Sep 14, 2021 September 14, 2021 - Work Session - 4 p.m.

[00:00:03]

>> [NOISE] GOOD AFTERNOON, I'D LIKE TO CALL THE SEPTEMBER 14TH,

[A. Meeting Opening]

FIRST, WE HAVE A TRANSPORTATION UPDATE FROM DR. FRYE.

[B. Transportation Update]

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MR CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS [INAUDIBLE].

TODAY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SEVERAL AREAS WE ARE IMPROVING UPON AND AREAS IN WHICH WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE.

FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR START TIMES, AND THE CHANGES SINCE 2017, DRIVER PAY, RECRUITING AND TRAINING, HOW OUR COMMUNICATION IS GOING, AND HOW WE'RE LOOKING AT IMPROVING THAT, CURRENT TECHNOLOGY NOW AND IN THE FUTURE, THE STOP-ARM CAMERAS, AND OUR PERFORMANCE IN THE ROUTING AND PERFORMANCE DATA.

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR SITUATION WITH OUR DROP-OFF LANDS AT OUR SCHOOLS, AND WHAT WE'RE DOING TO HELP EASE THAT.

EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT BACK IN THE DAY.

BACK IN THE DAY IT WAS ALWAYS BETTER, BACK IN THE DAY WALKED UPHILL BOTH WAYS AND IT WAS STILL BETTER.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE LOOK AND PARK INTO OFTEN.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT AND YOU COMPARE BACK IN THE DAY, AND WE TALK ABOUT FY2016 AND WE COMPARE WHAT WAS GOING ON THEN WITH WHAT'S GOING ON NOW, THERE IS REALLY NO COMPARISON.

BACK IN THE DAY, THERE WERE 525 ROUTE PACKAGES.

NOW A ROUTE PACKAGE IS A SERIES OF SCHOOLS, THAT A DRIVER DELIVERS STUDENTS TO AND FROM THERE, SO ONE ROUTE PACKAGE EQUALS ONE DRIVER.

WITH 525 ROUTE PACKAGES, YOU WOULD NEED 525 DRIVERS IN ORDER TO DO THAT.

AT THAT TIME, WE WERE STAFFED AT ABOUT 95 PERCENT.

FABULOUS, I'D TAKE THAT IN A SECOND RIGHT NOW.

BUT SINCE THEN, WE'VE GROWN QUITE A BIT.

WE'VE HAD OUR START TIMES THAT HAVE CHANGED, WE'VE HAD OUR ENROLLMENT INCREASED BY 2,000 STUDENTS, OR MORE, WE'VE INCREASED SERVICE IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT AREAS LIKE CBGS, SPECIALTY CENTERS, AND OPENINGS OF NEW SCHOOLS.

WE'RE BEING ASKED TO DO MORE, BUT WE HAVE LESS.

WHAT WE'VE DONE TO MEET THESE NEEDS, IS THAT WE'VE BECOME A LOT MORE EFFICIENT.

EVEN THOUGH WE'RE BEING ASKED TO DO MORE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET IT DOWN TO 485 ROUTE PACKAGES, WHICH EQUATES TO 485 DRIVERS.

NOW, IN DOING THAT, THOUGH, WE ARE OPERATING WITH ABOUT 75 PERCENT STAFF, SO WE ARE MISSING ONE OUT OF FOUR, OF THE STAFF THAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO FILL ALL OF THESE ROUTES.

BUT WE MAKE IT BY BEING MORE EFFICIENT, WITH FEWER STAFF.

BUT THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO CHESTERFIELD, IT'S NATIONWIDE, AND THERE'S NOT A DAY THAT GOES PAST THAT WE DON'T HEAR THAT.

THE NATIONAL DRIVER SHORTAGE CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE, AND UP TILL NOW AND AS WE CONTINUE, WE TRY TO FIND WAYS TO MAKE THINGS MORE EFFICIENT WITH WHAT WE'VE GOT.

WE MAKE THE BEST WITH WHAT WE HAVE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO IS LOOK AT OUR RIDERSHIP DATA.

THE BETTER WE CAN MATCH, WHO IS ACTUALLY RIDING THE BUSES, WITH WHO IS SCHEDULED TO BE ON THE BUSES, THE MORE EFFICIENT THAT WE CAN BE AND THE MORE BUSES ULTIMATELY WE HAVE.

WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING TO IMPLEMENT WITH THE TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT THE TRANSFER OF DATA THROUGH OUR VIRGINIA IEP SYSTEM.

THAT'S GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF ADVANTAGES, CURRENTLY AND MOVING FORWARD, AND WHEN WE GET TO THE POINT TO WHERE THIS DATA IS BEING TRANSFERRED OVER TO US, WE CAN MOVE EVEN FASTER, IN ROUTING OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS.

IN OUR ROUTING DEPARTMENT, WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL EFFICIENCIES AS WELL.

BACK IN THE DAY, DRIVERS DID THREE SCHOOLS, THREE TIERS, NOW THEY'RE DOING FOUR TIERS.

WE'RE FINDING WHERE THAT'S POSSIBLE, WE'RE ALSO DOING OUR FIRST AND SECOND WAVES, IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE ALL THE ROUTES THAT NEED TO BE DONE.

WE'VE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO MOVE THE STOPS TO THE MOST EFFICIENT PLACES.

BACK IN THE DAY,

[00:05:01]

AS STUDENTS AGED OUT OF A SCHOOL, THE STOP WAS THERE FOR THEM, SO YOU WOULD HAVE BUSES GOING DOWN STREETS TO PICK UP ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AND THERE WEREN'T ANY STUDENTS THERE, BUT MAYBE A HANDFUL.

TODAY, WE LOOK AT OUR STOPS, WE LOOK AT OUR STUDENTS, AND WE PUT THOSE STOPS IN THE MOST EFFICIENT PLACE TO CAPTURE THE STUDENTS THAT ARE IN THOSE AREAS, WHICH HELPS WITH EFFICIENCIES.

WE'VE ALSO LOOKED AND STRETCHED OURSELVES A LITTLE BIT MORE, IN TRYING TO FIND PLACES WHERE WE CAN PICK UP OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, AND OUR MIDDLE-SCHOOL STUDENTS ON THESE LONG BACK ROADS, INSTEAD OF RUNNING TWO BUSES TO PICK THEM UP, JUST SO HAPPENS THAT WE HAVE COSBY AND TOMAHAWK ON THE SAME TIER, FOR EXAMPLE, SO WE CAN PICK UP BOTH OF THOSE GROUPS OF STUDENTS, DROP OFF AT COSBY AND KEEP ON GOING UP TO TOMAHAWK.

AGAIN, STRETCHING OUR RESOURCES.

TECHNOLOGY. OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF TECHNOLOGY THAT WE HAVE USED, WE'VE TRIED TO LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE OUR EFFICIENCY, AND IT HAS HELPED.

RECENTLY WE'VE HAD SOME DIFFICULTIES, WHICH I HAVE A ENTIRE SLIDE DEVOTED TO, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE.

ONE OF THE MANY THINGS WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IS THE INCREASE IN PAY.

NOW I HAVE TO SAY THAT CHESTERFIELD HAS DONE A VERY GOOD JOB OVER THE YEARS, INCREMENTALLY INCREASING THE PAY, TO ATTRACT MORE AND MORE DRIVERS.

RECENTLY THERE WAS A PAY INCREASE UP TO 1,721, AND WITH THE HELP OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, THE COUNTY DR. DAUGHERTY, THAT HAS NOW INCREASED TO $20.21 STARTING, AND WITH INCREASED BONUSES, I'M OFTEN ASKED, WHAT IS THAT NUMBER? WHERE DO WE NEED THE PAY TO BE IN ORDER TO, START ATTRACTING MORE AND MORE DRIVERS? WE MAY HAVE REACHED THAT BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT MORE APPLICANTS.

HUNDREDS IN FACT. CURRENTLY, SINCE THE BEGINNING OF SUMMER, WE'VE HAD TWO RECRUITMENT FAIRS STARTING ON JUNE THE 18TH.

WE'VE HAD THE COUNTY FAIR.

WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE COMING UP AT THE END OF THE MONTH, AT MANCHESTER.

I'VE GOT TO THANK OUR HR DEPARTMENT THAT CONTINUES TO TAKE NEW, AND UNIQUE AVENUES TO ATTRACT DRIVERS AND TO PROCESS THEM THROUGH SO THEY CAN GET IT TO OUR TRAINING PROCESS.

I'VE GOT TO SAY THAT THROUGH THIS WHOLE TIME, ONE OF THE PLACES THAT WE ALWAYS STAFF IS OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AREA 5 TRANSPORTATION.

WE'RE NOT MANDATED TO TAKE STUDENTS TO SCHOOL, BUT SPECIAL EDUCATION YOU ARE THAT'S A FEDERAL MANDATE.

WE DO PUT A LOT OF RESOURCES TOWARD OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, AND WE KEEP THEM FULLY STAFFED.

THEY ARE ALWAYS THE FIRST GROUP, TO SAY WE'RE ALL CLEAR, ALL OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE BEEN DELIVERED, AS MUCH AS 30 MINUTES, OR MORE EACH DAY THEY FINISH BEFORE THE OTHER GROUPS.

IT JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU, WHAT A FULLY STAFFED AREA CAN DO, IN TIMES.

NOW WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE HUNDREDS OF APPLICANTS, BUT THAT HAS MADE US STEP BACK AND SAY, HOW CAN WE IMPROVE OUR TRAINING PROCESS TO MAKE IT A LOT MORE EFFICIENT? WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.

WE CAME TOGETHER WITH DR. DAUGHERTY AND DR. TAYLOR AND JOSH AND HR, AND WE SAT DOWN AND SAID, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO IMPROVE THIS PROCESS, AND WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO IT? I'M VERY HAPPY TO SAY THAT ANYTIME, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED, I WON'T SAY WE GET EVERYTHING, BUT WE CERTAINLY ARE SUPPORTED TREMENDOUSLY AND WE WERE PARTICULARLY IN THIS AREA.

WE'RE STREAMLINED OUR PROCESS NOW, TO WHERE DRIVERS ARE GOING THROUGH THE TRAINING, CLASSROOM PORTION IN 24 HOURS.

THAT'S THREE DAYS, SO SAY MONDAY TO WEDNESDAY.

ON THURSDAY, THEY TAKE A CLASS IN THEIR PREP FOR THEIR LEARNERS.

ON FRIDAY, MONDAY AT THE LATEST, THEY WILL TAKE THEIR LEARNER'S PERMIT, TEST, THEIR CLP.

THAT TAKES A COUPLE OF DAYS TO GET BACK, ONCE YOU GET THAT BACK, THERE'S A 14 DAY WAITING PERIOD BEFORE YOU CAN TAKE THE NEXT TEST.

DURING THAT 14 DAYS,

[00:10:03]

NOW, SOME CAN DO IT IN SIX, SOME ARE GOING TO TAKE MORE, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE TRAINED UNTIL THEY'RE READY TO DRIVE OUR STUDENTS.

WE HAVE THIRD PARTY TESTERS HERE IN CHESTERFIELD, AND ONCE THEY DO THAT, THEY'RE TESTED, AND IT TAKES ABOUT TWO DAYS TO GET THEIR CDL TO BE READY TO GET ON THE BUS.

NOW WE LEARNED EARLY ON A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN YOU JUST GIVE SOMEONE A CDL, AND YOU JUST PUT THEM ON A BUS WITH KIDS FOR THE FIRST TIME, IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT DRIVING WITH 50 KIDS BEHIND YOU, THAN HAVING YOUR TRAINER HOLDING YOUR HAND THE WHOLE TIME, AND LEARNING TO DRIVE THE BIG YELLOW BUS.

PART OF OUR PROCESS HAS BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE, THAT OUR NEW DRIVERS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RIDE ON THEIR ROUTES, WITH SOMEONE THAT'S TRAINED, SO THAT THEY LEARN THE KIDS AND THEY LEARN THE ROUTE ITSELF.

NOW, IT'S GREAT THAT WE'VE GOT HUNDREDS OF APPLICANTS.

BUT THERE ARE HURDLES THAT YOU HAVE TO MEET, THAT YOU HAVE TO JUMP OVER.

YOU HAVE TO QUALIFY.

WE ONLY TAKE THE BEST HERE IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY.

THEY'VE GOT TO PASS THEIR PHYSICALS, THEIR MEDICAL, THEIR TB TEST, THEIR DRUG SCREENING, AND THE BACKGROUND TEST.

WE'RE VERY EXCITED THAT THESE PROCESSES NOW HAVE BEEN MOVED IN FRONT OF THE TRAINING, WHERE THEY WERE TAKING PLACE THROUGHOUT THE TRAINING, OVER THREE DIFFERENT APPOINTMENTS AND WE WOULD HAVE CANDIDATES DROPPING OUT DURING THE PROCESS.

NOW WE'RE SCREENING IN FRONT, FRONT-LOADING, SO THAT THE ONES THAT ARE COMING IN AND ARE IN THE TRAINING PROCESS ARE READY TO GO STRAIGHT ON THROUGH.

THAT'S GOING TO HELP A LOT. WE'RE ALSO PUTTING OUR CDL DRIVERS THAT ARE COMING FROM OTHER STATES, OTHER COUNTIES, OR COMING OUT OF RETIREMENT, PUTTING THEM RIGHT UP FRONT.

THEY WILL BE ABLE TO START DRIVING WITHIN JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS, USUALLY.

COMMUNICATION. COMMUNICATION IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE IN THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT IN ANY OFFICE.

FRANKLY, WHEN YOU'VE GOT A HIGH VOLUME OF CALLS.

NOW, JUST TO PAINT THE PICTURE, AND I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING, YES, THIS IS AN AREA THAT WE CAN IMPROVE UPON.

WE CAN IMPROVE UPON EVERYTHING. EVERYONE CAN.

WE CONTINUE TO MEET ON AT LEAST WEEKLY BASIS TO LOOK FOR AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT.

BUT IN THE REALM OF COMMUNICATION, WE'RE UP AGAINST IT, TO BE FRANK.

WE HAVE AT MOST FIVE PEOPLE IN THE OFFICE OVER A 12-HOUR PERIOD.

BECAUSE OF THE DRIVER SHORTAGE, OFTENTIMES, OUR OFFICE FOLKS ARE CALLED TO DRIVE THE ROUTES AS WELL.

SOMEONE CALLS OUT SICK AND WE CAN'T FIND SOMEONE, THEY JUMP ON A BUS AND THEY'RE OUT THERE DELIVERING THE STUDENTS AS CLOSE TO ON TIME AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN.

OFTENTIMES, THERE'S ONLY TWO PEOPLE LEFT IN THE OFFICE TO DO THAT.

MOST RECENTLY, I HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF HELPING IN AN OFFICE.

I GOT A CALL SAYING, "WE'RE STRAPPED.

WE'VE GOT X NUMBER OF DRIVERS OUT." TWO OF MY FOLKS ARE ON THE ROAD AND IT'S JUST ME AND ANOTHER PERSON.

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO? I TEXTED BACK AND SAID, "I'LL BE THERE IN 10 MINUTES." IT'S AT 6:30 IN THE MORNING.

I CALLED SOMEONE FROM THE ROUTING DEPARTMENT.

THEY CAME OUT, SOMEONE FROM THE TRAINING GROUP THAT WAS IN-BETWEEN TRAINING TO HELP OUT.

WE HAD FIVE PEOPLE IN THE OFFICE WHEN ALL WAS SAID AND DONE AND WE WERE HOPPING THE WHOLE TIME.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, A LOT OF IT GOES BACK TO OUR SHORTAGE.

WHEN YOU'RE SHORT DRIVERS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE LIGHT BUSES, WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE MORE CALLS.

IF YOU HAVE A BUS OF 50 STUDENTS AND YOU'VE GOT AT LEAST ONE OR TWO PARENTS THAT CALL TO ASK ABOUT THEIR CHILD AND THEN YOU MULTIPLY THAT TIMES 10, THAT'S A LOT OF CALLS.

WHILE AT THE SAME TIME THEY ARE SENDING OUT THE MESSENGERS AND EVERYTHING.

THAT'S JUST THE REALITY THAT WE ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE UPON.

WE DO HAVE STRATEGIES IN THE FUTURE.

FIRST OF ALL, WE DO HAVE A DIRECT LINE FOR OUR SCHOOLS.

OUR SCHOOLS CAN CALL DIRECTLY TO THE TRANSPORTATION OFFICES.

WE ALSO, COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, HIRED A COORDINATOR WHO CAN RECEIVE CALLS STARTING AT SEVEN O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.

HE'S THERE UNTIL 3:30.

HIS EMAIL AND HIS TELEPHONE NUMBER ARE POSTED ON OUR TRANSPORTATION WEBSITE AND HE'S VERY GOOD AT ANSWERING THOSE AND GETTING RIGHT BACK TO FOLKS AND KEEPING US ALL IN THE LOOP.

[00:15:01]

BUT SINCE THEN, WE'VE HAD THE, I GUESS FORTUNATE, THAT WE'VE HAD SO MANY APPLICANTS AND PEOPLE IN THE TRAINING PIPELINE THAT THEY DO HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO COME HELP IN THE OFFICE.

NOW WE HAVE TRAINEES THAT ARE OVER A 14-DAY PERIOD WORKING ON THEIR DRIVING, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE SOME DOWNTIME WHERE WE'RE NOW SCHEDULING THEM INTO THE AREA OFFICES TO HELP.

THAT GIVES THEM A LITTLE BIT OF BEHIND THE SCENES PRACTICE AS WELL.

BUT AGAIN, I'M GOING TO END WITH, YES, WE CAN IMPROVE IN THIS AREA AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

TECHNOLOGY. THIS IS THE ONE I SAID I WANTED TO COME BACK TO AND TELL YOU WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THAT.

