>> THE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD CERTIFIED BY ROLL-CALL VOTE BY THE BEST TO EACH
[A. Call Meeting to Order]
[00:00:08]
MEMBERS' KNOWLEDGE, ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS LAWFULLY EXEMPTED FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS BY VIRGINIA LAW WERE DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED MEETING TO[B. Closed Session]
WHICH THIS CERTIFICATION RESOLUTION APPLIES.AND ONLY SUCH PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS AS WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE MOTION
[00:14:35]
CONVENING THE CLOSED MEETING WERE HEARD, DISCUSSED OR CONSIDERED BY THE GOOCHLAND[C. Reconvene in Open Session / Certification]
[00:29:50]
COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.[00:29:51]
EACH BOARD MEMBER WILL RESPOND I SO CERTIFIED WHEN CALLED.[00:29:53]
(SPEAKER AWAY FROM MICROPHONE.[00:29:56]
[00:30:01]
JOIN ME FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY OUR STUDENT LIAISON ALEX PESKIN.
(SILENCE) >> CHAIR NEWMAN: THANK YOU.
>> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
BOARD MEMBERS AT THIS TIME WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADDITIONS, AMENDMENTS AND THE ADOPTION OF THE PROPOSED AGENDA.
>> BOARD MEMBER HORN: AFTER A VISIT TO THE CENTRAL COMPLEX, I WOULD MOVE WE ADD AN ITEM TO THE AGENDA AS INSTRUCTIONAL REPORT D, PRE-SCHOOL TEMPORARY RELOCATION TO CENTRAL HIGH CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL COMPLEX TO RECOGNIZE THE
[D. Moment of Silence]
COUNTY TO MINIMIZE DISRUPTION AND MAXIMIZE INSTRUCTION.TO RECOGNIZE THE DEDICATION OF OUR PRESCHOOL STAFF AND ABSOLUTE TRUST OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILY HAVE IN THIS DIVISION TO CREATE AMAZING LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN CHALLENGING TIMES.
TO RECOGNIZE THE TEAM WORK THIS TRANSITION REQUIRES AND EMPHASIZE THE
[E. Pledge of Allegiance]
IMPORTANCE OF OUR FACILITY NEEDS AND CURRENT AND FUTURE AS NOTED IN THE CIP.I'M SURE THERE'S MANY MORE REASONS.
>> CHAIR NEWMAN: BOARD MEMBERS, YOU'VE HEARD THE MOTION.
IT IS TO ADD WHAT MISS HORN SAID TO INSTRUCTIONAL ITEM D.
[F. Additions/Amendments/Adoption of Proposed Agenda]
(LAUGHTER) >> CHAIR NEWMAN: UNDER INSTRUCTIONAL REPORT.
>> CHAIR NEWMAN: ALL IN FAVOR AAYE.
(A CHORUS OF AYES) >> CHAIR NEWMAN: THAT WAS TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT TO THE AGENDA.
WE WILL VOTE NOW TO APPROVE THAT ADDITION AND WE WILL VOTE SEPARATELY TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA WITH THE ADDITION.
>> MR. CHAIR, I RECOMMEND WE APPROVE THE AGENDA WITH THE AMENDMENT.
>> CHAIR NEWMAN: MOTION TO APPROVE THE ADDITION.
>> CHAIR NEWMAN: THERE'S A SECOND.
(A CHORUS OF AYES) >> CHAIR NEWMAN: THANK YOU.
NOW I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
>> CHAIR NEWMAN: DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
(A CHORUS OF AYES) >> CHAIR NEWMAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DOCTOR RALEY, YOU HAVE RECOGNITIONS.
IT'S NICE TO HAVE A NICE CROWD, ESPECIALLY TO KICK OFF THE MEETING WITH THE
[2. Recognitions]
POSITIVES HAPPENING ACROSS OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN WITH US IN THE PAST, IT'S CUSTOMARY TO HONOR AND RECOGNIZE THE EXCELLENCE OF OUR STUDENTS, STAFF AND OU COMMUNITY AS WE HONOR THE EXCELLENCE OF THIS SCHOOL DIVISION.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH DR. ANDY ARMSTRONG, OUR -- OH, DR. CHRIS COLLIER, PRINCIPAL AT GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL IS GOING TO HONOR AND RECOGNIZE THREE OF OUR HIGH-PERFORMING STUDENTS.
(SPEAKER AWAY FROM MICROPHONE) >> TURN IT ON.
(LAUGHTER) >> WOULD BE HELPFUL.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TONIGHT.
I'M HONORED AND PRIVILEGED TO RECOGNIZE THREE OUTSTANDING STUDENTS AT GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
SO I DIDN'T SEE -- I KNOW ALEX CAN'T MAKE IT, ALEX GEYER.
THREE STUDENTS WERE RECOGNIZED BY THE COLLEGE BOARD FOR PSAT SCORES IN THE TOP 10% IN VIRGINIA.
ALEX GEYER, COOPER DEWITT AND BROOKLYN GREENE, AS YOU SEE BEFORE YOU, WERE AWARDED THE NATIONAL, RURAL AND SMALL TOWN RECOGNITION AWARD AWARDED TO A STUDENT
[00:35:03]
THAT ATTENDS A SCHOOL THAT THE CENSUS BUREAU IDENTIFIES AS RURAL AREA OR SMALL TOWN.THE COLLEGE BOARD NATIONAL RECOGNITION PROGRAMS STUDENTS RECOGNIZE HONORS THAT IDENTIFY STUDENTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS WHO HAVE ACCELED IN THE CLASSROOM AND ON PSAT.
THE PSAT-10 OR AP EXAMS. TO BE ELIGIBLE, STUDENTS MUST HAVE AT LEAST 3.5 GRADE POINT AVERAGE.
ALEX GEYER WHO IS NOT HERE IS A SENIOR AND ENROLLED IN THE BLUE RIDGE VIRTUAL GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL AND ADVANCED COLLEGE ACADEMY, ACA.
COOPER DEWITT IS ENROLLED IN THE BLUE RIDGE VIRTUAL GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL AND MISS BROOKLYN GREEN IS A STUDENT WHO PARTICIPATES IN BLUE RIDGE VIRTUAL GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL AND ACA.
BROOKLYN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
OF THE WE'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS AND PROUD OF THE EFFORTS YOU PUT FORTH EVERY DAY TO MAKE US PROUD.
THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS.
(APPLAUSE) >> MR. CHAIR, BEFORE BROOKLYN GETS AWAY, BROOKLYN, WHAT IS YOUR PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR? THEY HAVE TO BE AMAZING.
DO YOU HAVE SOME YET? CAN YOU COME BACK TO THE MIC.
>> WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS IN THE FUTURE?
>> I'M NOT SURE ABOUT COLLEGE YET.
BUT I KNOW I WANT TO ATTEND COLLEGE.
A JUNIOR WITH ALL THAT ALREADY.
SO SORRY I MISS THAT HAD PART.
A BRIGHT FUTURE I CAN TELL YOU.
DEFINITELY A BRIGHT FUTURE, ABSOLUTELY.
>> I'M EXCITED FOR YOU AND YOUR PARENTS.
(APPLAUSE) >> BOARD MEMBERS, GOOD EVENING.
AS IS REFERENCED IN THE AGENDA THIS EVENING, FEBRUARY IS RECOGNIZED BY THE VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARDS AS SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATIO APPRECIATION MONTH.
WE WANT TO THANK ALL FIVE OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO TO PROVIDE THE FRAMEWORK, STRUCTURE, LEADERSHIP AND GUIDANCE TO ALLOW THIS SCHOOL DIVISION TO CONTINUE TO BE A MODEL OF EXCELLENCE IN THE COMMONWEALTH.
AS I SHARED WITH YOU DURING MY BUDGET PRESENTATION TO YOU A FEW SHORT WEEKS AGO, WITH ALL THE ATTENTION THAT IS PLACED ON PUBLIC EDUCATION IN VIRGINIA, I DO BELIEVE, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THE GOOCHLAND COUNTY SCHOO BOARD SHOWS THE WAY IN HOW THINGS CAN BE DONE AND SHOULD BE DONE IN PUBLIC EDUCATION.
AS A DIRECT RESULT OF WHAT YOU DO, TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY.
WHAT YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST TWO YEARS, NO ONE ASKED FOR.
BUT THE ENTIRE TIME YOU HAVE KEPT YOUR FOCUS ON OUR CORE VALUES.
YOU HAVE KEPT YOUR FOCUS ON OUR MISSION, IN OUR VISION.
EVEN WITH THE MULTIPLE DIFFICULT DECISIONS THAT YOU HAVE FACED, YOU HAVE NOT WAVERED FROM WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO US ALL, AND THAT'S SERVING THE STUDENTS WHO WALK IN OUR DOOR EVERY DAY.
YOU'VE HANDLED YOURSELF WITH GRACE, WITH COURAGE, AND HONOR THROUGH IT ALL.
YOU'VE BEEN PROFESSIONAL AT ALL TIMES.
EVEN THE FACE OF SOME SIGNIFICANT ADVERSITY.
IN WHAT THE CITIZENS DON'T KNOW IS THAT I HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH THESE FIVE SERVANTS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
I'LL TELL YOU WE SHOULD ALL BE VERY THANKFUL AND PROUD OF WHAT OUR SCHOOL BOARD DOES TO MAKE SURE GOOCHLAND COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD CONTINUES TO BE THAT SHINING BEACON FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION ACROSS THIS COMMONWEALTH.
ON BEHALF OF OVER 400 EMPLOYEES, 2,600 STUDENTS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THE CITIZENS OF GOOCHLAND COUNTY, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK, FOR YOUR GRACE UNDER FIRE AND FOR ALWAYS FOCUSING ON WHAT IS BEST FOR THE STUDENTS THAT WE SERVE.
PLEASE JOIN ME THANKING OUR FIVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS FOR THEIR EXCELLENT SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY.
(APPLAUSE) THE >> SO AS A SMALL TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION FOR WHAT YOU DO, OUR STUDENTS HAVE DONE SOMETHING VERY NICE.
THEY HAVE CREATED A NICE TURNTABLE FOR YOU TO SERVE YOUR FAVORITE FOOD OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO SERVE.
IT'S REALLY A BEAUTIFUL LAZY SUSAN CREATED BY OUR STUDENTS, SUPPORTED OUR CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.
THE STUDENT WHO OVERSAW THE WORK.
BRUCE WATSON WHO PROVIDED SUPPORT AS WELL.
[00:40:03]
WE WANTED TO SHARE THIS LITTLE GIFT WITH YOU TONIGHT.>> I BELIEVE WE HAVE A FEW PRINCIPALS WITH US THIS EVENING WHO MAY WANT TO SHARE A FEW WORDS.
WE'RE ALL HERE AT THE SAME TIME.
I'M GOING TO ECHO DR. RALEY'S WORDS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT, YOUR LEADERSHIP.
FOR ALWAYS PUTTING KIDS FIRST.
AND WE ALWAYS KNOW THAT YOU HAVE OUR BACKS.
SEVERAL OF US HERE, BUT ALSO SEVERAL FOLKS WHO WORK IN OUR SCHOOLS, DRIVE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DISTANCE TO GET HERE.
AND THAT IS A TESTAMENT TO YOUR WORK.
AND THE SUPPORT THAT YOU ALL GIVE US.
AND THERE ARE MANY SLEEPLESS NIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO THINK ON THE WAY HOME.
BUT ONE THING I ALWAYS AM THANKFUL FOR IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE AN AMAZING SCHOOL BOARD, WHO SUPPORTS US AND DOES WHAT IS RIGHT BY KIDS.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SUPPORT YOU GIVE US, THE UNWAVERING SUPPORT.
THESE ARE CHALLENGING TIMES, AND YOU ALL HAVE HANDLED IT BEAUTIFULLY, AND I WOULD NOT WANT TO DO IT WITH ANYONE ELSE.
MISS ALLEN, THERE'S A GIFT THEY RECEIVED LAST YEAR THAT YOU DIDN'T GET BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T HERE AT THE TIME.
BUT THERE'S A STRESS BALL IN THERE, IT'S A BULLDOG.
I DRIVE A VERY LONG WAY TO COME HERE, BUT IT'S WORTH IT.
I SAY THAT TO WHOEVER WILL LISTEN EVERY DAY: IT IS WORTH IT BECAUSE OF YOU ALL AND YOUR AMAZING LEADERSHIP.
AND SAME, I HAVE A LITTLE SOMETHING...
(LAUGHTER) >> EVERYONE ELSE HAS THE SAME THING.
SO WE JUST DIDN'T WANT YOU TO FEEL LEFT OUT.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN ONE OF OUR THINGS, IN ONE OF OUR GIFTS FROM GMS.
>> SO I DON'T DRIVE A REALLY LONG WAY.
(LAUGHTER) >> BUT BECAUSE OF THE SPECIAL SCHOOL BOARD THAT WE DO HAVE, I HAVE CHOSEN TO STAY HERE FOR THE NUMBER OF YEARS THAT I HAVE BEEN HERE, SO IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF THE HARD WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO THAT MAKE US WANT TO BE HERE.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR EFFORTS.
WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU.
(APPLAUSE) >> DR. RALEY AND PRINCIPALS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YOUR JOBS ARE NOT EASY EITHER.
AND WE ARE CERTAINLY IN AWE OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN YOUR WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS.
WE APPRECIATE THAT AND LOOK FORWARD TO THAT GOING ON AND ON AND ON.
BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL THE APPRECIATION EXPRESSED TONIGHT.
>> MISS RAMES WAS NOT ABLE TO JOIN US.
BUT SHE LEFT SOMETHING FOR YOU AND SENDS HER REGRETS.
>>> NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, BOARD MEMBERS, CERTAINLY YOU SET THE TONE AS EXCELLENCE ACROSS OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.
IT'S REPRESENTED IN SO MANY THINGS THAT WE DO EVERY DAY.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME OF THAT THIS EVENING.
BUT THE WORK THAT YOU DO IS SUPPORTED BY DIANE BENNET AS YOUR CLERK OF THE BOARD.
AS A SCHOOL DIVISION, WE CONTINUALLY TRY TO FIND WAYS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT WITH YOUR DOLLARS, BE TRANSPARENT WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND CONTINUALLY FIND WAYS TO BETTER ENGAGE WITH THE WORK THAT WE DO.
WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN TONIGHT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE EXCELLENCE OF OUR SCHOOL DIVISION LED BY DIANE BENNET.
SHE'S GRACE UNDER FIRE AS SHE IS WORKING THROUGH A NEW SYSTEM WITH A LARGE AUDIENCE TONIGHT.
SO WE'RE MAKING THE TRANSITION TO BOARDDOCS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY WHO IS WATCHING WHICH IS GOING TO BE A BETTER EXPERIENCE FOR FAMILIES AND CITIZENS AND ANYBODY PART OF OUR WORK.
WE WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TONIGHT TO RECOGNIZE DIANE FOR THE WORK THAT SHE DOES TO SUPPORT THIS SCHOOL DIVISION.
SHE AND I WORK VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER.
AND SHE KEEPS ME STRAIGHT, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT GOING ON.
I PERSONALLY WANT TO THANK DIANE FOR WHAT SHE DOES TO SUPPORT MY WORK AND DEFINITELY WHAT SHE DOES TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOL BOARD.
ON BEHALF OF OUR SCHOOL DIVISION, THANK YOU, DIANE FOR YOUR WORK AND WE WANT TO SALUTE YOU TONIGHT.
(APPLAUSE) >> AND DR. RALEY, MAY WE TAKE A MOMENT?
[00:45:04]
MISS BENNET, WE COULDN'T DO WHAT WE'RE DOING WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT AND FIGURING OUT OUR WAY ALONG THE WAY.WE HAVE A SPECIAL GIFT FOR YOU FROM THE BOARD.
THE BOTTOM IS VERY COLD, BECAUSE WHAT'S INSIDE IS VERY EDIBLE.
(LAUGHTER) >> LOTS OF CHOCOLATE AND SOMETHING THAT YOU MIGHT CAN RELAX WITH LATER.
BUT WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE GUIDANCE THAT YOU PROVIDE WITH THE WORK OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
>> SHE KEEPS ALL OF US STRAIGHT.
(CHUCKLING) >> NEXT ON OUR AGENDA, BOARD MEMBERS, IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT EXCELLENCE, COURAGE, CREATIVITY, HONOR AND OPTIMISM.
THOSE FIVE CORE VALUES ARE PART OF THE DNA OF EMPLOYEES OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE EXAMPLES OF THAT THIS EVENING.
I WANT TO ASK DR. ARMSTRONG TO COME TO THE PODIUM AND RECOGNIZE SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE EXEMPLIFIED THOSE CORE VALUES.
IT'S MY PLEASURE TO RECOGNIZE OUR ECCHO AWARD WINNERS.
I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THEM UP, IF DR. C COULD TAKE A PICTURE THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH CARRIE TONY.
(APPLAUSE) >> MISS TONY WAS NOMINATED BY ANN TAYLOR BRITON, OUR NURSE, AND DR. WAGNER.
AS A CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE, CARRIE JOINED THE HEALTH TEAM AFTER SERVING AS IA AND HELPS IN ANYWAY IN ANY CLINIC OR BUILDING NEEDED.
SHE GIVES ALL THE NURSES SO MUCH REPRIEVE WHEN WE NEED IT THE MOST.
(INDISCERNIBLE) SHE'S TRULY A PHENOMENAL GCPS EMPLOYEE.
DR. WAGNER SAID CARRIE CARE FOR STUDENTS WHO WEREN'T FEELING WELL AND HELPED OUR NURSES WITH CONTACT TRACING AND QUARANTINING AND SUBS FOR OTHER NURSES WHEN ABSENT.
AS STAFFING SHORTAGES OCCURRED, CARRIE HELPED GES AS A PERMANENT SUB AND ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGES WITH GRACE AND CAN-DO ATTITUDE AND ALWAYS WILLING TO LEND A HAND AND HUGE ASSET TO THE STAFF AND STUDENTS AT BES, GES, GMS, GHS, EVERYWHERE.
SO CARRIE, THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS.
I'M NOT SURE IF HE'S HERE IS MR. JOE FALLOR.
JOE WAS NOMINATED BY SARAH DELONG, A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER AT GOOCHLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR HIS EXCELLENCE.
SARAH SAYS BACK WHEN I WAS HIS STUDENT AT GHS, HE WAS AN EXCELLENT TEACHER, ALWAYS TREATED STUDENTS WITH RESPECT.
NOW HE'S A MENTOR FOR ONE OF MY KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS.
MR. FOWLER GOES TO GES ONCE A WEEK TO SPEND A FEW MINUTES WITH THE STUDENT AND MY STUDENT LOOKED FORWARD TO HIS VISITS AND ENJOYS SPENDING TIME WITH HIM.
WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE BUILDING ON A VISIT ONCE AND I'M LIKE WHY IS COACH HERE AT GES? WE QUICKLY RECOGNIZED THAT HE DOES THAT AND OBVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT STUDENT.
(APPLAUSE) >> I DON'T BELIEVE MR. FRITH IS HERE.
DAVID FRITH, OUR MAINTENANCE GURU AT THE SECONDARY COMPLEX.
MR. FRITH HAS AT LEAST 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE OF GOOCHLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THE WE WERE FACED WITH A $30,000 REPAIR TO ONE OF OUR SYSTEMS AT THE SECONDARY COMPLEX.
MR. FRITH TAKING HIS INITIATIVE AND TIME SOUGHT OUT A SOLUTION AND HAD THE PARTS NEEDED FABRICATED.
THAT TOOK THAT $30,000 REPAIR DOWN TO A $10,000 REPAIR.
SO MR. FRITH'S INGENUITY, EXPERIENCE, AND KNOWLEDGE, LIKE THAT OF OUR ENTIRE VETERAN MAINTENANCE TEAM IS A HUGE ASSET FOR OUR ENTIR DIVISION.
LET'S GIVE MR. FRITH A BIG HAND.
(APPLAUSE) >> ANOTHER EMPLOYEE WHO DOESN'T LIKE TO BE IN THE SPOTLIGHT, BEHIND THE SCENES MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
[00:50:01]
I KNOW MRS. STEELY IS HERE.(APPLAUSE) >> AMANDA STEELY WAS NOMINATED BY JEN WAGNER FOR HER COURAGE.
WHILE AMANDA'S CHARACTER IS BEST DESCRIBED THROUGH OUR CORE VALUES, DR. WAGNER WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE HER FOR COURAGE.
LATE FALL WE WERE PRESENTED WITH A CHALLENGING STAFFING SITUATION.
AMANDA GRACIOUSLY OFFERED TO SWITCH TOOLS AND TEACHING ASAME TIMES TO HELP OUR DIVISION WITH THE CHALLENGE.
SUCH A CHANGE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND DURING A PANDEMIC DOES TAKE INCREDIBLE COURAGE.
SHE HAS WHOLEHEARTEDLY EMBRACED HER ROLE WITH OPTIMISM AND ENTHUSIASM.
DR. WAGNER AND ALL OF US ARE GRATEFUL TO HER FOR DOING THAT! THANK YOU, MRS. STEELY.
(APPLAUSE) >> I BELIEVE ASHBY POND IS HERE COME ON DOWN.
MRS. POND WAS NOMINATED BY SARAH SMITH FOR HER OPTIMISM.
WE HEARD ABOUT THE PROGRAM WHEN IT HAPPENED.
WE WERE AMAZED WHAT HAPPENED WITH GES AND THE GIRLS IN THE RUN PROGRAM.
THIS IS WHAT SARAH SAID ABOUT ASHBY.
ASHBY CREATED, CART NATURED AND THE GIRLS THIS PAST FALL THROUGH GIRLS IN THE RUN.
THEY TRAINED VOLUNTEER COACHES, INSPIRE GIRLS TO BUILD CONFIDENCE AND IMPORTANT LIFE SCHOOLS THROUGH DYNAMIC INTERACTIVE LESSONS.
THE GIRLS PLANNED A SERVICE PROJECT AND CELEBRATED THE PROGRAM BY RUNNING 5K IN THE FALL.
