Mar 12, 2024 March 12, 2024 - Work Session - 3 p.m.

[A. Meeting Opening]

[00:00:03]

GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MARCH 12TH, 2024 SCHOOL BOARD WORK SESSION TO ORDER.

FIRST, WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON ELEMENTARY LITERACY FROM DR.

[B. Elementary Literacy Update]

GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND DR.

TYLUS. I AM DR.

MONIQUE BOOTS, DIRECTOR OF ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT.

IT IS MY PLEASURE TO UPDATE YOU TODAY ON THE VIRGINIA LITERACY ACT AND ELEMENTARY LITERACY IN CCCPS.

WE LAST PROVIDED A LITERACY UPDATE TO THE SCHOOL BOARD ON AUGUST 14TH, 2023.

THE TOPICS I WILL PRESENT TO YOU TODAY ARE LISTED FOR YOUR REVIEW.

IN THE FALL OF 2024, THE VIRGINIA LITERACY ACT WILL GO INTO EFFECT ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH FOR STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE EIGHT.

THE MAJORITY OF ACTIONABLE GUIDANCE FROM THE COMMONWEALTH HAS BEEN FOR GRADES K THROUGH FIVE.

WE CONTINUE TO AWAIT MORE GUIDANCE ON GRADES SIX THROUGH EIGHT.

WHILE THIS LEGISLATION IS COMPRISED OF MANY COMPONENTS, A FEW OF THEM ARE HIGHLIGHTED ON THIS SLIDE THAT HAVE IMPACT ON STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND AT THE DIVISION LEVEL.

WITH THE REVISION OF THE CCPS LITERACY PLAN IN 2022, WE ARE PERFECTLY SITUATED TO ENACT THIS LEGISLATION BECAUSE OF THE WORK OF ENHANCING LITERACY WAS ALREADY OCCURRING.

WHILE WE HAVE MANY CELEBRATIONS, I COULD HIGHLIGHT TODAY THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN.

I WANT TO SPOTLIGHT OUR DIVISION'S WORK AROUND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS GROUNDED IN EXPLICIT, SYSTEMATIC AND EVIDENCE BASED LITERACY INSTRUCTION IN OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

AND KEEPS ALL ELEMENTARY STUDENTS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUND OR LEARNING NEEDS, RECEIVE HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION THAT IS GROUNDED IN THE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE AND PROVEN TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE READING OUTCOMES, CLOSE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS, AND PROMOTE EDUCATIONAL EQUITY.

THE DIVISION HAS PROVIDED TEACHERS WITH THE NECESSARY TOOLS TO DELIVER EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION AND SUPPORT STUDENTS IN DEVELOPING STRONG FOUNDATIONAL LITERACY SKILLS.

IN CCCPS EVERY K-5 CLASSROOM HAS HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS TO DELIVER STRONG TIER ONE INSTRUCTION FOR EVERY STUDENT.

HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR IMPROVING STUDENT LITERACY OUTCOMES.

THE CCCPS RFP PROCESS, FOLLOWING CCPS BOARD APPROVAL OF THE CCPS LITERACY PLAN, PAVED THE WAY FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE VIRGINIA LITERACY ACT.

OUR LITERACY PLAN STATES DIVISION LEVEL AND SCHOOL LEADERS MUST FUND PROCUREMENT OF ADEQUATE, EVIDENCE BASED RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS, AND BY THE 20 2425 SCHOOL YEAR, THE VIRGINIA LITERACY ACT STATES THAT EVERY TEACHER USES EVIDENCE BASED LITERACY CURRICULUM FOR THE ENTIRE LITERACY BLOCK, AND EVERY DIVISION ENSURES ALL K THROUGH GRADE FIVE.

TEACHERS HAVE AND USED EVIDENCE BASED LITERACY CURRICULUM, WHICH LED US TO THIS COMPREHENSIVE PURCHASE UPON APPROVAL OF THE VDOE CORE CURRICULUM RESOURCES.

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OPEN COURT READING HAS ENSURED THAT TEACHERS HAVE CONSISTENT ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY, GRADE LEVEL CONTENT AND NO LONGER NEED TO SPEND SIGNIFICANT TIME SEARCHING FOR OR CREATING MATERIALS.

IT ALSO PROVIDES ASSURANCE THAT ALL STUDENTS RECEIVE GRADE LEVEL INSTRUCTION DAILY, ACROSS A GRADE LEVEL, AND IN EVERY CLASSROOM ACROSS EVERY SCHOOL.

STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO RICH TEXT COVERING DIFFERENT GENRES AND THEMES.

OPEN COURT READING HAS HAD A LONG AND SUCCESSFUL HISTORY OF TEACHING CRITICAL FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS USING RESEARCH BASED MATERIALS THAT INTEGRATE FINDINGS FROM LEARNING THEORY AND COGNITIVE SCIENCE, ALSO KNOWN AS THE SCIENCE OF READING, AS WELL AS LITERACY DEVELOPMENT AND TEACHER EXPERTISE.

AND WE ARE SEEING EVIDENCE OF THIS IN OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ACROSS THE DIVISION.

KEY INSTRUCTIONAL AREAS BUILD ACROSS GRADE LEVELS TO HELP STUDENTS BECOME CONFIDENT AND EFFECTIVE READERS.

USING COMPREHENSIVE READING AND LANGUAGE ARTS MATERIALS.

INSTRUCTION IS SYSTEMATIC AND EXPLICIT, AND INCLUDES PRACTICE AND APPLICATION.

THE MATERIALS INCLUDE TIPS, INSTRUCTIONAL ROUTINES, AND GUIDANCE THAT SUPPORT BUILDING TEACHER CAPACITY AND SKILLS TO DELIVER EFFECTIVE LITERACY INSTRUCTION.

A SINGLE RESOURCE DOES NOT MEAN A RIGID IMPLEMENTATION.

THERE ARE ADVANTAGES TO ALL SCHOOLS USING THE SAME LITERACY MATERIALS, SUCH AS STUDENT MOBILITY, THE SIZE OF OUR SCHOOL DIVISION, AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY SUPPORTS, BUILD CAPACITY AND FORM LEARNING COMMUNITIES.

WE UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR DIFFERENT SCHOOLS TO IMPLEMENT THESE MATERIALS IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

WITH ALL 41 SCHOOLS USING THE SAME HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, SCHOOLS CAN CONNECT WITH ONE ANOTHER TO MAKE THE BEST CHOICES FOR THEIR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS.

THE MOST IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCE WILL ALWAYS BE THE TEACHER, NOT THE TECHNOLOGY, ACTIVITIES OR PROGRAMS. WHEN TEACHERS UNDERSTAND THEIR MATERIALS, THEY USE THEM MORE EFFECTIVELY STUDENTS HAVE MORE SUCCESS.

[00:05:01]

OUR TEACHERS HAVE SHOWN TRUE COMMITMENT TO ENSURING ALL STUDENTS ARE EXPERIENCING HIGH QUALITY LITERACY INSTRUCTION.

LEARNING TO USE NEW INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS IS NOT EASY, BUT OUR TEACHERS HAVE MODELED HOW TO BE LIFELONG LEARNERS AND WE THANK THEM FOR THEIR DEDICATION.

AS A PART OF THIS DIVISION WIDE IMPLEMENTATION, WE HAVE BEEN INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURES TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS WITH DELIVERING LITERACY INSTRUCTION INSTRUCTION USING OPEN COURT READING.

IN ADDITION TO THE INITIAL TRAINING FOR TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATION, LITERACY SPECIALIST AND OTHER SUPPORT STAFF THAT WAS OFFERED THIS SUMMER, MCGRAW-HILL CONTINUES TO PROVIDE SUPPORT IN THE FORM OF MANY ONLINE RESOURCES.

ONGOING WORK WITH OUR LITERACY TEAM AND FULL DAY COACHING VISITS FROM OPEN COURT READING CURRICULUM SPECIALIST TO ASSIST SCHOOLS IN IMPLEMENTING THE CURRICULAR RESOURCES EFFECTIVELY. SCHOOLS ARE CURRENTLY IN THEIR SECOND ROUND OF COACHING VISITS, WHICH WILL CONCLUDE AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.

SOME SCHOOLS HAVE OPTED FOR A THIRD COACHING DAY, EITHER THE SPRING, SUMMER OR EARLY FALL.

PRINCIPALS TAILOR THEIR COACHING EXPERIENCE SPECIFICALLY TO THE NEEDS OF THEIR TEACHERS AND THEIR SCHOOL.

THEY WORK DIRECTLY WITH THEIR ASSIGNED OPEN COURT SPECIALISTS TO DESIGN THEIR COACHING DAY.

THE OPEN COURT CURRICULUM SPECIALIST MODEL LESSONS PARTICIPATE IN GRADE LEVEL PLCS OFFER SIDE BY SIDE COACHING AND OBSERVE LESSONS TO SHARE AND DISCUSS THE CONTENT, TEACHING TECHNIQUES AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION.

THIS PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE TEACHERS AND THE OPEN COURT READING CURRICULUM SPECIALIST ENSURES THAT THE MOST EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES ARE IMPLEMENTED TO MAXIMIZE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. IN ADDITION TO THE COACHING SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR, OUR DIVISION ELEMENTARY LITERACY SPECIALIST KAREN HOOVER, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR TITLE ONE INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST AND SPECIAL EDUCATION LITERACY SPECIALIST, CONTINUES COLLABORATING WITH SCHOOL BASED LITERACY SPECIALISTS TO SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION THROUGH LITERACY SPECIALIST MEETINGS, GRADE LEVEL FOCUS TEAMS AND SCHOOL VISITS.

THIS IMPLEMENTATION HAS BEEN A TRUE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO INCLUDE PARTNERING ACROSS SPECIAL EDUCATION, GIFTED ESL AND TITLE ONE DEPARTMENTS.

AS GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR FUNDING, WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR IMPLEMENTATION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR DISTRICTS RESEARCH AND EVALUATION TEAM.

WE HAVE FORMED A CCPS LITERACY IMPLEMENTATION EVALUATION TEAM THAT WORKS CLOSELY WITH SCHOOLS AND DIVISION STAFF TO SYSTEMATICALLY MONITOR AND DOCUMENT THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS TO DESCRIBE HOW WELL THE RESOURCES ARE BEING PUT INTO ACTION.

THE TEAM INCLUDES THE VOICES OF PRINCIPALS, LITERACY SPECIALISTS AND DIVISION STAFF.

OUR GOAL FOR YEAR ONE OF IMPLEMENTATION HAS BEEN FOR ALL STUDENTS TO RECEIVE TIER ONE LITERACY INSTRUCTION.

AS CCPS EDUCATORS LEARN ABOUT, PRACTICE AND TEACH EACH DAY USING ALL OF THE OPEN COURT READING INSTRUCTIONAL BANDS AND MATERIALS TOGETHER AS ONE CCPS.

AS A PART OF OUR RESEARCH, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS WE ARE TRYING TO ANSWER THIS YEAR ARE.

HOW DID TEACHER PERCEPTIONS CHANGE REGARDING THEIR KNOWLEDGE, CERTAINTY AND USE OF SYSTEMATIC LITERACY INSTRUCTION ALIGNED WITH THE SCIENCE OF READING? HOW DO STAKEHOLDERS PERCEIVE THE OPEN COURT READING MATERIALS FOR TIER ONE INSTRUCTION AND STUDENT LEARNING? THE TEAM HAS IDENTIFIED VARIOUS DATA SOURCES TO HELP US ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS, INCLUDING DOCUMENT ANALYSIS, CLASSROOM WALKTHROUGHS, FEEDBACK FROM KEY STAKEHOLDERS THROUGH SURVEYS AND FOCUS GROUPS, AND ASSESSMENT DATA.

SINCE BEGINNING THIS JOURNEY IN JUNE 2023, A LOT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.

WE HAVE SURVEYED SUMMER TRAINING PARTICIPANTS, PRINCIPALS, LITERACY SPECIALISTS AND TEACHERS AND HAVE COMPLETED 474 CLASSROOM WALKTHROUGHS ACROSS ALL 41 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND MET WITH TEN TEACHER FOCUS GROUPS.

AS WE LOOK AHEAD, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION.

FUTURE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE DRIVEN BY FEEDBACK FROM OUR STAKEHOLDERS.

TEACHERS, LITERACY SPECIALISTS, AND ADMINISTRATORS NEW TO CCPS FOR THE 24-25 SCHOOL YEAR WILL RECEIVE THE INITIAL OPEN COURT READING TRAINING THIS SUMMER.

IN ADDITION, OVER THE SUMMER, TEACHERS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO OPTIONAL WORKSHOPS HOSTED BY MCGRAW-HILL ON VARIOUS LITERACY RELATED TOPICS TO CONTINUE THEIR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, WE HOPE TO PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS TO COLLABORATE AND SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES AS THEY PREPARE FOR YEAR TWO WITH OPEN COURT READING. WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VIRGINIA LITERACY ACT AND THE FUTURE ADOPTION OF THE NEW 2024 ENGLISH STANDARDS OF LEARNING FOR VIRGINIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, CCPS IS READY TO HELP OUR STUDENTS BECOME STRONG READERS, WRITERS, THINKERS, AND COMMUNICATORS FOR SUCCESS BOTH IN AND BEYOND K-12.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND LITERACY SUPPORT.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR.

BOOTH. BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, MS. CHATTERS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE BRIEF, MS. BOOTH. I JUST WANT TO SAY TWO THINGS.

ONE, HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE'RE GETTING SOME BOOKS BACK.

THAT IS GREAT.

BOOKS IN THE HANDS OF KIDS IS GOING TO MAKE IT MORE INTERESTING AND MORE ENGAGING FOR THEM.

AND THE SECOND QUESTION I HAD IS, ARE WE WORKING WITH THE CHESTERFIELD VIRTUAL ACADEMY TO GET THEIR SPECIALISTS TRAINED AS WELL DURING THE SUMMER?

[00:10:06]

OKAY, THAT WAS IT. THANK YOU.

GO AHEAD. HELLO, DR.

BOOTH. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THIS WITH US.

AND I REALLY WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR IMPLEMENTING SUCH A WELL THOUGHT OUT, DIFFICULT TO IMPLEMENT COLOSSUS IN SUCH I KEEP WAITING TO HEAR FALLOUT, AND IT'S NOT.

AND SO IT IS WELL DONE AND WELL NEEDED AND VERY.

I'M VERY THANKFUL.

AND CONGRATULATIONS.

I DO HAVE ONE TINY QUESTION.

SO YOU WERE SAYING THAT YOU SENT OUT SOME QUESTIONS TO KEY STAKEHOLDERS? I JUST WONDERED, DID YOU HAVE YOU HEARD BACK? WHAT'S THE GENERAL CONSENSUS? YES, WE HAVE HEARD BACK.

IT'S NOT. OUR LAST SURVEY IS NOT CLOSED YET.

THE ONE THAT RECENTLY WENT OUT TO TEACHERS.

BUT WE WELCOME AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK AND SHARE WITH YOU THE FINDINGS OR JUST THE RESULTS, THE INFORMATION WE GATHER AS A PART OF THE RESEARCH AND EVALUATION PROCESS.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. DR.

BOOTH IN REFERENCE TO THE COACHING THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED, A QUESTION IN REGARDS TO, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR A TEACHER? I KNOW IN YOUR PRESENTATION YOU HAD MENTIONED OF I GUESS, SUPPORT STAFF, YOU KNOW, COMING THROUGH THE CLASSROOM, YOU KNOW, DOING THE WALKTHROUGHS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.

BUT IS THAT BY REQUEST FOR TEACHER FOR ADDITIONAL COACHING? HOW DOES THAT COME ABOUT? SO EVERY SCHOOL WAS ASSIGNED HAD AN OPTION TO THREE DAYS, BUT EVERY SCHOOL HAS DONE TWO COACHING DAYS.

AND THE PRINCIPAL WORKS ALONG WITH THE LITERACY SPECIALIST AS WELL AS THE OPEN COURT INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST TO DESIGN THE DAY.

SO SOME SCHOOLS, IT LOOKS LIKE A GROUP OF GRADE LEVEL TEACHERS WILL GO INTO, LET'S SAY, A FIRST GRADE CLASSROOM AND THE OPEN COURT COACH WILL SIDE BY SIDE CO-TEACH WITH THAT TEACHER WHILE THE OTHER TEACHERS AND THE LITERACY SPECIALIST OBSERVE.

AND THEN THEY HAVE A DEBRIEF AFTER AND TALK ABOUT WHAT DID THEY SEE? WHAT WAS DIFFERENT, WHAT DID WHAT WAS, YOU KNOW, AFFIRMING FOR THEM FOR WHAT THEY DO IN THEIR PRACTICE? SOME SCHOOLS LOOK AT IT WHERE THEY MIGHT FOCUS ON ONE TEACHER AND THEY HAVE THE OPEN COURT COACH GO IN AND OBSERVE AND MODEL.

IT JUST LOOKS DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS OF THE SCHOOL.

IT COULD BE A PLC MEETING THAT THEY ATTEND A PLANNING MEETING.

WE TRY TO GIVE THAT AUTONOMY TO THE BUILDING LEVEL LEADER BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT THEIR TEACHERS NEED IN THAT MOMENT, WE PROVIDE A MENU OF OPTIONS.

BUT THAT WAS VERY FLEXIBLE AND VERY INTENTIONAL TO THE NEEDS OF THE SCHOOL.

SO AS A FOLLOW UP ON, ON SLIDE FIVE, COACHING SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE REFERENCING THOSE TWO DAYS.

YES. OKAY.

SO IT'S NOT A TEACHER SAYS, HEY, I'M NOT SURE OR THIS ISN'T WORKING.

CAN I GET SOME ADDITIONAL HELP? I GUESS THAT'S THE ANGLE I'M LOOKING AT.

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN THIS PROGRAM? SO EVERY SCHOOL HAS A SCHOOL BASED LITERACY SPECIALIST OR READING SPECIALIST WHO SERVES IN THAT COACHING SUPPORT AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL AND AT THE DIVISION LEVEL.

