Um, uh, Clerk Thompson, could we do a roll call for this? >> Um, yes, Dr. Berlin, I did not hear the motion. Oh, what for you? >> I move that we, the board uphold the decision of the superintendent segue in step two of the grievance presented in
closed session. >> Thank you. And the second again. >> Who seconded? >> Ellen. >> Ellen. >> Second. >> Miss Osborne. >> Miss Filman. >> Abstain. >> Dr. Auff.
>> Yes. >> Mr. Beard. >> Yes. >> Mr. Dylan Beck. >> Yes. >> Miss Lee? >> Yes. >> Miss Osborne? >> Yes. >> Chair Berlin? >> Yes. >> Motion carries. >> Do I have any other motions coming out
of close session? >> Yes. I have one. I have two. I will run them together. I move that the school board approve the addendum to the superintendent's employment contract regarding the annual salary increase effective July 1, 2026.
>> Second. >> Moved by Miss Osborne, seconded by Miss A or Dr. AOV. Um, this will be a roll call vote. >> Mr. Dylan Beck, >> yes. >> Miss Lee, >> yes. >> Miss Osborne, >> yes. Miss Spilman, >> yes. >> Dr. Auff,
>> yes. >> Mr. Beard, >> yes. >> Chair Berlin, >> yes. Motion carries. >> Thank you. >> Then the next one is I move that the school board approve the addendum to the chief legal officer's employment contract regarding the annual salary
increase effective July 1, 2026. >> Second. Moved by Miss Osborne, second by Miss Lee. We will need a roll call vote for this. Dr. Aub, >> yes. Mr. Beard. >> Yes. >> Mr. Dylan, >> yes. >> Miss Lee, >> yes. >> Miss Osborne,
>> yes. >> Miss Filman, >> yes. >> Chair Berlin, >> yes. >> Motion carries. Thank you. Do I have any other motions coming out? >> Nope. Um, seeing no other motions coming out of close session, we will do our
roll call and introduction. Mr. Black, would you mind starting today? >> Good evening, everyone. I'm Josiah Black, chief legal officer. Matthew Hall, superintendent. Uh, Bob Beard, Samuel Miller district. Jim Dillanbeck, Rio District.
>> Allison Spilman at large representative. Rebecca Berlin, Whiteall district. >> Ellen Osborne, Scotsville district. >> Judy Lee Ryana district. >> Kate Auff, Jack Dwitt district. >> Dan Reading, chief legal or sorry, chief HR officer.
Pat Mclofflin, assistant superintendent. >> Christine Thompson, clerk of the board. >> And I know for those of you who are, not to call you out, but sometimes when you're watching, you don't realize while we're laughing, but I'll just say that Dan gave himself a different title for a moment that he decided he really didn't
want. So, so thank thank you. Um, and as always, thank you to our um uh our two officers um in the back who um serve us every day in our community and protect us every day and are here um to keep us safe uh during this meeting as well. We will now stand for the pledge of
allegiance. I pledge alce to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
>> We are going to pause for a moment of silence. Um, but during this moment of silence, I want to remember a a student uh a past student at uh Montichello High School. Um, I would like for everyone to pause for a moment of silence in memory
of Walker William Fenley. Walker was a 2024 Montichello High School graduate and was attending the University of Mississippi. He is remembered by his family and friends as joyful, energetic, deeply loved, and someone who brought light into the lives of those around
him. Please join me in a moment of silence to remember Walker. Thank you so much. Please remember as always to to hug your kids close. Deep breath. Um uh the next item on our agenda is the approval of our agenda. Do
I have someone who has a motion for the approval of tonight's agenda? >> I move we approve tonight's agenda. >> Second. Moved by Miss Lee, seconded by Miss Spilman. All those in favor of tonight's agenda, >> I. >> Any opposed? >> That motion passes and we will move on
with tonight's agenda. The next part of our agenda is our announcements. Um, and for the first piece of it, we are going to do a spotlight on education. Um, for those of you who were with us last um, board meeting, we celebrated our 2526
school board student representatives. um and the amazing influence they had on the work that we do on this dis um and support us and help us as a conduit to the voices of the students in each and every high school across the district.
Um and tonight as a as a way to move forward from that um as to continue to grow into next school year, we are pleased to recognize and introduce the students who will serve as the 2627 student school board representatives. These students were selected to help
bring student voice and perspective to the work of the school board. While they do not serve as voting members, their role is an important one. They help the board better understood the experiences, the concerns, and the ideas of students across our schools. Each representative brings their own background, interests,
and perspective to this role. But they share a common commitment to listening to their peers, to representing their school communities, and to contributing thoughtful to the conversations that shape our division. We are so grateful for their willingness to serve and look forward to the insight they will bring during the coming school year. At this
time, we would like to introduce our 2627 school board representatives. Um, and Jim, I'm going to start with you. >> Okay. I'm happy to introduce to the Elmar High
School representative Milan Mukerji. Milan is a rising senior at Almar High School. Since joining ACPS, Milan has built connections with students from many backgrounds and brings the perspective of a student who understands both the experience of entering a new
school community and becoming actively involved in it. He's played on the AHS JB soccer team and also plays travel soccer with students from across ACPS, giving him the opportunity to hear from peers throughout the division. Milan describes himself as a thoughtful
listener, confident communicator, and a team oriented problem solver. He brings a strong interest in student well-being, belonging, college and career prep, and making sure student voices are part of the decisions that shape ACPS schools.
Welcome. >> Thank you so much. are and if you are in the audience, would you just stand to be recognized? I don't know if our representatives are in the audience or not, but if if any of them are, um just let us just let let us
know with a quick wave um when we read your bio. Um Miss Lee, would you read the community labs? >> Yes, I'm pleased to introduce uh Charlotte Belches from Community Lab School. Charlotte is a rising junior at Community Lab School. They value listening to different perspectives and
believe strongly in respectful dialogue and student voice. Through community lab schools project-based learning model, Charlotte has developed skills in public speaking, critical thinking, and collaboration. As a student in a small countywide school community, they're able to connect with peers from across
Almor County and hear a wide range of student experiences. Charlotte brings a thoughtful perspective to the role with a particular interest in helping all students feel supported, heard, and represented. Thank you so much. Miss Osborne, would you read our repres about our representative from
Montichello High School? >> Yes. The representative from Montichello High School be Kenny Chantella. Kenny is a rising senior at Montichello. He brings a strong desire to represent his school community and help ensure that all students feel included and heard.
Kenny has a long-standing interest in student leadership and previously represented his elementary school in discussions about how to improve schools for students and teachers. He is proud of Monachado High School and ACPS and sees this role as an opportunity to give
back to a community that has made him feel welcomed and supported. Kenny brings a thoughtful student perspective with particular interest in curriculum, responsible use of technology, and student engagement. Thank you so much. Welcome, Miss Spilman. Would you read
about our representative from Western Alamar? >> Sure. I am pleased to introduce Maline Bran. Maline is a rising junior at Western Alamaro High School. She's been connected to ACPS through her elementary, middle, and high school years and brings a strong understanding
of the student experience across the division. Maline describes herself as a dedicated listener who values hearing the needs and concerns of her peers. She also serves on the youth council of the League of Women Voters where she has gained experience representing student perspectives in a civic setting. Maline
brings a thoughtful voice to the role with particular interest in student safety, classroom engagement, and ensuring that school policies are balanced and responsive to students. >> Thank you so much. And last, our alternate um from Elgar High School, Mr. Beard. Would you share that? >> Thank you. Pleased to introduce
alternate student schoolboard representative Jacob Miller. Jacob is a rising junior at Alam Marl High School and will serve as the alternate student school board representative. He is actively involved in a wide range of academic music leadership and student
organizations including trim music honor society, Alamar ac cappella and minute men, physics club, we the people model United Nations, the revolution student newspaper, jazz band, math honor society, national honor society, and the
album county student senate. Through these experiences, Jacob has worked with students across many interests, backgrounds, and perspectives. He brings a strong interest in policy, governance, student voice, and constructive dialogue to his role as alternate representative.
Thank you, Jacob. >> Thank you so much to all of our student representatives. They will begin um when the school year starts um and you will see them alternating. So um we will have one representative from each school um uh one representative at each meeting um
and they will spend their additional time um uh coming um in to any of the meetings um but they will kind of rotate their time on the dis and then while they are at the school part of their time is meant to be gathering information through either focus groups
or surveys or conversations within their clubs so that they are truly um being the voice for for all of the students. uh in addition to the other pieces like the student senate that we we shared about last uh last board meeting. So uh huge congratulations to everyone and we
look forward to working with you in the fall. The next piece on our agenda is our school board superintendent and committee updates. Mr. Hos, I see that you have or I'm sorry, Dr. Hos, I see that you have a brief statement that you wanted to share about the end of the school year. >> Absolutely. I just want to uh thank our
community, thank all of our students, our staff of all kinds, you know, our educators, education support specialists, our leaders uh for just a really great school year. I think a lot of us remember that last last summer was two weeks shorter uh due to opening a
little earlier. And to me, that just meant extra work, extra adaptation from all of our uh employees. and they were really up to the task and really surpassed I think everyone's expectations. Um, all of us had the opportunity to attend graduations
uh last week and even the week before and with all the years that I've been in the county, I I have to say that they were the most um the the positive and I think um centered on student expression and student centered of the graduations that
I've ever seen, including when I was your principal. and it was they really felt like celebrations of students. I want to thank our board members for attending those graduations. I know it's it can be a long evening, but I observed all of you at the graduations. You're
smiling uh at each student coming across the stage and I hope that you can see the really the fruit of the labor of the school system come through and um really speaks highly of our community and all the support that we have. So, I just want to thank everyone for all their
outstanding work and um another exceptional school year. And tomorrow we have uh half day and so students will be coming in and um celebrating the end of the school year and then Monday will be uh our last day for pretty much all of our 10-month employees at that point.
So, uh thank you. And I think uh did you want to get an update on EDP right now? Um yeah, why don't we we can go ahead and if you wanted to go ahead and give an >> Dr. Kaiser does have a few updates on that. >> Thank you so much.
>> Sure. Um we're currently working with uh community partners for our uh two smallest programs uh Scottville and Red Hill Elementary School. um the Scottsville program. Um we will
be working with the Boys and Girls Club. Um and we recently had an open house where families were invited um to talk with the Boys and Girls Club and hear about the programming for the upcoming
school year. Um we are um very close to being able to have an open house for Red Hill. We had wanted to do that uh before school um was out. Um however, we have to go through the procurement process
through the county. Um and until we have completed that process, um we that piece is on hold, but we are definitely having uh open house for families for Red Hill. um our community partner um is very
excited to engage with families and um they are on board and ready to go once we are um finished with the process. So we're really excited about um about next year and having our community partners
um really en engage and be part of the afterchool programming. And as a reminder, we have our um combined site um at Agner with Greer um Woodbrook and Agner together. Um and very excited
about that. We are already talking about different um enrichment and club activities um and working on the uh schedule and structure for that program. So, we're excited about um all of the new
opportunities for our students for next year. >> Thank you. Can I ask a quick question? And since we usually don't ask questions during this, but because it will the the update to the Red Hill program will come after the school year. How will families um learn about that open house? How will
it be? So, we will um send messaging um to all of our families um in Red Hill and we will invite them to come um we'll invite them to come to the school to meet with um our community
partner and and have a openhouse um meet and greet type of event. >> So, parents should look at sir at at email or at powers school or what would be the what mechanism? will send a direct message from the ED office. >> Perfect.
>> Regarding the event and a flyer. >> Thank you. I appreciate that. >> Other updates or uh committee updates or other updates? >> I'd like to just tell everybody about an event tomorrow at the Yansy Community
Health Center. They are having a back- toschool vaccines and physicals event for rising K through 12 12th graders at the Yansy Community Center in Esmont tomorrow from 1 to 3:30. Um they're going to be offering
physicals for K5 students and vaccines for K12 students including DTAP, TAP, HPV, HEP, HEPA, MMR, polio, vericella and then and maninja coakal. So, this is a if you're looking to get vaccines or
physicals before school starts next fall, Yansy tomorrow from 1 to 3:30 would be a good uh alternative for you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you so much. Uh, Chair Berlin, I want to tell you that the audit committee uh which you guys have
graciously allowed me to continue serving on uh met uh on the 19th uh to kick off the county audit and the schools are represented on that just to make sure all the eyes are dotted and tees are crossed. Uh it was good meeting. It is the audit is moving
forward with a company called Brown Edwards. Um we went through the new Gazsby regulations that will be required of the county. Um it was all very interesting all designed to make financial statements much more understandable by the general public. So
those things are moving in a good direction. And also um one of the things that we do at the audit committee is we learn about the county's uh uh fraud and abuse system. There's a county hotline
and uh we learned that the county stopped about $260,000 worth of fraudulent checks from going through. >> So there's good progress. County is doing some good stuff on that. >> Awesome. Thank you so much. >> Other updates, Mr. Dylan Beck.
>> Dr. Cuff and I had the opportunity to go to uh Miss Brown's AP bio class yesterday for presentations or Tuesday uh from three different student groups. The students at Almoro High School. I don't know about Western Monachello, but
I can say that the students at at Almoro are doing some amazing group projects and uh that was that was exciting to see. And shout out to Mr. Thomas at Center 1. Several of us were there for the capstone presentations a couple
weeks ago that were just again just so um impressive >> impressive and uh I mean the two in Miss Brown's class one was on what the the moths whatever the moths were but but
also about vape detectors and the the detect the number only the newest bathrooms have them and there's problems with the bathrooms that don't have them as well as with the ones that do, but it's something that we perhaps should talk
about at some point. Thank you so much. Any other updates? The next item on our agenda is public comment. Um, and I am going to ch turn it over to Dr. AOF um to uh >> Miss Thompson, do we have any additional
Okay. I will read the read the uh guidelines. We welcome public comment at our schoolboard meetings. To sign up to speak during the public comment period, you can do it in several ways. Online, sign up is available from 9:00 a.m. on
the Monday of the meeting week until 2:00 p.m. on the meeting day. By phone, you can call the schoolboard clerk's office to sign up until 2 pm on the meeting day. In person, sign up at the meeting is available from 6:00 p.m. until public comment period for
in-person meetings only. Please note that the public comment is not received at special board meetings unless specified on the agenda. Each speaker will have three minutes to speak, but the chair with board consent may reduce
this two minutes should there be 14 or more speakers. The maximum number of people or groups that may speak at a meeting is 20. If there are more than 20 people or groups who wish to speak at a particular meeting, each speaker will be assigned a number and numbers will be
drawn to determine which people or groups will have the opportunity to speak. Those who do not have the opportunity to speak at a particular meeting may sign up to speak at a subsequent meeting and/or may submit written comments to the school boards for the school board's consideration.
