001Afternoon. I would like to call to order the work session of the Norfolk School Board for Wednesday, September 3rd. I welcome each of you present this afternoon. A quorum is present to transact the business of the school division. Miss Tanner, please call the role. >> Bassine >> here. >> Buffalo >> here. >> Inge >> present. Pollson >> present. >> Caligger >> present. >> We will begin today's meeting with our school board student representative swearing in ceremony. Board members and student representative please join me at the backdrop and podium. you right here and then you're right members get your line like this. >> Okay. >> Yeah. There you go. >> Where do you want me to just come back here? >> Yeah. Okay. Can you see everybody? >> No, they need to get a little closer.
002>> Kind of lopsided here. >> Okay, sure you on the side of the with all the guys. >> And then Marian, you can stand right here. >> I can now. I'm going do you separately? >> There we go. All right. Awesome. Awesome. Are the parents of these lovely ladies here today? Could you please stand? >> See you. Give them a round of applause. I want to thank you all for allowing us to enjoy the presence of your daughters here serving as student schoolboard representatives for the north schoolboard for this school year. And you're welcome to come up and take pictures as we do this as well. So we're going to start with you Athena. All right. Make this very simple because I know it can seem complex repeating after somebody. Could you hold on to
003that? >> All right. Raise your right hand. >> Repeat after me. I do solemnly swear >> I do solemnly swear >> or affirm >> that I will support >> the Constitution >> of the United States >> and the Constitution >> of the Commonwealth of Virginia. and that I will >> and that I will >> faithfully >> and impartially >> discharge >> and perform all duties >> incumbent upon me >> as a student representative >> of the school board of the city of Norfol >> of the school board of the city of Norolk >> for a term beginning >> for a term term beginning >> September 3rd 2025 >> and expiring >> May 20th >> 2026 6 >> 2026 >> according to the best of my ability. >> according to the best of my abilities. >>
004So help me God. >> Wonderful. And get you to sign and then Dr. Pole, you come over and sign too. >> And you'll sign both. One is a copy for you and one is a copy for us. >> You have such a signature. Thank you. Mine's a Mine's a big hot mess. Congratulations. >> Thank you so much. >> And I will switch sides and give you this microphone again. All right. And raise your right hand. I do solemnly swear >> I do solemnly swear >> or affirm >> that I will support >> Constitution >> of the United States >> and the Constitution >> of the Commonwealth of Virginia >> and that I will >> faithfully >> and impartially >> discharge >> and perform >> all the duties >> incumbent upon me >> as the alternate
005as the alternate >> student representative >> of the school board of the city of Norfol >> school board of the city of Norfol >> or a term beginning >> for a term beginning >> September 3rd 2025 >> and expiring >> May 20th >> 2026 >> according to the best of my ability >> according to the best of my >> So help me God. >> Congratulations. >> Thank you. Congratulations. >> Thank you. Thank you. you all with your circle office and then Dr. >> Can we move in pretty close? You want all of us in? >> Yeah, all of you win. Let's take a few minutes so they can get pictures with their parents and help themselves to any refreshments. You can keep I'll give these to [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat.
006Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Hey, [Music] hey, hey. [Music] Hey, [Music] hey, hey. [Music] Heat. Hey. Hey. Hey. [Music] item is 3.01 01 discussion of superintendent qualifications. Uh posted on board docs and sent to the board members over the weekend was a draft. Uh >> oh, we out of order. >> It's it's the other way. Consolidation is first. >> Okay. It is. >> Yeah. 3.01. >> 3. It was it they were switched during agenda planning. We must have just switched them. Okay. We now move on to 3.01 discussion of school closures and consolidations with David Stirtz from Walpert. Please come forward. >> So as as Mr. Sturts is coming forward, I'd like to just make a statement. Uh this afternoon we begin a very important discussion, one that will
007shape the entire footprint of elementary education in Norfick public schools. The consolidation of schools is not something we approach lightly. It has been studied carefully, informed by data, and most importantly, guided by the voices of our community. The board will consider four options this evening. The first option comes directly from the facilities planning committee. The other three options were developed by incorporating community feedback to ensure full transparency. All community input has been posted publicly in its raw form for anyone to review. Following the consideration of the four options, it's also pos possible the board may create a fifth option if needed. The administration is here to support this conversation in any way possible. As we all know, our community has also asked the decision be made so that we can begin to look forward. Mr.
008STS will cover the details of each option, but I wanted to highlight a few key points. Option two and three propose the same building closures, but on different timelines, allowing for additional planning time for certain schools with the alignment of potential city council funding for rebuilds. Option four, which reflects much of the feedback we receive, keeps Gant school open and allows Monroe students to remain in their building, relocates PB Young students to Jay Cox instead of Ruffner and moves Lynenwood students to Monroe rather than JCO. While this option is responsive to the community, it presents challenges in accommodating our prek and self-contained classes within our current enrollment numbers. That said, as enrollment continues to decline, more space will gradually become available at Willard. It rem and will remains an option for additional classroom space that
009may be needed. Additional option option four only closes nine buildings and only eight of them if one is kept for professional development. For context, our total 10-day count enrollment declined by 171 students from school year 24 to 25 and by 671 students from last year to this year. So, I want to repeat that again. in the in in our total 10-day count enrollment, K12 decreased by 671 students right now from last year's 10-day count to this year's 10-day count. At the elementary level alone this year, there was a reduction of 189 students from last year's 10-day count to this year's 10-day count. I think those are important numbers to know. Today's day 11, so we're fortunate enough to have our 10-day count. This enrollment trend underscores the reality that Norfolk Public Schools has an abundance
010of buildings. This decision is not simply about closing buildings. It's about creating opportunity, an opportunity to redesign how we place resources, to align Title One and other support funds more directly with student needs, and to create schools of reasonable size that offer increased opportunities for all of our students. Once a final vote is achieved, the administration has prepared a list of assurances to guide the process if creating new attendance zones, planning for student movement, and ultimately closing buildings. These posted assurances demonstrate that the community's voice has been heard, and they are designed to make these major changes as smooth as possible. Depending on the final decision, additional assurances may be added before the scheduled vote at the next board meeting. By making them public, we hold both the administration and the board accountable to the
011community throughout this transition. Although tonight's discussion is about ensuring that every child in Norfick has access to the strongest possible education in schools designed to serve them well into the future, this is also only the beginning of this major transition. As we implement the plan, we will continue to revisit enrollment numbers and building usage, ensuring that future generations do not face the changes of this magnitude again. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to present this work. And I'll now turn the presentation over to Mr. Sts. >> Thank you, Dr. Paul. Members of the board, newest members of the board, congratulations. It's good to be with you as always and uh I appreciate Dr. Paul's introduction and I do uh very much consider this kind of work hard and an honor to be a part
012of in doing work that matters uh with your community and with you all and the school division and leadership. Um and I look forward to supporting the focus on the reinvestment to follow this and implementing in that that positive backside of how we're going to as a division how you're going to as a division reinvest in your kids. um and and turn the focus there. So, but for tonight, what I'm going to do is present a summary of the community meeting information. This is in summary form. Both the summaries and the raw data have been uh posted for Dr. Paul's comments. I want to discuss those sequencing options that Dr. Pole teed up. Measure twice, cut once is what my carpenter grandfather said. And so we have gone back and looked at those schools that
013are receiving are scheduled for receiving uh consolidated schools and reverified capacities and uh we are within 2% of the capacities used. So we're confident that I'll go over that school by school. Then we go into a myriad of different student and teacher uh data points as comparisons as when you are making transitions whatever plan ultimately or hybrid plan that you as a board adopt. These are data points that can you can use to help navigate those next transitions and discussions. One of those key ones will be redistricting which I tea up at the very end a broad scope and sequence as discussed and agreed upon with administration should you uh proceed uh with with a plan of this nature. We have an outline for what recommended redistricting plan would be. As always happy to entertain
014questions as we go uh or at the end whatever suits your fancy. So get into it. So this is the uh exact slide that I teed up for our summer summer group meetings in June and August I want to say. And so first is just I ask all the attendees to review the potential consolidation lists uh and to review the core planning criteria that were used to create it which is we want world-class schools for every kid every day and we want to look at the building's conditions. We want to maximize the direct investments in students which means we need to be effective and efficient in our operations as a division accessible to where students are which were uh measured approximated based upon student population densities and that to account for all three of those
015things the general rule was we need new newer and fewer schools in Norfol public schools. Uh went over with all of that data on uh with your community and the conditions and the like. So there were two questions that framed this. One, do you have alternative suggestions for consolidating, renovating, and rebuilding that aligns with the core planning criteria? And two, what would you like the board of ed and city council to consider when implementing a plan of this nature? And as you may have heard directly or uh inferred, a lot of the comments were uh words of caution and concern and yes, hope for what uh lies next. And so the way that I'm summarizing it for you today is uh is high level to to on the overall feedback and then getting into individual