KAREN HOOVER, OUR DIVISION LEVEL LITERACY ELEMENTARY SPECIALIST, WORKS WITH THOSE LITERACY SPECIALISTS.

AND THEN IN OUR TITLE ONE SCHOOLS, THEY WE HAVE INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALISTS THAT SUPPORT LITERACY IN THAT SPACE AS WELL.

SO THEY GO OUT, PROVIDE COACHING.

THEY SUPPORT IN PLANNING.

SO WE HAVE DIFFERENT AVENUES FOR THAT.

BUT THE MAIN SUPPORT CURRENTLY HAPPENS AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL WITH THAT LITERACY SPECIALIST.

OKAY. AND THEN ALSO YOU MENTIONED THE MCGRAW HILL OPEN WORKSHOPS WHICH ARE AVAILABLE SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL.

ARE THOSE VIRTUAL OR IN PERSON? SO YES, OPEN COURT OFFERS A WEALTH OF VIRTUAL ANYTIME LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ANYONE CAN, YOU KNOW, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.

BUT WE SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH OUR TEACHERS WHENEVER WE SEE SOMETHING OR A CERTAIN DEPARTMENT.

IF, FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMETHING IS ESL SPECIFIC I'LL MAKE SURE THAT I SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH OUR DIVISION ESL SPECIALIST SO SHE CAN THEN PASS THAT INFORMATION ON BUT AS FAR AS THE SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES, SOME MAY BE IN PERSON DEPENDING ON HOW MANY PEOPLE WE HAVE REGISTER AND OTHERS WILL BE VIRTUAL OPPORTUNITIES.

WONDERFUL. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

OBVIOUSLY WE ALL KNOW LITERACY READING IS FUNDAMENTAL FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.

SO GLAD TO SEE THAT WE HAVE ENGAGED WITH THIS OPEN COURT MODEL.

QUICK QUESTION OFF OF WHAT MISS CHATTER SAID.

YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THE BOOKS BEING BACK IN THE HANDS, CAN YOU DESCRIBE SOME OF THE MATERIALS THAT IS BEING USED THROUGH OPEN COURT LIKE CLASSROOM? I THINK I'VE BEEN IN A FEW CLASSROOMS WHERE YOU SEE NEW INFORMATION ON THE WALLS, THAT TYPE OF THING.

OKAY. SO EVERY CLASSROOM IS OUTFITTED WITH A SET OF SOUND SPELLING CARDS, WHICH ARE JUST THE PHONICS, PHONEMIC AWARENESS, CONNECTION TO THE ALPHABET LINE YOU'RE USED TO

[00:15:07]

IT HAS A SERIES OF FICTION, NONFICTION, FANTASY, DIFFERENT GENRES OF STORIES THAT THE STUDENTS ENGAGE IN THAT ALSO CONNECT AND ALIGN TO SOCIAL STUDIES AND SCIENCE CONTENT.

AT GRADES K THROUGH THREE, THERE ARE DECODABLES THAT STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO.

AND THEN IN K-2, THOSE ARE TAKE HOME DECODABLES THAT THE PARENTS CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT THE KIDS ARE LEARNING AT SCHOOL.

AND THE STUDENT CAN THEN BRING HOME THIS TEXT TO READ AND IN CONFIDENCE AT HOME.

SO IT HAS THAT HOME TO SCHOOL CONNECTION.

THERE ARE FLUENCY OPPORTUNITIES.

THERE ARE ACTIVITIES THAT THE TEACHER CAN HAVE THE STUDENT PARTICIPATE IN THAT EXTENDS LEARNING OR EITHER GIVES OPPORTUNITY FOR PRACTICE OF LEARNING.

SO THERE'S A WEALTH OF RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THE TEACHER BUT ALSO TO THE STUDENTS.

GREAT. THANK YOU.

ANOTHER REALLY QUICK QUESTION.

THIS IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT [INAUDIBLE] TOO OR IS IT JUST? JUST K-5? YES.

OKAY. SO I GUESS THE CONNECTION FROM PRE-K.

WELL, WE'RE MAKING THAT CONNECTION.

WE'RE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT DOES THE SOUNDS WHAT DOES WHAT IS THE ALPHABET SONG THAT OPEN COURT USES? HOW CAN THEY INTEGRATE THAT? SO THAT COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP WILL DEFINITELY CONTINUE AND BE ENHANCED INTO 24-25.

PERFECT. THANK YOU.

DR. BOOTH. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

THERE'S JUST SOMETHING MAGICAL ABOUT WATCHING A CHILD LEARN HOW TO READ.

IT'S LIKE THEY'RE OPENING UP A GIFT.

IT'S I GET ALL.

FORMER ENGLISH TEACHER, I GET ALL SQUISHY ABOUT IT.

BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR FOR ALL YOUR WORK.

I DID HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT DIFFERENTIATION.

SO EVERYBODY'S LEARNING AT TIER ONE THIS YEAR.

WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT CAN THE COACHES PROVIDE TO SCALE UP FOR SCAFFOLDED LEARNING? I'M ASSUMING THAT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO.

BUT HELPING OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING, LOOKING MORE INTO THAT AS WE MOVE THROUGH IT, AND AS THE TEACHERS BECOME MORE FLUENT IN THE CURRICULUM.

HOW SCALABLE IS THIS? IT IS SCALABLE. I MEAN, YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT ON BOTH SIDES, RIGHT? YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE STUDENT WHO MAY NEED INTERVENTION BECAUSE THEY MAY HAVE SOME GAPS IN THEIR LEARNING.

BUT YOU ALSO LOOKING AT THE STUDENT WHO NEEDS THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE ENRICHED AND LOOK AT HIGHER LEVEL TEXTS.

SO THEY OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT.

THEY ALSO HAVE AN INTERVENTION GUIDE THAT SUPPORTS ESL AS WELL AS DIFFERENT OTHER LEVELS.

SPECIAL ED SO OPEN COURT PROVIDES SOME OF THAT GUIDANCE.

BUT AS WE CONTINUE TO AWAIT THE APPROVAL LIST FROM VDOE FOR SUPPLEMENTAL AND INTERVENTION RESOURCES, THAT WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL DEFINITELY DIVE DEEPER INTO FOR 24-25.

BUT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE.

WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

[C. Proposed Additional Middle School Mathematics Pathway]

GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND DR.

TYLUS. MY NAME IS EMILY STAINS, AND I PROUDLY SERVE THE SCHOOL DIVISION AS THE DIRECTOR OF SECONDARY CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT.

I'M EXCITED TO SHARE A PROPOSAL FOR A NEW MATHEMATICS PATHWAY IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT EVERY STUDENT IN THEIR WORK TOWARDS MATHEMATICS EXCELLENCE.

WE WORK TODAY IN COLLABORATION WITH DR.

SHARON POPE, OUR CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER, AND DR.

MONIQUE BOOTH, DIRECTOR OF ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT.

I'M ALSO JOINED THIS AFTERNOON BY OUR DYNAMIC K-12 MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM SPECIALIST, DR.

DEANA MORROW, JILL MILLER, AND DR.

MICHELLE DELOACH. THE TOPICS I WILL PRESENT TO YOU TODAY ARE LISTED HERE FOR YOUR REVIEW.

OVER THE YEARS, OUR CENTRAL OFFICE INSTRUCTIONAL TEAM HAS RECEIVED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF FEEDBACK FROM OUR SCHOOL LEADERS, TEACHERS, AND FAMILIES REGARDING OUR CURRENT MATH PATHWAYS.

ONE WAY WE SOLICIT THIS FEEDBACK IS THROUGH ACTS, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SCHOOLS TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS TO THE SCHOOL DIVISION.

REVISITING OUR MATH PATHWAYS HAS BEEN A RECURRING QUESTION FROM OUR TEACHERS AND SCHOOL LEADERS OVER THE YEARS THROUGH VARIOUS COMMUNICATION METHODS.

OUR DIVISION RESPONSE HAS REMAINED CONSISTENT, STATING THAT WE AGREE THAT THE PATHWAY OF COURSES OFFERED TO OUR CCPS MIDDLE SCHOOLERS WARRANTED EXAMINATION.

A GOOD TIME TO DO SO WAS IN TANDEM WITH THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S REVIEW AND REVISIONS, AS SEEN IN THE 2023 MATHEMATICS STANDARDS OF LEARNING.

WITH THE STANDARDS APPROVED IN AUGUST 2023 NOW IS THE RIGHT TIME TO BE SURE THAT WE WORKED IN TANDEM WITH OUR OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND EVALUATION TO SEE HOW THE STANDARDS OF

[00:20:01]

THE MATH CONTENT REVISIONS INCREASE EXPECTATIONS IN BOTH RIGOR AND DEPTH.

RIGOR IS NOT DEFINED AS MOVING THROUGH MATHEMATICS CONTENT AT A FASTER PACE.

IT IS, HOWEVER, DEFINED BY DIVING DEEPER INTO THE CONTENT AND ON GRADE LEVEL PATHWAY WOULD FOCUS ON REINFORCING STRONG MATHEMATICS FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS, MASTERING CRITICAL CONTENT, TEACHING CHALLENGING MATHEMATICS CONTENT WITH GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATIONS, END QUOTE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, BUILDING OUR STUDENTS CONFIDENCE IN MATHEMATICS.

WITH AN ADDITION OF A PROPOSED PATHWAY, STUDENTS HAVE MULTIPLE AVENUES TO SELECT COURSES BASED ON THEIR MATH NEEDS EACH YEAR.

AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE, THE COURSES IN BLUE CONTAIN OUR PROPOSED PATHWAY BEFORE YOU TODAY.

THE OTHER COURSES ARE OUR CURRENT MATHEMATICS OFFERINGS IN THE DIVISION, AND THE PINK LINES THAT CONNECT THE COURSES ARE THE OPTIONS STUDENTS WILL HAVE IF THEY CHOOSE TO STAY IN THEIR TRADITIONAL COURSE SEQUENCE.

AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR CURRENT PATHWAYS REMAIN INTACT WITH THIS PROPOSAL.

REGARDLESS OF THE PATHWAY A STUDENT CHOOSES, ALGEBRA ONE WILL STILL BE ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL STUDENTS IN GRADE EIGHT THROUGH VARIOUS ON AND OFF RAMPS, WHICH I WILL SHARE MOMENTARILY.

TO UNDERSTAND THIS REQUEST, HISTORICAL CONTEXT IS VALUABLE.

IN 2005, CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BEGAN THE PROCESS OF ACCELERATING THE MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS INTO ALGEBRA ONE BY GRADE EIGHT.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS INITIATIVE HAD TWO PROPOSED OUTCOMES.

THE PRIMARY OUTCOME WAS TO ENSURE THAT MOST EIGHTH GRADERS WERE ENROLLED IN ALGEBRA ONE TO EARN A HIGH SCHOOL VERIFIED CREDIT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.

FOR THIS TO OCCUR, MATH CURRICULUM HAD TO BE COMPRESSED TO TEACH MULTIPLE YEARS OF MATHEMATICS CONTENT IN ONE ACADEMIC YEAR, AND AS A RESULT, EVERY STUDENT IN CHESTERFIELD WOULD RECEIVE FASTER PACED MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTION TO ENSURE ALL STUDENTS HAVE MATHEMATIC CONTENT THAT THEY NEED BEFORE ALGEBRA ONE. A MODEL THAT OUR STUDENTS STILL EXPERIENCE TODAY.

THE SECOND OUTCOME OF THIS INITIATIVE WAS FOR STUDENTS TO ULTIMATELY COMPLETE FIVE OR MORE CREDIT BEARING MATH COURSES DURING THEIR HIGH SCHOOL CAREER.

IF ACHIEVED, CCPS STUDENTS WOULD TAKE MORE MATH COURSES THAN THEIR PEERS IN OTHER SCHOOL DIVISIONS WHO ARE FOLLOWING A MORE TRADITIONAL MATH SEQUENCE.

IT'S BEEN ALMOST 20 YEARS SINCE WE HAVE REVISITED OUR PATHWAYS, AND NOW IS THE RIGHT TIME TO EXAMINE AND DETERMINE WHAT OUR NEXT, COURSE OF ACTION NEEDS TO BE FOR OUR STUDENTS.

THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS OUR CURRENT CCPS, MATHEMATICS, SEQUENCING.

AND OUR CURRENT MODEL AS YOU CAN SEE, ALL STUDENTS EXPERIENCE CONDENSED AND FAST PACED MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTION.

THE ARROWS INDICATE WHERE MATH CURRICULUM IS COMPACTED FOR DIFFERENT GROUPS OF STUDENTS, AND IN OUR CURRENT SEQUENCING OPTIONS, FAMILIES MAKE A DECISION REGARDING THEIR STUDENTS MATH CAREER STARTING AT THE END OF GRADE THREE, AND STUDENTS CANNOT CHANGE PATHS AGAIN UNTIL THE END OF GRADE SIX BECAUSE OF THE CURRICULUM ASSOCIATED WITH EACH GRADE LEVEL.

WHILE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS EARNING A HIGH SCHOOL VERIFIED CREDIT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL BY GRADE EIGHT HAS INCREASED, TEACHERS AND FAMILIES HAVE REPORTED THAT SOME STUDENTS WOULD HAVE BENEFITED FROM MORE TIME TO EXPLORE GRADE LEVEL CONTENT.

UNDER OUR CURRENT MODEL, THIS IS NOT AN OPTION BECAUSE OF THE VOLUME OF CONTENT THAT MUST BE COVERED IN EACH COURSE TEACHERS ARE COVERING A BREADTH, NOT NECESSARILY A DEPTH OF TOPICS.

ALSO, CCPS HAS ALSO SEEN MINIMAL NUMBERS OF GRADUATING STUDENTS TAKE FIVE OR MORE CREDIT BEARING COURSES.

MOST RECENTLY, WE FOUND THAT ONLY 32.8% OF OUR GRADUATING CLASS IN 2022 ENROLLED IN AN ADVANCED MATH COURSE ABOVE ALGEBRA TWO.

SINCE ALGEBRA TWO IS TRADITIONALLY OFFERED AND TAKEN IN GRADE TEN, IT IS PLAUSIBLE THAT 67.2% OF OUR GRADUATING STUDENTS IN 2022 DID NOT ENROLL IN AN ADVANCED MATH CLASS DURING THEIR JUNIOR OR SENIOR YEARS.

THIS DATA, AS WELL AS THE CHANGES IN THE 2023 MATH STANDARDS AND THE REQUESTS FROM OUR FAMILIES AND SCHOOLS SERVE AS THE CATALYST FOR OUR PROPOSAL TODAY.

WE WHOLEHEARTEDLY RECOGNIZE THE POWER OF PERSPECTIVES, AND AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN, WE HAVE BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL TO CONNECT WITH BOTH DISTRICT AND SCHOOL LEADERSHIP.

MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS GIFTED SPECIAL EDUCATION, ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE, MIDDLE SCHOOL COUNSELORS, TEACHER LEADERS, AND FOCUS GROUPS OF MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS. WE'VE HAD REPRESENTATION FROM EACH MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT AND STAKEHOLDER GROUPS IN REFLECTING, DEVELOPING, AND REFINING OUR PROPOSAL TODAY WITH OUR STUDENTS AS OUR DRIVING FORCE.

AFTER OUR REVIEW, WE ARE PROUD TO PRESENT A NEW MATH PATHWAY OPTION FOR OUR STUDENTS, ONE THAT SEES AND MEETS EVERY STUDENT'S MATH JOURNEY NEEDS.

AGAIN, THE NEW PROPOSAL THE NEW PROPOSED PATHWAY IS HIGHLIGHTED IN BLUE ON THE SCREEN.

[00:25:06]

AND AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE, OUR PROPOSAL PROVIDES AN ABUNDANCE OF ON RAMPS FOR STUDENTS ANNUALLY.

IF STUDENTS DECIDE THEY ARE READY FOR A COMPRESSED OR MORE RIGOROUS CURRICULUM, JUST AS STUDENTS WOULD HAVE ON RAMPS THROUGH THIS ADDITIONAL PATHWAY, IT CAN ALSO PROVIDE OFF RAMPS.

THIS ABILITY TO MOVE BETWEEN COURSES PROVIDES STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WITH MORE FLEXIBILITY FOR COURSEWORK THAT MEETS THEIR UNIQUE NEEDS EACH YEAR.

LET'S SEE THIS THROUGH THE EYES OF A RISING FIFTH GRADER.

UNDER OUR CURRENT CCPS PATHWAY, A STUDENT IN GRADE FOUR MATH HAS ONE OPTION FOR GRADE FIVE MATH.

SIMILARLY, A STUDENT IN MATH 4A ONLY HAS ONE OPTION MATH 5A.

WITH OUR PROPOSED ON GRADE LEVEL PATHWAY, BOTH GROUPS OF STUDENTS WOULD HAVE AN ADDITIONAL COURSE OPTION.

FOR OUR RISING SIXTH GRADERS.

THE CURRENT SEQUENCING ONLY PROVIDES OPTIONS FOR OUR DOUBLE ACCELERATED MATHEMATICS STUDENTS.

FOR EXAMPLE, A STUDENT IN GRADE FIVE MUST ENROLL IN MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH ONE.

WITH OUR PROPOSED PATHWAY, ALL RISING SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO STAY ON THEIR TRADITIONAL COURSE SEQUENCE OR MOVE TO A DIFFERENT COURSE SEQUENCE.

AND IF APPROVED, STUDENTS COULD BEGIN UTILIZING THIS COURSE OPTION DURING THE 24-25 SCHOOL YEAR.

FEEDBACK IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF OUR PROPOSAL, AND THE FEEDBACK YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS MENTIONED AND REFERENCED ON SLIDE TEN, AND IS COMPRISED OF 124 RESPONSES FROM ALL MAGISTERIAL DISTRICTS.

