUST CURRICULUM WHICH IS AT THE HEART OF LITERACY.
IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO LITERACY AND MAKING SURE ALL OUR STUDENTS CAN READ BY THIRD GRADE.
THE SECOND ONE I ED WAS I'M A STRONGER IN THOSE CLOSEST TO THE GROUND AND WORK CAN IDENTIFY THE PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS.
THE STUDENT VOICE AND STAFF VOICE IS ELEVATED WHETHER THROUGH FOCUS GROUPS.
I'VE BEEN HARPING ON A CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AS WELL AS SURVEYS.
I THINK WE NEED TO INSTEAD OF BEING AN IVORY TOWER AS SOON AS WE HAVE THE SOLUTIONS WE'RE TALKING TO THE LEADERSHIP TEAM, PRINCIPALS, STAFF, TEACHERS, STUDENTS ESPECIALLY.
REALLY GETTING TO THE HEART OF THOSE THAT ARE IN THE DAY-TO-DAY WORK THAT WE ARE FINDING OUT WHAT THEIR VOICE SAYS AND WHAT THEY IDENTIFIED NEEDS FOR COVID AND THE SYSTEMIC RACISM THAT EXIST.
TWO SOLUTIONS TO THAT I THINK ARE THE CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND SURVEYS.
ONE THING I'VE ALWAYS BE IMPRESSED BY WE HAVE SUCH PHENOMENAL FEEDBACK MAKING SURE WE HAVE THAT FEEDBACK REALLIED SO IT IMPACTS THE DAY-TO-DAY.
THE LAST PIECE IS ENSURING THAT WE HAVE A HANDLE ON WHAT THE NEEDS ARE OF OUR LOWEST INCOME STUDENTS DURING COVID ESPECIALLY.
LIKE WHO IS NOT ENGAGED WHO RECOLLECTS IS NOT PARTICIPATING? WHO IS BEING LEFT HOME ALONE? SO IT'S UNDERSTANDING WHERE ARE WE AT WITH THE NEEDS OF OUR LOWEST INCOME STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT ENGAGED AND HOW DO WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE ENGAGED AND CONTINUING TO LEARN DURING THIS VIRTUAL LEARNING PERIOD.
I DEFINITELY AGREE WHAT I'VE HEARD SO FAR.
WHAT STOOD OUT FOR ME IT WAS DETERMINING THE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND IF THOSE NEED TO BE ADJUSTED FOR THE COVID SITUATION.
I AGREE WITH THE THINGS PEOPLE SAID.
UNLESS WE DETERMINE THE DATA FOR HOW WE'RE MEASURING THOSE THINGS ARE HAPPENING WE'RE NOT GOING TO KNOW THEY ARE HAPPENING AND HOW WE'RE DOING.
I THINK DETERMINING WHAT WE'RE MEASURING IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND MAKING SURE WE ARE GETTING THAT DATA.
THE NEXT THING I HAD IT WAS REOPENING PLAN.
WE'RE GOING VIRTUAL RIGHT NOW.
SO AT SOME POINT WE'RE GOING TO BE PIVOTING WHETHER THAT IS TO EVERYONE IN PERSON OR HYBRID MODEL.
FIGURING OUT WHAT ARE THE METRICS FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO DETERMINE HOW TO DO THAT.
JUST KIND OF WORKING THAT OUT SO THAT EVERYONE IS UNDERSTANDING THE EXPECTATIONS WE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.
I THINK ALONG WITH THAT TOO, I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS NEW SCHOOL YEAR THAT WE'RE ENTERING UNLIKE ANYTHING WE'VE HAD BEFORE.
AND WE HAVE TO HAVE FLEXIBILITY.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S GOING TO WORK FOR ALL STUDENTS.
I THINK IT MIGHT BE VERY CHALLENGING FOR SOME STUDENTS IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.
JUSTIFYING YOU'RING OUT THAT AND ALIGN WITH THAT LAST THING IS SUPPORTING OUR STAFF.
I THINK THAT AS I'VE HEARD DR. HUTCHINGS SAY ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS NOBODY WENT TO A TEACHER LEARNING PROGRAM TO LEARN HOW TO TEACH LIKE THIS.
IN ORDER FOR OUR STAFF TO BE SUCCESSFUL THEY NEED THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.
TO REALLY SUPPORT THEM IN DOING THIS WORK AND HOW TO DIFFERENTIATE STRATEGIES THAT ARE GOING TO SUPPORT ALL OF OUR LEARNERS AND MEET ALL OF THEIR NEEDS.
[00:40:11]
I'M GLAD I GOT TO GO AFTER EVERYBODY ELSE SO I CAN SAY ME TOO AND THEN I'M PARTICULARLY GLAD I GOT TO GO AFTER DR. REEF BECAUSE SHE TOUCHED ON SOMETHING THAT I REALLY WANT TO TOUCH ON.
BUT I REALLY I'M SAYING THAT I HAVE ONE THING AND MY ONE THING IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
BECAUSE I REALLY TRULY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A CRUCIAL YEAR IF WE DO NOT CREATE THOSE REALLY DEFINE -- I MEAN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE HEARD MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS SAY I TRULY BELIEVE IS EMBEDDED IN WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN OUR STRATEGY PLAN.
IT ABSOLUTELY SPEAKS TO THE THINGS THAT THE STRATEGIC PLAN SAID WE WANTED TO FOCUS ON.
WE HAVE TO REALLY DEFINE HOW WE -- HOW WE'RE GOING TO MEASURE THAT.
AND IF WE DON'T DO IT THROUGH THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
IF WE ININADVERTENTLY SAY WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON THIS.
BUT IF WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON THIS BUT DON'T REALLY PUT IT INTO THE STRATEGIC PLAN FORMAT AND THINK ABOUT IT.
EVEN IF WE HAVE SOME SUCCESS THIS YEAR, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE THINGS THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TALKED ABOUT ARE NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WILL FIX IN ONE YEAR.
THEY WILL -- WE CAN MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN ONE YEAR BUT ALL OF THEM WILL NEED SUSTAINED EFFORT OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS.
AND THAT IS WHY A STRATEGIC PLAN IS POWERFUL.
WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE IN FIVE YEARS AND HOW YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING TO GET THERE AND HOW YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING TO MEASURE THAT.
SO I THINK THIS IS JUST A REALLY CRUCIAL YEAR.
IT'S AMAZING HOW FAST FIVE YEARS CAN FLY BY IF YOU DON'T PUT THE TIME IN NOW AND THEN YOU KIND OF REALIZE I'M HALF WAY THROUGH THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND THERE IS NO WAY WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THIS THING THAT WE ALL THOUGHT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.
I GUESS MY THING IS REALLY MORE ABOUT THE HOW THAN THE WHAT.
BUT I JUST REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT I THINK ALL OF THESE THINGS WE JUST REALLY NEED TO KEEP IT ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN IDEA.
IF THAT MEANS THAT WE COME UP WITH SOME YEAR ONE HAS SOME SPECIFIC COVID RELATED KEY MEASUREMENTS, I THINK THAT IS FINE.
LET'S CALL THAT WHAT THAT IS AND SAY HOW THAT MIGHT ADJUST OVER THE YEARS TWO, THREE, FOUR AND FIVE.
>> I JUST WANTED TO CHIME IN ON THAT PIGGY BACK ON THAT POINT.
I'M GLAD THEY HIGHLIGHTED THAT.
BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WHAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED HERE SORT OF SPEAK TO SOME OF THE KPI'S WE NEED TO HAVE.
BUT I DO AGREE AND THINK THAT IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT DR. HUTCHINGS IS GOING TO SAY ABOUT THIS IDENTIFY SOME OF THE METRICS BOTH SO THE BOARD CAN EFFECTIVELY MODEL HOW WE LOOK AT PROGRESS AND SORT OF CONSIDER HOW WE'RE DOING OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.
IT TIES BACK TO THIS HR POINT I WAS MAKING TOO.
TO THE EXTENT THERE ARE KPI'S WE IDENTIFY, HOW DO THOSE LINE UP TO WHAT THE INDIVIDUALS ARE DOING AT THE STAFF LEVEL AND HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE UNDERSTANDING HOW OUR STAFF IS PERFORMING ON THOSE METRICS.
I DITTO THAT AND AGREE THE SOONER WE CAN GET ON TOP OF THAT, THAT WORK IS GOING TO BE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
>> I WANTED TO SAY THIS IS WONDER.
, THE THOUGHT THAT HAS BEEN PUT INTO EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS.
IT'S BEEN NEAT TO SEE HOW IT ALL UNFOLDS ALREADY INTO THIS GRAPHIC THAT WE HAVE
[00:45:02]
HERE.BUT MY NUMBER ONE IS K-2 LITERACY AND THE CONTINUATION OF THAT FROM THE PRIOR SCHOOL YEAR.
AND THEN SECOND WOULD BE AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE WOULD FIT THIS IN BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A DEEP DIVE OR FOCUS FROM A STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT GAP PERSPECTIVE ON THE BIGGEST GAP THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE MINORITY GROUP AND PUTTING A FOCUS ON THAT.
I KNOW WE'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST.
A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE DID MATH WITH AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS AND WE SAW A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT BROKEN DOWN LOOKING AT DATA AND WHERE THOSE BIGGEST GAPS ARE AND PUTTING A FOCUS ON ONE OR TWO AREAS TO SEE HOW WE COULD RAISE OR LESSON THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP THERE.
AND THIRD FOR ME WOULD BE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE , THE CONTINUATION OF AND REFOCUS OF THAT PROGRAM PARTICULARLY AFTER WE GET OUT OF COVID.
>> I KNOW THAT MR. PAGE, I'M GOING TO KEEP GOING.
I KNOW YOU WERE ABLE TO CAPTURE THIS.
I THINK THIS IS AWESOME THAT BOARD MEMBERS ONE ARE ABLE TO DESCRIBE BASED ON BECAUSE THIS DATA IS NOT NEW.
THIS DATA WE'RE DISCUSSING AND SHARING WITH YOU IS INFORMATION WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT OVER THE PAST YEAR.
LAST YEAR WE DEVELOPED OUR FY21 BUDGET PRIORITIES USING A LOT OF THIS DATA.
AND THE THING WITH US IS THAT WITH ACBS OUR DATA HAS BEEN FLAT FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
WE SHOULD SEE TRAJECTORY OF INCREASING OUR PERCENTAGES EVERY YEAR.
WE SHOULD SEE MORE STUDENTS ENGAGED.
WE SHOULD SEE THE NARROWING OF OUR ACHIEVEMENT GAP CONTINUOUSLY AND THAT IS NOT HOW OUR DATA IS BEING REVEALED RIGHT NOW.
I AM EXCITED ABOUT THIS FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE INTENTIONAL AROUND SPECIFIC GROUPS THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON.
WHEN YOU TRY TO DO A BLANKET WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS FOR EVERYBODY, YOU ARE NOT RESOLVING THE ISSUE.
THIS IS WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT RACIAL EQUITY PIECE AT THE CENTER OR THE HEART OF WHAT WE DO.
SO THAT WE CAN REALLY BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT OUR EFFORTS.
SO LET'S GO INTO THE SPECIFIC AREAS OF FOCUS BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ALREADY SHARED OUR TEAM HAS ALSO BASED ON OUR ANALYSIS AND OUR AREAS OF EXPERTISE ARE ALIGNED WITH WHAT THE BOARD IS THINKING RIGHT NOW.
AND THIS IS WHY THESE ARE THE FIVE SPECIFIC AREAS THAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON THAT WE RECOMMEND TO FOCUS ON BY THIS UP COMING YEAR.
FIRST AND FOREMOST YOU KNOW THE REOPENING PLAN, WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE NOW.
THIS WOULD NEVER BE A FOCUS AREA.
REOPENING SCHOOLS, WE DO IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
NOW WE'RE STARTING SCHOOL VIRTUALLY.
WE HAD A COMPLICATION TODAY WHICH WAS PHENOMENAL.
THANK YOU CORY FOR ALL HIS HARD WORK.
HE DID A LOT OF WORK TO FIX THE COMPLICATION.
A PART OF THE REOPENING PIECE, THERE ARE THREE SPECIFIC AREAS WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FOCUS ON WITH REOPENING.
SOMEONE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND ACADEMIC LEARNING.
THAT INCLUDES ALL THE THINGS THAT BOARD MEMBERS JUST MENTIONED.
MTSS, OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE ADEQUATE RESOURCES AND RESTORATIVE PRACTICES, FOR EXAMPLE AS MRS. GREEN WAS TALKING ABOUT FOR THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL PIECE.
TECHNOLOGY RIGHT NOW IS OUR LIFELINE.
WITHOUT TECHNOLOGY WE CAN'T EVEN FUNCTION.
WE COULDN'T HAVE THIS BOARD MEETING RIGHT NOW WITHOUT THE TECHNOLOGY.
NONE OF US WOULD BE ABLE TO LOG IN.
WE ALL HAVE CHALLENGES WITH OUR INTERNET ACCESS.
THIS IS KIND OF A NEW DAY IN HOW IMPORTANT IT IS, A LIFELINE FOR US WHICH IT DIDN'T USED TO BE.
IT USED TO BE A COMPLEMENT 20 WHAT WE DO.
NOW THIS IS PART OF HOW WE GET THINGS DONE WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO.
FINALLY OUR MEAL DISTRIBUTION.
OUR KIDS CAN'T LEARN IF THEY ARE NOT FED.
IT WAS REAL PRIOR TO THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
IT IS MORE REAL NOW THAT FAMILIES ARE LOSING THEIR JOBS.
OUR FAMILIES ARE BEING EVICTED FROM THEIR HOMES WHETHER WE WANT TO BELIEVE THAT OR NOT.
OUR FAMILIES ARE HAVING ISSUES WITH TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET FINANCIALLY.
[00:50:02]
THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS PRIOR TO THIS.IMAGINE THAT AMOUNT OF STRESS HAPPENING IN MANY HOUSEHOLDS ACROSS THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA.
THE SECOND AREA OF FOCUS DEALS WITH POLICY.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE POLICIES AND PLACE THAT WHERE NOT PERPETUATING SOME OF THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP ISSUINGS AND DISPARITIES THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW.
AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS THAT WE HAVE AN ACTUAL AUDIT OF OUR POLICIES AND THIS IS THREENESS OF EQUITY.
IT'S NOT JUST A POLICY AUDIT THAT I KNOW WAS CONDUCTED A FEW YEARS AGO WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.
THIS IS LOOKING AT SPECIFIC POLICIES AND DETERMINING WHETHER IT IS PERPETUATING THESE ACHIEVEMENT GAP ISSUES THAT WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY SEEING.
THE THIRD AREA OF FOCUS DEALS WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN IMPLEMENTATION.
WE DO HAVE TO HAVE THOSE METRICS.
HOW CAN WE MONITOR OUR PROGRESS IF WE HAVE NOT ESTABLISHED THE NECESSARY METRICS TO DETERMINE HOW WE'RE GOING TO SAY YES WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS AS A SCHOOL DIVISION.
WE HAD RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE PART OF AND SUGGESTIONS THAT WERE PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN ADOPTION BACK IN JUNE.
WE NEED TO NAIL DOWN SPECIFICS TO WHAT THOSE METRICS ARE SO WE CAN HAVE APPROPRIATE ACTION PLANNING THIS YEAR WHICH IS OUR FIRST YEAR.
IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT YEAR BECAUSE THIS IS OUR BASE LINE YEAR FOR OUR DATA FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE IDENTIFY APPROPRIATE ACTION.
A LOT OF PEOPLE RIGHT NOW ARE TUNING IN TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THIS RENAMING PIECE.
WE'RE TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT TC WILLIAMS BUT WE ALSO RECEIVED A PETITION ABOUT MOORY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
DO WE NEED TO PUT THOSE TOGETHER.
IF WE'RE GOING TO RENAME AND GO DOWN THIS PROCESS FOR TC WILLIAMS, WE MIGHT AS WELL DO THE PROCESS FOR MOORY AT THE SAME TIME NOW THAT WE HAVE THE FRAMEWORK WE'RE GOING TO BE SHARING IN A MINUTE.
AND FINALLY OUR ACADEMIC DISPARITIES.
YOU HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO READ BETWEEN PREK AND SECOND GRADE.
IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO READ BEFORE THIRD GRADE, YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO LEARN PAST THIRD GRADE.
YOU ARE LEARNING TO READ PREK THROUGH SECOND GRADE.
THAT'S PART OF THE CURRICULUM.
AND THEN YOU PIVOT INTO NOW WE'RE READING TO LEARN FROM THIRD GRADE THROUGH 9TH GRADE.
IF WE'RE SENDING KIDS INTO THIRD GRADE NOT ON GRADE LEVEL, WE'RE SETTING THEM UP FOR FAILURE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE VERY INTENSE AND VERY STRATEGIC AND INTENTIONAL ABOUT OUR PREK SECOND GRADE LITERACY EFFORTS.
WE HAVE TO HAVE RAIDING SPECIALIST AS TEACHERS.
ELEMENTARY TEACHERS, I HAVE AN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DEGREE AS WELL.
THEY ARE TAUGHT TO TEACH LITERACY.
THAT'S WHY SOME DON'T LIKE THE MATH COMPONENT.
WE ARE TRAINED AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL TO FOCUS ON THE LITERACY COMPONENT.
OUR TALENTED GIFTED COMPONENT IS SO IMPORTANT.
WE'VE BEEN KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD ABOUT PUSH IN PUSH OUT.
WE SCRATCHED THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG A LITTLE BIT AND BACK OFF.
WE GOT TO COME ONE A PHILOSOPHY ON WHAT WE BELIEVE AS A SCHOOL DIVISION WHEN IT COMES TO TALENTED AND GIFTED AND MIDDLE SCHOOL HONORS.
THAT IS ANOTHER COMPONENT THAT WE HAVE KIND OF BEEN TIPTOEING AROUND AND NOT HAVING A DEEP DISCUSSION IN DEVELOPING A PHILOSOPHY FOR ALEXANDRIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THIS YEAR WE GOT TO TACKLE WHAT OUR PHILOSOPHY IS ON TWO MAJOR AREAS.
WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
ESPECIALLY OUR STUDENTS WHO HAVE EMOTIONAL DISABILITIES.
WE NEED RIGHT NOW -- WE HAVE OVERREPRESENTATION OF BLACK STUDENTS PERIOD OR OVER
[00:55:07]
IDENTIFICATION OF BLACK STUDENTS PERIOD WHO HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS HAVING EMOTIONAL DISABILITIES.AND WE NEED TO MAKE AN INTENTIONAL FOCUS AND EFFORT THAT WE'VE BEEN CITED BY THE VIRG VERGE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ABOUT THIS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THAT.
THERE HAS BEEN A NUMBER OF EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.
WE'VE SEEN PROGRESS WE'LL SHARE AS WE TALK ABOUT THIS THIS YEAR GIVEN UPDATES TO THE BOARD IN REGARDS TO OUR EFFORTS WITH THAT.
OUR HISPANIC GRADUATION RATES IS KEY.
THAT IS OVERALL FOR HIS PANIC STUDENTS.
YOU LOOK AT HISPANIC MALES AND THAT DATA, IT IS VERY DISTURBING.
EXTREMELY DISTURBING BECAUSE OUR HISPANIC MALES ARE GRADUATING AT THE LOWEST PERCENTAGE OF ALL OUR STUDENTS.
THERE IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO BE DOING TO ENSURE THAT OUR STUDENTS MAKE IT THROUGH ESPECIALLY OUR HISPANIC MALE STUDENTS SO THEY CAN GRADUATE.
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT POST GRADUATE DEGREE OR BACHELORS DEGREE WILL GET YOU A HIGHER INCOME.
HOWEVER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL ALONE AT LEAST GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET A JOB AND MAKE SOME SORT OF LIVING.
WITH THE CTE PROGRAMS WE NOW HAVE FOR STUDENTS, STUDENTS CAN GO INTO THESE TECHNICAL EDUCATION COURSES AND GET CERTIFICATIONS AND ACTUALLY HAVE REALLY GOOD SALARIES AND CAN MAKE A LIVING FROM THESE CTE CERTIFICATIONS THAT USED TO BE LIKE YOU DON'T WANT TO DO CTE.
PEOPLE ARE MAKING SIX FIGURES AND NOT A DEGREE.
SOME OF US WITH OUR DEGREES WE'RE LIKE I THINK WE GOT THE TAIL END OF THE STICK.
WE GOT TO START PROMOTING THE CTE, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THIS TECHNOLOGY THAT A LOT OF OUR KIDS ARE ALREADY EXPOSED TO AND USED TO.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE BOOST THAT UP.
OUR HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT IS DOING A BANGUP JOB, ESPECIALLY THE DESIGN SCHOOL.
CAN'T WAIT UNTIL WE GIVE AN UPDATE ABOUT THAT IN SEPTEMBER TO TALK ABOUT THOSE EFFORTS.
THESE ARE THE FIVE SPECIFIC OVERARCHING AREAS OF FOCUS THAT HAVE SUBCATEGORIES A'S WENT THROUGH THEM.
BUT WE HAVE AWE LOT OF WORK TO DO.
I WANT TO TURN THINGS BACK TO MR. PAGE SO WE CAN GO RIGHT INTO OUR READING.
SO JUST TO UNDERSCORE THE POINT IN WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SO FAR IN THIS PRESENTATION IN TERMS OF THE PRIORITIZATION NEED FOR THE AREAS OF FOCUS AND ALSO THE ALIGNMENTMENT SOME OF WHAT WAS SHARED ABOUT THESE ARE NOT ONE YEAR INITIATIVES A LOT OF THEM.
SO THINKING ABOUT HOW OUR AREAS OF FOCUS FOR THE COMING YEAR ALIGN WITH OUR AREAS OF FOCUS FROM LAST YEAR AS WELL AS HOW THEY ALIGN WITH THE BUDGET PRIORITIES HA THE BOARD ESTABLISHED LAST YEAR.
THINKING ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN, HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT AND FOUNDATION OF EQUITY.
THAT WAS REPRESENTED IN LAST YEAR'S FOCUS.
WE CERTAIN AGAIN WITH WITHIN THIS YEAR'S AREA OF FOCUS AS WELL AS ALL THE AUDIT ACTION PLANS CONTINUING TO BE INCORPORATED INTO DEPARTMENT AND OR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLANS WHERE THAT WORK IS REALLY DELINEATED OUT IN TERMS OF STEPS AND MEASURES AND THE PROGRESS MADE THERE.
AND THEN ALSO FROM THE BUDGET PRIORITIES FROM LAST YEAR , THE PREK TO 2 LITERACY AND HISPANIC GRADUATION RATE.
YOU'LL SEE AREAS OF FOCUS FOR THE COMING YEAR.
