school board, be moved as an action item and not on the consent agenda. Okay, thank you very much. Um, So um clerk would you mind please moving um policy 8230 from the consent. To um, 12.01 on action item, and then move everything down. Let's see. It's um. It would be 8230 would be um, 2.12. Yes, ma'am. Thank you.
And I am actually going to need someone to read a proclamation for me. Um, So before uh, Dr. Rasheed would or actually Do you want to read a proclamation today? I would. Okay. Yeah. Its first Duffy. Is that Proclamation first roughy? Okay. All right, hold on. Just 1. Second Okay. Okay, so before we vote on the proc, on the consent
agenda, we have 4 proclamations to read and our first Proclamation recognized, Izes 2025 as National Social Work month in the Loudoun County school public schools and will be read by Dr. Rasheed. Pleasure. Thank you, chair. Whereas social workers are at the Forefront of pressing issues. Our nation is addressing including increased needs, for mental health care, especially for children and Adolescence substance use disorder, treatment and increased economic, and political division. And whereas School social
workers are employed in schools to enhance the academic Mission by providing services to address, barriers to learning and help students reach their full potential. And whereas School, social workers are actively committed to helping students, explore individual and Collective abilities, strengths interests, and talents, and utilizing research-based interventions and promoting education equity. And, whereas School social workers, help parents focus on ways to further the educational personal and
social growth of their children by strengthening the link between school family and the community and whereas School social workers, bring unique Professional Knowledge, and mental health perspective to school personnel and families to Aid in. Identifying students experiencing academic challenges, due to social, emotional and or behavioral difficulties. And whereas School social workers contribute to prevention and intervention services by providing comprehensive assessments and screenings program, development individual,
and small group counseling services, as well as Crisis Intervention consultation collaboration and restorative practices to reduce barriers to learning for students. And whereas School social workers should be recognized for the right role. They play as catalysts in helping to create an environment that is conducive to effective problem solving and learning for the whole child. Now, therefore be it resolved that Loudoun County School Board. Formally recognizes March 2025 as National Social Work month.
Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Rasheed, our second Proclamation recognizes March, 3rd 2025 as social emotional learning day in Loudoun County Public Schools and we'll be read by Miss Chandler. Thank you madam chair. Whereas social emotional learning is the process through, which all young people and adults acquire, and apply the knowledge skills and attitudes to develop healthy identities. Manage emotions, and Achieve Personal and Collective goals, feel and show empathy for Others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and
make responsible, and caring decisions. And whereas, social emotional, learning competencies developed throughout our lives and our essential to success in our schools, workplaces homes, and communities, and allow individuals to contribute meaningfully to society. And whereas, social emotional learning can be taught and developed throughout childhood, adolescence and Beyond and whereas schools families and the wider Community must be engaged to enhance the strength depth and pace of acquisition of social
emotional learning competencies. And whereas supporting social, emotional learning is a wise use of public resources because there can be a long-term social and economic benefits to society from the implementation of evidence-based, social emotional learning, and whereas, the Loudoun County Public Schools continues to support students in their acquisition of the core social emotional learning competencies of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible, decision decision
making. And whereas Lcps continues to support students in their acquisition of foundational knowledge to support the profile of a graduate graduate, and career and work. Pa place Readiness skills. And whereas lcps continues to support students with community building and connections across the school environment to support student learning and whereas l, CPS support students learning environments, that Foster welcoming affirming, and inclusive opportunities, to promote, Equitable opportunities, for academic and social
success in school and in life. Now, therefore be it that the Loudoun County School Board proclaims March 3rd March 3rd 2025 as social emotional learning day in Loudoun Public Schools and encourages all community members to learn about and share their knowledge of the importance and impact of integrating evidence-based, social emotional, learning into our schools, or organizations and community. Thank you, Miss Chandler. Um, and our third Proclamation formally recognizes February 2025 as teen, Dating Violence,
prevention and awareness month. In Loudoun, County Public Schools and will be read by Dr. Dean Teen Dating Violence, prevention. And awareness month, February 2025, whereas the Centers for Disease controls youth risk behavior, survey in 2021 indicated that Among Us high school students, who reported dating during the 12 months before the survey about 1 in 1200 and 1 in 10 experience sexual Dating Violence and
whereas intimate partner violence, often begins in adolescence With 25% of male and female survivors. Identifying, that first experiences of intimate partner, violence as occurring during teen relationships. And whereas working with youth to help them build social emotional skills, such as empathy, respect, healthy communication and conflict
resolution skills, promotes the development and expectation of mutually respectful caring and nonviolent relationships And whereas engaging teens and adults to promote social norms that support, healthy relationships has great potential to transform our communities. So that team Dating Violence is not acceptable and everyone has access to the
tools to intervene. When they witness teen date and violence and whereas we must work together to create a world where every team can live free of dating and sexual violence in their homes schools, colleges universities and communities. And whereas Lan County public schools, collaborates with laws domestic violence and sexual assault.
Services to provide prevention and Outreach. Programming to bring awareness to teen dating violence and educate on the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships to youth. Now therefore be it resolved that the Lan County School Board, formally recognizes February 2025 as teen Dating Violence Awareness Month in Lawton, County Public Schools.
Thank you, Dr. Deans no sorry, no coming. Um, our final Proclamation recognizes March 2025 as arts in our schools month and will be read by Miss chernoff. Miss chernoff. Thank you. Madam chair arts in our schools month, March 2025 whereas music in our schools month youth art month and theater. In our schools month are integral opportunities for our community, to celebrate the importance of Fine Arts in our schools and whereas the purpose of this celebration is to raise awareness of the
lasting positive impact of Fine. Arts education on the academic personal and professional growth of our students and whereas Fine Arts education shapes the way our students understand themselves and the world around them, contributing to deeper learning opportunities for all students and whereas Fine Arts education, develops students AS Global Citizens, valuing diverse perspectives and beliefs and whereas Fine, Arts, education, develops, students, creative thinking expressive communication, collaborative spirit and critical
thinking as part of the profile of a graduate and whereas Fine Arts education, acknowledges the Arts, as a powerful tool to unlock the potential of the whole child and whereas Fine Arts education, empowers students to transfer skills across multiple content areas and whereas Fine Arts education significantly, enhances the morale and quality of the school culture. And whereas our Fine Arts Educators, continue to demonstrate dedication to their students, creativity and resilience providing quality and meaningful,
Fine Arts education. Now therefore be it resolved that the Loudoun County School Board, proclaims March 2025 as arts in our schools month in Loudoun County, Virginia. Thank you. Miss shernoff I will now. Entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda. Yes, Miss LaBelle. So moved. I have a motion to uh approve the consent agenda. Do I have a second Second, I have a second by Dr. Deans um it's been properly moved and seconded to approve the consent agenda at this
time. We'll take an a vote to approve it. Uh clerk please. Open the vote. Board members, please record your vote. Clerk, please close and display the vote. At a m motion passes 6 with, uh, to zero with uh, Mrs. Griffith and abstention in abstaining and, uh, Vice chair. Donna Hugh and Mr. Strefy absent, for the vote. Okay, and we will move on to the um advisory committee update um 3.01.
Loud and Education Foundation. Add advisory committee. Annual update presented by Danielle Nadler. Uh, Lan Education Foundation, executive director. And we've provided a maze for her to get through. Things have changed in the last 5 years since I used to come. Um, thank you for the introduction. Chair Mansfield. Thank you so much for having me school board members. Danielle Nadler um, executive director of the loud and Education Foundation. Thank you, Sherry on the slides. Um,
it was a school board who started Leaf a little over 35 years ago and, um, since then, in a lot of ways, LEF is similar to other education foundations. We provide classroom grants, we provide scholarships, but there's a, a secret sauce here in Loudoun that has school districts. Twice our size calling me saying, how are you all able to make such an impact and it really is. Um, it's because of you, all the key is
collaboration with school system leadership. So I wanted to share a little bit about that today. Um, the school, the collaboration starts at our board level. We have our own small small staff um that are not LPS employees but employees of the of the foundation and then we have our own board as well. That's large um a large Board of Trustees and that collaboration begins with um School Board member and Donna Hugh and Dr. Spence our voting members of our board, um, and they serve alongside community volunteers
and Business Leaders on that Board of Trustees, and then that collaboration plays out dating. today in our operations Neil Sven is LF liaison and our neighbor up on the fifth floor and we have both himself and his team Department leads throughout the school system, we have ongoing dialogue about needs of students, um, and opportunities to serve, the LSPs staff as well. Next slide, please. So that I wanted to to sit on this slide for a minute even
though it's a lot of words. But that uh that unique collaboration, the relationship that open dialogue. That that frankly I'm finding out is is really rare among education foundations. In school system, leadership that allows us really positions us to open up public private Partnerships, that otherwise would be would not be Um, so I wanted to share a few of our kind of top Partners. Um, AKA funders, um is Howard, Hughes Medical Institute, Institute, Jack King Cooke Foundation. Um, Cloud more
charitable Foundation. Everyone from Google Amazon. There's, we really just have these incredible Partners in our backyard who want to invest in the public schools but also meet needs and launch Innovative programming. Next slide, please. So we raised that says 2.1, but that's for a part of our part of our budget. We raised about 3.4 million a year um to and it really is focused in 4 areas. Uh, curriculum enrichment. Scholarships first, I want to talk about those
2 because these 2 slides aligned with it. Um, the these are pictures that you might recognize of propellant. Level up that's under our curriculum enrichment. Um, What is the other 1? Oh K12. Computer. Science pipeline. Next slide please. We'll go through these pretty quickly. and then um several of the summer camps that we fund also aligned with that curriculum enrichment piece and I'm sure you are familiar with beam summer math, Discovery program. And then, this last year, we were able to fully fund a
brand new dual language immersion summer camp to ensure that those students who were brand new in that Elementary didn't lose. Um some of their progress over the summer. Um, and then uh, also a health and medical science camp, so just to show a few visuals of those Partnerships in action. Next, slide, please, And then the the, the third area of focus for LF is really student health and well-being. Um, our fueled program formerly known as backpack Coalition, we provide 2,000, I
2,000. Uh, we provide for 2,000 students each week through meal bags and in-school pantries. Uh, and just a quick shout out to another partner, uh, Amazon delivers every week for us meal bags, to 40 to more than 40 schools. And that's an example of us calling a partner saying, hey, we have a need and then saying, well we're kind of good at the logistics thing so why don't we take care of that. Um so so that's just and they they really they don't ask for a thank you. They don't ask for it but just an incredible. Um, just getting good stuff done for students, which is
awesome next slide, please. And then our fourth um area of focus. And our fundraising is um Teacher or educator, uh, encouragement and support. And many ways that we, we've grown that a lot the shine program you've probably heard about, um, our Innovation education grants which are open now. Um, April 5th is the deadline. Um, continuing education, scholarships also open now. Um then our outstanding Educators banquet in May which which honors and celebrates, any Educators nominated for teachers
of the year or principal of the year. Next slide, please. So, this 1 might be take-home home homework because it's a lot of words, but I wanted to provide some sort of visual to kind of share how the life cycle of some of these Grant finded programs work. Um, As I said before, the needs assessments and opportunities, we're talking with education leaders, all the time everywhere everywhere from getting classroom grants to help. See what where there might be needs or opportunities to investment all the way to, um, sharing with Dr. Spence,
hey Vision, coming down the road. Um, where are some either grant opportunities that we can go after or just um, Partnerships that we can bring on board? And then from there yes we invite Partners we pursue private Grant dollars and then a few years after the program has launched launched, then we're working with school system leadership to measure impact and say how is this program going? Um, are the Educators seeing seeing results seeing student progress and for those successful programs, Which thankfully has been most of them then then we
gradually recommend Public Funding and, um, all of the, the programs kind of graduate to that Public Funding at different timelines. But 1, quick example, I wanted to share that that happened. Faster than I thought it would the health health and medical science academy. That you all opened this year that started, you may know as conversations over 3 years ago um where I was working with with the, the leads of student or sorry of the teaching and learning department and they were sharing. How can we take
the increased student interest in Health Sciences and align that to the clear? Workforce need. Um, so elef started hosting Roundtable sessions and inviting health and medical industry leaders to quite, literally the table with Educators to help shape the vision for those future academies and help inform the curriculum. Um, and there were things like Post-it boards on the on the wall where the Anova CEO said, oh, actually, we don't need that credential Anymore. We need this 1 so it was real life. Um impacts to
what those academies might look like. Then from there we've got our partners at the table and then our director of development. I go out and look for grant funding and um and donations to help sustain the or to really help launch this Academy years earlier than would otherwise be possible. And now you all have seen in your budget that that has now. Thank you is graduating over to Public Funding. Next slide, please. And I won't read this as well. But here are where some of our other programs are in that life cycle. Um, Bloom the
the building learning opportunities and options. In medical Sciences is 1 of the newer ones Propel and level up has been granted for a long time, but is still it's we're gradually gradually. Um, moving that over to to public funds. So, thank you for that. Hamsai Academy Beam summer math program. Um, so just to share, kind of trying to put together a visual of how some of those life cycles work. Slide, please. And that's my last slide. So I just wanted to thank you for the chance to just say, thank you for encouraging
Partnerships. I think with Dr. Spence and the school board have made it. Clear. That Partnerships are important and I've seen and I hope you all agree day to day that when the community feels invested in the local public schools, the students win the staff wins, um the local economy wins and I think the Latin County as a whole wins. So thanks for helping us build those bridges. Yeah, thank you so much, uh, board members. Do you have any questions? Yes, Vice chair. Donahue Thank you, madam chair.
I was about to say I don't actually have a question. I just wanted to say thank you but I do have a question. Um hi Miss Nadler. Thank you for your presentation um and I see Miss Murphy's in the back. Thank you for being here. Thank you for everything that LEF does. Um, I'm uh, I was wondering if you could tell us about the recent fundraiser at oldox rocks for teachers. Oh yeah, definitely. Um, part of our strategic plan is to increase our the money that we raise for classroom grants, AKA Innovation and education grants. And we are now
on track to raise $90,000 and to give out 90,000 to, to staff, based Educators. Um, and a big win for that was our old axe rocks, um, all day, music festival down the road, uh, and it was a blast, you raised 18,000 dollars, um, 1 of the team. We had a competition who I know? Yeah, I know, Lawrence, we had a competition among like, um, local celebrities of, who could raise the most funds from their family, and friends and Bob marples Principal Bob Marple
and teacher, Sean alleven went to task and Shauna 1 and raised nearly $2,000 and then got the mic to sing. I Love Rock and Roll with the band, so it was a lot of fun. Good way to bring SPS staff out. It was free with an LPS badge, um, and now we have more money to give away to teachers, which is great. Thanks for asking. And thank you for coming to all that tracks. I was there. It was a great event. Uh and if I remember right, I think it it was the second year of for that event. And how did the, how did your proceeds, compare this second year from the
previous? Oh, good question. Uh, it's much better this year. I think it was 7. Last year was 7,000 and this year is 18,000. So it's pretty well, which is fantastic. Yeah, and part of that idea, is our biggest fundraiser, is the LF Golf Classic in September and October and that that's not everyone's way to give back. So it was fun to do a music festival, where it's 5 bucks at the door and then um, everyone can enjoy. So I thought it was a great event. I'm looking forward to going again next year. And I just wanted to again, say, thank you for everything that you do to support our
community. Definitely, thank you. Madam chair. thank you board members any other Thank you for all your work. Thank you so much. All right, and, uh, moving on. We'll move on to item 4. A work session Department of teaching and learning curriculum audit update presented by. Uh, Mr. Neil Sven assistant superintendent for teaching and learning. and I think he has a whole lot more other people coming. See Mr. Rsleigh and I guess Miss Kim. Right. Thank you, chair. Mansfield board members. And Dr. Spence.
