Roanoke City School Board Special Meeting/Workshop: September 23, 2025

001Okay. The September 23rd, 2025 school board special meeting and workshop is called to order. Miss Tresy, please call the role. >> Mr. Cherry, >> here. >> Mr. Link, >> here. >> Dr. Jameson, Miss Quintana, Miss Trigg >> here, >> Mrs. Watkins >> here, >> Mrs. Apel >> here. >> Oh, the calendars are here. >> Yay. >> Thank you to all those attending the meeting in person and those that are joining us tonight via the RCPS YouTube channel. Um, so we move on to the approval of the agenda. Is there a motion and a second to the approve the agenda as presented? >> So move. >> Second. >> Moved by Mr. Cherry. Seconded. Was that by Miss Watkins. Thank you. All right. Um, is there any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. >>

002I. >> Those opposed say no. And the motion carries and the agenda is approved. Thank you. So, moving on, Dr. White, please provide the superintendent updates. Very good. Good evening, Madame Chair, vice chair, Cherry, members of the school boards, and student representatives. This evening, we're bringing forward several items for your information and consideration. approval of benefits for the 2026 plan year. Discussion of year-end local funding availability and true-up funding application as well as a review of the draft legislative priorities and positions for the 2026 general assembly and our student performance data report. Before we get to our agenda items, however, a few highlights and items for the board's information. Today we celebrate more than 800 students from 35 schools and programs across the region at the Special Olympics annual Big Feet Meet. So we are

003so very proud uh to once again host the event at William Fleming High School and I'm so proud of our students who participated. I'm also proud of the many students who volunteered and who supported their peers. So, I'm just so very proud of them. So, a special thank you to our special education team for organizing such a great event. This is always a wonderful display of we are one and so I'm just very proud of that. So, hats off to the team. I also want to congratulate both of our high schools for a great game during last week's Nulie Taylor Classic. And so we congratulate both schools and special hats off to Patrick Henry who won the Mayor's Cup against William Fleming High School. In addition, the US Army recognized this game as one of

004the nation's top 100 rivalries and presented scholarships to players from both teams and a special trophy to Patrick Henry. So, we are proud of both of our schools for representing RCPS well. And again, I want to thank all of our principles and our staff members for working together to ensure that our community had a great game day experience. Now I on to our reports for tonight. So I would like to now ask our chief financial officer, Kathleen Jackson, to come forward for a review of the proposed medical plan design changes for the 2026 plan year for your consideration. And as you rec will recall at your meeting earlier this month, we discussed the need for some cost adjustments potential adjustments potentially due to the uh increase in healthcare across across the nation. So Mrs. Jackson,

005over to you. >> Thank you very much, Dr. White. Good evening, chair, Mrs. Apel, Vice Chair, Mr. Cherry, members of the school board, and student representatives. Um, as Dr. Mr. White said um we are going to continue the discussion um of our health insurance coverage and um I know Mr. McKe and our HR team stand ready if there are any questions specific to um what is covered in our plan design and that sort of thing. But um you'll chiefly be hearing from me this evening since we are talking about um cost the cost of our our coverage and some um possible changes to um our plan design as a result. So, so just to start off, just a reminder, um this you had this information in uh the last meeting, but just to um we

006do have three uh medical plans that we offer to our employees. We have the high deductible health plan um with the health savings account, which we commonly refer to as the HSA plan. Um we have the health reimbursement account, we commonly refer to as the HRA plan. And then there's the more traditional plan um that is lower deductible but certainly quite a bit higher in the premium um area that we make available to our employees. So most of our conversation this evening will be centered around the H plan. Um about half of our employees are on that plan currently and um so most of our um adjustments that we want uh to bring to your consideration are related to that plan. So just as a reminder kind of why are we talking about this? Um

007we do have our renewal rate projections for next year and they are unfortunately coming in higher than the the estimate that we had at the time that we were developing our budget. So um at budget development time the estimate was an increase of 5.5%. Um what we're seeing now is an increase of 7.3% um in overall cost. So um so that is because our plan year follows a calendar year um that that variance will only hit the current fiscal year for half of the year. Um we estimate that to be approximately $300,000 more than what we budgeted in the current year. But of course we are continuing to hear that we should be expecting um that kind of increase if not greater uh in subsequent years. and and this increase will any increase in subsequent

008years will build upon this. Um so that's why we are kind of looking ahead at um adjustments that we might need to make now to help um cover our health care costs and make us a continue to be able to make those available um for our employees going forward at a reasonable uh cost. So um so one of the items that we're looking at is um adjusting our deductibles for our HR plan. Um, currently those deductibles are $2,000 uh per individual, $4,000 per family. We're proposing increasing that to $3,000 per individual or $6,000 per family. Um, and just to um well, let me uh reiterate that and remind the public that we do have H dollars that help offset that cost partially. So, um, the employee share that of that deductible that they are responsible

009for is really $1,000 per individual, $2,000 per family. So, we would be going up to $2,000 per individual or $4,000 per family. Um, one of the reasons we are considering that is we did look at um the the impact on our employees if we make that change. Um, so we looked at the percentage of our employees who are currently on that plan who reach that lower deductible as it stands right now. And those percentages, as you can see, are fairly low. Um, so that um it it's still uh not pleasant, but um eases the the concern there a little bit that a relatively small percentage of employees on that plan um even reach the existing deductible, therefore likely would not feel that impact. So that's just a consideration. So um just to kind of put

010those numbers together, uh once again, um with those H dollars coming into play, we would be looking at the employee responsibility uh for that deductible moving to $2,000 per individual, $4,000 per family. And when we did do a uh some research and looking into how do we stack up against neighboring school divisions, we did find that that was pretty standard um in in most school divisions in this general region to have that sort of $2,000 per individual, $4,000 per family. So that would not put us um out of the range of what is is pretty normal um for school divisions. So the next piece um that we also had some conversation last meeting about was the share the employee and employer share of the premium costs for this this plan. Um and so uh with

011costs going up, we're going to have an increase regardless. Um currently our the the Ronic City Public Schools share is about 90% of that cost and our employees are asked to cover about 10%. it's between 9 and 10% depending on you know whether they're employee only or employee plus family. Um so we have looked at last meeting we looked at potentially increasing that employee share up to 12 and a half% or even 15% because we were hearing um from our insurance consultants that 15 is pretty standard um across the industry that most um and in fact we found that some of our neighboring districts even have a higher uh percentage than that that the employee is asked to to cover. So, so what we're bringing to you this evening is is kind of that splitting

012the difference, that kind of middle-of the road proposal of uh considering increasing the employee share to that 12.5% um of the premium cost. And it one good note about this combination proposal of looking at the increased deductible as well as uh that premium adjustment is increasing the deductible doesn't just help cut cost for city public schools. it it cuts those costs for our employees as well, those premium costs. So, so that eases that burden. It's just a few dollars each paycheck, but um it eases that amount uh a little bit. So, you can see kind of the last column, we looked at the first few columns last meeting. That final column is what we're bringing to you for consideration this evening um would be changing the employee share for HA to the 12% uh combined

013with that deductible change. So, we would be looking at a $24 per paycheck increase uh for employees on the employeeonly plan. Um about a $39 increase per paycheck uh for employees on the employee plus family plan. Um and know there's a lot of information there, but just to see I I just pulled out those two examples, sort of the low and high end, but um here you can see all of the options uh and what that year-over-year difference would be. Um, I mentioned that our conversation is chiefly around HA, which is true. Um, we are not proposing any changes to the HSA. That would continue to be uh no premium cost to our employees. Um, Renick City Public Schools would continue to absorb the cost of those premiums for individuals on that plan. um traditional

014plan. We are proposing as we uh covered last meeting some small tweaks to the employee employer share on a couple of levels here. Not really for the purpose of cost savings, more for the purpose of trying to move a little bit closer to more par across those plans. Um as as it stands, the school division covers a much larger percentage of that cost for folks um on on certain levels than others. And so I'm just trying to make that um make a little bit more sense in terms of um how much we cover uh for employees regardless of which plan they happen to choose. Um >> sorry about that. >> All done. >> Almost not quite. Okay. So, um just kind of to summarize, um all of the the change to deductible and um adjustment

015to the employee employer share premiums um we do project would uh cut our health insurance costs by about $1.75 million across an entire plan year. So that would cross fiscal years. And um just a note as to you know as I started the conversation um of course we are not seeing that significant of a difference in this current year just from the rate increases but it's really um being presented to you because of not only the current year but also what we're anticipating in subsequent years. So, um, you know, we are hearing nationwide that significant increases in health insurance costs should be anticipated for the foreseeable future of 10 plus% even. Um, so just to put that in perspective, a 10% increase would be over $3 million a year for Reno City Public Schools. So,

016um, a $ 1.75 million reduction wouldn't even offset that. So we we certainly would expect even with making this change this year that this time next year we would still be bringing some kind of an increase um to you and to our employees um that we would have to collectively um budget for and share. So, the proposal for your consideration, um, just to summarize again, is to increase the deductible to $3,000 per individual, $6,000 per family on the HA plan, and adjust the employee employer share of premium costs. So, the employee share becomes 12.5% on the HA plan. And with that, I will happily take questions or comments. >> Uh, thank you, Miss Jackson. Um before we go on to the motion and subsequent discussion um we'll start with some questions. So start on this

