[00:00:05]
FOREIGN COUNTY DOES HEREBY CERTIFY THAT TO THE BEST OF
[2.A. Call to Order - Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Silence - School Board Chair]
EACH MEMBER'S KNOWLEDGE.NUMBER 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 THIS CERTIFICATION APPLIES.
AND TWO, ONLY SUCH PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS AS WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE MOTION BY WHICH THE CLOSED MEETING WAS CONVENED, WERE HEARD DISCUSSED CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, MR. GRANT, COULD YOU DO ROLL CALL PLEASE? CERTAINLY.
WELCOME EVERYONE THIS EVENING IF YOU'LL PLEASE RISE AND JOIN ME FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, FOLLOWED BY A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
UNITED STATES, AMERICA AND THE REPUBLIC AGAINST ONE NATION UNDER GOD IN LIBERTY.
AND IS THERE A MOTION TO ACCEPT OR
[2.B. Accept or Modify the Agenda - School Board]
MODIFY THE AGENDA? YES.I MOVE THAT THE AGENDA BE MODIFIED TO REMOVE ITEM C FROM THE MEETING OPENING SECTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? THAT PRESENTER IS NOT HERE.
THAT INDIVIDUAL IS NOT HERE TO PRESENT ON THAT ITEM.
IS THERE A SECOND ON THAT? UH, YES, I SECOND THAT.
THAT INDIVIDUAL'S NOT HERE TO PRESENT THE ITEM.
AND THAT WAS THE MARKER? CORRECT.
[2.D. Attendance Awards Presentation]
THE ATTENDANCE AWARDS PRESENTATION.SCHOOL ATTENDANCE IS ESSENTIAL TO 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 THE, AT EACH OF OUR MEETINGS LAST YEAR WE HAD, UM, OUR AWARDS PROVIDED, OR, OR WE PRESENTED OUR WARDS TO THE SCHOOLS THAT WON ELEMENTARY THAT HAD THE HIGHEST ATTENDANCE.
UM, THEN WE ALSO HAD A SECONDARY THAT HAD THE HIGHEST ATTENDANCE, AND THEN WE HAD A MOST IMPROVED AFTER THE FIRST MONTH.
SO SINCE WE STARTED SCHOOL, AUGUST THE NINTH, HERE WE ARE.
SO THE ATTENDANCE AWARDS FOR THIS MONTH, UH, WE WILL ONLY BE RECOGNIZING TWO ATTENDANCE AWARDS.
THAT WILL BE THE ELEMENTARY ATTENDANCE AWARD AND THE SECONDARY ATTENDANCE AWARD.
AND FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST, THE ELEMENTARY ATTENDANCE AWARD GOES TO, UM, AS ROADS.
THEY HAD 97.56% ATTENDANCE AS ROSE.
IT'S NICE TO SEE EVERYONE AGAIN AFTER THAT SUMMER BREAK.
UM, WE WANT TO THANK OUR FAMILIES AND STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO ATTENDANCE AND BEING IN SCHOOL EVERY DAY.
UM, IT'S GREAT TO SEE ALL THESE SMILING FACES BACK WITH US.
WE DO HAVE A FEW GUESTS WITH US THIS EVENING, AND MRS. O WADE IS OUR SCHOOL COUNSELOR.
SHE IS KIND OF LEADING UP ALL OF THE ATTENDANCE INITIATIVES AND WITH HER GREAT EFFORTS LAST YEAR, WE DID COME IN AROUND 12% FOR OUR CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM RATE.
UM, SO THE OFFICIAL NUMBERS AREN'T QUITE OUT YET, SO WE THINK WE DID MAKE IT UNDER 15.
UM, SO I WANTED TO THANK HER AND SHE'S GONNA SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR THIS YEAR.
LIKE SHE SAID, I'M MRS. O WADE, AND EVEN THOUGH WE'RE A SMALL SCHOOL, IT'S STILL IMPORTANT TO GET THE KIDS COMING EVERY DAY.
SO I HAVE ON THE ANNOUNCEMENTS, UM, THE CLASSES WHO HAVE THE HIGHEST ATTENDANCE, AND WE ALSO HAVE WHEEL OF ATTENDANCE AND THE, THE CLASSES THAT HAVE THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE GET
[00:05:01]
SPUN AND THEN THE WINNERS GET TO COME DOWN TO MY OFFICE AND GET A, A PRIZE.THEY CAN PICK FROM SCHOOL SUPPLIES OR LITTLE TRINKETS OR KEY CHAINS, AND THEY GET REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
AND WHAT, WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO COME TO SCHOOL GUYS? SO YOU COULD BE SMART FOR LEARNING.
UM, SO IF YOU WANNA, UM, BE AN ARCHEOLOGIST OR A SCIENTIST WHEN YOU GROW UP, YOU HAVE TO COME EVERY DAY.
AND FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST, THE SECONDARY ATTENDANCE AWARD WILL GO TO WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE DR.
UM, I JUST WANNA THANK ALL OF OUR FAMILIES AND STUDENTS WHO ARE COMING TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY, AND CERTAINLY OUR TEACHERS, UH, WHO ARE WORKING HARD TO MAKE IT A, A WELCOMING PLACE FOR KIDS WHERE THEY FEEL SUPPORTED AND COMING TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY.
WE'RE HOPING TO HOLD ONTO OUR BANNER FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR,
AND SO SINCE WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL WON IT LAST YEAR, I DID NOT GET OUT THERE TO GET IT TODAY.
SO I WILL GO OUT THERE AND TAKE A PICTURE WITH, UH, DR.
JOHNSTON TOMORROW, IF THAT WOULD BE OKAY WITH YOU.
[2.E. School Reports]
WE HAVE SCHOOL REPORTS THIS EVENING, SO THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.SO THIS YEAR, EACH MONTH, UM, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SPOTLIGHTS FROM EACH SCHOOL.
UM, I'VE ALSO INVITED PRINCIPALS THAT THEY CAN COME AND SPEAK WHEN IT'S NOT THEIR TIME, BUT, UH, IF THEY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING THAT IS GOING ON AT THEIR SCHOOL, UM, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO, TO COME TO TONIGHT.
SO THE ONE THAT WAS SCHEDULED FOR TONIGHT IS E WILSON MORRISON, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK MS. JENNIFER KNOX, PRINCIPAL TO PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM.
ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING, SUPERINTENDENT BALLINGER, CHAIRWOMAN PENCE AND BOARD MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS JENNIFER KNOX AND I'M THE PRINCIPAL OF E WILSON MORRISON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I AM HERE TONIGHT TO HIGHLIGHT OUR SCHOOL AND THE GREAT THINGS OUR STUDENTS ARE ACCOMPLISHING.
AT E WILSON MORRISON, WE STRIVE TO CREATE A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WHERE ALL STUDENTS WANT TO COME TO SCHOOL, THEY WANT TO LEARN, AND THEY CONSIDER THOSE AROUND THEM WHEN MAKING PERSONAL CHOICES.
FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, MICHAEL WILLIAMS, OUR STUDENT SUPPORT COACH, HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN STARTING AND GROWING OUR EARLY ACT CLUB.
EARLY ACT IS A COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM.
OUR STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIFTH GRADE ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN AND IS SPONSORED BY THE ROTARY CLUB OF WARREN COUNTY.
IN THE EARLY ACT CLUB, STUDENTS FOCUS ON HOW THEY CAN HELP THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITY THROUGH SERVICE PROJECTS.
SOME PROJECTS THEY HAVE WORKED ON IN THE PAST INCLUDE RECYCLING, COLLECTING CANNED GOODS FOR THE SALVATION ARMY, UPKEEP OF OUR BLESSING BOX, AND SCHOOL GROUNDS BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS.
MR. WILLIAMS ALSO OFFERS OCCASIONAL WEEKEND OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN ALONG WITH THE ROTARY CLUB.
SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS INCLUDE THE SHENANDOAH RIVER CLEANUP, UH, RINGING THE BELL AT CHRISTMAS FOR THE SALVATION ARMY AND OTHER COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS.
THE OVERALL MISSION OF EARLY ACT IS TO IMPRESS UPON OUR YOUTH A MENTALITY OF SERVICE ABOVE SELF.
MR. WILLIAMS TEACHES THE STUDENTS THE ROTARY FOUR-WAY TEST OF THE THINGS WE THINK, SAY AND DO.
IS IT THE TRUTH? IS IT FAIR TO ALL CONCERNED? WILL IT BUILD GOODWILL AND BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? WILL IT BE BENEFICIAL FOR ALL CONCERNED? IT'S OKAY.
[00:10:01]
THINGS AND I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY.MR. WILLIAMS IS AN INVALUABLE MEMBER OF OUR EVILS AND MORRISON STAFF.
HE IS THE SELF-PROCLAIMED CAPTAIN CHAOS AND HE WEARS THE CAPE TO PROVE IT.
THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, I'M GONNA GO OFF SCRIPT HERE.
THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, HE CAME IN WITH HIS CAPE AND I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER.
THE KIDS WERE SO EXCITED TO SEE HIM.
SO HE'S AN INSTRUMENTAL PART OF OUR SCHOOL.
THE EARLY ACT CLUB HAS GROWN FROM 40 STUDENTS IN YEAR ONE TO 70 STUDENTS IN YEAR TWO.
AND NOW YEAR THREE, WE ARE STARTING WITH 125 STUDENTS.
OUR STUDENTS ARE LEARNING THE MENTALITY OF SERVICE ABOVE SELF AND MR. WILLIAMS HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB OF MODELING THAT MENTALITY FOR ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
TONIGHT, MR. WILLIAMS, OUR VERY OWN CAPTAIN CHAOS, IS HERE WITH SOME OF OUR STUDENTS TO TELL YOU IN THEIR OWN WORDS WHY EARLY ACT IS IMPORTANT TO THEM.
HI, MY NAME IS CAITLYN DARA, BUT MY FRIENDS CALL ME KATIE.
I AM HERE TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH I ENJOY BEING AN EARLY ACT.
I ENJOY EARLY ACT BECAUSE WE ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE TO OTHER PEOPLE AT ALL COSTS.
WE ARE NEVER MEAN OR RUDE TO OTHER PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS TREAT OTHERS HOW YOU WANNA BE TREATED.
EARLY ACT IS AN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM WHERE YOU ARE ALWAYS HAVING FUN WHILE HELPING AND SUPPORTING OTHERS.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE RAISED OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR VETERANS WHO COULDN'T AFFORD TO GET PRESENTS OR EVEN A TREE FOR CHRISTMAS.
WE MAKE BANNERS ALL THE TIME, WAIT TILL YOU SEE OUR CAFETERIA.
WE ARE ALWAYS MAKING SURE WE ARE KIND BECAUSE WE HAVE A QUOTE THAT WE SAY AT THE END OF EVERY MEETING, THE FOUR WAY TEST OF THE THINGS WE THINK, SAY OR DO FIRST, IS IT THE TRUTH? SECOND, IS IT FAIR TO ALL CONCERNED? THIRD, WILL BILL GOOD WILL, AND BETTER FRIENDSHIPS.
FOURTH WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO ALL CONCERNED IF ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS ARE NO, THAT'S WRONG.
I AM A VERY ACTIVE GIRL, SO THIS AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM IS MY JAM.
I LOVE IT WHEN I MAKE SOMEONE SMILE.
IT MAKES ME FEEL BETTER ABOUT MYSELF.
I THINK THIS PROGRAM IS GREAT IN GENERAL.
WE EVEN GET YUMMY HEALTHY SNACKS.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING MR. WILLIAMS DO THIS.
MY NAME IS MASON PETTY AND I LIKE EARLY ACT WHEN WE RAISE MONEY FOR THE VETERANS.
HE WON'T COME UP, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY HE'S PHENOMENAL AND WE'RE JUST SO VERY BLESSED TO HAVE HIM AT YOU.
WELCOME AND MADAM CHAIR ALSO HERE TONIGHT.
UM, I THINK HE'S GOING TO TAKE THIS AS A PERSONAL CHALLENGE.
SO, UH, MR. KINE FROM WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A FEW MINUTES TO SPEAK ABOUT THE POSITIVE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.
I HAVE HERE WITH ME TONIGHT OUR ATHLETIC DIRECTOR COACH BILL HALL, TO TALK ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY BUILDING BLOCK PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.
BUT BEFORE I TURN OVER THE MICROPHONE TO COACH HALL, I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL HAS ONCE AGAIN BEEN RECOGNIZED BY US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT AS A US NEWS BEST HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE 2023 2024 SCHOOL YEAR.
IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THIS RECOGNITION, A SCHOOL MUST RANK HIGHER THAN 60% AMONG NEARLY 25,000 HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY.
WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL PLACED 6,356 NATIONALLY.
THAT'S OUT OF 25,000 SCHOOLS AND 138TH IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
THIS IS THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR THAT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL HAS EARNED THIS RECOGNITION.
I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF AND STUDENTS OF WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO ACADEMICS AND OUR PARENTS FOR ALL THEIR SUPPORT.
THANK YOU ALL AS WELL FOR PLAYING SUCH A BIG PART IN OUR SUCCESS.
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO INVITE COACH HALL TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY BUILDING BLOCK PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.
COACH HALL HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB SINCE BECOMING OUR ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AND I AM HONORED TO WORK BESIDE HIM ON A DAILY BASIS.
WELL, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
BALLINGER AND MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR, UM, WHENEVER WE SAID A CHANCE TO SHARE POSITIVE NEWS.
SO, UM, THE WARREN COUNTY BUILDING BLOCK COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP, WHICH DR.
PENCE AND WARREN COUNTY VETERINARY MEDICINE PARTICIPATED IN THAT INITIATIVE, GOES TOWARDS PAYING FOR ALL
[00:15:01]
OUR KIDS TO GET INTO SCHOOL EVENTS FOR FREE.SO THAT TIES INTO THE INITIATIVE FOR ATTENDANCE, THEIR EXPERIENCE IN SCHOOL, AND, UH, JUST SOME EARLY RETURNS ON THAT.
UH, VOLLEYBALL GAME LAST WEEK, WE HAD OVER A HUNDRED STUDENTS PARTICIPATE, SO THEY SIGN IN WHEN THEY COME.
AND THEN AT THE FOOTBALL GAME ON FRIDAY NIGHT, WE HAD OVER 225 STUDENTS PARTICIPATE THERE.
SO AGAIN, THIS, WE'RE EARLY IN THIS PROCESS.
WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY, UM, I JUST HAD A COMMUNITY.
I JUST HAD ANOTHER PARTNER WHEN I LEFT TODAY.
SO WE'RE AT 27 BUILDING BLOCK COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND IT TAKES THEIR EFFORT TO PAY FOR OUR KIDS TO COME INTO SCHOOL.
SO WE APPRECIATE OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, THERE IS SOMETHING UP, THINK UP ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO PARTICIPATE, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME.
BUT IT TAKES ALL OF US IN THIS COMMUNITY ALLOW OUR KIDS TO BE FULLY INVESTED IN SCHOOL.
THEIR INVESTMENT IN SCHOOL ALLOWS THEM TO BE A GREATER EXPERIENCE BOTH ATHLETICALLY AND ACADEMICALLY.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
WE HAVE TO HEAD TO THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTION CEREMONY, WHICH STARTED AT SIX 30.
MY DAUGHTER'S BEING INDUCTED, SO I NEED TO GET HERE.
AND I DO NOT KNOW IF WE HAVE ANY OTHER ADMINISTRATORS FROM ANY OTHER SCHOOLS.
UM, I THINK WE'RE GOOD THERE, DR.
OKAY, BEFORE WE START COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, I WANTED GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY FIRST THANK OUR STUDENTS FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT, BUT GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY IF YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE, UM, AT THIS TIME.
[2.F. Community Participation]
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 ATTENDANCE 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 SIGNED 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 DEMONSTRATED 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, COMBINE 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 PEACE.
REFRAIN FROM OBSCENITY AND VULGARITY.
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 ASK 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'RE A WARREN COUNTY RESIDENT, PARENT OF WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT, OR AN EMPLOYEE OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION.
AND LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES.
FIRST UP IS JENNIFER MULLIGAN.
I, MY NAME IS JENNIFER MULLIGAN.
I AM A RESIDENT OF WARREN COUNTY AND I'M A PARENT.
I'D LIKE TO REVISIT A TOPIC I BROUGHT UP EARLIER THIS SUMMER.
SINCE THEN, YOU'VE TAKEN THE COMMENDABLE STEPS TO PURCHASING CAMERAS AND CONDUCTING SURVEYS AMONG PARENTS AND STAFF.
AFTER A THOROUGH REVIEW OF THE SURVEY RESULTS, DISCUSSION WITH PARENTS AND EDUCATORS AND AN IN-DEPTH EXAMINATION OF RELEVANT NEWS ARTICLES, I AM FIRMLY CONVINCED THAT THE TIME IS NOW FOR THE INSTALLATION OF CAMERAS IN ALL AREAS SHARED BY STUDENTS AND SCHOOL PERSONNEL.
I WANT TO ADDRESS THE VALID CONCERNS RAISED BY SOME OF THE STAFF REGARDING PRIVACY.
THIS BEING STRAIGHTFORWARD, WE SHOULD CONSIDER WHAT LEVEL OF PERSONAL PRIVACY CAN REASONABLY BE EXPECTED WITHIN A PUBLIC INSTITUTION.
MATTERS SUCH AS PERSONAL PHONE CALLS AND SIMILAR ACTIVITIES SHOULD OCCUR DURING PERSONAL TIME, NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF TAXPAYERS.
ACTIVITIES LIKE PUMPING SHOULD TAKE PLACE IN AREAS INACCESSIBLE TO STUDENTS.
WE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT THE WORKPLACE PRIMARILY SERVES A VENUE FOR PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES WHERE PERSONAL PRIVACY MUST TAKE A SEAT BACK.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT HOW SURVEILLANCE MIGHT BE AFFECTED OR MIGHT AFFECT THE NATURAL FLOW OF TEACHING.
IT IS ESSENTIAL TO EMPHASIZE THAT TEACHERS, TEACHER TEACHING METHODS SHOULD REMAIN CONSISTENT WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE CAMERAS PRESENT.
WE'VE ALREADY EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR SITUATION DURING COVID WHEN TEACHERS AND STUDENTS WERE BEING RECORDED.
SURVEILLANCE IS A PART OF OUR DAILY LIVES, WHETHER WE'RE AT BANKS, GROCERY STORES, GAS STATIONS, OR TRAFFIC LIGHTS.
MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE EMBRACED MULTIPLE OUTDOOR CAMERAS AND EVEN OUR SCHOOL BUSES ARE EQUIPPED WITH THEM.
SURVEILLANCE IS AN UNDENIABLE PART OF OUR MODERN EXISTENCE.
[00:20:01]
PREPARED A PACKET FOR ALL BOARD MEMBERS AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO REVIEW IT.PAYING PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE HIGHLIGHTED SECTIONS IN THE PETITION I PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD.
THESE SECTION CONTAINS STORIES BY PARENTS WHO FEEL THEIR CHILD HAVE BEEN MISTREATED BY STAFF.
I'VE INCLUDED TWO STORIES FROM LOCAL FACEBOOK GROUPS REGARDING THE SAME ISSUES.
ADDITIONALLY, I'VE INCLUDED TWO NEWS REPORTS HIGHLIGHTING INCIDENTS OF PAST ABUSE WITHIN OUR COUNTY INVOLVING EDUCATORS.
AND IF ANY DOUBT REMAINS ABOUT THE NECESSITY OF THESE CAMERAS, I FIRMLY BELIEVE IT WOULD BE DE DETRIMENTAL TO OUR CHILDREN.
INSTALLING THESE CAMERAS ISN'T JUST ABOUT SURVEILLANCE.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVISE, DEFINE, AND DEFINE OUR POLICIES, TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND WELFARE OF OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF.
THESE CAMERAS WILL SERVE AS TOOLS TO PROMOTE ACCOUNTABILITY, ADDRESSING BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE BEHA BEHAVIORS.
FURTHERMORE, THEY WILL ENABLE THE BOARD TO ACCESS STAFF AND ADMINISTRATIVE CONDUCT DURING SPECIFIC SITUATIONS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE CONCERNS RAISED BY SOME STAFF MEMBERS ACTUALLY REINFORCE MY BELIEF IN THE URGENCY OF THIS INITIATIVE.
WHILE THEY MAY NOT REALIZE IT NOW, APPROVING THE PROGRAM COULD ULTIMATELY PROTECT THE CAREERS OF VERY DEDICATED EDUCATORS AND STAFF MEMBERS.
