May 14, 2024 School Board Meeting - May 14, 2024

[A. Call Meeting to Order]

[B. Closed Meeting]

[00:29:14]

PLEASE STAND BY FOR REALTIME CAPTIONS.

[C. Reconvene in Open Meeting / Certification]

[00:34:08]

>> I CALLED THE SCHOOL BOARD TO ORDER. MADAM VICE CHAIR. NO.

[00:34:13]

[00:34:22]

[00:34:29]

[00:34:31]

[00:34:37]

>> I SO CERTIFY. THANK YOU. WILL YOU JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF

[D. Moment of Silence]

[00:35:08]

[E. Pledge of Allegiance]

[F. Additions/Amendments/Adoption of Proposed Agenda]

>> SO MOVED. DO I HAVE A SECOND?

>> SECOND. >> SO MOVED.

>> THANK YOU. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. THE AGENDA IS ACCEPTED. I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE

RECOGNITIONS? >> YES. THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL WATTS ENOUGH FORWARD TO SHARE GOOD NEWS ABOUT SEVERAL OF OUR STUDENTS. MR. WATSON?

[A. U.S. Naval Academy - Duncan Pillion]

>> >> I WOULD LIKE TO CALL DUNCAN PILLON. IF HIS PARENTS WANT TO JOIN US? IF NOT, WE WILL RECOGNIZE DUNCAN. ONE OF THE HIGHEST HONORS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT CAN ACHIEVE IS ONE OF THE APPOINTMENTS TO OUR MILITARY ACADEMY. HE WILL START AT THE MILITARY ACADEMY IN THE FALL. PRESENTLY HE HAS A 4.855 GPA. CLOSE. THE POWER SCHOOL SAID THAT. HE HAS A HIGH GPA. HE IS IN THE TOP 15% OF HIS CLASS. HE HAS DONE VERY WELL. WE ARE VERY PROUD. AND AGAIN, THIS IS A COVETED APPOINTMENT. THERE ARE NOT ANY OF THESE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. WE CONGRATULATE HIM AND WISH HIM WELL AT THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY AND HIS MILITARY CAREER AFTER THAT. CONGRATULATIONS. NEXT, WE ARE DOING THE STATE HEAVY

[B. Heavy Equipment State Winners]

MENDOZA CAME IN SECOND. AND JONES CAME IN THIRD. STEPHEN WILL GO ON TO THE NATIONAL COMPETITION IN ATLANTA. IN JUNE. WE CONGRATULATE THEM, AND WE THANK THE SERMAT CORPORATION FOR SPONSORING OUR STUDENTS. I DON'T THINK DEREK IS HERE.

THANK YOU. NEXT, ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS WE DO EVERY YEAR, IS TO INDUCT INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES, BUSINESSES,

[C. CTE Hall of Fame]

[00:40:09]

PLEASE? >> HE IS AN ENGINEER. HE RECENTLY RETIRED. HE HAS BEEN ON THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR A LONG TIME. HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE I MET WHEN I CAME TO GOOCHLAND. HE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR CTE PROGRAMS, THE DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION OF OUR PARTNERSHIP. HE HAS BEEN AN INVALUABLE RESOURCE TO OUR PROGRAMS. WE THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR ADVICE AND HELP OVER

MANY YEARS. >> THANK YOU.

>> I THINK THEY WANT YOUR PICTURE.

THANK YOU, BRIAN. NEXT, FROM SOUTHERN STATES. MIKE HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER WITH OUR AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.

I KNOW WE RELY HEAVILY ON YOU, YOUR EXPERTISE, AND YOUR SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT TO SUSTAIN OUR PROGRAM. THIS HAS GONE ON FOR MANY YEARS. MR. ALLEN HAS BEEN HERE FOR 10 YEARS. I'M SURE HE HAS KNOCKED ON YOUR DOOR MANY TIMES FOR HELP. WE THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE FOR OUR AGRICULTURAL STUDENTS. CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. >> AND I WOULD LIKE TO DO THE NEXT RECOGNITIONS AS A GROUP. JUNE TURNER, PAULA BARON, LYNN TAPPAN OR -- IT IS JUST YOU.

CONGRATULATIONS. THEY HAVE DEDICATED COUNTLESS HOURS OVER THE YEARS TO OUR ECONOMIC AND PERSONAL-FINANCE PROGRAM TO COME IN AND TALK ABOUT STUDENTS AND THEIR CREDIT. PARTICULARLY THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT ALL OF YOU REPRESENT. CARE CREDIT ABUSE RESISTANCE EDUCATION. WE CANNOT GIVE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ENOUGH ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL ADVICE. WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL OF THE MANY HOURS YOU SPEND WITH OUR CHILDREN. WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO ON A CONTINUING BASIS.

CONGRATULATIONS BEING INDUCTED INTO THE HALL OF FAME.

>> THANK YOU. >> AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL UP SARAH AND CHANTS. THEY ARE CERTAINLY NO STRANGERS TO US. I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MUCH THEY SERVE US. THE STUDENTS, AND THE PROGRAMS. AND WHAT A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

I WOULD SAY, IT IS A MODEL PROGRAM BETWEEN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THE GOVERNMENT AGENCY. THEY HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN PROVIDING FIELD TRIPS. HELPING US WITH OUR WORK BASED LEARNING PROGRAMS. SETTING UP APPRENTICES SHIPS AND SO ON. I REALLY VALUE WHAT THEY DO. I THANK THEM FOR EVERYTHING THEY DO AND CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING INDUCTED INTO THE HALL OF FAME.

>> THANK YOU. >> NEXT, BUT NOT LEAST, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE OUR JUNKYARD DOG ROBOTICS TEAM.

[00:45:03]

[D. GHS Robotics Team]

>> I'M GOING TO PULL UP MY PRESENTATION. MY MEMBERS WILL JOIN ME. I FORCEFULLY, WE CANNOT FIND THE PRESENT BUTTON.

THANK YOU, SO MUCH. NOW EVERYONE CAN SEE THE PRESENTATION. I AM MATTHEW. TEAM CAPTAIN. WE ARE THE JUNKYARD DOGS. THE ROBOTICS TEAM CATERS TO STUDENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN A STEM EDUCATION. THEY CAN GET A HANDS ON EXPERIENCE. WITH CONTRAPTIONS AND DESIGNS. WE PRIDE OURSELVES IN BEING CREATIVE. AND STUDENTS WHO FIND SUCCESS IN WHEREVER

THEY GO. >> WHAT WE WERE FOCUSING ON WAS TRYING TO GET OUR NEW MEMBERS THAT WE RECRUITED LEARNING UP TO SPEED. WE HAD A DESIGN CHALLENGE. WE HAD NEW MEMBERS AND OLD MEMBERS ALIKE CONSTRUCT AN INTAKE FOR THE PREVIOUS YEAR GAME PIECE. IT TOOK THEM TO THE PROCESS FROM DESIGN FROM SCRATCH TO ACTUALLY BUILDING, AND THEN, WE HAD A CONTEST TO SEE WHO'S WAS BEST. WE ALSO BUILT THE STORAGE RACKS. WE WERE ABLE TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY AND STORAGE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. IN THE OFF-SEASON, WE WENT TO SEVERAL EVENTS. WE WENT TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND GOOCHLAND DAY. WE WENT TO RUMBLE IN THE ROAD WHICH IS A AN EVENT HOSTED BY NEWPORT NEWS

HIGH SCHOOL. >> AN IMPORTANT PART OF ROBOTICS IS ALSO RECRUITING THE NEXT GENERATION OF STUDENTS.

THAT IS BIG THIS YEAR. WE ARE HAVING A LOT OF SENIORS GRADUATING. WE NEED TO KEEP PASSING KNOWLEDGE ON AND HAVE NEW MEMBERS ON THE TEAM. TO DO THAT, WE VISITED HIGH SCHOOLS.

WE WENT TO THE CLUB FAIR. WE SPREAD BY WORD OF MOUTH. WHICH IS HOW I HEARD ABOUT IT PERSONALLY. ALSO, THE SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS REGULARLY SHARE HOW WE DO TOURNAMENTS. WE VISIT LUNCHES, MAKE POSTERS, WHICH YOU CAN SEE UP THERE. AND NOW WE HAVE AN INSTAGRAM PAGE. AN IMPORTANT PART OF RECRUITMENT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THIS GREAT STEM OPPORTUNITY. WITH ALL OF THE NEW MEMBERS, WE NEED TO HAVE AN EFFICIENT WAY TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE COMPETENT IN

WHAT THEY WANT TO DO. >> WE INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO COMPUTER AIDED DRAFTING. THEY TRANSFER IDEAS INTO A DIGITAL REALITY. WE ARE ABLE TO TEACH THEM HOW TO BUILD THESE IDEAS.

WE TELL THEM HOW TO USE THE ADVANCED MACHINERY WE HAVE IN THE LAB. DIFFERENT METHODS OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION. WE 19 FOCUS ON PNEUMATICS AND ELECTRIC. ROBOTICS IS AN ENTIRELY ELECTRICAL WAY. ELECTRIC MAKES THE ROBOT SHINING AND DO WHAT IT DOES. WE LIKE TO PRIDE OURSELVES IN THE EXTENSIVE SAFETY TESTING. EVERY STUDENT CERTIFIED ON SPECIFICS MACHINES, HAVE CONFIDENCE AND CAPABILITY TO MAKE WHATEVER OBJECT OR INVENTION THEY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE. WOULD ALSO LIKE TO DO SCOUTING. IT IS ROBOTICS SPECIFIC. WE KNOW WHAT THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES ARE , SO WE CAN HELP THEM. WITH

[00:50:03]

IT WAS A DIFFICULT TASK. WE DID QUITE WELL.

>> THIS JANUARY, WE GOT THE GAME GIVEN TO US AND STARTING FROM THAT WE HAD SIX WEEKS TO DESIGN, BUILD AND CODE THE ROBOT. IT WAS BUSY. THE FIRST UP WAS PROTOTYPING WHICH WAS GETTING A DESIGN. ANYONE COULD TAKE AND BUILD A PROTOTYPE.

ONCE WE DECIDED WHAT WORKED WELL AND DIDN'T, WE FOCUSED ON GETTING THE DESIGN DOWN AND USED CAD TO BUILD A MODEL.

WHICH THEN WE SPENT A FEW WEEKS TO ACTUALLY BUILD IT IN ITS PHYSICAL FORM. ALONG THE SIDE, THE NEW MEMBERS FROM THE TRAINING OUT, WE HAD THEM BUILD A CHASSIS. ONCE THE ROBOT WAS UP AND READY TO GO, WE STARTED TO GO TO EVENTS. THE EVENTS WERE TWO LOCAL EVENTS THIS YEAR WHERE WE PERFORM VERY WELL. WE GOT THE FINALIST AWARD AND THE INNOVATION CONTROL AWARD DUE TO THE VISION HE WAS TALKING ABOUT. WE WERE ALSO PRESENT AT THE CHESAPEAKE DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIPS.

>> WE ENDED THE SEASON RANKED 24TH OUT OF 135 TEAMS. WHICH IS PRETTY GOOD, CONSIDERING THE FUNDING AND THE SPONSORS THAT THESE SEEDS HAVE. WE HAVE TWO. WE ENDED UP MAKING IT TO THE PLAYOFFS, BUT WOULD NOT -- DID NOT MAKE IT TWO WORLDS. DUE TO A FATAL MOTOR FAILURE. IT WAS SAD. COMING OUT OF THE DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIPS, WE DID A RETROSPECTIVE WITH THE TEAM WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE WANTED TO IMPROVE FOR NEXT SEASON. WHAT WE DID RIGHT OF THE SEASON, AND WHAT COULD'VE GONE BETTER. THE MAIN THINGS WERE, WE WANTED TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER TEAMS WE NETWORKED WITH. ATTEND MORE EVENTS TO GET A GOOD EXPERIENCE IN TRAINING AND DRY PRACTICE. AND DO ADDITIONAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE SURE OUR NEW MEMBERS KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A QUICK MOMENT TO THANK OUR SPONSORS.

WE HAVE A -- WE HAVE BRONZE, SILVER, AND GOLD. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONFIDENCE, EXPERIENCE AND PROLONGED X SUPPORT. THANK YOU.

>> THIS WAS THE GAME PIECE. WE HAD TO TAKE THEM AND PUT THEM IN A BIG COPPER. WE CAN SHOOT FARTHER. THAT IS BASICALLY WHAT IT DOES. IT PICKS IT UP AND SLIDES INTO THAT CHUTE. WE USE IT TO DISPLAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. CONGRATULATION TO THE JUNKYARD DOGS. WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU. HE IS HERE BECAUSE I MET HIM AT THE ECLIPSE EVENT. HE IS DOING THIS AND I WAS THINKING, YOU HAVE NOT BEEN RECOGNIZED.

CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. WHAT A HIGH HONOR. AND ALSO TO THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR COMPETITION AND OUR CTE HALL OF FAME. THERE'S SO MUCH TO CELEBRATE. WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL. THANK YOU ALL. YOU HAVE ANNOUNCEMENT?

>> I DO. THANK YOU. THESE ANNOUNCEMENTS, SOME YOU WILL

[A. Announcements]

[00:55:01]

I'LL START BY RECOGNIZING MAY AS NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH MONTH. LAST WEEK, WE CELEBRATED NATIONAL TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK. SCHOOL LUNCH HERO DAY WAS MAY THE THIRD. SCHOOL NURSE DAY WAS MAY THE EIGHTH. LATER THAT EVENING WE HAD OUR FIRST WELLNESS BUN RUN AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. THE GOOCHLAND HAD ITS GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2023 BACCALAUREATE ON MAY 5TH.

THAT WAS HELD IN THE AUDITORIUM. I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT OUR GRADUATION IS JUNE THE EIGHTH AT 7:30 P.M. ON THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE SCHOOL BOARD IS JUNE THE 11TH

THE RIGHT EAR. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME WE

[A. Public Comment]

>> GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS KAREN HORN. I LIVE IN DISTRICT 2. A LOT HAS BEEN HAPPENING. I AM SO HAPPY ABOUT THE BUDGET. AND GETTING MORE BUMP FOR OUR AMAZING GOOCHLAND EDUCATORS. THANK YOU FOR THAT. KEEP IN MIND, KEEP OUR EYE ON THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT. WE DO HAVE AN EXPANDING BUS GRAVEYARD. AND WE DO HAVE AMAZING TRANSPORTATION PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO KEEP THESE BUSES THAT RUN A LONG WAY, ON THE ROAD. WHATEVER WE CAN DO, WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDS AT THE END OF THE YEAR, TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE SAFE TRANSPORTATION, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. ROBOTICS, IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN TO AN ATTORNEY, IT IS AN AMAZING FEAT. NOT ONLY DO THEY DO THIS, BUT THEY SUPPORT OTHER TEAMS. YOU CAN SEE THE GENUINE HEART OF OUR STUDENTS WHEN A PART BREAKS DOWN, THEY STOP AND HELP THEM. IT IS AN AMAZING EVENT.

AN AMAZING GROUP OF KIDS. A REMINDER ON THE JUNE 8TH GRADUATION. IF WE HAVE FIREWORKS, TO LET HOLLAND HILLS NO. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS SOMETIMES FORGOTTEN. TONIGHT, THERE HAVE BEEN QUESTIONS REGARDING WHY THE ADVISORY COMMITTEES ARE CROSSED OUT? JUST TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE APOLOGY CHANGE REALLY MEANS WOULD BE IMPORTANT. THERE ARE GREAT CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO NOT HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE BASED ON WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE THAT ACTION IS. SO JUST BE CLEAR ON THAT. TODAY I PARTICIPATED IN TRAINING THAT INCLUDED VIDEO ON THE RIGHT TO READ. I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT GOING ON WITH LITERACY. LITERACY IS OUR GREAT CIVIL RIGHT. AND WITHOUT READING, WE KNOW THE PEOPLE CANNOT BE SUCCESSFUL. I AM HAPPY THAT WE HAVE SO MANY REPORTS TONIGHT.

BUT, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE, EVEN THOUGH THE PARENT PIECE IS STEP SIX, IF YOU LOOK AT THE DATES OF THAT, WE SEE IT IS INCORPORATED FROM THE BEGINNING. THESE ARE PARENTS.

IT BEGINS AT THE HOME. LET'S DO THESE THINGS THAT ARE ON THIS LIST, BUT MORE. OUR TEACHERS WORK REALLY HARD TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN LEARNING AND TO PROVIDE PARENTS WITH WAYS TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN AT HOME. OUR PARENTS NEED AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE MORE EDUCATED ON THE LITERACY ACCURATE SO IF WE CAN INCLUDE ADDITIONAL TRAINING, I KNOW OUR PARENTS, PROVIDERS, CHILDCARE PROVIDERS WILL APPRECIATE THE ADDITIONAL TRAINING. SO THEY CAN ALSO BE A PART OF THE VIRGINIA LITERACY

ACT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? SEEING NONE, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED. I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A REPORT

[A. Report of the Student Representative]

FOR US? >> GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. RIGHT NOW, I'M GOING TO SHARE AWESOME THINGS GOING ON WITHIN

[01:00:03]

FOR MOST STUDENTS, THIS IS STRESSFUL YET EXCITING BECAUSE WE GET TO USE OUR KNOWLEDGE FOR WHAT WE HAVE BEEN PREPARING FOR ALL YEAR. THE SIX THROUGH THE 12TH, WE CELEBRATED TEACHER AND NURSE APPRECIATION WEEK. THIS WEEK, STAFF GOT FED. A LOT OF GOOD FOOD AND HAD CHANCES TO ENTER INTO GIFT CARD RAFFLES.

