001Good afternoon. As of right now, we don't have a quorum to hold our meeting. Uh but we do expect some members to be showing up within the next half hour or so. When they return or when they arrive, that's when we'll get started with tonight's meeting. I'd like to call to order the November 12th, 2025 regular Shendo County School Board meeting. Before we get started, um, Chairman Barlo had some medical work done over the last couple of days, so he will not be in attendance, but we look forward to seeing him again in December. And then Mr. Street is on his way here, so he'll be joining us uh before we come back into regular session. Dr. Shepard, do you have a recommendation for convening a closed session? >> I do. Thank you. I recommend
002the school board of Shannidora County convene a closed meeting under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act in order to discuss and consider several personnel matters involving the assignment, appointment, promotion, performance, demotion, salary, discipline, or resignation of several employees of the Shannidora County School Board under Virginia code 2.2-3711A14 and more specifically to a hearing and discussion of a petition for revocation of a license issued by the Virginia Board of Education for an employee under 8 BAC 20-23-720G3 and for the purposes of discussing and considering several student matters involving the emission discipline or the disclosure of information contained in a scholastic record of students in the Shannido County Public Schools under Virginia code 2.2-371182. 2-371182. >> Thank you, Dr. Shepard. Is there a motion to that effect? >> I move that the school board of Shannondoa County
003convene a close session meeting under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act in order to discuss and consider several personnel matters involving the assignment appointment. The motion performs demotion salary discipline of resignation of several employees of the Shannondo County Public Schools under Virginia Code 2.23711A1 22 3711A1 and 4 and more specifically to conduct a hearing and discussion of a petition for replication of a license issued by the Virginia Board of Education for an employee under 8 BAC20-23-720G3 and for the purposes of discussing and considering several student matters involving the admission discipline or the disclosure of information contained in a scholastic record of students in the shadow County Public Schools under Virginia Code 2.23711A and 2. >> Thank you, Mr. Vance. All those in favor of entering close session, >> excuse me. >> Second on that motion.
004>> Second. >> Thank you, Mr. Rickard. Motion's been made by Mr. Vance and seconded by Mr. Rickard to enter close session. Do all those in favor, please signify by saying >> I. I. >> Any opposed? All right, we'll enter our close session and hope to be back out by around 6 Good evening. Like to reconvene in open session at 606. Before we do that, uh obviously Chairman Barlo is not in attendance tonight. He couldn't be here. And also Mr. Street just joined us and was not with us during close session. So just for the record indicate that. Now like to ask for a motion to reconvene in open session. >> Move to reconvene in open session. >> Second. >> Motion made by Mr. Rickard and seconded by Miss Carenio to reconvene in open session. All
005those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. I. >> Any opposed? Vote passes five to nothing. Now for our close meeting certification. The Sheno County School Board hereby certifies by roll call vote that to the best of each member's knowledge only public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting require requirements by Virginia law were discussed in the closed meeting to which the certification resolution applies and only such public business matters as were identified in the motion convening the closed meeting were heard discussed or considered by the Shannido County School Board. Each member responds ISO so certify when called. Miss Chef, >> Mr. Carinio, >> I so certify. Mr. Vance, >> I so certify. >> Mr. Ricker, >> I so certify. >> Mr. >> I so certify. >> All right, moving on to 2.3. Petition
006for revocation of the teaching license of employee A. Do I have a motion for this agenda item? I move that the school board recommend revocation of the teaching license of teacher A previously identified in the closed session recorded proceeding and that the division superintendent be directed to forward the board's recommendation together with the petition the record of this hearing and all supporting documentation to the superintendent of public instruction in accordance with the lensure regulations for school personnel. >> Thank you. Make a motion made by Mr. Rickard. Is there a second? >> Second by Mr. Vance. >> Pro call vote, please. >> Mr. Street >> abstain. Miss Carinio, >> yes. >> Mr. Gutshaw, >> yes. >> Mr. Vance, >> yes. >> Mr. Rick, >> yes. >> All right, the item passes with four yes votes and
007one abstaining. >> Moving on to 2.4, our invocation and pledge of allegiance. Mr. Vance will have that for us tonight. For purposes of the invocation, I'm going to rely on this book that I found in Strawburg. That's Pennsylvania for uh Strawburg. It's called the Song and Service Book for Ship and Field Army and Navy. Copyrighted 1942 and I have modified it somewhat for this occasion. So, if you would bow your heads and join me in prayer, let us pray. Almighty God, who has given us this good land for our heritage, we humbly ask that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of your favor and glad to do your will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from
008every evil way. Defend our liberties and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought here. E Plurabibus Unum. Bless us with the spirit of wisdom, those to whom in thy name we entrust the authority of government that there may be justice and peace at home and through obedience to law we may show and praise you among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thank thanksgiving. And in the day of trouble, let us not suffer, for we trust thee not to fail through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Now stand al to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. >> [clears throat] >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Vance. Moving on to 2.5, the approval of the agenda.