I AM A BIG BELIEVER IN LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE THINGS MORE EFFICIENT.

A LOT OF TIMES WITH THE TECHNOLOGY, TECHNOLOGY WILL HELP SOMEONE DO SOMETHING VERY QUICKLY THAT WOULD NORMALLY TAKE LIKE FIVE PEOPLE TO DO.

YOU CAN DO IT VERY QUICKLY.

OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE ACQUIRED MORE AND MORE TECHNOLOGY TO HELP US BE MORE EFFICIENT WITH WHAT LITTLE WE HAD.

IT STARTED OFF WITH THE VERSATRANS ROUTING SOFTWARE TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO.

IF YOU REMEMBER BACK IN THAT TIME, IT WAS A ROUGH START.

ALSO, WE HAD ROUTING ISSUES WITH IT, TRAINING ISSUES WITH IT.

WE HAD DATA MANAGEMENT ISSUES WITH IT.

BUT THREE, FOUR YEARS LATER, DIDN'T EVEN TAKE THAT LONG, BUT NOW, THAT IS KEY TO TAKING US FROM 525 DRIVERS NEEDED DOWN TO 485.

WE'VE BECOME MORE EFFICIENT.

NEXT CAME E-LINK.

E-LINK POSTS ARE ROUTES.

NOW, BACK IN THE DAY, WE USED TO HAVE TO POST OUR ROUTES ON PAPER, ON THE GLASS OF THE SCHOOLS AND PUBLISHED FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD WHERE ALL OF OUR CHILDREN WERE.

IN USING E-LINK, WE'VE NOW SECURED THAT TO WHERE FAMILIES CAN LOOK DIRECTLY AND FIND OUT WHERE THEIR CHILDREN ARE.

WHEN THAT FIRST STARTED, WE HAD SOME ISSUES.

IT IS NOW LEVELED OUT, BUT MORE HAVE COME UP, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT.

MYSTOP. MYSTOP IS AN APP THAT CAME WITH THIS PACKAGE THAT WE WANTED TO USE BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN GIVE PARENTS INSIGHT TO THEIR BUSES.

THAT'S A GREAT THOUGHT.

BUT LIKE WITH ANY TOOL, IT HAS ITS LIMITATIONS AND IT HAS ITS VALUES.

WE HAD AT ONE POINT, I DON'T KNOW THE RECENT NUMBER, 14,000 OR SO USERS ON THE APP.

FOR THE MAJORITY, IT WORKS VERY WELL.

BUT CURRENTLY, THERE ARE ISSUES RELATED TO THE TIMING THAT ARE PROBLEMATIC.

CURRENTLY, WE HAVE THE BUFFER SET ON THIS FOR 90 MINUTES, WHICH IS MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME.

IF IT'S NARROWED, THEN THE WINDOW THAT IT OPEN FOR THE PARENT TO SEE IS, MIGHT MISS THEIR BUS OR MIGHT MISS THE MAJORITY OF THE BUS BEING ON THE SCREEN.

WITH A BUFFER OF 90 MINUTES, IT GIVES YOU A LOT MORE TIME TO SEE YOUR BUS COMING.

WHAT THAT'S DOING THOUGH IS THE OTHER SIDE IS IT SHOWS PARENTS WHERE THE OTHER BUS IS, SO AT THE TIME THAT THEIR BUS IS SUPPOSED TO BE AT THEIR STOP, THEY SEE IT DOING ANOTHER ROUTE BECAUSE IT'S RUNNING LATE.

WE DO PUBLISH A TIPS AND TRICKS ON OUR WEBSITE THAT TALKS ABOUT SOME OF THE COMMON THINGS THAT PARENTS SEE THAT GIVE A LOT OF INSIGHT INTO HOW TO USE AND INTERPRET WHAT THE APP IS SHOWING, WHICH I THINK HELPS A LOT.

ONE OF THE THINGS I JUST LEARNED RECENTLY, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS THAT WHEN YOU GET REALLY TECHNICAL ABOUT IT, THIS IS A RELATIVELY SIMPLE SYSTEM THAT SAYS, YOUR BUS, BY GPS, IS THIS FAR FROM YOUR STOP.

IT DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT HOW LONG IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO TAKE TO GET THERE.

IT DOESN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE PARENT TRAFFIC, THE MIDDAY TRAFFIC, A BREAKDOWN, OR ANYTHING ELSE.

WHEN PARENTS SEE THAT, THEY'RE LIKE, "OH, IT'S GOING TO BE HERE PRETTY SOON." IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT LONGER AND THEN IT REFRESHES WHEN IT GETS CLOSE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE TYLER TECHNOLOGY COMPANY RECOMMENDS IN THEIR DOCUMENT IS THAT IT BE LOOKED AT ABOUT 10 MINUTES BEFORE IT'S SUPPOSED TO GET THERE.

THEN THAT'S WHEN IT'S GOT A BETTER IDEA, MORE ACCURATELY PREDICT WHEN IT'S GOING TO GET THERE.

AGAIN, THAT'S GOING TO BE A BETTER AND BETTER FEATURE THE MORE DRIVERS THAT WE HAVE AND LESS LATE THEY ARE. THE TABLETS.

[00:20:03]

LIKE THE OTHERS, WE'VE HAD OUR SETBACKS.

BUT WE STILL BELIEVE, AND WE SEE IT WHEN IT'S WORKING, THE ADVANTAGES THAT THAT HAS.

NOW, BACK IN THE DAY WHEN WE HAD DRIVERS OUT, AND WE'RE AT 75 PERCENT STAFF RIGHT NOW, SO THEY'RE HAVING TO COVER ROUTES AS PEOPLE ARE OUT AND WHAT NOT, THEY HAD TO BE HANDED PAPER ROUTES.

YOU HAD TO SOMEHOW GET THAT TO THEM.

ON THE TABLET, AGAIN, WE CAN CALL AND SAY, "WE WANT YOU TO DO 27-01 AT SWIFT CREEK." IT GOES STRAIGHT TO THE TABLET AND IT GUIDES THAT DRIVER WHERE THEY NEED TO BE AND WHAT STUDENTS THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO PICK UP.

IT DOES TIMEKEEPING.

IT HELPS WITH THE INSPECTIONS.

IT IS GOING TO HELP US ALSO WITH OUR RIDERSHIP, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE FIRST DEFICIENCIES THAT I TALKED ABOUT IT IN THE FIRST SLIDE.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT THING.

BACK IN THE DAY, AND STILL TODAY UNTIL WE GET THE TABLET WORKING 100 PERCENT, DRIVERS WOULD USE A PIECE OF PAPER WITH A ROSTER AND FIND THE NAME OF THE STUDENT AND CHECK THEM OFF.

THEN THE ROUTERS AT THE END OF THE WEEK WOULD GO INTO THE AREA OFFICES AND LITERALLY TAKE A STACK OF PAPERS OF ALL THE ROUTES AND SORT THROUGH THEM AND PULL TOGETHER ALL ONE SCHOOLS AND THEN GO NAME BY NAME IN ORDER TO FIGURE OUT IF THAT STUDENT IS ACTUALLY RIDING THE BUS OR NOT SO THAT WE CAN COMBINE ROUTES TO LOWER THE NUMBER OF BUSES WE NEED AND ASSIGN THOSE BUSES SOMEWHERE ELSE WHERE THEY CAN BE USED.

WITH THIS, AND WE'VE USED IT OCCASIONALLY TO DO THIS, BUT WE NEED MORE ACCURATE DATA OVER A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME, WHEN WE LOG IN AND OUT OUR STUDENTS, IT TELLS US WHICH STUDENTS ARE GETTING ON AND OFF THE BUS AND AT WHICH STOPS.

WE NEED BOTH THOSE DATASETS IN ORDER TO MAKE THE EFFICIENCY BETTER.

WE HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THIS COMPANY TO GET US WHERE WE WANT TO BE, WHICH STARTED BACK IN JANUARY.

WE WERE TWEAKING AS WE WERE TRAINED OUR DRIVERS SUMMER WITH A GOOD TIME.

WE WORKED OUT SOME ISSUES THERE.

THE FULL SCHOOL YEAR HIT, AND SUDDENLY THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WE WERE TRANSPORTING WAS MULTIPLIED BY QUITE A BIT.

TREMENDOUS. FRANKLY, THE COMPANY ADMITS THAT THEY WERE NOT PREPARED.

THEIR SERVER SPACE, THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH ALLOCATION FOR OUR SIZE DISTRICT FOR WHAT WE TRIED TO DO WITH THE TECHNOLOGY, WITH AS MANY CHANGES AS WE MAKE TO ACCOMMODATE OUR STUDENTS.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS TAKE SERVER ROOM.

THE TRANSFERS OF DATA THAT WE EXPECT ON A DAILY BASIS SO THAT WE CAN ROUTE OUR STUDENTS ON ONE DAY THEN IT SHOWS UP ON E-LINK THE OTHER DAY, REQUIRES A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF DATA TO BE TRANSFERRED ON A DAILY BASIS.

THAT HAS BEEN GIVING THEM PROBLEMS. SINCE THEN WE'VE HAD INCREMENTAL FIXES AND CURRENTLY WE'RE AT LARGER SERVER SPACE.

WE'RE AT OUR SYSTEM BEING ACROSS TWO DIFFERENT SERVERS.

WE'RE GOING TO PUT IN ANOTHER FIX WHICH WE HOPE IS THE FINAL FIX KNOCK ON WOOD FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT THEY'RE GOING TO START UP A REDUNDANCY SYSTEM TOO.

IF THE DATA GOES AWAY, FOR SOME REASON, THEIR BRIDGE, THEIR CONNECTION BETWEEN THE DATA POINTS IS CUTOFF.

WE STILL HAVE THE DATA FROM THE DAY BEFORE.

WE'RE DOING IT STRATEGICALLY ON WEDNESDAY SO THAT ON THURSDAY WHEN WE'RE OFF, WE CAN STILL PULL UP THE ROUTES AND WORK WITH THE COMPANY.

WE'RE ALL ON STANDBY ON THURSDAY TO WORK THROUGH WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO GET IT A 100 PERCENT BY THE FOLLOWING WEEK.

WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF OUR STOP ARM CAMERAS.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR QUITE A LONG TIME WITH BOTH THE COMPANY AND THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT.

THE STOP ARM CAMERA PROCESSES IN PROCUREMENT RIGHT NOW, WE HOPE TO GET THOSE STARTED INSTALLING THE MOMENT THOSE CONTRACTS ARE SIGNED.

THE REASON THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT THING IS IT'S GOING TO BE A DETERRENT FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT CHOOSE TO DRIVE PAST OUR STOP SIGNS ON OUR BUSES.

THAT'S GOT TO MAKE IT SAFER FOR OUR STUDENTS.

WHEN PEOPLE SEE THAT AND KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO THINK TWICE BEFORE THEY DO IT.

I CAN SAY JUST IN THE VERY, VERY RECENT, RECENTLY WE'VE HAD INDIVIDUALS RUN AND ACTUALLY DAMAGE THE STOP ARM THAT'S STICKING OUT.

THIS PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY IS GOING TO BE

[00:25:03]

OUR PERFORMANCE DATA, ONE THING THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW AND WE'D BEEN OUT FOR A LONG TIME WITHOUT COMPLETE ROUTES.

BUT THE START OF THE YEAR, REGARDLESS, IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT.

IT'S ALWAYS CHALLENGING, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR YOUNGER KIDS.

OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS AND HIGH SCHOOLERS, THEY'RE PRETTY GOOD ABOUT GETTING ON THE BUSES AND GOING WITH THE FLOW.

BUT OUR LITTLE KIDS NEED A LOT MORE HAND-HOLDING, AND THERE'S A LOT OF THEM.

A LOT OF TIME IS TAKEN TO GET KIDS FROM THEIR CLASSROOMS ONTO THE CORRECT BUS.

AS THE YEAR PROGRESSES, WE GET BETTER AND BETTER AT THIS, AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME REQUIRED GOES QUITE A BIT DOWN.

AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE FIRST WEEK, BEFORE INSTRUCTION ON TIME ARRIVAL, FIVE MINUTES BEFORE THE BELL RANG WAS ABOUT 53 PERCENT.

RIGHT BEFORE THE BELL, 63 PERCENT.

THEN JUST TWO TO THREE DAYS INTO THE SECOND WEEK LOOKING AT THE DATA, IT HAD ALREADY IMPROVED.

THE AFTERNOONS WHERE WE'RE LOADING THE KIDS IMPROVED TREMENDOUSLY AS WELL.

AGAIN, AS WE GET MORE DRIVERS, AS THE STUDENTS BECOME MORE USED TO THEIR ROUTES, AS TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS AND DRIVERS AND PARENTS, EVERYONE WORKING TOGETHER BECOMES MORE FAMILIAR THIS IMPROVES.

THE SILVER BULLET, IF THERE IS ONE THAT WILL TAKE CARE OF 95 PERCENT OF THIS, IS GOING TO BE MORE DRIVERS.

FOR THE FIRST TIME, I CAN HONESTLY SAY I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT I SEE THE LIGHT WITH THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS, WITH THE GENEROUS BONUSES AND PAY RATES THAT ACCOUNTING HAS IMPLEMENTED.

THE FUTURE LOOKS GOOD, IT REALLY DOES.

PARENTS, WE APPRECIATE THAT THEY'RE DRIVING THEIR STUDENTS TO SCHOOL AND IT IS HELPING AND WE DON'T WANT THAT TO STOP.

IT CERTAINLY IS HELPING.

MEANS LESS BUSES.

AT THE SAME TIME, IT DOES CREATE SOME BACKUP, AND AN UNUSUALLY LARGE AMOUNT, LARGER THAN IN PAST YEARS.

THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THIS PROCESS.

WE'VE HAD THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WORKING TOGETHER AS A TASK FORCE GOING SCHOOL BY SCHOOL, MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT WHERE SIGNAGE SHOULD BE, ALTERNATIVE DROP-OFF AREAS, STARTING OUR ROUTES EARLIER, IN OTHER WORDS, HAVING THEM THERE BEFORE THE PARENTS GET THEIR, STAGED UP HAS HELPED TREMENDOUSLY.

ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE IMPROVING OUR TIMES AND OUR ABILITY TO GET AROUND THE TRAFFIC, DROP OFF THE KIDS, AND GET MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SCHOOL.

AGAIN, YES, WE HAVE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.

WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR EFFICIENCIES.

WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OUR TRAINING.

WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF APPLICANTS COMING THROUGH.

WE'VE GOT A GREAT PIPELINE FOR THE TRAINING HERE IN HOUSE.

THINGS ARE LOOKING BETTER EVERY SINGLE DAY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. DR. FRYE.

BOARD MEMBERS, IF YOU GUYS HAVE QUESTIONS, I'LL LET YOU GO FIRST.

I DO. THANK YOU.

DR. FRYE THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION.

I WILL START WITH THE COMMUNICATION PIECE, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT THAT YOU IDENTIFY THIS AS AN AREA THAT NEEDS IMPROVEMENT AND THAT YOU'RE WORKING TOWARDS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.

BUT I DID NOTICE THAT YOUR STAFF WAS ANSWERING PHONES FOR SCHOOLS.

THEY HAD A DIRECT LINE TO YOUR OFFICE, BUT FOR PARENTS, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT IT WAS FROM 7:00 AM TO 3:30, THEY COULD CALL INTO THE TRANSPORTATION OFFICE AND ACTUALLY SPEAK TO SOMEONE.

AS BOARD MEMBERS, WE'VE ALL RECEIVED FRANTIC PHONE CALLS FROM PARENTS AT 5:30, NOT KNOWING WHERE THEIR CHILD'S BUS OR THEIR CHILD WAS AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYONE ON THE PHONE, THE SCHOOL OFFICE HAS CLOSED.

THE SCHOOL OFFICE SECRETARY IS GONE AND YOUR OFFICE IS NOT ANSWERING THE PHONE.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT CAN WE DO MAYBE UNTIL

[00:30:01]

IT'S JUST SCROLLING AND SCROLLING AND THEY'RE GIVING ME EXPLANATIONS OF HOW THAT IS NOT TELLING THEM WHERE THE BUS IS.

THERE'S NO WAY FOR THEM TO FIND OUT WHERE THIS BUS IS IF NO ONE IS GOING TO ANSWER A PHONE CALL FOR THEM.

I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IF THERE'S ANY WAY SOMEONE COULD BE IN YOUR OFFICE TO ANSWER A PHONE FOR A FRANTIC PARENT UNTIL THE LAST BUS'S DELIVERED THE LAST CHILD.

IS THAT IN THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY? ALL THE OFFICES ARE THERE UNTIL THE LAST BUS DELIVERED THE LAST CHILD [OVERLAPPING].

EVEN THOUGH YOU STATED 3:30 WAS THE TIME FRAME YOU SAID IT WAS THAT NUMBER WAS [OVERLAPPING].

OUTSIDE THE ROUTE TIMES ARE THE BEST TIME TO GET INTO THE OFFICE IN ORDER TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM WHEN THEY REALLY HAVE TIME TO TALK TO YOU.

BUT YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.

THERE ARE TIMES THAT YOU HAVE A PARENT THAT REALLY NEEDS TO GET THROUGH, BUT YES, OUR OFFICES ARE STAFFED UNTIL THE LAST CHILD IS DELIVERED.

I GET A TEXT FROM EACH OFFICE EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT THEY ARE CLEAR.

OKAY.

IF I HAVEN'T GOTTEN ONE, I CALL AND I ASK AND SAY, WHAT ARE WE WAITING ON? HOW MANY MORE BUSES DO WE HAVE? WE DO HAVE THAT, AND HONESTLY, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PREPARED MORE FOR MORE STAFF IN THE OFFICES.

WE REALLY SHOULD HAVE.