AS YOU CAN SEE, 95.2% OF OUR SCHOOLS AND INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERS FROM ALL LEVELS SUPPORT THE PROPOSED MATHEMATICS PATHWAY.

WE WANT TO ENSURE YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM A FEW OF THE VOICES IN THE FIELD WHO PROVIDED COMMENTS AS PART OF THEIR FEEDBACK, AND ON THE SCREEN YOU SEE A QUOTE FROM AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, A HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, AN ELEMENTARY MATH LEAD, AND A MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH TEACHER.

THESE PERSPECTIVES WERE TRULY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MAJORITY OF THE OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE RESPONSES WE HAVE RECEIVED AS PART OF OUR PROPOSAL THAT IS FIRMLY ROOTED IN A CONSISTENT BELIEF ACROSS STAKEHOLDERS THAT THE ADDITIONAL PATHWAY WILL BENEFIT EVERY STUDENT IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

ON BEHALF OF OUR K-12 MATHEMATICS TEAM, DR.

MONIQUE BOOTH, DR.

SHARON POPE, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE AT THIS TIME.

THANK YOU, MISS STAINS.

BOARD MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? WOW. [LAUGHTER] MR. PARANTO, I COULDN'T HIT THE MICROPHONE FAST ENOUGH.

SOON TO BE DR.

STAINS. THANK YOU.

YES, SIR. THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD WITH FOLKS ABOUT THIS ARE VERY INDICATIVE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SHARED FROM WHAT OTHERS ARE SHARING IN THE SLIDES THAT YOU PRESENTED.

AND SO TO HAVE THE OPTIONS, THE PATHWAYS FOR STUDENTS WHO CAN JUMP ON OR JUMP OFF, SO TO SPEAK YOU KNOW, TAKE A MORE CHALLENGING COURSE OR TRY IT AND REALIZE, OKAY, THIS IS NOT FOR ME.

AND GO BACK TO, YOU KNOW, PREVIOUS MATH, IF YOU WILL, ON A DIFFERENT PATH.

I THINK THOSE OPTIONS ARE FANTASTIC.

AND SO I WANT TO GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE, OF COURSE TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING AND HEARING WHAT PARENTS ARE SAYING, WHAT STAFF IS SAYING, WHAT TEACHERS ARE SAYING, AND THEN DOING THE HARD WORK TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE MAKE THIS WORK AND AT THE SAME TIME ENSURING THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE RECEIVING THE EDUCATION THAT THEY NEED IN REGARDS TO MATHEMATICS, WHICH OBVIOUSLY, AS WE KNOW, IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN OUR SOCIETY.

SO JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE TEAM FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.

I'M EXCITED FOR THE POTENTIAL OF THIS AS TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S TO COME.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, AS WE CONTINUE TO ENRICH OUR STUDENTS, AS THEY CONTINUE TO GROW AND KNOWING THAT YOU'RE NOT STUCK AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OPTIONS OUT THERE FOR YOU.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU TO YOUR TEAM.

THANK YOU. SIR. HAVE THE BEST TEAM.

MISS CHATTERS.

THANK YOU.

MY QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT IT BRIEFLY ABOUT SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY IN DALE DISTRICT.

WE HAVE VIRTUAL MATH TEACHERS.

SO ARE WE TRYING TO GET THE VIRTUAL MATH TEACHERS? LIKE, HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THEM ON THE SAME PAGE AS THE REST OF OUR IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION?

[00:30:02]

BEGINS WITH A VOTE THIS EVENING, AND THEN ONCE THAT OCCURS, HOPEFULLY A YAY! THEN WE WILL BEGIN THE PROCESS OF ENSURING THAT ALL OF OUR TEACHERS, STARTING IN THAT ELEMENTARY 4A 5A ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL, ALL ARE RECEIVING SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES, TRAINING, PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON.

OUR FOCUS MATH TEACHERS, AS YOU'RE REFERENCING OUR VIRTUAL MATH TEACHERS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AND DO ATTEND ALL OF OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, AND A FEW OF THEM ARE EVEN LEADING SOME OF THE PDS THAT WE HAVE HAD THROUGHOUT THE DIVISION AS WELL.

SO VERY EXCITED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A SEAMLESS INTEGRATION AND WE WILL WORK VERY, VERY CLOSELY WITH MR. ERNIE LONGWORTH, WHO IS ALSO SUPPORTING THEM AT THE DIVISION, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS AS SEAMLESS AS POSSIBLE.

THANK YOU. AND THEN THE NEXT QUESTION WAS ABOUT FOR SOME OF OUR ANNUAL SUBS THAT ARE MATH TEACHERS THAT ARE NOT YET LICENSED TO DO THAT, ARE WE? HOW ARE WE GOING TO WORK THROUGH SOME OF THAT AS WELL? ABSOLUTELY. SO AT EVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL SPECIFICALLY, WE DO HAVE A DEPARTMENT LEADER.

SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS ALSO HAVE A MATH COACH TO JUST KIND OF DEPENDING ON WHAT STAFFING LOOKS LIKE FROM YEAR TO YEAR.

EVEN SOME OF OUR INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGNERS WERE CERTIFIED MATH TEACHERS, SO THEY ARE REALLY HELPING TO ALSO LEAD THE CHARGE IN THAT WAY AS WELL.

SO WE ARE WORKING TO NOT ONLY MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED EACH AND EVERY DAY IN TERMS OF THEIR COACHING, BUT THAT'S WHY WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ROBUST RESOURCES TO SUPPORT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR TEACHERS WITH READY MADE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY CAN IMMEDIATELY TAKE AND TURN AND USE IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. SO I'VE GOTTEN GREAT SUPPORT FOR OR OVERWHELMING RESPONSE TO SUPPORT THIS SO THAT'S NOT THE QUESTION BUT THE LINGERING QUESTION WAS ABOUT FOR THOSE OTHER THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE WAS ABOUT IN OUR ACCELERATED MATH STUDENTS, THE ONES THAT ARE IN ELEMENTARY WHO IDENTIFY FOR MATH ACCELERATED, ARE WE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY STAY CHALLENGED? WE'RE NOT REMOVING ANYTHING FROM THEM.

JUST I JUST NEED YOU TO SAY IT OUT LOUD THAT THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN THEIR ABILITY TO DO ACCELERATED MATH AT THEIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

I AM VERY PROUD TO TELL YOU THAT, YES, THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE A DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING EXPERIENCE THAT WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THEIR UNIQUE NEEDS TO ENSURE IT IS DIFFERENTIATED TO WHAT THEIR SPECIFIC LEARNING LEVEL IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO WORK VERY, VERY CLOSELY.

I KNOW DR. DEANA MORROW IS STANDING HERE RIGHT NOW.

SHE WOULD SAY YES, ABSOLUTELY.

AND SO WE ARE REALLY WORKING ON A ROBUST SERIES OF RESOURCES SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR 4A AND 5A TEACHERS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS DIFFERENTIATED TO MEET THAT NEED.

OKAY. I MADE A MISTAKE. I HAD ONE MORE I'M SORRY.

THIS IS FOR REAL THE LAST ONE.

RESOURCES. YES.

SO I HEAR RESOURCES, I HEAR TEACHERS, I HEAR MONEY, I HEAR OKAY, SO WE ADDED A NEW PATHWAY.

IF THAT IS THE WAY WE DECIDE TO GO, DOES THAT INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO FACILITATE THE LOAD SO THAT WE'RE NOT.

OVERBURDENING BURDENING A MATH TEACHER TO DO SIX SEVEN ACCELERATED AND THE I'M SORRY AND THE SIXTH PATHWAY, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

IT DOES. IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHAT THE STUDENT REQUEST IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

SO WE WILL WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND SPECIFICALLY THINKING ABOUT SCHEDULING AND WHAT THAT CAN LOOK LIKE.

WE DO TRY TO MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF PREPS THAT ANY GIVEN TEACHER HAS, SO THAT THEY CAN REALLY FOCUS ON WHAT THAT SPECIFIC CONTENT LOOKS LIKE.

AND IN TERMS OF OUR INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES, BASED OFF OF THIS EVENING, WE ARE READY TO GO WITH AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN OF WHAT THAT DRAFT COULD LOOK LIKE FOR OUR SCHOOLS THAT THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS PLAN.

WE DO HAVE A PRINCIPALS MEETING COMING UP, SO THEY ARE ALWAYS THE FIRST AUDIENCE THAT WE LIKE TO SAY, WOULD THIS BE BENEFICIAL? HOW DOES THIS FEEL TO YOU? WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR TEACHERS RESPONSES WILL BE? THEN WE ULTIMATELY TAKE IT TO OUR TEACHER LEADERS.

THAT'S INSTRUCTIONAL MATH LEADS AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL AS WELL AS IN SECONDARY.

WE HAVE OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT LEADERS, SO WE DO A LOT OF VETTING IN GENERAL BEFORE WE PRODUCE PRODUCTS SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR TEACHERS, BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT IT'S GOING TO MEET THEIR NEED.

THANK YOU AND GREAT JOB TO YOUR TEAM.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

HELLO, MISS STAINS, WELL DONE.

I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR THE FLEXIBILITY AND THE CREATIVITY THAT THIS IT CLEARLY HAS CALLED UPON.

A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE THESE BIG IDEAS AND WE CAN GET STUCK.

WE'RE LIKE, NOPE, SORRY YOU MADE THIS DECISION.

YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO STICK WITH IT.

AND THEN A KID MIGHT THINK, OH, I'M JUST BAD AT MATH.

AND THEN IT CAN GO DOWNHILL FROM THERE.

AND SO I LOVE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LIKE, THE RIGOR IS GOING TO STAY.

THE WE ARE CREATING PEOPLE WHO ARE GOOD WITH MATH.

AND SOME PEOPLE CAN LEARN ZIPPITY FAST AND SOME PEOPLE NEED TO SLOW IT DOWN A BIT.

RIGOR IS THE SAME.

SO THAT'S A VERY BIG DEAL.

AND THE IDEA THAT A THIRD GRADER NEEDS TO MAKE THIS DECISION IS UNBELIEVABLE.

[00:35:02]

I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING YOU MENTIONED ALGEBRA TWO IS SORT OF A ON A LOT OF STUDENTS, BECAUSE THAT'S ALL I NEED TO DO. I WONDERED, WHAT'S OUR GOAL? DO WE HAVE AN END GOAL TO HAVE POSSIBLY KIDS WHO HAVE CAPPED OUT? THESE ARE ALL THE MATHS THAT I NEED TO TAKE.

JUNIOR SENIOR YEAR I'M FREE AS A BIRD.

WHAT'S OUR GOAL THERE? OUR GOAL IS FOR EVERY SINGLE STUDENT TO SEE THEMSELVES AS NUMBER ONE, A MATH LOVER AND STUDENT.

AND THAT DOES MEAN THAT HOPEFULLY, THEY ARE TAKING ABOVE AND BEYOND THE COURSES THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR A STANDARD DIPLOMA.

SO WE DO HOPE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING TO TAKE MATH ALL FOUR YEARS OF THEIR HIGH SCHOOL CAREERS.

OKAY, GOOD.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS HOPING YOU'D SAY.

ONE MORE QUESTION.

AND THIS I DON'T KNOW.

I KNOW THAT WHEN I MOVED INTO THIS COUNTY AND IT COULD BE SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF THIS ONE INITIATIVE BACK IN 2005, THE GPAS ARE MARKEDLY HIGHER THAN IN OTHER COUNTIES.

AND I WONDER IN DOES ALGEBRA ONE COUNT TOWARD YOUR IT COUNTS TOWARDS YOUR HIGH SCHOOL GPA.

CORRECT? I THINK SO, YES.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

OKAY. SO THAT'S THERE YOU GO.

DOING EVERYONE A SOLID.

OKAY. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

SOON TO BE, DR.

STAINS, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.

ON SLIDE 14.

YOU HAD MENTIONED THE 95% WHEN WE MET.

I HAD SOME QUESTION IN REGARDS TO THAT.

FOR THOSE THAT MIGHT BE SEEING THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME, COULD YOU EXPLAIN THE BREAKUP FROM ONE, TWO, THREE AND FOUR AND WHY YOU SAY 95% WHEN 73% IS PRESENT? GLADLY. SO IN OUR SCALE THAT WE WORKED ON WITH RESEARCH AND EVALUATION, YOU USE A SCALE OF ZERO ALL THE WAY UP TO FOUR.

FOR US WE SAID ONE WAS GOING TO BE NO SUPPORT, SO THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY ZERO WAY THAT SOMEBODY WAS GOING TO SUPPORT THAT.

HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THAT WAS 0% OF OUR FINDINGS.

IF SOMEONE SCORED BETWEEN A THREE AND A FOUR, THAT IS WHAT WE DECIDED WAS SUPPORT, BECAUSE A FOUR OUT OF FOUR, IF YOU CAN SEE IT ON THE SCREEN, SAYS FULL SUPPORT. SO THAT'S WHY WE DO SAY THAT 95.2% DO HAVE SUPPORT, BUT IT MIGHT NOT BE FULL SUPPORT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS STAINS.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

YES, PLEASE.

AND IT'S REALLY LESS OF A QUESTION AND MORE OF JUST A HOPE AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THE PROCESS.

WHEN YOU'RE SEEKING STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK, WE HAVE 67% OF OUR STUDENTS.

IF I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY.

THAT'S CRAZY.

60% OF OUR STUDENTS HIT THE BRAKES AFTER ALGEBRA TWO.

WE HAVE A HUGE WELL OF STAKEHOLDERS TO DRAW FROM AND ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU TAKE MORE MATH CLASSES. WHY DID YOU DISENGAGE? WHY WAS THAT? YOU KNOW, WHY WAS THAT THE POINT WHERE YOU, YOU KNOW, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH? I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR MYSELF, BUT AND PARENT INPUT AS WELL.

I KNOW AS YOU MOVE THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE NEED TO GET THROUGH THIS FIRST STAGE, BUT AND I, AND I KNOW THAT YOU'LL REACH OUT TO ALL OF THOSE RESOURCES, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM PARENTS ABOUT HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT.

IS THIS A PRIORITY FOR THEM IN THIRD GRADE? DOES THAT PRIORITY CHANGE WHEN THEY'RE ENTERING HIGH SCHOOL? DO WE YOU KNOW, I KNOW I CAN SPEAK FOR MYSELF.

OF COURSE, MY PRIORITIES HAVE CHANGED FOR MY STUDENT FROM THIRD GRADE TO NINTH GRADE.

SO JUST ANY OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO ENGAGE PARENTS AND STUDENTS AS STAKEHOLDERS, THAT'D BE GREAT.

ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU.

AND I THINK THAT AND OKAY, GREAT.

THANK YOU, MISS STAINS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NEXT WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON TECHNOLOGY FROM DR.

[D. Technology Update]

GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR.

MADAM VICE CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

ANNUALLY, I AM BLESSED TO STAND BEFORE YOU AND GIVE YOU A TECHNOLOGY UPDATE.

IN TERMS OF OUR SUCCESSES FOR THE LAST YEAR, OUR GOALS FOR THE CURRENT YEAR.

OUR GOALS FOR FUTURE YEARS.

AND I HAVE WITH ME TODAY MY TWO DIRECTORS, DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, MRS. ERIN FORD AND DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SECURITY.

MRS. AH, I BLANKED OUT.

MISS LUNSFORD.

SORRY. I WAS THINKING OF THAT AND WENT ON.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET IT TOGETHER HERE.

[00:40:01]

IF I WERE TO GIVE YOU AN ELEVATOR PITCH OF WHAT WE DO I WOULD SAY THAT WE RUN A HIGHLY COMPLEX ENVIRONMENT THAT SUPPORTS THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AND SUPPORTS THE NEEDS OF OUR STAFF, SUPPORTS THE NEEDS OF OUR PARENTS, OUR COMMUNITIES.

OUR NETWORKS ARE USED BY JUST ABOUT EVERY DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDER THAT WE HAVE.

WE HAVE OVER 75,000 DEVICES THAT CCPS OWNS AND OPERATES.

THAT INCLUDES STOCK LEVELS.

THAT INCLUDES IPADS, COMPUTERS, LAPTOPS, CHROMEBOOKS, MOSTLY CHROMEBOOKS, IN THAT CASE.

BUT ADDITIONALLY, WE SUPPORT ABOUT 130,000 DEVICES BECAUSE OF PERSONAL DEVICES THAT ARE ALSO USING OUR NETWORKS CELL PHONES, OTHER DEVICES. WELL, NOT REALLY OTHER DEVICES, MOSTLY CELL PHONES.

AND THAT CREATES A NEED FOR GREATER COMPLEXITY AROUND SECURITY.

IT CREATES A NEED FOR GREATER INFRASTRUCTURE DEMANDS.

IT DOES A LOT OF THINGS THAT THAT FORCE US TO ACT IN CERTAIN WAYS.

THE EXPECTATIONS OF OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE CHANGED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

THAT'S WHY I SPEAK ABOUT CELL PHONES NOW.

FIVE YEARS AGO, CELL PHONES WOULD HAVE BEEN BANNED, OR MAYBE TEN YEARS AGO THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN BANNED FROM OUR ENVIRONMENT EXCEPT BY ADULT USERS.

NOW WE DON'T NECESSARILY EMBRACE THEM, BUT WE DO ALLOW THEIR USE.

WE ALLOW THEM TO USE OUR RESOURCES.

WE ALLOW THEM TO TO BENEFIT FROM INTERNET ACCESS THAT WE PROVIDE.

WE ALLOW THEM TO TO WORK OFF HOURS IN HOURS.

EVERYTHING ELSE. RIGHT? SPEAKING AS ONE OF OUR ADULT USERS, I USE MY PERSONAL CELL PHONE AT WORK.

I'M SURE EVERYONE ELSE DOES AS WELL.

I RELY ON THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE PROVIDE OR THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE PROVIDE TO MAKE THAT WORK BETTER.

AND BALANCE FOR US IS ALWAYS KEY.

