School Board Work Session: 3-4-26

001Well, good afternoon, good evening. Um, welcome to the school board work session and public hearing for the Norfolk School Board. Miss Tanner, could you please call the role? Bassine >> here. >> Caligerro, >> here. >> Pollson, >> present. >> Slaughter, >> present. >> Thomas, >> here. Buffalo >> here. We're going to move on to 2.01 school board goal two measure one and two. Dr. Rose. >> Yeah. I'd like to introduce Miss McGarity to report. Miss Gary, >> thank you. >> And I have with me Miss Lisa Nash from the senior coordinator for elementary English. So, we're going to talk through um 2.1 and 2.2. So, good evening, Chair Moore Buffalo, Vice Chair Caligerro, board members, Dr. Rose, the public with us in person and virtually. Um since this is my first meeting with Dr. Rose,

002I do want to say welcome to Norphick. So, as a community member, and an employee, um welcome. I'm super excited to work with you and especially looking at standardizing protocols, practices um for schoolboard meeting reporting as well as just our whole world around us. So, welcome and I'm happy to I'm excited to work with you. Um so, let's get to it though. So, as a quick review of interm measure, so I want to go through what in the measure is about since it's been a minute since we've talked about it. It's what we're looking here is used to monitor for the overall schoolboard goal two which is focused on readers being proficient by third grade. For this particular measure, we're using the vows which is the Virginia language and literacy screener system at grades one

003and two. And this help this assessment really does help teachers understand the early reading needs and abilities of students. I'm going to move the data down to the um I like the tables better than the chart just because my brain likes numbers, but we can also move it to the chart if you like. Um once students take the VAW assessments, they're placed in one of three risk bands um based on their final score. And the bands are low risk, moderate risk, and high risk. And Miss Nash has always explained to us all students are at risk of struggling to learn to read. However, just the level of risk they may have. Our measure that we focus on is specifically on reducing the percentage of students in the high-risisk band, which indicates students don't have the

004early reading skills needed at the time of the assessment. Ultimately, what we want is for students to be in the lowrisk band, which indicates they are gaining the appropriate early reading skills needed. What we can see looking at the data in the table, especially the high-risk band, this is the one we want to make sure we're reducing, is that generally speaking, students are moving through the risk bands out of the high-risisk band and up towards the um moderate and low risk band. there was a notable decrease of the percentage of students in the high-risisk band at the mid-year assessment when compared to fall um for on the vows um and at both first and second grade. Sometimes we see one grade will take off and the other doesn't, but we're seeing them both move. Again,

005remembering that vows is only in its second year of life. So we are again we're kind of learning what vows does and shows us as well um for little kiddos with the early literacy um and as well as some of the older kids. We are excited to mention that even if students did not move out of the high-risisk band where they have the most needs they didn't sit still in from fall they move from the bottom of that band up towards the middle and the top of the band. So even if they didn't move out they're still moving. no one is sitting still um and not gaining skills. One of the thing um what's going well the majority of students who we talked about that that's the biggest thing that's going well is that they're

006moving through um and that's ultimately what we want to see as kids moving up the pro the progress we're seeing in early reading can be attributed to a combination of things. Those things include the continuous focus on quality tier one instruction for all students and the strengthening of intervention structures. There's never going to be one isolated structure that we can say this is the thing that's making it happen. However, a combination of effort is really what's going to move things forward. And kids are so individualized in the way they learn to read that it's, you know, it's a com combined effort of those things. Um, as discussed with many other goals though, we talk about we still need want to see acceleration more and more. We're seeing a lot of movement which is good here

007in the early early learn or the early literacy. Um uh but we want to see more of grade two. Grade two is the same grade that uh Miss Nash and I highlighted at the fall that they are ones that they were they were looking stronger than the prior years but they still needed they were kind of the slow move and where we saw some of the areas um that they really struggled. So we want to ensure that students are prepared to enter grade three with the increased reading and comprehension demands. Um, so with that piece, one of the things we look at, and like I said, Val, we are still learning it. And I say that because it's it's so different than the data we looked at before, but we're starting to see things pop

008out that we've now become curious about. Hold on, is that a thing? Um, so that we're able to implement or at least research further so we're able to kind of help the kiddos with that early literacy. Um, that is all I have for that. It's a very quick down and dirty. We're seeing the moving. We're seeing where we want to go. We are seeing the movement where we want to go with the early literacy in grades one and two. Um I can take questions or we can get to 2.2 and put it all together. >> Have a quick clarifying question. >> Sure. >> Um the students even students that are reading above grade level are they put in the lowrisk band? >> In the lowest band in the low risk band. Yes. So that that's

009students who are they all reading on grade level or most of them reading on grade level. >> I would if they're in the low >> wristband they've mastered the skills at that point. >> Okay. So we want to see that percentage increase. >> Yes. And that's one of the things we did see is we saw that high wristband go way down and kids didn't just move only to moderate. They actually kind of moved up into the the low wristband which is good. So they're gaining the a lot of skills that they need but in that first semester of school. >> Thanks. >> Thank you Miss McGary. Um so you talked about that everyone is moving from through the bands. Um so can you can you elaborate on or can you share a little bit more

010about who is have you noticed any subgroups or any schools that are not moving through the ban? We've um interestingly even the schools that for lack of a better term I was kind of calling them upside down the high wristband was really heavy in the fall um which is not what we want. Um we're seeing those actually do the same thing. The patterns are the same. They are faster at different schools than others. what we are English learners but again that's an area especially at this early if they are have you know a high level of language needs then that is reading is going to be an area that that typically is going to pop up so it's not that it's a concern it is typical but it helps us as well as the English

011learner department you know kind of to see what are those extra supports that might be needed that are particular to that students and some of it's time just because if they have a if they're a level one language and they've recently arrived to the United States um some of that's just time and continuous exposure and then so to that end um you know this question that you know I always like to ask is like what strategies are working well so particularly with this group with our ELLL students what strategies are working well what isn't or where do you need where do we need more support? >> I'm going to throw this out, but I'm going to let Miss Nash also jump in here. I mean, one of the biggest things is, you know, there's been

012the Virginia Literacy Act has really swung towards that the phonics based and that's that brainbased understanding of how students learn to read and that kind of thing. But that is not going to be done by a computer necessarily like a lot of kids and it's like I said a diff it's different but really the ability people to help help the kids who are struggling in those areas so that they can move forward with the phonics and they don't get behind between now before they hit third grade. And if they are and again English learners it's always different. It's one of those kind of having to play that game of is it exposure just because they're so new and have such a high language need or is it we really need to kind of work. I

013mean, you're never not working with them, but you just have approach it differently depending on their timeline in the country and where their language needs are. >> Okay. >> And I'll let if you have anything extra. >> Yes. Okay. >> Okay. Oh, I thought Sorry. I thought you were going to add to that, but um yeah. Okay. I'm sorry. There any other questions? Go to the next monitoring report. >> All right. So, we're going to move to 2.2. Um move through this just as quick. But then now what we're focusing on um here, same thing. kids being proficient readers by the time they hit third grade. With this, um, we're moving from a major focus on early literacy, as it we just did, but moving kids who are sitting in third grade and what skills

014do they need as a third grader um to be proficient readers. For just as a a review again, since it's been a while since we've talked about this, for this particular measure, we use the state growth assessment. It's also known as the SGA. Once students take the growth assessment, they're identified as either proficient or needing additional supports based on their final score at that time of year. So again, just like Val's, what's expected of them moves that um as we go through the year, the assessment's given three times a year over the course of the school year so we can monitor their ability to gain and master reading skills specific to grade three. So moving here, I'll move this down to the chart because again, I like the numerical chart. sometimes. Um there was something