FRANKLY, I WAS HOPING THAT WE WOULD NOT USE OUR STAFF ON BUSES WHEN THINGS HAPPEN, WHEN CERTAIN THINGS GO WRONG.

I SAID DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO DO THAT.

OUR BUS IS GOING TO BE LATE.

I KNOW THEY ARE, BUT THEY SEND THEM OUT AND I GET IT.

I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT THAT BALANCING ACT.

WE COULD HAVE DONE THAT, WE COULD HAVE SENT EXTRA INDIVIDUALS INTO THOSE OFFICES.

FINDING THOSE INDIVIDUALS IS SOMETIMES CHALLENGING.

I'M SURE THAT IF WE THOUGHT ABOUT IT, IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT CENTRAL OFFICE FOLKS COULD COME DOWN AND HELP US OUT.

I WISH WE'D DONE THAT, HONESTLY.

CURRENTLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR TRAINEES AND WE ARE OFFERING THEM CONTRACTS AT THE VERY BEGINNING.

INSTEAD OF THEM BEING PAID FROM THE TIME THAT THEY'RE THERE, WE'RE PUTTING THEM ON THE BUS DRIVER CONTRACT 30 HOURS A WEEK.

NOW, AS YOU SAW, WE ONLY HAVE SIX HOURS BEHIND THE WHEEL TRAINING.

SUDDENLY, WE HAVE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES THAT WE CAN CALL UPON TO HELP US STAFF OUR BUSES.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.

ALL OF THE TRAINEES THAT ARE IN THE BEHIND THE WHEEL, THEIR TRAINING IS IN THE PM.

THERE'LL BE IN THE AM AT ONE OF THE AREA OFFICES ANSWERING PHONES.

>> DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD THE NUMBER? CAN YOU JUST STATE IT FOR ANYONE THAT WATCHES THIS, THAT A PARENT WOULD CALL IF AT FIVE O'CLOCK THEY CANNOT FIND THEIR CHILD'S BUS.

DO YOU KNOW THAT NUMBER? I GUESS THIS DEPEND ON THE OFFICE, IS THERE MORE THAN ONE?

>> EACH OFFICE HAS ITS OWN LINE.

IT IS POSTED ON OUR TRANSPORTATION WEBSITE.

THE FIVE AREAS ARE LISTED WITH THE SCHOOLS UNDER EACH AREA DIVIDED UP BY THEIR LEVEL AND THERE'S A NUMBER RIGHT UP THERE.

>> THEY WOULD CALL THEIR AREA OFFICE FOR THEIR SCHOOL AND YOU'RE SAYING SOMEONE WOULD BE IN THAT AREA OFFICE IF A BUS IS STILL OUT DELIVERING TO ANSWER A CALL?

>> UNTIL THAT LAST BUS IS CALLED ALL CLEAR, THERE'S SOMEONE IN THAT OFFICE.

>> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

MY NEXT QUESTION IS ABOUT THE RIDERSHIP COMMENTS AND THE TABLETS.

I'VE ACTUALLY ALSO HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH DRIVERS THAT SAY THEY'RE DRIVING LONG EXTENSIVE ROUTES INTO NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE LIKE SPIDER WEBS, GOING UP AND DOWN STREETS AND THERE'S NO RIDERS AND SPENDING A LARGE AMOUNT OF TIME TRAVELING TO STOPS WITH NO RIDERS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE FAMILY HAS OPTED TO DRIVE THEIR CHILD TO SCHOOL IN SOME WAY.

IS THAT GOING TO BE EVER BE ADDRESSED OR ADJUSTED BECAUSE IT DOES SEEM LIKE THAT WOULD HELP YOU WITH YOUR EFFICIENCIES.

WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT AND HOW WOULD A FAMILY KNOW, I'VE GIVEN UP MY SPOT ON A BUS BECAUSE I HAVEN'T RIDDEN IT IN FOUR WEEKS OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT?

>> YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT AND THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE LARGEST THINGS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE UPON WITHOUT ADDITIONAL DRIVERS.

THAT'S LIKE THE SECOND BIGGEST THINGS.

YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE ARE A LOT OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE NO INTENTION OF RIDING THE BUS, THEY'RE DRIVING THEIR OWN CARS.

THEIR PARENTS PICK THEM UP OR THEIR GRANDPARENTS DRIVE THEM TO SCHOOL.

[00:35:02]

PARENTS CAN CONTACT THEIR SCHOOL, IT'S PROBABLY EASIER TO GO TO PARENT VIEW AND JUST LOOK AND SEE WHAT THEY'RE CODED AS.

IF IT SAYS A, B OR SAYS BUS, THEN THEY'RE ON THE BUS AND WE NEED TO ROUTE THEM AS IF THEY WERE GOING TO RIDE IT.

BUT IT WOULD DO US A FAVOR IF THEY WOULD CHANGE IT TO PARENT OR CAR IF THAT'S THE WAY THEY'RE GOING TO GET TO SCHOOL THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME.

NOW, ONCE THE FINAL FIX IS IN WITH THE TABLET, AND WE'VE ALREADY USED THIS IN A COUPLE OF PLACES, WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE THE RIDERSHIP DATA THAT THE DRIVERS PUT IN BY LOADING AND UNLOADING THEIR STUDENTS AND BE ABLE TO DOWNLOAD THAT AS A SPREADSHEET.

INSTEAD OF GOING THROUGH THOSE STACKS OF PAPER, LIKE WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST AND WE'RE STILL DOING A LITTLE BIT NOW BECAUSE WHERE WE ARE, BUT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DOWNLOAD ALL THE RIDERSHIP AND KNOW THAT THIS PARTICULAR STUDENT CAME TO SCHOOL ON THE BUS FIVE DAYS OR FOUR DAYS, THESE OTHER INDIVIDUALS DID NOT.

THEN WE COULD HAND THAT OFF TO THE SCHOOL AND SAY, HEY, COULD YOU CONTACT THESE PARENTS AND ASK THE STUDENTS ARE THEY DRIVING THEIR OWN CAR OR ARE THEY GOING TO CONTINUE TO USE THE BUS? IN DOING THAT, WE CAN THEN WHAT WE CALL REORGANIZE THE SCHOOLS.

NOW, WE HAVE QUITE A FEW SCHOOLS, WE HAVE FIVE ROUTERS.

A ROUTER, WE CAN DO THREE TO FIVE SCHOOLS A WEEK IF WE'RE REALLY, REALLY MOVING.

THERE IS A LITTLE ROOM FOR ERROR SOMETIMES, BUT WE CAN REALLY MOVE THROUGH.

TWO WEEKS IS USUALLY THE WAY WE CHANNEL THEM.

>> MR. DAVIS LOOKS LIKE HE WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING.

>> GREAT JOB. DR. FRYE WE ALSO SEE EMAILS OCCASIONALLY FROM DRIVERS THAT TALK ABOUT, "HEY, THESE ROUTES ARE DESIGNED BY A COMPUTER."

>> YES.

>> WE'VE SEEN A COUPLE OF THOSE.

I'D LIKE DR. FRYE TALK ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR DRIVERS TO COME IN ON THURSDAYS TO DISCUSS SUCH THINGS.

>> ONE NEED THAT WE SAW WHEN WE GOT THE TABLETS, AND WE SAW SOME OPPORTUNITIES WAS TO GET MORE INPUT FROM THE DRIVERS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS AT OUR IN-SERVICE IN AUGUST, ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ANNOUNCED IS THAT DRIVERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN TO THEIR AREA OFFICE EVERY THURSDAY BETWEEN ROUTES AND SIT DOWN DIRECTLY WITH THE ROUTER FOR THAT AREA.

NOW, WE PREFER THEM CALL IN AND NOT REALLY MAKE AN APPOINTMENT JUST TO SAY THAT THEY'RE COMING IN, AND THEN THEY CAN SIT DOWN WITH THEM, LOOK AT THE ROUTE AND SAY THIS WOULD BE A MORE EFFICIENT WAY.

OR THE STUDENTS ARE ACTUALLY STANDING HERE, THEY SHOULD BE STANDING HERE.

THAT WILL MAKE THINGS MORE EFFICIENT AS WELL, AND WE DO APPRECIATE THAT COLLABORATION WITH OUR DRIVERS.

>> YES, I AGREE.

I'VE ACTUALLY HEARD THAT AS WELL, THAT DRIVERS THINK THAT IN THEIR MIND THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO RUN THIS ROUTE THAN THE ONE THE COMPUTER HAS DESIGNED.

I HOPE THEY ALL HEAR THAT.

I'M SURE YOU'VE TOLD THEM THAT AND CAN REMIND THEM TO PLEASE COME IN ON THURSDAYS AND EXPRESS THOSE.

BECAUSE SOMETIMES THAT HUMAN INGENUITY IS A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN THAT IA COMPUTER.

THE LAST COMMENT ABOUT THE TABLETS, AND GOING BACK TO THOSE.

I'VE ALSO HAD EXPRESSED TO ME THAT IT'S LABORIOUS LOGGING IN THE KIDS COMING ON THE BUS AND THAT IS CREATING A SLOWER PROCESS IN PICKING UP AND DROPPING OFF BECAUSE OF THE TABLETS.

IS THIS JUST A NEW USER BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND YOU EXPECT THAT EFFICIENCY TO IMPROVE AS FAR AS LOGGING ON? I KNOW THAT KINDERGARTNERS HAVE THE CARD, SO EVENTUALLY WHEN EVERY CHILD HAS A CARD TO JUST TAP, I WOULD IMAGINE THEN THE DRIVERS' TIME IN LOGGING THESE KIDS ON WOULD IMPROVE.

BUT UNTIL THAT TIME, I GUESS IT'S JUST A MATTER OF THEM GETTING TO KNOW THE CHILDREN AND DOING IT MORE QUICKLY.

AM I RIGHT IN THAT ASSUMPTION?

>> YOU'RE 100 PERCENT RIGHT. ABSOLUTELY.

>> BECAUSE I HAVE HEARD THAT IS A VERY SLOW PROCESS.

>> THE [INAUDIBLE], FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE ALL THE KIDS HAVE CARDS, IT'S BAM, BAM, BAM.

THEY HOP RIGHT ON.

OUR KINDERGARTNERS AND OUR PRE-K THAT HAVE THE CARDS AND ARE FRANKLY THE ONES THAT NEED IT THE MOST BECAUSE THEY WON'T SAY THEIR NAME TO THE BUS DRIVER BECAUSE I ONLY SEE YOU 15 MINUTES A DAY, THEY GET ON VERY QUICKLY.

SO YES, THE MORE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE THESE CARDS RIGHT NOW, WE'RE STILL IN THE TRIAL STAGES OF THAT.

WE'RE SEEING IF THAT WORKS, BUT IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE GO TOWARDS, I DO THINK THAT WOULD MAKE IT FASTER.

TO YOUR OTHER POINT THOUGH, YES, I THINK IT'S NEW TECHNOLOGY.

AGAIN, THIS HAS NOT BEEN THE START THAT I WOULD HAVE WANTED FOR OUR TABLETS.

[00:40:04]

I WAS EXCITED, THE TRAINING WAS EXCITED.

PEOPLE WENT OUT SMILING.

WE USED IT OVER THE SUMMER.

IT WAS WORKING PRETTY WELL.

OUR TRAINERS WHO USED IT AND TRAINED ON IT LOVED IT BECAUSE THEY COULD GO TO ANY ROUTE THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW AT ALL AND BE ABLE TO GET TO EVERY SINGLE STOP ACCURATELY.

IT HAS A LOT OF ADVANTAGES, BUT I THINK THAT THE ROCKY START THAT WE HAVE HAD HAS MADE IT SOMEWHAT SOUR TO BE FRANK, AND I'LL BE THE FIRST TO ADMIT THAT.

BUT I'LL TELL YOU, I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER SITUATION WHERE WHEN TIMES ARE TOUGH, YOU'VE GOT TO PUSH THROUGH THAT.

WE KEEP LOOKING FOR BETTER WAYS TO DO IT AND I DO THINK THAT ONCE WE HAVE THIS DOWN AND IT'S RELIABLE AND THE DRIVERS CAN USE IT ON A REGULAR BASIS AND THEY DO GET TO KNOW THE KIDS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE A LOT BETTER OFF.

I'VE DONE IT MYSELF.

WE GENERALLY HAVE STOPS TIMED FOR 30 SECONDS PLUS THREE SECONDS PER STUDENT TO GET ON THE BUS.

THAT GENERALLY WORKS. WITH OUR LARGER STOPS WITH ELEMENTARY KIDS, THAT'LL BE 30 SECONDS PLUS FIVE SECONDS PER STUDENT.

YOU CAN DO THE MATH ON THAT.

I LISTEN TO DRIVERS ALSO AND I TALK TO THEM AND I GET THAT SAME TYPE OF RESPONSE.

IT'S TAKEN ME A LONG TIME TO DO IT SO I TRIED IT.

I WENT TO A STOP, A BUS, ONE THAT I WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH ON THE TABLET OF COURSE.

I CAN DO THIS FROM THE COMFORT OF MY OFFICE OR ON A BUS OR ANYWAY, BUT OPENED UP THE TABLET, WENT TO A STOP AND THEN HAD SOMEONE IN THE OFFICE, I SAID, "I WANT YOU TO PRINT OUT THE NAMES OF THE STUDENTS FOR THIS PARTICULAR STOP.

I WANT YOU TO JUST GIVE THEM TO ME RANDOMLY THE FIRST NAMES." I PICKED AN AVERAGE STOP OF 11 OR 14 STUDENTS, IT'S 11 STUDENTS.

THEY CALLED THEM OUT NOT IN ORDER.

THEY'RE IN ORDER BY FIRST NAME ALPHABETICALLY AND I WAS ABLE TO DO THOSE 11 IN 55 SECONDS IS WHAT IT TOOK, WHICH IS WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF WHAT WE HAVE, ABOUT 33, 63 SECONDS, WE PLAN FOR THAT STOP.

WHEN YOU COMPARE THAT, THE TIME THAT IT TAKES TO DO THAT WITH THE TIME THAT IT WOULD TAKE TO DO THE VERY SAME THING BUT WITH A PIECE OF PAPER, SMALL FONT BECAUSE IT'S GOT TO FIT ON THERE, THAT'S ALPHABETICAL BY LAST NAME AND YOU DON'T KNOW THE STUDENTS.

IT MAKES EVEN MORE DIFFICULT.

EVENTUALLY, WHEN WE GET BACK AND WE CAN ACTUALLY TAKE PICTURES FOR YEAR BOOKS AND WHATNOT, WE WILL BE ABLE TO UPLOAD THOSE PICTURES IN THERE.

IT'D BE GREAT IF THEY CAN TELL THEM, "HEY, CALVIN, GOOD TO SEE YOU ON THE BUS.

COME ON IN, CLICK ON THE NAME." BUT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE PICTURE AS WELL, SO THEIR DRIVERS ARE GOING TO KNOW THESE KIDS EVEN BETTER WHICH HAS GOT TO BE A GOOD THING AS THEY LOAD AND UNLOAD THESE STUDENTS.

SO YES, IT WILL GO FASTER.

>> THANKS. THANK YOU FOR ALL THIS INFORMATION, DR. FRYE, AND YOUR PRESENTATION.

I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SLIDE NUMBER 11, WHERE YOU DISCUSS ON-TIME ARRIVALS AT THE SCHOOLS.

I HAVE ONE REQUEST, IF IT'S POSSIBLE, IF THAT DATA COULD BE DIS-AGGREGATED BY SCHOOL AND THEN FURTHER BROKEN DOWN.

I KNOW YOU'VE GOT THIS ARRIVALS FIVE MINUTES BEFORE THE BELL.

IF WE COULD MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE EXPANDING THOSE ARRIVAL TIMES SO THAT WE'RE CATCHING ANY OUTLIERS.

THAT MAY BE THE SEVEN O'CLOCK ROUTES, THAT KIDS AREN'T COMING HOME UNTIL SEVEN.

I KNOW THAT WE ALL ARE HEARING FROM CONCERNED PARENTS ABOUT STUDENTS WHO ARE MISSING A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF LEARNING TIME IN THE MORNINGS.

THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL GOING FORWARD AS WE GO THROUGH THESE.

I'M SURE WE'LL BE GETTING MORE OF THESE UPDATES AS THE YEAR PROGRESSES. [LAUGHTER]

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> THEN I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO DIRECT THIS TO DR. DAUGHERTY.

MY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER COLLEAGUES AND I HAVE DISCUSSED AND WE WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO IMPLEMENT A TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE.

WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO IDENTIFY PAIN POINTS, MAYBE DO SOME AUDITS OF THE WHOLE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IN CHESTERFIELD FROM WALKERS, BIKERS, PARENT DROP OFF, BUS RIDERS.

WE REALLY WANT TO DO A DRILL DOWN AND SEE WHERE WE CAN DO BETTER.

[00:45:03]

WE WOULD LIKE FOR THE TASK FORCE TO EVENTUALLY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WILL ADDRESS TRANSPORTATION ISSUES AND CREATE A LONG-TERM PLAN TO RESOLVE THOSE ISSUES GOING FORWARD.

>> MS. HEFFRON, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, DID WE DISCUSS ALSO HAVING, YOU SAID SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, BUT OTHERS ON THAT? WE CAN COMMUNICATE ALONG THOSE AS WELL, BUT COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE AS WELL.

DIDN'T WE NOT OR WAS IT JUST EXPERTS?

>> ACTUALLY, WHEN WE SPOKE ABOUT THIS, I THINK THAT WAS PART OF BRINGING IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT, [OVERLAPPING] WHICH WE CONSIDER THE EXPERTS FROM SOME OF THEIR TRANSPORTATION EXPERTISE TO MAKE SOME OF OUR ROUTING MORE EFFICIENT.

