001Pastor Sherman Davis. >> Thank you, school board, students, superintendent, parents, and students. Was a honor to be able to be uh part of this in a word of prayer. Thank you for the invitation. Our heavenly father, we do bow in thanksgiving. We thank you Lord that we live in a great country where we can bow bow our hearts and our heads in prayer and come boldly before the throne of grace. And we're thankful that it is a throne of grace. And so Lord, as we come, we confess, Lord, our many shortcomings tonight, our unfaithfulness. We're not always concerned with that which concerns you. Lord uh we become uh enamorated with our own uh cares, our own crisis, our own concerns and Lord our own ambitions. We go for days without remembering your passion for the
002lost world. We go for months without witnessing actively for you. And Lord, we go for years without building an eternal foundation of gold, silver, and precious stone because we're so busy working on that wood, hay, and stubble of this life. Lord, uh, redirect us, revive us, restore our passions for your passions, restore our concerns for your heart's cries, and use us for your glory that we might be found faithful, as the Bible says, in all things. >> May we be Christlike. Oh Lord, distinct from this world, our morality, Lord, our moods, Lord, we even Christian folks even spend our money differently than the world. May our mouth, Lord, have dialogue. May we communicate with each other as Lord uh Charlie Kirk so desperately tried to get across to talk and to talk things out. May
003our manners be different. May we put on meekness and Lord put on kindness and Lord uh as may we be as harmless as sheep, as innocent as doves, as bold as a lion, as precious as a sparrow. Truly may meekness and kindness and love be in our hearts that this world may know we love them and are concerned about this nation, our teachers, our students, our children. Lord, if we might be more intent about what you would have us to do, may we see Jesus. May our hearts be filled with the things that Lord moved him and that we be Christlike. Again, we pray for our teachers, the Lord, those who desire prayer. We pray for our superintendent and the school board, Lord, the students at King George, those who desire prayer. We lift them
004up, Lord, before you. Uh Lord, I wish I knew all of them's names. I would call them. But Lord, we just ask you that you would do what only you can do. tonight. Speak to hearts. Move in only way you can move. Lord Jesus will praise you and thank you for all that you accomplish in the wonderful, wonderful name of Christ. We do pray. Amen. And amen. >> Thank you, Pastor Davis. The pledge of allegiance this evening will be done by PTOAC Elementary School's fifth grade class, Mr. Patelli. to the flag of America to the republic and justice moment of silence. Thank you. We would like love to ask Mr. Patelli's class some questions. If you would please go to the podium. >> Good evening. I'm Mr. Pelli, fifth grade teacher at PTOAC Elementary and
005we have a song for you. Um, I am the math teacher and fifth grade math can be challenging and students sometimes struggle and get a little upset and angry if they don't know the answer right away. So, I try to find unique ways to get them to know their stuff. So, this is a song about prime and composite numbers and then we'll we can take questions after that. [Music] I'm prime. P R I M E. Only factors are 1 and B. Factors that divide evenly. 2 3 5. I'm prime. P R I M E. Only factors are one and me. Factors that divide evenly. 13 17 19 23 29. Yeah, I'm prime. P R I M E. Only factors are one and me. Factors that divide evenly. 31 37 41 43 47. I'm prime. P
006R I M E. Only factors are 1 and B. Factors that divide evenly. 53 59 61 67 71 Hey, I'm prime. P R I M E. Only factors are one and me. Factors that divide evenly. 73 79 83 89 97. Yeah. Representing prime one to 100. Let's go. 2 3 5 7 11 13 17 19 23 29 31 37 41 43 47 53 59 61 67 71 73 79 83 89 and 97. Yeah. Yeah. Prime numbers. Prime prime numbers. [Applause] Thank you students and Mr. Voi who um how long did it take to memorize the song? >> Did you all memorize? We started this topic about a month ago already, actually. And we played it I played it for about a week or so, two, three times in class. >> Good job, Mr. Bush. Um,
007I'm sure you have a question. >> You always say it because you know I always Okay. In in math class, I appreciate that you're you're learning and it can be a tough year for math, but what would be one of you answered this. What would be the most difficult thing to learn so far in math this year? Or you can include last year. >> Say multiplication. Do you know your multiplication tables? >> That's good. All right. What's been the easiest thing to learn? >> Addition. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. >> Thank you students. Does anybody else have a question? >> I don't have a question, but I have a comment. Thank you for this lesson. I appreciate it. Sometimes these math lessons come home from school. I do math every day and it's so
008hard. So, I love having these uh reminding reminding songs that I can go back to. So, I appreciate you guys teaching us this lesson today. >> Yes. Thank you for coming out and doing that. Um, and what's gonna be funny about this is like 20, 30 years from now, you're still gonna be doing your prime numbers with this song. >> Sure. Thank you again. >> Thank you. If you guys want to stand right there and I'll get out of the way so your parents can come take pictures if they'd like to. Your parents want to take a picture. [Applause] Next on the agenda is public comment. If you would like to speak during public comment but have not yet signed up, please see the clerk now. Public comment is an opportunity for community members to
009share matters they believe deserve the board's attention. It's time for one-way conversation to the board, not a forum for dialogue or debate. All speakers are treated equally and comments should be courteous, respectful and related to the school division services or policies. Audience members are expected to maintain proper decorum. Speakers will be recognized by the chair and asked to state their name, their connection to the school division and their magisterial district. Each speaker has up to three minutes to comment. That's what I'm trying to find out. Our first speaker this evening is Chris Tralio. >> Tralio. >> Good evening. My name is Chris Tmalio. I'm a resident in the Dalgrren District and I am a parent of a child in this school. I'm concerned about the path that this county is taking in our schools. It's
010bad enough that the Department of Education is being dismantled in DC, but now in our own county, we have a situation where in one week a speaker for Constitution Day that claims to celebrate the beliefs of the Constitution and then proceeds to violate the establishment clause of the freedom of religion right but promotes Christian values to students who may be Jewish, Muslim, agnostic or even atheist. The hypocrisy isn't lost on me. And that same week, the county is up in arms about a gay straight alliance and the accusations by uninformed individuals about this club. If you look at your own mission statement for the King George schools, they talk about having students inspire students in a caring, safe, and healthy learning environment. That's not too much different than what the club is trying to propose.
011I don't envy you. You have to make tough decisions, but as I tell my children at home, what's always right isn't always popular, and what's always popular isn't always right. I hear some people say that the schools are grooming the kids. I'm a teacher myself, not in this district, but no one is trying to change a child's orientation. That's absurd and it's truly ignorant. If you think we as teachers have some special power over the kids that we could change their orientation, don't you think we would do it so that we could have them at least do their homework? Do you really want to prevent a club which is simply a gay straight alliance? One that creates a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment. Your fears have reached a new high and your actions have reached
012a new low. We're supposed to be giving people rights, not taking them away. Don't wait until later in life till you until you realize you made a mistake. A club that wants to educate and eliminate ignorance and bigotry, I think, is great. And if you don't like it, don't join. Don't send your child. But being a child is hard enough. Let's not make it harder. But save me outrage when people say freedom of speech when you really mean freedom of your speech but not others. Save me the outrage when you say when you get into say don't tread on me but what you really mean is don't tread on me but I will definitely stomp on you. And save me the outrage when people say freedom of religion as long as it's my version of
013Christianity. If you leave nothing with here tonight, please remember that books like Fahrenheit 451, 1984, and The Handmaid's Tale and other classic books are meant to be a warning, not an instruction manual. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Susan Park. Good evening. My name is Susan Park and I'm a parent of two students who attend King George County Schools and I live in the James Madison district. Um, I'm here today to speak in support of the proposed GSA club at the middle school. First, a slight degression. It may seem like a degression. Have any of you watched the Netflix movie K-pop Demon Hunters? It's a fun movie, right? Um, might seem like a standard cartoon at first, but a few minutes in, you'll realize it's about something much deeper. Roomie, the main character, hides glowing
014patterns on her arms, proof that she's part demon. Beneath her smooth surface, she's afraid that this part of herself makes her unlovable, unworthy, unsafe. So, she hides it. And that's shame in its truest form. The fear that showing our true selves will make others turn away from us. And in the movie, the villain doesn't attack with weapons, but with whispers of shame. You don't belong. No one likes you. In school, our kids deal with that fear every day. But in the movie's Turning Point, Roomie shows what she's been hiding. And instead of rejection, her friends pull her closer. And maybe that's why kids and adults are connecting so deeply to this movie. It's about the dream every kid carries. Can I show all of myself and still be included and have friends and be loved?
