001[Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Hey, honey. [Music] Meeting is called to order. Is there a motion to approve electronic participation by a school board member? Motion. Second. Madam clerk, would you please call the role? Mr. Connor, yes. Mr. Jalo, yes. Mr. Andrews, yes. Dr. Gupta, yes. Mrs. Preston, yes. Mr. Tal, yes. Mrs. Lauren, but she should be here in a few minutes. Yes. Carries. Dr. Day, you're good to come, sir. Welcome. Pledge of Allegiance, Colonel U. Ensley. Join me in the pledge of allegiance, please. I pledge allegiance 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. Is there a motion uh to approve public hearing and work session? So moved. Second. Is
002there an amendment to the Did we do amendment here? Yes. Is there we have to amend the agenda for make a motion to uh amend the agenda. Amend the agenda for the HR report which comes in has some changes. Is there a second to that motion? I cannot disclose right now what the changes will be announced. Madam cler, would you please call the motion to amend so we can add the HR report, amended report to the agenda? Mr. Connor, yes. Mr. Gleo, yes. Mr. Andrews, yes. Dr. Day, yes. Yes. Dr. Da, yes. Mrs. Preston, yes. Mr. Depal, yes. Dr. Chansley, yes. Motion carries. Now, the main agenda with the amendments is on the table. Would you cl call the role? But the main agenda is on the approval now. Okay. Mr. Connor, yes. Mr. Julio,
003yes. Mr. Andrews, yes. Dr. Day, yes. Dr. Gupta, yes. Mrs. Preston, yes. Mr. Depal, yes. Dr. Jans, yes. Motion carries. Thank you. Next one is the public hearing uh repurposing TC Miller Elementary School for Innovation. Mr. Connor, will public comments. Okay. I have several people for public comment. Um, Eric Proing, Eric Prosting, remember? I need a copy of it. Read the bottom of it. Okay, here it is. Before you start, persons appearing before the school board will not be allowed to campaign for public office or promote private business ventures and should not use profanity or vulgar language or gestures, make comments about a public official or an employee that are not related to their official duties. engage in behavior that disrupts the meeting or intimidates others or address the school board on issues that do
004not concern the services, policies, and or responsibilities of the school board. Individual speakers shall limit their comments to three minutes. A speaker representing a group shall limit their comments to five minutes. The representative shall identify the group at the beginning of their presentation. A group may have no more than one spokesperson. A total allotted time for public comments at school board meetings is 30 minutes. Public comments are reserved for the public to provide input. The board does not respond to comments, answer questions, or otherwise engage in discussion at this time. Go ahead. Hello, my name is Dr. Dr. Eric Probing and I'm here to support TC Miller. TC Miller is a special place. It's a special place because of the people. It's a special place because of the mission as a school for innovation and
005Lynchberg's only elementary school for the performing arts. and anyone who went to see the musical this past weekend and saw the amazing job by the kids leading the way on the stage, handling the lights, costumes, props, all done in community at a level that you don't often see in many middle schools can attest to the fact that the results are really truly astounding. These opportunities to perform are unique to TC Miller kindergarten on building confidence in these kids, my own kids included. It exposes them to different ways of learning that has benefited them tremendously. It has been connected in many different ways through activities into stream and other ways of learning maths and sciences and innovative ways with wonderful teachers and an outstanding principle. It's designed to be a place of learning that is perfectly
006connected with the structure in which it takes place. Both small enough to care for its students and big enough to make an impact across the entire community in a way that's truly unique and prepares these kids for great things. As my youngest prepares for kindergarten next year, I like many parents across the community want TC Mil Mill Miller to continue to be a special place. Those here today with so many others across the district believe we should support our students by continuing to support Lynchber's only elementary school for the performing arts. We should not take away something that works very well. And TC Miller has done just that since it was established as a school for innovation over 30 years ago. both for those who are zoned and close to home as was the case
007for our family and for those who apply each year from across the district. This is a school that deserves to stay. This is a school for innovation that works and that we should be proud of. It should be given the resources it needs to thrive and remain a key pillar of our primary education in our city. We should be investing in our schools and building them up rather than threatening to shut them down year after year. TC Miller is one of the best elementary schools in our city for a reason. We should support it. We should be proud of it. It's a school for the students. It's good for them. It's good for our teachers. It's good for our community. And we ask that you you please save our schools. Support our schools for innovation.
008Support what TC Millers has been for decades. A school for the performing arts that matters and helps our kids soar and do amazing things. proof of which was just shown this past weekend at a musical that dared us to dream and showed us that anything is possible. Thank you. [Applause] Next we have Leticia Rodriguez. Beth Pard. Hi, my name is Beth Pard. I have three children in Lynburg City Schools. I have a second grader, a sixth grader, and an eighth grader. I have a a student who went to um Bedford Hills Elementary School, one who went uh halfway through Bedford Hills and then transferred to TC Miller, and my youngest has been at TC Miller uh from kindergarten, first and second this year. Um I am so impressed with TC Miller. What a wonderful program.
