001Mhm. >> Mhm. >> declaration and roll call vote of subjects discussed in closed meeting. May I have a motion? I make a motion to adopt the certificate of closed meeting. >> Thank you, Ms. Diggs. Do we have a second? >> [snorts] >> Second. Thank you, Mr. Morgan. Is there any discussion? There being none, Ms. Mrs. Hundley, may we have a roll call vote, please? Ms. Bohannon-Stewart? Yes. Ms. Diggs? Yes. Mr. Morgan? Yes. Dr. Gibbs? Yes. Ms. Hundley? Yes. Thank you. Item 2.3, approval of student action number nine. May have a motion. I make a motion to approve the long-term suspension of student nine. Thank you, Ms. Bohannon-Stewart. May have a second? I second that. >> Thank you, Ms. Diggs. Any discussion? There being none, all those in favor say I. I. >> I. Opposed? Motion
002passes. Item 2.4, approval of student action number 10. May I have a motion? I make a motion to approve the long-term suspension of student 10. Thank you, Ms. Bohannon Stewart. May I have a second? Second. Thank you, Mr. Morgan. Any discussion? There being none, all those in favor say I. I. I. I. Opposed? Motion passes. Item 2.5, approval of student action number 11. May I have a motion? Yeah, I'll make a motion to approve student action of long-term suspension of student number 11. >> Thank you, Mr. Morgan. May I have a second? I second that. Thank you, Ms. Bohannon Stewart. Any discussion? There being none, all those in favor say I. I. I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. Item 2.6, approval of the 2026-2027 personnel appointments. May I have a motion? I make the motion
003to approve the 2026-2027 personnel appointments as listed. >> Thank you, Ms. Diggs. May I have a second? Second. Thank you, Ms. Bohannon Stewart. Is there any discussion? There being none, all those in favor say I. I. I. Opposed? Thank you. Item 2.7, approval of personnel action. I'll make a motion to approve the personnel action as listed listed and discussed in closed session. Thank you, Mr. Morgan. May I have a second? I second. I second that. >> Thank you, Ms. Diggs. Is there any discussion? There being none, all those in favor say I. I. I. Opposed? Motion passes. Thank you. Closed session is adjourned. Item 1.1, I'd like to call to order Tuesday, May 19th, 2026 Matthews County School Board regular monthly meeting. Would everyone please stand and join me in the pledge of allegiance on
004item 1.2? 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. Item 1.3, I'm seeking approval from school board members present for absent member electronic participation. May I have a motion? Um I make a motion to approve the request from school board member Linda G. Hodges for electronic participation in the May 19, 2026 regular meeting from 17 Preston Point Road, Matthews, Virginia 23109 due to a medical condition that prevents her physical attendance. Thank you, Ms. Bohannon Stewart. May I have a second? Second. >> Thank you, Mr. Morgan. Is there any discussion? There being none, all those in favor say I. I. I. I. Welcome, Mrs. Hodges. You're in the meeting. Thank you. You're welcome.
005Item 1.4, roll call, please, Ms. Hundley. Ms. Bohannon Stewart? Here. Mr. Day? Here. Mr. Morgan? Here. Dr. Good? Present. Mrs. Hodges? Here. Item 1.5, approval of the agenda, additions and deletions. May I have a motion? Yes, I'll make motion to approve the agenda including any additions and deletions. Will there be none of those, but as listed then? As listed. Thank you, Mr. Morgan. May I have a second? I second that. Thank you, Ms. Bohannon Stewart. Is there any discussion? All those in Mrs. Hodges? No. No comment. >> Okay. All those in favor say I. I. Opposed? Motion passes. Item 1.6, the consent agenda. May have a motion. Let's see here. I make a motion to approve the minutes of April 14th, 2026 town hall, April 21st, 2026 closed meeting, and regular monthly meeting 2026 revised
006school board meeting schedule, Matthews 250 fireworks bus request, and monthly claims as presented on the consent agenda. Thank you, Ms. Bohannon Stewart. May I have a second? I second. >> Thank you, Ms. Diggs. Is there any discussion? >> [snorts] >> There being none, all those in favor say I. I. I. Motion passes unanimously. Item 1.7, as we always do, we will um have a member read out some of our school board governance norms and protocols. Ms. Bohannon Stewart, you are up. Okay. So, I'm reading the violate what happens with the violations of these norms and protocols will result in the following actions. Violation one, the chair or designee will speak one-on-one with the school board member. Violation two, the chair or designee will provide a written email/letter to the school board member documenting the violation
007and future follow-up. Violation three, if continued violation of the same norm, the school board will discuss the violation at a board meeting. Very good. Thank you, Ms. Bohannon Stewart. >> Welcome. We're moving on to item two. Uh and we're actually going to push item 2.1 to the June meeting. This was going to be a recognition of our school board student representative. She is not able to be with us tonight as she is in um a tennis match. She is in participating in a tennis match. So, we will recognize her hopefully at next month's meeting if she's able to attend. But, we sure have appreciated her this year. She has done a fantastic job. And good luck tonight. Uh as item 2.2, I'd like to recognize our art teachers. In conjunction with the Matthews County Women's
008Club Student Art Show, and I was just so moved by this. Uh if we are so happy that that event is going, and I understand it is all due to you, Ms. McClaire. Um it was definitely a team effort. I first came in contact with Martha Frame, our point person at uh the Women's Faculty Club. >> [snorts] [clears throat] >> Um so, as I was saying, it was definitely a team effort. Um I first came in contact with Martha Frame, our point person at the Matthews Women's Club. At last year's uh Teachers' Appreciation Week, where they give us a really great uh buffet of breakfast at uh the elementary school that we really appreciate. Um so, as I said, we came in contact, and she found out I was the art teacher, and um suggested
009starting up the exhibition again. And I was obviously totally down for it. Um I know we always, as all of us art teachers, like we always want any opportunity to put our students' artwork on display. Um so, we we decided to do all three levels for students, uh limited to about 20 to 30 pieces of artwork, and chose the best of the best, and um put it on display at the Matthews Women's Clubhouse. Um it was a great success. The students had a blast. It really meant a lot to them. Um and I look forward to doing it next year. And And think the other art teachers do as well. Absolutely. I saw samples of various young artists from all levels. Um and it was I got to speak to one of the student winners
010and her parents and everyone was just beaming at seeing the students work and the students especially were so proud of their work. But it couldn't be done without your inspiration all three of you, Ms. Morris, Ms. Witkowski, Ms. McClure. Thank you so much for reinvigorating this um collaborative effort with the Woman's Club and and especially thank the Woman's Club as well. This was great. >> It takes It takes uh partnerships like this. But thank you so much and thank you for coming out tonight. We appreciate you and all that you're doing with the kids in the artistic lane of their brains. Thank you. Thank you. >> [applause] >> They have contests. Yeah, so what she's talking about is that the Virginia 250 The Virginia 250 committee also did sponsor several um art contests at Thomas
011Hunter and the elementary school and I believe in the high school as well. So we've got a really a lot of support from them, too. So that's been great. We've been very busy. Yay. Great. Thank you. Thank you. Excellent. All right, and in the same vein and but in a different lane, we'll move on to student achievement. >> Okay. Dr. Daniel will be addressing the MTSS and school performance and support framework. So this uh will be a little bit of a review and a little bit of an update on MTSS. So we'll go over sort of the the concepts again to make sure board is sort of up to speed as to what we're talking about and it's I think it's always good um for us as as the board and superintendent to talk about
012MTSS to provide some familiarity about that process and why we're doing some of the things that that we were doing instructionally. But first I think we talk about again the mission and the vision. I think we haven't since strategic plan talked enough about kind of what the mission and what the what the vision for the division. So our vision is kind of the the long-term sort of of goal and that's for Matthews County Public Schools to be known for the success and achievement of every student through the excellence of our faculty staff and our programs. The mission is sort of like what are we going to do each and every day day in and day out. So like our mission is to commit daily to fostering an environment where everyone is inspired to achieve at