ASHBY'S LEADERSHIP WAS EVIDENT.
FROM THE PARTICIPATION OF 20 THIRD TO FIFTH GRADE GIRLS AND ENDING WITH A 5K, ASHBY RENTED GOOCHLAND'S CORE VALUE.
THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS, MRS. POND.
(APPLAUSE) (CHUCKLING) >> MR. MORGAN, BYRON MORGAN, COME ON DOWN, MR. MORGAN!
(APPLAUSE) >> MR. BYRON MORGAN IS ONE OF OUR PRESCHOOL TEACHERS AT RANDOLPH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THE HE WAS NOMINATED BY DR. WAGNER FOR EXCELLENCE.
MR. MORGAN IS A REMARKABLE TEACHER WHO ENJOYS THE CHALLENGE OF WORKING WITH AT-RISK PRESCHOOLERS.
THIS YEAR HE SAW A COLLEAGUE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE AND VOLUNTEERED TO SUPPORT BY OBSERVING HER CLASSROOM, COLLABORATING TO CREATE ACTIVITIES AND CHANGES IN CLASSROOM ROUTINES AND ENCOURAGES HER, HELPING HIS COLLEAGUE TO FEEL SUPPORTED AND SERVE AS ANOTHER REMINDER HOW VALUABLE HE IS TO OUR PRESCHOOL TEAM AND DIVISION.
(APPLAUSE) (LAUGHTER) (APPLAUSE) >> AND FINALLY THIS EVENING, WE HAVE NURSE MULLINS FROM GOOCHLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
(LAUGHTER) >> MRS. MULLINS NOMINATED BY JAY SYKES, OUR BAND DIRECTOR AND MIDDLE SCHOOL AND MATH TEACHER AT GMS FOR HONOR AND OPTIMISM.
NURSE MULLINS IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE, KIND AND CARING AND WORKED HARD OVER THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ALL SAFE, CARED FOR, HEARD AND PROTECTED.
SHE HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND HER HOURS AND TIME TO MAKE SURE SHE'S AVAILABLE AND NOT ONLY THAT.
BUT SHE'S ALWAYS KIND AND UNDERSTANDING IN HER RESPONSES AND ALWAYS WILLING TO LEND A HAND AND GUIDE US THROUGH THIS.
THE AMOUNT OF CONTACT TRACING SHE DOES EACH DAY AND WEEKEND IS HUGE.
I'M SURE SHE'S EXHAUSTED BUT I DON'T HEAR HER COMPLAIN.
SHE CONTACTS TRACES DURING THE DAY, NIGHT AND WEEKEND AND MAKES DIFFICULT CALLS TO INFORM CHILDREN WERE IN CLOSE CONTACTS.
I'M SURE THESE CALLS GO WELL AND PROBABLY NOT SO WELL.
(LAUGHTER) >> SHE'S THE ENERGIZER BUNNY THAT KEEPS GOING.
I ALWAYS LOOKED AT HER AS A PERSON CRUCIAL TO OUR SCHOOL.
SHE'S THAT PUZZLE PIECE THAT COMPLETES GMS. I STAND AMAZED EVERY DAY BY HER GRACE, COMPASSION, HARD WORK AND DILIGENCE.
[00:55:06]
SO CONGRATULATIONS, AND THANK YOU MRS. MULLINS.(APPLAUSE) >> DR. RALEY, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTED AND REMINDERS.
[3. Announcements / Reminders]
>> IT CERTAINLY IS A VERY BUSY TIME OF YEAR.
AS YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN, THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS HAPPENING DURING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.
OUR VISITORS CAN SEE THAT ON THE SCREEN AND AT HOME.
JUST A REMINDER TO OUR FAMILIES, FEBRUARY 18TH IS A STUDENT MAKEUP DAY AS A RESULT OF LOST INSTRUCTIONAL TIME THAT WE EXPERIENCED BEGINNING OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
AT THIS POINT IN TIME, FEBRUARY 21ST IS SCHEDULED AS A STUDENT AND TEACHER HOLIDAY.
A COUPLE OF THINGS HAPPENING RELATED TO BUDGET APPROVAL.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST IN THIS ROOM, THE BOARD IS SLATED TO APPROVE ITS BUDGET THAT WE'LL FORWARD TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR CONSIDERATION.
OTHER EVENTS LISTED ON THE CALENDAR INCLUDING TOWN HALLS THAT WILL TAKE PLACE.
THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE S.A.T.
AT GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH IS SOMETHING VERY POSITIVE THAT OUR SCHOOL DIVISION DOING NOW.
AND WE ARE ANNOUNCING GRADUATION ON JUNE 4TH, 2022 AT GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL, 7:30 START IN THE STADIUM.
WE'RE GOING TO HOPE FOR GREAT WEATHER.
IF WE DON'T HAVE GREAT WEATHER, WE'LL DO IT THE NEXT DAY.
LOOKING FORWARD TO CELEBRATING AND RECOGNIZING THE CLASS OF 2022.
THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL NOW HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED FY 2023 BUDGET.
INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA ARE THE SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES GOVERNING PUBLIC COMMENT AND CUSTOMARY OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
[4. Public Hearing on the Proposed FY23 Budget]
I ASK YOU TO GIVE ATTENTION TO THOSE POLICIES.THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF SPEAKING ONLY TO THE BUDGET.
FOR THE AUDIENCE, THERE WILL BE A SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOLLOWING THIS.
THE BUT FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET, CALL THIS TO ORDER.
(GAVEL) >> CHAIR NEWMAN: ANYONE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET? MISS BENNET, DID YOU HAVE ANYONE? I SEE NO MOVEMENT.
(GAVEL) >> CHAIR NEWMAN: NOW WE'LL ENTER OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF OUR MEETING, THE SCHOOL BOARD WELCOMES THE
[5. Public Comment]
PERSPECTIVES OF OUR COMMUNITY.WE KNOW THAT THE ISSUES BEFORE US MAY VARY, AND THAT PRIORITIES ARE DIFFERENT.
BUT ALL OF US SEEK THE BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS AS WE WORK TOGETHER TO MAXIMIZE THE POTENTIAL OF ALL LEARNERS.
WE VALUE YOUR VOICE AS WE WORK TO FULFILL OUR MISSION TO MAXIMIZE THE POTENTIAL OF ALL LEARNERS.
THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING POLICIES ARE LOCATED ON THE DIVISION SCHOOL BOARD POLICY SITE AND IN THIS AGENDA TONIGHT.
PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES TO FOSTER AN INCLUSIVE AND NON-THREATENING ENVIRONMENT, I ASK THAT YOU DO NOT APPLAUD OR MAKE A COMMENT AT THE REMARKS MADE.
LET'S MODEL EXCELLENCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND CHILDREN THROUGH OUR ACTIONS THIS EVENING.
MISS BENNET, DID YOU HAVE LIST? IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD?
(SPEAKER AWAY FROM MICROPHONE) >> CHAIR NEWMAN: OKAY.
YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME FOR US.
YOU MAY KNOW ME WAITING TABLES OR COMING THROUGH THE DMV LINE OVER HERE AT THE COMMISSIONERS OFFICE OR THE MALL.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK ON BULLYING.
I'M SURE AS MANY OF YOU ALL KNOW, YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN A VICTIM OF BULLYING.
IT'S HIT VERY CLOSE TO HOME FOR US.
STARTING IN OCTOBER, THAT'S WHERE OUR STORY BEGINS.
STARTED OVER A BOY, TWO GIRLS.
IT WENT ONTO A GROUP OF GIRLS THAT WERE HER FRIENDS.
A LOT OF CYBER STUFF GOING ON, WHICH I UNDERSTAND DOESN'T ALL HAPPEN AT SCHOOL.
SHE HAS BEEN THREATENED TO FIGHT.
IT'S (INDISCERNIBLE) BUT IT WASN'T.
I KNOW THERE WAS AN EMAIL SENT TO HIM.
I MET WITH MR. GORDON A COUPLE OF TIMES ABOUT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT INSTANCES.
[01:00:01]
YOU KNOW THEM.THESE KIDS CAN BE SO MALICIOUS.
AND I'M NOT SURE THAT I KNOW EVERYONE IS AWARE OF T BUT I'M SURE EVERYONE REALLY KNOWS THE FULL IMPACT.
THERE'S BEEN THREATS ON FACEBOOK, WHERE JUST PEOPLE POURED OUT THEIR HEARTS ON IT.
PEOPLE -- I HAVE A FRIEND WHO -- A SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADER BULLIED HER FIFTH GRADER ONLINE FOR SAYING HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO A FRIEND.
THIS IS JUST INSTANCES CAN THINK OF OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
MANY PEOPLE PULLED THEIR CHILDREN TO DO HOME SCHOOL BECAUSE IT IS SO BAD FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
AGAIN, IT'S CALM FOR MY DAUGHTER NOW.
I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT MR. GORDON WAS ALWAYS VERY ATTENTIVE WHEN I MET WITH HIM.
I FEEL LIKE HE DID THE BEST HE COULD WITH THE SITUATION GIVEN.
I'M NOT HERE TO BASH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AT ALL, BUT I KNOW THERE ARE RULES AND GUIDELINES THAT EVERYONE MUST FOLLOW.
I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO BE AWARE THAT I THINK THE PROBLEM IS ON A MUCH LARGER SCALE THAN MOST ARE AWARE OF.
I'M JUST HERE TO FIND RESOLUTION.
HOW CAN WE AS PARENTS IN A SCHOOL SYSTEM HELP PROTECT OUR CHILDREN? I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS.
I KNOW YOU ALL DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS.
BUT I FEEL THAT IF WE WORK TOGETHER, WE CAN FIND A RESOLUTION.
I FEEL WE CAN HELP OUR CHILDREN TO MAKE THEM FEEL SAFER IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT.
THEY'RE THERE ALMOST AS MUCH AS THEY'RE AT HOME.
THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHO IS COMING UP BEHIND THEM IN THE HALLWAY.
THEY SHOULD WORRY ABOUT WHO THEY'RE GOING TO WALK AND LAUGH WITH IN THE HALLWAYS.
I JUST HOPE TO FIND RESOLUTION FROM THIS.
I HAVE A KID AT BYRD, AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT BULLYING AND OTHER THINGS GOING ON.
VALUES ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN MY FAMILY.
HONESTY, TRUST, LEADERSHIP, AND HAVING RESPECT FOR OTHERS.
GROWING UP I WAS ALWAYS TOLD MY ACTIONS AND MY WORDS NOT ONLY REPRESENTED ME BUT ALSO REPRESENTED MY FAMILY.
IT IS THE SAME THING I TELL MY KIDS EACH AND EVERY DAY.
I WISH THE OTHER PARENTS WOULD ALSO DO THE SAME.
FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS, EVERY TIME I COME UP TO THE SCHOOL, IT'S AN ISSUE WITH BULLYING AND RACE.
MY FIRST YEAR HERE, I BROUGHT MY KID TO GOOCHLAND AND THE N-WORD WAS WRITTEN MY DAUGHTER'S PAPER.
I KNOW WE LIVE IN A WORLD EVERYONE HERE HAS THEIR DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS AND BELIEFS AND DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS.
BUT MY KIDS AND OTHER KIDS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL AND BE CALLED THE N-WORD, BE CALLED A MONKEY, BE CALLED A COON, BE MADE FUN OF BECAUSE OF THEIR COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, BECAUSE THEIR NOSE, BECAUSE OF THEIR LIPS.
THEY SHOULDN'T BE MADE FUN OF BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE DIFFERENT.
THERE ARE A LOT OF TRANSGENDER KIDS AT THIS SCHOOL.
THEY'RE ALSO BE BULLIED AND MADE FUN OF.
PARENTS HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME THROUGH FACEBOOK, AND I DID HAVE AN ADMINISTRATOR REACH OUT TO ME AS WELL.
PARENTS ARE ARE TIRED, THEY'RE SICK, AND THEY'RE FRUSTRATED.
KIDS HAVE TOLD ME THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE NO ONE THEY CAN GO AND TALK TO.
THEY HAVE NO ONE THEY CAN TALK TO WITHIN THE BUILDING.
MY DAUGHTER WAS BULLIED THROUGHOUT HER SIXTH GRADE YEAR.
THANKFULLY, WE HAD A COUNSELOR AT SCHOOL WHOM SHE WAS ABLE TO TALK TO.
MY DAUGHTER STILL GOES TO THERAPY EVERY TWO WEEKS.
SHE SUFFERS FROM ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION BECAUSE OF THIS.
THANKFULLY, SHE HAS PEOPLE SHE CAN GO TO AT SCHOOL WHEN SHE'S FEELING ANXIOUS AND FEELING OVERWHELMED.
I'M HERE BECAUSE I REALLY THINK WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS NOT WORKING.
OTHER PRIVATE MESSAGES I'VE RECEIVED FROM PARENTS, I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK ON.
BUT IT'S OVERWHELMING, AND IT'S SCARY.
I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW WE NEED TO START DOING MORE, BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE DOING IS NOT WORKING.
[01:05:01]
TWO GRADUATED FROM GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL, FOUR STILL IN GOOCHLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
ON FEBRUARY 1ST, I READ A POST ON FACEBOOK GOOCHLAND GROUP.
IN THIS POST, I HELD OFF ON THIS POST FOR AWHILE.
UNTIL I FELT LIKE I JUST HAD TO SPEAK OUT.
I'M PRIVY TO A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT GO ON ON THE INTERNET WHEN IT COMES TO THE SCHOOL AS WELL AS WHAT IS GOING ON IN SCHOOL, BECAUSE MY KIDS COME HOME AND TELL ME EVERYTHING.
THE THINGS THAT THEY DON'T TELL ME, I'M IN THEIR BUSINESS A LOT.
I'M ALL THROUGH THEIR SOCIAL MEDIAS, YOU KNOW.
I LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT PAGES BEING MADE FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE HIGH SCHOOL AND WHAT I SEE ON THERE, THERE'S AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF NEGATIVITY.
THERE'S YOU NAME IT, IT'S ON THERE.
THERE'S PEOPLE GOING AS FAR AS TO THREATEN TO COME UP TO THE SCHOOL AND MURDER THE OTHER PERSON.
BETWEEN WHAT I'VE BEEN SEEING AND WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING AND WHAT MY CHILDREN BRING HOME, I GOT REALLY FRUSTRATED.
IN MY POST, I INCLUDED -- I TALKED ABOUT BEING TIRED OF THE FIGHTING, LOTS OF FIGHTING.
THE BULLYING, THE CYBER BULLYING.
THE LGBTQ ACCEPTANCE OR UNACCEPTANCE THAT GOES ON IN THE SCHOOL.
THE DEATH THREATS AND THE SUICIDES.
I HAVE THREE CHILDREN THAT ARE -- THAT HAVE BEEN CLOSE WITH THREE OF THE CHILDREN THAT HAVE COMMITTED SUICIDE.
TWO OF WHICH ARE DEEPLY AFFECTED.
I HAVE A DAUGHTER THAT COMES TO ME RANDOMLY THROUGHOUT THE WEEK IN TEARS BECAUSE HER FRIEND IS NO LONGER WITH US, AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF BULLYING.
IT'S REALLY HARD TO TRY TO EXPLAIN TO YOUR DAUGHTER WHY HER FRIEND MIGHT HAVE DID WHAT SHE DID AND WHY THE KIDS THAT HAVE BEEN BULLYING HER ARE STILL ALLOWED TO BULLY OTHER STUDENTS.
MY DAUGHTER NEEDS COUNSELING AS WELL.
MY SON WHO LOST HIS FRIEND BLAMES HIMSELF BEING THAT HE WAS THE LAST PERSON TO SPEAK TO HIS FRIEND ALIVE.
SO IN THIS POST, I LET OFF A WHOLE LOT OF FRUSTRATIONS.
AND I FEEL LIKE WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY, THERE WAS SUCH AN OUT POUR OF PARENTS UPSET WHETHER TO MASK OR NOT MASK THEIR KIDS OR EVEN WITH POLITICS.
AND THERE SUCH AN OUT CRY WITH THOSE SUBJECTS, I JUST HAVE A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING WHY WE'RE NOT AS DEEPLY CONCERNED WHEN I COMES OUR KIDS AND ALL OF THESE ISSUES THAT I'M JUST NOW BRINGING UP.
WE SHOULD BE JUST AS -- FEEL JUST AS STRONG WITH THESE ISSUES AS WE DO WITH THOSE.
THE DAY AFTER I PUT THIS POST UP, MY DAUGHTER -- ONE OF MY DAUGHTERS WAS CALLED A MONKEY IN SCHOOL.
AND I AM CURRENTLY DEALING WITH THAT ISSUE.
I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S BEING DEALT WITH.
I FEEL LIKE IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT'S GOING TO END UP SWEPT UNDER THE TABLE.
BUT I THINK THAT THE INSENSITIVITY -- THE INSENSITIVE COMMENTS THAT ARE TOLERATED IN SCHOOL, I THINK THAT PERHAPS SOMETHING SHOULD BE PUT IN PLACE TO WHERE THERE'S A NO TOLERANCE TO BEING CALLED THESE TYPE OF SLURS.
JUST AS THERE'S A NO TOLERANCE RULE WHEN IT COMES PHYSICALLY HITTING OR THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE IN PLACE.
I THINK SOMETHING LIKE THAT SHOULD BE IN PLACE AS WELL.
JUST AS IF MY DAUGHTER WAS TO CALL SOMEONE A CRACKER AND THINK IT'S FUNNY OR SAY SHE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND IT, THAT SHOULDN'T BE TOLERATED AS WELL.
NEITHER SHOULD BE CALLING A MONKEY OR N-WORD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I THINK THAT THESE ISSUES ARE DUMBED DOWN TO BEING SMALL OR NOT AS PREVALENT, BUT THESE ARE LARGE ISSUES GOING ON WITHIN THE SCHOOL.
[01:10:02]
AND I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE SOME PARENTS WHERE THE KIDS ARE MODELLING THEIR PARENTS' BEHAVIOR, AND THEY BRING THAT INTO THE SCHOOL.THERE'S NOT MUCH THAT THE SCHOOL CAN DO ABOUT HOW THE KIDS ARE BEING RAISED, BUT I DO FEEL THAT ONCE THEY COME INTO THAT BUILDING, THERE SHOULD BE -- OUR KIDS TAKE SOME OF WHAT THEY LEARN FROM HOME, AND THE REST OF T THE SCHOOL PLACE A HUGE PART IN IT.
I FEEL LIKE THERE SHOULD BE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS PUT IN PLACE TO WHERE THESE KIDS AND THEIR IMPRESSIONABLE MINDS CAN ALSO LOOK TOWARDS THE POSITIVE THINGS MAYBE WITH THE THINGS THAT TAUGHT AT HOME TO SEE THAT MAYBE THAT WAS WRONG.
AND TAKING INTO ACCOUNT OTHER PEOPLE'S FEELINGS.
AND WHY WOULD THEY MAY HAVE BEEN TAUGHT AT HOME IS WRONG AS OPPOSED TO JUST BLINDLY HATING SOMEONE.
WHETHER IT BE BECAUSE THEY PREFER SOMEONE AS THE SAME-SEX OR THEIR COLOR.
MOST OF THE TIME I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THEY JUST FEAR THAT IT'S DIFFERENT.
I THINK THE SCHOOLS NEED TO TAKE A HUGE STEP TOWARD CHANGING ALL OF THAT.
BECAUSE THE TEACHERS, THE STAFF, EVERYONE, THEY MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY OUR KIDS GROW UP AND WHO THEY CHOOSE TO BE IN THE FUTURE.
THERE IS A HUGE IMPACT, WHETHER I THINK THEY CHOOSE TO UNDERSTAND THAT OR NOT.
I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING WRITTEN DOWN.
THE IT WAS JUST MY FRUSTRATIONS WITH DEALING WITH ALL OF THIS.
AND AS I SAID, I HAVE FOUR MORE KIDS COMING THROUGH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I HAVE TWO AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ONE IN HIGH SCHOOL.
SO I'M GOING TO BE HERE FOR AWHILE.
AND I'M HOPING THAT I DON'T HAVE TO SEE THESE SAME ISSUES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH NOW, I DON'T WANT TO BE STANDING BEFORE YOU DEALING WITH IT WHEN MY FOURTH GRADER IS COMING UP AND I HAVE TO KEEP GOING THROUGH IT, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY HARD.
THREE DEATHS IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, THAT'S A LARGE NUMBER.
I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT AND REALIZE THAT SOMETHING HAS GONE WRONG.
AND THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE MISSING WITH OUR KIDS.
BECAUSE THAT IS A LARGE NUMBER FOR SUCH A SMALL COUNTY.
I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO CONSOLE ANOTHER CHILD.
I'M JUST -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO.
I JUST KNOW WE HAVE TO DO MORE.
>> CHAIR NEWMAN: THE FIRST THING YOU CAN DO IS SHARE WHAT YOU'RE EXPERIENCING WITH US, AND I THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.
I WASN'T PLANNING ON SPEAKING TONIGHT BUT AFTER HEARING THESE THREE WOMEN TALKING ABOUT THE BULLYING HAPPENING IN SCHOOL AND ESPECIALLY THE RACIAL ISSUES, IT MAKES ME WANT TO SPEAK.
THE I WANTED TO WAIT UNTIL I HAD THINGS TOGETHER BEFORE I SPOKE ON CRT.
BUT THE CRITICAL RACE THEORY THAT GUISES ITSELF AS CARING FOR RACES, REALLY BRINGS DIVISIVENESS INTO OUR SCHOOLS.
AND I FEEL LIKE JUST WHEN I APPROACH THE SUBJECT EARLIER IN THE YEAR, I WAS TOLD THAT WE DON'T HAVE CRT IN OUR SCHOOL, AND THAT'S THE TAG LINE THAT YOU'LL FIND ON ANY CRT SITES IS TO SAY THAT'S MISINFORMATION.
BUT COMING TO FIND OUT DR. LANE SENT OUT A LETTER TO ALL SUPERINTENDENTS WITH CRITICAL RACE THEORY ON HIS MEMO FOR READING.
