>> AYE. THE MOTION CARRIES. 
          [00:00:03]
GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I'D LIKE TO CALL THE OCTOBER 8TH, 
          [A. Meeting Opening - 6:30 p.m.]
2024 SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS MEETING TO ORDER. 
          BEFORE WE BEGIN THE MEETING THIS EVENING, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR ATTENDING AND REMIND THE AUDIENCE THAT COMMENTS TO THIS BOARD MAY ONLY BE MADE AT THE PODIUM DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. 
          COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE ARE PROHIBITED AND ARE IN VIOLATION OF SECTIONS 18.2-415 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA, DISORDERLY CONDUCT IN PUBLIC PLACES, AND SCHOOL BOARD POLICY 6141. 
          I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING SO THAT WE CAN CONDUCT THE BUSINESS MEETING IN AN ORDERLY FASHION. 
          THIS IS HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH. 
          HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH RUNS FROM SEPTEMBER 15TH THROUGH OCTOBER 15TH EACH YEAR, AND THE THEME FOR 2024 IS PIONEERS OF CHANGE, SHAPING THE FUTURE TOGETHER. 
          DID YOU KNOW THAT 21% OF OUR 64,000 STUDENTS ARE HISPANIC? THROUGHOUT CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WE ARE CELEBRATING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH WITH MUSIC, PARADES, FOOD, AND PRIDE. 
          WE WILL NOW HAVE AN INVOCATION BY MISS HUDGINS, FOLLOWED BY THE FLAG SALUTE LED BY MISS CHATTERS. 
          >> PLEASE BOW YOUR HEADS. DEAR LORD, WE COME BEFORE YOU WITH OPEN HEARTS, SEEKING TO EMBODY YOUR SPIRIT OF COMPASSION AND CARE. 
          AS WE MAKE DECISIONS THAT IMPACT THE LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND EDUCATORS, MAY WE ALWAYS DO SO WITH EMPATHY, UNDERSTANDING, AND WISDOM. 
          GRANT US THE ABILITY TO SEE BEYOND POLICIES AND NUMBERS, RECOGNIZING THE HUMAN FACES BEHIND EVERY DECISION WE MAKE. 
          HELP US EXTEND A HELPING HAND TO THOSE IN NEED, PROVIDING SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO THOSE FACING CHALLENGES. 
          LET OUR EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY BE A BEACON OF COMPASSION WHERE EVERYONE FEELS VALUED AND CARED FOR. 
          IN YOUR NAME, WE PRAY, AMEN. 
          >> BEFORE WE CONTINUE WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA APPROVAL, THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO OFFER SOME COMMENTS. 
          WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK AT MEADOWBROOK HIGH SCHOOL WAS TERRIBLE. 
          IT WAS UNTHINKABLE AND IT WAS TRAUMATIC. 
          WE HOPE THINGS LIKE THIS NEVER HAPPENED IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT WE CANNOT STAND ON HOPE ALONE. 
          WE DO PREPARE FOR EMERGENCIES BECAUSE SAFETY FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF IS A TOP PRIORITY. 
          WE SAY THAT A LOT AND IT IS NOT SAID LIGHTLY. 
          WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE A STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH CHESTERFIELD POLICE. 
          EVERY MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL IN OUR DISTRICT HAS A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER ON CAMPUS, TRAINED TO WORK IN EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS. 
          ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE SCHOOL SECURITY OFFICERS IN EVERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 
          INDIVIDUALIZED EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANS, SAFETY PLANNING FOR EVERY SCHOOL, AND AT EVERY LEVEL OF OUR SCHOOL DIVISION, AND A STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHESTERFIELD COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE IN PLACE. 
          LAST TUESDAY, WHEN ADMINISTRATORS AT MEADOWBROOK BECAME AWARE OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED, THEY IMMEDIATELY PLACED THE SCHOOL INTO LOCKDOWN, AND THEY ENGAGED WITH THEIR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER WHO CALLED FOR ADDITIONAL POLICE SUPPORT. 
          STUDENTS WERE KEPT IN PLACE WHILE POLICE LOCATED A SUSPECT. 
          A REUNIFICATION CENTER WAS ESTABLISHED AT MEADOWDALE LIBRARY, WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM POLICE AND SCHOOLS TO HELP FAMILIES. 
          WHEN THE SITUATION ALLOWED AND WHEN POLICE GUIDANCE, A STAGGERED RELEASE OF STUDENTS BEGAN. 
          STUDENT DRIVERS WERE RELEASED FIRST. 
          PARENT PICKUP WAS FACILITATED FROM THE MEADOWDALE LIBRARY, AND STUDENTS WHO RIDE THE BUS WERE RELEASED TO BUSES AT THE REGULAR TIME. 
          THE SCHOOL COMMUNICATED WITH FAMILIES AND STAFF DURING THAT TIME TO KEEP THEM UPDATED ON WHAT WAS HAPPENING, AND THOSE MESSAGES WERE ALSO SHARED WITH THE MEDIA. 
          THE PROCESS WAS NOT PERFECT. 
          WITH THE SHEER NUMBER OF PEOPLE AT MEADOWDALE LIBRARY, IT DID TAKE SOME TIME TO GO THROUGH THE CHECKOUT PROCESS AND GET STUDENTS RECONNECTED WITH THEIR FAMILIES. 
          BUT IT WAS THOUGHTFUL, AND WE APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY PERSON WHO HELPED DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME. 
          OUR STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FAMILIES MUST BE COMMENDED FOR HOW THEY REACTED TO THIS UNEXPECTED AND HORRIFIC EVENT. 
          WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS OCCURS, AS A COMMUNITY, WE IMMEDIATELY BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN MAKE OUR SCHOOLS SAFER. 
          [00:05:16]
I ALSO WANT TO SHARE THAT WHILE WE HAVE NUMEROUS SAFETY MEASURES ALREADY IN PLACE AT OUR SCHOOLS, STUDENTS MAY ALWAYS REACH OUT TO THEIR COUNSELORS AT THEIR SCHOOL FOR SUPPORT, OR FAMILIES MAY CONTACT THE SCHOOL DIRECTLY FOR MORE INFORMATION. 
          SERVICES ARE ALSO IN PLACE FOR OUR STAFF MEMBERS, AND ANN COKER WILL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT. 
          >> WE KNOW THAT WITHOUT OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF, CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WOULD NOT HAVE THE OUTSTANDING REPUTATION THAT WE ARE KNOWN FOR. 
          OUR STUDENTS WOULD NOT HAVE STRONG AND CARING GUIDANCE AT SCHOOLS THAT CONTRIBUTE SO MUCH TO THEIR GROWTH. 
          FOR EVERY MEMBER OF OUR STAFF WORKS TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, AND IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT STAFF ALSO RECEIVE SUPPORT. 
          IT IS IMPORTANT THAT STAFF MEMBERS REACH OUT FOR HELP WHEN THEY NEED IT. 
          CHESTERFIELD SCHOOLS OFFERS AN EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR EVERYONE WHO WORKS IN OUR DIVISION. 
          THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE FREE ACCESS TO COUNSELING AND THERAPY, HEALTH AND WELLNESS SUPPORT, AND MORE. 
          OUR HUMAN RESOURCE STAFF WERE ON-SITE AT MEADOWBROOK HIGH SCHOOL LAST WEDNESDAY TO ASSIST IN FACILITATING ASSISTANCE. 
          JUST LIKE OUR STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES, STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
          IT IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE AND WE ENCOURAGE EVERY STAFF MEMBER TO USE THIS SERVICE IF NEEDED. 
          MISS HEFFRON TALKED ABOUT SAFETY MEASURES IN OUR SCHOOLS. 
          WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT SROS AND SSOS AND THE PLANS AND THE SERVICES THAT ARE IN PLACE, AND THEY ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. 
          BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE TO ENSURE SAFETY IN OUR SCHOOLS. 
          AS PARENTS, WE SHOULD FEEL OUR CHILDREN WILL BE SAFE WHEN WE PUT THEM ON THE BUS AND GO TO SCHOOL. 
          STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE WORRIED ABOUT VIOLENCE AT A PLACE THAT THEY GROW AND LEARN AND BECOME. 
          STAFF SHOULD NOT HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENING AT WORK. 
          SAFETY IS A TOP PRIORITY, AND IT IS ALWAYS TOP OF MIND FOR OUR SCHOOL BOARD AND OUR SCHOOL DIVISION LEADERSHIP. 
          NOW, MISS CHATTERS HAS A FEW WORDS. 
          >> GOOD EVENING. I REPRESENT THE DALE DISTRICT, WHICH INCLUDES MEADOWBROOK HIGH SCHOOL. 
          LAST WEEK WAS A VERY SAD WEEK FOR OUR COMMUNITY. 
          AN EVENT LIKE THIS IS MOST OFTEN FELT WHERE IT HAPPENS BY THE STUDENTS AND THE STAFFS WHO LEARN AND WORK THERE EVERY DAY AND THEIR FAMILIES. 
          BUT IT IS ALSO DEEPLY FELT ACROSS OUR SCHOOL DIVISION BY ALL OF OUR FAMILIES AND THE STUDENTS AND STAFF. 
          WE DO NOT EXPECT SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN IN OUR BACKYARD. 
          I WANT TO SAY TO THE MEADOWBROOK COMMUNITY AND ALL OF OUR CHESTERFIELD SCHOOL COMMUNITIES TO KNOW THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO HAVING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF. 
          THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT AND WE KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU. 
          I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THE STRENGTH OF THE MEADOWBROOK COMMUNITY. 
          THEY ARE MEADOWBROOK STRONG. 
          LAST TUESDAY, OUR STUDENTS HAD A LONG DAY, AND I'M SURE THAT THEY WERE EXHAUSTED AND FILLED WITH ALL TYPES OF EMOTION. 
          BUT THEY EXHIBITED THE EXCEPTIONAL LEVEL OF MATURITY, CALM, AND RESPECT THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE DAY. 
          OUR TEACHERS AND OUR STAFF DISPLAYED COMPASSION, PROVIDING COMFORT AND LEADERSHIP WITHOUT PANIC OR FRUSTRATION, AND OUR FAMILIES, THOUGH JUSTIFIABLY WORRIED SICK, WERE FOCUSED UNTIL THEY WERE REUNITED WITH THEIR STUDENTS. 
          I AM SO PROUD OF OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF AND FAMILIES ON HOW WE MANAGED THAT INCIDENT. 
          WE HEAR PEOPLE SAY THAT IS NOT WHAT HAPPENS THAT DEFINE US, BUT HOW WE REACT. 
          THE RESILIENCE AND THE HEART DEMONSTRATED BY THE MEADOWBROOK COMMUNITY WAS EMPOWERING. 
          I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE, HOWEVER, THAT AN EVENT LIKE THIS HAS HAD A LASTING IMPACT. 
          ALTHOUGH MEADOWBROOK HIGH SCHOOL WAS CLOSED LAST WEDNESDAY, STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES WERE ON HAND TO ASSIST STUDENTS WHO NEEDED SUPPORT. 
          MY BOARD COLLEAGUE, MISS HUDGINS, WILL SHARE MORE ABOUT THOSE SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE STUDENTS. 
          >> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE SUPPORT STUDENTS DURING DIFFICULT TIMES, PARTICULARLY DURING TIMES OF CRISIS. 
          WHENEVER SOMETHING OF THIS GRAVITY OCCURS, IT'S NATURAL FOR STUDENTS TO EXPERIENCE FEAR, SADNESS, CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. 
          WE KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE THESE FEELINGS THE SPACE AND ATTENTION THEY REQUIRE, SO OUR STUDENTS CAN MOVE FORWARD IN THE MOST POSITIVE WAY POSSIBLE. 
          [00:10:05]
LAST WEDNESDAY, COUNSELORS AND OTHER MEDICAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WHO WERE AT MEADOWBROOK HIGH SCHOOL TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WHO NEEDED ASSISTANCE, AND THAT SUPPORT WILL CONTINUE. 
          CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS OFFERS COUNSELING AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR EVERY STUDENT WHO NEEDS ASSISTANCE. 
          ADDITIONALLY, OUR SCHOOLS PROMOTE RESPECT THROUGH ANTI-BULLYING EFFORTS AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION, AND A NUMBER OF EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED TO HELP OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING. 
          I WANT OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES TO KNOW, YOU ARE SO IMPORTANT TO US AND YOU'RE NOT ALONE. 
          IF STUDENTS ARE FACING DIFFICULTIES, OUR COUNSELORS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, AND SOCIAL WORKERS ARE HERE TO HELP. 
          WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE SAFE, HAPPY, HEALTHY, AND CARED FOR. 
          ANYTIME A STUDENT NEEDS SUPPORT, WHETHER IT'S BECAUSE OF LAST WEEK'S EVENT, OR SOME OTHER DIFFICULTY OR CHALLENGE, STUDENTS MAY REACH OUT TO COUNSELORS AT THEIR SCHOOL FOR SUPPORT, OR FAMILIES MAY CONTACT THE SCHOOL DIRECTLY FOR INFORMATION. 
          MR. PARANTO WILL TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR NEWEST INITIATIVES AND WHAT OTHER MEASURES ARE BEING DONE AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU. 
          >> MYSELF AND FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS HAVE RECEIVED NUMEROUS MESSAGES FROM PARENTS WHO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE SAFE AT SCHOOL AND FROM STAFF MEMBERS WHO WANT ASSURANCES OF THEIR SAFETY AT WORK. 
          OUR SCHOOL DIVISION IS COMMITTED TO CONTINUOUSLY REVIEWING AND ENHANCING SCHOOL SAFETY MEASURES AND PROTOCOLS. 
          THIS INCLUDES ITEMS SUCH AS CLEAR BACKPACKS, WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEMS, AND DOOR ALARMS. ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE PART OF OUR ONGOING SAFETY EVALUATIONS. 
          OUR FAMILIES ASK, WHY HAVE WE NOT INSTALLED METAL DETECTORS OR WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEMS IN OUR SCHOOLS? AT THE SEPTEMBER SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, OUR INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT, DR. MURRAY, ANNOUNCED THAT OUR SCHOOL DIVISION LEADERSHIP HAD ALREADY BEGUN THE PROCESS OF EVALUATING THE POSSIBLE IMPLEMENTATION OF WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEMS. STAFF HAVE CONDUCTED TWO SITE VISITS WITH OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO OBSERVE HOW WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEMS OPERATE AND GATHER DATA AND FEEDBACK. 
          THERE IS MUCH TO CONSIDER WITH AN IMPLEMENTATION SUCH AS THIS, AND IT IS NOT A DECISION THAT CAN BE MADE LIGHTLY. 
          WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE MORE INFORMATION IN THE COMING DAYS AND WEEKS AS WE GATHER RELEVANT DATA, FEEDBACK, AND INPUT ON THE FEASIBILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION ON THESE TYPES OF SYSTEMS. MANY HAVE COME TO US WITH SUGGESTIONS AND REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL SAFETY AND SECURITY MEASURES. 
          I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT THIS BOARD IS LISTENING AND WE HEAR YOU. 
          AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID HERE THIS EVENING, THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT TO US AND TO OUR SCHOOL DIVISION THAN ENSURING THE SAFETY OF OUR STAFF AND OF OUR STUDENTS. 
          SAFETY AND SECURITY IN OUR SCHOOLS IS NUMBER ON1. 
          IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN, AND IT ALWAYS WILL BE. 
          WITH THAT, MADAM CHAIR, I YIELD MY TIME BACK TO YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS. WE'LL CONTINUE 
          [B. Consent Agenda]
WITH THIS EVENING'S BUSINESS MEETING WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA. 
          THE CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDES AGENDA ADOPTION, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, SEPTEMBER 10TH, 2024 WORK SESSION, SEPTEMBER 10TH, 2024 BUSINESS MEETING, SEPTEMBER 20TH, 2024 SPECIAL MEETING, SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2024 SPECIAL MEETING. 
          MEMO NUMBER 128-24, RECOMMENDED PERSONNEL ACTIONS, MEMO NUMBER 129-24, FY 2025 ACCEPTANCE OF NEW GRANTS, MEMO NUMBER 130-24, ACCEPTANCE OF DONATIONS, MEMO NUMBER 131-24, RESCISSION OF PREVIOUS BOARD ACTIONS, MEMO NUMBER 132-24 FY 2025, REQUEST FOR RESERVES REAPPROPRIATION ON BEHALF OF APPOMATTOX REGIONAL GOVERNOR SCHOOL. 
          MEMO NUMBER 133-24 APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO SCHOOL BOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEES, MEMO NUMBER 140-24 EMPLOYEE APPOINTMENT LIST, AND MEMO NUMBER 142-24 APPROVAL OF REVISIONS TO THE SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE BYLAWS. 
          ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING? 
          >> MADAM CHAIR, THERE ARE NO ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. 
          >> ARE THERE ANY REQUESTS FROM A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TO SEPARATE AN ITEM FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION IN INDIVIDUAL ACTION? HEARING NONE. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED? 
          >> I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. 
          >> IS THERE A SECOND? 
          >> SECOND. 
          >> MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU CALL ROLL IN THE MOTION, PLEASE? 
          >> DOMINIQUE CHATTERS. 
          >> AYE. 
          >> STEVE PARANTO. 
          >> AYE. 
          >> LISA HUDGINS. 
          >> AYE. 
          >> ANN COKER. 
          >> AYE. 
          >> DOT HEFFRON. AYE. NEXT, WE HAVE AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS. MR. SMITH. 
          [C. Awards and Recognitions]
          [00:15:06]
          >> IF I COULD ASK OUR NATIONAL MERIT SEMI-FINALISTS TO COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME? [BACKGROUND] THIRTEEN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE BEEN NAMED NATIONAL MERIT SEMIFINALISTS, FROM BYRD HIGH SCHOOL, CARA KAYA GOEL, FROM CLOVER HILL HIGH SCHOOL, DYLAN DICKERSON, SARAYU MANDPU, AND BENJAMIN MERKEL. 
          I APOLOGIZE. FROM COSBY HIGH SCHOOL, DAVID PENNINGTON, FROM M LOTHIAN HIGH SCHOOL, SUBRINA GERNHART, FROM MONACAN HIGH SCHOOL, MALCOLM CHUDROF, FROM THE APPOMATTOX REGIONAL GOVERNORS SCHOOL, AGASTYA GAYA, AND AINSLEY OVI, FROM MAGGIE WALKER GOVERNOR SCHOOL, MICHAEL KLAUSNER, SAMANTHA SHRAFFER, BRENDAN SCHRIMLER, AND RES WU. 
          ABOUT 16,000 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WERE SELECTED AS NATIONAL MERIT SEMIFINALISTS THIS YEAR. 
          THEY ROSE TO THE TOP OF THE 1.3 MILLION STUDENTS THROUGH ENTERED THE PROGRAM BY TAKING THE PSAT, THEIR JUNIOR YEAR. 
          THE NATIONWIDE POOL SEMIFINALIST REPRESENTS LESS THAN 1% OF US HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS. 
          THESE ACADEMICALLY TALENTED STUDENTS NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE FOR SCHOLARSHIPS THEY OFFER IN THE SPRING. 