009Do I hear a motion to approve the agenda? >> I move to approve the agenda as presented with the exception of item 6.2, which I propose be added to the open board meeting for the January 26th agenda. All right. I have a motion to amend the presented agenda to move item 6.2 for the regular schoolboard meeting in January of 2020 six. >> Second. >> Have a second by Mr. Street. Is there any discussion? >> I have two reasons for for making this motion with the exception. The first one being we are not at full strength this evening. We have five members. A project such as the capital improvement deserves the thought and consideration of the full board. And with Mr. Barlo out, I think it would be best to wait till there is a full
010board. And then secondly, in 52 [snorts] days, we will have a new board and two new members will come on board and they will serve a term for four years. And in my judgment, they should have full input without a hyphenated title. They are members elected at this point. After January the 1st, they will be members without the hype. And for that reason, I uh I urge that we uh accept the agenda with the exception as noted. [clears throat] >> Any other discussion? Well, I I personally am I'm in opposition because we've been kicking this can down the road. However, I do see your points and they both do have validity. So, I understand I appreciate you pointing that out and the two member elects are here tonight. So, their input would should be felt
011and should be heard. So, Well, I oppose. I will vote in favor because you gave good reason. I appreciate that. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, I just um I'm okay with this. Um the only thing I would caution is that that we do actually vote for this in January because right now we keep keeping it back a little bit more and and um there's going to be a lot of you know the boards of advisors going to have to entertain this um for their proceedings and I don't want us to wait so long that they say well it's too late now you know um I'll do it for the following year. Um, and also there are a lot of grants and and uh that in the past we have not been able to apply to
012because we had not taken steps to actually vote for this. So I'm okay because I think it's okay to you know it'd be great to have the new board members involved in this but at the same time I caution I we do need to have this vote in January. We should not kicking it beyond January. I think that would be a huge mistake. >> Thank you Mr. Street. Anything? Yeah, I mean uh kind of echo I guess what Mr. Vance is saying. I can definitely understand [clears throat] his perspective wanting um the new board to be here with Mr. Barlo and I going away. So um I think also it gives some more time to work on further research and more information, data gathering and uh you know this situation that we're in it didn't
013happen overnight. It happened over a period of years and I think we need to be robust and thorough in this process to make sure we get it right. So then in 30 or 40 years those people aren't looking back and saying why did they do it that way? So um with that being said, motion by Mr. Vance and the second was from Mr. Street. Um do we have I guess we can have a roll call vote on this. Mr. Jeff, >> Mr. Street, >> yes. >> Miss Carlinio, >> yes. >> Mr. Vance, >> yes. >> Mr. Ripper, >> yes. >> And Mr. >> Yes. So, the motion to amend the agenda passes five to nothing. And item number 6.2 will move to the regular meeting of the school board in January of 2026. Moving on
0142.6 no reconditions. So we'll pass on by that and move to 2.7 public and staff comment on agenda items and non-aggenda items. The Shannidoa County School Board welcomes public comment from Shannidoa County residents, parents, or guardians as well as from current students and employees of Shannidoa County Public Schools. School members do not respond to public comments during the meeting or hearing. Each speaker may have up to three minutes. The board generally allows up to 30 minutes for public comments on agenda and non-aggenda items at the beginning of the meeting. If there are large number of speakers, the board may limit the total time for comments and or reduce the time allotted for each speaker. All comments should address a matter related to Shannondoa County Public Schools. Complaints regarding division employees should be directed to the
015school principal or an appropriate school division official. The school board expects that each speaker will be courteous, modeling for our students how one can respectfully disagree with others views. Speakers will address their comments to the entire school board and not to one individual board member, to the superintendent, to a staff member, nor to the audience. Speakers will not engage in personal attacks. Speakers may sign up to speak a schoolboard meeting or public hearing on a document provided by the clerk. I have that here. The school board clerk uh will ascertain that speakers indicate their role as speaker uh stakeholders and valid addresses. Speakers are called on in the order which they sign up. If time allows, the chair may allow comments from individuals who have not signed up. A speaker may not speak more than
016one on a specific topic. Speakers who wish to speak on more than one topic must submit a separate request for each item. the school if a speaker would like to present written comments to the school board, eight copies generally should be provided to the schoolboard clerk as the speaker approaches the podium to speak. Now, obviously, we don't typically have our regular meetings in this room where we are constrained on space and microphones and all that. So, I'll ask that if you have room to just speak where you're sitting um or wherever would be comfortable for you. But, um that's how we'll try to proceed with that tonight. First off, we will have Crystal L. >> Thank you. And based on the change in agenda, I have nothing to say. So my my comments were based