I KNOW THAT SOME OF THE DISCUSSION DID CIRCULATE AROUND THAT, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT AT THE END WE DECIDED TO GO WITH CHESTERFIELD COUNTY POLICE AND CHIEF KATZ, THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP BECAUSE OF THEIR EXPERTISE, ESPECIALLY WITH TRAFFIC SITUATIONS HERE IN THE COUNTY.

>> I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE US CONSULT WITH PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION EXPERTS.

I KNOW THAT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS VERY SAVVY IN TRAFFIC CONTROL PROCESSES.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US TAP INTO FOLKS WHO KNOW HOW TO MOVE [LAUGHTER] A LOT OF PEOPLE TO A LOT OF PLACES.

>> THANK YOU. MS. COKER.

>> THANK YOU DR. FRYE FOR THAT PRESENTATION AND ALL OF THE MUCH NEEDED INFORMATION THAT I THINK OUR CONSTITUENTS NEEDED TO TO HEAR, WHERE OUR SHORTFALLS WERE AND WHAT WE'RE DOING TO IMPROVE THEM.

I DO WANT TO TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON TECHNOLOGY BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED THAT OBVIOUSLY WE PUT THE TABLETS AND WE PUT THE MYSTOP.

ALL OF THAT WAS IN PLACE OVER THE SUMMER AND THINGS WERE WORKING OKAY, AND WE HAD SOME HICCUPS THAT WE WORKED THROUGH.

BUT I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHY THERE WAS THE SERVER SHORTAGE.

DID TYLER DRIVE, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IN THE RIGHT PROGRAM? WERE THEY NOT AWARE? OBVIOUSLY, WE WENT FROM 2,000-40-SOME THOUSAND AS FAR AS DATA COLLECTION IN [OVERLAPPING]

>> I ASKED THE SAME QUESTION. [OVERLAPPING]

>> HOW COULD OUR SERVERS [OVERLAPPING]

>> I SAID, "WE'RE LARGE. [OVERLAPPING] WHY DO WE CONTINUE COMING BACK TO THE BOARD ON THIS?" THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY HAVE OTHER LARGE DISTRICTS, BUT WE'RE UNIQUE IN THE AMOUNT OF DATA TRANSFER THAT WE HAVE, SO THEY WERE NOT PREPARED, TO BE FRANK.

THEY HAVE PUT TOGETHER A LARGE TEAM THAT WORKS ON THIS.

I CAN CALL THEM AND GET A RESPONSE RIGHT AWAY.

I AM HAPPY ABOUT THAT ASPECT.

BUT LIKE YOU, I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THAT EXPLANATION THAT IT WAS A MATTER OF SERVER SIZE AND THAT THAT MIGHT HAVE FIXED THINGS EARLIER ON.

>> I THINK THAT MIGHT BE ANOTHER AREA, TECHNOLOGY, THAT WE HAVE THIS TASK FORCE EXPLORE TOO JUST TO ADD IT INTO THE MIX OF TRANSPORTATION.

>> MS. HAINES.

>> A COUPLE THINGS. THANKS AGAIN FOR A REALLY GREAT PRESENTATION.

SOME THINGS I GUESS I'D LIKE TO ADD ON TO THE TASK FORCE.

ONE THING, COMMUNICATION IS SOMETHING THAT I HEAR FROM PARENTS A LOT.

WHAT I LEARNED FROM TALKING WITH A NUMBER OF PARENTS WHO WOULD CALL IN IS THAT, OFTEN, IT WAS PARENT ERROR THINKING THAT SINCE THEY HAD UPDATED OR IN A DIFFERENT RETURN TO SCHOOL PLANS, NOT REMEMBERING WHAT ROUTE THEY HAD CHOSEN FOR THEIR CHILD AND MISSING THE MESSAGE, WHICH I WILL SAY AS A MOM OF FOUR WHO IS VERY BUSY, DID NOT GRAB YOUR ATTENTION, THAT YOU HAD TO GO IN AND CHANGE OUT INFORMATION.

ROBIOUS MIDDLE SCHOOL PUT OUT AN ANNOUNCEMENT, I THINK IT WAS LAST NIGHT, AGAIN, I GOT CALLS FROM PARENTS USING THAT AS A GREAT EXAMPLE.

OBVIOUSLY, ROBIOUS MIDDLE SCHOOL MUST HAVE NOTICED THAT GETTING CHROMEBOOKS IN FROM PARENTS WOULD BE SUPER IMPORTANT BECAUSE TODAY WAS THE CHROMEBOOK EXCHANGE DAY, AND SO LAST NIGHT YOU GOT LIKE ONE SUBJECT,

[00:50:03]

BUSY PARENTS, WHAT'S GOING TO GRAB THEIR ATTENTION? MAYBE THERE COULD BE A COMMUNICATION PIECE WHERE, I KNOW WE DID COMMUNICATE IT MULTIPLE TIMES, OFTEN IT WAS AMONG A LIST OF 10 OTHER ITEMS, AND THE REALITY IS PARENTS MISS THIS STUFF.

WE KNOW TRANSPORTATION IS A HOT TOPIC, SO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT OUR PARENTS DON'T MISS THAT? I BET 99 PERCENT OF ROBIOUS PARENTS PUT THEIR KIDS CHROMEBOOK IN THEIR BACKPACK BECAUSE YOU COULD NOT HAVE MISSED THAT MESSAGE.

THE OTHER PIECE IS, I AM GETTING A LOT OF EMAILS RECENTLY FROM PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE WALKABLE COMMUNITIES, AND I THINK THAT THE DESIRE FOR WALKING TO SCHOOL, BIKING TO SCHOOL, I'VE SEEN A SHIFT IN THIS, INCLUDING, MS. BAILEY MENTIONED HAVING CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT HAVING NEW OPTIONS TO WALK OR BIKE TO SCHOOL.

MAYBE IT'S HAVING A SAFE ROUTE TO SCHOOL.

A PORTION OF THE TASK FORCE WILL HELP BUILD THE MOMENTUM BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S NOT JUST A SCHOOL'S PIECE, IT'S A COUNTY PIECE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WOULD DO THAT, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.

I SAW THE BIKE RACKS GOING IN AT PROVIDENCE.

WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS TO GETTING MORE KIDS WALKING AND BIKING TO SCHOOL? SINCE I'M SEEING A GROWING DEMAND FOR THAT.

THEN FINALLY, IF THERE'S A TIMELINE FOR RELIEF FOR PARENTS, BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S LIKE, GIVE ME A DAY.

IF IT TAKES THREE WEEKS TO GET PEOPLE THROUGH THE SYSTEM, OUR ANNOUNCEMENT WAS ON AUGUST 30TH.

DOES THAT MEAN THAT NEXT WEEK WE SHOULD START TO SEE THE ELIMINATION OF DOUBLE BUCKS, STARTING WITH THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE BEARING THE GREATEST BURDEN FOR WHATEVER REASON, CLOGGED STREETS.

I THINK IT'D BE GREAT TO HAVE A ROUGH TIMELINE OF WHEN WE MIGHT START TO SEE THE RELIEF.

>> IT'S HARD TO FORTUNE TELL WITH THAT.

WE DO HAVE A LOT OF APPLICANTS.

LIKE I SAID, IT'S LIKE GETTING A TRAIN GOING.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT SLOW TO GET STARTED BECAUSE YOU HAVE A FLOOD AND THEY HAVE TO BE PROCESSED.

THE BACKGROUND CHECKS, WE'VE INCREASED THE FRONT-END LOADING OF SOME OF THE PROCESSES LIKE THE PHYSICALS AND BACKGROUND CHECKS AND THE TB'S AND THE DRUG TESTS UPFRONT.

THAT IS GOING TO DELAY THEM GETTING INTO TRAINING, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE BETTER ON THE OTHER END BECAUSE IT'LL GO FASTER AND WE'LL FOCUS ON THE ONES THAT WILL MAKE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE TRAINING.

BUT TO YOUR POINT, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR NUMBERS, WE PROJECT A GRADUAL INCREASE.

THE ONES THAT WERE PREPARED TO GO IN CLASS JUST LAST WEEK THAT HAD EVERYTHING READY.

WE TOOK EVERYONE THAT WAS READY. WE ONLY HAD SIX.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT GROUP THAT'S COMING THROUGH, IT'S MUCH LARGER.

IT'S IN THE DOUBLE DIGITS AND IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE'VE SEEN DOUBLE DIGITS GETTING INTO THE CLASS.

THAT'S A VERY POSITIVE THINGS.

WITH THAT IN MIND, AND KNOWING THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WEEK FOR THE FIRST PART, TWO WEEKS FOR THE SECOND PART, AND THEN IF EVERYTHING GOES VERY SMOOTHLY, THEY START DURING THE FOURTH WEEK.

WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FIRST GROUP COMING OUT DOUBLE DIGITS WITHIN A MONTH AND THEN INCREASE THAT DOUBLE DIGITS EVERY WEEK AFTER THAT IS THE HOPE.

LIKE I SAID, WE'VE STREAMLINED OUR TRAINING PROCESS.

IN ANTICIPATION OF THIS, WE'VE HIRED ADDITIONAL TRAINERS.

WE'VE GOT FOLKS IN CLASS JUST THIS WEEK AND THEY'LL CONTINUE TO FINISH THEIR TRAINING SO THEY CAN HELP US OUT.

THEY'LL BE READY TO GO THIS FRIDAY.

WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT WAYS TO INCREASE THEIR ABILITY TO COME THROUGH.

WE MIGHT EVEN REACH OUT TO THE DMV FOR SOME HELP WITH THEM TESTING.

>> AWESOME. I ALSO WANTED TO FOLLOW UP BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO SOUND LIKE I WAS BLAMING PARENTS AT THE TIME THAT MY UNDERSTANDING IS WHILE THEY WERE CHANGING THEIR INFORMATION, THE SERVER WAS ALSO DOWN.

THEY WENT IN TO CHANGE THE INFORMATION LAST MINUTE AND THEY COULDN'T ACCESS BECAUSE OF THE SERVER.

IT WAS TECHNOLOGY AND IMPROVE COMMUNICATION.

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR PROBLEM-SOLVING.

>> DR. FRYE. I JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS AND MOSTLY THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ALREADY HIT ON THEM.

[00:55:01]

THIS PAST WEEK, DID WE HAVE ANY DRIVERS THAT MADE IT THROUGH THE PROGRAM THAT ARE ACTUALLY OUT ON THE ROAD THIS WEEK, OR WHAT WE FORECAST FOR JUST NEXT WEEK LOOKING AT THE SHORT TERM?

>> YES, WE'VE HAD A HANDFUL THAT HAS MADE IT THROUGH, AND I JUST CHECKED TODAY WE HAVE THREE THAT ARE ALREADY PASSED THE TEST LIKE RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS NOT TO POINT FINGERS, EVERYBODY HAS TECHNOLOGY ISSUES, BUT RIGHT NOW THE DMV IS HAVING TO INTERVIEW THESE INDIVIDUALS BY HAND AND IT'S TAKING MORE TIME.

IT'S TAKEN SEVERAL DAYS FOR THESE THREE.

BUT AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST LITTLE GLITCHES, ROADS BUMPS THAT WE'RE GOING TO PUSH RIGHT THROUGH.

THAT'S NOT NORMALLY THE CASE.

BETTER NOT BE THE [LAUGHTER] CASE BY THE TIME WE GET THE DOUBLE DIGITS GOING THROUGH.

>> AS FAR AS COMMUNICATION FOR LATE BUSES, I'M AWARE THERE'S A SUBSTITUTE BUS.

DOES THAT COMMUNICATION COME, I BELIEVE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, FROM THE TRANSPORTATION OFFICER, OR SHOULD IT ACTUALLY COME FROM THE SCHOOL OUT TO THE PARENTS? I THINK MOST OF US HAVE ALL EXPERIENCED A PARENT OR TWO THAT HAVE CALLED AND THEY'RE UNDERSTANDABLE ABOUT THE LATE BUSES AND THE SITUATION WE'RE IN.

BUT SOME OF THEM ARE FRUSTRATED AS FAR AS NOT RECEIVING ANY TYPE OF COMMUNICATION ON THE BUS BEING LATE.

>> TRADITIONALLY, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, LIKE THE FIRST WEEK, THE SCHOOLS HELP US OUT WITH THAT.

WHEN THE BUSES ARE ALL ARRIVING AND THEY DON'T EVEN LEAVE UNTIL 20 MINUTES LATE OR 30 MINUTES LATE BECAUSE THEY'D BEEN BACKED UP GETTING KIDS ON.

THEN THEY CAN CALL THEIR ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND SAY OUR BUSES ARE NOT LEAVING.

THEY'RE LEAVING ALL 30 MINUTES LATE AND THAT HELPS US OUT.

AFTER THE FIRST WEEK, WE TAKE OVER THAT PROCESS.

THEN WE GO SPECIFICALLY TOWARDS THE ROUTE AND DIRECT OUR COMMUNICATIONS WITH THOSE.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THOUGH, THAT THOSE COMMUNICATIONS ARE ESTIMATES.

OUR DRIVERS CALL IN AND SAY, "BASED UPON WHAT I'M SEEING HERE, IT LOOKS LIKE I'M GOING TO NEED TO ADD 15 MINUTES OR 20 MINUTES TO THIS ROUTE BEFORE I'M ABLE TO GET TO THE NEXT ONE." THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING DOWN AT THE TRAFFIC AND SAYING THAT'S WHAT I THINK I'M GOING TO GET.

WHEN THAT'S CALLED IN AND THIS WAS MY JOB LAST THURSDAY WHEN I WENT TO THE AREA OFFICE.

MY JOB WAS TO KEY THAT INFORMATION IN AND MAKE THE PHONE CALL, AND IT DOES TAKES A LOT OF TIME.

>> I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE SEEN AT A PARTICULAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MY CHILD GOES TO IS A CONTINUOUS E-MAIL EVERY FEW MINUTES AS THE BUSES LEAVE, THE BUSES THAT ARE LATE.

I GUESS MAYBE SOME SCHOOLS ARE DOING THAT ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL.

BUT THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT I THINK THAT OVER COMMUNICATION, AT LEAST FROM THAT SCHOOL, I HAVEN'T HAD ANY PARENTS THAT HAVE BESIDES FOR EXPRESSING THAT THE BUS IS LATE HAVEN'T HEARD THEM EXPRESS THAT THEY'RE NOT RECEIVING COMMUNICATION.

THAT MAY BE SOMETHING WE LOOK AT THAT WHOEVER IS OUT THERE MARSHALING THE BUSES THROUGH.

IF IT'S SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS SOMEONE ON OFFICE STAFF ALSO SENDING OUT A QUICK MESSAGE TO THE PARENTS. I THINK THAT MAY HELP.

WE ALREADY DID TALK ABOUT THE DATA AS FAR AS THE CARDS, HOW WE'VE SAID THAT THEY'RE AVAILABLE FOR OUR PRE-KINDERGARTEN OR OUR KINDERGARTEN.

WE HAVE A TIMEFRAME ON ONE THEY'LL BE AVAILABLE TO LET'S JUST SAY ALL OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

>> WELL, WE DISCUSSED THAT AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S DEFINITELY ON THE TABLE.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN INDIVIDUALS ESPECIALLY AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL, WHERE THEY SEE THAT THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

BUT WE DON'T HAVE A TIMETABLE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

WE'RE STILL IN LET'S MAKE SURE THE TABLETS ARE WORKING PHASE AND WHICH WE HOPE IS VERY SOON AND THEN THAT WILL BE ON THE TABLE VERY QUICKLY, I HOPE.

>> DO WE HAVE THE CARDS IN STOCK THAT WE'RE ABLE TO JUST PROGRAM THEM OR ARE THEY SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ORDERED, PARTICULARLY ONCE WE?

>> GREAT QUESTION. WITH THE CARES GRANT MONEY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE THE TABLETS AND THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, WE DID PURCHASE ENOUGH OF THESE RFID CARDS TO LAST US FOR SEVERAL YEARS FOR OUR PRE-K AND K'S.

WE DO HAVE A STOCKPILE.

IF WE IMPLEMENT IT WITH ADDITIONAL GRADES, WE SEND THAT DATA TO THE COMPANY.

THE COMPANY LOADS THEM ALL AND THEN SENDS THEM BACK.

THAT'S USUALLY ABOUT A 3-4 WEEK PROCESS DEPENDING ON HOW BACKED UP THEY ARE WITH SCHOOL STARTING AROUND THE NATION FOR A LOT OF OTHER DISTRICTS THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN THAT, BUT THAT'S GENERALLY WHAT IT TAKES ABOUT FOUR WEEKS.

>> THEN THIS IS MORE OF A QUESTION, I GUESS MAYBE TO SENIOR STAFF IS ONE OF THE THINGS YOU MENTIONED IS THAT IF PARENTS WOULD BE ABLE TO GO IN AND VERIFY THEIR STUDENTS' RIDERSHIP STATUS AND IDENTIFY THEM, MAKE SURE THAT IF YOU AREN'T DRIVING YOUR CHILD OR YOUR CHILD'S DRIVING THEMSELVES, THAT THEY ARE IDENTIFIED AS A BUS OR VICE VERSA, THAT THAT'LL HELP SPEED UP THE PROCESS OF REALLY PURGING THAT LIST OF RIDERSHIP, CORRECT?

>> ABSOLUTELY, THAT WOULD BE AN ENTIRE COUNTY COMMUNITY EFFORT,

[01:00:01]

I CAN TELL YOU JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, THAT WE HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE THERE ARE 100 STUDENTS LOADED ON TO A BUS ON THE COMPUTER.

WE KNOW THAT IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA THAT A LOT OF THE KIDS WILL DRIVE, BUT THEY ARE DESIGNATED AS A BUS RIDER.

WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM A BUS ROUTE.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE RIDERSHIP ON IT, THERE COULD BE ONLY 25 STUDENTS ON THERE.

