001I motion passes 5. Tonight we have our student school board representative with us, Mr. Toby Davis, and he is going to lead us in the pledge of allegiance. Please rise. >> I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right. First item on the agenda is presentations and recognitions and school spotlight. Dr. Nichols. >> Absolutely. Thanks. Uh, tonight I'm incredibly excited to uh announce first from New County Public Schools. Um, and that is the National School Public Relations Association. Did I get the right answer? That sounded right. Um, M. Dr. Excuse us. We're having some repeat on the >> I believe it's coming through what Mr. B is listening to. So >>
002this one is >> so he needs to turn the meeting off. is listen that. >> All right, let's try to move forward. We'll see what happens. >> Uh so the National School Public Relations Association gives out awards ana annually to school divisions uh across the country who do incredible work. Uh this year we were honored uh with the digital media excellence award uh for our annual report uh that you received last year. Um I will also say that new Kent uh had the opportunity to present at the national conference in Washington DC just a few weeks ago on how a small school division does public relations. We had our two student interns who are now both at JMU with us. They presented like absolute rock stars. We had a room full couple hundred people from
003all over the country uh hearing the new Kent story and I got to tell you Ashley Meredith is absolutely amazing. Those students were right up there with her like I was way in the back on that. Um so uh really want to thank Ashley because without Ashley this award cannot happen. uh she has moved us light years in terms of communication on all things new cat website, social media and more. So it's my pleasure to bring her up here and person on camera. >> I like to be the one taking We're good right here. >> You're fine. >> I'm not as good as she is. >> So, first of many awards um from the National Association. So, thank you, Ashley. >> All right, moving on to tonight's consent agenda. Board members, you've had the opportunity
004to review the item the items listed in the consent agenda, including meeting minutes, specifically from and only including the following for tonight's vote. February work session 2025, March work session 2025, May regular session 2025, and the July regular session 2025 along with the superintendent's recommendations regarding personnel matters. Do I hear a motion to approve the consent agenda? >> So moved. >> All right. Miss Cooney has the first. Mr. Droski has the second. Miss Davis, please pull the board. >> Mr. Hagano, >> I. >> Miss Kuna, >> I. Mr. Tumbroski. >> I >> Mr. Law. >> Hi. >> And Mr. R. >> I. >> All right. Consent agenda passes unanimously. Thank you. Moving on. New business. Dr. Nichols. Opening of the schools. Sir. >> Yes, sir. I want to provide you some updates on the opening
005of schools. First day of school is August 18th. Um, just yesterday or this summer we've been welcome because we've been all summer. We have 42 me new members of team UK. uh that includes 37 teachers. Uh you don't often want your numbers to go down, but the number of vacancies is down. Uh so retention is up, vacancies are down, but we did welcome some incredible teachers yesterday uh at our new teacher um event and then today all teachers return. So it was a big energyfilled day here. um just looking at staffing needs uh for the board and the public and if you are interested uh we'd be happy to help get you into one of these positions not the board that was for the public. Uh New Elementary School is fully staffed. Uh George Watkins
006is filling one pair professional role. Quinton Elementary has a steam teacher. The middle school is also fully staffed. Um and the high school has those uh two. So we have uh plans uh for both of those positions at the high school. That's where we're at right now. So, transportation is tracking exactly like it was last year. Um, so we do have a plan that we executed last year that we'll have in place there. Just a reminder for our public and anybody that views this, we can get you to have a CDL and be a bus driver. Even if you don't have any of the prerequisite skills, there are certain things that you have to have in place, but we can get you all the way to that point of being a bus driver. So, I've
007driven a bus in a parking lot. We can help you, too. study. So that's the staffing piece. Uh summer projects. Uh people ask what did you do this summer? We worked and we worked hard. Um so HVAC project at the new middle school completed roof and lighting updates at New High School. Um it's fun uh to go in new high school because you can see exactly where we've done the lighting project and where we haven't because there's such a difference uh with the LED piece. Our biggest project of the summer is our turf field and track replacement at New High School which is on time and under budget and we will be ready for the first home own game uh which I believe is September 12th. It is a beautiful project and it's really coming
008along. Uh so and then uh you saw this last week uh last meeting we had an overhaul of the NKCPS website and we have the NKCPS app. uh which I've gotten great feedback from families on uh so far. So those are some of our big summer projects that include painting, mulching, and everything else we do. But it's it's been a big productive summer. >> Uh August 18th, the class of 2038 will begin kindergarten. So I came in with the class of 2032. So we're already at 2038. We have about 260 kindergarteners coming our way. Um, if you haven't registered, we can still do that. Ross Miller even made the slideshow at the book vending machine. >> Um, on our website, we have the school calendar snapshot so you can see everything you need to see.