AND IT IS BRINGING DIVISIVENESS INTO THE KIDS FOR THEM TO HEAR AND TALK ABOUT.
AND I FEEL LIKE JUST HEARING WHAT I'M HEARING TONIGHT, THAT IT'S SHOWING IN OUR STUDENTS' BEHAVIORS TOWARDS EACH OTHER AND THE INTOLERANCE.
I THINK WHAT ANOTHER ARTICLE THAT I'VE READ THIS FALL BY A GOOCHLAND EMPLOYEE WAS A PAPER SHE HAD WRITTEN OR SHE HAD GONE IN ON WITH ANOTHER GOOCHLAND EMPLOYEE AND ANOTHER STATE UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR THAT TALKED ABOUT THIS NEW KIND OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE WITH DEALING WITH MISBEHAVIOR.
AND I LIKE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE COUNSELING FOR THOSE THAT GO THROUGH THIS.
THE BUT IT SHOULDN'T BE COUNSELING APPROACHING THE PERSON THAT'S PERPETRATING AND DOING THIS STUFF.
INSTEAD OF GIVING THEM A CONSEQUENCE RIGHT AWAY.
AND THEN, MAYBE GIVING THE APPROACH OF HOW TO HELP THEM BEHIND THE CONSEQUENCE
[01:15:02]
WITH COUNSELING.WE'RE DOING TOO MUCH OF TALKING TO THESE PEOPLE DOING THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR, TO THE KIDS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE SCHOOL'S PLAN IS FOR DEALING WITH BULLYING.
WHAT ARE THE STEPS? WHAT DO THESE CHILDREN GO THROUGH WHEN THEY DO SOMETHING ONLINE OR IN THE SCHOOL? HOW IS IT DEALT WITH? WHAT IS THE SPECIFIC PATH? BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE'RE LOSING THESE CONSEQUENCES.
AND WE'RE DOING A LOT OF TALKING.
SOMETIMES WHEN THEY'RE JUST A MEAN KID, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE BEHIND IT, BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE THAN JUST TALKING TO THEM.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THAT.
OF THE I WILL COME BACK LATER AND TALK MORE ABOUT CRITICAL RACE THEORY.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT, AND THEY THINK RIGHT OFF PEOPLE ARE AGAINST RACE.
I WAS CALLED DIFFERENT NAMES WHEN I GREW UP.
I DIDN'T LET IT BOTHER ME BECAUSE I KNEW WHO I WAS AND I WAS TAUGHT THAT I DIDN'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE SAID ABOUT ME.
I GREW UP WITH THAT KIND OF LEADERSHIP IN MY HOME.
BUT IT REALLY BOTHERS ME TO HEAR THESE MOMS HERE THAT HAVE COURAGEOUSLY COME UP AND SPOKEN OUT FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
SO JUST SOME I THINK ALL THE PARENTS WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, WHAT ARE THE STEPS THAT YOU GUYS TAKE WHEN A CHILD IS BEING BULLIED IN GOOCHLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO TOO FROM THE PARENTS.
WE HOPE THAT YOU HAVE OUR BACK, TOO.
>> CAN I MOVE THIS OUT OF THE WAY A LITTLE BIT? IT'S OKAY.
(SPEAKER AWAY FROM MICROPHONE) >> GOOD EVENING TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE PARENTS.
THE MY NAME IS A CARLA OVERTON A SENIOR AT GHS.
I WAS REACH OUT BY FAMILY AND FRIENDS ABOUT BULLYING GOING AROUND.
I WAS ASKED TO SPEAK ABOUT MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
IT'S MY FOURTH AND FINAL YEAR AT GOOCHLAND, AND I'VE BEEN COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS TO LEAVE BECAUSE GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL HAS IMPACTED MORE NEGATIVELY THAN POSITIVE.
WHEN I WAS A SOPHOMORE IN HIGH SCHOOL, I HAD RECEIVED MULTIPLE TEXTS FROM STUDENTS WHO SAID THE FOLLOWING, YOU'RE A PARASITE, SLUT AND GO KILL YOURSELF.
IT THEN EXPANDED TO ME BEING CALLED NAMES IN THE HALLWAYS LIKE YOU SMELL LIKE FISH, NO ONE LIKES YOU, GO DIE.
AS THESE DISTURBANCES STARTING GETTING WORSE AND WORSE, I REACHED OUT TO MY PARENTS AND WE REACHED OUT TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
I WOULD AGAIN LIKE TO THANK THE ADMIN FOR TAKING MY SITUATION SERIOUSLY AND GIVING THOSE SPECIFIC STUDENTS CONSEQUENCES.
UNFORTUNATELY, NO MATTER THE CONSEQUENCE A BULLY GETS, IT WILL NEVER STOP.
I HAD NOTICED THROUGHOUT MY SOPHOMORE YEAR AND INTO QUARANTINE, I HAVE BECOME MORE AWARE OF MY OWN MENTAL HEALTH.
GOING INTO MY JUNIOR YEAR, I STARTED TO GET BASHED BY MY OWN CHARACTER.
IT'S CRAZY TO THINK YOUR OLD FRIENDS TOLD YOU TO DROP OUT OF SCHOOL AND THEY HOPE YOU DON'T COME BACK WHEN SCHOOLS OPEN.
WORDS LIKE THESE REPEATED OVER AND OVER OVERWHELMED ME INTO THE THOUGHTS OF NOT WANTING TO BE HERE AND NO ONE WOULD CARE IF I WAS GONE, HAD BEEN PLACED IN MY MIND THAT I THOUGHT WOULD NEVER GO AWAY UNTIL I TOOK THE INITIATION TO SEE MY COUNSELOR MISS GUZA AND COMMUNICATED AND HELPED ME BUILD A STRONGER VERSION OF MYSELF.
SHE'S THE REASON I DEVELOPED A HEART-FELT INTEREST IN PURSUING A CAREER IN BEING A SCHOOL COUNSELOR.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PREVENTING BULLYING AND HOW IT AFFECTS MENTAL HEALTH ARE SUBJECTS THAT I BELIEVE NEED TO BE BROUGHT TO LIGHT AND NOT POSTERS TAPED IN THE HALLWAYS.
WE WANT POSITIVITY, KINDNESS AND NOT A PLACE OF INSECURITIES AND TOXICITY.
NO MATTER THE CONSEQUENCE, THEY WILL NEVER STOP.
I ASK WHAT CAN YOU DO? I HOPE TO LEAVE GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL KNOWING THEY WILL TACKLE THIS MATTER AND MY YOUNGER SIBLINGS AND PARENTS WITH YOUNGER CHILDREN NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS HAPPENING TO THEIR OWN.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK TONIGHT? WELL, THANK EACH OF YOU FOR SHARING YOUR CONCERNS AND YOUR THOUGHTS.
WE CERTAINLY WILL REVIEW THE COMMENTS MADE AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
SO WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR TONIGHT.
[6. Superintendent's Comments]
DR. RALEY, YOUR COMMENTS.AS WE KNOW, PUBLIC EDUCATION HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF DISCUSSIONS ON A STATEWIDE BASIS.
THERE IS A LOT OF LEGISLATION THAT IS GOING THROUGH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT COULD HAVE POTENTIAL IMPACT ON THE WORK OF OUR STAFF, OUR STUDENTS, AND
[01:20:05]
OUR SCHOOL DIVISION AS A WHOLE.SO I JUST ENCOURAGE THE BOARD MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO FOLLOW THAT LEGISLATION.
THERE ARE LOTS OF TOOLS THAT ARE AVAILABLE ON THE LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION WEBSITE TO BE ABLE TO MONITOR BILLS AND PROCESS THROUGH SUBCOMMITTEE AND COMMITTEE AND ULTIMATELY THROUGH THE CHAMBERS TO BE HEARD.
WE'LL HAVE TO MONITOR THIS CLOSELY FROM A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT AND FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT, BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, THE WORK DONE BY OUR SENATORS HAS AN IMPACT ON US.
STAY TUNED TO WHAT IS TAKING PLACE SO WE CAN ADVOCATE AS APPROPRIATE TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF ACCORDINGLY.
NEXT, YOU HAVE LINKED TO OUR PACKET, THE WORK OUR SCHOOL DIVISION IS HONOR BLACK HISTORY.
AS A NATION, YOU CAN SEE THE WORK BEING DONE.
EACH SCHOOL IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.
WE CONTINUE TO HONOR AND RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN INDIVIDUALS THAT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED IN OUR NATION.
NEXT, I WANT TO PROVIDE THE BOARD WITH AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW WITH OUR BUDGET AND THE WORK THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE PARKING LOT AT GOOCHLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL AND AT GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
BOARD MEMBERS, YOU'VE SEEN THIS.
IT'S MODIFIED RELATED TO WETLANDS AND WORK WE HAD TO DO WITH ENVIRONMENTAL CREDITS.
AT THIS POINT IN TIME WE ARE STILL EXPECTING THE PROJECT UNDER BUDGET.
WE EXPECT TO GO TO BID HOPEFULLY EARLY MARCH, MID-MARCH.
AS WE KNOW THERE'S FACTORS OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL FROM INFLATIONARY AND SUPPLY CHAIN STANDPOINT AND FACTORS WE NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON.
WE DISCUSSED THAT PUBLICALLY WITH OUR GOOCHLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROJECT.
WE'LL WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE FINAL FIGURE IS ONCE WE GO THROUGH THE BID PROCESS.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA, I WANT TO PROVIDE OUR COMMUNITY WITH AN UPDATE AND OPPORTUNITY I HAD A CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN LAST WEEK.
I WANT TO THANK THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR SUPPORT OF MY PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.
I HAD THE TRUE HONOR AND PLEASURE OF SPENDING FOUR DAYS WITH MARINES ON PARRIS ISLAND.
THERE WERE 55 EDUCATORS FROM RICHMOND AND TENNESSEE THAT HAD A CHANCE TO LEARN FROM MARINES ABOUT THE WORK THEY DO TO PREPARE INDIVIDUALS TO BE A PART OF THAT ELITE FIGHTING FORCE.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ESTABLISH THINGS THE AVERAGE CITIZEN DOESN'T.
I HAD THE CHANCE TO STAND ON THE YELLOW FOOTPRINTS AS A RECRUIT.
BE TOLD WHAT TO DO AND NOT TO DO BY MY DRILL INSTRUCTOR.
I HAD A CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE ON THE RIFLE RANGE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND ULTIMATELY LEARN ABOUT THE WAY THE MARINE CORPS DOES THEIR BUSINESS.
THERE'S SIMILARITY WITH WHAT THEY DO AND OUR DIVISION.
THEY DO NOT TOLERATE MEDIOCRITY AND THEIR CORE VALUES ARE THE SAME APPROACH.
THE CORE VALUES OF HONOR, COURAGE AND COMMITMENT.
THEY'RE PART OF WHAT WE BELIEVE IN.
THE MARINE CORPS IS A LOT BASED ON PERFORMANCE AND MASTERY LEARNING AND DEVELOPING INDIVIDUALS INTO BEING THEIR FUTURE SELVES.
SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THEIR WORK AND OURS.
I HAD A TRUE PLEASURE PARTICIPATING IN THAT.
[7. Consent Items]
AND JUST A MEMORY OF A LIFETIME.AND ULTIMATELY AN EXPERIENCE THAT WILL HELP ME BECOME A BETTER LEADER IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS FORGIVING ME THAT CHANCE.
>> CHAIR NEWMAN: THANK YOU, SIR.
BOARD MEMBERS, YOU HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE CONSENT ITEMS LISTED IN THE AGENDA, INCLUDE THE PERSONNEL ACTION, BILLS AND PAYROLL.
JANUARY FINANCIAL UPDATES, BUDGET SUPPLEMENTS, OVERNIGHT FIELD TRIP AND GROUPS OF POLICIES FOR SECOND READING.
MISS EAST IS HERE IF THERE'S QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT COME UP.
WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION IF THERE IS ITEMS YOU WISH TO PULL FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION, THAT'S POSSIBLE, ALSO.
>> MR. CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE TO PULL OUT ITEM G.
>> YES, POLICY UPDATE SECOND READING.
>> CHAIR NEWMAN: ANYTHING ELSE, BOARD MEMBERS.
I COULD MAKE A MOTION REGARDING THE OTHER ITEMS. MR. CHAIR, I MOVE WE APPROVE CONSENT ITEMS A, B, C, D, E, F.
[01:25:03]
IS THERE AN H?>> CHAIR NEWMAN: MOTION MADE TO APPROVE ALL THE CONSENT ITEMS EXCEPT FOR G.
(A CHORUS OF AYES) >> CHAIR NEWMAN: AND ITEM G, MISS HORN.
>> BOARD MEMBER HORN: ITEM G, MISS EAST.
IF YOU COULD A LITTLE EXPLANATION.
DGD WAS BROUGHT UP NEXT MONTH ON SECOND READ AND WHY THAT IS NOT HERE AS ANY CHANGES, THAT WAS THE FUNDS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS WITH THE CHECKS VERSUS PAYMENT METHOD.
AND ALSO, WHY WE HAVE IGBI-R HERE.
DGB WAS SECOND READ AND IT WAS APPROVED WITHOUT THE CHANGE THAT WAS REQUESTED.
THERE WAS A QUESTION THROWN OUT THERE THAT WE WANT TODAY REPLACE CHECK WITH PAYMENT METHOD.
SHE ADVISED THAT WE DON'T DO THIS.
BUT IF WE WERE TO DO THIS, THE PROPER PAYMENT WOULD BE CHECK.
>> BOARD MEMBER HORN: THANK YOU.
IGBI-R, THIS IS WAS A SECTION THAT WE WANTED TO ADD TO INCLUDE CTE AND WORK BASE LEARNING, BECAUSE IN THE POLICY IGBI, IT READS THAT WE WOULD WRITE SOME REGULATIONS FOR THAT -- A BUNCH OF LISTED THINGS THERE THAT WE WOULD WRITE REGULATIONS FOR, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT SECTION SO WE ADDED IT IN.
A LITTLE CONFUSING EXPLANATION.
>> BOARD MEMBER HORN: AS WE DISCUSSED ON THE POLICY THAT INCLUDING CTE, THESE OTHER ADVANCED PROGRAMS ALSO FURTHER EMPHASIZES HOW IMPORTANT -- HERE WE HAVE ACA AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS AND CTE.
THOSE ARE REALLY CRITICAL CHOICE FOR EVERYONE AND DESERVES THE SAME ATTENTION.
>> BOARD MEMBER HORN: THANK YOU.
>> MR. CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE POLICY FOR SECOND READING TONIGHT.
>> CHAIR NEWMAN: MOTION IS MADE TO APPROVE POLICIES ON SECOND READING TONIGHT.
(A CHORUS OF AYES) >> CHAIR NEWMAN: THANK YOU.
(SPEAKER AWAY FROM MICROPHONE) >> THANK YOU, MR. NEWMAN.
[8. Instructional Report]
FIRST ON THE INSTRUCTIONAL AGENDA IS BYRD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.WE HAVE MR. HOPKINS, AS WELL AS SOME OF HIS TALENTED PROFESSIONALS AT BYRD TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THEIR LITERACY INITIATIVES.
(SPEAKER AWAY FROM MICROPHONE) (LAUGHTER) >> GOOD EVENING AGAIN.
I AM HERE WITH ZOEY AND ANNIE AND MARY, WHO WILL TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR LITERACY ENGAGEMENT AT BYRD.
THE TEACHERS ARE DOING AN AMAZING JOB IN THE CLASSROOM WITH LITERACY INSTRUCTION.
EVERYTHING YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING THAT ARE ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THE TEACHERS ARE DOING INSTRUCTIONALLY.
IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU ALL TONIGHT.
WE'RE HERE TO TELL YOU MORE ABOUT OUR LITERACY ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE.
OF WE GOT TOGETHER LAST SUMMER AND STARTED PLANNING FOR THIS S.
PUT OUT A CALL TO TEACHERS INTERESTED.
AND WERE OVERWHELMED WITH HOW MUCH SUPPORT WE GOT FROM THE OTHER TEACHERS IN THE BUILDING.
SO WE CAME TOGETHER AND OUR MISSION IS TO BUILD EXCITEMENT FOR READING AND WRITING THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL THAT FOSTERS A LIFELONG LOVE FOR READING.
WE MEET ABOUT EVERY OTHER MONTH.
WE'VE HAD SEVERAL EVENTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU.
BUT THE REALLY NICE THING HAS BEEN FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY TROUBLE GETTING TEACHERS TO COME FORWARD AND VOLUNTEER TO BE
[01:30:04]
A PART OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN PLANNING, SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ENERGY AND EXCITEMENT AROUND BUILDING THE EXCITEMENT FO LITERACY.SO ONE OF THE FIRST INITIATIVES THAT WE DID WAS USED ALLOCATED FUNDS TO BUY BOOK BAGS FOR ALL THE STUDENTS, LITTLE CINCH SACKS.
WE GAVE THEM TO EVERY STUDENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
AND ALSO A BOOK MARK AND JOURNAL.
WE ENCOURAGE THE KIDS TO FILL IT WITH BOOKS AND CARRY WHEREVER THEY GO.
THEY COULD TAKE IT TO ENCORE OR READ BOOKS IN THE HALLWAY OR PICTURE DAY.
THE KIDS HAVE BEEN EXCITED ABOUT IT.
YOU STILL SEE THEM USING IT TO THIS DAY ALL THE WAY IN FEBRUARY.
>> WE HAVE HAD A DIFFERENT FEATURED AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR EACH MONTH.
WE MADE SURE WE WERE USING ALL DIVERSE AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS.
EACH MONTH WE SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THE AUTHOR WITH THE TEACHERS, WHO SHARE IT WITH THEIR STUDENTS.
THE TEACHERS CHECK OUT AND READ THESE BOOKS ALL MONTH LONG.
ONCE THE MONTH IS DONE, THEY GO ONTO A SPECIAL DISPLAY IN THE LIBRARY SO THE STUDENTS CAN START CHECKING THEM OUT.
BECAUSE STUDENTS ARE ALWAYS REALLY EXCITE TODAY CHECK OUT BOOKS THAT THEIR TEACHERS HAVE READ TO THEM.
WE HAVE A SPECIAL DISPLAY IN THE FRONT OF THE SCHOOL, TOO.
WE WANT KIDS TO KNOW THESE DIVERSE AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS BY NAME.
THEY SEE THEIR PICTURES AS WELL BECAUSE WE HAVE THEM POSTED AND TEACHERS SHARE THEM WITH STUDENTS.
WE PUT THE AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS THAT WE SHARED IN THE PREPARATION, SO YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THEM SO FAR.
THE GUY IN THE MIDDLE IS OUR FEBRUARY ILLUSTRATOR, BRIAN COLLIER.
>> OTHER ONE OF OUR INITIATIVES HAS BEEN OUR READING TICKETS.
THIS WAS OUR READING INCENTIVE WE'VE DONE PRESCHOOL THROUGH FIFTH GRADE.
ALL TEACHERS AND STAFF CARRY READING TICKETS ON THEIR LANYARDS AND WE PASS THEM OUT TO STUDENTS AS WE SEE THEM READING IN THE HALLWAYSES OR SMALL GROUPS.
STUDENTS PUT TICKETS IN THE JAR IN THE LIBRARY.
WE PULL THREE WINNERS EVERY FRIDAY TO GET A PRIZE.
IT'S JUST KIND OF THE RANDOM REENFORCEMENT THAT HAS KEPT THE KIDS EXCITED ABOUT READING WHENEVER THEY GET A CHANCE.
>> WE HAVE ALSO DONE DEAR TIME A COUPLE OF TIMES THIS YEAR.
WE'VE HAD IT TWICE AND A COUPLE PLANNED FOR THE SPRINGTIME.
ALL STUDENTS, STAFF AND TEACHERS, DROP EVERYTHING AND READ AT THE SAME TIME.
IT'S PRE-K THROUGH FIFTH GRADE.
AND IT'S JUST A NICE TIME ACROSS THE SCHOOL.
EVERYBODY KIND OF CALMS DOWN AND GETS A BOOK.
AND IT'S REALLY FOSTERED THE LOVE OF READING.
WE LET TEACHERS DECIDE HOW LONG THEY WANTED TO EXTEND FOR.
WE HAD SOME THIRD GRADE CLASSES GO FOR ALMOST AN HOUR, BECAUSE THE KIDS ARE INTO IT.
BUT THAT WAY WE CAN INCLUDE ALL GRADE LEVELS IN IT.
>> WHEN WE SENT OUT THE SURVEY TO TEACHERS ABOUT WHAT WAS IMPORTANT, WE HEARD FROM A LOT OF TEACHERS THEY WANTED US TO PUT A FOCUS ON STUDENT WRITING.
WE MET WITH A SUBCOMMITTEE AND CAME UP WITH DIFFERENT WRITING PROMPTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
IN NOVEMBER, WE DID WRITING PROMPTS FOR STUDENTS AND KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIFTH GRADE RELATED TO KINDNESS.
AND SO TEACHERS HAD A MONTH TO GO THROUGH THE WRITING PROCESS WITH THE STUDENTS.
AND THEN, MANY OF THE GRADE LEVELS DID DISPLAYS OUTSIDE OF THEIR CLASSROOMS. AS WE WALKED AROUND THE CLASSROOMS, YOU COULD SEE THE PROGRESSION OF WRITING FROM A KINDERGARTENER THROUGH FIFTH GRADE.
ALONG WITH THAT, WE WANTED TO CELEBRATE OUR STUDENT AUTHORS, SO WE HAD -- WE GAVE OUT AN INVITATION FOR STUDENTS WHO WANTED TO COME AND SHARE THEIR WRITING ON THE MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS.
WE HAD SEVERAL STUDENTS FOR TEACH DAY OVER A WEEK TO COME AND BE THE AUTHOR OF THE DAY AND SHARE THEIR WRITINGS IN THE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
>> OF COURSE, READING OLYMPICS.
WE'RE SO APPRECIATIVE THAT THAT FUNDING IS IN THE BUDGET, BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING PROGRAMS I'VE SEEN IN ALL OF MY YEARS OF TEACHING.