015And in my family, the answer is yes. And in our community, don't we want that for every kid? For them to know that it's okay to be who they are? These clubs are not about politics, ideology, or promoting a lifestyle. They're about safety, belonging, and kindness. They give students, some of whom feel very alone, a place to be accepted and to know they matter. The truth is LGBTQ plus students are at higher risk of bullying, depression, and even suicide. Research shows that schools with GSAs see lower rates of harassment and stronger school communities. When these students feel safe, the entire school climate is improves for everyone and GSA clubs are protected by law. The Equal Access Act of 1984 states that any public secondary school, which includes middle schools that allows extracurricular student clubs, cannot
016discriminate against clubs based on the content of their speech or the identity of their members. If a school were to pause or deny a GSA, it would legally need to pause or deny all non-curricular clubs. That means the Christianity club or a rugby club. These laws are clear. GSAs are not optional in the legal sense. They're protected by law. And to halt a club in this way is discrimination. So, I hope you will let compassion, fairness, and our shared commitment to our children's well-being guide you. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next we have Artemis Park. Um hello uh my name is Artemis Park. Uh I live in the James Madison district and attend King George Middle School as a student in the eighth grade. I'm in support of uh GSA. When King George Middle School
017took down our club without it even really being given a chance to start, they were once again like choosing the easier side of the oppressor. The school is already divided. This is just picking a side. Equality it like hurts no one. Safety hurts no one. Self-exression hurts no one. Removing a club created for equality. safety and self-exression hurts many. You are saying to every single student that they have no place in your school. This club will do nothing to you. This club will do nothing to hurt you. But for me um to the people like this is for it means like that my school sees me. So to to me this club like is worth fighting for. Like I think we're worth fighting for. Others opinions are not of more importance than my existence. If
018you are uncomfortable with like a club, just ignore it. If you are uncomfortable with me, ignore me. At the end of the day, it's not about politics or religion, but being like a decent human being. A lot of you like forgot how to do that. Um, my name is Artemis. I want to be safe in my school. Thanks, [Applause] Sherman Davis. My name is Sherman Davis, Pastor Davis, and I'm uh here tonight to represent uh the BIBLE. That's basic information before leaving Earth. And uh I uh didn't not realize the agenda tonight, but uh I would like to say that I have a a brother that committed suicide. Uh he was uh of that persuasion. My sister committed suicide. I was a member of the fixing to join the Warlocks motorcycle gang in Martinsville, Virginia.
019Raised in a bootleggger's home and was a drunkard. Saw everything on the other side. I love my brother and I love my sister. Both of them was involved in homosexuality and uh I went to my I preached both of his funeral. He loved me and I loved him. I did not approve of his lifestyle. He visited me and I visited him. I go visit him in his home with his partner lived in Maryland. And uh but I did not uh mean to didn't come and stay that tonight. I just uh the scripture says in John chapter number nine, I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day. Night cometh when no man can work. This is about a mission. It's about the mission, a divine mission that God gives us
020as Christians. He said we must work the works of him while day. Other words, it's it's urgency involved in this mission. It's referring to the limit of time for ministering God's work and time uh is coming short because of us maybe our age maybe because of illness our time is short maybe it's because of persecution end of life or the rapture of the church where God takes out the believers or the tribulation period begins the night cometh and it's coming where no man can work. And so while it is day, he means for us to seize the time partnership with God. The day means a limited period of time. The night means opportunity will cease. This world is in darkness. So Jesus had to come. And in him was the light of men for all
021humanity. And what Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross was atonement by his shed blood being the son of God, God man, that he was able to deal with our sin. We are all broken and we all need forgiveness and we all need Jesus. God bless you. Thank you. Melissa Hatch. Okay. Good evening. My name is Melissa Hatch. I am here on behalf of the creation of the GSA. I am a parent of two students at the King George uh public school system and I'm a resident of Dogrin. I'm a national board certified teacher and my school has a GSA so I can speak on that behalf. The school where I teach has this and is a great opportunity for students to come together to show respect and support for one another. This is a club
022that represents kindness, compassion and acceptance. And that is what we have to make sure we understand as a school community. We say we focus on this I in kind. Kindness is not just holding the door open for someone or saying please or thank you. Kindness is looking past one's differences and not being mean to others. How is the community demonstrating kindness to our student population by stopping a club before it starts? What kind of example does that set for our younger generations? Students at at any school are all the same. They are looking for someone to listen and to understand them to show them compassion. Many times students at this age do not feel comfortable talking to family members about what is occurring in their lives. They are looking for people who demonstrate compassion and
023who are listen willing to listen to them. For people to see them for who they are, not who they think they should be. Why are we not allowing a club where students can feel safe and be themselves? Is it fair to not allow all students a place where they can feel safe? That's important for us to be reflective on. Finally, this group is about acceptance. Acceptance is something everyone looks to have. Even adults, we want to be accepted. Everyone wants to be seen for who they truly are, their real selves. This group provides a time where students can meet and not fear judgment by their peers or their community. This is not a group that has mandatory attendance. Students can choose to come or they don't have to. They can support their friends. It's optional.
024So why are we scared of an option? We want to teach our children to combat bullying. And in our Fox Bites newsletter in the middle school, it has a campaign against bullying. This is a form of bullying because we're not accepting the differences of others. If we want our children, if we want to raise our children to be kind, compassionate, and accepting, we need to lead by example. We need to allow this group to meet, to flourish, and to feel accepted. As we adults, we need to set the example. We need to show all love, compassion, and respect. Thank you. >> John Wheeler. My name is John Wheeler. I live in the Shiloh district. Uh have had three students graduate from King George and I have one currently in King George Middle. I hate public
025speaking, so I'm sorry if I pause a lot. I wish I could be as eloquent as so many other people up here. Um, when I went to West PTOAC High School, um, I had gay friends. We didn't have a GSA club and our and my friends, they were not allowed to talk. Well, they were, but they were afraid to. Um, I know the student that asked for have this club created. I know that she was not influenced by any groomers or any adults. Um, I think this club should exist. I just found out today that the high school has one, so I don't even know why this got put on pause. Um, I wish I wish I had I was better at uh public speaking, but that's that's where I stand. I I really think
026we ought to let this and and let kids meet like uh somebody just said, I think it was you, that it's not it's not mandatory. It's voluntary. Uh if you don't want your kids going there, don't let your kids go to it's an I think it's an after school club. Yeah. You control the you control your kids' time. If you don't want them to go, don't let them go. But that doesn't they should be able to meet if they want to. Thank you. Don McVicker I think. >> So I'm gonna apologize start off with because I didn't write anything because this was a sudden thing to support my friend. I My name is Dor McVicker. I'm from James Monroe District. Sorry, didn't really know what that was till today. I have two, one child that
027just graduated from King George and another one who's currently in King George as well as a granddaughter who is also in King George. I'm the mother of five. Most of my girls fall on the rainbow spectrum and I love all of them. I would never begrudge them for how they feel. my older girls because we were in a different state. They all belonged to the GSA whether they were straight or not. That club taught them besides what we taught them at home, but gave them to be more accepting. There were better friends for anybody, whether at a different race, a different thought pattern. It taught them to critically think. And as parents and educators that is supposed to be what we are doing. We are supposed to teach them to critically think to be good
028human beings. And a club like GSA does that. It also believe it or not teaches them to not be promiscuous to honor their body and in whatever way they see fit. it. My children that went through it as old in the other state that we lived in, all of them got to college without having underage intercourse, being better partners. And I really believe that club did a lot to teach them that. And what is the harm of having a club that allows your child to be accepted during COVID? My one daughter that just graduated thought that she was trans and she felt very alone and very isolated. There were teachers in the junior high that were amazing. The guidance counselors were amazing. They helped her. They called me, wanted me to know, which I'm kind
029of on the fence about. I happen to be accepting, but I don't know if other parents would be. I knew already. But that teacher and guidance counselor was amazing and was a support for her. She has figured out that that was not a case. And a club like this would help a child figure that out more. That I'm not trans or maybe I'm not gay. Maybe I'm just questioning because that's what they're doing. Their sexual identity, their orientation is starting before they get to junior high. So what is the problem with talking about it? As a parent, I don't want my child to do something. They don't do it. If you're afraid of your children being around people that are different than them, then homeschool them. Keep them out of the district. Keep them out
030of clubs. Go to people who believe the same as you. Thank you, [Applause] Katie Evans. Good evening. My name is Katie Evans. I'm the proud grandmother of multiple children in King George schools and I'm from the Dogran district and I would like to say a prayer for and in support of the children in the gay straight alliance. Oh gracious goddess of love and light, protect them now and all thine m with all thy might. Watch over the children with care so they may avoid prejudice's snare. Hail fair goddess, protector of night. Banish all evil prejudice from their sight. Send it far away from them. So it is said. So it be blessed be [Applause] Carrie Smith. Hello. I have I'm very blessed. I have been a mom for a very long time. I have eight