009Uh, we will open up with all staff at convocation. I do want to mention that the new Kent Education Foundation, such an incredible partner. They were there with our new teachers yesterday. Our new teachers have never been treated that way in other places with a foundation that does all that work. Um so the foundation will be there convocation as well. So all the important dates are have been released. We've already secured a graduation date. We are ready for the 2526 school period. Uh important information families, there's first day of school. Uh we do have the Labor Day holiday. Um per law we do have to take off the Friday and the Monday. So that's why you see uh a holiday on August 29th and the September 1st. So just some important information for families. And
010that concludes my opening of schools update board members. Be happy to answer any questions if you have any. >> Thank you Dr. Nichols. Anybody have a question or a comment? >> All right. Thank you. Moving on. Dr. Nichols, you're rolling. VSBA policy updates. >> So BSBA policy updates. You have a couple of policy updates. It is three specifically. Um the policies really focus on legal references being updated. Remember this is a first read. So you do have uh we plan to do a second read at the September meeting. Um so there is a legal reference policy update with purchasing procedures. There is a um update with student conduct to reflect amendments to the Virginia code. Um and then the third one is public records. Um there was a missing paragraph from the May 2025 update.
011Um it was missing in the final 22 2022 version. U so this has all of the language included including amendments of code. Anytime we transfer over into a new fiscal year, we have new laws and new code. So this is the first of a series of policy updates that will reflect code changes. So, if you have any specific questions about the code changes um related to those policies, I'd be happy to answer them. Otherwise, it'll come back for you in September. >> All right. Muna. >> Okay. >> Mr. Broski. >> Yep. >> Mr. Rhymer. Mr. Vault. >> No. >> Thank you, sir. Moving on the agenda, Miss Mortheim. The student nutrition services contracts, please. >> Um, good evening, Mr. Chair, board members, Dr. Nichols, last meeting I brought a handful of school nutrition contracts to
012you. I did mention that there would be one more coming. This is it. It's the fruit smoothie mix. Um, woohoo. So, we would like to offer the contract to Frazzle and allow Dr. Nichols to sign related contract documents. >> Mr. Chair, I have a question. How did uh you determine which vendor to go with? So, the spirit smoothie mix. >> Each solicitation actually um has a different rubric that you use for scoring. In this particular instance, there was only one vendor that actually responded. Um but you go through the bids, you score them, and you offer it to the person that scores the best basically based on the rubric in the each solicitation. >> Okay. Because I'm thinking of nutritional value, you know, make America healthier again. Yeah, some of the school nutrition bids actually
013have those requirements built into the bid because they do have to meet those requirements. So, we're very specific about every single food item that we serve and what that nutritional value needs to be um so that folks aren't offering anything that does not meet that criteria. >> Excellent. Thank you. >> Any other board member have a comment or a question? >> All right. Thank you, Morai. >> Thank you very much. >> All right. Moving on to the next section, schoolboard goals review and update. Dr. Nichols, project New Kent Elementary School. >> So, yes, uh, Mr. Chair, I do not have a project new Kent Elementary update from the last meeting. So, uh, we've still offered to schedule meetings with the board of supervisors. Um, and, uh, Miss Morgan and I met with those architects today
014to put together additional information if needed. So, uh, we're ready. >> Great. affect an increase in cost for delaying the project. >> So I can give you averages because we talked about that a lot with um our our architects. So on average across the past decade uh take the the COVID years out of it because that skewed things quite a bit. Um the escalation is somewhere between 5 and 8% per year um that that you delay a project. So I think that's a great question because a project that is $50 million today will be 60 plus million in you know three years. so forth. >> And I don't see that escalation getting better. Um, a lot of places are looking right now at the impact of tariffs on school on school construction. Um, and just
