001Heat. Heat. Hallelujah. Heat. board meeting is called to order. Do we have any electronic participation? >> No. Please stand with me for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [clears throat] >> Next, we have approval of agenda. Do I have a motion to approve? >> Second. Madam clerk, would you call the role? >> Mr. Baron >> here. >> Mr. Al. >> Yes. >> Oh, [laughter] >> I was wondering. I'm like, >> yes. >> Mr. Conor. >> Yes. >> Mr. Depal? >> Yes. >> Mr. Galileo? >> Here. [laughter] >> Dr. Farmer? >> Yes. >> Mr. Poe? >> Yes. >> Motion passes. Next, we um in the absence of
002Dr. Gupta, we're going to skip the chair comments and move to um we only have one student representative with us tonight and that's Miss Claire Ramsey from EC Glass. >> Hi everyone. >> Hello. Oh, >> to start off with athletics. In the last week of November, the boys varsity basketball team won their game with an electric win over William Flleming. The final score was 62 to 59 in an overtime finish. The JV boys team also won their game that week 50 I mean sorry 45 to 41. The girls varsity basketball team also defeated Cavespring 45 to 50 45 to 40. This is the upcoming schedule for athletics this week. Also, boys basketball had a game yesterday verse Fleming. They have a game today at home versus Liberty Bedford. And Friday they're away versus LCA. The
003EC Glass indoor track and field team opened up their regular season on December 3rd and celebrated their senior athletes. Many student athletes placed in the top three at this meet and the team will go on to compete this Saturday at Rono College. The Student Council Association Neighborhoodies has sold 35 hoodies so far, generating a profit of about $200 for Miriam's home. You see Glass Theater put on It's a Wonderful Life, a radio play which was performed by Glass Theater in the Alumni Studio Theater. The shows were December 4th, 5th, and 6th, and there was also a matinea on Saturday. They will also have Shrek the Musical performing later in the spring semester. Christmas songs such as All I Want for Christmas Is You and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer will come be performed at the Linkorn
004Middle School winter concert. This is tonight um December 16th in the EC Glass Auditorium at 7:15 p.m. The EClass boys JV basketball attended a game at Linkorn Middle School to show support and help out at the game. They brought the energy and cheered loud to support the young basketball team at Linkorn Middle School. Also at Linkorn Middle School, a student named Kalista Burroughs won second place in a nuclear science week design a sticker contest which was sponsored by Frammatone's Women in Nuclear chapter. Her design stood out among entries from students all over Virginia as well as Massachusetts. >> [cough] >> Art contests [clears throat] like this one help connect classroom learning to real world applications and it also gave students the opportunity opportunity to engage with local employers like Fington at RS Payne Elementary School.
005The Dragon Drummers and Dragon Steppers performed in the Lynchburg Christmas Parade. This program began in March of 2025, the night of the fifth grade spring concert at RS Payne Elementary School. The Dragon Drummers gave their debut performance that day. This was started by teacher Benjamin Hill in January, and the Dragon Drummers bring music education outside of the classroom. At Bedford Hills Elementary, there was another successful Thanksgiving meal drive. The Huskys ended up collecting about 700 items to contribute and support families in the community with Thanksgiving meals. All throughout LCS, families joined across the across schools across the division for a Thanksgiving lunch. >> [clears throat] >> The meal, of course, included pumpkin pie and many other Thanksgiving sides, which were holiday favorites. At Darington Elementary School for Innovation, LCS students participated in in a fairy
006tale parade. Um, they dressed in regal attire and showed off their reading and literary analysis skills through creative classroom projects. The theme was Hansel and Gretle and parents and family could gather to watch the parade as they marched outside the school. Thank you. >> Thank you. [clears throat] >> Next, we have on our agenda public comments. In accordance with policy BDDH, public participation, members of the community are invited and encouraged to attend meetings at the Lynchburg City School Board to observe its deliberations. Any member of the community may address the board on matters related to the Lynchburg City Schools and any at any regular meeting. Persons or group wishing to address the school board may do so by choosing one of the following. Leave a voice message on the school board clerk's phone line. Messages
007will be played during the public comment section of the school board meeting. Address the board in person at the school [snorts] board meeting. Persons desiring to address the school board by voicemail shall submit the voicemail to the school board clerk no later than 3:30 p.m. on the day of the board meeting. Persons desiring to address the school board in person shall contact the clerk of the school board no later than 3:30 on the day of the board meeting or by signing the public comment form which shall be available to the public 15 minutes before the meeting starts. Each person requesting to speak shall identify the subject they want to address. And if the speaker represents a group, the speaker must identify the group. Persons appearing before the school board will not be allowed to campaign
008for public office or promote private business ventures [snorts] and should not use profanity or vulgar language or gestures. Make comments about a public official or an employee that are not related to the public official or employees official duties. Engage in behavior that disrupts the meeting or intimidates others. or address the school board on issues that do not concern the services, policies, role, andor responsibilities of the school board. Individual speaker shall limit their comments to three minutes. A speaker representing a group shall limit their comments to five minutes. The representative shall identify the group at the beginning of their presentation. A group may have no more than one spokesperson. The total allotted time for public comments at schoolboard meetings is 30 minutes. Voicemail messages to be played are also limited to three minutes for individuals and
009five minutes for speakers representing a group. Priority will be given to in-person comments before voicemail messages in the following order. One, students. two staff, three parents, guardians, four community members. Public comments are reserved for the public to provide input. The board does not respond to comments, answer questions, or otherwise engage in discussion. At this time, the chair is responsible for the orderly conduct of the meeting and rules on such matters as the appropriateness of the subject being presented and length of time for such presentation. No one will be allowed to make additional presentations until everyone who wishes to speak has had an opportunity to make an initial presentation. Upon recognition by the chair, the speaker should clearly state name, address, subject of speaker's remarks, the speaker shall address the chair. And if at the conclusion
010of the speaker's comments, any score member board member desires further information, said member addresses the speaker only with the permission of the chair. The courtesy of the school board shall be extended to the speaker and the speaker shall respect the privilege extended by the school board or be ruled out of order by the chair. Do we have any voicemails tonight? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Tonight we have a staff member representing um the Lynchburg Education Association um Mr. Carl Loose. And then I have Gary Taylor um wants to speak about elected school board. I don't know if that's really something that's a city council issue, but we'll let it go tonight. And he's speaking for Citizens for a Better Lynchburg. So, our first speaker is Mr. Carl Loose. [clears throat] >> All right. Good evening
011to all of you. >> Hello. >> My name is Carl Loose and I'm the president of Lynchber Education Association. And as always, I want to start by thanking each of you for your service to the Lynchburg City Schools and to the greater Lynchber community. Budget season is upon us once again, and now the citizens of this fine city are about to see what our priorities are, and there are plenty of cliches to address this moment. This is where the rubber hits the road. Time to put up or shut up. Put your money where your mouth is. Money talks and well, they go on and on. But cliche or not, the actions LCS takes with budget shows the world where our priorities are. And we need to make sure our staff members are our biggest priority.
012LCS froze its pay scale for 11 years from 2008 until 2019, and we have never recovered from it. When I started in Lynchburg City Schools way back in the 1990s, it was the unmatched leader in pay in central Virginia. no matter which step of the scale you were looking at, no matter which job you were looking at. And it was like that until the pay freeze took effect. That's not the case anymore. Our starting teacher salary of $50,000 is equal to what they are offering in Campbell County. Except that 10 years in, you're making $1,500 more in Campbell County than you are in Lynchburg. Bedford County has a lower starting salary, but by year eight, you're making 500 more in Bedford County than you are here. And that gap continues to widen for the next
01315 years up that scale. And this isn't just true for teaching salaries. It's true across the board. And why are salaries so important? Because it equates to support. We have heard you say you respect us. We have heard you say you support us. But will we see it reflected in your budget? The budget directly sets your priorities. So you can say staff is a priority. But if you want to prove it to us, if you want to show us we are a priority, then the budget needs to reflect that. Otherwise, we're going to continue to hemorrhage quality teachers and staff. We're going to continue to struggle with state testing. We're going to continue to do a disservice to this community if this board does not demand from city council that we get the funding and
014the resources we have to have to provide the quality education to our kids that they so deserve. This board handpicked Dr. Majette from a pool of qualified candidates and as I've said before, I think you've chosen well. But if you're going to support her, support her vision, support her goals, then you have to give this division the funding it needs to properly staff our sites and staff them with people that we can retain in this division. Right now, we're training amazing young teachers just to watch them go off and work in the surrounding counties for more money a few years into their careers. What we need is a stable and consistent staff that can carry out the vision Dr. Mette and you all set for our schools. If you look at all the data, even
015in this computerized AI world, it tells you the same thing. The most important factor in effective instruction is the educator working directly with those kids. I was contacted by a teacher this morning and I asked if I could share her story and she graciously allowed me to do so. She taught English at Linkhorn Middle School and after four years was offered a great spot at Nelson County High School teaching dual enrollment and British lit. She stayed there for four years, but decided to come back to Lynchburg City Schools because she really missed these kids and knew that she could make a difference. But when she came back to the LCS school system, she took a $10,000 pay cut. I cannot tell you how hard that made daily living for her. So hard that she ended
016up having to claim bankruptcy because of it. No teacher should have to go through that. No staff member either. She said, and I quote, "We teach our hearts out. We do what we have to for our kids. We just need a little more monetary support so we can take care of ourselves. This boards needs to put out a budget that significantly raises pay for every employee. City council has cut our funding year after year. I know some on council will argue that's not true, but it is true. The reality is flat funding is underfunding. While other localities have invested in their school systems and are reaping the rewards, LCS is continually asked to do more with less. Your charge is to present the city council with a budget that meets the needs of the division.
017This is a massive need. We need you to be our voices and our champions. I ask that you prepare a budget that proves you care about your staff, that shows you support your superintendent's vision, and that you are ready to grow this community. Thank you, >> Mr. Gary Taylor. >> Mr. Taylor, can I just make sure we have an understanding? >> Yes, sir. We don't. It's not our decision whether or not we get elected or appointed. That's city council. >> That's No, it's not. >> We stay within the parameters that we can affect. >> Sure. And I just want to correct that statement. Okay. The city council has nothing to do with elected school board. Okay. The city council or the school board had neither one. So I just wanted to kind of clarify that
018for you before I started and stuff that. So, my name is Gary Taylor and I'm Citizens for a Better Lynchburg and I live in Goo Virginia. And tonight's topic is going to be my initial kickoff for me being the lead person in the community to take Lynchberg to an elected school board. It's my group. Okay. It has nothing to do Perfect. Perfect segue into my speech. I want to share a chart with you first. This is school district rankings based on SL scores in the state of Virginia. >> Okay. Okay. Want to make sure we got this. So score state of Virginia. >> City of Lynchburg 122 out of 131. Campbell County 55 out of 131. Bedford 36 out of 131. Amherst couldn't get the information. I will eventually. Okay, this is just forformational purposes.
019This is not to say we're good, bad, indifferent, or whatever. I'd say half people here aren't really sure of all these numbers about the area. Now, the only point that a hypothesis you could make about this is Lynchburg is a city. The other three are counties. But the most important thing is Lynchburg is one of only 13 appointed school boards in the entire state of Virginia. 13 out of 131. All three of these are elected. Okay. Now, you can't say that's a direct correlation that an elected school board guarantees higher success in the school system. Okay. So, we'll go with that. Anybody have any questions or I know you can't comment. Okay. Now, this one is my other one. Um, this one I got called out on last night when I kind of talked about
020it at our unity meeting. This is Virginia School Board rankings based on structure and charters. Okay. Lynchburg City appointed is last in the state of Virginia. Somebody asked me how I could do that. Well, I kind of made it up, but I didn't. Okay. Campbell County is elected. So, it's either 118 and above and all the rest of them are. The point of this is to show okay the part about appointed versus elected. That's all I'm showing here. Okay. But we started out at 122. So, we can only go down from there. Okay. What would be really interesting is we're 122 based on so how many of those are those 13 appointed school boards? Very important. So I've just stated that there's 118 out of 131 school board use the elected option in the state
021of Virginia. That's only 13. Given the discrepancy in the numbers versus appointed, how divided we are as a society in this vast majority of left-leaning and right-leaning school district. We talked about it at a group meeting last night about division. So, we know we're divided. We've never been more divided as a society. Everybody can agree on that on both sides. Well, how is it that we can all agree that you should have an elected school board except for 13? Okay, I think that's a pretty important question. Okay, so I've taken the opportunity since I've been investigating this for 5 years. So, here's the negative points of an appointed school board. No accountability. No accountability. No accountability. Cronyism. Cronyism. Cronyism. Okay. No accountability. No accountability. No accountability. Those are the negative points of your school board.
