[00:00:02]
ACCORDING TO THE VOTES RECORDED BY THE CLERK, THE SCHOOL BOARD OF WARREN COUNTY DOES HEREBY CERTIFY, BUT TO THE BEST OF EACH MEMBER'S KNOWLEDGE, ONE, ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS, LAWFULLY EXEMPTED FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE VIRGINIA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT WERE DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED MEETING TO WHICH THE CERTIFICATION APPLIES.
AND TWO, ONLY SUCH PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS AS WE'RE IDENTIFIED IN THE MOTION BY WHICH THE CLOSED MEETING WAS CONVENED, WERE HEARD, DISCUSSED, OR CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD.
MR. GRANT, CAN YOU DO A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? SURE.
[2.A. Call to Order - Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Silence - School Board Chair]
THIS MEETING TO ORDER.IF YOU COULD PLEASE STAND WITH ME AND JOIN ME FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE.
[2.B. Accept or Modify the Agenda - School Board]
ACCEPT OR MODIFY THE AGENDA? KNOW, COULD WE COMBINE THE THREE ITEMS REGARDING THE VSBA INTO DISCUSSION UNDER ONE SINCE THEY ALL RELATE TO EACH OTHER? THERE A SECOND ON THAT.DOES SHE MODIFY? IS THAT WHAT SHE DID TO COMBINE? SO WE COULD DISCUSS ALL THREE, THE SBA AGENDA ITEMS TOGETHER? YES, PLEASE.
SINCE THEY RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER, NOT A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? WOULD WE STILL BE VOTING FOR THEM EACH SEPARATELY AND WE'RE JUST DISCUSSING TOGETHER? OR WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ON THAT? UM, DEFINITELY DISCUSSING THEM TOGETHER, BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO PROBABLY VOTE ON THEM TOGETHER AS WELL.
ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ON THAT?
IS THAT CORRECT? ALTHOUGH, IN FAVOR OF MODIFYING THE AGENDA TO INCLUDE THE THREE VSBA ITEMS AS ONE DISCUSSION ITEM.
IS THAT CORRECT? I DON'T KNOW.
[2.C. Attendance Award Presentation]
AWARD PRESENTATION, DR.BALLINGER, THAT THEY CAN'T HEAR.
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE IS ESSENTIAL TO THE ACADEMIC SUCCESS.
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT MISSING AS LITTLE AS TWO DAYS EVERY MONTH OR 10% OF THE SCHOOL YEAR CAN HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON STUDENTS AT THEIR REGULAR.
AT, AT THIS, AT EACH REGULAR MONTH, PLEASE.
SCHEDULED MEETING AT THE FIRST OF THE MONTH.
WE ARE GOING TO GIVE OUT ATTENDANCE AWARDS.
ONE FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, UH, THAT HAS THE HIGHEST AVERAGE ATTENDANCE RATE.
ONE FOR THE SECONDARY, UM, THAT HAS THE HIGHEST ATTENDANCE, AVERAGE ATTENDANCE RATE.
AND THEN NEXT MONTH WE WILL ACTUALLY BE HANDING OUT A, UH, MOST IMPROVED.
SO WE WILL LOOK AT, UH, ATTENDANCE RATES AND ALSO GIVING A MOST IMPROVED ON, UM, THE ATTENDANCE RATE FOR, FOR THAT.
SO NEXT MONTH WE'LL BE GIVING AWAY THREE, BUT THIS MONTH WE HAVE TWO SCHOOLS THAT WILL RECEIVE OUR FIRST ATTENDANCE FLAGS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO, TO RECOGNIZE AS ROADS HAD AN AVERAGE ATTENDANCE RATE OF 94.47% FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER.
AND SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL HAD AN AVERAGE ATTENDANCE RATE OF 92.45% FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER.
SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I HAVE THE PRINCIPALS OF EACH SCHOOL'S HERE WITH SOME STUDENTS AND MAYBE SOME FAMILIES.
AND SO I'M GONNA ASK AS ROADS TO COME UP FIRST.
UM, AND THEY'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND THEN RECEIVE THE FLAG.
[00:05:02]
OKAY.DIDN'T I? BR YOU WANNA GO? GOOD EVENING.
BALLINGER, THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING OUR SCHOOL FOR OUR ATTENDANCE AWARDS.
I HAVE SOME STUDENTS HERE WITH US AND THESE STUDENTS, UH, WERE CHOSEN BECAUSE THEY HAD PERFECT ATTENDANCE FOR AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER.
THERE WERE MANY STUDENTS THAT HAD PERFECT ATTENDANCE.
UM, SO WE DID A RANDOM DRAWING TO SEE WHO WOULD BE WITH US HERE THIS EVENING.
SO I'M GOING TO ALLOW THESE STUDENTS TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
DO I SAY THAT? WE'LL LET THE GIRLS GO FIRST, GIRLS, SINCE WE HAVE A KINDERGARTEN, FIFTH, FOURTH, AND FIRST GRADE STUDENT.
SO, MARY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START? HI, MY NAME IS MARY AND I'M IN FIFTH GRADE.
DO YOU WANNA TELL THEM YOUR NAME? OKAY.
THIS IS JACKSON AND JACKSON IN KINDERGARTEN.
SO, UM, THEY ALL, WE ALL SPOKE THIS AFTERNOON AND TALKED ABOUT WHY ATTENDANCE IS IMPORTANT, WHY THEY THINK ATTENDANCE IS IMPORTANT.
SO I JUST ASK IF THEY WOULD SHARE A REASON WITH YOU THIS EVENING.
SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO BEGIN, MARY? I SAID SCHOOL ATTENDANCE WAS IMPORTANT SO YOU COULD AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO USE THE END, THE FUTURE FOR YOU.
SAVANNAH, UM, SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, UM, FUTURE.
CAUSE IF THANK YOU BRILLIANTLY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL THEM WHY SCHOOL INTENDANCE IS IMPORTANT? NO.
UM, BUT WE HAVE AT OUR SCHOOL BEEN DOING SOME CHALLENGES WITHIN OUR SCHOOL LEVEL.
SO WE'RE DOING A MONTHLY SCHOOL CHALLENGE JUST TO SEE WHICH GRADE LEVEL HAS THE HIGHEST ATTENDANCE.
SO FOR AUGUST THE PRIZE WAS EXTRA RECESS AND SECOND GRADE WON THAT WITH 95% AVERAGE ATTENDANCE, AND THE HIGHEST CLASS WAS 96%.
AND THAT WAS MRS. LISA'S KINDERGARTEN CLASS.
AND THEN IN SEPTEMBER, THE AWARD WAS MOVIE AT LUNCHTIME, AND THAT WAS AWARDED TO FIFTH GRADE WITH 96% ATTENDANCE.
AND THE HIGHEST CLASS WAS MRS. MORRIS'S FIFTH GRADE CLASS WITH 97% ATTENDANCE.
AND FOR OCTOBER, OUR PRIZE WILL BE EXTRA PE TIME FOR THE HIGHEST CLASS, THE CLASS WITH THE HIGHEST ATTENDANCE.
AND MRS. O WADE, OUR SCHOOL COUNSELOR, LEADS THAT SHE TAKES CARE OF THE BULLETIN BOARD AND THEY ALSO GO OVER THAT ON MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS EACH MORNING.
SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO KEEP THAT IN FRONT OF EVERYONE SO THAT WE REMAIN FOCUSED ON BEING AT SCHOOL SO THAT WE CAN LEARN.
CONGRATULATIONS YOU GUYS, AND THANK YOU FOR COMING.
BALLINGER AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UH, I'M BOBBY JOHNSON, PRINCIPAL OF SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND I HAVE RILEY POTS HERE, UH, WITH ME THIS EVENING.
UM, WE'VE BEEN REALLY WORKING HARD TO, UH, CHANGE THE CULTURE OF SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND REALLY MAKE IT A GREAT PLACE FOR, UH, STUDENTS TO BE AND REALLY MAKE STUDENTS FEEL WELCOMED AND CARED FOR EACH AND EVERY DAY.
WE TALK ABOUT THAT WITH OUR KIDS ALL DAY LONG AND EVERY DAY.
SHE WANTS TO TELL YOU JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SO, HI, I'M RILEY POTS AND I'M A SIXTH GRADER AT SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I HAVE ENJOYED MY, ALL MY, I AM ENJOYED MY TIME THERE BECAUSE ALL MY TEACHERS ARE AWESOME.
THEY ARE ENCOURAGING AND THEY MAKE LEARNING FUN.
[00:10:01]
ALSO A MEMBER OF FFA AT SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL.I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO JOINING OTHER ACTIVITIES SUCH AS LIKE SOCCER AND JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY.
WE, WE CELEBRATE KIDS, UH, ATTENDANCE.
UH, WE JUST, UH, RECENTLY HAD A, UM, PEP RALLY WHERE WE RECOGNIZED OUR SPORTS TEAMS AND RECOGNIZED ALL THE STUDENTS THAT ARE MEETING OUR BEHAVIOR AND ATTENDANCE GOALS.
UM, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, UH, WE, WE CARE ABOUT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR STUDENTS.
WE, WE TELL OUR TEACHERS TEACHING IS TOUGH, BUT OUR OUR SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL STAFF IS TOUGHER.
SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT THE STAFF HAS PUT IN TO, TO KEEP ENCOURAGING OUR KIDS TO COME TO SCHOOL EACH AND EVERY DAY.
ARE WE SET UP FOR, UM, MR. KING TO JOIN US?
[2.D. Presentation/Information on Proposed Policy Services - Mr. Brad King]
NEXT UP WE HAVE, UM, MR. KING WHO IS WITH SAN ANDERSON.HE'S CURRENTLY OUR SCHOOL BOARD ATTORNEY, AND HE'S GONNA GIVE US, UM, A BRIEF PRESENTATION ON POLICY SERVICES THAT SAN ANDERSON CAN PROVIDE TO OUR, TO WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
ADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UM, IF YOU'LL ALLOW ME A, A MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE FIRST, DR.
BALLINGER, HIS STAFF AND MAYBE SOME OF YOU ON THE FORD HAVE HEARD THIS STORY BEFORE, BUT MY WIFE AND I ARE THE PARENTS OF FORD SONS, ALL OF WHOM GRADUATED FROM HANOVER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND I'M PLEASED TO FOLLOW THAT PRESENTATION BECAUSE NONE OF OUR SONS EVER MISSED A DAY OF SCHOOL THAT WE HAD 52 YEARS OF PERFECT ATTENDANCE IN THE KING HOUSEHOLD.
WE'RE VERY PROUD OF SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT ALL THAT MEANS IS WE SENT OUR KIDS TO SCHOOL TO GET OTHER KIDS SICK WHEN OUR KIDS WERE SICK.
UM, I THOUGHT IF, IF I MIGHT, MADAM CHAIR, I'LL JUST READ THE SYNOPSIS THAT I SENT TO THE BOARD, WHICH I THINK IS A FAIR SUMMARY OF WHAT THE SAND ANDERSON POLICY SERVICES ARE.
AND THEN IF THE BOARD HAS QUESTIONS, I'M CERTAINLY GLAD TO ENTERTAIN THOSE AND TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY FOR THOSE IN THE AUDI.
UM, OUR FIRM SAN ANDERSON REPRESENTS A NUMBER OF SCHOOL VISIONS AROUND THE STATE AND FOR A HANDFUL, HISTORICALLY, WE HAVE PROVIDED A POLICY SERVICE GOING BACK MAYBE 18 OR 20 YEARS.
AND SO IT'S FROM THAT MODEL THAT WE WOULD BE PRESENTING, UH, OR PROVIDED POLICY SERVICES TO THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD SHOULD THE SCHOOL BOARD DECIDE TO ENGAGE US TO DO THAT.
BUT MADAM SHARE, WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I'LL JUST READ, IT'S ABOUT A PARAGRAPH AND A HALF AND I THINK THAT WILL SORT OF, UH, PUT THINGS IN A, IN A NICE BOX FOR PEOPLE HERE AND FOLLOW QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE.
YEAH, THAT'D BE GREAT IF YOU CAN START THERE.
BEAR WITH ME WITH MY READERS HERE.
UM, OUR FIRM PROVIDES POLICY SERVICES BY ATTEMPTING TO TAILOR LEGAL REQUIREMENTS WITH THE PRACTICES OF THE RESPECTIVE SCHOOL DIVISION FOR WHICH WE ARE PROVIDING THE POLICY SERVICE BEGIN.
WE BEGIN BY MEETING WITH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND OR ADMINISTRATORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RESPECTIVE SECTIONS OF THE POLICY MANUAL TO DISCUSS THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS AND PRACTICAL POLICY CONSIDERATIONS.
FOR INSTANCE, WE WOULD MEET WITH THE BOARD ITSELF TO DISCUSS THE BYLAWS AND OPERATING PROCEDURES SECTIONS FOR THE STUDENT SECTION.
WE LIKELY WOULD MEET WITH ADMINISTRATORS FROM THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY LEVELS AS WELL AS CENTRAL OFFICE REPRESENTATIVES.
OF COURSE, WE WILL INCLUDE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS EVEN IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS WHERE APPROPRIATE, REALIZING THAT THE BOARD ITSELF WILL ULTIMATELY RECEIVE THE ADMINISTRATION'S RECOMMENDED POLICIES BY SECTION FOLLOWING OUR LEGAL REVIEW OF COURSE.
AND THEN FOR FIRST AND SECOND READINGS BY THE BOARD, WHICH ARE CURRENTLY REQUIRED BY YOUR EXISTING BYLAW.
WHERE WE'VE COMPLETED THIS EXERCISE IN OTHER SCHOOL DIVISIONS, THE PROCESS USUALLY TAKES BETWEEN 14 AND 20 MONTHS, DEPENDING ON THE VARIOUS CONSTITUENTS AND BOARD QUESTIONS AND SCHEDULES.
WE WOULD HOPE, HOPE TO COMPLETE THE ENTIRE POLICY REWRITE AT A COST BETWEEN 40 AND $50,000 AND WOULD AGREE NOT TO EXCEED $50,000 FOR THAT EXERCISE.
[00:15:01]
AND OF COURSE, WE'LL STRIVE TO DO IT AS EFFICIENTLY AND COST EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE.I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT IN CONTRAST TO SOME OTHER POLICY SERVICES, THIS DOES ALLOW FOR AN INDIVIDUALIZED POLICY MANUAL FOR THE WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THEN REACH SUBSEQUENT YEAR THEREAFTER.
AFTER YOU'VE ADOPTED THE FULL MANUAL AS WE'VE REWRITTEN IT WITH YOU, WE'LL CHARGE OUR THEN CURRENTLY HOURLY RATES FOR ANY UPDATES.
WE CAN'T PREDICT WHAT THAT WILL BE WITHIN ANY CERTAINTY BECAUSE IT WILL DEPEND ON THE ACTIONS OF THE VARIOUS LEGISLATIVE BODIES, INCLUDING ENFORCE THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND DECISIONS BY THE VARIOUS COURTS THAT ARE CONTROLLING THE VIRGINIA.
