May 13, 2025 School Board Meeting - May 13, 2025

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BOARD HEREBY CERTIFIES ROLLCALL VOTE TO THE BEST OF EACH MEMBERS

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>> MISS HARRIS? >> MISS MAXWELL ?

>> I SO CERTIFY. >> MISS ROBINSON? I SO CERTIFY.

MISSES ALLEN? I SO CERTIFY. MISS MOSES? I SO CERTIFY. MISS

WIRSING? I SO CERTIFY. >> IF YOU WILL PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

OKAY, THANK YOU. WOULD YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE?

>> 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.

>> OKAY. DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONS, AMENDMENTS OR WOULD WE LIKE TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED AGENDA?

>> MADAM CHAIR, I PROPOSE THAT WE MOVE ITEM 7 TO PRECEDE ITEM 6 SO THAT THE REPORT OF THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE PRIOR TO

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PUBLIC COMMENT. >> IT HAS BEEN MOVED TO PUT THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COMMENTS BEFORE THE PUBLIC COMMENT. IS

THERE A SECOND? >> I SECOND.

>> IT HAS BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IN THAT CASE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF MOVING THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE BEFORE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION SAY AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. ABSTAINS? OKAY. IN THAT CASE YOU WILL BE BEFORE THE PUBLIC COMMENT. GREAT. AND NOW, WE NEED TO APPROVE THE AMENDED AGENDA . IS THERE A MOTION?

>> SO MOVED. >> MOVED AND SECONDED.

>> SECONDED BY MISS WIRSING. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY. IN THAT CASE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE AMENDED AGENDA SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. ABSTAINS? NOW WE HAVE AN APPROVED AMENDED AGENDA. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A PERFORMANCE.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO? >> MADAM CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS AND GUESTS, GOOD EVENING. I'VE HAD THE CHANCE TO SEE OUR FINE ARTS PROGRAMS IN ACTION FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS ALL OVER STAGES ACROSS THE DIVISION. WE HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT THIS EVENING. I WOULD LIKE TO BRING FORWARD OUR RANDOLPH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOURTH GRADE CHORUS LED BY OUR MUSIC TEACHER.

>> THIS IS OUR FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE CHORUS AND WE ARE GOING TO PERFORM A SONG THAT WE DID FOR THE FINE ARTS FESTIVAL BUT EVERY TIME THEY COME INTO MY ROOM THEY ASKED IF WE CAN SING IT SO THIS IS UPSTANDING CITIZEN. ALSO THE SPEAKER IS NOT WORKING SO THEY ARE GOING TO WATCH ME EXTRA CLOSE TONIGHT.

>>

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>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. I'M GOING TO GIVE THEM A COUPLE MINUTES TO SHUFFLE BECAUSE THOSE WHO JUST PERFORM WILL BE RIGHT BACK HERE TO SHARE WITH YOU. I'M GOING TO SAY A COUPLE WORDS BEFORE THEY DO THAT. ON APRIL 15 SOME OF YOU WERE ABLE TO BE IN ATTENDANCE. WE WELCOMED FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE ROAD BURNER COMMUNITY TO SEE OUR, HOW WE'VE GROWN EVEN AN EXPERIENCE SOME OF THE INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITIES STUDENTS HAVE HAD THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR. TEACHERS SAVED AT LEAST ONE BIG HANDS-ON PROJECTS THAT STUDENTS CREATED BASED ON A LEARNING STANDARD TAUGHT IN THE CLASSROOM. EXHIBITS INCLUDED LEARNING ABOUT ANIMAL LIFE CYCLES, PLANTS AND SOILS, JAMESTOWN, VIRGINIA AND GOOCHLAND HISTORY. THE IMPORTANCE OF BEES, READING CONNECTIONS AND MORE.

FIFTH-GRADERS ALSO WORKED TOGETHER ON A PRODUCT PROJECT CALLED BRANCH OUT, LEAFING A LEGACY WHERE THEY ADDED IMPROVEMENTS TO THE COURTYARD AND THE NATURE TRAIL. AS FAMILIES VISITED THAT EVENING THEY WERE GIVEN A BROCHURE AND A BOOKMARK. STUDENTS WHO VISITED AT LEAST 10 DIFFERENT EXHIBITS COULD TURN IN COMPLETED BOOKMARKS AND EARN AN OPPORTUNITY TO WIN ONE OF THREE GIFT CERTIFICATES TO SHOP AT THE BOOK FAIR. NOT ONLY IS THIS A WONDERFUL CHANCE FOR FAMILIES TO EXPERIENCE THE CREATIVITY AND EXCITEMENT FOR LEARNING THAT HAPPENS IN OUR SCHOOL BUT IT ALSO SERVED AS A FANTASTIC ACADEMIC REVIEW OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS BEFORE THE TEST IN MAY. WE WANTED THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE JUST HOW MUCH THOUGHTFULNESS GOES INTO THIS EVENT. I HAVE BETH FERGUSON, CAITLIN NOLAN, MICHELLE CLARK AND SUZANNE TAYLOR TO SHARE LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEIR INNOVATIVE AND ENGAGING PROJECT. TODAY EXPLAINED, TIME TRAVEL IN GOOCHLAND AND BEYOND 3.0. THEY ARE GOING TO COME ON

DOWN AND SHARE WITH YOU. >> GOOD EVENING, HOW ARE YOU ALL? MISS HARRIS, JUST CLICK ? PERFECT. GO BACK. OKAY. SO HOW IS EVERYBODY THIS EVENING? WE WILL NOT TAKE A LOT OF YOUR TIME BUT WE HAVE A GREAT PROJECT TO SHARE WITH YOU. WE ARE ON THE THIRD VERSION OF GOOCHLAND TIME TRAVEL AND BEYOND. EVERY YEAR THE IDEA IS THAT WE ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO LEARN MORE AND MORE ABOUT THE COUNTY IN WHICH THEY LIVE AND WHY IT IS SUCH AN AMAZING PLACE TO LIVE AND TEACH, BUT TO RAISE A FAMILY. THIS YEAR WE HAVE A NEW TEAM . WE'VE ADDED A FEW NEW CONCEPTS TO IT.

WE'VE BEEN CHALLENGED WITH MISS CINDY BROWN. THE GEF SUPPORTED THIS PROJECT FINANCIALLY AND ALL THE WAY AROUND SO WITHOUT THEM WE WOULD BE COMING TO YOU OFFER SOME MORE STUFF BUT THEY ARE HELPING US OUT THIS TIME. EVERY YEAR WE DO IT WE DECIDE TO ADD ONE MORE COMPONENT AND THAT IS THE CONCEPT BEHIND THIS. HAVE A NEW TEACHER ON BOARD WITH US, MS. CLARK WHO IS WITH US AND MISS MARTIN. THEY ARE THE COLLABORATING TEACHERS AND TEACH IN THE CLASSROOM TOGETHER. MISS MARTIN COULD NOT MAKE IT AND OF COURSE TAYLOR HAS BEEN DOING THIS WITH US FOR HOWEVER MANY YEARS, 10 OR 12 YEARS AT THIS POINT. I'M NOT GOING TO READ THE BOARD TO EVERYBODY BUT WE HAD A GUIDING QUESTION IN THE MAIN QUESTION WAS HOW HAS GOOCHLAND COUNTY HELPED TO SHAPE THE GROWTH OF VIRGINIA OVERTIME. YOU CAN IMAGINE ALL THE RESEARCH AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES INTO ALL OF THIS. IT PROMOTED TONS OF DISCUSSION BOTH AMONGST THEMSELVES, WITH OTHER TEACHERS AND A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND YOU ALL. YOU ALL CAME IN AND DID A COUPLE PROJECTS AS WELL AND WE ARE GOING TO MOVE RIGHT INTO THOSE. WE STARTED OUR PROJECT-- WE START OFF EVERY YEAR WITH THE GALLERY WALK WHICH WE ADD TWO. EVERY YEAR WE ADD MORE AND MORE TO IT THIS YEAR WE ADDED MORE OF THE FIRST RESPONDER ROLE TO IT SO WE HAD FIRST RESPONDERS WITH FIRE RESCUE AND THEN HAD OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND NEXT YEAR WE HAVE ANOTHER TRICK UP OUR SLEEVE WITH THAT. WE ADDED THEM TO THE MOBILE CLASSROOM AND THAT'S THE BIG PIECE THAT THE GOOCHLAND EDUCATION FOUNDATION DOES AND THAT IS A LITERAL MOBILE CLASSROOM WHERE WE PUT THIS YEAR, CLASS SIZES WERE SMALLER AND WE WERE PUTTING EVERYBODY ON ONE BUS AND THEY HAD ACTIVITIES THEY HAD TO COMPLETE WHILE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT 35 TALKING POINTS AS THEY RODE UP AND DOWN ROUTE SIX. WE MADE OUR WAY TO MANNEQUIN COMPANY ONE WHICH WAS

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>> SHE HAD THIS GREAT IDEA OF THE MEETING OF GOOCHLAND HISTORY AND TELLING THE STORY WITH STUDENTS . WE RAN OUT OF THOSE AND HEY, DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY? BECAUSE WE NEED SOME NEWSPAPERS.

IT WAS PHENOMENAL AND IT DOES TELL THE STORY. THE KIDS MADE IT THEMSELVES AND IT IS THEIR FABRICS INTERWOVEN SO I WANT TO THANK US WHEN WE GET BACK TO SCHOOL BUT IT HAS WOVEN ITSELF INTO THE PRESENT DAY ALL WHO LIVE HERE SO I WANT TO THANK HER WITH ALL OF HER WORK WITH THAT. GETTING BACK TO THE PROJECT, THE OTHER PIECE, ARE YOU READY FOR THE NEXT PIECE? THE STEM CREATIONS. DO YOU WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? COME ON

UP HERE. ALL RIGHT. >> MY NAME IS GRAHAM AND I BUILT THE FIREHOUSE . WHY PEOPLE BUILT THE FIREHOUSE WAS BECAUSE THE CHURCH BURNED DOWN AND NO ONE COULD PUT THE FIRE OUT. SO THEY BUILT A FIRE THERE AND THEY COULD PUT FIRES OUT AND SAVE PEOPLE AND STUFF LIKE THAT. MY 3-D MODEL WAS A FIRE TRUCK THANK YOU.

BUILT -- SUPPOSEDLY THE AMERICAN INDIANS LIVED THERE . THE MONICA AND INDIANS LIVED THERE. SO WE BUILT TEEPEES BECAUSE THEY LIVED THERE. FOR OUR 3-D MODEL WE MADE A CANOE , WE MADE LIKE A LITTLE POND WITH ROCKS AND WE PUT THE CANOE IN THERE. THANK YOU.

APPLAUSE ] >> THEY DID A REALLY GREAT JOB

ON THAT. >> SO THAT CLASSROOM DID AN

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THE PODCAST? >> WHICH IT IS A KID AND WHY SHE WANTED TO BECOME FIRST MANAGEMENT.

>> WHERE DID SHE GROW UP? >> GOOCHLAND.

>> I DID DOCTOR WAGNER. SHE'S HERE TONIGHT.

>> WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF INTERVIEWING DOCTOR WAGNER?

>> LIKE SHE STARTED OFF AS A TEACHER AT RANDOLPH AND LOOK WHERE SHE IS NOW? PRETTY IMPRESSIVE RIGHT?

>> I INTRODUCED MISS WHEN -- I INTERVIEWED MISS WINSTON .

>> SO YOU GOT THE LIVING HISTORY.

>> I THOUGHT I SAW MISSES GORDON COME IN. STAND UP, MISS GORDON.

HER HISTORY HERE IS CRAZY. WE HAD YOU, WE DID. WE HAD MORE TO

COME NEXT YEAR. >> WE WILL EVENTUALLY HOUSE-- TECH PEOPLE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HOUSE THESE PODCASTS BECAUSE WE ARE SAVING THEM FOR THE FUTURE WITH THE GOOCHLAND

HISTORICAL SOCIETY. >> AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR WE STARTED READING -- RAN BY STEVEN K SMITH WHO IS A LOCAL AUTHOR FROM RICHMOND VIRGINIA. THE SUSPENSE AND THE PLOT OF THE BOOK AND THAT WE COULD HEAR ALL ABOUT THE HISTORIC -- PLACES AROUND HERE. WE BROKE INTO FOUR GROUPS A AND STARTED READING THE NEXT STORIES IN THE SERIES. DURING THE LUNCH DAY FOR THE PROJECT IN THE FALL, WE NOTICED SIMILARITIES BETWEEN WHAT WE WERE READING IN THE STORIES AND WHAT WE WERE LEARNING ABOUT IN GOOCHLAND AND OUR IDEA WAS BORN. GOOCHLAND MYSTERY SERIES. WHILE ON THE MOBILE CLASSROOM FIELD TRIP WE ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT MYSTERIOUS AND UNKNOWN STORIES AND TOOK NOTES. MY FAVORITE HEART OF THIS PROJECT WAS WHEN WE WENT IN TO ADD DETAILS. THE BELL THAT WAS USED AT THE SCHOOL . AFTER THE FIELD TRIP WE JUMPED INTO PLANNING. WE WERE PUT INTO TEAMS OF FIVE OR SIX PEOPLE .

ROSENWALD, CEDAR POINT LOT KEEPERS, JACKSON'S BLACKSMITH AND THE COMPANY 4 FIREHOUSE. WE STARTED BY LEARNING ABOUT THE PLOT ELEMENTS AND RESEARCHING THE HISTORY BEHIND EACH LOCATION. YOU MAY BE WONDERING WHAT DOES THE FIREHOUSE HAVE TO DO WITH GOOCHLAND HISTORY? COMPANY 4 USED TO BE A SCHOOLHOUSE UNTIL IT WAS CONVERTED INTO A FIRE STATION IN THE 1950S. WE BROKE IT DOWN INTO INTRODUCTION, PROBLEM, CLIMAX AND RESOLUTION BY WRITING A LARGE BULLETIN PAPER. WE ALSO

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AFTER WE FINISHED OUR FIRST PLANNING PAPER WE MET WITH MS. NOLAN TO FIGURE OUT THE DETAILED PLOT DIAGRAM. SHE HELPED FINE-TUNE TO OUR RESEARCH. MAJOR GOOCHLAND HISTORY WAS INCLUDED IN THAT OUR STORIES FLOWED. WE BROKE EACH DIFFERENT ELEMENT INTO CHAPTERS AND BEGAN TYPING. WE EVEN GOT TO USE LAPTOPS TO HELP WITH TYPING. ONCE IT WAS DONE TYPING WE WORKED AS A TEAM TO EDIT OUR WRITING AND THEN WORKED WITH MS. NOLAN TO EDIT.

WE ALSO LEARN HOW TO SKETCH GRAPHICS ON CANNED THE CANVA IN MY FAVORITE PART WAS TO ADD THE BOOK LIKE YOU CAN SEE IN THE TITLE. OUR FINAL PRODUCT IS THE GOOCHLAND MYSTERY SERIES, INCLUDING THE SHATTERED SECRETS , THE SCHOOLHOUSE TO FIREHOUSE , THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING BELL, UNLOCKING THE MYSTERY OF THE LOT KEEPERS HOUSE, THE UNEXPECTED STOP, SECRETS OF THE BLACKSMITH.

NOW MS. NOLAN HAS PUT TOGETHER AND SENT IT OFF TO BE PRINTED.

APPLAUSE ] >> I'D LIKE TO ORDER AN ADVANCED COPY, PLEASE.