022Okay. Proven. Here's the positive points of your school board. Well, maybe. Here's the positive points. Okay. There are none. I mean, you all get the got the packet. So, if you want to put something down, please send it to me. Here's the negative points of an elected school board. There are Here's the positive points of an elected school board. Accountability. Accountability. We talked about it last night. Accountability. It rightfully removes city council and it creates independent education silo. Thank you. So I just wanted to share that >> and I will be moving forward. [cough and clears throat] >> Thank you. >> Next on our agenda is approval of the consent agenda. I have a motion. >> Motion. >> Second. I would like to to ask if someone would tell me why there's no data underneath
023the human resources report. >> There it is. >> Where is the Where's the >> Okay. So, mine has it for the math textbook, but there's no attachment to the human resources addendum >> unless you see it. It's not on mine. >> It's on mine. >> I have it open. You might refresh your browser. Are you logged into Board Docs? >> It is. I I'll put refresh here. How can you tell? [clears throat] >> It says Boarddocs.com. >> Did you sign in to the computer? >> No, you got to sign into Board Docs. >> Keep [snorts] it under. >> You see that? You have the >> You approve it. >> You have the public. You have the public view. You're not signed in. >> Content. >> Okay. Go right up there. Well, then I'll just Okay.
024Well, I won't take time to do that. Thank you. >> He wasn't walking. >> Okay. Good. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Can you call the role? >> Mr. Baron? >> Yes. >> Mr. Al? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Larry? >> Yes. >> Mr. Connor? [clears throat] >> Yes. >> Mr. Depal? >> Yes. >> Mr. Julio? >> Abstain. >> Dr. Farmer? >> Yes. >> Mr. P? >> Yes. Motion passes. >> [clears throat] >> Okay. Finance report. Miss Jamus. >> Good evening. Uh, Vice Chairman Connor, members of the school board, and Dr. Majette. You have before you the November 30th, 2025 month end financials. The year is going quickly. As of November, which marks 41.67% 67% of the fiscal year passing. The percent of revenues collected versus original appropriation sits at 38.13%. The amount of expenditures versus original
025appropriation sits at 38.20%. That's a good place to be in during the month of a fiscal year is you've taken in the exact amount percentage of revenue versus what you have expent. So the amount of expenditures versus original appropriation um including incumbrances is 84.41%. There were a few notable variances in this report. Um they were um they were routine notable variances. Your function 2210 attendance services has used 112.17% of its budget. It's due to some incumbrances related to um how compensation is set aside for use. uh function 22 uh 20 health services purchase services has used 100.71% of its budgeted uh due to incumbrances related to Medicaid um service fees and benefits. Function 3200 vehicle [clears throat] operations service purchase services has used 177.98% of its budget due to incumbrances related to everdriven technologies for
026safe student transportation solutions. And then function 4600 security services purchase services has used 139.19% of its budget due to encumbrances related to uh what has been the conversation of school building security lately. Um moving on to the statement of revenues. The total amount of revenues received year to date is 45439,397.70. um or the 38.1% of allocations. Of that total, uh state revenues equated to 34.33%. Um the federal revenues equated to 27.01% and local revenues equated to 45.35% go city. um miscellaneous and charges for service collection rates are set at 3180% and 3674% respectively. Um on the monthly financial uh summary um that you have before you our November um LCS in November LCS experienced a very high claim month um for uh health insurance. um those claims totaled 1,712,955,96. So this added to push the
027year-toate balance to a negative $1.2 million. Um looking forward at in January, there will be as voted on by the school board a slight increase in employee premiums of about 5%. We anticipate that helping offset these higher claims. So that marks the end of my report. I will entertain any questions that you have at this time. >> There any specific reason why we went up half a million dollars in medical claims in November this? So we have high cost claimants and it depends on when they have their procedures and things of that nature. Sometimes it comes in higher on certain months when they've had procedures. >> Want to make sure we don't have no flu outbreak or something. >> No. No sir. Nothing of [laughter] that. Most of this is attributed to those high cost
028claimments. Okay. So >> I want to make sure. [clears throat] Have you found this to be seasonal or is it uniquely November >> on on the health insurance? I I it's it's unpredictable. Um so it just depends on what [clears throat] the care is for our uh very important staff of when that care falls and then when those bills those invoices are received um by the finance department. So >> yes, and then you have a record of them from this year and previous years. So you can look at those dates and see if there's anything that >> is correlated to higher numbers. >> Yes, sir. I think it's mainly due to when they I mean it's not every November. It's it's throughout the year when those um when those services are rendered and we receive
029the invoices. In some instances, usually when staff are out for holidays or vacations, we get a little bit of a bump in the invoices because they're out doing their things and getting injured, but not to this um not to this amount. >> Mentioned in previous meetings the health insurance fund uh being in the middle of an audit still that that was sort of some numbers. Can you speak to where we are in that process and how that affects things currently? >> So um that it has mostly been finalized. We have some additional just few small adjustments to make but for the most part this is what um what our going forward fund balance or fund deficit is in in health insurance. Mhm. >> And you have the uh balance request is to [cough] address some
030[clears throat] of that. Correct. >> Um potentially. Yes, sir. >> Okay. Gotcha. >> Unapproved. >> Okay. [laughter] Sure. Sure. I understand. Understand that. >> Just wanted to point out that that was a priority. >> Absolutely. >> You guys were >> one more. >> Yes. One more that came to mind. If [clears throat] we listen to the the u the request of one of our speakers today and we decided to give an increase to the salaries of our teachers, would you say that there is wiggle room there for it uh this fiscal year or what's needed to make room for it? So that is a decision of the superintendent and the school board. Yes. Um I will request revenues for whatever decisions are made at the compensation salary level. I will ask revenues or seek revenues
031to compensate those. So I I can't really put any solid numbers out there until a discussion is had at your level um on what that looks like. Thank you. >> Anybody else? Next on our agenda is old business um strategic planning update. >> Dr. Superintendent. >> All right. Good evening everyone. Uh just wanted to come back and give you all an update and my plan is to give an update every month as we work through this strategic plan process. Um just a quick recap, you know that we went through the selection process between October and November. The members of that committee included board members Mr. Connor and Mr. Baron, um chief financial officer Miss Jamie's and myself. Um, we had the official kickoff meeting with Advanced Learning Partnerships and that's the firm that was selected
032on December 1st and a lot of that kickoff was getting information from us as to who were the staff members, trying to lock down some dates for community forums and to talk with everyone and we all know the purpose of the work. um just to say from 2026 to 2031 a fiveyear strategic plan so that we can look at um just have a clear roadmap of where are we going as a division where are we going for the next five years and hopefully you know and beyond and so that final plan um leadership and engagement right now the the company is really working with our central office team like a small group right now and it's going to expand out to principles as well and you'll see it continue to build and grow because when
033you start thinking about it, you know that schoolbased staff, the principles, the teachers, we can set all the goals, but they're the ones right there on the front lines making those things come to fruition. So, we want to make sure that we have those voices that are there. Um, as you look through your document, you'll see, excuse me, [clears throat] there'll be there are some dates that are coming up. We're planning a community forum in February. part of that purpose and I even asked the question I said you know to the firm I said well we're not including the community right now right at the beginning and they said we're going to include them but we need to come with a plan they have a very strategic process as to how they do the strategic
034plan and they said we want to come in and be able to say hey this is what your data looks like and not just so data but this is what your data looks like this is what the the makeup of your schools look like and they'll actually take us through that process so we can have some some generalized sort of goals from the team and then get feedback on from the community as are we going the right direction? Should we go back and shift? So there's a lot of work that they want to sort of do with us and continue building on that and then having the community form so that we can we can make the adjustments from there. The goal um and we're working fast and furious on it. The goal is to
035be done with everything by May 1st, 2026, but we also recognize we want to have the best product because this is our roadmap for the five years. So they understand that um if there's [clears throat] additional flexibility to have that in place by July 1, that would be ideal. So that's really where we are with this. Um but the community can expect they're going to be regular updates throughout this phase. board members. I know there are different times when I believe they're going to start pulling you all into that process as well. And right now it's just an early data collection phase for them. >> Any questions? >> I just see step four will include opportunities for logo refresh and rebranding. >> Yes. Yes. Thank you for that. >> Mission and vision. >> Yes. So
036we are going to in this process you all have the opportunity because you know as the board you set the mission and vision for the school division. So you'll have that opportunity as you work through this process and have those goals to say hey you can either keep the current mission and vision or you say hey this is direction that you're going that we're going as a division and we'd like to tweak that. So they'll help help um us through that process. And also I know a few of you the the two that were on the committee in looking at that and some of the early conversations when we were working with the partners was if we're going to change potentially change the mission and vision to better align with where we're going then how
037do we do a complete rebranding and refresh. So, our communications team um has just sort of been behind the scenes just thinking of some general ideas and I know they sent the two of you just a brief survey to get some information and as this continues to unfold that'll help them see um the vision of how to rebrand you know what does our logo look like and then as you all work through the mission and vision just so that we have a complete picture when it all comes together. Yes, sir. >> Okay. >> Any other comments, questions? I I just want to I want to emphasize again, we spent a lot of time vetting a lot of different firms and some great that came to the table, but one of our key points was just
038the community engagement piece. Like we really wanted to get the community's voice involved. And so anybody's listening, if you're uh pass this along on our behalf, the more we can get the community involved in this engage in this process, like this firm is going to be intentional about that and provide those opportunities. But it's only worth whoever shows up and lends their voice. And so I just want to encourage the community to truly be dialed in, tuned in to what what that process looks like and and and give us perspective needed. >> With that with that being said, um so the community engagement piece is February 18th and 19th. >> Yes, that's the the time frame that she's looking at. >> [cough] >> And [clears throat] so, um, I'm just curious, is there a way
039to to kind of spread that out maybe for people who who may not be able to make those dates? Um, so it's just not consecutive maybe. Um, maybe one week versus and then another week. Um, just just curious. >> I can chat with her. I think she's doing some So, the 18th um I think she's looking more so for the 19th for the community forum, but there going to be other avenues for people to participate. So those who come in person, she'll be able to capture them and then well the company will be able to capture them and then she wants to look at some opportunities as well because there may be some that like we have several people watch our meetings virtually that may want to participate virtually. So she's still mapping that out.