RESTORATIVE PRACTICES CARRIED FORWARD IN THE REOPENING PLAN AND SEAL WORK THERE.
SULCIURE SERVICE, STAFF RETENTION ALL HIGHLIGHTED WITHIN THE STRATEGIC PLAN ACTION PLANNING.
SO SOME OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT AROUND THE HR AUDIT AND IMPLEMENTATION AND ENSURING THAT WE KNOW TO ULTIMATELY DO THIS WORK.
WE NEED TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN THE HIGH QUALITY STAFF THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE WITHIN THE SYSTEM AND CONTINUING FOCUS AROUND THE STUDENTS DISABILITIES FACILITIES AND HUMAN RESOURCES AUDIT BEING CARRIED OUT THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT.
AND THEN WANTED TO BRING THE BOARD BACK TO JUST A REFLECTION POINT IN TERMS OF THE ALIGNMENT OF THE AREAS OF FOCUS WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
HERE WE SEE LISTED OUR CORE VALUES UNDER OUR CURRENT STRATEGIC PLAN.
I WANTED TO JUST ALLOW MAYBE TWO MINUTES FOR BOARD MEMBERS TO INDIVIDUALLY
[01:00:03]
REFLECT ON HOW THE AREAS OF FOCUS FOR THE COMING SCHOOL YEAR ARE LIVING THESE CORE VALUES.HOW ARE WE WELCOMING? HOW ARE WE EMPOWERING? HOW ARE WE INNOVATIVE IN THE AREAS OF FOCUS AND WE'LL GIVE TWO MINUTE FOR INDIVIDUAL REFLECTION AND OPEN UTILITY COMMISSION UP FOR A COUPLE OF COMMENTS IN TERMS OF WHAT EMERGE FOR MEMBERS ON HOW THEY REFLECTED ON THE AREAS OF FOCUS ARE LIVING OUR CORE VALUES.
IN THINKING ABOUT THESE CORE VALUES, IN THE INTEREST OF TIME IF WE HAVE ONE BOARD MEMBER TO SHARE.
IF YOU TALK QUICKLY ABOUT WHAT EMERGED FOR YOU.
I THINK I'M ON A WHAT/HOW KIND OF THING THIS EVENING.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT I LOOKED AT A LOT OVER THE LAST YEAR BECAUSE I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ONE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
I REALLY FEEL LIKE THE FIRST TWO BULLETS POINTS ARE WHAT WE WANT TO BE.
AND THE FOLLOWING THREE BULLET POINTS ARE HOW WE GET THERE.
SO THAT WAS ME LOOKING AT THESE AGAIN AFTER TAKING A BREAK FROM THEM AND SEEING THEM IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WAY.
BUT I THINK -- I WAS REALLY STRUCK BY THAT.
THAT IF WE CAN USE THE TOOLS IF WE CAN BE EQUITY FOCUSED, IF WE CAN BE INNO RATE ISIVE AND BE RESULTS DRIVEN, THEN THAT IS HOW WE WILL BE EMPOWERING TO OUR STUDENTS.
AND A PLACE THAT INSPIRES EACH STUDENT AND STAFF MEMBER TO THRIVE TO THEIR BEST ABILITIES, IF WE'RE REALLY DOING THAT, WHAT A WELCOMING PLACE TO BE.
AS WE BEGIN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN FROM A DECISION MAKING PROCESS, WE WILL BE REVISITING THESE CORE VALUES IN OUR DECISION MAKING PROCESSES BOTH AS LEADERS AND GOVERNING BODY TO ENSURE THAT THE DECISIONS WE'RE MAKE WILLING ALIGNED WITH THESE CORE VALUES AND WE'RE TRULY LIVING THEM THROUGH THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE.
SO WITH THAT I'M GOING TO TURN IT BACK OVER TO DR. HUTCHINGS.
>> I WISH WE HAD LIKE A DRUM ROLL.
I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT ONE OF OUR AREAS OF FOCUS WHICH IS OUR RENAMING PROCESS.
I HAD A CHARGE FROM THE BOARD IN JULY TO BRING TO THE BOARD A DRAFT TIME LINE FOR PROCESS FOR ENGAGEMENT PROCESS FOR RENAMING TC WILLIAMS. WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS ALSO TO CONSIDER USING THIS SAME PROCESS FOR RENAMING MATTHEW MOORY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS WELL.
I'M GOING TO RUN YOU THROUGH THIS.
BEFORE I DO I HAVE A FEW WORDS TO SAY.
THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND WHY SHOULD WE WAIT AND WHY DID WE NOT CHANGE THE NAME NOW, LET'S JUST GET IT DONE RIGHT.
AND I THINK THAT THE BOARD, YOU ALL MADE A VERY CLEAR STATEMENT AROUND THE FACT
[01:05:08]
THAT THE NAME WAS NOT ALIGNED WITH OUR CORE VALUES, WAS NOT ALIGNED WITH OUR MISSION, OUR VISION, AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT RACIAL EQUITY IS AND E AND WILL BE THE HEART OF OUR WORK MOVING FORWARD.I THINK YOU WERE VERY EXPLICIT ABOUT THAT.
WHAT I'M HOPING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO IS ALLOW FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO BE EDUCATED AROUND WHO THOMAS WILLIAMS IS, ALLOW FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED AND HOW THAT MAKES THEM FEEL.
AND THEN ALLOW FOR THE BOARD TO TAKE THAT INFORMATION SO THAT THEY ARE HEARING THE VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY TO ACTUALLY MAKE A DECISION AROUND WHETHER WE ARE CHANGING THE NAME.
I THINK IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE VERY EXPLICIT ABOUT THIS.
I'VE ASKED FOR OUR TWO STUDENT BOARD REPRESENTATIVES TO SPEAK TODAY.
THE REASON WHY I'VE ASKED FOR THEM TO SPEAK.
ONE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO YOUNG LADIES WHO HAPPEN TO BE BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS IN ALEXANDRIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I THINK WHAT WE HAVE DUNN IS WE HAVE NOT ALLOWED FOR OUR STUDENTS OF COLOR TO HAVE A VOICE IN THIS DISCUSSION.
I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SEE ALL THE ERIC MAILS FROM OUR STUDENTS OF COLOR.
I'VE NOT BEEN IN A SPACE TO TALK TO OUR STUDENTS OF COLOR ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THEM.
WE HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF EMAILS ABOUT THIS.
I THINK IF WE'RE GOING TO REALLY HEAR SOME VOICE, I BELIEVE THIS IS THE TIME FOR TO US HEAR THE VOICES OF OUR STUDENTS OF COLOR.
IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR FROM OUR WHITE STUDENT BECAUSE WE DO.
THAT IS HOW ANYTHING HAPPENED FROM THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
IT TOOK EVERYBODY COMING TOGETHER TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO MISINTERPRET WHAT I'M SAYING RIGHT NOW.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT OUR BLACK AND BROWN VOICES HAVE BEEN UNHEARD SINCE THE MOMENT TC WILLIAMS THE SCHOOL OPENED IN 1965.
NO ONE HAS LISTENED TO THAT VOICE.
HOW DARE US NOW ALLOW FOR THOSE VOICES TO CONTINUE TO BE QUIET.
WE NEED TO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EMPOWERMENT, WE NEED TO BRING THEM TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE AND SAY SPEAK AND TELL US HOW THAT MAKES YOU FEEL AS A PERSON OF COLOR WALKING INTO THIS BUILDING EVERY DAY KNOWING THIS MAN DID NOT WANT YOU IN HIS SCHOOL.
THAT IS THE VOICES THAT WE NEED TO BE LISTENING TO.
I WANT TO START BY ASKING FOR MRS. JOHNSON TO START OFF WITH SOME WORDS AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO TO MRS. ASHLEY TO SPEAK ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE.
I'M GOING TO TURN THINGS OVER TO YOU FOR A MOMENT TO GIVE YOU THE FLOOR TO SPEAK.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORDS FOR TODAY.
FOR ME AND MANY OTHER STUDENTS STARTING THE SCHOOL YEAR WITH THE CLIMATE OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD, I'VE BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT RENAMING OUR HIGH SCHOOL SINCE LAST YEAR WHEN I WROTE A PAPER ABOUT A SIMILAR ISSUE.
IN MY DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASS, MY TEACHER TOLD US THAT MOST IF NOT ALL OF THE STREETS AROUND ALEXANDRIA ARE ACTUALLY NAMED AFTER CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS.
AND MY TEACHER WANTED US TO WRITE A PAPER ABOUT DEFENDING OUR POSITION ON IF WE SHOULD RENAME THE STREETS OR NOT.
MY VICE PRESIDENT OF THE STUDENT UNION IMMEDIATELY CAME ON AND SAID NONE OF THESE STREETS SHOULD BE NAMED AFTER ANY OF THESE PEOPLE WHO FOUGHT TO KEEP SLAVERY IN AMERICA AND THESE CONFEDERATES HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH VIRGINIA, LET ALONE ALEXANDRIA EXCEPT FOR ROBERT E.
AND MY PARENT AND I DEBATED OVER THIS MATTER FOR A WHILE.
AND THEIR POINT WAS THAT YOU CAN'T ERASE HISTORY AND WE HAVE TO KNOW THE HISTORY BEFORE WE CAN CHANGE IT.
WE HAVE TO KNOW THE HISTORY TO CHANGE HISTORY.
SO YES THEY WERE TERRIBLE PEOPLE.
THEY WANTED SLAVERY AND RACIAL DISCRIMINATION.
BUT VIRG WAS A CONFEDERATE STATE.
WE CAN -- WE CAN'T CHANGE THAT HISTORY.
BUT WE CAN CHANGE THE STORY AND RIGHT THE WRONGS OF HISTORY.
I BELIEVE MY CLASS IS GOING TO BECOME THE CHANGE THAT RIGHTS THESE WRONGS.
[01:10:04]
BY FILLING STREET NAMES WITH CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS THEY MADE SURE THE ALEXANDRIA WOULD BE FOUNDED ON CONFEDERATE IDEALS.SAME WITH NAMING THE HIGH SCHOOL, WE CONTINUE TO PERP PATE HIS IDEALS OF SEGREGATION AND SYSTEMIC RACISM.
WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR HIGH SCHOOL NOW, WE ARE ARGUABLY THE MOST DIVERSE HIGH SCHOOL IN THE COMMON WEALTH RIGHT NOW.
75% OF TITANS ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR.
AND WE HAVE THREE WOMEN OF COLOR WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
WE HAVE TWO YOUNG WOMEN HO ARE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES AT THE SCHOOL BOARD AND WOMEN OF COLOR WHO HOLD EXECUTIVE POSITIONS IN CENTRAL OFFICE.
AND ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT WE HAVE A BLACK MAN WHO HOLDS THE SAME POSITION THAT THOMAS CHAMBLISS ONCE DID.
I ASSURE YOU HE'S ROLLING OVER IN HIS GRADE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF WHO THE TITANS HAVE BECOME TODAY.
WHEN TITANS OF THIS GENERATION, WHEN WE SEE INJUSTICES, MY CLASSES AND THE CLASSES BEFORE ME AND EVERYBODY WHO IS IN SCHOOL THIS YEAR, WE ORGANIZE AND WE MARCH AND WE SPEAK OUT BEGINS RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND WE SPEAK OUT AGAINSTING IS REAGGREGATION THAT WE FIND IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
WHILE OUR HALLWAYS AN CAFETERIAS MAY LOOK DIVERSE OUR CLASSROOMS ARE NOT THAT WAY.
IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT ADVANCED COURSES YOU SEE DIVERSITY ALL BUT DISAPPEARS.
IT'S EVIDENT IN OUR TAG PROGRAM.
MR. PAGE WHEN HE WAS TALKING EARLIER ABOUT THE DATA FOR THE TAG PROGRAMS, BLACK AND HISPANIC STUDENTS MAKE UP MOST OF THE POPULATION IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, YET 50% IF NOT LESS OF THE STUDENTS ARE NOT -- ARE ONLY IN THE TAG PRANCE.
LESS THAN 15% ARE IN THE TAG PROGRAMS. THAT IS NOT OK.
SEGREGATION IS EVIDENT IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL HAS A BLACK POPULATION OF 7070% AND 44% BUT THE OTHER MIDDLE SCHOOL IS 33% WHITE.
AS YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE A LOT OF WRONGS TO RIGHT BUT WE NAMING THE SCHOOL IS THE FIRST SYMBOLIC COMMITMENT TO CORRECT THE NARRATIVE OF ALEXANDRIA.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE PROCESS OF HOW WE SHOULD GO ABOUT RENAMING THE SCHOOLS, MY PRINCIPAL ONCE TOLD ME THAT IT TAKES HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REBRAND A HIGH SCHOOL.
AND UNDERSTAND THAT IS MONEY TAKEN AWAY FROM OUR CLASSROOMS AND RESOURCES THAT WE NEED IN EDUCATION.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WANT THE NAME TAKEN DOWN IMMEDIATELY.
BUT WITH THAT MUCH MONEY AT STAKE, WE HAVE TO GET THIS RIGHT.
I THINK THAT THE NAME I THINK BEFORE THE NAME IS TAKEN DOWN, WE NEED TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WHAT ARE WE GOING TO NAME THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL? WE NEED TO AT LEAST LOOK LIKE A UNITED FRONT TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT THAT AT LEAST.
ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD NAME THE HIGH SCHOOL.
NOW LET ME SAY I UNDERSTAND -- I STAND WITH MY PEERS AND CLASSMATES ALL THE WAY ABOUT WHEN WE STARTED THIS CONVERSATION OF RENAMING THE HIGH SCHOOL.
AND I EVEN STAND BEHIND THE TARING OF THE MARQUEE.
BUT I ASK PEOPLE TO DO IS RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS NOT A DAY-TO-DAY PLATFORM FOR STUDENTS OF COLOR TO SPEAK ABOUT EVERY SINGLE ISSUE.
THAT I BELIEVE WHITE ALLYSHIP IS GREAT TO HAVE.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENT IN THE MOVEMENT.
BUT THE STUDENTS OF COLOR SHOULD BE ON THE FRONT LINES DOING THAT WORK.
TO BE ON THE FRONT LINE, THIS IS OUR FIGHT TO FIGHT.
DR. HUTCHINGS TELLS THE STORY ABOUT HOW HE HAD TO FIGHT TO GET HIMSELF IN THESE HONORS CLASSES BECAUSE HIS TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS DIDN'T FIGHT FOR HIM TO BE IN HONORS CLASSES.
WHO DID FIGHT FOR HIM WAS THE STUDENTS OF COLOR WHO SIGNED THAT PETITION AND HIS WHITE COUNTERPART STUDENTS WHO FOUGHT BESIDE HIM TO SIGN THE PETITION, THEY FOUGHT BESIDE HIM TO GET HIM IN THOSE CLASSES.
THAT IS HOW OUR MESSAGE SHOULD BE GETTING ACROSS RIGHT NOW.
STUDENTS OF COLOR NEED TO BE LEADING THE MARCHS AND DISCUSSIONS.
AS A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE ON THIS BOARD, MY PERSONAL COMMITMENT THIS YEAR IS TO
[01:15:03]
BE THAT VOICE FOR THE UNHEARD.AND TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS OF COLOR HAVE ACCESS TO THESE PLATFORMS SO THAT THEIR VOICE IS HEARD.
WORDS OF WISDOM FROM A SENIOR EVERYBODY.
AGE AIN'T NOTHING BUT A NUMBER.
>> SO FIRST AND FOREMOST I WANTED TO SAY THAT IT'S VERY EXCITING TO SEE THAT WE'RE GOING TO COMMENCE THE RENAMING PROCESS AND THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE HAVING.
WE'RE MAKING STRIDE AND EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF SYSTEMIC RACISM AND REALLY ADDRESS WHO T.C.
WILLIAMS WAS AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE WHOLE PROCESS.
WILLIAMS BEING A PERSON THAT EMPHASIZED TO CONTINUE RACISM AND DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES WITHIN ACPS, IT'S WONDER.
TO SEE HOW GREATLY WE'VE SHIFTED THAT MIND SET AND IDEOLOGY AND JUST HOW WE'VE CREATED SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL AND JUST CENTERED ON EDUCATION AND WHAT ACPS STANDS FOR IS AROUND THE EQUITY LENS AND ABLE TO MAKE EDUCATIONAL EQUITY AT THE HEART OF EVERY DISCUSSION TO ENSURE ALL STUDENTS THE RESOURCES AND ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL.
OTHER OUR STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS ARE VERY DIVERSE AND WE'RE A SCHOOL THAT ENCOMPASSES VARIOUS DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, VARIOUS ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS.
YOU DON'T SEE THAT BECAUSE YOU SEE THE MODERN YOU DISTRICT ATTORNEY SEGREGATION IN ACADEMICS.
IT'S VERY PREVALENT ESPECIALLY IN MORE RIGOROUS COURSES.
MOST OF MY HIGH SCHOOL CAREER HAS ELK POSED TO ME TO MUCH OF THE BIASES YOU SEE.
BEING IN THOSE SPACES THERE IS A REALLY BIG DISPROPORTIONALTY IN THE POWER DYNAMICS.
I TOOK A CLASS MY JUNIOR YEAR AND I WAS THE ONLY STUDENT OF COLOR IN THE CLASS.
WE WERE HAVING CONVERSATIONS TALKING ABOUT SYSTEMIC BARRIERS.
TO BE HONEST IT WAS A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE EXPERIENCE FOR ME KNOWING FEELING LIKE I HAD TO DEFEND AN ENTIRE RACE, HAVING TO DEFEND MYSELF AND HAVING TO ADVOCATE FOR EVERYONE IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY.
WITH THAT BEING SAID YOU SEE THAT MODERN DAY SEGREGATION AND YOU REALLY SEE THE IMPOLITICS BIASES AND MICROGREGS AND YOU ARE EXPOSED TO THE LACK OF UNDERSTANDING AND EDUCATION FROM THE PART OF STUDENTS AND PART OF EDUCATORS.
PEOPLE DON'T REALLY KNOW THEY ARE BEING BIASED UNTIL YOU MAKE IT AWARE TO THEM.
WITH THAT BEING SAID EDUCATION IS JUST SO IMPORTANT AND IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO REALLY ADDRESS THOSE SYSTEMIC ISSUES AND TO REALLY TEACH PEOPLE THE LANGUAGE OF INEQUITY, TEACH PEOPLE THE LANGUAGE OF INEQUALITY AND SYSTEMIC RACISM.
THAT ALSO GOES WITH THE WHOLE RENAMING PROCESS AS WELL.
I'M A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR HAVING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT RACISM AND ABOUT MICROGUESSES AND BIASES, BECAUSE YOU NEED TO GET TO A COMMON POINT WITH PEOPLE.
YOU REALLY NEED TO CREATE A PLATFORM AND A COMMUNITY FOR PEOPLE.
I ALWAYS SAY ONCE YOU CREATE A PLATFORM FOR PEOPLE AND TRULY HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT RACISM, HAVE IF VERY DIFFICULT DISCUSSIONS WITH PEOPLE, YOU CAN TRULY CREATE A COMMUNITY THAT UNIFIES EVERYONE AND EVERYONE IS CULTURAL COMPETENT AND K ABOUT PEOPLE'S DIFFERENCES.
THE RENAMING PROCESS IS SO CRITICAL TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITH PEOPLE BEFORE WE MAKE A DECISION.
BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS NEED TO BE METHODICAL.
YOU NEED TO REALLY HEAR WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT.
ESPECIALLY WHAT STUDENTS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT.
THEY NEED TO BE CENTERED AROUND THESE DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE WE GO TO T.C.
WE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE CONSTANTLY BEING IN ACADEMIC SPACES AND WE KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE BEING AT THAT SCHOOL.
[01:20:02]
THIS MODERN DAY.SO IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE STUDENT VOICE AND HAVE THEM AMPLIFY THEIR VOICES AND CREATE A PLATFORM FOR THEM.
ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENTS OF COLOR.
WITH THE TARING, LIKE THE STUDENTS THAT WERE LEADING THE DEMONSTRATION WERE WHITE STUDENTS.
ALTHOUGH ALLYSHIP IS SO CRITICAL IN ADDRESSING THE SYSTEMIC ISSUES, YOU NEED THE VOICES OF STUDENTS OF COLOR IN THE FRONT LINE SO THEY CAN TALK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES.
BECAUSE THEY FACE THIS ON A DAILY BASIS.
JUST LIKE YOU SAID DR. HUTCHINGS, STUDENTS OF COLOR, BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY JUST CONTINUE TO FACE SYSTEMIC ISSUES.
WE CAN'T JUST FORGET ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE THERE WITH US.
WE NEED TO HEAR THE VOICES OF THE STUDENT OF COLOR SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY ARE COMING FROM AND MAKE A METHODICAL DECISION THAT BEST IF IT'S THEM AND BEST IF IT'S WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTSND WHAT WE REALLY ARE TRYING TO STRIVE FOR WITH THE EQUITY PLAN WHICH I WANT TO END SAYING EDUCATION HAS THE POWER TO DISMANTLE ALL THESE SYSTEMS. IT ALWAYS STARTS WITH EDUCATION AND HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE ABOUT THESE ISSUES.
I'M ABOUT TO GET CHOKED UP UP A LITTLE BIT.
AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO CHANGE YOUR LIVES.
I KNOW WHEN WE GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE THE PLATFORM, IT DOES ALLOW THEM TO KNOW THAT THEY DO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
JUST TO THINK BLACK AND BROWN CHILDREN, HOW I HAD TO GROW UP AND NOT BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT SEAT ALL THE TIME.
YOU HAVE SEEN A BLACK PRESIDENT.
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS YOU HAVE SEEN POSSIBLE THAT JUST EMPOWERS YOU.
AND IT WOULD BAY DISSERVICE IF WE DID NOT ALLOW FOR THE VOICES, ESPECIALLY.
WE GET ONE SHOT TO CHANGE THE NAME OF A HIGH SCHOOL.
WE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS OF COLOR VOICE ARE THE LOUDEST ONES THAT WE HEAR AND ARE MAKING THE DECISION.
SO WHEN THE HISTORY BOOK IS WRITTEN ABOUT THIS HISTORICAL MOMENT I HOPE HAPPENS IN DECEMBER OF 2020D BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS OF T.C.
WILLIAMS LED THIS JOURNEY AND THAT BECOMES THE MARK THAT IS IN THE HISTORY BOOKS.
NOT TO SAY WE DON'T NEED EVERYBODY ELSE BECAUSE WE DO.
THIS IS A ALL HANDS ON DECK COMMITMENT.
OUR BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS VOICES MATTER IN THIS PARTICULAR FIGHT.