015that was different this year and just as a reminder um that fall growth assessment this school year was administered six weeks after it typically is administered per VDOE schedule, not Norfick public school schedule. It was a surprise to us as well. But what that means is that students had six more weeks of instruction taking the fall assessment. So, we talked about when we when we talked about the fall results before, we talked about these could be inflated. There was really no way to say yay or nay, but it there it was going to have an impact to have six weeks of instruction when we're making those comparisons back to previous years. Um, however, the winter results can be viewed as a standardized measure when comparing it to the previous winter administration. So, that is t

016when it typically was. We can make that comparison there. Um so overall this interm measure focuses specifically on the increase of third grade students being proficient and who needs additional support. Increasing proficient decreasing needing additional support. Looking at the data um we do see that there from fall to winter there was a decline in the percentage of grade three students who are um proficient in reading but again there was that impact. Fall could have been inflated. I don't want to say it is or wasn't, but that is one we do need to consider. But when comparing winter this year to winter last year on the growth assessment for third grade readers, the prof percentage of students in the proficient bucket is lower. So that is an area that we see a concern that that there

017was a decrease of that set of students. Um one thing that we do however one thing we do know is we do still have time to accelerate. So it could in the end still look different. However, we have to take this information and pivot a little bit. One of those things we talked about, we use this data formatively when we're talking about supports for the schools just like we want the schools to be using that. Um, interestingly, as we were reviewing the data at the school level, what we can see is that generally speaking, what we would always see with this is that all the schools kind of were following the same pattern. This year, we're not. We're seeing kind of the split even. So there are some schools that we saw increases um from

018winter to winter and we other schools we didn't and it was almost unexpected schools that we see going up. So that's an area we're digging further into what why are we seeing that? What are they doing? What are those things um that are going on at those schools? What's not going well is you know that piece of it's a focus that transition to third grade reading. Um this is where students they have to learn from reading versus learning to read and it is a tough transition. Um this can be dis difficult in the early years especially. We continuously monitor data even through using the um classroom and unit assessments and looking at structures and tweaking those as well as supporting tier one to kind of work towards what are those things that need to shift

019so that to help students make that transition into because the growth assessment as well as the growth assessment also the so at the which is also the so at the end of the year really is based on comprehension. Um, so it's kind of making that shift from understanding the phonetic piece of it, but now how do we use that and apply it to reading decodable passages and those kinds of things and comprehension? Um, again, we're finding little hints because vowels is new. So, we even went backwards and started looking. So, we're exploring some more areas to see why this may be happening. Um, it is not an unusual trend for us to see that transition struggle in Norphick. However, um seeing the decrease we did when we look at it compared to last winter was

020is surprising. So that we are digging in further and moving forward on that. That is all I have for that. Um school board members, so you heard the presentation. Um, I just before I call on you, Miss Bassin, I I I cringe when you said that about the learning to read versus third grade to fifth grade reading to learn because I think about my my own kids how I cringe, >> you know, that transition from second grade to third grade, the comprehension, decoding, and all those things. So, yeah, >> it's tough and it's tough to teach and to do that. We had a long conversation about that and what we needed to try and tease out of here to see to support teachers on focusing this way that way or >> Miss Bassine. >> Yes.

021Um so thank you for addressing that you know what we're seeing in the data here. Um because it it was concerning to see the winter rate >> um even compared to the last three years. So um and the timing again if this is a technical question but the timing of the winter testing was that in mid January? So yes we did it we and we've always had it coming out of semester 1. So we were trying to hit they h because there's going to be some things that might not have been taught yet but it's that really hasn't shifted too much on us. So that part of it was exactly the same time right out of semester one right >> for the winter assessment. Yes. >> Right. Right. So that that gap between the late

022fall. So would you would you say Yeah. Would you say that that period of time was also um well I guess they would continue teaching and learning like all of that during those six weeks before the first the fall assessment was done. I guess what I'm saying was the content for the winter assessment were teacher were was the teaching and learning as u fruitful as it would have been had they had more time for that period I guess as well >> and Miss Nash jump in here if I >> like the opposite effect of what we saw in the fall like is that a possibility that they had a >> did we slow down or right >> to really um one of the things with this growth assessment especially fall we're like we want kids

023to sit down and just take it. What do you know? So the idea is because that gives us what to work from, right? Looking at it formatively. Same thing for winter. But again, we still have a few other things that we're looking at around it. I will say I the teaching would have been the same. The pacing didn't move like pacing guides didn't get moved around or anything. >> What I meant more of was the pacing. >> Okay. Yeah. No. Okay. No. Well, I'm glad I hit the right word then by accident. Pacing didn't get shifted or anything because we're like we're just going to kind of take it what it is. it was supposed to, you know, the states told us it's a one-off situation that this will happen. Um, so it shouldn't have

024like, okay, we're going to back off or change gears other than what we needed to put in place for supports for like down to the standards out of the fall. But the pacing maintained the same. There was no shifts even when we found out because that was already set. >> Okay. And you described in the report that there were additional formative measures that were used. Were those the same formative measures that we've used in the past like STAR is that >> so the same formative measures mean I think when I was saying that like we look at other things it really is like our unit assessments getting down to the standard those are really those kind of live ongoing formative things so we can see are they struggled with this on that standard on this

025assessment >> are they struggling with it when they take their other assessments >> okay so so there wasn't an increase in the number of assessments that were going on during that period >> and I will say in is anecdotal. Um that is one of the things at teacher forum which was great >> Walter put on but it is one of the things that did come up at our table was that teachers felt January had a lot of assessments but it when we kind of teased it out it felt like it was a lot of assessments for the adults because there was people who were doing the early literacy assessment they were doing the older kids and that kind of thing. So it was not necessarily the kids, but it's one of those things that we

026said going into next year to look at J smoothing January out a little bit or thinning it out maybe um so that it so it could have that there was a lot going on in January for sure when when they did take the assessment, >> right? And similar to what I asked um previously like you you know subgroups struggling more than others. I know we generally see this trend, but if you could speak to a little more of that um and what we might need from a strategy resource perspective and then >> that's my question. >> And then um uh and then to that uh point you t you also started to mention that you saw certain patterns in schools >> and if you could elaborate on that a little bit too. So >> yeah.

027Do you want to talk about the how you guys have kind of the strategy piece with the Dakota So your question was about resources I think >> right strategies and resources because um and I believe you know specifically you you talked about accelerating that there's time to accelerate growth for the spring administration. So what strategies did you find were working or strategies resources were working that we can accelerate to you know move our students forward? So, we've been partnering a lot with ARRA and they do such a beautiful job of helping us to drill down and find like priority spots to focus on. So, our office has been going into schools specifically in third grade and doing some walkthroughs identifying maybe some gaps that are missing and we've been implementing further support with the um

028the phonics curriculum particularly around SIPs and the challenge curriculum. Um, kids that struggle with phonics often struggle with multi-elabic word decoding. So, we're putting in place some systems and processes even at the tier one level, not necessarily at waiting for intervention so that we can get ahead of those deficits that barriers, if you will, that could preclude them from being successful with comprehending the text because they have a barrier to reading the text. So, that's one thing that's been very successful is partnering with those schools and and coming up with unique ways to address the needs that we're seeing. And I think one of the other things that Miss Nash and I talked about too is that again just getting kids to read. >> So reading at, you know, anywhere they can, reading, reading, reading.