I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE COMPELLING REASONS BEHIND THIS PROPOSAL.
DO NOT TAKE A STEP BACK, KEEP MOVING FORWARD AND EMBRACE THESE CAMERAS AS A TOOL THAT WILL NOT ONLY PROTECT OUR CHILDREN, BUT ALSO UPHOLD THE EXCELLENCE OF OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.
CAN I COME UP AND GIVE YOU GUYS THESE? MM-HMM.
I'M A PARENT AND I LIVE IN WARREN COUNTY.
UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REVISIT THAT SAME ISSUE.
UH, IT GOES BACK TO THE COMMUNICATION GUIDES.
I MEAN, WE HAD A HUGE COMMUNICATION FAILURE LAST TIME.
YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS HAD A UPROAR.
AND WE HAVE DRUG OVERDOSES HAPPENING IN THE SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE GUN THREATS HAPPENING IN THE SCHOOLS AND YOU GUYS ARE STILL FAILING.
I, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT TAKES FOR YOU GUYS TO LEARN.
UM, I THINK SINCE THE LAST MEETING, THE ONLY PERSON UP THERE THAT HAS REALLY, TRULY CARED IS MELANIE.
AND HONESTLY, I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH.
'CAUSE WITHOUT YOU, I MEAN THE REST OF THE, THE REST OF YOU GUYS HAVE DONE NOTHING.
YOU COULDN'T EVEN MS. ANDREW, YOU COULDN'T EVEN RESPOND TO MY EMAIL, A GROUP EMAIL THAT EVERYBODY WAS IN AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN RESPOND.
SO WHAT'S THE POINT IN YOU BEING UP THERE ON THAT BOARD? ARE YOU TRYING TO GET RECOGNITION FOR SOMETHING OR ARE YOU, WHAT ARE YOU, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
I, I JUST, I THINK THAT YOU GUYS GOT ELECTED FOR A REASON.
I TRULY BELIEVE THAT SOMEONE SAW GOOD IN WHAT YOU GUYS WERE CAMPAIGNING FOR, BUT YOU NEED TO HOLD UP TO THAT.
THESE ARE OUR KIDS, RIGHT? YOU GUYS, MOST OF YOU HAVE KIDS.
PUT YOURSELF IN OUR SHOES AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE BEST ROUTE TO PROTECT NOT ONLY THE KIDS, BUT THE TEACHERS AS WELL.
THE CAMERAS ARE A GREAT IDEA, BUT POLICIES CAN BE PUT INTO PLACE TO PROTECT TEACHERS AS WELL, RIGHT? IT'S NOT JUST ALL ABOUT, IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT THE KIDS.
TEACHERS ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT TO US.
BUT AS FAR AS I'M TRYING TO, AS FAR AS YOU GUYS GO, I THINK YOU'VE COMPLETELY FAILED ONCE AGAIN.
YOU KNOW, AND THIS WAS SHORT COUPLE MONTHS AGO THAT THIS ALL HAPPENED.
AND NONE OF YOU GUYS HAVE AN ANSWER.
MELANIE AGAIN, IS THE ONLY ONE.
SO I HOPE, I HOPE AND PRAY THAT YOU GUYS CAN GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR BEHIND AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
OTHERWISE, WE'D BE IN THE SAME SITUATION WE WERE IN JUST DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT REASONS.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF SECONDARY EDUCATION AND THE TREASURER FOR THE WARREN COUNTY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.
I'M ALSO A MATH TEACHER AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL, A LOCAL RESIDENT AND A PARENT OF WARREN COUNTY STUDENTS.
I THINK I KIND OF HIT ALL THE CATEGORIES.
THE PREVIOUS W C E A PRESIDENT TRADITIONALLY SPOKE AT THE SCHOOL BOARD AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH SCHOOL YEAR BECAUSE OF VARIOUS CHAOS.
IN RECENT YEARS, I HAVE NOT KEPT UP THAT TRADITION.
THE FACT THAT I CAN DO SO NOW IS POSITIVE INDICATION OF WHERE WE CURRENTLY STAND.
DURING MY TIME AS A MEMBER AND EVENTUAL BOARD MEMBER OF THE W C E A, I HAVE HEARD ALL SORTS OF COMPLAINTS, CONCERNS, AND REQUESTS FROM MEMBERS.
SOMETIMES JUST HAVING THE TIME TO VENT FRUSTRATIONS IN A MEETING WOULD TAKE OVER TWO HOURS.
[00:25:01]
HAVE SEEN THAT PHENOMENON STEADILY DECREASE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS TO THE POINT THAT RECENTLY I RARELY HEAR SUCH NEGATIVITY.THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THERE ARE NOT INDIVIDUAL CASES OF SERIOUS AND VALID CONCERN, AND SOME ADJUSTMENTS MAY NEED TO BE MADE, BUT WHEN LOOKING AT THE ENTIRETY, IT IS INCREDIBLY POSITIVE.
MY PURPOSE HERE IS TO SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR DEALING WITH ALL THE CHAOS.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING US AS PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS AND VALUING OUR VIEWS AND CONCERNS.
THANK YOU FOR LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE AND NOT GIVING UP WHEN THINGS WENT SIDEWAYS.
TRUE STORY, I DID NOT CONSIDER THE BIG PICTURE MYSELF.
THIS YEAR, THE SUMMER STARTED NICE AND RAINY.
AND CONSIDERING ONLY THAT BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE THE PERFECT SUMMER TO PLANT GRASS.
WELL, AS THE DROUGHT PROVES IT WAS NOT THE PERFECT SUMMER TO PLANT GRASS, BUT I DID NOT GO TO AN EXTREME AND DECIDE TO CREATE A YARD OF ROCKS.
INSTEAD, I'VE WATERED WHAT I CAN AND WILL TAKE, TAKE THIS EXPERIENCE INTO NEXT YEAR AND ADJUST MY ACTIONS.
IN DOING SO, I'M SURE THAT BEFORE LONG MY SON WILL BE GETTING HALF MY PAYCHECK TO MOW THE STUFF.
EVEN THROUGH TIMES OF DISAGREEMENT AND ADVERSITY, YOU HAVE NOT GIVEN UP ON THE SEEDS THAT WERE PLANTED.
AND THE GRASS AT WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS GROWING.
YOU'VE HEARD EXAMPLES OF THAT TONIGHT.
YOU SEE THAT IN OUR ABILITY TO KEEP MORE OF OUR VALUED TEACHERS, YOU SEE THAT IN OUR ABILITY TO HIRE FOR MUCH NEEDED POSITIONS.
IN FACT, MY DEPARTMENT IS FULLY STAFFED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SPEAKING JUST FOR MYSELF.
IT IS BECAUSE OF THE VALUED COLLABORATION OF THIS SCHOOL BOARD AND THE SUPERINTENDENT AND MY ADMINISTRATION THAT I'M BOTH HAPPY AND PROUD TO RETURN TO WARD COUNTY EVERY YEAR.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING SO FOR MANY MORE.
SO ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
AND HERE'S TO CONTINUING THE TREND IN THE 20 23 24 SCHOOL YEAR.
MY NAME IS VIRGINIA CRAM AND I AM A PARENT.
I COME HERE BEFORE THE BOARD TODAY AS A FIRST TIME VISITOR.
I SIT HERE AND I LISTEN TO DISCUSSIONS OF POLICY AND UNDER AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES.
I ABIDE MY TIME TO SPEAK TO YOU ALL FACE TO FACE ABOUT A PRESSING MATTER WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, SPECIFICALLY WITHIN SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I AM A MOTHER OF THREE CHILDREN EACH AT A DIFFERENT SCHOOL, WARREN MIDDLE, SKYLINE MIDDLE, AND AS RHODES ELEMENTARY, EVERY DAY I SEND MY CHILDREN OFF TO BE EDUCATED, AND I EXPECT THAT MY CHILDREN ARE SAFE WITHIN THE WALLS OF THEIR SCHOOLS.
UNFORTUNATELY, MY CHILD, AIDEN, AGE 12, FOUND OUT THE HARD WAY THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO BE PROTECTED.
ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 24TH, AIDEN CAME TO SCHOOL EXPECTING TO HAVE A NORMAL DAY TO BE WITH HIS FRIENDS, TO LISTEN TO HIS TEACHERS AND TO COMPLETE HIS SCHOOLWORK.
AIDEN WENT TO HIS GYM CLASS AND WAS BRUTALLY ASSAULTED BY ANOTHER STUDENT IN HIS GRADE.
I WAS CALLED BY THE SCHOOL AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO BE AT THE SCHOOL IN THE NEXT 10 MINUTES, OR THEY NEEDED TO CALL 9 1 1 BECAUSE MY SON WAS SO HURT, I PANICKED, AND THE WOMAN WHOM I WAS SPEAKING TO STILL HAD NOT PUT EYES ON HIM.
I PANICKED, PACKED UP MY YOUNGEST CHILD AND RUSHED TO THE SCHOOL AS FAST AS I COULD GET THERE.
I SPOKE ON THE PHONE IN THE MEANTIME AND ASKED TO BE TRANSFERRED BACK TO MR. JOHNSON, THE PRINCIPAL.
HE DID NOT CALL ME HIMSELF, AND HE COULD NOT RELAY TO ME THE CONDITION THAT MY CHILD WAS IN AT THIS POINT.
THE PRINCIPAL INFORMED ME THAT ANOTHER CHILD HAD SHOVED AIDEN TWICE.
AND WHEN AIDEN PUSHED BACK, AIDEN WAS PUNCHED.
THIS IS ALMOST ALL I CAN REMEMBER OF THIS CALL, AS I WAS GIVEN SUCH LITTLE INFORMATION AS TO WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO WITH MY OWN CHILD, OR IF HE WAS EVEN OKAY.
WHEN I ARRIVED TO THE SCHOOL AND BYPASSED THE PICKUP LINE, AS I WAS INSTRUCTED THE SCHOOL NURSE AND THE FRONT OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR RUSHED MY CHILD OUT TO MY CAR AND SAID THAT THEY WERE JUST ABLE TO STOP THE BLEEDING AND THAT SHE THOUGHT MY CHILD'S JAW WAS BROKEN.
MY SON WAS PUNCHED IN THE FACE WITH SUCH MALICE AND DISREGARD BY ANOTHER STUDENT AT THAT SCHOOL THAT HE WAS RUSHED TO EMERGENCY SURGERY TO FIX HIS BROKEN JAW.
HE LOST AT LEAST TWO ADULT TEETH, AND THE ORAL SURGEON IS DOING EVERYTHING HE CAN TO SAVE THE THIRD ADULT TOOTH.
AIDEN WILL BE ON A LIQUID DIET FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER MONTH, AND WE'RE ON WEEK TWO.
SINCE THE ASSAULT, HE HAS TRAUMATIZED, HIS FATHER AND I ARE TRAUMATIZED.
WHEN WE MET WITH THE PRINCIPAL AND SUPERINTENDENT ASSISTANT BUCK SMITH, WE WERE MET WITH BUREAUCRATIC ANSWERS THAT GAVE ABSOLUTELY NO REASSURANCE THAT IF MY CHILD STEPPED BACK INTO THE HALLWAYS
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OF SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL, THAT HE WOULD BE PROTECTED.WHEN WE BROUGHT UP THAT PERHAPS AIDEN WOULD NEED TO BE ON HOME BOUND, IT SEEMED THAT THERE WAS A SIGH OF RELIEF FROM THE SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVES BECAUSE IT MEANT THAT THERE WAS ONE LESS THING THEY WOULD HAVE TO WORRY, WORRY ABOUT.
AND PERHAPS THEY WERE EVEN GRATEFUL THAT IT MEANT THERE WAS ONE LESS VIGILANT PARENT THAT WOULD HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS OR LACK THEREOF.
THEY WERE WRONG BASED ON REPORTS FROM OTHER STUDENTS.
IT IS OUR BELIEF THAT THE CHILD WHO BROKE AIDEN'S JAW WAS ON SCHOOL GROUNDS THE VERY NEXT DAY, AUGUST 25TH.
IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN THE SCHOOL HAS VIOLATED ITS OWN CODE OF CONDUCT, AND IT HAS VIOLATED THE TRUST OF EVERY PARENT IN THIS COMMUNITY, THAT THE SCHOOL IS A SAFE PLACE FOR THEIR CHILD.
WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED TO DIRECT ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS TO THE SCHOOL LEGAL COUNSEL, AND OUR ATTORNEY HAS BEEN CONTACTING THEM FOR TWO WEEKS, AND WE ARE STILL WAITING ON A RESPONSE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE SCHOOL CANNOT GIVE OUT INFORMATION ABOUT THE OTHER CHILD, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THIS.
I HAVE SEEN THE VIDEO AND I WILL DESCRIBE IT TO YOU.
AIDEN WAS LINING UP WITH OTHER STUDENTS IN GYM CLASS TO GET READY TO PLAY MAT BALL.
THE OTHER CHILD WHO WAS MORE THAN A HEAD TALLER THAN MY SON, WHO RUNS ABOUT A BUCK 20, THE OTHER CHILD WHO IS MORE THAN A HEAD TALLER THAN AIDEN WAS IN FRONT OF HIM, TURNED AND SHOVED AIDEN BACKWARDS.
AIDEN DID NOTHING TO INSTIGATE IT.
HE THREW HIS HANDS UP AND AIDEN DID NOTHING TO RETALIATE.
MERE SECONDS LATER, THE CHILD SHOVED AIDEN A SECOND TIME.
AND AGAIN, MY CHILD ROSE ABOVE THE SITUATION AND DID NOTHING.
A FEW MORE SECONDS PASS, AND THE OTHER CHILD GRABS AIDEN BY THE SHIRT AND BEGAN WALKING HIM BACKWARDS.
WHEN AIDEN TRIED TO SHOVE THE OTHER CHILD'S HANDS OFF OF HIM, HE GETS PUNCHED WITH SUCH MALICE THAT HE IMMEDIATELY STARTED BLEEDING.
I WON'T LIE, AIDEN EVEN TRIED TO PROTECT HIMSELF AFTER THAT.
BUT HE WAS IN SUCH A STATE THAT HE COULD NOT DO SO.
THAT OTHER CHILD, HE DIDN'T EVEN MOVE.
WHEN AIDEN WENT TO GO PROTECT HIMSELF, HE DIDN'T FLINCH.
IT WAS AS IF HE STOOD THERE WAITING FOR AIDEN TO LAND A PUNCH BACK SO HE COULD CONTINUE TO BEAT MY CHILD WHO WAS ALREADY BLEEDING.
I FEEL THAT IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY AS A MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY, AS A PARENT AND A FIERCE PROTECTOR OF MY CHILDREN AND HIS SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF ALL OF THE OTHER CHILDREN AT THAT SCHOOL.
TO INFORM YOU THAT THIS WILL NOT STAND WITH ME.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED REPORTS THAT AIDEN WAS BEING BULLIED AT SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND DURING THAT OCCASION, WE ARE WERE INFORMED BY MR. JOHNSON THAT IT WOULD BE HANDLED.
BUT HERE WE ARE WITH A CHILD WHO STOOD, WHO TRIED TO REMOVE A CHILD'S HANDS FROM HIM, AND WHAT WAS HIS REWARD? MISSING TEETH, A BROKEN JAW SURGERY, A LIQUID DIET AND TRAUMA THAT HASN'T EVEN BEEN ABLE TO BE BEGUN TO BE PROCESSED YET.
MY FIRST QUESTION TO YOU IS, WERE YOU AWARE OF THIS BEFORE TODAY? MY NEXT QUESTION, IF YOU WERE, WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO REMOVE THE STUDENT FROM THE SCHOOL? BECAUSE BASED ON EVEN THE 15 SECONDS OF VIDEO, I WAS ALLOWED TO SEE THAT CHILD HAD MAL IN HIS EYES AND WAS WAITING FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTACK MY SON AGAIN.
I ALSO ASK WHAT, IF ANYTHING, HAVE YOU OR SKYLINE MIDDLE OR ANYONE ELSE DONE TO ADDRESS THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS THAT WE PLACE IN YOUR CARE EVERY DAY? ALSO, IF THE SCHOOL NURSE THOUGHT THAT AIDEN'S JAW HAD BEEN BROKEN, WHY DIDN'T SKYLINE CALL 9 1 1? WHY DIDN'T THE PRINCIPAL CALL ME? WHY DID THEY HAVE AN ADMINISTRATOR CALL ME AND TELL ME TO GET IN THE CAR BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO CALL 9 1 1 IF I DON'T GET THERE.
BUT HER EYES HAD NOT BEEN PLACED ON MY BABY.
I DROVE IN THAT CAR, THREW MY YOUNGEST KID IN THE CAR, AND DROVE AS FAST AS I COULD TO THE SCHOOL WITH NOBODY TO TELL ME WHAT WAS GOING ON.
I WAS INFORMED THAT IF I HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET THERE IN 10 MINUTES, THEN THEY WOULD'VE CALLED 9 1 1 10 MINUTES FOR A 12 YEAR OLD AND A BROKEN JAW.
HAVE ANY OF YOU HAD YOUR JAW BROKEN? CAN ANY OF YOU EVEN BEGIN TO IMAGINE THAT PAIN? HOW ABOUT IF YOU WERE A CHILD WHO DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG TO BRING SUCH PAIN ON YOURSELF AND THE SCHOOL FAILED HIM AGAIN AND AGAIN? 9 1 1 POLICY IS A POLICY THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
THE POLICIES THAT ARE IN PLACE TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
THE POLICIES ABOUT PROTECTING STUDENTS WHO ARE INTENTIONALLY CAUSING HARMS TO OTHER STUDENTS FOR NO REASON NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
THE POLICIES REGARDING ANY POTENTIAL HEARINGS FOR STUDENTS' EXPULSION NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
ANY CHILD WHO IS A VICTIM OF A STUDENT AND WHOSE CHILDREN'S PARENTS SHOULD HAVE A RIGHT TO MAKE A STATEMENT TO ANY DECISION MAKERS REGARDING THE DISCIPLINARY DECISIONS FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE ACTING WITH MALICIOUS INTENT, IT IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN TRULY PROTECT OUR STUDENTS IF THEIR VOICES AND THEIR PARENTS' VOICES ARE HEARD.
AND I WILL NOT REST UNTIL THEY ARE.
THIS IS NOT THE LAST TIME YOU WILL SEE ME AT THESE MEETINGS, AND THIS IS NOT THE LAST TIME YOU OR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S ATTORNEY WILL HEAR FROM MY ATTORNEY.
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EXPECTING ANSWERS TO OUR QUESTIONS AND WE'RE EXPECTING THEM LAST WEEK.MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE STUDENT HAS BEEN CRIMINALLY CHARGED.
BUT WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO PROTECT MY SON AND THE OTHER CHILDREN AT SKYLINE MIDDLE FROM THIS CHILD WHO HAS NO SELF-CONTROL AND APPARENTLY ENOUGH POWER TO BREAK A CHILD'S JAW? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? THANK YOU.
SO FOR EVERYONE OUT THERE, I REALIZE THAT, UM, OBVIOUSLY WE WENT WAY OVER.
THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR DISCUSSION COMING UP THIS EVENING WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT DISCIPLINE DISCUSSIONS AND POLICIES.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU SHARING YOUR STORY THIS EVENING.
MR. GRANT, WHO'S THE NEXT? KELLY CLARK.
UM, I THOUGHT TODAY WOULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT BULLYING THAT PERSIST IN SCHOOL, UH, WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL.
UM, AND MY PERSONAL EXAMPLE, SEVEN YEARS AGO, UH, MY SON, WHO HE JUST GRADUATED LAST YEAR, UH, SEVEN YEARS AGO, HE IS BULLIED SO MUCH AND I THINK IT WAS IN SEVENTH GRADE, NOT PHYSICALLY, BUT JUST BULLIED.
UH, WE HAD TO GO SO FAR AS TO GET A NO CONTACT CONTRACT, UH, WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THAT FAMILY AND THE PARENTS TO LET THAT CHILD KNOW IT WOULD BE CRIMINAL THE NEXT TIME THEY TALKED TO MY CHILD.
AND THAT SOLVED THE PROBLEM IS GREAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S STILL OFFERED HERE, BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY BE SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT.
UM, FAST FORWARD TO LAST YEAR.
UM, MY SON JUST STARTED MIDDLE SCHOOL.
HE WAS IN THE SIXTH GRADE THEN.
SO HE IS IN THE SEVENTH GRADE NOW.
UH, HE'S IN GT OFF THE CHART IN MATH.
UM, IN THE FIRST QUARTER HE WA EVERYBODY HAS A FEW ISSUES WITH PUSH.