016responses to the main categories of feedback that I saw and what I think a general path forward accordingly would be. one, if I were to boil it all down into a unifying uh theme that I heard in my own ears in reading through all of the comments and sifting through them is that there's a desire to invest equitably and adequately in public school buildings, programs, teachers, and their communities. It is not rocket science. It is we want an accessible school in good condition. We want you to invest in it. And the opposite is true. We do not want divestment to be inequitable to be un you know to be bur burdensome uh for any one community. Uh we want a a good plan. The four main buckets that I heard and observed in the comments,
017a lot of them, and this is in no particular order, but a lot had to do with transportation and you know, done this work for a bit and bus rides and hot meals >> and caring teachers. >> Absolutely. >> That's those are three. That's it. That's that's most of the ballgame right there. Do I reliable transportation, safe transportation, um accessible schools, accessible transportation, um and then those stuff we didn't get into uh operations on on the meals and teachers, but that's that's for another day. But desire for more predictable, shorter bus rides, concern, of course, that hey, if we do a consolidation plan, does that mean longer bus rides? Uh, and I'll get into that in a little bit. Um, the and then preserving walkability for students when possible and improving pedestrian safety zones was
018something that was was put up. Diversity desire to promote diversity and community cohesion. Concern that um a boundary process to follow this may concentrate poverty. Be wary of that. maintaining diversity across schools and not disproportionately challenging underserved populations. Community concerns, desire to invest in communities, uh concern about school closures impact on walkability, which relates to the other transportation specific concerns regarding Gent and Monroe. It would be disingenuous of me not to put those out because we heard a little bit about those in the community meetings. Resi red redistricting a desire to explore redistricting as a way to better distribute enrollment to capacity. This came up a lot and it always comes a lot. Can we just redistrict rather than close? And when you have two schools in imbalance, yes. When you have a division in
019imbalance, no. Um because the denominator stays the same, right? The the ratio stay the same. So um how I you think about and this is in my these are in my words in a response to that um that many of the comments and conversations at the meetings that I heard reflect there's a broad understanding that change needs to happen and change is desired but they want to see your plans for exactly how that will be implemented. that want to be a part of that. Not just see your plans but be a part of the planning and that I think is the broader message is yes change needs to occur. Let us be a part of it with you. Please don't do this behind our backs. Um we can be trusted to do this work with
020you. Transportation. Now these are my sort of my uh responses. Some students will be closer to their schools through a plan of this nature. Just the way build again, buildings don't move, populations do. The boundaries, the way that they're drawn, some students will be closer, some will be further. It's just that's the way it goes. You will have uh some some who are closer to the school, some not. that redistricting and the reduction in schools should reduce the total number of bus routes themselves while increasing the number of students on those buses. Increasing your efficiency which is you know part of the challenge in that you have with you know not enough bus drivers and so many routes and buses that aren't completely full. You are going to so many different places moving so many
021different kids in so many directions. So we're sort of reducing the overall load. Now that the the consolidation plan of this nature can absolutely help you be more efficient in transportation. The boundary process has to support that and that's the next one of those next steps. Now I bring that up in that in this order because the next category of the conversation about diversity is similar. Some reductions provide the opportunity directly for increasing student population diversities at the elementary level which is the target of a focus of these consolidations. Though not every consolidation by itself can do so because you as a school division did not create economic or ethnic segregation in your town. You will inhabit it. School divisions didn't make that. School divisions inhabit it. And so the consolidation plan can on the
022net increase your diversity in some cases substantially so in individual uh school consolidations. Not every single one as proposed will by itself at this time can I say in good faith would I say that because that's how your town is divided. Um, so it is an eyes wide open kind of thing and that's why I put the data in the back which we'll go over in a minute shows very clearly uh where as you're the proposed consolidations what those impacts are probably with a big asterisk when you change boundaries and change who attends what school the numbers change right so so so these numbers will vary a little bit so consider them order of magnitude and increases in diversity electricity will be in some sometimes in tension not always but sometimes in tension with increases
023in efficiency of transportation when you get to redistricting. So those are those part of the balancing act which is why that needs to be a robust process unto itself to support your master plan because it's a big lift. The community, as I uh inferred earlier, wants to continue engaging through the steering committee and through community meetings uh to help uh guide in and inform your implementation of the plan. And redistricting again prior to consolidation would not change the overall imbalance, but it is vital to ensure schools at the end of the day are accessible and efficiently operated. So, uh, these are narrative summaries of all of the individual comments per, uh, what I share with you is a summary of all of the responses. Now, I'm breaking them down by Q1 and Q2 question one.
024Uh, there weren't a ton of alternative suggestions thrown out there. There were a handful, and some of that's reflected. Uh, but most of the were were echoing the same concerns between both questions. Uh, asking, can we do resoning first? And um again that's not going to solve the redistricting I mean the overall balance challenge that you have. Um and quite frankly again I think as mentioned to you if we if we would try to chase that you would be creating multiple facility options with with each multiple boundary options to support each multiple facility option and that is a lot of coming up with myriads of different uh permutations of a plan that that's a very high effort and um ultimately at the end of the day where are your buildings relative to your students and
025then we'll build a redistricting plan to support that and your communities and make sure schools are accessible. two the K8 model came up quite a bit and uh with two different general themes both preserving it i.e. Gent and concerns about it i.e Ruffner PP Young community impact and engagement. Feedback underscores the necessity of continuing engagement, transparency. Uh let's not hide, let's share, let's do this eyes wide open with our community. Uh and again, I've I've praised your steering committee. They are professional. They are um not I'm not saying that just because two of them are here, but they are very good and uh please continue working with them. resource allocation and facility facility prioritization. Want to know what your plans are for consolidations and and and plowing those savings back into students uh in directly
026in students. What is that directly? And as mentioned earlier, there was quite a lot of uh concerns about the Gent Monroe uh consolidation primarily driven um from those at Gent Monroe. So would you like to Norfolk uh board and and city council to consider when implementing a plan of this nature? The five key buckets that I saw again can need continue uh engagement uh equity, diversity, socioeconomic concerns, uh making sure that the the resources are are pushed to the need based on the data. And that is something that we in the steering committee and we and my team by extension in good faith has endeavored to do. Program continuity and student support. Uh making sure programs that are successful stay successful and aren't just disbanded. And that's something that we did try to communicate that
027what we're talking about is moving uh populations in buildings into different buildings and rebuilding buildings. We're not talking about, you know, taking down programs that are successful. It's about moving uh to places for to the for a long-term home where maybe it cannot be a long-term home today. Facilities, transportation, and safety. Uh many of the things that I've already echoed there, uh bus availability, traffic, transportation comes up a lot as well as building conditions and financial transparency and resource allocation. going back again to uh where will what is the plan and where the money to uh to reinvest back in our kids want to be involved in that. So in summary, my response in and looking at all the comments and leading those meetings uh getting to be a part of them. Uh it's just
028a unifying uh theme to invest equitably and adequately in in those buildings, programs, teachers, and communities that uh we desire more folks desire more uh predictable, shorter bus rides, concern about the that possibly being challenged, preserving walkability and all the things we mentioned earlier. Uh promoting diversity, uh concern, you know, wanting to be a part of the boundary work and knowing that that a lot hinges on that that boundary work being done well. um and continuing to stay involved throughout the entire process. So that is my highlevel summary of all of the feedback. I think we I had a count written down uh I want to say it was 300 yeah 336 in person who signed up at those community meetings and I know some didn't who attended who didn't sign up. Okay. So sequencing
029options now uh you have this in front of you. The option one was that preliminary sequence that was brought to the community this summer and so it it should not be a surprise. It's something that you've seen before. Um for the sake of everybody's patience, I'm not going to read every row of all these things. Uh you're welcome, Tiffany. Uh but what I will do is kind of hit like the highlight differences between them for your uh for your purposes. So option two, the major difference here is uh in in looking at the options, you know, quite honestly, you're going to need to take some pause years where you're just doing school design and looking at the probable reality of funding coming to you post more or while the Mory project is wrapping up in
030the coming years. U I do think that option two is really a quite frankly probably a more uh realistic version of option one in terms of funding streams and timing. Uh but it doesn't so it changes the timing a little bit. It doesn't really change anything else of substance. It just changes the timing and you see gap years in there for this school year being a divisionwide redistricting plan. um and to begin making school transition plans, which uh it's always good to make a good plan ahead of action. I think this is the right year to do it. And then uh several years out, taking a year to design the Jay Cox and Suburban Park rebuilds. So, option two, uh plans for planning, if you will. Option three is a minor sequencing change on that
