001[Music] Okay, I'm calling to order this meeting of the school board committee. Uh, school board um, Dr. Bupa is not here tonight, so in my role as vice chair, it falls to me to lead the meeting. Um, next item on our agenda is the pledge of allegiance. So if you please rise. [Music] I aliance 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. Thank you. Okay. Next item is the approval of our agenda. Do I have a motion to approve the agenda? So move. Second. Okay. Uh before we proceed, uh we do need to add one item to the agenda under the consent agenda which is item H. We need to add an additional HR addendum
002report. So this would be item H6. Okay. Um, so I'm moving that we make that amendment to the agenda. Okay. Second. Second. Any discussion? Okay. We're voting on the amendment. Um, Madame Clerk, would you please call the role? Mr. Connor? Yes. Mr. Gillio? Yes. Dr. Day? Yes. Mrs. Preston? Yes. Mr. Depal? Yes. Mrs. Lloyd? Yes. Dr. Tinsley? Yes. Motion carries. Okay. Now, we will vote uh on the amended agenda. Um, if there's any any discussion, I don't hear any, so please call the role. Mr. Connor, yes. Mr. Galileo, yes. Dr. Day, yes. Mrs. Preston, yes. Mr. Depal, yes. Mrs. Lori, yes. Dr. Tansley, yes. Motion carries. Okay. Thank you. Um, next is chair comments. Um, the only comment I have to make is to thank Lucy White for her her two years of serving as
003our student representative from EC Glass. Um, and we have something I'm sure she will treasure for the rest of her life, her very nice. So, thank you very much to Lucy. Thank you so much. [Applause] Thank you. Okay. Um uh next is um item E, we have a presentation about the Lynchberg Youth Survey. Uh Dr. Copelan, do you want to call up the people? I'll turn it over to Zoe Wickham Stokes to introduce the crew and then they'll give their presentation. Yes, sir. Good evening board. Thank you for allowing us to print. I print I'm sorry, I'm still in work mode. Present. Uh I'm Zoe Stokes. For those who do not know me, I am in student services. I am also the liaison for the health advisory committee which was tasked with bullying this year.
004So we've actually got two presentations. Um first everybody on the health advisory committee would you mind standing? So we have a few of our folks here. Some folks couldn't make it or may come in later. And then we have a subcommittee that works on the youth survey. So now is our chair for uh the health advisory and she is stepping down. So I would like to publicly thank her for all she did for the health advisory this year and uh pushed us forward and kept us on track. So thank you. Thank you. And then Kim Foster who is with the health department. She will present the youth survey and then she will introduce our next presenter for the health advice. All right. Thanks, Ellie. Good evening. Let me get situated here real quick. Had to
005bring my notes. All right. So, I'm Kim Foster. As Zoe said, I am the population health manager for the Central Virginia Health District, and I've been on the school health advisory board for gosh, I think five years or so. And this is the third time that I've been here to present data from the Lynchberg Youth Survey. Um the the Lynchburg youth survey is conducted every other year and nearly all it's a it it is a part of youth risk behavior survey which is a national survey that's conducted by the CDC and the youth the Lynchberg survey is based off of that with some questions added in that are part of our drug-free communities grant as well. Um the survey monitors six categories of health related behaviors that contribute to the leading cause of death and
006disability among among youth and adults and compares local responses with national and state benchmarks. So just a little bit about the methodology. Lynchburg City Schools, as they done in the past, contacted parents before the survey um to inform them of the purpose and it was a passive um opt out. So, or a passive um approval, I'm sorry. So, if they wanted to decline permission, then they could opt out for their child to participate and accommodations were made for that. The survey is is done for 8th, 12, 10th, and 12th grade students. and this year it consisted of 130 questions. Um there are some limitations when you're doing um these types of surveys. One is that it's a self-reported method of collecting data which a lot of our survey tools do that we use you know
007across the state and nation but it gives us good ideas of trends um what has changed what might be emerging and those types of things. So, um, self-reported data can also be, um, really good to look at where we need to focus efforts. Um, it is also limited to current LCS students. Um, and again, it's a snapshot of data, so it can't determine causuality um, and that type of thing, but it again, it can it can show trends. We did have a slightly smaller data set this year compared to previous years. But um next slide please. But we did have an overall response rate of 53.5% and therefore it's still considered to be generally generally representative of Lynchburg City 8th, 10th and 12th grade students and you can see the breakdown there in the slide.
008Next slide please. So what um we had a committee as Zoe mentioned that kind of worked on looking at the results of the survey and it's a it's a lot of questions and there's a lot of data as you can see that was presented. So what we decided to do is to categorize those into five different themes and then for this presentation because we don't have a lot of time we're just going to point out some of the um opportunities that we have to grow and also some strengths that we saw in the data of the survey. We're definitely not going to go over all the data, but you do have that on hand. So these are the six the five categories that we kind of lumped and themed things together in. Next slide please.
009So first we're going to talk about violence and safety. And next slide like I said um some opportunities for growth. And when I'm mentioning these that doesn't mean just for the school. These are communitywide data sets that are used across varying agencies, nonprofits, health departments. So, um, our community as a whole looks at this data. They they base plans and strategic goals in align with some of this data. But more students are reporting driving under the influence of mar marijuana than in the past. And when I'm comparing the data, um, just for reference, this is compared to the 2022 data set. I'm just not going to mention the comparison every time. um threats or injury with a weapon are increasing in both the community and in school settings in addition to an increased rate of
010physical fights on school property. Um it is also of concern that 9.1% of students report having experienced sexual violence in the past year. And then on the strengths and wins, we are seeing that more students are wearing seat belts. Um, al and although reports of driving under the influence of marijuana is higher than driving under the influence of alcohol, reports for both of those have declined since the previous survey report. Um, also reports of carrying a weapon to school are very low across across all grades. Next slide, please. And now we're going to go into the category of substance use. Next slide. I'm freezing. Ah, I don't know why. Okay. Sorry. There we go. All right. So, more students are reporting. I apologize. My slides are frozen here for me. All right. We'll go off
011the cuff here. Um, so peer disapproval decreases for all substances as students advance in grade level. And what we're seeing is a um that's most concerning is the increase in vaping, which you guys probably are not surprised about. And that aligns with our national trends. Um, only 50% of students perceive electronic vapor products are risky. And um as we knows, you know, perceived risk is important is an important data point because it um gives us an indication of how willing someone may be to change a behavior. And we do find that um only 68% of parents are setting clear rule rules about substance use. Next slide, please. Um we are seeing binge drinking and cigarette smoking below the national average. um which is a positive, you know, positive to note. And 71.5 of students report
012never having consumed alcohol. Um most students believe their parents disapprove of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use. So seeing kind of that um parental disapproval is is a positive note here. And next slide, please. in relationships and social supports. And I really wish I could get my thing to move along and try it again. Okay, so in relationship and social social supports, most Lynchberg students across all grade levels report that they have many chances to get involved in sports, clubs, and other school activities outside of class, and that the school lets them and or their parents know when they have done something well. So that's a very positive theme overall that we're seeing there. And then in the opportunities for growth, this section is where some of the bullying data comes in, as well as data
013related to sexual behaviors and relationships. Trends show an increase in students reporting missing school due to fears of bullying. And a large percentage of students, 22.7, report that they would tell no one if they were bullied and only 6.1 would tell school staff. As for sexual relationships, it should be noted that less youth report using condoms as a birth control method and very few youth report have having been tested for HIV and other STI and these numbers are less than the national average. Reports of intimate partner violence during the past 12 months have nearly doubled for 10th graders, but it has decreased for other grades. I think I'm moving now. Um, on a positive note, we are seeing a downward trend in some of the responses related to bullying to include sending or receiving online
014threats or sexually inappropriate content, bullying others, and witnessing bullying, and being bullied on school property. We would love to see these trends continue downward. It is important to note that 35% of youth would tell a parent or guardian if they were being bullied. So, we found that that was um definitely a positive trend. The wins regarding sexual activity include almost threequarters of sexually active youth report using some form of birth control. Um and as noted previously the eth and 12th graders are reporting less intimate partner violence. And then mental health and next slide please. We're going to take a look at that. Youth were asked if during the past 12 months did they ever feel so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in a row that they stopped doing some
015usual activities. Although these findings were lower than the state national level levels, 30% resonated with this statement. Next slide. The vast majority of students reported never intentionally harming themselves which is a strength and win in this category. In addition, we see a decline in students who considered or plan planned or attempted suicide in the past year. So, these numbers seem to be trending down from post-pandemic um data that we had. And the majority of parents are setting clear rules for electronic device use and social media and texting. And then our next category under healthy lifestyles. Um just pointing out a few things here. Um, as far as opportunities for growth, self-perceptions about weight and desiring to lose weight continues to be common. An emerging trend that we saw that we hadn't seen before is that
016fasting is reported as the most common method for weight control. And so kind of aligns with some of the adults that are doing intermittent fasting and different things. Um, so we wanted to point that out. as a strength. Fewer students who perceive themselves as being under or overweight and most students are reporting at least some physical activity in the past seven days, which is up from prior. So, um hopefully that trend will continue that they're becoming more physically active. So, next slide. I know that was a quick snapshot. Um but like I said it's a lot of data and we are you know available um outside of this meeting to talk about any of the other data. Um but we did organize some recommendations and next steps like I said that not only um not
017only for the school but also for the community at large community partners and organizations that work with youth. Um so under violence and safety and these are by no means um a full list just some things that we may want to think about as we move forward and try to make changes in the data for the next um rendition of the survey violence and safety. Um thinking about increasing education about the dangers of driving under the influence of marijuana. There's been a lot done about the driving under the influence of alcohol but not a lot about marijuana and driving. um increasing support in school and community settings for conflict resolution and emotional regulation to address concerns about fighting and physical harm. Um substance use of course, you know, trying to increase awareness about the risk
018of vaping and reinforcing that peer disapproval norms to reduce that acceptance um of substance use. their relationship, relationships and social supports, expanding education and awareness about bullying and its impact. We're going to have a presentation with um some of the school health advisory board recommendations um after this um encouraging and empowering students to report bullying. Increasing digital safety education because it seems that a lot of the bullying is happening um over electronic devices. increasing education and awareness of STI prevention, testing, and healthy relationships. And then next slide, under mental health, um expanding community support for youth struggling with mental health and addressing self harm and suicide concerns with targeted interventions. And for healthy lifestyle, we mentioned increasing awareness of the health risk of fasting for youth and monitor and address gambling related risk amongst among
019students. And I didn't um pull out the data from that, but it is in the report about gambling, but it is something that um we are trying to increase awareness with adults as well. So we put that in there under the healthy lifestyle. Next slide, please. Just showing here some of the partner organizations that um could use this type of report and this type of data for whatever grant writing, strategic planning like I mentioned before and the next slide. So in summary, these findings support monitoring trends and adolescent health behavior, identifying emerging issues in the development of prevention and intervention programs to support the health of youth. This data is used by health departments, educators, healthc care providers, nonprofits, and community organizations to support programming and communications for improving the health of our youth. Lynchburg
020City Schools has been serveing youth in the school district since 1999. and you are the only school district in our um health district that um does the the youth survey. So, we thank you for that. Um this would not be possible without the support of LCS and the school board. Um next slide, please. And those are the members of the youth risk behavior survey subcommittee. Um, Jan and Tegan are part of the SEAR Coalition, which is the Central V Virginia Alliance for REC for recovery resources. And they have a drug-free communities grant that supports the funding for this project. And next slide. I think that's it. So, thank you very much. Does anybody have any questions or concerns? Yes. Um I was talking to a nurse um that I know and she was talking about
021vaping and I'm just I'm sure this has been shared with the kids, but there are theyware that you know when you vape that moisture gets in your lungs and it can turn into pebbles in your lungs and you know it's it becomes something solid. Yeah, absolutely. And I know that um Jan and Tegan from SBAR could speak more on what they're doing within the schools to help increase that awareness um because I know it is one of their goals for that drug-free communities grant that I mentioned and increasing the education and awareness for vaping. But I agree I agree with you. I don't think a lot of kids are aware Yeah. um of the risk or you know and and also we find with youth as we have with other substances that it's they don't
022know think that's going to happen to them. Yeah. Um so finding creative ways I think to get that message across would be powerful. Thank you. Thank you. Are there other questions? I I have a question. Yeah. I wonder if we could go back to slide seven. Okay. Um because one of the points there on slide seven, the top bullet, I don't know if it'll eventually come up on the screen, but the top bullet said that driving under the influence of marijuana is higher. Oh. Oh, now I'm reading it more carefully. Higher than reports of driving while drinking. Yeah. Okay. It's the first time I believe that that has shown that reports of driving under the influence of marijuana was higher than than reporting driving drinking. So it it sort of seems like substance abuse is