031children, four of which are in King George schools. I have very strong feelings about the GSA. I believe that I as a parent did not appreciate that my 13-year-old daughter came home and asked me very specific questions about didn't God create man to be with a woman and vice versa and opened up these conversations. I was not ready as a parent to have those conversations with my 13-year-old. I did not like the way the school sent the emails to the students as opposed to the parents. I did not like that the school our school board members did not know that this email was not going to be sent out. So yes, these clubs are protected under equals access rights. We also have rights as parents. So under the POA act, that's a request for freedom
032of information act. Amanda Higgins is uh responsible for that in the schools. Um I really would encourage everybody to research that act and know what your rights are as a parent. I would also um say that I agree that that is government protective um but citizens can request the meeting notes. I specifically asked uh the principal of the school if I can attend the meetings and I didn't get a response. So I would say that no response is a response. As a Christian conservative, I believe that if you want to have the club, then you should have both sides represented. Okay? If you're going to have a teacher that is heading up the club, that we can tell by her post, her public post, her the way she votes and what she believes in and
033her safe places for students. I applaud that. I'm just asking for represententation on the other side. Um, parents can volunteer and participate in these school clubs. Um, the teachers are required by the admins for approvals to start the club. I just like I stated before, I did not like how they went about setting the email out. Did not like it at all. Uh, also too, there's equal rules for all clubs. So, if a school board, if a school um had a meeting, a GSA meeting, the same rule would be apply to all other studentled clubs, all non-curricular clubs. >> Thank you, Miss Smith. >> Yep. Melissa Fipps. Hello, I'm Melissa Fipps um from the Shiloh District. We have two kids that graduated and then three others in the King George County schools. And I love
034King George County Schools. I think everybody um works together and does a really great job. And I think everyone cares and wants to accept and make sure that our kids feel safe in schools and that they are treated with kindness. I agree that the way that this club was initiated and sent out to the students knowing how controversial this topic can be um was done uh incorrectly and I think there is some fault to that. Um I'm glad that our community is talking about it and I'm glad that that we are at least um trying to figure out what's best for our entire community and not just one side or one set of of kids. Um, I've always loved kids a lot. Um, they're they're they're our future. Everybody knows that. But I feel we
035should have a club that is a safe space, but it should represent everyone and there I feel like they should be being taught and as we work through, maybe they're not trans, maybe they're not gay, we can talk about these things. They should have all the viewpoints and they should be shared. I am not familiar with the gay straight alliance club. Um, I think high school is more appropriate for it. I don't think middle school is the time, especially with the entering sixth graders, especially when parents may not have had those discussions on gender ideology or um their sexuality. And I don't feel like the public school system is where that is supposed to be discussed. It should be discussed with their parents. And if these clubs are existing and they're um afraid of their
036parents, that's one thing. we can help with those relationships, but I don't think they should be talking about these with other kids and adults without the parents being aware of it. Um, I am for having these types of clubs, but I I I think we need to give second thought to what the naming of the club is. And what was written in the description of the club in the email, I think um was too much. I don't think middle schoolers should be talking about their sexuality. um and so forth like that. Um I also wanted to say I didn't know about this meeting so I didn't prepare anything at all whatsoever because I was out getting prizes for bingo night at King George Elementary School this Friday night. So if anybody wants to come out
037to King George Elementary School Friday night, we're going to have lots of cool bingo prizes. Thank you, William Hulcom. Good evening. Uh my name is William Hulcom and my daughter goes to uh King George Middle School and um I just want to speak out against the GSA club and I think we can all agree that we desire to support, protect and guide children. Um but the question really comes down to what is how do we do that best? How do we best support, guide, and protect the children that we have? Um and I I wanted to mention a few ideas regarding that. Um number one, it's my personal belief that uh that heterosexuality is the highest good of every human sexual relationship because it has the ability to produce offspring. And by the way, everybody
038everybody that's here was is here because of a heterosexual relationship. And so we want to promote what is the highest good for our students. In addition to that, heterosexual relationships provide the opportunity for a biological family, which is the foundation of human society and the greatest possible blessing I believe that a person can have. I think the GSA club in a way promotes a sort of Lord of the Flies sexual identity for our children where they're just in this club and they're just they have no guidance, no sound, reasonable guidance uh with anybody that's mature and has discretion and uh and so anything kind of goes in that situation. I also think that it's concerning that um when the school promoted the club, they didn't send email to parents, they just um sent it directly
039to students. So to me that shows like some kind of intention that seems to be nefarious. In addition to that I would mention that the LGBTQIA uh uh group is a very diverse group which also includes transgenderism which as we know is the mutil mutilation of one's genitals um in in an attempt to change their biolog biological sexuality. Um, and this is very concerning because um, the UN has stated that gender mutil mutila mutilation for non-conenting individuals is a uh, is a human rights violation and a crime against humanity. And so we have to ask ourselves like when we're bringing kids into this environment and we're encouraging these these questions that are best had at home with parents, um, what are we doing to them? Um, gender dysphoria is a long um it's it's it's
040a long documented um psych psychological disorder um that exists. And are we going to encourage kids in down this path of um psychological disorder or are we going to promote what is the best possible good for their life which I believe is heterosexuality and their biological gender? And I think that if we're honest with ourselves, we would say this is this is actually true. Um, and so we have to make the hard decision. Do we want to protect our kids or do we want to appease the darkest parts of their identity and their feelings? Thank you. [Applause] >> Dave Riley. >> Hi. Um, Dave Riley. I'm a teacher at the middle school and a resident of King George. Um I'm here to speak out in favor of the GSA. Um first off, these clubs save
041lives. That's just a fact. Um students, middle school is hard for everyone, but students who are struggling, not struggling, but who are figuring out their identity, who they are, um are especially vulnerable. They're um very vulnerable to suicide um suicidal ideiations, suicidal attempts. Um they're much more likely to uh develop substance abuse problems. Um they're more likely to be victims of bullying. Um the these clubs save lives. Secondly, um they're protected under our students do not um surrender their first amendment rights when they enter our schools. This has been established as a these clubs are legal. It's gone to court several times and the clubs win. They will win this time if it comes to that. As a resident of King George, I don't think a good use of my tax money is to defend
042this. Um, and um, frankly, I think like the students who are advocating for this um, I really admire them. They're uh, they're um, sorry, they're standing up for what they believe in. They're advocating for themselves. um and they're um doing it knowing that there's going to be push back and I just want to say I admire that. And lastly, I I I understand the concerns that middle school is young for this. I I understand where people who feel that way are coming from. But the fact of the matter is that when you're in middle school, that's when people start to be attracted to other people. That's when you're realizing maybe maybe I'm gay, maybe I'm a lesbian, whatever, maybe I'm by. um and having a safe place for them to go to feel accepted. Again,
043I I've said it before, but it saves lives. Um thank you. [Applause] >> Do we have any board members that have emails to be read in public comment? >> Madam Chair, I have one. >> Yes. Um, this is from Stephanie Marsh. Apologies if I'm saying your last name incorrectly. My name is Stephanie Marsh. I am a proud I'm a parent of children in the school system. I am concerned by the pausing of the LGBT club formation. Either all clubs should be allowed in the schools or no clubs should be allowed. We as parents encourage our kids to take initiative and pursue the things that interest them. What message does this send when we shut them down as soon as they try to do just that? These students should be supported in their efforts to start
044something they are interested in. There is no harm in letting like-minded individuals gather. Rather, this creates a safe space for marginalized students to gather and support each other. Please allow the formation of the LGBT club. Thank you, Stephanie Marsh. >> Thank you, Miss Cleveland. Anyone else? Moving on to superintendent comment. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Can you hear me? Okay. Feel lower than I usually am. I think this superintendent comment was put in for this reason tonight. So, uh, thank you all for being here. I certainly appreciate all of the uh, folks that showed up this evening. I think Miss Fipp said earlier that King George is a great place and and there's a lot of involvement. And the reason it is is because of this. It's because everyone that is here this evening
045sincerely cares and uh we care that you care. So, thank you for being here. Uh I can tell you right now that there has not been a decision made uh one way or another about this. We have had conversations. I do want you to know that we have a policy on student organizations. We have established practices that we've employed for many years when it comes to uh student organizations. our our policy is IGDA if anybody wants to reference that. There are a few bullets in here that I want to bring to everyone's attention that I think are important in this conversation. Any student organization that meets, it must be voluntary and it must be student initiated. This is for all of our clubs and organizations. So, bullet one, the group's meetings are voluntary and they
046are student initiated. Second bullet, the group is not sponsored by the school, the government or any government agency or employee. Third bullet, the agents or employees of the school or government are present uh at religious meetings only in a non uh participatory capacity. And that really goes beyond religious reasons. In King George County schools, our club sponsors are there just as in a supervisory role. These are very often always run by students. uh the meetings do not uh materially or substantially interfere with the orderly conduct of educational activities at the school. And then finally, non-school persons I think this question was uh asked tonight. Non-school persons do not direct, conduct, control or regularly attend the activities of the group. So I think that answers some of the questions that were uh brought forward this evening.