029>> Um, so that and reading decodable text. So that was the big thing. It kind of popped out. Well, >> in the lower grades, they read a lot of decodable text. So in second grade, like a big step away reflection from all this is we know that we're only in year two of our K through2 implementation of our benchmark curriculum. So we know retrospectively that in second grade we've hit heavily the phonics and decoding structures. Our students are coming up to third grade strong word with word recognition, a lot stronger historically than what we've seen. Um, the bridge to word recognition and comprehension is fluency. So, we're noticing that we need to put in more supports in our second grade and incoming third grades that focus on that repeated reading of complex text, making sure

030that students are doing the work of reading the text and and carrying that load. And that is, you know, through our coaching, our professional development sessions. we have a a session um March 20th spec specific for second grade teachers that's going to address that now because that's that transition that they need to make. So it's getting that messaging out, making sure that people understand where those gaps appear and we're responding to those gaps. students who struggle in third grade or who are still struggling in those same areas. Those are those things coming through the end of the year is really kind of still pushing those same structures um with the third grade teachers to getting the kids to read and you know that fluency up because if you can't read it you can't comprehend, right?

031And so um that application transition to really focusing in that area at third grade for those kiddos that need that level of of um support. >> Dr. Martin. Um, thank you for your presentation. Um, I just would like to know if there are any, uh, deficiencies that would help accelerate some of this growth. >> So, we have great support with our early literacy tutors, but their primary focus is kindergarten through 2 grade. um third grade. I think we could utilize more tutors and and we we're utilizing our UI tutors and training them as much as we can and and educating them on the best practices for for literacy, but to have more permanent structures in third grade to target those intervention pockets would be extremely beneficial. >> 5% off. >> Is that the only >>

032um I mean >> I mean it's okay more reading specialist support. Our reading specialist work tirelessly to uh monitor data to uh write student reading plans. All of the students all of the students that are in high risk on vows have those student individualized student reading plans that have to be monitored. Intervention goes with that. Um so and on top of that they're they're in charge of coaching students on quality tier one instruction. So, you know, more specialists at priority schools would be a a wonderful welcome thing to have to support the growth. >> Thank you, >> Miss Thomas. >> Is there something else we can implement starting in kindergarten? Cuz I did prek and you have some babies that's reading in prek. So is this something that we can start and implement to do

033a little push in kindergarten so by the time they get to first second they'll have you know this head start instead of starting in second first and second hoping they'll catch up by third >> and I I'll let Miss Nash kind of talk about the what that piece of it I will say we do monitor the data it's just not reported for this board >> K takes the vows as well so we monitor the data in the same way pull out those skills skills and those things. Um, so I will let her talk about what they do with all of that, you know, with the kids in that piece because yeah, if we can we want to accelerate them when they're ready to accelerate, right? So if it's kindergarten, um, but even prek takes vows

034and we monitor those things. So it's one of those that even though it's not reported here, we focused in on first and second grade, but those things are also happening at the earlier levels. But I'll let Miss Nash talked about the actual steps of what they do. >> That's exactly right. We have a um new curriculum kindergarten through 2 grade. >> When did that start? >> That started last year. So we're still in that implemented and we're seeing like we said the pattern shifting things are gaps are starting to close. So I think you know with a little bit more time and adjustments as we're responding to the data we're going to see strong kids coming from kindergarten to first grade to second grade and it will impact our third grade data. >> Thank you.

035Miss U de Caliggera, >> what resources do we put towards the kid in kids in the low risk group, the ones who are reading in prek and kindergarten? What what do we do to get them to teach them how to if they've already can read? What do we do in first and second grade to make sure that they are comprehending what they're reading and not just keep them in a holding pattern until they get to third grade? So our curriculum is very robust in that it doesn't just focus on word recognition but it talks about both sides of what they call the reading rope which is word recognition and language comprehension. So you might have remember me highlighting the students um in the literary readings prior um schoolboard meetings where students are reading very complex

036text as early as kindergarten not reading it themselves necessarily but being exposed filling their ear with that language to vocabulary building their background knowledge um and then writing about what they read. So, our curriculum is pretty robust in that it addresses in tier one all of our students. And then I I'm sure our gifted GRT, we partner with them. We have a great uh program that identifies some of those higher tier kids to make sure that they're succeeding. U we promote reading in independently for them. And of Lexia, Lexia is a differentiated base program as well. So, it takes kids where they are even if that's beyond grade level. So that's another avenue that addresses that. >> So you talked about, you know, building this even stronger foundation for kids, you know, when they do

037get into third grade. So looking at the third graders, you know, that in that uh the current third graders in the data here, like looking backwards because we've been slowly seeing the strong early literacy results, right? And so when you look back, are you able to see any trends or patterns there that we can work on now with those first and second graders to make sure that they're on target? >> You ask that. Yes. So as we were and again, Val is new. So if we look at it kind of that quasi cohort, so I always say that because it's one of those that we're learning what all these little tiny pieces mean. Um so on the vows last year, those second graders are now our third graders, right? to we saw it with this

038year's first and second graders when we were doing this data and then so I went backwards and found and what we're seeing is that we talked about encoding before that that which is taking all of the sounds and put them together to spell right so taking it and putting it out to spell. Um but what we started seeing to pop up and now that we've got two years we could see it happening twice was oral reading fluency. So that piece of the fluency. So if I look back at so I went and looked back at the second graders last year who are third graders now that is an area that was that spiked for them as well. Um so that has kind of let us know that's where that I said decodable text for third

039grade and getting them reading and those kinds of things is that okay we still got a set of kids that came in where that was a struggle. So those things that they're working on. So we're doing two things at once. second graders who are sitting there now third graders. And now that we see this pattern, that's a pattern for us to dig further into to see, okay, like have we not we as a group, but just how do we move them from that phonics really phonics focus into applying it to reading text? >> And then to follow that, what resources would specifically address that? like you know you talked about the UI or the early literacy tutors, you talked about Lexia, like how how do we strengthen um you know, the oral reading fluency and

040all of the things that we that you're seeing patterns around? >> I think it's just more sustained education and professional development on understanding literacy and that literacy development for our teachers. And it's something like implementation takes a while. you know, we've got one piece of our curriculum really sticking and that's the phonics. That's we've already um did some refinement based on last year's data to this year's um curriculum for the phonics. I think we've really we're been coaching teachers um doing walkthroughs, monitoring that and we're seeing the fruits of that. So now we know we've got this down pat, let's shift and get something else really strong. So I don't know. I mean, of course, if we had more tutor, you know, all the I'm not going to turn that down. That's wonderful. Um, we

041have everything we need in terms of curriculum resources. I mean, we, you know, we have a great curriculum with Lexia supports, with our SIPs, intervention curriculum, all of those things. It's implementation, which takes building capacity and and lots of coaching. Yeah. And sustaining our our working staff so that we have consistent keeping what we have. >> Okay. Okay. All right. Thank you very much. There any other questions? All right. Thank you, ladies. >> All right. Thank you. >> We're going to move down to 2.02 budget discussion. Dr. Rose. >> Yes. I'd like to uh introduce obviously uh Dr. Poll and Mr. Starks who are going to present and and as they make their way to the the microphone I wanted to mention a couple things in that after you know reviewing the documents there are

042three really important phases to the budget process right there's the one once you determine what the potential revenue will be how you align that to your priorities but by going through the process of assessing what's current and then what should change for the future and then there's the creation of this very complicated um and detailed and sometimes even intimidating document. And then there's the third which is the board's role is how you vet according to the priorities. And so I just wanted to mention how helpful it was for me as one who wasn't here for this process but learning about some of the steps and I look forward to in the future but hearing some of the questions and responses from board from staff because in many ways they align to clearly not just the

043discussion we just had but also some of the priorities of the board specific to academics of students and being wide stu wise stewards of our financial resources. So, I just wanted the public as well as the board to know that was extremely helpful um coming into this meeting. So, thank you and thank you for the work that's been done. >> Thank you, Dr. Rose, and good afternoon everybody. Madam Chair Buffalo, Vice Chair Calera, board members, Dr. Rose, really no formal presentation tonight. Um just a chance to have discussion. If you recall, excuse me, going into budget season, um, one of the conversations we had was that we felt in the past it was a crunch time for us. So, if you know, prior to the winter break, we held, you know, 2 by twos, had