023shifting from alcohol to marijuana at least in the context. There seems to be a wide perception that marijuana because it's that you know they say legal marijuana is legal that that it's okay. So, and I know you guys are seeing it as well. Um, and in the bait products that you're compensating and and that type of thing. So, I think that's definitely um an area that we can all work on together. Uh, Mr. Julio, is it just on that? Is it part of your uh scope to uh promote those types of ideas or demonstrate display um data and pre just prevention measures uh on those subjects? Are you talking about for the students or vapes and THC and all those things? usage among the students is is it part of us to as a health
024department or just I'm sorry I just part of part of what you do you're not just talking about and putting some sentence on it for students to read are you also um displaying other ways right absolutely I know that there is um a hype club within the schools that does a lot of that prevention and education hype and that is through that drug-free communities grant with SEBAR and they do um a number of things with the youth as far as increasing awareness and those prevent the prevention side of some of these topics that we've hit on. Yes. All right. So, you don't also give advice. I saw that uh the fasting was described as being somewhat negative. So the dangers of fasting how are you de are you demonstrating that to the students or so
025not yet. So what we you know what the point is is is to look at this data and see you know where should we as a community or as community agencies focus on um for our youth. And that may be one of them that we decide to um get together as you know partners and decide how can we make sure youth are aware of you know what it can do to a a young um teenage body to fast for long periods of time or so I don't think that we are at that point um because this is this data does not go live until after it's presented to you all and then community partners have access to it off of United Way's website, off of our website, um, in a variety of other ways. Um,
026and then, um, some of the coalitions that are already addressing some of these things will look at that and determine how can we best, you know, um, change what we're doing or um, incorporate some of this into what we're doing to meet what this data is telling us. Does that help a little? Yes. So there are positive things that you create based on this data or work with others to uh share with the students and to try to promote and get out there like exercise. It's not just negative, it's also positive things like exercise, going out into the into nature and things like that. Yeah. Yes. The data is presented to you guys just to to show those trends. And then you know for example last year um the school health advisory board was charged
027with bullying recommendations which is going going to be presented because of some of the data that came up. So um you know the data is telling us what the trends are and then we need to determine what steps can be taken together to make improvements. There was a a young girl, I think her name was Ashley Bushman. She died in Rowan Oak and a lot of people put together uh some points that they would like the school board over there to adopt, but after some discussion, the board did not do any changes to their policy. Do you have that information? Were you covering or or following that to see if there's anything that could be added to what you have? I don't know if any of that will come out in Jabre's presentation um specifically,
028but with the presentation Jabri is looking at I think and I don't want to speak for him, but from being on on the committee kind of looking at what is already being done with, you know, we're we're focusing on Lynchburg City Schools. So, um what is already be done with you guys are doing a lot already. So not saying that um you're having to change but maybe but we are making some recommendations and how to maybe enhance that. I suggest to you find out a little bit about that one partic in particular because it was a bullying that caused death. Yeah. Yeah. I mean I am familiar with that. Absolutely. Yes. That's Thank you. Um okay. Well, thank you very much and we'll move on to the next presentation. Is that right? Yep. and that
029will be Jabri Poe and he will be presenting the bullying recommendations that came out of the school health advisory board. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Kim. Adjust this a little bit since I'm a little tall. Uh good evening. My name is Jabri Poe and um a member of the school health advisory board. And uh as Kim mentioned, uh I'm going to be giving a presentation about recommendations that we uh came up with um about bullying. Um Lynchburg City Schools already has um quite a bit in their policy about bullying, but we have some additional recommendations which in the slide you'll see are highlighted in yellow. Um we had uh uh quite a few board members that uh or committee members that worked hard on this and and Zoe and and um those alike. So
030um next slide. Uh we'll start off with we wanted to make sure we define exactly what bullying is because if we don't know exactly what bullying is then um I think that would help us uh get to um answers um a lot better. So this is the uh code of Virginia's definition which means that bullying means an aggressive or unwanted behavior that is intended to harm, intimidate or humiliate the victim involves a real or perceived power imbalance between the aggressor or aggressors and the victim and is repeated uh over a course of time. Causes severe emotional uh trauma. Bullying includes cyber bullying. Uh bullying does not uh include ordinary teasing, horseplay arguments or peer conflicts according to the code of Virginia 22.1-276.01. Next slide, please. Uh right here is just a little overview of uh
031what we'll be overviewing on the slide. We have four uh stages if you will and then some review and final thoughts and we'll be uh taking questions from you good folks. Um so next slide please. We'll go ahead and start with uh stage one and uh sorry if that's a little small to read. Know it's messing with my stigmatism from back here. Um number one is going to be uh policies and rules already. Uh Lynchburg City Schools has a handbook. Um so we want to make sure that that handbook um is is available for students, parents, and so forth to be able to read and make sure that the policy remains clear. Um the next uh item will be reporting. Uh we have to make sure that uh students are aware um of how they
032can report and where they can report. making sure that um you keep and continue to utilize uh systems like Speak Up. Um and making sure that every student knows about uh a uh an adult or a staff member, a trusted adult that they can report to. Um and making sure that um websites, posters, um all different mediums are are are well posted um where they can report bullying to. Uh moving on to number three, which is we already have it looks to be uh an existing annual training for school staff. So we want to make sure that all Lynchburg City School staff understand exactly what the definition of bullying is. What is bullying versus teasing according to the uh Lynchburg City School policy? Um understanding why uh some youth bully. Um, we want to get
033to the root of having that understanding, looking for warning signs so we can get ahead of bullying in the classroom, in the hallways, the bathrooms, lunchrooms, and so forth. And understanding exactly the effects of bullying. We all know that some of our um test scores and different things. It's kind of hard to uh be productive maybe if you're being bullied. So we want to make sure we definitely address that and u again u make sure that the staff understand how to report uh bullying. Moving on to the highlighted area and this is the survey and this is something new that we created. Um and uh so if you don't mind um handing out uh the survey so you all can actually um have a visual of what the survey is that we created. But this
034survey is um would be used to collect data because without data um it's it'd be a little hard for us to really understand and address how we can really curve bullying. So with this data become this survey. We would like to see this survey administered at the beginning of the school year. It'd be nice if we could get this in the beginning of the school year coming up. Um and we would like to see this survey administered twice a year. Once at the beginning and uh a second time around at the end of course um like some things if parents wanted to opt out of it and so forth. The survey is would be anonymous and uh it asks questions um that really help us identifying um which students uh and this is a student
035survey and it's uh uh detailed by grade um at least in the questioning so we can of course address some of the bullying uh because bullying may look different depending on the grade level. And then this also would be a measuring stick as we move forward through the years to see the effectiveness and understanding of bullying as we move forward. Next slide please. Uh moving on to stage two. Um establishing a positive culture within our schools. Uh October is a national uh bullying anti-bullying month rather uh campaign. This is something that uh Lynchburg City Schools is already uh probably doing a decent job with, but we just want to make sure that we amplify that uh with our announcements, our posters, our social media post um and just putting that constant reminder uh within our
036students, staff, and parents among uh the community at large. Uh moving on to the uh second bullet point which as you can see is something that is a new um recommendation and that's actually introducing uh studentled clubs where anti-bullying is discussed um where maybe students that have been bullied um maybe are bullying can can get together and it be a studentled um uh anti-bullying campaign. And then also we would like to see a couple times a year when the student body at large gathers things like assemblies, pep rallies, um things of that such and making sure that we continue to constantly um voice the uh importance of anti-bullying. Um number two would be our evidence-based prevention. Um, this is uh something that's already going on at the elementary schools as you can see. Something called
037step two is currently in place, but we'd like to see this actually uh implemented uh by grade level um involving all grades. Next slide, please. Moving on to stage three, touch points. Uh touch points, all grade levels, bullying touch points. We want to make sure that when students go to see guidance counselors, uh disciplinary hands, um one of my uh uh part-time uh places of employment is over at the Lynchburg group home and sometime in the detention center. We get a lot of truency and you'd be surprised how many kids are not going to school because they're being bullied. Um so we could really put a curve in uh into our truency numbers by addressing bullying. Um let's see here. Uh interventions uh identify systems by actually tracking bullying in uh incidents. Um starting out
038with elementary check in checkouts, making sure that we have social skill groups. Um also moving towards the middle school restorative circles, mentoring programs, making sure that we're offering uh these services. And the goals would be to identify those who have frequent incidents in bullying behavior and those that are targets of bullying. You know, the repeat offenders, we we have to make sure that they understand um uh why they may be bullying and those that are being bullied. Um identifying those students as well. Once students are identified, they move to an individualized support and inter uh intervention system. Moving on to stage four and this is our support strategy uh section where uh we have individual support systems. Uh we already uh have counseling and wraparound services. So we just want to make sure that those
039services are still out there support kids who are bullied and just continue to address bullying behavior. Uh number two is uh something of a new recommendation where we have functional assessments and intervent interventions and really digging into understanding um why and having a behavior plan for those um that have been a I guess a perpetrator of bullying um repetitively. Um and then uh you have your other support systems like schedule changes, modifications um and school restrictions, things like in school suspension, um after school programs and uh different uh recesses for those that can't play well with others, um changing lunch tables, community service, restorative circles, and different things of that nature. Next slide, please. And pretty much right now this is uh almost at the end and we just want to review uh a few
040of the slides and let you know that in elementary we have a check in checkout. Um there's actually a recommendation um document that has some websites and uh we'd be more than happy to get those to you if you haven't already. So you can take a look at some of the data um where we pull that data from from the elementary level. Um and just making sure that we review uh all the four stages that we just talked about um continuous uh evaluation and enhancement of the adaptive approaches utilizing evidence-based and national resources promoting those studentled uh prevention groups um putting it back in their hands. Um I'm a firm believer of of of um you know that constant reminder and making sure that uh students understand that uh bullying is just wrong and uh
041reminders during school different things of that nature and uh next part is any questions? Yes sir. Um, one of the things that was mentioned was electronic bullying, social media. Have we seen any improvement since the implementation of of the governor's bailto bail cell phone ban? Has that shown any improvement in electronic bullying? So once you all implement that uh survey, we'll get that answer. Okay. Yes, sir. Yes, ma'am. So, you said that you work with kids that have that are the bullies. And I was wondering, do you see um when you work with them, do they does this mostly come from an emotional response to something or something that they've seen a relative do, so they think it's okay because it's done within the family unit? So, I work with youth that have been bullied
042that are the bullies all across. Um, and to be honest with you, it could be all of the above. Uh we have uh students that you know they may have saw depending on what area of town they came from um they may have seen a murder that night before they may have went to bed hungry. Um they may not have you know whether it's an economic issue a socioamic issue um you know living in poverty different things of that nature. So they may be bullied because they don't have a certain tennis shoe on or they could be bullying because of things that they do see their parents do. Um, we see adults get on social media and argue with each other and beat each other up. So, you know, I'm a firm believer that, um,
043you know, kids learn from from from learn behavior and whether that's positive or negative, that that's what they're going to do. So, it's a little bit of all that. Okay. I was just wondering. Yes, sir. Before me. No, go ahead. Um, I noticed that there's a lot of uh attention to the bullyer and I know that has to be stopped and it probably should start there. I'm also concerned about the situations that were brought up by Mr. Gileio that um there are victims whose u I don't know if it's being addressed. I didn't you didn't spend a lot of time talking about what is u being addressed for those. I know that there's an you mentioned intervention. they're separated, segregated so that they can have support groups. U I'm concerned about long-term longl lasting effects
044on the victims. Yeah, good question. And and and and that brings me to another thing. uh you know being a member of the SHAB um this is kind of like an int introductory um that's why we really uh want to push this survey so we can really collect some data and then we can move on to more long-term um uh actually investing in and making sure because as you said there there's a there can be a long-term effect um on those students and and being able to identify those students and get them the help they need whether it's wraparound services different things of that nature counseling Um, and just making sure that we're not letting them slip through the through the cracks cuz bullies can get over it quicker. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Thank you.