031and that is and and quite and there's a couple of these options that if you wanted to play with sequencing you could change more but it was just uh flipping PB Young and in Linenwood in terms of of timing. There's not um a oneway fit a one sizefits-all or one way uh is best kind of strategy here. you could uh be a little bit flexible with some of these school uh consolidations. While the reason that they're grouped the way that they are have to do with trying to make sure as much as possible that when school transitions are made for schools for students who will go into schools that are being rebuilt or built new that those they move once. We don't want to move them into a school and then move them out of
032the school when that school is being rebuilt and then move them back. Um, you know, the less transitions generally the better. Not always, but generally um because what we'd like to do is as as Dr. Paul alluded to once this major change plan if you if adopted goes through the desire would be on more of a on a regular slower rebuilding cycle where you move kids into new buildings from old on a semi-regular basis. This is just trying to do it in mass which is where some of the complications align. So the it's phased out uh the way it is to accommodate uh the rebuilding processes when they would um when the funding would likely be available. Phase four, option four, not sorry I'm sorry, not phase four, option four is responding to calls and
033concerns about Gent going to Monroe and also concerns about PB Young going to Jay Cox. So here is a plan that reflects those concerns. And so it does keep Gent where it is and merges the Lynenwood and Monroe populations and moves PB Young into JCOX. Now, as Dr. Paul mentioned, there are a few challenges with that. Um, for example, Lynenwood going into Monroe, we are trying to target about an 85% ratio between enrollment and capacity because we don't want to overcrowd schools. We don't want to go from underutilized to overutilized. So the Lynenwood population uh looking at the last year's population not this year but last year's 239 Monroe 293 both small put them together that's 532. Well the capacity at Monroe is 563 which gets to a 95% utilization. What that means in a
034classroom byclassroom basis is uh and and Mr. Freley walked schools and reverified all of the schools um room uses there. So many thanks to him for doing that. There are currently seven prek classrooms at Monroe. One pre-K classroom room at Lynenwood. Monroe has 26 total classrooms. They have 12 for grade level instruction which is K to 5. And Lynenwood has 12 for grade level instruction K to 5. meaning there would be 24 classrooms and they're reasonably loaded. There are 18 19 kids. It's not like there's 13 kids in in every class. Um which means there'll be two classrooms left over for flex use uh or something else or prek but there's eight prek classrooms total between the two of them. So those eight prek classrooms have to go somewhere else. And this is sort of
035that web of interdependencies that you pull, you know, that that makes some of this complicated. Now, could you deal with it? Sure. You find another home for six to eight prek classrooms. Maybe they go up to Larchmont. Maybe they because that was one of the plans with Monroe is Monroe PK classrooms going to Largemont. You could you could make options work, but it adds another complication to solve. not impossible, but it adds a consideration. At minimum, I'd call it a consideration. Another one to consider is the PB Young to Jay Cox. Uh Jay Cox and has a capacity and when we assessed it, I'll go over this in a minute, of 829 back in 2013. Field verifying based on how it's being used today, uh was 787. So this kind of small percentage variation is
036natural year-over-year. Okay. Uh but just how the building's being used right now. So call it 787 to to 829. It's about 800. The populations of the two schools combined is 829. So if you were going to put PB Young wholesale into JCO's wholesale, you will need to do one of a couple things. you will need to activate portables in use that needs some work. Uh there you need to offload that school by bound through the redistricting process so that that total 829 student population which is a little less this year um is even less because it's now dispersed to other schools. So solvable but it's a challenge and in that and those are the kinds of challenges which is why I didn't originally propose something of that in in and working uh even even after
037working with the steering committee and they're coming up with their options. So again doable it has a challenge. >> Um I have the question >> option four does not necessarily move students into large front unless we put prek into large front. >> Yes ma'am. That's correct. >> And they're only at 52% capacity and it's a very new building. >> so hence my hence my suggestion that is is is solvable. You can move prek into large amount which which was the plan uh the idea for the Monroe. So, it is doable. >> And just the numbers, um, Monroe's capacity is what you said. Lynenwood was 239 and Monroe was, >> uh, Lynenwood, I'm talking about the enrollment at Lynenwood was 239 official. Last year, Monroe was 293. That's a total of 532 >> into a Monroe
038capacity estimate at 563, which is 95% utilized. But we know that Monroe is nowhere near 293 this year. >> Well, and that also includes preK, the 293 number. So, >> yeah, you take out the prek and that's you're down tound what are we what are we breaking? >> Monroe right now. >> Yeah. >> Without prek is at 206. >> 206. >> So, we're not looking at too much. If we take prek out of Monroe, we're not looking at too much capacity. We're not looking at pushing the capacity level. >> Yeah. You take the prek out. That does help. It's solvable. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Thank you. >> Can I ask a clarifying question? >> Of course. >> So, um, and Mr. Freley, the 206 is based on after the 10day count, >> like as of
039right now, >> yesterday. >> This year, this was yesterday's count. >> Okay. That's what I So, so what we had in the chart was from last year. So that's >> yeah the number yeah I like to use official enrollments from the year prior generally but it's these are good sort of >> there's quite a drop. Yeah. And just a reminder, really we try to use September 30 counts. >> Uh but in this instant right now, of course, the 10-day count is what we're going to have to really rely on, >> right? Yeah. That's why it's quite a drop. >> Yep. >> Is there a scenario where the in the first three options >> PB Young goes to Ruffner, >> correct? and just want to make sure I'm not getting my schools mixed up. >> Correct.
040Yes, ma'am. >> Is there a scenario that incorporates one of the first three options where PB Young does not go to Ruffner? I mean, is it possible to not send those students? Because one of the concerns is the is the culture and climate at at Ruffner right now. adding in a K K2 because we're at 38. So, is there any capacity in any of the first three options to not move PB Young into Ruffner and leaving Ruffner a 38 school? Because I see that option in option four, but not really in options one through three. >> So, I would say is As Dr. Paul alluded to, you could make your own option, right? >> Sort of a a buffet of some of these OP. It it comes that can come with some challenges, >> but
041to put it mildly, but you can this PB Young to Jay Cox could work, but you would need to offload the population of Jay Cox to begin with because you would overload the building if you did that. Furthermore, I would love to reb rebuild Jay CCOX yesterday and it's already being pushed out. It's it needs it needs a lot of work. And so pushing a bunch of students in there knowing that it really needs work now and then moving them out when you need to rebuild it, that's a that's a lot of churn that I'd like to avoid, I think. Um, and so there's I would say that there's there's always the just let it be option. You don't close it, right? If that's a big concern. There's also um Ruffner building is sizable. Can
042you operate schools so with so that they mitigate any concerns in that respect? Um K8s can work and and our our research has be that borne that out and we know that it can. Um yeah, exactly. Um so maybe it just needs a little time to plan for an what that looks like effectively. Um I I really don't want to step too far outside my lane, but that's what I would some considerations I would suggest. And I I would also, Madam Chair, if you don't mind, um, you know, with a move of PB Young to Ruffner, it it it, you know, like the third phase, second or third phase of of movement, we'll be able to add resources to Ruffner beyond even what PB Young has right now to to support that kind of a
043transition if that's where it goes. I think to look at options one through three, look at the building closures that are included in all those options. In order to move PB Young not into Ruffner, we would have to do a lot of reszoning across the entire city and make movements, you know, so we might end up having to split some of them in row and put them in Larchmont to be able to move because then you have to look at some proximity too. So you don't have the long bus route, right? >> Yeah. And and Grandanby has one of the worst FCIs, right? >> The worst FCI. >> And we're still looking at not moving them until >> we need a place for them. >> 2031. >> And that's that is the real one of
044the real challenges is, you know, it would you need to do all of this construction now. >> Um but you don't have the funds for it. Um and so all this phasing is not ideal. There's not another way unless there's funding becomes available by another means. And so with that reality of funding likely not coming in time frame any quicker than this at least with what we know now um if we can avoid moving m kids multiple times for one transition that at least takes some of this sting out because we do know and I am confident saying that transitions are challenging for kids. Do they hurt kids? Well you can always you uh bounce most kids bounce back. You see that in data. >> I don't know if the adults bounce back as quickly
045as the kids. >> They usually not. Um but it's you know you the more transitions we add the more complicated and challenged the more recoveries we have to do and that we want to avoid that. >> Okay. I just had those few questions just, you know, because option four to me seems like what people want, but I don't think it's very sustainable. From what I'm hearing and from what I've put together on my own, option four kind of quells the masses, but it doesn't necessarily solve all solve our issues. >> Opportunity. Yeah. >> Yes, sir. >> Question. >> Um Tanya had a question. I'm sorry. >> Yeah. Well, I I wanted to ask like how you want to handle questions because I know you have quite a bit of slides. >> Yes. It actually I
046apologize. I should not ask so many questions. >> I could I because I have a ton on the options too, but I also want you to be able to >> Yes. to finish. So, Mr. You want to quickly ask your question and then we'll >> go through everything and we'll reserve. >> Yeah. Wait. Well, I will keep my mouth shut until >> No worries at all. I'm No worries. Okay. So in essence the the we're looking at 10 years one any way you slice it we're looking at 10 years it's how you sequence it um more or less so I I won't belabor the point there capacity confirmations again I'm going to breeze through this because it's basically your capacity as we assess it is within 2% today as it was using the data that