017on the agenda item that was moved. So I will save that for later. >> Thank you. Y >> Brian [clears throat] Judy >> same >> Becky Scott members here I'll take the opportunity >> good evening Dr. Shepherd, members of the school board, and members of the board of supervisors. My name is Becca Scott. I was born and raised right here in Shannidoa County, and I'm proud to call this community home. I only ever left for a short time to serve my country in the United States Navy. When I returned, I was blessed to continue serving this community for our school system and at the sheriff's office. Eventually, God lined up an incredible blessing for me, the opportunity to teach criminal justice at Triplette Tech. During one of the most difficult times in my personal life,
018the doors of Triplette Tech opened for me. And my life has been so positively impacted ever since. And this is why. Because Triplette Tech is more than just a school. It is family. We are not just teaching trades. We are teaching pride, responsibility, teamwork, and confidence. We are giving students a place where they feel seen, valued, and supported. A place where they can belong. Our late principal, Ty Lynn, believed deeply in that mission. He built Triplette Tech around the idea of family, creating a safe, welcoming environment where every student, no matter their background, could find purpose and possibility. As teachers, we have done our best to carry on his legacy. Every day we work to make triplet tech a place where kids want to be, where they're excited to come to school, to learn a
019trade, to be part of something so meaningful. That's why the thought of splitting our programs into two or three different locations is so concerning. The strength of triplette comes from our unity, from having all of our programs and people under one roof. Our students learn from one another across trades. They form friendships, support each other, and grow together. That sense of community is what motivates so many of them to show up, to try harder and to succeed. If we divide our programs, we risk losing that heart, that family environment that makes us triplet tech, what it is and what so many of our students long for. There are also real concerns about safety and support as well. With staffing shortages already impact impacting schools everywhere, how would we provide an SRO coverage at multiple locations?
020Right now, we're blessed with a counselor and support staff who are present and available when our students need them the most. Our principal and vice principal are visible, involved, and engaged every single day. If they are stretched across multiple locations, that vital support will be diluted. Triplette Tech is not just a facility. It's a culture. It's a legacy of caring, of opportunity, of family. We're asking you please help us preserve that. Renovating, improving our current building allows us to honor where we've come from while continuing to grow stronger all together. We want to move forward, but we want to do it as one. Our school, one team, one family. Thank you so much for your time. Thank you for your service to our community and for your thoughtful consideration of what's best for our students
021and staff at Triple Tech. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Next is Kate Stroop. >> I'm Kate Stroop. Good evening, Dr. Shepard, members of the board and members of the board. Thanks for the chance to speak. My name is Kate Stroop and I'm in year 13 teaching with Sher County. Year three is the special education teacher at Triple Tech. I currently support about 75 students across 20 of our career technical programs. I provide accommodations, progress monitoring, and instructional support for students with IEPs and factor plans. And I also complete CEP evaluations for ninth and tth graders to help provide a program that's the best fit. In addition, I serve students who are placed in the alternative suspension center to ensure that their IEP service hours are still met. I'm the only special education
022teacher site. I want to speak to the conversation to school across multiple sites. I understand that this discussion may involve financial partnerships from donors. However, I want to highlight the very real instructional implications of separating our programs. Our students with disabilities thrive at Triplette Tech because they have consistent coordinated and on-site support across all programs. When our building is one, I can observe classes, co-e problem solve with instructors and respond to students needs immediately. If we spread programs across multiple sites, the level of support that we are required to provide will become significantly harder to deliver. Students will not receive the same access consistency or relationships and the burden will fall on students who already face learning barriers. I'm currently finishing my administrative degree and in every course we return to the same foundation. Culture
023and climate are not extras. They're an infrastructure that holds student success together. Triplettech has built a culture of belonging, mentorship, and pathway to career identity that is nationally recognized as a strength of CTE. Splitting the school breaks that culture apart. Our goal should not be to simply place programs where funding is available, but to invest in a unified building where every student, especially those who need the most support, can learn, grow, and succeed together. I'm asking you to choose renovation or rebuild rebuild as one site so we can continue to provide equitable access and maintain the strong school community that makes it. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Members of the board, Dr. Shepard and everybody here in this room, I'm here again to advocate for a new elementary school. And when I'm here, I'm