          PLEASE JOIN ME CONGRATULATING THESE NATIONAL MERIT SEMIFINALISTS. [APPLAUSE] 
          >> I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS CAUGHT THAT. 
          THESE STUDENTS, CONGRATULATIONS. 
          THIS IS A BIG DEAL. NATIONAL MERITS SEMIFINALIST. 
          THEY TOOK THE PSAT, AND THEY WERE IN THE TOP 1% IN THE NATION. 
          DUDE. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HEARD THAT. 
          THAT'S INCREDIBLE. 
          WELL DONE, YOU GUYS. 
          Y'ALL REPRESENTED US WELL. 
          WE ARE SO PROUD IT TOOK EFFORT AND COURAGE AND STAMINA, AND ON THE BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU. 
          I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHERE YOU GUYS GO WITH THIS. 
          THIS IS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE. 
          WE ARE PROUD OF YOU IN CHESTERFIELD, AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR JOURNEYS. 
          CONGRATULATIONS. 
          WOULD Y'ALL LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? YOU LEFT IT ALL AT THE TABLE. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE] 
          >> WE'RE DONE. THANK YOU GUYS. 
          >> CONGRATULATIONS. 
          >> IF I COULD ASK MATTHEW DARRELL TO COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. 
          MEADOWBROOK HIGH TEACHER MATTHEW DARRELL WAS RECENTLY SELECTED AS THE CLAES NOBEL EDUCATOR OF DISTINCTION BY THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARS. 
          IN HIS SECOND YEAR AS A MEADOWBROOK SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER, MATTHEW WAS NOMINATED BY A STUDENT FOR OUTSTANDING DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE IN THE PROFESSION. 
          STUDENT MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARS ARE ANNUALLY INVITED TO NOMINATE THE EDUCATOR WHO HAS MADE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THEIR ACADEMIC CAREER. 
          THIS DISTINCTION AWARD RECOGNIZES EXEMPLARY EDUCATORS WHO INSPIRE STUDENTS TO GROW AND DEVELOP A SCHOLARS, LEADERS, AND CITIZENS. 
          PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING MATTHEW DARRELL. 
          >> ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, I JUST WANT TO SAY YOU'RE MAKING SOCIAL STUDIES FUN. 
          NOW THAT'S A FEAT IN ITSELF. 
          I REMEMBER MY SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER. WE WON'T TALK ABOUT HIM. 
          BUT THE FACT THAT YOU'RE INSPIRING FOLKS IN SOCIAL STUDIES, WHICH IS CRITICAL TO HOW YOU CAN BE A GREAT CITIZEN, I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND WE'RE SO THAT YOU'RE MEADOWBROOK STRONG OUT HERE REPRESENTING FOR CHESTERFIELD, IF YOU CAN TELL US WHAT YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT SOCIAL STUDIES IS. 
          >> MY FAVORITE PART ABOUT SOCIAL STUDIES IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PREPARE STUDENTS TO ENTER A EVER CHANGING WORLD. 
          SOCIAL STUDIES IS THE ONLY CLASS IN WHICH YOU'RE ABLE TO TEACH A LONG SET OF HISTORICAL FACTS THAT REMAIN RELEVANT TODAY AS IT IS NOT A STATIC BODY OF INFORMATION, BUT IT'S A BODY OF INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE TO ACCESS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND US. 
          I AIM TO SHOW MY STUDENTS HOW OLD INFORMATION, AS THEY SO CALL IT, IS REMAINING RELEVANT IN A GLOBAL SOCIETY THAT IS EVER EVOLVING IN FRONT OF US EACH DAY. THANK YOU. 
          [00:20:04]
          >> THANK YOU. 
          >> IF I COULD ASK OUR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS AWARD WINNERS TO COME FORWARD THIS TIME. 
          DURING ITS FALL CONFERENCE, THE VIRGINIA ACADEMY OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST RECOGNIZE THE OFFICE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES FOR CHESTER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WITH THE ACADEMY'S SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARD. 
          GIVEN FOR ONLY THE THIRD TIME, THE AWARD HONORS A SUSTAINED COMMITMENT TO SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY AND EVIDENCE OF ADVOCATING FOR CHANGE AND SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS IMPACTED BY INEQUITIES. 
          LAURA EARLY LEADS TO THE OFFICE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDES 34 FULL TIME SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS, ONE PART TIME SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST, NINE EDUCATIONAL DIAGNOSTICIANS, TWO SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY INTERNS, AND TWO SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY PRACTICUM STUDENTS. 
          PLEASE JOIN ME CONGRATULATING THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS. 
          >> YOU GUYS GOT THE VIRGINIA ACADEMY OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARD. 
          THIS IS NOT AN EVERY YEAR AWARD, PEOPLE. THIS IS A BIG DEAL. 
          I THINK IT'S THE THIRD TIME IT'S EVER BEEN GIVEN. 
          UNBELIEVABLE, I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU GUYS FOR IT. 
          IT UNDERLINES JUST WHAT WE AS A COUNTY ARE DOING, ALL OF OUR KIDS. 
          ALL OF THEM ARE GETTING THAT TOP QUALITY EDUCATION, AND WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          I DID NOTE THAT I THINK YOU TALKED ABOUT BOOK CLUB. 
          I'M AN ENGLISH TEACHER AND I LOVE BOOK CLUB. 
          ANXIOUS GENERATION. 
          YES. I READ THE BOOK BECAUSE WAS IT ONE OF YOU GUYS WHO SUGGESTED. 
          >> FOR READING IT HAS A TEAM THIS YEAR. 
          >> THERE YOU GO. I WAS HAVING LUNCH WITH A FRIEND AND THIS FRIEND HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF YOUR COLLEAGUES, CHRIS KUSTER, LOVE HER. 
          SHE'S ADORABLE, LONGTIME FRIEND. 
          WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. 
          SHE SAYS, GIRL, YOU HAVE GOT TO READ ANXIOUS GENERATION. 
          I WAS LIKE, OKAY, WHAT IS IT? SHE SAID, IT'S DEPRESSING. 
          WELL, LET ME HOP RIGHT ON IT, BUT IT IS HOPEFUL IN THE END AND WE ALL NEED TO READ IT. 
          I DID READ IT AND IT IS INFORMED. 
          IT SHIFTED THE WAY THAT I THINK ABOUT WHAT I DO HERE. 
          HOW I INTERACT WITH PEOPLE IS VERY IMPORTANT. 
          MY COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD ARE A LITTLE TIRED OF ME TALKING ABOUT IT. 
          YOU ALL SHOULD READ IT. ANXIOUS GENERATION. IT'LL BE FUN. 
          BUT THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO SHARE VERY IMPORTANT THINGS WITH YOUR PEOPLE, AND THEN THAT JUST RIPPLE EFFECTS OUT. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH AND CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. 
          >> NEXT UP, I'VE ASKED OUR MIRROR ME PROGRAM WINNERS TO COME FORWARD THIS TIME. 
          THE MIRROR ME PROGRAM OF CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AIMS TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN TEACHERS OF VARIED BACKGROUNDS BY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF MINORITY TEACHERS, CHANGING THE PERCEPTIONS OF HIRING PRACTICES, AND PROMOTING THE IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING PROFESSION. 
          MIRROR ME IS OPEN TO CCPS JUNIORS AND SENIORS INTERESTED IN BECOMING TEACHERS AND PURSUING EDUCATION DEGREES AT BRIGHTPOINT COMMUNITY COLLEGE, VCU, AND VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY. 
          MIRROR ME IS ALSO AVAILABLE TO BRIGHTPOINT, VCU, AND VSU STUDENTS PURSUING EDUCATION DEGREES WHO ARE COMMITTED TO TEACHING CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 
          THE CHESTERFIELD EDUCATION FOUNDATION FINANCIALLY SUPPORTS THIS PROGRAM. 
          REPRESENTING OUR MIRROR ME PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS ARE LAURA HITE, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CHESTERFIELD EDUCATION FOUNDATION, JADA WRIGHT, UNDERGRADUATE RECRUITMENT COORDINATOR FOR THE VCU SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, DR. SHELLY BAZEMORE, COORDINATOR FIELD/CLINICAL EXPERIENCES FOR THE VSU COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, AND DR. VIRGINIA MASSARO, CHAIR OF THE BRIGHTPOINT DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. 
          MIRROR ME RECENTLY ACCEPTED A THIRD COHORT OF PARTICIPANTS ADDING EIGHT STUDENTS THE PROGRAM, FIVE ARE HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS. 
          THOMAS DALE HIGH STUDENTS NAOMI CARTER AND ZARIAH CLEVERT, BIRD HIGH STUDENT, ANGELINA ENCARNACION, CLOVERHILL HIGH STUDENT SAMANTHA KINLAW, MANCHESTER HIGH STUDENT, 
          [00:25:02]
ZACHARIAH WOOSLEY, AND THREE ARE RECENT GRADUATES, ASIA BAILEY, CLOVERHILL HIGH CLASS OF 2024, JULIAN BOLTON, BIRD HIGH CLASS OF 2024, AND DEVON INGRID FROM THOMAS DALE HIGH CLASS OF 2024. 
          PLEASE SHOW ME IN RECOGNIZING THE MIRROR ME PROGRAM. 
          >> I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SITTING ON THE CHESTERFIELD EDUCATION FOUNDATION BOARD WHICH SPONSORS THIS AMONG MANY OTHER THINGS THAT CEF DOES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 
          THE MIRROR ME PROGRAM IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT IS COMING IN OUR FUTURE. 
          WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS WE ARE LOOKING FOR STUDENTS IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHO WANT TO GET INTO THE TEACHING PROFESSION AND HOPEFULLY COME BACK TO CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND TEACH MAYBE IN THE SAME HIGH SCHOOL THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GRADUATE FROM. 
          THAT'S HAPPENED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WITH PRIOR FOLKS WHO HAVE GRADUATED AND COME BACK. 
          SHAMELESS PLUG, PLEASE COME BACK. 
          WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU. 
          IN ITS SECOND YEAR MIAMI PROGRAM IS AIMED AT RECRUITING AN OUTSTANDING DIVERSE POOL OF FUTURE TEACHERS. 
          FIFTY-FOUR PERCENT OF CCPS STUDENTS IDENTIFY AS STUDENTS OF COLOR WHILE ONLY 19% OF CCPS TEACHERS DO SO. 
          THESE STUDENTS BENEFIT FROM HAVING TEACHERS WITH SIMILAR BACKGROUNDS. 
          IN PARTNERSHIP WITH VCU AND VSU, THE PROGRAM OFFERS REDUCED TUITION THROUGH SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID FOR CCPS STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM. 
          STUDENTS WILL GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE WITH AN EDUCATION LICENSE AND AN ASSIGNMENT TO TEACH FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS IN CCPS. 
          WHEN YOU GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE, YOU'RE GUARANTEED A JOB. 
          THAT IS ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING. 
          CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU IN PURSUING THIS CAREER. 
          BEFORE WE PASS THE MIC AROUND, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE CHESTERFIELD EDUCATION FOUNDATION, LAURA HITE FOR A FEW WORDS. PUT YOU ON THE SPOT. 
          >> THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR PINK RIBBON. THANK YOU. 
          AS THE FOUNDATION, WE ARE A CONDUIT FOR COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR OUR INCREDIBLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 
          WHILE I'M STANDING ON THE STAGE, REALLY, THE GIFT IS FROM PEOPLE IN CHESTERFIELD WHO SAW THIS PROGRAM AND WANTED TO CHIP IN AND SUPPORT IT. 
          I'M REALLY HONORED TO BE HERE REPRESENTING THEM RIGHT NOW, AND I JUST WANT TO AMPLIFY THE MESSAGE OF MIRROR ME AND SHINE A LIGHT ON THE AMAZING WORK OF DR. WATERFORD, ALL OF THE MENTORS AND THESE FUTURE TEACHERS FOR CHESTERFIELD. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          >> JUST A FEW WORDS, IF YOU DON'T MIND, WHY ARE YOU A PART OF THIS PROGRAM? FOR THOSE THAT ARE MENTORING AND THOSE STUDENTS, WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS PROGRAM THAT HAS ENTICED YOU TO BE A PART IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHESTERFIELD EDUCATION FOUNDATION THROUGH MIRROR ME? 
          >> HELLO. MY NAME IS SAMANTHA KINLAW. 
          I GO TO CLOVER HILL HIGH SCHOOL. 
          THE REASON I JOINED THIS PROGRAM IS BECAUSE I REALLY LIKE MY SCHOOL SYSTEM. 
          FOR MOST OF MY HIGH SCHOOL LIFE, I'VE HAD NOTHING BUT AMAZING TEACHERS, NO BAD ONES. 
          THAT REALLY GOT ME THINKING OF WANTING TO PURSUE TEACHING. 
          WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THE MIRROR ME PROGRAM, I DECIDED THAT I WANTED TO BE A PART OF IT TO STAY IN CHESTERFIELD. 
          >> MY NAME IS ANGELINA ENCARNACION, AND I GO TO LC BIRD, AND I WANT TO SEE MORE TEACHERS LIKE MYSELF IN THE WORK FIELD. 
          >> I'M DEVON INGRID, A FRESHMAN AT VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY. 
          I JOINED MIRROR ME IN HOPES OF USING MY TALENTS TO REFLECT IN EDUCATION AND CONTRIBUTE TO A SYSTEM THAT CONTRIBUTED TO ME. 
          >> HI, I'M JULIAN. 
          I GO TO VCU UNIVERSITY, AND I WANTED TO JOIN THE MIRROR ME PROGRAM TO MAKE MYSELF BETTER AND TO BE A FIGURE OF ADULT TO SOME STUDENTS WHO DON'T HAVE PARENTS AT HOME WHO DON'T. 
          >> MY NAME IS NAOMI CARTER. 
          I AM A STUDENT AT THOMAS DALE. 
          THE REASON WHY I WANTED TO JOIN THE MIRROR ME PROGRAM IS BECAUSE I WANT TO BE AN INFLUENCE TO THE YOUNGER STUDENTS AND HELP THEM BUILD A BETTER FUTURE. 
          >> HI. MY NAME IS ZACHARIAH WOOSLEY. 
          I GO TO MANCHESTER HIGH SCHOOL, AND I JOINED THE MIRROR ME PROGRAM TO BE A ROLE MODEL AND TO GO OUT THERE AND DO AMAZING THINGS. 
          >> MY NAME IS VIRGINIA MASSARO. 
          I'M AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT BRIGHTPOINT COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AND I'M THE PROGRAM CHAIR FOR THE TEACHER EDUCATION AND SECONDARY TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS. ALL OF MY STUDENTS WANT TO BE TEACHERS. 
          WHEN I FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, IT JUST SEEMED LIKE A NATURAL FIT BECAUSE I COORDINATE ALL THE FIELD PLACEMENTS FOR TWO OF THE COURSES AT BRIGHTPOINT, 
          [00:30:02]
AND OVER HALF OF OUR STUDENTS ARE REQUESTING TO BE PLACED IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ANYWAY. 
          A LOT OF THEM WERE BORN HERE AND HE LIVED HERE AND GREW UP IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM HERE AND WITH CAMPUSES IN CHESTER AND IN MIDLOTHIAN, IT JUST SEEMED LIKE A VERY NATURAL FIT FOR US TO BE A PART OF THIS WONDERFUL PROGRAM. 
          >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I'M DR. CARMEN WATERFORD. 
          I WORK WITH MIRROR ME. 
          THESE ARE OUR WONDERFUL STUDENT PARTICIPANTS. 
          I WANT TO THANK DR. MISSY HILL WHO WORKS WITH ME. 
          SHE DOES A LOT BEHIND THE SCENES AND OUR MENTORS WHO ARE ALSO HERE. 
          THERE ARE SOME FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE. 
          I WANT TO SHARE THAT AS A 21 YEAR EDUCATOR, IT'S WONDERFUL TO FIND STUDENTS WHO WANT TO COME BACK AND RELIVE THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE FOR THEM. 
          LETS US KNOW THERE'S SOME VALUE IN WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND THEY LIKE TO RETURN THE FAVOR. 
          I LOVE TO HEAR THAT. IF YOU DON'T MIND, NAJA JONES IS A TEACHER AT CURTIS ELEMENTARY. 
          SHE'S ONE OF THE FIRST TEACHERS TO GRADUATE AND MATRICULATE THROUGH MIRROR ME. 
          ON HER TEACHING POSITION AT CURTIS, AND SHE WROTE SOMETHING THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE. 
          SHE'S UNDER THE WEATHER AND I PROMISED HER I WOULD SPEAK ON HER BEHALF, SO IF YOU DON'T MIND. 
          GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS NAJA JONES. 
          I WAS A PART OF THE MIRROR ME PROGRAM'S FIRST COHORT WHEN I WAS A STUDENT AT VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY UNDER THE ADVISEMENT OF DR. SHELLY BAZEMORE, WHO INTRODUCED ME TO THE PROGRAM. 
          I CHOSE TO APPLY TO MIRROR ME BASED OFF OF THE GOAL OF IMPROVING DIVERSITY WITHIN EDUCATORS AROUND CHESTERFIELD COUNTY. 
          BEING A MATOACA HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE IN 2018, I WANTED TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY WAY WITH THE DISTRICT THAT HELPED ME RECEIVE MY EDUCATION AND BEING A PART OF THIS PROGRAM WAS JUST THAT. 
          I AM VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE MIRROR ME PROGRAM. 
          IT PROVIDED ME MANY OPPORTUNITIES, SUCH AS GIVING ME CONNECTIONS WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE USUALLY BEHIND THE SCENES IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. 
          I WAS ABLE TO MEET THE THEN SUPERINTENDENT, ATTEND MY FIRST EVER SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, HAVE MENTORS THAT ASSISTED ME WITH THE PROCESS OF APPLYING TO BECOME A TEACHER AND CELEBRATING MY MANY WINS DURING MY LAST YEAR OF COLLEGE. 
          I WAS ABLE TO CONNECT WITH MY VERY OWN PERSONAL MENTOR, MS. BULLOCK, WHO HELPED ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS, AND FINALLY MIRROR ME ASSISTED ME WITH GETTING MY FIRST JOB AS A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER AT CURTIS ELEMENTARY. 
          NOW THAT I'M IN MY SECOND YEAR AS A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER, I STILL HAVE THE SUPPORT FOR MIRROR ME. 
          MISS DEVANA GOOD, WHO IS ONE OF THE MENTORS DURING MY TIME, STILL CHECKS IN ON ME AND HELPS ME WITH ANYTHING THAT I NEED WHEN SHE COMES TO CURTIS. 
          I'M FOREVER APPRECIATIVE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY. 
          I HIGHLY SUGGEST TO ANY STUDENT WHO'S INTERESTED IN BECOMING A TEACHER TO APPLY TO THE PROGRAM. 
          IT WILL HELP YOU IN SO MANY WAYS TO RECEIVE YOUR DREAM JOB. 
          I'M A HUGE ADVOCATE OF THE PROGRAM AND PROUD OF THE PROGRESS. 