009I hope you all have had the time to um go and check out this school since you've been talking about closing it down last year. I assume everyone has had a chance to go and tour the building, talk with the students, talk with the teachers, see what's different about that program, see how mentorship between older teachers, experienced teachers and new teachers um has created a a seamless system and how the enriched education uh at the school of innovation um makes a difference in how kids learn and how they enjoy school. um student retention, students attendance, right? We we want to keep that up. Uh teacher retention, we want to keep that up, right? Let's look at the models that are working. Let's look at the school of innovation. Last year, I stood here, I asked
010you all to be thorough and thoughtful when making decisions that affect our community and our school system. Are you doing that? I'm asking because we're at the same exact position. I don't know um if you all have reviewed the comments from the public over the last year when we all stood up here and and made our our speeches and talked to you about our concerns. Um I' I've already made them. I hope you have reviewed those comments from last year when we're approaching the same decision to be made. Um have we looked at what the costs are for renovating a 100-year-old building for a different purpose? What do you need to do to make a preschool? What changes need to be put in? How expensive will that be? More expensive than just maintaining the building
011for its continued purpose, I'm pretty sure. What will it cost to bus children, preschoolers from across the district? Have we surveyed families to see how they feel about sending their preschoolers by bus um outside of their zone? My kids went to preschool around the corner because I had a babysitter who I didn't have to worry about them putting car seats in. They could, you know, just walk them. Um, something to consider, what are those costs going to be? What's the big picture? Uh, I also was told last year when we had these discussions that we would have our school of innovation somewhere else. I knew that that wasn't true, that we weren't going to be able to pick up all the same kids and teachers and put them in another building, but are you just
012going to scrap the whole concept? We still have Darington, and I do think we should continue to invest in Darington, but another school for the for innovation. I would be great to see the program in all of the elementary schools. Please, again, I implore you, be thorough and thoughtful. Thank you. Please keep TC Miller [Applause] Andrew Ham. Andrew Ham. Hello, my name is Andrew Ham. I went to TC Miller my entire time in elementary school. I would like it if you guys considered repurposing TC Miller. I had a lot of fun and amazing memories when I was there. I also made many friends, almost all of which I'm still actively friends with, such as Samuel Boswell, Lucas Snder, Kyle Davis, Malia Webb, Coleman Bradner, and my sister, Alexis Ham. I think TC Miller would be
013more influential to these kids than any other elementary school in the area. I think this for many reasons. One of which being TC Miller is the only elementary school in the district with an active theater program, which would help students decide if they like theater. It made me decide I love theater and I'm still actively doing it in high school. They also have very sweet and nice teachers there that the kids will look up to and admire. I ask that if you decide to repurpose a school that the school would be RS Pain. I have had many ex-pane students talk about how bad it was there and how they wish they went to TC Miller. Plus, the students that actively go to Payne would already be really close to TC Miller so people wouldn't have
014to relocate. I personally believe TC Miller is the best elementary school in the district. And I would love it if you guys reconsidered repurposing the school and instead chose one of the other schools in the area. Thank you for hearing me out. [Applause] Laura Hasham. Laura Hasham. Hello, my name is Laura Hashen and I am an LCS teacher, parent and also PTO president and I am deeply concerned regarding the proposed closure of TC Miller. While I understand the difficult decisions that come with managing resources and enrollment, I urge you to reconsider the long-term impact of closing this school. Adding 90 plus new students to Bass Elementary without increasing staff or support services will place a tremendous strain on both students and teachers. It is also outplacing teachers at other schools who are being impacted, who
015have poured their time, money, and great effort into each student that enters their room. loving them, caring for them, and making sure they are becoming the students that make LCS a proud place to be. Class sizes will grow significantly with inevitability reduces the in which inevitability reduces the individualized attention each child receives. More importantly, a sudden increase in enrollment often becomes a rise in behavioral challenges. Not due to student fault, but due to the natural difficulties of integrating large groups without the appropriate support structure in place without additional counselors, behavioral specialists or aids. This shift will create a more reactive than proactive school climate, putting both school both student growth and teacher well-being at risk. I urge the board to either reconsider the closure of TC Miller or commit to providing substantial additional support, including
016increased behavioral support, special education staffing and mental health resources to Bass Elementary. As educators and parents, our priority must always be to create environments where all students can learn and thrive. Consolidation without corresponding support runs counter to that mission. I respectfully ask that the board consider either maintaining the current school's operation or committing to to a significant support increase at the receiving school to ensure a smooth transition for everyone involved. Yes, more teaching positions are being created, but equal support staff should be added as well to aid this change. Our students deserve learning environments that are supportive, structured, and safe. We cannot achieve that by stretching already limited resources even thinner. Thank you for your time. [Applause] Wayne Harris. Thank you. My name's Wayne Harris and uh I come to you as a concerned parent.
017I'm a product of Lynchburg City Schools. I have three kids that currently with two of them that attend Lynchber City Schools. one, I'm looking to get into prek and the potential of moving prek to one school and having two kids in another school across the town where I have to then travel another 15 20 minutes is a bit daunting and uh frustrating because this is the very first year we can actually have all three kids in the same school. Um that is very close to our house by the way. Um, Lynchburg City Schools has done well, I think, thus far. And it it is a bit concerning to put all prek members into one place, one one community, one school, knowing that they probably thrive better in smaller groups, not a large one singular place.
018I would urge everyone in here to please reconsider that idea of considering TC Miller as a prek only school and still keep the three places that we have currently have RS pay, Paul Monroe and Paramont. Thank [Applause] you. Okay. No, no applause during um public comments. Um is Leticia Rodriguez here. Good evening. My name is Leticia Rodriguez. I come to you as a concerned parent. To begin, I'd like to thank the few board members that attended the latest and hopefully not the last musical at TC Miller. I comfort before you doubtful on the legitimacy outlined in the latest proposal. The hesitation on April 1st in response to whether or not legal review was performed on the matter of zoning solidified my doubt. While I understand the need for difficult budget decisions, I believe that the
019proposal fails to address the distinct needs of children impacted by this change. In phase one of one, I want it to sink in that if parents wanted their children to attend their zone schools, they would. Simply outlining that invited students return to their base schools is intentionally limiting a parents option to choose. We are not openly invited to TC Miller. We applied and some of us were weight listed. If those parents wanted their children to attend their zone school, they would. in phase one of two proposing that multi-story building to house developing preschool children is unfeasible according to the Virginia Department of Education school building regulations. PreK students require easy and safe access to all aspects meant for their or to all spaces meant for their use and the building is not laid out for
020that presently. Redesigning will ultimately take away from the million dollars in savings that you guys are boasting. These challenges make the proposal unworkable. Additionally, I'm sorry this has just been overwhelming for the last few weeks and I know how overwhelming it has been for the last few years for the people who have already been here. But I just want to really drive it home and hope that you understand that this does not work for these students. And if we are looking for the future students, the future prek students and saying that there's going to be growth, this space cannot handle additional growth the way it is laid out now. Moreover, the building's capacity cannot meet the the growing demand of prek in Lynchburg and housing the students together with the alternative and special education programs