045Thank you. Um, one of the reasons the board asked for the school health advisory board to look at this is because last year we did um a survey of our own. You know, asking both students and and teachers not just about bullying but looking for um impediments to learning that they observed in the classroom. And bullying was something that came up in particular when we heard from students. They complained a lot about bullying. And um I've always wondered about whether students really understand the precise definition if sometimes teasing is interpreted as bullying. You know, it can really be upsetting to someone if they're teased, but that doesn't meet the technical definition. And maybe your survey will help us understand whether students um recognize the difference or not. Um so that's just a comment. Secondly, um
046what about when we if we can identify a perpetrator, someone who's causing the bullying? Uh in my experience as a young person, those who bully are the least likely to respond to suggestions about what good behavior should be. you know, they often just scoff and roll their eyes. Um, so what I'm wondering about is what can we as the board do through our um disciplinary procedures and our student expectations of student behavior to address those who cause bullying against others. And I don't know if you really put a focus on that so much. So maybe I'm just again raising an issue. If we can identify it's this student that's doing it to that student, what do we do? Yes, sir. With the one who's causing it? Yes, sir. And and that's a good question. And
047and and if you ask me, that goes even beyond bullying. Um whether it's, you know, um you know, fighting um students that constantly, you know, a student that has 30 referrals, there's something going on and and a reason why um they don't understand that their behavior is issues. So, um, whether that's, you know, building a profile, which, you know, some people may not be a fan of that, but I mean, uh, how else would you identify and get down to the root cause of what is the reason and the rationale behind that student and their behavior. And so, um, you know, I'm I'm not the biggest fan about, you know, exping or expulsion unless it's necessary. Um because again, as I say, a lot of the the the youth that I work with, they do
048have a lot of issues and being able to drill down and figure out what those issues are is is going to be the key. Yeah. There's probably in those cases the students individual background they're acting out because of something else in Yes, sir. And if we can help identify that and help them with that, then I wish I could share some of the harsher stories, but you probably have to. Well, let me let me just say thank you personally for what you personally have invested in the children who've had a hard time with this stuff. I know you put a lot into it and I think we're grateful. I've had some sleepless nights. Yeah. Mrs. library. I was just going to say I hope the kids being bullied can or I'm sure they're being encouraged
049but in their lifetime that they can take the negative and turn it into a positive cuz I know for me being bullied as a kid cuz I was so much taller than everybody else so much sooner. You know, as a teacher, I cut the bullying immediately in my room. It just didn't I said we will not have that. And that was personal because I'd been through it. So, I hope kids are learning you can take this negative and turn it into a positive. I hope so. I hope so. I hope so. Anything else? Yes, sir. Okay. Now, just a question. What initiatives have you developed or are you developing that will address bullying from these students that you're that you're talking about? Uh so I uh me personally um so I mean I've um you
050know I'm a member of the 40 ways coalition um which that was started um due to gun violence of the murder of Kingston Campbell. Um, so I'm, you know, heavily involved in in the um community. A lot of the students, um, and or youth rather that I work with at the group home, um, after they leave or move on, um, especially after they you have to be careful with that. Um, but, you know, once they become an adult, I still follow up with them, talk to them. Um I oftent times I I take uh the youth to church on Sundays and um I have a guy right now he'll he'll he's no longer in the group home but he still continues to come and meet. Um he just text me uh the other day telling
051me about um some of his uh academic improvements and different things of that nature. M um there's a a place out in Winhurst where uh a lot of the youth um in a a living program that move on from the group home live at. So I'll go through there, check on them, different things of that nature, spending my own time and money. Oh, thank you. So what what I'm hearing is that we as a community, the more involved we can be we can be with with these young people, that's going to help to decrease decrease some of that. You know, I you know, I my dad grew up uh in White Rock Hill, graduated from Dumbar in the 70s, and I hear about um all the neighborhood um you know, how if one kid knew
052this kid and another adult would would uh you know, you might get three or four spankings from three or four different people. and um to to to look at today's society and see how um our elders are kind of in their own and um staying at home watching Netflix and and not as involved is um is a little upsetting but um I can't I can only control myself and I definitely would like to see more community involvement um from from everyone um depending it doesn't matter which uh community you come from whether you live on White Park Hill or you live in Boonesboro, everybody can pitch in. Mr. Cho, thank you. I like the presentation overall. Thank you. And uh I am supporting in support of this survey. Who came up with these questions? Uh
053the shaft did. The shaft committee. Okay, very nice. Um are you also familiar with the Autumn Bushman uh bullying incident? I'm sorry. Again, say that again. Uh, Autumn Bushman was a girl who committed suicide based on bullying in Rowan Oak. In Rowan Oak, yes. Yes, sir. Uh, the um um I guess it was WGBJ7 actually came to one of our coalition meetings right after that and we did interview about that. So, yes. Yes, sir. I'm aware. I'm not aware of all the details and all that good stuff, but um there were a lot of suggestions by parents and and those um you might want to look up and see if there's something that can be added or implemented in your program. Otherwise, I would just say that there's a lot of discovery language in this
054presentation. And I think that that should be about 10% of the I call it a program because even bullying is not a new thing. It's old. It's right. It's it's common place. And so you don't want to reinvent the wheel, but it is customized to the individual and to the school and to the century. So it's good to have some discovery of exactly what's going on. But in order not to reinvent the wheel, I think 80 to 90% of what you're doing should be oriented on taking what works elsewhere and implementing it here. So as much as possible, you could orient this work that we're trying to do towards actionable steps right away because it's not a new thing. Yes, that would be great. I agree. And uh we'll we'll continue um if because this
055a lot of this is driven by by you all and what you want the school health advisory board to do. So uh with your blessings, if if as the next year rolls on, um if there's something else we need to address, that's fine. Um but we'd like to continue and uh we really would like that data um to be you know looked at from the survey so we can actually have something to go along so we can tailor it you know to Lynchburg city and then also pull um from you know places in in in in the United States or other states um that that that things seem to be working. What month will you get back to us? So, we're actually on break, but I I never take uh any day off. Um I
056I and I um I believe we're supposed to work with Dr. Wooda, some of us, on something. Um but uh we what do we uh we uh continue is that the start of the school year, the SHA starts up in August. Well, so depends on when the board votes for we we're without a leader right now. So um we are requesting new board right members advisory board members and um so once that comes in then we'll have to get the names to the board so when they vote the vote the new members in we'll meet we typically have met in August starting in August and go through May but my understanding is those names won't come to you guys till September so that pushes our first meeting back till September. Well, so that's going to
057be up to the new newly reconstituted board to to move quickly on making those appointments. Yes. Yeah. And forgive me for not knowing it's my first year on the board. I just tend to dig in once whatever I'm involved in. I appreciate that. Yeah. One question. It's probably more for Dr. Copeland or staff. is that do we have an IRB process for some kind of survey like this to make sure it's you know questions aren't triggering and that definitions are are clearly spelled out? Yes, we do. It's not as refined as a full-blown IRB, but we do review things like this for consistency and okay purpose. Thanks. Okay. Well, thank you very much and thank you all for your time. All right. The next section on our agenda is the public comment section. Um, we
058just have one individual signed up to make public comments. Um, I don't know that I need to read through all the language about dos and don'ts. Um, I'll just ask Mr. McCain to come up and speak to us. Thank you. Come ahead. Good evening. Good evening. In October, we met with the academic committee and some members of the school board and we presented a lot of information that we felt was very important. Also, we made some recommendations during that meeting. Since that time, we have not heard anything in your board meeting avert any of the comments that we made. So that's why I am here tonight. First of all, let me with the achievement gap. We've been talking about that for years and it's no movement at all. Matter of fact, I haven't heard the
059board discuss that at all. Let me just go down. 23 24 SOS third grade only 36% of black students pass compared to 76% of the white students that was below the state average. The state average for black students was 53%. That was in English reading math. Only 43% of all black students in the third grade pass compared to 81% white students. We're talking about the achievement gap. Fifth grade students English reading black 23 24 only 48% pass. The state average was 58. White students 83% pass. The state average that year for the state for whites was 81. So we did a lot better than the state with the white students. Math fifth grade only 39% of the black students pass compared to 52% with the state. White students 71% the average was 78. Eighth grade
060English reading only 41% of black students passed that year 23 24 compared to 58% state white students 80% pass equal to the state average math eighth grade math only 27% of the black students pass state average was 48% % white students 42% the state average was 74%. So all we're seeing the same percentage starting in the third grade all the way through that's what we're seeing so math and I can understand 2021 which I don't understand rather only 17% of the black students passed that year and if you go across the last three years 21 22 35%. 22 23 36%. 23 24%. So now we're talking about all the black kids in the whole division and listening at the numbers and yet we are not talking about those issues. That was the math scores. Reading
061scores 2021 only 45% of the black students pass. 2122 only 49%. 22 23 45%. 23 24 45%. Those are some of the things that we shared with the academic committee and with the few members of the school board that was present. students graduating on time. Last year, 23.7% of the black students didn't finish on time. And I asked the board member what was the followup for those students, and they didn't know. 23.7% did not finish on time. chronic absentee. 23% of the students missed over 18 days. 23% of the students missed over 18 days last year. behavior in 2021-22 9,135 behavior referrals in 20 oh 2122 in in 2223,635 students referrals behavior the number is going up instead of coming down. Thank you Mr. McCain the allotted time and 23 24. What was that? Your
062allotted time is elapsed. But listen, this is important. We've been talking about this for years. That's right. So, I'm not going to sit down until I finish doing this. Uh, Mr. McCain, excuse me. Please, please honor our rules. Yeah, but that's the problem. We've been going over this for years and this board has not responded. So, I'm not moving until we do something. We need a commitment from this organization. Mr. McCain, you were appointed to all these kids. We haven't heard anything at all on what you're doing to close these gaps or to correct some of these behavior problems. Your time is So, so what was that? Your time is up, sir. Okay. Then set a meeting. Then the only way I'm going stop is that you set a meeting so that we can discuss.