044discussions on questions about the development process, then, you know, went into it, had the the formal presentation on the fourth with with fewer surprises about what we were looking at. Um, and now, you know, with the questions that were submitted and then responded to last Thursday, you know, to drive the discussion, you know, just if if there any clarity needed, um, or other discussion points, you know, uh, Miss Skinner's here, Mr. Starks is here, you know, we're happy to help in any area we can to move this budget process forward. >> Thank you for that. So, we'll just open it up. Miss Bassin, you had a question around the budget. >> Um, yes, and do Dr. I couldn't tell. Did you have anything to add? Oh. Oh, okay. All right. Sorry. Um, so thank you,

045Dr. Paul, and thank you for the work that you've you and your team have put into it and for allowing that 2 by two opportunity um for board members to express what their expectations are um with the budget process. And for me, you know, as I shared with you then, um, and I've shared over the years that I've been here, um, you know, I don't feel that, you know, schoolboard members come in and try to revise the budget or try to say, you know, I want to see X number of this resource or that resource because it's really about how it aligns um to the board goals, to the priorities that we've set already. Um, and that to me is what really dictates what our budget priorities are. And so um so with that and

046and also being good financial stewards um so I'm going to start there with um you know you talked about the systemic balance uh of the budget and or some structural imbalances and I know we use the 10.2 million um in one time reversion funds to help balance the budget. If we did not have that 10.2 2 million. What would be the greatest impacts um of that and what are the potential impacts going forward? So, if you could speak to that a little bit. >> That's a great question because you know it is not a great budgeting tool to use reversion funds. We all know that and coming out of Esser, you know, our hand has been forced a little bit into that um as we look at our consolidations which is another, you know, another

047big topic we're focusing on and um the the biggest impact would be exactly what um our extraordinary elementary senior coordinator of language arts was just talking about would be tutoring. Um, so eight $8.5 million of that is for our face-to-face tutoring program. So $2 million is for our early literacy program that we've had in place for about five years now. And we've seen some exceptional growth with that. And then the other 6.5 is with our partnership with UI um university instructors where we have our live tutors which we, you know, research shows and our data shows that's giving us the best impact. So those would be the the highest assets that we would lose if we don't have this. Um and future funding and you know Dr. Rose and I have had opportunity to talk

048about this as well already is as we go through the consolidations that the cost savings we start to see with with closures of schools. We have that reprogrammed right Mr. Starks reprogrammed into the tutoring funds and other areas of need so that we don't have to rely on one-time funding anymore. Okay. So, my I just want the board to be just transparently, you know, that is a big concern of mine is that we are using probably our most impactful strategies through those one time funds, right? And so rather than it being in the core part of our budget where we're we're building some of the other things around that. So, I kind of want to I want us to I wanted, you know, I would like to see a budget that where that is at

049our core, like those most impactful strategies are being prioritized first. Um because right now, you know, I know we've talked a lot about the cost-saving strategies with the school consolidation, but we don't know really what kind of savings that's going to result in. I know we know generally, you know, some estimations, but we don't really know. Um, and so that that to me is the is my biggest issue with this um with this budget. And I think it's not just this budget is we've we've due to past budgets, we've been put in this position. Um, and so, you know, and you've heard my concerns over the past budgets. So, this is it's still at the root of that is, I think, being seen here. Um and um so that is a a major concern for

050me is how we are able to prioritize our most impactful strategies, our most impactful resources, whether it's human human resources, other resources, you know, tools, software tools, um to accelerate academic growth. And that to me is um where I continue to struggle with this with this budget. Um I do have other questions but I don't know if any other my colleagues have thoughts around that as well but um I just wanted to put that out there as a a real at the core of my concerns that is what's at the core >> see any hands so you can if you have a second question go ahead >> um you know and then I mean and I appreciate the thoughtful responses to a lot of my questions but you know like I said you know we

051can um kind of see my thought process through the questions that I've raised here um even with the things you know and I've I've tried to tie everything just for my colleagues like to our board goals and to the non-negotiables and so those like I said earlier are the priority areas for me and you know as you can tell through the questions I still feel you know we're lacking um um what I feel is uh you know the academic supports, the social and behavioral supports, you know, the behavioral mental health supports, which I appreciate that we've had some additions to, but for me, it's still not clear how some of the um you know, the other funding sources uh may be impacting the general operating budget. For instance, you know, we've talked about I know

052like the C's counselors, you know, which I know has been covered through our special education plan and through the funding sources that way, but so while we've increased some behavioral therapists or behavioral specialists and mental health resources in our operating budget, is the net gain more or are we still deficient in those areas? You know, that's just one example of what >> and been able to recommend >> over the over the past few years, we've we've we've increased behavior specialists and some of our SEAL supports and we're increasing those even as we have a decrease in student population. So, we're seeing that we're strengthening that over time. You know, as we know as a board, you know, if if we had, you know, if if a lump sum of cash just fell here, of course,

053we could focus more on that, but we have to think about where can we add and when can we add over time. Um, and then as as mentioned in one of the answers responses here, we it was official. Our attorneys have it. We have received a $300,000 grant for exactly for some um online mental health supports. So, this, you know, this presentation focuses on our local budget. And I I appreciate you bringing up because we have, you know, title two, three, four supports. We have title one that supports our our our lower SCES schools. And then we're always seeking other funding sources to help support where we can um to make sure that we're giving all we can to our students. Um but you know right now we're we're tapped out where we can be

054and still on this you know we suggested a slide of about 10 items that we wish we could we could have in here. Um and I did today get some final costs so I can share that with the board later um about what that would look like if we were to include all those costs into the budget as well. >> All right. Thank you. And I appreciate that. And then the two other areas that, you know, I think are critically important to get a better understanding around is, you know, there's there's a lot around compensation in this budget. And I'm going to keep, you know, kind pushing for this, but having a high impact staffing strategy that particularly benefits our schools where we see higher teacher vacancy rates and um where we have a disproportionate

055number of associate teachers, provisionally licensed teachers, long-term substitutes, you know. So, so that to me was still not clear here outside of, you know, stipens. And while I think the stipens are great, you know, and I want, you know, if I want our teachers to be paid what they're deserve, which is far above what we have here, but I with the funds that we do have, I want us to be strategic about where that those funds are going. And so primarily to those students who have been without teachers year after year because we have some schools where they've had the same the same students have had the same lack of certified teachers. So I want to see a staffing strategy that really um tackles that and that's one area that um I feel is lacking.