          SHE CONGRATULATES THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE IN THE PROGRAM NOW AND WISHES YOU THE BEST IN YOUR FUTURE. THANK YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. FANTASTIC PROGRAM, FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK TO CHESTERFIELD TO TEACH THE NEXT GENERATION COMING UP BEHIND YOU, WHICH WE HEARD. 
          THAT WAS FANTASTIC TO HEAR FROM JUST THE PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH IT AND THEN GIVING BACK. 
          HOPEFULLY, YOU'LL TAKE THAT WITH YOU AS YOU GO. 
          THEN THE BEST WAY TO RECRUIT IS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND GET OTHERS INVOLVED. 
          WE HOPE THAT WHAT YOU'RE LEARNING, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING, WHAT YOU'RE EXPERIENCING, THAT WILL COME THROUGH AS YOU'RE TALKING TO OTHER PEOPLE. 
          AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS. 
          CAN WE GIVE THEM ONE MORE HAND, PLEASE. 
          >> NEXT, DR. FRYE AND MISS CHATTERS WILL RECOGNIZE OUR OUTSTANDING DRIVERS. 
          >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, AND MR. ROBERTS. 
          IT'S MY PLEASURE THIS EVENING TO PRESENT TO YOU OUR OUTSTANDING DRIVERS OF THE MONTH. 
          EVANGELINA MEMBRENO, AREA 1 BUS 506, ONE YEAR OF SERVICE. 
          EVANGELINA SAYS, "EVERY DAY I WAKE UP, I'M HAPPY BECAUSE I LOVE MY JOB. 
          I LOVE DRIVING THE KIDS TO SCHOOL AND SEEING THEIR SMILING FACES EACH AND EVERY DAY." 
          >> JEFFREY DEAN, AREA 2, BUS 721, TWO YEARS OF SERVICE. 
          JEFFREY'S MANAGER SAYS HE'S SOMEONE THAT GOES THE EXTRA MILE FOR HIS STUDENTS. 
          HE'S ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP HIS CO-WORKERS AND OFFICE STAFF IN ANY WAY THAT HE CAN. 
          ACCEPTING HIS AWARD THIS EVENING IS MS. JAPERS, OUR NEW AREA 2 MANAGER. 
          REBECCA INNIS, AREA 3, BUS 221, FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE. 
          SHE'S UNABLE TO JOIN US THIS EVENING AND ACCEPTING HER AWARD IS OUR ASSISTANT MANAGER FOR AREA 3, KYLE OS. 
          [00:35:01]
REBECCA SAYS SHE LOVES DRIVING THE BUS AND HER FAVORITE PART IS WATCHING THE LITTLE ONES GROW UP AND LEARN. 
          ANTOINE ALCOTT, AREA 4, BUS 735, TWO YEARS OF SERVICE. 
          [APPLAUSE] BRIAN CONLON, AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT HARROGATE ELEMENTARY, WROTE TO US AND SAID, MR. ALCOTT DOES A WONDERFUL JOB OF TRANSPORTING OUR STUDENTS TO AND FROM SCHOOL SAFELY EACH DAY. 
          HE RUNS HIS BUS WITH HIGH EXPECTATION AND IS A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL. 
          ONE OF HIS STRENGTHS IS BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE STUDENTS. 
          MR. ALCOTT IS WELL RESPECTED IN OUR HARROGATE COMMUNITY, AND WE APPRECIATE ALL HE HAS DONE FOR OUR STUDENTS. 
          SHERYL DIGGS, AREA 5, BUS 961, FOUR YEARS OF SERVICE. 
          [APPLAUSE] SHERYL SAYS SHE ENJOYS WORKING IN AREA 5 AND WORKING WITH THE PARENTS. 
          THE KIDS BRING HER JOY AND EXCITEMENT AND SEEING THEIR SMILING FACES BRINGS HER HAPPINESS. 
          SHERYL SAYS THE KEY TO HER SUCCESS IS LAUGHTER AND MAKING THE KIDS FEEL SAFE. 
          >> THERE IT IS. I HAVE A SPECIAL AFFINITY FOR BUS DRIVERS BECAUSE I HAVE FOUR CHILDREN THAT HAVE TO RIDE THE BUS. 
          YOU ALL KNOW THAT'S LIKE FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES THAT I HAVE TO GET SOMEBODY SOMEPLACE. 
          I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT OUR BUS DRIVERS EXTEND GRACE BECAUSE I HAVEN'T BEEN ON TIME EVERY TIME. 
          I APPRECIATE THE PATIENCE THAT YOU SHOW THE PARENTS AS WE'RE RUSHING UP TO STOP YOU FROM DRIVING AWAY. 
          I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT FOR A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT WE'VE HAD WITH OUR BUS DRIVER IS SOMETIMES MY BUS DRIVER KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON WITH MY KIDS BEFORE I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH MY KIDS. 
          IF YOU DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR BUS DRIVER LIKE I DO WHEN I'M AT THE BUS STOP, SHE'LL SAY, HEY, MRS. C. I'M LIKE, SHE'S GOING TO GIVE ME THE TEA. WHAT'S GOING ON? WHY IS MY DAUGHTER ACTING FUNNY RIGHT NOW? I APPRECIATE THAT THEY'RE TAKING THE TIME TO GET TO KNOW OUR KIDS, TO GIVE THEM A SAFE SPACE TO TALK OR TO VENT OR JUST HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR HOME. 
          THEY DO TELL EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON IN YOUR HOME. 
          MAKE NICE WITH YOUR BUS DRIVER SO YOUR BUSINESS STAYS YOUR BUSINESS. 
          [LAUGHTER] I JUST WANT TO ASK, WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT DRIVING IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? BUT I KNOW THAT YOU'RE MAKING A GREAT IMPACT ON OUR KIDS AND WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT. 
          >> WHAT I LIKE ABOUT DRIVING THE BUSES IS THAT THE KIDS GIVE ME JOY, AND I GIVE THEM LAUGHTER. 
          I GET ALONG WITH THE PARENTS, I GET ALONG WITH THE KIDS. 
          WITH THAT BEING SAID, I JUST LOVE KIDS. 
          THAT'S WHY I CHOSE DRIVING FOR CHESTERFIELD. 
          [APPLAUSE] 
          >> I'M NOT MUCH OF A SPEAKER, BUT I LET MY ACTION SPEAK FOR MYSELF. THE KIDS SEE THAT. 
          BEING A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL, LEADING FROM EXAMPLE IS WHAT THEY SEE MOST. 
          I ALSO HOLD MY KIDS ACCOUNTABLE WHEN THEY'RE ACTING BAD ON THE BUS. 
          NOT BY SCREAMING, BUT INFORMING THEM, I SEE YOU BACK THERE. 
          I LET THEM KNOW THE CONSEQUENCES, AND I ALSO LET THEM KNOW THE PRAISE WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING BECAUSE I DON'T HIGHLIGHT JUST THE NEGATIVE, BUT I ALSO HIGHLIGHT THE POSITIVE. 
          I BEGIN A GOOD REACTION FROM THE CHILDREN FOR THAT. 
          MOVING FORWARD, THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO KEEP ON DOING AND BE THE BEST I CAN BE. 
          THAT'S ALL I CAN DO. [APPLAUSE] 
          >> JEFFREY WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT TONIGHT, BUT THE OFFICE CHOSE HIM BECAUSE HE IS SO GOOD WITH THE STUDENTS AND WITH ADMINISTRATION. 
          HE'S RELIABLE FOR THE STUDENTS. 
          HE'S THERE EACH AND EVERY DAY TO GET THEM WHERE THEY NEED TO BE. 
          WHEN THE OFFICE NEEDS HIM TO HELP OUT WITH SOMETHING, HE'S ALWAYS WILLING TO DO IT AND TO HELP WITH A SMILE ON HIS FACE, WHICH MAY NOT BE HOW HE REALLY FEELS, BUT THAT'S HOW HE MAKES US FEEL. 
          WE APPRECIATE HIM VERY MUCH. 
          NO? [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE] 
          >> NEXT, WE HAVE MEMO NUMBER 138-24, RECOGNITION OF OUTSTANDING FOOD SERVICE EMPLOYEES. 
          BERKELEY DUNRAK AND MS. COKER WILL PRESENT. 
          >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, MR. ROBERTS. 
          THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE SOME OF OUR OUTSTANDING FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES TEAM MEMBERS. 
          DURING A RECENT MANAGEMENT MEETING, OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR INVITED OUR CAFETERIA MANAGERS TO SHARE EXPERIENCES FROM THIS SCHOOL YEAR SO FAR, POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE. 
          [00:40:02]
IT WAS TRULY INSPIRING TO HEAR THE STORIES OF MEANINGFUL INTERACTIONS WITH STUDENTS AND PARENTS, COMPLIMENTS THEY'VE RECEIVED ABOUT THE QUALITY AND PRESENTATION OF THEIR FOOD, AND THE COUNTLESS EXAMPLES OF STAFF MEMBERS GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND TO ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT IS FED. 
          THESE UPLIFTING ACCOUNT'S NOT ONLY REJUVENATED SOME SPIRITS IN THE ROOM, BUT REAFFIRMED TO ME THAT WE TRULY HAVE THE BEST TEAM IN THE BUSINESS. 
          WE HAVE THREE HONOREES THIS MONTH. 
          OUR FIRST HONOREE IS SUSANA HERRARA ESPINA. 
          MISS ESPINA IS A FOOD SERVICE ASSOCIATE AT PROVIDENCE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HAS BEEN WITH US FOR ONE YEAR. 
          SHE SAYS, I LOVE MY JOB BECAUSE I LIKE TO SEE THE SMILING FACES OF THE STUDENTS, AND I GET TO BE PART OF A GREAT TEAM. 
          [APPLAUSE] NEXT, WE HAVE RYAN STANSOL. 
          MISS STANSOL IS A FOOD SERVICE ASSOCIATE AT CRENSHAW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND SHE'S BEEN WITH US FOR FOUR YEARS. 
          SHE SAYS, IT'S NICE BEING ABLE TO WORK AT THE SCHOOL WHERE MY CHILDREN ATTEND. 
          I LOVE WORKING WITH STUDENTS AND MAKING SURE THEY ALWAYS HAVE A GOOD EXPERIENCE. 
          [APPLAUSE] FINALLY, WE HAVE WAHIA SULTANI. 
          MISS SULTANI IS THE ASSISTANT MANAGER AT TOMAHAWK CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND SHE'S BEEN WITH US FOR ONE YEAR. 
          SHE SAYS, I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT MY JOB. 
          MY MANAGERS, MY TEAM MEMBERS. 
          I ENJOY BEING PART OF THE TEAM, KEEPING OUR EVERYDAY OPERATION SMOOTH, PLAYING MY ROLE, AND HAVING THE RESPONSIBILITY TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS. 
          AS A MOTHER OF TWO KIDS MYSELF, I FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT BEING ABLE TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS. 
          [APPLAUSE] 
          >> FIRST, I JUST WANT TO START BY SAYING ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, CONGRATULATIONS OUT OF ALL OF OUR FOOD NUTRITION EMPLOYEES. 
          BEING RECOGNIZED AS SOME OF OUR TOP IS PRETTY AWESOME. 
          THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR OUR STUDENTS. 
          I KNOW THAT THOSE LUNCH ROOMS CAN BE A LITTLE WILD AND CRAZY AT TIMES, AND I KNOW OUR KIDS ARE REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO AS THE PARENTS ARE AS WELL. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO JUST SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT FOOD. 
          IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, YOU MAY. 
          WHAT BRIGHTENS YOUR DAY WHEN YOU'RE SERVING THE FOOD TO OUR STUDENTS? 
          >> GOOD NIGHT, EVERYBODY. 
          I'M SO HAPPY TO CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE KIDS. 
          I LOVE WORK WITH KIDS. 
          I'M SO HAPPY WHEN EVERY MORNING WHEN THE KIDS COMING TO GET THE FOOD, THEY GIVE ME A HUG AND THEY SAY, I MISSED YOU SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. 
          THAT MADE ME HAPPY AND TO KEEP GOING TO WORK HARD FOR THEM. 
          [APPLAUSE] 
          >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CONGRATULATIONS. 
          >> NEXT, WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          [D. Public Comment]
FOR THIS MEETING, CITIZENS WERE GIVEN THE OPTION OF SUBMITTING THEIR COMMENTS ONLINE OR IN PERSON. 
          COMMENTS SUBMITTED VIA THE ONLINE FORM WERE SENT TO THE BOARD PRIOR TO THE START OF TONIGHT'S MEETING AND WILL BE INCLUDED IN FULL AS AN ADDENDUM TO THE MEETING MINUTES. 
          MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE ANNOUNCE THIS EVENING'S IN PERSON SPEAKERS? 
          >> MADAM CHAIR, WE HAVE 15 SPEAKERS THIS EVENING. 
          THEY ARE MARGARET GERHARDT, COLLEEN JOSEPH, BRITTANY BOWERS, MIRANDA HEATH, BEN DESANTIS, SHARON CARR, CARA ABBOTT, JACOB WEATHERFORD, LAUREN LINKER, REBECCA CORTRIGHT, NINA POLMAN, WENDY LITTLE, JAMES FREEMAN, PIKARA SHABAZZ, AND DIANE LILOH. 
          MAY WE HAVE MARGARET GERHARDT? 
          >> FIRST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. 
          HI. MY NAME IS MARGARET GERHARDT. 
          THANKS FOR HAVING ME. 
          I'M A RESIDENT OF CHESTERFIELD COUNTY. 
          I HAVE TWO CHILDREN AND MY HUSBAND'S A TEACHER IN THE DISTRICT. 
          DO I JUST JUMP INTO IT? SORRY. FIRST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. 
          I WANTED TO CONTINUE ON THE CONVERSATION OF THE WORK YOU GUYS ARE DOING AROUND SCHOOL SAFETY. 
          PARTICULARLY, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A THIRD PARTY PROVIDER IN THE TECHNOLOGY SPACE THAT WAS USED IN THE MOST RECENT GEORGIA SCHOOL SHOOTING AS AN ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION AS AN ENHANCEMENT TO THE SAFETY PROGRAM. 
          JUST TO START, I WANT TO START WITH SOME STATS RELATED TO SCHOOL SHOOTINGS. 
          I KNOW WE KNOW ALL OF THESE. 
          BUT JUST AS A REFRESHER. 
          SO FAR IN 2024, THERE'S BEEN OVER 50 ACROSS THE NATION, 37 OF THOSE ARE AT THE K-12 LEVEL. 
          EIGHTY-TWO HAPPENED LAST YEAR. 
          GOING OFF DATA, THERE PROBABLY WILL BE MORE. 
          I LOOKED AT THE PACKET THAT I THINK YOU GUYS DISCUSSED EARLIER 
          [00:45:04]
FROM YOUR SAFETY OFFICER ABOUT THE ENHANCEMENTS YOU GUYS ARE DOING, THE GLASS, THE VESTIBULES, THE ENHANCEMENTS IN THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS. 
          I THINK THAT'S ALL REALLY GREAT. 
          WHAT HAPPENED IN THE GEORGIA SCHOOL SHOOTING WAS THAT THE WEEK PRIOR, THEY IMPLEMENTED A THIRD PARTY TECHNOLOGY SOLUTION, WHICH IS A ID CARD THAT TEACHERS WEAR ALONG WITH THEIR BADGES. 
          YOU PRESS A BUTTON ON THERE, IT SENDS A QUIET ALERT. 
          IT'S CONFIGURED BASED UPON YOUR DISTRICT'S PREFERENCES. 
          IN GEORGIA, WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY HAD IT SEND AN ALERT TO LOCAL POLICE, THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER. 
          IT AUTOMATICALLY SENDS A MESSAGE ONTO ALL TECHNOLOGY LIKE SMART BOARDS AND COMPUTER SCREENS, SO EVERYONE IS AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING. 
          IT PROVIDES TIME BACK TO THE STAFF, TO THE CHILDREN TO PREPARE FOR WHAT'S HAPPENING. 
          IF YOU LOOK AT THE RESULTS FROM THERE, THERE WAS A LOT LESS LOSS OF LIFE, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS STILL SOME AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOOTER WITHIN 30 MINUTES. 
          WHEREAS, IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER THE ONE THAT HAPPENED IN TEXAS A FEW YEARS AGO, IT TOOK 77 MINUTES TO GET TO THE SHOOTER. 
          THAT'S TWICE THE TIME. 
          I HAVE TO THINK THAT THE TECHNOLOGY BEING A PRETTY LOW INVASIVE THING, IT'S NOT SOMETHING IN FRONT OF OUR STUDENTS FACES. 
          IT'S A LOW TECHNOLOGY THING THAT COULD BE USED FOR MANY THINGS BESIDES JUST THE WORST CASE SCENARIO. 
          BUT THE COSTS ARE RELATIVELY LOW. 
          IT'S $68,000 PER SCHOOL PER YEAR. 
          WE HAVE 71 SCHOOLS, SO ABOUT $500,000. 
          IT REPRESENTS LESS THAN 0.05% OF OUR ANNUAL $1 BILLION BUDGET. 
          MY QUESTION FOR YOU GUYS IS I KNOW YOU'RE CONSIDERING A LOT OF OPTIONS IN THIS SPACE. 
          I WANT TO KNOW, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS HAVE CONSIDERED AND IF IT'S NOT, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO LOOK INTO AS ANOTHER SOLUTION WITHIN THE SCHOOL SAFETY PLAYBOOK. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [APPLAUSE] 
          >> THANK YOU, MISS GERHARDT. MAY WE HAVE COLLEEN JOSEPH. 
          AFTER MISS JOSEPH WILL BE BRITTANY BOWERS. 
          >> HELLO. MY NAME IS COLLEEN JOSEPH. 
          I TEACH BIOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AT MEADOWBROOK HIGH SCHOOL. 
          THERE ARE SEVERAL ISSUES IMPACTING STUDENT SUCCESS THAT I'D LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION, AND OTHERS WILL BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION AS WELL. 
          YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT SAFETY ISSUES THAT THE DISTRICT SORELY NEEDS TO ADDRESS, BUT THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER ISSUE REQUIRING THE BOARD'S ATTENTION. 
          AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, WE RECEIVED A DIRECTIVE TO AVOID USING AS MUCH PAPER IN OUR TEACHING. 
          WE WERE ALSO TOLD THIS SPECIFICALLY APPLIED TO MEADOWBROOK HIGH SCHOOL. 
          IT WAS BASED ON COST, WHICH IS A TIRED EXCUSE AND ALSO ILLUSTRATES A FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE WITH THE PRIORITIES OF THE COUNTY. 
          THE PRAYER THAT WE DID AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING TODAY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SEEING BEYOND THE NUMBERS. 
          WELL, SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS ARE FINANCIAL AND IT'S A TIRED EXCUSE TO SAY WE CAN'T AFFORD THAT. 
          SAYING SPECIFICALLY TO MEADOWBROOK, IT'S AN INSULT TO THE STAFF, AND IT'S A DIRECTIVE THAT'S BASED ON INCREDIBLE IGNORANCE AND A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE NEEDS OF OUR SCHOOL, WHICH LIKELY DIFFERS GREATLY FROM THOSE AT OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT. 