Um, I'd like to just take a quick minute to let my team introduce themselves before we get started. Good afternoon, Jeff rally director of teaching and learning K12. Good afternoon. My name is Amanda Kim supervisor of the office of instructional design and innovation. So this afternoon we are presenting on the findings of our recent curriculum audit. We will be sharing key results. Recognizing our strengths in curriculum development and showcasing, the initial steps that the department of teaching and learning is taking to address the audits
recommendations to. And further support our teachers and students in the classrooms of Latin County Public Schools. In August of 2024 lcps, initiated a curriculum audit conducted by Insight, education group in collaboration with the staff of teaching and learning. While curriculum audits can address various areas. such as inclusivity and accessibility of instructional materials to narrow the scope of this project and meet our timelines. This audit focused on assessing teacher access to materials implementation of provided materials and
Alignment to our instructional framework. This audit builds upon previous work done with our elementary literacy. Curriculum expanding to a sample of curriculum materials across English Math Science, Social Science and Global Studies health and PE Fine Arts, moral languages across elementary middle and high school. In consultation with lcps staff Insight, education group developed these statements to define the purpose of our project. The audit aims to understand the current state of our
curriculum materials specifically with their alignment to Virginia SOS best practices in our instructional framework. we also examine the systems and structures that support curriculum development and implementation, including how our curriculum materials are developed and professional learning provided to teachers and administrators in the use and implementation of the resources provided. Finally, the audit provided a picture of the experience of various partner groups in lcps developed it developed. Curriculum materials. While it's important to communicate what our goals were in
this particular audit. It's also important to name and reiterate some exclusions, um, that while important were not the focus of this particular audit. For example, recently we have completed a review, our our literacy curriculum, um to ensure alignment for the science of reading. over the next school year partner in Partnerships with student services, we will be reviewing our instruction materials within our curriculum. To ensure they are accessible and we regularly review. Our curriculum for inclusive practices representation of our community and our
focus on student centered learning environments. Um, this curriculum audit was focused on the items that I had mentioned earlier. Ultimately the curriculum audit, we are presenting was to support um and identifying pain points or barriers that prevent teachers from fully utilizing division provided materials. Through focus groups, surveys and interviews, um, analyzing the gap between our current curriculum resources of what teachers need or want to effectively support their daily instruction and then deliver recommendations for next steps
for our content offices, to improve curriculum, material, development and implementation. This curriculum audit directly supports the goals of the 1 LC strategic plan. Um, empowering students, specifically it aligns with the action to enable core academic, Excellence by providing rigorous instruction for all of our students. We recognize that high quality aligned. Curriculum resources, our foundational to deliver rigorous instruction and ensure Equitable opportunities for every student. The curriculum audit was initially identified in the
superintendent's entry plan. Underscoring, its important to our work in Loudoun and the post entry plan ongoing work with our curriculum and resources is crucial in our development of the instructional framework. The instructional framework sets the vision for Effective teaching and learning, and the curriculum audit is a vital step and ensuring our resources are fully aligned to that vision. The curriculum is the foundation or the what that we teach our curriculum serves as the essential guide providing teachers and administrators with clear directions on what to teach it. Effectively communicates the standards of
learning covered within each unit ensuring alignment with state requirements. Furthermore, it offers a comprehensive overview of the materials resources and assessments that lcbs provides to support teachers in a learning goals in our classrooms. The instructional framework is how we teach. A critical connection exists between our curriculum resources and the instructional practices outlined in the instructional framework. The framework defines how we Aspire for teachers to deliver instruction and our curriculum must directly support those methods. For example, if the framework emphasizes providing
opportunities for students to develop knowledge, knowledge and understanding through varied Reading Writing listening and speaking activities, our curriculum curriculum should then include resources in learning experiences that enable those practices. And finally, the porch of a graduate is our why, why is this important that? Our curriculum and our instructional framework, align it serves as a shared vision for success of our students, both the instructional framework and our curriculum resources are designed to align with the portrait of a graduate. This means that the skills and competencies, we aim for
every lcps, graduate to develop such as critical thinking collaboration and communication are embedded through our instructional approach. Buying alignment through these 3 resources, we create a cohesive and effective educational experience for all of our lcps. Students at this point, I'm going to turn it over to Mr. Brownley to go into a little bit more detail on our audit. Thank you Mr. Sleven and um, on the next slide, we have kind of a high-level timeline that um, Amanda Kim. And I are going to walk you through, in terms of what has happened with the, with the curriculum audit thus far and
our initial steps uh moving forward. So first. Um, as Mr. Sleven referenced, we had a curriculum audit conducted by inside, education group from August through, October of 2024 they met with um teachers and focus groups, they delivered surveys to different teachers as well. They had interviews with our instructional staff in the department of teaching and learning and they also had the opportunity to examine a variety of different instructional materials. Each instructional, supervisor submitted a sampling of lessons across different grade levels, um, to provide their
teams at Insight education group with access and to look at the materials that we provide to teachers those included. Unit plans assessments, formative assessments, classwork, um a real sampling of what we provide to our teachers to be able to use in November. They delivered our audit Report, which was given to our curriculum instruction committee. We had a um, during 1 of our meetings, share the results of that audit along with the people, from inside, who conducted the audit who were there as well. And then we have since then started working through what some of our response to that audit has been. So 1 of the big
recommendations that I'll get to in a second is that we achieve some level of clarity, um, and a shared understanding of what we mean by curriculum, what we're doing with those documents will be expect teachers and administrators to do with that. So we've had a number of sessions with our department of teaching and learning staff. Half to go over that. They also talked about achieving some level of consistency. Our documents look a little bit different. We use some different terms. We want to kind of have some agreement around. What we're providing to teachers and how it looks and how we're presenting it. The platforms we're using to present it. And finally, um,
moving from February on, we're really kind of taking the next steps to take all of this learning that we've done and the thought that's happened and put that into action and to have some measurable, um uh, gains for teachers and to make sure that we are moving forward with the audit starting now and moving forward into next school year and this is probably a phase implementation over a number of years to achieve what we're trying to achieve. staff, both at the beginning, and the end of the process to kind of first gain, an understanding of how they feel about this and then to share recommendations with them. And then they developed a rapport, um, to share with us, which was, which was, uh, included in tonight's, um,
item on the board agenda. It's 200 light pages of reading. If you want to stop by and read that, but it includes and they are all of the rubrics and scoring and everything that happened as a result of that. Um on the next slide they did the Insight group did come up with a number of um, celebrations of the work and really recognizing the hard work that goes into this these documents and resources every time. So first, they did find a high level of alignment between our instructional framework. Um, key components of design, engage assess and
using their rubrics. Uh, almost all of our, uh, materials that we provided were highly aligned to the Virginia standards of learning. They also highlighted the number of engaging multi-day projects, uh, performance assessments that you'd be called in our curriculum documents that are really run through, all our different content areas, which speaks to a number of years of hard work around, um, enhancing Rigger around giving students to show their learning. And so there's lots of different ways that we showcase what students learn and I especially agree with this last 1, that the department of teaching and learning staff and our
content offices. Displayed throughout this transparency positivity and really a, a deep willingness to engage in this process and think about what more we can do to support our Educators and help them in the work that they do every day in their classrooms. And that's continued since then of, um, I think everyone in teaching and learning Amanda's team. Uh, our content supervisors, really working to be thoughtful about this. And think about what we can do to help our teachers, who are, who are doing this work, every day in schools. so these are our 5 recommendations that we've kind of held on to as a team that we are uh pursuing and trying to um
align all of our work to and they're kind of our own version of the 5 C's here. So the first 1 is Clarity around taking a, a clear definition of what curriculum means around, how we develop it. Uh around what we want people to do with it, consistency is establishing some division-wide consistency. Again cohering around a, a common template that we're using a common set of resources and language that we're using to getting some clear, definitions of the work curation is how we organize it and present it. So currently we have our um, curriculum in schooly and I'll
talk about that a little bit later with some limitations of that provides to us. But making sure that the way that we are presenting it to teachers, makes it easily accessible to them. Uh collaboration I think is a huge 1. So they highlighted in the audit report lots of examples of trying to help teachers and especially our teacher leaders have discussions across schools around how they're using curriculum. But I think it also highlights making sure that uh our staff and special education, our staff in English Learners, all of them have a role in the development of our curriculum and have um, the option and the ability to kind
of put in important pieces of that and talk about how we serve all students through the curriculum documents that we provide. And finally is communication. So this is really aimed at our school leaders and being clear with our school leaders around what we provide to teachers. Uh how they might leverage that in their own schools around, professional learning, that happens in their schools and how we can make sure that everyone is aware of the materials and the the high level of materials that we provide. What Insight told us multiple times was we have a wealth of resources here in lcps. Almost bordering on too many resources and that it,
it makes it difficult for teachers to know the direction that they should move in. So we should do a better job of communicating, um, what resources we provide and how they might be best used in our classrooms. So we have an opportunity here, we'd love to hear some feedback that you might have on those recommendations. Um around having clear definitions, consistency and what we provide, how we organize and present materials, how we provide people with opportunities, to collaborate and work together and then our communication out to our school leaders and our families. If any of these um stand out to
you as board members based on either which you've heard from teachers or your constituents and families, um, and then, maybe what you think would be, the, The Leverage point that we might want to really consider, um, as we move forward on this and really honing in on and trying to support and grow. Board members. Do you have any questions? Thank you for your presentation. This is an opportunity for for dialogue feedback. We still have a couple more slides but we as a work session we wanted to get a little bit of feedback on this particular question before we talk about next steps.
Okay, feedback. Anybody. Yes, Mrs. Griffith, thank you, madam chair. Um, data numbers. I'm looking for data in the um, only in the, um, in this presentation. Do you have it? What specifically would you like us to provide data on? I'm looking at Clarity consistency curation collaboration communication and how um, it helps our students. So do you have data um, on curriculums that you you know that you go
through and that sort of thing, just numbers? Not just a, a presentation with stuff. I can't. I'm having trouble following. Um, I believe it there could be summaries within the curriculum report itself that may be helpful. Um most of the feedback was anecdotal. Um for example we provide it hard copies and electronic copies of our existing curriculum documents and an outside Source, came in to give us a prospective based on the um rubric that was provided. Um, so we didn't do any surveys or
Did we do a survey? We did we did do surveys. Um, and that data is included in the report as well as all the rubrics and the scoring that happened as a result of this. So you'd be able to go in and see where we did have a high level of alignment to our standards, um, and where there might be room for enhanced growth. So there's in this report that's provided, um, you'll see many pages of scoring. They did it on a 321 scale or 1 through 5 scale. Each subject area was a little bit different depending on the rubric but it kind of points towards where we had some areas of strength and
some areas of of potential need for growth. The. Not this presentation, correct. Yeah, the report that's included along with this presentation in the um board item tonight. All right. Thank you. Miss Chandler. Thank you, madam chair. And thank you so much for the, um, presentation and Frank, I know, right? But for engaging in this conversation, with us, um, as a feedback point, I will say it really resonates with me what you just said about having so much information. But almost to the point where
it's overwhelming and and I think, based on some of the conversations I've had with teachers in my district, and, throughout the division, um, having an easier ways to access that information, um, in alignment with what they're supposed to do on a day-to-day basis would be really helpful. Um, so I'll just leave it at that. Dr. Denson the comments that, um, I have gotten feedback on was the consistency.
Across the county from 1 school to the other. And, um, um, whether or not that could be some basic resources that every teacher will pull versus Given all the resources and every teacher has choices. So, I think it's consistency is what I've heard from the teachers that I've spoken with. Yes, sure enough. You madam chair. And, um, this is a second time, we've gotten to do a deep dive because we did in cni. But um, 1
of the things. I, I agree with my colleagues. I mean, I think that's 1 thing. We, we have like, every resource here we really do, um, which is a positive, but also we hear a lot from teachers that there's just not enough time in the day. And so sometimes the pressure of having to use all that resource leads to inconsistencies because certain Fidelity pieces get dropped in different places based on the constraints of just the physical school day and I know we've we've talked about that before. 1 thing we talked about in our committee that I wanted to highlight and you might bring this up and I think you touched on it was this
desire for teachers to really? Um, and and you did say something about it to get in touch with each other across different clusters or even across their own cluster and just have some time and space, that's not directed with any sort of guidance. But just a place to come together and talk about their students talk about the curriculum to really just find a place to bounce ideas off 1, another what works. For you. What's a challenge? Um, and for me, I think if we could open up those spaces that are less structured for teachers, that could lead to some more consistency because
maybe they'll be able to encourage each other and we can listen to that and find some common ground there. Uh, so those kind of tie together for me, but I definitely think the curation of resources and really, what Each purpose is and also being willing which this was in the report too. Which Being willing to name when it's something is had its time and that it's time to roll away from that resource because sometimes I think we keep adding more resources to the plate and we don't roll them off. And so then it's, am I still doing that? Am I not? I don't get PD on that anymore.
I think that leaves a lot of confusion, so, um, I was happy to see, uh, teachers speaking freely in in the report about those kinds of things. And I think that those are things that we can lean into. So, I'm excited to see that work. Um, I'm the big broken record, um, but about so I see that you have like you know, curation and a physical and digital resources and 1 part that I want to make sure about is that the resources that are teachers are using are evidence-based right as well as accessible to our students.
And um there's going to be, you know, there's a new law in place for accessible materials that everything has to be accessible by April 2026. And, um, So I I'm wondering if that's any part of this conversation. I know you weren't really totally looking at content, but if we're talking about accessibility to teachers, have you thought about accessibility to, um, students? we are having, um, internal dialogue around the um, Pending requirement related to accessibility of
instructional materials. Um, it would, it would probably be a good conversation to have at a future committee meeting or possibly full board meeting um when we're ready to articulate. The steps we would be taking to move towards that plan. Um But the emphasis on accessibility is an important 1. Um we've we've had conversations before um in adopting textbook materials and while we've had um the accessibility review as part of the process we've made uh we've taken
steps to formalize that process to make sure it's in the regulation and in the standard procedures, for how we make, uh, selections for example, for text textbooks. Um, and so um that's that's how I would answer that particular question. And I believe um you had mentioned the review of best practices. Um this curriculum audit, um we're sharing audit, um, we're sharing today obviously some Topline recommendations, um, really what you're saying about evidence-based practices and best practices and what's
being recommended through the curriculum for the state is the work of those content. Offices every day. Um, you know, while we have a big lift when new standards are are published, for example, for redoing our curriculum, we consistently have curriculum teams that are revising. Taking a look at our approach. What do we recommending to teachers and that's not done in a vacuum. Um, we have expectations of um, having experts in the room, whether it's from our El team or our special ed
team on those curriculum teams to provide that that perspective. Um and so if there's a particular concern or a a highlight from our community, um that's something we're going to be responsive to. Like we we we try to be responsive for our community and feedback about where we're not hitting it appropriately. Yes, Mr. Gross, um, thank you so much for pointing out the uh surveys are paid. They start on page 24 of the 1966 page document. So I just want in case anybody missed it, I just wanted to
point that out. Um so thank you so much. I'm also wondering was this just for Gen Ed or was this for special ed as well. The curriculum the looking at all the resources for special education as well, because we have a plethora there. As well. So this was really um, rooted in our content offices. It not um our special education, specific courses were not but these would be materials. That would be shared with um our special education teachers who might be teaching a self-contained class or a in a a co-taught section. These
would be the resources. We provide to them. It would not include um, resources specifically to special education courses. Thanks. Anybody else? Okay. In this next section, we would like to offer some additional details and steps that we are taking to address the first 3 recommendations around Clarity consistency and curation. First clarity. We must locally Define what we mean by the term curriculum
and get clear on our expectations for curriculum development, revisions and implementation. Before making decisions about defining curriculum and our expectations. It was important for the Department of teaching and learning to engage in some, common professional learning from experts in the field. On November 6th Dr. Heidi Hayes, Jacobs author of many books including her most recent book titled streamlining. The curriculum, offered the department of teaching and learning a workshop on what is curriculum and guidance on
ways to think about modernizing and streamlining, the curriculum Dr. Jacobs presentation was also intentionally aligned to the lcps, instructional framework, key component design. Next Dr. Chris Garris author, and Professor from the College of William and Mary who specializes in assessment, came to lcps in January and offered a professional learning experience to the Department of teaching and learning. His workshop with the instructional framework, key component of assess.
During this Workshop Dr. Gary spoke to the importance of aligned Assessments in our curriculum, this continues to come up as an area that needs our attention as we streamline, our curriculum Next slide, please. The curriculum audit has shined light on the need for consistency and better curation of materials across all content areas. Content offices are currently talking or taking steps to address the following areas. First clear terminology the
curriculum audit revealed that there is some confusion regarding terms in our curriculum. Teachers and administrators are asking for a unified common language. Content offices are currently analyzing our existing terminology and making decisions about consistent terms for curricular components. Next, we know that curricular materials and resources need to be easy to use. And accessible for our teachers. When making decisions about how to improve the usability, we need to account for
the differences between Elementary and secondary education and provide, clear guidance, on pacing and timelines. A third area in which we need to focus. Some attention is assessment alignment. There is a need to improve assessment practices aiming for greater consistency, especially in high schools. This is raising the question for us of whether we should include common assessments or a shared pool of assessments. Next we know that streamlining and in some cases editing
our necessary it is recommended to implement any changes in phases. we're exploring the idea of beginning, a phased implementation with beginning, with Middle School, followed by Elementary and some targeted High School courses such as algebra, 1 and geometry. While potentially addressing AP and IB courses later. It's also worth noting that when creating a phased implementation plan, we need to take into account the
differences between K, through 3 and 4 to 5 grade levels for language arts. And finally, significant attention has recently been put into managing attention between consistency and flexibility. There is a need for consistent, formatting in language across our content areas in grade levels. And we need to balance that with the flexibility required to address subject, specific pacing assessments, and specialized courses, like music, AP and IB.