063Mr. McCain, you have been welcome at all of our academic success committee meetings and you have heard the conversation. They have not done one thing. They have not made any proposals at all that we could change this. Mr. Mr. McCain, your your time is up. Please sit down. Don't make this more difficult than it is. Please, Mr. McCain, please respect our rules. If you want to be heard again in the future, you need to respect our rules and sit down and we need to board to do things and put things in place to correct some of these problems that we are dealing with. And that's what we're asking. saying set have a special meeting so we can discuss some of this with the bullet. Have you emailed us with this all these data points? I'm
064sorry. You're not supposed to be talking. You're not supposed to. Yeah, we're not. These are some very important issues that need to be Mr. McCain. Do I need to call the police? You need to sit down. You are in violation of our policy. You have been asked multiple times to sit down. Are you going to defy that? And and Dr. day. I've been standing here since 1998. Mr. McCain, we have heard of these kids. We have heard your points. Set up a date and we are not insensitive to that. Set up a date then so we can get together and discuss some of this. That's all I'm asking. That's all I'm asking. I'd be glad to sit down. Set a date so we can all get together and sit down and discuss these issues. No,
065we can't. I'm sorry. You can't talk. We're done. Thank you. The public comment period is over. Okay. Would you respond to what I just asked? It's against our policy for us to respond to specific questions raised in the public comment period. I am not going to violate our policy. That's your That's your That's the policy of the Lynchburg school. I understand that. Let's just set a date so we or say that you would meet to set a date and I would say I will. But I can't walk away with you not responding. All I'm asking you is set a date so we can get together. I'm prepared to move that Mr. McCain be barred from any further comments. Discussion of the motion. No need to discuss. All in favor. M. Uh, Madame Clerk, please call
066a role. Mr. Connor, yes. Mr. Gillio, yes. Dr. Day, yes. Mrs. Preston, no. Mr. Depal? Yes. Mrs. Lauri? Yes. Dr. intensely. Yes. Motion carries. You are now barred from future public comment. That's okay. So, we're going to do have black kids like that. Just bar people when they down here speaking the truth. I'll take his place. Even Roman Cunningham. Dr. Robin Cunningham. I'll take his place cuz I believe in We got to think about what you're saying, Dr. Day. You born somebody that's speaking the truth. You listen to the bullying. I never did hear anything from y'all to ask, "Was any of this mental?" But you won't take his statistics, but you would do what you want to do. So, I'll take his place the next time. And you can put my name, Reverend Dr.
067Cunningham, and you can bomb me from here, too. Because this is getting ridiculous. We supposed to be thinking about all our children and we coming with you with concerns, but you sweep it under the rug. So, I'mma walk cuz I don't want my wife to bail me out of jail. Why? All All I'm asking for a separate meeting. That's all I'm asking for. We are done with public comments. Next item on our agenda is the close session. Do I have a mo motion to go into motion? Second. Any discussion on the motion? Okay. Madame clerk, please call the role. Mr. Connor, yes. Mr. Gillio, yes. Dr. Day, yes. Mrs. Preston, yes. Mr. Depal, yes. Mrs. Lori, yes. Dr. Tinsley, yes. Motion carries. Okay, we're going into close session. [Music] Hello everyone. [Music] Hey you. Hey.
068[Music] Hey everybody. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Come on. Come on. [Music] Hello everybody. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Wow. [Music] Wow. Wow. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Hey, hey, [Music] Hey, [Music] hey, hey. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Hey, hey, hey. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Hey, [Music] hey, hey. [Music] Bye-bye. Hey. Hey. Hey. [Music] Hey, hey, hey. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat [Music] up here. [Music] I wonder. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] motion. Second. Okay. Madam clerk, please call the role. Mr. Connor, yes. Mr. Gillio, yes. Dr. Dy, yes. Mr. Depal, yes. Mrs. Lori, yes. Dr. Tennisley, yes. Motion carries. Okay. Now, we need to certify the close session, but because I was somewhat flustered when we met into close session, I failed to read all the appropriate
069language. So let me state for the record what the purpose of the closed session was so that we can duly certify it. Purpose of the closed session um was to discuss as permitted by Virginia code 2.2-3711A1 the discussion of assignment appointment promotion performance demotion salary discipline or resignation of specific Lynchburg city school personnel. So, the board vice chair uh now moves that the school board certify that in the closed meeting just concluded nothing was discussed except the matter or matters specifically identified in the motion to convene the closed session and lawfully permitted to be so discussed in the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act cited in that motion. Amen. I'm in second. Okay, madame clerk, please call. Mr. Connor, yes. Mr. Gillio, yes. Dr. Day, yes. Mr. Depal, yes. Mrs. Lori, yes. Dr.
070Chansley, yes. Motion carries. Okay. Um, so next we have our consent agenda and remember that an additional HR report was added to that. Um, so do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda? Motion second. Second. Any discussion? Okay. Uh, call the roll vote the vote, please. Mr. Connor, yes. Mr. Jill, yes. Dr. Day, yes. Mrs. Preston, yes. Mr. Depal, yes. Mrs. Lori, yes. Dr. Tansley. Motion carries. Okay. I'd like to now give the floor for a moment to Dr. Copeland. Thank you, Dr. Day. uh a few personnel assignments to uh introduce tonight. But first, I want to draw attention to an organizational restructuring within the Department of Teaching and Learning, which will introduce two new leadership roles for Lynchburg City Schools, the director of elementary education and the director of secondary education. This
071shift reflects a renewed emphasis on academics and student success while streamlining administrative functions. The first announcement on personnel is that Sarah Campbell will be the director of elementary education. She comes to us with 25 years of experience in Lynchburg City Schools as a teacher, an elementary school assistant principal, a coordinator of extended learning, the current supervisor within elementary education, and the future director of elementary education. For the director of secondary education, Terrell Fleming will join us from Prince Edward County. He comes to us with 15 years of experience as a teacher uh curriculum specialist in social studies, coordinator of K12 social studies, supervisor of curriculum instruction, uh and look forward to him joining Lynchburg City Schools in July as the future director of secondary education. Additionally, have two principal uh announcements to make. The first
072is that Miss Renee Anderson, who has over 30 years of experience in Lynchburg City Schools and is currently the coordinator of preK and the Virginia Preschool Initiative, will take over as the principal for the newly formed TC Miller Academy on July 1st and she will head up uh our other prek academy. um 30 years of experience. There's a lot of things that she's done, but I'd say early childhood and elementary education is her forte, and we're thrilled to have her take on that leadership role at TC Miller. And lastly, uh Dr. Jesse Turner, who has over 30 years of experience uh mostly around Albamar and Charlottesville, uh who has been a high school principal at several schools, a middle school principal, a director of student services, will join Lynchburg City Schools as the principal of
073Fort Hill uh to lead that program. uh his decades of administrative experience and working would challenge students uh is the right fit uh for Lynchburg City Schools and Fort Hill as we move forward. Uh this is a momentous night for Lynchburg City Schools to name four of these administrator positions. That's all I have. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Um next is the finance board. Good evening, Vice Chair Day, members of the board, and Dr. Copelan. Thank you for the opportunity to address you. I am going to be extremely brief in my comments. Um so this evening you have before you the April 30th, 2025 month in financials. As of April, it marked the 80 uh 83.33% of the fiscal year passing. The percent of revenues collected versus original appropriation was at 72.43%. I can uh
074attest that we have had a trench of revenues come in towards the end of the fiscal year. So I anticipate that 72.43% to uh increase in subsequent reports. The amount of expenditures versus original appropriation is at 78.43%. When you include incumbrances into those, it equates to 98.6%. We have a handful of notable variances. Um the majority of those notable variances are due to outstanding encumbrances which will most likely work their way out um in the subsequent months. Uh one is in classroom instruction. Other uh that has to do with purchase services and materials and supplies associated with school-based programs. Um one's in uh function 1200 classroom instruction. um that has uh exceeded 124% due to expenditures and incumbrances related to personnel salary and benefits. Um function 2200 attendance and health services personnel has used 147%
075of uh the budget that's mainly due to incumbrances. Um and function 3400 vehicle maintenance and service has expended 138.6% 6% of its budget and those uh are incumbrances related to the everdriven technologies contract. Um so this provides safe student transportation solution. So um that's not really one that we can uh adjust uh accordingly. The next is uh function 4600 security services. It has used 132.5% of its budget and those are related to purchase services for raptor technologies and sonnetrol. Um function 8,100 technology classroom instruction has used um 221.6% of the budget. These are all related to the learning textbook software and other learning experiences. Those are the expenses associated with um the reserve that we received from city council at the beginning of this past fiscal year. So those expenses are catching up with us.
076Um on the statement of revenue that you have before you, the state, federal and local revenue collections are 77.7 um8% 41.90% 63.1 respectively. Miscellaneous charges for services are ahead of the target at 182.91 and 99.12. Um the monthly uh summary report for insurance uh the April 2025 versus April 2024 year-to- date balance of health insurance costs um have reduced by 61.8% and that's the direction we would like for it to go. Um, and then April 2025 ended in a positive position. Um, taking in $152,633 more in receipts than we paid out in dispersements. So, that's positive news as well. Otherformational items, Brown Edwards auditors will be here uh the week of June 16th through the 20th. The finance department has work been working steadily to make sure we are ahead of the game um in
077our audit this year and to and they are starting the FY2025 annual audit process. We in addition have finalized some uh Laurel audits that needed to be um uh um processed out and we are also starting the Laurel FY2025 audit um in in about approximately two weeks. So fast enough. I will entertain any questions that you have at this time. Anyone have questions? I have one. Sure. Well, how are we looking? So, we have some um accounts that are over budget. Yes, sir. Are we looking total? Are we going to come in at or below our projected budget or we going to have some issues we need to work out at the end of the year? I I I believe that we will finish the year in good standing. Um closer than any CFO is
078comfortable with, but I I believe we will finish it in good standing. Now there are a lot of audit entries that are made after the auditors are here that could uh make adjustments accordingly but from all intents purposes looking at our revenues versus our expenditures um we we're going to come in in the positive at the end of the year. Yes. Good news. Any other questions? Thank you very much. Yes, sir. Thank you. Thank you. Um, next is on finished business, budget discussion. So, I'll give the preamble and I'll turn it over to our chief financial officer. Uh, as you know, city council is still deliberating and discussing. Uh, the governor's budget is solid and we know what those numbers are going to be. Um, we have to present something and we need to get
079a budget approved uh so that then we can start the process of uh getting contracts out to employees. Uh, as you know, this is the last week of school and folks are going to head off to the beach and have their vacations. Uh so tonight we present you a budget based off of what we expect the outcome to be that we will receive the $2.7 million of additional funding from the city. Should that change sometime later in this month then we will of course come back to you with amendments to the budget to shift funds around or to stop funding certain programs. uh we have have developed about four separate courses of action on things that we could present to you to say if we do if we do A we'll save this amount of
080money if we do B we'll save this amount of money if you aggregate those two uh so we think that this is the safest and best approach at this point um everybody else in central Virginia has issued their contracts uh and we have had a few people that have uh decided to join other divisions in the past couple of weeks. So, uh, the goal of getting a budget approved is so that we can get contracts issued and get folks, uh, locked in and focused on next year. I will turn it over to our CFO to present the numbers and dazzle you with our knowledge. It's me again, Margaret. So, Dr. Copelan succinctly went through everything that I have on my list to report tonight. So the the the forms that you have before you are
081actually the forms that the city provides to us um as a component unit to fill out and submit back to them. So we will bring you a more expansive awardwinning document of budget document later on after we are sure what the uh revenues are going to look like. we don't want to put all the work into creating that award-winning document and then have to come back and change it all. So, the the documents that you have in front of you are what was submitted um to the city's uh city manager's finance office. Um for that, as U Dr. Copelan said that we these expenditures are based on an anticipation of two uh an increase of 2,711,756 over prior year's allocation. Um, all intents and purposes, we're expecting a positive outcome on those expenditures, but we
082do have mechanisms in place. um should that amount be lowered that we can come back and do amendments and change um those revenues and we have identified some expenditures that even though it will be challenging to to to reduce those expenditures there is a way that we can present you with a balanced budget should the city um choose to reduce our allocation um as Dr. Copeland said we are um doing this in advance of the city as adoption because we have to get the contracts out and so there's a a a lot of things that a lot of moving parts and so we wanted to make sure we had um the school board's okay and adoption so that we can move along and move those parts. Um so uh the budget you have before you
083tonight um not only provides for benefits, salaries, purchase services, um maintenance operations, all of those things. It also includes um what we have been discussing. It includes a 3% increase across the board for all staff and the associated benefits. Believe it or not, the associated benefits are almost as much as as what the salary increases are. So, we always have to take those into consideration. Um, it it includes the $50,000 a year for teachers, classified teachers. Um, and it also includes uh the raising the limit for $17 an hour for for hourly employees in this budget. One point of clarification, it's 50,000 for starting teachers that are certified. Correct. Differentiated from classified teachers. All right. Correct. Classified teachers are 90% of the starting certified teacher salary. That is correct. So it also um includes some
084increases for operating costs like utilities um things of that nature. Um it and it includes in the expenditures here 17 permanent building subs and 10 bus aids are budgeted in here as well. So I'll entertain any questions you have. I have one question. Yes sir. Um I notice that grant revenues are going down this year. So can you uh summarize for us? So that is a loss of the CARES funding. Okay. Um, so we we do not have those revenue sources anymore. So that's why those have decreased. Okay, that makes sense. I realize it's extra work, but have you thought about plan def if we have a windfall? If somehow or another 31 comes in a party, a party, there's always a need. Um, and so this budget gives you our basic needs. There are
085needs that we cut cut cut to get down to the basic needs. So what we would do if we were blessed with said windfall is go and get um those cuts that we made to get down to this baseline budget and absolutely incorporate them back in. Okay. I sincerely hope that city council sees the difference between the bare bones and the cuts. So or without the cuts, right? So to know the difference, if we're the only ones who see it, it doesn't make an impact. It has to be shown, has to be demonstrated somehow some way. Thank you. Now, at some point, we need to approve this. I'd love for you to approve it right now. Okay. Motion. Second. Okay. We have a motion and a second to approve the approve the budget. Discussion. I
086think they've done a great job of getting down to what we need. And if I mean, we did a collaboration, you know, committee, so they know we need it because if we are if our hand is forced one way or the other, um, we will have to reapprove it, an adjusted budget later. But as of right now, Yeah. Um I don't we have that option. We always have that option. Long as we have that option and I'll be supportive. But we got Okay. Well, the the motion has been made and seconded. Is there any further discussion? The motion is to approve the budget which has just been presented. Not hearing any further discussion. Madam clerk, please call the role. Mr. Connor, yes. Mr. Gill, yes. Dr. Day, yes. Mrs. Preston, yes. Mr. Depal, yes. Mrs.