          FIRSTLY, PUBLIC SCHOOL IS A SERVICE REQUIRED BY LAW, AND SERVICES COST MONEY. 
          IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT BEST PRACTICES AND TEACHING INVOLVE PAPER BASED ASSIGNMENTS. 
          WE'VE SEEN HOW PAPERLESS LEARNING AFFECTED OUR STUDENTS SPECIFICALLY IN THE COVID SHUTDOWN. 
          STUDENTS LEARN BETTER WHEN THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO PHYSICALLY WRITE DOWN THEIR IDEAS, EXERCISES, AND NOTES. 
          SPECIFICALLY WITH ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, THIS ALLOWS THEM TO CONNECT THEIR LISTENING AND WRITING SKILLS MORE ADEQUATELY. 
          WHY WOULD WE BE DIRECTED TO REDUCE OUR USE OF PAPER? SECONDLY, AS I'M SURE YOU ARE AWARE, THE CHROMEBOOK ROLL-OUT WAS AN UTTER FAILURE IN THE ENTIRETY OF THE DISTRICT. 
          [APPLAUSE] THANKS. 
          IT'S NOT A SECRET HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE LIKELY TO BE ENROLLED AND THE FACT THAT AT WEEK 4, WE WERE STILL BEING RATIONED CHROMEBOOKS TO DISTRIBUTE TO OUR KIDS IS RIDICULOUS. 
          NOW WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE THE PSAT, STILL DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CHROMEBOOKS. 
          ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE CHRONIC WI-FI BANDWIDTH AND SOFTWARE ISSUES IN THE DISTRICT. 
          WHAT IS CENTRAL OFFICE'S PROPOSAL TO DEAL WITH THAT IF WE ARE BEING RESTRICTED ON OUR PAPER AS WELL? HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO OUR JOBS? LASTLY, OUR SCHOOL MEADOWBROOK, TENDS TO BE THE SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT THAT RECEIVES THE MOST NEW COMERS TO OUR NATION, INCLUDING A NOT INSIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF REFUGEES. 
          WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF STUDENTS FROM LOW SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS. 
          THE IDEA THAT COMMUNICATION WITH THESE STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES CAN BE DONE EXCLUSIVELY IN A PAPERLESS MANNER IS INEQUITABLE AND AGAIN, CATEGORICALLY IGNORANT. 
          OF COURSE, MEADOWBROOK IS THE MOST PAPER IN THE DISTRICT. 
          OUR POPULATION TENDS TO REQUIRE IT. 
          THIS APPEARS TO BE A TARGETED, UNJUST AND UNFAIR DIRECTIVE THAT NEEDS TO BE REEVALUATED AND REMOVED IMMEDIATELY. 
          SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR CONSIDERATION. 
          ESL, IEP, AND 504 ACCOMMODATIONS ARE GENERALLY PROVIDED ON PAPER TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS. 
          WAS THAT FACTORED INTO THE DECISION TO INTRODUCE THE DIRECTIVE? THE ABYSMAL FAILURE THAT WAS THE CHROMEBOOK ROLLED OUT IMPACTED OUR STUDENTS 
          [00:50:02]
ACCESS TO VIRTUAL PLATFORMS FOR WEEKS AND WEEKS ON END. 
          WAS THAT FACTORED INTO THE DECISION? WHAT I AM SEEING WITH THIS SPECIFIC INCIDENT IS A WOEFULLY IGNORANT AT BEST AND TARGETED AT WORST UNDERSTANDING OF THE NEEDS OF OUR SCHOOL SPECIFICALLY. 
          MY SUGGESTION AND HOPE IS THAT IT USES SCHOOL BOARD, WHICH I APPRECIATE THAT YOU GUYS ARE ALL LOOKING AT ME. 
          I LIVE IN RICHMOND. THEY DON'T LOOK AT THE PEOPLE WHEN THEY'RE TALKING. 
          I JUST WANT TO SAY I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. 
          ANYWAY, MY SUGGESTION IS THAT YOU AS THE SCHOOL BOARD SPEAK TO THE INDIVIDUALS AT CENTRAL OFFICE WHO FACILITATED THIS DIRECTIVE AND HAVE THEM RESCIND IT IMMEDIATELY, AS WELL AS MODIFY THE CHROMEBOOK ROLL-OUT PROCEDURES IN THE FUTURE TO AVOID THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAD THIS YEAR. 
          THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. [APPLAUSE] 
          >> THANK YOU, MISS JOSEPH. 
          BRITTANY BOWERS. 
          MIRANDA HEATH. AFTER MISS HEATH, IT WILL BE BEN DESANTIS. 
          >> HELLO. THAT'S LOUD. 
          MY NAME IS MIRANDA HEATH. 
          I'M A LICENSED VIRGINIA TEACHER. 
          I HAVE A MASTER'S IN EDUCATION, AND THIS IS MY 15TH YEAR AS AN EDUCATOR, IF YOU DON'T COUNT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE. 
          THIS PAST WINTER, I WAS A CHESTERFIELD SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN. 
          I'M 48-YEARS-OLD, ONE WEEKEND OVER CANVA, IT'S JUST BEEN A LITTLE WHILE, ANYWAY, I GOT A VIABLE THREAT FROM A STUDENT SAYING THEY WERE GOING TO SHOOT ME IN 2024 IN MY CLASSROOM, AND THEY WERE GOING TO GET AWAY WITH IT. 
          >> AT FIRST, I WANTED TO DISMISS IT, BUT SOMETHING DEEP DOWN INSIDE I KNEW IT WAS A VIABLE THREAT. 
          I CALLED CHESTERFIELD COUNTY POLICE, NOT TO CAUSE TROUBLE, BUT IT WAS A WEEKEND, AND I WAS JUST ASKING ADVICE, AND THEY SENT AN OFFICER IMMEDIATELY TO MY HOUSE. 
          THEY DID DEEM IT A VIABLE THREAT, BUT THEY SAID IT WAS UP TO MY PRINCIPAL TO TAKE CARE OF IT AND THAT I WASN'T SAFE TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL UNTIL THE PRINCIPAL WOULD DO SOMETHING. 
          I KEPT TRYING TO REACH OUT. 
          THE PRINCIPAL FINALLY CALLED ME, BUT SHE WAS ANGRY THAT I HAD CALLED THE POLICE AND WAS MORE CONCERNED THAT THE PARENT WAS UPSET THAN MY SAFETY. 
          SHE FINALLY DID CALL ME IN TO SCHOOL, AND I WAS VERY THANKFUL. 
          I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW LONG IT HAD BEEN, BUT SHE FINALLY CALLED ME IN AND I WAS LIKE, FINALLY, SHE'S GOING TO HEAR MY SIDE OF WHAT HAPPENED, BECAUSE THERE WAS OTHER THINGS BESIDES THE WRITTEN THREAT THAT HELPED ME TO KNOW THAT IT WAS A VIABLE THREAT. 
          BUT INSTEAD, SHE HAD ALREADY DEEMED THAT IT WASN'T A THREAT AND DIDN'T EVEN TAKE THE TIME TO FIND OUT WHAT MY SIDE WAS OR WHAT HAD HAPPENED. 
          LIKE I SAID, I'M 48-YEARS-OLD, THERE'S WHITE HAIR UNDER HERE, AND I DON'T CRY EASILY. 
          I BAWD IN HER OFFICE AS SHE LAUGHED AT ME AND PRETENDED LIKE I WAS THE ONE WITH THE PROBLEM. 
          IN FACT, SHE BLAMED ME FOR GIVING AN ASSIGNMENT AND SAID IT WAS MY FAULT AND HANDED ME ONE OF THOSE LITTLE COUNSELOR TEACHER PAPERS AND TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO GO TO CLASS. 
          I ASKED HER IF I COULD JUST CHANGE JUST THE ONE CLASS. 
          WE ALSO HAD TWO SPECIAL ED OPENINGS AT OUR SCHOOL CURRENTLY. 
          I SAID, "CAN I HAVE ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS?" I TRIED TO TALK TO HER ABOUT TRANSFERRING TO ANOTHER SCHOOL, BUT SHE JUST DISMISSED ME. 
          A PRINCIPAL AT MY DAUGHTER'S MIDDLE SCHOOL, BECAUSE I HAVE TWO CHESTERFIELD. 
          I'M A CHESTERFIELD MOM. 
          MY HUSBAND'S ALSO A CCPS TEACHER. 
          I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME, SORRY. 
          ANYWAY, LONG STORY SHORT, SHE RECOMMENDED THAT I RESIGN SO THAT I COULD SUB OR GET ANOTHER SPECIAL ED POSITION IN CHESTERFIELD. 
          I DID THAT. I RESIGNED AND THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED IT. 
          I RESIGNED IN GOOD STANDING, BUT LONG STORY SHORT, THE PRINCIPAL FLAGGED MY APPLICATION. 
          SINCE LAST WINTER, THEY WON'T EVEN LET ME BE A SUBSTITUTE. 
          THEY WON'T LET ME BE AN INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT. 
          NOTHING. I WOULD LIKE MY APPLICATION AND EVERYTHING TO BE UNFLAGGED, 
          [00:55:01]
BECAUSE THEY WON'T EVEN LET ME GET A REFERENCE FOR ANOTHER SCHOOL SYSTEM. 
          I'D ALSO LIKE A COPY OF MY FILE. 
          >> THANK YOU, MS. HEATH. 
          >> COULD I JUST ADD ONE MORE THING? SORRY. I'D ALSO LIKE A CEASE [OVERLAPPING] 
          >> THANK YOU, MS. HEATH. 
          >> OKAY. [APPLAUSE] 
          >> BEN DESANTIS. SHARON CARR. 
          >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SHARON CARR, AND THIS IS MY FIRST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AS WELL. 
          I AM A PARENT OF TWO CHESTERFIELD STUDENTS AT O B GATES. 
          MY SON WHO IS FIVE IN KINDERGARTEN, AND MY DAUGHTER WHO'S HERE WITH ME, SHE'S EIGHT IN THE THIRD GRADE. 
          I HAD THIS WHOLE PREPARED SPEECH, BUT I'M GOING TO GO A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ORDER JUST BECAUSE OF THE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE FROM THE MEADOWBROOK TEACHER EARLIER ABOUT THE DIRECTIVE TO USE LESS PAPERS. 
          IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT TODAY. 
          FOR ME, SPECIFICALLY, IT'S GROWN FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS REALLY WITH MY DAUGHTER WHEN SHE WAS IN FIRST GRADE, AND NOW SHE'S IN THIRD GRADE, AND WE GET THESE BACK TO SCHOOL LISTS, AND IT ENCOURAGES OR ASK THE PARENTS TO PURCHASE NO LESS THAN 6-8 COMPOSITION BOOKS PER KID PER YEAR, AND AS MY DAUGHTER, AND EVENTUALLY, MY SON, BRINGS THESE COMPOSITION BOOKS HOME WITH THESE WORKSHEETS OR THESE PIECES OF PAPER THAT ARE PASTED INTO THESE COMPOSITION BOOKS, MAKING THEM MAKE SHIFT TEXTBOOKS. 
          MY QUESTION TO THE COUNTY AND PERHAPS TO STATE, TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT COMES FROM IS WHY HAVE THE SCHOOLS MOVED AWAY FROM TEXTBOOKS? MY DAUGHTER STRUGGLED LAST YEAR WITH DOUBLE-DIGIT ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION, AND ALONG THOSE LINES, WE'RE AT HOME, HER FATHER AND I, TRYING TO HELP HER WORK THROUGH IT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE SUBJECT MATTER, AND THERE'S NO MATERIALS TO LOOK AT FOR RESOURCES. 
          FOR HER, AS EXAMPLES AS TO HOW TO WORK THROUGH THESE PROBLEMS, AS THEY'RE GOING THROUGH DIFFERENT LESSONS DURING THE DAY, GOING FROM SOCIAL STUDIES TO MATH TO SCIENCE, THEY MAY NEED THAT REFRESHER WHEN THEY COME TO HOME TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK. 
          MY HUSBAND AND I, WE WENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL, WE WENT TO [INAUDIBLE] COUNTY, GRADUATED NEARLY 20 YEARS AGO, AND THE WAY THAT WE WERE TAUGHT IS YOU CARRY THAT EXTRA DIGIT, YOU ADD THEM UP AND YOU GO DOWN. 
          NOW OUR KIDS ARE DRAWING A MILLION BUBBLES USING A NUMBER LINE TO DO DOUBLE-DIGIT AND TRIPLE-DIGIT ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY INFURIATING AND POINTLESS. 
          SHE HAD A TEST TODAY, WHICH SHE SAID SHE FEEL LIKE SHE DID WELL ON, SHE HASN'T GOTTEN HER GRADE BACK YET, BUT SHE TOOK THAT TEST TODAY BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT I TAUGHT HER. 
          BECAUSE BREAKING DOWN 136 INTO 100+30+6 MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE. 
          I SAY ALL THAT TO SAY IS, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE INEFFICIENCY OF TEACHING METHODS. 
          WITH OUR STUDENTS, THEY'RE LEARNING THESE THINGS THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT WAYS WHEN IT SHOULD REALLY JUST BE TAUGHT THE ONE WAY AND TAUGHT WELL. 
          YOU CAN'T TEACH ANYTHING WELL WHEN YOU'RE HAVING TO TEACH SOMETHING INEFFICIENTLY OVER A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, BECAUSE YOU HAVE A PRE-ASSESSMENT TO KNOW WHAT THEY KNOW, YOU ASSESS THEM TO KNOW WHAT THEY LEARN, AND THEN THERE'S AN ASSESSMENT AFTERWARD TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY INSUFFICIENCIES IN YOUR TEACHING, AS OPPOSED TO JUST USING THAT TIME TO JUST TEACH THE MATERIAL AND ENSURE THAT OUR STUDENTS REALLY LEARN. 
          I WANT MY STUDENTS TO REALLY LEARN. 
          LIKE I SAID, I'M A PUBLIC SCHOOL GRADUATE. 
          I'M A LAWYER. I GOT THAT BECAUSE I WENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL. 
          WE'VE CONSIDERED PRIVATE SCHOOL, BUT I DON'T WANT MY KIDS TO GROW UP IN A WAY THAT I DIDN'T. 
          I DON'T WANT THEM TO BE DISCONNECTED FROM EVERYDAY LIFE. 
          PRIVATE SCHOOL WILL TEACH THEM THINGS THAT I DIDN'T LEARN. 
          WE'LL REMOVE THEM FROM THE EVERYDAY INTERACTION WITH PEOPLE WHO LOOK JUST LIKE THEM, AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO REMOVE THEM BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE PUBLIC EDUCATION IS NOT SUPPORTING THEM AND TEACHING THEM THE WAY THEY NEED TO BE TAUGHT. 
          I ENCOURAGE THE SCHOOL BOARD TO LOOK BEYOND SOME OF THE MORE HOT TOPIC ISSUES, NOT THAT THEY'RE NOT IMPORTANT, BUT GO BACK TO THE BASICS ABOUT HOW OUR CHILDREN ARE BEING TAUGHT. 
          >> THANK YOU, MS. CARR. [APPLAUSE] CARA ABBOTT. 
          >> HI. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TONIGHT. 
          I HAVE A DAUGHTER IN MIDDLE SCHOOL IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY. 
          [01:00:03]
I GRADUATED FROM CLOVER HILL HIGH SCHOOL MANY YEARS AGO. 
          WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL, MY WORRIES WERE ABOUT WHAT I WAS WEARING TO SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY OR WHO I WAS GOING TO PROM WITH, OR A TEST THAT I HAD COMING UP. 
          MY DAUGHTER'S ANXIETIES ARE NOT AROUND HER NEXT MATH TEST OR HER GRADES, OR EVEN ANY SOCIAL ISSUES. 
          IT IS SCHOOL SAFETY, AND THE FEAR THAT SOMETHING MIGHT HAPPEN AT SCHOOL. 
          EVERY DAY IT IS TEARS TO GET HER TO LEAVE THE HOME TO GO TO SCHOOL. 
          HER SCHOOL HAS BEEN CLOSED BECAUSE OF CREDIBLE THREATS. 
          SCHOOL EVENTS HAVE BEEN CANCELED BECAUSE OF CREDIBLE THREATS, AND IT IS A DAILY STRUGGLE TO GET HER TO WANT TO BE IN SCHOOL. 
          AFTER WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK IN MEADOWBROOK IT'S EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO GET HER THERE. 
          WE KNOW NOW THAT IT DOES HAPPEN IN CHESTERFIELD, WE ARE JUST AS EXPOSED AS ANYBODY ELSE. 
          WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH THAT'S IN PLACE. 
          I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE COUNSELING, WHICH IS AFTER THE FACT THAT'S NOT ENOUGH. 
          FEAR IS A CONSTANT FOR THESE KIDS, AND COUNSELING AND THERAPY IS GREAT, BUT UNTIL THERE ARE BETTER LAWS IN PLACE, THE STUDENTS ARE NOT PROTECTED. 
          IF YOU ARE TRULY COMMITTED TO MAKING THE SCHOOL SAFE, WHAT IS BEING DONE TO PHYSICALLY PROTECT OUR STUDENTS? HOW CAN WE BETTER PROTECT THEM? I THINK THAT THERE ARE THREE PROACTIVE MEASURES THAT WE DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE IN PLACE THAT CAN MAKE OUR SCHOOL SAFETER. 
          INSTALLING WEAPONS OR METAL DETECTORS AT EACH SCHOOL, REQUIRING CLEAR BACKPACKS FOR EVERY STUDENT, AND HAVING ADDITIONAL RESOURCE OFFICERS AT EACH SCHOOL. 
          FOR WEAPONS AND METAL DETECTORS, THESE ARE A POWERFUL DETERRENT, AND THEY SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT WEAPONS OF ANY KIND ARE NOT WELCOME ON SCHOOL PROPERTY. 
          WHEN STUDENTS KNOW THAT DETECTORS ARE IN PLACE, THEY ARE FAR LESS LIKELY TO ATTEMPT TO BRING A WEAPON TO SCHOOL. 
          ACCORDING TO RESEARCH, SCHOOLS WITH METAL DETECTORS REPORT FEWER INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE. 
          WHILE THIS ALONE WON'T STOP ALL THREATS, IT ADDS A SIGNIFICANT LAYER OF SECURITY. 
          METAL DETECTORS NOT ONLY CATCH POTENTIAL DANGERS, BUT ALSO CREATE A SENSE OF ACCOUNTABILITY, AND STUDENTS, STAFF, AND VISITORS WILL ALL UNDERSTAND THAT SAFETY IS A TOP PRIORITY. 
          I'VE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH MY DAUGHTER'S PRINCIPAL. 
          EVEN SHE WANTS METAL DETECTORS AT HER SCHOOL BECAUSE SHE IS AFRAID OF HER SAFETY. 
          IN ADDITION TO PREVENTING VIOLENCE, WEAPONS AND METAL DETECTORS CAN ALLEVIATE ANXIETY FOR THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, AND UNFORTUNATELY WITH THE RISE OF SCHOOL SHOOTINGS AND INCIDENTS INVOLVING WEAPONS, MANY STUDENTS, INCLUDING MY DAUGHTER, FEEL UNSAFE IN THEIR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. 
