October 23, 2025 Charlottesville City School Board Work Session and Meeting with Legislators

001Fieldsville Early Learning Center. Um, and so as we start to see all these other early learning centers around town poke up, well, it's an inclusive name. It encompasses everything that we're going to be doing and really sets the tone for for learning and that broad range um in age of skills that we have there. We are going to be a staff of approximately 60 people. um that is included from our existing staff and what's the outcome of reconfiguration and um we are going to have approximately 200 students. I forgot some of our other little tidbits to share with you. Um we are orange and black to go with our Charlottesville city school theme of the Black Knights. Um ending with the orange and black and so we're starting with that orange and black so it's

002a really cohesive picture as well. Um, Colts. >> Yes. Knights ride horses. Okay. And And so we already have the young knights taken and we're not going to be the little knight to the baby knights. Okay. We need something really concrete for little kids. And so we selected Colts. Um, I didn't want to be a f because we're not babies. We are going to be the Colts. So we are the young horses. We got a hard C sound in there. It's an easy sound to say for for young children. And um the staff is excited about it. So they gave some input with some different ideas. So >> yeah, >> that is going to be how for you must have previewed my slides because we'll talk about that at the end. >> Um I want

003a full-blown horse. Anyway, we will get there. Um the other piece that um I've been really trying to transfer what would a normal school year look like for me if this was a building if we were in a building and so what work do we need to be doing this year to make sure that still happens. So a piece of that every school writes a school improvement plan every single year and even though we don't have a physical building right now we still have our school improvement plan and that to me is the template that guides all the things we do. um and keeps our work focused. So for me, it's really being in schools, getting those relationships established with the staff that's currently there. Um starting to getting to know other families and other

004school communities, observing and learning from the staff that we have. What are different ideas that we need to streamline? What are different ideas to think about when we all come together in this center? And then really starting to support students. So really, how does my role as a typical principal, what would it look like? and how do I then take that to six different buildings? So, that's really what's informed a lot of my work this year. And then the next piece, which I'm really excited to share, thanks um Pat, is really the hopes and dreams of really what I see about for student outcomes. And so, if you were at the convocation kickoff with Dr. gurly. He really talked about this idea of really just having the the proficiency is like the baseline expectation. And

005so I thought about that as when we have the slogan of being kindergarten ready, that's really like a baseline expectation. And so I went in and really wanted to think about let let's really have our goal to be kindergarten strong um and coming in. And so really identifying in the following areas of literacy, math, executive functioning, which is really where you see a lot of that crossover with social emotional learning, family engagement, and developmental screeners, and what what do we need to do as educators that really keep the eye on making sure that they're entering kindergarten strong? Um, and so this year we're tackling literacy. Um, the state has done a lot with the Virginia Literacy Act, as you all know. um but prek has not been included in that. So really bringing our teachers

006up to speed on the science of reading and a lot of those pieces and really the importance of um like dispelling a lot of the things that we have thought over the years about what actually best practice in early literacy looks like and what are those some of those key pieces that we can really focus on. So, um, moving forward, really being able to establish in each of those areas, what are these kindergarten strong benchmarks that we are after? And so, this year, we're being intentional and just starting with literacy. The other piece is um really talking about and developing rich, purposeful, and inclusive experiences for students and families. Um, last year when I was named to this position, a big thing I heard from lots of different people in the on the early childhood

007team is what are we going like what will our plan for inclusion look like? And so really starting to think about what does inclusive instruction look like? Not just defining that we're going to do inclusion, but giving teachers strategies. And so whatever we are doing for all students, providing strategies of what inclusion looks like. Um, and so this is a classroom this year where they're co-eing the letter names and letter alphabet sounds. So again, we're not lowering benchmarks, but like how are we providing those supports? And so the other piece with that rich and purposeful really being able to dive into the background knowledge that we are proving and teaching background knowledge to students. So, they're developing that, developing a rich oral language with hands-on experiences, all those good things we know about that we

008know kids thrive on and like to learn um will thrive on with learning. So, um that is really where I see the outcomes going for students. So, like thinking about like we're going to be outdoing stuff. We're going to be creating um is there going to be explicit instruction? Yes, because there's a time and a place for it. But then also like what do we really want to make high quality high like open-ended with lots of a range of questions to facilitate creating and design thinking and what are the pieces that what does that look like throughout the day so it's exciting love talking about this part of it um our staff preparation work so coming in thinking about this I always believe that the adult culture sets the tone for the building um and

009it sets the tone for um how families feel there and it sets a tone for how students feel there. And so we're bringing a culture together of six different schools that have their own culture. And so how do we get to know each other? How do we get to even tap into, oh, I'm really stuck with this. How who do I even ask? And so, you know, I've just known my little pod for so long. And so that's a big part of this year is really establishing our adult culture of how we want to work together, how we get to know each other, where our strengths are. Um, and so that's a big part of our work this year. And so when we gather for professional learning, which is twice a month, one of the

010things we always do is there's an adult community component. Um, I'm trained in the responsive classroom approach. And so I use a lot of this with our adult community as well with the context of adult expectations. You know, we're not going around and um, sharing our favorite color. No, but like more sharing different resources or last week for example, we had a great a great session on different ways to use readalouds and people shared their favorite readaloud from their from their childhood. So that's really important to me because I want to make the most of this time. So when we're going into a new building next year when there's going to be so much new for the adults, I want to take that bandwidth off them so we can really think about what we're doing

011um for for for children. Um, a lot of things too with having six different schools. What do we need to establish with commonalities? What's working well in different places as far as um even simple things as these visuals? Sometimes we have different visuals and you're giving um what do we want that to look like next year? Um where we're keeping our instructional resources. So making a shared drive and so we can we're not just random Google sharing but we have a shared drive where we can access resources. We created that this year. We're using the same letter sound queuing system that our kindergarten and above use with age which you know you you're like what? Okay. It's a really big deal when you have six different letter or alphabet systems around and then in kindergarten

012they all see the same thing. So we're really trying to make that vertical alignment as well. And that's what I really hope to do into the future as thinking about being kindergarten strong, really using that preschool to establish that foundation. So when they're in our schools, they're like, "Oh, we know how to do this. We got this." Um, and then starting to look at data. And I think when you say that word in front of preschool teachers are like, "What?" But actually it's so when you find that really realistic and child appropriate way to use data like the things that can happen from it um are quite amazing and I'm not talking about the required things we have to do with BRP but like the check-ins of let me see how much your brain knows

013around letter sounds. So that's the work we're starting with with the adult culture. As I shared there's professional learning happening two times a month I work with the elementary principles. So they are excused from two of their late Thursdays to all come here. We gather here um and that professional learning like any other principal would do is mapped out in a PL plan which is in our school improvement plan. And then when we shift into the spring semester, we'll start to use that time to really talk about the operations um of what our building will look like. and not just the um day-to-day operations of like lunch numbers and stuff like that, but more thinking about like the positive school culture pieces. So again, we can come with that ready to go and the expectations

014that we have for kids. Um central office and I are in regular collaboration as well. Um, I know at the end of first quarter, Marie and I had mapped out and figured out all of the reconfiguration staffing. So, everyone has knows where they're going, knows where they're at. We had we've been able to cross te's and dot eyes because no one likes to everyone likes to know that there's a plan. And so, that's taken care of. And then we have monthly meetings which where we have different topics that we cover between all the different areas um that go into planning a school. And then here are just some pictures of this in action. Thank you, Pat. All right, the space preparation work. Let me pause right there. Any questions while talking? >> Go ahead. >>

015Hi. >> Um, so curious. Um, you said about 200 students is what you're planning for. >> That's what we have this year. >> Okay. Yes. >> Okay. So we had gotten I think the last report it looked like it was about 217. So maybe that's >> that might have been the number of slots that were awarded >> slots versus seats. Gotcha. >> Um yes, correct. >> So we have how many students now? >> About two uh 190 and 10 are in the processing right now. >> Yeah. I mean, do you dream, do you hope of being able to expand that to more and >> I have even opening it up to a younger age? I want to just kind of lay it for you. >> Can I um >> I'm going to talk about that

016at the end is that's where I go to like my big even like bigger hopes and dreams. >> All right. Well, hang on. >> I got you, girl. >> All right. >> Um, go ahead. >> Yeah. So the space and operation work that has been working on being really clear on the decision making and why we are doing certain things and really using this as a chance to be like here's my why here's my reason for that. Um so for me that involves a lot of reading and research in a really specific lens where I'd been doing a more broader grade level lens before. And so, for example, like thinking about right now we have a couple classrooms that are three, four combos. What do we want to do with that moving into the building?

017Do we want to do more three, four combos? Do we want to keep just three-year-old classes? So, I'm starting to look at research around that. Um, and just really like kind of taking that time, this gift of time to really make informed decisions on how we are setting things up. So it's not just a rushed, "Hey, this sounds great, but no, this is sounds great. Teachers, what do you think?" Um, like for example, this year I told teachers, they can make their own lists with or own classes with who was coming to them and if they wanted to try a combo class, they could just to see how it goes. And we had some more teachers try it that hadn't in the past. Um, and so just to kind of get input while we have

018a sear on what could that look like. Um, so just really be taking time to make those decisions. I'm visiting a lot of other schools and I should have said in other divisions. >> Um, and that's been really so so fascinating to see how everyone takes what the state has given and figures out ways to make it work and what it can look like. Um, and so I've been to Wesboro. I'm going to Harrisonenberg. Um, I'll be going up to um, uh, I went to Stafford. will be going up to some schools in um the DC area and really learning a lot from my colleagues who do this work as well. And so thinking about um what it can look like, especially like I I went to a couple different divisions that um before we

019opened so I could see what the first day of a preschool center looks like. It was their day two. I gave them like a day to breathe. But um I was really important to me like thinking about safety from that lens of I, you know, I can figure it out this way, but like I want to see what it looks like to bring a lot of kids that are all three and four that don't know where they're going into one space at one time. Um okay. And you know, cutting the strings off from mom to say goodbye where we're crying. I'm looking at Denise because I had to tell her to move on. Uhhuh. when you have all that energy of what it goes into saying goodbye to your parent and how emotional it can

020be. Um, and so that was really important for me. One of the things I've also started is just that ongoing handbook development. So after the year started, I kind of sat down. I was like, okay, what have we what is a typical principal this year at this point in the year done? Okay, they've done meet and greets, they've done um the pre-ervice week schedule. how would I envision this looking like next year at this moment in time. And so that way I kind of have ideas in when it's happening in real time so I'm not in May being like, "Oh, what what is what was it that I thought would work really well?" And so I've made that handbook public in our shared drive to staff so they can put their ideas in there as

021they're starting to think about stuff. Um, and that'll just be something I continually come back to as I develop the plan. And so that's really what the the goal is of what this is going to look like, what will the move look like, um how we are gonna go through stuff and all those those fun details. >> Go for it. >> Okay. Um I'm excited about this. Right. We've been talking about this prek years and years and potential wraparound services. But I do so I just have a question with all the research that you're doing and things that I've heard and some of the early learning sessions that I've been going to. How, and of course you know how important literacy is to me um and to the school division, but how are we balancing

022that with um intentional and developmentally appropriate play time >> um because so much I'm hearing you know we feel it right from the state level and again >> getting them kindergarten ready or whatever strong I knew it was the wrong word. Um but you know I mean there is a balance and and sometimes this might be the only chance these kids get to interact with other kids and to learn that and I think so much and you know you all know the executive functioning piece and just the interacting >> and if they aren't getting that play that quality play >> you know or how so how yeah what does that look like for you >> for me I think that that's really where that second bullet of the rich purposeful and inclusive experiences for students

023and families amilies and um there's the quote Pat you mind going back a few slides real quick that thank you so that second bullet point there and that's where what is the purpose of this experience and so if you're developing your centers and how have you made really purposeful enrich experiences where it's not just the same centers for the same entire year but you've switched out um your science center to having the diff different elements of things that they found on a nature walk. Um, and then also pulling into that, like I had a teacher the other day, their unit is on trees. And so she went and pulled out acorns and used that for what they were counting for the math. And so they were matching numbers into uh trees that they had drawn.