047The process that took place here. So what happens when a student decides to initiate a club? And I can tell you as former high school principal, there are hundreds of clubs that that students uh attempt to initiate. The responsibility of that student is to find a sponsor and to solicit participation. When I was at the high school years ago, that was a a piece of paper uh that they ran around and and got signatures on. In today's world, that's digital. And so the reason that this is on hypers speed right now is the digital world. So we were made aware digitally of student interests and within about 24 hours we had 500 and some comments on Facebook. Uh so this this has gone hypers speed for many people. So to address any concerns about a
048pause, it's really guys just our opportunity to say let's really slow down and look at this from every perspective. Understand as a school board, understand as a superintendent, understand as a school division what's being requested and understand how that fits in our community and whether or not we understand it in its totality. That's where we are right now. So nothing else has been done at this point. There's no decision to move forward. There's no decision to cancel it or not have it. Right now, we are taking information in and for that reason, I thank you all for being here tonight to express uh your beliefs one way or another. I think it's certainly meaningful to our board members. Uh it's certainly meaningful to me and uh we'll move forward in a very informed and educated
049way on on how to approach this with our students. It's a learning opportunity. It's a learning opportunity for our students, for our school division, and for our community to figure out how to navigate this successfully. We live we've live in a very challenging country right now. We had a very challenging and heavy week for a number of reasons. And I think as King George, we can be models on how to slow down, take a deep breath, look at this from a multitude of perspectives, and figure out how to effectively move forward in an appropriate way that benefits our children in this community. Uh so I'll stop there, Madam Chair, uh and just um stop there. So thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Boyd. >> Do we have any changes to the agenda this evening? With
050none being recommended, we can move right along to our presentations. >> Uh yes, Madam Chair. So the first presentation that we have this evening is food services operation uh that will be done by Mrs. Davis. So we do have a schoolboard policy as she makes her way to the dasis that uh on regular basis the school board will be made aware of the financial status of our food services program. So Miss Davis is more than willing and able to to provide an update in that capacity. So Miss Davis it's all yours. >> Good afternoon madame chair board Dr. Boyd everyone assembled. Um the King George County School Nutrition Brief. Who we are. We are what we are. Our mission is to provide access to nutritious meals made from quality products and a customer centered environment
051while adhering to federal guidelines and regulations. We operate under the following programs. National School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program, Seamless Summer Program, Summer Food Service Program, Community Eligibility Program, and Child and Adult Care Program. We are offer versus serve which means we offer the following components fruit, vegetables, grain, protein and milk. Students have to pick up at least three out of the five components for lunch and one must always be fruit and vegetable. three of the four components for breakfast and one must always be fruit or vegetable protein sizes that we offer fruit and vegetables in half cup portions but they can take up to one cup a day at each meal. 2 oz grains, meat, meat alternate, elementary school is 2 oz. Middle school and high school is 3 oz portions. The positive
052impact is that it is awesome that we feed that we are feeding so many students breakfast and lunch lunch meals every day. More students have access to meals during the school hours. We help fight childhood hunger. Some students, as we know, may only get a nutritious meal during school. Students focus and excel in academics when they are not hungry. Effective C, the community eligibility uh program. C, let me first say, is only at King George Elementary. Student participation in October of 2023 before C was 6,431 breakfast and we served 6,977 lunches. But after C was implemented, King George Elementary meals, breakfast was 8,790 for last year and lunch was 9,177. That is a 36.68% increase in the participation of breakfast and 31.53% increase in participation. That's supposed to be lunch. Sorry. Um, what is our
053goal for C to extend the program to more schools in the county through validated meal applications and submissions? What is CACFP? See at risk afterchool meal program ensures children a low ch ensures children in lowincome areas have access to nutritious meals outside of the school hours. Provides a safe and structured environment for children with academic and enrichment opportunities. Who is eligible? Children 1 to 18. Children who turn age 19 during the school year also qualifi can attend these schools that we offer it and have meals. No age limit for individuals who have disabilities. Challenges students parents would like us to offer certain foods or specific items every day. School nutrition has a mandated nutritious standard that we must follow. Therefore, taking every request and consideration would leave us out of compliance with the state and
054could result in the program losing funds. you Mrs. Davis. So along with um my office doing a lot of calling and sending out emails and letters this year we have also ask the help and assistance of our principles and um with recognizing the students that are struggling with food insecurities. And so they're able uh through the state who has given permission that the administration can fill out free and reduced forms for these students and that is going to help us a lot with the negative balances this school year. School nutrition finan school nutrition financial financials. We now we will review the school nutrition financial report for 2425. Um you all have received a handout and I will go over it. Our ending balance for 2425 is $96,432. our ending balance after some um equipment that
055was purchased came out. Uh so our beginning balance for this school year 2425 is $72, um $290. And um as you know, we have been working with a couple of million dollars for the past four years. And uh I just want to tell you some of the things that I purchased with the money. Um we did pass through warmers, two for Battoic Elementary. Uh at King George Elementary, we remodeled the whole serving line, both sides, and did an extended serving line with adding more wells for hot food. Plus, we purchased two warmers there. At Sealsson Elementary, we did uh two double stack warmers. Uh no, yeah, two double stack warmers, a double stack convection oven, and we also remodeled their serving line and included uh cold wells and hot wells there. At the middle school,
056we did a lot of repairing with equipment. Um, replacing some of the equipment such as the salad bars. Um, we worked on the serving lines and uh installed some electric electrical outlets because we have these new um machines. We call them the electrical cow. And it holds a 5B uh bag 5 gallon bag of milk. And the kids just put a cup under it and pull it. And I hope our reps have tried it, but it is like the best milk ever. And um it's very cold. And the milk consumption at the high school and the middle school has doubled since we installed those. And so I think that was a very very good investment. Uh the other thing at the high school we installed six combi ovens. Uh we purchased small wares for all
057of the schools and we did the graphic design for the cafeteria inside and out at the high school. So I hope you've had an opportunity to go and see it because I think it is beautiful and just to see the kids that day that they got to walk in there was amazing. Um, and if Oh, and I wanted to let you know that this year, well, the month, um, not the month, but last year at the ending of our school year, we did 346,832 lunches. We did 190,432 breakfast for that for last school year. >> That's a lot. >> Do any of the uh board members have any questions or comments for Mrs. Davis? >> Hi, Miss Davis. It's always a pleasure seeing you. >> Thank you. over all the years that I've uh communicated
058with you, it's always always has been pleasant and informative and helpful. So, thank you. Um, what do you uh think the cause was for the increase in the lunches and and breakfast? Such a large increase. >> Uh, at King George Elementary, because all the meals are free, >> those students eat free breakfast and free lunch every day >> because they're C. >> Okay. Thank you. Hi, thank you for this presentation. I have a question about the negative balances. Is there a um like a certain food that they can take themselves into the negative? I know that there's some the reason why I ask is because I know that there's some like special food that they can get. When when my son has his card, he goes into the negative all the time. And but I
059know that there's some special food other than like milk, things like that. But is there like a limitation when you can't go past a certain negative if you're buying like some junk food per se? >> Well, with that, the only thing that you can ever charge is a meal. And if you have a negative balance, you can't buy snacks. >> Okay? >> So, you can't buy anything like that. Uh at the high school and middle school, because we have the cows, the milk is we don't have a limitation on that. So, if they get two cups of milk with their lunch, I think there's nothing wrong with milk and it's only 1%. >> Yeah. No, thank you. You answered my question because I was just wondering if the snacks you keep on going negative. Okay.
060Yeah. Thank you. >> Yes. So, Nita, you mentioned that you've gotten with DSS to help with uh uh getting back some of those funds. Have you gotten any response from >> They won't they will not be able to get back the funds for us. They will help us recognize and talk with these parents who are just who qualify for DSS but just refuse to do it because there is no limit on charging a meal. Um the state says we can't deny a meal to a student. Uh the only way that we can deny it is if a parent puts on there I don't want them to charge because they pack. But then even that way, we still have to like investigate and make sure, especially if it's an elementary school student, that when you open
061up that lunch pill, that there is a lunch in there and not a Coke and a bag of chips, which we have found. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. >> Thank you very much, Mrs. Davis. >> Thank you. Oh, and um so I did fix a light dinner for you in the back. I wanted you to try this new burger that we had. We had a food show last year and students came and parents came and they got to sample all the food that we had there. And everybody loved this company's burger. And the burger has no uh chemicals in it, no dyes. It is like an all naturatural burger and it is absolutely delicious. So, I did make y'all some in the back and uh but the other thing is that if you have
062recipes and at our um you're more than welcome to come to our uh nutrition committee meeting. But people bring in recipes and we turn them over to uh our chef and our chef can take those menu those recipes and make them a school meal like they can make them so that the school can they will fit USDA. >> Thank you and thank you for providing a snack for us since we have been working quite a long time this evening. >> Yes, you have. >> We appreciate you. >> You're welcome. >> She has. >> Thank you, M. [Applause] We have Miss Terry Rinko. This blue Thank you. >> Thank you guys. >> Is it me? >> Yeah. >> I just wanted to see your face again. >> Thank you. >> Sorry. You're fine. Thank you. Good
063evening, Chairman Hoover, fellow board members, and Dr. Boyd. Tonight, I have what I hope you'll agree is a good news story about the work-based learning magic that can create can be created for students through community partnerships. With me at the podium today are Miss Jackie Morton and Mr. Grant Schmelzer, CEO of Independent Electrical Contractors, or IEC. For some background, Independent Electrical Contractors is a nonUN network of electrical contractors. IEC Chesapeake covers the Chesapeake Bay watershed region of Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC. Their headquarters is located in Laurel, Maryland. High school graduates selected to be IEC apprentices learn on the job with one of its 250 contractor members while receiving IEC apprentichip training on a local community colleges campus. Local IEC apprentices receive training at Germana. IEC's four-year apprenticeship program leads to a journeyman electrician's license.