087Lori. Yes. Dr. Tinsley. Yes. Motion carries. Okay. Very good. Thank you very much. Next, um, we have our special education action plan. Uh, it was presented to you at the previous meeting. Miss Burks is here if you have any questions, but we do need a vote on that uh, to make it official uh, as part of the laws and code of Virginia. Right. So, there's nothing new. We're just asking the board for its formal approval. Okay. So, motion to approve. Second. Okay. We have a motion and a second to approve the special education action plan. Is there any discussion? I'll just say none. Uh let's have the vote. Please call the role. Madam clerk. Mr. Connor. Yes. Mr. Gillio. Abstain. Dr. Day. Yes. Mrs. Preston, yes. Mr. Depal, yes. Mrs. Lori, yes. Dr. Tinsley, yes.
088Motion carries. Okay. Um, so we're on to new business. New business. Uh, yeah, my I've got two versions of the agenda in front of me and they don't agree. Um, that's why I'm hesitating. New business. um the the ESSA applications I think is what's up next. All right. As part of every annual cycle, uh there are groups of uh title uh grants uh that need to come to you to be approved. Um there's a there's a laundry list of those and you some of you that have been on the board before are familiar with doing this every May or June. Uh Dr. Davis is here to do the intros and we have many pieces of the team here to answer any questions should you have questions about specific components of the grants. Dr. Davis, good
089evening members of the board. Uh I will try to be brief in statement. I'm asking again um just like Dr. Copeland said it will be two items that this will be first read and asking for approval on. Please ask any questions when you get toward the end uh that you may have and we do have several members of our team here that will be able to assist me if I am not able to answer it in some type of way. So again, this is a brief uh annual overview of the purpose and intended utilization of funds based on the antic anticipated allocations and remembering that we're using aloc um leveled funding um from the fiscal year 25. So the brief overview goes over each title. Uh we'll start with title one and the purpose of
090title one and the funding which is improving the academic achievement of the disadvantaged. That purpose overall is for all children significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable and high quality education to close the educational achievement gaps. We are still working very very hard at that and have discussions uh very frequently and have just met with several members of the state to go over some of this title funding and allocations. Next slide please. So how we're utilizing that funding is through our division our for division level will be staffing parent and family engagement which we know needs to increase and we'll continue to work at that and advocate neglected and delinquent set aside and professional learning opportunities which we firmly believe in. That school level is staffing and parent and family engagement. So the title 1D
091subp part two is prevention and intervention programs for children and youth who are neglected, delinquent or at risk. The purpose of that uh subpart is to provide educational and support services for identified students who are considered neglected, delinquent or at risk. The anticipated allocations are at the bottom of each slide and and there for your review as well. How we utilize that at the division level or how we intend to. Again, you can go to the next slide. Thank you. Oh. Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. So again, um, purpose of that is for those educational and support services for identified students. Next slide, please. Um, so some of that is for stipens for see if I'm on my game today for stipens for hourly academic teachers and tutors. Um and that's in addition to
092a lot of the work that we're doing um through allin tutoring and some other components contracted services for mental health medical dental and equestrian uh therapy that we're currently doing as well. Title two is prepping. So the preparation, training and recruiting of highquality teachers and principles. We are firm believer in actively moving on that. Our team did a wonderful job a couple of weeks ago talking about TNTP and training on that and we want to keep the ball rolling. uh in the future. And the purpose for this in the allocation is support programs to increase academic achievement by increasing the number of qualified teachers in classrooms, increasing the number of qualified principles and assistant principles in schools, and increasing the effect effectiveness of teachers and principles by holding school divisions in schools accountable for improvements
093in student academic achievement. Projected allocations are listed there at the bottom as well. And we are continuing to work with all of our staff and all stakeholders for that increased highquality instruction that all of our students deserve. That is again going towards staffing. If you've not seen a trend to make sure that we have uh individuals in schools and throughout the division, professional learning and the equitable participation of private schools and you will see that bulleted throughout um as we work through our title um allocations. Title three is specific to language instruction for uh ELLL for our English learners. That purpose is to provide effective approach approaches and methodologies for teaching for those English learners. Um projected allocations are listed there. We do use those title three part A funds for stipens for work outside
094of the contracted time for ESL and that's both elementary and secondary. We have a wonderful coordinator in Kenneth Burroughs who does a lot of work uh with us. He goes above and beyond. Supplemental software and services that are needed, professional development that is very much needed with increasing um population, supplemental instructional supplies and funds to support parent and family engagement and outreach. And he has done a wonderful job putting that together uh throughout the year as well. We just had a cultural uh cultural night um in early spring uh that was very well attended by um our community. Title four part A is that student support and academic enrichment grant. It's to the purpose and we'll go through this um in detail is access to a well-rounded education. So that's again for all students to
095improve school conditions for student learning, improve the use of technology in order to improve the academic achievement and digital literacy. The anticipated allocations again are listed there based on level funding. And to go a little bit more in depth, next slide please. Uh well-rounded, we have uh categorical funding. Well-rounded has to have a minimum of 20% of those allocations. Safe and healthy students, a minimum of 20% and technology has no required minimum. So we do have some flexibility uh but still need to meet these guidelines in the required categories for this. We use our title four funding part A for staffing needs, professional learning and equitable participation of private schools. Are there questions regarding title? Yes, sir. Yeah. In that first group of disadvantaged students, what specifically are we going to be doing to address?
096I know we just made some changes relocating the two subgroups of students that I know have been struggling and the parents are far from do we have any targeted um comprehensive plans on how we can bring those kids up? Yes. Can you um can I ask a a followup? And when you say moving the two groups, what what groups are Birchwood and Okay. And the Bricks. Perfect. Was on the news the other day. Perfect. Got them closer to home. Thank you. I I wanted to make sure I answered that appropriately. Yes sir. Uh in part of the reorg that Dr. Copelan alluded to, there is an overall purpose and goal. We're actually meeting with the state and have a lot of partnership with the state so we can stay ahead of what's coming. Um one
097of the things that has been discussed is highquality instructional materials where you allowed the adoption of that for literacy for K through 5 last year. We're looking at uh that adoption for all core content areas K through 12 moving into next year. So, we're going to be busy looking at textbook adoptions across all content areas to provide that consistency and continuity for our students. We're looking at our interventions and our supplemental materials that we're currently using. We're collecting data to see if they've been effective in practice, providing more training for our teachers, providing more training for our administrators. We're in the school building a lot more frequently for observation. So, there are several pieces that we've implemented and we're excited about getting feedback from our new uh superintendent that's coming in so we can implement
098some of those pieces as well. But we are we are extremely excited to continue to update you monthly and I mean really excited to tell you what we're doing um and how that's working. That's the goal is to provide more data and to be more inclusive in practice uh with all of our departments to ensure that we're meeting the needs of all of our students moving forward. Yes, ma'am. Um I have a I have a statement and a question. statement is thank you for everything you just said because I think that will answer community issues like Mr. McCann brought up and when and now it's time for the community here to hear will you you look forward to seeing some results of what the community is concerned about like what's the time frame that you
099would logically expect to see something logically when you're implementing and making the changes that we've made um I logically we're looking at a one to threeyear uh depending on implementation and I I again I will never stand before you and not be a realistic in practice ractice. We are hardwork and I would love for us to flip a switch or do a program and it happens overnight. That would be my goal. But I honestly too believe if that were the case, a lot of people around us would be doing the very same thing. Our kids o are owed and deserve great quality instruction. But we have to figure out, which we've been taking the time to do, where those gaps are. And it doesn't need to be a pointing of a finger or um an
100excuse for what we're doing. There are no excuses here. Our students deserve the very best and that means that we work that much harder, roll up our sleeves and get to the core of what we need to. That's highquality instructional materials and that's training our educators in how to comfortably and confidently deliver that material. And I know we're getting there because some of the things that are on the horizon that we've seen just in the last four months of implementation, we have seen growth from the individuals who have truly bought in. And because we've seen that that has been that has trickled down and say, "Oh, I can really do this and I can adopt it and move forward." We're putting great individuals in place that are gonna that are going to help to move
101that needle instructionally, but understanding there are more parts to a student than just the instructional component and providing that climate that's going to help them grow and succeed uh for everybody. Yes. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Yes, sir. Any other questions? I I saw a a list that had zero for about seven private school involvement. How is that going to change? Um I I will allow uh Miss Christy Compton to speak to the private school involvement. That is not something that I dive into specifically. Um but I can ask her to come up and I I asked her to go print signature pages. So she scrambled over to her office to print those. Well, I apologize. I didn't even look behind me. I was on the side and look and see if she's she
102was back there. Um but they do I I will speak to what I do know on it. Um they do have the opportunity to participate and to um send in how they're utilizing funding and their funding sources. So they also have to take advantage in participating in I've kind of perceived that it just seemed like because it's zero of seven that uh there wasn't enough promotion or enough emphasis that this is available for you all if you all want to participate and this is our duty. This is part of what is uh allocated. So why aren't you involved? Do we have any survey we could send to them? Find out why they're are there reasons? Are they just do they miss the deadline? Um I I can well and we can ask Christie to come
103up and speak to this as well, but I do know that they do reach out and have conversations. I have been very much part of that is speaking to the zero out of seven for the private school participation. What was the question? I can feel restate it. I'll be glad to help you. Let me restate the question. I noticed that even though we have the allocation available for private schools to be involved with what we have here, there is zero out of seven who chose to participate. Do they have reasons there? Actually, the seven schools do participate in title two and title four and one school participates in title three. So, are they seeing the zero or seven because this is next year's application and therefore um it depends on the there's for title one
104part a there's none that participate right now because we have a bypass. They in previous years got the funding directly from the state. We were one of the 14 school divisions that were part of the bypass. So, they did get it. They just didn't get it directly through us. And going forward next year um for 2627 we will have to allocate funds for that. But the other ones we've always been the physical agent. So they've gotten it directly from us. So I think that's the difference. Well, allocate from this what we have here. Yes. It's a formula based on how many students they have and how many students that we have. So you basically it's automatically calculated it uh per pupil allocation. So if we have 7,000 students and they have 1500 students, we each
105get an allocation. So they get the allocation based on the number of students that they have. So they get that. And right now we have um I guess six schools that participate with us um for private schools and they're all physically located within the city of Lynchburg. With title one it's where the students are located but with the other ones it's where the um facility is located. So like James River School, New Covenant, New Vistas, VES um Liberty Christian Academy and Bridges Treatment Center are the ones that participate now. Thank you. Thank you. You're welcome. Thank you Miss Sorry about that. I just stepped out. Okay. If Are there any further questions? Um, this is an action item. So, do I have a motion to approve? Motion. Second. Second. Okay. Any discussion of the motion?
