THE MOTION CARRIES. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MAY 12TH, 2026, SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS MEETING TO [A. Meeting Opening - 6:30 p.m.] [00:00:09] ORDER. BEFORE WE BEGIN THE MEETING THIS EVENING, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR ATTENDING THE MAY 12TH SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS MEETING 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 SECTION 18.2-415 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA, DISORDERLY CONDUCT IN PUBLIC PLACES AND SCHOOL BOARD POLICY 6141. I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING SO THAT WE CAN CONDUCT THE BUSINESS MEETING IN AN ORDERLY FASHION. WE WILL NOW HAVE AN INVOCATION BY MISS CHATTERS, FOLLOWED BY THE FLAG SALUTE LED BY MR. PARANTO. SO, IN HONOR OF THE END OF TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK LAST WEEK, I WROTE A POEM FOR THE DALE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS, STAFF, AND FACULTY THAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH EVERYONE TODAY. FOR THE TEACHERS WHO ARRIVED BEFORE SUNRISE WITH COFFEE IN ONE HAND AND PAPERS IN THE OTHER. FOR THE ONES WHO SPEND THEIR OWN MONEY ON BULLETIN BOARDS, TREASURE BOX PRIZES, CLASSROOM RUGS, STICKERS, PENCILS, SNACKS, AND TINY THINGS THAT SOMEHOW BECOME BIG THINGS TO A CHILD. FOR THE TEACHERS WHO STAY LATE CUTTING OUT LETTERS, HANGING ARTWORK, RESETTING DESKS, REWRITING LESSON PLANS BECAUSE GOOD ENOUGH NEVER FEELS GOOD ENOUGH WHEN CHILDREN ARE COUNTING ON YOU. FOR THE TEACHERS WHO TURN MATH INTO GAMES, READING INTO ADVENTURES, SCIENCE INTO EXPLOSIONS OF WONDER AND HISTORY INTO STORIES CHILDREN CAN FINALLY SEE THEMSELVES INSIDE OF. FOR THE TEACHERS WHO VOLUNTEER AFTER HOURS FOR READING NIGHT, MATH NIGHT, MUSIC NIGHT, PTA EVENTS, FIELD TRIPS, DANCES, PROGRAMS, FESTIVALS, AND EVERY EXTRA THING THAT TURNS A SCHOOL INTO A COMMUNITY. FOR THE TEACHERS WHO TEACH ALL DAY AND THEN SOMEHOW CONTINUE GIVING WHEN THE SCHOOL DAY SHOULD HAVE ALREADY ENDED. FOR THE TEACHERS WHO REDIRECT BEHAVIORS WITH PATIENCE, WHEN PATIENCE IS RUNNING LOW, WHO SPEAK SOFTLY INSTEAD OF HARSHLY, WHO CHOOSE GRACE EVEN ON THE HARD DAYS. FOR THE TEACHERS WHO BECOME NURSES WITH BAND-AIDS AND ICE PACKS, COUNSELORS WITH LISTENING EARS, MOTHERS WITH COMFORTING HUGS, FATHERS WITH STEADY GUIDANCE, PROTECTORS, ENCOURAGERS, CHEERLEADERS AND SAFE PLACES. FOR THE TEACHERS WHO CARRY THE WEIGHT OF TEST SCORES, TRAUMA EXPECTATIONS, MEETINGS, EMAILS, PAPERWORK, AND PRESSURE WHILE STILL MANAGING TO SMILE AT EVERY CHILD EVERY MORNING, LIKE THEY ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE DAY. BECAUSE TO YOU, THEY ARE. AND MAYBE THE PART THE WORLD FORGETS SOMETIMES THAT TEACHING WAS NEVER JUST ABOUT THE LESSONS. IT WAS ALWAYS ABOUT LOVE. SO DURING TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, WE THANK YOU, NOT ONLY FOR WHAT YOU TEACH, BUT FOR ALL THE PIECES OF YOURSELVES YOU GIVE AWAY EVERY SINGLE DAY TO HELP CHILDREN BECOME WHO THEY ARE MEANT TO BE. SO THE DECORATIONS WILL COME DOWN, THE BULLETIN BOARDS WILL CHANGE, THE LESSON PLANS WILL BE REPLACED. BUT THE WAY YOU MADE A CHILD FEEL WILL LAST FOREVER. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]. PLEASE JOIN US AT THIS TIME FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THE CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDES AGENDA ADOPTION. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, APRIL 14TH, [B. Consent Agenda] 2026 WORK SESSION, APRIL 14TH, 2026 BUSINESS MEETING, APRIL 14TH, 2026 SPECIAL MEETING, MEMO #051-26: RECOMMENDED PERSONNEL ACTIONS. MEMO #052-26: EMPLOYEE APPOINTMENT LIST. MEMO # 053-26: FY 2026 ACCEPTANCE OF NEW GRANTS. MEMO #054-26: 2026-27 SCHOOL YEAR SEAT TIME WAIVERS. MEMO #5-26: APPROVAL OF THE NEW HUMAN RESOURCES CONSULTING SERVICES. MEMO #056-26: DEED OF GIFT FOR CRESTWOOD ELEMENTARY SHADE PROJECT. [00:05:06] MEMO #057-26: CTC @ HULL APPROPRIATION ADJUSTMENT. MEMO # #058-26: ACCEPTANCE OF DONATIONS AND DEED OF GIFT. ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE CONSENT AGENDA? MADAM CHAIR, THERE ARE NO ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. ARE THERE ANY REQUESTS FROM A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TO SEPARATE AN ITEM FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION AND INDIVIDUAL ACTION? MADAM CHAIR, I REQUEST THAT MEMO 052-26: EMPLOYEE APPOINTMENT LIST BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR INDIVIDUAL ACTION. THANK YOU. MEMO #052-26 IS REMOVED FOR INDIVIDUAL ACTION. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS AMENDED? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION? ANN COKER. AYE. JENNIFER DARBY. AYE. DOMINIQUE CHATTERS. AYE. STEVEN PARANTO. AYE. LISA HUDGINS. AYE. THE MOTION CARRIES. THE BOARD WILL NOW CONSIDER MEMO #052-26: THE EMPLOYEE APPOINTMENT LIST. [B.4. Memo #052-26: Employee Appointment List] MADAM CHAIR, PURSUANT TO THE VIRGINIA CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ACT, I AM DISCLOSING THAT MY SPOUSE IS EMPLOYED BY THE SCHOOL DIVISION. THIS MEMO APPOINTS MY SPOUSE TO THE SCHOOL DIVISION FOR THE 26-27 SCHOOL YEAR. THUS, I WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY DISCUSSION OR THE VOTE ON THIS ITEM, AND I REQUEST THAT THIS DISCLOSURE BE REFLECTED IN THE MINUTES. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE MEMO # 052-26 AS PRESENTED? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION? ANN COKER. AYE. DOMINIQUE CHATTERS. AYE. STEVEN PARANTO. AYE. LISA HUDGINS. AYE. THE MOTION CARRIES. NEXT, WE HAVE AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS. [C. Awards and Recognitions] FOR OUR FIRST AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS, MR. SMITH. FOR OUR FIRST RECOGNITION, IF I COULD CALL UP CLOVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL AND THE RULE OF LAW PROGRAM, PLEASE. STUDENTS FROM ALL CHESHIRE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, HIGH SCHOOLS, ALONG WITH COLONIAL HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL PARTICIPATED IN THE ANNUAL RULE OF LAW PROGRAM IN EARLY MARCH. THIS IMPACTFUL PROGRAM IS HOSTED BY JUDGE VANESSA JONES OF THE 12TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT. DURING THE PROGRAM, STUDENTS ENGAGE IN MEANINGFUL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE LAW AND ITS IMPACT ON DAILY LIVES. THEY ALSO OBSERVED A MOCK TRIAL CONDUCTED BY LEGAL PROFESSIONALS, PROVIDING A REAL WORLD PERSPECTIVE ON JUDICIAL SYSTEM. WE ARE PROUD TO RECOGNIZE OLIVIA STEEVES OF CLOVER HILL HIGH SCHOOL AS THE WINNER OF THIS YEAR'S ESSAY CONTEST. OLIVIA WILL RECEIVE A CASH PRIZE AND CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT IN RECOGNITION OF HER OUTSTANDING WORK. PLEASE JOIN ME CONGRATULATING OLIVIA. [APPLAUSE]. CONGRATULATIONS, OLIVIA. I AM SO IMPRESSED WITH THE WORK THAT I GOT TO SEE YOU ALL DO AT THE RULE OF LAW DAY. I AM SO THANKFUL TO THE MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO CAME OUT TO SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM AND JUDGE JONES AND HER LEADERSHIP IN RUNNING THIS PROGRAM. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU WERE ABLE TO WRITE AN ESSAY THAT TALKED ABOUT HOW LAW AFFECTS YOUR LIFE. AND SO IF YOU ARE WILLING, I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT YOU WROTE ABOUT AND WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE THE LAW DOES AFFECT IN YOUR LIFE. I CHOSE TO WRITE ABOUT HOW LAW AFFECTS DRESS CODE AND LAW STATES THAT DRESS CODE IS NOT ALLOWED TO UNFAIRLY AFFECT STUDENTS BETWEEN GENDER. AND OFTEN FEMALE STUDENTS ARE PUSHED BACK MORE WITH THE DRESS CODE WITH WHAT THEY CAN WEAR THAN MALE STUDENTS ARE. AND THAT IS MAINLY WHAT I WROTE ABOUT. WELL, CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN ON BEING THE WINNER OF THIS PROGRAM THAT IS FOR COLONIAL HEIGHTS AND CHESTERFIELD. THERE WERE QUITE A LOT OF STUDENTS THERE AND I'M SO IMPRESSED WITH YOU WINNING THIS AWARD. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]. NEXT UP, WE HAVE A RECOGNITION FOR SWIFT CREEK MIDDLE ART ON DISPLAY. AND AFTER THIS RECOGNITION, WE HAVE BIRD HIGH SCHOOL SPEECH STATE TITLE. [00:10:20] THROUGH MAY 25TH, LEWIS GINTER BOTANICAL GARDEN IS DISPLAYING ART CREATED BY SWIFT CREEK MIDDLE STUDENTS. THERE'S NO FEE TO VIEW THE EXHIBIT, WHICH IS LOCATED IN HALLWAY IN THE MAIN BUILDING. THE ARTWORK CELEBRATES OBSERVATION, RESEARCH AND CREATIVE RISK TAKING THROUGH THE STUDY OF INSECTS. SHEILA DONAHUE GUIDED STUDENTS IN EXPLORING PATTERN, COLOR, AND TEXTURE ACROSS DRAWING AND FIBER BASED MEDIA. AND I THINK THERE'S SOME DISPLAYS OUTSIDE IN THE HALLWAY FOR PEOPLE AS THEY COME BY. PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING SWIFT CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL. [APPLAUSE]. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. SO I UNDERSTAND, FOR THOSE OF US HERE WHO HAVE NOT YET BEEN TO LEWIS GINTER, THAT WE CAN GO VISIT THIS THROUGH MAY 25TH. AND I LOOKED ONLINE AND THE ART IS JUST BEAUTIFUL. I'M SO IMPRESSED WITH ALL THAT YOU ALL DID JUST IN THE RESEARCH BEHIND AND THEN USING THE DIFFERENT MEDIUMS. SO IF YOU'RE WILLING TO SHARE SOME OF THE ART THAT YOU CREATED AND HOW YOU DID IT AND WHAT YOU KIND OF LEARNED FROM THAT PROCESS. I LEARNED THAT IF YOU RESEARCH BUGS AND ALL THAT, YOU CAN LOOK INTO HOW THEY ARE VERY UNIQUELY DIFFERENT BY EVERY OTHER BUG. AS I CHOSE A COUPLE OTHER BUGS, I REALLY LIKED THE TORTOISE BEETLE, HAD REALLY NICE BLUE GOLD COLORS. IT REALLY LIKE, HOW CAN I EXPLAIN THIS? IT WAS VERY DIFFERENT THAN MANY OTHER BUGS THAT I'VE REALLY EVER SEEN. AND IT KIND OF, I DON'T KNOW, BROUGHT OUT TO MY INTEREST. AND I REALLY LIKED IT. I DON'T KNOW, I THINK THIS WAS A FUN THING FOR ME TO DO. [APPLAUSE]. YEAH. I CREATED THIS LESSON A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT THEN I RETURNED IT BECAUSE I KNEW THAT LEWIS GINTER IS DOING THEIR BUTTERFLIES LIVE EXHIBIT IN TWO WEEKS. SO IT'S DISAPPEARED FOR A FEW YEARS AND IT'S COMING BACK. AND I WANTED TO DO THIS WITH THE STUDENTS AND I ASKED THEM TO ACTUALLY FIND A COUNTRY FIRST AND CHOOSE 6 OR 7 EXAMPLES OF THIS SPECIES. AND SO YEAH, SO THEY JUST DID AN AMAZING JOB, SO. WELL, THANK YOU FOR GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND AND ALL THAT YOU ARE LEADING YOUR STUDENTS IN. THANK YOU BOTH. [APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU. IF I COULD CALL UP OUR BIRD HIGH SCHOOL SPEECH TEAM AND AFTER THEM, WE'LL DO THE JAMES RIVER HIGH SCHOOL SPEECH TEAM SEPARATELY. BIRD HIGH SPEECH TEAM WON ITS FIRST EVER STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. COACHED BY MARKETING TEACHER MELISSA LY, BIRD HIGH OUTSCORED ALL OTHER CLASS SIX HIGH SCHOOLS, INCLUDING CHANTILLY HIGH AND GEORGE C. MARSHALL HIGH, WHICH FINISHED SECOND AND THIRD. FOUR BIRD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WON INDIVIDUAL FIRST PLACES. CHRISHELL BELCHER IN SERIOUS DRAMATIC INTERPRETATION. LUCY SUKUP IN STORYTELLING. JESSE NUNES IN IMPROMPTU. DREAM ANDERSON IN PROSE INTERPRETATION. CHRISHELL ALSO QUALIFIED TO COMPETE THIS SUMMER IN THE NATIONAL SPEECH AND DEBATE TOURNAMENT, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE IN RICHMOND. PLEASE JOIN ME CONGRATULATING THESE BIRD HIGH STUDENTS. [APPLAUSE]. SO I WAS JUST ASKING THEM, ARE THEY READY TO DO AN IMPROMPTU ONE MINUTE SPEECH RIGHT NOW ON WHAT WAS THE BEST PART ABOUT BEING ON THE SPEECH AND DEBATE TEAM? SO THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR DOING THIS AND I THINK THAT IT GAVE ME A. I KIND OF HIT A REALIZATION THAT THERE'S FUN IN DOING THINGS THAT YOU'VE NEVER DONE BEFORE. IT ACTUALLY HELPED ME WITH MY PUBLIC SPEAKING. IT WAS A VERY FUN THING TO DO. IT HELPED ME. I FELT VERY ENERGIZED DOING THIS, AND IT KIND OF MADE ME HAPPY AND FULFILLED DOING THIS MY FIRST YEAR, AND I FEEL LIKE I'VE MADE IT A LONG WAY, EVEN THOUGH, LIKE, THINGS HAPPEN. AND SHE MADE IT TO STATES IN HER FIRST YEAR. [APPLAUSE]. [00:15:04] MAKING IT TO STATES IN MY FIRST YEAR DID FEEL FUN. IT HELPED ME LIKE SEE HOW MUCH I NEED TO GROW NEXT YEAR WHEN I WANT TO CONTINUE DOING THIS. BECAUSE ME WITH THE TOPIC I DID, IT HELPED ME COME OUT OF MY SHELL A LOT. AND I GOT TO TEACH PEOPLE OF HOW CERTAIN THINGS CAN AFFECT PEOPLE. AND I JUST GOT TO SPEAK AND IT CLOSED A CHAPTER IN MY LIFE THAT I DIDN'T THINK I WOULD BE ABLE TO CLOSE BECAUSE OF THE TRAUMA. SO I'M JUST GLAD THAT SPEECH AND DEBATE GAVE ME THAT CLOSURE I COULD FINALLY FINISH OFF WITH. [APPLAUSE]. I HAVE A FABULOUS TEAM. WE'RE SMALL. WE STARTED JUST FOUR YEARS AGO, BRAND NEW. AND WE HAVE ABOUT 12 PEOPLE ON THE TEAM. SIX WENT TO STATES. THEY DID AMAZING AND I COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD. [APPLAUSE]. ONE MORE TIME FOR OUR STATE CHAMPIONS. [APPLAUSE]. IF I COULD ASK OUR JAMES RIVER HIGH SPEECH TEAM TO COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. AND THEN AFTER THEM, WE WILL DO THE HEART SAFE SCHOOLS. JAMES RIVER HIGH SPEECH TEAM WON ITS FIFTH VHSL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. JAMES RIVER HAS DOMINATED SINCE EARNING ITS FIRST TITLE IN 2021, THEN ACHIEVING FOUR STRAIGHT CHAMPIONSHIPS FROM 2023 TO 2026. ALSO, THIS YEAR'S STATEWIDE COMPETITION TEAM MEMBER LUKE BAKER WON AN INDIVIDUAL FIRST PLACE IN EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING. COACHED BY JESSIE SANCHEZ AND JOEY SANCHEZ TUCKER, JAMES RIVER HIGH TOOK FIRST PLACE AT EVERY INVITATIONAL ATTENDED THE SEASON, CONTINUED ITS WINNING STREAK AT REGIONALS AND SUPER REGIONALS. THE TEAM PREPARES PRACTICES AND PERFECTS FROM AUGUST THROUGH JUNE, FOLLOWING ITS MOTTO, WINNING IS A CONSEQUENCE AND NOT AN OBJECTIVE. PLEASE JOIN CONGRATULATING JAMES RIVER HIGH SCHOOL. [APPLAUSE]. SO I'M GOING TO LET YOU ALL SPEAK AS IT'S APPROPRIATE, BUT LUKE'S GOT A LITTLE SPECIAL SOMETHING THERE, YOU KNOW, FOR BEING AMAZING. AND I ONLY HAVE TWO OF THESE, SO I GUESS Y'ALL CAN FIGHT IT OUT. I DON'T KNOW. SO, CONGRATULATIONS. FIVE TIMES? FIVE TIMES. AND THEN YOU ARE SUPER, YOU KNOW, NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED. AMAZING. SO, BUT I LOVE THE MOTTO. SAY IT AGAIN. WINNING IS A CONSEQUENCE, NOT AN OBJECTIVE. AND I HAVE TO THANK MY OWN SPEECH COACH AT LONGWOOD COLLEGE, NOW UNIVERSITY. FOR THAT, HE IS PRESIDENT BILL FIEGE AT BRIGHT POINT, AND HE IS MY MENTOR. AND HE IS THE REASON WHY I DO EVERYTHING I DO. ONE OF THE MANY REASONS WHY I DO EVERYTHING I DO FOR THESE KIDDOS. BUT I WILL LET THEM SPEAK MORE BECAUSE THIS IS THEIR TURN. SO PLEASE, I'M GOING TO LET YOU GUYS. YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO DO IT. I THINK THAT WOULD BE AMAZING IF YOU DID SOMETHING FOR A MINUTE EXTEMPORANEOUSLY. BUT DO WE REALLY HAVE 14 MINUTES? NO. ALL RIGHT. I STOOD ON THIS SIDE BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO GO FROM THIS WAY. SORRY. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY, I JOINED THIS TEAM FRESHMAN YEAR, AND THIS HAS TOTALLY CHANGED MY ABILITY TO SPEAK PUBLICLY, WHICH I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF THE POINT, BUT IN A MORE GENERAL STATE, IT'S AFFECTED MY ABILITY TO BE CONFIDENT, MY ABILITY TO RESEARCH AND UNDERSTAND THE WORLD AROUND ME. IT'S AFFECTED REALLY ALL OF MY RELATIONSHIPS AND MY ABILITY TO SPEAK FLUENTLY WHEN I'M SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHO I DON'T KNOW, AND STANDING AT THE STAGE AT THE CHESTERFIELD COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD AND BEING RECOGNIZED FOR THIS. I REALLY WANT TO THANK SANCHEZ. YOU ARE, I'M SORRY, MY FAVORITE PERSON IN JAMES RIVER HIGH SCHOOL. AND JUST THIS PROGRAM AND THIS TEAM MEANS SO MUCH TO ME. AND I'M SO GRATEFUL TO BE A TO BE COMPETING. AND I'VE GOT ONE MORE YEAR, ONE MORE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, WHICH WOULD BE PRETTY AWESOME. YES. COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF. I ALSO JOINED FRESHMAN YEAR WITH LUKE. LIKE HIM, I'VE MADE SO MANY FRIENDS HERE. [00:20:06] IT'S HELPED ME BECOME THE PERSON I WANT TO BECOME. I FEEL MORE CONFIDENT NOWADAYS, LIKE, KIDS ARE SO SCARED TO TALK NOT ONLY TO EACH OTHER, BUT ESPECIALLY IN PUBLIC. AND THAT'S JUST AN IMPORTANT PROBLEM TO ROOT OUT, SO. THIS IS MY THIRD YEAR ON THE JAMES RIVER SPEECH TEAM, AND I AM A GRADUATING SENIOR THIS YEAR. I'M REALLY SAD TO BE LEAVING BECAUSE SPEECH HAS BEEN ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF MY HIGH SCHOOL CAREER. AND BEYOND JUST LEARNING ABOUT PUBLIC SPEAKING AND HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS, I FEEL THAT THIS ACTIVITY HAS TAUGHT ME ABOUT SOME OF THE PINNACLES OF CAMARADERIE, COMPETITION, AND JUST GETTING ALONG WITH PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS WITH THE WORLD IN A WORLD THAT SOME PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE GUTS TO DO THAT. IT'S JUST VERY MEANINGFUL TO BE COMPETING WITH SUCH TALENTED, AMAZING INDIVIDUALS. AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS TEAM. THIS HAS BEEN JUST SUCH A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. I'M A FRESHMAN AND I WAS ABLE TO GO TO STATES MY, LIKE, FIRST YEAR. AND THIS WAS JUST SO MUCH FUN. AND I ALSO REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY DO TRADITIONAL PLATFORM SPEAKING, BUT TO ALSO DO INTERP, WHICH IS REALLY DIFFERENT. AND I THINK IT'S REALLY BROADENED MY HORIZONS AND TAUGHT ME DIFFERENT WAYS TO BE CONFIDENT. AND IT'S ALSO LIKE JUST THE KINDNESS AND VIBE OF THE TEAM IS JUST SO. I'M JUST SO LUCKY TO HAVE THAT. AND I JUST REALLY WANT TO THANK MISS SANCHEZ AND THEN JUST LIKE THE TEAM FOR BEING AWESOME. OKAY, I'M A SOPHOMORE. THIS IS MY SECOND YEAR ON THE TEAM, AND I THINK THE THING I LIKE THE MOST ABOUT IT IS THE FACT THAT IT IS VERY COMPETITIVE WHEN WE'RE COMPETING, BUT ALSO EVERYBODY'S CHEERING EACH OTHER ON. EVERY AWARD CEREMONY, EVERYBODY'S YELLING AND SCREAMING AND IT'S SUCH AN AMAZING VIBE. AND YOU ARE ALLOWED TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER PEOPLE. AND I FEEL YOU DON'T FIND THAT IN A LOT OF OTHER SPORTS. AND SO IT'S REALLY GREAT TO FEEL THAT WHERE I'M GETTING AN AWARD AND IT'S NOT JUST MY TEAM CHEERING ME ON, IT'S EVERYBODY IN THE CROWD. SANCHEZ, YOU ESSENTIALLY RECRUITED ME INTO SPEECH AND DEBATE GOING INTO LEADERSHIP FRESHMAN YEAR. I WAS VERY UNSURE OF MY PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS IN GENERAL. I JOINED LEADERSHIP BECAUSE I WANTED TO GET BETTER AT IT. AND SPEECH HAS BEEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. ESPECIALLY THROUGH YOUR MENTORSHIP AND EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE TO GROW AS A PERSON, A SPEAKER AND REALLY TO LEARN COMMUNITY FROM YOU AND THIS TEAM. I'M ALSO A SOPHOMORE WHO JOINED MY FRESHMAN YEAR, AND I'VE HAD JUST THE TIME OF MY LIFE BEING A PART OF THIS TEAM. IT'S HELPED ME MEET SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS AND HELPED ME FIND A REAL LOVE FOR PERFORMANCE AND HELP ME BRANCH OUT INTO OTHER THINGS LIKE THEATER. AND I'VE REALLY LOVED AND APPRECIATED JUST EVERY MOMENT OF IT. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]. THAT'S FANTASTIC. BUT SANCHEZ NEEDS ONE MORE MOMENT. YOU GUYS, IF YOU HEARD THE ONE THEME ABOUT WHAT THEY SAID WAS NOT ABOUT COMPETITION AND GOING AND TRYING TO WIN, IT WAS ABOUT COMMUNITY. YOU SAW THAT WE STOOD FOR L.C. BIRD BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DO. WHEN YOU WIN FIRST PLACE, WE STAND FOR EACH OTHER NO MATTER WHAT TEAM YOU COME FROM. SO IF YOU'RE CURIOUS ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY, HERE'S MY PITCH. CHESTERFIELD COUNTY IS PART OF ONE OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS WHO IS GOING TO BE HOSTING FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME IN VIRGINIA THE NATIONAL SPEECH AND DEBATE ASSOCIATION TOURNAMENT. WE WILL BE HAVING OVER 7000 STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY DESCENDING UPON OUR SCHOOLS HERE IN CHESTERFIELD. I WILL BE IN CHARGE OF BAILEY BRIDGE. SO IF YOU'RE A BAILEY BRIDGE TEACHER, COME BE MY FRIEND. BUT WE WILL NEED OBVIOUSLY TO TAKE CARE OF 7000. SPEECH AND DEBATE KIDS, WE WILL NEED JUST AS MANY ADULTS. SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER AT CLOVER HILL OR MANCHESTER OR BAILEY BRIDGE AND SEE WHY THESE KIDS TURN OUT THE WAY THAT THEY DO, PLEASE SEE ME AND I'LL HELP YOU VOLUNTEER. LET'S GIVE THEM ANOTHER ROUND. [APPLAUSE]. GOOD JOB GUYS. CONGRATS. CONGRATS. I WAS WRONG. SCHOOLS TO COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. YOU CAN MAKE TWO LINES. [00:25:38] SCHOOLS THROUGH PROJECT ADAM. THIS DESIGNATION MEANS THAT SCHOOLS HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO IMPLEMENT A QUALITY SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST PROGRAM TO PROMOTE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS, STAFF AND VISITORS. CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE SCHOOLS FOR ACHIEVING THEIR HEART SAFE SCHOOL DESIGNATION, FOR BEING PREPARED IN THE EVENT OF CARDIAC ARREST. HIGH SCHOOLS. CTC @ HULL. MIDDLE SCHOOLS. DEEP CREEK MIDDLE, MIDLOTHIAN MIDDLE, ROBIOUS MIDDLE, SWIFT CREEK MIDDLE, TOMAHAWK CREEK MIDDLE. ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. BELLWOOD ELEMENTARY, [INAUDIBLE], CLOVERDALE ELEMENTARY, ECOFF, ENON, ETTRICK, EVERGREEN, FALLING CREEK, GATES, GREENFIELD, HARROWGATE. THERE'S A BIRD IN HERE. HARROWGATE, HOPKINS, JACOBS ROAD, PROVIDENCE ELEMENTARY, REAMS ROAD, ROBIOUS ELEMENTARY, SPRING RUN ELEMENTARY, [INAUDIBLE] ELEMENTARY, WEAVER ELEMENTARY AND WOOLBRIDGE ELEMENTARY. PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING THESE SCHOOLS. [APPLAUSE]. THERE'S NO ROOM UP HERE, WHICH FOR THIS RECOGNITION, I'M VERY GLAD THERE'S NO ROOM UP HERE. OUR KIDS ARE SO SPECIAL AND DEAR TO ALL OF US. THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THEY GO TO SCHOOL, WE HAVE STAFF READY TO RESPOND IN THE MOST UNFORTUNATE, YET SERIOUS WAY TO SAVE A LIFE. AND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU STANDING UP HERE HAS ANSWERED THAT CALL. NOT JUST REPRESENTING YOUR SCHOOL, BUT REPRESENTING YOUR STUDENTS. AND SO FOR THAT, I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO. PROJECT ADAM IS A FANTASTIC PROGRAM THAT WE HOPEFULLY WILL ROLL OUT TO EVERY SINGLE CCPS BUILDING. AND SO I GREATLY APPRECIATE, AGAIN, THE DEDICATION. IF YOU'RE A NURSE STANDING UP HERE, CAN YOU RAISE YOUR HAND FOR US, PLEASE? [APPLAUSE]. CAN WE GIVE THEM A SPECIAL ROUND OF APPLAUSE? [APPLAUSE]. NOW, NURSES, AS YOU LEAVE, DR. MURRAY WANTS TO SHAKE EVERYBODY'S HAND. BUT AS YOU LEAVE, THERE'S THESE BLUE BOOK BAGS UP HERE, AND NORMALLY WE HAND THEM TO YOU. SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF YOU AND A LOT OF NURSES. PLEASE TAKE ONE AS YOU LEAVE THE DAIS. BUT ON BEHALF OF CHESTERFIELD COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR KIDS. AND I HOPE THAT YOU NEVER HAVE TO USE THE SKILLS THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED. BUT IN THE EVENT YOU DO, I'M GLAD YOU'RE THERE. SO ON BEHALF OF ALL OUR PARENTS IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT FOR US. CAN WE GIVE THEM ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE, PLEASE? [APPLAUSE]. I WILL ASK, DOES ANYBODY WANT TO SHARE IN REGARDS TO PROJECT? OKAY. FANTASTIC. YES. HI, EVERYONE. I'M LEXIE WHITE, THE PROGRAM COORDINATOR FOR PROJECT ADAM HERE IN VIRGINIA, ALONGSIDE DR. PHILLIPS. YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN HIS FACE IN HERE BEFORE. TRULY, IT'S AN HONOR TO STAND IN FRONT OF ALL OF THESE SCHOOL NURSES TODAY. I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WALK THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH THEM TO BECOME A HEART SAFE SCHOOL, AND THEY WORKED REALLY, REALLY HARD. I KNOW IT'S A COUNTY WIDE INITIATIVE. WE ARE ALMOST DONE. MAYBE ONE MORE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, BUT THEY WORK REALLY HARD TO COMPLETE OUR DESIGNATION PROCESS TO MAKE SURE OUR STAFF, OUR VISITORS, OUR STUDENTS IMPORTANTLY ARE PROTECTED AND WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE FOR SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST. THEY ALSO HAVE A TEAM, WHICH IS AWESOME BECAUSE USUALLY AT SCHOOLS, IT'S ONE NURSE TO 1000 STUDENTS, ONE NURSE TO 500 STUDENTS. AND THAT'S A LOT. THEY ALSO TAKE ON OUR VISITORS IF THEY GET HURT. ALSO, OUR STAFF SOMETIMES NEED BAND AIDS AND, YOU KNOW, AN ASPIRIN HERE AND THERE. SO THEY ARE HELPING WITH THEM AS WELL. I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF GOING INTO MANY VIRGINIA SCHOOLS RECENTLY AND IN THE NURSE'S STATION, [00:30:05] IT IS AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT. THEY WELCOME. I DON'T EVEN THINK THEIR DOOR SHUTS. IF IT SHUTS, IT HAS TO BE LOCKED. AND YOU KNOW, THEY CAN'T LET ANYBODY IN. BUT IT DOESN'T CLOSE. THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING, AN EMERGENCY. THEY HAVE TO THINK QUICK ON THEIR FEET. SO HAVING THAT TEAM OF 5 TO 10 PEOPLE TO HELP WITH CPR, GRABBING THE AED AND SAVING A LIFE MEANS SO MUCH. AND MY QUESTION, DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHERE THE NEAREST AED IS? OH, IT'S IN THE HALLWAY. DON'T YOU WORRY. IF YOU GET INTO SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST, I KNOW WHERE IT'S AT. I'D HELP YOU OUT. AND SO DO ALL OF THESE NURSES UP HERE. BUT IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO WORK WITH CHESTERFIELD. CONGRATULATIONS, EVERYONE, AGAIN. AND HEATHER, DO YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? I'LL BE REAL QUICK. WE ARE UP TO 53 SCHOOLS, SO WE ARE GETTING CLOSE TO HAVING OUR WHOLE DIVISION DESIGNATED. SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND TODAY IS FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE'S BIRTHDAY AND THE END OF NURSES WEEK. SO THIS IS A FABULOUS WAY TO CELEBRATE JUST MAKING OUR SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS A SAFER PLACE FOR EVERYBODY. AWESOME. OUTSTANDING. THANK YOU. AND AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]. AND DR. MURRAY WANTS TO SHAKE YOUR HAND. MIC]. OKAY. NEXT, WE HAVE RECOGNITION OF RETIRING PRINCIPALS FROM DR. MURRAY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. IF I COULD ASK PRINCIPALS MATT MAHER, KARYN ANDERSON AND JULIE BUNTICH TO THE STAGE. MATT WAS LITERALLY JUST ON THE STAGE. OH, THERE HE IS. I THOUGHT YOU SNUCK OUT. I'M LOOKING ALL AROUND. MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS THIS EVENING RECOGNIZES AND CELEBRATES THE CAREERS AND LASTING CONTRIBUTIONS OF THREE OUTSTANDING PRINCIPALS AS THEY RETIRE LATER THIS SUMMER. AND BEFORE THESE PRINCIPALS RETIRE AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE WANT TO EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE TO EACH OF THEM. SO FIRST, MATT MAHER. HE'S A PROUD PRODUCT OF CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, GRADUATING FROM MEADOWBROOK HIGH SCHOOL BACK IN 1986. OR, AS I LIKE TO SAY, JUST BEFORE I WENT INTO KINDERGARTEN. HE RESIDES IN THE EVERGREEN SCHOOL DISTRICT. BOTH OF HIS KIDS ATTENDED EVERGREEN. HIS CHILDREN GRADUATED FROM MIDLOTHIAN HIGH SCHOOL. MR. MAHER HAS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND A MASTER'S IN TEACHING AND A POST-GRADUATE ADMINISTRATION