040But these are all preliminary dates. We just want to start getting some dates on the calendar so that we could lock those things in. But I I'll circle back with her. >> Yeah, it'd be nice. I think if if maybe at least, you know, two inerson meetings, I think that'd be nice. Anybody else? Next on our agenda is new business and Dr. Davis will share with us the accountability and accreditation data, the information we just received from the BDOE. >> Thank you very much. Good evening to our vice chair, board members, and Dr. Majette. Thank you for allowing me to present to you uh briefly this evening. And again, if you have questions throughout, please write those down. We'll be happy to to address anything at the back end of this session. So, some just
041general updates, uh making sure that we are painting the picture for you and getting everybody back on track. We do have a new school performance and support framework. you will see that and it's going to establish updated performance levels and that is based on mastery, growth and readiness indicators uh for this year and moving forward. Schools are also going to be identified for support under federal accountability. So that's an important uh an important update as well and designations can impact a school's overall performance level with that framework across the board. And you may remember earlier on this year we talked about those cut scores changing. Cut scores are still going to change but recently they have decided that those will be in future years to raise proficiency expectations and align with those national benchmarks across
042the board. But those new cut scores are not going to be in in effect for this particular accountability year. So painting a little picture about our updates [clears throat] and our changes. So again the school performance and support framework and noting that elementary and middle has that growth readiness and mastery as the categories and high school is going to have graduation readiness and mastery. So those are some of the biggest pieces. Notice on here on the screen that your framework and your accreditation systems are split and that'll be important as we work through um through some of this data across the board too. Also noting that performance categories would be no identification at all. So you may not see anything besides some of our schools. You may see some subcategories such as an ATSI or
043a TSI. Um and we'll talk more about that. And then you may also see some school level comprehensive support or a CSI and those are going to be based on those federal um identifications or identifiers. The other side of this category is the accreditation system. Again noting that it's split. So you may see in a c in a column fully accredited, conditionally accredited and accreditation denied. Previously those things were tied together. So that's that's the point in emphasizing these being split uh across. So the framework waiting which is important all of these total out to 100 points or 100% across the board. For elementary mastery, it's based on those so tests. So that's 65%. Growth, and that would be in the categories for reading and math for SOS would be 25%. And readiness is that
04410% and readiness for elementary is strictly based on attendance. Middle school mastery, you'll see that drop a little bit to 60%. Growth will be 20% and that readiness category is 20%. And that's uh starting to focus on that chronic absenteeism and then those pathways to develop for a warm handoff for some post-secary work. High school is going to be a based off of mastery at 50%, readiness at 35% and then that graduation. So no longer a GCI, but that graduation category for the four-year cohort at that 15%. our performance categories that you're going to see across for the state. You'll notice that it's going to be distinguished. So any of our school scoring at that 90 points or above and on track, so that 80 to 89 point category. We have offtrack and that's 65
045to 79 points. And that's going to be where you're going to see some of our schools based on their subgroups or their student groups as they're now called, they're going to be categorized as an ATSL or TSI school. And then we have needs intensive support. So if we have anybody below 65 points, those are schools that are significantly identified and they're not meeting those state expectations for achievement, graduation, growth, and readiness across the board. those schools. So notice we went from the student groups to schools overall in that bottom 5% and those schools are going to receive intensive support from the state or support for those student groups across the board. So I'll give everybody a moment here on this screen as you're looking and we're talking about [clears throat] these categories and the framework
046scores. Again, this is all posted for you to see and has been made um for public knowledge so that we can see those framework scores. Noting on the previous slides across what made up those framework scores for us. The biggest piece is chronic absenteeism played a large role in this past year's data that is impacting this year's data um that you're currently seeing for our um for our score or our report card overall. Notice here that the performance levels we have schools in just about every category here. We've got um some of our elementary schools specifically broken down as on track. So you're going to see a few of those as on track. Um remembering that framework score, you'll see uh five of our elementary schools as offtrack. We do have one distinguished and that
047is Paul Monroe. And then we do have one school that's under that needs intensive support. The accreditation status you will see to the right is fully accredited and remember that that is that split. So it's not the same framework that it was previously where those were tied together. And can you speak deeper to the fully accredited? Because I feel I I'm always concerned that when people see this they say, "Oh, it's fully accredited." My concern is the performance level and where our focus should be because there's several divisions across the state. I' I've seen people touting, hey, we're fully accredited, we're fully accredited. If we're off track or we need intensive support, I want our focus to be there and not on whether or not we checked a box for compliance. Thank you so much
048for that, Dr. Majette. And yes, I I'll dig a little bit deeper into that. It's one of those pieces where we know we know that folks are going to see fully accredited. It is part of the reason I've continued to repeat through this and I appreciate Dr. Mette so much for highlighting that it's not simply the categories previously where things were tied to that full accreditation. We are saying whether we are in compliance. So we are checking off to say that we're in compliance with those SOQs. That's what gets you a fully accredited status. Now that has nothing to do with the other end of the performance level overall and those categories that are made up for mastery, growth and readiness for our students. So, we have to play we have to pay careful attention
049and close attention to the performance levels and those federal indicators as we get there across the board to really note what our students need and note that measure of growth and readiness just beyond the walls of school and into our community overall. So, I really appreciate that. These are our secondary schools and notice the performance levels here. So our three middle schools are um under that needs intensive support category based on that framework score and our high schools are noted to be offtrack based on those framework scores as well. So all five of our secondary [clears throat] schools are either in that offtrack category or needs intensive support. So that paints the picture for our state component. Let's talk about federal identifications across the board. you will fall under one of these categories. Obviously, you
050can have no identification, which we talked about previously, um which would make you on track, or if you're off track and or needs intensive support, you're going to fall in one of these three categories for that federal identification. Our comprehensive support and improvement schools or CSI, and those are our title one schools that are struggling the most. This means that those are our schools that are in the bottom 5% across the board and that's going to be that that strenuous school support based on those student groups. We also have uh some of our schools that are off track or in needs intensive support that are in the targeted support. So you will see TSI that is specifically based off of those student groups that are struggling the most. So student groups are identified as maybe
051an economically disadvantaged, our black students, our white students. Um it could be several categories. So noting those student groups that would classify us under a TSI and or moving into the next category, an ATSI. If you are under a category of ATSI, it means it's been three consecutive years that schools are consistently having student groups struggling the most. TSI is based off of annual. ATSI is based off of three years. So these these schools who are identified as ATSI have been in this category with these specific student groups or subgroups for three years or more at this point. This is giving an additional context um to those annual identification and three-year identification. So, with this being the first year of the framework and the measure, fall of 2025, we had um we have a couple
052of our schools, and we'll get into that data that have fallen under CSI. That annual is also for TSI. So, we have several of our schools under TSI as well. And then we have some of our schools who are under ATSI, meaning that those student groups have been in that place again for three years or more. So focusing on our student groups here, uh we talked through the CSI component and schools are identified every three years in a lowest performing 5% and again we do have a couple of schools there and we'll talk about that. That is also that the indicator federal graduation indicator is below 67% which is a major area of concern or there's an additionally targeted support. So that ATSI that falls under that category for the T for the title one
053schools that have not exited after three years. We have targeted support and improvement again and that's that annual basis and it could be one or more of those student groups who are not meeting the threshold in the overall framework and and academic achievement indicators which is why that's so important based on uh based on that framework opposed to the accreditation component. And then we have ATSI across the board. So these are our student reporting groups that would fall under here. So ATSI again is three years. These are the student groups that could be identified under those categories. If it is an ATSI school, one of these student groups, one or more have been in that category for three years or more. We have economically disadvantaged and that may look a little different from from where
054people have seen that um student group tag before. You'll see that as an ECD. Our black students are tagged with a B elelll students or English learners or EL. And again remembering that our English learning students are now counted in the category. It used to be 11 semesters uh for ELLL students before testing occurred and now we are we are no longer at that with three semesters. Hispanic students, our students with disabilities, our multi-racial students as a subgroup or a student group, our Asian students, and our white students across the board. So, going into the federal identification, again, talked about CSI, we do have two of our elementary schools that are performing in the lowest 5% uh across the state of title one schools. And based on their framework score, that would be Perrymont Elementary
055and Lynhorn Elementary. Notice that the framework scores are particularly particularly low. And the reason you don't see a subgroup alongside that is because the school and the scores overall are performing at a low uh our lowest 5% across the state based on that framework score. For TSI, we have two additional schools and um I will I will point out that this is a consecutive year uh for RS Payne to be a TSI school based on their framework score and the reason reason for this are black students economically disadvantaged and our students with disabilities are underperforming student groups. So that is how that classification for this annual report again this is the second year that [clears throat] uh that we have fallen under that for both of these schools uh Dunar that framework score is sitting
056at 73.3 second year it's been identified as TSI and our EL students and students with disabilities are those underperforming student groups again that targeted support and improvement means that one or more of the subgroups which are identified here are not meeting that threshold of overall framework and not meeting um meeting our minimum requirements. On this side here you have ATSI. So again remembering that these are three or more years where schools have been identified based on the uh based on these student groups. Um both Linkhorn Middle and Sandusky Middle have been in this category since 2018-19 school year is the first uh years of identification and the reason that you see for the status you will see below for continuing status it's in both areas for reading that's why they've remained there for these particular
057student groups. So identified in 2018-19 since that time in reading our economically disadvantaged um students at linkorm middle did not make sufficient progress in those reporting groups. And for Sanduski middle again it's in reading and it's our black and our white students who did not make sufficient progress in reading among those reporting groups landing in that ATSI category. So this just gives you an overview. We went through the [clears throat] last three slides of a breakdown, but so you can you can kind of see across the division. We are Lynchburg City Schools. So we want to make sure that we are supporting in every way possible and giving you um giving you just the real information here and where we're sitting at and and as we prep for our next steps. But looking across the
058board, we do have elementary schools and our middle schools who are sitting in one of these three federal identifiers. And it doesn't mean that we're not taking a look at our other schools across the board. Just because you see these here as as identifiers, we are also making the actual step to see where our students in [clears throat] our categories that are at risk. We have already taken that data down as soon as we've received it so that we can prepare as we move forward and continue to do the work that we're doing to close those gaps so that we don't have other schools land here next year around this time or even sooner um for these particular student groups or across the board for us. So that just gives you an overview of everything
059that we just discussed on those elementary and middle schools. >> Okay. So from there, thank you Dr. Davis. From there, I I I really want to reemphasize the point of I know I did the strategic plan update and how important it is for us to do that work and make sure that that work is done well, that we have goals that are measurable and that we actually have true actionable steps that we're going to circle back to. And this isn't going to just be a document on the shelf because all of those pieces and you've heard me say one of the biggest um factors that impacts kids in classrooms are our systems are our processes. What is our structure and what are those structures for all of those various departments? And so that's why we
060sort of put the strategic plan at the center of that. But you'll see we just did a quick snapshot of all the various departments that play a role. Whether it's human resources, special education, technology, student services, operations, all of this goes into how we instruct our students and and how we support teachers to provide that work that they're doing. So, I just wanted to make sure that we put that in there. And that involves all of us. And I think sometimes we can say, hey, teachers or principles, those are the people we're all accountable for this work that happens. And that's why it's so important of looking at this and making sure that we're aligned there to continue to build on that. >> Speak to what's in progress. You want me to? >> Yes, ma'am.