017side. Miss Watkins or Miss Trigg. Do either of you have any further questions for Miss Jackson at this time? >> Questions? Thank you. Um I have one. Um can you pull the slide back up back to [Laughter] right there. Okay. >> Um Okay. >> Also an increase of $1,000 for individual, $1,000 increase for family. >> Yes. that I just wanted to see that again. >> Sure. Thank you. >> And then um Dr. Jameson, Mr. Link, or Mr. Lopez Ortiz, do any of you all have any questions for Miss Jackson at this time? >> Uh no, no questions at this time. >> Just to clarify on this slide, we're seeing costs per paycheck, >> correct? And then if you advance one and two slides, it goes to monthly costs. Correct. >> That's correct. And and our

018um insurance costs come out over 10 months for all employees. Um so since most of our employees are on a 10-month um contract, so they would that would be divided over 20 paychecks, two per month. Um so you're right that the the subsequent detail is is a monthly cost. >> And so this year we're facing a right now we're looking at a $300,000 shortfall. >> Yes. which this isn't going to happen, but assuming all other things, all other line items stayed even, we're really looking at 300,000 this year and 300,000 next year for a total of 600,000. >> Correct. >> And making these changes saves us 1.75 million, which is in excess of the 1.2 we're projecting, or no, the 600 we're projecting. Yes. But still shy of the three million our consultants are telling

019us to brace for next year. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> Great summary. >> It was >> summary. >> Well, and just to go from there, the three million will not hit in all of next academic year then based on our plan year. >> That's correct. >> It'll So next year really our fiscal year would be looking at $1.8ish eightish million dollar. >> That's correct. >> Assuming 10% assuming all of these assumptions are correct, >> right? >> With the full up to three million or even more by then hitting us the following year. >> That's correct. Yes. >> Other questions over here? Dr. Jameson, further questions? Um this is as much uh just a question about have I don't believe that we have a board have seen any emails or correspondence about this. Have any of

020our stakeholders have you all been hearing any feedback? This is the second presentation of this plan. This this particular solution is um new but less than the previous possible at 15%. Um, have has there been any feedback from any stakeholders that you're aware of? >> I am not aware of any. Um, I know uh Mr. Freeman reached out to u make sure that the RA was aware that we were bringing this back for further discussion tonight. Um, but I I don't believe there was any um specific feedback that came of that. >> And I am not aware of anything else. I I know that the board took this up in the spring and um and I know that we talked about the possibilities of um the rise in healthc care costs in the well I

021say the spring but it was about May. Um in the spring when we had these initial conversations I really haven't heard anything since then. Um, however, in all fairness, I mean, we're we're presenting it tonight during the uh work session, and so we could again keep it posted if the board so chooses uh to do so um uh prior to making a decision. So, that's for the board's consideration. >> Thank you, Dr. White. Mr. Cherry. >> Yes. So, just to clarify, um what percentage of our workforce is under that traditional plan again? Nine >> nine 10. Okay. >> Yes. 9% is untraditional. Yes, sir. >> And I guess with those increases, I mean that that's that is a lot of money. Would I mean would we be is are we going to be speaking with

022those that 9% body and giving them all of the options because I mean that is hefty. Just want to make sure. Yes, >> that we uh Okay, >> the traditional plan is is you're you're absolutely right, is our our most expensive plan. Um quite a bit more costly for both the school division and the employees who choose to be on that plan. Um and so candidly, we tend to see that size of of increase annually um for folks on that plan. But um I appreciate you bringing that up because um our HR team is going to be doing an active enrollment this year. So, we will have counselors um having conversations and meetings with all of our employees to provide all of this information and and help with that education piece uh across the plans

023so that folks know uh what the options are and can make the best decision for their families. >> Open enrollment is November. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> I just got off the phone with them though. >> Sorry. >> Okay. Thank you. So, sorry. I was just on the phone with them um before I came in here and they would like to change the dates to November 5th because we are closed on November 4th and for them to fly all their counselors here and drive, it would be kind of a waste of time to have them sitting in a hotel for the Tuesday that we're off. So, they are requesting us to change it from the 3rd through the 14th to 11:5 through the 19th. And um by noon tomorrow, we are supposed to get

024a schedule of the schools that they're going to go to. They've even taken like their themes and their colors and and they've got everything really organized. Um every single person will have to meet with a counselor. And then we're also going to have a call center. Um it is out of Texas, so Texas is open from 8:00 to 5:00. But for Virginia, it's going to be 9 to 6, which is perfect for our teachers and um all of our employees to go home. woman, if their spouses want to talk to a counselor, they can call. Um, and then we're also going to get a report every day. Um, Dominic and I are going to get a report that will say, you know, hey, here's who signed up, who here's who didn't, but they're going to

025be texting them, calling them. They're going to be doing a lot of this work for us. And all of this is um at no cost to us because they make the money off the voluntary benefit commissions. >> Thank you so much. >> Don't leave. >> Go ahead, please. Sorry about that. >> Do the employees get a summary of an annual summary of benefits so that they can see what their usage was prior to these meetings? >> Um, they could get that through their EOB through United Healthcare. Absolutely. >> They get that. Do you think they have that or so they can be prepared for those individual meetings or >> um >> I think that some people are are super educated with benefits. I'm one of those. I love benefits um but not all. But we

026could ask if um United Healthcare could create some kind of message to everyone and say click here for your you know review of your benefits. I think that would be a great idea. Thank you for the feedback. >> Thank you. >> App y'all have a app, right? >> We do. We have a mobile app. Um but the usage isn't very high. We we just have a lot of people that kind of go with the flow until they need something. Um but yeah, we can definitely do that. I think that it would be helpful for those who are worried about reaching their deductible or excuse me their yeah they're reaching their deductible and just for them to see how far away from it >> they were this year and think about what might be coming up

027in their in their family and in their lives as far as health care needs. I think it would be important factor in their decision-m process. >> Okay. Um I was also thinking that with the save the date information that we're going to send out. Yes. we could put something on there that says, you know, check this. Um, so that's a great idea. >> Thank you for that. No problem. >> Thank you. >> Sorry about that. Did I cut somebody off? >> Uh, no, Mr. Link. >> I was just for clarity sake, we don't do an open an active enrollment every year, >> but by choosing to do an active enrollment this year is what opens up some of these counseling services. Uh since we're having such a big a notable change in the plans that

028are being offered by doing an active enrollment, it opens up some of these counseling resources so staff can better understand their choices. >> Absolutely. And they won't be able to go online and pick their own benefits. They actually have to meet with one of the counselors. um if they can't make that date, they'll make sure that they um get back with them and and be as flexible as possible with their needs. >> And if they if they choose to not um meet with them, they just roll over and what they already have, do they get to keep it? But they >> No. Um so everything would cut off 12:31 2025 and everything new would start 126. But with the way that we have the open enrollment dates, we're going to have lots of time to

029go back and and um you know analyze the data and review everything to make sure that you know, hey, we're reaching out to people who haven't signed up. We're reaching out to people who had a flexible spending account in 2024 and they didn't sign up for 25. Are you sure you didn't get >> all of those things? Yeah. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Doc uh Dr. Jameson, did she uh Miss Trigg ask your question? >> I I think so. I I wanted to It sounds like it's not like that anybody is going to be able to accidentally forget to enroll with active enrollment, right? I mean, that's >> right. >> There won't be an automatic rollover, >> right? >> So, whatever you had last year will no longer apply. I mean, I'm saying

030it is somebody who takes advantage of that option all the time. >> Absolutely. >> So, there will be this hands-on approach to make sure. >> Absolutely. And then we also have like um like a soft ending um on the sorry I just got off the phone with them so I didn't have it memorized on the um 19 or the 14th but then on the n through the through the 15th through the 19th we will be working behind the scenes to make sure that we haven't forgotten anybody. Nobody will be forgotten. We will make sure that we reach out to them. Nobody will lose their insurance. we will make sure even if it's on one or one two and we're back to work um and we find out that somebody for somehow didn't get their entrance,

031we will take care of them. We will not let anybody suffer or or be harmed. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. Um, so I do appreciate that information and actually I do think it would it would help me my peace of mind that we as a board got like follow up on how the active enrollment went since it was the first time in a number of years that we are doing that. So towards year end um I do want to note a couple things that um you know we knew we were going to be over budget like uh Mr. link very succinctly put we are we are going to be over budget for this fiscal year due to health care costs going up higher than we had projected. So change in some way was inevitable.