I WANT TO JUST SAY THAT IF WE LOOK AT THIS TIME LINE AND WE LOOK AT SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, OUR GOAL WOULD BE IN SEPTEMBER THAT WE'RE DOING COMMUNITY READ INS WHERE DOUG REED WHO WAS THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK FEDERAL SCHOOLHOUSE WHICH TELLS THE HISTORY OF T.C.
WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL AND ALL OF THE SYSTEMIC RACISM AND WHERE IT STARTED AND HOW IT BEGAN FROM SPECIAL EDUCATION TO TALENTED AND GIFTED TO ALL OF THE MODERN DAY SEGREGATION THAT WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH TODAY.
HE HAS ALL OF THAT HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THAT.
LET'S HAVE THE EXPERT COME TALK TO OUR COMMUNITY SO WE CAN GET EDUCATED.
THERE ARE THINGS IN THERE I NEVER KNEW THAT I READ IN THIS BOOK.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE HIM HELPING US WITH SOME COMMUNITY READ INS.
HAVE A STUDENT LED COMMUNITY CHAT.
TWO PHENOMENAL YOUNG LADIES, THEY ARE GOING TO HELP US LEAD SOME OF THE EFFORTS WITH OTHER STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING TO BE HELPING US LEAD SOME OF THESE DISCUSSIONS IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER.
WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, REMEMBER THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY IS COMING UP.
IT IS THIS MONTH IN SEPTEMBER.
SO EVERYBODY IS WE GOT TO BE PROUD AND REMEMBER THE TITANS, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE TITANS RIGHT NOW.
COACH BOONE WHO I LOVE, HE IS THE MAN.
WE ARE HAVING THE TITANS WATCH PARTY.
MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE USING THAT TO ALSO GIVE NARRATIVES AND STORY TO WHO THOMAS CHAMBLISS WILLIAMS IS AND YES REMEMBER THE TITANS , THE DISNEY VERSION IS TALKING ABOUT HOW A FOOTBALL GAME STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BROUGHT FOLKS TOGETHER.
IT'S 2020, WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT THAT.
HOW FAR DID WE GET? THAT'S A DISCUSSION WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IN SOME OF THE COMMUNITY CHATS.
YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT DISCUSSION IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COMMUNITY CHAT N.
OCTOBER WE WANT TO CONTINUE HAVING COMMUNITY CHATS.
WE WANT TO ASK FOR THE BOARD TO ACTUALLY LEAD SOME COMMUNITY SESSIONS WHERE YOU
[01:25:02]
ARE FACILITATING WITH ANOTHER FACILITATOR BUT HAVING DIFFERENT BOARD MEMBERS SO WE'LL HAVE A TOTAL OF NINE SESSIONS WHERE BOARD MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO REALLY FACILITATE A DISCUSSION WITH WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PERSON WORKING WITH OUR BOARD MEMBERS THROUGHOUT THE CHATS BUT CONDUCTING THESE ACPS LED COMMUNITY CHATS.WHICH I THINK WILL BE PHENOMENAL AND POWERFUL.
THAT IS GOING TO GIVE YOU RAW DATA AROUND WHAT PEOPLE ARE THINKING ABOUT OUR RENAMING PROCESS.
AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE OUR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS.
WE HAVE SO MANY LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS HERE WHO CAN LEAD CHATS AND ZOOM DISCUSSIONS WHO ARE EAGER TO TALK ABOUT THIS HISTORY TAXER TALK ABOUT THOMAS CHAMBLISS WILLIAMS AND WHO HE IS AND WHAT THIS MEANS.
SO WHEN WE GET TO NOVEMBER AND PEOPLE ARE DOING COMMENTS AT OUR BOARD MEMBERS, YOU ARE HEARING PEOPLE REACT AND RESPOND TO WHAT THEY LEARNED.
WE ARE AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION.
OUR NUMBER ONE JOB IS TO TEACH AND LEARN.
OUR WAY TO DO THIS BUSINESS IS NOT TO BE LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.
I NEVER SAID I WANTED TO BE LIKE FAIRFAX.
OUR JOB IS NEVER TO BE LIKE OTHER PEOPLE.
WE'VE NEVER HAD THAT PHILOSOPHY.
LET US PAVE THE WAY AND PEOPLE BE LIKE US.
LET'S PUT OUR RENAMING PROCESS TOGETHER SO OTHER PEOPLE CAN REPLICATE WHAT WE'RE DOING TO ABOLLISH RACISM IN ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
IN DECEMBER WE HOPE THE BOARD WILL HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO SAY I'VE HEARD FROM OUR STUDENT OF COLOR, OUR STUDENTS IN GENERAL, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR LEADERS AND WE HAVE HEARD THE VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY AND WE'RE READY TO CHANGE THE NAME OF T.C.
ONCE THAT IS DONE WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE THE MONTHS OF JANUARY AND FEBRUARY TO COME UP WITH A RENAMING SELECTION PROCESS SO WE CAN GO INTO DETERMINING WHAT THAT NEW NAME OF T.C.
AND WE CAN GET INTO OUR BUDGETING AND IMPLEMENTATION BY APRIL AND JUNE SO NEXT YEAR WE'RE READY TO ROLL WITH THE NEW NAME OF THOMAS CHAMBLISS WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO THE BOARD.
I THINK WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND AND THINK IT DOES COST MONEY TO DO THIS.
THAT'S NOT A REASON TO PLOT DO IT.
WHEN YOU ARE DEALING WITH TAXPAYERS DOLLARS TO CHANGE NAMES, IF THE BOARD ALL OF A SUDDEN STARTS MAKING DECISIONS WHEN IT'S COSTING JUST TO CHANGE A NAME IS ABOUT $350,000.
WE'RE ASKING THE CITY FOR $288,000 TO BE ABLE TO OFFER CHILD CARE.
WE GOT TO KEEP THAT IN MIND THAT WE CAN'T JUST MAKE IMPULSIVE DECISIONS TOMORROW WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH TAXPAYER'S DOLLARS PERIOD.
I'M JUST -- I KNOW I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR RIGHT NOW BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT.
WE GOT TO TAKE THAT STUFF SERIOUSLY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF THOUGHTS AND SOME OF OUR MORALS ARE DIFFERENT TOO.
WE GOT DIFFERENT POLITICAL OPINIONS SOMETIMES.
I'M SURE AND PHILOSOPHICAL OPINIONS.
BUT WE GOT TO SET THAT ASIDE WHEN WE ARE ELECTED OR HIRED TO LEAD AN ORGANIZATION LIKE ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I'M HONORED TO BE A PART OF THIS TEAM AND I'M HONORED TO KNOW THAT BECAUSE I GET TO VOTE TOO, I'M HONORED TO KNOW THAT OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE TAKING THE OATH THAT YOU ALL TOOK SERIOUSLY AND THAT YOU ARE FOLLOWING PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES.
I HAVE NOTICED YOU ARE PASSIONATE.
I TALK TO EVERY ONE OF YOU AND SERVE PASSIONATE.
NOT ONE PERSON I WALK OUT SAYING THIS IS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM.
IN DOING THIS ENGAGEMENT IS GOING TO DEFINITELY LET NOT JUST US KNOW THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO BUT THE ENTIRE CITY AND ANYBODY ELSE WHO TUNES IN TO THE WORK WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS KNOW WE SHOULD NOT HAVE A NAME THOMAS CHAMBLISS WILLIAMS ON THE HIGH SCHOOL.
I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR NEXT STEPS FOR A SECOND.
OUR NEXT STEPS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE AREAS OF FOCUS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO USE THIS TO ALIGN WITH OUR SUPERINTENDENT'S EVALUATION.
MY EVALUATION SHOULD BE SET BASED ON OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND AREAS OF FOCUS SO THAT THERE IS NO QUESTION AS TO WHAT I SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON AND WHAT I SHOULD BE DOING.
I SHOULD NOT BE PULLED IN 1,000 DIRECTIONS.
[01:30:01]
THIS WILL HELP ME STAY LASER FOCUSED LIKE WE DID FOR THIS REOPENING.THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE LASER FOCUSED ON REOPENING WITH NO DISTRACTIONS.
INCORPORATING OUR AREAS OF FOCUS INTO OUR SCHOOL DEPARTMENT IMPROVEMENT PLAN IS GOING TO BE KEY.
BECAUSE DEPARTMENTS AND SCHOOLS HAVE TO BE ALIGNED WITH WHAT THEY ARE SAYING IS IMPORTANT TO ALEXANDRIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHICH FINALLY PROVIDING THE NECESSARY SUPPORTS TO OUR STAFF AS WELL AS BUILDING CAPACITY.
MR. SUAREZ TALKED ABOUT BEING AN ANTY RACIST SCHOOL DIVISION, YOU HAVE TO BUILD CAPACITY WITH YOUR STAFF.
BRING THEM IN SO THEY BELIEVE WHAT WE BELIEVE.
GOT TO MAKE SURE THEY BELIEVE.
AND WE GOT TO BE BOLD ENOUGH IF PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE THEY DON'T WORK HERE.
THAT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO BE FOCUSED ON IF THAT IS PART OF OUR CORE VALUES.
IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE WHAT WE BELIEVE, YOU CAN'T BE A PART OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WE GOT TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO STAND UP TO THAT.
I WANT TO US GO INTO OUR Q AND A.
I'M GOING TO TURN THINGS BACK OVER TO OUR CHAIR.
I KNOW THIS WAS A MORE ENGAGING PRESENTATION BECAUSE IT WAS A WORK SESSION.
TO OUR STUDENT REPS, I THINK THIS MAY BE THE SECOND TIME YOU'VE BEEN WITH US AT A MEETING.
I THINK WE MADE A REALLY GOOD DECISION.
THANKS FOR BEING WITH US THIS EVENING.
>> I'M NOT EVEN STARTING OFF WITH A QUESTION.
I HAD TO SAY SOMETHING TO THOSE TWO WONDERFUL YOUNG LADIES BECAUSE YOU BOTH REALLY GAVE ME CHILLS.
JUST LISTENING TO THE MATURITY AND THE THOUGHTFULNESS, I THINK SOMETIMES ANYBODY WHO HAS BEEN AN EDUCATOR FOR A LONG TIME, YOU START TO WONDER LIKE IS WHAT I'M DOING WORTH IT BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS SO HARD.
AND YOU GUYS JUST REALLY -- I'M TEARING UP.
YOU JUST SHOWED ME HOW WORTH IT IT IS.
AND I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M HEARING FROM YOUR VOICES IS SOMETHING THAT I FEEL VERY PASSIONATELY ABOUT AS WELL.
WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING IS THAT YOU DON'T -- I KNOW WE'RE USING THE WORD ALLIEDSHIP BUT I THINK YOU GUYS ARE SAYING YOU DON'T EVEN NEED ALLIES, WHAT YOU WANT ARE COCONSPIRATORS, THAT MEANS PEOPLE WILLING TO GET BEHIND YOU.
BECAUSE THE ASSUMPTION THAT YOU NEED WHITE PEOPLE TO BE YOUR VOICE IS ABSOLUTELY WRONG.
YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH, YOU ARE POWERFUL ENOUGH AND YOU ARE SMART ENOUGH TO SAY WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN FOR YOU.
AND I'M JUST SO PROUD TO SEE THAT.
BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
AND ANOTHER THING I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IS HAVING STUDENTS HEAR THE STORIES OF HAVING OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THE STORIES OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY RACISM IN THIS CITY, YOU KNOW AND MAYBE I'M GOING TOO FAR, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I SAW THROUGHOUT THE PLAN THAT I REALLY LIKE IS THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE WHO BELONG TO THE SECRET 7 AND DEPARTMENTAL PROGRESSIVE CLUB.
STUDENT NEED HEAR FROM THESE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED THROUGH THIS, LIVED THROUGH RACIST PRACTICES IN THE CITY FOR A LONG TIME.
BECAUSE THAT IS THOSE ARE THE -- MY SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER IS COMING OUT BUT THE CONCEPT THERE ARE PRIMARY SOURCES AND SECONDARY SOURCES.
THE BEST PRIMARY SOURCE YOU ARE GOING TO GET IS THE VOICE OF SOMEONE WHO HAS LIVED IT.
>>> I KNOW THERE ARE SO MANY MORE STUDENTS LIKE YOU AND I WANT TO SEE YOU GUYS, I WANT TO HEAR YOU GUYS.
[01:35:01]
>> ANYBODY ELSE HAVE QUESTION, COMMENT? IT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION.
>> I THINK YOU ARE SEEING LIKE JUST LIKE WAHOO.
I THINK WE'RE ALL SO EXCITED TO GET STARTED.
YOU KNOW I JUST I MEAN THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS I AM REALLY EXCITED YOU KNOW AS A HISTORY MAJOR AND A PERSON THAT WORKS IN A HISTORY MUSEUM, I LOVE THROWING HISTORY IN THE FACE OF PEOPLE AND I'M SO EXCITED THAT I GET TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WHOLE PROCESS IN WHICH THE ENTIRE CITY IS GOING TO GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF WHERE THEY LIVE BECAUSE YOU JUST LEARN SO MUCH MORE.
I'M JUST REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
>> >> THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I THINK THAT I AGREE TO OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES, I REALLY APPRECIATE HEARING YOUR VOICES AND I THINK THAT YOU REALLY HAVE MADE THE CASE FOR WHY THIS SHOULD BAY STUDENT LED PROCESS.
I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HOW THAT IS GOING TO UNFOLD.
A QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS HOW YOU SEE THE MOORY PROCESS FITTING INTO THIS SINCE THE STUDENT LED PROCESS IS HAPPENING AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, HOW DO YOU SEE THE MOORY FITTING INTO THIS?
WE WANTED TO PRESENT THE MOORY PIECE BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE GOTTEN THE PETITION.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS REPLICATE SIMILAR TO THAT TIME FRAME.
THEY ARE GOING TO BE TWO SEPARATE ENGAGEMENTS.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP THEM SEPARATE AND WORK WITH THE MOORY POPULATION IN A SIMILAR WAY TO GO THROUGH THEIR RENAMING PROCESS IS WHAT WE'RE PLANNING.
NOW THAT WE HAVE A TEMPLATE TO WORK WITH IF THE BOARD AGREES WITH THIS TIME FRAME.
WE NOW HAVE SOMETHING TO WORK WITH.
AND IT'S JUST A MATTER OF US PUTTING THAT SAME INFORMATION IN FOR THE MOORY COMMUNITY.
>> JUST THANK YOU TO OUR STUDENT REPS.
I THINK I'M STILL PROCESSING JUST HOW POWERFUL THE WORD THAT YOU HAD TODAY, JUST THE LEVEL OF COMPLEXITY THAT YOU WENT INTO IS SOMETHING AS A BOARD MEMBER I'M CONSTANTLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE EXPRESS THOSE SAME THINGS.
THIS WHOLE RENAMING ISSUE IS A SYMBOL.
ULTIMATELY IT REPRESENTS SOMETHING AS A DIVISION WE REALIZE WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE REPRESENTING US.
WE HAVE TO MOVE BEYOND THE SYMBOLS TO DO THE WORK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING.
AND THE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT WE NEED TO HAVE AND THAT NEED TO BE LED BY BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS, IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
I THINK THIS DAY IN AGE IS TOUGH FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.
BUT ESPECIALLY FOR OUR PEOPLE OF COLOR.
EVERY DAY IT'S SOMETHING NEW WE'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH.
FOR THIS REASON IF THERE EVER WAS A TIME THAT BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS NEEDED TO LEAD SOMETHING, IT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT NOW.
AND MOST OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAD NO DECISION IN WHO OUR STUDENT REPS WERE BUT WHAT A BLESSING IT WAS YOU TWO AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME.
NOW REGARDING MATTHEW MOORY, THAT WAS MY QUESTION AS WELL.
I DID WANT TO PUT ANYWAY PLUG IN THAT I THINK THERE IS A DEGREE OF NUANCE IN THE TWO DIFFERENT RENAMING CONVERSATIONS FOR THESE TWO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.
I THINK WITH T.C.S WITH, THAT IS A REGIONAL FIGURE THAT IS UNIQUE TO THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA.
I'VE GOOGLED HIS NAME MULTIPLE TIMES AND IT'S ALWAYS ALIGNED WITH T.C.
HE DOESN'T EXIST AS A PERSONA TO THE REST OF THE WORLD OUT SIDE OF
[01:40:03]
ALEXANDRIA.FOR THAT REASON IT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROCESS.
IF WE JUST CHANGE THE NAME THE NEXT DAY AND DECIDE A NEW NAME , WHAT HAVE WE AS A COMMUNITY GOTTEN FROM THAT? WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED FROM THAT.
I DO THINK THIS IS A UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCE THAT IS NOT A ROBERT E.
LEE WHO EVERYONE KNOWS AND OBVIOUSLY SYMBOL OF THE CONFEDERACY.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE REQUIRE SPECIAL ATTENTION TO.
MATTHEW MOORY ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU CAN GOOGLE HIM AND THERE IS A LOT ON HIM.
I LEARNED ABOUT HIM IN MY 10TH GRADE OCEAN TING FIBROSIS CLASS.
THERE A WHOLE OTHER SIDE TO HIM THAT PEOPLE NEED TO BE EDUCATED ON.
BUT THAT INFORMATION IS MORE READY AVAILABLE.
I'M SAYING THAT TO SAY THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THESE TWO PROCESSES SIMULTANEOUSLY, I THINK T.C.
WILLIAMS RENAMING CONVERSATION SHOULD BE AT THE FOREFRONT.
THAT IS MY PREFERENCE IF WE NEED TO ALLOCATE RESOURCES.
>> I AGREE WITH MRS. THORNTON.
AND PROBABLY YOU ARE GOING TO FIND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE AS MUCH ENGAGEMENT.
IT'S AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SO IT MIGHT BE MORE OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND TALKING TO THE PERSON WHO SUBMITTED THE PETITION, I THINK THERE IS AN INTERESTING SPIN THE WAY HISTORY IS SPUN AND SO THERE IS KIND OF A THING TO BE LEARNED THERE BECAUSE THAT EVEN THAT YOU LEARN THAT HE WAS AN OCEANOGRAPHER.
JUST A FEW YEARS AGO THEY WERE SING A SONG THAT HAD MATTHEW MAURY IN IT.
I DIDN'T KNOW HIS FIRST NAME AND I WENT TO THE SCHOOL.
THERE WAS SOME PERIOD OF TIME NOT THAT LONG AGO THAT HE WAS SOMEWHAT ELEVATED AND IT WAS THE WHOLE HISTORY OF ELEVATING PEOPLE WHO SEEMED MORE INTELLECTUAL AND THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO MAKE HIM BETTER.
THERE WAS A LITTLE CONVERSATION THERE.
IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE -- I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO BE AS EXHAUSTIVE AS THE ONE FOR T.
>> AND I WANT TO DITTO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE HEART FELT COMMENTS OF THE STUDENT REPS.
AND EVERYTHING THEY GO THROUGH.
I DO ALSO WANT TO THANK DR. HUTCHINGS FOR REMINDING FOLKS ABOUT WHAT THE BOARD DID DO WITH THE VOTE IN TERMS OF 9-0 CONDEMNING THIS NAME.
I THINK WHOLE BOARD IS IN UNIVERSAL AGREEMENT THAT THIS NAME IS TROUBLING AND NEEDS TO COME OFF OUR HIGH SCHOOL.
THIS IS WHY WE NEED TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS TO DO THAT.
AND I ALSO DO WANT TO HAVING HEARD THE STUDENT REPS AND HAVING SPOKEN TO STUDENTS, I DO WANT TO ADDRESS ONE THING WE'VE HEARD IN THE COMMUNITY WHICH IS THIS NOTION THAT I DON'T THINK ANYONE ON THE BOARD THINKS THIS NAME IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD STAY BECAUSE OF THE CONCERNS, LACK OF ALIGNMENT OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND ALL THE ISSUES WE'VE IDENTIFIED.
I WANT TO SAY WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES TODAY IS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE EMPOWERED BY THIS PROCESS.
THEY ARE GOING TO BE EMBOLDENED TO TAKE REAL ACTION THAT IS GOING TO HAVE IMPACT ON THE SCHOOL DIVISION FOR YEARS TO COME.
I DID NOT HEAR THE VOICES OF TWO STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES WHO ARE GOING TO BE TRAUMATIZED FOR THE SEMESTER AS A RESULT OF THIS PROCESS.
THAT IS BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THE BOARD HAS CONDEMNED THIS NAME WITH ONE VOICE.
AND THEY ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE EMPOWERED THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
I REALLY APPRECIATED THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE IN THAT REGARD.
I DO WANT TO ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THE ISSUES THOUGH I THINK THE BOARD NEEDS TO GRAPPLE WITH GOING FORWARD ON THIS ISSUE.
ONE IS AND I THINK IT'S BEEN TOUCHED ON WITH THE MAURY DISCUSSION A LITTLE BIT WITH REGARD TO OUR POLICIES.
THERE IS A GAP IN OUR POLICY RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF WHAT THE BOARD DOES WHEN THERE IS
[01:45:12]
A NAME THAT IS TROUBLING.LIKE WHAT DO WE DO TO SORT OF CONDEMN A NAME OR RESCIND A NAME.
THAT IS WHY THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION IN THE COMMUNITY AROUND THAT ISSUE.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR THE BOARD TO AT SOME POINT AND MAYBE IT GOES WITH THIS EQUITY POLICY AUDIT THAT DR. HUTCHINGS SPOKE ABOUT, WHAT DOES THIS POLICY LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD AND HOW DO WE ADJUST THE POLICY SO WE CAN ACCOUNT FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR AND ALSO THINK GOING FORWARD ACT WHAT THIS RENAMING POLICY SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
I THINK THE RENAMING POLICY AS WRITTEN REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT A SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE PRESENT A NEW NAME AND THEN THEY WANT TO AFFIRMATIVELY PUSH FOR THAT NAME AND DIDN'T THINK ABOUT A SCENARIO WHERE COMMUNITY MEMBERS MIGHT WANT TO RESCIND A NAME.
I THINK SOME OF THE POINTS THAT MRS. THORNTON MADE ABOUT JUXTAPOSITIONING MAURY AGAINST T.C.
DO WE NEED AS MUCH TIME TO TALK ABOUT MAURY AS WE DO WITH THE T.C.
GIVEN THAT MAYBE OUR BROADER COMMUNITY DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE NUANCES OF T.C.
SOMETHING WE WANT TO THINK ABOUT.
AND FINALLY I DO WANT TO SORT OF ADDRESS THE 500-POUND ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM WHICH IS THIS ISSUE OF TIMING THAT HAS COME UP IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH REGARD TO THE PROCESS.
