Dec 10, 2024 School Board Meeting - December 10, 2024

[B. Closed Session]

[C. Reconvene in Open Session / Certification]

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>> BOARD MEMBERS, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO RECONVENE

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IN OPEN SESSION. >> SO MOVED.

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>> SECOND. >> GREAT. I HEREBY RECONVENE

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[D. Moment of Silence]

>> THANK YOU, MISS BENNETT. GOOD EVENING. IT IS WONDERFUL TO WELCOME SO MANY OF YOU HERE IN PERSON. AND FOR THOSE JOINING US ONLINE, WE ARE PLEASED TO HAVE YOUR PARTICIPATION IN MATTERS RELATED TO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. WE HAVE A FULL AGENDA THIS EVENING, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

SO, WILL YOU PLEASE JOIN ME? THANK YOU. AMAYA, WOULD YOU

[E. Pledge of Allegiance]

LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE, PLEASE? >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH

LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. >> BOARD MEMBERS, I WILL

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

>> MADAM CHAIR, I MOVED TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

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

>> GREAT. IT IS MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED TO PRESENT THE AGENDAS PRESENTED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING ON, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, SAY AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE "AYES" HAVE IT AND THE MOTION IS ADOPTED. I UNDERSTAND WE

[A. Goochland Elementary School Tacky Light Tour]

>> WE DO. I AM PLEASED TO WELCOME STUDENTS FROM THE GOOCHLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE SCHOOL

TACKY LIGHT TOUR. >> THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, ANYONE. WE HAD OUR FIRST TACKY LIGHT TOUR --, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU. I HAVE WITH ME THE THREE TEACHERS WHO COLLABORATED TO MAKE THIS AMAZING PRESENTATION . JOE BEASLEY FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, SARAH HARRIS, GIFTED RESOURCE TEACHER, AND AMY POTTER, FIFTH GRADE TEACHER. SUCH AN AMAZING TEAM. I HOPE THEY ARE LISTENING. OKAY, GOOD! THAT WAS THE PLAN. I WILL TURN THE LIGHTS OFF TONIGHT. AND I AM SUPPOSED TO, JUST KNOW THAT I AM ALLOWED TO TURN THEM OFF

TONIGHT. >> ALL RIGHT, GOOD EVENING.

>> IT SAYS PRESENTATION. >> ALL RIGHT. WHILE HE IS GETTING SET UP -- EFFORT BETWEEN FIFTH-GRADERS AT THE GOOCHLAND ELEMENTARY. WE ALSO HAD IT CATERED WITH HOT COCOA BY THE CHEF AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. SO, IT WAS AN AMAZING, AND AMAZING COLLABORATION. WE HAD SO MUCH FUN. MR. BEASLEY IS GOING TO START OFF AND I ACTUALLY WILL BE GIVING YOU ALL YOUR HOMEWORK THAT WAS CREATED

BY THE STUDENTS. OKAY? >> WE WILL GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT THE PROJECT. WE CAME TOGETHER AND WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT SOME DIFFERENT WAYS, BECAUSE WE LOVE, I AM A BIG FAN, WE ARE ALL A BIG FAN OF CODING AND DIFFERENT L.E.D.

LIGHTING AS WELL. THIS WAS OUR FIRST ANNUAL TACKY LIGHT TOUR PROJECT. THE KIDS WERE REALLY EXCITED. A COUPLE DETAILS OF WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT HERE. WE DO THIS LIKE A P, BL, LIKE YOU ARE A CLIENT, THE CLIENT IS REACHING OUT TO THE DEPARTMENT

[00:40:02]

DISPLAY, WHICH YOU WILL SEE HERE IN A SECOND. THE KIDS DID AMAZING, IT WAS A GREAT COLLABORATION. THAT MANY SCHOOLS DO THIS, YOU DO NOT GET TO SEE THIS STUFF IN SEVENTH GRADE. AND SO THERE ARE A COUPLE PHOTOS OF THEM WORKING TOGETHER. THERE IS ONE OF MY STUDENTS ACTUALLY LEARNING HOW TO SOLDER. IT IS AN IMPORTANT SKILL. WE DID NOT LOSE ANY FINGERS, I AM VERY PROUD OF THAT. AND STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO DESIGN IT WHERE THERE WAS A CODE A CERTAIN WAY, YOU COULD MAKE THE LIGHTS GO INTO A RAINBOW OR VOLUME ] WE HAD A TOUR DISPLAY AND IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.

AS YOU CAN SEE IN THESE PICTURES. WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO SHOW THE RESULT. ARE YOU READY? CAN WE GET THE LIGHTS

READY? >> YOU WILL BE ABLE TO HEAR FROM A PARENT AT THE END NOW, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, WE WOULD INVITE YOU TO COME DOWN

AND CHECK IT OUT. >> THE LIGHTING CONCEPT INAUDIBLE - LOW VOLUME ] ALL RIGHT. DO YOU GUYS WANT TO START? ALL RIGHT. WILL YOU TELL THEM ABOUT YOUR LIGHTING AND ARE MOVABLE PARTS? OKAY?

>> YOU CAN SEE ARE TWO MOVING PARTS ON THE SNOWMAN. AND THEN WE HAVE THE LIGHT --

>> AND THEN WE HAVE MUSIC PLAYING FROM THE IPAD.

>> THERE ARE LOTS OF MOVING PARTS. IT IS SO COOL. OKAY.

THEY ALSO HAD A MARKETING PIECE. AND THEN THEY HAD THEIR MATHEMATICS PROBLEMS THAT THEY HAD TO CREATE.

LOW VOLUME ] >> NOTHING LIKE A LITTLE

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>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. AND WE HAVE ONE MORE OVER HERE.

>> WE HAVE THREE MOVING PARTS. ONE OF THEM IS THE SNOWMAN RIGHT THERE. THE OTHER ONE IS SANTA CLAUS GOING DOWN THE CHIMNEY. AND THEN BACK HERE, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE THESE HERE, BUT THEY PROGRAMMED THE LIGHTS AND I PROGRAMMED THE MOVING PARTS. IT WAS KIND OF HARD TO KEEP UP. YOU CAN SEE

THAT SANTA IS MOVING. >> HE IS TIRED.

>> YEAH, HE COULD BREAK THE CHIMNEY. PROBABLY THE MOST FRUSTRATING PART WAS TRYING TO KEEP IT UP AND WE HAD TO USE

SOME WIRING HERE. >> IS THAT A MELTING SNOWMAN IN THE BACKYARD? A MELTING SNOWMAN? IT IS VERY WARM TODAY.

HE DID HAVE TO TRAVEL. I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO BRING THIS TO US NO MATTER WHAT.

>> WE DID GET ONE, BUT IT IS NOT HERE.

>> THE CANDY CANE KINGDOM, SO THERE ARE MANY PIECES HERE.

>> THIS IS SUCH A GREAT IDEA. >> SO, IN ALL OF THIS, WE DO HAVE SOMEONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE ACTUAL EXHIBIT FOR EVERYONE TO COME AND VISIT.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I AM SO IMPRESSED. YOU GUYS DID A

WONDERFUL JOB. >> COURTESY OF GOOCHLAND

COUNTY. RIGHT? >> ALL RIGHT. THAT WAS A LITTLE

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APPEARANCE PERSPECTIVE? >> YES. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU TO THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR HAVING THIS GROUP HERE TONIGHT. THIS IS A PHENOMENAL EXPERIENCE FOR OUR STUDENTS. THE FIRST ANNUAL TACKY LIGHT TOUR WAS A HIT, IT WAS AN AMAZING COLLABORATION BETWEEN MR. BEASLEY'S CLASS, MS. POTTER, AND MS. HARRIS. IT GAVE THE FIFTH-GRADE STUDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT IS TO COME. AND HE GAVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY SKILLS THAT THEY HAVE LEARNED IN THEIR ROBOTICS CLASSES, OR THE EXPERIENCE THAT THEY HAD WITH THAT. AND ALSO, JUST THE ABILITY TO WORK TOGETHER IN AN INNOVATIVE WAY. WE APPRECIATE THAT THE SCHOOL OPENED IT UP TO OUR FAMILIES, SO THAT WE COULD COME IN AND SEE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DOING.

AND I KNOW, SPEAKING WITH MS. POTTER, HER CLASS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A BIT OF A LOW-KEY DAY AS A REWARD FOR ALL OF THE HARD WORK. A LOT OF THE STUDENTS CHOSE TO WORK ON THEIR PROJECT INSTEAD OF RELAXING OR WATCHING A QUICK MOVIE. SO, IT WAS EXCITING TO HEAR THAT THEY ARE MOTIVATED TO WORK ON PROJECTS LIKE THIS. AND SO WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. AND THE KIDS DID AN AMAZING JOB. THANK YOU VERY

MUCH. >> WITH THAT SAID, THESE ARE OUR BUDDING ENGINEER PROGRAMMERS, CREATIVE'S, MATHEMATICIANS, YOU NAME IT. AND STARTING AT 11 OR 12 YEARS OLD, WE ARE SO PROUD OF THIS GROUP.

>> YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT. GREAT JOB. AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THE TACKY LIGHT TOUR FOR US. IS IT

STILL IN THE SCHOOL? >> IT WAS JUST TAKEN DOWN

TODAY. >> THEY ARE FANTASTIC . I WANT TO APPLAUD EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN BRINGING INNOVATIVE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS TO DO EXACTLY WHAT THE PARENTS SAID. IT MOTIVATED THEM. THEY TOOK THE INITIATIVE, THEY WERE BOUGHT INTO IT, AND IT CLEARLY SHOWS. THEY ARE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THEIR PROJECTS. WE ARE SO PROUD OF ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU FOR SHARING.

>> YOU SAID THERE WERE NINE. WILL YOU PUT ONLINE ONLINE SO PEOPLE CAN SEE THEM? OKAY, PLEASE. THANK YOU.

>> SOME OF THE OTHER FIFTH-GRADE CLASSES -- INAUDIBLE - LOW VOLUME ] WE APPOINTED THREE OF THEM AS

PHOTOGRAPHERS. >> YEAH, I BET. GREAT WORK,

THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> MADAM CHAIR, CAN I SAY SOMETHING REALLY QUICK? I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT I COULD SEE THIS TURNING INTO A REALLY GREAT TRADITION. IT JUST

FANTASTIC. >> LET'S THINK SCALE NEXT YEAR. YOU KNOW, THEY DO THE CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING, IMAGINE IF WE HAD ALL OF YOUR PROJECTS SITTING OUT AROUND THE

TREE. >> THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.

>> IT WAS TOO COLD THIS YEAR. >> YEAH, A LITTLE CHILLY. OKAY, WE WILL THINK ON THAT. WE WILL SOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS NEXT.

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU ALL.

>> AS OUR OTTERS DESCEND AND ARE ABOUT READY TO HEAD OUT, I WANT TO SHARE WITH THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY BE KEEPING SCORE THAT GOOCHLAND ELEMENTARY WAS ALSO FEATURED DURING LAST MONTH'S STUDENT PRESENTATION. AND THIS IS A PERFECT TIME FOR ME TO SHARE THAT WE HAVE WONDERFUL THINGS GOING ON IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS. BUT TONIGHT, GOOCHLAND ELEMENTARY TRADED WITH A BIRD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHO WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED TO BE WITH US, OR MERRILY DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS PRESENTATION.

THIS WOULD NOT HAVE RESONATED AS WELL IN MARCH. SO, OUR FRIENDS AT BIRD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WERE GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO GIVE GOOCHLAND THIS SPOT . AND YOU WILL SEE THEM TWO TIMES IN

[A. Student Presentation - Giselle Guzman-Lemus]

THE SPRING. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE A STUDENT PRESENTATION, I THINK THERE ARE A GROUP OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN PATIENTLY WAITING.

>> YES. SO, THIS PRESENTATION WAS PROPOSED AT THE COMMUNITY EVENT BACK ON THE NOVEMBER 2ND. GISELLE SPOKE WITH DR. WAGNER ABOUT HER DESIRE TO COME IN AND ADDRESS THE SCHOOL BOARD. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I WILL BRING GISELLE GUZMAN-LEMUS TO

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THE PODIUM. GISELLE? >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU GUYS FOR GIVING US THE CHANCE TO SPEAK HERE TONIGHT. I AM GISELLE.

>> I AM LILY. >> AND WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH THAT WE WORKED ON THIS YEAR. HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HISPANIC AND LATINO AMERICANS TO -- SORRY. TO EXPRESS THEIR VOICES AND THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THEIR CULTURE, AND SHARE IT WITH

OTHERS. >> THIS YEAR WOULD BE THE FIRST YEAR THAT GHS WOULD ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING THAT INVOLVED THE WHOLE SCHOOL, NOT JUST SPANISH CLASSES OR ESL STUDENTS. DURING THIS PROCESS, WE LEARNED THAT MANY STUDENTS AND EVEN SOME ADULTS DO NOT KNOW WHAT HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH WAS. SO WE SET OUT TO HELP TO CHANGE THAT. THIS YEAR, MS. DAVIS AND MISS EXUM'S CLASSES WORKED TOGETHER TO BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH FUN GAMES, LIKE COMPETITIVE SCHOOLWIDE SPORTS TO TEACH ABOUT HISPANIC HISTORY AND IMPORTANT FIGURES.

SOME STUDENTS EVEN READ EDUCATIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS EACH DAY TO THE SCHOOL. IN THE REST OF THE SCHOOL, SO THAT THE REST OF THE SCHOOL COULD RESPOND DAILY. SO THAT THE REST OF THE SCHOOL COULD RESPOND TO DAILY TRIVIA QUESTIONS FOR THESE ANNOUNCEMENTS. AND THE WINNERS WON PRIZES.

>> THIS YEAR WAS REALLY FUN AND GREAT TO START CELEBRATING THE HERITAGE OF MANY STUDENTS AND HONORING THE NATIONAL MONTH OF CELEBRATION. WE HAD SOME FEEDBACK FROM SOME STUDENTS THAT WE INTERVIEWED. SOME OF THEM SAID THAT THEY FELT LIKE THEY BELONGED IN THE SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY MADE A BIG CELEBRATION FOR US. AND ANOTHER STUDENT SAID THAT IT WAS COOL TO SHARE WITH OTHERS ABOUT YOUR OWN CULTURE. AND EVERYONE SAID THAT THIS IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CELEBRATION YEARS AGO AT RANDALL WERE MEMORABLE BECAUSE IT WAS SO COOL TO BE

RECOGNIZED. >> MOVING FORWARD, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DEDICATE TO STUDENTS THIS YEAR TO WORK ON A LARGER CELEBRATION FOR NEXT YEAR. AND WE WOULD BE ABLE TO EXPAND WHAT WE DO TO INCLUDE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY SPECIAL EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH, AND POSSIBLY EVEN CULTURALLY RELEVANT CELEBRATORY --

EVERYWHERE. >> WE AND OUR TEACHERS ARE ABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME THAT YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING WITH YOU MORE ABOUT THIS FESTIVAL. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR LISTENING TO US AND GIVING US THE CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT OUR CULTURE.