School board speakers should state their name, address, or voting district. Address the comments to the school board as a whole, not to individuals. Limit comments to school board governance or school division operations. Comments may
not be directed to individual board meeting board members, division leadership or staff. Provide written statements and supporting me materials to the clerk. The school board will use a timer to track each speaker's time. Once the time is up, speakers are asked
to wrap up their comments. To m maintain respect, please refrain from clapping or other audible forms of support. You may raise your hand instead. Debate with the school board is not allowed and the projection system is for staff
presenters only tonight. We have 10 speakers signed up. Uh I will call you three at a time. So um numbers two and three be ready. The first speaker is Heather Tierney
and then Allison Keenan and then Vanessa Smith. And you can adjust the microphones when you're there. >> Can you hear me? Okay. >> No, >> no. Oh, >> better. >> Better. All right. Thank you. >> Um, so good evening. Um, thank you for
having me. My name is Heather Tierney. My address is 2852 Monikin Trail Road in North Garden. Uh, I am a Red Hill Elementary School parent, president of the Red Hill PTO and I'm here tonight on behalf of the Red Hill community to speak about the extended day enrichment
program. I appreciate that you addressed it um already, but we know procurement can be a long process. This statement has been signed by 47 people in our school community, most of whom could not be here tonight due to a school event. The Red Hill community is deeply
concerned that the EDP program is not currently planned for the 2026 2027 school year. Many of our families rely on this program so they can continue working and the absence of ED places a significant burden on our school
community. Every other school in the county already has plans in place for next school year. Red Hill families deserve the same stability and support. We have several concerns. Red Hill is a title one school serving families who already face economic challenges. There
are six title one elementary schools in Albam County and five of those are the schools being impacted by this change. We are a very rural community. No alternative for after school care exists. Without EDP, many parents will
be forced to reduce work hours or even leave their jobs. This is exacerbated for single parents. The county has not communicated with us clearly or transparently despite indications that this has been under consideration for more than a year.
Transportation is not a viable substitute. We don't have the bus capacity to send students home safely at dismissal. Red Hill consistently receives fewer resources and later communication than other schools, and this situation
reinforces that pattern. Medical needs of our children need to be considered. When EDP operates as part of the school system, staff can be trained to support students with 504 plans and medical needs such as type 1 diabetes, asthma,
and epilepsy. Some families have already set aside dependent care funds through their employers, expecting that our program would continue. Trust and reliability matter. Families need to know that we can trust
the people caring for our children. The lowest bidder as care provider does not promote this trust. The existing EDP program has been thoughtfully planned and implemented. Outdoor playtime, older children, mentoring younger children, arts and crafts, outdoor learning, even
literacy. This isn't just babysitting. With those considerations in mind, we have two requests. We need confirmation that there will be an ED program at Red Hill for the 2026 school year immediately. We want clear and timely communication with leadership at Red Hill and families that utilize ED
services about the future of the program. We urge you to act quickly and ensure that Red Hill has a reliable, fully supported EDP program for next year. >> Thank you. Thank you so much. Uh next, Allison Kanan and then following that,
Vanessa Smith and then Ari Zlotnik. Hi, my name is Allison Keen and I've been the site facilitator for the ED Ed program at Red Hill for the past 5 years. During that time, I've come to know every student and their families personally. These children and families became much more than students and
parents to me. They became my friends, my community, and honestly like a second family. I have watched these kids grow up, celebrated their accomplishments, and built relationships with families who trusted us to care for their children every day. Red Hill is a small, close-knit, Title One school, and that
sense of community matters deeply. In our program, we created a safe environment where children felt and cared for. I want to be clear that my concerns tonight are not a reflection of our current EDP director. She has been supportive throughout the process and was not the director when these decisions were being made. What has been
the hardest is learning that concerns about funding have been known for quite some time, yet staff and families were informed so late in the school year. Because of that timeline, many families still do not know what child care will look like next school year. While another program may eventually take our
place, there's still uncity uncertin around when that could realistically happen. Contracts take time to finalize and licensing alone can take up to 90 days. That means that families could potentially begin the school year without child care in place. I truly
believe that with earlier communication, more notice, and community involvement, this program could have been saved through community solutions. Red Hill families have always shown up to support the people and the programs that care for their children. Many parents are now stressed, scrambling for answers, and
are trying to figure out how they will continue working with very little time to prepare. This is not just about a program closing. It is about children losing a place where they felt safe and cared for and families losing a support system they depended on. I ask the board to please consider the real impact this
has on the Red Hill community and to do everything possible to support these families moving forward. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next, Vanessa Smith, Ari Zlatnik. Hi, my name is Aries Lotnik and I'm the
school counselor at Red Hill Elementary. I'm here today to ask the board to reconsider eliminating the ED program at Red Hill next year. I share the same concerns that several of the Red Hill community members have detailed in an open letter that Heather just read. Um,
in particular, I'd like to echo the concern about the lack of transparency around this decision. Despite ample time to collect input from families and staff, we were never consulted about a decision with a direct impact on our community. It's hard for me to imagine a
similar decision being made without any parent input at a more affluent school. As a small rural Title One school, we may not always be as vocal as wealthier schools, but our community cares about the quality of our students care just as
deeply. If we have been asked, I'm sure any of our staff members would tell you how important the ED program is to our students and their families. Red Hill's EDP staff, Allison Keenan and Allison Moore, are trained, gifted, and caring
educators who have been at Red Hill for more than four years. That kind of retention seems unlikely at most vendors who likely offer lower wages and lower training standards than the ED program. Students frequently tell me how much they enjoy the program and how much they
love the staff. Miss Allison and Miss Moore are integrated into our community even beyond the EDP program. Miss Moore is a teaching assistant in kindergarten, and Miss Allison goes out of her way to have lunch with our students almost every day. Removing these stable,
trusted adults and replacing them with workers who likely have less training, less competitive wages, and higher turnover means that we would not be giving our students the same level of care as other ACPS schools. In addition, as the open letter pointed out, a vendor
would not be required to follow 504 plans or IEPs, which means our students with disabilities would not be served as well as those at other schools. One of the benefits of ED is that the staff get the same training and are held to the same standards as other ACPS employees, including the anti-racism
policy and CRT work. The same can't be guaranteed of outside contractors. I understand that your program is small and that the budget is tight for next year. However, I know from experience that our community is dedicated and resourceful when it comes to solving
problems and taking care of each other. If you reconsider eliminating the program this coming school year and allow us to participate in finding solutions, I'm confident we can find a way forward. >> Thank you. Next, uh, the next three
speakers are Reed Crowac, Nancy Koig, and Latara Radland. Members of the school board, my name is Reed Kroak and I'm a student at Community Lab School here in Albamarl. I am part of the Green Teen Alliance, a group supported by the Community Climate
Collaborative that unites the various high school environmental clubs in the area for meaningful studentled environmental action. All of the environmental clubs in the area have identified problems with recycling and composting systems in the Alberal and Charlottesville public schools,
including inconsistent management, poor communication, and high contamination rates. Um, in high in the high school, student led environmental clubs man take time out of their busy days to remove contamination from recycling and composting bins while ensuring that
these bins are easily accessible and uh widely available. Um, in the past few weeks, I've dug damp paper towels and halfeaten food out of recycling bins and removed plastic bags and glass bottles from compost bins at my school. Students at other area high schools face similar
challenges, often at a much larger scale. In elementary and middle schools, recycling and composting systems are widely unavailable. On average, over over 30% of waste produced in educational systems belongs to the food waste category and a
significant percentage um of waste is recyclable. Yet, the existing waste management system at the schools results in most of this being thrown away. students have had little success addressing these issues at the individual school level. So, we are coming to you to work towards a
universal solution. The petition that was emailed to you this morning and has been presented to the clerk outlines six concrete methods for improving recycling and composting systems in all Charlottesville and Albanville schools. We are asking you to adopt a paper and
metal only approach to recycling and ensure that every classroom has a clearly labeled recycling pen. We are asking you to introduce paper towel composting in bathrooms and food composting during lunch periods. We are asking you to increase education efforts
around recycling and composting and clearly communicate changes to waste management systems to the entire community. Finally, we are asking you to facilitate a gradual transition towards student um towards school staff managing in recycling and composting systems so that
student and so that student clubs can focus more on education efforts and other issues. Uh staff must be fairly compensated for this increased responsibility to ensure that they are incentivized to properly manage these waste systems. The petition was signed
by 292 students, school staff, parents, community members, and local organizations, illustrating the importance of this issue to the broader community. About 59% of signatures came from students, 11% from school staff, and 11% from parents. We believe that
positive environmental action only works if it is carried out collaboratively. So, we want to work alongside the county and the city school divisions to implement meaningful change. Um, schools throughout the country face the same waste management issues. So, adopting a universal waste management system would
be great. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Comat. >> Next, Nancy Kernig. Next, Latara Raglin. And then, Emily Burton. >> Hi, I'm Nancy Kernig from Scottville. I'm the parent of a 2002 Monachello High
School graduate. I retired from Red Hill in 2014 after teaching for more than 30 years in three county elementary schools. The students of Almoro County need a method of discipline that supports their education while affirming them personally. At the last board
meeting, I heard parents report a lack of effective discipline at two schools. Since then, I have reviewed the October 2025 update from the Department of Student Services. I substituted from 2014 through the pandemic. I chose to
substitute only at the three schools where I already had a relationship with the children and families because in my experience, effective teaching involves relationships and consistent discipline. 15 years or so ago, the county spent
thousands of dollars to send teachers, principles, and counselors to workshops to learn about responsive classrooms. As a result of implementing this program countywide, the children knew what the consequences of their actions would be.
They knew if they harmed a classmate or school property, they would need to make reparation. Through the program, students got an education in civics and American values. The community of the classroom and relationships were strengthened. Students didn't have to
worry about the misbehavior of their classmates. They knew how they were to behave and they knew the consequences of their classmates and their own actions. With these expectations, they could concentrate on learning. At that time,
parents outside of the county paid money to send their children to Abamal because of the quality of the education and the culture. Schools were high. What has happened to that successful program? In 2022, I stopped substituting because
there was no consistent discipline at those schools. From what I heard at the last meeting, what I found in 2022 persists in 2026, at least at two schools. As you know, a key duty of the school board is student
discipline. The October update does show improvement from 2022 to 2025. Yet the schoolers are down and parents are concerned about discipline. The school board and the school leadership need to be of one mind on school discipline and
that discipline needs to be consistently and clearly stated to the students and implemented and supported by the superintendent and by the board. Thank you very much. Thank you Miss Cunnig. Laura Lator
Raglin, uh, Emily Burton, and Leighton Cox. Got to bring this way down. Good evening. My name is Latara Raglin residing in the district. I'm afraid my comments are going to align very closely with the Red Hill community. I come to
you tonight respectfully as a mom, an active mom, a caring mom, a current ACPS mom who not only cares about what happens to my children, but all children. This is evident in the way that I show up beyond the school meetings, but also my participation on ACPS committees and boards because I deeply care and want to do my part and
what we ACPS have made it our mission to ensure all students thrive. I stand before you feeling a bit weary about what that really looks like in action, especially in these last few months where we have seen what I personally would name as drastic changes at our most vulnerable students and families.