NOTHING BUILDS A COMMUNITY OF READERS LIKE READING OLYMPICS.
I TOOK A PICTURE OF THE SHELF OF READING OLYMPICS BOOK TO PUT IN THE PRESENTATION.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT PEOPLE IN THE OFFICE STANDING AROUND THE WATER JUG, THAT'S WHAT THIS IS IN MY LIBRARY.
(LAUGHTER) >> THE KIDS STAND AROUND THE SHELF AND TALK ABOUT THE BOOKS THEY'VE READ AND RECOMMENDING BOOKS TO EACH OTHER.
THIS YEAR, WE HAVE ALMOST 100 KIDS DOING IT.
WE HAVE EVERY FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADER PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROGRAM.
THE TEACHERS ARE SUPPORTING IT.
THEY'RE READING BOOKS TO STUDENTS DURING LUNCHTIME.
KIDS ARE CONSTANTLY COMING IN TO GET THESE BOOKS.
IT'S AMAZING TO SEE THE WAY THAT THEY'RE SHARING THE BOOKS THAT THEY LOVE.
AND TALKING ABOUT THESE BOOKS.
THE KIDS ARE READING FROM THIS LIST OF 40.
[01:35:02]
AND THEN, OFTEN MARCH 30TH, WE HAVE OUR COMPETITION THAT WILL BE AT THE CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL COMPLEX THIS YEAR.YOU ALL WILL GET AN INVITE FOR SURE.
COME OUT TO SEE THE KIDS COMPLETE ON THEIR TEAM AS THEY ARE ANSWERING QUESTIONS ABOUT ALL 40 BOOKS.
>> WE HAD A FAIRY TALE WEEK FOR THE STUDENTS.
WE DECORATED THE FRONT OF THE SCHOOL TO LOOK LIKE A CASTLE.
WE HAD DRESS UP DAYS AND FAIR AND FAMILY NIGHT WE'LL TELL YOU ABOUT IN A MINUTE.
WE HAD DAILY TRIVIA ABOUT DIFFERENT FAIRY TALES AND WE TIED IT INTO BULLYING AS WELL.
WE WERE FOCUSING ON KINDNESS YOU CAN FIND IN FAIRY TALES.
THIS IS A VIDEO THAT'S NOT GOING TO PLAY BECAUSE I DIDN'T SHARE THE PERMISSION.
SO IT'S A SHORT CLIP OF THE KIDS IN THEIR FAIRY TALE OUTFITS WALKING AROUND THROUGH THE CASTLE DECORATIONS IN AND THEY'RE BEE-BOPPING UP AND DOWN THROUGH THE HALLWAYS.
DURING THE FAIRY TALE WEEK, WE HAD FAMILY NIGHT.
YOU CAN SEE OUR FIFTH GRADE TEAM DRESSED UP AS HOCUS POCUS.
WE HAD ACTIVITIES AROUND THE SCHOOL AS WELL AS THE FAIR.
WE HAD A MASSIVE, MASSIVE TURNOUT.
KIDS AND FAMILIES HAD FUN COMING TOGETHER FOR A NIGHT AT SCHOOL.
>> WE HAD A READING SPIRIT WEEK THE WEEK BEFORE WINTER BREAK.
WE KICKED IT OFF MONDAY WITH BOOK SWAB.
KIDS COULD BRING BOOKS FROM HOME AND EXCHANGE THEM FOR GENTLY USED BUT NEW TO THEM BOOKS.
AND IN ADDITION TO THEM, KIDS WERE ABLE TO TAKE HOME NEW BOOKS TO FILL THEIR SHELVES.
WE HAD DRESS-UP DAYS EACH DAY OF THE WEEK.
FRIDAY, GRADE LEVELS CAME TO OUR COURTYARD TO HEAR STORIES AND SING.
THAT ENTIRE WEEK WE WERE FOCUSING ON PUMPING UP KIDS UP TO SEND THEM HOME WITH BOOKS SO THEY WOULD READ OVER WHAT TURNED INTO THREE WEEKS.
(LAUGHTER) >> GOOCHLAND READS, WE JUST CONCLUDED.
EVERY STUDENT RECEIVED A COPY OF "IMAGINATION ACCORDING HUMPHREY".
THEY ANSWERED DAILY TRIVIA QUESTIONS AND MAKING GREEN SCREEN PROJECTS AND DOING S.T.E.M.
THIS IS A MAGICAL TIME TO BUILD A COMMUNITY OF READERS.
KIDS THAT A COMMON BOOK THAT THEY CAN TALK ABOUT WITH ALL OF THEIR TEACHERS.
WE ARE ALWAYS SAD WHEN THAT ENDS.
WE HAVE OUR READING THERAPY DOG COME OUT TO BYRD THE FIRST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH.
AND CHRISTINA WILLIAMSON, IS A RANDOLPH PARENT, NOW HER KIDS ARE OLDER, SO MIDDLE SCHOOL OR HIGH SCHOOL, BUT SHE BRINGS HER DOG PI TO SIT AND READ WITH STUDENTS.
THE YOUNGER ONES WILL PET HIM AND THE OLDER ONES READ TO THE DOG AND PET THE DOG WHILE THEY READ.
(LAUGHTER) >> FINALLY, WE JUST FINISHED UP OUR JANUARY READING CHALLENGE LAST WEEK.
AND SO EACH CLASS WAS STRIVING TO BE THE -- HAVE THE MOST ACCELERATED READER POINTS PER AVERAGE.
WE HAD A WINNER PER GRADE LEVEL.
THERE WAS A LOT OF EXCITEMENT.
YOU COULD HEAR THE KIDS CHEERING UP AND DOWN THE HALL AND KIDS TALKING IN CLASS SAYING THEY WANTED TO READ THE MOST BOOKS.
THAT'S CARRIED INTO THEM TALKING ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO READ NEXT AND GETTING THEM EXCITED.
SO WE DID HAVE (INDISCERNIBLE) CAME OUT ON MONDAY AND GAVE PRIZES TO THE CLASSES THAT WON AND KICKED OFF THEIR READING CHALLENGE.
>> SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR.
WE HAVE A CELEBRATE READING WEEK COMING UP AT END OF FEBRUARY TO CORRESPOND WITH DR. SEUSS'S BIRTHDAY.
WE'RE GOING TO PLAN ANOTHER LITERACY NIGHT WITHIN THAT WEEK.
THE READING SPECIALIST AND THE SPECIAL ED TEAM ARE GOING TO PUT TOGETHER SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS BASED ON REQUESTS THEY HAVE FOR WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE AND TRY SOMETHING NEW WITH THEIR LITERACY IN THEIR CLASSROOM.
SO THAT WILL BE FOCUSED AROUND PHONICS, FLUENCY AND COMPREHENSION.
WE HAVE A SCHOOL NIGHT PLANNED IN APRIL.
[01:40:02]
THE READING OLYMPICS TOURNAMENT IS COMING UP.TO CLOSE OUT THE YEAR OF THE WRITING THE KIDS HAVE BEEN DOING, WE'RE PLANNING ON PUTTING TOGETHER A BOOK OF STUDENT WRITING AND ARTWORK TO PUBLISH.
>> AS YOU COULD SEE, WE'RE VERY BUSY AT BYRD, BUT ENJOYING EVERY MINUTE OF IT.
AGAIN, THESE ARE DONE ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THE CLASSROOM TEACHERS ARE DOING.
I'M SO PLEASED AND SO HAPPY WITH ALL OF THE EVENTS AND ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE READING AND LITERACY, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IF YOU CAN READ, YOU CAN DO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO! SO THANK YOU.
THE BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? MISS HORN HAS A COMMENT.
>> BOARD MEMBER HORN: I WANT TO SAY THIS REPORT IS -- INDICATES THAT YOU ARE REALLY STAYING ON TRACK WITH YOUR IMPROVEMENT GOALS.
BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK BACK TO THE SHARING OF THE GOALS FOR LITERACY, YOU ALL -- AND THE STRATEGIES, YOU GUYS AS A TEAM HAVE BUILT THAT EXCITEMENT WITHIN THE SCHOOL FOR THE KIDS, AND I REALLY THINK THIS IS A VERY POSITIVE -- THAT YOU ARE GOING TO MEET OR EXCEED YOUR GOAL, SO THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.
IT'S CLEAR THAT EVERYBODY IS ALL IN.
>> IT'S REALLY, REALLY GREAT JOB.
(LAUGHTER) >> AND I ACTUALLY DID NOT HAVE A QUESTION.
BUT I THOUGHT YOU WOULD KEEP YOUR POSITION THERE IF YOU THOUGHT THERE WAS A QUESTION.
I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU HOW EXCITED AS MR. WRIGHT JUST SAID, HOW EXCITED I AM.
I'M SURE WE ALL ARE ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM BEGINNING TO WHAT IS YET TO HAPPEN.
BUT I HAD A FLASHBACK WHEN YOU MENTIONED DROP EVERYTHING AND READ.
BECAUSE AS A PRINCIPAL IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, THAT WAS MY FAVORITE MORNING OR AFTERNOON.
BECAUSE I STOPPED EVERYTHING AND READ AND I THINK THAT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT WHEN EVERYBODY GETS INVOLVED IN THAT.
AND I CAN PICTURE THE EXCITEMENT GROWING AS YOU SAID AND LASTING LONGER THAN YOU MIGHT HAVE PLANNED.
BUT THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR THIS PROGRAM.
WE WANT OUR KIDS HAVING FLASHBACKS TO HOW MUCH THEY LOVED READING AND THE EXCITEMENT AROUND IT IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WHAT YOU SAW IN FRONT OF US THIS EVENING IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE HARD-WORKING PROFESSIONALS THAT DO AN AMAZING WORK FOR OUR SCHOOL DIVISION EVERY DAY.
ZOEY PARRISH SERVES AS A SCHOOL LIBRARIAN.
AND AMY PERRY, AND DIANE O'CONNELL WHO WORKS WITH OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
YOU CAN SEE THE EXCELLENCE OF OUR SCHOOL DIVISION IN ACTION THIS EVENING AND HARD-WORKING PROFESSIONALS WHO CARE ABOUT KIDS AND WANT THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
>> CHAIR NEWMAN: THANK YOU ALL.
(APPLAUSE) >> NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, I WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO TWO GENTLEMEN WHO SOME OF YOU HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING BEFORE.
ONE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS, THESE MEN IS ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES WHO SUPPORTS THE LITERACY INITIATIVES OUT OF BYRD.
WEARING THE WHITE SHIRT IS JONATHAN SPENCER, THE PRESIDENT OF THE CALL ME MISTER AT LONGWOOD AND DE VON HARVEY.
THESE GENTLEMAN HAVE BEEN ON SITE THE LAST TWO YEARS.
WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THE STRONG PARTNERSHIP AND RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH CALL ME MISTER.
MANY OF YOU HAVE HAD THE CHANCE OF MEETING WITH DR. CARTER WHO SUPPORTS THESE GENTLEMEN, THESE MISTERS AND THEIR PROFESSIONAL AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT.
MR. BYRON MORGAN, WHO RECEIVED AN ECCHO AWARD THIS EVENING IS A MISTER AND JOINED BY MR. BYRON WIND BUSH WHO IS A MISTER AT GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL AND -- WHO IS A MISTER.
WE KNOW THE QUALITY OF THE STRONG GRADUATES PRODUCED AT THE MISTER PROGRAM AT LONGWOOD.
IT'S OUR PLEASURE TO HAVE THEM JOIN US FOR A PRESENTATION TO HEAR ABOUT THE GREAT WORK THEY'RE DOING.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.
CHAIR NEWMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND DR. RALEY, IT'S A HONOR TO BE WITH YOU.
I'M THE PROUD PRESIDENT OF CALL ME MISTER AND ALSO A PART-TIME INTERVENTIONIST AT BYRD.
I WOULD LIKE MY VP TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF.
[01:45:03]
>> I'M DE RON HARVEY, THE FEARLESS VICE PRESIDENT OF THE CALL ME MISTER COHORT.
PRESIDENT >> I WOULD BE REMISED IF I DIDN'T SHOUT-OUT OUR DIRECTOR MAURICE CARTER WHO COULD NOT BE WITH US THIS EVENING.
I JUST STARTED BUT CAN TELL THE DRIVE IS WORTH IT SO I ECHO MISS WILBURN'S COMMENTS.
MISS BENNET, THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS.
WE'LL SHOW YOU ABOUT CALL ME MISTER.
(LAUGHTER) >> LET'S SEE IF THE VOLUME WORKS.
>> CALL ME MISTER IS A GREAT PROGRAM ON CAMPUS THAT TEACHES MENTORSHIP AND HOW TO BECOME A BETTER LEADER FOR NOT ONLY THE CAMPUS BUT FUTURE STUDENTS.
I GOT INVOLVED WITH CALL ME MISTER BECAUSE I WANT TO FIND A GROUP OF GUYS WHO KNEW WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO GO THROUGH THE STRUGGLE OF TEACHING.
THERE'S GREAT SUPPORT FOR CALL ME MISTER BECAUSE THEY WANT TO SEE US SUCCEED AND BECOME TEACHERS.
>> THE APPLICATION PROCESS OR FINANCIALLY, WHETHER IT WAS YOU NEED TO HAVE A SCHOOLWORK, THEY CAN SET YOU UP WITH TUTORS, IT WAS JUST A REALLY WELCOMING AND SUPPORTIVE PROGRAM.
IT'S HERE TO BECOME YOUR GUIDE ON HOW TO BECOME A GOOD LEADER IN THE COMMUNITY, A GOOD TEACHER AND A GOOD MENTOR.
>> IT'S SUCH A WONDERFUL GROUP.
WE HAVE SUCH A WONDERFUL MISSION STATEMENT.
YOU DON'T GO INTO TEACHING FOR THE MONEY.
I'M DEFINITELY INTO IT FOR THE PEOPLE.
>> I WANT TO BECOME A TEACHER BECAUSE GROWING UP I HAD GREAT, GREAT ROLE MODELS.
GOING TO SCHOOL WAS LIKE A SECOND HOME.
THE TEACHERS MADE IT FEEL LIVELY.
I WANT THE STUDENTS TO HAVE SUCCESS.
INFLUENCING YOUNGER GENERATIONS IS A GREAT WAY TO GET STARTED AND SECURE A BETTER FUTURE FOR THE WORLD.
AS YOU CAN SEE, ALL BUT TWO MISTERS IN THAT COMMERCIAL ARE HERE AT GOOCHLAND.
SO OUR MISSION STATEMENT, MISTERS, MENTORS INSTRUCTING STUDENTS TOWARDS EFFECTIVE ROLE MODELS.
OUR INITIATIVE IS INCREASE THE POOL OF AVAILABLE TEACHERS FROM A BROADER, MORE DIVERSE BACKGROUND.
PARTICULARLY AMONG THE STATE'S LOWEST PERFORMING ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS.
STUDENT PARTICIPANTS ARE LARGELY SELECTED AMONG UNDERSERVED SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AND ECONOMICALLY AT-RISK COMMUNITIES.
SO THE CALL ME MISTER PROGRAM IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE TALENT POOL.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING NOT JUST FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN BUT MEN IN GENERAL BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT ASPECT IS HIGHLY MISSED I SCHOOL AS A WHOLE.
BECAUSE WE -- THE EDUCATIONAL PROFESSION IS DOMINATED BY FEMALES.
AND SO WE WANT TO CLOSE THAT GAP SO THAT WE HAVE AT LEAST SOMEONE EACH KID WITH CAN RELATE TO.
>> BEFORE I GO OVER OUR PHILOSOPHY, I WANT TO SAY DR. RALEY IS EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY DEDICATE TODAY THIS PROGRAM, AND WE APPRECIATE HIM FOR THAT AS WELL.
CALL ME MISTER WE STRIVE FOR FULL DEVELOPMENT OF EACH TEACHER DRAWING FROM EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES WITHIN AND BEYOND EDUCATIONAL ROLES IN THE CLASSROOM.
WE ENCOURAGE MEN OF MORE DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS TO ENGAGE AND ACCEPT THE CHALLENGES OF ENCOURAGING STUDENTS OF ALL RACES TO STRIVE FOR PERSONAL EXCELLENCE.
WE PROMOTE THE PREPARATION OF SKILLED AND CARING FACULTY, WHO WILL STIMULATE, GUIDE, AND CHALLENGE THEIR STUDENTS TO BECOME LEADERS AND POSITIVE ROLE MODELS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES.
WE SUPPORT COMMITTED, MOTIVATED STUDENTS WHO DESIRE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF YOUNG PEOPLE.
WE SUPPORT MEN WHO VALUE ENERGY, ENTHUSIASM, DETERMINATION, IMAGINATION, CURIOSITY, CREATIVITY, AND A SENSE OF HUMOR, WHICH IS DEFINITELY IN PRESCHOOL WITH MR. MORGAN.
(LAUGHTER) >> SO TENETS OF OUR PROGRAM, MODEL OF SUPPORT.
SO WE -- BEFORE WE DO ANYTHING, WE ARE A SUPPORT GROUP FOR EACH OTHER.
I KNOW I HAVE MORGAN'S NUMBER, I HAVE JONATHAN'S NUMBER, I HAVE EVERY MISTER'S NUMBER.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT SUPPORT GROUP AMONGST US.
THERE MAY BE A POINT IN TIME WE'RE FEELING DOWN.
BUT ONE OF OUR MISTERS WILL HAVE OUR BACK.
[01:50:01]
WE ARE A BROTHERHOOD.OUR MISTERS, WE MENTOR EACH OTHER.
AS WE HAVE NEW MISTERS COME IN, IT'S OUR DUTY AS THE GRADUATING CLASS THAT GO OUT TO MENTOR THE YOUNGER ONES COMING IN.
SO THEY KNOW WHAT IS EXPECTED.
AND WHAT THEY CAN PERCEIVE GOING FORWARD.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE'RE FOR THE KIDS.
IF WE'RE FOR THE KIDS WE HAVE TO BE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WHEN YOU COME IN, WE SIGN A CONTRACT THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE COMMUNITY WHETHER IT'S COMMUNITY SERVICE, OR JUST HELPING OUT AT LIKE THE LOCAL FOOD BANK OR GIVING BACK TO THE YOUTH LEAGUE, WHICH I DO THAT AS WELL.
SCHOLARSHIPS, SCHOLARSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT.
WE WANT TO SHE ELIMINATE SOME OF THAT DEBT THAT EDUCATORS COME OUT OF COLLEGE WITH.
IF WE CAN ELIMINATE SOME OF THAT DEBT, WE WILL BE BETTER PREPARED TO TEACH, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HAVING TO GIVE BACK SO MUCH MONEY AS WE'RE TRYING TO ALSO EARN INCOME AND LIVE.
THEN, OUR SUMMER INSTITUTE, OUR JUNIOR MISTERS, THIS IS A PROGRAM WITH THIS INSTITUTE WHERE WE HAVE FUTURE MISTERS COME IN AND SPEND A WEEK ON CAMPUS, WHERE WE GET ACCLIMATED TO CAMPUS LIFE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE GUEST SPEAKERS COME IN AND SPEAK TO US.
THIS IS REALLY A TIME FOR US TO JUST BOND AS A WHOLE.
ADVISORY BOARD, WE'RE ALWAYS AN ADVISORY BOARD TO EACH OTHER.
I'M CURRENTLY ON TWO ADVISORY BOARDS AT LONGWOOD.
>> AS MY VICE PRESIDENT MENTIONED ABOUT OUR SCHOLARSHIPS, HOW IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO HELP EACH OTHER OUT, SO WE ARE NOT ENGULFED IN DEBT AS WE COME OUT OF THE COLLEGE FIELD.
OF SO THE CALL ME MISTER WE HAVE A PARTICIPATION SCHOLARSHIP WHICH RANGES FROM $3,000 TO $5,000.
WE ALSO HAVE A LOAN FOR TEACHERS FOR TOMORROW SCHOLARSHIP WHICH FOR THE SAKE OF TIME WE DID NOT INCLUDE THE GROW YOUR OWN POWERPOINT.
I WOULD HAPPY TO GIVE THAT EACH OF YOU SO YOU COULD HAVE THAT.
JUST A LITTLE BLURB ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIPS THEY HAVE.
THEY'RE OVER AND ABOVE OTHER FEDERAL AND STATE FINANCIAL AID FOR WHICH PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS ARE ELIGIBLE.
VARIABILITY AND AMOUNTS IS DEPEND END ON FINANCIAL AID DETERMINABILITY, THE BASIS OF ESTIMATED FAMILY CONTRIBUTIONS OR EFC.
ALL RENEWABLE SCHOLARSHIPS HAVE STIPULATIONS OF ADEQUATE ACADEMIC PROGRESS, WHICH INCLUDES A MINIMUM GPA OF GENERALLY AROUND 3.0.
AND CREDITS PER YEAR GENERALLY AROUND 30 TO BE RENEWED.
TEACHER EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIPS REQUIRE STUDENTS TO BE ENROLLED IN ONE OF THE LONGWOOD MAJORS LEADING TO THE TEACHER LICENSURE.
>> THIS IS OUR VISION BUT WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT MR. MORGAN.
WE KNOW WE'RE PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT.
>> FROM THE TIME I WAS CREATED, I WAS MADE TO BE A LEADER.
SINCE THE DAY I WAS BORN, I HAVE BEEN A MAN OF INFLUENCE.
I'M A LEADER BECAUSE OF WHAT IS INSIDE OF ME.
I AM ON THE PATH TO MY CALLING BECAUSE I HAVE VISIONS, I'M FOCUSED.
SO WHEN YOU ADDRESS ME, DO NOT MINIMIZE MY DESTINY, BUT PLEASE CELEBRATE MY CALLING.
(APPLAUSE) >> AND JUST TO GO OVER THE SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND THE GPA REQUIREMENTS, THE LANCER DISTINCTION AWARD RANGES 3.0 TO 3.35.
THE TWO ADMISSIONS, EARLY ACTION OR REGULAR ADMISSION HAVE SCHOLARSHIP MONEY ATTACHED TO THEM RANGING FROM $1,000 TO $2,000.