YOU TAKE THIS BUS WITH 25 AND THIS BUS WITH 25, COMBINE THEM, YOU GOT AN EXTRA DRIVER.

NO TRAINING NEEDED THEY'RE RIGHT ON THE ROAD.

THAT'S WHY I SAID, BAR DRIVERS.

THAT'S THE SECOND BIGGEST THING THAT WE CAN DO TO RELIEVE THE STRESS THAT WE'RE UNDER RIGHT NOW WITH OUR DRIVER SHORTAGE.

>> DR. DAUGHERTY IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN WORK WITH MR. SMITH AND EVENTUALLY GET A COMMUNICATION OUT AGAIN?

>> YES SIR, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO PUT DOWN A TEST ON THE ISSUE ON HOW TO CONTINUE TO ASK PARENTS TO CHECK THE PARENT VIEW.

>> PERFECT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. DAUGHERTY.

>> THANK YOU.

>> YES. HAVE ONE OTHER REALLY QUICK COMMENT.

I'M JUST WONDERING FOR OUR FUTURE WORK SESSIONS, AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, COULD WE HAVE A 15-MINUTE LITTLE TRANSPORTATION UPDATE JUST WHERE WE ARE WITH BUS DRIVERS AND THINGS OF THAT SORT.

THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL.

>> IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE REST OF THE BOARD FEELS WE HAVE, DOESN'T NEED TO BE A FULL-BLOWN PRESENTATION, OR JUST BASICALLY A DATA PRESENTATION?

>> JUST A DATA PRESENTATION.

>> I WOULD SUPPORT THAT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> NEXT, WE HAVE SPECIALTY CENTER AND CTE UPDATE FROM DR. MERRIMAN AND MR. MACLIN.

[C. Specialty Center and CTE Update]

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.

MR. HARDER, MS COCO, SCHOOL BOARD OF MEMBERS AND DR. ALREADY, OF COURSE, MR. MACLIN AND I ARE HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS WITH YOU SOME OF OUR THOUGHTS THAT WE'RE DOING MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR PATHWAYS FOR TOMORROW.

WE'LL BE TALKING SPECIFICALLY TODAY ABOUT INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH PATHWAYS, OUR CCTC CENTER OF INNOVATION, SPECIALTY CENTERS, AND WE'LL ALSO BE TALKING THROUGH WHAT SOME OF THE NEXT STEPS ARE GOING TO BE.

WE HAVE A LEADERSHIP CHARGE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMMING, SPECIFICALLY SPECIALTY CENTERS AND OUR TECH CENTERS, AND WE WENT IDENTIFY PROGRAMMING THAT'S SUITABLE WITH OUR SPECIALTY CENTERS FOR MODERNIZATION, FOR DUPLICATION, FOR ANY REPLACEMENT PIECES, GROWTH OF NEW, WE WANT TO LOOK AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR CURRENT SPECIALTY CENTERS ARE MEETING OUR STUDENTS AND WORKFORCE NEEDS.

ARE THERE ANY AREAS THAT WE NEED TO REFINE, ADAPT, OR ADD TO.

WE ALSO WILL BE LOOKING AT OUR PATHWAYS FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOLS.

WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THE COURSEWORK THAT WE'RE OFFERING ON OUR SCHOOLS, AND IS THAT COURSEWORK HELPING OUR STUDENTS RECOGNIZE WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE GOING AND HOW THEY CAN GET THERE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT TECH CENTER PROGRAMMING ALIGNED WITH TARGETED WORKFORCE GROWTH AND NEED, AND ACADEMIC PROGRAMMING NEEDS THAT ARE ALIGNED WITH WORKFORCE AND STUDENT INTERESTS, AND THEN ALSO TALKING ABOUT DEVELOPING AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE COMING SCHOOL YEARS.

WHAT DO PATHWAYS TO TOMORROW LOOK LIKE? WE TALKED ABOUT BEING A PATHWAY TO TOMORROW BECAUSE WE REALLY WANT THE STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND.

WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT WHAT OUR CURRENT COURSEWORK IS, ALONG WITH LOOKING AT WHAT OTHER POSSIBILITIES WE MIGHT NEED TO ADD INTO AND HOW DO WE HELP OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR STUDENTS SEE HOW THEY ALIGN TO OUR STUDENTS WHEN IT END UP BEING.

BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE BY THE TIME OUR STUDENTS GRADUATE, THEY WOULD NEED TO KNOW WHO THEY ARE, THEY NEED TO KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING, AND THEY NEED TO KNOW WHY THEY'RE GOING THERE.

WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SPEAKING TOWARDS THAT THROUGHOUT THEIR YEARS WITH US, RATHER THAN WAITING TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WHEN THEY'RE SENIORS.

AT THIS POINT MR. MACLIN IS GOING TO START AND HE'S GOING TO BE TALKING A BIT MORE ABOUT THAT WORKFORCE DATA.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

IT'S REALLY ABOUT HOW DO WE HELP STUDENTS SEE THEIR CAREER FUTURES.

THEIR CAREER FUTURES, WHAT HAVE THEY SEEN IN THEIR FUTURE? WE START WITH ENSURING THAT WE HAVE MATCHED WHAT THE WORKFORCE NEED IS AND PROJECTIONS TO OUR COURSE OFFERINGS.

WE START HERE AND WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF TABLES HERE AND THERE ARE 16 CAREER CLUSTERS IDENTIFIED HERE.

[INAUDIBLE], THERE ARE 17 IN VIRGINIA ENERGY IS THE 17TH.

THERE'S NO DATA COLLECTED FOR IT YET IS THAT IT HASN'T BEEN DEVELOPED, BUT IT IS COMING.

THOUGH THERE ARE 16 LISTED HERE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHAT THIS CHART DOES IS IT

[01:05:04]

WE'LL TAKE THIS DATA AND SAY, OKAY, HERE'S THE DATA WE HAVE, HOW DOES WHAT WE'RE OFFERING ALIGN TO THE DEMAND? COLUMN ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE.

STUDENTS AND PARENTS MAY BE INTERESTED IN THE WAGES, AND THAT'S OKAY.

JUST WHERE DOES THAT FIT INTO TO YOUR WANT? LOOKING AT THE JOB ADS IN THE REGION AND LOCALLY TO US AND IT REALLY HELPS US PINPOINT THAT WHAT WE'RE OFFERING AND WHAT OUR PROGRAM OF STUDIES IS, IS ALIGNED TO WHAT THE WORKFORCE NEEDS AND JOBS ARE.

WHERE THERE ARE MIX MATCHES AND LOTS OF STUDENT OF INTEREST, BUT NO JOB MARKET, WE NEED TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IS THAT A POPULAR CLASS.

WHY IS IT POPULAR? WHAT'S THE MEANING AND OUTCOME FOR THAT CLASS? WE HAVE SOME THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED IN THAT WAY THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.

THE ADVERSE IS THERE'S A HUGE JOB DEMAND AND WE DON'T HAVE MANY CLASSES, HOW DO WE HELP MAKE CONNECTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS THERE? IT'S NOT JUST ENOUGH TO LOOK AT WHAT THE WORKFORCE SAYS AND DOES, BUT WHAT IS OUR STUDENT INTEREST? TAKING A PAUSE HERE BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER AND SAY, WE'VE GOT A ROBUST PROGRAM WITH CAREER INVESTIGATION AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.

WE'VE GOT AN ACADEMIC AND CAREER PLAN REQUIREMENT IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH.

WE'RE UTILIZING A TOOL CALLED MAJOR CLARITY TO HELP US IN CAREER INVESTIGATION, TO HELP THOSE STUDENTS KNOW WHO THEY ARE, WHERE THEY'RE GOING, AND WHY THEY WANT TO GO THERE THROUGH EXPLORATION.

WE KNOW THAT CHILDREN OFTENTIMES KNOW, WHAT CAREERS AVAILABLE BASED OFF THEIR FAMILY, THEIR CHURCH OR SOCIAL STRUCTURE.

CAREER INVESTIGATION HELPS LOOK BEYOND THAT.

WHAT IT ALSO HELPS US KNOW WHAT OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL CAREER INTERESTS.

THIS IS A FIRST SNAPSHOT OF WHAT MIDDLE-SCHOOL STUDENTS TOLD US LAST YEAR ABOUT THEIR INTERESTS.

YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE IS 16 CAREER CLUSTERS THERE, AND BASED ON OUR STUDENTS LAST YEAR, WHAT ARE THEIR INTERESTS AND THEIR CAREER FUTURES LOOKING LIKE? THIS REALLY WILL HELP INFORM OUR HIGH SCHOOLS TO WHAT THESE FEEDER PATTERNS STUDENTS ARE LOOKING FOR AS FAR AS COURSE OPTIONS.

THIS IS A TRANSFORMATION LOOK AT HOW WE'RE GOING TO SET UP SCHOOLS FROM BEING RESPONSIVE TO OUR CUSTOMERS, OUR STUDENTS OF WHAT THEIR INTERESTS ARE.

A GREAT PIECE OF DATA HERE THAT HELPS US UNDERSTAND THE NATURE THAT WERE OFTEN IT'S ALIGNED TO WHAT OUR STUDENTS WANTS ARE.

HERE WE CAN SEE BASED OFF OF THE PATHWAYS, WHAT STUDENTS ARE LOOKING FOR, AND THERE'S REALLY NO SURPRISES HERE.

HERE YOU CAN SEE STUDENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN VISUAL ARTS AND PERFORMING ARTS, AND SOFTWARE AND MATHEMATICS AND HEALTH SCIENCES.

THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO SURPRISES HERE, AN EQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF ABOUT STUDENT WANTS AND DESIRES.

THIS LOOKS VERY SIMILAR IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY AS IT DOES ACROSS VIRGINIA AND THE NATION BECAUSE STUDENTS HAVE DIFFERENT WANTS AND NEEDS AND WE WANT TO HONOR AND RESPECT THAT.

REMEMBER IN THE EARLIER I SAID THAT ABOUT THEIR CAREER FUTURES.

BUT THIS TWO HELPS US UNDERSTAND OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, HOW THEY'RE MOVING INTO HIGH SCHOOL AND WHAT THEIR INTERESTS ARE, AND HOW OUR HIGH SCHOOLS ALIGNED TO WHAT OUR STUDENTS WANTS AND NEEDS ARE.

LASTLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT'S IN DEMAND.

THIS CHART HERE LOOKS AT, IT'S BASED OFF OF ADS IN OUR REGION, REGION FOR GO VIRGINIA.

IT LOOKS AT THE HARD SKILLS AND SOFT SKILLS.

IF YOU CAN NOTICE IN THE HARD SKILL, PRIMARILY OUR EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FOR A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY SKILLS AROUND MICROSOFT.

BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE, I'LL CALL IT THE THIRD WHEN THEY'RE TEACHING AND TRAINING.

THAT'S THE EFFECT OF NEEDING TEACHERS AND RIGHT GO HANOVER RICHMOND JUST FEEL THAT'S THAT NUMBER RIGHT THERE.

BUT ALSO IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTICE THE SECOND AND THE LAST, THE BILINGUAL ABILITY.

ALL OUR STUDENTS PREPARED AND MULTIPLE LANGUAGE COMMUNICATE AND WORK, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US.

BUT WE'RE WORKING ON THESE, AND THERE'S A LOT MORE OF THAT FROM NUMBER STANDPOINT WHERE WE GET INTO YOUR SPECIFIC HEALTH SCIENCES, YOUR SPECIFIC ENTITY CERTIFICATIONS, BUT THESE ARE JUST YOUR TOPS.

BUT ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE THERE, YOUR SOFT SKILLS.

PAUSE AND SAY, WHAT DO YOU THINK THOSE SOFT SKILLS REPRESENT? TO ME, THEY REPRESENT OUR SIX C'S.

TO ME, THIS EMBODIES WHAT OUR SIX C'S WORK IS ABOUT.

OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY I LOOKING FOR THE SAME SIX C'S THAT WE HAVE, AND IT'S REPRESENTED HERE AS FAR AS BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE, BEING A TEAM PLAYER, BEING MOTIVATED AND BEING ORGANIZED, THOSE SKILLS ARE CRITICAL.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO INVITE THAT IN ALL OF OUR COURSEWORK.

I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT WE'RE BASING OUR WORK ON WHAT THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS ARE, WHAT THE NEEDS OF OUR WORKFORCE ARE, AND HOW CAN WE MAKE THOSE ALIGNMENTS.

I THINK YOU'VE SEEN SOME OF THIS WORK BEFORE HERE, BUT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY JUST TO SAY THAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY THAT DOCTOR DOROTHY'S LEADERSHIP IS BRINGING IN TO UNIFY CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF AND OUTSIDE BUILDING AND CREATE SOME SEATS SPACE AT CTC AT HOME.

THE OPPORTUNITY THERE, WE'RE REALLY GOING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT BOTTOM CHART THERE, INCREASE IN OUR STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES.

IN THIS, THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT WHAT'S NEW AND WHAT'S DONE OUT THERE.

WE'VE ALL HEARD THE STATEMENTS, TOMORROW'S JOBS HAVEN'T BEEN CREATED.

THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO COME EXPERIENCE COURSES THAT WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE AND EXPLORE THE

[01:10:01]

WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE GROWTH OPPORTUNITY PATHWAYS THAT BRING TO OUR STUDENTS FOR THIS COMBINATION HERE.

HERE'S A DRAFT PLAN BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT SOMETIMES YOU START WITH AN IDEA AND IT'S MAYBE SKYWRITING IN THE PLAIN VERSION AND THEN YOU GO, I'M GOING TO STREET CHALK AND I'M GOING GO TO PENCIL AND I'M GOING TO GO TO PEN, AND THEN I WANT TO FINALLY TYPE THIS.

WE'RE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN STREET CHALK AND PIE IN THE SKY.

BUT WE NEEDED TO HAVE A FRAME TO START THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY AND TEACHERS AND STUDENTS.

HERE'S OUR PLANE HERE AND I THINK SOME INITIATIVE PARTS HERE, WE WANT TO CREATE A FLEXIBLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.

SECOND TO NONE, FOR STUDENTS, WHERE THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE SCHEDULING JUST SUPPORTS FLEXIBLE LEARNING FOR STUDENTS.

WE WANT TO EMBED PROJECT MANAGEMENT BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND LOGICAL THINKING AROUND THAT IS WITH OUR STUDENTS.

WE WANT ALL DESIGN THIS AROUND HAVING STUDENTS UP TO SOLVE REAL-WORLD PROBLEMS. IT'S CALLED THE 10 IT'S CALLED PROBLEMS AND PRACTICES WHERE WE UTILIZE REAL PROBLEMS THAT BUSINESSES HAVE HAD OR HAVE OR ARE PLANNING TO FACE TO BRING THEM AND ALMOST WORK LIKE A THINK TANK.

HOW TO WORK THROUGH THESE SOMEWHAT SO AS COLLABORATE, WHICH IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY HERE.

BUT ALIGNED ON THE FACT THAT THE MISSION'S PROBABLY THE CLOSEST THING WE HAVE TO SOMETHING THAT'S IN PENCIL OR MAYBE MOVING ACTUALLY DEPEND.

OR WE CREATE A COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS WHO ARE PASSIONATE INFLUENCED.

COLLABORATING WITHIN DYNAMIC LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WHERE A PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT THRIVES THROUGH A LEADERSHIP AND GROWTH MINDSET WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO BOTH LOCAL AND GLOBAL SOCIETY.

HOW CAN WE HELP OUR STUDENTS ENGAGE IN LEARNING THAT'S BASED IN IMPROVING OUR COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENT.

IT'S GREAT OPPORTUNITY, AND THERE'S A LOT MORE WORK TO BE DONE HERE.

THAT'S WHY IT'S A DRAFT PLAN BECAUSE THERE'S MORE STAKEHOLDERS NEED TO BE COMMUNICATED, MORE ENGAGEMENT HAS TO BE HAD, MORE LISTENING.

THIS IS GOING TO BE FLESHED OUT OVER THE COMING WEEKS, MONTHS AND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.

BUT WE HAD TO START SOMEWHERE.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A FRAMEWORK TO START FROM.

THINKING ABOUT THOSE NEW OPPORTUNITIES THAT COMBINE THE WORK, THE OFFICE CENTRAL OFFICE AS DOES IN THE SPACE, THESE ARE SOME OF OUR HIGH FLYERS THAT OUR BUSINESSES, OUR POLICYMAKERS, AND VIRGINIA, ARE WORKING TOWARDS ENSURING THAT THEY'RE ARE STANDARD PROGRAMS THAT HELP SUPPORT.

THIS ALSO MIRRORS SOME OF WHAT OUR STUDENT INTERESTED IN ACCOUNTING THAT WE MAY NOT BE DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB ABOUT, AND ONE OF THE THINGS DR. TAYLOR MENTIONED LAST WEEK WAS, YOU'RE SITTING HERE AND RIGHT BEHIND US IS A TV STUDIO.

THIS WAS WHEN HE RECALLS RATE, AND THAT'S TRUE.

A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A TV STUDIO TO TEACH TV VIDEO PRODUCTION IN A WAY WE HAVEN'T DONE BEFORE, GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

ENERGY AND POWER STILL BEING DEFINED BUT TO MEND AN INJURY AT THE TABLE WILLING TO TALK WITH US AND WORK THROUGH WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE AND HOW DO WE UNDERSTAND SOLAR POWER, WIND TURBINES OFF OF VIRGINIA BEACH.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO OUR ENVIRONMENT? TO POWER GRID SYSTEM, GREAT OPPORTUNITIES THERE.

WE KNOW WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB WITH GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION.