So given some of this information on Clarity, consistency and curation we'd appreciate to hear from you again. Um, and consider this For curriculum assessments, learning experience and resources. What areas? Require consistency, across our School Division and where might flexibility be important. Any comments board members to the question? Yes, Dr. Deans in response, I just think that um,
even though the teachers talk about consistency, I think that flexibility is um, of how it should be of high priority, because it depends on the student learning, um, what they do. Next, should be based on the assessment they gave. And how many students pass that assessment and I don't mean that unkindly, but um, you can't just keep going. if you have, Half of your students left behind. So I think that
flexibility we take a higher priority than consistency. See. I think it's more measured. I think that in the foundational instruction like K through 33, I think that you need more consistency to get that foundational instruction and understanding, and then once you get that, then you can be more flexible later. That's, that's my thought about You know, something like that. Um, because once if they missed that and we want to make sure that they don't miss that foundational instruction because
if they miss it, then they're going to be behind as well as trying to keep up at the same time. That's just some of my thoughts. Anybody else? Okay, Miss Sharon off? Yeah I mean I I think again and this isn't help super helpful. I don't think for you all. But I do think it's a mix of both. I mean we're kind of grappling grappling with this with the grading policy right now, you know thinking about how do we ensure that things are consistent. But also allow for Teacher autonomy and making sure that every student is seen and supported because every student is unique and every student is learning at a
different pace. And so if we can solve that puzzle, I mean that would be awesome but I do think it has to be an ongoing conversation. I agree with Miss Mansfield with chair Mansfield that there has to be some kind of marker that says, that's solid. Um, but I also think maybe those check points along the way to kind of tailor. The needs is where you can have more flexibility. And I'm thinking specifically in seventh grade with, um, The history. The US History, there's like a problem of practice or it's
an assessment but you can tell me what it's called. I forget what it's called, but it's a nice way but there's a lot of different medium, mediums and different ways for kids to approach that problem of practice and then they can show their learning. So that's a standardized assessment across seventh grade but then there's multiple ways for kids to access that. So, for me, I'm looking for more things like that, I think that allow for teachers to kind of turn the levers underneath, but still have that. Foundational piece of knowledge. Dr. Rasheed Thanks for the presentation. Just out of curiosity. I just
wanted to know how lcps utilizes and maybe you mentioned this, uh, utilizes instructional coaches to help, uh, you know, uh, guide or direct things, direct things like the like the C's you mentioned, um, across the division. I can start, and then I'll ask, um, Mr. Ramsey or Miss Kim to jump in, but, um, where I see the biggest impact of our instructional coaches is happening in our Collaborative Learning teams. Um, there are many tasks that are teachers perform during those, um, Collaborative Learning teams,
including, um, lesson design, um, developing assessments. Um, but then as Dr. Dean mentioned. They also spend time, um, They, they spend time on packing, what their assessments is telling them about their student experience and how they need to respond and what they need to do differently. Next time, they're in front of that particular student and what the instructional coach is able to do is to um first and foremost, facilitate that conversation. Um, but also um, They're providing division support without it being that
division support, like they're embedded, they're part of the school culture. They know the teachers they've been working with them on what they're trying to experience in their classroom. Um, and so the more alignment we have with those particular positions, more impactful, those teachers are going to be when they're in front of our students. Um, I don't know if you all would add anything, I think I would just second that those individuals are critical, um, in our schools and speaking as a former principal you rely on them, heavily to impact the instruction. I do think in area where we could probably grow to, though, is making sure that those instructional
coaches, know the resources that are included in the curriculum. It can point our teachers towards them and let them know what's helpful to just let them know that those supports exist. And I think that also goes along with our increasing work in, um, kind of in making sure they have a deep understanding of our instructional framework and that they're using that along with really aligned curriculum to help support teachers. So they're they're really critical people, and I think there's probably room for us to continue to bring curriculum into the professional learning that they're providing to schools. Yes, Dr. Deans. And when I was referencing flexibility,
I mean, if you have a group of kids, who didn't Master the subject could you not use and you know in different systems you use different words but that um morning Home Room time and you know you don't call it home room anymore. I know I'm dating myself. But uh could you that time and have um like um the Math teachers if they you you know, if you have 3 Math teachers then 1 can sort of be
of be available on Monday and Tuesday and the other 1, Wednesday and Thursday to bring those kids up to par of of that learning that they have missed, or that they did not just quite get. So, I, I, I look at using the time and also, um, Um, lunchtime. I mean, you know, I I just think all times of the day should be tapped to to, to bring a child who is not up to par.
And learning and I would I would agree with you and I think we have schools doing a phenomenal job with that. I had an opportunity to visit S elementary school last week and I was blown away talking to their reading Specialists and their if talking about the amount of nation they do to meet the needs that are put in front of them. Um and those schools need that support. Um and we need to articulate a model on a vision for what they might look like. Spotlighting the where their strengths and giving feedback where there's opportunities for growth. And an opportunity for for an example. My my child um,
doesn't go for the math help on the day that her teacher is available. She goes on the day. That a different teacher is available saying that she understands that teacher better than her own teacher. So I just think, you know, teachers can have kids to understand how to use their free time as well, not free time. But school time, during the school day, So we have 2 more quick slides if you like us, thank you. Yeah yeah. So 1 of the um, 1 of the items that's come out of a lot of
this work and discussion is thinking about how we are presenting this information to our teachers. Currently our curriculum is housed in schooly, uh, in different schooly groups and so there's an advantage there. 1 Advantage is that that's the tool that teachers use as their learning management system all the time. They're used to accessing and going there, but there are some limitations with that. So, if you think about, um, our elementary school teachers, really this discussion around consistency and flexibility a lot of this really hinges on our elementary school teachers who are accessing English Math Science Social Studies. They
have to access all the curriculum and so we wanted to be really easy and consistent for them especially because they're Crossing all the the subject areas in the course of a day. Currently our system requires them to belong to multiple schooly groups. Um, it doesn't really provide us with a lot of analytics, in terms of how much the curriculum is used, it doesn't allow an easy timely. Um, knowledge of what's been updated and what's been changed. And so there are some limitations in the way that we're currently presenting and using our curriculum. And a lot of the conversation has turned towards the possibility of implementing a specific
curriculum management system, which would give us some additional. Um, some additional benefits. As I mentioned, we'd be able to easily um, track and analyze what pieces of our curriculum Are being heavily used by teachers in which aren't for the purpose of trying to figure out what can we do to make this better and how can we support teachers better with this information? It would also allow us to make certain portions of the curriculum easily public and viewable to parents and families to know what is happening in our classrooms and and what is out there. Um,
for administrators who would provide them with some enhanced tools, uh, many these platforms provide sort of a map of the year that a curriculum map of the year and kind of show you in a line. Like where the teacher ought to be If you go into a classroom not, you know, by day. But a, a rough idea of what should be happening in that classroom when you walk into it, which I think would be a really positive benefit for, uh, principals and others who are conducting observations and walkthroughs and to schools. The, the downside to that is, there's a learning curve there. We would have to help our our creators of the
content, uh, learn how to use the system and navigate it. Well, there's a lot of work that would go into that. Streamlining, as we load, new information into the system and for teachers as well. Um, there are ways I think that we could make this work easily and in conjunction with schooly, but we want to be mindful of not providing an overwhelming amount of information for teachers or new systems that they have to use but being thoughtful around how we can do it in a way that's helpful and supportive of the work that's happening in our schools. This final slide is meant to articulate 3 questions that are currently driving some of our decisions and our actions
in response to this curriculum audit. First, the scope of our refinements, we must determine what is a realistic and achievable scope for this work. Second. how do we systematically and intentionally, connect, our curriculum, and the instructional framework, And then finally, uh, we see the need for some consistent, curricular templates. we must design templates with a core set of required components while also including an optional section that content areas can customize and meet their specific needs.
That we appreciate the opportunity to share some updates. Thank you very much board members. Any final thoughts? Share. Okay. No. It's a lot. It's a lot to digest. We, we appreciate the dialogue and feedback, so thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. okay, um, we have its 5:32 And I think we could go and do go ahead and do some um, information items. If that is okay with you call,
We could start with uh, information item. I think is what 13. Is it 1301? Let's see. Yes, 13. Uh, let's see. Finance and operations committee. And of course, he's not here right now. Um, actually. They're all yeah, finance and operations, committee revision of policy. 6340 disposal uh Surplus personal property. Um
Miss Willoughby, could you give us some information about that since, uh, Mr. Oh, or Mr. Lewis. Would you mind, please? Giving us information about that. The chair of epo is not here tonight. Certainly, thank you, chair Mansfield. So tonight we bring to you from the finance committee and the recommendations for edits to the policy on Surplus materials. And essentially, this is, um, you know, things that will be at the end of life, that we would be disposing of office furniture maintenance equipment, those types of
things tires, buses, All the Above. So this this policy sets the ground rules for how we dispose of those things, the policies up for its 5-year review. There's very minimal edits to that you can see those in red on the red line process, um, or in the red line. Um, Version of the of the policy we've just made. As I mentioned, a couple of minor edits and so, uh, we are happy to take any questions you may have. Board members. Are there any questions? No. Um, is there some appetite to put this on consent for
the next? Okay. Uh, Miss label. Okay, that Will Go On consent for our what 311 meeting I think. It's at 3:11. Okay. Uh, next 1 again, um, finance and operations committee, new policy, 6460 buildings and ground management and maintenance. Is that going to be you Mr? Lewis. Yes, thank you, chair Mansfield. So this is a brand new policy. Uh, it uh, really is not changing any of the
operational methods that we have in place today. Essentially a codifies what we're already doing and just directs the superintendent to have a process to to manage our facilities through the capital budgets. And, um, we did have a comment from 1 of our, when we sent it out from our cak friends, who recommended we add a reference to, uh, the Americans with Disabilities Act, which we have done. And so, um, I'm happy to take any other questions, you may have. Board members. Are there any questions? Seeing none. Okay. Um,
Would you guys be up for having this on consent for the March 11th? Yes, yes. Okay. It goes on consent for March 11th. Okay, we're going to skip that attendance Zone real quick. and for right now and then we're going to move on to finance and operations contract award. Um, ifb 24, 537 administration building, third floor renovation, Mr. Lewis, do you have anything that you could add to that? To present.
Only that this is a a part of our, our project from the FY 255 CIP. We have this running item in each of your CIP for support, service spaces and that includes spaces anywhere from this building to the transportation, facility Central Distribution Center, the Western service center, the Western Distribution Center. So any projects that we would do come under this project And we have put this out to to bid. And this is for the third floor Renovations, um, mostly involving the department of, uh, HRT and business, and finance. And, uh,
these are spaces that were built in 2005 when the building opened and really haven't been renovated since then. So, they're in much need of some reconfiguration to accommodate staff. uh, we're also accommodating the um, uh Division Council Office in this renovation, so we're making room. And so that's 1 of the examples Where We Takin a floor that has 2 departments in it. And now adding us a third Department to try to better manage our space. And so that's the intent of the project. And, um, we are, uh, recommended to move forward with the the, uh, the, uh,
Award of contract for the ifb. As you see there are 2, um, cgcs seagull Construction, Okay. Um, Is there any yes? Mrs. Griffith Thank you, madam chair. Um, this came through our fno meeting, um, and I did not see the need to put 1.2 million towards third floor renovation. I was actually up there today and without even voting on it, I see Furniture missing.
Um, so what I had asked was that we moved money. We table it for now, or we move money to Renovations that are, are much more needed. Um, I know this is, uh, cap. Um, and I had mentioned items that would be part of the CIP, uh, program. But um, I'm very interested in moving money around to, for renovations of our schools, that's 1.2 million on the administration building that. I don't believe we need.
Um, I would like the public to know that we spent 16,000 on. Renovated. Schoolboard Suites. That wasn't necessary. 500,000 for the second floor of the admin building. Um, I'm here all the time and I, I, I don't understand that. Um, carpet carpeting was done painting. Um, I'm guessing you will say the maintenance was planned before I was on the board and I think that's what you have said. So I did not um um I'm not okay with this. Um this was the board
previous uh, not this current board. Um, we are are all here to approve it today. Um or actually it's an info item, item. It moved to info. Um, we're not here to approve it, but I wanted to discuss it because the Optics, um, are not good on this. Um, when we have, uh, schools that need to be renovated. I mentioned there was a wait room at Broad Run that needed to be fixed. It's the Optics. Just do not look good that. Um, we are renovating the third floor this admin
building. So um, I want to have further discussion about that or move it to areas that, uh, need this money. And I have been over to the transportation building and, um, I believe, uh, Mr. Lewis. You said that, um, this money could go to the transportation building. I was over there and I could see Renovations there more so here. So could you discuss that um, and let me know or let us know rather when you plan on doing renovations there? Um, I think they would be much
more More needed than here on the third floor. Thank you. Board members are saying any other discussion. Mr. Lewis, did you want to? Respond to that. Just only that we have done a number of Renovations in the transportation building over the years in this same area. Uh, we do have things that are, uh, planned for all of our buildings over time with the, the end of the, the life with different sites, uh, systems and equipment, and those types of things and all those buildings that I mentioned, Mr. Louis board members, do you have any other discussion?
Yes, Mrs Griffith, thank you, madam chair. Um, at this time I just don't think the 1.2 million should be going to the third floor of this building. There are many other areas that money could be moved to. Um, and I just wanted to bring it to everybody's attention again, just repeating. This was done through the previous board. Um, so that's that's it. Thank you. Thank you, Mrs. Griffith, I'm assuming this will not go on consent for next. For next time, yes.
I don't think it's going to go on consent. We have to have unanimous. Um yeah, that's not unanimous. Okay. Um, I think we could go ahead and, uh, Rather than get get into the, uh, School attendance zone change at this point, I think we should wait. And at this point, um, we will go ahead and go to dinner and then we will be back at 6:30. The board is now in recess. Yes. All right, the board is coming out of recess at this time.
Oh no. It's a lie. You want me to do it? Yep, it's all good. Oh my God, it's all good. Holy cow. Yay. Um, Okay. So Um the board's coming out, a recess to this time and I want to take a little point of privilege um because we got something super special in the back earlier and I wanted to um so this this month I guess is National School Board appreciation month and um
I want to say that we got these pottery bowls made by uh, Miss Demar students at Harmony Middle School and then they also gave researched each of us and gave us little um, personalized piece of art. And so like Bowls. And then like I was a girl scout leader. So like it was just really special and I just Thank them very much. It it touched each of our hearts. And it was Margaret star's broadrun high school. Students
who researched us and made the personal piece of art. So, okay, Thank you. All right. Um, we were now continue with the Pledge of Allegiance and the national anthem Um, Stephanie Swift will perform the national anthem. I think. Yes, um, Miss Swift attended, Loudoun County, High School and studied music at Christopher Newport University. After graduating college, she worked with Walt Disney World with Festival Disney and Disney Performing Arts. She's in her second year of teaching music at Dominion. Trail
Elementary School. She is an example of how the of the impact of music education can have on the trajectory of students lives. And um, if you can all um go ahead and rise for the Pledge of Allegiance and national anthem. Pledge allegiance. States of America and to the Republic for which it stands 1 1 nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty, and justice for all. Oh, say can you see?
By the dawn's early light. What so proudly we held. twilight's last gleaming. Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight or the ramparts we watched were so gallantly.
streaming and the rockets red glare. The bombs bursting in. Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that Star Spangled Banner yet way?