BUT WE ARE USUALLY ABLE TO SPREAD THAT COST AMONG THE DIVISIONS WHO PARTICIPATE IN OUR POLICY SERVICES.
THAT'S SORT OF A BRIEF OVERVIEW.
UM, THE BACKGROUND IS, LONG AGO I WAS AN IN HOUSE ATTORNEY FOR THE HANOVER COUNTY SCHOOLS AND USED TO HAVE TO DO THINGS WITH PAPER AND WE COULD NOT FIND AT THE TIME TWO OR THREE POLICY MANUALS WITHIN THE DIVISION THAT EVEN LOOKED ALIKE.
AND SO IN AN ATTEMPT TO UNIFORM, SORT OF MAKE THE UNIFORM AND CONFORM THEM, MAKE SURE THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD HAD BEFORE IT ALL ITS PROPER POLICIES, A FORMER DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT THERE WHO LATER BECAME SUPERINTENDENT, UH, IN SOME OTHER SCHOOL DIVISIONS.
AND I WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS WITH THE ADMINISTRATION THERE AND WE FOUND IT A USEFUL EXERCISE NOT ONLY TO MAKE SURE THE POLICIES WERE UP TO DATE, BUT ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ADMINISTRATORS AND THE SCHOOL BOARD HAD BUY IN TO WHAT THEIR POLICIES ARE.
I HOPE THAT'S A HELPFUL EXPLANATION.
UM, JUST STRICTLY FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT, I HEARD YOUR, UM, 14 TO 20 MONTHS REVIEW PROCESS AT NO MORE THAN $50,000.
WOULD WE, AS A SCHOOL DIVISION EXPECT TO PAY HALF OF THAT BEFORE THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, UM, JUNE 30TH, 2023? OR WHAT WOULD YOU ANTICIPATE THE BREAKDOWN OF THAT BEING? WE CAN WORK WITH YOU HOWEVER YOU'D LIKE.
UM, NORMALLY, YOU KNOW, WE, AS WE WOULD FOR YOUR MONTHLY SERVICES, WE MIGHT FILL ON A MONTHLY BASIS SO THAT YOU WOULD BE PAYING IT JUST AS WE GO.
OR IF YOU'D LIKE TO ARRANGE SOMETHING ELSE, WOULD YOU NEGOTIATE THAT? BUT FOR INSTANCE, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE THE LIFETIME OF THE PROJECT, LIKELY WOULD BE ACROSS FISCAL YEARS, I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT THE COST WOULD BE, AND WITH THE CUSTOM TAILORING OF THE POLICY SERVICES, WE WOULD BE ABLE, THIS WOULD ENABLE US TO, INSTEAD OF HAVING THE VSBA WITH JUST BLANKET STATEWIDE, UM, POLICIES, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, TO REALLY LOOK AT, UM, ISSUES THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT MIGHT BE HAVING, UM, CERTAIN AREAS OF CONCERN AND THEN TAILOR POLICIES TO MEET THOSE SPECIFIC DIVISION NEEDS.
ISN'T THAT THE, THE TRUE WONDERFUL.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOME POLICIES, FOR INSTANCE, UM, HOW YOU ADOPT YOUR MEETING IN GENERAL, RIGHT? YOU HAVE A BYLAW REGARDING THAT.
AFTER WE LIKELY WON'T CHANGE THAT UNLESS THERE'S SOME DESIRE OF THE BOARD TO RESHUFFLE THE AGENDA.
BUT WHERE THERE ARE POINTS IN THE LAW THAT ALLOW THE BOARD TO MAKE DECISIONS, UH, OR FOR INSTANCE, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PLACES WHERE THE LAW SAYS, UH, THE SUPERINTENDENT SHALL DEVELOP REGULATIONS.
WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IN MANY SCHOOL DIVISIONS SUBSCRIBE TO A DIFFERENT SERVICE THAT THOSE REGULATIONS DON'T ALWAYS GET WRITTEN.
SO WE WOULD HELP WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE THERE.
I THINK YOU ALL UNDERSTAND THAT SCHOOL BOARDS ADOPT POLICY ADMINISTRATIONS, UH, DEVELOP REGULATIONS, BUT USUALLY PROVIDE THOSE REGULATIONS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.
AND IF THEY ARE OBJECTIONABLE IN ANY WAY, THEN THE SCHOOL BOARD CAN ASK THE ADMINISTRATION TO REVISIT.
BUT MY POINT IS BACK TO WHERE THERE ARE DECISION POINTS IN THE LAW, WE WILL PRESS YOU TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS INFORMING YOU BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE REPRESENTING THE DIVISIONS AROUND THE STATE.
AND FA HERE, COUNTY USES THESE SERVICES.
CORRECT? I REMEMBER YOU SAYING THAT BEFORE.
IN FACT, IT'S THAT THE FORMER SUPERINTENDENT OF THAT SCHOOL DIVISION GM I WAS REFERRING, UM, SEVERAL MOMENTS AGO WHEN WE WERE BOTH IN.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. KING? THANK YOU MR. KING.
[2.E. 2022-2023 Accreditation Update]
WE HAVE THE 20 22 23 ACCREDITATION UPDATE.[00:20:04]
IF THAT GETS SPLIT UP THERE.SO I DID GIVE YOU GUYS ALL A HANDOUT, UM, AND THIS IS JUST KIND OF GIVE AN UPDATE.
UH, FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, REALLY SAY THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES THE EDUCATORS TO, TO MAKE THINGS MOVE, UH, WITHIN A SCHOOL DIVISION AND IN THE CLASSROOM ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND YES, UH, I TELL A LOT OF PEOPLE, MY FIRST THREE YEARS HERE HAVE KIND OF BEEN CHAOTIC BECAUSE ALL I'VE LIVED AT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS WAS, WAS COVID.
AND, AND SO IT WAS ALWAYS WAITING ON THE NEXT ISSUE OR REGULATION COMING DOWN FROM, FROM THIS DEPARTMENT OR THAT DEPARTMENT, OR THIS WAS HAPPENING OR THAT WAS HAPPENING.
WE JUST REALLY WORKING THROUGH THINGS.
AND SO WE KNEW COMING INTO THIS YEAR OR LAST YEAR THAT THAT THINGS MAY BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT AND WE, WE HAD A, SOME GAPS TO FEEL AND, AND WE KNEW GOING INTO THIS YEAR THAT WE STILL HAVE SOME GAPS THAT WE NEEDED TO FEEL.
BUT IT'S THE HARDWORK AND DEDICATION OF OUR FACULTY AND STAFF IS WHAT REALLY MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND, UM, IN WARREN COUNTY.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK AND THE DEDICATION THAT, THAT THEY DO AND THAT THEY HAVE TO OUR, OUR SCHOOL AND AND TO OUR STUDENTS.
SO TWO WEEKS AGO, THE STATE DEPARTMENT DID ISSUE THE FINAL, UM, UPDATE ON, ON ACCREDITATION.
AND SO I DID JUST WANNA MENTION THAT AS FAR AS OUR ACCREDITED SCHOOLS THAT ARE FULLY ACCREDITED, UH, THOSE SCHOOLS ARE AS ROADS ELEMENTARY HILL TO J BARBER ELEMENTARY, LESLIE FOX, KAISER ELEMENTARY, REI JEFFREYS ELEMENTARY, WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL, SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL, AND WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.
AND THAT MEANS ALL INDICATORS ARE AT LEVEL ONE OR LEVEL TWO, AND IT COULD BE THAT THEY HAVE A THREE YEAR COMPOSITE, UM, OR THAT THEY HAVE A TRI TO WHERE ONCE SCHOOLS GET THREE YEARS IN A ROW, THEY GET ANOTHER THREE YEARS OF AUTOMATIC ACCREDITATION.
AND SO SOME SCHOOLS HAVE A TRIENNIAL THAT THEY MAY BE ON THE LAST YEAR, MAYBE THEY'RE ON THEIR SECOND YEAR OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, UM, THAT, THAT WORKS TOWARD ACCREDITATION.
AND SO THOSE SCHOOLS, UM, WERE FULLY ACCREDITED.
UM, OUR TWO SCHOOLS THAT WE KNOW ARE ACCREDITED WITH CONDITIONS ARE E WILSON MORRISON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND AGAIN, THOSE I I WILL SHARE LATER WITH, WITH WHY THOSE SCHOOLS ARE ACCREDITED WITH CONDITIONS.
BUT YOU REALLY HAVE TO HAVE ONE OR ONE OR MORE INDICATORS AT LEVEL THREE.
AND THAT COULD BE OVERALL OR IN GAP GROUPS, UH, DEPENDING UPON WHERE, WHERE IT'S LOCATED TO GIVE YOU A LEVEL THREE RATING, WHICH WOULD THEN MOVE YOU TO ACCREDITED WITH CONDITIONS.
SO WE DO KNOW GOING INTO THIS YEAR THAT OUR AREAS OF FOCUS, UH, SCIENCE AT ALL LEVELS, UH, WE KNOW THAT SCIENCE SCIENCE SCORES ACROSS THE BOARD, WERE, WERE DOWN THIS LAST YEAR AND SCIENCE SCORES ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH WERE DOWN THIS LAST YEAR.
UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH, WITH TEAMS AND, AND COLLABORATIVE MEETINGS, UM, BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND DEPARTMENTS AND JUST, JUST BRINGING THAT CONVERSATION BACK, BACK TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE AND A FOCUS ON SCIENCE.
UM, WE ALSO KNOW THAT WRITING AT BOTH MIDDLE SCHOOLS NEEDED TO BE, UM, WE NEEDED A FOCUS THERE.
UH, SO WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO DEVELOP AS FAR AS FROM THE SIXTH GRADE, SEVENTH GRADE, EIGHTH GRADE, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR WRITING SCORES ARE WHERE THEY, THEY REALLY NEED TO BE.
UM, OUR WRITING SCORES ARE WHAT REALLY BROUGHT OUR ENGLISH ELA DOWN AT BOTH OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS LAST YEAR.
UH, HISTORY, ALTHOUGH HISTORY IS NOT PART OF ACCREDITATION, UH, WE DID SEE A, A DROP IN OUR HISTORY SCORES.
THOSE ARE REPORTED, BUT IT'S NOT A PART OF ACCREDITATION.
BUT WE REALLY WANNA ALSO FOCUS ON OUR HISTORY SCORES AS WELL IN, IN SOME AREAS THAT, THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED.
SO WE'RE ALSO HAVING CONVERSATIONS THERE AS WELL, UM, MEETING WITH THOSE GROUPS TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE'RE REALLY PUTTING A FOCUS ON THE INSTRUCTION IN THE CLASSROOM AND TO MAKE SURE WE JUST HAVE A BETTER ALIGNMENT.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST THING IS, IS ATTENDANCE.
AND ON A SLIDE THAT I'M GETTING READY TO SHOW, YOU'RE GONNA SEE THAT MOST OF OUR SCHOOLS WERE, UM, DOUBLE DIGIT CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, UM, NEXT YEAR.
AND ACTUALLY CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM THIS YEAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE ACCREDITATION, BUT NEXT YEAR IT WILL BE.
AND SO IF THOSE, THOSE TRENDS OF HAVING CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, UH, WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS, UH, CONTINUE, UM, THEN, THEN WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS COULD BE ACCREDITED BECAUSE OF ATTENDANCE.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS, UM, THIS, THIS REALLY SUMMARIZES THIS, THIS CHART.
IT HAS EACH SCHOOL LISTED AND IT LOOKS AT THE, THE OVERALL SUBJECT AREA WITH
[00:25:01]
THE GAP GROUPS.SO YOU LOOK AT ENGLISH AT AS ROADS E WILSON AND MORRISON HILL, AND IT WORKS TO THE, TO THE RIGHT.
AND, AND AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS, YOU CAN SEE THAT, UM, SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL, YOU, THAT'S WHERE YOU FIND THAT THEY ARE ACCREDITED WITH CONDITIONS, UM, BECAUSE OF A LEVEL THREE IN THEIR GAP GROUPS.
AND THEN IF YOU MOVE DOWN, IT'S A LEVEL, UM, LEVEL THREE IN THEIR SCIENCE.
AND SO THOSE, THOSE TWO AREAS IS WHAT REALLY PUT SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL WHEN IT COMES TO ACCREDITED WITH CONDITIONS.
UH, IF YOU LOOK OVER AT E WILSON MORRISON, IT WAS THE SCIENCE THAT PUT THEM IN ACCREDITED WITH CONDITIONS.
UH, YOU ASK YOURSELF, AS I LOOK AT AS ROADS, THEY HAD A 62% PASS RATE IN SCIENCE.
SO YOU'RE ASKING YOURSELF, WHY ARE THEY NOT ACCREDITED WITH CONDITIONS? WELL, THAT GOES BACK TO THAT THREE YEAR COMPOSITE THAT MAYBE THEIR AVERAGE OVER THE THREE YEARS WAS ABOVE A 70.
AND SO THAT ONE DIP ONE YEAR DOES NOT HURT THEM.
WHEN IT COMES TO ACCREDITATION OR THROUGH A TRIENNIAL ACCREDITATION.
UH, THE SAME THING HAPPENS IF, IF YOU GO OVER TO RUSTY JEFFRIES, YOU LOOK AT THAT, THAT'S A 61.9%.
UM, OR IF YOU EVEN LOOK AT LF K, UH, THEY WERE ACTUALLY IN A RED AND IT IS A 40, LET ME FIND IN THERE, 59.92%, WHICH WOULD HAVE IN A NORMAL YEAR, MADE THEM ACCREDITED WITH CONDITIONS.
BUT BECAUSE THEY HAD THAT TRI ACCREDITATION, THEY HAD MADE IT THREE YEARS PREVIOUS, SO THEY GET ANOTHER THREE YEARS, THEN THIS IS THE LAST YEAR THAT THEY ARE CREDITED THROUGH THAT MODEL.
IT HELPS THEM TO REALLY LOOK AT HOW WE CAN GET THOSE SCIENCE SCORES UP TO WHERE NEXT YEAR THEY HAVE TO HIT THE MARK.
UM, BUT I DO WANNA BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO THE CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM.
AND IF YOU LOOK AND WHAT WE REALLY LOOK AT ANYTHING 15%, UM, AND ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS WERE, WERE ABOVE THAT.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE REALLY MAKING A FOCUS ON ATTENDANCE THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE, WE KNOW THAT IT, ONE, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR STUDENTS TO BE IN SCHOOL BECAUSE IF, IF, IF THEY MISSED, THEY DON'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
UM, AND, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GIVING EVERY CHILD EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED.
AND SO ATTENDANCE IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT IF WE DO NOT IMPROVE ON THAT CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, THEN WE COULD SEE, UH, SCHOOLS NEXT YEAR POSSIBLY BEING ACCREDITED WITH THE CONDITIONS BECAUSE OF ATTENDANCE RATES, UM, AT THE SCHOOLS.