056And then the other thing where I lack clarity around is around the equity and excellence learning centers. And again, you know, the how the funds are being used there to actually have a real community school model because those are the same schools that we are seeing. You know, I don't want to say there's no progress happening or no growth happening. I believe there's absolute growth happening but the the d the movement in those schools is very >> slow. Um and I I believe that we need to look at how we are using those funds to provide the resources and support from a whole child perspective and truly put those resources at those schools. Um which I don't see that is not clear to me in this budget and hasn't been clear to me um since

057the EELC's have been put in place honestly. Um so and I've I've raised those questions and issues before. Um so those are some some major major areas. So really my areas are around you know academic supports that move the needle. um and specifically targeting targeting students with disabilities, ELLL students and high impact staffing staffing strategies and real um supports around you know our equity and excellence learning centers because I think there's great potential there and also with the associate teacher program like what we can do to enhance that those things that I think can really help um make progress for our students. So those are just some high level things um that areas of concern that I continue to have. >> Thank you. >> Is there anyone else? Miss Thomas, >> I'm going to feedback

058on what Tanya was talking about about um the behavior specialist. I know you said that we're increasing them, but are they being effective? Are we talking to the principles, the staff in the school? um especially the staff, teachers, support services because they're the ones that's actually working with the children. So, what kind of feedback are we getting? Because we still have a lot a lot of behavior issues. >> And the feedback we're getting is we want more. Um the the principles are very appreciative when they have a behavior specialist in the building. Um and we have some strong ones across the division now. Um and you know that you know through our student wellness uh department of student support services and from the the um executive directors the the principles if if we could have

059them in every single school that would be something we would have in every single school. >> So So we don't have enough. >> Correct. And and I don't Yeah. We don't have nearly enough right now to support our needs, which is why we continually try to add those. And the I think that this will be the third year in a row where we've added behavioral specialists to the budget. Madam Chair, if I may ask, since this is a work session, has the administration looked at some of the compensation packages that we are proposing here and maybe scaling back in areas where, you know, we are already competitive. so that we can put those resources toward you know tutors toward the behavioral specialists towards the other supports that we need you know that are that I

060think teachers would also find or educators you know would also find equally supportive as you know the compensation piece so that they can do their job >> in this year's budget specifically the only compensation piece right now is a 2% raise if we don't offer that we don't get the funding so if we didn't offer the 2% VDOE wouldn't supply us with the funding because that that 2% from the VDOE is only allowable if we're doing the 2% raise. So, if we said we weren't going to do it because we want to reprogram it somewhere else, we wouldn't have those funds, >> right? And I was specifically not well in my head, I was not specifically thinking about the 2% raise. I was thinking more around the stipens and some of the bonuses that are

061out there. And um there were a couple and I'm sorry I've obviously been distracted but um um looking for other areas where the need or the urgency for that right now is not necessary. And I know this isn't a lot of may not be a lot in the big scheme of things, but even increasing starting teacher pay, increasing it again this year, if we didn't increase starting teacher pay, what kind how could those funds be used toward behavioral specialists or towards other supports and where do we fall in comparison to surrounding districts if we weren't to to increase starting teacher pay? So we're right now I think we're either second or third for starting teacher pay in our region >> like below. >> No, no, sec in the top tier. >> Okay. >> Yeah, we're

062like I I think >> because we were like I think on the top we're in the top echelon for our starting teacher pay. >> Okay. >> Um but you know once you start >> um doing increases at some levels and not others then what happens? We start to find compression again. Y >> and we spent a lot of time looking at compression. So when you look at a more equal movement then you don't see that compression happening. >> Okay. And that those are the kinds of things like you know that I'm relying on people who know much more about that than I do. But, you know, just to give you a sense of like what I'm thinking, what can we what what where where is there where don't we have the urgency around where we

063could put those funds in these pockets where we do know would benefit our students and our educators so that they can do their jobs or students can learn and um so that's that's I don't know if if you all have had discussions around that and what that might look like but >> so in a lot of the discussions we're having to learn that is tied to the consolidation. So recall um each time we've talked about consolidations and the staffing changes, we're holding on to positions that we know can be more supportive. So like we're holding on to the reading and math specialists, the GRTs, we're holding on to the um the uh the network specialists. We're holding on to to several different positions at each school that may not equate to that exact position somewhere

064else, but that can be reddesigned for a position of need where we where we need it. So those are talks that we're having. It won't we won't see that impact as much this year as we might the following year when we have many more schools on the roster. >> I just want to say one thing. Um this is catered to your substitutes and your longterm substitute. I think we need to give them more support and they really need to be compensated more. These are individual that get downplayed, but they are indi individuals that are being called into classrooms that's out of control and whatever's going in the classroom to take over that class for that day with certain behaviors, academic, all the the nine yard. And when they take on long-term assignments, they're doing lesson

065plans, they're doing everything a regular teacher does, but they do not get the pay, of course, because they're unlicensed. But when I say these are some qualified educators, they are qualified. They may not have the paperwork, but I think we need to appreciate them just a little bit more than what we do because they hold down a classroom. >> I hear you. I do. >> Yes. >> And and one of the things that was on the list of 10 was our pairs. And I think what we do is it was pairs and part-time. So I think we add long-term subs and subs to that where we look at a 10% increase instead of a 2% increase for that group. >> Yeah. I appreciate that. >> Yeah. >> I have a question. >> Sorry. The you

066said we received a 300,000 grant for mental health. Can you just expand on that just a little bit for me? >> So it's for teleaalth. Um and we've seen a couple other divisions in our region accept that received the grant about a month or two before us. Uh so we've been working on that grant. It is for um basically I think any student at need uh to be able to just reach out when they need uh to do it. So I we can get more information to the board. This is uh like I said literally yesterday I got the email that we were awarded it and that the attorneys have the paperwork to do it. So we'll share information with the board for specifics. >> Thank you. Thank you. And thanks for applying for the

067grants that we need to help, you know, support our scholars and staff and educators. That's a lot of work. >> Did we You don't have a a full-time grant person. That That was a position that >> Yeah, we look into that. >> We don't have been trying to fill that for >> Yeah. >> for a decade. >> For several years. Yeah. Yeah, those are hard positions to to keep filled because it is a relentless task to write grant after grant after grant. >> Definitely a big bang for the buck to get have a grant writer. Is there any more questions? >> Yes. No. All right. >> I have a comment real quick. >> Okay. Yes, Dr. >> and and and bear with me board and community as I try to catch up. Um, so and

068you know, Dr. Paul, you can kind of add to this. It's it's important, I think, that we sometimes repeat what we're hearing as it relates to priorities in the room. And so, as I as I listen as well as kind of delve back into some past conversations, clearly the board is appropriately vetting the academic and social and emotional supports that we provide students as the priority in the budget. Right? So that's clearly what is being asked. Number two is that the concern over our use of sustainable funds for things that we would determine as our priority and that's not something that maybe we can solve right now but we are aware that over the years we need to shift from non-sustainable funds to funds that are ongoing and the priority. And then the third is

069also this request I'm hearing to make sure that we measure the things that we have been doing specific to the return on investment align to the overall academic gains we're expecting and hoping for. So rather than just rolling over, how are we asking ourselves teacher by teacher, program by program, this is or is not working and therefore this is our this is a recommendation to keep or this is our recommenda recommendation to shift. Right? >> So those themes like I said I'm just catching up are really really clear. Dr. Paul, am I missing anything? Uh clearly I'm just focusing on three but That's some themes >> that's right on the money and that's what we talked about at our 2 by twos. It it's right on the money and that really ideally that current concern

070of how do we shift from onetime funds to making sure we're focusing on what we need to focus on with our true fiscal year budget. >> We even heard some teachers last night talking in the in our community forum asking some of the same things. And so anyway, it's just appreciated that there's a lot of alignment. That's all. Yes. >> Thank you everybody. I appreciate it. >> Thank you, sir. Thank you. >> All right. We're going to move down to 3.01. Uh this evening for agenda301, we will have a public hearing on the superintendent's proposed FY2027 operating budget. If you would like to share your comments with the board, you must have signed up with the clerk to speak prior to the meeting. Miss Tanner, would you please share the rules of engagement as we

071go into our public hearing on the budget? >> Yes, we have two speakers this evening. Today's speaker signed up for public comments before the start of today's business meeting or work session. If you would like to provide public comments, you're required to state the agenda items or topic you are addressing prior to providing your public comments at this meeting. When your name is called, please come forward to the speaker's podium. State your name and whether you have a child in Northfor public schools or if you're employed by the district and state your agenda items. One person is to speak at a time. If you are representing a group, state the group's name. You may ask your group members to stand in place to be recognized. Speaking time is limited to three minutes. A timer is