CERTIFICATE, [00:35:05] ALL FROM VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY. THIS MARKS HIS 30TH YEAR IN PUBLIC EDUCATION, INCLUDING 15 AT EVERGREEN. HE BEGAN HIS CAREER IN RICHMOND PUBLIC SCHOOLS, SERVING FOR NINE YEARS AS A TEACHER AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL. IN 2005, HE JOINED THE CHESTERFIELD COUNTY TEAM AS ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL AT HENNING ELEMENTARY AND LATER SERVED AS PRINCIPAL UNTIL 2011. MR. MAHER'S EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY EMPHASIZES TEACHING STUDENTS TO THINK CRITICALLY AND PROBLEM SOLVE BEYOND STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENTS, SHAPING GENERATIONS OF LEARNERS. WE EXTEND OUR HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS EXCEPTIONAL LEADER AS HE CELEBRATES THIS MOMENTOUS MILESTONE. HIS DEDICATION, LEADERSHIP, AND COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY HAVE MADE A PROFOUND AND LASTING DIFFERENCE, AND IT HAS BEEN A TRUE PLEASURE OF MINE TO WORK ALONGSIDE HIM IN SERVICE TO CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SO WE WISH YOU ALL THE BEST, MATT. YOU'VE CERTAINLY WELL EARNED YOUR RETIREMENT. [APPLAUSE]. OH, NO. YOU STAY. I DID YOU FIRST SO THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO ENDURE. IT'S MY PLEASURE. YEAH. TWO REMARKABLE WOMEN WE'RE ABOUT TO RECOGNIZE NEXT. NEXT, KARYN ANDERSON. RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE HERE. CONCLUDES A DISTINGUISHED CAREER SPANNING OVER 30 YEARS IN EDUCATION. THANK YOU, KARYN. THROUGHOUT HER TENURE, SHE HAS SERVED AS A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER, A COORDINATOR, A LIAISON, AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT WATKINS ELEMENTARY PRIOR TO HER LEADERSHIP AS PRINCIPAL AT CLOVER HILL ELEMENTARY. SHE RECEIVED HER BACHELOR'S IN ELEMENTARY ED FROM LONGWOOD COLLEGE. GO LANCERS. AND HER MASTER'S IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP FROM VCU. MISS ANDERSON HAS CONSISTENTLY PRIORITIZED ENSURING A MEANINGFUL EDUCATION FOR EVERY CHILD, LEAVING A LASTING IMPACT ON HER STUDENTS, STAFF, AND SCHOOL COMMUNITY. ONE OF HER FAVORITE QUOTES IS, IF WE TEACH TODAY AS WE TAUGHT YESTERDAY, WE ROB OUR CHILDREN OF TOMORROW. THANK YOU, JOHN DEWEY. WE EXTEND OUR HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS EXCEPTIONAL LEADER AS SHE CELEBRATES THIS MOMENTOUS MILESTONE, WHICH I THINK YOU WERE KIND OF TEETERING ON. SO IF YOU WANT TO COME ON BACK. NOT. WELL, SHELLY DAVIS MAY THINK IT'S A BIT TOO LATE, BUT WE'LL FIND SOMETHING. HER DEDICATION, LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY HAVE ALSO MADE A PROFOUND AND LASTING DIFFERENCE. IT HAS BEEN MY PLEASURE TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU IN SERVICE TO CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND AS WELL, WE WISH YOU ALL THE BEST IN YOUR WELL-EARNED RETIREMENT. [APPLAUSE]. AND NOW MY BUDDY WHO LOVES THE LIMELIGHT THE MOST. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE GOT YOU HERE, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH. JULIE BUNTICH. ONE OF A KIND. THAT'S NOT IN THE SCRIPT. THAT'S JUST WHAT I KNOW PERSONALLY. PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT ELIZABETH SCOTT ELEMENTARY, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT CRESTWOOD ELEMENTARY AND EXPEDITIONARY LEARNING INSTRUCTIONAL COACH AT ROBIOUS MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHERE I HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU EACH AND EVERY DAY. BEFORE THAT, SHE WAS A FIFTH GRADE TEACHER AT ROBIOUS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AN ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE AT AIRBORNE EXPRESS AND FOURTH GRADE TEACHER AT HARROWGATE ELEMENTARY. HER EDUCATION INCLUDES A MASTER'S DEGREE IN ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION FROM VCU AND A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION FROM CANISIUS COLLEGE. SHE RETIRES AFTER 31 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE, GUIDED BY HER MOTTO, MAKE EVERY MINUTE COUNT, MISS BUNTICH HAS FOSTERED A CULTURE OF PURPOSE, ENGAGEMENT AND EXCELLENCE FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF. WE EXTEND OUR HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, JULIE, AS YOU ARE AN EXCEPTIONAL LEADER AND WE CELEBRATE THIS MOMENTOUS MILESTONE ALONGSIDE YOU. HER DEDICATION, LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY HAVE MADE A PROFOUND AND LASTING DIFFERENCE, AND IT HAS BEEN MY TRUE PLEASURE TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU IN SERVICE OF CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND WE WISH YOU ALL THE BEST IN YOUR WELL-EARNED RETIREMENT. [APPLAUSE]. CAN'T GO ANYWHERE YET. WE HAVE A LITTLE TOKEN OF APPRECIATION. AND THEN I THINK DR. DARBY AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THREE OF YOU ON YOUR RETIREMENT. BUT TO YOU, JULIE, I TOLD HER SHE COULDN'T DO THIS AS LONG AS I WAS UP HERE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD. [00:40:02] BUT TRULY, IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO GET TO KNOW YOU AND TO WORK WITH YOU. YOU ARE LEAVING A LEGACY AT ELIZABETH SCOTT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THE DUAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAM IS THRIVING, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF YOUR EFFORT AND YOUR LOVE OF OUR STUDENTS. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN TO OUR STUDENTS, TO CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, AND TO ME PERSONALLY. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, MRS. ANDERSON, FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU HAVE BUILT AT YOUR SCHOOL THAT YOU ARE LEAVING BEHIND QUITE A COMMUNITY WHO LOVES YOU DEARLY, AND YOU HAVE SOME BIG SHOES TO FILL BEHIND YOU. I APPRECIATE THE WAYS YOU ADVOCATE FOR YOUR STUDENTS AND FOR YOUR SCHOOL. MR. MAHER, YOU HAVE BEEN MY KIDS PRINCIPAL, AND I AM JUST SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THE COMMUNITY YOU'VE BUILT AT EVERGREEN AS WELL. SO THANK YOU BOTH. A COLLECTIVE 91 YEARS OF WISDOM THAT Y'ALL ARE TAKING WITH YOU, AND I'M FEELING REALLY SADDENED BY WHAT WE ARE LOSING UP HERE ON THE STAGE TONIGHT. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN TO THIS COMMUNITY. [APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU. THERE YOU GO. I GOT A QUESTION FOR THE RETIREES. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO MISS THE MOST? AND CELEBRATING AND JUST BEING THERE WITH THE STAFF AND THE STUDENTS. THE SPOTLIGHT, WHICH I LOVE. I'M GOING TO MISS MY SCHOOL COMMUNITY, THE STUDENTS, THE STAFF, THE PARENTS. ELIZABETH SCOTT IS A SPECIAL PLACE AND WE'RE GOING TO MISS THEM. NOT ENOUGH TO STAY, BUT I'M GOING TO MISS THEM. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO SUPPORTED ME THROUGHOUT MY CAREER HERE. SOME OF US HAVE BEEN IN THIS TOGETHER FOR 30 SOMETHING YEARS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND I APOLOGIZE FOR EVERYTHING I DID. [APPLAUSE]. YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME BACK TO SUBSTITUTE IF YOU WANT TO. SUBSTITUTES ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE, I'M JUST SAYING. NEXT, WE HAVE RECOGNITION OF BEGINNING TEACHERS FROM MR. SMITH. IF OUR BEGINNING TEACHERS OF THE YEAR COME FORWARD THIS TIME. THEY DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE. ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO. YEAH. GOOD TO KNOW. EACH YEAR, CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS RECOGNIZES FOUR NEW TEACHERS AS THE BEST AMONG THEIR PEERS. THE BEGINNING TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARDS RECOGNIZES NEW EDUCATORS WHO EXCEL IN INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING AND DELIVERY AND CREATION OF A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND PROFESSIONALISM. THIS YEAR, 32 OF THE 256 NEW TEACHERS WORKING IN CHESTERFIELD SCHOOLS WERE NOMINATED. HERE ARE THE 2026 BEGINNING TEACHERS OF THE YEAR. THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BEGINNING TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS MARA MCMAHON. [APPLAUSE]. MARA TEACHES MUSIC AT HENING ELEMENTARY. THE MIDDLE SCHOOL BEGINNING TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS KEETON BELL. [APPLAUSE]. KEETON TEACHES DRAMA AT MANCHESTER MIDDLE. AND THE HIGH SCHOOL BEGINNING TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS HAYAT ADAWI, WHO TEACHES MATH AT MATOACA HIGH SCHOOL. [APPLAUSE]. AND THE OVERALL CCPS BEGINNING TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS TOMMY RYAN. [APPLAUSE]. TOMMY TEACHES ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE AT JAMES RIVER HIGH SCHOOL. PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING THESE TEACHERS. [APPLAUSE]. I JUST WANT TO GO ON RECORD SAYING THAT I WORK WITH SO MANY OF OUR NEW TEACHERS ACROSS THE COUNTY AS THE NEW TEACHER SUPPORT SPECIALIST. [00:45:06] AND THIS YEAR WE HAVE SOME AMAZING YEAR ONE TEACHERS. THE THINGS THAT WE LEARNED ABOUT HOW INCREDIBLE WE HAVE. WE HAVE A MUSIC TEACHER WHO'S INTRODUCING CHOIR, WHO'S GIVING STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM. WE HAVE ANOTHER MUSIC TEACHER WHO IS STEPPING INTO SPACES TO WELCOME PARENTS, CREATE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS, WHILE ALSO CONNECTING THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY ALL AROUND MUSIC AND THE THINGS THAT THEY LOVE. AND THEN WE HAVE OUR ESL TEACHER WHO SHARED IN HIS. HE DID A BEAUTIFUL VIDEO, BUT HE SHARED IN THE VIDEO ABOUT HOW PART OF HIS JOURNEY WAS MAYBE NOT FEELING AS SUPPORTED AS A STUDENT AND HOW THAT LED HIM TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT IS POSSIBLE IN THE CHILDREN THAT HE SUPPORTS EVERY DAY. SO I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE TO SAY, WE HAVE INCREDIBLE TEACHERS AND YOU GUYS ROSE TO THE TOP, BECAUSE YOU ARE CHANGING LIVES EVERY DAY. AND WE THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF TEAM CHESTERFIELD. [APPLAUSE]. WE JUST HAD THREE PRINCIPALS UP HERE RETIRING, COLLECTIVELY 91 YEARS I THINK IS WHAT WE CAME UP WITH. AND WE HAVE THREE YEARS COLLECTIVELY NOW. RIGHT? BUT ABSOLUTELY A FANTASTIC START TO YOUR CAREER. WE ARE SO HAPPY AND HONORED THAT YOU CHOSE CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO LAUNCH YOUR CAREER, AND I HOPE THAT IN THE NEXT 30 YEARS, RIGHT? OR MORE, WE'LL BE THANKING YOU FOR A CAREER WELL SPENT IN EDUCATING OUR STUDENTS. TEACHERS HAVE THAT ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH KIDS THAT SOMETIMES PARENTS EVEN MAY NOT ALWAYS CONNECT, RIGHT? ESPECIALLY AS KIDS GROW OLDER. BUT YOU ALL HAVE FIGURED IT OUT AND YOU BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP. AND SO I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU ON THE DAYS TO WHERE IT JUST DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT OR HARD OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, JUST REMEMBER YOUR WHY. AND YOUR WHY, HOPEFULLY, IS EVERY SEAT TAKEN IN YOUR CLASSROOM AND YOU ARE PREPARING THEM FOR WHAT'S TO COME NEXT. AND THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK BACK AND REMEMBER YOU, WHETHER YOU REALIZE IT OR NOT/ YOU WILL MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT. YOU ALREADY ARE. SO ON BEHALF OF THE CHESTERFIELD COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, CONGRATULATIONS. AND I'D BE REMISS IF WE DIDN'T OFFER YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT ABOUT TEACHING THAT YOU HAVE JUST CAUGHT THAT FLAME FOR AND YOU'RE RUNNING. YEAH, I WAS A STRUGGLING STUDENT WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL TOO. AND I DON'T KNOW, I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT TERM LIKE PUTS THE ONUS ON THEM WHEN IT SHOULD BE ON US BUILDING THEM UP TOGETHER. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO MY FAMILY FOR ENCOURAGING ME TO FOLLOW MY DREAMS. AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO MY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND DR. VOLKER FOR SEEING SOMETHING IN THE ISD GUY. [APPLAUSE]. FOR ME, TO BE HONEST, I NEVER SAW TEACHING IN MY PATH, BUT THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED ITSELF AND I TOOK IT. AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO MY GRANDMOTHER AND MY MOTHER FOR ENCOURAGING ME TO TAKE IT. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE REALLY LEARNED IS LEADERSHIP. I JUST GRADUATED COLLEGE LAST YEAR. I'M SCARED TO HAVE MY OWN KID, LET ALONE DEALING WITH OVER 100. SO IT WAS DEFINITELY VERY SCARY, BUT I'VE LEARNED TRUE LEADERSHIP. AND ALSO CAMARADERIE. I'M SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T LIKE TO ASK FOR HELP, BUT AS A FIRST YEAR TEACHER, YOU HAVE TO ASK FOR A LOT OF HELP. SO I'M JUST THANKFUL TO MY PRINCIPAL, MRS. KILPATRICK. MY NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK, MENTOR, MRS. HASTINGS, AND MY MENTOR AT SCHOOL, MR. EDWARD ALLEN. JUST THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BELIEVING IN ME AND HELPING ME GET TO THIS POINT. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]. MUSIC WAS ALWAYS MY FAVORITE TIME IN SCHOOL, AND I JUST AM SO GRATEFUL THAT THAT'S NOW MY JOB, THAT I GET TO SPREAD THAT LOVE TO ALL THESE STUDENTS EVERY DAY. AND I'M JUST SUPER GRATEFUL TO MY ADMINISTRATION AND TO MY RESOURCE TEAM AND TO MY MENTOR, MISS KELLY. I'VE JUST BEEN HAVING SUCH A GREAT TIME AND I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]. CONGRATULATIONS. [00:50:02] IF I COULD ASK JENNA CORNELIUS TO COME FORWARD THIS TIME. EACH YEAR DURING NATIONAL NURSES WEEK, CHESTER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HONORS THE SCHOOL NURSE OF THE YEAR IN RECOGNITION OF ALL THAT SCHOOL NURSES DO TO SUPPORT STUDENT HEALTH, SAFETY AND SUCCESS. JENNA CORNELIUS OF CHALKLEY ELEMENTARY IS THE SCHOOL NURSE OF THE YEAR FOR CHESTER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. [APPLAUSE]. OH. ALL RIGHT. JENNA HAS WORKED IN NURSING FOR 20 YEARS. FOUR OF THOSE YEARS AS A SCHOOL NURSE. SOME OF HER TOP INNOVATIONS, FROM WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD FOR JENNA, IS EDUCATING STUDENTS AND STAFF MEMBERS, HAVE DECREASED UNNECESSARY VISITS AND CREATED TIME TO MANAGE HIGH NEEDS STUDENTS, AND STRENGTHENING HER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE VCU CARE CONNECTION FOR CHILDREN, WHICH HELPS BOOST RESOURCES FOR MEDICALLY COMPLEX STUDENTS AND STUDENTS WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES. PLEASE JOIN ME CONGRATULATING JENNA. [APPLAUSE]. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE THE TOP NURSE IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS? YAY! WELL, OKAY. YES. GREAT. OKAY, GOOD. I HAD THE HONOR OF BEING THERE WHEN YOU WERE. THIS IS A FUNNY STORY. SO SHE KNEW THAT SHE WAS THE NURSE OF THE YEAR BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOL, BECAUSE SHE WAS THE NURSE OF THE SCHOOL, RIGHT? BUT THEN YOU DO SOME THINGS AND YOU ARE IN THE RUNNING TO BE THE NURSE OF CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. BIG DEAL. AND WE'RE LIKE, A WHOLE BUNCH OF US ARE THERE TO SURPRISE HER. AND THEY'RE LIKE, HOW DO WE GET HER HERE? OH, I KNOW, I KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO TELL HER WE'VE GOT A STUDENT THAT NEEDS A WHEELCHAIR. SOMEBODY NEEDS A WHEELCHAIR. THIS WOMAN WAS RUNNING AROUND THE CORNER. WHERE ARE THEY? WHERE ARE THEY? IT WAS HILARIOUS. AND IT WORKED. SO, THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. AND DO YOU HAVE A FUNNY. DO YOU WANT TO DO A FUNNY OR HEARTFELT? OKAY, FUNNY. SHE TOLD ME A FUNNY ONE. I THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY. GO FOR IT. WELL, I'LL TELL YOU THAT ONE OF MY STUDENTS ACTUALLY JUST CAME IN TODAY AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS AFTER YOU ASKED ME, AND THEY WERE ASKING ME ABOUT BEING NURSE OF THE YEAR, AND I SAID, YEAH, THAT'S ME. AND THEY'RE LIKE, AREN'T YOU THE ONLY NURSE HERE? THIS IS TRUE. THIS IS TRUE. BUT ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS FROM THIS YEAR AS FAR AS JUST RANDOM THINGS THAT POP UP THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN BAND-AIDS AND ICE PACKS WAS, I HAD A KID WALK IN WITH A COUNSELOR WHO LOOKED QUITE PALE. THE COUNSELOR, NOT THE KID. THE KID WAS FINE. BUT HE HAD ZIPPED HIS EYELID INTO HIS JACKET. AND SO SHE'S LIKE, YOU'RE THE NURSE. FIX IT. AND SO I DID, I PROMPTLY GOOGLED HOW TO GET HIS EYE OUT OF THE ZIPPER AND RELEASED IT VERY QUICKLY. REALLY PATIENT, QUIET SIX YEAR OLD AND ACTUALLY TOLD HIS MOM I WAS GOING TO TELL THAT STORY. AND SHE THOUGHT IT WAS HYSTERICAL, SO. BUT YES, THAT'S IT. BUT I DO WANT TO SAY, I KNOW THAT THIS IS PROBABLY A LONG MEETING FOR YOU GUYS, BUT I DO REALLY HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART FOR MY SPECIAL KIDS AT SCHOOL, MY MEDICALLY FRAGILE KIDS, AND I SPENT A LOT OF MY TIME TAKING CARE OF NOT NECESSARILY DOING SPEECHES AND LECTURES FOR WHOLE GRADE LEVELS, BUT I FIND THOSE KIDS WHO REALLY NEED US THERE AND MAY NOT HAVE EVEN BEEN ABLE TO BE AT THE SCHOOL UNLESS WE'RE THERE. AND THIS YEAR GAVE ME A SPECIAL APPRECIATION FOR THAT BECAUSE MY CLINIC ASSISTANT IS FROM FRANCE AND SHE LET ME KNOW THAT IN FRANCE, TO THIS DAY, IF YOU HAVE DYSLEXIA OR YOU ARE IN A WHEELCHAIR, YOU DON'T GO TO SCHOOL. THERE ARE PROGRAMS FOR THAT WHERE YOU CAN BUY A TEACHER THAT WILL TEACH YOUR CHILD. IF YOUR CHILD HAS A BEHAVIOR ISSUE, HAS ADHD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, YOU JUST DON'T GO TO SCHOOL. AND IN FRANCE, THEY DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE SMART ENOUGH TO GO TO COLLEGE AT THE END OF ALL OF IT. AND SHE WAS NOT ELECTED TO GO TO COLLEGE BECAUSE SHE WAS NOT CONSIDERED SMART ENOUGH TO GO TO COLLEGE. SO THAT WAS THE END OF HER EDUCATIONAL CAREER. AND SO I FIND THAT JUST ABSOLUTELY INSANE. AND WE OPENED SO MANY DOORS FOR THESE KIDS WHO ARE JUST AS SMART AS OTHER KIDS OR WHO CAN ACHIEVE AMAZING THINGS IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITIES. AND SO I FEEL VERY PRIVILEGED THAT WE'RE ABLE TO OPEN SOME OF THOSE DOORS FOR THESE KIDS IN WHEELCHAIRS OR THAT HAVE MEDICAL COMPLEXITIES. SO THAT IS A HUGE PASSION OF MINE THIS YEAR. AND I WANT TO THANK MY TEAM BECAUSE THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY. THEY'RE HERE AND THEY'RE AMAZING. AND I LOVE ALL OF YOU GUYS. AND I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING JUST AS MUCH HARD WORK AS I AM. AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU GUYS. [APPLAUSE]. [00:55:03] NO, I WAS GOING TO SAY, AND NOW WE KNOW WHY SHE'S A TEACHER OF THE YEAR. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IF I COULD ASK OUR FRIENDS FROM THE VIRGINIA CREDIT UNION AND CARTER MYERS AUTOMOTIVE TO COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. TONIGHT, WE RECOGNIZE TWO VERY IMPORTANT COMMUNITY PARTNERS FOR CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THE VIRGINIA CREDIT UNION IS A VALUED AND DEEPLY INVESTED PARTNER OF CHESTER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, DEMONSTRATING AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO FINANCIAL LITERACY, STAFF WELLNESS AND WORK BASED LEARNING. THROUGH THEIR COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT OF STUDENTS, STAFF, AND SYSTEM WIDE INITIATIVES, THE CREDIT UNION IS AN INVALUABLE COMMUNITY PARTNER WHOSE IMPACT EXTENDS ACROSS THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DIVISION. CARTER MYERS AUTOMOTIVE HAS BEEN A STEADFAST AND HIGHLY ENGAGED PARTNER WITH OUR SCHOOL DIVISION, DEMONSTRATING A LONG STANDING COMMITMENT TO STUDENT SUCCESS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. AS A FAMILY EMPLOYEE OWNED BUSINESS SERVING CENTRAL VIRGINIA SINCE 1924, CARTER MYERS AUTOMOTIVE BRINGS MORE THAN A CENTURY OF INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE AND A DEEP ROOTED DEDICATION TO COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. PLEASE JOIN ME IN THANKING THESE TWO ORGANIZATIONS. [APPLAUSE]. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE RESOLUTION BEING PRESENTED THIS EVENING? WHEREAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THIS COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS MANY LOCAL BUSINESSES PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOLS. AND WHEREAS THE ECONOMIC HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY, STATE AND NATION DEPENDS ON A STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND WHEREAS COLLABORATION BETWEEN LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES STRENGTHENS SCHOOLS AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ALIKE BY PROVIDING A WELL TRAINED AND HIGHLY EDUCATED WORKFORCE. AND WHEREAS AN EXCELLENT PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IS VITAL TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND FUNDAMENTAL TO PRESERVING A STRONG DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY NOW AND IN THE FUTURE. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT BE RESOLVED AT THE CHESTERFIELD COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD NAMES CARTER MYERS AUTOMOTIVE AND VIRGINIA CREDIT UNION TO THE 2026 VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION BUSINESS HONOR ROLL, SHOWING APPRECIATION FOR THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF THIS COMMUNITY'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS. YOUR WORK HAS AIDED THIS COMMUNITY AND FOCUSING ON THE GOAL OF PROVIDING THE BEST PUBLIC SCHOOLS WE WE CAN FOR EVERY CHILD WHO ATTENDS THEM. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. BOARD MEMBERS, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTIONS AS PRESENTED? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MADAM CHAIR. WE HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH OUR COMMUNITY, AND OUR COMMUNITY HAS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH US, AND IT IS A MUTUAL AGREEMENT THAT WE JUST FLOURISH FROM HAVING THE OUTSIDE WORLD COME INTO OUR SCHOOLS AND SEEING THE KIDS AND THE KIDS SEEING DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE FOR THEM, AS WELL AS BEING FINANCIAL ADVISORS TO OUR STAFF THROUGH THE CREDIT UNION. ALL OF THESE THINGS PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN WHAT WE DO, WHETHER YOU'RE INVOLVED IN OUR CTE PROGRAM OR YOU'RE COMING IN TO THE CLASSROOM TO GIVE A PRESENTATION, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. WE WOULD NOT BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS WE ARE WITH OUR STUDENTS, IF IT WAS NOT FOR THE PARTNERSHIP FROM OUR COMMUNITY. SO ON BEHALF OF THE CHESTERFIELD COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR PARTNERING WITH US AND INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF OUR STUDENTS AS THEY CONTINUE TO GROW, LEARN AND UNDERSTAND. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'D LIKE TO HEAR JUST A FEW WORDS IN REGARDS TO, WHAT IS IT ABOUT CCPS THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO PARTNER WITH US? WELL, THAT'S AN EASY ONE. SOMETIMES THE BUSINESS WORLD AND THE EDUCATION WORLD DO NOT SEE EYE TO EYE. EARLY ON, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHARE THE SAME VISION THAT WE HAVE AT CARTER MYERS AUTOMOTIVE, WHICH IS EVERY STUDENT SHOULD BE EXCITED ABOUT THEIR LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, AND BY INVITING BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY INTO OUR SCHOOLS TO SHARE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERY STUDENT, WE HOPE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT GENERATION OF SUCCESS. FOR ME, I'M JUST VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT STUDENT AND STUDENT DEVELOPMENT. MOST PLACES OFFER STUDENTS A JOB WHERE. WE ARE, WE OFFER THEM A CAREER. IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE DEVELOP THEM FROM A STUDENT TO A YOUNG ADULT. AND, YOU KNOW, WE TEACH THEM A SKILL IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY, BUT IT'S MORE ABOUT LIFE LESSONS AND GROWING THEM AS AN ADULT THAN JUST LEARNING HOW TO EITHER SELL CARS OR WORK ON CARS. I THINK JUST COMING TONIGHT AND SEEING THE AMAZING TEACHERS AND STAFF AND THE [01:00:06] RECOGNITION, IT'S JUST WONDERFUL. I'M IN ALL OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS AROUND THE AREA, AND CHESTERFIELD TRULY DOES STAND OUT AS A LEADER IN ALL THAT THEY DO. SO VIRGINIA CREDIT UNION IS HAPPY TO BE HERE. WE HAVE MANY BRANCHES. OUR HEADQUARTERS IS IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY AND MY JOB, I OVERSEE OUR FINANCIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM, SO WE PARTNER WITH THE SCHOOL IN MULTIPLE WAYS AND SUPPORT IT HOWEVER WE CAN. SO, THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION. [APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. ONE MORE THING. HANG ON. OH I'M SORRY. IT'S FINE. SO THERE'S BEEN A MOTION AND A SECOND. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION. ANN COKER. AYE. JENNIFER DARBY. AYE. DOMINIQUE CHATTERS. AYE. STEVEN PARANTO. AYE. LISA HUDGINS. AYE. THE RESOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED, SO THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. THANKS, GUYS. [APPLAUSE]. VERY NICE. NEXT WE HAVE RECOGNITION OF OUTSTANDING DRIVER PERFORMANCE FROM DR. FRYE. GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, AND MR. ROBERTS. IT'S MY PLEASURE THIS EVENING TO INTRODUCE TO YOU OUR DRIVERS OF THE MONTH. THERE ARE MANY DRIVERS THAT COULD BE RECOGNIZED THIS MONTH, BUT EACH TRANSPORTATION AREA HAD TO MAKE THE TOUGH DECISION OF SELECTING A SINGLE DRIVER WHO EXEMPLIFIED EXCELLENCE AND DEDICATION TO REPRESENT THEIR AREA. WE'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE FOLLOWING DRIVERS. IF YOU'D COME DOWN WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME. RAY JOHN BURTON, AREA ONE, BUS 676. ONE YEAR OF SERVICE. [APPLAUSE]. THERE YOU GO. RAY JOHN HAS BEEN A POSITIVE ASSET TO THE AREA ONE TEAM IN LESS THAN A YEAR WORKING WITH US. HE TAKES HIS ROLE SERIOUSLY AND CONSTANTLY ENSURES THE SAFETY OF HIS STUDENTS ON HIS BUS. JEFFREY DEAN, AREA TWO, BUS 82. FOUR YEARS OF SERVICE. [APPLAUSE]. JEFFREY SAYS, AS A SCHOOL BUS DRIVER, IT'S REWARDING TO SET A POSITIVE TONE AT THE START AND END OF EACH DAY BY SMILING AND GREETING EACH STUDENT. IT'S GREAT TO BE A PART OF A TEAM DEDICATED TO GETTING CHILDREN HOME SAFELY AND ON TIME, KNOWING EVERY DAY IS AN ADVENTURE. JEFF MORA, AREA THREE, BUS 655. ONE YEAR OF SERVICE. [APPLAUSE]. JEFF SAYS, ALWAYS SEEK TO DO GOOD TO ONE ANOTHER AND SERVE ONE ANOTHER HUMBLY IN LOVE. JEFF'S MANAGER SAYS, JEFF SERVES THE STUDENTS OF CHESTERFIELD COUNTY WITH PROFESSIONALISM, GRACE AND COMPASSION, AND GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND DAILY BY HELPING OUT WHEREVER HE CAN. CHARLES TALIAFERRO, AREA FOUR, BUS 691. 