* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:04] I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO [1A. Call to Order - Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Silence - Superintendent] ORDER, UH, SORRY. I WOULD LIKE EVERYBODY TO STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND MOMENT OF SILENCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. AND AT THIS TIME I'D ALSO LIKE TO REMEMBER MS. BETSY WALBRO VELVET, ALTHOUGH VOLVO, UM, SHE PASSED AWAY IN DECEMBER. SHE SERVED FROM 1981 TO 1995 AS A WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND SERVED AS THE VSBA PRESIDENT IN 1994. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL BE REORGANIZING OUR BOARD. AND AT THIS TIME WE WILL TAKE THE [2A. Election of Chairman of the Warren County School Board] RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHAIRMAN OF WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD AS CHAIRMAN, UM, SEEING AS HOW CONTINUITY IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS HELPED US BOARD OVER THE YEARS, UM, AND HAVING FULL FAITH. I WOULD NOMINATE MR. ARNOLD, LYNN WILLIAMS, JR. AS CHAIR FOR WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD FOR THE 2021 22 SCHOOL YEAR. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR MR. WILLIAMS. DID THE SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR ANY OTHER MOTIONS AT THIS TIME? OKAY. HEARING NONE. UM, MR. BALLANTINE, WILL YOU DO A ROLL CALL PLEASE? OKAY. MRS. BAUER, DR. PENCE, MR. RENALDI, MR. WELLS AND MR. WILLIAMS, SINCE IT HAS TO DO WITH YOU, OUR NEXT ITEM, [2B. Election of Vice Chairman of the Warren County School Board] THE ELECTION OF THE VICE CHAIR OF THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. ARE THERE ANY MOTIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE VICE CHAIR? THAT'S TRUE, MR. CHAIRMAN, ONCE AGAIN, UM, IN THE ATTITUDE OF CONTINUITY AND A GREAT SERVICE, I WOULD RECOMMEND MS. KATHY TO BE VICE CHAIR FOR THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD FOR THE COMING YEAR. MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED THAT MS. KATHY BAUER BE THE VICE CHAIR FOR THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. MR. BELL, MS. VALENTINE, MR. WILLIAMS. YES. MR. WELLS. YES. MR. RINALDI. YES. DR. PENCE, MRS. BAUER. THIS TIME WE TAKE OUR POSITIONS, COMPUTER WENT OUT ONLY. SO, ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP IS APPOINTMENTS OF THE CLERK [3A. Appointment of Clerk of the Warren County School Board - Dr. Ballenger] OF WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. DR. BALLENGER ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT, THE SCHOOL BOARD APPOINTS A CLERK FOR THE NEW CALENDAR YEAR. I MAKE A MOTION OR I RECOMMEND THAT MR. ROBERT H BALLANTINE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE BE APPOINTED OF THE CLERK AS CLERK OF THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD FOR A TERM BEGINNING, JANUARY 1ST, 2021, ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2021. DO WE NEED A SECOND? WE NEED A SECOND. [00:05:01] WELL, A MEMBER SHOULD MAKE THE MOTION JUST MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO YOU IS THE BOWLER RECOMMENDATION. OKAY. YEAH. I MOVE THAT. MR. ROBERT H BALLANTINE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE BE APPOINTED AS CLERK OF THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD FOR A TERM BEGINNING JANUARY 1ST, 2021 AND ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2021. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AYE. OPPOSED HEARING NONE. MOTION CARRIES. WELCOME BACK, MR. BALLANTINE. THANK YOU. UH, APPOINTMENT A DEPUTY [3B. Appointment of Deputy Clerk of the Warren County School Board] CLERK OF THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. DR. BALLENGER. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT, THE SCHOOL BOARD APPOINTS A DEPUTY CLERK FOR THE NEW CALENDAR YEAR. I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND MR. GEORGE R. BUCK SMITH, DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL BE APPOINTED AS THE DEPUTY CLERK OF WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD FOR A TIME BEGINNING, JANUARY ONE, 2021 AND ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2021. DO WE HAVE A MOTION DISCUSSION CHAIRMAN? I MOVED THAT. MR. GEORGE R. BUCK, NO Y PLEASE. SMITH DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR PERSONNEL BE APPOINTED AS DEPUTY CORK OR THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD FOR THE TERM BEGINNING, JANUARY 1ST, 2021, ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2020 SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, POST HEARING, NONE MOTION CARRIES. WELCOME BACK, MR. SMITH, [3C. Appointment of School Board Representative on the Mountain Vista Governor's School Board] UH, APPOINTMENT OF SCHOOL, BOARD REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MOUNTAIN VISTA GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL. I KNOW THIS PAST YEAR, DR. KANSAS, AS A REPRESENTATIVE, AND I THINK SHE HAD DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB AND I WOULD LIKE TO SERVE AGAIN, NOMINATE. OKAY. TALK TO PARENTS, NO DISCUSSION. SHE LIKED THE LICENSE PLATE NUMBER OF THE TRUCK. IT JUST BLEW THROUGH. WOW. OKAY. UM, YOU NEED A SECOND. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR? NO, WE HAD A SECOND BY JIM, BUT IT WAS SO QUICK. I THINK I LOST TRACK, UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AYE. OPPOSED HEARING NONE. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. DR. PENCE APPOINTMENT OF TWO BUILDING [3D. Appointment of Two Building Committee Representatives] COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES. YOU STARTED LAST YEAR, CORRECT? MR. RINALDO. OKAY. YEP. THAT'S FINE. YEAH, I CAN PROBABLY. YEAH, UNLESS YOU WANT TO DO IT. SURE. I'LL I'LL WORK IT OUT. I'LL WORK IT OUT. MR. CHAIRMAN. I WOULD MOVE THAT. MR. RALPH WYNALDA AND MR. ARMAND WILLIAMS TO BE APPOINTED AS THE 2021 WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE BUILDING COMMITTEE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AYE. POST HEARING. DON MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, MR. RINALDI, MR. CHAIRMAN, NEXT [4A. Accept or Modify Agenda - School Board] IS ACCEPT OR MODIFY THE AGENDA. ANY CHANGES? SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR. AYE. BOTH HEARING NONE. MOTION CARRIES CONSENT AGENDA. [5. Consent Agenda] ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AYE. OPPOSED HEARING NONE. MOTION CARRIES NEXT UP IS COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AS A TIME AND TENANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO GIVE INPUT ON RELEVANT SCHOOL ISSUES AND NOT INTENDED TO BE A QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD AS THIS MAY BE THE FIRST TIME THE BOARD HAS HEARD THIS INFORMATION, PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT INDIVIDUAL RESPONSES OR ANY COMMENTS BY THE BOARD AT THIS TIME, BUT BE ASSURED THAT ANY CONCERNS WILL BE REVIEWED. PLEASE PRINT YOUR NAME ON THE SHEET AT THE PODIUM, STATE NAME, ADDRESS, AND LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES. WE HAVE ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK HEARING NONE. WE'LL MOVE ON. NEXT UP IS [8A. Superintendent's Report] REPORT SUPERINTENDENTS REPORTS. DR. BALLENGER. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. FIRST OFF. I HOPE EVERYONE ENJOYED THE HOLIDAY BREAK AND I WISH EVERYBODY A HAPPY NEW YEAR. UM, WE ARE OUT OF 2020 AND MOVING INTO 2021 NOW. SO LET'S HOPE THIS IS A GREAT YEAR. UH, OVER THE BREAK, OUR ATHLETIC TEAMS AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL AND SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL HIT THE COURT AND THE MAT, UH, LIVE STREAMING OF GAMES AND MATCHES CAN BE FOUND. UH, IF YOU GO TO THE SCHOOL'S WEBSITE AND UNDER THE ACTIVITIES PAGE, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO FIND LINKS TO THE, UH, TO THE LIVE STREAMING OF THE BASKETBALL GAMES AND OR MATCHES ON THE WEBSITE. UH, THEY ARE THERE, THERE IS A SUBSCRIPTION THAT, THAT HAS TO BE PAID FOR THAT OR HER EVENT, DEPENDING UPON WHICH SCHOOL YOU ARE LOOKING AT, BECAUSE DEPENDING UPON THE SERVICE THAT THEY'RE USING TO PROVIDE THAT, BUT, UH, [00:10:01] THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY AND, AND TO FAMILY MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO, TO WATCH THOSE LIVE LIVE GAMES. UM, SCHOOL STARTED WITH, UH, IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION ON MONDAY, JANUARY THE FOURTH, MR. BUCK SMITH AND HIS TEAM CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE TRANSITION WITH OUR HEALTH INSURANCE. AS WE WILL ROLL OVER TO AETNA AT THE END OF THE MONTH, I KNOW HE WAS ON A CALL TODAY AND, UH, THEY'RE JUST FINALIZING THE, THE, THE CARDS AND, AND VARIOUS THINGS TO, TO GET THAT OUT. BUT EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE ROLLING, PRETTY SMOOTH. UH, WE WILL, OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE'LL BE VIGILANT AS WE MONITOR CASE COUNTS WITHIN OUR AREA AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. UH, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE SEEN INCREASES AFTER BREAKS. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE REALLY KIND OF HYPERVIGILANT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS AS WE WORK THROUGH THAT. AND I WANT TO THANK MY MR. HERSCH AND MR. SMITH FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO. UH, THEY ARE CONSTANTLY ON THAT ON A DAILY BASIS AND THEY, THAT THEY ARE TAKING CARE OF THIS AT EIGHT, NINE O'CLOCK AT NIGHT. UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THEM AND THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING, THEY'VE, THEY'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB IN GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR, OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF ARE SAFE, SO WANTED TO JUST COMPLIMENT THEM ON THE JOB THAT THEY'RE DOING. CURRENTLY. WE HAVE, UM, 11 ACTIVE STUDENT CASES AND FIVE ACTIVE STATE, UH, UH, STAFF CASES. SO AGAIN, WE'RE JUST GOING TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AND BE PREPARED FOR WHATEVER MAY COME OUR WAY OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. SO ARE TWO VIRTUAL DAYS A REPORT ON THAT. I GOT TO VISIT WITH MR. GRANT THIS AFTERNOON. UM, HE SAID OUR NETWORK DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY ISSUES. UH, NOW AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE, WE HAD SOME FREEZING GOING ON WITH, WITH OUR GOOGLE, UM, MEETS THAT WE HAD. BUT IN TALKING TO TIM, HE SAID, OURS IS BECAUSE IT'S THE OLD SWITCHES AND EQUIPMENT. AND HE SAID THAT THE PLAN WOULD BE TO UPDATE OUR EQUIPMENT THIS NEXT YEAR. BUT FROM THE SCHOOL SIDE, HE DID NOT HAVE ANY REPORTS. THE SPEED LOOKED WELL. UM, SO, SO IT LOOKED LIKE FOR HAVING EVERYBODY THOSE TWO DAYS ONLINE, EXCEPT IF YOU WERE IN CENTRAL OFFICE, YOU WERE ABLE TO GET ON AND, AND BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AND, AND, AND HAVE, HAVE A GOOD VIDEO FEED. SO, UH, DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY ISSUES THERE. I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO REPORT THAT THE SCHOOL NURSES WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE THEIR FIRST ROUND OF THE VACCINE ON MONDAY. UM, IT IS THE MADONNA VACCINE THAT THEY RECEIVED. I WAS INFORMED THAT ALL K-12 STAFF COULD BE RECEIVING THEIR FIRST ROUND BY THE END OF THE MONTH, OR NEXT MONTH, WE WILL BE SENDING OUT A FLYER DETAILING THE VACCINE THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE AND TO UPDATE OUR COUNT ON THE NUMBER OF STAFF MEMBERS THAT WILL BE WILLING TO TAKE THE VACCINE. AND THEN THOSE NUMBERS, WE WILL BE PASSING ON TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SO THAT WHEN OUR TIME COMES, UH, THEY WILL HAVE AN ACCURATE NUMBER FOR THE AMOUNT OF DOSES THAT WE WILL NEED. SO IT'S, IT'S MOVING THIS DIRECTION AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN BE ABLE TO GET THAT DONE PRETTY SOON. AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE MR. CHERRY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, DR. BOUNDARY. THAT'S GOOD NEWS. THE VACCINES COMING THAT'S THAT'S REAL GOOD. AND OUR NURSES HAVE ALREADY GOT THE FIRST ROUND. SO GLAD TO HEAR THAT. THANK YOU. UH, [8B. Board Member Reports] LET'S START WITH LADIES FIRST. DR. PENCE. YOU'RE WELCOME. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE. UM, I THINK I MENTIONED AT A PREVIOUS MEETING, MAYBE IN DECEMBER THAT DR. WILLIAMSON RETIRED FROM MR. GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL, MS. KELLY HOUGH, UM, STARTED AS THE NEW REGIONAL DIRECTOR ON JANUARY 1ST. SO HOPEFULLY AT A FUTURE MEETING, MAYBE ONLINE OR IN SOME WAY WE CAN MEET HER. UM, AND IF SHE'S REALLY EXCITED TO, TO GET INTO THE PROGRAM AND THE SCHOOL THERE. UM, AND THEN I THINK BEYOND THAT, JUST ONE TINY SHOUT OUT TO, UM, THE STAFF AT ASHP ROADS. I HAD A PARENT THAT WAS OUT ON A COVID, UH, BREAK OVER THE CHRISTMAS VACATION. AND SHE SAID THAT SOMEONE FROM THE ANSWERED STAFF DELIVERED A FOOD PACKAGE TO A DOORSTEP. SO SHE WAS REALLY EXCITED FOR HER THREE LITTLE KIDS TO HAVE THAT SALE AND BRIGHTEN THEIR SPIRITS A LITTLE BIT. THAT'S THAT'S GREAT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, DR. PENCE, MR. UM, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING OTHER THAN TO ECHO THE APPRECIATION FOR ALL OF OUR STAFF AND [00:15:01] WHAT THEY'RE DOING. AND, UH, THERE'S PROBABLY NOT A DAY THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO ZIG INSTEAD OF ZAG. AND, UM, THE, THE TEACHERS ARE DOING THE BEST THAT THEY POSSIBLY CAN. WE HEAR YOUR CONCERNS. WE, WE DO, AND WE ARE TAKING INTO EFFECT EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN, WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP EVERYBODY SAFE, BUT WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS LEARNING. AND, UM, AND IN THIS ATMOSPHERE, WE, WE HAVE TO SORT OF TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES. WE, WE CAN'T DO THINGS BASED ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN LOUDON COUNTY SCHOOLS AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN PAIGE COUNTY SCHOOLS AND WHAT'S HAPPENING EVEN IN SHENANDOAH COUNTY SCHOOLS. UM, WE HAVE OUR OWN NUMBERS, WE HAVE OUR OWN SITUATIONS AND WE HAVE OUR OWN PRECAUTIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN TAKING. AND SO I JUST HOPE THAT EVERYBODY WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER AS THEY HAVE SO FAR. AND WE CAN SORT OF SEE THE END OF THIS THING, OR HOPEFULLY THE END OF THIS THING PRETTY QUICKLY. AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. WELLS. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING DIRECTLY TO REPORT OTHER THAN, I'M GLAD TO SEE ALL OF US HERE AND, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EVERYONE AND, UH, 2021, UH, HOPEFULLY CAN BE A LITTLE BIT MORE INVOLVED. UH, COVID KINDA PULLED THE COATTAILS ON SOME OF US. SO, UH, HOPEFULLY WE GET A LITTLE BIT MORE ENGAGED WITH THE DIFFERENT SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND THE DIFFERENT PERSONNEL. SO, UH, KUDOS THE TRANSPORTATION. UM, THEY THEY'VE DONE A GOOD JOB. I SEE THEM IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD ALL THE TIME. SO I SAW YOU SITTING THERE. I THOUGHT I'D SAY SOMETHING, BUT ANYWAY, THANKS. AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE STAFF. ANYTIME I HAVE A QUESTION AND I CALL, I LEAVE A MESSAGE, THERE'S ALWAYS A CALL BACK COMING, AND I CAN EXPECT THAT AND I GET IT. SO THAT'S, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. AND IF YOU DO THAT FOR ME, I'M SURE YOU DO THAT FOR EVERYBODY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE ALSO WANT TO WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY NEW YEAR. I DID WATCH LAST NIGHT'S SKYLON BOYS WRESTLING THAT MONEY ON THAT MORNING, AND THEY DID VERY WELL. UM, DID SIGNED UP WITH THE N F H S AND MY HUSBAND'S AT HOME NOW I'M WATCHING THE BOYS BASKETBALL. SO, UM, THAT'S A PRETTY NICE SERVICE. I THINK IT WAS $69 FOR A YEAR, AND YOU CAN WATCH ANY HIGH SCHOOL SPORTING EVENT, OR YOU CAN PAY $11 A MONTH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT THAT WAS NICE PAST FEW MONTHS, I HAD BEEN VOLUNTEERING WITH THE REACHING OUT NOW PROGRAM, WHICH IS DELIVERING FOOD TO OUR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES ON TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS AND OUR CULINARY ARTS INSTRUCTOR, MR. DEVIN SMITH IS PREPARING ALL OF THAT AND HE'S DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB. THEY ARE SERVING 83 FAMILIES, I BELIEVE. AND IF ANYONE IS LOOKING FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER, THEY DESPERATELY NEED SOME MORE DRIVERS TO DELIVER FOOD. SO I'M JUST THROWING THAT OUT. THAT'S ON TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS AT FOUR O'CLOCK. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. POWER. UM, WELL, ECHO, EVERYBODY ELSE HAS HAPPY NEW YEAR, GLAD 2020 IS OVER AND HOPEFULLY 20, 21, WE CAN ALL GET BACK TO THE OLD, NORMAL, NOT THE NEW NORMAL, BECAUSE I LIKE THE OLD NORMAL, A WHOLE LOT BETTER. OUR STUDENTS WERE IN SCHOOL EVERY DAY. OUR TEACHERS WERE IN SCHOOL EVERY DAY. AND, UH, I THINK THERE'S A LOT TO BE SAID FOR THAT BECAUSE CHILDREN NEED THAT INTERACTION. I MEAN, THEY JUST DO NO DIFFERENT THAN US AS ADULTS. WE NEED INTERACTION. UM, DR. BALLENGER TOUCHED ON BOOK AND CERTAIN PEOPLE, I GUESS MR. HARRIS TAKING CALLS, YOU KNOW, EIGHT O'CLOCK AT NIGHT HANDLING THINGS. I KNOW THAT TO BE THE TRUTH BECAUSE DR. BALLENGER KNOWS I GO TO BED AT NINE O'CLOCK AND HE GOES, IT'S ONLY EIGHT 30. SO, YOU KNOW, BUT, BUT I WILL SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY. THAT IS A DIRECTOR OF SOMETHING FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, BECAUSE I DO KNOW THAT EIGHT, NINE O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, YOU GUYS ARE HANDLING THINGS. AND THAT'S A LOT TO BE SAID BECAUSE IT'S A LONG DAY AS IT IS. AND YOU'RE GETTING THROWN MANY DIFFERENT THINGS AT MANY DIFFERENT ANGLES AND, UH, FOR YOU TO STILL BE ON IT, I GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. I KNOW OUR BOARD GREATLY APPRECIATES IT. SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR BEING THE BACKBONE FOR US. UH, WELCOME BOARD. GLAD TO SEE EVERYBODY'S BACK UP HERE WITH US. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GOOD THINGS THIS YEAR. UH, I THINK LAST YEAR YOU DID A WONDERFUL JOB WITH, WITH WHAT WE HAD TO DEAL WITH. AND, UH, 21 CAN ONLY GET BETTER. SO WITH THAT SAID, LET'S MOVE ON. UH, ACTUALLY AN AGENDA APPROVAL [7A. Warren County Educational Endowment Grant Awards - Mr. Stanley] HERE. I APOLOGIZE FOR INTERRUPTING, BUT THERE WAS AN ITEM ADDED, I'M SORRY. SORRY. IT'S NOT ON MY COMPUTER. I APOLOGIZE. I'M GLAD YOU CALLED IT TO MY ATTENTION. ALL RIGHT. WARREN COUNTY EDUCATIONAL ENDOWMENT GRANTS AWARDS. [00:20:01] MR. STANLEY, MR. CHAIRMAN. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN HEAR ME. WE CAN, WE, CAN YOU GUYS ABLE TO HEAR ME? YES, SIR. MAYBE HE CAN HEAR US. CAN YOU HEAR US, MR. STANLEY? YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YEAH. CAN YOU HEAR ME ALL RIGHT. WELL, GOOD EVENING. UM, LET'S SEE. THIS IS CHAIRMAN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD STAFF. GOOD EVENING. UM, I AM PRESIDENT OF THE EDUCATIONAL ENDOWMENT. I'M DOING THIS EVENING, VICE PRESIDENT, MR. GEORGE HORN, GEORGE AND HIS TEAM. UM, IT IS THE ENDOWMENTS AIM TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THE ENERGY, PUT FORTH OUR TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND PARENTS, TO ASSURE THAT GRAND WITH THE WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE ENHANCED STABILITY TO LEAD SUCCESSFUL LIVES. OUR MISSION IS TO SERVE AS A CATALYST FOR THE CONTINUING IMPROVEMENT OF THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN OUR SCHOOLS, BY FUNDING PRODUCTS THAT ARE SPONSORED BY THE SCHOOLS WITH ITS VISION AND DIRECTION THAT AN INITIATE, THE THING IMPROVEMENT AND THE FUNDAMENTAL CAPABILITY OF THE SYSTEM AND ENHANCE THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE PROMOTION OF EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE IS OUR GOAL TO GROW THE CORPORATES OR PRINCIPAL, THE ADVANTAGE TO TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS BY THE YEAR 2025, WHICH WILL GENERATE AN ESTIMATED $125,000 PER YEAR IN GRANTS THAT SUPPORT PUBLIC EDUCATION THAT WARREN COUNTY BELIEVES IS SOMETIMES IT TAKES PROD SUPPORT A PUBLIC EFFORTS TO INCUBATE AN IDEA OR APPROACH THAT HELPS STUDENTS COMPETING IN A GLOBAL MARKETPLACE. IT'S STILL A PASSION FOR LIFELONG LEARNING, AS FAR AS THE VISION TO STRATEGY FOR SUCCESS. THIS PAST DECEMBER, THE ENDOWMENT AWARDED LOVING GRANTS, TOTALING $36,534 AND 56 CENTS TO WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, GRANTS WERE AWARDED FOR THE FOLLOWING PROJECTS, MINDFULNESS JOURNALING, JAMIE SEEN WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL, $770. THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM ARE TO INTEGRATE MINDFULNESS INTO THE DAILY WRITING PRACTICE OF STUDENTS. NOW MORE THAN EVER, STUDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL BEHAVIORS, MANY TIMES THE RESOURCES OF THE STRATEGIES TO DEAL WITH AS AN ENGLISH SPEAKER. YEAH, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO INCORPORATE DAILY WRITING INTO OUR STUDENT'S ROUTINES. I'M MINDFUL OF THE JOURNAL FOR EACH STUDENT WILL ALLOW STUDENTS BOTH HYBRID AND VERTICAL. THEY HAVE ACCESS TO A RESOURCE OF A T-SHIRT AND STRATEGY FOR COPING WHILE ALSO PRACTICING THEIR WRITING SKILLS. STUDENTS WILL WRITE IN THEIR MINDFULNESS JOURNEY, A JOURNAL DAILY AND CHEER SUBMISSIONS ON A LONGER BASIS IN ANY COMMUNITY, WHICH HAS BEEN ADULTS AS A CLASSROOM SIM EXPIRATION, MICHELLE EDWARDS, $1,869 AND 56 TASKS. THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAMS TO INCREASE THE RIGOR FOR THE GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH THE STEM ACTIVITIES. THIS, THIS PRODUCT INCLUDES CREDITING TAKE-HOME STEM PACKS, ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC, AS WELL AS OVER DIFFERENT PATIENT OF INSTRUCTION TO BOTH THE LEVELS OF SIX THROUGH EIGHT GRADE, THE DRUM CIRCLE PROJECT $700 PER AND SEEK TO IMPROVE STUDENTS' FISCAL HEALTH RECORD. WE'LL ALSO ADD SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING RESEARCH SHOWS THAT CARDIAC DRUMMING NOT ONLY PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH UNIQUE FORM OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, BUT IT ALSO HELPS STUDENTS ACCESS THE RIGHT BRAIN, WHICH CONTROLS EMOTIONS AND RELAXATION, WHICH CAN LEAD TO BETTER SELF-REGULATION IMPROVE FOCUS AND A REDUCTION IN ANXIETY. SO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES BENEFIT FROM THE USE OF PERCUSSION EQUIPMENT, SHOWING IMPROVEMENT IN BOTH FINE AND GROSS MOTOR SKILLS, COMMUNICATION SKILLS, SOCIAL SKILLS, ABILITY TO RELAX, CREATIVITY, FOCUS SELF-REGULATION AND LOWER. THE REST OF BEHAVIORS. ADDITIONALLY PROVIDES PHYSICAL EXERCISES AVAILABLE TO ALL STUDENTS, ALL PHYSICAL ABILITY LEVELS, INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC, THE CLASSES, PAM DIKE SKYLINE, WARREN KAY, MIDDLE SCHOOLS, $5,000. THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO IMPROVE STUDENTS' PLAYING SKILLS BY BRINGING IN PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS, TO OFFER MASTER CLASSES IN PERSON AND OR ONLINE TEACHING INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC VIRTUALLY AND WITH COVID-19 MITIGATION PLAN IN PLACE IS EXTREMELY CHALLENGING. BAND DIRECTORS ARE LOOKING FOR ANY METHOD WHICH WILL GIVE [00:25:01] STUDENT MUSICIANS MORE INSTRUCTIONAL TIME AND MORE SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION ON THEIR INSTRUMENT. THE PLAN IS TO USE AN UPDATED MASTER CLASS FORMAT. DO THE HYBRID SCHEDULE. PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS FROM THE LOCAL AREA WILL BE BROUGHT IN FOR EACH OF THESE INSTRUMENTS, FLUTE, OBOE, CLARINET, SAXOPHONE, TRUMPET, FRENCH HORN, TROMBONE, BARITONE, TUBA, AND PERCUSSION. WHEN POSSIBLE THESE CLASSES WILL OCCUR IN PERSON EACH SCHOOL WITHIN THE VIRTUAL STUDENTS PARTICIPATE VIA GOOGLE MEET. EACH SESSION WILL BE RECORDED FOR FUTURE USE STEM KITS FOR GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS. DENISE WALTON, ELISA SCHOOL BOARD, $1,800 PROJECT GOALS TO PROVIDE ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES FOR IDENTIFIED ELEMENTARY GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE DIVISION. IN ORDER TO MEET THE NEEDS OF GIFTED STUDENTS, WHETHER THEY RECEIVED INSTRUCTION IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY GIFTED ENDORSED TEACHERS WILL BE PLANNING MONTHLY AND RICHMOND ACTIVITIES TO MEET THEIR UNIQUE LEARNING NEEDS. STEM KITS WILL BE CREATED TO PROVIDE GIFTED STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN STEM FOCUS PROJECTS. REMOTELY KITS WILL GO HOME MONTHLY EACH WITH A DIFFERENT STEM FOCUS. THE KIDS WILL CONTAIN MATERIALS TO BE USED OPEN-ENDED PROJECTS AND INVESTIGATIONS GENERATION GENIUS, WEB BASED SCIENCE PROGRAM. MISSY JOHNSON, HILDA J BARBARA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL $995 GENERATION GENIUS PROVIDES ACCESS TO SIREN. FLOP GENERATION GENIUS PROVIDES ACCESS TO UNIT VOCABULARY, QUIZZES, NEURAL SCIENCE, READING, MATERIALS, ACTIVITIES, SELF ACTIVITIES, DISCUSSION QUESTIONS, TEACHER GUIDES, AND EXIT TICKETS. EACH, EACH LESSON PROVIDES VIDEOS AND HANDS ON ACTIVITIES. THIS YEAR, TEACHER YOU'RE FOR HIGH QUALITY RESOURCES THAT CAN HELP STUDENTS REGARDLESS OF THEIR MOTOR FUNCTION WHILE NOTHING REPLACES. THE INFANT EXPERIMENTS GENERATION GENIUS WILL HELP ALL OF THE STUDENTS AND HILDA J BARBARA EXPERIENCED SCIENCE IN A FORMAT THAT IS CONDUCTED TO THIS YEAR OF LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS FOR NOT ONLY USE THE VIDEOS AND EXIT TICKETS AND THEIR DAILY LESSONS, BUT SOME OF THE HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED WITHIN THE CLASSROOM WHENEVER POSSIBLE. GIVEN THE CURRENT COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS WILL BE POSTED ON SCHOOLOLOGY AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE AS SPARK INVESTIGATIVE LEARNING, READING MATERIALS PROVIDED BY GENERATION GENIUS WILL BE USED TO INTEGRATE LANGUAGE ARTS INTO THE SCIENCE CURRICULUM, WHEREVER APPROPRIATE SCALA AND HIGH SCHOOL ROBOTICS CLUB. STEPHANIE $5,000 GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO FOSTER THE IMAGINATIONS AND CURIOSITY OF CLUB MEMBERS AND BUILD A COMMUNITY OF CREATIVITY, COOPERATION, AND COLLABORATION WITH THE STEM FOCUS FRONT. WELL ISN'T KNOWN FOR ITS TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRIES. STUDENTS AT SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL DID NOT HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AS STUDENTS IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA, BUT COMES TO EASY ACCESS TO INDUSTRY ENGINEERS AND INTERNSHIPS. THE ROBOTICS CLUB GIVES STUDENTS THAT OPPORTUNITY ALLOWS STUDENTS FROM THIS RURAL COMMUNITY TO HAVE HANDS ON ENGINEERING, CODING, AND ROBOTICS EXPERIENCES IN A DYNAMIC AND CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT. STUDENTS LEARN TO BE PART OF A TEAM AND DEVELOP PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS THAT WILL BE USED FOR THE REST OF THEIR LINES. AND ADDITIONAL GOAL OF THE TEAM IS TO INCREASE ROBOTICS AWARENESS IN THE COMMUNITY TO INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS, TO GET INTO THE DIVERSE AND EVOLVING FIELD ROBOTICS BRAIN BREAKS FOR KIDS, GREATS, CROWS, AND SKYLINE, MIDDLE $800. THIS PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE STIMULATING GAMES AND ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS. STUDENTS NEED SMALL BREAKS DURING THE DAY AND WAYS TO ENGAGE THEM AND ALLOW THEM TO DO HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES. GRANT WILL BE USED TO PURCHASE STEM ACTIVITIES, EDUCATIONAL TOYS, AND GAMES, PUZZLES, AND OTHER ITEMS TO KEEP STUDENTS ENGAGED, EMERGENCY STEP PACKS AND EQUIPMENT. WHITNEY LIBRARY, WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL, $2,600. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS THE EDUCATION APPLICATION, A PROPER INJURY TREATMENT AND LIFE-SAVING EQUIPMENT EMERGENCY STAT PACK AND EQUIPMENT THAT WILL BE PURCHASED, INCLUDE RAPID FORM VACUUM SPLINTS IT RED EMERGENCY MEDICAL STAT PACK BAG, AND LIFESAVING ITEMS TO FILL THE BAG, BUT NOT LIMITED TO AN OXYGEN TANK, FULL EXAMINER, BLOOD PRESSURE, CUFF STETHOSCOPE, CERVICAL COLLAR, AND VARIOUS AIRWAY AND RESPIRATORY KITS. ALL OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED ITEMS ARE ALREADY PART OF, OR WOULD BE PART OF THE CLASS CURRICULUM AND CLINICAL USAGE, HALO, OR HELPING ALL LITTLE ONES READ PRIOR EMOTION. WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL IS THE OVERALL PROJECT GOAL TO PROVIDE BOOKS TO ALL WARREN COUNTY CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO THEIR SIXTH BIRTHDAY RESEARCH OVERWHELMINGLY INDICATES THAT CHILDREN WHO ARE EXPOSED TO BOOKS, READING AT AN EARLY AGE ZERO TO FIVE ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN SCHOOL AND IN LIFE. THIS PROGRAM IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE DOLLY PARTON IMAGINATION LIBRARY, WARREN COALITION, WHAT MATTERS AND WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS EACH MONTH HALO WILL MAIL IT HIGH QUALITY AGE, APPROPRIATE BOOK [00:30:01] TO ALL REGISTERED CHILDREN, UH, AT NO COST TO THE CHILD'S FAMILY. CHILDREN WILL RECEIVE AN AWARD MONEY BOOK EACH MONTH UNTIL THEY TURN SIX YEARS OLD. AND LASTLY, UH, COMMUNITY STEM OUTREACH, JENNIFER DAVIS, WARREN COUNTY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, $7,000. THIS PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL FAMILIES, AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH THEIR FAMILY AND OTHER WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL FAMILIES WHILE PARTICIPATING AND ENGAGING STEM CHALLENGES. THIS YEAR, FAMILIES WILL REGISTER FOR WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL, VIRTUAL FAMILY STEM NIGHT, THE ONLINE REGISTRATION AND RECEIVE A STEM CHALLENGE SUPPLY KIT. THE KIT WILL CONTAIN ALL THE SUPPLIES NEEDED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STEM CHALLENGE. FAMILIES WHO HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME TO COMPLETE THE CHALLENGE AND UPLOAD A VIDEO OF THEIR FINISHED PROJECT TO THE WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL, FACEBOOK PAGE FAMILIES WHO PARTICIPATE WILL BE ENTERED IN A DRAWING TO WIN STEM RELATED PRIZES. LEFTOVER FUNDS FROM THE VIRTUAL STEM NIGHT WILL BE USED TO PURCHASE STEM KITS AND SUPPLIES FOR SCIENCE CLASSROOMS. AND FOR FUTURE HANDS-ON FAMILY STEM NIGHTS, WARREN KENNY EDUCATIONAL ENDOWMENT, AND CLOSING FEELS THAT COMPELLING COMMITMENT TO OUR MISSION OF HELPING THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM SUPPORT HIGH LEVEL AND CREATE A PROGRAMS FOR OUR CHILDREN. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS CONTINUED TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND DEALING WITH BUDGET ISSUES AND NEEDS OUR SUPPORT MORE THAN EVER. WITH THESE 11 GRANTS. WE FEEL THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GIVE A SPARK, TO CREATE A THINKING AND CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THE SPREAD OF USE OF TECHNOLOGY AS A TOOL FOR ADVANCED LEARNING. PARTICULARLY DURING THIS COVID 19 PANDEMIC. AS YOU KNOW, I'VE RECENTLY TAKEN THE POSITION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IN PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AS SUCH. I WILL BE RELUCTANTLY TENDERING MY RESIGNATION FROM THE BOARD IN THE NEAR FUTURE. AFTER 12 YEARS OF SERVICE, PAST 10 IS PRESIDENT. UH, MY TENURE HAS BEEN EXTREMELY REWARDING. UH, NOT ONLY HAVE WE BEEN ABLE TO, UM, GROW A LOT OF MONEY IN OUR FUND BALANCE, BUT GIVE OUT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF SUPPORT TO TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM. UM, BUT HALF THE ENDOWMENT AT THIS TIME, I WOULD ASK THAT GEORGE CARNES PRESENT THE CHECK FOR $36,534 AND 56 CENTS REPRESENTING THE 2020 GRANTS AWARDS. MR. CARNES, MR. CARNES, COULD YOU HOLD ON ONE SECOND FOR YOU TO DO THAT? I'D LIKE TO READ A LETTER THAT THE BOARD HAS WRITTEN TO MR. STANLEY. ABSOLUTELY. AND THEN WE'LL DO THAT. CAN YOU HEAR US, MR. STANLEY? I DON'T THINK HE CAN. IT'S DEAR MR. STANLEY, WE, THE MEMBERS OF THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR THE MANY CONTRIBUTIONS YOU HAVE MADE TO OUR SCHOOL DIVISION DURING YOUR TIME HERE, WE ESPECIALLY THANK YOU FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS YOU MADE DURING THE PAST 12 YEARS, YOU SERVED ON THE BOARD AS PRESIDENT DURING YOUR TENURE. THE PRINCIPAL OF THE ENDOWMENT GREW FROM APPROXIMATELY 400,000 TO 1.4 MILLION. THIS TREMENDOUSLY, THIS TREMENDOUS GROWTH WAS DUE IN NO SMALL PART OF YOUR EFFORTS AND LEADERSHIP BECAUSE OF THIS, THE STUDENTS OF WARREN COUNTY WILL BENEFIT FOR DECADES TO COME. THANK YOU AGAIN. AND WE EXTEND OUR BEST WISHES, WISHES TO YOU IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE OF YOU. WE ARE A BETTER SCHOOL SYSTEM AND COMMUNITY SINCERELY THE BOARD, AND WE'LL GET A COPY OF THIS TO YOU, MR. STANLEY, IF YOU CAN HEAR US THANKS AGAIN, MR. STANLEY. HE'S GONE. MM. [9A. Approval of 2021 School Board Meeting Calendar - Dr. Ballenger] NEXT UP IS THE ACTION AGENDA, UH, APPROVAL OF THE 2021 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING CALENDAR. DR. BALLENGER. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, POLICY FILE. BCA REQUIRES FOR FIRES THE TIME PLACE AND DATES OF A REGULAR SCHOOL [00:35:01] BOARD MEETING TO BE SET AT THE ANNUAL ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING. ACCORDING TO POLICY FILE, K D E MEETINGS OF THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD ARE TO BE HELD ON THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH, BEGINNING AT 7:00 PM AND THE THIRD WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH, BEGINNING AT 5:00 PM, EXCEPT DURING JULY AND DECEMBER, WHEN MEETINGS ARE SCHEDULED FOR ONLY THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH, THE ATTACHED PROPOSED SCHEDULE FOLLOWS THIS GUIDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTION. THE MEETING NORMALLY SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH, 2021 HAS BEEN MOVED TO TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2021. SO AS NOT TO CONFLICT WITH THE ANNUAL VSBA CONVENTION, NOVEMBER 17TH THROUGH THE 19TH. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, DR. BALLENGER, ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS, CONCERNS. EVERYTHING STAYED THE SAME AS FAR AS OUR MEETINGS. ALL RIGHT, COULD I GET A MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AYE. OPPOSED HEARING NONE. MOTION CARRIES APPOINTMENT OF DESIGNATED [9B. Appointment of Designee to Attend Meetings of the School Board in the Absence of the Division Superintendent -Dr. Ballenger] TO ATTEND, UH, TO ATTEND MEETINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE ABSENCE OF THE DIVISION SUPERINTENDENT. DR. BALLENGER SCHOOL BOARD POLICY FILE BCA SCHOOL BOARD ORGANIZATIONAL MEETINGS REQUIRES A SCHOOL BOARD TO A POINT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. THE DESIGNEE OF THE DIVISION SUPERINTENDENT TO ATTEND MEETINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE ABSENCE OR INABILITY OF THE SUPERINTENDENT TO ATTEND. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT MELODY, MELODY, A SHEPARD ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR ADMINISTRATION BE APPOINTED AS THE DESIGNEE TO ATTEND MEETINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE ABSENCE OF THE DIVISION SUPERINTENDENT QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION. I HAVE A MOTION. I MOVE THE MOLDIER SHEPHERD, BE APPOINTED AS A DESIGNEE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT TO ATTEND MEETINGS AND THE SCHOOL BOARD IN THE ABSENCE OR INABILITY OF THE SUPERINTENDENT TO ATTEND FOR THE PERIOD OF JANUARY 1ST, 2021 TO DECEMBER 31ST, 2021. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED HEARING NONE. MOTION CARRIES, UH, ACCEPTANCE OF DONATION, DR. BALLENGER, NOT ALL MINE. CC. WHAT IS GOING ON UPDATE AND CHANGES [9C. Update and Changes to the Warren County Public Schools 2020-2021 Reopening Plan - Dr. Ballenger] TO THE WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, 2021 REOPENING PLAN. DR. BALLENGER. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS RESPONSE TO THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC WAS INITIATED ON A FRIDAY, MARCH 13TH, 2020. AND AT THAT TIME, GOVERNOR RALPH NORTHAM ENDED THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR ALL VIRGINIA PUBLIX PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK TO START THE 20, 20, 2021 SCHOOL YEAR, ALL SCHOOL DIVISIONS WERE CHARGED WITH PROVIDING A QUALITY EDUCATION WHILE ADHERING TO NATIONAL STATE GUIDELINES. IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC GUIDANCE WAS PROVIDED FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE RECOVERY REDESIGN AND RESTART DOCUMENT AS THIS YEAR HAS PROGRESSED. THERE HAS THERE HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT CHANGES TO PROCEDURES, PRACTICES AND SCHEDULES DUE TO THE EVER-CHANGING ENVIRONMENT? THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS TO HAVE ALL STUDENTS ATTEND FIVE DAYS PER WEEK AND TO RESUME A NORMAL SCHEDULE WHILE ENSURING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF STUDENTS AND STAFF. UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO OBTAIN THIS GO YET, BUT WANTED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER NUMBER OF IN-PERSON DAYS FOR OUR SIXTH, SEVENTH, AND EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS. WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS, THERE ARE, THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME CHANGES THAT THAT WILL BE INVOLVED, UH, WITH, WITH, UH, MAKING THIS HAPPEN, UH, TO INCREASE OUR IN-PERSON DAYS AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. UH, ONE, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS SINCE NOVEMBER AND I WANT TO THANK, UH, MRS. SHEPHERD, MR. FOX, MR. MITCHELL, MR. BARNELL, MRS. MRS. GUBLER, MR. JOHNSTON, THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF AT, AT WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND THEN THE LEADERSHIP TEAMS AT EACH OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS. UH, THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON, ON LOOKING AT SCHEDULES, TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO GET THIS DONE. AND, AND IT HAS BEEN A TRUE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT IN, IN, FROM NOVEMBER TILL TO NOW. SO IT HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS, MULTIPLE MEETINGS, BUT I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF THEM FOR THEIR HARD WORK. UH, TONIGHT YOU WILL HEAR FROM DR. COLIN GREEN, THE DIRECTOR OF THE LORD FAIRFAX HEALTH DISTRICT, MRS. SHEPHERD ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, MR. MITCHELL, THE TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR, MRS. GUGLER, THE WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, MR. JOHNSTON SKYLINE, MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL. AND, UM, AND THEN MYSELF. SO WE WILL GO [00:40:01] AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH, UH, DR. GREEN TO, TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR HEALTH AND, AND WHAT, WHERE WE ARE WITHIN THE PANDEMIC. AND AS FAR AS THE SAFETY THAT WE WOULD BE, ARE WE SAFE ENOUGH TO MOVE ON TO TWO DAYS PER WEEK AND MOVING FORWARD? SO GIVE HIM A CALL AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON WITH THE PERSON. PERFECT. SO I GUESS WE'LL, WE'LL WAIT ON DR. GREEN. SO WE'LL MOVE INTO, UH, WITH, WITH MS. SHEPHERD TO TALK ABOUT THE TALK ABOUT OUR, OUR STRATEGIES. GOOD EVENING, GOOD EVENING. UM, FIRST OF ALL, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR PARENTS, UM, FOR KEEPING THEIR KIDS HOME WHEN THEY'RE NOT FEELING WELL AND OUR FAMILIES, AND THEN OUR STAFF AS WELL FOR STAYING HOME WHEN THEY'RE NOT FEELING WELL, THAT HAS DONE A GREAT, THAT HAS BEEN A GREAT THING TO HELP US STAY IN SCHOOL. AS LONG AS WE HAVE IN AS MANY DAYS AS WE HAVE OUR MITIGATION STRATEGIES ARE THE SAME AS THEY HAVE BEEN. SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE DO TEMPERATURE CHECKS ON OUR STUDENTS BEFORE THEY GET ON THE SCHOOL BUS OR BIRTH, WHERE THEY ENTER THE SCHOOL BUILDING. SO WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK FOR THEIR TEMPERATURE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT RUNNING A TEMPERATURE. IF THEY ARE, THEN WE, UM, THEN WE SEND THEM HOME. WE ARE REQUIRING FACE COVERINGS AT ALL LEVELS. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, OUR, OUR ELEMENTARY DIDN'T HAVE, UM, WEREN'T REQUIRED TO DO FACE COVERINGS ALL DAY. NOW THEY ARE SO K PRE-K THROUGH 12 ARE WEARING FACE COVERINGS ALL DAY. OUR STUDENTS ARE EATING BREAKFAST AND LUNCH IN THE CLASSROOM. OUR DESKS ARE DISTANCED SIX FEET APART. WE HAVE HAND SANITIZER AND SANITATION LIGHTS IN EACH OF OUR SCHOOLS. AND THEY'RE AVAILABLE IN ALL OF OUR CLASSROOMS FOR STUDENTS TO WIPE THE DESK. IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEY NEED TO, OR THEIR WASH OR SANITIZE THEIR HANDS, OUR BUILDINGS, UM, EACH OF OUR CLASSROOMS AND OUR HALLWAYS ARE SANITIZED AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK, BUT MOST OF THE, MOST OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE SANITIZED TWO OR THREE TIMES. IF WE, UM, MOVE TO HAVING WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND SCALLON MIDDLE SCHOOL GOING TO TWO DAYS A WEEK, THEN WE WILL SANITIZE. EACH OF THEM. WE'LL DO A DEEP CLEAN AT EACH OF THOSE BUILDINGS THREE TIMES A WEEK. SO MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND THURSDAY EVENING, OUR CUSTODIANS ARE CONSTANTLY WIPING FREQUENTLY TOUCHED SURFACES. SO ANY FLAT SURFACE OR DOOR KNOBS OR HANDLES OR DOOR JAMS WHERE, UM, OUR CUSTODIANS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB DOING THAT. AND WE'VE ALSO INCREASED THE CIRCULATION OF OUTSIDE AIR WHERE POSSIBLE. AND IF WE LOOK AT OUR NUMBERS SINCE THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE'VE HAD 43 STUDENTS WHO HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID AND WE HAVE 30 STAFF MEMBERS WHO HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID. AND THAT SINCE SEPTEMBER THE EIGHTH, 2020, WE, UM, AS DR. BALLENGER MENTIONED EARLIER, WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT INCREASE OF COVID CASES SINCE THE WINTER BREAK. UM, THERE WERE MORE FAMILY GATHERINGS AND SOCIAL EVENTS DURING THE WINTER BREAK. SO WE IMAGINE THAT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE'LL SEE A SPIKE IN OUR COVID CASES, BUT WE IMAGINE THAT WE BELIEVE THAT IS GOING TO, UM, EVEN OUT AS WE GET TOWARDS THIS FEBRUARY 1ST DATE, THAT WE'VE INDICATED THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO START, UM, TWO DAYS A WEEK FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, IF POSSIBLE. SO BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR MITIGATION STRATEGIES THREE DAYS A WEEK, WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY, MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND THURSDAY. SO THE SURFACES, UM, 48 HOURS OF TOUCH SURFACES, UM, IS SUPPOSED TO BE ENOUGH TIME IN ORDER TO, FOR THE VIRUS TO DISSIPATE. SO, YEAH, BUT IF WE NEED TO ADD ADDITIONAL CLEANINGS, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT. HERE LOOKS LIKE DR. GREEN IS HERE. IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HERE. OKAY. THANK YOU, DR. GREEN. CAN YOU HEAR US? [00:45:03] OKAY, PERFECT. YEAH, I'M ONLINE HERE. IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, WE CAN HEAR YOU. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT'S ON THERE. OKAY. HOW CAN I HELP? OKAY, DR. BURTON, IF YOU COULD PLEASE JUST KIND OF DISCUSS AS FAR AS WITH, UH, WHERE WE ARE WITHIN THE PANDEMIC, HOW, HOW SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN HANDLING IT. UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE LOOK AT MAKING A MOVE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS TO TWO DAYS PER WEEK, IS THAT A, A GOOD OPTION OR NOT A GOOD OPTION FROM A HEALTH STANDPOINT? AND THEN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IS THERE AN OUTLOOK AS FAR AS WITH, UH, UH, POSSIBLE VACCINATION IN THE FUTURE FOR, FOR TEACHERS? OKAY. OKAY. UM, SO AS FAR AS THE HEALTH OUTCOME, WE, WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF EVIDENCE THAT CHILDREN BEING IN SCHOOL IS DRIVING THE PANDEMIC. AND I HONESTLY CAN'T SAY ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, WHETHER IT, WHETHER HAVING THE CHILDREN TWO DAYS A WEEK, RATHER THAN ONE IS GOING TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. I THINK, I THINK YOU NEED TO LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S AT RISK AND BENEFIT, AND YOU NEED TO WEIGH THE POTENTIAL BENEFIT, UH, AGAINST WHAT LITTLE BITTY RISKS THERE MIGHT BE. I DON'T HAVE ANY EVIDENCE TO TELL YOU THE RISK IS LARGE. AGAIN, THERE THERE'S, THERE'S REASONS TO BELIEVE THERE'S PROBABLY AS MUCH RISK OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL OR MORE IS THERE IS INSIDE. OKAY. YEAH. SO I'VE GOT ONE OTHER PIECE OF GOOD NEWS FOR YOU. UH, IF YOU WATCHED THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH TODAY, WE ACTUALLY HAVE GOTTEN PERMISSION TO, UM, TO START MOVING TOWARD PHASE ONE B OF THE VACCINATION AND EDUCATION STAFF ARE PRETTY HIGH ON THE LIST FOR PHASE ONE B. SO I THINK YOU'LL SEE SOME VACCINATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, FOR SCHOOL STAFF COMING UP HERE IN PROBABLY THE NEXT WEEK, IF NOT ONE, TWO WEEKS. OKAY. AND THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO ANY STAFF MEMBER THAT'S THAT'S K-12 RIGHT. AND TH THE GROUP ACTUALLY INCLUDES CHILDCARE AS WELL, BUT, BUT ANY, ANY STAFF K-12, AND OBVIOUSLY IT WON'T BE ALL ONE DAY, UH, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT IN, IN CONJUNCTION WITH VALLEY HEALTH AND WHEN IT ROLLS OUT, WE'LL LET YOU KNOW MORE SPECIFICS. OKAY. UM, AND DR. GREEN, AS FAR AS WITH, YOU KNOW, THE OUTBREAKS THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN, IN HERE IN WARREN COUNTY, YOU KNOW, AND WITH OUR NUMBERS IN WARREN COUNTY, UM, YEP. EVEN THOUGH WE SEE AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF POSITIVITY RATE, JUST BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S WITHIN THE COUNTY, AS LONG AS OUR MITIGATION STRATEGIES ARE IN PLACE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THEN WE CAN HELP KEEP THAT, THAT POSITIVITY RATE DOWN. IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, THE POSITIVITY RATE IS, IS BASED ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT FACTORS. SO IT'S JUST A MEASURE OF ALL THE TESTS THAT WE KNOW ARE RECORDED AND THEN MEASURING WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THEM CAME UP POSITIVE. SO, UH, WE, WE DON'T DO BIG OLD COMMUNITY-WIDE TESTING OPERATIONS, LIKE SOME PLACES DO WHERE YOU'RE JUST GOING TO GET A LOW PERCENTAGE. MOST OF OUR TESTING IS DONE FOR A REASON. IT'S EITHER PEOPLE THAT ARE SICK OR THEY'RE, THEY'RE IN AN ORGANIZATION THAT WE'RE CONCERNED AS AN OUTBREAK. SO IT'S A, IT'S A ROUGH ESTIMATE OF THE PREVALENCE OF THE DISEASE IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S NOT A TERRIBLY ACCURATE ONE. IT'S JUST THE BEST ONE WE'VE GOT. AND THEN THE, THE OTHER THING WE MEASURE IS THE INCIDENT. SO THE NOTE, THE NUMBER OF NEW CASES OVER TIME, AND THAT'S HIGH ALL OVER THE STATE AND FRANKLY ALL OVER THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW. UH, SO THAT'S NOT ANYTHING SPECIFIC TO WARREN COUNTY OR VIRGINIA FOR THAT MATTER. SO WHAT THOSE DO IS THEY GIVE YOU A BACKGROUND IDEA OF HOW LIKELY A PERSON IS TO CATCH THE DISEASE IF THEY'RE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. UH, BUT THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE NOT THE ONLY FACTORS. AND, AND THOSE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN HIGH [00:50:01] FOR THE LAST TWO MONTHS. THEY WERE HIGH THROUGH NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER AS WELL, AND SCHOOLS WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE. SO, UH, ONE OF THE REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS IS, IS HOW WELL THE SCHOOL WAS ABLE TO MITIGATE. SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF I OPENING SCHOOL, THE SCHOOL A SECOND DAY, YOU HAD TO CROWD STUDENTS CLOSER TOGETHER, OR YOU HAD TO CROWD THEM ON THE BUS, YOU KNOW, THEN THERE'D BE SOME TANGIBLE INCREASE OF RISK TO THE, BUT IF THAT, IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, THEN NO, I'M NOT SURE THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF INCREASED RISK. I REALLY DON'T HAVE GREAT EVIDENCE FOR IT, UNLESS YOU CAN POINT TO SOMETHING THAT WOULD REDUCE YOUR ABILITY TO MITIGATE. OKAY. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR DR. GREEN? NO, WE HAVEN'T DONE DR. GREEN. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING ALONG TONIGHT AND, UH, GIVING US THE INFORMATION THAT YOU PROVIDED. SURE. I'M SORRY. I'M NOT DRESSED QUITE SO WELL TO SAVING, FRANKLY, IT WAS A TALE CAKER OF A DAY AND GET HOME TOO LONG AGO, SO, BUT, UH, I'M, I'M STILL HAPPY TO HELP AND, AND, UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO VACCINATE A BROADER POPULATION STARTING, STARTING NEXT WEEK. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALRIGHTY. THANK YOU, SIR. ALL RIGHT. THANKS OUT HERE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO WE'VE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT OUR MITIGATION STRATEGIES. WE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE HEARD FROM DR. GREEN ABOUT AS FAR AS WHAT'S WITHIN OUR COUNTY, WHAT IS COMING UP FOR, FOR US WITHIN OUR COUNTY, UM, AND WITHIN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. BUT REALLY WHEN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ADDING DAYS, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN. ONE, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE TRANSPORTATION OCCURS AND TRANSPORTATION IS THE BIGGEST PIECE AND NO PUN INTENDED. AND I'VE SAID IT A HUNDRED TIMES, BUT I MEAN, TRANSPORTATION DRIVES THIS DECISION. IT TRULY DOES. AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW AARON AND TONY HAVE, HAVE WORKED ON THIS TIRELESSLY TRYING TO, TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT WOULD BE THE BEST SOLUTION FOR US. AND I KNOW AARON CAME UP WITH, AS FAR AS SAYING, HEY, WE NEED THREE TIERS START, OR, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BUY MORE BUSES AND, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW, THEY CONTINUE TO WORK AND WORK AND WORK UNTIL HE, YOU KNOW, HE, HE'S JUST, THEY DO A GOOD JOB WITH TRANSPORTATION. AND, UM, SO REALLY THE WRECK, AS FAR AS LOOKING AT WHAT PROCESS OR HOW WE COULD MAKE THIS HAPPEN, REALLY HINGES UPON TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE NOW THAT WE ARE MOVING, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD BE REMOVING FROM STUDENTS FROM WARREN COUNTY, HAVE A AND B ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY AND SKYLINE WOULD HAVE A AND B ON THURSDAY, FRIDAY, THAT'S THEIR CURRENT STATUS. NOW YOU WOULD BE MOVING BOTH WARREN COUNTY, MIDDLE AND SKYLINE, MIDDLE A STUDENTS ON MONDAY, TUESDAY. AND YOU WOULD BE MOVING WARREN COUNTY ALONG WITH THE SKYLINE B STUDENTS ON THURSDAY, FRIDAY. SO NOW YOU'VE JUST MADE AN INFLUX OF THE WAY WE HAD IT SET IN PODS WHERE WARREN COUNTY WAS A OF DAYS. SKYLINE WAS ANOTHER. NOW WE'RE CROSSING AS FAR AS WITH OUR TRANSPORTATION, WHICH DRIVES UP HOW TRANSPORTATION CAN MAKE THIS WORK. SO I'M GOING TO LET AARON COME UP AND TALK ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE AND THE RECOMMENDATION FROM TRANSPORTATION, AS FAR AS HOW WE COULD BEST MAKE THIS WORK FROM THEIR STANDPOINT, MOVING FORWARD. GOOD DAY, MR. MITCHELL. IT'S NICE TO BE THE DRIVING FORCE. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. REALLY, REALLY. IT ALL POINTS TOWARDS YOU. SO, YES. UM, I, THE FIRST THING I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T THINK MY STAFF, THESE GUYS I'M TELLING YOU ARE AMAZING. I'M BLESSED. I GOT TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT FOR TONY, UH, OUR COORDINATOR. IF I GO TO HIM ONE MORE TIME, GO, OKAY. NOW WHAT IS, HE'S PROBABLY GOING TO PUNCH ME IN THE HEAD. UM, BUT NOW A SPECIAL THANKS TO THOSE GUYS. THEY WORK TIRELESSLY FOR US AND FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT AND, AND OUR THOUGHT PROCESS AND OUR EFFORTS THAT NO MITIGATION STRATEGIES ARE COMPROMISED. WE'RE STAYING UNDER THE SAME PARAMETERS THAT WERE PUT FORTH THIS IN THE BEGINNING, AND WE'RE STICKING WITH THAT. SO WE'RE NOT PACKING EXTRA KIDS ON THE BUS OR, OR COMPROMISING ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE. UM, RIGHT NOW OUR NEW ROUTES, WE'RE ABOUT 75% COMPLETE. WE'RE HOPING TO FINISH THOSE UP HERE THIS WEEK, BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK. UM, AND THEN WE'LL START WITH YOUR ALL'S BLESSING. WE'LL START [00:55:01] DOING SOME SAMPLE RUNNING AND CAUSE THE OTHER PART OF THIS TOO, IS OUR, OUR BUS DRIVERS STAFF. AND THIS, THIS IS HUGE. THIS IS THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR THEM ALL OVER AGAIN. UM, BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO THEY HAVE THEIR COMPROMISED ROUTES THAT THEY WERE RUNNING BEFORE, THEN THEY HAD THEIR MODIFIED ROUTES. THEN THEY HAD THEIR DAY SHUTTLES AND OR FOOD ROUTES. AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO ADD ANOTHER ONE TO THEM. SO AGAIN, THEY, OUR STAFF HAS JUST STEPPED UP AND THEY REALLY HAVE, UM, SO AGAIN, WE'RE VERY BLESSED WITH THAT. UM, WHAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S ALWAYS GIVEN TECH, SO IF WE'RE GOING TO GET SOMETHING, WE GOT TO GIVE SOMETHING. SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE WILL SEE THIS, SOME RIDE TIME INCREASE. AND I THINK RIGHT NOW WE'RE PREDICTING ABOUT PROBABLY 10 TO 12 ROUTES PLUS OR MINUS RIGHT NOW, UM, THAT WILL HAVE AN INCREASE IN THE RIDE TIME. OUR GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO KEEP THAT UNDER AN HOUR. UM, AND THEN WHEN WE WENT TO TIER TIMES, WE ACTUALLY WERE ABLE TO REDUCE THAT SIGNIFICANTLY MORE. BUT AGAIN, WE ONLY HAVE SO MANY BUSES, SO MANY DRIVERS AND WE'RE 220 SQUARE MILES THAT WE GOT TO GET EVERYBODY SOMEWHERE, UM, ALL MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. FOR THE MOST PART, WE'LL PROBABLY GET A NEW BUS STOP TIME. THEIR BUS STOP WILL STILL STAY THE SAME. WE'RE NOT COMPROMISING THAT INTO SOME JURISDICTIONS AND LOOKED AT, GOING TO GROUP STOPS TO MINIMIZE THAT WE'RE STILL DOING AS MUCH DOOR TO DOOR AS WE'VE ALWAYS DONE. UM, NO COMPROMISE THERE. UM, WE WILL ALSO LOOKING AT NEW BUS NUMBERS, SO IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE CONFUSING TO STUDENTS, BUT WE'RE HAVING TO READ JACKIE EVERYBODY AROUND. SO THERE'S, THAT JUST HAS TO CHANGE. AND UNFORTUNATELY IT'S JUST AN INCONVENIENCE, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL GET THROUGH IT. UM, AS FAR AS COMMUNICATING TO NEW ROUTES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, OUR INTENTION, IF, UH, IF YOU GUYS APPROVE ALL THIS IS THAT WE WILL BE THEN DOING A BULK MAILER. LIKE WE DO EVERY YEAR. AGAIN, FOR US, WE'RE TREATING THIS LIKE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, BECAUSE AS FAR AS INFORMATION AND DATA, THAT THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT IT IS. IT REALLY IS. UM, AND AGAIN, IT WILL IMPACT ALL MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL BUS RIDERS, RATHER THEY'RE COMING TO AN EXTRA SECOND DAY OR NOT. THIS, THIS DOES IMPACT THOSE THAT AREN'T THE, AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL THAT AREN'T COMING TO SECOND DAY, IT DOES AFFECT THEM QUESTIONS. HOW MUCH OF AN INCREASE ON THE ROUTE TIME YOU'RE WRACKING ROUGHLY? I MEAN, WORST CASE, WORST CASE SCENARIO, YOU COULD SEE, UH, WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A 45 TO 50 MINUTE RIDE COULD GO TO AN HOUR AND 20. OKAY. UM, BUT AGAIN, IF WE GO PRE TIERED TIMES, YEAH. KIDS WERE RIDING AN HOUR AND 20 HOUR AND 40. YEAH. SO YEAH, MAYBE I'M AN OLD MARINE. SO WE, WE REGARD THAT AS CASUALLY A WAR. YEAH. I MEAN, IT'S LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S GIVE AND TAKE, SO, BUT WE HAVE ENOUGH BUSES. WE HAVE ENOUGH DRIVERS AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO COVER EVERYBODY. WE DO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS MR. MITCHELL? I DON'T THINK SO AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU GUYS. AND THAT MR. MITCHELL DON'T GO TOO FAR. SO JUST TO SHARE. SO, SO PART OF, OF HOW TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN WITH TRANSPORTATION IS THAT BUSES WOULD NEED TO BE UTILIZED THAT ARE CURRENTLY AT ONE SCHOOL THAT IS UNDER ONE SCHEDULE, AND WE WOULD NEED TO ADJUST THAT SCHOOL START AND END TIME SO THAT THOSE BUSES COULD THEN BE MOVED TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS TO TRANSPORT THE ADDITIONAL STUDENTS FOR THOSE TWO DAYS OR FOUR DAYS. SO, YOU KNOW, THROUGH, THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE, THEIR RUNS AND LOOKING AT EVERYTHING, UH, A S RHODES WAS THE RECOMMENDED SCHOOL THAT WE LOOK AT TO POSSIBLY CHANGE THEIR START AND END TIME IN ORDER TO GIVE US THE NUMBER OF BUSES AND DRIVERS IN ORDER TO BRING IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS TWO DAYS PER WEEK. SO THAT WOULD BE ALSO AFFECTING 197 STUDENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY, THEY START SCHOOL AT NINE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING. THEIR IN TIME IS TWO 30, THAT WOULD BUMP THEM BACK TO A START OF EIGHT O'CLOCK WITH OUR AND TIME AT ONE 30. BUT THOSE BUSES THAT WERE DESIGNATED THAT'S THE NUMBER THAT, THAT MR. MITCHELL FELT WAS SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THIS WORK WITH OUR TWO START TIMES. AND THE ADDITION OF NOW PULLING SKYLINE STUDENTS AND ON, ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY, AND THEN ALSO PULLING THOSE WARREN COUNTY STUDENTS AND ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, BECAUSE WE NEEDED THE EXTRA BUSES TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. OKAY. UM, [01:00:01] AND I, I GUESS I'D REALLY HAVE TO ASK MS. SHEPHERD, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD A NORMAL SCHOOL DAY. DR. BOUNDS WOULD KNOW, YOU MAY KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT NORMALLY A S ROADS AND ALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS STARTED AT EIGHT 20. IS THAT RIGHT? OR WAS IT EIGHT. NINE. OKAY. OKAY. DURING REGULAR SCHOOL TIMES. OKAY. I GUESS MAYBE THE STUDENTS COULD BE DROPPED OFF AT EIGHT 29 TO THREE 30. OKAY. OKAY. JUST TRYING TO WRAP MY ARMS AROUND WHAT WE DID IN THE PAST, UH, S ROADS NOW GOES MONDAY, TUESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY. YES, SIR. WOULD IT, AND I'M JUST THROWING THIS OUT THERE AND I'M SURE YOU GUYS HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT IT. WHAT IF S ROADS WENT MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, IT WAS ALL FRIDAY. WOULD THAT HELP THE BUS SITUATION? NOT CHANGING ANY TIMES WOULD JUST MAKE LESS PRESSURE ON THE BUS OPERATION? IT REALLY WON'T BECAUSE WHAT W WHAT WE NEED IS MORE BUSES MONDAY, TUESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY. OKAY. I NEED THEM ALL THE TIME. NOT JUST FRIDAY, BECAUSE IT'S W THEY'RE NEEDED FOR SKYLINE ZONE AND FOR WARREN COUNTIES. RIGHT. UM, WAS SELECTED NOT SO MUCH BECAUSE WE WANTED TO PICK ON THEM OR WHATEVER. I UNDERSTAND THAT GOT US THE MINIMAL NUMBER OF BUSES THAT WE COULD USE TO PULL THIS OFF. IDEALLY, BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE IAN WILSON, FOR EXAMPLE, GOING AT NINE O'CLOCK I'D MUCH RATHER PICK THEM FROM A DIRECTOR POINT OF VIEW, BECAUSE IT GIVES ME A LOT MORE BUSES, BUT IT ALSO IMPACTS A LOT MORE FAMILIES. AND SO THIS WAS A MINIMAL IMPACT WITH THE MOST REWARD OR BENEFIT TO US WITHOUT IMPACTING ANY MORE OF OUR CONSTITUENTS WHEN NECESSARY. THAT'S THE METHOD TO THE MADNESS. OKAY. OKAY. BUT WE'RE CERTAINLY OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS AND I'M SURE I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN KICKING THIS AROUND FOR, FOR QUITE A WHILE, TRYING TO, TRYING TO FIGURE IT ALL OUT. AND, UH, AND I'VE SEEN YOUR SCENARIOS ON PAPER BEFORE. SO I KNOW IT'S VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT. UM, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK, HOW CAN WE MAKE IT A LITTLE EASIER, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE WE CAN'T WITH THAT. UH, I GUESS ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DISRUPTION FOR S ROADS THAT AT THE CURRENT TIME, I MEAN, I PERSONALLY THINK THE CHILDREN NEED TO BE BACK IN SCHOOL. UM, AFTER LISTENING TO DR. GREEN, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THERE'S ANY MORE RISK, LESS RISK THAN GOING OUT INTO PUBLIC IS WHAT HE SAID. AS LONG AS WE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE MITIGATION PLANS THAT AARON HAS FOR THE BUS AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS DO. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, BUT, UH, I DO, I DO REALLY FEEL CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE FAMILIES MAKING ADJUSTMENTS. I MEAN, WE NEED TO, IF WE CHANGE, WE NEED TO GIVE THEM A PRETTY GOOD LEEWAY TO CHANGE UP THEIR LIVES AGAIN. AND HOPEFULLY FOR THE LAST TIME, BUT THERE'S NO GUARANTEES AND THIS, THIS GAME IS ALWAYS CHANGING, AS WE ALL KNOW. SO ANY, ANYBODY GOT ANYTHING TO OFFER UP FROM THE BOARD AND MR. CHAIR, IF YOU DON'T MIND THIS MOVE, WE WOULD NOT BE LOOKING AT MAKING UNTIL THE START OF THE SECOND SEMESTER. SO SECOND SEMESTER STARTS FEBRUARY THE FIRST. OKAY. SO WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED, WE WANT TO GIVE OUR PARENTS ENOUGH LEAD TIME AS POSSIBLE. RIGHT. UM, YOU KNOW, W IT IS IMPORTANT TO GET OUR STUDENTS IN A SECOND DAY. YES. AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE STARTED WITH HOW TO SET THIS SCHOOL YEAR UP, YEAH. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WAS EVER PREPARED REALLY FOR WHAT THIS YEAR COULD TRULY LOOK LIKE. AND AT THAT POINT IN TIME, WE FOUND THAT WE WERE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, WE HAD SCHEDULES THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD WORK, BUT THEN WE HAD TO ADJUST THEM PRETTY QUICK. SO, YES, I FEEL THAT WHEN WE NEED TO, WE, WE, WE PROBABLY NEED TO LOOK A LITTLE MORE AT A S ROADS AND MAYBE DO SOME TYPE OF SURVEY WITH OUR PARENTS THERE. BUT I THINK AS LONG ALSO, WHEN TALKING TO MS. LORI LAYMAN, WE'VE, I'VE KEPT HER INVOLVED IN THIS SINCE WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT IT, SHE'S KIND OF BEEN ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN JUST BECAUSE SHE KNEW THAT SHE WOULD POSSIBLY BE AFFECTED. BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I TALKED TO HER, SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, THAT ONE, SHE FELT THAT, THAT HER PARENTS WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S, THAT THE CHANGES NEEDED TO GIVE THE STUDENTS MORE TIME IN THE CLASSROOM AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. UM, YOU KNOW, THAT SHE FEELS THAT, THAT, THAT THERE WILL BE SOME IMPACT ON SOME FAMILIES. AND WE PROBABLY NEED TO EXPLORE THAT, BUT ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, SHE SAID WITH HER STAFF, [01:05:01] IT'S NO EFFECT ON HER STAFF, EXCEPT FOR 15 MINUTES CURRENTLY THEY REPORT AT SEVEN 30 AND THEY'D HAVE TO REPORT AT SEVEN 15. OKAY. UM, AND THEN THEIR IN TIME WOULD STILL BE THE SAME. SO AS FAR AS BEING ABLE TO LEAVE AT TWO 30, RIGHT. THEIR PLAN IS BEFORE SCHOOL, IT WOULD MOVE TO AFTERSCHOOL. SO FOR HER STAFF, THERE'S NOT THAT MUCH OF A CHANGE. AND SO I DO KNOW, AS FAR AS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CHANGE, SOME THINGS THAT THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS HAVE HAD TO, TO WORK THROUGH TO TRY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. AND I KNOW THAT, AND I HAVE MS. MRS. GOOGLER AND MR. JOHNSTON HERE TO, TO TALK ABOUT IF, IF YOU WANT TO ABSOLUTELY HAVE THEM TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE HAD TO ADDRESS, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO PREPARING AND, AND HOW THEY'VE WORKED THROUGH THIS TO TRY TO INCREASE THE INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS FOR THEIR STUDENTS AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS. OKAY. YEAH. LOVE TO HEAR FROM HIM, MS. GOOGLE, OR CAN YOU HEAR US? IS GOOGLE. OKAY. NO, WE'LL JUST KIND OF MR. JOHNSON, DO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GO FIRST AND SURE. YOU'RE HERE. OKAY. SURE, SURE. I CAN GO. THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME UP. THANK YOU, DR. BALLENGER. I'VE APPRECIATED WORKING WITH EVERYBODY TO COME TO A SOLUTION WITH THIS. AND A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO LOOK AT FIRST WAS THE SAFE SAFETY AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BRINGING KIDS BACK IN FOR A SECOND DAY AND FEEL MS. GIBBLER JUMP IN. IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, SO WE CAN TAG TEAM TOGETHER. IF THAT WORKS, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN EACH CLASS ARE SIX FOOT SPLITS GOING TO WORK. OUR CLASSROOMS HOLD ABOUT 14 TO 15, OR EXCUSE ME, 12 TO 14 KIDS. I THINK I MIGHT HAVE ONE THAT HOLDS 15 AND I COULD GET AN EXTRA EXTRA DESK IN THERE. ANOTHER THING WE SHARE AIDS. SO MY AIDS, THE FOUR AIDS INSTRUCTIONAL AIDS THAT I HAVE GO TO MS. GOOGLER'S BUILDING ON MONDAYS AND TUESDAYS, AND HER AIDES COME TO MY BUILDING ON THURSDAYS AND FRIDAYS. SO WE HAD TO REALLY WORK TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT THAT PORTION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. AND WE'VE BEEN DR. BALLENGER AND THE BOARD HAS BEEN GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO ALLOW US TO HIRE SOME AIDS. AND WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS. NOW WE DID SOME INTERVIEWS