024And so that's what I really think about with the rich and purposeful pieces. And so it's not just play for the sake of playing, but really like what is the content that we are doing? um this we use creative curriculum and how are we really developing those purposeful centers so it's not just going to build the blocks just because you want to but there's something that you're going to create and you have as a child you have your plan for what you're going to do and there's that executive functioning piece happening too and that's that quote on that slide the hallmark of developmentally appropriate practice is intentionality is such um to me like the core of early childhood teaching because they're so much intentional maximizing on small moments that happen throughout the day and if

025you take every single small moment you would just you know you'd lose track of everything but like what am what am I seeing in this child interest and right now how do I put out some opportunities to do that but I know he needs to be do working on this so I'm going to set him up in this moment so I just see that and when you watch truly phenomenal early childhood teachers it's just brilliant watching all the little things that they're doing constantly. >> Thank you. And then how so it sounded like there are some changes in supporting the staff now as far as science of reading and literacy supports. So what kind of changes are >> um the biggest piece is so one of our um professional learning that we're doing the entire

026team thanks for reminding this. I had it in my notes but didn't say it. the entire staff is taking the early childhood letters course. And so if you were K and above, you're supposed to be taking letters one. Now it's a requirement. And then there's the option of letters two, but we this year part of what we're working on is early the early childhood letters. I really saw as a principle the importance of having the staff have a solid foundational knowledge base. And so really having that um and and I've said that like that's that's that's the purpose of why we're doing this so we can have that solid um foundation together and so when we're talking about phenemic awareness we're all on the same page and not confusing it with funological awareness >> right

027no I appreciate that thank you and then yeah the implementation I think I said that at the last school board meeting right to fidelity the followup with them and I don't know what the turnover is with that stuff you know >> with the preschool stuff. Yeah, I mean just how important it is to have those constant and consistent people in front of them working with them on those relationships that trusted relationship a lot of you know the little kids need. Um and then I'd be interested in we don't need to do it right now but just you know screening like how are screening catching what types of interventions that are like we can offer some of those struggling you know readers and math too. I mean, I think math is as important >> as far

028as math literacy, but anyway, thank you. >> Appreciate you. >> Can I ask a quick follow-up question? >> Yeah, please. >> Um, just listening to you, I I think I understand the answer, but I know that kind of in the background at different points in times, even prior to me being on the board, there's been some reach out by like Monasuri. Yeah. >> Um, it sounds like we might not be going that approach or am I misunderstanding? So I'm that's one of the school of visits I'm doing in November. Um and I'm looking at it with an open lens. I worked at a monastery in college and so like those rich purposeful experiences and like following student choice is very valuable and I also know the like what research shows about when you need to

029have explicit instruction. And so I just like I told the the Corey who's over at UVA that does the monastery and I was like that's that's my pause and I need to talk. So, we're talking um so looking forward to again just soaking it all all in this year. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right. Um BNDO, as you all know, is our who we're collaborating with and they are working on the interim center as well as um our new center. And so um that's what's there's kind of two building projects going on right now. We have started some work on what the new center could look like and we have a schematic design committee that consists of five staff members from our entire preschool staff. And then the interim center, we really started getting

030into the nuts and bolts uh a couple weeks ago of what the different layouts could look like and I'll show you that in just a minute. And then the ELC team this year, so our early learning um center staff just I really encourage them just to like if they have something that they've been thinking about and that they want to try um to do it and if they have an idea of what that could look like in the center. So there's just I want I want to encourage that risk- takingaking in a positive way. So when we're all together, we have an idea of what that could look like. And then staff have been really great at saying like, "Oh, this really I love this component of our playground. Can you come out and see

031it in action?" Or telling me when they have really cool partnerships happening. Um, and so just seeing what kind of makes them excited about uh the things that they do at their that are unique to their school because I recognize for them they're also going to be going through a change of leaving a school or some of them have been their entire careers and coming to a new building. So really kind of honoring that as well. And then other things that we're going to be doing as a staff really finalizing the operations and things needed for our positive school culture. Okay. So briefly um right now um these are just a couple of the different options for building use, building accommodations and outdoor play spaces that VMDO has provided our team. Again, there are a

032couple this is just a one an example of many different options. And what I appreciate about VMDO is they're like, here's an example if we thought about it this way. Here's an example if we thought about it this way. Here's an example of how we thought about it that way. So for me, I'm like, thank you. It's taken a lot of leg work off. And so, for example, with the building use, and you can see one of the examples in the top right, um there are limited bathrooms. That's going to be a challenge we have to work with. And so I started with our ECSE team, our early child special ed team, and said, "Okay, this they've here are all the different options that they've given us for priority around bathrooms and like which one

033makes the most sense." And so we made that decision together with who needs to be where and then we can start going out um from there. So VMDO very organized, very helpful. And then also in that shared drive, anytime the NDO gives me something, there's a shared drive folder with it. So teachers know like if when I get updates, you're going to get updates and you can go and check out um the visuals right there. So we have for the outdoor play spaces, we're going to be taking a trip in November. No, next week I think actually again tapping into staff interest. Um the staff I know have a passion for what the outdoor play spaces look like. And we're just going to go to see some some ne uh neighboring outside play spaces to

034look at what they have done. Um Carolyn Scheler who used to be at Wild Rock is now a consultant for designing spaces. So VDO brought her on board and so she's really done a diligent job with VMDO of looking at the different scopes of the land of what's existing around Walker. And you wouldn't think like from looking at it like you know walking by or at car drop off how much there is but there's actually a lot there. Um there's skinnier slots but um there's definitely a lot there. So um they're going to do some great work with that. Thank you Pat. Oh the other piece my office is at Walker right now. So that's been helpful too with being able to be like I need to go visualize this. Okay. So, um, all right.

035The proposed campus, if you were in the August joint session that we had over on the, um, city center that they went into a lot more detail from after that meeting. And so, they've shared that with our schematic design team. As I said, that has five staff members on it in addition to our division team. And here's just an example of the Walker proposal drawn out to more detail. And again that component of having access to out a variety of outdoor play. Um you can start you can start to see how they took that into action. Go ahead Pat. >> And so here um we wanted to uh have been questions with regards to Oaklan and how Oakan fits into this um into this equation. And so I know that um we have been I

036know that people have said well I've heard preschool is going there. Well um we don't know that. So what what has happened thus far is that we have acquired the land um from UVA. Um at this time uh Sam has commissioned um BMDO to do some work. Um and I won't say that it's been paused but what has happened so far is that uh when UVA um had originally acquired the land they had commissioned Mitch Mitchell and Matthews to um do some sight massing and so site massing includes like um what's under the land um will um what is the topography um how does the topography u impact the um what you can build on the base and so they have done Mitchell and Matthews have done some extensive work. Miss Powell and I were

037able to jump on a on a virtual meeting with um Mike and Stewart and Mitchell and Matthews produced like a 40 50 page document that just really has um some diff various scenarios in terms of um what could go on that site. So we um I mean so we are very interested and and and we know that change could potentially be hard for people. Um but this does u this site does offer some of those cascading opportunities that we would have had um at the FBI location. Absolutely. It is smaller. Um but what we know initially is that um there's a lot of usable flexible land. Um I know one of the things that um comes up is that there are all these historic um there all these historic features of this um site. But

038what we learned through the Mitchell Matthews um evaluation is that um the land is good. um there are some work there's a lot of workable areas around the um that his those historical things. So we really would need to determine if um the hopes and dreams version of um what Dr. Cora really wants could go on this property and initially it looks like it could potentially happen. And so we're going to continue to work with the city and with BMDO and with the um current evaluation uh to determine the next steps which um if BMDO had to do this work from the ground up, it would have taken at least at least until u late December, early January. Um, now having this full report, we um, it appears that we will be able to make

039some decisions a lot sooner um, with regards to next steps, which is helpful for the preschool team because we really don't want to break their stride. Um, they're they're they're getting a lot done. Um, it doesn't impact what happens at the interim site, but I think that we just don't want to lose the momentum of what happens um, with what happens um, next. you know, we want to camp out. It it appears that we will be camping out for um it appears that we'll be camping out for two to three years at this point and right now looks like about three. Um so I I think Oakan matters. Um so that's why I put it up there because um it is definitely um a a feature of their next steps um in this equation. Is

040there like do you have kind of a drop dead date of when decisions have to be made? It seems like well work is going to start at >> well AC at our last meeting even if we stay on the current Walker campus it's three years. So, if we move to Oaklan, if if just to say if it changes to Oaklan tomorrow, we're still at three years of camping out. >> But what's the trigger >> to make that >> right breaking ground? If we want to decide we're breaking ground, when when when do we need to do that? I think that is I think that would be concurrent with like lend money's uh I think that's tied to to the money part >> well yeah with where we are now with the um work that was

041handed over from Mitchell Matthews I think that there's a high level of confidence with the city that all the details will be able to be presented so that the decision making will happen within early first quarter of the next calendar year which still puts us in three years in room condition at the Walker site and moving into a pre the preschool center at this point with in Oklahoma being introduced into the mix of things to make decisions about. We ended up in a it's three years in interim condition regardless. We're not in jeopardy of missing the window at this point and they don't are not signaling any concern that we would miss the window based on what the jump start especially that was provided with you know all the additional information that came from what

042he did for there. So there's not a concern that it's going to cost an additional year. I think that's the answer. They haven't and as Dr. Gurley said, we should be in a position by at the latest early in the um like around January because even before we knew about the additional work that could be provided by the architectural firm that UVA was using, there wasn't at that point concern even if the MDO had to do more work from the ground up that it was going to cost us a whole other year. >> Go ahead. >> Yeah. And then would VMDO then take over and draw whole new schematics and plans for what a a site there would look like? I believe that's >> like we wouldn't just take what Mitchell and Matthews had. >>

043No, that's correct. >> It would be a whole new >> That's correct. >> It's it's still the design work is still what you know what needs to be done with this with the hopes and dreams of the of this team that's been working on it. Um, I think there are certain elements of what was envisioned for Walker that if Oaklan works, a lot of those elements then would, you know, how does that translate into a design for that specific site? I think that's a lot of what need. >> Thank you, M. Did you have a question? >> Yeah, I mean, I'm I'm stuck on the Walker site and that might not be your hopes and dreams, so I don't I don't want to crush that. I mean, I'm very open to hearing what it could

044like look like, but I always envisioned when we talked about the wraparound services and just the square footage of of the Walker site and what that potentially could do for the community and maybe we can do it on the Oakland. I don't know. It just feels different, but that's fine. Um, but if we didn't have Oklahoma, so it would still take the interimm work that was planned like way back before we and it would still take three years if we were going >> if without the I would call it with the introduction of Oakan as a possibility and what needed to what needs to go into that from that point it shifted to a three more of a threeyear >> but if if Oakan wasn't on and off >> because of the time that's FBI

045were still on three. Yeah. >> Yeah. And I think that FBI I think the city's attention was pulled in a lot of when we had our meetings, I think it became really clear that the city's attention was just being pulled in various directions. So whereas some of this work we were starting to do then FBI became went on the table then they started focusing solely on like um like here's some drawings. I mean they started doing work. So, I think they felt like um what I know I heard Mike say at our last meeting is that without Oaklan, we still would have been at three years because they just were they were doing a lot of work in in different areas versus being very linear on one thing and I'm confident he said that in

046our last meeting. >> Yeah. I mean, what's driven this is the we've asked them to shift. There's been so many different opportunities slash options that have been presented. Those are good things, but they also cost time >> because if you recall um when FBI was an option, they had commissioned um the MDO to do work on um the viability of a preschool center there. >> Um so I mean they just were just being jerked in various directions. I appreciate that we have our high school folks in the room with our early learning center because I think these end up being very interconnected from a space perspective. And so I think as a board we're really eager to get the early childhood learning center like in place and up and running. Um but recognize that the

047cascading effects that you've referenced several times also are important and play into this. But I think also heading into budget season, like we don't know what to ask for. Like we don't know what to lobby city council to start earmarking and setting aside for this work because we know whatever the number is, it's going to be a big number. Um, and so I think as conversations continue, like us having a better sense of like what what we're asking for um is going to be helpful because when we go and we say, "Well, maybe this or maybe that," like we lose a little bit of the kind of gusto behind it. >> I mean, I would I would really be supportive of like, "Let's go big for this, you know, whatever and whatever location that is."