064Mrs. Morton here with me to my right came into King George High School's welding and building trades classrooms for the first time in the fall of 2023 to share how graduating seniors could apply for consideration to be trained as IEC electrical apprentices. Last year due to weather, Miss Morton pivoted and delivered an impromptu virtual student info session for prospective students. From that session, January graduate Anthony Caro applied for and was selected to become an electrical apprentice by IEC member Helix Electric. Anthony began working with Helix right after graduation on the Kalahari Water Park project in Thornberg. And that's that is Anthony to the right working on site. His proud mama sent me that picture. He's already bought his first car. May I say this great opportunity was on the heels of our very first electrical
065apprenticeship signing with January graduate Kevin Armmitra, selected for training by King George County School's local workbased learning champion Bobby McLaclin, owner of Four Elements Electric. And Mr. McGlaughlin is here with us today. So, let's talk data. King George County Schools has been the subject of a three-year grant-f funded study by Rapahhanic Goodwill Industries to help us identify and potentially build out two to three postsecary educational pipelines to springboard students from King George High School CTE programs to living wage employment. Rapha Goodwill did market research, reviewed labor statistics, and held multiple subcommittee meetings right after most of all of last year's CTE stakeholder dinner meetings, collaborating with our business partners. Goodwill determined that electrical was our most achievable postsecary educational pipeline. At Mr. Caro's apprenticeship signing ceremony. Independent electrical contractors shared that they offer a pre-apprenticeship
066training program in area high schools aimed at readying qualifying seniors to become good apprenticeship candidates. King George High School does not currently have a formal electrical program in house. IEC offers a 160 hour pre-apprenticeship program option in high schools to equip senior participants with the skills to be good IEC apprenticeship candidates. IEC provides the program application and a one-hour pre-EST. IEC chess Chesapeake also provides in an instructor from industry to be vetted by King George County Schools and onboarded by IEC textbooks, student application fees, online OSHA training, CPR first aid instruction with certifications, an apprenticeship hiring day at the high school with member electrical contractors interviewing candidates at the local high school. Hired electrical apprentices go on to work the next summer and receive four years of training through independent electrical contractors on German community
067college campus leading to an electrical journeyman's license. They also receive at graduation from this program a electrician's toolkit. Last summer, outgoing supervisor of secondary education, Mrs. Hill, and owner of Four Elements Electric, Mr. McLaclin, reviewed the IEC training program. Since that time, conversations have been held with Mrs. Cable, KGHS Administration, Dr. Burns and Dr. Trusslo, director of counseling Robin Mitchell, CTE department chair D. Strauss, Dr. Boyd, Dr. Wright, and King George economic development director, Mr. Smolnik. Four elements electric was so impressed by the strength of the apprenticeship training that it decided to join IEC's member network. So, let's talk funding to cover the cost of a turnkey electrical pre-apprenticeship program. I am thrilled to share with you that here tonight we have Rapahhanic Goodwill. And I'm going to ask Raphanic Goodwill to join me also
068up at the podium. Mr. Baldwin, chief mission officer of Rapahanic Goodwill is here with us today. He notified me last Monday that their CEO, Mr. Steve Cox had authorized $15,000 towards helping King George High School achieve our goal of an IEC pre-apprenticeship program second semester this school year. Rapahanick is here with us tonight. We have Jessica Weber and also Shana Butchard. >> Thank you. And at Tuesday's CTE stakeholder dinner and advisory committee meeting, upon hearing of Goodwill's amazing commitment, Mr. McGlaclin, if I could have you join me up here also at the podium, Mr. McGlaughlin of Four Elements announced at that dinner when he heard this great news from Rapahana Goodwill's generosity that he would also match that donation essentially funding the entire independent electrical contractor's pre-apprenticeship program for a starter cohort of 10 students.
069>> Wow. >> 59 community members were in attendance to witness this pipeline to living wage employment materialize right before our eyes. Oh my goodness. Chairman Hoover, fellow members of the board, I have with us today um independent electrical contractors, Miss Jackie Morton, also um Miss Joanne Merchesen and their CEO, um Mr. Schmelzer. Um, I respectfully seek your approval with the support of our local businesses, community partners, um, and all that are here to today to support, um, us having a pre-apprenticeship program to be held at King George High School for students second semester this school year. Thank you very much. >> Thank you everybody so much. We need a we need a motion. Anyone? >> I make a motion that we approve second semester's uh pre-apprenticeship program for this second semester. >> Second. >> Motion
070has been made and seconded. Is there any discussion? Madam Chair, thank you so much for your commitment to our community. This is such a great news and we really appreciate your partnership. >> Madam Chair, can I say something to it? Um, I just want to recognize Mrs. Rinko for a minute. >> Um, she is an amazing person and we're lucky to have her in King George County Schools. You just probably heard a little bit. >> She she uh has pulled a lot of people together to do a lot of amazing things in King George County. She came to me about this program and she said, "I think this is good for kids." And I said, "Go for it." And then she came back shortly after that and she said, "Well, it kind of costs a
071lot of money." >> I said, "Oh, yeah. I don't know how we can figure that out." And she said, "Set me loose." And and and I and she and she went for it. And uh when when Terry's focused and and does uh great things, great things happen. So, I just want to take a moment to to recognize Mrs. Ringo. So, thank you so much, Terry. [Applause] I don't think many people would disagree with that. Dr. Boyd, >> I would also like to recognize Mrs. Rinko. I was at the meeting on Tuesday night and u you know, you've said there was 59 people there. I I guess it was about 60 between 60 and 70 people there. Um more people there than I've ever seen at a meeting uh of any kind for any of our
072committees. And it's all because of the work that that you do, Terry. And uh we thank you so so very much for that. Um, and with the plans that the board has, uh, and I think those are all public, um, about getting a new vote center, a two-story vote center here in the county, uh, will only increase, uh, what is going on because we what what you guys are doing, electricians, welders, uh, you know, uh, we need them all in the county and hopefully we're going to be able to help that out. So, thank you very much, Terry. And, you know, you're like the Energizer Bunny. You know, you just keep you just keep going and going, but it's all great. Thank you. >> I believe in King George County Schools and so do our
073partners and I just want to thank everyone so much for coming together. We all have the same goals and it's just thrilling to see it all come to fruition. So, we thank you very much. Thank you for this motion and congratulations in advance to our coming pre-apprentices. >> We need to take a vote now. All in favor? >> I votes eye. Motion carries. >> Yay. >> Chairman Hoover, can we get a picture? >> No. I love gifts. >> Thank you so much. >> Thanks. >> Thank you guys. light bulbs in there. >> Oh, light bulbs. >> Thank you. >> Oh, really cool, guys. >> Oh, wow. Yeah. >> Oh, look. >> Look, look, look. >> That is cool. >> You can hold this, David. Scoot in. >> Bobby, you're like my height. >> Good. >>
074Thank you guys. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Are these ours? >> Oh, sweet. >> The best. >> I have Michaela and I are in class together. So, >> thank you so much. You're awesome. >> Thank you. We already have enough textbooks. Okay, thank you again. We're going to move along to our student representatives chance to shine here. Sultana, would you like to go first, please? >> Good evening everyone. My name is Sultana and I'm one of the student reps for King George Middle School. I would like I would like to start off by saying thank you to our staff and we have had a great school year. Everything has been good. Our teachers have been very helpful and I want to say thank you. Next, I would like to say good job
075to girls volleyball, basketball, and also boys soccer. Furthermore, boys soccer has a game tomorrow against Locust Grove at 4:30. So do the girls basketball team. They are playing against Louisa and it is a home game. Volleyball is playing against Chris Fredburg Christian School and yeah and King George Middle School has a anti-bullying poster contest. This contest's goal is to design an anti-bullying poster. This poster is to raise more awareness of bullying and to encourage a more positive and safe school environment. Two winners will be selected from each grade. And this week, KJMS is having an attendance spirit week. This spirit week is to bring awareness to school attendance and how each day it matters to show up. Today was roll out of bed and show up day pajama day. Tomorrow is can't hide your pride
076in being here. Wear camo. Wednesday is color up counting. Wear school colors. Followed by wild about attendance. Wear animal print. And lastly, present for the future, which is dress like your future job. All these spirit ideas were suggested by the leadership students. These spirit days weighed in a bunch of factors. Things like would student really do these and how inclusive it would be and availability. And King George Middle School PTA is hosting a movie night on October 17th. The doors open at 6:30 and the movie starts at 7:00. This movie, the movie chosen was The Bad Guys 2. And last week, Thursday, King George Beta Club had their first meeting. This meeting was all about getting to know what Beta Club is and how things work and their motto, lead by serving others. As a
077Beta member myself, I'm looking forward to seeing to seeing what our club sponsors have for us to do. Thank you. >> Thank you, Sultana. Jake, >> good afternoon. Um, for those who don't know, u, my name is Jake Lover and I'm one of the senior representatives for King George High School. Um, this year we started a pass. It was, um, now every Wednesday. It was a 45m minute block that fell into either first, second or fourth block. Uh, we are now happy to say that next week we will start two passes a week with u one being on a Monday and the next being on a Wednesday. One of these days will be utilized for students to go to clubs. Um, and the next will be for academics where they can use this for study
078hall um to get extra assistance in classes that they are struggling in or to make up work or if they need tutoring from classes. Our counseling team has been also really strong with um senior and college readiness um with uh college admissions night coming up on Monday, September 29th um along with a financial aid night coming up for underassmen. There's a college fair coming up at Spennsylvania Town Center along with we just finished three college boot camps for seniors to get them ready for their time after high school. Um, starting today, counselors will be meeting with every senior um to talk about their plans for finishing out high school and for what shall come afterwards. And tomorrow for underassmen, um, Aus Marshall will be coming for a digital safety presentation. Um, as mentioned in our