          I WANT HER TO BE ABLE TO CONCENTRATE ON HER EDUCATION RATHER THAN WORRY ABOUT POTENTIAL DANGERS IN THE HALLWAYS OR IF SHE'S GOING TO COME HOME THAT NIGHT. 
          IN ADDITION TO METAL DETECTORS, I THINK CLEAR BACKPACKS ARE ANOTHER MEASURE THAT WE CAN TAKE. 
          TRANSPARENCY IS KEY IN PREVENTION. 
          IN SCHOOLS WHERE CLEAR BACKPACKS ARE MANDATORY, STAFF CAN EASILY SEE WHAT STUDENTS ARE CARRYING. 
          THIS MAKES IT HARDER TO SMUGGLE IN WEAPONS, DRUGS, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT COULD BE A RISK TO SCHOOL SAFETY. 
          IT PROMOTES ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRUST. 
          WHEN STUDENTS KNOW THAT THEIR BELONGINGS ARE IN PLAIN SIGHT, THEY ARE LESS LIKELY TO BRING ANYTHING INAPPROPRIATE. 
          BY ASKING STUDENTS TO USE CLEAR BACKPACKS, WE'RE FOSTERING A CULTURE OF MUTUAL RESPECT WHERE EVERYONE IS HELD TO THE SAME STANDARD. 
          I UNDERSTAND SOME OF THESE POLICIES COULD BE FEELING LIKE IT'S AN INFRINGEMENT ON PERSONAL PRIVACY, BUT THE REALITY IS, WE CAN'T TAKE THAT STANCE. 
          THEN ADDING ADDITIONAL SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS AT EACH FACILITY. 
          ONE RESOURCE OFFICER IN A SCHOOL OF 01,100 STUDENTS IS NOT ENOUGH EYES AND EARS ON THE GROUND, AND IT NEEDS TO TAKE THE BURDEN FROM THE TEACHERS. 
          WE HAVE A BUDGET OF ONE BILLION DOLLARS. 
          IF EACH DETECTOR WAS $20,000 AT 67 SCHOOLS AND YOU PUT FOUR IN, THAT'S LESS THAN ONE-HALF OF 1% OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET. 
          IF YOU ADD IN BACKPACKS [APPLAUSE] AND YOU ADD IN RESOURCE OFFICERS, THE TOTAL INITIATIVE FOR THAT IS $11 MILLION. 
          THAT'S 1.3% OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET. 
          >> THANK YOU, MS. ABBOTT. 
          >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] 
          >> JACOB WEATHERFORD. 
          >> IT WILL BE A LOT EASIER TO REMEMBER YOUR NAMES IF YOU CHANGE THEM ALL TO EXCUSES. 
          I STAND HERE TODAY DEEPLY CONCERNED AND RAGED, AND FUELED BY AN OBLIGATION TO PROTECT THE FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN, YOUR CHILDREN, MY CHILDREN, AND EVERY CHILD THAT HAS BEEN TRUSTED INTO YOUR HANDS WITHIN THIS MALICIOUS AND TOXIC PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. 
          WE ARE WATCHING WITH OUR OWN VERY EYES, DECLINING TEST SCORES, RISING SCHOOL VIOLENCE, AND REAL-TIME RESULTS FROM POLICIES THAT ARE DRIVEN BY THE TOXIC POLITICAL AGENDAS THAT CONTINUE TO DRIVE OUR CHILDREN APART EVERY SINGLE DAY. 
          POLICIES THAT LABEL THEM, CATEGORIZE THEM, AND LEAVE IT TO PEOPLE LIKE YOU, THE SCHOOL BOARD, TO DECIDE WHICH CHILD MATTERS MORE BASED ON A MISGUIDED AGENDA. 
          WE'RE ONE OF THE LARGEST DISTRICTS IN THE REGION, 
          [01:05:01]
AND YOU GUYS PROUDLY EMBRACE THIS IDEOLOGY. 
          YOU'VE ALLOWED THE ENVIRONMENT IN OUR SCHOOLS TO DECAY TO THE POINT WHERE OUR CHILDREN ARE SUFFERING DAILY. 
          WE SEE IT IN THE NUMBERS. 
          THE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS HAVE MISSED OVER 18 DAYS OF SCHOOL FOR ANY GIVEN REASON IS SKYROCKETED. 
          IT'S NOT JUST A STATISTIC. 
          IT'S A REFLECTION OF YOUR FAILURES. 
          THIS ISN'T A MINOR ISSUE, IT'S SYSTEMIC, IT'S BLATANT, AND TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU SITTING THERE TODAY, YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF. 
          STEP DOWN IF YOU CAN'T DO THE JOB YOU'RE ENTRUSTED TO DO. 
          WE'RE THE PARENTS OF THESE SUFFERING CHILDREN, AND WE DESERVE TO BE HEARD. 
          OUR CHILDREN'S LIVES DEPEND ON IT. 
          LET'S TALK ABOUT SAFETY. 
          YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IT TODAY, BUT CURRENTLY YOU DON'T EMPLOY ANY METAL DETECTORS, WEAPON DETECTING SYSTEMS, OR EVEN REQUIRE CLEAR BACKPACKS AT ANY OF THE SCHOOLS. WENT TO THE FAIR. 
          THEY REQUIRE CLEAR BAGS. 
          THIS ISN'T JUST NEGLIGENCE, IT'S RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT. 
          INCIDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS SPEAK FOR ITSELF. 
          YOU TALK ABOUT THE MOST RECENT ONE. 
          SEPTEMBER 6, MANCHESTER MIDDLE WAS SHUT DOWN AFTER RECEIVING A THREAT OF A SCHOOL SHOOTING. 
          SEPTEMBER 10TH, A 13-YEAR-OLD AT SALEM CHURCH WAS CHARGED WITH A FELONY FOR THREATENING THE SCHOOL. 
          THE LIST GOES ON, IT'S TERRIFYING, AND YOU GUYS ARE MORE FOCUSED ON PUSHING YOUR PERSONAL AND POLITICAL BELIEFS, WHICH LEADS ME TO POLICY 1015. 
          HOW DARE YOU KEEP PARENTS IN THE DARK ABOUT OUR OWN CHILDREN? HOW DARE YOU ALLOW STUDENTS TO ASSERT A GENDER IDENTITY WITHOUT INFORMING THE PARENTS? HOW DARE YOU ALLOW ACCESS TO RESTROOMS BASED ON GENDER IDENTITY, CREATING A BREEDING GROUND FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT? YOU CAN'T EVEN ENSURE MY CHILD IS SAFE FROM YOUR TEACHERS. 
          WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? OVER MY DEAD BODY, WILL MY CHILD BE EVER PUT IN DANGER. 
          Y'ALL SIT HERE LIKE PARENTS LIKE ME AND COUNTLESS OTHERS COME UP HERE, TIME AND TIME AGAIN, PLEADING FOR YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING. 
          YET ALL I SEE ARE HOLLOW EMPTY STAIRS IN RETURN. 
          NONE OF YOU HAVE THE GUTS TO SAY ANYTHING. 
          MISS CHATTERS, YOU WERE HERE ROUGHLY A YEAR AGO, RIGHT IN THIS SPOT I'M IN, ADVOCATING FOR POLICIES THAT ALIGN WITH YOUR PERSONAL BELIEFS, POLICIES THAT CONTINUE TO PUT ALL OF OUR CHILDREN IN HARM'S WAY. 
          YOU SIT UP THERE PROUD ON YOUR IRON THRONE, WHILE THE WORLD BURNS AND OUR CHILDREN ARE HARMING. 
          OUR CHILDREN ARE SUFFERING IN FEAR. 
          MY OLDEST IS FOUR-YEARS-OLD, PROUD TO BEGIN HIS EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY. 
          UNFORTUNATELY, I'VE ACCEPTED THE FACT THAT I'M FORCED TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO EDUCATE HIM SAFELY AT HOME IN ORDER TO PROTECT HIM, TO POTENTIALLY SAVE HIS LIFE. 
          I WILL WORK TIRELESSLY, SACRIFICING EVERY SECOND OF MY TIME BEFORE I EVER FALL TO A SYSTEM THAT FAILED US ALL. 
          I REFUSE TO GAMBLE WITH HIS SAFETY AND I REFUSE TO TRUST THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT PUTS ITS OWN AND MALICIOUS AGENDAS ABOVE THE LIVES OF OUR CHILDREN. 
          BE BETTER. OUR CHILDREN'S LIVES DEPEND ON IT. 
          UNTIL THEN, PARENTS STAND UP, REFUSE TO CONTINUE PUTTING YOUR CHILD'S LIFE IN THE HANDS OF THESE PEOPLE INCAPABLE OF RAISING THEIR OWN CHILDREN. 
          UNTIL THEN ACTUAL CHANGE IS MADE AND NOT SIMPLY JUST PROMISE, DON'T LISTEN TO A WORD THEY HAVE TO SAY. 
          THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] 
          >> LAUREN LINKER. 
          >> THE DAY IS OCTOBER 7TH. 
          THE WEATHER HAS JUST TURNED A BEAUTIFUL FALL TEMPERATURE, AND JESSICA HAS SUBSIDED FOR HALLOWEEN. 
          SHE ALREADY HAS HER COSTUME BOUGHT AND WAS GOING TO BE A BUTTERFLY. 
          KEY WORD WAS, ON A SEEMINGLY NORMAL MORNING, SHE TOLD HER MOM KRISTA ABOUT HER ANTICIPATION FOR SELLING GIRL SCOUT COOKIES IN JANUARY AND HER EXCITEMENT ABOUT TRICK OR TREATING WITH HER FRIENDS. 
          DRESSED IN A PLAID DRESS THEY PICKED OUT TOGETHER, JESSICA WAVED GOODBYE AS SHE BOARDED THE BUS, READY TO SHARE HER CHRISTMAS LIST AND HER FAVORITE STUFF BUNNY CHARLIE DURING SHOW INTEL. 
          SHE LEFT HER TEACHER, HER FRIENDS IN THE WARMTH OF HER CLASSROOM. 
          HER MOM WALKED TO THE BUS AND SHE SAT IN HER SEAT. 
          SHE LOOKED AT HER MOM THROUGH THE BUS WINDOW, SMILED, AND WAVED AS THE BUS PULLED UP THE HILL. 
          SHE WENT OUT TO RECESS AT 10:08 AM AND ENJOYED PLAYING WITH HER BEST FRIEND ADELINE ON THE SEESAW. 
          AS HER CLASS RETURNED FROM RECESS, JESSICA'S ANTICIPATION GREW FOR HER CHANCE AT SHOW INTEL. 
          EXCEPT JESSICA WASN'T GOING TO HAVE SHOW INTEL THAT DAY. 
          SHE WASN'T GOING TO SEE HER MOM AFTER SCHOOL OR SELL GIRL SCOUT COOKIES IN JANUARY. 
          SHE WASN'T GOING TO BE A BUTTERFLY FOR HALLOWEEN BECAUSE JESSICA WOULD BE DEAD. 
          SHE WOULD NEVER SEE HER BROTHER, SAM, AGAIN. 
          HER FAMILY WAS LEFT TO GRAPPLE WITH THE UNIMAGINABLE LOSS. 
          AT 10:32, THE SOUNDS OF SHOTS RANG OUT WITHIN THE SCHOOL. 
          ALARMS WENT OFF AND PANIC SET IN. 
          JESSICA'S TEACHER ATTEMPTED TO PLACE FURNITURE AGAINST THE DOOR. 
          THIS WAS CLEARLY NOT A DRILL, BUT THE FORCE WAS NOT ENOUGH TO PROTECT HER STUDENTS. 
          A DISGRUNTLED PAST STUDENT HAD ENTERED THE BUILDING WAS OUTSIDE JESSICA'S CLASSROOM. 
          HE HAD A GUN. HOW DID HE GET A GUN ON CAMPUS, YOU ASKED? HE HAD SET A MEETING TO RECONNECT WITH HIS OLD SCHOOL COUNSELOR THAT DAY. 
          HE WALKED INTO THE SCHOOL WITH A GUN IN HIS BACK, AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO KNOW. 
          THERE WAS NOTHING STOPPING HIM FROM WALKING INTO THE SCHOOL WITH A WEAPON BECAUSE NO ONE WAS CHECKING. 
          WAITING FOR HOURS TO HEAR THE NEWS OF THEIR CHILDREN WAS AGONIZING. 
          FOR KRISTA, JESSICA'S MOTHER, IT WOULD BE THE WORST DAY OF HER LIFE. 
          SHE WOULD GO HOME EMPTY HANDED IN HER LIFE AS SHE KNEW IT WOULD BE OVER. 
          >> THE ONLY THING JESSICA'S MOTHER, KRISTA WOULD GET BACK THAT DAY IS HER DAUGHTER'S STUFFED BUNNY CHARLIE AND HER DAUGHTER'S LIFELESS BODY THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO BURY. 
          [01:10:04]
THE CHRISTMAS LIST JESSICA HAD WANTED TO SHARE FOR SHOW AND TELL WAS STAINED IN BLOOD. 
          HER MOTHER WOULD HAVE TO PLAN A FUNERAL, WALK PAST HER DAUGHTER'S EMPTY ROOM, AND TELL HER SON THAT HIS SISTER WAS DEAD. 
          HER MOTHER STILL SLEEPS WITH THAT STUFFED ANIMAL. 
          IT IS THE LAST THING SHE PUT IN HER DAUGHTER'S ARMS. LET'S IMAGINE A SCENARIO WHERE WEAPON DETECTION WAS IN PLACE, WHERE THE ARMED SSO OFFICERS STOOD AT THEIR SINGLE POINT OF ENTRY, AND WE WERE ABLE TO STOP THE GUNMAN. 
          THE CHILD WHO TOOK A GUN FROM HOME OR A KID WITH A KNIFE. 
          HOW MANY KIDS COULD WE HAVE SAVED? SCHOOL SHOOTINGS ARE AMONG THE MOST HORRIFIC EVENTS OUR COMMUNITY COULD FACE. 
          I ASK YOU, WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR? WHY AREN'T WE CHECKING EVERY BACKPACK FOR WEAPONS? WHY DO WE PRIORITIZE PLAYGROUNDS AND TECHNOLOGY OVER THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS? IF WE DON'T HAVE A SECURE ENVIRONMENT, WE HAVE NOTHING ELSE. 
          OUR DISTRICT HAS INVESTED FOUR MILLION DOLLARS IN GLASS VEGETABLES. 
          HOW DOES THAT PREVENT STUDENTS FROM COMING IN WITH A WEAPON OR A GUN? ON CCPS WEBSITE, THEY SAID MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS WHO ARE POLICE OFFICERS TRAINED TO WORK IN SCHOOLS. 
          IN ADDITION, CHESTERFIELD COUNTY SCHOOLS EMPLOYEE SECURITY OFFERS OFFICERS IN EVERY ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL. 
          WHILE I SUPPORT AND RESPECT SRO AND SSO, STUDIES SHOW THAT SCHOOL BASED POLICE HAVE BEEN MARGINALLY SUCCESSFUL IN PREVENTING SCHOOL VIOLENCE. 
          ON ONE HAND, SROS DO MEET SOME OF THEIR OBJECTIVES LIKE REDUCING A NON-TRIVIAL NUMBER OF FIGHTS AND TAX. 
          BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, THE RESEARCHERS FIND NO EVIDENCE THAT SROS REDUCE MORE SERIOUS GUN RELATED VIOLENCE. 
          AS ONE OF THE LARGEST COUNTIES IN VIRGINIA, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO STAND BY IDLY WHILE OTHER DISTRICTS IMPLEMENT WEAPON DETECTION SYSTEM AND PANIC BUTTONS. 
          WITH A BUDGET OF NINE MILLION DOLLARS, WHY ARE WE SAYING NOT THIS YEAR WHEN IT COMES TO OUR CHILDREN'S SAFETY? JUST TODAY, A STUDENT RIGHT HERE ON THIS VERY STREET ENTERED BIRD WITH A KNIFE. 
          LUCKILY, THE SSO OFFICER WAS INVOLVED. 
          >> THANK YOU MISS LUKA [APPLAUSE] 
          >> REBECCA CORTRIGHT, NINA POLMAN. 
          >> HI THERE. FIRST TIME ALSO WITH SCHOOL BOARD. 
          I'M A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER FOR CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 
          I FEEL THE LACK OF CARE FOR OUR SCHOOL SAFETY HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY PUSHED BACK FOR THE SAKE OF PROTECTING THE SCHOOL'S APPEARANCE FOR TOO LONG. 
          ADMINISTRATION CARES MORE ABOUT TWISTING THE DATA IN THEIR FAVOR. 
          I WAS TOLD LAST YEAR TO STAY IN MY LANE BECAUSE I CONTINUOUSLY FOLLOWED UP ON UNANSWERED REFERRALS. 
          BY THE END OF THE YEAR, I HAD NEARLY 40 REFERRALS THAT WERE COMPLETELY IGNORED. 
          A STUDENT THAT PERSONALLY THREATENED ME AND WAS REMOVED FROM MY CLASSROOM DURING FINALS WAS FOUND LATER THAT DAY WANDERING THE HALL ROOMS UNACCOMPANIED. 
          THIS YEAR, I WAS ONCE AGAIN TOLD THAT I AM RUBBING ADMIN THE WRONG WAY BECAUSE I KEEP PRESSING THEM WHY A STUDENT WHO THREATENED TO SHOOT UP THE FOOTBALL GAME IS STILL IN SCHOOL. 
          ONE OF THE STUDENT WITNESSES WHO SAID THIS TO HER FACE AS WELL WAS NEVER EVEN INTERVIEWED BECAUSE ADMIN DEEMED IT NOT A THREAT. 
          I WAS JUST TOLD TO TRUST THE PROCESS AND LET ADMIN HANDLE IT. 
          I CANNOT TRUST A PROCESS THAT I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT. 
          TEACHERS ARE KEPT IN THE DARK ABOUT OUR OWN SAFETY AND ARE EXPECTED TO JUST ACCEPT IT. 
          WHEN WILL THESE "ZERO TOLERANCE" POLICIES ACTUALLY MEAN ZERO TOLERANCE? THESE THREATS, JOKES OR NOT, YOU CAN'T DECIDE. 
          YOU CAN'T SIT THERE AND SAY WITH 100% CERTAINTY THAT IT IS A JOKE. 
          THEY WILL ONLY STOP WHEN WE ACTUALLY STAND TO OUR WORD AND HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE. 
          WHEN WILL ADMIN TAKE THE WORD OF A TEACHER, A GROWN WOMAN OVER THAT OF A STUDENT? STUDENTS ARE FEARFUL OF PEER PRESSURE. 
          THEY CARE ABOUT HOW THEY LOOK. 
          THEY GET SCARED TO SIT IN ADMIN'S OFFICE BY THEMSELVES. 
          WHEN WILL WE FINALLY PUT IN METAL DETECTORS LIKE RICHMOND AND HENRICO ALREADY HAVE? WE HAD A KNIFE ON CAMPUS TODAY IN FIRST BLOCK. 
          WHEN DID WE FIND OUT? AFTER SCHOOL. 
          NOBODY TOLD US. 