024advocating not just for Sandy Hook Elementary School. advocating for all the elementary schools. I'm urging this to move forward with the solidi decision to build a new elementary school. It's no longer about the structural neglect and increasing capacities. It's also now and it has been about the health and safety of our students and staff. This article alone came out last week and it should be enough for every member of this board to prioritize a new elementary school over anything else. This decision impacts over almost half of our entitled entitled student population in this county and there's no possible way to adequately renovate our existing elementary schools without having a new facility to place these students in because eight weeks over this past summer only provided three of our classrooms at Sandy Hook with getting carpet
025removal replaced with tile. Allegedly there is asbestous the possibility of asbestous in the glue adhesive and the existing rooms that have tile I mean that have carpet and if that is the case there are numerous rooms with that carpet still where the fibers are have been pulled and frayed and so my knowledge about asbestous it's dangerous when it's becomes airborne and if it's not you know touched or removed then it's safe so I would advise that in these rooms where that carpet has become compromised that something be done, some testing be done to make sure that asbestous is not present. And I did want to bring up another thing that it came up at not a board meeting, but it came up at a meeting that we had at Strawburg High [cough] School about subpay
026for our elementary teachers. When we split up a classroom and they go to different classes, the teachers that absorb those students, we don't they don't get a a subpay for that split among the four or five of them. But at the middle school and the high school, when they have to absorb other students supposedly, they get subpay. So, I want to advocate for my staff for that. And I also would like to advocate for some new copers at St. Hook Elementary School. It's been a thorn in everybody's side and since the beginning of school, we've kept track of how many times we have had to call for services and I understand that there's supposedly a contract with Xerox, but if they can't keep the copers running, I think we need to have new copers put
027in a building if it's by Xerox. or whatever because it is causing a lot of stress for our staff. Um, I have every [clears throat] everything documented. I have all the emails from our uh bookkeeper when the machines go down and when how long it takes to get them back up. And we have one copier for all of our entire staff um working this week. And at one point all of them were down. So, they're coming in early, staying late to use one machine at times, and it's getting to the point of being ridiculous, and I think it's time. And here's the data. Stand behind it. So, I I brought it here tonight to pass out. That's all I have to say. >> Thank you very much. Our last signed up speaker is Cara. Sorry,
028I don't want to butcher your last name. >> Good evening, everyone. My name is Carolum Rosac. I have been at these meetings before on behalf of elementary schools for the CIP, but I'm also a parent of two children that attend Sandy Hook Elementary. [snorts] And let me be brief. We know there is an issue. We know there is an issue with the capital improvements needed at the elementary schools. We know there is an issue with the capital improvements needed at Triplette Tech. I think it's fairly unanimous that everyone here on this board sees the need to address these issues. This article that came out in the NB daily only continues to demonstrate how critically important it is that we don't allow us to be in kind of remedy those prior uh negligence if you will
029and try not to have that happen in the future. And so I'm here here today to remind you all that there was a plan that there was a plan for a new elementary school. This board agreed to presenting that plan in addition to the improvements to triplette and now it seems like we are going backwards again on that plan. We don't have to have you don't have to have unanimous min sorry unanimous decision on the exact project to be done first that sort of thing but what you need to have is a decision and so what I ask is with the new issues that are arising with respect to the location of triplette and the splitting of triplette segregate that if it needs to be segregated and don't kind of hijack the discussion of the
030new schools and the remedy to the new schools if that decision cannot be reached at this point in time. Um, speaking as a parent on a separate issue, my child doesn't have a third grade teacher. Hasn't had a third grade teacher since early October, I believe, is when that occurred. Probably won't have a teacher again until the end of January, middle of January. I'm still unclear as to when that's going to happen. This is a problem and I know there are teacher shortages everywhere. However, what are we going to do to address that? I read the headlines in the Royal Examiner about the board meeting there talking about what they're going to do to retain teachers and how they're proposing to increase teacher pay and have other incentives to do that. Is this board even