032Um, I think the concern of the board and for those of you here, it seems like there's not a lot of discussion here tonight, but I just want to let you know though, there have been a lot of conversations with administration and within each other to discuss what is the best way in light of the situation that we're in, which is out of our control, what is the best way to take care of our staff and our employees. And one of our big concerns was making sure that one of our big stakeholders Rea was able to be notified. So because again we're trying to have a very collegial relationship that is collaborative, transparent, and communicative with all of our staff including REA. So um so I know I'm pleasantly I I'm pleased that that was

033able to happen ahead of tonight. You know, my concern was, are we artificially rushing this decision if we could say um make this vote a little bit closer to open enrollment? Um but I did appreciate hearing that, you know, open enrollment can be bumped by another day so we get extra staff on site to help our employees and that we're going to really make sure to follow up to make sure our employees are taken care of. So, um I also did appreciate that in light of these changes which will impact our staff that it is still very reasonable and competitive with our neighboring divisions. So, um but but with all of that said, I just didn't want us to rush into a decision that would impact all of our employees. But what I'm hearing tonight,

034um, it it does not feel like my my my feeling is that the board does not feel rushed at this time, but this is our discussion time if there's any further questions. So, >> Madam Chair, I'll just say that also that we have our standard meeting with the REA tomorrow. Uh, so that gives us another opportunity to have uh personal kind of conversations with them. So, if the board um chooses to table this um vote to another time, we will have we do have we have another opportunity to have that conversation. Like I said, in all fairness to them, they haven't had this presentation long, right? So, they, you know, they they they're just getting it just like you're just getting it. And so, um so that if the board chooses to table it, then

035you there is time. Again, I would ask that we not table it too long into the future um because we do need to give our employees ample time to sign up and to have counseling with uh the one-on-one representatives. Um but I just wanted to put that out there. We do have an opportunity to have that conversation tomorrow. >> I saw Mr. Link. >> I did. I thought it was uh worth pointing making sure it's clear on the record for any newish ignorant parents like myself that the REA is the Rowan Oak Educators Association and that's the input that we're trying to get before we make a final decision. >> Yes. And and it seems like potentially my my inclination may have been incorrect. Are we is there a scent? Do we feel like we

036need to take a pause? Because we can we can simmer this, let it wait for a week. Miss Kintana is not here um to put in her opinion at this time. Um or do we you know >> we meet again next week? >> Yes, we can. We are available to meet next week. So >> if I may give my opinion. >> Yes. >> Um I I think we should wait that week. I would give the REA a chance to respond. I did not hear when asked. We asked if there was any feedback from any of our stakeholders. So, they may not have had a chance to digest this. So, I don't know that anything will change about our outcome or our vote, but we I think we could honor another week. >> And I do

037value that we know we have a meeting tomorrow um with the REA. So, they will have had some time from now until then. So, and this won't and this won't change. Open enrollment is still over a month away and it's even being pushed back a little bit. Um, Mr. Cherry, any further comments? >> No, I was going to say I do agree with you. Um, Watkins about keeping that level of transparency. So, um, yeah, I'm ready to move forward and let's I would like for us to go ahead and Pause for a second and give it that week. All right. So, uh, Madame Chair, I move that we lay the pending motion regarding benefits on the table. >> Moved by Mr. Cherry. Is there a second? >> Seconded by Mr. Link. Is there any further

038discussion about the motion to lay this motion on the table? Okay. Hearing none. All those in favor of the motion to lay this motion on the table say I. >> I. >> Um those opposed say no. All right. And thus Mr. Cher's motion carries. We will lay this on the table at this time and we will not continue this vote until at a later date. Okay. Thank you very much and we do encourage feedback in the interim. >> Mrs. Jackson, if you could just stay where you are. And so, uh, as we know, the board would like to, uh, continue discussion of year and local funding availability and our trueup, uh, funding application. So, Mrs. Jackson has a few updates, uh, that she will uh, share to provide context and a timeline uh, for moving

039forward. So, Mrs. Jackson, >> thank you very much. Um, and we will jump into that. Um I just have a few kind of some of this you've seen before. Um reminder slides of some of the things that we've uh discussed previously that we might apply for any year in TRUIP funds. Um, and just as a reminder for anyone who, uh, might be tuning in for the first time and might have missed our initial discussion of this, it is in the city's school funding policy, um, that any year-end funds, whereas, uh, revenue might have exceeded budget, um, we are eligible to apply for up to 40% of that variance, um, to council for, um, any any projects that we may need. Um, so that's what we're discussing tonight is is how that process will work. This

040is a new process. this is the first year um of this. So um thus the discussion um of what that will look like. Um so just as also a reminder of sort of the timeline because this is new. We discussed last meeting of of how we might try to approach this. So um you see highlighted there we're at the September 23rd um work session. Um I will let you know our our hope was to be able to have a little bit more um detailed discussion with you tonight um with with numbers attached. Um uh but unfortunately we don't have that detail just yet from the city. They're still working through their year-end numbers um as we're working through our audit process as well. So we don't have those numbers yet of what if any um

041year and true-up funds might be available for us to apply to apply for. Um so we will continue to um stay in contact uh with our colleagues at the city and certainly bring that information to you as soon as we have it. Um but just a a reminder of where we are thus far in our discussion and I certainly welcome any additional thoughts or or comments at this point um to guide us as we do get that information. Um but we did have a lot of conversation um last meeting about capital needs because this is sort of one-time money that can't necessarily be counted on annually. um that we did have a lot of uh discussion about um typically perhaps focusing our our requests on capital needs, those that um either have come to the

042surface or that are in our capital plan and perhaps further down the line. Some of that's some of what you see here. Uh Fleming track replacement, for example, is in our capital improvement plan, but certainly would be valuable to be able to move that up um sooner rather than later. That kind of thing. Um the the first item there of course alleviating overcrowding at both high schools um is sort of a number one. That's a that's a pretty large price tag there for um adding modulars for our high schools. So um typically um the if there is revenue that exceeded budget in a year. Um we don't typically see that that big of a dollar amount. I I'll just put that out there. But it it's certainly a consideration. Um if by chance uh there

043is that up to 4 and a.5 million available, that certainly would be a high priority for us. But I'll just pause there if there are any other questions or discussion that you want to have at this time about priorities. >> Um thank you, Mrs. Jackson. So um Dr. Jameson, Mr. Link, or Mr. Lopez Ortiz. Do you all have any questions or comments for Miss Jackson? >> Uh, no comment. I guess I feel compelled to remind myself and the rest of us that for this first priority, this idea of having modular units at the high schools to alleviate overcrowding. And uh, Dr. White can correct me if I'm wrong, but in ballpark numbers, both of our high schools were designed for roughly 1,400 students. And they are both, hang on, I did some math. Uh, they

044are both 28% over capacity because they both have roughly 1,900, right? They're both designed for 1400 and they both have 400 extra students than they're designed for >> at least. I don't know what today's numbers are, but they are running right about 2,000 students at this time. >> Yes. >> Oh, it's higher. >> Yeah, it's higher. >> Oh, >> and growing. I uh I think I don't I think these remain the things we need to think about at this point. I don't have a comment about that. Um I think this is kind of a thought bubble for later on. um if I've mentioned it, but this is my last year and um >> don't remind >> it strikes me going forward as the models are are financial uh the chair and I chatted briefly about

045this yesterday as the financial approach is likely to change. It strikes me that we probably need to have some priority lists that are going on generally earlier throughout the year of dollars that we can spend rapidly, dollars that we can do with one-time monies and dollars we can do should we find ourselves in I don't know unexpected I don't know where the money would you the money tree would fall. I don't know, you know, grants unexpected, you know, I mean, you've always done a brilliant job with that. That is not at all a critique, but there seems to be a different rhythm coming. Um, and it strikes me that we might all benefit from that conversation perhaps throughout the year, especially in the spring in late spring. >> Y, >> so that's just a thought

046by both them, but thank you for this. >> Um, Miss Watkins or Miss Trigg have any comments? Thank you. >> I have a couple. um the ongoing costs or the renting the modulars. Do we have kind of a ballpark of what that amount is? >> Um it is less than the 4.5 million because that does include some onetime costs for getting them installed and that sort of thing, but it I I don't have an exact number, but I do know it's not significantly less than 4.5, unfortunately. >> Oh, really? >> I thought it was like one. >> Um >> and that's annually. >> Yes. Yeah, I was surprised at the the annual because they're rental costs and that sort of thing. >> Okay. So, it's not increased in utilities or the fact that they're less

047energy efficient. >> It's rent. >> Yes. I I mean, I think all of that is is combined. >> Yeah. I'm sure those are true, too. But I'm that's not driving is not significantly less than 4.5 million. Correct. >> It's rent. Okay. And then um this is probably a silly question to ask because I think we keep checking to see if they know what their you know what money they have left over, but is the city fully aware? Have we made them fully aware that we plan to apply for the true? >> Um I have not had conversations specifically to that. Um it the process or is spelled out in the policy. So, um, but I have not talked to the finance director over there specifically about our intent. >> I would say that it' probably

048be a good idea to just make them aware that if there is anything we we plan to apply because I don't want I would hate for anyone at the city to think that we're making it work and we are. We're doing an amazing job of making it work with what doing what we can with what we have. But I would I would like us to be crystal clear that if there's any change under the couch discussions, we're we're going to ask for it. Um, and I don't know when is the appropriate time to say that, but I I think it's important for them to know that we have some needs, you know, and not just rely on them watching this or our summary reports that we send them, but just being plain and specific about,

049oh, we'd like to apply Not that it's going to change the timeline. Yeah. Not that it's >> You made You made me think. I've had some conversations certainly back and forth with my colleague uh and counterpart over at the cities, but I'm not sure I've I've put it as as straightforward as as you just suggested. So, I can certainly do that. >> I feel like we should. And yeah, >> I I I think that we may have spoken with our council buddies about this months ago, actually. And and I'll say I have I have spoken with um the mayor um and you know just about the process. So we just haven't really discussed timing. So I think it'd be fine you know like that this is about the time when we all expected to know

050the number that it's you know we can discuss initiate initiating conversation about how we do our application. Um, so but I do I I concur that I you know my understanding is that you know the mayor for example is aware that we will be applying for true up funds. So >> so maybe it's just there. >> Yeah. Yeah. You you and your financial counterpart, you know, sometimes that information doesn't really trickle down as far as it needs to go. >> No, no, no. Absolutely. >> Just let her know. >> Very good recommendation. Thank you. >> No problem. And then this is probably a question for the folks on our um joint budget committee. Um when we're thinking I'm thinking about what you just said, Dr. Jameson, about thinking differently about our finances. Um well, do