BEFORE I ASK MY QUESTION ABOUT THIS, I DO WANT TO VALIDATE THE FACT THAT THIS IS A REALLY THOUGHTFUL DOCUMENT.
I THINK IT HAS REALLY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE RELEVANT ACTORS IN OUR CONSTITUENCY WHOSE VOICES NEED TO BE HEARD.
I AGREE 100% THAT WE NEED TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY ON THESE ISSUES AND FRANKLY HAVE THE REALLY DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO MAKE PEOPLE UNCOMFORTABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO I REALLY AM GRATEFUL FOR JUST THE THOUGHT THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS PROCESS AND THE THOUGHT THAT HAS GONE INTO REALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE HEAR FROM AS BROAD OF A CONSTITUENCY AS POSSIBLE.
I DO ALSO WANT TO VALIDATE THAT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE FRUSTRATE AND FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD JUST STRIP THE NAME IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE WE'VE MORALLY CONDEMNED THE NAME AND IT IS A TROUBLING NAME.
AND I GET WHERE THAT COMES FROM.
I UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS THAT FRUSTRATION.
BUT I ALSO DO THINK THAT AND FRANKLY SOME OF THOSE VOICES THAT MAY HARBOR THE VIEWS OF KEEPING THE NAME, THERE MAY BE SOME TROUBLING VIEWS BEHIND THAT.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE GO THROUGH A PROCESS THAT DOES ALLOW OUR BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS TO BE HEARD, ALLOWS THE STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING TO BE FUTURE LEADERS IN THIS HIGH SCHOOL TO SORT OF EXPRESS THEIR VALUES AS IT RELATES TO THE FUTURE OF THE HIGH SCHOOL.
IN TERMS OF TIMING, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS THE FOLLOWING.
THE DATE FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD VOTE RIGHT NOW IS PROPOSED FOR DECEMBER.
AND SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD IN THE COMMUNITY INCLUDING CONVERSATIONS WITH STUDENTS HAVE NOTED THAT THE EASIER DECISION PERHAPS MAYBE TO REMOVE THE NAME OF T.C.
WILLIAMS. AND THE MORE DIFFICULT DECISION ACTUALLY MAYBE THINKING WHAT THE NEW NAME IS.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BAKING IN ENOUGH TIME TO HAVE ALL OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO HAVE SO THAT ASSUMING WE DO MAKE A FINAL DECISION IN MARCH WE'RE ABLE TO GET EVERYTHING DONE.
I'M THINKING ABOUT THIS IN TERMS OF LOOKING BOTH AT OUR BACKWARD LOOKING HISTORY AND AS A COMMUNITY GRAPPLING WITH THE ISSUES OF TC WILLIAMS AND THE RACIST ACTIONS THAT HE TOOK AND ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH HIM.
BUT ALSO THINKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO ENGAGE OUR STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY ON OUR HISTORY MORE BROADLY TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THE NEW NAME MIGHT BE.
I WANT TO BE BOTH BACKWARD LOOKING IN TERMS OF SAYING WE NEED TO CONDEMN THIS NAME
[01:50:04]
BUT I WANT TO BE TOWARD LOOKING IN WHAT DOES FUTURE LOOK LIKE FOR ALEXANDRIA AND HOW DO WE DO THAT ENGAGEMENT AS WELL.I'M CURIOUS WHAT YOUR RATIONAL IS BEHIND DECEMBER.
IF THAT IS STILL YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE IN THAT REGARD.
ONCE THE BOARD SAYS WE HAVE TO OPEN SCHOOL SEPTEMBER 9.
WE HAVE TO PROVIDE SOME OF THE FACILITIES TRAINING THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT SEPTEMBER IS WHEN THIS PROCESS THAT'S WHY THE TIME LINE.
SEPTEMBER THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PIECE BEGINS NOT AUGUST.
I THINK THAT THE ONLY WIGGLE ROOM THAT I BELIEVE IS GOING TO BE FEASIBLE IS IF THE BOARD DID NOT WANT TO USE THE ENTIRE MONTH OF NOVEMBER AS A PUBLIC COMMENT TIME.
YOU MAY CHOOSE TO DO A ONE DAY.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD WOULD HAVE TO DETERMINE.
BUT THE BOARD COULD CHOOSE TO HAVE A SHORT WINDOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WE GAVE THE FLEXIBILITY OF THE ENTIRE MONTH OF NOVEMBER FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS AND DECEMBER FOR DECISION OR VOTE BY THE BOARD.
SO I THINK THAT IS WHERE THE FLEXIBILITY REALLY COMES IN.
WE ARE GOING TO NEED SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER PERIOD TO DO THE REBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT WE'RE PLANNING BECAUSE IT IS GOING TO REQUIRE US TO WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS AND THINGS THAT WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO TODAY.
WE DON'T WANT TO TACKLE RIGHT WHEN SCHOOL STARTS EITHER.
WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING TRAINING WITH THEM THE WEEK AFTER SCHOOL STARTS TO START THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS.
>> JUST AS A FOLLOWUP TO, THAT I'M THINKING ABOUT THIS SOMEWHAT IN TERMS OF EFFICIENCY AS WELL.
AND DO YOU FEEL LIKE THAT YOU'LL HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO SORT OF FIGURE OUT THE LIST OF POTENTIAL NEW NAMES AND VET THAT AND HAVE HISTORICAL CONVERSATIONS AROUND THAT AND GET THAT READY BY MARCH IF THE VOTE WERE IN DECEMBER.
PART OF THE QUESTION IS PRACTICAL TOO.
THINKING ABOUT HOW ARE WE ANTICIPATING THAT SECOND HALF OF THE PROCESS DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE PROCESS.
YOU'LL SEE IN THE TIME LINE WE HAVE A BUFFER TOWARDS THE END OF THAT TIME FRAME.
WE PUT MARCH TIME FOR THE BOARD TO ACTUALLY MAKE A DECISION ABOUT THE RENAMING OR NEW NAME.
YOU'LL SEE TO BE DETERMINED AS WE GET INTO INTO THE IMPLEMENTATION TYPE PHASE.
WE HAVE WIGGLE ROOM TO PUSH THAT OUT FURTHER IF NEEDED SO THAT WE CAN MOVE THAT INTO IT MIGHT BE APRIL OR MAY DEPENDING ON HOW THINGS GO.
I THINK THAT BECAUSE THERE IS SO MANY UNCERTAINTIES RIGHT NOW EVEN WITH KIND OF LIKE AFTER QUARTER ONE, WE WANT TO ALLOW OURSELVES TO GET A DEFINITIVE ON A VOTE.
>> THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THIS DISCUSSION.
I'M SO HAPPY WITH WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT IN THE RENAMING ISSUE.
I WANT TO SAY I'M SO PROUD OF ALSO OF OUR STUDENT REPS.
I'M GLAD I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT CRIES ON ZOOM CALLS ABOUT OUR STUDENT REPS.
THANK YOU FOR NOT MAKING ME THE ONLY ONE.
WE NEED TO HEAR YOUR VOICE BECAUSE EVERYTHING WE DO IS ABOUT YOU.
I'M GOING TO CHIME IN AND WHAT MR. SWAY RAISE SAID AND THE PLAN VERY THOUGHTFUL, DETAILED AND I SEE A LOT OF WORK WENT INTO IT.
I'M WONDERING IF WE'LL LOSE PEOPLE THROUGHOUT PROCESS.
SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT POTENTIALLY WE COULD CUT SOME THINGS DOWN IN
[01:55:04]
NOVEMBER.BUT I TRULY WORRY ABOUT LIKE I'M ALREADY TIRED OF TALKING ABOUT THIS AND I'M SURE OTHER PEOPLE ARE.
I'M JUST BEING HONEST ABOUT THAT.
WE'VE HAD A LOT ON OUR PLATES WITH THIS.
LIKE WE'VE SAID, LIKE THE BOARD HAS SAID WE HAVE A LOT ON OUR PLATE AND LOTS THAT WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON AND WANT TO STRATEGICALLY FOCUS ON CERTAIN THINGS MORE THAN OTHERS.
I JUST WORRY THAT THERE IS TOO MUCH INCLUDED.
KIND OF FEELS LIKE A THREE CREDIT COLLEGE COURSE TO ME WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO THIS PLAN.
BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WAY TOO MUCH IN MY OPINION.
AND JUST YOUR THOUGHTS ON WILL WE LOSE PEOPLE IN THE PROCESS? WILL THEY BE TIRED OF LEARNING ABOUT THOMAS CHAMBLISS WILLIAMS? IT'S VERY INTENSE IN MY OPINION.
I KNOW SO VERY NECESSARY BECAUSE CAN IT BE CONDENSED?
>> I THINK THAT FOR US WE'VE BEEN IMMERSED IN THIS FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE NEVER HEARD ABOUT IT.
WE HAVE TO BE VERY? TUNE TO THAT.
I EVEN HAVE ALUMNI THAT I TALK TO, SOME OF MY FRIENDS THAT HEAR THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE AND ARE JUST LEARNING YESTERDAY SOMEBODY CALLED ME.
EVERYBODY IS NOT AS EDUCATED AS WE ARE BECAUSE WE'RE IMMERSED IN IT.
IT'S SIMILAR TO WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO INFORM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT MAJOR DECISIONS.
I CLASSIFY THIS AS A MAJOR DECISION BECAUSE THERE ARE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS THAT COME ALONG WITH THIS.
THIS IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE PART OF OUR BUDGET PROCESS BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE TO BUDGET FOR THIS IN FY22.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE PUT INTO THE BUDGET.
AND ON TOP OF THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE JUGGLING.
ALL THOSE THINGS I DON'T SNOW YET.
I FEEL THAT WE DON'T WANT TO WHERE YOU SHALL WITHOUT EDUCATING PEOPLE.
THERE MIGHT BE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT IT.
THERE MIGHT BE SOME THAT DON'T KNOW.
WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE CURRICULUM.
IF YOU ALL WANT TO CHIME IN, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS IN SPEAKING WITH ASHLEY AND LORRAINE BECAUSE WE MET WITH THEM AND TALKED TO WITH THEM ABOUT THEIR ENGAGEMENT IN THE PROCESS AND THEY ARE READY TO TAKE ON THE CHARGE AND ENGAGE THE REST OF THEIR STUDENT BODY.
WE WANT TO GIVE THEM SOME TIME TO ACCLIMATE TO THE SCHOOL YEAR.
SO WE HAVE MET WITH OUR STUDENT SERVICES TEAM WHO IS GOING TO HELP US TO FACILITATE THESE DISCUSSIONS AND TO REALLY PUT THEM AT THE RIGHT TIME BASED ON STUDENT SCHEDULES.
THERE IS A LOT OF THOSE PIECES THAT WE NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT BECAUSE STUDENTS START SEPTEMBER 9.
THEY STILL HAVE TO GET ACCLIMATED TO THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR , THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT THEY'VE NEVER BEEN IN BEFORE VIRTUALLY.
I THINK ABOUT MY OWN CHILD, IT'S SO OVERWHELMING THE FIRST FEW DAYS AND WEEKS GETTING TO KNOW THEIR TEACHERS AND FRIEND.
>>> IMAGE THAN IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT.
WE WANT TO GIVE THEM TIME TO ACCLIMATE IN THE PROCESS.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO ALSO GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY AS MENTIONED MANY OF THE GROUPS THAT WE'RE ENGAGING WE'VE SPOKEN TO THOSE GROUPS ALREADY, THEY ARE ON BOARD.
MANY OF THE GROUPS YOU'VE SEEN, THEY ARE READY TO GO.
THEY WANT TO WORK WITH US ON DOING CHATS.
SO CERTAINLY I THINK THERE IS ALWAYS WIGGLE ROOM.
AT THE SAME TIME THERE IS SO MUCH HISTORY THERE.
THERE ARE SO MANY POLICIES AND PRACTICES.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THE I DIDN'T Y OF WHY WE'RE DOING THIS CHANGE OR IF THIS CHANGE IS GOING TO OCCUR REALLY TAKING THE TIME TO ALLOW THE COMMUNITY AND THE
[02:00:01]
STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND IT AND BE REALLY AN EXAMPLE FOR MANY OTHER SCHOOL DIVISIONS THAT WILL BE GRAPPLING WITH THIS.THIS IS NOT THE ONLY AREA THAT THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
WHY NOT BE AN EXAMPLE TO OTHERS ABOUT WHY THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TOP TICK TAKE ON AND THIS ALIGNS WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AS A FIRST STEP OF HOW TO COMBAT THE RACIAL INEQUITIES.
I KNOW IT SEEMS LIKE EQUITIES AS THEY CALL IT.
IT'S A GREAT TIME TO GIVE THE STUDENTS TIME TO SETTLE IN AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO START ON SEPTEMBER 9.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO DO THAT AND THEN HOW MANY OF THOSE CHATS WE DO WITH STUDENTS, HOW MANY WE DO WITH THE COMMUNITY.
THE DRAFT WE GAVE YOU IS OUR BEST ESTIMATE AT THIS POINT ON HOW WE CAN ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY AND REALLY EDUCATE BUT AT THE SAME TIME THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENT.
BUT I THINK THAT WE REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF BEING ABLE TO GIVE TIME TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY IN A VERY APPROPRIATE WAY AND TO GIVE VOICES TO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED, PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED TODAY AND IN THE PAST.
THAT IS KIND OF WHERE THE THINKING WAS BEHIND THIS PLAN.
BRINGING IT OUT TO NOVEMBER DEFINITELY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT A VOTE WAS MADE BEFORE OUR BUDGETING PROCESS IS COMPLETED AND SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT DR. ROUGHINGS COULD ACCOUNT FOR.
OUR TEAM BECAUSE WE ARE ENGAGEMENT WARRIORS WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE HAD THE TIME TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THIS PROCESS AND UNDERSTAND THE WHY.
I WOULD SAY TOO THAT FIRST OF ALL LORRAINE AND ASHLEY, YOU GUYS ARE WONDERFUL.
TALK ABOUT HAVING TWO AMAZING TITANS , THE RIGHT ONE TONS BOARD AT THE RIGHT TIME REPRESENTING STUDENT VOICE.
THANK YOU LADIES, ARGUE MAZING.
I WOULD ALSO SAY YOU HAD DONE SOMETHING ABOUT THE STUDENT EDGE GAUGEMENT PIECE ABOUT KIDS MAY NOT EVEN KNOW.
WHEN I WAS APPLYING TO BE PRINCIPAL OF T.C.
WILLIAMS A FEW YEARS AGO, AFTER SPENDING FIVE YEARS AT MOUNT VERNON.
WALKING INTO MY INTERVIEW AND ON MY PHONE GOOGLING WHAT DOES T.C.
I HOPE THEY DON'T ASK SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
ALSO YOU MENTIONED REMEMBER THE TITANS AND DECADE OLD MOVIE NOW.
WE DEFINITELY HAVE A GOOD PORTION OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION WHO DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT MOVIE.
THEY'VE NOT CONNECTED WITH IT.
AND I THINK THAT THE ENGAGEMENT PIECE IF YOU THINK OF SOMETHING AS ICONIC AS THAT AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR AND WHAT OUR PURPOSE IS WHICH IS EDUCATING.
THERE IS NO BETTER REAL EXAMPLE FOR OUR STUDENTS LIKE LOE RAIN AND ASHLEY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO WALK INTO A HIGH SCHOOL WITH A NAME ON IT THAT IT CURRENTLY HAS.
>> >> I JUST WANTED TO ADD ON TO HOW STUDENTS ABOUT HOW STUDENTS WILL KEEP ENGAGING AND EVERYTHING.
I TALKED TO DR. HUTCHINGS AND MANY OTHER EDUCATORS ABOUT IT TOO.
THE WAY THAT I THINK ABOUT STUDENT ENGAGEMENT WHEN IT COMES TO THIS RENAMING PROCESS, I THINK OF IT LIKE WATCHING A TV SHOW.
SOMETIMES THE STUDENTS WILL SKIP A FEW EPISODE.
THEY WON'T WATCH A CERTAIN SCHOOL BOARD MEETING THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE RENAMING OF THE SCHOOLS, THEY WON'T WATCH EVERYTHING, OTHER STUDENTS THAT WILL NOT BE A PART OF THE PROCESS AT ALL.
AND JUST WAIT UNTIL THEY MAKE A DECISION AT THE END ON WHAT THEY WANT ON WHAT THE DECISION WAS TO RENAME THE SCHOOL.
I THINK WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT STUDENTS, I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD IT'S PROBABLY EASIER TO THINK ABOUT IT LIKE THAT.
I KNOW THAT IS HOW I REALLY UNDERSTOOD THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
IT'S LIKE ALSO WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT REMEMBER THE TITANS, I THINK HOW THE FOOTBALL PLAYERS HOW THEY WERE REALLY FIGHTING FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS TO BE ON
[02:05:01]
TO BE AT THIS SCHOOL AND BE -- I THINK THIS IS THE SEQUEL FOR ALEXANDRIA DA AND FOR OUR GENERATION THIS IS HOW WE -- THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE FIGHTING FOR.I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE A HELPFUL WAY TO THINK OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT FOR THIS PROCESS AS A TV SHOW.
NOT PEOPLE WATCHING THE WHOLE THING.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE THERE WEEK AFTER WEEK BEING A PART OF THIS PROCESS AND THEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST WAITING FOR THE BING AND WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR.
I THINK THAT IT'S BETTER TO LOOK AT IT LIKE THAT.
I ALSO WANTED TO MY COMMENT ARE DIRECTED AT OUR TWO STUDENT REPS.
I BELIEVE BOTH EXPRESSED THE SENT MEANT THAT IS MY SENT MEANT WHICH IS IT WILL BE RENAMING THE SCHOOL IS SYMBOLIC AND IMPORTANT BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH.
AND THE REASON I LIKE THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT HAVING A LONGER PERIOD TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY IS IT'S NOT THAT WE JUST HAVE TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT MR. T.C.
WILLIAMS. WE HAVE SO MUCH WORK TO DO.
IT WILL BE MEANINGLESS IF WE RENAME T.C.
WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL AND WE DON'T MAKE SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT BOTH STUDENT REFERRED TO IN THE DISCUSSION.
MRS. JOHNSON MENTIONED THE STATISTICS OF THE SEGREGATION IF OUR SCHOOLS.
AND IT'S RELATED TO NEIGHBORHOODS ETC. BUT THE NATION HAS BECOME A RESEGREGATED SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND WE HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT HOW FAR WE WANT TO GO TO CORRECT SOME OF THAT.
AND SOME OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE SYSTEMIC RACISM THAT HAS FORCED PEOPLE TO BUY HOUSES WHERE THEY BUY HOUSES ETC. BUT MY MAIN PINT WAS TO ASK THE TWO OF YOU IF YOU WANT TO RESPOND, I THINK I HEARD THAT CORRECTLY.
I THINK YOU WERE ON THE ONE HAND EXCITED ABOUT THE NAME CHANGE BUT ON THE OTHER HAND WANTING IT TO BE SOMETHING MORE PROFOUND HA WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE WORKING ON.
>> YOU WERE LOOKING FOR THEIR THOUGHTS ON IT?
IF THEY WANT TO SAY YES I WAS SAYING THAT OR NO OR WHATEVER.
THAT WAS KIND OF LIKE WHOLE -- WHAT MY PURPOSE OF STATING WHAT I SAID.
I JUST FILE LIKE IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND REALLY GET TO THE ROOT CAUSE OF MANY OF THE SYSTEMIC ISSUES.
LIKE YOU SAID, I FEEL LIKE IT WOULD BE MEANINGLESS TO CHANGE THE NAME OF T.C.
WITHOUT HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS FIRST.
BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT WE HAVE LEFT UNSAID WITHIN ACPS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
IT'S HONESTLY A PROBLEM TO BE FRANK.
CLASSES, YOU CAN FEEL THE TENSION IN THE CLASS.
YOU FEEL THAT STUDENTS REALLY DON'T GET ALONG WITH EACH OTHER.
YOU EVEN EXPERIENCE THE BIAS THAT STUDENTS HAVE AND JUST THE FACT THAT THEY DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE COMING FROM OR YOUR EXPERIENCES.
WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
WE NEED TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS TO HAVE IMPACT IN THE WAY WE MOVE FORWARD.
>> DID YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING?
>> I THINK THAT YOU ARE RIGHT.
THAT'S WHAT MY WHOLE SPEECH THING WAS SAYING THAT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO -- I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT STUDENT ENGAGEMENT THAT STUDENTS HAVE A VOICE IN ALL OF THIS.
[02:10:02]
BUT ALSO SOMETIMES STUDENT HAVING STUDENTS SAY EVERYTHING, THINGS COULD GET KIND OF IRRATIONAL.THAT'S WHY WE NEED ADULTS AND EDUCATORS TO KIND OF SAY THIS IS GOING TO BE THE PLAN.
WE'RE GOING TO GET ALL OF YOUR DEMANDS IN BUT THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.
YEAH, THAT IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
>> IT'S TIME TO BE MORE STRATEGIC AND THINK HARDER ABOUT BEING BETTER AT ENGAGING THOSE FAMILIES WHO ARE ALSO MARGINALIZED.
I THINK THAT IS JUST ANOTHER THOUGHT THAT I'M THROWING OUT THERE AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN REALLY WORK ON AS A PART OF THIS PROCESS.
BECAUSE THAT IS ANOTHER VOICE WE TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES THAT COME WITH THAT.
120 LANGUAGES, 100 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES IF I GOT THOSE NUMBERS MIXED UP I'M SORRY.
THE POINT IS THAT THAT IS A LOT OF WORK.
>> I GUESS I WANT TO SAY THAT THAT CALL REALLY CHALLENGED ME BECAUSE I SHARE THE PASSION ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
WHERE I LANDED AT THE END OF THE DAY.
MR. JOHNSON TALKED ABOUT THIS CONCERN THAT I CERTAINLY HAVE WHICH IS WE'RE LIVING AT A TIME IN AMERICAN HISTORY WHERE CIVILITY AND FAIRNESS AND THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS IS BEING CHALLENGED.
AND SO I THINK THAT WE REALLY HAVE TO PROCESS IS JUST REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND HAVING A FAIR PROCESS AND REALLY ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE SO MANY TIMES PEOPLE FIND OUT ABOUT THESE DECISIONS AFTER THE FACT.
AND FEEL CHEATED WHEREVER THEY STAND ON THE ISSUE.
I WANT TO SAY THAT I DO -- I DID LAND ON BELIEVING THAT A COMMUNITY DISCUSSION IS IMPORTANT.
I THINK THAT WHAT THE TIME LINE LOOKS LIKE IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE CAN NEGOTIATE ABOUT.
AND I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION THAT IS HAPPENED ABOUT THE TIME LINE.