ON MAY 8TH, WE HAD OUR STUDENT ATHLETE COMMITMENT SIGNING DATE. THIS GAVE US A CHANCE TO CELEBRATE ANY STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN COLLEGIATE SPORTS. ON MAY 8TH, WE HAD OUR SPRING COURSE CONCERT. THEY HAD A GREAT PERFORMANCE AND SANG BEAUTIFULLY. AND FINALLY ON MAY 10TH, STUDENTS HAD CTE SIGNING DAY. WE RECOGNIZE STUDENTS THAT COMPLETED THE COURSES AND PLAN ON USING THIS KNOWLEDGE TO CONTINUE WORKING TOWARD THEIR FUTURE CAREERS. THANK YOU. I CANNOT WAIT TO SHARE WHAT I

HAVE NEXT MONTH. >> THANK YOU AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HER? WONDERFUL.

[A. Chair's Comments]

IT IS TOUGH WHEN YOU GO OVER AND OVER AND DON'T COME HOME WITH A WIN. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PLAYERS AND THEIR COACHES.

ALSO I WANT TO ECHO THE COMMENT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF READING AT HOME. MOMS AND DADS, WE GET IT. WE WORK. WE HAVE COMMITMENTS OUTSIDE OF WORK. WE HAVE BUSY HOME LIVES. WE CANNOT UNDERSCORE ENOUGH THE IMPORTANCE OF YOU READING WITH YOUR CHILD AT HOME. FINDING THAT TIME ON A CONSISTENT BASIS, IT IS ABSOLUTELY THE FOUNDATION TO YOUR LITERARY SUCCESS FOR YOUR CHILD IN SCHOOL. WE WANT TO FIND THE TIME. WHATEVER WORKS. TRY TO MAKE THAT A PRIORITY.

PARTICULARLY MOVING INTO THE SUMMER MONTHS. WHERE THINGS MIGHT BE AT A SLOWER PACE. WE YOU DON'T HAVE THE SCHOOL DAY GRINDER. LET'S MAKE SURE WE ESTABLISH HABITS. AND MINIMIZE LEARNING LOSS FOR STUDENTS. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ON THE CTE SIGNING DAY. WE ARE EXCITED FOR YOUR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AS YOU LOOK TO THE NEXT CHAPTER OF YOUR FUTURE. THE NEXT ONE IS PROBABLY MORE SERIOUS. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT.

[01:05:01]

THESE THINGS CAN UNFORTUNATELY SPIRAL OUT OF CONTROL. AS A PARENT OR GUARDIAN, IF YOUR CHILD HAS SUFFERED FROM BULLYING, YOU COULD GO RIGHT TO THE HOME PAGE AND THERE IS A LINK RIGHT THERE. REPORT BULLYING. IT IS ANONYMOUS. I ENCOURAGE YOU OR YOUR STUDENT TO USE THAT. IF THAT DOES NOT GET YOU THE REMEDIES YOU ARE SEEKING, WORK WITH YOUR BUILDING PRINCIPAL. GUIDANCE COUNSELOR. IS THAT DOES NOT GET YOU THE REMEDY, THE DOCTOR REMAINS AVAILABLE TO YOU. I WANT YOU TO KNOW, HE TAKES THIS AS SERIOUSLY AS WE DO. AND FINALLY, SHOULD YOU NOT GET RESOLUTION THROUGH THE DOCTOR, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DIRECTLY. WE WILL WORK WITH YOU. THIS IS A PRIORITY. THERE ARE EXTENSIVE POLICIES AND STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT'S AROUND BULLYING BOTH IN PERSON, CYBER BULLYING, AND THE LIKE. THIS IS NOT A NEW TOPIC IN OUR SCHOOLS. WE WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR STUDENT. WE ARE HERE TO NOT ONLY LISTEN BUT SEEK REMEDIATION. I WOULD ADD, IF YOU NEED A SOLUTION, GO TO WHERE IT CAN BE FOUND. LETS US SUPPORT YOU IN THOSE DIFFICULT TIMES. WITH THAT, I WILL LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR

[A. Superintendent's Comments]

COMMENTS. >> TAKE YOU. AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, LAST WEEK WE CELEBRATED INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF DURING TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK. WE HAD AN ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE RECOGNIZED TEACHERS, ROOKIES, AND OUR RETIREES. IT WAS AN OUTSTANDING EVENT. WE RECEIVED A GOOD DEAL OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR TEACHERS WHO PLACED TALENTS, CREATIVITY AND -- EVERY DAY THEY SERVE OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. I AM EVER AMAZED BY THE LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT I WITNESSED IN OUR CLASSROOMS. WE CAN ALL BE PROUD. ACCORDINGLY, I WANT TO THANK OUR SCHOOL BOARD AS WELL AS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, FOR SUPPORTING THE MARKET ADJUSTMENT AND TAPER CUT -- TEACHER COMPENSATION. THIS HISTORIC INVESTMENT HAS ALLOWED US TO RESET OUR SALARY SCALES BETTER PURCHASING US TO RETAIN THE TEACHERS AND STAFF, AS WELL AS RECRUIT NEW TALENT TO THE SCHOOL DIVISION. NOTHING WORTH HAVING COMES EASILY. I AM JOYOUSLY OVERWHELMED WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THIS INVESTMENT IN OUR FUTURE. ALSO, WITH GRADUATION JUST A FEW SHORT WEEKS OUT, I WOULD LIKE TO CELEBRATE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE CLASS OF 2024. WE WILL HAVE 217 GRADUATES. 28 OF THOSE STUDENTS WERE RECOGNIZED FRIDAY AT OUR TECHNICAL EDUCATION SIGNING DAY. ESSENTIALLY THAT MEANS, THEY WILL CROSS THE STAGE ON SATURDAY, JUNE THE EIGHTH, AND REPORT TO WORK, WELL COMPENSATED, ON MONDAY, JUNE 10TH. WE CELEBRATE MANY TIMES OVER. WE HAD THREE JROTC SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS. THEY ARE VALUED AT 190 -- $180,000. THEY HAD THREE OF THOSE DISTINCTIONS. IT IS SIMPLY OUTSTANDING. STUDENTS REPORT HAVE AMASSED $2.5 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS. AND EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON, WE HAD 28% OF THE GRADUATING CLASS EARN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREES. WITH ONE SPECIFIC TO TEACHER EDUCATION. 60 STUDENTS HAVE EARNED AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE PRIOR TO THE HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. THAT IS REMARKABLE. I CANNOT CAPTURE HOW AMAZING THIS IS. IT IS 100% GRADUATION RATE OF THE COURT -- COHORT. 80% GRADUATED WITH HONORS. WE ANTICIPATE AN ON-TIME GRADUATION RATE EXCEEDING 97%. REPRESENTING OUR COMMUNITY COMMITMENT. THAT IS THE SUM OF ALL OF OUR EFFORTS DAY IN AND DAY OUT. THAT

CONCLUDES HIS REPORT. >> THANK YOU. IT IS A GOOD TIME

[01:10:03]

[A. Policy Update: First Reading]

COME FORWARD. >> GOOD EVENING. GOOD TO SEE YOU SO EARLY. THIS IS SO WONDERFUL. WE HAVE SIX POLICIES. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT YOUR ATTENTION TO TWO IN PARTICULAR. YOU WILL SEE A LOT OF BREAD. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO TAKE PRACTICE OUT OF POLICY, AND KEEP THE LEGAL LANGUAGE.

THAT IS WHAT YOU SEE REFRACTED. THAT IS ALL I HAVE UNLESS YOU

HAVE QUESTIONS. >> BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE

QUESTIONS? >> I AIM TO PLEASE.

[9. Consent Items]

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> BOARD MEMBERS, AT THIS TIME WE HAVE CONSENT ITEMS BEFORE US. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION REGARDING HOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO

HANDLE THESE. >> MADAM CHAIR. I MOVE THAT WE

ACCEPT THEM AS A SLATE. >> I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT ITEMS AS A SLATE. DO I HAVE A SECOND? A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION?

>> I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE VPSA. JUST MORE INFORMATION ON

THAT. >> VERY GOOD. MRS. WHITE? RIGHT

ON CUE. >> WE ARE A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY. WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TAX EXEMPT BONDS. AS DOES THE STATE. THE STATE HELPS US FUND TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS. WE APPLY FOR A SECURITY GRANT EVERY YEAR. THOSE PARTICULAR STATE FUNDING SOURCES COME FROM A BOND ISSUE. THEY ADVISE US, IF WE ARE GOING TO BUY EXPENSES AGAINST THOSE BONDS BEFORE THEY ARE ISSUED, THAT WE DO THIS RESOLUTION. IT IS A PURE LEGAL THING. WE NEVER KNOW WHEN WE ARE GOING TO INCUR THOSE EXPENSES. WE ARE A YEAR AHEAD OF THAT. THAT MEANS, FROM NOW UNTIL NEXT YEAR, WHEN THE BOND IS ISSUED IN MAY, WE MAY BUY ITEMS. THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE VPSA FUNDING WE GET FROM THE STATE. OR IF WE GET THE SECURITY GRANT, WE HAVE THAT MONEY AND WE CAN GO AHEAD AND BUY THOSE ITEMS. AND NOT WAIT UNTIL MAY. YOU WILL SEE THIS EVERY YEAR.

WE WILL DO THIS. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SECURITY GRANT MIGHT BE. THEY HAVE BEEN TOPPED AT $250,000. GOOCHLAND DOES NOT OFTEN GET A SECURITY GRANT. BUT IN THE OFF CHANCE THAT THEY WILL BUY A METAL DETECTOR, WE ARE GOING TO -- WE SUBMIT EVERY YEAR FOR SECURITY FUNDING. WE UNFORTUNATELY DON'T USUALLY GET ANY OR GET A SMALL AMOUNT. THE $180,000 IS SOMETHING WE GET EVERY YEAR AND WE SPEND IT EVERY YEAR. THAT KEEPS ALL OF OUR DEVICES REFRESHED IN THE CLASSROOMS. THAT IS THE REASON FOR THIS. I APOLOGIZE FOR HAVING NO EXPLANATION. WE DO IT EVERY YEAR AND DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT. IT IS A

TECHNICALITY. >> THE MAXIMUM COST?

>> THAT WOULD BE THE FUNDING WE GET FROM THE STATE AND THEY POSSIBLE SECURITY GRANT OF $250,000.

>> ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT ITEMS AS A SLATE, SAY AYE.

ALTHOUGH SUPPOSED TO? THE AYE HABIT. THEY ARE APPROVED. WE

[01:15:05]

>> GOOD EVENING. MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. RANDOLPH IS EXCITED TO PRESENT THE INSTRUCTIONAL REPORT TONIGHT.

WE ALL KNOW, GREAT THINGS TAKE TIME. TONIGHT, I HAVE WITH ME MRS. GATES, EASTWOOD AND GAMMEL WHO WILL SHARE UPDATE -- UPDATES. THEY ARE TEACHERS THAT ARE INSTRUMENTAL IN OUR GIFTED

[A. Randolph Elementary School]

WE HAVE A LOT TO SHARE SO WE ASK THAT YOU HOLD QUESTIONS

UNTIL ALL THREE HAVE PRESENTED. >> GOOD EVENING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS JENNIFER GATES AND I TEACH FIFTH GRADE AT RANDOLPH. AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR WE WORKED WITH A PHENOMENAL GROUP OF STUDENTS IN OUR COLLABORATIVE CLASSROOM WHO SET OUT TO BRING POSITIVE CHANGE. THEY FORMED AN ORGANIZATION AIMING TO SUPPORT PEOPLE, ANIMALS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND OUR COMMUNITY.

WITHIN FIVE MONTHS THEY HOSTED DONATION DRIVES AND HOSTED $15,000. $12,000 WAS FOR A NEW NATURE CENTER. THESE THINGS TAKE TIME. AND PERMITS, WHICH TAKE A LOT OF TIME. FORTUNATELY OUR COLLABORATIVE GROUP THIS YEAR WAS READY TO CONTINUE ITS WORK. THEY STARTED A SMALL RESEARCH PROJECT THAT BLEW UP INTO ANOTHER EXPERIENCE THAT WE CALLED GO WILD. STUDENTS WERE PLACED ON THREE INTEREST-BASED TEAMS. BOTANISTS STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS AND EDUCATORS. EACH HAD A ROLE. ENGINEERS CALCULATED MEASUREMENTS AND WORKED WITH LOCAL CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES TO DETERMINE MATERIALS, LABOR, AND EQUIPMENT COSTS. THE BOTANISTS FOCUSED ON RESEARCHING NATIVE SPECIES PLANTED TO BEAUTIFY SPACE, RESTORE DISRUPTIONS TO THE ECOSYSTEM, AND OFFSET EROSION. OUR EDUCATORS BEGAN LESSONS WITH RESOURCES FOR THIRD AND FOURTH GRADE CHURCHES TO USE FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES. ALL OF OUR STUDENTS WERE READY TO ACTIVELY COLLABORATE ON AN AUTHENTIC PROJECT. IT WAS COMING TO LIGHT BEFORE THEIR EYES. THE ENTHUSIASM WAS CONTAGIOUS. IN ADDITION TO DOING EXTENSIVE RESEARCH, STUDENTS MET WITH STAKEHOLDERS TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE. KNOWING WE WOULD BE HORSE -- HOSTING IMPORTANT PEOPLE. HANDSHAKES AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS. FROM 32ND ELEVATOR SPEECH IS TO FULL PRESENTATIONS, THEY WORKED MAGIC IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM. THE EFFORTS PAID OFF. WE HAVE GARNERED $40,000 AND COUNTING. FULL CIRCLE MOMENTS ARE SPECIAL. WE HAVE ONE WITH WILD. THIS IS SHOEMAKER ON THE LEFT. HE IS A FORMER ROADRUNNER. HIS DAD HELPED BUILD THE STRUCTURES IN THE COURTYARD. AND NOW, HE IS BACK WORKING WITH HIS DAD'S COMPANY IN BUILDING THE PAVILION. THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN

[01:20:08]

NONFICTION ARTICLES ON OUTDOOR EDUCATION AND POETRY. STUDENTS BLOSSOMED. SHARING SURVIVAL WRITINGS, ARGUING OPINIONS AND PARLAY. WRITING SPEECHES AND GENERATING IMPRESSIVE PRESENTATIONS. IT SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATED MATH AND NATURE-BASED SCIENCE. ALL OF WHICH IS TESTED THIS YEAR.

WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO GROW STRONGER TIES IN THE COMMUNITY. ULTIMATELY, LEGACY THAT THE STUDENTS AND OUR LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS LEAVE BEHIND AFTER IT IS FULLY BUILT, WILL HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON STUDENTS AND HOPEFULLY THE ENVIRONMENT FOR YEARS TO COME. THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO SUPPORTED YOUTH UNITED AND GO WILD. WE VALUE OUR CREATIVE FREEDOM AS EDUCATORS AND WE KNOW THAT POWERFUL EXPERIENCES LIKE THESE DON'T HAPPEN EVERYWHERE. A FINAL THANK YOU TO THESE BUSINESSES WHO HAVE GENEROUSLY GIVEN SO MUCH TIME AND ENERGY FOR OUR PROJECT. WE ARE GRATEFUL TO HAVE INCREDIBLE PARTNERS.

>> I WILL GO OFF SCRIPT. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT SHE IS A FINALIST FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL AWARD FOR SCIENCE TEACHING IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. SHE IS ONE OF THREE TEACHERS IN THE STATE THAT, SHE MIGHT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO NATIONWIDE TO COMPETE TO WIN THE PRESIDENTIAL AWARD. THAT IS FOR THE PROJECT, GO WILD. I'M PROUD TO BE WITH YOU EVERY DAY.

I AM THE GIFTED RESEARCH TEACHER AT RANDOLPH ELEMENTARY.

I'M ENTERING YOUR FOUR. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING AS A TEAM TO SERVE STUDENTS GIFTED, IDENTIFIED, AND MONITOR. I WORK WITH TEACHERS ACROSS THE SCHOOL TO PROVIDE RESPONSE LESSONS, BUT I WORK WEEKLY WITH MRS. LAWSON. TEACHER OF THE YEAR.

MRS. NOLAN. MRS. GATES. WE LEARN FROM EACH OTHER AND SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER. THESE PARTNERSHIPS ALLOW US TO PLAN AND EXECUTE INSTRUCTION. IT IS NOT IN ADDITION TO GRADE LEVEL WORK. IT IS INSTEAD OF. WE PROVIDE CHALLENGING EXPERIENCES. MATH COLLABORATION HAS ALLOWED ME TO PILOT THE BUILDING THINKING CLASSROOM STRUCTURE. THESE TASKS INCREASE MATH COMMUNICATION, PROBLEM SOLVING, AND FLEXIBLE COMMUNICATION. PARTNERSHIPS ALLOW BATH TO INCLUDE PROJECT-BASED LEARNING. HANDS ON EXPERIENCE. AND DIFFERENTIATED STATIONS. WE BUILD A MULTIPLICATION CITY IN THIRD GRADE AND HAD THE TRUCK CHALLENGE. SMALL GROUPS FOCUS ON INDIVIDUAL NEEDS. IN THE LAB WE EXPLORED AREA AND CIRCUMFERENCE OF CIRCLES. READING COLLABORATION INCLUDES NOVEL STUDIES. THESE STUDIES ALLOW US TO INCORPORATE SOCRATIC DISCUSSIONS. WE COLLECT DATA ON STUDENT PARTICIPATION AT A LEVEL OF CRITICAL THINKING. WE REFLECT AS A TEAM AND WORK TO IMPROVE PARTICIPATION. SOCRATIC'S ARE A TEAM SPORT. WE HAVE A SUSTAINED, MEANINGFUL AND BALANCED DISCUSSION. THE KIDS ARE PHENOMENAL AND THEY BLOW ME AWAY EVERY TIME. MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK. THAT IS TRULY THE CASE WHEN WE AS COLLABORATIVE TEAMS IMPLEMENT MORE COMPLEX PROJECTS. YOUTH UNITED AND GO WILD ARE GREAT EXAMPLES BUT THAT IS NOT ALL. THE FOOD TRUCK MATH PROJECT INCLUDED MOUTHWATERING MENUS THAT COULD ENTICE PATRONS. AS WELL AS THE VOLUME AND SERVICE AREA. WE INCLUDED PROJECT.

