[00:00:05] GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. [A. Meeting Opening - 6:30 p.m.] I'D LIKE TO CALL THE OCTOBER 11, 2022 SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS MEETING TO ORDER. BEFORE WE BEGIN THE MEETING THIS EVENING, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR ATTENDING THE OCTOBER 11TH SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS MEETING AND REMIND THE AUDIENCE THAT COMMENTS TO THIS BOARD MAY ONLY BE MADE AT THE PODIUM DURING A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE ARE PROHIBITED AND ARE IN VIOLATION OF SECTION 18.2-415 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA DISORDERLY CONDUCT AND PUBLIC SPACES AND SCHOOL BOARD POLICY 6141. I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING SO THAT WE CAN CONDUCT THE BUSINESS MEETING IN AN ORDERLY FASHION. WHILE NATIONALLY NUMEROUS CATEGORICAL DESIGNATIONS ARE ASSIGNED TO EACH MONTH. THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE SEVERAL SPECIFIC AREAS AS THEY ALIGN WITH OUR DIVISION PRIORITIES WITHIN SCHOOLS AND DESERVE MENTION AS THEY PERTAIN TO OUR ONGOING WORK. THESE INCLUDE NATIONAL BULLYING PREVENTION MONTH, DISABILITY HISTORY AND AWARENESS MONTH, NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH, AND DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE WE TRADITIONALLY CELEBRATE TEACHERS AND SCHOOL STAFF DURING TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK IN MAY, THE INTERNATIONAL OCTOBER CALENDAR OPENED WITH WORLD TEACHER'S DAY. WE DO NOT WANT TO PASS UP AN EXTRA OPPORTUNITY TO THANK OUR TEACHERS HERE IN CPS FOR ALL THAT THEY DO AND ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR CPS TEACHERS, OUR WORLD CLASS. NEXT, WE WILL HAVE OUR INVOCATION BY MS. BAILEY, FOLLOWED BY OUR FLAG SALUTE LED BY MS. HEFFRON. GOOD EVENING. BEFORE TONIGHT'S INVOCATION, THE SCHOOL BOARD WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE THE PASSING OF CHRIS SHEFFIELD, A FORMER CAFETERIA MANAGER AT DAVIS ELEMENTARY WHO JOINED CPS ON OCTOBER 26, 2020. PLEASE JOIN US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. THANK YOU. NOW FOR THE INVOCATION. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU TODAY ASKING FOR YOUR GUIDANCE, WISDOM AND SUPPORT. AS WE BEGIN THIS MEETING. HELP US ENGAGE IN MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION. ALLOW US TO GROW CLOSER AS A GROUP AND NURTURE THE BONDS OF COMMUNITY. AMEN. [B. Consent Agenda] 13, 2022. BUSINESS MEETING MEMO NUMBER 126-22 RECOMMENDED PERSONNEL ACTIONS. MEMO NUMBER 127-22 FY 2023 ACCEPTANCE OF NEW GRANTS. MEMO NUMBER 128-22 DEED OF GIFT FOR LANDSCAPE UPGRADES TO THE FRONTAGE AREA OF MOSELEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. MEMO NUMBER 129-22 TRANSFER OF BUDGET FROM ADMINISTRATION ATTENDANCE AND HEALTH TO INSTRUCTION AND MEMO NUMBER 137-22 APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO THE SCHOOL BOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEES. ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE CONSENT AGENDA? MADAM CHAIR, THERE ARE NO ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. ARE THERE ANY REQUESTS FROM A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TO SEPARATE AN ITEM FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION AND INDIVIDUAL ACTION? HEARING NONE. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS AMENDED? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIES. NEXT WE HAVE AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS. [C. Awards and Recognitions] MR. SMITH. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIRMAN. BOARD MEMBERS, IF I COULD ASK COLE CAFFALL TO COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. [00:05:15] CONGRATULATIONS TO MIDLOTHIAN HIGH STUDENT COLE CAFFALL FOR PLACING THE TOP TEN DURING NATIONAL COMPETITION WITH THE FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS OF AMERICA. DURING THE [INAUDIBLE] NATIONAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE IN CHICAGO THIS SUMMER, COLE ACHIEVED EIGHTH PLACE IN THE INTRODUCTION PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE EVENT. FBLA IS THE LARGEST BUSINESS CAREER AND TECHNICAL STUDENT ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD. THE MIDLOTHIAN HIGH FBLA CHAPTER HAS BEEN THE LARGEST CHAPTER IN VIRGINIA FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS AND WAS NAMED VIRGINIA'S MOST OUTSTANDING CHAPTER FOR THE 21-22 SCHOOL YEAR. YVONNE MULLINS IS THE MIDLOTHIAN HIGH CHAPTER'S ADVISOR. A TOTAL OF SIX MIDLOTHIAN HIGH STUDENTS ATTENDED AT THE FBLA CONFERENCE, WHICH BROUGHT TOGETHER MORE THAN 12,000 STUDENTS AND ACADEMIC ADVISORS FROM 48 STATES AND TERRITORIES FOR LEARNING SESSIONS AND INDUSTRY LEADERS AND COMPETITIONS AND A VARIETY OF EVENTS. PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING COLE [APPLAUSE]. SO I WANTED FIRST TO RECOGNIZE ANY OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS AND THE AUDIENCE THAT MIGHT BE HERE, BECAUSE THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE ACCOMPLISHMENT. GO AHEAD AND WAVE YOUR HAND [APPLAUSE]. AND THEN I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE YVONNE MULLINS [APPLAUSE] BECAUSE WE KNOW BEHIND EVERY GREAT STUDENT IS A GREAT TEACHER AND ALSO DR. ABEL FOR PROVIDING SUPPORT AND KEEPING THE TEAM TOGETHER [APPLAUSE]. HERE'S THIS WONDERFUL BACKPACK, WHICH I THINK IS PRETTY COOL. SO YOU NEVER FORGET US, AND I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOUR FUTURE PLANS ARE, BECAUSE I THINK THE GREAT THING ABOUT FBLA AND I THINK SHAWN SAID THE LARGEST FBLA GROUP IN THE STATE. WOW. SO I'M SURE YOU ARE GOING TO GO PLACES AND MAYBE YOU HAVE SOME THOUGHTS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE. YEAH. SO IN THE FUTURE, I REALLY JUST WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE. I WANT TO GET A DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING, POSSIBLY PLAY BASEBALL IN COLLEGE, BECAUSE THAT'S MY PASSION IN LIFE. AND YEAH, AFTER THAT, I WANT TO BECOME AN ENGINEER, POSSIBLY FOR DISNEY. WOW [APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO SHARE? I THINK THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. MULLINS. YOU'RE WHY WE'RE HERE [APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. FOR OUR NEXT RECOGNITION. IF I COULD ASK OUR TEAM FROM CECLA AND THEN THE CREATIVE AND MEDIA SERVICES DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT COME FORWARD AT THE TIME. WORK BY THE CREATIVE MEDIA SERVICES DEPARTMENT OF CHESTER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS RECENTLY BEEN RECOGNIZED STATEWIDE, NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. ADDITIONALLY, THE CHESTER EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING ACADEMY, KNOWN AS CECLA, HAS WON STATE AND NATIONAL RECOGNITION, AND THERE'S FOUR CATEGORIES HERE. IN MAY 2 OF THE 15 ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS THAT CHURCHILL COUNTY RECEIVED FROM THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES WERE CONNECTED TO SCHOOLS. THE NACO AWARDS RECOGNIZE THE WAYS THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE PROVIDING BETTER, MORE INNOVATIVE SERVICES THAT ARE RESIDENTS AND STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. HERE ARE THE 2022 AWARD WINNERS FROM CHESTER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS CONNECTING ALL COMMUNITY RESIDENTS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHICH SPOTLIGHTED THE SUPER SENIOR PASSPORT, THE COUNTYWIDE CCPS ON THE GO NEWSLETTER, THE FAITH LEADERS NETWORK, OUTREACH AND ADDITIONAL CONNECTIONS SCHOOLS MAKES WITH RESIDENTS WHO DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE CHILDREN IN CCPS. AND PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY TO THE YOUNGEST IN THE COMMUNITY TO BECOME FUTURE SCHOLARS WITH SPOTLIGHTED CECLA. THE SECOND CATEGORY FROM THE JUNIOR ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES. IN AUGUST, THE ECHO GAVE ITS TOP AWARD TO CHESTER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THE VACO ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS RECOGNIZE EXCELLENCE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS. CONNECTING ALL COMMUNITY RESIDENTS PUBLIC SCHOOLS WON THE 2022 BEST ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, AND THEY ALSO RECOGNIZED AN ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY TO THE YOUNGEST IN THE COMMUNITY TO BECOME FUTURE SCHOLARS. THE THIRD CATEGORY WAS THE ASSOCIATION OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION PROFESSIONALS. IN JULY, THIS TEAM WON TWO DOTCOMM AWARDS FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION PROFESSIONALS. THIS INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION HONORING EXCELLENCE IN WEB CREATIVITY AND DIGITAL COMMUNICATION IS UNIQUE, AND THAT REFLECTS THE ROLE OF CREATIVES AND THE DYNAMIC WEB THAT IS TRANSFORMING HOW SERVICES AND PRODUCTS ARE COMMUNICATED IN MARKETING. AND IN THE FOURTH CATEGORY, THE NATIONAL SCHOOL PUBLIC RELATIONS SOCIETY. [00:10:04] IN JUNE, THE CREATIVE AND MEDIA SERVICES DEPARTMENT WON SEVEN PUBLICATIONS IN DIGITAL MEDIA EXCELLENCE AWARDS. THESE INCLUDE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR THE ON THE GO COUNTYWIDE NEWSLETTER, AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR THE 21-22 PARENT HANDBOOK, AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR THE SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN FEATURING THE 2021 GRADUATES, THE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN OR REASONS TO BE THANKFUL, AWARD OF MERIT FOR THE FY 23 PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET PUBLICATION, THE AWARD OF MERIT FOR THE MONDAY MESSAGE DIGITAL NEWSLETTER. DIGITAL NEWSLETTER FOR SCHOOL EMPLOYEES, AND HONORABLE MENTION FOR THE VIDEO OF THE 2022 TEACHER OF THE YEAR. PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING THESE VALUABLE TEAM MEMBERS [APPLAUSE]. THAT IS QUITE A RESUME OF AWARDS AND ACCOLADES. AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO TO PROMOTE CCPS. SHARE OUR STORY. SHARE OUR INFORMATION. IT'S AMAZING WORK THAT YOU DO. AND I KNOW [INAUDIBLE]. SO I WOULD JUST IF YOU TAKE JUST ONE MINUTE, JUST TELL ME REAL QUICK WHAT YOU ENJOY ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU DO HERE AT CCPS. OH, MY NAME IS EMMA CARLSON AND I'M A PRETTY NEW MEMBER TO THE TEAM, BUT IT'S BEEN REALLY FUN OVER THE PAST ABOUT YEAR TO JUST LEARN A LOT AND GET INTO SCHOOLS AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON. SO I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S OPPORTUNITY TO GROWTH AND I LOVE BEING A PART OF THE COUNTY SCHOOLS SO. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] WILKERSON. I'M A MULTIMEDIA SPECIALIST FOR THE TEAM, AND MY FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB IS GETTING TO TELL EVERYONE'S STORIES, ESPECIALLY THE ONES THAT YOU REALLY DON'T THINK ABOUT OR NECESSARILY AWARD IT. MY NAME IS BLAIR COOK AND I AM ALSO A MULTIMEDIA SPECIALIST. I ENJOY WORKING WITH THESE PEOPLE AND I JUST LIKE GOING INTO SCHOOLS AND MY JOB IS DIFFERENT EVERY DAY. SO THAT'S WHAT I ENJOY AND I ENJOY HAVING DR. D DO CRAZY THINGS FOR US SO [LAUGHTER]. MY NAME IS BETH CELIK. I MANAGE THE SCHOOL WEBSITES AND I ENJOY FINDING INFORMATION, ALL THE EXCITING THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS AND GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE], I'M A COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST AND I ENJOY WORKING WITH OUR TEAM, JUST UPDATING THE WEBSITES AND ALL THE CONTENT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED. I'M [INAUDIBLE] AND MY MAIN ROLE IS WRITING AND EDITING. AND MY FAVORITE PART OF BEING PART OF THIS TEAM IS JUST SHARING THE NEWS THAT WE GET FROM OUR SCHOOLS AND DEPARTMENTS AND ALL THE INNOVATIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING THAT'S GOING ON IN CHESTERFIELD SCHOOLS. ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE [APPLAUSE]. NEXT, WE HAVE RECOGNITION OF OUTSTANDING DRIVER PERFORMANCE. DR. FRYE. GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS AND DR. DAUGHERTY. IT'S MY PLEASURE THIS EVENING TO RECOGNIZE OUR DRIVERS OF THE MONTH FOR SEPTEMBER. PROVIDING SAFE TRANSPORTATION FOR STUDENTS TO AND FROM SCHOOL EVERY DAY AS ESSENTIAL TO INSTRUCTION. AND OUR CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUS DRIVERS GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO ACCOMPLISH THIS MISSION EVERY DAY. ALTHOUGH OFTEN UNSUNG HEROES TO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS, THEIR BUS DRIVER IS A ROLE MODEL FOR PATIENTS, HARD WORK, KINDNESS AND DEDICATION. CCPS BUS DRIVERS ARE TO BE COMMENDED FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES WHICH THEY SERVE. THERE ARE MANY BUS DRIVERS WHO COULD BE RECOGNIZED THIS MONTH, BUT EACH TRANSPORTATION AREA MANAGER HAD TO MAKE THE TOUGH DECISION OF SELECTING A SINGLE BUS DRIVER WHO EXEMPLIFIED EXCELLENCE AND DEDICATION TO REPRESENT THEIR AREA. WE'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE FOLLOWING DRIVERS. ERICKA PLEITEZ AREA ONE BUS 122, ONE YEAR OF SERVICE. DIETRA TUCKER AREA TWO BUS 708, 19 YEARS OF SERVICE [APPLAUSE]. MARK HEISER AREA THREE BUS 671, 1 YEAR OF SERVICE [APPLAUSE]. CAROL JOHNSON AREA FOUR BUS 328, 22 YEARS OF SERVICE [APPLAUSE]. [00:15:06] ACCEPTING HER AWARD THIS EVENING IS HER AREA MANAGER, JENNIFER DAVIS. STACEY WALTON AREA FIVE BUS 761, 15 YEARS OF SERVICE [APPLAUSE]. SO CONGRATULATIONS FOR THIS HONOR THAT YOU'RE RECEIVING TONIGHT. IT'S WELL DESERVED. AND I CAN JUST SAY THAT IT'S A TREMENDOUS THING TO DRIVE A SCHOOL BUS WITH IT BEING EMPTY. I CAN'T IMAGINE DRIVING A SCHOOL BUS FULL OF CHILDREN. IT'S A DIFFICULT JOB. AND OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST AMONGST ALL OF OUR DRIVERS. YOU WERE SELECTED BY YOUR AREA MANAGERS. IF YOU WANT TO JUST TAKE A SECOND AND TELL THE AUDIENCE WHY YOU LIKE DRIVING YOUR BUS EVERY DAY FOR THE CHILDREN. WELL, FOR ME, IT'S THE THE CHILDREN. THEY'VE TAUGHT ME SO MUCH OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. I STARTED OFF IN AREA ONE FOR MANY YEARS, AND I HAVE BEEN IN SPECIAL ED, I BELIEVE, NINE YEARS, AND IT'S CHANGED ME AS A PERSON. I LOVE IT. IT'S SPECIAL IN THE AREA FIVE. THEY'RE WONDERFUL [APPLAUSE]. I'M ACCEPTING FOR CAROL. BUT CAROL HAS BEEN A DRIVER FOR 22 YEARS. AND ONE THING THAT SHE ABSOLUTELY LOVES IS THAT SOME OF THE KIDS THAT SHE HAD IN KINDERGARTEN THIS YEAR, SHE HAS A SENIORS, SO SHE THINKS THAT'S PRETTY COOL [APPLAUSE]. I'VE ONLY BEEN A DRIVER FOR ABOUT A YEAR, BUT I'LL TELL YOU, I WISH I WOULD HAVE DONE IT A LONG TIME AGO. I FOUND IT VERY REWARDING JUST TO BE A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL FOR OUR KIDS EACH AND EVERY DAY. AND JUST GETTING THOSE KIDS TO AND FROM SCHOOL SAFELY EVERY DAY. SO VERY PROUD TO BE A BUS DRIVER [APPLAUSE]. I ACTUALLY I WROTE SOMETHING [LAUGHTER]. THIS IS MY 19TH YEAR AS A DRIVER. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE I'VE BEEN HERE THIS LONG. I LOVE MY JOB. I LOVE MY RELATIONSHIP I HAVE BUILT WITH MY BUS BABIES AND PARENTS. I'VE PRETTY MUCH DONE AND SEEN IT ALL AS A DRIVER. THE ONE THING THAT STAYS THE SAME ARE THE CHILDREN. I LOVE THEM AS MUCH AS THEY LOVE ME. I HAVE TO ADMIT, I HAVE ALSO BEEN PRETTY BLESSED BY BEING IN AREA TWO. OUR OFFICE STAFF AS WELL AS OUR SUPERVISOR DESERVES THIS AWARD PROBABLY MORE THAN I DO. THEY MAKE THIS JOB EASY TO COME TO, MY TIME WITH THE COUNTY HAS BEEN VERY REWARDING AND I COULDN'T IMAGINE BEING ANYWHERE ELSE. I HAVE LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. AND THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. MY NAME IS ERICKA. THIS IS WHY I HAVE ONLY ONE YEAR'S WORK FOR BUS DRIVER. AND I ENJOY WORK WITH MY KIDS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE THEY ASK ME ABOUT EVERYTHING AND THEY SAY, WHAT? HOW DO YOU DRIVE THIS BIG BUS. AND THE OTHER PART IS GOING BECAUSE I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING MY DAUGHTER WITH ME AND BRING HER TO HER SCHOOL [APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH [APPLAUSE]. NEXT, WE HAVE RECOGNITION OF OUTSTANDING FOOD SERVICE EMPLOYEES, MR. DUNBRACK. GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, DR. DAUGHERTY, AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF OUR OUTSTANDING FOOD NUTRITION STAFF MEMBERS. WHILE I'M ALWAYS APPRECIATIVE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE OUR TEAM, IT IS ALSO SOMEWHAT BITTERSWEET THIS EVENING. AS MS. BAILEY MENTIONED EARLIER, WE RECENTLY LOST ONE OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS UNEXPECTEDLY. WHILE OUR TEAM IS VERY SADDENED BY THIS SUDDEN LOSS. I WAS OVERWHELMED BY THE NUMBER OF MESSAGES THAT I RECEIVED FROM OUR STAFF ASKING HOW THEY COULD HELP, WHAT THEY COULD DO, OR JUST LETTING US KNOW THEY'D BE HAPPY TO GO TO A.M. DAVIS TO HELP OUT UNTIL THERE WAS A PLAN MOVING FORWARD. IT WAS, AGAIN, VERY OVERWHELMING, TO SAY THE LEAST. IT REMINDED ME OF THE FAMOUS QUOTE ABOUT DIFFICULT SITUATIONS THAT THE IMMORTAL MR. FRED ROGERS ATTRIBUTED TO HIS MOTHER. ALWAYS LOOK FOR THE HELPERS. AND I THINK IN FOOD NUTRITION SERVICES, WE HAVE A STAFF OF 450 HELPERS AND WE ARE EXTREMELY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THOSE FOLKS. ON A MUCH LIGHTER NOTE. WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH WEEK THIS WEEK. WITH THE THEME THIS YEAR BEING PEACE, LOVE AND SCHOOL LUNCH. OUR TEAMS HAVE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB THUS FAR, DECORATING THEIR CAFETERIAS AND WEARING THEIR FAVORITE TIE DYE APPAREL. [00:20:07] THE ABILITY TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOL MEALS IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT OUR TEAM TAKES A LOT OF PRIDE IN. AND IT IS VERY APPARENT AS YOU TOUR SEVERAL OF OUR SCHOOL CAFETERIAS THIS WEEK. AS ALWAYS, WE CANNOT ASK FOR A BETTER TEAM TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS. FOR OUR HONOREES THIS EVENING AND AS I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME FORWARD. WE HAVE MS. KAREN TURNER. MS. TURNER IS A FOOD SERVICE ASSOCIATE AT GORDON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND SHE'S BEEN WITH CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR ONE YEAR AND SAYS THAT SHE FEELS THE BEST PART OF HER JOB IS FEEDING THE KIDS AND KNOWING THAT SHE'S HELPING MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO GET A NUTRITIOUS LUNCH. WE HAVE A WONDERFUL GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THE KITCHEN. TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK, AND I'M LIVING MY DREAM [APPLAUSE]. NEXT, WE HAVE NICOLE WEATHERS. MS. WEATHERS IS A FOOD SERVICE ASSOCIATE AT ELIZABETH DAVIS MIDDLE SCHOOL. SHE'S BEEN EMPLOYED WITH CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR SIX YEARS AND SAYS THE BEST PART OF HER JOB IS THAT SHE ENJOYS WORKING WITH HER TEACHERS, STUDENTS AND COWORKERS. THEY'RE VERY NICE PEOPLE. I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S HERE WITH US THIS EVENING. NEXT, WE HAVE ANNIE CUDDIHY. MS. CUDDIHY IS OUR MANAGER AT SALEM CHURCH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. SHE'S BEEN WITH CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR 16 YEARS AND LIKES HER JOB BECAUSE I GET TO SEE THE CHILDREN SMILES EACH DAY. I ENJOY WORKING WITH MY TEAM [APPLAUSE]. AND FINALLY, WE HAVE KIM WOLFE. MS. WOLFE IS OUR MANAGER AT ENON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND HAS ALSO BEEN WITH CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR 16 YEARS. WHAT SHE LIKES MOST ABOUT HER JOB IS THAT SHE REALLY ENJOYS BEING ABLE TO INTERACT WITH STUDENTS AND HOPEFULLY BRIGHTEN THEIR DAY. SO THANK YOU ALL [APPLAUSE]. LET'S GIVE THEM A HAND, EVERYBODY. SO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, FEEDING 63,000 PLUS STUDENTS EVERY DAY IS NO SMALL FEAT. AND IF YOU'RE ANYTHING LIKE ME, THAT WAS MY FAVORITE SUBJECT OF THE DAY WAS LUNCH SO. BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM, MY HEART. THANK YOU. ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR FEEDING OUR BABIES EVERY DAY. WE REALLY, TRULY COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU. IF YOU WANT TO JUST GIVE US ONE WORD OF WHAT KEEPS YOU COMING BACK EVERY DAY. IT'S THOSE KIDS. I THINK WE ALL AGREE ON THAT ONE. YEAH, WE LOVE SEEING THE KIDS EVERY DAY. I LIKE WATCHING THEM GROW UP. WE'VE BEEN THERE LONG ENOUGH NOW. OUR KINDERGARTNERS HAVE GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL. SO IT'S FUN JUST WATCHING THEM GROW UP. [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH [APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [D. Public Comment on Agenda Items] NEXT, WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS. FOR THIS MEETING CITIZENS WERE GIVEN THE OPTION OF SUBMITTING THEIR COMMENTS ONLINE OR IN PERSON COMMENTS SUBMITTED VIA THE ONLINE FORM WERE SENT TO THE BOARD PRIOR TO THE START OF TONIGHT'S MEETING AND WILL BE INCLUDED IN FULL AS AN ADDENDUM TO THE MEETING MINUTES. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE ANNOUNCE THIS EVENING'S IN PERSON SPEAKERS ON NON ON AGENDA ITEMS. MADAM CHAIR, WE HAVE EIGHT SPEAKERS FOR AGENDA ITEMS THIS EVENING. THEY ARE MICHAEL [INAUDIBLE]. WENDY LITTLE, DOMINIQUE CHATTERS, ANN TATUS, JOHN WARD, DORIS KINNICK, CHRISTINE MELENDEZ AND ROBERT EVERETH. PLEASE NOTE THAT COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS MUST BE RELATED TO SPECIFIC ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. IF COMMENTS ARE DETERMINED TO BE OF MORE GENERAL NATURE OR NOT GERMANE TO SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS, SPEAKERS WILL BE ASKED TO RESERVE THEIR COMMENTS FOR THE SECOND GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE 3 MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD. THERE IS A TIMER SET UP ON TOP OF THE PODIUM THAT WILL TURN GREEN WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING, YELLOW WHEN YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS REMAINING AND RED WHEN YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. AS A REMINDER, NO PERSONAL BELONGINGS OTHER THAN A CELL PHONE AND YOUR SPEAKER NOTES ARE ALLOWED AT THE PODIUM. PLEASE REMEMBER TO GIVE YOUR NAME AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR COMMENTS ALONG WITH WHICH AGENDA ITEM YOU WILL BE ADDRESSING. AND PLEASE NOTE THAT COMMENTS EQUIVALENT TO CAMPAIGNING FOR ANY PUBLIC OFFICE ARE IN VIOLATION OF SCHOOL BOARD POLICY 1110 AND ARE PROHIBITED. SPEAKERS ARE ALSO REMINDED THAT COMMENTS SHALL BE DIRECTED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND NOT TO INDIVIDUAL STAFF MEMBERS. MAY WE HAVE MICHAEL [INAUDIBLE]. MICHAEL [INAUDIBLE]. BURIED IN THE AGENDA, WE HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PERSONAL ITEMS INSIDE THE RECOMMENDED PERSONAL PERSONNEL ITEMS. THERE ARE SEPARATIONS. INSIDE THIS MONTH'S SEPARATIONS THERE ARE 16 TEACHERS THAT WE'VE LOST IN THE PAST MONTH FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER. 16 TEACHERS LOST IN A TEACHER SHORTAGE. [00:25:04] 16 TEACHERS WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE. IT WAS BAD ENOUGH BEFORE COVID, WHEN LOW PAY, INSUFFICIENT SUPPLY AND EXCESSIVE MANDATES WERE DRIVING TEACHERS TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR. IN THE MIDDLE OF MY DAUGHTER'S THIRD GRADE YEAR. HER TEACHER LEFT TO GO WORK AT CAPITAL ONE. BUT NOW, AFTER ALL THAT. WE HAVE THE MOST RESPECTED JOBS IN THIS COUNTRY IN AMERICAN HISTORY UNDER ATTACK. REGARDLESS OF WHAT MAY BE IN POLICIES ON ON PAPER, TEACHERS IN THIS COUNTY DO NOT ALL FEEL SAFE TO SPEAK THEIR MINDS IN FORUMS LIKE THIS ONE. IN SOME CASES, ADMINISTRATION'S EVEN ASKING THEM QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT BEFORE THEY EVEN GET TO A MICROPHONE. TEACHERS NEED A VOICE. ONE WAY TO GIVE THEM THAT VOICE IS THROUGH COLLECTIVE BARGAINING. THEY NEED TO FEEL SAFE. THEY NEED TO FEEL VALUED. WE NEED TO LET TEACHERS TEACH AND WE NEED TO AVOID EVER PUTTING THEM IN A POSITION. WHERE A POLICY OR A RULE IS IN CONFLICT WITH THEIR SENSE OF JUSTICE. OR THE TRUST OF THEIR STUDENTS. BECAUSE IF THIS WERE TO EVER HAPPEN, WE WOULD SEE A NUMBER FAR WORSE THAN 16 ON OUR SEPARATIONS. SO REALLY IN THOUGHT OF THOSE 16 I PLEASE ASK. RESPECT OUR EDUCATORS, RESPECT OUR STUDENTS AND GIVE THOSE OUT THERE A REASON TO TEACH IN CHESTERFIELD. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. MAY WE HAVE WENDY LITTLE? DOMINIQUE CHATTERS. GOOD EVENING. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE SOME SCHOOLS IN MY DISTRICT. I WANT TO START WITH HENING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND HOPKINS [INAUDIBLE] ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THOSE TWO SCHOOLS HAVE PRODUCED GREAT CHILDREN. THEY HAVE GREAT TEACHERS, DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS, CARING EVERY DAY, GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND. SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THEM. THEN [INAUDIBLE] HIGH SCHOOL AND FALLING CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL. ALL OF THEM HAVE DEDICATED, CARING, DYNAMIC LEADERS THAT MAKE MIRACLES HAPPEN EVERY DAY. WE ARE CONSTANTLY SEEING THEM JUGGLE EVERYTHING THAT IS THROWN AT THEM, THINGS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM. THEY ARE MANAGING TO TEACH WHILE BEING UNDER-STAFFED, UNDER-RESOURCED, AND CLASSROOMS THAT ARE FULL IN CLASSROOMS THAT HAVE VIRTUAL INSTRUCTORS INSTEAD OF TEACHERS DUE TO THE DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF VACANCIES IN DALE DISTRICT. THEY ARE LEADERS. THEY ARE LEADERS WITH KNOWLEDGEABLE LEADERS THAT ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE, EXPERIENCED AND HAVE VALUABLE INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH ALL OF US. I'M ASKING THAT WE DO WHAT WE CAN TO PROTECT THEIR RIGHT TO LEAD IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM. THEIR VOICES SHOULD BE HEARD WHENEVER THEY CHOOSE TO SPEAK. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO ALL OF THEM FOR GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR OUR STUDENTS. AND WE HOPE MORE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILL COME OUT AND ADVOCATE FOR THEM. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. ANN TATUS. I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT BURIED IN YOUR HEAD START PRE-K MEMO FOR THIS EVENING THAT STATES HEAD START CLASSROOMS ARE FUNDED DIRECTLY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT VIA THE US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. DHH ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, ACF. OFFICE OF HEAD START, OHS. COULD YOU PLEASE BE QUIET? SO WE HAVE LITERALLY BROUGHT IN GOVERNMENT PRESCHOOL. WE CAN'T CONTROL THE 8% FUNDED AND I'M AT FREEDOM THAT WE GIVE AWAY WITHIN OUR KINDERGARTEN, OUR K THROUGH 12 PROGRAM. [00:30:08] SO WE HAVE NOW BROUGHT INTO THE COUNTY AND LET'S ACKNOWLEDGE, FULLY FUNDED FEDERAL PRESCHOOL. LET'S ADMIT THAT. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT MEANS THAT CURRENTLY AGES TWO AND UP ARE STILL MASKED. 100% OF STAFF MUST BE VACCINATED. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LIVING IN RIGHT NOW. SO LET'S ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. THERE'S SO MUCH RESEARCH OUT THERE AND LET'S NOT FORGET REAL QUICK THAT DEVERAUX, THAT LITTLE ODESSA THING THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING TO GO BACK AND FORTH BECAUSE YOU CAN'T EVEN GET YOUR ADMINISTRATORS TO ALL FOLLOW AN OPT OUT. IT'S A FREE FOR ALL IN THIS COUNTY. SO. DEVEREAUX LOOK RIGHT UP THERE AT THE TOP. DECA THAT'S WHAT IT'S CALLED. THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING INTO THIS COUNTY. SO THAT THING THAT WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR, THE CHILDREN K THROUGH 12 HERE TO NOT HAVE THEIR THEIR SOCIAL CREDIT SCORE DONE WITHOUT PARENTAL KNOWLEDGE, GUESS WHAT? THERE'S THIS THING CALLED DECA. SO WELCOME THAT INTO CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, 18 TO 36 MONTHS IF YOU BRING YOUR CHILD TO PRESCHOOL HERE AND THEN YOU'VE GOT DECA P2 THAT'S FOR GUESS WHAT, 3 TO 5 YEAR OLD'S. SO THIS LITTLE GIRL HERE THAT'S HAD HERS DONE BECAUSE GUESS WHAT? YOU CAN FIND HER INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET UNDER WHAT HEAD START? THEY'RE GOING TO START LISTENING OR RESPECT OTHERS CONTROL HIS OR HER ANGER SEEMS SAD OR UNEMOTIONAL AT HAPPY OCCASION. SHOW CONFIDENCE IN HIS OR HER ABILITIES. SO LET'S JUST RECOGNIZE THAT THIS HEAD START IS 100% FEDERALLY FUNDED, WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER IT. AND THEN LET'S GO BACK TO THE FACT THAT THERE'S NO COOKIE CUTTER APPROACH TO EDUCATION, PERIOD. AND SO NOW YOU'VE BROUGHT A THERE'S NO DEVELOPMENTALLY, DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE CURRICULUM. DR. PETER GRAY OF BOSTON COLLEGE WENT IN TO SAY THAT FOR THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLD'S, COMMON SENSE SHOULD TELL US THAT. SO DON'T PORTRAY IT AS PRESCHOOL. WHEN I SPOKE TO A TEACHER WHO SAID THAT. THERE I'VE BEEN TO WORK IN THIS FIELD AND HEAD START. 3 TO 5 YEAR OLD'S ARE DAILY EXPECTED TO PERFORM DEVELOPMENTALLY INAPPROPRIATE TASKS, SIT FOR HOURS AT A TIME. CRITICIZE, PUNISH FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO MEET STUDENT TEACHER DEMANDS. SO BABY COMMON COURT. [INAUDIBLE]. GREAT JOB [APPLAUSE]. JOHN WARD. ADDRESSING NUMBER SIX ON THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. SEL TAKEN OVER BY AN ORGANIZATION CALLED CASEL, COLLABORATIVE FOR ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING. THE NEWEST ITERATION IS TRANSFORMATIVE SEL. TRANSFORMATIVE. BEING THE MARXIST MARXISM WORD TO INDUCE CRITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS INTO THE STUDENTS. SEL STATES, WE DEFINE SEL AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF EDUCATION IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, WHICH EVOLVED OR DEVOLVED FROM A MODEL TAKING PERSONAL INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY, WHICH WAS OVERSEEN WITH LICENSED THERAPISTS OR COUNSELORS IN A THERAPEUTIC SETTING ASIDE FROM THE CLASSROOM TO ADVOCATE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES. NOW THAT HAS BEEN HIJACKED INTO A PARTICIPATORY ROLE OF ACTIVISM IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY AND BY WHICH YOU HAVE REPLACED EDUCATION WITH CRITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS, YOU ARE USING PSYCHOLOGICAL TOOLS AND A NEFARIOUS TROJAN HORSE TYPE WAY. NOT ONE OF THESE TEACHERS IS LICENSED TO PRACTICE MEDICINE IN THE CLASSROOM, NOR HAVE THE PARENTS INDIVIDUALLY APPROVED OF SEL, NOR HAVE THEY BEEN PRESENTED WITH AN OPT OUT FOR SEL GROOMING PRACTICES. IF YOU PLAN TO HIDE BEHIND THE SMOKESCREEN OF BEING CONCERNED OF THE CHILD'S EMOTIONAL STATE OR DEVELOPMENT, YOU SHOULD INCREASE THE COUNCIL RATIOS TO STUDENT RATIOS AND TIMES ALLOTTED TO THE STUDENTS TO GET THE PROPER ATTENTION FROM LICENSED COUNSELORS. NOT A MATH, SCIENCE OR ENGLISH TEACHER. YOU ARE HERE TO TEACH, NOT CREATE A CRITICAL CONSCIOUS MINION. EACH CHILD NEEDS TO DEVELOP WITHIN THEIR OWN BEING NOT TAINTED BY SOME LEFTIST IDEOLOGY. IT IS SAID THAT SEL IS INDIVIDUALIZED. HOWEVER, YOU HAVE COLLABORATIVE SURVEYS. AGAIN, ANY EMOTIONAL ISSUE SHOULD BE PRESENTED TO THE COUNSELORS AND PARENTS, NOT THE OVERREACH AND ABUSE OF INFLUENTIAL POWERS OF THE TEACHERS WHO ARE EITHER WILLING OR FORCED TO USE SEL CASEL INDOCTRINATION, FOCUS ON EDUCATION. IN THE LAST THREE DECADES, THE UNITED STATES HAS FALLEN FROM 38TH TO IN MATH AND 24TH IN SCIENCE OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS. LET THE PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED COUNSELORS WORK WITH EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS OF THE CHILDREN. TEACHERS NEED TO STAY IN THEIR LANES [APPLAUSE]. [00:35:02] DORIS [INAUDIBLE]. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS. IN THE PAST, I TYPICALLY SAY THIS PRAYER IN QUIET, BUT I FEEL IT NECESSARY TO SAY IT OUT LOUD TONIGHT. JESUS, PLEASE GIVE THIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS EYES TO HEAR AND EARS TO LISTEN. I HAVE COME AND COME AND COME AGAIN. AND EVERY TIME I COME, I BRING YOU EVIDENCE MORE AND MORE AND MORE. AND I'M SO DISHEARTENED LOOKING IN YOUR DOCUMENTS TO SEE YOUR EXPENDITURES. $36 MILLION, $36 MILLION WAS SPENT ON TECHNOLOGY, NONE OF WHICH IS PROTECTING THE CHILDREN. ZERO FROM 2022. AND EVERYBODY CAN SEE THAT WHEN YOU PULL THAT UP LATER ON HERE, ZERO WAS SPENT ON TEXTBOOKS. AS A FORMER EDUCATOR WHO GRADUATED IN 2000, WE WERE USING MOSTLY TEXTBOOKS. HAVE YOU BOTHERED TO ASK THE TEACHERS, WHAT ABOUT THE PARENTS? HAVE THEY HAD ENOUGH TECHNOLOGY IN THEIR HOMES? ARE THEY EVEN AWARE OF THE HARMS THAT ARE HAPPENING? I'M BRINGING YOU MORE EVIDENCE, MORE TO SUBMIT, AS I CONSTANTLY DO. YOU ALSO HAVE THINGS MENTIONED IN YOUR IMAGINE TOMORROW DOCUMENT ABOUT LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT COMMUNICATION. WHAT ABOUT THE EDTECH TRIANGLE? WHAT ABOUT USING TECHNOLOGY AS NEEDED ON A SHORT BASIS INSTEAD OF JUST DUMPING IT EVERYWHERE? LET'S LET THE TEACHERS REALLY TEACH AND STOP SHOVING TECHNOLOGY DOWN THESE CHILDREN'S THROATS. THEY GET ENOUGH OF IT. PAGE SIX YOU TALK ABOUT THE USE OF TECHNOLOGICAL RESOURCES. YOU TALK ABOUT LEVERAGING SOCIAL MEDIA IN CHESTERFIELD VIDEOS AND PODCASTING. HOW ABOUT DOING SOME OF THAT TO EDUCATE THE PARENTS ON THE HARMS OF WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY? HOW ABOUT USING THAT PLATFORM TO REACH THE PARENTS? HOW ABOUT ACTUALLY PUTTING A DOCUMENT UP ON THE WEBSITE, WHICH I WAS TOLD WAS GOING TO COME AND IT'S COMING AND IT'S COMING, IT'S COMING. AND JUST RECENTLY IT GOT ANOTHER EMAIL. OH, IT'S COMING SOMETIME. WELL, HB 817, THE DIGITAL DEVICE GUIDELINES IN THE CLASSROOM HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES WERE SUPPOSED TO BE PUT IN PLACE BETWEEN 2021 AND 2022 BY THE END OF THAT SCHOOL YEAR. THEY'RE STILL NOT UP ON CHESTERFIELD'S WEBSITE UNLESS I'M MISSING IT. I WOULD LOVE FOR SOMEBODY TO SHOW ME WHERE THAT IS. MS. HAINES I WAS NOT AWARE THAT THERE'S A SCHOOL ADVISORY BOARD WITH WELLNESS POLICY AND YOU HAD MARKED IN THERE ABOUT WELLNESS POLICY REVISIONS. WHAT ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY PIECE FOR THE OVERALL WELLBEING OF THESE CHILDREN? THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO. HOW ABOUT TURNING LEMONADE LEMONS INTO LEMONADE? HOW ABOUT TAKING SOME OF US PARENTS WHO COME ON A REGULAR BASIS AND SPEAK AND EDUCATE US? LET US KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT WE COULD COME AND PARTICIPATE IN. WE'RE WILLING PARTICIPANTS. WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. CNN HAS A NEW DOCUMENT ABOUT THE UNEXPLAINED HEALTH INCIDENTS THAT RESEMBLE CONCUSSION LIKE SYMPTOMS, POINTING DIRECTLY TO WI-FI AND WIRELESS DEVICES, CELL TOWERS, CELL PHONES, CHROMEBOOKS. I'M ALSO GOING TO LEAVE YOU WITH TWO OPPOSING PHILOSOPHIES OF GOVERNMENT. AND ONE HAS TO DO WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF LIBERTY, WHICH IS THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTION AND OUR FEDERAL REPUBLIC, AND THEN THE ONE THAT'S BEING SHOVED DOWN OUR THROATS NOW, WHICH IS THE PROGRESSIVE SOCIALISTIC DEMOCRACY. THIS PHILOSOPHY OF CHANGE WHERE WE MUST THERE'S LAW OVER LIBERTY, WE MUST RESTRICT ALL OUR FREEDOMS THROUGH EXTENSIVE REGULATORY CONTROLS. ENOUGH ENOUGH, ENOUGH, ENOUGH, ENOUGH. ISN'T IT TIME IF YOU CAN SPEND $36 MILLION ON TECHNOLOGY THAT YOU SPEND MONEY TO PROTECT THESE CHILDREN? BLUE LIGHT GLASSES TURN DOWN THE WI-FI, TEST THEM IN THE SCHOOLS, ASK PARENTS WHAT THEY WANT. PLEASE TAKE ACTION TO REDUCE THE WI-FI IN CLASSROOMS. I HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU GUYS DO WHAT'S NEEDED TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN [APPLAUSE]. I HAVE COPIES FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM. IS THERE A WAY TO ENSURE THAT THEY ACTUALLY GET THESE COPIES? THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU. CHRISTINE MELENDEZ. GOOD EVENING, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF. MY NAME IS CHRISTINE MELENDEZ, AND I'M HONORED TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF THE CHESTERFIELD EDUCATION ASSOCIATION. WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE THAT IN THE COMMUNICATION UPDATE THAT THERE IS A FOCUS IN THE OVERARCHING GOALS AND DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS TO FOSTER AN ENVIRONMENT OF TRANSPARENCY, TRUSTWORTHINESS, COOPERATION, AUTHENTICITY, COLLABORATION AND A SENSE OF COMMUNITY. THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE IN THIS AUDIENCE TONIGHT WHO HAVE ENCOUNTERED SITUATIONS WHERE COMMUNICATION HAS FOSTERED AN ENVIRONMENT OF [00:40:06] FEAR, INTIMIDATION, DIS INGENUITY AND DIVISION AMONG THE COMMUNITY. WE'RE ALSO AWARE THAT WORDS SUCH AS TRANSPARENCY AND COLLABORATION ARE REALLY GREAT BUZZWORDS, BUT UNTIL WE PUT THEM INTO ACTION, THEY'RE JUST THAT, WORDS. SPECIFICALLY, WHEN SPEAKING ABOUT STAFF COMMUNICATION, THE FIRST STEP NEEDS TO BE A DETAILED, CLEARLY WRITTEN CONTRACT, ONE THAT INCLUDES SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES AND SPECIFIC JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, AND EXCLUDES ANY GRAY AREAS SUCH AS AND OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN SPEAKING ABOUT KEEPING STAFF IN THE KNOW. WORK DAYS AND OTHER DATES THAT MAY REQUIRE STAFF TO REMAIN AT WORK OUTSIDE OF CONTRACT HOURS SHOULD BE EXPLICITLY STATED IN AN EMPLOYEE'S CONTRACT. ADDRESSING THESE WOULD LIKELY CONTRIBUTE TO LESS STAFF CONFUSION AND FRUSTRATION AT EVERY LEVEL AND LESS QUESTIONS DURING [INAUDIBLE] MEETINGS THAT ELICIT RESPONSES THAT LEAVE SOME STAFF FEELING LIKE THEY'RE BEING BELITTLED OR SPOKEN TO IN LESS THAN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER, AS IF THEY SHOULD HAVE ALREADY KNOWN WHERE TO FIND ANSWERS THAT AREN'T IN THEIR CONTRACT. ADDITIONALLY, IN LOOKING AT THE STRATEGIC PLAN, OUR ONLY CURIOSITY IS HOW SCHOOL BASED STAFF AT EVERY LEVEL WILL BE INCLUDED IN DEVELOPING STRATEGIES AND PLANS WHEN WE CONTINUE TO LOSE HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND DEDICATED WORKERS IN MANY OF OUR CLASSROOMS THAT DESPERATELY NEED RESOURCES TO HELP ADDRESS THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THESE GOALS ARE STAFFED BY BASICALLY CLASSROOM INSTRUCTORS. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. ROBERT EVERETH. GOOD EVENING ALL. THIS WAS. THIS IS ON THE IMAGINE TOMORROW WITH THE ASSESSMENTS IN THERE. AND SO WHAT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT IS IT WILL MAKE SENSE TO YOU GUYS HERE IN A MINUTE. I KNOW WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED THIS IN EMAILS WITH A POLITICAL TYPOLOGY QUIZ THAT WAS GIVEN IN SOCIAL STUDIES. AND THE THE TOPIC WAS WHERE DID YOU FIT IN POLITICALLY TOPOLOGY? ARE YOU A FAITH AND FLAG CONSERVATIVE OR PROGRESSIVE LEFT OR SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN? THIS WAS GIVEN TO EIGHTH GRADERS AT ONE OF THE SCHOOLS THINKING IT WAS JUST ONE TEACHER DOING THIS. I DIDN'T. SO THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T RESPOND UNTIL WE GOT MORE REPORTS. ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE OTHER SCHOOLS REPORTED THAT THEY WERE USING THE SAME QUIZ FROM WJIMENEZ@ROCKSOLID.COM RESEARCH CENTER. AND THAT'S GOING TO MAKE MORE SENSE TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS WE'RE IN GENERAL, HOW MUCH DO WHITE PEOPLE BENEFIT FROM ADVANTAGES IN SOCIETY THAT BLACK PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE? THESE ARE VERY INVASIVE QUESTIONS, WHICH COMES CLOSER TO YOUR VIEW OF CANDIDATES FOR POLITICAL OFFICE. I MEAN, HOW IS AN EIGHTH GRADER GOING TO KNOW THAT. THERE IS AT LEAST ONE CANDIDATE WHO SHARES MY VIEWS. IN A SCALE 1 OF 100 OR IS 0 TO 100 WHERE DO YOU FEEL IS IS COLD OR NEGATIVE IS POSSIBLE? 100 MEANS YOU FEEL AS WARM OR POSITIVE AS POSSIBLE. HOW DO YOU FEEL TOWARD A DEMOCRAT? HOW DO YOU FEEL TOWARD A REPUBLICAN? THESE ARE EIGHTH GRADERS NOW. ANOTHER ONE IS IN REASON WHY I'M DOING THIS. I WANT IT ON RECORD BECAUSE I KNOW YOU GUYS SAID THAT YOU TOOK THIS OUT OF CHESTER COUNTY COMPLETELY IN AN EMAIL, BUT I WANT TO PUT IT IN A RECORD SO WE HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE. MAKE SURE THIS THIS QUIZ NEVER HITS THE LIGHT OF DAY SCHOOLS AGAIN. DO YOU THINK GREATER SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE TRANSGENDER, PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY AS A GENDER THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM THE SEX THEY WERE ASSIGNED TO HIS BIRTH? IS ARE THEY GOOD FOR SOCIETY? SOMEWHAT GOOD FOR SOCIETY? NEITHER GOOD NOR BAD SOCIETY. SOMEWHAT BAD FOR SOCIETY ARE VERY BAD FOR SOCIETY. THESE ARE VERY INVASIVE QUESTIONS. A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS DIG INTO THEIR OWN POLITICAL BELIEFS. AND THE REASON WHY I'M DOING THIS TOO, IS BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE ONLY QUIZ. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY PEW RESEARCH CENTER QUIZ THAT'S OUT THERE. AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PROVE TO YOU GUYS. THIS THIS IS HAPPENING IN CHESTERFIELD. IT'S HAPPENING IN THE WHOLE STATE OF VIRGINIA, THESE TYPE OF THINGS. THERE IS NO REASON THERE IS NO EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE FOR THESE SURVEYS ON OUR CHILDREN. NOW, CAN YOU OPT THEM OUT? SURE. BUT THE PARENT HAS TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN OPT THEM OUT. DID I OPT MY KID? YES. AND THAT'S ANOTHER PROBLEM BECAUSE MY KID HAD TO TAKE IT. SO I'M GOING TO DEAL WITH THAT ON MYSELF. THERE'S ANOTHER QUIZ OUT THERE, AND MY WHOLE POINT IS WE NEED TO STOP THESE QUIZZES COMING INTO OUR SCHOOLS. THIS SERVES NO EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE WHATSOEVER. IT'S COLLECTIVE, IT'S DATA COLLECTING, IT'S SOCIAL ENGINEERING. IT'S IT'S JUST SO DIVISIVE. I MEAN, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT A DEMOCRAT? WHAT IF YOUR FRIEND'S A DEMOCRAT? WELL, I HATE DEMOCRATS. I HATE REPUBLICANS. YOU KNOW, BOTH PARTIES ACTUALLY SUCK, IN MY OPINION. SO SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, THESE CANNOT HAPPEN NO MORE. WE HAVE TO FIND OUT WHERE THESE ARE. I'LL KEEP REPORTING TO YOU GUYS ON THIS. THAT'S ALL I WANT. I WANT ACTION. YOU GUYS, YOU SHUT THIS DOWN AND I'M GOING TO SAY I COMMEND YOU ALL FOR DOING THAT. AND YOU PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HEAR I'M NOT USED TO HEARING THAT FROM ME OR ANYBODY ELSE IN MY ORGANIZATION, BUT I'LL SAY THAT WE SHUT THAT DOWN. [00:45:01] WE BROUGHT IT TO LIGHT, AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP BRINGING THESE QUIZZES TO LIGHT. AND WE'RE DOING I'VE GOT THREE MORE COMING YOUR WAY, SO GET READY, BECAUSE THESE CAN'T HAPPEN IN CHESTER COUNTY NO MORE. THANK YOU MY NAME IS ROBERT EVERTH [APPLAUSE]. WENDY LITTLE. [INAUDIBLE] GREETINGS. I'M WENDY LITTLE CLOVER HILL DISTRICT. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. I HAD A LITTLE THING UNEXPECTED, AND THAT HAPPENS A LOT WITH MY SON, SO I APPRECIATE THAT. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME COMMUNICATIONS, AND I FORGET WHAT THE OTHER THING WAS, BUT I'LL GET TO IT. I'M LOOKING AT IMAGINE TOMORROW AND I MEAN IT JUST INTEGRITY. TAKING RESPONSIBILITY. TRANSPARENCY. ACCOUNTABLE FOR SUCCESSES AND FAILURES. FOSTER TRUST BY BEING HONEST. I CALLED DR. DAUGHERTY BEFORE, RIGHT AFTER HE ARRIVED INITIALLY, AND HE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO CALL ME BACK ON HIS EIGHTH DAY ON THE JOB. I TOLD HIM, I SAID, YOU GOT SOME SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES WITH YOUR SPECIAL EDUCATION DIVISION. WE HAD A DISCUSSION AND IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAD NOTED, I DON'T ALWAYS READ THE COMMENTS. SOMEBODY NOTED THAT AT THE TIME THAT MY SON'S HAD HIS EXCEPTIONAL PROBLEMS THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT BECAUSE I HAVE TO EMBARRASS EVERYBODY ABOUT IT EVERY TIME I COME. THAT THE SCHOOL DIVISION COULDN'T FIND A WAY TO WORK THAT OUT IN FOUR YEARS. THAT THAT'S BEEN THE SAME TERM OF TENURE. SO I FIND THAT INTERESTING THAT NOBODY CAN WRITE AN IEP THAT WILL PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR AN INCONTINENT CHILD. AND NOW BECAUSE HE HAS NO SCHOOL, WE DON'T KNOW IF IT IS FINALLY WRITTEN CORRECTLY FOR HIM TO HAVE THE SUPPORT THAT HE NEEDS. AND SO I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS AS WELL. I'M NOT SURE IF PEOPLE REALIZE THIS. IT'S KIND OF LIKE A CHEERLEADER BOOK. I DON'T KNOW IF THE PUBLIC REALIZES THAT, YES, YOU DID USE PANDEMIC EMERGENCY FUNDS FOR IT. THE COST OF THAT IS APPROXIMATELY $50,000 EACH TIME YOU PUT IT OUT. THAT'S THE COST OF A NEW TEACHER. IT COULD BE PROBABLY BETTER USED. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS SO MUCH HAPPY THINGS IN IT. NOTHING LIKE REALLY REAL CHEERLEADERS DON'T WIN THE FOOTBALL GAMES. SO INTEGRITY AND TRANSPARENCY, WE NEED TO BE MORE HONEST WITH OURSELVES WITHIN THE SCHOOL DIVISION. THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH INTEGRITY. SEVERE ONES. I WOULD HAVE WORN MY HALLOWEEN COSTUME, SHEEP AND WOLF'S CLOTHING, BUT APPARENTLY THERE'S A RUN ON THEM IN CHESTERFIELD AND THEY'RE OUT OF STOCK. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE AND THINGS ARE NOT BETTER. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. MADAM CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES THIS EVENING'S PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. NEXT WE HAVE THIS EVENING SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT, DR. [E. Superintendent's Report] DAUGHTERY. MADAM CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS LIKE TO CALL SHAWN SMITH BACK. COMMUNICATIONS REPORT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIRMAN AND BOARD MEMBERS. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT YOU TONIGHT ON COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE. I'M GOING TO TAKE THE FIRST COUPLE OF SLIDES AND THEN TURN IT OVER TO JENNY O'QUINN, WHO'S OUR DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE MEDIA SERVICES. BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR FOUNDATIONAL PIECES THAT WE LOOK AT EACH AND EVERY DAY FROM COMMUNICATION. FIRST PIECES ARE OVERARCHING GOALS. OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE WORKING CONSISTENTLY WITH OUR INTERNAL EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS, ALIGNING THAT CLOSELY WITH OUR GOALS OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION. THE SECOND PIECE THERE IS EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION. IT'S REALLY WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS TO FOSTER THAT ENVIRONMENT OF TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AUTHENTICITY AND COLLABORATION. WHAT WE DO OBVIOUSLY KIND OF RUNS THE GAMUT WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR EMPLOYEES. MEDIA RELATIONS, CRISIS MANAGEMENT, OUTREACH TO OUR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES IS A KEY PIECE OF THAT AS WELL. SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOLS AS A FOUNDATIONAL PIECE FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US ON OUR TEAM SUPPORTING OUR EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS AND COLLEAGUES ALONG THE WAY. [00:50:06] [INAUDIBLE] IS ANOTHER PIECE OF THAT AS WELL. OUR TARGET AUDIENCES, WE COMMUNICATE WITH A WIDE RANGE OF THOSE GOING FROM OUR EMPLOYEES OR STUDENTS, FAMILIES MEMBERS, THE MEDIA, OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS, RETIREES, VOLUNTEERS, ALUMNI AND KEY COMMUNICATORS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JENNY O'QUINN'S PUT IN PLACE WITH THE TEAM IS REALLY DEALING CLOSELY WITH STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS AND AT THIS TIME I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO HER TO GUIDE US THROUGH THE REST OF PRESENTATION. GOOD EVENING. SO WE HAVE DEVELOPED AN ANNUAL COMMUNICATIONS PLAN. WE DID THAT THIS SPRING. WE PLAN TO UPDATE IT EVERY YEAR. IT'S A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, BUT IT PLACES SIGNIFICANT FOCUS ON A FEW THINGS SUPPORTING SCHOOLS AND THE VISION COLLEAGUES ALIGNING MESSAGING ACROSS THE DIVISION. STORYTELLING. WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING AND GREAT PEOPLE DOING THE THINGS AND WE WANT TO TELL THOSE STORIES AND CREATING EFFICIENCIES WHEREVER WE CAN. WE WANT TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS. THAT'S ONE OF OUR MAIN GOALS. JUST BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED, WE SHARED WITH SCHOOLS A COMMUNICATIONS AND BRANDING GUIDE AND ACCESSIBILITY GUIDE SO THAT HOPEFULLY THOSE RESOURCES WILL HELP THEM WITH THEIR COMMUNICATION EFFORTS. WE ARE ALSO WEEKLY SHARING PREWRITTEN MESSAGES THAT PRINCIPALS CAN SHARE IN THEIR WEEKLY MESSAGES AND ON THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS. AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT FOCUS ON THE VISION WIDE EVENTS AND THINGS THAT ARE OF INTEREST TO LARGE GROUPS OF PEOPLE. THEY'RE NOT SPECIFICALLY SCHOOL FOCUSED. THE THINGS THAT COME TO MIND FOR ME RIGHT NOW ARE THINGS LIKE THE SAT ACADEMY, THE MARCHING BAND EVENT THAT JUST HAPPENED. SO IT'S JUST ONE WAY TO TO GET THOSE LARGER MESSAGES OUT AND TO ALSO HELP SUPPORT THEM WITH MESSAGING. IF WE READ THE STORYTELLING, EACH SCHOOL, ALMOST EVERY SCHOOL HAS A PR REP, AND THIS IS A PERSON WHO KEEPS US INFORMED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AT THEIR SCHOOL. THEY SHARE PHOTOS WITH US, SOMETIMES VIDEO CLIPS. THEY LET US KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING. AND WE JUST HAD OUR FIRST MEETING OF THE YEAR WITH THEM THIS PAST WEEK. WE'LL HAVE THREE MORE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND STAY IN CONTACT WITH THEM THROUGHOUT. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON ACROSS THE DIVISION BECAUSE IT'S SO BIG. WE HAVE TO HAVE THOSE PERSONAL CONTACTS TO TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN THE LOOP. MEDIA OUTREACH IS ALSO A BIG FOCUS FOR US. WE'RE REALLY WORKING TO KEEP MEDIA IN THE KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO EVENTS OR ANYTHING THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY BE OF INTEREST TO THE LARGER COMMUNITY. YOU ALL SAW THE TEAM HERE EARLIER HERE I HAVE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO [INAUDIBLE]. SHE REALLY KEEPS HER FINGER ON THE PULSE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS THE DIVISION AND IN SCHOOLS. AND SHE HAS WORKED REALLY HARD ON THAT MEDIA OUTREACH PIECE. STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION PLANNING IS SOMETHING THAT WE HELP WITH. ANYBODY WHO WHO NEEDS HELP CAN COME TO US FOR COUNSEL AND PLANNING AROUND THE VISION, WHAT ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT IS ALIGNING OUR BRANDING STANDARDS, AND THAT HASN'T HAPPENED YET. BUT COMING SOON, WE'RE GOING TO BE ROLLING OUT DIVISION WIDE BRANDING GUIDELINES AND COMMUNICATIONS GUIDANCE TO HELP ALIGN OUR COMMUNICATIONS EFFORTS AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING ACROSS THE DIVISION HAS THE SAME LOOK AND FEEL. WE ALSO WORK ON OUTREACH TO FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY. CCPS ON THE GO IS OUR PRINTED NEWSLETTER. WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF CONSISTENT AND POSITIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT THAT FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE LEARNING NEW THINGS ABOUT CHESTERFIELD SCHOOLS. WE DEBUT MINUTES WITH MERV EARLIER THIS YEAR. THESE ARE OUR VIDEOS ABOUT TIMELY SUBJECTS FOR FAMILIES. WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON A STUDENT NEWS SERIES THAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT. THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PIECES TO GET INTO PLACE, SO IT'S NOT HERE QUITE YET. BUT BUT WE'RE HOPING TO GET THE FIRST SEGMENT OUT IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. AND AS WE TALK ABOUT VIDEO, I'LL ALSO SHOUT OUT TO TORI WILKERSON AND EMMA CARLSON, WHO YOU SAW. THEY ARE VERY FOCUSED ON STORYTELLING AND WORK REALLY HARD TO TELL THE STORIES ACROSS THE SCHOOL DIVISION. ALSO ON HERE IS OUR WEEKLY COMMUNICATIONS. WE HAVE WEDNESDAY CONNECTIONS THAT GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY. YOU SIGN UP FOR THAT ON MY CHESTERFIELD.COM. AND THE FRIDAY UPDATE, WHICH GOES OUT TO STAFF AND FAMILIES AND OUR OTHER MESSAGES ON HERE, BECAUSE THIS IS EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION [00:55:01] . MOVING TO INTERNAL COMMUNICATION AND FOCUSING ON STAFF COMMUNICATIONS. WE HAVE THE MONDAY MESSAGE, WHICH IS DR. DAUGHERTY'S WEEKLY MESSAGE TO STAFF. WE JUST MENTIONED THE FRIDAY UPDATE AND ADDITIONAL UPDATES AS NEEDED. WE ALSO WANT TO WORK ON HOW WE HIGHLIGHT STAFF MEMBERS. WE DO THIS IN DIFFERENT WAYS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. ONE OF THE WAYS WE'RE DOING THAT NOW IS THROUGH SOMEONE YOU SHOULD KNOW, AND THESE ARE SHORT VIDEO SEGMENTS ABOUT STAFF. THEIR COLLEAGUES OR COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN NOMINATE PEOPLE TO BE HIGHLIGHTED. SO THE IMPORTANCE OF WEB CANNOT BE [INAUDIBLE] . THEY MADE A TREMENDOUS PUSH AND ROLLED OUT NEW WEBSITES FOR ALL THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS BELLWOOD, FALLEN CREEK ELEMENTARY, AND MOSTLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE START OF SCHOOL. THEY'VE ALSO MADE UPDATES TO THE DIVISION HOMEPAGE. THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN. THAT WAS THE BACK TO SCHOOL ITERATION OF THE PAGE. IT ACTUALLY LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT NOW THAT WE'RE OFF ROLLING IN SCHOOL YEAR AND WE'VE GOT ADDITIONAL UPDATES COMING TO THE DIVISION SITE AND WE HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE ELEMENTARY SITES. THOSE ARE IN THE WORKS TOO. AND WE ALSO HAVE CNET, WHICH IS OUR EMPLOYEE INTRANET, THAT THAT FALLS UNDER OUR PURVIEW. SO LOOKING FORWARD, WHAT'S COMING, THE WEB UPDATES THAT I JUST MENTIONED, BUT ALSO LIKE A A PROCESS FOR SCHEDULED REVIEW AND CONTENT UPDATES FOR WEB. WE HAVE A TON OF INFORMATION THAT'S ONLINE. WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WEB PAGES, AND WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT THEY STAY UP TO DATE. COLLABORATION. WE WANT TO WORK CLOSELY WITH SCHOOL STAFF AND OUR DIVISION COLLEAGUES. COLLABORATION IS THE KEY IN ANY SUCCESSFUL ENDEAVOR AND FEEDBACK. WE WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW PEOPLE ARE RECEIVING COMMUNICATION, HOW THEY WANT TO RECEIVE COMMUNICATION, AND IF THERE ARE CHANGES THAT WE CAN MAKE TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE, UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? [INAUDIBLE] I JUST HAVE THREE QUICK QUESTIONS. FIRST, THE WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY IS I REGULARLY GET QUESTIONS AND WE HAD ONE HERE TONIGHT TOO, ABOUT HOW TO APPLY TO DIFFERENT SCHOOL BOARD COMMITTEES LIKE THE SCHOOL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD OR [INAUDIBLE]. WOULD THAT BE IN THE WEDNESDAY OR FRIDAY UPDATES? YES, ANYTIME THERE'S AN OPENING ON A COMMITTEE, IT WILL BE IN THE FRIDAY UPDATE. IT WILL BE ON THE DIVISION WEBSITE AND ALSO SHARED IN THE MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY MESSAGES. SO SIGN UP FOR THOSE. THE FRIDAY MESSAGES GO TO ALL PARENTS WHO RECEIVE EMAILS. EXCELLENT. AND THE SCHEDULED UPDATES FOR CONTENT. ABSOLUTELY. LOVE THAT. YEAH, LOVE IT. I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS WORK. SO THAT'S REALLY JUST A COMMENT. AND THREE, WHAT IS THE BEST WAY? BECAUSE I DO GET LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE LOTS OF IDEAS AND LOVE TO SHARE FEEDBACK. SO WHAT IS THE BEST WAY FOR SOMEONE TO SHARE THEIR FEEDBACK IF THEY HAVE AN IDEA FOR INFORMATION THAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE ON THE WEBSITE? THEY CAN JUST EMAIL CCPS INFO AT CCPS DOT NET. AWESOME AND JUST PUT WEBSITE SUGGESTION. YES. THANKS SO MUCH. GREAT STUFF. OKAY. THANK YOU. MS. HEFFRON. OH SORRY, SORRY, SORRY. I WAS JUST KIND OF JUST CAME UP RECENTLY THAT MAYBE IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO LOOK AT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR WEBSITES, TO LOOK AT MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ACCESS FOR MULTIPLE LANGUAGES AND [INAUDIBLE] MULTIPLE TRANSLATIONS SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE FULL PARTICIPATION BY OUR COMMUNITY. THAT WOULD JUST BE MY ONLY SUGGESTION IS THAT WE JUST MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S IN THERE AVAILABLE OR IS IT AVAILABLE OR, IT IS, WONDERFUL. YOU CAN CLICK. THERE'S AN OPTION AT THE VERY TOP OF THE WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN DO THAT GREAT. AND OUR LIKE PDF DOCUMENTS AND ARE PRACTICING THAT. MAYBE THAT'S A LITTLE BIT THAT'S DIGGING A LITTLE ONGOING PROJECT. WELL I APPRECIATE OUR EFFORTS IN THAT AND WE CAN JUST KEEP KEEP MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION. THAT'D BE GREAT. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. NEXT, WE HAVE THIS EVENING'S ACTION ITEMS. [1. Memo #134-22: Strategic Plan Revised] DR. POPE. GOOD EVENING, BOARD CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, MEMBERS. [01:00:02] AND DR. DAUGHERTY, BEFORE YOU IS MEMO 134-22. IMAGINE TOMORROW STRATEGIC PLAN REVISIONS AND WITH YOUR APPROVAL, THIS WILL BE DATED OCTOBER 11, 2022. AND OF COURSE, BEING A REVISED VERSION OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN WOULD BE POSTED PUBLICLY. REVISIONS SINCE THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS APPROVED IN 2018 CAPTURE CURRENT MEASURES OF THE OBJECTIVES AND REFLECT THE PREFERENCES OF THIS BOARD. SINCE REVIEW AT THE AUGUST RETREAT AND THE SEPTEMBER WORK SESSION IN 2022. IT IS THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD ADOPT THE IMAGINE TOMORROW STRATEGIC PLAN REVISIONS INCLUDED IN THIS MEMO ATTACHMENT. SEE, AND OF COURSE THE PLAN WILL REMAIN SUBJECT TO ANNUAL REVIEW AND FUTURE AMENDMENTS AS THE BOARD DEEMS APPROPRIATE. THANK YOU, DR. POPE. BOARD MEMBERS. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE MEMO 134-22 AS PRESENTED. SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND. SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? [INAUDIBLE] SO I LOVE BOOKS. I DON'T USUALLY PLUG A BOOK FROM THE [INAUDIBLE], BUT BECAUSE I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THE ADDITION OF THE INDOOR AIR QUALITY METRIC TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN, IF ANYBODY NEEDS TO BE CONVINCED ABOUT WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT, READ THIS BOOK. IT'S A HEALTHY BUILDINGS AND THERE IS SO MUCH RESEARCH ON HOW HEALTHY BUILDINGS AFFECT EVERYTHING FROM TESTING TO STUDENT HEALTH. THERE'S A QUOTE IN THIS BOOK THAT I THINK SAYS THAT THE BUILDING HEALTH HAS MORE IMPACT ON A CHILD THAN A DOCTOR CAN BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THE BUILDING EVERY SINGLE DAY. SO READ THIS BOOK IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY THAT WAS ADDED TO OUR PLAN. AND GREAT WORK. THERE HAS BEEN A MOTION AND A SECOND. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL. ROLL ON THE MOTION. IS APPROVED. THANK YOU. [2. Memo #135-22: HVAC System Replacements at James River High School] NEXT WE HAVE MEMO 135-22, MR. CARSON. MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. DR. DAUGHERTY, YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU MEMO 135-22 THE REPLACEMENT OF ROOFTOP UNITS AND VARIABLE AIR VOLUME BOXES AT JAMES RIVER HIGH SCHOOL. ON SEPTEMBER 23RD WE RECEIVED QUALIFIED BIDS FOR THIS PROJECT, WHICH INCLUDES THE REPLACEMENT OF 18 AGED ROOFTOP UNITS OVER 100 AGED VARIABLE AIR VOLUME BOXES, HYDRAULIC PIPING AND A UPDATE OF THE BUILDING AUTOMATION SYSTEM AT JAMES RIVER HIGH SCHOOL. THE LOWEST QUALIFIED BID CAME IN FROM COLONIAL WEBB CONTRACTORS COMPANY AT A COST OF $7,798,717 .78. THIS HAS BEEN A LONG STANDING PROJECT FOR MY DEPARTMENT AND WE ARE VERY EXCITED WITH THE RESPONSE TO THIS PROPOSAL. THERE IS NO FISCAL IMPACT TO THIS PROJECT AS FUNDS ARE ALREADY DEDICATED TO IT WITHIN THE MAJOR MAINTENANCE FUNDING STREAM. WITH YOUR APPROVAL THIS EVENING, WE WOULD ANTICIPATE ISSUING A NOTICE TO PROCEED FOR THIS PROJECT WITH MOBILIZATION IN JANUARY OF 2023. GIVEN SUPPLY CHAIN WITH AN OVERALL PROJECT SCHEDULE OF APPROXIMATELY 500 DAYS, IT'S A LONG TERM PROJECT. THEREFORE, STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE BOARD APPROVE THE MEMO AS IT IS FOR THIS PROJECT. ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MR. CARSON. BOARD MEMBERS. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE MEMO 135-22 AS PRESENTED. SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? THERE HAS BEEN A MOTION AND A SECOND. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION. NEXT WE HAVE MEMO NUMBER 136-22. [3. Memo #136-22: UVGI Implementation at Multiple CCPS Locations] MR. CARSON, HELLO AGAIN. YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU MEMO 136-22 THE UVGI IMPLEMENTATION AT MULTIPLE CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL LOCATIONS UVGI STANDING FOR ULTRAVIOLET GERMICIDAL IRRADIATION. THIS IS ANOTHER LONG TERM EFFORT OF MY DEPARTMENT. AND EXCUSE ME. [01:05:01] ON SEPTEMBER 27TH, WE RECEIVED TWO QUALIFIED BIDS FOR THIS EFFORT. WE HAD INTENDED OR WE BID THREE LOTS 15 SCHOOLS TOTAL ACROSS THE DISTRICT WITH THE LOWEST QUALITY OR LOWEST INDOOR AIR QUALITY RATINGS BASED UPON OUR RECENT DEWBERRY STUDY UNDERTAKEN ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO. THOSE 15 SITES WERE CHOSEN SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS PROJECT, WHICH IS FUNDED BY ESSER, AND WE HAVE CHOSEN TO IMPLEMENT AT 12. GIVEN THE ESSER FUNDING STREAM THAT WE PRESENTLY HAVE, THE LOWEST QUALIFIED BID FOR THIS PROJECT IS JUST OVER $1.72 MILLION, AND THAT IS ALSO COLONIAL WEBB CONTRACTORS AND COMPANY. WITH YOUR APPROVAL THIS EVENING. WE WOULD LIKE TO ISSUE A NOTICE TO PROCEED FOR THIS PROJECT. SUPPLY CHAIN IS A BIT DIFFERENT WITH THIS EFFORT. SO IDEALLY WE GET MATERIALS HERE IN THE FALL AND EARLY WINTER AND WE IMPLEMENT OVER WINTER WITH A COMPLETION DATE, IDEALLY BY FEBRUARY OF 2023. THANK YOU, MR. CARSON. BOARD MEMBERS. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE MEMO 136-22 AS PRESENTED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? THERE HAS BEEN A MOTION AND A SECOND. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE ITEMS FOR BOARD REVIEW. [G. Items for Board Review] MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE ITEMS FOR THIS EVENING? MADAM CHAIR, TONIGHT'S AGENDA INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING ITEMS FOR BOARD REVIEW. MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT FUNDS FY 2023. FY 2023 AUGUST EXPENDITURES VERSES APPROPRIATIONS. BUDGET CHANGE REQUEST SUMMARY ACROSS CATEGORIES AUGUST 2022. SUMMARY OF EXPENDITURES AND BALANCES FY 2022. BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS, AND PRE K UPDATE AUGUST 2022. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. NEXT, WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. MADAM CHAIR, A POINT OF PRIVILEGE. YES, MR. HARTER. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO JUST READ SOMETHING BRIEFLY ON SOME EVENTS THAT HAVE TRANSPIRED OVER THE LAST WEEK, ACTUALLY TWO WEEKS. AND THERE'S TALK ABOUT MORE OF IT THAT'S GOING TO BEING ENCOURAGED IN OUR SCHOOLS. NOW, THIS COMES DIRECTLY FROM OUR STANDARDS OF STUDENT CONDUCT. CCPS EXPECTS A HIGH STANDARD OF STUDENT CONDUCT IN AN EFFORT TO ENSURE AN ATMOSPHERE CONDUCIVE TO LEARNING AND TEACHING FREE OF DISRUPTION. THE PRINCIPAL OF THE SCHOOL AND THOSE WHOM THE PRINCIPAL DELEGATES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONSISTENT AND UNIFORM APPLICATION OF SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES, REGULATIONS AND THE RULES OF THAT INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL. AS OF JULY 1ST, 2021, STUDENTS ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH ARE ALLOWED TO BE EXCUSED FOR ONE ABSENCE FOR SCHOOL DAY TO PARTICIPATE IN A CIVIC EVENT OR CIVIC DEMONSTRATION. THE LAW'S CURRENT AND WE'RE RECOGNIZED BY CCPS. BUT WHAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT IS GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS LOCALLY AND EVEN STATEWIDE THAT ARE ENCOURAGING STUDENTS TO TAKE CIVIC ACTION DURING THE INSTRUCTIONAL DAY. THIS CAUSES DISRUPTION NOT JUST FOR THE STUDENTS THAT ARE WALKING OUT. THIS CAUSES DISRUPTION FOR THE STUDENTS AND THE TEACHERS THAT ARE IN SCHOOL. IT DISRUPTS THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD NOT MAKE IT A COMMON PRACTICE OF TRYING TO DO. ALSO, FROM OUR STANDARDS OF CONDUCT, THE INSTRUCTIONAL DAY IS DEFINED AS THE LENGTH REGULARLY SCHEDULED FOR THE SCHOOL DAY, MEANING FROM THE MORNING TARDY BELL UNTIL THE DISMISSAL BELL. TO THOSE ENCOURAGING STUDENTS TO LEAVE CLASS AND PROTEST, I ASK YOU TO PLEASE STOP. STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS AND SUPPORT ON ANY ISSUE THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM BEFORE OR AFTER SCHOOL, OR EVEN BY TAKING AN EXCUSED ABSENCE FOR THE DAY TO SUPPORT THAT CIVIC ACTION. NONE OF US ARE AGAINST THAT. SAFETY OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. AND PARENTS SEND THEIR KIDS OFF TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY, AND THEY EXPECT THAT WHEN THEY'RE WITH US, THAT THEY'RE IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. THEY'RE IN OUR CARE. I'M CONCERNED THAT WHEN COMMUNITY LEADERS AND EVEN ELECTED LEADERS ENCOURAGE AND SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, PLANS AND LOCATIONS WHERE WALKOUTS WILL TAKE PLACE, IS PUTTING A TARGET ON OUR STUDENTS. WE LIVE IN A VERY HIGH STRESS AND A HIGH TENSION TIME. AND THIS MAKES STUDENTS A SOFT TARGET. WE DON'T HAVE ADDITIONAL SECURITY OR STAFF AVAILABLE FOR WALKOUTS. SEEMINGLY PEACEFUL SITUATION CAN DETERIORATE QUICKLY. [01:10:03] AND FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, WE SHOULD NOT TAKE THIS UNNECESSARY RISK. OUR STUDENTS ARE IN THEIR FIRST NORMAL YEAR SINCE THE PANDEMIC STARTED. WE SEE THE LEARNING LOSSES IN OUR STUDENTS AND THIS IS GOING TO TAKE A BIT OF TIME AND CONSISTENCY FOR US TO REGAIN. AS A COMMUNITY. WE CANNOT BE CONCERNED ABOUT LEARNING LOSS AND ON THE OTHER HAND, ENCOURAGE OUR STUDENTS TO DISRUPT THE SCHOOL DAY WITH ACTIVISM, NOT TO MENTION THAT STUDENTS RECEIVE A CONSEQUENCE FOR NOT BEING IN THEIR ASSIGNED CLASSROOM AT THAT TIME. I'M ASKING FOR EVERYONE'S HELP. REGARDLESS OF WHAT CAUSE YOU SUPPORT OR WHAT IS CLOSE TO YOUR HEART, OUR KIDS NEED AND DESERVE TO BE IN A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AS FREE FROM DISTRACTIONS AS POSSIBLE. DON'T PUT THIS BURDEN OF PRESSURE ON OUR STUDENTS, OUR TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS THAT ARE WORKING AT OUR SCHOOLS EVERY DAY TO DO THE ABSOLUTE BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS [APPLAUSE]. BEFORE WE BEGIN OUR PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON AGENDA ITEMS, THE BOARD IS GOING TO TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS. WELL, AS AN ADDENDUM TO THE MEETING MINUTES. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE ANNOUNCE THIS EVENING'S IN PERSON? [H. Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items] SPEAKERS ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. MADAM CHAIR, WE HAVE 33 SPEAKERS FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS THIS EVENING. I'M JUST GOING TO CALL THEM UP FIVE AT A TIME. SO EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE 3 MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD. THERE IS A TIMER SET UP ON TOP OF THE PODIUM THAT WILL TURN GREEN WHEN THEY BEGIN SPEAKING YELLOW WHEN YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS REMAINING AND RED WHEN YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. AS A REMINDER REMINDER, NO PERSONAL BELONGINGS OTHER THAN A CELL PHONE AND SPEAKER NOTES ARE ALLOWED AT THE PODIUM. PLEASE REMEMBER TO GIVE YOUR NAME AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR COMMENTS AND PLEASE NOTE THAT COMMENTS EQUIVALENT TO CAMPAIGNING FOR ANY PUBLIC OFFICE ARE IN VIOLATION OF SCHOOL BOARD POLICY 1110 AND ARE PROHIBITED. SPEAKERS ARE ALSO REMINDED THAT COMMENTS SHALL BE DIRECTED TO SCHOOL BOARD AND NOT TO INDIVIDUAL STAFF MEMBERS. I'M GOING TO ASK MISS MARY LOU HERE TO TRANSLATE THAT FOR US. [SPANISH]. GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS SOPHIE JONES AND I'M A JUNIOR IN THE LEADERSHIP AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS PROGRAM AT JAMES RIVER HIGH SCHOOL. IN LATIN THE WORD NICHOLAS MEANS SPARK, LITTLE FIRE OR FLAME. WE ALL START OUT WITH A SPARK IN US. AND CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THESE SPARKS TO GROW INTO LITTLE FIRES. BUT I FEAR THE LAST STEP IS SKIPPED, IGNITING THE FLAME. I'VE BEEN A STUDENT IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR 11 WONDERFUL YEARS NOW, AND AS I FIND MYSELF LOOKING BACK ON ALL OF THESE YEARS, I REALIZED THAT SOMETHING WAS, IS, AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN MISSING. BOARD MEMBERS OF CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY TO SAY THAT I BELIEVE THERE IS MORE WORK TO BE DONE, MORE VOICES TO BE RECOGNIZED, MORE STORIES TO HEAR, AND MORE STUDENTS TO BE REPRESENTED. [01:15:01] HOWEVER, IT IS NOT JUST MORE STUDENTS. IT IS ALL STUDENTS, BLACK STUDENTS, HISPANIC STUDENTS, ARAB STUDENTS, ASIAN STUDENTS, WHITE STUDENTS, STUDENTS OF ALL GENDERS AND IDENTIFICATIONS, STUDENTS IN ESL AND STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. BECAUSE WHEN WE SAY EVERYONE, WE NEED TO MEAN EVERYONE. IF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS IN PLACE TO SUPPORT STUDENTS, WHY IS IT THAT STUDENTS DO NOT HAVE A SAY ON THE EDUCATIONAL POLICIES FOR THEIR OWN SCHOOL? TO PRESENT A POSSIBLE RESOLUTION. STATES ACROSS THE NATION HAVE SEEN GREAT SUCCESS IN HAVING STUDENTS SERVE ON THEIR SCHOOL BOARDS. THE NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION SHOWS US AFTER A SURVEY CONDUCTED THAT VIRGINIA IS ONE OF THE 14 STATES ACROSS THE NATION THAT DOES NOT HAVE STUDENTS ON THEIR SCHOOL BOARDS. IT IS THE LIGHT INSIDE MY GENERATION, GENERATION Z, THAT WILL CHANGE THIS COUNTY AND WE NEED TO BE HEARD NOW. WE ARE THE FUTURE AND WE HAVE CONTRIBUTIONS TO PROVIDE FOR OUR PEERS, OUR TEACHERS, AND THE GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS TO COME BEHIND US. BARACK OBAMA IS WELL KNOWN FOR REFERENCING THE AUDACITY OF HOPE. NOT JUST HOPE, BUT THE BOLDNESS IT LEADS WITH. THAT IS WHAT GENERATION Z HAS TO OFFER CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS THE AUDACITY OF HOPE. AND THAT IS WHAT WILL AFFECT THIS COUNTY FOREVER. BUT ONLY IF CHANGES ARE MADE AND ONLY IF OUR VOICES ARE HEARD NOW. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. MAY WE HAVE MARY LOU BATTISTA? [SPANISH] I'M HERE TONIGHT TO EXPRESS MY WORRY ABOUT THE SCHOOLS OF MEADOWBROOK AND FALLEN CREEK [SPANISH] FOR THE SECURITY OF OUR CHILDREN. [SPANISH] I SEE IN THE SCHOOLS. THERE'S THE NEED FOR MORE STAFF AND MORE TEACHERS [SPANISH]. SOME OF THE STUDENTS ARE LEARNING ON THEIR OWN [SPANISH]. LAST WEEK THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT IN ONE OF THE CLASSROOMS, ONE OF MY CHILDREN'S CLASSROOM [SPANISH] THE STUDENT HAD A KNIFE IN HIS HAND. [SPANISH] THAT'S WHY I DECIDED TO COME HERE TONIGHT. [SPANISH] MAYBE HIRE MORE PERSONNEL TO BE TO SO MY CHILDREN ARE SAFE [SPANISH] ONE OF MY CHILDREN COMMENTED TO ME THAT THE STUDENTS WERE SMOKING. WERE FIGHTING. [SPANISH] BECAUSE ONE OF MY MY YOUNGEST CHILD WAS IN INSIDE THE CLASSROOM WHEN THERE WAS A FIGHT AND [SPANISH]. I'M GLAD NOTHING REALLY SERIOUS HAPPENED THAT DAY, BUT I AM WORRIED FOR HIM BECAUSE HE IS LITTLE [SPANISH] [01:20:23] BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. AND SOMETIMES THE CHILDREN ARE BY THEMSELVES IN THE CLASSROOM. [SPANISH]. THAT'S WHAT I BRING TO YOU TONIGHT. AND I'M REPRESENTING OTHER PARENTS [APPLAUSE]. MONICA PEREZ. [SPANISH] WE ARE REPRESENTING THE PARENTS. [SPANISH] AS YOU HAVE HEARD, WE ARE VERY WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS [SPANISH] WHAT I MEAN IS THAT THERE'S A NEED FOR MORE TEACHERS [SPANISH] AND ALSO THE BUS DRIVERS. [SPANISH] SOMETIMES WE ARE WAITING FOR OUR STUDENTS 35-40 MINUTES FOR THEM TO GET HOME. [SPANISH] AND SOMETIMES MAYBE THEY ARE NOT IN DANGER. BUT THE COLD WEATHER IS COMING AND 35-40 MINUTES WAITING FOR THE BUS OR GETTING HOME. IT'S GOING TO BE HAZARDOUS. [SPANISH] IF THE STUDENTS GET LATE TO SCHOOL DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE BUS ARRIVED LATE TO PICK THEM UP, WHY DO THEY GET MARKED AS TARDY? [SPANISH] AND HOW DO WE SOLVE THAT PROBLEM? BECAUSE WHAT THEY TELL THEM IS THERE'S NO PASSES LEFT FOR TARDINESS. SO HOW CAN WE SOLVE THAT PROBLEM? BECAUSE WE EXPECT OUR CHILDREN TO BE MINDFUL OF BEING TO SCHOOL, TO CLASS ON TIME, BUT DUE TO THEM NOT BEING ON THE BUS, BEING LATE, THEY ARE ARRIVING LATE TO CLASS. [SPANISH] WE WANT TO SEE IF YOU CAN ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. [SPANISH] WE HAVE A GROUP OF PARENTS AND WE WHAT WE EXPECT IS FOR OUR CHILDREN TO BE SAFE. AND SO THE TEACHERS ALSO TO BE SAFE IN SCHOOL AND ON TIME [SPANISH] WE WANT THEM TO BE SAFE AND WE WANT THE BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS, FOR OUR CHILDREN, BECAUSE THEY ARE THE NEXT GENERATION. [SPANISH] WE [01:25:01] HOPE THAT YOU LISTEN TO US. PLEASE [APPLAUSE]. MARIA CASTRO. [SPANISH] [SPANISH] AS IT WAS MENTIONED BEFORE. WE ARE REPRESENTING THE COMMITTEE OF PARENTS [SPANISH] WE ARE VERY WORRIED BECAUSE FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO COME IS BECAUSE WE ARE VERY WORRIED. WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE'RE WORRIED. [SPANISH] I HAVE NOTICED THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT IN THE CLASSES AND THE SCHEDULE, THE CLASSES THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO RECEIVE AS A SPECIAL [SPANISH] AND I FIND THEM IN THE STORES OR PLACES TO HAVE LUNCH EATING [SPANISH] . AND I ASKED MYSELF IF THERE ARE NO CAMERAS AT SCHOOL, THEY CAN SEE WHEN THE STUDENTS LEAVE THE SCHOOL [SPANISH] THE COMMITTEE OF THE PARENTS WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT AMONGST OURSELVES AND WE CONCUR THAT WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED NOTICE FROM THE SCHOOL SAYING TO US THAT THE STUDENT HAS LEFT THE SCHOOL, BUT WE HAVE SEEN THEM IN NEARBY PLACES OF BUSINESS FOR THE SCHOOL . [SPANISH] SO WE DON'T KNOW IF THIS THE SCHOOL DOES NOT COMMUNICATE TO US THAT THE STUDENT HAVE LEFT THE SCHOOL OR YOU'RE NOT DOING IT ANYMORE. YOU NEED TO LET US KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING. [SPANISH] WE SUGGEST TO YOU THAT PLEASE, MAYBE YOU STOP AT THE SCHOOL AND CHECK OUT THE GAS STATIONS, THE FAST FOOD STORES AT DIFFERENT HOURS, AND SEE THAT THE STUDENTS SUPPOSED TO BE IN SCHOOL, BUT NOW THEY ARE AT THESE PLACES. [SPANISH]. AND IF WE CAN ASK FOR MAYBE THE MATERIALS, THE COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE SCHOOL TO THE FAMILIES, CAN THEY BE TRANSLATED TO SPANISH? [SPANISH]. AND WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO DO NOT SPEAK ENGLISH AND THEY ONLY SPEAK SPANISH, BECAUSE THERE ARE NEWCOMERS [APPLAUSE]. FORD TEHRAN [INAUDIBLE]. IRAN. SORRY. [SPANISH] MEMBERS OF THE BOARD [SPANISH]. MY NAME IS ZACARIAS. [01:30:02] [SPANISH]. I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE PARENTS, THE GROUP OF PARENTS FOR CHILDREN AT MEADOWBROOK SCHOOL, [SPANISH] I WANT TO EXPRESS THAT SHARE WITH YOU SOME THINGS THAT WE NEED FROM THE SCHOOL [SPANISH] . TRULY WE NEED MORE TEACHERS [SPANISH]. SO THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE IN THE CLASSROOM AND NOT OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL OR IN THE HALLWAYS. [SPANISH] FOR THE WELFARE OF THE TEACHERS TOO [SPANISH]. AND WE WANT THAT NOT ONLY FOR OUR CHILDREN SECURITY SAFETY, BUT ALSO FOR THE TEACHERS, BECAUSE WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT THE TEACHERS ARE THERE EDUCATING OUR STUDENTS, OUR CHILDREN. [SPANISH] THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE SECURITY, THE DOORS. THERE ARE SO MANY DOORS ARE THE SCHOOLS, SO MANY THE CHILDREN. YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE WHAT DOOR THE CHILDREN IS LIVING FROM, WHAT DOORS THEY ARE LIVING. [SPANISH]. IF YOU PAY ATTENTION TO THIS, IF YOU LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE [SPANISH] BECAUSE THE YOUNG OF TODAY WE NEED THAT SAFETY. [SPANISH] BECAUSE AS THE SPEAKER BEFORE ME STATED, THIS IS THE NEW GENERATION THAT THE TEACHERS ARE EDUCATING AND WE HOPE THE BEST FOR THEM. [SPANISH] AND WE NEED MORE TEACHERS TO TEACH IN ENGLISH IN THE PROGRAM'S ESL PROGRAM. [SPANISH]. WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO ALL OF YOU [SPANISH]. THANK YOU VERY MUCH [APPLAUSE]. AT THIS TIME. I'LL CALL THE NEXT FIVE BONILLA SANTOS ROMERO, [INAUDIBLE] ZACARIAS. DINA CONTRERAS, WENDY LITTLE AND AARON LITTLE. VANIA ROMERO. MARIA SANTOS ROMERO. MY NAME IS FARIA SANTOS. I AM HERE BECAUSE I AM SO WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE IN THIS SCHOOL MEADOWBROOK. . DO. AND I SAW THE THIRD PERIOD AND I REALIZED MY CHILD WAS NOT AT SCHOOL. [01:35:16] SO I CALLED MY OLDEST DAUGHTER AND I SENT HER TO SCHOOL TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING. SAY THAT SHE RECEIVED FROM THE SCHOOL WAS AN INSTRUCTION TO GO AND LOOK FOR HER AT THE GAS STATION IN THE WOODS AROUND THERE BECAUSE A LOT OF STUDENTS LEAVE THE SCHOOL WITHOUT THE SCHOOL KNOWLEDGE. SO MY CHILD, MY OLDEST DAUGHTER WENT LOOKING FOR HER SISTER AND SHE WENT TO THE GAS STATION AND THERE IS NEAR THAT THERE IS AN APARTMENT BUILDING. AND SHE SAW VARIOUS STUDENTS PLAYING.MY DAUGHTER, MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER, THE ONE WHO ATTENDS MEADOWBROOK, CAME HOME ON BUS. YOU LEFT IN THE BUS. YES. SO SHE ARRIVED IN THE BUS WITH ANOTHER STUDENT WITH OTHER STUDENTS. AT SCHOOL THAT SEES THE STUDENT LEAVING THE BUS, GETTING OFF THE BUS AND GETTING INSIDE THE SCHOOL OR LEAVING THE BUS AND GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE? SO MY DAUGHTER TELLS ME THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY DOORS EXIT TO EXIT AND ENTER, THAT THEY CAN LEAVE AND THROUGH ANY OF THOSE DOORS WITHOUT ANYBODY KNOWING. SHE ALSO TOLD ME THAT THEY ARE STUDENTS WHO SELL DRUGS AT SCHOOL. DRUGS. SO YOU KNOW THAT THE CHILDREN NOW CAN BE CONNECTED THROUGH TIKTOK, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM. THERE'S TO BE POPULAR. BUT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE ATTITUDE OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE NOWADAYS. WHAT I'M ASKING YOU, IS IF YOU CAN LOOK INTO MAYBE PUT MORE SECURITY IN THE SCHOOLS? AND A BETTER COMMUNICATION FROM THE SCHOOL TO US, THE PARENTS. IF A STUDENT IS ABSENT THREE TIMES. I BELIEVE THAT THE SCHOOL SHOULD LET US KNOW. CHILD WHO IS VERY INTELLIGENT. SHE IS VERY GOOD IN MATH AND SHE IS VERY GOOD BUT I BELIEVE I'M LOSING MY CHILD. THIS SAFETY AT THE SCHOOLS AND I'M ASKING YOU IF YOU CAN HAVE MORE PEOPLE TO TEACHERS OR SECURITY [01:40:04] AND PEOPLE WHO ARE BILINGUAL. AND I AM HERE REPRESENTING MANY PARENTS, FATHERS AND MOTHERS WHO ARE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN. AND I ASK YOU TO PLEASE DO SOMETHING FOR THE BETTERMENT OF EVERYBODY. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. [APPLAUSE] EDRA ZACARIAS. [INAUDIBLE] HE WAS. YEAH, HE SPOKE ON BEHALF OF THAT. DINA QUINTEROS. MY NAME IS. LINDA? DINA. DINAOF THE STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOLS OF MEADOWBROOK AND FALLING CREEK. ESPECIALLY FOR SAFETY, THE SAFETY IN THE SCHOOLS. GOING TO BE SAFE. AND MY CHILD TELLS ME THAT HE HAS SEEN CHILDREN USING DRUGS IN THE SCHOOL BATHROOMS. AND SO HE DOESN'T GO TO THE BATHROOM. AND SO I ASK MYSELF, HOW IS THAT THE CHILDREN CAN BRING DRUGS TO SCHOOL. DETECTOR FOR THE DRUGS. SPANISH] AND HOW ABOUT THE CHILDREN LEAVING THE SCHOOL AT DIFFERENT HOURS WITHOUT THE SCHOOL PERSONNEL KNOWING ABOUT IT? REITERATE THAT THERE IS THERE NEEDS TO BE AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IS SAFETY IN THE SCHOOLS. SO IN HERE I FEEL SAFE. I SEE SECURITY HERE, BUT I'M WONDERING WHY ISN'T THAT THERE'S NOT THE CASE IN THE SCHOOLS BEING SO BIG . [APPLAUSE] AND THAT WORRIES US VERY MUCH BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS A PARENT, YOU KNOW YOUR CHILD. BUT BEING IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF DRUGS AND NO SAFE PLACE, HE CAN TURN THE OTHER WAY. AND THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT THEY EVERY COMMUNICATION I RECEIVE FROM SCHOOL IS IN ENGLISH. [01:45:05] SO THEY SEND ME THE REPORT CARD IN ENGLISH . SO SOMETIMES THEY LET US KNOW THAT THE BUS IS GOING TO BE LATE, BUT SOMETIMES THEY DON'T. AND THEN MY CHILD IS OUT THERE WAITING FOR 15-20 MINUTES AND THE COLD WEATHER IS COMING. HE CANNOT GO BACK HOME BECAUSE HE MISSES THE BUS. BECAUSE IF THE TEACHERS ARE SAFE, WE KNOW THAT THE STUDENTS FEEL SAFE. [APPLAUSE] WENDY LITTLE. GREETINGS, WENDY LITTLE AGAIN. I WOULD LIKE TO IMPLORE EVERYONE TO PLEASE REVIEW THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING FROM APRIL 12TH I BELIEVE THE DATE WAS WHEN I SPOKE TWICE. MAYBE DON'T WAIT TWO WEEKS FOR THAT. SO I HAVE A LOT THAT I WANT TO DISCUSS BECAUSE I ALWAYS DO IN SUPPORT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS. GETTING INVOLVED. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GO TO SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, NOTHING HAPPENS. WE TALKED TO SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. NOTHING HAPPENS. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO GET INVOLVED, LIKE FILING 6130 F THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD JUST MIGHT THE SCHOOL DIVISION MIGHT COMPLETELY IGNORE. BUT YOU CAN ALSO FILE OCRS. SOUNDS LIKE SOME FOLKS IN HERE COULD USE SOME OF THAT HELP SOME STATE COMPLAINTS. AND MAYBE IF YOU GET SOME EXTERNAL ATTENTION, MAYBE THINGS WILL IMPROVE THAT NEED TO BE IMPROVED. THE SCHOOL DIVISION HAS BLOCKED MY ACCESS TO STAFF WHO DON'T RETURN EMAILS, CALLS, NOTHING. LACK OF ACCESS AND INFORMATION. ALL OF THAT IS DISCRIMINATORY AND RETALIATORY BECAUSE I NEEDED TO PERFORM CIVIL ACTIONS FOR MY SON. AND I HAVE A LOT OF THINGS HERE THAT I WOULD JUST BASICALLY LEAVE THINGS GONE UNANSWERED, THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE. I ALSO HAD MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, I DO A LOT OF CHARTS AND THINGS IN SUPPORT OF OUR KIDS, AND I JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE JUST FORGETTING TO WE'RE CELEBRATING A LOT OF FAILURE, IT SEEMS, OR JUST FAILING TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT AT ALL. YOU KNOW, SO THESE ARE SOME CHARTS AND I'VE SEEN YOU'VE ALL SEEN THEM BEFORE. THE DECLINE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION PERFORMANCE REPORTS, THE DECLINE IN MAPS, COMBINED READING AND MATH DATA. THE KIDS DID BETTER AFTER THE PANDEMIC, INITIALLY HIT AN SCHOOL WENT OUT AND THEIR FIRST MAPS BACK. THEY DID BETTER IN READING. YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE THEY READ BOOKS. THEY HAD NOTHING ELSE TO DO FOR A WHILE. THEY READ A LOT MORE BOOKS. I ALSO HAVE I DON'T HAVE THE I'VE BEEN A LITTLE BUSY LATELY. I DON'T HAVE THE UPDATED SOLS, BUT I'LL LEAVE THAT. MY LAST THING I WANT TO DO IS SHARE A LETTER WITH YOU IN THE PUBLIC. YOU ALL HAVE GOTTEN A COPY OF THIS. THIS IS FROM THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR. MRS. LITTLE, THANK YOU FOR CONTACTING THE OFFICE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR REGARDING YOUR CONCERNS WITH CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND YOUR SPECIAL NEEDS SON. THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR TAKES YOUR CONCERNS SERIOUSLY IN HOPES THAT BY CONTACTING THIS OFFICE, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND HELP PROVIDE A SOLUTION FOR THE ISSUE. A STAFF MEMBER FROM THIS OFFICE HAS CONTACTED SCOTT REINER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES IN ORDER TO BRING UP LIGHT TO YOUR UNIQUE SITUATION, WE [01:50:06] PASSED YOUR NAME, CONTACT INFORMATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE NATURE OF YOUR ISSUE TO THEIR AGENCY. WE HAVE ASKED THE AGENCY TO CONTACT YOU SO YOU CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIRECTLY ADVOCATE FOR YOUR NEEDS. OTHER AGENCIES ARE INVOLVED AND OTHERS ARE TO THANK YOU. SO AARON WAS UNABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT. SO IT HAPPENS A LOT. IT JUST IS WHAT IT IS. IT'S NOT FUN OR EASY FOR HIM. AM I ABLE TO HAVE SOMEONE READ HIS COMMENTS? BECAUSE I GUESS I'M NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT. WE CAN HAVE ELKE OUR SCHOOL BOARD CLERK READ THE LETTER. THAT'S FINE. HI, MY NAME IS AARON LITTLE. WENDY LITTLE IS MY MOM. I SEE HER CRY ALMOST EVERY DAY AND BE STRESSED OUT BECAUSE THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PEOPLE HAVE MADE IT SO I CAN'T GO TO SCHOOL. AND THE ENTIRE FIRST NINE WEEKS WILL BE OVER SOON. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? I ALREADY HAVE TO RETAKE EIGHTH GRADE AND I'M MISSING ALL OF THAT NOW. AGAIN, I THINK MY LAST LETTER SAID, WHAT DID I EVER DO TO DESERVE THIS BAD TREATMENT FOR SO MANY YEARS? I'M A KID WITH A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON, INCLUDING AUTISM, ADHD, ANXIETY, MOOD DISORDER, UNSPECIFIC CONDUCT AND IMPULSE CONTROL DISORDER, AND THEN MEDICALLY [INAUDIBLE] FOOT AND ANKLE PROBLEMS SO THAT I'M WAITING ON PERMANENT ORTHOTICS RIGHT NOW, SCOLIOSIS AND SPINAL BIFIDA, AND MOST RECENTLY PROBABLY DIABETES ALSO, AND THYROID ISSUES AS CHECKED JUST TODAY. I MAY ALSO HAVE AN AUTOIMMUNE DISORDER WHICH IS ALSO BEING CHECKED ON. AND WE STARTED THAT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC AND IT GOT HALTED. AND WE HAVE STARTED CHECKING ON THAT AGAIN. NEXT WEEK WE'RE SCHEDULED FOR SHRINERS HOSPITAL OUT OF STATE AGAIN NEXT WEEK TO SEE IF SPECIALISTS CAN COME TOGETHER AND SEE IF THERE ARE WAYS TO HELP ME OUT IN MANY WAYS. NEXT WEEK WE SEE NEUROLOGY AND GI. I'VE HAD THREE NEUROLOGISTS HERE AT HOME AT ONE TIME SO MY MOM COULD TRY TO HELP FIGURE OUT THINGS AND FIND THE RIGHT TREATMENTS AND THERAPIES OR WHATEVER TO HELP ME OUT AND GET A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE. I NEED A LOT OF HELP AND SUPPORT AND WE HAVE NO HELP AND SUPPORT AT ALL. THE SCHOOL REFUSES OVER AND OVER TO GIVE A SIMPLE STATEMENT THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN IN SCHOOL SO MY MOM CAN ACCESS DAYTIME CARE FOR ME, SO SHE CAN DO THINGS SHE NEEDS TO DO. THIS IS ALL JUST SO UNFAIR. MY MOM SHOULDN'T HAVE TO CRY EVERY DAY BECAUSE SHE HAS TO WORK SO HARD FOR ME AND MY RIGHTS AND NEEDS. WHY? WHY ISN'T THERE ANYONE WHO IS WILLING TO HELP AARON? [APPLAUSE] THE NEXT FIVE COMMENT PUBLIC COMMENT SPEAKERS ARE MARILOU JUAREZ, CLAUDIA QUINTANILLA, SANDRA GARCIA, DOMINIQUE CHATTERS, AND KATE FLYNN. MAY WE HAVE MARILOU JUAREZ? CLAUDIA QUINTANILLA. SANDRA GARCIA. DOMINIQUE CHATTERS. GOOD EVENING. I HAVE THREE THINGS I WANTED TO ADDRESS. FIRST, I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO MS. BAILEY FOR ATTENDING THE BOND REFERENDUM DISCUSSION AT [INAUDIBLE] LIBRARY. IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE AND I APPRECIATED HER ATTENDANCE. I WOULD ASK THAT IN THE FUTURE, WHICH IS NOT YOUR LANE, BUT IF WE CAN DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, IS THAT WE CAN PRIORITIZE THAT LIST OF SCHOOLS. SO I'M SURE YOU HAD A WISH LIST OF THINGS THAT YOU HAD TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY CHERRY PICK THE LIST OFF OF YOU GUYS OR WHAT, BUT IN THE FUTURE, IF THERE'S SOMETHING YOU NEED US TO DO TO HELP GET WHAT YOU WANT DONE ON THAT LIST, THEN ACTIVATE US SO WE CAN HELP YOU. BECAUSE I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE PRIORITIZED SCHOOLS THAT ARE OVERCROWDED VERSUS SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT. [01:55:03] BECAUSE IN THAT SLIDE DECK THAT WAS BRIEFED BY MR. HOLLAND'S STAFF, THEY SHOWED THE CAPACITIES OF THOSE SCHOOLS THAT THEY'RE REBUILDING OR BUILDING BRAND NEW AND THEY HAVE SPACE. BUT IN DALE DISTRICT, WE HAVE TRAILERS, RIGHT? HOPKINS HAS TRAILERS. HENING HAS THE MEGA TRAILER. AND IF WE'RE GOING TO BE HONEST, THE MEGA TRAILER IS NICE, BUT IT'S NOT SECURE. WOULD YOU WANT YOUR CHILD IN THE HARD BUILDING OR WOULD YOU WANT YOUR CHILD INSIDE THE MEGA TRAILER? SO THE MEGA TRAILER IS NOT THE ANSWER, BUT I KNOW THAT'S NOT ON YOU GUYS. SO AGAIN, IF YOU NEEDED MORE PARENT INVOLVEMENT TO ACTIVATE US, TO PUSH FOR THEM TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU NEEDED OR WANTED FOR THE REFERENDUM, PLEASE DO THAT NEXT TIME. SECOND, IF THERE'S ANY WAY WE CAN GET MORE INFORMATION ON THE FUNDING SPLIT BETWEEN CCPS AND PARKS AND REC. SO DURING THAT MEETING I LEARNED THAT SOME OF THE SCHOOLS ARE USED FOR PARKS AND REC, SO THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF MONEY TO FIX CERTAIN THINGS. PARENTS DON'T KNOW THAT. CORRECTION I DO NOT KNOW THAT THERE MIGHT BE PARENTS IN THE ROOM WHO KNEW THAT ALREADY, BUT IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN I NEED TO BE REACHING OUT TO PARKS AND REC TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT THE FACILITIES THAT THEY'RE USING, THAT THEY'RE NOT MAINTAINING THAT HAPPENED TO BENEFIT OR AT THE DETRIMENT OF OUR STUDENTS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE TRACKS OR THE ATHLETIC FIELDS. AND FINALLY, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT LET THE TEACHERS TEACH. AND I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY. LET'S START WITH LETTING THEM TEACH THE TRUTH. WE CAN START WITH THINGS THAT ARE EASY THAT WE CAN ALL AGREE ON. LIKE WHAT YESTERDAY WAS. IT WASN'T COLUMBUS DAY, IT WAS INDIGENOUS PEOPLE DAY. WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT COLUMBUS DID NOT DISCOVER AMERICA. WE CAN AGREE THAT SLAVERY, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN'S HISTORY DID NOT BEGIN WITH SLAVERY HERE IN VIRGINIA. WE CAN AGREE ON A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS THAT ARE EASY AND THAT WE CAN HANDLE. AND I WANT US TO START HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS NOW BEFORE THE POTENTIAL CHANGES TO THE HISTORY [INAUDIBLE] COME OUT. SO WE'RE ALL PAYING ATTENTION. YOU HAVE OUR SUPPORT. IF YOU NEED TO ACTIVATE YOUR PARENTS, PLEASE LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN HELP YOU, BECAUSE WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE HAPPEN IS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OTHER STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHERE WE'RE DOING REVERSIONIST HISTORY. TALKING ABOUT GEOGRAPHIC RELOCATION IS REALLY WHAT SLAVERY HAPPENED, OR THAT SLAVERY WAS A CHOICE. WE DON'T NEED TO BRING THOSE MORONIC CONCEPTS HERE IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, AND I KNOW YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT, BUT IF YOU NEED OUR SUPPORT TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T GET PUSHED ON YOU, PLEASE LET US KNOW. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] KATE FLYNN. I'M GOING TO CALL THE NEXT FIVE CALLERS ANN TATUS, ASHLEY [INAUDIBLE], LUCILLE ELLIOTT, EMERSON [INAUDIBLE], CATHERINE COSTANOLA. ANN TATUS. I THINK THAT WE'VE DRIFTED SO FAR AWAY FROM REALITY IN THAT EVERYBODY'S FEELINGS HAVE TO MATTER. AND THAT STARTED DECADES AGO WITH POLITICAL CORRECTNESS. AND IT'S TIME THAT WE GET A LITTLE BIT UNCOMFORTABLE AND A LITTLE BIT UN POLITICALLY CORRECT AND ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT. PARENTAL RIGHTS ARE A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT. THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF PARENTS TO DIRECT THE UPBRINGING AND EDUCATION OF THEIR MINOR CHILDREN IS IN THE VIRGINIA CONSTITUTION 1-240.1 YOU GUYS KNOW THAT ONE. A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT AND THIS WOULD BE PALKO V. CONNECTICUT. FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS ARE RIGHTS THAT ARE SO IMPLICIT IN THE CONCEPT OF ORDERED LIBERTY THAT NEITHER LIBERTY OR JUSTICE WOULD EXIST IF THEY WERE SACRIFICED. YET ON AUGUST 10TH, 2021, YOU ADOPTED A TRANSGENDER MODEL POLICY, REMOVING PARENTS IN ADDITION TO ADHERING TO ALL LEGAL STANDARDS OF CONFIDENTIALITY, SCHOOL PERSONNEL SHALL TREAT INFORMATION RELATING TO STUDENTS TRANSGENDER STATUS AS BEING PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE. AND IT LISTS A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE INCLUDING PARENT OR GUARDIAN UPON REQUEST. [02:00:01] IT'S NOT YOUR JOB. YOU DON'T GET TO REMOVE PARENTS. AND THEN I'LL GO ON AND THERE'S A LIST OF SUPREME COURT CASES THAT HAVE OVER AND OVER. OKAY. THE LIBERTY OF PARENTS TO DIRECT THE UPBRINGING AND CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN. THAT WOULD BE 1925 PIERCE V. SOCIETY OF SISTERS IS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT. YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS, MR. ROBERTS. IN 2000, TROXEL V GRANVILLE GAVE A LIST OF CASES. WISCONSIN V YODER 1972 THE PRIMARY ROLE OF PARENTS IN THE UPBRINGING OF THEIR CHILDREN IS NOW ESTABLISHED BEYOND DEBATE AS AN ENDURING AMERICAN TRADITION. QUILLOIN V WALCOTT, 1978. WE RECOGNIZE AND IN NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THAT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARENT AND CHILD IS CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED. SANTOSKY V. KRAMER, 1982. THE FUNDAMENTAL LIBERTY INTERESTS OF NATURAL PARENTS IN THE CARE, CUSTODY AND MANAGEMENT OF THEIR CHILDREN. IN LIGHT OF THIS EXTENSIVE PRECEDENT, IT CANNOT NOW BE DOUBTED THAT THE DUE PROCESS CLAUSE OF THE 14TH AMENDMENT PROTECTS THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF PARENTS TO MAKE DECISIONS CONCERNING THE CARE, CUSTODY AND CONTROL OF THEIR CHILDREN. NEITHER THE UNITED STATES NOR ANY STATE SHALL INFRINGE UPON THESE RIGHTS WITHOUT DEMONSTRATING THE GOVERNMENT'S INTEREST AS APPLIED TO THE PERSON OR THE HIGHEST ORDER OTHERWISE SERVED. WHILE PARENTAL RIGHTS DO NOT INCLUDE A RIGHT TO COMMIT ABUSE OR NEGLECT A CHILD, THEY ARE DO THE SAME HIGH LEGAL PROTECTION AS OTHER FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS. FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO OUR FREEDOM AS AMERICANS. THE GOVERNMENT MUST MEET A HEIGHTENED BURDEN OF PROOF IN ORDER TO RESTRICT THOSE RIGHTS. THANK YOU. MS. TATUS. THESE ARE FACTS. THESE ARE NOT FEELINGS. MADAM CHAIR, MADAM CHAIR MAY HAVE A POINT OF CLARIFICATION. YES MS. HEFFRON. THE CLERK DID MENTION AT THE START OF PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD THAT SPEAKERS ARE REMINDED THAT COMMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND NOT TO INDIVIDUAL STAFF MEMBERS. I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD REMIND SPEAKERS OF THE SAME. PLEASE ADHERE TO THE RULES OF OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND REFRAIN FROM ADDRESSING INDIVIDUALS. THANK YOU. ASHLEY [INAUDIBLE] DID I DO IT RIGHT? YEAH YOU DID GOOD. GOOD JOB. THANK YOU, ASHLEY [INAUDIBLE]. LET ME FIRST SAY I APPRECIATE YOU AND THE CCPS LEADERSHIP TEAM. THIS IS A PERSONAL ACCOUNT OF THE LAST MONTHS LOCKOUT AND GENERAL OBSERVATION OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH, MY FAMILY RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM MIDLOTHIAN MIDDLE SCHOOL'S PRINCIPAL STATING THIS. I AM WRITING THIS AFTERNOON TO SHARE THAT WE HAD SEVERAL STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN A SAFE, PLANNED PROTEST ON OUR SCHOOL'S UPPER FIELDS. STUDENTS MET ON THEIR OWN TO PLAN A SAFE WALK OUT TODAY, BEGINNING AT 9 A.M. AFTER CHECKING IN THEIR MUSTANG MORNING CLASSROOM. TODAY'S EVENT WAS NOT A SCHOOL SPONSORED ACTIVITY. HOWEVER, ADMINISTRATION COUNSELORS AND SUPPORT STAFF WERE ALL ON HAND TO ENSURE STUDENT SAFETY HERE AT MIDLO MIDDLE. OUR SCHOOL IS HERE TO PROVIDE A SAFE, SUPPORTIVE, CARING COMMUNITY FOR ALL STUDENTS. PLEASE KNOW THAT AT THIS TIME EACH STUDENT IS SAFE AND HAS REPORTED TO THEIR RESPECTIVE CLASSROOMS AND OUR DAY HAS CONTINUED. WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ALL STUDENTS, THEIR VOICES, AND THEIR RIGHT TO CONGREGATE IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. THE WORD SAFE WAS WRONGLY USED NO LESS THAN SIX TIMES, AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT THE DISRUPTION WAS SCHOOL SPONSORED. AS A PARENT, READING THE CLAIM THAT THE WALKOUT WASN'T SCHOOL SPONSORED, HONESTLY FELT LIKE THE LOGIC MY MIDDLE SCHOOLERS WOULD HAVE USED TO DO SOMETHING THEY KNEW WAS WRONG. THE LOGIC IS ABSURD. HERE IS CCPS SCHOOL BOARD POLICY, WHICH MR. HARTER DID STATE IN PART. THE SCHOOL BOARD EXPECTS A HIGH STANDARD OF STUDENT CONDUCT TO ENSURE AN ATMOSPHERE CONDUCIVE TO TEACHING AND LEARNING FREE OF DISRUPTION AND THREAT TO PERSON OR PROPERTY AND SUPPORTIVE OF INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS. STUDENTS AND STAFF HAVE A PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR CREATING A CLIMATE OF MUTUAL RESPECT, HONESTY AND TRUST IN EACH SCHOOL IN ORDER THAT THE DIGNITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL IS PROTECTED AND THE POTENTIAL OF EACH STUDENT MAY BE REALIZED. LET'S BE CLEAR THE ONLY SAFE, SUPPORTIVE AND CARING PLACE FOR ALL ADMINISTRATION STAFF AND STUDENTS IS IN THE SCHOOL BUILDING WHERE THEY'RE PREPARED TO FACILITATE OR RECEIVE INSTRUCTION IN AN EXCELLENT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. CCPS LEADERSHIP IS DOING A GRAVE DISSERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR CONDONING SUCH TOXIC AND DISRUPTIVE ACTIVITIES. NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE WITHIN THE PAST SIX MONTHS. FRIENDS, I EXPECT MORE FROM OUR LEADERSHIP. OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES BETTER. WE'VE ALL JUST WALKED THROUGH THE STRAINS OF COVID TOGETHER, AND I IMPLORE YOU NOT TO ALLOW OUR KIDS AND FAMILIES TO BE USED AS PAWNS IN THE HIGHLY POLITICIZED CLIMATE CREATED [02:05:01] BY ACTIVISTS. BECAUSE I'LL TELL YOU, 2023S ELECTION CYCLE WILL BE BRUTAL HERE IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, DIVIDING TEACHERS AND PARENTS EVEN MORE THAN I FEEL THAT WE ARE RIGHT NOW. I'M ALREADY SEEING THE ACTIVISM CREEP UP THROUGH VARIOUS PTAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS RACE. WHY IS THAT HAPPENING? FINALLY, ANYONE LISTENING? PLEASE START PETITIONING FOR SCHOOL CHOICE AND EDUCATIONAL SAVINGS ACCOUNTS FOR OUR STUDENTS IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. LUCILLE ELLIOTT. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LUCILLE ELLIOTT, AND I'M A STUDENT AT APPOMATTOX REGIONAL GOVERNOR SCHOOL, WHICH DOES NOT DIRECTLY FALL UNDER THIS BOARD BUT IS AFFECTED BY IT. AND ADDITIONALLY, I HAVE MANY CLOSE FRIENDS AND CLASSMATES WHO ARE AFFECTED BY THIS BOARD. I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE TOPIC OF GOVERNOR YOUNGKIN'S NEW MODEL POLICIES. SOON, THE CHESTERFIELD SCHOOL BOARD WILL HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER TO REJECT OR PASS THEM. THESE NEW REGULATIONS, FRANKLY, ARE RIDICULOUS. THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION'S MODEL POLICIES WORKED PERFECTLY WELL, RESPECTED THE RIGHTS THAT EACH STUDENT AS THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL HUMAN HAS TO SELF AUTONOMY. SOME PARTIES STILL OPPOSE THIS POLICIES AND THAT IS WELL WITHIN THEIR RIGHT. PERHAPS THERE COULD HAVE BEEN ADJUSTMENTS MADE. YET THESE NEW POLICIES FROM GOVERNOR YOUNGKIN GO FAR BEYOND MINOR COMPROMISE. THESE POLICIES DID NOT ONLY REVOKE THE PREVIOUS POLICIES, THEY DUG THEIR HEELS IN AND TIGHTENED RESTRICTIONS FURTHER THAN THEY EVER HAD BEEN BEFORE. UNDER THESE NEW GUIDELINES, EACH AND EVERY STUDENT, QUEER OR NOT, WILL SEE THEIR RIGHTS TO PRIVACY STRIPPED. I NOT AN ADULT, TEACHER OR REPRESENTATIVE. I A STUDENT ORGANIZED MY CLASSMATES IN ARG'S AND GREATER CHESTERFIELD TO WALK OUT OR PARTICIPATE IN OTHER ACTIONS ON SEPTEMBER 27TH. BECAUSE MISSING A SINGLE CLASS BLOCK IS NOTHING COMPARED TO THE SHEER PAIN THESE POLICIES WILL CAUSE. THE POLICIES DO NOT KEEP KIDS SAFE. IN FACT, UNDER THESE POLICIES, STUDENTS WILL FIND THEMSELVES AFRAID, AFRAID THAT THEY CANNOT VOICE THEIR OWN WORRIES AND EMOTIONS WITHOUT BEING REPORTED. THESE NEW POLICIES ENCOURAGE TEACHERS AND STAFF TO SPY ON THEIR STUDENTS, AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT ALLOWS THEM TO BE ACTIVELY MALICIOUS TOWARDS THEM. I HAVE FRIENDS WHO HAVE EXPRESSED TERROR AT THESE POLICIES. THEY ARE SCARED THEY WILL BE KICKED OUT, EVEN DISOWNED. AND I AM TERRIFIED FOR THEM. NO STUDENT SHOULD HAVE TO SIT IN CLASS STRICKEN WITH FEAR THAT THEY OR THEIR FRIEND IS UNSAFE SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THEIR IDENTITY. BUT HERE WE ARE. WE ARE SCARED. TO THE CHESTERFIELD SCHOOL BOARD. I BEG YOU TO REJECT THESE POLICIES WHICH DO NOTHING TO IMPROVE OUR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] EMERSON [INAUDIBLE]. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS EMERSON [INAUDIBLE], AND I AM A QUEER TRANS STUDENT IN OF CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL. I ATTEND THOMAS DALE HIGH SCHOOL. I BELIEVE WE ARE BEING USED AS PAWNS IN OUR POLITICAL FIGURES GAMES. THEY TELL US THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO IDENTIFY AS OUR TRUE SELVES, BUT WE HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO BIRTH A CHILD. WE ARE CHILDREN. WE ARE CHILDREN BEING DICTATED BY POLITICIANS THAT WOULD NEVER EVEN THINK ABOUT TAKING THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND US. THESE PROPOSED POLICIES TAKE AWAY OUR RIGHT TO SURVIVE. WE, AS CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC STUDENTS, MUST ALL STAND NOW. OUR VOICES WILL BE HEARD. YOU MATTER. AND YOU ARE CARED FOR. AND TO THE ONES WHO CHOOSE TO REMAIN SILENT, NEUTRALITY IN THIS SITUATION OF INJUSTICE WOULD SHOW YOU TAKING THE SIDE OF THE OPPRESSOR. MY GENDER IDENTITY IS NOT UP FOR DEBATE. WE MUST ACTIVELY STAND AGAINST THE MISTREATMENT OF OUR QUEER AND TRANS SIBLINGS FOR THE FUTURE OF TRANS KIDS IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY I URGE THE BOARD TO REJECT GOVERNOR YOUNGKIN'S NEW MODEL POLICIES IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CATHERINE CASTAGNOLA. GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR. AND THE BOARD. I'M CATHERINE CASTAGNOLA. I'M CURRENTLY A STUDENT, A SENIOR AT COSBY HIGH SCHOOL. MY FAVORITE SUBJECT IS CALCULUS. BUT I MEAN, YOU DIDN'T NEED TO KNOW THAT. I WILL BE MENTIONING SOME HEAVY TOPICS, SO PLEASE BE PREPARED. THESE HEAVY STORIES OR EXPERIENCES THAT YOU GUYS ARE HEARING ARE WHAT YOUR STUDENTS ARE LIVING THROUGH CURRENTLY. SO PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND. [02:10:04] SPECIFICALLY, I WANT TO RELATE MENTAL HEALTH TO THE EXPERIENCE OF THE LGBTQ STUDENTS IN YOUR CLASSROOMS, YOUR SCHOOL'S, YOUR JURISDICTION ESSENTIALLY. I USED TO BE A STUDENT AT CLOVER HILL. SOMEONE THERE KILLED THEMSELVES BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF SUPPORT THEY RECEIVED FOR BEING QUEER AND FOR THE ACADEMIC WORKLOAD THEY HAD. I HAD SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AT ONE POINT BECAUSE OF THE HOMOPHOBIA I EXPERIENCED, AND TO HEAR THIS DIMINISHED DOWN TO AN ISSUE OF PARENTS RIGHTS. IT REALLY HURTS BECAUSE WE FEEL, ME AND MY FRIENDS BEING WE. WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE NOT BEING LISTENED TO AS PEOPLE, BUT RATHER PAWNS AND WE'RE NOT BEING TREATED EQUALLY TO OTHER PEOPLE. I AM BETTER NOW. UNFORTUNATELY, THE FRIEND WHO HAD PASSED, I TRIED TO KEEP THEM IN MY MEMORY. I IMPLORE YOU TO REJECT THESE CRUEL POLICIES PROPOSED BY THE VDOE SO THAT TOGETHER WE CAN CREATE AND MAINTAIN AN EQUITABLE AND VIVID ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS, AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY FOR CCPS. THANK YOU. THE NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS ARE JENNIFER MCMURDY, JOHN WARD, MELISSA SIDDIQUI, MAX GOLDSMITH AND ALEX MCMURDY. MAY WE HAVE JENNIFER MCMURDY? GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JENNIFER MCMURDY AND I'M A PARENT OF THREE TEENAGERS IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY. ONE OF MY CHILDREN, ALEX, IS HERE TONIGHT AND IS A MEMBER OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY. ALEX HAS A LOVING HOME, AN ACCEPTING FAMILY, AND SOME OF THE MOST SUPPORTIVE TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATION ANY STUDENT OR PARENT COULD ASK FOR FROM A SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND STILL, ALEX HAS STRUGGLED WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH SO MUCH SO THAT TWO YEARS AGO I FOUND MYSELF IN THE BACK OF AN AMBULANCE, UNSURE AS TO WHETHER MY CHILD WOULD LIVE OR DIE. I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT UNTIL YOU LIVE THAT MOMENT, YOU HAVE NO IDEA THE FEAR THAT RUNS THROUGH YOUR SOUL. YOU MAKE MANY PROMISES TO GOD, TO THE UNIVERSE, AND TO WHOMEVER WILL LISTEN. ONE OF THE MANY PROMISES I MADE THAT NIGHT TO BOTH MYSELF AND TO ALEX WAS THAT I WOULD CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE ALEX FELT LOVED AND SUPPORTED NO MATTER WHAT. I PROMISE THAT ABOVE ANYTHING ELSE, I WOULD ALWAYS BE TEAM ALEX. SOMETIMES TEAM ALEX MEANS SITTING IN THE STANDS AT A LACROSSE GAME, SITTING IN THE SIDELINES AT FIELD HOCKEY PRACTICE, OR CHEERING IN THE AUDIENCE AFTER A CHORUS PERFORMANCE. BUT TONIGHT, BEING PART OF TEAM ALEX MEANS STANDING HERE, SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THE DANGER OF GOVERNOR YOUNGKIN'S NEW POLICIES AND THEIR POLICIES THAT WILL HAVE A TERRIBLE EFFECT ON OUR COMMUNITY. I SAY ON OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THE EFFECTS WILL RUN DEEP. THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE FELT BY PARENTS WHO WILL FIND THEMSELVES DESPERATE TO COMBAT THE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES THEIR CHILDREN WILL FACE BY TEACHERS WHO WILL FIND THEMSELVES IN A POSITION TO OUT STUDENTS TO THEIR PARENTS AND DENY STUDENTS THE BASIC HUMAN RESPECT OF A PREFERRED PRONOUN. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, BY OUR TRANSGENDER STUDENTS WHO WILL FEEL LESS SUPPORT, LESS LOVE AND LESS ACCEPTANCE. GOVERNOR YOUNGKIN AND THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAVE PROPOSED A SET MODEL POLICY THAT TARGET LGBTQ STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS. NO MATTER WHAT YOUR RELIGIOUS OR NON-RELIGIOUS BELIEFS MAY BE CHILDREN SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO DISCRIMINATION, INTOLERANCE, DISRESPECT JUST FOR BEING THEMSELVES. THIS POLICY WILL LEAD OUR CHILDREN TO FEELING REJECTED AND ISOLATED. YOU THINK OF A PERSON LIKE ALEX SURROUNDED BY SUPPORT AND LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE, AND STILL IT IS GUT WRENCHINGLY DIFFICULT AND INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING. AND THEN YOU THINK OF THE KIDS THAT DON'T HAVE A MOM OR DAD ON THEIR TEAM. SOMETIMES TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATION, OTHER TRUSTED ADULTS, INCLUDING THE SCHOOL BOARD, ARE THE ONLY ONES SHOWING THEM THE UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE THEY DESERVE. SO AS PART OF TEAM ALEX, AND ON BEHALF OF ALL STUDENTS WHO HAVE ENOUGH CHALLENGES, SIMPLY TRYING TO BE WHO THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE, PLEASE STAND WITH US IN REJECTING THESE HARMFUL POLICIES. THAT WAS WHAT I INITIALLY WROTE. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT MY CHILD IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE GSA AT COSBY. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. I HOPE THAT AS MUCH PRAISE GOES INTO THESE KIDS THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT, TAKING THE RIGHT ROUTE MA'AM, I'M SORRY, MA'AM, YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED. [02:15:09] JOHN WARD. [APPLAUSE] WELL, GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR BEING A BEACON OF LIGHT, MR. HARTER WITH YOUR WORDS EARLIER. I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS SOMETHING THAT WAS STATED BY MERV EARLIER WITH THE PAST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. HOW DARE YOU IN OUR LAST MEETING TRY TO ATTACK PARENTS FOR IMPLYING THAT WE ARE OVERSTEPPING OUR BOUNDARIES AND ATTACKING TEACHERS. IT IS OUR RIGHT TO TELL YOU AND ALL TEACHERS HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THE HORRENDOUS TEACHING IN RECENT YEARS AT CCPS. YOU'VE IGNORED EVERY SINGLE PARENT WHO SPOKE ABOUT THEIR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN. ONE PARENT WAS HERE FIVE DIFFERENT TIMES THAT I WITNESSED PLEADING TO YOU TO HELP HER SEVERELY HANDICAPPED SON WHO WAS SITTING IN HIS FECES DAILY. NOT ONCE DID YOU SHOW AN OUNCE OF EMPATHY. YOUR CLASSLESS SILENCE BELLOWED WHAT YOU TRULY FELT, WHICH IS THAT THIS CHILD'S ISSUES WERE INSIGNIFICANT TO YOU. IT WASN'T TILL HER SON SPOKE WITH MUCH DIFFICULTY DID YOU SAY SOMETHING? I WONDER IF THE ADA WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW HIS MOTHER WAS TOLD NOT TO HELP HIM SPEAK. YOUR HOLLOW WORDS OF WE HAVE DONE A LOT FOR SPECIAL NEEDS WERE A WASTE OF YOUR BREATH. YOU CANNOT GIVE CLEAR EXAMPLES OF WHAT YOU DID TO ADDRESS HER SITUATION LAST YEAR NOR THIS YEAR. GOD HAS US TO SPEAK UP FOR WEAK AND WEARY. I'M NOT HERE TO MAKE YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE. I NEVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT I WOULD WITNESS SUCH GROTESQUE STUPIDITY AND NEGLIGENCE AT A COMMUNITY LEVEL OR NATIONAL LEVEL. I STAND CORRECTED. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD WITNESS STRONG MEN WHO HAVE STRONG MORAL CONVICTIONS BEING CALLED TOXIC MALES BECAUSE THE WOKE WEAK PORTIONS OF SOCIETY HAVE SUCH FRAGILE FEELINGS THAT WHEN FACED WITH GOD FEARING MORAL CHARACTERS, THEY SHATTER. WE HAVE WITNESSED DEGRADATION OF SOCIETY THAT IS BEING GROWN FROM THE SEEDLINGS OF OUR YOUTH TO THORNS AND BRIERS. JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, [INAUDIBLE] UNDER THE INFLUENCE AND REQUEST OF A WOKE LIBRARIAN, MS. ROBERTSON. NUMEROUS QUESTIONABLE THINGS HAPPENED. FIRST, BEING A KINDERGARTNER WHO CHECKED OUT A TRANSGENDER BOOK CALLED I'M NOT A GIRL. THEN BETWEEN ME AND BETWEEN US AND [INAUDIBLE] BEING READ FOR KINDERGARTNERS. IT'S OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THIS SOCIAL JUSTICE [INAUDIBLE] IS PUSHING HER IDEOLOGY INTO THE MINDS OF OUR CHILDREN AND NOT AT THE BEHEST OR REQUESTS OF PARENTS, BUT BY HER POWER ABUSING, PERVERSE GROOMING. MIND THE I'M NOT A GIRL BOOK. THIS NEEDS TO STOP, ESPECIALLY AT THE ELEMENTARY AGE. STOP SEXUALIZING OUR CHILDREN. THIS TOXIC TRANSGENDER GROOMING OF CHILDREN AND PUSHING CONFUSION AS THEIR MALLEABLE MINDS IS DAMAGING TO THEM. AND ONE THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE FOR THE KIND TO DO IS TO ACTUALLY HAVE SOME MORE COUNSELING FOR THESE STUDENTS WHO MAY BE GOING THROUGH THEIR PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS, WHETHER IT'S WITH TRANSGENDER DYSPHORIA AND IF THEY ARE GOING THROUGH DEPRESSION. THEY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS TO SEE ANOTHER CHILD DIE. MELISSA SADIKI. MAX GOLDSMITH. HELLO, MY NAME IS MAX GOLDSMITH AND I AM A JUNIOR AT COSBY HIGH SCHOOL. IN MID SEPTEMBER, VIRGINIA'S GOVERNOR GLENN YOUNGKIN INTRODUCED NEW DRAFT MODEL POLICIES WHICH SEVERELY RESTRICT THE RIGHTS AND VISIBILITY OF TRANSGENDER AND QUEER STUDENTS. THESE POLICIES SILENCE THEM AND PUT THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF NOT JUST QUEER STUDENTS, BUT ALL STUDENTS AT RISK. LGBTQ+ TEENS ARE MORE THAN FOUR TIMES MORE LIKELY TO CONSIDER OR ATTEMPT SUICIDE THAN THE AVERAGE TEEN. THIS NUMBER BEING EVEN HIGHER FOR LGBTQIA+ PEOPLE OF COLOR. MOREOVER, THESE OPPRESSIVE GUIDELINES ARE A TRAVESTY TO THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY AND ONLY STRENGTHENS BIAS AGAINST US. EVERY MORNING DURING THE ANNOUNCEMENTS AT COSBY HIGH SCHOOL, A MOTTO IS RECITED. COSBY WHERE WE STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE IN EVERYTHING. WE NEED TO MAKE IT KNOWN THAT THAT EVERYTHING NEEDS TO INCLUDE INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, AND RESPECT FOR OUR SUPERIORS AND OUR PEERS IN SCHOOLS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE, ETHNIC BACKGROUND, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, RELIGION, GENDER, OR GENDER IDENTITY. I URGE FOR THE SUPPORT FROM OUR HARDWORKING ADMINISTRATION, SCHOOL BOARD AND GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES. YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON OUR BEHALF AND STUDENTS AT NOT JUST COSBY, BUT IN ALL CHESTERFIELD WANT TO SHOW HOW WE CAN FUNCTION AS A TRANS INCLUSIVE SCHOOL DISTRICT. [02:20:07] MY PEERS AND I WANT THE FUTURE STUDENTS OF THIS DISTRICT TO FEEL WELCOME AND ACCEPTED. OFTEN WHEN TOPICS LIKE THIS ARE DISCUSSED, A COMMON POINT BEING A COMMON POINT OF DISCUSSION BROUGHT UP IS CHESTERFIELD BEING A MAJORITY CONSERVATIVE COUNTY. BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE THIS KNOWN THAT THIS DOES NOT WARRANT THE DISMISSAL OR THE DOWNRIGHT DISREGARD OF WHAT I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT. IF THESE MODEL POLICIES MAKE IT PAST THE PUBLIC COMMENTING PERIOD AND GET VOTED INTO LEGISLATION BY THE VDOE, CCPS IS PUT INTO A POSITION WHERE IT MUST MAKE A CHOICE WHETHER OR NOT TO INCLUDE THESE MODEL POLICIES. IF IT PASSES THEM, IT SETS THE PRECEDENT THAT QUEER STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO THEIR OWN PRIVACY AND THAT QUEER PEOPLE ARE NOT SEEN OR RECOGNIZED AS A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. BUT WE ARE EVERYWHERE IN CHESTERFIELD WE ARE YOUR GROCERY STORE CLERKS, YOUR NEIGHBORS. WE DO YOUR HAIR. WE WORK FOR YOU. FOR LACK OF BETTER WORDS, TRANS AND QUEER STUDENTS IN VIRGINIA ARE TERRIFIED BY WHAT THESE NEW GUIDELINES MEAN FOR THEIR SAFETY AT SCHOOL. THESE NEW POLICIES FROM THE VDOE ARE A COMPLETE 180 FROM THE 2021 GUIDELINES THAT THE QUEER COMMUNITY HAS FOUGHT OVER FOR YEARS, AND THEY'RE GOING AWAY JUST AS QUICKLY AS THEY WERE IMPLEMENTED. THIS GOES AGAINST EVERYTHING THAT CCPS AND VIRGINIA STANDS FOR. THESE NEW MODEL POLICIES MENTIONED HOW THE VDOE RECOGNIZES THAT EACH CHILD IS A UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL, WITH DISTINCTIVE ABILITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS THAT MAKE THEM VALUED AND RESPECTED. ALL STUDENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO ATTEND SCHOOL IN AN ENVIRONMENT FREE OF DISCRIMINATION, HARASSMENT OR BULLYING. YET THESE NEW POLICIES ARE CONSISTENTLY IMPLICATING OTHERWISE. ALL KIDS IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE A RIGHT TO A FREE AND EQUAL PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND THESE NEW MODEL POLICIES MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THAT NARRATIVE TO BE TRUE. CCPS CLAIMS TO NOT TOLERATE HARASSMENT, YET THESE POLICIES CONSTANTLY DISAVOW IT. BUT THE POLICIES PERMIT TEACHERS AND STAFF TO USE THE [INAUDIBLE] NAME AND MISGENDER STUDENTS THROUGH THESE DISCRIMINATORY POLICIES, DOING SO ON THE BASIS OF FREE SPEECH, YET CALLING SOMEBODY BY A NAME THAT THEY HAVE MADE CLEAR THEY DON'T WANT TO BE CALLED BY IS HARASSMENT. ALL OF THESE NEW MODEL POLICIES ACTIVELY GO AGAINST WHAT WE CLAIM TO STAND FOR. AND MY PEERS AND I CAN'T JUST SIT AROUND WATCHING ALL THIS HAPPEN. THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM. AND IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] ALEX MCMURDY. GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ALEX MCMURDY. I USE HE HIM PRONOUNS AND I AM A TRANSGENDER STUDENT AT COSBY HIGH SCHOOL. INSTEAD OF HANGING OUT WITH MY FRIENDS OR STUDYING FOR MY ANATOMY QUIZ ON FRIDAY, I'M HERE TONIGHT SPEAKING TO YOU ALL ABOUT THE NEW DRAFT MODEL POLICIES GOVERNOR GLENN YOUNGKIN HAS RELEASED AND ASKING FOR YOU ALL TO REJECT THEM. AFTER REVIEWING SAID POLICIES, IT HAS BECOME CLEAR TO NOT JUST MYSELF BUT MY PEERS AS WELL, THAT THESE NEW POLICIES POSE DETRIMENTAL HARM TO QUEER AND TRANS STUDENTS, BOTH TO A PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EXTENT. THE CURRENT POLICIES WE HAVE IN PLACE RIGHT NOW WHILE NOT AS GOOD AS THEY CAN BE, ARE STILL A MAGNITUDE BETTER THAN THESE NEW MODEL POLICIES. IF THESE POLICIES ARE PUT INTO LEGISLATION, TRANS AND NON-BINARY STUDENTS WILL LOSE ALL OF THE VERY LITTLE PROTECTION RIGHTS AND VISIBILITY THAT THEY HAVE IN SCHOOLS. A 2022 SURVEY RUN BY THE TREVOR PROJECT HAS SHOWN THAT MORE THAN HALF OF TRANSGENDER AND NON-BINARY YOUTH HAVE SERIOUSLY THOUGHT ABOUT SUICIDE, AND ONE IN FIVE TRANSGENDER AND NON-BINARY YOUTH HAVE ATTEMPTED. I MYSELF FALL INTO BOTH OF THESE CATEGORIES. AND I CAN SAY THAT JUST FROM HEARING ABOUT THESE NEW MODEL POLICIES, IT HAS CAUSED MY ANXIETY TO WORSEN. FURTHERMORE. FURTHERMORE, BY OUTING STUDENTS TO THEIR PARENTS, THIS WILL PUT MANY STUDENTS IN HARM'S WAY AS NOT EVERY PARENT IS GOING TO BE ACCEPTING OF WHO THEIR CHILD IS. IN SOME CASES, HOMES WILL NO LONGER BE SAFE FOR CHILDREN ANYMORE IF THEY ARE FORCIBLY OUTED TO THEIR PARENTS. AND ON A FEW OCCASIONS PARENTS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO MENTALLY AND EVEN PHYSICALLY ABUSE THEIR CHILDREN WHEN GAINING THE KNOWLEDGE OF THEM BEING TRANSGENDER OR QUEER . BY ACCEPTING THESE NEW POLICIES INTO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS, WE ARE WILLINGLY PUTTING MORE LIVES OF CHILDREN AT RISK EVERY DAY. HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE DO WE HAVE TO LOSE BEFORE OUR VOICES CAN BE HEARD AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY THOSE IN CHARGE? THANK YOU. THE NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS ARE GLENN STURDEVANT, MELISSA JONES, RAY MURTAGH, MICHAEL [INAUDIBLE], AND SAVANNAH [INAUDIBLE]. [02:25:02] MAY WE HAVE GLENN STURDEVANT? GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. DR. DAUGHERTY. MY NAME IS GLENN STURDEVANT. I'M A PARENT OF THREE KIDS IN CHESTERFIELD SCHOOLS. I LIVE IN MIDLOTHIAN. TWO WEEKS AGO, WE SAW ORGANIZED WALKOUTS OF STUDENTS DURING THE ACADEMIC WORKDAY IN SOME CHESTERFIELD SCHOOLS. THESE WALKOUTS WERE IN RESPONSE TO GOVERNOR YOUNGKIN'S NEW MODEL POLICIES REGARDING TRANSGENDER STUDENTS. NOW, THESE MODELS, THE POLICIES, IF YOU READ THEM, SIMPLY REQUIRE THE INVOLVEMENT OF PARENTS IN VERY IMPORTANT DECISIONS ABOUT THE LIVES OF THEIR CHILDREN. THEY PROTECT FREE SPEECH RIGHTS OF SCHOOL PERSONNEL AND THEY PROTECT GIRLS, SPORTS AND PRIVACY. NOW, EVEN THOUGH MANY CHILDREN ARE STILL STRUGGLING WITH DEFICITS FROM THE COVID LOCKDOWNS, FORCED MASKING POLICIES AND DISTANCE LEARNING AND ENTIRE SCHOOL DAY WAS DISRUPTED BY THESE WALKOUTS. AND SINCE THESE WALKOUTS HAVE COME TO LIGHT, WE'VE LEARNED THAT THE PRIMARY GROUP BEHIND THE WALKOUTS SEEKS AS PART OF ITS WORK TO, QUOTE UNQUOTE, REHOME CHILDREN IF THEIR PARENTS AREN'T DEEMED SUPPORTIVE ENOUGH AND WILL EVEN PROVIDE CASH PAYMENTS TO THESE KIDS TO HELP THEM LEAVE HOME AND LIVE WITH AN UNRELATED ADULT AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILY. NOW, IT ALSO APPEARS THAT IN SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS, THESE WALKOUTS WERE DONE WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION, AND WE'RE ALLOWED BY SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TO DISRUPT THE SCHOOL DAY. NOW, THESE WALKOUTS HAVE NOT BEEN ADDRESSED ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA, BUT IT'S MY HOPE THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD AND CENTRAL OFFICE WILL PROACTIVELY ADDRESS THE RISKS TO STUDENT SAFETY AND THE DISRUPTION OF THE ACADEMIC WORKDAY CAUSED BY THESE WALKOUTS, AND WORK TO CORRECT THE MISINFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED POLICIES THAT ARE BEING PUSHED BY POLITICAL GROUPS AND THAT ARE REALLY CAUSED BY A FAILURE TO READ THE ACTUAL POLICIES CAREFULLY. IT'S UNCONSCIONABLE THAT THE CURRENT POLICY OF CHESTERFIELD SCHOOLS COULD ALLOW TEACHERS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS TO KEEP PARENTS IN THE DARK ABOUT IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN. AND IT'S SAD AND CONCERNING TO SEE SOME OBJECT TO GIVING THOSE RIGHTS BACK TO PARENTS. WHEN GOVERNOR YOUNGKIN'S MODEL POLICIES COME BEFORE THIS BOARD. IT IS MY HOPE THAT YOU WILL ENACT A POLICY THAT STRONGLY AND UNEQUIVOCALLY RESPECTS PARENTAL RIGHTS, PROTECTS EMPLOYEES RIGHTS OF CONSCIENCE AND FREE SPEECH, AND THAT PROTECTS GIRLS SPORTS AND THEIR PRIVACY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MELISSA JONES. GOOD EVENING. LAST TIME I WAS HERE WAS ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND I WAS TALKING ABOUT CERTAIN BOOKS IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS . THIS YEAR THIS TIME I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME BOOKS IN OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. NOW, FOR REFERENCE, ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS HAVE CHILDREN FROM AGES 5 TO 10. AND BEFORE I GO INTO THAT, LET ME READ WHAT THE CODE OF VIRGINIA DEFINES AS OBSCENE. THE WORD OBSCENE, WHERE IT APPEARS IN THIS ARTICLE, WHICH IS SECTION 18.2-372, SHALL MEAN THAT WHICH CONSIDERED AS A WHOLE HAS AS ITS DOMINANT THEME OR PURPOSE AND APPEAL TO THE