IT DID SEEM DEFINITELY ELABORATE TO ME WHEN I FIRST SAW IT.
BUT I THINK THAT OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES REALLY MADE THE CASE FOR THE VALUE OF HAVING A STUDENT LED PROCESS.
I THINK IF WE CAN USE THESE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DRAW PEOPLE IN AND FURTHER OUR OTHER RACIAL EQUITY WORK WE'RE TRYING TO DO THAT IS GREAT.
THE LAST THING I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT WITH REGARDS TO THE TIME LINE IS I LOVED WHEN MRS. JOHNSON SAID THIS COULD BE A SEQUEL TO REMEMBER THE TITANS.
WHAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT WAS THIS CLASS OF 2021 THAT IS GOING TO GRADUATE HAVING
[02:15:03]
GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS.AND WHAT IS THE NAME? AND ARE WE THINKING ABOUT LOOKING AT YOUR TIME LINE IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD GO INTO EFFECT IN THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
AND I'M WONDERING IF WE CAN MAKE THE NAME CHANGE, THIS IS SOMETHING MAYBE THE STUDENTS WANT TO WEIGH IN ON THROUGH THE PROCESS.
WE WANT THE CLASS OF 2021 TO HAVE A NEW NAME ON THEIR DIPLOMA AT THE END OF THIS PROCESS.
THINKING ABOUT GETTING TO A NEW NAME TIME THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO KIND OF EMBRACE THAT TOO BEFORE THEIR GRADUATION.
>> IS THAT JUST FOR LATER? IS THAT FOR LATER DO YOU THINK?
>> I THINK IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR TO US ANSWER SOMETHING LIKE THAT TODAY.
I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS A QUESTION.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE MAKING REMARKS FOR US TO PONDER.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT.
WE WILL HAVE TO DIG A LITTLE DEEPER.
IF WE CHOOSE TO CHANGE THE NAME WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE NAME OFFICIALLY THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
THERE IS A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWERS TO OFF THE CUFF LIKE THAT.
WE WILL HAVE TO INVESTIGATE THAT TO KNOW HOW DOES THAT PROCESS WORK ONCE WE MAKE A DECISION AND ACTUALLY CHANGE IT SO WE CAN SHOW ON A TRANSCRIPT OR A DIPLOMA.
I SEE MRS. JOHNSON HAS HER HAND UP.
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT I KNOW THAT ME AND MY PEERS WERE ALSO THINKING OF.
IF WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE IF WE HAVE T.C.
WILLIAMS AS THE NAME ON OUR DIPLOMA OR IF WE GET THE NEW NAME.
I THINK FOR ME I THINK THAT MY CLASS, WE'VE BEEN THE LAST TO HAVE EVERYTHING.
WHEN THEY MADE FIFTH GRADERS NOT BE ABLE TO DO SOL'S ANYMORE, WE WERE THE LAST CLASS THAT HAD TO TAKE THE WRITING SOL.
WE WERE LIKE WHY COULDN'T THEY DO IT EARLIER.
THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO THE WRITING SOL IN EIGHTH GRADE.
THIS HAPPENS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
I THINK THAT THAT IS A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
I THINK THAT I HONESTLY THINK IT WOULD BE FINE EITHER WAY.
WILLIAMS, PEOPLE WILL LOOK AT OUR DIPLOMA AND SEE THERE IS A STORY BEHIND IT.
MY CLASS, THE NEXT YEAR, MY CLASS, WE MADE THIS HAPPEN.
WE WERE ABLE TO CHANGE THE NAME.
AND IF WE GET THE NEW NAME, THEN THAT'S ALSO THE SAME STORY.
THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT THEY GOT TO NAME HIGH SCHOOL THIS.
I THINK THAT IT'S CONVERSATION FOR LATER.
BUT I THINK IT'S OK EITHER WAY.
IT WILL STILL BE THE SAME STORY.
SO WE HAVE I WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE WE STILL HAVE POLICIES TO DISCUSS AFTER THIS.
BUT ALSO I'VE -- I'M WONDERING IF DR. HUTCHINGS IS THIS THE LAST TIME BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TOGETHER.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT A REPORT ABOUT UPDATE ON THE REOPENING?
I WILL GIVE A LITTLE REPORT ON OUR REOPENING.
SEPTEMBER 8 WE WILL BE OPENING VIRTUALLY TO 16,000 PLUS STUDENTS IN ALEXANDRIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WE ARE FIRED UP AND READY TO GO.
TODAY WE STARTED OFF WITH STAFF.
THEY ARE BACK AND WORKING VIRTUALLY OF COURSE.
[02:20:23]
BUT THEY ARE STILL WORKING.OUR MAJOR COMPONENT TO PRIOR TO SCHOOL STARTING IS TO BUILD SOME CAPACITY WITH OUR EDUCATORS BECAUSE WE DID NOT AS I SAID EARLIER, WE DIDN'T GO TO SCHOOL TO LEARN HOW TO TEACH ONLINE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STAFF, THEY ARE EQUIPPED TO BE ABLE TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS NEED, OUR TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT, CANVAS CAMP THAT STARTED TODAY AND IT'S ALSO TOMORROW.
[02:25:08]
NEXT WEEK WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING OVER OUR COMMON CURRICULUM AND COMMON PACING OF OUR CURRICULUM WITH OUR STAFF SO THAT EVERYONE IS IN TUNE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE NO MATTER WHAT SCHOOL YOU ARE AT, NO MATTER WHAT TEACHER YOU HAVE THAT WE'RE MOVING AT THE SAME PACE AND MAKE AGO JUDGMENTS BECAUSE SOME KIDS STILL NEED SOME SORT OF ACCELERATION OR ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS.MAKING SURE AS A DIVISION WE'RE MOVING AT THE SAME PACE.
THEN WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE HAVING OUR STUDENTS ARRIVE VIRTUALLY ON SEPTEMBER 8.
THIS WEEK OR THE END OF THIS WEEK WE'RE GOING TO BE SENDING OUT OUR SCHEDULES TO OUR FAMILIES SO THEY SHOULD HOPEFULLY GET THEM BY NEXT WEEK.
WE'VE HAD VIDEOS THAT WERE JUST RELEASED RECENTLY THAT PROVIDE OUR FAMILIES WITH AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE SERVICES LOOK LIKE FROM ELEMENTARY PERSPECTIVE OR MIDDLE SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE OR HIGH SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE FROM A STUDENT WITH SPECIAL NEED TO STUDENT WHO ARE ENGLISH LEARNERS AND ENSURING THAT OUR FAMILIES KNOW WHAT THEIR CHILD'S DAY WILL BE LIKE.
WE ARE ADD MEANT ABOUT THE FACT THAT KIDS ARE NOT GOING TO BE SITTING ON A COMPUTER FROM 8:00 UNTIL 3:00 EVERY SINGLE DAY.
[2. Policy Revisions Reflecting COVID-19 Public Health Protocols and Distance Learning Guidance for SY 2020-2021 (Documents to be uploaded on 8/24/2020)]
I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR THAT TOO.I DON'T WANT MY OWN CHILDREN SITTING IN FRONT EVER A COMPUTER ALL DAY LONG.
ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY DON'T HAVE CLASS GLASSES RIGHT NOW.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ALLOWING STUDENTS TO HAVE THE MOVEMENT BREAKS AND THEY ARE ALSO HAVING OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK IN SMALL GROUPS AND NOT WHOLE GROUP ALL THE TIME.
[02:30:05]
AND HAVE THAT ONE ON ONE INSTRUCTION.MANY OF OUR STUDENTS WILL NEED THROUGHOUT THIS VIRTUAL PROCESS.
AND THEN FINALLY EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THE SERVICES FOR OUR FAMILIES.
WE'LL RELEASE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS FRIDAY TO OUR COMMUNITY.
RIGHT NOW WE ALREADY HAVE MANY VIRTUAL PLUS PARTNERS ALREADY ESTABLISHED AND THESE ARE FROM FREE SERVICES TO SERVICES PROVIDED ON A SLIDING SCALE TO OUR FAMILIES BASED ON INCOME.
WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOUR PARTICULAR FINANCIAL CIRCUMSTANCE IS, BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE GUIDELINES AND WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE STAFFING AND PROVIDE THESE SERVICES TO OUR STUDENTS.
THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE POSSIBLE FOR US.
WE COULDN'T OPEN SCHOOL BECAUSE WE CAN'T SERVICE 16,000 KID.
THAT IS WHY WE'RE VIRTUAL PLUS THIS FALL.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT WILL BE RELEASED AS WELL.
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.
IT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE FIRST DAYS FOR AALL SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COMMON WEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
I KNOW OUR TEAM IS PREPARED AND READY TORULAE.
SEEING OUR STAFF AND TALKING TO THEM AFTER COMING BACK FROM SUMMER BREAK, THAT THEY ARE ALSO FIRED UP AND READY TO PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS WITH QUALITY EDUCATION.
>> EVERYBODY -- I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I COULD USE JUST A LITTLE BREAK.
DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING?
>> DO I BUT I HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING TOO.
I WANTED TO SEE IF DR. HUTCHINGS WOULD.
>> INTRODUCE DR. SIMS SO WE CAN WELCOME HIM.
>> SHE WAS HAPPY WHEN YOU WERE SELECTED TO BE A PART OF OUR TEAM.
>> I KNOW YOUR BREAK IS IMPORTANT.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING KNOW SAY HELLO TO ALL OF YOU.
THIS IS SUCH AN EXCITING TIME FOR ME.
I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER STARTED IN A PLACE AND RECEIVED SO MANY WARM WELCOMES FROM PEOPLE I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO MEET.
IT SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT WHAT IT'S LIKE TO COME BE A PART OF THE ACPS FAMILY.
[02:35:11]
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO ALSO BEING A PART OF SUCH A HISTORIC TIME IN A DISTRICT THAT IS TAKEN SERIOUSLY EQUITY FOR ALL STUDENTS, CREATING ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS AND THE CONVERSATION THAT JUST TOOK PLACE AND I THINK I JUST HAD TO TELL DR. 47-TENNESSEE STUDENTS WERE FIREARM.I HAD NO OTHER WAY TO EXPLAIN.
WHEN YOU SEE THAT KIND OF PROMISE IN A DISTRICT AND STRATEGIC THINKING TO HELP ELEVATE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL STUDENTS LIKE THAT, IT'S JUST A GREAT PLACE TO BE.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING KNOW SAY HELLO.
THANK YOU TO THE BOARD FOR ALLOWING ME TO JOIN.
I REALLY AM LOOKING FORWARD TO ME EXPERIENCE HERE.
SO 7:38 WE CAN MEET BACK HERE.
>> AGAIN THIS IS NOT NEW BUT WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSCORE IT AND THAT IS THIS YEAR COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TEACHERS AND FAMILIES REGARDING GRADES IS GOING TO BE VITAL.
COMMUNICATION WILL HAPPEN CONSISTENTLY, REGULARLY.
THE GRADES ARE POSTED EVERY TWO WEEKS AND POWER SCHOOL.
IF YOU LOOK ON PAGE 3 OF THE REGULATION, THIS IS NOT COVERED RELATED, BUT WE REALIZE THAT WE HAD OMITTED IN THE PAST THE FACT THAT AT THE TC WILLIAMS SATELLITE CAMPUS AND ON ONLINE COURSES SOME OF THE GRADES WERE CALCULATED DIFFERENTLY THAN OUR STANDARD RATE CALCULATION AND WE WANTED TO DIFFERENTIATE THAT.
THEN WE CAN MOVE ON TO -- ACTUALLY, THIS IS THE POINT WHERE I WAS GOING TO PAUSE AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ASSESSMENT OR GRADING.
>> MY QUESTION IS FOR DOCTOR HUTCHINGS, HOW ARE THESE CHANGES COMMUNICATED DOWN TO ALL THE TEACHERS? WILL THEY UNDERSTAND THE EXPECTATIONS? ESPECIALLY FOR EXAMPLE WILL THERE WERE INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS THAT HAVE A PATTERN OF WORK.
HOW IS IT COMMUNICATED TO TEACHERS THE POLICY AND HOW ARE THEY SUPPORTED IN ACCOMPLISHING THAT?
>> SO A PART OF OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING WEEK, WE HAVE A SESSION THAT GOES OVER POLICIES FOR THE YEARS.
THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE WANTED TO GET THIS DONE TODAY SO THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH OUR STAFF SOME OF THE UPDATED POLICIES AN REVISIONS.
BUT TYPICALLY, IT ALWAYS HAPPENS.
IT JUST SO HAPPENS WE HAVE COVID-19 BUT THAT IS THE TIMEFRAME THAT PRINCIPLES SHARE WITH ALL STAFF SOME OF THE POLICY CHANGES.
>> I DO NOT SEE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
SO NOW WE ARE COMING TO POLICY JAE, WHICH IS COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE.
THEREFORE THIS POLICY, I SHOULD SAY THE CHANGES IN THE POLICY ARE STATUTORY, BY AND LARGE.
BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, OBVIOUSLY, ATTENDANCE IS GOING TO BE A HOT TOPIC AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN CREATIVE TO FIGURE OUT SOLUTIONS TO FOR THIS YEAR.
THE STATE HAS PROVIDED GUIDANCE BECAUSE COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE AND RECORDING OF
[02:40:01]
ATTENDANCE IS NOT -- THIS YEAR.WE WILL TAKE ATTENDANCE EVERY DAY.
THE CHANGES YOU SEE IN THIS POLICY, PRIMARILY REFLECT THE AMENDMENT OF VIRGINIA CODE 22.1 €" 254 AND 22.1-277.2.
THE REASON THAT THESE ARE IMPORTANT, IF YOU SCROLL DOWN TO WHERE YOU SEE THE FIRST BLUE TEXT UNDER COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE, THE DEFINITION OF ATTEND HAS BEEN CHANGED IN 22.1-254 AND ALSO REITERATED IN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S MEMO EARLIER THIS YEAR.
BUT THE FACT THAT STATUTORILY THE DEFINITION OF ATTEND WAS CHANGED IS ESPECIALLY RELEVANT FOR US THIS YEAR BECAUSE YOU WILL SEE IT INCLUDES OFF-SITE PROGRAMS, REMOTE LEARNING, IF YOU ARE ATTENDING NOT JUST INSIDE A SCHOOL BUILDING, YOU ARE STILL CONSIDERED ATTENDING.
THE OTHER CHANGE TO THAT DEFINITION WAS THERE WAS ACTUALLY A LAWSUIT AND THE LANGUAGE CHANGED RIGHT ABOUT THAT.
A CHANGE FROM SENDING TO CAUSING TO ATTEND.
PARENTS ARE NO LONGER RESPONSIBLE FOR MERELY SENDING THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL BUT THEY MUST CAUSE THEM TO ATTEND.
THOSE ARE REALLY THE MAIN POINTS I WANTED TO COVER THAT POLICY.
WE CAN MOVE TO JAB WHICH IS ANOTHER POLICY ABOUT ATTENDANCE.
THIS ONE SPECIFIES HOW WE HANDLE ABSENCES AND DISMISSALS.
THE LAST ONE COVERED THE LEGAL OBLIGATION FOR STUDENTS TO ATTEND SCHOOL.
SO AS I MENTIONED, THERE IS NO WAIVER ON RECORDING ATTENDANCE THIS YEAR.
AND SO, WE ARE GOING TO ESTABLISH PROCEDURES FOR HOW THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
I'M SURE THERE WILL BE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON THIS.
I KNOW MR. SAMPSON AND MISS RUMPLE HAVE BEEN HARD AT WORK AT FAQS AND STAFF HAS BEEN TALKING THIS THROUGH.
BUT I ALSO DID WANT TO MENTION THE OTHER CHANGES YOU WILL SEE REFLECTED HERE ARE STATUTORY CHANGES.
THERE WERE CHANGES NOT ONLY TO CODE SECTIONS REGARDING EXCUSED ABSENCES, UNEXCUSED ABSENCES, SOME OF THE TIMING OF THE INTERVENTION BUT ALSO CHANGES TO STANDARDS OF ACCREDITATION.
SO PRIMARILY WHAT YOU SEE IS THE VIRGINIA ADMINISTRATIVE CODE.
ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT ON THE FIRST PAGE, IN THE CENTER OF THE PAGES WHERE IT SAYS THAT WE WILL NOW ESTABLISH PROCEDURES FOR INTERVENTION WHEN A STUDENT ENGAGES IN A PATTERN OF ABSENCES FOR LESS THAN A FULL DAY.
THAT IS NOW A NEW REQUIREMENT IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE FOR US TO SPELL OUT WHAT THAT INTERVENTION LOOKS LIKE.
SO YOU WILL SEE THAT IN THE REGULATION THAT WE WILL VIEW IN JUST A MOMENT.
ON THE SECOND PAGE OF THIS POLICY, YOU SEE PRIMARILY TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS TO CLARIFY.
IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH THAT THE ATTENDANCE OFFICE OR DESIGNEE IS PERMITTED TO FILE OFFICIAL COURT DOCUMENTS, OFFICIAL STATE FORMS WITH THE COURT REGARDING PETITIONS OF NON-ATTENDANCE.
THERE WAS A LAWSUIT THAT CLAIMS THAT ATTENDANCE OFFICERS WHO WERE DOING THIS WERE ENGAGING IN THE UNLICENSED PRACTICE OF LAW.
THIS IS A TECHNICAL CORRECTION, JUST TO CLARIFY THAT.
UNDER SECTION 2, UNDER 22.1 €" 258, THEY -- IT IS NO MADE MORE CLEAR THAT WHENEVER A STUDENT FAILS TO REPORT TO SCHOOL, THE PARENT IS NOTIFIED EACH DAY.
IF THE KID MISSES BEING ON ZOOM, WOULD YOU CONSIDER THAT AS BEING OUT OF CLASS?
>> ASPECT SO IF THE KID DOES IT FIVE TIMES STRAIGHT, IT GETS REPORTED TO THE TRUANCY OFFICER, SHOULD BE, RIGHT? OKAY? AND THE TRUANCY OFFICER GOES AND VISITS THE HOUSE RIGHT? IT DOES NOT MATTER WHETHER YOU ARE SIX OR 16 YEARS OLD, RIGHT? CALL THE TRUANCY OFFICER.
THE TRUANCY OFFICER KNOCKS ON YOUR DOOR.
>> I THINK HE IS OFF MUTE IS HAVING ANOTHER CONVERSATION ON ANOTHER PHONE.
DR. WILKINS, BELIEVE YOUR ZOOM IS NOT MUTED.
I WAS NOT SURE IF THAT WAS FOR ME.
IT SOUNDS LIKE HE WAS ASKING ME SO I WAS TRYING TO SEE IF THAT WAS FOR ME.
BUT IT IS A GOOD QUESTION AND ONE THAT I WILL ANSWER WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE
[02:45:01]
REGULATION.>> AS YOU CONSIDER HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THEIR WATCHING A VIDEO.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY RELEVANT TO WHAT WE DISCUSSED AND YOU WILL SEE IT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED.
AND PROBABLY MORE INTERESTING CONVERSATION THAT I'M REVIEWING AT THE MOMENT.
WE WILL GET TO THAT IN A MOMENT.
PARENTS WILL BE NOTIFIED EACH DAY WITH A ROBO CALL THAT THE STUDENT WAS ABSENT.
AND WHAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT FOR THIS SECTION, FOR THIS YEAR IS WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE FOR THIS YEAR? SO WE TALKED IT THROUGH AND GIVEN THAT ATTENDANCE IS GOING TO BE TAKEN THROUGHOUT THE DAY, IT IS GOING TO BE TAKEN IN EACH CLASS.
AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, IT WILL BE TAKEN BY THE HOMEROOM TEACHER AND THEN I BELIEVE ALSO BY THE SPECIAL TEACHERS BUT IT WILL BE TAKEN PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY GIVEN THAT AND ESPECIALLY THE DETAILS ON WHICH I'M GOING TO COVER IN THE REGULATION OF HOW WE ARE GOING TO TAKE ATTENDANCE, WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IS THAT ROBO CALLS WILL GO OUT EACH EVENING TO GIVE TEACHERS TIME TO MAKE SURE THEIR ATTENDANCE IS UP TO DATE AND TO ACCOUNT FOR THE FULL DAY OF RECORDING WHETHER OR NOT THE STUDENT ATTENDED.
THESE ARE TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENTS TO THE SCHEDULING THE PROCESS OF INTERVENTION MEETINGS.
NO MAJOR CHANGES THEY ARE, JUST SOME CHANGES IN THE LANGUAGE.
AND THEN ON PAGE 4, ANOTHER TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENT, REALLY A CHANGE IN VIRGINIA CODE 46.2-323.
REGARDING THE LANGUAGE OF IF YOU HAVE AT LEAST 10 ABSENCES, THE PRINCIPAL NOTIFIED THE DOMESTIC RELATIONS COURT WHICH MAY TAKE ACTION TO SUSPEND YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE.
LET'S MOVE ON TO THE REGULATION BECAUSE EVERYONE IS INTERESTED IN THESE QUESTIONS.
HOW IS THIS CAN WORK THIS YEAR? SO ATTENDANCE RECORDING FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
AGAIN, I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT ATTENDANCE WILL BE TAKEN FIVE DAYS A WEEK IN EVERY CLASS REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT TEACHING AND LEARNING OCCURS SYNCHRONOUSLY OR ASYNCHRONOUSLY.
NOW, ONE OF THE TERMS OF HEART THAT WE HAVE CREATED THAT'S PARTICULARLY RELATIVE HERE IS THAT ATTENDANCE IS BEING RECORDED TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS A MEANINGFUL INTERACTION HAPPENING WITH THE STUDENTS EACH DAY REGARDLESS OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS A TWO-WAY ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN STUDENT AND STAFF THAT ALLOWS INPUT FROM THE STUDENT.
THAT IS A TERM OF ART DEFINED BY THE STATE FOR THIS YEAR, BUT THE POINT IS WE NEED TO ENSURE THE WELL-BEING BY CONNECTING WITH THEM EVERY SINGLE DAY WHETHER IT IS SYNCHRONOUSLY OR ASYNCHRONOUSLY.
THIS IS ALIGNED WITH THE RETURN TO SCHOOL PLAN.
THERE IS A SUPERINTENDENT MEMO SPECIFICALLY ON THIS.
YOU WILL SEE THE REFERENCE TO IT AT THE END OF THIS REGULATION.
HOW IS THIS GOING TO WORK? HOW IS THIS GOING TO WORK FOR THIS YEAR? ATTENDANCE IS GOING TO BE RECORDED IN POWER SCHOOL.
TEACHERS ARE GOING TO TAKE ATTENDANCE AND RECORDED AND IF IT IS A SYNCHRONOUS SESSION, IT IS GOING TO BE -- THE GOING TO MAKE THE RECORD OF WHO WAS ON ZOOM AND WHO WASN'T.