021risk significant behavioral challenges compromising the safety and the quality of early childhood education that LCS claims to prioritize. Our district should be planning for growth, not consolidation. I trust that you will make the decision that truly benefits the children of Lynchburg, keeping them at the center. Thank you. The final speaker we have is Colleen Lens representing Save Our Schools. Hello again. Um, I don't know what you guys see when you see us standing here or these other parents standing here. I don't know if you see that people have got off work early, that people have made plans for people to babysit their children, that they have put dinner in the crockpot, that they have come from tennis matches um, and don't look their best, but you know, that's life. That we are here with a
022sacrifice. Every parent that stands at this podium has made a sacrifice to stand in front of you. one way or another. And I hope when you see them speak, you realize they represent far more than just one. They represent so many others who are still at work, who can't come to a five:00 meeting, who don't have child care. They represent those who are working two jobs, and coming to a schoolboard meeting is literally impossible. Throughout the last couple of years, I've stood here so many times. You probably are really sick of seeing my face. But I hope that if you hear nothing else that you hear this waiting for the other shoe to drop time and time again when you guys meet is exhausting. It's exhausting for the people who are sitting behind me. It's
023exhausting for the people who are watching. It's exhausting for the parents who don't know what happens in this room until someone tells them. There has to be a better process for deciding when schools will close. It coming out of one meeting and two weeks later being voted on without parents being talked to or the community being considered. It's irresponsible, for lack of a better term. I know I know the fight for funding. I'm in it with you for the long haul, apparently. But I also know the fight that parents deal with each and every day just to function, just to get their children to school, just to succeed in this world that has so many demands on us. to always be wondering what happens in this room and wondering if truthfully tonight you're going to
024close another school on top of TC Miller because that's what happened last time. That just cannot be the way we continue. We've got to take a breath and figure out the future. Really figure it out so parents don't have to be left in the lurch. I've fought with some amazingly fierce mamas over the last two years. So fierce. They love their babies. We love our kids. But we also love Lynchberg and we also love LCS and we want what's best for everyone. So my ask for you tonight is take a breath. take a breath and really consider what this is going to do and give parents more time when you make decisions. It's going to be May before we know it and that's not enough time. Thank you. [Applause] Um I didn't I'm only going
025with the people that signed up. What's your name? Okay. Point of order. You're not on the You're not signed up for the meeting. Do you have her on your list? Um I I'll make a motion that to allow her to speak. Okay. Second. Thank you. Thank you so much. I do appreciate that. Thank you. No. What's her name? Micah Deere. I signed up a few weeks ago originally for last week's and then I changed it to this week. It's okay. Yes, sir. Okay. Thank you for allowing me to speak. I appreciate that. Good evening. My name is Micah Dere and I'm here tonight actually speaking on behalf of the TC Miller PTO. I'm also a proud parent of two current TC Miller students, a fourth and fifth grader and a rising kindergarten gardener this coming
026into LCS. Our entire school community, students, parents, teachers, and staff is heartbroken and deeply disheartened by the likely decision to close TC Miller at the end of the academic year. For the past 18 months, we've endured an emotional roller coaster as our school has repeatedly faced the threat of closure. When the vote to close TC Miller was rescended in August, we felt a wave of hope. The hope was kept alive when we recently, as recent as February, just two months ago, LCS families received the invitation to apply for the schools of innovation, including TC Miller. My own family applied for our rising kindergartener to attend TCM along with many other families. TCM had a strong number of applications for the upcoming year, which speaks volumes about the desires within the community to be a part
027of what TC Miller offers. Now, with only two months left of the academic year, families are left scrambling with few if any viable options for our children. Private schools are at capacity. the deadline for other schools of innovation have passed and for many of us returning to our zoned school is isn't an appropriate or an effective solution. There is a reason so many families have chosen TC Miller. For some it's because their child's needs weren't being met in their zone school. And for others, it's because of the oneofa-kind performing arts and stream program that TC Miller offers. Programming not available at any other elementary school within LCS. We have incredibly talented and dedicated staff. Our performing arts director over here and our art teacher, Angie Coleman and McCree Workman in particular have created something truly
028special. The level of performance our students achieve rivals that of middle and high school productions and it's giving young students opportunities they wouldn't have anywhere else in the district. To the few board members who supported our students and attended Susical Jr., Thank you for witnessing the impact of this program. While some on the board might see the arts as just an extracurricular activity, I can tell you that the confidence, creativity, and communication skills our students develop will serve them in countless ways. Whether it is in the arts or in careers like journalism, public relations, teaching, and beyond. Last week, while assisting with our production of Susical Jr., I was amazed to witness third, fourth, and fifth graders operating professional lighting and sound equipment hitting cues with precision and accuracy. That's the kind of skill, responsibility,
029and leadership this program fosters, and it will enrich these students for the rest of their lives. Letting this program simply disappear would be a profound loss, not just for TCM families, but for the entire LCS community. While it was briefly mentioned last week that the performing arts program could be relocated to another building, the idea is not included anywhere in this current proposal. Additionally, the proposal fails to address the important consideration that all students, current students within LCS, should have the opportunity to apply and attend a school that offers such a unique program. There are also significant concerns about moving this program to a school like Bass Elementary given that the year- round schedule is not a great fit for most LCS families and would certainly not be ideal for those of us who also
030have students in middle and or high school operating on a completely different academic calendar. I've heard a lot about declining enrollment as I've sat through these many board meetings. The truth is TC Miller did lose some students and staff last year after everything that we went through. But most of those students left LCS entirely and went to private school. It seems the board does not understand that in order to keep your students, you must keep what is working well within LCS. The current students at TC Miller and all the students in the district who would benefit from the unique offerings of a school like TCM need to have a better plan in place for them. This isn't something to just figure out down the line. I ask that you not only consider the numbers, but
031also the lives being impacted by this decision. Please protect what makes TC Miller truly exceptional. Our children deserve nothing less. Thank you for your time. [Applause] Madame Clerk, do you have any voicemails? One voicemail. Hello, my name is Netty Webb and I am making a public comment for the budget meeting tonight on April 1st. Starting off again, my name is Netty Webb and LCF, specifically TC Miller, hold a core piece of my heart. I've been connected to LCS and concerned about his well-being for the entirety of my life as a little sibling, student, daughter of a teacher who has taught at TC Miller for 20 years, volunteer, and a longterm kindergarten and special education teacher at the school myself. Today I'm speaking on the budgetary concerns related to the proposed consolidation of PC Miller, specifically
032the transition from an elementary school to hybrid prek and alternative programs. Before I go into my comment, please refer to the report review of LCS 2025 2026 consolidation and long-term strategic fiscal planning that was sent to your emails this evening, which includes the data methodology and analysis along with references and explanations of all the information discussing this budgetary concern. concern along with the other budgetary concerns from the consolidation plan and considerations for the future of the goals from Governor Ynan and others to improve achievement and reduce achievement gaps in the state of Virginia. Now, I know TC Miller like it's the back of my hand, not just the community, but really the building. I can tell you how to get to the attic or under the stage or which rooms have the best temperature control.