STUDENTS CREATED CITIES AND WIRED ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS TO LIGHT UP THE MODELS THEY BUILT. AT THE MOST RECENT, NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM AT RANDOLPH, WE HIGHLIGHTED THE NATIONAL GOLF COURSE RESEARCH PROJECT. STUDENTS RESEARCHED AND CREATED AN INFO GRAPHIC. RECORDED A PODCAST ABOUT THE LEGENDS, AND BUILT AN ACTUAL EIGHT HOLE GOLF COURSE FOR ROBOTS. WHERE EACH COURSE REPRESENTED A PARK FROM ONE OF EIGHT U.S. REGIONS. THE RANDOLPH FAMILIES GOT TO COME AND TRIED TO GET A HOLE-IN-ONE AS THEY LEARNED ABOUT THE PARKS. IN FOURTH GRADE, WE ARE CURRENTLY FINISHING CHASING VERMEER. WE ARE RESEARCHING AND

[01:25:03]

USING THE ORIGINAL WORK AS INSPIRATION. TOGETHER, WE ARE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH SO MUCH. THE STUDENTS ARE ENGAGED AND MOTIVATED AT ALL TIMES. ARE THEY LEARNING? LET'S GET DOWN TO THE DATA. TAKE A LOOK. I WENT BACK AND GATHERED INFORMATION ABOUT THE FIFTH-GRADERS. THIS FOLLOWS THE READING GROWTH. IF YOU LOOK AT THEM IN THIRD GRADE, ONLY 18% WERE SCORING ABOVE THE 80TH PERCENTILE. IN FOURTH GRADE, THAT GOES TO 30% OF THE GRADE LEVEL. SCORING ABOVE THE 80TH PERCENTILE. 38% IN THE FIFTH GRADE IS SCORING ABOVE THE 80TH PERCENTILE. AND THE MEDIUM SCORE IS A 70. IF YOU THINK THAT LOOKS GOOD, TAKE A LOOK AT THE MATH. THE SAME GROUP WAS AT 41. STALLED OUT AT 39. LOOK AT FIFTH GRADE. 50% RIGHT NOW IS SCORING ABOVE THE 80TH PERCENTILE IN MATH. THE MEDIAN SCORE IS 80. IT JUST GETS BETTER. THE FOURTH-GRADERS WHO HAVE GOTTEN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM FOR ALL THREE YEARS IN SECOND GRADE, WERE AT 18% AT 80% OR MORE. IN THIRD GRADE IT WENT TO 42% SCORING 80% OR MORE. IN FOURTH GRADE, A REMARKABLE 62% OF THE GRADE LEVEL, OVER HALF OF THE STUDENT, ARE SCORING 80TH OR MORE FOR ACHIEVEMENT. THE MEDIAN SCORE IS 86. I HAVE NO WORDS. IT IS IMPRESSIVE. I KNOW CLASSES ARE DIFFERENT AND THEY HAVE THEIR DIFFERENT STRENGTHS.

BUT WHEN I LOOK AT RANDOM DATA, WHEN YOU ARE COMPARING CLASSES, LAST YEAR IN FIFTH GRADE AT THIS TIME, I ONLY HAD 11 STUDENTS IN THE GRADE LEVEL THAT SCORED 93 OR ABOVE ON THE MATH. THIS YEAR, I HAD 31 STUDENTS THAT SCORED ABOVE THE 93RD PERCENTILE. WE CAN SEE HOW THIS ONGOING PROGRAM IS INCREASING OUR ACHIEVEMENT AT RANDOLPH.

>> MY NAME IS JENNIFER EASTWOOD. I WOULD LIKE TO WRAP US UP ABOUT GIVING YOU AN UPDATE ABOUT THE HEALTH SYSTEM.

IN THE FALL OF 2021, WE CAME TOGETHER AND LAUNCHED -- IF YOU ARE UNAWARE, STUDENTS ARE SORTED INTO FOUR OR SIX DIFFERENT HOUSES AND PARTICIPATE IN COMPETITIONS AND ACTIVITIES WITH HER HOUSEMATES. OUR FOUR HOUSES ARE THE BLAZE RUNNERS, THE TRAIL RUNNERS, THE WAVE RUNNERS AND THE SKY RUNNERS. OUR HOPE IN THE SYSTEM WAS TO DEVELOP A STRONGER SCHOOL COMMUNITY TO INCREASE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND BUILD LASTING RELATIONSHIPS. OUR DREAMS PROVIDING THESE THINGS HAS NOT ONLY BEEN REALIZED, BUT HAS GROWN INTO SOMETHING EVEN MORE IMPACT WILL AND BEAUTIFUL. THE HOUSE HAS BROUGHT SO MUCH LIFE TO OUR SCHOOL. STUDENTS ARE INVESTED IN SHOWING THE CORE VALUES EVERY DAY, IN ORDER TO EARN POINTS FOR THEIR HOUSE.

THEY ARE ENGAGED IN CREATIVE CHALLENGES PUSHING CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS TO NEW LEVELS. HOW TO BUILD A CATAPULT OR BUILD A ROBOT TO BUILD -- PLATE BASKETBALL. THEY ARE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS GRADE LEVELS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

LEADING TO SMILES AND GREETINGS IN THE HALLWAYS. OUR SCHOOL IS COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS AS WELL. SUCH AS THE CHRISTMAS MOTHER AND FIRE AND RESCUE, AND PET LOVERS. TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT FOR THOSE AROUND US. WE COLLECTED 600 CANS THIS PAST YEAR AND WE CREATED 400 CAT AND DOG TOYS OUT OF RECYCLED T-SHIRTS. TO GIFT TO THE ANIMAL SHELTER. I WOULD LIKE TO SHOUT OUT TO THE STUDENT LEADERSHIP. WE HAVE THIS GROUP OF FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS WHO APPLIED TO BECOME A HOUSE LEADER. WE HAD 43 APPLICANTS. FOR ONLY EIGHT POSITIONS. THAT HAS SHOWN HOW TREMENDOUS THE STUDENTS ARE. AS ROLE MODELS FOR THE SCHOOL. THEY HELP TO PLAN EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THEY TAKE THEIR JOBS VERY SERIOUSLY. THE

[01:30:05]

THANK YOU. >> I KNOW THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?

>> BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS?

>> I HAVE JOY. I AM SO EXCITED FOR MY GRANDSON. THE WHOLE GO WILD PROGRAM, I AM SO ABOUT IT. BACK IN THE DAY, YOUR PARENTS DIDN'T LET YOU. YOU JUST PLAYED OUTSIDE. EVERYTHING WAS OUTDOORS. AND MY FAVORITE BOOK, MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN. WHEN I

SAW THAT -- IS >> WE WERE WORRIED THEY WOULD NOT LOVE IT AS MUCH AS WE DID. THEY ABSOLUTELY DID.

>> THEY LOVED IT. >> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. >> I HAD COMMENTS AS WELL. I AM REALLY IMPRESSED. THE PRESENTATION AND BRINGING WHAT IS HAPPENING TO US. I APPRECIATE THAT. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO VISIT, I GOT TO SEE THE OUTDOOR AREA. IT IS AMAZING WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE SCHOOL. I AM THINKING IF WATSON WAS HERE, OUR PROGRAM WILL BE OUT OF THIS WORLD. ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE GETTING THEM READY. IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS WITH INTERVIEWS, AND JUST MAKING READING AND MATH MEANINGFUL. IT SHOWS. I APPRECIATE THE DATA. IT SHOWS THAT IT IS IMPACTING THE SCORES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ON INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATION.

>> I REMEMBER WHEN YOU BROUGHT THIS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. I

WAS A SKEPTIC. >> I WAS. I WAS A SKEPTIC. I ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS. I'M JUST BLOWN AWAY. I CANNOT WAIT

TO SEE YOU REPLICATE THIS. >> IT IS COMING.

>> I'M JUST TELLING YOU -- I HAVE MADE SO MANY NOTES. YOU HAVE LAID A FOUNDATION IN DATA SCIENCES. ANALYTICS AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS. YOU ARE TEACHING OUR CHILDREN TO BE PASSIONATE ABOUT THINGS IN THEIR WORLD. BOTH ACADEMIC AND HUMAN. YOU ARE LEADING BY EXAMPLE AND CREATING LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. YOU ARE CHALLENGING THEIR THINKING. YOU ARE RIGHT. THERE IS SO MUCH GOODNESS HERE. WE ARE SO IMPRESSED. KEEP BRINGING MORE THAT. THAT IS THE PROOF IN THE PUDDING. WHEN WE SEE STUDENT OUTCOMES GROWING LIKE THAT, OH, MY GOODNESS. IN THREE SHORT YEARS. NOT EVEN. AND NOW HERE

WE ARE. KUDOS. GREAT JOB. >> THANK YOU.

>> I HAVE ONE MORE THING TO SAY. WE SAW THE COMMUNITY GETS RECOGNIZED. WHAT AN AMAZING THING. JUST THE MONEY THAT HAS BEEN RAISED AND THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT. JUST A THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY WILLING TO POUR INTO THE SCHOOLS AND INVES.

REALLY GREAT INFORMATION AND PRESENTATION. THANK YOU.

>> DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE?

>> I DO. THANK YOU. THANK ALL OF YOU. THIS IS OUTSTANDING. I FEEL THAT WAY ABOUT IT. MRS. GATES, IF YOU COULD STEP FORWARD. ONE OF THE STAPLES OF GOOD LEADERSHIP IS TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHEN MISTAKES ARE MADE. AND FRANKLY FOR EVERYONE

[01:35:01]

THE PRESIDENTIAL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE IS ADMINISTERED BY THE SCIENCE FOUNDATION ON BEHALF OF THE WHITE HOUSE. THE AWARD ALTERNATES ANNUALLY BETWEEN TEACHERS. THE PRESIDENT MAKE RECOGNIZE A TOTAL OF 110 EXEMPLARY TEACHERS EVERY YEAR. NATIONAL REVIEW COMMITTEE WILL REVIEW ALL OF THE APPLICATIONS. AND THE WINNERS OF THE AWARD IN MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE TEACHING WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY THE WHITE HOUSE. CONGRATULATIONS, AND THANK YOU.

I HOPE THAT IS AN ERROR THAT WILL BE CHARGED IN MY HEAD AND

NOT MY HEART. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD LUCK. THAT IS A TOUGH ACT TO

FOLLOW. >> THEY BROUGHT THE TOPIC UP

NICELY. >> THEY DID. MRS. GATES. WE WOULD LOVE A PICTURE.

[A. Spring MAP Results]

SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, I USUALLY GIVE A COMPREHENSIVE DATA REPORT. WE USUALLY BUCKLE UP FOR AN HOUR. WE WILL GO QUICKER THIS EVENING. I WILL SAY, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE DID OVER A DECADE AGO IN THIS DIVISION, WAS TO MAKE THE DECISION TO PRIORITIZE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT GROWTH OVER BROAD ACHIEVEMENT. THAT LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR THE DIVISION SUCCESS FOR THE LAST DECADE PLUS. THAT IS A RECOGNITION, THE AMOUNT OF PROGRESS A STUDENT CAN MAKE EVERY DAY, INDIVIDUAL TO THAT STUDENT, IS WHAT OUR FOCUS NEEDS TO BE. AND RESULTS RELATED TO BENCHMARKS AND SUCH, WILL FOLLOW. IF WE FOCUS ON THAT FIRST AND FOREMOST. I'M GOING TO REINFORCE THAT. YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD A LOT OF THIS BEFORE. IT MIGHT BE THE FIRST TIME BUT I WANT TO SPEND NOT ONLY FOR OUR NEW MEMBERS, BUT FOR THE PUBLIC, JUST A BIT OF A RECAP OF WHY WE ARE WHERE WE ARE TODAY. WITH FOCUS ON INDIVIDUAL STUDENT GROWTH. WE HAVE BEEN USING THE MAP ASSESSMENT FOR THE LAST MORE THAN 10 YEARS. WE USE IT IN GRADES 2-12 TO MEASURE GROWTH OF OUR STUDENTS IN MEETING -- READING AND MATHEMATICS. IT IS BEST IN CLASS IN TERMS OF NATIONAL NORMAL AND THE DATA SETS. WE KNOW OUR DATA IS INCREDIBLY RELIABLE. IT DOES THINGS THAT OTHER ASSESSMENTS THAT WE ASK OUR STUDENTS TO TAKE, DO NOT DO. IT ADAPTS TO EVERY TEST TAKER. I'VE USED THE EXAMPLE BEFORE. IF WE ALL SAT DOWN TOGETHER AND SOME OF US GOT THE FIRST FIVE RIGHT AND

[01:40:03]

MAYBE EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE NEXT TIME THE TAKER SITS DOWN AGAIN, IT PICKS UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF. ANY OTHER ASSESSMENT THAT WE ADMINISTER DOES NOT OPERATE THAT WAY. IT IS THE SAME TEST. IT IS MEASURING EIGHT FINITE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION AND SET A BENCHMARK TO SAY YOU EITHER GOT OVER THE BAR OR YOU DIDN'T. THE ASSESSMENT TRULY IS AN INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT FOR EVERY ONE OF OUR TEST TAKERS EVERY TIME THEY SIT DOWN TO TAKE THE TEST. IN READING AND MATH. IT REACHES UP MULTIPLE GRADE LEVELS. IT REACHES DOWN GRADE LEVELS. AGAIN, BY AND LARGE STATE TEST ARE WITHIN A FINITE AMOUNT OF CURRICULUM. IT ALLOWS US TO REALLY, OBVIOUSLY ZERO IN. WE TALK ABOUT DEVELOPMENT. WHERE'S THAT STUDENT FOR READING AND MATH? WHERE WERE THEY LAST YEAR? WHAT WAS THE GOAL TO HAVE MET IN THE SPRING? DID THEY GET THERE? THE OTHER PIECE THAT WE BROUGHT BACK THIS YEAR IS, WE ARE USING THE MAP IN THE WINTER AS WELL. IF YOU REMEMBER LAST YEAR, WE MOVED AWAY FROM THE WINDOW FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. BECAUSE WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT OVER TESTING. AND COLLECTIVELY WE DECIDED, WE NEEDED TO HAVE THAT WINTER DATA BECAUSE OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL DECISIONS IT ALLOWS US TO MAKE. WE BROUGHT IT BACK, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE ARE OVER TESTING KIDS. I WILL GET INTO IT LATER IN THE PRESENTATION, WE ARE OPTIMISTIC THAT POTENTIALLY, THE ASSESSMENT MAY BE ABLE TO REPLACE THE STATE GROWTH ASSESSMENT WHICH WOULD ALLOW US TO STOP OVER TESTING AND USE A TEST THE GIVES US A LOT MORE IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT WHAT WE ARE GETTING RIGHT NOW. AND FINALLY, IT IS IMPORTANT TO TIED BACK TO THE DIVISION. I WILL GET INTO THIS IN A MINUTE. THE ASSESSMENT TRULY RAISES THE STAKES FOR ALL OF US IN EDUCATION. IT RAISES THE STAKES FOR ADMINISTRATORS, STUDENTS, AND TEACHERS RECOGNIZING THE GROWTH OF EVERY SINGLE STUDENT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. THE ACHIEVEMENT MEASURE, HONESTLY, IT CREATED A SYSTEM WHERE WE FOCUSED ON STUDENTS THAT WERE RIGHT AT THE BENCHMARK. EITHER JUST BELOW IT, RIGHT AT IT, OR MAYBE JUST ABOVE IT. AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS POURED A TON OF ENERGY INTO THAT STUDENT GROUP. AND STUDENTS THAT I CONSIDER MARGINALIZED, WHO ARE INCREDIBLY HIGH PERFORMANCE STUDENTS, IN THAT SYSTEM, GET IGNORED BECAUSE WE KNOW THEY ARE GOING TO PASS THE TEST.

THEY CAN PROBABLY PASS THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. AND THEN STUDENTS THAT STRUGGLE AND NEED MULTIPLE YEARS OF STRONG GROWTH RESULTS TO BE ABLE TO PASS THAT TEST. IT ALLOWS US TO HONE IN FOR EVERY STUDENT AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS A PRIORITY.