UM, AND HE WAS REALLY OVERWHELMED WITH, WITH THE EXPERIENCE.
HE WAS WALKING IN THE HALLWAY, UM, IN BETWEEN CLASSES.
A CH A CHILD APPROACHED HIM, PUNCHED HIM THREE TIMES SQUARE IN THE FACE AND ONCE IN THE STOMACH IT WAS IN THE HALLWAY.
AND HE ACTUALLY DIDN'T FIGHT BACK BECAUSE HE THOUGHT HE'D GET IN TROUBLE.
UM, SO WE FOUND OUT ABOUT IT, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER THE SPECIFICS, BUT I DO REMEMBER IT WAS ON A TUESDAY.
THE KID WAS OFF FOR THREE DAYS AND WAS BACK IN SCHOOL MONDAY AS IF NOTHING HAPPENED.
UM, I EVEN ASKED, YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE BECAUSE THERE'S A TROUBLE AT LUNCH.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SITTING TOGETHER.
AND SO NOW ALL OF MY SON'S FRIENDS IS GOING TO SIT WITH THIS KID'S FRIENDS.
HIS FRIENDS CHOOSING FRIENDS AND ALL BECAUSE THIS KID WAS JUST THREE DAYS IN.
HE PUNCHED HIM IN THE FACE THREE TIMES.
HOW WOULD YOU ALL FEEL?
THIS BULLYING PROBLEM PERSISTS.
THIS BULLYING MENTALITY I THINK IS A PROBLEM AND IT'S INFECTING THE COUNTY, UH, ALONG WITH BULLYING.
AND ALONG WITH LAST YEAR, UH, A SMALL GROUP OF KIDS HAD A WALKOUT WITH PERMISSION FROM EVERYONE THEY NEEDED TO WAS AT SKYLINE SENIOR, UH, SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL.
THERE WERE A BUNCH OF SENIORS, JUNIORS.
MY SON WAS WITH THEM, UH, STANDING IN SUPPORT WITH HIS FRIENDS.
UM, AGAIN, THEY HAD ALL THE PERMISSION.
I THINK THE SHERIFF WAS THERE, PRETTY PEACEFUL.
IT WAS ABOUT FIVE OR SIX OF 'EM.
UM, I THOUGHT IT WAS COOL THAT THEY WERE PRACTICING THEIR CIVIL THANK YOU MR. CLARK.
I'M LESLIE MATTHEWS AND I AM A PARENT AND I AM A GRANDPARENT.
AND HAD I KNOWN ABOUT MR. AND MRS. CRA'S ISSUE, I WOULD'VE
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ADDED THAT IN HERE.BUT I'M COMING TO TONIGHT TO TELL YOU.
I I HAVE TWO GRANDCHILDREN WHO ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I AM VERY INVOLVED IN THEIR LIVES.
I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF DISCIPLINE OCCURRING IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I CARE DEEPLY FOR MY GRANDCHILDREN AS WELL AS FOR THEIR FRIENDS AND OTHER CLASSMATES.
I CAME HERE TO TELL YOU HOW VERY IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BE OPERATED WITH A FIRM DISCIPLINE POLICY.
YOUNG PEOPLE THRIVE WHEN DISCIPLINE AND STRUCTURE ARE IN PLACE.
THIS BOARD SHOULD NOT BE TOLERATING MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ENGAGING IN SEXUAL ACTIVITIES UNDER THE BLEACHERS, OVERDOSING IN THE BATHROOMS, USING PROFANE LANGUAGE DIRECTED AT THEIR TEACHERS AND COACHES, BULLYING OTHERS TO DESPAIR, CAUSING PARENTS TO REMOVE THEIR CHILDREN AND SEEK ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS.
HIGH SCHOOLERS BEING ALLOWED TO WALK OUT OF THEIR CLASSES DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME TO PROTEST AGAINST GOVERNOR YOUNGIN'S POLICIES.
ALL THIS IS HAPPENING IN WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND IT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE DISCIPLINE IS NOT BEING CARRIED OUT APPROPRIATELY.
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH A DRIVE WHERE THEY WILL TAKE AND EMBRACE THEIR EDUCATION SERIOUSLY, WHERE THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EQUIPPED WITH AND OBTAIN MARKETABLE SKILLS TO MAKE A GOOD LIVING.
RAISE THE BAR ON THE STANDARDS OF DISCIPLINE AND IN CORE AND VOCATIONAL CLASSES GIVE OUR STUDENTS SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
SO THEY WANT TO BE IN THEIR CLASSROOMS, BUILD OUR STUDENTS, GIVE THEM HOPE AND THEIR FUTURES WHEN THEY GRADUATE.
SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL AND WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.
IT IS UNJUST TO OUR CHILDREN AND TO THEIR FAMILIES TO PROVIDE A PUBLIC EDUCATION THAT IS GREATLY LACKING IN DISCIPLINE AND ACADEMIC STANDARDS.
IT IS UNJUST FOR THE STUDENTS WHO WANT TO LEARN TO HAVE THEIR EDUCATIONAL INSTRUCTION TIME STOLEN.
DUE TO THE LACK OF DISCIPLINE IN WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, IT IS UNJUST TO OUR TEACHERS WHO ARE WORKING HARD TO PROVIDE AN EDUCATION TO OUR CHILDREN TO BE TREATED WITH DISRESPECT DUE TO THE LACK OF DISCIPLINE IN WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND IT'S TOTALLY ABSURD THAT WHEN A TEACHER REPORTS SMOKING IN THE BATHROOMS, THEY ARE QUESTIONED, WHETHER IT'S POT OR VAPES WHO CARESS.
BOTH ARE ILLEGAL AND BOTH ARE HAPPENING ALL BECAUSE THE LACK OF DISCIPLINE IN WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SO I ASK THIS BOARD, REVO, REEVALUATE YOUR DISCIPLINE POLICIES AND MAKE CERTAIN THAT YOU ENFORCE THEM.
BALLINGER, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UH, I'VE LIVED IN WARREN COUNTY FOR 44 YEARS.
SO IN THE SOUTH RIVER DISTRICT, UM, I DON'T SEE IT ON THE AGENDA THAT'S PRINTED OUT BUT ONLINE, UH, I SAW THAT ON THE AGENDA WAS YOUR VOTE, UM, ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU CONTINUE MEMBERSHIP WITH V SS B A.
AND I WANT TO URGE YOU TO DO THAT.
UM, IT HAS BEEN SAID SORT OF NEGATIVELY IN THESE CHAMBERS THAT THE V SS B A IS A LOBBYING ORGANIZATION.
IT LOBBIES FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UM, THE VAST, VAST MAJORITY OF VIRGINIA'S SCHOOLS, INCLUDING THEIR RURAL SCHOOLS, ARE MEMBERS OF THIS ORGANIZATION.
IT IS, THERE IS A GOOD REASON FOR THIS.
THEY PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES TO SCHOOL BOARDS, TRAINING, HELP WITH DEVELOPING POLICIES AND, UM, OTHER SERVICES.
IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO ME THAT YOU WOULD CUT TIES WITH THIS ORGANIZATION.
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TO CONTINUE AS MEMBERS OF THE V SS B A THANK YOU JOSHUA GREEN.I'M A PARENT OF A STUDENT, FIRST TIME STUDENT THIS YEAR.
SO HE IS BEEN IN YOUR SCHOOLS FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS NOW.
UH, HE'S 14 YEARS OLD AND UH, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS HAVE HAD A, A TOUGH YEAR SO FAR.
SO I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE REALIZING THAT AND GETTING YOURSELVES INTO GEAR BECAUSE, UH, I HAVEN'T EVEN HEARD ABOUT THINGS HAPPENING IN OTHER PLACES THAT ARE HAPPENING HERE IN THE FIRST THREE WEEKS.
ALRIGHT, SO MY CHILD WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT WAS IN THE CLASSROOM WITH THIS, UH, SCHOOL SHOOTER SCARE THAT OCCURRED LAST WEEK.
SO A YOUNG STUDENT, HE HAS SOME ISSUES.
UM, HE'S OBVIOUSLY GOT SOME ANTISOCIAL KIND OF ISSUES AND BEHAVIOR AND HE GETS AN ARGUMENT WITH SOME OTHER KIDS AT ANOTHER TABLE AND THEN, UH, GOES AND PROCEEDS TO TELL THEM THAT HE'S GOT A GUN IN HIS BAG.
HE PICKS UP THE BAG AND APPROACHES THE GROUP.
ONE YOUNG GIRL DIVES BEHIND A CHAIR AND THE OTHER BOYS TRY TO ACT LIKE THEY'RE NOT SCARED.
THIS BOY THEN JUST SORT OF WALKS BY, GOES TO THE TRASH CAN NEXT TO HIM, AND THEN GOES BACK TO HIS SEAT.
LIKE HE'S, HE WAS TRYING TO INTIMIDATE THEM LIKE HE HAD A GUN IN HIS BAG AND HE WAS GONNA SHOOT THEM PRIOR TO GETTING UP AND DOING THAT.
HE TOLD THEM HE HAS A GUN IN HIS BAG AND HE'S GOING TO SHOOT THEM.
OKAY? SO NOBODY, NOBODY CALLED ME SCHOOL.
SCHOOL DIDN'T MENTION ANYTHING TO ME AT ALL.
IT JUST SO HAPPENED TO BE TALKING TO MY KID AND HE CASUALLY MENTIONS THE SITUATION.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY I FOUND OUT.
SO I QUESTIONED THE KID WE HAD THERE.
THE SHERIFF WAS ALREADY INVOLVED.
THE SCHOOL WAS ALREADY WELL AWARE.
THE TEACHER WAS INVOLVED RIGHT AWAY AND HAD TO SEARCH THE KIDS' BACKPACK.
THERE WAS A NOTION OF A KILL LIST FOUND IN THE BACKPACK AIMED AT MY SON'S LITTLE GROUP THAT HE WAS SITTING WAS SITTING WITH.
HE DOESN'T REALLY KNOW THESE KIDS.
HE'S ONLY BEEN TO SCHOOL FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
HE JUST HAPPENED TO BE AT THAT SAME TABLE, UH, WITH THE TARGET GROUP.
SO HERE'S, HERE'S MY CONCERNS.
THE NEXT DAY, I STILL DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS TWO KIDS INVOLVED WITH THIS.
ONE APPARENTLY WAS THE PRIMARY GUY.
AND THEN THERE WAS A SECONDARY KID, HIS FRIEND THAT WAS BACKING HIM UP.
ONE OF THE KIDS WAS ON SITE AT THE SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY.
I'VE HEARD THAT HE'S SINCE BEEN REMOVED.
UH, THE POLICE HAD COME IN AND TALKED TO 'EM AND VERIFIED THAT THIS WAS ALL CORRECT, THAT THE BOY ADMITTED THAT.
YES, YES, HE DID MAKE THESE STATEMENTS.
AND YES, HE HAD PLANNED ON FOLLOWING THROUGH ON IT.
NOBODY'S CONFIRMED THE KILL LIST YET, WHICH I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT IF MY SON IS ON.
SO TWO THINGS I WANNA HAVE ADDRESSED IS, THESE ARE OBVIOUS THINGS.
ALRIGHT, YOU GUYS, I'M SURE YOU'RE HAVING THE EXACT SAME THOUGHTS.
A IF THERE'S ANYTHING LIKE THIS THAT HAPPENS IN MY SON'S CLASS, SOMEBODY NEEDS TO TELL ME THAT BY THE END OF THE DAY I NEED TO GET A PHONE CALL.
SOMEBODY NEEDS TO EXPLAIN THAT TO ME AND MY WIFE IN A NICE WAY.
ALL RIGHT? SO WE CAN DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT OUR KID IS SAFE TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY.
AND SECOND, ONCE IT'S VERIFIED, I BELIEVE IT'S IN THE POLICY THAT YOU MENTIONED HAVING A GUN OR GOING TO DO A SHOOTING OF A, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS A MASS SHOOTER, RIGHT? THE MENTALITY LIKE IN EVERY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, EXCEPT FOR HIM PERFORMING THE ACT, UH, THAT SHOULD BE EXPULSION, RIGHT? ANY, ANY KID THAT SAYS HE'S GONNA COME IN AND SHOOT OTHER CLASSMATES AND CREATE A KILL LIST, THAT'S IT.
THERE'S, THERE'S NO SECOND CHANCES FOR THAT, RIGHT? YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A WEEK LATER HE COMES BACK IN.
THE SAME KID HAS RUMORED TO HAVE DONE THE SAME THING LAST YEAR.
SO I, I'M LOOKING AT YOU GUYS, RIGHT? YOU GUYS RUN THIS THING.
UH, WHO, WHO'S IN CHARGE IS THE SUPERINTENDENT? IS THAT YOU? ARE YOU IN CHARGE? THAT IS DR.
I'M ASKING YOU IF YOU'RE IN CHARGE.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING.
'CAUSE YOU SENT TO BE A LITTLE DISCONNECTED THIS WHOLE EVENT WHEN YOU'RE HEARING ABOUT ALL THESE OTHER THINGS.
DON'T SEEM TO BE VERY CONCERNED.
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PASSED, UH, STEVIE HUBBARD.I GOT MY, MY DAUGHTER FINALLY GRADUATED.
SO, BUT I DO WANNA SAY SOMETHING, UM, ON BEHALF OF THESE PARENTS, UM, THAT I FEEL YOUR PAIN.
I'M SO SORRY FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR KIDS.
AND, UM, I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH THE VIDEO CAMERAS.
I THINK THAT IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO HELP NAVIGATE REALLY TOUGH SITUATIONS.
UM, AND I THINK IT ALSO PROTECTS TEACHERS TOO.
UM, CHILDREN LEARN TO GASLIGHT AT A REALLY YOUNG AGE THESE DAYS.
SO, UM, I KNOW MY DAUGHTER COULD REALLY DO IT.
SO
UM, AND I ALSO WANNA SAY THAT, UM, FOR MANY YEARS I CAME TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND IT WAS DIFFERENT MEMBERS OVER THE YEARS.
AND MY DAUGHTER DEALT WITH A LOT OF RACIAL ISSUES.
SHE WAS TOLD SHE WOULD BE SHOT BECAUSE SHE WAS AN UPPITY N WORD.
AND I WAS ASKED TO HAVE COMPASSION FOR THE OTHER KID AFTER THAT HAPPENED.
BALLINGER CAME THAT WE ACTUALLY GOT A POLICY THAT, UM, WOULD HELP REMEDY THAT SITUATION.
SO I'M GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR THAT.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT YOU DO HAVE SOME, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HOLDING BACK THE SITUATION THERE, BUT IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH DR.
BALLINGER, I THINK THAT GIVEN WHATEVER'S HOLDING HIM BACK, THAT HE WILL BE HAPPY TO ENFORCE A STRICT DISCIPLINE POLICY.
WE NEED ONE THAT'S FAIR AND EQUITABLE.
AND WHEN CHILDREN ARE GETTING THREATENED CONSTANTLY.
CAMERON HAD AN INCIDENT ONE TIME AT SCHOOL WHERE I HAD BEEN TO THE SCHOOL SIX TIMES IN TWO WEEKS BECAUSE A GIRL THAT WAS A SENIOR, SHE WAS A FRESHMAN, KEPT THREATENING HER.
I CALLED THE PARENTS 'CAUSE I KNOW EVERYBODY, AND I KNEW HER MOM.
I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH HER.
SO I WAS LIKE, WELL, I'M JUST GONNA CALL YOU.
AND SHE WAS LIKE, I CAN'T DO NOTHING WITH HER.
AND I SAID, MY GOD, I'M TIRED OF CAMERON COMING TO SCHOOL.
SHE'S NOT COMING TO SCHOOL TO HAVE THINGS THROWN AT HER.
THIS ISN'T LIKE A NEW PHENOMENON.
KIDS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE MEAN TO EACH OTHER FOR A REALLY LONG TIME, BUT THEY DIDN'T WANNA SUSPEND THIS CHILD BECAUSE IT HADN'T GOTTEN PHYSICAL YET.
BUT SHE WAS THROWING FOOD AT MY DAUGHTER WHEN SHE PASSED THROUGH THE CAFETERIA.
SHE WAS CUSSING HER, BERATING HER.
I REMEMBER GIRLS DOING THAT TO ME TO A POINT WHERE I FELT LIKE SUICIDAL WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.
AND, UM, THE REASON THE GIRL GOT IT, I MEAN, THEY WOULD THROW CONDOMS ON ME, PUT BLOODY PADS ON MY LOCKER.
SO I DIDN'T HAVE MUCH OF A HELP WHEN I NEEDED IT.
SO THE ONLY WAY THAT I REMEMBER ONE DAY I SAID, I'M GONNA GO HOME AND I'M JUST GONNA KILL MYSELF.
BUT THEN A LITTLE VOICE IN MY HEAD SAID, BEAT HER UP BEFORE YOU GO HOME AND DO.
RIGHT? SO, UM, THANK YOU MS. YOU KNOW WHEN THIS HAPPENED WITH CAMIE? UM, THANK YOU.
SORRY, I JUST WANNA FINISH THIS ONE THING.
WHEN THIS HAPPENED WITH CAMIE, I HAD TO INSTRUCT HER TO DO THE SAME THING FINALLY.
SO YOU DEFINITELY NEED TO HAVE A POLICY THAT INCLUDES VERBAL ABUSE AND PHYSICAL.
MARCELLA, I'M ACTUALLY NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT TRANSGENDER STUFF, SO YOU GUYS ARE IN LUCK TONIGHT.
UM, I'M ACTUALLY, I'M SO SORRY FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR CHILD.
UM, I, MY CHILD ALSO WENT TO SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
MY CHILD ALSO WAS BULLIED AT SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL,
I ACTUALLY DIDN'T PUT MY YOUNGER SON IN WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BECAUSE OF THAT.
UM, MY OLDEST GOES TO SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, AND THE ONLY THING I'M MERGING YOU GUYS THIS CONTRACT, THE NO CONTACT CONTRACT DOESN'T WORK.
GRAYSON GOT KICKED IN THE KNEE LAST YEAR.
SO
AND THEIR ONLY RESPONSE WAS JUST A, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA DO A NO CONTACT.
YOU DON'T TALK AND YOU DON'T TALK.
SO THAT'S MY ONLY THING THAT I'M SAYING IS MAYBE SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT STRONGER.
UM, BUT I WILL SAY, UM, MS. SPERLING DID TALK
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TO ME, SO DON'T, PLEASE DON'T THINK SHE DIDN'T DO WHAT SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO.SHE CALLED ME AND SHE TALKED TO ME ABOUT IT, BUT I THINK SHE WAS SAYING HER HANDS WERE TIED.
THERE WASN'T A CAMERA
SO, UM, JUST THAT, JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GUYS ARE DISCUSSING POLICIES AND STUFF, UM, BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, THE SCHOOL YEAR HAS DONE BETTER.
UM, I THANK YOU ALL FOR AT LEAST WE'RE HONORING THE, UM, PIECES OF PAPER THAT THE KIDS ARE FALLING OUT.
MY KID HAS NOT BEEN DEAD NAMED BESIDES THE FIRST DAY, BUT IT'S THE FIRST DAY.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THAT TOO.
I'VE HAD A COUPLE DAUGHTERS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HERE.
MY YOUNGEST IS STILL IN THE HIGH SCHOOL.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND I APPRECIATE YOU ALL LISTENING.
I HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS WHO HAVE ATTENDED WARREN COUNTY SCHOOLS.
EACH CHILD HAS PRESENTED WITH ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH TO THE BEST OF THE ABILITY OF THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS TO ENSURE THEIR SUCCESS.
I AM HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON MY YOUNGEST.
SHE HAS BEEN AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.
THROUGHOUT THE LAST THREE YEARS, WE HAVE DEALT WITH THE ISSUE OF VAPES IN THE SCHOOL.
I HAVE BEEN IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH THE PRINCIPAL AND ADMINS REGARDING KEEPING HER IN CLASS VERSUS HANGING OUT, HIDING OUT IN THE BATHROOM.
UM, LAST YEAR WAS VERY TOUGH WITH VAPES.
EVERY WEEK THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR, I WAS FINDING AT LEAST TWO TO THREE OR SIX OR MORE A WEEK, ALL OF WHICH SHE ACQUIRED AT THE SCHOOL.
I HAVE SPOKEN FREQUENTLY WITH THE ADMINS AND THE PRINCIPAL ABOUT OTHER OPTIONS TO KEEP MY KID IN CLASS.
AFTER THREE YEARS, I WOULD'VE EXPECTED MORE TO BE DONE.