PRURIENT INTEREST IN SEX. THAT IS A SHAMEFUL OR MORBID INTEREST IN NUDITY, SEXUAL CONDUCT, SEXUAL EXCITEMENT, EXCRETORY FUNCTIONS OR PRODUCTS THEREOF, OR SADOMASOCHISTIC ABUSE, AND WHICH GOES SUBSTANTIALLY BEYOND CUSTOMARY LIMITS OF CANDOR AND DESCRIPTION OR REPRESENTATION OF SUCH MATTERS, AND WHICH, TAKEN AS A WHOLE, DOES NOT HAVE SERIOUS LITERARY, ARTISTIC, POLITICAL OR SCIENTIFIC VALUE. I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO EMPHASIZE THE PHRASE WHICH GOES SUBSTANTIALLY BEYOND CUSTOMARY LIMITS OF CANDOR. I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF CONVERSATIONS YOU HAVE WITH YOUR 5 TO 10 YEAR OLD'S, BUT I ASSURE YOU, TRANSGENDERISM, LGBTQ, HOMOSEXUALITY IS NOT THOSE THINGS THAT I THINK WOULD BE CUSTOMARY IN A HOUSEHOLD. WE'VE ALREADY MENTIONED I'M NOT A GIRL WHICH HAS A HAS A SUMMARY ABOUT A [02:30:06] BIOLOGICAL GIRL WHO WHO BELIEVES THAT SHE IS A HE. THIS PARTICULAR BOOK IS AT THREE DIFFERENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, ECOFF, HENING AND MOSLEY. THEN WE HAVE A BOOK CALLED LGBTQ+ RIGHTS STAND UP, SPEAK OUT. THIS IS A BOOK THAT IS LOCATED AT [INAUDIBLE], AND THE SUMMARY SAYS, LEARN ALL ABOUT LGBTQ+ ACTIVISM FROM GENDER NEUTRAL BATHROOMS TO LEGALIZING SAME SEX MARRIAGE. GET A GLOBAL LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT. MEET THE ACTIVISTS INVOLVED AND CELEBRATE SOME OF THE LEGAL VICTORIES. THIS REALLY IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILD FROM 5 TO 10. THEY REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS CONCEPT FULLY, AND I REALLY DON'T THINK THAT REALLY BELONGS IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. BORN READY, THE TRUE STORY OF A BOY NAMED PENELOPE. WRITTEN BY AN ACTIVIST. THIS IS IN [INAUDIBLE] AND MOSLEY. THANK YOU, MRS. [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. RAY [INAUDIBLE]. I AM RAY [INAUDIBLE]. I'M A TRANS MAN THAT ATTENDS COSBY HIGH SCHOOL. AS YOU MAY KNOW, YOUNGKIN PROPOSED A MODEL POLICY THAT INCLUDES NAMING AND MIS GENDERING TRANS KIDS WITH WITHOUT PARENT PERMISSION. I ABSOLUTELY DESPISE BEING DEAD NAMED. I DON'T ASSOCIATE MY DEAD NAME WITH ME. A NAME REPRESENTS WHO SOMEONE IS, AND MY DEAD NAME IS NOT ME. I GET PANIC ATTACKS WHEN I HEAR MY DEAD NAME. HEARING MY DEAD NAME MAKES ME FEEL LIKE THE SHELL OF MY FORMER SELF. WHEN PEOPLE DEAD NAME ME, IT RIPS AWAY THE LAYERS OF MY HEART, DECAYING THEM UNTIL THERE IS NOTHING LEFT. I KNOW MANY OTHER TRANS PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY FEEL THE SAME. THERE ARE EVEN MANY CIS GENDER KIDS THAT DON'T LIKE THEIR BIRTH NAMES AND GO BY NICKNAME, A MIDDLE NAME OR JUST A DIFFERENT NAME IN GENERAL. THIS IS SPECIFICALLY TARGETING TRANSGENDER KIDS, BUT IT CAN ALSO AFFECT CIS GENDER KIDS. DEAD NAMING AND MIS GENDERING KIDS MAKES THEM UNCOMFORTABLE AND CAN CAUSE THEM SO MUCH HARM. STUDENTS ARE SUPPOSED TO FEEL SAFE AND COMFORTABLE IN SCHOOL, AND THIS WILL CAUSE THEM TO FEEL THE OPPOSITE OF THAT. AND IT'S JUST BASIC HUMAN RESPECT TO RESPECT WHAT SOMEBODY WANTS TO GO BY. NO MATTER WHAT YOUR BELIEFS ARE OR OR JUST WHATEVER YOUR OPINIONS ARE, AND PEOPLE'S RIGHTS SHOULDN'T BE POLITICIZED AND PEOPLE SHOULD JUST BE COMFORTABLE BEING WHO THEY ARE AND COMFORTABLE IN THE SCHOOL SETTING. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. MICHAEL [INAUDIBLE]. DEMONSTRATION FEELS GOOD. PROTEST AFFECTS CHANGE, AND BECAUSE PROTEST IS EFFECTIVE, PROTEST IS OFTEN FROWNED UPON BY AUTHORITY. NOW, WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT SOME PROTESTS AGAINST GOVERNOR JENKINS. DON'T SAY TRANS POLICY. WELL, THAT POLICY, I BELIEVE, IS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED. IT IS WEAPONIZED TRANSPHOBIA. WHY? ONLY 2% OF STUDENTS ARE TRANSGENDER. SMALL, POORLY UNDERSTOOD GROUPS ARE EASY TARGETS. SOCIAL WEDGES DRIVE ENGAGEMENT. TRANS BASHING THEN BECOMES THE NEW GAY BASHING. SO THEY USE OUT-OF-CONTEXT QUOTES, LIE ABOUT OR MISCHARACTERIZE STATEMENTS MADE IN PRIVATE CHATS REPEAT MISINFORMATION WITH INCREDIBLY MADE UP NUMBERS, FALSE ASSUMPTIONS BASED ON NOVELTY AND OLD PREJUDICES, FALSE CONNECTIONS TO REAL CONCERNS AND INFLATION OF RISK. THE TRUTH IS THAT 34% OF QUEER QUEER YOUTH REPORT PARENTAL PHYSICAL ABUSE. 26% OF QUEER YOUTH ARE FORCED TO LEAVE HOME DUE TO CONFLICTS WITH FAMILY. [02:35:05] UP TO 40% OF YOUTH WHO BECOME HOMELESS EACH YEAR ARE QUEER. SO THE IMPACT IS TRANS MISINFORMATION BECOMES MAINSTREAMED. TRANS STUDENTS ARE OUTED IN UNSAFE SITUATIONS. GOOD EDUCATORS GET DEMONIZED. ANTI-TRANS MORAL PANIC. THERE'S THAT PHRASE AGAIN DON'T PANIC. POLICY BASED ON MISINFORMATION AND FEAR, RUNNING COUNTER TO MEDICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL BEST PRACTICES. AND THEN REVERSAL OF THE VIRGINIA DOE GUIDANCE THAT ONCE PROTECTED TRANSGENDER STUDENTS PUTS STUDENTS IN REAL DANGER. NOW A COUPLE MORE THINGS I DO WANT TO SAY. WOKE TODAY IS POLITICALLY CORRECT YESTERDAY, AND NEIL GAIMAN ONCE SAID THAT POLITICALLY CORRECT JUST MEANS HAVING RESPECT FOR PEOPLE. AND THE CONVERSATION GETS REAL DIFFERENT WHEN YOU START REPLACING THE PHRASE WOKE WITH HAVING RESPECT FOR PEOPLE. I AM A WOKE INDIVIDUAL. I BELIEVE IN SOCIAL JUSTICE. I BELIEVE IN JUSTICE. AND I BELIEVE THAT JUSTICE DOES NOT MEAN JUST US. OR JUST US. SO WHEN YOUNG KIDS DON'T SAY TRANS POLICY COMES TO YOU, REMEMBER YOU'RE A COMMONWEALTH. YOU HAVE A CHOICE. DO NOTHING. KEEP THE POLICY YOU HAVE ON THE BOOKS. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. SAVANNAH [INAUDIBLE]. I'M SAVANNAH [INAUDIBLE] FROM COSBY HIGH SCHOOL. I MYSELF AM NOT TRANSGENDER, BUT I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE. AND I CAN SEE HOW WORRIED THEY ARE ABOUT HEARING THIS NEW POLICY AGAINST TRANSGENDER KIDS IS MAKING THEM. AND IT WORRIES ME, TOO, ESPECIALLY THE PART ABOUT ADDING TRANSGENDER KIDS TO THEIR FAMILIES. SOME KIDS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TELL THEIR PARENTS BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS WILL ABUSE THEM. IF YOU OUT THEM TO THEIR FAMILIES, IT COULD BE WORSE. I KNOW THAT PEOPLE WHO PASS THE POLICY THINK THAT WHAT THEY THEY'RE DOING IS RIGHT. BUT MY FEAR IS FEAR IS THAT WE MIGHT START SEEING TEEN SUICIDES START TO GO UP. SO PLEASE THINK ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF YOU DO WHAT THIS POLICY SAYS. I URGE THE BOARD TO REJECT GOVERNOR JENKINS NEW POLICIES. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. I'LL CALL THE LAST THREE SPEAKERS CHRISTINE MELENDEZ, JASON SPOON AND ROBERT [INAUDIBLE]. CHRISTINE MELENDEZ. GOOD EVENING, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF. MY NAME IS CHRISTINE MELENDEZ, AND I HAVE THE HONOR OF SERVING AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE CHESTERFIELD EDUCATION ASSOCIATION [SPANISH]. FIRST, I WANTED TO GIVE A WELCOME AND THANKS TO THE FAMILIES THAT WERE HERE WHO SHARED THEIR WORDS. THEIR VOICES ARE IMPORTANT AND I'M VERY PROUD. I HOPE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO ATTEND THESE MEETINGS AND DEFENDING THE RIGHTS OF THEIR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. MANY OF THE PARENTS WHO SPOKE TONIGHT COME FROM SCHOOLS WITH THE HIGHEST TRANSFER AND TURNOVER RATES. BUILDINGS THAT ARE OVERCROWDED AND STAFF ARE CHRONICALLY OVERWORKED. WE HONOR THE STAFF THAT HAVE REMAINED AND LOVE OUR STUDENTS BEYOND MEASURE, AND WE COMMEND STAFF WHO PUT FORTH THEIR BEST EFFORTS AND HAD TO MAKE THE DIFFICULT DECISION TO MOVE ON FROM THESE WORK SITES. THAT BEING SAID, WE ALSO KNOW THAT SOME OF THESE SAME PARENTS ENCOUNTERED COMMUNICATION TODAY THAT COULD EASILY BE MISUNDERSTOOD AS TACTICS OF INTIMIDATION AND FEARMONGERING. WE KNOW THAT THE MOST LOGICAL NEXT STEP IN RETAINING AND RECRUITING STAFF, ESPECIALLY IN THESE SCHOOLS, IS TO ENTER INTO A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT FOR A WELL WORDED AND NEGOTIATED CONTRACT. THIS ALLOWS FOR PROFESSIONALS TO FEEL APPRECIATED AND RESPECTED FOR THE TRAINING AND WORK THEY HAVE COMMITTED THEIR LIVES TO. I END MY COMMENTS FIRST WITH A THANKS TO THE STUDENTS WHO PROUDLY, BOLDLY AND BRAVELY CAME IN THE FACE OF LITERAL ADVERSITY TODAY TO [02:40:01] PROTECT THEMSELVES AND THEIR PEERS AND THEIR COMMUNITY. I ALSO WANT TO SHARE A QUOTE FROM TIM MCCLURE, A SENIOR EXECUTIVE AND KEYNOTE SPEAKER WHO ACTUALLY SPEAKS TO HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS ABOUT OVERCOMING OBSTACLES, BEATING THE ODDS AND LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST. THE BIGGEST CONCERN FOR ANY ORGANIZATION SHOULD BE WHEN THEIR MOST PASSIONATE PEOPLE BECOME QUIET. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. JASON SPOON. HEY, GOOD EVENING. SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, MR. SUPERINTENDENT, AND ALL YOU CONCERNED PARENTS OUT THERE. MY NAME IS JASON SPOON. MY FAMILY AND I RECENTLY MET OUR HOME IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY. LAST MONTH WAS MY FIRST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, THOUGH. IT WAS INTERESTING. THIS EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN INTERESTING AND IT'S REALLY NOT WHAT I'M WHAT I WAS EXPECTING, [INAUDIBLE]. BUT ONE THING IS CLEAR OR WAS CLEAR TO ME THAT EVERYBODY UP THERE, YOU'RE ALL CONCERNED AND YOU'RE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN. BUT WE ALL DO HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE FACT THAT SCHOOL BOARDS, NOT ONLY IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, BUT ACROSS VIRGINIA AND ACROSS THE NATION, YOU GUYS HAVE KIND OF LOST THE TRUST AND FAITH OF THE PARENTS. ALL RIGHT. YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE PERCEPTION THAT CERTAIN THINGS ARE ARE HAPPENING IN THE DARKNESS AND BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. HAVING READ THE GOVERNMENT, GOVERNOR JENKINS ADMINISTRATION'S PROPOSED 2022 MODEL POLICIES ON THE PRIVACY, DIGNITY AND RESPECT FOR ALL STUDENTS AND PARENTS IN VIRGINIA SCHOOLS, IT'S A MOUTHFUL. I'D LIKE TO URGE THIS BOARD TO ADOPT, ADOPT THEM COMPLETELY, AND REWRITE CURRENT COUNTY GUIDANCE IN SUPPORT OF THEM. I KNOW THE MODEL POLICIES ARE NOT YET FINISHED, BUT I WANT TO SHARE MY SUPPORT FOR THEM AS THEY ARE WRITTEN AND TO HELP YOU SEE THAT THAT YOUR SUPPORT FOR THEM WOULD BRING SOME, SOME TRANSPARENCY AND SOME LIGHT BACK INTO THAT IMPORTANT SCHOOL PARENT AND STUDENT RELATIONSHIP. AND IT WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO RESTORING THAT CRITICAL TRUST THAT PARENTS NEED TO HAVE IN YOU. AND THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. ROBERT [INAUDIBLE]. WELL, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I GUESS THAT'S ALWAYS NICE TO GO LAST. THAT WAS UNEXPECTED. A LOT OF THINGS WERE COVERED, SO IT'S GOING TO SHORTEN MINE A LITTLE BIT. SO I WANT TO TALK ABOUT MR. [INAUDIBLE] I SUPPORT YOU 100% ON THE NON WALKOUTS AND NON PROTEST DISRUPTED OF SCHOOL. I SUPPORT YOU 100% ON THAT. I ALSO SUPPORT UPDATING THE STUDENT CONDUCT POLICY TO SPECIFICALLY INCLUDE THE WORD PROTEST AND WALKOUTS IN IT AS A DEFINITION AND PUNISHMENTS THERE AFTER. AND I KNOW THAT'S ON THE PRINCIPAL TO ENFORCE THAT BUT THEN IT BECOMES ON THE ADULT THE PRINCIPAL FOR NOT ENFORCING IT. THEN IT COMES DOWN ON THEM AS FAR AS ADMINISTRATION GOES. SO I THINK WE START HOLDING ADULTS ACCOUNTABLE. I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPEN IN SCHOOLS. SECOND, AS FAR AS THE CHILDREN THAT SPOKE TODAY, I WILL SAY THAT THEY'RE VERY BRAVE TO COME UP HERE AND SPEAK IN FRONT OF THE BOARD, BECAUSE I KNOW IN EXPERIENCE IT'S NOT AS EASY AS IT LOOKS. SO I WANT TO SAY THAT AS I APPRECIATE THEM COMING UP HERE TO SPEAK, SPEAKING ON WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN, I DISAGREE ABOUT TAKING AWAY PARENTS RIGHTS TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE SUFFERING FROM GENDER DYSPHORIA, OR MAYBE THEY CAN EVEN HELP THEM. I DISAGREE WITH THE PARENTS ARE GOING TO ABUSE THEM. I DON'T THINK THAT'S A GUARANTEE. I THINK THAT'S MAYBE ONE OR 2%, BUT THEY PROBABLY ALREADY BEEN ABUSED ANYHOW. AND I DON'T KNOW THAT. BUT I'M JUST SAYING THAT WE WE HAVE TO TRUST THE PARENTS. IT'S NOT THE GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO BE IN ON A HOUSE BEING OUR BEDROOMS. AND WHEN WHEN THE KIDS ARE IN THE SCHOOL, IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE SAFE. ALL RIGHT. [INAUDIBLE] ALL RIGHT. SO I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE BOOK THAT JUST CAME OUT. I'M NOT A GIRL FOUNDED IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. FIRST SCHOOL IT WAS THERE WAS MOSLEY. IT'S CHECKED OUT RIGHT NOW, PROBABLY BY ANOTHER SIX YEAR OLD. ECOFF CHECKED OUT RIGHT NOW, PROBABLY ANOTHER SIX YEAR OLD. LUCKILY IN HENING ELEMENTARY, IT'S STILL THERE. NOW, I DIDN'T CHECK ALL THE SCHOOLS, BUT THANKS TO SOME OF THE INFORMATION I RECEIVED FROM YOU GUYS, I KNOW HOW TO DO IT WITH MY EYES CLOSED NOW AND I CAN SHOW PARENTS HOW TO CHECK WHERE THE BOOKS ARE, HOW TO REPORT THEM AND HAVE THEM GET THEM REMOVED. I KNOW HOW TO DO THAT 100% NOW, SO THERE'S NO PROBLEM. THIS WAS BLATANT, I THINK, BECAUSE, I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE TITLE, I'M NOT A GIRL, I MEAN, AND IT ONE IT WAS ON THE RAINBOW BOOK LIST. SO IF THE LIBRARIAN DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT WAS, SHE HAS HE OR SHE HAS NO EXCUSE FOR EXPOSING THIS TO A FIVE YEAR OLD, SIX YEAR OLD, SEVEN YEAR OLD, WHAT HAVE YOU, AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL, IT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED AND I KNOW HOW TO GET IT REMOVED, BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME WORK FROM OTHER PARENTS. NOW, THIS IS A NEWS ARTICLE THAT WENT NATIONAL CHESTERFIELD IS IN IT. OKAY. AND SO IT WAS IT WENT NATIONAL. IT'S THERE. EVERYTHING THERE FROM THE FATHER REPORTING IT, SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WAS INSIDE THE BOOKS HIS PARENTS OH WELL HE IT IT TALKS ABOUT BECAUSE HE WASN'T WEARING [02:45:08] CLOTHES OR SHE WASN'T WEARING THE CLOTHES THAT THE PARENTS PUT OUT THERE. SHE MUST BE TRANS. SO, I MEAN, IT'S JUST A FIVE YEARS OLD. YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW YOU HAVE NO IDENTITY EXCEPT FOR YOUR CHILD. YOU'RE PLAYING WITH BARBIES, YOU'RE PLAYING WITH CARDS, YOU'RE PLAYING WITH WHATEVER. AND YOU DON'T WANT TO BE STEALING A CHILD'S IDENTITY AS EARLY AS FIVE OR SIX OR SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS OLD. LET THEM FIGURE IT OUT FOR THEMSELVES. AND WHEN THEY'RE UNDER 18, THEY'RE UNDER THE PARENTAL GUIDANCE AND NOT RESPONSIBILITY, BUT NOTHING BUT FOR THE PARENT. AND CHILDREN NEED TO REALIZE THAT THEY'RE NOT THE ONES IN CHARGE, THAT ONCE THEY TURN 18, THEY CAN DO WHAT THEY WANT. BUT AS FAR AS THE PARENTS ARE CONCERNED, THEY'RE IN CONTROL AND THEY'RE THE ONES RAISING THEIR CHILDREN, NOT THE GOVERNMENT. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. MADAM CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES THIS EVENING'S PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. NEXT WE HAVE THIS EVENING SUPERINTENDENT'S REMARKS, DR. [I. Superintendent's Remarks] DAUGHTERY. I'LL BE QUICK. OKAY. A COUPLE OF THINGS. TRANSPORTATION, ALWAYS A BIG THING IF YOU KNOW THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT OUR SIZE, THAT HAS A FULL CAPACITY. I LIKE TO MEET THEM. RIGHT NOW WE KNOW THAT AROUND US, IT'S STILL A BIG ISSUE. BUT WE HAVE 454 DRIVERS. WE TRANSPORT OVER 55,646 STUDENTS A DAY. WE TRAVEL OVER 25. WE HAVE OVER 2500 ROUTES. WE HAVE 34 VACANCIES OF DRIVERS RIGHT NOW. THAT'S 34 AND WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 63 SO THAT SUBSTITUTES AND OTHER OTHER POSITIONS. PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT WE TRAVEL OVER 26,000 MILES A DAY. AND I KNOW THE BOARD GETS REPORTS EVERY DAY. IF, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY SEEMS WELL, THEY LOVE TO HIT THE SCHOOL BUS MIRRORS FOR SOME REASON, BUT WE JUST GO INTO THE BUSINESS OF MAKING SCHOOL BUS MIRRORS. BUT ALSO REALIZE THAT WE RUN JOB FAIRS ALL THE TIME, BUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS FROM START TO FINISH TO GET THEM BEHIND THE WHEEL. SO ABOUT A FOUR WEEK PROCESS AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN ALL SCHOOL SYSTEMS, HOW THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT. CURRENTLY, WE HAVE 26 NEW TRAINEES, WE HAVE 36 IN MEDICAL, WE HAVE 58 IN BACKGROUND CHECK 11 AND CAN HAVE CONDITIONAL OFFERS. FIVE INTERVIEW PROCESS SIX WITH INTERVIEWS AND 17 NEW DRIVERS WHO ARE GOING THROUGH STARTING THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW. AND IT LOOKS LIKE A LOT. BUT WE'VE GOT TO REMEMBER DRIVERS LIKE EVERY OTHER POSITION IN AMERICA, PEOPLE ARE COMPETING FOR THEM AND WE SOMETIMES FORGET THAT BUS DRIVERS MUST BE EXEMPT FROM GETTING OTHER JOBS OR THE SHORTAGE. AND THERE'S STILL GOING TO BE A SHORTAGE NO MATTER WHAT WE DO. IT'LL BE SHORTAGE. BUT THESE GUYS ARE WORKING HARD AND THEY'RE TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN. STAFFING AND RECRUITING. SO THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB WITH STAFFING. RECRUITING. WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT TEACHERS AND PEOPLE IN THE CLASSROOMS NOT BEING FULLY STAFFED, THE POINTS ARE WE ARE STAFFED IN OUR BUILDINGS. THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE TO REMEMBER. YOU CAN LOOK EVERYTHING UP. WE'VE DONE SOME OUTSIDE THE BOX THINKING PEOPLE FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY HAVE EVEN CALLED US UP ABOUT HOW ARE WE GETTING STAFFING OCCURRING. AND I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME THINGS. SO 97% OF OUR CLASSROOMS HAVE A CERTIFIED TEACHER IN THEIR CLASSES. AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE HAVE MORE TEACHERS ALL THE TIME WORKING TO BE CERTIFIED. AND I'LL SHARE THAT WITH YOU BECAUSE THE ONE THING THAT WE THOUGHT ABOUT AND WE'RE ABLE TO DO, WE PICKED THIS UP FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY, WAS THAT TAKING? WE DID A CAREER SWITCHER AND PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO GO INTO TEACHING AND HAD A DEGREE IN THAT FIELD AND IT WAS AMAZING. ON HOW MANY PEOPLE WHEN WE BROUGHT THEM IN, ALL THEY NEEDED WAS TO TAKE THE PRACTICE EXAM OR ANOTHER COURSE AND THEY WOULD BE CERTIFIED EXCUSE ME, THEY'D HAVE THEIR PROVISIONAL. AND OUR GOAL WITH THEM IS TO WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THEIR LICENSE. SO IN ANY CLASSES WHERE WE DON'T HAVE STAFF MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS IN THE SENSE OF I'LL GIVE YOU THE PERFECT EXAMPLE, MATH TEACHERS. SO THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF MATH TEACHERS IN THE COUNTRY AND BUT WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE [02:50:03] COUNTRY WHO DO DISTANCE LEARNING, AND WE ACTUALLY OFFER A STAFF MEMBER IN THE CLASSROOM AND A CERTIFIED TEACHER. AND THAT'S AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER, BECAUSE THEY COULD HAVE GONE TO VIRTUAL VIRGINIA OR SOMETHING ELSE. BUT HERE THEY HAVE THEY HAVE A CERTIFIED TEACHER. SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM. WE'RE DOING THINGS WITH GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY. WE'RE DOING THINGS WITH OUR LOCAL UNIVERSITIES, JUST WORKING WITH VIRGINIA STATE AND VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH. BUT WE WE'VE EVEN HAD OUR ANYWHERE THAT WE HAVE A CERTIFIED TEACHER DOING LONG DISTANCE LEARNING. WE'VE GONE IN WITH OUR CURRICULUM STAFF TO CHECK THE CLASSROOM, TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE TEACHING, TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE DOING A GOOD JOB, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE FOLLOWING THE CURRICULUM. ALL OF OUR ANNUAL SUBS THEY ARE WORKING TO HAVE MENTORS WHICH ARE STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE ACTUALLY PAID TO HELP THEM GO THROUGH. USUALLY IT'S NOT CURRICULUM THEY NEED HELP WITH. SOMETIMES IT'S JUST PROCEDURES OR CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT. WE KNOW THAT THROUGH THE STAFFING PROCESS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SEVERAL PROGRAMS FROM THE STATE AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING REIMBURSEMENTS. AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW THE THE [INAUDIBLE] AND THAT'S WITH SO MUCH MONEY WE'RE REIMBURSEMENT. BUT THE OTHER ONE DEALS WITH RIPE AND THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR TEACHERS WHO COME ON BOARD, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM AUGUST 15TH TO NOVEMBER 30TH, THEY GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING AS WELL. AND THE NICE THING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THEIR ANNUAL SUBS, WHEN THEY BECOME PROVISIONAL, THEY GO FROM THAT LONG TERM ANNUAL PAY TO THE TEACHER PAY. WHICH IS VERY BENEFICIAL AS WELL. IF ANYONE SAYS THEY KNOW HOW TO GET TEACHERS QUICKLY, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE BEING AS STRAIGHTFORWARD AS THEY CAN BE BECAUSE IT IS A NATIONAL PROBLEM. EVERYBODY'S IDENTIFIED IT AND SOMEONE CAME UP AND SAID, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD A TEACHER AND THEY WENT TO CAPITAL ONE AND THEY MADE $30,000 MORE DOLLARS BY GOING TO CAPITAL ONE. AND YOU CAN'T SAY, GEE, DON'T GO. THAT HAPPENS. AND WE'RE IN A COMPETITIVE MARKET RIGHT NOW. THE PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED A MARKET THAT THAT IS UPSIDE DOWN. SO WE'RE WORKING TO IMPROVE THE CONDITIONS AND INCREASING OUR SUB RATE. WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OR SOMETIMES WE'RE IN THE MID EIGHTIES AND THE NINETIES. WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. BEFORE THE PANDEMIC WE WERE IN THE SEVENTIES IN THEORY AND YOU KNOW, THE BY HAVING OUR FRIDAYS AND DAYS THAT ARE HIGH NEED, YOU KNOW WITH DOUBLE PAY PEOPLE AND COME BACK AND DO OTHER DAYS AS WELL. WE'VE HEARD THAT QUITE A BIT. WE'RE 700 SUBS OVER LAST YEAR'S COUNT AND THAT'S JUST COUNT. WE WERE EXTREMELY HIGH AND WE CONTINUE TO HAVE JOB FAIRS. WE HAVE JOB FAIRS EVERY MONTH FOR DIFFERENT STAFFING. AND THAT IS MY REPORT, BECAUSE WE'RE WORKING HARD WITH STAFFING. WE'RE THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX. WE ARE GOING TO DEAL WITH FOREIGN EXCHANGE NEXT YEAR AND OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE CAN GET INVOLVED WITH WITH CERTIFIED TEACHERS. AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP THE BOARDING FOR THEM AND OUR TRANSPORTATION EFFORTS, BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE WORKING SEVEN DAYS A WEEK TO GET KIDS TO SCHOOL AND WITH OUR TEACHERS AS WELL. WE'LL KEEP YOU UPDATED. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE? THANK YOU, DR. DAUGHTERY, FOR THAT UPDATE. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY DISCUSSION? QUESTIONS FOR DR. DAUGHTERY. GO AHEAD, MR. HARTER. [INAUDIBLE] ALL RIGHT, I PUT THE LIGHT ON, SO. AND IT IS JUST. NUMBER ONE, JUST TO ADD TO IT FOR THE TEACHER STAFFING, I DID HEAR A NUMBER OF PEOPLE COME UP AND, YOU KNOW, IF THERE IS A BETTER SOLUTION OUT THERE THAN TO HAVE SOMEONE AT A DISTANCE BE ABLE TO BE IN OUR CLASSROOMS, IF THAT'S BETTER THAN THROWING A PACKET ON THEIR DESK, PLEASE BRING IT TO OUR ATTENTION. WE ARE TRYING THE HARDEST THAT WE CAN. I'VE SEEN STAFF TRY THE HARDEST THAT WE CAN. I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST OPTIONS THAT I'VE SEEN BECAUSE THE REALITY IS WE WE'RE TRYING TO GROW OUR OWN TEACHERS, BUT THAT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME. AND THAT'S AN INITIATIVE THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT PUT FORWARD AND OVER TIME THAT MAY PAY OFF. BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING EVERYWHERE IN THE STATE. SO KUDOS FOR FOR TALKING ABOUT THAT. THE ONE THING I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT REALLY QUICK WAS WAS A COUPLE OF PIECES OF TRANSPORTATION THAT I KNOW, PARTICULARLY ME AND I THINK MAYBE MISS HEFFRON MAY HAVE GOT SOME OF THE SAME TYPES OF CALLS. AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE GOING ON. IT'S NOT JUST WITH OUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT. IT TAKES YOU 25 MINUTES TO GET OUT OF YOUR HOUSE AND DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH CONSTRUCTION IN THE COUNTY AND NOW YOU THROW BUSSES INTO THE MIX. [02:55:08] IT MAKES IT CHALLENGING. BUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPLAINTS THAT I AM GETTING AND I GOT TO TELL YOU THAT DR. FRYE HAS BEEN GREAT ABOUT EVERY TIME THAT I GET WITH HIM ON IT. BUT THE COMMUNICATION FROM THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, EVEN POSSIBLY TO THE SCHOOLS. AND THEN WHEN WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO SAID ONCE THEY'VE CALLED IN OR WHATNOT, GETTING COMMUNICATION BACK FROM THEM, DO WE HAVE ANY PLAN TO INCREASE ANYBODY THAT WE COULD PUT IN PRETTY MUCH ALMOST THE AREA OFFICES TO HELP OUT WITH COMMUNICATION? WELL, I JUST SO HAPPENED TO HAVE THE CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER HERE WHO HAS THE ANSWER TO THAT. OKAY. GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. DR. DAUGHERTY. I APPRECIATE THE FACTS THAT HE SHARED AND AND THAT CAN BE A DIFFICULT ISSUE FOR OUR AREA TRANSPORTATION OFFICE. WE JUST HAD AN EXAMPLE OF AN OFFICE THAT REALLY, REALLY WANTED TO COVER THE BUS ROUTES AND SENT OUT TWO OF THEIR OFFICE STAFF TO DRIVE THE BUSSES ON ON A TUESDAY. AND AS A RESULT, COMMUNICATIONS BROKE DOWN BETWEEN THAT OFFICE AND A COUPLE OF THE SCHOOLS WHERE THOSE SCHOOLS NEEDED TO KNOW THAT THERE WERE GOING TO BE SOME LATE BUSSES. SO DR. FRYE AND I TALKED ABOUT THAT TODAY, AND HE SAID, I APPRECIATE WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO DO, BUT THEY'VE REALLY GOT TO STICK AT HOME TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNICATIONS ARE IN PLACE, EVEN IF IT MEANS ANOTHER BUS OR TWO IS GOING TO BE LATE JUST BECAUSE IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR THE SCHOOLS AND FOR THE PARENTS TO KNOW. NOW, YOU MAY RECALL LAST YEAR WHEN WE HAD MORE TRAINEES THAN WE DO THIS YEAR, WE DID HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT WERE STILL IN THE TRAINING PROCESS BUT WEREN'T QUITE BEHIND THE WHEEL. AND WE ASSIGNED THEM TO THE AREA OFFICES AND THEY HELPED. SO I DON'T THINK THOSE FOLKS ARE AS PLENTIFUL. AGAIN, I CAN GET WITH DR. FRYE AND MS. DREW TO SEE IF WE'VE GOT SOME STAFF MEMBERS THAT CAN FILL IN, IF THEY'RE WAITING FOR TRAINING FOR FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER. BUT RIGHT NOW, IT'S NOT QUITE THE FLOOD OF CANDIDATES THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR. WE'RE GOING TO TALK TO YOU IN THE BUDGET PROCESS ABOUT SOME MORE PERMANENT ADDITIONS. BUT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY AND I'M TALKING ABOUT TODAY ALSO. SO WE WILL SEE WHAT ELSE WE MIGHT HAVE WITHIN OUR RESOURCES. AND AND I CAN ALSO LOOK WITHIN THE OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE OPERATIONS DIVISION TO SEE IF WE COULD PERHAPS DO A LITTLE CROSS LEVELING IF NECESSARY FROM TIME TO TIME. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GOOD DAYS AND BAD DAYS. AND WHEN DRIVERS CALL OUT OR EVEN WHEN OFFICE STAFF ARE OUT, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO BACKFILL THEM AS OPPOSED TO LEAVING THOSE SEATS EMPTY. AND, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS I'VE GOT SOMEONE THAT'S WORKING IN FACILITIES THAT CAN FILL IN FOR A DAY. I KNOW WHEN WE WERE UNDER THE PANDEMIC, WE HAD SOME DRIVERS THAT HELPED IN WITH FACILITIES AND DID GREAT JOBS. ONE OF THOSE DRIVERS REMINDED ME OF THAT. SO MAYBE IT CAN MAYBE IT CAN GO BOTH WAYS. AND THEN. THE OTHER ASPECT. AND. WAS THE ACTUAL THE TRACKING APPLICATION THE PARENTS HAD. I SEEM TO HAVE HAD AN EXTREMELY LARGE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE SAYING THAT THE APP WASN'T WORKING. AND ACTUALLY SOME OF THE SCHOOLS PRINCIPALS HAVE BEEN SHARING GOOGLE DOCUMENTS, GOOGLE SPREADSHEETS WITH PARENTS SHARING THE LINK SO THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO BASICALLY BE ABLE TO TRACK THE BUS A LITTLE BIT MORE ACCURATE. THE TRACKING DEVICE AND I KNOW THAT IT RUNS OFF OF THE GEO ZONES, GEO FENCES THAT ARE PUT UP AROUND SCHOOLS. DO YOU KNOW, DOES THAT APPLICATION, IS IT RUNNING OFF CELLULAR DATA? IS IT JUST WHEN IT HITS THE WI-FI AT THE SCHOOLS? BECAUSE I'M JUST WONDERING. AND IS IT JUST POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE COUNTY WHERE WE HAVE CELL TOWERS AND WHERE WE HAVE GAPS THAT THE APPLICATION DROPS? BECAUSE I HAVE HAD A LOT MORE PEOPLE THIS YEAR SAY I JUST TOOK THE APP OFF MY PHONE. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT WE DON'T HAVE A PRODUCT THAT I GUESS IS MAYBE NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. IT OPERATES OFF CELL DATA. AND I IMAGINE THAT THERE ARE SOME DRY ZONES, ESPECIALLY IN THE RURAL AREAS. BUT ONE OF THE THE ONE ISSUE THAT WE ARE AWARE OF, OF COURSE, IS WITH THE ANDROID PHONES MINE RECENTLY UPDATED TO TO VERSION 13 AND AND WE HAVE TRIED TO COMMUNICATE THROUGH MR. SMITH'S COMMUNICATIONS WITHIN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, PROVIDING A WORKAROUND FOR THOSE WITH THOSE PHONES. AND I KNOW I SHARED THAT WITH ONE PARENT AND HE SAID THAT'S GOLD AND IT'S WORKING FOR HIM. SO WE PERHAPS HAVE TO NEED TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION AT THE FINGERTIPS OF MORE PEOPLE SO THAT WE CAN SHARE IT. AND WHEN THAT THAT ISSUE COMES UP AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT'S PROBABLY THE ONLY ISSUE, BUT WE THINK THAT'S THE KEY WHEN WE THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD APP. [03:00:04] AND AND I WOULD JUST ASK THOSE WITH THE ANDROID PHONES TO HANG TIGHT. I'M GETTING A LITTLE SHORT OF PATIENCE BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN SEVERAL WEEKS AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE SIX, SEVEN WEEKS INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR AND WE NEED THAT APP UP AND RUNNING. AND IF TYLER TECHNOLOGIES NEEDS TO GET THEIR WORK DONE WITH GOOGLE SO THAT THESE LARGE NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT HAVE THAT PHONE CAN CAN OPERATE THE APP AND AND THEN WE WOULD LEARN ARE THERE ANY OTHER ISSUES. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR FOR EXPLAINING IT. I THINK THAT MOST PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT. I MEAN, I DON'T THINK WE COULD OVERCOMMUNICATE ENOUGH TO PARENTS WHENEVER WE HAVE CHANGES. I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'RE BRINGING THAT BACK INTO THE WEEK, SOME OF THE WEEKLY COMMUNICATIONS ON A NUMBER OF DRIVERS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING. NEXT, WE HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS, COMMUNICATIONS AND SCHOOL BOARD COMMENTS. [J. Announcements, Communications, and School Board Comments] SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS OR COMMENTS? MS. BAILEY. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS BASED ON SOME COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE TONIGHT BY VARIOUS SPEAKERS. JUST CHECKING OFF A FEW ITEMS I'D LIKE TO REMARK ON. ONE THING THE SPEAKER, THE COMMENT ABOUT THE BOND REFERENDUM MEETING AND TALKING ABOUT PRIORITIZING OVERCROWDED SCHOOLS. I DO THINK THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK OUR BUDGET FINANCE PEOPLE AND WHEN WE HAVE OUR SAVINGS FOR BUILDING ALL THESE NEW SCHOOLS, THAT IF WE HAVE ANY FUNDS LEFT OVER, THAT THE DALE DISTRICT DOES GET A HARD LOOK AT ITS OVERCROWDED ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. THE DALE DISTRICT DEFINITELY NEEDS TO HAVE ANOTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I THINK WHEN OUR NEW SCHOOLS ARE BUILT WITH THE BOND REFERENDUM, WE WE WILL HAVE TO DO SOME REDISTRICTING THAT WILL ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES, THE OVERCROWDING IN THE DALE DISTRICT SCHOOLS. BUT I FAIL TO SEE HOW THAT'S GOING TO SOLVE ALL OF THE OVERCROWDING AND ALL OF THE TRAILERS THAT ARE IN THE DALE DISTRICT SCHOOLS. I REGRET THAT THIS WASN'T A PRIORITY AND IT DID NOT GET BROUGHT FORWARD AS PART OF THE BOND PACKAGE. NOW LOOKING AT IT IN HINDSIGHT, I WE DID PRIORITIZE THE SCHOOLS BASED ON THE NEEDS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO US AND THE OVERCROWDED DALE DISTRICT SCHOOLS WAS NOT PRESENTED AS A PRIMARY NEED. THERE ARE TREMENDOUS NEEDS ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE COUNTY, NO DOUBT THERE ARE THERE NEEDS THERE AS WELL. BUT I DO KNOW IN THE PAST WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BUILD AN ENTIRE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH SOME SAVINGS AND SOME OTHER FUNDS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SCRAP TOGETHER. SO I WOULD LIKE US TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE THE DALE DISTRICT DOES NEED ANOTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE NEAR, IF NOT CURRENT TIME, NEAR FUTURE. AS FAR AS BOOKS AND THE COMMENTS WITH THE PARENTS THAT OBJECT TO BOOKS IN LIBRARIES, WE HAVE A POLICY AND I REALLY ENCOURAGE THE FAMILIES AT THE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE AN OBJECTION TO A BOOK THAT'S IN A LIBRARY TO FOLLOW THE POLICY AND HAVE THE CONVERSATION WITH THE PRINCIPAL AND TRY TO EITHER UNDERSTAND WHY THE BOOK IS IN THE LIBRARY AND IF THERE IS NO RATIONAL, REASONABLE EXPLANATION OR YOU CANNOT COME TO A MEETING OF THE MINDS, THEN FILL OUT THE FORM TO CHALLENGE THE BOOK AND GO THROUGH THE PROCESS. THIS BOARD IS NOT IN THE BOOK BANNING REALM. WE DON'T WANT TO BE THAT. BUT THE POLICY IS THERE FOR COMMUNITIES TO MAKE THAT DECISION AS TO WHETHER A BOOK IS APPROPRIATE FOR THAT LIBRARY. I HAVE MY OWN PERSONAL OPINIONS ABOUT CERTAIN BOOKS. I REALLY DO, AND I'M GOING TO FOLLOW THE POLICIES CLOSELY AND SEE HOW THEY PLAY OUT. I THINK THEY'VE PLAYED OUT WELL IN THE PAST AND WE'RE GOING TO LET THE POLICIES UNFOLD AND SEE HOW IT IS RESOLVED. BUT I ENCOURAGE PARENTS THAT OBJECT TO A BOOK THAT IS IN THEIR CHILD'S SCHOOL LIBRARY TO FOLLOW THE POLICY AND FILL OUT THE FORM AND GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. FOR THE FAMILIES AT MEADOWBROOK AND FALLING CREEK THAT SPOKE TONIGHT, FIRST I WANT THEY'RE NO LONGER HERE, BUT JUST TO PRAISE THEM FOR THEIR COURAGE TO COME UP AND SPEAK. I THINK THAT WAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF COURAGE ON THEIR PART TO COME. I CAN'T IMAGINE MYSELF IN THEIR POSITION IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY NOT KNOWING A NEW COUNTRY TO ME AND NOT KNOWING THE LANGUAGE AND HAVING THE COURAGE TO COME TO A MEETING LIKE THAT IS THEY DESERVE TREMENDOUS RESPECT FOR THAT. THEY LOVE THEIR CHILDREN. THEY WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM. I DO, TOO. AND I AM GOING TO ASK DR. DAUGHTERY RIGHT NOW TO PLEASE TAKE A LOOK, A HARD LOOK AT SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WERE HAD TONIGHT AT THE DAIS FROM THOSE FAMILIES AND WORK WITH THE PRINCIPAL AT [03:05:05] MEADOWBROOK AND FALLING CREEK AND SEE WHAT, IF ANYTHING, WE CAN DO TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS. I TOOK A LONG LIST OF WHAT THEY WERE, SO I KNOW AND I APPRECIATE THE TRANSLATOR BEING HERE TONIGHT FOR THEM. AND SO THAT WAS WONDERFUL. AND THEN THE LAST AREA THAT I'M GOING TO TOUCH ON IS REALLY TRY NOT TO GET EMOTIONAL HERE AND SAY THIS, BUT NOT EVERYONE KNOWS I'M A MOTHER OF A DISABLED CHILD, A CHILD WITH CEREBRAL PALSY THAT'S LIVED THEIR ENTIRE LIVES IN A WHEELCHAIR. AND FOR ANYONE TO STAND THERE AND MAKE AN ACCUSATION THAT I OR ANYONE UP HERE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY, I TAKE GREAT OFFENSE AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT DR. DAUGHTERY HAS MORE INTEGRITY THAN ANY PERSON I'VE EVER WORKED WITH, AND HE SHOULD NOT BE ATTACKED FOR SAYING THAT PEOPLE CANNOT COME TO THE DAIS AND MAKE ACCUSATIONS AND PRESENT MISINFORMATION. I RESPECT HIM FOR COMING AND DEFENDING TEACHERS AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM BECAUSE THAT MISINFORMATION THAT'S PERPETRATED AT THAT DAIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S FACTUAL OR THAT IT'S THAT IT'S TRUE OR THAT IT'S EVEN HAPPENING. AND PEOPLE HEAR THINGS THAT ARE BEING SAID AND THEY'RE JUST NOT TRUE AND THEY'RE NOT ACCURATE. AND IT'S THEIR PERCEPTION AND THEIR PERCEPTION IS THEIR REALITY, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S REALITY. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE IS NOBODY IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY SCHOOLS THAT CARES MORE ABOUT THE DISABLED POPULATION THAN ME. AS A MOTHER OF A CHILD WHO HAS WENT THROUGH CHESTERFIELD COUNTY SCHOOLS IN A WHEELCHAIR. AND I JUST I CAN'T ANY LONGER SIT HERE AND LISTEN TO THOSE KINDS OF ACCUSATIONS AND NOT SPEAK OUT AGAINST IT. IT'S JUST NOT FAIR. IT'S NOT FAIR TO ME AND IT'S NOT FAIR TO ANYONE UP HERE. AND IT'S NOT FAIR TO ANY TEACHER OR ANYBODY IN OUR SPED DEPARTMENT THAT WORKS HARD AND WORKS HARD FOR THOSE CHILDREN. PEOPLE, IF YOU COULD UNDERSTAND THE REALITY, YOU WOULD BELIEVE ME. AND THAT IS REALLY ALL I'M GOING TO SAY ABOUT THAT. THE LAST THING IS THAT WHEN DR. DAUGHERTY WAS SPEAKING ABOUT STAFFING, THE MODEL THAT WE PUT IN PLACE AT SOME OF OUR HARD TO STAFF SCHOOLS BECAUSE WE CANNOT FIND MATH TEACHERS IS LITERALLY THE MOST EXPENSIVE MODEL FOR STAFFING A CLASSROOM TO PAY A CERTIFIED, HIGHLY QUALIFIED CREDENTIALED MATH TEACHER TO TEACH VIRTUALLY, AND THEN TO PAY A MONITOR IN THE CLASSROOM TO MANAGE THE STUDENTS IN THE ROOM IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE MODEL FOR AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, AND THAT'S WHAT WE PUT IN PLACE IN SOME OF THOSE SCHOOLS THAT ARE EXTREMELY HARD TO STAFF. AND YES, THEY MAY NOT HAVE THAT THAT CREDENTIALED MATH TEACHER IN THE PHYSICAL ROOM, BUT THEY HAVE THEM ON THE SCREEN TALKING TO THEM IN LIVE TIME. AND SO IF THEY HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE QUADRATIC FORMULA OR WHATEVER, THE TEACHER THAT HAS THE KNOWLEDGE IS THERE. THEY'RE PRESENT IN THE ROOM VIDEO ON A VIDEO DISTANCE LEARNING. BUT THERE'S ANOTHER TEACHER THERE TO MONITOR THE STUDENTS WHILE THEY'RE IN THE ROOM THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY OTHER SOLUTIONS. WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE CERTIFIED TEACHERS. AND THAT SOLUTION WAS THE MOST EXPENSIVE MODEL FOR AN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM THAT IS LACKING TEACHERS, CERTIFIED TEACHERS. ALL RIGHT. SO I'M GOING TO SAY TONIGHT, BUT I JUST SORRY, I JUST HAD TO ADDRESS SOME CONCERNS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. BAILEY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR FOR SHARING YOUR YOUR THOUGHTS AND YOUR COMMENTS. AND I JUST WANT TO TAKE ONE MOMENT. I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG EVENING, BUT JUST TO KIND OF ECHO ON THE STAFFING SIDE, BECAUSE WHAT I SEE IS UNTIL WE STOP BEATING UP PUBLIC EDUCATION, WE ARE NOT GOING TO FILL THIS POOL OF TEACHERS THAT WE ARE LACKING. THERE ARE SO MANY STUDENTS RIGHT NOW THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE AMAZING TEACHERS, BUT WE'RE SCARING THEM AWAY. WE'RE SCARING THEM AWAY BY OUR COMMENTS AND OUR BEATING EACH OTHER UP. AND UNTIL WE START WORKING TOGETHER, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TEACHERS TO FILL OUR CLASSROOMS BECAUSE THE STUDENTS TODAY DON'T SEE THIS AS A VIABLE CAREER OPPORTUNITY. SO THAT'S ON US. IT'S ON US TO FIX IT. AND I IMPLORE EVERYONE TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. WELL SAID, MS. COKER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I GUESS I HAVE MORE TOO SORRY. YOU GOT IN MY HEAD. THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL HOLD A WORK SESSION ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7TH, 2022, AT 4 P.M. AND THE PUBLIC MEETING ROOM. [03:10:01] IT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A BUSINESS MEETING AT 6:30 P.M.. IF THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS [INAUDIBLE]. I APOLOGIZE. NOVEMBER 7TH, 2022 AT 4 P.M.. I SAID SEPTEMBER. I WENT BACKWARDS IN TIME AT 4 P.M. IN THE PUBLIC MEETING ROOM. IT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A BUSINESS MEETING AT 6:30 P.M.. IF THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS, WE NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SO MOVED, MADAM. MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION. DEBBIE BAILEY AYE. RYAN HARTER AYE. KATHRYN HAINES AYE. DOT HEFFRON AYE. ANN COKER AYE. THE MOTION CARRIES THE OCTOBER 11TH, 2022 SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.