AND AGAIN, I WILL ATTRIBUTE A LOT OF THE POSITIVE SUCCESS FROM OUR INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM TO THAT DECISION TRACING BACK 12 YEARS AGO, TO SAY, WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON INDIVIDUAL STUDENT GROWTH FIRST AND FOREMOST. THAT DOES NOT MINIMIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF ACHIEVEMENT MEASURES. THEY ARE STILL IMPORTANT. WE RECOGNIZE THAT WITH GROWTH, THE RESULTS GENERALLY FOLLOW. MAP MEASURES STUDENT GROWTH. THE STATE TEST AGAIN, WHICH THE STUDENTS ARE TAKING RIGHT NOW, MEASURES ACHIEVEMENT. THE MAP IS A NORMAL REFERENCE TEST. IT MEASURES BETWEEN TAKERS AND ACROSS THE NATION. THAT IS WHAT MAKES THE DATA SET RICH. IT GIVES US GREAT INFORMATION ABOUT HOW WE ARE DOING, HOW THE STUDENTS ARE DOING. AND THE OTHER IS A REFERENCE TEST. THERE IS A FINITE AMOUNT OF STANDARDS TO MASTER. IT DOESN'T REACH UP AND GRAB A FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE STANDARDS. IT DOES NOT GRAB FIRST AND SECOND GRADE. MAP DOES THAT. STUDENTS ARE OPERATING ON GRADE LEVEL, BELOW, AND ABOVE. THE SOL DOES NOT HELP WITH STUDENTS ABOVE OR BELOW GRADE LEVEL. MICHELLE F.

MAXWELL DOES TREMENDOUSLY. ONE OF THE REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS ANYTIME WE LOOK AT DATA RELATED TO EITHER ONE OF THESE ASSESSMENT, IS TO DIFFERENTIATE THE TWO. I TALK ABOUT THIS AT

[01:45:01]

[01:50:07]

REINFORCING WHITE MEASURING INDIVIDUAL GROWTH IS SO IMPORTANT. ANY CLASSROOM TEACHER WILL TELL YOU, THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REALITY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. YOU HAVE STUDENTS IN BELOW GRADE LEVEL, RIGHT AT GRADE LEVEL, AND ABOVE GRADE LEVEL. WE WILL COME BACK IN JUST A SECOND. LET'S START WITH A THIRD GRADE STUDENT WHO HAPPENED TO BE AT THE PERFECT PLACE. TO START THEIR GRADE. THEY HAVE MASTERED SECOND GREAT CONTENT. THAT REPRESENTS TIME. AND WHAT THEY ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE MASTERED FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END. WE WILL DRAW A LINE THAT MARKS THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND THE STATE SOL WHICH IS A BENCHMARK OF THE TRADITIONAL ACHIEVEMENT MEASURE. THERE IS THAT STUDENT AND THE THIRD GRADE YEAR. THE DOT AT THE BEGINNING IS THE STUDENT AT THE PROGRESS. THE DOT AT THE END IS THE PROGRESS AT THE END OF THE YEAR. THAT STUDENT MADE ONE YEAR WORTH OF GROWTH. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? FOR THAT DIDN'T, IT WOULD BE IDEAL IF THAT WERE THE CASE WITH EVERY STUDENT. IT IS UNREALISTIC. WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT START THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN READING INDEPENDENTLY. WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT START THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN THAT DON'T KNOW A LETTER IN THE ALPHABET. THEY BEND THEIR CAREER -- THEY BEGIN THEIR CAREER WITH DIFFERENT MEASUREMENTS. ARE THEY GETTING THE BENEFIT OF A FULL YEAR OF GROWTH EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE OPERATING ABOVE GRADE LEVEL? THAT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR BOTH OF THOSE GROUPS. THIS IS THE PIE IN THE SKY. WOULDN'T THIS BE NICE IF THIS WAS THE CASE WITH EVERY STUDENT? THIS REPRESENTS THE SAME STUDENT IN EACH GRADE. IF YOU FOLLOW, THAT STUDENT WOULD CONTINUE TO BE ON GRADE LEVEL EVERY YEAR, READY TO PASS THE STATE TEST AT THE END OF EACH GRADE LEVEL. THERE ARE STUDENTS THAT ABSOLUTELY FOLLOW THAT. WHAT IS MORE REALISTIC IS WHERE THEY STARTED. THAT IS STUDENTS IN DIFFERENT PLACES WHEN THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTS AND AS IT CONTINUES. WE WILL FOLLOW THE TRAJECTORY OF THESE FOUR STUDENTS REPRESENTING 20 STUDENTS IN A CLASS. MAYBE 100 IN A GRADE LEVEL. AT THE END OF THIRD GRADE, THAT IS FOR EACH ONE OF THE STUDENTS IS. LOOK AT THE FAR RIGHT HAND.OF EACH SEGMENT. THAT IS WHERE THEY ARE AT THE END OF THE THIRD GRADE. IF I'M DOING A DECENT JOB EXPLAINING -- I HOPE I AM, THAT DOTTED LINE. THE VERTICAL LINE REPRESENTS THE END OF THIRD GRADE AND THE BENCHMARK FOR THAT STATE TEST. WE HAVE TWO STUDENTS THAT PASSED THE STATE TEST. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? WE HAVE TWO THE PAST. THE GREEN AND THE ORANGE STUDENT. WE KNOW THAT THE ORANGE STUDENT COULD'VE PASSED ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE STUDENT THAT MADE THE MOST GROWTH THAT YEAR DID NOT PASS THE STATE TEST. THAT IS THE BLUE STUDENT. WHAT THE STATE TEST MEASURES IS THE SINGLE POINT IN TIME -- DID THEY MEET THE BENCHMARK? LET'S SAY THIRD GRADE MATH OR READING. DID THEY GET ENOUGH QUESTIONS RIGHT TO PROVE THEY HAVE MASTERED THE CONTENT? THAT IS WHAT THE TEST MEASURES. THAT IS GREAT. THAT IS IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR US TO KNOW.

BUT, IT JUST MEASURES THAT. THE ARGUMENT IS, THAT IS INCOMPLETE. TO COMPLETE THE PICTURE, IT HELPS US DO THAT BY MEASURING THE DISTANCE FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO THE END OF THE YEAR FOR EACH STUDENT. SOL TELL US WHERE THEY ARE IN RELATION TO THE CONTENT THEY SHOULD HAVE MASTERED. THAT IS THE DOT ON THE FAR RIGHT-HAND SIDE. AND WHAT MAP MEASURES IS THE DISTANCE TRAVELED DURING THE YEAR.

LOOKING AT INDIVIDUAL GROWTH, THE BLUE STUDENT HAD THE BEST YEAR. THE BEST YEAR AS FAR AS PROGRESS. WHAT I WOULD TELL YOU IN MY EXPERIENCE AS A CLASSROOM TEACHER AND AS A PRINCIPAL, WE CELEBRATED THE GREEN STUDENT AND THE ORANGE STUDENT. WE CELEBRATED THE TEACHERS WHO WORKED WITH THE GREEN STUDENT AND THE TEACHER WHO WORKED WITH THE ORANGE STUDENT, AND THAT

[01:55:03]

HERE WE ARE AT THE END OF FOURTH GRADE. WE STILL HAVE TWO WHO PASSED THE STATE TEST. THE BLUE STUDENT AND PURPLE STUDENT CONTINUE TO FALL SHORT. WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THE GROWTH EACH YEAR IS NOT A CONSTANT. SOME YEARS THEY MAKE MORE THAN A YEAR OF GROWTH, SOME YEARS THEY MAKE IT EXACTLY A YEAR. SOME YEARS ARE LESS. LET'S LOOK AT THE PURPLE STUDENT. HOW ABOUT THE FOURTH GRADE YEAR? HOW ABOUT THE YEAR THE TEACHER HAD.

WHAT WE SEE HERE IS WHY WE STILL HAVE IN THIS CASE A 50% PASS RATE, WE NOW HAVE WHAT LOOKS LIKE IF YOU TAKE THE GREEN STUDENT, THE BLUE STUDENT, THE PURPLE STUDENT, NOW THREE STUDENTS MET OR EXCEEDED THE GROWTH GOAL. YOU CAN TELL BY THE DISTANCE TRAVELED. WE STILL HAVE THE ORANGE STUDENT HANGING OUT AND NOT MAKING A YEARS OF GROWTH.

50 YEARS AGO, WE WOULD'VE CONTINUED TO CELEBRATE THE FOURTH GRADE STUDENT BECAUSE THEY PASSED THE STATE TEST.

PLAY THAT FORWARD ANOTHER YEAR. THIS IS WHERE WE ARE. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THREE STUDENTS THAT HAVE MADE IT AND PASSED THE SOL TEST. I WOULD ARGUE, WE ARE FOCUSED ON INDIVIDUAL GROWTH AND MAKING SURE WE ARE TRACKING PROGRESS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AND A LONGITUDINAL BASIS TO GET THEM WHERE THEY NEED TO BE. I WILL GO BACK TO THE KINDERGARTEN EXAMPLE. IT IS LIKELY THAT THE STUDENT WHO COMES IN ON READING WILL NEED SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN THE STUDENT THAT COMES IN AND CANNOT RECOGNIZE A LETTER. WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO KNOW WHERE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR STUDENTS IS, TO MEET THEIR NEEDS. BY THE TIME THEY ARE IN THE NEXT GREAT -- THIS MAKES THE POINT. NOW, WE HAVE ALL FOUR PASSING THE STATE TEST. I WOULD STILL ARGUE, SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED WITH THE ORANGE STUDENT THAT THEY ARE NOT MAKING A YEARS OF GROWTH. WHAT IS MORE REALISTIC IS, YOU WILL CONTINUE TO SEE THE SCATTER. WE HAVE BROUGHT THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF EACH SEGMENT CLOSER TOGETHER. THAT IS NOT REALISTIC. THEY WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE DISCREPANCIES ABOVE AND BELOW. WHAT I CAN TELL YOU ABSOLUTELY IS, A STUDENT LIKE THE PURPLE STUDENT, WHERE THEY MIGHT HAVE A DOWN YEAR OR DON'T MAKE A YEAR OF GROWTH, AND WHETHER IT IS DEVELOPMENTAL OR THEY CONNECT WITH A PERFECT TEACHER, WHAT EVER, WE DIDN'T SEE STUDENTS PICK THE PACE UP AND MAKE MORE THAN A YEAR OF GROWTH. THAT IS OBVIOUSLY THE GOAL. SUSTAIN THAT LEVEL ON AN ANNUAL BASIS TO GET EVERY KID NOT ONLY TO PASS THE STATE TEST BUT REACH THEIR POTENTIAL. IT IS ALL ABOUT GROWTH. AND VERY LITTLE ABOUT ACHIEVEMENT. AS EVIDENCED BY THE ORANGE STUDENT THAT PASSED EVERY YEAR, BUT I THINK WE WOULD AGREE, THAT STUDENT IS NOT REACHING THEIR POTENTIAL. I'M GOING TO PAUSE. THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION.

I HOPE IT HELPS PAINT THE PICTURE OF WHY IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION, WE BELIEVE MEASURING THAT DISTANCE IS IMPORTANT.

QUESTIONS? IT IS A GREAT QUESTION. WHAT I WOULD SAY TIES IN NICELY TO THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION. THE ORANGE STUDENT LIKELIHOOD CAME INTO THIRD GRADE ALREADY READY FOR THE THIRD GRADE TEST AND CLOSE TO THE FOURTH GRADE TEST OUGHT TO BE IDENTIFY GIFTED AND HAVE GOOD EXPERIENCES TO ENSURE THE PACE OF GROWTH IS NOT STAGNANT. THEY ARE NOT MAKING LESS THAT

[02:00:07]

ESPECIALLY AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL. BECAUSE OF THE INVESTMENT THAT YOU HAVE MADE IN ACADEMIC INTERVENTION AND INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES, READING SPECIALISTS, WE HAVE IT RIGHT IN TIME WHEN STUDENTS NEED IT, SYSTEM TO MEET THEIR NEEDS.

THIS WILL GET INTO THE NEXT PRESENTATION. WE ARE BECAUSE OF IT, ASKING OUR READING SPECIALIST TO FUNCTION IN DIFFERENT WAYS. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS THE LAW. IT UNFORTUNATELY TAKES THEIR TIME AWAY FROM STUDENTS. IT IS NOT A BAD THING. IT IS A NECESSARY THING. IT PROVIDES ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE TEACHERS. BECAUSE OF THE LEVEL OF EXPERTISE THAT THEY HAVE. THAT IS PART OF THE LEGISLATION.

THAT WILL NOT TAKE THEM COMPLETELY AWAY FROM STUDENTS, BUT, IT WILL TAKE PART OF THE WEEK AWAY FROM STUDENTS. ONE OF THE THINGS I WILL TALK ABOUT IS, I SUSPECT IN THE BUDGET, I WILL STAND AT THE PODIUM MAKING THE CASE THAT, WE NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO MEET THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE VIRGINIA LITERACY ACT AND CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THAT LEVEL OF SUPPORT.

I WILL KEEP GOING. >> I HAVE QUESTIONS. WAY BACK IN THE BEGINNING, YOU TALKED ABOUT MAP. WE ARE BASING THE SCORES AGAINST ALL OF THE STUDENTS TAKING IT? AFTER COVID, DID THOSE GRADE LEVELS DROP? THE THIRD-GRADERS?

>> GUESS. AND WHAT YOU WILL SEE IN THE DATA, ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS AND THE BIGGEST TRIBUTE TO HER TEACHERS. WE SAW FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER COMING OUT OF COVID, OUR SCORES DROPPED BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGES. I FEEL LIKE I AM GLIB. THERE IS NOTHING IN THE WATER THAT MAKES OUR STUDENTS ANY BRIGHTER THAN ANY OTHER STUDENTS. TO ME, THAT POINT IS INDICATIVE OF THE FACT THAT, THEY NEED TO BE IN OUR SCHOOLS WITH THEIR IMAGING TEACHERS AND IS THAT INTERACTION THAT KEEPS OUR SCORES WELL ABOVE NATIONAL AVERAGES. IT IS NOT A SECRET.

THEY'RE JUST BRIGHTER THAN KIDS EVERYWHERE ELSE. IN FACT, WE ACTUALLY SAW FOR THE FIRST TIME COMING OUT OF COVID, WE WERE LAGGING BEHIND. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY A DROP. IT IMPACTED OUR KIDS. TO A GREATER DEGREE, BECAUSE THEY WERE MOVED FROM THE AMAZING EXPERIENCES THAT WE SAW IN THE PRESENTATION BEFORE MINE. THAT IS JUST THE TRUTH. THE ENGAGEMENT AND LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOMS, IS BECAUSE WE HAVE GREAT TEACHERS THAT MAKE

IT HAPPEN EVERY DAY. >> DO YOU USE THE SOL -- DID

THEY DROP? >> YES.

>> DID THEY DROP NATIONWIDE OR DID THEY SAY? WHATEVER IT WAS

PRE-COVID? >> YES.

>> YOU DIDN'T CHANGE THE SANDERS?

>> SOL IS SPECIFIC TO VIRGINIA. WE ARE REALLY DOING A VIRGINIAN COMPARISON. WHERE AS THE MAP IS WORLDWIDE. WE ARE TALKING A MUCH BIGGER GROUP . THE STATE STANDARDS GET REVISED EVERY SEVEN YEARS. THERE IS A -- EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NOT THE NORM,

[02:05:02]

TO THE GOOD OR BAD. IT GIVES US AN IDEA OF HOUSE OUR STUDENTS DO COMPARED TO OTHER STUDENTS IN VIRGINIA. EVEN COMING OUT OF COVID, WE WERE STILL OUTSCORING. THEY CAN TELL YOU FROM LAST YEAR, THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE ARE OUT PACING STATE AVERAGES SIGNIFICANTLY. WHILE PASS MIGHT NOT BE WHERE WE WANT THEM, IF WE WANT TO SAY THE COMPARISON GROUP IS THE STATE AVERAGE, OUR STUDENTS ARE VERY REALLY WELL.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE BLUE STUDENT. LET'S SAY HE DID NOT GO FROM SECOND GRADE PROGRESSED THREE MONTHS. WHAT HAPPENS IN NINTH GRADE?

>> IT DEPENDS ON WHAT HAPPENS BETWEEN THIRD AND NINTH.

>> WHAT IF HE CANNOT KEEP UP? WHAT IF HE DOESN'T MAKE THAT

GROWTH RATE? >> THAT IS WHY WE MEASURE IT.

SO THAT WE DO NOT GET BLINDSIDED BY SITUATION LIKE YOU'RE DESCRIBING. THAT WE DID NOT SEE COMING. AND I WOULD SAY, THE RARE EXCEPTIONS WHEN WE HAVE THEM THAT FAR BELOW GRADE LEVEL IN THEIR CAREER LIKE NINTH GRADE, OUR STUDENTS COME TO US THAT TRANSFER IN FROM CHALLENGING SITUATIONS AND FRANKLY LAND ON OUR DOORSTEP WHERE WE DON'T HAVE FOUR YEARS TO GET THEM WHERE THEY NEED TO BE. GENERALLY WE FIND THAT WHEN STUDENTS ARE WITH US FROM KINDERGARTEN ON, OR AT LEAST ELEMENTARY ON, WE ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THOSE NEEDS EARLY ENOUGH, WHERE THERE MIGHT BE A DIFFICULT YEAR OR TWO LIKE YOU'RE DESCRIBING. AND OF THE SYSTEMS I DESCRIBED BEFORE, IN TO PLAY AND MAKE SURE THEY MAKE UP THE GROUND THEY HAVE MISSED.

>> THANK YOU. >> DO WE HAVE SELF-PACED APPS IN READING AND MATH THAT CAN DO MORE FREQUENT MEASUREMENT OF

WHERE EACH STUDENT IS? >> WE DO. WE HAVE HAD A FEW OVER THE YEARS. WE WILL TALK ABOUT IT AT THE NEXT PRESENTATION. WE WILL TALK ABOUT SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCES.