048I mean, again, I'm just so um highly motivated, invested in wanting to do more for our early learners and whatever that looks like, whatever Charlottesville City Schools can do as far as within our purview and and budget and really pushing that pushing the envelope to do something different and and crazy. I mean, this is a time, but those are the that that's where we need to start to really, I think, see the difference and make the difference, you know, for again that achievement gap that we've talked about for decades. >> And Dr. Cor, she's gonna she's going to talk about some of the that bigger like her bigger picture. I >> was going to say this parlays nicely into your next kind of envisioning your hopes and dreams. >> Yes. Um, next slide, please. Thanks.

049Um so the next piece is really on when you asked about this earlier Lisa increasing enroll enrollment our slots that we do have are in the mid twos like to run 217 220 we are not at capacity and to me I'm going to set a goal of making sure that we have a weight list to start the year I think that is really making sure like I I'm really curious if we have slots for 217 children where where's than this at. >> Um, and this has been couple years. >> Oh, yeah. I just wanted a question. Um, well, I think that the issue is some of the things that I see with like the enrollment dropping is because with preschool, you have like parents that have jobs can't put their kids in school because you

050have to pick one up at 2:30 and most jobs you don't get off till 4 and 5. And so a lot what I hope to see is that when we what I would envision when we do have this space that we're able to offer longer days for families that work because I think that's where we're missing a lot of our children um because instead of coming to preschool they're in a daycare center or something like that because they offer longer day a year. >> So I would hope that we start to think of >> and we met with we already met with >> that's the partnership. So the Y the YMCAU for after care is already in the works to start next year. >> Awesome for that piece of it. >> So that'll be that

051long um >> at each location. >> No, it's only at the early learning center. >> It'll be at the early learning center >> right there. So it'll stay there. >> Yeah. So when all of the children come to the early learn all prek go to the early learning center when we had the meeting with them, Dr. Cor asked, "Can we replicate the same thing that's happening for our K through four students? We want the same thing at the preschool center." And she said, "Go ahead and put it inou." And that's what we've done. >> Okay. Is that a free service? >> It'll be the same exact process. >> Same model. playing. >> We've been waiting to consolidate all the preschoolers to one location to be able to do this because the license what it would

052take to obtain lensure at the six different sites was just untenable. But it is the fact it is the consolidation that enables this. Um so to Lisa to your point really I really want to start the year cool um and we will see where that takes us and really getting creative and looking like this is where the nuances are different than um K and above enrollment. So looking at some of the things in the criteria >> um the aligned and intentional intentional community partnerships is the next piece to really start thinking about and um Denise and I were emailing today about what's particular to just the early learning center versus what do we want what do we really envision with all prek through 12 with these partnerships and there is so much vested interest in

053this doing incredibly well and being an inclusive and welcoming space for families. Um, and so we really just want to make sure we're working together in what each person is doing. And so um, and so we're not like compete not necessarily competing against one another, but we all kind of see like this is our role with all working together. And so we have a meeting we're looking at in November with the different partnerships that have reached out or reached out to me since I got named this role bringing in um, Dr. Johnson um Bianca in their work um to really start talking about this now to have an intentional um plan of what that could look like. Um but the big piece would be you know what I would really like to see would be

054um some kind of adult um learning center on the on the actual grounds. I think there's a lot of value with having those family classes or opportunities for family learning to happen where their child is and thinking about that through a lens of family engagement. Just having a space for families to be and not necessarily having it be in their child's classroom, but if they wanted to do a child parent part and then have a parent part in a different place where they can have space, too. Um, really having that um be the part of be the purpose of a school. the school I taught at New York, the one of the big pieces that the PTO did was um like they they had language classes during the day to support families and that was

055the what the PTO's identified goal was that they wanted to work on and that just became part of the school um and this is what the school provided and so I really starting with something like that like what does the community want to do what do we want to work on um so Dr. girly since he has been here has always said we're you know better together. We know that and one of the things he told me was dream big. Um, so that is really what um I am um I've said to him many times like you told me to dream big. Here it is. >> But um I share this and I put this picture of because this is a very deeply personal story to me. But um as many of you know, I

056lost my son unexpectedly a few years ago. And one of the ways that I've really tried to find myself again is with doing something for me and doing a lot of I volunteer at a horse rescue. And this um this horse's name is Ellie. And this is I work with her a lot each week. And I know I struggle with being able to put into words sometimes what it feels like to exist. And so I'm an adult. I've had a lot of school behind me and I know my emotional regulation. Sometimes it's not there, folks. And it is really helpful to have such an outlet where I can take in everything. And you know, I've started to read more about ecoin therapy and they're some of the most therapeutic animals and um it has been

057so valuable and healthy for me and I just you know I have acute trauma and so I think about this with our children who are struggling to um even articulate like I I I can I can articulate it after a lot of work. And so when you have children that they're growing their oral language and their development and we're expecting them to be regulated and to be safe and there are just things that they can't describe and that's okay and being able to have really alternative like you know what we talked about with really thinking big. This is my thinking big and being able to bring some of these like yes I would like I would love I've told this from Dr. from day one. I want a barn and I want Ellie to live

058there and I realize this is me just, you know, being me, but um I really think there's a lot of value in thinking about outside the box and I'm really looking forward to using the early learning center to really thinking outside the box to really look at what can be better for kids and better for our community and really start their experience in Charlottesville City Schools strong. So, thank you. We'll leave time for questions. Do you have any additional questions? >> And Miss Turner, I'm sorry I skipped you to start with. Do you have any questions for Dr. >> No, but I just want to say that I really loved your presentation and I'm very passionate about early education. That passion started from being with the board. um I started to rep my sophomore year

059and there was a presentation about test scores and like when I saw the different scores like the different um minority groups made me really passionate about early education like understanding why these test scores were low. So I I value I really do value just like having that good foundation. So thank you so much for this. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Uh apologies colleagues for arriving a little late and Dr. Cora thank you for your presentation. uh talking about increasing enrollment. Love that idea. And I know we've again unfortunately struggled with a lot of uh early education closings, not on us, but others. Uh and excuse my ignorance on on this, but I I know we think we we income qualify a lot of our current preK students, right? Is there obviously we want to make

060sure we're serving all those who need that, but is there also an opportunity to expand it again and open it up beyond that? Is that part of the strategy too or not? >> It is definitely been in conversation with our central office team is like really the long-term piece. That's one of the things I've been asking when I've been visiting a lot of schools. Um, so we all qualify for VPI funding based and we get a certain number of slots and I'm really interested in how different areas determine what their local criteria um is. And so that's going to be a big there's a there's a lot of people like you need to give staff child care. I'm like yes heard. And there's a lot that I'm learning like that's a very big big onion

061when we start to peel back the layers of it because of how funding is done. So I'm just starting to ask questions and learn more about those pieces. But yes, definitely want to expand it more. >> Yeah, exact just along those lines and I'm glad to hear that we're trying to bring in the YMCA to again take care of the app the afternoon child care challenge that it would sounds like it would really do impact our ability of our parents to want to enroll their children. But and I will note we've had I think weightless problems with YMCA though. So I just want to think we we're very clear with them on expectations on them being staff and and be able to provide that service. Um but right and looking at those those revenue models

062also potentially and again just like the YCA it is a graduated kind of fee for service to a certain extent with being families who have means able to pay you know I would hope we'd also consider that to make sure that we're maximizing the value and cross subsidizing the those families if possible. Thank you. >> Thank you. I heard we're getting a pony. Appreciate that. Um I talking about increasing enrollment and just wondering what and maybe not now but hopefully here in the future some more engagement opportunities to meet families where they are in the community whether it's at the various um housing communities or other um events happening in the city throughout the year to bring more attention to the program. um and to assist with applying. I know we do the best we

063can, but just wonder if there's been any family engagement based team conversation to try to engage in that work. What we're going to do this year um is so last year very last minute we had a preschool enrollment day. So kind of the same model of the kindergarten enrollment day and so this year we're going to do preschool and kindergarten on the same day where we have a lot of extra support happening. And so then I think before that is really like what you were describing as the push to really get the word out and again like not just really emphasizing applying with a priority deadline. Um and so when we have that day we have a lot of families available or people that are available to assist with that application process. >> Yeah. >>

064Okay. >> Yeah. And just learning from like okay so this is what it looked like this year. What will it look like next year? And just >> Yeah. Um, >> and when I when I think about the Oaklan property, um, I I live in that neighborhood, so I was very involved in the Field Neighborhood Association work that went into that property. Um, so when I think about that neighborhood, what as a neighborhood we advocated for was really space for that community and for the people that live in that community and neighboring communities. And so when I think about the potential of Oak Lawn, I think how accessible it is to many of our families who live on that side of town. more more bus line options, more frequent stops, more just accessibility feels um really

065good to me um at Oak Lawn when we think about where we're we're hoping to build this project and then just thinking about all the other possibilities that could happen on the current Walker site. Um so I I appreciate all the moving parts and thank you Dr. Gurley for doing that work with your team, Dr. for just imagining and dreaming bigger I think on the behalf of all of our tiny humans in the community and their families. So thank you. Thank you. >> Do you have additional comments questions? >> M Richardson. >> Um thank you for your presentation. I loved it. Let's go Colts. Um I did want to start with um you mentioned bringing teachers up to speed in the literacy area. um can you just elaborate on that like some of your ideas

066in that regard? >> Yes. So with VA what happened um is a lot of teachers had to uh all teachers had to do required training modules and what's happened in the science of reading and what's been different about instruction. Um preschool teachers were not part of that. And so with what's encompassed in early childhood letters, that course, they get a lot of foundational knowledge on why these practices are effective, maybe the correct way, even simple things as like the correct way to say letter sounds, which you're like, what? And the impacts it might have. And so the and historically sometimes there's an overemphasis on just letter names and not getting to know the letter sounds. And so using this as an opportunity to kind of give that time to what our K through pain and

067above teachers have um with what's changed in the science of reading since a lot of us were in school or what's been even going deeper to what's currently in school honestly. And so that is where we've been building a lot of that into our professional learning time. >> Definitely. >> Did that answer that? >> Yes. Definitely. Thank you. I really appreciate that. And I guess I want to um echo the rest of the the um board as far as like dreaming big and as Miss Tori said, let's go big. So I'm for that. It's really exciting to see. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Anything additional? >> I'm good. I'm making lists. >> All right. Thank you very much, Dr. Cororb. >> You may I just want to acknowledge Dr. Corb um because I remember

068um I think it was at a goal setting meeting or during her evaluation she made it very clear to me that she's not a central office person. Um and you know she you know I'm always asking people like what do you want to be when you grow up and and she nowhere in her conversation did she say I want to be at the central office. um she's made it very clear, abundantly clear that um her heart is close to children and so while she didn't ask to go with the young people um eventually I could see that you know she was very um committed to how the work starts um so I just want to acknowledge her publicly that I mean you know this has been like the best thing ever to you know step