106If not, Madame Clerk, please call the role. Mr. Connor, yes. Mr. Galileo, yes. Dr. Day, yes. Mrs. Preston, yes. Mr. Depal, yes. Mrs. Lori, yes. Dr. Tensley, yes. Motion carries. Okay. Um, and I see you stayed at the podium because you're next on our agenda. You can go away. Literacy plan update. Yes. Thank you so much. Um, and I know that this seems like a pretty extensive document, but I do want to point out that I was here about a year ago. actually went back and watched the board meeting um that we did for this presentation and told you we'd be back in about a year because we would need approval for um grades four through eight. So, this is our all-encompassing addition and add-on. Um and again, we'll need approval for this as well
107or seeking approval. And this is our K8 literacy plan. I will focus on as we go through our slides on the highlighted red areas because uh of the previous approval just so just so you know what we have added on. Okay. So again this is revolving around the Virginia literacy act just to give an overview for everyone that is supporting the science-based reading research. Phase one was focused on K through three. That's what was approved last year and I am happy to say we have made great improvements and seen great results from that through our student reading plans. Um and we did discuss some of that with the academic success committee. Phase two is what we are seeking approval on and that's grades four through eight. overall goal is to prep our teachers for the
108alignment of science of reading and that'll be through our vow screener, our K8 evidence-based literacy curriculum, um K5 core, and where we're at for K8 supplemental. Next slide, please. So, last approval was on June 18th, uh last year, and we are seeking approval for the K8 focus, um for this school year for the 2526 plan. These are the members who have participated up to this point. Um, and we know with some changes, uh, that we will have to revamp our division literacy team and some of that reorganization will be included. Uh, some of those individuals be included in the updated division literacy team as well. But these are the participants that we've had over the last several months up through May when we completed this. Uh so we've had a lot of stakeholder input and
109made sure that we were very inclusive in practice of um getting feedback from others. Again, this is our literacy vision. I won't go through and read each piece, but just highlighting the areas that we see as high quality and the needs of our students in the areas of reading, write, writing, speaking, and listening. those high quality instructional materials that science-based reading research evidence-based literary literacy instruction and a focus on vocabulary knowledge and skills across content areas. So, focusing on professional learning, which we have done a great deal of this year and plan to continue uh with that goal into next year. And we want to take a a little bit more of a scaffolded approach. We know that uh there are going to be different areas of need for incoming teachers who may not have
110been when we're talking about K5 or the 68 when we get into that core instructional material who may not have been and may not feel like they they have a a great knowledge base. So we want to make sure we provide that training but we also want to build upon the training that we've already given to uh several of our stakeholders within the division taking documentation and resources across the board. Um I am struggling here with the slides today. Feedback mechanisms. We're continuing to collect feedback and leadership advocacy. Our PLC's are important. say the professional learning communities. Uh so fostering those professional learning communities, we understand the importance of that and have had a great deal of conversation around that even with some individuals from the state which we have appreciated and some outside stakeholders
111as well recognizing and celebrating the achievements and I am excited looking at some um some data that's coming in. I'm excited to be able to report on a lot of those areas specific uh K through five and want to continue that as we work um six through eight and inclusion this program instructional integration across the board and ongoing communication channels are very necessary. Uh we are a firm believer I'm a firm believer in transparency. Uh again no excuses. We just want to continue to get better day by day year by year for our students. We didn't change anything as far as our plans for comprehensive communication because we've seen great um great improvement in these areas, but we understand al also that we need to continue to improve in these areas as well. So, keeping
112up with social media campaigns, feedback channels, parent engagement workshops. We've done a lot of work with our uh websites and updating our literacy corner. So, you will see a lot of that coming um in the fall as well. same selection process for the high quality instructional materials. I won't go through and read each one of those pieces for you, but uh recognizing the core instruction, supplemental, and intervention instruction and how we're utilizing that. Core instruction is essentially our tier one across the board. Supplemental is providing that small group and sometimes one-on-one um for those tier 2 needs. So, it may not be for all students. in intervention instruction is that onetoone and it's a very systematic and explicit evidence-based instruction that's aligned to science-based reading research. So again, those extra scaffolds that are needed for
113our students. Our core five is listed here um for K through five benchmark advanced supplemental materials are all listed there. We have changed nothing as far as that goes. We will have access again to Lexia next year which we are pleased about and have seen some uh great gains from that. So this is is where our primary discussion is our six through eight literacy instruction. HMH and TLET is what we use uh and and we'll continue to use that. HMH has been a great partner with us and has actually offered to update our materials for us um at a very very low cost with the updated standards. So we're extremely pleased with that. our supplemental instruction. Again, uh we're utilizing and they're they're coming up with some great features and enhancements. Uh Lexia will continue
114and no red incest one on here for everyone. Um but that is at a no cost for us. There are um there are it is a free resource for us. The intervention uh component will use Lexia power up. We have seen great movement in that as well. So, as we're ensuring Virginia Literacy Act evidence-based research training utilizing HMH, we've already been in contact with them. They're coming in coming in to provide training um again in a scaffolded approach. They're going to do so at the division level to ensure that we're able to provide a consistent message, do that with our administration and into our coaches, literacy specialists, and our educators as well. Lexia will provide training um throughout starting in the summer through the fall. I Excel is a continuation of training. I believe our
115first round will be June 12th through our um leadership conference, no red inc. And then we have our VL ongoing for VA and VP um training for that the canvas modules and courses. The addition here um for 6 through 8 is the DLP canvas and non-canvas course modules. So just as we talked about last year, those Canvas courses are essential. Uh and that's across the board. So depending on what is taught, our resource teachers are actually also taking those um those Canvas courses. They're just in a a non-canvas module. So it's not as in-depth as those that are teaching literacy, but it is across the board for all of our um all of our stakeholders. When we're talking about training, we're continuing Lexia letters training volume one and two. We had success with that. Lexia
116letters for administrators. Uh K8 supplemental materials and intervention. What we've added and what we're very excited about is a lot of work with BDOE to ensure that we're on the right track and TNTP that comprehensive literacy network which will stretch K through eight and that training will actually begin June 12th. um and working with collaboratively with our principles who have already been uh through that first phase of TNTP and letting them really advocate and communicate what's worked well and what they've learned from that. We have a strong relationship with VP, the literacy coaches there. So, we're very excited to continue that. We actually get visits and they come in for PD um throughout the year and and we're excited about the continuation there as well. the monitoring student assessment and program or progress. We heard
117you loud and clear before. There is a lot of assessment going on. So, we're trying to scale that back. So, the only thing that you will see added here um and we're actually doing some um some different considerations as far as assessments that we are researching and we'll bring back to the table to potentially reduce even more. But the only addition you'll see is vows because that will be a requirement for four through eight. It was just specific for K through three last year, but including that four through eight with this plan. That'll be fall and midyear again. Um, and I'm very excited to to discuss at a later time the growth we've seen with the student reading plans from the beginning of the year who was identified at a high risk to who has
118moved into that me that moderate or medium to a low risk. Um, so I'm very excited to share that moving forward and very hopeful to see the same results um with additions to staff reorg and structure um talking about for the middle school in the upcoming year. Division common assessments are quarterly and that's grades six through eight in the class for classroom teachers and we will be working on those common assessments and that will be developed from our HMH materials. So nothing outside of the scope, nothing in addition to what they will be seeing with the core instruction materials. Mentioned student reading plans a couple times. They'll go uh from K through 3 to K through eight and we'll provide training on writing on those plans. We have worked uh very closely with Chuck Yarra
119throughout the year to develop a more robust system of of how we get that information out and how we're keeping up and tracking uh data and we provide feedback on those student reading plans as well. Our team looks has looked through those this year and we'll continue to do that through next year as we're getting people on board for K through eight. the engaging parents, caregivers, and community. We'll just continue to to do that as an extension from our approval last year for K through five. With your approval this year, we would do that K through eight and start to touch into some of those community partnerships even into the high school as well. get it. Yeah. Okay. I got a bunch of questions after him. Absolutely. Absolutely. I'm ready. Yes, I have. Well, we
120I think at our work session, we were introduced to T NTP. TNT. And it was in five of our schools. Yes, sir. And it was first through fifth or in those five schools it covered from K through K to five. Okay. Yes, sir. So, and now we're rolling out everything to ACE and we're also gonna tie this teach NTP, which I was very impressed with, by the way. Um, so we're going to be bringing that to the other six elementary schools and through 8th grade at the middle schools. Yes, sir. Okay. Is that Yes. I believe that builds continuity and consistency for expectations and high quality, rigor, and relevance that comes with that and just an approach of teaching us what we need, teaching our administrators as well and helping them walk that road of
121what do we need to see and how do we identify when we need to provide feedback and what's the quality of that feedback provided as well. and to have a streamlined process of what it looks like to go in and do an evaluation or observation and know what that truly means. It's important for our teachers to know too when they get feedback what that means and how to apply it. Okay. Um, and I must have missed this on the title. I was thinking that other title one, but anyways. Um, is there a plan in place in the title one for the title one some of those funds to be used for children who are struggling in math? Because I know we brought that in the academic success committee. So, will they take time to focus
122on math as well at least one or two days a week? Because I know teachers have been saying we need more help with math. Yes. So and we've even looked at our structure for allin um just so we can give some time back to students who are struggling. Um so not again we don't want to get to the place where we're just remediation remediation remediation. We want to provide that grade level material but we also understand that they need time during the day to do that. So whether that and and honestly we're looking at things and that needs to be in some science areas as well. So title does our title plan and we'll go through that in our division plan as well through the updates but that's all encompassing. Uh we know history needs
123to be touched as well. I'm not leaving that out on an island by itself um by any means, but that title funding does go to our science or math and our reading. Okay. And then the literacy coaches will I know in some schools it seems like they've been stopped pulling kids and then some teachers say they need to pull more, but when it comes to pulling them um one can we get back to coaches because I just saw coaches in here. That's what brought it up to my mind that they pull and but pull on like phonics, grammar, comprehension. It's not really reading. It's just phonics of f well they probably do a lot of phonics already in the classroom, but definitely grammar and comprehension, you know, understanding and then and then how like the