031considering that? And in light of the fact that I believe in front, you know, Warren County the teacher pay is higher. If they're talking about raising the teacher pay there, that's just going to increase the gap here and make our schools potentially less competitive. So I ask you to to think about this and think about the impact on my my child who is in third grade a fundamental year not having a teacher not having that consistency and that is all I have tonight. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. Anybody else did not sign up would like to speak. All right. Moving on to 3.1, the approval of the consent agenda that consists of some minutes from previous meetings, paid bills, donations, field trips, surplus property, and the September library book material purchase list. So,
032I have a motion to approve the consent agenda. >> Move to approve the consent agenda. >> Thank you, Mr. Rick. Is there a second? >> Second from Miss Carinio. Any discussion? All those in favor signify by saying I. Any opposed? [clears throat] And the consent agenda is passed five to nothing. Moving on to the instructional agenda, 2026 2027 revised program of studies for high schools. And we'll turn it over to Miss Proctor. >> Good evening board members. Dr. Shepard, board of elect members. um can't believe that we're already talking about next school year, but we are. So, we've already begun looking at um our program of studies for the high school. Uh right now, our middle school has no change in their program of studies, so there's nothing new to add or take away there.
033Um you should have a copy of this. I believe Cheryl made you all copies. Um so, just want to briefly go over this. I'm not going to read through everything. Um if you have any questions though, please don't hesitate to ask. Um but looking at new courses, we just have one new course that we're going to be adding um next year and that is in response to nurse aid one and nurse aid 2 um are being combined into one course and so for our students to still have a year-long class. We're adding patient care technician to those students for those students. Um so that will be a completer course that comes after nurse aid 1 and two which will now just be called nurse aid. Um and then the rest are all just changes that
034we've made to current um courses that we have. The first one you can see um primarily applies to our special education students. So in the past, our special education students that were self-contained and did not follow um a general curriculum were put into courses that might have been called adaptive English or adaptive math. And so now we've created the um courses that you can see here that are more reflective of what a typical student would have. So instead of just having adaptive math, now we'll have general math and it goes 1 through 4. So a 9th grader, 10th grade, 11th and 12th. And so you can see those courses are there. Um we also updated the uh course description for our foundations of English one and two. And that's just to update it with more
035current um practices that we are using. And then all of the other updates really are around math. Um if you look at the second page, you'll see that we're going to transition sports statistics to data science. Sports statistics is not a recognized course through the VTOE, so we're just switching over to data science, but it will pretty much be the same um type of content. they're going to use um sports statistics in their data science class. Um all of the other updates really follow uh the VOE documents with the new SOS and all of the course changes that the VOE has put forth. Um we went through and updated all of those. So the rest are just updates to the description, but nothing else has really changed. >> Any questions >> with this new program?
036We're going to have less focus on Chromebooks, >> which new program >> changing the math courses around um the new course amendments for science, social studies. >> Are we going to get away from using Chromebooks so much? >> This this doesn't really have anything to do with the usage of the Chromebook. This is really about the description of the content that's being taught. The Chromebook usage is really up to the teachers and how they decide to deliver that instruction. Of course, they work with their administrators. Um, we have had a I would say over the last few years, we have had a pretty large decline at the elementary schools in using Chromebooks. We're not using them near as much as we used to. Um, I think it's a tough balance between getting our students ready
037for after high school because technology is there, but also making sure that students are still doing paper pencil activities so that we're preparing them for things besides computers. So, I think it's a tough balance that we have there. Um, but we can always discuss that further if we'd like to discuss it more. >> Have we gone back to teaching cursive writing? Yes, that we never really went away from it. Um, it is it's changed in the SOS. It used to be strictly third grade, but it actually starts in second grade now. >> Thank you. >> How many years of cursive? >> It really is introduced in second and third grade and then after that it's not really mentioned anymore in the >> Anybody else? Anything questions or comments? All right. Thank you, Miss Proctor. >>
038Yep. >> Moving on to theformational agenda 5.1, the October 2025 library book materials purchase list. Dr. Shepard. >> Thank you. Regulation IIP-R, library material selection, establishes procedures for the selection of new library book materials. In October, the librarians developed a list of new books proposed for purchase and provided the list of principles and the assistant superintendent for instruction to review. On Friday, October the 17th, the final draft uh draft lists were placed on the division website for review. The final approved library materials purchase lists are presented to the school board for information at this evening's meeting and the recommendation will be to approve the list at the December 11th schoolboard meeting and the lists are attached for your information. >> That's it. >> Thank you. >> Any comments for Dr. Shepard on that? All right.