While I have a few at the top of my list tonight, I just want to talk specifically about the changes that are happening at Stony Point Elementary. Beyond the lack of physical investment in our school, the choice to move the preschool special education program to Baker Butler Elementary. I am here tonight to express the utter emotional
distress of the whole process of even trying to enroll my child into the program, much less the impact of transitions. It starts with lack of clear communication. To this minute, I have not heard a single word from anyone about this decision, much less what it would look like as we wait along with
other families to even hear if we have a spot. In fact, I heard it on the radio before reading the press release. I immediately reached out to all of my contacts with no real clear communication. This is irresponsible. This takes our autonomy as parents to make educational decisions for our
children. Secondly, there was no collaboration in this decision-making process. No connection with any families about this decision who will be most impacted. Transparency failure at best. I'm urging you all to really think about how decisions are being made and the greater impact of our school
communities, especially when we are investing thousands of dollars into consultants striving for input that seems to be often dismissed. I urge you all to seek the input and use it and not just make decisions solely on a funding level or a school admin staff leadership level. We can do better. We can be
creative and resourceful in our approaches, taking advantage of being good models and stewards for our all students. Let's also take the time to make real investments in our small schools. Thank you, Miss Ragland. Uh Emily Burton, Leighton Cox, and Ashen
ML. Good evening, members of the school board. My name is Emily Burton and I'm a student at Community Lab School. I strongly support the petition to improve recycling and composting in all of Charlottesville and Alamar County schools. I've seen students take out the recycling at my school, and they found
half full drinks, candy wrappers, and many other contaminants. It should not be a student's responsibility to take time out of their busy days to manage their school's recycling and composting systems. Students have given dozens of presentations and put up countless posters over the last few years promoting better recycling and
composting practices. We've talked with teachers and raised the issue to school administrators. However, none of these educational efforts have seen much success largely due to the lack of consistency in waste management systems across schools. By adopting the universal recycling and composting composting systems outlined in the
petition, as well as increasing educational efforts around these, you can help solve this problem. Efficient universal recycling and composting systems managed by school staff will significantly lessen the unfair burden placed on uncompensated student environmental clubs. Consistent and
clear communication to students, school staff, and the broader community about what can and cannot be recycled and composted, as well as why both are important will help address the high contamination rates seen today, making these systems easier to manage. My generation will inherit a world shaped
by the environmental decisions made by today's leaders. It's essential that these decision that these decisions keep student perspectives in mind in order to ensure long-term sustainability. The nearly 300 signatures on the petition highlight the broad support for this initiative among students and school
staff and community members. Please review the petition and add a discussion of it to the June 11th meeting agenda. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Burton. Wait. Hello members of the board. I don't have a script up here today, so this might be short, but I would like to echo what
Emily and Reed are saying. I have firsthand picked all the things that they've previously mentioned out of the recycling, which is not a good thing as we all know. And I would like to encourage you to add the petition to the discussion in a
meeting soon. And I would just like to say that the lack of support of this issue is a genuine issue that needs to be discussed. And I would also like to say that well to be honest that might be my last
point but I I'm just eching what they say and I'd like to just bring awareness to that to that issue. Thank you all. >> Thank you Mr. Cox. I'm I'm massacring this name. Isa
please correct me when you get up at the podium. It's Isan. >> Isan. >> Yeah. Okay. Good evening, members of the school board. My name is Isan and I'm a student at Alamal High School. I also co-lead our environmental club which is
responsible for the studentled recycling and co composting programs at our school. I'm here today to ask you to improve our recycling and composting practices in Alvaro County by adopting policies laid out in the petition. This issue is important to me not just because I care about the environment because but because I personally
experienced how broken our current system is. At my school, students have been have been the ones trying to keep the recycling going. Instead of having a clear school supported system, environmental clubs and student volunteers are expected to manage it ourselves. We spend time sorting through
bins filled with trash, food, and half finished drinks because contamination makes entire bags of recycling unusable. In fact, today we found large amounts of unknown orange mystery liquids and other unsanitary products in our recycling bins. It is not our responsibility to go do unpaid dumpster driving to maintain
basic sustainability standards, which should be the responsibility of the county. Sometimes students give up lunch periods, class time, or club time just to make sure recyclable materials don't end up in the landfill. We want to help the environment, but students should not be carrying the full responsibility for
an entire school's waste management system, especially without support, training, or resources from the school itself. Right now, recycling systems vary widely between schools. Some classrooms don't even have clear recycling bins. Composting is inconsistent or
unavailable to students, even when both school divisions already pay for composting services. In many cases, food waste that could be composted is simply thrown away. That matters because food waste in land landfills releases harmful greenhouse gases. Schools produce large
amounts of waste every day, and we have an opportunity to dramatically reduce that impact. These programs shouldn't depend entirely on unpaid student labor. If we want real change, we need consistent systems supported by the schools themselves. These changes laid out in the letter would not only reduce waste and support local climate goals,
but they would also show our students that we are serious about building a healthier future. Alvar County has plans to achieve 45% reductions in emissions by 2030 and net to go net zero by 2050. As a school board, you have a responsibility to strive towards this. I
care deeply about this issue because I've seen both the problems and the potential firsthand. Students are already doing everything we can. We urge you in the school system to work with us. Thank you. >> Thank you, Asia. Uh that ends our public comment for
tonight. >> Dr. Balloon, I I just have a couple of fact checks real quick. Um so we do continue to invest heavily in the responsive classroom approach. Um this summer we have three sessions running
that are two weeks long and they have uh 30 teachers signed up for each. Since we typically hire about 160 teachers and roughly half of them are elementary school teachers, we'll have nearly all of our el new elementary school teachers um signed up to be in the responsive
classroom training sessions this summer and that's every summer. We years uh several years ago we expanded to include developmental designs which is the middle school version of this program and we have a we do have one session of that running this summer as well for the
same number of staff. Um, in terms of per school performance and enrollment, our our student scores across all standards of learning testing subjects continue to top the state averages as they always have as long as I've worked in the school system. Our
graduation rates are also uh above the state averages. And in terms of outofcount enrollment, this may be may have been different at one time because the school system hasn't always been at capacity as it is now,
but we do not have an open enrollment policy for outofcount residents due to capacity restrictions. Uh Charlottesville City Schools, for example, anyone can attend from outside their district as long as they're willing to pay tuition. Ours is only
open to um it's reserved for children of school board and board of supervisors employees and we currently have dozens of dedicated staff and families um who take advantage of this benefit. So we do still continue to have out of district enrollment. It's just restricted to
employees. Um what I always say is that if someone has a concern about a particular school culture or um maybe a discipline incident at the school, they should first contact the principal to have a conversation because that's usually uh where it starts that we do
have systems in place across the system. Um and many of you remark on attending schoolwide morning meetings. That is that's an outgrowth of responsive classroom. One of the one of the centerpieces of responsive classroom is the morning meeting. And every every one
of our elementary classrooms across the division, if you went to the school at the beginning of the day, they would have their announcements morning meeting. And when you go and it's a whole school, like for example, if you go to Woodbrook and there is in the neighborhood of 500 600 students in the
gym at one time, that's their schoolwide morning meeting. And I think it's a testament to the behavior of our students and our staff ability to work with them that they're able to have events such as that and have them come out positively and uh build school
community. So just wanted to provide those facts as an update um to the board. Thank you. >> Thank you so much Dr. Hos and thank you to everyone who brings public comment to us particularly to our students. um we will take your um your uh letter um
under advisement um and make sure we're connecting with um the board of supervisors as well as our ASES committee about followup. So, thank you so much. We will now move to um the next point of our agenda 6.0 approval of our
consent agenda. Do I have a motion to approve tonight's consent agenda? >> I move we approve the consent agenda. >> Moved by Miss Lee. Do I have a second? >> Second. Second by Mr. Dillanbach. All those in favor of tonight's consent agenda, >> I.
>> Any opposed? Um, tonight's consent agenda clearly passes. Um, the next item on our agenda is um 8.1 um the achievement gap advisory committee. Dr. Hos, did you want to touch on this? How did we want
to uh uh talk about the the charter and the the next steps on the charter? So at this point this is a a school board u initiative and so I will leave it with the school board to discuss um in terms of professional development on with Jean
Cash and the race matters series. Uh Dr. Kaiser and I had the opportunity to uh get our heads together this week. And what we're going to be proposing to Gan is a year-long program of once a month um conversations with Gan and the school
board and then also the cabinet. Uh so we're we're going to flesh out, but it'll be a year-long commitment about once a month. So nine sessions is what we're thinking. So we're we're in progress on that. Um, and then there's the other piece about the the gap committee that's really for the board, I
think, to to discuss. And >> and and would the um that that I don't use those the conversations or the professional learning would that would the I know you're still working on it, but the anticipated start date be September. just kind of thinking about
the trajectory of the learning because I know one of the questions that came from the board previous is um what is the in a way I hate to say preparation but what what is some of the the learning that could happen either in advance or um at
the same time as that um and so just wanted to get a handle um on kind of kind of guesstimate or uh uh would we probably start in the summer or in in September. Um,
>> so pending uh Jean's availability, I would be aiming for August. >> Okay. So, thoughts from the from the school board about kind of so I think we we talked about a couple of things. One was um uh consistent professional learning.
I'll use that term um in conversations for the boards that we're all um kind of learning together, learning individually. um as a basis for um both all the both both all of the work that we do as a board but also particularly for this
work. Um and so I think that I think that's an important commitment for the board to make um uh to learn together. We can we talk about how what what that looks like and making sure that it works with with schedules and and timing. Um but I think that's a and I want to
actually say that it's an important piece for us to do almost like as a baseline, not just because of this charter. Um so the more that we are learning together um uh and um reflecting on our own um uh background I think is really important for us as we
lead a very um a very diverse linguistically culturally racially diverse community. Um and then the so there there's that piece and then I know there had been um to the to the charter
um some recommended um changes um and those I just looking at Dr. Hos. So the so the board and I I assume the the public also has the uh this and so the updated charter um there were some question there's was some
recommendations around um uh making sure in the composition of it um there was a change made so that there are more students um including representation from the student senate. So initially there were two to three members and now there's four to eight members. Um and
then the uh se the appointment and selection process. Um so there were updates made um around how those appointments would be made, who would who would make those appointments um making sure that they um were representative of um magisterial
districts as well as the um feeder patterns. Um, and then that there would be student members, superintendent appointments, and then staff and school-based members. And then I believe the last change was
just about timing of the uh a report um so that it would um be um available because so that recommendations would be available so that we could then use them in beginning to plan the schoolboard budget. And then the last change was um
reviewing the charter annually. So I just wanted to summarize those. Um I know Mr. Dillbeick, this is something that you brought up initially. I don't know if there's anything you want to say, but just wanted to open it up to the board for um any other kind of discussions or next steps.
Yeah, I obviously this is something that I feel like is important for us to focus on, but I also understand there are some concerns from other board members who've
been serving longer than I have. So, >> well, I don't have a concern that we should focus on student achievement uh and the student achievement gaps that's written into our policy into our
strategic plan. We've spent time and and treasure for the bell weather report, the audit of our reading, our literacy and our math programs. We asked Dr. Hos and his team to uh map what efforts we
have underway and how they interact with one another. So from my perspective looking at the details of a charter for yet another committee um is jumping the gun. I mean I think I
think focusing on the issue may be important but I don't see what the value add of yet another committee. we are the committee that's supposed to be looking at it. Um anyway, so my view is that it is
an important topic whether we need to charter yet another committee. I don't I'm not persuaded at this point. Um I I also I appreciate again the topic. It's something that I feel like
in every conversation that Dr. Hos and I have, it comes up. We talk about it every single one. Um, and we have, you know, I've learned a lot about what the school division is doing and I still don't know everything. I think there are a lot of unknown unknowns. Um and if we
are committing to do this professional and personal development frankly to uh understand our biases then I don't understand why we would put this policy into place knowing that we will get more information both about what the school
division is doing and about ourselves about and about our place in this community and about the community. So to me it also feels like jumping the gun um because it might turn out that we go through all this and we decide that it's
far more um urgent than a committee. Maybe it and as Kate says uh it is something that we all should be involved in. Uh so for me this also feels quite premature especially knowing that we
will have more information and for me knowing that our minds will be different after that information because three of us have gone through something like this before in 2020 and it it really was humbling and changed me. So I
I look forward to moving through that process further. >> Thank you. Yeah, I realize this is, as Stephen Cubby would say, one of those important but not urgent issues perhaps. So, I'm
not suggesting that we have to do this last week or tomorrow or uh I'm not proposing that we rush into it. The the other point that I would make is that
although we on the board are charged with addressing the issue and we've gone through the bellweather report, this committee would include members of the community that currently don't have a
voice in assessing and coming up with ideas that maybe we haven't thought of. Um so the inclusion of members from uh other than obviously on
this board I think would be some valuable insight. >> Yeah, I don't disagree with that at all. Um but again I don't want to get people involved in something that wastes their time and frustrates. Yes,
>> I I think I take exception to that in that we've been punting this in a way. I mean, we've had this issue ongoing and we're still here. We still have an achievement gap issue. And if we are saying that we as a board are the ones
that are responsible, then we have failed significantly because we have not fixed this problem. Um, and I think we are, I would argue, are at the point where something else needs to be done. We need community involvement. We need
to put a fire under us and say like enough. Um we did the Bell Brother report and it's been three years since that. We are putting money into different programs and we're still not where we should be. It may be progress, but I would argue that it's been far too
slow and not nearly enough. And if we have an opportunity to pour into this more, to have more input, to potentially have different perspectives, I don't see the harm and I don't see it
as a waste of time. Um, if it's another thing that we can do that will potentially solve this problem. Um, but that's just my opinion. other comments. I think I mean I think where I stand is
and I one of the things I often tend to be feel like I'm often in the middle of um I do think there's a both end. I there is a piece of me I believe that the the need for this board as a whole to go through some self-reflection on
personal as well as professional individually and as a group. I also see the need to continue to put um an important that to just to continue to
know that this is a 20-year issue at least in the school division that we need to um we need to address and then we need to make sure um both our you know our urban ring schools, our larger schools, our smaller schools, we have
representation um uh talking about those. So my re my kind of opinion is to kind of do these two things um simultaneous like begin to charter this to put forward the charter for this committee get it set up while we as a a
board are um uh kind of going through some some learning together. Um but uh I'm open to kind of my u my colleagues to continue to listen to my colleagues about what the best next best next step is. My concern is that if we have this
committee and we have two board members on that, do the remaining five not worry about the issue too much because we know we've got two people on that committee. I mean, how many of you guys even think about audits?
>> Did you get me? You know, >> I was on another audit committee. So, >> yeah. So that is that is a concern that we offload this to a committee and then we uh feel like somebody else is handling
it and so we do not own it completely as board members because as I mentioned before we are this committee. So >> thank thank you for lifting us up. I guess my question is oh I'm sorry Mr. Beard
>> I do not have a problem with this at all. I I I think it's a great idea. I'm wondering whether uh we should do it maybe as a pilot program for maybe a year or two and see what actually happens, what comes out of
it, whether some of it is actionable work. And you know, how many people from the community are you going to get to actually do volunteer on this and do the work over the course of the next couple
of years? But I don't have a problem with it. I think it's a it's a uh it would be a good thing to have the community involved in trying to um alleviate the agreement gap. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. May. Uh before moving on with our agenda, do
I have any motions? >> Are we looking for a motion to move forward? I I guess I'm asking what you're asking. >> Um so this has been on Well, I'm looking at Mr. Black. This has been on our um consent agenda. So I believe we could
make a motion um to adopt this. >> Right. So, this is on the agenda for action if the board is ready to act. Um, there have been a couple of different versions of the written charter for the committee. So, at this point, I think
the question to the the board is whether someone's ready to make a motion to approve one of those versions. >> Yeah. So, that would be so kind of my ask to the as chair is, you know, is there is there a motion to adopt this? Is this a, you know, continued
discussion? Um, is there a reason that we would need to do this before we do some introspection and a complete understanding about what the division is already doing? I mean, I I I don't understand quite the
>> the the timing. I I just don't have a concept of what the division is doing and who all in the division is involved in this work that might help inform this committee if we go forward with it. I move that we table consideration of
the um committee until such time as we get a readout on current efforts um addressing the achievement gap and whatever professional development that we're
going to undertake. >> Second. >> Can I ask a procedural question? >> Sure. If if you want a different motion, do we vote on one motion first and then a second motion? >> There's now a motion on the table that has been seconded. So that motion takes
precedence over any other motion until the board takes a vote or until the motion is withdrawn. >> Gotcha. >> So we have a we have a motion um by Dr. Akoff seconded. Did I'm sorry we do seconded by Miss I
just wanted to make sure. Um, do you want to just repeat um your >> see if I can table it to when? >> I move that we table the proposed um charter for the achievement gap
committee until such time as we get the mapping of current efforts on the achievement gap plus the professional development that Dr. Haw presented tonight. >> Do I have to second that again? >> Second. >> Uh, you don't have to second it again.