072set with an alarm that will signify the end of your speaking time. State your position and give re relevant facts or data. Avoid saying anything that identifies students or personnel information about individual employees. Personnel, disciplinary, and confidential matters may be addressed to the schoolboard directly via email at schoolboard at npsk12.com. Comments should be addressed to the board and not addressed to an individual member. Schoolboard members do not respond to public comments at the time they are given. Any written statements or supporting materials should be given to the clerk. Chairwoman Buffalo, our first speaker is Nicholas Green, followed by Patrick Barry. Welcome. >> Good afternoon, Chair Buffalo board members. Dr. Rose, welcome to Norol. We were just together yesterday evening. >> My name is uh Nicholas Green. I teach at Northside Middle School. I am the

073proud father of Priscilla, a second grader at WH Taylor Elementary. um and I serve as the organizer for the Education Association of Norfolk. Um and I want to speak about working conditions and what they reveal about this proposed budget. So EA ran a survey that we made available to all employees of North Public Schools where we took into consideration what people wanted to see in this budget and what their concerns were. Nearly every educator who responded to our survey reported paying out of pocket this year for basic classroom needs. Paper, pencils, cleaning supplies, incentives, books, printer ink, sped materials. One speech therapist reported spending over $5,000 of personal money to provide services to students. That is not enrichment spending. That is operational spending. This budget includes, for example, a new centrally managed furniture allocation of

074$150,000, roughly $3,000 per school. At first glance, that sounds like progress. However, the furniture budget also appears on the list of unfunded priority areas. So, that means that our furniture budget is not as not funding as well as we would like. Here's the reality inside of buildings. A basic student desk cost around $200. $3,000 per school replaces about 15 desk. 15 desk. In buildings where furniture is breaking at an alarming rate due to age and wear and tear in some classrooms. That wouldn't even cover one period's worth of seating. That's not a furniture solution. That's triage. And it mirrors what is happening across this budget. The unfunded needs list includes retention bonuses for current staff, additional mental health staff, additional behavioral staff, pair paraprofessionals in kindergarten classrooms, and furniture budgets. The needs are acknowledged. They

075are simply not funded. Yes, this budget adds three behavior specialist and one social worker. Yes, it continues previous positions, but it also relies on 10 10.2 million in one-time reversion funds to balance operations. One-time funds cannot solve structural problems in classrooms. Right now, educators are covering oversized classes, managing rising case loads, buying their own supplies, and replacing broken materials, and quietly absorbing the gap between what is needed and what is funding. That gap is not invisible. It is being filled with personal money and personal sacrifice. Goodwill is not a budget strategy. If we want safe schools, stable staffing, and real equity, then we must fund sustainable staffing levels, real classroom supply budgets, meaningful retention investments, and infrastructure that is actually sufficient. When staff subsidize the district and absorb chronic under staffing, that is not efficiency.

076That is erosion. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Next, we have Patrick Barry. Good afternoon, Chair Moore Buffalo, school board members, and a welcome to Dr. Rose. I'm Patrick Barry, an eighth grade history teacher at Norview Middle School and vice president of the Education Association of Norphick. Three months ago, I shared comments about what the educators in Norphick have told us of their priorities. Early last month, Dr. Paul released the proposed fiscal year 27 superintendent's budget. And as educators and support professionals, we have taken the time to to read it carefully. I want to focus on one clear issue in this proposed budget, retention. In the superintendent's own estimate of needs, the budget explicitly lists retention bonuses for current teachers and staff as an unfunded priority in fiscal year 27. That means this is not

077a misunderstanding. It's not confusion. It's not misinformation. Retention bonuses are acknowledged as needed. They are simply not funded. At the same time, this budget continues. Recruitment bonuses for new hires, $2,000 for student teachers hired full-time, $1,500 for happy you're here bonuses, $1,500 for welcome back bonuses, and a $500 relocation payments. Recruitment is funded, retention is not. Across this district, educators are asking a simple question. What about the ones who stayed? For the past two years, staff received retention bonus. This year, they disappeared. Meanwhile, this budget provides a 2% cost of living adjustment, while health insurance premiums increases are being passed directly to the employees. A 2% adjustment is not a raise if insurance costs rise faster. This budget also relies on $10.2 2 million as we've heard over the last couple uh minutes. This may

078stabilize the books temporarily but does not stabilize the workforce. If retention truly matters, then it must appear as a protected line item. If we are serious about workforce stability, then the educators who carried this district through pandemic recovery and consolidation deserve more than recruitment optics. This is not about whether retention is important. The superintendent already said it is. The question tonight is whether it is important enough to fund. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> And madam chair, this uh concludes our speakers for the operating budget. >> Great. Well, with that said, that I'm closing the public hearing for the superintendent's FY27 uh proposed operating budget. We're going to move down to 4.01. Schoolboard policies review. Dr. Rose >> hand it over. Surprise surprise to Dr. Paul. >> Thank you Dr. Rose. Good afternoon again everybody.

079Uh uh chair uh chairwoman Buffalo Vice Chair College members of the board. Dr. Rose. Uh this afternoon um the policy review committee is bringing to you four policies including up your acceptable use policy. So the AUP and the and policy GAB IIBA uh that's uh focused on our acceptable use uh include updates supporting the increased uh use of AI and being committed to the responsible and ethical use and to ensure guidelines are developed to provide support uh throughout the implementation. Um and the AUP has some updates around security and the use of division issued accounts. Uh the student representative policy for the board policy BBB is updated to match the current VSBA language and also adds language stating the board clerk and chair will serve as mentors to the representatives. So that's clearly stated in

080our policy. Um and then finally JJ AG is the student athlete extreme heat safety and protection. This is a new policy. Uh some laws went into effect in July that we put into effect in July. Um the policyy's just just coming to the board now, but we have been following those laws. I want to be very clear on that. Um, and at those time, at this time, this is the only these are the only policies coming forward to the board. However, I did get my lengthy February email from BBSA. So, don't be afraid. I have policies to work on now. Um, so those will be coming in the in the next couple of months, but uh, these are the four for now. So, if there are any questions, I'm happy to respond. >> You heard

081from Dr. Po. Is there any questions around these policies? >> Yes, I have a question, Dr. Po. Madam Chair, um under the trying to see which one it was, the policy for um the athletes as it pertains to being outside in extreme heat. Who is um are the coaches the person? >> So the our Mr. Smiller is our senior coordinator of athletics and he works directly with our um athletic directors at each school and they work directly with the coaches. So, the athletic directors will be the one monitoring, >> correct? >> Yes. Okay. >> And I I do have another question. >> Yeah. Go ahead. >> Around that. Um I noticed that they talked about ice packs and those types of things. Um is this if the players ask or and we're being reactive or

082is this proactive? >> Proactive. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. And I want to share too as a member of the um policy committee policy review committee um I wanted to speak a little bit about policy BBB um which is the student representative to the school board. So one of the things that um so the updates that you see here are reflective of the updates that have been made um um you know through statute and legal references you know VSBA updates. However, one of the things that we had previously talked about or the previous board had talked about is improving how we get student voice and how we select um our student schoolboard representative. Um and so given the transitions, you know, with superintendent and and um other things and really making sure

083that we do get student voice in this process is is that, you know, this is a a policy that I would like to to for us to continue to look at and examine and to really um think about how we can improve uh our our uh how the school board can better attain student voice through policy and also how our schoolboard representative student schoolboard representative is is selected, what their job duties might be and how they then also close the loop for us and going back to our students and you know how do we best utilize our students. Um, and so I want while this reflects the updates and that we could approve this, I I do want this policy to be it that we continue to examine and improve upon it. Um, and so