BUT RIGHT NOW, I THINK WE'RE GETTING OFF TO A GOOD START WITH ATTENDANCE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND SCHOOLS ARE REALLY WORKING HARD.
WE HAVE OUR MONTHLY ATTENDANCE MEETINGS, UM, AS A DIVISION, UM, TAKING THOSE IDEAS BACK TO SCHOOLS TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE AND ENHANCE.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY A FOCUS THIS YEAR FOR US AS WELL.
UM, AND THAT'S REALLY IT AS FAR AS GOING OVER THE ACCREDITATION.
UH, JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN UPDATE.
THE LAST UPDATE, UH, MRS. WALTON CAME IN.
SHE GAVE YOU A BREAKDOWN HOW ACCREDITATION WORKS, AND THAT WAS BEFORE, UM, ANYTHING WAS FINAL.
UH, THAT WAS, I BELIEVE BACK IN MAY OR JUNE WHEN SHE GAVE THAT.
SO SHE WAS WORKING OFF OF JUST RAW NUMBERS OF SOL ASSESSMENTS.
UH, THIS IS THE FINAL, UH, PIECE OF THAT PUZZLE AND, AND IT'S DONE FOR THIS YEAR.
AND SO, UH, WE'RE READY AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD AND, AND MOVING IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE WHERE WE'RE GONNA GO.
[2.F. Community Participation]
WE HAVE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION.IT IS THE DUTY OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE SCHOOL BOARD WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE COUNTY SHERIFF AS NECESSARY TO CONDUCT THE MEETING IN AN ORDERLY MANNER AND TO LIMIT DISCUSSION TO TOPICS RELEVANT TO THE ISSUE BEFORE THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION.
PERSONS ADDRESSING THE SCHOOL BOARD ARE ADVISED TO LIMIT THE REMARKS TO THOSE RELEVANT TO THE PENDING ITEMS. NO PERSONS IN ATTENDANT SHALL BE ALLOWED TO VOICE REMARKS EXCEPT AS RECOGNIZED BY THE CHAIRPERSON OR THE CLERK OF THE BOARD AFTER AUDIBLY STATING THEIR NAME AND WHOM THEY REPRESENT.
IF APPLICABLE, NO PERSON SHALL BRING INTO THE BOARDROOM ANY SIGN, BANNER, OR OTHER SUCH ITEM WHICH WOULD INTERFERE WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN SEEING, HEARING OR OTHERWISE PARTICIPATING IN THE MEETING.
PROVIDED THAT MODELS, PHOTOS, MAPS, CHARTS, DRAWINGS, AND OTHER SUCH DEMONSTRATIVE MATERIALS INTENDED FOR USE IN A PRESENTATION BY A SPECIFIC PERSON SHALL BE PERMITTED UPON RECOGNITION BY THE CHAIR OR THE CLERK OF THE BOARD.
THE SPEAKER SHALL ADDRESS THE SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR CONFINE THEIR COMMENTS TO ISSUES OF PUBLIC CONCERN RELATING TO THE OPERATION OF WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS REFRAIN FROM WORDS OR STATEMENTS, WHICH FROM THEIR USUAL CONSTRUCTION AND COMMON ACCEPTANCE ARE DEFAMATORY TO SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS OR TEND TO VIOLENCE OR BREACH OF THE PIECE.
REFRAIN FROM OBSCENITY AND VULGARITY.
[00:30:01]
STAY WITHIN ALLOTTED TIME AND STOP SPEAKING.WHEN DIRECTED BY THE CHAIRPERSON GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS IN THE AUDIENCE CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE DETRIMENTAL TO OR DISTURBING.
THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE MEETING WILL BE ASKED TO REFRAIN FROM SUCH CONDUCT ONCE ANY ADDITIONAL DISTURBANCE AFTER THE WARNING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.
AND THE CHAIRPERSON WILL LAST THE COUNTY SHERIFF TO REMOVE THE INDIVIDUAL GROUP OR CLEAR THE BOARDROOM SO THAT THE BOARD CAN CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION WHEN RECOGNIZED.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, WHETHER YOU ARE A COUNTY RESIDENT, PARENT OF WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT OR AN EMPLOYEE OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION, AND LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES.
SO JUST IN SUMMARY, IT'S THREE MINUTES AND I WOULD JUST LIKE EVERYONE TO REMEMBER TO PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL OF EACH OTHER.
THERE'S NO REASON FOR ANY CHEERING OR BOOING OR OTHERWISE ENGAGING WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE.
WE HAD A MEETING A COUPLE OF, UH, WEEKS AGO, UM, WHERE IT BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO HEAR THE PERSON THAT'S SPEAKING AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR EVERYONE TO GET THEIR THEIR WORD TO US, UM, IN THAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT.
WITH THAT, MR. GRANT WHO WAS SIGNED UP FIRST IS JOHN LUNDBERG.
MY MESSAGE TONIGHT IS QUITE SIMPLE.
DON'T RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP IN THE VIRGINIA STATE SCHOOL BOARD OF CREDIT, UH, ASSOCIATION, THE VSBA IS AN ANTI PARENT, ANTI-GOD, ULTRA LEVEL LOBBYING GROUP SUPPORTED BY TAX DOLLARS.
THEIR POLICIES EFFECTIVELY PUSHED THROUGH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION HAD RESULTED IN ROCKETING EDUCATION COSTS AND A POLLUTED CURRICULUM.
HERE ARE FIVE REASONS I COULD CITE MANY, MANY MORE.
WHY VSBA DOESN'T DESERVE A PENNY OF TAXPAYERS MONEY.
REASON NUMBER ONE, THEY CLAIM TO BE A NONPARTISAN GROUP.
NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.
THERE IS PARTISAN AS YOU CAN GET.
REASON NUMBER TWO, LAST YEAR THEY DEVELOPED AND STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT ALL 133 VIRGINIA SCHOOL DISTRICTS ADOPT A TRANSGENDER POLICY THAT ALLOWS STUDENTS IN SCHOOL TO USE WITHOUT THEIR PARENTS' KNOWLEDGE.
I REPEAT WITHOUT THEIR PARENTS' KNOWLEDGE, THE PRONOUN BATHROOM AND LOCKER ROOM OF THEIR CHOSEN GENDER IDENTITY, NOT THEIR BIOLOGICAL SEX.
SHAME ON WARREN COUNTY FOR BEING ONE OF ONLY 13 SCHOOL DISTRICTS OUT OF A TOTAL OF 133 TO ADOPT THIS POLICY.
REASON NUMBER THREE OF THE SEVEN BASIC SERVICES THAT VSBA OFFERS SCHOOL DISTRICTS EXPERTS SAY MUCH BETTER HELP IS AVAILABLE IN ALL SEVEN AREAS FROM PRIVATE SOURCES, MOST OF THEM AT A MUCH REDUCED RATE.
REASON NUMBER FOUR, VSBA LEADS THE FIGHT EACH YEAR IN RICHMOND TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF RELIGIOUS EXEMPTIONS GRANTED THE VIRGINIA'S RAPIDLY GROWING HOMESCHOOLING COMMUNITY.
WHY IS VSBA SO DETERMINED TO PREVENT THESE FAMILIES FROM EXERCISING RELIGIOUS LIBERTY RIGHTS? REASON NUMBER FIVE, AND MY LAST ONE IS WHY DOES VSBA ALLOWS CHIEF LOBBYISTS STACEY HANEY TO CONSTANTLY MOCK CONSERVATIVE PARENTS AND CONSERVATIVE MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY? ALSO TO OPENLY BRAG ABOUT THE LIBERAL EDUCATION LAWS AND POLICIES SHE HELPED PASS.
AND THE CONSERVATIVE ONE SHE HELPED DEFEAT.
ISN'T STACY NONPARTISAN, BUT STACY HANEY SHOULD BE FIRED.
LAST FISCAL YEAR, TAXPAYERS IN WARREN COUNTY PAID 77 MILLION.
YES, 77 MILLION TO EDUCATE 5,000 STUDENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THAT'S F 15,400 PER STUDENT PER PER YEAR.
THE FIGURE IS INSANE AND IT'S LARGELY RESULT OF VSBA IN RICHMOND DEVELOPING IN PASSING LAWS AND POLICIES IN THE GENERAL ALUM ASSEMBLY IN THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
WARREN COUNTY CAN DO MUCH BETTER ON ITS OWN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LISTENING.
GOD BLESS AMERICA AND GOD BLESS WARREN COUNTY.
I HAVE STUDENTS THAT ATTEND WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UM, I TRY TO GET THIS IN UNDER FOUR, THREE MINUTES.
SO I SIGNED MY NEPHEW UP TO FINISH IT UP FOR ME.
FOR YEARS I'VE BEEN WRITING TO THE SUPERINTENDENT, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS ABOUT BEHAVIOR IN THE SCHOOLS BEING SWEPT UNDER THE RUG, KIDS BEING IGNORED, AND THE LACK OF RULES AND CONSEQUENCES IN THE SCHOOL.
JUST LAST YEAR I WROTE TO ALL OF YOU, THE POLICIES BE PUT IN PLACE
[00:35:01]
FOR TECH KIDS FROM HAVING TO SIT AND LISTEN TO SOMEONE CALLED IN THE N-WORD AND MAKING THEM FEEL LIKE THE ONLY WAY IT WILL STOP IS BY FIGHTING A REQUEST.I FEEL THAT IS MORE THAN UNDERSTANDABLE YET AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, MY NIECE WAS CALLED THE N-WORD IN THE SAME PRINCIPAL I HAD THIS DISCUSSION WITH LAST YEAR, TELLS MY SISTER I WILL CALL AROUND TO OTHER SCHOOLS TO SEE HOW THEY ARE HANDLING THE USE OF THE N WORD.
THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO REASON I SHOULD HAVE TO COME TO YOU TO TELL YOU THIS IS AN OFFENSE THAT NEEDS TO HAVE CONSEQUENCES.
THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE FOR MANY KIDS OVER THE YEARS, AND IT IS NEVER HANDLED CORRECTLY.
PARENTS AND KIDS HAVE GIVEN UP ON THINGS OF EVER CHANGING.
YOU HAVE BEEN BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE GROUP CHAT THAT CONTAIN MANY RACIAL SLURS.
YOU HAVE HEARD FROM PARENTS AND I ASSUME ADMINISTRATION.
WHAT I WANNA ASK YOU TONIGHT IS HOW MUCH YOU KNOW ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR SCHOOLS.
IF PARENTS ARE NOT CALLING OR EMAILING YOU ABOUT HOW BEHAVIORAL, HOW ARE BEHAVIORAL ISSUES BEING REPORTED TO YOU? I HAVE SOME NUMBERS.
THE SCHOOLS ARE REQUIRED TO TURN INTO THE STATE ABOUT BEHAVIOR ISSUES.
AND THESE NUMBERS GIVEN BY WARREN COUNTY SCHOOLS ARE COMPLETE LIES.
PARENTS CAN'T GET REPORTS FROM THE SCHOOL OR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
ADMINISTRATORS HAVE PROVEN TO LIE AND COVER UP THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS.
SO WHO HAS THE ACCURATE NUMBERS? WHO CAN TELL ME WHAT OUR KIDS ARE FACING EVERY DAY AND WHY AREN'T ACCURATE NUMBERS BEING REPORTED? WHETHER IT'S RACIAL SLURS OR BULLYING, I DON'T CARE.
I DO NOT WANNA SEE ANY CHILD'S LIFE RUIN.
I JUST WANNA SEE ADULTS AROUND THEM, HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE WHEN BAD'S DECISIONS ARE MADE.
I WANT THE KID WHO'S HEARING THESE NEGATIVE THINGS TO KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE AROUND THEM THAT BELIEVE IN THEM AND WILL PROTECT THEM.
THAT CURRENTLY DOES NOT EXIST.
THIS SITUATION, I, WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL HAS BEEN HANDLED WRONG FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
OVER A HUNDRED KIDS WERE INVOLVED IN THIS CHAT.
NO EMAIL OR PHONE CALLS SENT OUT TO PARENTS, LETTING THEM KNOW OF THE SNAPCHAT INCIDENT WITH RACIAL SLURS, PHOTOS OF A GUN, NOTHING ABOUT, PLEASE TALK TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND WHAT IS APPROPRIATE, NOT APPROPRIATE, NOTHING ABOUT, IF YOUR KID KNOWS MORE ABOUT THIS INCIDENT, PLEASE CONTACT US.
NOTHING ABOUT IF YOUR CHILD WAS NEGATIVELY AFFECTED BY WHAT THEY SAW, PLEASE CONTACT US.
WHAT DOES THE SCHOOL WOULD IMMEDIATELY DO? THEY PICK WHO'S RIGHT, WHO'S WRONG BEFORE HAVING ANY FACTS PUNISHING KIDS AND INVOLVING THEM IN A SITUATION THEY WEREN'T IN PUNISHING ONE KID NOT THE OTHER.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IGNORING THE FACT THAT THESE SNAPS AND THE THINGS THEY ARE HEARING IN SCHOOL ARE VERY HURTFUL.
AT NO POINT WERE ANY OF THESE KIDS EVER ASKED, ARE YOU OKAY? YOU SAW THOSE SNAPS, WOULD YOU ASK THOSE KIDS? THANK YOU MS. PATTON.
HI, I'M JAYDEN, UM, A STUDENT AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.
IS IT OKAY IF I CONTINUE? I I CONTINUE THE DAMAGE.
WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS INFLICTING ON.
STUDENTS WILL BE LASTING, KIDS ARE BEING FORCED TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
HOW MANY ALONE DID YOU LOSE THIS YEAR? YOU CAN'T KEEP IGNORING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS AND EXPECT GOOD OUTCOMES.
ALLOW YOUR ADMINISTRATION TO LIE ABOUT NUMBERS AND WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING IN YOUR SCHOOLS.
GOING TO SCHOOLS AND KNOWING YOUR ADMINISTRATION, TEACHERS DO NOT SUPPORT WHAT'S HAP DO NOT KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR SCHOOLS.
AND YOU JUST WANT TO KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN AND DON'T RESPOND.
JUST KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN AND DON'T RESPOND.
WELL, I NEVER WANTED MY KID OR ANY OTHER KID TO KEEP THEIR HEAD DOWN AND JUST ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BE MISTREATED.
HOW DO YOU THINK KIDS USE BEING CALLED THE N WORD ONLINE OR IN SCHOOL FEEL RIGHT NOW? PARENTS NEED TO BE INVOLVED IN WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE SCHOOLS.
MOST PARENTS WOULD BE FURIOUS TO KNOW THEIR KIDS ARE BULLYING SOMEONE, PICKING ON SOMEONE OR JUST BEING UNKIND.
WHETHER IT'S PRIVATE IN MEETINGS OR A PHONE CALL SAYING, HOW WE ARE HEARING ABOUT THIS OR THIS IS BEING, OR THIS IS BEING SAID BY YOUR CHILD.