>> THANK YOU, ALL. >> THANK YOU, MISS BARNUM AND THANK YOU TO MS. FERGUSON, MS. NOLAN, MISS TAYLOR. AMAZING WORK AND AS WE CONTINUE WITH OUR RECOGNITIONS THIS EVENING EVERYONE, THIS IS THE SEASON OF RECOGNITIONS AND CELEBRATIONS TONIGHT AND I AM PLEASED TO FIRST RECOGNIZE THE GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL JUNKYARD DOG'S ROBOTICS TEAM . THEY ALWAYS MAKE AN ENTRANCE AND ARE DOING IT AGAIN NOW. THEY TRAVELED TO HOUSTON, TEXAS IN APRIL TO COMPETE IN THE FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WHERE THEY PLACED 10TH IN THE DIVISION OF 75 AND JOINED THE TEAM FROM ISRAEL TO PLACE SECOND IN THE DIVISION. THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THE TEAM IS MATED TO A PLAYOFF ROUND SO HERE TO TELL US MORE AND GIVE US A QUICK LITTLE DEMO ARE THE JUNKYARD DOGS AND MISTER MALONEY.

>> I'VE BEEN THE CAPTAIN OF THIS ROBOTICS TEAM FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. I AM A SENIOR SO I WILL BE LEAVING GOOCHLAND NEXT YEAR BUT THE REST OF THE TEAM IS VERY EXCITED TO PRESENT TO YOU ABOUT OUR PREVIOUS YEAR. WE JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT FRC IS.

THE PARENT COMPANY OF FIRST LEGO LEAGUE AND FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION WHICH WE HAVE IN EVERY ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS IN GOOCHLAND COUNTY. THE FRC TEAM IS TOP OF THE PEER AMID IN COMPETITION HERE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. WE HAVE A TEAM OF ABOUT 22 PEOPLE WORKING REALLY HARD YEAR ROUND SO I'M GOING TO HAND

IT OFF TO THE NEXT PRESENTER. >> HI. WE ARE JUNKYARD DOG'S ROBOTICS TEAM. WE ARE A GROUP OF LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS WHO COME TOGETHER TO BUILD A ROBOT TO COMPETE IN FIRST ROBOTICS. WE HAVE SIX AMAZING MENTORS . OUR PRESEASON EVENTS ARE EVENTS THAT

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WE LIKE TO REACH OUT AND SHOW WHAT OUR TEAM IS . WE LIKE TO DO FOOTBALL GAMES AND WE WENT TO MOUNT-- PRESCHOOL AND RECENTLY WE WERE GOING TO THE BEACH ONE DAY .

>> I'D LIKE TO INVITE EVERYONE TO COME SEE US AT GOOCHLAND DAY ON SATURDAY. SOMETHING WE DO IN THE BEGINNING OF EACH SEASON 'S IMPROVEMENT BECAUSE WE NEED A CONSTANT FLOW OF NEW MEMBERS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO CAN RUN THE TEAM WHILE WE ARE GONE AND WE HAVE A RECRUITING SEASON WHERE WE VISIT BULLDOG BLOCKS, WE GO TO THE HIGH SCHOOL CLUB FAIR AND DRUM UP A LOT OF EXCITEMENT FOR THE ROBOTICS TEAM AND WE GET PEOPLE ON BOARD AND THEY SEND US -- THEY BE INTERESTED IN. WE WELCOME THEM ONTO THE TEAM. AND THEN ONCE THEY ARE ON THE TEAM WE HAVE TO TRAIN THEM SO THEY CAN BE USEFUL AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE TEAM. THE JUNKYARD DOGS TRAINING GROUNDS IS HOW WE SPEND A LOT OF THE TIME FROM RECRUITMENT TO THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON IN JANUARY AND THAT STARTS OFF WITH SAFETY. SAFETY FIRST. WE HAVE A GENERAL LAB SAFETY TEST THAT EVERYONE HAS TO PASS AND ALSO TRAIN EVERYONE ON EVERY MACHINE IN OUR LAB. DEPENDING ON WHICH TEAM THEY DECIDE TO GO INTO THERE IS FURTHER SPECIALIZATION WHETHER THAT BE BILLED OR PROGRAMMING ET CETERA. WE CAP OFF WITH A BUILD AND DESIGN CHALLENGE THAT CULMINATES EVERYTHING THEY'VE LEARNED IN THE OFF-SEASON AND THEY HAVE A NOVEL CHALLENGE. WE 3D PRINTED A LANTERN THIS YEAR, AND THEY HAVE TO LIFT IT UP AND PUT IT ON THE DESK. WE SPLIT THEM INTO GROUPS AND GIVE THEM ACCESS TO ALL THE TOOLS AND MATERIALS THEY WANT AND GET THEM TO THE-- TO DEVELOP A SYSTEM THAT COMPLETES THAT TASK AND THAT CULMINATES EVERYTHING THAT THEY'VE DONE UNTIL WE GO TO THE SEASON ITSELF.

>> IN JANUARY WE ALL MEET , WE ALL GET TOGETHER FOR A KICKOFF TO SEE WHAT THE FRC GAME IS AND THIS YEAR IT WAS A WATER THEMED GAME WITH GAME PIECES BEING GOD -- DODGEBALL AND A PVC PIPE AT THE END OF THE MATCH WE WOULD CLIMB ONTO A METAL CAGE TO GET

EXTRA POINTS. >> LIKE YOU SAID, OUR SEASON STARTS IN JANUARY AND WE START WITH KIND OF GETTING TOGETHER AND LOOKING AT THE CHALLENGE THAT THEY PRESENT TO ALL THE TEAMS BECAUSE IT IS NOT UNVEILED UNTIL THAT DAY AND THEN FROM THERE WE GO AND LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT OBJECTIVES IN THE GAME AND SEE WHICH ONES WE WANT TO PRIORITIZE. ONCE WE'VE DECIDED HOW WE WANT A ROBOT TO LOOK , WE GO INTO PROTOTYPING AND TEST SOME IDEAS WE MIGHT HAVE FOR HOW TO DO THAT. WE MAKE SURE WE USE CAD TO DRAFT THE ENTIRE WAY SO THAT THE ROBOT DESIGN REMAINS CONSISTENT BECAUSE IF WE CHANGE ONE THING IN THE FUTURE IT WILL CHANGE EVERYTHING IN THE PROGRAM. SO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND ONCE WE DO THAT WE GO INTO MECHANICALLY BUILDING IT AND CUTTING IT OUT OF METAL USING RAW ALUMINUM AND MACHINING IT TO PUT IT TOGETHER AND ONCE IT'S ALL PUT TOGETHER WE WILL GO IN AND SEND IT OFF TO PROGRAMMING TO BE TESTED AND WORK ON AUTO ROUTINES WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY WHERE THE ROBOT WILL GO WITHOUT COMMANDS FOR THE FIRST 15 SECONDS OF THE MATCH TO SCORE POINTS. ALONGSIDE THAT THEY ARE DOING PRACTICE FOR HOURS EVERY SINGLE DAY AND THAT ALL HAPPENS WITHIN SIX WEEKS WHICH IS THE TIME LIMIT THAT EVERY TEAM HAS . THIS YEAR WE MADE THAT ROBOT RIGHT THERE AND WE NAMED IT GUPPY BECAUSE OF THE OCEAN THEME. EACH WHEEL CAN TURN INDEPENDENTLY SO WE CAN GO FORWARDS AND BACKWARDS, TURN AT ANY TIME, GO UP TO 11 MILES AN HOUR WHICH IS PRETTY DECENT FOR A ROBOT. IT'S 135 POUNDS WITH BUMPERS WHICH IS RIGHT AT THE MAXIMUM WEIGHT LIMIT THAT EACH TEAM HAS BECAUSE WE WANT TO SQUEEZE AS MUCH PERFORMANCE AS WE COULD OUT OF IT. IT'S MADE OUT OF ALUMINUM, POLYCARBONATE, PLASTIC AND CARBON FIBER FOR THE INTAKE . THREE-PIECE AUTONOMOUS WHICH IS ONE OF THE BEST IN OUR DIVISION AND EXTREMELY CONSISTENT. AND ALSO USES CAMERAS ALL AROUND TO PROCESS VISION, WE CALL IT, IN REAL TIME.

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>> SO THERE ARE FOUR EVENTS IN THE SEASON THAT ANY TEAM WILL GO TO. THERE ARE TWO GUARANTEED REGIONAL EVENTS. IF YOU PERFORM WELL ENOUGH IN THOSE AND GET INTO THE TOP 60 IN YOUR DISTRICT, OUR DISTRICT IS CHESAPEAKE WHICH IS MARYLAND, VIRGINIA AND WASHINGTON DC , AND THEN YOU GO TO THE DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP . FROM THERE IF YOU ARE IN THE TOP 15 OF THAT GROUP YOU GO TO THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.

WE WERE THE FINALISTS IN OUR DIVISION AND THIS WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL YEAR FOR US. WE LIKE TO KEEP DEVELOPING FURTHER.

>> WE WANT TO THANK MISTER WATSON, DOCTOR GEYER AND GOOCHLAND COUNTY FOR PROVIDING US WITH THE PRACTICE FIELD WE HAVE NOT HAD IN PRIOR YEARS AND WE THINK A LOT OF OUR SUCCESS CAME DOWN TO HAVING THAT. HELPED US DEVELOP THOSE CONSISTENT AUTOS AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE A VIDEO HERE SHOWING THEM. SO ALL OF THAT IS BEING DONE WITHOUT ANY INPUT FROM THE CONTROLS.

>> THIS YEAR WE HAD GOT SOME AWARDS AT OUR FIRST EVENT. WE GOT EVENT FINALIST AND WE GOT THE AUTO AWARD. AT THE NEXT EVENT THAT WE HAD WE ACTUALLY WERE AN EVENT WINNER AND THE BLUE BANNER IS WHAT WE GOT. FIRST EVER WIN. AND THEN WE WENT TO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE OUR COMMUNITIES DIVISION OUT OF 8 DIVISIONS AND WE WERE CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT FINALISTS IN OUR REGION. WE WERE ALSO RANKED EIGHTH IN THE CHESAPEAKE DISTRICT WITH MARYLAND, VIRGINIA AND DC OUT OF 111 TEAMS.

>> WE ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE ON NEXT YEAR AND WILL BE REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY GROWING OUR OVERALL TEAM SPECIFICALLY THE OUTREACH TEAM. ADVOCATING FOR STEM AND WORKING WITH ALUMNI THAT HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING OUR TEAM FOR A LONG TIME.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS YEAR. A LOT OF THAT IS IN REGISTRATION, IN CONSTRUCTION AND IT'S EXPENSIVE.

I WOULD LIKE TO SPECIFICALLY THINK LUCK STONE WHO HAVE SPONSORED US CONSISTENTLY SINCE WE WERE FOUNDED IN 2007. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE FOR SUPPORTING THE TEAM AND HELPING US HAVE SUCCESS THIS YEAR AND HOPEFULLY IN FUTURE YEARS AS WELL.

AMAZING. THEY'VE DONE ALL OF THIS ON THEIR OWN TIME OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL HOURS WHILE STILL BEING PART OF SO MANY OTHER THINGS BUT THERE ARE ALSO SIX MENTORS WHO ARE THERE AT THE SAME TIME THAT STUDENTS ARE ALWAYS THERE AND MISTER WATSON

DO YOU WANT TO RECOGNIZE? >> THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR 19 YEARS AND THIS IS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL SEASON IN 19 YEARS. AS WAS MENTIONED, THE MENTORS WHO DONATE HOURS, DAYS, WEEKENDS, MONEY, SO ON AND SO FORTH . ONE OF THOSE MENTORS HAS BEEN WITH THE TEAM FOR 18 YEARS. WILL YOU JOIN ME APPEAR PLEASE.

EVERY YEAR WE RECOGNIZE BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO HELP OUT THE CTE PROGRAMS IN THE ROBOTICS PROGRAMS AND THIS YEAR WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE JOHN AS OUR NEWEST MEMBER OF THE CAREER IN TECHNICAL EDUCATION HALL OF

FAME. >> LET'S GET A FEW PICTURES AND

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OUR MATCHES ON THE SCREEN. >> AS MS. MOSES IS MAKING HER WAY BACK I WANT TO SAY HOW INCREDIBLY PROUD WE ARE. YOU HAVE REPRESENTED GOOCHLAND WELL AND WE ARE SUPER IMPRESSED BY YOUR SKILLS AND YOUR INTELLIGENCE AND JUST, WAY TO

GO. >> HOW MANY OF YOU ARE COMING BACK? HOW MANY WILL BE HERE NEXT TIME?

>> 17 STUDENTS . >> I TRY TO RECRUIT IN THE EIGHTH GRADE BEFORE THEY COME INTO HIGH SCHOOL AND GET SUCKED INTO EVERYTHING ELSE BUT THIS TAKES A LOT OF TIME. WE WILL STILL BE RECRUITING AND TRYING TO GET MORE PEOPLE IN BUT 17 WILL BE RETURNING SO WE SHOULD HAVE A GOOD TEAM.

>> GREAT. SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT YEAR.

>> THANK YOU THE JUNKYARD DOGS. MADAM CHAIR LAST WEEK WE GATHERED AT THE FARM BUREAU FACILITY FOR AN ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE WHERE WE RECOGNIZED OUR TEACHERS , ROOKIES, TEAM AND EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR. THOSE HONOREES INCLUDED THE BIRD TEACHER OF THE YEAR CHRISTINA THOMPSON, THE GOOCHLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO SCHOOL TEACHER, CAITLIN NOLAN WHO WE SAW WITH THE FOURTH GREAT PROJECT. GOOCHLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER MISTER BRIAN TATE AND GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL, GOOCHLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND VIRGINIA REGION ONE TEACHER OF THE YEAR, MISS RACHEL TATE FROM GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL WHO I GOT TO JOIN AT THE PATRICK HENRY BUILDING WHERE SHE WAS CONGRATULATED BY THE GOVERNOR SO WE ARE JUST PROUD OF HER WORK AND ALL THE TEACHERS OF THE YEAR. IN ADDITION WE RECOGNIZE ROOKIES OF THE YEARS WHICH INCLUDES-- ADAMS, JESSICA SAVAGE , AND KRISTIN-- OF GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL. OUR TEAM OF THE YEAR WAS THE MENTAL HEALTH TEAM WHICH CONSISTS OF SCHOOL COUNSELORS, MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS, SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS AND EVER POPULAR THREE THERAPY DOGS. OUR EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR IS OUR BIRD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EXCEPTIONAL ELEMENTARY SYSTEM MISS BARBARA HAYDEN. WE RECOGNIZED THEM LAST YEAR.

PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE AND CONGRATULATE THEM. AT THIS TIME I BELIEVE MOST OF THESE CADETS ARE PARTICIPATING IN DIFFERENT EVENTS TONIGHT BUT IF YOU HAD NOT HEARD WE HAD A PRESS RELEASE LAST WEEK ABOUT OUR MARINE CORPS JROTC UNIT LED BY LIEUTENANT COLONEL KEVIN WILLIAMS AND STAFF SERGEANT DANIEL STRONG. MCJROTC WAS THE CHAMPION OF THE 2025 REGION 8 RAIDER COMPETITION WHICH MAKES THEM THE BEST UNIT FROM AMONG COMPETING UNITS FROM NORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA, MARYLAND, DELAWARE, AND VIRGINIA

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PROGRAM. THE AWARD WAS GIVEN >> SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW EVENING AND HAS BEEN CANCELED BECAUSE OF WEATHER . THAT TAKES PLACE ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE COACH WAS NOT TOO EXCITED ABOUT HOW MANY FEET WOULD BE OUT IN THE MUD SO WE WILL RESCHEDULE THAT BUT MAKE SURE WE DO OUR FUN RUN AND BONUS NIGHT AT ANOTHER DATE SO WE WILL GET THAT BACK ON THE CALENDAR SOON. THIS SATURDAY AS YOU HEARD THE JUNKYARD DOGS MENTION IT WILL BE GOOCHLAND DAY AND THE PARADE YOU CAN WATCH FOR THE SUNSHINE FOOD BUS AND ME WALKING BESIDE IT ON SATURDAY MORNING SO LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING OUT THERE. WE WILL ALSO HAVE A TABLE MANNED BY THE SCHOOL DIVISION STAFF ON SITE. ON SUNDAY THIS WEEK WE HAD THE CLASS OF 2025 BACCALAUREATE AND THE GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM. MONDAY THE 19TH AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER THE RANDOLPH NATURE TRAIL WHICH HAS BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE FOR THE CREW IS GOING TO BE HAVING A CELEBRATION TO KICK OFF ALL THE WORK THEY'VE DONE OUT THERE SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO JOINING THEM ON MONDAY FOR THAT. WEDNESDAY THE 21ST IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE EVENTS, THE BYRD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TIME CAPSULE WHERE WE HAVE THE GRADUATING SENIORS OF THE CLASS OF 2025 WHO ATTENDED BYRD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN FIFTH GRADE, THEY WROTE LETTERS TO THEMSELVES AND THEY GET TOGETHER EVERY YEAR AND OPEN UP THE LETTERS AND READ IT AND IT'S JUST A REALLY COOL EVENT SO LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THAT ON WEDNESDAY THE 21ST. WE WILL CELEBRATE MCJROTC ON WEDNESDAY THE 22ND AND OBSERVE THE MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY ON THE 26TH. WE WILL HAVE THE GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR AWARDS HAPPENING ON TUESDAY, MAY 27 AND THEN OF COURSE FRIDAY, MAY 30 WE WILL HAVE AN EARLY DISMISSAL FOR OUR LAST INSTRUCTIONAL DAY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. SATURDAY, MAY 31 WITH A RAIN DAY OF JUNE 1 IS THE GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION WHICH WILL HAPPEN AT THE STADIUM BEGINNING AT 7:30 AND WE WILL BEGIN SUMMER HOURS ON JUNE 2 WHICH MEANS THAT OFFICE HOURS FOR SCHOOLS AND CENTRAL OFFICE WILL BE MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY 7:00 A.M. UNTIL 5:00 P.M. AND LOOK FOR THE SUNSHINE FOOD BUS WHICH WILL RUN FROM JUNE 9 TO JULY 17 AT MOUNT OLIVE BAPTIST CHURCH AND YOU CAN SEE THE FULL SCHEDULE ON THE WEBSITE. THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE COMING UP.

>> THANK YOU, DOCTOR ARMSTRONG. WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE YOUR

STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE-- >> I'M SORRY IF I STOLE ANY OF

YOUR THUNDER. >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.

STARTING WITH GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL THIS IS MY REPORT. WE'VE BEEN RECOGNIZING STUDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN NOMINATED BY THEIR TEACHERS FOR ACTS OF KINDNESS OR JUST BEING AMAZING SO STARTING OFF WITH A FRESHMAN NOMINATED. FAVORITE CLASS IS CERAMICS WHICH

[01:25:03]

>> LYNN CONRAD IS A SENIOR NOMINATED FOR SHOWING KINDNESS.

HE SPENDS HIS EXTRA TIME IN FIRE AND RESCUE AND HIS FAVORITE CLASS IS WEIGHT TRAINING. WHEN ASKED FOR A FUN FACT HE RESPONDED HE JUST LIKES TO HAVE FUN AND HIS FRIEND STANDING NEARBY SAID AIN'T THAT THE TRUTH. KEEP HAVING FUN, LANDON.

>> CHARLIE IS A KIND SENIOR WHO PARTICIPATES IN FIRE AND RESCUE.

HIS FAVORITE CLASS IS UNIFIED PE AND PLAYS FOOTBALL FOR GHS. HE PLANS TO ATTEND HAMPDEN SYDNEY COLLEGE PART OF THE-- FOR EITHER BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS OR POLITICAL SCIENCE. GABBY IS A SENIOR AT GHS AND WAS NOMINATED . HER FAVORITE CLASS IS ALSO CERAMICS AND A FUN FACT ABOUT GABBY IS THAT SHE IS VERY PARTICULAR ABOUT ORGANIZATION MAKING HER THE PERFECT STUDENT AID IN THE LIBRARY. IN HER SPARE TIME SHE LIKES TO READ COLOR AND SLEEP. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING STUDENTS WHO RECEIVED AWARDS FROM FACULTY AND STAFF FOR REPRESENTING CORE VALUES THROUGHOUT THE SECOND MARKING PERIOD. FOR BOLD WE HAVE ALLISON STRONG, FOR AUTHENTIC WE HAVE DEONNA RAMSEY. FOR RESPONSIBLE WE HAVE MOLLY, FOR KIND WE HAVE BEEN IT, FOR SUCCESSFUL WE HAVE COAL. ALSO CONGRATULATIONS TO SCHOOL SECURITY, MISTER DANNY AND RYAN MALONEY FOR BEING AWARDED OUR APRIL FACULTY AWARD. WE RECEIVED OVER 40 STAFF MEMBER NOMINATIONS FROM FACULTY STUDENTS AND PARENTS. OUR STUDENT-ATHLETES OF THE MONTH ARE ALLISON AND OWEN. OWEN IS RIGHT OVER THERE . ALLISON IS A SENIOR LEADER ON THE SOFTBALL TEAM AND OWEN IS A SENIOR WHO PLAYED FOOTBALL IN THE FALL AND IS ONE OF THE LEADING SCORES ON THE BOYS LACROSSE TEAM. THEY ARE TAKING A RIGOROUS COURSE LOAD WHILE UPLOADING HIGH STANDARDS ON AND OFF THE FIELD. CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING OUR BULLDOG FAMILY SO WELL. VIRGINIA BOYS AND GIRLS STATE LEADERSHIP ACTION PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO DEVELOP A WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT TEACHING AND LEADERSHIP AND ALSO COMMUNICATION SKILLS. AMERICAN LEGION 2025 SELECTIONS TO ATTEND BOISE STATE ARE WILLIAM, JED, SAM, ISAAC, AND RAY. FOR GIRLS WE HAVE SOPHIA AND THE ALTERNATES ARE MCKENNA AND LILA. WE APPRECIATE ALL OF OUR TEACHERS ON THE WEEK OF APRIL 28 WITH SO MANY FUN AND EXCITING THINGS. I SAW MISTER-- BRING FUN SNACKS THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND HAD ICE CREAM. SO MANY EXCITING THINGS THEY ARE RANTING AND RAVING ABOUT DURING CLASS. OUR AMAZING DEPARTMENT PUT ON FOUR SHOWS OF SCHRECK THE MUSICAL. IT WAS A FANTASTIC SHOW WITH AN AMAZING PERFORMANCE AND WE ARE VERY PROUD. WE ALREADY WENT OVER HOW AMAZING THE JUNKYARD DOGS ARE AND I WILL REITERATE WE ARE SO PROUD OF THEM. THEY ARE THE COOLEST PEOPLE EVER, DID AN AMAZING JOB IN TEXAS. THEY ARE AWESOME. IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS STUDENTS HAVE BEEN TAKING SOL TEST AND ADVANCED PLACEMENT TESTS WHICH ARE THE TESTS WE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS ALL YEAR, STUDYING A LOT AND IT'S SUPER GOOD TO SEE US ALL GO IN THE CLASSROOM AND GET THEM DONE AND GET IT SCORES. WE HAD PROM ON SATURDAY AND IT WAS SO MUCH FUN. THERE WAS LOTS OF DANCING, IT WAS GORGEOUS. JACKSON BEAM WAS CROWNED KING AND-- WAS KIND QUEEN. THERE IS NIGHTS -- IT WAS A NIGHT OF DANCING AND LAUGHTER AND SO MUCH FUN. THE SOFTBALL TEAM WENT 10 AND 0 THIS YEAR THANKS TO COACH SLATER AND THE LADY EAGLES. ON THE GMS BAND AND CORE STUDENTS, THEY HAD AN INCREDIBLE OF PERFORMANCE AT BUSCH GARDENS. SIX GRADE BEGINNING BAND THEY HAD FIRST PLACE WITH AN EXCELLENT RATING, SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE CONCERT BAND HAD A SUPERIOR RATING AND OUTSTANDING FRENCH HORN SECTION AND TUBA SECTION. THE GMS COURSE HAD FIRST PLACE-- AND THE GRAND CHAMPION FOR THE DIVISION. GOING ON, THE LET ME RUN MENTORING PROGRAM IS OFF TO A FANTASTIC START WITH 13 ENTHUSIASTIC BOYS PARTICIPATING. FIRST-GRADERS ENJOYED AN EXCITING FIELD TRIP TO THE METRO RICHMOND ZOO AND STUDENTS LOVED SEEING ANIMALS UP CLOSE AND LEARNING ABOUT ALL THE WILDLIFE. THEIR GRADE STUDENTS WENT TO THE SCIENCE MUSEUM. THE SESSION FOCUSED ON SIMPLE MACHINES AND WAS FILLED WITH BOTH FUN AND LEARNING. THE FOURTH GRADE STUDENTS HAD A BLAST AT CENTRAL HIGH. THE BEAUTIFUL WEATHER MADE THE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE EVEN MORE ENJOYABLE. FOURTH-GRADERS ALSO HAD AN AWESOME TIME ON THE FIELD TRIP TO JAMESTOWN AND GOT TO WALK AROUND EXPLORING-- EXPLORING COLONIAL-- AND STEPPED ABOARD REPLICA SHIPS LIKE THE ONES THAT SETTLERS USED. IT WAS A COOL WAY TO CONNECT IN CLASS

[01:30:01]

EVERYONE FELT SO LOVED. AS YOU CAN TELL THERE WAS A LOT OF EXCITING THINGS HAPPENING IN THE COUNTY BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT FOR THE LAST MONTH OF SCHOOL.

>> THANK YOU. THAT BRINGS US TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION. I'M GOING TO READ THE , NORMALLY WE DO NOT DO THIS BUT THE DIRECTIONS AND THE REGULATION FOR POLICIES, MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE. AS WE BEGIN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOVEMENT TO REVIEW THE POLICY, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. THE POLICY STATES THE PURPOSE OF SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS IS TO ALLOW THE BOARD TO CONDUCT PUBLIC BUSINESS IN AN ORDERLY AND CONSTRUCTIVE MANNER. MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE INVITED AND ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND MEETINGS TO OBSERVE DELIBERATIONS. ANY MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY MAY ADDRESS THE BOARD ON MATTERS OF GENERAL IMPORTANCE TO THE OPERATION OF GOOCHLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AT ANY REGULAR MEETING AS PROVIDED IN THE ACCOMPANIED REGULATION. THE CHAIR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE MEETING AND RULES ON SUCH MATTERS AS THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE SUBJECT MATTER BEING PRESENTED AND THE LENGTH OF TIME ALLOTTED PER SPEAKER. WE A LOT THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER. A REASONABLE PERIOD OF PUBLIC COMMENT TIME ON THE AGENDA AS DETERMINED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR IS ALLOCATED AT EACH REGULAR MEETING FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO PRESENT MATTERS OF CONCERN. UPON RECOGNITION THE SPEAKER ADDRESSES THE CHAIR. WE HAVE SIX COMMUNITY MEMBERS SCHEDULED TO SPEAK TONIGHT WHICH WOULD BE 18 MINUTES. I'M GOING TO ALLOW UP TO AN HOUR IN CASE THERE IS ANYONE WHO WAS NOT SIGNED UP , UP TO AN HOUR YOU CAN CERTAINLY SPEAK YOUR THREE MINUTES. THE SCHOOL BOARD DISCOURAGES PUBLIC COMMENTS INVOLVING A COMPLAINT ABOUT INDIVIDUALS, PERSONNEL, STUDENT DISCIPLINE OR PENDING LITIGATION. INDIVIDUAL PROBLEMS AND CONCERNS ARE BEST MANAGED THROUGH ADMINISTRATIVE CHANNELS. POLICY REGULATION K DE-R/ BD DH STATES THE FOLLOWING. THIS IS THE PROCEDURE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. THE BOARD WILL FOLLOW PROCEDURES TO EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY CONDUCT THIS WHILE SHOWING RESPECT TO THE VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY. SPEAKERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ADHERE TO COMMONLY ACCEPTED RULES OF COURTESY RESPECT TO CORE AND DIGNITY AND GOOD TASTE. MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE ARE DISCOURAGED FROM APPLAUDING CHEERING OR OUTWARDLY COMMENTING FOLLOWING A SPEAKER'S REMARKS. PUBLIC COMMENT WOULD BE LIMITED TO PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE CHAIR. THE CHAIR WILL BEGIN PUBLIC COMMENT BY CALLING THE NAMES OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. SPEAKERS ARE ASKED TO STATE THEIR NAMES AND ADDRESSES PRIOR TO MAKING REMARKS. ALL COMMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE CHAIR. SPEAKERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PUT THEIR REMARKS IN WRITING BEFOREHAND AND PROVIDE COPIES TO THE CLERK OF THE BOARD DURING MEETINGS. SPEAKERS ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO EXPAND REMARKS IN WRITING AFTER THE MEETING FOR ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION TO THE BOARD BY SENDING THEM TO THE CLERK OF THE BOARD. THE TIME LIMIT WILL BE THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. NO MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE MAY SEE THEIR TIME TO ANOTHER SPEAKER. IF TIME ALLOWS AND THEY HAVE AN HOUR MAXIMUM, THE CHAIR MAY ALLOW COMMENTS FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NOT SIGNED UP PRIOR TO THE MEETING. WITH PERMISSION OF THE CHAIR ANY MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MAY RESPOND TO A SPEAKER AS APPROPRIATE FOR CLARIFICATION. AT THE REQUEST OF

[01:35:04]

WRITTEN COMMENTS WILL BECOME A PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD.

ANYONE WISHING TO ADJUST THE SCHOOL BOARD IS REQUESTED TO CONTACT THE CLERK OF THE BOARD . IT'S IN THE AGENDA. WE HAVE

CHRISTINE FIRST. >> DOCTOR ARMSTRONG AND MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, DISTRICT 2 AND MOTHER OF A GMS STUDENT. I COME TO YOU WITH A DIRECT BUT RESPECTFUL REQUEST. PLEASE ARTICULATE YOUR VISION . INCREASINGLY THE ACTIONS OF THE BOARD APPEAR TO CONTRADICT THE MISSION AND VALUES OF GCPS INCLUDING THE CHANGE IN SUPERINTENDENT AND THE RAPID ROLLBACK HAVE LEFT MANY IN THIS COMMUNITY CONFUSED, CONCERNED AND DEEPLY DISTRUSTFUL. AS ELECTED OFFICIALS AND TRUSTED WITH THE CONFIDENCE OF THE PUBLIC THAT SHOULD GIVE YOU PAUSE. AT APRIL BOARD MEETING TWO MEMBERS DEFENDED THIS ACTION, ONE JUSTIFIED THEM BY CITING VIRGINIA LAW BUT LEGALITY ALONE DOES NOT MAKE A DECISION RIGHT, WISE, OR JUST. THE OTHER SPOKE ABOUT PERSONAL REASONS FOR RUNNING FOR OFFICE. WHILE PERSONAL CONVICTION HAS ITS PLACE THESE ARE NONPARTISAN ROLES AND BOARD MEMBERS ARE ELECTED TO SERVE ALL CONSTITUENTS, NOT JUST THOSE WHO SHARE THEIR IDEOLOGY. WITH THESE POSITIONS COMES THE RESPONSIBILITY TO LEAD WITH BALANCE FAIRNESS AND A COMMITMENT TO THE COMMON GOOD, NOT TO IMPOSE PERSONAL BELIEFS ON AN ENTIRE DISTRICT . AND SET OF TARGETING MARGINALIZED STUDENTS THROUGH CULTURE WARS AND IGNORING REPORTS OF BULLYING THIS BOARD COULD BE FOSTERING COLLABORATION AND UNITY IN SUPPORT OF EVERY STUDENT. TODAY MANY RESIDENTS IN YOUR DISTRICT FEEL SHUT OUT OF THE PROCESS.