013their highest level. Am are we there on all those things yet? No, but those are the pieces those are the things that we are striving to get to through improvements and through reflection as to what we are doing and why we are doing it. So MTSS is multi-tiered systems of supports. Okay, so there's there's going to be some acronyms and some diagrams. But I'm like typically I don't love like reading the slide but I'm going to do it in in this situation. So MTSS is a systemic data-driven approach that allows divisions and schools to provide evidence-based practices and interventions to meet the needs of their students. This is done through a clearly defined process that is implemented to fidelity by all stakeholders within the school and or division. So I'm going to highlight a couple
014key pieces to help guide our thinking about what we've been working on in the last year and a half with MTSS. So the first piece to highlight is systemic. So, that's system-wide. Is everybody doing the same thing? So, we talk a lot about tier one, tier one instructional practices, tier one behavior. Are we following the same applications across a grade level, across the elementary school, across the division? So, the probably the biggest hurdle with that was attendance codes a long time ago. So, different schools were using different attendance codes, so it was very difficult for us to align attendance data to then make intervention plans based on kind of some faulty data. So, MTSS is systemic, it is data-driven. So, we've had conversations about how do we capture data, what data do we do we
015capture, how do we warehouse that, and then how do we we use it. So, you can start swimming in data and you don't know what to do with it and things along those lines. So, systemic, data-driven, evidence-based practices and interventions. So, are we using and implementing strategies that are proven strategies that are evidence-based? And are we using the right interventions to support students in that when tier one those that baseline instructional practices aren't working. And do we have a clearly defined process? So, do we know what we can take discipline for an example. So, do we know what the intervention is on certain discipline cases? Is it an automatic this is an automatic detention or an ISS or an OSS and clearly defining that process. Instructionally, what activates a student to go into an intervention?
016Like at what points do we know a student goes into an intervention and then at what point does a student come out of an intervention and what um, automatically activates those decisions. And then fidelity. Are we Are we implementing those interventions as they were designed to be implemented? So, that's are we allocating the right amount of instructional time? Are we following the pacing guide? Are we doing all the things that we are supposed to as part of that evidence-based practice? And then making sure everybody's involved. So, all the stakeholders, everybody who has a stake in our schools. All the teachers, everybody from from top to bottom. Okay. So, the core components of MTSS is making sure that we have an aligned organizational structure. So, that's top to bottom. So, from the superintendent all the way
017down instructionally, are we all reading from the same sheet of music? Do we have the organizational structure in place? Do we have a problem-solving process? So, when there is a challenge that comes up, do we have a process for trying to solve that problem? That may be, "Hey, we've got a student who's struggling." Do we have the data that we need? Do we have the interventions to align with what that data is telling us this student needs? So, do we have a a structure in place for um getting the right people around the table to talk about um how to assist particular students? Do we have a tiered continuum of supports? So, if tier one, the regular daily instruction isn't working, do we have an appropriate intervention for the next step? Is that evidence-based intervention
018the next step? Well, what if that doesn't work? Do we have a tier three or a tier four? So, what are the interventions that we have in place? And are those evidence-based? Do we have the staff to implement those things? Do we have the right things? Um, systemic um implementation. So, are we doing it the same way in every grade level, in every school? Um and it's easier for us cuz we'll be two schools here in a couple months. But, making sure that we have um multiple interventions and um like the process is the same at the high school and at the elementary school. The data may be different, and we may be looking at different pieces of data, but the problem-solving process should be the same. The belief in having evidence-based interventions should be
019the same in both buildings. And then the last piece is evaluation. So, is there has to be as part of an effective MTSS process going back and evaluating all of these core components, and are they still being effective? Do we need to tweak our data process? Do we need to tweak these interventions? Do we have the right interventions? Do we need to go back and look at our tier one practices? Do we need to have different people involved at different stages? So, that's part of that constant evaluation cycle of are we doing the right things and continuing to improve? So, we've spent the last kind of year and a half working through at various levels some of these core components, because it takes um it takes multiple years to get all of these pieces aligned,
020because you're constantly evaluating it, and you may say, "Well, I don't think this intervention is really working, or we need something different for um our our data housing process, or we need different kinds of data to then make make better decisions." So, what we've done so far in terms of aligned organizational structure, we have a division level leadership. We've just started with school-based leadership teams. So, when we met on a professional development day right before teachers went on spring break, we had PD on the Friday before spring break. Not always the um the best strategy for um superintendents, but I think it it it worked out fairly fairly well. Um so, we determined some school-based teams. So, then those school-based teams will work with the division level team to work on implementing it at the
021school level, getting buy-in at the school level. So, it's not a completely top-down process. You have some folks who can roll up their sleeves and get involved. Um as we've worked through that problem-solving component, how are we collecting data? So, where we've got lots of data right now, it's on a spreadsheet. We're looking at other ways to be able to house that, collect that, share that, manipulate that data. We've worked through the data meeting protocol. So, there's a standard um I won't say it's a worksheet, but it's a list of questions and things to consider that when principals are meeting either with grade levels or departments or individual teachers, they're working through that data meeting protocol. So, again, that's doing it the same way. Um the data may be a little bit different, but the
022questions that are being asked are the same questions. And they're having data meetings. So, that was a new a new piece or a revisited piece this year as we started with CIP benchmarks and STAR data and other other sources of data. Like, the principals are scheduling those meetings and meeting with teachers to talk about student achievement and student performance, to have some of that evaluation with teachers and reflection with teachers. Tiered supports, we've revisited the tiered supports. What supports do we have? Which ones are working? Which ones aren't? Um and then systemic implementation. So, again, requiring everybody's using the pacing guides for CIP. We're administering benchmarks from CIP. Having everybody K-5 using the reading series as we move into other textbook adoptions later in the meeting making sure that everybody is using that um high
023quality instructional materials in those um textbook adoptions. A little bit about implementation stages. So MTSS has kind of four implementation stages. I'm not going to spend a ton on what what is supposed to happen at each one of those stages, but basically in 2024 we were in the exploration stage. We were kind of examining is this the right thing for us? I had a background with MTSS um in my past, so I knew its effectiveness. Um but do you have all the things in place in a division? So you spend some time with exploration to figure out is this a good fit for for our division? So we went through that process. Um earlier this year kind of late last year we started on the installation. So we've we've begun universal screening for a while.
