001Good evening everyone. I'd like to call the meeting to order at 6 PM on December 4th. We have a quorum present. Let's proceed. The next item on the agenda. I'd like to bring a motion [snorts] to the board. A board member has requested to participate in close session and open session. Because of the sensitivity of our closed session, I'm asking the board for a vote on for the school board member to participate in close session. Do I have a second? [snorts] The thing is is that in the past we have had a board member um went away and because of sensitivity of personnel agenda, we had took a vote and we did not want them to come in and close session because of the sensitivity. We did not know who they were around. We did
002not know who else was listening. We did not know whether it was being recorded or not. So that's why I'm asking if the board members would mind taking a vote on close session. I'm open for open session, but when it comes to close session, because of the sensitivity and the agenda and the personal agenda, um that's just me. the policy is that you are entitled to two virtual visits while you are not physically here and it's not an I it is I am asking the board you can say yes or no it's not me it's not my decision I'm just asking two. Yes. >> Yes. >> She's asking for both closed session and open session. And I'm asking the participant of the board. Would they allow or not allow Miss Bailey to visit us while
003we also in close session. It is a yes or no or abstain is what I'm asking. Yes, individually I'll start this way. Miss Parker say yes for both >> and me I would say no for closed session and yes for open session. Yes. So the vote to my understandings is no for the open for the close session and yes for the open session. Correct. Next on the agenda is the close session. Do we have a motion to enter into close session? In accordance with section 2.2-3711 of the code of Virginia, I move that the Franklin City School Board enter into a close session to discuss and evaluate matters related to new hires supplemental employment resignations, terminations pursuant to Virginia Code section 2.2-3711 A1. Mr. Albrooks. >> Yes. >> Mr. Grant. >> Miss Parker. >> Yes.
004>> Mr. Hull. >> Yes. >> Mr. Harrison. Boom. Yes. We're now in close session. [snorts] [clears throat] Close session has concluded. We are now returning to open session. I would like to entertain an motion to come out of close session. >> Madam chair, I move that the school board. >> Do we have a second? Any discussion? >> All in favor say I. >> I. No any move the school board having be having been in close session pursuing a proper motion. come out of certification city of Virginia. Delta Virginia such meetings were conducted and now therefore be a result of the Franklin City School Board hereby certifies that to the best of each member's knowledge only public matters exempted by Virginia law to this certification applies and two only such public business matters as were identified
005in the motion convening the closed meeting were heard discussed or considered. Any discussion? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any knows? Any abstensions? I move to the approval of the agenda 3.5. Do I have a second? I'm sorry. Sorry. I was looking for Yes. The addition the 3.4. I move the approval of the agenda with the addition of the two addition employees that we do have. >> I'll second. >> You got that. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any abstensions? Thank you, Miss Parker. Madam Chair, I move that we approve the agenda. >> I did that. All in favor? Do we have a second for the 3.5? That's the first one, right? We did that. So now it's I move to approve the agenda 4.1 school board regular meeting minutes of
006October 16th is the second reading. Um Miss Bailey was not here for that one and Dr. Harris left at 7:32 before the consent agenda. So and the new member was not here. And I'm sorry for all of those Mr. Um, Brooks, John Albrook, congratulations and thank you for um, school board. I'm apologizing. I'm going Yes. Um, so that is for 4.1. Do I have a second? >> All in favor? Everyone and then I move to approve 4.2 school board session meeting minutes for November 13th on the first reading. That's the first reading. So, do we have a second? Oh, we're going to approve that on December 18. Okay. Yes, that's the one that's not up here. Mr. >> Mr. Harrison >> here. >> And now we have the superintendence report. >> Thank you, Madam Chair.