051we think that we we might think about our debt service and and if that could help us at all with you know making changes in that direction to help us at all with some of some of the stuff if if you know we could come to that agreement like mentioning it as part of the strategy. I I certainly hope that after septer September 29th we have a better sense of what is actually possible and on the table but for sure I think from our perspective that's an important piece of the puzzle to discuss. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you Miss Watkins and um Mr. Cherry. >> Yeah. No. Um well, I think my colleagues made some great um comments and again there, you know, there really is no uh specific appropriate time when it

052comes to our kids. I mean, every minute is appropriate. So, I just wanted to kind of just reaffirm the comments that have been made already. So, thank you for this information. >> Um and I appreciate Miss Watkins asking about the ongoing costs of the trailers um or the learning cottages. Um, I would be interested in knowing what that number really is because we would be enlisting that cost in a budget that we already know is going to have an increase in health care cost. Um, so I would be curious about how close to 4.5 that that that dollar amount is. Um, I also I know we're going to be talking about student data in a little bit. Something I wanted to throw out there that I just had an I, you know, just had this

053thought while we were discussing this is we know that the true up those monies are nonsustainable. They're not something that we count on. It was unanticipated uh not projected um revenue. And um you know, I know we shy away from say spending funds that are not sustainable on staff or whatnot, but I just want to throw out there that maybe in future years, something we should consider is if we see based on what our student needs are in the division that we want to make a big push in a particular direction, say graduation rate, reading scores, something like that. um maybe it might be worth a non-sustainable cost to say, you know, kind of like the all-in tutoring. The state did a two-year push to try to get tutors in the classroom to help like

054with the effects of COVID. So, just just a thought, you know, we would say this is not a sustainable cost. This is not a sustainable program, but is there there might come a day that there is something that would be worth saying let's put our chips in here and see what we can do with it in a year. So, um just just a thought um because we talk a lot about the capital expenses, but thank you for that information and um again, we'll just look forward to a further update on October 14th. >> Sounds good. Okay. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Mrs. Jackson. I'll now ask our constituent services and government relations officer, Dr. Sour to come forward to provide an update and receive your feedback on our draft legislative priorities. Uh these

055will be presented for adoption at your October 14th meeting. >> Well, thank you and good evening, Madam Chair, Mr. Vice Chair, members of the board, Dr. White, student reps. I appreciate this opportunity. I also want to start with just a thank you to the team. Um advocacy is often about ideas. Um but to implement ideas, you have to have expertise. So you'll hear as I talk about some of these topics tonight where operations, academics, assessment, you know, all the finance have all been been involved and continue to be involved as we do our work moving forward. Also at the end, I'll invite uh Dr. White uh board cherry pill and and board member Trigg to elaborate as they participate in the meeting. So the the superintendent's policy government legislative committee meeting uh was on September

05617th and we had opportunity to go over these uh draft priorities that have before you and so we would like to share them tonight get some feedback and and have something ready for you adopted October 14th. Also along the way the committee is continuing to work with the city legislative committee uh to make sure they're working with them and I'll elaborate that here in just a moment. But if you could look at your handout, legislative priorities for the 2026 General Assembly, um you have six priorities for your consideration. Our number one continues to be, as it has remained, local control. And and the local control was, you know, seems kind of brief, but is profoundly powerful. Last year, the general assembly had like 3,000 pieces of legislation, 900 bills passed, hundreds of them in education.

057And a lot of them are good ideas, but good ideas add up. So we often find ourselves going to the podium and saying, you know, that might be a good idea in loud and that might be a good idea in Fredericksburg, but we don't support it because let our own board decide if it's a good idea and do it if they won't don't mandate it, you know, don't. So we really add we really work hard on the local control piece. Um, also based on the committee meeting, I do think we have the opportunity, Mr. say to throw in uh be more explicit about unfunded mandates because I think in a time of economic scarcity the general assembly generally likes to push ideas without money. So I I I do think that's something we can I

058thought was here but I think we can lift up more explicitly. School safety and security this obvious operations comes in and this is also where you have a point of connection with the city's legislative committee. Uh the city's legislative plan includes asking uh for the VML ve effort the past several years to have a 1% local option of sales tax for school construction. And this would be our although that would be a city funding thing as our appropriating body. This would be our opportunity to say yes we need secure environments and we need to modernize our facilities we could stand up and support that as well. under commitment to all serving all students. We've done great work in recent years with with career technical education also with our English learners and and this is always

059a very broad topic to make sure we can talk about every one of our students that we serve and all our student groups. But we are excited this year our CTE staff has again has a really good idea. Last year the general assembly provided some age flexibility for barber and cosmetology. Our question is well let's just make that age flexibility for all our workbased learning experiences. And um so that's that's a that's a position paper that we're working on and are excited about governance and budget. Obviously we rely very heavily on our CFO and her team for this. Um this will be important because we do expect that in the first in the past bienium uh from the local composite from the uh Jark study um they they talked about the lowhanging fruit. How can

060we do English learners? How can we do special ed those things they've worked on. So we think this time they will be coming back to talk about student weighted funding formula. We're not opposed to student weighted funding formula. We just think that any sea change like that needs to be done thoughtfully and carefully and looking for all the unintended consequences. So that's something we will follow closely. But chief among that is we want to continue to maintain especially for our part of the Commonwealth, the local composite index is a hugely important factor that even Jark said was a decent weight to talk about a locality's capacity to pay. So if there's a state change in funding, we're going to be want advocating that that type of factor continues to remain. um employee compensation again to

061uh CFO Jackson and her team. Um she's updated that next to the last sentence. I encourage you to look at it today. RCPS teachers entering the profession have $3,82 less in purchasing power than their counterparts did 15 years ago. So as a profession, those who serve in our profession are going backwards in their purchasing capacity when you take inflation in spite of again efforts to raise. And so this is important because you know our employees look to you and to the team like for compensation improvements, but we are significantly reliant on the Commonwealth for that. And so we need to keep lifting that up. The other thing we have built in there a little higher in that element is the fact that Northern Virginia salaries really skew the conversation. You'll you'll hear at your VSBA

062conference how Virginia's teacher salaries lag the nation. >> Well, they're actually skewed by Northern Virginia because there's so many teachers in Northern Virginia and they're paid so much more. If you really look at regions five, six, and seven, our teacher compensation is even worse uh nationally compared. So, it's it's it's important to bear that in mind. Um and again, people say, "Well, the cost of living is higher in Northern Virginia." Yes, but I would also say the cost of living here is not $3,000 less than it was 15 years ago. So, we we really need to continue to focus on our employee compensation, but a really big area this coming year. here. And so we'll have individual um position papers on some of these topics, but really enjoyed working with academics and the assessment team

063on a number of position papers related to uh assessment accountability and modernization. We the last year the state budget had dollars in to hire a consultant to do an RFP for new assessments. So we expect that's going to be a window of opportunity that we want to bring our experience and expertise to bear to help improve that. first of all to help improve the assessments that we use and then when you have better assessments, we can then turn to how we can improve the school accountability system. So, just some things to look forward to as we get ready for your November 25th Take Your Legislative School Month event that we really appreciate William Fleming High School for hosting. We expect to have a a position paper on uh taking community builders to the next level,

064making us a a a demonstration site for that for the Commonwealth. Uh again I talked about work-based learning opportunities, employee compensation, number of things on assessment modernization. We also be very strong about unfunded mandates and we also there's code legislation about you know an organization we work with V the Western Virginia Public Education Consortium and we'd like to see that modernized as well. So those are the the six areas that we would ask you to adopt. uh you have for a number of years now then empowered the superintendent to uh to to supervise the development of position papers that implement those things and and we'll have some of those in advance but also the really thing that the other thing the general assembly likes about RCPS is how we can be very quickly responsive and

065so where we can oh here comes a bill about air quality we can reach out to Mr. Perkins and Mr. Shver turn around some data and get them local impact costs in short order. And so you empowering the superintendent and her team to do those position papers is very helpful. So that's the first read. Uh certainly welcome feedback between now and your meeting, but I also want to invite Dr. White uh board cherry and board member Trigg to elaborate on the committee meeting. >> Thank you Dr. Sebert. Does anyone on the board have any comments or questions? Thank you so much. >> Yes, it I I'm enjoying being on this committee. So although it's Dr. Sever just run circles with around everybody >> until he literally runs circles, you know, enrichment like >> I thought

066I'd add I think it was very interesting how um >> about inflation going backwards as far as our compensation. So, it's definitely something we need to keep our eye on our finger on the pulse um because we have done a relative well, not a relative, we've done an amazing job with uh making sure that our teachers are um paid competitively. So, uh definitely need to just keep our finger on the pulse there. I appreciate this information >> and Mr. Chair, I think that's a a great point that you know RPS has been very put tremendous resources and effort into that, but that the marker in the sand keeps moving. Yeah. And so it's uh we we got to know what the stake is and how we're progressing toward it. >> Thank you, Dr. Seabird, and

067thank you for keeping your finger on the pulse of all that's going on and for your advocacy and thank you to the board for your advocacy as well. That last item in particular. I mean all of the items are important but that item uh re related to the assessments and the accountability system is critically important uh particularly as the state board is taking up the matter of raising cut scores. Uh our advocacy is also that the assess assessments would be modernized. Uh it's not just about raising the bar but it's about the alignment of the assessments with instruction and uh with standards. And so we just want to make sure that uh we're not necessarily moving the goalpost in the middle of the game. So we we want to continue we we will always advocate