061>> Okay. >> So, some of the things that are going across the board for special education, we're working through and and taking a look at some of those indicators. But what >> Yeah. What's in progress across the board? And I appreciate Dr. Met speaking to that we're taking a look at everything but professional growth and opportunities are extremely important. A lot of the feedback that we've gotten across the board is we want more. How do we get that? How do we get it in bite-sized chunks? So that educator and stakeholder support is extremely important in that growth. So instructional leadership coaching we're doing we're doing these things. It's not what we planned to do. We had a look at the data early on. and we didn't want to sit and wait for this to come
062out because we've we've lost valuable time if we sit on those things. So got out and got feedback and we're currently in the process in process of that instructional leadership coaching and that's administrative teams and our instructional coaches across the board. We're working [clears throat] with HMH which is um it is our literacy um or HQIM for literacy for our secondary schools. So 6 through 12 but we're using them not necessarily just for that particular literacy component but we're using them for coherence mapping and assessment feedback. Assessments really drive what that instruction needs to be. If we don't have quality assessments and we don't know how to how to do the work and provide proper feedback, are we really growing and are we really utilizing what we need to to help our students grow and
063learn? >> And can I speak to that? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Um, so one of the pieces I I've had the wonderful opportunity of just sitting down with the principles and and asking them what's working well for you, what's not working, what can we do better? And when I say we, I'm like me. Central office, what can we do better to support you? We walked through and it's been when she mentioned coh coherence mapping um that piece and doing the assessment and feedback, but what I heard from several principles was, hey, I'm not really sure if I'm giving the quality of feedback that I should give. And that's a really vulnerable moment for them to say, I need help in this. And so, we want to make sure that we're pouring into them. We're building
064capacity in them. And if it's something where there's a gap, we want to make sure that we're filling that gap and that we're building that level of capacity, not just for principles, but for central office staff and eventually for teachers. And so, as Dr. Davis continues, and you'll see the frequency of an opportunities of professional development, a lot of these things are the gaps that we're seeing that people are saying, "Hey, I need help with." And then others are just through observation. So, we really want to make sure that we can build people up to be able to do this work. >> Thank you. Thank you so much for that. >> Our next piece on there is math textbook adoption. This is not just because we we wanted to go through another textbook adoption. Actually,
065this was already in the process for review in early spring if some of you may remember or if you were uh even listening in at that point to talk about what that is and that's for the purpose of highquality instructional materials and consistency and continuity um in that structure across the board. So, math textbook adoption has been um ongoing and we have finally gotten to our our final place with that, but understanding that that also meets our needs for House Bill 2777 and where we are required as well to have highquality instructional materials across all content areas by July 1. So, we were already rocking and rolling on this, which is great with our literacy and our with our math. Um, and we are in a good space for that. But that's not just to
066adopt textbooks or just to adopt curriculum in general, but that's for that high quality instructional material. Not in preparation for a test, but in preparation for building our students and their growth and knowledge across the board. that HQIM in the core subjects. We are in process of that as well based on that house bill that that was released uh late spring early summer and we were already moving on that which I I'm proud to say that our team was working in that direction working towards that data collection and evaluation for application. Having data is a great thing but having data without purpose is a not so great thing. So collecting data and saying here's a score but what story does that tell and how do we help you get to a place where it does
067tell a story and it's going to guide your actual instruction. So giving you a bunch of data we've heard a lot about assessments and other pieces but what story is it telling you and why is it telling you that story and then what can we do and how do we put a name with a face for a student so we can develop those skills. We have TNTP. We brought TNTPT last year and we start we had a pilot for five schools and I am very very proud to say those uh those five schools have been under who was under that for the last year has made significant progress and if you do look at the data of those five schools and who really bought into the process of that guided instruction and really getting to
068the core of good quality feedback and assessment and following a structured high quality instructional material such such as benchmark for elementary. We've seen significant process. But what it did was far beyond the process of just literacy overall. What it did is it started to peel back of what are our needs that are specific for our building. Where do our teachers need to be? What supports, what help do I need to get for them to grow them as well? >> Can you speak to the schools that benefited from following TNTP so that they can connect it to that data? Before you do that, can you tell us what remind us what TNTP is again? >> Yes. So then the the uh TNTP stands for the new teacher project. And I know that doesn't doesn't necessarily align
069um with what what it purpose it served, but we were one of 10 school divisions last year that was selected under the comprehensive literacy network. Um and it was fully funded and I am happy to say that we did receive grant funding for that full grant funding to continue that this year as well. But that that process was to bring in and introduce and roll out new literacy curriculum in school divisions who would most benefit from that. And we were one of 10 that was selected because we saw great results from that from some of our schools like Bedford Hills Elementary. you'll notice that they took a significant um and big kudos to to their principal there who really bought in um and I'll speak to some of our other schools as well who bought
070into that process. But that was the goal was to roll out just high quality instruction and what that looked like and really to peel back and again as Dr. Mette spoke to to be vulnerable and say this is what I know, this is what I don't know, and this is how you appropriately give feedback and this is what you're looking for to give that quality feedback. A lot of people will think because it's TNTP and it's based on that comprehensive literacy network that it is based on literacy. No, it's a framework. It is essentially a roadmap to talk about what good quality instruction, what instructional materials and what high quality instruction can bring to the table for school divisions. We had four other elementary schools other than uh Bedford Hills participate in that. Uh last
071year we had Sanduski Elementary, we had Heritage Elementary, we had Linkhorn Elementary and RS Payne. And those five schools were selected alongside Lynchburg City because they were our elementary schools that were going under HQIM with benchmark as well as they were identified as our TSI schools last year. And if you go back and look at what was presented earlier, [clears throat] several of those schools moved to OnTrack, such as Sanduski Elementary, um, and and came out of that TSI category. um for this year. So that that is a testament to that [clears throat] work for TNTP. Instructional resources we're we're also taking a look at and have been in progress with that and have rolled out new instructional resources providing lesson plans providing benchmark assessments um and they're called as we have reduced the amount
072of assessments that are um that are being given as far as that goes. Uh and we have school specific plans with supports. That is work. I will commend Sarah Campbell who is our director of elementary instruction. She has worked extremely hard alongside principles early on and said, "Hey, let's not wait for everything to come out. Let's really start to work on see where our gaps are based on the data that we do have. Let's talk through the data and let's build those plans." and I have worked alongside our middle schools and our high schools to develop those plans as well so that we can get the ball rolling um as funding is coming in for support with these federal identifications as well. Taking a look at examinations of calendars, so the school calendars, how do
073we get uh more of our days back in? How do we space out some professional development opportunities? Really looking at increasing that instructional time and the value and importance of that. taking a look down to when we're offering breaks and days and how that aligns with testing. There are several components a good quality school calendar can provide uh for schools and instruction professional development. I talked about that a little bit early on. So, increasing the frequency and opportunity. I have really appreciated and been in awe of the amount of work that Dr. Mette has been willing to put in thus far in going out and meeting with our principles and other staff members across the board. She's out every day. If you've not seen her, she's out somewhere every day or she's meeting to talk
074about what we can do as a school division collectively to provide more opportunities. And it continues to be professional development, professional development, but we want it in bite-sized chunks. So, we are we are really excited to start to offer that in virtual formatting um as we roll into January and beyond. And how do we offer something specific to benchmark? Yeah, you got it last year, but we can't be a oneanddone in offering that. How do we offer additional opportunities? And how do we create catalogues? Uh Dr. Sum has has our director of student services, I commend him a great deal. He's thinking about ways to offer opportunities and provide roundts to those principles so that he can also provide those supports um through behavior training and and other avenues um for our staff. And they've
075been very appreciative of going and receiving and getting that feedback. And then early on already we've we've started to talk about that summer leadership institute. Um, I think I think uh our team had a running um log of what we're prepping for and what the needs are for all of our stakeholders across Lynchburg City Schools in preparation of the summer of 2026 to roll into that next school year. What are the needs? We can't think about them in May and put together a day or two training. We need to start thinking through that process early on. So, as we closed out summer leadership in July, what were the things that we missed? What's the feedback that we're getting and how do we best prepare our staff along the way? [snorts] What's under examination for instruction?
076So, greater levels of accountability. Accountability has been mentioned across the board. You can't just say, "We're going to hold someone accountable. What are your actions? How do you show that?" So, building those greater levels of accountability. And sometimes that's just about closing the loop. you start something and finishing it and checking back in and then rechecking it across the board and saying, "What can I do to improve this process?" Not to be satisfied with something, but to improve processes across the board. We're going to do that through building systems and processes and making connections and how it all impacts instruction. There is not one thing that we do in a school day that doesn't impact instruction. nutrition as as a part of that that chart that Dr. Mette covered. Special education, nutrition, transportation down to
077the time a a kiddo gets picked up from their bus stop, where their bus stop is. Everything we do every single day impacts instruction. We're looking at coaching cycles. What is a coaching cycle? What does that mean? So, we've got instructional coaches. We've got a ton of supports in the school, but what does a coaching cycle look like? How are we improving these quality? Mr. Loose talked a great deal and we do have some wonderful new teachers. How do we support them? >> We can't put them in there and leave them alone. >> How do we go in as so a coaching cycle is is what it says it is. How do we go in and coach? How do we note what we're doing well? How do we note on what we need to improve
078on? And then how do we provide that support? How do we close the loop? PLC's if we're not all talking about good quality data and how to apply that data to good quality tier one instruction. Data does drive quality tier one instruction. So, how are we doing that? What are we having conversations about in our weekly PLC meetings? Is it a gathering or are we really discussing what we need to and are we providing you? We take accountability. are we providing you everything that we need to provide you to run a good quality PLC. So never at any point during this process when we're under evaluation are we simply saying you need to improve. No, we need to evaluate. We hold ourselves accountable at every level and how do we help you to help improve
079the process? Instructional delivery plans could be the best laid plans, but how are you delivering that message? How are you ensuring mastery and connections for students? Resources to support continuity, consistency, and over overall alignment with HQIM. Remembering that's high quality instructional materials and our SOS for all stakeholders. That's including lesson plan resources, assessment resources, and platform usability. We have to make sure that our platforms are easily utilized and accessible for our folk, and we have to train on that. And again, I close up with professional development. How are we offering it? Three times a year is not enough. And receiving everything all in one day is not enough. So, we're excuse me, even looking at next year, what's our first week of school when we're preparing for teachers to come in and we come in
080and give you all the things. How do we provide you meaningful bite-sized data across the board to make sure that you're growing, retaining, and then applying the information that you're receiving? >> Okay. Can I go first? [laughter] >> She gave She said me first. >> You can be gracious. Unfortunately, I'm just running the meeting today. So, um my first question is on these We have some schools that are off track. Yes. >> I'm concerned about the three middle schools and RS Payne >> that are in need of intensive support and it says schools um schools may receive intensive support from the state may receive intens or supports of for student group. What does that mean? Is there additional funding? Is there additional what resources are they not may provide will they be providing to help
081get those four schools off the needs and needs intensive support? >> I can tell you that uh previously we have received additional funding for those schools. [cough] Um [clears throat] and the amount of funding varies based on that federal identification. Um I have not at this point we have not received um what those specific funds are with all of this coming to fruition and just being made um available uh to the public last week. But I do anticipate that that information is coming soon. [clears throat] I do want to be clear though, we're not just specifically waiting on that funding. We do have um funding prepared to and a plan. Yes, sir. Um to move forward on that. So we're not just waiting on somebody to give us additional funding. our plans were very inclusive
082because at any time somebody could come back and say that's not um so we have to make sure that we're prepared to move forward. >> Okay, one more question then I'll turn it over to everybody else. >> How many students are in the go center? >> Um we have approximately 60 students. 60 because it concerns me that we have the go center does the go center grades are they included with the rest of the grades at RS Payne? >> Yes. >> So even with the go center we're in need of extensive >> intensive care. >> Yes. >> Okay. All right. Uh you brought up a couple things and one thing that uh Dr. Connor just brought up was about the additional funding. as soon as we fix a problem, that funding is going to go
083away. So, as far as that goes, um I just assume see us fix it before we have to rely on that. Um you you brought up a bunch of good points, but the ratio of what you're trying to do to where the what needs to be affected is a real large ratio. You're talking about the teach and state teachers and staff which is a small percentage of who we're trying to affect here and that's the students and when you find that you're doing all the things right and I I have a real great respect for our teaching staff are and and the whole LCS uh workers if the children aren't receptive or if they're not on let's call it casting seeds on stones as opposed to fertile soil if we are if they are not
084ready for it. If if the hours of day that we have them, they're not ready ready because of all the things that they have to deal with outside of school. That's where the problem I'm seeing. We're not it wasn't addressed here. You're doing great. You're training people, but it's not addressing. There's a discipline issues in this in that takes away from from learning. >> It disrupts the entire classroom. You made mention about bus stops. Why are we still busing students all over the city for unitary status? We don't have numbers for that. The unitary status is a concept. It is not a direct number. We need to start thinking about close to homeschooling. Have the children less time on the bus. Transportation issues, that's a financial benefit for us, too. If we can reduce transportation
085costs, reduce time on the buses, and stop sending them all over the city. We need to look at that now. uh I don't whether it's in need of uh intensive supervision or repair or off track or on track. This is a failing grade as far as I'm concerned. No disrespect or coming down on our teachers. It's just the way it is. We have a unique population and this is [clears throat] this is a a failing grade in my opinion. Um we too much burden is put on the schools. too much is being made responsible for uh the teachers themselves. There's only so much they can do and if the child the student isn't ready for it there this is all gone for not. We need to get something more community involvement maybe more uh again
086by looking at close to home. We need to have something a little bit more tight that we can watch out for each that parents can watch out for each other be more involved. They don't have to worry about going across town when they don't have those means by which to do it. And before anyone gets into one of those private meetings that are held behind doors where they say this won't work. This is the wrong time. This unitary status is too much to overcome, we need to talk about it with full transparency. Every single person here, we need to talk about close to home. We need to talk about less transportation time. This we've been you may mention we lost time sitting on things and not moving. How many years have we been talking about
087changing this around? We've been talking about it for years and we haven't done a thing about it. We've got to change and I think changing the environment for the student is going to be more important than professional development putting uh putting in on a schedule for for uh people to attend different types of events. Uh teachers uh we need to it's the student that needs to become more receptive to what the good work you're trying to do. And I and I think just starting with something like this is simple enough if it works if it works within your schedule or if it's something you think you can put together. This is just this [clears throat] is just having people go close to home. This is just having them an opportunity to spend less time doing
088things that are not directly productive. And that's that's really the [clears throat] comment I want to make. I think you're doing a great job. I think the teachers are doing a great job. I just think that we're we're failing the students by not providing them with with a a more conducive environment and transportation is one, discipline's another. We need to get into the budget more alted uh um facilities, transportation, these are all things we need to think about and I just hope we keep an open mind and talked in full transparency on this issue. >> Mr. Joo, >> yes. I I like what uh Dr. Depal said um especially at the end and the way I would summarize it is we're casting our seeds on stony ground. If we're not preparing the soil then it
089won't you can I we appreciate the excitement about these things. It's fantastic and that's what we need. But without that soil being prepared for the seed it will go to the wayside. And I didn't see it addressed up there either. So the the the saying culture eats strategy for breakfast applies here so much because there's so much strategy there's so many tactics and there's so much being done meticulously for this and that is was explained that uh we might be missing a great component of what will make academics elevate at Lynchburg City Schools and I believe it is the culture that Mr. Depal touched on. So, if we can put that in there or as an addendum of sorts, kind of like the um Bill of Rights [clears throat] to the Constitution, I think that
090this can be the Constitution and then we can add the the garnishments that will make it beautiful, will make it work. There's some missing things, the the the bills were needed to be added to the con to the Constitution in order to make things better. And I think that culture creating a culture of academics and and joy. The teachers came to me and talked [clears throat] about the lack of or the reduction of joy in teaching because of so many things to do. And actually, now that I think about it, u there's too much that teachers are doing and meeting. uh a teacher stopped me in the hallway a year ago or so and uh and said uh I'm doing right now in the hallway teaching this student um as a an anomaly with the
091time frame I was given because I'm in meetings so many meetings so when you say the professional development is what is being asked for more and more three is not enough or so then just what is what exactly are the teachers doing that makes them feel they are not putting the time and attention they need directly into teaching the student. I am not quite sure, but it seems to be one of the things that's taking them their time away. Meetings upon meetings upon meetings. [clears throat] It's not rocket science to teach a child to do the thing that you can do whether it's [clears throat] speaking and writing and reading especially with all the education that the teachers have been given. So what is the obstacle? I I see a lot of good things in
092what I what was presented and in previous presentations from other people. I don't see what the obstacles are. I'm not being presented. What What are the obstacles specifically that are preventing the academics from elevating? What where where are the bottlenecks? I want to find the bottlenecks and work on those. We can we're adding and adding and adjusting and I'm sure some things are being taken away, but I would like some emphasis to be on the bottlenecks so we can see exactly what's stopping us from moving forward. And yes, we have to deal with the changes from the state. That's very much important to to navigate. But this just brought this up again whereas we're not seeing [clears throat] exactly what where's the pain points. Okay. So what is the solution to each point? And I
093don't think that just putting more and more upon us is going to um fix everything. I'm not being um enthusiastic [clears throat] that I see great things. So, I do see opportunity. I'm just not hearing where the culture is in in this presentation. >> Okay. Um you'll be next. Did you want to say something, Dr. Mette? >> I'll wait. >> You want Okay, >> I'll wait. >> Okay. Um, I think some of the bottleneck he was talking about is something we've talked about in the academic success committee and and and the achievement gap is the chronic absenteeism that you talked about in this pre presentation. If kids aren't there, parents aren't getting them there or they just choose to check out. I mean, I was visiting [cough] the student decided to just leave. you know,
094the the um the officer was there to reported it in, but the child just was he just left, you know. So, it it it's almost like, do we still have the court system in place for chronic absence that where parents have to go to court? Do we still do that? >> Okay. I I wasn't sure because I I'm not on the uh discipline committee and stuff anymore, so I wasn't sure. And um but [clears throat] teachers and teachers are overwhelmed and I've always been for the close to home. Um but but like I took um like um Gloria Preston and I put that uh green part together for the um to take to our business partners that work with families before they even enter their children. These are some things you need to work with
095on your children. But when checking back into the business partners six months later, they said, "Well, some parents do it, some parents don't want to." So how do you fix that? Because that to me as an elementary educator that's how where you close that gap is before they even ever come to school. You your children are with you from birth until like three years old to help them learn to count to to help them learn an ABC the ABCs even if you're sing the song to help them learn some just the basics that close that gap so when they come to our prek they're already ready to roll you know. So, um I feel like that's where some of the bottleneck you're talking about is at as well. So, um and just a question on
096the PLC's. Are they still We used to log in like put our antidotes and notes electronically. Are is that still going on or is that all changed? >> I wouldn't. >> That's how admin was keeping up with us. Yeah, I was going to say I I think that um I think that making sure that it's uniform across >> so that we have good systems in place to make sure that it's being done in a uniform >> or consistent manner because some may have been recording that way, some may have been handwritten notes. Yeah. >> Um so it could have been varying and then we've had some changes in leadership. So talking through it's part of collecting this to talk through what the expectations have been and what they need to be to move the needle.