That was just for clarification. So, moved by Dr. Akoff, seconded by um, Miss Lee. I would like to take a >> Is there any further discussion? >> Yep. Is there Is there any further discussion by the board before we take a vote? I would just like to say that I'm
not completely opposed to it, but I don't think we have enough information. >> Yeah. I don't want to move forward in ignorance. >> I think it would be interesting to uh see what the so scores are and we get a report in July and August.
I'm been accused of being a detail person and a implementation person. And so my concern is that we don't have a well- definfined process to
move forward. Um I'm not suggesting that if we adopt this charter this evening that the committee has to be formed by August the 1st. Um, and certainly
we would want to be open to receiving the information, finding out how we're doing in terms of prior goals and mapping, but I I still feel like we can adopt the charter and begin to move forward, whereas I
feel like to delay until certain benchmarks are reached is um um not moving forward. That's personal opinion.
>> I don't see any information that we get. Our achievement gaps aren't going to be closed with whatever information we get. Um, I hear you that there's work to be done as a board and um information to be gathered, but I I I don't understand the
the need to stop or halt any additional progress that we're trying to make, additional work that we're trying to do. Um, it it feels um work is being done within the division. We know that and and we can gather that
information and figure out what's being done. But it it it still doesn't feel like it's enough. We haven't solved this problem. And so if there's more work that needs to get done to solve this problem, then we should be doing that now. And if we've only got three meetings this summer and we're pushing this again to the fall, then we're going to be another year before we're going to
get so scores again next year. And we're going to be coming back to this and it's going to be another year and another year and we're all going to be off the board and we'll be like, well, it's not our problem anymore. It is our problem and we need to start doing something now. I I understand I I understand that I
feel that urgency and the thing that I've I've learned in my time on the board is that often when I think oh well I think we should do this and we move in that direction then that has been a mistake and it's because there are people who
understand the work daily and are doing it and we need to learn from them and also I mean all across the division um at every level of the division, people are working on this. And so every conversation that I've had with people at different levels of the division,
I've learned more about what we're doing and about what we may have tried that didn't work that maybe set us back. So I don't think that moving forward immediately is benign. I don't think that it is necessarily the thing that will get us there. Um I I just I've seen
a lot of we talk about initiatives at budget time. and talk about initiatives that didn't do well and that have taken up time and money and treasure and all these things and they just didn't move the needle for us at all. So that's why
I'm interested in finding out everything that we can and that is movement forward that that we can make. I don't know. I mean I assume that we have it scheduled at some point for us to learn what the division is doing. That to me is the
progress that I want to make for an informed decision. I don't think I don't feel like making uninformed decisions is going to move us forward. So, one of the things that I have heard in the last
six board meetings, um, is that many of our communities, our Baker Butler community, our Greer community, our Stone Robinson community, our Stony Point community, and others that I'm and and our Red Hill community tonight feel
that we are not as a board and even and as a division listening listening to the to the what what the community is feeling and one of the things that we have on this this committee know again I would
love to have a hundred community members that's just not physically possible but we have parents and guardians um we have students and we have community members and I feel like it is our responsibility with what I have been hearing and
continue to hear we need to continue doing a better job listening at every kind of fringe of I hate to use the word fringe but every point of our committee right all the way up to the top the bottom and the left and the right and so I think this does give us
that ability to to listen to those different places that maybe we're not hearing from and then for those of you who are at the Montichello and the um uh AHS graduation one of the things I said is I have learned so much from our student representatives um who have been
here um who have shown great courage um and have been very um um just very candid in what is happening at the schools um and have led me to to think in different ways. So for that reason is why you know I I I am really this is
something that I am interested in doing to make sure that we get continue to get additional voices um to uh to what those things we're struggling with. And I don't think like just because we have a committee doesn't mean that this is Dr. House's number one job that he has to do
doesn't mean it's the school uh board's number one job that they have to be focused on. It's just another place for us to be working and gathering information. So, >> I mean, I think this is a so but so kind of I know we have a discussion and then we'll we can have a vote.
>> I think that um doing this badly is will be worse than not doing it at all. Um and while our intent is good, it will be the impact um that matters. So that's my concern. >> Thank you. And and I know this is a, you
know, a topic um that um that that is important in many ways and I and I appreciate everyone on the board kind of um spending time reflecting on this and thinking about this. Um and it it's I think it's important to all of us how we
do it, how we are thinking about doing it just is we we have differences in that. Um, but I know I have a v a vote um that is on the floor. Um, and so I am going to ask um uh Miss Thompson to do a roll call vote um on the motion that Dr.
AOF um put forward. >> So the motion is to table correct this. >> So So yes. So a so a yes would would to would be to affirm the table. A no would be to um to to not well to to deny the
table and then an abstain would be to abstain abstain from the decision. >> Miss Filman, >> no. >> Dr. Auff, >> yes. >> Mr. Beard, >> no. >> Mr. Dylan Beck,
>> no. >> Miss Lee, >> yes. >> Miss Osborne, >> yes. >> Chair Berlin, >> no. with a vote 34. The motion fails. >> Chair, I move that we adopt the charter
of the um achievement gap advisory committee that was presented um in our folders tonight. >> I have a motion on the floor to adopt the the um the charter as is um with the current edits. Do I have a second?
>> Second. >> Moved by Miss Spill Spilman, apologies. seconded by U. Mr. Dylan. Um, do we have any discussion on this point? Hearing no discussion, we will move to an immediate roll call vote. Um,
>> Dr. Aub, >> no. >> Mr. Beer, >> uh, yes. >> Mr. Dylan Beck, >> yes. >> Miss Lee, >> no. >> Miss Osborne, >> no. Miss Bilben, >> yes. >> Chair Berlin,
>> yes. >> With a vote 43, the motion passes. >> Thank you so much. I will ask um Dr. Hos and the cabinet to um move forward with the um uh uh the
charter and following uh the what has been recommended in the charter for the timing and the membership. um and then to provide an update to us in the uh either in the June or July whatever whichever is um available to you.
So the next um piece on our uh agenda is a break and I might just recommend that we go ahead and do that. In add um two updates from Ayanna Mitchell um and then a um a work session on um research
practice partnerships. So my thought is we we will take a 10-minute break and reconvene at 8:00 and then we will move through the the next um three parts of the agenda. Thank you so much. Uh we will reconvene again at 8:00 p.m.
It is my pleasure to call the school board uh work session back into order and uh we are now moving into school division work session. Um and uh Miss Ayanna Mitchell, our director of equity education is going to do two separate
presentations for us. The first is on the new equity and diversity advisory committee structure and then the second will be on the new cultural competency framework structure. >> Thank you. >> Good evening uh chair, vice chair,
superintendent and cabinet. Um thank you all for being here. >> Just you're you just move up a little bit. You're taller than >> How about us? There you go. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. >> All right. Great. So, um I'm here uh I represent the department of instruction.
I'm the director of equity education and we have a um wonderful committee, equity and diversity advisory committee that feels like it's only individual feedback. So, um tonight I wanted to briefly walk you through the historical context of
the committee, lessons learned from that time, the rationale for the restructuring and the proposed direction moving forward. The goal of this proposal is not to have another committee but to strengthen the sustain sustainability representation,
communication and coherence across existing ACPS advis school board advisory committees. This work is grounded directly in the strategic plan learning for all. Equity is already embedded throughout our
mission, vision, values, and goals. Our division has been committed to ending the predictive value of race, class, gender, and special capacities for student success through highquality learning, teaching, and learning for all. The strategic plan emphasizes also
emphasizes affirming and empowering communities, strengthening family partnerships, and ensuring every student is known. This proposal is not introducing a new direction. It is intended to strengthen the structures that have already been
developed by this community and the structures to support the existing commitments we've made. As we continue this work, the advisory structure must evolve alongside our instructional and organizational priorities. Student success, belonging,
and trust are connected to how effectively we listen to students, families, staff, and community, and how effectively they want to share with us. This proposal is intended to support stronger communication, clearer engagement across pathways, and greater
coherence across the systems that exist. Ultimately, this work is about building sustainable structures that help connect community voice with organizational learning and continuous improvement. Um, EDAC or the equity um and diversity
advisory committee um was grounded in a long-standing schoolboard policy that was passed in no November 8th, 2001. There was an amendment in September September 10th, 2015 to add a
schoolboard advisory committee. And I went back to their notes to look at what that looked like when they started their committee. Just out of curiosity, you happen to have one of the founders, Rusty, Dr. Rusty Carlock, who will be coming up later, who was part of that
committee. um and they really thought about establishing the long-standing commitments to equity, especially when it comes to our student achievement gaps that have been long-standing as what was brought up earlier. Um and at that time
they proposed that they would have a superintendence um and school board committee that would specifically be looking at the long-standing reading achievement gaps for all of our students who were underperforming specifically our um
economically disadvantaged students and our black students in the school division. Um, this proposed restructure builds upon the work and that foundation while adapting the structure to better align with our current division needs and our
current initiatives. As part of this process, um the deep conversations and meetings show that they were talking about equity beyond demographics, connecting race and com and and uh opportunities to our systems
and they really started defining what was equity for Almoro County Public Schools. uh during those conversations they really wanted to take some actionoriented leadership and what stood
out to me was that even over a decade later we're still having those same conversations even today. So this restructure is really intended to respond directly to what we were what the reason why this committee was formed
in the first place and to continue to think about how we can continue moving that work forward even now as we continue working towards closing those gaps. So our current structure is that we were
meeting monthly and we've been meeting the I can pick up data from 2120 to 25. Um and those meetings typically had one or two consistent community members who would be a part of it because it was by
choice. The attendance and the engagement varied over time and the initiatives and recommendations were not consistently brought before you. um however they always were consistently considered and used in the decisions we
were making as a school division. So despite the participation challenges we had um the committee continued to make really valuable um finds. One of the big things that came out of it was the um
equity dashboard and the affinity groups that we are having now. We just did that recently. The the proposed restructure is to is intended to strengthen the representation the voice of our community to build sustainability and
create communication pathways that will be all funneled towards the same outcome. Currently, you have 14 plus, I counted on my spreadsheet, um, schoolboard and program advisory committees that report to you in some way or another. Um,
student, family, and staff and community engagement structures aren't in place and we have lots of pathways for feedback and collaboration. Um, this opportunity presents us with the goal to strengthen that coherence by
having streamlined communication and connection across the existing advisory committees we already have. Which brings me to the proposal that instead of having monthly meetings that would um may or may not result in a
follow-up conversation with you at some point is to really think about having the schoolboard representatives from the other committees come together in EDAC so that it is a streamlined way that's purposeful that the people as a liaison
from the advisory committees that are already in place can come and bring their ideas and their um and their concerns to this space and that way we are not fragmented into individual
siloed conversations. That committee collectively can look at the issues and the concerns that we are having. thinking about what is going on with the achievement gap, thinking about what is going on with curriculum, getting feedback concerning um the equity
initiatives, the curricular initiatives we have in place, and determining what we should do for next steps, as well as recognizing the opportunities that have developed and the um and the celebrations we have. And at the end of
the year, we would be able to really think about how we bring that back to you, whether it's through a report, whether it's through a presentation or um or we we present to the superintendent's cabinet. So, their work
would really be focused on that streamlined opportunity to share with you what we see across the division. It also helps us determine what is an outlier versus something that's really happening that's a trend across all of
the different advisory groups. So we would switch from monthly to quarterly because that also became a little exhausting because they already are on other advisory groups where we would set some goals. We'd have a mid-year analysis and get feedback to
determine what's next. And then we would make our final decision about um how we're going to present our information to you and share with you what the school division has done based on what they heard and what we think that needs to rise to the level of your committee
where you can talk about um other equity initiatives as they pertain to the ones I name before. And that is pretty much it. Do you have any questions for me?