For the land of the free. And the home. of the Brave. All right, we'll go ahead. Thank you very much. We'll go ahead and um, Go to item 9 student staff recognitions. and uh community and I'm sorry I had to put my glasses on Communications and Community engagement office. 2024
Virginia school boards, Association business honorable nominees presented by Miss Stacy metcalfei chair, School Business Partnership, executive Council or is Miss Dawson going to introduce, okay? Miss Dawson will be introducing Good evening, Dr. Spence chair, Mansfield members of the board and loud and families and Community. I'm Renee Dawson director of family and Community engagement and I am incredibly excited to introduce Stacy metcalfei. The chair
of the school Business Partnership, executive Council to give you some information about RV, SBA award, recipients, Good evening, Dr. Spence chair, Mansfield school board members and the lden community. My name is Stacy metcalfei and I am the executive director and CEO of the West Moreland. Davis Memorial Foundation which owns and operates more than Park but my deep commitment to lcps, brings me to um tell everybody that I am humbled and proud to be the chair of the lcps,
school Business Partnership, executive committee. Next slide, please. Oh, you got it. Never mind, stay there, the lcps, school Business, Partnership. Executive committee was established by the school board action in 1990. So for over 20 years, its primary Mission has been to strengthen connections between business Industries and the School Division, while recognizing business partners who dedicate who are dedicated to shaping loudens future through
students and providing students with real world experiences. The sorry through. Sorry my glasses are kind of wonky right here. Okay, through such initiatives such as job for a day which provides students with real world and career experiences and the school Business Partnership Awards breakfast which is coming up in 3 weeks. Which celebrates outstanding business contributions to our schools. The executive Council Fosters meaningful engagement between education and Industry. Since the launch
of the Virginia school boards, Association bsba business, honor role. The executive Council has proudly nominated businesses that go above and beyond to support the division's mission, earning them Statewide recognition, as valued education partners. The Virginia School Board. Association business. Honor role helps division, say thank you to businesses for their vital contributions. The bsba business honor role. It is a way for local school
divisions to recognize local businesses for their support especially as schools faced increasing budget uncertainty. Businesses, large and small corporate-owned and family-run. Play a key role in supporting our communities and local schools. They contribute to our school divisions in many ways, including helping schools with in-kind financial contributions donating to scholarship, programs supporting extracurricular activities offering internship opportunities volunteering in schools and sponsoring field
trips. This type of support, I know you will all agree with me is invaluable. the school Business Partnership, executive Council, nomination, committee reviewed submissions earlier this year from schools and selected these 3 businesses and Community Partners to be the 2024 2025 school year nominees This evening, I'll be sharing the nominees with their corresponding educational partners. And then, at the end of the presentation, we'll present each with a plaque and a
chance to have a picture up here at the Das with everyone, Dr. Spence, um, chair Mansfield and the school board. So this is the best part I get to share. I get to talk about the 3 gnomes. The first 1 is Ridgetop copy and T for the past 7 years. Rich, top coffee and tea has been committed has been committed, partner to Dominion High School providing students with special abilities, meaningful work experience through this partnership 14.
Students have gained employability skills. by volunteering at Ridgetop with 4, erne part-time positions more than just a workplace Ridgetop, for Fosters, a welcoming and inclusive environment, where students build valued, and supported Their dedication extends Beyond job training as demonstrated by a manager who helped a student access necessary, dental care then covering the cost when their single mother when single mother when his single mother was unable to do so and a co-worker who stepped up to provide transportation,
ensuring that a student could continue working without barriers, for 1 student, the opportunity to work at Ridgetop became a milestone toward Independence, Growing up. He watched his older brother's play sports, attend prom, get jobs. Wanting to follow in their footsteps. When he was offered a role at Ridgetop, through Dominion High School, his ex his excitement was immeasurable. He took great pride in telling his brothers about his job and his family was deeply grateful for the opportunity.
His mother recalled a moment that perfectly captured the impact of Ridgetop. When heading to meet family at a cafe at the cafe, he ran upstairs and he put on his work shirt and proudly announced. Let's Go. Mom, I work here. Ridgetop is also participated in job for a day and other programs that support lcps Community. This deep commitment to Student, Success, inclusion and Community engagement. Exemplifies why Ridgetop coffee and tea is deserve, is a deserving candidate for the vsba. Business honor role at
this time, I'd like to have Ridgetop coffee and tea along with the Dominion High School nomination. Team come up for their photograph and to receive their award. So, we can go. if everybody can get close to where Dr, Brewer is having the everybody. Yeah, you want to speak that way. So we'll have you guys know. There we go. See everybody. All right, guys, look over here. Over here ready big smiles on the count of 3. You ready?
Save 1. All right, good job. Next slide, please. Our next nominee. The Oak Spring Garden Foundation has been an invaluable partner to Banneker Elementary School. Providing in-school workshops field trips to the farm and summer camp scholarships that enhance students learning experiences. In 2024 alone, 107 banaker students participated in osgf
programs. Engaging in curriculum based workshops and Hands-On field trips. Beyond student experiences osgf supports Educators by providing curriculum materials and structural support and assistance in maintaining the school's Gardens. Their impact extends, into the community Through after-school enrichment and Outreach programs, furthering their mission of Environmental Education This strong partnership was initiated by Neville. Bossy, a retired second grade teacher and has since been expanded to
multiple grades. And summer camps through summer camp sponsorships teachers at Banneker, including Laura alls and Christy Urban praise osgf for its engaging Hands-On science experiences, that align with Virginia's science standards of learning SOS and Foster meaningful connections between students and staff. Additionally, Chris Krista, Lynch highlights osgf role in Innovation, Innovative free educational programs and their
commitment to high quality learning facilities. osgf dedication to academic enrichment Community engagement, and Environmental Education makes them a deserving recipient of the Virginia school boards, Association business, honor role recognizing their outstanding contributions to student learning and educational Excellence. At this time. We'd like to have Oak Spring Garden Foundation. Along with Banneker Elementary School, Their nomination team come up for their photograph, for
their photograph and their award. All right. Have you ever registered here big smiles, 1 2 3. All right. Next slide please. Apple Federal Credit Union, afcu has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to supporting the Loudoun County Public Schools through financial services, educational Partnerships and community outreach. Making them a deserving recipient of the Virginia school boards, Association business, honor role afcu has played a critical role in assisting lcps,
Ambassador teachers, providing essential financial services, such as establishing bank accounts and personal loans to ease their transition. Their partnership with the Loden Education Foundation, has been instrumental in supporting initiatives, like fueled f, f food security program and the shine program which recognizes outstanding lcps staff members Afcu has also made substantial Financial contributions to lcps programs. Including a 300,000 dollar donation to The
Reach Foundation, which supports teacher mentoring and a 12,000 investment to establish the diversifying, the teacher Workforce scholarship. Beyond financial support, afcu employees have generously volunteered their time, assisting with elef programs by delivering food to in-school. Pantries and packing meal bags for students, in need through their dedication to financial education, Workforce Development and community service, afcu continues to be a vital partner in advancing
the success of lcps students and Educators, making them a well-deserving not Honore of this recognition. at this time we'd like to have Apple Federal Credit Union along with the loud and Education Foundation, nomination team, come up for their photograph with the board. As we bring this presentation to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect on the true power of partnership. The work of the lcps. School Business Partnership, executive council is not just about programs and
recognition. It's about a shared commitment and investing in the future of our students, our schools, and our community. To our 2024, 2025 bsba business, honorable nominee's Ridgetop, coffee and tea. Oak Spring Garden foundation and Apple Federal Credit Union. Your dedication to education is more than just support. It is a testament to what happens when businesses and schools come together for a common purpose.
You are not only shaping today's classrooms, but you're inspiring the leaders, the innovators, and the change makers of tomorrow. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to loud and students your belief in the power of education and for standing with us in this important work. Together, we are not just building Partnerships, but we are building a legacy of opportunity, excellence and Hope. Thank you all for your time this evening and this concludes
our presentation. Thank you very much. Um, and now we will continue with the school board student School Board, representative comment. Tonight, our student School Board representative is Ava Rotel. Ava is a senior at Riverside High School and the sca president, she loves running Varsity track during the winter and spring seasons and is captain of Team. Avis passionate about leading the Improv troop where she is
Captain. She loves serving her community and is the National Honor Society admin secretary. Outside of school, you can find Ava on runs in the neighborhood or serving from the Chick-fil-A drive-through window with a smile. Welcome, Miss Rotel. The floor is yours. Thank you and good evening everyone. As a senior, I can say it has been my pleasure serving the Riverside Community. It truly is an outstanding school to both teach and learn in this fall semester. At Riverside has been an especially rewarding 1 to note. Firstly, our student council was able
to organize and execute a dazzling, Mamma Mia themed homecoming, dance for students to enjoy abaton filled the air for weeks as decorations were constructed and hand painted along the Riverside. Calls by our Rams working hard overtime to bring to life an event which exceeded any of our previous Visions on the topic of Music. Our very own marching band had the opportunity to travel over 3,600 Mi overseas to march. In the London, New Year's Day parade and brought the house down with Bruno Mars, making Riverside very proud. Our very own band, director Mr. Smith was also nominated
for Teacher of the Year representing Riverside and we all wish him luck with his nomination. Our theater Department Department, brought magic to Riverside's theatrical stage as well. Our department applied and was chosen to be the first school in the state of Virginia, to put on JK, Rowling's Harry Potter and the cursed child. The fall play was a success featuring our talented thespian Rams, along with other successful Productions. This year, including beauty, and the beast, junior Brothers. Grimm Little Women, and in the spring foot loose, the musical. In regards to Athletics, our girls varsity volleyball, team
earned the title state champions along, with our cross country, individual state champion, Tommy Ray. Recently, our girls swim team, secured their place as District Champions along with boys varsity basketball. We could not be prouder of our Rams. Riverside is also home to 1 of the largest Deca chapters in the state of Virginia. And is currently preparing 131 members to travel and compete in their 2025 student leadership conference. We wish them luck academically. Our Rams, never cease to amaze us every year. Our students are celebrated with the ceremony and awarded, with an academic letter for earning,
a grade point, average of 4.3 or higher. Over 400 total students from all grades attended. This year's ceremony and approximately 60 of our current seniors were awarded academic letters for all 3 of their 4 full year so far at Riverside and this year Riverside also celebrates its 4 National Merit finalists. In regards to service, our National Honor Society chapter is currently organizing a beautification project to plant new trees and other Greenery to make Riverside's outdoor spaces as inviting as the indoor classrooms and enhance our campuses grounds, this event brings together, our students
to give back to the school and Community, which gives so much to us, informs of Education opportunities, and the connections. We form with friends, classmates and mentors. Every day, I can truly say that I will carry the Mantra of being a ran with me into my next steps of college and Beyond to always, respect Advocate motivate and serve others through positive actions. Thank you. Thank you so much Mr. Hotel for being here and for your comments. Um, we'll now move on to the superintendent's report presented by Dr. Aaron Spence. I'm sorry, thank you. Madam chair members of the school
board. It is my pleasure this evening to share good news from around our School Division and I'll begin with the following Courtney Jones. I think you are here. If you could, please stand up, Miss Jones has been selected as the next principal of Buffalo Trail Elementary School most recent. Yep. Congratulations. Most recently, Miss Jones was the dean and then the assistant principal of sickling Creek Elementary she had. She joined lcps in 2004 as a third and fourth grade teacher at Sugarland, Elementary and has served as a teacher at Buffalo Trail and Liberty elementary schools and we welcome
Miss Jones and congratulate her in this new role. Congratulations. Next, I'd like to ask Ashley Tyson to please stand up. Miss Tyson has been selected as the next principle of Goan. Post Elementary School. Most recently, Miss Tyson was the assistant principal of Greenwood Mill Elementary in Frederick County Virginia, then she saw the light and returned to Loudoun County. Having previously served as the dean of Discovery Elementary School here in lcps. She also began her career here with us in 2016. As a first grade teacher at Arcola
Elementary School and we congratulate you and welcome you to your new role. We'd like to remind the board in our community that the lcps, annual family survey launched yesterday, we encourage all parents and Guardians to take a few moments to share their feedback families listed in parent view received an email with survey links for each School, their children, attend and we want our community to know. Your input is truly invaluable. It does help our schools celebrate what's working. Well, but also identify areas for improvement to better support students and families to learn more, you can
visit the website shown on this slide and please complete the survey by Friday, March 21st, your voice matters and thank you again for helping us make lcps even better. Next I'd like to congratulate copy Persona. He is a senior at lightridge High School. In the Academy of Loudoun and has been selected as 1 of the nation's top, 300 teen, scientists by the society for science He and his family. Honor Reese were selected for their achievements in stem Innovation. All 300 honores were
selected from nearly 2 2500, entrance Scholars were chosen based on their outstanding research Community involvement and their exceptional promise as stem leaders. We congratulate Mr. Persona Next, we want to congratulate Loudoun County. High School students who raised them dollars for Special Olympics of Virginia, by participating in a Polar Plunge, part of the Polar Plunge experience was a costume contest, which the lchs team won their costume. Thing was where's Waldo at the
beach? suffice it to say these students were, very enthusiastic about their experience and also about raising money for a good cause We also want to recognize that 2 very important. Student conferences are taking place over the next few days. The wild student leadership conference and the peer conference, both of these conferences, bring together student leaders to help them cultivate their leadership skills, wild, which stands for. We're intentional about leadership, development is designed to help students develop those leadership skills, share ideas and Foster connections between student
leaders from different lcps schools. At this conference, which is actually being held tomorrow, more than 80 students will be presenting in over 30 breakout sessions, for their peers on a variety of topics, including redefining school spirit and boosting positivity through Unity. Approximately 325 students are anticipated to attend the event, which is supported by the office of Athletics and activities. The pure conference, which stands for positive experiences. And relationships is a specialized lcps. High school class, designed to develop students mentoring skills and help,
teach them how to assist their classmates, emotionally socially and academically at this year's peer conference, which will be held on March 5th. The students will focus on the topic of mentoring panels of students from all levels elementary middle and high school will share about their experiences with mentoring and approximately 330. Students are anticipated to attend this event supported by the office of student. Mental Health Services. And then finally lcps, recently hosted an appreciation event to thank the businesses and organizations that
participated in this year's job for a Day program, the generosity of these businesses and organizations and welcoming more than 600, High School juniors, and seniors into their workplaces provided invaluable real world career, exploration experiences. And I'd like to extend my appreciation to the school Business Partnership, executive Council, and the division of Career Technical and adult education, and the division of communications and Community engagement for their leadership and support in coordinating. This program. Everyone's commitment to creating impactful experiences for our students highlights.
The strength of Our Community Partnerships as we prepare the future Workforce of Loudoun County and we're grateful for their continued support and we look forward to another successful job for a day in the next school year, Madam chair that concludes my report. Thank you, Dr. Spence and that brings us to item 11, which is the public comment. Uh I'll be reading the procedures for public comment. Thank you for engaging with the school board through the public comment process, the school board, welcomes comments from Loudoun. County residents and believes that strong
Community engagement and outreach are important. Components of a successful school system. Speakers must limit comments to this time. Allotted based on the number of speakers and the agenda this evening all speakers have been allotted 2 minutes. Each for public comment, please be advised that speakers who missed their time slot will not be called at a later time. All audience members shall maintain civility, decorum, and respect for the functioning in the Dignity of the school board at all times. Please remain, seated and lessen arriving. Departing speaking at the podium or during a break.
Violations of Civility decor and respect include shouting heckling during Applause or other noise with disrupts or delays the meeting. Obstructing speakers from being able to see the school board and vice versa interrupting speakers, attempting to speak when not called to do. So by the chair and approaching a speaker, or otherwise attempting to intimidate, disparage or distract speaker staff, member or other meeting attendees. speakers should refrain from vulgarity obscenities defamation profanity or other like breaches of respect nor
May speakers Target criticize or attack individual students Andor individual division employees during public comment. As a reminder School Board policy, 2520 States speakers may not Target criticize or attack individual students during public comment. speakers should communicate those concerns to their school principal or an appropriate School official, the school board requests that comments on an individual student or employee related matter. Not be shared at public meetings, where the disclosure could violate applicable confidentiality requirements.
Speaker should face the deis and direct their comments to the school board per lcps policy. 2520 members of the school board will not answer questions or respond directly to the public during the public comment period. Violations of decorum or civility, by any meaning attendee may result in the chair, directing staff to remove the attendee from the remainder of the meeting. Repeated or persisted violations of Decor or civility by the audience audience, may result in, on the decision of the chair public comment being tabled until a later point
in the meeting's agenda, limiting the number of attendees and meeting room during public comment for safety reasons or the public comment period ending for the evening. Copies of materials for board members. Should be given to the public information officer in the media box at the, at the back of the boardroom. Before the start of the meeting, please provide 12 copies of the materials. Under no circumstances May a speaker approach. The deis, the public is reminded that access to school board. Meetings is available through lcps TV on Comcast channel, 18 and 1070
HD and Verizon FiOS channel 43. The live stream of the meeting may be viewed on the website, we look forward to hearing your comments and we'll start with our virtual comment. Our first 1 for the night is Chris Stevenson and second brenta Bankston. Good evening, chair. Mansfield school board, and Dr. Spence first, I want to thank each of you for your significance sacrifice of time and energy to serve the community at school board. As school board members.