047we gathered back when I walked your schools for it in 2013. 13 and this is natural variations of singledigit percentage and how schools are used over over time is absolutely normal. Um so it gives us some confidence that the capacity numbers that we're using are solid. Um as said Mr. Freley walked all these schools with the principles marked them all out aligned it with our study uh including specials use and we came up with that uh we're within 2%. Um so uh you know I I'm not going to go into this but for for more than maybe the first one so you can just see as a reference. Sherwood Forest is capacity field verification 2013 we counted 34 classrooms six specials for a net of 28 capacity giving classrooms at 22.5 students per room on
048average that is 630 capacity. 2025 field of verifications, same total, five specialties, 29 capacity of 22 more kids. So, you know, that that's kind of how this goes. Some up, some down by a tick, uh verified with how the rooms are actually being used. You also see some things like, hey, Little Creek had 47, now it has 45. That's because classrooms over time sometimes be repurposed for things other than classrooms at for you know if they're administration one of your schools has a planetarium you know the classrooms get taken over for that that's why you'll see any change in that respect but I won't uh I won't bore you with all the details it's there for your review now this um I'm going take a minute to explain these consider considerations again. Um, one of
049our charges was to look at student and teacher data comparisons between closing schools and those receiving schools where those kids would mix into either uh, you know, in in whole or in part with others. So, I coded all of the schools by either closing or receiving. So if a whole if like if if in option one the get program picks all up and walks over to Monroe, nobody's receiving, nobody's closing. It's the population just has a new bricks and sticks, right? Um so this is more uh you know schools merging into other populations. So on the net there's a most of the data here points are ones that you already track. The percent of teachers with less than fulltime one full-time year experience. Percent of teachers with profisional licenses. Percent of teachers without license properly
050endorsed. Total students students by ethnicity students with disabilities English language learners low so social economic status um and McKenna Vento 20 24 reading and math passage rates on the SOS and percent of students with short term short and long-term suspensions percent walkers FCI the building and building age. So those are all the data points that we both had access to the data from and were able to make these comparisons. >> There's one data point that I created which is the top one which is the total teacher FTEES per student. So I looked at the total FT teacher FTEES that you have divide that by the student population of the school. This is a proxy for resources per student. it is a very much a proxy because there's a lot more that goes into it but
051at least in terms of teacher FTEES per student um and on the net the receiving schools had more teachers per FTEES per student which you would expect they're a little bit larger you see the enrollment sizes on the average closing school is 337 the average receiving school is 478 um the rest of the a lot of the rest of the data is very similar on population because your population is isn't that distinguished between closing schools and receiving schools. So your population is your population. Where there are some differences to note, walker percentages, the the closing schools tend to be smaller, older, in poorer condition, which means they were smaller neighborhood elementary schools that are in that are just physically smaller and they're in poorer condition many ways because they're a lot older by and large.
052You see the average age 64 versus 40 49. Well, so you have a smaller population with built around a smaller neighborhood. So your percentage of walkers goes up not only because of where the school's placed, but because the total population is lower, making the percentage of those who walk higher. So there's some that those are um sort of what I would say the broad overall differences and similarities. >> I just have a clarifying question so that we all um understand what we're looking at, right? So, so you have the closing column, you know, of data points, the receiving schools, like in this case, Larchmont and Willard. >> Yeah. >> This is pre as it currently stands. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Right. So, not did you So, one of my questions is going to be did
053you look at what it's going to look like once they're integrated? >> And so, here's the challenge and that's part of my note in the upper left. Yeah, >> all data is based on 2024 2425 official data, official enrollments. Uh redistricting will ultimately impact all of these students statistics and some of the teachers following any transition and we don't know what those are. Um and again, you're not you you we would have to create dozens of different varieties to to approximate what they could be in scenario 1A versus 1B versus 1 C. So think of this as information to guide your decisions. This is not I would say they're not the answers. There's no thing that prevents or is a slam dunk for an option necessarily in this data. They are good things to know
054to guide the next phases of the work at least in terms of redistricting. Um I'm going to go over a couple of these of note uh but not again hit all of them um for time sake and and you have them for reference. The first one just because the first one is is right here it's Monroe in option one the uh two three the Monroe to Larchmont Willard. So the average FTEES per student was eight is 8.4 in last school year in Monroe and it's 13.2 2 at Larchmont and 10.4 at Willard. So more significantly, I would say significantly. And then you see the the teacher statistics are similar, although I'd say that the um there's slightly more experienced uh and licensed teachers at the receiving schools. Total students, you see the differences there. the
055student populations. Uh there's um most similar well there's differences there as well uh as as well. You have Larchmont um with a significantly lower black population and a much higher white population and then that is um mitigated slightly at Willard with that just has a higher Hispanic population uh than the other two. You see the the specially identified student populations there. Um the differences, the reading passage rates, those differences. The walkers again um not many kids walk to Willard where it is. That's just the nature of that school. Um it's higher. It's it's equip similar between Monroe and Large Mine, although Monroe is a little bit more. Again, noting the caveats I mentioned earlier. And then you look at the building data as well. You know, a 60% FCI versus a 20 and a and
056a 55. It's similar at Willard. Much better at large for obvious reasons. Um, okay. I'm going to skip over just do a couple highlights for you, not to dive into too much, but when you look at things like St. Helina to Southside STEM for example uh or PB Young to Ruffner in data comparisons do take caution because we're talking about elementary students be being compared with middle school student data um and elementary schools particularly PB Young into Ruffner you're comparing you know a PK2 with a 38 as very different operations um and student you know student suspensions are going to look very different in a PK K2 than a 38 for example, right? Um so just words of caution when looking at those comparisons. Another thing to note, Graanby seems to go everywhere loose. It's
057like why does it have so many feeder schools? It has so many feeder schools in the plan because if you look in the bottom left and you look at its boundary, it is a long skinny boundary that abuts several other schools that are right next to it. Hence the populations for grandb are in many cases closer to other schools and when you do redistrict and close that school it's going to they're going to go in more than one place. So hence there's so many different um comparison points here and um I also included Linded Lynidwood to Monroe in the back as and um PB Young to Jay Cox comparisons when that alternative was created there. I am happy to go through as much of these details as you would like on these comparisons. I didn't
058want to assume I'm just going to read them all. Um I think that uh I'll sort of put the ball in your court to let me know what questions you may have of those. Hopefully um oriented you well enough to be able to read and understand these comparisons um the redistricting process. And now we'll sort of close on my formal presentation and go back for Q&A discussion. The scope and sequencing of a redistricting process uh is laid out here in high level and this is something that can be done in this coming school year and agreed to on principle with the administrations to proceed following your lead on the plan. First is to gather all of the um most relevant current student data, much of which we already have in our possession. So that's that's
059fairly expedient. But then our team would create individual parcels for your entire division rather than relying on your boundaries as they are creating a a grid of geographically relevant parcels that when you can add them all up would make logical boundaries given where people live and where natural boundaries are. So reook at your district as a matrix of where kids where families live and where geography um dictates there are natural boundaries and what have you um at at a fairly granular level so that we could piece them together with with confidence. Create some draft boundary options. So our team will do that and then review options uh with the board of with you all and the steering committee receiving feedback from both you and the steering committee on those options making any amendments adjust adjustments
060as necessary for that then reviewing those options with the community re sending out a survey to accompany that using the combination of the feedback to date to d create draft draft recommendations to bring back to you. This is all a process that uh we can get done before the end of the school year. I would anticipate sometime in spring of 26 and then you can go into the new uh new school year with a boundary plan. Now, with the boundary plan, as mentioned before, we don't want to move students more than once. And so the idea would be whatever plan that you ultimately adopt in whatever sequence, my team would build a bound set of boundary options to that plan in that sequence knowing that sequences will change with capital funding availability. If you get
061new, you know, money quicker, we can just accelerate the time rate, but the the the logic would stay the sequence would stay the same. And then um the boundaries would be set so that as you are creating the boundaries for the first options in the shoot you're creating them as they stand at the end of the plan not how it would maybe be optimally in year one because again we're talking about a 10-year plan. So if we created the boundaries for a school based on, you know, in in year three, based on the year three population, well, in year 10, we have all these other pieces that fit together. We want to make sure that it fits together well. So the short, maybe a better way for me to have phrased this is we will