015kind of seeing, you know, how that weighs out. So, yeah, I worry about that. Um, >> thank you, >> Mr. Chair. Just a quick clarification. Did you say 5 to 8% like in the three-year projection? >> Per year. Per year. Yes. That's the last thing that I rent. Somewhere between five and 8% per year. Mr. Rhymer, >> I'm good. Mr. Vault, >> I'm good. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Nichols. >> Yes, sir. >> Strategic plan update. >> Yes, sir. So, coming in September, we're going to be back to goal one with a comprehensive strategic plan update related to all things in structural data. So, well scores, graduation, those pieces. Uh we're still we're working on the state's timeline for that piece. We believe by the September meeting, uh, we'll be
016able to do a pretty comprehensive update on strategic plan goals. >> All right. Any board member have a question or a comment? >> All right. Thank you again, Dr. Nicholson, >> sir. >> All right. Next item is policy review and revision, specifically policy BDDG, which has to do with minutes of our meetings. Mr. Broski, >> I was uh reading this morning about how u obviously meeting minutes are extremely important and uh if a related legal issue should happen to end up before a judge, it's my understanding that the judge will most likely rely upon what has been documented approve and approved in those meeting minutes. Since they serve as the official record of the meeting, it's essential that they are accurate and completed in a timely manner to ensure their reliability. As such, I am
017asking the board to consider amending policy BDDG uh which is the minutes policy with specifications as to when we as a board should be provided with the minutes from each meeting. I'm open to suggestions and revisions. My initial thought was to have the minutes from each regular board meeting. Uh they have to be provided to the board for our review no later than two weeks following the meeting date. Those minutes should um either be emailed to us directly or posted on the agenda for approval and that will be approval will happen at the following board meeting. Minutes from work sessions or any other type of meetings that are held between regular meetings should be provided to the board no later than two weeks following the meeting date. They may be posted on the agenda for
018approval at the next regular board meeting but no later than the second regular board meeting following the occurrence of that meeting if that makes sense. >> All right. Any board member have a comment or input or a question? Mun Mr. Rhyr seems reasonable. Mr. V, >> I think it's a great idea. Thank you. Uh, Mr. Noski. >> All right. Very good. Moving on to items for vote of consideration. And Mr. Drosky, you're up again with the appointment of delegate to the VSBA annual legislative conference. >> Thank you. So at our last meeting in relation to our VSBA membership, I proposed that three actions be taken by our board. One was to appoint a board member as our active representative to the VSBA delegate assembly. The second was to appoint a alternate to the VSBA delegate
019assembly and that we hold a work session to discuss the VSBA's proposed legislative priorities as advised in their uh delegate handbook so that we as a board can determine if that is something if the policies that they are the legislation pieces that they are proposing if that's something we want to um any changes we want to make or suggest test that is made then that could occur at that time. Um, in review of the 2024 VSBA delegate assembly handbook, it says that each spring the VSBA legislative positions committee contacts each school board and requests recommendations on legislative positions. Dr. Nichols, I was wondering if you could speak to this just a little bit. Do they reach out via email? Is a general email that maybe we just haven't been aware of? Do they >> don't
020know the answer to that? And I don't know if Miss Davis does. And if we don't, we can get that answer for you exactly how they do it. >> Um, >> M. Davis, do you know the >> from this letter that we received where we have to turn in the delegate? It looks like they emailed the board directly. >> Okay. So we'll clarify that. Um see it's a board email. Okay. >> Um so they do have as part of the membership they they have the email addresses. So we we'll clarify that piece and how that comes to you. Um from there the designed VSBA committee reviews all the suggestions that are given to them by the school boards and they make u recommend changes to their board of directors and then they approve those proposals
021which are then sent to the members of the delegate assembly. So, whoever our board would appoint as the delegate will then receive that information most likely, I believe in the delegate handbook that I'm referring to from 2024. Uh, delegates are appointed by individual school boards. They have the delegates are responsible for electing the VSBA officers, adopting amendments to the VSBA's bylaws, and to vote on the submitted legislative priorities. The delegate assembly occurs annually during the VSBA annual conference which is held in November. They uh at that point the delegates can uh discuss any of the proposed legislative policies or positions um ask for alterations or even ask for a deletion of any old positions that may be already in place. Of course, everything would be done by Robert's rules of orders and uh by majority