THAT GPA RANGE IS 3.26 TO 3.74.
$2,000 TO $3,000 WITH THE MINIMUM OF $2,000 FOR THAT SCHOLARSHIP.
AND THEN, THE PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARSHIP.
WITH A 3.75 OR ABOVE GPA STARTING AT $3,000 AND RANGING TO $4,000.
>> I SPOKE ABOUT THIS INSTITUTE EARLIER, BUT AS YOU COULD SEE HERE, WE HAVE AN INSTITUTE OF FUTURE MISTERS.
SOME OF THE MISTERS MAY NOT CURRENTLY BE IN THE PROGRAM AT THE MOMENT BECAUSE THEY
[01:55:01]
DECIDED TO GO ON A DIFFERENT ROUTE.BUT AS YOU COULD SEE, THIS INSTITUTE IS A GATEWAY FOR US TO UNDERSTAND OUR TRUE SELF AND OUR TRUE CALLING.
SO WHERE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IS EXPECTED OF US AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
>> AND I'M GOING TO TAKE YOU TO OUR LONGWOOD CALL ME MISTER SITE WHICH IS RELATIVELY NEW.
MR. MORGAN IS FEATURED AS WELL.
YOU CAN TYPE IN CALL ME MISTER OR WE CAN SEND YOU THE LINK.
WE ARE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
>> CHAIR NEWMAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
BOARD MEMBERS, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MISS ALLEN.
>> BOARD MEMBER ALLEN: WOW! WHAT AN AMAZING PROGRAM! THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE DETAILS.
I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE PLANS BRANCHING OUT BEYOND LONGWOOD TO OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE STATE TO HELP BUILD WHAT YOU STARTED HERE BECAUSE THIS IS EXCELLENT.
>> I BELIEVE THAT'S IN THE WORKS.
DR. CARTER AND DR. LOCACIA IS THE ASSOCIATE DEAN AT LONGWOOD, THEY'RE COMMUNICATING WITH A BUNCH OF OTHER UNITS.
>> IT'S FUNNY THAT YOU SAY THAT BECAUSE I WANT TO SAY LAST YEAR, AROUND SEPTEMBER, I ACTUALLY SPOKE AT THE REGION 8 SUPERINTENDENTS MEETING IN VIRGINIA BEACH, WHERE I GOT TO ACTUALLY TELL MY STORY HOW I BECAME A MISTER.
AND IT JUST BROADENED THE HORIZON FOR A LOT OF SCHOOL DIVISIONS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROGRAM DOES AND HOW IT GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
>> MISS ALLEN, TO OUR POINT, I WILL SAY THE BASIS OF CALL ME MISTER STARTED AT CLEMSON UNIVERSITY, SOUTH CAROLINA.
THEY ARE OUR HUB, IF YOU WILL.
THEY ARE OUR MAIN FOCAL POINT.
>> BOARD MEMBER HORN: THANK YOU.
IT'S A PLEASURE VISITING US AND WORKING WITH US.
COULD YOU GO TO THE MISSION SLIDE AGAIN.
COULD WE USE THIS AND THEN I GUESS IT WAS YOUR VISION STATEMENT THAT YOU GUYS ALL READ? OH, MY GOSH.
>> BOARD MEMBER HORN: WE NEED OUR KIDS, ALL OF OUR KIDS SAYING THIS EVERY DAY.
THIS TELLS ME THAT YOU HAD SOME GREAT LOVE FROM OUR FAMILY AS WELL.
AND YOU CONTINUE TO GET IT FROM PEOPLE LIKE DR. CARTER, AND SO THANK YOU.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOU CONTINUING TO SPREAD YOUR POWERFUL MESSAGE AND YOUR TEACHING AND WHATEVER COMMUNITY YOU CHOOSE, BUT I HOPE IT'S GOOCHLAND.
>> MISS HORN, ONE OF THE REASONS THESE MISTERS ARE HERE, IS BECAUSE WE WANT A LARGER PROGRAM TO KNOW WHAT THE PROGRAM COULD OFFER STUDENTS COMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.
YOU SAW THE SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE.
IT'S HARD TO ACCESS SCHOLARSHIP MONEY.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO LET OUR STUDENTS KNOW ABOUT WHAT CAN BE AVAILABLE TO THEM AS A CAREER EDUCATOR.
YOU KNOW WE'VE DEVELOPED THE TEACHERS FOR TOMORROW PROGRAM AND CREATING THAT PIPELINE.
IN COLLABORATION, STUDENTS CAN HAVE A LOT OF CREDITS LEAVING GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL AND SCHOLARSHIP MONEY THROUGH CALL ME MISTER AND HELP THEM AS THEY EXIT COLLEGE HOPEFULLY WITH LESS DEBT.
WE'RE HOPING WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE LISTENING OR FAMILIES WHO ARE LISTENING AND CAN MAYBE EDUCATE THEIR STUDENTS ABOUT SOME OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES.
FIRST OFF, GREAT PRESENTATION.
>> IT'S BEEN GREAT MEETING WITH YOU GUYS FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AS YOU COME IN.
THERE'S A MEASURABLE AMOUNT OF ENERGY IN THE ROOM.
(LAUGHTER) >> SO MY QUESTION, SORRY, LONG, WAS YOUR JUNIOR MISTERS -- THEY ARE RISING FRESHMAN, IS THAT WHO YOU ARE BRINGING IN FOR SUMMER PROGRAMS? WHO EXACTLY IS IN THIS?
WE HAVE RISING JUNIORS, SENIORS, AND FRESHMAN, BECAUSE WE KNOW WE WANT TO GET THE PROCESS STARTED EARLY, SO RISING JUNIORS, I THINK THAT'S OUR YOUNGEST THAT WE'VE HAD.
>> HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS AND SENIORS?
>> AND THEN FRESHMAN IN COLLEGE.
>> WE'LL KEEP IN CONTACT WITH SOPHOMORE TO SAY GIVE THEM THE FEEL OF IT.
THE I THINK EACH YEAR THEY COME BACK TO DO THE SUMMER INSTITUTE, IT WILL HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY WANT TO GO.
I'M GRAD YOU'RE REACHING INTO THE SCHOOL.
[02:00:01]
THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION.YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE PLANS AS FAR AS RECRUITMENT? I MEAN, HOW COULD WE FACILITATE YOUR PROGRAM THROUGH MAYBE ACCESS TO SOME OF OUR STUDENTS AT DIFFERENT TIMES? I MEAN, WE GO THROUGH AND TALK ABOUT SO MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON FROM A CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION STANDPOINT, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE TEACHERS FOR TOMORROW PROGRAMS AND THAT SORT OF STUFF.
WOULD IT BE GOOD, DO YOU THINK, TO REACH DOWN WHEN WE'RE TALKING TO EIGHTH GRADERS, SEVENTH GRADERS...
>> ABOUT THEIR POTENTIAL LIFE CHOICES, WOULD THAT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME FOR INTRODUCTION?
WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO SPEAK AT OTHER SCHOOL DIVISION, I WON'T SAY WHICH ONE.
WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO COME AND SPEAK TO THEIR SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS.
AND REALLY JUST TALK ABOUT THE TEACHERS FOR TOMORROW PROGRAM PROGRAM.
ALSO THE GROW YOUR OWN SITUATION.
WE WOULD BE WILLING TO COME BACK.
WE'RE SPEAKING IN TWO COUNTIES.
>> OUR GOAL IS TO PLANT THAT SEED EARLY.
BECAUSE HATE TO SAY T BUT A LOT OF KIDS NOWADAYS, THEY WATCH TV AND MOST ROLE MODELS ARE GANGSTERS OR RAPPERS.
>> THEY WATCH YOUTUBE AND THINK THEY CAN DO EVERYTHING ON YOUTUBE.
WE WANT TO REACH THEM YOUNG AND THE SEED WILL BE THERE THAT WE CAN DO MORE THAN THAT.
>> MR. CHAIRMAN, WE HAVE MISS EAST IN THE AUDIENCE AND IS ONE OF OUR BASE LEARNING COORDINATORS.
SHE'S BEEN SUPPORTING THE SPEAKERS BUREAU, WHERE WE'RE IDENTIFYING PROFESSIONS IN OUR REGION AND GETTING STUDENTS AN EARLY EXPERIENCE TO THAT.
MISS EAST THAT MAY BE SOMETHING WE WANT TO GET IN FRONT OF OUR STUDENTS AS A POTENTIAL CAREER OPPORTUNITY AND HAVE THESE GENTLEMEN MEET WITH OUR STUDENTS.
(SPEAKER AWAY FROM MICROPHONE) >> GENTLEMEN, I'M ECHO WHAT'S BEEN SAID AS FAR AS IT BEING A GREAT PRESENTATION.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET SOME OF THE MISTERS LAST YEAR AT THE RECEPTION AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY AND BEEN IN MR. MORRIS'S CLASSROOM A COUPLE OF TIMES.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
>> YES, THANK YOU FOR LETTING US PRESENT.
(APPLAUSE) >> CHAIR NEWMAN: BOARD MEMBERS, YOU'LL RECALL WE MOVED AN ITEM EARLIER TO THE SECTION OF THE AGENDA, SO I'M GOING TO CALL ON MRS. HORN TO EXPAND ON HER REQUEST.
>> BOARD MEMBER HORN: THANK YOU.
OF COURSE THAT'S ITEM D UNDER INSTRUCTION, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN C.
THE REASON I PUT IT IN INSTRUCTION IS BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT IS HAPPENING FOR OUR PRESCHOOL PROGRAM.
I HIGHLIGHTED JUST A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT CAME TO MIND AS I EXPERIENCED WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW WITH OUR PRESCHOOL STUDENTS, AND THAT IS THAT THERE IS SO MUCH TRUST FROM OUR FAMILIES THAT WHEN I SAW THE STUDENTS TODAY, THERE WAS NO -- NONE OF THESE KIDS WERE UNCOMFORTABLE.
THEY WERE WITH THEIR TEACHERS IN INDIVIDUAL CLASSROOMS, BRIGHT, SUNNY SPACES.
PEOPLE WORKED TOGETHER TO BRING THINGS OVER TO THE SCHOOL TO MAKE SCHOOL THEIR PRESCHOOL CONTINUE TO MOVE ON WHILE WE ARE WAITING FOR PARTS TO PROVIDE THE HEAT IN THEIR REGULAR BUILDING.
WHEN DR. RALEY LET US KNOW THERE WAS SOMETHING GOING ON AT THE PRESCHOOL BUILDING, WE'RE LIKE WE GOT TO CALL AND FIND OUT HOW CAN WE CONTINUE TO TEACH THESE CHILDREN? WHERE CAN WE GO? HERE WE HAVE THIS AMAZING COUNTY FACILITY THAT THE COUNTY -- THIS WAS A BUILDING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN TORN DOWN.
BUT IT HAS BECOME SUCH VALUABLE FACILITY TO US FOR AS IN THE TITLE, CULTURE AND EDUCATION.
YOU SEE THE PEOPLE AND THE FACILITY.
THERE WERE ADULTS DOING THINGS.
THE STAFF JUST LOOKED LIKE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A NORMAL DAY.
THE KIDS AND WE ARE EXPERIENCING AMAZING EDUCATION.
THEY WERE MAKING BEAR CAVES IN ONE OF THE CLASSES TODAY.
THERE WAS SO MUCH THAT WAS STILL GOING ON.
BUT THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE DECISIONS MADE LONG TIME AGO, WE HAVE THIS AMAZING FACILITY, AND IT'S SHARED ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY.
ALSO THE TEAM WORK THAT WENT IN AND CONTINUES TO GO IN BECAUSE SOME THINGS HAVE TO
[02:05:06]
BE PACKED UP AT THE END OF EACH WEEK.BUT OUR FACILITY'S FOLKS HELPED PACK UP THINGS AND TAKE THEM OVER TO THAT SCHOOL.
AGAIN, SHOUT-OUT TO OUR TEAM WORK.
AND THIS ALSO SPEAKS TO OUR CIP.
SO WE KNOW THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH ONE OF OUR UNITS, AND I'LL -- I LOPE DR. RALEY WILL EXPAND ON THAT.
WE'RE STUCK WITH THIS WHOLE SUPPLY CHAIN AND ABILITY TO GET PIECES AND PARTS.
THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO TO CHANGE THAT.
BUT WE CAN MAKE SURE EVERY ONE OF OUR CHILDREN ARE EDUCATED EVERY DAY.
SO DR. RALEY, IF YOU DON'T MIND, PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL THAN I CAN.
FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE AUDIENCE, IT WAS NOT YESTERDAY BUT THE WEEK BEFORE OUR STAFF ARRIVED ON-SITE AT THE PRESCHOOL CENTER, AND TEMPERATURES WERE 40 DEGREES IN THEIR SPACES.
SO WE IMMEDIATELY HAD TO IDENTIFY WHAT THE ISSUE WAS, AND IT TURNS OUT THERE IS A LOOP INSIDE OF A BOILER THAT WENT BAD, AND LEAKING FLUID AND WAS A SIGNIFICANT REPAIR.
WE IMMEDIATELY HAD TO PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE, AND WE HAD -- WE MOVED SOME OF OUR STUDENTS INTO THE MAIN GOOCHLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND SENT SOME STUDENTS HOME.
THEN, WE HAD TO TRY TO FIND A SOLUTION.
SO A HUGE SHOUT-OUT TO GOOCHLAND COUNTY PARKS AND REC.
SPECIFICALLY FOR JESSICA WHO WORKED SIDE BY SIDE TO FIND A PLACE FOR OUR STUDENTS TO BE.
IT'S BEEN A COLLABORATION OF TEAM WORK.
SHOUT-OUT TO JENNIFER WAGNER, INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS, FACILITY'S TEAM, TEACHERS WHO MODELLED OPTIMISM THROUGH A VERY CHALLENGING SITUATION, DOING THEIR BEST TO PROVIDE THE BEST EXPERIENCE AS POSSIBLE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
AND SO THEY HAVE REMAINED POSITIVE AND REMAINED PROFESSIONAL.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE EXPECT THAT THIS SITUATION MAY LAST THROUGH THIS WEEK AND MAYBE EVEN NEXT WEEK.
WE'RE EXPERIENCING MORE OF A DELAY THAN WE HAD HOPED.
WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR PROFESSIONALS SO THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF OUR KIDS.
BUT IT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW OUR STAFF HAS COME TOGETHER IN COLLABORATION WITH THE COUNTY TO MAKE SURE OUR STUDENTS HAVE THE BEST EXPERIENCE POSSIBLE.
>> CHAIR NEWMAN: THANK YOU, MISS HORN AND DR. RALEY.
BOARD MEMBERS, AT THIS TIME, WE WILL MOVE TO OUR INFORMATION ITEMS.
[9. Information Items]
AND DR. RALEY, I THINK BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT PROCESS IS UP.I'LL ASK MR. SCOTT LEOPOLD TO COME FORWARD AND PROVIDE CONTEXT TO AUDIENCE AND BOARD MEMBERS AND INDIVIDUALS AT HOME.
BOARD MEMBERS, YOU APPROVED THE CONTRACT WITH COOPERATIVE STRATEGIES FALL OF THE YEAR TO IDENTIFY THE WORK HOW WE'RE GOING TO REDRAW BOUNDARIES AND ACCOMMODATE FUTURE GROWTH OF OUR COMMUNITY, SPECIFICALLY AS WE LOOK TO OPEN UP A NEW GOOCHLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN COMING YEARS.
THIS HAS BEEN A PART OF CONVERSATION.
PEOPLE PROBABLY THOUGHT IT WAS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
MR. LEOPOLD IS GOING TO WALK US THROUGH DATA.
PART OF THE WORK THAT HE AND HIS FIRM HAS DONE IS LOOKING AT ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS AND TRY TO IDENTIFY WHERE POPULATION DENSITY MAY BE IN THE FUTURE.
SO HE'S GOING TO WALK US THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO.
BUT BEFORE HE DOES THAT, I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT-OUT TO SOME OF OUR CITIZENS WHO VOLUNTEERED THEIR TIME TO SUPPORT US IN THIS WORK THROUGH WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT STEERING COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WITH US, MR. MIKE JAPANY AND 14 OTHER INDIVIDUALS AGREED TO SERVE.
AS YOU COULD IMAGINE, BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENTS IN A COMMUNITY COULD BE CHALLENGING.
PEOPLE HAVE EMBEDDED BELIEFS WHERE THEIR CHILD SHOULD GO TO SCHOOL.
THEY BOUGHT HOUSES PARTICULARLY IN THAT LOCATION BECAUSE THEY WANT THEIR CHILD TO GO TO THAT SCHOOL.
OUR COMMUNITY HAS NOT DONE A BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT IN PROBABLY 30-40 YEARS, THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED.
WE WANT TO BE TRANSPARENT THROUGH THE PROCESS.
THERE WILL BE MULTIPLE PUBLIC MEETINGS INCLUDING THE ONE THIS EVENING.
WE ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO BE PART OF THE PROCESS SO THEY KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.
[02:10:04]
I WANT TO TURN IT OVER TO MR. LEOPOLD, WHO IS GOING TO PROVIDE US WITH HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WORK.WE'RE PLAYING WITH THE COMPUTER.
(CAPTIONER STANDING BY) >> THERE WE GO.
THIS IS JUST OUR AGENDA FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
I'LL GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND TIMELINE.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE BOUNDARY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, GO THROUGH BACKGROUND DATA AND TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS.
I HAVE BEEN AT THIS 16 YEARS NOW.
WE'RE NOT ARCHITECTS OR ENGINEERS.
WE DO PROJECTS LIKE THIS AND FACILITY PLANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
MATT SAKS COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT.
HE'S BEEN AT THIS FOR NINE YEARS.
WORKED WITH DR. RALEY IN THE PAST.
WE'RE NO STRANGER TO PROJECTS OF THIS SIZE IN THIS REGION.
WE'VE WORKED WITH DISTRICTS BIGGER AND SMALLER.
IT'S HARD TO SEE THIS GRAPHIC.
I THINK IT'S GOOD TO SHOW HOW THIS WORKS RELATIVE TO THE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS.
IT STARTS WITH THE BOTTOM ON THE LEFT WITH US THE CONSULTANTS AND DISTRICT STAFF.
WE REVIEW THE EXISTING STATE AND CREATE A DRAFT PRESENTATION.
THIS IS THE STARTING POINT IN THE PROCESS.
WE'RE PRESENTING TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.
AFTER WE PRESENT HERE, WE GO BACK DOWN TO THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND START TO DEVELOP OPTIONS.
SO WE USE THIS COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP OPTIONS.
WE PRESENT THE OPTIONS TO YOU.
ONCE THEY'VE GONE THROUGH THE COMMITTEE.
ONCE YOU'VE SEEN THEM THEY GO TO THE COMMUNITY FOR FEEDBACK.
WE DON'T WANT TO GO DIRECTIONALLY TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT A SITUATION WHERE COMMITTEE MEMBER -- COMMUNITY MEMBER CATCHES YOU AT THE GROCERY STORE AND YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE PREPARATION YET AND ARE SURPRISED.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS DON'T LIKE SURPRISES.
ONCE WE GET THE FEEDBACK, THAT COMES BACK TO THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
SO THEY CAN MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE OPINGS AS THEY FORM A RECOMMENDATION.
WE'LL WORK THROUGH THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, TALK ABOUT IMPACTS OF TRANSPORTATION AND THOSE THINGS.
AND COME BACK TO YOU AS A FINAL RECOMMENDATION.
SO THAT'S REALLY THE OVERALL PROCESS HOW THAT WORKS.
THE FIRST STEERING COMMITTEE IS THE 16TH.
WE'VE GOT SECOND FOLLOW-UP ON MARCH 2ND.
WHERE THE COMMITTEE IS WORKING.
WE'RE MOVING BOUNDARIES AROUND, TRYING TO SEE THE IMMEDIATE IMPACTS.
THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO KIND OF WEIGH IN, THAT IS MARCH 16TH AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM.
EVERYTHING WE DO WILL BE DONE SIMULTANEOUS ONLINE.
WE'LL HAVE AN ONLINE SURVEY AVAILABLE THAT WILL HAVE THE PRESENTATION EMBEDDED, SO THAT IF THEY CAN'T MAKE IT TO THE MEETING, THEY CAN GO ONLINE AND GET THE SAME CONTENT AND PROVIDE THEIR FEEDBACK.
THEN, WE HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL STEERING COMMITTEES SCHEDULED AND FINAL RECOMMENDATION ON MAY 10TH.
THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, THIS IS ALREADY UP.
WE'VE GOT A DEDICATED PROJECT WEBSITE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A SINGLE SOURCE OF TRUTH THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
ALL MATERIALS, MAPS, WILL HAVE AN ONLINE LOCATOR SO WHEN WE GET TO THE POINT WE HAVE OPTIONS, PEOPLE CAN TYPE IN THEIR ADDRESS AND FIND OUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE IMPACTED IN EACH OPTION.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE THE BACKGROUND MATERIAL, MINUTES, AND SUMMARIES OF
[02:15:03]
ALL THE STEERING COMMITTEE MEETINGS, SCHEDULE.WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE FACEBOOK GROUPS DISTRIBUTING, YOU KNOW, OUTDATED OR INCORRECT INFORMATION.
SO OVERALL, THE ROLE OF THE COMMITTEE, KEEP AN OBJECTIVE VIEW.
WE WANT THEM TO CONSIDER THE NEEDS OF ALL STUDENTS.
WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH THEM TO DEVELOP OPTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
IN COORDINATION WITH DISTRICT STAFF.
WE ALSO WANT THEM TO REPRESENT US INFORM THE COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
ROLE OF THE COMMUNITY, WE DON'T EXPECT THEM TO BE OBJECTIVE.
WE WANT THEM TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON CONCEPTS AND OPTIONS THAT WE PRESENT BY THE DIVISION AND COMMITTEE.
WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS WE'RE NOT ASKING THE COMMUNITY TO VOTE ON WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
IF WE HAVE A SERIES OF OPTIONS -- SAY WE PRESENT THREE OR FOUR OPTIONS WE'RE GOING TO BE VERY UP FRONT WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT IT'S TOTALLY WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE COMMITTEE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS OR COMBINATIONS OF OPTIONS AS THEY DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS.
ONE THING I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT WHEN WE DEVELOP OPTIONS, AREAS THAT ARE IMPACTED IN THOSE OPTIONS ARE REALLY THE ONLY AREAS IN PLAY WHEN WE COME TO RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE DON'T WANT TO COME BACK IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND MAKE A CHANGE TO AN AREA THAT WASN'T IMPACTED IN OPTIONS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE GO THROUGH WITH THE COMMITTEE SO AS WE'RE TRYING TO WITTEL IT DOWN WE MIGHT HAVE FIVE, SIX, EIGHT OPTIONS.
WHEN WE WHITTLE IT DOWN, WE MAKE SURE WE HAVE IT COVERED IN THE OPTIONS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT A GOT YOU IN THE END.
THESE ARE THE METRICS WE LIKE TO SHOW FOR EACH OPTIONS SO WE CAN OBJECTIVELY ILLUSTRATE HOW EFFECTIVE THEY ARE.
WE USE THESE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SOME OF THEM ARE DIRECT CONFLICT.
IT'S NOT GOING TO NECESSARILY BE POSSIBLE TO ADDRESS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE EXCLUSIVELY.
TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE, TRYING TO KEEP NEIGHBORHOODS INTACT.
THERE'S LOTS OF DEBATE ON WHAT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GET INTO MASTER PLANNING COMMUNITIES AND THOSE THINGS.
BALANCING FACILITY UTILIZATION RELATIVE TO PROJECTED ENROLLMENT.
IF WE KNOW WE HAVE AN AREA THAT HAS POTENTIAL GROWTH, IT'S OKAY TO FILL THAT WITH A LITTLE BIT LOWER UTILIZATION IN AREAS BUILT OUT.
CONSIDERING PROXIMITY TO SCHOOL OR LONGEVITY OR BOUNDARIES THAT LAST THE -- STAND UP TO THE TEST OF TIME.
WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE REPEAT REDISTRICTING AS DR. RALEY SAID EARLIER.
IT'S BEEN 30-40 YEARS SINCE WE'VE DONE THIS.
WE DON'T WANT TO COME BACK IN TWO YEARS AND DO IT AGAIN.
OF COURSE THE LAST ONE, TRANSPORTATION.
BECAUSE WE KNOW WE'VE GOT TO ACCESS BUS DRIVERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
I KNOW WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THROUGHOUT, THIS WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS ON TRANSPORTATION? SO NOW I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
SO WHAT WE'RE SHOWING HERE, THIS IS LIVE RESIDENT BIRTH COUNTS WITHIN GOOCHLAND COUNTY HISTORICALLY.
WHEN WE COLLECT BIRTH DATA, IT'S BASED ON RESIDENCE OF THE MOTHER WHEN THE CHILD WAS BORN.
IT'S NOT BASED ON THE HOSPITAL OR NOTHING LIKE THAT.
THIS IS DATA AUDITED, COLLECTED FROM DIFFERENT STATES.
THIS IS BIRTHS OF OUR RESIDENTS THAT RESIDE IN THE COUNTY WHEN THEY HAD THEIR CHILDREN.
SO I THINK WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS IS THAT RECENTLY WE'RE START TO GO SEE TRENDS UP.
2016, '17, '18, WE'RE GOING UP.
IT HASN'T BEEN AS HIGH AS IT'S BEEN IN 2005, 2006, 2007.
SO JUST KIND OF TRYING TO SHOW RELATIVE WHERE THOSE BIRTHS ARE TO WHERE THEY'VE BEEN IN THE PAST.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT THOSE TRENDS ARE DIRECT INPUT INTO THE PROJECTION.
THIS IS A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO READ BUT THINK IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THESE SIDE-BY-SIDE.
LEFT TABLE SHOWS HISTORICAL ENROLLMENT BY GRADE.
THE RIGHT TABLE SHOWS PROJECTED ENROLLMENT BY GRADE.
WE LIKE TO USE THE CONDITIONAL FORMATTING SO THE NUMBERS SHOWN IN BLUE ARE RELATIVE LOWS.
THE NUMBERS IN RED ARE RELATIVE HIGHS.
SO YOU CAN SEE WE CALL THEM BUBBLES AND VALLEYS AS THEY GO THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
SO IN 2017-2018, WE HAD A BIG KINDERGARTEN CLASS.
IF YOU FOLLOW THAT DOWN AND TO THE RIGHT, DIAGONALLY, YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT MOVES THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
IF YOU REMEMBER, I AM GOING TO GO BACK TO THAT BIRTH DATA, WE'VE GOT THAT BIG YEAR IN 2019 IN BIRTHS, AND THAT SHOWS UP IN OUR PROJECTIONS IN 2024-2025.
[02:20:04]
THE BIG KINDERGARTEN.THE START OF THE BUBBLE THAT WORKS THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
OVERALL IF WE LOOK AT HISTORICAL ENROLLMENT, WE'VE GROWN FROM, YOU KNOW, 2343 IN 2012-2013.
WE'RE PROJECTED TO STAY RELATIVELY STABLE.
I THINK THAT COVID HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR A LOT OF DISTRICTS.
EVERY DISTRICT THAT WE'VE DONE PROJECTIONS FOR, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, PROBABLY 1,500 OR 2,000.
EVERY DISTRICT RESPONDED DIFFERENTLY.
SOME GAINED STUDENTS DURING THE PANDEMIC.
AND SOME LOST 30% OF THEIR ENROLLMENT IN THE PANDEMIC.
I THINK IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE KIND OF HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE AND LOOK AT IT.
HOW MANY KIDS SHOW UP IN KINDERGARTEN.
WE CAN'T MAKE KIDS REAPPEAR THAT DISAPPEARED DURING COVID-19.
SO HERE'S OUR HISTORICAL AND PROJECTED ENROLLMENT BY SCHOOL.
AGAIN, THIS IS BASED ON CURRENT ENROLLMENT.
SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHAT THOSE TRENDS LOOK LIKE.
SO I THINK THE BIG TAKE-AWAY HERE IS WHICH DO SHOW GROWTH AT GOOCHLAND ELEMENTARY.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT AS WE GET TO FUTURE MAPS HERE.
THIS IS ANOTHER PIECE THAT WE LIKE TO LOOK AT.
THIS IS PERCENTAGE EVER GOOCHLAND COUNTY YOUTH IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS HISTORICALLY.
SO IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, PRETTY STABLE BETWEEN 65-69% OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
THIS JUST REALLY SHOWS WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
HOUSING IS ANOTHER PIECE THAT WE LOOK AT.
THIS IS NOT A DIRECT INPUT INTO THE PROJECTION LIKE THE BIRTHS ARE.
THE DIRECT INPUTS ARE BIRTH DATA AND HISTORICAL ENROLLMENT TRENDS.
WE'RE START TO GO SEE THAT HOUSING CREEP BACK UP.
WE'RE SEEING, YOU KNOW, 300 UNITS A YEAR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
WE'RE NOT QUITE BACK TO PEAK THAT WE WERE IN 2005 BUT IT'S GETTING THERE.
ONE THING THAT WE REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT IS WHAT THE PRICE POINT IS OF HOUSES.
THAT HAS A MAJOR FACTOR ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WE GET OUT OF THE HOMES.
I'LL SHOW THAT ON THE NEXT SLIDE I BELIEVE.
WHEN WE LOOK AT IMPACTS OF HOUSING, WE LOOK AT WHAT WE CALL STUDENT YIELDS.
THAT'S THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WE SEE PER HOUSING UNIT.
I THINK WHAT IS INTERESTING TO LOOK AT IS HOW THEY ARE DIFFERENT BY ELEMENTARY ATTENDANCE ZONE.
IF I LOOK AT -- LOOKING AT THE TOP TABLE, THESE ARE SINGLE-FAMILY YIELDS.
IF I'M LOOKING AT K-5, SO BYRD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
ON AVERAGE, IF I HAVE 500 HOMES IN BYRD, I HAVE 17 KIDS COMING OUT OF THOSE 100 HOMES.
IF I HAVE THE SAME 100 HOMES IN RANDOLPH, I HAVE NINE.
SO WE'RE SEEING MUCH LOWER STUDENT YIELDS OUT OF RANDOLPH THAN WE ARE THE OTHER TWO ZONES.
IF WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE KIND OF -- IF WE LOOK AT THE BOTTOM TABLE, THAT SHOWS US THE TOTAL NUMBER OF UNITS IN EACH BOUNDARY.
SO A BREAKS IT UP IN SINGLE-FAMILY AND MULTIFAMILY.
THE THING WE WANT TO FOCUS ON THE DIFFERENCE IN THE STUDENT YIELDS BETWEEN BYRD, GOOCHLAND AND RANDOLPH.
WHAT I'VE DONE HERE IS BROKEN IT OUT BY PRICE POINT.
SO THIS SHOWS US WHAT THAT IMPACT LOOKS LIKE IN THESE DIFFERENT BANDS OF A -- THIS ACTUALLY MARKET VALUE FROM THE COUNTY.
SO A COUPLE OF THESE, LIKE IF YOU LOOK AT THE GREATER THAN $500,000 IN BYRD, THAT'S KIND OF AN OUTLIER BECAUSE IT'S ONLY SEVEN UNITS.
I WOULDN'T BE SWAYED BY THOSE RED CELLS IN BOTH GOOCHLAND AND BYRD.
BUT JUST TAKE A LOOK AT LOOK AT WHAT RANDOLPH LOOKS LIKE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE YIELDS IN HOUSES UNDER $500,000 OR $600,000 IN THAT -- GETTING CLOSE TO POINT FOUR.
AS SOON AS WE GET THAT $600,000 MARK IT DROPS OFF.
WE'RE NOT SEEING THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS FROM THOSE HIGH-END HOMES AS WE ARE, YOU KNOW, THOSE $200,000 TO $300,000 TO $400,000 TO $500,000 VALUED HOMES.
SO THINK ABOUT THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S HAPPENING.
IF IT'S THAT HIGH END $1 MILLION HOME DEVELOPMENT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE THE SAME IMPACT AS IF WE SAW STARTER HOMES.
[02:25:06]
THIS TABLE JUST DETAILS STUDENT POTENTIAL FOR NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND VACANT LOTS WITHIN THE CURRENT SUBDIVISIONS BY GRADE FOR ALL SCHOOL LEVELS.SO THIS REALLY GIVES US OUR ADDITIONAL STUDENT POTENTIAL.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, K-12 AN ADDITIONAL 20 STUDENTS FROM BYRD.
20 ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AT BYRD.
MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, 102 AND 171.
NOW, THIS IS KIND OF APPLES AND ORANGES WITH THE ENROLLMENT PROJECTION.
BECAUSE THIS IS BASED ON HOUSING.
THE ENROLLMENT PROJECTION IS BASED OFTEN LIVE BIRTH.
THESE STUDENTS IN HERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE BAKED INTO THAT PROJECTION.
THE WAY THAT I TRY TO EXPLAIN THIS IS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SEE DEVELOPMENT AND THEY ASSUME OH, MY GOSH, THERE'S A HOUSE GOING IN.
WE'RE GOING TO GET FOUR KIDS PER HOUSE.
DEPENDING ON WHICH NEIGHBORHOOD IT'S IN.
ONE THING I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER, IS EVERY TOMB YOU SEE A HOME UNDER CONSTRUCTION THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT A FAMILY IS GOING TO BE MOVING IN FROM OUTSIDE THE SYSTEM.
IT'S VERY LIKELY PEOPLE MOVING AROUND WITHIN THE SYSTEM AND A LOT OF THE TIME THOSE HOMES ARE VACATED DON'T FILL IN AS QUICKLY AS THEY DID WHEN THEY WERE NEW.
SO YOU HAVE TO THINK THAT IT'S A DYNAMIC SYSTEM, AND YOU'VE GOT EBBS AND FLOWS AND INS AND OUTS AS WE'RE LOOKING AT IT.
JUST BECAUSE YOU SEE -- YOU KNOW, WE SEE THOSE BIG HOUSING UNIT NUMBERS THAT WE SAW ON THAT CHART.
IF I'M LOOKING AT THAT, OUR ENROLLMENT SHOULD BE GOING UP, UP, UP.
IT'S STAYED RELATIVELY STABLE.
BE REMINDED JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE DEVELOPMENT, DOESN'T MEAN IT EQUALS GROWTH.
THIS IS A MAP THAT I LIKE TO START ANY OF THESE PROCESSES WITH.
AND I HAVE TO WATER MARK IT BECAUSE PEOPLE THINK IT'S AN OPTION RIGHT AWAY.
WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE CAN PLUG IN THE SCHOOL LOCATIONS IN THE GIS, WHICH IS THE SOFTWARE THAT WE USE.
IT'S GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS. .
WE CAN HAVE IT GENERATE WHAT THE BOUNDARIES WOULD LOOK LIKE IF EVERYBODY HAD THEIR GEOGRAPHICALLY CLOSEST SCHOOL.
IT DOESN'T CARE ABOUT NEIGHBORHOODS, RIVERS, RAILROAD TRACKS.
IT'S GOING PURE DISTANCE USING THE ROADS.
LOOKING AT THIS, THE TOP GREEN OUTLINE LAYER, THOSE ARE THE CURRENT ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES.
THE SHADED BACKGROUND COLORS ARE THE CLOSEST SCHOOL BOUNDARIES.
SO RANDOLPH IS SHOWN IN THAT PURPLE OR PINK COLOR.
I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THAT LINE BETWEEN THE BLUE AND THE GREEN, IT'S CLOSE TO WHAT THE ACTUAL BOUNDARY IS TODAY BETWEEN BYRD AND GOOCHLAND.
WHAT THIS DOES SHOW IS THAT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF AREA THAT IS GEOGRAPHICALLY CLOSER TO GOOCHLAND BUT IT'S CURRENTLY ZONED TO RANDOLPH.
SO LOOKING AT THIS, THERE'S GOING TO BE AREAS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT MOVING FROM RANDOLPH TO GOOCHLAND, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE ADDING CAPACITY THAT ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY CLOSER TO GOOCHLAND.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL BE WORKING THROUGH AS WE START TO DEVELOP OPTIONS WITH THE COMMITTEE.
ONE THING I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THREE SCHOOLS.
WE'VE GOT KIND OF A WIDE COUNTY EAST TO WEST.
WE'VE GOT THE CAPACITY IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
YOU WANT TO HAVE THE CAPACITY IN THE MIDDLE.
BECAUSE THEN YOU CAN PULL FROM BOTH SIDES OF IT.
OF THE SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BOUNDARIES, IT'S BETTER TO HAVE CAPACITY IN THE MIDDLE THAN EITHER END BECAUSE THEN YOU HAVE TO DO A DOMINO EFFECT MOVING KIDS FROM ONE SCHOOL TO ANOTHER SCHOOL.
IT MAKES IT EASIER AND LESS IMPACTFUL TO HAVE THE EXCESS CAPACITY IF WE DO IN THE CENTER OF THE DISTRICT.
SO IN HAD CONCLUSION, AGAIN, THIS IS KIND OF THE STARTING POINT THE OF THE PROCESS.
WE WANTED TO JUST REALLY ILLUSTRATE WHAT OUR EXISTING STATE WAS.
WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR ENROLLMENT AS THE IMPACTS FROM THE PANDEMIC LIKELY HAVE NOT RUN THEIR COURSE COMPLETELY YET.
THEN, BASED ON THAT CLOSE TO SCHOOL ANALYSIS, THERE'S SIGNIFICANT AREA IN THE RANDOLPH ZONE CLOSER TO GOOCHLAND.
WE'RE GOING TO PREVIEW WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE PROBABLY GOING TO BE LOOKING LIKE.
THE FIRST STEERING COMMITTEE IS FEBRUARY 16TH AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
SO AT THIS POINT, I'M HOPE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THE PROCESS OR DATA.
>> CHAIR NEWMAN: THANK YOU, MR. LEOPOLD.
BOARD MEMBERS, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MISS BAREFOOT-REID.
>> VICE CHAIR BAREFOOT-REID: WHAT ZIP CODES DID YOU BASE THIS ON? IF YOU USED ONLY GOOCHLAND YOU MISSED A BIG POPULATION.
[02:30:08]
IT'S 23038, 23039, 23063, 23065, 23102, 2103, AND 23105.>> VICE CHAIR BAREFOOT-REID: WERE YOU BASING THIS ON SUBDIVISION? HAD IN THE WESTERN END WE GET INDIVIDUAL HOUSING.
WE HAVE VERY LITTLE SUBDIVISIONS IN THE AREA.
>> IT'S BASED ON STUDENT DATA.
THE SUBDIVISION, THAT'S SOMETHING WE LOOK AT.
THE ENROLLMENT PROJECTION DATA, THIS SLIDE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL ENROLLMENT AT SCHOOLS AND THAT BIRTH DATA AND WE'RE CALCULATING, YOU KNOW, BASED ON AGAIN THOSE HISTORICAL TRENDS, HOW MANY STUDENTS SHOW UP YEAR TO YEAR.
>> VICE CHAIR BAREFOOT-REID: DOES IT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE NUMBER OF HOME SCHOOLED STUDENTS?
>> IT'S JUST STUDENTS THAT ARE ENROLLED IN THE SYSTEM.
>> VICE CHAIR BAREFOOT-REID: IN OUR SCHOOLS?
>> VICE CHAIR BAREFOOT-REID: BIRTH IS CORRELATED TO OUR SCHOOL'S ENROLLMENT BUT OUR SCHOOL ENROLLMENT IS NOT REFLECTED NECESSARILY IN THE BIRTH RATE.
>> WHAT WE LOOK AT, WE LOOK AT HOW MANY LIVE BIRTHS DID WE HAVE FIVE YEARS AGO AND WHAT PERCENTAGE SHOWED UP FIVE YEARS LATER.
IT'S IN THE REPORT, I THINK IT'S CLOSE TO 101-102% IN KINDERGARTEN.
THAT WILL ACCOUNT FOR HOME SCHOOL, STUDENTS GOING TO PRIVATE SCHOOL.
A LOT OF THAT GETS BAKED INTO THAT METHODOLOGY.
>> BOARD MEMBER ALLEN: THANK YOU, MR. LEOPOLD.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF TECHNICAL QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR METHODOLOGY.
>> BOARD MEMBER ALLEN: I SAW IN THE WRITTEN REPORT OF THE PREPARATION, YOU HAVE ACCURACY RATE OF 98.52% GRADES K-12.
I'M WONDERING IS THAT BASED OFF SAMPLE SIZE FOR LOOKING AT HISTORIC DATA OR BASED ON PROJECTION?
>> THAT'S BASED ON PROJECTION ONE YEAR OUT.
>> BOARD MEMBER ALLEN: MY FOLLOW-UP QUESTION TO THAT IS WHAT DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE DO YOU HAVE THAT THE NUMBERS WILL HOLD BEING THE PROJECTIONS? DO YOU HAVE A CALCULATED MARGIN OF ERROR?
>> WE DON'T HAVE A CALCULATED MARGIN OF ERROR.
THE PROJECTIONS ARE MOST ACCURATE THE NEXT YEAR.
>> WE'RE USING THAT -- IT'S REALLY ALL KINDERGARTEN.
WE RUN OUT OF BIRTH DATA IN FIVE YEARS.
WE'RE USING A THREE-YEAR AVERAGE BEYOND THAT.
SO I THINK THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF THE PROJECTION, THOSE ARE PRETTY GOOD.
SECOND YEAR, I MEAN -- OR THE SECOND FIVE YEARS -- I THINK MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, IT'S OKAY BECAUSE IT'S NOT REALLY -- IT'S NOT THE BIRTH DATA.
WE'RE PROJECTING THOSE KIDS FORWARD.
I WOULD USE ELEMENTARY WITH A GRAIN OF SALT ONCE YOU GET YEARS FIVE TO TEN.
IT'S IMPORTANT YOU DON'T USE PROJECTIONS EVERY FIVE TO TEN YEARS.
IT'S SOMETHING YOU WANT TO KEEP AN EYE ON.
AS PART OF ANY STUDY WE DO, WE'LL DO AN ANALYSIS NEXT YEAR AND SEE OKAY SOMETHING WEIRD HAPPENED.
WE NEED TO DO AN UPDATE OR WE'RE ON TRACK.
LET'S LOOK AT IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
>> BOARD MEMBER ALLEN: EXCELLENT.
MY LAST QUESTION IS DOES YOUR MODEL PUT ANY TYPE OF WEIGHTING ON ONE DATA INPUT VERSUS ANOTHER WHEN IT RUNS THE PROJECTION? SO WE TALKED ABOUT BIRTH AND ENROLLMENT DATA AND SO FORTH.
DURING THE PANDEMIC WHAT WE'VE DONE IS TYPICALLY IN A NON-PANDEMIC ENVIRONMENT, WE'LL USE A THREE-YEAR WEIGHTED AVERAGE.
IT WILL WEIGHT THE LAST, YOU KNOW, YEAR THE HEAVIEST.
AND THEN, THE YEAR BEFORE AND THE YEAR BEFORE THAT.
WE'VE WANTED TO KIND OF MODEL KIND OF A REBOUND TO WHAT NORMAL MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
SO WE'RE USING A FIVE-YEAR SIMPLE AVERAGE.
SO THAT IT'S NOT SO IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AS WE'VE BEEN PROJECTING ENROLLMENT IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.
>> BOARD MEMBER ALLEN: BUT NO ONE FACTOR THAT GOES INTO THE MODEL GETS MORE WEIGHT THAN ANOTHER?
I MEAN, IT'S BIRTHS BASICALLY PROJECT KINDERGARTEN.
THEN WE CALCULATE RATIOS FIRST GRADE TO SECOND GRADE.
WE'LL USE THE FIVE-YEAR AVERAGE OVER THE LAST -- IN THE HISTORY TO PROJECT THAT FORWARD.