Our country is currently in a state of chaos because the president lies unmittelbar. A convicted felon and sexual predator. And he treats people with whom he disagrees with contempt. While I do not want lcps to become political and I'm sure you do not as well. I think it is also very important that you issue a statement that helps Shore up the foundation of honesty in society. Teachers and staff must be protected when they State the truth about the 2020 election.
The president's, illegal behavior and convictions in a court of law. The January 6th Insurrection and the convictions of the writers in a court of law, which have now been pardoned by the president. It is critical for students to feel that there is a foundation of truthteller. Which is now being dismantled. I don't want lcps contributing to the normalization of unproven and harmful. Very much. Thank you, Brenda Bankston.
America's foremost Dei shareholder activist Warren that anti- diversity groups Force companies to underperform rights Lila mlen in fortune. Companies are actually holding strong with shareholders voting against anti-, Dei resolutions, because they're bad for business. Headlines. Suggest, 2 weeks to ban Dei is not that simple. Schools in at least 46 States faced loss of federal
funding. A dear colleague letter was described as overreaching skewed and ambiguous, we are not waste. researchers slam cuts that shut down studies on student learning in school data to quote, Rachel dinks, cutting the 1 independent agency. That helps improve student outcomes is ridiculous. Legal experts. Suggest, they're over reading a landmark
decision to Target Dei by canceling graduation ceremonies clubs and scholarships for marginalized groups. Sunny Hostin says it's not really about saving money. There's a nefarious reason they want a cheap Workforce because educated workers cost more that ties in with Chuck D's comment. Scrolling is not reading. social media poses truth and Trust Issues while project 2025 seeks to traumatize. I don't recall a time in my 31
years of teaching or in retirement where threats tip lines or discrimination worked out well. Support, deia and seal. Stay strong. Thank you. And we'll continue with uh, in-person speakers starting with Nikki Corson and followed by Joanna herlick. Um, hi. I'm Nikki Corson, um, an lcps teacher, mom, of 2, lcps grads. Um, I am sponsor of my school's Jewish student
union and uh, the founding member of Loudoun Jewish Educators, I'm here to speak about the um, shernoff hybrid plan that would remove the cultural holidays that have only recently been added to our school calendar. This move would be a step backwards for our district. Minority students in lcps, have reported feeling seen and celebrated, when the Muslim Hindu Asian and Jewish holidays were first, granted taking them away. Now, would be even more exclusionary than never having had them in the first
place. Replacing them with cultural, observance days is problematic in many ways, including varying degrees of enforcement at different School locations. Before we were given the holidays, my sons were among the few who did stand out of school on those days, allowing them to be part of our Jewish community. But many of their Jewish friends felt pressure to stay in class because they feared falling behind by missing instruction sports or other activities. Even if the teacher did abide by the no test role,
The plan also does not address the needs of teachers and staff. Who observe these holidays? Requiring them to take. Leave? I understand the difficulty in creating a calendar for such a large and complex school system and I also very much appreciate that lcps has stood strong against forces, that would eliminate Equity from our schools. In that vein, I ask that we continue to support and honor our diverse population by keeping cultural holidays as a day off for students and staff. Thank you.
Thank you. Uh, Joanna hurl, followed by Bill Wells. Good evening. My name is Joanna hook. I'm a freshman at Heritage High School and I am a member of my school's Jewish Student Union sponsored by Nicole Corson. I was a former Equity Ambassador in eighth grade and I represented Riverbend Middle School. I value my Heritage and I'm sure everyone here values their Heritage as well. Whether it's religion or ethnicity, Heritage is important. Glenn County Public Schools already does a great job at
maintaining a culturally diverse and educated Community. But if we take away holidays, that can be spent celebrating with our families, including Jewish, holidays. Such as yam, caporn Russia Shana. Then it could crack this connection. Having holidays off. Helps the minority students. Feel included. In understanding these Traditions also helps minority students feel welcomed including me. While I was in eighth grade, I experienced anti-Semitism from some of my classmates. We don't have a lot of members in JSU and it might be because Jewish students may be
hesitant to share their religion. Giving these holidays off of school and supporting student minorities, could help us show our real Heritage and eventually we can let it shine. the LCS commitment to equity is a promise to as a promise to provide comfort and support to the minority students. However, if we take away holidays, then this is a violation and can be seen as coming back turning back on their promise. Keeping promises fulfilled helps students to feel included and allows them to share their Heritage without fear. Thank
you. Thank you. Bill Wells. Followed by Chris Countryman. Okay. Uh, Chris Countryman followed by Liz cauti. Good evening. I'd like to start with a thank you, not only to the board and the superintendent, but also to staff. Uh, this past week. I had a meeting and uh it set the tone for a Cooperative relationship. And I am very thankful for that. It's only through cooperation that we can make lcps, the
world class school district that we're all striving for. As Leah, president, I delivered a request to negotiate to Dr. Spence per the collective bargaining resolution, yesterday, I look forward to the next steps, to lay the groundwork and preparation to meet at the bargaining table in April and perhaps even sooner. But I also stand here before you as a parent of 2 lcps. Students allow them County taxpayer a teacher. And as the representative of the very diverse lcps employees each
night, I have to be able to justify the work. I do on behalf of 1 of these roles to myself while wearing these different hats. Sometimes we all talk at the same time and it just, I'm just kidding. Um, so I would also like to thank the board for your efforts to listen to all the folks wearing their different hats. It's no small task, but your efforts to listen to employees is noticed and appreciated the most recent instances. That stand out in my mind are the work of Masher off. With the school calendar that was discussed last week and
tonight Mrs, Chandler will propose amendments to the restraint and seclusion policy. I support these amendments and the thoughtful effort that went into adjusting the policy with both the students and staff in mind and I encourage you all to support them as well. I do not mean to slay any of you by not mentioning your other efforts here. So I want to reiterate thank you for genuinely caring and listening. Thank you. Miss karate followed by Corey Berne. Good evening.
Policy 5345 is a policy that applies to all students but we know from the lcps data that seclusion has only been used as a tool for our students with disabilities which is why cak feels so strongly that it must be prohibited. We appreciate that. Our district has prioritized training our staff to better ensure, both staff and student safety. Um, we also are appreciative of the Amendments that have been put together so carefully and thoughtfully. Um, so
thank you for that and then because there's so much time this evening. I just want to give a Shameless plug for RC awards that are coming up. We just released the call for nominations, so if you all could take time to push that out out to your communities, we really want to hear about all the exceptional inclusive Educators, um, and students and programs that are going on in each of your schools. So please have, um, we have stuff on social media that you can share out or you can direct people to our website for more
information. Thank you. Thank you. Corey Bernay followed by Andrea wisoff. Good evening. My name is Corey Brunei and I'm an English learner teacher at Broad Run High School. 1 of the 4 foundational goals in helping lcps, achieve our mission and vision is exemplary staff. I have mentioned to you before that you should dig deeper into schools or departments with high turnover rates because exemplary staff are leaving Not every person is willing to tell you the real reason they
they are leaving. But if we are serious about attracting growing and retaining exemplary staff, we should Target the highest turnover. What's an acceptable turnover rate. 10% That's a little less than 1500 employees districtwide. That sounds like a lot but listen to this. We have schools that regularly lose over 40% of their teachers. There is no consistency for students in schools with high turnover. Here's another idea. Pay employees more for their unused.
Sick leave upon retirement right now, the policy states that any retiree with 10 cumulative years of full-time service will receive 25% of their final daily wage for each each day of unused sick. Leave the total amount. Not to exceed an index of 25%, of the previous year's average teacher salary for lcps blah blah blah. Basically, it's not worth it to hold on to a bunch of unused. Sick. Leave I am convinced that employee absences would decrease. If the payout were higher, I would go so far as to say that
some exemplary staff might even delay retirement. If the payout were higher. I think that the idea of increasing this to 50% was floated just 2 years ago. Some districts pay 100%. So number 1, ask the right questions to the right people. Where is the highest turnover? And how can we fix the localized hemorrhaging? And number 2, increase the unused sick Leaf payout to a respectable level lcps. Will never outperform its educators. Thank you, Andrea wisoff.
First, I invite all lcps employees in the room and those watching to join the Lea. The Lea is the reason that I continue to speak despite attempts by HR to intimidate me. The union makes us strong. Though I appreciate Miss chernoff's attempt to create a better calendar. There are issues. The Board needs to decide what to do about holidays such as Diwali rashishana
and Eydie, observe them, or don't there is no in between optional. Cultural observances will not work for a system as large and diverse as lcps. At schools with a high number of students out for a particular observance. The rest of the school will come to a standstill but some schools will feel little impact yet. Thy entire school would be forbidden from testing or
teaching new material because teachers are not capable of running a compassionate or Equitable classroom without County mandates. Are the cultural observance days in the calendar? The only days for which a student may be excused. If a student misses a day to celebrate the Lunar New Year, which is not in the calendar. Will they be excused? If the answer is, yes, then is it necessary to specify cultural
observance days in the calendar. Additionally culture and religion are not synonymous. The realization that calendars. Go beyond academic schedules. Show that there is continued need for understanding issues of diversity. Thank you, black lives matter. Thank you. And I believe that ends our public comment. Um, normally, I take a short rest recess, but I don't think we
need 1 at this point because we're going to close just going to be coming up to You okay? So we'll move on to our action items and um, we'll start with Student behavior and accountability, which is what I moved earlier. Uh, from consent. Uh, review policy, 8230 procedures for wait, did I move that 1? No. We moved 1 of them. Yeah, that was it. Uh, student uh, procedures for
disciplinary appeals to the school board. Um, that was taken off consent per. Uh, Vice chair, Donnie Hughes, uh, requests. So um, I would like to have a emotion for that. Does anybody have a motion? Okay. So the motion would probably just to uh that the Loudoun County school board approved revised policy. 80230 procedures and student disciplinary appeals to the school board. I'll go ahead and make that motion. Do I have a second? I have a second by Vice chair, Donna Hugh, it's been
properly moved and seconded. Um do I have A would you? Is there any discussion? Yes, Miss Donna here. Thank you very much Madam chair um and thank you to my colleagues for uh giving me an opportunity to address this um this policy again uh when we discussed it as an information item at our last meeting, I expressed some thoughts that I had, uh, about, um, moving this policy forward. Ultimately agreed to have it be on the consent
agenda for tonight. However, subsequent to our last board meeting at our subsequent to our last board meeting, we had our meeting of the legislation audit and policy committee, uh, during the new business, uh, committee meeting during the new business portion of that meeting, we brought up the idea of potentially looking at revisions to policy 2310 that governs the, uh, structure and type of school board committees that we have, uh, including how student discipline appeals are conducted uh, with an eye towards
potentially, making some changes to that process. Um, and it was decided at the end of that meeting, um, by the chair of that committee that we will be placing, um, policy 2310 on for discussion at the next committee meeting for l&p and because we are looking at making potential changes to that. And if we make changes to that policy, that would impact the way that student discipline appeals are conducted, um, I am suggesting that, um, that we table this, uh, the vote on
this policy until after l&p, um, recommends, whether or not to make revisions to Policy 2310. Are you saying table or are you postponing? I don't, I guess I didn't. Think that there was a difference. Mr. Allen do you want to Thank you. I believe the distinction in Robert's roles is that postponing is to a date cernin. Whereas table, it's kind of table the matter indefinitely. So if there's um,
proposed date or contingency, you could say postponing until and then fill out, either the date or that contingency. Well, I guess at this point, my proposal would be to well, sorry. This. Miss Chandler was using her hand. I want to hear her motion first. Uh, I move that we table, uh, the vote on this policy. For now. Okay, there's a motion on the floor. Do we have a second? Second second, I have a second by Miss shernoff. Now, is there any discussion about the proposed? Yes, Miss
Chandler. Thank you, madam chair. Um and uh thank you for the clarifications. I, I would seek further clarification given that this policy was on the consent agenda. Do we feel that it's necessary to table it and come back to it? Or is it possible that we could pass it now? Are you asking are perhaps staff would want to would appreciate how about Dr. Spence might want to weigh in on that whether uh, staff feels. There are items in this policy that need to be passed.
Um, yes. And I think our our team could also jump in, if, if I don't um, get this completely right, but I do think there are A number of changes, uh, in the policy that clarify for our parents. Some of our procedures with regards to behavioral appeals, um, to that come to mind. Um, the Clarity that only non-unanimous decisions of a 3-person committee can be appealed to the full board and then Clarity around the specific reasons that a decision may be
reviewed, uh, with an appeals panel. And so I think, my understanding is the conversation and committee revolved around the fact that there were some needed changes to provide Clarity to the public on what those appeals processes look like, um, Of course, their Clarity that hasn't previously existed and doesn't currently exist until the policy changes. And so, I don't have a specific answer to does it have to pass tonight, but I do think it would be helpful if it passed tonight and do believe we could come back to it and make
the uh, administrative changes inside of that to identify any specific committee change. That was going to be my question to Mr. Allen. If if there are policy changes to another policy can and it's just very slight to this would we have to could we do that administratively or technically? Thank you, madam chair. Um, to the extent, let's say hypothetically, the aspect committee is replaced by another
policy, an update, um, to be called something else. That would be a technical or a conforming change, that wouldn't require the whole policy review from the outside, um, that you would go through committee to input to you all as uh, the full board. So, uh, the short answer is, yes, that would be considered a technical or conforming change. Dr. Dean did you have a question? I have a comment, I guess, um, related to the policy, the
aspect committee um, has in the past heard, the suspension appeals and um, I think, for consistency purposes, the same committee should hear the appeals or That would be inconsistency in carrying out the policy. so, I think 1 committee um, and chair. Carrie if you have some other thoughts, but I just wanted I
just wanted to share that. I think that That we have to, uh, think about the consistency of implementing a policy and having the same committee to, to to, to do the appeals would be consistency. Okay. Uh, yes, Mr. Bell. Oh yes, thank you. First of all, thank you. Madam chair. Thank you, Dr. Rasheed, um, this was brought up without anybody talking to the student
behavior and appeals committee. This is the first time we've heard anything about this. Now, I had talked with, um, Miss scanlin Who is the Osa for Latin County Public Schools? We talked about whether uh, it would be helpful or harmful to the committee and their dealings, because it's not about us, it's about the um,
decisions that we make about student behavior and Punishment. Because that's literally what we're looking at. You can get expulsion, you can get long-term suspense, uh, suspension. You can get a variety of different, uh, Retributions I guess is a good word for the egregious behaviors that we see come before us. I think that When miss scanley. And and I spoke we talked about
having the same people were was important because we may have at some point. Several students that are all on the same. Uh, misbehavior um, and to have, Other people or another committee come in rotate through. They may not get the same consistency in decisions. That
was something we thought about the history of what we've done with past students that maybe back in. Um, September something happened and now we're in February and a similar situation happens. And we come up with the same we recall, because we've been there and we know what's going on. We recall what happened, how we decided it and what we need to do for this 1 now, a lot of times I know, um, Miss scanlin told me that in Fairfax they had at 1 point 4 different
espac committees and they would be given perhaps there were 2 or 3 students that were all involved in an incident. They would be given to 3 different aspect committees with the result that they were getting different punishments. Now, kids talk. We don't do it. But of course, what happens, then becomes Community knowledge. And what the result is also becomes Community knowledge. So we felt that it was important to
keep the core of the espac committee together. Now, 1 thing I have done, Is as we go through the year, if some of our members have a date because there's only the 3 of us, uh, a conflict on a certain date. I ask someone else on this board to rotate in so they can start to get a feeling for what it is that I do to date. There are only 2 people that I have not rotated through because they've been unavailable at any of the
times that I've asked um, so most of us have been on this committee and are aware of the nature of um, behaviors that. We Deal with. Okay, so miss LaBelle Right now. The um so the the, what's on the floor right now is not that particular part that would be contemplated in L and P, it's just whether or not, um, we would hold this.
uh, Postpone. This. In order to get that pros and cons in l&p. So that's, that's all we're doing right now. So the motion on the floor right now is whether or not we want to hold this policy. For a period of time until it's another policy on committees committees is worked on in l&p. So, if there's discussion about that holding it, then we'll continue to have that
conversation. If not, let's just go ahead with the vote. I would prefer to see it go through today because we have our schedule set up. Okay. So is there any other discussion know? So let's go ahead and vote on, Vice chair, Donnie Hughes motion um, to hold this in um To hold this. Uh, or to table it until um. Will she just said, table? It actually. That was that just
table it. Okay. all right, um, So let's clerk, please. Open the vote. And this is vice chair. Donna Hughes Amendment. To table. Open the vote. It's on the side. Okay. Um, clerk board members, please record your vote. Oh, everybody else takes that for me. Um clerk please close and display the vote. That motion does not pass. 2 to 7 with Miss Chandler. Dr. Dean's. Uh Mansfield Mr.