069away from the principal ship maybe in a moment when needed. >> One year and I'm tomorrow. >> Yeah. >> Thanks. >> And and then to take on this work and get this work started correctly. So just want to thank her for that. >> Thank you, Dr. Gurley. I really am grateful for this opportunity. It's incredibly exciting. >> Thank you. >> Professional dream. This is Yeah, totally my professional dream. >> Very happy to have you and lucky to have you. Um we're going to move into our next item for discussion. just um as kind of a clerical point, we have a very hard start of 6 p.m. with our legislators arriving. Um and so this next presentation as well as comments from the community, just if I can ask folks to be mindful of that time

070frame. All right. Are we ready? >> Rock and roll. >> All right. So, um this is a schoolboard work session. So we um wanted to treat it as such um to engage you all um when we think about what a work session is. It's an opportunity um to fill your buckets um and to develop a and so we want to um make sure that your voices also um contribute to this conversation. Um so I just want to thank you all for um this opportunity. Um so this evening we're going to dedicate this session to reviewing and discussing um our approach to uh student behaviors and the systems that we have in place. This conversation is a conversation about preK through 12. Um this is about how we support all of our students. Um and so

071we will um and so you will see that I have included a range of voices here. Um, and I'll talk about that a little bit more about the why there's so many voices. We're going to start with Dr. Johnson, who normally when we do any type of work session, she gets us started about um our thinking. >> Yes. Thank you so much for inviting me, Dr. Gley. You know that I love a postit and so these postits are optional. You can opt into the postit, but as Dr. just said um for for work sessions, anytime that we're uh having a conversation, we want to make sure that we have our questions answered, we we know that in information and clarity are important as we continue to grow and learn. And so we wanted to first

072provide space for you all to write on a postit or along the way what do you hope to learn from the session and what questions do you have coming in to the session? And so that's going to be an effort for me for the group to kind of maintain thoughts, follow up as needed, and I'll continue to jot down ideas that you may have that we may need to come back to and re-engage with. But that's the first part. And if you Dr. I'm I'm happy to um do postits or verbally that we still >> um I guess for the sake of time I mean do you want to just verbally can add your thoughts so she can capture them or we can give you an op we can give you three minutes to put

073them on the posted notes as we typically would do >> in a development session. It's your >> I think let's start a timer. Two minutes 120 seconds. Write down on your posts guys. Any questions? But can we go through because I don't want this to be rushed because I've asked for this to happen and so I don't want this to feel rushed. I want us to be able to go through the presentation. Some of my questions may be answered within the presentation, but I want us to be intentional about this time because this is something that I care deeply about. And so I don't want to feel like we have this time because now we have to meet with the legislators to talk about um that stuff. So I want us to however we do

074it I just want us to be intentional about it. >> Absolutely. Yes ma'am. >> So next >> phrase question. >> Let's take some time just to consider prior to entering um the session. Mrs. Cooper just said that she had some >> All right. I'm good. shared um prior to coming in this was a conversation that we wanted to have and so this conversation is about uh student supports and responses. What questions did you have or what thoughts did you have coming into this conversation that you hope to learn more about you hope to have answered um and any outcomes that you hope to happen as a result of this conversation. So, we do just want to take some time to process, settle with it, and consider our thoughts. And so as you have some things

075written down, I'll come by and grab your tool stick and maintain the parking lot. If along the way you have additional questions, feel free to just hold them up and I'll come and grab them. Um or it can just help you maintain your memory as we're going through the slides so that you can um ask along the way. It's good. to give us a couple and curves questions. >> Yes, absolutely. >> And so as we continue to process, did anyone want to share what they wrote on their post that and I they're anonymous, so I might share a couple. Did anyone come in with some thoughts or ideas that they wanted to learn or takeaways they wanted to have? >> For me, it was um understanding the restorative framework and how is it how is

076it applied to some of the scenarios within the um slides and two um is disagregating some of this data because I feel like it's very vague. So how does restorative work factor into the work we're doing and can we disagregate the data a little bit deeper so that there can be a more specified understanding of numbers and things like that. >> Yes. Um, what do I'm interested in understanding what our students want to see of their peers? Like what do our students think need to happen and how is it happening or not happening? What are their expectations of their peers and how are we responding to that? >> So, it's not just an adult student conversation. It's a student expectations they establish for themselves as a community as a student community. >> Yes, I understand.

077Chris, you weren't here from the beginning. You don't need to move. Sorry. >> Anything else we want to say prior to >> uh I think I one like what are our options for in school suspensions and how does that work and are we using those and then uh where are we not doing well at in implementation of the student discipline system? You know, what are those next steps we managed to take? Thanks. Okay. And I think a lot of those things we will um a lot of the things that we've just heard verbally we will um we'll dive into. All right. We good with me going through? All right. So, um here's a table of contents in terms of some things we'll cover um here just of the complexity of behaviors. Um like what is

078that complexity look like by the numbers? Um who's in the numbers? Um we'll talk about our student behaviors and responses, how do we respond? Um we've um come up with a case study here. Um a scenario. um we'll talk about our our continuum and then the gaps that exist within our continuum and then what are the um overlapping concerns. So, I wanted to start with um this quote um here because I think as we talk about behavior um I absolutely stand 10 toes down on this, right? I believe that behavior is complex. Um, and I think that any educational practitioner, regardless of your role, whether you are a nutrition worker, a bus driver, a CSA, a teacher, we all recognize that student behavior is difficult. Um, and so managing and responding to student behavior is

079inherently complex. Um, it requires balancing empathy with accountability, understanding with consistency, and structure with flexibility. And if you go back to what I originally said, that is complex because when you think about being empathetic and holding someone accountable, sometimes it feels like the two things don't go hand in hand because in that moment when something is happening specifically to you, it's hard to give someone um that empathy. And when we think about um being consistent but also being structured um and having that flexibility that's extremely difficult that sometimes the processes the process calls for me to um think about where you are in this moment u which requires some flexibility but I know in doing that it may not feel to someone else that I'm being consistent but I also recognize that as the superintendent,

080as the principal, as the assistant principal, as the teacher, that I also must be consistent. So, it feels like on on any given day, I'm being asked to do various um two different things, which is difficult. Um there's a lot of complexity that comes with that. Um and we try to put some um and we're trying to put a little bit of um science to that. So before I go to the next um as I said earlier I've brought some various voices with me to this work because it's not about just how I respond as the social worker how I respond as the psychologist um as the administrator. It's like there are a lot of people in our ecosystem um that respond to our students that support our students. And so you're going to hear

081various voices. And so the next voice you'll hear will be Miss Raznik. >> So one of the data points that really highlights the complexity of student behavior is our data regarding threat assessments um both threat of harm to others and threat of harm to self. Um each of these specific incidents was afforded a thorough um and systematic assessment um sometimes hours in length. Um, it determined the priority level and underlying needs that would inform how we support the student, how we support the family, and how we support the school community in response um to the incident. There are some incidents that result in both a threat assessment and an office discipline referral, but not all threat assessments would result in discipline. Um, just a note about the tables. Remember that priority five means that there

082was no harm. Um there's no concern. Priority four indicates low concern. Um our priority three, two and one um indicate moderate to imminent risk. Um there are um highest uh we have to have a highest level of response and all include systematic structures in which we respond. Um we have had an increase in threat assessments um from this moment in time last school year. Um we're fortunate um we only have an increase of one in the priority 321. Um so we're not seeing a large increase in um that um more risky behavior um or more risky threats. Um you can see the breakdown by school. Um where we've seen our biggest increase um in the need to do a threat assessment is in in our elementary schools. Um but we have no increase in priority

083321 at elementary. So we're doing more threat assessments. We are hearing more of the threats that result in no concern um or low concern. Um but even in those circumstances, there's an expectation that a plan um and support is provided to the student. So we also want to talk about um who's in our numbers. Um and when we talk about u out of school suspensions, I know that that's been one that's been a particular interest of our um school board members. And so um with these numbers we know that um the first thing is like we know we have to do something different um because we already know what the research says with regards to out of school suspensions that out of school suspensions don't change behaviors themselves. Right? I mean it's a way to

084hold students accountable. Uh but an out of school suspension alone does not um change the student behavior. You know, as we look at this um as we look at this chart, um I think the thing that you have to the first thing you have to take away is that um you know, if you are a black student here in Charlottesville City Schools, you will be likely suspended four and a half times. you're likely to be suspended four and a half times more than a white student. Um, and so really it's about getting to the heart of like what is that about? Um, I know that as a board one thing that's always like very important to you all is like how we how we leverage and incorporate our community partners and and and what are

085those systems that we have and what are those systems that we have internally. And we're going to talk um at length in in a couple of slides about like what are those what are those systems but you know when you look at this um when you look at from one year to the next um I mean there's some decreases in some um and increases and and and in others but I mean what remains the same is that when you look at our overall student enrollment of Charlottesville city schools and this data is this data is K through um uh K through 12. When you look at this data, one thing that stands out is disproportionately based on our student enrollment, our black students are being suspended at a much higher rate um than their peers.

086And and of course you all know that if you have questions as we go along. So I'll take any questions or um >> what percentage of African-American um students do you have in Charlottesville? Like the Charlottville city schools? >> Um 32 I think it's I can get someone to fact check me but it's I believe it's 32% of our student population um are black students. We can get look on our quality profile. Maybe not to answer today, but I am interested with this slide to break it down further. Um the number of students, not just the number of days, but how many students um and how many days are that student by race and by school? Is that am I saying that clear? So I want I would like to what I would like to

087see is >> student A >> accounts for 25 of these days so that we really know h how many students is this really impacting >> and Miss Raznik can give you our um our um database does allow for her to pull that information. So, one thing that you're getting at that is accurate is that there are um there are quite a few students who make up um a large portion of the out of school suspensions. Um so, yes, there's a there's a lot of there we have quite a few students who make up like the they have 20 days, they have 25 days. Yes. I think one of the things that kind of jawed when looking at this slide um is I was kind of curious of if we have the ability to map the

088students >> um more so to see like is this kind of going with our assumptions or maybe tying it to certain neighborhoods and if this is something as you alluded to like community partners we can work with um or I think I I guess just looking at this, you can kind of have a couple different thoughts. Your your thoughts could be, and it depends on the lens you're coming from, your thoughts could be like, "Hey, the school system's racist and systematically they're racist, right?" Uh, another thought process you could say, particularly me as a African-American male, I won't press this on upon other African-Americans, but like my people just don't know how to act. What's going on here? Um, another one would be, you know, is this is this um an an issue with uh

089how we teach in terms of our approach? Um, is this is there something that we can do particularly for African-Americans that we're not doing um in in our school system right now? So, I think like I think there are a variety of ways to see it. And I don't want to say there's truth to all of it because I hope that you know what we're doing is not racist, right? And we don't have racist uh teachers or prejudice teachers. Um but I think ultimately I think when we want to address this um I think it's important to have some visuals because I think that's what actually will really kind of light the fire under under some of our community members. >> And the answer to that question, I think Miss Cooper Miss Cooper asked the

090question. It's 25.4. >> Yes. So 25.4% of our um student population are black students. That's about 4,300. >> Just to tag quickly, Miss Burn's question. So just for clarification, and maybe I missed it, I'm sorry. So if you're looking at 156 out of school suspension days, that's the number of days, correct? Mhm. >> So that's >> she wants to know how many >> All right. Um and then we will move on to Dr. Troder will u just have a dis will introduce the um SBAR. >> Yeah. So, our student behavior and administrative response known as ESBAR just basically defines these four characteristics of making sure that as a school division that we um are providing the minimum behavior um standards, excuse me, within the um school division as well by finding those particular menus of