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION. BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY

QUESTIONS FOR THEM? >> IT IS NOT REALLY A QUESTION.

I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SITTING WITH YOU AT OUR EQUITY COMMUNITY EVENT AND GETTING TO KNOW YOU. AND I REALLY ENJOYED TALKING WITH YOU. I WAS JUST, I WAS SO BLOWN AWAY BY HOW PASSIONATE YOU WERE ABOUT BRINGING THIS FORWARD, ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU ARE A SENIOR AND YOU STILL KNEW HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO DO IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND SHARING THIS. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH. WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO RECONNECTING WITH YOU NEXT YEAR IN LEARNING MORE.

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> THINK YOU BOTH. IT IS NEVER EASY GETTING UP AND SPEAKING TO A BOARD IN A FORMAL SETTING LIKE THIS. YOU SHOULD BE PROUD THAT YOU REPRESENTED YOURSELVES AND YOUR SCHOOL WELL. THANK YOU. MR. HAHN, WILL YOU COME FORTH? IF YOU ARE INTRODUCING THE DRAMA DOGS FROM THE IIIB REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. WE ARE NOT THERE YET. SOMEBODY HAS TO BE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE DISTINCTION THAT OUR DRAMA DOGS RECENTLY WON. AND IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE TO DO THAT. SO I WILL TELL THE STORY. AS WELL AS -- I'M SORRY? QUITE ALL RIGHT. OUR LESBIANS AT GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL

[B. GHS Drama Dogs Region 3B Championship]

[01:00:03]

ALL MAKES SENSE NOW. OKAY. THIS WAS HEADING DOWN THE ROAD OF BEING TERRIBLY EMBARRASSING, BUT NOW WE HAVE DONE A 180 AND ARE BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK. THAT IS GOOD, CONGRATULATIONS TO HIM AS A NEW FATHER. BUT I AM VERY PROUD TONIGHT TO SHARE THAT OUR SAYS BE IN GROUP AT THE HIGH SCHOOL RECEIVE THAT DISTINCTION. OKAY, LET'S APPLAUD THEM IN THEIR ABSENCE.

AND NOW, I WILL BRING MR. HAHN TO THE PODIUM. AS A MATTER OF FACT, YES, WE HAVE SOMETHING ELSE. MR. HAHN, I AM SO SORRY.

IF THINGS DON'T GO ACCORDING TO PLAN, WE ARE UP TO

ANNOUNCEMENTS. >> OH NO, ONE MORE RECOGNITION.

>> WHAT IS IT? >> I WILL TAKE IT.

>> OH, NO, I SEE IT. I'VE GOT IT, I CAN DRIVE. OKAY, THIS IS

[A. Student Representative to the School Board - Amaya Wilkerson]

VIRGINIA, 2024. >> AND YOUR SCHOOL BOARD HAS SOMETHING FOR YOU AS WELL.

[A. Announcements]

>> OKAY. NOW WE ARE ON ANNOUNCEMENTS.

>> THAT GAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT THE OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH HIS BEARINGS APPEAR. WE DO HAVE SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS IF I MAY

SHARE THEM AT THIS TIME. >> PLEASE.

>> WE HAVE A JOINT MEETING WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THAT WILL TAKE PLACE REGARDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET. AT THAT MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE HERE ON DECEMBER THE 16TH . WE HAVE AN ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING AND BUDGET WORKSHOP WITH OUR SCHOOL BOARD IN JANUARY 14TH, 2025. THAT WILL TAKE PLACE HERE IN THIS CHAMBER AT 5:00, FOLLOWED BY A BUSINESS MEETING PERTAINING TO THE BUDGET. WE HAVE BUDGET WORKSHOPS SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY THE 21ST AT 5:30 RIGHT HERE AND AGAIN ON JANUARY THE 28TH AT THE SAME TIME. THERE WILL BE A PRESENTATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S BUDGET, FIRST RUN, FEBRUARY 4TH, 2025 AT 5:30 IN THIS CHAMBER. A CAREER FAIR SCHEDULED FEBRUARY 6, 2025 AT GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL. WE WILL GET THOSE TIMES POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE. WE HAVE A REGULAR MEETING AND PUBLIC BUDGET HEARING FEBRUARY 11TH, TWO DOZEN 25 AT 5:30, RIGHT

[01:05:03]

CONCLUDES ANNOUNCEMENTS. >> IS THE CAREER FAIR FEBRUARY 8TH OR FEBRUARY 6TH? THE MINUTE THEY THE EIGHTH. IT IS THE SIXTH? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. FEBRUARY 6TH, CAREER FAIR AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. OKAY. NEXT UP, WE HAVE THE MARKETING AND

[A. Marketing and Work-Based Learning]

>> FOR THE THIRD TIME, I WILL HAVE MR. HAHN APPROACHED THE

PODIUM FOR THIS INTRODUCTION. >> THIRD TIME IS THE CHARM, I

GUESS. >> SEEMINGLY.

>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS, MADAM CHAIR. I AM HERE THIS EVENING TO BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE OUR AMAZING MARKETING STUDENTS.

JUST A LITTLE RECAP OF HOW WE GOT HERE LAST YEAR, LAST SCHOOL YEAR. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND, BASICALLY, A YEAR-LONG PD. WE WENT ONCE EVERY OTHER MONTH. WE STARTED DEEP DIVING INTO WORK-BASED LEARNING AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, REALLY BRUSHING UP ON BRINGING THAT BACK. AND THEN TOWARDS THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, I GOT WITH THE PD AND WE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE COULD BRING US TO THE HIGH SCHOOL. NOT ONLY OUR MARKETING CLASS AND OUR CTE CLASSES INVOLVED IN OUR CLASS, WE NOW HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT WE MEET EVERY SINGLE MONTH THAT REPRESENTS EVERY CORE AND ELECTIVE CLASS ACROSS THE GHS SCHOOL. TONIGHT, YOU WILL HEAR FROM OUR AMAZING STUDENTS WHO HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD ON THIS PRESENTATION FOR ABOUT THE PAST MONTH FOR YOU GUYS TO SEE. I WILL PASS IT OVER. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MR. HAHN. MADAM CHAIR, SCHOOL MEMBERS INAUDIBLE - LOW VOLUME ] COMMUNITY MEMBERS, IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL THIS EVENING. AS WE KNOW, OUR MISSION IS TO MAXIMIZE THE POTENTIAL OF EVERY LEARNER. IT IS CATCHY, IMPACTFUL, AND EASY TO REMEMBER. BUT IT IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT IN PRACTICE. HONESTLY, I SPENT A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME REFLECTING ON THE HOW OF THIS CALL TO ACTION. I SEE MY AMAZING COLLEAGUES ENTERING THIS MISSION EVERY SINGLE DAY.

AND I REALIZE AT THE HEART OF THIS CHARGE IS ENGAGEMENT. I ALSO REFLECT ABOUT WHAT I OFTEN HEAR DR. DYER SAY, IS IT WHAT IS BEST FOR KIDS? AND I CAN SAY, UNEQUIVOCALLY, THAT THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IN REGARDS TO WORK-BASED LEARNING IS YES. AS I WORKED ALONGSIDE THE EXCEPTIONAL YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WE WILL HEAR FROM THIS EVENING, I HAVE SEEN THE IMPACT OF WHAT WE CALL CAPITAL WBL ON OUR STUDENTS. I COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD OF THE PROGRESS THEY HAVE MADE AND IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. AT THE END OF EACH PRACTICE PRESENTATION WE HAVE DONE, AND THERE HAVE BEEN MANY, CAPTURED SOME OF THEIR FEEDBACK AND I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU THIS EVENING, PLEASE. HERE ARE SOME QUOTES. I WAS INITIALLY HORRIFIED AT THE THOUGHT OF PRESENTING IN FRONT OF ANYONE, BUT WITH EACH PRACTICE AND AFTER THE HESITATION TO THE FACULTY, I BECAME LESS NERVOUS AND MORE CONFIDENT. NEXT. THIS EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN VERY IMPACTFUL BECAUSE IT PUSHED ME TO GET ETTER AT GRAPHIC DESIGN, COMMUNICATION WITH OTHERS, AND TO HELP ME FINE-TUNE MY PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS. NEXT, I AM REALLY HAPPY THAT WE NOT ONLY PUT TO THE ENTIRE PRESENTATION TOGETHER, BUT WE LEARNED ABOUT WBL, SOMETHING WE INITIALLY KNEW NOTHING ABOUT, AND WE CRUSHED IT. AS YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE, CRUSHED IT, THEY DID. I AM EXCITED, HONORED, AND EXTREMELY PROUD TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR AMAZING STUDENTS SO THEY CAN SHOW YOU WHAT THEY ARE DOING WITH WBL AT GOOCHLAND HIGH

SCHOOL. >> GOOD EVENING, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. I AM A SENIOR AT GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL. TONIGHT, YOU WILL HEAR ABOUT HIGH QUALITY WORK-BASED LEARNING EXAMPLES FROM SOME OF OUR STUDENTS, CLASSMATES, AND TEACHERS. I AM A MEMBER OF A HIGH SCHOOL'S INTERNAL MARKETING FIRM. MARKET UP IS AN EXAMPLE OF WORK-BASED LEARNING, SPECIFICALLY A SCHOOL-BASED ENTERPRISE. MY TEAMMATE AND I PROBABLY CONTINUED THE LEGACY STARTED WHEN WE WERE IN

[01:10:02]

DRIVE A CAREER. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CHELSEA AND I AM A JUNIOR. W CAPITAL BL IS DESIGNED TO OFFER EXACTLY WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN. SCHOOL BASED WORKPLACE EXPERIENCES RELATED TO OUR CAREER GOALS. INTEGRATED WITH INSTRUCTION AND PERFORMANCE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS. W BL -- AND DETERMINE IF CAREERS ARE A GOOD FIT FOR US. MY EXPERIENCE WITH WBL -- I AM PARTNERING WITH A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT STANDS FOR COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES. THEY WORK WITH CHILDREN DURING THE COURT PROCESS TO ENSURE THEIR SAFETY AND HAPPINESS. THIS WBL IS HELPING ME WITH MY CAREER GOALS, COMMUNICATION, AND FOUNDATION SKILLS. I WANT TO BE A PEDIATRIC NURSE. THIS SEMESTER, I WORKED FOR THE DIRECT HER, MS. TOWNSEND, TO CREATE THE LOGO ON THE LEFT ACROSS THE COMMUNITY CHALLENGE, A FUNDRAISING EVENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. MS. TOWNSEND WAS MY SEVENTH GRADE SPANISH TEACHER.

AND NOW SERVES AS MY SUPERVISOR. BEING ABLE TO WORK ALONGSIDE MY FORMER TEACHER, WHO IS NOW A -- TEACHER HAS BEEN VERY PRACTICAL. EQUALLY AS IMPACTFUL IS THAT MY WBL DOES NOT END THIS YEAR. IT WILL EVOLVE AS A SENIOR PROJECT , AT WHICH POINT IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME ANOTHER WEL, AND INTERNSHIP. THE CONTINUATION AND ADVANCEMENT OF STUDENT KNOWLEDGE AND SCHOOLS ARE CORNERSTONES OF WBL. ALL OF THESE EXPERIENCES BENEFIT MY FUTURE CAREER GOAL OF BEING A PEDIATRIC NURSE, APPLYING VALUABLE AND PERSONAL SKILLS.

>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MELVIN ROPER. I AM A JUNIOR.

CHELSEA'S CAPITAL WEL IS AT AN EXAMPLE OF MANY OPPORTUNITIES THAT STUDENTS HAVE. AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN, THERE ARE 12 TOTAL CATEGORIES TO CHOOSE FROM. THESE RANGE FROM JOB SHADOWING TO FULL-FLEDGED INTERNSHIPS, EXTERNSHIPS, AS WELL AS CLINICAL EXPERIENCE IN APPRENTICESHIPS. MY MARKETING CAMPAIGN WAS TO MEET WITH VARIOUS DISTRICT AND SCHOOL LEVEL MEETING -- MEMBERS. WE STARTED WITH THE DIRECTOR OF CTE AND MR. HAHN. FROM THOSE MEETINGS, MY CLASSMATES PRESTON AND I OBJECT -- IDENTIFIED FOUR KEY OBJECTIVES. EDUCATE FAMILIES AND STUDENTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF WBL, TYPIFY WBL TRACKING FOR COUNSELORS AND TEACHERS AND PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOP IT FOR TEACHERS. WE KNEW EDUCATING OUR AUDIENCE WOULD BE CRUCIAL FOR OUR CAMPAIGN. IT TOOK ON FLESH THIS, WE CREATED AN INFORMATION PAPER FOR PROSPECTIVE FAMILIES AND STUDENTS TO HELP FURTHER THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THIS PROGRAM. WE MADE THIS PRODUCT WITH ACCESSIBILITY IN MIND TO INCREASE USABILITY. IT CAN BE HANDED OUT IN PERSON, MAILED TO FAMILIES, SCANNED VIA QR CODE, OR DIRECTLY EMAILED. WE ALSO IDENTIFIED A NEED TO CREATE AN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PAPER TO EDUCATE OUR TARGET AUDIENCE. THIS WAS NO EASY TASK AND TOOK

MANY ITERATIONS. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LILY YOAKUM. I MADE JUNIOR AT GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL. LED THE TEAM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WBL OPPORTUNITIES. WE KNEW THAT OUR DESIGN HAD TO BE SIMPLE INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS HAD TO BE IMPACTFUL. I ASSIGNED EACH TEAM MEMBER ONE WEL, AND HE CREATED THE ICON YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN. AS A TEAM, WE EXERCISE A GREAT DEAL OF PATIENCE, COMMUNICATION, AND RESILIENCE.

WE KNEW SELECTING IMPACTFUL ICONS WAS IMPORTANT, SO WE TOOK THE NECESSARY TIME TO GET IT RIGHT. ONCE THIS WAS COMPLETE,

[01:15:03]

AND FUTURE GOALS. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LUKE TONY, I AM A JUNIOR. AS A TEAM, WE DECIDED A FLOWCHART WOULD BE THE IDEAL RESOURCE FOR CHOOSING A WB CAPITAL LP IN MY ROLE IN THE PROJECT WAS TO BUILD A FOUNDATION. THIS WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR ME BECAUSE I WANT TO BE A PROJECT MANAGER.