039Now to 5.2 requests to [clears throat] increase the fiscal 20 fiscal year 2026 special budget. Miss Campbell. [snorts] >> Thank you. Good evening board members. Um this evening for your consideration at a future board meeting. No action tonight. We are requesting an increase to the special budget appropriation of 524,000. What this does is it reauthorized grant balances that were appropriated originally last year that had a 2-year period of performance. this being the second year largely as our federal grants idea and our entitlement grants proctor runs. Um no additional local funding is being requested there federal federal reimburseable funds. Happy to take any questions. >> All right. Thank you. Moving on to action item 6.1, personnel. I get a motion to approve the personnel list. Move to approve the personnel list as presented. >> I hear
040a second. >> Second. >> Motion made by Mr. Rickard and properly seconded by Miss Carinio. All those in favor of approving the personnel list, please signify by saying I. I. >> Any opposed? All right, motion passes. Moving on to recommended revision of student code of conduct, the dress code. Now, we talked about this at our work session back on the 27th of October and the attached um recommend the proposed changes here on board docs. Um so, we will open it up now for Does anyone have a motion for the dress code? I move to approve the proposed dress code changes as presented. >> Motion made by Mr. Street. Is there a second? >> Second from Mr. Ricker. Is there any discussion on this? >> All right. Hearing none. Roll call vote, please. >> Mr. Street.
041>> Yes. >> Miss Cario? >> Yes. >> Mr. Vance? >> Yes. >> Mr. Rickard? >> Yes. >> And Mr. Faw? Yes, the revision of the code of conduct address code passes five to nothing. Moving on to 6.4, the proposed fiscal year 27 budget development calendar and schoolboard meeting dates for 2026. So, I have a motion for this topic. Move to adopt the 2026 school board meeting dates and the fiscal year 27 budget development calendar as presented. Motion on the floor from Mr. Rickard. Is there a second? >> Second from Mr. Vance. All those in favor is if there's not any discussion. So I see there's not all those in favor of approving the 2026 schoolboard meetings budget the dates in the budget calendar please signify by saying I. >> Any opposed? Passes five to nothing
042and we are on to the superintendence report. >> Thank you. Attendance improvement continues. For this third straight month, we saw improvement in our attendance rate year-over-year with an overall attendance rate of 95.32% for the month of October. Um this year, Ashby Lee um held their annual Veterans Day parade. Um was once again a great event, moving inside due to the really cold temperatures for November. Um students and staff lined the hallways and waved American flags as they cheered on veterans and their families who paraded around the school while um Stonewall Jackson band played patriotic songs. Um I also had the pleasure of participating in Read Aloud to a child week at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Every October, Sandy Hook hosts volunteers from throughout the community who come and read um books to students and talk
043to them about the importance of reading. Um, the past couple of weekends, our all county orchestra and choir performances were held. More than 200 high schools and middle school students were selected to perform in the all county orchestra and all county choir event um under the direction of guest conductors and accompany this. Uh, these students showed their u musical talent with outstanding performances at Central and Strawsburg high schools. I would like to congratulate the Stonewall Jackson boys team on their third place um cross country team on their third place finish and the Charlesburg girls team on their fifth place finish at the class 2 state cross country championship. And then um also congratulations to the Strawsburg Competition Cheer Squad on finishing tied for third in the class 2C championship held at BCU on Saturday. After
044winning the Bull Run District and region 2B titles earlier this season, the Rams advanced to the final four of Saturday's competition before finishing tag for third. I'm happy to answer any questions you have on the superintendent report. I got a question under the fundraisers that fall under the superintendent report or should I wait and ask that? >> You can ask me now. It's under the superintendent report. >> Um, line item four, I believe it is on fundraisers. The librarian at Stonewall Jackson is is looking for funds for the library to purchase books to support the book club. Do those books get reviewed the same way any other books? >> So before any books are allowed in the library, they do. They have to go through the review process. >> So will she be coming with
045a list before purchasing those books? So if yes she should and if she doesn't then um she should come with the list um before she hands out those books to students. >> Okay. >> Um the trailers at Sandy Hook, are those still on schedule? >> So um they were supposed to arrive in October and it's now November. So um I believe um Chad updated me late last week. I believe we are waiting on the building permit and as soon as we get the building permit approved, they will be delivered. The the company that we purchase them from is ready to deliver them. >> So, are we still looking at at fully utilizing those in January when the kids return? >> We are hopeful um we may have to open the modular units without restroom facilities,