097>> Okay. All right. But um but overall I mean the teachers the teachers do feel overwhelmed but I mean they're all working hard and they're all putting in their best effort and their foot forward. So it I don't feel like we need we need to get the parents of the children that are not doing well to step up. We need to get them to step up. It's so important because they are their parents and they are the ones that we need to show up at the um at the conferences and to make sure they're keep in touch with the teachers and talking with them and staying in contact and communication. I mean that's how that's how you support your child and a lot of parents are doing this but like on the ad hoc achievement
098gap when most of our conversations were the fact that this is not about the parents that are it's the parents that are are not. >> There's a difference. So, but I think that's where the bottleneck [clears throat] that you're talking about is really existing. >> I would love to hear the word parents more in our board meetings. That word is very important. >> Yeah. I just want to point out I think it's important to acknowledge like this is a presentation. This isn't the strategic plan. >> Building a strategic plan. It was a presentation and what I saw was here's the facts. Cold hard, ugly, >> good, bad, indifferent. Right. Unless there's good in there, too. Okay. But yeah, it was a lot of work to do. Um, and then I always appreciate as someone in
099leadership when people bring something to me and say, "Here's a problem, first question they know I'm going to ask is, "What are some solutions?" Right? Don't bring me problems without some potential solutions. I'm not asking you to fix it, but bring me some potential solutions. And so, what I read or what I heard, and maybe correct me if I'm missing something, but was a list of potential solutions and active work being done to address some of these things. It's not the comprehensive plan. is not the strategic plan. But I think what's really important for us as a board to emphasize in this space is we got our work cut out for us. Um we have to be involved in the strategic planning process and that's what's going to be extended to us and the community
100at large to be able to inform the strategic planning process. Uh you talk about close to home zoning, you want to fix some transportation issues, that's a great way to start addressing some of those. And so we got to have those conversations. But I just want to I just want to I feel maybe too much burden was placed on a presentation. This is not the strategic plan. It's just a presentation to help us know where we are uh and so we can start getting to work and doing the things to build a strategic plan that will address these issues. >> Ladies first. I'll go out to >> I have to um relate to what Mike said on our report that Reverend Nigel and I were going. I had four parents to approach me about and
101they were very hostile, you know, about what they see going on with this board meeting, you know, and how they feel that we should be at the forefront doing it. And I simply asked them what you said, do you have a solution? And then one lady said, no, we ain't got no solution. That's what we pay you for. I I told her point blank, I don't get paid. The man upstairs pays me. I said, now I don't mind you coming here, but when you come through that door, you come being respectful. Don't come in all loud and don't and please don't come in cursing, you know. So, I agree with you, Mike. It's got to be it's got to start in the home. Mhm. >> It's got to >> start in the home. But don't
102come and say because you got a board that we got to fix it. No, we're a team. >> Mhm. >> Every time Mike opens his mouth, he's talking about transportation because [laughter] that's what we got to fix, right? >> We got more to come. Just wait. >> Oh lord. I about to But I have to agree. It has to start in her. [clears throat] >> Yeah. And I did invite him. That's why you keep I keep looking at that dough cuz I don't want nobody to come in. But I'm so glad to have Officer Payne right there >> just in case. >> Don't worry. I won't let nothing happen. >> Thank you. [laughter] >> Okay. You ready? >> Well, I want to start off by saying thank you, Dr. Davis, for that presentation. I appreciate
103it. Looks like it took a little while to put that together, so I appreciate it. And >> [snorts] >> um you know I I I could find [clears throat] something to agree with with everything that uh the previous board members have said. Um you know you just mentioned parent engagement >> being on the disciplinary committee. Um >> you know I see parents that hold hold their children accountable and those that don't. >> Uh and and it's heartbreaking when when I see parents that don't hold their children accountable. Um but um we're in this together. And when I say we, the board members, the administrators, the teachers, the parents, and the community at large. And so um as we move through that, and I I do have some specific questions. Um I I think with the
104schools, if we can figure out a way to Yes, we're in the business of education. Um but we have some social and some emotional um learning to do. Um, I volunteered at uh Sheffield earlier and [clears throat] uh uh in their um Winter Wonderland store and I saw a child have a complete meltdown. Um and the teacher could not do anything with this child um while she was having that meltdown and she called on another teacher who I guess had a relationship with that child. And so that that that was a [clears throat] ticker in my mind which we all know that um and I guess that's where something like professional learning can come in that Dr. Davis was presenting because um that doesn't mean that that other teacher was a bad teacher. It just
105meant that that other teacher had a relationship or had some other skills that they could present to that child. But then that also means that um as as some of the uh colleagues mentioned that we we have some positive behavioral intervention supports that are needed for children so that they can learn. [clears throat] And so, and that would help with replacing with some of our harsh punishments where because we're under certain guidelines to, you know, suspend for a certain amount of time and and put kids out of school um because of certain guidelines. But I think we have to start being more innovative and and and holding parents and children accountable but also um making it a partnership and a supportive environment um and implementing seals which are social and emotional learning um programs um
106to help students since we are facing um you know critical moments and and and what we're dealing with. Um I do have a question about um the division review. Um [snorts] like for instance I want to say I saw under the elementary um division Darington was like number two um are certain elementary schools that are performing higher being studied. Um so so we can help balance out um the higher performing elementary schools or middle schools um and and what's maybe working in in those schools um and really trying to figure out and and kind of zoom into what are the problems. Um and then also um not just looking at the report of our our localities, but are you know are we reaching out to other schools that um have similar statistics that we have
107that are city schools? Because there is a difference between city schools and county schools. um as we saw in the performance um numbers, but to to find out what they're doing um so we so we don't have to so we so we can investigate and do more um of what somebody else may be already doing. Um that that's improving. Um um [groaning] and the last thing I wanted to ask about was there was subgroups and in those subgroups um how it was categorized for like students with disabilities or black students or white students and since they were kind of categorized as I want to say kind of reasons for why [cough] a certain school may be underperforming. And let's face it, so like a school where it was, you know, the black kids that were
108underperforming, um well, if that's categorized as a subgroup, then maybe we need to bring in um services or people who can actually help that subgroup, who understand that subgroup um and and not feel like we're stepping on toes or singling anybody out since it is a subgroup. Um, that's all I have. >> As I listen, there's so many pieces to the puzzle. I can't even put it together. But I realize that this is something that is going to have to be fixed. And all of us agree that our kids are in their dire need. We as a board, we got the school, we got the family. There's so many components to it. But as I look at it, I would like to wonder and think through the concept of where can we find the missing
109link because there's so many pieces to the puzzle. Is there a piece of this puzzle that we could identify and nail that down and then try to emanate that from the hub and to see if we can fix the rest of puzzle. that is that a possibility because there's so many pieces involved. Uh we're talking about the parents, we're talking about children and the ability to learn. We talk about subgroups. We're talking about teachers. I mean, where where's the missing link? Can we identify piece of the puzzle and then try to maybe hone in on it to see if we can bring some form of resolution? Now, have we even considered that maybe some of these kids and I know from a long-term standpoint, are we going to be able to send all these kids
110to Harvard or to Yale? And and what's the options for them? You know, I was reading up here recently the school districts in the state right now that have inculcated an alternative [clears throat] track of education by stressing a lot of vocational education. I know this is a long-term project and I know maybe gone a little bit up my lead, but the ultimate goal is that is it a possibility that some of these kids are coming to school and they're frustrated they can't do the work. Some of them don't have the right parental involvement at home. What are we going to do with that particular group? >> Are we going to just throw them into alternative schools and kick them out and then they fall right into the system? Can we think long term and
111maybe see if there's a way for example those kids that are capable of doing academic work we channel them in that direction the ones that are not able there be some alternative direction for them to go into >> so that everybody can win in the process. So again, I know there are lots of things involved, a lot of pieces to the puzzle terms of got to bite something. Do we have long-term or short-term goals? What where are we going with it? >> I won't think that the answer to his question. >> So that that's kind of where I'm at with it. I'm grappling with a lot of information and trying to see the need to fix and maybe trying to hold one little piece of the component. to >> see if we can rectify something
112on a short-term basis at least to give the parents some hope that we're doing something. >> And I was just going to add that's one of the things why we're pushing like uh what Beacon of Hope does, what the CTE program does, and what Legacy does because some kids are they're collegebound but not every kid's collegebound. And but you can make a great living doing other jobs. you don't have to go to college to make a great living. So, it's it everybody's not cut out for some. So, we do have those in place. So, we are definitely working on that and and showing some really good things happening um through both Beacon Beacon of Hope CT and through Legacy. So, >> so that is >> Thank you. Um and I appreciate all of the the
113feedback tonight. I want to kind of pull it back to the center a little bit because this presentation was about the data from last year and our accredititation and accountability status for where we are now based on last year's data. >> Um, with this and when I say this, this isn't a blame game. It's just the reality. We are where we are. It has taken some time to get where we are. >> It's going to take some time to get out of this and to move this forward. >> There's so many layers. So, when you say the pieces of the puzzle, you're absolutely right. And tonight we were giving you the instructional chunks and looking at what are those instructional chunks, that piece of the puzzle that we can do instructionally. We absolutely recognize that
114the necessity for the parent piece and I think that was mentioned that that was something that wasn't brought up, but that's been something that we recognize that I've had several one-on-one conversations with some of you. I've had conversations with some community groups um on that need and even with our coordinator internally to look at what can we do with community partners to tap into the community pieces the aspects and tap into the families. Um but when we start talking about what's that bottleneck and what's that where are we getting stuck or where we were stuck because we're going to become unstuck where we were and where we are is it it's all of it. We recognize they're community issues, they're societal issues. Um, sometimes they're just chaos. And let's just be realistic. Sometimes we've lived
115in chaos for some time. And when you don't have a clear picture and a clear direction, you don't have a system for what you're doing or how you do your work, you don't know why you do it. You just, hey, we're just rolling with it. And when you look at the data over the course of the 20 years where there was a steep decline, >> it doesn't mean we don't have good people. It doesn't mean we don't have good teachers. It doesn't mean we don't have good principles, all those [clears throat] things. But what it does mean, we didn't have a process for how we were doing it. And we were just rolling along and eventually you end up at the place where you are, where we are right now. And it's almost like being
116realistic about that bottleneck, unfortunately, is everything. And my team has heard me say this a million times. It it is hard. It's hard to look at it and say, you know, so tonight, Dr. Davis's presentation is giving you absolutely the puzzle piece. We're looking at that one chunk, that one piece of the puzzle. But we do recognize it's all connected. It's all connected. And so we've leaned on I had a community meeting what a couple weeks ago I believe. And um and just talking about what are the things that we needed and I was like what can you do to help us? It's easy to say hey this is where you are and this is your data and this is what it looks like and school's got to do better. Fantastic. How can you help
117us get there? Because it's going to take the community. It's going to take the parents. Uh, one piece I think when the the the piece came up about um in parents and things like that that would be a great topic for the legislative committee to look at several years ago I was working with some other superintendents to look at how can we if parents aren't sending their kids to school is that a form of neglect you know having some [clears throat] legislative pieces in there so that you have some teeth in it to say hey parents you're responsible get your child to the door we will pick them up and bring them in but they're all so many different avenues there and so I think it's easy to you know I think it's easy to