IF IT WAS A SYNCHRONOUS LEARNING, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS THAT THEY CAN RECORD ATTENDANCE THIS YEAR.
IT CAN BE LOGGING INTO CLEVER AND WORKING ON ASSIGNMENTS.
IT CAN BE SUBMITTING AN ASSIGNMENT.
IT CAN BE IN COMMUNICATION BY TELEPHONE OR EMAIL BETWEEN THE STUDENT AND THE TEACHER.
THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN DOCUMENT PARTICIPATION FOR THAT DAY AND SPECIFIC GUIDANCE FOR EXACTLY THE SITUATION.
SOMETHING THAT IS ENSURING A MEANINGFUL INTERACTION AND ENSURING THAT THE STUDENT IS ENGAGING IN THEIR LEARNING, THEIR EDUCATION ON THOSE ASYNCHRONOUS DAYS.
NOW, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT SOME SPECIFIC ATTENDANCE MODIFICATIONS MAY BE MADE FOR STUDENTS WITH 5047 IEP'S.
I NOTE THAT MS. WARNER IS ON THE LINE AND IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
AGAIN, PARENTS WILL RECEIVE A DAILY ROBOCALL IN THE EVENING AFTER STUDENT MISSED ANY CLASSES THAT DAY AND FOR PARENTS, AND THIS GOES TO DR. WILKINS, A VERY PRESSING QUESTION, AND THAT IS IF A STUDENT CANNOT LOG ON, IF A STUDENT HAS A TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY, IF YOU MISS YOUR ZOOM IS IT AN UNEXCUSED ABSENCE?
[02:50:02]
WELL, THE ANSWER IS YES.HOWEVER, JUST LIKE IN SCHOOL -- IN A SCHOOL SETTING WHILE WE ARE IN PERSON -- I SHOULD SAY PARENTS OR GUARDIANS HAVE THREE DAYS TO CALL THE ATTENDANCE LINE AND SAY MY SON OR DAUGHTER COULD NOT LOGON, THEY COULD NOT MAKE THE CLASS HERE'S WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND THAT UNEXCUSED ABSENCE WILL BE CONVERTED.
SO IT'S THE SAME PROCESS IN A TRADITIONAL SCHOOL YEAR.
WE OBVIOUSLY RECOGNIZE SOME TECHNICAL ISSUES ARE GOING TO COME UP, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE GOT TO BE KEEPING TRACK OF WHO IS ENGAGED, WHO IS ENGAGED IN THEIR LEARNING AND IF WE ARE NOT KEEPING ATTENDANCE AND KEEPING TRACK OF THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE STUDENT, THEN THE STUDENTS ARE GOING TO FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.
IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY WHO NEEDS EXTRA SUPPORT, HOW I NOT PARTICIPATING, WE'VE GOT TO TAKE ATTENDANCE, BESIDES THE FACT THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO SO BY THE STATE.
THE FINAL BULLET ON PAGE 1, WE WANTED TO UNDERSCORE THAT THERE WILL ABSOLUTELY BE INTERVENTION WILL WE SEE A PATTERN OF REPEATED ABSENCES TO REPORT THE STUDENTS AND FIND THE KIDS WHO ARE -- WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE LEARNING LAW AND WE DO NOT WANT ANY STUDENT FALLING TO THE CRACKS.
ON PAGE 8, THIS IS WHERE THE NEW REQUIREMENT IS FOR THE VIRGINIA ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, THIS IS WHERE WE ARE REQUIRED NOW, AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE 8, TO SPELL OUT WHAT OUR SUPPORTS ARE IF THE STUDENT ENGAGES IN UNEXCUSE ABSENCES FOR LESS THAN A FULL DAY.
AS YOU KNOW, THE STUDENT IS OFFICIALLY ABSENT AS FAR AS OUR RECORDING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE STATE IF THEY ARE ABSENT FOR A FULL DAY.
BUT WE ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO DETAIL OUR SUPPORTED THE STUDENT MISSES LESS THAN A FULL DAY.
SO YOU WILL SEE IT INCLUDES CONFERENCES, DEVELOPMENT OF A PLAN TO REMOVE THE BARRIERS.
WHY IS THE STUDENT MISSING CLASS? AND WE WANT TO GET THE PARENTS OR GUARDIANS AND SUPPORT TEAMS TOGETHER.
AND OF COURSE, THE LAST STEP WOULD BE TO INVOLVE COURT SERVICES.
THE LAST REGULATION I HAVE TO REVIEW BEFORE WE PAUSE FOR QUESTIONS IS J OF C-R THAT'S THE STANDARD OF STUDENT CONDUCT.
ALL I WANTED TO SAY ABOUT THIS -- THIS IS JUST FOR TRANSPARENCY SAKE, IT'S JUST TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT STUDENT SERVICES IS WORKING ON AN ADDENDUM TO THE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR THE YEAR IN RECOGNITION OF THE IMPACT OF THE DISTANCE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME CHANGES TO THE EXPECTATIONS AND ALTHOUGH THOSE HAVE NOT BEEN POSTED ON THE WEBSITE YET, THERE STILL BEING DEVELOPED, I'M SURE THEY WILL BE BY THE BEGINNING OF SCHOOL BUT THIS IS JUST FOR ANYONE THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE YEAR WHO PULSES DOCUMENT TYPE ONLINE TO REVIEW THE CODE OF CONDUCT NOTES THAT THERE ARE SPECIFIC CHANGES FOR THIS YEAR ONLY.
THIS IS A GOOD TIME FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT ATTENDANCE.
THANK YOU FOR GOING THROUGH ALL OF THESE POLICIES.
I AM THINKING BACK TO POLICY JE A, WHICH STATUTORILY, WE NOW HAVE TO SAY THAT PARENTS MUST CAUSE LIKE THEIR CHILDREN TO ATTEND RATHER THAN SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO A PUBLIC SCHOOL.
CAN YOU DEFINE FOR US WHY IT IS NOW CAUSE.
I'M THINKING IN A DISTANCE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT? WHAT IS THAT MEAN? DO THEY HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR KID -- NEVER MONITOR WHAT THEIR CHILD LIKES ON EVERY DAY OR NOT? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN STATUTORILY, BECAUSE? AND SECONDLY, I'M THINKING ABOUT BASICALLY, WE ARE PUTTING THE ONUS ON THE PARENTS TO COMMUNICATE WITH US, TO LET US KNOW WHY THE KID WAS ABSENT THAT DAY AND WHETHER OR NOT IT SHOULD BE EXCUSED OR NOT.
A LOT OF THESE PARENTS, AS WE ALL KNOW, ARE NOT GOING TO BE ONLINE EVERY DAY MONITORING PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS.
IS THERE A WAY FOR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY SECONDARY STUDENTS TO BE MORE PROACTIVE IN COMMUNICATING IF THEY HAD A TECHNOLOGICAL ISSUE AND MAYBE THAT'S WHY FOR THIS DAY THEY SHOULD HAVE AN EXCUSED ABSENCE AND NOT AN UNEXCUSED OR IS IT
[02:55:03]
STILL REALLY RELYING ON PARENTS TO DO THAT.THERE ARE SEVERAL QUESTIONS AND HOPEFULLY I WILL TOUCH ON THEM ALL.
FIRST OF ALL, ONLY BECAUSE TO ATTEND, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE THE CHANGE IN THE STATUTE, THERE WAS ALSO THE LOSS OF -- I CAN SEND YOU THAT REFERENCE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED.
BUT ESSENTIALLY, WHAT THE COURT SAID IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY CENTER LEGISLATION IS THAT -- I'M SIMPLIFYING THIS.
BUT ESSENTIALLY, WATCHING YOUR STUDENT WALK OUT THE FRONT DOOR IS NOT ENOUGH.
THERE IS A HIGHER BAR FOR PARENTS.
THEY HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT CHILDREN ARE ATTENDING SCHOOL AND THAT IS LEGALLY THERE IS POSSIBILITY, TO HELP ENSURE THAT THEIR CHIL IS ACTUALLY ATTENDING, TO SEE THEM WALK OUT THE DOOR IS NOT ENOUGH.
THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW THROUGH AND BE PART OF THE PROCESS.
AND SO YOU SEE IT LAID OUT IN THE REGULATION, A LOT OF DETAILS ABOUT CONFERENCES WITH SUPPORT TEAMS AND SCHOOL PERSONNEL AND PARENTS AND GUARDIANS AND SUCH.
BUT THE FACT IS, THE BAR WAS RAISED.
AND SO YOU SEE THAT REFLECTED ALSO IN YOUR SECOND QUESTION, WHICH IS ABOUT IS THAT THE PARENTS RESPONSIBILITY TO CALL THE SCHOOL? WELDER COULD BE INCREASED COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SECONDARY STUDENTS IN THEIR TEACHERS.
HOWEVER, IT IS JUST LIKE OUR POLICY AND ANY REGULAR YEAR, IT IS THE PARENTS WHO MUST CALL UNTIL THE SCHOOL BY THE STUDENT WAS ABSENT.
IT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR A STUDENT TO JUST SAY I WAS ABSENT IT IS NOT EXCUSED BY THE STUDENT.
SO IF YOU ARE UNDER 18, YOUR PARENTS ARE STILL LEGALLY IN CHARGE OF YOU AND THE PARENT MUST CALL THE SCHOOL.
I THINK OTHER -- EITHER MS. RUNKLE OR DOCTOR CRAWFORD MAY WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT MORE.
WE DEFINITELY HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ONUS ON PARENTS THIS YEAR IN WAYS THAT WE COULD HELP MAKE THE PROCESS SMOOTHER FOR THEM WITH THE CALLING IN TO THE ATTENDANCE LINE OR EMAILING THE SCHOOL AND SUCH.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WANT TO TAKE THIS AND RUN WITH THIS BUT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING THROUGH THE OPTIONS HERE.
YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD THERE.
WHILE WE KNOW WE ARE IN AN ATYPICAL SETTING IN ALL ASPECTS, GIVEN THAT THESE ARE MINORS, WE STILL DO NEED VERIFICATION FROM THE FAMILY IF THERE WAS -- WHETHER IT WAS AN ILLNESS OR A TECHNICAL ISSUE AT THE COMPUTER, THAT THE PARENTS OR GUARDIAN CONFIRMING THAT WAS THE CASE, TRYING TO BE FLEXIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A WINDOW INTO UPDATE THE ATTENDANT SO THAT IF IT WAS MARKED UNEXCUSED AND IT WAS AN EXCUSED ABSENCE WE CAN GET THAT IN.
THE COMMUNICATION PIECE SHOULD BE WITH THE TEACHER AND CERTAINLY ANYONE, A SOCIAL WORKER OR WHOEVER -- THE TECH SUPPORT IF THERE'S AN ISSUE.
THAT IS NOT NEW COMING TO ANYONE BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S NOT A SITUATION WHERE A STUDENT CAN SAY MY COMPUTER DIDN'T WORK.
KNOWING WE USE THIS FOR OUR STATE REPORTING AND REALLY, TRACKING WHERE THE ISSUES ARE AND HOW WE CAN SUPPORT STUDENTS WITHIN OUR FRAMEWORK AND ALL THOSE INTERVENTIONS THAT WERE MENTIONED, THAT WE HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE DATA, THE VERIFICATIONS COMING FROM PARENT OR GUARDIAN.
IF I MAY, MADAM CHAIR, JUST A FOLLOW-UP.
JUST TO CLARIFY THERE IS NO TIME REQUIREMENT IN WHICH THEY CAN CONTACT THE DIVISION TO NOTIFY THEM WHY IT SHOULD BE EXCUSED?
>> JUST LIKE IN A TRADITIONAL SCHOOL YEAR, THEY HAVE THREE DAYS.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A PHENOMENAL TASK TO TRY TO REIMAGINE THE SCHOOL DIVISION AS WELL AS FIGURE OUT WHAT POLICIES ARE ALIGNED WITH THAT.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH TO MR. SAMPSON.
WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOU IN THE DIVISION AND I LOVE SEEING MS. RUNKLE AS SCHOOL BOARD MEETING SO WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT.
YOU KNOW YOUR PRESENTATION IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES.
MY QUESTION IS, I WANT TO OVEREMPHASIZE I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE A HUGE CONCERN FOR ALL OF US, BUT IN PARTICULAR, I AM WORRIED ABOUT THE STUDENTS WHO -- THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN CHARGE OF CHILD CARE NEEDS OF YOUNGER SIBLINGS OR NEIGHBORS AND THAT WILL BE A REALITY OF WHAT WE ARE FACING AND PARENTS WILL BE FORCED TO LEAVE THEIR HOUSEHOLD.
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ACCOMMODATE FAMILIES WHERE THE ACP A STUDENT IS IN CHARGE OF TAKING CARE OF YOUNGER SIBLINGS AND HOW WILL THAT BE WORKED OUT?
I'M LOSING TRACK OF THE DAY SO I CANNOT REMEMBER IF IT WAS TODAY OR YESTERDAY, BUT
[03:00:04]
WE HAD A MEETING ABOUT THIS.I DON'T KNOW IF DOCTOR CRAWFORD OR MR. SAMPSON WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT.
WE WERE JUST TALKING THIS THROUGH.
>> I CAN JUMP IN AND MR. SAMPSON, PLEASE ADD ON.
IT'S AN OUTSTANDING QUESTION AND THERE IS NOT A SIMPLE ANSWER.
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE LOTS OF VARIABLES GOING ON THIS YEAR IN THE HOME SETTING AND IN THE WORK SETTING FOR OUR FAMILIES.
WE ARE HEARING THAT FROM THE SURVEY RESULTS BUT WERE HEARING IT FROM OUR PARTNERS AND IN THE CHILDCARE MEETINGS THAT WE ARE HAVING THAT PROVIDERS ARE ASKING WHAT WE DO? WHAT WE HAVE SAID IS NUMBER ONE, WE CANNOT WAIVE THE ATTENDANCE WHEN ASYNCHRONOUS.
THAT IS ONE OF OUR ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES.
IF THERE IS A BARRIER LIKE CHILDCARE OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, THE GOAL IS TO BE AWARE OF THAT, WORK WITH THE FAMILY.
AND PART OF THAT IS WHY THE ATTENDANCE TRACKING IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF WE ARE SEEING ABSENCES WHETHER IT IS A PERIOD OR A DAY, THAT TEACHERS ARE REACHING OUT SOCIAL WORKERS OR -- ARE ASKING PRINCIPLES WHAT'S GOING ON HOW WE WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS TO SUPPORT THE FAMILY SO THAT IF IT'S A SEVENTH-GRADE CHILD -- ASSISTING 1/7 GRADER THE SEVENTH GRADER CAN FOCUS ON THEIR LEARNING.
UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE EXPERIENCE IN THIS AREA BECAUSE THIS HAPPENS EVEN WHEN WE ARE FACE-TO-FACE THAT WE HAVE OLDER STUDENTS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR VARIOUS FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES.
WHAT WE NEED TO DO? CONSTANT COMMUNICATION.
WE NEED TO GET IN THERE EARLY AND PROVIDE SUPPORT SO THAT ANY STUDENT IN THAT HOUSE CAN ACCESS MORNING.
ONE OF THE WAYS WE CAN DETERMINE THAT IS THROUGH THIS TRACKING.
WE WOULD NOT KNOW THAT IF SOMEBODY DIDN'T HAVE TO REPORT.
WE WOULD NOT KNOW WHAT THE BARRIER WAS WE WOULD JUST THINK THE STUDENT WASN'T LOGGING ON.
I REALLY TRULY APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S HARD WORK BECAUSE WE ARE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT HER STUDENTS BUT WE RECOGNIZE THE CHALLENGES MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS HAVE SO I KNOW EVERYONE IS ON IT AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU JERRY ANDERSON AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMENT MS. NOLAN MAGE.
THAT'S A SCENARIO THAT I HAD THOUGHT ABOUT, BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ANOTHER TYPE OF SCENARIO WHICH IS ALONG SIMILAR LINES BUT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.
BEFORE I GO THROUGH THE SCENARIO I WANT TO SAY I DO APPRECIATE THAT THERE IS A RECOGNITION IN THE POLICY OF REMEDIATION OR SUPPLEMENTAL REMEDIATION IF STUDENTS ARE ABSENT IN MAKING SURE THEY WERE GOING BACK AND PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO REMEDIATE LEARNING LOSS.
THERE IS SOMETHING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT IS THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN THE ATTENDANCE POLICY AND REMEDIATION.
I DO WORRY THAT A LOT OF THESE POLICIES AS CONSTRUCTED AND FRANKLY, THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK ARE PUNITIVE AND I AM A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT THE VAGUENESS OF THIS CAUSE TO ATTEND SCHOOL.
AND I'M THINKING ABOUT THE ISSUES WITH TECHNOLOGY THAT WAS EMPHASIZING AT THE LAST MEETING.
I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE STUDENTS WHO -- COMCAST IS NOT TURNING ON THEIR INTERNET OR THEIR CHROME BOOK IS BUSTED AND THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS SCHOOL AND AT THAT POINT, GOES BACK TO WHAT I SAID LAST TIME, I FEEL LIKE WE ARE GRADING STUDENTS AND HOLDING THEM LEGALLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR TRUANCY.
I THINK WE HAVE TO ASSUME MORE OF THAT RESPONSIBILITY AND BURDEN AND I ALMOST WONDER IF WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT IS THERE A CATEGORY O ABSENCES THAT ARE NOT JUST EXCUSED, BUT ARE FALSE SUCH THAT WE NEED TO REMEDIATE THAT? LIKE WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT AND I THINK ABOUT THIS IN TERMS OF -- IN SPECIAL EDUCATION IF YOU'RE NOT PROVIDING THE SERVICES HAVE TO PROVIDE COMPENSATORY EDUCATION AS A MATTER OF LAW.
I ALMOST WONDER FOR NOT DOING WHAT WE DO TO ENSURE THAT CERTAIN KIDS MAY BE UNREPRESENTED OR NOT HAVE ALL THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO ACCESS SCHOOL, THEN SHOULD WE BE ASSUMING A BURDEN IN THAT PARTICULAR INSTANCE? AND SHOULD WE BE TRACKING THAT AND THEN PROVIDING REMEDIATION PROPORTIONATE TO THOSE ABSENCES? I THINK ABOUT SITUATIONS WHERE WHEN I WAS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL AND THE BUS WAS THREE HOURS LATE AND I GOT TO SCHOOL THREE HOURS LATE.
THAT WAS AN EXCUSED ABSENCE, BUT THAT WAS THREE HOURS OF LEARNING LOSS.
HERE THAT MIGHT NOT HAPPEN ON A RANDOM DAY.
AND I'M HOPING NONE OF THESE SCENARIOS COME TO PASS AM CONFIDENT IN OUR LEADERSHIP TO BE CLEARER AND HOPEFULLY SOMETHING LIKE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN BUT I THINK ONCE WE START TAKING ATTENDANCE, IS GOING TO LAY BARE INEQUITIE SO I'M JUST WONDERING HOW
[03:05:11]
WE ARE THINKING ABOUT THAT AND JUST HOW WE ARE THINKING ABOUT THE REMEDIATION PIECE GENERALLY.WHO'S GONNA PROVIDE THAT PIECE IN THE EVENT THAT STUDENTS HAVE ABSENCES? IS IT GOING TO BE SOMEONE WHO IS ON THE GRADE LEVEL TEAM? I'M REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING SYSTEMIC ABOUT LINKING MISSED DAYS AND ATTENDANCE PARTICULARLY IF IT'S OUR FAULT WITH THE NEED TO REMEDIATE AS NECESSARY.
>> I WAS A GREAT QUESTION GO AHEAD DR. HUTCHINS.
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT MR. SUAREZ, YOU BRING UP A POINT THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
FOR ONE, I THINK WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT SOME OF THESE CHALLENGES -- RATED THE VIRTUAL WORLD IS DIFFERENT BUT IN REGARD TO TRUANCY, THESE ARE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAD PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.
SO WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOCIAL WORKERS, WE HAVE PSYCHOLOGISTS, WE HAVE TEACHERS WHO ARE GOING TO PROVIDE WHATEVER THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT MIGHT BE DEPENDING ON A STUDENT'S CIRCUMSTANCE.
IN US HAVING THIS ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY SERVICE BECAUSE NOW WE WILL KNOW WE NEED TO INVESTIGATE.
IN THE SPRING WE KIDS WERE ABSENT, THEY WERE JUST ABSENT.
KAREN SAID MY KID NEVER SHOWS UP.
NOW WE ARE GOING TO FOLLOW OUR NECESSARY PROTOCOLS WHY WAS THE STUDENT NOT ON ZOOM TODAY? WE MIGHT FIND OUT THAT THE CHILD WAS SICK WITH THEIR INTERNET IS NOT WORKING.
AND THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS WHETHER IT BE A NEW CHROME BOOK OR A SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER CONTACTING THE FAMILY.
I REALLY DO FEEL THAT THE COMPENSATORY REQUIREMENTS THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO IS GOING TO ENABLE US TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY SUPPORT WHEN NEEDED.
BUT I WANTED TO START WITH THAT.
BUT DOCTOR CRAWFORD YOU MAY HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT.
>> I THINK 100 PERCENT OF WHAT YOU SAID AND THAT'S WHAT I WROTE DOWN.
I THINK THAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ATTENDANCE.
THAT IS GIVING US THE TRACKING THAT WE DID NOT HAVE IN THE SPRING.
SO IT WAS HARD TO SOMETIMES IDENTIFY THE FAMILIES WHO WERE AT NEED -- IN NEED AND AT RISK VERSUS THOSE WHO ARE CHOOSING NOT TO SIGN ON.
SO I JUST -- I SUPPORT WITH DR. HUTCHINGS SAID.
THE OTHER THING IS WE HAVE A PLETHORA BOOK MUNICATION OPTIONS FOR THE FAMILY.
IN THESE SITUATIONS LET'S SAY YOU DON'T HAVE INTERNET.
WE HAVE OUR PARENT HOTLINE IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES.
WE HAVE PRINCIPALS WHO KNOW THEIR FAMILIES VERY WELL.
I WOULD SAY WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO PUSH THOSE AND COMMUNICATE AND GIVE OPTIONS.
IF YOU ARE HAVING A CHALLENGE OTHER THAN SENDING AN EMAIL, WHICH I THINK WE BEEN ABLE TO DO, WE WILL HAVE BOXES THAT THEY RECEIVING THEIR BACK-TO-SCHOOL FOLDERS IF YOU'RE NOT EMAILING OR CAN PUT IN THE MAIL THEY CAN DROP IT OFF IN PERSON.