046but there's always restrooms in the in the school. >> Um the carpet. Are we doing any carpet to tile renovation over the winter break? >> Right. I want to ask Chad to speak, Mr. Hinsley to speak to that if he is prepared to do so. >> So, the plan is right now, uh, our supervisor met with the rep on putting carpet, removing carpet out, putting pile in, and we're looking, they've talked about the number of rooms that they're capable of doing. So try to spend spread that across all three schools. So as much as they can do in that amount of time and so it's a plan to do that over the winter break. >> How many rooms per school were they >> 15 school? 15 rooms total. >> 15 rooms total. >> Um >>
047that's the goal. >> The other thing the copers are those under contract. So, yes. Um, Kaylin, Miss Kay, >> we currently hold a a number of contracts. They're all leased and each school individually has leases through our Xerox representative. Um, I'm not sure off top of my head where Sandy are in that rotation. >> So, should we be able to hold their feet to the fire if those copers are down? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Oh. Uh, any word on the security grant? >> I don't have any additional information at this point. Do you >> Thank you. Anyone else? Moving to board member comments. 8.1. Mr. Record, do you have anything for board member comments? [laughter] Um, >> since you typically go first, >> congratulations to uh Strawber Football 2025 Bull Run District Champs. Congrats
048to Stronger Cheer. Um, Quincy Williams and Hudson Conrad. Kudos to both of them. Um, kudos to our sports programs as a whole. Strawsburg's doing a great job. I want to thank everybody here tonight. Thank you for the job you all are doing. Thank you to our teachers, our staff. Um, a huge thank you to any third grade parents from Sandy Brook Elementary School for bearing with us through this time. Um, I hope everybody has a happy Thanksgiving. Thank you all for all you do. >> Mr. My congratulations to this young man seated to my right of his election to the board of supervisors. >> You mentioned previously that you and the chairman Barlo were leaving, but you're not going very far. >> No, >> just a different meeting day. >> Yeah. And I know you'll
049do well there because of your calm approach to sensitive visions, but you're going to still be online. I'm putting this in air quotes speed dial for all my technology questions. >> Okay. >> Happy to help. >> All right. And he does that for free. So it's >> don't advertise. [laughter] >> So anyway, good luck and [snorts] congratulations. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. >> And also congratulations to these folks down here in the corner. They won't be sitting in the corner much longer, but they'll be up front. Uh Mike Shabby from district 1, Ben from district 4. Congratulations on 52 days. Your phone will ring, believe. >> Thank you, Mr. Vance. >> Sure. I do have a couple of things. Um the first one is about a week and a half, two weeks ago, I had
050the great privilege of attending an AI in education policy um work session that was actually put together by 1776 project in conjunction with the heritage foundation and there was it was full of a lot of information um a lot of the challenges that we're going to be uh facing in education. I mean we have um right now the administration seems to be kind of pushing uh towards more AI but there's not a whole lot of research on how this is going to impact your students and if anything there is u more and more um research research that is coming out on how is adversely affecting our students not just the AI but also the um technology and um you know that kind of goes hand inhand with the whole uh question Mr. talked about earlier
051about the Chromebooks and I have some serious concerns about the Chromebook and during that session that's something that came up time and time again. I mean we're talking about concerns about the way that the students are are learning. I mean we have um MIT studies that said that have actually looked at the brain wave of students when they're actually using AI and chat versus when they're actually working on pen and pencil. And you know, those are some some of the things I'm going to bring forward um as we talk more about this, but it's a real concern about the way that the students are learning and retaining a lot less information than if they have been doing it pen and pencil. Um there's also a lot of privacy concerns because uh what people don't understand
052is a lot of these Chromebooks when they came out with it for the schools, it was just a way for these big tech companies to get information and get to our kids. And there's a lot of of concerns about the the access that they have had and we've had some concerns here with um some of the emails and and fishing emails that we've um seen for their students. So So that's also another concern and it also increases the concern of the parental involvement because you know you're now doing the computer as opposed to having more parents know what's going on and um with with the kids educations and of course the cost um you know these things cost money. So we have seen some um districts around the nation that have actually abandoned the Chromebooks