068for high standards and for raising the bar and making sure that we have accountability. We are holding ourselves accountable as well. Um but we want a process and we're advocating for a process that is fair uh fair for our students that won't won't have an adverse effect particularly on our seniors and our high school students uh uh who are you know who have a certain expectation right now. So uh so I just thank the board for uh your advocacy and your support with particularly with this item. So thank you. So moving on to the next item, I would like now to invite our academics and our instructional teams uh to provide a summary of our annual student performance data report. Uh tonight's presentation will show highlights as well as some areas for improvement. Uh what

069we call our glows and grows in the classroom. That's what we call them. Uh and so based on uh data from the 2024 2025 school year and so I will ask our uh our chiefs and Mr. Archie Freeman as well as Dr. Cinder Cindy Williams and uh Dr. Jonathan Schultz I see him back there. Melissa I see you back there as well. Uh I'll ask our teams to come forward to give you a highlight of our presentation so far. So Mr. Freeman. >> Thank you Dr. White. Good evening, Madame Chair Apel, Vice Chairman Cherry, members of the board, Dr. White, and student representatives on tonight. Um, as we prepare to give you the update on a student achievement, you will hear tonight some information from Dr. Schultz and his team, Mrs. I um Melissa, um,

070regarding new state accountability system reminder. just a little bit. We want to take you back through some things that we shared with you before for the Virginia school performance and support framework of the state um state on-time graduation rate, the standards of learning assessment data review, chronic absenteeism and student discipline. Um at this time, m uh Dr. Schultz is coming to share some information and then we will go through our point PowerPoint presentation also with Dr. Williams and myself. >> Thank you, Mr. Freeman. Good evening. get us to get started. Okay. Um as Mr. Freeman said, those are the list of topics that we'll have for this evening. Um my job tonight is to give you a reminder of the new um Virginia school performance and support framework. As you know, we've been talking to

071you uh about this over the uh previous year. We have a new new accountability system coming into place um this year from the Department of Education. It is um we're still waiting on the on the the final data to be released. We expect it uh shortly in the in the coming weeks. Um but just wanted to make sure that we uh had a chance to uh remind you and the public of of how the new system is going to work. Um so each school in Virginia is going to um have a have a score in in one of these performance categories. Basically a number between uh you know a number up to roughly up to a hundred that um kind of puts them in a category. Um the four categories are going to be uh

072distinguished on track offtrack and needs intensive support. I do want to remind you that the system has been uh built as a um as a a simpler system that's easier to understand. Um but as we've done in some of our work together, you've seen that um it is actually a fairly complicated system that is um well on the surface appears simple that it's easy to say this is a number that represents a school. Um that in fact it's actually more detailed and more complex underneath. Um so I do want to point out a couple of those pieces. Um so one of the uh first things to keep in mind as we think about with the framework is that um elementary schools, middle schools and high schools are all going to be evaluated um slightly differently,

073right? So we have uh uh different waiting and different sections uh for each of the at each of the levels. So as you can see in elementary and middle school you can see uh mastery, growth and readiness um but uh slightly different proportions for each of those sections. And then at high school you could see the introduction of the um graduation piece sort of in in uh in lie of the growth piece. And then uh to help identify the complexities of the system if you look into what is included in each of the levels uh you could see the different pieces. So the growth component um excuse me the mastery component at each level you can see is essentially made up of your so scores which includes your your uh VAP scores uh in reading,

074math and science. um but also includes um English language profic uh proficiency for all of our English learner students which we know is a large population and continues to grow for Reno City schools. Um that that is a positive piece of the new system in terms of um you know making language acquisition a key priority for schools and incentivizing that. So that is a benefit of the new new system for sure. Um but in addition you can see uh the growth component the the growth component is um one of the more challenging aspects of the new system because it's completely a black box. Um we can't project or see what the growth looks like uh because the way that the it has it's worked for the state this year. So essentially um where a student

075is projected to grow or what their expected growth is can't be determined until after all the SOL testing is done. It's sent off to a company in North Carolina. uh they do the they run the details and it kind of comes back. So we haven't seen that and it does uh represent a you know it does represent a large percentage of the growth piece but we'll be we are expecting that information in the coming weeks. And then you can see from the readiness side the um in the focus on chronic absenteeism as kind of the main piece um advanced coursework in u middle school. So that's kind of an incentive to make sure that we are pushing our advanced kids and giving them the opportunity to take those high school classes. And then at high

076school, you can see the uh 3E framework which we've talked to about previously uh which is the focus on uh employment, enrollment and enlistment as as making sure that kids have a a pathway to um post postsecondary readiness and success. Um so as I said the uh this information was uh slated to come out uh by the end of uh September is what we've heard. Um but school divisions were supposed to be able to see it at least a week before that and so that would be today before the end of September. So, we're anticipating a delay uh beyond the end of September, but uh as that information continues to roll in, we will update you on on those pieces. >> Dr. Schulz, the growth compon the uh growth measure is expected to change for

077the year. >> That is correct. So, the growth measure currently is based on Vivas, which was a system that was had been funded, but that has not been funded in this year's budget. So the department of education is in the middle of determining a new way to calculate growth uh in the coming years. So that is a bit of a a bit of an uncertainty. So the thing that was the biggest uncertainty uh has gotten more uncertain. >> Can I have just a question also about growth since we're on it and I don't mean to go out of order but is also some of the difficulty with growth due to the fact that they have new standards and new assessments. So they're you know they >> to a certain extent the problem well my opinion

078about the issue with the growth is that it is a that we're trying to do a norm reference process with a criterion reference test and so we have to look backward after the testing happens we have to look backward at how kids did and then say well this is how everybody else did so this is how you should have done that to me is the fundamental issue >> save my comments for that sorry So, may I ask one more quick question? Um, so did I just hear that? So, we're kind of new at measuring growth at the state level using one system. >> We're only going to do it one time. >> Yes. >> So, that's not how we create baselines, right? I mean, I know that I'm not a statistician, but that seems a

079little off, right? >> Yes. I I wouldn't want to be the people that have to figure out how to fix that. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Sorry to interrupt your presentation. >> I appreciate that. And that well that that is that is where where we were kind of >> aiming. These are fundamental questions. These are good questions because again I do think that there was a I think there was good intention um behind the development of a system that was supposed to be you know um meant to be transparent and simple but it it's it really is not. Um and so as you can see even here on the screen all the various complexities. So at the elementary level even the various percentages 65 35 you know uh 10 at the

080elementary level and and and then then you get into what is it 60 20 and then >> it it gets very confusing >> 35 15 whatever um and so it's it becomes very complicated um and so that's what we've been working with our principles on to try to um understand and in the midst of all this we and and again I don't want this to come across as excuses because they're not this is these These are just facts uh of what we've had to absorb. New English language art standards, new math standards. Restston, I'm I don't want to take the Okay, I'm stealing the team's thunder. I'm going to stop talking now. I I can barely talk anyway with this cold that I have, but I'm going to stop talking now. But it is important

081for the sake of context for us to really understand um what's what's at hand at this point in time. So, Dr. Schultz, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. >> Yeah. And I just since I know um like the presentation's available online so you could scoot forward. I know we're going to talk about the particulars to our division but I just want to clarify one thing too. This is important when we get our because we don't have our school scores yet. Um when something is based off like normed percents that means is every school eligible to be to get full growth to get 100. Um because that is a concern. Like ideally those of us in education want every school, every student to have mastery and growth. But my you know my question is is it even possible

082for every division to show max growth >> based on this distribution if you don't have a deviation from the mean? Well, that's I just wanted to clarify that part of this formula, >> you know, you not everyone could max out is that so that that is my understanding and your understanding too. >> I think that that's a question I'd like to see answered from from as we get to as the numbers are released. >> Got it. >> Sorry about this. No, no, no. I'm interrupting. I'm sorry. I'm having um so just so I'm clear. So these and thank you for the explanation. these outcomes are going to matter because they will impact all school divisions accreditation. >> Uh so this the separation this year is and what they've tried to do and again I do

083want to be clear that there are multiple positives that are coming out of the new system. Yes, >> it is the it is the lack of clarity and some of the blackbox aspects of it that are among other concerns. But those are to me some of the biggest concerns of just not knowing everybody doesn't know exactly the target at the moment. Um, so, um, I'm sorry. Would you repeat that? >> The the significance of the outcomes of these measures is because >> every school in Virginia is going to have a label placed on it in the coming weeks that says they are distinguished, on track, off track, or needs intensive support. And that's going to have repercussions. And if we need intensive support that affects us because they then >> uh it well it would

084be intensive support from the state which >> suspiciously like state takeover. >> Uh I don't think I I uh that may >> short of that. >> So yeah well we're not sure but I I don't >> Yeah. >> You're doing a great job. I would stop I would stop a little short. I would I I would stop a little short of state takeover. >> I'm going to I'm going to note that as a question of what what happens after we get a score? We know we'll get scores. We're going to talk a little bit about data, but after we get scores, then what? Aside from informing us, >> one thing one thing that the state board is talking about is actually starting to match funding to those categories. So potentially >> there is where I'm

085trying to get because I think this conversation actually and it's very helpful really matters around these growth scores because you're telling me you're not say I'm interpreting this in many ways not the least of which is 25 and 20% of our scores are going to have meaningless baselines and therefore we are that is beyond our control of measuring ing impacts that could lead to budget consequences and that seems like it lends really big importance to the legislative priorities that we just heard. So I think that's that's the dots I was trying to connect and thank you for your help with that. >> Okay. Sorry. >> That's great. Thank you. All right. You know, again, it's such an important conversation because even when we receive that information about on track versus off track, right, and and