022rules. The uh handbook also specifies that delegates and alternates are requested to discuss the information in the handbook with their local school boards prior to the delegate assembly. Thus, my request to hold a special work session where we could discuss what is provided in the pol or in the alleged delegate handbook for those uh to discuss those. I have asked Dr. Nichols, if he could now talk a little bit about uh suggestions on the best way that we can move forward in appointing uh our delegate and our alternate to also discuss when we should hold the work session. And then in talking to him, I really liked his ideas about possibly creating our own legislative priorities given the unique circumstances that our school division is in being rural but very good with our money. There
023are some things that we have not been able to uh we're not a good candidate. we don't qualify >> for certain >> funding whatnot. Um, so things that maybe we can work on as a board and advocate for with our legislators. Um, I really like that idea. So, Dr. Nicholas, if I can turn to you. >> Sure. And and I'll and I'll probably tackle them out of order. So, BSBA when they put together their legislative agenda, it is for theund 20 however many school divisions they work for. most of that will align with new kit counties schools. Um, but there are some specific things about being new that's just a little bit different. So that's where we would tailor that to a degree to be specific to the needs of our schools and then work
024directly with other legislators. So that's sort of the the idea with that piece. Um, so the BSBA legislative appointee, the delegate u would attend the annual conference. Um so because that is on behalf of our organization working as an organization we would we would work through that as an organizational cost and not directly with the the board piece uh because they'd be acting on behalf of the school division. Um so how you want to do this uh you know you can volunteer if somebody really wants to be the delegate that makes it pretty easy. Um outside of that then you're another possibility is is nominations and then however the board wants to do that piece. So, um really there are no set rules for how you have to do it. Uh it's just if we
025want a seat at the table, we have a seat at the table. Uh we just we really need somebody to sit there and lobby or not lobby but uh share our priorities. Um we can line up uh any meeting that you would like us to meet um in order to accomplish that task. So if we need one prior to this assembly, we can make sure that happens. So, uh, we're happy to work at the will of the board. So, I think I covered all three of those, Mr. Proski. So, from that, um, open to discussion or questions or anything else, >> but I'm actually going to jump in here for a moment. So, tonight we're on for a vote of consideration. Right. So what we want to do and what I'm going to do is
026now ask each board member to weigh in on this subject because this is where we as a group are deciding if this is something we want to put on our agendas and our work sessions and move forward with and then we can discuss you know once we all agree that that is something we want to do when the work session will be when the discussion will be and and you know then we can put some materials together to go to to go co coincide with this. So I'll start with you Mr. Broski. This is something you want to move forward on. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Miss Kuna. Yes, Mr. Rhymer. >> I'm of mixed mind. Um, I'm okay with having someone nominated and attending. Uh, I'm not sure it's useful to have a work session
027around what the delegate should should do. Uh, so I'd like those questions separate. >> Okay. Mr. Vault, >> I think it's a good idea to have representation um at the meetings being we are a part of it. >> Right. I also think it's a good idea. So that said, I think the board at least four and a half to a half agrees that this is something we should move forward with. So we will put it on one of the regular meeting schedules coming up. So we'll discuss it in more detail, come up with protocol at that point. >> Okay. >> All right. Thank you very much. All right. The next item for vote of consideration is a proposal to watch a continuing legal education webinar as a school board uh also by Mr. Dumbroski. But