MORE DOES NEED TO BE DONE TO KEEP THE KIDS FROM GATHERING IN THE BATHROOMS AND VAPING.
THE DETECTORS AND OTHER LITTLE THINGS YOU HAVE ATTEMPTED TO DO ARE NOT ENOUGH.
IT IS MY SUGGESTION THAT WE NEED TO STOP ALLOWING THE STUDENTS TO GATHER IN THE BATHROOMS. THEY NEED TO BE OUT IN THE OPEN.
THEY NEED WHERE THE ADULTS CAN SEE WHAT THEY ARE UP TO.
THE NUMBER OF KIDS IN THE BATHROOM AT ONE TIME NEEDS TO BE REDUCED, AND TEACHERS OR AIDES NEED TO BE PRESENT BEFORE CLASSES IN THE MORNING, DURING CLASS CHANGES, CLASS CHANGES, AND AFTER CLASSES LET OUT.
MONITORING ALL THE BATHROOMS. EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE SOMEBODY STANDING THERE CHARGING THE CHILDREN FOR VAPES THAT ARE READILY AVAILABLE WHEN IT'S UP TO THE ADULTS AT THE SCHOOL.
TO PUT THINGS IN PLACE TO TRY AND KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING IS WHAT'S NEEDED.
CHARGING THE CHILDREN, SENDING 'EM THROUGH THE SYSTEM, DOING ALL THAT STUFF.
AND IT'S UP TO US ADULTS TO DO IT.
WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PROTECTING THEM AND WE ALL NEED TO STEP UP.
AND THOSE AT THE TOP NEED TO GIVE BETTER GUIDELINES TO OUR PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS AND THE ADMINS AS TO HOW TO BETTER HANDLE THIS SITUATION AND ACTUALLY NIP IT IN THE BUD.
THERE ARE OTHER SCHOOLS IN OTHER COUNTIES THAT ARE DOING MORE THINGS THAN WHAT THIS COUNTY'S DOING, AND WE NEED TO CHANGE IT UP.
UM, AND THEN FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, HE WAS ENROLLED IN WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND THE TRANSITION TO WHAT WOULD'VE BEEN SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS LOOMING.
SO WE CONVENED AN I E P MEETING TO DETERMINE HIS BEST PLACEMENT.
UM, DURING THAT TIME, FOR THE FIRST TIME, I HEARD THE WORDS BULLYING FROM A SPECIAL ED TEACHER THAT APPARENTLY THIS HAD BEEN HAPPENING TO HIM OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO, BUT I HAD NEVER BEEN TOLD ABOUT IT.
BUT AS WE WERE TRANSITIONING HIM OUT OF WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THEN THAT STARTED COMING OUT TO CONFIRM THIS DECISION THAT YES, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE GOOD FOR US TO MOVE HIM ELSEWHERE.
THE SCHOOL HE WOULD'VE GONE TO IS SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND NOW HEARING THESE STORIES, I'M UNDERSTANDING WHY SHE VERY UNDERSTANDABLY CARED ENOUGH ABOUT HIS SAFETY, THAT SHE WAS VERY RELIEVED AND VERY MUCH SUPPORTED OUR MOVING HIM OUT OF WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UM, OF COURSE HE DIDN'T ENDURE WHAT, WHAT OTHER PARENTS HAVE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT, AND THAT'S JUST ABSOLUTELY HORRIFYING TO HEAR THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, COULD HAVE BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TO HIM AT THAT SCHOOL.
UM, CLEARLY THERE'S A HUGE DISCIPLINE AND PARENTAL NOTIFICATION PROBLEM HERE,
[01:00:01]
AND OUR SCHOOL BOARD NEEDS TO DO BETTER.OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, WHATEVER YOU ALL ARE DOING TO HELP WITH IT, ESPECIALLY MELANIE ASIDE, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME PRETTY HUGE ISSUES HERE.
ANY STUDENT WHO HAS HURT ANOTHER CHILD OR THREATENED A SHOOTING, BROUGHT DRUGS TO SCHOOL OR OTHERWISE BROKEN SCHOOL RULES REGARDING SAFETY SHOULD RECEIVE THE APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINE EVEN UP TO EXPULSION FOREVER.
PARENTAL NOTIFICATION NEEDS TO BE MAXIMIZED.
WE'RE GETTING, WE GET SIX NOTIFICATIONS IF YOU KNOW THIS, THE PICKUP TIME CHANGES, BUT WE'RE NOT HEARING, YOU KNOW, DURING THE SCHOOL LOCKDOWN WHEN THERE WAS A SHOOTER NEAR EE JEFFRIES.
A COUPLE YEAR KNOW, A YEAR OR TWO AGO, I WAS LEARNING MORE ON FACEBOOK AND FROM TEXT MESSAGES FROM PARENTS IN LINE OR MY, MY DAUGHTER WHO WAS IN LINE AT THE LIBRARY GETTING THE SCOOP THERE THAN I WAS FROM THE SCHOOLS.
AND I THINK THAT'S PROBLEMATIC.
UM, AND NOT TO PUT, UM, I MEAN THAT'S REALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO NOT ADDRESS THE V S B A MEMBERSHIP.
I'M ASKING YOU AS THE BOARD TO VOTE NO TO THE MEMBERSHIP AND THE V S B A, WHICH IS ON THE DOCKET TONIGHT.
UM, I'M GRATEFUL TO MS. SELLS FOR HER REPORTS FROM THE, UM, V S B A WORKSHOP SHE ATTENDED, AS WELL AS HER RESEARCH ALONG THE WAY.
A FEW REASONS NOT TO RENEW THE V SS B A MEMBERSHIP IS THAT, AND THIS, YOU KNOW, REALLY PERTAINS TO SOME OF THESE ISSUES, BUT THE V S B A HAS SCARED SCHOOL BOARDS INTO SILENCE ON VERY IMPORTANT INCIDENTS, INCLUDING THAT BRUTAL RAPE IN ALEXANDRIA SCHOOL, UM, WHERE THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE, THE, THE V S B A REALLY ENCOURAGED, YOU KNOW, KEEP IT ON THE DL V SS B A, WHICH IS PAID FOR FROM OUR TAX DOLLARS AS RESIDENTS.
WHETHER WE SEND OUR KIDS TO SCHOOL OR NOT, UM, IS, IS ALSO FUNDING LOBBY LOBBYING AGAINST HOMESCHOOLERS AND THEIR RELIGIOUS RIGHTS TO HOMESCHOOL, WHICH IS INFRINGING ON THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.
AND I THINK THAT'S HIGHLY PROBLEMATIC WHEREVER WE SEND OUR SCHOOLS.
UM, V S B A ALSO OPPOSE NOT NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS PARTICIPATION IN VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS, UM, AND KNOWN AS TIM TEBOW LAWS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THESE LAWS ALLOW EVERYONE WHO'S PAYING TAXES TO PARTICIPATE IN, IN SCHOOL SPORTS.
AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I WANTED AS A CHILD.
I WAS HOMESCHOOLED, BUT I WANTED TO PLAY SOCCER WITH, WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL.
AND I THINK ALL OF OUR CHILDREN SHOULD HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
THAT IS ALL WE HAVE ON THE LIST AT THIS TIME.
IF ANYONE THAT'S NOT ON THE LIST WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK, KAREN PATTON, UM, WASN'T PLANNING ON SPEAKING TONIGHT.
MY DAUGHTER, UH, WAS AT THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY GETTING INDUCTED FOR THAT.
UM, BUT I'VE BEEN COMING TO YOU FOR YEARS, PEOPLE BEFORE YOU, FOR THE RACIAL THINGS, FOR THE BEHAVIOR THINGS.
AND I, I HEAR THE TEACHERS SAY THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER, BUT MY OLDEST, HE'S 20.
AND FROM THE TIME HE WAS IN SCHOOL UNTIL NOW, IT'S A WHOLE NOTHER WORRY FOR ME AS A PARENT.
TO ME, THINGS HAVE NOT GOTTEN BETTER.
YOU KNOW, HEARING KIDS, I'M SURROUNDED BY THEM ALL THE TIME.
I'M HEARING THINGS AND IT MAKES YOU WORRY LIKE, WHAT THE HECK AM I SENDING MY KID TO EVERY DAY? AND THAT DOES NOT TAKE AWAY FROM TEACHERS BECAUSE I SUPPORT THEM.
WE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST TEACHERS THAT LOVE AND DO EVERYTHING, BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH BECAUSE AS PARENTS, WE'RE NOT DOING OUR JOBS, RIGHT? WE CAN DO MORE AS A BOARD, YOU CAN DO MORE AS A SUPERINTENDENT, YOU CAN DO MORE TEACHERS EVERY, WE CAN DO MORE AS A COMMUNITY, BUT PEOPLE HAVE TO BE INVOLVED.
AND WE'RE NOT, EVERYONE'S PICKING SIDES AND YOU'RE AGAINST EACH OTHER.
I WANNA FIGHT WITH YOU TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR OUR KIDS, FOR MY KID, THEIR FRIENDS, WHOEVER.
I DON'T WANNA, I DON'T WANNA GO TO ANOTHER KID'S FUNERAL.
THE AMOUNT OF DRUGS IN THE SCHOOL, IT'S GOTTA GO.
WATCHING A KID BE BURIED IS SOMETHING THAT HAS FOREVER CHANGED ME.
AND EVERY TIME I HEAR ABOUT A KID VAPING AND PEOPLE ARE JUST LIKE, IT'S OKAY, IT'S HAPPENED ALL THE TIME.
I PROMISE YOU THAT LITTLE GIRL THAT WAS NOT FENTANYL WAS NOT THE FIRST DRUG SHE TRIED.
I DON'T WANNA LOSE ANY MORE KIDS.
AND AS A COMMUNITY AS A PARENT, I WANNA DO WHATEVER IT IS THAT I CAN HELP.
AND I WANT EVERYBODY ON THAT PAGE THAT I DON'T WANT ANY KIDS' LIFE RUINED.
IF THEY'RE GONNA MAKE MISTAKES.
I DON'T WANT THEM JUST PUSHED TO THE SIDE TOO, RIGHT? LIKE, I WANNA HELP THE KIDS.
AND THERE'S GOTTA BE A BETTER WAY THAN WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.
[01:05:01]
THANK YOU.WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK THIS EVENING? OKAY.
I'M A TEACHER AT SY JEFFRIES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF, AMAZINGLY ENOUGH.
Y'ALL HAVE AN INCREDIBLY HARD JOB.
THANK YOU FOR TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN.
AND, AND, UM, I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYONE ABOUT WHAT THOSE EARLY ACT STUDENTS SAID.
IS IT TRUE? IS IT SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HELP EVERYBODY? IF THE ANSWER IS NO, THEN MAYBE DON'T SAY IT.
I APPLAUD PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING UP HERE AND EXPRESSING THEIR OPINIONS AND THEIR VIEWS.
THAT'S WHAT THIS COUNTRY IS ABOUT.
THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE SAY THINGS THAT HURT YOUR FEELINGS, YOU KNOW? I GET IT.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK THIS EVENING? OKAY, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[3. Consent Agenda]
IS THERE A MOTION I MOVE TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED? IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.[4.A. Superintendent]
BALLINGER.I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME ALL OF OUR FAMILIES TONIGHT.
PARENTS, UM, EMPLOYEES AND JUST COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
ALSO, THOSE THAT ARE ALIVE WITH US TONIGHT.
UM, I KNOW THERE'S SOME OUT THERE, SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR, FOR COMING TONIGHT, SHARING YOUR, YOU KNOW, YOUR HEARTFELT, UH,
I DO APPRECIATE THAT AND LOOK FORWARD TO A LOT MORE CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH A, AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND, AND TRY TO, TO REALLY TAKE CONTROL OF, OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN SOME ISSUES WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS AND WITHIN OUR, WITHIN OUR COUNTIES.
SO, I DO APPRECIATE YOU SHARING TONIGHT.
SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN IN FULL SWING FOR ALMOST A MONTH NOW.
UM, I DID WANT TO UPDATE THE, THE SCHOOL BOARD ON MEMBERSHIP AS OF AUGUST THE NINTH.
UH, 2023, THERE WAS A 4,821 STUDENTS THAT IS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR'S, FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, NUMBER OF 4,737 NUMBERS REPORTED ON AUGUST 31ST, 2023.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH.
SUICIDE IS THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG THE, AMONG PEOPLE AGED 10 TO 14.
AND THE THIRD LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG THOSE AGED 15 TO 24 AND THE 12TH LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH OVERALL IN THE US THIS IS TIME TO RAISE AWARENESS AND DISCUSS THIS TOPIC.
SUICIDAL THOUGHTS, MUCH LIKE MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS, CAN AFFECT ANYONE REGARDLESS OF AGE, GENDER, OR BACKGROUND.
I ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO MAY NEED ASSISTANCE TO REACH OUT TO YOUR PARENTS, TO A LOVED ONE, TO A FRIEND, TO A COUNSELOR, SOMEONE THAT YOU TRUST.
OR YOU CAN CALL AND TEXT THE NINE EIGHT EIGHT NUMBER, OR YOU CAN CHAT WITH SOMEBODY AT 9 8 8 LIFELINE.ORG.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TAKE THIS TIME TO TALK TO OUR PARENTS AND COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE CONCERNING A PROBLEM THAT IS FACING OUR YOUTH.
SINCE THE START OF SCHOOL, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF VAPES OR E-CIG E-CIGARETTES CONTAINING NICOTINE, T H C OR SYNTHETIC CHEMICALS.
THIS IS NOT JUST A SCHOOL PROBLEM TO ADDRESS, BUT SHOULD INCLUDE THE ENTIRE SCHOOL COMMUNITY TO HELP ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT 66% OF TEENS THINK THEIR VAPING INSTRUMENT ONLY CONTAINS FLAVORED LIQUIDS.
BUT AS MENTIONED EARLIER, THESE DEVICES CONTAIN OTHER HARMFUL TOXINS AND DRUGS.
[01:10:01]
CONVERSATION WITH STUDENTS START WITH THE FAMILY.IDENTIFYING SIGNS OF VAPING CAN BE DIFFICULT IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR.
ONE OF THE MOST TELLING SIGNS THAT YOUR TEEN MAY BE VAPING IS THE PRESENCE OF VAPING EQUIPMENT AMONG HIS OR HER BELONGINGS.
E-CIGARETTES CAN BE HARD TO RECOGNIZE.
THEY MAY RESEMBLE TRADITIONAL TOBACCO PRODUCTS LIKE CIGARETTES, OR CIGARS, OR PIPES, OR COMMON GADGETS LIKE PENS.
FLASHLIGHTS, U S B DRIVES, FIDGET SPINNERS, GAMING CONTROLS, CAR KEY FOBS, SMARTWATCHES, OR EVEN ASTHMA INHALERS.
IN FACT, THE US FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION HAS ISSUED WARNINGS TO SEVERAL COMPANIES FOR MARKETING.
15 DIFFERENT E-CIG PRODUCTS PACKAGED TO LOOK LIKE TOYS, FOOD, OR CARTOON CHARACTERS THAT WERE LIKELY TO PROMOTE USE AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN 2022 E-CIGARETTES REMAIN THE MOST COMMON TOBACCO PRODUCT USED BY HIGH SCHOOL, 16.5% AND MIDDLE SCHOOL FOUR AND A HALF PERCENT STUDENTS.
AND MORE THAN A QUARTER, 27.6% OF CURRENT YOUTH E-CIGARETTES USERS SAY THEY USE AN E-CIGARETTE PRODUCT EVERY DAY.
CHILDREN ARE EXPOSED TO E-CIGARETTE ADVERTISING, ONLINE TV, MAGAZINES, BILLBOARDS, FRIENDS, ALTHOUGH IT'S ILLEGAL, THEY CAN GET IT.
TEENS ARE RESOURCEFUL WHEN IT COMES TO PURCHASING THESE ITEMS. PURCHASES CAN BE MADE THROUGH SNAPCHAT BY UTILIZING A CASH APP AND THE PRODUCT BEING DROPPED OFF AT THE DOOR.
PURCHASES CAN BE MADE ONLINE BY UTILIZING ONLINE PAYMENT METHODS SUCH AS VISA CARDS.
ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS CLICK ON OVER 21 AND USE THE CARD TO MAKE THE PURCHASE AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM.
WE ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO HELP BRING PROGRAMMING AND OTHER RESOURCES TO HELP EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN.
WE ARE PROVIDING A WEEKLY CALLER TO PARENTS THAT WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH THE INFORMATION CONCERNING VAPING AND DRUGS.
WE ARE ALSO INCREASING OUR DISCIPLINE FOR BRINGING SUCH DEVICES TO SCHOOL.
I ASK THAT YOU SIT DOWN WITH YOUR TEEN AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE.
MOVING ON NOW, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REMIND THAT THE, UH, PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES WE WILL BE HOLDING, UH, SEPTEMBER 24TH, AND THAT ALL SCHOOL OFFICES AND OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED TO STAFF ON THE WELLNESS DAY OF SEPTEMBER 15TH.
WHAT DID I SAY? 24TH, HUH? PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES ARE SEPTEMBER 14TH.
UH, SEPTEMBER 14TH, AND THEN THE WELLNESS DAY IS THE NEXT DAY.
AND, UM, ALL OFFICES AND SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED.
UH, THERE ARE MANY ACTIVITIES THAT ARE HAPPENING AT THE SCHOOLS.
PLEASE CHECK OUT YOUR CHILD'S WEBSITE, UM, FOR UP AND LOOK FOR UPDATES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.
ALSO, THE WARREN COUNTY EDUCATIONAL ENDOWMENT GRANTS ARE NOW OPEN.
I WILL BE SENDING A LETTER OUT TO STAFF TOMORROW CONCERNING APPLICATIONS FOR THIS YEAR'S GRANTS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS, UM, ON, ON GETTING THOSE GRANTS OUT.
AND, AND YOU SHOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WHEN THOSE GRANTS ARE IN PLACE TO GO OUT AND SEE SOME OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT TEACHERS ARE DOING BY UTILIZING SOME OF THE WARREN COUNTY EDUCATIONAL ENDOWMENT GRANTS.
[4.B. School Board]
MS. SALEMS. THANK YOU EVERYBODY WHO CAME.AND I AM SO SORRY THAT ALL OF THIS HAS HAS HAPPENED, BUT I'M, I'M SO THANKFUL THAT YOU CAME TONIGHT TO START THE CONVERSATION SO THAT WE CAN START TO FIX IT.
AND THIS HAS BEEN A VERY ROUGH START TO THE SCHOOL YEAR.
AND WHEN I HEARD IT TALKED ABOUT THAT THESE MEETINGS ARE, ARE SHORTER UNLESS PEOPLE ARE COMING.
MY FEAR AND THE FEEDBACK THAT I'M RECEIVING IS THAT PEOPLE ARE GIVING UP.
THEY, I, I GET LOTS OF PHONE CALLS AND, AND EMAILS AND, UM, AND I, AND I PUT MY INFORMATION OUT THERE BECAUSE I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
I GENUINELY WANT TO HEAR ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING SO HORRIBLY WRONG IN THE SCHOOLS.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR IT FIRST FROM SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN SOCIAL MEDIA.
[01:15:03]
AND I AM TRULY TERRIFIED THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A CHILD DIE.AND I DO NOT WANNA HAVE A CHILD DIE ON MY WATCH.
I THOUGHT WHAT HAPPENED IN MAY WAS HORRENDOUS AND WAS GONNA BE THE WORST THING THAT HAD EVER HAPPENED WHILE I WAS ON THIS BOARD.
AND IT JUST, IT JUST KEEPS COMING.
UM, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FEEL LIKE IT SHOULD BE PRETTY MUCH COMMON SENSE THAT OUR JOB IS TO RETURN YOUR CHILD TO YOU ALIVE IN ONE PIECE, SAFE AND EMOTIONALLY SAFE.
THIS, THIS IS JUST SNOWBALLING OUT OF CONTROL AT A FASTER AND FASTER RATE.
UM, PARENTS HAVE TO BE INCLUDED IN THESE DECISIONS AND IN WHAT IS GOING ON.
AND THEY CANNOT DO THAT WHEN THEY ARE BEING LEFT OUT OF THE CONVERSATION FOR DAYS AT A TIME, WEEKS AT A TIME, NOT TOLD AT ALL.
UM, AND I, I DON'T WANT TO JUST HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS FOR ETERNITY.
I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS NOW.
AND THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT AN ATTACK IN ANY WAY ON THE, THE TEACHERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I WOULD'VE, I IMAGINE, AND FROM WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THE TEACHERS WHO WILL SPEAK TO ME ABOUT IT, IS THAT THEY DON'T WANT THESE DISCIPLINE ISSUES IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. THEY WANNA FEEL SUPPORTED.