062create an instate boundary for your new portfolio of schools at the end of the day when everything's done 10 years from now. and then back from that how you implement that year overyear to follow the plan as funding becomes available. So knowing that when you create a boundary it's going to stick. You're not going to have to do it again and it's going to fit together as as designed at the end. Um not to add another layer of complication but basic recommendation is that you revisit a plan like this every five years. So don't re revisit it every year or you never have a plan. But if you revisit it about every five year to take another look at it, you could then make any possible adjustments before you would have any major impacts. So
063that would be my um recommendation both for next year on this and sort of uh well there we go. Next year the implementation plan first begin consolidation rebuilding per your plan as you adopt it. redistricting uh plan next year to support the facilities identified for closure and reception and then revisit the plan no more than every three really every recommend every five on average um and that you in the general sequence as we described before involve your steering committee and community um in this process let's create some data and some ideas vet it with the steering committee vet it with you vet it with the community receive and respond so that is my formal presentation for the evening. I know there are questions and discussion, so um I'll yield for that >> question. Jason, did
064you have a question? >> Yes. So, I had a um question. So, the plans that have been presented to us, of course, we we as a board, we'll look at the plans and may come up with an alternative option to present to you as well. Based on you as the consultant, which option are you recommending that meets our student success, our teachers, and overall reduction in our stu uh facilities portfolio while also taking that same money and reinvesting it simultaneously back into our schools. >> If I had to I am a consultant, not in your shoes. >> Of course. Yeah. So caveat >> somewhere in in in two and three is where in two and three the differences are are minute. Right. >> Correct. >> I'll tell you what what I don't recom like I
065recommend anything that moves you forward at this point. I would recommend you could implement any of these options. The fourth one has some real complications where you're squeezing some schools pretty tight. There are outlets moving prek to to to large amount. You could do it right. The I think that options one, two, and three in general are put together and make a lot of sense given the totality of the data. But at the same time, you could absolutely do the fourth one or some minor variation thereof. All I would say is if you're looking at alternative suggestions, again, it's pull the thread. If we're moving, you know, moving these kids into the school, can they fit? If they don't fit, where would they go? Is that too far? Do that, you know, what's the already
066plans to put students in that school? So, if there is another option or two, um, I'd like to be involved in helping support that decision-m with some of the data and and present back to you. uh at least if not formally informally just to be able to to help make sure that um those are uh the plans will be implementable. Um but the short answer is I would recommend any of these options that move you forward that you believe you can imple implement with fidelity. I lean towards the earlier ones but I recommend any of them. >> Okay. Follow-up question I had. So on option four, you're looking to close Lynenwood, relocate the students to Monroe, repurpose the building to a professional development center. So Lynenwood is it can't be renovated under no conditions to
067meet the current needs of our community there. So we don't have to close that school because if on one it's saying closed, other one just professional development center. So it is about to use money. >> So it Yeah. So, so that is a I would say a supporting a supporting notion, a supporting idea to the plan. Um, you can take it or leave it in terms of what Lynenwood would become after a school. Um, it is an idea to make a PDC there. In part, it's a really nice property right there. Absolutely. >> Right. Um the challenge has been enrollment building like the overall resource challenge that you have and it's not just Lynenwood as you know obviously right with um and so um you could give close that and turn it back over to
068the city or you could close it and try to find another district use for it. um you can make it uh habitable in terms of condition for some time. Is it the most educationally adequate school for the next 20 30 40 years? I don't think so. But could it be useful for a in for a good investment for another purpose? Possibly. So I would say let's distinguish between primary and secondary movers. I know the school consolidations and reception are the primary movers and like the afterlife of what it could be as is sort of a secondary matter that you could take up as a part of this process or even defer and tackle separately >> just to add to it Mr. you know, one of the one of the facilities that a division of our
069size is missing is a professional development center. So, we have to rely on um budgeting for hotels and different conference centers when we want to do something large, especially during the school year when all of our buildings are inhabited with students. So, this would give us opportunity to have a center where we could do things during the school day um or soon after school when when when we have a facility to do that. So the professional development idea was really the administration's idea to think about you know that the school is really set up ideally there it's not a large large school there's enough classroom to do small group learning the cafmitorium um is is divided already so there's a divider so we'd have a smaller or you know a real large space or two
070moderate size spaces so there wouldn't be a lot that would have to go into it to to facilitate professional learning in the building. >> Gotcha. Yeah. No, I'm I'm I'm definitely not against our teachers making sure they get professional development. I encourage it because we need to have that so we have our teachers in our classroom. I just need to get a a rationale and understanding to why we were doing what we're doing. >> It is a very valid question not to pile on but to say well why couldn't it be a school? Why could it be a professional development center if not a school? >> And and and a lot of it has to do with um that sort of re the resources per student. Where are we putting our money in adults in
071space or in kids? you know, and and so the sort of the macro level picture, um, you could sustain a Lynenwood of its size in a division of your size, but when you have 6, 8, 10, 12 schools that are really underutilized, it's it's a different matter. >> Miss Bassine, did you have a question? >> Yes. Um, so I have I have several, but I do want to um start and say, you know, I appreciate the dialogue that we as a board have had um over the last couple months, and Dr. I appreciate um the openness that you've allowed for us to have um you know greater discussion oneonone too. Um I do have several questions concerns um that you've already heard you know you've heard but I I still um have some unease about.
072But before I get into that so you know you talked about a boundary plan. >> Yeah. >> Um t you know piggybacking off of what um Mr. In just said, "I'd also like to see a repurposing plan as part of this because there may be there may be like Lynenwood for professional development, but there may be buildings that we want to keep in our portfolio for, you know, we we could have a boost in, you know, we could have population growth once they, you know, people hear how wonderful our school district is because of the opportunities. People may want to move here. You know, it's just or we may like the the at the crux of this are and this is kind of why I want to bring it forward is is our board goals
073are is acade academic achievement improving student outcomes while honoring the non-negotiables that we've set. And with that is that every one of these opportunities needs to be a tradeup for for every student. It cannot be um you know them getting less than what they've had which you know we've talked about for years that that's been always been part of this like a guiding principle right that it's a tradeup enhanced learning opportunities that's what we've gone out to the community we've told them that this is you know through through this process we're going to be uh able to use the resources to enhance the learning environment for every student. Um, and for me what I need to see is like I need to I need to see that like I need I need >> what's a
074dollar amount? >> Yeah. Like for each of these scenario each of these options like one of the things I guess I was hoping for or expecting was also a like an impact like projected impact right like for each of these scenarios. So you have the closing school, you have the receiving school. I know it sounds like the boundaries will dictate exactly what the final uh I want to say the merge school would look like or right. Um, and while we're expected to vote on a list right now through that boundary process, which may not be complete till the spring, some of our families may not, it's possible that some of these things can change. So, I want to know to what extent will things change? What are things going to c what is this going
075to cost? Um because you you know going back to these options you mentioned option two as being most realistic given the I think the final >> more realistic so on a timeline perspective it's it is more realistic than what I initially drafted as option one >> right and then um you also mentioned like the the financing available yeah >> right so it's what are these different scenarios like what is the cost what is the savings what is the cost of the move of moving school A to school B closing you know what is the net gain from that and how will the will that gain be used to enhance the resources at the receiving school. Okay. So yes, uh that is the right focus for how to do this well. And one of the things
076I I've tried to say a time and again is that a plan of this nature can be done very poorly or it can be done very well. And the model suggests that on average it conservatively you would you could gain about one million in operational savings from an elementary closure, two from middle, three from a high. We're not talking about highs, we're not talking about middles. So really we're talking about about a million per school >> Per year. Okay? And that is fixed staff fixed operations of a building. So I would say that that is your your azimouth. That's your guide, your direction. But let's let's aim for about a million on average and we'll you know 780 1.2 you'll see what happens, right? And what I think is important to know and to to
077remind the constituents, your constituents about this and in the communities as a whole is a plan of this nature can set the table for those reinvestments. the plan to make those reinvestments is the work of the administration to follow on this heel and say okay you've decided this is the board's direction for the plan as as Dr. poll said that you know there in his opening remarks there will be some asurances for how funds will be accounted for and strategies for reinvestment shared publicly and to follow that because that is that is the necessary focus and uh so I would say a couple things one 1 million per year is is your planning number and you aim for that the data supports that two when you take off the capital needs the total deficiencies of