024We've we're collecting data. We've been doing that for a little while. We started toying a little bit with um we had access to CIP, but we didn't require it initially. So we're getting folks a little bit acclimated to some of these things where they can have um some self-reflection on how I don't we can tweak it this way, we can tweak it that way. Um beginning this year we're in that initial implementation. And so we're having the data meetings. We're developing those school-based teams. Uh we'll we'll probably be in initial implementation probably for another year cuz it takes legitimately 3 to 4 years until I will I would say you're in a full implementation where you've got all the pieces in place, you have a plan for um every grade level, all your schools, you
025have a pretty good strategy, the protocols have been mapped out for various pieces. And so you want that in place for a year and then you can go back and do some evaluation. So, we're still developing some some of the protocols and some of the strategies. Um so, we'll probably be an implement initial implementation probably I would my prediction is most of next year, hopefully by fall of '27, we'll legitimately be looking at a full implementation and we've we've got familiarity. We're talking about fidelity most of our practices are meeting that fidelity level of of implementation. Okay. Accountability update. May I ask a couple of questions here? >> Um Regarding the data housing, Mhm. >> this has come up in prior meetings and I know it's a a challenge. >> Mhm. Do where are we
026with that? Have we moved since the last time we talked about it? I know that's not a budget budgeted line item and that may be It's not and it's an expensive solution. So, um I've sought some grant opportunities to try to um solve that. Um one grant opportunity didn't come through. Um so, there will be another state MTSS grant that will open up this summer. So, we will again apply for that MTSS grant and we will put this data warehousing piece Okay. into into that grant. It's the like the year-to-year cost isn't as significant as the integration, the the startup. >> Okay. Startup cost. >> What is that number approximately? Um off the top of my head, the initial cost was going to be about 10 grand. Um the year-to-year was going to be closer
027to I think three. Okay. Um but there was going to be a lot of back-end integration um costs. Okay. And then So, that's why I wanted to try to get grant money to to cover that. Yeah, absolutely. Um and then I just got to thinking about when new educators are coming in and you have you're on full implementation in 27. Um, do you feel confident that there will be um the onboarding of these new teachers into the system because it'll be such it'll be regular, consistent um for those who are here, but they bringing in of new people how to how to take >> That'll be part of the mentoring system. And so Miss Gray, who also oversees um part of the mentoring process, is part of our division level team. So she's integrated in
028um all of the the MPSS process. So that'll be part of our kind of onboarding of um of new teachers and staff and training. That's great. Members? Anything else? Mrs. Hodges? No, no questions. Okay, thank you. Okay, accountability update, yeah. Okay. So a little bit on the accountability update. So again, just going back in time a little bit, historically we've talked about school and school division accreditation. So accountability and accreditation are separate things now. Um so accreditation is basically appliance with state codes. Do we meet the number of hours and etc. etc. So it's a it's about a I want to say it's about a 30-page online document that we have a lot of checkboxes and various things that leads to accreditation. So everybody should be accredited across the state. If not, you're not following
029state code. Accountability aligns up with student achievement and student performance on various domains. Okay, so and how what domains and how those are weighted was part of the state's new accountability model. So I'm not going to go through everything. If you remember some of the graphs and things it gets quite convoluted depending on what your school's grade level structure was and what the student populations looked like and various things. And we didn't get the final rules for accountability until well after all of the previous years testing had occurred. So, it's kind of happening a bit the same way. So, the accountability for this school year, some things are still being determined at the at the state level with the state um Board of Education. So, two proposed changes to the SPSF. SPSF is School Performance
030and Support Framework. Okay, that's the acronym or abbreviation for the accountability um framework, if you will. So, one of the things for the 25-26 accountability or SPSF is removing the WISE test for the 3E employment category. So, the WISE test is typically used in econ and personal finance. Finance. So, it's a credential test. A lot of school divisions will give that um for students exiting or who finish up um econ and personal finance cuz it's a credential that can um go towards a student diploma. But, they're saying it won't be part of um part of the accountability matrix, that 3E category. So, it's employment, enlistment, and enrollment are the 3E category for the high school. So, um so, that's that's a slight change. I don't know that we have a ton of kids in Matthews
031taking the WISE. Other school divisions, everybody automatically takes the WISE, but um we have not used that. And part of it is like the WISE isn't considered a um highly accepted credential in business and industry. So, it's not it doesn't have a ton of value once once you leave um school. Um the second piece is, um, returning to the growth methodology and value tables. So, to explain a little bit about growth methodology. So, within the accountability system, um, there's typically a a growth measurement, a mastery measurement, um, and then you get into readiness categories. So, growth, um, and it's measured differently at at different grade levels, but in this previous year, growth was determined, um, it wasn't it wasn't easy for a school division to predict whether or not a student would earn growth because
032a student in their previous year's test was then, depending on how they scored in the previous year. So, let's say, for example, a fourth grader taking the fourth grade English test. Let's say that fourth grader in third grade scored a 405. So, that fourth grader would be compared against every other fourth grader who scored a 405 in the previous year and then would be kind of put on a on a bell curve to determine did they, um, do the same, worse, or better than every other student who scored the same exact score in the previous year. So, we would have no way to know, like it would change every year, cohort to cohort, test to test. So, it was really difficult to predict. It was also that data was also sent to kind of a
033an independent company. Um, so that contract was not renewed by the state. So, they needed to have a different way to look at, um, to assess growth. So, the thinking right now is that they will go back to value tables. So, it's kind of a set, um, a set table. And so, basically, if you think of, um, SOLs going from a scale of 0 to 600, it's kind of broken out into eight categories. And the thing I would So, really what you want to be able to do is from a 1 year to the next year move from, say, level 1 to level 2, or level 4 to level 5. So, growth isn't just for students who did not pass the SOL. Growth is also factored into, let's say, that 405 student. So, did the
034405 student in 3rd grade, in 4th grade, are they at a 40 or a 410, or did they get to 505? So, growth is still factored in for students who passed the previous year and passed the current year. Were there gains moving from year to year? So, it's a way for the state to look at, if you will, value added for students on a year-to-year basis. So, even if, depending on how students performed the previous year, did they grow a significant amount in that next year? And so, they've done a bunch of analysis to determine what appropriate or predicted growth would be, um, in grades 4 through 8, just in reading and math. So, there's no growth that's calculated in any of the sciences or any of the social studies. It's just 4 through 8,
035and then reading and math. They're still trying to figure out what do you do with 3rd grade, because you don't have an SOL test before 3rd grade, so how do you port in growth, and what is that What is that metric? Um, so, I guess at some point we'll find out exactly what that is, what the actual value tables will be to help us assess, determine how we're going to be measured in the school year that we are wrapping up. And there is a little bit of sarcasm in that. Um the third piece is exit criteria and progress levels for students who take the WIDA alternate access test. We really don't have students here taking the WIDA alternate access test, um but it's basically um English English learning students and how do you what the