          I FEEL THAT ADMIN IS TOO GUNG HO ABOUT THEIR ABILITIES TO CONTROL THE STUDENTS. 
          WHEN IN MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, THEY ARE CONTINUOUSLY SKIPPING CLASSES IN UNAUTHORIZED AREAS. 
          WEAPONS ARE FOUND ON OR NEAR CAMPUS. 
          TWO WEEKS AGO, GUNS WERE IN A CAR ON CAMPUS, AND FIGHTS ARE HAPPENING ON A WEEKLY BASIS. 
          TEACHERS FEEL THAT ADMIN SIMPLY POST UP IN THEIR OFFICES AND 
          [01:15:01]
IGNORE THE SERIOUS PROBLEMS THAT ARE HAPPENING RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEIR FACES. 
          WE AS TEACHERS ARE BEGGING THEM FOR HELP AND BEGGING THAT THESE KIDS GET HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS. 
          WE ARE SEEING NO SUPPORT FROM ADMIN. 
          TEACHERS ARE EXPECTED TO HANDLE THE WEIGHT OF EVERY SINGLE STUDENT AND EVERY SINGLE BULLET POINT IN THE DAY. 
          WE ARE NOT ADMIN, BUT WE ARE EXPECTED TO BEHAVE LIKE ADMIN, THEN ADMIN IN MY EXPERIENCE, BLAMES THE TEACHERS FOR THE LACK OF STUDENT MANAGEMENT WHENEVER SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN. 
          WE ARE NOT AS INVINCIBLE AS YOU THINK WE ARE. 
          ONE OF THESE DAYS, THESE THREATS WILL NOT BE A JOKE. 
          MEADOWBROOK WAS A WEEK AGO. 
          ANY OF THESE THINGS CAN ACTUALLY BE SERIOUS. 
          IT IS NOT UP TO YOU TO DEEM THEM NOT A THREAT OR NOT WITHOUT EXHAUSTING ALL OPTIONS. 
          I AM ASKING YOU TO HONOR THE COMMITMENT THAT YOU'VE MENTIONED MULTIPLE TIMES TONIGHT AND STEP UP AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR SAFETY. 
          THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] 
          >> THANK YOU MISS POLMAN. 
          WENDY LITTLE. 
          YOU HAVE A COPY FOR ME? 
          >> I WILL HAVE A COPY FOR YOU. APPRECIATE. 
          MY NAME IS WENDY LITTLE. 
          EVERYONE ACROSS EVERYWHERE KNOWS ME AS AARON'S MOM. 
          I HOPE THIS IS THE LAST TIME I HAVE TO VISIT THE SCHOOL BOARD AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC IN THE AUDIENCE FROM ABOVE THE DIAS TO PROVIDE COMMENTARY AND TESTIMONY. 
          IN LEGAL DOCUMENTS, CCPS AND THE CCPS SCHOOL BOARD HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS INDEFENSIBLE, DEAD WRONG, AND FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD TO SUGGEST THAT ITS ANTI-PARENT CONDUCT IS SOMEHOW PARENTAL PROTECTION IS DOWNRIGHT OR WILLIAM. 
          I'M SO PETTY, I'M GOING TO REPEAT THAT AGAIN. 
          FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD TO SUGGEST THAT ITS ANTI-PARENT CONDUCT IS SOMEHOW PARENTAL PROTECTION IS DOWNRIGHT OR WILLIAM. 
          FOR YEARS, MANY IN THE PUBLIC HAVE INVESTED THEIR ENTIRE SPEAKING TIME IN SUPPORT OF MY SON, AARON LITTLE. 
          OTHERS WHO SOMETIME VERY MUCH DISAGREE WITH EACH OTHER, HAVE SPOKEN UP FOR ME, WENDY LITTLE BY NAME, AS I HAVE COME FOR YEARS TO BEG FOR AARON'S RIGHT TO DIGNITY AND HYGIENE IN SCHOOL, AND THEN FOR NOW OVER TWO YEARS, NO ACCESS TO EDUCATION, NO ACCESS TO FRIENDS, PEERS, NOR LIFE SKILLS. 
          YOU HAVE CANCELED AARON FOR OVER TWO YEARS AFTER SUBJECTING HIM TO FOUR YEARS OF MEDICAL HEALTH NEGLECT AND BULLYING DUE TO ONE MEDICAL CONDITION, AND YOU HAVE BROKEN HIS SPIRIT AND ALLOWED IT TO HAPPEN. 
          AN INNOCENT CHILD THROUGH YOUR SPECIAL EDUCATION CENTRAL OFFICE, THUGS AND OTHERS, WORKING NOT FOR CCPS AS THEIR EDUCATIONAL LICENSURE AND EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS REQUIRE, BUT INSTEAD TO DRIVE UP SANDS ANDERSON BILLABLE HOURS, ILLEGALLY PILLAGING TAXPAYER FUNDING FROM THE CITIZENS AND VOTERS OF THIS COUNTY. 
          THIS IS HIGHLY PROBLEMATIC THAT A MOM HAS REPEATEDLY FOR YEARS, COME TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND ASK FOR HELP BECAUSE NOTHING ELSE IS HAPPENING ANYWHERE ELSE. 
          IN FACT, MR. ROBERT SENT ME THE DOCUMENT OF ILLEGAL COLLISIONS HIMSELF FROM HIS OFFICE, HIMSELF. 
          NEITHER AARON NOR MYSELF NOR THE REST OF OUR FAMILY DESERVE SUCH MALICIOUS, EGREGIOUS TREATMENT, MISTREATMENT, ABOLISHMENT, ABANDONMENT, NO UTTER VITRIOL, BY A PUBLIC SCHOOL DIVISION AS DESIGNED, MAINTAINED, AND DICTATED BY YOUR FRIENDS AT SANDS ANDERSON, WHO, BY THE WAY, A BSBA, RENDER YOURSELVES ESSENTIALLY A USELESS ELECTED BODY BECAUSE THEY CONTROL EVERYTHING AND YOU LET THEM. 
          THROUGH MANY REPRESENTING THE SCHOOL BOARD, YOU HAVE IMPUGNED MY INTEGRITY. 
          CALLED POLICE ON ME FOR TRYING TO GET AN IP FOR MY SON PER VDOE DIRECTORS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE LAST SCHOOL YEAR, THEN CALLED POLICE ON ME AGAIN WHEN I TRIED TO PUT IN A POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR MY SON. 
          YOU COST ME TWO MENTAL HEALTH STAYS, INPATIENT STAYS, 
          [01:20:01]
AARON'S FATHER REQUIRED MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, AND AARON IS DEFINITELY IN A BAD SITUATION. 
          YOU'VE INFLICTED AND SUSTAINED INTENTIONALLY NEGLIGENT EMOTIONAL DISTRESS UPON AARON LITTLE AND HIS FAMILY. 
          CONSPIRED TO REPEATEDLY FALSIFY RECORDS TO COURTS, THE VDOE, HEARING OFFICERS, AND COMMITTED PERJURY AND OBSTRUCTED AARON'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS TO DUE PROCESS AND PURSUE HAPPINESS ALL THE WHILE. 
          MISS HEFFRON, YOU AND DR. MURRAY, PROCLAIMED THAT CCPS WOULD CONTINUE THE MANTRA OF ALL MEANS ALL, JUST LIKE THE LAST FAILED SUPERINTENDENT OF THIS SCHOOL DIVISION. 
          BUT THAT STILL DOES NOT APPLY TO AARON LITTLE BECAUSE YOU CONTINUE TO INTENTIONALLY VIOLATE SPECIAL EDUCATION LAWS. 
          SEPTEMBER WAS ATTENDANCE MONTH, AND YOU FALSELY PROCLAIMED THAT STUDENTS, YOUR PRESENCE MATTERS, "CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS HERE TO SUPPORT FAMILIES AND ENSURE EVERY STUDENT IS ABLE TO SHOW UP READY TO LEARN IN CLASS". 
          I REACHED OUT TO DR. MURRAY HE DECLINED. 
          Y'ALL DIDN'T EVEN TRY TO SEND HIM A BUS THIS YEAR. 
          ALL MEANS ALL. EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS. 
          WHAT ARE YOU DOING? IF YOU CANNOT STEP UP, YOU NEED TO STEP DOWN. 
          >> THANK YOU, MISS LITTLE. [APPLAUSE] JAMES FREEMAN. 
          >> HELLO, THERE. MY NAME IS JAMES FREEMAN. 
          AFTER THE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED AT MEADOWBROOK LAST WEEK, SOME OF OUR MEMBERS OF THE CEA AT MEADOWBROOK CALLED TOGETHER A MEETING TO DISCUSS CONCERNS OF SAFETY INVITING ALL STAFF TO THE MEETING. 
          I'M HERE TONIGHT NOT AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF CEA, BUT AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MORE THAN 60 SIGNATORIES TO THIS LETTER TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND TO THE SUPERINTENDENT, WHICH I'D LIKE TO READ NOW. 
          [NOISE] FOLLOWING THE STABBING THAT TOOK PLACE LAST WEEK AT MEADOWBROOK HIGH SCHOOL, THE STAFF WAS MET WITH MESSAGING FROM CENTRAL OFFICE THAT EMPHASIZED THE POSITIVE RESPONSE TO THE TRAGEDY AND OUR UNITY AS A SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY IN CRISIS. 
          OUR STAFF, STUDENTS, AND FIRST RESPONDERS RESPONDED TO THE CRISIS IN A LAUDABLE MANNER, WHICH SHOULD COME AS NO SURPRISE TO ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH OUR STUDENTS AND DEDICATED STAFF. 
          HOWEVER, WE BELIEVE THAT AN EVENT LIKE THIS IS PREVENTABLE AND THAT THERE SHOULD BE POLICIES IN PLACE BOTH TO PREVENT ACTS OF VIOLENCE FROM HAPPENING AT OUR SCHOOLS AND TO ENSURE A SMOOTHER, LESS CONFUSING RESPONSE WHEN THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENS. 
          THE DISTRICT NEEDS TO TAKE ACTION REGARDING THE PRESENCE OF WEAPONS IN OUR BUILDINGS. 
          THE FACT THAT WEAPONS ARE STILL FOUND IN SCHOOLS WITH MINIMAL DETERRENCE AND METHODS OF DETECTION SUGGESTS THAT THEIR PRESENCE IS MORE COMMON THAN WE WOULD LIKE TO THINK. 
          WHETHER WE REQUIRE CLEAR PLASTIC BACKPACKS, CONDUCT MORE REGULAR CANINE SWEEPS, OR DEPLOY METAL DETECTORS AT OUR SCHOOLS, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO ASSURE OUR STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND STAFF THAT WEAPONS ARE NOT BEING SECRETED INTO OUR BUILDINGS. 
          PRESENTLY, ALL WE KNOW IS THAT ON ANY GIVEN DAY, THERE IS AN UNKNOWN NUMBER OF WEAPONS AT ANY OF THE SCHOOLS, AND THIS KNOWN, UNKNOWN IS OF MASSIVE LIABILITY. 
          LAST YEAR, A FORMER SUPERINTENDENT GAVE AN ADDRESS IN WHICH HE CLAIMED THAT WE WOULD NOT TOLERATE DISRUPTIONS TO THE SCHOOL DAY AND THAT SUCH DISRUPTIVE STUDENTS WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED TO REMAIN AT THEIR SCHOOLS. 
          THIS TURNED OUT TO BE AN EMPTY THREAT. 
          BUILDING ADMINISTRATORS, SECURITY STAFF, AND TEACHERS MUST HAVE THE LATITUDE TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS HALLWAY AND CLASSROOM DISRUPTIONS. 
          THE CHAOS THAT RESULTS FROM THESE DISRUPTIONS CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FURTHER MISBEHAVIOR, INCLUDING THE VIOLENCE THAT OCCURRED LAST WEEK. 
          CENTRAL OFFICE NEEDS TO FIND A SOLUTION FOR SUCH STUDENTS INSTEAD OF RETURNING THEM TO BUILDINGS WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL AND WHERE THEIR BEHAVIOR POSES PROBLEMS FOR OTHER STUDENTS AND DISRUPTS THEIR EDUCATION. 
          CURRENTLY, THE DISTRICT'S ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM IS INSUFFICIENT AND DOES NOT MEET THE NEEDS OF A SCHOOL SYSTEM OF THIS SIZE. 
          THE COUNTY NEEDS TO EXPAND ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS SO THAT STUDENTS WHO DO NOT MEET BEHAVIORAL STANDARDS IN TRADITIONAL SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS GET THE RESOURCES THEY NEED AND DO NOT HAMPER THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT FOR THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS. 
          DURING THE LOCKDOWN, COMMUNICATION WITH STAFF WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY CLEAR AND THE PROTRACTED LOCKDOWN AND DISMISSAL PROCEDURES WERE CONFUSING TO STUDENTS AND STAFF. 
          WE ASK THE DISTRICT TO ESTABLISH CLEARER GUIDELINES FOR HOW TO RESPOND TO VIOLENCE IN OUR SCHOOLS, 
          [01:25:02]
INCLUDING STANDARDIZING DISMISSAL AND EVACUATION PROCEDURES AFTER A VIOLENT EVENT AND MORE CLEARLY DELINEATING RESPONSIBILITIES AND CHAIN OF COMMAND IN CRISIS, SO THAT OUR RESPONSE TO SUCH EVENTS WILL BE CLEARER AND SMOOTHER AND SO THAT PARENTS AND STAFF WILL HAVE A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT TO EXPECT IN RESPONSE TO SUCH EVENTS. 
          THIS TRAGEDY WAS PREVENTABLE. 
          WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT THIS TRAGEDY DID NOT RESULT IN A STUDENT'S DEATH, BUT IF THE DISTRICT FAILS TO TAKE THE NECESSARY ACTION, WE COULD VERY WELL FACE A GREATER TRAGEDY IN THE FUTURE. 
          AGAIN, THERE WERE OVER 60 STAFF MEMBERS WHO SIGNED ONTO THIS LETTER. 
          I'M GOING TO PRESENT IT TO THE CLERK. 
          I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE GOTTEN MORE, BUT I HAD VERY LIMITED TIME. 
          >> THANK YOU MR. FREEMAN. 
          >> THANKS. [APPLAUSE] 
          >> PIKARA SHABAZZ. 
          >> GOOD EVENING. IT'S A LOT OF VIOLENCE GOING ON. 
          BUT UP TODAY, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE VIOLENCE THAT PARENTS AND STUDENTS ENDURE BY THE HANDS OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD, INEFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION, STAFF THAT ARE IN PLACE TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN. 
          THAT IS NOT HAPPENING. ON FEBRUARY 16TH, MY DAUGHTER WAS ATTACKED FROM BEHIND BY A YOUNG MAN IN THE CAFETERIA. 
          HE HIT HER TWICE. 
          SHE DECIDED SHE NEEDED TO FIGHT BACK. 
          SHE WANTED TO PROTECT HERSELF BECAUSE THERE WAS NOBODY ELSE THERE TO PROTECT HER. 
          A FIGHT ENSUED. SHE FELL ON THE FLOOR, HITTING HER HEAD ON THE GROUND AND THE YOUNG MAN, INSTEAD OF RETREATING, DECIDED TO GET ON TOP OF MY DAUGHTER AND BEAT HER IN THE FACE, CLOSED FIST UNTIL HER EYEBROW BUSTED OPEN. 
          >> MY DAUGHTER HAS AN IP AND HAS HAD AN IP SINCE THIRD GRADE, SHE'S NOW IN 11TH GRADE TO THIS DATE, IT IS OCTOBER 8. 
          THERE HAS NOT BEEN A MANIFESTATION DETERMINATION REPORT DONE. 
          HOWEVER, SHE WAS SUSPENDED FOR 10 DAYS. 
          SHE'S ALSO HAS A CHARGE FOR ASSAULT AND BATTERY FOR PROTECTING HERSELF WHEN NOBODY ELSE WOULD. 
          TODAY, I WENT IN A COURTROOM TO HELP DEFEND MY DAUGHTER, AND SHE HAD TO HAVE A MUGSHOT DONE AND HER FINGERPRINTS TAKEN. 
          MY DAUGHTER DOES NOT GET IN TROUBLE. 
          SHE GOES TO SCHOOL AND SHE DOES EVERYTHING WE TELL OUR CHILDREN TO DO. 
          BUT SOMEHOW THE SYSTEM STILL MADE MY CHILD AND AT RISK STUDENT, AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT VIOLENCE, I WANT US TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING. 
          THE SRO IN THE SCHOOL, AFTER I SAID, I WANTED TO PRESS CHARGES ON A YOUNG MAN FOR BRUTALLY BEATING MY DAUGHTER, DECIDED HE WOULD THREATEN ME AND SAY, IF YOU TAKE A CHARGE OUT, I'LL TAKE A CHARGE OUT ON YOUR DAUGHTER, AND HE DID. 
          I WENT TO ANOTHER SRO TO TRY TO GET A CHARGE TAKEN OUT. GUESS WHAT HE DID. 
          LIED TO ME AND GAVE ME A BOGUS POLICE REPORT NUMBER, OUR SROS. 
          MS. COKER SAID MY DAUGHTER WAS AGGRESSIVE AFTER BEING BEATEN BY A YOUNG MAN. SHE WAS NOT SUPPORTED. 
          SHE STILL HAS NOT BEEN SUPPORTED, AND THIS VICTIM HAS BEEN BLAMED FOR HER OWN INJURIES MY DAUGHTER SUFFERED PERMANENT DISFIGUREMENT OVER HER RIGHT EYE, JUST FOR GOING TO SCHOOL LIKE WE TELL THEM TO DO. 
          IF THE CHILDREN CANNOT PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM ASSAULT, AND THE TEACHERS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN FROM ASSAULT, AND THE SROS IS NOT THERE TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN FROM THE ASSAULT, WHO IS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN WHEN YOU TELL THEM, THEY CANNOT PROTECT THEMSELVES? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU ALL? I AM HERE, AGAIN TODAY, CALLING FOR YOUR RESIGNATION, MS. COKER, AS I DID THE PREVIOUS SCHOOL BOARD MEETING THAT I WAS HERE. 
          YOU'RE SHOWING UP AT THE MEETING LAST WEEK DOES NOT ABSOLVE YOU OF ERASING MY DAUGHTER'S EXPERIENCE AND HER WHOLE EXISTENCE. 
          AS A YOUNG MAN SAID, IF YOU ARE NOT HERE TO STAND UP FOR THE CHILDREN, GO HOME. 
          WE PARENTS ARE TIRED OF IT. 
          THERE IS A LAW THAT SAYS WE HAVE TO SEND OUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL, AND IF NOT, WE WILL BE JAILED. 
          BUT SEND OUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL FOR WHAT? THEY'RE NOT LEARNING AND THEY'RE DYING. 
          [APPLAUSE] 
          [01:30:04]
          >> DIANE LILOH. 
          MADAM CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES THIS EVENING'S PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          >> THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. NEXT, WE HAVE 
          [E. Superintendent's Report]
THIS EVENING'S SUPERINTENDENT REPORT. DR. MURRAY. 
          >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. TONIGHT, WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS. 