078this plan at least in the the first options you're deducting $211 million off of your total deficiencies of 900 million. Okay. So that just takes that off which allow the subsequent investments to go into um you know to to the remainder of the need and not be diluted even further. So that's on the cap side. Um so let me see if I addressed your question. One operations a million per. two, the capital's 211, the redistricting. So in a in a boundary like I this is an example where if you look sort of that thundercloud norththeast of northwest of Graanby there of that population is divided in one, two, three different school boundaries around that sort of the density of students there and all of them south of of Granby are counted in Granby. Um, and
079so the actual student data of, you know, who's going to go to Suburban Park, those students that are higher up on that boundary are going to be the ones who go to the new school on Suburban Park. The ones down south are going to go to schools, you know, more approximate to them. um the when we get into the redistricting process, that's why so that large boundary will be wiped off the map and replaced with smaller segments that make geographic sense based on where the population is. And we can do much more nuanced planning and and analyses of who would go where based upon smaller catchments as opposed to these large catchments. >> Right. But to so to your point Oh, I'm sorry, Dr. Paul, you went into >> Yeah, I just Yeah, thank you,
080Miss Bassine and Madam Chair. I I just want to add as well. So when we talk about building school closures, you know, we talk about each of the elementary schools has a reading and a math specialist. So in term if we close five, that gives us five reading specialists and five math specialists to place at schools of higher need, you know. So because right now we're we're we're budgeting we're, you know, skin of our teeth able to to budget for one per school of each of those. right now, the instructional coaches that we have, we have 10 instructional coaches that we're able to place in schools. We could even transition some of those to those those um positions. The administrative positions, each of the schools has a principal and an assistant principal. Right now, those
081positions also could be, you know, redesigned and rethought on how are we supporting our students where we need the support more. Right now, we have to place them where they are. We don't have any choice because we have to have them in our schools. Um but this allows us some of the flexibility with that. Also with cost savings, being able to look at um uh staff salaries and making sure that we're the most attractive division in the region so that we can fill all the spots. Every school has a school counselor um that we're looking at. Those counselors could remain as counselors and move to different schools or those positions could transition to psychologists or social workers and give support where we need that. So all those are in the play right now and as
082we start to look at the resoning redistricting and seeing okay where does our data say we really need this support it gives us the flexibility to move that support that we just don't have right now and then long-term if if we continue you know I said earlier we you know right now 10day count to 10day count we're nearly 700 students shy of where we were last year financially that will have a a mark on us you know because we get a per student you you know, when we do the ADM and everything, we're we we get funding per student from the state and from the federal government. So, you know, we need to think about those as well. Later, we won't have the funding that we have now if our students continue to decline. So,
083that we we I understand, Min, you and I, we've had the discussion as well about this. It it it's part of the greater planning, which is why I think the first assurance that we put on the list was that we would map and track where the finance is because of that. Um because it's important that we know, you know, we're not we're not shuttering buildings just so we can build a big purse in the background, right? We're shuttering buildings so we can spend that money more wisely for our students who need it more. >> Right. Right. And I do want to say I I really appreciate the asurances um document that you created um to kind of map out what those would look like and and all that, you know, and I know that's also
084a work in progress as we um continue the planning. Um but Mr. Sturs, I wanted to get back to the cost of this. So you mentioned, you know, we could expect about a million per year based on the data. You >> mean per year per school? >> Per per year per school per closed school. Right. >> Correct. >> Right. Um like can you can you expand on what data you're using to get to that number? Is it that from research or just >> that was uh your data in 2022 23? >> Okay. That's where >> that's where that came from. At the time it was like 787 per elementary you know something nine for middles and >> close to three for highs. So just using general inflation order of magnitude just easy math one two
085three um and the actual numbers will vary but that is a good sort of planning number in your head >> okay so in your experience though because that number so that's where I thought you got it from that report I do recall that um but when you start factoring in as Dr. Paul just mentioned the needs of the student and the actual resources and potential retrofitting of school buildings to accommodate you know for instance younger populations or different populations. What h have you have you done any preliminary calculations to really kind of determine what um what that looks like? So I would I would first take off for the most part any sort of capital con investment considerations. Um you know the because on the net they're pretty dimminimous relative you know for like for
086example even a PB Young to a roughner you do have to put in some tiny toilets and tiny sinks. Right. Right. Right. >> You do um >> and so that is that is an investment. Um, and that would be based on, hey, we don't really want to have a K8 over here, but you can, you're going to be a 38, but you're going to be a K8 and you're going to be a small K8 and you're going to be a large K. Like, maybe you just we're going to have K8s or not. So, that would be an investment decision on having a K8 or not. Um, outside of that, there's really not an a capital equation to consider in the rest of the of the consolidations. Um, in terms of, you know, the staffing needs
087and so forth, I think that actually speaks to part of the point. A a lot of the the reason we're here is that extra million per school being spent on administrative and support positions when you really need them in direct student positions. >> Absolutely. >> And that would be part of the the plan to come. And I would say it really has two. Number one is what what you all are talking about right now is the the the stu direct student investment plan. Number two is the school repurposing. What are we doing with these properties, you know, for the long haul in the community? Best to do that with the city. Be great to do that with the city. But yes. >> So you're saying like I like how you called it the student investment
088plan, you know, like what that looks like. we will have that to look at as part of this planning process. You know, I guess that's what on once the I know the boundary planning is done and you have a more um I guess definitive number of students and where they're coming from, you know, and their needs, you will be able to craft that um correct piece. Right. So for sorry to interrupt for the for the like the voting purposes on on what option >> no we wouldn't be able to to to say say that yet because we wouldn't have the deep depth of information but by the time >> you know Mr. STS comes back and we have you know all the other data information then we'll be saying okay this is what we're going
089to phase as well and and the first phase may just be we're going to you like if a whole school is moving wholesale those supports are going to move so with them at first just to to help with that early transition but part of that will also be the planning discussion at the building levels too you know about the needs and to make sure that we're meeting the needs there too. Um, so that would all be taking place this year. And then remember, you know, this is a multi-year plan. Each year we're responsible for doing a public hearing on the specific schools that are closing the following year. So each year we'll be we'll be relooking at those plans as we move forward. >> So So I have a I have a couple more. Um,
090so about the boundary plan then. So through that process, are you also looking to the board to have guiding principles that will dictate how that goes? Because you know over the years the guiding principles you know we we had a solid set of guiding principles for this work and you know they've kind of like morphed over time but you know two two real key pieces of it you know were about creating socioeconomically balanced schools and that every every opportunity is a trade up. Yep. >> Right. And so that to that to be at the forefront >> and that we're not that we're honoring the non-negotiables that we set, which is basically those two things would happen if we're if we're honoring those non-negotiables, right? So um uh as part of that, I guess my my
091other concern is I mean I guess I I want that commitment, you you have mine when you know from our team >> because for me like that's that's where I know right now it's like having the list we're then doing the boundary plan whereas you know you've heard me ask this question lots of times about why aren't why why don't we have the boundaries on the front end and looking at that as part of this plan and um guess I want that assurance that every opportunity is you know we're creating equitable opportunities for our students and that it's a tradeup and that you know and I hear what you're saying about what you had said you know during the presentation about there are some things that we may not be able to change >> because
092of you know historical >> segregation that that exists in our city right >> but within that what opportunities can we create >> at those schools that would then allow for you know choice options or you know people to to have access to different learning opportunities because that's also that was again back to that core that guiding principle that we used to have about creating that was not just about neighborhood schools. It was also about creating opportunities. And so that needs to be you know has to be considered and not just say you know not I'm not saying you're saying this but we hear it all the time that this is you know historically set up this way or city set up this way. We there's a in order to get you know really integrated schools
093we have there's you know we have to you know re redraw you know boundaries and and all of that but we're but there are opportunities that we can take to make that happen >> and so I want us to be like bold and and do those things as part of this I mean this is this is on the same you know while it's scary. It also creates it can be exciting because of the opportunities that's created, but we have to be really intentional about it. Which is why I keep bringing up the board goals. I keep bringing up the non-negotiables because I want us to be really intentional about what's ahead of us, you know, and the opportunities that are ahead of us. And so I just I I'll say that and I'll let others