WHETHER IT'S HAVING EMAILS OR PHONE CALLS BEING SENT OUT MONTHLY OR QUARTERLY MEETINGS WITH PARENTS IN ADMINISTRATION.
PARENTS IN THE SCHOOLS HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER AND, AND THERE IS EVEN GOING IF THERE'S EVER GOING TO BE A CHANGE, WHAT IS HAPPENING IN WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL RIGHT NOW IS NOT OKAY.
BUT THE FACT IS HAPPENING IN OTHER SCHOOLS IN WARREN COUNTY, PARENTS SHOULD HAVE TO FIGHT FOR THEIR KIDS TO BE PROTECTED IN SCHOOL.
THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO FIGHT FOR SITUATION TO BE DEALT WITH HONESTLY AND FAIRLY.
PARENTS SHOULDN'T HAVE TO FIGHT FOR YOU TO FOLLOW RULES YOU ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE, RIGHT OR WRONG, GOOD OR BAD, WHITE OR BLACK, WHERE THE LABELS ARE BEING PUT ON THEM BY THESE KIDS.
THEY DESERVE TO FEEL FA SAFE AT SCHOOLS.
THEY DESERVE TO HAVE EXPECTATIONS PUT ON THEM BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE WORTHY.
WHEN THEY HAVE DONE SOMETHING WRONG, THEY DESERVE TO BE ASKED IF THEY'RE OKAY.
[00:40:01]
STOP SWEEPING THIS UNDER THE RUG.STOP FORCING PEOPLE TO REMOVE THEIR KIDS FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS JUST TO KEEP THEIR KIDS SAFE.
STOP SIDING WITH SCHOOLS AUTOMATICALLY AND ASK A HARD QUESTION.
STOP THIS BEFORE ANOTHER CHILD TAKES THEIR OWN LIFE.
HE, HE, STEVE, HE STEVE, HE FROM, UH, WARREN COUNTY.
I, UH, SENT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR, TO THE ROYAL EXAMINER AND THEY PUBLISHED IT YESTERDAY AND I WANTED TO READ IT TO THE, FOR THE RECORD AS WELL AS FOR ANYBODY ELSE THAT HASN'T READ IT.
WILL WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD VOTE TO GIVE YOUR TAX MONIES TO THE LIBERAL LOBBYING GROUP? VSBA VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION.
YOU SAY THAT A VSBA ISN'T RUN BY LIBERALS.
WHILE A SEARCH OF FEC.GOV SHOWS THAT MANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE BEEN, HAVE BEEN GIVEN MONEY TO ACT BLUE, WHICH IS A NONPROFIT GROUP THAT ENABLES LEFT NONPROFITS, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES AND PROGRESSIVE GROUPS TO RAISE MONEY WITH SOME GIVING MONEY TO AL SHARPTON FOR PRES OBAMA, FOR PRES DIMMS FOR NEW YORK, JOHN BROWN FOR CONGRESS AND MORE.
VSBA A'S MAIN STATED GOAL IS TO BE A STRONG LOBBYING VOICE FOR SCHOOL BOARDS IN RICHMOND.
BUT WHAT THEY LOBBY FOR IS THE LIBERAL WOKE AGENDA AND MORE STILL NOT CONVINCED.
VSBA ALSO SPONSORS SEMINARS FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WHERE THEY HAVE HAD SPEAKERS COME TO TELL THEM HOW TERRIBLE YOUNG GUN WILL BE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT HE AND THE REPUBLICANS ARE NOT ELECTED.
WELL, THEY LOST THAT ELECTION AND THEY ASK BOARD MEMBERS TO GO LOBBY THEIR DELEGATES, ENRICHMENT TO RESTRICT GUN LIGHTS, GUN RIGHTS OF VIRGINIA RESIDENTS AND OTHER LIBERAL IDEOLOGY.
WELL, YOU MIGHT SAY THAT THIS IS ALL IN THE PAST, BUT LOOK AT THE, BUT LOOK AT A FUTURE SEMINAR SPONSORED BY VSBA HAS SPEAKERS LIKE KTSA MATTHEWS, WHO IS PART OF THE BIDEN HARRIS ADMINISTRATION, AND THAT DOESN'T SOUND NONPARTISAN.
FAGAN, WHO IS A LEADERSHIP DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVE SCHOLAR AND PRACTITIONER.
SHE IS A FOUND THE FOUNDER OF GLOBAL LEADERSHIP GROUP PRO, PROVIDING CONSULTING AND LEADERSHIP COACHING TO ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITIES AND EXECUTIVES IN THE FIELD OF DIVERSITY INCLUSION AND OTHER WOKE IDEOLOGY.
SO REALLY THE VSBA HAS BEEN AND STILL IS A LIBERAL LOBBYING GROUP.
AND IF YOU DON'T WANT YOUR TAX MONEYS GOING TO SUPPORT SUCH A GROUP, THEN COME OUT AND LET YOUR SCHOOL BOARD KNOW WHERE YOU STAND.
REMEMBER, OWN THE, YOU CAN STOP THE LIBERAL WOKE AGENDA FROM DESTROYING OUR SCHOOLS BY SHOWING UP.
AND MANY PEOPLE HAVE TONIGHT, THANK YOU.
I'M SPEAKING FOR MYSELF AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE CHILDREN OF THIS COUNTY.
I NOTICED A TREND THAT, A THREAD THAT RUNS THROUGH VARIOUS POLICY ISSUES HERE IN WARREN COUNTY.
IN 2018, A LEGISLATURE CAME TO, UH, OFFICE IN RICHMOND AND THEY SAID THEY WANTED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE.
AND THERE WERE THOSE WHO SAID, WE DON'T WANT YOU TO DO THAT.
OKAY? AND SO THEY BASICALLY SAID, WE DON'T CARE WHAT THE LEGISLATURE PASSES.
WE DON'T CARE WHAT THE GOVERNOR SIGNS.
WE DON'T WANT THE LAWS ENFORCED, THEREFORE WE SEEK A SANCTUARY FROM THE, THE ACTIONS OF THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE GOVERNORS LIKE OUR GOVERNORS, LIKE GOVERNORS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, ISSUED ORDERS AND OFFERED POLICIES TO TRY TO HELP US COPE WITH THE GREATEST CRISIS IN PUBLIC HEALTH.
SINCE THE INFLUENCER CRISIS IN 1919.
THERE WERE THOSE WHO WENT BEFORE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND SAID, WE WANNA DECLARE A SANCTUARY.
WE DON'T WANNA FOLLOW ANYTHING.
THE GOVERNOR SAYS, WE DON'T WANT HIS POLICIES, WE'RE GONNA GO ON OUR ON OUR OWN.
SO NOW WE HAVE THIS, THE, UH, VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE STATE, FROM NEWPORT NEWS, ALEXANDRIA, WINCHESTER, BATH COUNTY, AND THEY ALL HAVE A LITTLE BIT MAYBE DIFFERENCE.
MAYBE THEY DON'T ALL THINK THE SAME.
AND, BUT WE DON'T LIKE THOSE KIND OF, THE THREAD SAYS WE DON'T LIKE THOSE KIND OF INSTITUTIONS.
CUZ YOU SEE, IF WE CAN'T BE CERTAIN THAT WE'RE GONNA WIN THE GAME,
[00:45:01]
WE DON'T WANT TO PLAY THE GAME.THIS POLICY, THIS THREAD, THIS MENTALITY OF IF WE CAN'T WIN THE GAME, WE'LL TAKE OUR BALL AND GO HOME IS IN MY MIND, ANTI-DEMOCRATIC.
WE HAVE INSTITUTIONS, AND IN THOSE INSTITUTIONS, BOTH FORMAL AND GOVERNMENT TERMS AND ALSO INFORMAL IN NONPROFIT AND SOCIAL CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, WE HAVE A PROCESS THAT BASICALLY SEEKS THE GREATEST GOOD FOR THE GREATEST NUMBER.
AND IT'S A PROCESS BASED ON A DESIRE FOR COOPERATION AND COMPROMISE.
IT IS EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE OF THE POSITION OF, IF I CAN'T WIN THE GAME, I'LL TAKE MY BALL AND GO HOME.
SO I WOULD URGE YOU, I DON'T THINK ANY OF YOU ON THE BOARD, MOST HAVE NOT SIGNED UP TO BE REFEREES IN THE CULTURE WARS AND OTHER LESS.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO FALL.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GONNA BECOME THE VICTIMS OF.
SO I HOPE YOU WOULD RESIST THAT.
AND I HOPE WHAT YOU WOULD DO IS AVOID URGING ME, AVOID BASICALLY GREASING THE WHEEL WHEELS OF THE SQUEAKY EVER CONSTANT.
NOW I AM A CITIZEN HERE IN WARREN COUNTY.
TONIGHT I STAND HERE TO ADDRESS MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE RECENT PROTEST AGAINST OUR STATE GOVERNOR'S POLICY ON THE PRIVACY, DIGNITY, AND RESPECT FOR ALL STUDENTS AND PARENTS IN VIRGINIA'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THIS PROTEST WAS ORGANIZED BY A SMALL GROUP OF CURRENT STUDENTS AT OUR SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL.
IN READING THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA DAILY, IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS PROTEST OCCURRED DURING SCHOOL INSTRUCTIONAL TIME AND ON SCHOOL PROPERTY.
THIS SMALL GROUP OF STUDENTS CHOSE TO WALK OUT OF THEIR CLASSES AND ONTO THE SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FIELD WHILE PHONING A REPORTER TO RECEIVE COVERAGE OF WHAT THEY WERE DOING.
ALTHOUGH AT THE CURRENT TIME, ALL HAVE FREEDOM ON THIS LAND TO BE WHAT WE WANT TO BE AND TO DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE LAW.
AND I, AS A WARREN COUNTY CITIZEN PARENT OF WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS AND A TAXPAYER IN THIS COUNTY WHO'S HONEST AND HARD EARNED DOLLARS, HELPS SUPPORT AND EDUCATE ALL STUDENTS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM DO NOT FIND IT PROFITABLE.
THAT SUCH ACT SUCH ACTIVITY AS THIS SHOULD TAKE PLACE DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME AS STUDENTS ARE IN THEIR CLASSROOMS TO RECEIVE AN EDUCATION.
NOR DO I FIND THAT ANY SUCH ACTIVITY AS THIS SHOULD TAKE PLACE ON THE GROUNDS OF SCHOOL PROPERTY.
SO I ASK THIS ENTIRE BOARD TO INTENTLY LOOK FURTHER INTO THIS MATTER.
AND I ALSO PERSONALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE THIS BOARD, OUR ADMINISTRATORS, STAFF, STUDENTS AND PARENTS TO STRIVE TO MAKE WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS THE BEST IT CAN BE AND TO NEVER SETTLE FOR LESS.
HELLO, MY NAME'S STEVIE HUBBARD.
I HAVE A STUDENT AT SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL, CAMERON HUBBARD.
YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN ME MANY TIMES.
UM, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS I DIDN'T KNOW THE VSBA THING WAS GOING ON TONIGHT, BUT I'M HERE ABOUT THE N-WORD AGAIN.
UM, I'VE BEEN COMING SINCE MY DAUGHTER WAS IN SEVENTH GRADE, SHE'S NOW A SENIOR.
AND, UM, I AM DISTURBED THAT WE STILL DO NOT HAVE A POLICY.
BALLINGER AT ONE POINT, UM, TO LOOK AT POLICIES, BUT THE POLICIES ARE THERE.
THE ADMINISTRATION IS NOT ENFORCING THEM UNIVERSALLY AT THESE SCHOOLS.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO, UM, I BELIEVE INSTITUTIONAL
[00:50:01]
RACISM IN OUR SCHOOLS WHERE THEY TEND TO FIND BLACK CHILDREN GUILTY OF THESE INCIDENTS WHEN THEY HAPPEN.UM, THOSE SCREENSHOTS THAT YOU GOT, THE BLACK CHILDREN WERE REPRIMAND MANED BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS CALLED AND SAID SOMEBODY HACKED THEIR ACCOUNT AND THEY DIDN'T CALL THEM THE N WORD, BUT THOSE STUDENTS KNEW THAT.
EVERYBODY KNEW, BUT THEIR WORD WAS TAKEN OVER THE BLACK KIDS WORD.
AND THAT'S WHAT CAUSES PEOPLE TO SAY BLACK LIVES MATTER, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T LIKE BECAUSE THEY'RE SAYING THEY MATTER TOO.
BECAUSE OFTEN TIME OUR CHILDREN ARE TOLD THAT YOU DON'T MATTER.
AND EVERY TIME YOU ALLOW A CHILD TO BE CALLED THE N WORD AT SCHOOL, IT PERMEATES THROUGH THAT CHILD AND EVERY LITTLE BLACK AND BROWN CHILD THAT'S BEHIND THEM SEEING THAT.
BECAUSE THEY'RE SAYING, OKAY, WHAT'S THE ADMINISTRATION GONNA DO ABOUT HIM BEING CALLED THIS IN THIS MANNER? AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT SOME RAP SONGS TALK ABOUT IT AND YOU HEAR SOME KIDS SAYING IT IS SLANG.
AND I KNOW THAT CAN KIND OF BE CONFUSING, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT THE INTENT IS? EVERYONE KNOWS WHEN IT'S INTENDED TO BE A JAB.
AND THAT IS WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THESE CHILDREN.
AND FOR THAT PRINCIPAL TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT AM I GONNA DO? SUSPEND THE BLACK KIDS IF THEY SAY IT.
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S A PROFANITY AND MAYBE IT SHOULDN'T BE SAID AT SCHOOL, BUT MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE A POLICY WHERE RACIAL BULLYING IS NOT TOLERATED.
MAYBE YOU HAVE TO FORM IT LIKE THAT.
I KNOW IT'S A TOUGH SITUATION THAT YOU'RE IN, BUT I SHOULDN'T BE HERE FIVE YEARS, SIX YEARS IN STILL ASKING YOU FOR THE SAME THINGS.
I MEAN, THIS IS BUBBLED UP TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT A CHILD, A 12 YEAR OLD BLACK BOY FROM A FIGHT THAT STEMMED FROM SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL, WAS BEATEN BY AN ADULT AND CALLED A STINKY PIECE OF CHARCOAL AND THROWN ACROSS THE GROUND.
I'M WITH THAT FAMILY GOING TO COURT EVERY DAY.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE ADDRESS THESE THINGS AND SAY, THIS IS COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE.
WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS IN SEVENTH GRADE, I ASKED THAT THERE'D BE AN ASSEMBLY.
I BELIEVE ALL THESE KIDS ARE WORTH REDEMPTION.
THAT WAS THE LAST PERSON ON THE LIST.
SO IS THERE ANYONE ELSE OUT HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK THIS EMAIL? OKAY, YOU CAN COME NEXT.