How would you see our newly formed board committee working with or in competition with the EDAC committee? I I wish we'd had this presentation before we had our discussion on this committee charter
because right I'm you know it's 20 minutes later and I'm already realizing that there's a whole lot of stuff I didn't know that was happening before we had made that decision but how how do you envision these committees working together? um that committee would be an
advisory committee that would have to send a lay on just like all the other committees. That's how I would see it working. One of the the one question I just have is on the just going back to the kind of like the the timing of the quarters. I
mean, one of the things I'm laser foc always always laser focused on, but already thinking about next year's budget, but while we're still waiting for the the the state to pass their budget, which is would be helpful for us. Um, no commentary intended there. Um, is that making sure as we are
getting information into the board and into board committees, we're getting it at the right time so that we can activate it for the next year's budget. And so just as we as you think about kind of that timing and kind of we kind of report out making sure we're getting
we're almost doing that like laying all these committees out so that we're getting information so that when we start the when we launch the budget planning for the next year we have all those inputs that we need so that we can make sure we're considering them um as part of that budget. I totally agree and
since this is a committee that is to report to you as a schoolboard committee I think that that is something that is up to you all what those timelines would be that is just my initial proposal but I would certainly be open I mean it's it it's really to serve you and your
purposes and have community voice so that they can inform those decisions for you. So whatever that timeline would be I think we could talk about what's most appropriate. >> Thank you so much. Yeah. Are there any other questions? I know
Allison is the representative, so I'm excited to have us launch again. >> Yeah, we talked about this. I'm excited about it. >> If there are no questions, I was for me it was important to separate these two because
if there's any kind of further questions discussion on this kind of speak now, there's another piece. There's actually two more pieces. one we're doing tonight, one we will be doing at a future board meeting. >> Yes. I
Okay. What do you need me to do? >> I have no more questions on the first one. Thank you. >> Thank you. That's it. and sit. Switch to the other
one. I have one more. >> She's funny. I don't know how to get to it. How do I get to the other other one? I'm sorry. And um here while we're dancing, the uh 9.3 on our agenda tonight is the new
cultural competency framework structure for 2627 school year. Um and Miss Ayanna Mitchell, our director of ed equity education will be presenting this as well. over here. Go get it. Hello again. I'm Ayanna Mitchell,
director of equity education. Long time no see. Um I am here to talk about the um cultural competency framework and commitment and thinking about building further coherence across teaching teachers, leaders and operations and
expanding the alignment of our cultural competency frameworks from teacher frameworks only to leadership and operations and technology framework as well. So um our work is embedded in our
strategic plan learning for all as it addresses specifically our equity excellence and um well our entire mission specifically working together as a team to end the predictive value of race, class, gender and special capacities which means that we have
committed to being a culturally responsive school division. I am proud to say that the work that we have done so far has become the fabric of who we are as a school division and because of the tireless work not just of the school
board but of the cabinet and um the equity team we have really moved our division forward from a time when some people couldn't even say the words to where it is so deeply embedded in who we
are and it is also So why people come here? So, I just wanted to give like a very quick history on the why I'm bringing this to you for approval, which is that um in 2021,
uh Virginia state law requires that the school board actually make the decision around what cultural competency um the definition of that is for the schools and what their instruction will be. So that is why I'm bringing it to
you for um approval. This is going to really be thinking about the training requirements which is required every 2 years as per the law and it is required that there is the cultural competencies
um training is completed in order in order to get licensed renewal. the evaluation is embedded in the uh education performance plans and the instructional practices. So as teachers
and educators are being evaluated, this is part of the their evaluation and it is the division's responsibility to implement a program and have ongoing professional learning systems in place and it is up to you to make that
decision of what that looks like. So um the ver the the the four competencies as per VDOE is self-reflection, instructional practice, learning environments and community engagement. At this time we currently do have a
framework in place that addresses all four of those embedded in our three competencies um and our characteristics. So what I have noticed is that specifically for our educators, if you saw 2.1, it's like
really expansive and it talks about data and it talks about classroom environment and it talks about curriculum and it talks about instruction all in the same thing, which is what really ignited my thinking about changing the frameworks and really thinking about separating
them. But as our school division has expanded in the work that we've done and we know that the cultural competencies are also part of operations and technology standards, not just BDLE standards. And we think about how do you lead for culturally responsive teaching
and education which is different than actually implementation in the classroom. It takes a different skill to really think about how to lead for that. um the team and I decided that we really needed to think about how do we expand this across the division especially now
that it is what it is for us here in Albert County public schools. So currently we have a model where it's there's a book study, there's a microcredential pathway. You're all very familiar with that. We've talked about that before. There's schooly modules,
reflective tasks, one per module, and there's um really a heavy teacher focus. The other feedback that we received was that people didn't see themselves in the framework because it's so teacher centered. So we wanted to address that
by really thinking about how can we um move our current strengths of that shared foundational understanding and that strong educator engagement um along with establishing that credential structure which really made it clear for everyone what it is we were
doing and why and um made it a divisionwide thing. But it was educator focused. it was not role specific and it was hard for you to be able to see what do I need to do. So I did um provide you
with the new proposed framework. Um thank you to Dr. Kaiser who was on the one of one of the people who were on the um focus group committees. We really she really pushed me to thinking about how do we make this a shared document so
that it is one full competency framework that is uh appropriate for all employees and everyone can see themselves in it. So if you take a look you'll see that there are four characteristics. In those four characteristics it still
talks about self-reflection, it still talks about um environment. It talks about collaborative partnerships, which gets to community engagement, and it addresses um removing barriers, which also um aligns with our anti-racism
policies. On the back, you'll see a little bit more of a breakdown. As you look at the other pages, that's where the indicators become clear based on your role. So, if I'm a leader, I
would look at my leader um indicator page and that would tell me specifically and directly what does that characteristic mean if I am a leader here in the school division. And I think even you would agree that if you read
any of those indicators, you would right away be able to see what that expectation was and you would know what that means for you even as a school board member. And each one of the um indicators are
broken down that way per um role. So there's the prek to 12 educator frame uh indicator list which are basically the look fors the leadership list and then operational and technology
um indicators that align to the overall cultural competency framework. So the way that this model would shift in the professional learning is that um as you know we have our new teacher and novice teacher cohort but across the
division it would mean that the foundational learning will always look like coaching cohorts and embedded indicators that would be part of their onboarding. Then they would move into an applied learning process which would include some co some more coaching workshops and departmental
implementation. So it would be differentiated and specific to the departmental needs based on the indicators and the frameworks and then they would move to a sustained learning which is where they would receive a certification and do deeper reflection
and continuous learning and improvement. that would also address the two-year cadences because each one of those can be broken down into two years. The goal is not that we get um everything done all at once. It's that we can really have sustainable change
that is part and continues to be the part of who we are as Alam County Public Schools. So just so that you know our current participation is um this is based on our current
numbers of staff who are still here um who were hired by 2024. Um the book study completion at this point is 1,262 educators. The micro credential completion is 705.
Um and in progress meaning they are in any stage or of the um modules at this point is 557. That includes people who were in letters and vows training and got the extension.
Staff completion at this for this year alone um 85 staff completed the book study. That number is shrinking tremendously because we don't have as many people who need to complete the book. 241 completed the micro credential this
year. And we did begin a new certification pathway pilot um that currently has three participants. I am one of them. I won't name the other unless they want to be named. And we have one that got that has completed um
already and received her certification. and we are very excited about that new um pathway. So if you have any questions for me about that, I'm more than happy to answer them for you.
Thanks Ayanna. Um I know in the past we had some concern about whether how people were getting time allotted and um you know paid for for this for this training. What is that situation now?
>> Um that has been embedded in the in the time that they have during the the work day. Also since they were asynchronous that meant they could do it on their at at the time that they felt they could do it. The other thing I would say is that there is no building in this school
division and I can say this confidently that did not provide at least one full year of time that would be during their um planning or their or their um uh after school meetings that they
needed to have. that they did not provide time for people that they spent a year that they dedicated to culturally responsive education and allowing their teachers to engage in the training. So, there have been lots of opportunities for people to participate down to every
administrator in the school division has provided time during their school hours to support staff through this programming. We also continue to do it through the um PD days that have been in place. So we do cohort models through that and we have book studies that go
through the DRTs who support directly the people who are coming into buildings up until our new teacher programming which started 2 years ago now and they are in the um no the novice teacher program they're in number two so they will be completed next year and
>> I know that um in years past uh I've gotten to learn about a lot of the projects that people have completed for their certification on one day and it was a great day. Um are we going to have that again this year? >> Um the equity conference has kind of
waned since co one and um once it became mandatory that took a little bit of the um I think excitement away from the accomplishment they had and we noticed that there was a drop in the numbers. So, it started to become an expense when
we think about fiscal responsibility that just seemed like it wasn't um worth that money to put out for that specific activity. So the proposal is that we will continue to do that, but we're going to start um inviting our community
to see more what it is we do by offering by having by working in partnership with AF to have a um a banquet that would be able to allow our um community stakeholders because internally our but
what we were trying to do with that is really ignite our staff internally to get excited about the work and see themselves. where now it's really about getting our community to see and learn about our work. So, we want to shift it so that it becomes something that our community partners who support us in our school
division can really start to see and they can attach themselves to what we're doing and be able to um give back to who we are because they can see what we do. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Remind me.
Remind me. I know we have a policy for new teachers in terms of microcredentiing. What do we have for new principles or assistant principles or building administrative folks? So, we don't have a policy that says that they have to go
through um any specific programming like that. But new staff coming in do need to complete their micro credential within the first two to three years of them being here. So the expectation is that they were engaged in this programming
the way it was um created which was specifically for teachers. So because they're a new employee, they would be participating in that programming the asynchronous modules which is why we um did a pilot this year where I developed
a leadership program specifically. So that that is what they would engage in and that's part of this proposal is that that's why it would be separated like this. So that they would have a more um a more uh differentiated experience that would meet the needs of a leader coming
into the school division and that they would be able to participate from that lens and be able to lead for culturally responsive practice and pedagogy rather than learning about what the teachers are supposed to do. >> Thank you.
um on the uh I think it was the last slide that showed the number of um staff that have gone through each of the credentials >> who are still here and who came here before 2024. >> Okay. Um, is there um it might be
helpful to just see like of all of our staff that are here like what percentage of our teachers and our our administrators have are have received their credentiing at each level just so we have a general idea of >> kind of >> I would love to do that at that next
meeting that we talked about referenced in the beginning where I will be doing um some some more specific updates about that. Awesome. >> I just wasn't going to have enough >> Oh, no. I wasn't asking you to throw it out of >> I knew that but I would love to see that um at the next meeting if you could pull
that information I I knew that question would come so I wanted to make sure you had some numbers at least what we did this this year but um but when we do the next follow-up conversation specifically about um the programming then I can give you that information. >> Thank you.
>> And we are just wrapping up this year so all of those numbers aren't complete yet. >> Great. Thank you. >> Yeah. One year you showed it to us by school and that was that was really enlightening. >> Yes. And I will do that again for sure. >> The only thing I would say is I'm just I
really appreciate you breaking this down and for the different types of um staff within our division. Um because I like I hear what you say and I and I hear staff saying that of like that's a teacher thing. How does it apply to me as the
director of technology? And not that our director of technology said that but um and so that it is very focused on kind of leadership teacher level um and then operational and um technology and then specifically not just kind of like how
that the slide that showed like how it in a way activates for them very specifically um in the type of work that they're doing in a daily basis. Um, so I I really appreciate that because I think so many times people think, "Oh, this is just something the teachers are doing." But because this is a this is something
that is so important across our division, making sure we're thinking about those things when we're thinking about technology, when we're thinking about operations and and and and putting that lens on. So, um, I appreciate and I know because I know that that like work doesn't come easy, right? And so taking the time to help people understand and I
think overall it'll help as we um onboard new staff members to to really understand okay this is what this means for your job um with this lens that is very um specific to the county. >> So thank you. >> Yeah. Thank you. I know there's some new
people that I haven't personally met before because I just haven't been here. So it's nice to meet you. Thank you. Do you have any questions before I step away? >> Likewise. Okay, no questions before I step away from you, too. >> We're still sponges. >> Okay, great.
>> Look forward to working with you. >> Yeah. >> Well, as always, Miss Mitchell, thank you so much. Um and we look forward to to talking with you again soon. >> Okay. Thank you so much. >> I'm looking forward to hearing your um approval. >> Thank you.
So, do we need >> do we do we need to do a an official vote on this or because it's on the um agenda and we have reviewed it. I just went with info um which is
it's for info now and we will do our official vote next. >> Yeah, it'll it'll come back for action next time and we can discuss whether to put it on consent or as a separate agenda item. >> Okay, that's what I thought. Just wanted to make sure that she that Miss M Mich Mitchell was not looking for an answer today. Um the next um and last piece of
our agenda is one I'm really excited for um as a researcher um who has done work with these. So um uh we are doing a a um session on uh we're this is really what we call a work session. So it's less of kind of someone presenting to us. So if you're kind of in the audience or
watching visually um you will see actually some movement on the dis because we will be going into some small groups after an initial presentation. Um but this is about the UVA and Albertar County research um practice partnership which are often called RPPs. Um so Dr.
Russell Carlock, director of educational equity data scientists and Dr. Nina Shunover, associate director of education research the center for community partnerships at the University of Virginia. And then I know they will be also bringing forward a number of students um from the Star Hill Pathways
partnership that we are excited to be introduced to. So please come forward. Good evening uh Chair Berlin and Vice Chair Spilman and school board members. Um, tonight the school board will hear a presentation on research practice
partnerships and the ongoing collaboration between Alamar County Public Schools and the University of Virginia. We appreciate the continued partnership and collaboration with UVA in supporting the division's efforts to strengthen datainformed decisionmaking
and continuous improvement. Uh research practice partnerships are designed to strengthen connections between educational practice and research by bringing together school divisions and university partners to collaboratively study questions that matter most to
students, staff, and the community. Um this evening's presentation will provide an overview of the division's current partnership work with UVA highlighting uh examples of ongoing research collaborations and introduce the
Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium or Merc uh model utilized by the Virginia Commonwealth University to support K12 school divisions in Richmond. Um, the presentation will be followed by interactive discussions and
breakout conversations designed to help the board members deepen their understanding of RPPs and explore potential research priorities and questions that could help inform future collaborative work align to board priorities in the division's strategic
plan. Uh later in the session, students will join breakout discussions to share their perspectives and experiences as part of this collaborative process. Uh tonight's work session is intended to support discussion and collaborative planning as a division continues
development of its research practice partnership framework. At this time, I would like to welcome uh Dr. Russell Carlock, ACPS equity data scientist and researchers, Dr. Dr. Nina Skuniver,
associate director of education research and Dr. Asha Mer Merlin, uh, senior education research specialist from the University of Virginia Center for Community Partnerships along with
some of our students who serve on the Star Hill Advisory Committee. Uh, Jordan Spencer, a 10th grader from Montichello High School. Uh Mary Catalin, 11th grader from Albamar High School. Stephanie Martinez
Pina, uh 9th grader from Montichello High School. Zulie Blanco Pina from uh 11th grader from Montichello High School. And uh Marina Santos, 10th grader from Montichello High School. Um
all of our students will be participating uh this evening um during the breakout discussions. And now I will turn it over to Dr. Skoonover to begin the presentation. >> You thanks. So good evening. I'm Dr. Nita Skunover. I'm at the Center for
Community Partnerships. I'll scooch ahead to that. Um I'm the associate director of education research and we were formed in 2019 to build a better bridge between the university and the community. And the work that I do is really specifically the education research practice partnership work. So
defined by the National Network of Education Research Practice Partnerships or NERP is a long-term mutually beneficial formalized collaboration between researchers and practitioners and it's a strategy that's meant to produce more relevant research improving the use of research evidence and
decision-m and engaging both researchers and practitioners in doing this kind of work. So it's meant to be a long-term sustained research project. It's not us coming in, asking some questions, collecting some data, and walking away, but it's a long-term partnership where we're working together and designing
research that's relevant to what is going on in the schools day by day. So, in our timeline, we started probably before 2022, but formerly in summer of 2022 with the first Starill Pathways student cohort, and some of those students are here uh tonight. Uh and
that program started in summer 2022. It's a college and career pathways program for ACPS and CCS students and it started the RPP because that's where we started asking these questions around how is the program supporting them in their career growth and their college pathways. Um so from that process some
of our our key milestones we have an IRB which is the allows for the ethical uh research practices that we do we have a data sharing agreement in place with both Elmore County Public Schools and Charlottville City Schools. We have signed data sharing agreements with the families that are part of the program, approved research consents from
everyone. And so that was a big push to start all of this is being able to follow all of those procedures and make sure that the research is is protecting all the data that we're collecting. Another milestone was in spring of 2023, we were awarded funding from the William T. Grant Foundation to help fund some of
this project. And a large part of that funding was supporting uh the school district and having a research role um in Dr. Carlock's position in establishing that capacity for the school district to do more research and program evaluation work that was needed
to to push this stuff forward. Um, another part of this work is a a community advisory board and I'll talk about that just briefly tonight, but that's the board that that guides all of the work that we do. And in spring 2024, we had our first board that was primarily built around Amaral County
Public School teachers and counselors, but that's expanded since we've expanded with our partnership with PBCC. As our students are getting older and about to go off into college, potentially going to PBCC and beyond, uh we've started to ask some other research questions um that's involved them. And so our full
community advisory board actually has membership from Al County, Charlottesville City, PBCC, and our Star Health Pathways uh program. Uh and then most recently in the past couple months, we've applied for more funding to support more of this work and to continue to to grow this cross
institutional collaboration. So this is just a a brief visual of our actual structure. So the education research team is here in the center. That's us at the center. Um and then there's our faculty and graduate student partners that are also sometimes involved in our projects. We have some
of our graduate students here tonight to help us collect notes in our small group discussion. Um and then from there we have our nodes into our our other uh local education agencies that we partner with and then all of this is is guided by our community advisory board. So all the research that we are planning either
faculty, graduate students or us uh that's going to use any data that involves the school systems or the students that are in our projects is run by our community advisory board. um they advise us on on the kinds of questions that we should be asking as well as actually should we even pursue the the
research and then also any publication that was meant to go out would be reviewed by the community advisory board. Um so just quickly this is the structure of the board. Um and so for county we have a teacher uh we also have a parent who's a parent of a star pathway student um and anal county
public schools parent and then an actual student from Emerald County who is also here tonight. Uh so I'm not going to go through all the details of projects but I wanted to highlight just this as an example of the cycle of the projects that we've done. So I mentioned the career project that
started in 2022. Uh we've been studying for the last few years uh how starhold pathways as a program as well as other initiatives in our county public schools are impacting a student's career self-efficacy and outcome expectations. Uh and that has been involved uh
interviews as well as surveys. We do uh already collect data from sixth through eighth graders across the district measuring those constructs. Um and then from that process we also then uh publish reports both internally with deidentified and identifiable data.