086distinguished and intensive support, what I don't think we will know is the trajectory, right, of whether or not So, let's say if a school is just uh just above the line when it comes to being on track, we don't know if that's that school based on that the data that we'll will be on track because they're moving in the right direction or they moving in the wrong direction, right? Or off track. Maybe it's labeled as off track, but had they made growth all along, right? And then you see that trajectory, maybe they're just below um but will it show that they're really on the trajectory moving forward or are they moving in the wrong direction? So again, tweaks and adjustments we believe are still in order. uh to to make the the system better. And

087hopefully, you know, again, with our work and our advocacy and our support that we can work with the the state board and with the um the Virginia Department of Education again to to make the system even better. And we're really hoping hoping for more uh the alignment uh and modernization of assessments. But I know we're hoping >> it'll be interesting. Well, it'll be interesting to see at the state board meeting as they with the proposal to raise the cut scores without having seen the impact of the new system first to see already how what is the baseline for how many schools are off track already or or how how that's playing out. So, >> so I passing it to Mr. Freeman. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Schultz. >> Good evening once again. Uh my

088task this evening is to talk a little bit about our graduation rate. Um but I want to make sure that we go back and examine something. I know that the slide before mentioned the federal graduation indicator as part of the new support framework, but we always have a conversation and Dr. Jameson reminded us yesterday about ontime graduation. So ontime graduation is your four-year cohort. That means I started as a freshman and I'm graduating with my four years. That's a cohort on time graduation. I want to make sure and for those that are maybe watching and viewing um by YouTube know the definition and the distinction and I want us to go back and think for just a moment fall 2021 and everybody probably can't remember what you did last year but fall 2021 was still

089we were faced with some of the disruptions um from the foundational years due to COVID 19. So this class started in fall 2021 as the first class back in the building full no hybrid. Of course we still had and I'm sure Dr. Poland can attest to this a lot of people that wanted to be on virtual but virtual was not a complete option at that time for us to be there. So all the students were back in the building and I say that because we're not making excuses and Dr. White said that earlier. We're still making adjustments. So when we look at our data and you look at the chart, you will see that our graduation rate did drop. We still remain in the 80s, almost up to the 85%. But you will see that

090it's there to 84.3. But when you're looking at the increase, there are some increases in some of the reporting groups. But see, we also know we have some work to do in some of the other reporting groups. So we're still looking at what we can do better. But I will tell you that in the past few years, we've been working more with our cohort graduation meetings. And in our meetings, those students are going one by one seeing what needs the students need. Whether it still be at this homebased school, whether it be an alternative education or whether we need to consider looking at other options even after school, before school. Some um have done some play-doh courses and even had some opportunities to do some work on some Saturdays. So, we continuously want to make

091sure we address our students needs. And like I said, as you can see, you'll see that the numbers in some reporting groups have went up while we still have some challenges in the other um reporting groups. I will tell you moving forward, we've already started meeting. Um, normally it's once a nine weeks and usually it's towards the end of the first nine weeks, but we've already had our cohort meeting at Patrick Henry High School and tomorrow is the cohort meeting at William Fleming High School. So, we're starting early to identify our students so we can work with those families, work with the counselors, work with the principles, and also work with our students to make sure we meet their needs, whether it be, like I said, at their base school or an alternative school. Dr.

092Dr. Williams is going to talk a little bit about our so assessments. Then I'll come back and speak a little bit about our chronic absenteeism and our discipline. >> Thank you. Good evening. >> Good evening. >> Um tonight I want to highlight some of our um data related to our so pass rates. But f first I want to reiterate the fact that we had new Englishes uh as standards and new math standards. And in all the years I've been working in Virginia public schools, we've never had two content area standards new in one year. That is a heavy lift. Um when we have new standards, teachers have to align their lessons. They have to align their instructional strategies. They have to align their assessment. So it's a huge lift. So we're proud of our teachers

093for the work that they've done and for our students. Um if you'll look at our if you look at the scores and we look at our um math as oil tests, we actually gave nine different tests and we made improvements in eight of those nine tests and held steady on the other. And a huge shout out to our third graders because they made an eight-point gain first time they took an SOL test and with new standards that were more rigorous. Um also a huge shout out to our algebra 2 students that made a 10-point gain. It's wonderful. Yes, look at reading. We gave seven so tests and we made improvements in all seven tests. Shout out to our fourth graders that made a three-point gain and to our seventh graders that made a seven-point gain.

094As you can see, we have continual improvement. Uh we're moving forward. Um we're not where we want to be. You know, we know we have room to grow in all our areas. So, we're pushing forward. Um, our division team is um supporting our school teams. We're proud of our students, our teachers, and our school teams pulling together. >> Okay. >> Thank you. What would you say if you could say there was a number one impact to these um to the change in scores, what would you attribute that to? I would say that our teachers are intentionally focused on serving students, meeting ser meeting our students where they are, knowing them by name and need. So um we try to make sure that we work together collaboratively. We've tried to build PLC's and um instructional leadership

095teams in the schools because we know we're stronger together. The other bright spot in this is that we like to find the expertise in our division. We have amazing teachers that do great things every day. So, we find bright spots and we share. So, we share in our um our gifts and our talents. >> Awesome. Thank you. I'd like to weigh in on that as well because you're not going to I mean our our team, they're very humble and so you're not going to hear this from them. So, thank I'll I'll share and that is the intentionality behind the curriculum and instruction teams. Um leadership matters. And so I I just want to say hats off to our curriculum instruction teams as well as to our principles, our our school-based leadership teams and our teachers,

096our teacher leaders, leadership matters and the intentionality. If you look at our organizational structure and the focus on highquality content as well as highly effective instruction and the willingness of our teachers to engage in these conversations to diagnose instruction and to and for continuous improvement to get down to the level of detail with when it comes to the enduring learning in the classroom, the engagement of our students to that's all led by our curriculum instruction teams about really what's happening in the classroom, how engaged are our students, look at the alignment of the instruction as well as the formative assessments and planning for the next steps that is due the the reason why we see mostly green on this chart is because of that intentionality. So I just wanted to say hats off. Thank you.

097>> Thank you. We know that if we're going to serve our students, they need to be with us every day. We want every child with us every day. So, I'm going to kind of turn it over to Mr. Freeman to talk about attendance. I believe Dr. Williamson said it best. Every day, we need our students in the classroom. So, for those that are listening, I'm going to go and put another plug in for our parents that we need to have students in school every day. Um, I know that we need to make some clarity here about absences. Absences excused or unexcused always count against chronic absenteeism, including suspension. I want to make sure and I wanted the public to hear that. I know that we bring in our doctors and notes and we be unexcused,

098but it's still part of chronic absenteeism. We want to make sure our students are in the school every day. But we do not want sick students at school though. We do not want them. So, we got to be very careful. Um the difference will be and I probably don't know what you're probably going to ask me Mr. Link. um as for court truency papers is different. >> No, I wouldn't go. >> Okay, >> can I ask it now? >> Yes. >> Who determines that an excused absence like going to the doctor counts against chronic absenteeism? >> Yeah. >> Um would you like to go back a few slides? I think we can address that. >> Just a number 10 days, >> right? It's it's any >> is it or >> it's 18? >> Yes. 10%

099of 180 days. >> The letters at five and 10. It's it's >> any absence. It's you know excused or unexcused >> uh according to the state. >> Correct. And so, um, it doesn't, you know, if a child has Lyme disease, if a child has a death in the family, if if a family goes on vacation, if if if a child is suspended, um, if a child has the flu, all of those things, even though it's an excused absence, it counts against us. wildest touring colleges. >> Any absence, every absence counts against uh the the school. >> We agree. Yeah, I read your lips. But just to show you some information here though, while we do see a lot of green, we do see a lot of red too. We still got some improvements we have

100to make. You would see that we worked on the improvements definitely at the secondary level. Um not too much more change at the high school, but just a little bit. We still know those numbers are high. It's not where we want it to be. We got to make sure we get that down. But I got to speak a little bit about the student support specialists. And the reason why is because we the student support specialists are working to conduct uh meetings and p to address patterns earlier this year with absences. We've had to actually have an opportunity to meet with our court judges um regarding truency. And in that meeting, we discussed how we can make sure we're working collaborative together um to ensure that we're getting students in front of the judges earlier to

101address that absenteeism. And of course, we're always going to continue to send out our updated student letters. Um so that way parents are aware, making those daily phone calls. Um if your student has been absent, you probably have received a call, too. Um we try to make sure our tardy calls are going out every day to ensure that our parents are notified. We want them engaged. I also want to contribute it back to th not only our student support specialists but the teams at the schools. Um Dr. White said it best. We going to have to make sure we congratulate our principles because they are working to address that attendance piece even with attendance incentives. Um and I like it because I give you an example at PH. They've got it incorporated not only with

102just the attendance but they also got incorporate with your badge. Make sure you got your student ID badge um to go to different activities and even giving some to parties sometimes and doing a bridge class as rewards. So things that are happening to address that student um attendance to make sure they want to be at school too and see that they're being recognized for that. >> I believe there was a question. >> Yeah. So I have a question about the chronic absentism rates. Um do we have any data regarding what classes are missed the most like core classes or electives? >> That would now that would be for high school you're asking probably because it's block attendance. >> Yes sir. right now. We don't have the f the information at our fingertips, but we can

103get it for you. We can work in getting that information. >> Absolutely. That's a excellent question. >> Like they make sure they get to algebra one, but >> either they're getting to that day or rotate class and maybe not making it to algebra one. >> Really got me engaged. >> That is a great question. We'll work on that. get back. >> So, as we look at our overall something to celebrate here, I know you're wondering, well, we got the students in school. We're decreasing our suspension rates. If you will look at the information before you, you will see a lot of things that are taking place. This is something to celebrate over the last few years. I mean, it's been a long time since we've had a a decrease of 23.89% in suspension days. >>