FROM BEING CREATIVE WITH THINGS LIKE THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE STRATEGIES TO HEAR FROM OUR FAMILIES IF THERE IS A BARRIER.
I HAVE TO SAY I THINK THAT THIS WILL HELP US HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE IN MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO FAMILIES.
MR. SUAREZ I WANTED TO ADDRESS ONE OTHER ELEMENT OF WHAT YOU BROUGHT UP BECAUSE YOU RAISED A REALLY GOOD POINT.
THIS IS BACK TO REGARDING THE LEGAL ANGUISH OF CAUSING TO ATTEND.
SO IT'S REALLY SUPPOSED TO BE HIGHLIGHTING THERE, THE BASIC LEGAL REQUIREMENT THAT PARENTS NEED TO ENSURE THAT THEIR CHILDREN, IF THEY ARE OLDER THAN FIVE YEARS OLD, ATTEND SCHOOL.
AND IF -- I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT LANGUAGE TO REALLY JUST CONVEY THAT POINTS, THAT PARENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE.
AND IT'S ALSO INTENDED TO ADDRESS WHEN YOU -- WHEN THE SCHOOL DISCOVERS THAT THERE IS A NON-ATTENDANCE OR AN ABSENTEE OR SOME PROBLEM AND YOU START GOING THROUGH THE INTERVENTION STEPS AND YOU'RE HAVING TH CONFERENCES.
THIS IS POINTING TO WHEN YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHERE THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN IS UNCOOPERATIVE.
IT SPEAKING TO THAT BASIC LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, NOT NECESSARILY THE SPECIFIC -- THE TECHNICAL PROBLEM WE MAY ENCOUNTER.
I'M HAPPY TO REWORK THE LANGUAGE BECAUSE I THINK IT SHOULD BE REALLY CLEAR THAT WE ARE REALLY TALKING ABOUT THAT BASELINE REQUIREMENT THERE.
AND WHAT I WOULD JUST ADD IS SOMETHING I WAS THINKING ABOUT AS YOU WERE SAYING
[03:10:04]
THAT, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE PRIOR LEGAL LANGUAGE REQUIRED THE PARENT TO SEND -- AND AS A SCHOOL WE SIMPLY RECEIVED IN THAT WE PROVIDED INSTRUCTION, RIGHT? AND SO, THAT IS WHERE THE BURDENS WERE.NOW, THEY HAVE TO CAUSE TO ATTEND, BUT THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN INFLUENCE THAT MAY -- AND SO, I THINK IT IS ABOUT WHERE THE -- WHERE OUR BURDEN IS NOW AND WHAT MORE DO WE NEED TO DO IN THIS SITUATION? IT'S HARD FOR EVERYONE BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS GETTING A FAIR SHOT.
WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE OF COURSE BUT IT CREATES A NEW CHALLENGE FOR US AS WELL.
I'M NOT SURE IF MY QUESTION -- IF IT HAS TO DO WITH SOMETHING ELSE OR IF IT GOES UNDER, BUT I HAD A QUESTION FOR -- ABOUT HARDEES.
I KNOW IN HIGH SCHOOL, THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE -- THERE ARE LIKE 10 PEOPLE AT A TIME, EACH PERIOD IN THEIR ACADEMIES LOOKING FOR PASSES SO THAT THEY CAN GO TO CLASS.
MY QUESTION IS HOW ARE THEY GOING TO DEAL WITH CHARLIE'S ON THE SECONDARY LEVEL? IS THE ZOOM GOING TO -- IF YOU ARE LATE FOR ZOOM IS IT GOING TO MAKE YOU WAIT UNTIL YOUR TEACHER OR THE HOST LETS YOU COME IN AND YOU HAVE TO GO THE WHOLE EMBARRASSING THING WHERE THEY ASK YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ZOOM OR ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO -- LIKE ZOOM IN OUR ACADEMY, HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK WITH TARDINESS?
>> THAT IS ANOTHER OUTSTANDING QUESTION.
AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T -- IN THE POLICIES AND REGULATIONS, WE DON'T ALWAYS HAD TO THE GRANULAR LEVEL THAT WE SHOULD BECAUSE THAT'S THE LEVEL WHERE PEOPLE REALLY HAVE QUESTIONS, WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD.
THAT'S ANOTHER GREAT QUESTION AND ANOTHER THING WE WERE DISCUSSING IN THE LAST 24 HOURS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT ONE ALSO, DOCTOR ROBERT.
>> JUST TO SAY -- IS YOU JUST HIGHLIGHTED THIS IS A DELICATE SITUATION BECAUSE JUST LIKE IF WE WERE LIKE -- IF I WAS LATE TO TODAY'S MEETING AND DOCTOR HUTCHINGS WANTED TO SAY WHY WERE YOU LATE? IT WOULD BE AWKWARD TO DO OVER EVERYBODY LISTENING.
SO WE HAVE TO WORK OUT SOME PRETTY SPECIFIC THINGS FOR TEACHERS ON HOW THEY CAN FOLLOW UP KNOWING THAT YOU COMING INTO CLASS MAYBE 10 MINUTES LATE, ON THE SPOT.
IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO.
IS EVERYTHING SAID THAT IS NOT SPELLED OUT IN THE RANKS BUT PART OF THAT IS GETTING THE FEEDBACK OF OUR TEACHERS.
WE'VE BEEN DOING REGULATIONS AND COMPLYING WITH EVERYTHING BUT WE NOW HAVE THE BENEFIT OF HAVING STAFF MEMBERS BACK AND WE WILL BE REVIEWING THESE POLICIES WITH THE STAFF AND SOME OF THESE CHANGES AND THEY WILL ASK THE SAME QUESTIONS SO THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
I WAS THINKING THAT WHEN DR. WILKINS -- THAT VOICE INSIDE MY HEAD.
BECAUSE THIS MAKES ME CONCERNED ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS THE THREE DAYS TO CONVERTED FROM UNEXCUSED TO EXCUSED.
WILL IT BE A WEEK I KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE GOING TO KNOW WHAT TO DO AND OTHERS WON'T.
AND ALSO, I SEE THAT THE UNEXCUSED WERE WITHDRAWING PEOPLE FROM SCHOOL.
HE USED TO SAY UNEXCUSED BUT NOW IT SAYS 15 DAYS SO I WORRY AND NOW I'M THINKING ABOUT HISPANIC GRADUATION I WORRY ABOUT THE SYNCHRONOUS LEARNING BECAUSE I KNOW THAT FROM PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES THEY'RE HAVING TO GO TO WORK BECAUSE HER PARENTS EVEN LOST THEIR JOB.
SO I'M WORRIED HOW WERE GOING TO DEAL WITH THAT.
I ALSO KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT -- THAT SOME IMMIGRANT FAMILIES, EVEN IF THEY ARE LEGAL, I'VE HEARD DIRECTLY FROM SOMEONE THAT THEY WILL NOT APPLY FOR ANY AID BECAUSE THEY'RE WORRIED THAT THAT WILL INTERFERE WITH THEIR ABILITY TO BECOME A CITIZEN.
THERE IS NATIONAL NEWS WITH THIS KID HAS A LAPTOP AT A FAST FOOD PLACE OPEN AND TRYING TO DO SCHOOL WHILE HE IS WORKING.
SO THIS REALLY MAKES ME SO NERVOUS AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE THOUGHT ABOUT I'M WORRIED ABOUT SOMEONE SLIPPING OFF AFTER 15 DAYS SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF SCHOOL.
[03:15:04]
BUT IN THIS AGE AND WAS CORONAVIRUS, I FEEL LIKE THREE WEEKS GO BY AND I CANNOT ACCOUNT FOR MY TIME.SO I WORRY ABOUT THAT OR SOMEONE HAVING TO GO OFF TO A RELATIVE SUDDENLY BECAUSE THEY CAN'T COVER -- THAT HAPPENS ANYWAY BUT I KNOW IT'S CAN HAPPEN MORE BECAUSE WERE NOT HAVING THE SAME CHILDCARE OPPORTUNITIES.
>> AGAIN, THOSE ARE GREAT QUESTIONS AND I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.
I'M GOING TO TAKE THE FIRST TWO AND I'LL LET DOCTOR ROBERT ELABORATE.
THE THREE-DAY NOTIFICATION TO CHANGE IN UNEXCUSED ABSENCE INTO A VERIFIED ABSENCE, THAT'S A LEGAL REQUIREMENT.
THAT'S A LEGAL REQUIREMENT, THE THREE DAYS.
THE 15 DAYS, I'M ESPECIALLY GLAD YOU BROUGHT UP BECAUSE THAT IS A TYPE IN REVIEWING THIS, WE REALIZE WE HAVE A TYPO IN OUR REGULATION AND I ACTUALLY SWITCHED THE VERSION ONLINE AND SENT THE BOARD AN EMAIL TODAY TO ALERT EVERYONE PLEASE BE AWARE.
IN REVIEWING THIS, WE REALIZE THE LAW SAYS 15 DAYS PERIOD.
EXCUSED UNEXCUSED IF YOU MISS 15 DAYS OF SCHOOL WE ARE LEGALLY REQUIRED ON A ROLL THE STUDENT.
OUR REGULATION HAD UNEXCUSED IN THERE SO WE ARE CORRECTING THAT TYPO IN OUR REGULATION SO THAT WE ARE IN LINE.
BUT AGAIN, THE THING TO KEEP IN MIND, AS HE SAID, ESSENTIALLY, BY THE TIME YOU GET TO 15 FULL DAYS OF ABSENCE IS, THERE IS A PROBLEM AND THAT IS WHY YOU HAVE THE SYSTEM OF INHERENT TENSION -- INTERVENTION SPELLED OUT.
THERE ARE DATA REQUIREMENTS AT THE 5D MARK, THE SIX DAY MARK, THE 10 DAY MARK.
THERE WERE REQUIREMENTS ALL ALONG THE WAY CONFERENCES WITH THE PARENTS AND THINGS THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO TO KEEP IT GETTING TO AN EXTREME NUMBER OF DAYS WHERE THE STUDENT IS MISSING DAYS.
AND I WILL LET DOCTOR CRAWFORD EXPAND ON THE INTERVENTION PROCESS THAT WE HAVE.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE THREE AND 15 DAYS ARE HARD DEADLINES.
>> IN YOUR COMMENT ABOUT WE HAVE -- WE KNOW WE HAVE THESE SCENARIOS REGULARLY, AND WE DO.
WE TRACK OUR TRUANCY AND ATTENDANCE WILL BE DUE OUR MEETINGS WITH SCHOOLING MINISTRATION.
WE KNOW THAT IS AN ACCREDITATION MEASURE.
WE ARE MINDFUL OF THAT IN WORKING WITH -- ADMINISTRATION AND SST TO GET BACK TO WHAT IS THE CAUSE THAT THE STUDENT IS MISSING SCHOOL? AND WE KNOW THAT EVEN THOUGH WE HAD THESE SITUATIONS PRETTY COVID, THEY WILL LIKELY BE EXACERBATED BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION THAT EVERYONE IS IN -- THAT MANY ARE IN RIGHT NOW.
AND SO IT TO -- WE ARE -- WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL TO HAVE FULL SST MEMBERS IN SCHOOLS, NOT ALL SCHOOL SYSTEMS HAVE SOCIAL WORKERS WHO ARE THERE WHO CAN FOLLOW UP ON ALL OF THESE THINGS.
YOU SHOULD NOT GET TO A POINT WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT, YOU HAVE THREE WEEKS NOT SEEING A STUDENT AND WE HAVE NO CONTACT.
THAT'S WHY THOSE MARKERS ARE IN ERROR.
AND WELL TRAINED SOCIAL WORKERS WHO DOCUMENT WHAT HAPPENED AFTER FIVE DAYS, WHERE IS IT WRITTEN ATTENDANCE PLAN.
ALL OF THESE STRUCTURES REMAIN IN PLACE EVEN THOUGH WE ARE VIRTUAL FOR THE REASONS THAT YOU SAID, THAT WE DO NOT WANT A STUDENT TO FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS BECAUSE OF DOING SOMETHING TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILY.
SO THE 15 DAYS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CHANGE.
WE TALKED TO THE STATE REGULARLY DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR IF WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE WE DON'T FEEL THAT THE STUDENT -- MAY BE WE ARE AWARE OF INFORMATION AND WE NEED THE STATES GUIDANCE AND THERE IS NOT #NAME? HAD A MEDICAL SITUATION, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT WE KNOW WE HAVE SUPPORTED WE WOULD LOOK LIKE SOMETHING LIKE HOMEBOUND IF SOMEONE HAD A PHYSICAL OR MENTAL -- HEALTH RELATED.
BUT IT'S RELYING ON THE PROCESSES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE AND OTHERS AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT THE STUDENTS ARE AWARE THROUGH ACTION THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT THEM AND KNOW THAT THEY ARE MISSED WHEN THEY ARE NOT THERE.
IS THAT RELATIONSHIP BUILDING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN.
WE'VE BEEN SAYING IT THROUGH ALL OUR TRAINING CONNECTION BEFORE CONTENT.
IT'S GETTING TO KNOW WHAT YOUR STUDENTS SITUATION IS AS SOON AS WE RETURN SO YOU KNOW WHO IS VULNERABLE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT 15 DAYS TO LEARN THAT YOU ARE WORKING.
[03:20:03]
WE HAVE A STUDENT WORKING TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILY.WE HOPE ARE GETTING TO THAT EARLY AND HELPING THEM OUT.
SORRY, THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A SOAPBOX.
>> ALSO, I JUST RECEIVED AN EXCELLENT IMPORTING QUESTION.
THE 15 DAYS ARE 15 CONSECUTIVE DAYS.
I WILL REREAD THROUGH THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT IS CLEAR BUT IT'S 15 CONSECUTIVE DAYS.
MS. OVERTON, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING OR NO?
I WAS JUST EXTREMELY IMPRESSED BY MS. JOHNSON'S QUESTION ABOUT HARDEES (LAUGHING).
I DID NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT THAT, JUST THE CONCEPT OF BEING TARDY WITH ASSUME BECAUSE THERE ARE IMPLICATIONS.
SO THE KIDS HAVE BRILLIANT MINDS.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE DONE THAT ONE FOR NOW.
LET'S MOVE ON TO POLICY REVISIONS RELATED TO HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS.
WE ARE GOING ON TO POLICY JHCF, WHICH IS STUDENT WELLNESS.
I DON'T WANT TO DISCUSS COVID RELATED CHANGES HERE I WANT TO DISCUSS THOSE IN THE REGULATION, BUT WHAT I WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO FOR THE POLICY ITSELF IS THAT UNRELATED TO COVID, WE DID ADD IN SECTION 3 HERE BECAUSE LAST YEAR, BUT WE WERE REVIEWING THE POLICY, WE REALIZED THAT OUR GENERAL ILLNESS GUIDELINE FOR A NORMAL YEAR ARE FOUND IN HER FAMILY HANDBOOK ONLY.
AND THEY HAD BEEN INADVERTENTLY OMITTED FROM POLICY, EVEN THOUGH WE DO HAVE THE ILLNESS GUIDELINES AND POLICY FOR STAFF MEMBER BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY NEVER MADE IT INTO THE STUDENT WELLNESS POLICY.
AND SO IN REVIEWING THIS, WE WOULD MAKE SURE TO ADD THEM IN.
AND WE JUST PUT THEM IN AND TRY TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THESE ARE NOT THE METRICS THAT WE ARE USING IN THIS COVID RELATED YEAR.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE IN THERE.
AND NOW LET'S TURN TO THE REGULATIONS AND DISCUSS OUR NEW ENHANCED PROTOCOLS AND PRECAUTIONS FOR THIS YEAR.
WE ARE IN JCH -- WE ARE DISCUSSING ENHANCED SAFETY PROTOCOLS.
WE CAN GO THROUGH THEM AND WE CAN PROBABLY GO LITTLE MORE QUICKLY THROUGH SOME OF THE SUBSEQUENT REGULATIONS BECAUSE WE WILL REALLY SEE THE SAME LANGUAGE IN THE REGULATION REGARDING STAFF HEALTH, REGARDING VISITORS TO OUR BUILDING.
SO IT'S LANGUAGE THAT IS GOING TO MIRROR EACH OTHER IN THIS ONE IT IS REGARDING -- ESSENTIALLY, WHAT WE WANT TO COMMUNICATE IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO ADHERE TO THE STRATEGIES, TO MINIMIZE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR US IS THAT ON SCHOOL PROPERTY FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE ARE REQUIRING PROTECTIVE FACE MASKS AND WHEN I SAY ON SCHOOL PROPERTY, THAT INCLUDES OUR BUILDINGS, OUR GROUNDS, OUR SCHOOL BUSES THIS IS GOING TO THE SCHOOL DAY AND SPONSORED ACTIVITIES AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE SOME SITUATIONS WHERE YOU WILL NEED LIMITED EXCEPTIONS.
BUT THEY'RE GOING TO BE LIMITED TO PROTECT HEALTH AND SAFETY.
SO IF YOU HAVE A DOCUMENTED MEDICAL REASON WHY YOU SHOULD NOT WEAR A PROTECTIVE FACEMASK THAN AN ACCOMMODATION WILL BE MADE IF YOU ARE ENGAGED IN EATING OR DRINKING OR EXERCISING, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TRANSITION BACK INTO THE HYBRID MODEL, FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE IN PE CLASS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A TEACHER BROTHER EXERCISING AND PHYSICALLY -- THERE WILL BE SOME ACCOMMODATIONS MADE OBVIOUSLY SOME EXCEPTIONS BUT OUR BASELINE RULE THERE WILL BE PROTECTIVE FACE MASKS REQUIRED.
ALSO, THERE IS A SENTENCE WHICH IS IMPORTANT IF THE STUDENT DOESN'T HAVE A FACEMASK ONE WILL BE PROVIDED.
YOU SEE THAT IN THE STAFF POLICY.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ONE, ONE WILL BE PROVIDED.
AND ALSO, THE LANGUAGE, YOU WILL SEE SIMILAR LANGUAGE IN STUDENT POLICY.
INSTRUCTION IS GOING TO BE PROVIDED THIS YEAR ON HOW TO PROPERLY USE PROTECTIVE FACE COVERINGS.
SO STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE INSTRUCTIONS AND TEACHERS -- AND ALL STAFF WILL
[03:25:04]
RECEIVE GUIDANCE ON THIS AS WELL.NOW WE ARE TO D AND THE OTHER IMPORTANT POINT FOR THIS YEAR IS SET FOR STUDENTS, ANYWAY, PARENTS OR GUARDIANS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCEPTING THEIR STUDENTS HEALTH EACH DAY BEFORE THEY GO TO SCHOOL.
WE HAVE THE SIMILAR REQUIREMENT FOR STAFF.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A CHECKLIST THAT PARENTS AND GUARDIANS WILL REVIEW YOUR CHECKING FOR FEVERS THERE'S A WHOLE LIST ON GUIDANCE FROM CDC AND SPECIFICALLY REFINED BY THE ALEXANDRIA HEALTH DEPARTMENT I KNOW WERE WORKING ON DEVELOPING SPECIFICS.
BUT THERE WILL BE A RESPONSIBILITY TO SCREEN STUDENTS HEALTH BEFORE THEY GO TO THE BUS, BEFORE THEY GO TO SCHOOL.
AND AGAIN, WE WILL CONTINUALLY MONITOR THE GUIDANCE BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO COMMUNICATE TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT THE GUIDANCE MAY CHANGE.
WE'VE ALL SEEN THE RECOMMENDATIONS EVOLVED SINCE MARCH.
AND SO, SOME OF THE GUIDANCE COMING DOWN FROM THE CDC AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH MAY CHANGE OVER TIME OR RECOMMENDATIONS MAY CHANGE OR SOME QUESTIONS MAY HAVE TO CHANGE.
WE WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE AND RECOGNIZE THAT THINGS MAY CHANGE OVER TIME.
IF WE GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, WHAT I WANT TO TOUCH ON NOW IS -- THIS IS REGARDING -- AND I MET THE VERY TOP OF PAGE 2.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE REQUIREMENT FOR PE, RECESS AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
SO, WE ALL KNOW THAT IN THIS REGULATION AND IN THE NEXT POLICY, WHICH IS IG -- PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND RECESS, THIS BOARD, YOU KNOW THE ALEXANDRIA CITY SCHOOL BOARD AS A GROUP, A HUGE SUPPORTER OF ACTIVE LEARNING.
PHYSICAL MOVEMENTS, ENGAGE STUDENTS.
WE'VE SEEN THE RESEARCH OF HOW IT REALLY HELPS AND DRIVES YOUR LEARNING IF YOU ARE NOT JUST SITTING IN A CHAIR NOT MOVING.
SO THIS BOARD ESTABLISHED GUIDELINES THAT GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THE STANDARDS OF QUALITY OF A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
WHAT WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE IN THE DISTANCE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IS THAT EVEN WITH THE ACCOUNTING OF SYNCHRONOUS AND ASYNCHRONOU TIME, WE ARE GOING TO BE STRIVING TO MEET THE GOALS, BUT FOR THIS YEAR, WE ARE STRIVING TO BE GOALS NOT THE STANDARD THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR -- I'M TALKING ABOUT RECESS MINUTES.
OUR CURRENT REGULATION SPELLED OUT MINUTES THAT GO ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR PE.
AND SO WE REALLY JUST NEED TO POINT OUT AND BE CLEAR THAT IN THE DISTANCE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, THAT IS GOING TO LOOK DIFFERENT.
AND I KNOW THAT WITH THE STUDENTS SCHEDULES AND DR. CRAWFORD MAYBE MR. SAMPSON CAN SPEAK TO THIS MORE WHEN WE GET INTO THE Q&A PART, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS AN CONSIDERATIONS IN DEVELOPING SCHEDULES AND MAKING SURE THERE ARE MOVEMENT BREAKS AND ACTIVE LEARNING EXERCISES.
OF COURSE, STANDARD OF PE INSTRUCTION AS WELL AS HOW IS THIS GOING TO LOOK IN THE REMOTE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
IT'S REALLY BEEN WORKED THROUGH BUT I WANTED TO MENTION IT FOR THIS ONE SCHOOL YEAR.
THERE WAS A GUIDELINE IN THE CURRENT REGULATION -- OR FRANKLY, THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT REALISTIC.
AND AGAIN, WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE DIRECTIVE FROM THE STATE ON THIS.
I KNOW THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT AS WELL.
SO THAT COVERS REALLY THAT POLICY AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT ONE, WHICH IS IG AEI GAF, THAT IS THE SAME CONTENT AND SO, THERE'S NOTHING REALLY NEW TO REVIEW THERE.
IT'S THE SAME LANGUAGE AND I THINK YOU SHOULD PROBABLY MOVE ON TO STAFF HEALTH.