3 MONTHS OF SERVICE. [APPLAUSE]. CHARLES CAME TO AREA FOUR IN FEBRUARY AND TOOK ON THREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUS ROUTES. MR. T, AS HIS STUDENTS CALL HIM. AND A LOT OF YOU DON'T KNOW WHO THAT IS. BUT WE DO, DON'T WE, CHARLES? CHARLES LEARNED HIS 195 STUDENTS IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND TRANSFORMED HIS THREE ROUTES. THE AREA OFFICE SAYS THEY'RE SO THANKFUL THAT HE CHOSE TO BECOME A CCPS BUS DRIVER. KEISHA KRUMP, AREA FIVE, BUS 612, ONE AND A HALF YEARS OF SERVICE. ACCEPTING HER AWARD IS ONE OF OUR AREA MANAGERS, MISS HARRIS. KEISHA SAYS, I TRULY ENJOY DRIVING FOR CCPS AREA FIVE TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE IT ALLOWS ME TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE EVERY SINGLE DAY. IT'S MORE THAN JUST GETTING STUDENTS FROM AND TO ANOTHER PLACE. IT'S ABOUT PROVIDING A SAFE, POSITIVE START EACH AND EVERY DAY OF THEIR LIVES. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]. SO I HAVE FOUR CHILDREN THAT RIDE THE BUS. TWO HIGH SCHOOLERS, TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLERS. THERE WAS A PERIOD IN TIME WHERE IT WAS ONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL. SO THAT'S THREE DIFFERENT BUSSES. BUT I CAN SAY THAT MY CHILDREN ENJOY THEIR BUS RIDE BECAUSE OF YOU. [01:05:02] I KNOW THAT EVERY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, MY DAUGHTER DOESN'T FORGET ABOUT HER BUS DRIVER. SHE'S LIKE, MOM, I KNOW MY BUS DRIVER'S FAVORITE CANDY. WE GOT TO GO GET HER HER FAVORITE CANDY. MOM, I KNOW HER FAVORITE STORE. SHE DRINKS STARBUCKS EVERY DAY. WE NEED TO GO TO GET HER STARBUCKS. MOM. SHE DRINKS WAWA. WE NEED WAWA GIFT CARD BECAUSE Y'ALL ARE POURING INTO OUR KIDS ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL AND ON THE WAY HOME. AND AS A MOM OF FOUR WHO IS SUPER BUSY, IF YOU CAN CALM DOWN MY CHILD BEFORE MY CHILD GETS TO ME, I LOVE YOU ALL FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. AND FOR SOME REASON, EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL SAY MAKES MORE OF A DIFFERENCE THAN WHAT I SAY. SO THAT MAKES YOUR INFLUENCE EVEN MORE POWERFUL FOR EVERY PARENT. SO I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING. I'M GOING TO PASS THE MIC AND I'M GOING TO ASK YOU A DIFFERENT QUESTION BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS SAY THE KIDS IS THE BEST PART. AND SO, NO. IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE ELEMENTARY, HIGH SCHOOL OR MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH ONE OF THOSE BUSSES WOULD YOU WANT TO DRIVE? I MEAN, THEY'RE YOUNG. THEY JUST HAVE SO MUCH ENERGY. THEY'RE NAIVE BECAUSE THEY THINK THE WORLD IS SO EASY, YOU KNOW, BUT I SEE A LOT OF GREATNESS IN THEM, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE EASY TO TALK TO. AND THEY LIKE TO TELL YOU THEIR DREAMS AND THEIR GOALS. AND IF YOU STICK TO THEM, THEY'LL GROW INTO WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY WANT TO BE. SO YOU JUST GOT TO CONTINUE TO JUST TALK TO THEM AND LISTEN TO THEM. THANK YOU. THAT'S A HARD ONE. THEY'RE ALL UNIQUE. EACH LEVEL HAS THEIR OWN PERSONALITY. I HAVE TWO ELEMENTARY AND ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND I DO HAVE A TECH, HIGH SCHOOLERS, WHICH THEY DON'T SAY MUCH, BUT THERE IS ONE THAT I ENCOURAGE, HE HAS HIS BUSINESS AND I'M ALL FOR THAT. AND WE TALK AND I ENCOURAGE HIM CONSTANTLY. I WOULD HAVE TO SAY IT WOULD BE MY MIDDLE SCHOOLERS. THEY ARE HARDER TO. THEY ARE AT AN AGE WHERE, IT'S THAT IN BETWEEN. THEY'RE COMING JUST OUT OF THAT FIFTH GRADE MINDSET. AND THEN THEY'RE, TRYING TO ADAPT TO THIS WORLD. AND THEN YOU GOT THE EIGHTH GRADERS, THEY'RE GOING INTO NINTH GRADE. MY SON IS GOING INTO NINTH GRADE. SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT THAT I KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN YOU DID. SO I LOVE THEM ALL. I THINK I'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK WITH MIDDLE SCHOOLERS. I'VE TAUGHT ART. THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE AGE I WOULD TEACH ART TO OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE KIDS. FALLING CREEK WAS ONE OF THEM. I DID FOR A WHILE. YEAH. THAT'S AWESOME. THIS IS MY. I'VE BEEN DRIVING FOR FOUR YEARS. SO MY FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS I DID ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOL. AND I REALLY LOVED THE ELEMENTARY KIDS. THEY WERE A LOT OF JOY ON THE BUS. AND THERE WAS A LOT OF GOOD RELATIONSHIP BUILDING WITH THEM. THE HIGH SCHOOLERS ARE A LITTLE QUIETER, NOT REALLY AS MUCH INTERACTION WITH THEM. AND SO THIS YEAR I AM A HUB DRIVER AND A SPECIALTY CENTER DRIVER. SO I MOSTLY HAVE HIGH SCHOOLERS AND I HAVE A FEW MIDDLE SCHOOLERS. SO THE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS I DO HAVE BRING A LITTLE MORE EXCITEMENT TO THE BUS. AND THE HIGH SCHOOLERS, ONCE AGAIN, THEY'RE KIND OF QUIET. I DON'T KNOW IF I REALLY WANT TO SAY WHICH ONE'S MY FAVORITE OR NOT. BUT I LIKE THEM ALL A LITTLE BIT. BUT I WILL TELL YOU THIS ONE LITTLE STORY. SO I HAVE A GRANDDAUGHTER. MY WIFE AND I HAVE A GRANDDAUGHTER IN WILLIAMSBURG, AND ONE OF HER FAVORITE ACTIVITIES, SHE'S ONLY TWO, IS TO LOOK OUTSIDE AND SEE THE SCHOOL BUS. SO WHEN I DRIVE AROUND AND I SEE PEOPLE PUSHING STROLLERS, YOU KNOW, IT MAKES ME THINK OF HER. BUT IT ALSO MAKES ME REALIZE THAT I'M A FACE TO ALL OF THEM. SO THAT IS A TREAT EVERY DAY. WELL, IF I HAD TO KEEP IT SIMPLE BUT BETWEEN THE THREE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ALL VERY GOOD, BUT I THINK THE HIGH SCHOOL IS PROBABLY MY BEST JUST BECAUSE I DON'T TALK MUCH AND THEY DON'T TALK MUCH EITHER. SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YEAH. YEAH, MY HIGH SCHOOL BUNCH IS A GREAT BUNCH, SO. LET'S GIVE THEM A HAND FOR OUR BUS DRIVERS, PLEASE. [01:10:06] [APPLAUSE]. NEXT, WE HAVE RECOGNITION OF OUTSTANDING FOOD SERVICE EMPLOYEES FROM MR. DUNBRACK. GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, DR. MURRAY AND MR. ROBERTS, THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF OUR OUTSTANDING FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES TEAM MEMBERS. DURING A CONVERSATION WITH SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS NOT LONG AGO, I WAS A LITTLE DISMAYED WHEN I WAS TOLD THAT, QUOTE, ANYONE COULD OPERATE A SCHOOL CAFETERIA. I RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT. BEING A SCHOOL CAFETERIA MANAGER REQUIRES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SKILL AND PROFESSIONALISM. OUR MANAGERS MUST PASS A NATIONAL FOOD SAFETY CERTIFICATION COURSE, THE MOST COMPLETE CONTINUING EDUCATION IN NEW SCHOOL NUTRITION EACH YEAR, INCLUDING SPECIFIC ALLERGY TRAINING. THEY MUST USE MATH, BUDGETING AND ECONOMIC SKILLS DAILY TO SUCCESSFULLY OPERATE THEIR CAFETERIAS. AND JUST AS IMPORTANT, THEY MUST POSSESS QUALITIES THAT CAN'T BE TAUGHT, SUCH AS STRONG CUSTOMER SERVICE, LEADERSHIP, PROBLEM SOLVING, THE ABILITY TO MANAGE PEOPLE AND BUILD POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH STUDENTS AND STAFF. THEY DO FAR MORE THAN SERVE MEALS. THEY LEAD TEAMS, THEY OPERATE BUSINESSES, AND THEY HELP CREATE A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR OUR STUDENTS EVERY DAY. WE ARE EXTREMELY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SUCH DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS USING THEIR SKILLS TO FEED OUR STUDENTS. OUR FIRST HONOREE IS UNABLE TO JOIN US THIS EVENING AND THAT IS TINA WILSON. MISS WILSON DID SHARE WITH ME THAT SHE WAS VERY UPSET SHE COULD NOT BE HERE. SHE IS A KARATE INSTRUCTOR AND SHE IS TEACHING A GROUP OF SEVEN YEAR OLDS KARATE THIS EVENING, SO I TOLD HER THAT WAS CERTAINLY IMPORTANT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE DID NOT MISS THAT. BUT MISS WILSON IS OUR ASSISTANT MANAGER AT MATOACA HIGH SCHOOL AND SHE'S BEEN WITH US FOR A YEAR. SHE SAYS, I LOVE KNOWING THAT I MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A CHILD'S DAY. I LIKE THE PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH AND I APPRECIATE ALL THEIR HARD WORK. I LOVE MY MANAGER AND I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM HER. I'M GLAD I WORK FOR CCPS FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES. OUR OTHER HONOREE THIS EVENING IS ANGIE MASSENBURG. MISS MASSENBURG IS A FOOD SERVICE ASSOCIATE AT BEULAH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND SHE'S BEEN WITH US FOR TWO YEARS. HER NOMINATION FROM HER MANAGER INCLUDED HOW SHE IS A CONSTANT SMILE AND BREATH OF FRESH AIR IN THE KITCHEN EVERY SINGLE DAY. SHE SAYS, I TRULY LOVE WHAT I DO. I HAVE A GREAT LEADERSHIP AND AN AMAZING TEAM. THE CHILDREN'S SMILES MAKE EVERY DAY A JOY. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]. ONE SECOND. JUST A FEW WORDS. JUST THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR OUR STUDENTS FOR KEEPING THEIR BELLIES FULL. I KNOW I DON'T FUNCTION WELL WHEN I'M HUNGRY, SO I KNOW OUR STUDENTS WOULD NOT DO AS WELL EITHER. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO TO TAKE CARE OF OUR KIDS DURING THE DAY. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS JUST ABOUT WHAT GOT YOU INTO WANTING TO WORK IN THE LUNCHROOM. I BELIEVE IN ALWAYS MAKING SURE THAT YOU DO YOUR BEST AND NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO AND DO EVERYTHING IN LOVE. PERFECT. WELL SAID. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE]. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF TONIGHT'S HONOREES WHO HAVE LEFT THE BUILDING, BUT. NEXT WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT. FOR THIS MEETING, CITIZENS WERE GIVEN THE OPTION OF SUBMITTING THEIR COMMENTS ONLINE OR IN PERSON. [D. Public Comment] COMMENTS SUBMITTED VIA THE ONLINE FORM WERE SENT TO THE BOARD PRIOR TO THE START OF TONIGHT'S MEETING, POSTED TO THE BOARD DOCS SITE AND WILL BE INCLUDED IN FULL AS AN ADDENDUM TO THE MEETING MINUTES. IN-PERSON COMMENTS WILL BE SUMMARIZED BY THE BOARD CLERK AND INCLUDED IN THE OFFICIAL MEETING MINUTES. DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED ALONG WITH IN-PERSON COMMENTS WILL, UPON REQUEST, BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE BOARD, BUT NOT INCLUDED AS PART OF THE BOARD'S OFFICIAL MINUTES. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE ANNOUNCE THIS EVENING'S IN-PERSON SPEAKERS? MADAM CHAIR, WE HAVE SEVEN SPEAKERS THIS EVENING. THEY ARE BARBARA ROSKAM, LEAH BUCKLEY, ROB HAMELL, JACKIE BANES, CHRISTINA CONCEPCION, WENDY LITTLE, AND MIKE KARABINOS. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE FOUR MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD. A TIMER LOCATED ON THE TOP OF THE PODIUM WILL INDICATE YOUR TIME. IT WILL TURN GREEN WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING, YELLOW WHEN YOU HAVE 30S REMAINING, AND RED WHEN YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT ONLY A CELL PHONE AND SPEAKER NOTES ARE PERMITTED AT THE PODIUM. NO OTHER PERSONAL BELONGINGS ARE ALLOWED. TO HELP ENSURE A SMOOTH PROCESS, PLEASE HAVE YOUR MATERIALS ORGANIZED IN ADVANCE AND BE PREPARED TO BEGIN SPEAKING [01:15:05] IMMEDIATELY UPON ARRIVING AT THE PODIUM, AS YOUR SPEAKING TIME WILL BEGIN AT THAT POINT. ADDITIONALLY, COMMENTS THAT AMOUNT TO CAMPAIGNING FOR ANY PUBLIC OFFICE ARE PROHIBITED UNDER SCHOOL BOARD POLICY 11 10. MAY WE HAVE BARBARA ROSKAM, LEAH BUCKLEY, ROB HAMMEL? GOOD EVENING, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS. MY NAME IS ROB HAMELL AND I AM THE PRESIDENT OF YOUR CHESTERFIELD EDUCATION ASSOCIATION. APRIL WAS A BUSY MONTH FOR CEA. WE VISITED SIX SCHOOLS AND WELCOMED MANY NEW MEMBERS. WE WERE VERY EXCITED TO SEE OUR COLLEAGUES AT MATOACA MIDDLE, GRANGE HALL AND SPRING RUN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. MANY SUPPORT STAFF IN THOSE BUILDINGS HAD NO IDEA THAT UNION MEMBERSHIP WAS OPEN TO THEM, AND WE HAD MANY FRUITFUL CONVERSATIONS. I AM HONORED TO BE NEARING THE COMPLETION OF MY FIRST SCHOOL YEAR AS CEA PRESIDENT. WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT THIS YEAR. EVEN THOUGH MEMBERSHIP IN THE VIRGINIA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION AS A WHOLE HAS DROPPED A LITTLE, WE ADDED MORE THAN 40 MEMBERS IN CHESTERFIELD. OUR CPR CLASSES HAVE ALSO BEEN SUCCESSFUL. SO FAR, 40 STAFF MEMBERS HAVE COMPLETED THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION FIRST AID COURSE AT OUR OFFICE. SOME MEMBERS OF CEA AND SOME NOT. WE HAVE SCHEDULED A JUNE SESSION AS WELL AND THAT IS ALREADY FILLED UP. I'VE ENJOYED OFFERING THIS VALUABLE CLASS TO OUR STAFF. MORE MEMBERS OF CEA HAVE TAKEN ON LEADERSHIP POSITIONS THIS YEAR. WE'VE ADDED SEVERAL NEW UNION REPRESENTATIVES TO OUR BUILDINGS AND A COUPLE NEW BOARD MEMBERS. THESE NEW VOICES AND PERSPECTIVES HAVE MADE US THAT MUCH MORE CAPABLE. UNFORTUNATELY, OUR MEMBERS AT BELLWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ARE STILL HURTING. CCPS ADMINISTRATION HAS REMAINED ADAMANT THAT THEY WILL NOT NEGOTIATE ON THE TWO SALARY OPTIONS PROVIDED TO STAFF. TO REITERATE OUR POINTS FROM LAST MONTH, NEITHER OF THESE OPTIONS ARE ADEQUATE. THE TRIPLE HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM IN THE 24 PAYMENT PLAN EFFECTIVELY WIPES OUT ANOTHER CHECK. AND WHILE IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO CAREFULLY SAVE EVERY BONUS THAT STAFF EARNS AND NOT SEE A LOSS IN INCOME UNDER THE 26 PAYMENT PLAN, KEEPING YOUR INCOME FLAT NEXT YEAR ONLY WORKS IF THERE IS NO INFLATION AT ALL. I THINK VERY FEW ECONOMISTS OR FIDUCIARIES WOULD ADVISE ANYONE IN MAY OF 2026 THAT INFLATION WILL REMAIN FLAT THIS YEAR. RISING GAS PRICES ARE ALREADY HURTING OUR STAFF. THE ECONOMIC SHOCK OF THOSE CONTINUED HIGH PRICES HAS NOT YET REACHED MOST CONSUMERS. SUFFICE TO SAY, THE OUTLOOK ON THAT FRONT IS NOT GOOD. FURTHERMORE, CAREFULLY BUDGETING THE BONUSES TO MAKE UP FOR THE LOSS IN PAY DOESN'T WORK FOR EVERYONE AT BELLWOOD BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE RECEIVES THOSE BONUSES. SUPPORT STAFF WILL NOT SEE THEM. NEITHER OF THOSE OPTIONS ARE VIABLE FOR MOST PEOPLE. THE PROBLEM STEMS FROM A BAD DECISION MADE BY SOMEONE IN HR WAY BACK IN 2017. THERE WAS NO REASON TO EVER MOVE THE START DATE OF THE STAFF AT OUR 12 MONTH ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. THE YEAR ROUND SCHOOL WAS ALWAYS UNDERSTOOD BY THE COUNTY AS AN EXPERIMENT, SOMETHING THAT MIGHT NOT LAST. IT WAS EXTREMELY SHORTSIGHTED TO CHANGE THE CONTRACT DATES WHEN THE DISTRICT KNEW THAT THEY MAY NEED TO BE CHANGED BACK AT SOME POINT. CCPS CREATED THIS PROBLEM THROUGH BAD MANAGEMENT DECISIONS. WHY SHOULD THE STAFF AT BELLWOOD HAVE TO PAY THE PRICE? TONIGHT WE WILL ASK THIS BODY TO EXERT ITS AUTHORITY AS THE EMPLOYER OF CCPS STAFF AND OVERRIDE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S DECISION ON THE BELLWOOD CONTRACTS. WE BELIEVE KEEPING THE START DATE OF THE CONTRACTS AT JULY 1ST IS THE BEST SOLUTION. SCHOOL BOARD POLICY 1020, ARTICLE 19, EMPOWERS THE BOARD TO SET POLICIES TO AID IN RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF QUALIFIED TEACHERS. THE BOARD MAY VOTE TO FIX THE ERROR HR MADE IN ORDER TO RETAIN OUR STAFF AT BELLWOOD. ARTICLE 20 OF THE SAME POLICY CALLS ON THIS BODY TO SUPPORT, PROMOTE AND MODEL FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF THE CORE VALUES OF INTEGRITY, EQUITY, TEAMWORK, AND INGENUITY. WHEN A LEADER ACTS WITH INTEGRITY, THEY ADMIT THEIR MISTAKES. THEY LISTEN TO THEIR COWORKERS. THEY TRY TO IMPROVE THINGS. VOTING TO FIX THIS ERROR WILL DEMONSTRATE INTEGRITY. AS FOR EQUITY, HOW CAN WE POSSIBLY MODEL EQUITY TO OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF WHEN WE ASK ONE BUILDING TO TAKE LESS PAY THAN EVERY OTHER BUILDING IN THE DISTRICT? LETTING THIS SERIES OF BAD DECISIONS CONTINUE TO SNOWBALL ONLY MAKES IT LESS AND LESS EQUITABLE TO WORK AT BELLWOOD. NONE OF THE STAFF THERE HAD A HAND IN MAKING THOSE CONTRACT DECISIONS. IT'S FUNDAMENTALLY UNFAIR TO PUNISH BELLWOOD FOR THINGS OUTSIDE THEIR CONTROL. SO WE ASK YOU TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND MAKE THE STAFF OF BELLWOOD WHOLE. PLEASE VOTE TO KEEP THE START DATE OF BELLWOOD STAFF'S CONTRACTS ON JULY 1ST FOR THE REMAINDER OF THEIR TIME IN CCPS. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE CHESTERFIELD EDUCATION ASSOCIATION AND THE STAFF OF BELLWOOD ELEMENTARY. THANK YOU, MR. HAMMEL. MAY WE HAVE JACKIE BANES? [01:20:14] GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT MURRAY. I'M JACKIE BANES. I'M A TEACHER IN THE CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. I STAND BEFORE YOU NOT JUST AS AN EDUCATOR, BUT AS A WITNESS TO A CRISIS HOLLOWING OUT OUR SCHOOLS. TEACHERS AREN'T LEAVING BECAUSE THEY'VE LOST THEIR PASSION. THEY ARE LEAVING BECAUSE THEY HAVE LOST THE RIGHT TO A SAFE, FOCUSED AND RESPECTFUL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. WE ARE CURRENTLY OPERATING IN A SYSTEM WHERE DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR MEETS NO MEANINGFUL CONSEQUENCES. RETURNING A STUDENT TO CLASS AFTER 15 MINUTES WITH A SNACK OR A REFLECTION SHEET ISN'T RESTORATIVE. IT'S DAMAGING. IT TELLS A DISRUPTIVE STUDENT THEIR BEHAVIOR IS ACCEPTABLE, TELLS THE OTHER 25 STUDENTS THEIR LEARNING TIME ISN'T VALUABLE AND TELLS THE TEACHER THEIR SAFETY IS SECONDARY. THE LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY IS ONE OF THE PRIMARY DRIVERS OF THE TEACHER EXODUS. WE ARE LOSING VETERANS AND BRILLIANT NEW TEACHERS ALIKE BECAUSE THE EMOTIONAL TOLL OF UNMANAGEABLE CLASSROOMS IS NO LONGER SUSTAINABLE. WE CANNOT BE SOCIAL WORKERS, SECURITY GUARDS AND INSTRUCTORS SIMULTANEOUSLY WITHOUT A FIRM DISCIPLINARY STRUCTURE. WE ARE PAST THE POINT OF MINOR ADJUSTMENTS. WE REQUEST THE BOARD TAKE THREE IMMEDIATE STEPS. ESTABLISH CLEAR RED LINES. DEFINE NON-NEGOTIABLE CONSEQUENCES FOR BEHAVIORS THAT THREATEN SAFETY OR HALT INSTRUCTION. SUPPORT ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY. EMPOWER PRINCIPALS TO ENFORCE REMOVALS AND SUSPENSIONS WITHOUT FEAR OF BAD DATA. IMPLEMENT A HARDWARE BASED PHONE POLICY. THE OFTEN AWAY HONOR SYSTEM HAS FAILED. WE NEED PHYSICAL SOLUTIONS SUCH AS MAGNETIC LOCKING POUCHES LIKE YONDER, CENTRALIZED CHECK IN LOCKERS, OR PARENT RETRIEVAL ONLY POLICIES TO REMOVE THE DISTRACTION OF DIGITAL ADDICTION AND CYBER BULLYING FROM THE CLASSROOM. FINALLY, WE MUST ADDRESS CLASS SIZE. WHEN ENROLLMENT EXCEEDS 28 TO 30 STUDENTS, A TEACHER SHIFTS FROM EDUCATOR TO CROWD CONTROLLER. SMALLER CLASSES ELIMINATE STUDENT ANONYMITY, ALLOW FOR PROACTIVE INTERVENTION BEFORE SPARKS BECOME FIRES AND PRESERVE THE EMOTIONAL BANDWIDTH NEEDED TO BUILD STUDENT TEACHER BONDS. LOWERING CAPS IS A FUNDAMENTAL SAFETY REQUIREMENT, NOT A LUXURY, ESPECIALLY IN ELECTIVE CLASSES. IF WE DO NOT ADDRESS THE LACK OF CONSEQUENCES AND CLASS SIZES TODAY, WE WILL NOT HAVE ENOUGH TEACHERS TO STAFF OUR CLASSROOMS TOMORROW. PLEASE GIVE US THE SUPPORT WE NEED TO STAY IN THE PROFESSION THAT WE LOVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS BANES. MAY WE HAVE CHRISTINA CONCEPCION? HI. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS AND DR. MURRAY, I COME TO YOU AGAIN ON BEHALF OF BELLWOOD ELEMENTARY STAFF MEMBERS. WE ASK YOU TONIGHT TO RECONSIDER THE CONTRACT DATE SWITCH THAT WOULD CREATE A PAY GAP FOR OUR STAFF THIS JULY. AS LOYAL CCPS STAFF MEMBERS, WE DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS FAIR. WE ARE CONTINUING CONTRACT STAFF THAT WILL NOT BE LEAVING OUR POSITIONS WITHIN THE COUNTY OR EVEN OUR SCHOOL. WE DO APPRECIATE THE COUNTY GIVING THE STAFF BONUS FROM THE VIRGINIA HOUSE OF DELEGATES EARLY, BUT THIS $900 WILL NOT BE ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN US. IN CCPS, WE STRIVE TO PROMOTE EQUITY WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS AND FOR OUR STUDENTS, AND WE ASK THAT YOU TRY TO UNDERSTAND OUR ASK FOR EQUITY TONIGHT. WE NEED THAT 8% OF OUR 2026-2027 SALARIES TO REMAIN IN OUR CHECKS. WE CANNOT AFFORD OUR SALARIES TO BE THINNED, AS SUGGESTED BY LEADERSHIP. FOR SOME, A MONTH WITHOUT A SALARY OR AN 8% REDUCTION IN YOUR ANNUAL SALARY MIGHT FEEL LIKE A LINE ITEM ON A SPREADSHEET. IF THAT IS YOUR REALITY, YOU ARE TRULY FORTUNATE. BUT FOR THE STAFF WHO KEEP THIS COUNTY RUNNING, THAT GAP ISN'T A CALENDAR SHIFT. IT'S A DIRECT HIT TO OUR STABILITY. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO STAND HERE AND JUSTIFY OUR NEED FOR COMPENSATION FROM OUR EMPLOYER. BUT THE REALITY OF THIS DECISION IS STARK. IT MEANS NOT BEING ABLE TO ENROLL OUR CHILDREN IN SUMMER CAMP. IT MEANS NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY THE HOSPITAL BILLS, BEING NOT ABLE TO BUY OUR FIRST HOMES. [01:25:04] IT MEANS REDUCING HOME BASED THERAPY SERVICES FOR SOME OF OUR CHILDREN. IT MEANS NOT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD THE MEMORY CARE FOR AN AGING PARENT. IT MEANS ACCRUING DEBT AND INTEREST JUST TO AFFORD OUR MONTHLY BILLS. IT MEANS NOT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD LIFE SAVING TREATMENTS. IT MEANS STRUGGLING TO AFFORD CHILD CARE, CANCELING OUR FAMILY VACATIONS, NOT PAYING LAWYER FEES, TAKING A SECOND JOB WHEN WE ARE EXHAUSTED. IT MEANS DEFAULTS ON STUDENT LOAN PAYMENTS, INABILITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR RETIREMENT OR OUR FAMILY EMERGENCY FUNDS, OR RELYING ON FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO GET US THROUGH WHEN WE ARE PROFESSIONALS. WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR A BONUS OR A HANDOUT. WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR STABILITY THAT WE WERE PROMISED WHEN WE SIGNED OUR CONTRACTS. EVERY DAY WE SHOW UP FOR THE CHILDREN OF THIS COUNTY. WE ARE SIMPLY ASKING YOU ALL TO SHOW UP FOR US. PLEASE AMEND OUR CONTRACT DATE OR KEEP OUR CONTRACT DATE AT JULY 1ST AND CLOSE THIS GAP FOR US BEFORE IT BECOMES A CRISIS FOR OUR FAMILIES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS CONCEPCION. MAY WE HAVE WENDY LITTLE? GREETINGS. I AM WENDY LITTLE. AS THE WHOLE NATION KNOWS, AND I AM GOING TO. I AM AARON'S MOM. [MUSIC]. THIS WAS APRIL 2022 AT SHRINERS HOSPITAL. [MUSIC]. HE WAS PRACTICING POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE ON THE PIANO FOR THE CHARTERHOUSE KIDS WHO WERE TO GRADUATE THAT YEAR. LITTLE DID WE KNOW THAT CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS COULDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET A KID OUT OF CHARTERHOUSE DAY SCHOOL INTO SWIFT CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR THE 22-23 SCHOOL YEAR. AND I KNOW PEOPLE ARE LISTENING TO ME BECAUSE THE LAST TIME I MENTIONED. THIS IS YOUR SPECIAL EDUCATION HANDBOOK. I NOTICED THAT THERE ARE SOME ADJUSTMENTS IN THAT. YOU GOT, I GUESS, PENALIZED FOR CONFERENCE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, TRAVEL, VACATION KICKBACKS. SO I KNOW PEOPLE ARE LISTENING AND THERE ARE THINGS THEY'RE GOING ON, AS YOU KNOW, AND I'VE BEEN BEGGING FOR MY SON'S RIGHTS AND RESTORATION OF HIS EDUCATION FOR YEARS. AND NOT A SINGLE PERSON HAS HAD THE INTEGRITY TO BOTHER TO PROVIDE HIM WITH AN HONORARY GRADUATION, MAY 21ST, 2026, WHICH WAS HIS ORIGINAL TRAJECTORY HAD NOT UNSAVORY PEOPLE BEEN ILLEGALLY INVOLVED IN REFUSING HIS RIGHTS OF EDUCATION. SO I CAME TO BRING ANOTHER STACK OF PAPER. LORENA OWENS, YOUR OWN SCHOOL BOARD ATTORNEY, SAID, IMPLEMENT THE AUGUST 22ND IEP, MR. ROBERTS. SHE SAID THAT, AUGUST 22ND. IMPLEMENT IT. THAT MEANS YOU SEND THE BUS, YOU GET INTO SCHOOL, AND IF THERE'S ANY IEP ISSUES THAT WE DISAGREE OR DON'T UNDERSTAND, YOU WORK IT OUT THEN. YEARS AGO, MR. ROBERTS, WHO USED TO WORK FOR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE TOO, I THINK, WITH DEB LOVE. SO I'M HERE TO BRING ATTENTION AGAIN TO THE HIT CONTRACT THAT CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THROUGH WENDELL ROBERTS AND STEPHANIE FRICK AND JOHN MURRAY HAVE HAD ON AARON LITTLE CALLED AARON LITTLE PROCEDURES. IT IS NOT CLIENT ATTORNEY PRIVILEGE. IT IS COMPLETELY ILLEGAL. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE DICTATING EVERYTHING ABOUT AARON LITTLE WRITING, IMPUGNING HIS INTEGRITY, DEFAMING HIS CHARACTER. THERE IS A STATE COMPLAINT AND APPEAL COMPLETELY UNANSWERED. NO COMPENSATORY EDUCATION. I TRIED TO WARN HIM HARD IN MARCH. CALL ME. LET'S REMEDY THIS. BECAUSE I KNEW YOUR SPECIAL EDUCATION, IDEA PART B ASSURANCES APPLICATION WAS DUE THE NEXT MONTH. IT CONCLUDES INSURANCES THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING COMPENSATORY EDUCATION. I TRIED TO GET HIM NOT TO SIGN THAT, BUT I'M LIKE GOING TO DO IT ANYWAY. HE'S SIGNING THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING COMPENSATORY EDUCATION. YOU'VE NEVER DONE IT FOR AARON. SO AARON LITTLE PROCEDURES IS A HIT CONTRACT [01:30:05] AGAINST A KID THAT'S BEING RUN BY SANDS ANDERSON LAW THAT HAS NO BUSINESS INTERFERING IN ANY OF HIS BUSINESS. THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE JOB OF YOUR PEOPLE THAT YOU PAY FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION. IT IS NOT FOR CENTRAL OFFICE TO INTERFERE AND DEPRIVE EVERYTHING. SO I'M GOING TO LEAVE A PACKET OF PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY, BUT I HAVEN'T FOUND ANY INTEGRITY ANYWHERE YET. THANK YOU, MISS LITTLE. MAY WE HAVE MIKE KARABINOS? SO MANY WELCOMES AND RETIREMENTS TONIGHT. IN MY EDUCATION, I WAS BLESSED TO HAVE TWO HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS, MR. DOBOSIEWICZ AND MISS BREWER, WHO WERE TEACHERS WHO TAUGHT ME FAR MORE THAN THEATER AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. THEY WERE MENTORS AND THEY WERE FRIENDS. AND IT'S BECAUSE I HAD SUCH A BLESSING IN MY LIFE THAT I AM BEYOND GRATEFUL THAT MY OWN CHILDREN HAD SUCH A BLESSING IN THEIR OWN. NEXT WEEK, COSBY HIGH SCHOOL THEATER TEACHER ROBERT ELLIS RETIRES. OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS, HE HAS BEEN AN INVALUABLE POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON MY CHILDREN'S LIVES. BEYOND THEIR CURRICULUM, HE HAS GIVEN MY DAUGHTER CONFIDENCE AND LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE TO THE POINT THAT THE NIGHT THAT SHE WAS HIT BY A CAR COMING OUT OF THE SCHOOL, THE FIRST PHONE CALL SHE WANTED TO MAKE FROM THE EMERGENCY ROOM WAS TO MR. ELLIS TO TELL HIM THAT SHE COULDN'T MAKE A TECH REHEARSAL THE NEXT DAY. AND THEN MY SON, FOLLOWING, WAS BROUGHT OUT OF HIS SHELL BY MR. ELLIS, TO THE POINT WHERE HE WENT FROM A SHY CHILD TO SOMEONE WHO NOW LONGS FOR THE SPOTLIGHT. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT ROBERT ELLIS REPRESENTS THE BEST AN EDUCATOR CAN BE, AND I GIVE MY THANKS. PUT THAT IN THE RECORD. LISTENING TO THE CEA TONIGHT, I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTY THAT PEOPLE SHOP SCHOOLS FIRST. THEN THEY LOOK FOR HOMES. WE COMPETE FOR TALENT, NOT JUST WITH OTHER DISTRICTS, BUT WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR. SO WE NEED TO SUPPORT AND COMPENSATE OUR TALENT TO KEEP THEM. AND THAT'S HOW YOU TAKE CHESTERFIELD FORWARD. AND THEN THE LAST TINY PIECE IS THAT SCREEN TIME IS SCREEN TIME. PHONE, XBOX, CHROMEBOOK. WE'RE STARTING TO SEE MORE AND MORE DATA SHOWING THAT OUTCOMES HAVE COME DOWN AS WE'VE DIGITIZED OUR EDUCATION. SO MY LAST ASK TONIGHT IS, CAN WE MAYBE LOOK AT BRINGING BACK SOME PAPER BOOKS? THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. KARABINOS. MADAM CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES THIS EVENING'S PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. NEXT, WE HAVE THIS EVENING'S SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT FROM DR. [E. Superintendent's Report] MURRAY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, BUT HERE WE ARE. LEARNING IS A YEAR ROUND ENDEAVOR, AND TONIGHT'S MEANINGFUL MOMENT HIGHLIGHTS HOW STUDENTS CAN AVOID LEARNING LOSS OVER THE SUMMER. AS THE SCHOOL YEAR COMES TO A CLOSE, WE ARE SHARING A FEW EASY WAYS FAMILIES CAN HELP STUDENTS STAY SHARP, STAY CURIOUS, AND KEEP LEARNING THROUGHOUT THOSE SUMMER MONTHS. ENJOY. STEP ONE, SLEEP LATE. STEP TWO, PLAY HARD. STEP THREE, FORGET EVERYTHING THEY LEARNED IN MATH. KIDS NEED TO RELAX, BUT EDUCATORS TALK ABOUT SOMETHING CALLED THE SUMMER SLIDE. AND IT'S NOT THE ONE AT YOUR POOL. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT STUDENTS CAN LOSE 1 TO 2 MONTHS OF LEARNING OVER THE SUMMER IF THEY'RE NOT PRACTICING SKILLS ALONG THE WAY. THE GOOD NEWS? PREVENTING SUMMER SLIDE DOESN'T MEAN TURNING YOUR HOUSE INTO A SCHOOL. THE ONE THING FAMILIES CAN DO IS READ TOGETHER. KIDS WHO READ BOOKS OVER THE SUMMER ARE MORE LIKELY TO HOLD ON TO THEIR READING PROGRESS. A TRIP TO THE LIBRARY CAN OPEN UP A WHOLE WORLD OF SUMMER READING FUN. [01:35:02] YOU CAN ALSO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PARK AND REC'S, PROGRAMS. CAMPS, NATURE PROGRAMS, SPORTS, CREATIVE CLASSES AND THOSE EVERYDAY MOMENTS COUNT TO PLAY BOARD GAMES THAT USE MATH AND STRATEGY, HOOK TOGETHER, CREATE ART PROJECTS, OR TAKE A FAMILY ADVENTURE TO A MUSEUM WHERE CURIOSITY IS THE WHOLE POINT. A FEW HOURS OF LEARNING ACTIVITY EACH WEEK CAN HELP PREVENT LEARNING LOSS. SO THIS SUMMER, KEEP IT SIMPLE. READ TOGETHER, EXPLORE TOGETHER, PLAY TOGETHER, AND NO SLIDING OTHER THAN PLAYGROUNDS OR POOLS. THANK YOU, DR. MURRAY. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY. THANK YOU, CAT. THAT WAS ADORABLE. AND AS AN ENGLISH TEACHER, I CAN ECHO SUMMER READING. LET'S DO IT. NEXT WE HAVE ACTION ITEMS. MR. MEISTER. [F. Action Items] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, MR. VICE CHAIR, DR. MURRAY, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE TODAY. YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU MEMO #069-26. ADOPTION OF OUR BUDGET AND CIP. I'M PLEASED TO SHARE AT THIS TIME A BUDGET UNALTERED FROM WHAT THE SCHOOL BOARD HAD APPROVED IN FEBRUARY 24TH. ON APRIL 8TH, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAVE ADOPTED THE BUDGET AND CIP AS SUBMITTED BY THIS BOARD. TYPICALLY, AT THIS POINT IN THE GAME, WE WILL HAVE A STATE BUDGET UPDATE THAT WOULD GO ALONG WITH THIS. BUT AS YOU KNOW, THE STATE BUDGET REMAINS IN FLUX AND IN DEVELOPMENT DOWN IN RICHMOND. HOWEVER, WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT A BUDGET DEAL WILL ULTIMATELY BE REACHED WITH FIGURES FOR CCPS THAT WILL BE EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN WHAT WE ARE SHOWING IN OUR PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BUDGET IN FEBRUARY. AND I'M RECOMMENDING ADOPTION TONIGHT AND COMING BACK TO THIS BOARD WITH REVISIONS WHEN THAT STATE BUDGET IS FINALIZED, LIKELY AFTER THE TURN OF THE FISCAL YEAR, BY THE TIME WE'RE ABLE TO PROCESS THOSE FINAL RESULTS FROM THE STATE. AS A REMINDER, THE BUDGET BEFORE YOU INCLUDES ROUGHLY $48 MILLION IN NEW REVENUE, INCLUDING $13 MILLION IN LOWER COSTS FROM THE VRS RATE ADJUSTMENT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT BEFORE. THIS ALL DRIVES THE NEW SPEND IN THE BUDGET, WHICH INCLUDES ROUGHLY $37 MILLION FOR COMPENSATION, PRIMARILY THE 5% RAISE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FOR STAFF, ABOUT $16.5 MILLION FOR VARIOUS FORMS OF REQUIRED INCREASES, RANGING FROM INFLATION, OPENING OF NEW SCHOOLS AND INCREASES IN DEBT SERVICE, AS WELL AS $7 MILLION FOR VARIOUS FORMS OF NEW STUDENT SUPPORT, INCLUDING TUTORING, ATTENDANCE SPECIALISTS, SPECIAL ED TECHNOLOGY AND MENTAL HEALTH STAFF. ALL TOLD, INCLUDING GRANTS AND FOOD SERVICES, THE BUDGET IN FRONT OF YOU TOTALS JUST OVER $1.1 BILLION. BEFORE YOU TODAY, ALONGSIDE THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WHICH IS ALSO INCLUDED AS PART OF THIS MEMO, THAT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN TOTALS JUST OVER $700 MILLION OVER THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD, INCLUDING $117 MILLION TO BE APPROPRIATED IN FISCAL YEAR 27. THIS INCLUDES FUNDING FOR PROJECTS THAT INCLUDE IN-FLIGHT BUILDING, SUCH AS THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL, AS WELL AS FUTURE PROJECTS SUCH AS THE NEW DALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND PRE-K CENTER, AS WELL AS FUNDING FOR MAJOR MAINTENANCE AND BUS PROGRAMS. ALL THAT SAID, I KINDLY ASK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF MEMO #069-26 AND THE ASSOCIATED ATTACHMENTS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, MR. MEISTER. BOARD MEMBERS, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE MEMO #069-26 AS PRESENTED? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, THERE'S BEEN A MOTION AND A SECOND. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL ROLL IN THE MOTION. ANN COKER. AYE. JENNIFER DARBY. AYE. DOMINIQUE CHATTERS. AYE. STEVEN PARANTO. AYE. LISA HUDGINS. AYE. THE MEMO IS APPROVED. NEXT WE HAVE MEMO #070-26. MR. SMITH. MADAM CHAIRMAN, BOARD MEMBERS. THE FIRST NEW CHESHIRE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL IN 20 YEARS IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION ON DUVAL ROAD IN MATOACA DISTRICT, AND FORMALLY KNOWN AS THE WEST AREA HIGH SCHOOL, IT IS SITUATED NEAR DEEP CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH OPENED IN AUGUST 2025, AND DEEP CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH WILL OPEN IN AUGUST 2026. SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN AUGUST 2027, THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL IS PART OF A COMMUNITY FACILITIES BOND PLAN APPROVED BY CHESHIRE COUNTY VOTERS IN 2022. THE TWO STORY SCHOOL WILL COVER MORE THAN 340,000FT² AND ACCOMMODATE 2400 STUDENTS. SCHOOL BOARD POLICY 6160 GIVES THE CHESHIRE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD THE PREROGATIVE TO NAME SCHOOLS. BECAUSE THERE'S ALREADY A DEEP CREEK HIGH SCHOOL IN CHESAPEAKE, VIRGINIA, THE CHESHIRE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD IS CONSIDERING THESE NAMES LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER FOR THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL. STONE BROOK HIGH SCHOOL ACKNOWLEDGES NEARBY WATERWAYS WHILE AVOIDING DUPLICATION WITH NEARBY SCHOOLS, [01:40:05] THE CREEK AND THEIR NAMES. WEST RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL REFLECTS BOTH THE WESTERN LOCATION OF THE CAMPUS AND ITS ELEVATION. AND WESTERN VIEW HIGH SCHOOL RECOGNIZES THE SCHOOL'S LOCATION AND SCENIC VIEWS, INCLUDING THE NEARBY RESERVOIR AND WOODS. MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, MR. SMITH. BOARD MEMBERS, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE MEMO #070-26 AS PRESENTED? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND THE MOTION. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MR. PARANTO. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. WITH THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR, I WOULD ASK THAT THIS BOARD WOULD CONSIDER THE MOTION REPRESENTING WEST RIDGE AS THE NAME OF THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL OUT IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE COUNTY. AND BEFORE WE DO VOTE ON THAT, I DO WANT TO GO ON RECORD THANKING THE PUBLIC FOR THEIR FEEDBACK EMAILS. WE HAD NUMEROUS PEOPLE THAT WROTE IN TO THE BOARD, THAT IS. THEY SIGNED UP AS SPEAKERS. I THINK MAYBE THEY MEANT TO BE JUST THE RIGHT END, BUT EITHER WAY, WE DO APPRECIATE THEM TAKING THE TIME TO REACH OUT AND SHARE THEIR OPINION WITH US. SINCE WE HAD ANNOUNCED THE NAMES FOR CONSIDERATION, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, WESTRIDGE WAS THE NAME THAT CAME OUT ON TOP, FOLLOWED BY STONE BROOK AND THEN WESTERN VIEW AND THIRD. SO WITH THE FEEDBACK THAT I DO HAVE FROM THE COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, REVIEWING THE NAMES, I WOULD ASK THIS BOARD CONSIDER AND VOTE ON WEST RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO THERE HAS. I HAVE A POINT OF ORDER. DO WE. EXCUSE ME. MISS CHATTERS. I MEAN, IT'S NOT REALLY IMPORTANT, MADAM CHAIR. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. I WOULD LIKE TO GO WITH WESTERN VIEW. OKAY. BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE PIXAR TO FUND US TO NOT NAME IT WESTERN VIEW AFTER THE INCREDIBLES. AND I THINK THAT WE CAN DO A LOT OF GOOD WITH THAT MONEY. BUT IT WOULD ONLY WORK IF WE WENT ON RECORD THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH WESTERN VIEW. THEN THEY'LL BUY US OUT OF THAT NAME AND THEN WE CAN DO SOME THINGS, MAYBE SOME TEXTBOOKS. I HEARD THAT. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO I'M JUST SAYING IF WE'RE VOTING, THAT'S WHERE I'M LEANING TOWARDS. THANKS. SO, OKAY, THERE'S BEEN A MOTION AND A SECOND. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION FOR WESTERN VIEW HIGH SCHOOL. FOR WEST RIDGE. WEST FOR WEST RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL. ANN COKER. AYE FOR WEST RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL. JENNIFER DARBY. WE'RE VOTING ON THE NAME. SO, STAFF, WE HAD THREE NAMES OUT THERE. STAFF READ THE MEMO. WE, THE SCHOOL BOARD, PICKED THE NAME. THE STAFF DOESN'T GIVE US A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE NAME. SO THE MEMO IS FOR US TO PICK THE NAME. THAT'S HOW THAT WORKS. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. JENNIFER DARBY. AYE. DOMINIQUE CHATTERS. WESTERN VIEW. NO, I'M KIDDING. AYE. STEVEN PARANTO. AYE. WEST RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL. LISA HUDGINS. AYE. OKAY. THE MEMO IS APPROVED. NEXT WE HAVE MEMO #071-26. MR. MEISTER. MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY ONCE AGAIN. MEMO 071-26 IS IN FRONT OF YOU REGARDING FALLING CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL FIELDS FUNDING. THIS IS RELATED TO THE SECURING FUNDING FOR THE FINAL PHASE OF OUR FALLING CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL PROJECT. THIS PHASE INCLUDES DEMOLITION OF THE EXISTING STRUCTURE AND INSTALLATION OF THE ATHLETIC FIELDS ON THE FALLING CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL SITE. THE COST OF THIS PHASE IS ANTICIPATED TO BE ROUGHLY $6.4 MILLION. THE BOARD NEEDS TO TAKE TWO ACTIONS WITHIN THIS MEMO TO ENSURE FUNDING. AS YOU RECALL, WE ALLOCATED SAVINGS FROM THE PREVIOUS PHASES FROM THE FALLING CREEK PROJECT TO THE CTC HALL PROJECT. THAT PROJECT CAME IN SIGNIFICANTLY UNDER BUDGET AND WERE ABLE TO TRANSFER AND MOVE FUNDING BACK FROM CTC HALL TO THE FALLING CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL PROJECT TO THE TUNE OF $1.77 [01:45:10] MILLION. IN ADDITION, WE WILL NEED TO COUPLE THAT FUNDING WITH AN ADDITIONAL REQUEST OF $4.4 MILLION FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. THIS MEMO, VIA THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION, MAKES THAT REQUEST OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WHO ARE ANTICIPATED TO MAKE THOSE FUNDS AVAILABLE IN THEIR MAY MEETING COMING UP IN THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. I NOW TURN YOUR ATTENTION TO MEMO 071-26 FOR COMMENTS, QUESTIONS ON THE FALLING CREEK MIDDLE FUNDING. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. MEISTER. BOARD MEMBERS, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE MEMO #071-26 AS PRESENTED? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MISS CHATTERS. I JUST WANT TO SAY, I AM SO GLAD TO SEE THAT WE ARE COMING TO THE END AND THE NEW BEGINNING FOR FALLING CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL. I KNOW THE STAFF AND THE STUDENTS ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO LIKE ACTUALLY HOSTING THEIR OWN SOCCER MATCHES AND THEIR OWN TRACK MEETS AND PRACTICING ON THEIR OWN FACILITIES. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE, AND I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE GETTING TO THE END OF THAT SEGMENT AND STARTING A NEW THING. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING IT HAPPEN. FINDING THE MONEY, MOVING THINGS AROUND, ALL THE COST SAVINGS FROM DR. WALKER'S TEAM THAT IS HELPING TO MAKE SURE WE GET THIS DONE. I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT WENT INTO IT. THANK YOU. OKAY. THERE'S BEEN A MOTION AND A SECOND. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE MOTION. ANN COKER. AYE. JENNIFER DARBY. AYE. DOMINIQUE CHATTERS. AYE. STEVEN PARANTO. AYE. LISA HUDGINS. AYE. THE MEMO IS APPROVED. NEXT, WE HAVE ITEMS FOR BOARD REVIEW. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE ITEMS FOR THIS EVENING? [G. Items for Board Review] MADAM CHAIR, TONIGHT'S AGENDA INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING ITEMS FOR BOARD REVIEW. NUMBER 1. MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT FUNDS FY 2026. NUMBER 2. BUDGET CHANGE REQUEST SUMMARY ACROSS CATEGORIES, MARCH 2026. NUMBER 3. BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS. AND NUMBER 4. PRE-K UPDATE, MARCH 2026. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. NEXT, WE HAVE THIS EVENING'S SUPERINTENDENT'S REMARKS. [H. Superintendent's Remarks] DR. MURRAY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. JUST A FEW ITEMS TO BRING TO EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION. FOREMOST THE BIG WEEK IS HERE. NEXT WEEK, WE WILL GRADUATE MORE THAN 4000 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS AT TEN OF OUR GRADUATIONS WITH, OF COURSE, CARVER COLLEGE AND CAREER ACADEMY OCCURRING THE WEEK FOLLOWING. BUT TODAY, WE KICKED OFF OUR COMMENCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITH PROJECT SEARCH, WHICH IS WHERE A HANDFUL OF OUR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS WORK AT BON SECOURS THROUGH A WORK BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITY WHERE THEY GET TO EXPLORE JOBS AND CAREERS AND THEN GET HIRED. SO BEING A PART OF THAT YEAR OVER YEAR IS SOMETHING TRULY SPECIAL. AND WE WERE EXCITED TO CELEBRATE THOSE STUDENTS TODAY AND DR. DARBY WAS ABLE TO JOIN US. SO WHAT A WONDERFUL KICKOFF TO THE COMMENCEMENT SEASON. AND THEN OF COURSE, THIS THURSDAY WE HAVE OUR RECOVERY HIGH SCHOOL OR RECOVERY ACADEMY, EXCUSE ME, COMPLETION CEREMONY. SO WE'RE THRILLED TO HONOR REALLY THE COURAGE THAT EACH OF THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WILL CROSS THAT STAGE HAVE RECAPTURED IN THEIR LIFE CLAIMING A LIFE OF FREE OF ADDICTION. SO THAT WILL BE VERY SPECIAL. A SPECIAL WAY TO CLOSE OUT THIS WEEK. I WANT TO GIVE A COUPLE OF SHOUT OUTS. I KNOW THAT WE RECOGNIZED OUR TWO STATE CHAMPION SPEECH TEAMS BUT WORTH A RE-MENTION FOR CLASS FIVE IN THE STATE LC BIRD AND CLASS SIX JAMES RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, WHO WE SEEM TO JUST HAVE A STANDING RESERVATION AT THIS MAY MEETING EACH AND EVERY YEAR. BUT ALSO WE WERE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THE CLOVER HILL HIGH SCHOOL DEBATE TEAM LAST WEEK FOR WINNING THE CLASS FIVE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP THERE AS WELL. SO THAT IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON. OUR SPRING SPORTS CONTINUE ON FOR A FEW MORE WEEKS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING SEVERAL MORE TEAMS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER INTO THE EARLY FALL. I KNOW THAT LAST BOARD MEETING I GAVE SOME FLOWERS, IF YOU WILL, TO DR. POPE'S TEAM FOR THEIR WORK AROUND GENERATIVE AI. OUR SAGE TEAM WAS ABLE TO PRESENT TO THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS, WHICH IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO HELP GUIDE OUR WORK. [01:50:05] EMPOWERING STUDENT VOICE IS SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY AND TRY TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO HEAR OR TO SHARE WITH US SO THAT IT CAN MORE DEEPLY INFORM OUR WORK. HOWEVER, OUR GENERATIVE AI STUDENT FAIR THAT WE HELD, WHICH IS WHAT I WAS CELEBRATING AT LAST MONTH'S MEETING AT DEEP CREEK LATER THAT WEEK, WAS CELEBRATED ON A NATIONAL LEVEL. I CAN'T RECALL IF IT WAS TODAY OR YESTERDAY, BUT I THINK MAYBE TODAY THE CONSORTIUM MEETING. SO CHESTERFIELD IS NOT WONDERING WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THAT SPACE. WE ARE WONDERING HOW WE LEAD IN THAT SPACE, AND THAT HAS BECOME KIND OF OUR COMPASS FORWARD LEADING THE WAY. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING A PART AT THE STATE MEETINGS AND THOSE COMMITTEES THAT ARE GOING ON AS THEY ARE TRYING TO RECONCILE WHAT THAT WOULD MOST APPROPRIATELY LOOK LIKE IN THE K-12 EXPERIENCE. AND WE THINK THAT WE HAVE A LOT TO OFFER. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT OPPORTUNITY. IT WAS A JOY, LAST WEEK DURING TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, NOT ONLY TO RECOGNIZE ALL OF OUR TEACHERS, BUT WE HAD A SPECIAL GUEST. THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION FOR THE COMMONWEALTH CAME AND VISITED BELLWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ALONG WITH SENATOR MIKE JONES, AND PRESENTED A RESOLUTION HONORING ALL OF THEIR HARD WORK, BUT MORE BROADLY, APPLYING THAT TO ALL OF THE EDUCATORS ACROSS CHESTERFIELD AND THE COMMONWEALTH. AND HOT OFF THE PRESS. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING HER MORE GENUINELY. BUT I GOT THE MESSAGE BEFORE THE BOARD MEETING THIS EVENING THAT CHESTERFIELD IS NOW HOME TO THE REGION ONE GIFTED TEACHER OF THE YEAR OUT OF MANCHESTER MIDDLE SCHOOL. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO AMY ZAMARRON. A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT I JUST WANT TO MENTION, WITH YOUR APPROVAL TONIGHT OF THE NAMING OF THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL. THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. IT WILL ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE MASCOT DETERMINATION. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO DR. BABER BEING ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD IN THAT PROCESS. WE WILL BE DOING IT WITH A LITTLE MORE HASTE THAN WE USUALLY DO BECAUSE IT IS A HIGH SCHOOL WHICH WILL HAVE A TURF FIELD, WHICH MEANS THE DESIGN. SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT A GRASS FIELD, WE PAINT THOSE LOGOS ONTO THOSE FIELDS, WE PAINT THE END ZONES AND WE DO OUR OWN LINING. THE NAME WAS THE FIRST BIG STEP. THE MASCOT WILL BE VERY KEY FOR THE TURF FIELD COMPANY BEING ABLE TO DESIGN AND THEN BEGIN INSTALLATION OF THAT PRETTY BIG PROJECT EARLY THIS FALL. I WOULD BE REMISS NOT TO SHARE. AND I APPRECIATE ALWAYS OUR FOLKS THAT COME OUT AND OFFER THEIR FEEDBACK TO US THAT WE TRULY LISTEN TO. BUT I WANT TO CELEBRATE THE WORK OF KIM HUFF'S TEAM. OUR RETENTION RATE IS UP THIS YEAR. OUR RECRUITMENT IS UP. KIM GAVE A REPORT TO CABINET YESTERDAY THAT WAS REALLY CELEBRATING HOW MUCH BETTER A PLACE WE ARE IN WITH VACANCIES AT THIS POINT YEAR OVER YEAR IN THE REAR VIEW. AS WELL, I'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF TEXTS FROM OTHER SUPERINTENDENTS. IT WAS A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION THIS MORNING AT THE REGIONAL MEETING WHERE REGARDING THE BONUS OF $1,500, A LOT OF SUPERINTENDENTS AND SCHOOL BOARDS ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE DECLINING THE SHARE OF THAT FROM THE STATE BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD IT. WE ARE GOING TO BE VERY CREATIVE BECAUSE WE SEE IT NOT ONLY AS SOMETHING THAT OUR STAFF DESERVES AND SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT, BUT IT IS ALSO, AS WE THINK ABOUT RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT WHEN OUR NEIGHBORS ARE NOT GOING TO DO IT, MANY, IF NOT MOST OF THEM. AND WE ARE PERHAPS ANOTHER CARROT TO ATTRACT THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST, THE CERTIFIED TEACHERS OUT TO CHESTERFIELD COUNTY. WHAT A JOY IT WAS TO RECOGNIZE TWO NEW BUSINESSES INTO OUR HONOR ROLL. THEY WERE BOTH PRESENT AT OUR RECENT JOB FAIR FOR SENIORS, WHERE COLLEGE OR MILITARY SERVICE IS NOT IN THE CARDS FOR THEM, BUT THEY KNOW THAT THEY NEED TO HAVE A PLAN FOR LIFE AFTER THAT DIPLOMA GOES IN THEIR HANDS. SO I WANT TO THINK AGAIN THE WORK OF CHAD MACKLIN AND KATIE STOKES. [01:55:02] THE HOUSE WAS PACKED, JOBS WERE BEING OFFERED, INTERVIEWS BEING SET UP. AND IT'S ALWAYS A THRILL TO SEE KIDS REALIZING KIND OF THE ROADMAP, AT LEAST TO THE INFANCY OF THEIR ADULTHOOD. AND I BELIEVE THAT I'VE CHECKED OFF EVERYTHING, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DR. MURRAY. NEXT WE HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS, COMMUNICATIONS AND SCHOOL BOARD COMMENTS. [I. Announcements, Communications, and School Board Comments] SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS OR COMMENTS? OH, MISS CHATTERS. YES, I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ONE OF MEADOWBROOK'S CLASS OF 2026 STUDENTS, JAYLIN HURLBURT. HE WAS THE RECIPIENT OF THE 2026 VDOE GREENVILLE B. MEADE SCHOLARSHIP. THAT IS, HE COMPETED WITH EVERY REGION AND HE WAS ONE OF THE FINALISTS. AND HE IS A RECIPIENT. AND SO THAT SCHOLARSHIP IS AWARDED, IT'S $2,000 EVERY YEAR TO ATTEND A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY FOR THE FOUR YEARS. HE CONTINUES TO RECEIVE IT AS LONG AS HE MAINTAINS THE GPA REQUIREMENTS. AND SO JUST WANTED TO GIVE HIM A SHOUT OUT. HE'S HELD A 4.56 GPA. HE IS IN THE IB PROGRAM AT MEADOWBROOK HIGH SCHOOL AND HAS CARRIED ON WITH HIS IB PROGRAM WITH SPANISH VI. HE'S EXCITED TO PURSUE ENGINEERING AT A UNIVERSITY OF HIS CHOICE. THANK YOU. MR. PARANTO. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. DR. MURRAY, I APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONING BON SECOURS. WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP FROM OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE TAKING AN INTEREST IN OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS AND SHOWING THAT THEY DO HAVE VALUE. THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY. AND JUST SPOTLIGHTING THAT, I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. FOR THOSE THAT MAY BE WATCHING THAT ARE NOT SURE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR THEM. THERE'S OPPORTUNITY OUT THERE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS I GREATLY APPRECIATE ABOUT THE CCPS IS IF THAT OPPORTUNITY IS THERE, WE'RE WORKING VERY HARD TO CONNECT THEM WITH THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS. SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT. I THANK THIS BOARD FOR VOTING FOR WEST BRIDGE. AND I'M VERY EXCITED FOR DR. BABER AND THE COMMUNITY OUT IN THE MOSELEY AREA. AND WHAT THAT'S GOING TO MEAN FOR THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF KIDS WHO ARE GOING TO WALK THROUGH THOSE HALLS VERY, VERY SOON OVER THE YEARS AND CALL THAT HOME AND THEIR ALMA MATER. YOU KNOW, WE LOOK BACK FONDLY FROM WHERE WE CAME FROM, AND WE'RE ESTABLISHING YET ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO ALL THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT THEY'LL HAVE AND SEEING THEM EVENTUALLY UP HERE ON THE DAIS WITH THE VARIOUS AWARDS AND REWARDS HERE IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SO I DO THANK THE BOARD FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN THAT. AND THEN FINALLY, TO OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE GRADUATING, I JUST ASK YOU TO BE CAREFUL. A LOT OF TIMES WE SEE YOU'RE OUT PARTYING AND HAVING A GOOD TIME AND RIGHTFULLY SO. YOU HAVE WORKED VERY HARD FOR THAT HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. BUT I JUST CAUTION YOU NOT TO DO ANYTHING THAT WILL JEOPARDIZE YOUR FUTURE. WHETHER IT'S A CAR ACCIDENT OR POOR JUDGMENT, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. PLEASE BE SMART. HAVE FUN. BUT PLEASE, PLEASE BE SMART. AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2026. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. DR. DARBY. I HAVE HAD THE JOY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS OF ATTENDING TWO EVENTS THAT JUST HIGHLIGHT THE PARTNERSHIPS OF OUR COMMUNITY BUSINESSES AND THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT WITH OUR SCHOOLS. AND ONE OF THEM WAS, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO ROCKWOOD PARK TO SEE THE INCREDIBLE MURAL THAT HAS BEEN PAINTED BY SOME OF OUR OWN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY STUDENTS, ALONG WITH MATT LIVELY. IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL MURAL THAT HIGHLIGHTS WHAT THE COUNTY AND OUR SCHOOLS TOGETHER CAN DO WHEN THEY VALUE THE ARTS. AND THERE WAS A GREAT AFTERNOON OF CELEBRATING THE ARTS WHERE SEVERAL HIGH SCHOOL ART TEACHERS AND THEIR STUDENTS WERE OUT DEMONSTRATING THE SKILLS. AND I WAS JUST SO IMPRESSED WITH THE STUDENTS AND THEIR ABILITY TO DESCRIBE WHAT THEY WERE LEARNING IN THEIR ART CLASSES. SO IT'S A TESTAMENT TO OUR TEACHERS AND OUR COMMUNITY AND WHAT OUR COUNTY CAN DO TOGETHER WITH THE SCHOOLS. AND THEN THE OTHER WAS, DR. MURRAY MENTIONED PROJECT SEARCH. AND I'M JUST SO IMPRESSED WITH THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOSPITAL AND THE FAMILIES AND THEN THE MANY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT COME AROUND AND WRAP AROUND TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR STUDENTS WHO NEED IT AND PROVIDE FOR THEM A WAY TO MAKE A LIVING AND CONTINUE ON AFTER HIGH SCHOOL IN A WAY THAT THEY ARE JUST PROUD OF. AND SO IT WAS REALLY, REALLY HEARTENING TO SEE, AS YOU MENTIONED, THE FIRST OF MANY GRADUATIONS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, BUT REALLY EXCITING FOR THOSE FIVE STUDENTS WHO GRADUATED TODAY. THANK YOU. MISS COKER. AND I WILL JUST SAY, LOOKING FORWARD TO GRADUATIONS NEXT WEEK. IT'S AN EXCITING TIME. IT'S A BUSY TIME. SO I KNOW OUR STAFF WILL BE EXCITED, BUT RUNNING AROUND TO FULFILL ALL THESE GRADUATIONS. [02:00:08] BUT I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO KICKING OFF THE WEEK ON MONDAY. AWESOME. CONGRATULATIONS, CLASS OF 26. AND I ECHO THAT. I KNOW THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR IS GREETED WITH A BIG SIGH OF RELIEF, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALSO BITTERSWEET. AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE MADE IT. WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU. AND YEAH, THE TEACHERS AND THE ADMINISTRATORS AND THE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE PUSHING THEM ON AND GRABBING THEM WITH A CROWBAR AND THROWING THEM ON THE STAGE, THEY CAN DO IT. SO KEEP ON GUYS, YOU HAVE A WEEK. YOU CAN DO IT. TAKE CARE. GOOD NIGHT. THANK YOU. AND THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL HOLD A WORK SESSION IN THE COUNTY PUBLIC MEETING ROOM AT 4 P.M. TUESDAY, JUNE 2ND, 2026, FOLLOWED BY A BUSINESS MEETING AT 6:30 P.M. IF THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS, WE NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SO MOVED. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION? ANN COKER. AYE. JENNIFER DARBY. AYE. DOMINIQUE CHATTERS. AYE. STEVEN PARANTO. AYE. LISA HUDGINS. AYE. THE MOTION CARRIES. THE MAY 12TH, 2026 SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.