We've also published articles academically. We've presented at multiple conferences about this work. And then some of that work has then been used to make some some small and large changes. Similarly, we just heard a little bit about the culture responsive teaching program. So we uh did a program
evaluation report together with county um and we did teacher interviews and surveys around student achievement data and then used that to build a program evaluation and uh published articles and conference presentations and that both of those projects have involved multiple faculty and graduate students as well as
us at the center as well as uh folks at Emerald County Public Schools. Two of our newer projects. So, as this has grown, we've been uh doing a lot of discussion around how to support students with their post-secondary achievement. And there's two areas that we're really looking at, algebra 1 and
dual enrollment enrollment. So, algebra 1 in middle school, right? Knowing that seeing how students takes um if they take algebra 1 as seventh and eighth graders, what are those impacts long term? As well as when students take a dual enrollment course, what are those impacts long term? And that has been
driven by data that we've looked at both in conversation with ACPS as well as PBCC and seeing as we follow those patterns how what are the long-term impacts and so we've used that data to then inform building out research research studies. Um we've involved different faculty and graduate students
to bring on multiple expertise into these projects and that's really at this point built off into research plans that have been uh approved and run by our community advisory board and then trying to build out then the similar path of what kind of publications how we uh
going to disseminate these reports back as we start to build out these projects over the next couple years. And we mentioned briefly uh Dr. Dr. Kaiser mentioned Merc and we'll talk about that in our small groups too. Uh there are other models for these kinds
of RPPs. Um so VCU has the longest standing I think maybe nationally. Uh they've established this in 1991. Uh VCU has a partnership with Henriiko, Hannover, Bushland, Richmond and Chesterfield. And we do work closely with um some folks there and have been
in conversation with them about their model and and how they have structured this. Um, so their their partnership looks the same where they have similar research projects. They do a lot more white papers. I think they even do some podcasting and reporting. They have an annual summit with all of the members
from across those different districts um and regular meetings and annual strategic alignment so that the research they are conducting at VCU is responsive to the questions that they're asking um at these districts. George Mason more recently uh in the
last couple of years has also formed a similar research alliance uh with I think 20 I did put the number there 20 of their public school divisions. I know their most wellestablished one is with Prince William County. Um and they're still trying to grow across the whole
Northern Virginia area and they're similarly trying to build research projects that are relevant and responsive to the um to the questions that those school districts are asking. So now I want to spend some time doing some small group discussion. So uh we're
going to be in three different groups. One group is going to be working with the students. And so that's going to be asking them about how they would want to be involved in some of this this research. What what are the things that students the questions that they have? What kinds of research are they interested in seeing? uh one of the
groups will be looking at the different models and discussing what is it what is Merc what are the things that we could adapt here in our partnership uh between UVA and Ammerald County and then the third group will actually be talking about but creating research ideas so how um generating ideas for what research
could look like in the future and I'm going to ask Dr. Gabby thank you Nina thank you Dr. Um so we're going to break up into three groups now. So uh the students and the people presenting or facilitating will be rotating. Uh the schoolboard members
will be staying in one place and that's so that the people at home who are streaming can hear all three panels as we rotate through. Um so I'm going to ask uh Dr. Akuff and Miss Lee if you could stay here. Um Miss Osborne, Dr. Berlin, if you could go to 2 U35
first and then if the other schoolboard members can start at 2:41. Um, and our students are going to start here. So, we'll come up around the table. Um, do our best to make space and we'll have about 10 minutes at each session. >> Thank you so much.
>> He eliminated like 10 minutes. >> Yeah, exactly. Whenever we do that, >> buy good. All right. So, we're started askselves, your name, and you go to what you want.
Excuse me. >> Hi, my name is Al High School. >> Hi, my name is Marina Andrade Santos and I'm also a sophomore at Mont. >> Hi, my name is Jordan Spencer. I'm also a sophomore at Montel High School. Hi, my name is Jam and I'm a sophomore at
>> Hi, my name is Stephan Martinez Pñena. I am a freshman at Monilla High School. >> Um, good afternoon. My name is Louis and I'm currently a junior at Mona High School. >> I'm Kate Auff and I'm on the school board
and I also have a son who's a sophomore for three more hours at High School. >> Oh, really? Who? Ab. >> Oh, yes. I know him. Yeah. >> Well, welcome so much for being here. Uh, thank you for being here. So I'm going to start with what I think is the most important question first and then
kind of go backwards because I I want to know how do you want your voice to be heard? So one important part about research is engaging students not only in uh making sure that their voices are heard but then also sometimes in the research process itself. So when we talk
about surveys, we talk about interviews. How do you want your voice to be heard when uh people like the schoolboard members are making important decisions about your life? I'll start. Um, the way I want my voice to be heard is like through interviews and also being asked questions like
being approached normally because I feel like when you're like pressured to answer by like surveys or like oh we need an answer now it's like very difficult to like come up with it and like when you're just like cool about it or just like come up to you like normally it's a lot easier.
>> I agree. I think especially with surveys, a lot of students when they have to do it during I think at our high school it's called Patriot period, but we have to do it during Patriot period. A lot of them rush through it. They don't answer it. They just they just click click click until they're done and then they go to Patriot period. I think that having interviews with students
like representatives helps um researchers gauge a better idea of why they chose this answer specifically in surveys. within the surveys. I believe that we should move away from multiple choice
questions and go into more free response questions and I feel like there would be more thought put in into those answers rather than just stay sure. >> Yeah, I agree. I think that with the difference between a survey and an
interview, I think that like an interview can be more engaging in a way. And I think that especially since um during Starhill Pathways, we've had like lots of experience with interviews. Like Nah's been interviewing us since we've been in sixth grade. So I think that
like having this connection with the people that are interviewing us really help us feel comfortable in the space that we're in to be able to just speak our minds. >> Be more candid. Yes, >> I agree with like the one-on-one sit down conversations to like act and get to know the person and like their actual
answers. >> So, another question is how, if at all, do you feel like research is being used in your school to help people make decisions? Do >> you want to start? Yeah. >> Um, I think that research every day is making a really big impact, especially
on our schools. I feel like the environment overall at Montichello has gotten in a way sort of lighter because they're listening more to student opinions instead of just like going based off of what the staff or like the administrators think in our school. I
think that also it's kind of just helped everybody get along better in a sense. And um I don't really know the facts on this, but I feel like fighting has been happening like significantly less, which is really good for a school environment
to be able to thrive because I think everybody just has better and more healthy mindsets now that like the examples of our administration and like our staff are just like they're putting more positive things out into our school environment. >> Do you think you're good? um
representatives of other students or are many of these interviews your views or are you trying to represent a bigger swath of your >> I think colleagues >> sorry I think it's really just a lot of us say what we view it as but I also
think that what we're saying is influenced by what we see it around school like for example um dur if you were to ask me something about how I feel about the school environment I would say that it's really positive but someone else could say something because it's really just during these interviews a lot of people say what they
think but it's not really a good representation of how the school is as a whole. >> Marina, I'm wondering if you could give examples or anyone from your schools of how you've seen uh decisions being made with student input. Yeah, I think that
students like for example like SCA or just like the clubs we have around our school are really student led and I think our school is mostly just really studentledd and they listen to student voices a lot. They really let us be independent in the decision making in our school even like and they also but
they also set boundaries. So, I think that it's really important letting students be independent and letting them really like go based off of what they've been through throughout high school or even middle school. I think it's really I think that's really important.
>> Examples from the other schools out of them all. >> Who was listening to you? Um, I feel like the people that were listening us to the most were the adults and like other like children our age were trying to listen to us. >> Do you mean in like Montreal High
School? >> Yeah, at Mont High School. >> Um, so this question is about how if you could design how youth are involved in a research project, what would that look like? >> I think that a mix of both of like interviews and surveys as well. I think
surveys are a really good way to gather information like a lot of information about students so everyone can answer because I know at Alvaro we allocate I'm pretty sure the first 10 minutes of patriot period for everyone to answer the survey but I think that the downside to that is that so many people don't
want to do it so they just click through it. I also but that's when interviews come in. Um the reason why interviews are so important especially in getting a better idea of um what we can do about like I guess school in general having interviews kind of helps researchers
think okay what should we do about this and having a better idea of why they chose this on a survey. >> How do you feel um participation in interviews? I think that a lot of the times participation in interviews, they're
more likely to answer um in really just like more just engage in general. I think that's the thing with interviews. A lot of people want to have their voice heard one-on-one instead of just being on an just going on a survey and clicking yes, no, neutral. It's really
just they can explain why they think this way. I have a question about the interview piece because this is something that's not on our list. So, sorry. Um, but often I've thought about doing interviews in a randomized way where you can get different perspectives. I
haven't done that yet. Um, but I'd love to hear your feedback because what that would have to look like if I don't know you because you talked about you know Nina really well, you've known her well, you know me pretty well. So, if I were to interview you, it's one thing, but I want you to think about if it's there's a stranger, somebody that you don't know. Um, what would that look like? Would that because they would have to
call your parent first, right? to make sure that they're okay with it before they come to you. Do you think that that could potentially work to get greater representation from students? And if so, what would what would it would need to be done really carefully. So, what would be your advice for doing that kind of work?
>> I wouldn't do it one-on-one. I would do it in small groups as we are right now. Um, and then also going like through the group. So, and also asking if questions
anybody disagree, agree is that's one way. So, instead of doing an interview, do a focus group, right? Because then you're not by yourself. Does everybody have a perspective that that would be easier for you? >> And I think maybe instead of just like during especially like I keep saying Patriot period, like putting the first
10 minutes in for a survey or an interview, it's just super rushed. So obviously they're going to answer the questions and they're probably not they don't really know what they're what they're saying. So you're not going to get really like a good idea of what they're thinking. I think having like just taking up the entire Patriot period
when they're free is also a really good idea as well. >> What about students doing research? What are your thoughts about that? Like students interviewing other students and then doing the research on that information to be able to present things to schoolboard members, to principles,
things like that. I feel like that's a pretty good idea because instead of a student just maybe saying what an adult wants to hear, they can open up more and they're opening up to a student so they're giving their like true opinion and not a sugarcoated one that an adult
might want to hear or what they think they want to hear. >> Yeah. >> Cuz I think especially when you talk student to student, it's just it's more honest. So if let's say an adult was talking to you, obviously you're going to give them an answer that's sugarcoated. you don't want to make them disagree with you. But when you talk to
students, someone your age, it's just you can be more honest about it. I think that with the small group and the studentled interview, I think those align because of just having not a shoulder to lean on, but having somebody to kind of relate to in that type of
situation and somebody who's um who's actively in your shoes and like going through what you're going through kind of like in high school, even though everybody's experience in high school is individual, I feel like it there's always like a generalization for high school.
And the last question is, what kinds of research would you want to read or receive as students about your own experience to help inform it? >> Um, one that I would like to like see do is what people don't know because so
many so many people know stuff, but there's like a lot more that people don't know. what they don't know, what they can't, like what they're not able to know, maybe because of like maybe a language barrier or they're not able to like communicate or they're not being
communicated to. >> Yeah, I agree. Especially because they're not being communicated to. A lot of decisions we hear comes from word of mouth. We don't see it on the announcements. We don't hear it um like we don't watch I guess you don't watch it on the announcements. You don't hear it over the announcements. you just hear
it from other people and it can be misinterpreted misinterpreted and miscommunicated among so many people. So you know it's just I think having broadcasting that if um on school magazines we have that we also have announcements and um we also have a town
today which is the daily news report. >> Well thank you all so much. I don't know if you have any final questions >> just um are there research questions that you've not been asked uh that you think should be asked? I really think it's always what can we do to kind of make the school
environment better, but I also think it should be resources for mental health or just help with the workload at school. I think that contributes a lot to the environment aspect and like what life at school is like. So, I would want to hear
more questions about mental health in general, even though it's a really hard subject to talk about even among especially among teenagers cuz it's like the age nobody really wants to open up. But I feel like if adults show teenagers that they can be
vulnerable, I think that um motivation and getting school work done, even attendance rates can go up by doing this. >> Well, thank you all so much. Go ahead. >> It's so articulate. >> Thank you.