007Mr. Creek, he's coming up to uh talk about the CT CTE Expo. So for those of you who have not had an opportunity to meet our fabulous director of the JP King Career Technical Academy, we want Mr. Creekmore to come forward and talk about uh CT expo also Mr. if you can do a plug for the advisory CT advisory committee and any other things that you would like to promote. Good evening to all the school board members, Dr. Carter, Dr. Rick, central office staff, central office staff, parents, community members. Um, my name is Jonathan. I am the director of Joseph King Jun Career and Technical Education Academy. My purpose here today is to speak about all the hard work that our staff and our students have exhibited throughout this school year. All of our classes
008have two components, a compon and a practical component that involves work based learning. And most of our classes have entered into the workbased learning portion of the classes or are preparing to our culinary program students are using their classroom learning to prepare breakfast dishes for staff at Franklin High School and JP and I believe also Morton two days a week. Our medical assistant students are to embark on their work by partnering with university medical program that is housed at JP our cosmetology students in the second semester will be providing hair services to Franklin City School of the Salon. operate their own salon days, >> Mr. Creedmore. >> And that salon is actually in the city of Franklin. Correct. >> Yes, ma'am. >> And that's where they will be doing their clinicals at >> mated will
009be for students to appointment for the public school system first and then in the future. >> Um our um early childhood students are now in their workbased learning session and they provide um they provide lessons and assistance to the children's center which is right around street from JP and they are assisting there and helping lesson plans lesson plans they also implement lessons and assist our criminal justice program has received extensive training in the class and They also have partnered with Franklin City Police Department. They've done several seminars for our students on crime scene investigations, fingerprinting questions two days ago. And so they will be embarking on a community service project to educate the community surrounding about public safety. Our robotics program under the adisement of Mr. Curos and our partnership with Blackwater Robotics have been
010working diligently to prepare themselves for their December 13th competition in Richmond. So they're actually at JP as we speak once a week and sometimes twice a week building robots and program robots to do different tasks and they have a competition next Saturday and they have another January as well. So those are just a few of the initiatives and learning projects that our students are currently involved in. On December 10th, which is next Wednesday, our students will be presenting their learning at the CT expo from 12 to 3 p.m. Expo will begin with some remarks from Mr. Koffield who's our community engagement officer, Dr. Carter and myself as well. The expo will include exhibitions from all the discipline to attend. What can you expect to see? You can expect to see cosmetology demonstrations and free hair
011consultations for community, public, parents, board members, central office staff. You can also expect our medical students to be able to take your blood pressure and um from our medical students and also speak about what they learned so far this semester. And program. Uh fingerprinting exhibitions and field sobriety test demonstrations from our criminal justice students. Early childhood will be presenting learning activities that they have implemented at the children's center as well as description of lesson plans and early childhood concepts that they have learned so far this semester. Our marketing uh program will be demonstrating a production of seminars of their And one of the things that the marketing program is doing is they are designing apparel and they are we have press machar apparel at football games and student. So they will be at the expo
012of how they press their t-shirts and hoodies and long sleeve t-shirts and so forth. >> Do we still have the stable? I'm sorry. That's actually in the high school. Okay. >> Yes, ma'am. The stable is now the >> Okay. They have also And so when you show up to the expo, you will be able to also put in order students to also not only have the experience of production but also to generate the whole process from creating to pitching because that's part of our future plans is to pitch to different organizations and also some of our athletic to have pitches for students to be able to present for them to provide them with apparel and then the production of it but then also to see the revenue of it as well. So students can really
013get a complete picture of how to operate business and market as well. Um, our culinary students will be providing student made samples of holiday cookies and cakes as well as explanations and recipes. I was over the culinary department in Franklin High School because of the kitchen that they have there. I was there today and students are preparing dishes and so forth right now. They're doing a trial run so that they can have it right for the expo. But they have all prepared for Uh we even Spanish is not a CT but it is housed in J. So our Spanish classes will also be presenting on Spanish language obviously but also historical aspects that they study about Spanish culture. Our chess club also not a CTE course but um is one of our programs that one
014of our CT teachers advises. They will be doing a demonstration of simultaneous while the expo is going on and our robotics club will have demonstration with robots that they built. We have a room there for robotics demonstrations and then we have another room where they actually work the robotics robots work on that constru. So we will have representatives in the actual work and then we will have representatives in the practice room where they take the robots and they do different tasks like lift up things that they program the robots and our economics and personal finance and computer information systems will be presenting an overview of the course and they will be teaching small lessons on economics concepts and personal finance concepts. So along with our student exhibitions we will also have service providers and career
015pathway organizations on hand to help provide information about their programs. Some of those providers are Virginia Commonwealth University be there just to present and talk to our students about programs that they offer. Uh Franklin Southampton United Way will be on uh Elite Home and Health Services Camp Community College workforce development center college and family services. So, we look forward to community involvement and look forward to board involvement as well as staff. So, we're really excited about our students showing the hard work and our staffing teaching that they I don't have that figure right here in front of me, but I can >> um program We have also ner. So my purpose here today is really to focus onotion of CT expo and I just don't have >> Doc Dr. Rich, do you do you have
016a rough estimate for the GED day and night? So, I have a question because last year when I was at the CTE, the children, their main concern was the bus route going back and forth from the high school to the CTE. Has that gotten better? Has it have you gotten any complaints from the children? Actually, >> can you tell me specific? >> I went to go visit the CTE and the children were coming in off of the bus. So when they were coming in off of the bus, there was Miss Phillips was actually there before you were last year and she stopped the children and asked their concerns and the children said their concern was they're losing classroom time from the time they leave the high school to come to the CTE. So >> Okay.