AND SO I FEEL LIKE AT THIS POINT I'VE RUN OUT OF, UM, OF OTHER AVENUES OF WHAT TO DO.
SO A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE IN AN INDIVIDUAL TYPICALLY ARISES WHEN A BOARD IS DISSATISFIED WITH THE WANTS, WITH IS DISSATISFIED AND WANTS A WAY OF GOING ON RECORD WITH THAT DISSATISFACTION.
THIS IS NOT A VOTE TO REMOVE OR FIRE THIS INDIVIDUAL.
THIS IS SIMPLY A VOTE THAT COMMUNICATES A GROUP'S LEVEL OF SUPPORT FOR OR TRUST IN A PERSON AND THEIR ABILITY OR WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN AND IMPROVE, IT HAS NO OTHER DIRECT EFFECT FOR THIS REASON, IT CAN BE RAISED DURING MY PERSONAL COMMENTS SECTION AND DOES NOT NEED TO BE ADDED TO THE ACTION AGENDA ITEM.
THIS VOTE SIMPLY MAKES A PUBLIC DECLARATION OF THE APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF THE ACTIONS OF AN INDIVIDUAL.
I HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN OUR SUPERINTENDENT IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS.
NUMBER ONE, HE HAS FAILED TO NOTIFY PARENTS OF SERIOUS ISSUES IN A TIMELY MANNER.
NUMBER TWO, HE HAS FAILED TO NOTIFY BOARD MEMBERS OF SERIOUS ISSUES OR IMPORTANT DETAILS, EITHER AT ALL OR IN A TIMELY MANNER.
NUMBER THREE, HE HAS FAILED TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT SUPPORT TO STAFF TO ENSURE POLICIES, PROCEDURES, LAWS AND REQUIREMENTS ARE FOLLOWED.
NUMBER FOUR, HE HAS FAILED TO ENSURE PROPER HIRING PRACTICES ARE FOLLOWED.
NUMBER FIVE, HE HAS PARTICIPATED IN WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE RETALIATION BEHAVIOR.
NUMBER SIX, HE HAS FAILED TO FOLLOW POLICY NUMBER SEVEN, HE HAS FAILED TO IMPLEMENT THE CHANGES I HAVE PERSONALLY REQUESTED OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND I BELIEVE THE BOARD HAS REQUESTED SOME AS WELL.
AND I DO NOT BELIEVE AT THIS POINT IN TIME HE'S SERVING AT THE WILL OF THE BOARD.
SO, MADAM CHAIR, IT IS FOR THOSE REASONS THAT I HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN DR.
BALLINGER, AND THEREFORE I MAKE THIS, I, I MAKE THIS MOTION FOR A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE.
DO I HAVE A SECOND, PLEASE? OKAY.
UM, MY REPORT IS, UM, I CHECKED, UM, WE HAVE A NEW GRASS CUTTING CONTRACTOR.
AND ALTHOUGH THE GRASS IS ALL BROWN RIGHT NOW, I'VE BEEN CHECKING ON HIM, UH, DURING THE SUMMER.
THEY'RE DOING, UH, VERY WELL, KEEPING UP.
I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED THEY WOULDN'T BE KEEPING UP BECAUSE THEY'RE BASED OUT OF RICHMOND.
SO THAT, THAT'S ONE POSITIVE THING ABOUT OUR FACILITIES.
I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE, UH, E WILSON KIDS ON THE EARLY ACTS.
UH, THERE WAS A LOT OF POSITIVE THINGS THERE.
UM, AND ALSO RECOGNIZE WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOR THEIR, UM, NATIONAL, UH, RECOGNITION.
[01:20:01]
ATTENDED THE FUN DAY OVER AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL, BUT I WAS, UM, UNSUCCESSFUL IN THROWING THE BALL TO KNOCK DR.SO I WANTED TO REPORT ON THAT.
UM, THE RENOVATIONS AT, UM, UH, L F K OR GOING PRETTY SMOOTH.
WE DID NOT HAVE A MEETING LAST MONTH.
UH, BUT IN TALKING WITH, UM, THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY AND THE SUPERINTENDENT WE'RE, WE'RE CRUISING PRETTY GOOD OVER THERE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S ANOTHER POSITIVE NOTE FOR WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THE, UH, UH, I WENT OVER TO THE VENUS BRANCH BUS STOP IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, TO SEE HOW THAT WAS WORKING.
UH, TRAFFIC FLOW OVER THERE IS PRETTY GOOD.
BUSES COME IN, KIDS GET ON, ET CETERA.
THERE'S NO, UM, NO BACKUPS WITH ANY BUSES.
SO WE'RE DOING PRETTY GOOD THERE.
AND, UH, THAT'S MY REPORT COURT.
MS. LOWE, I WANTED TO SAY, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SPOKE TONIGHT.
UM, I'M VERY SORRY TO HEAR SOME OF THE DETAILS, UM, OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL HAVE SHARED WITH ME.
UM, THERE ARE THINGS THAT I HAVE HEARD IN BROAD STROKES, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY DIFFERENT HEARING IT FROM THE PARENTS.
AND I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY TO COME UP AND SPEAK.
UM, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMING OUT AND SHARING THOSE STORIES WITH YOU.
UM, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER, AS ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS SAID TO TRY TO MAKE CHANGES HERE.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US ON THE BOARD AGREE WITH, AND I BELIEVE DR.
I THINK THAT THERE ARE CHANGES THAT DO NEED TO HAPPEN, AND WE NEED TO TAKE STEPS, UM, STEPS THAT WE CAN TO IMPROVE DISCIPLINE, UM, TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION.
THOSE ARE EFFORTS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN IN OUR SCHOOLS.
I KNOW THAT IS, UM, COLD COMFORT AND JUST WORDS UNTIL THERE ARE ACTIONS.
AND OF COURSE, I ACCEPT THAT AND UNDERSTAND THAT.
UM, AND SO WE WILL NEED TO SHOW YOU IN OUR ACTIONS IN THE FUTURE BEFORE YOU'LL, UM, BE COMFORTED BY THOSE WORDS.
UM, I DO WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO MR. WRIGHT.
UM, IN MY RECOLLECTION, I THOUGHT I DID EMAIL YOU BACK, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, BUT I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT FAILURE EMAIL DEFINITELY DID DESERVE A RESPONSE, AND I'M SORRY YOU DIDN'T DECE THAT FROM ME.
UM, AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, IT'S, IT'S ONLY WORDS AT THIS POINT, UNTIL WE DO TAKE ACTIONS, UM, I DO NOT THINK THAT WE HAVE STOPPED MOVING FORWARD ON DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THE SITUATION THAT HAPPENED.
UM, BUT I ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION AND ANGER THAT YOU MAY FEEL BECAUSE THINGS HAVE NOT HAPPENED YET.
UM, AND I DO APOLOGIZE TO YOU FOR THAT.
UM, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
UM, WELL, I HAVE A LOT OF THINGS.
I'M, I'M, I'M NOT TYPICALLY TOO MUCH AT A, A LOSS FOR HOW TO START SOMETHING.
UM, BUT I DO HAVE SOME NOTES THAT I, I WROTE DOWN AS I WAS HEARING EVERYBODY, UM, AND, AND, AND LISTENING.
UM, AND A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE IS ACCOUNTABILITY FOR EVERYBODY.
THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN, YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING I HAVE STATED FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
UM, ANYONE WHO'S EVER WORKED WITH ME, WHOEVER WHO CURRENTLY WORKS WITH ME, THEY KNOW I HA I HOLD MYSELF TO A HIGH LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY IN EVERY SINGLE PERSON, UM, THAT I WORK WITH.
BUT ACCOUNTABILITY, WE, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY.
UM, WE HAVE TO HAVE COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS.
YOU KNOW, SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING, UM, SOMETHING ELSE.
AGAIN, IF, IF WE SEE SOMETHING, WE HAVE TO ADDRESS IT.
EVERY PERSON IN OUR BUILDING, CUSTODIANS, YOU KNOW, INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS, TEACHERS, UM, ANYBODY WHO IS EMPLOYED, WE HAVE TO SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS EV ALL OF OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS A BOARD, AS EMPLOYEES, AS PARENTS.
AND I'M A FIRM, FIRM BELIEVER IN OUR PARENTS ARE THE FIRST AND FOREMOST TEACHER OF OUR STUDENTS.
UM, PRE PRESENCE AND VISIBILITY.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A NUMEROUS AMOUNT OF STUDIES THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, JUST WHEN WE'RE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, WE SEE A COP.
MOST OF US, MAYBE WE SLOW DOWN.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY PLACE IN OUR BUILDINGS ARE, WE HAVE PEOPLE THERE, THERE'S PRESENCE AND THERE'S VISIBILITY.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, HAVING THOSE HIGH EXPECTATIONS AGAIN, AND GOING BACK TO ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO IF THERE'S BEEN WRONG, WE NEED TO ADDRESS IT.
[01:25:01]
WE NEED TO HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY.AND ONE OF THE SPEAKERS, AND I, I APOLOGIZE, I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHO SAID IT, BUT THEY SAID, WE CAN ALWAYS DO MORE.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE WE'RE AT AS A BOARD.
UM, I KNOW THE VERY GOOD CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE, AND WE, WE WANT TO DO MORE.
UM, SOME THINGS DO NOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
UM, BUT IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING MORE AND WE'RE HITTING ALL OF THOSE AREAS.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD ON, WORK FROM, WORK WITH, AND, UM, MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, WHEN THEY'RE IN OUR BUILDINGS, OUR STUDENTS, OUR STAFF, EVERYONE IS IN A SAFE PLACE AT ALL TIMES.
UM, I HAVEN'T VISITED ANYWHERE ELSE LATELY SINCE OUR LAST MEETING AS FAR AS GETTING OUT TO THE SCHOOLS.
UM, I DO WANT TO THANK ALL THE, THE, UM, OUR STAFF WHO WAS HERE AND OUR, OUR KIDS THAT, UM, OUR, OUR ONE LITTLE FRIEND FROM AS RHODES.
YOU COULD SEE WHEN HE WAS UP HERE.
IT'S VERY INTIMIDATING WHEN YOU'RE STANDING UP THERE.
SO I'M PROUD THAT THOSE KIDS ARE HERE.
UM, AND I JUST WANT US TO CONTINUE TO WHERE WE SEE OUR WEAKNESSES, FIX THOSE WEAKNESSES, AND MOVE FORWARD.
HAVE ANY MORE? UM, SO MAY I SAY SOMETHING? YEAH.
CAN I PLEASE, I REALLY,
MS. HUBBARD, CAN WE SYSTEM WITH THESE DIFFERENT BOARD? CAN WE NOT TALK RIGHT NOW? PLEASE.
AND LET TELL MS. HUBBARD, MR. BREER RAN MS. MS. MS. HUBBARD, MR. BA BAER HAS BEEN FIXING THIS SCHOOL, MS. HUBBARD, MS. MS. HUBBARD, YEARS OF MS. HUBBARD IN, IN THREE YEARS, ONE OF WHICH IN A PANDEMIC.
AND THEN MS. HUBBARD, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO ASK YOU.
SO I DON'T REALLY EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN EITHER.
I JUST APPRECIATE YOU GUYS COMING AND SPEAKING FROM YOUR HEARTS TO US.
OBVIOUSLY, YOUR STORIES ARE HORRIFYING AND HEARTBREAKING.
THERE'S REALLY NO EXCUSE FOR THE STORIES OF BULLYING, VIOLENCE, VAPING, ODS IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL BATHROOMS. UM, IT IS TRULY A COMMUNITY CONCERN HERE.
UM, WE AS A SCHOOL DIVISION CAN'T GET HELP FROM THE COMMUNITY WHEN WE DON'T PUT OURSELVES OUT THERE AND ASK FOR THE HELP AND MAKE OUR COMMUNITY AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON.
I THINK IT'S REALLY VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ALL CAME HERE TONIGHT TO PUT THIS OUT PUBLICLY, YOUR OWN STORIES OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR BUILDINGS, BECAUSE THAT, THAT LETS OUR COMMUNITY KNOW THIS IS REAL.
AND THIS IS HAPPENING IN WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS AHEAD OF US TO TALK ABOUT HOW CAN WE BETTER INFORM PARENTS IN THE COMMUNITY WHEN AN INCIDENT HAPPENS IN OUR BUILDINGS.
I'D LOVE TO HEAR INPUT ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UM, WE AS A BOARD NEED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT, WHAT DEFINES AN INCIDENT THE SECOND THAT IT HAPPENS, THAT IT GOES OUT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
DOES IT GO OUT TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY? WHO DOES IT GO TO? AND WHO NEEDS THAT INFORMATION? AND HOW QUICKLY CAN WE GET IT TO EVERYBODY? THE DISCIPLINE ISSUES WE HAVE TO REVISIT, AND WE WILL BE REVISITING WHAT THOSE POLICIES LOOK LIKE BECAUSE WE NEED TO HAVE CLEAR, WE DO, WE NEED TO HAVE CLEAR DEFINED CONSEQUENCES TO WHAT WE SEE IN OUR BUILDINGS.
UM, I, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH EVERYONE THAT'S SAID THAT THIS EVENING, AND EVERYONE THAT'S FEELING THAT WAY.
SHE'S NOT TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL YET.
UM, YOU KNOW, SHE'S SOMEWHAT, I LIKE TO THINK SAFE STILL AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BUT I'M FEARFUL FOR HER AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT'S IN OUR SCHOOL, AND WE SHOULD NOT FEEL THAT WAY.
SO IT IS REALLY, AS I SAID, IMPORTANT THAT WE, WE REALLY ADDRESS THIS AND MAKE EVERYONE AWARE OF IT.
I DO APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE ALREADY TAKING ACTION, UM, ON SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE SEE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THEY, THEY DO ALL KINDS OF PROGRAMS WITHIN OUR SCHOOL.
THEY HELP TO PROMOTE DRUG AWARENESS.
THEY DO OUR RED, RED RIBBON WEEK, I CAN'T SPEAK, I'M SORRY.
[01:30:01]
AND THEY PUT ON COMMUNITY EVENTS AND TRY TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND PARENTS TO BASICALLY RAISE AWARENESS TO WHAT IS GOING ON.WE HAVE SAMANTHA BARBER WITH REACHING OUT NOW, TRYING TO START UP THE YOUTH CENTER.
THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR YOUTH TO HOPEFULLY FIND SOME OTHER THINGS TO GET INVOLVED WITH, AND TO HOPEFULLY REALIZE THAT VAPING AND DRUG USE AND BULLYING ARE NOT THE WAYS TO BECOME A GOOD HUMAN IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE, UM, A HUGE GROUP OF LOCAL CHURCHES THAT ARE GETTING READY TO START A FRIDAY NIGHT.
YOUTHS NIGHT, UM, HEART'S A BLAZE.
SO THAT'S STARTING UP THIS FRIDAY.
AND THERE, THERE ARE SUCH GOOD COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND TEACHERS AND PARENTS WITHIN OUR SCHOOL THAT WANT TO HELP.
AND WE AS A BOARD NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF CONNECTING WITH THOSE GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND FIGURING OUT HOW CAN WE GET OUR STUDENTS INVOLVED WITH THOSE ACTIVITIES, AND HOW CAN WE SHOW THEM THAT BULLYING IS NOT THE WAY, AND THAT VIOLENCE IS NOT THE WAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, BRINGING A VAPE TO SCHOOL IS ACTUALLY A BIG DEAL BECAUSE THEY CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS.
UM, I, SOMEONE MENTIONED THE BATHROOM MONITORING.
OKAY, SO LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW CAN WE DO A BETTER JOB WITH THAT.
UM, A LOT OF GOOD POINTS WERE BROUGHT UP THIS EVENING.
AND IT IS TIME FOR US TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE THESE REALLY HARD CONVERSATIONS, NOT WITH JUST EACH OTHER, BUT WITH OUR, OUR TEACHERS, OUR PARENTS, AND OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS WELL.
UM, SO I JUST, I HOPE EVERYONE STAYS ENGAGED AND, YOU KNOW, KEEPS CONTACTING US AND HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND, AND REALLY HOLDING US ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT.
UM, THAT'S ALL I HAVE THIS EVENING.
OKAY, NOT PLATITUDES, NOT ANY WORDS AND, AND FIVE MINUTE SPEECHES ABOUT WHAT A BIG PEN LOOKS LIKE.
WELL, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO OUR, HOPEFULLY OUR ACTION AGENDA AND START THOSE CONVERSATIONS ON DISCIPLINE POLICIES AND PUBLIC INFORMATION DISBURSEMENTS EVEN THIS EVENING.
[5.A. VSBA Membership]
UP, I HAVE THE V S B A MEMBERSHIP.I FEEL LIKE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS QUITE A BIT.
UM, MS SALE, YOU'RE OUR DELEGATE FOR THE V SS B A.
SO IF YOU LIKE TO HAVE CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT, WE, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LOT.
UM, SO V S B A VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION, AS I'VE SAID MANY TIMES, V S B A DOES NOT HAVE ANY LEGAL AUTHORITY OVER US.
IT'S A ORGANIZATION WE PAY A VERY LARGE MEMBERSHIP FEE TO EVERY YEAR, AND THEN PAY FOR ADDITIONAL TRAININGS ON TOP OF THAT.
IT WAS AT V S B A TRAININGS WHERE THEY OPENLY LAUGHED AT THE IDEA OF METAL DETECTORS AND WEAPONS DETECTORS, AND ALL OF THE BILLS THAT THE STATE HAD BROUGHT FORWARD TO, UM, PAY FOR THOSE FUND.
UM, AT V S B A TRAININGS, UM, WE WERE, WELL, V S B A IS RESPONSIBLE FOR, UM, WHAT DO THEY CALL IT? IT'S THE DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR.
THE, IT IS NO LONGER ALLOWED TO BE AN ARRESTABLE OFFENSE IN SCHOOL.
THE V S B A IS CONSTANTLY TELLING US TO WATER DOWN OUR DISCIPLINE RULES, SINCE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT.
UM, THE V S B A IS NOT IN FAVOR OF NOTIFYING PARENTS ABOUT, JUST ABOUT ANYTHING AT ALL.
THEY TAKE COMMON SENSE AND THEY TRAIN IT OUT OF US AS HARD AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN.
AND THEN YOU ELECT OFFICIALS IN RICHMOND AND THEY GO DOWN AND THEY LOBBY USING YOUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO, TO GET, MAKE SURE THAT THOSE CHANGES THAT YOU WANTED TO SEE MADE ARE NOT MADE.
UM, AT THIS POINT, I KNOW ORIGINALLY I HAD BROUGHT IT UP AS, AS A LEFT RIGHT ISSUE.
HOWEVER, THE MORE TIME I HAVE SPENT WITH THEM IS IT IS ACTUALLY A RICH, POOR ISSUE.
IT IS A MATTER OF OUR COUNTY HAS A MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BUDGET, WHEREAS THE V S B A IS INTERESTED IN THE COMMUNITIES WITH THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS BUDGETS.
SO THEY ADVOCATE FOR THINGS LIKE, UM, WITH THE ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUSES, WHICH I, I MEAN, I DON'T CARE IF YOU WANT ELECTRIC OR DIESEL OUT HERE, ELECTRIC BUSES DON'T.
UM, BUT DIESEL BUSES, ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
SO YOU'VE GOT SOME OF THESE MORE WEALTHY COUNTIES WHO HAD BUSES THAT SOME OF THEM WERE ONLY THREE YEARS OLD.
AND THE V S B A LOBBIED TO HAVE THEIR, HAVE YOUR STATE AND FEDERAL TAX DOLLARS SPENT TO REPLACE THEIR ENTIRE BUS FLEETS WITH $400,000 APIECE BUSES.
THAT DOESN'T EVEN INCLUDE THE CHARGE STATIONS FOR THEM.
MEANWHILE, WE'RE SITTING AROUND HERE IN LITTLE WARREN COUNTY DESPERATELY TRYING TO GET OUR EIGHT BUSES AT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS
[01:35:01]
A PIECE.AND THESE LARGER COUNTIES WHO ALREADY HAVE SO MUCH MORE MONEY ARE JUST SUCKING DOWN DISGUSTING AMOUNTS OF DOLLARS.
SO WE CAME UP WITH THE IDEA, HAD ASKED ERIN MITCHELL TO REACH OUT TO LOUD AND FAIRFAX OTHER LOCALITIES WHERE, WHERE THEY WERE GONNA BE GETTING THIS BRAND NEW BUS FLEET, AND MAYBE WE COULD BUY THEIR USED BUSES.