033Which means when I saw the consolidation plan, I knew it was not financially responsible because of the accommodations and renovations necessary to host the listed programs in TC Miller. You really have to be in a building to see how it operate flows when not empty with students there during the day but also with families there on back to school night on parent teacher conferences on open house so that you can understand how it flows and the difficulties of the facility itself. If you walked into TC Miller on back to school night, you would see that our three to four yearear-old siblings are tripping up the steps, that they're being carried, that they cannot get to the second floor, to the basement, that the stairs are too slick, and that it's not safe for those issues.
034Well, if you're adding 10 preK classes to TC Miller, students have to go to the second floor. That means that they're climbing multiple flights of stairs. Students would have any other voicemails? No. No more questions. Thank you, Mr. Connor. Is there a motion to close the public hearing? Motion. Second. Madam clerk, would you please call the role? Mr. Connor, yes. Mr. Jill, yes. Mr. Yes. Dr. today. Here it is. Dr. Gupta, yes. Mrs. Preston, yes. Mr. Depal, yes. Mrs. Lori, yes. Dr. Tley, yes. Motion carries. Thank you. Next one is the consent agenda. Is there a motion to approve? Motion. Second. Mr. Connor, Mrs. Lowry. Um, madam cler, could you please call the role? Mr. Connor, yes. Mr. Jill, yes. Mr. Andrews, yes. Dr. Day, yes. Yes. Dr. Gupta, yes. Mrs. Preston, yes. Mr. DeFal,
035yes. Mrs. Lor, yes. Dr. Tensley, yes. Motion carries. Now, part of the consent agenda, we amended, there's an announcement. So, I'll give the floor to Dr. Copeland. Good evening, everyone, and I appreciate your approval for the consent agenda. The late addition on the consent agenda for the HR report uh was to accept uh Mr. Mr. Nelson Garner as the next athletic director for EC Glass High School. Uh Mr. Garner will come to Lynchburg with 19 years of experience in public education. Uh most recently, he serves as the director of athletics for the Union County Public School System, which is outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. He served as an athletic director and physical education teacher at the high school level uh and middle school level uh as well as a movement ed teacher in elementary school.
036Um the uh AC Glass current athletic director uh will end her tenure at the end of this school year. Uh and the search was completed uh in the recent weeks. Uh I met with him along with the chief human resources officer. Uh and he literally just accepted the position this afternoon. Uh that was the late change to the board meeting. So um wanted to make that public announcement for the benefit of the board and anybody that's watching uh that Mr. Garner will start his job uh in July of this summer. July 1st. Thank you. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Next one is the old business uh elementary efficiency is Mr. Connor as chair of finance and Dr. uh at last board meeting on April the 1st. Uh the details were presented relative to
037the elementary efficiency plan. Uh thus the reason we had the public hearing tonight uh finance and facilities committee meeting heard this in late March. Um so it comes to you tonight for further discussion and possible action. U any discussion on the presentation by Dr. Copelan on that proposal? I know there were four phases to that proposal. Phase one, phase two, phase three. Uh first thing for us to look at it is uh you know we'll have a and I'm speaking finance so forgive me but uh we got a new superintendent coming in there'll be new board members. Do we want to put all four faces on the table right now or do we want to move some faces out? So I'll leave it at your discretion sir whatever. Well, I would like to make a
038motion to um tonight just to leave out phases 2, three, and four and leave that for the new superintendent and the new board members and to finalize phase one. Is there a second to that motion? Go ahead. We'll do the discussion once a second. Dr. Con, has it been seconded? No, not yet. I'll second that motion. I did say I think she did. Mrs. Low did the second. I apologize. I didn't see you. I don't second. So the motion on the floor is to take out phase 2, three, and four. That's what you're suggesting. Yes. And leave the phase one as it is. We are not waiting voting on phase one right now. We're just voting to amend uh the proposal from the finance and facilities which was to consider all four phases. So this
039amendment is uh technically doesn't require a second but uh we we're amending the proposal from finance. So instead of four phases we're limiting our discussion for future for only phase one. Dr. today I'm looking at you so if you have anything to say the discussion is up well I'm just reviewing the uh proposal itself to see whether um those phases two three and four how um how rigid are they um I'm just looking at it now as I speak Um yeah I I I'm not sure any other I got a question. So just a clarification your motion is really only to discuss phase one not phase two through four. Is that how what we're recommending is that paces 2, three, four are left to be when we get a new super we get we have
040some board members that are changing over in June as well as we'll have a new superintendent in place and we think since 2, three and four are so far down the road will give them an opportunity to come in and either validate it or give us a new strategic plan. Yes. Okay. So we have a strategic plan which is pending. We got superintendent we we'll have a brand new board from July 1st and we are putting the timelines for 26 28 you know way out there uh it will not be fair for the new superintendent new board for our recommendations to carry forward and not them be at as part of the new strategic plan. So the motion right now is just to take out two three and four from the recommendation of finance committee.