Strefy, Miss chernoff, Dr. Rasheed and Miss LaBelle in opposition. So, now we go back to the original motion, um, to approve the, um, The Amendments that came out of Committee of espac which is the Loudoun. County school board approved revised policy. 8230 procedures for student disciplinary appeals to the school board. Is there any other discussion? Let's go ahead and vote. Clerk, would you please? Open the vote. Board members, please.
Put in your vote. Clerk, please close and display the vote, and that motion passes 8 to zero uh with uh Vice chair. Donahue and abstaining Okay, let's move on to um 12:02 student services, committee revision of policy, 5345 restraint, and seclusion of students. Vice chair. Donahue Thank you, madam chair. This policy 5345 was on for information at our previous
board meeting. Uh, it has been it had been considered within the student services committee being getting, uh, last April and was voted out of committee. Uh, with recommendation to this board to approve revisions um at our our January 24th, 2025 committee meeting um, you will have seen in board docs. Um, there are several documents there, uh which include the red line version, that was voted out of committee, uh, and a clean version as it was voted out of committee, amendments from several different, uh,
sources uh, as well as the uh, public and advisory Council feedback related to um related to the proposed changes to the restraint seclusion policy. Um, so I would defer to miss Richardson if she has any background to add at this point. Richardson. Thank you, Mrs. Donnie, Hugh and cheer Mansfield at this time. I don't have any additional information to add um, as Mrs. Donnie has shared, you all do have several amendments
which you must contemplate this evening. Okay, with that, I'll entertain a motion. um, I can make it okay, then I'm I move that the Loudoun County School Board approve, the revisions to policy 5345 restraint and seclusion of of students to have a second. Second, I have a second. I'll go ahead and take um by Miss Chandler. It's improperly moved and seconded. Now, is there any discussion Yes, Miss Donnie. Or vice chair. Donnie you
Thank you. I was not actually expecting to get called on first. Um, thank you. Um, so I, um, I made a lot of comments, uh, at our previous meeting, um, About where I stand with these policy revisions. Um, this is a very difficult subject. Uh, that had that engenders, a lot of Emotions. Um and my concerns had been that reclassifying
seclusion into being a prohibited practice under our policy could lead to negative impacts on our staff. Um for that reason, I had proposed, uh, a set of amendments, um, but my understanding is that, uh, there are some, um, that there have been some other language proposed, uh, that address the concerns that I had. Um, Okay, so there's anybody else. Any other discussion? Yes, Dr. Dean
there has been a lot of discussion. But according to documented research, um, and we generally try to make our decisions based on um, Uh policy um make uh based on policies that are researched thoroughly. And all the recent research says to get rid of it. But I want to say that while I might vote because of the research, my experiences tell me that it should not be.
Deleted. Thank you, Dr. Dans, Miss Chandler. Thank you, madam chair. Um, and I, I will Echo the sentiments, um, of my colleagues on the board. Um, I have found this to be 1 of the hardest policies to tackle. Um, in my tenure on the board, um, I do like to uh, rely on academic research and evidence-based, best practice. Um, it is clear that new thinking on these practices. Um,
Have found that it should not be a typical practice although as Dr. Dean mentioned. It used to be a standard practice. Um and but I think we have an obligation to look at what's best for our students. And um I'll refer to a couple things that really resonated with me um, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Um the use of seclusion can cause or worsen mental health symptoms um Brookings Institute found that being secluded is physically and psychologically traumatizing and presents the potential for
serious physical injury. Um, the US Department of Education. um, office of civil rights stressed, that restraint and seclusion should only ever be used if a child's Behavior, puts themselves, or those around them, in imminent, physical Danger, All of these organizations were recommend Banning these practices. Except in that 1 particular instance, where there's a threat of imminent, physical Danger, um, like so many of my colleagues, that's the piece that
I've been worried about and I want to um, Offer 2 amendments which certainly have been um an effort by by many many parties um to bring together Clarity in our procedures and offer some definitive. Um, Definitions and exceptions. Uh to give teachers the ability to not second-guess themselves in the moment. but, To understand what's appropriate.
And to focus on safety when faced with the imminent threat of physical harm. And so to that end um I will ask if it's appropriate. Would Would you like me to offer 1 at a time or to offer them both 1 at a time? Would be better. Okay. So, um, please line notations match the um SSC approved Amendment from 1 124 255 policy, 5345 on the clean copy. Amendment 1, I moved to add the following language to line
113 under B, definitions related to permitted and prohibited actions. Number 7 would be H removal of students and staff in the face of imminent danger. In a classroom space where the student in crisis is not left alone in the classroom. Thank you. Um, I have a motion on the floor. Do I have a second second? I have a second by Miss Sharon off. Is there any discussion? Yes, Dr. Sheet. Um, I like to Echo, uh, Miss Chandler's
sentiments. And in, I I I I believe she meant I'd like to offer Yes. So I'd like to offer a revision to the second amendment. I don't know if she has gone over the second 1. Okay. Yeah, so this is the first amendment that she's going to do. Um this I this was never going to be. I mean this is just a clarification because always when a kid is not left in the room, it's never seclusion. So um, this is just a clarification, so I have no problem with this amendment. Um,
Anybody else have any discussion. Okay, so let's go ahead and vote to uh, on this amendment. Um, to amend the base motion. Uh, well Amendment. Uh, so I have a second is, which let's see? Okay, so bored. Clerk, would you please open the vote? This is April's First Amendment or Miss Chandler's, First Amendment. Sorry. Uh, board members, please record your vote, clerk, please close and display the vote.
And that motion passes 8 with Vice chair, Donna Hugh abstaining. Um, so now we have a base motion as amended by Miss Chandler's. First amendment is there another amendment Miss Chandler? Thank you, madam chair. Um, for my second amendment. I moved to add the following language to line 2658 exceptions. as number 5, similarly lcps staff members will not be subject to adverse employment action on the basis that
those lcps staff members who are determined to have had in good faith, remove students and staff in the face of a reasonable belief of imminent danger. In a classroom space where a student in crisis may have been left alone in the room until the student no longer presents imminent danger to self or others and who have done. So in accordance with the training staff members receive on the definition, use of and procedures of the appropriate use of seclusion in the accompanying regulation to this policy. Thank you. I
have a motion. Do I have a second? Second, I have a second by Miss shernoff. Um, do you want to speak to this motion? Uh, I I um feel that this offers us a definition that will give teachers an understanding of what is appropriate when faced with an imminent, danger situation. and I hope that that empowers teachers, if they're faced with this, Terrible. Terrible decision to understand that they can
rely on the training that they've received and I've heard wonderful things about the training that they've received, um, that they can rely on that and not any have unnecessary worry in the moment that would cause them to pause and perhaps endanger the in danger our students Thank you, Mr. Chandler. Um I also say that I you know the code is Kind of inconsistent. I mean, there's So 8 fact, 275070 School Division policies and procedures
on 5 C says continuous visual. Monitoring of the use of any physical restraint, or seclusion to ensure the appropriateness of such use in the safety of the, in of the student being physically, restrained, or secluded other students schools, personnel, and others. These Provisions shall include exceptions for emergency situations in which securing visual monitoring before implementing the physical restraint, or seclusion would and the reasonable Judgment of the school, Personnel, implementing the physical restraint or seclusion result in serious physical harm or injury to the persons. So, in me for me in the code, there
is there are exceptions that you can put in and, um, we are just making it more clear here. There will still be an investigation, just like you always have to have an investigation when there's a seclusion, Restraint per code that also includes when you're training was when you received your training and what that training was. And and so this is I think inappropriate uh, carve out Dr. Spence, do you want to speak to that? Oh Ma'am. I I think you're exactly correct based on the
exceptions in code. Yes, Miss sure enough. Thank you, chair Mansfield and um, thank you to a lot of my colleagues up here um and Miss Chandler for working on this language. And I I know that a lot of people have been involved, I think from the onset. Um, With this being such a sensitive topic, we all or I'll speak for myself know that you know we needed to move towards prohibiting seclusion that was never not where I was. I think my 1 Rez you know, reservation about it was
you know we're talking about when you do the investigation you talk about when you were trained. Well this is a policy policy for all teachers and all students. It's not just for special education. So when you can't answer that question, when were you trained? That literally means we're giving you a what? I, in my opinion, thought we were giving them a consequence for something. We did not equip them for, so if we couldn't deescalate, if they don't have the skills to deescalate. So they secluded that would be a last resort, but it also makes sense to me
that that would Cause some issues for our teachers. Um and so I think we were all moving towards the. Same goal coming at it from different places. Um, and I'm very grateful for the collaboration across this board behind the scenes and with cak really heartfelt, conversations, hard conversations, um, conversations with Leah, different groups that have come to us special ed teachers. I've talked to and others. I've talked to multiple facilities and I really do feel
like this is sort of threading, the needle of the middle ground and it makes me feel better that teachers will have a chance to to talk through. What, what happened? And, and if there was imminent danger and so I'm very grateful for this amendment, I will absolutely support it, um, and I help I think it helps us move to a place where this can be prohibited, which I know was was the goal and to that end. I just hope that staff and Dr. Spence will work with staff and continue to make it a priority to get this training
because it's Really important. It's really great training. Um, and so if we can roll that out, I know we're moving in the right direction with mant trainers and stip, and I feel like we're getting there with alternative settings and and different things. But, if that could remain a priority as we move forward, I know that that would also make our teachers, you know, feel better, that they're equipped. Thank you. Miss chernoff. Is there any other discussion? Oh yes, Mr. Uh, Vice chair. Donnie Hugh. Thank you, madam chair. Um, I absolutely appreciate and I'm
grateful. To my colleagues who have been looking at? Concerns and trying to find a middle ground. And in particular on this issue of potentially negative impact to staff, which was Um 1 of my significant concerns. Um I I have a couple of questions about Miss Chandler's proposed language here. Um, uh, First. Because it says, Lcps members who have had to make this decision in this
situation who have, who are determined to have had in. Good faith. Dot dot dot uh, in the face of a reasonable belief. Uh, I was wondering who makes that determination if the employee was acting in good faith and upon a reasonable belief in those circumstances. If I could ask, Dr. Spence or Miss Richardson? Certainly, I'll take that question for you. Um, Uh, Mrs. Donnie you. So, the debriefing process includes everyone that is involved in responding to the crisis um
incident. Um, it the debriefing is led by the building principal and of course, with any other leadership members that were present teachers, and support staff members, and then there are members from the procedural support team as well as the office of special education that go through the process of debriefing and making sure that mant was implemented correctly or the utilization of ukeru was implemented correctly. And if and Miss, thank you for that Miss Richardson. And if
If that if the conclusion of that inquiry, is that the employee acted in good faith based upon reasonable belief. And therefore, the division is satisfied. What would happen if a family disagrees? Then the family would have the um, opportunity to access the grievance process through HRT. So, employees could still be subject to HR investigations, that would be correct if a family wanted to file a grievance. Thank you for that clarification. And the the man and you
Cairo training, are those currently provided to all staff or all classroom staff. They are prioritized trainings for specialized program staff. So those are um our staff members that are working with students with disabilities, with our most in intensive needs. And then the training is provided at each lcps. School location based on staff that are designated by the building principal. Thank you, Miss Richardson. Um, so I in in light of that information, I
again, I appreciate trying to find a compromise and making the efforts to protect our staff. I do still have concerns um, that even if we adopt this amendment that there could still be negative impacts on staff because they could still be subject to HR investigations. um, and I also worry a little bit that the The language here that says, employees who have in good faith upon reasonable belief. Based on the training, they
have received on the use and appropriate use of seclusion. I I just frankly feel like is confusing because we're saying The Proposal before this board right now is to say that the use of seclusion is never appropriate. Um and not all of our staff receive training in it. So I I have concerns and for those Reasons I'm not going to be supporting the amendment. Thank you. Any other discussion? Yes, Dr. Rasheed, thank you chair. Um, I'd like to make an amendment to Ms Chandler's. Current Amendment specifically Her Amendment, the amendment, the amendment, the amendment.
Okay. Oh, and uh, with it just to eliminate um in Uh, what she had mentioned line 265 with the exceptions. Um, I believe the phrase of a reasonable of a reasonable belief and just to eliminate that phrase because I, it was just a little bit. Um, I guess you could say redundant because the previous, if you go a few words before that says in good faith, I think Mr. Allen said would say duplicative duplicative. Oh, it's late.
So we have a motion on the floor. Do I have a second I have a second by Miss LaBelle. I second, thank you. Um, okay, the motion's been properly moved and seconded. Is there any uh, discussion about the amend the amendment? No. Okay so um let's go ahead and vote on amending the amendment which would be Dr. Rasheed. So this is April 2nd Amendment. And it would just be taking out in the face of reasonable belief, because we have good faith. So, that's, that would
be the amendment that's amend the amendment. All right clerk. Please open the vote. Board members, please record your vote. Clerk, please close and display the vote. that motion passes with, um, 7 to 1 with Miss shernoff in opposition and uh Vice chair, Donna Hugh and abstention. Okay, now we have we have amended the amendment and we're back to the to Chandler Second Amendment as amended. I know, right? Okay, so, um, any discussion for that?
No. Okay, let's go ahead and take a vote on that. Clerk, please open the vote. Board members, please record your vote. Clerk, please close and display the vote. That motion passes, um, 8 to zero with Vice chair. Donna Hugh in abstention, abstaining for the vote now. Um, just to move this along. Um, I have an amendment, I have 2 amendments. Um, I move. Let's see.
Okay. So mine would be on the red line. Oh, and we're going back to the base motion as amended, I think that's right. So, this is an amendment back to the base motion as amended. Crazy. Okay, so I'm going to be on the red line, copy of the student services Amendment uh Miss Chandler. Did it on the clean. I'm going to do it on the red. I moved that online 227 to replace all of the number 8 language with the following. If physical restraint is used upon a student
whose primary mode of communication is sign language or an augmentative and alternative mode. AAC, the student should be permitted to have a hand free of restraint with access to their communication device for a brief period of time, unless staff determines that such Freedom appears likely to result in the harm to the student or others. This, um, Amendment came from um, a court case in Fairfax, where they um needed to, the student was unable to communicate and so
that is why this motion is here. Um, and in talking with Mr. Allen, he the, we wanted it to be clear that staff had the You know, if it was a real dangerous situation, we they would have that opportunity and choice, but first of all, we wanted to make sure that the language communication support was there if needed. Um, okay, is there Did I have him? That was second a second. Did I move it? Second okay, and Dr. Rashid seconded it.