MY LOGIC BEHIND MY SLIDES HELP SHOW THE ENTIRE PROCESS OF THE FLOWCHART AND GETTING INFORMATION GATHERED. FIRST, OUR TEAM MET WITH MS. ELI IN THE COMMONS AND CREATED SEVERAL PROTOTYPES, WHICH WE LATER CONSOLIDATED. WHEN WE RETURNED TO CLASS, MS. ELI AND I FINALIZE THE ORDER O■F TEPS ON THE CLASSROOM BOARD, WITH SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND MR. WATSON. JOHNNY ENTRIES WERE FOLLOWING ALONG AND BEGAN BUILDING THEIR FLOWCHART. JOHNNY AND CHASE WILL NOW SHARE WITH YOU HOW WE WORKED THROUGH FINALIZING THE PROJECT.

>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CHASE, I AM A SENIOR.

>> MY NAME IS JOHNNY VEGAS AND I AM A JUNIOR AT THE HASKELL.

WE CREATED THE FLOWCHART YOU SEE HERE ON THE SCREEN. OUR GOAL WAS TO PRODUCE A FLOWCHART THAT STREAMLINES THE WBL APPLICATION PROCESS SO THAT STUDENTS AND PARENTS WALK AWAY FEELING CONFIDENT IN THEIR EXPERIENCE.

>> TO DO THIS, WE HAD TO INCLUDE ALL STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS, INCLUDING STUDENTS, TEACHERS, SCHOOL COUNSELORS, WEL COORDINATOR'S AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS. WE ALSO HAD TO KEEP THE FLOWCHART SIMPLE FOR THE READER TO UNDERSTAND AND ENSURE THAT ALL STEPS WERE SUMMARIZED.

WE COULD NOT FIT EVERYTHING WE NEEDED TO INTO OUR ORIGINAL FLOWCHARTS, SO I TOOK THE TWO DESIGN AND CREATED A MORE

COMPREHENSIVE FLOWCHART. >> STARTING WITH THE FIRST RED BOX AND MOVING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, FAMILIES HAVE A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE ON HOW TO NAVIGATE THEIR WBL APPLICATION PROCESS. IT INCLUDES HYPERLINKS TO RESOURCES AND INFORMATION THAT FAMILIES WILL GO THROUGH BEFORE STARTING THE WBL PEERED BLACK BOXES ON THE INDICATE WHAT THE STUDENT WILL BE WORKING WITH THROUGH THEIR JOURNEY. NOW THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT HOW TO GET STARTED, LET'S SEE WHAT THESE ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE FOR OUR STUDENTS.

>> WORK-BASED LEARNING IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ANY SKILL SET -- WORK-BASED LEARNING IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ANY SKILL SETS THAT YOU MAY LEARN IN THE CLASSROOM AND APPLY IT IN A WORKING WORLD. WHETHER IT IS A CSE PROJECT OR JOB SHADOWING YOU DO FOR ANY OTHER CTE COURSE. IT HELPS TO BUILD UP AND MAKE THOSE SOFT SKILLS A LITTLE STRONGER. AND THAT IS VERY MUCH NEEDED IN TODAY'S WORLD. SO, THERE ARE A LOT OF HUGE BENEFITS. ALSO, IT GIVES THE STUDENT AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE A CAREER PATH, SO THAT THEY CAN DETERMINE WHETHER OR

NOT THEY LIKE THAT CAREER. >> I JUST THINK IT WAS A GOOD EXPERIENCE TO HELP WITH THIS. AND IT WAS ALSO FUN. THIS EXPERIENCE IS COUPLED WITH OTHERS THAT WE DEAL WITH ALSO TO HELP US GET INTO THE COMMUNITY.

>> ALL RIGHT, THIS IS DEFINITELY A BIT OF A HIGH STRESS ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE WE WERE ALL PACKED IN THAT TRAILER TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BETTER ORGANIZE THINGS. AND EVERYONE'S YELLING INSTRUCTIONS, BUT NO ONE IS REALLY IN CHARGE. AND ONE PERSON THAT STEPPED UP WAS GG.

IT WAS VERY GOOD FOR OUR TEAM BUILDING EXERCISES, BECAUSE,

[01:20:02]

THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY. >> I JUST LOVE HELPING OTHERS.

I THINK AS A TEACHER, WE HAVE TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE. AND WHEN WE SHOW PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY PUTTING OTHER PEOPLE'S NEEDS FIRST, HELPING OTHERS, WE CAN REALLY SET THAT EXAMPLE AND SET THAT ROLE MODEL, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO THINK OF OTHER PEOPLE, TO REACH OUT, AND TO BE PART OF COMMUNITY.

>> A BIG INSPIRATION WAS THAT SERVICE TO COMMUNITY ASPECT THAT I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TAUGHT FROM MY TEACHERS, FROM MY STAFF SERGEANT AND LIEUTENANT COLONEL, WHO WERE THE INSTRUCTOR FOR OUR SCHOOL FOR ROTC, YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT YOU NEED TO GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY. BECAUSE IT IS NOT ABOUT YOU. I THINK A BIG PART OF BEING A GOOD CITIZEN, NOT JUST A VIRGINIAN, BUT AS A UNITED STATES CITIZEN, IS HELPING THOSE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, NO MATTER HOW BIG OR SMALL YOUR COMMUNITY IS. SOMEBODY OUT THERE ALWAYS NEEDS

YOUR HELP. >> THIS IS DIDN'T RUN AND SCHOOL SPONSORED FOOD TRUCK THAT SELLS FOODS DURING THE

FOOTBALL GAMES. >> I ORIGINALLY GOT THE IDEA WHEN WE WERE BOTH IN OUR SPANISH BECAUSE OUR SOPHOMORE YEAR DURING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, WHERE OUR TEACHER, MR. REYES, TOLD US TO GO HOME AND MAKE A SPANISH OMELETTE FOR A QUIZ GRADE, TO BRING IN AND SHARE WITH THE CLASS. I GOT THE IDEA TO SPREAD CULTURAL CUISINE, BECAUSE I KNOW EVERY MONTH HAS CULTURE ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

>> IT IS A LOT OF REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE, AND IT IS ALSO A LOT OF THINGS THAT I THINK THEY MISS WITH THE SOFT SKILLS PART OF IT. BECAUSE THEY ARE ACTUALLY FORWARD FACING WITH THE CUSTOMERS, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO TALK TO THEM AND INTERACT , IT IS ALSO, WE SET IT UP, SO IT IS MORE LIKE A BUSINESS, WHERE THERE ARE PEOPLE IN CHARGE, YOU HAVE TO RECRUIT PEOPLE TO WORK AND TRAIN PEOPLE, AND YOU ARE TRAINING YOUR REPLACEMENT. SO, IT IS NO DIFFERENT THAN IF THEY WERE TO GO TO WORK IN A RESTAURANT, IT IS EXACTLY THE

SAME KIND OF EXPERIENCE. >> HELLO, NICOLE PORTER, A SOPHOMORE AT GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL.

>> AS IS ON THE VIDEO, EACH STUDENT'S EXPERIENCE DIFFERS ON THE PERSONAL WANTS AND NEEDS FOR THEIR CAREER FEED.

>> OUR JOB IN THIS PROCESS WAS TO INTERVIEW EDUCATORS AND OUR PEERS . THE VIDEO WE HELPS CREATE HIGHLIGHTS WHAT STUDENTS ARE DOING IN THE WBL ANY LIFE EXPERIENCES THEY GAIN.

>> WE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS FEATURED IN THE VIDEO. PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED.

>> THEY WILL NOW SHARE WITH THE PRODUCTS THEY CREATED FOR WORK-BASED LEARNING.

>> NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THANK YOU. WE HOPE YOU NOW HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WBL AND YOU CAN SHOW THIS POSITIVE IMPACT IT HAS ON THE COMMUNITY. FOR PROVIDING A PIPELINE FOR EMPLOYMENT TO ALSO -- TO PREPARE THE NEXT GENERATION TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY

[01:25:03]

HAVE. THANK YOU. >> EVERY YEAR, THIS GETS BETTER. SO, I AM TALKING TO YOU, MISS CYP. YOU'RE DOING A BEAUTIFUL JOB WITH THESE STUDENTS. I AM BLOWN AWAY AND I HAVE NOT EVEN EATEN THE APPLE BUTTER YET. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, I WOULD LOVE IF YOU HAVE ANY CROWS AND BLOWS THAT

YOU HAVE FOR THEM ? >> I LOVED EVERYTHING I SAW.

FROM THE POSTERS, JUST THE PRESENTATION AND PUBLIC SPEAKING IS JUST AMAZING. THE EYE CONTACT, SPEAKING CLEARLY AND JUST, YOU DID A REALLY PROFESSIONAL JOB . AND I LOVE THE TEST DRIVE A CAREER. WHO CAME UP WITH THAT? THE MARKET UP SLOGAN. WHO COMES UP WITH THESE SLOGANS ? THE KIDS? AMAZING. I MEAN, YOU GUYS ARE ALREADY READY, YOU NEED TO START YOUR MARKETING FIRM AFTER YOU GET OUT OF SCHOOL, IT WAS

GREAT. I AM SO IMPRESSED. >> ANYONE ELSE? MS. ROBINSON?

>> OH, SURE. YOU DEFINITELY ARE DRESSED TO IMPRESS. AND THAT IS A GOOD FEELING FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TO SEE OUR STUDENTS JUST LOOKING GREAT. YOUR EYE CONTACT WAS IMPRESSIVE. I MEAN, YOU KNEW YOUR MATERIAL. IT WAS VERY EVIDENT THAT YOU PRACTICED. BUT WHAT YOU PRESENTED WAS ABOVE AND BEYOND.

AND I CONGRATULATE EACH ONE OF YOU FOR EVERYTHING, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU PUT INTO THIS PROGRAM. YOU HAVE WONDERFUL LEADERSHIP, AND I CONGRATULATE THEM AS WELL, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL. AND THANK YOU, MR. HAHN, FOR SHARING ALL OF THIS WITH US THIS EVENING. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ALL.

>> I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOU ALL WILL DO AMAZING OUT IN THE REAL WORLD. I MEAN, SO IMPRESSIVE. TAKE SHE SAID, THE EYE CONTACT, WHEN YOU ALL SAID YOUR NAME, IT WAS REALLY IMPRESSIVE. I KNOW WHEN YOU GET OUT THERE IN THE REAL WORLD AND YOU ARE SITTING THROUGH INTERVIEWS, YOU KNOW, YOU WILL IMPRESS EVERYBODY RIGHT AWAY. THEY WILL BE, LIKE, THEY ARE AHEAD OF THE GAME. YOU GUYS ARE AHEAD OF THE GAME. I AM SO PROUD OF YOU AND I APPRECIATE HOW WELL YOU GUYS REPRESENT GOOCHLAND HIGH

SCHOOL. >> NEWS FLASH, THIS IS THE REAL WORLD. AND YOU HAVE SHOWN UP AND SHOWN OUT TONIGHT. YOU JUST HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB. AND TO THE MEMBERS OF OUR PROGRAM WHO WENT AND DID VOLUNTEER SERVICE FOR SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA IN THE WAKE OF HURRICANE HELENE, THANK YOU FOR GIVING BACK TO OTHERS WHEN YOU GOT NOTHING IN RETURN. THAT IS A MODEL CITIZEN RIGHT THERE. I AM SO IMPRESSED BY ALL OF YOU.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING WITH US TONIGHT. GREAT JOB.

>> I AM NOT EASY TO IMPRESS, AND YOU DID. HE REALLY DID. NOT ONLY YOUR PRESENTATIONS, THE FACT THAT YOU WANTED TO DO THIS AND YOU DID IT. AND YES, YOU CRUSHED IT. WHO WAS IT THAT HAD THAT QUOTE, CRUSHED? YEAH, YOU CRUSHED IT.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THEM TO

US THIS EVENING. GREAT WORK. >> SORRY, WE APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE FOR HAVING TO WAIT NEAR AN HOUR WHILE WE WERE IN THERE. SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING THE PATIENTS.

>> YOU DID IT. NICE JOB. >> THAT WAS REALLY GREAT.

>> JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS EVERY DAY. BRAVO, YOU GUYS, YOU DID WONDERFUL

WORK. >> THINK YOU FOR BRINGING THEM, MOMS AND DADS. I KNOW YOU ARE VERY PROUD.

>> OKAY. THE GOOCHLAND EDUCATION FOUNDATION.

[A. Goochland Education Foundation]

[01:30:09]

>> WE WELCOME CINDY BROWN. GOOD EVENING.

>> GOOD EVENING, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, DR. CROMARTIE. I HAVE SOME PREPARED REMARKS . OH, I AM SO SORRY.

VOLUME ] I HAVE REPAIRED REMARKS, BUT I HAVE TO START BY POINTING OUT THAT THE TACKY LIGHT TOUR, MR. BURCH, AND THE MARKET UP FUNDING CAME FROM GES, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. SO, WHEN I MENTIONED TO PEOPLE ALL THE TIME, WE ARE ALL OVER THE SCHOOLS, EVERYWHERE. BUT WE ARE MORE CREATING OR GIVING UP THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT OTHERWISE WOULD NEVER HAPPEN.

SO, ON THAT NOTE, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL THAT IS GOING ON IN THE GOOCHLAND EDUCATION FOUNDATION. AS YOU MAY KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN GROWING QUITE A BIT FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, SINCE 2017, WE HAVE INTRODUCED AND FUNDED OVER 60 PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS THAT ARE WIDE RANGING, AS YOU HAVE WITNESSED TONIGHT, AND A VARIETY OF LITERACY PROGRAMS FOR PRE-K THROUGH THIRD GRADE.

THE VIRTUAL-REALITY PROJECT, WE HAVE HAD IT FULLY FUNDED, WHICH INCORPORATES BR INTO THE CURRICULUM, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE EVERY STUDENT ACCESS TO ACADEMIC EXPERIENCES AND DISCIPLINES, REGARDLESS OF LEARNING AND PHYSICAL STYLES AND CHALLENGES, AS WELL AS ROBOTICS IN ALL GRADES, CHANGING THE WAY MATH IS TAUGHT THROUGH OUR CRITICAL THINKING CLASSROOMS, EXCUSE ME, I AM PUTTING THESE ON SO I CAN READ IT BETTER, PROVIDING TEACHERS WITH TOOLS THEY NEEDED TO TEACH VIRTUALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE STEM AND NATURE PROGRAM, WHICH YOU ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH, MAKER SPACES, AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROJECTS, SUCH AS THE LOW ROPES CHALLENGE, WHICH WAS A STEM PROJECT. S.A.T. PRACTICE TESTING THIS SCHOOL YEAR BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES THEY HAVE MADE AN S.A.T. TESTING, AND THE LIST GOES ON. WE DID HAVE IT IN 2020 WHEN SCHOOLS SHUT DOWN, BY PROVIDING OVER $100,000 TO PROVIDE FOOD ASSISTANCE, THEN OVER ANOTHER HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO PROVIDE TECHNOLOGY SO THAT EVERY STUDENT WAS SITTING IN CLASS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR. AND WE CONTINUED TO WORK WITH DR.