>> I'm sorry. No, no, no. At >> some point, we got to um decide on stay at a post vacation. as soon as you >> I'm Judy. I'm Nina. >> Yeah. So, I'm going to talk a little bit
about the different. So, I brought these and I brought them on for a digital version. Um, >> um, so mentioned briefly this model that they have a partnership five districts around Richmond and we've been working
with them as well as partnership with Jamie and others in conversation about how they partner with the school district partners think about what are we bring And so I think I just wanted you to poke
around. This is their annual report in the last year. What stands out here? >> I just left alone for >> just generally I mean we can nose around to this um clearly but how how does
how does the structural model actually differ? Yeah. So that's what the next slide will be about. Um what kind of an idea for this would be is if we had a really a strategic plan together to align research. So
>> you know if it's let's say in the summer and you you identify we're going to propose kind of a three to five like these are the questions that we have for the next year and we really want to focus on that. This is why I brought their annual report because I know that theirs were um like they have some literacy uh and they had some CTE
questions. They had this one around course scheduling. Um so those were their priorities and their identified across districts. So between Henriko and other um so that could be a long-term
dream of aligning with Charlottville city and our county and PBCC and all of our partners. But to start really just CPS like how do we how do we identify those priorities so that we can build research projects knowing those are the priorities. >> Okay.
>> Because we have >> so right now it's more atomized with ACPS versus Charlottesville schools. We we each have our own. >> Yeah. And it's they pop up. It's a question that kind of emerges out of
discussions around data with Dr. Carlock and I we meet regularly. So it's more ad hoc each school division. >> Okay. Yes. >> How I'm losing my voice tonight. >> Yeah, it seemed to be. >> Okay. Um Yeah. And I So it's more of a a way to align it so that it's very it
gives us space from the research side to identify these are the priorities who do we need to bring to the table. >> So for example, the algebra one project I brought this up was just now. So I I was an English teacher and I did my PhD English ed. that's the expertise that I bring to research. And then there's this
question around algebra 1. I need to find somebody who has a lot of math knowledge. Um so we brought in some faculty and grad students who and posttos who know a lot about math education to help us think through that project. Um and so knowing those priorities would help us give a better timeline for finding who we need to be
able to do those research projects >> and give you more robust and longitudinal data too. >> Yes. And then little things too other. This is one that came up just now too. Um they did a project around course scheduling. So they wanted to know across the programs. I only brought two
particular. >> Thank you. >> Um the school districts around wanted to know um about course scheduling whether or not block scheduling or period scheduling was better for their students. So that's a for in my mind like that's a study that could be
conducted at a shorter timeline with dissemination comeback at a faster pace than a longer term research project. You want to know five years from now did students graduate because of something. >> Um >> I wish we had that research because we
back and forth a couple of years ago and I it just was based on like five. Um so I I wish we had had that information whatever it is. >> Yeah. No, I that one really they when they presented about that a couple months ago, I thought that's a great question. Yeah. You know, and it's very
practical, really tangible. Here you can make some really concrete decisions around whether or not this is a question. >> I guess my um I love this. The ones that I've known about um and very few have mostly had the underlying achievement
gap, opportunity gap um bones for whatever the research is. I think there was one I heard about I think with Prince William about low Hispanic um participation in classes I think and then there was research done and help
and they were able to really improve their participation. So I'm just curious if there like I the block schedules make sense like I wish I had known that but are there things that underly most of these
research projects? Uh not sure about Mark but for us one example would be their career self- advocacy project that's been going on. So we're looking at how is start pathways impacting a student's career self- advocacy but through that we've also been looking at different membership groups.
>> Um so we were finding that um black girls were performing higher than their peers. So we were doing some matching analysis and that's led to us doing further studies and to let's look more into those students. what is it about the star pathways program maybe that's supporting them are there other lovers
that are are shaping that um and so that we have been there are different questions that we ask based off of the data that we find >> um so I find like even with the course scheduling that might be the larger question is like is course scheduling impacting students achievement and then
through that you ask more questions about membership groups and follow up on on future projects related to that >> that answers the question Yeah, >> I have to confess complete ignorance. Tell me tell me about Starhill Pathway. >> Yeah. So, it's a program that's out of
the >> Well, I mean, I've heard of it. Yeah. >> Yeah. Um, so the students, they start, the ones we met are all part of Pathways. >> They start as rising seventh graders through graduation. They do mostly career exploration between seventh and nth grade. And that career exploration
is is led by community organizations, some UVA departments and different partners around Charlottesville. So for example, there's there was an architecture pathway in the school of architecture at UVA led that pathway. So students get this really intensive career exploration. They get to learn
how to be an architect for a couple weeks and then they um do another pathway where they learn how to be a um filmmaker with Lighthouse Studios downtown. So that that's the purpose of the early stages is really just to get them exposure to all these different
career opportunities to show them the the breadth of things that they might pursue in the future. Um as they move into 10th, 11th and 12th, they do a little bit more um refining of that. So there's internship opportunities uh the summer before their 10th grade year. Um
and then as they move into 11th and 10th 12th grade, it's uh identifying if they should be taking dual enrollment, if they want to be taking any of the um >> studio students, >> I've lost the name because scholar studios if that's the path that they
should be taking things at PBCC that they might be interested in if they're really collegebound for your plan. So, >> and is it targeting um I mean like the AVID program in middle school I mean it's targeting >> first generations.
>> Yes, it is for first gen low incomes. >> Right. Okay. >> Yes. >> So it sort of has elements of both. >> Yes. >> Yeah. So we have some overlapping students in AVID and Stockhill. Um so when we look at the career self- advocacy data we that was we look at
them and the if students are in AVID and startup pathways and how how those programs might be impacting their career. >> How and how many students in like each cohort like each like each year you start how many do you start out with?
>> They're just about they're going to start in a week or so. Uh there'll be 49 in total and most of those about 42 I think are seven rising seventh graders. There's a couple of that are joining as >> is it about the same every year? >> Yeah, it's around 40 to 50.
>> And then what grade are the oldest kids in now? >> They're about to be seniors. So wow. >> A couple of those students. >> Seven years have just like flown by four. No, five years, right? Four years. Five years. >> Yeah. As a researcher, I'm very excited. >> Yeah. or why am I getting to this point
where you're like >> how has it made any impact these relationships that you've had and >> where will it go? I can't wait to find out. >> I know. >> So, you anticipate having ongoing, you know, track them. >> Yes, that's the >> bots to follow up.
>> Yeah. And part of it the the partnership with PBCC the in the research has been really great and they also want to know some of these they want to know how dual enrollment is impacting their students and the their students persisting into a second year at PBCC and succeeding
there. So those conversations have been growing the last last year and they've been really great to as we can follow our kids. >> I was just over there talking with June but she was advocating more joy.
>> Yeah. >> So there was a third model, not the Merk and there was a third model. >> Yes. So that's George Mason. >> Yeah. So George Mason has um that's a newer one. So that's the biggest variance I think is that their goal is to be with all they want to have RPs
with all 20 school districts in Northern Virginia. So whatever all those are um but their strongest is with Prince William. So I've met with um the director of Aeronova is what it's called and then someone from Prince
William County who's involved in that research. So they have a data sharing agreement established. They're about to start doing more research questions. Um but they're trying to they've been doing more conversations with Merc also about building a similar model. Um
trying there's another one in the state that's we've met with this last year we did workshops with folks at J&U Virginia Tech and VCU and George Mason everywhere. So we we did all this really intensive conversation around what each university is doing. But the three
closest to what we're doing or the two closest sorry are VCU and George Mason. Virginia Tech has a different different way that they connect with their schools. So what research questions would you like to ask that you haven't done
haven't been able to do any question? Um I think personally I because I have that English background we haven't done as much research around literacy in our RP at least >> around literacy and English supports particularly for middle grades and high
school as my work but that's the >> well if you sat through part of the schoolboard meeting you know that we're look you know we we h I have the qu a lot of us have the question of of all the various things we're doing that are supposed to be tackling the um
achievement gap, however that's defined um what is working, what isn't, what is duplicative uh or well etc. How can how can we do that better?
I mean we have had audits we have audit of literacy and math verification. We have, you know, we're working on those things, but we have all kinds of inter, you know, math interventionist. We haven't even started yet this year. Uh,
reading intervention, literacy interventionist, extra, you know, special ed and, uh, culturally, you know, culturally responsive educator education programs. Um,
what's working? And we'll look at another will another committee move the ball forward. Yeah, we we talked about that in the other group too um about the actual implementation of the research and that's a question I know nationally
conversation I've had with others doing RPs is how do you you know we we can do the research project and have the findings and share it back but how do we know that it's in practice with teachers and and schools um and that's kind of an ongoing question of discussion I think of how do we actually push that back and
make sure that the the findings are being taken up and implement in in a class >> as a priority for me. >> And also in terms of like reading and writing, I think a big question will be how AI is generative AI is affecting
that in the next I don't know infinity long amount of time, but certainly starting now. >> Yeah. >> Um especially for >> kids who are I would say like middle schoolers or I I don't know enough to know when they really start to need to
use that. Um but how cognitive decline through AI is um changing that I I would be very curious about that person. >> Have you done any work on generative or language? >> I have not personally.
>> Um but yeah, but that's a good example of if there I know there are folks who do a lot of that at UVA um both either at school of ed or in the school of data science. If that was a question like we really want to know more about that. we can find the people who can help us
build out those >> and there's like the intuitive part of it too which I think is important about having the community aspect of this where like teachers and people who are seeing it every day but don't aren't on the research perspective side of it and also kind of pitch it in
>> give a visual perspective of what it looks like instead of just maybe a quantitative aspect. So how much and you may have said this before and I apologize if I missed it but um if we had infinite number of questions that we wanted to research um
how many would you tackle per year or period of time? >> Yeah. So that's going to be on our final kind of slide is just this vision of having three to five. >> Okay. Three to five. >> Um and having knowing that at the start of the year would be the what would be really helpful like this is what we know
are the priorities. who do we need to find to help us build out those projects? >> That feels realistic in the re the staff capacity. >> How are the re how are the research questions now developed? >> Yeah, they so we I meet with Russy
every two weeks and things out of almost the dice. >> Uh no for so for example the dual enrollment came out uh last summer. So I'm I'm on the PBCC college board and I'm in those meetings and I'm hearing about all this data around dual enrollment. I thought we need to bring some of this back into our
conversations. So I started linking um Rusty and me and some folks in PBCC and we started asking these questions about the data we were seeing at dual enrollment that they're looking at PBCC and what is Rusty looking at across the district and then that's led to a lot of more a lot more conversations that have
brought in counselors and other leaders from different schools and now there's this pilot initiative happening at Montichello to help enroll more seniors in SEV 100 who are planning to go to PBCC Um, and so that that's how we grew this.
So the research hasn't even started, but it's been this year-long conversation of this is the data we saw at PBCC and ACPS bring everybody to the table. What are the questions and concerns they have around the enrollment? What are the things we can do today? And then what are the things we can ask and study
longer term to really build out stronger initiatives? Mhm. >> And has that has there been a somewhat recent change in that dual enrollment data that you've seen because I wonder about the >> because I know like the AP rating has
changed >> for us >> for us. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Like has it changed how many people go into? >> So we we had we had changed the way but remember Jillian Balloo >> I know. Change it back. That's what I'm saying. >> Oh, I got you. Um,
>> so was there a like were people moving into AP rather than doing one because >> No. >> Okay. >> Um, I think I think it's more about student student readiness, awareness, and feeling like they can do it, you
know, >> and actually and then sticking with it because they can do it. >> Yeah. And I think um that's what that's the premise of this project is that if we get the kids in a and they're at the school and they're doing the dual enrollment and then they're actually
going to walk over to um PBCC while they're during school hours. It's a it's like bring you all the way there. Will that will that help the student like get over the to where they'll be, you know, stay in the stay in class and then make
progression to PBCC? uh campus and then the courses. >> So that's one piece and then the other part was um the algebra one you know um that we >> we had been looking at data for a few
years on our dashboard of students of you know non-traditional students students of color um special education students students economically disadvantaged not enrolling in algebra 1 and 8th grade. So then you start to develop like
hypotheses of well what do we need to do not just to encourage them to go into it but to support them when they get into it to see them be successful on the other side. That's a that's Rusty's you know uh was initially funded through
this program. His position was initially funded like in partnership we pick we're picking it up now >> uh because it it works. You know, I think identifying these research projects that actually benefit our students >> because then we'll we'll know what the
best practice is for our kids. You not It may be >> that there are practices in other places that you just can't grab and transport. So, I think that's the power of it. >> Yeah. Well, I look forward to all this work. Thank you very much. >> Thank you.
>> What's the blue and the yellow about >> the just >> Oh my gosh. No, I don't know. Oh, I thought you were the subtle. >> No, that's funny. >> She's styling. >> She's trying to say something. >> Yeah, I didn't know if it was a scoldy or I don't know.
>> No. Okay. >> Should we get up and go down there? >> Uh, no. We can come to you. >> Um, hi. >> I forgot my research question. >> Okay, >> I was supposed to have extras to give to
y'all. Uh >> we can share. >> Yeah. So um my name is Asha Mari Duran. I am an education researcher uh with the center for community partnerships. So I work with um uh Dr. Skunover. I work
with Rusty um to try and figure out the problems of of our local um school of this school district of Charlottesville City. Um we have uh Mrs.
Greer. Uh they are our um grad student who will be taking notes for us today. Um thank you so much. >> Excellent handwriting. >> Yes. >> No, it's not. But I >> It's nice. That's nice.