084I want to kind of keep it on the slate is what I'm saying for us to do some research on best practices and uh strengthen its use. and it may be an implementation issue and and you know that might be something that we have to look at but I just wanted to say that. So >> yeah I oh go ahead >> and if I may you know so and I appreciate you bring that up miss because um we did you know we administratively we we brought a student voice policy um but Dr. Rose miss in the in the pause committee they were they were like well let's let Dr. Rose come in before we say you're going to have to do all this stuff first. So, you know, that is not that wasn't in my

085trash now. That's in still in my ticker file for policy so that we can we can make sure we drive that work still. >> Right. I I see this is just my vision of having a student advisory group >> that students from all of our high schools come together, I don't know, once a month or whatever and have that student voice around the table and then go back and middle. Yeah. So, >> and also being representative like the you want the student body to feel like that person is representing them. >> Absolutely. >> So, there's we had that discussion about how the process could would look uh move in that direction, >> right? and how it could be enhanced and that whether you know we have a regulation to this policy that really describes the

086process and really gets into the the elements that I thought were great in the proposed student voice policy that we looked at. But, you know, we just wanted to give you an opportunity to kind of examine what we're doing and elaborate on best best way forward. So >> well as as we all know there's policy and there's practice right um and one thing I have communicated at least to the board that um something that I value is setting up um advisory groups throughout the district right and so um teacher advisory groups are very very important community advisory groups are very important um uh student advisory group from my perspective based upon other places that I've worked have um No offense to us, adults have been the most valuable. Um, and so potentially as we start

087continue to talk about that, we start discussing from a board and uh the concept of a superintendent advisory group how we maybe piggyback on that and do that together. Um, so I'm happy to bring some of the ways in which I've done that in the past and some of the learnings that I've had for us to discuss how do we do this together. Um what I have learned is that number one representation is really important. Number two consistency is really important. So I may be able to travel from say high school, middle school throughout schools. But we also need clear understanding if if a student becomes on that advisory group what their role and responsibility is in terms of ongoing attendance, honest discourse and so forth. and then also the ability for our students to

088know that it's okay to have open and honest conversations without any sort of ramifications and then how that can really help us understand the student perspective. So I'm happy to bring some of those ideas forward for us discussion to see how we maybe piggyback on the work that's happening here from our student representatives and how that maybe extends to our schools so we have a quality communication loop which I would say is likely the most important thing. >> Thank you. >> Anything else around the policies? So board members, these policies will come to us on Wednesday, March 18th. Okay. For for approval. All right. Thank you, Dr. Paul. We're going to move down to 5.01. Future agenda items. Schoolboard members, do you have any future agenda items that have not been shared? >> I'd like

089us to try to reschedu our norms and protocols. >> That's on the list. >> Anything that we have not shared? training. >> I have that anything we have not shared. I I would say >> so I I I had requests this in the past is that we how to analyze the data like that's on the list. >> Can I make >> Yeah, absolutely. So, in preparation for this conversation, this is a board conversation, but I'm diving in only in that I I was looking at policy BDDC um agenda preparation and dissemination, right, which is one of our board policies and um of course I would agree because we have been having this discussion about the next steps being how we have some protocol and communication um agreements between board, superintendent and staff. I think that'll

090be extremely valuable. I do think from that conversation there'll be some other policies that we can start to look at. Chain of command as an example. And so, but one of them is I think this too because as I read I can see in the agenda preparation and dissemination how topics can come up through the board as recommendations. >> I think there's potential for us to discuss and maybe make some improvements to this policy in that. So once they come, how is it decided whether they make the agenda or not? >> Right? So I think we're missing the next step in that that I think is really critical to this conversation in the future because we all experience boards of experience when they make a recommendation, right? And then I'm curious as to how it

091made the agenda or how it didn't make the agenda, >> right? And so I think there's some ways to really create clarity aligned to our future agreements. Um so this policy was helpful for me and I just bring that up as a a future topic for us to kind of discuss and then of course uh agree upon. >> In the past we would just present >> kind of take a straw vote like on we want it or not. the discussion we will have. >> Yeah. >> And Dr. Rose, as you probably are already aware too, we also have our board monitoring calendar that is already Yeah. planned and prepared. Yeah. >> And the board monitoring calendar, I think, is obviously the the right way. That that really is focused on the ongoing priorities, the future

092strategic plan, etc. That serves as kind of the crux plan for the year. Right. Um, but as we all know, topics come up, >> Right. And then the question becomes okay which topics align to really community needs which topics align to board responsibility right and so it doesn't get you you don't want topics necessarily to come to the table that the board isn't able to actually sink their teeth into as it relates to policy and budget and so forth because then that just creates confusion and sometimes frustration. So I think there's a way for us to kind of creating a vetting process aligned to policy is my point. So >> yeah, great opportunity I think. >> Well, thank you. Appreciate that. >> Sure. >> Y'all good with that? >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> All right.

093Absolutely. Thank you, Dr. Rose. >> All right, we're moving along, team. Um, so we're going to move again this evening for agenda item 6.01. We will have a public hearing on the redistricting of Oceanair Elementary School, Norview Elementary School and Mary Calcott Elementary School. If you would like to share your comments with the board, you must have signed up with the clerk to speak prior to the meeting. Miss Tanner, please share the rules of engagement. Just one moment. We were We had a lot of individuals to come that signed up, but evidently I understand they went to Mary Kakott and they weren't able to make it here. >> So, we have an individual here who's helping me go through the list just real quick. >> Okay. >> To make sure we identify the people who

094are here. It looks like we just have one family that's here right now. >> Okay. This was it. do that. >> We're going to take a fivem minute recess to so we can accommodate the parents. Is that okay? >> All right. Five minutes. >> We'll be ready. >> Okay. Okay, we'll return uh from our fivem minute recess, but I do want to make a correction. I did state that the public hearing was for redistricting for Oceanair Norview ele both elementary schools and I mentioned Mary Calcott. the public hearing. I want to be very specific that the Mary Calcott is not closing. It is a receiving school. So the public hearing and we know we have parents here from Mary Calcott and we they can speak but do understand that Mary Calcott is a receiving school

095as a result of Oceanair closed. Okay. Also sending >> and they're sending. Okay. >> That's that's what that's because they're concerned about the kids leaving >> leaving and going to the other building I think. >> Okay. So I just wanted to make that that clear. All right. Well, Miss Tanner. >> Yes, Madam Chair. We have five speakers with us today. Um I'm going to ask Mr. Sabato to come forward. He's our translator for today for our uh parents who uh speak Spanish. So, I'm we're going to you all be patient as we allow him to translate at this time. But uh for today's public hearing on the redistricting of Oceanair, uh Norview, and Calott. We have five speakers. Today's speaker signed up for public comments before the start. >> One second. Can I just interpret

096as you go? >> Oh, I thought you wanted to do the other half. >> Just the first one. Yeah. as the Oceaner Norview Elementary School. Today's speakers signed up for public comments before the start of today's business meeting. If you would like to provide public comments, you're required to state the agenda item or items or topic you are addressing prior to providing your public comments at this meeting. When your name is called, please come forward to the speaker's podium. State your name and whether you have a child in Northfor public schools or if you're employed by the district and state your agenda item or items. One person is to speak at a time. If you are representing a group, state your group's name. You may ask your group members to stand in place to be

097recognized. Speaking time is limited to three minutes. A timer is set with an alarm that will signify the end of your speaking time. Avoid saying anything that identifies students or personnel information about individual employees, personnel, disciplinary, and confidential matters may be addressed to the schoolboard directly via email at schoolboard npsk12.com. information individuals disciplinar comments should be addressed to the board and not addressed to an individual member. board members do not respond to public comments at the time they are given. Any written statements or supporting materials should be given to the clerk. >> Thank you, Mr. Sabato. Our first speaker for today is Diana Beach. Good morning, school board members and administrators. My name is Diana Beachch. I am the president of the Mary Calcott PTA, a part-time interventionist at the school and retired from a

098full-time classroom position after 35 years. I come to you today to share my thoughts on the redistricting choices that you have made for the coming year. First, I would like to say thank you for making the difficult decisions that you had to make. Changes need to be made and progress needed to be happen. But moving people, changing the face of communities and their histories is not easy regardless of the approaches we take. I look forward to receiving new families at Calcott in the coming year. Not only did I work there for 30 full years full-time, but my own children attended the school. Calcott has a strong academic history and is nurturing to all who enter her doors. When I joined the staff in 1992, we had close to 600 children there. We had two lunch

099lines, six to seven buses transporting children as far as Virginia Beach Boulevard and Tidewater Drive. The staff handled that number of students as well as they handled the 400 or so children we have now. Having shared that, my concern is the moving of our Marramac landing students. This apartment complex has been with us since before I arrived in 1992. Many of our ELLL families reside in that complex. Studies have shown that the first year an ELELLL student begins school is considered the silent year. Meaning those children are not actively participating but absorbing the information around them and learning the language of school. Then in the next year these boys and girls blossom by initiating conversations participating in before school activities and actively learning. Moving our students from the Calcott location may hinder them once again.

