[00:00:01] GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. [A. Meeting Opening - 6:30 p.m.] I'D LIKE TO CALL THE NOVEMBER 7TH, 2022 SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS MEETING TO ORDER. BEFORE WE BEGIN THE MEETING THIS EVENING, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE VETERANS DAY. THAT IS THIS FRIDAY, AND THANK OUR VETERANS FOR THEIR SERVICE. SO AT THIS TIME, WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE ANY ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY MEMBERS AND VETERANS TO PLEASE STAND BE RECOGNIZED [APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR ATTENDING THE NOVEMBER 7TH SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS MEETING AND TO REMIND THE AUDIENCE THAT COMMENTS TO THIS BOARD MAY ONLY BE MADE AT THE PODIUM DURING THE 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 IN PUBLIC PLACES, AND SCHOOL BOARD POLICY 6141. I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING SO THAT WE CAN CONDUCT THE BUSINESS MEETING IN AN ORDERLY FASHION. WE WILL NOW HAVE AN INVOCATION BY MS. HAINES, FOLLOWED BY THE FLAG SALUTE LED BY MR. HARTER. FOR TONIGHT'S INVOCATION, I WILL PARAPHRASE THE WORDS OF ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU. GOODNESS IS STRONGER THAN EVIL. LOVE IS STRONGER THAN HATE. LIGHT IS STRONGER THAN DARKNESS. LIFE IS STRONGER THAN DEATH. MAY WE CHOOSE GOODNESS, LOVE, LIGHT AND LIFE. AMEN. [B. Consent Agenda] TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDES AGENDA ADOPTION APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 10TH, 2022 WORK SESSION, OCTOBER 10TH, 2022 BUSINESS MEETING, MEMO NUMBER 138-22 RECOMMENDED PERSONNEL ACTIONS. MEMO NUMBER 139-22 FY 2023 ACCEPTANCE OF NEW GRANTS. MEMO NUMBER 140-22 APPROVAL OF PROGRAM STUDIES MEMO NUMBER 141-22 APPROVAL OF THE REVISED REVISIONS TO THE SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE BYLAWS. MEMO NUMBER 142-22 DEED OF GIFT FOR OUTDOOR FURNITURE FOR MOSELEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MEMO NUMBER 143-22 ACCEPTANCE OF DONATIONS MEMO NUMBER 144-22 FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S CONTRACT AND MEMO NUMBER 145-22 APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO THE SCHOOL BOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 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, CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION. [C. Awards and Recognitions] NEXT WE HAVE AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS. MR. SMITH. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIRMAN. IF I COULD ASK OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND STAFF TO COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE DECA CHAPTER AT MEADOWBROOK ACADEMY FOR DEVELOPING ENTREPRENEUR SPECIALTY CENTER. DURING THE STATE FAIR VIRGINIA STUDENTS SUBMITTED TEN BRANDING PROJECTS IN THE STATEWIDE DECA COMPETITION THAT ASKS STUDENTS TO ELEVATE THE LEVEL OF INTEREST AND MARKETING CLASSES AND CREATE A LOGO OR SLOGAN TO PROMOTE MARKETING AS A COURSE OR A CAREER. THESE MEADOWBROOK STUDENTS WON AWARDS. FASHION MARKETING COURSE BY BRENDA TEJADA AND KARLA REYES SPORTS MARKETING COURSE BY DEVIN ANDERSON AND AIDAN WOODS. [00:05:07] DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING COURSE BY ANNE SAUNDERS AND KILEYA JOHNSON. FASHION MARKETING BY ASANI KA-RE AND KAMYAH SLAPPY AND CHANDLER RANDOLPH AND MARKETING COURSE BY NAKIYAH PAGE, ORREN GORDON, AND TYLER FURBERT. KRISTIN WETTSTEIN, MARKETING TEACHER AND DECA ADVISOR AT MEADOWBROOK ACADEMY FOR DEVELOPMENTAL ENGINEERS, AND SHANNON TUAL, THE SPECIALTY CENTER COORDINATOR, SUPPORTED STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN THE STATE FAIR COMPETITION. PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING THESE STUDENTS FOR THEIR GREAT WORK [APPLAUSE]. CONGRATULATIONS. I AM SO EXCITED THAT SO MANY OF YOU ALL CAME OUT TONIGHT BECAUSE NOT ALWAYS DO THE STUDENTS MAKE THE EFFORT THAT YOU JUST DID, YOU'RE DRESSED SO BEAUTIFULLY, AND YOU CAME OUT HERE TO A BORING SCHOOL BOARD MEETING ON A SCHOOL NIGHT. SO CONGRATULATIONS ALSO ON YOUR RECOGNITION AND AWARD. I'D LIKE YOU IF YOU WANT. YOU CAN PASS THE MICROPHONE BY BUT SAY YOUR NAME, AND WHAT PROJECT WAS YOURS THAT WON. JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF, AND THEN JUST PASS THE MIC. I'M KILEYA JOHNSON. I WORKED WITH ANNE SAUNDERS AND WE WON SECOND PLACE IN MARKETING, BRANDING. BRANDING FOR THE MARKETING CLASSES. HI, I'M ANNE SAUNDERS. I WORKED WITH KILEYA AND WE WON SECOND PLACE IN THE BRANDING CHALLENGE. HI, MY NAME IS TYLER FURBERT. ME AND ORREN WON THE MARKETING CHALLENGE AND WE GOT SECOND PLACE. HI, MY NAME IS ORREN GORDON AND WE WON THE MARKETING BRANDING CHALLENGE AND WE GOT SECOND PLACE. HI MY NAME IS ASANI KA-RE I WORKED AT CHANDLER AND KAM, AND WE WON SECOND PLACE FOR THE BRANDING CHALLENGE. HI, MY NAME IS CHANDLER RANDOLPH. I WORKED WITH ASANI AND KAM, AND WE WON SECOND PLACE IN THE BRANDING CHALLENGE. HI, MY NAME IS KAMYAH SLAPPY. I WON, I MEANT ME, ASANI AND CHANDLER WON SECOND PLACE FOR THE BRANDING CHALLENGE, AND THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON PROBABLY IN THE WHOLE ROOM IS RIGHT HERE. THE TEACHER AND THE SPONSOR WHO GETS THESE THE AMAZING WORK OUT OF THESE KIDS, AND SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AS WELL BECAUSE THIS IS IT IS DECA MONTH. THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO KICK IT OFF. ABSOLUTELY, AND YOU SHOULD BE COMMENDED AS WELL, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT TO GET KIDS TO COME TO GO BEYOND AND TO WIN STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS, IT'S NO EASY FEAT ON THE TEACHER EITHER. RIGHT? SHE'S GREAT. SO WE HAVE REALLY COOL GIFTS FOR Y'ALL AND BACKPACKS FOR EVERYBODY. SO WALK THIS WAY AND GRAB A BACKPACK ON YOUR WAY BACK OUT. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. MADAM CHAIR, AT THIS TIME, IF I COULD ASK OUR DENIM DRIVE SCHOOLS AND GOODWILL REPRESENTATIVES TO COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME . THE ANNUAL DENIM DRIVE IS A PARTNERSHIP AMONG GOODWILL, THE CHESTERFIELD COUNTY COUNCIL PTAS, AND CHESTER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WORKING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. SCHOOLS FROM ACROSS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT COLLECTED AND DONATED 2688 PIECES OF USED DENIM CLOTHING, WHICH GOODWILL WILL REPURPOSE FOR USE BY CENTRAL VIRGINIA RESIDENTS. AS AN INCENTIVE FOR SCHOOLS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ANNUAL COMMUNITY SUPPORT PROGRAM. THE NINE SCHOOLS THAT COLLECT THE MOST DENIM WIN CASH PRIZES, REPRESENTATIVES OF GOODWILL AND THE CHURCH COUNTY COUNCIL PTAS ARE HERE TONIGHT, ALONG WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF FIRST PLACE SCHOOLS. HERE ARE THE TOP SCHOOLS IN THE 2022 DENIM DRIVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. FIRST PLACE, GRANGE ELEMENTARY WITH 438 PIECES. SECOND PLACE OLD HUNDRED ELEMENTARY WITH 416. THIRD PLACE, ALBERTA SMITH WITH 137. FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, FIRST PLACE. TOMAHAWK CREEK 279 PIECES. SECOND PLACE ROBIOUS MIDDLE WITH 74. THIRD PLACE FALLING CREEK WITH 19, AND FOR THE HIGH SCHOOLS. FIRST PLACE COSBY HIGH SCHOOL 456 PIECES, AND THERE WAS A TIE FOR SECOND PLACE. [00:10:02] MANCHESTER, MIDLOTHIAN HIGH SCHOOL. BOTH WITH 310. PLEASE JOIN ME CONGRATULATING THESE SCHOOLS [APPLAUSE]. SO I'M GOING TO HAND THE MICROPHONE TO YOU SO THAT YOU CAN AWARD. I LOVE A BIG CHECK. THIS IS LIKE THE BEST. SO I'M GONNA LET YOU HAVE THAT. OKAY, SO, HI, EVERYONE. I'M TAMMY MCCAIN. I'M A REPRESENTATIVE OF GOODWILL, AND I JUST WANT TO START OFF BY PREFACING OUR RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, AS WELL AS THE SCHOOLS. WE APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH. YOU GUYS HAVE A FEVER THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE WHEN IT COMES TO DRIVES, PARTICIPATING AND JUST BEING PRESENT FOR THE CHILDREN AND FOR US AS WELL AS A COMPANY. SO THANK YOU. WE DO NOT HAVE THE NINE LARGE CARDBOARD CHECKS THAT WE NORMALLY GIVE OUT, BUT I DO HAVE THREE FIRST PLACE FOR THE SCHOOLS AND THEN THE IMPORTANT ONES. THESE RIGHT HERE. I WOULD LIKE TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE BEEN MADE OUT TO THE PTAS, PTOS, PTSAS, SO I WON'T HAVE TO GET EMAILS ABOUT HAVING THE CHECKS REDONE. SO WE LIVE AND WE LEARN AND WE ARE THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING. SO THE FIRST ONE I HAVE TOMAHAWK CREEK MIDDLE $1,000. THAT'S IT. COSBY HIGH SCHOOL. COSBY HIGH SCHOOL IS GETTING $1,250 BECAUSE THEY WERE ALSO THE LARGEST DONOR FOR ONE OF THE WEEKENDS. SO THEY GET THAT EXTRA INCENTIVE FOR THAT AS WELL [APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HAVE A GRANGE HALL ELEMENTARY [APPLAUSE]. YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH, SCHOOL LEADERS, FOR MOBILIZING YOUR COMMUNITIES TO GET BEHIND THIS EFFORT. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS. I REALLY WANT TO PASS THE MIC AND ASK YOU ALL TO TELL US WHAT STYLE OF JEANS WERE POPULAR WHEN YOU WENT TO SCHOOL, BUT WE DO APPRECIATE YOU AND I WILL JUST IF YOU WANT TO, JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF SO YOUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES CAN RECOGNIZE YOU, AND I MEAN, IF YOU WANT TO TELL US WHAT JEANS YOU WERE WEARING, THAT'S OKAY, SHERYL DOSWELL, PRINCIPAL AT FALLING CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL. THE TYPE OF JEAN BACK IN MY DAY, WE HAD HOMEMADE BLEACH DYED JEANS WHERE WE JUST POURED BLEACH ON THEM. SO WE HAD BLEACH SPOTS. SO THAT WAS THE THING BACK IN MY DAY. I'M MATT [INAUDIBLE]. I'M THE PRINCIPAL OF ROBIOUS MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT BLUE JEANS, SO I'M PASSING IT ON. I'M DIANE HERRING. I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF TOMAHAWK CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL PTA, AND I'LL PROBABLY WE HAD MOM JEANS BACK IN THE DAY. OH, WE HAVE MOM JEANS AGAIN, RIGHT? YEAH. I'M BECCA THOMPSON. I'M THE PRINCIPAL. TOMAHAWK CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL. WE WERE REALLY SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE WE TURN THIS INTO A COMPETITION FOR OUR TEACHERS, AND ANY TIME YOU TURN IT INTO A COMPETITION, THEY'RE GOING TO WIN. SO CARRIE BIGGINS I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE PTA, AND WE WORE GUESS JEANS WHEN I GREW UP. THIS ISN'T ABOUT ME. LINDSAY MOTTLEY, PRINCIPAL AT OLD HUNDRED. I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH CARRIE, SO I'M GOING TO TAKE HER ANSWER OF SAYING GUESS JEANS. I'M JANA KLINE, THE PRINCIPAL OF ALBERTA SMITH, AND I REMEMBER TIGHT ROLLING MY JEANS IN COLLEGE. I'M COURTNEY JONES, PRINCIPAL AT GRANGE HALL ELEMENTARY, AND I WAS TIGHT ROLLING MY JEANS IN HIGH SCHOOL. BEN SNYDER, PRINCIPAL OF COSBY. I WEAR WHATEVER JEANS ARE IN THE HOUSE, AND THAT'S EITHER PURCHASED BY MY WIFE OR MY MOM BACK IN THE DAY. SO I HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT THE STYLE. SO BUT OUR SUCCESS, I THINK, IS ALL DUE TO THIS WOMAN RIGHT HERE, BECAUSE SHE'S THE ONE THAT REALLY PUSHED OUR DRIVE THIS YEAR AND COMING OUT TO FOOTBALL GAMES AND ASKING FOLKS TO BRING THEIR DENIM OUT TO THAT FOR SOME REWARD. SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MS. [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU. JEANS BACK IN MY DAY, I DON'T KNOW. I WAS A PUNK ROCK GIRL, SO WE RIPPED EVERYTHING UP AND YEAH, THANK YOU. HI, I'M STEPHANIE MOONEY, ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL AT MIDLOTHIAN HIGH SCHOOL, AND WE WERE BEGINNING TO FLARE JEANS WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR CANDID RESPONSES. WE APPRECIATE YOU, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN YOUR COMMUNITIES AND FOR GETTING BEHIND THIS EFFORT. CONGRATULATIONS [APPLAUSE]. [00:15:51] GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIRMAN. SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND DR. DAUGHERTY. I AM TASHA, ANDREW. I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION, AND I'M PRIVILEGED TO PRESENT THE OCTOBER DRIVERS OF THE MONTH THAT ARE BEING RECOGNIZED FOR OUTSTANDING DRIVER PERFORMANCE. PROVIDING SAFE TRANSPORTATION FOR STUDENTS TO AND FROM SCHOOL EVERY DAY IS ESSENTIAL TO INSTRUCTION AND OUR CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUS DRIVERS GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO ACCOMPLISH THIS MISSION EVERY DAY. ALTHOUGH OFTEN AN UNSUNG HERO TO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS, THEIR BUS DRIVER IS A ROLE MODEL FOR PATIENCE, 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 THAT WE COULD HAVE 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 WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE FOLLOWING BUS DRIVERS. KIM BASKFIELD AREA ONE DRIVER OF BUS 669 WITH ONE YEAR OF DEDICATED SERVICE. KEITH GILMORE AREA TWO DRIVER OF BUS 528 WITH EIGHT MONTHS OF DEDICATED SERVICE. DEBORAH SROCK AREA THREE DRIVER OF BUS 650 WITH ONE YEAR OF DEDICATED SERVICE. JENNIFER BREWSTER AREA FOUR DRIVER OF BUS 501 WITH 18 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE , AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, LARRY COLEMAN, AREA FIVE DRIVER OF BUS 818 WITH FOUR YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE [APPLAUSE]. WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T HAVE A CHECK TO GIVE YOU LIKE THE LAST ONES UP HERE, BUT I DO JUST WANT TO SAY FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, I KNOW FROM THE BOARD AND I KNOW FROM A LOT OF PARENTS, THANK YOU GUYS FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. IT IS A TOUGH JOB. IT IS A TOUGH JOB, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THERE'S JOY EVERY DAY IN IT FOR YOU, AND I'M JUST GOING TO LET YOU GUYS GO THROUGH IF YOU COULD TELL ME JUST ONE OR TWO WORDS, WHAT KEEPS YOU COMING BACK EVERY DAY? WELL, MY NAME IS LARRY COLEMAN, AND I ENJOY DRIVING THE LITTLE GUYS AROUND. I REALLY DO. I GET A KICK OUT OF TALKING TO THEM AND PLAYING WITH THEM. SO I ENJOY IT [APPLAUSE]. I'M JENNIFER BREWSTER, AND I THINK I AGREE WITH HIM. IT'S THE KIDS, THE FAMILIES THAT YOU GET TO KNOW ALSO, AND JUST BEING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND GETTING TO HELP THEM OUT [APPLAUSE]. I'M DEBORAH SROCK AND AGAIN, LIKE THE OTHER TWO HAVE SAID, I LOVE DRIVING, I LOVE INTERACTING WITH THE KIDS. IT'S A NEW ADVENTURE EVERY SINGLE DAY WE COME TO WORK [APPLAUSE]. MY NAME IS KEITH GILMORE AND I ENJOY DRIVING. AS YOU SAID, EVERY DAY IS AN ADVENTURE. EVERY DAY SOMETHING DIFFERENT [APPLAUSE]. MY NAME IS KIM BASKFIELD I'M 669 AND IT'S ALL ABOUT THE KIDS FOR ME, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE KIDS [APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. NEXT, WE HAVE RECOGNITION OF OUTSTANDING FOOD SERVICE EMPLOYEES, MR. [INAUDIBLE]. MADAM CHAIR. DR. DAUGHERTY, BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU, AS ALWAYS, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF OUR OUTSTANDING FOOD NUTRITION SERVICES MEMBERS THIS EVENING. [00:20:04] RECENTLY, LAST MONTH, WE HIT OUR 1 MILLION LUNCH MARK, WHICH IS EXCELLENT. WE ARE TRAINING TO SERVE ABOUT 5 MILLION LUNCHES THIS YEAR, WHICH IS OVER WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR, WHICH WOULD BE OUTSTANDING, AND AGAIN, JUST A TESTAMENT TO MY FOLKS IN THE FIELD. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ALWAYS APPRECIATE ABOUT THE TEAM THAT WE HAVE IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY FOOD SERVICES IS THEIR FLEXIBILITY, WHICH YOU'VE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT PROBABLY AD NAUSEAM WHEN IT COMES TO DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE BUYING FOOD AND SERVING THE KIDS, BUT RECENTLY WE HAD A VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AUDIT. THEY COME OUT, LOOK AT SOME OF OUR PAPERWORK, JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SPENDING THE GOVERNMENT'S DOLLARS EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY, WHICH I'M HAPPY TO SAY WE ARE, BUT THEY SAID, HEY, WHILE WE'RE HERE, WOULD YOU MIND IF WE WENT OUT TO THREE SCHOOLS AND TOOK A LOOK AT SOME THINGS AND I MADE THREE PHONE CALLS AND I GOT THREE. WE'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU. I WALKED IN THE BACK DOOR WITH A REVIEWER AND NEVER MISSED A BEAT, AND SHE WALKED IN AND SAID, THIS IS FANTASTIC. YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB AND WALKED RIGHT OUT, AND AGAIN, THAT'S JUST A TESTAMENT TO THE FOLKS THAT WE HAVE OUT IN THE FIELD AND A TESTAMENT TO THE EXCELLENT WORK THAT THEY DO. WITH US THIS EVENING. I BELIEVE WE HAVE A COUPLE OF FOLKS THAT ARE ABSENT. FIRST, WE HAVE MARGIE TAYLOR EDWARDS, WHO I BELIEVE IS NOT WITH US THIS EVENING. MS. TAYLOR EDWARDS IS A FOOD SERVICE ASSOCIATED GRANGE HALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. SHE'S BEEN WITH THE COUNTY FOR SIX YEARS, AND WHAT SHE LOVES MOST ABOUT HER JOB IS THAT IT GIVES HER GREAT SATISFACTION TO KNOW THAT ALL STUDENTS ARE EATING A HEALTHY AND NUTRITIOUS MEAL AT SCHOOL. NEXT, WE HAVE TOMOKO WAYNE. MS. WAYNE IS A FOOD SERVICE ASSOCIATE AT ELIZABETH DAVIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OR [INAUDIBLE] DAVIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. SHE HAS BEEN EMPLOYED WITH CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR FIVE YEARS AND LOVES HER JOB BECAUSE OUR LITTLE CUSTOMERS ARE SO PRECIOUS TO US AND THEIR HAPPY FACES MAKE US SMILE EVERY DAY. ALL THE TEACHERS, STUDENTS AND STAFF MEMBERS ARE EXTREMELY NICE AND KIND TO ME, EVEN THOUGH ENGLISH IS MY SECOND LANGUAGE. ALSO THIS EVENING, WE HAVE LOLITA POPE. MS. POPE IS THE ASSISTANT MANAGER AT JACOBS ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND SHE'S BEEN WITH THE COUNTY FOR SIX YEARS. FEELS THE BEST PART OF HER JOB IS THAT SHE GETS TO FEED HER FAVORITE PEOPLE, AND FINALLY, WE HAVE ELSA RAMOS. MISS RAMOS IS OUR CAFETERIA MANAGER AT GORDON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. SHE'S BEEN WITH CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR 12 YEARS. ABOUT HER POSITION, SHE SAYS, I FEEL GREAT JOY AND MY HEART OVERFLOWS WITH HAPPINESS BECAUSE THIS RECOGNITION MEANS A LOT TO ME. WHEN I STARTED WORKING WITH CCPS, I DID NOT SPEAK ENGLISH, AND REACHING THE POSITION OF A MANAGER IS A GIFT. NOW I CAN SAY THAT I'M EXAMPLE FOR MY CHILDREN, MY FAMILY AND MY COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU ALL [APPLAUSE]. SO YOU HAVE A BOARD UP HERE THAT LOVES FOOD AND WANT OUR KIDS TO LOVE FOOD AS WELL, AND SO THE POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS THAT YOU BUILD WITH OUR KIDS AND POSITIVE RELATIONS JUST NOT WITH YOU, BUT AROUND FOOD, MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS. SO WE THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND IF YOU COULD SHARE SOMETHING THAT YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB OR SOMETHING THAT INSPIRES YOU ABOUT WORKING WITH KIDS OR ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE, YOU CAN SHOUT OUT FAMILY. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ELSA AND I AM SO HAPPY TO BE PART OF THE FOOD SERVICE AND I'M HAPPY WITH WHAT I DO BECAUSE I LOVE THE CHILDREN AND I LOVE I LOVE WHAT I DO. AND EVERY MORNING WHEN I SEE THEM AND I KNOW THEIR NAMES, THEY'RE SO HAPPY WHEN I SAY THEIR NAMES AND THEY FEEL SO IMPORTANT, AND I HAVE A VERY GOOD COMMUNICATION WITH THEM. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. MY NAME IS LOLITA POPE, AND I JUST LOVE THE RELATIONSHIP THAT I BUILD WITH THE KIDS, MAKING SURE THEY EAT, CHITCHATTING AND HAVING FUN [APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE. BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PART OF OUR MEETING AND START PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS, THE BOARD AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A REQUEST TO STAFF. WE'D LIKE TO REVIEW AND TO ENSURE THIS IS TO DR. DAUGHTERY AND OTHERS THAT WE HAVE THE BEST PROCEDURE AND PRACTICE FOR HOW MATERIALS ARE BEING PROCURED FOR OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING AGE APPROPRIATE MATERIALS AT ALL SCHOOL LEVELS. IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN WORK TO DO? OKAY, AWESOME. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REMIND OUR PARENTS OUT THERE THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR SCHOOL YEAR, WE PUT A PROCESS IN PLACE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO OPT IN TO KNOW WHAT LIBRARY BOOKS YOUR STUDENTS OR YOUR CHILDREN WERE CHECKING OUT AT YOUR SCHOOL LIBRARY. [00:25:05] SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON HOW TO DO THAT, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO YOUR SCHOOL PRINCIPALS ON THAT. MS. COKER, IF I MAY. YES, MA'AM. I'M ALSO, BEFORE WE BEGIN THE NEXT SECTION, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE FROM OUR LAST SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS MEETING. AT THAT TIME, SEVERAL FAMILIES HAD PRESENTED CONCERNS TO THE BOARD ABOUT THEIR SCHOOL SETTINGS, SPECIFICALLY AT MEADOWBROOK AND FALLING CREEK, WHICH ARE MY SCHOOLS IN MY DISTRICT. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT MEETING, DR. DAUGHERTY HAD A STAFF REPORT DAILY HAD HIS STAFF REPORT DAILY TO EACH SCHOOL TO REVIEW REVIEW SITE PRACTICES AND TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS AT EACH SCHOOL. THESE REVIEW TEAMS RANGED FROM TRANSPORTATION AND FACILITIES STAFF TO SAFETY AND INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF. THEY LOOKED AT NUMEROUS ISSUES LIKE THE BUILDING STRUCTURE AND LAYOUT FOR SAFETY, STUDENT TRUANCY AND ATTENDANCE PATTERNS, COMMUNICATION WITH FAMILIES AND OTHER PROCEDURES RELATED TO STUDENT DAILY ACTIONS. INITIAL STEPS HAVE ALREADY BEEN EVALUATED IN TANDEM WITH THE PRINCIPAL AT EACH SCHOOL, AND SEVERAL STEPS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED. THESE INCLUDE NEW STUDENT ATTENDANCE MONITORING STATIONS AT ITS SECURITY STAFF, AS WELL AS ENHANCED TRANSLATION SERVICES WITH PARENTAL COMMUNICATIONS. PARENT EVENING MEETINGS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED AND THERE WILL BE OPERATED AND HOSTED BY BILINGUAL LIAISONS AND ADMINISTRATORS AT EACH SCHOOL. I APPRECIATE THE PARENTS WHO CAME OUT TO THE IN-PERSON EVENING MEETINGS THAT WE HELD AT MEADOWBROOK AND FALLING CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS. I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND THANK JUAN SANTA COLOMA, WHO'S OUT THERE IN THE AUDIENCE FOR HIS ASSISTANCE AND PRESENTING INFORMATION TO FAMILIES AT EACH OF THESE MEETINGS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO INPUT AT THE EVENING PARENT MEETINGS HOSTED BY THE SCHOOLS, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL. LEADERSHIP DIRECTORS WILL MONITOR THIS INPUT AND THE CURRENT CHANGES OVER THE NEXT QUARTER TO DETERMINE THE PROGRESS OF WHAT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED AT EACH SITE, AND I JUST WANT TO ADD, I'M VERY PROUD OF DR. DAUGHTERY. HE'S VERY QUICK REACTION TO IMPLEMENTING THE CHANGES THAT ARE OCCURRING AND LISTENING TO THE FAMILIES THAT CAME OUT AND SPOKE. SO I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A SECOND TO UPDATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED IN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS BAILEY. [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 OR 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 AGENDA ITEMS? MADAM CHAIR, WE HAVE EIGHT SPEAKERS FOR AGENDA ITEMS THIS EVENING. THEY ARE TODD [INAUDIBLE], MANDY [INAUDIBLE], MELISSA [INAUDIBLE], JASON SPOON, ANNE TATUS, WENDY, LITTLE, MARY KEITH AND ROBERT EVERETT. 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'S A TIMER SET UP ON THE 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 YOUR CELL PHONE AND 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. MAY WE MAY WE HAVE TODD [INAUDIBLE]. GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIRWOMAN. MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. MY NAME IS DR. TODD [INAUDIBLE]. I AM THE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS FOR THE FAMILY FOUNDATION. RESIDE IN HANOVER, THOUGH. I GREW UP IN CHESTERFIELD AND ATTENDED PUBLIC SCHOOLS K THROUGH 12. ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY FOUNDATION, I WISH TO EXPRESS OUR SUPPORT FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD'S PROPOSED NEW POLICY 3035, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE SENATE BILL 656 AND THE VIDEO MODEL POLICIES CONCERNING THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS WITH SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIALS. THESE POLICIES ENSURE THAT PARENTS HAVE OVERSIGHT OF HIGHLY SENSITIVE MATERIALS POTENTIALLY BEING PRESENTED TO THEIR CHILD AND STRENGTHENS THEIR ABILITY TO GUIDE AND INSTRUCT THEIR CHILDREN, AND THEY DO SO IN THIS WAY. THE MODEL POLICIES PROVIDE HELPFUL DEFINITIONS FOR SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT THAT IS BASED ON EXISTING LAW. [00:30:04] THEY PRIORITIZE PARENTS INVOLVEMENT IN THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION, INCLUDING THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO USE THESE TYPES OF CONTENT AND MATERIALS FOR THEIR CHILD. THE POLICIES RIGHTLY EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING A CHILD'S INNOCENCE AND THE RIGHT OF A PARENT TO CHOOSE FOR THEIR CHILD. ALTERNATIVE CONTENT, AND THEY REQUIRE PRINCIPALS TO PUBLISH AND MAINTAIN A LIST OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS WITH SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT. THE LAW IN VIRGINIA CLEARLY AFFIRMS THE PRIMACY OF PARENTS AUTHORITY IN VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 1-240.1, WHICH STATES THAT A PARENT HAS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO MAKE DECISIONS CONCERNING THE UPBRINGING, EDUCATION AND CARE OF THE PARENTS CHILD. FURTHERMORE, IN 2000, THE US SUPREME COURT REAFFIRMED THE RIGHTS OF PARENTS AND TROXEL V GRANVILLE WHEN IT HELD THAT THE LIBERTY INTEREST THE PARENTS IN THE CARE, CUSTODY AND CONTROL OF THEIR CHILDREN IS PERHAPS THE OLDEST OF THE FUNDAMENTAL LIBERTY INTEREST RECOGNIZED BY THE COURT. SO IN LIGHT OF STATE LAW AND COURT PRECEDENT, IT IS CLEAR THAT PARENTS, NOT THE SCHOOLS, HAVE THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OF DETERMINING WHAT SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T BE TAUGHT TO THEIR CHILD, BUT IN ORDER FOR PARENTS TO PROPERLY DIRECT EDUCATION OF THEIR CHILDREN, PARENTS MUST BE AFFORDED EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE CURRICULUM AND WHAT LESSONS ARE BEING TAUGHT TO THEIR CHILD. THE POLICIES THAT YOU HAVE PROPOSED APPEAR TO ACCOMPLISH THESE OBJECTIVES. I HOPE THAT CHESTERFIELD COUNTY SCHOOLS, ONE OF THE LARGEST SCHOOLS IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, APPROVES THESE POLICIES AND WILL LEAD THE WAY FOR OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO DO THE SAME. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. THANK YOU, DR. [INAUDIBLE]. [INAUDIBLE] FIRST, I WANT TO THANK THE BOARDS FOR RESPONDING TO PARENTS CONCERNS EXPRESSED AT THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS AND PUTTING THE PARENTAL RIGHTS POLICY 3035 ON THE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION. AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN, CHURCH LEADER AND FUTURE PARENTS, I ASKED THE SCHOOL BOARD TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS IMMEDIATELY BY ADOPTING THE NEW POLICY. WE ASK THIS POLICY IS CONSISTENT WITH THE MODEL POLICIES DEVELOPED BY THE VIRGINIA STATE OF EDUCATION. WE ASK THAT ADVANCE PARENTAL NOTIFICATION OF THE INTENDED USE OF ANY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS WITH SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT IN OUR CHILD'S EDUCATION. WE ASK THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO INSPECT AND REVIEW INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED AS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT. WE ALSO WANT TO ENSURE WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SELECT FOR OUR CHILD THE OPTION OF AN ALTERNATIVE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND RELATED ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES THAT DO NOT CONTAIN SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT. POLICY SHOULD BE DRAFTED WHICH EMPOWER US TO EXERCISE OUR RIGHT TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY USE THE USE OF SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT IN INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS IS APPROPRIATE FOR OUR CHILD. WE ASK THAT POLICY SHOULD REFLECT CONFIDENCE IN US, RESPECT OUR DECISION MAKING, RESPECT OUR RIGHTS TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN'S INNOCENCE. PROVERBS 22 6 STATES TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE WAY HE SHOULD GO, AND WHEN HE IS OLD, HE WILL NOT DEPART FROM IT. OUR AUTHORITY IS A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT THAT HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED MULTIPLE TIMES BY THE US SUPREME COURT AND IS ALSO UPHELD IN VIRGINIA LAW. IF SCHOOLS REALLY WANT TO HELP KIDS, THEY SHOULD INVOLVE US, NOT IGNORE US. THE STATE'S SEX EDUCATION PROGRAM KNOWN AS FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION ALSO CAN BE HANDLED MORE LIKE AN ELECTIVE, RATHER THAN FORCING EVERY SINGLE CHILD IN THE STATE TO AUTOMATICALLY PARTICIPATE BY DEFAULT, WHETHER PARENTS AGREE OR NOT. THIS IS HOW IT WAS BACK IN 1989, WHEN I WAS IN THE FIFTH GRADE HERE IN CHESTERFIELD AT GRANGE HALL. FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION WAS JUST FIRST INTRODUCED BACK THEN. MY PARENTS, NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS GOING TO BE DISCUSSED, HAD OPTED ME OUT. A LOT HAS CHANGED WITH THE CURRENT FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION FOR SURE, THAN WHAT WAS DISCUSSED IN 1989. JUST THIS YEAR, A FIVE YEAR OLD KINDERGARTEN STUDENT WAS SENT HOME FROM AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HERE IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY WITH A COPY OF I AM NOT A GIRL. MY GENDER AND MY FUTURE IS CHILDREN. MY FUTURE CHILD'S GENDER SHOULD NOT AND WILL NOT BE DETERMINED BY SEX EDUCATION PROGRAM FROM OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM OR BY A BOOK THAT WAS SENT HOME. IT IS ONLY DETERMINED BY GOD. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK AND ADOPTING THIS POLICY 3035. THANK YOU, MR. [INAUDIBLE]. MELISSA [INAUDIBLE]. [00:35:05] GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THIS REPORT SENT OUT BY THE OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS. DATED OCTOBER 5TH THIS YEAR, YOUNG CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY SERVICE DISRUPTIONS. AS WE START THIS NEW SCHOOL YEAR OSEP AND OHS WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES THE SERVICES AND SUPPORTS THEY NEED TO THRIVE. THE PURPOSE OF OUR CORRESPONDENCE IS THREEFOLD. FIRST, WE WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT THE REQUIREMENTS UNDER PART B OF THE IDA TO PROVIDE SPECIAL EDUCATION AND RELATED SERVICES TO ELIGIBLE PRESCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES. SECOND, WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF ONGOING COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCY, LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES AND THEIR HEAD START PROGRAM PARTNERS TO EFFECTIVELY MEET IDA REQUIREMENTS TO ENSURE THE PROVISION OF APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION TO CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES. LASTLY, OUR LETTER PROVIDES RESOURCES THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL UNDER BOTH PARTS B AND C OF THE IDA, AS WELL AS HEAD START. IT IS THE LONG STANDING POLICY OF OUR DEPARTMENTS THAT YOUNG CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES BE INCLUDED IN HIGH QUALITY EARLY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. I'VE BEEN BEGGING FOR THAT SINCE 2017. SO HERE WE ARE IN 2022, AND YOU ARE STILL RECEIVING GUIDELINES FROM THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SAYING THAT YOU GUYS ARE FAILING YOUR CHILDREN. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU SIT ON THIS BOARD AND SLEEP COMFORTABLY. I'M REALLY CONFUSED. JANUARY 2020, OHS RELEASED AN INFORMATION MEMORANDUM ON INCLUSION OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES HIGHLIGHTING REQUIREMENTS IN THE HEAD START PROGRAM PERFORMANCE STANDARDS RELATED TO THE INCLUSION OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES OR SUSPECTED DELAYS, INCLUDING A LIST OF RESOURCES FOR RECIPIENTS USE AND IMPLEMENTATION EFFORTS. I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WITH THE FAILURE TO PROVIDE A FREE AND APPROPRIATE EDUCATION FOR MY TEN YEAR OLD WITH AUTISM, HE WOULD BE PLACED IN A CLASSROOM THAT IS TEACHING THINGS LIKE IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL. SO WE'RE GOING TO TEACH KIDS THAT MASTURBATION IS OKAY AT TEN AND 11 YEARS OLD. THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. SEE, A FREE AND APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION DOESN'T SAY THAT MY TEN YEAR OLD WITH AUTISM, THAT IS UNDERSTANDING ON A SIX YEAR OLD LEVEL IS GOING TO COME HOME AND TELL ME ABOUT MASTURBATION AND HOW HE RECEIVED A PICTURE BOOK ABOUT IT AND LET'S STIMULATE OUR ANUS. [INAUDIBLE] YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. PLEASE GO AHEAD AND ESCORT HER OUT. HER TIME IS UP, PLEASE. THANK YOU. JASON SPOON. GOOD EVENING, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT, CONCERNED PARENTS AND STUDENTS. MY NAME IS JASON SPOON. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION CALLED SPEAK UP CHESTERFIELD. WE'RE OVER HERE, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, I'M A PARENT. I PROMISED MYSELF I WASN'T GOING TO MAKE A HABIT OF SPEAKING AT SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, BUT THIS IS MY FOURTH ONE, THIRD TIME SPEAKING THAT ONE. SO I'M NOT DOING VERY WELL, BUT LAST MONTH, I CAME UP HERE TO SUPPORT GOVERNOR DUNCAN'S MODEL POLICIES AND ASK YOU TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE TO FIX OUR KIND OF THE TRUST ISSUES THE PARENTS HAVE WITH WITH OUR OUR OUR SCHOOL FOLKS BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND PARENTS. BUT THIS MONTH, YOU'VE PROPOSED POLICY 3035, WHICH IS A GREAT STEP FORWARD DOWN THE RIGHT PATH, IN MY OPINION, TOWARDS RESTORING THAT TRUST , AND I WANT TO THANK YOU AND LET YOU KNOW THAT OUR ORGANIZATION SPEAK UP CHESTERFIELD WE WE SUPPORT THIS POLICY. WE SUPPORT IT FOR BRINGING PARENTS CONCERNS AND VALUES BACK INTO THE EDUCATION DISCUSSION, FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THAT PARENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXERCISE DISCRETION OVER THE MATERIAL THEIR CHILDREN VIEW. FOR CLEARLY DEFINING WHAT EXPLICIT CONTENT IS AND THE OPTION FOR PARENTS TO EXEMPT THEIR CHILDREN FROM THAT TYPE OF INSTRUCTION. [00:40:04] NOW, HAVING SAID THAT, MAN, I KIND OF SHUDDER AT THE TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE POLICY IS EVEN NEEDED. YOU KNOW, I HOPE THAT LIST OF MATERIAL, THAT SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL WILL BE PRETTY CLOSE TO ZERO, AND IF IT'S NOT, WHICH IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT IS , I THINK THAT INDICATES A LARGER PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SCHOOLS. I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO ADDRESS THAT LAST THING, BUT SOME ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT WE MIGHT LIKE TO SEE IN THE FINAL PRODUCT, THE NAMING OF A POSITION OR DEPARTMENT IN EACH SCHOOL RESPONSIBLE FOR IDENTIFYING AND PROPERLY ADDRESSING EXPLICIT CONTENT AND SUGGESTING PUNITIVE ACTIONS FOR PARTIES NOT FOUND IN COMPLIANCE. WE KIND OF LIKE TO SEE SOME TEETH, YOU KNOW, BUT AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THIS ENCOURAGING FIRST STEP. YOU KNOW, YOU AND I, THE EDUCATIONAL TEAM, THE PARENTS AND THE EDUCATORS, WE WE NEED THIS. YOU KNOW, WE NEED THIS SHOW OF TRUST, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING MORE POLICIES CONCERNING PARENTAL RIGHTS. HEY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. SPOON. [INAUDIBLE]. GOOD EVENING AND I TOO AM EXCITED TO FINALLY SEE SOMETHING BEING DONE WITH THE 20 YEARS OF LAW THAT'S BEEN STANDING THAT THIS LAW WAS NOT NEEDED FOR, BUT ANYWAY, SO CLEAR PROCEDURES FOR SCHOOLS TO IDENTIFY ALL INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS WITH SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT. THIS DOES NOT DO THAT. ENSURE PARENTAL NOTIFICATION OF ANY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS. PERMIT PARENTS TO REVIEW ALL INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS. THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS. ENSURE ALTERNATIVE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR THOSE PEOPLE, INCLUDING MOST OF OUR LEGISLATORS AND MOST OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ACROSS THE STATE. IN 2013, THE STANDARD FOR SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES SEE, EACH LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD SHALL ENSURE THAT POLICIES ARE DEVELOPED. CONSIDERING GIVING THE CONSIDERATION TO THE VIEWS OF TEACHERS, PARENTS AND OTHER CONCERNED CITIZENS, AND ADDRESSING THE FOLLOWING NUMBER TO THE SELECTION AND EVALUATION OF ALL INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS PURCHASED BY THE SCHOOL DIVISION WITH CLEAR PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING CHALLENGED CONTROVERSIAL MATERIALS. THAT WAS 2013 AND IT'S STILL ON THE BOOKS 2014 TEXTBOOKS 8VAC20-720-70 PROCEDURES. THIS WOULD BE B FOR SELECTION OF TEXTBOOKS BY LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS. LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS SHALL ADOPT PROCEDURES FOR THE SELECTION OF TEXTBOOKS. THESE PROCEDURES SHALL INCLUDE, AT A MINIMUM, THE FOLLOWING APPOINTMENT OF EVALUATION COMMITTEES BY THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD. THIS HAS BEEN THERE SINCE 2014 TO REVIEW AND EVALUATE TEXTBOOKS IN EACH OF THE SUBJECT AREAS. NOTICE TO PARENTS THAT TEXTBOOKS UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR APPROVAL WILL BE LISTED ON THE SCHOOLS DIVISION WEBSITE AND MADE AVAILABLE IN DESIGNATED LOCATIONS. THREE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE REVIEWING SUCH TEXTBOOKS TO PRESENT THEIR COMMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS, IF ANY, TO THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD THROUGH LOCALLY APPROVED PROCEDURES. FOUR PROCEDURES TO ENSURE APPROPRIATE CONSIDERATION OF CITIZEN COMMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS. FIVE SELECTION CRITERIA, AND FOR THOSE PARENTS WHO DON'T KNOW UNDER THE PROTECTION OF PEOPLE RIGHTS AMENDMENT 8VAC20720-160 THE VIRGINIA CODE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS YOU HAVE PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO INSPECT UPON REQUEST ANY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL USED AS PART OF THE EDUCATION CURRICULUM FOR STUDENTS AND THE PROCEDURE FOR GRANTING A REQUEST BY A PARENT FOR SUCH ACCESS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROTECTION OF PUPIL RIGHTS AMENDMENT, WHICH IS FEDERAL. YOU DON'T HAVE TO ASK THEM FOR THE SEXUAL. ALL THE CURRICULUM IS AVAILABLE, AND THE THING THAT YOU HAVE IN HERE ON COPYRIGHT, PLEASE. I HAVE EVERY CONTRACT THAT YOU HAVE HERE AND YOU SEND OUT A LITERAL BLANK COPY THAT SAYS, OH, WE'LL COPYRIGHT. WE WON'T SHOW ANYBODY ANY OF YOUR STUFF ANYWAY. SO THAT ADDED IN THERE IS INSULT TO INJURY BECAUSE ALL OF YOUR CONTRACTS WITH EVERY INSTRUCTIONAL SOFTWARE HAS THAT ALREADY IN HERE. [INAUDIBLE] WENDY LITTLE. [00:45:05] GOOD EVENING. IN CASE YOU'VE FORGOTTEN WHO I AM, I AM WENDY LITTLE. CLOVER HILL DISTRICT. MY SON IS AARON LITTLE, WHOM YOU'RE NOT EDUCATING. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU IGNORING EMAILS, REQUESTS FOR MEETINGS. YOU'VE BANNED ME FROM BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH MOST OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION, AND YOU'RE NOT HELPING MY CHILD. I CAME HERE TONIGHT TO DISCUSS SEAC BYLAWS, AND I GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO JILL [INAUDIBLE] FOR THE WORK THAT SHE'S DOING TO HELP THAT COMMITTEE AND. I SHOULD FILL IN SOME SPACE WITH. WELL, I'M GOING TO THIS BECAUSE I'M NOT AS PREPARED AS I WOULD LIKE TO BE, BUT, YOU KNOW, ON THE HEELS OF MENTAL HEALTH MONTH, YOURS TRULY SPENT A LITTLE TIME AT A HEALTH SPA. A MENTAL HEALTH SPA, BECAUSE THE WAY YOUR SCHOOL DIVISION IS TREATING ME AND MY CHILD, BUT WHEN I GO TO ARTICLE PURPOSE, THE PURPOSE AND THE LAST PAGE PROVIDE ADVICE CONCERNING UNMET NEEDS OF THE EDUCATION STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY. THAT IS THEIR GOAL ASSIST IN THE FORMULATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF LONG RANGE PLANS WHICH WILL PROVIDE SERVICES NEEDED FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. WHAT ARE THOSE LONG RANGE PLANS? I'VE BEEN ASKING FOREVER. WHERE ARE THOSE PLANS? I DON'T THINK THEY EXIST. THE OTHER TOPIC I WANTED TO AND THEY DON'T EXIST BECAUSE YOU DON'T CARE. IF YOU CARED, YOU WOULD GET AN EXTERNAL SPECIAL EDUCATION AUDIT OF WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN YOUR SPECIAL EDUCATION DIVISION AND HOW THEY'RE TREATING OUR KIDS AND PARENTS FOR YEARS. YOU COULD CREATE A SPECIAL EDUCATION HANDBOOK. FAIRFAX HAS ONE. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN LOOK IT UP. I'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK FOR YOU. I'M NOT DOING ANYMORE, AND WHEN IT COMES TO PROMOTION, RETENTION, ACADEMIC PLACEMENTS, THIS IS POLICY 3042 PROMOTION STUDENT ADVANCING TO THE NEXT GRADE LEVEL AFTER HAVING SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS. MY SON DIDN'T. DR. POPE MADE A DECISION ON THAT. I AGREE TO THAT. YOU'RE THE ONLY PEOPLE IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF VIRGINIA AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT DOESN'T UNDERSTAND RECOGNIZE A PARTIALLY ACCEPTED IEP AGREEMENT. YOUR SCHOOL BOARD ATTORNEY DOES. THE VDOE DOES. YOUR SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT DOESN'T, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE STUCK. I WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION LATER, AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, I'M GOING ON AN HONESTY AND PUBLICITY TOUR AND I WILL BE SHARING EVERYTHING I HAVE EVERYWHERE I CAN UNTIL WE FIX THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU. MARY KEITH. I'M JUST GOING TO START IT. MS. [INAUDIBLE] WAS TRYING TO READ YOU GUYS THIS GREAT BOOK. I JUST WANT TO SHOW YOU THE PICTURE FOR TEN YEAR OLDS AND UP. MY DAUGHTER'S TEN. SHE STILL BELIEVES IN SANTA. SHE ONLY KNOWS THAT YOU LOVE SOMEBODY. YOU GET MARRIED, YOU HAVE A BABY. BECAUSE THAT'S HOW I RAISE MY DAUGHTER WITH MORALS, WHICH APPARENTLY...I APPRECIATE YOUR NEW POLICY. THERE SHOULD BE NO SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIALS IN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THAT'S ALL. STOP SEXUALIZING OUR CHILDREN. IT MAKES ME SICK TO EVEN HAVE TO READ THIS OUT LOUD. ONE KIND OF SEXUAL INTERCOURSE HAPPENS WHEN A PERSON WITH A FEMALE BODY AND A PERSON WITH A MALE BODY ARE SO CLOSE TOGETHER THAT THEIR PENIS GOES INSIDE THE VAGINA, AND THE VAGINA STRETCHES IN A WAY THAT FITS AROUND THE PENIS. I WANT TO VOMIT RIGHT NOW. MA'AM, THERE'S CHILDREN SITTING BEHIND YOU. I KNOW THERE'S CHILDREN. CHILDREN ARE GETTING THIS FROM YOUR LIBRARIES AND YOUR DISTRICT. THEIR PARENTS GET TO CHOOSE WHAT BOOKS THEY READ. YOU CAN'T READ THIS IN A ROOM WITH OTHER CHILDREN [INAUDIBLE] PARENTAL RIGHTS. MY DAUGHTER CAN GO INTO AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LIBRARY AND GET IT. SO YOU TELL ME, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? [INAUDIBLE] IT'S TEN YEARS OLD AND UP AND A 12 YEAR OLD. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TEN AND A 12 YEAR OLD? THIS IS SEXUALIZING, PREDATORS, THE PEDOPHILIA [INAUDIBLE] RIGHT NOW WITH CHILDREN SITTING BEHIND YOU. [00:50:05] I KNOW THERE'S CHILDREN BEHIND ME. THIS IS IN YOUR SCHOOLS, MA'AM, IN YOUR DISTRICT. THIS IS IN YOUR SCHOOLS, AND WE'RE SICK OF IT. THERE SHOULD BE NO SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL. YOUR GRADES ARE ALL DOWN. YOUR TEST SCORES ARE DOWN. CHILDREN CAN'T READ. I HELP OUT IN MY CHILDREN'S CLASS. THERE ARE THIRD GRADERS THAT CANNOT READ THAT ARE SCOOTED ON ALONG THE LINE. THIS SHOULD NOT BE YOUR TOPIC. JUST SAY NO. LET'S BRING THAT BACK FROM WHEN I WAS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. NO SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL, YOU KNOW. YEAH, I CAN SEE WHAT MY DAUGHTER CHECKED OUT FROM SCHOOL. THAT'S GREAT, BUT YOU GUYS ARE NOT BEING OPEN AND HONEST. YOU DON'T WANT YOUR KIDS READING THIS, DO YOU? AT TEN? IT GOES IN TO DETAILS THAT ARE NOT FOR ANY CHILD, EVEN A 16 YEAR OLD. THEY CAN FIGURE IT OUT ANOTHER WAY. YOU SHOULDN'T BE PROVIDING IT. THEY CAN GO TO THE CHESTERFIELD COUNTY LIBRARY. THEY CAN LOOK IT UP ON THE INTERNET. YOU SHOULD NOT BE THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING THIS IN OUR SCHOOLS, AND YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE. SUPERINTENDENT, THAT'S WHERE THE BUCK STOPS, RIGHT? HE'S THE ONE RESPONSIBLE. Y'ALL AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT HE SAYS? AGREE TO GET THIS CRAP OUT. THAT'S ALL WE WANT. SO THANKS. YOU ALL HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. THANK YOU, MS. KEITH. ROBERT [INAUDIBLE]. SO I WANT TO START THAT BOOK IS ACTUALLY ON PROVIDENCE AND DAVIS MIDDLE. EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE READ, ANYTHING THAT COMES UP IS IN CHESTER COUNTY, AND YOU ALL KNOW THAT I TELL THE TRUTH ON THAT. YOU KNOW HOW TO DO THAT. I'M GOING OUTSIDE MY LITTLE BOX TONIGHT. I WANT TO SAY THAT I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH THIS MEANS TO ME, BUT THERE'S SOME WEAKNESSES TO THIS NEW POLICY THAT NEEDS TO BE STRENGTHENED A LITTLE BIT, AND I NOTICED THAT IT WAS A LOT OF LAW COPIED AND PASTED IN WHICH I'M SO THANKFUL THAT CHESTERFIELD COUNTY IS ACTUALLY RECOGNIZING STATE LAW NOW ON THIS AND WE NEED TO GET THIS CRAP OUT OF THESE LIBRARIES. THIS IS GOOD FOR THE FUTURE, MAYBE, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE ONES THAT ARE IN THERE NOW? WE GOT TO GET THEM OUT, AND I THINK I SAW SOME KIND OF REVIEW PROCESS AND I'M STILL REVIEWING A LOT OF THIS, BUT THIS BOOK RIGHT HERE, AND YOU ALL KNOW THIS, 'ALL BOYS AREN'T BLUE' IS IN MY SON'S SCHOOL. I SPOKE TO MY SON. I MAY READ IT, I MIGHT NOT. I'M JUST ADLIBBING RIGHT NOW, AND I TALKED TO MY SON. I SAID, SON, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN YOUR SCHOOL. THERE'S PICTURE BOOKS, AND I WAS VERY VAGUE AND DESCRIBING WHAT IT WAS, AND WHEN I SAID, HE GOES, DAD, HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? HOW IS THIS EVEN IN OUR SCHOOL? ISN'T THAT ILLEGAL? HE'S 12. HOW DOES MY 12 YEAR OLD KNOW THAT? I KNOW YOU GUYS KNOW THAT, TOO. THIS HAPPENED BEFORE Y'ALL EVEN TOOK SEAT, AND WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET THIS CRAP OUT OF THE SCHOOLS NOW. I MEAN, WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO BEFORE YOU ALL LEAVE THE SEATS, AND I KNOW THIS NEW POLICY IS 3035 IS A COMPROMISE BETWEEN ALL BOARDS SUPERVISORS, BUT I SEE THE COMPROMISE IN THAT THERE IS EITHER ALL OR NONE. THERE IS NO COMPROMISE ON THIS. WE GET THIS CRAP OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS. WE GET THOSE PICTURE BOOKS OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS. WE GET THIS CRAP OUT OF SCHOOLS, AND I WAS GOING TO READ THIS AND, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE I DON'T NEED TO RIGHT NOW. I WILL ADD THE SECOND SECTION, THOUGH, BUT THIS STUFF NEEDS TO BE ADDED TO SCHOOLS, AND I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THIS SINCE FEBRUARY AND TO SEE THIS POLICY COME ACROSS. YOU KNOW, I WAS OVERJOYED [INAUDIBLE] FIRST [INAUDIBLE] I STARTED READING IT AND TALKING TO SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, AND THERE'S SOME WEAKNESS HERE, BUT I'M THANKFUL FOR THERE'S ACTUALLY A MOVE FORWARD FOR SOMETHING. THERE'S A START FOR SOMETHING. SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS POLICY A LITTLE TIGHTER AND TRY TO STRENGTHEN IT AND RECOGNIZE THE LAW, BECAUSE I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, I'M NOT SEEING ANY DISCIPLINARY ACTION FOR ANYBODY THAT VIOLATES THIS, AND I CAN TELL YOU, I'VE BEEN DOING MY RESEARCH AND I KNOW THE LIBRARIES THAT ARE THAT ARE OFFENDING THESE LAWS. I'VE GOT THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION. I KNOW THE HEAD LIBRARIANS OF EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM, AND IF THEY DON'T GET THESE THINGS OFF THE SHELVES, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FILE A LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THESE LIBRARIANS. THIS IS NOT BY ACCIDENT. WHEN I KEEP GOING, OH, I'M GOING TO GO TO THIS SCHOOL. OH, LOOK, IT'S THERE. LOOK, IT'S THERE. IT'S THE SAME SCHOOLS OVER AND OVER. WHEN IT'S SPORADIC, IT IS BY ACCIDENT, BUT WHEN IT'S THE SAME SCHOOL EVERY SINGLE TIME I SEARCH AND I SEARCH AND I SEARCH AND I SEARCH AND I SEARCH AT NIGHT. I SEARCH AT LUNCHTIME. I SEARCH IN THE MORNINGS. I SEARCH FOR THESE BOOKS. PARENTS TELL ME WHERE THEY'RE AT. I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO SEARCH. THANK YOU FOR HAVING THOSE TOOLS IN PLACE SO I CAN EXPOSE THIS, AND I JUST WANT THINGS TO CHANGE AND WE NEED TO GET THIS CRAP OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS, PERIOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. [INAUDIBLE]. MADAM CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES THIS EVENING'S PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS. [00:55:03] THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. [E. Superintendent's Report] NEXT WE HAVE THIS EVENING SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. DR. DAUGHETRY. MADAM CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO CALL UP CHAD MACKLIN AT THIS TIME , AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO START. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT WE'RE ALL WEARING. WE'RE ALL WEARING COLLEGE ATTIRE, RIGHT, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO CELEBRATE COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS MONTH, BUT THE OTHER HALF OF THAT IS THE CAREER READINESS SIDE OF IT. RIGHT? BECAUSE I CAN REPRESENT 300,000 UNFILLED JOBS TODAY IN THE SKILLED TRADES. SO WE ALL HAVE CAREERS. WE'VE ALL LANDED SOMEPLACE. WE STARTED SOMEWHERE. MAYBE WE GOT CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT, MAYBE WE BECAME AN ARCHITECT AT A SCHOOL, BUT WE WENT TO THE FIELD AND WE DONNED A HAT AND WE DONNED A TOOL BELT. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TONIGHT. BUT LET'S NOT DISTRACT THAT FROM ALL THE WORK WE DO AND CELEBRATE EVERYBODY AND WHERE THEY'VE BEEN IN THE PAST THAT THEY'VE MADE. I SEE ONE NONTRADITIONAL FAVOR HERE, PLEASE. THANKS. I DO WANT TO SAY SOMETHING. MY OUTFIT. SO TONIGHT I AM REPRESENTING MY DAD, WHOSE FIRST JOB WAS IN 1952 AND LEESVILLE, LOUISIANA, AND HE WAS AN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN, AND ALSO I'M REPRESENTING MY KID WHO IS IN HIS FIRST YEAR OF THE AUTO TECH PROGRAM AT CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SO MY DAD IS 86 NOW, ENDED UP DOING CAREER ARMY, NOT OUT OF TECH, BUT STILL LOVES TO WORK UNDER A CAR AT 86. SURE. ANYBODY ELSE CARE TO SHARE? NOT REQUIRED. WELL, I'M MAKING THE SUPREME SACRIFICE, NOT AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BECAUSE I'M MISSING THE HOME OPENING VCU BASKETBALL GAME, WHICH IS MY ALUMNI. SO I'M WEARING MY VCU SHIRT. GO RAMS. THEY BETTER WIN WITHOUT ME THERE. SO I'LL GO AHEAD. NOW, I HAVE NOT GONE TO ODU, BUT MY SON GOES TO ODU AND MY MONEY GOES TO ODU. SO WORTH A RECOGNITION. THERE WE GO. I AM REPRESENTING EVERY MOM WHO HAS FORGOTTEN A SPIRIT WEEK EVENTS, EVERY WACKY HAIR DAY, EVERY MISMATCHED SOCK DAY, AND EVERY WEAR YOUR ALMA MATER SHIRT DAY BUT I WENT TO JOHN TYLER, GOT MY START AT JOHN TYLER AND THEN GRADUATED FROM VCU OR NOW BRIGHT POINT. YEAH, GO RAMS AND I AM REPRESENTING LONGWOOD COLLEGE WHEN I WAS THERE BUT NOW LONGWOOD UNIVERSITY. VERY GOOD THANK YOU. REPRESENTING [INAUDIBLE] STATE COLLEGE UNDERGRAD DEGREE. VERY GOOD. I AM REPRESENTING DREXEL UNIVERSITY WHERE I GOT MY UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE AND MY MBA. WE'VE ALL HAD [INAUDIBLE]. SO MADAM CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. DR. DAUGHERTY IN A MOMENT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR A PRESENTATION OF ALL THINGS, THE OFFICES OF SCHOOL COUNSELING AND CTE DO ACROSS THE YEAR TO ENSURE OUR STUDENTS ARE COLLEGE AND CAREER READY, BUT FIRST, IF WE CAN, MR. RUSSELL, IF WE COULD ACKNOWLEDGE SOME OF OUR CULINARY ARTS AND BAKING AND PASTRY STUDENTS WHO THIS EVENING WERE ABLE TO, ON A TEACHER WORKDAY, COME IN AND PREPARE A MEAL FOR FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD. IT'S FANTASTIC. YOU SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT BRINGING STUDENTS BACK. WE BROUGHT STUDENTS BACK ON A TEACHER WORKDAY TO WORK FOR US AND TO PREPARE A FANTASTIC MEAL, IF WE COULD, IF THERE'S ANY PICTURES AVAILABLE. MY DAUGHTER HAPPENS TO BE ONE THAT SERVED US. HOW ABOUT THAT? THERE YOU GO. SO YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE THAT YOUR SEAT THERE IS A DELICATELY WRAPPED CUPCAKE. NOW, WHAT YOU DO WITH THAT, IF YOU TAKE IT HOME AND SHARE IT, THAT'S YOUR BUSINESS. WHETHER NOBODY KNOWS IT HAPPENED, THAT'S COMPLETELY UP TO YOU, BUT AGAIN, A CONTINUATION , AND THANK YOU FROM OUR STUDENTS, AND IF YOU WILL, PLEASE ALLOW ME INDULGE ME JUST ONE MORE AS WE'D LIKE TO TAKE JUST A MOMENT AND RECOGNIZE A GAME CHANGER AMONG US, DR. DAUGHERTY, FOR ALL THAT YOU DO TO ENSURE THAT CCPS BEST STUDENTS ARE COLLEGE AND CAREER READY, WE WANT TO PRESENT YOU WITH THIS GAME CHANGING FOOTBALL AND THE TECH CENTER AND ALL THE SCHOOLS WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIRELESS EFFORTS AND COMMITMENTS. THANK YOU. I THINK THEY HAVE A LITTLE CLEANUP LEFT TO DO UPSTAIRS, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING OUT TONIGHT. WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. [01:00:07] DO YOU NEED ANOTHER SELFIE MOMENT? ONE CELEBRATION TO ANOTHER. LET'S MOVE ON TO CELEBRATING COLLEGE AND CURATOR'S MONTH. MS. AUDRA LANCASTER BOYCE, OUR SCHOOL COUNSELING COORDINATOR, WILL SHARE WITH YOU CCPS [INAUDIBLE] STUDENTS CONNECTIONS TO THE NEXT LEVEL AFTER HIGH SCHOOL. THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME. I'M SO EXCITED TO BE HERE AND CELEBRATE COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS MONTH. WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE DO NOT JUST THIS MONTH, BUT ALL THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEAR. SO I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE THERE. I WON'T READ EVERY SINGLE WORD FOR YOU, BUT I CERTAINLY WANT TO PICK OUT SOME THINGS AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THEM AS WELL. COLLEGE AND CAREER WRITING THIS MONTH IS ABOUT EXPOSURE, RIGHT? IT IS ABOUT LEARNING OUR INTEREST AND CONNECTING THEM TO THE NEXT STEPS FOR US. SO WE DO THAT IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS AND WE DO THAT IN INSIGHT OF OUR GOALS. SO GOAL NUMBER ONE, ALL STUDENTS WILL EMBODY AN INFINITE LEARNER AND THAT GRADUATES FROM OUR SCHOOLS WILL BE COLLEGE AND CAREER READY AND READY TO ENGAGE AS CITIZENS. WITH THAT IN MIND, ALL YEAR LONG, WE WORK TO BRING OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS. HAVE REPRESENTATIVES COME AND MEET WITH OUR STUDENTS. WE ARE WELL ON OUR WAY THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEAR AND HAVE DONE A LOT OF ACTIVITIES SO FAR. SO MY COUNSELORS ARE TIRED, BUT WE ARE WE'RE EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO BRING BRING IN THESE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS. WE DO COLLEGE APPLICATION ASSISTANCE WEBSITES AND DIFFERENT THINGS OVER THE WEEKEND TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS INFORMATION IS ACCESSIBLE. IN OCTOBER, WE STARTED THE PSAT AND THAT GOES ALL THE WAY FROM EIGHTH GRADE TO 11TH GRADE, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE TEST READY SO THAT WE CAN DO THOSE ENTRANCE EXAMS FOR COLLEGE APPLICATION SEASON, GRASP MISSION TOMORROW AND TEACHING OUR EIGHTH GRADERS IN CAREER READINESS OPPORTUNITIES. WE JUST HAD OUR COLLEGE FAIR LAST WEEK THAT WAS SUPER SUCCESSFUL AND SO WE WERE EXCITED TO BRING IN OVER 85 COLLEGES AND REPRESENTATIVES TO OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS WORK WITH STUDENTS INDIVIDUALLY WITHIN SMALL GROUPS AND WITHIN THE CLASSROOM TO BRING OPPORTUNITIES TO ASSESS OUR INTEREST, CONNECT THOSE TO CLASSES, SCHEDULING, SELECTING COURSES THAT BUILD THAT PATHWAY, WORKING IN CONNECTION WITH CHAD AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A UNIFIED MESSAGE AND WE ARE SHARING THAT WITH STUDENTS. OF COURSE, FEBRUARY HAVE TO PUT IN A PLUG IS NATIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELING WEEK, AND SO WE JUST CELEBRATE ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE DO ALL YEAR LONG AND CONTINUE WITH THINGS LIKE STUDENT FAIRS, JOB FAIRS AND CONNECTING THE WORLD OF WORK TO OUR CLASSROOMS. I THINK I MENTIONED MOST OF THESE BY THIS POINT. WE DO HAVE COLLEGE APPLICATION WEEK THAT WE CELEBRATE WITHIN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS AS WELL, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO CONNECTING OUR ENGLISH LEARNERS TO OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT, BECAUSE THEY ARE ALSO A BIG PART OF OF THE PROCESS OF CONNECTING TO FUTURE FUTURE PATHWAYS. NOVEMBER 3RD. SO LAST THURSDAY WE DID HAVE A COLLEGE FAIR, I WANT TO SAY WE HAD OVER 1700 STUDENTS AND FAMILIES JOIN US FOR THAT FAIR. IT WAS EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL. I KNOW YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT OUR WORK BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCE THAT'S COMING UP. SO IT STARTS WITH AWARENESS AND HELPING PARENTS AND STUDENTS BECOME AWARE OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT STARTS EARLY, THE WORK STARTS EARLY, AND YOU CAN'T OVER-CONNECT WITH FAMILIES ABOUT WHAT THEY KNOW AND WHAT THEY'RE AWARE OF, AND SO COLLEGE FAIR ISN'T A HIGH SCHOOL EVENT. IT'S A A SCHOOL EVENT, AND WE WANT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES TO COME CONNECT AS SOON AS THEY CAN TO [INAUDIBLE] CAPACITY. IN A COUPLE OF DAYS HERE WE HAVE OUR WORK BASED LEARNING FAIR, WHERE WE'VE GOT EMPLOYERS COMING TO TALK ABOUT THE TYPES OF WORK BASED ON EXPERIENCES THAT CAN EXPOSE STUDENTS OUTSIDE OF A CLASSROOM TO "WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE A" WHATEVER THEIR "A" IS, I WANT TO BE A DOCTOR, I WANT TO BE A LAWYER OR I WANT TO BE AN ENGINEER. I WANT TO BE A MECHANIC, WHATEVER IT IS. HOW DO WE HELP CONNECT THEM WHILE THEY'RE AT HOME? CAN I HAVE THE CONVERSATION WITH MOM AND DAD? SCHOOL COUNSELORS ABOUT IS THIS PATH RIGHT FOR ME? AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF FAMILIES. WE ALREADY HAVE OVER 100 SIGNED UP FOR WEDNESDAY EVENING, AND SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO COMING OUT TO MONACAN HIGH SCHOOL FOR THAT [01:05:03] EXPLORATION WE TALKED ABOUT AWARENESS IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT AND WE DO A LOT OF THINGS. LAST YEAR WITH DR. DAUGHERTY'S LEADERSHIP, WE HAD OUR FIRST STUDENT JOB FAIR. WE HAD OVER 250 STUDENTS EMPLOYED OUT OF THAT JOB FAIR THAT FIRST YEAR, AND THESE ARE FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT FOR STUDENTS WHO DIDN'T HAVE A PLAN, STUDENTS WHO WEREN'T CONNECTED TO WHAT'S NEXT, AND SO THAT'S FANTASTIC FOR THOSE STUDENTS, THOSE FAMILIES TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT IN. WE HEARD ABOUT MISSION TOMORROW. SO IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN, IT'S FANTASTIC. THERE'S 15,000 8TH GRADERS IN ONE SPOT. SO IF THAT'S YOUR GAME, THAT'S A GREAT PLACE TO GO BECAUSE THEY CAN SEE 170 DIFFERENT EMPLOYERS AND WHAT'S IN OUR REGION, IT'S ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. YOU'RE EXHAUSTED. I THINK ON WEDNESDAY, I DID 22,000 STEPS. I WAS EXHAUSTED RIGHT FROM THAT STANDPOINT, AND THEN OUR WORK-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT WE HAVE, AND LAST YEAR WE HAD OVER 11,000 EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS, BUT WE LOOK AT THIS AS AN ELEMENTARY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL FOCUS, WE DRIVE THIS AROUND OUR ACADEMIC AND CAREER PLAN EXPOSURE AND STUDENTS TO WHAT THE CAREER CLUSTERS ARE, WHAT COURSES CONNECT IN WITH THOSE, AND HOW CAN WE HAVE EXPERIENCES IN THOSE COURSES TO AFFIRM. AGAIN, THESE ARE MY CAREER FUTURE PATHWAYS, AND IN THE REALM OF BEING VERY EXPLICIT, WE USE A TOOL ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS TO KEEP THE CONSISTENCY WITH STUDENTS, FAMILY, SCHOOL COUNSELING AND THE LIKE. REALLY EXCITED THAT THIS IS A BUSY WEEK WE HAVE. TODAY, WEDNESDAY IS WORKPLACE LEARNING FAIR. THURSDAY AND FRIDAY ARE OPPORTUNITIES DAY AT THE TECH CENTER SATURDAYS AND IT'S ALL OPEN HOUSE AS WELL AS A REGULAR OPEN HOUSE FOR FAMILIES TO COME ON SATURDAY, AND SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT OPPORTUNITY ON SATURDAY. WE'LL HAVE TRANSLATORS ON SITE TO BE ABLE TO HELP FAMILIES NAVIGATE AND ASK QUESTIONS THAT THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET ANSWERS TO OTHERWISE. SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT OPPORTUNITY ON SATURDAY AND THEN IN JANUARY ON THE 12TH, WE HAVE OUR OPPORTUNITY FOR CAREER AWARENESS AT THE FULGHUM CENTER, WHERE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, MIDDLE SCHOOL, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, COME ON OUT AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE AND WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO YOU IN YOUR COURSES TO HELP FAMILIES UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY CAN ACCESS. HOW CAN WE GET PAST THE. I DIDN'T KNOW YOU OFFERED THAT STATEMENT, RIGHT? THAT'S SO HARD TO HEAR. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT WAS A POSSIBILITY FOR MY CHILD TO THINK ABOUT. SO THAT'S WHAT THESE ARE ABOUT. HOW CAN WE HELP PARENTS BE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND AWARENESS? AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE ALIGNED TO THE GOALS OF IMAGINE TOMORROW WE'RE PROVIDING ACCESS AND AWARENESS, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, PROVIDING SPECIFIC OPEN HOUSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO COME AND LEARN FROM COLLEGES AT THE CAREER FAIR AND WORK-BASED LEARNING OR JUST INITIATIVES. SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION AND EDUCATE THE FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE IN STORE TO HELP THEM KNOW MORE ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES [INAUDIBLE] FOR THE CHILD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU BOTH FOR THAT PRESENTATION. BOARD MEMBERS IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT WORK THAT HAPPENS WITH OUR CTE PROGRAMS, AND AGAIN, STUDENTS NEED TO HAVE WHATEVER'S AVAILABLE TO THEM, WHETHER THAT IS THE COLLEGE PATH, THE CAREER PATH, AND WE DO A GREAT JOB MAKING SURE THEY HAVE ALL THAT IN FRONT OF THEM. SO THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE DISCUSSION AGENDA. [F. Discussion Agenda] MR. SMITH. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU FIRST REVIEW OF NEW POLICY AND PROPOSED REVISIONS TO CURRENT POLICIES AND REGULATIONS. AS SHARED WITH POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE STAFF RECOMMENDS A NEW POLICY AND REVISION TO CURRENT POLICIES AND REGULATIONS AS FOLLOWS. REVISION TO POLICY 1012 SCHOOL BOARDS VISION MISSION STANDARDS OF QUALITY. THIS REVISION TO ALIGN THE POLICY OF THE [INAUDIBLE] THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS MADE TO THE DIVISION'S STRATEGIC PLAN. REVISION TO POLICY 1092 AGENDA PREPARATION DISSEMINATION ORDER. THESE ARE REVISIONS RELATED TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND REVISION TO POLICY 1110 PARTICIPATION AT MEETINGS. REVISIONS RELATED TO PUBLIC COMMENT. I'LL NOTE ON 1092 AND 1110 WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN THESE POLICIES FOR BOARD DISCUSSION. ESSENTIALLY AS YOU HAVE TAKEN, YOU WILL NOW HAVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WHICH WILL BE RIGHT AFTER THE AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS. IT WILL PROVIDE SPEAKERS A TOTAL OF 4 MINUTES. ALSO WITHIN POLICY 1110, THAT IS ALIGNED WITH REGARD TO THE 4 MINUTES BOTH FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ITSELF. ALSO, YOU ARE DESIGNATED IN YOUR POLICY A CONCEPT WHICH CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF COVID AT THE TIME WHERE WE COULDN'T HAVE PUBLIC MEETINGS. WE ALLOWED THE PUBLIC TO HAVE A CHANCE TO PROVIDE COMMENTS ONLINE. WE'RE INSTITUTING THAT GOING FORWARD, WHICH ALLOWS CITIZENS ABILITY TO SUBMIT THEIR COMMENTS VIA THE ONLINE FORM WITH THE BOARD CLERK, AND WE HAVE UP ON THE WEBSITE THE INSTRUCTIONS AS FAR AS HOW TO DO THAT. SO THOSE ARE THE CHANGES WITH REGARD TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT. THERE IS A NEW POLICY POLICY 3035 INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS OF SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT. [01:10:03] THE ADOPTION OF THIS POLICY IS REQUIRED BY LAW. I'LL COME BACK, COME BACK TO THAT IN ONE SECOND, AND THEN REVISIONS TO POLICY 3042 PROMOTION, RETENTION AND ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATIVE PLACEMENTS. THESE REVISIONS ARE TO THE REFERENCE THE APPROPRIATE SECTION, AND THEN TO REVISIONS WITH REGARD TO REVISIONS TO POLICY 6170-R1&2 USE OF RENTAL SCHOOL FACILITIES FOR ALL SCHOOL DIVISION FACILITIES EXCEPT THOSE AT [INAUDIBLE] AND THOSE ONLY AT [INAUDIBLE]. REVISIONS WERE MADE THERE PRIMARILY TO CORRECT THE CORRECT ADDRESS FOR RISK MANAGEMENT. JUST TO TAKE A MOMENT ON THE NEW POLICY 3035 THAT POLICY HAS BEEN MADE AVAILABLE ON BOARD DOCS. JUST TO WALK THROUGH VERY BRIEFLY ON THE SCREEN THIS POLICY. YOU'LL NOTICE WITH REGARD TO THIS POLICY, IT TRACKS LITERALLY VERBATIM OFF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION'S GUIDANCE. THEY PROVIDED SCHOOL DIVISIONS. WE'RE REQUIRED BY LAW TO HAVE IN PLACE THIS POLICY BY JANUARY ONE. THE FIRST SECTION OBVIOUSLY DEALS WITH THE PURPOSE OF THE POLICY. THAT PURPOSE IS VERBATIM OFF THE STATE GUIDANCE. THE SECOND PARAGRAPH THAT'S LISTED THERE COMES OUT OF THE GUIDANCE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAS ISSUED AS WELL. THE SECOND DELINEATION HERE IS THE DEFINITIONS. WHAT IS NEW IN OUR POLICY IS THIS SECOND SECTION THAT TALKS ABOUT THE DEFINITIONS FROM 18.2-390. IT'S REFERENCED ABOVE, BUT THIS IS VERBATIM OUT OF THE STATE CODE, WHICH IS THIS SECTION RIGHT THERE. THE SUBSECTION, GOING DOWN A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, B AND C AGAIN IS VERBATIM OUT OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION'S GUIDANCE SECTION THREE AND THE GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUT FORWARD. THAT'S WHERE WE DELINEATE EXACTLY THE PROCESS [INAUDIBLE] COUNTY THAT WILL BE DIFFERENT FROM SCHOOL DIVISION TO SCHOOL DIVISION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH VIRGINIA, BUT ESSENTIALLY IDENTIFIES THE PROCESS WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR IDENTIFICATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL. IF YOU GO DOWN TO SECTION FOUR, THAT'S THE NOTICE TO PARENTS, AGAIN, VERBATIM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION GUIDANCE. WE DID CLARIFY IN SUBSECTION B, ESSENTIALLY THE ACTUAL NOTICE WE'VE CLARIFIED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S US MAIL, PARENT EMAIL OR IN PERSON AT A PARENT TEACHER MEETING, AND IF THE NOTICE MAY NOT BE PROVIDED TO THE PARENT THROUGH THE CHILD, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE FELT LIKE IT WAS IMPORTANT TO TO MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR WITH WHAT WAS INTENDED THERE AS WELL, AND THEN THE FIFTH SECTION, THERE'S PARENTAL RIGHT TO REVIEW OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS THAT AGAIN, IS VERBATIM OUT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION GUIDANCE ITSELF. ALL THESE PROPOSED CHANGES HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD ATTORNEY. THE SECOND READING AND FINAL SCHOOL BOARD ADOPTION FOR THESE ABOVE NAMED POLICIES IS SCHEDULED FOR THE NEXT REGULAR [INAUDIBLE] MEETING. IF APPROVED, THE NEW POLICIES AND REVISIONS TO CURRENT POLICY AND REGULATIONS WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU, MR. SMITH. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MR. HARTER. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MR. SMITH, SO 3035 IS VERBATIM FROM WHAT THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. IS THAT AN UPDATE THAT THEY JUST--THEY PROVIDED IN EARLY SEPTEMBER A SUPERINTENDENT MEMORANDUM AND THE ACTUAL GUIDANCE THAT WAS PROVIDED TO SCHOOL DIVISIONS ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH. WE TRACK THAT ALMOST VERBATIM, EXCEPT FOR THE SECTIONS THAT I DENOTED IN MY PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. MADAM CHAIR. MS. HEFFRON THANK YOU. CAN YOU EXPLAIN, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE HAVE EXISTING POLICY AS IT PERTAINS TO SENATE BILL 656 AND WHAT DIFFERENCES THIS NEW POLICY BRINGS TO THE TABLE OR WHAT NEW WHAT NEW COVERAGES THERE ARE? AS I UNDERSTAND 656 DOESN'T NECESSARILY SAY WE HAVE TO ADOPT THE MODEL POLICY, BUT THAT WE NEED TO HAVE POLICIES IN PLACE THAT ADDRESS PARENTAL NOTIFICATION INFORMATION, GUIDANCE, PROCEDURES AND STANDARDS. SO THE SENATE BILL 656 BASICALLY INSTITUTED A NEW CODE, SECTION 22.1-16.8. WITH THAT, WHAT IT REQUIRED WAS THE REQUIRED DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO DEVELOP MAKE AVAILABLE THIS MODEL POLICY, WHICH THEY HAVE DONE, AND PART OF THAT POLICY, THEY WENT THROUGH THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS THAT WERE PART OF THAT, THE ENSURING [INAUDIBLE] NOTIFICATION, IDENTIFYING THE MATERIALS, [INAUDIBLE] THE PARENTS, REVIEW, THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL. THE NEXT REQUIREMENT WAS THAT EACH SCHOOL BOARD ADOPT POLICIES THAT ARE CONSISTENT BUT MAY BE MORE COMPREHENSIVE THAN THE POLICY THEY PROVIDED TO SCHOOL DIVISIONS. THE SUBSECTIONS OF THAT CAME WITH THAT AS WELL WAS ESSENTIALLY THAT WE HAD TO HAVE THIS IN PLACE NO LATER THAN JANUARY 1, '23. RIGHT, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS. WE ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF POLICIES THAT IN PLACE THAT COVER A LOT OF THAT COVERED THESE SCENARIOS. [01:15:07] SO WE HAVE IN PLACE SEVERAL POLICIES THAT WOULD DEAL CLOSELY WITH THAT. SO WE WOULD HAVE ESSENTIALLY PARAPHRASING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS EXISTING LAW, WE'D HAVE A PRACTICE IN PLACE IF THERE WAS AN ISSUE, AND CERTAINLY WE'D WORK WITH PARENTS ANY GIVEN DAY. IF THERE'S AN ASSIGNMENT THAT THEY FELT LIKE THEY EITHER WANTED THEIR CHILD TO BE PART OF OR NOT TO BE PART OF. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THEM. WE HAVE IN PLACE ALSO POLICIES YOU HAVE, WHICH YOU'VE PUT TO USE OVER THE YEARS WITH REGARD TO ANY KIND OF CHALLENGES WITH REGARDS TO ANY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS THAT ARE OUT THERE, AND THAT'S A POLICY THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. WE CERTAINLY HAVE USED THAT THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND FOLLOWED THROUGH THAT. THAT PROCESS. THAT PROCESS ALLOWS A CLOSE DETERMINATION, ALLOWS FOR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, AND ALSO MADE A DETERMINATION OF WHETHER THAT INSTRUCTION MATERIAL SHOULD BE IN PLACE IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISIONS. I THINK WHAT YOU MAY SEE ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH, DIFFERENT SCHOOL DIVISIONS TACKLE THIS DIFFERENTLY AND THAT'S OK. I THINK THAT WHAT THIS POLICY DOES IS IT TRACKS VERY CLOSELY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. SO I THINK IN THE PAST WE'VE SEEN OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS APPROACH IT DIFFERENTLY, BUT THEN WHAT YOU HAVE THEN IS YOU HAVE A CONFLUENCE OF EVENTS WHERE PARENTS ARE LOOKING AT FIVE OR SIX DIFFERENT POLICIES TO SEE WHERE WE ENCOUNTERED SUBSECTION C OR D, SO WE FELT LIKE IT WAS IMPORTANT, AT LEAST FROM A STAFF RECOMMENDATION, THAT YOU HAVE IT ALL IN ONE PLACE. THIS TAKES KIND OF PATCHWORK POLICIES AND PULLS THEM ALL INTO THE COVERAGE IS THE SAME. IS IT MORE COMPREHENSIVE THAN WHAT WE HAVE EXISTING? I THINK YOU WOULD FIND YOURSELF IN THIS PROCESS REGARDLESS [INAUDIBLE] THERE EVER WAS A CHALLENGE OR CERTAINLY A PARENT WHO WANTED TO COME FORWARD TO SUGGEST MATERIALS SHOULDN'T BE IN THE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT AND WE'D HAVE TO ENCOUNTER THAT. I THINK THIS THIS PROVIDES REALLY CLEAR SET OF EXPECTATIONS ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY IS COVERED BY THE LAW. SO IT'S A VERY DISTINCT DEFINITION BASED ON THE LAW ABOUT WHAT IS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT, BUT ALSO PROVIDES IN ONE PLACE THE PARENTAL NOTIFICATION PIECE, WHICH IS IMPORTANT AND ALSO ALLOWS CERTAINLY THERE SOMETHING WE DO ALREADY ALLOWS PARENT AN ALTERNATIVE ASSIGNMENT. I WOULD JUST ADD, MS.. HEFFRON, I THINK ONE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE DONE IN THIS POLICY, TOO, IS WE HAVE REFERENCED OUR OTHER POLICIES. SO POLICY 3010 AND THEN THERE'S ALSO A REFERENCE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POLICY TO 3031 AS WELL. SO IT IS KIND OF A CROSS REFERENCE BETWEEN OTHER POLICIES THAT WE'VE HAD IN EXISTENCE TO DATE, AND SO MY OTHER QUESTIONS ARE KIND OF SURROUNDING THE INTENT OF THIS POLICY. DOES THIS COVER LIBRARY MATERIALS? ARE LIBRARY MATERIALS CONSIDERED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL? AND IF SO, IS THAT OR NOT, IS THAT EXPLICITLY OUTLINED IN THIS POLICY? SO IF WE CAN JUST GO BACK UP TO THE TOP, SECTION ONE, THE PURPOSE THIS QUESTION HAS COME ABOUT AND WE INCLUDED, THAT SECOND SECTION, IT SAYS THIS POLICY SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED TO REQUIRE AND PROVIDING CENSORING OF BOOKS IN DIVISIONS, ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS OR DESIGNATION. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL THAT'S PULLED OUT DIRECTLY OUT OF DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S GUIDANCE THEY PROVIDED. IT WAS ESSENTIALLY IN THEIR MODEL POLICY, BUT IT WAS IN THEIR GUIDANCE. WE PUT THAT IN THERE, JUST AS A REFERENCE POINT. RIGHT, AND THAT'S IN THE SENATE BILL. THAT'S AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BILL. PART OF THAT IS, CORRECT; THIS LANGUAGE HERE IS VERBATIM [INAUDIBLE] DEPARTMENT. RIGHT, SO IS THERE ANYWHERE IN OUR POLICY WHERE WE DEFINE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS OR DEFINE THE MAKE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND LIBRARY MATERIALS? WELL, I THINK YOU HAVE TWO PIECES IN SECTION THREE, WHICH IS THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE STRUCTURAL MATERIALS, WE REFERENCED THEIR POLICY 3010, WHICH DEFINES THE CURRICULUM PIECE THAT'S IN THERE, IT TALKS ABOUT WHEN WE DETERMINE WHETHER INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS OBVIOUSLY HAVE IN PLACE THIS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT. IT TALKS ABOUT WHAT THEY CONSIDER, OBVIOUSLY, IT'S THE AGE MATURITY THERE AS WELL. IT TALKS ALSO ABOUT THE DIVISION CURRICULUM RESOURCES ARE VIEWED ANNUALLY AT EACH LEVEL. [INAUDIBLE] REFERENCE, ESSENTIALLY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS WE HAVE IN OUR BUILDINGS NOW. SO THEN THERE'S NO DELINEATION LIKE LIBRARY MATERIALS COULD THEN ESSENTIALLY, AS THIS IS AM I INTERPRETING THIS WRONG, THAT LIBRARY MATERIALS COULD ESSENTIALLY BE CONSIDERED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS? I THINK IT WOULD DEPEND [INAUDIBLE] USAGE, CORRECT. IF THEY WERE ON THE SHELF FOR STUDENT CONSUMPTION. RIGHT. WOULD THAT FALL UNDER INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS? IT'D DEPEND ON WHAT THE USE WAS, WHETHER AS PART OF AN ASSIGNMENT OR HOW IT'S BEING USED. JUST ON THE SHELF. NO, THAT REALLY WASN'T THE INTENT OF THIS GUIDANCE. SO A BOOK ON THE SHELF IN THE LIBRARY DOES NOT FALL UNDER THIS POLICY. THAT WOULD BE COVERED, I GUESS, UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT, OR? TO YOUR POINT, I THINK IF YOU GO BACK TO THE FIRST SECTION WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT THE NOT BE CONSTRUED AS REQUIRING PROVIDING CENSORING OF BOOKS, I THINK THAT HITS UPON I THINK THE QUESTION YOU HAVE. [01:20:01] THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY, SO I KIND OF SEE IT AS I BELIEVE I MAY HAVE THIS CORRECT, THIS THIS WOULD PERTAIN TO INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS THAT ARE USED IN ACCORDANCE WITH LIKE VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM. BUT THE POLICY THAT WE ASKED THAT WE AS A BOARD DECIDED TO KIND OF REVIEW EARLIER THIS EVENING WAS TALKING ABOUT LIBRARY PROCUREMENT POLICIES, AND THAT POLICY IS THE ONE THAT WE ARE GOING TO EXAMINE THAT WE ASKED EARLIER TODAY FOR AN EXAMINATION. SO, YEAH, TWO SEPARATE THINGS. THAT WOULD BE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. FIRST OF ALL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO STATE THAT I DO BELIEVE THAT PARENTS ABSOLUTELY HAVE THE RIGHT TO SET PARAMETERS AND RESTRICTIONS, NOT JUST AROUND SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT, BUT ON CONTROVERSIAL AND SENSITIVE TOPICS, AND THIS BOARD ACTUALLY REWROTE THAT POLICY AND MADE IT STRONGER. I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, THOUGH, ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR POLICY AS I CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT IT. THIS IS THE FIRST READ. SO OBVIOUSLY, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING. MY FIRST QUESTION IS BASED ON SO I ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE FOR PUTTING THE DEFINITIONS FROM DIFFERENT CODE SECTIONS IN THE POLICY, BUT THE FACT THAT I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT. 2 MINUTES. WAS THE DEFINITION OF SEXUAL CONDUCT AND FOR SOME REASON, OH, THERE IT IS THAT THE WORD HOMOSEXUALITY IS USED, AND SO I THOUGHT THAT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO HAVE LANGUAGE THAT SAYS SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION ARE NOT SEXUALLY EXPLICIT, JUST SO THAT HOMOSEXUALITY ALONE IS NOT CONSIDERED SEXUALLY EXPLICIT, AND THEN THE SECOND THAT INSTRUCTION ABOUT LGBTQ PEOPLE IS NOT INHERENTLY SEXUAL, I KNOW THERE IS SOME LANGUAGE THAT SAYS THAT MATERIAL SHOULD NOT BE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT BASED SOLELY UPON THE SEXUAL ORIENTATION, BUT JUST GIVEN THE STRONGER LANGUAGE IN THE DEFINITION, I WAS WONDERING IF IT MADE SENSE. JUST THROWING OUT SOME THOUGHTS TO JUST THAT PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION, THINGS LIKE THAT WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED SEXUALLY EXPLICIT. SO A COUPLE OF POINTS. ONE IS JUST TO BE CLEAR, AND THE DEFINITIONS YOU'RE QUOTING VERBATIM FROM THE CODE OF VIRGINIA. YEAH, EVERYTHING IN THERE'S VERBATIM OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA YEAH. IT'S A CODE, BUT IT'S NOT PERTAINING TO SCHOOLS. [INAUDIBLE] SCHOOL LENS. I'M THINKING OF. RESPECTFULLY, I THINK WHAT THE SENATE BILL 656 DID WAS IT DREW A NEW CODE, SECTION 22.1-16.8, AND IT SIMPLY SAYS IN SECTION A OF THE NEW CODE SECTION THAT IS DEFINING SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT HAS THE SAME MEANING AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION A OF 2.2, WHICH IS WHAT YOU HAVE REGARDED THERE. SO IN FAIRNESS, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THEIR