CROMARTIE AND HIS TEAM TO FIND WAYS THAT GEF CAN CREATE THIS PRACTICES IN EDUCATION FOR ALL GOOCHLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS. SO, HERE WE ARE. AFTER SEVEN YEARS OF BUILDING AND STRENGTHENING THE GOOCHLAND FOUNDATION AND WORKING CLOSELY WITH DR. CROMARTIE, WE ARE DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE WILL BE LAUNCHING AN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM IN AUGUST OF 2025, CALLED "G CAPITAL E CAPITAL F ADVENTURES" AND THAT IS THE LOGO. WITHOUT THE GEF, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE THIS ON. THIS INITIATIVE IS NOW HAPPENING BECAUSE THE GEF IS IN A STRONG POSITION TO MAINTAIN AND GROW OUR PROGRAMS OVER THE EXTRAORDINARY FINANCIAL COMMITMENT OVER THE GOOCHLAND COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, DR. CROMARTIE. WITHOUT HIS ENTHUSIASM AND COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO PROVE GOOCHLAND COUNTY STUDENTS , THE ABILITY TO BE ACADEMICALLY SUCCESSFUL AND PREPARED FOR THE FUTURE , WE COULD NOT DO THIS. IT IS IN PERFECT ALIGNMENT WITH THE GEF EFFORT TO PREPARE EVERY STUDENT FOR AN EVER-CHANGING GLOBAL WORKFORCE. WE BELIEVE THE NAME GEF ADVENTURES REPRESENTS ALL THAT WOULD HAPPEN INSIDE THE WALLS OF OUR PROGRAM. AND WE HAVE A LITTLE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION THAT I WILL BRIEFLY GO THROUGH. MANY OF YOU ALREADY KNOW A LOT OF THIS INFORMATION, THE COUNTY CHILDCARE PROGRAMS, PRIMARILY PARKS AND REC AND THE Y. THEY ARE MORE CHILDCARE, THEY ARE NOT ACADEMICALLY LEANING. I WILL JUST HAVE TO DO THIS. SO,

[01:35:04]

YOU HAVE THE POWERPOINT FOR ANY DETAIL. I WILL NOT GO INTO A LOT OF DETAIL, BECAUSE THAT DETAIL WILL FLUSH ITSELF OUT.

BUT, OTHER THAN THAT, WE ARE AS READY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN BE.

BUT I DO WANT TO FINALLY SAY ONE THING. THAT WE HAVE A

[01:40:03]

AND IT IS ALSO A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO INVITE THE COMMUNITY AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO. THAT IS ALL I REALLY HAVE TO SAY. DO YOU HAVE ANY

QUESTIONS? >> THANK YOU, MS. BROWN. THIS IS VERY EXCITING. WE KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN A GREAT COLLABORATION TO BRING THIS TO LIFE. SO, YOUR LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO OUR SCHOOLS IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED . BOARD MEMBERS, THIS MAY BE ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES YOU ARE HEARING ABOUT THIS PROJECT, WE KNOW SUPERVISORS JUST VOTED ON THE FUNDING FOR THEIR RECENT MEETING. SO THAT IS WHAT GIVES MISS BROWN THE PERMISSION TO KIND OF TELL HER STORY TO A MORE BROAD AUDIENCE. BUT FEEL FREE TO ASK QUESTIONS.

>> I THINK THIS IS GREAT. AS A TEACHER MYSELF, I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE FOUNDATION. THEY HAVE AN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM IN HASKELL, I AM ABLE TO SEE THE BENEFITS OF IT WITH THE STUDENTS THERE. JUST LIKE YOU SAID, IT IS MORE THAN JUST CHILDCARE, THEY ARE REALLY DOING SOME ACTIVITIES AND SOME THINGS THAT THE STUDENTS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO OTHERWISE. SO, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO US.

>> SURE. I WILL THROW OUT , DYLAN AND ANGELA HAVE HEARD THIS, BUT THE DESIGN OF THEIR PROGRAM ACTUALLY ORIGINALLY CAME FROM GOOCHLAND. GOOCHLAND WAS NOT IN A POSITION BACK IN 2015, 2016, TO DO IT. SO, WE HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING IT VETTED THOROUGHLY BY THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AND THEY HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL AND SUPPORTIVE IN HELPING US GET THIS LAUNCHED. IN FACT, THE PERSON WE ARE CONTACTING TO HELP US THROUGH THE LICENSING ACTUALLY IS AN EMPLOYEE OF HEF, AS WE CALL IT, HE IS A LICENSING GURU. HE HAS LICENSED 22 -- AND HE IS A FAMILIAR ENOUGH WITH GOOCHLAND THAT I ASKED, CAN WE HAVE HIM? AND HE SAID YES.

>> DID YOU HAVE COMMENTS? >> NO, I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK ABOUT YOUR FUNDRAISER. YOU MENTIONED MARCH 14TH, I JUST WANTED TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT.

>> IS THE GALA. >> OH, THE GALA. OKAY, YES. I

AM LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. >> IF ANYONE WANTS TO SPONSOR, JUST LET ME KNOW.

>> WE ENCOURAGE SPONSORSHIPS. >> GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THIS WITH US. I LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH YOU

FURTHER. THANK YOU. >> OKAY. WE HAVE NOW REACHED

[A. Public Comment Period]

SPEAKER COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE CHAIR. IF YOU WOULD LIKE A RESPONSE FROM YOUR SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVE, PLEASE LEAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION WITH THE CLERK, MS. BENNETT. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW OPEN. MS. BENNETT, DID WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TONIGHT? YES,

PLEASE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR.

FIRST, I WANT EVERYONE TO LOOK AT MY SHIRT. WHAT DOES IT SAY?

>> WOMAN OF GOD.

TREATED LIKE A LITTLE CRASS CRIMINAL. I HAVE BEEN CRIMINALIZED, OSTRACIZED, DEHUMANIZED, HATE CRIMES HAVE BEEN COMMITTED AGAINST ME. I COME HERE TONIGHT TO ASK FOR THE RESIGNATION AND TERMINATION, AND THE LICENSING OF SARAH FRANKLIN MERRITT, LISA FORBES, PATRICK ADRIANA, AND THE WHOLE ENTIRE SAN ANDERSON LAW FIRM. THEY COMMITTED AN UNSPEAKABLE, EGREGIOUS CRIME AGAINST ME. THEY CALLED MY CHILDREN'S MEDICAL PROVIDER AND TRIED TO BULLY HER INTO TELLING THEM THAT I ERECTED, I CREATED A FALSE MEDICAL HOME DOCUMENT AND SUBMITTED IT TO THE SCHOOL. I SIGNED THE DOCTORS NAME, SO THEY SAY. BUT THE DOCTOR WOULD NOT GO ALONG WITH IT. SO NOT ONLY DID THEY COMMIT SLANDER AND DEFAMATION, THEY TAMPERED WITH A WITNESS, WITH A CUSTODY CASE. AND THEY

[01:45:06]

>> OKAY, THANK YOU, MISS SIMS.

>> CALL ME ANGELA. I WILL GO GIVE DIANE MY PHONE NUMBER. I EXPECT A CALL FROM YOU. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MISS SIMS. >> GOOD NIGHT.

>> I WILL GIVE YOU ALL A MINUTE.

>> OH, PLEASE. >> THANK YOU.

>> YES. KAREN HORN, I AM IN DISTRICT TWO. THE FIRST U.S.

TAX -- THE FIRST U.S. TAXPAYER PUBLIC FUNDED SCHOOL WAS AUTHORIZED ON JANUARY 1ST, 1644 BY UNANIMOUS VOTE IN MASSACHUSETTS. AFTER 380 YEARS, THERE IS STILL WORK BEING DONE TO ENSURE THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION IS A WELCOMING EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF AMERICA'S CHILDREN. WE HAVE MANY CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONALS WHO BRING THEIR PASSION, KNOWLEDGE, TALENTS, AND SKILLS TO MAKE WHAT IS RIGHT IN PUBLIC EDUCATION ALIVE AND WELL HERE IN GCPS. WE HAVE MISSED BENNETT AND SO MANY TEACHERS PRESENTING TONIGHT, DR. CROMARTIE, AMAZING EXAMPLES. LAST MONTH, WE HAD A CTE TEACHER WHO CARED SO DEEPLY ABOUT HIS STUDENTS THAT HE CAME TO THE SCHOOL BOARD TO EXPLAIN THE EFFECTS OF A POLICY OF NOT BEING ABLE TO WEAR HAT TO THIS BOARD. WE SEE THE -- WHO PROVIDES FUNDING FOR AMAZING ACTIVITIES, AND WE SAW SOME OF THOSE EXAMPLES TONIGHT.

STUDENTS LIKE AMAYA, WHO COME TO SCHOOL READY EVERY DAY, ENGAGED, AND TAKE ON ALL THOSE AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES , AND ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES TO BE THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE.

THE LIST COULD GO ON AND ON. WE SAW SO MANY EXAMPLES TONIGHT.

WHAT IS RIGHT IN GOOCHLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WHAT IS WRONG? SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS THAT, WITH A POLITICAL AGENDA, HAVE CLAIMED TRANSPARENCY TO GET ELECTED, A FULL SLATE OF POLICIES WERE POSTED FOR A FIRST READING LAST MONTH, AFTER MULTIPLE MONTHS OF POLICY REVISIONS, LIMITED TO THAT POLITICAL AGENDA. I EMAILED EACH BOARD MEMBER ASKING IF THEY WOULD BE HONEST ABOUT THE SOURCE OF THE REVISIONS. I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE , AND THIS BOARD GAVE A LOT OF EXCUSES FOR

[01:50:01]

>> THANK YOU , MISS LAUREN. >> GOOD EVENING. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY THAT I LOVE GCPS. THE TEACHERS ARE SO AMAZING, THEY REALLY DO WORK SO HARD. GOOD EVENING, SCHOOL BOARD, DR.

CROMARTIE, MY NAME IS LAUREN COMSTOCK . PRIOR TO SITTING ON THE BOARD, CAROLYN SEEMS WAS THE SOLE CHALLENGER OF HUNDREDS OF BOOKS, ASKING FOR BOOKS TO BE REMOVED FROM HER SCHOOL SHELVES. WHEN WE RECEIVED OUR FOIA REQUEST ON THE MATTER, WE DISCOVERED SHE HAD NOT READ THE BOOKS SHE WAS CHALLENGING FOR REMOVAL. SHE WAS LINKING THE MOM'S FOR LIBERTY BOOK LIST FOR HER REFERENCE THAT SHE CLAIMED IN HER PROFESSIONAL REVIEWS. THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN CONSIDERED A CREDIBLE OR LEGITIMATE RESOURCE. IN RESPONSE, OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT CAME UP WITH A WONDERFUL SOLUTION TO RESPECT INDIVIDUAL PARENTAL RIGHTS. AND TO AVOID POTENTIAL LAWSUITS. GC, PS CREATED A SYSTEM WHERE EACH STUDENT'S PARENTS CAN DECIDE IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO RESTRICT BOOKS FOR THEIR STUDENTS. THEY CAN OPT TO HAVE THE LIBRARY CONTACT THEM BEFORE OR AFTER THEIR STUDENT CHECKS OUT ANY BOOKS. THIS WAS REALLY ABOUT PARENTS RIGHTS, ONE WOULD THINK THAT TERRENCE WOULD BE SATISFIED WITH THIS REASONABLE SOLUTION AND SUB HARPING ON WHAT BOOKS MY KIDS HAVE ACCESS TO. I RECENTLY LEARNED THAT SHE IS STILL ATTEMPTING TO BLOCK WHAT BOOKS STUDENTS CAN ACCESS BY BLOCKING BOOKS ON THE PURCHASE LIST. NO SURPRISE, SHE HAS NOT READ ANY OF THE BOOKS SHE IS ASKING TO BE CENSORED.

THE REST OF GCPS PARENTS SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE THEIR DECISIONS FOR THEIR OWN CHILDREN. SHE CERTAINLY IS NO BETTER -- KNOWS NO BETTER WHEN IT COMES TO MY KIDS. WITH ANGELA ALLEN -- A LEGAL LIST DESPITE ANDERSON SUCCESSFULLY REPRESENTING OUR DISTRICT FOR DECADES. I THINK IT HAS BEEN 20 YEARS AT LEAST. IT APPEARS TO BE REVENGE, BECAUSE SANDS ANDERSON DEFENDED THE SCHOOL BOARD FROM THE FRIVOLOUS FLAP LAWSUIT. IT DOES SEEM TO BE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, BUT YOU ARE THE ONE THAT SOLICITED THIS. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE LAWSUIT WAS HER DOING. HER LEGAL TEAM COULD ALSO BE THAT THEY HAD TO EXPAND TO HER THAT HER DISTRICT COULD NOT DISCRIMINATE. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT YOU DO NOT WANT ANYTHING GETTING IN THE WAY OF YOUR AGENDA. OF COURSE, THERE ISN'T TRANSPARENCY WITH THESE REASONS. READING THE LETTER, THIS WOULD BE AN ENORMOUS DOWNGRADE. NOT ONLY DOES IS LAWYER ONLY HAVE FOUR YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH REVEALS THAT THE LAW FIRM SEEMS TO HAVE ONLY RECENTLY ADDED AN EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. IT MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE, CONSIDERING THAT THERE ARE MORE LOCAL LAW FIRMS WITH MORE EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED. THIS SEEMS TO BE FOLLOWING A PATTERN, SINCE YOU RECKLESSLY LEFT THE SBA IN EXPERIENCE RESOURCE FOR THE SBMA, IS THAT BOARD ASSOCIATION THAT DOES NOT OFFER THE DISTRICT THE SAME RESOURCES. IS REALLY GIVING THE "YOU DON'T TAKE YOUR JOB SERIOUSLY" VIBE. IT WILL ULTIMATELY PROVE TO BE FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MS. COMSTOCK. >> DAVE HARDAWAY FROM GUM SPRINGS. THIS TRANSPARENCY THING , I FEEL LIKE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE COMING UP HERE THAT ARE NOT BEING TRANSPARENT. AS FAR AS I KNOW, IT IS INSURANCE THAT PAYS THESE LAWYERS AND

[01:55:01]

>> THANK YOU, MR. HARDAWAY. >> MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD, DR.