079last meeting, um, the SCA, the new newly founded student council association applications have gone out to students. So, they will be filling those out and turning them in. And this week, we are full of fun spirit days to lead into our homecoming um, pep rally this Friday, which will be followed by our homecoming game. Um, should be kicking off about 700 p.m. on Friday if you guys want to come out and watch the foxes play. Um, and then we'll have our fun homecoming dance on Saturday um from 7 to 10:00 p.m. Uh, I wanted to recognize a couple um areas in the high school with um the DECA chapter had five student officers that returned from Camp DECA um and they have their first optional competition at the state fair on October 1st with districts
080in November. Cross country also just completed in competed in the nation's largest most competitive race with over 3,500 athletes from 130 schools across 13 states. Um I reached out to their coach and he provided some names that he wanted to recognize with strong leadership coming from Sam Crombie, Caleb and Zana and Ruth Louise Paige. And you had some students that showed um strong sportsmanship in Ian Clark and Bennett Mets. Um and we had strong performances um from students Sam Crombi, Sam Paige, Caleb Benzanna, Bailey Deier, Virginia Gentelli and Elena Tweedle with notable improvements from Samuel Richie, Liz Crombie, Anna Tidwell, and RVs. Sorry if I messed that up. But to finish off um we had for um teachers today was to show off the colleges that they attended with seniors dressing like their kindergarten selves
081and underassmen rolling out of bed in their pajamas. Um and we're going to end off the week with our senior seniors in their toggas. See how those with everyone with their Birkenstocks. They It's a big trend around the school nowadays with our underassman showing off their school spirit wearing blue and gold. So I look forward to seeing you guys at the homecoming game as hopefully we'll win over I think we're playing Courtland this so should be a good game. I appreciate you guys inviting me back and I hope everyone has a good rest of the night. >> Thank you Jake. Next, we're going to go over our meeting minutes from our two September 8th meetings. Does anybody have anything to change or add or delete from those either of those minutes? If not, could I
082have a motion to approve them? I make a motion that we approve the uh minutes for uh let me get the dates for September the 8th, 2025. Um both of those for the work session and the regular meeting. >> Motion made and seconded. Is there any discussion? All in favor? >> I. >> Chair votes I. Motion carries. Next, we have a discussion on donations. Dr. Boyd. >> Yes, Madam Chair. This is for consent agenda two. So, uh this will be regular moving forward, but this month uh or excuse me, since our last school board meeting, we have two donations that have been offered uh to one to King George High School from Boowhead Defense in the amount of $1,000 uh specifically for the football program and secondly um to PTOAC Elementary School from the William
083M. Cage Library Trust of $500 for library supplies. So, I would ask for approval of that this evening. I make a motion that we approve uh the not the donations from Boowhead Defense from the William H. Gage Library Trust. Do you need the dollar amounts and the amount of from Bohead Defense and amount of $1,000 from William Mgage? uh library trust in the amount of $500. Second. >> A motion has been made and seconded. Is there any discussion? All in favor? >> I >> chair votes I. Motion carries. Thank you. Moving right along to the instructional calendar. Um, we had this out for viewing and feedback from uh, community members and staff and I know that there was some feedback given so I'll let you go with that. >> Yes, madam chair. So if you
084remember at our last meeting the instructional calendar for 26 27 27 28 was offered for discussion and then we provided two weeks for community fe feedback and staff feedback. I did get uh, I think a total of seven comments that I would like to briefly mention. Uh the first one is uh the addition of additional teacher work days in the first semester was a suggestion. The second suggestion is the implementation of a fall break. Suggestion three is the formation of a committee to look at this. Four, uh starting school in the middle of the week this year was difficult because we've already uh missed many Mondays. Five, uh, days for conferences are not helpful because, uh, staff members believe that parents that we need to attend don't often attend. Six, uh, changing the calendar or
085changing work hours one month prior to um, the change is difficult. Uh, so I think we talked a little bit about this, making sure that we approve a calendar and stay with it. Uh, and then finally, uh, if parent this, I'll read it as it's stated. If parent conference days are required by the state, they should be half days. Uh so that some instruction could still be provided. Uh so those are the seven comments that we've received. Uh and I'll pause for any comments that board members may have received as well. >> Dr. Boy, can you go I want to make sure I got one just addressed to me, but I think that was your first one. Can I look on your I don't want to talk about it if Is this the same as
086the first one? >> That's the same as the first one. >> Okay, got it. >> And uh Yes. >> Just want to make sure. >> Any other questions or Did you I mean you read these um and you brought them back to the committee I assume. >> Uh we we discussed them in the schoolboard office. >> So no changes were made or were there some? >> No, my my recommendation uh is to move forward with the instructional calendar as presented uh at the first school board meeting. >> Okay. >> And and I'll if we need more information there, we've taken a deep look at uh our instructional minutes. >> We've uh I don't know if you remember last time we went we went through this rendition. It was really honestly October of last year which
087is only 11 months ago that we made the last change to the school calendar. We went really in depth at that time. If you remember we had committees we we considered all kinds of stakeholder uh viewpoints and in that process we created really a calculation tool that takes a look at our total number of instructional minutes not only in terms of the 990 instructional hours that are required. We put a buffer in for a certain number of school days. But outside of that, we've also taken a close look at the number of seat minutes required for many of our courses, including uh some of our CTE courses. So, I can tell you right now in that analysis in terms of instructional minutes, we are really kind of razor thin in terms of instructional minutes. We
088meet the threshold. We're fine there. We're well within the 990 in terms of uh required minutes, but uh I would just caution the board. I would caution everybody that that's weighing in on the on the uh calendar conversation. Instructional minutes uh in an instructional calendar is very important and and um it's thin right now in terms of the margin. So, if we were to have a really bad winter or um anything else that would set our instructional minutes back, it it would be a conversation that may involve lengthening the school year, lengthening the school day. I think what we have built right now, if you remember, uh was 42 days in the first quarter, 42 days in the second quarter, 46 days in the third quarter, and 46 days in the fourth quarter, which provides
089a level of margin, especially uh when we get into inclement weather season. So, um, I'm comfortable with, uh, requesting a motion for the instructional calendar as presented, uh, at our last meeting. >> I have a question. One of your feedbacks was about a committee. Was that a committee to talk about the changes or was that the committee that we already have that this suggestion didn't know about? >> I think it was already. >> Okay. >> So, so in the, so just 11 months ago, we had um, you know, uh, parents, community members, all of those folks. I think what this comment is asking is if we could do that again. >> Okay. Thank you, >> Dr. Wood. I do have a concern. Uh at the end of each semester, those last two days of school
090when grades have already been turned in and students that gives them the opportunity for you know grades already in so why am I going to go to school? So the absenteeism raises uh discipline within the schools get pretty much out of control at you know during those times. Can we come up with those last days uh last two days of each semester to gainfully keep these students occupied. I mean and if that can't happen we can let them have a day off and make it a teacher work day or something. But I mean, you know, it's it's it's killing our absenteeism rate and it's also not good because they're not busy. They're just sitting around watching movies. Madam Chair, could I comment to that? Um I think it would might be valuable although it's would
091take a little bit of time is to that I I agree totally with Mr. Frank is saying and it's been an it's always an issue um especially with um in high school is maybe get some input from the teachers and administration about what they may have some ideas to solve this problem. >> I think the middle school did something last year, didn't you? >> Did you? >> Yes. >> A little bit. Uh we've had these we we've had these conversations and we'll continue to have them. Actually, the middle school does a great job of it right now. They they do a a end of the year assembly where they recognize a lot of achievements that the students have made and really have a lot of prizes and it's really celebratory and in my experience from
092what I've seen they have a I mean the kids show up for that. They they really want to be there for that. So uh I I I'm not sure if this came up at our last meeting but I can tell you since then we've had a principal meeting. We've talked about uh how to increase engagement and make those last couple days of valuable. it is somewhat of a necessary evil because uh you know all of our students finish at a different time and and we need a little extra time with some students and some students don't need that extra time. So that's the kind of necessary evil part. But I think similar to what we do with PASS and uh IE and enrichment and um you know intervention, we could figure out a way to
093to kind of serve both masters there. You know, make sure that it's engaging for our students that don't need the extra time, but provide that extra time for students that do. So we'll continue to have those uh conversations with our principles and and firm that up. Uh but I think that's something that we can address in the building and I know they they've got it on their radar right now. So, we appreciate you bringing that to our attention. >> Anyone else? >> Do I have a motion to approve the calendar? >> I move that we approve the King George County Schools calendar for the 2026 2027 school year. >> And I'm sorry, and the 2027 2028 school year. Both calendars. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I >> I >> cheer votes I. Motion
094carries. Moving on to policy manual updates. We're getting them down. Thank you, Miss Ocal, for that. >> Dr. Boyd. >> Uh, so I'll go through this quickly again, similar to what I did last time. I think the board members appreciated that. We are still in the um process of eliminating the forms that we discussed. So what I have for you this evening is uh three regulations that will have to be updated based on the fact that um forms were referenced in in those in those regulations and then tonight we will be omitting uh six forms. So I can go through the names of those uh if you'd like or I don't need to. But uh basically this doesn't change policy, doesn't change regulation. It's just the omission of those forms. So, I would stop for