INTENT WAS TO DEFINE SEXUAL EXPLICIT MATERIALS AS SUCH. SO JUST FOR MY REFERENCE POINT, A STAFF RECOMMENDATION, I'M PROVIDING YOU VERBATIM OUT OF THE CODE. CERTAINLY IT WOULD BE THE BOARD'S DISCRETION TO FURTHER DELINEATE THAT. I WOULD DEFER TO THE BOARD ON THAT. SO DOES THAT MEAN PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION WOULD NOT BE PROTECTED? I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT IS DEFINED BY THE CODE. ALL I DID WAS PULL IN DIRECTLY OUT OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA, WHICH IS REFERENCED IN THE SENATE BILL. I THINK THE POINT TO YOUR OTHER COMMENT YOU MADE WAS DIRECTED AGAIN TO THE PURPOSE SUBSECTION PURPOSE THAT IT TALKS ABOUT IN THE LAST PART, THE DESIGNATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL THAT'S BASED SOLELY ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION THAT AGAIN, THAT SECTION CAME DIRECTLY OUT OF AGAIN, VERBATIM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE ON THAT SUBJECT TO REACH OUT TO THE VDOE FOR CLARIFICATION? ACTUALLY, I BELIEVE THEY'VE BEEN PRETTY CLEAR, RESPECTFULLY. [01:25:02] I MEAN, I THINK THEY PUT OUT THIS MODEL POLICY. IT'S BEEN AND AGAIN, IN FAIRNESS TO THEM, THEY'RE QUOTING VERBATIM OUT OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA. SO I ALSO THE DESCRIPTION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS I HEAR MS. HEFFRON, THE DELINEATION BETWEEN SEXUAL MATERIALS AND LIBRARY MATERIALS, AND I'VE SPOKEN WITH SOME LIBRARIANS WHO BELIEVE THAT IT WAS NOT THE INTENT TO DEFINE ALL LIBRARY MATERIALS AS POTENTIALLY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, BUT THAT'S NOT HOW IT'S WRITTEN, AND THE MODEL POLICY AND THE MODEL POLICY. IT SAYS LIBRARY MATERIALS ARE CONSIDERED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS WHEN USED ONE FOR THE COMPLETION OF AN ASSIGNMENT OR TWO AS PART OF AN ACADEMIC OR EXTRACURRICULAR EDUCATION PROGRAM. SO THERE'S NO NARROWING OF THE DEFINITION. IT DOESN'T SAY EXPLICITLY ASSIGNED BY A TEACHER OR ANY OTHER MORE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE AND WHY THIS CONCERNS ME IS IN TWO OTHER PARTS OF THE POLICY THE SECTION NOTICE APPEARANCE, SECTION A REQUIRING 30 DAYS PRIOR USE OF ANY SEXUAL MATERIALS. HOW WOULD WE PROCEED WHEN A TEACHER GIVES AN ASSIGNMENT IN WHICH A STUDENT CAN SELF-SELECT A BOOK? SO THAT WOULD BE AN ASSIGNMENT, SO THAT WOULD BE COVERED BY THE LAW AND THE STUDENT COULD GO TO A BOOKSHELF AND SELECT SOMETHING THAT HAS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL IN IT. I THINK TO THE HEART OF YOUR QUESTION, I THINK WHAT THIS POLICY DOES PUT IN PLACE IS IN ONE PLACE, IT PROVIDES CERTAINLY THE NOTION THAT THERE IS THE IDENTIFICATION UP FRONT OF ANY MATERIALS THAT ARE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT BY THE SCHOOL DIVISION. I THINK THAT ALSO ENSURES THAT THERE'S PARENTAL NOTIFICATION THAT'S GOING TO BE BROUGHT INTO PLACE. I THINK ULTIMATELY, CERTAINLY THE PARENTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO TO COME IN, TO BE ENGAGED, OBVIOUSLY, WITH THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT, THEY PROVIDE NOTICE ABOUT IT AND GET A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE MATERIALS AND ALSO TO IF THEY CHOOSE TO DO SO, THEY COULD CERTAINLY ASK FOR ALTERNATIVE ASSIGNMENT. CERTAINLY WHEN WE GET INTO THE CHALLENGING PIECE, THAT'S WHEN I THINK TO MR. COKER POINT, YOU'VE CROSS REFERENCE AT THE END OF YOUR POLICY, CROSS REFERENCE TO POLICY 3031, WHICH IS THE CONSIDERATION OF CONTROVERSIAL MATERIALS AND ALSO 3031 WHICH THE TEACHING OF SENSITIVE AND CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS THAT WOULD ALLOW CERTAINLY AN OPPORTUNITY, SOMEONE TO CHALLENGE THE NOTION THAT SOMEONE MAY BE HAVING THAT IN THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT. I UNDERSTAND THE INTENT. I GUESS I'M JUST THINKING IMPLEMENTATION BECAUSE THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN, A STUDENT SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SELF SELECT A BOOK THAT HAS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT, BUT THERE IS ANOTHER PART WHICH IS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT IS VAGUE, RIGHT? IT SAYS WHEN DETERMINING WHETHER SEXUAL MATERIALS CONTAINS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT, DIVISION STAFF SHOULD CONSIDER STUDENT AGE MATURITY, WHETHER A PARENT MIGHT REASONABLY CONSIDER. THERE'S A LOT OF VAGUENESS THAT I THINK MAKES IMPLEMENTATION VERY CHALLENGING, AND PART OF THAT SECTION YOU'RE REFERENCING THAT COMES RIGHT OUT OF YOUR OTHER SCHOOL BOARD POLICY 3010 SO THAT'S JUST PUTTING BACK INTO PLACE AND A CLEAR CROSS REFERENCE THERE AS WELL. IT'S SOMETHING THAT LIKE WE GO BACK TO THE EARLIER CONVERSATION THAT WE WOULD DO REGARDLESS WHETHER OR NOT THIS THIS LAW WAS DRAFTED AND PUT INTO PLACE, AND SO THEN IF POTENTIALLY ALL LIBRARY MATERIALS SHOULD BE REVIEWED FOR SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT, WHICH IS THE DEFINITION THAT IS HARD TO PIN DOWN. RIGHT? IT MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS FOR SOME PEOPLE. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THAT SAME TWO MOMS SAYING THAT'S SEXUALLY EXPLICIT THAT PRINCIPALS SHALL MAINTAIN A CURRENT LIST OF SEXUAL MATERIALS WITH SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT BY GRADE AND SUBJECT LEVEL ON THE SCHOOL'S PUBLIC WEBSITE. HOW ARE WE GOING TO IMPLEMENT THAT? I THINK WE'RE I THINK WE'RE MIXING TWO DIFFERENT THINGS HERE A LITTLE BIT. I MEAN, I THINK THE BOARD'S DIRECTION AT THE END OF THE MEETING, I THINK THAT'S A SEPARATE CONVERSATION CERTAINLY THAT WE'VE BEEN DIRECTED THROUGH THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR STAFF TO LOOK AT WHICH WE WILL DO. SO I JUST WANT TO BE CAREFUL THAT THERE'S NOT MISINTERPRETATION OF WHAT'S REQUIRED HERE VERSUS THE OTHER CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING WITH THE BOARD, WHICH WILL OBVIOUSLY INTERACT WITH THE BOARD ON THAT AS WELL. SO, I GUESS IT WOULD HELP ME. SO I DID REACH OUT TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL LIBRARIANS BECAUSE I HEAR WHAT THE INTENT IS, BUT I ALSO KNOW THE LANGUAGES AND THE LANGUAGE IS VERY VAGUE AND BROAD WHEN IT COMES TO LIBRARIES, AS IN SEXUAL MATERIALS, AND ASKED IF THEY HAD ANY COMMENT ON IT, AND WHAT I WAS INFORMED IS THAT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HAS REVIEWED OUR POLICY AND HAS REACHED OUT TO VDOE FOR CLARIFICATION, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT [01:30:08] TO BE VERY CLEAR, OTHER SIMILARLY SIZED DIVISIONS ARE CHOOSING TO SAY THAT LIBRARY MATERIALS ARE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT, FALLING UNDER THIS POLICY WHEN THEY ARE EXPLICITLY ASSIGNED BY A TEACHER DIRECTLY ASSIGNED. I REALIZE THAT'S NOT IN THE LAW, AND I REALIZE IT IS. I DON'T SPEAK LEGALLY, AND I REALLY RELY ON I'M HEARING YOUR GUIDANCE AND TRYING TO DECIPHER THIS, BUT I'M WRESTLING WITH THIS CONUNDRUM OF THE LAW DOES NOT EXPLICITLY STATE WHAT INSTRUCTIONAL WHEN LIBRARY MATERIALS ARE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS. IT'S A VERY BROAD DEFINITION IN THE LAW, AND UNLESS IT'S A MORE NARROW DEFINITION, IT'S GOING TO MAKE IMPLEMENTATION A NIGHTMARE. SO I'M WONDERING IF WELL, I WILL SHARE THE GUIDANCE FROM VDOE TO THE VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL LIBRARIANS WHEN I GET IT. CAN I ASK MR. ROBERTS FOR A RESPONSE ON THAT QUESTION? YEP. I WOULD AGREE WITH MR. SMITH IN THAT THE DEFINITION OF HOW WHEN LIBRARY MATERIALS ARE CONSIDERED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS IS SPELLED OUT IN THE BOARD'S PROPOSED POLICY IN PARAGRAPH C IS JUST AS YOU REFERENCED. SO LIBRARY MATERIALS ARE CONSIDERED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS WHEN USED FOR THE COMPLETION OF AN ASSIGNMENT OR AS PART OF AN EXTRA CURRICULAR OR ACADEMIC PROGRAM. SO I THINK AND I THINK THE BOARD HAS REACHED THIS CONCLUSION, AS I WAS LISTENING TO IT, THAT EVERY LIBRARY, EVERY VOLUME OR BOOK IN A LIBRARY IS NOT CONSIDERED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL UNLESS IT'S USED IN AN ASSIGNMENT. SO I WOULD DEFER BACK TO THE LANGUAGE THAT MR. SMITH DRAFTED IN YOUR PROPOSED POLICY, WHICH ACTUALLY COMES DIRECTLY FROM THE VDOE'S MODEL POLICIES. SO TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY'RE DEFINED, I THINK THEY ARE DEFINED IN THE IN YOUR PROPOSED POLICIES. SO YOU'RE NOT I GUESS IF A STUDENT SELF SELECTS A BOOK, RIGHT, THAT IS AN ASSIGNMENT, RIGHT? BECAUSE THE TEACHER, THE ASSIGNMENT IS GO TO THE LIBRARY AND PICK A BOOK THAT YOU WANT TO READ AND THEY PICK A BOOK THAT HAPPENS TO HAVE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT. SO HOW DO YOU GIVE NOTIFICATION, 30 DAYS NOTIFICATION, AND HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE THAT BOOK IS LISTED ON THE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT AND SEXUAL MATERIALS LIST? IF I MAY REALLY QUICK, I THINK THAT LEADS INTO WHERE WE ASKED EARLIER TONIGHT FOR US TO REVIEW OUR POLICY ON PROCUREMENT FOR LIBRARIES, AND I THINK THAT ALSO BRINGS UP A GOOD POINT IS, WHILE WE'RE REVIEWING THE PROCUREMENT FOR LIBRARIES, CAN WE NOT GIVE THOUGHT BECAUSE THERE IS A PROCESS THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN IN PLACE THAT WHEN A PARENT DOES NOT AGREE WITH A BOOK THAT IS FOUND IN A LIBRARY, IT WILL BE HARD TO GO IN AND PURGE A LIBRARY OF EVERY SINGLE BOOK. WE DIDN'T PUT THEM THERE OVERNIGHT. THESE BOOKS HAVE COME IN OVER THE YEARS. SOME OF THEM ARE, IN MY OPINION, JUST MY OPINION. MAYBE NOT IN THE BEST TASTE, CORRECT, AND SO THE OTHER THOUGHT IS, WHY DON'T WE LOOK AT POLICY 3031 AS WELL, WHILE WE ARE DISCUSSING THE POLICY THAT'S ON LIBRARY PROCUREMENT? 3031-R, IF I'M CORRECT, TALKS ABOUT THE PROCEDURE TO CHALLENGE A BOOK. IF A STUDENT DOES FIND A BOOK THAT A PARENT DOES NOT AGREE WITH, WE DO HAVE A PROCEDURE TO DO THAT, BUT WHILE WE ARE LOOKING AT THE LIBRARY PROCEDURES, WHY DON'T WE LOOK AT THAT POLICY AS WELL? AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DISCUSS THIS THEN IN 3035, WHICH APPLIES TO INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND AS A POLICY THAT I SUPPORT, I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT IN THE PROCESS, WHEN WE'RE ADDRESSING THE PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES, THAT INSTEAD OF HAVING PARENTS OPT IN TO BE NOTIFIED THAT THEY WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO OPT OUT TO NOT BE NOTIFIED. AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO THAT SO THAT EVERY PARENT WOULD BE INFORMED OF ANY BOOK THEIR CHILD CHECKED OUT UNLESS THEY CHOSE NOT TO BE, BECAUSE THERE ARE PARENTS WHO JUST FEEL THAT THE CHILDREN THAT THEY'RE RAISING SHOULD READ WHAT THEY WANT AND THEY DON'T WANT TO BE NOTIFIED, AND THAT'S FINE. EVERY PARENT SHOULD HAVE THEIR RIGHT AND THEIR CHOICE, BUT FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO BE NOTIFIED WHAT THEIR CHILD IS READING, IF IT'S A SELF SELECTED BOOK, EVEN IF IT'S ONE WHERE THE TEACHER SAID AS AN ASSIGNMENT, GO SELECT A BOOK AND WRITE A BOOK REPORT ON IT, THE PARENT WILL BE NOTIFIED WHAT BOOK THAT CHILD SELECTED, AND IF THE PARENT DOESN'T WANT THEM [01:35:06] TO SELECT THAT BOOK, THEN THEY WOULD SELECT A DIFFERENT BOOK, AND BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT CHANGING THE PARAMETERS. RIGHT NOW, IT'S WHERE YOU HAVE TO OPT IN FOR THAT PROCESS, BUT IF WE ADOPT 3035, WHICH I HOPE WE DO, THAT, WE WOULD ALSO THEN GO TO A LITTLE MORE STRINGENT NOTIFICATION. IT'S NOT STRINGENT, BUT, YOU KNOW, A BETTER OPTION FOR PARENTS TO BE NOTIFIED. NOT EVERY PARENT SEEMS TO TAKE THAT ACCOUNTABILITY AND GO IN AND CHECK A BUTTON THAT SAYS THEY WANT TO BE NOTIFIED, WHICH I BELIEVE SOMEONE IS ON THEM. THEY SHOULD DO IT, BUT IF THEY'RE NOT, WE CAN JUST FLIP THE SWITCH ON THAT AND DO IT THE OTHER WAY, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK INTO WITH TECHNOLOGY AND OUR TECHNOLOGY CHIEF BACK THERE AND SEE IF WE CAN FLIP THAT THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. MADAM CHAIR. MS. HEFFRON. THERE ARE ESTABLISHED BEST PRACTICES FOR NOT ONLY PUBLIC LIBRARIES, FOR SCHOOL LIBRARIES, AND THERE'S ALSO AN EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY. I THINK BEFORE WE START GOING DOWN THAT ROAD THERE, STUDENTS HAVE AN EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY WHEN THEY'RE USING A LIBRARY IN A PUBLIC LIBRARY. I BEG YOUR PARDON, MADAM CHAIR. I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A POLICY VIOLATION. PLEASE KEEP COMMENTS OUT IN THE AUDIENCE TO YOURSELF AS THE BOARD CONTINUES TO DELIBERATE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO THE ESTABLISHED BEST PRACTICES THAT ARE THERE'S A THERE'S A LIBRARY, A LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS THAT WE WOULD, OF COURSE, NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THE EXPECTATIONS OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES AS WE NAVIGATE THIS. YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE THE LAST CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE, I'M SURE, AND IF I MAY ASK DR. DAUGHERTY, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE HAVING A LIST OF THE TITLES THAT HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED THUS FAR BY SCHOOL. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A LIST OF BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN CHECKED OUT THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR. I NOTICED THERE ARE SEVERAL BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN CHECKED OUT THROUGH. I THINK IT WAS LIKE JULY 31 OF '23, AND I WOULD LIKE A LIST OF THE TITLES THAT ARE EXTREMELY OVERDUE. THERE WERE A FEW TITLES I NOTICED THAT HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED THAT ARE WELL OVER A YEAR OVERDUE AND HAVE NOT BEEN RETURNED TO THE SCHOOL LIBRARY. I THINK THERE MIGHT BE SOME MISSING BOOKS FROM OUR BOOKSHELVES, SO IF I COULD HAVE THOSE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, SEAN. ACTUALLY, ANOTHER POLICY. MS. HAINES. SO I DID HAVE A COUPLE SUGGESTIONS FOR THIS. IS THE EDITS ON PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT MEETINGS. THE FIRST POINT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SENTENCE THAT SAYS THAT ANONYMOUS COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ARE PROHIBITED. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY WHO YOU ARE. WE'RE DOING ONLINE COMMENTS STATE WHO YOU ARE, YOUR MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT, AND GIVE CONTACT INFORMATION SO WE CAN FOLLOW UP. SO SOME YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ONLINE COMMENTS. YES. YEP. THE BOARD CLERK AND I CAN LOOK AT THAT, AND THEN THE SECOND SUGGESTION COMES UNDER THE LAST PART OF THE POLICY WITH THE CAPITAL D, NOT LITTLE D, BUT CAPITAL D, IT SAYS THE PUBLIC SHALL ADDRESS THE SCHOOL BOARD ONLY ON MATTERS THAT ARE RELATED TO THE SERVICES OR POLICY OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION. AND I WOULD KEEP THAT, AND THEN I WOULD ADD, AND THIS IS JUST TO HELP, BECAUSE WHAT WHAT I HEAR FROM AND WE HAD SOME HAPPENED TONIGHT, WHAT I HEAR FROM TEACHERS IS THAT WHEN WHEN IT'S HARDER TO MAINTAIN ORDER IN OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS AND THEN IT'S ALSO HARDER TO MAINTAIN ORDER IN THE CLASSROOM. RIGHT. IF WE CAN'T DO IT IN ONE ARENA, IT'S HARD TO EXPECT IT TO HAPPEN IN ANOTHER. SO I'M HOPING THIS WILL HELP MAYBE MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE BOARD TO MAINTAIN ORDER. SPEAKERS ARE EXPECTED TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A CIVIL MANNER. PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE PROHIBITED IF THE SPEECH AND THEN BULLET THIS OUT SO THAT IT IS EASILY READABLE, MAYBE PUT ON A PLAQUE THAT WE COULD KEEP UP WITH THE DAIS SO WE COULD KIND OF KEEP TRACK OF THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, BUT ONE CAUSES DISRUPTION TO THE MEETING, TWO, CONTAINS LEWD, PROFANE OR OBSCENE LANGUAGE, OR IS IT INAPPROPRIATE FOR YOUNG STUDENTS TO HEAR? [01:40:01] I WOULD COVER WHAT HAPPENED TONIGHT. THREE PROMOTES PRIVATE BUSINESS VENTURES, FOUR ADDRESSES PENDING LITIGATION. FIVE INCLUDES FALSE STATEMENTS PURPORTING TO BE TRUE, WHICH MAY CAUSE A PERSON REPUTATIONAL DAMAGE OR HARM. SIX INVOLVES THREATS OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING MESSAGES MEANT TO FRIGHTEN OR INTIMIDATE A PERSON INTO BELIEVING THEY WILL BE HARMED OR INVITING OTHERS TO CAUSE HARM. NEXT BULLET RELATES TO INDIVIDUAL PERSONNEL MATTERS. NEXT BULLET INVOLVES COMPLAINTS. IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS. NEXT BULLET TOPICS FOR WHICH THE BOARD SCHEDULES FORMAL PUBLIC HEARINGS. BECAUSE THOSE COMMENTS WILL BE HEARD DURING PUBLIC HEARINGS, AND THEN LAST BULLET RELATES TO PUBLIC OFFICE AND CAMPAIGNS. PUBLIC CAMPAIGNS AND THEN FINALLY END WITH BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE TEETH WITH A POLICY AS SO I WOULD SAY, AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD CHAIR. ANY PERSON VIOLATING THE RULES LISTED ABOVE MAY BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE BOARD MEETING. THE BOARD CHAIR MAY REQUEST POLICE ASSISTANCE OR RECESS THE MEETING WHILE ORDER IS RESTORED. I'M OFFERING THOSE COMMENTS FOR CONSIDERATION FOR THE BOARD. SO JUST A REFERENCE. I MEAN, YOU HAVE NOW IN THE LAST SECTION D YOU TALK ABOUT IN CURRENT POLICY, THE PUBLIC SHALL ADDRESS THE SCHOOL BOARD ONLY ON MATTERS THAT ARE RELATED TO THE SERVICES POLICIES [INAUDIBLE] SCHOOL DIVISION. ANY SPEECH THAT'S LIKELY TO CAUSE DISRUPTION TO THE MEETING THAT CONTAINS LEWD, PROFANE OR OBSCENE LANGUAGE, OR THAT PROMOTES PRIVATE BUSINESS VENTURES, OR THAT ADDRESSES PENDING LITIGATION OR THE CAMPAIGN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE IS PROHIBITIVE. SO YOU HAVE THOSE PIECES ALREADY IN YOUR POLICY RIGHT NOW. YES, JUST BULLETTING THEM OUT SO THEY'RE EASIER TO READ AND THEN ADDING SOME ADDITIONAL. SORRY, IF I WASN'T CLEAR ABOUT THAT. SO WHICH WERE YOUR ADDITIONS, KATHRYN? OH, SORRY. IT WAS JUST A FORM OF BULLETTING THEM OUT. SO THEY'RE VERY I THINK WHEN THINGS ARE IN PARAGRAPH FORM, IT'S VERY EASY TO FORMATTING IT FORMATTING AND THEN ALSO ADDING AND I'M SORRY, I DON'T HAVE YEAH, I DID NOT POINT OUT, BUT I KNOW BECAUSE HE'S ON TOP OF IT THAT MR. SMITH WOULD KNOW WHICH ONES I ADDED AND WHICH ONES. YEAH, I THINK I ADDED THE PERSONNEL MATTERS. COMPLAINTS INVOLVING INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS. ADDRESSES PENDING LITIGATION. I THINK THAT ONE I DON'T REMEMBER. WE'LL CONTINUE THAT, I GUESS, DURING OUR SECOND REVIEW. THAT WOULD BE FINE. YES. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, MR. SMITH. THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS. WE'LL BE BACK IN 5 MINUTES. [G. Items for Board Review] NEXT, WE HAVE 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 THE BOARD'S REVIEW. NUMBER ONE, MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT FUNDS FY 2023. NUMBER TWO, FY 2023 SEPTEMBER EXPENDITURES [INAUDIBLE] APPROPRIATIONS. NUMBER THREE BUDGET CHANGE REQUESTS SUMMARY ACROSS CATEGORY SEPTEMBER 2022 NUMBER FOR BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS. NUMBER FIVE PRE K UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2022. NUMBER SIX DRAFT 2023 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING CALENDAR. NUMBER SEVEN REPORT ON SEPARATE SUPPLEMENTAL RETIREMENT PROGRAM FOR EMPLOYEES OF CHESTERFIELD COUNTY SCHOOLS. NUMBER EIGHT FY 2023 FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR THE QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2022, AND NUMBER NINE FY 2024 BUDGET CALENDAR. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. [H. Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items] NEXT, WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON AGENDA ITEMS FOR THIS EVENING. 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 AGENDA ITEMS? MADAM CHAIR, WE HAVE SEVEN SPEAKERS FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS THIS EVENING. THEY ARE ANN TATUS, WENDY LITTLE, JULIE DE ROSALES, AMADA ALVARADO, [INAUDIBLE] WILSON, JOHN WARD AND ROBERT EVERETT. 