028before we move so forward with this subject, are there any motions? >> Yes, I would like to make the motion to remove the proposal to watch the webinar from the agenda. >> All right. Do we have a second on Mr. Dumbroski's motion to amend the agenda agenda to remove the proposal to watch the webinar? Second. >> Second. >> Mr. Rhymer has the second. Miss Davis, please pull the board. >> Yes. >> Um, Mr. Pano, >> I. >> Miss Kuna, >> I. >> Miss Tumbrosky. >> Hi. >> Mr. Mr. Rhymer >> I. >> And Mr. Bot >> I. >> All right. The motion passes unanimously. This item has been removed from the agenda. Number eight, moving on. Unfinished business. We do not have any to discuss this evening. And number nine, citizen comment period. Miss Davis
029is to confirm. Still no citizen comments. All right. Thank you. And now we're moving on to our action items. So board, we have one major or one, I guess predetermined item on the agenda to uh vote on, and that is the approval of the SNS contract, specifically fruit smoothies with Frazzle or Frile or somebody. >> I move to approve the >> Mr. Rhymer approves the fruit smoothie mix. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Mr. Broski has a second. >> Long as it has protein. >> Miss Davis, please pull the board. >> Mr. Mr. Vagano. >> Hi, >> Miss Kuna. >> Hi, >> Miss Tumbroski. >> Hi. >> And Mr. Rhymer. >> Hi. >> And Mr. B. >> I. >> All right. That has passed unanimously. Um, I am going to make a motion
030now to amend the agenda to add as an action item to be voted on this evening the policy revision of the meeting minutes. So, do I Well, I made the motion. Is there a second? >> Second. Mr. Rhymer has a second. The state is please pull the board and this is my motion to amend the agenda to add an action item. >> One second. >> Sure. >> Sorry. >> Take your time, please. >> Um, Mr. >> Hi, >> Miss Kuna. >> Hi. >> Miss Drosski. >> Hi. >> Mr. Rhymer. >> Hi. >> And Mr. B. >> All right. My motion has passed unanimously. We are amending the agenda to add the following which is do I have a motion to approve the proposal to revise the policy BDDG regarding the minutes as presented by Mr.
031Dumbroski? >> So moved. >> Is there a second? Second. >> Second. >> We're going to give that one to Mr. Vaugh in Florida. >> Yes, sir. >> Miss Davis, please pull the board. >> Mr. Pagano. >> Hi. >> Miss Kuna. >> Hi. Mr. Broski. >> I. >> Mr. Rhyme, >> I. >> And Mr. B. >> I. >> All right. Motion passes unanimously. Thank you. >> All right. Moving on to the comment section. Mr. Rhymer. Um, I don't really have much to say today. Uh, thank you all for being here and supporting us as usual. And, uh, thank you, Mr. Dumbroski, for your hard work. >> Very good. Mr. Vaugh. Um, I second Mr. Rhymer's appreciation for Mr. Dumbroski um working on this policy revision and uh thanks to all the uh Miss Anderson and Dr.
032Nichols and all those who uh put together sounds like a very formative team new kit to begin this new year. Um, I know there's challenges along the way that we don't hear about. So much appreciated. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Mr. Dumbrosski. >> Yes. Good evening, everyone. Happy end of summer, especially to uh Dr. Nichols, who based on his Monday message is probably the most excited person in Kent County for school to be back in session. >> I really am. >> I am very excited for you. your enthusiasm is contagious and I really appreciate the example that you're setting for all of us. Uh, one thing I wanted to address first off is uh to provide some additional comments and clarification about the Virginia School Board Association. By their name, they are a schoolboard
033association. Uh, they provide services, support, resources, and professional development opportunities to schoolboard members. They also provide a number of resources and training to our clerk and uh our superintendent. Uh as members of the VSBA, the five of us have membership cards. We are regularly sent uh emails with an updated password so that we can access all the materials that are on their website. To the best of my knowledge, teachers and administrators are not provided with that information. And so in reviewing their website and re-reviewing their website, I'm I was unable to find anything that would specify how the VSBA supports and provides materials or resources to staff or administrators or teachers outside of the schoolboard office. So, and this is in regards to some of the things that were said at the last meeting. If
034there are any teachers or staff who feel who Mr. Pagano referenced teachers who reached out to him, I would be welcome. I would welcome the opportunity to learn from those teachers what support they are receiving from the VSBA. I would really like to learn about if if that is in fact true. I just couldn't find anything on the website that would specify that that they provide those types of support. Um, but speaking of our awesome teachers, as we get ready to begin a new school year, I just want to publicly express my gratitude to each and every one of them. To our administrators, to the school board office staff and the bus drivers and the janitors, everyone that is making a new school year possible. And thank you for what you're doing and preparing to