I'M A RESIDENT OF WARREN COUNTY HOMEOWNER, TAXPAYER PAYER OF, YOU KNOW, FUNDING FOR OUR EDUCATION, WHICH IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, UM, THING TO DO.
I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP, AND I ASK YOU, PLEASE DO NOT RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP IN THIS ORGANIZATION.
AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, BUT I THINK IT BEARS REPEATING.
OUR STUDENTS NEED EDUCATION, NOT WOKE, INDOCTRINATION.
TAXPAYER MONEY IS WASTED ON PRODUCING WOKE AGENDA DRIVEN RESULTS THAT WAY TOO OFTEN CONFLICT WITH PARENTAL RIGHTS, BELIEFS AND RESPONSIBILITIES, NOT TO MENTION THE STUDENT'S RIGHTS TO AN UNBIASED EDUCATION, PARENTS AND THEIR SCHOOLS, THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOLS TO LEARN TO THINK AND TO SEE SUCCEED IN ACADEMICS AND PREPARE THEM FOR ADULT LIFE.
PARENTS EXPECT TEACHERS TO SUPPORT THEM, NOT PER THE VSBA TRAINING TO MOCK THEM TO THEIR CHILDREN, AND WORSE YET, TURN THEM AGAINST THEIR PARENTS.
AND AGAIN, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST CITING THE NUMBERS THAT WE SAW.
I WOULD SAY TIME SHOULD BE SPENT ON THE EDUCATIONAL SUBJECTS THAT THE CHILDREN ARE LACKING IN RATHER THAN THIS KIND OF STUFF.
UM, BASICS, READING, WRITING, ARITHMETIC, TEACHING OUR CHILDREN HOW TO THINK.
SO PLEASE GET RID OF SBA THAT UNDERMINES PARENTAL RIGHTS AND NEGATIVELY, NEGATIVELY IMPACTS OUR CHILDREN.
PLEASE VOTE NO TO FUNDING VSBA.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? I THINK SOMEBODY IN THE BACK.
[00:55:14]
GOOD EVENING.LONG TIME WARREN COUNTY RESIDENT.
UM, I'VE ATTENDED SEVERAL, UH, SEVERAL MEETINGS WHERE THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS OR IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE WITH THE BSBA.
IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED QUITE A BIT.
I'VE ALSO ATTENDED MEETINGS WHERE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BANNING BOOKS.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UH, ELIMINATING PROGRAMS THAT ARE MEANT TO ALLEVIATE, ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE BEHAVIOR THAT WE'VE, THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT TONIGHT.
UM, WHAT I HAVEN'T HEARD IS ANY TEACHERS THAT ARE OPPOSED, OR ANY EDUCATOR THAT'S OPPOSED TO THE VSBA AND THE SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE.
UM, I THINK THIS IS A PARTICULARLY BAD TIME TO BE THROWING SAND INTO GEARS OF THE EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENT.
UM, THESE PEOPLE WERE TRAINED FOR THIS.
I THINK WE NEED TO LISTEN TO THEM.
THE ONLY OPPOSITION THAT I'M HEARING SEEMS TO COME FROM AN AGENDA THAT IS KIND OF FILTERING DOWN ON FROM A NATIONAL LEVEL.
WE SEE, UH, WE SEE THE GOVERNOR'S GOT A, A SNITCH LINE THAT HE PUT OUT AGAIN WITH THE BANNING BOOKS.
WE'RE SEEING THIS ALL OVER THE PLACE.
WE'RE HEARING ABOUT ALL KINDS OF, ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS GETTING TEACHERS.
AND IT'S NO WONDER THAT WE'RE HAVING PROBLEMS FINDING TEACHERS BECAUSE WE'RE MAKING IT MUCH HARDER THAN IT NEEDS TO BE.
UM, I THINK, AND I'LL, I'LL BE BRIEF.
I I THINK TEACHERS ARE OUR ULTIMATE ESSENTIAL WORKER.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS ABOUT ESSENTIAL WORKERS AND PEOPLE THAT STOOD UP WHILE, UH, DURING THE PANDEMIC.
AND IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, IT'S BEEN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.
I THINK WE OWE THEM A, UH, DEBT OF GRATITUDE, UH, AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR WHAT THEY DO.
UM, LIKE I SAY, THEY'RE ESSENTIAL WORKERS.
THEY FORM THE BASIS FOR EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN THIS COUNTY THAT WE, I'VE HEARD MANY TIMES IN OTHER MEETINGS WHERE WE TALK ABOUT, UH, WARREN COUNTY AS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE COME IN AND TRAIN AND THEN THEY MOVE ELSEWHERE.
UH, WELL, I THINK WE'RE JUST, I THINK WE SEE A REASON WHY THAT HAPPENS IF WE'RE NOT TREATING PEOPLE PROPERLY THAT DO SUCH ESSENTIAL WORK.
I THINK THERE'S, THAT'S OUR REASON RIGHT THERE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO? YEP.
I'M A WARREN COUNTY RESIDENT AND I HAVE STUDENTS IN WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I DIDN'T COME HERE INTENDING TO SPEAK TONIGHT, AND I DON'T WANNA TAKE AWAY OR DIMINISH FROM THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS HEARD FROM KAREN AND STEVIE TONIGHT.
I HAVE A CHILD IN WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND IT, IT'S APPALLING, BUT I THINK IT FEEDS INTO THE VSBA AND THE DECISION THAT YOU GUYS ARE GONNA VOTE ON TONIGHT WITH THAT.
UM, AND JUST TO SPEAK TO A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID TO YOU GUYS TONIGHT, ONE OF THE REASON A LOT OF EDUCATORS DON'T WANNA EDUCATE ANYMORE IS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT BEING BROUGHT IN TO TEACH CORE SUBJECTS THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE FAILING.
THEY'RE BEING BROUGHT IN TO, TO AFFIRM THEIR DECISIONS IN A VERY CONFUSED STATE OF THEIR TIME AND CHILDHOOD.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY PEOPLE DON'T WANNA EDUCATE.
SECONDLY, IT'S NOT ABOUT TAKING OUR BALL AND GOING HOME.
IF WE WITHDRAW FROM THE VSBA, IT'S ABOUT THEY DON'T REFLECT THE MORALS AND THE THINGS THAT WE AS WARREN COUNTY PARENTS, EDUCATORS, STUDENTS REFLECT.
THEY'RE NOT A REFLECTION OF OUR BELIEFS.
SO THEREFORE, UM, WE SHOULD WITHDRAW FROM THEM TO HAVE ALSO, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULD EVEN CONSIDER CONTINUING THE AGREEMENT WITH THE VSBA WHEN WE'RE GETTING PISSED, POOR LEGAL ADVICE FROM THEM.
I MEAN, YOU ASK A QUESTION ABOUT LEGAL ADVISEMENT, WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS UP TO INTERPRETATION, BUT THE LAW IS THE LAW, AND WE COULD BE SPENDING THOSE FUNDS BETTER TO PAY A LAW FIRM MUCH LIKE FA CARE COUNTY IS DOING.
SO, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE CONVERSATION OF THE VSBA, I'M GLAD THAT WE'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS AND MANY MEETINGS THAT HAVE REFERRED TO THAT BECAUSE IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT AND BIG DEAL.
AND JUST BECAUSE WE'VE ALWAYS DONE SOMETHING SOMEWAY DOESN'T MEAN IT'S THE RIGHT WAY.
SO I'M THANKFUL THAT EACH OF YOU ARE TAKING THE TIME TO DIVULGE INTO THIS TOPIC.
AND I THINK THAT THE CLEAR POINT HERE IS THAT WARREN COUNTY CONSTITUENTS, WARREN COUNTY PARENTS, WARREN COUNTY STUDENTS, AND WARREN COUNTY EDUCATORS DON'T REFLECT THE BELIEFS OF THE VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION.
AND IT'S NOT ABOUT BEING RIGHT OR LEFT, IT'S ABOUT BEING RIGHT OR WRONG.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK THIS EVENING? OKAY, NEXT
[3. Consent Agenda]
UP WE HAVE, UM, THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING.IS THERE A MOTION? MADAM CHAIR? I MOVED THAT THE CONSENT AGENDA
[01:00:01]
BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED.ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? I, I OPPOSE.
[4.A. Superintendent]
ON TO REPORTS.MAD CHAIR THIS MONTH, THIS NATIONAL BULLYING PREVENTION MONTH.
WE ALSO HAVE PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES STARTING ON OCTOBER 10TH.
THAT'LL BE FROM 12 O'CLOCK TO SEVEN O'CLOCK.
SO THAT MEANS NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS BECAUSE, UH, PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES ON OCTOBER THE 10TH STARTS AT 12 O'CLOCK.
UM, AND THEY WILL RUN THROUGH SEVEN O'CLOCK ALSO OCTOBER 11TH.
THAT IS THE END OF THE FIRST NINE WEEKS.
SO REPORT CARDS WILL BE GOING OUT SHORTLY AFTER THAT.
BUT THE END OF THE NINE WEEKS, OCTOBER 11TH ALSO WANTED TO REPORT THAT THE WARREN COUNTY EDUCATIONAL, UM, ENDOWMENT HAD TEACHER WAS PRESENTED WITH TEACHER PRESENTATIONS ON, ON MONDAY TO DETERMINE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS FOR OUR SCHOOLS.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WARREN COUNTY EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION AND PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR TEACHERS TO, UM, REALLY THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX AND, AND TO BRING IN SOME, SOME INNOVATIVE AND, AND NEED IDEAS FOR OUR SCHOOLS AND, AND, AND WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS ON, UM, IN, IN EITHER GROUPS OR INDIVIDUAL BASIS.
SO IT WAS GREAT LISTENING TO THOSE PRESENTATIONS, UM, FROM, FROM THE TEACHERS AND, AND I DO APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH THE WARREN COUNTY EDUCATIONAL, UM, ENDOWMENT.
UH, SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL HAD THEIR HOMECOMING LAST FRIDAY, AND WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL WILL HAVE THEIR, UH, HOMECOMING ON OCTOBER 28TH.
SO THEIR HOMECOMING WILL BE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28TH.
UH, WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, UH, CTE PROGRAMS CURRENTLY HAVE 36 STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN WORK BASED LEARNING INTERNSHIPS, UH, BUILDING TRADES AND CARPENTRY.
STUDENTS ARE PREPARING TO START CONSTRUCTION ON THE NEXT MODULAR HOUSE.
UH, PERMITS ARE IN PLACE AND THE FOUNDATION WORK IS BEGINNING, SO BE NEAT TO SEE THAT THING GO UP.
A GROUP OF E WILSON MORRISON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS SUPERVISED BY MR. MICHAEL WILLIAMS, ONE OF OUR STUDENT SUPPORT COACHES.
AND MISS MC CARTER, ONE OF OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS, TOOK A WALKING FIELD TRIP TO FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH TODAY TO HELP FILL BAGS OF FOOD FOR OUR BACKPACK PROGRAM.
AND THEY'RE VERY PROUD OF THE EFFORTS TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
UH, THE FALL DISC, UH, GOLF CLUB HAS BEGUN AT AS ROADS ON ON SEPTEMBER 20TH.
UH, WE HAVE A TUESDAY AND THURSDAY GROUP.
THERE ARE ABOUT 25 STUDENTS THAT PARTICIPATE AS ROADS, ALSO WILL HAVE THEIR BOOK FAIR OPEN THIS WEEK.
UH, THEY HOSTED FAMILY, UH, FAMILY NIGHT ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4TH, UH, FROM FOUR TO SIX.
AND THEY'RE EXCITED TO SEE FAMILIES AT SCHOOL, UM, AT A SCHOOL CHOOSING NEW BOOKS TO READ.
SO ALSO, I WANNA THANK SOME OF OUR OFFICE STAFF.
YOU KNOW, WE TRANSITION FROM AETNA TO ANTHEM, AND SO THAT PROCESS HAS NOW BEEN COMPLETED.
AND SO I DO WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO, UM, YOU KNOW, MARIA BOTON ARE A BOLTON, OUR BENEFIT SPECIALIST AND HER, HER LEADERSHIP THROUGH THAT TRANSITION.
SO, UH, BUT IT, IT'S, IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, THAT IS TIME CONSUMING AND SO WE WANT DEFINITELY WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO HER AS YOU WORKED THROUGH THAT.
ALSO, THE ROOF AT, UH, PROJECT AT BLUE RIDGE TECH IS, IS PROGRESSING.
AND THEN, UM, LASTLY, WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.
WE, UH, HAD AN EVACUATION TODAY BECAUSE OF A FALSE FIRE ALARM.
UM, SO STUDENTS HAD TO BE EVACUATED.
I KNOW MR. SMITH, I WANT TO THANK MR. SMITH FOR RUNNING OVER THERE.
UM, I WAS IN A MEETING AND, UM, BUT, UH, THEY DID RUN A TEST LATER ON THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, BUT, BUT WE DID HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THAT.
UH, SO EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE RUNNING BACK TO NORMAL RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE AWARE OF.
BUT I DID WANNA NOTIFY YOU THAT WE DID HAVE TO, UM, EVACUATE BECAUSE THE FIRE ALARM STARTED GOING OFF.
UH, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THAT IS MY UPDATE.
[4.B. School Board]
GONNA HAVE SCHOOL BOARD, UH, MEMBER COMMENTS.UM, YEAH, I THINK THE ONLY THING I HAVE TO REPORT THIS MONTH IS THAT WE DID HAVE A, UM, BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, AND WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE SCHEDULED COMING UP.
UM, SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE CONTINUING AND GOING WELL WITH THE, UM, BOARD SUPERVISORS.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT.
TODAY, I DON'T QUITE HAVE A FULL VOICE, SO I'M GONNA SKIP TODAY.
MS. SALANS, UM, THE BUILDING COMMITTEE MET IN SEPTEMBER, AND, UH, I THINK MR. ALDI PHYLLIS IN MORE ON THAT IN
[01:05:01]
A LITTLE BIT.UM, I HAVE BEEN BUSY TAKING A, UM, THEY CALL IT ENOS.
IT'S A, IT'S AN EDUCATION FINANCE COURSE THROUGH, UH, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY THAT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY INFORMATIONAL.
AND THEN, UM, JUST BECAUSE I, I CAN'T LEAVE HERE HAVING LISTENED TO THE POLICE OF PARENTS AND NOT ADDRESS IT, UM, ABOUT THE, THE BEHAVIOR ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON AT OUR SCHOOLS, I WOULD JUST ASK THAT ALL PARENTS, PLEASE, PLEASE LOOK AT YOUR CHILDREN'S SOCIAL MEDIA AT NIGHT.
CONSIDER TAKING IT AWAY FROM THEM AFTER YOU GO TO BED, BECAUSE WE ARE SEEING HORRENDOUS USE OF, OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND PARENTS, YOU CAN STOP THIS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE STILL HERE, BUT IT WAS GREAT ABOUT THESE KIDS COMING AND, UM, WE HAD A SENIOR FROM SKYLINE SPEAK TONIGHT AND, UH, JUST WANTED TO, I DON'T THINK HE'S HERE NOW, BUT IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE FOR AN ADULT TO GET UP HERE AND SPEAK.