THE THE, THE STRINGS ATTACHED WITH THAT, THAT GRANT MONEY IS THE BUSES HAVE TO BE SCRAPPED.
THEY FILL THEM FILL, FILL THE BLOCK WITH CONCRETE, SHRED THE BUS, TOTAL WASTE.
THIS IS NOT, TO ME ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY TO BE SCRAPPING THIS NUMBER OF BUSES.
IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T HELP US WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO, UH, TO GET THE DIESEL BUSES THAT WE SO BADLY NEED.
UM, THE V S B A, FURTHERMORE, YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT BULLYING.
UM, THEY, IF I ASK QUESTIONS, UM, WELL, WHAT ABOUT THIS? OR WHAT ABOUT THAT? AND, AND WHEN I SAY ASK QUESTIONS, I, I, I ATTENDED A Q AND A SESSION ON A TRAINING FOR HOW TO BE A DELEGATE QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION WHEN I STARTED ASKING QUESTIONS THAT THEY DIDN'T LIKE.
NOW, THESE WERE NOT CONTROVERSIAL QUESTIONS.
THESE WERE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THEIR, LIKE I READ THEIR RULE BOOK, AND I HAD FIGURED OUT WAYS THAT I COULD BETTER ADVOCATE FOR WHAT WARREN COUNTY NEEDED, AND I WANTED TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW TO SUBMIT, UM, OUR OWN LOBBYING POSITIONS.
LIKE IF WE'RE GONNA BE IN THIS ORGANIZATION, GREAT.
I WANTED TO UTILIZE THEM TO LOBBY ON OUR BEHALF.
AND THE THINGS THAT THEY WERE LOBBYING FOR THAT WAS NOT ON OUR BEHALF.
I WANTED TO FIND OUT HOW WE EXCLUDED OURSELVES FROM, FROM THAT.
AND THEY ENDED THE TRAINING 30 MINUTES EARLY, MUTED ME AND ENDED THE TRAINING.
UM, AND THEN SENT A LETTER TO DR.
PENCE'S HOME, UM, COMPLAINING ABOUT OUR BOARD SELECTION TO HAVE ME REPRESENT US WITH THE V S B A, UM, AND COMPLAINED REPEATEDLY ABOUT THE FACT THAT I DO ASK QUESTIONS.
UM, AS FOR THEIR POLICY SERVICES, WE LEFT THOSE LAST YEAR.
UM, THE V S B A IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY OF THE POLICIES OR LACK THEREOF THAT WE HAVE, THAT ARE CREATING THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU ARE SEEING IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM TODAY.
UM, WHY WOULD WE WANNA CONTINUE TO PAY FOR THOSE POLICIES? I DON'T WANNA CONTINUE TO PAY FOR THOSE POLICIES.
UM, AND FOR THIS LAST YEAR, WE HAVEN'T BEEN, WE HAVE, UH, SLOWLY BEEN DISCOVERING ALONG THE WAY, UM, THAT AN INCIDENT HAPPENS.
AND I'M PULLING ONE POLICY AND THEN ANOTHER POLICY.
I'M LIKE, OKAY, WELL, THERE'S THIS POLICY DOESN'T SAY THE SAME THING AS THAT ONE.
UM, OR, OH, WELL, THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES WHEN, WHEN INSTANCES OF, OF, OF CHILD ABUSE HAPPEN IN SCHOOL.
BUT OH, OOPSIE, WE JUST HAD THIS FORM LETTER FROM THE V S B A, BUT DIDN'T ACTUALLY HAVE ANYTHING TRULY IN, IN PLACE TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN.
UM, AS I HAD SAID BEFORE, WE HAD SUBMITTED LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY CHANGES TO THE V S B A.
UM, THEY REJECTED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.
THEY DO NOT GIVE A REASON WHY THEY DID NOT ASK QUESTIONS.
THEY DID NOT GIVE ANY DISCUSSION PERIOD WHATSOEVER.
THEY JUST SAID NO, AND, AND MOVED ON.
WE DID HAVE ONE THAT THAT PASSED THROUGH, BUT IRONICALLY, THAT WAS THE SAME ONE THAT I HAD SUBMITTED LAST YEAR THAT THEY SHOT DOWN, WHICH WAS TO REQUEST THAT STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING BE SPENT TOWARDS SAFETY FEATURES INSIDE OF THE SCHOOL INSTEAD OF PRIORITIZING ENERGY EFFICIENT RENOVATIONS.
IF, IF MY HVAC SYSTEM GOES OUT, I'LL REPLACE IT WITH AN ENERGY EFFICIENT ONE.
HOWEVER, WHAT THEY'RE ENCOURAGING IS, YOU'VE GOT A PERFECTLY FINE WORKING HVAC SYSTEM.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND REPLACE IT WITH SOMETHING THAT'S MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT.
UM, THERE ARE TONS OF ALTERNATIVES TO THEIR TRAININGS.
THINGS THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY AS A BOARD, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS IT, $16,000 A YEAR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, JUST TO BE A MEMBER OF.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, PAY FOR THE CLASSES.
SO THERE ARE CHEAPER WAYS THAT WE CAN BE TRAINED AND QUITE FRANKLY, BETTER WAYS FOR US TO BE TRAINED.
SO A YEAR AGO, I ASKED TO LEAVE THE V SS B A I VERY MUCH LISTENED TO THE COMMENTS OF, HEY, YOU KNOW, LIKE, TRY TO WORK WITH THEM, PLAY THEIR GAME.
AND I HAVE PUT IN A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT INTO PLAYING THEIR GAME, AND IT IS BUSY WORK, AND IT IS WASTING MY TIME.
IT IS WASTING THIS COMMUNITY'S TIME.
IT'S WASTING THIS COMMUNITY'S MONEY.
AND SO YOU GOTTA KNOW WHEN IT'S TIME TO CUT BAIT, AND IT IS TIME TO CUT BAIT.
[01:40:01]
THAT IS MY PRESENTATION ON THE V S D A, THE ONLY.UM, THE ONLY QUESTION THAT I HAD ABOUT IT, AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE THE ANSWER HERE, AND MR. GRANT, YOU JUST CHECKED ON OUR PRICES FOR BOARD DOCS AND IF WE LOSE THEM IMMEDIATELY, BECAUSE OF COURSE, THAT'S WHAT'S HOLDING ALL OF OUR MEETINGS AND OUR POLICIES CURRENTLY.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE OUR CONTRACT, I MEAN, YOU CAN TELL US THROUGH MARCH.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE A CONTRACT THROUGH MARCH.
UM, SO WE CAN HANG ON TO THAT AND THEN WE CAN, YOU KNOW, USE THAT TIME TO, UH, YOU KNOW, MIGRATE TO ANOTHER SYSTEM.
IS THERE A MOTION I MOVE THAT WE END OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE V S B A, UH, MADAM CHAIR? I'LL SECOND THAT.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? YES, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, SPEAK ON THAT.
FIRST, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO MRS. SALANS FOR HER WORK, UM, ON THIS V S B A ISSUE OVER THE LAST YEAR.
I KNOW WE'VE THANK YOU AT MEETINGS BEFORE, UM, BUT I'M VERY SINCERE IN WANTING TO RECOGNIZE THE TIME AND EFFORT YOU'VE PUT INTO THIS.
I DO BELIEVE YOU'VE GIVEN THEM A CHANCE OVER THE PAST YEAR.
UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THE REASONS FOR THE CONCLUSIONS YOU'VE MADE.
I WILL SAY, PERSONALLY, I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT.
UM, I DON'T THINK THE V S B A IS A PERFECT ORGANIZATION, AND I THINK MANY OF THE POINTS THAT YOU'VE MADE ARE CORRECT.
SO I AGREE WITH YOU ON MANY OF THOSE.
HOWEVER, LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE, I DO THINK THAT THE V SS B A IS MORE ALIGNED WITH US THAN NOT ALIGNED.
UM, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THEIR LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS, THERE'S TWO VERSIONS.
THERE'S THE 90 PAGE VERSION THAT HAS LIKE A LOT OF INTRICATE DETAIL AND PROBABLY HUNDREDS OF POSITIONS I'M GONNA SAY.
AND THEN THERE'S THE SHORT VERSION, WHICH IS TYPICALLY WHAT THEY WOULD BE PASSING OUT TO PEOPLE, WHICH IS LIKE TWO PAGES, I THINK, MAYBE THREE.
AND IT HAS JUST KIND OF BULLET POINTS OF WHAT THEIR MAIN THRUST IS.
UM, AND IN REVIEWING THOSE, I MEAN, THEIR MAIN POINTS THAT THEY'RE LOBBYING FOR ARE LOCAL SUPPORT FOR SCHOOLS, UM, SUPPORT FOR FUNDING FROM STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, UM, INCLUDING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, FOR BROADBAND, FOR, UM, EMPLOYMENT, PAYING SALARIES, SCHOOL SAFETY IS ONE OF 'EM.
UM, SO I JUST THINK OVERALL, LEGISLATIVELY, THEY ARE STILL PULLING FOR MOST OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD HELP US MORE SO THAN NOT.
UM, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT IN EVERY SINGLE CASE.
UM, SO I'M, I'M NOT, I'M NOT DISAGREEING WITH WHAT YOU'VE SAID.
I JUST HAVE COME TO A DIFFERENT, UM, CONCLUSION PERSONALLY.
UM, I ALSO THINK, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY THAT THE V S B A IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POLICIES THAT WE HAVE.
UM, WE DID FOLLOW THEIR POLICY POSITIONS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND I AGREE WITH YOU THAT WE HAVE POLICIES THAT DISAGREE WITH EACH OTHER AND ARE INCONSISTENT.
BUT I THINK PART OF THAT IS JUST DUE TO IT HAVING BUILT UP OVER MANY YEARS, PREDATING ALL OF US THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON THIS BOARD.
I THINK THERE IS A NEED FOR US TO GO THROUGH WITH OUR ATTORNEYS, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE PREVIOUSLY VOTED ON AND, AND ARE WORKING ON TO REVIEW ALL THOSE, MAKE SURE THEY MAKE SENSE, MAKE SURE THEY'RE IN LINE WITH OUR VALUES AND WHAT WE WANT.
AND I THINK THAT IS PART OF THE CONVERSATION THAT WE WERE HAVING EARLIER THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
UM, BUT I WOULDN'T PUT THAT AT THE FEET OF THE V S B A.
I THINK THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO ADDRESS THOSE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THOSE THOUGHTS.
I JUST HAD SOME, I, I'M LOOKING AT SOME FINANCES HERE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR AND UNDERSTANDING IT.
SO I KNOW WE HAVE THE COST OF THE BOARD DOCS.
SO IF WE DON'T HAVE V S B A, WE CAN PAY THE, IT'S 10,200, UH, UH, I'M SORRY, WITH THE V S B A V S B A WITHOUT IT, IT'S 12,000.
SO WE ONE OPTION, WE COULD STILL CONTINUE THAT PLATFORM.
WE JUST PAY, YOU KNOW, $1,800 MORE.
UM, AND THEN THE COST FOR US TO BE IN V S B A THIS YEAR IS, SO YOU WOULD ADD THAT 9,353 TO WHAT WE'RE PAYING THE 10,200.
IF WE CONTINUE TO STAY IN IT, VERSUS IF WE DON'T, OUR COST IS GONNA BE 12,000.
MAKE SURE I'M JUST READING ALL THAT CORRECTLY.
THAT'S HOW I UNDERSTOOD IT TOO.
SO, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK MAYBE MY VERY FIRST YEAR I UTILIZED ONE OF THEIR TRAININGS.
UM, I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, ALSO TRYING TO WEIGH OUT THE, THE COST BENEFITS OF WHAT WE USE.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE NOT DOING POLICIES THROUGH THEM.
WE TALK TO OUR ATTORNEYS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PAYING ALL THIS.
I'M KIND OF LIKE, WHAT ARE WE, WHAT ARE WE GETTING FROM IT? I'M LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, UH, BUDGETS HERE AND STUFF.
SO, UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I HAD THAT ALL CORRECT IN MY BRAIN.
UM, AND I DO WANNA TO THANK MS LEN'S.
UM, YOU KNOW, SHE'S MADE A GREAT CONCERTED EFFORT TO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE SAID, HEY, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S TRY.
UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE WERE, WE WERE KIND OF, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WEREN'T ACCEPTED THERE.
SO, UM, BUT I DO, I THANK YOU.
'CAUSE YOU HAVE DEFINITELY, UM, WITHOUT A DOUBT, GIVEN IT YOUR TIME AND YOUR ENERGY, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
[01:45:01]
UM, COST-WISE THOUGH, I, I'M JUST LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PAYING THIS MONEY.WHAT ARE WE GETTING FROM HIM WHEN WE STILL HAVE THOSE SAME THINGS WE'RE GETTING FROM WHEN WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR ATTORNEYS AND WE RELY ON OUR ATTORNEYS AND THEY KNOW OUR COUNTY AND THEY KNOW, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I'M AT.
I, I LOOKED AT IT FROM, UM, KIND OF A PERCEPTION THING OF THEM.
UH, THEY DO PROVIDE SOME SERVICES THAT ARE WORTHWHILE, BUT I LOOK AT, UH, THE RETURN FOR WHAT WE'RE PUTTING IN AND WHAT WE'RE GETTING.
THEN I LOOK AT OUR GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION AND, UH, THERE'S OTHER COUNTIES HERE IN, IN THE VALLEY THAT SORT OF GET SNUBBED BY, BY THEM ALSO, UM, THE, WHO KNOWS THIS COUNTY BETTER THAN EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM.
AND I THINK WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, MOVE FORWARD AND, UM, LIKE THE FOLKS WERE SAYING EARLIER, GET OUR DISCIPLINE SQUARED AWAY, THAT SORT OF STUFF, UH, WITHOUT THE S B A.
UM, AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY, UM, MY COE HERE, UH, FOR ALL THE, THE WORK THAT SHE'S PUT INTO THIS.
UM, LONG TIME AGO WHEN WE APPOINTED MS SALE TO THIS BOARD AFTER, UH, MR. WILLIAMS LEFT, UM, WE ALL SAID SHE WILL DO HER HOMEWORK.
AND I, I BELIEVE YOU'D HAVE TO GIVE HER AN A PLUS ON THAT ONE.
SO THANK YOU MS. SALE, AND IT'S A PLEASURE TO SIT NEXT TO YOU.
UM, AS, BUT AS FAR AS S B A, WE, WE USUALLY GO TO OUR OWN ATTORNEY FOR ADVICE, UM, RATHER THAN THE SS B A ATTORNEY.
SO, UM, I'M, I'M IN FAVOR OF, UM, UH, LEAVING THE, UH, VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION.
I'VE SAID IT SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE, AND WHEN I VOTED FOR US TO STAY LAST TIME, IT WAS SIMPLY BECAUSE, HEY, WE'RE GONNA GIVE IT A SHOT WITH A DELEGATE THAT ACTUALLY BRINGS WHAT WARREN COUNTY WANTS BEFORE THEM ON THESE POSITIONS.
AND YOU'VE DONE ABSOLUTELY THAT.
AND IT DIDN'T REALLY GET US ANYWHERE.
SO, I MEAN, I THINK WE TRIED AND, UM, I DON'T, I DON'T SEE THE BENEFIT, UM, AT THIS, AT THIS TIME.
UM, I THINK WITH THAT, UNLESS ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY DISCUSSION, I'M GONNA ASK MR. GRANT TO DO ROLL CALL.
[5.B. Student Support Position]
WE HAVE THE STUDENT SUPPORT POSITION.IS THAT MR. LEE? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THAT? OKAY.
WE WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE, UH, THIS INTERIM POSITION TO ALLOW OUR NEWLY HIRED STAFF TO ACCEPT A CONTRACT AS THE WORKED AS THEY WORK TOWARD THEIR LICENSURE WHILE THEY'RE FILLING ONE OF THEIR, OUR, OUR CURRENT VACANCIES.
THIS COULD ALSO HELP ACCOMMODATE, UH, IN THE FUTURE, NOT NECESSARILY RIGHT NOW.
UH, THIS COULD ALSO HELP ACCOMMODATE THOSE WHO ARE WORKING ON THEIR, IN, ON THEIR DEGREE, IN THEIR, IN THE, UH, GROW YOUR OWN PROGRAM THAT WE PARTNER WITH A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS CURRENTLY, UM, AS THEY ENTER THEIR FINAL STAGES OF THEIR DEGREE, UM, AND WORK TOWARDS THEIR STUDENT TEACHING.
UM, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, NOT CURRENTLY, BUT MOVING, MOVING FORWARD.
SO THE TWO ATTACHMENTS THERE ARE, UM, THE SALARY SCALE FOR THE STUDENT SUPPORT AND, UM, PROBABLY COULD HAVE CAME UP WITH A BETTER NAME FOR THIS POSITION.
'CAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE STUDENT SUPPORT COACHES, UM, WHO, WHO ARE, IS A GRANT FUNDED PROGRAM.
UM, SO I, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, I AGAIN, PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE CAME UP WITH A, WITH A BETTER TERMINOLOGY THERE, BUT, BUT THIS IS STUDENT SUPPORT.
UM, SO, UH, LIKE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THOSE NEW HIRES, UM, THAT ARE STILL WORKING ON THEIR LICENSE, UM, ELIGIBILITY.
UM, THIS WOULD, THIS WOULD HELP, UH, PROVIDE THEM A A
[01:50:01]
POSITION WITH US.SO THEY'RE GETTING THEIR BENEFITS.
UM, THEY'RE GETTING A, A, A COMPARABLE SALARY.
IT'S NOT A TEACHER SCALE SALARY, BUT, BUT IT'S, IT'S CLOSE.
UM, SO IT WOULD BE A GRADE 42, UH, SALARY SCALE.
UM, AND WE, WE ALSO INCORPORATED THE, UH, TWO YEAR DEGREE, WHICH, WHICH, YOU KNOW, COULD, COULD POTENTIALLY HELP WITH OUR, UM, GROW YOUR OWN FOLKS.
AND, UH, SO OUR BACHELOR DEGREE WOULD, WOULD BE OUR, OUR, OUR NEW HIRES THAT WE'RE, WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT THAT ARE, THAT ARE IN THAT, THAT CURRENT SITUATION.
UM, SO WE'VE ALSO INCLUDED THE, UH, STUDENT SUPPORT, UM, JOB DESCRIPTION.
AND I'D, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE KENDALL POE, OUR NEW DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HR AND FINANCE, UH, FOR HER, UM, EFFORTS IN PUTTING THIS TOGETHER FOR, FOR US TONIGHT.
WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH SEVERAL COUNTIES THAT, UM, HAVE ALREADY HAD THESE, THESE, UM, POSITIONS PER SE, UM, IN EXISTENCE, UM, JUST TO, YOU KNOW, CREATE THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE, AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE SHORT ON APPLICANTS FOR TEACHERS IN THIS DAY AND AGE.
MR. LEE, CAN YOU, SORRY, I WASN'T SURE IF HE WAS GONNA SAY SOMETHING ELSE OR NOT.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY REALLY QUICKLY.
UM, THIS WILL ELIMINATE OR AT LEAST REDUCE WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW WITH HAVING THOSE TEACHERS THAT AREN'T QUITE CERTIFIED YET, GOING TO E S S TO BE IN A LONG-TERM SUB POSITION WHILE THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH IT.
THIS MAKES THEM A WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL'S YES, MA'AM.
EMPLOYEE RIGHT FROM THE START THEN? YES, MA'AM.
I WAS GONNA ASK, IS THERE, SORRY.
IS, IS THERE A TIME LIMIT ON THIS POSITION? LIKE, COULD SOMEONE BE EMPLOYED FOR ONLY A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, OR COULD THEY HAVE THIS JOB FOR 10 YEARS? THE THOUGHT BEHIND IT, IT WOULD BE A YEARLY CONTRACT.
SO OUR, OUR, OUR HOPES, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE TO SET SOME DEADLINES, GET THESE FOLKS TO WHERE THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A LICENSE.
UM, SO WE COULD, WE COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH A, WITH A PROVISIONAL LICENSE, A A 10 YEAR LICENSE GOING DOWN THE ROAD AND, AND GET THEM INTO A, A TEACHER, UM, SALARIED POSITION.
UM, BUT THEN AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THEY'RE NOT MEETING THOSE, THOSE EXPECTATIONS, WE MIGHT HAVE TO MOVE IN ANOTHER DIRECTION WITH A DIFFERENT CANDIDATE.