YOUR DELIBERATIONS OCCUR BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, THE PUBLIC SEES UNANIMOUS VOTES WITH LITTLE EXPLANATION. OUTREACH IS MINIMAL ESPECIALLY FROM THOSE WHO CHALLENGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE. YOUR DUTY IS TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS, EMPOWER EDUCATORS AND STRENGTHEN SCHOOLS YET MUCH OF YOUR RECENT CONDUCT DIRECTLY CONFLICTS WITH THE CODE OF ETHICS YOU SWORE TO UPHOLD INCLUDING THE PROMISE TO BASE DECISIONS ON PUBLIC INPUT. SO FAR WE HAVE SEEN LITTLE MORE THAN DEFLECTION, DEFENSIVENESS AND-- RESPONSES. WHERE IS THE COLLABORATION? AS A TESTAMENT TO THE BOARDS AND ABILITY TO READ THE ROOM YOU VOTED TO DISMANTLE THE DISTRICT'S EQUITY POLICY IMMEDIATELY AFTER HEARING MORE THAN TWO HOURS OF HEARTFELT TESTIMONY FILLED WITH CONCERNED FRUSTRATION AND CLARITY. MUCH OF IT FOCUSED ON PERCEIVED BIAS.

YOU MAY CLAIM THIS WAS A RESPONSE TO EXECUTIVE DIRECTIVES BUT YOU RUSHED TO PREEMPTIVELY COMPLY WITH A POLITICALLY MOTIVATED ORDER THAT THREE SEPARATE FEDERAL COURTS HAVE DEEMED LIKELY UNCONSTITUTIONAL. THAT IS NOT PRUDENCE, IT IS PARTISANSHIP AND SENDS A TROUBLING MESSAGE TO FAMILIES WHO RELY ON EQUITY PROTECTIONS FOR THEIR CHILDREN SAFETY DIGNITY AND OPPORTUNITY. IF THE DECISION IS A REFLECTION OF YOUR VALUES YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN WILLING TO DEFEND IT OPENLY AND NOT HIDE BEHIND A RUSHED VOTE WITH MINIMAL EXPLANATION. I ASK AGAIN WHAT IS YOUR VISION? HOW DO YOU INTEND TO RESTORE TRUST AND MOST OF PORTLY HOW WILL YOU GUARANTEE THAT POLICIES REFLECT THE NEEDS OF ALL STUDENTS REGARDLESS OF RACE GENDER RELIGION AND BACKGROUND? YOU SHOW THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO ACT DECISIVELY. NOW SHOW US YOU ARE CAPABLE OF LEADING RESPONSIBLY WITH TRANSPARENCY INTEGRITY AND A GENUINE COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY YOU SERVE. WE ARE WATCHING, WE ARE LISTENING AND

WAITING FOR ANSWERS. >> SEAN HICKS.

>> HI , I LIVE IN DISTRICT 4 . I ORIGINALLY PLANNED. SIGNED UP TO COME HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE THREE ADDITIONAL-- THAT DOCTOR HAD LISTED AS TIER 1 UNFUNDED PRIORITY . SINCE THEN I'VE GONE THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF A ROLLER COASTER AND CHECKED THE BUDGET ATTACHMENTS LAST NIGHT AND I DID NOT SEE ANY INTERVENTIONS ON THERE. I WOKE UP THIS MORNING, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A DIVINE INTERVENTION BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN I SAW THREE PART-TIME POSITIONS . SO I WANT TO FIRST THANK YOU FOR THAT. IT IS NOT THE THREE FULL-TIME POSITIONS THAT I THINK ARE WARRANTED, BUT IT IS SOMETHING. I THINK DOCTOR KUMARDI AND DOCTOR GEYER DID VERY WELL ILLUSTRATING WHY IT IS VERY

[01:40:02]

>> THANK YOU. >> ROSS?

>> GOOD EVENING SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, DOCTOR ARMSTRONG AND COMMUNITY. I RESIDE IN DISTRICT 2 SERVED BY MISS WIRSING. I WANTED TO CONFRONT THE DECEPTION WOVEN AT OUR LAST MEETING BY MULTIPLE SPEAKERS AND CONTRIBUTORS. ONE MINISTER AND FOUR PASTORS. THEY PERVERT GOD'S WORD TO ADVANCE A HATEFUL IDEOLOGY OFTEN UNINTELLIGIBLY WITH TERMS LIKE --. THESE RELIGIOUS LEADERS CHAMPION DIVERSITY AS IF IT WERE DIVINE BUT THEY TWIST SCRIPTURE SCATTERING THEIR FLOCK LIKE FALSE SHEPHERDS CONDEMNED IN EZEKIEL 34. THEIR RHETORIC ALIGNS NOT WITH CHRIST BUT WITH THE SEVEN TENETS OF THE SATANIC TEMPLE. CONSIDER THE FIRST. ACT WITH COMPASSION AND EMPATHY TOWARD ALL CREATURES IN ACCORDANCE WITH REASON. IT SOUNDS NOBLE BUT ELEVATES HUMAN REASON ABOVE GOD'S TRUTH. THE SECOND, JUSTICE OVER LAWS AND INSTITUTION ECHOES IN THE CALLS FOR A MOMENT OF A LEGALLY ENFORCED WILL OF THE PEOPLE. THE THIRD, PROMOTE SELF WORSHIP AND GENDER IDENTITY POLITICS, NOT THE HUMILITY THAT CHRIST DEMANDS. THE FOURTH DEFENSE THE FREEDOM TO OFFEND JUSTIFYING DIVISION UNDER THE GUISE OF LIBERTY. THE CALLS FOR LIBERTY ECHOED THESE. NOT JOHN 13:34 WERE JESUS COMMANDS US TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR WITH SACRIFICE AND INFIDELITY TO TRUTH. THEIR WORDS WERE SYMBOLS AS FIRST CORINTHIANS WARNS. NOISE WITHOUT LOVE THAT IS PATIENT KIND AND NEVER DELIGHTS IN EVIL. PEDDLING THE SATANIC IDEOLOGY THEY BETRAY OUR CHILDREN TO CONFUSION, NOT SALVATION. I SEE YOUR FIGHT AGAINST HIS IDEOLOGY AND WE AGREE. THE DECISION TO REMOVE THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS WELL DONE. DIG DEEPER TO THE SOURCE AND STRIKE AT THE ROOT. COMMUNITY OUTREACH THAT PERPETUATES DIVISION, FUNDING THAT ENABLES IT, CUT IT OUT ENTIRELY. I STAND WITH PARENTS WHO STAND WITH YOU TO ERADICATE EVERY TRACE OF THIS PHILOSOPHY FROM OUR SCHOOLS. A CREEPS INTO PHILOSOPHIES THAT PITCH CHILDREN AGAINST EACH OTHER AND PRIORITIZE FEELINGS OVER FAX IN CLASSROOMS WHERE INDOCTRINATION DROWNS OUT EVERY EDUCATION. WE MUST PURGE IT AND RESTORE SCHOOLS AS BEACONS OF VIRTUE AND REASON. OUR CHILDREN DESERVE AN EDUCATION ANCHORED IN LOVE , A LOVE THAT NEVER FAILS, SHIELDING THEM FROM DECEPTION. THOSE LEADERS, SNAKES WHO SMOKE -- SPOKE AND FLED MUST REPENT FOR WARPING GOD'S WORD TO THIS BOARD I SAY CHARGE FORWARD. PARENTS ARE WITH YOU TO RECLAIM SCHOOLS FOR TRUTH IN OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE. PIECE IF POSSIBLE BUT TRUE THAT ALL COSTS. THE TRUTH IS UNSYMPATHETIC AND INDISCRIMINATE TO ALL BELIEFS. GOOD BAD LEFT RIGHT OR OTHERWISE. IT HAS ALREADY BEEN DECIDED AND IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT I HAVE CITED MY SOURCES FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO CHECK.

>> THANK YOU. WENDY? >> GOOD EVENING. I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO. I AM EXPRESSING MY CONCERN ABOUT THE RECENT REPEAL

[01:45:07]

WITHOUT THIS POLICY THERE IS NO ASSURANCE THAT ALL STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE THE NECESSARY RESOURCES TO ACHIEVE EQUALITY. DURING THE LAST MEETING, MISS WIRSING MENTIONED THAT SEVERAL ANTIDISCRIMINATION POLICIES WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM RENDERED THE EQUITY POLICY UNNECESSARY. HOWEVER, THERE IS A MISUNDERSTANDING. DISCRIMINATION AND EQUITY ARE NOT THE SAME THING. LET ME CLARIFY THIS DISTINCTION. DISCRIMINATION REFERS TO UNFAIR OR PREJUDICIAL TREATMENT BASED ON CHARACTERISTICS SUCH AS RACE, GENDER, RELIGION, AND SOCIAL ECONOMIC STATUS. IN CONTRAST, EQUITY FOCUSES ON CREATING FAIRNESS BY ADDRESSING DISPARITIES AND ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES. ACHIEVING EQUITY OFTEN REQUIRES TAILORED SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS WHO HAVE HISTORICALLY FACED DISCRIMINATION, WHILE E QUALITY MEANS PROVIDING EVERYONE WITH THE SAME RESOURCES . EQUITY ACKNOWLEDGES THAT DIFFERENT THINGS MAY BE REQUIRED FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE. EQUALITY.

TREAT EVERYONE THE SAME REGARDLESS OF INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES. EQUITY. AIM TO CREATE FAIR OUTCOMES BY RECOGNIZING AND ADDRESSING DIFFERENCES , AND DISCRIMINATION IS UNFAIR TREATMENT BASED ON CHARACTERISTICS WHILE EQUITY SEEKS TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF DISCRIMINATION. WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE STUDENTS PERFORMING BELOW THE PROFICIENCY RATE. PARENTS NEED TO ENGAGE MORE WITH STUDENTS TO HELP THEM BE SUCCESSFUL. HOW DO YOU KNOW THEY ARE NOT ENGAGING? MAYBE THEY ARE THE PARENTS WORKING 12 HOURS A DAY IN A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, IN NURSING HOMES, HOSPITALS, OR FIRST RESPONDERS.

MAYBE THEY ARE THE PARENTS WORKING WITH THEIR STUDENTS EVERY DAY YET THE STUDENT IS STILL STRUGGLING AND NEEDS MORE TUTORING THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL. TO ASSUME A PARENT , TO ASSUME PARENTS ARE NOT DOING THEIR PART IS MISINFORMATION. THANK YOU BUT I'M GOING TO FINISH. THERE MAY BE FEW BUT MOST PARENTS WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND WILL BE DOING WHAT THEY CAN TO ENSURE THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL. STUDENTS NEED HELP AND THEY NEED IT CONSISTENTLY AND COMING TO SCHOOL IS WHERE THEY GET IT

CONSISTENTLY. >> YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> LET ME FINISH. >> NO. YOU ARE LIMITED TO THREE

MINUTES. >> QUESTIONS THAT I AM ASKING THE SUPERINTENDENT AND SCHOOL BOARD TO RESPOND TO AND I WOULD APPRECIATE A RESPONSE THIS TIME BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET ONE WHEN I SENT ALL OF YOU A RESPONSE BEFORE.

>> JENNIFER? >> GOOD EVENING, DISTRICT THREE.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. I WAS SURPRISED AND SHOCKED IN THE BEST WAY AS TEACHERS STUDENTS PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS AND LONGTIME RESIDENTS, NEWCOMERS STOOD UP AT THE MICROPHONE AT LAST MONTH'S MEETING AND CALLED OUT THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR INJUSTICE IN THE FIRING OF AN EFFECTIVE, WELL-LIKED AND SUPREMELY WELL-QUALIFIED SUPERINTENDENT AT A COST TO TAXPAYERS OF $250,000. BEFORE LAST MONTH'S MEETING I DIDN'T THINK I LIVED IN A COMMUNITY THAT WOULD RISE IN ANY TYPE OF NUMBER PUBLICLY AGAINST RACISM, ATTACKS ON TRANS KIDS, KIDS, BLACK KIDS, BROWN KIDS, IMMIGRANTS AND NEURODIVERGENT KIDS. I WAS PLEASED TO SEE ALL THESE PEOPLE COME OUT. I HAVE A STACK OF RESPONSES TO MY REQUEST AND I WANT TO SHARE WHAT I HAVE FOUND. THIS SCHOOL BOARD HAS ATTEMPTED IN THE LAST YEAR TO A PAIN IN VIOLATION OF THE LAW PRIVILEGED INFORMATION ABOUT THE

[01:50:01]

CROMARTIE'S REPLACEMENT A WEEK BEFORE FIRING DR. CROMARTIE.

SCHOOL BOARDS CANNOT FIRE TEACHERS. THERE'S NO REASON FOR A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TO HAVE A LIST OF THE STUDENT BODY 'S SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR THE CONFIGURATION OF THEIR BODIES.

PARENTS LIKEWISE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO MEDICAL RECORDS OF THE BODIES OF OTHER STUDENTS. WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA WE AND OUR CHILDREN ARE PERMITTED PRIVACY FROM JUDGMENTAL EYES. DISTRICT TWO SCHOOL BOARD REP QUESTION THE GENDER OF A GIRL BORN A GIRL WHO'S BODY DID NOT-- WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS IDEAL OF THE BODY. I AM HAPPY TO SHOW EMAILS OF THE CRASS BEHAVIOR OF MOST OF THE ADULTS ON THIS DAIS. IF THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT DOES NOTHING ELSE I HOPE HE FINDS A WAY TO GET THE BOARD TO STUDY ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, TO FOLLOW LAW, UP DATE POLICIES, READ A BUDGET AND

UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS. >> LAUREN COMSTOCK?

>> GOOD EVENING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I AM LAUREN COMSTOCK DISTRICT 2. THERE HAS IT TO BE ANY ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM OF HOW EVERYTHING WENT DOWN. BEST PRACTICES WERE NOT FOLLOWED. THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT WAS LINED UP A 0 OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC INPUT. THIS TRACKS WITH THE ACTIONS OF THE BOARD OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF WHO HAVE PASSED POLICY ON FIRST READING WITHOUT PUBLIC COMMENT, THEY DO BACKROOM DEALS TRYING TO ACCESS CONFIDENTIAL RECORDS WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT AND BASH CONSTITUENTS FOR CRITICIZING THEIR ACTIONS ON THE OFFICIAL SCHOOL BOARD PAGE. THE LIST GOES ON. THE BOARD HIS FIELD TO INFORM US WHAT EXACTLY THE VISION IS FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. IT'S OBVIOUS THAT IT'S DISTRICT DIFFERENT FROM CURRENT CORE VALUES OF MAXIMIZING THE POTENTIAL OF EVERY LEARNER. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK OUR AMAZING TEACHERS AND STAFF FOR BEING THE BACK OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. TEACHERS ARE TRULY AMAZING AND THEY DESERVE THAT APPRECIATION YEAR ROUND. IC HAD DEDICATED THEY ARE AND HOW TRULY THEY EMBODY THE VISION OF OUR MISSION. LYING DURING COMMENTS, FABRICATING BATHROOM ISSUES AND ACCUSING THEM OF NOT FOLLOWING POLICY. WE KNOW THE BOARD HAS TO KEEP THEIR BASE AFRAID OF THE INVISIBLE BOGEYMAN IN ORDER TO BE RELEVANT BUT THAT COMES AT THE COST OF CREATING A HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR STAFF AND STUDENTS. NOW THAT THEY HAVE THE THREAT THAT THIS DISTRICT TERMINATES WITHOUT CAUSE , LET ME MAKE THIS CLEAR. THERE IS NO BATHROOM ISSUE. THERE WAS NOT AN ISSUE IN 2023 WHEN THE POLITICAL STUNT WAS PULLED TO KICK OFF THEIR CAMPAIGNS . THEY USED THE NEXT MEETING TO ATTACK STAFF AND FIRE UP HER BASE CALLING TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS PEDOPHILES. ONE OF THEM WAS UP HERE JUST A FEW MOMENTS AGO CITING SCRIPTURE AND QUOTING SATANIC TEMPLE. HOW IRONIC. WE ARE NOT GOING TO FORGET THAT AS YOU POSE FOR PHOTO OPS PRETENDING TO SUPPORT THE TEACHERS , I WANT TO ASK THE BOARD HOW DOES ANY OF THIS HELP TO MAXIMIZE THE POTENTIAL OF EVERY LEARNER? WHAT I SEE IS A SCHOOL BOARD NOT FOCUSED ON EDUCATING THE KIDS. I SEE A SCHOOL BOARD ABUSING AND MISUSING THE OFFICE THEY HOLD AND A BOARD THAT IS REPEATEDLY DIVERTING FUNDING FROM EDUCATING KIDS. I SEE A BOARD THAT IS HYPER POLITICIZING KIDS FOR POLITICAL GAIN AND A SCHOOL BOARD THAT POLICES STUDENTS. I WANT TO END WITH THIS. THERE ARE INCIDENTS OF RACIAL BULLYING AND LGBTQ STUDENTS FEELING FEARFUL BECAUSE OF THE ENVIRONMENT THIS BOARD HAS CREATED. THE BOARD HAS SPENT THE ENTIRE TERM OF ATTACKING BLACK AND LGBTQ STUDENTS. THEY SAW HOW ALL OF THIS WENT DOWN AND THEY ARE NOT GOING TO TRUST ANYONE IN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP THAT IS COMPLICIT OR

ENABLES BIGOTRY. >> THAT IS ALL THAT WE HAVE SCHEDULED . IF ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME. MAY WE GET THE LADY FIRST SO SHE CAN SIT BACK DOWN?