WE NEED TO WORK WITH OUR COUNTY OFFICES TO HELP STUDENTS UNDERSTAND WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO BE A GOVERNMENT AND COUNTY EMPLOYEE, AND HOW DO YOU LOOK AT THE RESOURCES AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL LEVEL IF YOU WANT TO GO THERE.

HEALTH SCIENCES, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT PUTTING FLAVOR TO OUR IT COMMUNITY AND SAY, UMH, LET'S THINK ABOUT IT AS IT LAYERS INTO HEALTH SCIENCES AND INFORMATICS.

WHAT IS YOUR DATA FROM A HOSPITAL TO YOUR DOCTOR'S OFFICE, TO THE NEXT REFERRAL OFFICE YOU HAVE.

HOW DOES THAT CONVEY AS WELL AS IMAGING WE'RE LOOKING AT RADIOLOGY TECHNOLOGY, AS WELL AS [INAUDIBLE] TO BE ABLE TO HELP STUDENTS EARN CERTIFICATIONS THAT ARE DIRECT TO EMPLOYMENT, AND WE HAVE A GREAT NEED FOR.

IMAGINE THIS FOR A SECOND, WHAT IF WE HAD A STUDENT BASED ENTERPRISE THAT WAS ACTUALLY RUNNING THE FULCRUM CENTER AS A COMMUNITY BUSINESS, AND THEY WERE MANAGING FROM START TO FINISH AND EARNING CONTRACTS WITH VENDORS THAT NEED TO COME INTO USE THAT SPACE AND USE THIS AS A REAL-WORLD PROBLEM FOR US.

NOT TO MENTION, WE KNOW WE'VE GOT SOME BIG PROJECTS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE GOING TO NEED HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM.

NOT TO MENTION, WE KNOW WHAT OUR SPORTS DO IN THIS COUNTY.

LAWS, WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR TURF PROJECTS AS WELL SO WE'RE EXCITED FOR THAT.

THE LAST THING WE KNOW, WE ALL KNOW HOW MUCH WE NEED CYBERSECURITY TECHNOLOGY.

BOTH APPLE, WHICH WE HAVEN'T DONE BEFORE, SO EXCITED WITH DR. DAUGHERTY'S LEADERSHIP TO HAVE GOOD, ROBUST CONVERSATIONS WITH APPLE, AND THE TEAM ABOUT CODING THERE, AS WELL AS MOVING INTO SOME CLOUD-BASED TECHNOLOGIES AND THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH AWS AND OTHER BASED CLOUD SERVICES.

THESE ARE PROGRAMS WE'RE GOING TO BE OFFERING.

STUDENTS ARE INTERESTED IN, OUR WORKFORCE IS INTERESTED IN, BEING A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD CONNECTIONS FOR STUDENTS.

YOU'VE SEEN SPACES WORKING WITH FACILITIES TRYING TO SKETCH THIS OUT. WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE? WE'RE DEFINITELY HERE IN THE STREET SHOCK STANDPOINT OF WHAT DOES THIS BUILDING LOOK LIKE AND HOW DO WE REASSIGN SPACES? BUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT HERE IS TO THINK ABOUT FLEXIBILITY.

CTC@HULL IS ALREADY A BUILDING A SETUP TO BE FLEXIBLE.

HOW DO WE HELP FURTHER THAT IN STUDENTS AND THINK ABOUT OUR INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL NOT BEING, YOU'RE GOING TO CLASS FROM NINE O'CLOCK TO 10 O'CLOCK, YOU'RE GOING TO CLASS, HAVE A SEVEN-MINUTE BREAK,

[01:15:01]

WORKING THROUGH SPACES, FLEXIBLE.

THIS IS THE IDEA OF WORKING WITH SCOTT CARSON AND JOSH TO REFINE THIS PROCESS.

THERE WILL BE MANY ITERATIONS OF THIS TOO, BUT THERE HAD TO BE A START POINT AND SEE HOW IT MIGHT FIT IN.

HERE'S ONE AND HERE'S THE LOWER LEVEL, HOW IT MAY FIT IN.

I'D HOPE THAT YOU WOULDN'T HOLD US TO THIS, EITHER ONE OF THESE BLOCK DIAGRAMS AS THEY ARE VERY EARLY IN THIS PLAN AND THERE'S LOTS OF PLANNING TO DO AFTER THIS.

BUT WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE [NOISE] OPPORTUNITY, WHAT THIS BRINGS FOR OUR STUDENTS, AS WELL AS OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

WE DO HAVE REGULAR ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WITH CHESTERFIELD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO ENSURE WHAT WE'RE PLANNING AND THINKING ABOUT IS ALIGNED WITH THEIRS.

THIS HAS ALSO BEEN SHARED WITH THE CTE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO ENSURE THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS THINKING AND IN FORMING ALONG THE SAME LINES TO MAKE SURE WE'RE SEEKING INPUT AND THERE'S MORE TO BE HAD, THERE'S MORE TO BE GAINED, AND THIS PLAN HAS GOT MORE ROOM TO GROW AND TO ENSURE MORE VOICES HAVE BEEN HEARD IN LATE INTO IT.

BACK TO DR. MERRIMAN.

>> AS MR. MACLIN WAS SHARING, THIS IS REALLY EXCITING TIMES BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE COULD BE DOING IN OUR TECH CENTERS FOR OUR STUDENTS BUT ALSO TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE COULD BE DOING FOR OUR STUDENTS REMAINING IN THE COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOLS FOR THEIR FOUR YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL.

THAT INCLUDES OUR SPECIALTY CENTERS AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY 13 SPECIALTY CENTERS, OF ABOUT LITTLE OVER 2,200, STUDENTS WHO ARE IN OUR 13 PATHWAYS THAT WE HAVE THERE AT OUR SPECIALTY CENTERS.

OUR GOAL IS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE INCREASED AS THEY SHARED ALREADY, WHAT NEEDS TO BE REFINED, WHAT NEEDS TO BE ENLARGED, WHAT MIGHT WE NOT EVEN HAVE OFFERED YET THAT WE NEED TO BE OFFERING IN ORDER TO MEET OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITIES NEEDS.

OVERALL, IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOLS, OF COURSE, WE HAVE ALMOST 19,000 STUDENTS.

WE'RE SAYING THERE AT ZERO PATHWAYS, WE RECOGNIZE THEY'RE TAKING COURSEWORK THAT'S GOING TO BE GETTING THEM TOWARDS A COLLEGE OR CAREER PATH.

WE'VE NOT NECESSARILY DONE A GREAT JOB DEFINING WHAT THAT PATHWAY IS, SO WE DO NOT NECESSARILY HAVE DONE THE BEST JOB BRANDING WHAT A HALFWAY IS AND HELPING THEM SEE HOW THIS COURSE MIGHT HELP THEM MEET THIS NEED.

PERHAPS, THEY AREN'T IN A TECHNICAL COURSE FOR THIS, BUT THE ENGLISH CLASS THEY ARE TAKING ALSO HELPS THEM BECOME A BETTER ENTREPRENEUR OR A BETTER MARKETER.

HOW DO WE HELP THEM SEE THOSE CONNECTIONS SO THEY RECOGNIZE THE NEEDS FOR ALL OF THEIR COURSEWORK.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS ALREADY.

AS I SAID, THE LEADERSHIP CHARGED IT OCCUR THIS PAST YEAR.

WE'VE MET ALREADY UTILIZING THE DATA THAT MR. MACLIN SHARE HERE ALONG WITH SOME OTHER PIECES WITH HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS.

WE'VE MET, FIRST OF ALL, OF COURSE, WITH SENIOR LEADERSHIP WITH CABINET, MET WITH CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT AND TEACHING AND LEARNING, WE'VE MET WITH OUR HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, OUR SPECIALTY CENTER COORDINATORS, OUR COUNSELING COORDINATORS.

ALL START LOOKING AT WHAT IS THE DATA, WHAT DO WE REALLY NEED, AND EVERYONE IS ACTUALLY BEEN REALLY INTERESTING TO DIG IN BOTH TO THAT MAJOR CLARITY INFORMATION THAT HE TALKED ABOUT, AND ALSO OUR WORKFORCE DATA TO FIGURE OUT WHERE ARE WE AND WHERE DO WE NEED TO BE GOING.

AS I SAID ALREADY, LOOKING AT OUR SPECIALTY CENTERS, OUR COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOLS, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT WE CAN'T LEAVE IT WITH US HERE AT STAFF.

IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE LOOKING AT OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY AT LARGE TOO.

WE HAVE ALREADY TALKED TO MR. SMITH ABOUT HOW CAN WE BRING OUT SOME LISTENING TOURS AT EACH OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS THAT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PARENTS MIGHT BE ABLE TO COME IN AND PARTICIPATE IN TO SEE WHAT THEIR VISION IS.

BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THIS REALLY WILL BE IMPACTING THOSE STUDENTS MUCH MORE THAN OUR CURRENT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO TAKE A BIT OF TIME IN ORDER FOR US TO REALLY DEVELOP AND REFINE AND ROLL OUT WELL.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A QUICK TURNAROUND TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DEVELOPING THE APPROPRIATE CURRICULUM AND GETTING THE APPROPRIATE STAFFS IN PLAY.

WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THAT PLAN BUILD OUT AFTER THOSE LISTENING TOURS.

OUR GOAL IS TO COME BACK TO YOU GUYS IN THE SPRING, SHARE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN LEARNING AND WHERE WE NEED TO BE GOING, BEGIN MARKETING AND PROGRAMMING, AND THEN HOPEFULLY, IMPLEMENTING AFTER THAT PIECE.

AS MR. MACLIN'S SPOKE ABOUT ALREADY ALSO, THERE ARE PARALLEL TRACKS ARE GOING TO BE GOING ON IN EACH OF THESE PIECES LIKE, WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CURRICULUM WITH DR. POPE AND DR. HIGH AND THOSE TEAMS. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE TALKING TO FACILITIES, LIKE, WHAT MIGHT NEED TO HAPPEN TO OUR FACILITIES TO HELP OUR STUDENT GAIN WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.

OUR FACULTY AND STAFF POSITIONS, WE'LL BE TALKING TO HR BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT WHILE WE MIGHT HAVE CLASSES THAT COULD BE GREAT FOR KIDS, IF WE CAN'T GET THEM STAFFED, THAT BECOMES A PROBLEM, SO WE NEED TO BE LOOKING EARLY ON FOR THOSE STAFFING.

WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT THE BUDGET.

WHAT DO WE NEED THEM BOTH IN TERMS OF ARE THERE ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES OR EQUIPMENT THAT WE MIGHT NEED.

I KNOW WHEN I WAS WORKING AT [INAUDIBLE] AND WE BROUGHT [INAUDIBLE] HPT, THERE WERE SOME MATERIALS THAT WE HAD TO HAVE IN THERE FOR THE STUDENTS TO BE WORKING WITH THAT PT OT PIECE.

THEN OF COURSE BEEN LOOKING AT BUSINESS, INDUSTRY SUPPORT AND SPONSORSHIP.

FINALLY, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WHAT WE'RE DOING IS ACTUALLY INTERESTING TO OUR STUDENTS, IS SPEAKING THEIR INTERESTS IS HELPING THEM SEE WHERE THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY NEED TO BE GOING WITH THAT PIECE.

AS I SAID ALREADY, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OUR PATHWAYS, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OUR CENTER OF INNOVATION, OUR SPECIALTY CENTERS, OUR HIGH SCHOOL PATHWAYS,

[01:20:02]

>> THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MS. HEFFRON.

>> THANKS. ON PAGE 9 OF YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU TALKED ABOUT LIKE, I THINK THIS WAS THE PART THAT CHAD TALKED ABOUT, IF TWO TECHNICAL CENTERS PROJECTED 2,400 LEARNERS AND 44 CAREER PATHWAYS, CAN YOU PUT THAT IN CONTEXT? WHEN WOULD THAT BE ANTICIPATED? WHAT'S THE PROJECTED?

>> IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH WHEN STAFF ARE ABLE TO EXIT THE TECH CENTER.

IN THAT MODEL, WE'RE TRYING TO COMBINE WORKFORCES FROM CROWDS AND CTC IN ANOTHER LOCATION, THAT DOESN'T REALLY HAPPEN UNTIL THE STAFF VACATE AND WE CAN TURN THAT SPACE BACK OVER TO STUDENTS.

I THINK THERE'S THE PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN SPOKEN ABOUT WITH BOARD AND SUPERVISORS, THERE'S TIMING AROUND THAT, THERE'S LOTS OF FACTORS TO THAT THAT PLAY HERE.

WE NEED AN ON-RAMP, THE MAGIC WAND WAS WAIVED AND, POOF, THAT SPACE HAPPENED.

WE STILL NEED SOME ON-RAMP FOR JOSH AND SCOTT AND THEIR TEAMS TO DO SOME SLIGHT CONVERSIONS.

IT REALLY DEPENDS. THERE'S MULTIPLE VARIES ON THAT, THAT WE HAVE CONTROL OVER AND WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER.

>> CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I WAS LOOKING AT THE ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS HERE, [NOISE] AND ALSO WITH THE LIST OF PATHWAYS.

I'M A LITTLE WORRIED BECAUSE OUR CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM IS THE NUMBER ONE CTE PROGRAM IN THE STATE, AND I DON'T SEE A SPACE FOR OUR TALENTED BAKERS AND CHEFS.

>> I ALREADY ASKED THAT QUESTION.

[LAUGHTER] SO I LOVE THE WAY YOU ANSWER IT.

>> IT'S ALREADY THERE.

>> IT'S THERE. [LAUGHTER]

>> IT'S THERE. THIS IS IDENTIFYING NEW SPACE.

SO THIS JUST IDENTIFIES NEW SPACE.

THIS DOESN'T AT ALL ACKNOWLEDGE THE CURRENT CTC AT WHOLE CENTER PROGRAMS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BUILDING, OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE, OUR EMT, OUR BIO, DOWNSTAIRS WE HAVE THAT SCIENCE.

WE HAVE BARBERING [OVERLAPPING].

>> EXACTLY, YOU CAN NOT TAKE THOSE CUPCAKES AWAY.

[LAUGHTER].

>> I SAW THE SAME THING AND I WAS GOING TO MENTION THAT SO THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT'S NOT A RENDERING OF ONLY THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN THAT BUILDING.

IT'S THE EXISTING PROGRAMS. THOSE ARE JUST THE NEW PROGRAMS.

>> IT'S LIKE THE NEW CONVERT.

>> THAT WAS THE FIRST THING I ASKED DR. [INAUDIBLE], WHERE DO CULINARY ARTS GO? [NOISE] [LAUGHTER]

>> MS. HAINES.

>> A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS A VIDEO E OR STATE LANGUAGE USING THE WORD ENERGY FOR THEIR ENERGY CLUSTER.

BUT MAYBE WE CAN PRESSURE VIDEO E A LITTLE BIT AND LEAD AS CHESTERFIELD.

I THINK THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE EXPRESS A CONCERN ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE IN A WAY THAT MAYBE OUR GENERATION DIDN'T.

IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INNOVATION, IF WE COULD ENCOURAGE VIDEO [INAUDIBLE], MAYBE RENAME THAT RENEWABLE ENERGY.

WHEN I THINK OF EVEN THE WORDS, IMAGINE TOMORROW AND INNOVATION, I THINK THAT RENEWABLE ENERGY IS WHERE THAT IS.

THAT'S MY FIRST COMMENT.

>> SURE. I THINK THAT ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY, IT'S ACTUALLY ENERGY, POWER, AND DISTRIBUTION.

SO THE LEGISLATION IN VIRGINIA ACTUALLY LABELED IT JUST ENERGY.

THERE IS SOME LATITUDE THERE FOR IT TO GO IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS FROM THE LEGISLATIVE STANDPOINT.

THAT'S THE BALANCE FOR WORD IS ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.

IT IS NOT A NATIONAL CLUSTER.

IT WAS SPONSORED BY AN ENERGY CONSORTIUM GROUPS, STARTING WITH [NOISE] DUKE POWER POINT SOUTH AND GOING WEST, WHO MADE THAT INTO PLAY.

BUT WE CAN MAKE IT HOW WE WANT TO.

I THINK THAT THE BRANDING IS LESS IMPORTANT THAN WHAT IT BECOMES IN THE COURSES WE OFFER FOR STUDENTS IN THE FIRST PLACE.

>> AWESOME. AS WE STAY DRIVEN BY STUDENT INTERESTS, I THINK A RENEWABLE WOULD BE GREAT.

THEN I WAS ALSO READING A PRESENTATION TO PREPARE FOR TODAY.

IT REMINDED ME OF THE PRESENTATION WHERE STUDENTS GO [INAUDIBLE] IN THEIR PRESENTATION THAT YOU DID IN NOVEMBER.

I WAS STRUCK BY HOW MANY PROGRAMS HAD UNDERREPRESENTATION WITH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, STUDENTS OF COLOR, AND SOME PROGRAMS. I WAS SHOCKED; ONLY 24 PERCENT OF THE GOVERNOR'S ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING STUDIES AT [INAUDIBLE] ARE FEMALE.

WE NEED MORE FEMALE ENGINEERS.

WILL THE REWORK OF THIS SPECIALLY CENTER INCREASE ACCESS FOR THOSE UNDER-REPRESENTED POPULATION AND HELP US ACHIEVE OUR IMAGINE TOMORROW, OBJECTIVE 2.4, WHICH IS TO PROMOTE DIVERSITY

[01:25:02]

>> IF YOU REMEMBER WHEN WE SHARED THAT DATA, THAT WAS SOMEWHAT OF AN OLD SET OF DATA TOO BECAUSE WE'VE SINCE THEN DONE SOME STRIDES AND DONE SOME CHANGES WITH THE WAY WE'VE STARTED ALLOCATING SEATS.

WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF COMPILING THIS YEAR'S FRESHMEN CLASS AND COMPARING IT TO THE OTHER ONES.