118say or to be concerned of like hey what are those pieces that are there all of it you know honestly all of it we're bottleneck in instruction we're bottleneck in HR we talk about teachers we um Miss Brown that team has been working diligently to try to get people licensed we have a lot of people who are unlicensed it's unfortunate I look at you know some of the middle schools we still have people who are still working on a full license we still have people who are long-term subs. So, it's it's I'd love to say that we're going to focus and I think the question came up earlier in the year, one of the early meetings, hey, what are you going to focus on? All of it. >> Yes. >> I mean, we're we're honestly
119having to touch all of it right now because if we just touch instruction, we won't hit it. If we don't touch HR and make sure that we can get these people licensed, >> it's going to impact the classroom. If those kids are not getting to school on time or they're not being picked up on time, it's an impact. If that budget doesn't support and budget, greatest piece of policy. That's the one of the biggest jobs. I know you all govern, but that that budget means a lot. It's not just about hey do we balance it but does it is it directed towards what we need to best support teaching and learning kids. So all of these pieces you all your work what policies you you set forth whether or not hey are we going to
120work cohesively [clears throat] or will there be chaos all of those pieces play a role in what happens in that classroom for kids what I do or don't do. I always I tell the principles honestly tell me tell me what works well that I do and what doesn't work well. I said you won't hurt my feelings because I have to be able I have to be willing and vulnerable to learn and grow in this so that the principles can learn and grow because they're tapping the teachers and the teachers can learn and grow. >> And so there's so many layers to it and I just want to sort of bring it back to tonight was just giving you the data and what we're looking at instructionally. I put the little systems diagram in there so
121you can see how it's all connected. But all of those pieces have to work. >> And honestly, they're all going to have to work simultaneously to be able to impact those kids. >> I can't control what happens at the house. Yes. >> Right. But I do I want to work with community partners to best support the families? Absolutely. >> Yes. >> Absolutely. Um but hey, there may be some things legislative legislatively and other avenues that we can connect those things and say, "Hey parents, we got to put a little extra pressure on you, but for right now, when the kids show up, when we pick them up, we're going to do everything we can to best support them while we have them." So, I just wanted to sort of bring that back to the center.
122All of these things are great ideas and great feedback, but tonight is really just about that presentation, but I would love to come back and we can say, "Hey, here's the full landscape. Here's some of the pathways whether kids can go, you know, for these careers or whether they can go um straight to CTE or the vocational route or they go straight to college. We can definitely bring those avenues back. But at the core for tonight was really letting you know, and I think where we were, but just just sort of brings it to fruition, to light. this is where we [clears throat] are and these are the things that we've already had in motion, but these are the things that we need to go back and take a look at because we really do
123need to figure out in in many cases my my questions have questions. What are we doing it? How are we doing it? And why do we [clears throat] do what we do? And we're still having to pull back those layers because you don't get to that point over 20 years and not have layers of stuff that either some things work, but then you still have to dig out the layers of what hasn't worked and how do we clean some of that out. >> Yes. Okay. >> All right. >> Everybody had an opportunity. Um, >> thank you. >> Next item is >> Thank you, Doc. >> Inclement weather. >> Yes. So, inclement weather, as you've seen, we've had several uh inclement weather days. This is Mr. Marshall's favorite thing. He can't wait to have weather related
124meetings. And with this, I am presenting this for information and I am asking asking for action tonight with this. So you'll see here um with the state code we have a minimum of 140 clock hours for high school courses. Rule of thumb while we have um instructional hours with the 990 you always want to hit that 140 seat hours for a high school student. After the last delay we're at 140.2. >> Okay. So we're right there on that threshold. And so we had an opportunity to meet with principles yesterday and we um and I'm really thankful for Miss Campbell, Miss Sarah Campbell and Dr. Davis and that team for working on a remote learning plan. Um I recognize, you know, that's sort of uh I've heard it's sort of not the people weren't as excited
125about remote learning because of COVID and all that that um during that time frame, but we have to put something in place that's going to preserve our clock hours if additional inclement weather occurs. my understanding that Lynchburg gets their snow a little bit later in the season, probably like January, February, where we've missed several days already in December. So, we need to be better prepared. So, what I'm asking for tonight is um the latitude for phase one, and I put it in two phases for March 2nd. You already had that on your calendar um as an inclement weather day. And you'll see when we start getting the new calendar out to get that adopted, you adopted a calendar with 176 days. and we're moving that back to that was a non-negotiable for me when the
126calendar committee started working to put it back at 180 days. >> Um not only for clock hours, but our kids need all the instructional time that they can get. >> So from there, my ask for the night is for March 2nd to shift from the holiday to a full instructional day. And this will restore some needed clock hours based on the adopted 2526 calendar. Um we're in the process for the design and implemented remote learning plan. So, the principles will have all seen the plan, assistant principles, coaches, all a lot of instructional people, and they're going to give all their feedback to Mrs. Campbell um by this Thursday at 4 PM be able to put that in place in the event we have inclement weather. Um but for this, I am asking for the latitude
127for phase two. If we have more weather closures, they occur, we may need to convert some of the early release days to full instructional days. And I'm asking um for this um just if it necessitates a change to be able to give in the be given the latitude to go ahead and make those adjustments and then let you all know because it may be where we get a lot of snow right up until January 15th to wait till another board meeting. I don't want us to fall below those clock hours. I may have to say, "Hey, that'll be a full day." But what I'm asking for tonight is approval of phase one updating March 2nd um 2026 to a full instructional day and then approval for phase two to be implemented only if necessary and
128that's based on weather conditions and the division's ability to use a remote learning plan with Fidelity. >> Okay. I'm looking at the calendar. >> Yes. [snorts] >> And on March 2nd it says break day. Teachers and students do not attend. But already there's an asterk that says make up snow day if needed. So it's already >> Yes, it's there. But anytime I'm going back to make a ch a calendar change, although it's there, I need to bring it back for you all. >> And then the other part is you said March 19th, all these half day early dismissal for student days. If need be, you would like to make them whole days to >> to get all the instructional time in. >> Yes. And that's just only if needed as we move forward. >> Yeah.
129All right, I have a motion. >> There's somewhere [clears throat] in this time frame that is a long stretch without a break and I don't know what it is at this point. So, we talked about it a year ago and there's and the spring is a long >> it's the the after we come back after Martin Luther King Jr. birthday. There's usually no break until spring break. That's typical. >> That's what I was thinking of, I think. [clears throat] So, >> want to make sure that we don't add to that. But, uh, otherwise, it's it's good with me. I think if half days are eliminated, it's fine. If you're going to be there, be there. Not. >> It's easy. >> March 2nd is Dr. Seuss day. I take issue with that. So, >> they could
130do it the day before. >> That's true. That's true. [laughter] >> Teachers are flexible. >> Oh, well, they actually be there. >> Well, Yeah. [laughter] >> Dr. >> Right now we have a motion. Do we have a second? >> I second it. >> Oh, you did second. Okay, you got that. Um, Miss Day. Yes, sir. >> Let's vote. >> Mr. Baron, >> yes. >> Mr. Alien, >> yes. >> Mrs. Lori, >> yes. >> Mr. Connor, >> yes. >> Mr. J, >> yes. >> Dr. Farmer, >> yes. >> Mr. P, >> yes. >> Motion passes. >> Okay. Um, board [clears throat] member reports Laurel Regional Representative Miss Lowry. >> Okay. They have one sped vacancy, two new hires. So, that's good. Um, December 18th at 9:30 is their winter celebration. And they will have a first
131all Laurel reunion that they're scheduling. They've never never done this before. April 18th from 3 to 4 p.m. So, it's something they're still working on. And our next meeting is February 4th at 10 am um next year 2026. >> Governor school representative Mrs. Lowry. >> We didn't have a meeting because we have hired a new um director. So, uh that's what this would meeting would have been on. And so our next meeting is not until March 4th at 1:00 p.m. >> Academic Success Committee, Mrs. Lowry. >> Okay. Uh Dr. Davis um presented to us in the academic success committee and um so you saw what we saw and also um we're working on uh CTE doing um an update on kids that are a year out to see how they're doing. So, that's something in
132the works. And our next meeting is January 27th at 3:30. >> Ad hoc achievement gap committee. >> I was sort of confused while I was on this because I already went over this, but anyway, [laughter] but um but it was uh I'd met with um Dr. Dr. Davis and Dr. Mette and we talked about some of the things the gap committee wanted to see what we could include and some things are going to be in the strategic plan. Some things are g like the data collection and truency and stuff like that are all going to be part of it. Pass fail rate all that kind of stuff. So some things um like maybe thinking out of the box when teachers have conferences if we could get business partners when you tell the city council it's
133like let your parents you know have be able to have zoom meetings for conferences things like that. So thinking out of the box kind of thing. So but yeah that that committee has ended. Okay. Accelerate STEM Academy. Mr. Pole, >> uh, no new information, >> finance and facilities. Mr. Depal, >> um, had a good meeting this week, um, this last meeting, and it was not necessarily anything financial, but it's more about ideas sharing. Uh after we had that I student from EC glass the orchestral [clears throat] uh the orchestra student come in make mention about one thing in particular stands. I went and visited the school started had have a real good conversation with the with the teachers there and uh one of the things that came up and this is just an appeal to
134everybody here at the board that if you have an idea um it's not automatically uh micromanagement if you bring it up if you bring up and have a want to say something about a committee that you're not on let's say finance uh bring it up because you're here for a reason as Dr. farmer said, uh, we're we're we're here because of the man above, >> and it's not because of anything else. >> Um, I'm assume most of you feel that way. >> Um, the uh the reason is that we're here for what we what we can bring to the table. And if it's trying to find a way to maybe have a I was out there to see if the shop class could help repair some things, save money. That was a basic core of
135my my uh visit. But uh uh just just bring up bring the ideas whether it's about transportation or whether it's about finance or anything. That's what we're here for. Um we Dr. Mette will let us know if we're micromanaging or if she feels that we're doing something wrong. But until don't let anybody try to talk you out of speaking what's on your mind because I would welcome anybody's help doing what I doing the things that I do for u on this board. But that's the that's a message. That's a report from the finance committee. >> Okay. LACR, Mr. Jalil. >> Yes, sir. We are delegating uh responsibilities of reaching out to our senator, >> our representative, our delegate, and we're going to find out what bills we're going we're going to find out what bills
136we're going to support and oppose in 2026. Our next meeting we'll bring up is on the 20th of January. >> Okay. I got two people here. Partners in education. Either do Mr. Alen or Dr. Farmer. >> Okay. We are tag team. So, um, don't forget that December the 18th is our LCS breakfast at the University of Lynchburg. Put that on your calendar. December the 18th. We'd like to also thank you for the canned goods that you bought and put in the boxes to help Robert Same. >> Uh they picked up uh from the church van that was full and still [cough and clears throat] got two boxes that they got to pick up down here. So uh Mr. Jones is going to pick those two boxes up and then they will prepare 25 boxes for
137the RS Payne family. Okay. And also the Deltas uh we are partnering with the Fort Hill School as a mentor. I was given a young lady and I'm her life coach at the Fort Hill School. So I'll be bringing back information concerning that. And I would I also like to invite her to come and check us out. Okay. And I reported on those four parents that came to me blowing off steam of what they expect from us. And I'm with my superintendent. They didn't have no solution. They think we're supposed to be the solution, but we got to work together. Okay. And also we partnered with the lighthouse and the warming regalia and the personal items. And we also going to um partner with community access to bring them personal items to help the ones
138that come up there, wash their clothes, take a shower, and the Excuse me, gentlemen. They don't have any underwear for y'all. So, I'm going to have to go out and try to solicit briefs and underwear for the men. Okay. And the permont school I'd like to to support. Uh we had Court Street Baptist Church had six children. We shoed for six children at Walmart. And they [clears throat] didn't their list that they gave us was just simple stuff, you know. They didn't ask for uh Xbox or uh the new thing with the computer with the They didn't ask for none of that. Just simple stuff. So, uh my pastor, Reverend Angelo Sullivan, and the members uh supplied the money for the Permont School family of six. Okay. And that's my spill. Re Niger, you got