>> Yes. Okay. So um we did this same uh kind of activity with our uh education community advisory board which as uh Nina mentioned was made up of ACPS teachers, caregivers
and um students as well as people from uh CCS and PBCC. Um, so what we wanted to know from them was what the problems were that they saw in our community and uh trying to pull out from those problems potential
research questions that uh Dr. Skunover and I could work on answering over the course of the year. Um, so this is a very short version of that uh kind of exercise, but the hope is that we can continue to have these kinds of
conversations so that we can um try to build a research agenda together and help answer the questions that you all want to answer. Um, so I guess my first ask of you is to list some challenges
that you think our schools, families, teachers, administrators, and students face in the ECPS community. Uh, you can write one on a post-it note or one per post-it note. >> Um, I'm going to this uh depending on how much time we have, I'm going to give
you a couple of minutes. We have like nine minutes. We have Okay, >> you'll get you'll get three minutes to work on this cuz we have other stuff to do. >> Probably. >> Well, there's one there that goes this way and then there's one up there that
goes that way. So I don't know which ones. >> So one per challenges please. >> Oh you can you can write as many. >> Yeah. I'm getting some spicy there. Yeah.
How much time have passed? >> Uh, it's been 2 minutes. Okay, great. One more minute. Start studios. Let's go studios. She was writing paragraphs when I didn't write down were more meta like communicating to the community what you have to do.
>> Yeah. >> Political questions. >> Yeah. that those those are challenges that have come up in other in other panels. >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> Okay. Great. Uh so let's take a look at some of our challenges. I see
opportunity gaps, achievement gaps, uh opportunity and participation differences between underserved students, uh achievement differences between black and white students. That seems to indicate this this broader idea of opportunity gaps and achievement
gaps. Um, why do you think that is a problem in our community? >> Gosh, I mean there are so many >> so many factors. >> So many factors. >> Um, I mean I think it's an national issue. >> Yeah,
>> that is not different here. I think having a high powered elite university >> nearby um doesn't help us. >> Yeah. Um, I was going to say I don't know if it's a global issue, but I don't know about
education. Uh, globally is >> Yeah. >> Um, I I think for a long time a lot of school divisions were kept back by not doing evidence-based reading
>> instruction. >> Um, >> oh, that's absolutely true. >> And we're doing more of that now. Um, and we're doing more evidence-based math instruction, but again, I do think that's nationwide. >> Um, and I think that
the experiences that kids have before they get to us is widely vary and that has also the >> I mean, all kinds of factors. >> Yeah. >> I mean, first there's a gap and then there's the um
What has always troubled me is that some of our minority students we perform below the state average and there's no I don't have any understanding of that >> right >> um I mean the gap you can you can say some of the gap is because we have such a huge population of super high
performers and of course there's a gap but still that doesn't explain why the bottom is where it is. Mhm. >> But part of me >> wonders if we're even asking the right questions. >> Exactly. Yeah.
>> Is that that are we is that the real issue or should we be how can we really focus on well-rounded confident students >> and get them across the finish line. um rather than chastise the school division
or teachers >> because of a reading gap in third grade when they come, you know, two years behind in kindergarten. >> So, it has certainly captured the conversations on our school board and division,
>> but I'm not sure that that focus has helped actually at all. And in fact, the more we talk about it, the more negative the community perception of the school division becomes. And so you know
you um so yeah >> I think representation in um licensed staff is >> another reason. Yeah. >> And there are again a lot of nature reasons that
>> go into that. I mean people who are going to education schools fit a certain demographic by and large. >> Yeah. >> And then I don't know about the curriculums at those schools >> um and you know how much cultural >> Yeah. responsiveness.
>> Right. Um I would also say that um at um there's this uh kind of cultural issue where teachers are not valued and when teachers are not valued and are not paid appropriately
uh across the across the country then that kind of leads to an idea that high achievers across the racial spectrum will not go into that work because it's not going to be sustainable for them long term,
>> especially as the world >> days where women were trapped as nurses and teachers are gone, >> right? >> Um, which is really too bad because we need very highly competent nurses and we need very highly competent teachers >> and we have shortages of both.
>> Exactly. Um, all right. So, I guess is that all of them? system differences across schools, integration of CTE with other academic uh math, English, etc. Um um lack of
representation in people who speak up. >> Yeah. Like the loudest voices all tend to look the same. >> Yeah. >> Um I wonder if that's a confidence thing. >> I mean, it could be a lot of things. I >> could be a lot of things. I mean, I also wonder if there is like a cultural thing
like >> I'm the only person I'm the only Asian person I know and a small number of people, but who is involved in representation? Yeah. >> Because >> in in my family that wasn't like no one had the idea that you would do that, right? >> So, I I don't I think there are a
million things that go into it, honestly. >> Yeah. >> And I I don't know what they are. >> Mhm. Uh my mom was the school board rep at her school and she was maybe the only school board rep in the entire state that was >> an Indian woman. Right.
>> Right. So that I I relate. >> Yeah. >> Um yeah. So from here the um the hope is to take these challenges and kind of bring them into
uh actionable questions that uh we as uh the center for community partnerships education research team as well as Dr. Carlo can try to answer. elves. Um, we can't necessarily say like
on a broad base what is causing the opportunity gap in our in our in our region. >> We can say like can we look to see if this opportunity gap is exacerbated by particular things.
>> Right? So um I guess the question is like we'll know our problems are getting better when what is happening when when what change? >> Can you flip that though and ask of the many things that we're doing? >> Yeah. What what is the relative benefit
of reading interventionist or math interventionist or culturally responsive education training or >> um a new literacy curriculum, a new math curriculum, a new science curricul we've
done all of these things. um having um increasing I know teacher pay is still way too low but increasing teacher pay by 30% in the past you know >> how many years that like >> six six years um the benefit of the
intervention >> or pushing pushing eighth grade math you know ma algebra to eighth grade and providing aid or whatever Um, >> yeah, >> it's like when you're doing 20 things at once, how
can you tease out the relative? >> What kind of multiple regression do you have to do to be able to >> figure that one out? I don't know. >> Sometimes sometimes they're too interos, but we can we can see what we can do,
right? So, um, API, eighth grade algebra, uh, teacher pay, uh, we're adding math math and data interventionist this year. >> I saw that. That sounds very exciting. >> Even more.
>> Yeah. Um, >> from I mean, even even stuff like recruiting more representative teacher. I mean, we have a big effort and has effort several years to go out to HCBU universities and uh we recruit and give
them a job retaining. >> Well, I think that's a big part of it too is their retention. Like, do you people feel comfortable being themselves here and then they stay and then they, >> you know, going out to Ivy Creek where there's we're the only black teacher or not Ivy Creek Ivy.
>> Yeah. when I think about like how you know things are getting better. Um just >> I always look at this and I'm like you know and the it's so defined by the white uh advantaged culture to begin
with. So >> standardized testing all of that. So I like I recent we recently went through a few of us did a principal supervision program through the Wallace Foundation. They kept talking about students feeling happy and proud when they're in school,
>> right? >> And and really when you think about those two ingredients, it's not just like I'm happy and I'm proud because, >> you know, I something meaningless. It's because they they were making progress with their learning and their teachers
are happy. they're they're feeling successful with the students and it builds and the whole school community feels that way. I feel that the measurements that we have are however I I think we forget it's only
one way of looking at >> I think I think we boil it all down to >> and we want to remember >> the way we know that >> there's we really have a sense of celebration and recognition
what the public schools are really accomplishing >> like the fifth grade graduation I went to today. I mean, those kids were excited about being there. >> They were happy. >> And and why are they why aren't our 11th
graders feeling happy, >> right? What what causes them to do this engagement, >> right? >> So, I think you'll I think that's and we can measure those things too, you know. >> Okay. But
question. >> No, no, no. How do you create >> how do you strike that balance of accountability for making sure that all kids are that we have high expectations academic expectations for kids but at
the same time we value all the way all the things that kids bring to the table and what they're capable of learning and doing. So physics, you know, everybody fish trying to ride a bicycle, >> right? So high academic expectations and
accountability versus like a whole child understanding a whole child >> understanding. And the other thing that we've done is like the mental health piece which is the students were talking about. we were pushing that strongly well before co and
>> um and I'm amazed at how much our own students talked about mental health. I mean every single not every almost >> 70% of applications for student mental mental health was on one of their top priorities.
>> All right. Well, thank you so much. >> Um and I hope we'll get to work together again in the future. I'll get out of here. >> Well, thank you all so much for participating in those discussions to learn more about research practice
partnerships. Um, I'm hopeful that you gained a lot of information and maybe had some new ideas as a result of that process. Um, we're going to do a a short a brief reflection where you all can share with each other, what you heard, what you learned. Um, but prior to that, I did want to make a proposal based on
some of what Dr. Skunover said earlier about what we know about uh, research practice partnerships and what has worked well for those school divisions and university partners that have been doing this for a long time. Um and this proposal is that the board identifies three to five research priority areas
annually. It could be less starting out but that we have clear research priorities that are connected to what our strategic plan is and what goals the board has. Uh and then we can uh get a cross institutional team. we can really leverage um our research partners at the
university to start to investigate things that are important to our students, our community, um to you all to begin to be able to put the metrics in place to understand what's happening in our schools from the perspective of the people that are experiencing the decisions that we're making um as we're
making them. And part of that would be to be able to get the data back uh at a shorter time period so that we're not just waiting until the end of the school year to get SOS back that and then also leveraging qualitative data. One of the themes that I've heard is the importance of listening to the community. And I want to stress that qualitative research
is a fantastic way to do that. To do really rigorous interviews, focus groups is a great way to truly listen to what people have to say and make sure that that's incorporated into decision-m. Um that could be that could include u regular meetings with the board so that we can provide the findings and
recommendations based on the the rigorous research that's done. Uh and then the board can use that information to make uh those policy decisions. and then ask new questions based on the findings that are presented. Um so now I want to move towards the three reflection questions that we have maybe
10 minutes or so just to talk about. So um and feel free to move outside of these as you share with each other but how can we more strongly align our research evaluation priorities so that the findings are more responsive to the needs of the district. um and what structures can we put in place to amplify the voices of students,
families, teachers, counselors, administrators, and all other groups in our research projects. And what opportunities exist for a stronger cross institutional collaboration in our local region, including with UVA and our other partners like PBCC and even uh city
Charlottesville city public schools. Um, so I'll open it up now for you all just to share with each other what you heard and what you learned um, from this and any ideas about the next steps to deepen our uh, inst cross institutional partnerships. >> Um, one thing that did not it didn't come up today but um, when the equity
center put out I don't know three years ago I think the um, equity report for the region um, it noted that Charlesville and Alamar have basically the same data. Um, so I'm very interested in cross institutional collaboration with them. Um, and
understanding what they're trying to do, what we're trying to do, what works for them, might it work for us, vice versa. >> I I agree, Judy. I mean, I think there's been this divide and like before all of us were here. Um, and I think the more
like we can find Alice and I were actually talking like is is one of the students or one multiple students who earlier who during public comment who talked about recycling programs like what are these small things we can do together and so is this a place where like maybe our questions don't all align
but two of them align and we can learn from each other and what their data says and our says and are there places that we can we can work together. though because I would really like as well as Louisa Green other places that you begin to partner with like how do we really learn from others in the regions of what
they're doing. One of the things we heard from the students is the importance of having the opportunity to gather honest feedback and they there was a hesitation
from them. you you heard them say, you know, when we are interviewed or surveys from adults are essentially meaningless. Uh this is their their words, not mine. Um and so we've got to design a better
mousetrap, a better system to pull from from students. And I I suspect that the same may be true of other other groups of people that we've got to do a better job of in just instead of sending
out a survey because we all get tired of surveys um how can we elicit uh greater honest uh feedback? I don't know the answer to it, but I think >> I thought it was interesting one student said
you're hearing us but you're not listening to us. And I thought that that was a really important distinction. Um, how do we how do we up that? How do we not just take the information, but actually absorb it, listen to what the community is saying, and then how do we
I think Rusty, you touched on this, not just take it, but then how do we put it back out there that we've heard, that we have listened and and these are the actions that we're taking and it's because of what we listen to um in a survey or in a small group or whatever.
So it's not just the receiving of the information, but how we're putting it back out into the community as well, I think has a really big impact on the bigger picture. The other thing I think about is kind of to this first part about aligning the
research and evaluation, you know, prior priorities like you in the small groups, we talked a lot about it's both like what are the questions of the system, what are like pushing them like pulling them through the community as well as what is the expertise that's out there. And so I kind of hear you say like
there's almost this like three to five priorities, but it might be that the like we have three to five priority or questions. Some of those you could say we could answer right we could answer within six months. others of those like
so that we can begin to almost take this list and prioritize based upon funding based upon um and as well as something of like when we could actually act on it because sometimes you do research but like we actually then can't make changes in budget or a certain school structure
for two years and so that's when like students and teachers and others don't see that change. So, it's not just the questions, but I'm a timeline person. So, think about the timeline when it makes the most sense based on a decision that could be made, a funding that could do, a policy that could be changed. Um,
so is as we think about it, that's a part that I would love for us to be a part of that be a piece of it as then as well as, you know, here are the questions, here's the matrix of who are the people that should be included as part of that conversation. Um because I
think also making sure like you the community says we says like making sure every piece of it was like in a 360 review of like where do all those voices need to come from. >> I I just want to say I think that's an excellent point Dr. Willin because um often there are certain decisions that
are timelinebased that the board has to make and thinking ahead of when those decisions are happening and how research can play into that process makes a lot of sense. leveraging the the existing timeline instead is trying to start something new. >> All right. Well, thank you all so much
for participating in these conversations and continuing this work of developing our research practice partnership with the University of Virginia and our institutional partners across the region. So, >> thank you and thank you to the students for coming tonight staying late. >> Yes. A huge thank you from all the
students from Montichello and AHS and all the um uh people from UVA. Um we so appreciate um and look forward to partnering with you even more. >> You guys are great. Thank you. >> Any other business by school board members or the superintendent or cabinet
members? >> Seeing no other business, we and hearing no objections, I call the Alber County School Board meeting adjourned. Thank you so much and enjoy your last day of school.