094ask questions. I can come back but that's I >> if I if I may like I I just want to say you absolutely have my commitment and my team's commitment that board goals are part are the framework upon which we're creating boundaries. We work with a I my boundary team I do this kind of planning my boundary team does that kind of planning like they're really good at that and the person who leads that's fantastic um and she uh you know doing this in so many different boards lot of at least at the top line a lot of boards have very similar guiding lights and guiding principles not all the same but there's a lot of similarity out there and so like those those um non-negotiables are there and Then and then there's also those
095things that will be in tension with each other and sometimes those non-negotiables can be intention not necessarily that there's no path out but they can be intention and we uh we transparently will present those to you and talk through those and provide options that you know emphasize different of those criteria for you to look at the procons and make an eyes wide open decision. So you have our commitment on that >> Mr. Ins. Yes. Um, so I I do want to echo many of the same sentiments. Um, my colleague um, Bassine, his um, FOP I just so I guess we have the options in front of us. >> We know the cost on certain things. We know how much it is going to close to elementary school about $1 million you say, right? We know
096how much the state pays per pupil. We know that we've decreased the population and student population. Correct. All right. And then we also know well you you wouldn't I mean you're not in Northol but us here we all understand that we know that additional tax revenue should be coming in within the next year or so because by law referendum the casino has to be built in operation and about I think 29 cents for every dollar comes to us for education. Yeah. >> So I need to see numbers. So, I see schools closing, but these have people, families. I need to see a little bit more data. You're telling me to vote on a just a plan without the transportation plan, without the repurposing plan, without an agreement from the city to say, "Hey, we that
097we can have a a um school investment fund if they sell the property and we don't retain that property." Not that's not something that you may not have to do, but I have not seen a lot of that from the administration side either. not discounting your you Mr. um Dr. Paul because you have been trans very transparent in previous administrations and I applaud you for that. Um but I just wanted to just get get more understanding. Um so will any of that information be available and ready by the time it this board votes. So the >> but this is a generational thing and I mean >> it is you know the the >> there won't be we wouldn't have time or resources to do zoning and transportation plans for all four options. >> Okay. >>
098Um so that would be off the table. As far as >> the the financing side, you know, it really comes down to, you know, each year's data. You know, I I appreciate you understanding. I'm trying to be as transparent as possible with the with everything and even with presenting data over the past years. You know, when we look at our data, we try to place resources where the data says it needs to be. So, if we did a full on plan of this is where we're going to do stuff and then in three years the data says, "Oh, you don't need it here." you know, I don't want someone to say, well, we had this expectation that this is coming and now I expect it to come, but the data says it really needs to
099go over there. So, as as we go year by year, you will see planning of this is this is how this is going to change the division. This is how it's going to support our students. This is this is this is why it's so important for us. Um, and I know it this is a big ask and and and this was thrust upon us as a division, you know, to the the way we're looking at this with with, you know, the the the 10 schools and everything else. However, we also realize if it wasn't thrust upon us, like Mr. Stur said, the worst thing to do is table it and table it and table it because then we're not doing anything to fix it. And I think it's equally as is I'm equally as anxious
100as excited as I am about it, right? because it is an opportunity to truly create this change. But at the same time, it does seem like we have to take a little bit of a leap of faith. But the leap of faith that we're asking at this point is because we know that the schools that are on that list conditionally are the ones that we won't want to be operating in 10 years and we don't have the money to put in them in this time frame to make them more operational. So, you know, to that point, the planning, I'm not sure the the city side as far as the repurposing of the buildings, we can certainly request and say this is what we would request, but beyond that, we don't have a lot of control.
101Now, I think, you know, when we get because we've talked about a joint meeting, when we get to a joint meeting, that can definitely be a topic that we talk about. Um, and and I know this we're asking for a leap of faith, you know, with with the research and everything else that we put into it, you know, with these four plans, but know that that what this came down to starting with our committee when they looked at all the data and everything was these schools will not be strong operational buildings without a lot of investment in the future. So that's what we're looking for is this acceptance to say, "Yeah, we understand as a board these are the buildings that that we we need to take off of our roles and then each year
102saying this is how we're doing it." Because each year you even though we get a list each year, even this year before we can possibly close whatever amount of buildings that we're going to close, we have to have a public hearing. And we can't go into that public hearing blind. That's why we've already, you know, elicited Walpert to help us in the next phase of the zoning and everything else. And by that time, we will have the answers of, okay, if we're closing school A, B, and C, these are the resources that we know we'll have extra, and this is how we see them being dispersed into next year because we'll also be further along the year data wise. And you have my word on that. I know it's not everything you've asked for, but
103>> so Madam Chair, um, so I I guess what my reservations is coming is. No, first off, let me say this. I agree. Yes, this is something that should have been addressed a while ago. We've kicked the can down the road. Um, and it should have been addressed and now we're here. Um, and we have to make this this decision that will upheaval some families. It would not be good for some, it would be but good for others, but for the greater good of every single person in North public schools. But what I'm seeing is I just have a list of buildings. I just feel like as a as a as a school district, why are we not talking with city to get to get financials for a certain Let me just for an example.
104I want to go back to the for the tax revenue for the casino. We're going to use that as an example. City manager, we know that by November, hey, we got to have everything in place. The casino has to be built. Then money is going to come in that we may not know what that money is right now. However, they have market analysis to determine how much a casino would bring in and we get 29 I think 29.55% of that gaming revenue. So there should be a number that's there to say if we're closing the school of $1 million we're saving. We're also getting additional money there. And if Tarotton is one of the schools that we're closing, it doesn't say we're repurposing. So thus we're giving it back to the city. And if that's
105the case, what's the assessed value of that land? And that land, if it's going to be sold to a developer and the city's not going to use it for its government purposes, then can that money on conditions in collaboration with the city be go into a capital improvement fund to reinvest back into our schools? >> Go ahead, Mr. Address. >> Yeah. >> All right. The city does do that. So when we give the property back and the city redevelops it, >> then it goes back on the tax roles and we get 29.5% of that. >> All schools are owned by the city of Norfolk. We don't own the schools. So their their view of it is that when we return a property to them, they may raise the building and develop it. I'll give you
106an example. If we give them back Chesterfield, they have every intention of finishing the Broad Creek project. it'll be filled with homes. Real estate valuation will come back to us at 29.5% of that particular tax base. So the city's view on it is when you give us back these properties, we are reinvesting, but they own them. We don't own them. >> And I I guess we're I guess we should be maybe in my opinion, this this is my opinion as a board member, not speak for the board, we just got buildings. We should have at least have some raw numbers that go along with this for us to think about. >> Well, the city the city uses them as assets like if they do a loan. >> I'm just talking about raw numbers here on
107this plan. >> Well, they they don't generally release them to us uh because that's their asset and they use it how they need to for loans, etc., etc. >> I I think I think we were we're we were both asking for similar similar >> close the school is saving a million dollars, right? So, but you but that's option two. How many schools are closing times how many um elementaryaries times a million dollars? Why is there no dollar amount? That's what I wanted to see like each of the options. >> Yeah. For each one of the options >> for each of the options. So the the the basic M. Okay. So I can give you at least a topline planning number. >> Um and that is again that's a million say it's a million dollars for
108school which is a good planning number, right? >> I don't want you give me a number. I would rather you go back to the make sure you go to the board and then come back with a like a a good number. I don't want you to throw nothing off the top, but just estimate. >> I Yeah, I hear you. Like so the work that we did in 23 20 22 23 Okay. >> Um on what are the fixed costs in Norfolk tied to schools by building on average? >> Option one, how much >> all of so across any option, right? Okay. So, back this is before we had options in 2223 we were around 800,000 in fixed costs per elementary around 1.7 something for for middles and close like 2.7 something for highs. So if
109you sort of forward that up a little bit with the cost uh the the raises that were have incurred since then and that kind of thing from a from a a good planning numbers about 1 million per elementary school on average are are the fixed costs in Norolk of people and heating and cooling tied to the average smaller elementary school. >> Gotcha. So that number really is a multiply. It's something you can add to any option to get a pretty good number of what can be uh both re you know reinvested and in the first three options you are closing 10 schools. So that's 10 million a year 100 million over 10. And then the last one you're you're closing uh nine schools and so so again that's where I said earlier these options are
110doable. You can and will find savings. It is up to the administration under Dr. P's leadership to sort of identify those as specifically and reinvest them, but the the homework done in 2223 says that they're there. >> Gotcha. >> Yeah. >> Okay. And then I you know one other kind of point I did I did notice in preparation for this and if this is helpful when I look back in a 10ear horizon in 20145 at your budget overall operational budget at the time was 317.6 6 million. >> Sounds about right. >> We had 31,700 kids. >> That was 9,996 a kid. $10,000 a student. When you deduct my from the last budget, you get for 26,278. That's 19,899. That's 20,000 a student. So the cost per student in the 10-year period, the investment per student