091alternative interventions and responses for those particular students. um school board member um Don may mention about the tracking and equally finding out what about those students that come into our division and how we continue to track those behaviors um as well as um supports there and um one is the last point of how we can support and manage behaviors with um minim minimalizing the call for law enforcement. How do we make sure that we can support our young people within our own campus campuses, excuse me, uh with without having to call uh the law enforcement um unless it's a dire need that's needed there. Uh we can advance. So uh just to really cut across because of the essence of time, we will uh talk about the different five different levels. And so as we

092talk about level one and you have it in the presentation, uh the goal here is basically for classroom supports to be provided for the teacher for that classroom teacher to be able to address the classroom measures uh with particular students. Um excuse me opposing immediately calling the um administrator but finding those particular ways. uh you will see that in each particular level you will find that there will be a discipline section that will outline a various measure and we will see how that increases at for each particular level. And then we will also note the behavioral interventions that will equally um be able to be supported for students at each particular level. And then the instructional support with uh how do we provide those academic measures for a particular student that may be a level

093one where they just may need to be removed from the classroom for a timeout session and how does that instruction still be provided for that student and then how do we look at that for infraction that happens happen excuse me at level five. So we can advance too >> and these and just want to make sure that um that these are from um are included in the rights and responsibilities document and um and I think one thing that as Dr. Troder is pointing these things out is that you know the goal of the discipline sanction is for the accountability piece. Um so the discipline section is about accountability whether it's some out of school suspension or what how they how we respond to that and then the behav the behavior intervention that center column that's

094really about skill building um you know how do we build this the child's skill so that that behavior does not repeat itself. And then he spoke to the um last one which is the instructional support which is about how do we limit the academic impact. Um and I think the academic impact part is the thing that we need to push to the top of this conversation as we talk about responding to student behavior particularly as we talk about the achievement gap because remember what we face we change. >> Yeah. Thanks >> and >> I'm sorry I have a question. Sure. >> With that, when do we involve the parents? When are they >> Yep. So, if we're looking at at any of the particular levels um one through five, uh we can see that that

095would be begin definitely at the uh discipline measure where a parent can be notified or should be notified actually um for those particular infractions >> at everyone. >> Yes. At every level. Yes. And that that should be the expectation. Of course, uh not waiting for an infraction to occur. But if the teacher or staff member is continuously in contact with a parent, good, bad or indifferent, that kind of helps soften when a behavior, heightened behavior occurs because then the parent and that staff member should have a strong communication base to where um they would be able to understand what the particular infraction may be and or what that next step would be. And is is these is the contact over the phone or is in person like >> the expectation is either um my understanding

096or what I would prefer is that it is face to face in person. I think um having that um that engagement with the parent uh limits any uh concern and or mis uh information that could particularly happen. >> Okay. Thank you. And so here we see that in level two uh the goal is to prevent further behavior issues um um again for the student and uh that is by looking at the excuse me the behavior intervention spaces um of contacting the parent. Maybe the particular student needs to be referred uh to the MTSS team. And so we can advance to three. And so when we look at level three, um the ultimate goal is for um the student again to be provided with supports. In this particular level, we do begin to look at um

097short-term removals from school um for particular students. I would like to note that once we begin to look at level three, there is a separation as it relates to behavior infractions for our elementary school students and our secondary school students because of the fact that we want to make sure that if they are students on the elementary school level that we provide a greater level of support and um the support of them not being out of school for a particular measure. equally wanted to um highlight that um the referral to law enforcement at a level three may be needed um at the discretion of the school principal. And then finally uh particular students may need a functional behavior plan or um a behavior intervention plan. You usually hear those messages around students with disabilities, but

098ultimately any student can have that particular plan. The goal is to address those particular behaviors within that plan, provide u measures of support, measures of u success and um celebrations if if and when we are addressing the behaviors and we're seeing success there. I'll pause before I go to point. >> Can you give Yeah, I'm sorry. Um can you give me some examples of like what is a level one to what is a level three? >> Absolutely. So, in your um email, I um right before we got started, I um sent you um >> I saw some examples, >> a link. >> I I sent a link to the student rights and responsibilities. And so if you go down to page um it starts on page 10 of the document and I think in the

099PDF not sure what page it is um but you'll see if you look in the SBAR category um category B you'll see that um >> but just for people that's watching >> okay yes so if you look at um B so I'm gonna use B um BSO BS3 um it says refusal to comply with the with um the request of staff in a way that interferes with the operation of school. Um so if um a student is doing something and it it's dangerous to themselves or um could cause some harm to someone else and not something that's intentional. Right? And this is something that we're going to have a conversation about later. um this student may be doing something that may what we may classify as horse playing in nature but because they're doing this

100to this degree that could cause some potential harm it could disrupt the day where the school needs to go on like a stay put stay tuned and all those things are disruptive so then that's where you have this degree of okay am I going to is it on level one two or three it could be any of the three and this is where that complex comes into the conversation. So as the administrator the administrator is then saying okay is this a behavior I've seen before? Um is there some antecedant to this behavior that's causing this behavior to happen? Um is this student just willfully um being um malicious or um defiant? So all of these things come into place and and I'll talk in a subsequent slide about the things that are consider um that

101we consider when I'm going through these things. But this is what makes it complex because um there's a range that you can use here and it's not always that I'm going to go with level four. Sometimes I'm I'm going with level um I'm going with level one. Um, is that get is that a >> I guess a a question that I would have is like where's the consistency and and are we following the same kind of consistency throughout the division? Well, I think really that's what it goes back to this the heart and spirit of what I was saying earlier that I think we strive to be consistent that we look at um when we're working with students like are there previous experiences like has this student had some previous behaviors? Um sometimes the behavior

102is so egregious that you start at level three. Um but then sometimes this is the student's first time. Um and I think what I what I will share what we will share in u one of the upcoming slides is that the amount of time that goes into just one incident something that may um have happened in a twominut period may take you know an hour to half of the day to process um and then there's a group of people working on it and then something else happens. Um so yes I mean we're striving this document helps us to strive for consistency and I think the consistency is um one of the first things that you can't do is you can't give the child something u a level four you can't use um one of the

103sanctions of an level four here. So that's building the consistency. But what you may be what you may hear is like, well, how come this student got one day and this student got three days? Um, and so there are some variables that were in play when that decision was made. >> And normally what's being that's being communicated with the child's family. >> Can I ask a quick followup? >> Sure. Is it typical to build um violations on top of each other or just take the highest one? >> Well, sometimes it's sometimes Yes. So, it could be that it's a BS a BSO3 with because it interferes with the operation of the school, but then it might be um it may be a BSC2 which is on the next page which goes all the way up

104to level four. So that now so because you have this one thing you now have another thing. So yes all of those things end up on that referral and so the child is getting the higher consequence of the two. >> Thank you. >> Is there is there an audit method for any of this work? I think to Miss Cooper's point is there ever an audit done to ensure that we're doing some of this with consistency or fidelity? Well, I think internally that work happens, but when we do that, when we do the monthly report and we're looking at, okay, this infraction, this infraction was given and you know, I'm seeing a lot of out of school suspensions for a behavior that I would think would be level one. Um and and so a great example

105if a student was skipping if a student is skipping school there's no out of school suspension that can be given for skipping school. I mean that's per VDOE requirements. So, if we pull that and we see that the students been skipping and then there is some out of school suspension attached to that, then we have to have a conversation with the school because you're using a consequence that's higher than what's permitted. >> Are the teachers trained on how to use the codes when they are writing referrals or >> is it just when something happens then you have to figure it out? >> The teachers aren't giving. They're just writing. >> So, they're just writing it. They're just writing referrals. >> So, who's this item on >> the administrators? >> Yep. So, um I'm going to

106move on just to four and five and just cut across for the essence of time being respectful. Um level four is when we begin to look at uh where the superintendent or superintendent designate depending on um a particular infraction may impose a long-term suspension which is 11 to 45 days. Uh this has uh the definition of long-term has definitely shifted because uh in previous years long term could have been an entire year um for a suspension and so we know that uh the state has now shifted that time period to 11 11 to 45 days depending on a particular fraction. Uh if a student does have a uh individual education plan um we have to look and it's past the 10th day or right at that 11th 10th or 11th day we have to do

107a manifestation to see how that um behavior if it has coincided with the disability that they do have. Um just because a student is recommended for a long term that ultimately may not be the result of that um of those extended days. uh opportunities could come where uh it could be a community service and the student is returning back or if they have anger management there could be a module that has to be completed or something of that nature as it relates to those spaces there. And then uh at level five are usually our most uh egregious behaviors um that are outlined in our student rights and responsibilities. And those particular behaviors come directly to our board uh for review and discussion for either potential expulsion and or long-term um in in those particular measures

108there. Um as we advance, Dr. Gurley did speak to the monitoring and the next steps that occur. And so per the Virginia code, what happens monthly is Miss Anne Skipper and I review particular data as it relates to um continuous behaviors even down to particular students um that um continuously cause or have um major referrals. And so um as we look at that, we submit that information to BDOE and um Miss Skipper and I are disagregating and or possibly having conversations with uh particular schools as relates to particular students. uh equally >> and there are very um as it relates to the rights and responsibilities document there are very clear guidelines from BDOE um for example um if when running this report if there's a can if there's an elementary student um a K through

109three student on that report if that student has an infraction and that it's more than three days that's a that that's a red flag because the principal is not um permitted to give a student more than three days without it going to the hearing officer. Um so they're they're limited in the scope of what they can prescribe um at that level. So there are some things like that that we um that we have to take into consideration as we're responding to student behaviors. >> Okay. >> Um Miss Res. >> Yeah. So um we wanted to share a little bit about how we have responded so far this year. Um so keep in mind um we've seen and responded to behaviors across all five of those levels. Um and so you can see that um we

110have had a number of classroom removals um in school suspensions, short-term suspensions, and long-term suspensions. Um, we call all of those things exclusionary discipline, discipline that removes students from the classroom. Um, but then there's also students who um, conferencing was um, the primary response um, for accountability. Um then when we think about our skill building and our behavioral intervention um for the majority of incidents right um we are going to have just one or two responses. Um you can see that administrative conference with students um and parent contact phone call letter or conference with a parent guardian um are our primary responses in terms of behavioral intervention. Um and then as students are exhibiting um those higher level behaviors um or behaviors that have resulted in harm to the community um we're looking at um

111formal restorative practices. So we use restorative practices in the way that we determine how we intervene and respond. Um but like a formal restorative circle um would be reflected here. Um and then um each time uh there is a a behavioral incident logged um there must be contact with that parent um that family. Um and then the last column is our instructional support. So this is where we note that the student received instruction um during uh their their time away from class. um we include here whether IEP services were delivered because we need that information as we're considering um other parts of the disciplinary process. Um and you can see that there's um opportunities from other instruction um but also that classwork was provided. students could have multiple behavioral interventions um included in their uh

112referral um as well as um multiple discipline sanctions. So you would see a student have uh an administrator conference um in addition to a classroom removal for example. So like these numbers are never going to add up to be the same across the three columns. Um but the reason that we highlight this um is one because as we start to remove students from the learning environment um we're we're really pushing that gap in the instructional support because they're not where the learning is happening. Um but next next slide please. Um it's also that this process takes time. So when you think about start to finish, something happens in the classroom, a teacher um writes a referral, the observer writes a referral. Um in some cases, the student might immediately go to the office. Um in