124structure of our language is set up at the kindergarten, you know, at the very low levels. So that was my other concern thing. And then also I saw when the community the college help that we talked about before and when Liberty presented and other colleges I know come in and help with the tutoring. Is that how's that planned going forward for um for the in the community centers and stuff like that. I just saw that on here and it so we're excited about that. When we when we did the roll out and started to have those conversations it was at the cusp of winter break and then getting kiddos back in. But we've been very much in touch with local colleges and universities and they're excited to continue that plan. It's just it's just the
125process of getting the hours that they'll go in, but they've designated time to us and restructured the way that they even do their practicum hours to allow the students more time in outside of the normal school day hours to go into community centers. So, that is on the agenda to be revisited. We want to do that because we want to catch our kids wherever they are. Okay. And then my last one was, oh, that take-home literacy kits. I was wondering, is that something that could be for your struggling kids to be on a mandatory rotation? Like they take it out and they take turns taking it out, but if they're struggling that much, maybe is that a possibility or is that a costly thing that that's not able to be done? We actually delegated some
126title one funding um this year to send home literacy uh kits with all of our kiddos. and we did it up through a specific grade and then we said why stop there? We had a little bit more so we so we provided more and um these ladies back here handpacked those um one by one. So I'm going to ask Miss Campbell to actually come up and and tell you what was included in those take home kits and how we utilize the title funding and we had it listed as resources. Sometimes I don't we don't go in as much depth of what we did but I'll ask her to come up and explain that. All right. Hi. Good evening. Good evening. Um, so yes, we had a lot of take-home kits that were packed by myself,
127Courtney Bennett, our literacy coaches, instructional team. Um, and inside we did OG in a bag. And so they had all the bags packed. Yes. Um, so we had actually had gotten those purchased from um um and they had um cards in there, they had letter cards, they had sand, they had all all the things to build the strategies there. We've also done um and then our literacy coaches put together videos for the parents so that they were able to follow those. Those are posted and so they're able to do the activity, watch the video and then know how to take, you know, a book that they're reading at home. Hey, I can extend and do. That was a start that we did this year and we're looking forward to be able to do more next
128year. Now, have you gotten a response back from parents on I can ask the literacy coaches. They are just now doing their title um ones parent surveys and so those are some items that we get back with them on the survey. So we'll definitely check in on that. All right. And congratulations on your new position. Thank you so much. I I have one more question. It might be for you too. Um do we have anything going on like in pre before school in the morning or in after school programs especially at our schools that are struggling the most. Yes. Okay, I can answer to that. So, um, one of the things that we have done, well, we've got some funding coming from our TSI and ATSI school. So, we actually had some afterchool things going
129on this year, um, all the way through the spring and are still continuing as we're prepping some teachers into next year. But one of the things we did is survey our schools and say, "Hey, this is how we're doing all-in tutoring. Is that working for you or do we need to do something else?" We got an overwhelming response that we'd like to do some before and after school. So, we're going to do an addendum and do some reallocation of the all-in funding to allow them to run some before and after school programs. And we'll take data on that as well um just to provide those tutoring resources along with um some people call it wind time. So, that time during the day to get extension. So, whether that is a remediation or an intervention, it
130might be an enrichment or an extension for students too because again, we want to grab everybody. It doesn't need to look like a a a one one trick pony type of deal. So question is that do we need buses for that in the morning or are the parents responsible for that in the morning or afternoon? We would provide transportation if it's in the morning but our kids go to school so early. We have seen that um a lot of people are requesting the afterchool and we already have we either set up transportation for our elementary schools that we're using uh we're utilizing that and we use funding for that um and got approval per the plans and a lot of that's based off of EBI so the evidence-based um instruction and interventions and strategies but
131our we are utilizing our activity buses in the afternoon. So, if they're already out and running and we've got kids staying after school and doing things, we're utilizing uh that transportation method as well. That's good. We don't want to put it on the parents. If we want them there, we want to help them. We want to try every possible way we can we can provide that for them. Excellent. Well, let me compliment you because it seems like you have tried to do every possible way to to close the achievement gap to make sure that all students are learning to the best of their ability. and I know that you have been working with some other organizations and and uh folk here in town that are willing to help um in that endeavor. So, congratulations and
132keep doing what you're doing. Thank you, ma'am. I appreciate you. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. All right. Uh does this need a vote or is this is this just for information? It needs a vote and I would love it if you would vote on it. One quick thing. I have, this is not the only presentation I've noticed this in, but you'll um you have definitions of HQIM, high quality instructional materials. It'll explain that and or give a definition for core instruction supplemental this and that, but not for the background of Lexia or HM, HMH, uh benchmark, what DBells is, uh no red ink in the one he mentioned. Um, so I like anacronyms. It's good to have just the u the tidbit about each throughout the document, but somewhere in the beginning or
133the end. I would think a little bio for these things would be very helpful for us in the public. A glossery. A glossery. Yes. Where they where these came from and and what what they've done. Maybe a sentence and Sure. Just like you do for the other things. Thank you. Absolutely. Um and if you notice on the side, they do identify what uh the state has appro. what's approved essentially by the state and how their category is represented. So in explaining the core supplemental and uh intervention that's that tiered approach. So that's what they fall into. But I am more than happy to bring back uh and let you know what specifically they address because it could be um in some cases it could be phenemic awareness, it could be vocabulary, it could be emphasis
134based off of scarbur's rope and what they're um what they're covering and how that ties to our SOS as well. So I'm happy to do that. Perfect. Last thing, you are you writing big checks to these uh places and things or sending uh inquiries to um or invoices to our CFO? How does that work out with all these monies? No, sir. I am um I I pride myself on being very costefficient. I didn't I didn't come from a lot of money, so I value um I value money a great deal. And I also want to make sure that anything that we spend is going to overall support our students overall in the best way possible. Most of the resources that we're using we're not paying for. Um we we had Lexia and Zern uh which
135were two of our platforms that I've mentioned. Lexia specific to literacy, Zern specific to math, but there was no cost for that. No red inc has a free um I would call it a trial but there is a a free intro to that and um what is covered as far as the intervention components that is covered in the free trial. Uh Lexia and Zern will be offered to us again next year. There's a strong possibility we're waiting on some funding sources that that would be fully covered. If it is not fully covered part of that addendum would be to utilize the all-in funding. So it would not come out of anything operating. Sounds great. Okay. Um, can I have a motion to approve the updated LCS plan? So moved. And second. Okay. Any discussion? Madame
136clerk, would you please call the role? Mr. Connor? Yes. Mr. Gillio? Yes. Dr. Day? Yes. Mrs. Preston? Yes. Mr. Depal? Yes. Mrs. Lori? Yes, Dr. Tans. Motion carries. Thank you all so much. Thank you for all your hard work and your team. Okay. Um, next on our agenda is school board member reports starting with um the governor's school, Mrs. Lowry. Okay. And I think I gave that last time. Nothing Nothing new to report. Nothing new. They meet again in August. Okay. How about the Laurel Regional School? And the only thing I was going to report Miss Jamie's already reported on. So, it was the audit. So, we discovered there was supposed to be an audit given and it wasn't being given. Okay. Very good. Mr. Connor, STEM Academy. STEM Academy. We had a um year
137end um STEM Academy board meeting on May 18th and and a director's report. Um the enrollment for 2025 26 has been established. Um for the senior, we have 27 students for the class of 20 26. for 202526 school year. Here are the number of senior seats by division. Ammerst 4, Appamatics 1, Bedford 8, Campbell 7, Lynchberg 7. Um junior class for 2526 for um 2526 the number juniors by division. Ammerst 4, Appamatics 2, Beford 8, Campbell 6, and Lynchberg 9. Um they had internship partnerships. Um and they had a presentation some awards that were given out. Um the pre presenting sponsors were BWXT and Frammatone. Supporting sponsors was Electronic Design and Manufacturing, Delta Star, K&DS, Master Engineers and Designs and a corporate sponsor AMTI and Liberty University School of Engineering. There were internship um there
138was a senior banquet and award. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend it. Um but they had a senior banquet and awards. Um presenting sponsors were Frammatone, BWXT, Delta Star, Lynchberg Regional Business Alliance, and the corporate sponsor AMTI. Um, some of the award winners were Cole Height from EC Glass, um, Bryant Maddox from Rusber, Maline Shelton from Brookville, and Nicholas Shelton from Alta Vista, and Abigail Carpenter from EC Glass. So, two award winners from EC Glass. Ryan Perurdue was also from EC Glass, an award winner. Um, the metriculation of class of 2025. Um most every student either went military or to secondary higher education. One is going to Bridgewater, one's going to C five are going to CBCC. Thank you, Dr. Tinsley. Um, one's going to George Madison, three going to James Madison, I'm sorry,
139George Mason, one three to James Madison, one to Liberty, one to Iowa State, one to Newmont, one to Randolph. University of Tennessee gets one. University of Virginia get two. US Air Force gets a student. Virginia Technical Institute gets one. Virginia Tech gets 12 of the STEM um academy students. and William and Mary gets one. Um, spring 2026 internships will be 12 for meatronics. Cyber security will have seven students. Health science will have eight students and um there will be a vet placement at um Ridgand Ridgewood Animal Hospital. Um and we also have a proposed meeting schedule for 2526. We have went over the financial report. At the end of the financial report, there was a fund balance of $10,67562. Um there was a fundraising that was given with several donations from um many local companies.
140Um Frammatone, Master Engineering, Liberty University, BWXT, Delta Star to name a few. Um, and we had some scholarships money that was raised by CTA Consulting for a total of $11,800. Um, um, went over strategic plan and I won't bore you with any more, but we had a very comprehensive end of the year STEM Academy board meeting. Okay. Very good. Thank you. Um, but I'm not done with you. How about the facilities and finance? Not the the report. Um, we are scheduled for a meeting on June the 10th where we're going to go over two two major issues that um, Mr. Copeland is going to love me for, but um, we're looking forward to June 10th. Okay. Uh, legislative advocacy and community relations committee, Mr. Julia. We have our next meeting on June 17th, 3:30 p.m.
141right here in the building. Um, we don't have too much on the agenda. I believe it's our last meeting and I'm looking for volunteers to bring sweets but uh also we uh we'll just discuss a couple of the items that we want to um perhaps transfer over to next year so that the next year's makeup of the board or the committee will have a good basis to go forward upon best practices. Okay, very good. Thank you. Academic success committee Mrs. Lowry. Yes, we had a meeting. Um, so everybody knows in the community and everywhere else, we have the uh math adoption and government history books upstairs. So you're welcome to come up to the administration building, look at those. There's a feedback uh pamphlet um paper there now. So you can put feedback on that.