041Any there's any further discussion on that? Madam clerk, would you go ahead, Dr. Day? We might consider just changing the wording of phase 2, three, and four to make it a recommendation rather than a mandate. Are you making a substitute motion? Yeah. Mr. Connor's motion so that the wording in phases 2, three, and four is is changed so that those are recommendations for the future, not necessarily mandates. So consider it. Phase two could say consider elementary renovations so forth. Um phase three could say consider second elementary closure. or phase four can say consider converting Fort Hill and so forth. Uh that way what we are what has been contemplated in this multi-phase plan is at least communicated to the future board and superintendent rather than just giving them a blank slate. I think it's unnecessary
042to do that in that we already have these in existence. Um we these are considerations once we take them off. Yeah, I agree with you. There's no reason to I'll vote against the motion because to me um we can bring it back anytime we want to. It is what the consideration will do. Yes. Any value? Any other discussion on that substitute motion? Madame clerk, would you I wasn't second so it doesn't need to vote on No, Mr. Andrew. I second it. So it needs Mr. Andrew second. It would have to fail before What do you think? What do you think about it? That's not your place to ask him that question. When Mr. Andrew, what do you think? You are the seconder of the motion. Yeah, I mean I I agree with him. I I
043like the recommendation. Yeah. Mr. D, you your hand. Madame clerk, would you please call the role? Mr. Connor, no. Mr. J, no. Mr. Andrews, yes. Dr. D. Yes. Yes. Dr. No. Mrs. Preston, yes. Mr. Depal, no. Mrs. No, Dr. Tensley. Yes. Yes. Four. The motion carries. How much? Four nos. Yes. Four yeses. Substitute motion fails. Substitute motion fails. Yes. All right. So, we're back to uh the original motion. Any discussion on the original motion? Please repeat the original motion. Mr. Connor, to to tonight focus on phase one and not focus on phases 2, three, and four. Phase one will be our primary focus for tonight. So now the motion is just uh the motion was to take out phase 2, three and four for any further discussion. Uh any further discussion if there are any
044will be limited only to phase one. Madame clerk would you please call the vote. Mr. Connor yes J. Yes. Mr. Andrews. Yes. Dr. D. [Music] No. No. Dr. Gupta. Yes. Mrs. Preston. Yes. Mr. Depal. Yes. Mr. Larry. Yes. Dr. T. Yes. Motion carries. So we have phase one as the um recommendation from the finance committee. Now uh is there a motion for or against phase one to move forward? Make a motion to approve and go forward with the phase one. Is there a second to that? Second. Mrs. Lowry discussion on phase one going forward. Mr. Can is it okay if I Yeah, we have to have a specific wording for phase one. Specific wording for phase one. Make a motion to approve phase one's recommendations which include the following. To close TC Miller as a
045K through5 school at the end of the 2425 school year. Two, repurpose TC Miller to serve early childhood education beginning the 202526 school year. This repurposing includes a moving the prek classrooms currently at Paul Monroe Perrymont and RS Payne to TC Miller 10 classrooms relocating the early childhood special education services to TC Miller and consolidating and relocating elementary alternative education services and programs to TC Miller. Three, change the attendance zones for students located in the following neighborhoods. Students located in the Birwood neighborhood outlined in the recommendation will be reassigned from the Perrymont educ elementary attendance zone to the Darington Elementary attendance zone beginning the 202526 school year. and students located in the Florida Avenue Winston Ridge neighborhood outlined in the recommendation will be reassigned from Heritage Elementary attendance zone to the William Bass Elementary attendance
046zone. Would you take the amended language for your motion? I will. And Mrs. Lowry, you're okay with seconding that amended yes language. And then let me give you the reason since we discussing it's been cleared by our school board attorney to it's the purpose and the spirit is same as was from the finance committee just details all the actions which were discussed and proposed in that phase one. It has no additional elements in there. It just puts them in black and white. Any other discussion on this proposal? I I have some Dr. Tinsley. So, we're prep, if we were to vote on this now, this would essentially move to close TC Miller and do all the things you just Yes. Okay. I I'm going to vote no tonight, and I'm going to tell you why.
047It's not necessarily that I don't see the validity in the proposal. However, we just asked for a public hearing and we have given the public 10 minutes, 15 minutes of consideration on everything that they just said to us. That's what we call pro-forma in the legal world, which basically means we didn't care what they said. That we're just going to make a decision. We came in here with our minds made up. We're going to make a decision. I I I I just s think that sends the completely wrong message to our community. I know we're under a time crunch and I know we need to make decisions and I'm not trying to kick a can down the road, but I'm also not trying to alienate the very people that we're trying to that we say
048we're trying to support and I do believe that the people on this board to to a person want to do the right thing and want to support our community. I'm not trying to imply otherwise, but I think it's going to send an opposing message if we take this vote right now. And so, if we do take this vote right now, I'm going to vote no. And that's why Mrs. Larry, I think what well, I'm going to say what I am hearing from other people in the community. Okay. um they love actually this idea since it's come out and also but what I've said before is period change is a part of life and it's not that they're not being considered we all go through change it's not going to stop ever and these children will
049go from fifth and leave and go to another school they'll leave from eighth and go to another school they'll leave from high school and go on somewhere else and children if they're being taught by people which we have in our system all over the place that care about kids and love them, they will do fine wherever they go. And so this has been done and we went through all these conversations last year was not 10 minutes. It was all year last year. So, this is not I know you're this is your first year, but I was here last year and we have heard parents and we have thought about it and then we uh the city gave us money to keep schools open so none would close, but now that door's closed. So, we've got
050to be responsible and be good stewards of what we do have. And the programs that um Dr. Copeland mentioned in our joint committee, they're going to go forward. They're not going to be left out. And I know me as a teacher, I will really push to make sure those programs are there because they are important. My children did not go through TC Miller, but they went through they went through Dumbar and they went through Heritage and they stayed in theater the whole time and did great. So, Mr. Andrew, so I would rebuttle that statement because you just heard from people in the community that does not like the idea. Yeah, that's Well, you're not going to please everybody. you say and so when you say people in the community love this idea that the community
051is right there that's part of it and speaking on prek there are three prek teachers that I personally spoke with two of them are from Paul Monroe that do not like this idea now with that being said at some point we do have to ask the community what's the solution right because we can't save TC Miller we can't save Sanduski and still give teachers raises, right? Like it we have to be able to come up with a solution to the issue, right? Whether that's partnering up with council, which we've been doing, and hearing your voices, but I I agree wholeheartly with Dr. Tenzy is that we can invite the public to come and say, "What do you guys want?" But then we say we appreciate that we're going to do what we want to do
052anyway, right? So my vote will be no also. So yeah, Mr. I think it's fairly irresponsible for anyone to imply that we have just given the good people of this community 10 mere minutes and to say that this is the representation of the entire school district based on everything that we have experienced and gone through is is utter it's it's just wrong. It's wrong to have even said that we have been working on this for months. This is an unfortunate situation for some. it's going to be good for others and in the bottom line the children are going to do okay in the long run. They're going to do fine because that's what children do. And it's just a point that to it just irks me that someone will say that they don't want to
053kick the can down the road, but by avoiding this this vote, they're kicking the can down the road. Mr. Corner. Yes. Um I'm gonna have to disagree with my distinguished colleagues, Mr. Andrews and Dr. Tensley. Um, the city gave us an extra year, one year to make another decision. We sent them a proposal of what we needed financially, not just to give raises to the teacher, but to operate the school system in an efficient level. If we don't become efficient, we will never become effective. And if we aren't effective, we have situations. We have schools that aren't meeting so goals. We have schools that aren't achieving. We need to instead of focusing on budget issues, we can focus some of our energies on helping these schools that need it to achieve. Part of this is
054to get some neighborhoods. These children are traveling not by invitation or by um application, but they're traveling the longest from the most difficult neighborhoods have the longest ride. So part of his proposal is to look at some children that are being neglected as part of this proposal and to get the prek teachers in one building and consolidate. That's efficient. Right now we're going to four different locations. We'll consolidate the two. We'll be bringing some special education, some special needs, which will bring all of that support staff to the school. It's going to benefit us long term. Kicking the can down the road is what we have been doing. What we're doing now is we need to make some hard decisions. And it's hard to make a decision, especially when everybody's sitting here looking at you
055and saying, "We don't agree with you." But sometimes we have to make decisions when people don't agree with us. That's strong leadership and right now we need to make a strong because a city has said we'll give you one year do something and this is the time we need to do something. Yeah. And I I agree that the city has given us a period of time during which to make a decision, but I also believe that we can't make it appear that this was a rushed decision for people to understand the thinking that took place in order for us to arrive at whatever conclusion it is that we arrive at. I think it's beneficial because we need to hear it and believe it and see it and recognize that yeah, they did think about this.