095a motion or any questions. >> Does anyone have any questions? >> No questions. >> Motion. I move that we approve the changes to policies G DBC-R G DI-R IGBG-R and delete policies GB- F1 G DBC F2 GDI-f IGBG-4 JFG-1- F1 and JFG- F2 >> second >> motion has been made and properly seconded. >> Any discussion? >> Well done, Mr. Frank. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Chair votes I. Motion carries. Let's move to committee reports. Mr. Frank, do you have any committee reports? >> Yes. I attended last Tuesday night the CTE committee report and I think we pretty much already had that. It was uh it was fantastic. It was and to see the tears and Terry's eyes were were great. It's good are great. >> Thank you, Mrs. Cleveland. >> Yes, thank
096you. I attended um this governor's school board on September 18th. Um and a couple of reports for the board. Um we have currently 76 students. Um 18 freshman, 19 sophomores, 20 juniors, and 19 seniors. Um, I was happy to hear that last year both the valadictorian and the saludiatoran of King George um were um were at the um governor's school. They were they attended the governor's school. Um there was a counselor report and most of the students going um said that the year has been going well so far and that they are managing their the stress is manageable. Um the counselor did um go over a lot of other metrics on their counselor report um and stated that anyone who um measures above a six and their stress level, they are meeting with those students
097and trying to help them um to um lower their stress levels. Um, there are going to be recruiting visits coming up. Um, and also middle school visits coming up, trying to recruit students to attend the governor's school and those can be located on the admissions page. I don't have the dates with me, but I will get those out to you um to the board members so you're aware of those visits. um a good opportunity for our middle school students to hear more information about the Governor School and hopefully get some interest so that we can get some applications for next school year. Um there's a broadcasting update. We are going to be receiving a update in some of the classrooms for technology. Um, we are going to receive a total of $67,317 worth of upgraded
098technology equipment from the governor's school um that is going to be um brought into King George County. So, that's really exciting for for King George. Um, also what I wanted to share were was some information about the AP scores. Um, in 2025 there was 149 tests taken in King George County with an 82% pass rate on the AP scores which is absolutely amazing. And that was up 4% from last year. It looked like with a couple of dips here and there year-over-year they are going up which I just think is remarkable when you see those pass rates for those AP scores which really says a lot about those teachers at the governor's school. So that's all. >> Thank you Mrs. Cleveland, Mr. Bush. Um we are having an ATI meeting on Wednesday day after tomorrow.
099Dr. Boyd and I will both be there and it'll be one of the first of the well it'll be the first one of the year actually. Um and then the SEAK meeting will not I believe it's first week of November. Um and I would like um as the board is thinking since this is I'm not running again. This is my last year someone taking over the ATI. Uh I think you're already a um a substitute on the >> C which we can talk about that in January at our first meeting because we'll have a new member. >> No, I know. I mean it'd be nice to be thinking about it. >> Yeah. No, I agree totally. But it would be I think very valuable to be thinking about it. Um and maybe even join one
100of the last meetings before the end. >> Um I don't have anything else. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mrs. Davis. >> Yes, we uh Ches Bay Governor School. We had our first meeting on Thursday. Um, Ches Bay is Governor School is fully staffed for the 202526 school year, which is we're excited about because we were we had to move some teachers around. Um, they did start a parent advisory committee, which they said was pretty equally it was right now they have 13 parents involved. Um, their first meeting is October 16th uh at 3:30 p.m., but it doesn't say where, so I got to find that. But anyways, if you're if you're interested in being a part of that committee, you just reach out to the or me or whoever um the sponsor is here in
101King George. Also, um there's something else I wanted to Oh, congratulations to the students and staff for being recognized as Virginia Naturally School for 17 years in a row for work and environmental education. So, that's pretty awesome that we have that here in King. Um and we're a part of that. Um so, that's it. Thank you, Mrs. Davis. The three of us were all at meetings on the same day last week. I was at a technology advisory committee meeting on the 18th also and I will I am pleased to report that we have almost 20 people on that committee that I'm usually the committees are pretty slim. So um we did discuss the success of our weapons detection system because as we all know Miss uh Half our technology lead uh also led that effort.
102Um going very well. Thank you to all staff and administrative teams who have helped with that. um instruction and technology will partner and present to the secondary department heads regarding artificial intelligence in the classroom and provide some tools that may be helpful when assigning work because that's a a hot topic this year. Um the technology department is investing in an asset management system to assist with equipment management. And I heard some nightmare stories about uh that potential, but uh it's going to be all all good. Um the educational foundation space camp scholarship application is available for fifth grade students in all three elementary schools. So if anybody is interested or knows somebody that is, please pass that information on. Um, all the math teachers at King George Middle School and King George High School now
103have interactive panels. Um, that's been a huge uh asset to their teaching. And the wireless project that was done over the summer overall has provided much better wireless connectivity for both students and staff. We had some some areas in I think I was hearing King George Elementary that just had no no wireless access at all up until they did their upgrade and um we have a success story on that. So all good stuff and that's all I've got for my committee reports. Dr. Boyd. >> Yes, Madam S. So really quickly I'd like to uh just highlight a few things. You should have received an email about a legislative breakfast for region 3. This is a relatively new thing that's uh happening in our region. Uh what we do last year was the first year that
104this was done and the invite is to all 17 schools in our region and also to our local legislators. So who's invited is schoolboard members, superintendents to meet with our legislators before they go into session. Uh so it's really good opportunity to hear what the local issues are in terms of school. It's a really good opportunity to impart on our legislators anything that we believe they should make part of their agenda before they head into session. So uh please take a look at that email and if you can make it I I think it would be a valuable experience for for uh King George. Secondly uh since our work session I wanted you to know that I have had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Smallick and let them know that the uh let him
105know that the uh board's desire is to move forward with the vocational center, the two-story vocational center. I also have a meeting set up with RRMM architects this Thursday. We'll have folks at the high school um that are that are part of the instructional conversation on what type of programs we would like to have. We're going to begin those conversations, make sure that we've got things in order. I think you guys have talked and and and I know as well that we want to be as specific as we can be and as detailed as we can be as the community start to ask more questions about the vocational center moving forward. So we're taking strides and making steps to do that. Uh and then finally at our next meeting we will have a report from
106our technology department and we'll have our technology advisory annual report at our next school board meeting. So just a few highlights and and I'll stop there for any questions you might have. >> Dr. Just a a thought uh when we're talking about the votech and what we want to put in there. Can we get through through Terry or whatever to the community to the the the businesses in the community, the HVAC, the plumbing, the electrician businesses in in the community and see what or and overview of the community and see what our needs are. I mean, right now it takes a month to get someone to come out to look at your air conditioner, you know, and it's because they just don't have the people to do that. If we could train our own, that
107would be fantastic. >> Absolutely. This is actually part of a conversation that I had with Mr. Small. They have reports that can tell us what industries are are needed, which industries are thriving, what industries need workers in our community. And I think that that information will be certainly a weighing factor into the programs that we desire to have in the the vocation center. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> I'm going to go in the opposite direction now for board comment. Mr. Bush, >> first I want to thank the fifth grade um math class for coming out and doing the uh from PTOIC for doing the uh uh pledge of allegiance. That was wonderful. And of course, Terry Reno with the IEC and the apprentice program. Wow. That's just and all the programs that she's
108working with to uh I just love to see this whole idea that um there's another option besides going to college as we have options to um in the technical field in the trades eventually. And for that to continue to grow HVAC, boy, that'd be fantastic. There's such a need there. And I would like to see a growing percentage of of that. So that you know how we hear so often that you know college readiness college readiness and that's wonderful but it again I would like to make that a a segment of the population that they don't feel forced to they really feel engaged to want to go to college and then the other segment offering more and more opportunities. I just can't thank Miss Rinko enough to start that program and also Dr. Boyd and
109the administration for continuing to support that. Um, also thank you Jake and Sultana for your comments. I always appreciate that for reports going on in the middle school and the high school. Also, um, I appreciate all of the public comments that were going on. And again, thank you Dr. Boyd for explaining the process of um, student clubs and how that works and for letting everybody know that a decision has not been made that we are talking about it. But obviously, we need to take into consideration what we have as far as policy regarding student clubs. And um but I appreciate so much hearing all that from the community. It's always valuable to hear from the community and we don't ever want to discourage anybody from coming to the board and making public comment about anything
110that they have concerns with. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Thank you, Mr. Bush. Mrs. Davis. >> Yes. I'm gonna start with the good stuff. Um, I wish we had more people like Bobby Mclofflin who goes out of his way, you know, to solve a problem or to start a wonderful thing and King George and be used and use his talents like that and um be so gracious towards children that aren't even his, you know, and um and give of his time and his life and his finances and his hard work. So, thank you, Bobby. Um, same with Terry Rinko. Always working hard to look for opportunities for our students. Not only does she find them, but she chases them until she gets them. Um, Mrs. Davis, as I said earlier, I always enjoy seeing her.