YOU KNOW, IN THE 1990S IT WAS ALL ABOUT PEOPLE, PROCESS AND TECHNOLOGY.

PEOPLE PROCESS TECHNOLOGY.

WELL, NOW IT'S PEOPLE PROCESS TECHNOLOGY AND LIMITED RESOURCES.

RIGHT. HOW DO YOU DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS WITH ALL OF THESE RESTRICTIONS? AND THAT'S WHERE OUR STRATEGY COMES IN.

SO IT'S A LITTLE CLICHE, BUT I DID A SWOT ANALYSIS OVER OUR ENTIRE INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR ENTIRE DEPARTMENT.

AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THE STRENGTHS THAT WE HAVE, I LOVE TO SAY THAT OUR GREATEST STRENGTH IS OUR PEOPLE.

AND IT IS WE HAVE VERY SMART PEOPLE DOING VERY GOOD WORK.

THEY ARE CONSTANTLY STRESSED.

THEY ARE CONSTANTLY OVERWHELMED.

THEY CONSTANTLY HAVE MORE TO DO THAN THEY CAN POSSIBLY KEEP UP WITH.

BUT THEY DO IT EVERY DAY.

THEY HAVE A SENSE OF DUTY TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT.

THEY HAVE A SENSE OF FAMILY BECAUSE THEIR OWN CHILDREN ATTEND OUR SCHOOLS, THEIR OWN FAMILIES ATTEND THEIR SCHOOLS, THEIR NEIGHBORS ATTEND OUR SCHOOLS.

THEY HAVE A DRIVE, RIGHT? IT'S VERY GREAT.

WE ALSO HAVE A WONDERFUL SUPPORT OF OUR LEADERSHIP.

DR. DAUGHERTY HAS BEEN VERY GRATEFUL OR VERY GRACIOUS.

EXCUSE ME. IN HIS SUPPORT OF OUR DEPARTMENT, HIS SUPPORT OF OUR NEEDS.

AND OF COURSE, THAT FUNNELS DOWN TO OUR FINANCES, OUR BUDGET DEPARTMENT.

ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY WONDERFUL FOR US.

WE ARE NIMBLE AND ADAPTIVE, WHICH IS HARD TO SAY IN AN ORGANIZATION OUR SIZE.

WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE CHANGES RAPIDLY.

I'M NOT SURE THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.

WE HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO MAKE THAT A POSSIBILITY.

WE HAVE A STRONG FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED BY PREVIOUS LEADERS IN TECHNOLOGY.

I KNOW EACH AND EVERY PREVIOUS LEADER THAT HAS WORKED HERE IN OUR TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT, AND I STAND ON THEIR SHOULDERS.

THEY HAVE MADE SOME WONDERFUL DECISIONS OVER THE YEARS.

THEY HAVE BUILT A FOUNDATION THAT MAKES IT EASY FOR ME TO DO MY WORK.

WE ALSO HAVE STRONG STATE AND FEDERAL RELATIONSHIPS.

WE WORK CLOSELY WITH OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

I LEARNED FROM OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

WE COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER.

WE PROBLEM SOLVE WITH EACH OTHER.

WE TELL EACH OTHER ABOUT CERTAIN EVENTS THAT ARE OCCURRING IN OUR DISTRICT SO THAT WE CAN HELP OTHERS NOT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS OR ISSUES.

I WORK WITH THE STATE POLICE FOR CYBERSECURITY ISSUES.

I WORK WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR CYBERSECURITY ISSUES, INCLUDING CISA AND THE FBI.

SO MOST OF THAT IS INFORMATION SHARING BACK AND FORTH.

WE TELL THEM WHAT WE'RE SEEING.

THEY TELL US WHAT THEY'RE SEEING.

RIGHT. BUT IN THE EVENT OF ANYTHING OCCURRING, I KNOW THAT I HAVE PEOPLE I CAN TALK TO.

I KNOW THAT I HAVE OTHER RESOURCES, AND IT'S NOT ALL ON US.

AND FINALLY, FOR ANYBODY WHO HAS READ WHO MOVED MY CHEESE WE HAVE TEAMS THAT SEEK NEW CHEESE, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE NOT SCARED OF CHANGE.

MY TEAMS DON'T EXACTLY EMBRACE CHANGE THE WAY I DO.

I LOVE CHANGE, BUT THEY DO ACCEPT CHANGE.

THEY DON'T FIGHT IT.

WE MOVE ON, WE CONTINUE WORKING.

WE CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT OUR IMPACT IS ON THE PEOPLE THAT NEED US TO CHANGE.

[00:45:05]

WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES.

THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF INNOVATION IN CLASSROOM TECHNOLOGY AND IN CONSUMER TECHNOLOGY.

SO WE'RE SEEING THINGS LIKE VIRTUAL REALITY, AI.

YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS ARE ENTERING THE CLASSROOM.

WE'RE SEEING DIGITAL ASSISTANTS.

WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF INNOVATION AROUND SPED DEVICES AND ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY.

GROWTH CREATES OPPORTUNITY FOR US.

SO WE ALWAYS GET WITH A NEW SCHOOL, WE GET THE ABILITY TO SHOWCASE TECHNOLOGY OR IN ITS CURRENT STATE, IN A STATE OF THE ART TYPE ENVIRONMENT.

WE LOVE THAT.

OPPORTUNITIES ARE PRESENTED FOR US TO CATCH UP WITH TECHNOLOGY.

SO THE MORE WE ADD, THE MORE WE HAVE TO REPLACE.

RIGHT. SO WE CONTINUE TO ADD WE CONTINUE TO GROW.

WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND REPLACE THE THINGS THAT WE DID FIVE, SIX, SEVEN YEARS AGO.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE STILL REPLACING THINGS WE DID TEN, 15 YEARS AGO.

AND THAT IS A WEAKNESS FOR US.

THAT'S BUT IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH.

IT'S OR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGE.

AND I PUT IT ON THE BOTTOM THERE, FOLLOWING THE LEADER AND LEADING THE FOLLOWERS.

THIS IS MORE ABOUT THAT RELATIONSHIP THAT I JUST SPOKE ABOUT OF.

WE ARE SHARING WITH OTHERS.

IF WE ARE LEADING THE WAY, WE LET OTHERS FOLLOW US.

WE TELL THEM HOW WE DID THINGS, BUT WE ARE NOT SO PROUD THAT WE CAN'T FOLLOW SOMEONE ELSE TO SAY, OH MY GOSH, THEY SOLVED IT.

SO LET'S JUST DO WHAT THEY DID RIGHT? AND WE DO THAT A LOT.

WE DON'T NEED TO REINVENT THE WHEEL EVERY SINGLE TIME.

IN TERMS OF WEAKNESSES, WHICH I TERM AS CHALLENGES, NOT WEAKNESSES.

THESE ARE NOT WEAKNESSES.

BUT SWOT DOESN'T SOUND GOOD WHEN IT'S SCOTT.

OKAY. SO WE DO HAVE LIMITED FUNDING WITH UNLIMITED WANTS, DESIRES, NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS.

WE HAVE SMALLER HARDWARE LIFE CYCLES, SO A COMPUTER THAT WE BOUGHT TEN YEARS AGO MAY HAVE HAD A 5 TO 6 YEAR LIFESPAN.

NOW THOSE DEVICES HAVE 2 TO 3 YEAR LIFESPANS BEFORE THEY START TO FALL APART, BEFORE THEIR BATTERIES START TO SWELL, BEFORE THEY ARE DEEMED TOO SLOW.

RIGHT. BECAUSE NEWER SOFTWARE COMES ALONG AND HAS A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON OLD HARDWARE.

SO THE FASTER WE MOVE.

EXCUSE ME? THE FASTER WE MOVE, THE FASTER WE HAVE TO REPLACE.

AND THAT BECOMES A CHALLENGE FOR US.

WE DO HAVE LIMITED STAFFING.

ALTHOUGH I AM GRATEFUL FOR TH 60, 65 PLUS PEOPLE THAT REPORT TO ME, IT IS NOT ENOUGH.

WE HAVE 67 SCHOOLS.

SEVEN. 67.

THEY KEEP CHANGING EVERY YEAR.

WE HAVE A LOT OF SCHOOLS, RIGHT? [LAUGHTER] WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER BUILDINGS IN ADDITION TO OUR SCHOOLS.

I DON'T NEED 1 TO 1 STAFFING, BUT I DO NEED MORE.

GROWTH IS A CHALLENGE FOR US.

ALTHOUGH, ALTHOUGH THE END RESULT IS THAT WE GET TO SHOWCASE HOW WONDERFUL WE ARE, IT'S VERY HARD FOR US TO EXPAND TO DO THE DAILY ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE EVERY SINGLE DAY NOW AT A SCHOOL OR IN THIS CASE, THIS YEAR AT TWO SCHOOLS.

RIGHT. IT'S DIFFICULT.

IT'S DIFFICULT FOR EVERYONE.

I DON'T MEAN TO SAY THAT WE ARE UNIQUE IN THAT, BUT IT IS A CHALLENGE FOR US.

AND WE HAVE THE UNKNOWNS, THE UNKNOWN UNKNOWNS, RIGHT? WE ARE CONSTANTLY FACED WITH SURPRISES, THINGS THAT HAPPEN THAT WE WEREN'T READY FOR, THINGS THAT HAPPENED THAT WE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT.

BUT THAT'S PART OF OUR NIMBLENESS AND ADAPTIVENESS IS TO BE ABLE TO SAY, OKAY, HERE IT IS.

HERE'S SOMETHING NEW THAT WAS PURCHASED THAT WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT.

HERE'S SOMETHING NEW THAT SOMEBODY WANTS US TO DO THAT WE'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

LET'S JUMP ON IT AND GO RIGHT.

IN TERMS OF THREATS, WE ALWAYS HAVE CYBERSECURITY THREATS.

I FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT OUR CYBER SECURITY POSTURE RIGHT NOW.

WE ARE ALWAYS ADAPTING.

WE ARE ALWAYS CHANGING. WE ARE ALWAYS GROWING AND IMPROVING IN THAT.

BUT WE WORK VERY CLOSELY ALSO WITH THE COUNTY'S CYBERSECURITY DEPARTMENT.

AND I'LL LET LOURDES, OF COURSE, SPEAK TO THAT.

BUT THIS IS A LOT OF OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUTSIDERS IS TO SAY, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING OUT THERE? WHAT DO WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR? STUDENT DATA PRIVACY IS A PART OF CYBERSECURITY.

THIS IS MORE ABOUT HOW WE USE THE DATA THAT WE COLLECT AND WHO WE SHARE IT WITH, AND WHY, AND WHAT THEY DO WITH IT ONCE WE SHARE IT WITH THEM.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON, THAT WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO ESTABLISH A GOVERNANCE POLICY OVER HOW THAT OCCURS.

THIS YEAR HASN'T REALLY BEEN A PROBLEM FOR ATTRITION.

I'M VERY HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE'VE HAD SOME STABILITY THIS YEAR, BUT LAST YEAR WE LOST 12% OF MY STAFF.

SOME OF THAT WAS DUE TO RETIREMENTS.

SOME OF THAT WAS DUE TO FRUSTRATIONS.

THIS YEAR, WE'VE SEEMED TO HAVE STABILIZED, AND THAT STABILITY SEEMS TO HAVE COME AFTER THE CORRECTION IN PAY SCALES, THAT

[00:50:02]

WE DO STILL WORRY ABOUT MARKET COMPETITION.

WE STILL WORRY ABOUT PEOPLE BEING POACHED FROM US THAT WE ARE SPENDING TIME TO TRAIN PEOPLE THAT MAY NOT STAY WITH US.

RIGHT THEN THAT'S A CONSTANT THREAT IN TECHNOLOGY IN THE FIRST PLACE.

WE HAVE A THREAT AGAINST VENDOR RELIANCE AND VENDOR LOCK IN.

WE HAVE, FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE GOOGLE.

WE ARE A GOOGLE SHOP.

WHEN GOOGLE CHANGES A RULE, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

WE ADAPT.

WHEN GOOGLE CHANGES THE WAY SOMETHING WORKS, WE ADAPT.

IF GOOGLE SAYS WE'RE NO LONGER GOING TO OFFER GMAIL TOMORROW, WE HAVE TO ADAPT.

WE DON'T HAVE ALTERNATIVES.

WE DON'T SPREAD THAT ACROSS OTHER ENVIRONMENTS, AND WE SHOULD.

WE NEED TO. BUT THE LOCK IN THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE CONTINUES TO GET WORSE EVERY YEAR BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO RELY ON THOSE VENDORS EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

AND THEY KNOW THAT, RIGHT? SO THEY CONTINUE TO OFFER MORE AND MORE AND MORE AND MORE TO KEEP US IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.

IT IS A PROBLEM THAT ALL SCHOOLS ARE FACING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE CHROMEBOOKS, WE ARE ATTACHED TO GOOGLE.

CHROMEBOOKS ONLY WORK IN GOOGLE, AND GOOGLE IS ONLY ONE OF OUR VENDORS THAT WE HAVE LOCK IN FOR.

BUT IT'S THE EASIEST ONE TO KNOW.

SO WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT WAYS THAT WE CAN DIVERSIFY.

AND AGAIN, GROWTH IS BOTH A WEAKNESS AND A THREAT.

IT'S PROBABLY AN OPPORTUNITY.

IT'S PROBABLY IT'S EVERYTHING.

RIGHT. GROWTH. GROWTH SPARKS ALL OF THAT FOR US.

I'M EXCITED BY CHANGE.

IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN. AND GROWTH IS PART OF THAT.

AND I EMBRACE THAT.

SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M GOING TO LET THE TWO DIRECTORS COME UP AND TELL YOU ABOUT SOME OF THEIR TEAM'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND GOALS FOR NEXT YEAR.

AND FIRST UP IS MRS. LOURDES.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR.

SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.

SCHOOL BOARD ATTORNEY MR. ROBERTS AND DR.

TYLUS. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.

IT'S MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE AND BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE INFORMATION SECURITY DEPARTMENT FOR THE SCHOOL CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. THE DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW IS CONFIRMED BY THREE MEMBERS.

AND VERY SOON, HOPEFULLY FOUR.

THE DIRECTOR, WHICH IS ME, LOURDES LUNSFORD.

WE HAVE TWO SECURITY ANALYSTS, ZACH LAWRENCE AND RONALD DECKER, WHICH VERY SOON HE WOULD BE ASSUMING THE NEW POSITION OF RECORDS AND COMPLIANCE SPECIALIST, WHICH I AM VERY, VERY EXCITED BECAUSE WITH THIS MOVE OF RONALD TO THE NEW POSITION, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE 2022 AUDIT POINTS.

HOPEFULLY, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HIT THE GROUND AND RUN.

RON HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AS WELL AS DATA COLLECTION AND DATA MANAGEMENT.

SO I'M VERY CONFIDENT THAT HE WILL DO A GREAT JOB TO BRING US UP TO SPEED ON THOSE AUDIT FINDINGS.

WITH THAT, I WILL MOVE TO OUR MISSION.

THE MISSION OF OUR DEPARTMENT IS TO WORK WITH THE TECHNOLOGY SERVICES OFFICE AS WELL AS OUR CCPS COMMUNITY TO SAFEGUARD THE CONFIDENTIALITY, TO PROMOTE THE INTEGRITY AND TO ENSURE THE AVAILABILITY OF STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF INFORMATION AS WELL AS THE SYSTEM BY PROVIDING PROACTIVE SECURITY EXPERTISE, CREATING AND MAINTAINING A RESILIENT AND SECURE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND FOSTERING A CULTURE OF SECURITY AWARENESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SOME OF OUR RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

AND THIS IS JUST A SMALL LIST.

OF COURSE, IT'S PROBABLY A LOT MORE.

SINCE I BECAME THE DIRECTOR OF THE BRAND NEW ESTABLISHED DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION SECURITY ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO, WE WERE ABLE TO ESTABLISH THE INFORMATION SECURITY FRAMEWORK.

WE CHOSE THE CIS 20 CONTROLS AS OUR BASELINE, BECAUSE GOING TO A DIFFERENT FRAMEWORK WOULD BE VERY HARSH ON EVERYBODY CONSIDERING IT ALSO THE LIMITED RESOURCES AT THE TIME.

SO WE ESTABLISHED OUR FRAMEWORK, WHICH GAVE US OUR PROCEDURES, PROTOCOLS, AND WE TRY TO FOLLOW OUR BEST PRACTICES WHEN IT COMES TO CYBERSECURITY. WE ALSO ENHANCE THE INFORMATION SECURITY AWARENESS PROGRAM.

THE INFORMATION SECURITY AWARENESS PROGRAM WAS ALREADY IN PLACE, BUT WE WERE TRYING TO MAKE IT MORE APPEALING TO OUR USERS.

[00:55:03]

SO WE WERE TRYING TO MAKE IT MORE CONCISE.

SO OUR INSTRUCTORS WILL NOT TAKE EXTRA TIME FROM THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL PERIODS TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THAT TRAINING.

WE ALSO CREATED THE CYBERSECURITY INTRANET WEBSITE WHERE WE ARE POSTING ALL OUR NEW POLICIES.

ALSO, WE HAVE A SECTION WHERE WE HAVE NEWSLETTERS WHERE EVERYBODY CAN GO AND READ THEM AT THEIR OWN LEISURE.

WE ARE NOT EMAILING THEM ANY LONGER.

WE'RE NOT REQUIRING EVERYBODY TO DO IT.

IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT PIECES OF INFORMATION THAT WE PUT OUT THERE TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY, OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY, INFORMED OF WHAT IS GOING ON.

RECENTLY, WE ALSO LAUNCHED THE CAMPAIGN TO HAVE ALL CCPS USERS TO CHANGE THEIR PASSWORDS ANNUALLY.

THAT WAS A HUGE CHANGE ON OUR COMMUNITY, BUT HOWEVER, WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT WITH GREAT SUCCESS.

EVERYBODY EMBRACED IT.