ACTUALLY I WAS ON E-MAILING TODAY WITH JENNY COLEMAN, AND BETH PEASANTS, AND KATHLEEN CLARK ABOUT THAT PIECE SPECIFICALLY SO WE CAN COME UP WITH WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND WHERE WE ARE NOW.

OUR GOAL, OF COURSE, IS TO INCREASE ACCESS FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.

EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR STUDENTS WHO WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN A PARTICULAR PATH OR COURSE, THEY'RE ABLE TO DO SO.

HOPEFULLY, WHEN THAT DATA IS COMPILED, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU AGAIN TO SHOWCASE SOME OF THE WORK THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENED AS WE'RE MAKING THOSE STRIDES TO INCREASING THE DIVERSITY WITHIN OUR COURSEWORK.

>> THANKS. THEN MY LAST, SORRY. [OVERLAPPING]

>> I'M SORRY. BEFORE WE GO THERE, I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE WORK THAT WE DO IN CAREER INVESTIGATIONS AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND WHAT WE'RE DOING AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO HELP STUDENTS SEE THEIR FUTURE AND WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO THEM, I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

THAT'S PROBABLY THE LANE THAT WE HAVE THE MOST OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE STUDENTS IN THE LANE OF NON-TRADITIONAL FROM A STANDPOINT.

DEFINING NON TRADITIONAL AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT [INAUDIBLE] IS ANY CAREER REPRESENTED BY LESS THAN 25 PERCENT OF A GENDER.

HOW DO WE GET MORE FEMALES IN CONSTRUCTION, MALES IN COSMETOLOGY AND THE LIKE? I THINK THAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE CAN REINVIGORATE THAT CONVERSATION WITH STUDENTS ABOUT WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE AND HOW DO WE HELP STUDENTS GET THERE? I THINK THERE'S MORE SUPPORT WITH MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE FROM VIDEO E. GOING TO PATHWAYS, CTE HAS BEEN PATHWAYS.

THE MORE WE CAN HELP FRAME STUDENTS THINKING ABOUT WHAT REQUISITE SKILLS DO YOU NEED FOR THE HALFWAY OF YOUR FUTURE AND YOUR CAREER FOR YOUR FUTURE? BECAUSE WE WANT STUDENTS TO HAVE CAREERS, NOT JOBS.

WE REALLY WANT THEM TO BE PASSIONATE AND LOVE GOING TO WORK.

>> NICE. I LOVE THAT. THEN MY LAST QUESTION, SINCE WE JUST HAD A LONG CONVERSATION ABOUT TRANSPORTATION IS, ARE WE LOOKING AT GAMES AND TRANSPORTATION EFFICIENCY AS WE REWORK OUR [INAUDIBLE]?

>> SOME OF THE DATASETS WE'VE ALREADY LOOKED AT IS THE TRANSPORTATION PIECE.

WE'VE HAD OUR RESEARCH AND EVALUATION DIGGING INTO THAT QUITE DEEPLY TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE WE GET KIDS TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE AS EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE.

>> OKAY. THANKS.

>> SEE, IT'S REALLY TIGHT. WE DO THIS ALL THE TIME.

[LAUGHTER] WE ARE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO EXTEND THE OPPORTUNITY TO DRIVE TO THE TECH CENTERS.

BOTH OF THEM IN WHICH IS HELPING US TREMENDOUSLY, WE KNOW WE'VE SEEN IT FROM A TIMING STANDPOINT, AND THEN IT'S HELPING [INAUDIBLE] AS WELL.

MOVING FORWARD, WE WOULD LIKE TO THINK OF THE NEW CENTER AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RETHINK WHAT WE'RE DOING AT THE TECH CENTERS AND NOT BEING GUARANTEED REQUIRED THREE CREDIT BLOCK, BUT FLEXIBILITY FOR STUDENT NEED.

MAYBE THEY ONLY NEED A CREDIT OR TWO THERE, AND THERE'S FLEXIBILITY FOR THEM FROM THEIR OWN PERSONAL TRANSPORTATION AND/OR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE VIRTUAL LEARNING COURSES WHEN THEY'RE THERE.

>> THANKS.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NEXT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION.

>> RYAN.

>> OH, I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.

>> [LAUGHTER] REAL QUICK. JUST A QUESTION AND THEN A COMMENT, AND THE QUESTION IS RELATED AROUND CTE. JUST CURIOUS.

IN OUR CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD SO FAR AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE AS FAR AS THE LISTENING TOURS AND JUST ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY, HAVE WE MET WITH CHAMBER MEMBERS IN THE COUNTY AND DISCUSSED WHAT THE NEEDS? I KNOW WE HAVE THE DATA FROM JUST PHIL COUNTY, BUT JUST SPEAKING TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ITSELF.

>> SURE. THEY'RE GOING TO BE PART OF THAT FUTURE PROCESS, AND IT'S CART AND HORSE, AND THIS IS THE ONE, HOW DO WE GET TO WHERE WE WANT TO GO? WE NEED TO HAVE CAPACITY.

WE NEED TO GET SOME DATASETS.

WE NEEDED TO WORK WITH PRINCIPALS AND WE NEED TO WORK WITH THE SCHOOLS AND GET THEM READY FOR THIS CONVERSATION.

WE NEEDED YOU TO BE READY FOR THIS CONVERSATION.

WE NEED OUR ADVISER COMMUNITY, YOU'RE READY.

THEN WE ALL DO THIS LIFT AND THAT'S WHAT THE FALL AND WINTER IS INTENDED TO DO.

WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND WE HAVE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.

SO THAT'S ONE OF OUR KEY INFORMERS ON THIS.

NEXT IS TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH CHAMBER AND OUR COMMUNITIES. DR. [INAUDIBLE] IS RIGHT.

HAVING THIS CONVERSATION GOING FORWARD REALLY IS LOOKING AT MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PARENTS AND FAMILIES AND STUDENTS.

MUCH OF THIS WORK WILL BE DONE AFTER OUR CURRENT HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS AREN'T WITH US, [NOISE] IN A COUPLE OF YEARS WE HOPE.

BUT THAT'S WHAT A STANDPOINT OF MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE LISTENING, HEARING FROM ALL STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS. THERE'S MANY.

FOR ME, CAREERS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE THEM.

IF YOU'RE SITTING IN A JOURNALISM CLASS AND YOU WANT TO BE A JOURNALIST, HOW DO WE HELP YOU? IF YOU'RE SITTING IN A MATH CLASS, WANT TO BE AN ACTUARIALIST, HOW WE HELP YOU? IF YOU'RE SITTING IN AUTOMOTIVE TECH CLASS AND WANT TO BE A TECHNICIAN, HOW DO WE HELP YOU? IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU'RE IN.

HOW ARE YOUR REQUISITE SKILLS GOING TO HELP YOU GET THERE, TO AND THROUGH COLLEGE, WHATEVER EDUCATION, TRAINING YOU MAY NEED.

>> THEN MY LAST COMMENT IS JUST A PLUG FOR THE [INAUDIBLE] ROLE IMMERSION PROGRAM.

WE HAVE ONE DOWN AT ELIZABETH SCOTT AND WE SEE IT ON ONE OF OUR SLIDES HERE THAT IT'S ONE OF THE HARD SKILLS THAT IS SOUGHT AFTER IN THE WORKFORCE.

[01:30:04]

>> THANK YOU. NEXT OUR PRESENTATION ON DISTANCE LEARNING AND HIGH SCHOOLS

[D. Distance Learning at High Schools - SY2021-22]

>> YEAH. BUT I'M ROLLING SOLO TODAY.

HOPEFULLY I'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE THIS SOMEWHAT QUICK.

THIS IS JUST AN UPDATE WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE SPRING REGARDING WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH OUR DISTANCE LEARNING AT OUR HIGH SCHOOLS.

I DO WANT TO, FIRST OF ALL, MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS AWARE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DISTANCE LEARNING, WE ARE NOT SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY TOWARDS SEE CCPS ONLINE.

THAT IS A DIFFERENT SEGMENT WHEN WE'RE TALKING DISTANCE LEARNING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SYNCHRONOUS ENVIRONMENT, WHERE TEACHERS ARE SITTING IN THEIR HOME HIGH SCHOOLS DOING THE TEACHING TO STUDENTS IN OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS.

OUR GOAL WHEN WE BEGAN DISTANCE LEARNING, DR. D CAME TO US AS A HIGH SCHOOL GROUP AND SAID WE NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR KIDS CAN GET THE COURSES THAT THEY AREN'T SOMETIMES ABLE TO DO.

WE WANTED TO PROVIDE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY THE OPPORTUNITY TO REQUEST COURSES THAT THEY PREVIOUSLY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE.

OFTENTIMES THAT'S DUE TO LOW INTEREST AT ONE SCHOOL OR DUE TO VERY SPECIALIZED STAFFING NEEDS THAT NOT ALL SCHOOLS ARE ABLE TO MANAGE.

[NOISE] WHAT'S HAPPENED IS, I SHARED A BIT ALREADY.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY HAVE COMBINED INTO VIRTUAL CLASSES LED BY A TEACHER FROM ONE OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS.

WE WORKED WITH TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE SURE THEY HAD THE APPROPRIATE INFORMATION, THE MONITORS, THE DISPLAYS, EVERYTHING THEY NEEDED TO DO A GOOD JOB OF THIS PIECE, KNOWING THAT ALL THE STUDENTS WOULD BE IN THEIR HOME HIGH SCHOOLS.

CLASSES ARE OFFERED DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, DURING FIRST AND LAST BLOCKS BECAUSE WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DID NOT HAVE MUCH FLUX WITH DIFFERENT SCHOOLS' SCHEDULES, AND THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE OUR STUDENTS REPORTED TO A MONITORED LOCATION BECAUSE THIS IS A SYNCHRONOUS COURSE.

SO THE TEACHER'S ON THE SCREEN INTERACTING WITH THE STUDENTS DURING THIS TIME.

[NOISE] WE REALLY FOUND GREAT SUCCESS.

IF YOU REMEMBER IN THE SPRING, I CAME FORWARD WITH [NOISE] THESE ARE ALL THE CLASSES WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO OFFER.

I'M GOING TO TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THESE ARE THE CLASSES THAT ENDED UP MAKING.

QUITE A FEW DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSES ENDED UP MAKING.

THE REASON WHY THAT IS, IS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE SPECIALIZED STAFFING NEEDS IN ORDER FOR OUR TEACHER BE ABLE TO TEACH THAT DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSE.

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TEACH DUAL ENROLLMENT ANATOMY, BIOLOGY, BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, FRENCH, MUSIC APPRECIATION, SPANISH, STATISTICS, AND US HISTORY TO STUDENTS WHO OTHERWISE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE THOSE COURSES BECAUSE THOSE STUDENTS DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO A PARTICULAR TEACHER.

ADDITIONALLY, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO OFFER OTHER COURSES THAT JUST MIGHT HAVE A LOW INTEREST OR INABILITY TO FIND A STAFF SUCH AS AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY OR LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES, AND ADDITIONALLY, AP CALCULUS BC.

ALTOGETHER, WE HAVE OVER 120 STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN DISTANCE LEARNING THIS YEAR.

AS A HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL GROUP, WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN DISCUSSING HOW DO WE IMPROVE THIS FOR THE COMING YEAR.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THE TIMING WE APPROACHED TO THIS TO YOU GUYS ABOUT IN MARCH, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, WE'D ALREADY GONE THROUGH SOME OF THESE COURSE REQUESTS.

SO OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE THIS READY TO GO.

SO THAT WAY WE CAN HAVE THAT DURING THEIR FIRST ROUND OF COURSE REQUESTS RATHER THAN COMING BACK TO STUDENTS AND SAYING, WHAT IF, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THIS? WE REALLY DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE INCREASING THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO CAN ACCESS THESE COURSES.

AS I SAID ALREADY, THAT WAS THE GOAL.

WE ACCOMPLISHED IT WITH OVER 120 STUDENTS.

OUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE IT AND ENLARGE IT TO HELP OUR KIDS TAKE COURSES THAT WE KNOW BENEFIT THEM AND HELP THEM GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.

>> BOARD MEMBERS.

>> I JUST HAVE ONE THING OR REQUEST, I GUESS, AND THAT IS THAT YOU JUST TAKE A LOOK AT POSSIBLY EXPANDING THIS TO SOME MIDDLE-SCHOOL OFFERINGS FOR GEOMETRY AND FOREIGN LANGUAGES IN MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT ARE NOT OFFERED IN SOME MIDDLE SCHOOLS, BUT THEY ARE IN OTHERS FOR THE VERY SAME REASONS WHY YOU'RE OFFERING THE DISTANCE LEARNING AND THOSE COURSES AS WELL.

I KNOW THAT DR. DARI WANTED TO GO SLOW WITH THIS AND MAKE SURE IT'S SUCCESSFUL AND DO IT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.

BUT I WOULD LIKE US NOT TO FORGET ABOUT OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS THAT MAY WANT TO TAKE LATIN, FOR INSTANCE, IN 8TH GRADE, BUT THERE'S NO ACCESS TO A LATIN TEACHER OR EVEN GEOMETRY. THANKS.

>> MS. HAINES.

>> LOVE THAT. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP, MRS. BAILEY BECAUSE WHEN YOU SAID THAT I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT OF THE FACT THAT SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME THAT YOU ARE MORE LIKELY OR HIGHLY LIKELY TO RECEIVE THE ADVANCED DIPLOMA NIB IF YOU'VE HAD FIVE YEARS OF LATIN, WHICH REALLY WOULD MEAN STARTING IT IN 8TH GRADE.

SO YES, SINCE WE SUPPORT IB, LET'S DO IT.

THEN MY BIG QUESTION WAS, HOW ARE WE COMMUNICATING DE COURSES, DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSES TO OUR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY STUDENTS WHO MIGHT NOT SEE THEMSELVES AS, "DUAL ENROLLMENT MATERIAL" IN THE SAME WAY OF SOMEONE WHO, A FEMALE WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE CONSIDERED HERSELF AN ENGINEER, HOW ARE PUSHING DUAL ENROLLMENT BEING AN OPPORTUNITY THAT IS WONDERFUL FOR EVERYBODY?

[01:35:07]

>> I'LL BE HONEST, HIGH-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS PROBABLY COULD TATTOO A LITTLE SIGN ON THEIR BODIES, WHICH IS ME SAYING TO THEM THAT EVERY ONE OF OUR STUDENTS NEEDS TO TAKE AN AP, IB, OR DE COURSE BEFORE THEY GRADUATE.

THAT IS OUR CONSTANT MANTRA AND WE ARE CONSISTENTLY TALKING THROUGH HOW DO WE HELP SUPPORT KIDS TO GET TO THAT POINT AND OFTENTIMES THAT IS THROUGH HELPING, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE TAKING HONORS COURSEWORK AS THEY'RE ENTERING HIGH SCHOOL.

WE'VE DONE A LOT OF THAT ALREADY, WE REMOVED BARRIERS, WE'VE REALLY TAKEN AWAY FROM THAT TEACHER RECOMMENDATIONS, THAT STUDENTS CAN MAKE CHOICES TO DO THAT.

SO WE'RE REALLY DOING A LOT OF THOSE PIECES TO HELP ENSURE STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO SEE THEMSELVES IN THESE COURSES.

DUAL ENROLLMENT IS A BIT DIFFERENT ALSO THOUGH, THAT THEY HAVE TO MEET JOHN TYLER'S OR BLUE RIDGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, WHATEVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE WE'RE WORKING WITH AT THE TIME, THEY HAVE TO MEET THOSE CERTAIN STANDARDS, NO MATTER WHAT WE SAY OR DO, THAT IS THE LINE IN THE SAND BECAUSE IT IS A COMMUNITY COLLEGE COURSE.

SO OUR GOAL IS TO CONSISTENTLY MAKE SURE KIDS ARE ABLE TO DO THAT.

THAT WAY THEY ARE ABLE TO TAKE THOSE COURSES IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND GAIN SOME COLLEGE COURSEWORK BEFORE THEY LEAVE HIGH SCHOOL.

>> THANKS AND ONE OTHER QUESTION THAT I'VE GOTTEN FROM PARENTS WHO MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND, IF YOU LOOK AT THIS SLIDE, A PARENT MIGHT SAY, WELL, WHY IS THERE NO DUAL ENROLLMENT VIRTUAL CALCULUS OFFERED AT JAMES RIVER?

>> KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE ARE COURSES THAT STUDENTS COULDN'T TAKE AT THEIR HOME SCHOOL.

SO FOR SOME OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS, THEY WOULDN'T BE OFFERING IT VIRTUALLY TO STUDENTS BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAVE OTHER STAFF IN THE BUILDING WHO ARE OFFERING IT THERE.

ALSO THE OTHER PIECE OF THE STUDENT INTERESTS.

THEY SENT OUT SURVEYS TO STUDENTS, THEY ALLOWED THE STUDENTS TO SIGN UP, AND THEN THEY HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT CAN FIT WITHIN A STUDENT'S SCHEDULE, JUST LIKE A NORMAL HIGH SCHOOL SCHEDULING PIECE IS DONE AND SO IT REALLY IS DEPENDING UPON WHAT THE CURRENT HIGH SCHOOL, THE HOME HIGH SCHOOL'S ALREADY OFFERING.

BECAUSE IF THEY CAN TAKE IT IN-PERSON, WE ASKED THEM TO TRY TO DO THAT.

SO THAT WAY WE CAN ALLOW SLOTS FOR STUDENTS WHO COULDN'T.

THEY'D HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO TAKE A DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSE, THEY'D HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT FITS, AND THEN THEY'D HAVE TO BE SIGNING UP FOR IT.

>> THANKS SO MUCH.

>> YOU ARE WELCOME.

>> SO EXCITING.