CROMARTIE , AMAYA, MISS BENNETT. HOLDING OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE IS OUR CIVIC DUTY AS A FREE PEOPLE IN A FREE SOCIETY. FAR TOO MANY PEOPLE DO NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS PODIUM AND OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO SPEAK OUT. I COME TONIGHT TO DO THIS VERY THING. AND WHILE YOU'RE CRITICS, DETRACTORS, NAYSAYERS, AND THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO HAVE SOUR GRAPES SEEM TO HAVE MASTERED THIS VERY THING, I BELIEVE WE WHO SUPPORT YOU NEED TO TAKE TIME OUT OF OUR OWN LIVES AND LET YOU KNOW WHERE WE STAND TOO. THAT SAID, WITH JUST ABOUT A YEAR UNDER YOUR BELT, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR SERVING OUR STUDENTS, OUR TEACHERS, OUR COMMUNITY, AND OUR COUNTY. HAVING THE HUNDREDS, HAVING MY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER OF DISTRICT 2 SITTING UP THERE REPRESENTING ME AND THE HUNDREDS OF CONSTITUENTS WHO VOTED FOR HER, I TOO AM REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AND VOTERS WHO CAST THEIR VOTE ON NOVEMBER OF 2023 . I WAS GRATEFUL THEN AND I AM EXCEEDINGLY GRATEFUL NOW. I HAVE BEEN REPRESENTED WELL, NOT ONLY BY HER, BUT BY ALL OF YOU. AND AS YOU KEEP TO THE PRINCIPLES WE ELECTED YOU FOR, I APPRECIATE YOU STANDING IN THE GAP AND TAKING FIRE FROM THOSE DETRACTORS AND HOLDING YOUR GROUND. YOU HAVE DONE IT WITH GRACE AND PROFESSIONALISM, SHOWING MUTUAL RESPECT, ALL BY WHILE BEING RAKED OVER THE COALS. EVEN IF OUR NUMBERS SEEM FEW, WITH THOSE TAKING THE TIME OUT OF OUR BUSY SCHEDULES AND LIVES TO STAND APPEAR IN THE PUBLIC EYE, THERE IS A FORCE STANDING WITH US TO SHARE THE SAME SENTIMENT. MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL, MAY YOU HAVE A JOYOUS HOLIDAY SEASON , BEING GRATEFUL FOR GOD'S BOUNTIFUL BLESSINGS IN OUR LIVES, I COUNT YOU AS ONE OF MY BLESSINGS. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MISSILE. -- MISS LYLE . OKAY, SEE NO ONE ELSE,

[A. Report of the Student Representative]

>> HELLO, EVERYONE. HELLO, EVERYONE. THIS IS MY LAST REPORT . FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW GRATEFUL I AM TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND TO REPRESENT OUR STUDENTS. IT IS NOT SOMETHING I TAKE LIGHTLY. SO, FIRST, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT. ON NOVEMBER 11TH, OUR WINTER SPORTS TEAMS HELD TRYOUTS AND WE ARE THRILLED TO REPORT THAT APPROXIMATELY 165 STUDENTS ARE PARTICIPATING IN A VARIETY OF SPORTS THIS SEASON. STUDENTS ARE SHOWING THEIR DEDICATION IN BASKETBALL, INDOOR TRACK, SIDELINED CHEER, SWIM. WE CELEBRATED AN EXCITING MILESTONE FOR ONE OF OUR STUDENT ATHLETES, OWEN GORDON. OWEN SIGNED HIS NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT TO LEE MCRAE COLLEGE, WHERE HE WILL BE COMPETING IN BOTH LACROSSE AND SNOWBOARDING WHILE PURSUING A MAJOR IN OUTDOOR RECREATION MANAGEMENT. ON NOVEMBER 14TH, WE HOSTED AN ENERGY CAREER FAIR, STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET

[02:00:02]

CROMARTIE AND MISS BENNETT FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND PATIENCE AS I NAVIGATE THIS ROLE . THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE, I HAVE GAINED A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW OUR SCHOOLS OPERATE , I DEVELOPED MY PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I HAVE LEARNED THE SIGNIFICANCE OF LISTENING TO AND REPRESENTING THE VOICES OF OUR STUDENTS. TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, I COMMEND YOU FOR THE DIFFICULT AND IMPORTANT WORK THAT YOU DO.

YOUR DECISIONS IMPACT THE FUTURE OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY. SOMETHING I KNOW THAT YOU ALL DO NOT TAKE LIGHTLY. I ASK THAT AS YOU CONTINUE MAKING DECISIONS, YOU DO SO WITH THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR STUDENTS AT THE FOREFRONT, SETTING ASIDE POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS AND PERSONAL BIASES. I ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO ATTEND SCHOOL EVENTS BIG AND SMALL WHENEVER YOU CAN. WHETHER IT IS A DANCE RECITAL, DRAMA PRODUCTION, MARCHING BAND PERFORMANCE, UNIFIED SPORTS EVENT, OR JUST A REGULAR SPORTING EVENT. IT ALLOWS YOU TO EXPERIENCE FIRSTHAND WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO OUR STUDENTS AND WHY THESE PROGRAMS ARE SO ESSENTIAL. THESE ARE MOMENTS THAT MAKE OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY SPECIAL, AND THEY DESERVE YOUR SUPPORT AND RECOGNITION. FINALLY, TO EMERSON AND SAM, I KNOW YOU BOTH WILL BE EXCELLENT IN THIS ROLE. I AM CONFIDENT THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO REPRESENT GOOCHLAND COUNTY SCHOOLS WITH PRIDE, ENTHUSIASM, AND DEDICATION. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING ALL THE AMAZING THINGS YOU WILL ACCOMPLISH . IF YOU NEED ANY HELP OR JUST SOMEONE TO TALK TO, I AM HERE.

THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. I AM TRULY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING I HAVE LEARNED AND THE CHANCE TO SERVE

OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY. >> NICE JOB, AMAYA. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR AMAYA?

>> THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE.

>> THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE. YOU HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB REPRESENTING THE STUDENT BODY. WE ARE JUST REALLY PROUD OF YOU. I KNOW YOUR FAMILY MUST BE EXTREMELY PROUD OF YOU AS WELL.

>> SEE YOU AT GRADUATION.

>> AND TO KEEP US POSTED, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT THOSE ACCEPTANCE LETTERS. WE ARE EXCITED FOR YOU. THANK

YOU, AMAYA. >> OKAY. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL

[A. Chair's Comments]

[02:05:05]

IN MARCH, THIS BOARD ADOPTED THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S MODEL POLICY TO ENSURE THE PRIVACY, DIGNITY, AND RESPECT OF ALL STUDENTS. HOWEVER, I HAVE RECEIVED REPORTS THAT STUDENTS ARE USING FACILITIES THAT DO NOT ALIGN WITH THEIR BIOLOGICAL SEX, RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT THE LIMITATION OF THIS POLICY. I HAVE HEARD FROM PARENTS AND STUDENTS ALIKE OF FEMA STUDENTS LEAVING FACILITIES WHEN MALE STUDENTS ENTER TO USE THE FACILITIES. GRAHAM VERSUS GLOSSER DOES NOT GRANT CARTE BLANCHE ACCESS TO ANY BATHROOM OF ONE'S CHOICE. THE PRECEDENTS SET ESTABLISHES A HIGH STANDARD THAT MUST BE MET TO PERMIT SUCH ACCESS. AND IT DOES NOT ABSOLVE SCHOOLS OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO BALANCE PRIVACY AND SAFETY FOR ALL STUDENTS. POLICY JA EXPLICITLY REQUIRES, AND I QUOTE, WHERE STATE OR FEDERAL LAW REQUIRES SCHOOLS TO PERMIT TRANSGENDER STUDENTS TO SHARE OTHERWISE SEX-SEGREGATED FACILITIES, PARENTS SHOULD BE GIVEN THE RIGHT TO OPT THEIR CHILD OUT OF USING SUCH FACILITIES. AND THE CHILD SHOULD BE GIVEN ACCESS TO ALTERNATIVE FACILITIES THAT PROMOTE PRIVACY AND SAFETY,". I AM MORALLY AND ETHICALLY COMPELLED TO INFORM THE PUBLIC THAT OUR SCHOOL DIVISION HAS FAILED TO NOTIFY PARENTS OF THIS OPT OUT PROVISION. THIS OMISSION NOT ONLY BREACHES OUR POLICY, BUT ALSO COMPROMISES THE TRUST THAT FAMILIES PLACED IN US TO SAFEGUARD THEIR CHILDREN'S RIGHTS AND WELL-BEING. POLICY JA WAS ADOPTED WITH THE INTENT OF PROVIDING THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF PROTECTION FOR ALL STUDENTS. ESPECIALLY TRANSGENDER STUDENTS. YET, I AM NOT CONFIDENT THAT IT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED WITH THE SPIRIT OR DILIGENCE INTENDED. I AM DEEPLY DISHEARTENED BY THE SEEMINGLY LAX ATTITUDE TOWARDS ENFORCING THIS POLICY. AS CHAIR, I PLEDGE TO THE PUBLIC THAT THIS MATTER WILL BE INVESTIGATED THOROUGHLY. WE WILL TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO ENSURE THE POLICY IS ENACTED WITH FIDELITY AND THAT THE PRIVACY AND SAFETY OF EVERY STUDENT REMAINS OUR TOP PRIORITY. THANK YOU FOR THE HONOR OF SERVING AS CHAIR OF THIS BOARD. I REMAIN RESOLUTE IN MY COMMITMENT TO UPHOLDING THE TRUST YOU HAVE PLACED IN ME AND ENSURING THAT EVERY STUDENT IN OUR SCHOOLS IS SUPPORTED AND RESPECTED. DR. CROMARTIE, YOU

HAVE SUPERINTENDENT COMMENTS? >> AS THE YEAR DRAWS TO A

[A. Superintendent's Comments]

[02:10:03]

2025. >> THANK YOU, DR. CROMARTIE.

>> MADAM CHAIR? I ASKED IF WE COULD HAVE A RECESS FOR 10

MINUTES . >> I MOVED TO HAVE A 10 MINUTE

RECESS. >> ALL RIGHT, A 10 MINUTE RECESS, I SECOND. WE WILL RECONVENE AT 7:50. THANK YOU.

CAPTIONER ON STANDBY. ]

[02:20:09]

>> WE ARE BACK. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME TO STRETCH OUR LEGS A

[02:20:11]

[A. Committee Reports]

>> I DO. I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THE POLICY COMMITTEE REPORT. IT IS KIND OF LIKE A YEAR IN REVIEW. -- ANSWERS POLICIES -- QUESTIONS REGARDING POLICY DURING OUR MEETINGS. WE DID NOT HAVE ANY WITH THIS MONTH, THAT IS WHY SHE IS NOT HERE. POLICY REPORTS AND POLICY EDITS FOR 1ST READ ARE ATTACHED IN THE SCHOOL BOARD AGENDA EACH MONTH. MOST POLICY CHANGES ARE NON-SUBSTANTIVE WORK MINOR GRAMMATICAL REVISIONS . THERE HAVE BEEN SOME POLICY EDITIONS, AS WELL AS CHANGES IN POLICY TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CODE OF VIRGINIA, POLICY JA, PRIVACY, RESPECT, AND DIGNITY FOR ALL STUDENTS CAME UP ON THE 13TH AND MARCH 12TH. THE SCHOOL BOARD VOTED 5-0 TO APPROVE POLICY JA AS PRESENTED. ON JUNE 11TH, 2024, IN ADDITION WAS MADE TO THE POLICY, SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND MEDIA CENTER TO PROVIDE A PROVISION FOR COMMUNITY FEEDBACK PRIOR TO PURCHASE OF LIBRARY BOOKS. OUR MISSION IS TO MAXIMIZE POTENTIAL OF EVERY LEARNER BY PROVIDING EXCELLENT EXCELLENT ACADEMIC RESOURCES. AUGUST 1ST, 2024, DURING A SPECIAL MEETING, THE POLICY COMMITTEE WORKED ON THE STANDARDS OF STUDENT CONDUCT. AND THAT IS THE CELL PHONE AND DRESS CODE POLICY . ON SEPTEMBER 10TH, 2024, THE COMMITTEE REVISED DRESS CODE LANGUAGE PER THE VIRGINIA CODE TO 2.1-79 .9 .6. DURING THE FALL, THE COMMITTEE CAUGHT UP ON POLICIES THAT NEEDED UPDATING FROM THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATES. HAVE MET WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD ALLIANCE TO DISCUSS RESOURCES FOR POLICY REVISION AND UPDATE MOVING

FORWARD. >> THANK YOU, MISS WIRSING.

>> SOME OF THIS MIGHT BE REDUNDANT, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY HEARS THAT THE BOARDS THAT I AM SERVING ON, I AM CONSTANTLY OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. OF COURSE, OF THESE BOARDS I AM A -- MEMBER. I WOULD CERTAINLY ASK THAT YOU GO TO THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THESE BOARDS FOR QUESTIONS OR ANSWERS. BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I AM ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO TAKE THOSE QUESTIONS, WHATEVER QUESTIONS MIGHT BE RELATED TO MY COMMITTEES. I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO SERVE ON THREE ADDITIONAL BOARDS RELATING TO THE COUNTY SCHOOLS. THE FIRST BOARD WILL GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE GEF. WE HEARD THAT THIS EVENING. BUT THIS, IN A NUTSHELL, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD, BEING AN EX OFFICIO MEMBER OF THAT COMMITTEE, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTACT THE GEF OR DR. CROMARTIE. FOR THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO DO NOT KNOW ABOUT GEF, IT STANDS FOR GOOCHLAND EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION, IT IS NOT A PART OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FUNDING -WISE. THEY INTEND TO EXPAND VISIONARY AND EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES DESIGNED TO ENRICH AND MAXIMIZE THEIR LEARNING POTENTIAL OF GOOCHLAND STUDENTS. ITS GOAL IS TO SECURE FUNDING TO SUPPORT THESE EFFORTS. SOME OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE OFFERINGS HAVE BEEN PREPPED FOR THE S.A.T.S, THE INNOVATIVE GRANT PROJECTS TO STAY IN STEP WITH ALL ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY. AND OF COURSE, THESE STEM, WORKING THE LAND AT WESTVIEW ON THE JAMES AND LEARNING FROM ARBORISTS AND CONSERVATIONISTS, AND MANY MORE OPPORTUNITIES OF LEADERS IN OUR AREA, THESE ARE ALL CONNECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT TO THE REAL WORLD. THE GEF HAS NOTED THIS EVENING, THEY WILL SOON BE OFFERING FAMILIES AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY FOR A VERY INNOVATIVE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM . THESE PROGRAMS WILL BE HELD IN EACH OF THE ELEMENTARIES, AND EXCITING PART OF IT IS THAT THE STUDENTS WILL NOT HAVE TO TRAVEL TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE OFFERINGS. THE SECOND BOARD THAT I SERVE ON IS THE

[02:25:01]

[02:30:04]

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. ROBINSON. MISS MOSES?