NOW WE HAVE EVERYBODY CHANGING THEIR PASSWORDS ANNUALLY AND WE ARE GETTING VERY CLOSE TO OUR NEW CAMPAIGN.

WE ALSO EXPANDED OUR PROTECTION OF EMAILS THAT CONTAIN SENSITIVE INFORMATION BY ENFORCING, NOT ENFORCING, BUT BY ENHANCING B2 AS ENCRYPTION TOOL FOR GMAIL.

WE ESTABLISH AND MANAGE SOFTWARE, AND FOR EXTERNAL VENDORS, WE TRY TO KEEP TRACK OF WHO HAS ACCESS TO OUR SYSTEMS. SO WE HAVE A NEW SYSTEM CALLED IMPRIVATA THAT ALLOWS US TO MANAGE THOSE EXTERNAL EXTERNAL VENDORS AS WELL AS THEIR ACCESS TO OUR CCPS SYSTEMS. THOSE WERE OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

CURRENT PROJECTS.

ON OUR CURRENT PROJECT LIST, WE ARE CURRENTLY MANAGING THE REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS, AND WE DO AN EVALUATION FROM THE SECURITY PERSPECTIVE.

WE MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE APPLICATIONS, ADD ONS CHROME EXTENSIONS HAVE THE MINIMUM AND BEST PRACTICES WHEN IT COMES TO CYBER SECURITY.

BEFORE WE ALLOW THEM TO INTEGRATE WITH OUR ECOSYSTEM, WE ALSO MONITOR VULNERABILITIES AND THREATS.

WE PARTNER, AS DR.

TILLMAN HAD SAID, WITH CISA AND OTHER AGENCIES AS WELL AS THE STATE POLICE, TO KEEP US INFORMED OF ANY POSSIBLE THREAT THAT COULD BE AN IMPACT TO OUR ECOSYSTEM.

SO WE TRY TO DO THAT AS WELL, AND WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING THAT.

WE ALSO MANAGE THE AUTHORIZATION AND AUTHENTICATION PROCESS, WHICH WOULD BE WHO HAS ACCESS TO WHAT AND WHAT KIND OF ACCESS.

WE TRY TO FOLLOW LEAST PRIVILEGE, MEANING WE WILL GIVE YOU ACCESS TO WHAT YOU NEED.

BUT WE TRY NOT TO GIVE YOU MORE IN ORDER TO PROTECT WHAT WE HAVE, AS WELL AS TO PROTECT THE USER WHO WE GIVE THEM THOSE ACCESS.

WE ALSO PERFORM EXTERNAL PENETRATION TESTING.

AND THIS IS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PERIMETER IS SAFE, THAT WE DON'T HAVE WEAKNESS OR HOLES OUT THERE.

THAT WOULD BE VERY ENTICING TO BAD ACTORS TO GET INTO OUR SYSTEMS AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

WE OVERSEE AND MANAGE THIRD PARTY VENDORS, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE.

AND RECENTLY WE NOT RECENTLY, BUT WE ARE PREPARING FOR OUR NEXT CAMPAIGN TO HAVE EVERYBODY TO CHANGE THE PASSWORD.

AND WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE AND TRY TO MAKE SOME ENHANCEMENTS BY INCREASING THE LENGTH OF THE PASSWORD. SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE CURRENTLY EIGHT DIGITS, BUT HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE A GOOD EMBRACEMENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO GO TO 12 DIGITS, WHICH ENSURES THAT THE PASSWORDS ARE HARDER TO GUESS.

WE ALSO ARE CURRENTLY DOING MF CHANGES FOR ADULT USERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT HAVE PRIVILEGED OR ELEVATED ACCESS. WE ARE TRYING TO HAVE THEM USE MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION.

SO JUST AN EXTRA LAYER TO PROTECT THEIR ACCOUNTS AND THEIR ACCESS.

FUTURE GOALS THAT WE HAVE ON OUR AGENDA IS TO TRANSITION TO SECURITY OPERATION FUNCTIONS FROM THE NETWORK SERVICES TEAM.

CURRENTLY THE NETWORK SERVICES DEPARTMENT, IT'S BEEN ACTING AND PERFORMING MOST OF SECURITY FUNCTIONS BECAUSE THE

[01:00:03]

SO THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF THOSE TASKS.

AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS AS A GOAL TO TRANSFER ALL THOSE FUNCTIONS TO THE SECURITY INFORMATION.

WE CONTINUE MOVING USERS TO MFA.

AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY USER WITH ELEVATED PRIVILEGE ARE CURRENTLY USING MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION FOR EXTRA PROTECTION.

WE ALSO ARE ON OUR GOALS IS TO CONTRACT A SECURITY OPERATION CENTER TO HELP US TO MONITOR OUR ENVIRONMENT, NOT ONLY DURING WORKING HOURS, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO HAVE THAT VISIBILITY 24 HOURS, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 365 DAYS A YEAR.

BECAUSE, AS EVERYBODY PROBABLY KNOWS, ATTACKERS DON'T ALWAYS WORK 8 TO 5.

THEY LIKE TO DO IT DURING WEEKENDS.

THEY LIKE TO DO IT AFTER WORK HOURS.

SO THAT'S ONE OF OUR GOALS.

BE ABLE TO CONTRACT A SERVICE PROVIDER WHO CAN HAVE THOSE EYES OUT THERE FOR US.

WE CONTINUE TO MANAGE AND PERFORM AN EXTERNAL PENETRATION TESTING JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY WEAKNESS OR ANY POSSIBLE HOLES OUT THERE THAT SOMEBODY CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM.

WE ALSO WANT TO ESTABLISH A DATA CLASSIFICATION PROJECT, WHICH WOULD ALLOW US TO KNOW WHAT WE HAVE, WHERE WE HAVE IT, TO GIVE US TOOLS TO KNOW HOW TO PROTECT IT.

IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE HAVE AND WE DON'T KNOW WHERE IT IS, WE WILL NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO TO KEEP IT SAFE.

AND FINALLY.

WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE EVERYBODY, NOT ONLY USERS WITH PRIVILEGED ACCESS OR ELEVATED ACCESS USING MULTIFACTOR AUTHENTICATION, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ALSO THE STUDENTS USING MULTIFACTOR AUTHENTICATION.

WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS, EASY FOR THEM TO DO WITHOUT INTERFERING WITH THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL TIME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

AND NOW I'M GOING TO LET OUR DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY SERVICES COME ON OVER AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT HER DEPARTMENT.

THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M ERIN FORD, THE DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY SERVICES.

SO A LITTLE INTRODUCTION TO MY DEPARTMENT.

IT'S A LITTLE BIGGER.

SO I DIDN'T HAVE ROOM FOR ALL THEIR PICTURES, BUT SO I HAVE FOUR ARMS THAT I OVERSEE THE NETWORKING SIDE, THE TECHNICAL SIDE, WHICH IS LIKE YOUR REGULAR TECH SUPPORT, THE DATABASE SIDE SYNERGY, AND THEN OUR OFFICE AND BUSINESS EQUIPMENT LIKE COPIERS AND BIG AV SYSTEMS. SO SOME ACCOMPLISHMENTS SINCE I'VE STARTED, WHICH IS ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO NOW WE HAVE WE STARTED WITH A PILOT OF AUDIO ENHANCEMENT, WHICH WAS JUST AUDIO LIFT IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A LOT THEY OFFER A LOT MORE, INCLUDING WHAT THEY CALL THEIR EPIC SYSTEM, WHICH INTEGRATES BELLS AND INTEGRATES INTERCOM ALONG WITH THE LANYARD AND VOICE LIFT.

SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOWARD AND THAT GOES INTO CURRENT, BUT WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOWARD PUTTING THOSE IN SCHOOLS AND SEEING WHAT THOSE SYSTEMS ARE LIKE.

WE IMPLEMENTED PASSPOINT FOR WI-FI.

IT WORKS WITH JUST T-MOBILE AND AT&T.

VERIZON, IF YOU'RE LISTENING, YOU COULD USE YOU TOO.

SO THAT CELL PHONES WORK BETTER WITH CELL PHONE SERVICE WORKS BETTER IN IN THE BUILDINGS.

IT'S USING OUR WI-FI TO TO HELP WITH CELLULAR SIGNALS, PUTTING WI-FI AT THE FOOTBALL FIELDS TO INCREASE ANYTIME, ANYWHERE LEARNING.

BUT ALSO IT HAPPENS TO ALSO HELP WITH TICKETING WITH THE HUDDLE PASSES.

WE WORKED TO EXPLORE AND IMPLEMENT A CLOUD BASED PHONE SYSTEM FOR TRANSPORTATION, AND WE'RE NOW GOING INTO CURRENT KIND OF LOOKING TO SEE, CAN THAT SYSTEM BE AN ENTERPRISE SYSTEM FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND ALL THE BUILDINGS EVENTUALLY.

WE ALSO WE PURCHASED A PRODUCT TO HELP US WITH INVENTORY MANAGEMENT.

AND ALONG WITH THE TICKETING OF, YOU KNOW, TO SERVICE THAT INVENTORY THAT COINCIDED WITH KIND OF REORGANIZING HOW WE PERFORM

[01:05:02]

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A WHOLE TEAM OF PEOPLE AND THAT'S GONE REALLY WELL.

FINALLY. NOT FINALLY.

SORRY. SO SYNERGY IS WE RE-IMPLEMENTED.

WELL, THE SPECIAL DEPARTMENT RE-IMPLEMENTED THE SPECIAL PART OF SYNERGY.

AND SO WE HELPED THEM WITH THAT TRANSITION BECAUSE IT WASN'T JUST FLIPPING IT BACK ON, IT WAS WE HAVE TO RE-IMPLEMENT IT, WHICH WAS KIND OF A BIG UNDERTAKING.

DR. TILLMAN MENTIONED GOOGLE.

WELL, WE WERE USING IT FOR FREE.

AND THEN GOOGLE GOT WISE TO HOW MUCH SPACE PEOPLE WERE USING IN GENERAL.

SO WE HAD TO UPGRADE WITH SOME LICENSES, AND THEN WE JUST FULLY UPGRADED TO WHAT I CALL THE MAMA JAMA GOOGLE, AND IT HAS THE ENTERPRISE VERSION. SO WE HAVE EXPANDED GOOGLE MEET CAPABILITIES.

PLUS I DON'T REMEMBER HOW MANY TERABYTES.

IT'S A LOT OF TERABYTES.

SO THERE'S MORE OPPORTUNITY.

THERE'S MORE SECURITY TOOLS THAT WE'RE STILL LEARNING ABOUT TOO.

AND THEN OUR DATABASE SERVICES TEAM WORKED REALLY HARD TO GET ONLINE REGISTRATION UP AND RUNNING.

SO INSTEAD OF FAMILIES HAVING TO DO PAPER PENCIL REGISTRATION, THEY CAN START WITH ONLINE WITH SYNERGY AND THEN MOVE FROM THERE.

SO CURRENT PROJECTS THERE'S A LOT OF ONGOING.

SO AUDIO ENHANCEMENT INSTALLATIONS ARE ONGOING.

WE HAD TO REDO THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO ENABLE AUDIO ENHANCEMENT BECAUSE IT'S ALL INTERNET BASED.

IT'S NOT JUST PLUGGING IT IN AND HAVING IT WORK.

SO WE HAD TO WIRE SCHOOLS, PUT IN NEW EQUIPMENT AND THEY'RE STILL DOING SOME WIRING AND THEY'RE STILL DOING SOME INSTALLATIONS, AND THEY'RE ALSO STILL DOING TESTING.

WE ARE ADDING MORE WIRELESS ACCESS POINTS IN HIGH SCHOOLS SO THAT MORE DEVICES CAN BE ONLINE.

WE'RE ALSO TARGETING SPACES THAT ARE HIGH CAPACITY.

SO LIKE THERE ARE SOME SCHOOLS THAT PUT ALL THEIR PUT A BUNCH OF KIDS IN A SPACE FOR TESTING.

SO WE'RE ADDING MORE ACCESS POINTS TO SUPPORT THAT.

WE'VE BEEN A PROMETHEAN SHOP FOR A LONG TIME.

THE INTERACTIVE FLAT PANELS, WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER OPTIONS.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEIR SUPPORT MIGHT NOT ALWAYS BE WHAT WE WANT OR WHAT WE NEED.

SO WHAT ELSE IS OUT THERE? IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT CASTING OPTIONS.

CASTING FROM YOUR COMPUTER TO A TV SOUNDS LIKE IT'S SUPER SIMPLE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE LIKE GOOGLE CHROMECAST OR SOMETHING AT HOME, BUT IT'S ALSO VERY INSECURE. SO WE HAVE SO IT'S KIND OF THIS BALANCE OF MAKING IT EASY AND MAKING IT SECURE SO THAT WE DON'T PRESENT MORE VULNERABILITIES.

SO THAT'S WHY NOTHING IS SUPER FAST BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS SECURITY IN THE BACKGROUND.

PAPERCUT IS A PRODUCT THAT WE'VE PURCHASED FOR THE ENTIRE DIVISION.

IT IS.

IT WORKS WITH COPIERS AND PRINTERS SO THAT INSTEAD OF COPIERS, JUST, YOU KNOW, PRINT JOBS JUST GOING THROUGH, YOU PUT IN YOUR CODE, IT SAVES PAPER.

IT'S MORE SECURE THAT WAY.

SO ONCE YOU PUT IN YOUR CODE AND RELEASE THE PRINT JOB, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T ACCIDENTALLY PRINT SOMETHING YOU DIDN'T WANT TO.

AND IT ENDS UP CREATING LIKE HAVING THE SCHOOLS HAVE SOME MORE DIFFERENTIAL FUNDING SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO BUY AS MUCH PAPER USUALLY.

AND THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT UPGRADING PHONE SYSTEMS FOR SCHOOLS THAT THEIR PHONES WILL JUST STOP WORKING, ESPECIALLY AFTER IT RAINS BECAUSE OF COPPER LINES.

SO AND THEN GOALS.

SO IT'S ALL ONGOING TOO.

SO MORE AUDIO ENHANCEMENT, MORE AGING HARDWARE REPLACEMENTS, MORE PHONE SYSTEM REPLACEMENTS.

AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT'S UPSKILLING OUR STAFF SO THAT THEY CAN SERVICE ALL THESE NEW THINGS THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN.

SO WE'VE ALSO BEEN A FOCUS FOR INSTRUCTION.

SO WE NEED TO EXPAND OUR SERVICES TO THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THE SCHOOLS TOO.

SO FOR INSTANCE, A NEW ERP SYSTEM IS BEING PURCHASED, LOOKED AT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO HELP SUPPORT THAT.

WE ARE ALSO DOUBLING OUR INTERNET CAPACITY FOR HIGH SCHOOLS.

SO NOW MORE BANDWIDTH FASTER.

AND THEN IN ADDITION, WITH IMPLEMENTING OUR NEW TICKETING SYSTEM, WE WANT TO LOOK AT SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENTS AND TRY TO BE MORE PROACTIVE AND SAYING, OKAY, HERE'S YOUR TIME TO RESOLUTION RATHER THAN JUST WE'LL BE THERE WHEN WE GET THERE.

AND FINALLY, JUST ALL THE GROWTH, ALL THE NEW.

[01:10:04]

AND THAT IS IT.

SO YEAH, THANKS SO MUCH, DR.

TILLMAN, MISS LUNSFORD AND MISS FORD.

BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PRESENTATION? MISS CHATTERS. I DID.

YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT YOUR THE ONES THAT WALKED AWAY WHEN YOU HAD THE VACANCIES AND I'M SURE IT SPREAD THROUGHOUT.

BUT DID THEY SPECIFY WHY THEY WERE LEAVING WHEN YOU SAID YOU DID LIKE EXIT INTERVIEWS WITH THEM? WE DID NOT HAVE ANY OPPORTUNITY TO DO EXIT INTERVIEWS.

A LOT OF THE TRANSITIONS THAT OCCURRED WERE RETIREMENTS.

WE HAD ABOUT HALF OF THEM WERE RETIREMENTS.

SO WE HAD ALL NEW STAFF COMING IN FOR THAT.

THE OTHER PEOPLE SORT OF MADE IT CLEAR AS TO WHY THEY WERE FRUSTRATED, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY FORMAL ANSWER FOR THAT.

SO TO GET YOU TO THE STAFFING LEVEL, THAT WOULD BE COMMENSURATE TO THE LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY THAT YOU HAVE.

YOUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE WHAT TO ATTRACT THE PEOPLE THAT YOU NEED.

SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.

[LAUGHTER] IN TERMS OF ATTRACTING PEOPLE.

RIGHT? I MEAN, IT'S THE SAME THING WE ALWAYS USE.

IT'S WE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT CARES.

WE'RE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT WE WORK TOGETHER.

WE DON'T WE'RE NOT IN COMPETITION WITH EACH OTHER, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

BUT THE NEED THAT WE HAVE NOW IS MORE FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE ENTERPRISE LEVEL THINKING INSTEAD OF THE TSAS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE FIRST LINE TECH SUPPORT.

RIGHT. THAT'S WHERE EVERYBODY THINKS WHERE THAT NEED IS.

OUR NEED IS ACTUALLY ON THE BACK END.

WE HAVE TO TRANSITION TO BEING MUCH MORE PROJECT BASED AND PROJECT MANAGED THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE IN THE PAST.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE PURCHASED A NEW TICKETING SYSTEM WAS SO THAT WE COULD START WORKING IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.

WE'RE ALSO GETTING READY TO INSTITUTE NEW PROJECT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE AS WELL, SO THAT WE CAN START THINKING AT AN ENTERPRISE LEVEL.

BUT IN ORDER TO DO THAT, I NEED PROJECT MANAGERS TOO AND I DON'T HAVE ANY.

OR WE NEED VENDOR MANAGERS.

WE NEED THINGS AT THE CENTRAL LEVEL TO SUPPORT THE STAFF ON THE GROUND.