035do this upcoming year. I am so appreciative of their efforts for everything that people do to make sure our schools are running effectively and safely. I know that they have huge demands that are placed upon them every day, often daunting challenges and a lot of demanding expectations. Yesterday, as was mentioned, Helena and I had the opportunity to meet a several of our new New Kent teachers, and I want to publicly welcome them and thank them for coming to New Kent to teach. Before becoming a schoolboard member, I had the opportunity to substitute in our new Kent schools and it just gave me a even more profound respect for what our teachers do daily and the efforts that they've put forth. And I have to say that that experience really provided me with um an understanding
036that shapes my decisions on this board every day. Um it's also been a really great privilege for the last three years to serve as the new Kent High School PTSO teacher appreciation chair and to get to know the teachers in that respect as well. I I know and understand how much they love and the opportunity to teach in new Kent. So I'm grateful for them. And then just real quick in conclusion, I want to echo Dr. Nichols analogy from our last meeting about how the school board is like the roots of a tree. And when the roots are strong and we are providing strong governance, we will be able to effectively provide the the nourishment and the strength to our schools which makes teaching possible and learning that much better. So, it's with great anticipation
037and excitement that I look forward to another school year where we will be able to work together and to be honest and effective and make really good things happen even more so than before. So, thank you, >> Miss Kunan. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. I I want to address uh some disparaging comments made at the July 14th board of supervisors meeting concerning the new Kent Elementary School project. Let me state unequivocally that this school board is 100% in support of the new build and individual members have all advocated for it publicly. The notion that we have somehow shown lack of concern or failed to speak in support of the project is unfounded and frankly false. Furthermore, this school division under the leadership of Dr. Nichols has provided numerous opportunities to engage in open and transparent
038discussions with the board of supervisors and other community members. So, here are the facts as I know them. First, the school board has been in support of the project since our early tenure in 2024. At the CIP work session held on October 10th, 2024, Mosley architects, Dr. Nichols and staff provided extensive information in support of the prioritization of New Kent Elementary School. We were offered the pros and cons uh of the three main options which focused on renovation versus new build options. After asking numerous questions and debating the options, the school board unanimously concluded that the new build option was the most cost effective avenue to pursue. Second, subsequently on November 18th, 2024, the school board and the board of supervisors along with county administrator Mr. Rodney Hathaway and other officials participated in a joint
039board meeting and school tour. Extensive and detailed information was provided by Mosley Architects, Dr. Nichols, and other staff members, followed by a tour of New Kent Elementary School. All attendees had ample opportunities to ask questions and provide their concerns and opinions. Third, the new Kent Elementary School Project Building Committee met twice in March of this year. Supervisor Moyer of District 2 and Supervisor Supervisor Pearson of District 3, Mr. Rodney Hathaway, and school board chair Pagano and I were all part of this committee along with other staff and community members. All community members had opportunities to provide input and engage collaboratively to prioritize aspects of the school project. Fourth, on March 14th, 2025, all members of the new Kent School Board join Dr. Nichols and staff members in attending the joint board meeting held at the
040VCU Rice Center. Excuse me. New Kent County Public Schools was first on the agenda and Dr. Nichols spoke of the new Kent Elementary School project and entertained questions. Lastly, personally, I have advocated for the new construction of New Kent Elementary School, believing it to be the most cost-effective use of taxpayer dollars. As an example, at the August 15, 2024 town hall uh held at Quinton Elementary School attended by Mr. Moyer and Mr. Hathaway and Dr. Nichols, I shared the results of a study indicating the benefits of quality learning environments that create high performance and inspiring places for teachers to teach and students to learn. I was also a guest speaker along with Mr. Moyer at the fall and spring five lake civic association meetings where I mentioned the building priority needs emphasizing new Kent Elementary