053altogether. Um so you know I understand that we have challenges in terms of you know they're all over the schools but if we can at least start with the um elementary schools I would like to see us do that. Um I think that that at least our elementary school children should not be having this Chromebook. And for the concerns that the kids are not going to learn computers I'm not too concerned about this. I mean, you can give tell it to a 2-year-old that they're going to figure out how to do it. So, I I don't think that that's really a concern. So, that's something that I'm hoping to bring up um at least a resolution um that for elementary schools, we're going to start abandoning the Chromebooks. Um, another thing that came up uh
054that we're gonna that I'm gonna be introducing shortly and some of these I think I'm gonna introduce in December uh for a vote with our new members um in January. Uh is uh having a more patriotic curriculum. Um and one of those things that we're talking about was having maybe do a resolution on the 250th anniversary for our country uh which will be next year. So hopefully, you know, encourage our teachers to have more um activities that will help us celebrate that. And then also we have um uh I wanted to talk about we had the mental health task force uh meeting on November 5th and uh we had a great presentation by the student support spe uh student support specialists that I'm hoping we'll be able to al also have for our uh school
055board um because they really talked about how they help and you know the role that they have within our school. So hopefully we'll have that when our new members are sworn in. So hopefully January, February before the budget season. Um but we also had our students uh at that meeting and we had middle school and high school students and there were a lot of things that they talked about and uh one of the things that we were kind of honing up in was on the uh availability of clubs and activities for students. And they all kind of talked and agreed how that really helps their anxiety and their mental health um to have either sports or have you know drama music whatever club that they have and um and it has some really positive impact
056on them and and they said that they are very well advertised and that you do have a lot of them for uh high schools but there were a few things that I thought you know they brought up that I thought we could work on. >> [snorts] >> One of them is uh they said that we needed more stuff for the sixth graders. So, we kind of need to um see if we can look more into the middle schools and sixth graders in particular. Uh they said that they would like to have student government, which I didn't know that we didn't have student government. So, I think that's something that would be great to kind of uh promote their leadership. Uh they also talked about having more academic clubs, math clubs or Spanish clubs or that
057that those kind of clubs. We don't have enough of them. And another thing that they talked about was, you know, transportation is still u a challenge for a lot of these students was having the club day uh once a month and Strawburg still does that and the students really appreciated that. Other high schools are not doing that anymore. So hopefully that's something that we can work on um for them. And uh with that I'm done. Other than good job Kyle, you did a great job as chair. We should have uh um this is probably a a new um record of inefficiency for our school board. So I appreciate that. Thank you, >> Mr. Street. >> Uh yeah, I guess I'll just add on like Mr. Van said, congratulations, sir. Mr. Gutshaw. >> Thank you. >>
058We'll be staying in touch. >> Yeah. >> Congratulations on Mike and Whitney. U just want to point out um congratulate our cheer team at at Stonewall for advancing on to regionals. That was a pretty big accomplishment. And our golf team did pretty good as far as his fall sports. Our golf team did really good this season advancing on. And as mentioned earlier, congratulations to our cross country team for placing third in state. So that's it. Thank you. >> Yeah, a lot of uh great athletes. I think we kind of we take it for granted sometimes of how good a lot of our sports teams are. So I think um definitely should be proud of that at Stonewall, Strawsburg, and Central. Um, congratulations to Whitney and Mike. They're going to do a great job on the
059board come next year. Um, lot of lot of good things continuing to happen in our schools. Um, I know this is a busy time. We get closer to November and December, the testing and all that um, with the holidays, but wishing everyone a great Thanksgiving. Um, and then beyond that um, looking forward to continuing to work with the school board in different capacity. Um definitely have built a lot of great relationships with the school division, met a lot of new people. So we'll take that and carry that over to my my new role. So um that's all I have now. I just need a motion for an adjournment. >> Move to adjourn. >> Second. >> All those in favor of adjourning signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? Journing at 656.