AND RIGHT NOW IT'S A VERY BIG GAP BETWEEN DIRECTOR, COORDINATOR AND THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND.

RIGHT. SO THE COORDINATOR AND THE DIRECTORS THE COORDINATORS AND DIRECTORS ARE HAVING TO PULL A LOT OF THAT LOAD.

SO I WORKED ON ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING PROJECT BEFORE, AND THE THING THAT BROUGHT PEOPLE IN FOR US IS THAT WE PAID THEM BETTER, RIGHT? BECAUSE THAT SKILL SET IS NOT CHEAP FOR WHAT THEY'RE BRINGING TO THE TABLE.

SO TO GET YOU WHAT YOU NEED, I GUESS WE WOULD NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT THE DEPARTMENT IS BEING PAID TO SEE HOW MANY PROJECT MANAGERS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE YOU NEED TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE BUDGET WISE, RIGHT? TO GET YOU TO A HEALTHY SPACE BECAUSE WE ARE CONTINUING TO GROW.

ALTHOUGH I CAN GENERATE THE NEED THAT I HAVE FOR FUNCTIONS ALL OF THOSE OTHER QUESTIONS WOULD BE ANSWERED BY COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS.

YEAH. OKAY. AND THIS QUESTION IS FOR LOURDES.

HELLO, LOURDES.

LOURDES? YES. YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT ONE OF YOUR THREE EMPLOYEES ABOUT TO TAKE THE COMPLIANCE POSITION, AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS SOME COMPLIANCE ISSUES FROM THE AUDIT.

CAN YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT HE'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS NOW, BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO ADDRESS IT BEFORE? RIGHT BEFORE WE WERE NOT ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE AUDITS FINDING BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO CONCENTRATE ON THOSE PARTICULAR POINTS.

NOW THAT WE HAVE THIS NEW POSITION, WHICH IS RECORDS AND COMPLIANCE SPECIALIST.

AND I'M REALLY EXCITED AND HOPING THAT THIS NEW, WELL, NOT NEW INDIVIDUAL, BUT NEW POSITION WILL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS ALL THOSE POINTS IN A MORE TIMELY MANNER THAN BEFORE.

SO DO WE HAVE A CUT OFF THAT DATE OF WHEN WE WERE SUPPOSED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE RESULTS OF THE AUDIT? I DO BELIEVE THAT WE WOULD REQUIRE.

YEAH. DR. TILLMAN.

SO WE THE AUDIT THAT GENERATED THIS POSITION WAS FROM LAST SUMMER TO FOR TECHNOLOGY SERVICES IN GENERAL TO TAKE ON A MUCH LARGER ROLE IN RECORDS MANAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE DIVISION.

PART OF THAT WAS FOR US TO HIRE A RECORDS OFFICER, NOT JUST FOR OUR OWN RECORDS WITHIN OUR DIVISION, BUT THEN TO OFFER SUPPORT TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN TERMS OF PROVIDING SOFTWARE TO THEM FOR FOR USE OR PROVIDING GUIDANCE, PROVIDING LIBRARY OF VIRGINIA COMPLIANCE AUDITING FOR THEM.

SO A LOT OF THOSE THINGS THAT WERE IN THAT AUDIT LAST SUMMER, WE WERE UNABLE TO ADDRESS UNTIL WE HIRED SOMEONE TO ACTUALLY PERFORM THE FUNCTION.

[01:15:07]

SO ALTHOUGH WE'VE HAD SOME, ROADBLOCKS GETTING TO THIS POINT, I NOW FEEL LIKE BECAUSE WE FILL THAT POSITION AND WE FILLED IT WITH AN INTERNAL CANDIDATE, THAT WE CAN HIT THE GROUND RUNNING IMMEDIATELY, RIGHT? WE DON'T HAVE TO TRAIN ANYBODY.

WE DON'T HAVE TO FAMILIARIZE ANYBODY.

WE CAN JUST GO.

SO IN TERMS OF DEADLINES, YES, I HAD APPLIED OR ORIGINALLY I THOUGHT I COULD GET IT DONE.

I THOUGHT I COULD GET STARTED WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF THE AUDIT.

THAT TURNED OUT TO BE AN IMPOSSIBILITY, BASED ON OUR ABILITY TO RELEASE FUNDS, BASED ON OUR ABILITY TO ACCESS THOSE FUNDS, TO ADVERTISE THE POSITION, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

SO WE ARE A LITTLE BEHIND MY INITIAL TIME FRAME.

BUT NOW THAT WE CAN HIT THE GROUND, I NEED TO REEVALUATE THAT TIME.

AND I'M PLANNING TO SPEAK WITH INTERNAL AUDIT ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK WE SHOULD BE WORKING ON NEXT.

OKAY. YEAH, THAT WAS IT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

YOU, DR. TILLMAN HAD MENTIONED IN THE BEGINNING THE CLICHE OF SWOT.

I DON'T THINK IT'S A CLICHE AT ALL.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE EVERY DEPARTMENT DO THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT IT REALLY DOES SHINE A LIGHT ON AREAS THAT ARE OF CONCERN TO YOU, AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES TO ADVANCE AND THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING WELL.

SO I COMMEND YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR TAKING THE TIME TO PRESENT THAT TO US TODAY.

IT'S VERY EYE OPENING.

AND I ALSO PICKED UP ON THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL STAFFING.

YOU LOST 12% OF YOUR STAFF.

YOU STATED SOME OF THAT HAD BEEN CORRECTION THROUGH THE THE PAY INCREASES THAT WERE RECEIVED PER YOUR STATEMENT.

BUT THE AREA OF OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU, YOU HAVE LISTED AS GROWTH DUE TO LIMITED STAFFING.

YOU KNOW, WE ALL I KNOW, WISH WE HAD EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO MAKE THINGS WORK.

HOWEVER, I AM CONCERNED WE CONTINUE TO GROW AS A COUNTY AS OUR SCHOOLS CONTINUE TO GROW AND CYBERSECURITY AND THE INTEGRITY OF THE SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE SHOULD BE PARAMOUNT.

AND SO I'M INTERESTED IN PARTNERING WITH YOU TO CONTINUE TO TO MOVE THAT CONVERSATION FORWARD AS WELL AS WORKING WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD TO ENSURE THAT YOUR STAFF IS HEALTHY IN REGARDS TO YOU HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO, GET THE JOB DONE WITHOUT SOMEONE WEARING SEVEN DIFFERENT HATS.

THEN YOU GO INTO THE BURNOUT THAT YOU HAD TALKED ABOUT, AND THEN THEY GO TO SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT PAYS A LITTLE BIT MORE WITH LESS RESPONSIBILITY THAN THE NUMEROUS HATS THAT THEY WEAR AT THE SCHOOL DIVISION. UNDERSTANDING ALSO THAT THAT DOES COME WITH THE TERRITORY.

BUT I DO THINK THAT WE AS A SCHOOL MOVING FORWARD CAN DO BETTER FOR THAT.

SO I APPRECIATE YOUR TRANSPARENCY AND CANDID CONVERSATION AROUND THAT.

I TWO MORE THINGS WI-FI AT THE FOOTBALL FIELD, THAT'S ALL HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FIELDS.

AND IS THAT FOR THE FOLKS TAKING TICKETS? NOT NECESSARILY FOR MOM AND DAD IN THE STANDS THAT WANT TO, YOU KNOW.

IT IS FOR BOTH. IT'S FOR BOTH.

OKAY. FANTASTIC. OUR PRIMARY OBJECTIVE IS ALWAYS STUDENT IMPACT.

BUT THE PUBLIC ALSO BENEFITS FROM THAT PROJECT.

OUTSTANDING. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE ONLY RECOMMENDATION I WOULD HAVE IN AUTHENTICATION.

AND THIS IS JUST A PERSONAL THING.

I ALWAYS GET TRIPPED UP WHEN IT ASKS ME TO CLICK THE BOX WITH ALL THE STAIRS, AND ONE OF THE BOXES HAS LIKE A CORNER THAT HAS A STAIR IN IT, AND I NEVER KNOW IF I SHOULD CLICK THAT OR NOT. SO I'M NOT A ROBOT, BUT I JUST WASN'T SURE IF THAT BOX SHOULD BE CLICKED ON THE STOPLIGHT.

[LAUGHTER] AND YEAH, WE DO NOT USE CAPTCHA ENVIRONMENTS FOR THAT VERY REASON.

THEY ARE NOT VERY LOVED BY ANYONE.

YEAH, CORRECT? CORRECT.

WELL, I'M IN THAT GROUP.

SO TAKE TAKE THAT ADVICE WITH WHAT YOU WILL.

I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I DID WANT TO ADD, YOU KNOW, THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ACTUALLY LIMITED STAFF MAKES US DO IS MAKES US WORK SMARTER AND MAKES US USE AND LEAN ON OTHER TOOLS AND LEAN ON OUR VENDORS TO SUPPORT US AS WELL.

SO I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO PERFORM OUR PRIMARY FUNCTIONS BECAUSE WE COULD DO IT BIGGER, BETTER, FASTER, STRONGER, WITH MORE.

CORRECT. THAT'S ALL 100% AGREE.

THANK YOU. I'LL BE REAL QUICK.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.

YES. IT IS EVER CHANGING.

SO BEING ABLE TO STAY ON TOP OF SECURITY THREATS THE FAST CHANGING PROGRAMS PART OF MY JOB IS ALSO IN BUSINESS SYSTEMS. SO I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF A PROJECT MANAGER TO BE THE ONE THAT'S RESPONSIBLE BEHIND A PROGRAM.

BECAUSE HAVING SOMEBODY THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE KNOWLEDGEABLE ONE IN ALL THE PROGRAMS IS VERY CHALLENGING.

SO THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING FOR US TO CONSIDER.

AND THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THE AUDIT.

AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE ON STAFF THAT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE THINGS.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION.

I MEAN, A LOT.

WE REALLY GET A CHANCE ONCE A YEAR.

[01:20:01]

SO. WELL DONE.

I WANTED TO JUMP UP AND DOWN A BIT ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS.

THE AUDIO ENHANCEMENT WE SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER.

THAT'S COOL.

AS COOL CAN BE.

YOU'RE WELCOME. SO I JUST I'LL SAY WHAT I THINK IT IS, AND THEN YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK IT IS OR WHAT IT ACTUALLY IS, OR YOU CAN JUST TAKE IT AND HAVE FUN WITH IT.

BUT LIKE, AS A TEACHER, I'M A LITTLE BIT LOUD.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LIKE, WHOO! BUT WE HAVE THE QUIET LITTLE KID IN THE CLASS CORNER OVER THERE.

AND THEN THEIR RESPONSE IS HEARD EVERYWHERE EQUALLY YOU KNOW, A TEACHER HAS VARYING DEGREES OF LOUDNESS, AND SO THAT ALSO IS HEARD THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CLASSROOM.

UNBELIEVABLE. SO WHAT ELSE? IT'S AMAZING.

WELL, SO THAT'S JUST PART OF THE SYSTEM, THE AUDIO LIFT PART, WHICH IS REALLY WHAT DR.

DAUGHERTY WAS SPEARHEADING AND WHAT HE WANTED IN CLASSROOMS FOR ALL STUDENTS.

SO AND AND I MENTIONED THE LANYARD, THE, YOU KNOW, THE TEACHER HAVING THE MICROPHONE TO PROJECT HER VOICE.

BUT YOU'RE CORRECT THAT ALSO THE SYSTEM COMES WITH MICROPHONES SO THAT THE STUDENTS CAN PASS MICROPHONES AROUND.

AND THEN THE YOUNGER GRADES, THE MICROPHONES, A BALL LIKE AN INDESTRUCTIBLE LITTLE BALL THAT THEY CAN TOSS TO EACH OTHER.

BUT AUDIO ENHANCEMENT DOES.

THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THE OVERALL COMPANY.

THEY HAVE KIND OF A SUITE OF PRODUCTS AND WHAT YOU KNOW, WITH WHAT WAS PURCHASED.

THEY ALSO GRACED US WITH THEIR EPIC SYSTEM.

SO LIKE I WAS SAYING IT.

SO USING THE SPEAKERS, THEY NOW INTEGRATE THE BELL SYSTEM AND THE INTERCOM SYSTEM.

AND IF WE THIS IS JUMPING THE GUN, BUT THE LANYARD BECOMES A SAFETY SYSTEM TOO, PRESSING THE BUTTONS ALERTS.

IT DOESN'T ALERT OUTSIDE ENTITIES.

IT ALERTS THE OFFICE THAT SOMETHING'S WRONG IN THE ROOM.

AND SO THAT'S BUILDING A CULTURE OF LIKE, WHY DO WE USE THIS? WHEN DO WE USE THIS? WHAT DOES IT MEAN BEFORE WE JUST ALERT THAT WE HAVE A PROBLEM? SO THAT'S ALL THE NEAT THINGS IT CAN DO AND IT CAN SHOW A MAP OF THE SCHOOL, AND YOU JUST PRESS THE [INAUDIBLE] AND YOU CALL INTO THE ROOM.

IT MAKES OFFICE MANAGERS AND FRONT OFFICE STAFF THEIR LIVES A LOT EASIER TOO.

SO YEAH, THAT'S GREAT.

ESPECIALLY IF A TEACHER DOESN'T HAVE TO STOP TO SEND OFF AN EMAIL WHEN SOMETHING IS HAPPENING OR RUN OVER HERE AND REMEMBER WHAT CODE YOU'RE SENDING, WHATEVER.

IT JUST SOUNDS VERY STREAMLINED AND VERY GOOD.

I DID HAVE ONE MORE THING I HEARD CELLULAR ENHANCEMENT.

AND AS SOMEONE WHO'S STILL KIND OF FRESH FROM A CLASSROOM YOUR CELLULAR ENHANCEMENT FOR A CLASSROOM, YOU'RE LIKE, I'M SORRY, I WANT AN OFF SWITCH.

SO SOME OF THOSE SCHOOLS THE CLASSROOMS ARE IN THE CENTER OF A SCHOOL, AND IT'S SURROUNDED BY CONCRETE, AND NO CELL IS GETTING IN THERE ANYWAY.

AND IT'S GREAT IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE ON THE PERIMETER OF THE SCHOOL.

FIRST FIVE MINUTES PEOPLE ARE CHECKING EVERYTHING IS THAT ANY.

THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A FLIP.

A SWITCH TO STOP THAT, RIGHT? NO, I'M NOT KIDDING.

LIKE 100%. NOT KIDDING.

I WOULD LOVE THAT. YEAH. NO.

RIGHT. AIRPLANE MODE.

YES. FOR THE CLASSROOM.

NO THERE ISN'T I MEAN, THERE ARE CELL JAMMERS, BUT I MEAN, THERE'S JUST GIVE AND TAKE AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, PROS AND CONS.

AND SO IT'S YEAH I YES, I UNDERSTAND.

YES, I AM A FORMER EDUCATOR TOO.

AND I WOULD HAVE I HAD THE PHONE JAIL.

YEP. EXACTLY.

IT'S A DIFFICULT BALANCE BECAUSE IT'S NOT ALWAYS OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE REQUESTING CELLULAR ENHANCEMENT.

IT'S OUR OWN STAFF.

SO FOR JUST AS MANY PEOPLE WHO REQUEST US TO SHUT IT DOWN BECAUSE IT'S A DISTRACTION, THERE'S JUST AS MANY SAYING, I CAN'T, BUT I CAN'T GET TO MY STUFF.

WELL, THAT'S WHY I WAS A SWITCH.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL IDEA.

SO THAT IS DIFFICULT.

BUT. YEAH. BUT YES.

YEAH. IT'S A. IT'S NOT A TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTION FOR WHEN DO THESE DEVICES GET USED? TRUE. ONE MORE, ONE MORE THING AN ANSWER TO MR. PARANTO'S QUESTION ABOUT THE STANDS.

FOOTBALL STANDS. I HAVE TAKEN MY OWN CLASSES OUT TO THE FOOTBALL STANDS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY WHEN IT'S SUNNY AND BEAUTIFUL AND WE'VE READ OR WE'VE DONE THINGS USING THE WI-FI.

SO IT HAS BEEN A CLASSROOM PURPOSING.

YES, INDEED.

THANK YOU.

JUST A FOLLOW UP.

[01:25:03]

YOU SAID IF THEY'RE HAVING AN ISSUE, THAT IT WOULD NOTIFY THE OFFICE RIGHT WHERE THEY ARE IN THE CLASSROOM.

SO IF THEY'RE OUT IN THE HALLWAY, DOES THAT CONNECTIVITY STILL WORK OR IS THAT ONLY FOR THE CLASSROOM? NO, IT WORKS.

SO THE DEVICES ARE USING RADIO SIGNAL.

NOT A DIFFERENT.

SO WHAT IT WILL DO IS IT'LL, LIKE TRIANGULATE.

SO IF YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HALLWAY, IT'LL RING.

IT'LL NOTIFY WHERE YOU ARE CLOSEST TO.

SO WE ALSO PUT BEACONS ON THE PLAYGROUND.

SO OR THEY'LL MOST OF THEM WILL, THEY'LL GET THERE.

SO IF THEY'RE OUTSIDE OF THE PLAYGROUND, YOU'LL SEE THAT THEY'RE ON THE PLAYGROUND.

SO IT ISN'T EXACT.

BUT IF YOU'RE NOT IN YOUR CLASSROOM, IT STILL WORKS.

THEY HAVE A ROUNDABOUT IDEA AS TO WHERE YOU ARE.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR.

TILLMAN, MISS LUNSFORD AND MISS FORD.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

[E. School Board Self-Evaluation, Code of Conduct and Governance Manual]

WE CAN START.

I GUESS WE'LL GO THROUGH BEST PLACE TO START AT THE BEGINNING.

WE'LL START WITH THE SELF-EVALUATION AND WE CAN GO DOWN THE LINE IF EVERYBODY WANTS TO SHARE.

THERE'S ONE IN THE FOLDER.

AND THIS IS REALLY JUST IT IS AS IT SAYS.