[01:55:15]

>> GOOD EVENING, SCHOOL BOARD. DOCTOR ARMSTRONG. I LIVE IN GOOCHLAND COUNTY AND I AM A FORMER TEACHER , COLLEGE PROFESSOR AND RESEARCHER. IMAGINE MY SHOCK -- NO LET ME SAY HORROR WHEN I HEARD THE RUMOR THAT SOMEONE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD WAS ATTEMPTING TO ACCESS STUDENT'S PRIVATE INFORMATION BY WAY OF STATE RECORDS. I'M SURE WHAT I HEARD WAS A MISTAKE BECAUSE SURELY NO ONE HERE WOULD DO SUCH A THING. THAT IS, I HOPE IT WAS A MISTAKE. CERTAINLY NO ONE ON THIS BOARD IS UNAWARE OF THE FAMILY EDUCATION RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT KNOWN AS FOR THE BUT JUST IN CASE, IT IS A FEDERAL LAW THAT PROTECTS THE PRIVACY OF STUDENTS AND EDUCATION RECORDS. FURPA PROHIBITS SCHOOLS FROM PERSONALLY IDENTIFYING INFORMATION, FROM EDUCATION RECORDS WITHOUT THE WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE PARENT. IF THE STUDENT IS UNDER 18, OR THE ELIGIBLE STUDENT, IF THE STUDENT IS 18 OR OVER AND ATTENDS A POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTION. BUT OF COURSE YOU KNOW THAT AND THESE RECORDS ARE NOT MEANT TO BE AVAILABLE EXCEPT IN CASES OF LEGITIMATE EDUCATIONAL INTEREST.

A LEGITIMATE EDUCATIONAL INTEREST OCCURS WHEN THE SCHOOL MUST FULFILL PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND NEEDS TO KNOW SPECIFIC INFORMATION. THAT LEGITIMATE INFORMATION DOES NOT INCLUDE A STUDENT'S SEXUAL ORIENTATION. SORRY. CAN'T FIND IT. AND JUST FOR THE SAKE OF INFORMATION HERE'S A HEADLINE.

WHILE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARE CONSIDERED SCHOOL OFFICIALS, THE LEGITIMATE EDUCATIONAL INTEREST IS OFTEN INTERPRETED QUITE NARROWLY FOR THEM . THAT WOULD BE YOU. IT IS ALWAYS BEST FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND DISTRICTS TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNSEL TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH FURPA AND STATE LAWS. YOUR INTEREST IN THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION DOES NOT QUALIFY YOU TO ACCESS THEIR RECORDS. SO AGAIN I HOPE WHAT I HEARD WAS

JUST A RUMOR . THANK YOU. >> I COME AND I LISTEN TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID IN THE NAME OF RIGHTEOUSNESS , IN THE NAME OF LOVE , AND THEY ARE EMPTY. GOD HAS A RULE AND THE RULE IS THAT YOU LOVE HIM AND YOU LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF. HE SENT ME TO TELL YOU THAT YOU NEED TO TAKE HEED OF YOURSELF. YOU NEED TO TAKE HEED OF YOURSELF BECAUSE YOU CANNOT TAKE AND THINK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN , AND THAT'S THE INITIATIVE, TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN BY PUTTING YOUR FOOT IN THE NAME OF SOLIDARITY ON THE PEOPLE, ON THOSE VOICES THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR. SOME OF US HAVE BEEN HERE FOR CENTURIES AND ONE OF THOSE FAMILIES IS MY FAMILY. BASICALLY IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT PEOPLE ACCORDING TO THEIR RACE AND HOW THEY LOOK YOU NEED TO LOOK A LITTLE DEEPER. IN THE IS RAGING OF HOLLERING AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS TO BRING IN NIGERIAN, SCOTTISH, NORWEGIAN AND IRISH MAKEUP. YOU LOOK AT ME

[02:00:04]

I GUARANTEE YOU THAT MOST OF THE ALL ON THIS SEAT HERE GO TO CHURCH, AND YOU MADE A PROMISE THAT YOU WOULD REPRESENT THE PEOPLE . YOU CANNOT REPRESENT JUST ONE PERSON. CERTAINLY WHEN WE ELECT PEOPLE WE HAVE TRAVELED THE 49% OF PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT REPRESENTED AND 51 THAT ARE REPRESENTED. YOU CANNOT DENY THE 49% . YOU CANNOT TAKE PEOPLE AND TAKE THEM AS IF THEY WERE OBJECTS AND IF THEY DIDN'T EXIST. YOU HAVE PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE POOR. YOU MAY NOT WANT TO HEAR IT AND YOU MAY LOOK AT THE WALLS AND THE CEILING BUT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR GOD AND THE MAN WHO GOT UP AND SAID, IF YOU GET UP AND SAY-- I'M A PREACHER AND I WAS HERE LAST TIME AND I SPOKE . AND I AM NOT A WICKED MAN. I SPEAK FOR THE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO BE SPOKEN FOR. AS ISAIAH SAID IN 58:6 AND 7 . WHEN YOU GIVE YOUR FOOD TO THE POOR , WHEN YOU GIVE YOUR FOOD TO THE HUNGRY, WHEN YOU GIVE YOUR HOUSE TO THOSE THAT DON'T HAVE A HOUSE, WHEN YOU GIVE YOUR CLOTHING TO THOSE THAT ARE NAKED, THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WANT TO PUT YOUR FOOT ON OUR HUNGRY, HOMELESS, NAKED, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT JESUS CHRIST TOOK CARE OF. YOU CANNOT, YOU CANNOT, YOU CANNOT DO WHAT YOU ARE LEADER , YOUR LEADER OF THIS COUNTRY WANTS TO DO TO ONE PORTION OF PEOPLE. I'M TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE THAT HAVE HELPED BUILD THIS COUNTRY. I KNOW MY TIME IS UP BUT YOU'RE GOING TO COME BY GOD BECAUSE THERE IS A JUDGMENT DAY. YOU DON'T WANT THAT MILLSTONE. TREAT PEOPLE RIGHT WHETHER THEY ARE BLACK, WHITE, BROWN, YELLOW, WHATEVER THEY ARE AND IT'S NOT YOUR PREROGATIVE TO JUDGE ANYBODY. DO RIGHT AND YOU WILL BE GREAT. AMERICA WILL BE GREAT .

>> IS THERE ANYONE ELSE I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? -- THAT WOULD

LIKE TO SPEAK? >> DO RIGHT. DO YOU HEAR?

>> OF GOT A BURDEN TO TELL YOU THAT YOU CANNOT DO RIGHT FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE A VOICE, YOU CANNOT RUN OVER THEM AND RUSH THEM TO THE GROUND. YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY. A REPRESENTATIVE, THAT YOU WOULD-- YOU MADE A VOW THAT YOU WOULD REPRESENT ALL. REMEMBER, GOD DOES NOT--. AND FOR YOU BROTHER

I AM NOT A WICKED MAN. >> GOOD EVENING. DAVID HAGAN, LIVE RIGHT HERE . I JUST WANTED TO START OFF BY SAYING THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TONIGHT. I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. IT IS NOT EASY TO SIT IN A CHAIR IN FRONT OF A HUGE COMMUNITY WITH THE INTERNET AND EVERYTHING LIKE IT IS. YOU HAVE TO HAVE REALLY THICK SKIN AND WHETHER THEY AGREE WITH YOU ARE NOT YOU CANNOT MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE AND PEOPLE HAVE DIED TRYING. THE BIGGEST THING WE ARE HERE FOR TONIGHT ARE THE CHILDREN AND THEIR EDUCATION AND WHERE WE ARE TRYING TO GET THEM FROM AND TO. THAT IS WHAT WE NEED TO REALLY HOLD TIGHT. I THINK THE RESOURCE OFFICERS , THEY DEAL WITH A LOT.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT SO I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THEM AS WELL. AT THE BIGGEST THING AS WELL IS, KIDS ARE REACTING AS PARENTS ARE REACTING AND IF WE DON'T SHOW THEM HOW TO REACT RESPONSIBLY AND RESPECTFULLY WE ARE NOT GOING TO GO ANYWHERE BUT DOWN . THEY WATCH EVERYTHING WITH THE INTERNET, PEOPLE ARE AT EACH OTHER'S JUGULAR'S ALL THE TIME, AND I GET IT. IT AT THE SAME TIME IF YOU COME AND TALK ,

[02:05:05]

>> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? >> HI, I AM JANE FROM DISTRICT 1 AND I SORT OF WANT TO ECHO WHAT THE LAST SPEAKER SAID. I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING. IT'S HARD TO DO WHAT YOU WERE ELECTED TO DO BY THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY. YOU ARE DOING IT. STICK TO YOUR GUNS AND WE ALL APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

>> THANK YOU. >> GOOD EVENING. I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. THE TOPIC OF LITERACY WAS MENTIONED OFTEN AND THE BOARD HAS WORKED TO UPDATE READING MATERIALS IN SCHOOL LIBRARIES. I AM ASKING TONIGHT THE BOARD CONSIDER A DIFFERENT APPROACH. WE MAY HAVE BOOKS IN LIBRARIES THAT ARE APPROVED BUT IF CHILDREN ARE NOT PASSIONATE ABOUT READING THE TITLES AND BOOKS, THE TITLES OF BOOKS ON SHELVES ARE LESS IMPORTANT. I LOOKED AT READING DATA BACK TO 2013 AND IN THAT SCHOOL YEAR, THE PASS RATE WAS 81.6% AND LAST YEAR THE PASS RATE WAS 81.57%. OVER 10 YEARS THE PASS RATE HAS MORE OR LESS BEEN THE SAME . ADDITIONALLY ACCORDING TO THE BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION THE LITERACY RATE IN GOOCHLAND IS RIGHT AROUND 80% . THE 18% MENTIONED LAST MONTH HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING FOR A LONG TIME AND NOW I THINK IS FINALLY THE TIME THAT ALL SIDES ARE READY TO CHANGE THAT NUMBER.

IT'S IMPORTANT WE LOVE NOT LOSE THIS MOMENTUM AND CONTINUE WORKING HARD. WE KNOW THAT HAVING HIGHLY EFFECTIVE AND TRAINED TEACHERS ARE ESSENTIAL IN IMPROVING READING SCORES. I APPRECIATE THE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS AND WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT MORE. IMPROVING THE NUMBER DOES NOT FALL ON A SINGLE TEACHER SUPERINTENDENT OR SCHOOL BOARD BUT RATHER IT'S A TEAM EFFORT OF ALL MENTIONED PARTIES AS WELL AS FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. I AM ASKING TONIGHT TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE ON READING. AS A WHOLE I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE POSITIVE CONVERSATIONS. TAKE THE PASSION AND ENERGY OF BOOK REVIEWS AND ALL THE SPEECHES LAST MONTH AND PUT THAT INTO SUPPORTING OUR KIDS TO IMPROVE AND LOVE READING. LET'S STRAIGHTEN THE SCHOOL AND PUBLIC LIBRARY RELATIONSHIP AGAIN , FORM PARTNERSHIPS WITH ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COUNTY, ENCOURAGE KIDS TO PICK UP BOOKS THAT THEY LOVE NIGHTLY AND SUPPORT ANYONE NO MATTER THE AGE TO GROW AND DEVELOP INTO STRONG

READERS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> GOOD EVENING MADAM CHAIR. I HAVE A VARIETY OF ITEMS FOR THIS EVENING. FIRST OF ALL JUST A REMINDER THAT THE CODE OF ETHICS THAT YOU SIGNED IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH THAT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS DO. DO NO HARM. SO THINK ABOUT THAT . SO BASIC AS YOU MAKE DECISIONS AND AS YOU TALK TO PEOPLE. DO NO HARM. A NOTICE ABOUT STUDENT DATA THAT IS ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT IS FIRST READ. THERE'S A LOT GOING ON THE STUDENT DATA.

WE HAD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT TONIGHT SO I HOPE THAT WHEN MISS EAST EXPLAINS FIRST READ, I NOTICED THE CHANGE INCLUDES A LOT MORE INFORMATION AND IS ALSO A CONSENT FORM SO IF PARENTS DO NOT SIGN THAT FORM WILL THE DATA OF THEIR STUDENTS BE CONFIDENTIAL IF SOMEONE WERE TO ASK FOR THAT INFORMATION? WE DO NEED TO PAY ATTENTION, PEOPLE, TO THE POLICIES THAT ARE RELATED TO STUDENT DATA. PUBLIC COMMENTS, YES. DEFINITELY WHAT YOU READ TONIGHT WAS IMPORTANT. WE AS A BOARD PREVIOUSLY HAD INCLUDED MANY OF THOSE ACTIONS AND STATEMENTS BUT WHEN YOU TALK

[02:10:04]

WE WANT TO WRAP OUR STUDENTS IN BUBBLEWRAP AS THEY DOUBLE-- AS THEY GRADUATE AND I WISH THEM ALL WONDERFUL EXPERIENCES AFTER THEIR EXPERIENCE HERE AND I HOPE THEY CONTINUE TO GROW LEARN LOVE AND LAUGH AS THEY LIVE THEIR BEST LIVES. LET'S HELP THEM DO

THAT. >> IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING

TO SPEAK? >> DAVE HARDAWAY. I WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE MISGUIDED OR MISINFORMED. PEOPLE HOOKING UP WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE , SAY, BLACK LIVES MATTER WHICH IS BASED ON A LIE. AND TO FILE -- ANTIFA WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO STAND FOR INTO FASCISM BUT HAVE FASCISTS PAYING FOR THEIR ENDEAVORS. YOU'VE GOT THE LGBTQIA+, I CALL IT PEDOPHILIA , IT'S NOTHING BUT LIES. BUT YET PEOPLE FLOCK TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND DEFEND THEM TOOTH AND NAIL AND IF YOU'RE NOT STANDING ON THE TRUTH, IF YOU'RE STANDING ON A LIE YOU ARE BOUND TO FALL DOWN . THE FOUNDATION IS JUST GOING TO CRUMBLE. IT MIGHT STAND FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND YOU MIGHT BE FEELING GOOD AND SAY WELL THIS IS A GOOD FOUNDATION. THIS IS A GOOD ORGANIZATION. BUT THE LIES THAT COME OUT , YOU CAN JUST KEEP ON BUILDING A WEB OF LIES. JUST BUILD LIES ON TOP OF LIES.