>> I WILL GO AHEAD AND GIVE MISS BENNETT THE WRAP-UPS.

>> I'M GOING TO DO THE SAME IN THE INTEREST OF TIME.

INAUDIBLE - LOW VOLUME ] ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR MOVING SPECIFIC ITEMS FOR

[13. Consent Items]

>> I MOVE TO APPROVE IT AS A SLATE . DOES ANYBODY HAVE A

SECOND? >> I SECOND.

>> SO YOU DO WANT TO 2ND IT? IS THERE A DISCUSSION?

>> I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT ONE OF THE POLICY UPDATE.

>> KEEP GOING. >> IF WE COULD AMEND THAT TO SAY, TO MAKE IT A SLATE EXCEPT FOR THE POLICY UPDATES, LETTER

I UNDER 13. >> OKAY. I HAVE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO YOUR MOTION. DO YOU ACCEPT?

>> YES. >> ARE YOU WILLING TO 2ND?

>> OKAY. WE ARE APPROVING CONSENT ITEMS ABCDE CAPITAL F GH. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE . ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MISS

MOSES? >> THANK YOU. I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT POLICY. IT WAS NOT SUBSTANTIVE, IT WAS MINOR. THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS.

ORIGINALLY, IT HAD AS A THIRD PARAGRAPH, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS MAY PARTICIPATE IN THE DIVISION GROUP INSURANCE PLAN, AND WITH THE REVISION, THAT LINE HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT CONTINUE. I DO NOT SEE WHY THAT NEEDS TO COME OUT.

>> OKAY. FOR A CHANGE TO BE MADE TO IT, THIS IS A SECOND READING, IT HAS TO GO BACK TO THE COMMITTEE. SHE IS LOOKING

AT ME FUNNY. >> WHY DON'T WE JUST DENY THAT

ONE? >> BECAUSE IT IS A SECOND READING. ALL RIGHT. WE CAN AMEND IT NOW.

>> MY PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS TO REINSTATE IT SO THAT IT READS AS OF THE ONE THAT WAS REVISED ON MAY 14TH, 2019.

>> THE REMOVAL OF THAT SENTENCE WAS THE ONLY CHANGE?

>> I AM LOOKING AT YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE ON THE POLICY

COMMITTEE. >> ARE YOU LOOKING?

>> I DON'T KNOW. IS THAT A MOTION?

>> SURE, IT IS A MOTION. >> OKAY. IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED TO UPDATE POLICY BHD, TO REINSTATE THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WHEN THEY PARTICIPATED IN THE DIVISION'S GROUP INSURANCE PLAN, WHICH WAS STRUCK FROM THE POLICY FOR 2ND

READING. >> FIRST READING.

>> THIS IS THE SECOND READING, IT IS CONSENT AGENDA. IS

[02:35:01]

THANK YOU, MISS MOSES. THAT WAS FUN. DR. CROMARTIE, WE HAVE

[A. Draft SY25-26 School Calendar]

ONES HERE. >> WE DO. FOR A START, WE HAVE A DRAFT OF THE PROPOSED 2025-2026 CALENDAR. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO -- THE SENIOR STAFF AND PARENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE. FOUR CALENDAR DRAFTS WERE TURNED OVER TO THE ADVISORY. THEY HELD THOSE CALENDAR DRAFTS FOR A MONTH TO BE TAKEN INTO VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS FOR FEEDBACK.

PRIORITIES WERE CALENDAR OUR REGIONAL ALIGNMENT, I BROUGHT THIS FORWARD TO THE BOARD LAST YEAR DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, TO TOUT THE FACT THAT THE REGIONAL ALIGNMENT -- CALENDAR AND THIS IS ALIGNED TO THE REGIONS THAT WE MOST CLOSELY COMPARE. I WANT TO MAKE A DISTINCTION THAT WE TALKED ABOUT REGIONAL COMPARISONS, THERE ARE SUPERINTENDENT REGIONS, OF WHICH WE ARE A PART OF REGION ONE, AND THEN THERE ARE GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS. THOSE REGIONS THAT BORDER US TO THE NORTHWEST BORDER US TO THE GEOGRAPHIC REGION, BUT NOT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REGION. THIS WAS BROUGHT TO ALIGNED TO SUPERINTENDENT REGION ONE. SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CALENDAR, AGAIN, PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH ME THAT AT TIMES IT IS CONSTANT.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS CALENDAR IS THAT IT DOES DO WHAT IT PROMISES TO DO. AND THAT IS MAINTAIN INSTRUCTION AT THE FOREFRONT. WE ARE PROPOSING A START DATE OF AUGUST 18TH. THAT DATE WOULD BE FOR OUR TRANSITIONAL GRADES, AND OPPORTUNITY FOR KINDERGARTNERS, SIXTH AND NINTH GRADERS TO ATTEND THEIR SCHOOLS AS THEY TRANSITION FROM ONE TODAY, HAVE THE FULL RUN OF THE PLACE, AND PARTICIPATE IN AN ORIENTATION PROGRAM. IT DOES COUNT AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL DAY. ALL OTHER STUDENTS, FIRST GRADE THROUGH 12, WILL REPORT ON THE FIRST IS THE FIRST DAY. THANKFULLY IN THIS CALENDAR, IT IS PROPOSED THAT NIGHT OF THE BUSINESS, ONE WEEK AT THANKSGIVING. JUST TO REMIND OUR COMMUNITY, THAT WAS SORT OF EIGHT TRANSITION THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE MOST REASONABLE WAY FROM THE TRANSITION. DOES REPRESENT A COUPLE DAYS OF FALL BREAK FROM OCTOBER, WHICH THE STAFF INDICATED THEIR DESIRES OF. AND OUR END DATE WOULD BE IN MAY WITH GRADUATION ON EITHER THE 23RD OR THE 30TH. THAT IS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE HIGH SCHOOL STAFF. AGAIN, I AM VERY PROUD OF THIS CALENDAR, IT FEATURES 175 INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS . IF YOU COUNT THAT ON AN AVERAGE OF A SIX HOUR INSTRUCTIONAL DAY, IT REPRESENTS 1050 INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS, WELL EXCEEDING THE 990 INSTRUCTIONAL HOUR REQUIREMENT. IN FACT, LEAVING TIME TO ACCOUNT FOR DAYS THAT MAYBE WE LOST TO CLEMENT WEATHER. THIS CALENDAR INCLUDES A FIRST SEMESTER OF 80 DAYS IN A FIRST SEMESTER AS IT SHAKES OUT OF 95 DAYS. THAT BASICALLY IS BECAUSE WE HOLD TRUE TO CLOSING OUR SEMESTERS AS WE LEAVE FOR WINTER BREAK. NO MATTER WHAT OUR SCENARIO IS, BECAUSE THAT IS OUR STANDARD, OUR SECOND SEMESTERS ARE TYPICALLY GOING TO BE LONGER IN DURATION, AND THAT IS COMPLETELY ALLOWABLE.

WITH THAT, I'M VERY PROUD OF THIS PRODUCT AND IKE PRESENTED FOR BOARD AND COMMUNITY REVIEW. AND I WILL BRING IT BACK FOR -- TIME. I WELCOME THE DISCUSSION.

>> I HAVE A QUESTION. IT STILL SEEMS UNCLEAR. ABOUT THE FIRST DAY OF, THE 18TH IS THE FIRST DAY FOR THE PRE-K, SIX THROUGH NINTH, THE 19TH IS FOR EVERYONE ELSE. DOWN HERE AT THE BOTTOM, IT IS EARLY DISMISSAL FOR STUDENT, FIRST AND LAST DAY OF SCHOOL. I KNOW THAT THERE IS THE /. IN THE / HAS BEEN PUT ON THE 29TH FOR THE END. IT, SHOULD IT BE A HEFTY FOR THE 18TH? I AM SORRY, AUGUST 8. SHOULD IT --

>> AUGUST EIGHTH IS A FULL DAY FOR THE STUDENTS IN

TRANSITIONAL GRADES. >> OH, OKAY, OKAY. NEVERMIND

THEN. >> I THINK THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION. MAYBE WE CAN PUT SOME KIND OF DOTTED LINE OR SOME TYPE OF VISUAL INSIGNIA TO MARK THAT THIS IS, OH, GREEN IS THE BEGINNING OF SCHOOL AND PINK, OR RIGHT IS THE END OF SCHOOL.

EITHER WAY, THAT IS STILL REALLY OBVIOUS. WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT IT, WE FELT LIKE WE WERE READING THAT EARLY DISMISSAL

[02:40:03]

MS. WIRSING, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

>> I THINK YOU GUYS MENTIONED IT. THE LITTLE NOTATIONS AT THE BOTTOM, THE SLASH, THAT NEEDING TO BE THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE 18TH, I LIKE THE SLOW, GRADUAL, JUST THE ORIENTATION FOR THE KIDS THAT ARE NEW TO THE SCHOOLS, AND IT IS NICE THAT IT IS TWO SEPARATE DAYS. SO, THAT IS REALLY NICE. AND I THINK, JUST MAKING SURE THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS WHAT 15 WAS SAYING ABOUT THE REGIONAL ALIGNMENT IS IMPORTANT. AND WE MADE THAT CLEAR, WE THINK 15 MADE THAT CLEAR LAST YEAR. AND THAT IS REALLY WHY WE ARE STICKING TO THIS CALENDAR. AND I BELIEVE ALL OF THE RAKES, DR.

CROMARTIE, DO A LINE WITH THE CORRELATING ONES WERE HER

TEACHERS ALSO LIVE. >> THEY DO, MOSTLY. I WILL SAY THAT OCTOBER THE 16TH AND 17TH ARE UNIQUE TO US. AND RICOH UTILIZES THOSE DAYS FOR JEWISH HOLIDAYS THROUGHOUT THE

CALENDAR. >> OKAY.

>> THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK ON THIS. AND ALSO HAVING THE PARENT ADVISORY, PARENTS WERE ABLE TO GIVE FEEDBACK THROUGH THOSE COMMITTEES, THROUGH THAT COMMITTEE. THANK

YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> BOARD MEMBERS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK FOR DR.

CROMARTIE ON THIS? >> I REALLY THINK THIS IS LANDING US IN THE RIGHT PLACE . I LOOK FORWARD TO ANY OTHER FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC NOW THAT IT IS OUT THERE FOR ALL TO

SEE. OKAY. >> ARE WE INVITING DR. GEYER?

[B. Public School Accreditation and Accountability in Virginia]

>> WE ARE. AS DR. GEYER MAKES HIS WAY UP, I WILL JUST REMIND THE COMMUNITY THAT THIS CALENDAR WOULD HAVE BEEN THE THIRD YEAR OF A THREE-YEAR CYCLE OF CALENDARS THAT WERE

[02:45:01]

BECAUSE OF OUR -- SESSIONS. >> ALL RIGHT, MADAM CHAIR, ARE

YOU READY FOR ME? >> DR. CROMARTIE, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING TO PROVIDE REALLY WHAT IS GOING TO BE A 30,000 FOOT VIEW OF THE CHANGES TO PUBLIC SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY IN VIRGINIA. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, YOU CAN GET INTO THE WEEDS , AND IT CAN BE MORE THAN A 30,000 FOOT VIEW IN MORE THAN A CONCISE PRESENTATION, SO I WILL DO MY BEST TO STAY AT THAT 30,000 FOOT VIEW. I WANT TO START BY SAYING THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE, ALL OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN VIRGINIA ARE REALLY LEARNING ABOUT WHAT ACCOUNTABILITY WILL LOOK LIKE IN THIS NEW FRAMEWORK MOVING FORWARD. TO THE EXTENT THAT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION STILL HAS NOT VOTED ON ALL OF THE COMPONENTS THAT GO INTO THIS. SO, TODAY'S PRESENTATION, I KNOW THERE IS INTEREST IN THE BOARD, THERE IS INTEREST IN THE PUBLIC TO CLARIFY WHAT WE DO KNOW AND TO BE REALLY TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT WE ARE STILL WANTING TO FIND OUT. OUR TEAM IS REALLY INTERESTING, WE HAVE DONE A TON OF LEGWORK. AND I WILL SAY IT IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OUR TEAM IS REALLY COMPETITIVE , WE WANT OUR SCHOOLS TO BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS POSSIBLE IN THIS NEW FRAMEWORK. SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, YOU NEED TO KNOW THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT. WE EVEN HAD A CALL WITH SOME PRETTY SENIOR FOLKS A FEW DAYS AGO AND WE REALLY UNPACKED OUR RESULTS AS THEY WOULD STAND IN THE NEW FRAMEWORK. WE ASKED SOME REALLY POINTED QUESTIONS, THEY WERE SUPER CANDID AND ANSWERED WHAT THEY COULD. IF THEY DID NOT HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT YET, THEY SHARED THAT AS WELL. IT IS DEFINITELY A WORK IN PROGRESS. AND I START THERE TO SAY THAT I WILL POTENTIALLY NOT HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE, BUT I WILL CERTAINLY DO MY BEST TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT I CAN. IT IS IMPORTANT TO TAKE A QUICK LOOK BACK, I THINK, FOR THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN IN EDUCATION FOR DECADES AND THEY HAVE A SENSE OF THIS OF THIS. MOST FOLKS, IF THAT IS NOT THE CASE, USUALLY DON'T. UNIFORM STATEWIDE TESTING IN VIRGINIA STARTED IN 1998. I WAS A CLASSROOM TEACHER AT THE TIME, I REMEMBER THAT WELL. AND THAT, IN MY ESTIMATION, THAT IS THE START OF THE STANDARDS MOVEMENT IN VIRGINIA, FOLLOWED BY STATE TESTING OVERALL. A REALLY POSITIVE SHIFT . AND THE TERM THAT IS OFTEN USED IS THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF HOBBY TEACHING GOING ON BEFORE THAT, WHERE FOLKS WERE JUST TEACHING WHATEVER THEIR PASSION PROJECTS WERE IN SCHOOLS, AS OPPOSED TO ANY UNIFORM CURRICULUM ACROSS THE STATE. AND SO THE INTRODUCTION OF THE STANDARDS IN THE 1990S, FOLLOWED BY THE SOL TEST IN 1998, A MORE SIGNIFICANT SHIFT IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. A REALLY IMPORTANT ONE. SO, ALONG WITH THE STATE TESTS CAME THIS NEW INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTABILITY AND ACCREDITATION, LARGELY TIED TO THOSE STATE TESTS. THAT IS A FACT. AT THE TIME IN 1999, FOLLOWING THAT FIRST ROUND OF TESTS IN 1998, WHEN ACCREDITATION WAS TIED DIRECTLY TO THOSE UNIFORM STATE TESTS, 6.5% OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN VIRGINIA MET THESE SYSTEMS NEW ACCREDITATION STANDARD. SO, TEST WERE NEW, ACCREDITATION FRAMEWORKS AND HOW THOSE TIE INTO STATEWIDE TESTING WAS ALL NEW. AND SO THAT IS TO SAY THAT WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY SINCE 1999. BUT I THINK IT IS ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THE ACCOUNTABILITY FRAMEWORK HAS CHANGED ABOUT EVERY FIVE YEARS, THERE ARE SOME PRETTY OBVIOUS REASONS TO THAT, WITH GUBERNATORIAL CHANGES, STATE BOARD CHANGES , A LOT OF TIMES FOLKS COME IN AND HAVE A VIEW OF HOW THEY WANT ACCOUNTABILITY TO HAPPEN IN VIRGINIA. AND SO FOR THOSE IN THE PROFESSION OF EDUCATION , THE EASY ANALOGY IS THAT THE GOALPOSTS GET MOVED ABOUT EVERY FIVE YEARS. SO IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE STAY IN TUNE WITH ANY CHANGES THAT ARE MADE SO THAT WE CAN RESPOND ACCORDINGLY WITH OUR PROGRAMMING INVESTMENTS AND BUDGETARY DECISIONS THAT THE BOARD WOULD HAVE MADE. THAT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A HISTORY TO SAY THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER ACCOUNTABILITY FRAMEWORK. THAT IS LIKELY THE CASE . SO, FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, A QUICK LOOK BACK, THIS IS ACTUALLY THE CURRENT FRAMEWORK, AND YOU ALL HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE, OUR SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN FULLY ACCREDITED THROUGH THIS ENTIRE MOST RECENT AND CURRENT FRAMEWORK THAT IS IN PLACE. I WILL NOT GO THROUGH IT ALL WITH YOU, BUT YOU HAVE SEEN THOSE ACADEMIC INDICATORS COMEDY PERFORMANCE LEVELS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH IT FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WITH BENCHMARKS SET BY THE STATE BOARD, THOSE ON THE BENCHMARKS, AGAIN, THAT IS WHAT OUR CURRENT ACCREDITATION SYSTEM LOOKS LIKE. AND SO THE CHANGES HAPPENING NOW, THIS YEAR'S