111She makes me smile. Um, and she works very, very hard and all the changes that she's making in our food program. Um, you know, I want to thank you, Dr. Boyd, because you me and you've had those conversations and and basically like I don't I don't know, but she's just made some huge changes and I'm so happy to see that and and thankful for all her hard work. um Sultana uh your beautiful smile and being here and and working hard on updating us with the middle school. So, I appreciate that. And and Jake, what a great in-depth update you gave us and and the names that what did you ask people for their up like how did you get the names of the sports um and people who've improved and things like that. So, knowing
112that cross country was out on that meet, having cadets in the ROC program talking about um their excitement for it, I reached out to coach Kay um and I asked him for a detailed report on that as I also go around asking other sports teams um and I'll be going through not only with sport recognitions but um students in the classroom from academics to band to theater. Okay. Um, so we have a lot more recognition coming >> in the further meetings. >> Thank you. Um, and for all the staff being here and late um who have also if we have enough hamburgers back here, I'll even cut mine in half if you want to. Um, probably in four. I um, you know, I'm very troubled tonight. I do appreciate the community coming on. I think
113that's their their right to do that. and whether we agree or we don't agree and there was both sides here that did and didn't and and and I do appreciate that what some of the things that concerned me was uh I'm going to be careful not because of anything I just don't want to I want people to know that I love everyone and I want to do what's right for this community and for our students and I'm and I am aware that there's students here that would like you know that do get bullied I was bullied there's there's other students here you know I want to address things that need to be addressed and fix them and and and of that nature. But what's hard for me sitting here and and with these public comments
114that came in and there's a there's a board member out here that is chair of a board in King George who has a vice chair that basically said if you're not of a certain uh party, go kill yourself. And then to come here and preach how we need to do inclusion and and you're not, you know, being a decent human being and things of that nature. Like what about my son who decides that he wants to be on this side? Are you telling him to go kill himself? So are are we really for all children or are we only for the children that agree with your side? I can tell you that I'm for all children. Your child, my child, no matter what we agree on. I want to compromise and do what's best. Um
115but please think about what you say. The other comment that was made is if you don't agree with it, then go somewhere else that's more like you. and you're telling a community to to accept you, but you don't accept certain people of the community. And so, I think I I ask that you would open your eyes just like I have to, especially something that's new to me. Like Dr. Boyd said, it's a learning um thing for us to learn on. Uh and I'm willing to do that. So, I I would ask that some of the people who spoke tonight would be willing to be the same, do the same. Um, so there's just that that did uh you know and there's no apology given on the go kill yourself thing that's been put out there
116and there's a lot of people in this uh crowd today that are that work with that committee and there was no apology given that person's still chair vice chair of that club and it's just I have to speak about that. I don't lose my right you know to speak truth just because I'm a school board member. Thank you. Thank you, Mrs. Davis. Mr. Frank, >> as always, I'd just like to thank the all the teachers and staff for all that you do. Uh, also like to thank the our school representatives for their professionalism up here. I mean, this is a really good uh example of what we have in our schools. Uh, and that's great. Uh, we've already talked about Miss Reno and and what she does uh for every one of us. And uh
117I I'm looking forward to her participation in our new vote center if we can get that thing rolling. And uh I I think it'll be great. Uh and again, just thanks for everything you do. >> Thank you, Mr. Frank, Mrs. Cleveland. >> Thank you. And thank you to staff who came out tonight and set through this meeting with us. Appreciate the student reps for giving us updates and and being here as well. Um, thank you to Miss Davis. And I promise I'm going to get my probably all three of my kids who have a negative balance paid. Um, it does sneak up on you, but um, I'll make sure I make sure I do that. I did tell her that I was in the negative. Um, but always good to hear, um, how the departments
118are doing and how they do things. So, I really appreciate all the efforts that's put in to those presentations and when they come out. Um, I'm so excited to hear um our comm about our community partners and all the work that Terry Ringo is doing. Um, not all kids want to go to college right after school and just giving them an opportunity for some really great careers right right here in our community is just I I can think of people that are going to the high school right now that would just thrive off of that. And so I I'm just so thankful for that we have um those community members and those companies that are investing in our schools and investing in our students. Um and also thank you to our donations. That's pretty awesome
119that we got some money to our football program >> and to our library, but I'm happy about our football program too. And um I will say that I went to the middle school football game um what was it last week? Last Friday night. Um, and they are so remarkable and I have got to say those coaches are so awesome and I just thank I don't think we thank our coaches enough like all of the coaches, right? Them coming out and putting their heart and soul into those kids and I just appreciate that so much. So, thank you to the coaches out there. We really appreciate you. >> Thank you, Mrs. Cleveland. Thank you to everybody that was here this evening. Um, I don't know that Mr. Casselli's class was mentioned during all the thank yous.
120So, I'm going to give a shout out to him and his class. Enjoyed that song. Um, and uh, all the presenters and the speakers this evening appreciate everything. Definitely appreciate the students feedback and input because I learn things every week from you that I didn't know was going on. So, thank you. Um, and all in all, just the positive attitude of everybody given, you know, everything that's going on. We are still marching on with a positive attitude and smiling faces. Thank you to all of you out there that do that every day. I come and see everybody just hearing woohooa for all the kids and they need that. Um and if you can get out and support your your sports teams, do that. I've been trying to get to a game a week and it's
121exhausting, but I'm trying. Um we do have some great student athletes. Um and thank you for all um all the staff and admin for your time and dedication sitting here. um and go for our homecoming game. I hope everybody can make it out and we're gonna try and win really well this time. Thank you though really for everything that you all do. Appreciate you. And that's all. I need a motion. >> I have Is this a closed meeting? I'm sorry. There's an addition. So, let me go ahead and read it. >> Okay. >> Um clo uh pursuant to state code section 2.2-3 2-3712A of the code of Virginia. I move that the board convene in a closed meeting to review hires, substitutes, resignations, and stipens and retirements and especially uh specifically for review the superintendent
122evaluation as permitted under 2.2-3711A number one of the code of Virginia. >> Second. >> All in favor? I >> I >> chair votes I. Motion carries. We're now in close session. What is attention. >> Can I have a motion to return to open meeting? totally forgot. I make a motion that we return, hold on, that I move the King George County School Board return to open session and certify that pursuant to state code section 2.2-3712D, 2-3712D. Only public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements under this chapter and only such public business matters as were identified in the motion by which the closed meeting was convened were heard, discussed, and considered in the meeting by the public body. >> All in favor? >> I I >> I chair votes I. Motion carries. I make
123a motion that we uh approve all of the um items that were discussed in close session. >> Second. >> And certify. >> Certify. Certify. >> Certify. >> Chair certifies. All in favor? >> I. >> Chair votes I. Motion carries. >> You think somebody has to make a motion to adjurnn. I make a motion that we adjourn until 5:30 on 6 October here in the boardroom. Second. >> All in favor? Chair votes I. We are now adjourned. >> I am so >> Yeah. Grab some more food. My gosh.