AND IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE FOR A STUDENT TO GET UP HERE AND SPEAK.
I REMEMBER BACK IN THE DAY WHEN I CAME TO SPEAK AT, UH, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING ONE TIME, I WAS LIKE, MY PALMS WERE SWEATY AND I WAS, MY VOICE WAS CRACKING.
SO IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE FOR THAT.
UM, THE, UH, BUILDING COMMITTEE, WHEN WE MET WITH, UH, MISS SALANS, UH, WE, UM, UH, STAFF WENT THROUGH AND DID SOME VALUE ENGINEERING ON THAT, AND WE SAVED OR CUT OUT ABOUT $600,000 PLUS.
UM, WHICH I WAS GLAD TO SEE SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE THINGS WERE TAKEN OUT, WE DID NOT, OR THE STAFF DID NOT TAKE OUT AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ANY OF WHAT I CALL THE IMPORTANT THINGS.
SO, UH, I WAS GLAD TO SEE THAT.
UM, AND THAT KEEPS US MOVING ALONG WITH THE FINANCES FOR THE RENOVATION OF THAT SCHOOL.
ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, UH, SAY DITTO TO WHAT MISS SALAN WAS SAYING ABOUT PARENTS AND THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, ACCOUNTS OR THEIR CHILDREN'S CELL PHONE USAGE, ET CETERA.
UH, THERE'S AN ALL SAYING AND, AND FOOTBALL, WHEN YOU KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALL AND IT'LL COME RIGHT TO YOUR HANDS.
AND IF ALL OF US CAN KEEP AN EYE ON THE CELL PHONE COVERAGE AND THE SOCIAL MEDIA STUFF, UH, AND GET THAT UM, SETTLED DOWN SOME, I BELIEVE THAT WILL HELP THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, UM, RUN A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFICIENTLY.
UM, LAST WEEK I WAS ABLE TO GO INTO RUSTY AND READ TO, UM, MY DAUGHTER'S FIRST GRADE CLASS AS PART OF THE, UM, PARENT ENGAGEMENT.
UM, THIS YEAR, ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ARE ASKING FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PARENTS TO COME, COME IN AND READ.
SO I'M SURE IF YOU'RE A COMMUNITY MEMBER OR PARENT LISTENING AND YOU HAVE 10 OR 15 MINUTES TO CONTACT ONE OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, THEY'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU COME IN AND READ A STORY.
THE KIDS WERE ALL VERY EXCITED TO HAVE SOMEONE NEW COME IN AND TALK TO THEM.
UM, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, CHAIR, MISS COLORS, AND I WILL BE, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH SEVERAL, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
BUT, UM, WE FINALLY SET A DATE ON OCTOBER 16TH, UM, WHERE, OF COURSE, THE SOUTH RIVER REPS.
UM, WE'LL BE HOLDING KIND OF JUST AN OPEN INFORMAL FORUM AT SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA.
UM, IT'S OPEN TO EVERYONE, NOT JUST SOUTH RIVER RESIDENTS, BUT THIS IS KIND OF JUST US TRYING IT OUT.
AND THEN I'M SURE, UM, OUR OTHER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND OTHER BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UM, WILL KIND OF FOLLOW SUIT AND SEE HOW THIS WORKS OUT.
BUT BASICALLY, IT'S JUST A, A TIME FOR EVERYONE OR ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT JUST WANTS TO COME AND HAVE INFORMAL CONVERSATION, IDENTIFY SOME OF YOUR CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
UM, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR WHO ELSE WILL BE THERE.
UM, I KNOW MS. COLORS WAS ASKING SOME, UM, OTHER MEMBERS FROM LIKE SOCIAL SERVICES AND DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE COUNTY.
SO I THINK DEPENDING IT'S A SUNDAY AFTERNOON, SO DEPENDING ON, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE AVAILABILITY IS, THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THERE TO MEET WITH AS WELL DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.
UM, OTHERWISE WE HAD OUR MOUNTAIN VISTA GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, UM, EARLIER, WELL, AT THE END OF LAST MONTH.
UM, NOT A LOT TO REPORT THERE.
SO THE KIDS RIGHT NOW, THEIR BIGGEST THING IS THEY'RE ALL TRYING TO HAVE THIS BIG COMPETITION TO DETERMINE WHAT THE MOUNTAIN VISTA GOVERNOR SCHOOL MASCOT IS GONNA BE.
[01:10:01]
THEY ALSO CAME AND DID, UM, SOME REALLY AMAZING PRESENTATIONS.THEY WERE LIKE COLLEGE LEVEL STUFF THAT THESE KIDS ARE DOING AT MOUNTAIN VISTA GOVERNOR SCHOOL, AND THEY PRESENTED SOME OF THAT, UM, AT OUR LAST BOARD MEETING.
SO, UM, IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE KIDS HERE AT OUR MEETING THIS EVENING.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE WHAT THOSE KIDS ARE DOING AS WELL.
AND THAT'S REALLY ALL THAT I HAVE, I THINK.
ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO OUR ACTION AGENDA ITEM.
UM, I KNOW WE KIND OF COMBINED THE THREE DIFFERENT ITEMS FOR THE VSBA, BUT I THINK MOSTLY THIS IS JUST, UM, A TIME FOR OUR BOARD TO HAVE A DISCUSSION.
UM, THE THREE ITEMS THAT WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS THIS EVENING, ONE IS GONNA
[Items 5A - 5C]
BE OUR OVERALL RENEWAL OF OUR MEMBERSHIP WITH VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION FOR THE 2223 SCHOOL YEAR.UM, THE SECOND POINT OF DISCUSSION WILL BE IF WE ELECT TO CONTINUE WITH THE POLICY SERVICES PROVIDED BY VSBA WITH, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSULT WITH MR. KING AS NEEDED FOR INDIVIDUAL, UM, QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE ON POLICIES THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE VSBA, OR TRANSITIONING COMPLETELY FROM THE VSBA POLICY SERVICES TO THE SERVICES THAT'LL BE PROVIDED BY MR. KING THROUGH SAN ANDERSON.
AND THEN THE THIRD, UM, POINT FOR DISCUSSION WILL BE, UM, IF WE ARE STILL MEMBERS OF THE VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION, WHO WILL BE OUR DELEGATE AND ALTERNATE DELEGATE, UM, TO THEIR ANNUAL CONVENTION.
AND THOSE WILL BE, UM, DECIDED.
THE DEL DELEGATE, OF COURSE, WILL BE THE VOTING MEMBER THAT SPEAKS FOR WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD AND, AND CAST OUR VOTE ON WHAT POLICY CHANGES THE VSBA IS LOOKING TO MAKE, UM, FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR WITH, I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR BOARD MEMBERS.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF COINCIDENTAL WITH, UM, THE PARENTS THAT SPOKE EARLIER, HAVING JUST HEARD ABOUT THE, THE POLICY SERVICES AND TAKING THEM PRIVATE AND HOW WE COULD CUSTOM TAILOR AND, AND IDENTIFY CURRENT PRESSING NEEDS OF WARREN COUNTY.
UM, I THINK IF WE WERE TO TAKE THE POLICY SERVICES PRIVATE, UM, THOSE WOULD BE THE KINDS OF ISSUES THAT WOULD BE MORE EASILY ADDRESSED IN MEETING THE, THE CURRENT NEEDS OF OUR, OF OUR DIVISION.
UM, ALSO OVER THE LAST COUPLE DAYS, I REALLY LOOKED INTO THE, UM, THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE LOBBYING EFFORTS, UM, HOW THAT WORKS WITH THE VSBA.
UM, SO IT'S A 150 PAGE HANDBOOK.
UM, I HAVE NOW READ IT COVER TO COVER, AND I UNDERSTAND THE, THE RULES OF THE GAME.
UM, AND THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING POINTS IN HERE THAT, UM, HAD, HAD NEVER REALLY BEEN EXPLAINED.
SO THE PROCESS STARTS IN MARCH IN APRIL, WHERE, UM, ANY SCHOOL BOARDS THAT WISH TO WEIGH IN ON ANY OF THE, UH, LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS.
SO THE THINGS THAT THE VSBA WILL BE LOBBYING FOR ALL THE THINGS IN THIS GREEN BOOK, UM, APRIL AND AND MARCH IS THE TIME THAT, UH, THAT WE AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS CAN SUBMIT A FORM TO THE VSBA AND THEY COLLECT ALL THOSE FORMS, THEY REVIEW THEM, THEY, THEY PUT THEM TOGETHER INTO THIS LOVELY LITTLE HANDBOOK.
AND THEN THIS DELEGATE ASSEMBLY THAT'S GOING TO OCCUR IN NOVEMBER IS WHERE THE EACH COUNTY GETS THEIR VOTE.
EVERYBODY HEARS ABOUT, HAS TALKED ABOUT THE, THE ONE VOTE PER COUNTY.
UM, THIS YEAR OF THE POSITIONS BEING VOTED ON AT THE DELEGATE ASSEMBLY.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM CAME FROM FAIRFAX COUNTY, BUT THE EXCEPTION OF ONE, WHICH WAS WRITTEN BY BOTH FAIRFAX COUNTY AND LOUDON COUNTY TOGETHER.
SO, UM, WHAT I'M NOTICING IS THAT THE RURAL AREAS OF VIRGINIA ARE NOT, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO OR, OR, OR WHAT, BUT WE'RE NOT BEING ADEQUATELY REPRESENTED.
SOME OF THE COUNTIES ACTUALLY DON'T EVEN SEND AN DELEGATE TO VOTE AT THIS DELEGATE ASSEMBLY.
UM, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT'S GOING TO BE VOTED ON AT THIS DELEGATE ASSEMBLY THAT CAUGHT MY EYE WAS THE PROPOSAL FROM FAIRFAX COUNTY THAT THEY WANT, UM, THE STATE MATCHING FUNDS FOR SCHOOL BUSES TO BE DIRECTED TOWARDS ELECTRIC BUSES.
NOW, WE KNOW THAT WARREN COUNTY CAN'T HAVE ELECTRIC BUSES.
THEY, THEY WON'T MAKE IT UP OUR MOUNTAINS.
SO IF ALL OF THE STATE LOBBYING
[01:15:01]
EFFORTS ARE PUT TOWARDS DIVERTING STATE MATCHING FUNDS TOWARDS ELECTRIC BUSES, WARREN COUNTY AND OTHER COUNTIES IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY, WERE LEFT OUT, ALL THAT, THAT MONEY IS GONNA GO TO FAIRFAX.AND FAIRFAX ALREADY HAS TONS OF MONEY.
SO LEARNING THE PROCESS THROUGH THIS BOOK IS EVEN MORE DISTURBING IN THAT, UM, IT SAYS THAT IF WARREN, IF WE GO THERE AND WARREN COUNTY VOTES AGAINST THIS ELECTRIC BUS THING, FOR INSTANCE, AND WE LOSE
SO CLEARLY, I THINK MOVING FORWARD AFTER THESE DELEGATE ASSEMBLIES, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO REVIEW AS A BOARD WHAT WAS VOTED IN AT THIS DELEGATE MEETING.
AND IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE NOT WORKING IN WARREN COUNTY'S FAVOR, WE HAVE TO GET THAT ON THE AGENDA AND VOTE ON IT IMMEDIATELY, AND THEN NOTIFY THE VSBA SO THAT OUR NAMES ARE REMOVED FROM THAT, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THE VSBA TELLING OUR STATE AND FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES THAT WE'RE IN FAVOR OF THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT IN FAVOR OF.
AND THAT'S HOW THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN GOING ON.
UM, AND THEN IF THAT'S NOT CRAZY ENOUGH, THE VSBA STATES, THE EXPECTATION IS THAT INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WILL SUPPORT VSBA A'S POSITIONS AND REPRESENT THEM ACCORDINGLY IN THE PUBLIC AND EVEN IN OUR PRIVATE LIVES.
UM, SO VSBA I HAVE LEARNED IS A MAJOR LOBBYING FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH.
UM, IF RURAL CONSERVATIVE COUNTIES DO NOT BECOME VOCAL PARTICIPANTS IN THIS PROCESS, WE ARE GOING TO BE ALONG, DRAGGED ALONG FOR THE RIDE WITH WHATEVER FAIRFAX WANTS TO DO WITH THE ENTIRE STATE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY IT'S NO SECRET THAT I'M NOT A FAN OF THE BSBA.
UM, THEIR, THEY'RE PAID EMPLOYEES ARE DEFINITELY LEANING A CERTAIN WAY AND BIASED, BUT WE DO GET ONE VOTE.
SO IT WAS, IT WAS SAID, UH, IN THE VSBA MANUAL POLITICS IS THE ART OF COMPROMISE.
AND TONIGHT IT WAS SAID THAT WE, UH, IF WE CAN'T WIN, WE DON'T WANNA PLAY.
SO I'M SAYING I'D LIKE TO PLAY, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT I BE THE DELEGATE THAT GOES TO THIS MEETING AND I WILL FIGHT FOR WHAT'S BEST FOR WARREN COUNTY AND OF COURSE WILL PULL MY MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS BEFOREHAND AND COME BACK AND REPORT BACK AND WILL STAY ON TOP OF THIS.
I AM ABLE TO CLEAR MY SCHEDULE FOR NEXT WEEK FOR THE LEAD UP MEETINGS FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEK, FOR THE LEAD UP MEETINGS AND FOR, UH, NOVEMBER 12TH FOR THOSE MEETINGS.
AND I THINK, UM, I KNOW, I KNOW THE BOARD IS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH LOSING THE VSBA TRAININGS AND AS A BOARD, IF WE COME TOGETHER AND WORK TOGETHER AND HEAR EACH OTHER'S NEEDS AND WANTS, I THINK THAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GO FORWARD.
AND I WOULD NEVER WANT TO PREVENT ANY OF YOU GUYS FROM, FROM GOING TO A TRAINING THAT YOU WANT TO, TO GO TO, AS I'M SURE THAT YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO DO THE SAME FOR, FOR ME EITHER.
AND I DO KNOW THAT THIS IS, UM, ALSO KIND OF BEEN A FAST PROCESS AND THE CONCERN IS LIKE, WELL, WHERE ARE WE GONNA FIND THE OTHER TRAININGS? AND TRUST ME, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT TOO, THUS THE GEORGETOWN TRAINING.
UM, BUT, UM, I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE WHERE WE CAN FIND COOPERATION AND COMPROMISE AS WAS BROUGHT UP TONIGHT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT, UM, AND I, AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS GONNA COME AS A SHOCK.
I'M GONNA REQUEST THAT WE ACTUALLY STAY MEMBERS OF THE VSBA, BUT SWITCH OUR POLICY SERVICES PRIVATE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THAT.