[02:50:04]

GROWTH, AGAIN, I THINK IT IS GROWTH -- GREAT THAT GROWTH IS A COMPONENT. I WILL SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF COLOR COMMENTARY THROUGHOUT. A LITTLE FRUSTRATING IN BEING IN A SCHOOL DIVISION THAT USES MATH THAT IS DESIGNED TO BE A GROWTH MEASURE, THAT GROWTH IS GOING ACROSS THE STATE IS GOING TO USE THE ASSESSMENTS, THE STATE SOL ASSESSMENTS, THAT WERE DESIGNED TO BE ACHIEVEMENT ASSESSMENT AND USING STATISTICAL ANALYSIS TO LOOK AT HISTORICALLY HOW STUDENTS HAVE DONE ON IT THERE SOL TEST TO PREDICT HOW THEY WILL DO AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AT THOSE STATE ACHIEVEMENT TESTS. SO, GREAT THAT GROWTH IS INCLUDED IN ETIQUETTE IS A GREAT START FOR THE STATE. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME ALLOWANCE FOR DIVISIONS LIKE GOOCHLAND OR ANY OTHERS THAT USE A TRUE GROWTH MEASURE, TO HAVE THAT BE A COMPONENT, RATHER THAN THE STATE ACHIEVEMENT TESTS. READINESS IS PROBABLY THE MOST COMPLICATED. WE WILL UNPACK THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE. IT MEANS SOMETHING, AS I MENTIONED TO YOU, THERE IS A READINESS COMPONENT OF ALL THREE ACADEMIC LEVELS. SOME OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PIECES ARE CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, WHICH IS INCLUDED FOR ALL THREE ACADEMIC LEVELS. AND THEN WE USE WHAT WE CALL THE 3E FRAMEWORK. IT IS SPECIFIC TO THE HIGH SCHOOL.

THAT INCLUDES EXPERIENCES IN HIGH SCHOOL, WE HEARD ABOUT SOME OF THEM TODAY, WHICH WAS AWESOME. ESSENTIALLY HIGH SCHOOLS IN PARTICULAR ARE ACCRUING POINTS FOR PIECES TO THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE RELATED TO WORK-BASED LEARNING, CAREER EXPLORATION, OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF SERVING IN THE MILITARY, ENROLLING IN DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASSES THROUGH PROGRAMS LIKE THE ADVANCED COLLEGE ACADEMY, TAKING ADVANCED COURSEWORK LIKE THE AP COURSEWORK, SO, AGAIN, NOT 30,000 FEET, AND WE CAN GET WAY INTO THE WEEDS, PARTICULARLY WITH THAT FRAMEWORK, BUT THAT IS A COMPONENT FOR THE READINESS PIECE FOR HIGH SCHOOLS. ALL OF THAT, I THINK, IS REAL POSITIVE. GRADUATION, THE GRADUATION RATE, THE FEDERAL GRADUATION INDICATOR THAT WE REPORTED ON FOR YEARS, THAT IS SPECIFIC TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, OUR GRADUATION RATE IS A HUGE CONTRIBUTOR FOR US TO THAT HIGH SCHOOL SCORE. THOSE ARE THE FOUR COMPONENTS.

I MENTIONED ALREADY AND WE WILL REVISIT IN A SECOND WHICH ONES APPLY AT EACH ACADEMIC LEVEL, WHERE IT CONTINUES TO BE COMPLICATED IS AT THE PROPORTION OF EACH OF THOSE

[02:55:02]

SO, IF WE HAVE A STUDENT THAT PASSES ADVANCED, IT IS NOT ONE OF ONE. IT IS 1.25 OF ONE. SO YOU ARE GETTING A BIT OF A BONUS FOR STUDENTS THAT ACHIEVE AT A REALLY HIGH LEVEL ON THOSE STATE TESTS. AND THEN THE PROFICIENT PERFORMANCE IS ONE OVER ONE. AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THAT STUDENTS THAT DO NOT MEET THE MARK, THEY STILL ARE GIVING YOU A VALUE, IN MY ASSUMPTION, I HAVE NOT ASKED THIS QUESTION, MY ASSUMPTION IS BECAUSE THERE IS A RECOGNITION THAT DISSIPATION IN THE STATE TEST IS IMPORTANT. AND I WILL SAY, AGAIN, ADDING MY OWN COMMENTARY, THAT IS A CHALLENGE MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE, AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE, STUDENTS' PARENTS CAN OPT THEM OUT OF THE TEST. WHEN THAT HAPPENS, IT COUNTS AS A FAIL, IT COUNTS AS A ZERO OVER ONE. THERE IS A BENEFIT TO STUDENTS, EVEN IF THEY DO NOT PASS, AND I THINK THERE IS PROBABLY SOME MESSAGING AROUND THAT TO OUR COMMUNITY TO SAY, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOUR STUDENTS TEST WITH US, BECAUSE IT ALL PLAYS INTO THE ACCOUNT OF ELITE METRICS. AND IT IS AN AUTOMATIC ZERO OVER ONE MINI STUDENT DOES NOT PARTICIPATE. AS THE BOARD IS AWARE AND IS THE PUBLIC IS AWARE OVER THE LAST DECADE PLUS, WE TEST ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, WITH VERY FEW EXCEPTIONS OF STUDENTS IN SELF CONTAINMENT OR SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSROOMS, WE TEST ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. AND SO WE WANT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS TO TEST. REALLY, WHAT THE STATE IS SAYING THROUGH THIS NEW POINT VALUE SYSTEM IS THAT THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SCHOOLS ARE INCENTIVIZED TO TEST ALL KIDS.

SO IT IS POSITIVE AT THE SAME TIME, THERE IS NO ACCOUNTING FOR PARENT OPT OUTS FOR STUDENTS THAT DO NOT TEST, IT SIMPLY HURTS THE SCHOOL IN TERMS OF ACCREDITATION RATES.

SO THAT IS A CHANGE, I THINK GENERALLY A POSITIVE CHANGE.

MASTERY IS A COMPONENT FOR ALL THREE EDUCATION LEVELS. GROWTH, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, IS JUST A COMPONENT OF ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE. IT REALLY IS JUST READING GROWTH AND MATH GROWTH.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, MATH MEASURES. HOWEVER , THIS WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE, IF YOU THINK OF IT IN TERMS OF HAVING HISTORICAL SOL TESTING DATA, THEN BY NATURE, THAT REALLY STARTS WITH OUR FOURTH GRADERS. THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL WILL REALLY BE TESTING PROGRESS OF THE FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS, FOR ANYBODY YOUNGER THAN THAT, YOU DO NOT HAVE SOL TEST DATA.

AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL, IT WOULD BE SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT GRADE LEVELS THAT WILL HAVE A GROWTH COMPONENT. BUT AGAIN, I WOULD SAY THAT A STRUCTURE BUILT ON A TEST THAT WAS

[03:00:01]

ADVANCED COURSEWORK, AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE TRAFFIC, ONLY IMPACTS MIDDLE. AND THAT IS REALLY MOSTLY MATH. AND IT IS STUDENTS IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL TAKING AND OF COURSE HIGH SCHOOL CLASSES IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. BUT MY UNDERSTANDING RIGHT NOW IS THAT IT REALLY IS ONLY TAKING MATH, IT IS ONLY THOSE MATH HIGH SCHOOL COURSES THAT STUDENTS ARE TAKING IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND SO IT TELLS ME THAT IT IS BOLSTERING THAT PUSH TO HAVE STUDENTS TAKE ALGEBRA 1 IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.

AGAIN, THAT IMPACTS JUST THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, IT IS THE 3-D FRAMEWORK THAT I MENTIONED BEFORE, THAT ENROLLMENT, ENLISTMENT, EMPLOYMENT. AND THEN THE SIX YOUR EXTENDED GRADUATION RATES, HERE IS A BIT OF THE NUANCE. GRADUATION, YOU WILL SEE IT IN A MINUTE, IT IS SELF-EXPLANATORY, THAT IS OUR STRAIGHT GRADUATION RATE, THAT IS ITS OWN CATEGORY. THERE IS ANOTHER GRADUATION CATEGORY THAT THE STATE IS INCLUDING AND WHAT THEY ARE CALLING READINESS, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY, INSTEAD OF ON-TIME GRADUATION RATES, WHICH WE ARE USED TO, MAYBE YOU START YOUR FRESHMAN YEAR, YOU HAVE FOUR YEARS TO GET WHERE YOU NEED TO BE, THAT IS THE ON-TIME GRADUATION RATE, THE READINESS PIECE OF GRADUATION IS THE SIX YEAR EXTENDED GRADUATION RATE, SO THAT COULD BE KIDS THAT GRADUATE BUT TAKE LONGER THAN FOUR YEARS. I BELIEVE THERE IS PROBABLY A CREDIT FOR GED'S.

AND SO THE STATE'S WAY TO SAY, YOU DON'T GET THEM WHERE THEY NEED TO BE ON TIME, IT IS STILL IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO EARN A DIPLOMA. AND SO SCHOOLS, HIGH SCHOOLS WILL BE GIVEN CREDIT UNDER THE READINESS CATEGORY IN THAT SIX-YEAR GRADUATION RATE.

I HOPE THAT MAKES SENSE. SO, GRADUATION REALLY WILL HELP US TWICE. IT WILL HELP US IN THE GRADUATION CATEGORY AND IN THE RATINGS CATEGORY. AND THEN GRADUATION IS SELF-EXPLANATORY.

SO I DID NOT REALLY BREAK THAT DOWN. AND SO, AGAIN, JUST A REMINDER, THERE ARE THOSE CATEGORIES, BUT THEY ARE WEIGHTED DIFFERENTLY. AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, IT IS MOSTLY, IT REALLY IS MOSTLY THOSE SOL SCORES. HOW ARE THEY DOING FROM THAT STANDPOINT ON THE SCORES, HOW ARE THE DOING ON THE FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE LEVEL COMPONENTS? AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE WEIGHT SHIFT AS A GO TO MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL.

AND HERE, IF YOU REMEMBER, THE OLD SYSTEM, I HAD IT UP THERE BEFORE WITH THE RED LIGHT OR THE GREEN LIGHT, YELLOW LIGHT, RED LIGHT. HERE IS THE STATE'S NEW TITLES THAT THEY WILL USE BASED ON THE POINT THAT SCHOOLS CAN EARN OUT OF 100. SO IT IS ON A 100 POINT SCALE. WHICH IS SOMETHING WE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO WITH STUDENT GRADES. IF YOU SCORE 90 OR ABOVE, THEY ARE CALLING THAT DISTINGUISHED. IF YOU SCORE 80% TO 89%, IT IS ON TRACK. IF YOU SCORE 65% TO 79%, THAT IS OFF-TRACK. IF YOU SCORE BELOW 65 POINTS, WE ARE CALLING THAT NEEDS INTENSIVE SUPPORT. I WILL NOT READ TO YOU WHAT IS UNDER THAT. BUT THAT LOOKS LIKE WHAT IS WHAT WILL STICK IN TERMS OF THE NAMES OF THE CATEGORIES, BASED ON YOUR ACCREDITATION SCORE. SO, AGAIN, TO BE CLEAR, AT THE END OF THE DAY EACH YEAR, EVERY SCHOOL WILL GET A POINT VALUE OUT OF 100. AND SO THE OBVIOUS QUESTION IS, AND THIS IS WHAT ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE LEARNING NOW, THE STATE HAS STARTED TO GIVE US INFORMATION TO SAY, WITH THIS NEW FRAMEWORK IN PLACE, HERE IS HOW YOU WOULD HAVE DONE IF IT WERE IN PLACE THIS YEAR, WHICH IT IS NOT. SO, THE NUMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT UP YOUR SIMULATIONS. EVERY

[03:05:01]

IT COULD BE MORE MID TO UPPER 90S. WE WILL SEE HOW THAT GOES.

WE HAVE EVEN SEEN SOME COMPARISONS ACROSS THE STATE FOR OTHER SCHOOLS, WHICH IS WHAT TIPPED US OFF. GOSH, THAT 83 CANNOT BE RIGHT. IT IS NOT RIGHT AND I'M HAPPY TO REPORT BACK THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION. AT THE END OF THE DATE, THE SIMULATION DATA, THIS IS NOT ASSIMILATION DATA, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT, OBVIOUSLY FOR US, TO BENCHMARK WHERE WE WOULD BE WOULD BE IN THE ON TRACK CATEGORY AND TWO OF OUR FIVE SCHOOLS WOULD BE IN THAT DISTINGUISHED CATEGORY. I CERTAINLY WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION. WITH THAT, THAT IS THE 30,000 FOOT VIEW. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT I CAN ANSWER. I LIKELY WILL TELL YOU THAT I CANNOT

ANSWER IT IF I CANNOT. >> THANK YOU, DR. GEYER. BOARD MEMBERS, QUESTIONS ON THE NEW ACCOUNTABILITY FRAMEWORK?