017Okay. Okay. Okay. Thank you. It wasn't to give you a hard question. >> Oh, no. I I could have allowed them, but um just to give you an idea of our transportation, we have students that So I'm not sure how we have two separate buses. >> That's the part I want to hear that it's actually two separate buses and not one going in one bus that's picking up and coming back. So, I'm not sure what happened last year, but we have separate buses for drop off. We have another bus that you welcome. All right. Thank you, sir. >> Thank you. I look forward to seeing you all. >> Dr. Walters. >> Good evening, Madam Chair, members of the board, Dr. Carter. Welcome, Mr. U. This evening, I am excited to share with you that Franklin
018City Public Schools has been awarded $75,000 from the OBC Healthcare Foundation as part of their healthy space grant initiative. Um, this grant opportunity is focused on supporting areas uh within their service area uh such as playgrounds and walking trails that support physical activity u and healthy behaviors. Uh, so this grant is going to allow us to replace the prek and kindergarten playground that we have at SP Morton Elementary. Um, one of the things that I want to emphasize though is it's not just about the thing because just having the playground is is nice, but one of the things that we have added as a component to this particular grant is incorporating physical movement as part of the learning process. So, We're going to be partnering with our curriculum and instruction team, particularly with the prek
019and kindergarten classrooms and with the PE teacher at the elementary school to find those opportunities for students to move uh as part of the learning process. So that that's one of the things that we're really uh excited about. Um I've got some pictures on the next slide of some of the existing equipment and uh if you'll go to the next Uh this is some of the equipment that we're going to be purchasing um to have placed in uh that that same area just outside the Oak Street parking lot. Uh but again very excited to again partner with OBC Healthcare Foundation. They've been an outstanding partner [clears throat] with us for the past several years. uh and and that that partnership began back in 2019 when they were supporting some of our prek curriculum initiatives. Uh
020and that has kind of morphed over time. Uh and so now they're they're looking for other ways that they can support us. So again, very excited that uh that partnership continues and uh as we begin work on that uh we'll have updates on timelines. Uh so you'll each be invited to the the ribbon cutting. We're going to invite the OBC Healthcare Foundation team out to see this space as well. >> I have a question. >> Yes, ma'am. >> The whole entire playground, I think, was 84,000, which leaves us shy the 9,000. Have we found out where we're going to get that from? >> So, Dr. Carter and I are going to be having conversation with uh some other foundations in the area that have expressed interest in supporting us uh in some of our capital
021needs. Uh so, I I anticipate we're going to be able to 000. Yes, ma'am. >> And what impressed me, most people think, but it's far more than that. >> It monitors how kids work together, how they stand in line, how they support each other. It's just an amazing. >> Yes, sir. And for for our youngest learners, play [clears throat] is learning. Um and so we know that they've got energy. That energy needs to go somewhere. So being able to help capture some of that as part of the learning process, u we're happy to be able to help make some of those connections. Any other questions? >> Fantastic. >> Thank you, Dr. Walters. >> Thank you, >> [snorts] >> Okay. All right. So, while she's loading that up, many of you have been very curious regarding
022the status of our data, and I got the notification from the Virginia Department of Education, and we can release the data December 9th uh 2025. So our next school board meeting December 18th, we will have a very comprehensive um report uh from Miss Tommpkins of exactly where we were where we are for the 2425 school year and also we'll give you current progress on some preliminary data that we have uh come in already. to show that we are already ahead of the game from last year. So it is exciting news. Um and so we will be looking forward to sharing uh the momentum that has been uh and hard work that has been gained but yet we know we still have a long way to go. So once again um December 9th for all the
023state of Virginia the the data will be released so that all superintendents in every district will be able to present the 2425 school data. So I just want to make sure I put that out there so so people who believe that there is a secret agenda. There is no secret agenda. This this right here email also I will put out here on the for those to see. So, so it'll be public information. The slide that you see here is basically saying that the state uh [clears throat] has reverted back uh to its original uh pass rates. So, that is actually very favorable for us because they were looking to move uh the so some of the so scores some upwards of 25 to 50%. So for instance, you could go from a four 400 to