139anything you want to add to it? >> Not really. just just to say that we are still hoping to reach out to some of the kids this year at Christmas and supply >> there with toys and certain gifts some in the neighborhood close to our facility and we'll be doing that on Thursday. Yeah. >> Education foundation, Mr. Depal, Mr. Jalil. Nothing new that I know of, >> sir. >> Beacon of hope. Mr. Baron, Mr. Pope, >> always something new. Uh, they keep moving. Um, so they're scholars from Central Virginia Community College. They call them Promise Pals. Visited their pen pals at Heritage Elementary today. This is a college and career awareness pipeline that they've created. um happening this evening. They're hosting a financially fit financial literacy workshop designed specifically for LCS alumni to help with
140post-graduation financial planning and things like that. So, uh I love they do work with our students, but they continue to work with them even after they leave LCS. So, that's excellent. Um current programming they are continuing the efforts with the FAFSA and scholarship support for LCS families. They've done two FAFSA nights, one at each high school, uh, in November, and they're going to continue that effort, uh, through individual student and family meetings. Um, this is exciting. So, particularly proud that their future center director, Noah Winton, partnered directly with school council to support students who earned the prestigious Quest Bridge scholarship. It's a highly competitive national award that free students from heritage that won a full ride to some distinguished colleges. uh three of them being Dartmouth, UVA, and Caltech. So, we've got students that are
141doing big things and fully funded uh to go to those schools, which is really, really, really cool. So, uh shout out to Noah for his work on that. Um spring 2025, workforce development. uh they're going to be doing in the month of January, the team will deliver comprehensive support for LCS alumni through a networking night on January 7th and a career immersion day experience on January 9th. So the goal of both of these events is to connect recent LCS graduates to local career opportunities. And then for the high school students in that same vein, they've coordinated a series of career focused field trips connecting students directly to regional employers and educational pathways including business to central Virginia Community College, Virginia Tech's engineering program, Frammatome, uh, Liberty University Aviation and Cooper Steel. All of these experiences
142provide students with firsthand exposure to high demand career opportunities right here in our community. So again, great work being done by Beacon of Hope. >> Student Discipline Committee report. Mr. Connor, first I want to [laughter] thank First I want to thank um um Miss Day, Miss King, and um especially Dr. Sumner and the two other committee members um Mike Baron and Drio. and also Dr. Farmer and um Mr. Eileen who have come in and substituted when we were short. I would have to say that this is the hardest working committee on the school board. We meeting every single Thursday um most of the time for at least four hours, sometimes seven, eight cases almost every night. Um, our focus, um, I finally, you know, as I saw the cases coming in, our focus has been
143the elimination of violence in the schools, the elimination of drug use in the schools, vaping particularly. Um, [clears throat] and, um, of course, um, we are very harsh on weapons, any type of weapon that has been brought into the school. Um we're very careful um even as doc Mr. Post said earlier to um try to make the penalty match the crime. Not everybody's getting 364, but we're trying to make sure that we are balancing their need for education as well as protection of the remaining students in the school to reduce the amount of disruptions that take place. And I think um looking at this week, we probably have the lowest amount we've had since the summer um of cases coming up. And I'm hoping it stays that low. But we want to make sure that
144the school board because of the policies in place. We want to deal with violence, fighting on at on school ground is not tolerable. Using of um THC vapes and marijuana and that type of thing is not acceptable on school grounds. and of course bringing any type of weapon on the school property um will not. So those are the three focuses of the discipline committee and hopefully we're starting to see some effect in the schools. Um I think one of the reasons we could say that we had a um reduction in um enrollment is children didn't feel safe >> and we want to make sure that our schools if not anything else they're a safe environment for all the students. That's my report on discipline committee >> superintendent comments. >> All right. Well, good evening again.
145I have uh just three things to share. The first piece um really aligns with what Mr. Connor was saying about the vapes and you'll see in your um packet that there's a vape prevention campaign and I believe our communications team along with working with Dr. Sumner and getting feedback from the discipline committee. Just want to make sure that we're putting out information to students. You'll see um the time frame when the announcements were to start. Kind of had a little snow and some things in there, but it'll be ongoing. But the purpose of these communications in the campaign is just to raise that awareness about the consequences of vaping um to your health, but also that it does um pose some really strong disciplinary penalties with that. So you'll see in your packet the health
146risk of vaping, what can h um happen. It's highly addictive. That THC piece um addictive, it hinders your brain development and then those dangerous chemicals that are in there that can hurt the student, but also that there are disciplinary con consequences with that. So if you look through there, it's just a little package of sort of do you know, did you know um you know getting caught with a vape can mean a long-term suspension, even expelled. Um, but then also how it affects your memory, you know, your motivation, how you're able to focus and making making school, if school's already hard for me, if I'm vaping, I'm going to make it even harder for myself. So, just those um simple reminders, but regular reminders to our students of the safety aspects. >> And I work
147voluntarily with a nurse and she said that the people that do vapes, they don't realize that's crystallizing in their lungs and eventually it'll kill you >> because That's not supposed your your loans are air bags. That's not supposed to be in there. >> Yes. >> Um my next item is you'll see a letter in here and I wanted to I know that Dr. Davis went over the data but I definitely wanted to share this letter. Um Mr. Boyd, the principal at Pal Monroe and myself both received a letter from Emily Anne Gullixson which is she's our superintendent public instruction for Virginia Department of Education. And the letter just reads, and I'm not gonna read the whole thing to you, but I do want to snapshot this. Dear principal Boyd, I'm plead pleased to congratulate you
148and your school community on achieving the distinguished category on the Commonwealth School's performance and support framework. It's an honor that reflects the highest levels of commitment, consistency, and belief in what your students can achieve. And then recognition of this caliber is a result of strong instructional leadership, empowered teachers, engaged families, and student centered co school culture that prioritizes excellence. And so I'll just read this last sentence, but I wanted to make sure that we recognize that I think sometimes we can look in all the stuff, but this was um really a high honor for them to achieve this and also to receive this notification from the department of instruction. And so I put this in there for your purview, but just wanted to make sure that we did indeed celebrate um Paul Monroe for um
149achieving in that category and for the recognition from the Department of Education. >> That's very nice. >> And lastly, my piece is just as I am wrapping up, this has been a fast and furious six months. [laughter] Um, but just wanted to say, you know, seriously, um, to the board, to the staff, my team especially. Um, just really happy holidays. I am appreciative of all you do. Enjoy your two weeks away from me, of not asking you a million and one questions. Um, but I just really am appreciative of what everyone is is doing and how everyone is truly coming together. We don't always agree because we're all different people and I appreciate that. I love all the different perspectives and that's what makes us better. Um, and the questioning each other is what makes
150us better. But I just look forward to um you all having a restful restful time um restful break, a very safe and happy holiday and just look forward to our continued collaboration and collaborating with intention and meaning when we come back here in January. So that's the end of my remarks. >> Okay, now we're open for board comments. We're gonna start on this end and work our way around to that end this time. Mr. Baron, I get to go first. [laughter] >> All right. >> Go first. >> Well, you guys already know trust, transition, transportation. I want to speak to the transition piece first. I've already said this, but I want to reiterate. I want to encourage everybody to get involved in the strategic planning process. Uh, one, I think it's good for us as
151a community to be informed so we're all on the same page. we know where we are and what we're aiming at, what we're trying to accomplish, but also to lend your voice because uh you know, we're nine people and then an administrative team and then even that I mean there's there's a lot of people in this community that can lend a voice to what we're trying to accomplish and I'm excited about a lot of things. I just want to say unequivocally I know we're going to move up from 122. >> I can see it. I'm telling you. And if I can see it, I can do it. And so I just want to encourage our community. Let's be careful that we don't attach ourselves to where we are and and wallow in that. Like there
152is a future, there is a hope and we have the people on the team to do it. Uh and we have the people in this community to do it. So I just want to encourage everybody get involved in the street planning process. Uh and um I would speak to that in the next t I'm going to back up to the trust piece. Uh we we had the coalition the 40ways coalition hosted a unity panel discussion last night and it was it was great discussion. Uh but I want to I want to just kind of point to one of the things that I observed. I think one of the the the biggest pieces when it comes to hey here's where we are and it's not pretty is what starts to generally happen is fingerpointing. Right? And
153I just want to point out that fingerpointing is a divisive device. It doesn't bring unity. It doesn't provide solutions. Uh I use a statement when I counsel with people. My wife and I have done marriage counseling with different people and we always use this statement. Draw a circle around yourself and fix everything in that circle. And if we had a community full of people who are willing to look at themselves and go, I can do better. Even if you're 1% of the problem, everybody has something to contribute. That 1% times everybody in the community makes a huge difference. So, I just want to encourage us as we continue to work to build trust and let's be very, very careful. Accountability isn't me pointing at you and holding you accountable. It's about me holding myself accountable
154first. And so, I want to I want to encourage us to do that. Um, we've seen the data. We have to work together. And you alluded to this, Dr. Mette, that unity is not uniformity. We don't have to think the same, have to be the same. We don't even have to uh agree all the time. uh disagreement is not disapproval. We can disagree and still move forward together when we agree on where we want to go and that is a better community with students who are educated and equipped and offered the opportunity to to to live a better life. So I just want to encourage us draw [clears throat] that circle around yourself. Fix everything in that circle. We all do that. We'll make progress guaranteed. The last piece of course you guys can say
155it with me. >> Transportation. Thank you. Um, I do want to emphasize in terms of drawing a circle and saying, "Hey, what can I do?" There's so many opportunities. Uh, one of those being drive a bus. Uh, and I I I can't emphasize enough. We pay for your training. Like, you get your CDL and your training and everything as as part of the package deal. So, it's it's a good move anyway. Um, and I just want to encourage people to to look at what you can do to contribute to that. I think it's important for us as policy makers to be up close to the kind of uh things we're making decisions about and talking about. And so I am going to I've already talked to the transportation team and I'm going to be Friday
156on early release showing up at the busy yard at 10:00 a.m. and I'm going to drive a bus to help alleviate some of the uh and I cleared it with towns and all the stuff. I'm on the insurance. It's okay. I'm gonna drive a bus and I'm going to go uh hopefully be part of the solution for that day. But I want to invite my fellow board members to to ride along. Not not necessarily on my bus. You can, but pick a bus to ride along on just to be next to it to see what bus drivers do. It's a stressful job. It's a difficult uh uh uh uh you know, transportation. Some of our most dedicated and tenured personnel. And so I just want to encourage you to get up close to that. Come
157with me 10:00 a.m. 10 to 10 10 or 10:30 I think could be good either way. Uh to the transportation yard and just jump on a bus. You'll encourage the transportation team. You get to meet some of the students. Get up close to the stuff that we're setting policy for. I just want to encourage you to join me for that. So, it's all I have. >> All right. I'm not going to be that long, sir. [laughter] >> We've had a great time at the last conference we had. And uh one of the things I really enjoyed was the fact that we were able to be together and we sort of connected and we gelled together. I would say one of the things that is powerful is once we get to know each other >> and
158we learn one another, it should be able to help us to build a stronger camaraderie and connection. And I'm very pleased that we've been able to have some time. Six months we've been together here and I feel like we are starting to get some traction. >> So I'm praying that as we go into the new year, hopefully everybody will get some strength and rejuvenation and come back next year ready to roll up sleeves and keep pressing on. So y'all have a great Christmas and I trust that God will bless you all. Very good. Um, I want to thank Dr. Majette and Dr. Davis and her team. I'm because on the academic success committee, I can see how hard they work and and I just want to say thank you for all that you do. And