036exit um what the you know, exit strategy is um for some of those and then how does that then factor into um a school's accountability. All right. So, then for next year, um some more category um some of the business rules changing. What's um up for discussion is kind of the I guess easiest way to describe it are the the grades. Um so, it's not a A, B, C, or F. It's the grades were distinguished, on track, off track, needs intensive support. So, um the a J Lark study was issued. So, the board is the State Board of Education is looking at do they need to change the verbage for the four categories because it doesn't line up and there are folks who were bothered by um especially the verbage for needs intensive support because
037the other ones were talking about track, on track, off track, you know, so they're I think they're still going to be four categories. It's just what names get applied to those four categories. Um the other thing and this is difficult to explain without getting way down in in the weeds, um but some of the tests have um three categories or some of them have four categories. So, there's um pass advanced, pass proficient, fail, and then fail below basic. Some of them just have fail, pass, um and then pass advanced. So, the metrics or the the numbers, the values assigned could vary from test to test depending on how many categories there were within that test. So, they're trying to streamline, trying to be systemic about all the rules and be consistent about how how many
038points would be assigned for, um, various levels of performance on the SOL test. Again, unless it you need to kind of look at the different tests and kind of compare, well, you can So, basically, in some tests, if a student fell below basic, um, then they may be a 0.5 or a 0.75 versus passing would be a one, passing advanced may be 1.25. So, if you only had three domains, the numbers add up differently than if you had four domains and going from 0.5 to 0.7 to one and 1.25. So, it's trying to they're trying to do studies to determine how that will impact, um, all the all the formulas and things. Um, the third piece in this is this to me is probably the the bigger piece. So, if you remember when we talked
039about this as they were developing the rules for the SPSF, so, elementary school and middle school, the accountability is based on that year's performance. That year's kids. How third grade scored that year, fourth grade scored that year, fifth grade, etc. High school was based on a cohort model. So, it wasn't how the English 11 class did that particular year, it was how that year's seniors did on their 11th grade reading test. Or that graduating class did on their Algebra 1 SOL test 3 years or 2 years or 4 years prior. So, the data that you're being held accountable for, in some cases, was 3 to 4 years old, and you would have already made changes based on performance. So, it was it was a mix of you're trying to like attendance was based on that
040year's, but the student achievement stuff was based on that graduating cohort's history in high school. So, it wasn't the number of credentials earned in a particular year, the number associate's degrees earned in a particular year. It's how that senior cohort did over their time in high school. So, they're looking to they're assessing that, and they may change it and go back to an annual performance, how did the high school do that year to be consistent with middle schools and elementary schools. And that's a that's that's a big shift. So, that I mean, that's it's a very different way of of measuring a a high school's success. Okay. And then beyond, they're looking at the enlistment category for the 3E indicator. Currently, the only way you measure enlistment in the 3E is student performance on the
041ASVAB. It has nothing to do with whether or not you actually enlist in the military. It's just how you do on the ASVAB test. Um it's it they're looking at how to adjust the 3E readiness indicator and capping the number of points a student could earn or a school could earn in the 3E category. Um looking at last year's performance, a lot of high schools kind of blew it out of the water with 3E points, and that sort of overshadowed um some of the student achievement on SOLs and things. So, um looking at again, I'll kind of go through some of the other things, but looking at how growth and mastery are weighted or the weights, um how they need to be, you know, is there should more weight be towards growth and less on
042mastery, more on mastery, less on growth? Um so, that it varies from school level to school level. Um it weights a little bit higher in growth at the elementary, a little bit less um at the at the high school level. Um looking at chronic absenteeism, how that's measured, um index for advanced coursework, various other things. So, there's still a lot happening, evolving with state accountability. And it's kind of building the plane as you're flying it, if you will. So. Questions? Comments? I have a comment. Sure. Um it just seems to be getting increasingly um unintelligible. I mean, it's so above our you know, the working man's head to understand all these discrete components. Um and and it's I'm I my fear is it's going to be the undoing of public education. Because we don't even
043give enough time and and this is my rant, obviously. We don't give enough time for the previous way we've measured to really see if it works before they replace it. And every time they replace it, it becomes more and more tedious. And and I just don't understand I I don't see how a division like ours across the state is able, with all the other things, all the other um concerns, academic concerns that have come before us, are able to stay on top of this. Um it it it's no longer reading, writing, and arithmetic. It's not simple. And I And it feels like that it's made to to feel like it's not simple. It's It's our purpose. Um, and it's just highly disappointing that that we it's become um this tedious that someone with a relatively
044average intelligence has difficulty comprehending all the different components. So, I'll just leave it at that. Well said, Mrs. Hodges. >> Yes. Yep. Agreed. Agreed. You're getting closer >> with any of it. Yes, Ms. Diggs. Um, I confess it's a bit confusing for my brain tonight. I recall you saying um talking about this previously, of course. But if the WISE product, where you compare across the state all of those who scored a specific number and on a test, I believe you said that. And they don't keep a record of that from year to year that we will be going back possibly going back to the value system. I I I tend to agree with Mrs. Hodges. It's very nondescript and it seems confusing and hard. So, the The value tables were used for several years um
045to assess growth um prior to this past year where it was the data was sent off to um a third party to kind of do this statistical analysis for every kid at every at every level. So, last year was the first year of not using um kind of these value tables. So, um the other one slight nuance, though, like growth previously was only used for students who did not pass. So, it would be if you passed, great, but if you didn't pass, you would get a certain number of points for growth. Um, and so to determine whether or not a student grew but didn't pass, you had to go to these value tables to kind of figure out um, how if you would get kind of points towards what was then your accreditation, what is
046now your accountability, um, to kind of see how that would work. In this proposal, growth sort of spans the continuum of passing or not passing, but they're still a metric. You could pass and get points for passing, but you could pass and not make growth and not get points for passing but not passing by enough compared to last year. Yes. Thank you, Dr. Payne. Um, yes. I need a whiteboard and some some more time, and we have none of those right now. >> Yes. No worries. Well, we appreciate the updates, um, but also I think mostly it's just the dogged approach to teaching the basics and, um, expecting mastery and that uh, a small division like ours has to cling to. We just have to keep doing that despite all of this turbulent whirling dervish
047action around us, and I appreciate your leadership, Admin's leadership, um, the principals and the teachers, of course, who stay on target despite all of this noise going on around us that we really can't control. Right. So, if we just subject to. Again, it's going back to kind of the vision and the mission. So, are we doing the the right thing for the kids each and every day? Are we having the process in place to make sure, "Hey, you got a 405 this year. Let's let's try to get you to a 475 or 505." So, we still want to see growth, we still want to see, you know, kids excelling. It's not just, "Okay, well, you're good now." It's like, "Hey, we still want you to move into this domain and we're still working with kids