THIS IS JUST A REFLECTION.

ARE WE EVEN 12 WEEKS IN? I DON'T KNOW.

[LAUGHTER] I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH REFLECTING THERE IS TO DO, BUT I THINK THIS DOES ALLOW US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SET GOALS AND TO SEE YOU KNOW, WHERE WE WANT TO BE.

SO IF I GUESS WE CAN JUST.

WELL WE'LL START WITH YOU, MISS HUDGINS, AND GO DOWN THE LINE WITH EACH QUESTION.

SO THE FIRST QUESTION, OUR BOARD IS COMMITTED TO A VISION OF HIGHER EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND QUALITY INSTRUCTION.

STRONGLY AGREE, AGREE, DISAGREE, OR STRONGLY DISAGREE.

STRONGLY AGREE.

MR. PARANTO.

WOULD YOU STRONGLY AGREE? YES, AGREE? YES, I STRONGLY AGREE.

MS. COKER.

LET ME TURN MY MIC ON? STRONGLY AGREE.

OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD NOT BE IN THIS POSITION IF WE DID NOT MEET WHAT THAT STATEMENT SAYS.

SO. MISS CHATTERS AGREE.

STRONGLY AGREE. GREAT.

THAT WAS STRONGLY AGREE. STRONGLY AGREE OKAY.

GREAT. WE'RE FIVE FOR FIVE OKAY.

AND THE SECOND QUESTION WE HAVE DEFINED GOALS TOWARD OUR VISION OF HIGH EXPECTATIONS.

WE'LL JUST START BACK WITH YOU, MISS HUDGINS, AND GO BACK DOWN THE LINE.

OKAY. WE ALSO HAVE TO IDENTIFY A GOAL.

[INAUDIBLE] THAT ONE.

DO WE HAVE TO? WELL, IF YOU HAVE A GOAL, IDENTIFY A GOAL.

IDENTIFY IT. YES. THERE YOU GO.

I DON'T LIKE HAVING TO GO FIRST EVERY TIME.

OKAY. WE'LL SWITCH IT UP. DID IT REALLY OKAY? I'M SUPER POSITIVE, GUYS, SO LET'S NOT HAVE DEFINED GOALS.

I'LL JUST SAY AGREE.

OKAY MR. PARANTO.

YES, I AGREE AS WELL.

ARE WE GOING TO HOLD THE IDENTIFIED GOAL TILL AFTER EVERYONE STATES THE FIRST PART? DO YOU HAVE A GOAL TO IDENTIFY? WELL, I THINK THE GOAL OF ANY SCHOOL BOARD SHOULD TO, YOU KNOW, TO BE TO ENSURE THAT THE ACADEMIC SUCCESS EXCEEDS THE EXPECTATION OF STANDARDS.

THAT'S ALWAYS A GOAL TO, YOU KNOW, AIM TOWARDS AND TO ENSURE WITH THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING STAFF TO YOU KNOW, PASS THAT DOWN TO THE SCHOOLS AND THEN SUPPORT THEM, HOWEVER NEEDED WITH THE FEEDBACK THAT WE HAVE IN RETURN.

SO THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE GOALS I WOULD IDENTIFY.

YES. THAT'S GREAT.

I'M GOING TO SKIP YOU.

I'M GOING TO GO NEXT BECAUSE YEAH, I WOULD AGREE BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE.

I THINK WE'VE OUR DIVISION DOES THAT WITH EXCEEDING THE SLQS.

AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WE MAKE THAT A PRIORITY NOT TO DO THE MINIMUM.

AND I APPRECIATE YOU POINTING THAT LIKE REALLY JUST MAKING A POINT TO SAY THAT.

MISS COKER. AGREE AS WELL.

EVEN THOUGH I THINK OBVIOUSLY BEING LESS THAN 12 WEEKS IN, WE STILL HAVE AS A BOARD TO IDENTIFY ALL OF THESE GOALS FOR OURSELVES.

[01:30:01]

EXCELLENT POINT.

MISS CHATTERS. I WOULD SAY AGREE AS WELL, AND A GOAL THAT I WOULD IDENTIFY WOULD BE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTING OUR LIMITED RESOURCES WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED MOST.

BECAUSE THE THEORY OF EVERYBODY GETS ONE IS NOT GOING TO WORK WHEN YOU'RE LIMITED ON RESOURCES.

SO WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THE ONES THAT ARE IN NEED RIGHT NOW.

AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD GOAL TO IDENTIFY.

THANK YOU.

OH YOU WANT ME TO. I'LL START WITH YOU.

NUMBER THREE. WE HAVE STRONG SHARED BELIEFS AND VALUES ABOUT WHAT IS POSSIBLE FOR STUDENTS AND THEIR ABILITY TO LEARN, AND OF THE SYSTEM AND ITS ABILITY TO TEACH ALL CHILDREN AT HIGH LEVELS.

AND YOU CAN IDENTIFY A SHARED BELIEF IF YOU CAN IDENTIFY A SHARED BELIEF.

WE SHARE THAT ONE. SO THAT'S LIKE SO MANY THINGS IN THAT PHRASE.

SO I'M GOING TO SAY THAT I KNOW WE ALL HAVE STRONG BELIEFS.

RIGHT. AND I THINK THE ONE THAT WE SHARE WOULD BE THAT WE WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR KIDS.

RIGHT. SO THAT'S THE EASY ONE TO DO THE ONE THAT WE SHARE ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES FOR STUDENTS AND THEIR ABILITY TO LEARN AND THE SYSTEM AND ITS ABILITY TO TEACH ALL CHILDREN AT HIGH LEVELS.

I THINK THAT REQUIRES A LITTLE BIT MORE DEEPER DIVE THAN WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET INTO.

SO I'M NOT 100% COMFORTABLE ON AGREE FOR THAT BECAUSE THE OTHER PORTIONS OF THE SENTENCE WE HAVEN'T HIT YET CONSIDERING 12 WEEKS IN.

RIGHT. SO IF WE'RE GOING TO IDENTIFY ONE SHARED BELIEF, I WOULD HOPE THAT ONE OF THE SHARED BELIEFS WOULD BE BACK TO THE EQUITABLE RESOURCES, RIGHT? BECAUSE CHILDREN LEARN DIFFERENTLY.

WE KNOW THAT CHILDREN LEARN DIFFERENTLY.

OUR GIFTED LEARNERS OUR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES THEY ALL LEARN DIFFERENTLY.

AND WE SHOULD BE ACCOMMODATING THEM AND RESOURCING THOSE TO THE LEVEL THAT THEY'RE NEEDED.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD SHARED BELIEF THAT WE ALL CAN GET BEHIND.

MISS COKER.

I HAD AGREE, I THINK, TO THE POINT OF TEACHING ALL CHILDREN AT HIGH LEVELS AND BEING ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS ACTUALLY SAW THAT IN THE WORK SESSION FOR THE MATH, RIGHT? SO WE ARE LOOKING TO DIFFERENT PATHWAYS TO ACCOMMODATE ALL OF OUR STUDENTS NEEDS.

SO AGAIN, I TOO HAD THAT.

OUR STUDENTS DESERVE THE BEST EDUCATION AND WE WILL ALWAYS STRIVE STRIVE TO MEET THOSE EXPECTATIONS.

MR. PARANTO.

I DO AGREE WITH MRS. CHATTERS IN REGARDS TO THIS SENTENCE THAT STATES AND OF THE SYSTEM AND ITS ABILITY TO TEACH ALL CHILDREN AT HIGH LEVELS. I DO KNOW THAT WE BOTH CAMPAIGNED ON SPECIAL EDUCATION REFORM AND DIVING INTO THAT.

AND SO WITHIN 12 WEEKS, I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT YOU KNOW, THOSE STRIDES HAVE BEEN MADE.

SO I'M NOT 100% ON THAT.

JUST AT THIS POINT, HOWEVER YOU KNOW, MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR STUDENTS AND THEIR ABILITY TO LEARN.

ABSOLUTELY. YES, I AGREE TO THAT.

AND, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFYING ONE OF THE SHARED BELIEFS IS IN REGARDS TO THE ABILITY TO MAKE THIS WORK IS WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO WHAT OUR TEACHERS ARE TELLING US, WHAT OUR PARENTS ARE TELLING US.

I AGREE WITH MRS. COKER IN REGARDS TO THE PATHWAYS THAT WAS BORN OUT OF A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST TEACHERS, BUT ALSO PARENTS, CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF, WHAT HAVE YOU.

SO SEEING THAT GIVES HOPE TO WHAT'S TO COME.

SO IF THAT IS OUR GUIDING LIGHT, THEN I THINK WE'RE IN A GOOD SPOT TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT WE SHOULD NOT TAKE OUR EYES OFF OF THAT AS FAR AS A SHARED BELIEF, IN MY OPINION. THANK YOU.

MS. HUDGINS.

I WOULD CHECK AGREE ON THIS.

AND I WILL DEFINITELY REITERATE I T IS VERY DIFFICULT TO MOVE A HUMONGOUS SHIP.

AND AGAIN, WHAT WE'VE SEEN THIS CREATIVITY AND FLEXIBILITY IN MY HOW MANY WEEKS, TEN WEEKS ON THIS JOB.

I HAVE SEEN THAT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND I AM PLEASANTLY SURPRISED AGAIN AND AGAIN.

AND SO I FEEL VERY OPTIMISTIC.

[01:35:02]

AND I, AS FAR AS WE HAVE INTERACTED ON THIS BOARD, THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE, THE PRIMARY GOAL FOR US.

AND I THINK IF WE KEEP THAT AS THE NUMBER ONE PRIMARY GOAL, WE WILL ACCOMPLISH OUR TASKS THAT WE HAVE SET FORTH.

TERRIFIC. SO. QUESTION NUMBER FOUR.

EXCUSE ME. OUR BOARD IS ACCOUNTABILITY DRIVEN AND IS AS EVIDENCED BY THE FACT THAT WE SPEND MORE TIME FOCUSED ON POLICIES TO IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT THAN WE DO ON OPERATIONAL ISSUES.

11 WEEKS IN, 11 WEEKS IN, I'M GOING TO SAY ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID HAVE TO ADDRESS WAS A PROCESS AND PROCEDURE ISSUE.

AND I THINK THAT WE CAME TOGETHER TO DO THAT REALLY WELL.

SHORT TURNAROUND TIME.

SO I WOULD SAY AGREE, NOT STRONGLY AGREE YET BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DIVED INTO IT ENOUGH TO, IN MY PERSPECTIVE, TO GIVE A STRONGLY AGREE.

BUT I WOULD SAY AGREE.

MRS. COKER.

AGREE AS WELL.

MR. PARANTO.

AGREE. MISS HUDGINS.

AGREE. GREAT.

QUESTION FIVE WE HAVE A COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY.

MISS CHATTERS.

I'M GOING TO GO WITH AGREE AGAIN.

I'VE, I KNOW I'VE WORN OUT EMAILS TO THE STAFF AND THEY'VE BEEN VERY RESPONSIVE.

AND THE COMMUNITY IS STARTING TO WARM UP TO ENGAGEMENT.

AS LONG AS WE CONTINUE TO ENGAGE THEM, I THINK THEY'LL CONTINUE TO ENGAGE US.

SO I WOULD SAY AGREE. MS. COKER. AGREE.

YES. OBVIOUSLY, FOCUSING ON COMMUNICATION, BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL IS VITAL TO OUR ROLE.

WE CAN ALWAYS THOUGH, IMPROVE COMMUNICATION.

MR. PARANTO.

I WOULD SAY AGREE.

THE COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH STAFF I KNOW WE HAVE IN OUR SHORT 12, IF THAT'S 12 WEEKS RUNTIME, RUN INTO SOME HURDLES AND OBSTACLES THAT I BELIEVE STAFF HAS BEEN YOU KNOW, IN COLLABORATION WITH AND COMMUNICATION WITH US.

AND, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO CIRCLE BACK AROUND AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS THAT HELP US CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.

SO I WOULD SAY AGREE TO THAT.

IN REGARDS TO THE COMMUNITY I, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IS COLLECTIVE AND INDIVIDUAL IN AND OF ITSELF, COLLECTIVE MEANING, THE COMMUNICATION THAT COMES FROM THE SCHOOLS, INDIVIDUAL MEANING EACH REPRESENTATIVE SITTING HERE IN THEIR INTERACTION WITH THE COMMUNITY TO REPRESENT YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY THEIR DISTRICTS, YOU KNOW, CONCERNS AND DESIRES TO THE BOARD, BUT THEN COMMUNICATING THAT AS WELL.

SO MORE WORK OBVIOUSLY BE DONE THERE.

BUT LONG WINDED WAY OF SAYING I AGREE.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

MISS HUDGINS. I AGREE.

QUESTION SIX WE HAVE STRONG WE HAVE A STRONG COMMUNICATION STRUCTURE TO INFORM AND ENGAGE BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS IN SETTING AND ACHIEVING DISTRICT GOALS. I'LL GO FIRST THIS TIME.

THANK YOU, MISS COKER. AGREE.

I THINK ONE THING THAT WE'VE DONE FOR OUR EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS IS WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.

WE HAVE OUR QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER, EMAIL, THAT GOES OUT YOU KNOW, KIND OF HIGHLIGHTING THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN OUR INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS.

SO THAT IS ONE EXAMPLE.

ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO GIVE THEIR INPUT ON THAT? I'M GOING TO BE AGREE ON THIS AS WELL.

I AGAIN BRAND NEW, FRESH ON THE JOB.

BUT WE JUST GOT CCPS ON THE GO.

THE LITTLE MAGAZINE.

SUPER CUTE.

I LOVE IT. FRESH, BRIGHT, LOTS OF INFORMATION.

OF COURSE, WE PUSH OUT THE WEEKLY EMAILS, LOTS OF INFORMATION ON WHAT IS HAPPENING.

I THINK THAT IS VERY GOOD.

THE THING THAT I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN PURSUING FURTHER IS THE ACTUAL COMMUNICATION ON A DAILY BASIS.

WE GO OUT AND WE DO SOME PRETTY COOL THINGS.

AND BY WE, I MEAN ALL OF US INTO THE COMMUNITY.

IT'D BE PRETTY COOL IF NOT ONLY ON OUR OWN PERSONAL FACEBOOK, SOCIAL MEDIA, ETC.

BUT, YOU KNOW ON OUR CCPS SOCIAL MEDIA, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THAT WERE NOT JUST WHAT WE ARE DOING, BUT MORE THINGS WERE HIGHLIGHTED.

I'M HAVING A HARD TIME FIGURING OUT WHAT IS AND WHAT ISN'T.

AND SO ALSO, IF WE TO TO HAVE SOMETHING, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A TOWN HALL OR I'M THINKING THE BUDGET TOWN HALL WAYS TO GET THOSE THINGS OUT.

[01:40:02]

I THINK THAT IS A LITTLE AREA THAT MAYBE WE COULD WORK TOWARD.

I WOULD THERE'S THERE'S NO BOX BETWEEN AGREE AND DISAGREE.

IF THERE WAS, I WOULD CHECK THAT.

I THINK WE'RE WE'RE GETTING THERE.

IN REGARDS TO SEEING OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT AND TAKING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, YES.

THE MAGAZINE THAT GOES OUT TO THE COMMUNITY IS GREAT.

YOU KNOW, HIGHLIGHTS SOME THINGS.

I KNOW THAT THERE ARE OR THAT THERE IS, PARDON ME, THE FACEBOOK PAGE FOR YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT ALSO GIVES OUT INFORMATION.

AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE AVENUE.

SO I DO AGREE WITH YOU IN REGARDS TO THAT.

SO WE'RE DOING IT.

I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT AMPLIFIED A BIT MORE.

TERRIFIC. I PUT YOU IN BETWEEN.

AGREE AND DISAGREE AND I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT.

I KNOW.

NUMBER SEVEN, OUR BOARD IS DATA SAVVY.

WE EMBRACE AND MONITOR DATA EVEN WHEN THE INFORMATION IS NEGATIVE, AND USE IT TO DRIVE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.

AGAIN, THIS MAY BE ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS THAT'S A LITTLE TOO EARLY IN THE GAME TO REALLY HAVE A, YOU KNOW A SATISFYING REFLECTION ON. BUT MISS CHATTERS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD TO THAT? I WAS GOING TO SAY I AGREE BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR DATA AND I'VE BEEN GETTING IT, AND THEN I CAN AGGREGATE IT.

I CAN FILTER IT TO GIVE ME THE INFORMATION I NEED TO PRESENT TO ALL OF YOU.

YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, THE DALEDISTRICT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE DATA I WAS GIVEN TO USE TO COME UP WITH THE ANALYSIS FOR THAT WAS GIVEN BY THE STAFF.

RIGHT. AND SO THE WAY HE'S CATALOGING IT MADE SENSE.

IT WAS EASY TO READ.

AND IT SHOWED YOU KNOW DALE DISTRICT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TOP FIVE.

FOUR OF THEM ARE DALE SCHOOLS THAT ARE OVERCROWDED.

SO TO HELP ME LEAD YOU GUYS IN THAT CONVERSATION, THAT'S WHERE THE METRIC CAME FROM.

THE NUMBER OF TRAILERS, THAT DATA I ASKED FOR, THE AGE OF OUR BUILDINGS, THAT DATA I ASKED FOR, AND IT PROVIDED ENOUGH DETAIL INFORMATION, HOPEFULLY TO CONVINCE THE BOARD TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN MY DISTRICT.

SO THE METRICS THAT WE'RE USING, THE WAY OUR STAFF IS CATALOGING THAT DATA IS IMPORTANT.

AND IT WAS VERY USEFUL TO ME.

SO I WOULD SAY STRONGLY AGREE.

YOU GET A GOLD STAR.

[LAUGHTER] MS. COKER. I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT.

MR. PARANTO. I AGREE.

I AGREE ALSO.

AND I'M GOING TO ADD STAFF HAS BEEN I'M GOING TO REITERATE PATIENT BUT VERY HELPFUL.