TODAY. SO WE ALSO HAVE CHORUS COVERAGE THAT WE NEED. WE SHARE A COURSE TEACHER BETWEEN THE TWO OF US, SO THAT TEACHER WOULD SWITCH A WEEK IN B WEEK BACK AND FORTH IN BETWEEN. AND WE WOULD HAVE AN AID COVER THAT CLASS WHEN THEY'RE AT THE DIFFERENT BUILDINGS. AND WE HAVE A PE TEACHER THAT WE SHARE AS WELL. SO THOSE ARE SOME CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE NEEDED TO, TO MAKE. WE ARE VERY VIGILANT WITH OUR MITIGATION STRATEGIES, UH, EXTRA CLEANING. WE KNOW, UM, MS. SHEPPARD AND EVERYBODY HAS SAID OUR CLEANING STRATEGIES ARE GREAT. AND I KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO INCREASE THOSE. WE TALKED ABOUT MORE LUNCHES. I WAS DOWN TALKING WITH MY CAFETERIA MANAGER TODAY AND WHAT THAT EXTRA, THOSE EXTRA TWO DAYS ARE GOING TO LIKE FOR OUR, OUR KIDS IN TERMS OF MASKS. I KNOW THAT WAS A BIG THING THAT A LOT OF US WERE CONCERNED ABOUT. HOW ARE STUDENTS GOING TO HANDLE THE MASKS IN THE BUILDING? AND FOR US AT SKYLINE, IT'S BEEN A NON-ISSUE, THE KIDS ARE, KIDS ARE WEARING THEM. THE TEACHERS ARE ABLE TO TEACH. AND SO THAT'S BEEN, BEEN A POSITIVE THAT WE'VE HAD ARE THE BIG THING IS THE STRESSES ON THE TEACHERS. HOW DO WE REDUCE THE STRESS ON THE TEACHERS? HYBRID? TEACHING IS HARD FROM THE PERSPECTIVE THAT YOU HAVE TO SPLIT YOUR ATTENTION FROM A COMPUTER SCREEN THAT MIGHT HAVE 15 KIDS IN IT TO A CLASSROOM THAT MIGHT HAVE EIGHT KIDS IN IT, OR, OR SOME, SOME VARIATION THERE. SO THAT'S THE REAL DIFFICULT PART THAT THE TEACHERS HAVE. THE TEACHERS HAVE BEEN GREAT. I'VE TALKED TO THE TEACHERS AT THE BIG, RIGHT BEFORE THE HOLIDAY. WE WOULD NORMALLY ASK TEACHERS TO LEARN THREE NEW THINGS EACH YEAR AND GET REALLY, REALLY GOOD AT THEM BY MY COUNT. AND I PROBABLY MISSED SOME, I'VE ASKED MY TEACHERS TO LEARN 18 NEW THINGS, AND THAT'S SIX YEARS WORTH OF THINGS THAT WE'VE ASKED THEM TO LEARN. AND THEY'VE DONE GREAT WITH THEM. AND IN THE AA, BB IS A SCHEDULE CHANGE FOR THEM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR. I AM. I'M SUPPORTIVE OF IT. THAT'S I BELIEVE THAT'S A PIECE OF THEIR APPREHENSION WHEN IT COMES TO THAT. IT'S, IT'S A SCHEDULE CHANGE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR. WE GET OUR ROUTINES, WE GET INTO THAT. WE ARE USED TO THOSE THINGS, BUT THOSE ARE REDUCING. THOSE STRESSES IS A, IS A, IS A BIG PIECE OF IT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [01:10:01] OKAY. SO I DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT BECAUSE YOU WERE DOING A GOOD JOB AS TO JOHNSTON. CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. UM, SO I WOULD AGREE, UM, WHAT MR. JOHNSON SAID SO WELL ABOUT THE NEW THINGS THAT THE TEACHERS HAD TO LEARN THIS YEAR. AND, UH, I SPOKE WITH THE STAFF AGAIN THIS MORNING, UM, ABOUT THIS TOPIC AND ONGOING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. ONE OF THE STRESSORS WITH THE, THE NEW WAY WE'RE HAVING TO TEACH THIS YEAR IS THE TIME TO CREATE AN UPLOAD LESSONS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR STAFF HAS BEEN DOING IS THEY TEACH IN PERSON ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY AND ONLINE AT THE SAME TIME, BUT THEN THEY USE THAT EXTRA TIME ON THURSDAYS AND FRIDAYS TO MAKE THEIR VIDEOS AND UPLOAD THINGS. UM, AND SO THAT, THAT IS A CONCERN. AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO, I THINK, CONTINUE TO WORK AND SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS, UM, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN UNTIL YOU SEE IT, BUT IT'S, I THINK MR. JOHNSON, IF YOU WANTED TO JUMP IN, I JUST THINK IT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT WAY OF HAVING TO TEACH WITH THE CANVAS PLATFORM AND TEACHING KIDS IN FRONT OF YOU. AND SO THAT'S ONE BIG STRESSOR FOR, FOR THIS, UM, IS THE ADDITIONAL TIME. I THINK ALL OF OUR STAFF AT WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL WANTS TO, UM, SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN. WE WANT TO SEE OUR KIDS. AND, UM, WE DID HAVE ANOTHER CONCERN THAT CAME UP TODAY. UM, AS WE'RE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE VACCINATIONS, 50 OF OUR 68 STAFF MEMBERS HAVE SAID THAT THEY WANT TO BE VACCINATED TO BE FEELING SAFE AND BEING WITH THE KIDS MORE OFTEN. UM, AND SO AS I REPORT BACK, ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT THEY HAD WAS THEY WANTED TO KNOW, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO BE VACCINATED BEFORE THIS WOULD GO INTO PLACE? AND OF COURSE, I CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION. UM, IT SOUNDED HOPEFUL FROM WHAT DR. GREEN SAID, BUT I DON'T, I JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S MY JOB TO PRESENT THEIR CONCERNS AS WELL, BUT WE DO WANT TO SERVE OUR CHILDREN. YOU KNOW, WE ALL WANT INTO EDUCATION BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT CHILDREN. AND IF I COULD JUST, JUST ADD TO WHAT MS. GUBLER SAID TO KIND OF TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, THAT, THAT STRESS IS OUR TEACHERS REALLY WANT TO TEACH THE KIDS AT A HIGH LEVEL. SO IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE THERE WHILE THEY'RE, WHILE MY TEACHERS TEACH ON MONDAY, TUESDAY, THEY CAN GIVE THAT WHOLE FOCUS TO THOSE STUDENTS THAT ARE ONLINE AND ALL THEIR STUDENTS ARE ONLINE. SO THEY MAY HAVE 20, 25 KIDS, BUT THAT'S THEIR CONCERN IS THAT SPLIT. SO WE GIVE SUGGESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO TEACH ASYNCHRONOUSLY, HOW TO ADJUST THE LEARNING FOR THE KIDS TO DO VIDEOS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. A LOT OF THE TEACHERS CONTINUE SAY, NOPE, I WANT TO, I WANT TO TEACH MY KIDS. I WANT TO SEE ALL OF THEM. THEY WANT TO SEE THEM IN THE BUILDING. THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I HAD THIS MORNING IS WE WANT OUR KIDS TO BE IN THE BUILDING. IT'S THAT I WANT TO REACH THEM AT THAT SAME HIGH LEVEL THAT I COULD HAVE REACHED THEM IF I WAS FIVE DAYS A WEEK. AND THAT'S JUST THE, THAT'S THE DIFFICULT CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW. HAVE YOU HEARD FROM, UM, I KNOW THE POSITIVE OF COURSE IS FOR THE STUDENTS THAT ARE ABLE TO GO FROM ONE DAY TO TWO DAYS. WHAT ABOUT THE STUDENTS THAT ARE ALL VIRTUAL? AND I KNOW THAT IT'S KIND OF WHAT YOU WERE JUST TOUCHING ON, BUT DO YOU FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A LESSON EXPERIENCE? I THINK THAT'S THE CONCERN OF THE TEACHERS. I CAN'T, I CAN'T SAY THAT FOR SURE. MY HOPE IS, IS THAT, THAT THE TEACHERS WOULD FIND SOLUTIONS THAT THAT WOULD NOT HAPPEN. UM, I THINK WITH THAT, AGAIN, THAT APPREHENSION, WHEN WE WERE COMING IN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, WE WERE SAYING KIDS, AREN'T GOING TO LEARN AS MUCH. YEAH. IN THIS MODEL, YOU'RE, THEY'RE HERE ONE DAY A WEEK. THAT STRUCTURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT STUDENTS ARE USED TO, WHEN THEY'RE IN PERSON, IT'S HARD TO HOLD A STUDENT ACCOUNTABLE. WHEN YOU SAY, LET'S, LET'S DO THIS ASSIGNMENT. AND THEN THEY CLICK OFF. AND I CAN'T, YOU KNOW, IF A STUDENT PUTS THEIR HEAD DOWN IN CLASS, I CAN COME OVER TOP ON THE DESK AND HEY, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S DO THE WORD. WE CAN'T CAN'T DO THAT IN THIS ENVIRONMENT. SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE STRUGGLE. AND, AND TEACHERS HAVE GOTTEN CREATIVE IN, IN DOING THAT. YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE HAD INTERACTIVE GAMES, YOU KNOW, WE HAD MS. MS. CROSON GET THE GAMES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THAT'S, I MEAN, THOSE ARE CHALLENGES THAT I THINK NOT JUST US HERE IN WARREN COUNTY, BUT THAT'S THE CHALLENGE OF, OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, IS, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY THERE TO, TO MAYBE LESS THAN THAT HYBRID SITUATION, WHICH SEEMS TO BE WHAT A LOT OF THE TEACHERS ARE CONCERNED WITH IS, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF HAVING A VIRTUAL TEACHER TO HANDLE THE VIRTUAL STUDENTS AND THE IN-PERSON TEACHER TO HANDLE [01:15:01] THE IN IN-PERSON? AND I MEAN, EVEN CONCEIVABLY WITH, WITH SOME OF THE CLASSES THAT BOTH SCHOOLS HAVE, THAT SHOULD BE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME. I MEAN, YOU TALK ABOUT SHERIFF'S COURSE TEACHER, YOU TALK ABOUT SHARON, COULD YOU SHARE A MATH TEACHER? COULD YOU SHARE, UH, UH, HISTORY, TEACHER SCIENCE, UH, AND LET ONE DO VIRTUAL, ALMOST LIKE A VIRTUAL VIRGINIA, AND THEN THE OTHER DO THE CLASSWORK. AND I WOULD SAY THAT WE LOOKED AT THAT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING AT WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL, BECAUSE I KNOW SOME OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ARE USING THAT MODEL AND I'VE, I'VE, UM, GONE THROUGH IT MANY TIMES TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THAT WORK WORK. AND AS WE, AS WE CAME INTO THIS, I TALKED WITH THE BUILDING LEADERSHIP TEAM FIRST, AND CAUSE I ASSUMED THAT'S WHAT THEY WOULD WANT ME TO DO. UM, AND THE TEAM SAID, PLEASE DON'T DO THAT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT WILL BE, WE HAVE TO MOVE KIDS AGAIN. SO I'M GOING TO HAVE TO SWITCH KIDS FROM ONE ENGLISH TEACHER TO ANOTHER ENGLISH TEACHER, BECAUSE I'M GOING TO HAVE TO REDO THE GROUPS. UM, I'M STILL OPEN TO IT BECAUSE I WANT TO DO WHATEVER I CAN DO TO SUPPORT THE TEACHERS AND THE CHILDREN. BUT THAT WAS THEIR FIRST REACTION WAS, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO MAKE THE RELATIONSHIPS AS BEST WE CAN. AND IF YOU MAKE US START AGAIN WITH NEW CHILDREN, THEY MIGHT LOSE SOME OF THAT. UM, AND I SAID, I'M OPEN TO WHATEVER WORKS BEST FOR HIM. WE AND I, AND I AGREE. AND WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT WITH THE STAFF ABOUT DOING THAT MORE INFORMALLY, SO WHERE IT'S NOT IN THE COMPUTER AS THIS IS YOUR TEACHER, BUT YOU'VE, YOU'VE COME TO AN AGREEMENT IN BETWEEN THE TWO THOUGHTS SAFE. I WAS SPEAKING WITH CIVICS TEACHERS TODAY AND SAID, OKAY, YOU HAVE 44 STUDENTS OVER HERE. AND SEVEN STUDENTS OVER HERE, YOU CAN SAFELY PUT THEM INTO ONE ROOM. AND THEN THE OTHER TEACHER CAN WORK WITH THE ONLINE STUDENTS AND TEACH THOSE STUDENTS VIRTUALLY THAT DAY. AND THEN THE NEXT DAY YOU COULD SWAP AND, AND GO THROUGH IT THAT WAY. AND THE TEACHERS REALLY LIKED THAT IDEA. THAT TAKES A LITTLE BIT PRESSURE OFF OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, BECAUSE AS MS GUBLER SAID TO GO THROUGH AND MAKE ALL THE ADJUSTMENTS AND CHANGES, UM, I KNOW THAT'S, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RESCHEDULING AND THAT NORTH PROCESS NORMALLY TAKES US THREE MONTHS. UH, SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THE DIFFICULT PART. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR BOTH OF YOU. I THINK YOU SAID MR. JOHNSON, YOU HAVE BETWEEN 12 AND 15 STUDENTS, YOU CAN, OR SEATS IN A ROOM ON AVERAGE, HOW MANY STUDENTS DO YOU ALL HAVE IN A CLASSROOM, NORMAL CLASSROOM? NORMAL DAY OF THE WEEK? ARE ALL THOSE SEATS FULL? I WOULD SAY OURS RANGES IN BETWEEN FIVE AND 12. OKAY. WOW. QUITE A RANGE. IT, IT IS. UM, IT JUST, AND I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW WHY. I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, I HAVEN'T DUG IN, I HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO DIG IN TO SAY, OKAY, WHY DID THESE, THESE SEVEN STUDENTS DECIDED TO COME, BUT THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER GROUP DID NOT. UM, AND IT, AND IT FLUCTUATES, UH, AS I SAID THE OTHER DAY, UH, ON MONDAY WHEN WE WERE IN, IN OUR MEETING, I HAD TWO STUDENTS JUMP OUT AND GO VIRTUAL, BUT THEN THIS MORNING I HAD TWO STUDENTS JUMP IN AND GO HYBRID. SO IT'S, IT'S A BACK AND FORTH, UM, BALANCING ACT. SO STUDENTS DO DO MOVE. YOU SEE THE SAME THING, LET'S GO BLUR. UM, I WOULD SAY IN MY, IN MY SIXTH GRADE CLASSES FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, I HAVEN'T HAD ENOUGH STUDENTS. I, MY NUMBERS ARE THE LOWEST IN THE BUILDING IN SIXTH GRADE. I'M PROBABLY AT ABOUT 50% IN PERSON. UM, IN SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE, WHEN I WALKED DOWN THE HALLWAY, I CAN SEE NINE AND 10 KIDS IN A CLASSROOM. AND THAT MAKES ME HAPPY. UM, W SINCE OUR COVID LETTER STARTED GOING HOME RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS AND AFTER CHRISTMAS, UM, I'VE SEEN KIDS SWITCHING TO VIRTUAL AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT THAT'LL COME BACK AGAIN AS THINGS LEVEL OUT. BUT I HAVE SEEN, EVEN THOUGH THE LETTER SAYS IT'S A VIRTUAL STUDENT, OR, YOU KNOW, IT BRINGS CONCERN, BUT I WANT TO BE TRANSPARENT. I'M NOT SAYING YOU SHOULDN'T DO IT, BUT I'VE SEEN REACTION TO THOSE LETTERS GOING OUT. AND, UM, I'M JUST HOPEFUL WHEN WE GET TWO WEEKS OUT FROM CHRISTMAS, WE CAN GET EVERYBODY BACK AND THAT WAS IN BEFORE. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU BOTH. UM, UNDER, UNDER THE PROPOSED, UH, UH, EXTRA DAY, WHAT DOES THAT DO TO THE TEACHER'S PLANNING TIME? SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE WORKED TO, UH, IN BOTH, I BELIEVE, UH, AND PLEASE DON'T LET ME PUT WORDS INTO YOUR MOUTH, MISS GUBLER. WE, WE HAVE TEACHERS RIGHT NOW MONITOR RESTROOMS DURING HALF OF THE, THE, THEIR OFF PERIOD. THEY GET PLANNING TIME IN THE MORNING FOR 45 MINUTES, AND THEN AN EXTRA HALF AN HOUR DURING THE DAY [01:20:01] AT SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL, THAT MIGHT BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT. AND IN MS. GOBBLER'S BUILDING, UM, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT ELIMINATING THAT RESTAURANT MONITORING. YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD MY TEACHERS LOOK AT THIS MORNING TO COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT PLAN THAT WOULD WORK FOR EACH OF THEIR STUDENTS. AFTER LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT USE THE RESTROOM THROUGHOUT THE DAY, IT'S REALLY MINIMAL. UM, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT HAVE THREE, THREE OR FOUR STUDENTS EACH PERIOD GO INTO THE RESTROOM. SO THE IMPORTANT THING IS THE CONTACT TRACING TO BE ABLE TO SAY, OKAY, THIS STUDENT WAS IN THE RESTROOM AT THIS TIME, AND DID THEY HAVE AN ILLNESS? OR, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK IN TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE COMMUNICATE WITH THOSE, THOSE STUDENTS. SO WE CAN HAVE THE STUDENTS FILL THAT INFORMATION OUT IN THE CLASSROOM. THE TEACHERS HAVE SAID THAT, ABSOLUTELY THAT'S VERY EASY TO DO. AND THEN THAT ELIMINATES THE NEED TO HAVE A TEACHER IN THE HALLWAY MONITORING THOSE RESTROOMS. WE WOULDN'T NORMALLY HAVE IT IN A NORMAL YEAR. UM, AND SO, SO D WELL, I GUESS WHAT I'M ASKING IS, DO YOU SEE MORE PLANNING TIME NECESSARY, REOPENING PLAN? I DO. I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO NEED THEIR PLANNING TIME BACK THEN. I'VE ALSO TAKEN THEIR PLANNING TIME TO HELP WITH THE HALLWAY AND, UM, KEEPING THINGS RUNNING IN THE BATHROOM, JUST SO THEY'VE, THEY'VE LOST A CHUNK OF PLANNING TIME AT WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL AS WELL. AND THAT'S BEEN A PART OF, AS WE'VE BEEN HAVING DISCUSSIONS, I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT ANOTHER WAY TO TAKE CARE OF THAT. WE NEED TO GET THAT TIME BACK. UM, BUT THEY ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, HAVING THE TIME TO KEEP UP AS MR. JOHNSON SAID THE HIGH LEVEL OF INSTRUCTION. AND SO ON MY END, I'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT, AND I WILL, I WILL FIGURE IT OUT, SOMEBODY ELSE TO TAKE CARE OF THAT BATHROOM DUTY, BUT YES, THEY WILL GET AN EXTRA HALF HOUR OR MORE EACH DAY. UH, SO AN EXTRA TWO HOURS EACH WEEK OF PLANNING AND THAT'S AN ADEQUATE TIME FOR THEM. UM, THAT'S, THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAD REQUESTED THAT WAS A REQUEST FROM THE TEACHERS MADE TO, TO ADMINISTRATION. OKAY. SO THEN THEY FELT, MY TEACHERS SAID THAT, THAT THEY FELT THAT THAT WOULD BE GOOD. OKAY. ANY OTHER, ARE YOU ASKING ME IF THAT'S ADEQUATE TIME? THAT'S ALL THE TIME I HAVE TO GIVE THEM, I THINK, UM, THERE'S, I WISH I COULD GIVE THEM MORE. AND I KNOW, UM, WITH THE, WITH WEDNESDAYS, UM, WE, THEY DO HAVE PLANNING TIME ON WEDNESDAYS AS WELL THAT THEY GET TOGETHER IN, AT SKYLINE MIDDLE, AND THEY CO-PLANNED TOGETHER. AND THEY WORKED TOGETHER VERY, VERY WELL AT THAT TIME. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? NO, I'M GOOD. YOU GOOD? EVERYBODY GOOD DOWN HERE? NO OTHER QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME. WELL, I THINK WHAT I GLEAN OUT OF THIS IS WE OUGHT TO REACH OUT TO THE PARENTS OF ASMR ROADS. YES, SIR. AND SAY, HEY, HERE'S, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. UM, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? I MEAN, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BRING HIM ON AN HOUR EARLIER THAN CURRENT AND GET OFF AN HOUR EARLIER. SO THAT'LL PROBABLY CAUSE SOME, SOME HEADACHE AND HARDSHIPS FOR FOUR PEOPLE INVOLVED. UM, I THINK THE NUMBER WAS 197 STUDENTS. THAT IS CORRECT. YES, SIR. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THE BOARD FEELS. WELL, I AGREE. I THINK WE NEED TO REACH OUT TO THE PARENTS AND I'D ALSO LIKE, TO AT LEAST SEE IF THOSE EXPLANATIONS ARE GOING TO BE COMING IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO. I THINK THAT WOULD PUT A LOT OF OUR TEACHERS AT REST TO KNOW THAT THEY WILL HAVE THE VACCINE BEFORE THEY COME HERE. YEAH, NO, THAT'S UH, AND I DON'T KNOW. I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE ASKED DR. GREEN. IT'S A TWO-PART. IT IS JUST, SIR, IS IT? YES, SIR. YOU GET ONE AND THEN WHAT'S THE WAIT PERIOD FOURTH. OKAY. OKAY. IT'S THE SECOND SHOT INTO, AFTER THE REOPENING PLAN? YES. YEAH. YES. SO, BUT THAT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT'S THE ONE YOU GET THREE JUNE, UM, NO, A DIFFERENT DISEASE. UM, HEPATITIS, LIKE THAT'S A THREE-PART SERIES AND IT'S DRUG OUT. SO, UM, BUT ANYWAY, IF WE DO A SURVEY IS TWO WEEKS, ENOUGH TIME TO DO IT, TO SURVEY THE PARENTS AT ASHP ROADS. YEAH. I MEAN, THAT COULD BE DONE BY THE END OF THIS WEEK. LOOKING AT THAT. I MEAN, I THINK THAT OUR NEXT MEETING, I MEAN, WE COULD, WE COULD REVISIT IT THEN IF THAT'S WHAT THE BOARD WOULD LOVE TO DO. UM, AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD REALLY GET WITH THOSE PARENTS AT ALIAS ROADS TOO, TO DISCUSS THAT WITH THEM AND TO SEE WHAT, WHAT HEARTACHES WE MAY HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN, YOU CAN NEVER GO WRONG IF YOU'RE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING FOR STUDENT AND FOR A CHILD. ABSOLUTELY. AND SO, [01:25:01] YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR MAIN GOAL IS TO, TO TRY TO, TO INCREASE FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL, BUT ALSO WE DON'T WANT OTHER STUDENTS TO SUFFER BECAUSE OF, OF, OF ONE GROUP. BUT HOPEFULLY EVENTUALLY WE WILL GET BACK TO SOME TYPE OF FIVE DAY INSTRUCTION, UH, FOR ALL STUDENTS AT SOME POINT IN TIME. SO, BUT I THINK RIGHT NOW, WHATEVER WE CAN GRAB, WE CAN GRAB AND STARTING WITH A SURVEY AT ASHP ROADS WOULD BE A GREAT, GREAT START AND OUR NEXT MEETINGS ON THE 20TH. AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT ONLY GIVES US A TWO-WEEK TIMEFRAME BEFORE SCHOOL WHERE THE NEXT SEMESTER WOULD START. UM, AND I KNOW YOU WANTED TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEMESTER, BUT IF IT'S A WEEK OR SO LATER, THAT'S NOT DETRIMENTAL REALLY. I MEAN, YOU ONLY TALKING ABOUT THEY MISSED AN EXTRA TWO OR FOUR DAYS OF IN-PERSON IF THEY CHOSE TO BE IN PERSON. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO, UH, I SAY WE TABLE IT FOR NOW TILL OUR NEXT MEETING. AND YOU GUYS WILL GET A SURVEY PUT TOGETHER AND REACH OUT TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED. UH, HOPEFULLY DR. GREEN CAN GIVE YOU MAYBE A DEFINITIVE ANSWER BY THE END OF THE WEEK. HOPEFULLY WHEN THE VACCINATIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE HERE IS THAT WOULD BE, THAT'D BE A GOOD START. THAT KILLS TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE TO MORE INFORMATION ON THE VACCINE, WHICH IS WHAT THE TEACHERS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT. AND THEN THE SCHEDULE TO GIVE THE ASMR ROADS, PARENTS A HEADS UP ON THAT AND EXPLAIN THINGS. SO TRY TO GIVE THEM AS MUCH LEAD TIME IF WE DO CHANGE THAT THEY CAN ADJUST. YEAH. SO A WEEK OR SO IS NO BIG DEAL. NO. OKAY. THAT SHOULD NOT BE ANY PROBLEM AT ALL. OKAY. YOU GOOD WITH THAT? YEAH. I'M GOOD. YOU GOOD? YEAH. YEAH. SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT THAT'S FOR SURE. ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT LINE ITEM NEXT UP IS REIMBURSEMENT OF LIVE [9D. Reimbursement of live-streaming events for parents of students that participate in winter sports - Dr. Ballenger] STREAMING EVENTS FOR PARENTS OF STUDENTS THAT PARTICIPATE IN WINTER SPORTS. DR. BALLENGER, PLEASE, DUE TO THE LIMITED NUMBER OF SEATS AVAILABLE FOR INDOOR ATHLETIC EVENTS. THIS YEAR, WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS RECOGNIZES THE ADDITIONAL STRESS THAT HAS BEEN PLACED ON OUR STUDENT ATHLETES AND THEIR FAMILIES. FOR MANY STUDENT ATHLETES. THIS WILL BE THEIR FINAL YEAR. I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS ONLY COVER THE COST OF LIVE STREAMING EVENTS FOR THE PARENTS OF OUR STUDENT ATHLETES AND BASKETBALL AND WRESTLING. OUR FAMILIES ARE UNDER A LOT OF STRESS AND THIS WOULD HELP TO RELIEVE ONE OF THOSE STRESSORS THAT CONTINUES TO MAKE THIS A CHALLENGING SCHOOL YEAR. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CURRENT VHSL GUIDELINES, IF YOU, RIGHT NOW WE'RE ALLOWED 25 STUDENTS OR 25 SPECTATORS, WHICH 10 ARE TAKEN UP BY THE CHEERLEADER. SO THAT'S 15. SO YOU'RE ONLY ALLOWING ONE PARENT IN. SO THAT MEANS THAT OTHER PARENT HAS TO WATCH THIS AT HOME. AND THE ONLY REASON I WANT TO LOOK AT WINTER SPORTS RIGHT NOW IS BECAUSE THEY'RE ENDURE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE GUIDELINES FROM THE VHSL, WHEN IT COMES TO THE OUTDOOR SPORTS, YOU CAN BRING TWO PARENTS PER ATHLETE UP TO 30% OF CAPACITY. SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT FOOTBALL OR BASEBALL OR SOFTBALL, BOTH OF THOSE PARENTS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE, YOU KNOW, THOSE PARENTS WILL BE ABLE TO GO WATCH THAT EVENT, BUT BECAUSE IT'S INDOORS AND BECAUSE WE'RE LIMITED ON TICKETS, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE CONTINUALLY TO HURT. I FEEL, YOU KNOW, OUR PARENTS AND STUDENTS ARE GOING THROUGH SO MUCH, ESPECIALLY SOME OF THOSE THAT ARE ONLY GETTING TO SEE ONE GAME, AND THEN THEY'RE NOT BEING ABLE TO TRAVEL TO THE AWAY GAMES. YEAH. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO GET THE SIX HOME GAMES AND THEN THEY MAY HAVE TO SPLIT THAT TICKET BETWEEN THEIR SPOUSE. SO I MAY ONLY GET TO WATCH THREE THIS YEAR AND THEN THE OTHERS ARE GOING TO BE ONLINE, BUT IT WOULD ONLY BE FOR THOSE STUDENT ATHLETES AND THEIR FAMILIES, BECAUSE WITHOUT THE STUDENT ATHLETES, WE DON'T HAVE THE SPORTS, WE DON'T HAVE THE TEAMS AND IT'S JUST TO HELP BREAK SOME OF THAT STRESS. AND SOME OF THAT ANXIETY THAT WE'RE SEEING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND WITHIN, WITHIN OUR SYSTEM. AND SO IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT I FELT WAS, WAS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO TO, TO CONTINUE TO HELP OUR FAMILIES. SO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT LIKE A TWO MONTH MEMBERSHIP TO THE, UH, AN FHL? IT WOULD BE FOUR. THAT IS CORRECT. SO SAY I'M, I'M AT SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY USE THE NFAS, UM, AND I'M I'M BASKETBALL. [01:30:01] THEY, THEY PAY FOR THAT. AND THEN THAT PARENT WOULD SUBMIT A REIMBURSEMENT TO THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT. OKAY. AND THEN MR. CUP WOULD HAVE TO VERIFY THAT THAT STUDENT, THAT, THAT PARENT, OR THAT IS SUBMITTED THAT ONE, IT IS A RECEIPT AND TWO, THAT, THAT ATHLETE IS ON A ROSTER. AND THEN HE WOULD SIGN THAT AND SEND THAT UP TO, TO US TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS THEN A REIMBURSABLE TO THAT PARENT. BUT ONLY FOR THE, IN THAT INSTANCE, WHAT ABOUT VOLLEYBALL? WELL, WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT VOLLEYBALL WHEN WE GOT TO VOLLEYBALL TO, DEPENDING UPON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE VACCINE. YEAH. I DIDN'T WANT TO THROW AN UMBRELLA OVER EVERY SINGLE SPORT, BUT IT COULD VERY WELL BE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE STILL HAVE SOME LIMITATIONS IN VOLLEYBALL WHEN IT COMES AROUND FOR THAT SEASON. IT, THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT IT'LL MOVE AS IT'LL BE FLUID WITH WHATEVER SPORTS GOING ON, BASED ON WHAT THE GUIDELINES, WHAT THE GUIDELINES ARE. AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE, I WAS JUST GOING TO THROW THIS REQUEST OUT THERE AND LOOK AT THIS FOR THE WINTER SPORTS. AND THAT IS BASKETBALL AND THAT IS WRESTLING BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW. AND WE MAY HAVE SOME FAMILIES THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY, THEY ARE STRUGGLING TO, TO DO OTHER THINGS, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT, THAT SUBSCRIPTION BECAUSE THEY WANT TO WATCH THEIR CHILD PLAY. AND WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THEY CAN DO THAT. I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA. UM, IF I HAD A CHILD THAT WAS A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL AND ME AND MY WIFE HAD TO SPLIT A TICKET, THAT'D BE A HEARTBREAKER. I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE A HEARTBREAKER. AND, UH, I THINK THAT YOU AND MR. BALLANTINE HAVE PROVEN TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR MONEY THAT OUR TAXPAYERS PAY FOR. I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S A GREAT GESTURE AND I THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR, OUR FAMILIES. I REALLY DO, UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS. YEAH. UM, AND BECAUSE HE'S GOT EXPERIENCE WITH IT, AND I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO HAVE AN ANSWER TONIGHT, MR. SMITH, I DON'T WANT TO BE PETTY, BUT I'VE SEEN S NOT SIMILAR THINGS, BUT I'VE SEEN THINGS LESS, A VALUE THAN THIS MESS UP A STUDENT'S CAREER IS THIS, THE VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE WOULD APPROVE THIS, THIS ISN'T CONSIDERED AN INDUCEMENT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. AND THE NCAA WOULD NOT LOOK UPON IT AS IS ANY UNFAVORABLE GIFTING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. YEAH. THE NCAA ITSELF WOULDN'T EVEN APPLY IN THIS SITUATION BECAUSE THE STATE OF ATHLETES OR ANY OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS ARE AFFILIATED WITH A