>> I HAVE A QUESTION. SO TO SPEAK TO THAT, EVERY STUDENT WE WANT TO HAVE AN IB, A DE, OR AN AP CLASS UNDER THEIR BELT BEFORE THEY WALK ACROSS THE STAGE, HOW ARE WE SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES IN THAT PROCESS BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE COURSEWORK IS PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING, ARE THOSE SERVICES THAT STUDENTS RECEIVE IN A COLLABORATIVE SETTING, IS THAT STILL AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS IN A DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASS?

>> DUAL ENROLLMENT HAS A SPECIALIZED SPECIAL ED PIECE.

SOUNDS FAIR TO SAY IT THAT WAY, BUT WE DO HAVE TO FULFILL THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE'S SPECIAL ED PIECE TOO.

WE ACTUALLY ARE SENDING LETTERS HOME TO FAMILIES THIS WEEK DISCUSSING WITH THEM THAT FOR CERTAIN ACCOMMODATIONS THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, THAT IS THE COLLEGE COURSE PIECE.

SO THAT DOES IMPACT ACCOMMODATIONS THAT ARE ALLOWED TO BE GIVEN WITHIN THAT DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSE.

FOR AP AND IB, THEY TEND TO NOT BE COLLABORATIVE COURSES, BUT WE TRY TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS BEFORE THEY GET THERE.

ADDITIONALLY, IF A STUDENT HAS AN IEP, THEY STILL HAVE A CASE MANAGER WHO'S ABLE TO PULL THEM OUT AND HELP SUPPORT THEM ON SKILL-BASED NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE TIME.

>> THANKS.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME.

>> NEXT, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION ON

[E. CCPS on the Go! Partnerships Update]

>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, BOARD MEMBERS WE ARE EXCITED TONIGHT TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE ABOUT SOME OF OUR PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING RECENTLY.

AS YOU THINK ABOUT THE WORK THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, OBVIOUSLY, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THERE'S THREE KEY PIECES WE LOOK TO, OBVIOUSLY FIRST IS THE WORKING TO ASSESS AND ALIGN OUR PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, IDENTIFY AND ENGAGE OUR STAKEHOLDERS, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE THIRD PIECE IS ENGAGING THE STAKEHOLDERS AND INFORMING THEM ABOUT OTHER ISSUES.

ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS ON THIS YEAR IS REALLY THAT FIRST BULLET POINT, TALKING ABOUT STRATEGICALLY TO IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES.

WE'LL TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND.

WE'VE TALKED IN PREVIOUS BOARD PRESENTATIONS ON SOME THINGS THAT WE'VE LEARNED DURING THE PANDEMIC.

OBVIOUSLY, OUR GOAL HAS BEEN TO ADJUST AND PIVOT, WHICH IS A WORD THAT'S BEEN USED A LOT RECENTLY BUT IT'S REALLY CRITICAL THAT WE PIVOT TO ADJUST TO HOW OUR PARTNERS ARE DOING THEIR BUSINESS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALIGNING CLOSELY WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS THEY COME TOGETHER, MAKE SURE OUR PROGRAMS ARE ALIGNED WITH THAT AS WELL.

THE LAST POINT THERE OBVIOUSLY IS KEY FOR US AS WELL, WORKING TO NARROW THOSE ACCESS GAPS WITH FUNDING FROM THE FOUNDATIONS AND VISITS TO THE COMMUNITY AS WE DO THESE PROGRAMS. WHAT WE LEARNED OBVIOUSLY, WAS WHAT WE KNEW A LITTLE BIT ALREADY BUT TO REINFORCE THAT PIECE WAS THE STRONG ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS, ALSO THE FLEXIBILITY AND ABILITY TO ADAPT WERE KEY FOR WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING, AND THEN CERTAINLY SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR EFFORTS.

SO AS YOU LOOK ABOUT THAT GOING FORWARD, ONE OF THE KEY PIECES THAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IS AN INITIATIVE CALLED CCPS ON THE GO.

IT'S REALLY RE-IMAGINING SOME OF THE ASPECTS OF WHAT WE DO WITH FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND TONIGHT WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE,

[01:40:03]

>> THANKS FOR HAVING US HERE.

WE'RE REALLY EXCITED AND WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR LONGSTANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, CERTAINLY MUCH OF THAT PARTNERSHIP HAPPENS AROUND THE CHAMPS COMMITTEE.

WITH THE HELP AND IN COLLABORATION WITH THE OFFICE OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WE'VE WORKED WITH JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT TO UTILIZE THE JA CAREER SUCCESS CURRICULUM AND HAVE SCALED FROM SERVING ONE SCHOOL ORIGINALLY TO MULTIPLE SCHOOLS AT MULTIPLE LEVELS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE PROGRAMMING THAT'S ALIGNED AND THEN SCALING THAT ALSO TO OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS.

DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE CHAMPS COMMITTEE WAS ONE OF THE VERY FIRST PARTNERS TO SEEK WAYS TO PROVIDE PROGRAMMING VIRTUALLY.

THEY CONTINUE TO MEET AND COLLABORATE THROUGHOUT THE SHUTDOWN AND PLAN ON RESUMING IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING THIS SCHOOL YEAR DURING THE SECOND SEMESTER, MOVING INTO TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND TWO HIGH SCHOOLS.

WHILE MUCH OF THIS PROGRAMMING IS FACILITATED BY THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, MEMBERS OF THE CHAMPS COMMITTEE, THEY DO ACTIVELY WORK TO ENGAGE MEMBERS OF THE CHAMBER WHO ARE NOT TYPICALLY INVOLVED IN THE CHAMPS COMMITTEE.

SO WAYS TO BRING PEOPLE IN.

THEY'RE ONE OF THE COMMITTEES THAT IF YOU EVER GO TO A CHAMBER, WHENEVER THEY SPEAK, THEY ARE ALWAYS INVITING PEOPLE TO COME AND JOIN IN ON THEIR WORK.

THIS IS TRULY JUST A GREAT WAY TO ENGAGE WITH FOLKS THAT ARE NEW TO OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.

WHILE MUCH OF THE CHAMPS WORK IS FOCUSED ON THEIR FLAGSHIP CHAMPIONS PROGRAM THAT I JUST SPOKE ABOUT, THE CHAMPS COMMITTEE ALWAYS STANDS READY TO CHAMPION MANY OF OUR PARTNERSHIP NEEDS WITHIN SCHOOLS.

THEY ARE ALWAYS WILLING TO LEAN IN FROM SERVING TWO JUDGES FOR A SHARK TANK TYPE CONTEST THAT WAS AT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, TO SHARING THEIR CAREERS WITH OUR AVID STUDENTS AT FALLING CREEK MIDDLE.

THEY ARE ALWAYS ON THE READY AND THEY LOOK FORWARD TO IT AND MANY TIMES THOSE TOUCHPOINTS HAVE FORMED REALLY STRONG, ROBUST PARTNERSHIPS WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL'S BUSINESS OR THAT PERSON IN THEIR OWN NETWORK.

SO IT'S A GREAT WAY TO KEEP PEOPLE IN AND REALLY THEY ARE KEY TO PROVIDING THOSE REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCES THAT REALLY ENGAGE OUR STUDENTS IN MEANINGFUL LEARNING.

WE'RE REALLY EXCITED THIS YEAR.

WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING BACK PRINCIPAL FOR A MORNING IN OCTOBER.

WE HAVE A LOT OF PRINCIPLES THAT ARE ALREADY ON BOARD.

OUR KEY HERE IS MAKING IT A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

GOING FORWARD, IT'S NOT JUST A ONE AND DONE.

YOU'RE GOING TO COME AND GET TO EXPERIENCE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WALK IN THE SHOES OF THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.

VERY INTERESTING OPPORTUNITIES THAT BRINGS, BUT ALSO TO WORK PROVIDING SCHOOLS WITH A CUSTOMIZABLE TOOLKIT THAT THAT WAY THEY CAN TAKE AND TRANSITION THAT ONETIME EVENT INTO ONGOING PARTNERSHIP ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLY START TO BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE THINK IS A VITAL PIECE IN MAKING THIS NARROWLY A MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCE FOR THE PERSON THAT'S COMING IN AND DOING THAT.

BUT SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO HELP THAT PRINCIPLE AND THAT SCHOOL GET CONNECTED.

FINALLY, WE ARE JUST TICKLED PINK ABOUT THIS NEXT OPPORTUNITY.

IT'S A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ALL COME TOGETHER AND SO MUCH OF THE WORK THAT MR. SMITH ALLUDED TO THIS THAT THERE'S A REALLY ROBUST, COLLABORATIVE, INNOVATIVE APPROACHES THAT WE TOOK DURING AND THROUGHOUT THE SHUTDOWN.

HOW CAN WE ALL COME TOGETHER SO THAT CHESTERFIELD EDUCATION FOUNDATION IN SUPPORT OF AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, IS THRILLED TO PRESENT PINK FLAMINGO WEEK, WHICH I THINK IS JUST REALLY GOING TO BE FUN.

BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS ALIKE CAN JOIN IN ON THIS PROGRAM.

IN FIRST LEVEL IS $25 YOU CAN BE PART OF IT.

AND CERTAINLY OUR BUSINESSES HAVE VARIED LEVELS OF SUPPORT THAT THEY CAN GIVE.

IT REALLY IS ALL ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS A COAT.

IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN ON A BUS LOOP WHEN IT'S COLD, YOU KNOW SOME OF THE KIDS GET ENOUGH, THEY'RE COLD AND WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY CERTAINLY TO SOLVE THIS.

IT'S GOING TO BE A WAY FOR US TO ALSO SHOWCASE THROUGH THE FOUNDATION, THE VERY RICH PARTNERSHIP BASE THAT WE HAVE IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY.

WE'RE REALLY EXCITED AND I ONLY USED ONE FLAMINGO JOKES DURING THAT.

I'M REALLY [LAUGHTER] IT WAS AN EFFORT.

BUT REALLY AND TRULY THE BIGGER IDEAS SAYS ON THE GO PIECE IS ABOUT GOING FORWARD WITH THESE FANTASTIC PARTNERS THAT WE HAD THAT REALLY KNOW HOW TO COLLABORATE. IT'S IN THEIR BLOOD.

THEY ARE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY AND REALLY HOW WE CAN LEAN IN,

[01:45:01]

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE SEEING FROM US THIS YEAR ON THE GO NATURE OF OUR WHOLE ENTIRE APPROACH, ESTABLISHING A SPEAKERS BUREAU, AND THEN ALSO REALLY WORKING AND TO LEAN AND TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE OUR MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITY THROUGH A CITIZEN'S ACADEMY.

THEN THE ON-THE-GO BUS TOURS, WHICH WILL INVOLVE BRINGING IN DIFFERENT GROUPS FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND FROM THE GREATER COMMUNITY TO TAKE A RIDE WITH US, TO SEE MORE ABOUT US AND IN ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER.

>> THAT YOU'LL SEE WITH THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING HERE REALLY IS COMES BACK TO AND WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THIS ALONG THE WAY AS A STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.

REALLY TYING THAT BACK TO THE SCHOOLS, WORKING WITH THEM TO SEE WHAT NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE AT DIVISION LEVEL WITHIN A SCHOOL LEVEL AND ALIGNING THOSE WITH OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS.

THIS ON-THE-GO PIECE IS GOING TO BE A KEY PORTION OF THAT AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT NOT JUST THE ESTABLISHED PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE WITH THE CHAMBER, BUT OTHER PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE'RE ESTABLISHING AS WELL.

BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

>> THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? MS. COKER

>> I JUST WOULD LOSE AN OPPORTUNITY IF I DIDN'T SAY SOMETHING ABOUT CHAMPS AND BEING THEIR LIAISON, THEY ARE FABULOUS ORGANIZATION THAT IS DOING GREAT THINGS WHEN WE WERE VIRTUAL LAST YEAR, THEY KEPT PLUGGING FORWARD AND I HAVE TO DO A PLUG TO THE CHAMBER MEMBERS.

THEY DO NEED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP SUPPORT THAT.

THE EDUCATION THAT THEY'RE DOING AND THE PROGRAM THAT THEY ARE WORKING WITH WITH JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT.

I WAS ABLE TO HELP FACILITATE ONE OF OUR FEW OF THEIR PROGRAMS. THINGS THAT WE COVER ARE, HOW DO YOU CONDUCT YOURSELF IN AN INTERVIEW? HOW DO YOU PREPARE A RESUME? WHAT DO EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR WHEN YOU'RE DOING AN INTERVIEW? THOSE ARE GREAT SKILLS THAT OUR STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW. IT'S GREAT WORK.

>> MR. CHAIR

>> AGAIN, I ALSO DON'T WANT TO MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MENTION THAT IT'S HARD.

I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WOULD GET TO THAT IN WHOLE PRESENTATION DIDN'T MENTION YOUR FACE VAN, WHICH IS TRULY ON THE GO INTO THE COMMUNITIES AND MS. COKER AND I HAD THE WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY USE THE VAN WITH MISS PART OF BODIES HELP FOR THE BATTLE OF CHESTER, WHICH WAS THOMAS STILL VERSUS BIRD AND TOM STILL WORN.

BUT WE BASICALLY USE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT TO ALL OF THE PARTICIPANTS AT THE GAME AND JUST PROVIDE GOODWILL FROM CHESTERFIELD COUNTY SCHOOLS.

I FEEL LIKE THAT VAN, IT IS THE FACE WHEN WE GO OUT FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND IT DOES PROVIDE A LOT OF GOODWILL.

PEOPLE WERE COMING UP TO US AND WE WERE SAYING FREE SNOW CONES AND FREE POPCORN AND THERE LIKE FREE I MEAN, AND WE'RE LIKE WE'RE JUST SO THRILLED YOU'RE BACK IN SCHOOL.

IT GAVE MS. COKER AND I AN OPPORTUNITY TO JUST NETWORK WITH THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.

I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATED THAT EVENING QUITE A BIT.

I KNOW A LOT OF THE PRINCIPLES ARE USING THE VAN IN THEIR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND WORKING WITH FAMILIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS.

THAT IS SOMETHING YOUR DEPARTMENT IS ALSO DOING WITH A LONG LIST OF THINGS THAT IT'S DOING BEYOND WHAT YOU JUST SPOKE ABOUT TODAY.

AS A TEACHER, I CAN TELL YOU THAT I COULD PINPOINT NO GREATER REASON FOR STUDENTS SUCCESS THAN PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT.

WHEN YOUR DEPARTMENT GOES OUT THERE AND REACHES OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, ENGAGES OUR PARENTS, THAT IS THE BIGGEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK IN TERMS OF GETTING STUDENTS TO SCHOOL AND TO STAY IN SCHOOL AND FEEL SUPPORTED AND SUCCESSFUL.

I'M A HUGE FAN OF YOUR DEPARTMENT.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THE NEXT SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS MEETING WILL BE HELD THIS EVENING,

[F. Announcements, Communications, and School Board Comments]

IF THERE'S NO FURTHER PUBLIC BUSINESS WE NEED TO ENTER INTO CLOSED SESSION,

[G. Adjournment into Closed Session]

MR. CLERK, PLEASE ANNOUNCE THE ITEMS FOR TODAY'S CLOSED SESSION.

>> MR. CHAIR, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD DESIRES TO ENTER INTO A CLOSED SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 2.2-3711.A OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA, THE VIRGINIA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT, AND SPECIFICALLY UNDER SUBSECTIONS 1, THE DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF PERSONNEL DISCIPLINARY MATTERS AND TWO, THE DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS THAT WOULD INVOLVE THE DISCLOSURE OF STUDENT RECORDS.

>> MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, YOU'VE JUST HEARD THE ITEMS REQUESTED TO BE DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THAT REGARD?

[01:50:02]

>> SO MOVED.

>> IS THERE A SECOND? MR. CLERK, PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION.

>> AYE.

>> WE ARE NOW IN CLOSED SESSION.

DO I HAVE A MOTION OR RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION?

>> SO MOVED.

>> IS THERE A SECOND?

>> SECOND.

>> THE BOARD IS NOW AN OPEN SESSION.

MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE RESOLUTION CERTIFYING THE CLOSED SESSION?

>> NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD HEREBY CERTIFIES THAT TO THE BEST OF EACH MEMBER'S KNOWLEDGE, ONE, ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS LAWFULLY EXEMPTED FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS BY VIRGINIA LAW WERE DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED MEETING TO WHICH THIS CERTIFICATION RESOLUTION APPLIES, AND TWO, SUCH PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE MOTION CONVENING THE CLOSED MEETING WERE HEARD, DISCUSSED, OR CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD.

>> IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION?

>> SO MOVED.

>> IS THERE A SECOND.

>> SECOND.

>> MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION?

>> DEBBIE BAILEY.

>> AYE.

>> KATHRYN HAINES.

>> AYE.

>> ANN COKER.

>> AYE.

>> RYAN HARTER.

>> AYE.

>> THE MOTION CARRIES. IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING STUDENT MATTERS?

>> MAYBE. MAYBE I CAN. JUST A MOMENT.

IN CASES NUMBER 2021-22/03 RE, IN 2021-22/04 RE, 2021-22/05 RE, 2021-22/06 RE, 2021-22/07 RE, 2021-22/8 RE IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD.

>> IS THERE A SECOND?

>> SECOND.

>> MR. QUIRK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION?

>> DOROTHY L. HEFFRON.

>> AYE.

>> DEBBIE G. BAILEY.

>> AYE.

>> KATHRYN S. HAINES.

>> AYE.

>> RYAN M. HARTER.

>> AYE.

>> THE MOTION CARRIES.

>> IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING PERSONNEL MATTER?

>> IN CASE NUMBER 2021-22/03-HR, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD.

>> IS THERE A SECOND?

>> SECOND.

>> MR. QUIRK, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION?

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.