WE HAVE USED IT. WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE THAT IS THE CARTOON PENGUIN. THOSE ARE SELF-PACED. IF THEY MASTER CONTENT, IN ADJUST AND PROVIDES THEM WITH WHAT IS COMING NEXT. AND WE HAVE SOME OF THAT. THERE'S A PLACE FOR THAT. THAT IS VERY STUDENT DIRECTED AND NOT ALWAYS TEACHER DIRECTED. WE RELY ON THAT IF THERE ARE STATIONS IN THE CLASSROOM AND WE HAVE A SMALL GROUP, THAT IS USING AN APP LIKE THAT FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. BUT THEN ROTATING TO ANOTHER GROUP WHERE THEY ARE HITTING DIRECT INSTRUCTION FROM A TEACHER.

>> I KNOW WE MIGHT HEAR MORE OF THIS ABOUT THE READING SPECIALIST NOW BE A COACH. THE CONCERN I HAVE IS, OUR COACH WILL BE MEETING WITH THE LOWEST OF THE KIDS THAT NEED THE MOST INSTRUCTION FROM THEIR EXPERTISE. THEY DO HAVE SPECIAL

TRAINING. IS THAT CORRECT? >> ABSOLUTELY. I WILL GET INTO THIS IN THE PRESENTATION. I THINK I WOULD BALLPARK IT AT FIVE DAYS A WEEK RIGHT NOW. IT WILL PROBABLY BE FOUR DAYS A WEEK NEXT YEAR. IT WON'T BE AS SIGNIFICANT AS REDUCTION FROM STUDENTS TO TEACHERS, BUT IT WILL BE A REDUCTION. AND AGAIN, THE LEGISLATION CALLS FOR THE SPECIALIST AUCTIONING IN A WAY A COACH WOULD. WE DON'T HAVE A LOTS OF WIGGLE ROOM. IT IS IMPORTANT. IT WILL HELP INSTRUCTION THE MORE EXPERTISE THEY HAVE FROM FOLKS LIKE SPECIALIST WHO HAVE THE

[02:10:05]

YOU DO START MAKING CHOICES ABOUT WHAT GRADE LEVELS YOU WILL FOCUS ON. THE EARLIER GRADES GENERALLY VERSUS THE UPPER GRADES. THE LOWEST STUDENTS VERSUS STUDENTS JUST ABOVE. SOMEWHERE, THERE HAVE TO BE LINES IN THE SAND. THERE'S NEVER ENOUGH ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO GO AROUND FOR A STUDENT THAT NEEDS IT. I DO EXPECT WE WILL SEE A CHANGE.

WITH THE COACHING RESPONSIBILITY. AND I IMAGINE THAT I WILL BE TALKING WITH THE BOARD ABOUT ADDITIONAL NEEDS IN

THE FUTURE. >> AND THE COACHES -- HOW MANY

DO WE HAVE? >> I DON'T WANT TO DERAIL HIM.

I'M SORRY. CAN YOU LET HIM CONTINUE.

>> IF I'VE DONE A DECENT JOB, HOPEFULLY THAT CAPTURES OUR PHILOSOPHY RELATED TO SEE WHY MEASURING INDIVIDUAL GROWTH IS SO IMPORTANT. NOW WE GET INTO THE BIG PICTURE OF WHERE WE ARE THIS YEAR RELATED TO INDIVIDUAL STUDENT GROWTH. SOME IN THE CONTEXT OF PREVIOUS YEARS. YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THIS IN THE PAST.

I HAVE USED THIS COMING OUT OF COVID. THIS SPEAKS TO WHAT I WAS DESCRIBING BEFORE WHEN SHE ASKED HER QUESTION. I JUST TOOK THE PREVIOUS AVERAGE PRIOR TO THE DISRUPTION OF COVID, AND WE WERE ACCUSTOMED TO AN AVERAGE OF THE PERFORMANCE AT 13% ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. WHICH MEANS 63% WERE MEETING THEIR GOALS. 17% EXCUSE ME, 67% WERE MEETING THEIR GROWTH GOALS FALL TO SPRING IN MATHEMATICS. MAP WOULD SAY, YOU NEED TO BE AT 50%. WE ARE ABOVE THAT. IT IS A GOOD BENCHMARK OF WHAT WE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO PRIOR TO THE DISRUPTION OF THE PANDEMIC.

COMING OUT OF IT THE FIRST YEAR BACK, THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF US USING THE ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS 2012, THAT WE EVER SAW OUR SCORES DIP BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. AND AGAIN, AS DISTURBING AS THAT IS TO SEE THAT GRAPHIC, TO ME IT IS A TRIBUTE TO OUR TEACHERS. THE STUDENT DID NOT GET THE BENEFIT OF BEING WITH OUR AMAZING EDUCATORS TO MAKE THE RESULTS OF THE LEFT-HAND SIDE. WE STARTED LOOKING CLOSELY YEAR BY YEAR COMING OUT OF COVID. ARE WE GOING TO SEE THAT BOUNCE BACK? THE NEXT YEAR, MATH WAS BACK IN ONE YEAR. KEEP IN MIND, THAT IS 70% ON THE LEFT AS A FIVE-YEAR AVERAGE. THERE ARE YEARS THAT ARE BELOW THAT. THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STOCK MARKET. YOU WANT TO SEE A GENERAL TREND. IN ANY GIVEN YEAR, YOU MIGHT NOT SEE EXACTLY WHAT WE WOULD HOPE TO SEE. LOCAL READING, WE SAW A BOUNCE BACK OF 9%. WE JUMPED NINE PERCENTAGE POINTS. WHILE WE WERE ONLY AT FIVE AND WE WERE USED TO 13, WE DID SEE A TRAJECTORY IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I STOOD HERE WHEN WE PRESENTED THOSE RESULTS AND SAID, THESE RESULTS WILL BE BACK WHERE THEY WERE BEFORE THE FOLLOWING YEAR. AND, THEY WERE. WE WERE RIGHT BACK TO WHAT WE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO. WE SEE A SLIDE BACK WITH THE MATH RESULTS. BUT AGAIN, IT IS ALL RELATIVE. THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE TO CONDITION OURSELVES. THESE ARE NOT ACHIEVEMENT TESTS. WE WILL SEE THEM RISE AND FALL. AS LONG AS OUR DIVISION, WE SAY ABOUT THAT 80% LINE. WE ARE OUTPACING NATIONAL NORMS AND THE STUDENTS ARE MAKING STRONG GROWTH COMPARED TO THE PEERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. GREAT RESULTS. HERE IS WHERE WE ARE THIS YEAR. AGAIN, WE SEE A BOUNCE BACK IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH MATH AND WE SEE PROGRESSION COMING BACK WITH

[02:15:03]

AS WE CONTINUE ON, WE WILL SEE WHERE WE CAN GET TO A POINT AND COUPLED THEM TOGETHER AND DO THEY LOOK LIKE THE PREVIOUS EIGHT YEARS PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC? I THINK IT IS CLEAR THAT WE ARE CLOSE WITH MATH AND GETTING CLOSER WITH READING.

THAT IS BIG PICTURE RESULTS. YOU CAN SEE THE SAME DATA STRETCHED ACROSS SEVERAL YEARS. THIS IS THE STOCK MARKET ANALOGY. YOU CAN SEE IT RISES AND FALLS. IT WOULD TELL US, ANYONE WHO USES THE ASSESSMENT, YOU WANT TO BE IN THAT 20% BAND. WE GET CONCERNED WHEN WE SEE ANYTHING UNDER THAT MARK.

HERE ARE THE RESULTS FOR 10 YEARS. SAVE THAT YEAR WHEN WE DID NOT TEST STUDENTS. YOU CAN SEE IN READING, WHERE WE HAVE BEEN. UCS CLIMBING OUT OF COVID. WE WILL SEE WHAT NEXT YEAR BRINGS WITH READING. I WOULD SAY THIS WILL PLAY A ROLE IN MAKING SURE WE SEE THAT LINE CONTINUE TO BE CLOSER TO THAT 14% ABOVE THE STATE AVERAGE VERSUS 6%. THOSE ARE THE READING RESULTS. ONLY ONE YEAR EVER WE WERE UNDER THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. FOR MATH, SAME DATA. MATH PRESENT AT THE SAME WAY.

YOU SEE THE DIP THAT ONE YEAR WHERE WE ARE HOVERING AT AN INCREDIBLE PLACE. STATISTICALLY YOU WOULD NOT THINK WE COULD MAINTAIN. A LOT TO BE PROUD OF. YOU CAN SEE THE TRAJECTORY OVER A TEN-YEAR PERIOD. AND AGAIN, THIS MEASURES INDIVIDUAL STUDENT GROWTH. ARE THEY MEETING THEIR GOALS? EVERYBODY'S PUT ON THAT DISTRIBUTION CURVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY. YOU EITHER SPILL ONTO THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT. REALLY STRONG RESULTS. WE ARE SUPER PROUD OF THE GROWTH THEY ARE MAKING. IT IS MORE REINFORCED WHEN YOU SEE THE YEAR COMING OUT OF COVID. WE HAVE AMAZING AND STRUCTURES -- INSTRUCTORS.

I WILL PUT IN A QUICK PLUG. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE WORK YOU DID. THANK YOU TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR MAKING THAT INVESTMENT IN OUR TEACHING STAFF. WE NEED TO HOLD ON. WE HAVE GREAT PEOPLE. THEY MAKE THE DIFFERENCE EVERY DAY.

ANOTHER TAKE AWAY IS, IT IS WORKING. THERE IS NO QUESTION IT IS WORKING. THE INVESTMENT THE BOARD HAS MADE. ACADEMIC INTERVENTIONIST AND MATERIALS RELATED. IT IS ABSOLUTELY WORKING FOR US. I THINK WE CAN ALWAYS DO MORE. IMPLEMENTATION.

WE WILL GET TO THAT. IT WILL STRENGTHEN OUR PROGRAM OVER TIME. THERE IS NO DOUBT. THE SPIRIT OF THE LEGISLATION IS POSITIVE. BUT I WILL ALSO SAY, THERE WILL BE A LEARNING CURVE.

WE TALKED IN A DIFFERENT SETTING ABOUT THE AUTONOMY THEY HAVE. THAT IS A REASON THEY LOVE BEING HERE. THEY WILL

[02:20:04]

IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE IT WILL BE SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURALLY. THERE WAS A GREAT DECISION TO IN-STATE THAT WINTER. AND FINALLY, I FEEL LIKE WE PUT IT OUT IN THE UNIVERSE, IT WILL HAPPEN. IT HASN'T HAPPENED YET, BUT THERE IS POSITIVE MOMENTUM. THE MAP WILL BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE CURRENT THREE-YEAR GROWTH ASSESSMENT. IS IT YET. I DON'T THINK WE ARE THERE YET. BUT IF AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, IT WILL FRANKLY MAKE OUR DIVISION LOOK LIKE WE WERE GENIUSES FOR HOLDING ON TO MAP. IT WILL REMOVE THE GROWTH ASSESSMENTS.

I KNOW THAT WAS A LOT. I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE

JOURNEY. >> HOW DO YOU DETERMINE THE

GROWTH RATES? >> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.

THEY DO THAT FOR US. AND THE EXAMPLE I USED BEFORE, YOU ANSWERED THE FIRST FIVE RIGHT, I GET THEM WRONG. YOU WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT GOAL. IT IS ALL PART OF THE LEARNING PROCESS.

WE HAVE A TEAM MEMBER THAT CAN HELP ANSWER MORE TECHNICAL QUESTIONS. BASED ON THAT PERFORMANCE ON THAT TEST, THIS IS ONE OF THE COOL THINGS, THAT TRAJECTORY OVER TIME -- THIS PART DOESN'T COME INTO PLAY FOR A SECOND GRADER WHO IS TAKING THE MAP FOR A FIRST TIME. BUT IF IT IS A FOURTH GRADER, THIS IS ABOUT HOW THAT STUDENT DOES. THIS IS ABOUT HOW STUDENTS LIKE THIS STUDENT, WHO ARE FOURTH GRADERS SCORING AT THIS LEVEL, OVER THE DATA OVER THE YEARS, THIS IS WHERE THAT STUDENT SHOULD BE AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. EVERY KID GETS THEIR IN UNIQUE GROSS RECORD. IT PRODUCES THE DATA. WHICH IS WHY 50% IS THE BENCHMARK. IT IS DESIGNED -- THE GOALS ARE DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT HALF THE KIDS MEET THEM AND HALF DON'T, GENERALLY. THAT IS WHY IT IS SO DIFFERENT THAN THE SOL TEST. IT IS GIVING EVERY STUDENT THEIR OWN FINISH LINE AT THE END OF EVERY YEAR. WE HAVE A TEAM MEMBER -- IF YOU WANT TO GET INTO THE WEEDS, WE HAVE SOMEONE TO HELP.

>> THE PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS PIECE ON THE ACCURACY, HOW CLOSE TO THE GOALS HAS THE DATA BEEN?

>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION. ONE OF THE THINGS WE LOVE IS THE PREDICTIVE NATURE IS VERY CONSERVATIVE. IT WILL SAY, IT LOOKS LIKE THE THIRD-GRADER, 70% WILL PASS THEIR TESTS. WHAT WE HAVE FOUND OVER TIME, THAT 70 TURNS INTO 75 OR 80. MAP KEEPS US IN CHECK. IT GIVES US A PREDICTIVE IDEA . BUT I WILL

[02:25:03]

>> THANK YOU. >> THE PARENTS ARE LISTENING.

WE AS EDUCATOR -- EDUCATORS CAN GRASP IT. IF YOU GO AND LOOK AT THE TESTS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN AND KIDS CAN PRACTICE AND YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THEM -- FOR THE PARENTS TO UNDERSTAND, DO WE HAVE ACCESS -- WE HAVE SEEN THE YOUTUBE VIDEO EXPLAINING IT. DO WE MAKE THAT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND PARENTS, SO THAT THEY CAN GET A GOOD HANDLE ON HOW IMPORTANT THE MAP IS? I THINK SOMETIMES I GET OVERRUN WITH EDUCATIONAL CHARTS. I HOPE THAT -- BECAUSE IT HAS ALLOWED FAMILIES TO LOOK AT WHAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE DOING, THAT WE GIVE THAT SAME KIND OF RHETORIC TO THE PARENTS, TO SEE EASILY THE YOUTUBE. OUTLINE EASILY FOR ALL OF US, THE IMPORTANCE AND WHAT IT CAN DO FOR YOUR

INDIVIDUAL CHILD. >> YES. THE SHORT ANSWER IS, WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER IN THAT REGARD. WE SHARE -- WE PRODUCE A REPORT SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU ARE DESCRIBING. IT IS THE DIRECTION THEY HAVE TAKEN. WHERE THEY PRODUCE A SIMILAR FAMILY REPORT. IT HAS ALWAYS DONE THAT. WE HAVE PROVIDED THAT REPORT TO THE FAMILIES. IT CAN BE OVERWHELMING. ESPECIALLY BETWEEN THE TWO REPORTS BECAUSE THEY DON'T ALWAYS LINE UP PERFECTLY. THE EFFORT THIS YEAR, SINCE IT STARTED PROVIDING THE REPORT RELATED TO THE SOL, WE PUT TOGETHER A COVER LETTER IN ADDITION TO THE STATE REPORT , THE MAP REPORT, WITH A COVER LETTER. IT IS SUPER LONG, BUT THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO COVER THE GROUND. IT HELPS FAMILIES PULL APART THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO ASSESSMENTS. HOW TO INTERPRET THE DATA. WE HAVE WORKED HARD TO PROVIDE FAMILIES WITH THAT.

IT WAS MAYBE THREE MONTHS AGO. STRATEGIC AND TACTICAL REPORT.

I WILL PUT IT UP THERE AGAIN. YOU CAN SEE THE LETTER AND EFFORTS WE HAVE MADE TO MAKE SENSE OF IT. AND BEYOND THAT, WE TELL OUR FAMILIES, IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS, THE TEACHERS ARE A GREAT RESOURCE. SCHOOL STAFF. I'M HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT IT. IT IS A LOT. WE ARE 12 YEARS IN. WE ALWAYS HAD TO GO BACK AND DO REFRESHERS. TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE DO NOT GET LOST IN THE PERCENTAGE VERSUS THE PERCENTILE. THERE ARE NUANCES THAT ARE CHALLENGING. IT WILL BE A CONSTANT AREA THAT WE CAN ALWAYS FOCUS ON. I DON'T KNOW OTHER THAN CAMPBELL, I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYONE IS TRULY AN EXPERT. WE DO A LOT BUT I THINK

WE CAN DO MORE. THANK YOU. >> STUDENTS CAN COMMUNICATE GOALS? THEY KNOW WHAT THE GOAL IS? I THINK THAT IS NEAT THAT

THEY CAN COMMUNICATE. >> IT IS. THAT IS RIGHT. THEY CAN SEE DURING THE WINTER ADMINISTRATION, DID I GET HALFWAY? THEY REALLY CAN.

[02:30:08]

>> WELL SAID . I WILL EMPHASIZE AS WELL THAT BIRTH THROUGH ENTERING SCHOOL IS THE MOST CRITICAL TIME , AND WHILE IT IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT AND WE WANT OUR THIRD-GRADE STUDENTS TO BE READING AT HOME, THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME IN THAT DEVELOPMENT IS TRULY FROM AGES 0 TAGE 5. THAT IS WHERE THE

GREATEST IMPACT IS. >> BUT THAT DOESN'T LET THE 6-YEAR-OLD TO THE 7-YEAR-OLD OFF OF THE HOOK.