113other cases, a referral is written and the administrator is going to respond as the day progresses. Um when um the administrator gets that um they they um identify the specific behavior that occurred which can include um reviewing the observer's report. But it could also include uh getting uh student statements, gathering information from multiple different students, other students who observed it, um other adults that were present, um understanding the context. So understanding the location, the time of day, what was happening, was it during a transition, was it um during a quiet time in the classroom, was it during a busy time in the classroom? Um they need to meet with the student. Uh and they I mean even at times, right, they're reviewing camera footage. >> Um then they get they gather more context. So gathering

114context about that individual student's discipline work, what interventions are already in place for that student. Um who that student's team is um and all of that informs how they determine the discipline sanction, the skill building, behavioral intervention, and then the instructional support that would be provided. Then all of the decisions that were made need to be communicated. So there's the communication to the parent um as well as the providers who may be assigned some of those skill building interventions or behavioral support um making referrals to um to brief challenges, making referrals to the MTSS or school-based um teams. Um and then that um following up on what was prescribed based on um what they learned. um and then closing the loop. Um so getting back to our school staff about what decisions were made. Um

115and administrators have to do that in a um in a very thoughtful and conscient conscientious way. Um following up with people who felt harm, who experienced harm. Um as well as like maintaining the dignity and confidentiality of the student. Um so being thoughtful in how that information is shared um with the people who were involved, the people who witnessed it and the people who are now responsible for implementing um what was prescribed >> and and I think we all agreed um this was this slide was not in the original slide that went out but I think as we were processing through this I think one thing that was very apparent to us is like the amount of time that goes into one incident. um just one incident. Um and so just wanted to set that

116in terms of our processes. Any questions before we move forward? >> I have a question. Um looking at the slide, how will you respond? And I see that I feel like we don't utilize some of the interventions. um if I'm looking at the numbers of like even being able to refer some of our um students to uh counselor, school counselors um because it may be something going on at home or you know some other underlying issues of the behavior and so I just see like two referrals to school counselors and I want to know why that why was that so low. >> Yeah, I think sorry. >> Oh, I think it can be a couple things. Um, and then you can correct me if I'm wrong. I mean, like when I initially look at it,

117um, I'm seeing two happen during this process, but this student may already be in the MTSS process. >> Um, so that that's not captured in um, our student data. So like um you know of the students who we have contact with like over in the discipline sanction column Miss Cooper like those students may already be in the MTSS process which already has their school counselor on it. So this may be two students who were not like on a radar or it may be to your point maybe we not utilizing it enough. Um, but the two alone doesn't say that only two students have been referred. That's just been from the discipline process, but they may already be in some type of MTSS. What I mean, what are your thoughts? >> I think they're just looking

118at all of these numbers with behavioral interventions other than the contact parents or conferences, phone calls, letters or conferences to parents. The numbers seem pretty low compared to the discipline sanctions. Miss Cooper, that's your thoughts on like restorative work. How doing a full circle? >> Yeah. How we doing circle so that we are connecting to resources whether that's outside and building that bridge? Because I feel like that's missing in some of this work, >> right? >> Are we asking parents to come sit in the classrooms? Is that missing? I mean, seriously, like, how engaged are we are with the parents besides letting them know something is going once it's once it's happened? Are we partnering with parents? Are we What are we doing? >> Oh, we're definitely partner with parents >> besides just letting them

119know what's going on. >> No, I mean, I definitely think we're partnering. >> Are they coming into the schools when there's situations with their students? >> I think at various levels. I think the engagement is different at v at various levels. Um I think just inherently like parents are more engaged at elementary. Um but I think even at the secondary level I mean we have a good response. I mean overall we have a good response from families. Um it just you know of our students who are our highest flyers at our schools. Um, I just think that some of that behavior is just becoming more pervasive. >> Um, and the intensity, um, the intensity level is is moving up a notch. So, I mean, yeah, I think we do do a good job with our

120families. >> And if I could just interject equally, um, if they're not coming, I know, um, there have been opportunities where my expectation with my folks is that we're doing home visits to hopefully close as well um, with that. and and again if we if they can't get to us finding those measures where we can get to them and um just spreading that information to them. >> I would like to see that data if we're doing home visits like how many home visits are we doing and how are we connecting with parents. When I talk about data, I feel like we need to tell our story and break it down a little more so we can really see a true true picture of like what's really happening, how we fix it, and what systems can

121we put in place and how can we utilize the community um in a way that to support the schools to be able to kind of, you know, combat some of the issues that we may be seeing like, you know, some of our student like we don't know what are some of the underlying factors before they even get to school, Right. But if we are connecting with counselors and they're building relationships and trust and we have folks going to the home to kind of see what some of those issues are, we're starting to build those relationships and it can address some of the issues. You know, we may have someone that's homeless and sleeping in a car and we don't know and we wonder why they disgruntled when they come to school, >> but we're not

122connecting to to counselors to see if it's something. And I feel like we we need to do a better job with that. I wonder if um in the how do we respond section when we see these numbers again, how many students is this? And and I think it's hard to equate the number of short-term suspensions, but they're probably getting a behavior intervention and an instructional support. So, it's hard, I think, for me, speaking for myself, to quantify how many students this is. And so if if there is a way to capture that, I think that could be helpful again to isolate. And Mr. Morris, I love your idea about mapping to geography. Like what is happening? If we know that there was a fire in this community and half of the place was burned to

123the ground, we know we know why there's some trauma there. were if the police were in that neighborhood with heavy artillery and serving warrants, then we know that that's what's happening in that community. Um, and then how do we deploy resources when those things happen in our community in the moment that we know that they're happening or day after 2, three days, whatever that looks like. so that we're not reactionary, but we're we're anticipatory of what our students are going to come to school with the next day. Um, so just wondering if if we can capture it that way. I think if I can add a couple things that might be sort of instructive to the conversations. One, I do think there's probably a a healthy amount of data that schools are doing, including at

124the high school, that reflects many of the the things that might not be represented in the ESBAR, which is an administrator response to a behavior. But there is uh an ongoing um an ongoing audit and exchange with all of the tiered services that we provide from all of our school mental health professionals to our including our engagement specialists that is and to our our school counselors. that is um I think I think it's meaningful for that to also be represented in in the conversations about what are we doing to help develop skills for students and how not are we just responding to them but how are we hoping to develop skills. >> Yeah. >> I think just a real quick aside I think that speaks to Miss Burns and Mr. Morris your um the visual

125element of what is happening or what what how data is represented has been meaningful for us at at Charlottesville High School. One of the sort of slight innovations that we that we identified was actually taking uh data specifically around race and ethnicity and attendance and uploading it into uh a GIS system so that we can look at trends of of data. One of the things we wondered about was we identified the walk zone in the city and then look to see if if that was a barrier for transportation for students being able to access school. But we were able to layer a full map, a visual map by attendance, by ethnicity. And that same that same resource, that same mechanism can be used for incidents that might happen outside the community or even um trends

126that may exist around our own discipline data. So there is an opportunity there because that innovation was meaningful for us that we have only used as an admin team to sort of workshop. But I think there's an opportunity for um helping to communicate that data. >> And I if if I could add one other thing before we move forward just to um kind of help ease if if you have that worry, Miss Cooper, that at our principal meeting, you know, our um instructional team has really worked with our principles about not using one data set, right? So let's not make assumptions about who our students are based on one data set. And so I think what you like um someone just said like these are our administrative responses. So it to your point like it

127those numbers may look low when it talked about school visits or referrals but what we also are laying on top of that you would see all of these home visits numbers. So like we can get these things for you because they already exist because we would lay the SEAL data right on top of the SBAR data to see how many students. So while it looks like a lot like we really are talking about 20 students or if we're at a high school we're talking about 12 students. So when you la when you lay these multiple data sets, so the SEAL data on top of the um ESBAR data on top of the chronic absenteeism data, this gives you a picture of like so how many students are we talking about? So yes, we can provide

128that. This presentation it's not there because we were specifically talking about ESBAR, but yes, this is what we're doing when we're triangulating um the data. We're we're putting multiple data sets on top of one another to see like so who's who's really there? Who do we need to give the most attention to? >> And that's really a low number. I think we should be able to do a really good job in supporting those families through partnerships with >> I agree. I agree. I think the I I think the that part is the easy part, the connecting part. I think the complex part is the changing the behavior part, the how students respond to the behavior. I think that's the difficult part. I think I don't I never want to put out there that families aren't

129engaged because they are um they're showing up, they're advocating for their children. Um so I never want to put that out there. I think where we struggle as collectively, when I say struggle, like the parent is also struggling with us. is like, how do we appropriately help the student? Because they're not responding to us at school, they're not responding at home, they're not responding in the community, we're bringing people, but we're not giving up on them. Um, but it doesn't feel good because when we're when we're suspending these students and who also have support, they have to come back to school and and many times they're coming back and the behaviors are not changed. So then what next? because people's, you know, I mean, it doesn't feel good because this is someone who's caused harm

130to me um whether it's been physically or emotionally and now they have to come back into this space and so we just and that's the part that we collectively are trying to get right um in in collaboration with the families. >> I have a quick question. Yes. for the information gathering kind of phase. Um particularly if a student was sent out of class, are there guidelines for administrators for like how long that student should be there before um they're either sent to the next class or do they stay there until the whole process is done? Are there guidelines like that? >> On any any day it can look it can look different. um you know they're going to the they go to the office and um we know sometimes we in the information gathering it's

131about something that happened in math class and we think that they can go to their next class. Sometimes we think that this person is just so disregulated that we can't send them back to any class. Sometimes they're in a we send them to a holding space they're and they're in um in in um Isby. that's not always, you know, that's not available at the elementary schools. So, um I mean it it looks different. It can look different on a given day. >> I I guess what I'm getting to like for the ESBAR codes, you have kind of a range, right? Like is there do we have a similar template that we could say? >> No, we we don't I think it it it's all in our assessment. It's all in the assessment of is this

132student able to go back and keep themselves regulated for the remainder of the day or is this a student that needs to leave right now? Is the harm between specifically because they're triggered by what happened in that class and they have a connection with someone else or is this someone that okay they need to be out of school for the remainder of this day which then turns into an out of school suspension when we have to send them home. >> But I do think Mr. more to your question, we do we do try to identify what's a minor verse major behavior or what's an office verse teacherbased behavior that kind of that and so that's often done at the school level often through the PBIS the positive behavior intervention support framework to be able to

133identify just what that spectrum can look like and and who is accountable or responsible for helping to inform a behavior, redirect a behavior and that does help provide a framework. So we do try to develop that and uh refine that over time at the high school level. But there's no question that there's there's sometimes an intersection or the frequency that something comes up where um we may not be able to attend to that student before the next period ends or not be able to attend to it effectively. And so there's there is sometimes a um a time gap that can work against us. But we do we do want to be our objective is for the students to be back in their class and to be in that space safely uh and then to be

134able to be engaged in that space. So that is that is our working objective. Sure. >> Thank you. >> Okay. And I'm going to um get us started on our um >> so if you go to page 11 in the SBAR um in your u esbar document um we have a scenario here and this is all the information you need this is all the information you need to know for right now um is that on on October the 15th over the radio you receive word that a student is waiting in the main office for you because they use profane language towards is a staff member. Um, >> slide 15. >> Page. >> Okay. Um, so the question is what response does this behavior warrant? Um, and then you think about like why did I choose

135why did I choose this behavior? Um, I mean why did I choose this response? Um, so on page um I think I'm on page >> and what we're hoping to do with this scenario is for >> you all to process from an admin lens to to think about the considerations that need to be had when making a decision. um how you would go about making decision with the thought process individually you would consider and then maybe even evolve into how much time it would take to make decisions that you're considering. And if you um if you look on that if you look on page 15, it talks about um when you using profane language um at the top it's um RB8 using profane language or gestures and it goes up to level one, two, level