SO I CAME IN KNOWING NOT MUCH AT ALL.

AND AGE OF PLAYGROUNDS.

HOW MUCH WHEN WHAT HAS BEEN PUT DOWN PAINTED.

THIS HAS BUILT BUILDING WHEN IT HAS BEEN.

WHEN WAS IT PAINTED.

WHEN WERE THESE GYMS REPLACED? VESTIBULES. ALL OF THIS STUFF.

I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING THIS AND EVERYTHING I ASKED FOR IT'S THE INFORMATION I'M GIVEN IN A VERY TIMELY FASHION.

I'M ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON THAT MAKES ME LOOK GOOD, AND I AM SO THANKFUL.

I'M SO THANKFUL.

AND SO. YES.

SO WHAT WOULD THAT BE? I'M A STRONGLY AGREE ABSOLUTELY RINGING ENDORSEMENT.

NUMBER EIGHT, WE WORK TO ALIGN AND SUSTAIN RESOURCES TO MEET DISTRICT GOALS EVEN IN THE MIDST OF BUDGET CHANGES.

I WOULD SAY AGREE CHALLENGES.

DID I SAY. I'M GRATEFUL THAT THE BOARD IS WILLING TO LISTEN.

AND THAT'S PART OF THE JOB IS LISTENING.

AND EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE BUDGET CHALLENGES, I APPRECIATED THE FACT THAT THE CONSENSUS WAS TO ADD SOME THINGS TO THE UNFUNDED REQUIREMENTS.

THAT WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF IT DIDN'T ASK FOR ONE, BUT THAT WAS ONE THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME AND MY CONSTITUENTS THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT'S GOING, WHAT'S NOT GOING AS WELL AS IT COULD BE IN MY DISTRICT.

AND I APPRECIATED THE SUPPORT FROM ALL OF YOU TO ADD THAT TO THE UNFUNDED REQUIREMENTS.

SO I WOULD SAY I STRONGLY AGREE.

MISS COKER. I TOO HAD STRONGLY AGREE.

ACTUALLY FOR THE EXACT SAME REASON THAT DURING OUR FIRST BUDGET SEASON WE DID RECEIVE FEEDBACK ON A FEW THINGS THAT WERE NOT IN OUR UNFUNDED LIST, AND WE DID WORK TOGETHER TO GET THOSE ADDED.

MR. PARANTO, I WOULD BE A STRONGLY AGREE.

STRONGLY AGREE. ANOTHER FIVE FOR FIVE.

I LOVE TO SEE IT.

WE LEAD A UNITED TEAM WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT WITH STRONG COLLABORATION AND MUTUAL TRUST.

MS. HUDGINS.

STRONGLY AGREE.

THANK YOU.

[01:45:02]

I AGREE. STRONGLY AGREE.

AGREE. AND NUMBER TEN, OUR BOARD TAKES PART IN TEAM DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING TO BUILD SHARED KNOWLEDGE, VALUES AND COMMITMENTS FOR OUR IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS.

I HAVE, NOT APPLICABLE, BUT WE DO HAVE TRAININGS PLANNED.

SO WE'RE GETTING THERE.

SO I WOULD SAY THE SAME THING.

IF WE HAVE TO MARK SOMETHING, I GUESS I'D SAY DISAGREE BECAUSE IT'S ONLY BEEN 11 WEEKS.

WE HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE. THAT'S FAIR RIGHT.

IT'S DISAGREE BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING YET.

THE ONE THING WE HAD SCHEDULED GOT CANCELED.

I KNOW, I THINK I WOULD HAVE BEEN THE ONLY BOARD TO SIGN UP.

I WOULD SAY WHEN WE HAD OUR RETREAT DOWN IN WILLIAMSBURG OUR VETERAN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD DID COME TO US AND RECOMMEND THE DIFFERENT SESSIONS TO ATTEND.

SO I DO RECALL MY INTEREST IN THE BUDGET.

MISS COKER SAID, WELL, HEY, LISTEN, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO GET A GLIMPSE OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

AND SO THOSE THINGS, I THINK WOULD TAKE CREDIT ON TEN AND I WOULD SAY AGREE TO THAT.

FANTASTIC. THE VSBA CONFERENCE.

YES. YEP. YEAH.

I DON'T N/A ON THIS.

I'M STRONGLY AGREEING HERE.

I THINK THAT AS SOMEONE WHO CAME ON THE BOARD WITH PRECIOUS LITTLE INFORMATION, I FEEL LIKE THE TRAINING BOTH YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE IT ON PURPOSE, AND WE'VE DONE IT CASUALLY.

AND I THINK BOTH WAYS WERE VERY BENEFICIAL, AND I FEEL SUPPORTED.

I HAD AGREE TWOFOLD.

YES. WE'VE DONE I THINK THE ONBOARDING FOR THE NEW MEMBERS TOO ALSO COUNTS AS TRAINING.

AND THEN YES, THE WHAT WE TOOK PLACE IN NOVEMBER AND THEN YES, WE HAVE SOMETHING ALSO ON THE BOOKS.

SO. ON THE BACK OF YOUR EVALUATION FORM, THERE ARE TWO QUESTIONS.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS ONE OF YOUR BOARD'S GREATEST STRENGTHS, AND WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS AN AREA OF GROWTH FOR YOUR BOARD? WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST? MISS CHATTERS.

THE ANSWER IS THE SAME FOR BOTH.

OH, I LIKE IT. WE HAVE REALLY STRONG PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD.

AND THAT CAN GO EITHER WAY, RIGHT? WE COULD BE DEAD FAST IN OUR POSITIONS, WHICH COULD BE AN AREA OF GROWTH, RIGHT? TO NOT BE SO LOCKED IN TO OUR POSITION AND BE WILLING TO LISTEN.

BUT ALSO, ONE OF OUR GREATEST STRENGTHS IS THE FACT THAT WE'RE LOCKED IN, RIGHT? SO, I MEAN, IT IS BOTH A NEGATIVE AND A POSITIVE DEPENDING ON WHAT DIRECTION WE'RE GOING.

BUT THE STRENGTH OF BEING SO FOCUSED AND LOCKED IN IS THAT.

I HAVE FOUND THAT WE'RE MORE WILLING TO LISTEN THAN I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE.

RIGHT. I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE.

IF YOU'RE SO LOCKED IN TO YOUR POSITION, YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO LISTEN, RIGHT? OR I WOULDN'T BE WILLING TO LISTEN.

BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

LIKE WE ARE MANAGING TO GET THROUGH TO EACH OTHER ANYWAY.

EVEN THOUGH WE'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR SUBJECT.

RIGHT. OR WE DIDN'T SEE IT THAT WAY BEFORE.

SO I WOULD SAY THE BOARD STRENGTH IS THAT WERE STUBBORN AND LOCKED IN.

BUT IT'S ALSO AN AREA OF GROWTH IS TO CONTINUE TO LISTEN LIKE WE COULD BE BETTER.

I THINK IF WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT EACH OTHER'S DISTRICT, THAT MIGHT HELP US SEE THE THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND BECAUSE IT'S NOT HAPPENING.

RIGHT? YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, YOU DON'T KNOW.

BUT IF WE TOOK THAT TIME TO DO THAT, YOU KNOW, ONCE A YEAR TO VISIT THE OTHER DISTRICT OR SOMETHING, THEN THAT CAN HELP US WITH THE INSIGHT ON HOW WE MAKE DECISIONS.

MS. COKER. MY AREA THAT I SAID FOR OUR BOARD'S GREATEST STRENGTH IS NEW IDEAS AND NEW COLLABORATION.

KIND OF FOLLOWING SUIT WITH WHAT MISS CHATTER SAYS, YOU KNOW.

IT'S THREE NEW PEOPLE.

SO YOU'VE GOT GREAT IDEAS AND THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE BROUGHT FORTH.

HAVING THE BENEFIT OF BEING A VETERAN OLD TIMER OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT YOU KNOW, GOT TO SEE A BOARD THAT DID COLLABORATE.

WELL, THAT DID HAVE GOOD COMMUNICATIONS.

AND THAT IS WHAT I HOPE TO SEE WITH THIS BOARD AS WELL.

AND SO FAR SO GOOD. SO I HOPE WE KEEP THAT UP WITH, WITH OUR STRENGTH.

AREA OF GROWTH IS COMMUNICATION.

LEARNING EACH OTHER'S BEST COMMUNICATION STYLE TOO IS KEY.

IS IT BETTER TO WHEN TO TALK TO EACH OTHER? I THINK MR. PARANTO KNOWS MY BEST TIME IS DURING SOCCER PRACTICE, WHEN I'M SITTING AT RIVER CITY WAITING FOR MY DAUGHTER'S PRACTICE TO END.

SO THOSE TYPE OF, OF THINGS ARE THINGS THAT WE STILL NEED TO LEARN.

[01:50:02]

THANK YOU, MR. PARANTO. I ALSO FOR THE BELIEF IN GROWTH COMMUNICATION.

I WOULD SECOND OR THIRD.

I GUESS I SHOULD SAY THAT POINT AND I DO AGREE IN ONE OF OUR GREATEST STRENGTHS, I THINK YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY AS PASSIONATE AS I KNOW I CAN BE ABOUT VARIOUS TOPICS, THE QUESTION FOR ME IS ALWAYS WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE STUDENT AND OF THE TEACHERS? AND SO I THINK WE COMMONLY FIVE OF US SHARE THAT SAME, EVEN IF IT LOOKS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I MAY THINK OR ANOTHER COLLEAGUE MAY THINK, IT'S STILL THAT DRIVE OF WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MATH PATHWAY THAT WE WILL CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, AND VOTE ON WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE STUDENT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A BUDGET, WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE STUDENT.

SO NUMEROUS EXAMPLES THERE THAT WE COULD RECITE.

BUT I DO THINK THAT'S A STRENGTH OF THIS BOARD, THAT IT DOES NOT FALL ON DEAF EARS, THAT REALITY OF WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ADVANCE CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS? AGAIN, WE HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS AS TO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

BUT WORKING TOGETHER TO BE ABLE TO SAY THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD.

I'VE SEEN PORTIONS OF THAT ALREADY FROM THIS BOARD.

YOU KNOW, AS MUCH AS WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS IN WHICH WE MAY NOT AGREE ON THINGS, WE'VE ALSO HAD CONVERSATIONS IN WHICH WE HAVE COLLABORATIVELY COME TOGETHER AND SAID, YES, THIS IS HOW WE BELIEVE WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD.

SO THAT IS A STRENGTH FOR US.

THANK YOU. MS. HUDGINS. MISS CHATTERS TOOK THE WORDS OUT OF MY MOUTH.

COLLEGIALITY IS FRANKLY THE WORD THAT COMES TO MIND.

WE ARE PEOPLE THAT ALL OF US HAVE STRONG OPINIONS.

AND WHAT I HAVE FOUND IS THAT AT OUR HEART, IT IS WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE STUDENTS AND BY EXTENSION THE STAFF, ADMIN, ETC.

THAT IS OUR END GOAL.

AND I HAVE FOUND THE LEVEL OF RESPECT AMONGST THE FIVE OF US HAS BEEN IN THE FACE OF MAYBE SOME DIFFERENCES OF OPINIONS.

IT'S BEEN ACTUALLY HEARTENING.

SO I AM VERY HAPPY WITH OUR LEVEL OF COLLEGIALITY.

AND SO THESE ARE ALL I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT AN EASY THIS IS AN AREA OF GROWTH.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE DOING GREAT AT.

THIS IS A BIG MIX.

AND COMMUNICATION.

THAT'S IT. IT'S COMMUNICATION.

SO WE'RE ALL DIFFERENT.

WE ALL HAVE STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, SKILLS AND BEING ABLE TO RESPECTFULLY ADDRESS ONE ANOTHER AND BELIEVING THE BEST. AND THAT'S, MY KEY TAKEAWAY I BELIEVE I'VE INTERACTED WITH, YOU KNOW, THE FOUR OF YOU ENOUGH THAT I KNOW WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM. AND I CAN BELIEVE THAT AT YOUR HEART, YOU HAVE A POSITIVE MINDSET TOWARD THIS, THIS PROBLEM WE MIGHT BE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH.

AND THAT'S VERY HELPFUL FOR ME TO TO KNOW.

SO THAT'S ALL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

I SAID THAT I LIKE AND I THINK THIS IS KIND OF VERY TELLING THAT OURS ARE SO SIMILAR.

BUT MY I THINK ONE OF OUR GREATEST STRENGTHS IS THAT WE ARE NEW.

THERE'S NO OLD HABITS TO BREAK.

THERE'S NO OLD WAYS TO UNDO.

IT'S A FRESH START.

AND I BELIEVE THAT LEARNING OUR KIND OF ALONG THE LINES, I THINK EVERYBODY'S KIND OF TOUCHED ON IT.

LEARNING THE WAY WE ALL COMMUNICATE, LEARNING HOW WE EACH LEARN.

IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'LL TAKE SOME TIME FOR US TO TO KNOW WHAT WORKS BEST FOR EACH OTHER.

AND THAT'S JUST AN THAT'S JUST A TIME OPPORTUNITY.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY.

ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS WITH THAT.

BOARD MEMBERS WE DO HAVE ON THE AGENDA DISCUSSION OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT AND GOVERNANCE MANUAL.

WE ALSO IN 5.5 MINUTES WE ARE SCHEDULED TO HAVE A CLOSED SESSION. MR. ROBERTS, DO WE NEED A MOTION TO MOVE THIS ITEM OR I GUESS IT'S A WORK SESSION.

WE DON'T NEED TO DO ANYTHING FANCY.

YEAH.

WE'LL JUST PUT IT BACK INTO THE FOLDER AND SAVE IT FOR LATER.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

IF WE WERE GOING TO EXTEND IT TONIGHT.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

[01:55:04]

AND WE WILL HOLD OFF ON THAT CODE OF CONDUCT AND GOVERNANCE DISCUSSION.

UNTIL I, I WOULD RECOMMEND THE NEXT WORKING SESSION.

OKAY. ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS OR COMMENTS FROM SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS?

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

IT WAS A GREAT TOUR TODAY.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

IT'S GOING IN TWO WEEKS.

IT'S A PHENOMENAL SPACE.

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN. IT'S GREAT.

I'VE ALREADY BEEN.

AND I ALSO WAS IN THE I CAN'T REMEMBER THE ACTUAL NAME, BUT I PARTICIPATED IN THE EXERCISE CLUB AND I AM NOT.

THIS IS NOT A JOKE. THE NEXT DAY I WAS SORE.

I WAS TAKING IT SERIOUSLY AND I WAS DOING BURPEES.

I WAS LIKE, WHY THEY CAN'T? I CAN LIKE HOP AWAY FROM MY CAMERA.

LET ME TURN THIS THING OFF.

YEAH. SUPER FUN.

THOSE KIDS WERE ADORABLE.

I LOVE THAT. ARE THERE ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS OR COMMENTS? OKAY, THE NEXT SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS MEETING WILL BE HELD THIS EVENING, MARCH 12TH, 2024 AT 6:30 P.M., RIGHT HERE IN THE PUBLIC MEETING ROOM.

[G. Adjournment into Closed Session]

THE CLOSED SESSION WILL BE HELD IN THE SUPERINTENDENTS CONFERENCE ROOM.

MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE ANNOUNCE THE ITEMS FOR TODAY'S CLOSED SESSION? IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT SCHOOL BOARD DESIRES TO ENTER INTO CLOSED SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 2.2-3711.A OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA.

THE VIRGINIA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT IS SPECIFICALLY UNDER SUBSECTION ONE, THE DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF PERSONNEL DISCIPLINARY MATTERS.

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

DO I HAVE A MOTION IN THAT REGARD? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION.

DOMINIQUE CHATTERS.

AYE. STEVEN PARANTO.

AYE. LISA HUDGINS.

AYE. ANN COKER.

AYE. DOT HEFFRON.

AYE. WE ARE NOW IN CLOSED SESSION.

BOARD MEMBERS DO I HAVE A MOTION TO RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. THE BOARD IS NOW IN OPEN SESSION.

MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE RESOLUTION CERTIFYING THE CLOSED SESSION? NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD HEREBY CERTIFIES THAT TO THE BEST OF EACH MEMBERS KNOWLEDGE, ONE ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS LAWFULLY EXEMPTED FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS BY VIRGINIA LAW WERE DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED MEETING TO WHICH THIS CERTIFICATION RESOLUTION APPLIES, AND TWO ONLY SUCH PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS AS WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE MOTION CONVENING THE CLOSED MEETING WERE HEARD, DISCUSSED, OR CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD.

IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION.

DOMINIQUE CHATTERS.

AYE. STEVEN PARANTO.

AYE. LISA HUDGINS.

AYE. ANN COKER.

AYE. DOT HEFFRON.

AYE. THE MOTION CARRIES.

IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE FIRST PERSONNEL MATTER IN CASE NUMBER 2023-24/57-HR IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD.

IS THERE A SECOND? SO MOVED.

MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION.

DOMINIC CHATTERS.

AYE. STEVEN PARANTO. AYE.

LISA HUDGINS. AYE.

ANN COKER. AYE.

DOT HEFFRON. AYE.

THE MOTION CARRIES.

IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE NEXT PERSONNEL MATTER IN CASE NUMBER 2023-24/58-HR.

IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION.

DOMINIQUE CHATTERS.

AYE. STEVEN PARANTO.

AYE. LISA HUDGINS.

AYE. ANN COKER.

AYE. DOT HEFFRON.

AYE. THE MOTION CARRIES.

IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE NEXT PERSONNEL MATTER IN CASE NUMBER 2023-24/59-HR, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD. IS THERE A SECOND? SO MOVED. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL? ROLL ON THE MOTION.

DOMINIQUE CHATTERS.

AYE. STEVEN PARANTO.

AYE. LISA HUDGINS.

AYE. ANN COKER.

AYE. DOT HEFFRON.

AYE. THE MOTION CARRIES.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.