056They heard me when I said A, B, and C. They they are concerned about our children um and who has to travel where and and that sort of thing because it is every child by name and need and and as a as a a parent of of students that graduated from Lynburg City Schools. I would want to know that you thought about my kid, that you considered that he wanted to play tennis at Heritage or whatever it is that he wanted to do so that you were making the right decision. And when when it appears that we're making a rush decision and and you have not heard us have these kinds of conversations, then it's going to put us in a position of being criticized, looked at um as though we didn't care about their
057kids. And that's not true. I I don't want you to think that we don't care about your children. But I also want you to know that we did think about what you said, that we did consider all of those things. Is everybody gonna get what they want? Absolutely not. But that's life. Everybody doesn't always get what they want. But I want to know that you at least heard me. So I I I recognize your concern that that we need to make people understand that we heard you. I don't necessarily agree with every step single step, but I heard you. Thank you. Dr. D, you have Yeah. that I have I have great respect for the concerns that were aired tonight and I think all the concerns I've heard tonight have been aired in the past
058as well. Um the concerns that were aired tonight are not new to us. We we are we are aware that of the sensitivity of those issues. There has been a lot of thought put into this uh proposal uh looking specifically at you know the number of seats available at different schools uh how many students would move from one school to another what the effects will be on transportation on personnel allocations it it's not like this is a hasty decision it's the result of months um of planning and working out the details. Um we as a board have been wrestling with this issue for almost two years now. Um we have uh changed our minds on a couple of occasions. Um I think well I won't I won't I won't finish that sentence. I'm just making
059the point that we have been working on this for some time. I think this is a well-designed, carefully thoughtout plan. I know it's going to be disruptive to some of the families that are currently have students attending TC Miller. Um, I understand that, but I think as Mr. Connor has said we postponing this is painful too because postponing this means we're going to be taking resources away from um other teachers potentially from hiring new teachers from uh improving the conditions at other schools improving the employment um opportunities of our current teachers just to keep this facility open until sometime in the future we go around again and contemplate whether we need to close a school or not. It's better for us to make a well-informed decision, which I think this proposal represents, and move forward
060rather than continuing to leave everyone in limbo, which refusing this proposal it would do. So, I think we need to approve this and move forward. We've we've made a decision tonight to to only focus on the first phase of this plan. Leave the future phases to next year's board and the new superintendent, whoever that may be, when they come on board. Um there's a lot of future planning to go ahead or to be done ahead of us. Um a lot of momentous decisions to be made, but this proposal in my mind is is rather mild. It's mostly reshuffling. Now, I know it means that the program that TC Miller as an as an elementary school would become something different. Those students will move. Um, I understand that. I know that that's uncomfortable. There are some
061benefits to that though. Um, so, um, I'm in favor of this proposal. I fully recognize the discomfort that a lot of the parents and families feel, but I think it's the healthiest decision for the schools and and in the overall best welfare of our students as a whole. So, I'm going to vote in favor of this motion. Any other discussion before I make my comment? So, go ahead, Mr. Julian. I'm going to read a uh article by US News about TC Miller Elementary School for Innovation. Could you give us the summary of it instead of the whole article? You print it out. Did you Did I say I was going to You said you're going to read the article. Go ahead. TC Miller for Innovation is a public school located in Lynchburg. I'll skip a
062couple things. The school's minority student enrollment is 65%. The student population is made up of 44% female, 56% male. The student enroll the school enrolls 99% economically disadvantaged students. TC Miller Elementary School of Innovation is ranked 778 out of 1,037 in Virginia elementary schools. Schools are ranked on their performance on state required tests, graduation, and how well they prepare their students for high school. You could read more from best school, best elementary schools. The ranking factors how TC Elementary School of Innovation placed statewide out of 137 schools. Reading proficiency number 911 out of 137. Math proficiency number 824 out of 137. Reading performance well below expectations and math performance somewhat below expectations. talks about the enrollment by grade uh prek, kindergarten, first grade, second, third, by gender, student diversity, uh numbers of the full-time teachers,
063the part-time teachers, those are certified, those are not. Um, and the subject proficiency. So, this is public data. Anyone can find it. and to have elementary schoolers reading proficient district average. Let me read this. This information relates to schools run by this students uh by this school's state operation operating agency. Many districts contain only one school. It says 53% elementary schoolers proficient in reading district average and elementary schoolers proficient in math 34% district average. So with all those numbers, you've got to look at what is LCS producing and specifically what is DC Miller producing? And um I think that it's a good thing to consider that as we make a decision. So whether or not the school is closed doesn't have everything we need to understand how to make the schools better in LCS. What
064we need to do is make a decision. And to look at these numbers, I would say there's a negative connotation. All things can be improved. We can take our time to improve them. We can make changes. We can uh adjust things and tweak things. Um but this is what exists right now. And so as we make this decision, let's consider uh what is and um what we what we hope it to be in at LCS. Thank you. Other comments? I would just like to speak to what he said. We have good teachers in all of our schools and those children will take their strengths where they go and so will the teachers. You have to remember that because we see transient kids. I've seen transient kids for 31 years. I taught and strong kids will