SO WOULD THEY BE DOING THE WORK OF A TEACHER OR THIS JOB IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT A TEACHER DOES? NO, THEY WOULD BE DOING THE JOB OF A TEACHER.
IT WOULD BE THE SAME THING AS IF WE HAVE A LONG-TERM SUB, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR A AGENCY.
THESE FOLKS ARE CURRENTLY DOING A TEACHER JOB.
UM, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING IT AS A LONG-TERM SUB, LIKE DR.
AND THEY'RE, AND A LOT OF THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, UM, THEY'RE CAREER SWITCHERS, SO THEY HAVE A BACHELOR'S, THEY MAYBE NEED TO TAKE A PRAXIS AND DEPENDING UPON WHAT THE PRACTICE IS.
SO IT COULD BE THAT IT'S A MONTH, TWO MONTHS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND CAN YOU SHARE WHAT THE STATE LICENSURE GUIDELINES SAY? LIKE, WHY ARE WE ABLE TO DO THIS? I MEAN, I GUESS 'CAUSE IT'S A LONG-TERM SUB.
I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE A LONG-TERM SUB IN THERE, THEY DON'T HAVE A LICENSE EITHER, RIGHT.
UM, SO IT'S JUST GIVING, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S GOING THROUGH ESSENCE ESS OKAY.
AS A LONG TERM SUB, BASICALLY.
SO I FEEL LIKE MAYBE WE SHOULD, AND, AND I KNOW THAT I HAVE, HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH YOU ABOUT THIS WHEN IT WAS FIRST BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION, UM, IT WAS CALLED AN ASSOCIATE TEACHER POSITION.
AND, UM, IT WAS SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN WORKING FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR, FOR MANY YEARS, UM, AND HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE GROW YOUR OWN PROGRAM AND JUST HAS THAT LITTLE BIT LEFT OF SCHOOL TO HAVE THE OFFICIAL BACHELOR'S.
UM, IT, THIS WAS, I I UNDERSTOOD IT AS A, UM, AS A, AS A TEMPORARY TITLE DURING THAT TIME THAT THEY FINISH UP THAT LAST LITTLE BIT OF SCHOOL AND GET THE, YOU KNOW, PROVISIONAL LICENSE AND, AND MOVE ON FROM THERE.
BUT, UM, WHEN YOU SAID THE THING ABOUT LIKE, SOMEBODY COULD BE IN THIS FOR LIKE 10 YEARS, BUT IT'S OKAY, SO IT'S NO, IT ONE YEAR NOT IN POSITION FOR 10 YEARS YEAR.
AND, YOU KNOW, OUR EXPECTATION WOULD BE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, THEY'RE GONNA BE LICENSED ELIGIBLE.
[01:55:01]
WHICH MANY OF OUR FOLKS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE REFERRING TO AS OUR, OUR LONG, LONG-TERM SUBS OR OUR NEW HIRES THAT ARE FILLING OUR CURRENT VACANCIES WHO HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE.UM, THOSE FOLKS HAVE ALREADY, SOME OF THOSE FOLKS HAVE ALREADY BECOME LICENSED ELIGIBLE EITHER BY COMPLETING A CLASS OR PASSING, UM, UH, A PRAXIS AS, AS DR.
UM, BUT SOME OF THOSE FOLKS ARE STILL WORKING TOWARDS THAT.
SO THIS WILL ALLOW US TO, UM, AGAIN, PROVIDE THAT POSITION WITH OUR, OUR BENEFITS PACKAGE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER, UH, WHICH THEY, THEY CURRENTLY DON'T, DON'T HAVE.
SO ARE WE PLACING ANY PRIORITY OVER YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN A CLASSROOM AS LIKE AN INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT VERSUS A CAREER SWITCHER WITH AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE? I MEAN, I, I KNOW I AS A MOTHER WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE HAVING, YOU KNOW, IF I HAD AN IA WITH A, WITH YEARS OF EXPERIENCE INSIDE OF THAT CLASSROOM, WORKING AS THE ASSISTANT AND IS ALMOST FINISHED WITH THAT DEGREE AT THAT I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THAN JUST RANDOM NEW BRAND NEW PERSON WHO'S NEVER BEEN IN A CLASSROOM BEFORE, BUT HAS AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE.
IS THERE ANY, IS THERE PREFERENCE GIVEN OR ARE THERE RESTRICTIONS GIVEN? LIKE, I, I, SO I'LL, I'LL SPEAK ON THAT.
SO THE, THE ASSOCIATE'S PIECE IS ONLY GONNA BE THOSE FOR THE, IN THE GROW YOUR OWN PROGRAM.
SO IT'S NOT GONNA BE ANYBODY COMING OUTSIDE OF, OF THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT THAT, THAT HAS AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE THAT THEN COMES IN AND WANTS TO FEEL FULFILL THAT ROLE.
THIS IS SPECIFICALLY TIED TO THE GROW YOUR OWN PROGRAMS, MEANING THAT THEY ARE ALREADY EMPLOYED INSIDE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM? CORRECT.
AND THEN WHAT IS THE, UH, QUALIFICATION THROUGH E S S FOR A LONG-TERM SUB? IT'S JUST A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, RIGHT? WELL, IT, WE HAVE THOSE, THOSE DIFFERENT, THE TIERS, RIGHT.
TIERS THAT IT WOULD BE A, THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE PAID BASED ON THEIR, THEIR HIGHEST LEVEL OF EDUCATION, BUT THEY CAN LONG-TERM SUB WITH JUST A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, CORRECT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S LONG-TERM SUBS.
I MEAN, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T WANT YOU TO CONFUSE THE LONG-TERM SUBS WITH THE LONG-TERM SUBS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THE, THE LONG-TERM SUBS WE'RE, WE'RE CURRENTLY TALKING ABOUT FOR THIS POSITION.
ARE, HAVE THEIR BACHELOR'S DEGREE.
THEY'RE WORKING TOWARDS THEIR LICENSURE AND OKAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, SOME OF THEM HAVE ALREADY QUALIFIED FOR, FOR THEIR, THEIR LICENSE ELIGIBILITY SINCE THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
I HAVE ONE, UH, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WE, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ARE IN THIS PROGRAM? GRAM? SO OUR, OUR CURRENT LONG-TERM SUBS THAT I'M REFERRING TO, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING? SO WE HAVE EIGHT RIGHT NOW.
FOUR OF THOSE HAVE ALREADY QUALIFIED AND MET THE LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS.
SO ESSENTIALLY IF WE PASS THIS, THEN WE WILL BE ADDING EIGHT TEACHERS TO, WE'LL BE, IT'LL BE EIGHT.
IT'LL CONVERT OVER THE EIGHT TEACHERS INTO THIS SITUATION.
BUT LIKE I SAID, FOUR OF THEM HAVE ALREADY MET THE REQUIREMENTS, SO THOSE FOUR CAN GO ON TO A TEACHER CONTRACT AND SKIP THIS STEP.
SO IT'S JUST LIKE, THAT JUST HAPPENED THIS WEEK.
'CAUSE THREE OF 'EM WERE TAKING A COURSE THAT ENDED THIS WEEK AND ONE OF THEM PASSED A PRAXIS.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR MR. LEE? IS THERE ANY ISSUE WITH HIRING THEM FROM E S S? THOSE EIGHT INDIVIDUALS? NO, MA'AM.
THAT WE'RE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH THEM AND WE'RE ALL CONTRACT-WISE WE'RE GOOD.
OR EIGHT E S S EMPLOYEES, OR, I THOUGHT THIS WAS TAILORED TO OUR WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEE THAT BROUGHT THIS TO US.
AND IT, IT'S NOT E S SS, SO IT'S WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ASSOCIATES, THAT IS THE ONE THAT IS THROUGH OUR GROW YOUR OWN THAT WILL QUALIFY FOR THIS.
IF YOU LOOK AT, WE HAD, AND ACCORDING TO WHAT THIS BOARD HAD TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY, THAT IF THEY WEREN'T CERTIFIED, THEY WERE GOING TO E S SS.
SO WE HAD TE WE HAD PEOPLE THAT WERE BACHELOR'S LEVEL THAT WE PUSHED THEM TO E S S TO BE BASICALLY A LONG-TERM SUB WHEN WE COULD HAVE USED THIS PROGRAM TO HIRE THEM AS A SUB WITHIN THE COUNTY TO TEACH THE PROGRAM.
SO BASICALLY WE ARE MOVING THEM BACK TO US WHEN WE PUSHED THEM TO THEM EARLIER.
[02:00:01]
IS NOT, THEN OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEE WHO BROUGHT THIS ENTIRE IDEA TO US AND ASKED ABOUT THE ASSOCIATE TEACHING POSITION THAT IS NOT THE EMPLOYEE, AN EMPLOYEE THAT WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS.THEY WOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR, OKAY.
'CAUSE YOU HAD SAID THAT HIRING THEM FROM E S S, BUT IT, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AN INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT, UHHUH
SO THIS PARTICULAR MOTION IS NOT GOING, THIS WILL TAKE CARE OF BOTH.
IT WILL TAKE CARE OF BOTH, YES.
SORRY IF I WASN'T CLEAR, I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED MORE, MAYBE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS SO THAT I CAN ACTUALLY USE NAMES AND, AND INFORMATION BECAUSE YEAH.
SO THERE, WE DON'T HAVE A MOTION RIGHT NOW.
SO I MOVE TO TAKE THIS TO CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS FURTHER AS A PERSONNEL ISSUE.
SO WE'LL SKIP IT AND COME BACK TO IT.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? PUTTING YOUR MOTION TO PUT IT ONTO THE END OF THE MEETING AFTER THE CLOSED SESSION.
[5.C. Purchasing of Chromebooks]
PURCHASING OF CHROMEBOOKS.UM, THE WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL'S TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT IS NEEDED OF REPLACEMENT CHROMEBOOKS FOR OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF.
UH, THE COST OF THE HARDWARE PRO PRODUCT PROTECTION AND LICENSING, UH, FOR 767 CHROMEBOOKS IS $284,971 AND 18 CENTS.
UH, THE FUNDING FOR THIS PURCHASE COMES OUT OF THE, UH, VIRGINIA PUBLIC SCHOOL AUTHORITY TECHNOLOGY GRANT.
AND, UM, THE PURCHASE WILL BE THROUGH THE A E P STATE CONTRACT THROUGH C D W G.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? IS THIS THE SAME WAY THAT WE'VE PURCHASED THESE ITEMS IN THE PAST? YES.
I MOVE THAT WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BE GIVEN PERMISSION TO PURCHASE CHROMEBOOKS THROUGH C D W G IN THE AMOUNT OF 284,000 IS SECOND.
SECOND DO TO DO ANY KIND OF, UM, ALLEGATION REQUEST FROM THE, NO, THIS IS ALREADY IN OUR BUDGET.
[5.D. Discussion on Public Information]
ON PUBLIC INFORMATION.WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED THIS A LITTLE BIT THIS EVENING.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST, I THINK THE FIRST OF A FEW CONVERSATIONS AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED FOR US TO START REWRITING, REVISING, MAKING NEW POLICIES.
WE PLANNED ON DOING THAT WHEN WE ORIGINALLY LEFT THE S B A POLICY SERVICES AND WENT TO SAN SANDERSON.
WE HAVEN'T, UM, REVISITED, UM, MUCH YET, UM, AS FAR AS THE POLICIES GO.
SO THIS SEEMS LIKE ONE OF THE GOOD PLACES TO START, AND THAT'S GONNA BE WHAT DOES A, A SCHOOL NEED TO LOOK AT FOR COMMUNICATION OUT TO THEIR SCHOOL FAMILY? UM, WHAT INCIDENTS HAPPEN WITHIN A SCHOOL THAT RESULTS IN AN IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO PARENTS IN THAT SCHOOL? UM, WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE CLEAR GUIDELINES SO THAT THERE'S NO CONFUSION ABOUT THE TIMELINE FOR GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT,
[02:05:01]
WHAT CAN AND CANNOT BE DISCLOSED KIND OF AT THAT IMMEDIATE CONVERSATION.AND, UM, REALLY JUST TRYING TO MAKE IT SO EVERYONE HAS THE SAME EXPECTATIONS MOVING FORWARD, UM, WITH THESE, THIS POLICY ON PUBLIC INFORMATION.
SO, ANY COMMENTS ON THIS? YEAH.
UM, SO LET'S LOOK AT THE ISSUES THAT, THAT ARE AT HAND.
THE PARENTS, THE SCHOOLS WORK FOR THE PARENTS.
I, THERE IS VERY LITTLE THAT I THINK SHOULD BE WITHHELD FROM THE PARENTS.
NOW, WITH THAT SAID, THERE, THERE ARE FERPA LAWS.
SO SCHOOLS CANNOT LEGALLY DISCLOSE TO YOU OTHER CHILDREN'S INFORMATION.
UM, THAT'S NOT US, THAT'S THE LAW.
HOWEVER, THERE'S, IN MY MIND, NO EXCUSE WHY.
IF WE HAVE A SERIOUS INCIDENT, UM, A GUN THREAT, EVEN IF THERE'S NOT A GUN FOUND, UM, A SERIOUS INJURY, ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE THAT IS A SAME DAY, NOTIFY THE PARENT.
AND IN, IN THE INSTANCES OF, OF SERIOUS ISSUES LIKE THAT, I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH, WITH THE PRINCIPAL MAKING HIMSELF OR HERSELF DIRECTLY AVAILABLE.
UM, THAT PARENT HAS TO BE ABLE TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT THEIR CHILD COMING TO SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY.
UM, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO AT LEAST TELL THE PARENT AFTER A GUN ALLEGATION, UM, IF THEIR CHILD WILL BE IN THE SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY WITH THAT OTHER STUDENT.
UM, SO THE PARENT CAN DECIDE, OKAY, WELL I, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M JUST GONNA KEEP MY KID HOME UNTIL THE INVESTIGATION'S FINISHED.
IF YOU LOOK HISTORICALLY AT SCHOOL SHOOTINGS, THERE WERE SIGNS LEADING UP TO THEM, AND THERE WERE FALSE ALARMS AND FALSE ALARMS. SO IT'S, IT IS NOT THE SCHOOL'S PLACE TO BYPASS THE PARENT AND DEPRIVE THEM OF HAVING THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE FOR THEIR CHILD, WHETHER OR NOT THEY FEEL IT IS A SUBSTANTIAL RISK OR IF IT'S SAFE, THAT THE PARENT HAS TO BE IN CHARGE OF THAT AT ALL TIMES.
IF THERE'S A SERIOUS INJURY THAT THAT HAS TO, TO GET REPORTED TO THE PARENT IMMEDIATELY.
UM, THE STUFF WITH, UH, THE OVERDOSES AND THE DRUGS.
UM, OBVIOUSLY I HAVE, I'VE SPOKEN ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SISTER BEFORE.
UM, MY SISTER DIED OF A, OF A FENTANYL OVERDOSE IN 2018.
UM, THE WEEKEND THAT, OR THE, THAT SHE DIED THE WEEK THAT SHE DIED.
UM, THESE THINGS COME IN BATCHES.
AND SO WHEN THERE'S ONE OVERDOSE, THERE TENDS TO BE A CLUSTER.
I BELIEVE THERE ARE 10 WITHIN THE, THE SAME WEEKEND THAT SHE PASSED.
UM, SO MY CONCERN WHEN I FIRST WAS MADE AWARE OF THE OVERDOSE THAT TOOK PLACE INSIDE OF THE SCHOOL, UM, WITH DRUGS OBTAINED INSIDE OF THE SCHOOL, MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS, WHO, WHO ELSE GOT THOSE SAME DRUGS? IT WAS A FRIDAY.
UM, THESE KIDS COULD HAVE GOTTEN WHATEVER THIS WAS.
WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT WAS.
AND I JUST, I PUT MYSELF IN THE SHOES OF THE PARENT WHO HAS NO CLUE THAT THIS HAPPENED AT SCHOOL DURING THAT DAY.
COMES HOME FROM WORK FRIDAY NIGHT AND FINDS THEIR CHILD DEAD SATURDAY MORNING AND NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO EVEN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEIR CHILD AND ASK THEM, SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, DID YOU, DID, DID YOU HEAR WHAT HAPPENED? THE SCHOOL SENT THIS LETTER HOME, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
UM, I WANT THAT TO BE A REQUIREMENT BECAUSE THE INITIAL CALL WENT OUT AS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.
I WOULD, I DON'T KNOW THE CHILD'S NAME.
I WOULD NEVER EXPECT FOR THE CHILD'S NAME TO BE DISCLOSED.
UM, BUT AS A PARENT, I WOULD READ, OH, THERE'S MEDICAL EMERGENCY.
I WOULD ASSUME, I DON'T KNOW, A SEIZURE OR A FALL OR A SOMETHING.
AND I WOULD HAVE NO CLUE TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES WITH MY CHILD WHEN THEY GOT HOME.
UM, SO WHEN I ASKED, PLEASE
LIKE I, I WAS TREATED LIKE I WAS BEING RIDICULOUS AND PUSHED AND PUSHED AND PUSHED, AND FINALLY SAID, ALL RIGHT, FINE.
YOU GET TILL FIVE O'CLOCK, SOMEBODY'S SAYING IT, IT'S EITHER YOU OR IT'S GONNA BE ME.
SO YOU, YOU CHOOSE, ARE YOU GONNA SEND OUT A NOTIFICATION ABOUT THE DANGERS OF, OF THESE VAPES? BECAUSE
[02:10:01]
QUITE FRANKLY, I HAD NO CLUE THAT A VAPE COULD BE LACED UNTIL THAT DAY.UM, SO WE HAVE TO DISCLOSE THAT IF THERE IS, IF THERE'S AN OVERDOSE, THAT THAT'S MY THINKING ON THAT.
UM, OBVIOUSLY IF THERE'S A THREAT OF A GUN, I THINK THAT SHOULD BE DISCLOSED.
IF THERE IS A THREAT OF, OR A DISCLOSURE OR REPORT OF AN ALLEGATION OF CHILD ABUSE, I DON'T CARE IF IT'S A THURSDAY IN APPLE BLOSSOMS ON FRIDAY, START CALLING SOME PARENTS.
UM, I KNOW WHEN I WAS IN THE SCHOOL'S COACHING, IF I HAD AN INCIDENT BETWEEN MY GIRLS THAT IT DIDN'T MATTER THAT I DIDN'T LEAVE A CHEER PRACTICE UNTIL 10 AT NIGHT LIKE I WAS CALLING THE PARENTS, THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW.
UM, IT'S NOW STATE LAW THAT WITH BULLYING INCIDENTS, YOU, THE SCHOOL MUST TELL YOU WITHIN 24 HOURS.
AS A PARENT, YOU CAN'T PARENT IF THE SCHOOL IS LEAVING YOU OUT OF THE LOOP.
SO THOSE ARE MY TOP CONCERNS AND THOUGHTS ON THAT? DEATH THREATS, KILL RISKS,
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY IMMEDIATE THOUGHTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, ON SORT OF REVISING AND MAKING GUIDELINES AND POLICIES FOR OUR SCHOOLS? WHAT DO WE THINK PROCEDURALLY IS THE BEST WAY FOR US TO DO THIS? I MEAN, ARE WE EACH GONNA WRITE SOMETHING AND PROPOSE IT? ARE WE GONNA DO RESEARCH WHAT OTHER SCHOOLS HAVE? ARE WE GONNA CONSULT WITH OUR ATTORNEY? LIKE WHAT'S OUR NEXT STEP TO START TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN? DO WE THINK AS A BOARD THAT'S TO EVERYONE.
I MEAN, WE PAY SAM ANDERSON TO, TO DO OUR POLICY SERVICES.
SO I WOULD CERTAINLY THINK THAT, SO MAYBE SEND THEM THESE, SOMETHING, THESE CURRENT POLICIES, SEND 'EM OUR CONCERNS AND ASK THEM TO DROP SOMETHING FOR US TO REVIEW WELL AND SEE WHAT THEY HAVE DONE FOR OTHER SCHOOL DIVISIONS.
THEY'RE NOT JUST OUR POLICY SERVICES.
SO THEY WOULD BE THE FIRST RESOURCE I WOULD THINK AS WELL.
DO WE THINK THAT'S AN ACTION WE COULD TAKE AND HAVE SOMETHING BACK BY THE WORK SESSION? OR DO DO WE KNOW IF THAT'S TOO, TOO FAST, WE CAN ASK THEM.
UH, LIKE MOST IS SAYING THERE WAS AN INCIDENT IN THE GYM TODAY WHERE, UH, SOMETHING FELL AND FOUR KIDS WERE HURT, UM, THAT WAS TAKEN CARE OF.