>> I WAS GOING TO ADD TO THAT. I WANT TO SAY VOCABULARY COMING INTO KINDERGARTEN IS LIKE 1600 WORDS. I COULD BE WRONG ON THE NUMBER, BUT I CAN SAY 1600 WORDS IF THEY HAVE BEEN READ TO VERSES 400 IF THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN READ TO. GET IS THAT BIG OF A DIFFERENCE. IT IS SO IMPORTANT LIKE YOU WERE SAYING.

THANK YOU FOR EMPHASIZING THAT. >> THANK YOU FOR STAYING WITH

US. >> THANK YOU FOR HANGING IN

[B. Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) Update]

IT WAS SIGNED BY GOVERNOR YOUNGKIN IN 2022 SO THAT LEGISLATION GOT A WHOLE LOT OF BALLS ROLLING DOWNHILL , AND ASKED A LOT OF SCHOOL DIVISIONS TO PREPARE FOR WHAT REALLY IS IMPLEMENTATION IN THE FALL. SO WE HAVE A TWO-YEAR RUNWAY, AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE , A LOT OF THE WORK THAT HAS GONE ON IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION LONG BEFORE APRIL 22, 2022 PUT US IN GOOD SHAPE TO MAKE THIS TRANSITION. SO, THE LAW GOES INTO EFFECT NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, AND MUCH OF WHAT IS REQUIRED WAS ALREADY IN PLACE , EVEN IN 2022, BUT AS MS. ALLEN CAN TELL YOU FROM PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS, NOT ALL OF IT, YOU WILL SEE STOPLIGHTS THAT ARE NOW GREEN THAT USED TO BE YELLOW , AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE WE ARE IN GREAT SHAPE FOR IMPLEMENTATION NEXT YEAR . I WOULD READ ALL OF THIS TO YOU, BUT THIS WAS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S MEMO FROM JANUARY OF 2023 THAT DIGS IN A LITTLE BIT MORE UNKIND OF WHAT VLA IS GOING TO DO. AGAIN , ITS AIM WAS TO IMPROVE LITERACY OUTCOMES IN THOSE EARLY GRADES, AND PART OF WHAT IT WAS REQUIRED WAS THE TRAINING TEAM TO THAT PRETTY RIGOROUSLY THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY BE APPROVED BY THE STATE FOR SCHOOL DIVISIONS TO USE. SO ESSENTIALLY ALL 132 SCHOOL DIVISIONS ACROSS VIRGINIA ARE , EITHER HAVE RECENTLY OR ARE NOW LIKE WE ARE MAKING DECISIONS ON BRAND-NEW MATERIALS , SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT AS YOU ALL ARE WELL

[02:35:04]

THAT ONE IS NOT REALLY UNDER CONTROL OBVIOUSLY , BUT WE ARE IN GREAT SHAPE IN TERMS OF READING SPECIALISTS WORKING WITH STUDENTS IN THOSE PRIMARY GRADES TO COORDINATE AND IMPLEMENT INTERVENTION SERVICES . THAT IS A PROGRAM WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE. AND THEN EVERY DIVISION IS TO DEVELOP A DIVISION WIDE LITERACY PLAN. STAFFING NEEDS TO MEET THE NEEDS THAT ARE DESCRIBED THERE , AND WE ARE GOING TO DIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO THE DIVISION LITERACY PLAN IN JUST A MINUTE, BUT THAT IS IN GREAT SHAPE. THAT IS YOU -- DUE JULY 1. I FEEL WE ARE IN GREAT SHAPE RIGHT NOW, AND THAT IS DUE IN LARGE PART TO MS. WHITFIELD'S LEADERSHIP. WE ARE IN GREAT SHAPE WITH THE ASSURANCES. THERE ARE SHORT AND LONG-TERM IMPLICATIONS RELATED TO VLA , AND I'M GOING TO ASK MS. WHITFIELD TO JUMP IN AND HELP PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING FROM A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING STANDPOINT, BUT SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS RELATED TO THE TRAINING THAT IS REQUIRED OF TEACHERS , SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS RELATED TO PERSONNEL . AGAIN, MAINLY THOSE READING SPECIALISTS AND WHAT IS BEING ASKED OF THEM ACROSS VIRGINIA. AND THEN I PUT STUDENT OUTCOMES UP THERE, BECAUSE I DO THINK THIS CHANGE PROCESS MAY NOT , WE MIGHT NOT

[02:40:02]

>> HELLO AND GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME WITH YOU THIS EVENING. WE HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK IN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, AND AS POINTED OUT, WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS LEARNING AROUND THE SCIENCE OF READING FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS. AND I FIRST KIND OF GOT WIND OF ALL OF THIS , IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO SEE THAT WE COULD PROVIDE THE RIGHT SUPPORTS TO HER STUDENTS. AS A FORMER READING SPECIALIST, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO DO RIGHT BY HER STUDENTS. PART OF AS WE TALKED ABOUT IN OUR IMPLEMENTATION TEAM OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, IS THAT THIS CHANGE CAN ONLY HAPPEN WITH SUPPORTING THE LEARNING AND THE BUY-IN FROM HER TEACHERS. SO THAT IS GOING TO COME THROUGH CONTINUED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING IN KIND OF THREE WAYS. FIRST WE WILL HAVE SPECIFIC PROFESSIONAL LEARNING THAT WILL COME FROM MCGRAW-HILL OPEN COURT THAT WILL GO ALONGSIDE HER CURRICULUM AND REALLY GIVE THEM THAT DIRECT INFORMATION. HOW AM I GOING TO TAKE THIS CURRICULUM AND START TEACHING. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEARS HAVE WE MEETINGS WITH TEACHERS IN PLANNING AND SUPPORTING THAT LEARNING AS THEY ARE PLANNING THAT PROCESS. AGAIN, WE WON'T HAVE TO CREATE A LOT OF MATERIALS, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE GIVING THEM THE TIME TO DIVE INTO THE UNITS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT LESSONS THEY ARE TEACHING AND THE STRUCTURE IN WHICH THEY ARE TEACHING STUDENTS ALONGSIDE THE INSTRUCTIONAL ROUTINES THAT ARE WITHIN THE CURRICULUM . THAT WILL HAPPEN ON A REGULAR BASIS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR. THOSE ARE THE TWO FACETS OF OUR CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION. AND THEN THE THIRD PART IS THE LEARNING AROUND THE SCIENCE OF READING. WHILE WE HAVE HAD GREAT PHONICS INSTRUCTION IN GOOCHLAND FOR MANY YEARS BECAUSE WE HAD FOUNDATIONS IN PLACE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT STRUCTURED LITERACY , UNDERSTANDING THE USE OF THE SCIENCE OF READING KNOWLEDGE IS NOT JUST IN PHONICS, BUT IN ALL OF THE COMPONENTS OF LITERACY. SAID BECAUSE WE FEEL REALLY STRONGLY ABOUT THE LEARNING WE HAVE ALREADY HAD WITH SOME OF OUR TEACHERS , WE WILL CONTINUE TO USE THE LETTERS PROGRAM, WHICH IS A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PROGRAM THAT IS ACROSS THE ENTIRE SCHOOL YEAR. IT IS IN ESSENCE WORTH, LIKE, A COLLEGE COURSE . IT IS INTENSE AND A LOT OF WORK, BUT IT IS THE STRONGEST LEARNING THAT WE FEEL IS THERE FOR HER TEACHERS, AND THANKFULLY IT IS ONE OF THE APPROVED OPTIONS FROM THE VDOE.

WE WILL CONTINUE INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR , AND ANYBODY ALREADY LETTERS TRAINED IS ALREADY IN AN AMAZING POSITION AND DOES NOT HAVE TO DO THE ADDITIONAL TRAINING. ANYBODY WHO IS NOT WILL DO THAT TRAINING GOING INTO NEXT YEAR, AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET A START IF THEY WANT TO BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTS. THAT KIND OF URGENCY IS THERE , AND PEOPLE DON'T FEEL SO BOGGED DOWN BY ALL OF THE THINGS HAPPENING AT ONCE. WE HAVE PROVIDED MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT OPEN COURT TRAINING ACROSS THE SUMMER SO TEACHERS CAN COME IN DURING SUMMERTIME , OR THEY CAN DO IT WHEN THEY RETURN IN PRESERVICE THAT WE HAVE DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR THEM. THEN THAT'S A PART WILL CONTINUE TO COVER MYSELF IN THE READING SPECIALISTS , AND THAT WILL BE THAT KIND OF ONE DAY, DR. IYER MENTIONED GOING FROM 5 DAYS INTERVENTION TO 4 DAYS OF INTERVENTION, WILL BE TIED TO TEACHERS AND PLANNING, SETTING THEM UP FOR SUCCESS GOING INTO THE NEXT WEEK, AND ALSO PROVIDING THEM FEEDBACK AS THEY SEE INSTRUCTION ACROSS THE LAST WEEK. THAT WILL BE CONTINUED SUPPORT ACROSS THE AIR. AND OF COURSE THERE IS COST ASSOCIATED AND SUPPORT THAT CHANGES WITH OUR READING SPECIALISTS , BUT I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A PRETTY STRONG PLAN IN PLACE FOR THEM THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING SIDE OF THINGS.

>> THINK YOU PICKED A GO TOO FAR.

>> CAN WE PAUSE FOR QUESTIONS?

>> NO, PLEASE. >> YOU WERE SAYING THE LETTERS TRAINING IS MANDATORY FOR THE TEACHERS?

>> WE HAVE TO PROVIDE SOME KIND OF TRAINING AROUND THE SCIENCE OF READING TO OUR TEACHERS BASED ON VLA. THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE VIRGINIA LITERACY PARTNERSHIP , WHICH IS THE VLP OFFICE, THEY HAVE CREATED A CAMPUS COURSE THAT HAS THAT SAME CONTENT. HOWEVER WE FEEL THAT THE READING SPECIALIST HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH THAT THIS YEAR AND IT IS REALLY INTENSE AND REALLY DEEP IN COMPARISON TO THE LETTERS TRAINING. WHILE LETTERS, WE LOVE HOW INTENSE IT IS IN THE CONTENT , IT IS USABLE. IT IS SELF-PACED. IT

[02:45:03]

LETTERS IS ONE OF THE OPTIONAL, LIKE, APPROVED OPTIONS INSTEAD

OF THE CAMPUS COURSE. >> OKAY. BECAUSE I HAVE HEARD THAT THAT TRAINING IS VERY INTENSIVE. I DIDN'T KNOW YOU SAID THAT SOME OF THE TEACHERS ALREADY HAVE THAT TRAINING, BUT THEN THE OTHERS WILL HAVE TO HAVE THAT TRAINING ALONG WITH

THE MCGRAW-HILL -- >> CORRECT. AND EVERY DIVISION IN VIRGINIA HAS TO DO SOME KIND OF TRAINING PICKET DIVISIONS CHOOSE NOT TO DO LETTERS THEY WILL HAVE TO DO THAT HERE ON CAMPUS COURSE THAT VDOE HAS CREATED. IT IS IN ESSENCE THE SAME AMOUNT OF WORK. WE JUST FEEL THAT THE USABILITY OF LETTERS AND THE WAY WE BREAK IT DOWN FOR HER TEACHERS AND SUPPORT THEM THROUGH THAT LEARNING IS ALREADY STRUCTURED AND PUT IN PLACE IN THE WAY WE HAVE DONE AT THE LAST COUPLE OF

YEARS. >> MY SECOND QUESTION IS DO THEY, I KNOW THEY CAN SIGN UP FOR CLASSES DURING THE SUMMER, BUT DO THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE ONLINE, TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE CURRICULUM ONLINE PRIOR TO -- SO THEY CAN VIEW IT AT THEIR LEISURE AND GET ACCLIMATED TO IT?

>> I ACTUALLY JUST GOT AN EMAIL TODAY THAT HER ORDER WAS BEING PROCESSED. THE HOPE IS WE WILL HAVE THAT ACCESS IN PLACE BEFORE HER FIRST TRAINING ON JUNE 11 SO THEY CAN LEAVE THE LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL AND KNOW THAT EVEN IF I DON'T GO TO TRAINING ON JUNE 11, I CAN GET IN AND LOOK AT LESSONS AND START TO HAVE AN DICTATION OF WHAT THAT IS.

>> I'M SMILING, BECAUSE THE FEEDBACK IS PROBABLY THE FEEDBACK WE HAVE HEARD THE MOST AWESOME -- OFTEN FOR MY TEAM.

PLEASE WHATEVER WE DO MAKE SURE THE MATERIALS ARE IN BEFORE AMY FOR SUMMER SO I CAN GET MY FEET WET.

>> I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LOOK THROUGH AND MY KINDERGARTEN CURRICULUM, IT WAS REALLY JUST ENCOURAGING TO SEE HOW A DAY ONE WOULD LOOK LIKE AND HOW THEY HAVE IT ORGANIZED, THAT I CAN GO RIGHT THROUGH. IT WAS REALLY NEAT TO SEE WHAT IS AVAILABLE AND HOW IT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED. I KNOW THAT TEACHERS WOULD BE EXCITED TO BE --

>> SOME. SOME MIGHT BE READY JUST TO GO INTO SUMMER BREAK.

>> THANK YOU. >>

>> YES, MA'AM. YES. AND UL HELPED US WITH THAT, WITH THE APPROVAL TIMELINES , AND THAT WORKS FINE. AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE INTERVENTION AND SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS JUST GOT APPROVED LAST MONTH, SO WE HAVE SOME THINGS IN PLACE. MS. WHITFIELD MENTIONED FOUNDATIONS, WHICH WE USE CURRENTLY IS PART OF THE CORE CURRICULUM THAT WILL NOW SHIFT

TO INTERVENTION. >> INTERVENTION WITH OUR READING SPECIALISTS, SO WE WILL STILL USE THE MATERIALS WE HAVE IN HOUSE AND COMPLEMENT THE OPEN COURT WITH FOUNDATIONS.

>> YEAH. YEAH. >>

>> TWO QUESTIONS. WHAT PERCENTAGE OF OUR PROFESSIONALS ARE ALREADY TRAINED IN LETTERS?

>> GOING INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR I WOULD SAY WE HAD ABOUT 45% OF OUR RETURNING EDUCATORS ALREADY TRAINED. WE ARE IN A REALLY GOOD PLACE. A LOT OF THE PEOPLE GOING INTO TRAINING NEXT YEAR ARE NEW HIRES, WHERE WE HAD NEW POSITIONS AT GOOCHLAND ELEMENTARY AND ALSO TEACHER RETENTION TEACHERS LEAVING. WE HAVE AN IN A REALLY GOOD PLACE, AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY TAKEN IT OR LIKE WEIGHT WHAT, THANK GOODNESS. THEY ARE SO

HAPPY. >> MY QUESTION IS A LITTLE HARDER. IF I UNDERSTOOD, THE REASON WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A REDUCTION IN STUDENT SERVICES FOR READING SUPPORTS IS BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN INCREASE IN ADMINISTRATIVE

OVERHEAD FOR PLANNING. >> SO YES AND NO. WE ARE WORKING ON FINDING SOME WAYS TO AUTOMATE THAT STUDENT READING PLAN PROCESSES SO THAT IT DOES NOT FEEL LIKE WE ARE SITTING BEHIND A DESK TYPING IN STUDENT READING PLANS FOR DAYS AND DAYS. WE ARE HOPING TO NOT MAKE THAT A HUGE LOAD THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. THE GREATER LOAD WILL BE THE COACHING SUPPORTIVE TEACHERS. REALLY I THINK IT'S GOING TO TAKE A COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT WE WILL SEE THE BENEFITS OF IMPROVING THAT CORE ONE INSTRUCTION AND COACHING FROM THE PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT , KIDS, FOLD-OVER FOLD, TIME AFTER TIME, CLASS AFTER CLASS.

ONCE WE CAN HELP THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE NEW METHODS ARE IN PLACE , WHY WE UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT THE SCIENCE OF READING IS, THOSE READING SPECIALISTS CAN MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS WITH TEACHERS. THE POSITIVE SIDE WOULD BE THAT WE CONTINUE TO SEE STUDENT OUTCOMES RISE BECAUSE THE TEACHERS ARE BETTER TRAINED AND WE CAN RETAIN THEM.