          FIRST IS A PRESENTATION FROM SEAN SMITH ON HOW THE SCHOOL DIVISIONS CAFETERIA SERVED OVER 9 MILLION MEALS LAST SCHOOL YEAR. SEAN 
          >> MADAM CHAIRMAN, BOARD MEMBERS, WE'RE GOING TO HIGHLIGHT A VIDEO HERE, WHICH IS FROM THE FOOD AND SERVICES DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY'RE TESTING RECIPES, CREATING MENUS, FOLLOWING HEALTH GUIDELINES, AND HELPING STUDENTS ACHIEVE BY KEEPING THEM NOURISHED. 
          [MUSIC] 
          >> WE ENGAGE WITH LOTS OF DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR TO HELP US CREATE OUR NEW MENUS FOR THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL YEAR. 
          WE ENGAGE WITH OUR STUDENTS BY USING STUDENT TASTE TESTS AT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. 
          WE ALSO ENGAGE WITH ALL OF OUR MANAGERS AND OUR SCHOOLS. 
          WE HAVE MANAGER COMMITTEES WITH THEM, AND WE FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING WELL OVER THE SCHOOL YEAR AND WHAT'S NOT GOING AS WELL. 
          THEN WE ALSO ENGAGE WITH ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT VENDORS THAT WE BUY OUR PRODUCTS FROM. 
          THEY DO FOOD SHOWS, AND THEY SHOW US LOTS OF DIFFERENT RECIPES AND GIVE US SOME IDEAS. 
          WE PUT ALL OF THOSE TOGETHER AND COME UP WITH OUR MENUS FOR NEXT YEAR. 
          >> COME ON IN GUYS. 
          >> WE HAVE A FOUR WEEK MENU CYCLE, WHICH MEANS THAT EVERY FOUR WEEKS OUR MENU START AGAIN. 
          THEN THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE ALSO HAVE WHAT'S CALLED LIMITED TIME OFFERS. 
          WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRY NEW AND KIND OF EXCITING ENTREES THAT WE WANT TO TEST WITH THE STUDENTS, AND THEY'RE ON THE MENU FOR A COUPLE OF TIMES. 
          SO THIS YEAR, WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE BRINGING IN CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA AND CHANA MASALA FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THAT. 
          ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS WILL HAVE YOUR ENTREE, YOUR MILK, YOUR FRUIT, AND THEY CAN GET TWO VEGETABLES. 
          AND THEN IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT BIGGER PORTIONS FOR THOSE STUDENTS. 
          THEY CAN SOMETIMES GET EXTRA GRAINS OR EXTRA MEATS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK AND THEIR ENTREES, AND THEY'RE ALSO ALLOWED TO HAVE TWO FRUITS AND TWO VEGETABLES. 
          THEY GET SOME MORE OPTIONS THAN THE OTHER GRADE LEVELS. 
          [BACKGROUND] THERE ARE A LOT OF REGULATIONS THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW WITH SCHOOL MENUS. 
          WE HAVE TO MEET THE MEAL PATTERN, WHICH IS THROUGH THE USDA, THE AMOUNT OF FRUITS, THE AMOUNTS OF VEGETABLES, MEATS AND GRAINS THAT WE HAVE TO SERVE FOR OUR STUDENTS. 
          ON TOP OF THAT, WE ALSO HAVE TO MEET NUTRITION REGULATIONS. 
          THIS SCHOOL YEAR, SOME OF THE CHANGES ARE INSTEAD OF DOING A THREE WEEK CYCLE, WE'RE DOING A FOUR WEEK CYCLE AT LUNCH, WHICH MEANS WE'RE BRINGING IN MORE VARIETY, MORE TYPES OF ENTREES. 
          WE'RE ALSO DOING A TWO WEEK CYCLE AT BREAKFAST INSTEAD OF A ONE WEEK CYCLE, WHICH MEANS WE'LL HAVE MORE BREAKFAST ENTREES AS WELL. 
          OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED, WE ARE BRINGING IN MORE MEATLESS ENTREES AND MORE VEGETARIAN RECIPES. 
          WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO TRY SOME OF THESE NEW RECIPES FOR STUDENTS TO TRY AND SEE IF THEY LIKE THESE NEW AND EXCITING FLAVORS. 
          TO VIEW YOUR MENUS, GO TO THE CCPS APP, SELECT YOUR SCHOOL, AND GO TO DINING. 
          [MUSIC] 
          >> I WAITING FOR THE NEXT SHOE TO DROP. 
          THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES UPDATE? THE 9 MILLION MEALS? 
          >> THE LARGEST CATERING BUSINESS IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA. 
          >> WE HAVE OUR FAMILY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. 
          >> NO DISCUSSION. MOVING ON. 
          THE SECOND PRESENTATION, MADAM CHAIR, THIS EVENING IS AN UPDATE ON FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FROM MR. SMITH AND MS. AMY BARTILOTTI. 
          >> BOARD MEMBERS, DR. MURRAY, 
          [01:35:02]
YOU HAVE YOUR ANNUAL PRESENTATION ON FAMILY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS AMY BARTILOTTI. 
          I'LL TURN OVER TO AMY HERE IN A SECOND. 
          AMY AND HER TEAM DO A FABULOUS JOB, ADAPTING AND ENGAGING OUR COMMUNITY. 
          SHE HAS THREE TEAM MEMBERS, AT [INAUDIBLE] AND KEN OXENDINE, WHO REALLY DO SOME GREAT WORK IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          AMY IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS WE'VE TALKED BEFORE WITH THE BOARD ABOUT SOME OF THE REORGANIZATION EFFORTS WE'VE DONE IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, REALLY TO FOCUS ON OUR FAMILIES, FOCUS ON OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR BUSINESSES AND MAKING SURE WE'RE ADAPTING TO THE REQUESTS WE HAVE FROM OUR SCHOOLS TO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL AS REQUESTS FROM THE COMMUNITY. 
          SHE'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE RECENT SUCCESSES, BUT ALSO LOOKING AHEAD AND TWO PIECES THAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT AS THE FOCUS ON SOME OF THE DATA COLLECTION AND SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO ADJUST OUR OFFERINGS TO THE COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS SOME NEW OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE WITH REGARD TO A NEW CHAMPION CARD. WITH THAT I'LL TURN TO AMY. 
          >> GOOD EVENING. IN A NUTSHELL, WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR AND WHAT WE DO IS REALLY TRY TO CONNECT WITH NOT ONLY OUR FAMILIES, BUT OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AROUND THE THINGS THAT IMPACT PUBLIC EDUCATION IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY. 
          NOTHING THAT STAND ALONE, BUT REALLY ENGAGING AND PULLING IN OUR FAMILIES AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS INTO THE STRATEGIES AND TACTICS OF WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AS CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 
          WHILE WE DO PROVIDE PROGRAMMING AT THE DIVISION LEVEL, MUCH OF OUR WORK LIES IN HELPING SCHOOLS AS THEY CREATE AND BUILD THEIR OWN FAMILY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS IS BENEFICIAL FOR OUR STUDENTS. 
          BUT OFTENTIMES WE'RE LINKING IN TOGETHER, WE'LL BE DOING PROGRAMMING AT THE DIVISION LEVEL. 
          LET'S SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, ON VAPING. 
          I HAD A COUPLE OF PRINCIPALS THAT REACHED OUT TO US AND SAID, THIS IS REALLY A HUGE PROBLEM THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH. 
          COULD YOU HELP US DUPLICATE SOME OF THE PROGRAMMING YOU'RE PROVIDING CONNECTING US TO ADDITIONAL RESOURCES? THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE ABLE TO RESPOND TO PRETTY QUICKLY. 
          ANOTHER ROLE THAT WE PLAY IS WE REPRESENT THE SCHOOL DIVISION ON OVER 25 BOARDS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT CHESTERFIELD COUNTY IN THE GREATER RICHMOND REGION. 
          I'VE LISTED A FEW OF THEM HERE. 
          THAT SERVE SEVERAL PURPOSES, ONE OF WHICH IS OFTENTIMES SOME OF THESE WORK GROUPS WILL HAVE DIRECT CONNECTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY TO OUR SCHOOL DIVISION, SUCH AS THE WORK THAT WE DO WITH THE KINSHIP GROUP FROM CHESTERFIELD COUNTY GOVERNMENT. 
          THOSE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE NON-TRADITIONAL MOMS AND DADS RAISING THEIR CHILDREN, FAMILY RELATED MEMBERS. 
          PEOPLE THAT MAY BE THOUGHT THAT THEY WOULD HAVE AGED OUT OF PARENTING A K-12 CHILD IN THEIR RETIREMENT, BUT FIND THEMSELVES HERE, SO WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE DIRECT PROGRAMMING, ENGAGING OLDER CITIZENS THROUGH LLI, LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE. 
          THEN ALSO REPRESENTING THE SCHOOL DIVISION ON WORK GROUPS THROUGHOUT THE REGION THAT HAVE TO DEAL WITH AN IMPACT THINGS THAT WE DEAL WITH IN PUBLIC EDUCATION, SUCH AS LITERACY AND SCHOOL READINESS. 
          SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE HAD FROM LAST YEAR. 
          THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE REALLY USED LOOSE DATA FROM TO DRIVE BUT THE COFFEE AND CONVERSATION SERIES. 
          WE CONNECTED WITH OVER 2,400 FAMILIES THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. 
          IT'S REALLY BEEN HUGE BECAUSE THE SUBJECTS THAT WE COVER OUR SUBJECTS THAT OUR SCHOOL, THAT OUR FAMILIES AND OUR SCHOOLS TELL US, WE NEED TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS. 
          WE'RE ABLE TO QUICKLY GET RESOURCES IN PLACE FOR THAT. 
          PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST FUN FILLED AND WARM LITERALLY, IT WAS ABOUT 110 DEGREES, EVENT THAT WE HOSTED WAS OUR NEW EL LIBROTAZO. 
          WE HAD 3,000 MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY REGISTER TO ATTEND THIS, AND EVERY CHILD THAT WAS ATTENDING FROM BIRTH THROUGH 18-YEARS-OLD WAS ABLE TO SELECT FIVE SELF-SELECTED BOOKS. 
          [INAUDIBLE] KNEW THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO TAKE HOME TO KICK START THEIR HOME LIBRARY. 
          WE OFFERED BOOKS IN 19 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, AND IT WAS HUGE. 
          ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT IT WAS EVERY ZIP CODE IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY WAS REPRESENTED. 
          WHEN WE WERE WALKING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY VENDOR RESOURCE AREA, WE HAD A DJ THAT WAS PLAYING A SONG. 
          I LOOKED OVER AND IT WAS NOT A SALSA, AND IT WAS NOT A SWING SHAG DANCE. 
          BUT YOU HAD COUPLES THAT WERE DANCING A SALSA AND THERE WERE TWO SETS OF GRANDPARENTS, A COUPLE THAT WAS SALSING, AND A COUPLE THAT WAS DOING THE SHAG. 
          I THOUGHT, WHAT A GREAT PICTURE AND REPRESENTATION THIS IS OF OUR COMMUNITY. 
          WE HAVE SCHEDULED THIS FOR NEXT SUMMER, SO IT WILL BE HOPEFULLY EQUALLY WARM, BUT ALSO AS INVITING. 
          WE CONTINUED WORKING WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITIES OR OUR SPEAKERS BUREAU AND PRINCIPAL FOR A MORNING AND MADE SOME REALLY STRONG SOLID CONNECTIONS. 
          LOOKING AHEAD AND SEAN REFERENCED THIS, OUR USE OF DATA AND OUR DESIRE TO REALLY, WE'VE ALWAYS USED IT, BUT REALLY TO FORMALIZE THE WAY IN WHICH WE COLLECT IT AND HAVE IT CENTRALIZED IN A PLACE THAT WE CAN CHECK. 
          [01:40:02]
BECAUSE WE WANT IT TO BE MEANINGFUL NOT ONLY TO DRIVE OUR PROGRAMMING, BUT TO TELL A STORY. 
          WE REALLY LOOKED AT THREE KEY AREAS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT WHEN WE HAVE FEEDBACK FROM FAMILIES. 
          THE FIRST ONE IS EFFICACY. 
          I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU RIGHT HERE. 
          THIS IS JUST THE FIRST PAGE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE. 
          WE WANT IT REAL TIME, WE WANT TO HAVE IT ONGOING. 
          I DON'T WANT TO WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR AND DO THE SURVEY. 
          IT'S IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK SO WE CAN ITERATE THE PROGRAMMING OR PROVIDE THE RESOURCE IN A DIFFERENT WAY. 
          I'M LOOKING AT EFFICACY. 
          DID THAT PARENT OR THAT CAREGIVER LEARN MORE ABOUT THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO? AGENCY. DO I NOW KNOW WHAT I CAN DO? DO I KNOW WHERE I CAN GO? HOW DO I BETTER UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM? THEN CONNECTEDNESS. 
          AM I GOING TO SHARE THIS WITH SOMEONE ELSE? IS IT THAT GOOD? THEN CERTAINLY A PLACE TO GET FEEDBACK? WE HAVE A SIMILAR SURVEY AND WE WORKED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH AND EVALUATION TO HELP US COME UP WITH THESE SURVEYS, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUOUSLY LOOK FOR THESE RESOURCES. 
          AND THEN USING THAT DATA AND WHAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT WORKS FOR FAMILIES BASED ON THE WAY IN WHICH WE SHARE INFORMATION AND WE HAVE PROGRAMMING, THE VIRTUAL PIECE IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT THEY SAY ACROSS THE BOARD. 
          THEY LOVE BECAUSE THEY CAN REFERENCE IT IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO JOIN THE CALL. 
          BUT EXPANDING THE COFFEE AND CONVERSATION TO A SPANISH SPEAKING SERIES THAT WILL BEGIN IN NOVEMBER THAT WILL LED BY A SPANISH SPEAKER, JUAN SANTACOLOMA FACILITATING WITH COMMUNITY EXPERTS THAT ARE ALSO SPANISH SPEAKERS. 
          I THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE A REALLY RICH EXPERIENCE. 
          THEN WHAT'S NEXT WEDNESDAYS, WHICH IS GOING TO START IN NOVEMBER AND IT'S GOING TO BE GEARED TOWARDS HELPING THAT FAMILY, OUR CAREGIVER NAVIGATE THAT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AFTER SENIOR YEAR BECAUSE THAT'S A VERY STRESSFUL TIME, AND IT'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS OUT THERE, AND SO AN ONGOING SERIES. 
          THEN LOOKING AT OUR BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING AT DOING IN REAL TIME. 
          WE'VE REALLY STARTED TAKING A SNAPSHOT PIECE, AND SO REACHING OUT TO PRINCIPALS AND LEARNING WHERE WE HAVE BEEN THIS YEAR. 
          THERE HAVE BEEN THOUSANDS OF MEALS SERVED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS COMING IN TO SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF. 
          ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS CAME TOGETHER TO SUPPORT OUR STAFF, PROVIDE SPECIAL TREATS. 
          AS THEY GOT READY TO WELCOME STUDENTS, THERE WERE COFFEE TRUCKS AND BAGEL BARS. 
          I GOT HUNGRY EVEN WRITING THIS, DONUTS AND HYDRATION STATIONS TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY. 
          IT DIDN'T STOP THERE THOUGH. 
          THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF SUPPLY DROP-OFFS, AND THERE WERE COMMUNITY RESOURCE CLOSETS FILLED WITH FOOD AND BASIC NECESSITIES FOR SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY. 
          IT DOES NOT KNOW A ZIP CODE, AND CERTAINLY FROM WATKINS TO BENSLEY TO CURTIS, WE HAD COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT RECOGNIZED AND STEPPED UP AND TOOK THAT NEED. 
          WE HAD ORGANIZATIONS THAT DID HAIRCUTS AND PROVIDE SHOES, MAKING SURE THAT ALL STUDENTS FELT PRIDE WHEN THEY CAME BACK ON THE FIRST DAY, VOLUNTEERED SETTING UP CLASSROOMS AND RELOCATING SCHOOLS TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. 
          OUR PARTNERS SHOW UP IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. 
          BEING ABLE TO REALLY GET AN ONGOING SNAPSHOT OF THIS WHILE RECOGNIZING THOSE AMAZING PARTNERS, I THINK IS ESSENTIAL IN TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN THE STRENGTH OF OUR COMMUNITY IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY BECAUSE WHILE MANY OF THESE ISSUES COME AND THEY APPEAR IN OUR SCHOOLS, THIS IS REALLY A COMMUNITY WIDE SITUATION AND THE SOLUTION LIES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. 
          THEN WHAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT'S ANOTHER WAY TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, OUR LONGSTANDING SUPER SENIOR PASSPORT THAT WE HAD, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE FREE ADMISSION TO COUNTY GAMES AND SHOWS FOR OUR SENIOR CITIZENS. 
          WE REALLY WANTED TO TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ENGAGEMENT RESOURCES. 
          WE'RE BRANDING AT THE CCPS CHAMPIONS CARD. 
          THAT'S GOING TO BE GREAT BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT NOT JUST INCLUDING OUR SENIOR RESIDENTS, BUT PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY CHAMPIONING THE WORK OF OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR STUDENTS. 
          THINK ABOUT THE MENTOR PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE, PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING STEPPING UP AND WORKING ALONGSIDE OF US. 
          THAT WAY THEY WILL BE ABLE TO BE ENGAGED IN THAT AND REALLY ESSENTIALLY CREATING CCPS BRAND AMBASSADORS. 
          BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORTS THE WORK THAT WE DO AND THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO, AND WE WANT TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL COMING TOGETHER. 
          REALLY THANK YOU GUYS FOR HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS WORK. 
          IT'S REALLY FULFILLING AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND WE'LL BE KICKING OFF LEARNING WITH YOU THIS THURSDAY. 
          WE HAVE 26 PEOPLE REGISTERED TO ATTEND. 
          I THINK THAT THIS IS OUR BIGGEST CLASS SO FAR. THANK YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU, MS. BARTILOTTI. 
          BOARD MEMBERS, ANY DISCUSSION? 
          >> WELL, AMY, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO TELL IT FAST. MISS CHATTERS. 
          [01:45:04]
          >> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY BERAZO WAS REALLY A GREAT EVENT. 
          I WAS THERE WITH LISA AND I WERE THERE, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, IT WAS VERY HOT, BUT EVERYBODY STAYED. 
          EVERYBODY STAYED. 
          THE BOOK SELECTIONS WERE AMAZING. 
          ALL THE MULTIPLE LANGUAGES. 
          IT WAS SO IF THERE WAS CANDY THERE, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD MADE THAT SUPER BETTER. 
          BUT WE HAD ICE CREAM. THAT WAS ALSO GREAT. 
          I LOVE THE IDEA OF MAKING THE COMMUNITY. 
          THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY GREAT AS WELL. 
          I ATTENDED A TOWN HALL WITH MR. HOLLAND FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND THEY DID THEIRS IN SPANISH AS WELL. 
          I WAS SO WELL ATTENDED. 
          I REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORT THAT WE'RE MAKING TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE OUR LATIN X AND HISPANIC COMMUNITY. 
          I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING IN THAT EFFORT. 
          >> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? 
          >> WELL, I JUST, YOU GUYS ARE EVERYWHERE. 