JUST SOMETHING SPECIFIC, NOT JUST THAT THERE WAS AN INCIDENT AND DA DA DA.
SO IF IT'S A DRUG INCIDENT, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST BE NOTIFIED THAT WE FOUND, WE BROUGHT THE DOGS IN, WE FOUND DRUGS IN A LOCKER AT THE EIGHTH GRADE HALLWAY.
WHATEVER THE CASE IS, THAT NEEDS TO BE MORE SPECIFIC SO THAT A PARENT WHEN HE READS IT, WILL BE ABLE TO, UH, DECIPHER THAT INFORMATION AND DECIDE HOW HE OR SHE'S GONNA TALK TO THEIR, THEIR, UH, CHILD ABOUT IT.
SO YEAH, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO EMPHASIZE MORE SPECIFIC REPORTING.
AND TO ADD TO THAT TOO, UM, THE DETAILS, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE DO ASK FOR THINGS AND SOMETIMES WE ARE THE, MAYBE THE THIRD LINE, 'CAUSE IT HAPPENED AT THE SCHOOL.
IT GETS TO THE ADMINISTRATOR, IT GETS TO THE SUPERINTENDENT, IT GETS TO US, AND THEN WE HEAR FROM PARENTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, SOMETIMES ALL THE DETAILS THAT WE ARE HEARING FROM ALL THOSE DIFFERENT VERSIONS ARE NOT ALL THE SAME.
SO WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT IS, BECOMES THE SAME.
WELL THE, BECAUSE THAT MAKES IT VERY HARD FOR US WHEN WE ARE, AND I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN VERSION OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED 'CAUSE IT'S IMPACTED THEM.
BUT WHEN WE ARE HEARING FOUR DIFFERENT VERSIONS, UM, WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO STREAMLINE THAT TOO.
TO MAKE SURE WE ARE HEARING THE, WHETHER THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY, THE GREAT WE'VE GOT.
IT'S GOT TO BE THE TRUTH SPECIFICALLY.
WELL, US ACKNOWLEDGING THAT SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED FIRST, SO THEN EVERYBODY WE'RE PUTTING THAT OUT.
HEY, WE KNOW THAT SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED, RIGHT? RIGHT.
AND WE, YES, I KNOW YOU WANT DETAILS.
LIKE SOMETIMES WE CAN'T GIVE ALL THE DETAILS AND YOU KNOW, IF IT'S, IT DEPENDS ON, THEY'RE IN A POLICE REPORT.
SO SOMETIMES WE ABSOLUTELY CAN GIVE THE DETAILS, RIGHT.
INVESTIGATE OUT IF THEY'RE IN THE, IN THE BATHROOM BECAUSE OF THE OVERDOSE, BECAUSE THEY PASSED OUT FROM OVERHEATING.
THEY HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE DOCTOR TO TELL US.
[02:15:01]
PLEASE REACH OUT TO US BECAUSE I KNOW THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA HAVE INPUT.SO HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY THAT'S LISTENING AT HOME THAT LISTENS LATER CAN EMAIL US INDIVIDUALLY OR AS A BOARD, UM, WHAT YOUR PARTICULAR THOUGHTS ARE ON THIS AND SORT OF, I DON'T KNOW, JUST GIVE US SOME IDEAS ON WHAT WE NEED TO BE, HOW WE NEED TO BE GETTING THIS INFORMATION OUT.
BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, IN GENERAL, WE CAN CERTAINLY ALL AGREE THAT GETTING THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GET OUT TO PARENTS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE IS WHAT IS GONNA BE REQUIRED.
UM, AND I THINK STARTING WITH SAN SANDERSON IS PERFECTLY REASONABLE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THE FIRST FULL DIVISION TO TRY TO THINK OF A POLICY LIKE THIS.
SO, AND, AND TIMELINE WAS MENTIONED, IF YOU COULD PUT A BIT OF A SENSE OF URGENCY ON IT DUE TO THE INCIDENT THAT HAVE HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, GET THE GUN.
LIKE DON'T LET THIS BE LIKE, OH, WE CAN GET TO THIS NEXT ROUND WHEN WE TALK, ADDRESS IT WITH A SENSE OF URGENCY.
I WOULD SAY WITH A SERIOUS LIST, IT SHOULD BE BEFORE THE NEXT SCHOOL DAY STARTS FOR SURE.
UNDERSTAND THE OVERALL POLICY WELL, SO FOR EVERYBODY THAT FOR SIX MONTHS.
WELL, SO I WILL SAY THAT THE WAY THAT OUR POLICIES, IF WE'RE PUTTING A TRUE POLICY INTO PLACE, JUST FOR EVERYBODY THAT'S LISTENING, UM, WE HAVE A FIRST POLICY READING.
THERE ARE THREE READINGS, AND THEN THE VOTE.
THAT'S LIKE, THAT'S ITS OWN POLICY.
UM, SO THAT IS WHY IT DR WELL, I MEAN, WE CAN START ENACTING, UM, THE THINGS, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE CAN'T START GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT, BUT FOR THE TRUE APPROVED POLICY, IT'S A THREE READING POLICY.
SO WHAT, WHAT THAT MEANS IS SHE'LL HAND THIS OFF TO THE LAWYER, THE LAWYER'S GONNA PUT TOGETHER A, A DRAFT, THE DRAFT, YOU CAN, YOU CAN DOWNLOAD IT OFF OF THE AGENDA.
WE, WE MEET THE FIRST AND THE THIRD WEDNESDAY, READ THE DRAFT AND REDLINE IT YOURSELF.
LIKE YOU CAN EMAIL US YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT.
LIKE, OH NO, I DON'T LIKE, I DON'T LIKE SECTION TWO A OR, OR, OH HEY, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU NEED TO REALLY TIGHTEN UP ON SECTION THREE, UM, AND THEN COME TO THAT MEETING WHEN WE HAVE THE READING WHEN IT'S PRESENTED AND PRESENT YOUR THOUGHTS OR IDEAS OR CHANGES OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
AND THEN FROM THERE IT GOES BACK TO THE LAWYER.
BUT YES, I MEAN, I, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE ACTUAL PRACTICE STARTING TOMORROW.
UM, SO TIMELINE FOR THE, UM, FOR THE NEXT READING, RIGHT? I'M, I MEAN, I'M HOPING IF SANS ANDERSON CAN GET US SOMETHING TOGETHER, IT WOULD BE THE NEXT BE THE NEXT WORK, WHICH IS THE, UM, THE THIRD WEDNESDAY.
I DON'T, YEAH, THE THIRD WEDNESDAY, SORRY, I'M TRYING TO PULL SEPTEMBER 20TH.
SEPTEMBER 20TH IS OUR NEXT WORK SESSION.
HOPE, HOPEFULLY SANS ANDERSON CAN GET THAT TOGETHER.
OKAY, WELL WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS.
OKAY, THAT'S PERFECT TIME PROCESS.
TO ENACT IT MAYBE A LITTLE BIT RIGHT.
TO ENACT LIKE, THE PRACTICE OF, LIKE I SAID, LIKE THERE'S NOTHING THAT SAYS WE CAN'T START PUTTING INFORMATION OUT.
IT'S JUST WE HAVE TO HAVE A CLEAR POLICY, COMMON SENSE.
TO ME IT'S, IT'S COMMON SENSE, BUT, AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
NOT GIVING OUT KIDS NAMES AND, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BUT, UM, THE OTHER THING TOO IS, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE OUR, OUR ADMINISTRATORS HEAR THIS, I, I DON'T WANT THE ADMINISTRATORS TO FEEL LIKE WE ARE GOING TO JUDGE YOU HARSHLY.
IF YOUR SCHOOL IS SENDING OUT ALL OF THESE NOTICES, I FEEL LIKE, UM, MAYBE THERE'S LIKE A SHAME AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH, WELL, I WOULD RATHER JUST SWEEP THIS UNDER THE RUG AND NOT TALK ABOUT IT, BECAUSE THIS WOULD BE EMBARRASSING IF WE TOLD EVERYBODY THAT WE'RE HAVING ALL OF THESE ISSUES.
SO IT'S, THE SCHOOL BOARD, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, IS NOT GOING TO BE LIKE HOUNDING DOWN ADMINISTRATORS AND SAYING, HEY, YOU'RE, YOU'VE HAD TOO MUCH OF THIS.
WE, WE WANNA BE ABLE TO THEN HELP WITH, HEY, LOOK, WE'RE SEEING YOUR SCHOOL'S HAVING A LOT OF OVERDOSES.
LIKE, WE NEED TO BRING IN EXTRA SUPPORT FOR YOU.
OR, HEY, YOUR SCHOOL IS HAVING A LOT OF VIOLENCE.
WE NEED TO BRING IN EXTRA SUPPORT FOR YOU AND, AND TOOLS TO FIX THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT THE KIDS ARE SAFE.
SO THAT, THAT WOULD BE MY THOUGHT THERE.
SO I THINK, UM, SO PLAN IS GONNA BE TO CONTACT SAM SANDERSON, SEE WHAT THEY HAVE FROM OTHER SCHOOL DIVISIONS, SEND US OUT, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY WHAT THEY CAN DO AS A ROUGH DRAFT, AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL GO FROM THERE.
NEXT UP WE HAVE THE DISCUSSION
[5.E. Discussion on Discipline Policy]
ON THE DISCIPLINE POLICY.THIS IS GONNA BE MORE OF THE SAME.
UM, WE HEARD TONIGHT, UM, THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN WITH WHAT DISCIPLINES ARE HAPPENING WITH WHAT BEHAVIORS ARE HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOL.
WE HAVE SEEN A TREMENDOUS RISE IN BAD BEHAVIORS IN OUR SCHOOL.
[02:20:01]
BEHAVIORS, THREATS, DRUG USE, ALL OF THE ABOVE.UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, MUCH LIKE THE ATTENDANCE POLICY, WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT SEVERAL TIMES, AND THEN IT KIND OF CAME DOWN AS A SURPRISE FOR A LOT OF PARENTS.
THIS, THIS SHOULDN'T BE A SURPRISE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE AS A BOARD NEED TO PUT OUT IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY.
AND WE NEED OUR TEACHERS, OUR ADMINISTRATORS, OUR PARENTS TO KNOW THAT WE, WE NEED TO INCREASE THE DISCIPLINE THAT WE'RE SEEING IN OUR SCHOOLS, AND WE NEED TO HAVE CLEAR GUIDELINES OF WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.
AND SO I THINK IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN TOO LACK FOR TOO LONG.
AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
AND, AND IT COMES BACK TO OUR POLICY LAYERING THAT WE'RE SEEING WHERE WE HAVE CONFLICTING POLICIES WITHIN THEMSELVES.
UM, BECAUSE AS A POLICY IS ADOPTED, IT SEEMS LIKE THE WORDING IS NOT, IT'S, IT DOESN'T OVERWRITE THE PREVIOUS POLICY.
IT JUST KIND OF GETS TACKED ONTO IT.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE RUNNING INTO, UM, WITH NOT FINDING THAT THERE'S CLEAR PHRASING HERE.
UM, THIS IS ANOTHER GREAT PLACE TO START WITH OUR POLICY REVISIONS.
THERE'S SOME TEETH TO ENFORCE IT, RIGHT? LIKE, DON'T YOU HAVE A CURRENT POLICY ON DEATH THREATS? WHAT'S THE CURRENT POLICY? WE, SO WE HAVE A CURRENT POLICY, UM, THAT FOR CERTAIN OFFENSES, I THINK IT'S LIKE SIX OF 'EM.
IF THERE ARE SERIOUS OFFENSES, IT, WE HAVE THE POLICY THAT SAYS SHALL EXPEL.
AND THEN UNDER THAT IT SAYS, WELL, MAYBE.
AND THEN ON ANOTHER PAGE IT SAYS, MIGHT EXPEL, BUT MAYBE, AND IT'S VERY CONTRADICTORY, IT'S CONFUSING.
UM, AS, AS A MOTHER WITH MY CHILDREN, THE FIRST STEP TO DISCIPLINE IS YOU MAKE IT, YOU MAKE YOUR EXPECTATIONS VERY CLEARLY AND WELL-KNOWN, AND YOU DO NOT TURN A BLIND EYE WHEN THE, THE BICKERING AND THE PICKING AT EACH OTHER IS GOING ON, BECAUSE THAT IS ULTIMATELY GOING TO SNO SNOWBALL AND IT'S GONNA END UP IN A, A SERIOUS ALTERCATION.
UM, I THINK THAT THE ATTENDANCE POLICY, I THINK THE ATTENDANCE AND THE DISCIPLINE, OR LACK THEREOF ACTUALLY GO HAND IN HAND.
BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE ATTENDANCE POLICY WAS, WAS GREAT.
AND THEN I STARTED READING SOME OF THE COMMENTS, AND I WAS SEEING SO MANY MENTAL HEALTH DAYS THAT THE ATTENDANCE POLICIES WERE JUST ASKING KIDS NOT TO MISS MORE THAN 18 DAYS OF SCHOOL.
THAT'S, THAT'S 10% OF SCHOOL YEAR.
SO AT FIRST LANCE, I THOUGHT, WELL, THIS IS, THIS SHOULD BE NO PROBLEM, RIGHT? LIKE MOST, MOST ADULTS DON'T HAVE MORE THAT AMOUNT OF VACATION TIME.
BUT THEN YOU START HEARING ABOUT HOW THESE KIDS ARE TREATING EACH OTHER AND NO WONDER THEY DON'T WANNA GO TO SCHOOL IF THEY'RE GETTING PICKED ON, THEY'RE, I WOULDN'T WANNA GO SIT IN A BUILDING AND GET PICKED ON ALL DAY EVERY DAY.
UM, SO WE HAVE TO, I THINK INSTITUTE EARLIER INTERVENTION, STOP IGNORING THE SMALL STUFF, START HOLDING SERIOUS OFFENSES, SERIOUSLY ACCOUNTABLE.
AND I THAT WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME SOMEBODY WAS EXPELLED? AND WHAT WAS THE REASON? I DON'T NEED A NAME.
I WAS TOLD BY, BY MR. DRESCHER, DR.
DRESCHER YEARS AGO THAT WARREN COUNTY HAD NOT EXPELLED A STUDENT FOR 20 YEARS.
WHAT HAPPENED? WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S TRUE, I HAVE NO IDEA.
I WOULD LOVE FOR SOMEBODY WITH THAT DATA TO GIVE ME AN HONEST ANSWER, MR. SUPERINTENDENT.
SO YOU DON'T EVEN, IT WAS SO LONG AGO, YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW.
HAS ANYBODY BEEN EXPELLED SINCE COVID SUPERINTENDENT FOR THREE YEARS? THIS IS WHY WE NEEDED SECOND STEP.
SO WE COULD GIVE SO EMOTIONAL, ALL RIGHT, WE'RE HAVING ENOUGH FROM THE AUDIENCE TODAY OKAY.
SO
AND THE ISSUE WITH THAT I TOOK WITH SECOND STEP WASN'T THE 90, IF ANYBODY READ MY ACTUAL REVIEW OF IT, THE 90% OF IT WAS GOOD.
IT WAS THE, THE LESSONS ON CREATE A DISRUPTION AND HAVING STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT EQUIPPED TO ARGUE THEIR POINTS OF VIEW WITH EACH OTHER, CREATE POSTERS THAT THEY THEN HAVE THESE CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS ON THAT THE MEN RIPPED EACH OTHER'S POSTERS AT.
LIKE, WE LITERALLY CREATED THE FIGHT WITH THAT ONE.
UM, SO WHAT I SAW MR. WILLIAMS DOING WITH EARLY ACT WAS AMAZING.
THE, THE FOUR QUESTIONS, ARE WE TEACHING THOSE FOUR QUESTIONS? ARE WE, IF YOU TAKE A CHILD AND YOU SUSPEND THEM, IT'S A VACATION IS WHAT IT APPEARS LIKE TO ME BECAUSE
[02:25:01]
THEY, THEY MAKE UP ALL THEIR WORK.WHEN I WAS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL, YOU DIDN'T WANNA GET SUSPENDED BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT ZEROS ON ALL THE WORK, LIKE YOUR GRADES WENT DOWN, WHICH GRANTED, I GUESS SOME KIDS DON'T CARE.
I CARED, BUT, UM, I WAS ALSO NOT EVER SUSPENDED.
BUT, UM, IF YOU JUST KICK THE KID OUT AND THEN, OH, THEY FINISHED THEIR THREE DAYS AND BACK AGAIN, THEY COME, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME SORT OF PROJECT GIVEN TO THE CHILD TO WORK ON, TO LEARN FROM WHY THEY'RE AT HOME.
FOR INSTANCE, THE CHILDREN WHO ARE USING THE N WORD, I SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED THAT THEY HAVE TO WRITE A PAPER ABOUT THE ORIGIN, WHY IT IS HURTFUL AND WHY THEY ARE NOT GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO IT, HAS NOT BEEN IMPLEMENTED.
UM, THE CHILDREN WHO ARE PHYSICALLY PUTTING THEIR HANDS ON ONE ANOTHER IMPLEMENTED IS THAT THEY SAY IT THREE TIMES.
OKAY, SUSPENDED AUTOMATICALLY.
MS. HUBBARD, THAT'S WHAT WAS IMPLEMENTED.
AND THAT SAID, MS. HUBBARD, THEY SAY IT ONCE.
NO, THEY SAY IT ONCE AUTOMATICALLY.
WE'RE JUST, I KNOW, WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO, YEAH.
OKAY, THEN IT'S THE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO STOP THOUGH.
AND IT'S, IT'S ABOUT WHIP UP PEOPLE'S EMOTIONS TO MAKE THEM FEARFUL OF THINGS.
FEARFUL THAT AREN'T REALLY THERE.
WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE? THANK YOU.
[6. Closed Session]
I THINK WE CAN JUST MAKE A MOTION TO GO INTO A CLOSED SESSION BECAUSE I THINK OKAY, MAY, IF YOU HAVE IDEAS, PLEASE EMAIL THEM TO US AND PLEASE LET'S TRY TO CONTINUE ALL OF THESE DISCUSSIONS IN A WAY IN WHICH WE CAN MODEL TO OUR CHILDREN THE BEHAVIOR THAT WE WANNA SEE.I JUST WANNA SAY I AGREE WITH THAT.
I THINK WE WOULD ALL WELCOME COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, FROM PARENTS, FROM THE COMMUNITY, AND THIS WILL ONLY WORK IF WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY.
SO YOUR INPUT IS VITAL AND WE DO WANNA HEAR FROM YOU, EVEN IF WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY SOUNDS, UM, CRITICAL OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE WANNA HEAR THAT FEEDBACK AS WELL.
IF THERE'S SOMETHING POSITIVE, WE WANNA HEAR THAT.
SO PLEASE DO, UM, GIVE US YOUR THOUGHTS.
THIS MOTION IS MADE THAT THIS OPEN PUBLIC MEETING OF THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD BECOME A CLOSED MEETING PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 1.
THIS SCHOOL BOARD DESIRES TO DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING MATTER IN A CLOSED MEETING SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 A ONE, DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION OR INTERVIEWS OF PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES FOR EMPLOYMENT ASSIGNMENT, APPOINTMENT, PROMOTION, PERFORMANCE, DEMOTION, SALARIES, DISCIPLINING, OR RESIGNATION OF EMPLOYEES OF THE SCHOOL BOARD SPECIFICALLY, AND EMPLOYEE PERSONNEL ISSUE.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, MR. GRANT, CAN YOU NEED YOUR ROLL CALL PLEASE? CERTAINLY.
IS IT OVER UNDER THE VIRGINIA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT? WERE DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED MEETING TO WHICH THIS CERTIFICATION APPLIES AND TWO, ONLY SUCH PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS AS WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE MOTION BY WHICH THE CLOSED MEETING WAS CONVENED, WERE HEARD, DISCUSSED OR CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD.
MR. GRANT, COULD YOU DO A ROLL CALL PLEASE? CERTAINLY.
WE'RE GONNA HEAD BACK UP TO THE ACTION ITEM B.
[7.A. Student Support Position ]
IS THERE A MOTION? YES.I MOVE THAT THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD APPROVE THE ADDITION OF THE STUDENT SUPPORT POSITION CONTRACT AND ITS GRADE 42 SALARY SCALE WITH RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO THE JOB DESCRIPTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
[7.B. Consider Action on Closed Session Items]
THE CLOSED SESSION ITEMS, IS THERE A MOTION I MOVE TO ACCEPT THE PERSONNEL REPORT AND PERSONNEL ADDENDUM A AS PRESENTED? IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.