UNIVERSITY OR COLLEGE THAT WOULD FALL UNDER THE NCA. SO THE NCAA ITSELF IS, UM, WE HEAR MORE ABOUT THEM, BUT, BUT IT WOULDN'T AFFECT THEM, UH, ELIGIBILITY, THAT TYPE OF THING. NO, IT WOULD BE, I MEAN, THIS IS, UM, NOW THIS, THIS, THIS DOESN'T AFFECT A CHILD'S ELIGIBILITY. THIS ISN'T A, UH, I WOULDN'T THINK IT'S A GIFT TO THE STUDENT. IT'S A REIMBURSEMENT FOR AN EXPENSE TO THE PARENT THOUGH, TO THE BANK. YEAH. YOU KNOW, TO SOME DEGREE HERE, YOU CAN ALMOST VIEW IT AS YOU'RE PROVIDED A CHROMEBOOK FOR EVERY JOB. OKAY. WELL, UM, WHICH IS PROBABLY A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE THAN TAKING IT INTO A BALL GAME AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS. AND, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, IF THERE'S NOT A VIOLATION OR ANYTHING THAT WOULD AFFECT THE CHILD'S ELIGIBILITY, UH, BECAUSE OF THIS, I MEAN, REALISTICALLY AS A SCHOOL DIVISION, AT ANY TIME, WE CAN OPEN OUR GATES UP TO ALL OUR GAMES AND SAY, EVERYTHING'S FREE FOR EVERYONE THAT COMES IN. WE HAVE THAT WE HAVE THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT DECISION. UM, AND SOME PLACES DO THAT. UM, WE ALSO, AS A SCHOOL BOARD, UH, PUT MONEY TOWARD THE ATHLETIC PROGRAMS IN GENERAL, THERE'S A LINE ITEM BUDGET THAT HELPS WITH SOME OF THE, SOME THAT ARE PHRASED SOME OF THE COSTS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. BUT HE'S ALWAYS BEEN VERY APPRECIATIVE EVEN WHEN I WAS IN THAT POSITION AND THOSE TYPE OF THING. SO THERE IS MONEY THAT'S FLOWING IN THERE, THAT'S IN THERE TO HELP ALL THE PROGRAMS. THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY THAT THE SCHOOL DIVISION IS ATTEMPTING TO KIND OF LESSEN SOME OF THE BURDEN AND LESSEN SOME OF THOSE AND THAT, AND THAT, UH, REIMBURSEMENT IS GOING TO GET A PARENT. UM, IT'S NOT KNOWING BECAUSE OF THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CHILD. I JUST I'VE, LIKE I SAY, I'VE SEEN CRAZIER THINGS, GET A STUDENT ATHLETE IN TROUBLE, [01:35:01] AND I'D HATE TO HAVE SOMEBODY TRYING AND PULL SOMETHING. IF, IF WE MADE IT TO THE STATES AND WRESTLING AND HAVE SOMEBODY SAY THEY HAVE TO VACATE THEIR TITLE, BECAUSE THEY WERE PAYING THE PARENTS TO WATCH THEIR KIDS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. WE CAN MAKE SURE AS WELL, I'M REALLY CONFIDENT ON THAT STATEMENT, ANY TYPE OF BEARING, BUT WE CAN EASILY FOLLOW IF YOU'RE GETTING YOUR ICE DELAY TOMORROW AND GET CLARIFICATION FROM DR. HALL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. OKAY. AND I'VE ALREADY WORKED WITH THIS THROUGH BOTH ATHLETIC DIRECTORS. YEAH. AT BOTH AT BOTH HIGH SCHOOLS, LIKE IT MAKES THE MONEY. YEAH. WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS ONLY COVER THE COST OF LIVE STREAMING EVENTS FOR THE PARENTS OF OUR STUDENTS, ATHLETES IN BASKETBALL AND WRESTLING. SO IT'S NOT GOING TO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, POST HEARING, NONE MOTION CARRIES, UH, EXCEPT, UH, [9E. Acceptance of Donation - Dr. Ballenger] OF A DONATION. DR. BALLENGER, MS. LINDA HUNT. I TEACH OUR SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL HAS DONATED $300 TO THE SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL ANGEL TREE. OKAY. VERY NICE. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE THE DONATION OF $300 TO THE SKYLINE MIDDLE-SCHOOL ANGEL TREE BY MS. LINDA HUNT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AYE. POST HEARING, NONE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, MS. HUNT, NEXT UP APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION [9F. Approval of Resolution Authorizing Payment of Bills in Emergency Situations and in Months with Only One SchoolBoard Meeting - Mr. Ballentine] AUTHORIZING PAYMENT OF BILLS IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. AND IN MONTHS WITH ONLY ONE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, MR. BALLANTINE, GOOD EVENING. AND THE NEXT TWO ITEMS THAT I'LL BRING TO FORWARD FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OR ITEMS THAT I DO EACH YEAR AT THIS FIRST MEETING OF THE NEW CALENDAR YEAR, THE CODE OF VIRGINIA AND SCHOOL BOARD POLICY BOTH PROVIDE FOR THE DRAWING OF SPECIAL WARRANTS. AND WHEN WE SAY SPECIAL WARRANTS, THAT BASICALLY IS A CHECK THAT YOU APPROVE PAYING TO A VENDOR PRIOR TO SCHOOL BOARD APPROVAL. IF THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS BY RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED SUCH A PROCEDURE. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DO THIS EVENING IS TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR THIS. AND THE REASON IS THAT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THERE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE IT IS ADVISABLE OR EVEN NECESSARY TO ISSUE A PAYMENT. PRIOR TO THE NEXT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, THESE TYPE OF CIRCUMSTANCES MAY INCLUDE SUCH THINGS AS THE PAYMENT OF UTILITY BILLS, DEBT, SERVICE, PAYMENTS, INSURANCE BILLS, CONTRACTOR PAYMENTS, CREDIT CARD BILLS, EMERGENCY PARTS, OR SUPPLIES THAT MUST BE PAID FOR AT THE TIME OF DELIVERY, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. IN THESE CASES, THE DELAY IN PAYMENT MAY INCUR ADDITIONAL COSTS OR EVEN AFFECT THE NORMAL OPERATIONS OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION. SO WE'D ASK THAT YOU ADOPT THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION AND IN DOING SO IN THOSE MONTHS WHERE YOU ONLY HAVE ONE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, WHICH IS TYPICALLY JULY AND DECEMBER, THAT YOU WOULD ALLOW US TO GO AHEAD AND DO THAT SECOND PAYMENT OF BILLS AS IF YOU WERE MEETING THAT SECOND MEETING OF THE MONTH. AND THEN WE PRESENT THESE ALWAYS TO YOU AT THE NEXT MEETING, ALBEIT AFTER THE FACT IN THIS CASE, BUT WE DO PRESENT THEM TO YOU. AND OF COURSE, IT'S PUBLIC RECORD AT THAT POINT. ALSO BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. YOU MIGHT HAVE. ANY QUESTIONS, HAVE A MOTION. THAT'S THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PAYMENT OF BILLS IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. AND IN MONTHS WITH ONLY ONE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING BE ADOPTED ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, AYE. OPPOSED HEARING NONE MOTION CARRIES APPROVAL OF [9G. Approval of Resolution Authorizing Payment of Compensation - Mr. Ballentine] RESOLUTION, AUTHORIZING PAYMENT OF COMPENSATION. MR. BALLANTINE. WELL, MAYBE I SHOULD PRESENT THIS ONE BEFORE. THE ONE I JUST DID BECAUSE THIS IS PROBABLY NEAR AND DEAR TO MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND EVEN SOME OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS HEARTS. AND THAT IS ONE VERY SIMILAR IN NATURE, BUT IT HAS TO DO WITH THE PAYMENT OF SALARIES AND AGAIN, THE CODE OF VIRGINIA AND SCHOOL BOARD POLICY. UM, LET ME GET TO THE RIGHT. YEAH. I'M AT THE RIGHT THING. OKAY. EXCUSE ME. IN THE WRONG PLACE THERE. OKAY. UM, AND THIS PROCEDURE WAS ALLOW FOR THE PAYMENT OF ALL EMPLOYEES IN SCHOOL, BUS OPERATORS, UNDER WRITTEN CONTRACT AND THE PAYMENT OF ALL OTHER EMPLOYEES WHOSE RATES OF PAY HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD AND FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES, FOR ONES, FOR WHOM WE HAVE RECEIVED A CERTIFIED, WHICH MEANS APPROVED TIME SHEET OR OTHER EVIDENCES OF THEIR SERVICES PERFORMED AND THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED THOSE. SO IN OTHER WORDS, A TIME SHEET FROM THE APPROPRIATE SUPERVISOR SAYING, YES, THIS PERSON WORKED THESE HOURS AND WE PAY AT THE RATE THAT YOU'VE APPROVED WHEN YOU APPROVED YOUR SALARY SCHEDULE EACH YEAR [01:40:01] SCALES EACH YEAR. SO AGAIN, WE WOULD ASK, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION SO THAT WE CAN PAY OUR EMPLOYEES ON A TIMELY BASIS AND KEEP THEM RETURNING TO WORK AND KEEP OUR OPERATIONS GOING. BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THAT. ONE QUESTION. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I MOVED AT THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PAYMENT OF COMPENSATION, BE ADOPTED AS PRESENTED ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AYE. POST HEARING, NONE MOTION CARRIES, UH, [9H. Authorization to Advertise Public Hearing for FY2022 Budget - Mr. Ballentine] AUTHORIZATION IN TO ADVERTISE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PHYSICAL 20, 22 BUDGET. MR. BALLANTINE. OKAY. AND THE LAST ITEM THAT I'M GOING TO ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL ON THIS EVENING IS ONE FOR THE PURPOSE THAT YOU JUST STATED IN THE SUBJECT, THIS ITEM, AND IN THAT THE CODE OF VIRGINIA DOES REQUIRE SCHOOL BOARDS TO HOLD ONE OR MORE PUBLIC HEARINGS, AT LEAST SEVEN DAYS PRIOR TO ADOPTING A BUDGET. NOTICE A SUCH PUBLIC HEARING SHALL BE GIVEN AT LEAST SEVEN DAYS PRIOR TO THE DATE SET FOR THE HEARING AND SHALL BE ADVERTISED IN A NEWSPAPER. HAVING GENERAL CIRCULATION IN THE LOCALITY. WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 BUDGET BE HELD DURING THE FEBRUARY 3RD, 2021 REGULAR MEETING. I WOULD ALSO GO ONE TO RECOMMEND THAT IN CASE THAT MEETING IS CANCELED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER, THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING BE HELD AT THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING, WHICH WOULD BE ON FEBRUARY THE 17TH. THIS IS THE SAME THING WE'VE DONE. I THINK FORTUNATELY, EACH YEAR WE'VE DODGED THE BULLET AND BEEN ABLE TO HAVE THAT MEETING THE FIRST WEDNESDAY IN FEBRUARY, KNOCK ON WOOD. HOPEFULLY WE WILL THIS YEAR, BUT JUST IN CASE THIS WAY, IT DOESN'T DELAY YOUR BUDGET PROCESS. IF WE DON'T ADVERTISE IT THIS WAY AND WOULD HAVE TO MISS THAT MEETING, THEN WE'VE GOT TO GO THROUGH THIS SEVEN DAY ADVANCE NOTICE AND SEVEN DAY, 10 DAY PUBLICATION THINGS. SO WOULD ASK THAT YOU DO APPROVE THIS REQUEST ALSO. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. BALLANTINE, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I'M GOING TO BUILD AUTHORIZATION TO BE GIVEN, TO ADVERTISE FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON FISCAL YEAR 2022 BUDGET FEBRUARY 3RD, 2021 MEETING WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IF THIS MEETING MUST BE CANCELED, THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH, 2021 AT 7:00 PM IN THE MEETING ROOM WITH DIVERSE FIVE MILES LOCATED AT FOUR, FIVE SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, OPPOSED HEARING NONE. MOTION CARRIES. UH, WHO'S COMING FROM MR. FOX. I THOUGHT YOU MAY, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE, OKAY. [9I. Approval of the Leonard F. Maiden DECA Scholarship - Mr. Fox] APPROVAL OF THE LEONARD F MAIDEN DECO SCHOLARSHIP. THANK YOU, LEONARD OR LYNN F MAIDEN WAS ELECTED AS THE FIRST NATIONAL DECA HIGH SCHOOL PRESIDENT. THIS $500 SCHOLARSHIP WILL BE AWARDED TO A GRADUATING WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL DECA STUDENT ANNUALLY. DR. MADAN WAS A GRADUATE OF WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL. HE RECEIVED DEGREES FROM VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY, THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA AND THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA. HE WAS A VETERAN OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY. HE RETIRED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AS PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION. AND WE ARE REQUESTING YOU APPROVE A SCHOLARSHIP IN HIS NAME. OKAY, THANK YOU. HAVE A MOTION. I KNEW THAT WE APPROVE THE LEONARD OF MAIDEN DECO SCHOLARSHIP. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AYE, AYE. POST HEARING. NONE MOTION CARRIES. [9J. Approval of the Brody Michael Athletic Scholarship - Mr. Fox] NEXT UP IS APPROVAL OF THE BRODY MICHAEL ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP BRODY. MICHAEL WAS A FRESHMEN AT SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL. WHEN HE PASSED AWAY FROM AN UNDETECTED HEART CONDITION, BRODY LOVED SPORTS, BUT PLAYING BASKETBALL WAS HIS PASSION. THE GOAL OF THIS SCHOLARSHIP IS TO KEEP BRODY'S LEGACY ALIVE AND HELP YOUNG ADULTS FURTHER THEIR EDUCATION EDUCATION AS BRODY. WHAT HAPPENED? WAIT, HAVE A MOTION, MR. CHAIRMAN. I MOVE THAT. WE APPROVE THE BRODY MITCHELL ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AYE. POST HEARING. NONE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, MS. . ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP IS, [10A. Adopt VSBA Code of Conduct for School Board Members - Chairman and Board Members] UH, ADOPT THE VSBA CODE OF CONDUCT FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, CHAIRMAN, AND SCHOOL BOARD. ALL RIGHT. HAVE YOU ALL READ THROUGH THAT CODE OF CONDUCT? IT HASN'T CHANGED SINCE LAST YEAR THAT I COULD TELL OR THE YEAR BEFORE THAT. SO SOMETHING WE JUST HAVE TO LIVE BY. IT'S A VERY COMMON SENSE. IT IS VERY LIVABLE, STRAIGHTFORWARD [01:45:01] CONDUCT. ABSOLUTELY. DO WE HAVE EMOTION? I MOVED AT THE PROPOSED VSBA CODE OF CONDUCT FOR WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL. BOARD MEMBERS BE ADOPTED AS PRESENTED ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AYE, AYE. POST HEARING, NONE MOTION CARRIES SAYING THAT THAT'S THE LAST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA MEETING ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.