104Round that up to 20. Round that up to 25. That's so that's significant. No matter like what data set you're looking at, that's significant. >> Round that up to 25. >> Again, I have to contribute it to the things that are happening inside of our buildings. I know for a fact we have student re-entry meetings. Now that means that when someone is out on OSS when they come back they meet with the principal or meet with the one of somebody from the administrative team have things put in place about the expectations while the behavior had taken place and not to have that behavior again. Also the counselors I got to give a big shout out to our school counselors. They are working extremely hard to get to know their students and be in front of

105situations and be proactive to addressing things. Also our principles are working with our central office communication. They speak with everyone they can get their hands on which we don't mind it. We want to help them is in them something we can share to shouldertoshoulder and collaborate and walk them through situations. Um I always pick with Dr. Win Bush because I believe her phone she's on it early sometimes and late sometimes. Um she said well well let's let's run this idea. Let's see what we can do. So our principles are really thinking outside the box to ensure our students have every opportunity to be inside of the classroom. And we have restorative practices and know there's conversations that are taking place in circles and mediation not only with students even with adults because we want to

106see what we can do to keep our students inside of our buildings in order to be educated. Um but most importantly along the lines of all that we have to keep the family engaged. So we have that family communication being proactive as well as reactive. Uh I have to give a shout out to Woodro. Um they do positive phone calls every day. >> That's awesome. >> Positive phone calls. So, you know, you pick up the phone, you think, okay, what has my child done now? Um, but no, actually, they're positive and the parents are loving it. That's a way of getting the family still to be more engaged in it. So, our principles are working hard along with the teams here at central office to think outside the box. So, this is to be celebrated.

107We are moving in the right direction. We still have a lot of work to do and we're going to continue to make adjustments and not make excuses. >> And this goes a long way towards school safety also. >> Yes, sir. >> So, thank you. Thank all of you. Many times you hear me saying that it it's happening when it comes to construction, but now we're saying that for instruction it's happening. We have we have some work to do. We know that and don't shy away from it, but it's happening and that's off to the team. But we'll take any questions that you might have at this time. >> Um, Miss Trig, do you have any questions or comments for the team? >> I do. And I do have a comment though. Um definitely congratulations and

108congratulations to those schools that I saw with the higher numbers. I love to know if they are able or if some of the principles are asking what's working for you like how did you get your numbers up so high and they sharing those best practices. I think that is a great opportunity for them and I'm sure you going to tell me that you are doing it. >> Well and it's interesting and the whole team probably said we actually shift this past week for something we recognized um for our principal meeting. We had a nice planned out agenda the day before the agenda got blown up so that way we could work on what did our principles need and have that time to have that collaboration. Um so we try to embed that in each time

109we do a principal u principal's meeting. So yes that and our principles are very connected. Um there's text messages that go sometimes late at night but they're always talking to see what they can gain from someone else. We have that collaboration. >> That's good. Like like Dr. wife said, "Leadership matters." So, if they're learning different opportunities from each other and growing with each other, then it has no choice but to trickle down. So, I like that. Thank you, >> Miss Watkins. Oh, did Miss Oh, Miss Watkins, >> you're good. All right. Um, Mr. Lopez Ortiz, any other questions or comments? >> Uh, no questions or comments. >> Thank you, Mr. Link. I have I'm curious and this may be a question more for Dr. Williams. Um so I see a lot of positive good things

110to feel good about on the so scores. Um know some things that like we want to keep working on on the graduation rate. The SOS are in and I might be picking up some of Dr. Jameson's habits. Um, but but the SOS are something of like a thirdparty yard stick that we're measuring ourselves by. I'm curious at the disconnect between we're we're getting better at our so scores and we're losing ground on graduation rates. >> Well, we got all three of them. >> I don't know something that the aren't aren't capturing. Yeah, I I would just point out that the the graduation model is a cohort model and so those so scores were baked in three or four years ago for those kids. >> Okay. >> So we'll see the benefits of those high school

111graduation increases in two or three years. >> We got to pick up four years of those so that improved that progress for it then to show up in the graduation rate. >> Okay, that's okay. That makes sense. which does demonstrate the importance in education of keeping things consistent to let our kids actually experience the impact of programming and initiatives or the detriment of changing too quickly >> in my um opinion. >> Thank you. >> Anything else, Mr. Link? >> I'll shut up. >> You Dr. Jameson. >> Um, I have a just a couple of questions. >> You know, I don't think I've What is the difference between out of school suspensions and OSS suspension days? >> How long you how severe the infraction was. So, how many times so three kids suspended for three days

112versus one kid for four. You know, it's the the number of days in the number of times number of times a student was suspended and the number of days that were included in the suspension. So, we tried to parse that. So we could see the severity. >> I got I see. So incidents versus number of days total. Okay. Thank you. I that okay that helps. And then also um earlier there was the when we were looking at the rates of our cohorts. I think it was graduation. Um here's my question. Do our e students double count in some of the other categories that would have been above it if they fit in some of those other categories? So, it was like a um if we go if we can go back I don't know three

113or four slides um >> was it yes this one? >> Yeah. Do our so our English learners and the reason I'm asking because I know that there's a lot of really tough requirements surrounding our EL learners and how they count and where they count and that sort of thing. I'm wondering if our EL learners might also category, would they also show up in a different student group? Are they sep by by definition? You you would be everybody's in a a a race race reporting group, >> an identity group, and then this would also be a cohort. I'm curious because looking at some of the changes in numbers, you know, we if we're looking at we know about some of the work that we've had and and the changes in terms of that. Um and I

114guess the last thing, thank you. I just wanted to double check that in my head. Um and I guess just the last thing just along with everybody else thanking you for the work, but also you know you were speaking to this. We also put in new systems for teaching. I mean new textbooks, new uh so there's new standards and also we we asked everybody to change the way they teach and um look this is going to be a rough year in terms of the evaluations of our scores but the direction means that we made the right decision last year. So I would like to applaud you all for because that was an innovation and with innovation comes risk. Um and we're not going to be done digging out of CO impacts for quite some time.

115So so I just want to thank the board for your support because like you said we had some new things last year, some new initiatives. We went to an online plan book. We did that so teachers could collaborate within schools but also across schools and across the division. So that was huge. So, it was a learning curve and it took time, but we're seeing the benefits now. We also went to a um assessment platform for benchmarking to kind of check in every nine weeks and see how we need to support students. That was a heavy heavy lift. The good thing is I was telling Dr. White today, we are in a a good place right now. We're in the learning walks and um the energy in the school and the rigor in the instruction is

116wonderful. like we're in such a better place moving forward and um we just want to thank you for supporting us when we wanted to make some shifts and adjustments >> and I just the last I just the amount as hearing you say all that the amount of work and time and effort put in by everybody on this front is to be applauded and thanked. So thank you for all your hard work on all of this. >> Thank you Dr. Jameson. Mr. Cherry. >> Uh, I echo my colleagues awesome job and I have a third grader at home who is excited about taking tests. So, >> yeah. Yeah. Um, so, >> so I can definitely see that what we're doing is working just because of the changes I see in my girls. Um, they're excited to

117go to school. Um, we just had a back to school night at Highland Park. Go Hawks. and um you know to see the spark in my daughter's eyes that I have not seen and you all know. So you know to see that spark and that she's actually helping her classmates and helping her teacher and excited to learn. Um it shows that the work that we're doing um it does matter and it is working. Um it doesn't happen overnight but it it is happening. So I think we just need to acknowledge that and again I appreciate you all not just from a board level but on a personal level on a parent level. Thank you and um definitely looking forward to seeing the continued improvement. >> Um thank you Mr. Cherry. Um can you go to

118the last slide about the discipline? I'm going to kind of go backwards through the presentation. So here I want to note a couple things. First I knew those numbers were going to be that good because I was on curriculum instruction. We had preview last year, not anymore, but um we had a preview that these num the numbers were going to be about 25% dip and that and that's held through the year. And I'd be curious to know how cell phones have impacted that as well. Um good first tier engaging instruction also improves discipline across the board. Um, so that is evidence of both of those. But I also know from last year that we like this year we can benchmark how we're doing and how we're progressing with cell phone incidents because last year was

119our first benchmark where we had a set policy about cell phones and how we dealt with them. So that's something we can continue to watch, you know, if our cell phone incidents also go down. But with this slide, I also want to point out, you know, some people might say, "Oh, if you use restorative discipline, it's not enough discipline or it's not um strong enough or or it's might skew your numbers. You might not have as much out of school suspension because you're doing restorative circles or something like that instead." But I wanted to point out with this, so that's something I wanted to look at for us. Are we do we have less suspensions because we're just being softer or is it making a difference? and the pure number of incidents went down and

120the incidents per 100 students. So that means across all of our schools and such also went down. So regardless of the discipline that then follows we're make there there's an impact with respect to discipline. So those are things that I kind of keyed in on and I wanted to note for those you know who might be paying attention. Um so back a slide please. So with respect to our attendance, I think, you know, as we said, attendance is key to learning. And so I really want to applaud um some schools that made big gains or um but also note that what I loved hearing was that our principles and schools are collaborative so they can share across. So for example, Lincoln Terrace made a huge gain in their attendance. So did Round Hill. Those are