048who, you know, haven't got that success of getting the 400 or reading on grade level by a certain grade in that." So, it's still we're still doing the things. And so, we'll figure out how the state wants to assess and we'll, like you said, we'll keep worried about the basic things. Mr. Morgan. I wasn't going to comment, but since everyone else has, I can't be outdone. Um It's like everyone else has already said, I find these numbers very confusing, to say the least. And sometimes I wonder exactly what they really mean. Seems to me that um the education, public education in the in the whole country, um tried to fix something some years ago that really wasn't broken yet. And now it is badly broken and we're scrambling uh trying to remember how we used
049to do it right. Seriously. Uh I went to school, there were none of this, of course. Um our graduation rate, well, I don't know exact figures, I'm going to say it was 98, 99% probably. Uh we seldom had a student that didn't pass, didn't graduate. Um didn't have SOLs, there were some standardized testings, we used to we just referred to them as state tests. Uh and now we have all of these fancy testings and evaluations and assessments and so forth. And I just read this week uh in an email, believe it was sent from SBMA, but regardless, businesses, companies are urging school divisions to focus more on basics. They said the biggest thing that they need with high school with high school and even college graduates is literacy. We're graduating people from not only high
050school, but college as well they can barely read. Uh I just I just find that very very troubling when we look at all of this effort and all of this time and probably money that goes into all of these evaluations and compiling all of these data and so forth. And and yet we continue to lower the bar. I went to school you had to make a 75% to pass. A 74 was failing. Now we're down to 60. How much lower are we going to go? That's just my two cents worth. Had to say it. Thank you, Mr. Morgan. Agreed. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Daniel. Moving on to item four, citizens' questions, comments, or requests. Comments not pertaining to personnel or student matters. Protocol for public comment period, Mathews County residents and school employees wishing
051to speak should sign up with their name and address on the sheet provided. Each individual will have 3 minutes to speak. Comment period will end after 90 minutes. All comments should be directed to the school board. Speakers shall not address matters involving students or personnel as these topics may violate confidentiality and are not appropriate in a public forum. Public comment is the school board's opportunity to listen to the speaker. Since our purpose is to hear from you, the board will not engage in dialogue with the audience or whomever is at the podium. Matters requiring a response will be directed to the superintendent for research and response. The superintendent may report back on such matters at a subsequent business meeting session as appropriate. The school board carefully considers your comments when deciding on matters brought before
052us. We appreciate your attendance and your input. Our first speaker at the podium tonight is Justin Dixon. Speaker, I think we're going to reverse with Angie McKinsey first. And then myself. Then Angie McK- McKinsey, please approach. Thank you. Thanks. Good evening, everyone. Thank you for your service to our community. I am by proxy the new president of the PTSA. We have been a PTSA for over 5 years, but yet our students never knew they could become members and were eligible for um free money from the Virginia PTA organization and the state organization. We have mostly a new board this year. I'm very excited. Um we currently only have 19 members. Um I didn't even know about the PTA. My son, Finn McKinsey, you might know him. He's the tall basketball player. He um he's going
053to be a sophomore the next school year and um in order for us to be in good standing and get this free money, uh they needed what was said in the newsletter, a I think I a vice president and a secretary. They needed a president. Well, they got all of us new people and we are very excited and I want to introduce Blair and Angela. Uh they're doing the beautification. Justin is our new vice president. Uh we did find, thanks to Angela, a new treasurer. Um a charity on guard and our secretary is uh Shannon. Why am I forgetting her last name? I really do know, I swear. But we kind of all just got thrust into this a couple Fridays ago, the Friday before teacher appreciation week. Our goals are to increase membership. We've
054already agreed that we're going to raise the dues to $10. For some reason they were dropped to seven. And um I would really like to get together with all of you, with our board, to see like how we can work together to make things better. We had teacher appreciation week. It went great because people came together at the absolute last minute. Um so unless you all want to say anything further, I don't want to take anyone's time. Um but you know, it's concerning to me, obviously, that we have very few members. It's concerning no one is here tonight. Um and we're hoping to work with you to change things, hopefully. >> And to get more students to participate. Mhm. Yeah. That's it. Thank you. Thank you very much. Sure. Thank you. >> Justin Dixon, would
055you like to approach now? Okay. All right. Good evening. Um before I speak, I want to make it very clear that I'm speaking as a parent for other concerned parents and silenced parents. I'm not speaking as the PTA vice president or on behalf of the PTA. My concern is with all the money collected from community donations, individual donations, tax write-off donation, benefit programs, booster club, school fundraisers, school budget allotment, pay-to-play fees, admission dollars from all games at $8 per person, including students that have to pay full price or any price at that to see their own peers play sports on our own home field. And I'm sure there's more donations that we are unaware of. My question to you is why do you think it's necessary and mandatory that our students that play sports on
056their own home field, that represent our school at away games, and practice day in and day out so continuously have to be handed down and use recycled uniforms or handed down jerseys from pre previous players from games and seasons. To me it's kind of absurd that they turn in their jerseys and other apparel that they gave their sweat, tears, and blood for in our school for playing the sports that they love. To some the jersey is all that they have to remind them of an accomplishment that they never thought they could achieve. No student should have to surrender their token of accomplishment where another player's achievement and take that away from them. Also as a former student because in the end they also shed the same sweat, blood, and tears in that uniform for themselves
057and our school. Thank you. Ms. Angela Justice. Okay, great. Is there anyone else who would like to approach the podium? Anyone else? All right, comment period will close then. Thank you for the speakers who did speak. Item five, Superintendent's informational reports, Dr. Daniel uh first cover attendance update. All right, so I'm going to start by turning the remote on and then I'm going to back up. So, I'm going to start with March and so I need to make some corrections from the March data. As we were comparing the the March data with the April data, we noticed some some inconsistencies and some some math wasn't mathing, so we needed to go back and um make some adjustments um to the March attendance report. So, those are those numbers are highlighted. What ended up happening was
058some numbers were transposed from first semester into second semester. So, that kind of changes a little bit cuz I was I was I was riding pretty high about our March attendance improvement. And then when we went and kind of did a little bit of an audit, we were still pretty tight from last year to this year in terms of of attendance. So, then taking a look at going to All right, so taking a look at at April. We're still pretty we're we're tight with where we were last year. Again, the goal is to improve really in that last column to the right, the students who are chronically absent. And that's who have missed 17 plus days and that's a federal determination. So, missing more than 10% of the school year. So, at the end of