065be strong where they go. Weak kids are weak, but we try to make them stronger. So, they're taking their talents with them and that's a good thing because they'll enrich wherever they go and so will the teachers. One more comment before you go. Um, Mr. Chairman, um, one of the things that sold me on this was talking to Dr. Copeland in the finance and facilities meeting and he talked about the need to start them acclimating to school life at an early age. And being able to consolidate our resources in one place to help these four with three, four, and five year olds acclimate to the whole public school will make them better first graders, second graders, third graders. I believe three, four years down the road, we will see an improvement in scores at every
066one of those levels starting this next school year. You know, I was thinking if I if my own elementary school was closed and I go back and go look at it, I would be disappointed to see it closed place. I experienced a lot of different things and and um enjoyed thoroughly. If the school was closed, what would I have wanted to to see in the place of it? I would like to see a memorial. I would like to see it on the website. I would like to see some type of uh remembrance of the school that had a history, had my teachers and principles and all those different types of things. So, I'd just like the board to consider if the school is closed, if we close any schools, that we consider making a page
067of uh remembrance for the school, listing people, teachers, etc. Um maybe achievements, a little history of the school, and uh if you want, I can help put a few hundred dollars together and make a memorial. If you're going to close the schools, you could have something uh on the actual property just like they do have a memorial uh plaque in various different schools for uh different occasions. I think that um that would be appropriate. Thank you. Can I Dr. Tinsley? I I'll defer right now, Mr. I just want to just thank Dr. Copeland and Dr. and the staff for all the work that they've done. I mean, when they came to finance facilities committee meeting, I was sold on it, too. I mean, I still am sold on it. I just think the timing is
068not the best, right? Um, I agree with Dr. Tinsley. I mean, it's not like we're kicking the can down the road, but I really do believe that we should have magic more stick Yeah. more stakeholders input, uh, that sort of stuff. And I don't I don't disagree with Mr. Connors or anybody else that has made comments. And yes, these these um we have create been creating plans since I've been on the board, since I came, right? Um so I just wanted to at least acknowledge the people that have been working behind the scenes like Dr. Copeland and Dr. Wica putting in the hard work to make sure that we did have some plan to present, right? I think just the timing is not the best, right? But that's just my opinion. So, yeah. And I
069guess the spirit of what you're saying is is what I wanted to say is I don't see this as kicking a can down the road. And I don't necessarily disagree with the plan. But everything in life has a rhythm. Your body has a rhythm. Organizations have a rhythm. And decisions like this have a rhythm. I see four cameras around this room right now. And what's presumably going to happen tonight is that this discussion and some of the comments of the public are going to be taken to the media. It's going to be broadcast and over the next three or four days, the community is going to interact with what happened in this room tonight. And some people are going to get angry. We're going to be happy. Who knows how the emotions are going to
070go, but then Facebook's going to light up. Social media is going to light up. People are going to say the things they want to say. They're going to talk in their communities about all of this. And that rhythm needs to happen before we vote. That is all I'm saying. That that rhythm needs to happen. And if we vote on this tonight and we pass this before the media or anyone else can have a say and and report this and talk about this and discuss this in a public forum, the decision has been made. And I agree with you. Then I think that's what I was trying to say. We as a city need to digest this information so that it doesn't feel like it's just a rush decision because some of these bits and pieces
071while we may be aware of what the steps are in this process, the city doesn't know that. They just know schools going to close and that you know they're going to move and they're going to move and so forth, but they don't they don't hear the digest. Give me a I want one more bill. Dr. Dick, can I say something or come back? Go ahead, sir. because I cannot see you in the back. I want to point out there have been more than one newspaper articles uh describing the details of this proposal. Um so it has been in the news. Um there's been discussions on it on the radio. Um and the joint committee of the school board and city council has also uh recommended that the school board adopt this proposal. It's not news.
072It's been out in the public four weeks now. Um, so I I fail to see what's going to be different if we wait until the next meeting. Unless somebody can tell me there's a new source of information coming, um, I don't think the statement that this is brand new and people need more time to digest it, uh, that does not seem convincing to me because I've read the articles in the newspapers weeks ago. And let me uh let me say my piece. Okay. Uh this proposal came to finance committee meeting and those you pointed cameras. Who is on the finance committee? Mr. Connor. Um Dr. Tensley and Mr. Andrews. You were not there that day. I heard you. I was there. You said it's a great proposal. I still think it's a great proposal. So
073cameras have a magic. Cameras have their magic movement where we turn around and say, "Oh, I got to listen to these people." Same thing happened when we had these proposals before. When we brought these proposals before, Dr. Tinsley, you were not on board. Dr. Day made a proposal to close the TC Miller and Dearington. There were two school board members and one is still on the board right now. They said, "I'm going to go if you go with the regular scenarios, which was scenario 1, 2, and three, and four." We brought scenario three to the board, and those board members still flip. So, changes happen. I understand that's part of life. But the thing is uh Dr. Tinsley, this is your first year on school board. This proposal has been on the table for almost
074two years now. That is a fact. Uh it has been vetted in several public comments prior to this one. I understand their pain. I've gone through different closures. My daughter used went to Kaiser when it was shut down. So I've gone through I I can feel the pain. I've gone through that. But to say that this board is rushing to the decision sitting in this chair, I cannot say that's a fair statement to make because being in this place for two years and going through these different scenarios where people say give me this and I'm I'm I'm for this, you know, give me this and I'm for that. So we've gone through different permutation combinations. But you you're 100% right. Camera has a magical movement. Cameras make people change their mind and speak for collapse.