AND I'M GOING TO TRANSITION TO MY EARBUDS BECAUSE I JUST HEARD IN MY EAR THAT MY AIR POT IS DYING.
GIVE ME ONE SECOND PLEASE CAN YOU HEAR ME?
[03:30:06]
OKAY.AGAIN LIKE I FORECASTED EARLIER, THE LANGUAGE HERE MIRRORS FOR ENHANCED HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS.
STAFF WILL ALSO BE EXPECTED TO WEAR PROTECTIVE FACEMASK.
IN THE EXCEPTIONS HERE ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.
IF IT IS NECESSARY FOR THE STAFF MEMBER TO PERFORM HIS OR HER DUTIES AND AN ACCOMMODATION IS REQUIRED -- FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU ARE TEACHING A STUDENT WITH DISABILITIES, MAYBE A HEARING IMPAIRED STUDENTS THEY NEED TO SEE YOUR MOUTH MOVING OF COURSE WE WOULD MAKE ACCOMMODATIONS IF IT IS NECESSARY TO PERFORM YOUR DUTIES.
ALSO, A DOCUMENTED MEDICAL REASON IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF AN ACCOMMODATION.
I DID NOT STUDENT HERE, WHEN THE STAFF MEMBER IS EATING OR SOMETHING.
THERE ARE LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACCOMMODATION BUT AGAIN, IT'S THE SAME GENERAL RULE.
THE EXTRA STEP THAT STAFF NEED TO TAKE BEYOND OUR STUDENTS IS THAT STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE RECEIVING THAT HEALTH SCREENING AT HOME WITH THEIR PARENTS OR GUARDIANS.
BUT FOR STAFF WE WILL CONDUCT TEMPERATURE SCREENINGS AT OUR SCREENING SITES AS WE HAVE BEEN SINCE MARCH, BEFORE REPORTING TO WORK INSIDE ANY OF OUR BUILDINGS.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT LEAVE THAT ARE RELATED TO COVID-19? ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT RETURNING TO WORK? IF YOU HAVE, FOR WHATEVER REASON, WHEN ENTERING THE HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE IT'S BEEN DETERMINED THAT YOU SHOULD NOT REPORT TO WORK I PERSON, QUESTIONS REGARDING RETURN TO WORK THOSE QUESTION SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
THIS IS A GOOD POINT TO STOP AND ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT ALL THESE ENHANCED HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS.
IT'S ALWAYS SO FUN TO SEE YOU AND HEAR YOU REGARDLESS WHAT THE TOPIC.
I MAY NOT HAVE BEEN LISTENING CAREFULLY ENOUGH, OKAY? BUT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS -- I'M EMBARRASSED BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THIS WAS IN THERE.
BUT I KNOW TEACHERS HAVE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IS OUR POLICY IF THEY GET SICK? WAS THAT WHAT YOU JUST SAID AND I ZONED OUT? IF THEY HAVE TO TAKE QUARANTINE FOR TWO WEEKS BECAUSE OF EXPOSURE? AN EXPOSURE IN THEIR FAMILY OR SOMETHING NOTHING IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM BUT THEY NOTIFY US, HR, THAT THEY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO GO UNDER QUARANTINE.
DO WE HAVE A POLICY -- DO THEY KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN DO THEY TAKE LEAVE? DID YOU JUST TALK ABOUT THAT? BECAUSE I APOLOGIZE IF IT WAS IN THERE.
>> DID YOU HEAR MY QUESTION? NO?
SHE -- SHE JUST MENTIONED WHEN THERE ARE QUESTIONS OF LEAVE, THAT THEY WOULD GO TO HUMAN RESOURCES AND WE, THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO RESPOND IF SPECIFICALLY WOULD NEED TO BE TAKEN OR WAS THERE ANOTHER AVENUE THAT NEEDED TO GO DOWN.
>> THE ONE THING THAT WE DO HAVE WITH THE FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT, THERE ARE SOME EXTENSIONS THAT COME ALONG WITH THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
>> FOR SOME REASON, I HAD LOST MY ABILITY TO HEAR YOU AT ALL.
SO I'M LOOKING AT YOU BLANKLY.
I'M GOING TO PITCH TO DOCTOR CRAWFORD.
>> FMLA HAS SOME EXTENDED REGULATIONS THAT NOW APPLY TO FAMILIES AND EMPLOYEES IF THERE IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY ARE QUARANTINED OR IF THEY HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER WHO HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH COVID-19, WITH THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THAT AFFORD THEM ADDITIONAL LEAVE OPTIONS THAT WERE JUST NOT AVAILABLE PRIOR TO OUR GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
>> CAN I -- WILL OUR STAFF BE INFORMED THAT THE FMLA.
SO PART OF OUR STAFF HANDBOOK, AND OUR GOAL IS TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THAT,
[03:35:07]
BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT STAFF, THEIR FIRST POINT OF CONTACT IS HR BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY CIRCUMSTANCES THAT COULD BE DIFFERENT FROM ONE PERSON THAT IS FOR ANOTHER.IT DEPENDS ON WHO THE FAMILY MEMBER IS IF THEY LIVE IN A HOUSEHOLD, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FACTORS THAT THE REASON A BLANKET TYPE OF ANSWER FOR STAFF.
THAT'S WHY WERE HAVING THEM WORK WITH HR.
ANYTIME THERE IS A SITUATION BECAUSE WE HAVE TO LOOK AT EACH CASE VERY DIFFERENTLY.
I DO NOT SEE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT ONE.
>> I CAN SEE YOU TALKING BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
SO AND FORGIVE ME, WE KNEW WEMOVING ON BEYOND HEALTH AND SAFETY?
I THINK THERE WAS NO OTHER QUESTION.
SO WE ARE ON TO POLICY KK WHICH IS SCHOOL VISITORS.
AND REALLY THE TAKE AWAY FROM HERE IS THAT THE LANGUAGE IS ALIGNED WITH OUR LANGUAGE HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS.
BUT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE RULE FOR THE YEAR IS THAT WE ARE LIMITING NONESSENTIAL VISITORS AND VOLUNTEERS IN OUR BUILDING THIS YEAR.
AND THIS IS A DIRECT RECOMMENDATION FOR THE REOPENING GUIDANCE RECOVER RESTART.
AND YOU KNOW, IN FITTING WITH HEALTH AND SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS, THAT WE WANT TO LIMIT INTERACTIONS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE IT IN THE STUDENT SCHOOL DAY AND LIMIT THE NUMBER OF INTERACTIONS THEY HAD WITH PEOPLE, WE ARE GOING TO FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE.
SO THAT BEGS THE QUESTION, OF COURSE, WHAT IS AN ESSENTIAL VISITOR OR VOLUNTEER? WHO WILL QUALIFY TO BE IN OUR SCHOOL BUILDING THIS YEAR.
AND YOU CAN SEE IN THE PAGE UNDER K, ESSENTIAL VISITORS AND VOLUNTEERS AND ACTIVITIES ARE DEFINED AS THOSE WHO ARE SUPPORTING THE PROVISION OF IN PERSON STUDENT SUPPORT AT OUR SCHOOL.
AND SO EVEN BEFORE WE ARE FULLY OPEN TO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, WE ARE PROVIDING SOME IN PERSON SUPPORT TO SOME STUDENTS.
AND IF YOU'RE INVOLVED IN HELPING US DO THAT, THEN YOU ARE CONSIDERED AN ESSENTIAL VISITOR OR VOLUNTEERED.
IF YOU ARE SUPPORTING MAINTENANCE OBVIOUSLY AND FAMILY, WHEN THEY ARE PICKING UP OR DROPPING OFF ANY STUDENT WHOSE RECEIVING STUDENT SUPPORT OR IN PERSON LEARNING IN OUR BUILDING.
SO AGAIN, TEMPERATURE SCREENING WILL HAPPEN WHEN YOU ARRIVE AT THE BUILDING FOR ANY PASSENGERS OR VOLUNTEERS, BASEMENTS WILL BE REQUIRED.
WE WILL PROVIDE ONE IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE.
AND AGAIN, THE SAME ACCOMMODATIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE.
IF YOU HAVE A DOCUMENTED MEDICAL REASON FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO WEAR ONE, OR IF IT IS NECESSARY TO THE ACTUAL PROVISION OF SUPPORT THAT YOU ARE THEY ARE, THAT YOU ARE THEREFORE.
THAT OF COURSE THERE WOULD BE AN ACCOMMODATION.
VOLUNTEERING IS STILL GOING TO HAPPEN IN OUR SCHOOL THIS YEAR.
I KNOW MR. HOCHMAN ARE HARD AT WORK FIGURING OUT WHAT VOLUNTEERING IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE THIS YEAR FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WE HAVE FANTASTIC COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO REALLY PROVIDE A LOT OF SUPPORT TO OUR STUDENTS.
WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE.
WE CERTAINLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE THAT.
I THOUGHT THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION HOW THAT LOOKS IN A VIRTUAL WORLD.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING IN OUR SCHOOL THIS YEAR SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS, IT IS ALL GOING TO BE COORDINATED THROUGH OUR PARTNERS -- THEY ARE APPROVED BY MR. HOFFMAN'S OFFICE.
AND SO, IF YOU CONTACT HIS OFFICE, YOU WILL BE WORKING THROUGH ONE OF OUR APPROVED PARTNERS AND THERE ARE PROTOCOLS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKED OUT, A WHOLE SERIES OF PROCESSES, PROCEDURES, BUT YOU KNOW THERE ARE ALSO MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING.
BUT EVERYTHING I THINK HAS BEEN WELL THOUGHT THROUGH AND WE DEFINITELY WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS EVEN THOUGH IT WILL BE VIRTUALLY BUT WE
[03:40:05]
HAVE DEVELOPED A PROCESS FOR THAT TO WORK.THIS IS COMMUNITY USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES.
AND WHAT I REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HERE IS THE STATUTORY CHANGE.
IN LOOKING AT HOW OUR FACILITIES ARE GOING TO BE USED THIS YEAR IF WE ARE LIMITING VISITORS AND VOLUNTEERS ONLY THOSE THAT MEET THE DEFINITION OF ESSENTIAL, I WAS ALSO REVIEWING THIS POLICY AND THERE IS A STATUTORY CHANGE AND THAT IS, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE SUPERINTENDENT IS AUTHORIZED TO ALLOW THE USE OF OUR SCHOOL FACILITY FOR NONSCHOOL PURPOSES AS LONG AS IT DOES NOT IMPAIR THE EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL.
HOWEVER, THE SUPERINTENDENT IS GOING TO BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A MONTHLY REPORT TO THE BOARD OF ALL OF THOSE COMMUNITY USES.
SO JUST LIKE THE BOARD RECEIVES A MONTHLY INITIAL REPORT, A MONTHLY HR REPORT JOSIE A MONTHLY COMMUNITY FACILITIES REPORT AS WELL.
THAT WILL GO TO THE BOARD EACH MONTH.
NEXT IS OUR IMPLEMENTING REGULATION FOR THAT POLICY.
IT LAYS OUT THE SAME PUBLIC HEALTH PROTOCOLS WE DISCUSSED ABOVE AND THE ONLY REAL DIFFERENCE HERE IS TO POINT OUT THAT ANY ACTUAL REQUEST FOR USE OF OUR FACILITY NEEDS TO BE COORDINATED THROUGH NOT ONLY MR. HOFFMAN'S OFFICE, BUT HIS OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH CUSTODIAL SERVICES TO REVIEW ALL OF THOSE REQUESTS.
THAT IS THE END OF THE HEALTH AND SAFETY -- WE FINISH THAT NOW THE COMMUNITY USE, THERE'S ONE LEFT IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS ON VISITORS, VOLUNTEERS, USE OF OUR FACILITIES THIS YEAR?
>> I WASN'T SURE IF IT WAS UP FROM LAST TIME OR NOT.
I DIDN'T SEE #NAME? SCHOOL, I'M WONDERING, WE HAD A FEW LETTERS TO THE BOARD FROM TEACHERS WISHING THEY COULD TEACH FROM THEIR CLASSROOM.
AND I KNOW NOT ALL TEACHERS WANT TO DO THAT, BUT SOME DO.
I'M SURPRISED I DON'T SEE TEACHERS LISTED AS A CONCEIVABLE ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL.
I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THAT QUICK SURE.
THEY ARE NOT COVERED UNDER THIS POLICY.
THEY WOULD BE CONSIDERED STAFF -- COVERED UNDER THE STAFF POLICY BUT I SEE DR. HEART IS ON THE CALL AND AGAIN, ANOTHER HOT TOPIC, LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT HE ADDRESS IT PLEASE.
SO IN REGARDS TO TEACHERS UTILIZING THE SCHOOL FACILITY, WHAT WE HAVE DONE FROM A FACILITY STANDPOINT IS WE HAVE ASKED OUR PRINCIPLES TO -- WE PROVIDED THEM GUIDANCE IN TERMS OF ACCESS TO THE SCHOOLS, THE DIFFERENT -- WE ARE WORKING TO CREATE A MATRIX IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO SHARE WHAT AREAS OF THESE SCHOOLS ARE BEING USED.
AND IN THAT VEIN, IT'S REALLY GOING TO END UP BEING A PRINCIPAL DECISION WORKING WITH THE FACILITIES TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT INDIVIDUALS WILL BE ALLOWED CERTAIN ACCESS TO THEIR ROOMS. WE ARE PROVIDING A TIMEFRAME IN WHICH INDIVIDUALS WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THE BUILDING AND THOSE TIMEFRAMES ARE TO HELP US WITH OUR CLEANING ACTIVITIES AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO KEEP OUR FACILITY SAFE
[03:45:23]
DURING COVID-19.FACILITIES IS NOT THE DEPARTMENT THAT IS DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT TEACHERS CAN TEACH FROM CLASSROOMS BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH THE PRINCIPLES TO PROVIDE FRAMEWORK AND GUIDANCE FOR ACCESS RULES AND AVAILABILITY MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE STAYING WITHIN OUR SOCIAL DISTANCING CAPACITY GUIDELINES AS WE ARE CREATING THIS OVERARCHING MATRIX OF MULTIPLE USERS POTENTIALLY USING OUR SCHOOL SO WE KNOW WE HAVE ADMINISTRATORS COMING IN.
WE MAY HAVE TEACHERS THAT NEED TO TEACH FROM THEIR CLASSROOM.
WE HAVE CONSTRUCTION WORK GOING ON AND WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AS WELL.
WE WANT TO BE COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE PROVIDING GUIDANCE BUT WE DO NOT WANT TO NEGATE THE SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS THAT WE DO HAVE.
AND I'M SORRY IF THAT DOES NOT DIRECTLY ANSWER THE QUESTION BUT FACILITIES IS NOT THE DETERMINING DEPARTMENT AS TO WHETHER OR NOT TEACHERS WILL BE ABLE TO TEACH FROM THEIR CLASSROOMS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I DON'T SEE ANY.
IS ANYBODY GETTING TIRED (LAUGHING) PROBABLY.
MY GUESS, IT'S ABOUT FOUR HOURS, AGE 50 9 PM.
SO IS THAT IT OR IS THERE ONE MORE?
>> WE'VE REACHED EVERYONE'S FAVORITE POINT AND THAT IS THE FINAL COLUMN.
>> I WOULD NOT WANT TO LEAVE OUT THE LAST ONE.
IT'S THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR.
THE FINAL POLICY IS REGARDING OUR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS RESPONSE BILL.
I WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION A STATUTORY CHANGE, REALLY TO STATUTORY CHANGES BUT ALSO FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND STAFF, WHAT'S QUITE IMPORTANT IS THE NOTE AT THE TOP.
EVERYONE KNOWS THAT WE HAVE A SCHEDULE OF ALL OF THE DRILLS THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO RUN.
THAT IS SCHEDULE DICTATED BY THE STATE.
WE WILL NOT BEGIN THE DRILLS UNTIL WE HAVE STUDENTS IN OUR BUILDING.
IT'S VERY PRESCRIPTIVE IN THE LAWN SAYS WITHIN THE FIRST 20 SCHOOL DAYS YOU MUST DO -- WE ARE STARTING SEPTEMBER 8 BUT WERE NOT STARTING THE CLOCK UNTIL WE HAVE STUDENTS IN OUR BUILDING.
THAT DOES NOT MEAN OUR FULL COHORTS IT MEANS EVEN IF WE ARE PROVIDING IN PERSON STUDENT SUPPORT TO A SMALL NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WILL START THE CLOCK BECAUSE WILL HAVE STUDENTS IN THE BUILDING AND HAVING EVERYONE KNOW WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF A DRILL IS IMPORTANT WHETHER WE HAVE STUDENTS -- IF YOU STUDENTS ARE ALL OF THE STUDENTS.
THAT'S ONE THING TO POINT OUT.
IN ADDITION I WANT TO POINT OUT THE STATUTORY CHANGES IN THOSE BEGAN AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE 1 AND THAT IS THERE ARE MINOR CHANGES THE TIMING OF THREAT RESPONSE DRILLS IN THE NUMBER OF DRILLS REQUIRED.
THE MAIN CHANGE THAT I WANT TO BRING ATTENTION TO IS THE LAST SENTENCE.
WE HAVE A NEW LEGAL REQUIREMENT TO NOTIFY PARENTS BEFORE WE HAVE A LOCKDOWN OR SECURE THE BUILDING DRILL.
NOW THE REQUIREMENT IS THAT WE MUST NOTIFY THEM AT LEAST 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE, BUT THAT IS AS SPECIFIC AS IT GETS.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT IS NOT BEST PRACTICE.
WE WILL ADOPT THESE POLICIES FOR 2021 BUT REVERT BACK TO SOME NON- POLICIES AFTER THE PANDEMIC ENDS AND SO THAT BEGS A COUPLE QUESTIONS THAT I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT.
ONE IS YOU HAVE OBVIOUSLY PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO THIS WITH THESE POLICIES RELATING TO PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES GENERALLY.
I ALMOST WONDER IF THESE POLICIES SHOULD BE THEIR OWN ENTITY IN OF THEMSELVES WHEN THERE IS A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY, THESE AR THE POLICIES.
THIS WORK IS MEMORIALIZED AND IS THERE IN THE FUTURE.
I HOPE THERE IS NOT ANOTHER PANDEMIC BUT WHO KNOWS.
[03:50:01]
THERE'S JUST A LOT OF WORK THAT WE WANT TO MEMORIALIZE.I'M CURIOUS PROCEDURALLY IT JUST SEEMS WEIRD TO TO THE POLICIES AND THEN TO COME BACK.
NUMBER TWO IS RELATING TO OUR EQUITY POLICY THAT WE ARE UNDERTAKING THIS YEAR.
I FEEL LIKE THE POLICIES WE WANT TO SUBMIT FOR THAT WITH EVALUATIONS AND NOT CORONAVIRUS POLICIES BECAUSE THEY HAVE THESE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE NOT NORMALLY PART OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION.
I'M TRYING TO THINK ABOUT IF WE CHANGE THE POLICIES NOW TO INCLUDE THIS TRANSFER SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IS THAT WHAT WE WANT TO EVALUATE FOR PURPOSES OF THIS EQUITY AUDIT I AM JUST CURIOUS WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS AND REACTIONS ARE?
>> WOMAN: IS A GREAT QUESTION.
THE WAY I HAD ENVISIONED IT WORKING IS THAT ON THE 10TH OF THESE POLICY CHANGES THESE WOULD BE UP FOR ADOPTION BY THE BOARD AND THEY WOULD CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR AND THEN IF WE ARE GOING BACK TO SCHOOL AND FULLY IN PERSON NEXT FALL OR EVEN BEFORE THAT.
IF THEY NEED TO REVERT THE SPECIFIC POSITIONS THAT ARE IN HERE NOW TO TIMEOUT WE
[03:56:22]
COULD STRIKE THOSE PROVISIONS BY A BOARD BRIEF.I TRIED TO PUT THE COVERT SPECIFIC LANGUAGE AT THE VERY FRONT OF EACH DOCUMENT SO CAN ALSO BE EASILY REMOVED AND YOU CAN PROBABL DO THAT BECAUSE THEY ARE WRITTEN TO TIMEOUT THEIR CLEAR AND THEY APPLY TO THIS ONE BY A BOARD BRIEF WITH THOSE POSITIONS.
THAT'S THE WAY I HAVE IMAGINED IT.
THAT WAY YOU'RE NOT CONSTANTLY REVIVING ADOPTING IT FOR ONE YEAR.
YOUR IDEA OF MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO CONTINUE WITH THE CURRENT PLAN AND APPROVE THESE PROVISIONS ON THE 10TH SO THERE IN THE BEGINNING OF EACH YEAR.
IT WAS THE PROVISION SEMESTER WHEN WE SAID WE WEREN'T GOING TO DO THIS.
>> MY COMPUTER CAMERAS RIGHT HERE BUT I HAVE TO MONITOR OVER HERE SO I'M TRYING TO FOCUS ON IT.
MY FRIEND FROM NEW YORK AND HAS SCHOOL SYSTEM HAD A PROBLEM WITH IN HER SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH OUTSIDE PEOPLE HIJACKING CLASSROOMS LIKE ON RESUME OR ONLINE DURING CLASSES.
THERE'S NO POLICY TO LET STUDENTS KNOW I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF SOMETHING WAS SAID ABOUT IT BEFORE?
>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION AND I KNOW THAT'S A REALLY BIG CONCERN FOR SCHOOLS AROUND THE COST TO.
[04:00:04]
>> A LOT HAS CHANGED EVEN WITH THE APPLICATION AND THE CAN SECURITY THAT WE HAVE.
TEACHERS HAVE GONE THROUGH TODAY AND TOMORROW AND THEY GO THROUGH A LOT OF TRAINING AND THAT SHOWS THEM EXACTLY HOW TO SET UP THE RESUME CLASSES TO AVOID THOSE SITUATIONS.
PASSWORDS HAVE BEEN ENCRYPTED SO WE SHOULD NOT HAVE THESE PROBLEMS. WE HAD OVER ONE POINT OVER SPRING BREAK 5000 ZOOM SESSION.
WE HAD LESS THAN 5000 ISSUES AND THAT WAS BEFORE THE EXTRA SECURE.
WE AVOID STUDENTS SHARING PASSWORDS THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING.
>> ANYTHING ELSE? DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT LIKE I SAID WE MIGHT BE DONE.
>> WE MIGHT BE DONE EVERYONE FOR TODAY.
WE HAVE ANOTHER MEETING TOMORROW AND WE WILL SEE EACH OTHER TOMORROW AT NOON FOR A CLOSED SESSION.
WE WILL HAVE THE TWO MEETINGS EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE TO CALL A REGULAR MEETING BUT THEN I WILL SEE YOU THERE.
I HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD EVENING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.