>> I AM ALL ABOUT ALL OF THOSE GOOD THINGS. WE JUST SAW MAP DATA , READING SCORES ASLEEP. WE ARE NOW TALKING ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION VLA AND TAKING 20%, YOU SAID WE ARE GOING TO GO FROM 5 DAYS A WEEK TO 4 DAYS A WEEK, SO THAT IS 20% LESS TIME WITH STUDENTS. THOSE TWO THINGS AREN'T GOING TO GET US BACK TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE, SO I WANT US TO CHALLENGE YOUR

[02:50:04]

OF THESE EXPERTS. >> LET ME ADD A LITTLE BIT TO THAT. YOU ARE SPOT ON. THAT IS I THINK LIKELY WHAT A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF HER MEETING SPECIALIST IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE NEXT YEAR. WHAT MS. WHITFIELD WAS DESCRIBING BEFORE ANYTHING. THAT IS PART OF THE MESSAGING WE KEEP HEARING AROUND KIND OF TAKING A LONGER VIEW THAN EXPECTING THAT THIS NEW RESOURCE IN THE NEW LEGISLATION IS GOING TO SHOOT THEM IN THE FIRST YEAR OUT IS YOU KNOW, WE TALK ALL THE TIME ABOUT YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO INTERVENE YOUR WAY OUT OF READING UNDERPERFORMANCE. IT HAS GOT TO START WITH THAT TIER 1 INSTRUCTION, WHICH IS THE INSTRUCTION THAT EVERY STUDENT GETS EVERY DAY IN THE CLASSROOM. THE IDEA WITH VLA AND ASKING MEETING SPECIALIST TO FUNCTION THAT WAY IS THAT THE COACHING ROLE SHOULD THEN IMPROVE TIER 1 INSTRUCTION IN THE CLASSROOM , AND THEN REALLY THAT IS WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO KIND OF MAKE THE MOST A , IS EVERY STUDENT EVERY DAY IN THEIR CORE INSTRUCTION. THEN THOSE SECOND DOSES AND THIRD DOSES FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE STRUGGLING , THAT THE READING SPECIALISTS PROVIDE , THE INTERVENTIONS PROVIDED ARE IMPORTANT, BUT OVER THE LONG HAUL, RIGHT, THE HEALTH ANALOGY TO ME IS LIKE, YEAH, IF WE EAT WELL AND EXERCISE, THEN WE ARE LIKELY NOT GOING TO NEED AS MUCH MEDICINE. THAT IS THE THINKING. BUT AGAIN, I WILL JUST PREDICTS THAT WE WANT TO SEE ALL OF OUR KIDS MEETING THEIR POTENTIAL , AND SOMETIMES THAT TAKES MORE STAFF. SO , IN A SCHOOL WHERE YOU HAVE A READING SPECIALIST AND AN ACADEMIC INTERVENTIONIST, TRUST ME , THEY ARE MEETING THE NEEDS OF AS MANY KIDS AS THEY CAN, BUT THERE ARE MOMENTS WHERE IT IS LIKE A, GOSH, WOULDN'T IT BE NICE TO HAVE A THIRD PERSON HERE THAT CAN TAKE MY KIDS. BUT THERE IS THE IDEA, TO REALLY IMPROVE TIER 1 INSTRUCTION, AND THEN OVER TIME WE WOULD SEE FEWER AND FEWER KIDS NEEDING

THE INTERVENTION. >> THAT MAKES ME FEEL MUCH BETTER , ANYTHING THAT BRINGS US BACK TO YOUR QUESTION EARLIER ABOUT THE READING COACH.

>> I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD WITH THE READING COACH , TAKING SOME TIME WITH SOME INTENSIVE STUDENTS, RIGHT? COACHING THE TEACHERS, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AS FAR AS THE COACHING HAPPENING , IS IT GOING TO BE TARGETED TO CERTAIN TEACHERS? DO TEACHERS SIGN UP AND SCHEDULE COACHING ACTIVITIES ? OR IS THAT, HOW IS THAT GOING TO LOOK LIKE I GUESS?

>> IS ON AS I HAVE BEEN HERE IN THIS ROLE , WE REALLY STAND FOR HOW THAT EMBEDDED COACHING CAN SUPPORT TEACHERS. AS IN THE MOMENT, AS HANDS-ON AS IT CAN BE, IT IS GOING TO BE SO IMPORTANT TO THOSE TEACHERS. SO, WHILE A SCHEDULE IS GREAT, AND IT MAY BE GREAT THAT WE SAY WE HAVE THESE TEACHERS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE SPREADING THE LOVE AND GIVING THE SUPPORT TO EVERYBODY WHO WANTS IT. USUALLY IT IS THOSE AMAZING TEACHERS WHO WANT THE MOST SUPPORT SO THEY CAN GET THEIR FEET OFF OF THE GROUND. I THINK IT IS IN SCAFFOLDING AND SUPPORTING, LET'S SORT OF SUPPORT EVERYBODY AND NOW WHO ARE RETARGETING. WHO REALLY NEEDS CONTINUED SUPPORT.

>> I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE TEACHER AUTONOMY, ALLOWING THE VETERAN TEACHERS THAT HAVE THE EXPERIENCE IN TAKING A CURRICULUM AND KNOWING HOW TO REALLY GIVE THAT INSTRUCTION, HAVING THEIR ABILITY TO SAY WELL , I DON'T THINK I NEED AS MUCH OF THE COACHING , AND BEING ABLE TO TARGET THAT COACHING TO THE TEACHERS THAT ARE COMING OUT FROM A COLLEGE EXPERIENCE , WHERE YOU NEED A LOT OF COACHING COMING INTO A

READING PROGRAM. >> IN AND HOPEFULLY SOME OF THAT TIME SPENT WITH WEEKLY MEETINGS WITH THE GRADE LEVELS , THOSE VETERAN TEACHERS WHO HAVE TEAMS THAT ARE COHESIVE AND THEY HAVE FIGURED OUT HOW THE PLANNING PROCESS WORKS MOTHER MEETING SPECIALIST IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE THERE AS THE YEAR GOES ON, SO THAT FREES UP THEIR TIME AS WELL AS WE TARGET THE SUPPORT IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

>> I THINK WE ARE A LITTLE AHEAD OF THE GAME IF A LOT OF THE TEACHERS ALREADY HAVE THAT LETTERS TRAINING, BECAUSE FROM WHAT I HEAR, I HAVEN'T HAD THAT TRAINING, BUT I HEAR IT IS REALLY A GREAT TRAINING TO HAVE.

>> I WILL ADD TO YOUR EARLIER QUESTION, WE HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD SINCE WE HAD COACHES IN THE SCHOOL DIVISION TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE NOT IN EVALUATED ROLES, AND CHRISTINA WILL TELL YOU, THEY SPENT THE FIRST YEAR REALLY FOCUSED ON RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, CREDIBILITY BUILDING, TRUST BUILDING. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY THE CASE , WHERE TEACHERS DON'T FEEL THREATENED BY HAVING A DIVISION INSTRUCTIONAL COACH IN THE CLASSROOM OR READING SPECIALIST IN THE CLASSROOM, BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT ASKED THEM TO FUNCTION IN THE WAY THAT THEY ARE PROVIDING EVALUATED FEEDBACK IN TERMS OF TEACHER PERFORMANCE RELATED TO THEIR VALUATION. THAT IS NOT THE CASE EVERYWHERE . THERE ARE SOME DIVISIONS WHERE THE COACHES REALLY ARE

[02:55:02]

WE HAVE BEEN REALLY STRATEGIC TO MAKE SURE THAT IS NOT ASKED OF ANY OF OUR COACHES, BECAUSE THAT SOURS THE RELATIONSHIP AND THE TRUST TO HAVE THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THOSE FOLKS IN

THE CLASSROOM. >> SO, DO I UNDERSTAND THEN THAT KIDS WILL NOT BE PULLED OUT AS MUCH? BECAUSE I ALWAYS USED TO -- AND I'M SURE AND I HAVE HEARD RECENTLY , THAT TRANSITION FROM THE CLASSROOM TO THE READING TEACHER AND BACK TO THE CLASSROOM, YOU KNOW, THERE IS WHITE, 10 TO 12 MINUTES THAT YOU LOSE? THIS IS ALL IN HOUSE BASICALLY.

>> THERE IS BENEFIT TO BOTH PULL OUT AND PUSH IN. I THINK IT DEPENDS ON THE BUILDING , THE TEACHERS, THE SPACE. I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF FACTORS . SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE NEW GES , THE BUILDING IS HUGE. SHE ALREADY KNOWS THAT SHE IS GOING TO BE GOING INTO CLASSROOMS BECAUSE SHE DOES NOT WANT TO WASTE THE 10 TO 12 MINUTES. IT IS DEFINITELY DEPENDENT ON THE STUDENT GROUPS, THE TEACHERS THAT ARE WITHIN THE CLASSROOM AND ALL OF THAT, BUT YES, THOSE OPTIONS, WE TALK ABOUT THOSE REGULARLY BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO MISS OUT ON THE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE WITH KIDS. AND SOMETIMES WHEN YOU WERE IN THE CLASSROOM, THERE IS BETTER TRANSFER FROM INTERVENTION TO THE CLASSROOM. I CAN USE WHAT I JUST LEARNED WITH THE READING SPECIALIST AND WHAT I'M DOING EVERY DAY IN THE CLASSROOM WITH MY REGULAR TEACHER.

>> THAT WAS THE CONCERN WITH THE NEW GES BEINGS A CHANCE -- BEING SUCH AN OPEN SPACE CONCEPT, THE MIDDLE OF THE BUILDING, ABOUT, IS THERE ADEQUATE'S SPACE FOR PULL OUT? BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME LETTERS THAT NEED A PULLOUT SITUATION, BUT I WAS THINKING THAT IT IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE MAINLY PUSH IN IF THERE IS NOT QUIET SPACES TO PULL KIDS.

>> THERE ARE SOME, THERE ARE SOME COLLABORATIVE SPACES THAT ARE ENCLOSED , AND THEN THERE ARE SOME COLLABORATIVE SPACES THAT ARE PART OF THAT ONE LARGER OPEN CONCEPT , BUT THERE ARE DEFINITELY STRATEGICALLY PLACED SOME ADDITIONAL COLLABORATIVE SPACES THAT STUDENTS CAN BE PULLED OUT INTO. THE CHALLENGE THAT MS. WHITFIELD JUST DESCRIBED IS FOR SOME INSTANCES IF YOU ARE ON THE FAR CORNER OF THE BUILDING IN THE COLLABORATIVE SPACE IN THE MIDDLE WITH A 5-YEAR-OLD, IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE WHILE TO GET THERE. SO SOMETIMES IT MAY JUST BE BETTER TO PUSH IN MY BUT THERE ARE DEFINITELY QUIET, COLLABORATIVE SPACES AS PART OF THE SCHOOL AS WELL. I THINK WE HAVE A COUPLE MORE SLIDES, MERCIFULLY . WE ARE ALMOST THERE. YEAH. I THINK THIS IS THE LAST ONE. SO YOU KNOW, WE ARE STILL WORKING ON SOME OF THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THIS, BUT REALLY I JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT VLA REALLY IN A LOT OF WAYS IS AN UNFUNDED MANDATE. A LOT OF THIS WE ARE DOING ANYWAYS AND WE WOULD DO BECAUSE IT IS GREAT FOR KIDS , BUT THE IDEA THAT EVERY DIVISION STEPPING BACK AND HAVING TO CHOOSE FROM A VERY FINITE LIST OF CORE INSTRUCTION MATERIALS TO ADOPT IN THEIR SCHOOL DIVISION AS YOU ALL KNOW COSTS GOOCHLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS MONEY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. THE TRAINING THAT MS. WHITFIELD DESCRIBED, AS SHE DESCRIBED WE WERE DOING IT ANYWAYS BECAUSE WE KNEW IT WAS GREAT FOR TEACHERS AND CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION , BUT THERE ARE COSTS TO ALL OF THESE THINGS. THIS IS NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST AND THIS IS NOT A LIST THAT IS ONLY TIED TO THE VIRGINIA LITERACY ACT. I DO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT EVERYTHING THAT IS ON THIS LIST IS IN PART CONTRIBUTING TO LITERACY INSTRUCTION IN THE SCHOOL DIVISION, AND NOW IN A LOT OF WAYS, WHETHER WE WERE DOING IT BEFORE OR NOT, IS TIED TO LEGISLATION. THE RATIOS OF READING SPECIALISTS , THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS THAT WE USE, THE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS. THOSE ARE PART OF THE LEGISLATION. THERE ARE THINGS ON THIS LIST THAT ARE NOT. WE VALUE SMALL CLASS SIZE AND WE KNOW THAT TIER 1 INSTRUCTION IS LIKELY TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE FOR STUDENTS IN A CLASS OF 16 TO 18 THEN A CLASS OF 24 TO 26. IT IS JUST IMPORTANT TO BE REALISTIC AND TRANSPARENT TO SAY EVERYTHING ON IT HAS A FINANCIAL COST TO IT , AND WHAT WE HAVEN'T PUT A NUMBER TO EVERYTHING, WE CAN FOR SOME OF THESE, WE STILL HAVE NOT MADE FINAL DECISIONS ON THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCES, BUT WHEN WE DO WE TALKED ABOUT FOUNDATIONS, THAT WILL COST US ANYTHING , WE ARTY HAVE IT. WE ARE SHIFTING IT FROM TIER 1 INSTRUCTION TO TIER 2 INSTRUCTION, BUT THERE WILL BE OTHER COSTS AS WELL AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THAT. AND THEN THE LAST PIECE, AND THIS REALLY TRANSITIONS TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS ONE OF THE ASSURANCES OF THE LEGISLATION IS THAT EVERY SCHOOL DIVISION WILL DEVELOP A DIVISION LITERACY PLAN. I WILL START BY SAYING THAT WE HAVE HAD A BALANCE LITERACY PLAN IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION FOR 10 YEARS. WHICH HELPS GUIDE OUR LITERACY PROGRAM . WHAT VIRGINIA IS REQUIRING THROUGH VLA IS AS YOU WOULD IMAGINE A TEMPLATE FROM VDOE FOR US TO COMPLETE THAT CAPTURES ALL OF THESE PIECES IN SECTIONS 1 TO 6 THAT ARE ON THE

[03:00:03]

THIS EVENING? >> WE ARE FEELING GOOD.

>> THANK YOU BOTH. >> THANK YOU.

>> WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. >> OF COURSE. YEAH.

>> BEAR WITH ME FOR ONE MORE QUICK ITEM. IS IT HOUSE BILL 98? ALL RIGHT PILL -- ALL RIGHT. HOUSE BILL 98 ALLOWS

[D. House Bill 98]

>> SO TO CLARIFY, THIS IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM, THIS IS AN

[03:05:04]

WE WILL NOT BE SEEKING APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM, BUT HAPPY TO GET

ANY QUESTIONS ANSWERED. >> I HAVE A QUESTION. CAN THEY TAKE THE PE AND THE JROTC WITHOUT HAVING THEM --

>> YES, THEY CAN TAKE BOTH. WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT CHOOSE THAT.

I CAN TELL YOU, MY OWN KID WAS CRUSHED WHEN THE PE REQUIREMENT IN 10TH GRADE WENT AWAY, BECAUSE HE LOVED PE, BUT THEN HE DID NOT HAVE TIME TO FIT IN A PE ELECTIVE HIS JUNIOR YEAR.

THERE ARE LOTS OF STUDENTS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO DO BOTH. I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THIS WAS COLLABORATIVE. WE MET WITH OUR JROTC INSTRUCTORS, OUR HEALTH AND PE AND STRUCTURES , THE HIGH SCHOOL MINISTRATION, THE COUNSELING DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE THERE ARE IMPLICATIONS FOR EVERY DEPARTMENT , AND THERE ARE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE CREDIT PIECE FOR THE SCHOOL COUNSELORS TO MAKE SURE THAT IS ALL TRACKED APPROPRIATELY, FOR GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS. WE HAVE GONE THROUGH AN EXHAUSTIVE DISCUSSION WITH ALL OF THOSE TEAM MEMBERS , AND WE CAME TO THIS CONSENSUS TOGETHER.

EVERYONE IS VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF MOVING FORWARD THIS

WAY. >> ONE SUGGESTION FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR . IF MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY, DRIVERS AND IS ONLY ONE HALF OF THE 10TH GRADE YEAR . WOULDN'T IT BE FUN TO PUT IT INTO BULLDOG BLOCK, AND THAT WAY THIS COULD CONTINUE TO BE AN OPTION AVAILABLE?

>> THAT COULD WORK BEAUTIFULLY. THAT WAS AN OPTION THAT WAS DISCUSSED, THAT 0 PERIOD OPTION HAS BEEN DISCUSSED . WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT TAKE THEIR PE REQUIREMENT IN THE SUMMER , BECAUSE THEY EITHER DON'T WANT TO BE IN PE, OR THEY WANT TO TAKE BAND OR A CTE COURSE, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE MY JUST TO FREE UP TIME IN THEIR SCHEDULE. I THINK ANY OF THOSE ARE OPTIONS. AND AGAIN , YOU PROBABLY WILL HEAR FROM YOU AT SOME POINT TO SAY HERE IS WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO , AND HERE IS A CREATIVE WAY WE WANT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. STARTING IN NINTH GRADE MAKES A TON OF SENSE , AND WE WILL SEE HOW MANY STUDENTS IT BENEFITS. OUR TEAM IS GOING INTO, FOLLOWING TONIGHT , GOING INTO THE EIGHTH GRADE CLASSROOMS HERE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS TO MAKE SURE THE EIGHTH-GRADERS ARE AWARE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY, SO IF THEY WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE

OF IT, THEY CAN. >> GRADE.

>> THANK YOU ALL. APPRECIATE IT.

>> OKAY. BOARD MEMBERS, WE DO HAVE TWO ACTION ITEMS BEFORE US

[A. FY2024 Budget Supplement and Transfer]

>> THANK YOU . >> NOT YET.

>> SORRY. >> MOTION TO APPROVE --

>> NOT TO APPROVE. TO ENTERTAIN THE BUSINESS.

>> I SO MOVE. >> BEAUTIFUL.

>> I SECOND. >> GREAT. NOW IT'S FINE.