>> SO DOES THAT MEAN WE NO LONGER WILL BE DOING MATH

TESTING? >> NO, WE WILL CONTINUE TO TEST. IF YOU ALL REMEMBER, AGAIN, IT WAS NICE TO HEAR TODAY. WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE THINK IS BEST FOR OUR KIDS. IF YOU REMEMBER YEARS AGO, THE STATE WILL THAT WHAT WE CALL OUR GROWTH MEASURE. THE VIRGINIA GROSS ASSESSMENT, THAT WAS THE ACRONYM. WE ARE REQUIRED TO GIVE IT. IT DID NOT GIVE US ANY VALUABLE INFORMATION. AT THE TIME, WE MADE THE DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH MAP, WE HAD GREAT HISTORY WITH IT, AND WE WERE DOUBLE TESTING OUR KIDS. WE KNEW IT WAS NOT GREAT FOR KIDS, BUT WE WANTED THE INFORMATION THAT THE MAP PRESENTED. THE STATE THAT IF YOU ARE USING AN ASSESSMENT LIKE MA COUPLE P, THEN YOU DID NOT NEED TO USE THE VIRGINIA STATE ASSESSMENT. SO OUR TEACHERS SEE A LOT OF VALUE IN THE INFORMATION THAT IT PROVIDES. AGAIN, WE ARE NOT SHOWING A COMPLETE PICTURE OF STUDENT LEARNING IF WE ARE ONLY MEASURING ACHIEVEMENT. WE ALSO HAVE TO MEASURE GROWTH, I BELIEVE, TO TELL THE FULL PICTURE. SO OUR PLAN IS TO CONTINUE WITH MAP . AND MAYBE AT SOME POINT WITH REVISIONS OVER THE YEARS, THE STATE WILL CONSIDER ALLOWING SCHOOL DIVISIONS TO HAVE SOME AUTONOMY IN HOW WE MEASURE GROWTH IF WE BELIEVE THE WAY WE MEASURE GROWTH IS BETTER THAN THE WAY THE STATE MEASURES GROWTH.

>> IS OUR NEW READING SERIES GOING TO BUMP US UP OR HOLD US

BACK THIS YEAR? >> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION. WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE STARTING AROUND THE CORNER OF THE INEVITABLE IMPLEMENTATION BUMP, ANY PITFALLS THAT WE WOULD ENCOUNTER. WE ARE STARTING TO GET SOME REALLY POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM SOME TEACHERS, NOT ALL TEACHERS. CHANGE IS HARD. SO, I THINK IF WE SEE ANY KIND OF PULLBACK IN SCORES, AND

[03:10:01]

AND OUR SCORES. >> DO YOU THINK WE WILL BE TESTING THIRD GRADE AS MUCH? WILL IT BE MORE? OR WILL WE BE

ABLE TO CUT BACK AT ALL? >> STATE TESTING? OR JUST OVERALL TESTING. I MEAN, THIRD GRADE IS NOT -- YEAH.

>> YEAH. IT IS BETTER THAN IT WAS. WE USED TO TEST THIRD GRADE AT THE STATE LEVEL IN ALL FOUR CORE AREAS, NOW IT IS ONLY IN READING AND MATH. YEAH, THERE IS A LITTLE BIT MORE BALANCE FOR 3RD GRADE. FOURTH GRADE GETS VIRGINIA STUDIES ON TOP OF READING AND MATH, AND FIFTH GRADE GET SCIENCE ON TOP OF READING AND MATH. REALLY, THE PINCH POINT, REALLY ACROSS ALL ACADEMIC LEVELS IS FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE. THIRD GRADE HAS PULLED BACK ON TESTS OVER THE YEARS.

>> I NOTICED WHERE IT SAID ON THE OFF-TRACK , AND IT SAYS THAT SCHOOLS RECEIVE ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS FROM VDOE. DOES THAT MEAN WE GET MORE SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS?

>> YET TO BE DETERMINED, BUT LIKELY SOME KIND OF COACHING FROM THE STATE. THEY LIKELY WILL HAVE A FLEET OF EDUCATORS THAT THEY SEND OUT TO THE SCHOOL DIVISION TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND PLANNING. THAT IS TYPICALLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST FOR SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT MEETING STATE BENCHMARKS THROUGH PREVIOUS ACCREDITATION CYCLES. I IMAGINE IT WILL BE

SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO THAT. >> OKAY, THANK YOU.

>> I WILL NOT ASK MY DATA QUESTIONS NOW BECAUSE WE DO NOT KNOW ENOUGH YET. I AM ENCOURAGED BY HOW WELL OUR SCHOOLS SHOWED UP. VERY ENCOURAGED. HAVING THE PRIVILEGE OF HEARING FROM MR. PRIESTLEY AT THE CONFERENCE LAST WEEK, SHE SHARED SOME THINGS AROUND SOME SCHOOL DIVISIONS THAT ARE FALLING INTO THE NEED INTENSIVE REPORT. IF THEY DO NOT DEMONSTRATE WHEN THAT REPORT IS PROVIDED, THAT THEY ARE MAKING A GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT, THERE NEEDS TO BE A CONSEQUENCE. YOU CANNOT KEEP POURING MONEY WITHOUT SHOWING RESULTS. THAT IS A SHIFT, THAT IS A FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT. IN THE PAST, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAS SAID, OH, IF YOU FAIL TO MEET YOUR ACCREDITATION STANDARDS, WE WILL NOT FUND YOU. I THINK IT WAS MORE BARK THAN BITE. BY THE WAY, I AM NOT ADVOCATING FOR SCHOOLS TO NOT BE FUNDED. I'M ADVOCATING FOR PROFESSIONALS TO DELIVER RESULTS FOR STUDENTS. I AM ENCOURAGED THAT WE ARE. I KNOW THERE WAS SOME NEWS THIS WEEK ABOUT GOVERNOR YUNKER POOR AND ANOTHER $50 MILLION TO BACK THIS PLANET FOR EVERYBODY OUT THERE. WE WILL NOT QUALIFY FOR ANY OF THAT MONEY, WHICH IS A GOOD THING. BECAUSE OUR SCHOOLS ARE SO HIGH ACHIEVING. SO, IT WILL BE FUN TO WATCH THE PIECES

OF THIS COME TOGETHER. >> ABSOLUTELY. THEY ARE STILL COMING TOGETHER. I AM HAPPY TO PROVIDE A PART TOO AS WE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. WE ARE LEARNING A LOT. AGAIN, OVERALL, THERE ARE SOME REALLY POSITIVE PIECES TO THE NEW

FRAMEWORK. >> THANK YOU, DR. GEYER.

>> THANK YOU. >> OKAY, DR. CROMARTIE.

[C. Forms and Requirements - Gifted and Policy JA Compliance]

THE GIFTED? MADAM CHAIR, I AM REQUESTING THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED PROVISIONS TO REFORMS TO ENSURE ALIGNMENT WITH THE CODE OF VIRGINIA'S DEFINITION OF GIFTED STUDENT, WHICH STATES GIFTED STUDENTS MEANS THOSE STUDENTS IN PUBLIC, ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND -- SCHOOLS WHO DEMONSTRATE A HIGH LEVEL OF ACCOMPLISHMENT OR SHOW POTENTIAL FOR HIGHER BUBBLES OF ACCOMPLISHMENT WHEN COMPARED TO OTHERS OF THE SAME AGE. OR ENVIRONMENT. APTITUDE AND POTENTIAL FOR ACCOMPLISHMENT ARE SO OUTSTANDING THAT THEY REQUIRE SPECIAL PROGRAMS TO MEET THEIR EDUCATIONAL NEEDS. SO I AM REQUESTING THAT THE FORMS SHOULD BE FREE OF ANY INFORMATION THAT COULD CAUSE BIAS OR PREJUDICE IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS .

[03:15:05]

TEACHERS OR THE PARENTS. >> THANK YOU, MS. WIRSING.

BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. WIRSING ON HER RECOMMENDATION? OKAY. AS THIS IS AN INFORMATION ITEM ONLY, WE WILL NOT TAKE ACTION TONIGHT, BUT WE CAN BRING IT FORWARD AT OUR JANUARY MEETING FOR A VOTE.

>> YES. CAN I GO OVER THE OTHER FORM? MADAM CHAIR, I AM REQUESTING THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED FIS, WHICH STANDS FOR THE INFORMATION UPDATE FORM, TO COMPLY -- PRIVACY, DIGNITY, AND RESPECT FOR ALL STUDENTS. AND PARENTS IN VIRGINIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THE FORMS SHOULD INCLUDE THAT GC CAPITAL PS CANNOT COMPEL STUDENTS OR FACULTY TO USE PREFERRED PRONOUNS, AS IT VIOLATES ANOTHER'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS FOR THE STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEM NAME UPDATE FORM SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE THAT IT DOES NOT GRANT ANY STUDENT ACCESS TO BATHROOMS OPPOSITE THEIR BIOLOGICAL GENDER. THAT FORM SHOULD WORK STRICTLY WITH THE NAME UPDATE.

POLICY JA WILL CLEARLY STATE THAT THE COMPARISON BATHROOM FACILITIES ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL STUDENTS, BY BIOLOGICAL SEX . WE HAVE THE BATHROOMS, MULTIUSE STALLS, AND SINGLE USE BATHROOMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL STUDENTS.

AND I AM REFERRING BACK TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S STATEMENT ON MODEL POLICY G, ALSO, HE STATED IT ALSO SATISFIES THE TIMELINE AS WITH ATHLETICS, APPLICATION OF TITLE 9 PERMIT SEGREGATION OF THE SEX IS APPROPRIATE FOR CERTAIN SETTINGS. THE LAW EXPRESSLY ALLOWS CERTAIN SEPARATE LIVING FACILITIES TO BE MAINTAINED FOR THE DIFFERENT GENDERS. SCHOOLS DO NOT VIOLATE THE STATUTE WHEN THEY AFFORD STUDENTS SEPARATE TOILETS, LOCKER ROOMS, AND SHOWER FACILITIES ON THE BASIS OF TRANSFERRED -- SEX, AS LONG AS UP OTHER FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE. I CONCLUDE THAT THE POLICY DOES NOT VIOLATIVE OF TITLE IX. AND THAT IS FROM THE AG'S REPORT. SO, THOSE ARE THE CHANGES I AM RECOMMENDING FOR THE SIS NAME UPDATE FORM FOR

SCHOOL BOARD APPROVAL. >> THANK YOU, MS. WIRSING.

SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, FEEDBACK FOR MS. WIRSING? THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS INFORMATION BEFORE THE BOARD. WE WILL WORK WITH MS. BENNETT TO HAVE THEM AS ACTION ITEMS FOR THE JANUARY MEETING. WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO SPECIFIC UPDATES TO ANY POLICY WHICH. WE WILL LOOK FOR THE COMMITTEE TO BRING IT BACK FOR A READING. OKAY. THE ACTION ITEM FOR THE EVENING, THE NEW LEGAL COUNSEL. I WANT TO

[A. New Legal Counsel - School Board]

THEY ARE NOT SPECIFIC TO THE SCHOOL DIVISION. THE SCHOOL DIVISION CAN CONTINUE TO RETAIN SANDS ANDERSON FOR REPRESENTING THE DIVISION IN ALL LEGAL MATTERS. FROM A FISCAL POINT OF VIEW, I DO NOT ANTICIPATE THIS BECOMING ANYTHING OF

[03:20:06]

>> MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE -- FOR THE SCHOOL

BOARD. >> SECOND.

>> MOVED AND SECONDED. WE HAVE RETAINED NEW LEGAL COUNSEL TO REPRESENT THE SCHOOL BOARD. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION?

>> ACTUALLY, CAN WE SPECIFY, WHAT INSIGHT?

>> YES. >> LET'S SPECIFY THE INSIGHT.

>> IF ANY AMENDMENT TO YOUR MOTION TO OBTAIN DUE LEGAL

COUNSEL. >> THANK YOU, MISS MOSES.

HEARING NO DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, SAY AYE.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED , NO? THE "AYES" HAVE IT. THE MOTION IS ADOPTED. THANK YOU. OKAY, DR. CROMARTIE, WE HAVE MADE IT TO

ITEMS FOR REVIEW. >> ITEMS FOR BOARD REVIEW, WE

[16. Items for Board Review]

PUBLIC GIFTS TO SCHOOLS. >> THANK YOU, DR. CROMARTIE. I NOTICED ON THE ATTENDANCE IN A MOMENT UPDATE, WE ARE WELL OUTPACING WHAT THE STATE PUTS FORTH, WE TALK ABOUT CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, AROUND 15%, WE HAVE, LIKE, 9495% OF HER STUDENTS IN SCHOOL EVERY DAY , GREAT JOB OUT THERE, MOMS AND DADS. AND I SEE THAT OUR ENROLLMENT NUMBERS CONTINUE TO TAKE UP A LITTLE BIT. I THINK THAT IS THE MOST RECENT NUMBER OF THE DIVISION. 26-56. SO, WE ARE GROWING.

>> THAT ATTENDANCE IS 10%. >> OH, ON THE NEW MODEL, I THINK IS 15. AM I WRONG ABOUT THAT?

>> YEAH, YEAH. WE ARE FEELING GOOD ABOUT OURSELVES.

>> BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS FROM DR. CROMARTIE ON THESE ITEMS FOR YOUR REVIEW? I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR PUBLIC CITIZENS AND CORPORATIONS THAT CONTINUE TO INVEST DIRECTLY IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION. IT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. AS YOU HEARD FROM MISS BROWN FROM THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, IT DEFINITELY MAKES A DIFFERENCE. OKAY. HEARING NO QUESTIONS AND THE AGENDA DID NOT INCLUDE NEW BUSINESS, I WILL ENTERTAIN A

MOTION TO ADJOURN. >> SO MOVED.

>> SECOND. >> FANTASTIC. BEFORE WE CONCLUDE TONIGHT, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE MS. ROBINSON, WHO CELEBRATED HER BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY. YESTERDAY OR TODAY? WAS IT YESTERDAY OR TODAY? TODAY. THAT IS EVEN BETTER. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MS. ROBINSON.

THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL RECONVENE FOR A JOINT BOARD MEMBER WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND FEDERAL FUNDING ON DECEMBER 16TH, 2024, HERE AT THE GOOCHLAND COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, 1800 SANDY HOOK ROAD IN ROOM 270, THE CONFERENCE ROOM ACROSS THE HALL. WE ARE HEREBY ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.