136one, two, and three. >> Um, so I I guess immediately I mean, are there any thoughts about what you what you think the appropriate response would be um for a student who's using profane language towards a staff member? >> What would you consider? What would you think? >> What would you think? other considerations, >> but this is this is what you have. I mean, you know that the the facts are the facts, right? The facts are the facts. >> So, what led up to it? How many times has this happened? How many times has it been asked to, you know, escorted out? I mean, a lot of other things that I guess is gonna, >> you know, lend itself to the decision that you make, >> right? >> Sure. Yep. And I think we would

137agree, right? And I think the hard part is you're you're going to do that work as an administrator. Um but there may be a I think what we face as administrators is that a lot of people around you some will be happy with the decision you made because they were harmed. >> Um and then some will not be happy because they feel like you did too much. Um because they don't have all the facts. And I mean they don't get all the facts. Um you know particularly sometimes we hear from community members that you know they've heard that such and such happened at the school and this person got and unfortunately as much as I appreciate the phone call I can't get into details with them about you know why they see this student at

138home on a three-day suspension. Um but you know the person who's harmed feels like okay you made the right response and then someone else may feel that okay you did too much. >> So um we have some administrators in the room. I was like what would you do in this situation? >> Sure. I think um I think one major factor around this would be that the distance that may need to happen or the time that may need to happen from the event to the response. You need to kind of assess how what are the emotions like? Is there an opportunity for a re-engagement with um with both engagement with the student um an opportunity to understand those contextual experiences and then an opportunity to speak with the teacher to assess what was the harm that

139that that person felt um and the impact that that event had on them. >> Um and so as an administrator I would I would seek to do that. I'd want to make sure that the student sometimes when they're brought down after an event like that, all that is happening in the subsequent minutes is more and more heightening more and sometimes adults are actually contributing to heightening that behavior. But I'm going to get to a place where no matter what happened, I'm going to affirm that the student that's in front of me and be able to get that student's perspective in a way that values them as human and helps to work to hold them accountable. So in in part that also might mean I'm going to remove them from this space. The space is a

140public space. there's another person here who's already got emotions about it. They heard directly from the teacher about those experiences. All of those are real uh and sometimes intense things. I'm going to work to get to a space where we can be as leveled so that we can engage with each other as um respectfully as possible. So um get some perspective from that student, understand what their experience was, get direct opportunity with the teacher to see what their perspective was. um it might result in uh a time away from the classroom beyond that beyond the the amount of time that this conversation is happening. Um and in in a situation like this, we would also work to get both individuals that are involved in that to have a restorative experience so that they can the

141next time that that student comes back in that space that the harm that was done has been addressed. Um and I can say in a scenario like this that's that's what happened here. Um, >> so is that h is that happening all the time? And I know from my understanding restorative it's only if both parties agree. So if both parties don't agree, what does that look like? >> So the restorative in the sense of like both both people being in the same space at the same time. Um that that that does require both individuals to be a part of it. We have other successes with restorative being I want to carry my the message to you. If you're at least receptive to hearing the message, then it's going to be delivered by a third party.

142Um, or there's like a satellite conversation where it's this is this is I'm taking your feedback and I'm going to go share it with this person and and exchange it that way. Um, and if a person is completely like resistant to any of that type of restorative, there are there are certainly ways to help communicate some level of amends. Yeah. Um and it that the the the idea of restoring and repairing uh in the same way that the expectation that we're engaging with families about it happens uh 100% of the time doesn't always yield the outcome we want but it is it is an expectation >> and it's not uncommon I think to what you just said it's not uncommon for an individual to um like reject doing some restorative so sometimes you're giving the

143person like three days of out of school and That may be the max for that infraction, but you're still saying, "I want you to repair your relationship. I want you to repair your relationship with Mrs. Cooper because you harmed her." And you're like, "No, I'm not doing that." I then still can't give like I'm going to tack on two more days. I mean, I think this is where we're trying to develop our young people that like you're going to like these are skills when we talk about that middle column. Like these are skills that we're trying to help you like put in your bucket so that you don't repeat these behaviors. And and sometimes until we can help them developmentally get there, I mean, the responses are not responses that we're that we want. I

144mean, it's like sometimes kids come back over the summer and we're like, that's a completely different child than last year. And we appreciate that. Um, we see that often as educators in this room that, you know, I mean, they're resistant to all the things we're trying to put in place, but then something like they get it, which we appreciate. Um, but it still doesn't change the fact that the person who's been harmed is like it didn't feel good when those things were happening. It >> hurts. >> Yeah. >> So, can I just tack on to that really quick or just ask a question related to that? >> So, a teacher is harmed, right? We're all people. Like, when we're looking at that data, are we looking at like this teacher keeps sending this kid out?

145How can we fix this situation? Okay. Thank you. >> All right. Um and so we Dr. Malone put some data here to couple to help in we're going to move this scenario from like baseline and then add on to it. So some of the factors, Miss Torres, some of the things that you wondered about were all the factors related to what a student's experience would be. And one of the factors would be their an engagement or both engagement in um their schedule by period, but over the course of full days and then over time. So this is an example of what a student's experience has been with Charlottesville City Schools over the last three years that they were in. You'll see that there's a in some cases we have students that have missed a considerable

146amount of time both this year and in years past that um that limit their opportunity for for social skill building for um practicing and working on managing their behavior in social situations or in community based situations of developing academic skills or behavioral skills. And so these this this engagement and the and the barriers around engagement are both um both needing to be addressed from an engagement perspective but also to be acknowledged as it relates to what experiences what skill acquisition the students had. It absolutely could be a factor in that student's sense of safety at a school and that sense of safety lends itself to building trust and that trust is significant in building their relationship with the school. So this for our student scenario, this is the trend of behaviors over time from the

147beginning of the school year to the early October. What you'll see is a sort of a high density of of behavior uh interactions and that after the first two weeks of school sort of tampered off a bit. um maybe some of the uh strategies and interventions that have been put in place are effective or they're effective for a period of time. There's some level of responsiveness to it, but you're seeing a positive trend that that over after the first two weeks of school, we're seeing fewer incidents than we did in the first two weeks of school. This is somewhat of a of a continuum over the those behaviors that were just in that previous slide. The the of narratives of the type of behaviors that would that have been exhibited by by a student. Um

148they represent avoidant behaviors uh and often a student projecting their frustration and that frustration might be anxiety, insecurity, a lack of confidence, a lack of skills. It's worth that's the the piece that we have to work through to understand and identify. Uh and it's manifesting as disruptive language or hurtful language. People can be harmed by the language both staff and peers. Um but there's certainly a trend of being avoidant and being in unauthorized areas and being uh unfrequently being targeted to class. >> So knowing what we know. So then if we go back to that scenario, I mean it may you may want to like okay I can give this student I can give this student the three days of out of school suspension but I also know that there are all these other things

149that are compiling here that I have to take into consideration. Um, and so and this student may be getting supports with the I mean all of these things and that's why I said that that sheet that has the data on it is like one data point um because there are all these other interactions that may be happening um but it may change like you know what you what you do. You may go to that that um staff member and say listen like I mean we have some things going here. How do you feel? Because sometimes we have instances where we want to prescribe a discipline of some uh a response and the staff member is like, I don't need this child to be out of school. I need this student, too. And that's when the

150student is not getting a three-day of out of school suspension because this teacher is saying, this staff member is saying, um, can we sit down ASAP and like hash this out because I need this student here. Again, back to that scenario. This teacher is fine with that. The next teacher may not be fine with that. So, the teacher that was harmed in this case, although they were cursed at written a referral, >> they want a response of something restorative. And someone on the outside who heard about it, may think that we didn't do enough. And that's why that quote that I put at the be at the beginning about be responding to this behavior is complex um because it is balancing like being consistent with trying to give someone empathy. >> Um yeah um and

151then Dr. Malone put some um guiding questions here that um typically we have been you know we you can use this in the disposition of the matter in student success meetings. Um but you know we always kind of lead with that first one right? If this was your child, your sibling, your former self, how would you hope someone would respond to them? Um uh and I know how I always respond to that. Um, and and you know, I just think about some of we always think about the some of the administrators who take the longest amount of time to process a referral. Um, they're they're spending a lot of time with the student and people don't understand why. It's because, you know, the decisions that we make um, you know, change the outcomes of people's

152lives, right? I mean, so we we do we have to we have to do better. We and we have to make some decisions often that people don't like. And that's why we're trying to strengthen our ecosystem by saying um you know are we implementing our restorative um framework to fidelity? How do we encourage families to take um ownership and engage more in that process? Um it's hard work. And this is an example of some of the um the um just an example of like what it would look like if we would respond to some of these behaviors. >> This the summary would would include that through all of these um discipline responses or behavior responses that there was a parent engagement. Uh, in some instances, there's a case manager that's working directly to help both

153kind of bridge the skill the behavior skill development with the the either the loss of time as a result of the behavior or what the student might need in order to be successful in the instructional space. So, that case managers would be working directly with that team. Um, and you know, I had indicated earlier in the scenario that we're looking at, there's a there was a an attendance barrier that existed. So that person is also this student rather is also working with uh an attendance um engagement person and that team is going to be in constant collaboration to be able to identify what type of a response is most effective. uh and that that sometimes includes the executive functioning of the graphic organizer for that student to be able to access the the work in

154the English class or it might be um direct dedicated time during impact in order to be able to respond to a skill that was not able to be developed in the in the full tier one environment. Um so just a framework and a snapshot of that. So to the earlier questions about the like how do we respond in the continuum Miss Raznik and Dr. Troder will just um just give you I mean many of these things we put on here you already know but we'll just give just a brief >> yeah I mean I think the the thing to know is that our goal would be to match students with these resources without the occurrence of a discipline incident. So like the reason that we collect our DESA data to look at our students social

155emotional skills is so that we can work to prevent the infractions that result in discipline. But then we also know that that discipline um and violations of the student rights and responsibilities occur. So our student support continuum starts with teaching the skills um to all students um and then flows through. So what if students are not responding to those um those whole group uh lessons that are designed for their age and grade um so students can access um and teams access the student success process. Um we've had this school year over um I think when we looked the other day it was like over 165 individual student success meetings that doesn't include parent teacher conferences or like onetoone like parent um and teacher phone calls. Um we have alternative learning options um like new pathways

156LMA and night school. Um and then internally we have region 10 um providers as well as our restorative practices. Um these are all internal supports. We also have a wealth of resources like TDT community providers that we refer to um that are uh community or external supports. Um and then when students are accessing um when students require a higher level of support, we're tapping into our student support personnel. So, our school counselors, our school psychologists, um our school social workers, and our be board certified behavior analysts. Did I miss something? >> No. Um just working with our our elementary students, they're able to recognize what those safe zones are and who those safe zone persons are are as well. And so, that just speaks to them recognizing, hey, right now I'm in the red zone

157and I need and then when I'm able to come down, then I can go back. And so that just speaks to what our elementary school principles are doing and our social workers. >> Yeah. Um but we do have gaps. Um one of the biggest gaps that we have is in more options in our elementary schools. Um we are seeing an increase in the um in challenging behaviors in the primary grades in um preschool, kindergarten, and first grade. Um, and there are the fewest number of alternatives at the elementary level. Um, I we're not suggesting that we need an alternative school for young children. >> Say that again. >> Sorry. We're not suggesting that we need an alternative school for young children, but we do need more um focused proactive skill building and direct support of

158individual students and individual student behavior. Um outside of special education, there really is not um a framework to deploy a person um to a student. So schools have to look within um and our schools are um really focused on the academic achievement of our students and so our instructional assistants are instructional assistants. Um they are taking uh professional development on how to implement small groupoup academic lessons. um they are learning how to be an essential part of providing that tier one curriculum as well as um small group differentiation. Um so when we use those resources to um provide that direct skill building onetoone behavioral support. Um it reduces our ability to provide an effective academic instruction instructional program for other students. Um so what we're really looking to do um is is two things. Um