>> FORGIVE ME. FORGIVE ME. SO, I GAVE YOU , I INCLUDED IN THE BOARD PACKAGE SORT OF AN EXPLANATORY BACKGROUND. I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER EVERYTHING, BUT THIS IS AGAIN SOMETHING WE TYPICALLY DO AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR TO SORT OF CLEAN UP THE BOOKS A LITTLE BIT, SO THAT WE , SCHOOL DIVISIONS IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA CAN EITHER BE LUMP-SUM APPROPRIATED OR CATEGORICALLY APPROPRIATED. IF YOU ARE LUMP-SUM APPROPRIATED, THAT JUST MEANS THAT THEY GAVE YOU MONEY AS A LUMP SUM, AND YOU JUST SHOW AT THE END OF THE YEAR THAT YOU JUST HAVE NOT OVERSPENT THAT MONEY. WHEN IT IS CATEGORY B -- CATEGORICALLY APPROPRIATED AS IT IS HERE IN GOOCHLAND, WE HAVE TO SHOW THAT WE STAYED WITHIN OUR CATEGORIES. SO, PART OF THIS IS JUST SIMPLY SHOWING THAT SORT OF MOVING AROUND SO THAT WE CAN STAY BY THE END OF THE YEAR CATEGORICALLY IN BUDGET. WHAT I WANTED TO DO, AS I DID IN THE MEMO , IS GIVE YOU A VERY QUICK OVERVIEW. WE DO A VERY THOROUGH ANALYSIS OF OUR EXPENDITURES THIS TIME OF YEAR, ABOUT A MONTH AGO . 13,000 ROWS OF EXCEL SPREADSHEETS, AND JUST THE FUND 623 AND THE OPERATIONAL CATEGORY. WE ACCEPT WHAT WE SPENT TO DATE, AND WE PROJECT OUT BASED ON THE SPENDING PATTERN FOR THE YEAR HOW WE THINK WE ARE GOING TO GO UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR. SO , WE CAN SEE BY LOOKING AT ALL OF THOSE LINES OF CODE, HEY , THIS IS AN EXPENSE. THIS IS ONLY SPENT ONCE PER YEAR AND WE ALREADY SPENT IT OR, WE HAVE NOT SPENT ANYTHING HERE. DO WE THINK THEY ARE GOING TO SPEND

[03:10:08]

UTILITY COSTS , AND WE ARE TRYING TO CORRECT THAT IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. UTILITY BILLS ARE NOT GOING DOWN. THEY ARE JUST NOT GOING DOWN. YOU KNOW , UNLIKE FUEL THAT, YOU KNOW, SORT OF GOES UP AND DOWN, UTILITY BILLS ARE GOING TO STAY HI. SO WE DID NOT ANTICIPATE, IT IS NOT THAT OUR MAINTENANCE TEAM HAVE BEEN FRIENDS OF -- FRIVOLOUS . WE HAVE HAD LEAKS.

OR WE HAVEN'T BEEN TRYING TO CONTROL THE ELECTRICITY. WE JUST DID NOT PROPERLY ACCOUNT FOR THE COST OF UTILITIES THIS YEAR. WHAT WE HAVE DONE, TO CATEGORICALLY FUND IT, WE HAVE SHOWN YOU THAT THE TRANSPORTATION CATEGORY HAS SURPLUS FUEL MONEY. THERE HAS BEEN VACANCIES , STAFF VACANCIES IN ADMIN AND HEALTH, AND STAFF VACANCIES IN INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY. THESE ARE THOSE MIDYEAR RESIGNATIONS THAT TOOK US A LITTLE WHILE TO FILL THEM, SO THAT IS HELPING US PUT THAT MONEY TOWARDS THAT MAINTENANCE UTILITY COSTS. THAT IS THE BUDGET TRANSFERS. I AM SHOWING THE MEMO THAT WE WILL BE SENDING TO THE COUNTY. SO, WE HAVE JUST HAD A GREAT PRESENTATION ON VLA , SO , THE CORE READING MATERIAL THAT IS JUST ABOUT TO ARRIVE REQUIRES TWO ACTION ITEMS THAT ARE ON THIS AGENDA. ONE IS TO SAY , HEY COUNTY , WE ARE GOING TO BE USING OUR FUND BALANCE TO HELP PAY FOR THAT. WE HAVE THE MONEY . WE JUST NEED TO SHOW IT IS COMING FROM OUR FUND BALANCE.

IN THE OTHER ITEM IS AT THE BOTTOM, WHERE WE GOT THIS VLA IMPLEMENTATION FUNDING , A RELATIVELY SMALL AMOUNT, $47,000 , THAT WE HAD PUT IN , IN THE -- OUR OPERATING FUND, AND IT REALLY NEEDS TO GO INTO THE TEXTBOOK FUND. WE ARE JUST SAYING TO MOVE THE MONEY INTO THE RIGHT SPOT. THESE ARE JUST TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS. I DID NOT WANT TO HOLD UP THAT PURCHASE SO THOSE TEACHERS DID NOT GET THOSE MATERIALS IN TIME. WE ARE MOVING A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF THAT. AND IN THE CAFETERIA FUND , THEY ARE HAVING MORE MEALS THAN THEY PROJECTED, AND THOSE MEALS REQUIRE MORE . IT GIVES MORE REVENUE, BUT IT ALSO MEANS THEY ARE SPENDING MORE MONEY ON FOOD SUPPLIES. SO, WE ARE ADDING A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY TO THE CAFETERIA BUDGET SO IT DOESN'T GO NEGATIVE, AND THEY ALSO GOT A FEDERAL SUPPLY CHAIN, ANOTHER SUPPLY-CHAIN GRANT. THOSE ARE THE ITEMS. IT LOOKS LIKE A LOT , BUT LIKE I SAY, THE CATEGORICAL TRANSFERS IS MORE OF A CLEANUP THING THAT WE DO

EVERY YEAR AT THIS TIME. >> BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS

[03:15:05]

ABOUT THE REQUEST? >> YES. WITH THE -- I'M HAVING A HARD TIME READING THIS. $47,252 IN THE OPERATING FUND THAT HE WANTED TO GO TO THE TEXT BOOK FUND?

>> SO THEY CAN BUY THE NEW CORE READING MATERIAL, THE OPEN

COURT. >> SO YOU WON'T NEED IT FOR

THE OPERATING FUND? >> KNOW. WHEN WE GOT THE GRANT FROM THE STATE WE PUT IT ALL IN THE OPERATING FUND. WE , WE THOUGHT MAYBE IT WOULD GO TOWARDS INTERVENTIONS OR I DON'T KNOW. WE WEREN'T REALLY SURE WHAT IT WAS GOING TO GO FOR AT THE TIME THAT WE RECEIVED IT IN SEPTEMBER OR

OCTOBER. >> YOU DON'T THINK THAT YOU WOULD NEED IT FOR, LIKE, THE RESOURCE, THE READING COACHES

AND THINGS LIKE THAT? >> THIS IS THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

THIS IS THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. SO, BECAUSE WE ARE BUYING THOSE READING MATERIALS THIS YEAR, WE NEEDED TO MOVE IT IN. IT IS THE EXACT RIGHT PURPOSE FOR THE ALL IN STATE FUNDING. THEY ALLOCATED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF IT FOR VLA IMPLEMENTATION.

>> OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO HAVE TO FIND THAT MONEY SOMEWHERE ELSE, BUT IF THIS IS

THIS YEAR'S THAT'S FINE. >> IT IS THIS YEAR AND IT IS ALREADY ACCOUNTED FOR IN SORT OF THAT BUDGET DEFICIT BUDGET, LIKE HOW WE ARE COMING OUT AT THE YEAR. WE ALREADY TOOK IT

OUT. >> OKAY. THANK YOU.

>> EVERYBODY HAS HAD THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

>> I GUESS WE ARE JUST MOVING AT $200,000 AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL, THAT FUND TRANSFER THAT EQUALS ABOUT , WELL THIS 47 AND 47. THAT IS IMPLEMENTATION , THAT IS THE READING MATERIAL ITSELF. OKAY.

>> SO WE DID NOT, WE DID NOT PLAN TO PURCHASE THE READING MATERIAL THIS SCHOOL YEAR. SO IT , IT IS A BIG HIT, $331,000 . WE ARE ONLY TRYING TO FIND, YOU KNOW, ABOUT $250,000 OF THAT. SO WE DID HAVE SOME FUNDS AVAILABLE IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET TO HELP SQUARE THAT $331,000. NOW IN A MONTH I'M GOING TO COME BACK AND I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU A REVISED FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET , AND WE ARE GOING TO TAKE UP WILL BE PUT IN THAT BUDGET TO BUY THESE BOOKS. SO WE WON'T NEED TO USE THE FUND BALANCE NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE WE ARE ALREADY DOING IT THIS YEAR.

YEAH. >> MADAM CHAIR, I MOVED TO APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET SUPPLEMENTS AND TRANSFERS AS PRESENTED IN THE TRANSMITTAL REQUEST LETTER TO

THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. >> DO I HAVE A SECOND?

>> SECOND. >> IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED TO APPROVE THE BUDGET TRANSFERS AS PRESENTED. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ALTHOUGH SUPPOSED TO SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT . OKAY. NOW I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO TALK ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF THE SCHOOL BUS PURCHASE.

>> I SO MOVE. >> DO I HAVE A SECOND?

>> I SECOND THAT. >> THANK YOU. SO , WE HAD A PUBLIC COMMENT ALREADY ABOUT THE NEED FOR SCHOOL BUSES, AND I HAVE GIVEN YOU A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION IN THE BACKGROUND HERE ABOUT OUR ISSUE WITH THE SCHOOL BUSES. MAINLY, THIS IS A RESULT OF NOT BUYING BUSES RIGHT AFTER THE GREAT RECESSION. SO , WE HAD A LAPSE IN OUR REPLACEMENT CYCLE. SO , WE DO NOT WANT TO HAVE ANOTHER LAPSE IN OUR REPLACEMENT CYCLE, SO WE, WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS WE HAVE FUNDING IN PLACE , EXCEPT FOR POSSIBLY ONE BUS COMING FROM THIS YEAR, BECAUSE I JUST WANT TO KEEP IT AS A CONTINGENCY , WE WILL HAVE THE ORDER READY, AND THEN AS SOON AS WE FIGURE OUT WHAT OUR END-OF-THE-YEAR NUMBERS ARE, IF WE , IF WE HAVE SUFFICIENT FUNDING , WE WILL PLACE THAT ORDER. SO ABOUT A MONTH DELAY

[B. School Bus Purchase]

[03:20:01]

THEN , ONE CE BUS FROM THIS YEAR'S OPERATING BUDGET , WHERE WE HAD BUDGETED TWO THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY YOU, BUT WERE , AGAIN, WE ARE GOING TO HOLD OFF ONE OF THOSE REGULAR BUSES UNTIL WE HAVE SECURE , WE KNOW WHAT OUR END OF THE YEAR BALANCE IS. AND THEN ONE CE BUS FROM NEXT YEAR'S CIP , AND THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD IN DECEMBER AS PART OF OUR CIP , AND THAT WILL USE A $1.2 MILLION AT THE COUNTY GAVE US THAT WE COULD SPEND AS WE WISHED. SO WE ARE BUYING A BUS WITH THAT. AND THEN TWO CE BUSES FROM NEXT YEAR'S OPERATING BUDGET. AND YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT A WEEK AGO, THE COUNTY AGREED TO PAY FOR THOSE TWO BASSES OUT OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET. WE ALREADY KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE FUNDING, SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND WE, SO WHAT WE NORMALLY DO IS WE WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT YEAR'S SPRING TO MAKE SURE OUR BUDGET COMING OUT, ACTUALS ARE FEELING GOOD AND THEN WE ORDER THE BUSES. WE WILL GO AHEAD AND ORDER THEM NOW. THE BUSES TAKE ABOUT A YEAR TO GET IN PLACE. THERE IS QUITE A DELAY IN RECEIVING THESE BUSES. AND THEN WE HAVE ONE BUS THAT WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ORDER NOW AND WILL DEFINITELY TAKE A YEAR TO GET IN PLACE. SO , IT IS 840, ALMOST $844,000 , AND SO IT DEFINITELY REQUIRES YOUR APPROVAL TO ORDER THAT SIZE OF

AN ORDER. >> THAT IS WHERE THE SIXTH BUS IS, CORRECT? AND I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, WE TALKED ABOUT GIVING UP ONE BUS EARLIER, IS THAT CORRECT? DEFERRING . OKAY.

>> WE, AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE GAVE UP A BUS TO TAKE CARE OF THE HEALTH INSURANCE OVERAGE , ALL RIGHT? BUT , THE COUNTY IS PAYING FOR TWO BUSES FOR US NEXT YEAR, SO THAT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO PURCHASE THOSE TWO BUSES, SO WE FOUND ANOTHER WAY TO PAY FOR THAT HEALTH INSURANCE. AS WE WERE SCRAMBLING FOR, YOU KNOW , TO GET THAT SALARY INCREASE , WE HAD EVERYTHING IN, THE NEW HEALTH INSURANCE RATES , WE HAVE THE TWO BUSES. WE ARE, WE HAVE BROKE EVEN. SO , WE HAVE THE TWO BUSES BACK IN THE BUDGET. YOU ARE REMEMBERING CORRECTLY THAT WE GAVE UP A

BUS. >> OKAY. I AM NOT SURE IF I AM GOING TO ASK THE SAME QUESTION, BUT YOU JUST SAID THAT YOU ARE HOLDING OFF ORDERING ONE BUS .

>> IT IS, IT IS MY CONTINGENCY . SO, I AM TELLING YOU THAT I THINK THAT WE ARE GOING TO COME OUT OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AT A

BREAKEVEN . >> WITH ORDERING THE BUS OR

WITHOUT ORDERING THE BUS ? >> WITH ORDERING THE BUS, BUT IF I HAVE UNDERESTIMATED CORRECTLY , I WANT TO HAVE ONE

ITEM THAT I CAN PULL OUT. >> BUT IF YOU CAN YOU ARE GOING TO ORDER THAT BUS. THAT MONEY WON'T GO TO ANYTHING ELSE. WE

NEED THAT BUS. >> RIGHT.

>> OKAY. RIGHT. THANK YOU. >> IF I COULD --

>> I'M NOT FEELING WELL. CAN I SIT DOWN ?

>> YES, PLEASE. I'M SORRY, DEBBIE. JUST FOR CONTEXT , I WANT TO INFORM THE BOARD OF WHERE WE ARE WITH BUSES. I TALKED WITH MS. HOME IN A COUPLE WEEKS BACK, AND SHE DESCRIBED A COUPLE OF ISSUES WITH TWO DECADES WORTH OF BUSES IN OUR FLEET. SHE REFERS TO THEM AS THE 70S FLEET AND THE 80S FLEET. THE 80S FLEET HAS SIGNIFICANT EROSION IN THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE BUSES AND OVER TIME OUR FEAR IS THAT THOSE BUSES WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION AND IF THEY CAN'T PASS INSPECTION WE CAN'T HAVE THEM ON THE ROAD. THAT, THE 70S FLEET HAS TECHNOLOGY THAT HAS BEEN RENDERED OBSOLETE. TO

[03:25:04]

CONTEXT. >> SHOULD BE MOVED TO TAKE A -- INFORMATION BEFORE US . IF THERE IS ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS THAT WE CAN'T ANSWER HERE, WE CAN DEFER IT, BUT I KNOW THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO MAKE THESE CHANGES FOR THE CURRENT BUDGET CYCLE SO THAT PURCHASE ORDERS CAN BE GENERATED.

>> ONE MORE QUESTION. ABOUT HOW MUCH IS THE MILEAGE PER BUS? LIKE , HOW MANY MILES CAN WE HAVE --

>> TYPICALLY BETWEEN 150 TO 200,000 MILES, YOU START FEELING THAT A BUS HAS REACHED ITS USABLE LIFE. ANYTHING BEYOND THAT, IT JUST BECOMES UNREASONABLY DIFFICULT TO

MAINTAIN. >> AND HOW MANY MILES DO WE PUT ON A BUS IN A YEAR? I'M JUST CURIOUS.

>> THAT INFORMATION I DO NOT KNOW. IT DEPENDS ON THE ROUTE.

I IMAGINE IF IT'S THE BUS RUNS THE EAST END COHERE TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE THAN ONE THAT ACCOMMODATES FROM GOOCHLAND ELEMENTARY . BUT WE CAN GET YOU THE DATA.

>> ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

>> MADAM CHAIR , I MOTION TO MOVE TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF UP TO SIX NEW SCHOOL BUSES FOR A TOTAL OF $843,744 FROM TWO

VENDORS. >> DO I HAVE A SECOND?

>> PROPERLY SECONDED TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF UP TO SIX NEW SCHOOL BUSES. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE . ALL THOSE OPPOSED NO . THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, MS. WHITE. WE HOPE YOU ARE OKAY. OKAY. SO,

[13. Items for Board Review]

>> NO, MA'AM, JUST THAT IT REPRESENTS OUR FOURTH QUARTER.

OTHER THAN THAT THE OTHER TWO ITEMS ARE PRETTY STANDARD.

>> FANTASTIC. BOARD MEMBERS, WERE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE ITEMS FOR YOUR REVIEW? VERY GOOD . AS WE DID NOT AMEND

[14. New Business]

[15. Adjournment]

>> MADAM CHAIR AND MOVED TO ADJOURN.

>> DO I HAVE A SECOND? >> SECOND.

>> THANK YOU. WE ARE HEREBY ADJOURNED, AND WE WILL RECONVENE ON TUESDAY , JUNE 8 , 11, 8 'S GRADUATION. JUNE 11

[A. Adjourn]