024a 444 somewhere going higher than that. And so that would that was devastating and it was just at a drop of a dime. Now eventually they will be going up so I heard but they want to give the districts a chance to adjust uh to the cut score. So for this upcoming school year for the 20 25 26 those will be the scale scores uh to uh identify whether the school is fully accreditated or accreditated with conditions or uh just at the very bottom intensive. So uh any questions? >> So if I'm understanding this correctly because if it was over a month ago that we were told that it would no longer be 400. It would be 445,450. So they went back. Yes, it is good. It is good. Um, so do we know if
025during the 26 27 they're going to bring it up? Because from what you're saying is this is giving us enough time to actually pull ourselves out of this rut that we're in with our grades and everything. Right now, >> they said it's going to uh revert back up 26 27 school year. >> However, of course, with the new administration and the new state superintendent, we just we just don't know. So, it's going to be so really what you see now is really just a reflection of let's wait till the new administration comes in >> and then let them decide what they want to do next because it may stay it may stay exactly like this or they may uh they may decide, okay, let's go ahead and do uh pump it up and raise those
026scores. And this is a redundant question, but I'm going to ask, can that happen mid year >> in January? >> Yeah. >> No, no, no. No, no. This is a redundant. >> This is this is this is what's locked in. >> Okay. >> For this year, and then when there is a change in in governor, then they will there's of course going to be a change in the Virginia Department of Education. And so we don't know if they're going to honor this uh this score passed this year or will they go back to what was proposed previously. >> Okay. >> We just don't know yet. >> I have one more question. Um come December 18th, can we also get a report on the truency throughout from both from our schools? >> Yes. An update. Thank
027you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And madam chair, I was also asked by the parent superintendent advisory parent committee. >> Yes. >> To hold a midyear town hall. >> Okay. >> So I will do that sometime in January. >> Okay. where I will talk about the 2425 school year, the 2526 school year, and where we are. So, I will do a state of the school town hall address probably at the sportsman again. >> And if there's a greater demand to have it at another location, I will too. But this is in the effort to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to hear what's going on. With that being said, I do know that you have a parent advisory. Is there a time frame when we'll actually hear from the parent advisory when they'll come
028to us and let us know something? >> I can bring a spokesman. >> Thank you. Okay. >> I I want to hear from the parents. >> Sure. Absolutely. >> I want to hear from them. Thank you. >> I think the students are and the students should be in January. >> The students the students are coming in January, >> right? You'll probably see the students. We'll probably introduce the students. Mr. Quicker, >> in January when it come timeline on that, Mr. Mayor, is it January? I can't I don't have my notes. >> Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, I I'll talk to the parents in January to see who would be a brave soul to come up. >> Okay. >> And give a report. school board members, any comments, concerns, anything you'd like to bring to the
029community? >> Madam Chair, I have two points. Number one, I think four of us attended the SBA conference before Thanksgiving was a typical wonderful conference. I was concerned about AI. how we handle AI generated material from students and the best session I attended was some strategies for teachers to deal with that. Second thing I have is in our board packet is a printed copy of the November communication. We got it But it's so impressive. I wanted every member to have a copy to look at. It's just a lot of stuff going on. And I think this report is very well done and very well up to date. That's all I have. I did represent Franklin. I did the 5K. I didn't come in last, but I did come in last, but I didn't come in
030last. There were two people behind me. So, she didn't come at all. I want everyone to know she didn't participate this year. Um, if that is it, is that all? Mr. Albrooks, would you like to say something? Yes. Yes, ma'am. Anyone else? >> Yes, >> I definitely want to make sure that information make sure our community >> appreciate you being here. With that being said, I move to adjourn. >> Second. >> All in favor say I. >> I. Any oblentions?