059excuse me, at the end of April, we were at 48 at the high school compared to 52 the previous year. A little bit over at Thomas Hunter. And then a little bit under again at the elementary school. But what's again looking at a little bit of like data analysis. So, if you move a couple columns over to really the the third column where it says number of attendance warning letters mailed year to date. So, we're way under the number of warning letters that we're mailing. The next column over, we're way under in the number of attendance plans that we're having to develop. So, what what I'm and we need to kind of talk a little bit about and put names to numbers, but it looks like the the casually absent person who in years past
060had been exceeding the numbers, those folks are kind of like understanding the new regulations with with attendance and complying and coming to school regularly. I don't I think we've got some chronic cases year in and year out in it. I'm kind of the what I'm assuming is kind of the same families, same same struggles from the elementary school to the middle school then to the high school. So we're kind of still working like at the high school, we're still talking about the same, you know, 45 to 60 students. Because in previous years we're doing a lot of a lot of mailings and attendance plans and warning letters. And so I think the the bulk of who we were addressing last year and the previous years are now like their attendance has improved. But they're still
061we still have to get to the bottom of a certain core of students who were in continuing to be in that chronically absent category area. So that's some work for us to to think through, talk about, different ways to attack attack the problem to improve attendance. But again, I'll um again, just like it's not all doom and gloom. I'll I'll kind of Again, reflecting a little bit from previous years. So last year was the best year of attendance that we've had in the previous several years. So we're we're hoping to improve on that and continuing in this case a downward trend for chronically absent. And so we're hoping, you know, when I think the number I inherited when I got here, we were about 30 33% or so of our entire student population was chronically
062absent. So, we're we've made great strides in doing that. There's still obviously room for improvement. Um So, it's we're we're down to kind of the the some of the nitty-gritty, if you will, with regards to to attendance. Any questions from board members on on attendance? >> a question. When you go to the superintendent's meetings, I'm sure attendance comes up, chronic absenteeism. What is your sense of the other superintendents? Is anybody got it, you know, figured out or is everybody struggling with this? And I not >> Um It's kind of a universal struggle. Um it varies a little bit place to place in terms of like in an urban setting, it's a little bit different than a rural setting. Um folks why folks may not be coming to school, whether at older, is it students are
063already getting jobs or working late at night. Um And so, a lot of the strategies talk about school climate, school culture. A lot of it talks about um food. Um like making sure you have breakfast after the bell is is a common strategy that we've we've talked about and have some success and some not so successful um ventures with breakfast after the bell. Um So, it's it's kind of a it's it's a mix of strategies. I think the biggest piece is it's it's not as much about A part of it is what's happening between the walls of the schools, but also there's a community component of that, too, and making sure that school attendance is valued by the community Right. >> [snorts] >> and the families that that school division serves. And so, that's that's
064seems to be the tipping point with kind of where where we are um with with some of our families. Again, it's it's not universal, um but it's again, putting names with with the numbers to figure out okay, is this a year and in year out chronically absent student? Is this, you know, so there's there's not a um if you just did these three things, like your attendance is going to be great. Like that's not it. It's okay, would you run a second um bus to go on and pick up or do you run a car or do you have, you know, how many attendance support staff do you have to go and track down kids? So, we talk a little bit about administrative bloat and that's a common with common discussion um especially in budget
065season. Um but this is one of those examples where also probably 30, 40 years ago you wouldn't have had a school social worker to track attendance and monitor attendance and needing somebody else to go staff a breakfast after the bell or doing some of those other things that are, you know, somewhat required or suggested. So, um there's yeah, but that I wish there was a slam dunk um solution, but we haven't found it yet. It doesn't sound like anyone else has either. Yes, Ms. Hayes. Um you mentioned that it is from elementary and it tends to move up. And having been here a little bit in the past and seeing some of that, has that is are the is anyone able to address that properly? It's it's difficult at like to look at the elementary
066school specifically. So, like take just tardies for example. So, it's the consequence of the reach that we have ends with the kids, but it's not necessarily the the first grader's fault. Sometimes it's the first graders fault for them being late because they they didn't do what they were had a tantrum or whatever. But um so it's not it's you know, our reach can only for like a tardy get to so far. Um for absences our our reach becomes the the code of Virginia and so we have to go through make sure we document warning letters and we have Well, first we have to make sure we have an attendance policy that aligns with state code, which we which we have now. And then it's issuing letters and then we have to have the plans. We
067have to and then they have to miss more after the plan has been in put in place and then we can take them to court for truancy. Well, you then you have to get on the court docket and then you have to rely on the judge to then cuz the judge is going to have more reach than the superintendent or the principal or the school board. Um so and that takes months. Um and so you can you can see the number of um attendance plans developed. Like there are some state reports where we have to track um truancy courts and so that number for us has gone down over the years. Um but it's still like it takes um it takes a long time to get there. And then the solution from the parents end
068is I'm a home school. And so it's easy to then just say, "Okay, here's the requirements for home school. I can't like I'm tired of battling with my kid or battling with the school or or or so." Thank you. You're welcome. Right. If we're ready, item 5.2, Mrs. Hundley, financial report. Mrs. Hundley's doing double duty tonight. >> She is. I really appreciate it. You probably want that, don't you? All right. >> All right. Good evening. Good evening. All right. So, the financial report through the month of April for our operating fund, um we received 56.32% of our um estimated revenue. Just to let you know that I've been working with the federal program secretary like every month to get reimbursements in so that we can have um our federal funds, majority of them done before
069June 30th so that we are not accruing a lot of uh funds back from fiscal year 207 into 26. And these are the expenditures. Again, the um the report is broken up into categories. For instruction, it's broken up by school. Um and also the instructional support. So, you have a total for instruction as far as how much has been expended through April. And um the function for administration and health services, how much has expended for through April for that category, uh pupil transportation, operations and maintenance. And you got your fund transfers and technology and your total grants. Um and as you can see for the the total operating fund, we expended 71.82%. All right. Is there any questions on the financial report for April before I go into the budget amendments? Yes. for fiscal year
07026, um the budget amendment is to increase the budget by 285,264 dollars. It's going to be state funds, federal funds, and the local appropriation. Um And on this the next slide will show you exactly how it's broken down from each category. Uh so, for the expenditure side, it's just showing you which categories that we increased um for the 285,264 dollars. So, this is the detail that I was uh referring to. So, um the local appropriation was reduced by 89,047 dollars because of the school resource officer match that we approved earlier in the year. So, that went down. For federal, the school improvement grant that we received that we talked about last month um cuz we're starting to spend expenditures on that. So, that was um included in the budget amendment. And the Medicaid reimbursement, which