159I feel like our number one, whatever we are, 22 or whatever we are, I feel like this new administration that U. Majette has built up and those that stayed and those that are more dedicated that I've seen since I started to really pushing things forward. I think we got a lot of positive ahead of us [clears throat] and we're going to go. It's not going to be overnight, but we're going going to go in the right direction now. And I feel when I first when I started to now, I feel really good about where we are. So, I'm very thankful for all the people that knew that have joined us and I'm thankful for the direction we're going and all the work that's being put into it. So, thank you. I have I have seen
160a difference since I started. So, and I just hope everybody has a merry Christmas. >> Oh, echoing a lot of that. Um I think uh we we really have a good good uh development over the past um six months. I think this is a great board. We have great people uh working together in a common direction. Maybe not always with the same uh ideas, but we're we're trying to make this the best that it can be. And I'm very thankful for Dr. Majette to uh have applied and accepted our offer. I'm wishing everybody a very merry Christmas. Uh I have to say that I was when we were at the conference, I was adopted by Dr. Farmer. Yes, [clears throat] >> I'm [laughter] just I'm just wondering what I'm going to get for Christmas this
161year. >> All right. [laughter] >> Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. I hope your your season is blessed. >> Amen. >> Yes. >> Sweet. [laughter] >> In keeping with Dr. farmer's admonition. I uh I too was concerned about the um lack of uh full days on our calendar for school because of the weather and I thought of doing a um remote work policy discussion with the board. But if everything can be taken care of in [clears throat] house with the administration, I believe that that would be the best way to go. If we are needed to put forth a policy for an emergency remote work implementation [clears throat] process that just we have two or three days where we know it's going to be needed. Let's let's have that in place so that we can continue
162to educate our students without those interruptions. Textbooks. [clears throat] Textbooks are so important in our education. They were, but I do see them in com in competition having competition of screen time. Now, to me, you can illustrate it like salt and potassium. The more of one, you get less of the other. When you increase your salt in your body, you have less potassium and vice versa. And it's good to have the right balance because one can push the other out of the body. Well, we have too much screen time for our kids. There's too many screens, whether it's the phone and the laptop and the giant big screen in the school classrooms. U the studies are coming out internationally and and some locally or at home that it's detrimental to education in particular. So, how
163where do we find that balance? Where's that salt potassium balance in screens and textbooks? When I taught in many of the many schools, I looked just I I noticed the textbooks were untouched in the back of the classrooms. I started at one point to ask students uh when was the last time you used the textbooks and they're like, "What textbooks?" And it almost didn't matter what class. I think there was one or two classes where they not only used textbooks but knew where they were. So that emphasis I think should be encouraged that we don't not only lose our our work with physical textbooks but um that it should be increased to find the balance again. The screen time is taking over at home and in school. CTE needs a branding and marketing arm. I
164think that CTE is a great focus. I think that we should be keep we should keep doing it and I just think it needs to be as exciting as becoming a uh first draft NFL person. You know, the the kids love to to just dream big, but they don't realize that big dream has so few players, very [clears throat] few. if they could see the contrast of of what they're dreaming and go for the goals but also see that this is uh this is the big need in our c in our in our state and our country to have CTE to have a tangible skill they can go out here and immediately start to work if something goes wrong with their health or if they break an ankle of some sort something goes wrong I
165think that we can brand and market CTE to make it more exciting make the opportunities very tangible for students Thanks to the superintendent for [clears throat] the parent policy idea to make sure kids get to school to have some more teeth in that. That'll be one of our first policies because that's what we're discussing in our legislative advocacy committee meeting today. What policies are we going to support and what policies will we oppose in the upcoming year and that's a great one to start with to um ask about and to find out whether or not something has been is being done with that. I like m Mr. Depal's admonition to bring the ideas. We all need to do that more and more. And I'd like us to remember Mr. Luc's admonition that prioritization is demonstrated
166by the budget. So whatever we want to focus on and prove that we have it as a priority, uh it has to have something behind it, something tangible. In that illustration, of course, it's the budget, having the numbers to back up what we say. Putting the money where the mouth is, as people say. Thank you for the gifts uh not only on the table that we see here, beautiful gifts, but also through the year. I noticed I remember that uh the different middle schools and elementary schools has have given us gifts uh unique little handmade creations. They're just nice. And then other things are umbrellas and logo lo their logos uh some of which are on the back of my laptop here. Very nice things that are very useful. Um, and I just appreciate it
167in the spirit of giving. It is better to give than to receive. I want to thank you all for that. Everyone have a merry merry Christmas. >> Is it my time now? >> Thank you. >> I just want to thank everyone for all of your love and support. And like I tell you all the time, we are a team. There is no I in team. And we have to realize that our past does not define us. We inherited a mess and it's going to take time to get out of the mess. We not like Jeanie. Jeannie could twitch her nose and things would happen. >> But we got to put our hands to the plow. We got to go out and reach our parents. We got to go and support our teachers. And we all
168got to work together. And I love you, Mike, for going to 40 away and not pointing the finger cuz so often we get so out of shape pointing fingers. But when you point the finger, look at how many you got coming back at you. So, I say to you, enjoy your time off because when 2026 comes, we going to show this community that we are together and we do care and we going to give them trust, but most of all, we going to love on them cuz love is a action verb. Cuz I got these two right here and that ain't love, I don't know what it is. Okay, with that I wish everyone a happy holiday. Make the most of it because 2026 we got work to do >> together. >> Yes. >> Okay.
169Together. >> Uh thank you. I can go now. >> Yeah, you can go now. [laughter] [clears throat] >> Um so I want to start off by uh Yes. Thank you. Um the Williamsburg um trip was um very [snorts] very enlightening uh enlightening and and I appreciate the board members that went had a good time and it was very informative. Um I appreciate that. Um I want to talk about sacrifice u for being on this board. Um, [clears throat] tonight my youngest had a violin concert and shout out to Bever Hills and u Miss Paris and all that she's done for all the little kids. There's a lot of sacrifice that goes into being on this board. Um, uh, my oldest, my son, who wrestles for glass. Some of the wrestling matches will be on Thursday.
170I know Mr. Baron's kids ran cross country on Thursday. That's just a small part of it. um you know the volunteerism, the going to schools and different things of that nature. So, um, you know, I don't want to, you know, I think that people have the right and the freedom and and I can't speak to, um, whether boards should be um appointed or elected, and that's that's not really anything I even want to speak to, but I know whether I was appointed or whether I was elected that coming into this position that I was going to make sure that um that I put 10 toes down and put my best interest into the community and the kids and that's what I want to continue to do um regardless um of how I got here. Um
171the 40 Ways Coalition >> um came up and that's something that a partner and I started. So any community folks out um well actually we didn't start it. It was started by Dr. on Carwell, rest in peace. And uh at the time, Mayor Stephanie Reid, and since then, myself and uh Trey Watkins kind of taken the torch. And it's it's a community platform where a lot of valuable information is spread out. We meet the fourth Monday of every month at 6:00. Um, but you have to follow our Facebook page, 40 Ways Coalition, in order to get a lot of the information in case we do plan on changing some of the locations and and every so often we have to change the date. So, please follow that um page. Um, I want to speak on
172uh being on the discipline committee. Um, for any parents out there, um, please talk with your children about vaping. Uh, Dr. Majette mentioned that. Um, and also about fighting. Um, just because and I'm sure in your era they used to tell >> people that somebody hit you, hit him back and all that. >> Well, those times are over, Miss Farmer. Dr. Farmer. >> That's right. >> And if somebody hits you now, >> yeah, >> you got to pray for him. That's what you're supposed to do with Dr. Farmer. >> Put this book on. >> Put Take You heard? Put the book on them. >> That's right. >> Because if you hit them back, you going to be sitting right here in front of us as well. be in that orange outfit. >> If you turn
17318, you can [laughter] be in the orange outfit. >> So, um, please talk to your children and let them know that just because somebody hit you, that's not self-defense. >> Um, and that you you you really need to have your education and being kicked out of school is not going to help you. Um, and two more things. Um, I think I would like to when we come back from holidays as board members, this is another one I'm going to pull from from your era. >> You just love my era. >> Yeah, I do. [laughter] I do. I think maybe as board members, we should start [clears throat] um knocking on some doors, introducing ourselves to to um to the community. Um cuz there's a lot of um misinformation about what we do. Like I had
174somebody laying me out about school closure and I'm like I didn't make that decision. But you know um >> we did >> but you know the school you know making decisions is a tough a tough thing and [clears throat] you have people who are always going to have one thing or the other to say but um I I think that'll help bridge some of the gap with um you know putting a face in a body. Um, and I know back in the day, you know, pe people used to visit people's homes and different things of that nature. So, I would like to challenge my fellow board members to along with me to start hitting some neighborhoods and just saying, "Hey, we're your local school board. Just wanted to stop and say hello >> and um
175just hear from you and um keep it moving." And last but not least, happy holidays. Hope everybody stays safe and uh we'll see you next year. and I'm ready to go anytime you want to go. >> All right. >> Okay. I'll be really brief. I just want to first of all thank the staff, the team, um >> Mr. Marshall, um >> you know, >> um Miss Brown and >> back row back there that never say anything. Appreciate you guys. um our instructional um leaders um of course my disciplined friends, student services. I just want to thank y'all and I want to thank each and every member of this board. >> We're a volunteer board. >> You sure are. >> You know, sometimes people what they expect from us, we don't get paid for this. We
176do it because we love the children. That's why I do it. >> I do. >> I wouldn't be here at 8 n:00 at night on a volunteer job if I didn't love the children. And I think what you said, whether I was appointed or whether I was elected, I would put the same effort in to doing what is best for the children in the city of Lynchburg. I spent 14 years driving a school bus every single day and managing pretty much managing the transportation department. I know what you're talking about with getting those kids back and forth to school. Um, I know about the distances that we travel to get kids and take them to different schools. We all of those things, but um, one thing I spoke to somebody and there is no simp
177we didn't get here in one year. >> We're not going to It took 20 years to go from 70 70 something to 121 and we can't in six months go from 121 back to 70. But we can take a step at a time. And I think what we're doing now, the steps we're making now, the the professional um approaches we're taking to to teach the teachers and to teach the administrators and and to work together as a team is going to pay off. And who's going to benefit will be the children. I believe in a couple years we won't have any uh what was that? I wrote it down. We won't have any critical condition um intensive care schools. I believe we we're on a track that we're going to make sure we have no
178schools in intensive care. We're going to focus on those schools. We're going to focus on those students and those different letters B and W and and we're going to focus we we you know our focus right now um in in in behalf of Dr. Gupta is teaching and learning academics. We trying to get rid of all other distractions to focus on teaching and learning. We got to get our kids and it's not just about the scores. We got to do we got to put what's in place to make sure our children are successful in their future. Whether it's CTE, whether it's I love these students going, they got full scholarships to some great schools. Dartmouth. Wow, that's incredible. um V Virginia, you know, so um full rides and and and I I think we can
179do even more of that. Um so um I want to wish everybody a a merry Christmas >> um when we we won't be coming back for a meeting till after the holidays. Have a great, safe, and happy holidays. spend some time with your families and and just enjoy recharge so when we come back in January we can hit 10 toes down as you always say >> and really go after it. That's >> all I have. [cough] >> Glad you were brief. >> Informational, huh? >> Glad you were brief. >> Informational items. Schoolboard work session will be January 6, Tuesday, January 6 at 5:00 pm. Student Discipline Data Review Committee will be Thursday, January 8th, 3:30 p.m. Finance and Facilities will be Tuesday, January 13th at 3:30 p.m. Legislative Advocacy and Community Relations will be January
18020th at 3:30 p.m. Um, our next full school board meeting will be Tuesday, January 20th at 5:00 p.m. and academic success academic success committee meeting will be Tuesday, January 27th at 3:30. And with that, our meeting is adjourned.