Okay, so it's been probably moved and seconded. I just spoke to my motion. So is there any discussion? No. Okay. Seeing no more discussion. We'll move forward with a vote clerk, please. Open the vote. Board members, please record your vote. Clerk, please close and display your vote, and that motion passes, um, with Vice chair. Donna Hugh and uh, abstaining from the vote, the second amendment that I will bring forward. Is. Um, there was some thought that if we
prohibited it completely um, in this language that, uh, prohibited it that We wanted to make sure that you were that teachers were still trained. Um, And so, my amendment is. Again, under that red line policy that I move under Section E, Line, 246. We delete that semicolon at a period after word seclusion and then add this following sentence while
the use of seclusion is a prohibited practice. Under this policy staff will receive training on the definition use of and procedures for appropriate. Use of seclusion outlined in the accompanying regulation to this policy. So um, do I have a second? I have a second by Miss Chandler, it's been probably moved and seconded. Is there any discussion? Yes, Miss Chandler. Um, thank you, madam chair. Um I wanted to share how impactful it was for me personally in um doing my research
to talk to Educators, who are using the training that they that they have received, um, and I have heard um, things especially about um, ukeru, um, and the belief that it has been a very successful policy. In terms of deescalate in these situations that could get out of hand. And to that end, I think having training, only stink strengthens our practice, Um, and and the Fidelity with, which that we continue to um
um, serve our students. And I, you know, although I certainly would not, um, ask for a mandate. I would ask consider, um, bringing in that training and and perhaps expanding, who has the opportunity to receive it because it does seem very impactful. Any other discussion? I think the thought is more training you have. The better off you are. Um, and the more practice you get um, I don't think that often in universities that, you get
that kind of training to Actually escalate situations. Or not even get to that point. So, um, Let's go ahead and move for the vote clerk, please. Open the vote. This is my second 1. Board member, please record your vote. Clerk, please close and display the vote. And that motion passes uh with Vice chair, Donna Hugh abstaining for the vote. Now we will go back to vote on the
base motion as amended by all of these amendments. Um, okay, so any discussion Yes, ma'am, Vice chair. Donnie Hugh. Thank you, madam chair. Um, uh, I just wanted to say again that I'm, I wanted to take a moment to explain why I have been abstaining and why I am going to abstain in the vote. Uh in in this vote on the base motion as amended as well. Um, because even though I I
know that this policy is extremely important and I am very pleased that there's been a lot of progress made to a compromised situation that will hopefully protect our staff. Um, I am not, I don't feel comfortable, supporting the proposed revisions as they are right now. And the reasons for that are some of the ones that I've already identified. I still have some questions and concerns about these issues with training and protection of staff from adverse HR actions. I
am also concerned that even though, this policy started out in my committee, last April, the Amendments that we are now voting on, um, have come together very recently, uh, within the last month. Uh, some of some of them as recently as yesterday. Uh, I have not had a great deal of time to process the proposals, there's been almost no time to gather public feedback um, uh, on some of the specifics. Uh, I am also concerned about, um, I'm concerned about
Setting a precedent here where we are for the first time, uh, requiring training on of practices that we are prohibiting. I am also concerned about setting the precedent, where we are now saying, if staff violates policy, there will be no adverse action and if staff has to engage in seclusion, I don't think that they should be punished for it. But I am at the same time concerned about setting the precedent of saying staff, who violates policy there will
not be adverse uh HR actions. Uh and I am bringing all of this up because I have already requested. Uh, as mentioned before that staff, put together a new policy to address isolation and exclusion, which I think factually capture far more of the circumstances that we hear about from parents families and staff than instances of seclusion as it meets our current definition of seclusion. And I have also asked, uh, Miss Richardson if we can review this policy again next year to see how, uh, it was going with
the hopefully by then we will have implemented a policy on isolation and exclusion and we can see how that is working. I had requested that this board not reclassify seclusion as a prohibited practice at this juncture for all of those reasons. And I still, um, I still would prefer that that be the outcome tonight. It's clear that the will of the board is in a different direction. Um, and uh, I hope that it is a good outcome for our division. Um, but for those reasons, I didn't feel like
I could support it at this time. Thank you. Thank you, Vice chair. Donna. You any other discussion? Now, let's go ahead and move on the base motion as amended. Um, Clerk, please open the vote board members. Please record your vote. Clerk, please close and display the vote and that motion passes with Vice chair, Donna Hugh and uh, abstaining from the vote. okay, we are now moving on to student behavior and accountability committee review policy, 8235 weapons, Miss
label, do you have a motion Yes, Madam chair. Um I would move that we pass the weapons policy that is uh has been displayed for us. In the clean, copy, with the Amendments that have been made in it. That's, I have a motion on the floor. Do I have a second? Second, I have a second by uh, Miss Chandler. Um, is there
any discussion? Yes, Miss chernoff. Thank you, madam chair. I have an amendment to the base motion, um, if that's permissible I would like to propose adding the following language to line 195, and a new sentence, which will be the final sentence of section g1a and it will read for the school board's awareness. Osa will notify the school board of all instances, where Osa deems, special circumstances, apply and where Osa has determined that no disciplinary action or
another disciplinary action or another term of expulsion is appropriate. I have a motion on the floor. Do I have a second? Second. Oh, I'll take Mrs. Griffith second. um, so, is there any discussion I do have? I do have a question is Osa. Um, Defined in any other part in this policy? so that people know what Osa is, I mean,
I don't think we actually have it there. We could add that. It's the office of school administration. Is that correct? Dr. Spence Okay, so I'm trying to find the first part first time that it's said that Madam chair. If I 180? Yeah. Yeah, it's Miss Miss chernoff, beat me to it, uh, on the red line version. It's, uh, line. 187 is where it's defined office of school administration, and then parenthetical is OS. Okay great.
Thank you. Thank you for that. Um, okay, so we have a any other discussion for Miss chernoff's Amendment. Yes, please speak to it. Thank you, madam chair. Um, this 1's just really simple. I spoke about this a little bit last time. Uh, as a school board, we get notified of a lot of things. And we try to stay in the know in terms of communication about what's going on in our communities and with our students and especially as it relates to category a weapons. Which in my opinion are the most serious. Uh, there is a section where Osa might find that, there's
special circumstances to basically, wave disciplinary action. And I feel like we should just know when that happens, um, we know when other disciplinary action is taken. So when it is not taken, I, I think that that is of note and, uh, the code is clear that, it says that the school board may be notified. And so, I'm just kind of Solidifying. That and saying we will be notified Thank you, Mr. Enough, any other discussion Okay. Um let's go ahead and take a vote seeing no more discussion. Uh clerk please open the vote board members.
Please record your vote. Clerk, please close and display the vote. And that Amendment passes unanimously. Um we will now go back to the base motion as amended um is there any discussion? Yes, Mrs. Griffith. Um, while I like the idea of this policy, I'm going to vote no on it today only because I feel like it's too broad. Um so I just wanted to let everybody know that. So thank you. Thank you, Miss Griffith. Um, okay. So any other
discussion? No, Yes. Mrs Chandler. Thank you, madam chair. I, I really just have a question, um, at line 152 in the clean. Copy copy, um, G penalties for violation. Um, number 1 category, a weapons violation, a special circumstances I'm just curious. Um, why there's a carveout in this category? Um, and I was hoping to learn a little bit more about why exception is made at this uh weapons category but not in the other categories. And if there are any examples that
might help us understand it better Miss Mitchell would you like to to talk to that to speak to that? I'm going to refer to miss scalin director of Osa. Who's here? Oh I didn't see her sorry. Miss scanlin. Good evening, thank you for your question. Um, it is a very good question and and I do appreciate it, the carveout is there pertaining to the category a weapons, because the code of Virginia requires for that subset of weapons. Only
that a student, be expelled. Unless the school board, the division superintendent, or the division superintendent designate makes a finding of special circumstances. So, that is their, um, to align with the code of Virginia. Thank you so much. Any other discussion? okay, we'll go ahead and uh, vote on the base motion as amended Uh clerk please. Open the vote. Board members, please record your vote.
Clerk, please close and display the vote. And that M, motion passes 8 to 1 with Mrs. Griffith. Uh in opposition. All right. Moving on to Item. Oh, 1 2. 0, 4 0. All right. Do I have a motion on the floor? Yes, Vice chair. Donahue
Thank you, madam chair. I move that the board, adopt the shernoff calendar. For the 2627 school year. I have a motion on the floor for to adopt the shernoff calendar. Do I have a second second second? I have a second by Miss Griffith. Um, is there any uh, Vice chair. Donna here. Would you like to speak to your motion? Yes, thank you. Madam chair. Um, so we have again, another topic that engenders, a lot of, uh, big feelings
and a lot of conversation and input from the community. Uh, and I, I want to say I have heard it. I, I, I hear the people who have said, um, that they don't like, well, any of the calendar options that we're proposing, um, including this 1. Uh, but I, I also wanted to say, um, when Mrs. Chernoff first mentioned, to me that she had this idea for this particular calendar configuration. My first question to her was, um what about the? What about our religiously
inclusive holidays? Because that was my number 1. Um, my number 1 reaction was, I did not feel comfortable with the idea of doing away with them even for 1 year. but when she walked me through, The start date, the end date the overall number of instructional days. The fact that this calendar would for the first time in Loudoun, disconnect spring break from the week, leading up to Easter. that constellation of factors made me feel more okay with
this proposal. Uh and as we talked about it more and as I looked at the proposal, I said, I think I can get behind this. Um, but my support would be contingent on the Non-observance or nonh holidays. Making the religiously inclusive. Diverse holidays. Not observe school holidays. Only for this 1 transitional year. because the options that were presented to us by HRT,
uh I I was not totally satisfied with as far as moving incrementally towards the goal of starting our school year earlier ending, our school year earlier still having a a large number of instructional days for our students. Um, without having us start on the first of August, um, or giving our staff. Only a, you know, a month-long break in the summer. So I, I don't love. not observing the religious, the religiously inclusive holidays, but I think
On the circumstances of this calendar option. To me. I am thinking that it is an acceptable trade-off for 1 year. to be able to accommodate our adjusting schedule to meet those goals of instructing, our kids, and not having 2 severe of a transition with the calendar on the beginning or the end of the year uh with the understanding that it would only be for that 1 year. And the we will add back the religious uh the religiously diverse holidays.
Starting in 2728. Thank you. M. Sure enough. To that end. I would like to amend the base motion and add that after the Loudoun County School Board, adopt the chernoff option, as the 2627 student school calendar, with the acknowledgement that such such option will require a 1-time exception to lcps, regulation, 740 school calendars, specifically with respect to section A holidays to further clarify, while the proposed chernoff option necessarily
calls for an exemption that will not include all the days designated as holidays that are listed in regulation 740a for the 2627 school year. Okay, so, um, I have a motion to, um, amend the base motion. Do I have a second second, I have a second by, uh, Vice chair. Donna Hugh. Any other discussion would you like to speak to your motion? I would, um, I appreciate it. Um, I've prepared several comments because I do just want to take the time to
address many of the concerns that came to me because you all took the time to reach out. So I want to start by saying that dialogue is vital. It's vital to the work that we do, it makes us better. It opens us up, um, to consider other perspectives. And as far as the calendar goes, this is pretty much people's daily lives. So this 1 to me really matters and I really do count it. A blessing that we live in. Such an Engaged community. As I sifted through over, what turned out to be over a thousand combined comments, emails and phone calls, I
reached 1 clear, conclusion, compromise and change are really hard. They're the very the very definition of compromise says to reach an agreement by making concessions or giving up part of what you want in order to find a resolution. And let's be real, nobody really wants to do those things all the time and I get it. And while I try, well, I sifted through and found that most of the feedback on this calendar, option was positive there. The concerns of those other groups should not be
dismissed. And my goal when I share, which I shared last meeting, is ultimately to increase the purposeful instructional time. Before testing in May, I think that this is a vital shift that we need to make for our kids. It would require us to end the school year, Friday, before Memorial Day, and if we can successfully do this, I believe that we are buying back weeks of meaningful instructional time for our students, with the lack of growth and dips and achievement that we have seen particularly in our subgroups, which I know I've talked about a lot, this is an absolute top priority for me
time. In school matters to moving the needle for kids and that alone. Eliminated Option 1 for me as it would support, staying status quo The second thing I absolutely wanted to avoid was teachers, walking out of their building on June 18th 2026 and returning to their building on August 3rd. 2026, leaving virtually a 6 week, summer and eliminating almost completely summer for any 10-month plus contracted employee as well as creating challenges with sports and marching band, which I had not originally considered.
We have talked endlessly about teacher burnout and retention immorale on this dayis but talking about it and taking action to fix it, our very different I just can't see that an that any of those other options support our teachers. If we shorten their summer that much, so that eliminated choices, 2, 3 and 4, I felt we needed a compromise Option. 1 suggestion from last meeting was to Simply go with staffs preferred options, but I wanted to clarify, that only a board member can propose the option. I put forward, this is due to the
regulation that I mentioned in my motion that mandates for a major religious holidays, as days for all students off, which staff can't change our Administration staff, they can't change that as they have to the follow the direction of our policies and our regulations. Additionally religious groups outside of those 4 Representatives came forward asking why only those 4 have been holidays as a result of this ask Edition and also families reached out and expressed challenges in finding Child Care on non-federal holidays. So in essence it highlighted that it can be
tricky to ensure that all groups always feel equally valued and seen I want you to hear my heart on this, please understand that? If I felt that there was any other way to achieve all of these goals, I would have done it. I have tried every possible option but each 1 either involves starting on a Friday or ending on a Monday extending a school year. Reducing teacher contracts, which is something I would absolutely never consider. The compromise I'm presenting. As a result of careful consideration and feedback and ask that many groups compromise.
Teachers, generally, I hear you, you don't want to start on a Monday, especially for our primary grades where the stamina is not there and it makes for a difficult first week for the 2627 school year. It's a compromise. 179 days instead of 180 instructional days, maybe it sounds silly, it's just 1 day but but to me it is a value statement about instruction for all students. So for the 2627 school year, it's a compromise. Moving spring break to the end of third quarter, no longer
tying it to Easter. This is a big ask, as well as it turns out, especially if it does not align with other counties where people might live and work in different places. This change could pose significant challenges and we will need to keep evaluating that and in future calendars. So, again the TW for the 2627 school year, this is a compromise. and the most sensitive 1, as I sincerely heard tonight and have been hearing making holidays cultural, observance days, it's clear to me that as a community transitioning, these holidays for all students to excused, absences is
something. We are not wanting to commit to in the long run. I hear that in the world, we live in right now, it can feel like any movement against something we have or want to keep feels significant. In speaking with these groups, that was definitely the sentiment, which is why I am proposing my Amendment and an outlining an exception. Not the rule for the 2627 school year. It's a compromise. I tried to find a reasonable ask for the 2627 calendar where we could come alongside 1 another and all be willing
to accept a little bit of compromise for what I believe for what. I believe will be a very beneficial shift for instruction and learning for many years to come. Thank you. Thank you. Miss shernoff. Um I kind of got lost now. So are we? Um We're voting on The 1 time reception. Is there any other discussion? Yes, Miss Shana. Thank you, madam chair. Um, I would like to acknowledge um, our community, uh, which is thriving uh, is just
beautifully diverse and The holidays that we offer are reflective of the students, we serve. And I understand and hear your heart but it's not a compromise that I'm willing to make at this time. Um, I think we heard from students how it impacts them and it's just not something, um, that I can do. And I want to also acknowledge the fact that our teachers and staff Are also uh reflected in these um inclusive holidays and
would be impacted if they were expected to work. Um I just we're here to honor and respect all of our families and Um, although I appreciate the intention to have it be a temporary situation. I I just can't get there and I won't be able to support the amendment or this calendar option. Any other discussion? Okay seeing that. Um, let's go ahead and vote on this uh Amendment to the base motion.
um, Clerk, please open the vote board members. Please, this is So this is to chernoff's calendar and then she made another amendment to the base motion. So um clerk, please, open the vote. Board members, please record your vote. Clerk, please close and display the vote. That motion does not pass with uh 3 to 5 with uh, Miss Chandler, Dr. Dean's. Miss Mansfield are uh, Mr. Struy and
Miss Rasheed. Dr. Rasheed in opposition and Miss LaBelle. Uh, absent for the vote. Okay, we go back to the base motion for sure, enough. Sure, enough. The her calendar, Um, any other discussion? Seeing none. Uh clerk please. Open the vote. For sure, no calendar. Yes ma'am. Uh, board members, please record your vote. Clerk, please close and display your vote. That motion does not pass 3 to 5 with Miss Chandler, Dr.
Dean's, Miss Mansfield, uh Mr. Struy, and Dr. Rasheed in opposition and missed the Bell absent for the vote. Do I have another, uh, motion for the calendar? Yes, Dr, sheet. If I met, um, I, I don't know if this is appropriate. I'd like to make a motion to adopt calendar, option, 4, There's a motion on the floor to adopt option 4. Um, do I have a second? I have a second by Miss chernoff. Uh, would you like to speak to your motion? Dr. Rasheed
know. Okay, any other discussion? Seeing none. Um we'll move forward the folk clerk please. Open the vote. Board members, please record your vote. Clerk, please close and display the vote. that motion does not pass with uh Miss Griffith, Miss Chandler, Miss Mansfield, Vice chair, Donnie Hugh, and Miss shernoff in opposition and Miss LaBelle absent. For the vote. Is there another Option, calendar on the table. Yes, Miss Chandler. I move
that the Loudoun County School Board. Adopt, uh, calendar. Option 1, I have a motion to adopt. I'll just go ahead and second it. I'm gonna. Oh Dr. Dean's can second it. Um, all right clerk please uh any discussion. Seeing none uh clerk please open the vote board members. Please record your vote. Clerk, please close and display the vote. And that motion passes with uh, Vice chair, Donna Hugh, and Miss shernoff, in opposition, and Miss Leal. Absent for the vote. Okay, uh, it looks like.