BUT I MEAN, THERE'S TWEAKS WE'LL MAKE IF WE SEE OUTLIERS.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF FUN.
(LAUGHTER) >> BOARD MEMBER ALLEN: THANK YOU.
[02:35:01]
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THIS DOCUMENT IS A PROJECTION FIRST OF ALL.SECONDLY, I HOPE THAT EVERYBODY THAT LOOKS AT THIS DOCUMENT WILL REMEMBER THAT, BECAUSE THERE WILL BE A LOT OF -- A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL DEPEND ON THIS DOCUMENT AS IF IT WERE...
AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR CIP, OUR DECISIONS ABOUT OUR NEXT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, OUR CURRICULUM, WHO WE HIRE.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN BASE ON.
BUT I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO REMEMBER, THIS IS VERY VALUABLE, BUT THERE ARE FLAWS IN IT.
SO FIRST OF ALL, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS FOR GES AND BES AND RES AND SOME OF THE PAGES, THESE ARE NOT REFLECTIVE OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN FROM THE BOUNDARY.
SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE.
SECONDLY, ON PAGE 4, THOSE FACTORS ARE IMPORTANT THAT YOU CONSIDERED.
AND YOU DID NOTE THE PANDEMIC HERE.
THAT'S THE ONLY TIME I SAW PANDEMIC NOTED IN THIS.
I THINK THE PANDEMIC IS GOING TO HAVE A GREAT EFFECT BEYOND ANYTHING THAT THESE NUMBERS CAN REFLECT.
ALSO, IN GOOCHLAND COUNTY, YOU LEFT OFF SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT.
>> SO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITIES AS FAR AS HOUSING AND WHETHER A FAMILY OR BUSINESS PERSON IS GOING TO LOCATE TO THE WEST OR THE EAST HAS TO DO WITH BROADBAND.
WE HAVE BROADBAND MOVING IN PRETTY FAST.
I THINK THAT IS GOING TO HAVE A GREAT EFFECT ON OUR HOUSING.
AND THE -- IT'S GOING TO GET PEOPLE MORE EXCITED ABOUT BEING IN GOOCHLAND AND HAVING THE BEAUTY OF GOOCHLAND ALONG WITH THE ABILITY TO HAVE GOOD INTERNET SERVICE.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE NOTED IN FUTURE NUMBERS.
PAGE 8 NOTES 2020 CENSUS DATA AND 2020 AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY ESTIMATES POSTPONED AND THEY WERE NOT READILY ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC WHEN THIS REPORT WAS DONE.
SO YOU DID THIS REPORT WITH 2019 DATA MOSTLY, IS THAT RIGHT?
>> SO EVERY YEAR, WE PURCHASE -- IT'S THROUGH THE SOFTWARE COMPANY THAT PRODUCED GIS SOFTWARE, THEY GET ESTIMATES FROM THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY DATA SURVEY EVERY YEAR.
WE USED THE 2019-2024 ESTIMATES.
THAT'S A PROJECTION OF THE 2010 CENSUS.
IT'S NOT A CENSUS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IN 2020 WHEN WE GET THAT ACS DATA IN AUGUST.
>> WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN 2018 AND 2019, 2019 AND 2020 AND 2020 AND 2021.
>> I THINK WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE CENSUS DATA, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO JUST KNOW THAT THAT'S IMPACTED VERY DIFFERENTLY BY THE PANDEMIC, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE ARE THERE.
>> IT'S JUST THEY'RE NOT SHOWING UP AT SCHOOL.
AND AGAIN, I THINK EVEN THE 2020 DATA IS GOING TO BE...
>> BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING WITH THE PANDEMIC.
PAGE 14, THERE WAS A COMMENT OR MY COMMENT IS YOU HAVE 25% OF THE HOUSEHOLDS WITH AT LEAST ONE SCHOOL AGE CHILD.
MY COMMENT IS THERE IS THAT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE SINCE WE GOT 85% APPROVAL OF VOTERS WHO AGREED AND WERE EXCITED ABOUT OUR SCHOOLS.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE CHILDREN, WHO REALLY SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE.
PAGES 15 AND 19, YOU USED 2019 DATA.
THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE IN LIFE STYLES AND CONDITIONS BETWEEN ALL OF THESE YEARS.
PAGE 20, POPULATION OF CHILDREN 5-18 WILL INCREASE IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
AND I DID PULL SOME ARTICLES ON BIRTH -- ACTUAL LIVE BIRTHS.
AND FROM THE RICHMOND AREA HOSPITALS IN HAD 2020, THERE WERE 4,168 BIRTHS.
IN HAD 2021, THEY REPORTED 4,490 BIRTHS.
AND THEY EVEN NOTED THAT THIS YEAR THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THERE WERE 15 BABIES BORN A DAY WHICH WOULD -- THE CHARLOTTEVILLE AREA, WOULD ALSO BE A PLACE THAT
[02:40:01]
SOME OF OUR FUTURE STUDENTS WOULD COME FROM.THERE WERE 199 BIRTHS WHICH IN MAY OF '21, AND THAT WAS 25% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR.
SO WHERE THIS DATA THAT YOU HAVE ON BIRTH RATE IS NOT AS HIGH.
THERE IS A TREND THAT IS BEING REPORTED BY HOSPITALS THAT THE BIRTH RATE IS DEFINITELY GOING HIGHER.
>> YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL DEFINITELY LOOK AT WHEN WE REVIEW IT WHEN WE HAVE THE DATA NEXT YEAR.
(SPEAKER AWAY FROM MICROPHONE) >> WE'RE DONE IN MAY, THOUGH, RIGHT?
I'M JUST SAYING WHENEVER WE DO A PROJECTION, REGARDLESS OF THE PROJECT, WE'LL LOOK AT THE PROJECTION DATA NEXT FALL.
YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT FOR STAFFING AND OTHER THINGS ANYWAY.
I THINK LASTLY, I DID SPEAK WITH SOME REALTORS IN OUR AREA, AND KIND OF ASKED THEM WHO IS COMING TO GOOCHLAND? BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED THAT WE DON'T HAVE -- YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT NOT --
PEOPLE COMING IN -- >> IT'S NOT NECESSARILY FROM OUTSIDE THE SYSTEM EVERY TIME.
>> THEY'RE SEEING PEOPLE COMING HERE, AND THEY'RE COMING HERE AND EXCITED ABOUT OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
SO WE ARE SEEING THAT THESE HOUSES ARE BEING BOUGHT BY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT GOOCHLANDERS.
THEY DID SAY THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO LIVE WITHIN GOOCHLAND GETTING LARGER HOMES.
SO YOU SPOKE ABOUT LOWER-COST HOMES AND HOW THEY ONLY HAVE ONE OR TWO CHILDREN.
WELL, WHEN THEY GET TWO OR THREE OR FOUR -- >> THE HIGHER COST HOMES.
>> THEY'RE GOING TO NEED A LARGER HOUSE.
SO THAT'S WHY SOME OF THAT IS HAPPENING.
ANYWAY, I APPRECIATE YOUR REPORT VERY MUCH.
I JUST HOPE THAT PEOPLE THINK BIG PICTURE.
WE HAVEN'T LIVED THROUGH A PANDEMIC IN A LONG, LONG, LONG, LONG TIME.
SO TO BE ABLE TO PREDICT WHAT THAT WILL DO, I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY CONSERVATIVE ABOUT THAT, BUT ALSO VERY REALISTIC.
AND LOOK AT EVEN MORE THAN JUST THE DATA.
MISS BAREFOOT-REID AND I WERE TALKING, I'M USING MY EYES AND SEEING ALL THESE HOUSES BEING BUILT.
SO I THINK IT'S ALL VERY IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER.
I LOOK FORWARD TO AND I APPRECIATE THE GROUP OF CITIZENS WHO ARE GOING TO BE WORKING ON THE COMMITTEE TO HELP LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS AND HELP US FIGURE OUT WHO -- HOW WE'RE GOING REDRAW OUR BOUNDARIES.
>> BOARD MEMBER WRIGHT: I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS OR OBSERVATIONS AT LEAST.
ONE OF THE THINGS I KNOW AND WE DON'T HAVE THE SLIDE IN FRONT WHERE YOU'RE SORT OF PROJECTIONS THROUGH THE SCHOOL -- YOU PROBABLY KNOW WHERE TO GO.
>> BOARD MEMBER WRIGHT: SO IN ALL HONESTY FROM HERE WITHOUT MY GLASSES, I CAN'T SEE THIS.
OF BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE NOTICED OVERTIME IS OUR ENROLLMENT INCREASES AS YOU GO TO MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAD 200 KIDS IN THE FIFTH GRADE, WE SUDDENLY HAVE 225 OR WHATEVER IN THE SIXTH GRADE THAT WOULD COME FROM ANY PARTICULAR AREA.
SO YOU'VE GOT -- DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING BUILT IN FOR THAT? AND HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHAT THAT DIFFERENCE WILL BE?
>> SO IT'S BASED ON THE HISTORICAL -- WE CAN LOOK AT THIS DATA.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT FIFTH GRADE IN 2022-2023, 205, 211, 220, 235, IT'S REFLECTING THOSE TRENDS.
>> THANKS FOR PULLING OUT THE ONES IN DIFFERENT COLORS.
(SPEAKER AWAY FROM MICROPHONE) >> WELL, HOW ABOUT THAT.
WE ARE SORT OF WRAPPING UP YOUR RECOMMENDATION IN MAY.
SO WE'RE ONLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO USE THE DATA AVAILABLE UP UNTIL THAT POINT, IS THAT CORRECT? WHAT ARE OUR CHANCES OF SEEING ANY OF THE 2021 BIRTH RATE DATA AND BEING ABLE TO INCORPORATE THAT IN WHAT WE'RE DOING IF THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT OF A CHANGE AS HAS BEEN INDICATED BY EARLY STATISTICICAL INFORMATION, I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT PART.
>> WE CAN ABSOLUTELY KEEP AN EYE ON IT AND SEE WHAT BECOMES AVAILABLE AND
[02:45:03]
CERTIFIED DURING THE PROCESS.IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE USE CERTIFIED DATA AND NOTHING THAT IS PRELIMINARY.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS APPLES TO APPLES AND CONSISTENT.
>> BOARD MEMBER WRIGHT: UNDERSTOOD.
I FEEL CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE BETWEEN THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED AND A DECISION.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? I THINK THAT'S INTERESTING.
I HAVE A LONG-STANDING PET PEEVE WITH THINGS THAT ARE DONE AND SAID BY PLANNING DIVISIONS OF COUNTIES LIKE OURS.
WE SEEM TO BE REALLY BIG ON CREATING RESTRICTED NEIGHBORHOODS NOW.
AND THAT SOLVES ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS. STILL NEVER HAVE ANY STUDENTS THERE.
WELL THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN AGE RESTRICTION THAT MOVES FROM THE INITIAL PURCHASER TO THE SUBSEQUENT PURCHASERS.
HOW DO YOU -- BECAUSE -- HOW ARE YOU INCORPORATING SOMETHING LIKE THAT? WHERE I HAVE A NEW AGE RESTRICTED NEIGHBORHOOD WHICH I DON'T KNOW STARTED LAST WEEK BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WILL PROBABLY BE ANOTHER ONE NEXT WEEK IN GOOCHLAND.
BUT FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS FROM NOW WHEN THE HOUSE TURNS OVER, HOW DO WE INCORPORATE THAT YOU TYPE OF INFORMATION? BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THAT HAPPENED.
>> I CAN TALK FOR 15 MINUTES ON THIS.
>> BOARD MEMBER WRIGHT: OH, YEAH.
>> THERE'S DIFFERENT FLAVORS OF AGE RESTRICTION.
I MEAN, THERE'S MARKETING, WHICH IS JUST SAYING OH, WE'RE GOING TO MARKET THESE TOWARDS AGE RESTRICTED CUSTOMERS.
I DON'T THINK THAT HOLDS A LOT OF WATER.
WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS A VERY SPECIFIC HOUSING TYPE.
WHERE IT IS HIGH END AND SMALL SQUARE FOOTAGE.
BUT THEY HAVE LIKE TWO BEDROOMS AND A LOFT AND THEY'RE 2,300 SQUARE FEET BUT THEY'RE $500,000.
AND WE TEND TO SEE -- I MEAN, WE'VE GOT A BUNCH OF THOSE GOING IN CENTRAL OHIO.
THE WE SEE KIDS COMING OUT OF THEM BUT IT'S MUCH LOWER BECAUSE OF THE COST OF ENTRY.
>> BOARD MEMBER WRIGHT: BUT NEVER ZERO?
IT'S MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT WE SEE OUT OF MULTIFAMILY YIELD.
A QUARTER OUT OF A SINGLE-FAMILY AS FAR AS NUMBER OF UNITS.
>> BOARD MEMBER WRIGHT: RIGHT.
AS LONG AS WE'RE THINKING AND PLANNING FOR THAT, THAT'S FINE.
I WANT IT TO BE THE CORRECT FACTOR.
>> BOARD MEMBER WRIGHT: BUT I DON'T WANT TO OVERLOOK A DEVELOPMENT THAT IS ON THE BOOKS RIGHT NOW AS AGE RESTRICTED.
>> KNOWING THAT THERE'S SOME POTENTIAL.
>> BOARD MEMBER WRIGHT: KNOWING THERE WILL BE TEN YEARS FROM NOW, WE'RE LOOKING OUT TEN YEARS, THERE'S GOING TO BE IMPACT THERE.
THERE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE SOME KIDS FROM THAT SAME, YOU KNOW -- >> I MEAN, ARE THEY -- THEY'RE NOT TAX ABATED OR ANYTHING, ARE THEY?
>> BOARD MEMBER WRIGHT: I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
>> ARE THEY GETTING A LOWER TAX RATE?
>> BOARD MEMBER WRIGHT: NO, NO.
>> BECAUSE WE'VE GOT SOME OF THAT.
>> BOARD MEMBER WRIGHT: IT'S LOWER IN GOOCHLAND TO BEGIN WITH.
THAT SORT OF THING ISN'T DONE AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU CAN'T TELL A FUTURE LANDOWNER WHAT THEY COULD DO IN ZONING TYPE OF SITUATIONS.
YOU KNOW, YOU SAID SOMETHING DURING YOUR EXPLANATION OF THAT, WHICH I THINK IS TOTALLY VALID, AND THAT'S THAT IT'S A SMALL LOT SIZE, YOU KNOW, BIG AMENITY, HIGH PRICE AND THAT THAT'S GOING TO MINIMIZE THINGS.
THAT IMMEDIATELY MADE ME THINK ONE OF THE ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD WHILE YOU WERE GOING THROUGH THIS.
THE ARE YOU SORT OF ADJUSTING THESE RATIOS THAT YOU GET FOR KIDS AS INFLATION HAPPENS? I MEAN, THE VALUE OF MY HOUSE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, HAVE GONE UP $185,000 OR SOMETHING TO THAT SORT.
SO I JUST WENT FROM ONE CATEGORY OF HOUSING IN HERE INTO ANOTHER IN TWO YEARS' TIME.
>> IT'S BASED ON CURRENT YEAR.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS TABLE?
>> BOARD MEMBER WRIGHT: RIGHT, YEAH.
>> WE CAN LOOK AT IT HISTORICALLY.
BUT I MEAN, THIS IS -- THIS IS ANCILLARY TO THAT TREND TABLE THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT.
>> BOARD MEMBER WRIGHT: RIGHT.
>> IT'S JUST SOMETHING WE LOOK AT SO WHEN WE HAVE NEW SUBDIVISIONS GOING IN, WE HAVE AN IDEA WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK LIKE AT THE BOUNDARY LEVEL.
>> BOARD MEMBER WRIGHT: RIGHT.
WELL, AND I'M GOING TO ADMIT THAT YOU DEFINITELY HAVE TO OVERCOME SOME THINGS BECAUSE I THINK TO MYSELF, IF YOU LIFE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD TOGETHER THAT'S
GOT AN AWFUL LOT OF SCHOOL AGE KIDS AND I JUST MOVED WAY DOWN THAT -- >> WAY
[02:50:02]
DOWN THAT LINE.I'M TELLING YOU THERE'S MORE SCHOOL KIDS NOW THAN THERE EVER HAD BEEN.
THEY'RE THE ONES BUYING TOMORROW.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST SOME DISBELIEF ON MY PART ABOUT THAT, WHAT YOU SEE
VERSUS WHAT -- >> WHAT IS IN THE DATA.
>> I CAN SEE EVIDENCE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IT'S -- THAT IT'S CONTRARY.
>> BOARD MEMBER WRIGHT: TO WHAT IS BEING PRESENTED.
THE >> I BELIEVE IN THE REPORT WE HAVE IT ALL BY NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS IS JUST SUMMARIZING THE AVERAGE.
THERE'S NEIGHBORHOODS THAT COULD BE OUTLIERS.
>> BOARD MEMBER WRIGHT: THAT'S HELPFUL.
>> THERE'S VERY FEW HOUSES IN GOOCHLAND FOR UNDER $200,000.
OUT OUR WAY, AS I WAS TRYING TO SAY, WE DON'T HAVE SUBDIVISIONS LIKE YOU'RE SPEAKING OF.
AND THEY'RE ALL USUALLY AROUND $200,000 TO $225,000.
>> THIS IS BASED ON -- I CAN DOUBLE CHECK.
THIS IS BASED ON THE PERSONAL LEVEL DATA.
>> SUBDIVISION ANALYSIS, MISS BAREFOOT-REID DOES NOT CAPTURE THE BY RIGHT DEVELOPMENTS WHERE SOMEONE OWNS LAND AND THEY DECIDE TO POP A HOUSE UP.
>> VICE CHAIR BAREFOOT-REID: THAT'S WHAT BYRD (INAUDIBLE) >> WHEN THERE'S SUBDIVISION ANALYSIS, THOSE HOMES ARE NOT CAPTURED.
THE CHALLENGE IS TRYING TO MAKE PREDICTIONS FOR A FUTURE WITH LIMITED DATA SET.
WE HAVE THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF DATA WE HAVE AT THIS TIME, AND WE'RE TRYING TO FORECAST INTO THE FUTURE WITH SOME LIMITATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH LIVE BIRTH DATA, HOUSING, DEFINITION OF A SUBDIVISION VERSUS BY RIGHT.
THERE'S LIMITATIONS TO ANY SORT OF STUDY.
THAT'S A DIFFICULTY THAT FACES US.
WE HAVE TO OVERCOME SOME OF THOSE NOTIONS OF OH, MY GOSH, GOOCHLAND IS GOING TO GROW.
LOOK AT ALL THESE HOUSES BEING BUILT BUT WE'RE SEEING STEADY GROWTH.
WHAT'S THE DEAL? IT DOESN'T MATCH MY PERCEPTION.
I'M PERSONALLY HAVING THAT CHALLENGE, TOO.
THE BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND WORK WITH OUR COMMITTEE.
IF WE GET ADDITIONAL DATA, WE CAN CERTAINLY HAVE THAT AS A PART OF THE DIALOGUE.
COOPERATIVE STRATEGIES HAS DONE YEARLY UPDATES FOR US FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
SO THEY HAVE ASSESSED THEIR ACCURACY LEVEL COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS.
WE DID NOT DO IT LAST YEAR AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE REJUVENATED THIS WORK IN A FEW YEARS.
>> THE HOUSING YIELD ANALYSIS WAS LAST DONE IN '17.
OUR LAST ENROLLMENT PROJECTION MIGHT HAVE BEEN 2020.
(SPEAKER AWAY FROM MICROPHONE) >> AND I'M JUST GOING TO THROW OUT THERE THAT THIS IS THE FIRST BOUNDARY CONSIDERATION I'VE BEEN THROUGH.
I DON'T THINK IF IT'S BEEN 40 YEARS THAT ANY OF US MIGHT HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE LAST ONE.
YOUR GUIDANCE IS GOING TO BE VERY BENEFICIAL.
SO OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MR. LEOPOLD.
(LAUGHTER) >> BOARD MEMBERS, NEXT ITEM IS POLICY UPDATE.
THERE'S NO ACTION NEEDED ON YOUR PART THIS EVENING.
UNLESS THERE'S OBJECTION TO READING IT FORWARD TO SECOND READING.
THESE POLICIES HAVE UNDERGONE CRUET -- SCRUTINY BY STAFF REVIEW AND YOUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHO REVIEWS THESE ON YOUR BEHALF.
MISS EASTON IS HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
>> CHAIR NEWMAN: BOARD MEMBERS, QUESTIONS? WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE? NO ACTION REQUIRED.
(INAUDIBLE) (LAUGHTER) (INAUDIBLE) (LAUGHTER) >> CHAIR NEWMAN: THANK YOU.
>> I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING.
TRUST US TO DO WHAT IS BEST FOR KIDS.
YOU ARE THE ONE THAT HOLDS US TOGETHER.
>> NEXT ON THE AGENDA, BOARD MEMBERS IS A PROGRAM OF STUDIES.
I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT-OUT TO DR. DREYER'S FOR HIS LEADERSHIP.
[02:55:02]
IT INCLUDED INPUT FROM PRINCIPALS, SCHOOL COUNSELORS, DEPARTMENT HEADS AND VARIETY OF INDIVIDUALS.THIS IS JUST PRESENTEDED AS MATTER OF INFORMATION.
THERE'S NO ACTION NEEDED ON YOUR PART.
YOU LAST APPROVED THE ADDITIONAL COURSES THAT ARE EMBEDDED IN THIS DOCUMENT.
AND IT IS A SIGNIFICANT DOCUMENT THAT TALKS ABOUT THE MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS QUITE HONESTLY.
WE'VE TALKED PUBLICALLY ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS.
THERE ARE AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES AFFORDED TO OUR STUDENTS NOT ONLY THE TWO GOVERNOR SCHOOLS, THE ADVANCE COLLEGE ACADEMY WITH DAY-TO-DAY OFFERS AND STANDARD LEVEL CLASSES WITH AMAZING PROFESSIONALS DELIVERING INSTRUCTION.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE EXCELLENCE THE SCHOOL DIVISION AND STUDENTS AT BOARD OF STUDENTS.