          I SEE THE BETTER TOGETHER LOGO ON ALMOST EVERY STORE FRONT DOOR THAT I OPEN. 
          I LOVE THAT WE ARE A PRESENCE AND TO YOUR POINT THAT WE HAD PARTICIPANTS IN ELLIE BERTAZO FROM EVERY ZIP CODE IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY. 
          THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM'S PASSION FOR WHAT YOU DO AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO REACH OUT INTO OUR COMMUNITY SHOWS, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU. 
          [F. Action Items]
          >> NEXT, WE HAVE ONE ACTION ITEM WITH MR. SMITH. 
          >> BOARD MEMBERS, YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU MEMORANDUM NUMBER 139-24. 
          STAFF RECOMMENDS REVISIONS TO CURRENT POLICIES AND REGULATIONS AS FOLLOWS. 
          REVISIONS OF POLICY APPENDIX A, SECTION 21, REVISED INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT. 
          YOU'LL NOTE FROM OUR PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING, WE'RE ESTABLISHING CONSISTENT WITH THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, 850 HOURS OF OVERTIME. 
          PROPOSED CHANGES HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY SCHOOL BOARD ATTORNEY. 
          IT'S RECOMMENDED THAT SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED THESE PROPOSED REVISIONS TO CURRENT POLICIES AND REGULATIONS. 
          >> THANK YOU, MR. SMITH. BOARD MEMBERS. 
          WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE. 
          MEMO NUMBER 13924 AS PRESENTED. 
          >> MOVE. 
          >> IS THERE A SECOND? 
          >> SECOND. 
          >> BOARD MEMBERS. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? THERE'S BEEN A MOTION IN A SECOND, MADAM CLERK. 
          WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL IN THE MOTION? 
          >> DOMINE CHATTERS. 
          >> AYE. 
          >> STEVE IMPRONTO. 
          >> AYE. 
          >> LISA HUDGINS. 
          >> AYE. 
          >> ANN COKER. 
          >> AYE. 
          >> DO. 
          >> AYE. THE MEMO IS APPROVED. 
          [G. Items for Board Review]
NEXT, WE HAVE MEMOS FOR BOARD REVIEW. 
          MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE ITEMS FOR THIS EVENING? 
          >> MADAM CHAIR, TONIGHT'S AGENDA INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING ITEMS FOR BOARD OF REVIEW. 
          NUMBER 1, MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT FUNDS, FY 2025, NUMBER 2, FY 2025, AUGUST EXPENDITURES FIRST APPROPRIATIONS. 
          NUMBER 3, BUDGET CHANGE REQUEST SUMMARY ACROSS CATEGORIES, AUGUST 2024, NUMBER 4, BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS, NUMBER 5, PRE K UPDATE, AUGUST 2024, NUMBER 6, HEAD START ANNUAL REPORT, NUMBER 7, SUMMARY OF EXPENDITURES AND BALANCES, FY 2024. 
          NUMBER 8, MEMO NUMBER 141-24, REVISED BOE DIVISION LITERACY PLAN TEMPLATE. 
          >> THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. NEXT, WE HAVE 
          [H. Superintendent's Remarks]
THIS EVENING SUPERINTENDENT'S REMARKS, DR. MURRAY. 
          >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. 
          THIS EVENING. 
          FIRST, I WANT TO THANK THE SPEAKERS. 
          BUT I DID WANT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO TWO TOPICS. 
          ONE, THE TOPIC OF THE PAPER DIRECTIVE. 
          JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR FOR THE BOARD THAT NO SUCH DIRECTIVE WAS HANDED DOWN FROM CABINET OR SENIOR LEADERSHIP. 
          THAT IS SOMETHING WE WILL LOOK INTO BECAUSE WE WANT TO REMOVE ANY BARRIER THAT TEACHERS FEEL EXISTS SO THAT THEY CAN MOST FULLY DO THEIR JOB. 
          SECOND, I AGREE THAT AS WAS MY ASSESSMENT THAT OUR CHROMEBOOK ROLLOUT COULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE HEALTHIER THIS YEAR. 
          TO THAT END, I LOOK FORWARD TO FINALIZING OUR HIRING OF OUR NEW CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK AND BRINGING IN THAT NEW VISION. 
          NEXT, I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD MEMBERS FOR SUCH THOUGHTFUL AND UNIFIED MESSAGING TO OPEN TONIGHT'S MEETING. 
          OUR THOUGHTS CERTAINLY REMAIN WITH THE MEADOWBROOK STUDENT WHO CONTINUES TO RECOVER. 
          I WANT TO AGAIN COMMEND THE MEADOWBROOK COMMUNITY, THE PARENTS, THE STUDENTS AND STAFF FOR THEIR PATIENT AND RESILIENT RESPONSES. 
          STAFF AND PD WORKED TO RESTORE SAFETY IN A SENSE OF CALM. 
          [01:50:06]
I ALSO WANT TO AGAIN THANK CPD FOR THEIR QUICK AND ROBUST SUPPORT, AS WELL AS THE GRACIOUS STAFF AT MEADOWDALE LIBRARY WHERE OUR REUNIFICATION EFFORTS WERE THRUST UPON THEM. 
          WE'VE TALKED A BIT THIS EVENING HERE AND IN WORK SESSION ABOUT WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEMS AND RECEIVED AN UPDATE FROM TIM ADAMS EARLIER. 
          IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE AND I APPRECIATE THE BOARD'S EMPHASIS ON THIS THAT MY TEAM AND THE BOARD BEGAN THIS PROCESS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND NOT IN REACTION TO WHAT OCCURRED. 
          I MENTIONED THIS BECAUSE I CANNOT SPEAK TO PREVIOUS YEARS, BUDGET PRIORITIES OR WHAT THE INITIATIVE PLANNING WAS UNDER FORMER LEADERSHIP. 
          HOWEVER, I THINK THAT OUR ACTIONABLE STEPS THAT WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN WITH SITE VISITS, MEETING WITH VENDORS, IN DISCUSSIONS FOR FIELD TESTING, ETC POINT TO A COMMITMENT TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN WHERE WE FEEL MOST APPROPRIATE THE SAFETY OF OUR CAMPUSES. 
          UNFORTUNATELY, OUR RATIONALE BEHIND EXPLORING ADDITIONAL SAFETY MEASURES FOR OUR SCHOOLS WAS ONLY SUBSTANTIATED BY WHAT UNFOLDED LAST TUESDAY, AND A REMINDER THAT CHESTERFIELD HAS NOT INSULATED FROM SCHOOL VIOLENCE. 
          RELATED, PARENTS HAVE RECEIVED A FAIR AMOUNT OF MESSAGING REGARDING THREATS MORE GENERALLY, WHETHER MADE VERBALLY, VIA SOCIAL MEDIA, ETC. 
          OUR SCHOOL LEADERS HAVE BEEN VERY DELIBERATE IN HOSTING ASSEMBLIES, MAKING VIDEOS, CLASSROOM VISITS, AND SO ON, TO SHARE WITH STUDENTS NOT ONLY THE EXPECTATIONS, BUT ALSO THE CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH BEHAVIOR. 
          TO THAT END, THE WAY WE SOLVE THESE ISSUES ARE THROUGH PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN HOME AND SCHOOL, SHARING THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TALKING WITH OUR KIDS AND WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS OF THEM ARE. 
          SECONDLY, ACCOUNTABILITY. 
          CONSEQUENCES CANNOT BE AIRY, AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER THIS EVENING DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, AND WE HAVE TAKEN FIRM STANCE, AS YOU ALL ARE WELL AWARE ON STUDENT CONDUCT, RELATIVE TO THREATS OR WEAPONS. 
          LASTLY, TRANSPARENCY. 
          I THINK PARENTS HAVE NOTICED AN UPTICK IN MESSAGING. 
          THAT'S NOT BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE THREATS OCCURRING, IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE BEING MORE TRANSPARENT IN MESSAGING OUR FAMILIES TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON, BECAUSE IT DOES TAKE ALL OF US TO HELP QUELL THAT NARRATIVE. 
          WHILE SAFETY IS OUR TOP PRIORITY, THE MAIN GOAL REMAINS CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS THRIVE. 
          A FEW GOOD NEWS POINTS LAST NIGHT WAS THE MARCHING BAND SHOWCASE AT MONACAN HIGH SCHOOL. 
          WONDERFUL EVENT AND VERY WELL ATTENDED. 
          THE PLANT THE MOON CHALLENGE. 
          GIVING METERBROOK, ANOTHER SHOUT OUT LAST WEEK. 
          SOME OF US WERE ABLE TO ATTEND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING WHERE A GROUP OF STUDENTS WON BEST IN THE WORLD, A CONTEST WHERE THEY SIMULATED GROWING VEGETABLES. 
          IN THIS CASE, IT WAS CUCUMBERS BY THE TEAM YAPPERS ON THE MOON AND THEY CREATED A SOIL CONSISTENCY THAT WOULD MODEL THAT OF THE MOON AND THEY PERFORMED THE BEST AGAIN IN THE WORLD. 
          THOSE ARE THE NEAT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON EVERY DAY IN OUR CLASSROOMS. IT'S HOMECOMING SEASON, LOT OF SPIRITED ACTIVITIES AND FOOTBALL GAMES AND PARADES GOING ON. 
          HOPE OUR COMMUNITIES ARE JOINING IN ALL OF THOSE FUN ACTIVITIES. 
          BRAVO AWARDS ARE THIS SATURDAYS, AS WE THINK ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTS WE'RE CREATING. 
          OUR KIDS ARE GOING OFF AND DOING IMPACTFUL AND CONTRIBUTING THINGS, AND THEN WE GET TO CELEBRATE THEM ON THE BACK END FOR BEING SUCH WONDERFUL ALUM TO THIS GREAT SCHOOL DIVISION. 
          WE BEGAN THE GAME CHANGERS TODAY. 
          I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING OUT WITH EACH OF YOU AND TO YOUR RESPECTIVE MAGISTERIAL DISTRICTS AND CELEBRATING THE WONDERFUL CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR STAFF AND STUDENTS. 
          THEN LASTLY, AND APPRECIATING THAT IT HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT OF A TIRESOME START THESE EIGHT WEEKS INTO OUR SCHOOL YEAR FOR STAFF. 
          [01:55:05]
I'M THINKING ABOUT THAT A BIT AND THEN CONSIDERING THAT WE DON'T PAUSE TO CELEBRATE TEACHERS UNTIL MAY, WHICH IS FOUR WEEKS FROM WHEN THEY GO AWAY FOR THE SUMMER. 
          WE'RE GOING TO START SOMETHING NEW WHERE WE CELEBRATE OUR STAFF TWICE IN THE YEAR AND WE'RE GOING TO DO AN OCTOBER STAFF APPRECIATION LATER THIS MONTH, JUST TO SHOW THEM IN MAYBE THE SMALLEST OF WAYS, BUT DELIBERATE, INDEED, HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE WHAT THEY DO FOR US AND FOR OUR FAMILIES, OUR COMMUNITIES. 
          MADAM CHAIR, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU, DR. MURRAY. THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, 
          [I. Announcements, Communications, and School Board Comments]
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS OR COMMENTS? YES. I'M SORRY, MR. PARANTO. GO AHEAD. 
          >> THAT'S OKAY. THANK YOU. 
          WE'VE HAD SOME SPIRITED CONVERSATION TONIGHT IN REGARDS TO SCHOOL SAFETY AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN AND HEAR FOR ANYONE WHO THINKS I HAVE THREE KIDS IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 
          IF YOU THINK THAT I SIT UP HERE AND JUST LISTEN TO WHAT'S BEING SAID AND NOT TAKING ANY ACTION, WELL, QUITE FRANKLY, YOU JUST DON'T KNOW ME. THAT'S OKAY. 
          WE'RE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER. 
          THIS IS GOING TO BE A PARTNERSHIP. 
          WE CANNOT CONTROL YOUR STUDENTS AT HOME. 
          THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP IN WHICH WE NEED PARENTS TO HAVE SOME DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS AT HOME WITH THEIR CHILDREN. 
          JUST LIKE MY WIFE AND I SET OUR THREE CHILDREN DOWN AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHAT WAS APPROPRIATE AND INAPPROPRIATE TO SAY AT SCHOOL. 
          SHOULD WE HAVE TO DO THAT? I GUESS MAYBE DEPENDS ON THE AGE. 
          BUT FOR ALL THREE OF OUR KIDS, TWO ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL, ONE'S IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 
          WE SAT THEM ALL DOWN AND WE HAD THE SAME CONVERSATION. 
          THIS IS THE REALITY OF THE WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN TODAY. 
          WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, THIS REALLY WASN'T A CONCERN. 
          YES, WE HAD COLUMBINE. 
          THAT WAS SO RARE. 
          NOW IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S MONTHLY. 
          WE HAVE A SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE IN OUR COUNTRY. 
          OUR CHILDREN ARE SUFFERING ON NUMEROUS LEVELS FOR VARIOUS REASONS. 
          WE NEED PARENTS TO PARTNER WITH US. 
          WE NEED THE CONVERSATIONS TO HAPPEN AT HOME. 
          AS DR. MURRAY ALLUDED, WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUR KIDS AT SCHOOL, ASSEMBLIES AND GOING CLASSROOM TO CLASSROOM, IN HOPES THAT OUR MESSAGE GETS HOME, THAT YOUR WORDS MATTER, YOUR ACTIONS MATTER, AND THEY HAVE CONSEQUENCES. 
          WE CANNOT CONTINUE DOWN THIS ROAD. 
          WE'RE NOT IN THE BUSINESS TO CLOSE DOWN SCHOOLS, BUT WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS TO KEEP YOUR CHILDREN SAFE AND TO KEEP STAFF SAFE. 
          WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH CHESTER COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT. 
          THEY INFORM US WHEN A THREAT IS NOT CREDIBLE OR WHEN IT IS CREDIBLE. 
          IF IT'S NOT CREDIBLE, I GREATLY APPRECIATE THE RESIDENTS OF MATEKA HAVING FAITH THAT WE'RE MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION TO KEEP SCHOOL OPEN, AS UNNERVING AS THAT MIGHT BE, BECAUSE YOU AS A PARENT DON'T KNOW ALL OF THE INFORMATION, AND I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. 
          I WOULD FEEL THE SAME WAY IF I WERE IN YOUR SHOES AND NOT A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. 
          AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, I HAVE THAT PRIVILEGE OF UNDERSTANDING MORE INFORMATION THAN WHAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE READY TO RELEASE TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE IT'S UNDER INVESTIGATION. 
          I CAN TELL YOU I WOULD NOT STAY QUIET. 
          I WOULD NOT BE PASSIVE. 
          IF I FELT SOMETHING WAS OUT OF LINE IN MY DISTRICT, IF I FELT THAT THERE WAS A THREAT THAT WAS NOT BEING INVESTIGATED, WE ASK FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP. 
          NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO EVERYTHING RIGHT. 
          BUT WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY, WE DON'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO NOT DO THINGS CORRECTLY. 
          WE HAVE TAKEN THIS SERIOUSLY. 
          WE HAVE HEARD EVERY VOICE, EVERY PHONE CALL, WE HAVE READ EVERY EMAIL. 
          WE HAVE HAD EXTENSIVE CONVERSATION WITH STAFF. 
          HOW ARE WE MOVING FORWARD? NOT TO BE REACTIVE, BUT TO BE PREVENTATIVE. 
          WE HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION ALREADY BEFORE THIS STARTED. 
          WE ARE TAKING THE STEPS NECESSARY. 
          WE ARE TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY. 
          WE UNDERSTAND WHAT'S AT STAKE WITH THREE CHILDREN IN CHESTER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, I UNDERSTAND WHAT'S AT STAKE. 
          MY KIDS, JUST LIKE YOURS. 
          STAFF MEMBERS, BUS DRIVERS, EVERYONE INVOLVED IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          BUT WE MUST WORK TOGETHER. 
          THE COMMITMENT THAT I AM MAKING TO YOU AND I'VE MADE TO YOU OVER AND OVER AGAIN, ESPECIALLY AS A METIC REPRESENTATIVE TO MY DISTRICT IS TO CONTINUE CHAMPION THAT FOR YOU, 
          [02:00:03]
WORKING WITH OUR BOARD, WORKING WITH OUR STAFF, WHETHER IT'S CLEAR BACKPACKS, WHETHER IT'S METAL DETECTORS, WHETHER IT'S AN INCREASE OF SROS, SSOS, WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEMS, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. 
          WE ARE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER TO CONTINUE TO MOVE TOGETHER FORWARD AS A COMMUNITY. 
          I APPRECIATE YOUR PARTNERSHIP. 
          I APPRECIATE THE SPIRITED CONVERSATION. 
          MY EARS ARE NOT DEAF, AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD. 
          I ASK THAT YOU JOIN US IN PARTNERING WITH US AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. 
          I WANT TO HEAR YOUR IDEAS. 
          I WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU THINK, WHETHER YOU HAVE A CHILD IN THE SCHOOL OR NOT, EVERY OPINION IS VALUABLE. 
          I GREATLY APPRECIATE YOU LISTENING TO ME THIS EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, I YIELD MY TIME BACK. 
          >> THANK YOU, MR. PARANTO. BOARD MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? MISS CHATTERS. 
          >> I MADE THIS COMMENT AT THE WORK SESSION. 
          I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I GET IT OUT THERE AGAIN. 
          OUR SPECIALTY CENTERS ARE DOING THEIR OPEN HOUSES THIS MONTH. 
          PLEASE TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER. 
          WE HAVE SOME GREAT PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO HELP GET OUR CHILDREN A LITTLE BIT OF A HEAD START AND UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE FUTURE MAY HOLD FOR YOU, THOSE DEADLINES ARE COMING UP PRETTY QUICKLY. 
          PLEASE GET OUT THERE IF YOU CAN TO A SPECIALTY CENTER TO SEE IF IT'S THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOUR CHILD. THANKS. 
          >> THANK YOU, MRS. CHATTERS. ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, I HOPE THAT EVERYONE, ALL OUR KIDS AND TEACHERS, STAFF HAVE AN ENJOYABLE HOMECOMING SEASON, A HAPPY AND JOYFUL HOMECOMING SEASON. 
          ADDITIONALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST EXTEND HAPPY NEW YEAR AND WISH AN EASY FAST TO THOSE WHO ARE OBSERVING. 
          THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL HOLD A WORK SESSION ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2024 AT 4:00 PM. 
          HERE IN THE PUBLIC MEETING ROOM. 
          IT'LL BE FOLLOWED BY A BUSINESS MEETING AT 6:30 PM. 
          IF THERE IS NO FURTHER BUSINESS, WE NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN. 
          >> MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. 
          >> MADAM CLERK, WHAT DO YOU CALL ROLE IN THE MOTION? 
          >>DOMINE CHATTERS. 
          >> AYE. 
          >> STEPHEN PARANTO. 
          >> AYE. 
          >> LISA HUDGINS. 
          >> AYE. 
          >> ANN COKER. 
          >> AYE. 
          >> DOT. 
          >> AYE. 
          >> THE MOTION CARRIES. OCTOBER 8, 2024 SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.