041School being first. Additionally, at the spring meeting, I provided a new Kent Elementary School project update along with a potential project completion timeline. I am sure my fellow board members also have examples of how they have been actively promoting the new Kent Elementary School project. As I've as I have said on numerous occasions, New Kent County is a fast growing county with many needs. These needs can all be seen as priorities and they all come with a heavy price tag. Both the board of supervisors and the school board must weigh the facts and decide on how best to allocate taxpayer dollars. These are difficult decisions that must be made with clarity and honesty. And it is my personal belief that we must make our decision, vote with a clear conscience, and own that decision without
042disparaging others that are making those same difficult decisions. We need to give ourselves and each other some grace in the process. I thank you for your time. >> Thank you, Mr. Kishik. So, it's my turn and I would like to address some of the comments made by Mr. Broski regarding the VSBA. Uh, first and foremost, I would encourage all teachers who support the VSBA to reach out directly to Mr. Dumbroski as they did me. And I'm happy to share that some of the emails that were sent to me. And to suggest that it's not true is just simply off base. One of the teachers that reached out to me has been teaching for a minimum of three decades and vehemently supported the VSBA. It's inherent in the policies themselves that this school board and school
043district operates under which are provided and modeled on the policies from the BSBA VSBA that those policies themselves govern the teachers, govern the students, govern the classrooms and g govern the overall work environment of all of our teachers and that comes trickle down from VSBA. But I have a more important message tonight that piggybacks off of my colleague, Miss Kuna's message, and that is a message to the public and the county supervisors. I respectfully urge our community members and our honorable county supervisors to support the much needed construction of the new elementary school in our district. Our current facilities are stretched beyond capacity and economically sensible maintenance, and the continued growth in our county has only increased the urgency for action. As Dr. Dr. Nichols mentioned earlier in his presentation, the kindergarten class is 260
044children. A new school is not just an investment in bricks and mortars or something pretty to look at. It's a commitment to our children, their education, the future of New Kent County, and our continued desire to be a top 10 school district and to stay there. Let's move forward together to ensure our students and teachers have the safe, modern, learning, working environment they deserve. Thank you, Dr. Nicholas. >> Uh, thank you, sir. Um, if you felt the earth move, uh, it's because new teachers are back. So, it is a beautiful time of year. Um, I am one of the few people that are not a fan of summer because all the greatness that is here leaves uh 500 employees, not all 500, but 3,500 kids and all of that is coming back. So, it is
045the most magical time of the year. Um, and we're incredibly excited about the start of this school year. We have new programs, new initiative, and some great results which we'll share in September. Uh, we just keep getting stronger. Um, so very excited about that. I just can't wait for August 18th. I will not sleep until August 18th. U just really ready. I also want to thank um, you know, we have history in the making tonight. Um, and I just want to make sure I point that out. We have Toby Davis with us who is the first ever Newent County School Board student representative. And when I say he embodies all that is amazing about our students and why I have the best job in the world, he is simply amazing. So, thank you for being
046here. Thank you for outdressing me um and just being a student ambassador. this is a springboard to even bigger things uh that we're going to do at the high school with Principal Strickland and a couple of other students. So, the student voice is critically important to this board um and to me and we have it sitting right here at the table. So, um thank you New County, thank you to our community uh for everything that you do to get us ready for back to school. So, we just can't wait. uh thank you board um for your support and um I just am so excited. I don't even know how to finish my comments, Mr. Pano, but thank you uh board members and um that's all I have. >> All right. Thank you, Dr. Nichols. The
047next meeting of the school board will be a regular meeting on Tuesday, September 9th, 2025 held here in the historic courtroom courthouse boardroom at 6 p.m. The close session will again begin at 5:30. Our meeting is adjourned tonight at 6:45 p.m. >> Did Did Mr. Vot have any comments that he wanted? >> He commented after I commented already. >> Oh my goodness.