I SAY STAND ON THE TRUTH AND YOU WILL HAVE A FIRM FOUNDATION AND A MUCH BETTER LIFE THAN TO HAVE TO FALL DOWN, STAND BACK UP AND SAY WILL THAT ORGANIZATION, THEY FOOLED ME. THEY LIED TO ME. I SAY FIND A GOOD ORGANIZATION LIKE, SAY, CHRISTIANITY WHERE GOD HAS NEVER LIED TO NOBODY AND YOU WILL HAVE A NICE LIFE AND A GUARANTEE OF A MUCH BETTER LIFE. THANK YOU ALL.

>> THANK YOU, MISTER HARDAWAY. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE?

>> HI THERE, MY NAME IS KEITH AND I HAVE TWO KIDS IN GMS. THIS IS GOING TO BE HITTING A LOT OF TOPICS. I DO AGREE THE CORE

[02:15:01]

MATH, MY KIDS WERE NEVER TAUGHT TIMES TABLES AND THEY ARE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. THAT'S A PROBLEM. EVERY KID SHOULD KNOW THEIR TIMES TABLES BY THE TIME THEY GET TO MIDDLE SCHOOL SO PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT ALL THOSE THINGS. TO ME, SUPER IMPORTANT. TO A LOT OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, SUPER IMPORTANT. LET'S REFOCUS, REEVALUATE AND MOVE FORWARD INSTEAD OF BACKWARD. THANK YOU.

>> IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? >> MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I AM FROM DISTRICT 5. MY WIFE AND I MOVED TO GOOCHLAND ALMOST 5 YEARS AGO AND ARE CURRENTLY EXPECTING OUR FIRST DAUGHTER. I HOPE THEY WILL BE ATTENDING RANDOLPH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL . THAT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE. I SPEAK TONIGHT BECAUSE I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON AFTER SOME RESEARCH AND LISTENING TO THE LAST MEETING. NUMBER ONE, WASTEFUL ACTIONS. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD FORCED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO BE USED ON A LAWSUIT THAT DIDN'T MAKE VERY MUCH SENSE AND ENDED UP BEING THROWN OUT. I DON'T SEE HOW IT HAD THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR CHILDREN IN MIND AS A COMMUNITY AND NUMBER TWO, THE FIRING OF DR. CROMARTIE. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO DOCTOR ARMSTRONG, THE FIRING OF DR. CROMARTIE WITHOUT CAUSE FEELS LIKE A STAIN ON THE REPUTATION OF OUR COUNTY AND BY ALL ACCOUNTS I'VE HEARD HE WAS A GOOD MAN AND A GREAT SUPERINTENDENT WHO WAS COMPLETELY ON BOARD WITH THE CORE VALUES OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. NEARLY $200,000 IN SEVERANCE BASICALLY DOWN THE DRAIN . WITH THAT MUCH MONEY ON THE LINE YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH SOME POLITICAL DIFFERENCES IN MY OPINION. I WORK THROUGH THOSE WITH PEOPLE ALL THE TIME. PEOPLE I WORK WITH, PEOPLE I LOVE AND WE CAN WORK THROUGH THAT . I HAVE HEARD OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT SERVES AT THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD. THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD SHOULD BE TO HAVE SPENT $200,000 ON THE KIDS. I THINK WE HAVE TO DO BETTER THAN THIS IN THE FUTURE.

WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT WE HAVE TO DO BETTER. NUMBER THREE THE REVEAL OF THE ADEQUACY-- EQUITY POLICIES. IF I UNDERSTAND THIS WAS A CAPITULATION TO THE RECENT EXECUTIVE ORDER ON THE CAPITULATION OF ENDING GOVERNMENT WASTE PROGRAMS. I'M SYMPATHETIC TO THE DESIRE TO MAINTAIN FEDERAL FUNDING THE POLICIES WERE NOT EXTREME IN NATURE. I KNOW AN EXTREME POLICY WHEN I SEE IT AND THEY WERE NOT THAT. IN ORDER TO RE-CODIFY OUR GOAL IS GIVING EVERY CHILD A FAIR CHANCE TO SUCCEED I ASK YOU TO PUT A NEW POLICY IN PLACE THAT DOES COMPLY WITH FEDERAL AND STATE LAW AS I'M SURE YOU WOULD AGREE EVERY CHILD NO MATTER RACE OR FAMILY INCOME LEVEL DESERVES A CHANCE TO SUCCEED AND THAT SHOULD BE POLICY. NUMBER FOUR, BOOK

[02:20:02]

IF YOU DON'T WANT YOUR KIDS READING SOMETHING DON'T LET THEM BUT DON'T BAN EVERYBODY'S KIDS FOR READING BOOKS THAT DON'T FIT YOUR BELIEFS. I REALLY THINK YOU ALL MEAN WELL BUT I WANT US TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS FOR THE FUTURE FOR ALL

OF OUR CHILDREN. THANK YOU. >> IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? IN THAT

CASE PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED. >> DOCTOR ARMSTRONG?

>> THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS. IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE SPENDING TIME IN OUR BUILDINGS AND SEEING STUDENTS IN ACTION FOR THE LAST THREE WEEKS NOT ONLY IN CLASS BUT ON STAGE , ON THE PLAYING FIELD AND OUR COMMUNITY. I COULD GO ON FOR HOURS ABOUT THE GREAT THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN AND HOW PROUD I AM OF ALL OF OUR STUDENT STAFF AND FAMILIES BUT I WILL DO THE BEST I CAN TO GIVE SOME HIGHLIGHTS. AT THE TRACK MEETING WHICH HAPPENED TO BE SENIOR NIGHT, COACH STEPHEN FERGUSON WENT OUT OF HIS WAY TO INVITE OUR SPECIAL OLYMPICS TRACK SENIORS TO NOT ONLY PARTICIPATE BUT ALSO RECOGNIZED THEM IN SENIOR NIGHT ACTIVITIES. I HAVE SEEN SO MANY WONDERFUL EXAMPLES OF DEDICATION TO THE INCLUSION OF STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND THIS IS JUST ONE. LAST WEEK I JOINED THE GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL CLASS FOR A TOUR OF THE GOOCHLAND ANIMAL SHELTER, SAW THE SUPPORT OF SHARE'S OFFICE, FIRE RESCUE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AT THE TRACK MEET AND FUND AND SAW PRESCHOOL STUDENTS AND PARENTS AT OUR MEET. I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH AS WELL ABOUT OUR FINE ARTS PROGRAM. WE HOSTED OUR ANNUAL FINE ARTS NIGHT FEATURING PERFORMANCES FROM STUDENTS K-12 AND AS USUAL I WAS IN ALL AT THE PROFESSIONAL QUALITY PRODUCTION OF SHORT THE MUSICAL UNDER THE DIRECTION OF MISTER BURCH AND THEN WE GOT TO SEE MISTER SYKES IN A DINOSAUR COSTUME AND I WISH I WOULD'VE TAKEN A PICTURE OF THIS, DIRECTING THE GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL BAND AT THEIR SPRING CONCERT. COMING THROUGH ON A WAGER WITH STUDENTS THAT AT LEAST 20 OF THEM HAD TO MAKE ALL DISTRICT BAND AND THEY DID CONDUCT A COMPLETE SONG WEARING AN INFLATABLE DINOSAUR COSTUME BUT HE DOES AMAZING WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS. LAST NIGHT MISS SMITHERMAN LED THE MIDDLE AND THE HIGH SCHOOL CHORUS AND PRIOR COURT-- CHOIR PROGRAMS. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL SHOW AND INCLUDED OUR SHOW CHOIR, A CAPPELLA GROUP AND WE RECOGNIZED ALL OF THE STUDENTS, MANY OF THEM AT THE EVENT LAST WEEK SO CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GREAT THINGS ABOUT FINE ARTS AND ALL OF OUR STAFF. WE ARE KNOWN STATEWIDE FOR A STRONG CAREER IN TECHNICAL EDUCATION OFFERINGS AND THAT HAS ALSO BEEN ON DISPLAY THE LAST FEW WEEKS FROM THE FFA FLOWER SALE AND THE WONDERFUL RENOVATION. THEY WORKED HARD TO GET THOSE REPAINTED AND WE HAVE GREAT NEWS ABOUT OUR THE JUNKYARD DOGS ROBOTICS TEAM AND THE MCJROTC RAIDERS. WE HELD A SIGNING TODAY WHERE WE WERE JOINED BY MISS MAXWELL AND RECOGNIZE STUDENTS ARE GOING TO PURSUE NEXT STEPS DIRECTLY INTO THE WORKFORCE OR THE MILITARY. ON MY SECOND DAY I WAS ABLE TO JOIN A RICH DISCUSSION WITH COMMUNITY BUSINESS LEADERS AT OUR BUSINESS EDUCATION ROUNDTABLE AND I AM EXCITED ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES TO LEVERAGE THOSE PARTNERSHIPS ON BEHALF OF STUDENTS TO GET THEM ON MEANINGFUL CAREER PATHWAYS. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK OF CHEFS AND CULINARY STUDENTS. I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING AT THE GES DONOR LUNCH WHERE THEY SERVED A GREAT MEAL AND DID THE SAME THING AT OUR CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE LAST WEEK . WANTED TO GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT AS WELL.

IN THE MIDST OF THE YEAR END EXTRACURRICULAR EVENTS, OUR BLUE RIDGE SENIORS PRESENTED PROJECTS AT THE EXPO A WEEK BEFORE LAST WHERE MISS ROBINSON SERVED AS AN EVALUATOR AND WE HAD THE CHANCE TO CHANNEL-- TO CHAT MORE ABOUT THE PATHS OF OUR EXCEED -- EXCITING SENIORS. WE ALSO RECOGNIZED STUDENTS WHO WOULD BE PARTICIPATING IN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS AND I CAME STRAIGHT HERE THIS EVENING FROM THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE GRADUATION AND I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT WE HAD 70 SENIORS WHO WALKED ACROSS THE STAGE AND GOT DEGREES. THAT IS A THIRD OF OUR SENIOR CLASS THAT WILL LEAVE WITH A POSTSECONDARY DEGREE AND THAT IS WORTHY OF APPLAUSE. I AM PRETTY CERTAIN THAT DESPITE BEING THE SMALLEST

[02:25:04]

COMMENTS, MADAM CHAIR. >> I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY BUT I NEED TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT. IT WORRIES ME THAT PEOPLE ARE ONLY HEARING WHAT CERTAIN PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY ARE SAYING. UNFORTUNATELY IT IS NOT A CONDUCIVE THING TO DO DURING MEETINGS. IT RILES THINGS UP MORE AND WE WOULD LIKE TO TREAT EVERYONE WITH RESPECT. BUT WHEN SOMEONE SAYS I SAID SOMETHING THAT I NEVER SAID, DIDN'T EVEN TALK TO HER ABOUT , I CAN'T STAND. I CANNOT STAND BACK AND NOT TALK ABOUT IT. WHEN IT WAS STATED THAT I SAID THAT THE ONLY PEOPLE PRESENT AT THE STARBUCKS MEETING WITH DOCTOR ARMSTRONG WERE DOCTOR ARMSTRONG , MS. WIRSING, MISS MAXWELL AND ME. I WAS NOT THERE. I NEVER TOLD HER THAT I WAS THERE. I DID COORDINATE THE MEETING ONE-ON-ONE SO THEY CAN HAVE A MEETING BUT THERE WAS NOT THREE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT AND I NEVER SAID THAT I WAS THERE.

THAT IS A FLAT OUT LIE. SHE SAID THAT I WAS THERE? I AM NOT GOING TO DEBATE YOU RIGHT NOW. PLEASE? NO LYING. NO LYING ABOUT ME, NO LYING ABOUT THE BOARD. IF YOU ARE GOING TO SAY SOMETHING DEROGATORY AT LEAST MAKE SURE THAT IT'S TRUE. THANK YOU. NOW WE ARE ON TO DOCTOR EAST.

>> INCORPORATED ALL OF THE SCHOOLS TO YOUR REPORT. THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. THERE MUST BE A LOT OF WORK FOR YOU. ME AND THE OTHER STUDENT REP WOULD LIKE TO INCORPORATE THIS YEAR WITH US BEING ON THE PANEL IT'S NOT JUST FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL, BUT WE THE REST OF THE STUDENTS, SO THAT IS WHAT IS REALLY EXCITING TO SHARE. SECOND, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME BACK DR. ARMSTRONG. I AM HAPPY THAT YOU ARE BACK. I REALLY AM. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I ONLY WANT TO POINT YOUR ATTENTION TO A FEW POLICIES. I WILL ADDRESS JOD, THE NEW FORM THAT DOES INCLUDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION , BUT IN THE POLICY ITSELF, IT SAYS THAT THE FORM MAY BE USED. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE USED, BUT IT MAY BE USED. KEEP THAT IN MIND.

ALSO, ALL OF THE KBA'S YOU WILL SEE AGAIN IN A MONTH AT SECOND READING , THERE WILL BE A LITTLE BIT OF A REVISION THAN WHAT YOU

[02:30:04]

THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT.

>> MADAM CHAIR, ONE POINT OF CLARIFICATION, WITH POLICY JOD , THAT IS IN RESPONSE TO THE SECOND CLAUSE THERE COMMUNITY POLICY MANAGEMENT TEAM AND SOCIAL SERVICES? IT SPECIALIZES

CERTAIN AGENCIES. >> THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU.

>> SURE THING. >> NOW, CONSENT ITEMS. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEMS OR WOULD YOU

LIKE TO DIVIDED? >> MADAM CHAIR MOVE TO MOVE IT

AS A SLATE. >> MOVED TO MOVE ITEMS AS A

SLATE. IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND NOT.

>> MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE CONSENT ITEMS AS A SLATE.

ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE SLATE , SAY AYE . OPPOSED? ABSTAINS? THEN, THE CONSENT ITEMS ARE IN FACT APPROVED. DR. ARMSTRONG, DID YOU WANT TO --.

>> YES, MADAM CHAIR. AFTER A RIGOROUS STATEWIDE SEARCH THROUGH SEVERAL STAGES OF FEEDBACK AND INTERVIEWS I'M EXCITED THAT THE BOARD HAS NOW APPROVED TONIGHT'S PERSONAL ACTION, WHICH INCLUDES THE APPOINTMENT OF THE NEW SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND I WOULD LIKE HIM TO STAND. THAT IS MR. PATRICK.

MR. GORDON HAS SERVED THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AS A TEACHER AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR OVER A DECADE AND HIS COMMITMENT TO GOOCHLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS RUNS DEEP WITH HIS WORK IN THE CLASSROOM AND AN ADMINISTRATOR WHERE HE ALSO SERVES AS A COACH AND WAS HONORED TEACHER OF THE YEAR IN 2018. HE IS A PROUD ONE AT THAT. ONE OF MANY IN HIS FAMILY SUED THE SCHOOL DIVISION AND LONG-STANDING SERVICE THAT HAS MADE A LASTING IMPACT ON STUDENT, STAFF AND FAMILIES ALIKE. I'M EXCITED AS HE LEADS A NEW CHAPTER. I BELIEVE YOU HAVE SOME GUESTS IN THE

AUDIENCE? >> IT'S BEEN A WHIRLWIND. JUST TO GET THE JOB TO BE A GOOCHLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL MYSELF, THEN TO COME BACK AND START MY CAREER , THEN COME BACK HOME AND NOW BE ON THIS STAGE IS AMAZING . I DO HAVE A WIFE WITH ME, JACLYN. MY MOM IS HERE AT ONE POINT AND MY BROTHER IS HERE. MY KIDS WERE HERE, BUT THEY HAD AN EVENT TO GET TO, SO I WAS LIKE, HEAD ON OUT. WE HAVE BEEN ALL OVER THE PLACE WITH THE GRADUATION AND ALL OF THAT STUFF. WE ARE EXCITED AS A FAMILY TO CONTINUE ON. TO ME, IT'S A FAMILY BUSINESS, BECAUSE WE ARE ALL IN EDUCATION AND I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE DOING THAT. I LOOK FORWARD TO ADDING MORE THINGS ONTO HER PLATE WITH THINGS THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO. EXACTLY.