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. [01:45:08] AS A REMINDER, NO PERSONAL BELONGINGS OTHER THAN YOUR 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 THE COMMENTS EQUIVALENT TO CAMPAIGNING FOR ANY PUBLIC OFFICE OR VIOLATION OF SCHOOL BOARD POLICY 1110 AND ARE PROHIBITED. MAY WE HAVE ANN TATUS? BEFORE THE CLOCK STARTS, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK PARENTS AT HOME, IF YOU HAVE SMALL CHILDREN TO PLEASE HAVE THEM LEAVE THE ROOM AND ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM AND YOU'RE STILL COUNTING THE CLOCK. THANK YOU TO PLEASE LEAVE IF YOU'RE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, WHICH IS A MINOR. SO THIS BOOK, LET'S TALK ABOUT IT IS IN MULTIPLE HIGH SCHOOLS. LET'S SEE, BUT WHAT ABOUT OTHER STUFF LIKE ORAL SEX AND HANDJOBS AND FINGERING? DO THOSE THINGS COUNT OR SEX OR ARE THEY? I DON'T KNOW, THEIR OWN SUBCATEGORY. WHAT IF YOU'RE RUBBING SOMEONE'S JUNK THAT THEY'RE PANTS AND THEY GET OFF? DO YOU ACTUALLY TOUCH THEIR SKIN? IS THAT SEX OR NOT? WHAT ABOUT KINKY PEOPLE WHO DON'T DO THESE THINGS THAT ARE TOTALLY SEXUAL? IT'S NOT LIKE SEX-SEX LIKE SPANKING OR BEING TIED UP WITH ROPES AND DANGLED FROM THE CEILING. THEN IT GOES INTO OPEN RELATIONSHIPS, OPEN, MONOGAMOUS, SWINGING, CASUAL RELATIONSHIPS, FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS, HOOKUP, FLING. THESE ARE JUST PAGES AND PAGES. I'M JUST PICKING A FEW ONES, AND THEN HOW MANY PICTURES OF MEN, FEMALE WITH BREASTS AND PENISES OR NO BREASTS WITH SEMI PENISES THAT HAVE BEEN, I DON'T KNOW, ADJUSTED, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT. AGAIN, THIS IS WHAT OUR CHILDREN, CHILDREN, I WILL REMIND YOU ARE READING. RIGHT HERE ANUS BOTH PRACTICAL AND PLEASURABLE. THIS TIGHT, FLEXIBLE HOLE SERVES TWO PURPOSES. THIS IS THE ENTRANCE TO YOUR BOWELS. THE PASSAGEWAY TO GETTING FOOD POOP OUT OF YOUR BODY. THIS OPENING IS ALSO CHOCK FULL OF SENSITIVE NERVES, MAKING IT PRIMO-EROGENOUS ZONE FOR TOUCHING AND PENETRATING. APPLY BROAD PRESSURE TO THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR ANUS. CIRCLE THE BUTTHOLE WITH YOUR FINGER PAUSING ANY TIME AT A SPOT THAT FEELS EXTRA GOOD, AND THEN IT'S GOT A PICTURE OF BUTT PLUGS. DIP JUST THE TIP OF YOUR FINGER INSIDE. LET YOUR ANUS PULL IT IN AND WHEN IT'S READY INSTEAD OF FORCING IT. A GREAT PLACE TO RESEARCH FANTASIES AND KINK SAFELY IS ON THE INTERNET. THERE ARE TONS OF PEOPLE IN COMMUNITIES OUT THERE WHO SHARE YOUR INTERESTS AND HAVE ALL KINDS OF ADVICE. THE ONLINE WORLD IS CHOCKABLOCK FULL OF PORNOGRAPHY, PROFESSIONALS AND AMATEURS ALIKE SHARING THEIR SEXY ADVENTURES ONLINE WHEN CONSUMED RIGHT, PORN CAN HELP YOU DISCOVER NEW ASPECTS OF YOUR SEXUALITY AND HELP YOU EXPLORE KINKS AND FANTASIES, BUT DEPENDING ON YOUR AGE AND WHERE YOU FOUND IT, PORN CAN ALSO BE UNETHICAL AND ILLEGAL TO WATCH. THROW THAT IN. SO DO YOUR RESEARCH. LOOK UP INTERVIEWS WITH YOUR FAVE PORN PERFORMERS. GO TO SITES THEY RECOMMEND AND PAY FOR YOUR PORN. WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THIS? WENDY LITTLE. AGAIN. MY NAME IS WENDY LITTLE. I'M IN THE CLOVER HILL DISTRICT, AND, YOU KNOW, YOUR SCHOOL DIVISION HAS NOT ALLOWED MY SON TO GO TO SCHOOL , AND I RECEIVED RECENTLY A LETTER STATING THAT BY VIRGINIA LAW, HE MUST GO TO SCHOOL. SO I FIND THAT VERY INTERESTING, AND IT COMES FROM WITHIN YOUR SCHOOL DIVISION TELLING ME MY SON MUST GO TO SCHOOL. I BEG FOR HELP AGAIN. BEG FOR HELP AGAIN? WHAT HARM WOULD IT DO TO SEND MY CHILD TO SCHOOL? NOT A SINGLE ONE OF YOU RESPONDED. WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING? YOU GOT TWO JOBS. SAFETY, EDUCATION. WHAT AM I, SON, DO TO ANY OF YOU OR ANYBODY ELSE IN HERE? WHAT DO WE DO EXCEPT A DISABLED KID WITH NEEDS THAT WERE NOT BEING MET FOR YEARS? [01:50:01] BY THE WAY, I HAVE SOME HOMEWORK FOR YOU. YOUR SCHOOL DIVISION OWES ME A RESPONSE TO A 6130 F THAT IS DATED SEPTEMBER 19, 2022. THE USDA WANTS YOUR RESPONSE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WILL LEAVE A COPY FOR EVERYBODY AND THEN YOU CAN HANDLE IT OR YOU CAN HANDLE IT. GO SEE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS. I FEEL LIKE THERE ARE A COUPLE OF GAPS IN UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE I WASN'T ABLE TO BE HERE THIS SUMMER. SO MY SON USUALLY IS VERY STRONG ACADEMICALLY. HE CAN LEARN. HE HAS A LOT OF CHALLENGES. I NOTICED THAT HIS STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES WERE TANKING. I STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT. I STARTED ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT CAN I GET SAMPLES OF HIS WORK? WHAT'S HE HAVING TROUBLE WITH? WHAT'S HE DOING WELL WITH? AND THE PRIVATE SCHOOL REFUSED TO GIVE THEM TO ME OVER AND OVER. I HAD TO SHOW UP ON THEM AND GET THEM, AND I RECORDED THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE I HAVE THAT. HE WAS GIVEN WAY LESS THAN GRADE LEVEL EDUCATION. SO SOMEHOW SOMEBODY PUT HIM IN MODIFIED CLASSES. WHAT IS THAT? I DON'T KNOW. I DIDN'T APPROVE THAT. HE HAS HIS MAP TOTALLY TANKED. ATYPICAL FOR HIM. HE FAILED HIS MATH AND ENGLISH SOL AND I SENT HIM TO SUMMER SCHOOL WITH HIS PRINCIPAL'S PERMISSION. Y'ALL SENT HIM HOME? YOU SENT? I PUT HIM ON THE BUS. YOUR SCHOOL SENT HIM HOME. ALL OF THAT IS HERE FOR YOU. BUT HIS GRADES ARE "SO GREAT," BUT HE HAD NO EDUCATIONAL BENEFIT LAST YEAR, AND HE'S CERTAINLY NOT GETTING ANY NOW. A CHILD CAN MURDER A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE AND THE SCHOOL DIVISION, THEY CAN GO TO JUVENILE JAIL AND THE SCHOOL DIVISION BY LAW HAS TO EDUCATE THAT CHILD BY THE 11TH DAY OF SCHOOL OR THEY ARE OUT OF FEDERAL COMPLIANCE. HERE IS PROOF OF FALSIFIED GRADES. HERE'S A LETTER THAT YOUR SPECIAL EDUCATION DIVISION THAT I TRIED TO WRITE, AND I'VE GIVEN THEM PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES REPEATEDLY. THEY DO NOT RESPOND. SO I CAN EVEN TRY TO FIX THIS SITUATION MYSELF, AND NOBODY'S HELPING. YOU ALL DON'T CARE. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? SOMEBODY HAS TO DO SOMETHING. I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR A MEETING WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT. THANK YOU, MISS LITTLE. JULIE DE ROSALES . GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JULIE DE ROSALES. I HAVE A NEPHEW ENROLLED AT MEADOWBROOK. I WOULD LIKE TO BRING ATTENTION TO WHAT IS CONTINUING TO HAPPEN AT MEADOWBROOK, ACCORDING TO MY NEPHEW. HE IS A FRESHMAN THERE, AND SINCE THE LAST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING WHEN OUR FAMILIES BROUGHT UP THESE ISSUES, HE IS STILL UNABLE TO USE THE RESTROOM DURING CLASS CHANGE OR DURING CLASS BECAUSE THE BATHROOMS ARE FULL OF STUDENTS USING DRUGS AND FIGHTING DESPITE TEACHERS BEING OUTSIDE OF THE BATHROOMS NOW. THERE CONTINUES TO BE DRUG CONSUMPTION HAPPENING, SUCH AS MARIJUANA AND VAPING, AND IT'S EVEN GOING ON INSIDE CLASSROOMS. NOT ONLY DO DRUGS INSIDE SCHOOLS CREATE AN UNSAFE CULTURE OF VIOLENCE, IT VIOLATES THE SCHOOL BOARD'S CODE OF CONDUCT REGARDING SUBSTANCE ABUSE FOR SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY. SEVERAL NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS OF MINE HAVE ALSO COMPLAINED OF THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS NOT RECEIVING ADEQUATE ESL SERVICES. THEY'RE FAILING CLASSES LIKE ART AND GYM. THEY DON'T RECEIVE ESL SUPPORT IN CLASSES THAT DON'T HAVE AN SOL, SO THEY CAN'T UNDERSTAND THEIR ELECTIVE TEACHERS. ADDING ONE NEW ESL TEACHER TO MEADOWBROOK IS NOT GOING TO FIX THIS. MY NEPHEW HAS ALSO INFORMED ME OF ESL ENGLISH CLASSES FOR NEWCOMER STUDENTS BEING SO FULL THAT STUDENTS ARE SITTING ON THE FLOOR AND THE CLASSES ARE CONTINUING TO GROW AS CHILDREN IMMIGRATE TO OUR AREA. IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ALL THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR. IMMIGRATION. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. I'M SORRY THAT ESL NEWCOMER ENGLISH IS THE ONLY CLASS SOLELY DEDICATED TO STUDENTS LEARNING BASIC ENGLISH, BUT DO YOU THINK THAT THEY CAN REALLY LEARN WHEN THEY'RE NOT EVEN ENOUGH DESKS AVAILABLE? CAN YOU IMAGINE THE DIFFICULTY THAT IT WOULD BE TO MANAGE A CLASSROOM OF THAT SIZE FOR THE TEACHERS? AND WE WONDER WHY WE CAN'T RETAIN STAFF IN THE DALE DISTRICT. I STARTED RESEARCHING THIS MYSELF, THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF ESL STUDENTS, AND DISCOVERED THAT STUDENTS LIKE MY NEPHEW ARE NOT BEING IDENTIFIED AS ELLS IN A TIMELY MANNER. I UNDERSTAND MOST OF THE SCREENING ISSUE STEMS FROM ALMOST THE ENTIRE GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT RESIGNING LAST YEAR. SO WHEN YOU LOSE AN ENTIRE GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT, YOU LOSE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE SCHOOL, THE STUDENTS, THE FAMILIES, THEIR NEEDS AND THE COMMUNITY OVERALL. MY NEPHEW ALSO TELLS ME THAT THERE IS NO BILINGUAL COUNSELORS. I CONCLUDE BY SAYING THAT THE COUNTY MUST DO MORE TO INVEST IN THE DALE DISTRICT. SROS ARE IMPORTANT FOR WHEN LAWS ARE BROKEN, BUT POLICE ENFORCE LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS, NOT THE SCHOOL'S CODE OF CONDUCT. [01:55:09] THEY CAN'T SEARCH A STUDENT'S BACKPACK WITHOUT PROBABLE CAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE. SO WHAT SCHOOLS LIKE MEADOWBROOK NEED ARE MORE BILINGUAL STAFF, MORE ESL TEACHERS, AND AN ENTIRE BILINGUAL EDUCATION PROGRAM TO MAKE SURE ESL STUDENTS ARE LEARNING ENGLISH, RECEIVING AN EQUAL ACCESS TO PROGRAMS OFFERED AT SCHOOL AND GRADUATING ON TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS ROSALES. AMADA ALVARADO. YEP. I SPEAK A LITTLE ENGLISH. I HAVE FOUR CHILDREN, TWO IN ELEMENTARY, ONE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND MY CHILD WHO IS WITH ME IS IN HIGH SCHOOL. I HAD TO QUIT MY JOB BECAUSE MY CHILD HAS [INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE THE CHILDREN AT SCHOOL, AT THE BUS ARE USING MARIJUANA. MY CHILD, WHEN HE WAS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, SUFFERED FROM BULLYING AND HE WAS HIT BY DIFFERENT CHILDREN. I AM A MOTHER AND A WIFE. I WORK IN CONSTRUCTION, AND IT'S REALLY HARD FOR ME. THERE ARE [INAUDIBLE] WHO [INAUDIBLE] CHILDREN THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO GO TO THE SCHOOL. IT IS REALLY HARD TO SEE CHILDREN USING MARIJUANA. I DON'T HAVE ANY NOTES, BUT I CAME HERE FOR MY CHILDREN. THAT'S ALL. [INAUDIBLE] WILSON. HELLO, I WANTED TO ADDRESS THE SCHOOL SAFETY ISSUE AT AM DAVIS. I'M A MOTHER OF FOUR. I HAVE FOUR CHILDREN IN THREE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS: AM DAVIS, PROVIDENCE, MANCHESTER. IT ALL STARTED ABOUT THREE AND A HALF YEARS AGO BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, I WAS ABLE TO GET INSIDE OF THE SCHOOL THROUGH SIDE DOORS, ALL BY STUDENTS THREE TIMES. THIS IS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. I ADDRESSED IT TO THE PRINCIPAL AND DAVIS. SHE SAID SHE WOULD SPEAK TO THE STUDENTS. THIS YEAR, I WAS ABLE TO ENTER THE TRAILERS BY TWO STUDENTS. THEY JUST OPENED THE DOOR AND LET ME IN. SO I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE DRILLS THAT YOU ALL HAVE FOR IF SOMEONE COMES INTO THE SCHOOL WITH A FIREARM, IF YOU ARE EDUCATING THE STUDENTS ON, DO NOT OPEN THE DOORS, BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. THERE WERE FIVE OCCASIONS WHERE I COULD HAVE COME IN AND DID ANYTHING, AND SO THERE ARE STUDENTS WAITING BY THE DOOR. THE LAST INCIDENT, A YOUNG LADY WAS JUST STANDING BY THE DOOR AND OPENED IT AND SHE WAS A STUDENT. SHE SAID, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME IN? I TOLD HER NO, BUT THEN I SAID, HEY, WHY NOT? SHE'S LETTING ME IN. SO I WENT IN AND RETURNED MY SON'S CHROMEBOOK TO HIS CLASSROOM. I WAS ABLE TO ACTUALLY KNOCK ON THE DOOR. A TEACHER OPENED IT. SO I THINK WHEN YOU ALL DO DRILLS FOR SCHOOL SHOOTINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU REALLY, REALLY NEED TO TALK TO THESE CHILDREN ABOUT NOT OPENING THE SIDE DOORS FOR STRANGERS. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, AND I THINK THAT'S IT. STRAIGHT FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS WILSON. JOHN WARD. [02:00:12] GOOD EVENING. IF THERE'S ANY CHILDREN WHO ARE WATCHING THIS, PLEASE LEAVE THE ROOM. I WANT TO ALSO START OUT BY SAYING THAT GUIDELINES AND RULES ARE NOT LAWS. YOU GUYS NEED TO GO BY THE LAW. I'VE HEARD THE QUOTE, DON'T PANIC. WE HAVEN'T PANICKED. WE HAVE WOKEN UP AND WE HAVE ORGANIZED TO DEFEND OUR PRIDE OF CHILDREN. SO DO WE STAY QUIET AND ALLOW OUR PRECIOUS CHILDREN TO BE SEXUALIZED AND MENTALLY ABUSED? NO. SHOULD WE ALLOW THE FATE OF OUR CHILDREN TO BE SHATTERED IN A METAPHORICAL MODERN DAY OF THE NIGHT OF BROKEN GLASS? NO. DO YOU FEEL MORE OFFENDED BY THE NAME OF JESUS IN THE SEXUAL DEVIANT PUSH FOR TRANSGENDER AND GAY MENTAL MANIPULATION OF GRADE SCHOOL CHILDREN WHILE ALLOWING VIOLENCE, ASSAULT WEAPONS, GANG ACTIVITIES TO GET A FOOTHOLD IN OUR SCHOOLS? YOU CHOOSE TO PROMOTE BOOKS OF DEPRAVED PORNOGRAPHY, LITERATURE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE DELINQUENCY OF MINORS. LIKE THIS BOOK HERE, ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL, WHICH I WILL READ FROM. THESE ARE IN 13 OF YOUR COUNTY SCHOOLS, INCLUDING MIDDLE SCHOOLS. SO WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY MAY OFFEND YOU, BUT I ASK THAT YOU GIVE ME THE RESPECT FOR THE BOOKS THAT YOU HAVE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO BE IN THESE SCHOOLS. HEY, EARL, I CAN'T WATCH ALPHAVILLE TODAY. WHY THE [EXPLETIVE] NOT? I'M SORRY, MAN. I HAVE TO HANG OUT WITH THIS GIRL FROM SYNAGOGUE. WHAT? ARE YOU GOING TO EAT HER [EXPLETIVE]? EARL CAN BE SORT OF PROFANE AT TIMES. HE ACTUALLY MELLOWED OUT A LOT SINCE MIDDLE SCHOOL. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, BACK IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, HE WOULD HAVE ASKED THIS IN A MUCH MORE VIOLENT AND HORRIBLE WAY. YEAH, EARL, I'M GOING TO EAT HER [EXPLETIVE]. HUH? YEAH. DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW TO EAT [EXPLETIVE]? OH, NOT REALLY. PAPA [INAUDIBLE] NEVER SAT YOU DOWN AND SAID, SON, ONE DAY YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO EAT THE [EXPLETIVE]. NO, BUT HE DID TEACH ME HOW TO EAT A BUTTHOLE. WHEN EARL IS FULL ON GROSS OUT MODE, HE HAS TO PLAY ALONG WITH YOU OR YOU'LL FEEL STUPID. GOD BLESS THAT MAN. YUP. I WILL TEACH YOU SOME [EXPLETIVE] EATING TECHNIQUES, BUT IT'S A LITTLE COMPLICATED. THAT'S A SHAME. I WOULD NEED SOME DIAGRAMS AND WHATNOT. WELL, TONIGHT, MAYBE YOU CAN DRAW SOME UP. SON, I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT. I GOT, LIKE, 20 [EXPLETIVE] HERE THAT I NEED TO EAT. IS THAT RIGHT? I'M ON A [EXPLETIVE] DEADLINE. YOU GOT 20 VAGINAS ALL LINED UP IN A ROW. OH, WHAT THE HELL? WHAT THE HELL? NO ONE'S TALKING ABOUT VAGINAS. GREG, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU? MAN, THAT'S NASTY. EARL LIKES TO MIX IT UP SOMETIMES PRETENDING NOT TO BE GROSS. OH, SORRY, MAN. YOU'RE SICK. YOU'RE PERVERTED. THAT WAS REALLY OUT OF LINE. I'M TALKING ABOUT [EXPLETIVE]. I GOT A LITTLE HONEY MUSTARD OVER HERE. A LITTLE HEINZ 57 AND A WHOLE LOT OF PUSSY. PLEASE GET THIS OUT OF SCHOOLS AND NO MORE LOOPHOLES. THANK YOU, MR. WARD. ROBERT EVERRETT. I'M NOT SURE HOW I FOLLOW THAT ONE. SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING. IT'S SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL COMING FROM THE VIDEO. I THINK THERE WAS A DEFINITION ISSUE HERE, BUT IT DEFINES THAT THE CONTENT TO BE ANY DESCRIPTION, PICTURE, PHOTOGRAPH, DRAWING, MOTION, PICTURE, FILM, DIGITAL IMAGE, OR SIMILAR VISUAL REPRESENTATION DEPICTING SEXUAL BEASTIALITY, A LEWD EXPEDITION OF NUDITY, SEXUAL EXCITEMENT, SEXUAL CONDUCT, OR [INAUDIBLE] ABUSE [INAUDIBLE] [INAUDIBLE] OR FETISHISM. I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT'S IN ALL THESE BOOKS HERE THAT I SPENT HOURS AND SEE ALL THOSE LITTLE TABS THAT I'VE TABBED OUT ON THESE BOOKS. THEY REPRESENT EVERYTHING. THAT IS WHAT THAT SAYS. THAT'S SEXUALLY EXPLICIT. I DIDN'T CHOOSE ANYTHING THAT HAD ANYTHING TO A TRANSGENDERISM BECAUSE WHO CARES WHAT WE'RE BEING ACCUSED FOR; WE'RE BEING ACCUSED FOR TRYING TO EXTINGUISH THE ACTUAL EXISTENCE OF TRANSGENDER CHILDREN. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE'RE TRYING TO GET RID OF THE OBSCENE AND SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIALS IN EACH ONE OF THESE LITTLE STICKIES REPRESENTS EVERY LAW THAT'S BEING BROKEN. IT'S A LOT. I WENT THROUGH A LOT OF STICKIES. SO AND THESE ARE IN THE SCHOOLS. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE JUST PICKED UP, AND WE HAD MORE BOOKS, BUT EVERYBODY IS READING FROM BOOKS. I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD TO I'VE GOT A MINUTE AND A HALF AND MINE'S A LITTLE SOFTER, SO I'LL JUST READ THIS ONE. THIS IS THE ALL BOYS AREN'T BLUE. HE REACHED HIS HAND DOWN AND PULLED OUT AND HE QUICKLY WENT AND GAVE ME HEAD. HERE'S ANOTHER ONE. YOU SPOKE A LITTLE LOUDER. G DIDN'T RESPOND. [02:05:01] IT TOOK A LITTLE MUCH FOR GARRET TO GO TO SLEEP. YEAH, HE GIGGLED. WHAT'S THAT? IS THAT YOUR HAND? THAT'S NOT MY HAND. YOU'RE LYING. YOU WERE FULLY ERECT AT THIS POINT. I WAS NERVOUS. OH, AND BY THE WAY, THIS TAKES PLACE. THIS STORY TAKES PLACE WHEN THIS KID'S 13 YEARS OLD. IT'S A GREAT BOOK. OH, AND BY THE WAY, THIS BOOK IS IN FOUR SCHOOLS. THIS BOOK ISN'T ABOUT, I THINK SEVEN SCHOOLS. I THINK THIS ONE'S EIGHT SCHOOLS AND THIS ONE'S IN THREE SCHOOLS IN CHESTERFIELD. NOW, I'M GOING TO BLAMING ALL OF THESE BOOKS ON YOU GUYS. THEY WERE THERE BEFORE YOU ALL TOOK PLACE, BUT WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET THESE THINGS OUT THERE. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO SILENCE TRANSGENDERISM. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO SILENCE SOMEBODY'S POLITICAL VIEWS. THIS IS JUST COMMON SENSE. NONE OF YOU GUYS WOULD WANT THESE BOOKS IN POSSESSION OF YOUR CHILDREN. I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE. SEXUALLY EXPLICIT, I READ WHAT THAT MEANT. THAT'S EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THESE BOOKS, AND WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO. IF IT'S SUMMERTIME, HEY, I'LL CREATE A CAMPAIGN. I'LL GET A BUNCH OF PEOPLE UP. IF YOU WANT, I CAN GRAB A BUNCH OF PEOPLE; WE CAN GO THROUGH THESE AND PICK OUT THESE OBVIOUSLY NASTY BOOKS, WHICH I DON'T EVEN WANT TO SHOW THE PICTURES, IT ABOUT MADE ME THROW UP WHEN I WAS DOING THIS, PREPARING FOR THIS DAY, GETTING EVERYBODY TO COME OUT AND READ THESE BOOKS, AND IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING I DO. MY SON, HE'S 12. THESE KIDS CANNOT BE EXPOSED TO THIS. I MEAN, THIS SAYS FOR AGE TEN AND UP, AND I GUARANTEE YOU, IF YOU GET THIS BOOK, IT'S NOT TEN AND UP, AND I KNOW YOU GUYS DON'T, NOT EVERY ONE OF Y'ALL YOU AGREE WITH ME, YOU JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO IMPLEMENT THIS. SO LET'S FIGURE OUT A WAY HOW TO IMPLEMENT THIS. IT'S A BIG TASK, BUT IT'S A WORTHY TASK. WE NEED TO GET TO OUR CHILDREN'S MINDS AND SOULS, AND THAT'S THE WAY WE DO IT. THANK YOU. MADAM CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES THIS EVENING'S PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. MADAM CHAIR, CAN I ASK A QUICK QUESTION? YES, SIR. TWO OF THE BOOKS THAT WERE READ TONIGHT, I THINK IT WAS, LET'S TALK ABOUT IT AND MEET EARL AND A DYING GIRL. DO THEM BOOKS NOT VIOLATE CURRENT POLICY WE HAVE IN PLACE? THOSE TWO BOOKS. THAT'S A IT'S AN HONEST QUESTION. I MEAN, DO THEY NOT, IN YOUR GUY'S OPINION, VIOLATE. MADAM CHAIR. MR. HARPER, I HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ THOSE BOOKS IN THEIR FULL CONTEXT. I WOULD AGAIN, PLEASE, NO COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE, BUT I MEAN, AS A PARENT, I THINK THAT YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT A REVIEW. I WOULD THINK THAT WE WOULD NEED TO GO THROUGH THOSE PROCESSES TO DETERMINE THAT, AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE IMPORTANCE OF REVAMPING THE PROCESS, JUST LOOKING THROUGH WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE. BECAUSE MY QUESTION, I MEAN, JUST A LEGITIMATE QUESTION. HOW DO SOME OF THESE BOOKS I MEAN, THEY WERE PRETTY GRAPHIC NO MATTER HOW YOU GO ABOUT IT, DO THEY NOT ALREADY VIOLATE A CURRENT POLICY WE HAVE IN PLACE? MS. COKER, ARE WE IN THE BOARD COMMENT PART? I MEAN, BECAUSE IF WE ARE I HAVE A LOT OF COMMENTS I WOULD WANT TO MAKE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO GO THERE JUST YET UNTIL WE'RE THERE. WHERE ARE WE ON THE AGENDA HERE? I DON'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF, RYAN, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE IN THAT PORTION. WE ARE NOT WE HAVE NOT MOVED ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS AND COMMUNICATIONS FROM SCHOOL BOARD COMMENTS. WE ARE MOVING ON TO SUPERINTENDENT'S REMARKS. OKAY, LET'S DO THAT, AND THEN, RYAN, LET'S PICK THAT RIGHT BACK UP BECAUSE I HAVE SOME THOUGHTS AS WELL. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. [I. Superintendent's Remarks] NEXT WE HAVE THIS EVENING SUPERINTENDENT'S REMARKS. DR. DAUGHTERY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'M GOING TO CALL UP JOSH DAVIS TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON TRANSPORTATION. GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR. DOHERTY, DR. DAUGHERTY AND I CHATTED. HE WOULD LIKE FOR ME TO SHARE AN UPDATE IN REGARDS TO OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. SO I'VE GOT A FEW PIECES OF INFORMATION AND FACTS TO SHARE WITH YOU AND WELCOME SOME DIALOG CONTINUING TO IMPROVE OUR SERVICES. A TOP PRIORITY DRIVERS ARE THE KEY TO MAKING IT HAPPEN. THIS IS A PEOPLE BUSINESS. WE NEED PEOPLE BEHIND THE WHEELS AND WE NEED IT BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS NEED TO BE IN CLASS READY TO LEARN EVERY DAY. SO THIS EVENING I'D LIKE TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR ON TIME PERFORMANCE GETTING KIDS TO SCHOOL IN THE MORNING. THUS FAR AS WE'VE COMPLETED THE FIRST, I'LL SAY, NINE WEEK MARKING PERIOD, CHAT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BUS DRIVER RECRUITING AND RETENTION, DISCUSS HOW WE ARE IMPROVING OUR ROUTE, EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS, AND A FEW REMARKS ABOUT COMMUNICATION WITH STAFF AND FAMILIES. [02:10:01] SO WE SET A GOAL AS WE ENTERED THE SCHOOL YEAR IN THE REVIEW OF IMAGINE TOMORROW TO WE WANTED TO GET OUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL ACTUALLY 100% OF THE TIME, BUT WE TALKED ABOUT A REASONABLE STATISTIC, 97% TO BE OUR GOAL. SO WE DO HAVE SOME GOOD TECHNOLOGY THAT WE CAN EMPLOY AND WE'VE USED TO LOOK AT OUR ARRIVAL TIMES. WE TOOK THE LAST FULL WEEK OF THE MARKING PERIOD. WE ACTUALLY LOOKED AT THE FIRST FOUR DAYS. I BELIEVE THAT LAST DAY WAS A WAS AN EARLY RELEASE DAY, SO WE WANTED TO FOCUS ON FULL DAYS, EVEN THOUGH THIS WAS A FOCUS IN THE MORNING, INSTEAD OF ACHIEVING THE 97%, WE WERE AT 91.3, AND IT DID VARY AMONGST OUR SCHOOLS, 15 OF OUR SCHOOLS MET THE 97% GOAL. FIVE OF THE SCHOOLS WERE AT 100%, BUT AT THE OTHER HAND, WE HAD 23 SCHOOLS THAT HAD LESS THAN 90% OF THEIR BUSSES ARRIVE ON TIME. GOING BACK TO LAST YEAR, RECALL, WE DID HAVE GREAT SUCCESS WITH OUR DRIVER RECRUITING AND WE'RE AT THE FULL STAFFING MODE FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS OF THE YEAR, AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT SOME OF THE DATA, WE HAD ACHIEVED 96% OF BUSSES ARRIVING TO SCHOOL ON TIME. YOU WANT TO PARSE THE DATA A LITTLE BIT MORE. OUR TIER ONE SCHOOLS THAT FIRST SET OF SCHOOLS, WHICH IS PRIMARILY MIDDLE, DOES INCLUDE A FEW OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. THEY ARE GETTING TO SCHOOL ON TIME, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OF THE TIER THREE SCHOOLS. THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE BELOW 90% ARE EXCLUSIVELY IN TIERS TWO AND THREE. A GOOD NUMBER OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS IN TIER TWO AND QUITE A FEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN TIER THREE. HOW LATE ARE THESE LATE BUSSES? AND WE AGAIN, HAVING SOME VERY GOOD DATA CAN TELL YOU THAT JUST UNDER 6% OF THE TOTAL ARRIVALS WERE 1 TO 10 MINUTES LATE. A LITTLE UNDER 2% OF THE ARRIVALS WERE 11 TO 20 MINUTES LATE AND A LITTLE UNDER 1% OF THE ARRIVALS WERE OVER 20 MINUTES LATE. SO I WANTED TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND BECAUSE CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, WE PUT OUT THE MESSAGES ABOUT BUSSES BEING BEHIND SCHEDULE AND SOMETIMES THEY CAN BE BEHIND SCHEDULE AND STILL GET TO SCHOOL ON TIME BEFORE THAT TARDY BELL RINGS, BUT THIS IS THE COMPLETE DATA IN REGARDS TO HOW MANY MADE IT TO MEET OUR GOAL, AND THEN HOW LATE WERE THE ONES THAT DID NOT MEET THE GOAL? IT'S ALL ABOUT PEOPLE, AND DR. HOUGH AND HER HUMAN RESOURCES RECRUITING TEAM IS TASK ORGANIZED TO REALLY FOCUS ON THIS. FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW, SEVERAL JOB FAIRS, CAREER EXPOS, THEY'VE HAD A DEDICATED RECRUITER TO WORK WITH OUR APPLICANTS. THEY'RE WORKING WITH JOB BOARDS SUCH AS INDEED, AND LINKEDIN. THEY'RE DOING ADS ON THE RADIO, THEY'RE DOING STREAMING ADS, SOME SPECIFIC OUTREACH TO HISPANIC COMMUNITY AS OUR BILINGUAL STAFF, ESPECIALLY BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A BUS, IS EXTREMELY VALUABLE AND WE CAN GET THEM. THEY TAKE THE METRIC OF LOOKING AT NUMBERS OF APPLICATIONS, AND THESE THREE DATA SETS REPRESENT THE ACTUAL DATE OF OCTOBER 10TH, I BELIEVE, FROM 2019 TO OCTOBER. EXCUSE ME, I MISSPOKE JUST SLIGHTLY OCTOBER THE SEVENTH. SO THAT'S TEN SEVEN, 19 TO 20. THAT WAS WHEN WE WERE PRIMARILY OUT FOR COVID. WE HAD 344 APPLICANTS THE FOLLOWING YEAR, WHICH TOOK US INTO THE BEGINNING OF THE LAST SCHOOL YEAR WHEN WE ACCELERATED OUR PAY AND WE HAD GREAT INTEREST. WE HAD 173 APPLICANTS, AND THEN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS ENDING ON THIS PAST OCTOBER 7TH, 802. SO DESPITE ALL THESE EFFORTS AND RETAINING GETTING TO THE FULLY STAFFED LEVEL THAT WE WERE LAST YEAR, WE DO HAVE 66 CURRENT VACANCIES. WE LOST A LOT OVER THE SUMMER, AND FRANKLY, WE'VE BEEN TREADING WATER SINCE THEN. HERE'S THE DATA IN REGARDS TO WHAT OUR TRAINING TEAM HAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH ALL THOSE APPLICANTS THAT HAVE COME TO US FROM HUMAN RESOURCES. WE HIRED 244 DURING FISCAL YEAR 21-22 AND 56 IN OUR FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF THIS FISCAL YEAR. THAT'S EXACTLY 300 DRIVERS, WHICH IS MORE THAN HALF OF OUR WORKFORCE. WE HAVE AUTHORIZED JUST OVER 500 DRIVER POSITIONS. WE'VE HAD 34 NEW CANDIDATES IN THE LAST SEVEN WEEKS. SO NOT QUITE AS FAST, NOT QUITE AS MANY APPLICANTS AS WE HAD A YEAR AGO. AND IT SEEMS AGAIN LIKE WE'RE TREADING WATER, THAT WE ARE HIRING THEM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE LOSING THEM. WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THEM BY, NUMBER ONE, ASSIGNING A MENTOR TO NEW DRIVERS. WE HEARD THAT IN REGARDS TO OUR TEACHING STAFF AND HOW WE'RE DOING THAT WITH NEW TEACHERS. WE DO THE SAME WITH OUR DRIVERS. [02:15:02] WE WANT THEM TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT THEY CAN DEPEND ON. USUALLY THAT MENTOR IS A TRAINER OR SOMEBODY THAT COMPLETED THEIR TRAINING AS THEY APPROACH THE EARNING OF THE CDL, AND WE'RE REALLY WORKING HARD TO CONTINUE TO CONNECT WITH SCHOOL STAFF. THE ROUTINE THINGS SUCH AS BUS LOOP PROCEDURES ARE IMPORTANT, BUT EVEN MORE IMPORTANT ARE CONNECTING WITH ADMINISTRATORS THAT CAN ASSIST WITH STUDENT DISCIPLINE WHEN THINGS PERHAPS GO AWRY A LITTLE BIT ON THE BUS, AND AS WE ALL KNOW, WE APPRECIATE THE DRIVERS THAT WE HAVE SO MUCH, AND I APPRECIATE THE MONTHLY AWARDS THAT WE DO AND WE LOVE HEARING THOSE WORDS FROM THEM, BUT AGAIN, THOSE FOLKS DO NEED SOME HELP AND SUPPORT. MENTION THE SIGNIFICANT TURNOVER. FOLKS HAVE TOUGH DECISIONS TO MAKE AND THERE IS JUST SO MUCH TURBULENCE IN TODAY'S ECONOMY. WE SINCERELY APPRECIATED THE WORK THAT THIS BOARD, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, DID JUST OVER A YEAR AGO TO INCREASE OUR COMPENSATION FOR OUR DRIVERS, BUT WE NO LONGER LEAD THE REGION IN COMPENSATION, AND THAT'S CERTAINLY CONTRIBUTING TO SOME OF OUR DRIVERS MOVING TO OUR COMPETITORS, WHETHER THEY ARE OTHER SCHOOL DIVISIONS OR OTHER FOLKS THAT OFFER EMPLOYMENT, VERY LUCRATIVE EMPLOYMENT FOR CDL DRIVERS. AND WE DO TRACE SOME OF THE TURNOVER TO SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE IN STUDENT MANAGEMENT. THEY CAN GO THROUGH THE CLASS AND THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THE BIG YELLOW BUS. I KNOW WHEN I'VE ADDRESSED BUS DRIVERS STARTING CLASS, I TELL THEM THE KEY TO YOUR SUCCESS IS GOING TO BE THE RELATIONSHIP YOU BUILD WITH THE STUDENTS. SOME ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN OTHERS. SOME HAVE TO WORK AT IT VERY HARD. SOME GET THERE AND SOME NEVER GET THERE AND GO AND FIND SOMETHING DIFFERENT. DR. DAUGHERTY'S INITIATIVE THIS YEAR WE IDENTIFIED 200 DRIVERS THAT WERE PRETTY MUCH WORKING 7 HOURS A DAY, BUT THEY WERE IN A SIX HOUR CONTRACT. WE THOUGHT, AND FELT THAT WOULD BE A POSITIVE THING TO DO FOR THESE FOLKS IS TO INCORPORATE THAT SEVENTH HOUR INTO THEIR CONTRACT SINCE THEY'RE WORKING IT EVERY DAY. SO INSTEAD OF BEING PAID IN A STRAIGHT TIME, OVERTIME WAGE FOR THAT SEVENTH HOUR IS NOW PART OF THEIR CONTRACT. THEY GET VRS CREDIT, AND SO AGAIN, WE'VE DONE THAT WITH 40% OF OUR WORKFORCE. SO WHERE DO WE GO? WHERE DO WE GO? DO WE INCREASE WAGES AGAIN TO COMPETE AND RECOGNIZE THAT INFLATION IS GOING ON? WE'RE ABOUT TO ENTER A BUDGETARY CYCLE. SO WE'VE GOT LOTS TO TALK ABOUT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE BONUS AGAIN. I THINK THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT LAST YEAR OF ATTRACTING CANDIDATES, $3000. SHOULD THAT BE CONTINUOUS SIX $500 INCREMENTS NEXT YEAR OR WOULD WE BE WISER TO WRAP THAT INTO THEIR SALARY, STARTING TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF DIALOG WITH HUMAN RESOURCES WITH MR. MEISTER? AND AGAIN, WE'LL CONTINUE THAT WITH YOU AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE BUDGET CYCLE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S A LOT OF COMPETITION OUT THERE. THOSE WAGES THAT LOOKED SO GREAT JUST 13, 14 MONTHS AGO AREN'T AS COMPETITIVE TODAY. WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO? WE WANT TO BE WELL MANAGED. WE WANT TO USE OUR RESOURCES AS WISELY AS POSSIBLE. WE'RE GLAD THAT DEMAND IS UP. MORE STUDENTS ARE RIDING THE BUSSES AND WE'RE HAVING LESS CONGESTION IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOLS WITH WITH THE PARENT TRAFFIC. WE'VE DONE WHAT WE CALL OFFICIAL COUNTS EVERY YEAR IN THE THIRD WEEK OF OCTOBER THAT GO INTO THE STATE REPORT, AND SO WE'VE SEEN THAT NUMBER UP INTO THE 50,000 STUDENT RANGE, AND THAT'S A GOOD THING. WE'VE ADDED ROUTES, WE'VE OPENED THE RECOVERY ACADEMY. WHAT A GREAT INITIATIVE. WE WANT TO TAKE THOSE KIDS TO SCHOOL AND WE ARE SUCCESSFULLY WE'RE ADDING ROUTES FOR HEAD START AS WE ARE FINDING SOME NEEDS TO PUT MONITORS ON THOSE BUSSES. SO WE'RE DEVELOPING SOME SPECIAL ROUTES SO THAT DEMAND'S UP. WE DO WORK WITH DRIVERS. THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY EVERY WEEK TO COME TO THEIR AREA OFFICE AND TALK TO THE ROUTING TEAM IF THEY FEEL THAT THERE'S SOMETHING CONVOLUTED IN THEIR ROUTE OR THAT IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. WE WANT THAT FEEDBACK. WE WANT TO RESPOND TO IT. WE HAVE A DRIVER'S COUNSEL THAT DR. FRYE WORKS WITH EVERY MONTH. SO WE TAKE THOSE SUGGESTIONS VERY SERIOUSLY, BUT I ALSO LIST SUPERVISION. AGAIN, SO MANY ARE NEW TO THIS AND THEY THEY DON'T ALWAYS UNDERSTAND NECESSARILY EVERY BIT OF DIRECTION THEY'RE GETTING AND THEY CAN MAKE MISTAKES, AND SO WE TRY TO LEARN LESSONS. WE TRY TO GENTLY REDIRECT IF A DRIVER'S MADE A POOR DECISION OR NOT FOLLOWED OUR DIRECTIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, BEING ASSIGNED TO DOUBLE BACK AND REVERSING THE ORDER OF THOSE TWO BUSSES, YOU KNOW, AS OPPOSED TO FOLLOWING THE DIRECTIONS THAT THEY WERE GIVEN. SO ALL OF A SUDDEN, TWO LOADS OF BUSSES ARE NOT ON THE SCHEDULE THAT WE COMMUNICATED TO PARENTS. WE DO NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH SCHOOLS. YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A PARENT RECENTLY WHO SAID, HEY, 'Y'ALL DOING THE OPTIMIZATION AND MODELING AND SO FORTH? WELL, THE ANSWER IS YES, WE HAVE THE TOOLS TO DO THAT, BUT EVERY WHITE PAPER THAT DESCRIBES THIS ISSUE OF HOW DO WE ROUTE CHILDREN SAYS YOU [02:20:01] NEED GOOD INFORMATION. YOU NEED TO KNOW WHO IS RIDING THE BUSSES SO THAT YOU CAN BUILD THE BEST POSSIBLE LOADS, AND STARTING MIDDLE SCHOOLS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER ALLOWS US TO HAVE SOME EXTRA TIME. EACH MIDDLE SCHOOL HAS AGREED FOR BUSSES CAN COME AS EARLY AS 7:00, 7:05 AND SO IT ALLOWS US TO DROP OFF THOSE KIDS, DOUBLE BACK AND COME BACK ON TIME FOR SCHOOLS AT EACH OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS. AND THEN THOSE SCHOOLS OR BUSSES CAN GO ON AND BE MORE SUCCESSFUL AT MEETING THEIR TIER TWO RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT THERE'S AGAIN, ONLY SO MUCH TIME IN THE MORNING TO MAKE THESE DELIVERIES AND MOVE ON. WE HAVE WORKED DIRECTLY WITH SCHOOL LEADERSHIP IN THE AFTERNOONS, TALKED MAINLY ABOUT THE MORNING, BUT THE AFTERNOON CAN CAN CERTAINLY DRAG ON AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT EXTRA TIME LIKE WE DO IN THE MORNINGS. SO THE LATEST OF THE LATER PROBABLY ARE THIRD TIER DISMISSALS AND YOU CAN HEAR ABOUT SOME BUSSES THAT AREN'T JUST NECESSARILY 0 TO 20 MINUTES LATE BUT A BIT LATER THAN THAT WHEN THEY'RE FINALLY DONE, AND SO WE'VE WORKED HARD TO IDENTIFY THE SCHOOLS SO THAT DR. HIGH AND HER TEAMS KNOWS WHERE THEY NEED ADDITIONAL SUPERVISION. THAT PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE PAID WHEN IT'S A NONEXEMPT EMPLOYEE SUCH AS AN ADMINISTRATOR, BUT WE'RE ALSO USING THAT INFORMATION TO ESTABLISH PRIORITIES FOR THE ASSIGNMENT OF OUR NEW DRIVERS SO THAT WE KNOW AS NEW DRIVERS COME OUT, THEY'RE GOING TO GO TO THE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE THE MULTIPLE DOUBLE BACKS, BOTH IN THE MORNINGS AND THE AFTERNOONS. SO GOOD DIALOG BETWEEN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, TRANSPORTATION AND OPERATIONS, BUT THEN WE GOT THE BUGABOO, AS I ALLUDED TO, YOU KNOW, WHO'S REALLY RIDING, AND WE'VE GOT 2000 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT ARE ASSIGNED BUSSES AND AREN'T RIDING, THAT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO OPTIMIZE, AND FOR SOMEBODY THAT WANTS TO SHARPSHOOT, WE'RE ONLY AS GOOD AS THAT INFORMATION. SO WHEN WE ARE STRIVING NOW TO GET THIS CORRECTED SO WE CAN HAVE MORE EFFICIENCY AT TIER TWO AND GET RID OF THESE UNNECESSARY DOUBLE BACKS THAT WORK NEEDED TO BE DONE IN JULY, AND WE'RE GOING TO STRIVE AGAIN NEXT SUMMER TO WORK WITH OUR SCHOOL PARTNERS. WE REALLY NEED SOME REGISTRARS TO BUCKLE DOWN WITH THIS AND WORK WITH PARENTS. WE PUT FORTH SOME COMMUNICATION AND ASK PARENTS TO INDICATE WHAT MODE OF TRANSPORTATION THEY REQUIRE. WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS, OF COURSE, IF YOU'RE GOING TO RIDE, WE WANT A SEAT FOR YOU, BUT IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO RIDE, PLEASE DON'T USE A SEAT AND HAVE US ESTABLISH MULTIPLE ROUTES. COMMUNICATIONS, MY FINAL TOPIC, THE TABLETS ARE WORKING VERY WELL AND I WENT TO AREA 3 AT 8:00 IN THE MORNING ONE DAY LAST WEEK JUST TO CHAT WITH THAT AREA MANAGER TO SEE HOW SHE MANAGES HER DAILY VACANCIES AND TO LISTEN TO COMMUNICATIONS, AND SHE DISCUSSED WHEN A DRIVER LEAVES IN THE MORNING IN THE AFTERNOON WITH AN ASSIGNMENT, USUALLY THREE OR FOUR RUNS. THEY KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO DO. DO THINGS CHANGE? ABSOLUTELY. BUSSES BREAK DOWN, SOMEBODY FALLS BEHIND. SO SOMEBODY ASKED TO DO A DOUBLE BACK. THEY CAN COMMUNICATE THROUGH THAT TABLET FIRST AND THEN THE DRIVER ACKNOWLEDGES BACK, I'VE GOT IT. I'M GOING TO DO THIS EXTRA RUN. IF THEY DON'T, THEY GET ON THE RADIO AND SAY, HEY, HAVE YOU SEEN THE MESSAGE? SO THEY CAN NOT ONLY GET THE ASSIGNMENT, BUT THEN THE ASSIGNMENT COMES TO THEM IN REGARDS TO THEIR ROUTE SHEET ON THE TABLET, AND SO AS SITUATIONS UNFOLD GENERALLY, THEY KNOW AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN BUSSES ARE ALREADY SCHEDULED FOR DOUBLE BACKS. THEY PUSH THOSE MESSAGES OUT EARLY IN THE MORNING, SHORTLY AFTER 6:00, BUT AS THEY CONTINUE TO OCCUR, THEY'LL PUSH THOSE ADDITIONAL LATE BUSSES IF THEY OCCUR THROUGH SCHOOL MESSENGER, AND THEN THE PARENTS DO HAVE THE MYSTOP APP, AND I WOULD JUST ASK YOU THAT IF YOU HAVE FOLKS THAT BELIEVE THEY'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH THE APP, GIVE DR. FRYE A CHANCE BECAUSE I KNOW HE'S HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH SOME TIPS AND TRICKS AND SHOWING FOLKS THERE WAS A GLITCH VERY EARLY IN THE YEAR. IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO ACTUALLY, WITH OUR MEMBER, MISS HEFFRON AND I TALKED ABOUT OUR ANDROID DEVICES. SO IT'S BACK ON GOOGLE PLAY. IT'S WORKING, BUT AGAIN, IF YOU HEAR OF ISSUES, PLEASE LET US TRY TO HELP YOUR PARENTS THAT BELIEVE THEY'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH WITH THE APP WE TALKED ABOUT THE TELEPHONES MR. HARTER ASKED ME ABOUT A MONTH AGO. YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE ANSWERING THE PHONES, AND FRANKLY, I WASN'T FULLY INFORMED AT THE TIME. I'VE LEARNED THAT WE HAVE SOME VERY POOR VERIZON LANDLINE SERVICE AT THOSE AREA OFFICES THAT ARE IN TRAILERS AND THAT AFFECTS US, OUR PERCEPTION BY THE PUBLIC AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE IN AREAS ONE AND FIVE, THOSE PHONES ARE DOWN. OFTEN THEY THEY GET CUT, THEY GET INTERFERED FROM THE RAIN. WE LEARNED AT AREA THREE, ONE OF THE TWO NUMBERS THAT WAS POSTED ON THE WEB PAGES, HASN'T BEEN FUNCTIONAL FOR A WHILE, SO SEAN'S TEAM TOOK THAT DOWN, BUT THERE'S ONE OF THE THREE LINES. IT'S A SINGLE NUMBER, GOES TO THREE LINES, REALLY HAS THIS NOISE IN THE BACKGROUND. [02:25:01] WAS CHATTING WITH JACQUELINE ABOUT THAT WHEN I WAS OUT THERE THAT MORNING. THEY DID HAVE A TECHNICIAN FROM FROM TECHNOLOGY COMING TO WORK ON IT BUT POOR SERVICE FROM A UTILITY VERIZON AND I THINK THAT'S BEEN EXPERIENCED BEFORE AND WE ARE WORKING WITH DR. TILLMAN TO MOVE TO THE VOICEOVER INTERNET PROTOCOL UPGRADE. HE HAS POS FOR BOTH THE EQUIPMENT AND INSTALLATION. WE'RE HOPING THAT HIS TEAM WILL BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT A HIGHER LEVEL OF PHONE SERVICE AT THESE AREA OFFICES HERE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. AGAIN, OUR PUBLIC PERCEPTION AND CUSTOMER SERVICE BOTH SUFFER WITH THAT LANDLINE SERVICE THAT WE HAD FROM VERIZON AND WE ARE DEFINITELY HOPING FOR SOME IMPROVEMENT. WE PICK UP THE PHONE. I LISTENED, I WAS THERE FOR A GOOD LONG TIME WHEN IT RANG. THEY PICKED IT UP, THEY TOOK CARE OF BUSINESS. THEY WERE ALL VERY, VERY BUSY. WE'VE GOT A FEW OTHER INITIATIVES WE'LL TALK ABOUT AS THE BUDGET SEASON UNFOLDS, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'VE GOT FOR YOU THIS EVENING. I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR GET ANY FURTHER FEEDBACK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. DAVIS. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? MR HARTER. SO I THINK WHAT YOU OUTLINE IS FOR THE MOST PART, WHAT I THINK MOST PARENTS AND EVERYBODY DO UNDERSTAND, AND I KNOW THAT AS I'VE BEEN TALKING AND WORKING WITH DR. FRYE, SPEAK WITH PARENTS AND BEING ABLE TO TO SHOW THEM WHERE WE'RE MAKING IMPROVEMENTS ON. WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT ABOUT 2000 STUDENTS THAT ARE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT ARE BASICALLY WE'RE SAYING THEY'RE TAKING UP A SEAT AND THEY'RE NOT REALLY ON THE BUS. THINK ABOUT THIS, EVEN IF WE'RE ABLE TO TO ELIMINATE HALF OF THOSE. I MEAN, WE FREE UP SOME BUSSES. ABSOLUTELY. SO WHAT CAN WE DO SHORT TERM? WHAT WOULD BE A SHORT TERM SOLUTION? WHAT COULD WE DO BESIDES REACHING OUT AND TALKING TO THOSE PARENTS OR THAT IS A SOLUTION? YEAH, IT NEEDS TO BE UPDATED IN SYNERGY. WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE THAT ROUTE, THAT SEAT AWAY, AND LESS PARENT HAS TOLD A REGISTRAR IN A HIGH SCHOOL OFFICE THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO RIDE THE BUS, AND BUT WE DO NEED THE TOTAL TEAMWORK. YOU KNOW, PARENTS RESPONDING TO COMMUNICATIONS AND THEN SCHOOLS MAKING THE CHANGES IN THE SYNERGY DATABASE SO THAT TRANSPORTATION AND THEY THINK THEY KNOW WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE. SO I GAVE YOU A FAIRLY SOMEWHAT SPECIFIC NUMBER. IS IT MORE CONCENTRATED AT SOME SCHOOLS THAN OTHERS? YES. IS THERE A WAY TO MAYBE DIRECT OR AT LEAST AND MAYBE ASK OFFICE STAFF OR SOMEONE TO START GOING THROUGH TO? IS THERE A WAY FOR THEM TO PULL THAT LIST TO SEE WHO'S IDENTIFIED AS TAKING A SEAT, BUT WHO ALSO HAS PURCHASED A PARKING PASS? YES, AND CALL THOSE PARENTS, AND MAYBE WE COULD, AS WE GET SLOWLY GET SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE OFF THE ROLL, IT'S GOING TO SLOWLY, BECAUSE OTHER THAN THAT, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND WE ARE REALLY AT THE MERCY OF EVERYBODY, THAT EVERY DRIVER THAT WE CAN GET TO COME IN THE DOOR, BUT, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT THAT AND ADJUSTING SOME OF THE START TIMES, I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY MANNING ISSUES, PROBABLY GOING TO BE SOMETHING WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO DEAL WITH, YOU KNOW, NO MATTER WHAT ECONOMY WE'RE IN. SO I GUESS ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO FREE UP A ROUTE OR TWO, IT MAY BE WORTH IT. SO THAT WAS JUST ALL I WAS ASKING IS, NUMBER ONE, I GUESS IF WE ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS THAT ARE TAKING UP A SEAT, BUT ALSO WE KNOW WE'RE DRIVING ARE NOT NECESSARILY DOING THAT, WE CAN START TO CLEAR THEM OFF SOME ROSTERS IF THAT COULD HELP CLEAR UP SOME TRAFFIC. AND THEN I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW. DO YOU THINK THAT ADJUSTING ANY OTHER START TIMES FROM WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT WITH LIKE TIER ONE AND I KNOW THAT I'VE TALKED WITH DR. [INAUDIBLE] ON THIS BEFORE, IS THERE ANY BENEFIT OF ADJUSTING TIMES AT ANY OF THE OTHER TIERS? WOULD THAT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE AT ALL OR NOT REALLY? THERE MAY BE. AGAIN, HAVING THAT 10 MINUTES OF GRACE REALLY HELPS JUST THAT SET OF FOUR BUSSES, AND SO IF IT'S MORE THAN FOUR BUSSES THAT CAME IN BECAUSE WE HAD AN EARLIER START TIME. THAT THEN WOULD GIVE US A LITTLE MORE TIME TO GET TO TIER TWO, AND WITH THE THING THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED A LITTLE BIT IS, YOU KNOW, IF WE ADDED THE 10 MINUTES AT THE FRONT END, SHOULD WE JUST ALLOW IT ALL TO HELP TIER TWO OR SHOULD WE SPLIT IT BETWEEN TIER TWO AND TIER THREE? AND DON'T DON'T HAVE A FINAL ANSWER YET, BUT, YOU KNOW, BELL TIMES ARE HUGE. SURE, I AGREE. ANYTHING THAT WE COULD DO TO TRY TO HELP MOVE IT FORWARD, ANY SOLUTION YOU GUYS WOULD HAVE, I THINK WE'RE ALL EARS. I WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON MR. HARTER BEING A PARENT OF A KID WHO DRIVES, AND TO BE HONEST, IF I DID NOT DEEPLY UNDERSTAND OUR STRUGGLES WITH TRANSPORTATION AND ALSO I AM ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, SO I'M GOING TO FOLLOW THE RULES, BUT THE REALITY IS, WHEN I WENT TO I TOOK MY KID OFF OF CINERGY BECAUSE HE STARTED DRIVING THIS YEAR AND IT WAS PAINFUL BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT IF I HAVE A CAR IN THE SHOP, [02:30:03] WHATEVER IT IS, I HAVE TO MAKE SURE MY KID GETS TO SCHOOL AND IT IS INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING SOMETIMES, BUT I WOULD RATHER FACE THAT CHALLENGE AS A PARENT, THEN TAKE UP A SEAT WHEN I KNOW THAT OUR SYSTEM IS STRUGGLING. SO I GUESS I WOULD JUST URGE LIKE I FEEL YOU, WE HAVE TWO CARS AND THREE TO FOUR DRIVERS AT OUR HOUSE, DEPENDING ON WHETHER MY COLLEGE KID IS ON BREAK OR NOT, AND IT WOULD BE REALLY NICE TO KEEP THAT EXTRA SEAT ON SYNERGY, BUT I GAVE IT UP. SO I GUESS I'M JUST ASKING ALL THOSE PARENTS OUT THERE THAT MIGHT LIKE TO HAVE THAT, BUT I F IT'S A WANT AND NOT A TRUE NEED. I WOULD ASK THAT YOU WOULD GIVE UP THAT SEAT AND GET SOME MORE SPACES. I CAN JUGGLE AND MAKE IT HAPPEN. NOT EVERYBODY CAN DO THAT, BUT IF YOU CAN JUGGLE AND MAKE IT HAPPEN AND LET YOUR KID DRIVE, THEN I WOULD URGE YOU TO DO SO. SO THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT UP. MISS HEFFRON. THANK YOU. MR. DAVIS. JUST REFERRING BACK TO THE 2000 OR SO HIGH SCHOOL WRITERS, I'M HEARING FROM SOME PARENTS THAT THEY ARE LISTED. THEY HAVE THEIR STUDENTS LISTED AS WALKERS, AND THEY ARE STILL RECEIVING TRANSPORTATION CALLS. IS IT POSSIBLE TO GO THROUGH I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF BACK PANEL PROGRAM SYNERGY HAS, BUT TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT'S ALL UPDATED. LIKE HOW MANY GAPS THERE ARE BETWEEN A PARENT CHANGING AND SYNERGY? IS THERE ANOTHER STEP INTERNAL? CAN WE ENSURE THAT'S BEING DONE AND THEN TO BE. THERE MAY BE A MISCOMMUNICATION ALONG THE WAY. WE NEED HELP FROM OUR SCHOOL PARTNERS IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES. YEAH, BECAUSE I WAS SURPRISED, TO STATE ANECDOTALLY, I SAID DON'T WANT TO JUST CHANGE IT IN SYNERGY CHANGE IT IN PARENT VIEW AND EVERYTHING'S FINE LIKE WE DID. WE'RE STILL GETTING THE CALLS SO THAT MIGHT BE A PLACE TO LOOK AT FOR INEFFICIENCY AS WELL. OKAY, I APPRECIATE THAT INSIGHT, MA'AM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [J. Announcements, Communications, and School Board Comments] SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS OR COMMENTS? YEAH, I HAVE A FEW. ACTUALLY, JUST ONE TOPIC. I KNEW TONIGHT'S TOPIC WAS GOING TO BE WHAT THE MAIN TOPIC WAS ABOUT. ALL THE BOOKS AND I REACHED OUT TO A NUMBER OF LIBRARIANS PRIOR TO TONIGHT THAT I'VE WORKED WITH IN THE PAST, AND I INQUIRED ABOUT THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS. I WANTED TO KNOW HOW SOME OF THESE BOOKS ENDED UP IN THE LIBRARIES, AND CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PURCHASES MOST OF ITS BOOKS, ALL OF ITS BOOKS ACTUALLY PRIMARILY THROUGH TWO SOURCES, [INAUDIBLE] OR SCHOLASTIC AND LIBRARIANS BY HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF BOOKS PER YEAR. AND YOU KEEP IN MIND WE HAVE 65 LIBRARIES. SO IT'S NOT JUST ONE SCHOOL, TWO SCHOOLS. IT'S A LOT OF SCHOOLS AND A LOT OF LIBRARIANS AND A LOT OF BOOKS. NONE OF US UP HERE HAVE VETTED THESE BOOKS. TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU COME HERE AND SCREAM AT US LIKE I'M STUNNED AT SOME OF THE BOOKS THAT YOU HAVE READ, I HAD NO IDEA THEY WERE IN THE LIBRARIES, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW I WOULD KNOW. I DON'T HAVE A CHILD IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY SCHOOLS ANY LONGER. I TAUGHT IN IT FOR 35 YEARS, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOLS, SO AND I DIDN'T KNOW THESE BOOKS WERE IN THE LIBRARY, BUT I ASKED THE LIBRARIANS AGAIN , BUT WHAT GUIDES YOU IN PURCHASING THESE BOOKS? AND THEY HAVE SUMMARIES. THEY READ THE SUMMARIES OF THE BOOKS THAT ARE IN [INAUDIBLE] AND SCHOLASTIC. THEY READ THE BOOK REVIEWS. THEY CHECK OUT THE AWARDS THE BOOK HAS RECEIVED. THEY PAY ATTENTION TO THE SUGGESTED TARGET AUDIENCE BEFORE THEY PURCHASE THE BOOKS. I'M GOING TO READ TO YOU THE REVIEW A LIBRARIAN WOULD HAVE FOR THE BOOK. IRONICALLY, ONE MENTIONED HERE TONIGHT, ME, EARL AND THE DYING GIRL. LITERALLY, THE LIBRARIANS THAT WOULD HAVE PURCHASED THAT BOOK WOULD HAVE READ THE VERY FIRST LINE THE NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLING NOVEL THAT INSPIRED THE HIT FILM. THIS IS THE FUNNIEST BOOK YOU'LL EVER READ ABOUT DEATH. IT IS A UNIVERSALLY ACKNOWLEDGED TRUTH THAT HIGH SCHOOL SUCKS, BUT ON THE FIRST DAY OF HIS SENIOR YEAR, GREG GAINES THINKS HE'S FIGURED IT OUT. [02:35:04] THE ANSWER TO THE BASIC EXISTENTIAL QUESTION HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO EXIST IN A PLACE THAT'S SO BAD? HIS STRATEGY REMAIN AT THE PERIPHERY AT ALL TIMES, KEEP AN INSANELY LOW PROFILE, MAKE MEDIOCRE FILMS WITH ONE PERSON WHO IS EVEN SORT OF HIS FRIEND, EARL. THIS PLAN WORKS FOR EXACTLY 8 HOURS. THEN GREG'S MOM FORCES HIM TO BECOME FRIENDS WITH A GIRL WHO HAS CANCER. THIS BRINGS ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF GREG'S ENTIRE LIFE. FIERCELY FUNNY, HONEST, HEARTBREAKING. THIS IS AN UNFORGETTABLE NOVEL FROM A BRIGHT TALENT. NOW, ALSO A FILM THAT CRITICS ARE CALLING A TOUCHSTONE FOR ITS GENERATION AND AN INSTANT CLASSIC. THAT'S THE SUMMARY OF THE BOOK THAT WAS READ HERE TONIGHT, I BELIEVE, BY MR. WARD. WHAT LIBRARIAN WOULD BE STEERED AWAY FROM THAT BOOK? AND NOT ONLY IS IT A TIMES BESTSELLER, IT'S ALSO THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION BEST FICTION FOR YOUNG ADULTS 2013 AWARD, AND THIS IS A LIST OF AWARDS THAT BOOK HAS RECEIVED. NOBODY'S EVIL HERE, FOLKS. NOBODY IS INTENTIONALLY PUTTING SEXUALLY EXPLICIT BOOKS IN YOUR CHILDREN'S HANDS. WE HAVE ASKED FOR A PROCESS TO GO THROUGH. WE ARE GOING THROUGH A PROCESS TO LOOK AT THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS THAT OUR LIBRARIANS GO THROUGH AND TRY TO FIND SOME WAY TO HELP THEM, TO HELP THEM MAKE SURE THAT SOME OF THESE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT BOOKS DO NOT GET IN OUR LIBRARIES. BUT QUIT YELLING AT US LIKE WE'RE EVIL UP HERE; WE'RE NOT. WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT AS THE SUPREME COURT ASSOCIATE JUSTICE POTTER STEWART SAID, I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DEFINE PORNOGRAPHY, BUT I KNOW IT WHEN I SEE IT AND I KNOW IT WHEN I HEARD IT AND I JUST HEARD A LOT OF IT, AND IT'S IN BOOKS THAT ARE IN OUR LIBRARY AND YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO FILL OUT A FORM IF YOU CAN TAKE THE TIME TO COME HERE AT NIGHT AND MAKE A SPEECH TO US ABOUT OBJECTING TO THE BOOK, TAKE THE TIME TO CHALLENGE THE BOOK. WE HAVE A POLICY FOR THAT. IF IT HAS INADVERTENTLY GOTTEN IN OUR LIBRARIES AND IT DOESN'T BELONG THERE, THEN IT WILL BE VETTED OUT, BUT YOU HAVE TO FILL OUT THE FORM AND CHALLENGE THE BOOK AND GO THROUGH THE PROCESS. IF YOU'VE DONE THAT AND IT DOESN'T GET REMOVED, THEN COME BACK TO ME AND TELL ME ABOUT IT , BUT IN THE MEANTIME, UNTIL WE LOOK HARD AT OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESSES, GO THROUGH THE STEPS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE TO CHALLENGE THE BOOKS THAT ARE THERE, THAT DON'T BELONG THERE WHEN YOU COME ACROSS THEM, AND IN THE MEANTIME, WE'LL WORK TO GET THE PARENT OPT OUT FORM AS A LINK THAT'S AUTOMATIC, AND THEN YOU'LL BE NOTIFIED WHEN YOUR CHILD GETS A BOOK OUT OF A LIBRARY OF ITS TITLE. AND IF YOU OBJECT TO IT, FILL OUT THE FORM, CHALLENGE THE BOOK AND GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. THERE IS SOME ACCOUNTABILITY STEPS IN PLACE RIGHT NOW, BUT WE WILL WORK HARDER, I HOPE, ONCE WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS THAT MS. COKER HAS ASKED FOR TO IDENTIFY BOOKS THAT ARE GOING TO PROBABLY WELL, THEY'RE NOT INSTRUCTIONS, SO THEY REALLY WOULDN'T FALL UNDER POLICY 3035 BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT INSTRUCTION, THEY'RE SELF SELECTED BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WAS THE SUMMARY FOR THAT BOOK THAT A LIBRARIAN WOULD HAVE READ AND WOULD HAVE EASILY CHECKED CLICK THE MARK, AND THEY CANNOT READ THE THOUSANDS OF BOOKS THAT THEY BUY IN ADVANCE. THEY CAN'T READ THEM ALL, AND IF THE BOOK DOES INADVERTENTLY GET THERE, GO THROUGH THE PROCESS TO CHALLENGE IT, AND I THINK WE ALL DID NOT ENJOY THIS EVENING, AND I HOPE YOU DIDN'T EITHER. NOT AND I'LL SAY THIS THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SELF SELECTION OF A BOOK FROM A LIBRARY AND A PERSON READING IT AND A PARENT AGREEING TO IT BEING READ, THAN STANDING HERE AND READING LANGUAGE THAT CHILDREN IN THE AUDIENCE DIDN'T HAVE THE OPTION TO NOT HEAR. THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE OPTION TO NOT HEAR THAT; THEY WERE SITTING THERE. OUR CULINARY ARTS STUDENTS, AND YET, IF YOU WANT TO TOUT YOUR MORAL VALUES, THEN LIVE THEM AND DON'T USE THAT LANGUAGE IN FRONT OF CHILDREN, AND IF YOU OBJECT TO CHILDREN BRINGING HOME THOSE BOOKS, CHALLENGE THE BOOK. TAKE THE TIME TO CLICK THE BUTTON TO OPT-IN TO THE PROGRAM THAT NOTIFIES YOU WHAT WHAT BOOK YOUR CHILDREN ARE CHECKING OUT AND THEN BE A [02:40:01] PARENT. IF YOU DON'T MIND IF YOUR CHILD READS THAT BOOK, THEN FINE, BUT IF YOU DO, THEN DON'T LET THEM, AND THEN FILL OUT THE FORM TO CHALLENGE THE BOOK. SO, MR. HARTER, I KNOW YOU HAD COMMENTS EARLIER THAT I INTERRUPTED YOU ON BECAUSE I WANTED TO GET TO THIS PART. YOU WANT TO CONTINUE OUR CONVERSATION BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE HAVING SOME GOOD THINGS TO SAY AS WELL. I THINK THAT YOU KIND OF HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD THERE IS THAT THIS IS A PRIME EXAMPLE. I'M GLAD THAT YOU ACTUALLY HAD A LIBRARIAN REACH OUT TO YOU TO [INAUDIBLE]. SO I THINK THAT EVERYONE UP HERE WOULD PROBABLY SAY THAT WHAT WE HEARD WOULD WOULD BE SOMETHING WE PROBABLY. MY DAUGHTER WAS SITTING HERE TONIGHT IN THE AUDIENCE. MY SIX YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS SITTING HERE IN THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT. IF I WOULD HAVE GOT NOTIFIED THAT SHE CHECKED THAT BOOK OUT, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT. I WOULD HAVE CHALLENGED THAT BOOK. I WOULD HAVE CALLED THE PRINCIPAL AND SAID, I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT BOOK. SO I THINK THE QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE MAKE THIS PROCESS A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN WHAT IT IS? SO ULTIMATELY, WE SAID HUNDREDS OF BOOKS ARE ORDERED AT A TIME. SO IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO HIRE HUNDREDS OF LIBRARIANS OR ANYONE TO SIT DOWN AND READ THESE BOOKS, I DON'T KNOW HOW LIBRARIES DON'T JUST BECOME OUTDATED AT A CERTAIN POINT, RIGHT, WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING BETTER THAN THAT. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S NOT REALLY A RATING SYSTEM, BUT THINK ABOUT IT. I MEAN, A LOT OF THE ANGER SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON THE PUBLISHER. I MEAN, IT IS. THINK ABOUT THAT. I GET IT. I COULD SEE LISTEN, I'M A PROCESS ORIENTED MAN. I'M A MILITARY MAN BY TRADE. I AM PROCESS ORIENTED. I FOLLOW THINGS TO THE TEE, AND I'M GOING TO BE HONEST, IF I WAS A LIBRARIAN, I WAS A SCHOOLTEACHER FOR FIVE YEARS, AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT IF I WAS A LIBRARIAN AND I'M GOING THROUGH THINGS, I MEAN, NOTHING JUMPED OUT UNLESS I SAT DOWN AND READ THE WHOLE BOOK, BUT GUESS WHAT? I WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN ABOUT IT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS UNTIL SOMEONE SAID, WOW, LOOK HOW HORRIBLE THIS BOOK IS. SO I THINK WHAT YOU SHOULD GET FROM TONIGHT IS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR PROCESS OF HOW CAN WE CHANGE THIS UP? HOW CAN WE BE MORE EFFECTIVE? HOW CAN WE MAKE THE PROCESS TO CHALLENGE IF SOMETHING GETS PAST US WHERE IT'S ON THE BORDERLINE, WHERE WE SAY THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT'S ACCEPTABLE FOR A HIGH SCHOOL KID OR SOMETHING THAT'S ACCEPTABLE FOR A MIDDLE SCHOOL KID AND IT MAY BE ACCEPTABLE TO YOU AS A PARENT, BUT IT MAY NOT BE ACCEPTABLE TO YOUR NEIGHBOR. WHAT KIND OF PROCESS CAN WE PUT IN PLACE WHERE THE COMMUNITY IS INVOLVED IN A WAY TO BE PART OF THE CHALLENGE AND IT IS CURRENTLY. SO THAT'S THE SURPRISING THING. I MEAN, WHEN YOU CHALLENGE A BOOK, IT INITIALLY IS WITH THE PRINCIPAL. IF IT GOES PAST THAT PRINCIPAL, THEN A COMMITTEE IS SELECTED AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS AGAIN BECAUSE THESE THINGS WERE IN PLACE BEFORE WE WERE EVEN A BOARD. SO THERE MAY BE BETTER WAYS TO DO THINGS, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, AND I'M GLAD MS. BAILEY TOOK THE TIME TO REACH OUT TO THAT LIBRARIAN, BECAUSE IT DOES SEEM LIKE THERE IS A DISCONNECT ON THINGS, BUT KNOW THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH IT. NO ONE WANTS ANYONE ELSE'S KIDS EXPOSED TO SOMETHING THAT THEY DON'T AGREE WITH. SOME PARENTS MAY AGREE WITH IT AND THINK THAT IT'S TOTALLY FINE. SO JUST KNOW THAT WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION FOR ALL THIS AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MEETINGS, NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING TWO BY TWOS TO TALK THROUGH THIS, SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE DISCUSSIONS. MISS HAINES. THANK YOU, MISS BAILEY, FOR SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF A PROCESS, AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT YOUR LIBRARIAN FRIEND MIGHT HAVE BROUGHT UP OR MIGHT KNOW ABOUT THE POSITION STATEMENT ON CENSORSHIP OF BOOKS IN VIRGINIA SCHOOL LIBRARIES, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY ASK FOR, IS A PROCESS. I WOULD URGE PEOPLE HERE TO LOOK IT UP. IT'S THE VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL LIBRARIANS UPHOLDS THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND FREEDOM TO READ OF ALL STUDENTS IN VIRGINIA SCHOOLS, AND THEN IT GOES ON, PROCESS DISTRICTS HAVE RECONSIDERATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR CONSTITUENTS WISHING TO REQUEST REVIEW OF SPECIFIC MATERIALS. THESE PROCEDURES SHOULD BE FOLLOWED EACH AND EVERY TIME A REQUEST IS MADE TO REMOVE A BOOK OR LIBRARY RESOURCE STATEMENT FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS SHOULD NEVER REPLACE OR SUPERSEDE THESE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AS DETERMINED BY LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS. SO I'M PROUD OF US THAT WE HAVE A PROCESS, AND THAT IS WHAT THE EXPERTS. VIRGINIA SCHOOL LIBRARIANS ARE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS, TRAINING AND SELECTING MATERIALS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF A BROAD AND DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF STUDENTS. IF WE DON'T FOLLOW THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, THEN WE ARE GOING AGAINST INDUSTRY RECOMMENDED STANDARDS, AND ONE THING THAT I'VE [02:45:04] HEARD WHEN I'VE BEEN OUT IN SCHOOLS IS THAT FINDING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LIBRARIANS IS A CHALLENGE THESE DAYS, AND I WONDER WHY, BECAUSE IT'S HARD FOR A SCHOOL BOARD LIKE OURS TO BE BRAVE AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR EMOTIONS, WE HAVE OUR OWN THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ON BOOKS, AND WE ARE STICKING TO THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A PROCESS. SO I'M PROUD OF US, AND IF OTHER DISTRICTS DON'T JOIN US, THEN WE WON'T FILL LIBRARIAN POSITIONS. WE HAVE A SCHOOL IN MY DISTRICT THAT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FILL A LIBRARIAN POSITION FOR THREE YEARS. IT'S AN ITINERANT POSITION, THREE YEARS. WHY WOULD YOU GO TO SCHOOL TO GET YOUR DEGREE IN LIBRARY SCIENCES IF YOU KNOW THAT PROCESSES WON'T BE FOLLOWED AND SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT HAVE A DEGREE WILL SAY THAT YOUR VOICE, YOUR AREA OF EXPERTISE, WHAT YOU WORKED HARD TO STUDY FOR IS MEANINGLESS. WE NEED THESE PROCESSES AND I'M PROUD OF US FOR LOOKING AT OURS AND CRITIQUING OURS AND BEING WILLING TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AND MAKE IT BETTER, BUT IT'S A PROCESS. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THE DIALOG THIS EVENING. OBVIOUSLY, OUR NUMBER ONE JOB AS A SCHOOL BOARD IS TO REVIEW INFORMATION THAT IS BROUGHT TO US TO REVIEW PROCESSES, REVIEW PROCEDURES AND TO REVIEW POLICY, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING. SO THANK YOU ALL. THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL HOLD A WORK SESSION ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13TH, 2022, AT 4:00 PM 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 CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION? THE MOTION CARRIES. THE NOVEMBER 7TH, 2022 SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.