AND THAT IF I WOULD ASK HUMBLY THAT, UM, MADAM CHAIR, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND GIVING UP YOUR SPOT AS, UM, DELEGATE TO ME, I WOULD DO A GOOD JOB.
SO ARE YOU FORMING THAT AS A MOTION? I WANT TO
UM, BUT I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
[01:20:01]
THE POLICY TOO, BECAUSE, UM, I KNOW THAT SOME LARGE NUMBERS WERE THROWN OUT TO US TONIGHT, AND WE SPEND $3,000 A YEAR FOR THE POLICY SERVICES WITH, UM, VSBA RIGHT NOW.AND, YOU KNOW, THEY, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, THEY'RE LIKE GENERIC.
THEY'RE NOT CUSTOM TO WARREN COUNTY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THINGS THAT DOES APPEAL TO ME, UM, AND I THINK WE'VE ALL KIND OF SAID THAT AS, AS, OR I'VE HEARD SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT IS THE, THE CUSTOMIZING, UM, OF LOOKING AT THOSE POLICY SERVICES THROUGH, UM, THROUGH THE ATTORNEY.
UM, OBVIOUSLY BEING ON THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, I WANNA BE VERY, VERY FISCAL ABOUT HOW WE SPEND OUR MONEY.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT UP TO NO, NO MORE THAN 50,000, BUT THAT'S OVER A COUPLE OF FISCAL YEARS IS WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING.
I JUST WANNA MAKE IT VERY CLEAR, YOU KNOW, IT'S OCTOBER, WE STILL DON'T HAVE A FULL FINALIZED BUDGET OR APPROPRIATED BUDGET FROM WHAT WE APPROVED.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL WORKING DILIGENTLY ON THAT.
UM, I DON'T WANT IT TO BE THOUGHT THAT WE ARE GONNA, UH, IF WE SHOULD CHOOSE TO CHANGE POLICY, THAT WE'RE GONNA OPEN OURSELVES UP TO $50,000 BEING SPENT BETWEEN NOW OCTOBER AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, THUS PUTTING US IN A POSITION WHERE WE HAVE TO GO ASK FOR MORE APPROPRIATIONS.
UM, I DON'T NECESSARILY SEE IT LIKE THAT.
WHAT I SEE IT AS IS IT'S ALREADY OCTOBER BY, IF WE WERE TO CHOOSE TO SWITCH POLICIES, YOU KNOW, WE START, WE DETERMINE AS OUR BOARD HOW QUICKLY WE GO AND HOW FAST WE GO AND WHAT WE LOOK AT AND WHAT WE PRIORITIZE.
SO I THINK WE CAN, UM, I THINK ALL FIVE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CAPABLE OF MANAGING THAT SO THAT WE ARE VERY FISCALLY WORKING WITHIN THAT BUDGET.
UM, AND THEN OVER THE NEXT, WHAT WAS IT, 14 TO 14 TO 20 MONTHS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN LOOK BACK AND SAY, OH, WE'VE, YOU KNOW, LOOK, IF WE CHOOSE TO DO THAT, WE'VE LOOKED AT ALL THOSE.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I DON'T, I DON'T, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET IS, IS REALLY, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, NEAR AND DEAR TO ME AND I DON'T WANT US TO SPEND ANYTHING FRIVOLOUSLY, BUT UM, I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE SPENDING IT ON COMES BACK TO WARREN COUNTY TOO.
SO IF THAT KIND OF MAKES SENSE.
THAT'S SOME OF MY THOUGHT PROCESSES WITH THE POLICY.
I APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT AS SOMEBODY THAT'S WORKED WITH THE BUDGET.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THAT WAS MY QUESTION TO BRAD THIS EVENING.
UM, HOW QUICKLY WE START SPENDING THAT CHUNK OF MONEY.
UM, I MEAN, I ALSO LIKE THE IDEA OF OUR POLICIES BEING REVIEWED AND TAILORED TO WARREN COUNTY AND REVIEWING WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
UM, IT, I DO HAVE CONCERNS WITH NOT HAVING A FULLY FUNDED BUDGET AT THIS POINT IN THE YEAR, UM, AND ADDING A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPENSE TO IT.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT ON WHAT YOU THINK ON THAT.
CAUSE I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE BUDGET AS WELL.
YEAH, I MEAN THAT'S, THAT'S MY CONCERN HERE WITH, WITH THAT, UM, IDEA IS THE COST.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS YOU SAID, IF WE ARE GONNA STAY IN THE VSBA, IT'S ONLY $3,000 FOR THE POLICY COMPARED TO THIS 50,000, WHICH EVEN SPLIT OVER TWO YEARS IS $25,000 A YEAR, ROUGHLY.
IT MIGHT NOT BE QUITE THAT, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
AND I, I, I THINK, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, I THINK THAT THAT POLICY REVIEW WOULD BENEFIT US.
I THINK WE PROBABLY DO NEED IT, BUT I ALSO KIND OF SEE IT AS LIKE, THAT'S LIKE THE CADILLAC OF POLICIES AND LIKE WE ARE NOT ON A CADILLAC BUDGET.
LIKE IS THIS THE YEAR TO DO THAT? THAT I'M NOT SURE I REALLY WANT TO SPEND THAT MONEY ON THAT RIGHT NOW.
WE ALREADY CAN CONSULT WITH OUR ATTORNEY ON ANY POLICIES THAT WE WANT TO.
I ALSO KIND OF WORRY IF WE DID TAKE IT REAL SLOW THIS YEAR AND AND NOT USE VERY MUCH, DOES THAT EXPOSE US THEN? CUZ NOW WE DON'T HAVE POLICY THROUGH VSBA AND IF OUR REVIEW IS SANS ANDERSON IS NOT COMPLETE, THEN WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THEIR POLICIES EITHER.
AND HOW LONG ARE WE, I MEAN, I JUST DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.
SO THAT'S, THAT MAKES ME UNCOMFORTABLE.
WELL, WE WOULD GET, WE MAINTAIN OUR CURRENT POLICIES.
WE WILL STILL HAVE POLICY SERVICES.
WE WILL STILL HAVE SANS ANDERSON POLICY SERVICES, RIGHT? THE UPDATES, UPDATES THIS YEAR.
WE WILL STILL BE GETTING THOSE THROUGH SANS ANDERSON.
IT'S THE REWORKING OF ALL OF THE POLICIES AND THE UPGRADING AND IMPROVING THE SPECIFIC POLICIES.
AND LIKE HE HAD SAID BEFORE, WE COULD SPLIT IT EVEN, UM, YOU KNOW, SINCE THIS YEAR HAS ALREADY FISCAL YEAR'S ALREADY BEGUN, WE COULD DO SOME THIS YEAR AND STRETCH IT EVEN FURTHER THAN THAN 20 MONTHS IF NEED BE.
SO THE REWRITE CAN BE STRETCHED THE, UM, NEW POLICY SERVICES FOR NEW THINGS THAT COME OUT, WHICH REALLY IS NOT ANYTHING SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAT I WOULD EXPECT.
UM, WE WILL HAVE THAT SERVICE THROUGH SANS ANDERSON IMMEDIATELY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS IS, YOU KNOW, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON HERE, I KNOW WHEN WE'VE HAD QUESTIONS, WE AL WE GO TO HIM ANYWAY
[01:25:01]
MM-HMM.SO I FEEL LIKE WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH, UM, THAT CONVERSATION TOO.
SO WE'RE, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT.
WE DON'T, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE HAVE NOT REACHED OUT TO, TO V SSPA TO ASK FOR THEIR GUIDING LINE THAT I HAVE.
AND I GOT MY ANSWER EIGHT WEEKS LATER AFTER THE VOTE WAS DONE.
SO IT WASN'T A GOOD EXPERIENCE.
I MEAN, THAT'S KIND HOW I FEEL.
LIKE DON'T WE ALREADY GET SANS ANDERSON REVIEWING THE POLICIES WE WANT THEM TO REVIEW AT, AT A MUCH LOWER PRICE TAG? NO, IT'S, IT'S PAID EXTRA.
SO WE'RE DOUBLE DIPPING AT THIS POINT.
WE'RE PAYING THE SBA TO DO IT.
AND THEN WHEN WE DON'T HEAR BACK FROM THEN, THEN WE GO TO, TO SANS ANDERSON, THEN WE GET TO PAY AGAIN FOR THE, THE SAME EXACT, UH, THE AMOUNT WE PAID AT VSBA IS SO MUCH LESS THAN WHAT WE WOULD BE PAYING TO SANS ANDERSON TO HAVE THEM REVIEWING AT $330 AN HOUR EACH PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT COMES OUT.
I GUESS THE ONES THAT COME OUT THOUGH, WHAT BRAD WAS SAYING THIS EVENING IS THAT WOULD BE SPLIT LIKE THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT JUST DOING IT FOR OUR SCHOOL DIVISION AS NEW POLICIES COME OUT, IT SOUNDED LIKE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT REWORKING IT FROM THE BEGINNING JUST FOR US NECESSARILY.
AND THAT WON'T BE SHARED ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE THE WAY VSBA IS.
I THOUGHT I HEARD HIM SAY HE WOULD BE CHARGING THEIR REGULARLY HOURLY RATE FOR THAT.
HE, HE HAD DISCUSSED BEFORE ABOUT IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE SPLIT WITH THINGS COMING OUT ACROSS THE STATE.
THAT PART WOULD BE, WOULD BE SPLIT THOUGHT WE'RE WE'RE STILL PAY TO US, WE'RE WE'RE STILL PAYING HIM.
THEY WOULD BE, THEY WOULD BE INDIVIDUAL TO OUR DIRECTION AND DISCUSSION, ET CETERA.
AS OUR HIM REWRITING OUR POLICIES, THE REWRITING OUR POLICIES IS REALLY THE PART THAT HE HAS SAID OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS THE PART THAT'S MORE EXPENSIVE.
WHEREAS THE, UM, HE HAD SAID BEFORE TO US THAT IT, THAT THE, UM, THE UPDATING AS WE GO PART IS NOT, IT'S A NOMINAL FEE AND WE'RE PAYING THAT SAME HOURLY FEE AS IT IS NOW WHEN WE, WHEN WE GET THE, THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE VSBA AND THEN WE SAY, OH WOW, WE DON'T KNOW IF WE AGREE WITH THIS.
SO, HEY, YOU KNOW, BRAD, CAN YOU, SO WE'RE LITERALLY PAYING TWICE.
BUT THAT'S LIKE TWO POLICIES A YEAR THAT WE CONSULT WITH HIM ON.
I, MOST OF THE STUFF IS NOT CONTROVERSIAL.
WELL, THAT'S, THERE AREN'T THAT MANY NEW POLICY CHANGES COMING OUT AT, I DON'T KNOW.
I, FROM THE JOB, LIKE I SAID, I, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO USING SANS ANDERSON FOR POLICIES.
IT JUST, I MEAN, JUST THE WAY THE BUDGET HAS BEEN, I JUST FEEL LIKE, I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S THE YEAR TO SPEND THE 25 TO $50,000, BUT, BUT I'M ONLY ONE MEMBER AND I, I HAVE, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, TAKING THE TIME TO REACH OUT TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THEY HAVE EACH INDIVIDUALLY STATED THAT THEY ARE COMFORTABLE WITH SPENDING MORE TO HAVE A BETTER QUALITY PRODUCT.
AND I, AND I HEAR YOU WITH WANTING TO STAY A MEMBER OF THE VSBA AND BE ABLE TO, TO TAKE THEIR TRAININGS, AND I'M ASKING THAT YOU HEAR ME ON, UM, WANTING TO, TO BE ABLE TO TAKE OUR, OUR POLICY SERVICES PRIVATE BECAUSE WE JUST GETTING A RESPONSE EIGHT WEEKS LATER AFTER A VOTE'S ALREADY BEEN CAST, THAT THAT WAS JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE.
SO I THINK THAT $3,000 HAS REALLY NOT GOTTEN US MUCH OF, OF ANYTHING.
PENS AND I, UH, WERE ON THE BOARD, WE HAD TO, UH, PARTICIPATE IN SELECTING, UH, A SEARCH COMMITTEE TO FIND US A SUPERINTENDENT.
UM, WHICH THEY DID A GOOD JOB
WELL, YOU DIDN'T, YOU DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T USE THE VSBA.
SO WHEN WE INTERVIEWED, SORRY SIR
UM, THE QUALITY, IT, IT WAS LIKE A, A NO BRAINER.
THE PRIVATE GROUP WAS GONNA PROVIDE US MORE SERVICES AND HELP US FIND A SUPERINTENDENT.
UM, AND WE DID GO ALONG WITH THE PRIVATE GROUP ON THAT.
AND, UM, UM, THEY DID US A OUTSTANDING JOB.
THEY, THEY, THEY HELPED US NOT TO MAKE A MISTAKE ON THE WAY WE SELECTED THE SUPERINTENDENT.
UM, SO I WAS VERY PLEASED WITH THAT.
I HAVE ATTENDED A COUPLE OF THE, UM, SEMINARS THAT THEY ISSUE THE TRAINING.
THERE WAS ONE THAT I DIDN'T CARE FOR TOO MUCH, BUT THAT'S JUST ME.
UM, THE, THE BUDGET CONSTRAINTS,
[01:30:01]
UH, $50,000 IS THE MAX.IF IT COMES IN UNDER 50,000, UM, THEN THAT COULD BE SPREAD OUT OVER A 20 TO 30 MONTH PERIOD OF TIME, DEPENDING ON HOW WE ADDRESS IT WITH THE ATTORNEY.
BUT ALSO, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR OUR SUPERINTENDENT.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT, UH, MS. PATTERSON WITH THE VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION SAID WE COULD KEEP THE CURRENT POLICIES.
DID I MISUNDERSTAND THAT? SO, SO ONCE A POLICY IS ADOPTED, IT BECOMES A PUBLIC RECORD.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVE TO TURN 'EM ALL IN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO MOVING FORWARD, IF WE CAN DIRECT THE ATTORNEY ON WHICH POLICIES, NEW POLICIES THAT COME UP, THEN I THINK THAT COULD BE A PRETTY GOOD COST SAVINGS.
UM, IF WE JUST HAVE HIM REVIEW NEWER POLICIES COMING UP, SOME OF THESE POLICIES, THEY ONLY CHANGE ONE WORD FROM A WILL TO A SHALL.
SO WHY DO WE NEED AN ATTORNEY TO LOOK AT THAT? UM, RIGHT.
SO I THINK, UM, I THINK THE FINANCIAL END OF IT MAY NOT BE AS SEVERE AS WHAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE ATTORNEY WAS TELLING US THE WORST CASE SCENARIO.
THE OTHER THING IS, UM, UM, HAVING THE POLICY SERVICES GO PRIVATE CAN BE TAILORED TO WARREN COUNTY KEEPING THE, UM, THE, UH, SERVICES OF, UM, UH, SEMINARS FOR STAFF AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, ET CETERA.
UM, I THINK WE COULD KEEP THAT, LET EACH MEMBER DECIDE WHAT SEMINAR HE WANTS TO GO TO OR SHE WANTS TO GO TO.
AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME, DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME, SELECT, UM, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, GW UNIVERSITY, UM, EVEN, UH, GEORGE MASON IS CLOSE BY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF UNIVERSITIES IN THE AREA.
UH, SHANDO HAS GOT A DOCTORATE PROGRAM.
I'M SURE THAT SOME OF THEIR COURSES WOULD HELP US AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, SO WE COULD, UM, UH, LOOK AT THAT AVENUE TO TAKE AND MAKE SURE THAT THE SEMINARS WE'RE GOING TO ARE GOING TO BE, UM, UH, WORTHWHILE FOR US.
UH, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE ON THAT SUBJECT.
I THINK JUST TO EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ON, UM, MS. ALAN'S COMMENTS ABOUT, UM, REALLY THE PROCESS OF HOW VOTES ARE DONE, WHAT THE DELEGATE ASSEMBLY IS LIKE FOR THE VSBA, A LOT OF THE EMAILS THAT I RECEIVED, UM, OPPOSING OUR STAYING WITH THE VSBA WAS CONCERNS THAT THE VSBA IS NOT LINING UP WITH THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF WARREN COUNTY.
AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE WANNA MAKE A CHANGE, UH, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT WITHIN THAT ORGANIZATION.
THEY HAVE ALL OF THE POLICIES CLEARLY OUTLINED HOW YOU CAN GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
UM, AND WE VERY LIKELY ARE NOT MAKING THE MOST OF OUR OPPORTUNITY AS MEMBERS TO SEE HOW THAT ORGANIZATION GOES AND TO HAVE OUR VOICE HEARD.
UM, THE SAME AS PROBABLY MANY OTHER, UM, SMALLER SCHOOL DIVISIONS ARE NOT DOING THAT.
UM, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD, I'VE NOT BEEN A DELEGATE BEFORE, SO I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE PROCESS.
UM, AND SO I THINK EVEN JUST BEING AWARE OF THAT AS A BOARD AND REALLY HAVING THAT COMMUNICATION GOING INTO THOSE VOTES TO KNOW WHERE THIS BOARD STANDS, UM, BEFORE THOSE VOTES ARE CASTED AND EVEN COMMUNICATING WITH OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT ELECTRIC BUSES AND NOT WANTING TO GO WITH THAT, UH, RECOMMENDATION FROM FAIRFAX COUNTY, WELL THEN WE NEED TO HAVE THAT COMMUNICATION WITH ALL OF OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SENDING THEIR DELEGATE TO HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD AS WELL.
AND I WILL SPEND THE TIME CONTACTING THOSE SURROUNDING COUNTIES TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE START TO RALLY, UM, FOR THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY SO THAT WE CAN MAYBE FINALLY GET SOME ACTUAL REPRESENTATION AT THESE DELEGATE ASSEMBLIES.
I THINK TOO, UM, ON THE LOBBYING ISSUE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ELECT OFFICIALS TO GO TO RICHMOND IN THE, IN THE DIFFERENT TWO HOUSES THAT ARE DOWN THERE.
UM, IF, IF SOMEBODY IS TO LOBBY THEM, THEN THEY NEED TO MAKE UP THEIR MIND ON THAT.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SEND, UM, PEOPLE TO RICHMOND THAT ARE GONNA USE A LITTLE COMMON SENSE.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE SUPERVISORS SAID
[01:35:01]
THE OTHER DAY AT A MEETING THAT, UM, ONE OF THE SPEAKERS HAD COMMON SENSE THAT WAS MISSING IN GOVERNMENT, A STATEMENT SIMILAR TO THAT.AND, UM, SO I THINK AS FAR AS IF SOMEBODY IS GOING TO LOBBY ME, I'M GONNA LISTEN TO WHAT THEY SAY, BUT THEN I'M ALSO GONNA TAKE MY OWN EXPERIENCE AND APPLY THAT.
I'M NOT GONNA BE SWAYED ONE WAY OR THE OTHER BY ONE PERSON LOBBYING ME.
SO THE OTHER THING IS, UM, IN MY CONCRETE DAYS, WE, MEMBERS OF THE VIRGINIA READY MIX ASSOCIATION, UM, THEY PROMOTED THINGS FOR MORE CONCRETE TO BE SOLD, CONCRETE PARKING LOTS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
HOWEVER, THEY MADE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE AS A SUPPLIER DID NOT GO ALONG WITH.
SO WE ADAPTED THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OUR PRODUCT.
UM, SO YOU, YOU GET WHAT YOU, UH, IF YOU GET INVOLVED WITH AN ASSOCIATION, AND I'M SURE MISS SALANS WILL DIVE DEEP INTO THE VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION, THEN YOU, YOU ONLY GET OUT OF AN ASSOCIATION WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT.
SO I SAY, LET'S GIVE THIS A TRY FOR THE REST OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.
UM, TAKE A LOOK AT IT, SEE HOW IT'S GOING, AND MARCH FORWARD.
AND I BELIEVE THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
WE'VE JUST BEEN TALKING ABOUT THESE THREE ITEMS. IS THERE ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER QUESTION THAT ANYBODY HAS AT THIS POINT? IS THERE A MOTION? SO MADAM CHAIR, BEFORE YOU DO GET INTO THE MOTION, YOU WOULD HAVE TO ALSO RECOMMEND AN ALTERNATE DELEGATE.
SO WITHIN THAT MOTION, YOU WOULD HAVE TO APPROVE MEMBERSHIP INTO THE VSBA APPROVE WHICH POLICY, UM, SERVICES YOU WERE GONNA GO WITH, PLUS RECOMMEND THE DELEGATE AND ALTERNATE DELEGATE ALL IN THAT SAME MOTION, WHICH I ASSUME, I MEAN, I KNOW THERE WAS A DEADLINE ALREADY.
I ASSUME THAT THE VSBA IS GONNA, UM, BE OPEN TO CHANGING OUR DELEGATES BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT, UH, MY NAME PROBABLY ALREADY WENT AND RALPH'S NAME ALREADY WENT BECAUSE WE MISSED THE DEADLINE.
SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING WE HAVE TO BE OKAY.
AND THEY, THEY SAID IT WOULD, THAT WE CAN CHANGE IT.
SO I DIDN'T COME FROM THAT, SO THANK YOU.
SORRY, I JUST, I LIKE TO.MY EYES BEFOREHAND.
IS THERE A MOTION? ADAM, CHAIR? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT, UM, THE APPROVAL WILL BE GIVEN TO RENEW THE SCHOOL BOARD'S MEMBERSHIP WITH THE VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION FOR THE PERIOD OF JULY 1ST, 2022 TO JUNE 30TH, 2023 AT THE COST OF $9,521 19 CENTS.
I'D LIKE TO FURTHER MOVE THAT WE, UH, NOMINATE MELANIE SALEMS BE SELECTED AS THE DELEGATE FOR THE 2022 VSBA ANNUAL CONVENTION.
AND THAT ROUTE FOR NAUGHTY BE SELECTED AS THE ALTERNATIVE TO THE CONVENTION AND FURTHER MOVE THAT OUR SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES, SCHOOL BOARD'S POLICY SERVICES AGREEMENT BE TRANSFERRED TO SANS ANDERSON FOR THE PERIOD OF OCTOBER 5TH, 2022 TO JULY TW 31 20 23 AT A COST NOT TO EXCEED 50,000.
AND THAT OUR CHAIR AND SUPERINTENDENT BE AUTHORIZED TO SIGN ANY CONTRACT AND DESIGNATION FORM.
IS THERE A SECOND ON THAT MOTION? I WILL SECOND THAT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? DO WE KNOW THAT WE CAN TERMINATE OUR POLICY AGREEMENT WITH THE VSBA IN OCTOBER? I DON'T THINK THAT WE HAVE A POLICY AGREEMENT.
WE AGREEMENT CURRENTLY HAVE ACCESS OR ANYTHING BECAUSE WE, OKAY, SO, SO WE HAVEN'T USED ANY OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.
YEAH, CURRENTLY WE DO NOT HAVE ACCESS BECAUSE IT WAS PASSED DUE ON HOLD.
ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? MR. GRANT, CAN YOU DO ROLL CALL PLEASE? CERTAINLY.
[5.D. Award Contract to Lantz Construction Company of Winchester, Inc. for Renovation of Leslie Fox Keyser ElementarySchool - Mr. Smith]
WORD CONTRACT TO LANCE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY OF WINCHESTER FOR RENOVATION OF L FK.[01:40:01]
WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS RECEIVED TWO BIDS FOR THE H V A C RENOVATION OF LESLIE FOX, KAISER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.THE LOW BID WAS FROM LANCES CONSTRUCTION COMPANY OF WINCHESTER FOR 13,000,506 $5,600.
THE PROJECT CONSISTED OF A BASE BID AND SIX ALTERNATIVES.
THE BASE BID INCLUDED REPLACING OF BUILDING SYSTEMS INCLUDING MECHANICAL, THE H V A C, ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, LOW VOLTAGE FIRE ALARMS, SECURITY ROOFING, LIGHT LIGHTING, AND ACOUSTIC CEILINGS.
IN ADDITION, INTERIOR RENOVATIONS TO INCLUDE CLASSROOM PODS WITH FIXED WALLS, FLOOR FINISHING, PAINTING AND CARPETING AS APPLICABLE.
THE SIX ALTERNATIVES INCLUDED THE GYMNASIUM, UH, MODIFICATION, UH, SOLAR DAYLIGHT DEVICES IN EACH POD, EXTERIOR WINDOWS AND DOORS, KITCHEN UPGRADES, UM, WHICH INCLUDES THE, THE WALKING COOLER FREEZER REPLACEMENTS, DISHWASHERS AND COUNTER MODIFICATIONS, CAFETERIA MODIFICATIONS, UM, AND LIBRARY MODIFICATIONS IN THE LIBRARY.
UH, THE RECEPTION DESK AND, UH, CASE WORK AND SOME OF THE NEW WINDOWS AND FLOORING ATTACHES, THE BID TABULATION SHEET AND THE VALUE ENGINEERING INCLUSIVE OF COST ITEMS, CHANGE OF SCOPE ITEMS AND DELETION OF ITEMS. UH, LC W'S ORIGINAL CALLS FOR THE BASE BID WAS 12,329,700 PLUS THE ADDITIONAL ALTERNATIVES AT 675,900 FOR A TOTAL OF $13,005,600.
WE'VE WORKED WITH L C W TO VALUE ENGINEER THE COST TO 12,636,400.
THIS WILL INCLUDE THE SIX ALTERNATIVE BID ITEMS. THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO AWARD THE CONTRACT TO LANCE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY OF WINCHESTER AND THE AMOUNT OF 12,636,000, UH, 400.
THE CONTRACT HAS BEEN REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY OUR SCHOOL BOARD ATTORNEY.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. SMITH? I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, TO THANK YOU MR. SMITH AND YOUR STAFF FOR THE EFFORTS THAT YOU PUT IN TO VALUE ENGINEER AND GET THIS ON BUDGET.
IS THERE A MOTION? UH, YES MA'AM.
I MOVE THE APPROVAL BE GIVEN TO AWARD THAT LESLIE FOX KAISER RENOVATION PROJECT TO LANCE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY OF WINCHESTER IN THE AMOUNT OF 12,330,006 $600.
AND THE SUPERINTENDENT BE AUTHORIZED TO SIGN THE CONTRACT.
HUH? YOU WANT ME TO REPEAT THAT? YES, PLEASE.
12,636,000 HUNDRED THOUSAND 400 DO 12,000,003.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND START THAT.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? I'LL LOSE IN FAVOR.
[5.E. Addition of three instructional assistants at Ressie Jefferies Elementary School - Dr. Ballenger]
NEXT UP WE HAVE THE ADDITION OF THREE, UM, INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS AT RUSTY JEFFS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, DR.THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ENROLL RUSTY JEFFRIES, UH, WARRANTS AN ADDITIONAL TEACHER IN THE THIRD AND FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADES, UH, DUE TO THE TEACHER SHORTAGE THAT, UM, DUE TO THE TEACHER SHORTAGE AND THAT STUDENTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED WITHIN THEIR CURRENT CLASSROOM, IT HAS RECOMMENDED THAT THREE INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS BE HIRED TO HELP SUPPORT THESE GRADE LEVELS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE 2223 SCHOOL YEAR.
UM, THE ADMINISTRATION FEELS THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO FILL THE INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT POSITIONS, UH, VERSUS TEACHING POSITIONS AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
SO MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO, UM, ACTUALLY UTILIZE CARRY OVER FUND LAG PAY AND, AND, UH, VACANCY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR TO HELP COVER THE COST FOR THOSE THREE INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANCE POSITIONS.
BALLINGER ON THIS? IS THERE A MOTION I MOVED THAT THE THREE INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT POSITIONS BE ADDED TO SUPPORT IDENTIFIED CLASSES AT REI JEFFREYS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE 20 22 20 23 SCHOOL
[01:45:01]
YEAR? IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? I OPPOSE? NO.[5.F. Addition of a Dean of Students at Skyline High School - Dr. Ballenger]
ADDITION OF A DEAN OF STUDENTS AT SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL.BALLINGER SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL IS IN NEED OF ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AFTER MEETING WITH ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF.
THIS WAS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WAS, UM, REALLY HIGHLY IDENTIFIED AS A PRIORITY BY THE, BY ADMINISTRATION AND, AND STAFF.
UH, THIS POSITION WILL SUPPORT THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATIVE ADMINISTRATION WITH ATTENDANCE, DISCIPLINE, AND INSTRUCTION.
UM, ACTUALLY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO USE RIGHT NOW, THEY HAVE A COUPLE OF UNFILLED VACANCIES, UM, UNFILLED POSITIONS AT THEIR SCHOOL.
SO WE WOULD ACTUALLY PUT THIS UP ON THE BOARD TO SEE, OKAY, ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET A MATH TEACHER? ARE WE ABLE TO GET A, A DEAN OF STUDENTS TO FILL THIS POSITION FOR THE REST OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR AND LOOK AT IT FROM THAT WAY AS FAR AS SUPPORTING THE NEEDS THAT ARE AT ACTUALLY OUR LARGEST SCHOOL IN THE COUNTY AT SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL.
AND EVEN IF YOU TAKE THE ONE MATH POSITION DOWN TO PUT THE DEAN OF STUDENTS UP THERE, STILL ONE MATH YOU CAN SEE LISTED THERE? YES, MA'AM.
SO JUST TO REITERATE, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE ADVERTISING FOR MATH TEACHERS BECAUSE YES, MA'AM.
BALLINGER? IS THERE A MOTION I MOVE THAT A DEAN OF STUDENTS BE ADDED AT SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL TO SUPPORT ATTENDANCE, DISCIPLINE, AND INSTRUCTION FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE 20 22 20 23 SCHOOL YEAR? IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? I, UH, I OPPOSE? NO.