075And that's what several people do. And uh I'm not for that for that. To me, it's not a fair statement for this board to say you just heard it tonight. Yeah. Where were you for last two years? You know, this this has been there on the table on and off on. I understand flip-flops on and off, on and off, but it's not like a brand new uh proposal. And I was in the finance committee meeting when it was discussed and I heard not a single not a single dissenting comment. Not a single dissending comment. I I went there with not sure whether uh I am ex as a ex official member. I had a vote on the finance committee. Dr. day was replacing you that day on the finance committee report the newspaper you talk
076about that's the facts they need to know so there was not a single dissenting word set correct me if I'm wrong Mr. Connor, you're right about not phase one, phase 2, three, four, all three phases. It was just move forward. Excellent plan. Wonderful. Because there were no cameras, right? To me, that's the only difference between now and that day because there was not if there were concerns it was it hour and a half long meeting, right Mr. Conor? was hour and a half long meeting and there was no discussion or no not a single dissenting opinion not a vote opinion from present board members in that meeting you know so and those board members have heard descending opinions from public same parents uh prior to that meeting so they knew what's happening in their phase
077one in that finance committee meeting did you Hear anything desendenting if I correct me if I'm wrong. No, it was we were all in agreement. It came as a unanimous vote recommendation from the finance committee to the full board. Unanimous. Not a single descending vote in the finance committee. The problem is the finance committee meeting is not telecast. It's not live. It's not on camera. It was No, it was you guys were at the finance committee. It's not in archives. Were they at the finance committee? I I know they were there, but I don't know if they record. I think they might. Mr. Andrew, this meeting is live. It's in our share one thing with Dr. Yeah. I keep hearing we say close. Um my wife went to Armstrong. Armstrong closed. Kaiser closed and it
078was repurposed as a regional special ed school. Three years later, we are Yeah, but it we're looking at repurposing We just shutting it down and and boarding it up. We are we are we are saying let's use the facility in a better more efficient way to help us overall and to focus on the youngest population to develop them at an early age so that when they get first, second, third grade, they are going I I I see three years down the road our first and second graders that come out come through this program will be will be astonished at their um abilities that they've developed because of the resources that will be put in place to assist them. That's my opinion. Commission, we've had a discussion in the past about the difference between the school
079building and the school itself. There is a distinction there. And so I think when people think about the closing of the school itself, um that's what I think we're talking. Uh also I liked what uh Dr. Dr. Tinsley said in the beginning which was uh I perceived as the process uh this administration the the the school board this um this season of the last two years had some questionable processes not necessarily illegal or against our policies but questionable and that's been discussed and that's where I took it at as a process. So if the definition So I think that it's it's it's a correct idea, but I think the definition has to be clear. Is this an errored process by having this meeting and the public comments at this time and then making a decision
080at this at the same time instead of giving a few more days or weeks for another meeting and um more discussions and whatnot. I'm not quite sure what does change in the next few weeks if we do something different. were voting up or down today. And I just wanted to point that out that there has been what I perceive as questionable processes and that's what I took it as. I'm not sure that that applies. Ready to call for a vote. Go ahead. Last last come. Well, yeah, I would like Yeah, I just need to respond to that. Um, yeah, I think that's a fair approximation this process. I think a lot of extrapolation of what I've said here tonight has happened. Uh I think the the root of what I'm saying is I I believe
081pretty clear but I'll try to clear clarify it and that is simply perception is reality and if we move forward this revote v vote I think it will be perceived by many in the public maybe not all that we rush to vote that's all I'm saying not saying that but you've stated three times so I feel like I owe the public an explanation as to why I was not at the finance meeting and I went back and looked at my calendar just to make sure I do serve as a United States Army Reserve Officer in the rank of colonel. I do have a lot of responsibility there. And I was in Arlington, Texas during that week serving my nation as a 06 colonel in the United States Army. I'm sorry I couldn't be here for
082this meeting, but I can be in one place. Thank you for your service. Thank you for your service. We're not disputing that. Madam Cler, would you please call the role? Mr. Connor, yes. Mr. Gillio, yes. Mr. Andrews, no. Dr. Day, yes. Yes. Dr. Gupta. Yes. Mrs. Preston, no. Mr. Depal? Yes. Mrs. Lori? Yes. Dr. Tinsley? No. Motion carries. Right. Thank you. Now, next one is the uh ad hoc uh superintendent size committee. Dr. Tinsley. So since our last meeting which was just last week um we have as a bo a joint board and uh ad hoc search committee have gone through the candidates that we have to date and uh we have ranked those candidates and we'll be discussing I believe later tonight um those from the list that we want to interview. Again, I
083cannot disclose the names of any of our candidates for two reasons. Number one, the ethical reason uh that we maintain confidentiality because many of these folks have current jobs that they don't necessarily want their current employers to know that they have applied for another position. And then secondly, we are under a confidentiality agreement with our search firm on the behest of those candidates. Um I will say uh also we have filed uh the department of education for an extension for our search committee. Uh once according to Virginia code section 22.1-60 once a superintendent vacancy has occurred you have 180 days from the time of that vacancy to to uh name the next superintendent of your public school system. uh that 180 days ends for us April 16th. We will not have that person named by
084that date. So we have requested an extension. The good thing about these extensions is they are pretty uh proforma. They are pretty automatic. Code section says once a request is submitted, it shall be approved. So we to we expect that to be approved. um giving us an additional 180 days which we won't take that long but uh if we had to we could so the letter will be signed just for the public u uh by the end of this meeting. So we had 27 candidates we shortlisted six for uh video interviews as Dr. Tinsley pointed out last time and we'll be going in a close session to look at the outcomes of that. Uh so let me uh make a the school board chair recommend school board approve a motion to convene a closed meeting
085to discuss the following as permitted by Virginia code 2.2-31 2-31 3711 A1 the discussion of assignment appointment promotion performance demotion salary discipline or resignation of a specific Lynchburg city school personnel and there's a two second part to the close session there are two components of close session second one is pursuent to Virginia code 2.2-3711A1 2-3711A1 a personal matter involving the discussion consideration or interview of prospective candidates for the superintendent position. The way uh before you vote we'll do is we'll do the uh superintendent discussion first. So we have me members of the search committee here so we won't hold you and once we done with that then we'll move on to the second part of the close session. There's a motion to go into close session. Motion like Mr. Depal Mr. Andrews. Madame clerk, would
086you please call the role? Mr. Connor? Yes. Mr. J? Yes. Mr. Andrews? Yes. Dr. Day? Yes. Dr. Yes. Mrs. Preston? Yes. Mr. Paul? Yes. Mr. Yes. Dr. Yes. Motion carries. All right. So, we go into close session upstairs. U Miss Lens. I can Mrs. Larkin. I see you there. D. Mr. M.