071is a increase of 55,000 dollars. Um when we get down to the state portion, um you see a negative 55,750 because uh originally the budget had a all-in It's a per pupil allocation, but um it should be on the deferred all-in revenue because that money at the beginning of the school year, the school board uh approved a resolution to have the county to reallocate those funds back to the school for fiscal year 26. So, it's a net between the two of 91,000 and I think there uh 232 if I'm correct. Um So, the MTSS grant that we received for $40,000, the school security equipment grant that is the portion that we received from the state which was $84,800, and the SOQ position bonus payment, which is $66,947. And that is the revenue that we received
072additional revenue that we received for fiscal year 26. And at the expenditure side of it, um, as far as the >> [clears throat] >> the accounts that we actually increased, um, as you can see purchase services for special education related services 50,000. The school improvement grant expense, again, that's 36,352. The all-in grant for salary and benefits 91, 212. The MTS grant for 40,000, and the SOQ one-time bonus wages and benefits of 26,90. So, that increased the instruction um, by 244,464. As far as the administration, attendance, and health, that that function, um, increased by 12,752, where 5,000 was for the health services purchased services, and SOQ one-time bonus wages and benefits of 7,752. And with pupil transportation, it's again the SOQ one-time bonus wages and benefits for 22,595, and the capital outlay additions for the weapons
073detection system 5,453. And that's the budget amendments for, um, fiscal year 26. Also, in the on board docs is a detail as far as also where it it breaks down for which account codes that you can actually see the account codes that are, um, for each expenditure and revenue code. Right? Excellent. And moving on to um the fiscal year 26-27 budget amendment. So, this is um as you know, the county approved their budget April 30th and their uh local appropriation was approved at 8.5 million. So, we had to go in and adjust our fiscal year 27 budget. But, just keep in mind that the state still has not approved their budget yet. It's anticipated that they'll do it hopefully by the second week in June. Um so, again when they do their budget, we have
074to come back again with another amended budget for fiscal year 27. But, um I did increase like the local funds due to um the Medicaid reimbursement, the projections for this year. I went on and increased it um for next year and also included the math innovation grant that we'll get reimbursed for also is included in that local funds allocation. And that state funds is the credentialing for CTE that was um projected for fiscal year 26. So, I went on and added that while I was doing that. So, it comes down to we had to reduce our fiscal year 27 budget by $88,430. And that came to reducing the instruction function and the transportation functions to get us down to a um a balanced budget for 27. And for the revenue again, I just spoke about
075these, but um donations and grants that's the line that the 100,000 was put in for the math innovation and the 35,000 for um Medicaid reimbursement, the CTE credentialing and the um decreased in the local appropriation. And these are the expenditures that we reduced. It was one FTE position, um improvement of instruction for purchased services and instruction for a reducing it by $63,170, and transportation, um I looked at trends in transportation and based on that and also, um leave payouts was also budgeted in there. So, we just reduced that, um by $25,260. And that's questions, comments? I would just add one piece, like historically, we haven't, um done a current fiscal year amendment at the end of the year. So, this is, um a somewhat new process for the school board to kind of true up
076the the budget in the accounting process, kind of at the end of the year to, um and then better communication with county and county administrator to kind of align our practices with theirs, so there's clear understanding, less, um confusion about different line items and and budgeting amounts, and so we can, hopefully, as like, we move forward and have, you know, we're looking all looking at the same numbers and the same things going going year to year. So, so that's that's why there's an FY26 kind of amended as we look to kind of close out this year and then, um giving the board an update as to the the [clears throat] changes that we needed to make for FY27, um after the county approved their budget. Again, like Ms. Hunley had said, we're still waiting, um
077state budget to determine how that will impact us. I guess there's some dialogue on what how much of a raise the state may be um projecting in their budget. While that's um great, um it also then, because of our local composite index, it requires a greater match from us. So, we would have to figure out where where that match and how do we um meet that match um for that additional percent. Mrs. Hundley, I would just like to say I really appreciate your efforts and your skill is obvious. This is very informative and it it's helping um us to be more current and have better communications and understandings of the budget. Thank you. Thank you. Item 5.4, the reorganization of Matthews Elementary School and Thomas Hunter Middle School. Sure. So, just a couple um couple
078things that are happening. So, um Ms. Bray uh hosted a um I guess like a joint faculty meeting last week to um um it was in response to our first um professional development session as part of the um school improvement grant at the middle school. Um but, we modeled or Ms. Bray modeled part of the strategies that we did. So, with all the faculty members together of the combined school kind of talking about, well, you know, what do what do great schools do? And so, how do we what do we think we are doing great? What do we need to keep? What do we need to leave? Um kind of things. And she did some surveys um with staff and I think she sent it out to to families as well. Um but, to look
079at um one, to start bringing the faculty together and beginning to operate as as one group. And then, thinking about as she's trying to build or working to build a pre-K through seven master schedule that also has to fit with the high school because we share a lot of staff and programs. Um beginning to build that um in collaboration with, >> [snorts] >> you know, middle school philosophy and elementary school philosophy. So, um, she's worked on that. There was a follow-up meeting, um, with our consultant from the school improvement grant, um, and so they met again last Friday to kind of begin putting some of those ideas into practice into a master schedule. Um, so Ms. Bray's been working with, um, staff members on, um, you know, I think part of the idea, her her
080idea right now is to get, um, so the sixth grade classrooms that are over here, moving the instructional all onto the same hallway. Um, the other piece of that is this half of the building is slated for asbestos abatement. So, if instead of having teachers move out of classrooms, store their stuff, and move back into other classrooms, let's go ahead and move them into already rehabilitated classrooms, if we can do that. So, that's, you know, one less move, and, um, we're, you know, a step ahead than we would have been in step ahead in August of '26 than where we were in August of '25. Um, so they've have, um, they're starting to work through what what, um, you know, arrival time look like with with buses and parent drop-off, a combined parent drop-off, because
081we know the elementary school drop-off backs way up, and the pickups in the afternoon backs way up. So, are there different ways to stage buses and things. So, they're they're kind of working, um, working through those through those pieces and making some staffing decisions and room locations, and we're moving some some rooms around. So, there may be some small, low-level kind of maintenance things that need to need to happen in some classrooms for those instructions. So, um, and they're talking about different elective options. So, we we had, you know, our three fabulous art teachers here. So, the two who are on this campus are looking at other ways. So, Ms. Witkowski already works, you know, works with students at the high school. So, are there other kind of classes that Ms. McClaire can also do
082to maybe work with middle school kids and Ms. Witkowski can of pick up some elementary classes and um with Mr. Eno coming back for music, are there ways that he and Mr. Givens can kind of work hand in hand with some of the music programs for um some of our older kids. So, it's fostered a lot of conversation about what is possible and really moving us away from this is what we've always done and this these are the roadblocks. And so, it it it's um you know, in some ways it's it's been some good some good conversation about, okay, well, if we prioritize this thing, then we need to make a schedule that prioritizes this thing. So. >> Excellent. So, that's probably the biggest piece from last month to this month. That's a great theme.