142So we encourage people to come and look at that. Also, I checked in with our business partners, emailed them today. I had one response um that um the pamphlet that we were um put out in the academic success committee last year um focusing on the green section where parents from birth to the time that their children enter into school um to focus on these learning activities to help level that field and bring them up a little bit that are struggling before they get to school. So, um, some, so the one I heard back says, you know, they haven't heard anything back, but they've given them out, but I was just going to make it a a plan on my part to check in every six months to see if they need anything or, you know,
143how it's going, stuff like that. So, that's what I did today. Um, the new SOS came out, they come out in late summer. So, um, there's probably over there, those are the only two haven't seen it. That's math and language um, scores by school. So um from the beginning, middle and end of the school year and then also we had the vows data and um if you guys pass that around I put the percentage at the end it says risk. It's from K through three. Um it you want that percentage to be high because that means how many children are not at risk because when we first read it we misunderstood it. So that I wrote on there the risk that's high percentage. You want it to be high. That means less children are at
144risk. So that's what that means when you look at that vows. So um and also um Mr. McCann when he was with the committee and he was on here we just want to let him know that we did look into a program he talked about but it was uh not financially feasible for us and there were some other things issues that were going on with it. So in another state, so it wouldn't be a fit for Lynchburg City Schools, but we appreciate them attending and um that we did hear them and what they were saying. Also, um let me see. I think that's pretty much it. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Uh partners in education, uh Dr. Tinsley, yes, meetings are still suspended right now. I think they're going to try to have another meeting June
145or July, but they've been suspended since April. So, nothing new to report. Okay. Education foundation, Mr. Depal and Mr. Julio. Nothing new. Nothing that I have on the agenda. Okay. And uh last is the student discipline committee. We don't always have a regular reports from the student discipline committee, but I ask that this be put on the agenda. And there is a document attached to this. Um the committee had just asked for some summary information about the number of discipline referrals that we've had this year and that's attached. Um uh the public can find it if you want to look at it by going to the agenda on board docs. It's attached and all the board members have access to it. I won't go over it in detail. Uh just a couple highlights. the the
146total number of referrals this year is rather high. Uh it's over 12,000 which is more than the number of students in our system. So it's clear that uh there are certain cadre of students who are generating a lot of referrals. Uh but it is down from last year. Last year it was less by maybe uh somewhere between three and 400. Uh the interesting change which might not be a surprise is that the second highest type of referral this year is for personal communication devices. And that's because largely of the change of policy that we made in January, which if you've been following the news is now state law. It's not just a recommendation from VDOE. Um there's uh also uh lists of how many referrals each school produced and I did ask for a breakdown
147specifically of the cell phone uh referrals uh by school and that's on the third page of this document. Um and it's clear that the vast majority of those are at the two high schools. um uh almost all of them in terms of percentage are coming at the high school. Uh so I'm not quite sure what to make of that. Is that mean that in the future as the students that come through the middle and elementary schools that are uh more accustomed to being without their cell phones will have an easier time of it at the high school. High school students have been having to go through a transition this year of moving from a more lenient cell phone policy to a more restrictive one. Uh time will tell about that. And the last page of
148this is something I threw together myself uh just thinking about how many cases actually came before the student discipline committee this year. I went back through board docs and looked at every single meeting and counted the cases that were posted there and the total since last July is 142. That's 142 individual hearings each of which takes about a half hour involves the three student discipline committee members as well as uh the principal or often the vice principal principal from the school uh the student students parents and usually some student services staff. So that's a tremendous amount of time spent on dealing with um severe with students who have rather severe um behavior issues. Um now I just wanted this information to be available to the to the board and to the public. The other thing
149I wanted to say is with uh the board with the student discipline committee's consent, I'm trying to put together um a document sort of summarizing how we handle student discipline cases. Um the number of people that are devoted to uh handling them. The way I've been phrasing it is if all our students were perfectly well behaved, how many people do we not need that we currently employ? So, I'm trying to get a an idea of how much dealing with student behavior problems is costing us in terms of personnel specifically. And Dr. Brown was kind enough to meet with me yesterday and help me sort out uh what some of the numbers are that that I can put together. So, I'm working on that. Um, my goal in that is to hopefully educate the public and
150maybe members of city council who don't always see how much of our how many of our personnel are here because we have to deal with students who are having behavior problems. I don't I think it's an underrecognized aspect of what we do. So, I'm working on preparing that and hope to have that done by the time I'm no longer on the board. Um, so thank you, Dr. That's my report uh from that. Um, next item is superintendent comments. Dr. Copeland, I'll be brief. It's that time of the year. Uh, and May 27th, Laurel had their graduation at 6 PM. Uh, Lynchburg City Schools had two graduates. I was there and my doctoral robes to, uh, congratulate them and present them with their, uh, diplomas. Uh, and as you know, our high schools graduate on Sunday.
1512 p.m. is Heritage, 600 p.m. is EC Glass at the Vine Center on the campus of Liberty University. I hope to see you all there. Uh, it's always a great event for graduation. Uh, and we look forward to how it's going to come out in this new uh, arena. Uh, I do want to extend a sincere thanks and appreciation for all Lynchburg City Schools employees out there uh, as you come to the end of the school year. Uh, I don't know that they hear it enough. Uh, kids are getting ready for the end of the year. Parents are getting ready to figure out what to do with their kids over the summer. Folks are planning vacations or looking kids are looking for summer jobs. But it takes a huge team to get this school year
152pulled off and uh you get introduced to just a small number of the educational professionals that make up Lynchburg City Schools. Uh, and I'm not going to try to list all the different categories of important employees. I just want everybody to know that you are important. You are valued and I greatly appreciate everything you've done over the 2024 25 school year to get us to this point. That's all I've got. Thank you. Thank you. Uh the last item uh before we adjourn is just summarizing uh upcoming meetings facilities and finance on June 10th. The discipline committee will meet uh again to what we call a data review meeting where we sort of look at an overview of what we've been doing this year. Uh and it won't surprise me if there's a few more cases
153that we have to adjudicate. Um legislative advocacy and community relations June 17th our next school board work session. Uh also June 17th that will be the last meeting of this board in full before it's reconstituted at the beginning of July. Um the academic success committee meets June 24th and then next iteration of the school board has its reorganization meeting on July 1. That's when the next school board chair, vice chair um are elected and uh just the reformation of the school board for the next year will begin on July 1. Um that is it. We are completely Mr. Vice Chairman, did you take off board comments from the agenda? No, I just overlooked it. My apologies. My apologies. Um we'll start with Mr. Connor. Board comments. Thank you um Dr. Day. Um first I want
154us to thank Dr. Copelan for coming in at a very critical time this school year and really helping us out. Um I know it was a difficult thing to step in um with the early retirement of our former superintendent and you stepping in and really u I think you did a great job and appreciate you being our interim superintendent. Also want to thank all of the educators at our schools, our custodians, our bus drivers, our groundskeepers, like you say it's a lot. um our food service, security, PTO's. I mean, it's a lot of things that um have to come together to really have a successful school year. And I'm really looking forward I'm so excited about the things I'm hearing about our future academic programs because I think it's going to answer some of the
155questions that came up earlier in our meeting. Um I'm it's unfortunate we can't respond directly to but I hope that um if they continue to watch the presentation from our um our our new um deputy superintendent for um instruction that they will see that we are going in the right direction and we really look forward to our new superintendent um coming July 1st. I want to thank um Miss Day as the um school board clerk and all the work she does. um our CFO, we appreciate you and your your con your um you know, I get nervous every time we get ready to go over those um financial documents, but I appreciate I want you to know you appreciate it. And um I don't see her is Dr. Pew and um the our new um
156deputy superintendent. I just want to thank everybody. I want to thank the other board members for um we worked together. We went through some difficult difficult things and we worked through them without ending up on national TV and I want you this year. So I just want you to know I appreciate um working with you all Mr. Cho. Uh yes, thank you. I'd like to also thank our highly effective superintendent, interim superintendent for his work and his updates, sharing uh the details behind his actions and uh keep just keeping us in in constant communication with LCS. It's been been a blessing and I thank you for your service. ditto with the others uh from what my board fellow board members said. I would also part in particular like to bring out a special thanks to
157Calvin Knight. After 40 years of service, he is retiring. And I did not hear his name. So I want to bring out Calvin Knight. Thank you so much. 40 years is tremendous a tremendous impact upon generations of children and uh I will also mention uh Kenneth Riley and Elizabeth Taylor 29 and 25 years respectively. Thank you so much. It is a tremendous gift to have the staying power to serve so many children in so many classrooms over so many years. It's it's incredible. So, thank you for that. And to the board, I'm going to thank you for your service, of course. Very good working with everyone. Um, not relatedly, but I am going to send this HR report to city council as I suggested I might do to give them a little glimpse of what's
158going on over here. In case the squeaky wheel doesn't get the grease, I'm going to make sure it squeaks just a little bit. Um, in a future meeting or two, I may bring up that uh we are we have a a potential uh way to implement our every student by name and by need for a Spanish-sp speakaking kid who was uh promised to go to I believe it was Heritage Elementary and and then uh had to be changed to Sanduski Elementary, but there was an issue with the zoning that uh when the child moved here was covering a particular house, but then it was changed in the discussions of why things were um changed. And I'd like to bring that up perhaps in the future if if need be. Uh and finally, the last two
159things, I may also bring up our seating arrangements uh as an effective way to um to move forward in the future. I may do this um in the next one or the following uh meeting. and not necessary, but to re-emphasize to the gentleman who really wanted us to make a decision about something. We are not allowed, we are not permitted to speak to the speakers during public comments. I'm not sure he understood that. It's part of our policy not to respond uh to that. And we it could be done a better way and a meeting can be set up at another time in another fashion but the effort would fail from the beginning that he tried to do and I wanted to make sure he understood that there's no interaction between us and a speaker
160of the public uh during public comments and uh I thank the board members for uh reminding me of the details behind these kind of things. So, thank you again. Um, I just want to echo um my thanks to Dr. Copelan for his leadership uh through the last several months since we uh needed an interim superintendent. I'm very pleased that we were able to find him. I'm very pleased with the job he has done. I'm also very pleased with our selection of the next superintendent. I think we're all very optimistic about what the future holds and uh thanks to all of you in the many ways that you've contributed. Preston, I'm not going to repeat everything that other people have said, but thanks to all of you because this has been a challenging year to say
161to say the least, but you've stepped up. You know what more can you say? So, thank you. Your turn, Mr. DeFaul. Again, not to reiterate, but uh it's been great. Looking forward to all the other great things we're going to be doing. Just looking forward to more challenges. I just want to say thank you, Dr. Copelan. Um you've been very forward, Frank. You've stepped up to the plate and you have done a fantastic job and we couldn't have asked for a better interim. So, thank you. looking forward to our next superintendent and like you like uh Nepal said all of the positive coming through the academics. So looking for that. Congratulations to everybody in their new positions and thank you teachers. I visit all my adopted schools this week and just said have a good
162summer. So thank you everybody for all you're doing in every department. We appreciate you very much. Have a great summer. Dr. Tisley. Yeah. I just think uh tonight was a great object lesson for us, the public, everyone who may have viewed this meeting tonight. Um 16th century philosopher Rasmus, I won't quote his exact quote, but he basically said, "Don't whip yourselves up into a frenzy until you have all the information." And I think we saw that tonight. Things kind of got whipped up in the beginning, but then as the meeting went on, Dr. Davis, I want to thank you for the, you know, you just very clearly articulated how we are attacking this achievement gap issue. I want to thank you and your team and I want to thank Miss Lowry and and the curriculum
163committee and all that the work that you're doing to close that achievement gap. Everybody around this table in this room wants that gap to close. We we all have that in focus and everybody's working on it. Even when we're not talking about it, we're working on it. So, thank you to everyone for that. And again, Dr. Copeland, I've told you before, I think the work that you've done in task organization, that's a military term, but arraying the forces of this building, as it were, to to put uh the right people in the right places to do the right work is going to be a definite legacy that you leave behind for the upcoming next superintendent. So, thank you so much. Thank you. That's all I have. Now, is there anything else on the agenda I
164have overlooked? I'm looking at you to tell me if not the adjournment. Oh, okay. We are ajourned.