The calendar Option 1 has been approved by the school board. Okay, now we move on to 1 2. 0 5, 6. Yes. Um, access Academy final operation agreement, do I have a motion? Yes, Vice chair. Uh, thank you, madam chair. Um, I recommend that the Leon County School Board. Approve. The access Academy operational agreement. I have a motion. By Vice chair. Donna Hugh. Do I have a second?
Second second, I have a second by Dr. Rasheed, the motion's been properly moved and seconded. Um, is there any discussion? Yes. Um Mrs. Griffith, thank you, madam chair. Um after reviewing this, um, from the presentation last week, while I appreciate, um, you getting back to me on lottery, um, I don't feel like Lottery are fair to our students. Um, I have asked for data on programs where students have been accepted, um, and
Who is not accept actually they're accepted, but who's actually attending and I don't believe I've gotten that, uh, full data. Um, we are going on guidance here, only, uh this is not a requirement, uh, to follow VA code, uh, B. Um, I want to see requirements, not guidance. So this program is unacceptable to me, we can vote no on this program and revisit the program um per the verbiage uh the
vdoe guidance guidance Echoes. This requirement stating lab school enrollment is open to any school age student, who was of Virginia resident on a lottery, space available basis. While open enrollment through a lottery is a requirement lab schools. May provide a unique and Innovative programming appropriate for certain students. The vdoe guidance further provides while enrollment, enrollment must be open. Lab school models can be tailored to meet the needs of a
particular Community or designed to serve certain student populations, like those receiving, special education, services, gifted education, programming are those with certain disciplinary, aptitudes? Because of the Innovation and results driven approach of lab schools mean to approve improve outcomes and support achievement. These schools are often well equipped to serve and support at risk students. So again, I asked I Did ask, um, how this Lottery is fair to all students. Um,
not. Um so the guidance from the vdoe informed uh George George Mason's decision to focus on at risk Learners. When designing, the access Academy while the program is open to all students, it is intentionally designed to provide coursework resources and unique experience that particularly benefit at risk Learners, uh, supplementing, what is available in a traditional, uh, standard diploma program. So my issue is really the lottery. Um, if we're
opening it up to everyone, um, because you have said it's for at risk Learners and it should be open to everybody, um, not 1, uh, group of people. The other part I have the problem I have is regarding Transportation. Um the lcps Ave academic programs office, and access Academy staff are actively collaborating with lcps Transportation team. To develop a plan for providing transportation for lcps students enrolled in the program who opted in for
transportation. Students residing outside, Landon County will be responsible for their own transportation. Um, my issue is uh, You might not be feeling buses, I understand you might have hubs. I just recently got a complaint that we changed transportation for the academies of Loudoun. We're having severe transportation is issues as it is. Um, we are struggling with Transportation General school, buses to our elementary, and middle schools along with TJ and AOL per
the budget. We just added free transportation for after-school care as well. We are, we are looking to add additional transportation to George Mason in Fairfax. I'm not quite sure how we can do that. Um, we're looking at a student here, a student there, maybe not feeling buses, uh, not having full buses to go to George. Mason, not a good business decision, and the lottery system as I see, it is not fair. So basically, um, I'm going to vote no on this today. Um,
everybody's welcome to vote how they uh how they see fit, but we must take these in these issues into consideration. Um, the lottery system does not come across as Fair. And, um, we would be struggling with Transportation, trying to figure all of that out when we already have transportation issues. So I am going to vote no on this today. Thank you. Any other discussion? Great. Let's go ahead and vote. Um clerk please. Open the vote. Board members, please record your vote.
Clerk, please close and display. The vote that motion passes 7 to 1 with Mrs. Griffith in opposition, Miss label absent for the vote. Okay, we blew through many of our information items, except for 1. And that is the attendance zone. Change process, spring I know Mr. Lewis is biting at the bit to come over here and talk about attendance zone. Change Mr. Lewis, would you please come up and give us some information?
Thank you, chair Mansfield. So Mr. Lewis. Yes, ma'am. Vice chair. Donahue, didn't get all of her. Um, we we have all of them for you. I'm not sure where they are, but we have all We have 1 of each for you. Thank you. Yes. so tonight we have for you, um, the beginnings of the process to begin, the secondary change attendance zone, change for the Della South area,
and we are presenting tonight for a simple, just the schedule, the calendar to go forward to to begin that process. So we have a little bit of the justification, the idea here is and I've met with a number of you over the past couple of weeks to um if you look at the chart in in the item, you see that Mercer and Willard are overcrowded and that begins in the 2526 school year, which is this coming year? Actually already that way. Um and so what we realized is that those 2 schools were likely lose some
students to hs1 14 when it opens in 2028, but we do not believe it is fair to have those schools suffer with between now and 2028. So our proposed was to give them relief beginning in the fall of 2026. So because of secondary those, those students have to, you know, plan it Ahead for their schedules and whatnot. And so we believe we need to do this. Um take this action, this spring to be implemented, not this coming fall of 25, but the following
fall of 26. And so what you have here that with the attachment to the item is the calendar that offer is what the dates are. That would be for the information item that work sessions and then the action process that would begin after spring break on April 22nd, with the Overview at our regular school board meeting. And then we would go through the April May and June and have action on June, 10th and time for folks to be notified of that before the summer
break. And then so, uh the other thing of note here is at the bottom of that schedule, the the calendar you'll see or all the schools that would be notified that this process is taking place because those schools are ones that would either be affected in the middle school or High School level. But also, we have identified all the elementary schools, feeding those schools, which could also be affected when their child or children rise to the secondary level and that. So it may make a difference to what secondary school they go. So tonight is fairly simple and begins the process
for that. Um, Secondaries uh yes and it's easy to say it's simple, right? Because the the the simple part is the calendar, right? And then then the work begins after spring break. So I'm happy to take any questions you may have. So uh, Mr. Lewis, I am getting a lot of questions. Why don't we just rip off the Band-Aid and like, look at all of it. Comprehensively I know that that might take more time is my thought, but are they looking if we do all of that, is there a possibility that we
wouldn't have to build that HHS 14 or that needs to happen? HS 14. Absolutely needs to happen because if you just think about it right now we have Independence High School which is overcrowded with modulars. We have light Ridge, with overcrowded, with monsters Freedom. All those schools need relief at the high school level as well as the middle schools right now. We have the watch and Mountain Middle School in bton middle school that are sharing students because all those students won't fit in in 1 building. So we need to have, uh, relief from that. And so, it's just 14
will be paired with Watson Mountain. And then what our recommendation would be is to do this. Now, do this interim step. To just affect these these schools to mainly get relief with the middle schools that are suffering the most right now. Um, and then When HS 14 opens in the fall of 28, then we could do a more comprehensive plan to do a larger area. And so that would involve, you know, you know, the Dallas North areas and, you know, we know we have some, um, extra capacity at Rock
Ridge. We know that we will be able to move students out of Independence, out of light Ridge at, you know, so there might be a northern shift for lack of a better term of students to be able to fill up HS 14 and then spread out that capacity in the rest of the schools in that area. Um so we'd be happy to have the conversation about, you know, a larger. Um Event. So, so to speak, but we do believe the timing of that would be best to do it when HS 14 opens when there has to be a change anyway because you wouldn't want to do a change now and then do a change again when HS 14 opens up
so when it so when you're staking that second step um because I agree we need relief now because this is my area that Willard and uh Mercer and Uh, lightbridge. Um, can we go ahead and start that process before? So we'll do the interim that you're proposing but then not wait until The high school opens. But can we start looking at it before
the high school opens like start that process because I'm assuming it's going to take a long time. It it will and absolutely we can start whenever the board's ready to to begin at at a, the latest date. We would do that is in Spring of 2027 so that students would have time to be prepared for the fall of 2028. Um, but we could start that process especially if the board, you know, and it's possible. We just need to have some some indepth conversations to get some guidance from the board. Um, but we could start if if the board wanted to do a larger event
and and involve more and more schools, uh, we believe that there would be a need for some help with that, from Consulting bases, and try to get a study going and and see what some recommendations would be. We would need to have uh, probably a number of Outreach meetings with the community, so we can get the community on board. So it's not a, a surprise to them so that could start. At any point, absolutely. um, so I think how would we get that started earlier? We just
would have conversation because I know in fno I'm considering an amendment to that so that we look every 5 years, very comprehensively at everything um and do a boundary look at to make sure that you know, some schools don't are Everybody's at capacity. Kind of a thing. Like everybody has an equal amount. You know what I'm talking about? So I just am wondering when we should start that 5 year process. With this, like if we start next year with the process,
you're talking about comprehensively and then that would start that 5 year process. Sure. And and so it's not a surprise and we've had conversations with many of you over the past several months, um, about this. And so we've already begun working on what we would consider a long range plan to do that. And I think what we would do is further develop that as a staff and bring that to the board as a long range plan for you to consider and then we can make tweaks to that as the board wants to do that. I know we're just voting on the calendar tonight though.
Okay yes, Dr. Rashid, I just had a question. So the when is is this and and my apologies, you probably had already mentioned it. HS 14 is plan to open. When, when will accept students, literally in the building in the fall of 2028 fall 2028, okay? Um, so I'm assuming just like with, you know, many communities like uh, Heartland or or anything like that. Um, communities are still being built in in a couple of areas. Will these communities where families are
now moving into? Will they be notified? Um, perhaps through? I don't know. Um, the real estate or however, way they're buying their homes, will they know that. You know, my child might have to You know, attend 1 uh 1 school, and then they'll have to then leave. And let's say 1 or 2 years time is there a way to find out about something like that so that there's no surprises later on? Yes, ma'am. So, the list of schools, uh, that's at the bottom of the chart on the calendar is our best attempt to
know that all the schools that could possibly be affected by that change. And as we move forward, that will come at the first meeting in April. We'll come with a staff plan, and part of the staff plan is going to be to do our best to consider. Trying to move students, that would be moved in this interim process, that hopefully wouldn't be moved again when we do it in the fall of 2027. And so there are areas that are closer to 1 School than the other. If there's not a guarantee that we could do that, but that would be our hope that we could minimize that impact. So students wouldn't have to move a second time.
Thank you, chair. Um, I just wanted to avoid uh you know how when some parents say well you know, I um my my child will be leaving 1 school and then leaving their friends. Would it be like an entire? Like you said, Watson is now obviously, it's in, like, the backyard of hs4 and I believe they're not. Are they at full capacity? In terms of they're just with 6th grade. Seventh grade I don't think they're they're minus 1 grade. Like they're not. They're vacant in 1 of the greats. I forgot which level that was right?
So they have 6 and seventh grade in the eighth grade is that bralton, right? So 1 of the concerns, I had is a lot of, you know, a lot of parents say, well, my child will have to leave this school. And let's say, perhaps a sibling was was there, let's say their friends were there, will it be that the entire school like 6, 7th and eighth grade? All of Watson will go to hs1, 14, even when it opens. Know. And so, part of that is, is if you can picture, if we would have 2, pairs of schools, Hamilton and independents, and then watch the mountain and HS 14. So those 2 areas are
going to have to be divided up in some ways. So the the folks the the students at 678 are now in that total area that will then be divided up in some way. So there will be some um, change to that. But it also, as we were just talking about, if we open up that area to even Water Area, there could be more changes to that. To try to do our very best to have the schools as equally filled as possible and have no 1 in a in a c overcrowded school. So, um, we would try our very best to minimize that and the 1 of the things we will have for you. When we bring in the plan is we're
going to have a planning zone by planning zone list for you of which schools are in the staff plan that you all could edit. But we also have the student enrollments in each of those planning zones. So you would know which students are going to go and then we can try to look at and answer that question. It'll be easier to answer that question. Once we have a plan in front of us, we can say this plan, it does or this plan, it doesn't. And then maybe somebody proposes another plan that minimizes or changes that would you happen to know the current grades, the current students at Watson which high school or high schools, do they go to?
I thought it was Independence but I I I wasn't sure right. So, all those students right now will will go to Independence. Um, I mean their Zone The Independent zone right now includes uh, Independence and or Bond and watch a mountain students. So they they're all 1 attendant Zone and then they go to 2 buildings right now. Any other questions? Okay. Um, let's go ahead and vote on this calendar and then uh, Oh, I was just oh oh, we're not voting on the calendar.
Oh no, it was information. I'm sorry. Yeah, thank you. Um, And then Mr. Lewis, if we could discuss, when you think it would be a good time later to And how the process we would start that other process of a more comprehensive look. earlier rather than Later like 2026 or because it's supposed to be open 2028, right? The high school. That's correct. And I think what we'll do
is we'll just spend some time and we need to think it through and and provide a good plan and then we'll bring it back to the board at some point in time, but understanding that something that the board wants to look at. So we understand the urgency so to speak. And we'll, we'll put that together and and and vet that through the the rest of the cabinet and then bring here to the board. Do we need a board action for that? To direct us to do that. No, we're we're planning to do that. Okay sooner than later. Okay, great, thank you. All right, um, All right. Vice chair. Donnie here. Do you have a motion
for our closed meeting? Thank you, Mr. Lewis. Yes, thank you, madam chair. I move that the Loudoun County School Board recess this public meeting, and enter into a closed meeting, pursuant to 2.237 of the code of Virginia, for the following discussion and consideration of the acquisition of real property for a public purpose or of the disposition of publicly held real property. Where discussion, in an open meeting would adversely affect the bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the public body as authorized by Virginia code section. 2.237 17873.
Consultation with legal counsel pertaining to actual or probable, litigation, where such consultation or briefing. In open meeting would adversely affect the negotiating, or litigating posture of the public body, as authorized by section 2.237 of the code of Virginia and consultation with legal counsel employed or retained by a public body regarding a specific legal matter related to a former public employee as authorized by section 2.237, a sub 8 of the code of Virginia. Vice chair. Donnie, who's made a motion to have a second?
I have a second by Mr. Astrophe. It's been properly moved and seconded the Loudoun County School Board. Go into closed session. Is there any discussion seeing none? Clerk, please. Open the vote. Board members, please record your vote. Clerk. Oh clerk. He's closed and display the vote. That motion passes with, uh, 8 and Miss label and absent absent for the vote. We are now in closed.
The uh board is now back. Um, In session. Uh, Vice chair. Donahue, do you have a motion? Yes, thank you, madam chair. I move that the closed meeting be adjourned that the Loudoun County School Board reconvene, its public meeting and that the minutes of the public meeting reflect that no formal action was taken in the closed meeting. I have a motion by Vice chair. Donna here. Do I have a second second? I have a second, any discussion. Seeing none, we'll go ahead and take a vote clerk, please. Open the vote. Board members, please record your vote.
And clerk, please close and display the vote. That motion passes unanimously with Mr. Strefy and Miss lebelle absent for the vote. Uh, Vice chair. Donna here. Do you have another motion? Yes, thank you. Madam chair, I move the that the following resolution certifying, the closed meeting be adopted and reflected in the minutes of this public meeting resolution number 252425, whereas the Loudoun County school board, has convened, a closed meeting on this date pursuant to an affirmative recorded vote and in accordance with the provisions of the Virginia. Freedom of, as Freedom of Information Act and whereas section 2.237
12, subbed of the code of Virginia requires a certification by the school board that such closed meeting was conducted in Conformity with Virginia law. Now, therefore be it resolved that the Loudoun County School Board, hereby certifies that to the best of each member's knowledge. Only public business matters lawfully Exempted from open meeting requirements by Virginia law were discussed in the closed meeting to which this certification applies and only such public business matters as were identified in the motion. Convening, the closed meeting were heard discussed or considered by the Loudoun County School Board. I have a motion by Vice chair. Donahue, do I have a second?
I have a second by Miss Chandler. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, we'll go ahead and take a vote clerk, please. Open the vote. Board member, please record your vote. Clerk, please close and display the vote. And that motion passes unanimously with Mr, Esty and Miss Leal absent, for the vote. We'll now move on to board members, comment, and committee reports board members. Do you want to forego this? Yeah. Can I have a thumbs up? Um and so we'll move on to new business board members. Do
you have any new business? Seeing none, we'll move on to adjournment. Um, And the February 25th, 2025 Loudoun County school board meeting is now adjourned. Please drive safely home.