083>> Mhm. Great. Okay. 5.5, um MCPS graduation promotions. All right. So, this is this is always a an exciting time of the year with um ceremonies and promotion ceremonies and things. So, the high school graduation is Saturday, May 30th, 2026 at 10:00 at the Harry M. Ward Auditorium. Um the Thomas Hunter Middle School 7th Grade Promotion is Monday, June 8th, uh 2026 at 9:30 right here in the J. Murray Brooks Auditorium. Um the Matthews Elementary School Pre-K Promotion is June 2nd at 9:00. Um so, what you don't see is the the old fourth grade or the fifth grade sort of promotion um ceremony. So, we're down kind of one one promotion ceremony this year. But but those those are the dates um for families to be aware of. I would just highlight, if you're coming
084to um either the Pre-K or the middle school promotion ceremony. Those are during the regular school day, so please come with your driver's license to scan in and get that visitor badge. Provide a little bit of time in advance of of doing that. So, arrive a little bit early to get that to get that to happen. Okay, 5.6. So, financial reports. So, you have the school-based financial reports for the elementary school, the middle school, and the high school. Um the there's a Thomas Hunter field trip kind of request information there that is Beverly Jane Okay, so that's a social studies field trip. And also notice about when we will begin summer hours. So, the summer hours schedule will begin on June 8th and then end on August 7th. Okay. Great. Any questions or comments from
085the board? All right. Dr. Daniel? Any more? I think that's it. I think that's All right, great. Moving on to item six, school board informational reports. We have our usual item 6.1 reflecting board conferences and webinars. All members take a look at that. More things are coming. Item 6.2, we have a time now for boarding committee reports by school board members and the superintendent. I believe Ms. Bohannon Stewart, do you have something you'd like to say? Sure. Um >> [clears throat] >> So, I'm the school board member that is also on the Chesapeake Bay Governor's School board as well and um I love doing that and I had the pleasure a couple of weeks ago on a Sunday to I was invited to go to an award ceremony that they had. And um so I
086just wanted to acknowledge those students that that had won some awards. Um Ray Hudgens and Ivan Scheibel were recognized for their community service hours. And uh and Ray even won the bronze bee award for this because he had over 100 hours of community service in one year. And then Miss Ella Ward who's also our student rep um w- won an award um along with her team um they won second place at a blue crab bowl. And then um and these students uh our students were also recognized for their performance at the science symposium which I also went to back in the winter. Um three students had exemplary presentations. I saw all of them. They were awesome. Um Ray Hudgens, Ivan Scheibel, Ella Ward again. And then um Ray Hudgens and Ella Ward also um I
087think it was just before the awards event um I had won um an award at Virginia Junior Academy of Science. And um Ray Hudgens, Ivan Scheibel, and Ella Ward have earned an associate's degree in science. Fantastic. Impressive. Very great. Yes. Thanks for that. Mr. Diggs? Yes, I'm Yeah. Sure. All right. Um I was able to attend virtually the meeting um with WHRO. They have one um four times a year. And WHRO is doing a lot and I'll just give you a very very brief overview of what was covered um this past Wednesday. Um they distribute a lot of books in the area to children. Um this past year they have been teaching algebra one online. Um Virginia history and US history are also taught online. This year they started a new program uh for second
088graders for science. Um they have videos for them, they have print outs for the teachers, um printables for the students and so forth. Um They are they're very active with their student competitions and that started March the 7th um with the spelling bee and then the great computer challenge and on and on and they had lots of participation. At one of the events there was standing room only. Um and as a last note they will come out if there is something exciting going on in our classroom that a teacher is interested in pushing broadcasting over the county and surrounding areas, they'll come out and film it for us and we can have a brag session on it. Mhm. So, it's very good information. Thank you. Excellent. Thank you, Ms. Davis. Mr. Morton, anything? All right.
089I'll be attending the workforce development meeting tomorrow in Rutherford Rutherford. Glenn. And I will come back at the next meeting and report there on that. Um but for now uh with we have meeting dates uh Board of Supervisors meetings. Uh Ms. Bohannon Stewart, you'll be attending May 21st, and Mrs. Hodges, June 18th is what we have down there. So far. Yes, I have that on my calendar. Great, thank you. And uh Are there any other committee reports or or reports of any sorts before we move to action items? No, I don't think so. Action items. Item 7.1 then. I'm seeking a motion for the adoption of textbooks for grades K through 2 science for 2026-2027. I make a motion to adopt the textbooks for grades K through 2 science for the 2020 2026-2027 school year
090as listed. Thank you, Ms. Bohannon Stewart. Do we have a second? I'll second it. Thank you, Mr. Morgan. Do we have some discussion? Well, I would like to say that I uh have [snorts] viewed all the books that are up for adoption, all of the things that were hard copies that were available. And uh I want to give a special shout-out to Ms. Hunley for the organization of the community review of textbooks up for adoption. As usual, it was done extremely well. Also, to the staff that were involved in collecting and and presenting the materials for the community members, all citizens to to look at and review. And we had a month to do that. And I appreciate any appreciate anyone who went and engaged in that and took advantage of that um viewing time.
091And I was I will say that I'm very happy with the uh materials that are being adopted and that were the selection of the committee um that chose between op- several options. Uh I I was I felt very good about the selection. So, and thank you very much, Ms. Hunley, for coordinating and organizing all of those. Excellently done. Welcome. Any more discussion? There be none. All those in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. Moving to item 7.2, adoption of textbooks for grades K through 5 and 6 to 12 math for 2026-2027. May I have a motion? I make motion to adopt the textbooks for K through 5 and 6 through 12 math for 2026 2026 and 2027 as listed. Thank you, Ms. Diggs. May I have a second? I second that. Thanks,
092Ms. Bohannon-Stewart. Any discussion here? All right. All those in favor say I. I. I. Opposed? Motion passes unanimously. Item 7.3, approval of out-of-county tuition waivers requested by employees for 2026-2027. May I have a motion? I make a motion to approve the out-of-county tuition waivers requested by employees for 2026-2027 as listed. >> Thank you, Mrs. Hodges. May I have a second? I second that. Thank you, Ms. Diggs. Any discussion? Uh one point I'd like to have clarified. This would only affect employees of the Mathews County Public School Division um that do not live in this county in my I I wasn't standing that right? Correct. Okay, thank you. Any more questions? Any more discussion? There be none. All those in favor say I. I. >> I. Opposed? Motion passes. Item 7.4, adoption of amended 2025-2026 school
093budget. Which Mrs. Huntley just briefed us on. May I have a motion? Yes, I'll make a motion to approve the amended 2025-2026 school budget as listed. >> Thank you, Mr. Morgan. May I have a second? I second that. >> Thank you, Ms. Bohannon Stewart. Is there any discussion? There being none, all those in favor say I. I. I. Opposed? Motion passes. Item 7.5, adoption of amended 2026-2027 school budget. I make a motion to approve the amended and 2027 school budget as listed. Thank you, Ms. Bohannon Stewart. May I have a second? I second that. Thank you, Ms. Diggs. Any discussion? There being none, all those in favor say I. I. I. I. Opposed? Motion passes. Item eight, citizens' comments on items discussed during the meeting. Is there anyone who would like to approach the podium?
094There being none, we'll move to item nine. School board member reports. And I believe we've covered that. Yeah. So, we covered that earlier, and so no more to report. Item 10, other business by school board members or superintendent. Anyone have anything else for this business meeting that they'd like to communicate? Okay. I'd like to report then on other business. 10.1, our next monthly closed meeting will be Tuesday, June 16th, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. At 4:00 p.m. Okay. at the Jay M. Brooks Auditorium, Thomas Hunter Middle School. We will have a long closed session. Okay. This is next month. That is going That's correct. June 16th. Closed will begin at 4:00. Item 10.2, the regular monthly meeting will be Tuesday, June 16th, 2026 at 6:00 p.m., the regular time that we have our open meetings here
095at the Jay M. Brooks Auditorium at Thomas Hunter Middle School. And with that, I will call this meeting adjourned.