DEFINITELY. WORKING WITH YOU GUYS AND COMING TO OUR SCHOOLS AND SECRETS GOING ON . IT'S AN AMAZING PLACE WITH GREAT STAFF AND I WANT TO CONTINUE THE AMAZING THINGS THAT OUR KIDS ARE DOING AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL . ONE THING WE TALKED ABOUT WAS THE SOFTBALL TEAM AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GOT TO SEE THAT THEY OUTSCORED OUR OPPONENTS, LIKE I WILL THROW IT ALL OVER 150 POINTS TO VERY MINIMAL THIS YEAR, SO THAT WAS GREAT AND IT WILL BE THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE REALLY DONE THAT. REALLY WANT TO THROW THEM OUT THERE, AS WELL. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, MR. GORDON. MR. GORDON, HE WILL BEGIN HIS SERVICES JULY 1ST BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO INTRODUCE YOUR GUESTS. THANK YOU. MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS, IF I MAY, I WILL HEAD DOWN TO THE PODIUM TO DO OUR NEXT PRESENTATION FY 26 BUDGET AMENDMENT. I WILL ASK MISS WEISS TO JOIN ME. WHILE IN GETTING SET UP, GET A PICTURE WITH MR. GORDON.

[02:35:52]

>> MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS, I'M EXCITED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN AMENDED FY 2026 BUDGET FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION THIS EVENING, WHICH WILL FUND OPERATIONS EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST FOR THE UPCOMING 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR. ON TO THANK HER FOR THE TREMENDOUS WORK AND RESPONSIVENESS TO SEVERAL CHANGES IN OUR STATE FUNDING. THERE WE GO. THIS SLIDE PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE CHANGES IN REVENUE SINCE THE BOARD'S ORIGINAL BUDGET APPROVAL, WHICH TOOK PLACE FEBRUARY 28TH AND I'M GRATEFUL TO THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR THEIR ADVOCACY AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR THE ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $300,000. THAT COMBINED WITH ADDITIONAL BASIC AID, SPECIAL EDUCATION DOLLARS AND FUNDING THANKS TO THE RECENTLY APPROVED STATE BUDGET WITH A FEW BEHIND THE WHEEL DOLLARS PUTS US AT A POSITIVE POSITION TO MEET MANY NEEDS THE BOARDS HAD IDENTIFIED. YOU CAN SEE THIS TABLE, THE EXACT NUMBERS FROM EACH OF THE CATEGORIES. WITH OUR INCREASING ENROLLMENT AT GOOCHLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WE ARE PROPOSING A FULL-TIME TEACHER POSITION AND A TEACHER SCALED POSITION THAT WILL BE DEDICATED TO PROVIDING ADMINISTERED OF SUPPORT , SO ONE TEACHER, THEN ONE TEACHER SCALED POSITION THAT WE WILL BE PROVIDING TO SUPPORT AT GOOCHLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL POSITION WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED FOR GES, BUT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH REMOVING THE POSITION AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH THESE ADDITIONAL REVENUES WE ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN A CRITICAL ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT AT GOOCHLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL , ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND STILL PROVIDE WITH THE NEED AND SUPPORT . THAT ALSO REPRESENTS A SMALL SAVINGS. IT IS ABOUT $40,000 OF SAVINGS DOING THAT.

OUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER POPULATION IS ALSO INCREASING IN THIS .5 HALF POSITION THAT WILL HELP MEET THOSE NEEDS AND STUDENTS WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR OUR ENROLLMENT , WHICH REQUIRES UNIQUE SKILLS OF BANDWIDTH AND CLOSING MONITOR THROUGH STATE AND FEDERAL ACCOUNTABILITY. I'M EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO FUND THE ADDITION OF THREE PART-TIME INTERVENTIONISTS , ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WILL MANAGE THE EXPANSION , LITERACY ACT AND THESE INTERVENTIONISTS WILL ALLOW US TO MEET THE NEEDS OF MY STUDENTS WHO STRUGGLE WITH LITERACY . WE ARE DEDICATING FUNDS TO CONTINUE SUPPORT OF OUR CT AND MUSIC PROGRAMS IN THE FORM OF ADDITIONAL SECTIONS OF CARPENTRY, NURSE AIDE AND HASKELL, AS WELL AS A HANDFUL OF ADDITIONAL SECTIONS AT GMS. WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE PROGRESS TOWARDS FUNDING THROUGH ALL FOUR MENTIONED NEEDS WHILE COVERING PERSONNEL RELATED EXPENSES, INCLUDING STIPENDS FOR BEHIND THE WHEEL , WHO WILL TALK ABOUT MOMENTARILY. FINALLY IN OUR SCHOOL YEAR 2026, WE HAVE INCREASED OUR LINE FOR FUEL , MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS, JANITORIAL SUPPLIES, ENSURING SECURITY AND OUR RESPONSE TO EXPECT CONTINUING COST. THAT IS THE OVERVIEW OF THE OPERATING BUDGET AND WE HAVE TWO QUICK CHANGES AND TEXTBOOK FUNDS BUT THE PRIOR-YEAR BALANCE THAT COVERS APEX EXPENSE, WHICH IS THE DIGITAL PLATFORM FOR ONLINE LEARNING , THEN THE CAFETERIA FUND WHERE WE HAVE DOLLARS THAT WILL COVER THE MINIMAL EMPLOYEE BENEFIT IN THE CAFETERIA FUND, WHICH BALANCE OFF BOTH OF THOSE FUNDS. THAT IS OUR PROPOSAL FOR THIS EVENING FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET AND A LETTER THAT WILL ACCOMPANY THIS FOR SUPERVISORS BOARD OF EDUCATION. ANYTHING ELSE?

>> I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CITIZEN WHO SPOKE ABOUT THE OVERNIGHT CHANGE . THE STATE BUDGET, OF COURSE, WAS JUST PASSED ON MAY 2ND AND WE BECAME AWARE OF DPI FENDING AND OF BEING RESTORED BACK TO A .5 CAP JUST ON FRIDAY , SO WE QUICKLY HAD TO MAKE SOME CHANGES OVER THE WEEKEND AND EVEN THROUGH

[02:40:01]

>> THANK YOU. >> ANY QUESTIONS? SEPARATE OR DO

WE DO -- . >> THERE'S A MOTION, I BELIEVE.

>> SEPARATE. >> IN THAT CASE, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AMENDED BUDGET?

>> MADAM CHAIR, I MOVED TO APPROVE THE AMENDED BUDGET AS

PRESENTED. >> THANK YOU. IS THE SECOND?

>> IT HAS BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE AMENDED BUDGET. ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSIONS? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. OPPOSED, SAY NO. ABSTAINS? IN THAT CASE, WE HAVE AN APPROVED AMENDED BUDGET.

>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THE NEXT ITEM FOR YOUR CONTINUATION CONSIDERATION IS THE FLAT DOLLARS STEPLESS LISTED FOR YOU AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AND ALSO AVAILABLE TO

ANSWER ANYTHING. >> DOES ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS

ABOUT IT? DO YOU HAVE --. >> THESE WERE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED IN FEBRUARY , BUT WE HAVE ADDED THE BEHIND THE WHEEL STIPENDS FOR THOSE INSTRUCT OTHERS AND A COUPLE OF MINOR CHANGES JUST WITH SOME ADMIN INTERNS WERE GOING TO ADD TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT HAVE NOW BEEN REMOVED SINCE RESTORING THE DEAN OF STUDENTS. JUST A COUPLE OF TWEAKS THERE AND MAINLY ADDING BEHIND THE WHEEL STIPENDS TO THE LIST.

>> THANK YOU. >> IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE?

>> MADAM CHAIR

>> IS THERE A MOTION? >> THERE HAS BEEN A MOVE AND SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR , SAY AYE.

OPPOSED, SAY NO. ABSTAINS? IT'S APPROVED. NOW, PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE WE JUST APPROVED THE BUDGET, BUT DRIVERS

EDUCATION BEHIND THE WHEEL. >> MADAM CHAIR, WHILE WE ARE GETTING SET UP , I THINK THIS WILL BE EXCITING NEWS FOR THE COMMUNITY, SO THAT WE ARE PROPOSING YOUR CONSIDERATION THIS EVENING PROVIDING BEHIND THE WHEEL INSTRUCTION AS AN OPTION THAT WILL ADMINISTER THROUGH THE SCHOOL DIVISION AND CURRENTLY I HAD TO DO IT MYSELF AND MANY OF OUR PARENTS HAVE TO GO THROUGH PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS IN ORDER TO GET THIS INSTRUCTION. HERE JOINED BY MR. GIBSON THEY'RE GOING TO TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE PLANNED.

>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, DR. ARMSTRONG AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. IT IS EXCITING TO BRING THIS PROPOSAL FORWARD FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. HUGE THANKS TO MR. GIBBS. EVERY ORGANIZATION HAS LOTS OF FOLKS THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS IN THE SPOTLIGHT THAT DO GREAT WORK QUIETLY THAT DESCRIBES MR. GIBBS AND STUDENTS ABSOLUTELY LOVE HIM AND WANT TO TAKE ANY COURSE THAT HE TEACHES AND I WILL GIVE HIM THE CREDIT FOR DESERVEDLY SO BRINGING FORWARD THE IDEA OF RESURRECTING BEHIND THE WHEEL AND THE COLLAPSE OF THE PROGRAM PREDATES AND IT'S SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST AND I HAVE NEVER GOTTEN IT OFF THE GROUND. HE APPROACHED ME THE END OF LAST YEAR AND IN TRUE GOOCHLAND FASHION, WE WORKED HARD TO GET TO YES AND IT HAS BEEN THROUGH COLLABORATION OF SEVERAL FOLKS TO GET THERE, BUT IT'S HIS SPARK ON BEHALF OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES THAT IS BRINGING BEHIND THE WHEEL BACK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY, SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT FOR WHATEVER REASON . WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO MUDDLE THROUGH. WE DIDN'T HAVE A TON OF SLIDES TO PRESENT TODAY, BUT WE WILL USE THEM AS GUIDANCE FOR DISCUSSION.

IS IT LINKED TO THE AGENDA?

[02:45:22]

>> I'M SURE THAT MOSTLY EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF WHAT BEHIND THE WHEEL IS AND WE OFFER THE CLASSROOM PORTION OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS TO GAIN THEIR DRIVERS LIKE THROUGH THE PE PROGRAM IN 10TH GRADE. IT IS PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY NEED TO MEET IN THE OTHER PORTION IS ACTUALLY ON THE ROAD AND BEHIND THE WHEEL WITH THE TRAINED INSTRUCTOR GETTING THOSE RUDE HOURS . HISTORICALLY AND I CAN SPEAK FOR MY OWN EXPERIENCE INDICATES THAT IT'S OUTSOURCED THROUGH PRIVATE VENDORS THAT OFTEN MEET STUDENTS IN OUR PARKING LOT AND MAKES IT CONVENIENT FOR FAMILIES, BUT WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL PROGRAM OR INSTRUCTION , SO WHAT THIS WILL DO IS BRING IT BACK UNDER , WHICH THERE IS A LOT OF BENEFIT TO. AS WE GET INTO THE DISCUSSION HERE IN A MINUTE, THERE WILL BE A SAVINGS TO FAMILIES, AS WELL AND WE WILL HAVE INSTRUCTORS LIKE MR. GIBBS WHO HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH KIDS AND FAMILIES TO BE ABLE TO BENEFIT OUR STUDENTS IN TERMS OF THE INSTRUCTION THAT THEY EXPERIENCE ON THE ROAD. THERE ARE A SERIES OF COURSES AND STUDENTS HAVE TO HAVE X NUMBER AMOUNT OF HOURS ON THE ROAD, AS WELL AS USUALLY TWO STUDENTS IN THE CAR WITH THE INSTRUCTOR AND WE HAVE GOTTEN A COMMITMENT FROM TRANSPORTATION TO PROVIDE TWO SURPLUS VEHICLES TO USE AS THE DRIVER EDUCATION CARS. FOR THE BREAK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND WE ALL REMEMBER THAT FOR STUDENTS THEMSELVES. WE HAVE THE BREAK IN THE PASSENGER SIDE IN THEIR OWN VEHICLES, SO THAT WILL BE PART OF THE UP FRONT COST TO GET THE PROGRAM OFF THE GROUND. I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MR. GIBBS TO TALK ABOUT THE LOGISTICS OF WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE AND SOME WORK THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE TO SURVEY FAMILIES REGARDING INTEREST. THERE'S ALREADY A COMPONENT AND I KNOW MS. WEISS IS HERE AND HAS WORKED THROUGH ALL OF THOSE NUMBERS AND WHAT THE PROGRAM WILL BE IS A BREAKEVEN PROGRAM AND THE IDEA IS NOT FOR US TO PROFIT FROM THE PROGRAM, BUT JUST TO BENEFIT OURS STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. THE MONEY TAKEN IN WILL COVER THE COST OF THE PROGRAM, AS WELL AS STIPENDS FOR INSTRUCTORS AND WE HAVE THREE OUTSTANDING WITH SEVERAL NAMES MENTIONED TONIGHT WITH MR. GIBBS AND FERGUSON IS A HEALTH AND PE TEACHER WHO ALSO COACHED FOR US . ALSO HELPING THE TEACHER AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND A COACH FOR US WHO ALL THREE HAVE AGREED TO SERVE AS INSTRUCTORS FOR THE PROGRAM . ALL OF THE PIECES ARE IN PLACE.

WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER AND I KNOW YOU WOULD RATHER HEAR

DIRECTLY FROM THE SOURCE. >> THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TONIGHT. I APPRECIATE IT. BEHIND THE WHEEL IS THE FIRST PART AND THE FIRST PART OF THE CLASSROOM AND WE HAVE DONE THAT.

THERE ARE STUDENTS WHO HAVE TO GO AND BE OUTSOURCED WITH OTHER INSTRUCTORS AND I DON'T OFTEN GET THE INSTRUCTION AND THEY DON'T OFTEN -- I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT PEOPLE, BUT THEY ARE NOT QUALIFIED EDUCATORS LIKE THEY SHOULD BE. THE THIRD PART IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THAT SERVES A LARGE PORTION OF OUR STUDENT BODY BY REDUCING THE COST SIGNIFICANTLY. EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT A LICENSE IS A GATEWAY TO BEING AN ADULT. I FEEL THAT A LOT OF STUDENTS THAT DON'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY ARE 17, 18 OR AFTER THEY GRADUATE WILL BE SERVED BY THE PROGRAM.

COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES AND WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITIES AFTER HIGH SCHOOL ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY. THE COST IS ROUGHLY IN $180-$200 PER STUDENT AND I THINK MARKETING WAS LIKE 300 TO 352 MORE. IT'S PRETTY EXPENSIVE. I GET THAT AND OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR STUDENTS. WE GET PROFESSIONAL DRIVING INSTRUCTION AND EVERYTHING WILL BE UP TO DATE AS FAR AS ROUTES BE APPROVED AND WE ARE LOOKING MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON , BUT WE CAN OPEN UP MORNINGS ONCE WE SEE HOW IT WORKS . WE HAVE CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS.

>> DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? >> MANY YEARS AGO, IT WAS THE

[02:50:01]

STILL SIMULATORS? >> THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OPTIONS THAT YOU CAN USE AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY HAVE SIMILARS AND WE CAN BUILD THIS PROGRAM FIVE YEARS ON THE ROAD AND MAYBE HAVE A RANGE. I GOT MY CERTIFICATION IN COLLEGE AND THEY POST HAD RANGES. THAT WAS A LONGER-TERM THING THAT WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL FOR STUDENTS, AS WELL AND RIGHT NOW WE JUST HAVE THE CLASSROOM AND THE STAFF , LIKE HAND BELTS FOR US TO USE TO ACCENT OUR INSTRUCTION WITHOUT HAVING THAT RANGE. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT IN THE FUTURE AND I THINK RIGHT NOW IS JUST GETTING THE HAND OF THE WHEEL.

>> I KILLED A LOT OF PEOPLE . I DID. IT WAS TERRIBLE.

>>

>> MADAM CHAIR, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AND WHEN I GRADUATED IN 1991, I LEARNED FROM OUR GUIDANCE COUNSELOR AT THE TIME . BLESS HER FOR WILLING TO TEACH ME TO DRIVE. WE HAD A DRIVING RANGE THAT WAS AT THE LOWER FIELD OF THE FOOTBALL HIGH SCHOOL COMPLEX OR THE OLD HIGH SCHOOL . EVERYTHING IS OLD NOW.

WE HAD A DRIVING RANGE THERE AND ONE THING I WANT TO POINT OUT IS HAVING. FOR TWO CHILDREN TO GET PRIVATE BEHIND THE WHEEL AND IT WAS AT THE COST OF ABOUT $500 PER KID. I DON'T SEE ON HERE INSURANCE. FOR INSURANCE FOR THE VEHICLE AND INSURANCE FOR THE PASSENGERS IF WE HIT SOMEBODY OR SOMETHING ELSE.

>> I THINK THIS PLACE --. MAKE A LITTLE DETAIL ON THAT ONE.

>> I THINK MR. FOWLER BROUGHT UP THE QUESTION, AS WELL WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT. REACHED OUT AND I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE EVEN DONE IT TWICE, BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS FOR ALMOST A YEAR. THEY HAVE ASSURED US THAT THROUGH OUR LIABILITY POLICY , WE DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COSTS FOR THAT. WE HAVE DOUBLE CHECKED ON THAT TWICE AND FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT IT'S NOT AN ADDED EXPENSE.

>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FINANCIAL PEACE?

>> BOARD MEMBERS, THIS IS ONE OF THESE THAT TECHNICALLY PROBABLY DOESN'T TAKE ACTION , BECAUSE THE PROGRAM HAD BEEN APPROVED YEARS AGO BY THE SCHOOL BOARD AT THE TIME AND WE WANT TO INCLUDE IT IN ACTION TO GET YOUR APPROVAL BEFORE WE BRING THIS BACK, BECAUSE REALLY IT HAS BEEN DORMANT FOR SO LONG AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE APPROPRIATE THING TO DO. WE DID INCLUDE IT UNDER ACTION AND WE WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO CONSIDER BRINGING BACK BEHIND THE WHEEL FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.

>> HOW WILL WE SUPPORT FAMILIES WHO CAN'T AFFORD THE $200 TUITION? DO WE HAVE A GRANT PROGRAM? IS THERE A NEEDS-BASED

AUCTION? >>

] >> WE WILL ABSOLUTELY MAKE SURE THAT IS THE CASE AND THAT IS THE CASE FOR ENRICHMENT CAMPS IN THE SUMMER AND ACTIVITY FEES DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. WE HAVE WAYS TO IDENTIFY THOSE NEEDS AND MECHANISMS TO COMMUNICATE THAT WITH FAMILIES AND WE COVER IT ANY TIME THERE IS A LEGITIMATE

NEED. >> HOW MANY STUDENTS CAN WE SUPPORT AND ARE YOU STARTING THIS IN AUGUST? 220 11TH GRADERS COME TO YOU. ARE WE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE ENTIRE CLASS? I DON'T WANT THERE TO BE A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE OR SOME KIND OF A LOTTERY MODEL. I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT SUPPLY AND DEMAND.

>> INITIALLY, IT WILL BE DURING FOOTBALL SEASON AND THEY TOOK ON THE FIRST PART OF AN ATTACK ON THE WINTER AND SPRING STUDENTS.

HIGH DEMAND FOR BEHIND THE WHEEL AND VERY G■RATEFUL TO HAVE WO VEHICLES TO USE, WHICH IS AWESOME. I KNOW IT'S ONLY ONE PERSON CAN DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND HOPE WE CAN HELP OUT IN THE FALL AND I KNOW FERGUSON COACHES, AS WELL. I ALSO FEEL LIKE IN THE FUTURE AS WE BEGIN THE PROGRAM, ADDITIONAL STAFF CERTIFIED WILL HELP US MEET THOSE ISSUES I THINK AND INITIALLY HAVE THOSE ISSUES AND NOT TOO MANY STUDENTS TO DO OUR

[02:55:01]

THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION . >> I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.

WOULD THIS PROGRAM BE AVAILABLE TO NONPUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS? IF

THERE WAS SPACE? >> THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE VERY LIMITED SPACE. I DON'T WANT TO SHUT DOWN ANYBODY, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS FIRST. IF WE HAVE THAT OPTION,

SURE. >> ONE THING ABOUT IT IS DURING

THE SUMMERTIME. >> ABSOLUTELY. I FEEL LIKE THE INTEREST WILL BE STILL VERY HIGH IN THE SUMMER AND AVAILABILITY.

WE CAN PROBABLY DO FOUR HOURS. DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR OR WEEKDAY, PROBABLY TWO HOURS. WE CAN DRIVE AND SWITCH OFF AND HAVE THE STUDENTS OBSERVE AND DRIVE . PROBABLY BEGUN BY SIX 130. IN THE SUMMER, A TWO HOUR WINDOW, THEN 12 OR 4 TO 6.

WHATEVER WORKS FOR THE FAMILIES. WE CAN SWITCH OFF ON THAT, AS WELL AND HAVE TWO CARS GOING AT THE SAME TIME. ABSOLUTELY. I WOULD LOVE TO RUN IT IN THE SUMMER.

>> HOW MANY TIMES DO THEY HAVE TO DRIVE?

>> BEHIND THE WHEEL IS SEVEN PERIODS OF GUIDED INSTRUCTION AND TENEMENTS TO THE OUR OF SWITCHING OFF THOSE STUDENTS AND SEVEN TOTAL PERIODS . ANOTHER ISSUE I WAS RUNNING INTO THE FIRST FEW YEARS AND THEY WERE TO DO TWO CLASS PERIODS ARE THREE CLASS PERIODS AND IF SOMEBODY WERE TO GO BACK AND YEAH , CHECK ON THEM. SEVEN CLASS PERIODS AND 50 MINUTES .

>> MADAM CHAIR , I THINK BASED ON THE DIALOGUE, LET'S COLLECT SOME DATA ON DEMAND AND WE THINK ABOUT STUDENTS WHO MAY NOT BE PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS AND WE WILL MONITOR THAT.

>> YEAH, I CAN PRINT THAT OUT. >> I THINK THERE'S AN INSURANCE QUESTION IF YOU ARE NOT A STUDENT, BUT I WILL LEAVE THAT

TO YOU. >> THAT'S A GREAT POINT.

>> ON THE PRESENTATION , IT'S A SURVEY TO FAMILIES AND THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN SURVEYED. THE FAMILIES HAVE BEEN SURVEYED.

>> I HAVEN'T CHECKED IT RECENTLY. LAST TIME I CHECKED WAS

INTEREST. >> ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? TO MAKE THIS OFFICIAL -- WHAT'S THE WORD? TIMELY. IS

THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? >> MADAM CHAIR, I MOVED TO APPROVE THE DRIVER EDUCATION BEHIND THE WHEEL TRAINING

PROGRAM AS PRESENTED. >> SECOND.

>> I SECOND THAT. >> IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE . OPPOSED? SAY NO? ABSTAINS? GREAT JOB. THANK YOU. VERY EXCITING AND YOU MIGHT WANT TO TAKE SOME . STOCK UP ON THE TUMS.

>> I WILL LET DR. STAY PUT FOR A MOMENT AND YOU WILL SEE THE NEXT SLIDE. CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL IS THE LIST OF TEXTBOOKS AND INSTRUCTION . THESE INCLUDE ONE KINDERGARTEN RESOURCE AND THE REST APPEAR TO BE HIGH-LEVEL MATH RESOURCES . DR. GEYER

WANTED TO SEE . >> JUST ADD CONTEXT , THE SECONDARY MATH RESOURCES THAT DR. ARMSTRONG MENTIONED, THE CORRESPONDING COURSES ARE THERE IN THE MEMO, AS WELL AS THE HISTORY RESOURCE THAT IS ACTUALLY KINDERGARTEN THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL , WHICH WILL BRING US UP TO SPEED WITH THE STATE APPROVED STANDARDS AND HISTORY , SO THAT THE NEEDED RESOURCE AND

[03:00:01]

I THINK MARCH, SO WE ARE BRINGING THIS FORWARD FOR CONSIDERATION AND IF APPROVED, WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PURCHASE ON THE FINDINGS ARE THERE TO GET THESE RESOURCES IN PLACE BEFORE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR START.

>> ANY QUESTIONS? >> JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, I SEE THE COPYRIGHT AND A FEW MATH TEXTS FROM 2022 OR 2023. ARE THEY NOT NEW EDITIONS OF TEXTS THAT WE WOULD WANT TO CONSIDER?

>> NOT NEW EDITIONS. THESE ARE THE TEACHERS THAT TEACH THESE COURSES. THESE ARE THE EXACT TEXTBOOKS THAT THEY HAVE REQUESTED , WHICH IS NICE THAT IT WORKED THAT WAY. GREAT QUESTION. THERE ARE NO NEWER COPYRIGHTS, OTHERWISE WE WOULD

CERTAINLY BRING THOSE FORWARD. >> MADAM CHAIR, I MOVED TO APPROVE THE TEXTBOOK AND INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCE .

>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED TO APPROVE . IS THERE A SECOND? IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? FURTHER QUESTIONS? IN THAT CASE, IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND APPROVED . MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE TEXTBOOK CONSIDERATIONS . ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED? ANY ABSTAINS. IN THAT CASE, GO ON AND LEARN.

>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS. THE OTHER PIECE OF BREAD IN THE ACTION ITEM SANDWICH, THE BUDGETS OF AND TRANSFER. YOU WILL FIGHT CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL, THE MEMO AND ACCOMPANYING TRANSMITTAL LETTER TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO APPROPRIATE CHANGES TO OUR CURRENT YEAR, 2025 BUDGET. WE RECEIVED $292,000 DESIGNATED FOR ONE TERM RETENTION BONUS TO ALL FUNDED INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF WHO ARE RETURNING TO OUR REVISION IN 2025, 2026. FOR SOME CONTEXT AND BOARD OF COMMUNITY, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THIS FUND THAT CAME FROM THE COMMONWEALTH, BUT IT'S DESIGNATION FOR FUNDING INSTRUCTIONAL POSITIONS REALLY ONLY COVERS THE BARE MINIMUM OF HER INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF AND WOULD NOT INCLUDE ALL OF OUR TEACHERS, MUCH LESS OUR SUPPORT STAFF DRIVERS, COUNSELORS ET CETERA. VACANCY SAVINGS AND THROUGH THE SHARPENED PENCIL HIGHER SALES TAX REVENUE, AS WELL WILL ALLOW US TO SUBMIT STATE FUNDS TO PROVIDE ALL OF OUR RETURNING STAFF WITH THE $1000 ONE-TIME BONUS TO BE ADMINISTERED THROUGH JUNE 30 THIS YEAR PENDING YOUR APPROVAL AND IT WILL BE PRORATED FOR OUR PART-TIME STAFF . SALES TAX REVENUE IS FORECASTED TO FUND ADDITIONAL 100 AND THOUSAND AND OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE TO OFFSET INFLATIONARY COSTS AND CONTRACTING SERVICES . WE ARE DUE TO RECEIVE HALF OF STATE DUE PROCESS FEES AND INVENTORY FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVED FROM EQUIPMENT GRANT FROM LAST YEAR USED TO PURCHASE A NEW OVEN AT GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL. WE SEEK YOUR APPROVAL IN $11-$46,429 WORTH OF BUDGET SETTLEMENTS AND CATEGORICAL FUNDS TRANSFERS AS OUTLINED IN THE MEMO. HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AND AVAILABLE, AS WELL TO ANSWER ANY

TECHNICAL QUESTIONS. >> ANY QUESTIONS? DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET SUPPLEMENT

TRANSFER? IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND.

>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET SUPPLEMENT AND TRANSFER. ANY DISCUSSION?

>> IN ADDITION TO THE 3% RAISE FOR RETURNING EMPLOYEES, THE $1000 BUDGET IS EXTENDED BONUS AND IT EXTENDED AS RECOGNITION OF ALL CONTRIBUTIONS DEDICATED STAFF AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR

OUR SERVICE. >> GOOD POINT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR , SAY AYE. THOSE OPPOSED?

[03:05:06]

>> AND MOVED TO APPROVE MISS LINDA DEAN AS THE SCHOOL BOARD

CLERK AND OFFICER. >> SECOND PART

>> THANK YOU. MOVED AND SECONDED. YOU CAN SIT DOWN. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE VOTING TO APPROVE MISS LINDA DEAN AS THE SCHOOL BOARD CLERK OFFICER? SAY AYE. THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NO. ANY ABSTAINS? OKAY, CONGRATULATIONS, MISS DEAN . THERE IS ONE MORE THING. WE HAVE NOT HAD A DEPUTY SCHOOL BOARD CLERK FOR -- I DON'T KNOW -- EVER. ANYWAY, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE MISS HARRIS AS THE DEPUTY SCHOOL

BOARD CLERK? >> MADAM CHAIR, I MOVED TO HARPERS APPROVE HARRIS AS SCHOOL CLERK FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

>> MOVED AND SECONDED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IN THAT CASE, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. ALL OPPOSED, SAY NO. ABSTAINS? WE NOW HAVE A DEPUTY SCHOOL BOARD CLERK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR FILLING IN FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. IT HAS BEEN MUCH APPRECIATED. WELCOME, MISS DEAN. ARE THERE ANY ITEMS FOR BOARD

REVIEW? >> MADAM CHAIR, I APOLOGIZE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE LINK UP FOR STRATEGIC AND TACTICAL REPORT IN THE AGENDA, BUT WE WILL UPDATE THAT AS YOU WILL SEE WHEN YOU VISIT THE LINK. WE POPULATE THAT WITH ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE IN DIFFERENT OPERATIONAL DEPARTMENTS AND WE WILL MAKE SURE TO GET THAT UP FOR YOU. THE INTENDANTS/ENROLLMENT UPDATE, I BELIEVE THERE ARE NOT ANY FOR THIS MONTH. THAT WILL BE IT FOR

ITEMS FOR BOARD REVIEW. >> ANY NEW BUSINESS? ANY COMMITTEE OR BOARD REPORTS? NO? OKAY. IN THAT CASE, IS THERE A MERCIAN MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING?

>> SO MOVED. >> IS THERE A SECOND?

>> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNING? THOSE OPPOSED? ABSTAINS? IN THAT CASE, THE GOOCHLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD IS ADJOURNED UNTIL JUNE 10, 2025 AT 5:30 P.M.

, CLOSED SESSION FOLLOWED BY OPEN SESSION AT 6:00 P.M. IN ROOM 250 OF THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING .

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.