100A new building and a new staff is stressful for any child, much less one that has a language deficit. We have been an integral part of their learning English and immersing in our culture and values and hope that education can bring great opportunities to all. These students also bring to our teachers and students new experiences and relationships. For example, I had a student whose grandfather grew tobacco in their home country. When that grandfather came to visit, he spoke to my fourth grade class and brought firsterson experiences that helped us with our learning of southern economics. We have eaten in panadas, learned new words, and laughed at how moms are the same everywhere. Scary and full of love. The families of Mira participate in our PTA activities, school reciders, utilize our before school tutoring and clubs.

101These children are our family and my wish is that they stay with us. Hopefully, a plan could be put in place to allow us the projected 84 students or at least our rising second through fourth graders to stay with Mary Calcott so they may continue their journey to opportunity within the culture of our school. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. Uh, now we hear from Daphne Pakai Reyes and her parents, Edwin Pakaiut, Isandra Reyes, Dubon. Board members, just bear with me. Uh, be patient because I I may just allow additional more time because he has Okay, >> good afternoon. >> Jose Figeroa. >> My name is Jose Figeroa Figeroa. I'm the father of Gel Figureroa. >> I'd like to give you uh please ask you uh to not close the school. >> My

102wife and I told our son he couldn't even eat afterwards. He's very He loves the teachers there. They're very, very kind. >> And that's why I'm hoping that you will consider uh my request to not close, please. >> And that's everything. >> May I ask what school cut. >> We're not closing Mary Calcott. >> The students the students are being resoned. That's what I would like to not happen. Okay. Gotcha. Thank you. Thank you. >> You can read the next name, Mr. Sabato. >> Have Nelson Portrio and his caregiver. >> Oh, wonderful. >> Well, he speaks English. You will not need translation. >> We can lower the podium. >> Awesome. >> Oh, wow. We can put that down. >> There's a button that goes all the way down. >> We'll get it for you, buddy.

103>> Thank you, Dr. Pole. >> Can you see it? >> You are. Come over here. >> There we go. Right near you. Whenever you're ready, you may stay step to the microphone. Don't be shy. >> He wants me to speak first. My name is Crystal Guen. I'm also on the list. So, if you want, I can like do my part and then he can just say whatever he wants to say after. >> That's fine. >> Okay. So, my name is Crystal Guillen. I'm here again on behalf of the Spanish speaking families at Mary Kaucat. So this time I'm not speaking but I do have like letters of the mic letters of students who do who I know since they were like little children and they wanted me and Miss B to read their letters. So

104here I am no doing reading the letters of the children that I know. So the first one his name is Faris. He says, "Dear school member, dear school board members, please do not make me change schools. Mary Kaka is like a home. I've been in this school for five years. This school has made my education better finally. Please do not make me switch schools." Then we have Karolene. Dear school board members, hi, my name is Karolene. I am in the fourth grade and I do not want to switch schools. The people here that I know are nice. I was here since kindergarten and when I was in first grade, I met Miss B. The teachers have helped me so much. I will be so scared because I will not know the new teachers and I

105will not have the good relationships that I currently have in Mary Kala Elementary School. I trust this school and I will not know anybody and at the other school and I will miss my friends. I can get my family and never see my and I will be never never be able to see my family or friends again. And then the last one is from Daphne. She's I've known her since she's a baby and I've tutored her. I've seen her progress from since a baby to now. And that is a lot due to Miss B and to the teachers at Mary Kaka. Dear school board members, hi, my name is Daphne. I've been in Mary Kaka for five years and I am in fourth grade. I don't want to switch schools because in this school, I'm

106in this school since kindergarten and I'm used to this school. We have a community and my teachers understand me and help me. If I would have if I have to, I would even ride my bike to school. And if I leave this school, I would miss my friends. And I'm used to this school. Hispanic families are already getting separated and they're already sad. Please don't make me move schools. >> You want to say what you want to say now? >> You have any lasting words? >> You want to say it's your opportunity? >> Leave it here. Leave it here. Okay. I want to leave Mary Ka stay at Mary Kaka. >> He doesn't want to leave it. >> Okay. He doesn't want to leave Mary Ka. He He doesn't want to leave his friends or

107his teachers. >> Thank you for coming to speak. >> You hear from Crystal Gen. >> Was her. >> That was her. >> Finished. Yeah. >> Okay. >> All right. Next, we have >> No, we still have more speakers. >> Oh, okay. >> Yeah, we have Karen Luca Barristain. >> She's much taller. I >> got to hit it. Hi, my name is Karen Luca Berstein. I'm the ESL teacher at Mary Kalcott. I've been there for four years. So, I've seen these kids for four years growing up. Um, and learning everything. Um, I you've heard from te parents, we would have heard from more, but they got caught in traffic or got sent away um over to Eastern Shore. But I got some letters back in from them or the confusion. Um, so here again is the

108students that have given me letters that they wanted their voice to be heard. Hi, my name is Zoe. I'm in the fourth grade at Mary Kcott. I don't want kids to move because a lot of my a lot of them are my friends. One is my best friend. And if I have to pick them up every day, I will. So, please don't move. I'm scared that they might get caught from ice. This is from Joseph. Dear school board, I'm Joseph. This is the first school that had gave me the most support for my reading. So, this is a child that's upper student study. So, a lot of our kids that have multiple languages don't get brought up to student study because they always think it's the language. Um, hi, my name is Gerilyn. I'm in

109fourth grade student at Mary Kolkat. I don't want my best friends to move because I've known them for two years now. I move a lot in cut. My teachers and friends make me feel safe. If my friends switch schools, I'm going to be sad. In Kolkat, we are community. We've been used to this school since they were in kindergarten. If they move schools and the families are going to be scared. This one he didn't write very well. I told him to write on the lines next time, but I don't want to switch schools because I only been at this school for one year. Yet, even though one year it's been good, at my old school there were ants and bugs, the school gives me a lot of education. This was a second grader um sort

110of dictated, why might I go to another school next year? We're at a good school. Why might I have to change buses? I am very nervous. >> Keep going. Um last one of them. Dear school board, please don't let some students move schools. If you do, some people might get upset. The teachers helped me through very hard times. And when I got through them, now I'd like to learn a lot. >> Thank you very much. I appreciate you getting the translator. That meant enormous amount. And I'll be able to give it to my parents. >> Thank you. Thank you. And Chairwoman Buffalo, that concludes our speakers. Thank you for uh everyone who came up to speak this evening. Well, schoolboard members, we are at the end of our agenda and I have to thank you

111all. We made good time this evening and that's a lot of work and discussion done. So, appreciate you and this meeting is a journal.