121very different schools. Round Hill is what our largest school after the high schools in the division. So we can see that it's happening at very large schools or at smaller schools. Um and also I wanted to note say Breen Ridge Middle School. I happen to know that from 24 to 25 their their enrollment went from 500 to 750. So that's telling us that and their attendance improved. So with a large influx of students they were able to maintain culture and expectations. So there are things that we can learn. So this is the stuff that the context that you don't get from just numbers. Um and I just want to applaud the division for the strides we're making but also like that we're colleial and collaborative and share. Um, I am highly concerned about our high

122school attendance and so I do want to note we've had an influx of student support specialists and I this is one place where I would like to see what our gains will be there. I Mr. uh Lopez Ortiz did bring up something that's interesting. You know, I would be curious to see that attendance breakdown because I would bet our CTE classes have probably really good attendance because we know our completers are have 100% graduation rate. So, and you got to be present to make the things that I bid on at the at the silent auction at the end of the year. Um, so, so there's that, but there's also, you know, your core classes that are required for graduation, but people are there for that. But, so I I'd be curious if maybe this is

123maybe that might be indicative of other things because I don't know how chronic absenteeism goes if you miss your more than however many days of a certain period or if it levels out and things like that. So, I'd be curious about if that breakdown was important and something that we could kind of flesh out there. So, I appreciate that. Um, back one more. I wanted to look at the instruction. Yes. So, I just wanted to note that there was a big fullcourt press on first quality firstear instruction getting our teachers, you know, like the Hampton City um consortium and things like that. But I also wanted to note, we talk a lot about like we spent a lot of time tonight talking about benefits or maybe about budget, but what we did a year ago

124was we restructured organizationally to put a lot of emphasis on academics and instruction and um and follow through in our schools. So sometimes it might feel like we're not giving this the emphasis that it needs, but by staff and by results, you know, we're we're putting like as a board, we're trying to make sure we're putting our support behind the division in that way. So um anybody anything else? Okay. Thank you very very much, Mr. Freeman. >> A short summer. >> I was wondering if that was coming. >> We're just going to let Dr. Dr. Jameson and Mr. Freeman be the one-two punch. We're like, and before we close, Dr. Jameson, >> yeah, I have one year left. >> Nine months. >> All right. Thank you. >> And Madam Chair, I just wanted to circle

125back just briefly on your your point about um restorative discipline and restorative practice. I just wanted to talk about our approach um over the you know last five or six years really has been about prevention, restoration and logical consequences. It is a comprehensive approach to make sure that our students are um that we are we're spending yes a lot of time in preventing problematic behaviors and uh teaching at what um what our students should do. again that we're we're working with children every day. And so just like we teach the ABCs one, two, three, we're also teaching them what um what it means to behave in the classroom and and we're using uh those practices to teach and opportunities to teach, but we are holding them accountable and uh offering logical consequences when when lines

126are crossed. Right? So it is a comprehensive approach, prevention, restoration and logical consequences. And so I just wanted to to say that that is our approach. And so again, just as our team shared, I just want to thank the board um for your continued support when it comes to uh curriculum and instruction and uh our staffing support. You you'll continue to hear me say that we need people for our people. We're in a people business. uh we are not, you know, um dealing with paper all day long. We are we're serving our our young people and we need the people to do that. So for everyone who's, you know, kind of reaching out and and having all aspects of of schooling involved, I just want to thank the team for coming together because this trajectory

127of moving in the right direction, it it means a lot. Um because our kids get one shot in their seat, right? And so we want to make sure that that is a a quality experience for each and every child. So we're going to keep working and keep pushing uh to make sure that that is the case in every instance. So just wanted to say that. And madam chair, that concludes my report. >> Thank you. And oh, there were two more numbers I meant to note. One, our graduation rate went down a smidge percentage-wise, but we actually graduated nearly a hundred more students, >> right? >> Which was over a thousand. And um the other thing was is I noted our students with disabilities graduation rate was over 90%. And that has been a you know

128a subgroup that we've really needed to focus on and so I I wanted to make sure to point those out too. So thank you. Um all right so moving on um to the work of the board. So with respect to um the work of the board, yes um we're going to go ahead and focus on the evolution of the schoolboard member development committee because we have going to discuss some you know our student representative roles up till now and we already we checked off our first of a bannual discussion about communication and we will be holding off for example on discussing you know pres presenting and attending conferences. Um so and then policywise the other part of the work of the board is regarding um any policies and um you know as Dr. Sebert mentioned

129that there will be another timeline you know where that kind of will bubble up towards February. So make sure if there are things that you have ideas or questions about regarding policy to field that to Dr. Sabbert um so that we can have some of those discussions here if it's pertinent ahead of February. But we wanted to I'm going to turn it over to Dr. Jameson and Miss Watkins um who are going to kind of pick a topic or two that have bubbled up through the month or whatnot to help with board member development over the course of our entire year. >> Thank you. Um so Dr. Jameson and I um thought it would be valuable for not only the board and um the superintendent and staff, but also for our community to for us

130to walk through some parts of our schoolboard handbook. um these things that we bring up in the in meetings at at the end of the meetings um as part of the work of the board um is to help us to remind us of our purpose and um sometimes it's about protocol. Um, so we'll pick some things like um, Miss Apel said or chair Apel Apel said, we'll pick some things that either may have bubbled up or something that resonates with um, the topic at hand. Right. So tonight, um, there's two things. First, I just want to read out loud our core beliefs. Um, and I believe our handbook is out on our um our division website, right, for for the public to see. So, you can always go out there and look at, you know,

131our job description. Um but I want to start with the core beliefs is one thing that I want to read out to you all because um not only tonight but especially tonight you have heard all the work of this division and the things that we as a board have been building policies for and supporting. So um our core beliefs are we put students first. You heard that, you see that. Um, we embrace embrace equity and celebrate diversity. We care about all of our students. Um, as you can see, we're paying attention to the scores, not only overall, but for all of the um subgroups um that our students um identify with. We value effective highquality instruction. You heard that. You hear that constantly. You've seen all the measures that we've taken as a division under

132um Dr. Dwight's leadership as our superintendent to give our students highquality instruction and effective uh instruction. We value our community. Um you've seen us um open the community empowerment center, the CTE programs that are developing our community's workforce. Um we value you. The you is everyone. It is our fellow board members. It is our superintendent. It is our staff, our executive staff, our principles, our um everyone, all of our faculty, all of our um all of our um employees, everyone that touches or interacts with any of our students or any of our buildings. Um and then our parents and our community and our business partners and our city council. We value everyone that we work with to make sure that our students get what we need. Um I think that it's important for us to

133remember our core beliefs as we go about our day and go about the work that we do. Um that is a message and a reminder to not only us the board. It's going to get hard sometimes. Decisions are hard. Um um opinions will vary. um beliefs will vary as your core beliefs in your soul might be different, right? Who you support and who you don't support politically um is a is a thing. But I encourage everyone to hold on to the why and what your core beliefs are about our students and keep that in the forefront of your minds as you are communicating, as you are interacting, as you are making decisions. Thank you, Miss Watkins. >> I got nothing. >> No piggy back. >> No. Okay, I'll pick you back now. >> Um I

134I would add and only because of a con. I think No, I was speechless. You did a wonderful job. Um I think I would add simply to call onto page five and this is in recognition of the current context in which we are all working in our various roles um is explicitly written is our board is independent and apolitical. >> They are here for the best interest of the children in the city of Renault. >> That is where we center our conversations. it is the root of what we do and I think that undergurs those core beliefs. Um I wish we lived in a world where it didn't feel important to emphasize that but I think it is. So um I would just add that as we hope. >> Thank you. Um and I do

135appreciate um you know being reminded of the handbook which I know at the beginning of Dr. Jameson's tenure that she can barely remember. It's been so long as she keeps reminding us. Um, it didn't even exist. And so, um, I very much appreciate the idea of treating our handbook like a curriculum, um, that as we revisit it over the course of the year, we will all get a good like our full board curriculum over the course of every year. So, thank you for that. Um, all right. So, moving on to future business. Um, one thing of note, which also ties in with announcements and reminders, we do have a our fall retreat coming up. And I just want to preface two board members. We've had the dates um picked out, but we may be reaching

136out with a poll regarding um potential time variation on the full day one, which is the 8th, because we feel that it's um uh Mr. Cherry and I feel that it's very important for us to have as much facetime like persontoperson FaceTime as possible. So, we're going to try to gauge what that is because that may um impact how we, you know, do the programming that day. Um and also we might adjust the time to try to get um better facetime, better um accessibility for our board members to be present. So, um so keep an eye out for potentially something coming from uh Ms. Tresy uh regarding that um or Mr. Cherry or myself. Um and then other announcements and reminders. So we have our joint city council and school board meeting on October 6th

137at the community empowerment center. Um we have our retreat October 7th and 8th. Um here in the William B. Robertson building and then our next schoolboard meeting is October 14th and then the workshop on the 28th. Um, how are we looking at attendance for October 14th, that schoolboard meeting? Because that would um potentially be our, for example, our vote for TrueUp application as well. Is there anyone who anticipates being absent on October 14th? >> I need to double check my calendar, but I may be leaving for an academic conference that day. I'll I'll I'll be sure to let Mr. Tres. >> Great. And then October 28th that um schoolboard workshop um any anticipated absences on that day. Right. Okay. Wonderful. And then um I think we'd already discussed October 6, the joint city council meeting

138as well and the retreat has been on the calendar for a while, but like I said, we already talked about the second day. So um all right. And hearing no further business, this meeting is adjourned.