>> MR. CHAIR, IF I MAY? THANK YOU.
IT FEELS LIKE A COLLEGE PROGRAM.
THERE'S SO MUCH INVOLVED HERE.
AND I THINK IT ANSWERS WHAT, WHEN, HOW AND WHY.
AND WHERE IS HERE IN GOOCHLAND COUNTY.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO SUGGEST TO EVERYONE THAT THIS IS A PARENT TOOL.
IT'S NOT JUST FOR HIGH SCHOOL.
IF YOU HAVE A STUDENT WHO IS A RISING PRESCHOOL STUDENT, THIS IS A TOOL.
IT PROVIDED YOU WITH THE INFORMATION FOR HOW YOU COULD ADVOCATE FOR OUR CHILD.
THIS IS WHAT THE POTENTIAL LEARNING IS IN THIS COUNTY.
IT IS THE -- AGAIN, IT'S THE WHAT.
BUT IT WILL HELP PARENTS GO, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU WOULD BE GREAT, OH, MY GOSH, LOOK AT THIS.
AND THAT PARENT SHOULD ENCOURAGE THAT CHILD TO PREPARE FOR ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES PRESENTED IN THIS PROGRAM AND PRESENTED IN OUR SCHOOLS EVERY DAY.
SO I HOPE THAT NOT JUST THE STUDENT IS LOOKING AT THIS, AGAIN, I HOPE THAT EVERY PARENT IS LOOKING AT THIS NO MATTER HOW OLD THEIR CHILD IS.
AS DR. RALEY SAID, TEAM EFFORT, NO QUESTION.
>> I REALLY LIKED HAVING A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE PROFILE OF THE GOOCHLAND GRADUATE AND I VIEW THE REST OF IT AS A ROAD MAP TO GET TO ONE OF THOSE PATHS.
>> WE'RE GOING TO BRING THIS BACK UP TO THE PODIUM.
[10. Action Items]
SOME OF YOU EXPERIENCED THE PROCESS WHERE WE HAVE TO DECLARE A FEW THINGS PUBLICALLY TO GET YOUR APPROVAL.IT'S COMPLICATED AND COMPLEX, BUT MISS WHITE IS GOING TO WALK US THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SHE ALSO HAS A RECOMMENDED MOTION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION SHOULD YOU SO CHOOSE.
WE'RE GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO HER.
>> YOU NEED ANOTHER LAPTOP TO HELP YOU OUT TO SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM.
SO WE ARE MAKING AN INTERESTING TRANSITION IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.
OFTEN THIS TIME OF YEAR, I'M TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO GET INTO A NEW LEASE WE HAVE THE LEGAL DOCUMENTS HAVING TO DO WITH A LEASE.
WE ARE TRYING TO MOVE AWAY FROM THAT LEASE PROCESS.
SO TONIGHT, WE'RE SIMPLY MAKING PURCHASES.
AS I GO THROUGH THIS, I'M GOING TO TRY TO TELL YOU -- GUFF YOU SOME IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE LEASE AND GO TO ANNUAL PURCHASES, AND THIS IS A REALLY GREAT PLACE THAT WE'RE IN AND WE'RE USING SOME FEDERAL DOLLARS TO DO THAT.
THE FIRST THING IS WE HAVE -- WE'RE GOING TO BUY 380 IPADS.
THIS IS FOR ALL OF OUR RISING THIRD GRADERS AND RISING SIX GRADERS.
WE NORMALLY THINK OF A CLASS SIZE OF 200.
IF YOU LOOK DOWN THE THINGS YOU WOULD SEE THAT WE'RE GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND OUR UP AND DOWN ON THAT 200.
AND SO, JUST LOOKING AT OUR DATA FOR THE RISING SIXTH GRADERS, IT'S A LITTLE BIT UNDER 200 PER CLASS.
THIS USED TO BE PART OF LEASE.
LAST YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO USE SOME OF OUR COVID FUNDING AND BUY SOME OF
[03:00:08]
THOSE IPADS.SO WE GOT RID OF THAT LEASE A FEW YEARS AGO AND SO WE'VE STARTED BUYING THIS ANNUAL GROUP.
AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST IS DURING THE SUMMER THEY HAVE A REFRESH.
AND LIKE ALL THE COMPUTERS ARE TURNED BACK IN AND THEY'RE ALL CLEANED UP AND THEN DISTRIBUTED BACK OUT.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS FOCUS JUST ARE ON THREE GRADES, THIRD GRADE, SIXTH AND NINTH GRADE GETTING NEW COMPUTERS.
SO THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME DOING THIS PARTICULAR EXERCISE JUST FOCUSING ON THOSE THIRD AND SIXTH GRADERS.
WITH THE CASES THAT GO WITH THEM AND THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN IN SCHOOLS KNOW WE'VE GOT REALLY HEAVY DUTY CASE TO SAY MAKE SURE THAT THESE DON'T BREAK.
SO $182,000 IS JUST ABOUT WHAT WE GET EVERY YEAR FROM THE VPSA PROGRAM.
WE GET FRESH $180,000 EVERY YEAR.
SO IF WE CAN KEEP THAT THIRD TO SIXTH GRADE IPAD AT ABOUT THAT $18,000 LEVEL, THEN EVERY YEAR WE'RE REFRESHING THE IPADS WITH THE VPSA GRANT.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE ON THIS ONE PARTICULAR PURCHASE.
AND SO THEN THE OTHER THING WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME FEDERAL MONEY AND START THE PROCESS OF GIVING RISING NINTH GRADERS A LAPTOP.
ALEX, HOW OLD IS YOUR COMPUTER, DO YOU KNOW?
>> I'VE HAD MY COMPUTER SINCE NINTH GRADE.
SO HE'S GOING TO HAVE THE SAME COMPUTER UNTIL HE GRADUATES IN 12TH GRADE.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE THAT LEASE.
IT GOES AWAY RIGHT AS YOU GRADUATE.
SO HE'S GETTING THE FULL ADVANTAGE OF HAVING HIS COMPUTER.
HE GOT IT FRESH AS A NINTH GRADER, AND HE'LL GRADUATE WITH IT IN FOUR YEARS.
WHICH IS A LIFE OF OUR LAPTOPS.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TRYING TO STAY OUT OF CYCLE, OUT OF THAT LEASE CYCLE.
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE RISING NINTH GRADERS FRESH NEW MACBOOK AIR.
OTHERWISE THEY WOULD GET THE RECYCLED -- THE 12TH GRADERS THIS YEAR GRADUATE OUT.
THOSE COME BACK AND WE HAND THEM -- CLEAN THEM UP AND HAND THEM TO THE NINTH GRADERS.
AND THOSE NINTH GRADERS WILL GET THEM FOR TWO YEARS.
AND THEN, THAT LEASE GOES AWAY.
SO THEY'RE GETTING A THREE YEAR-OLD COMPUTER.
THEY'RE GOING TO USE IT ONE YEAR AND THE LEASES UP.
SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TRYING TO GET BY BASED ON YOU'RE A NINTH GRADER, YOU GET A FRESH NEW COMPUTER.
USE ARE IT FOR THE FOUR YEARS.
AND WE CAN SELL THOSE 12TH GRADE COMPUTERS AT THE END.
WE DON'T HAVE TO RECYCLE THEM BACK INTO A NEW STUDENT.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE STARTING TO DO THIS YEAR.
WE'VE GOT A REALLY BIG CLASS OF EIGHTH GRADERS NOW.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE COMING INTO THE NINTH GRADE.
THIS YEAR IT'S GOING TO BE 250.
OF SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO HANDLE THAT THIS YEAR? AND TOLD YOU THE IPADS ARE GOING TO BE VPSA GRANT FUNDED.
LAPTOPS WE JUST RECEIVED AN AWARD THAT YOU APPROVED IN THE BUDGET SUPPLEMENT IN THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR $100,000 FOR ABOUT HALF OF THE COST OF THE DEVICE WILL BE PAID THROUGH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN GRANT.
LAST YEAR WE DIDN'T HAVE TO BUY IPADS BECAUSE WE HAD GRANT FUNDING.
ALL THE VPSA FUNDING LAST YEAR WE GOT TO CARRY TO THIS YEAR.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE BALANCE OF THAT VPSA MONEY FROM LAST YEAR AND USE IT TO PURCHASE THESE COMPUTERS.
SO TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OUR FEDERAL FUNDING THE LAST TWO YEARS IS ALLOWING US TO START THIS PROCESS.
[03:05:02]
SO THIS IS OUR PURCHASES.TO BE ABLE TO GIVE US THIRD, SIXTH AND NINTH GRADE STUDENTS NEW COMPUTERS.
AND SO THIS IS GOING TO COST US $402,000 IN TOTAL.
DOES NOT HIT OUR OPERATING BUDGET.
TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE AND THEN BECAUSE APPLE DOES NOT HAVE COMPETITION, WE ALWAYS HAVE TO COME TO YOU TO THE SCHOOL BOARD TO SAY, CAN WE SOLE SOURCE THIS? DO YOU REALIZE THAT THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE WE CAN BUY APPLE DEVICES? SO WE POST THAT ON THE WEBSITE AFTER YOU AGREE TO THAT.
AND SO THIS REQUIRES A MOTION.
>> BOARD MEMBER HORN: I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE ACTION ITEM 1 SCHOOL BOARD MOTION AS PRESENTED IN THE AGENDA.
IS THERE A SECOND? WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ACTION ITEM 1, THE MOTION AS PRESENTED, FOR THE PURCHASE OF IPADS AND MACBOOK AIRS.
>> WHY 20 EXTRA CASES FOR IPAD TO CASE RATIOS? IS THAT FOR BREAKS?
>> I THINK THE COMPUTERS HAVE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF ROUGH USE OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO.
SO I THINK THEY JUST NEEDED SOME EXTRAS.
AND WHAT ABOUT REPLACEMENTS FOR THE IPADS IF WE'RE ORDERING CLOSE TO THE STUDENT POPULATION, AREN'T WE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT BREAKAGE AND HAVING ANOTHER DEVICE TO PUT IN A CHILD'S HAND?
>> THAT'S MY SECOND ACTION ITEM.
(LAUGHTER) >> NEXT QUESTION, WHAT ABOUT MACBOOK CASES?
(INAUDIBLE) >> DO WE NOT HAVE -- >> WE DON'T BUY THOSE FROM APPLE.
>> NEXT ONE IS SUPPLY CHAIN CONCERNS.
CAN WE ACTUALLY GET 250 OF THESE AND 380 OF THOSE?
>> SO IN THE QUOTES, THERE WAS SOME INDICATION OF THE DELAY.
SO EITHER THE IPADS OR THE LAPTOPS DID HAVE ARE A 6-8-WEEK LEAD TIME.
SO WE'RE GOING TO -- I CAN'T GET IT TO STOP.
IN I WAY, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS DO THE ACTION ITEM NOW SO THAT WE CAN START ORDERING THESE.
THE REALLY NICE THING IS THAT IF WE GET AWAY FROM THE SUMMER REFRESH OF EVERYBODY HAVING TO BRING THEIR COMPUTERS IN, YOU KNOW, LOTS OF MAN-HOURS DURING THE SUMMER TO BRING THEM BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, THAT IF WE CAN ORDER NOW EVERY YEAR, GET THOSE IN, THEY CAN HAVE MARCH, APRIL, MAY TO START GETTING THOSE COMPUTERS READY.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO FICK CUSS IT ALL -- FOCUS IT DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET AHEAD OF THE LEAD TIME.
>> DO WE THINK WITH NEW DEVICES THERE WILL BE CHANGE WITH INSURANCE PREMIUM PARENTS NEED TO PAY?
>> WE HAVE FOUND THAT THAT INSURANCE PREMIUM IS ABOUT DEAD ON WHAT WE NEED.
AND WE REALIZED WE WEREN'T USING IT.
WE CAN COLLECTING MORE THAN WE NEEDED.
LAST YEAR WAS REALLY THE YEAR TO KNOW.
BECAUSE WE HAD A LOT OF USE OF THE COMPUTERS.
AND SO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT FUND AT AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL.
SO WE'VE GOT MAYBE $100,000 THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE IF WE NEED IN THAT INSURANCE FUND.
WOULD THIS GET RID OF SUMMER TURN-IN FOR THE COMPUTERS?
>> SO I AM NOT THE TECHNOLOGY PERSON.
>> IS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE THIS DEVICE FOR THE TIME THAT YOU'RE IN THE SCHOOL
[03:10:02]
DIVISION.BECAUSE I KNOW, ESPECIALLY FOR ACA STUDENTS, WE HAD TO TAKE OUR CLASS AND THEN ALSO TURN IN OUR COMPUTERS FOR ABOUT LIKE A MONTH AND A HALF.
AND THEN GO AND PICK THEM UP AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
>> WE FOUND KIDS HAD THE DIFFERENT PICKUP TIMES AND REQUIRED AN EXTRA TECHNOLOGY PERSON TO HANDLE PICKUPS AND DROP-OFFS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.
BOARD MEMBERS, THERE IS A MOTION AND SECOND.
ANYMORE DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
(A CHORUS OF AYES) >> ALL RIGHT.
>> CHAIR NEWMAN: YOU MAY ORDER.
AND THIS IS SORT OF ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, MISS ALLEN.
WE -- SO I TRIED TO ONLY BRING THESE APPLE PURCHASES TO THE SCHOOL BOARD ONCE A YEAR.
SO WE ARE WELL AHEAD OF THE 2022-2023 BUYING SEASON.
WE WANTED TO GET THE OTHER COMPUTERS IN SO WE'RE BRING TING TO YOU ONE TIME.
BECAUSE ALL OF OUR DEVICES ARE APPLE, THE REPAIRS PARTS OF APPLE, REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE APPLE.
SO WE'RE SAYING YOU KNOW, GIVE US PERMISSION SOLE SOURCE.
THE BLANKET ORDERS ARE FAIRLY LARGE.
SO WE ARE JUST ASKING AGAIN IN THE AGENDA, GAVE YOU SOME INDICATION OF THE FINISHED GOODS WE'RE TRYING TO BUY.
THAT'S LIKE SOMEBODY LOSES THEIR IPAD, THEY GET A NEW IPAD.
SOMEBODY LOSES THEIR MACBOOK, THEY GET A NEW MACBOOK.
AND THEN, THEY'RE PART OF THE INSURANCE PROGRAM.
THEN, JUST OUR TECHNICIANS MAKING SCREEN REPLACEMENTS, MAKING ALL SORTS OF LITTLE REPAIRS.
I'M OUT OF CYCLE AND MY COMPUTER IS PERHAPS ON ITS LAST LEGS.
I HAVE BEEN HERE TEN YEARS, AND THIS -- THIS IS MY SECOND COMPUTER.
(LAUGHTER) >> YES, I DO BACKUP.
SO NOW WE'RE ASKING THE SECOND ACTION ITEM, SIMILAR TO THE FIRST.
CAN WE PURCHASE THESE ITEMS AND THEN DO YOU APPROVE THE SOLE SOURCE?
>> CHAIR NEWMAN: BOARD MEMBERS, YOU HAVE THE MOTION, RECOMMENDED MOTION IN FRONT OF YOU BASED ON THE REQUEST FOR THE FY-2023 BLANKET ORDER.
>> MR. CHAIR, I MOVE THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF MISCELLANEOUS APPLE PRODUCTS FOR YEAR 2023 BLANKET ORDER AND THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE SOURCE PRACTICALLY AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE APPLE FINISHED GOODS AND APPLE PARTS AND APPLE SOURCES APPLE INCORPORATED.
>> CHAIR NEWMAN: IS THERE A SECOND?
>> BOARD MEMBER WRIGHT: I'LL SECOND THAT.
>> CHAIR NEWMAN: ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
(A CHORUS OF AYES) >> CHAIR NEWMAN: THANK YOU.
NEXT ITEM, BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE INFORMATION FOR BOARD REVIEW STRATEGIC AND
[11. Items for Board Review]
TACTICAL PLAN AND THE ATTENDANCE ENROLLMENT UPDATE?>> THE TACTICAL PLAN, DR. RALEY IS AWESOME AGAIN AS FAR AS ALL THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE DIVISION.
AND I WANT TO EXTEND THANKS TO ALL OF THOSE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO IT.
>> THERE WERE SEVERAL ITEMS I HIGHLIGHTED, BUT I'LL BRING ONE SINCE WE ARE RUNNING INTO THE 9:00 TIME.
THE ITEM ON OUR CULINARY ART STUDENTS.
WHEN I WAS AT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING, THE CHATTER AND EXCITEMENT BEFORE AND DURING THAT MEETING ABOUT HAVING THAT MEAL THAT CHEF BOOTH AND THE STUDENTS WERE PREPARING WAS QUITE EVIDENT AND SO THANK YOU TO CHEF BOOTH AND THE CTE STUDENTS AND OUR CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM, WHO PRESENTED A WONDERFUL MEAL TO GOOCHLAND LEADERSHIP ENTERPRISE AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TUESDAY,
[03:15:05]
FEBRUARY 1ST.[12. New Business]
>> EARLIER TONIGHT, BOARD MEMBERS, WE HEARD PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING CONCERNS FROM OUR CITIZENS.
I WANT TODAY USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR THOSE CONCERNS THAT WERE REFERENCED THIS EVENING BUT ALSO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT AND SOME FACTS REGARDING THE PROCESSES THAT WE FOLLOW AS A SCHOOL DIVISION.
THE OUR BELIEF AS SCHOOL DIVISION REGARDING THE STRONG PROHIBITION OF ANY ACTIVITY OR BEHAVIOR THAT IS RELATED TO BULLYING.
THIS SCHOOL BOARD HAS POLICIES RELATED TO THAT.
WE BELIEVE IN THOSE POLICIES STRONGLY.
ANY TIME WE ARE AWARE OF REPORTS OF BULLYING WE INVESTIGATE CONCERNS THOROUGHLY.
WE HAVE POLICY RELATED TO DISCIPLINE ASSOCIATED WITH AN INFRACTION THAT INVOLVES BULLYING.
WE FOLLOW THOSE POLICIES CONSISTENTLY AND FAIRLY AND HAVE HIGH STANDARDS AND EXPECTATIONS OF THE BEHAVIOR OF OUR STUDENTS.
WE TAKE THESE CONCERNS VERY SERIOUSLY.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGED ANY STUDENT, STAFF, PARENTS, ANYONE WHO HAS A CONCERN RELATED TO ANY SORT OF INCIDENCES RELATED TO BULLYING TO REPORT CONCERNS TO SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OR ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND I ASSURE YOU THOSE CONCERNS WILL BE FOLLOWED THROUGH ON PENDING AN INVESTIGATION.
SHOULD A PARENT FEEL THEIR CONCERNS ARE NOT HEARD, WE HAVE AN APPEALS PROCESS THROUGH THE BUILDING AND CENTRAL OFFICE, INCLUDING OUR ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS AND MYSELF.
WE TAKE THESE THINGS SERIOUSLY.
ULTIMATELY, WHAT WE ALL MUST DO IS WORK TOGETHER TO PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT INSIDE OUR SCHOOLS.
IT TAKES ALL OF US, OUR STUDENTS, OUR STAFF, OUR PARENTS, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, THE WORK THAT WE DO AS A SCHOOL DIVISION IS BETWEEN BUSINESS HOURS AND YOU KNOW, WE NEED THE SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR PARENTS AND EVERYONE WHO INTERACTS WITH OUR YOUTH ON A DAILY BASIS SO WE TOGETHER CAN TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO INTERACT WITH ONE ANOTHER IN THE SETTING.
SO WE TAKE THESE CONCERNS VERY SERIOUSLY.
I ASSURE YOU THAT WE WORK THROUGH THESE ONCE WE ARE AWARE OF THEM.
AND UPHOLD HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR OUR STUDENTS IN THEIR BEHAVIOR.
>> CHAIR NEWMAN: THANK YOU, DR. RALEY.
I WAS GOING TO SAY EXACTLY THAT.
NEW BUSINESS NEEDS TO GO TO YOU TO DISCUSS THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE IS SO MUCH GREAT WORK GOING ON WITHIN THE BUILDINGS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WE HAVE KINDNESS WEEK FOR ONE EXAMPLE NEXT WEEK.
BUT BEYOND A SPECIAL WEEK, THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER.
I DON'T THINK THAT IT IS -- I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF POSITIVE COMMUNICATION, AND I'M SURE ALEX CAN SPEAK TO THAT WHEN HE HAS HIS OPPORTUNITY FOR SHARING THIS EVENING.
BUT I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE ALL THE GREAT WORK AND CERTAINLY OUR MENTAL HEALTH TEAM THAT IS WORKING DOUBLE TIME AFTER THE PANDEMIC AND ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE AFFECTED OUR STUDENTS FROM ISOLATION.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING UP ON THAT TOPIC, SIR.
IT'S CRITICAL TO OUR CLIMATE, OUR COMMUNITY AND LEARNING.
ALEX, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD?
>> I'LL ADD THAT I KNOW LIKE THE BAD INSTANCES I GUESS GET BROUGHT UP A LOT AND GET A LOT OF ATTENTION, WHICH THEY SHOULD.
THERE'S ALSO GOOD THINGS, KINDNESS WEEK AND FACULTY.
I HAVE TEACHERS WHO GO OUT OF THEIR WAY IF I SEEM UPSET THAT I'M OKAY AND MAKE IT KNOWN THEY'RE THERE.
I THINK THAT SHOULD BE RECOGNIZE AND ALL THE GOOD THINGS GOING ON IN THE SCHOOL.
BOARD MEMBERS, WE ARE AT ADJOURNMENT.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION, MR. WRIGHT.
>> BOARD MEMBER WRIGHT: MR. CHAIR, I MOVE WE ADJOURN.
[13. Adjournment]
>> CHAIR NEWMAN: MOTION MADE ADJOURN.
>> CHAIR NEWMAN: ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
(A CHORUS OF AYES) >> CHAIR NEWMAN: THANK YOU.
[04:47:55]
(ADJOURNED)* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.