159one we are uh exploring how to hire and supervise um at the district level um registered behavior technicians. They um are trained um in a different way from instructional assistants. um they are trained um through uh a set of coursework that focuses on um the behavioral techniques. They are supervised, they have to be supervised by a board certified behavior analyst and um their work is driven by a functional behavior assessment and behavior intervention plan. We have some awesome instructional assistants who have the skills to be RBTs. Um, and so one of the things we're looking at is how do we grow our own? Um, you know, it's scary to hire someone externally for such a sensitive and important job. So, how do we have structures internally to grow people um to have this certification? um

160as well as what it would look like to hire and onboard new staff. Um and then where that work happens in a school right now in an elementary school is predominantly in someone's office. So it's in a principal's office, an assistant principal's office, um a school counselor's office. Um and that's okay, but it's not optimal. Um, and so how can we also have uh we envision a a a concrete set, not physical concrete, but like black and white type concrete setup of um what should it look like to keep a student safe um in a school? Um adults can it it's hard for adults to see things moving around the space. So, how do we make sure it's not the place where all the books are on the shelf and all the books are going

161to come off the shelf? Um, but also then we can equip that space with those really um focused and thoughtful visual supports. Um, it can be a skill building space. Um, we can use our calm down and reeregulation routines um with dignity and respect. So, we're not out in the hallway. We're not our peers aren't observing us. um but also in a place where we can co-regulate. Um so one of the things we're we're going to be doing at the Walker interim center for preschool, we see the sensory spaces as a really helpful area for young children for a lot of the pieces that Rachel just talked about. But sometimes there is like a designated space in the structured teaching room rather than having frequent access to them. And so in the different hallways of

162the interim space having a sensory space there and then when we were giving feedback to V&DO is increasing the amount of sensory spaces. So it's just not something that is tied to special ed but actually especially when you think about young children and the increase in things happening like being able to have that space where more children can access it and not having it be like on the opposite side of the building. And I want to highlight so these spaces exist in all of our schools right now for students with disabilities. Um where we want to be really careful is that we don't um change what is available for students with disabilities. Um we want to expand our capacity. And so instead of saying, okay, so now everybody can use the like Elizabeth's example, the

163structured teaching classroom space to use it, we want to make sure that there's a space >> um that that is not um tied to that specially designed instruction. Yeah. >> Um that you would obtain through an individualized education plan. What's the ratio for board certified behavior analyst and supervising technicians? Um, so, uh, there's both a ratio and like what would be like reasonable to start. Um, and I met with our B our BCBA um, and we've started working on what it would look like to start with one um, and really think about like how to how to get how to start with one um, and then move up to move up to three um, because the BCBA directs the plan >> and so um, we don't want it to be 6 10 12 eight. >>

164So there's no code or limitations >> there. There is I don't know it off the top of my head. Um but we've really started at the like one one to three >> and on I mean does they have to be on site together or they >> they can move around >> um but there's very formal supervision structures and there's a very firm ethical code um in in the work >> and this will be an inerson position or virtual because I know have virtual >> um I don't know how you intervene with behavior virtually. Um, >> I've actually done it. I've I've been a a behavioral technician and nice. >> It was virtual. When I would go to the houses, I would have the laptop up and it was instructed that way. >> So, I was

165curious. >> And you would you be on site? >> I'm on site. Yeah. >> Okay. I thought you were asking. So, we do get emails every day about >> available RBTs are available to work remotely. So, I thought you were asking if >> No. um they would be on site at the school. >> Yeah, I think that's way better. >> Yeah, with the primary goal of the student being in the learning environment. Um >> and that it would be a a a fading support >> board chair. If I could, um this is an important conversation. I don't want to rush us, but our guests are here and so I wonder if if it it's a pleasure of the board if we could just pause this session. We're going to take a break from this, give

166everybody a breather that's not involved in the next session, meet with our legislators, talk about legislative impact, and then come back to this if it's the pleasure of the board. Um, I don't know. >> Resume at 7 for continued conversation if that's >> I think we need to move on to the legislative priorities and then we'll have the public comment when we reconvene. Is there a second to >> My motion is to pause and reconvene at 7 o'clock for this important topic. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Yes. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> I All right. Thank you. I think two seats. Actually, I brush out everything by brush out. Yes. All right. Um, thank you guys for the adjustment in our schedule and delegate Coulson and Senator Deeds,

167thank you for your patience as you guys are part of lots of meetings like this. I hope you will forgive us and understand that sometimes conversations go longer than anticipated. Um, but we welcome the opportunity to share. >> Delegate Carlson's got kids. She has to pick up at 7 o'clock. >> Understood. Yes. I think >> several of us have children that we want to get home to as well. So, I'll kick it over to Dr. Gurley to lead us off. >> All right. Good. Good evening, Senator Deeds and Delegate Carson. We appreciate having you all here. Um, you all have always been champions of Charlottesville City Schools and we appreciate you taking your time out this evening. Um, I'm going to go through the presentation. Um, they'll be displaying it up on the screen. Um

168but the first thing uh the I'm on slide two man. Um on slide two we always link everything to our strategic plan which um I hope you've had an opportunity to um to look at and it just really um lays out our plan for um until 20 until 2024. Um and so I'll jump into the legislative priorities. So um the first one is with regards to the first one is with regards to school construction. Um and this one is is really big. Um and if you look at our format, it talks with with regards to dedicated funding um local revenue authority and then the um we talk about the we've talked about the JAR study and just um that funding structure and why this matter is because here we have um a lot of aging

169and outdated buildings and we love our buildings. um they are well-maintained. They are some beautiful buildings, but we know that they were not buildings that were intended for the learning that happened in the 21st century. Um they're not those innovative spaces. Um if you've been to our middle school, which I I I know that Senator D has been there and I think Coulson was there that day as well. Um you know, that's the type of space that we imagine for all of our students. And so we do um want a clear and sustainable state local funding mechanism that ensures that students get those spaces. Um and so I'll put that one out there and any board member that wants to speak to this. >> So wait just >> and we we can just you know

170we passed the referendum legislation twice. It's been vetoed twice, but I've got a good good feeling that if we pass it again, it's going to get signed. >> Okay. Yep. So, we'll um I think I'm going to put in for drafting one that has Charlottesville as a carve out, but it probably won't be necessary because there's going to be a statewide optimum propos, but I'll have it in drafting just in case somehow that doesn't happen. But I am like >> I can only say 100%. you're speaking to the sales tax specifically and I think you know in addition to that is dedicated state funding for school construction projects implementing the JARK recommendations >> and the other thing I want to say y'all have done a good job at getting um some of the money from

171casinos that is set aside for school construction got some for me >> by the way do you want a casino No. >> Not this board's decision. >> Next priority um is uh the next board priority is around teacher retention and and and really the um thing that's been um very important to the board is like how do we streamline and expand the pathways to the education career. Uh we know that I mean we are competing against jobs that um you know they're work from home jobs, their travel abroad jobs. People have so many options and and so like how do we remove the barriers to get into the educational programs and then how do we ensure that this pipeline continues? Um, you know, we've the board talked at the board meeting about dedicated funds from

172the at the state level to recruit and retain teachers um develop teachers. Um, how can we um how can we do that? And then I mentioned in the I mentioned um a few moments ago, but reducing those entry barriers um for teachers specifically around the high needs. And this is important because it's important because we want to have certified teachers in front of our students. We don't we don't feel that we should start ever have to start a year where there's a um a long-term substitute um in front of a in front of a student. So, we want the best for every child that arrives. And we recognize that some of those harder to staff, some of those um critically important positions like special education, um mathematics that we continue to see around the Commonwealth

173and then and in Charlesville City Schools, that those are areas that continue to be hard to staff um yearly. And so just having more of those state dedicated funds to this um endeavor would just be really a lift for our school division. So, I have two questions for you. What is the what does it look like for you guys right now hiring? Have you been able to fill positions? What percentage are you not feeling? >> Um, we we had one of our better years. Um, I mean, we are a collective bargaining uh school division. So, we do have a teachers union and we do believe that upping the teacher salary um and just having a clear plan. And I think one of the the benefits of having a teachers union and having a collective bargaining

174agreement is, you know, particularly for our licensed staff, they can see what the next three years look like. Um, and I think that that's been really important to them. So I believe, um, right now our HR director just said we have one opening. Um, >> and are you getting a lot of good >> and it's dead? And are you getting a good robust pool of applicants getting like having to take who who applies? >> I always say that I you know after July one after June July I'm always a little hesitant about who we're getting um because to me in May by May you know all of the the the the talented teachers um sought after teachers have a job. Um, and so yes, we get we do we've been lucky this year that we

175got someone I think in July or August and their spouse was transferring. So we do get lucky here or there. Um, but that doesn't always happen. And so really that intentional, we're being intentional, but um that intentionality does have a you know does have a cost to it. and and so having those dedicated funds um we do believe um and and having programs at the state level that remove some of those barriers to being the teacher. >> I appreciate you having it as a priority because you guys I was going to say lucky but it's not lucky it's intentionality aren't struggling as much. There are divisions that we've heard about that are absolutely struggling some of them having to 50% future vacancy. Um, there was a bill. So, my second question, which I don't think

176it probably has affected you guys yet, but there was a pool of money for math teacher recruitment. Have you guys heard of that? >> Um, we we do the um I'm looking at >> like a pilot program that they were supposed it's probably not up and running, but >> we do we do have we do that. There's a math initiative that we and I can't think of the name of it off the top of my head, but we do have teachers who get that um grant money from the state. I saw that year. >> Okay. Dr. build off a little bit. I want to we also focus on the administration and making sure bosses and all that make it an attractive place not just having compensation but I want the state funding support I think

177goes back to the previous slide too where again the JR study where they were looking at it standards of quality. Yes. >> So I you know those adjustments to the standards of quality and those ratios again I think there was work that was starting to be done last year and that would help again this I think address >> let let's just be realistic okay because because I I can tell you with respect to Abigail Spanberger it's a priority of hers that we meet the the the situation that was thrown shown to us demonstrated clearly by the Jark study and we have made strides, but the reality is November 1st this year, 800 to 900,000 Virginiaians are going to go without SNAP fund >> because of the government shutdown. Because of the big beautiful bill, as

178many as 200,000 people will lose insurance Jan in January, that would if for us to do to make that up, that's $250 million a year and new funding that Virginia doesn't have. and and beginning in 2027, another 300,000 or more people will lose Medicaid. So, we are in a different world than we were even a year ago. >> Yeah, I think it's fair to say that it's going to be a tough budgetary year. >> It's going to be very tough >> and it's we're trying to work to protect those services that I do feel a lot of students rely on in order to make themselves available in school and to get the learning that they need. So, it's just going to be tough. There's no way around it. >> We we we're we're going to

179have be having to make decisions next year that haven't been made in Virginia for a couple of generations. >> And just buckle up. >> Thank you. >> Um the board's last priority um is in the area of state testing and accountability. And I'm sure you've gotten a earful with regards to this. Um, and I know that we even got an update as of today that they did not vote on it today that has been pushed to um to November with regards to the cut scores. Um, so the accountability system is worrisome for us. Um, I think as the superintendent, I continue to be loud um with our superintendence group that change continues to happen really quickly in the Commonwealth. I feel like our our marginalized students are the students who are greatest impacted by these

180changes. Um, I am I think that we are getting a little bit of attention um with the cut scores because it's not just happening to marginalized students. Um it's happening to everyone. It is um but the people who will suffer the most are black and brown students. >> And so um we just we're just hopeful that uh someone with some common sense um at the state level will u prioritize our children >> and there can't be any mistake. We all want.