111has doubled. Now inflation is a part of this, right? It doesn't count for all of it, but sort of like what I see in this is you have increased by 100% since 2014 the expenditure per student, but there's a lot left to be done. >> Absolutely. And so I think when we look at sort of where are the numbers come from you know where where do we how what planning numbers that we have you know I am confident that you know in that about a million dollars per elementary school sometimes it'll be a little less sometimes it might be a little bit more um is a good solid number based on the homework we did prior that you could use moving forward to help address some of those resources. And then the other things like
112you're talking about t additional tax revenue casinos and that kind of thing can can help you know supplement hopefully not supplant that >> right um but given what we know we don't know when all that's going to occur and I've been around enough development and I'm sure you have to know that development can get kicked for five 10 indefinite years but what do we know we know that when we were doing this plan yeah when we were doing this plan in terms of transportation and cost efficiencies. We were hammering with the steering committee and they were very faithful to we want our long-term schools near where our kids are today, >> right? >> Because I don't know what the transportation plan is going to be, but if I know that if if I am faithful
113and our team is faithful to putting schools near where the kids are today, I know that I'm setting the table for transportation efficiencies. can't create that plan for you right now but I can set the table for that and I think that's sort of you know in framing what we're doing right now we are setting the table for that success that as as as Bassine and Dr. poll we're talking about there is excitement nervous excitement about what can be done now with that uh the nervousness is >> it has to be done well like that leap of faith is really in yourself exactly >> it's got to be done right it's got to be done expecting to see some more numbers that was it >> yeah but >> see we'll talk more >> I I
114have a couple questions looking at the plans between option two and option three. I see in option three, uh, we don't close PB Young till 2027. In option two, we close it in 2026. >> Are there, and I'm trying to uh, what other significant differences do you see between the two options? I don't see anything really. >> It's just flipping uh, the Linda Wood and PB Young schedule. That's it. And again, those are fairly interchangeable and >> well, yeah, >> in terms of, you know, just sort of it doesn't impact >> many two too many dependencies. You could do it either way. >> Okay. Well, the reason I I just wanted because that's what I saw and I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't >> very nuanced. Um, I didn't miss anything because
115I do prefer option three because that gives Ruffner another year to work on their their climate and culture to get ready to become a K8 versus a a 38 school. So, I just wanted to make sure that that was I wasn't missing anything. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. >> Could I add So, I wanted since we're should be as a board talking about this. So the other consideration to that though is looking at what's going on in the community like what the plans are for the neighborhoods around it. So when I went back and looked at when the demolition plans were for Youngs Terrace and Calbertt Square that's expected to begin in 2027. And there are lessons learned what we saw with Taiw Gardens and Taiw Park having students basically watching their neighborhoods. you know,
116it's like do you do we want our students to be in the center of that when that's happening or >> you know and if there are updates from the city about when you know >> Mr. Frley has some >> I work with NRHA okay >> and the reason we flip those is because that's in line with their demolition schedule. If we waited in option three, um chair, if we waited till that time to close um PB Young, it will be as the demolition gets to that stage of the development. Okay. >> And that's why we just flipped that. >> Okay. >> Yes, ma'am. There was a reason for that. I'm working with the NRA on that. >> Okay. For the for the flip to delay it or the other you're talking about option. >> So,
117one has lenwood and one has PBO, right? I think two is Linda was first PVO right >> second and then three is >> it's reversed it's >> said that backwards >> I think it was backwards but yeah I know what you're saying >> but the reason we did that is so that PBM closed as the demolition got to that phase we I don't I agree with you I wouldn't want to to have the school demolished when there was still a significant number of kids living close by and that's why we made that >> and so we specific based off community feedback back. We asked what is the latest time frame that we could do that so that we could help with the transition. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Cuz while I I completely that was my
118first thought was like okay we have some time to really strengthen >> the supports at at Ruffner then on the flip side of that I was thinking what is you know having community context be a factor too and that is what is going on with the neighborhood and so >> option three is align with the Okay, thank you. Other questions? A board member uh mentioned the school investment plan with the city council. What is that? Is that another name for CIP or something else? Because I've not heard of that. >> Yeah. >> Do you have >> Mr. Oh, Tony, were you answering? Well, I was gonna say because we've talked about this um you know, we've talked about what could be with the repurposing, right? So, we know that we have a shared revenue formula
119with the city, >> but that can also be per our policy. We can also go back and renegotiate what that looks like, right? Right. >> And then we have to look at where all the tax revenue is coming from. And maybe, you know, what I've seen other districts do is because I've been kind of researching to see what other districts are doing is they have a school reinvestment fund, right? through their partnership with the with the city that you know through the sale of land through the sale of the building or any economic development direct investments beyond the shared revenue formula come back to the school division. Not necessarily for capital improvement but for investments in resources investments however we see fit. Right? It could be capital improvements but it could also be other resources,
120programming, whatever. So we've had you know we share we shared that thinking around proposing proposing that as part of this >> education is the largest investment and the best investment. So that was just saying where we the city gives money in the capital improvement plan that's appropriated to us through the city regular but if they sell a property then hey creating a separate fund that would be something that we would have to agree upon as a board and a city council and say this money is going to go into the fund that would go back to invest in our schools. I understand it. We get revenue because the property still goes back to the school, but when they sell it, they still make money off of it. So, we need that money to go back
121to our schools and education, >> right? And we and we did say that we wanted that we did talk about it um as a topic for a joint meeting. So, that's >> okay. >> That was it. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Did that provide clarity for you? >> Does that answer your question? >> Not quite, but I know there's there's more to it than than what we really there. It's not something that currently exists. >> It's not something that currently exists. >> It's some uh we we hadn't I had not heard that term before. We had not used it. So, I'm still trying to figure but I also uh >> I brought it up think we need to concentrate on what we're going to be doing when we meet with the city council and it
122should be sooner than later. And we >> we haven't come to that target date yet. >> Okay. U and these are the questions because we have expectations and of course the city council has their expectations also. >> So I'm going to ask the board a question in terms of the plans presented knowing that we have to take action this month. Do you have any thoughts on the plans that are presented? be honest with you. I have to >> Yeah, I got to digest it. >> Look over that. >> I got to look over that. >> Okay. I I I was just trying to take a pulse. >> Yeah. We need to come up with our own plan. We have more invested in our children than anybody else does. Well, I know I do. So, I
123believe we need to come up with our own plan. We can look at the plans they have put together, but I really think we need to come up with our own plan. take this home and really read through it and >> Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> And I I like how you have it all >> the options. I appreciate >> chair. >> Yes, sir. >> Just want you to have a recognize me. Um so, no. Um I I need definitely need time to digest it, look over it, talk with my constituents um about it, see what is the best options for all of Northfor public schools. Um ain't no post on it right now. It's just it's >> that's completely fair. I just I just wanted to see where >> I did want to get
124a followup on are we still getting the bus tours to go to the proposed schools that were closed as well. >> Yes. So um I and I'm not sure I had asked Mr. Cloud about how we could organize that if how we could announce it. Got it. >> So we had we had made arrangements for this actually tomorrow and Saturday but we can push it back to we were trying to do a Thursday Saturday Thursday Saturday. Gotcha. uh with you know five you know one through five then six through 10 then six through 10 one through five so if you could do a Thursday easier you can do both Thursdays or Saturdays so we organized I'm just waiting to see how we have to publicly announce that >> other questions >> but I will say
125one just one last thing I I definitely agree with um with board member Thomas on what she's saying we we need to look at these. If these don't work, we need to come together as a board, go into that room, and we don't come out until we make a sound decision that's going to be a solid investment for North Public Schools. And we all took accountability for that because this is a generational change that we have to do in our city, and we've now been called to do it. >> Any other questions for Mr. St? Thank you. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Thank you, Mr. Sts. >> Any further discussion? >> All right. >> I'm going to suggest city, >> Madam Chair. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Oh, I'm going to suggest that we take
126a 10-minute recess before before we and reconvene in 10 minutes. >> You have a question? Well, >> so so just want to be clear on our next steps regarding this. So we're, you know, we have four options that they've laid out for us. We also are talking about alternative options beyond what they've provided for us. We're gonna need to have um time to come together and discuss and work through what that is, what that looks like. What are some other things, you know, asurances that we also want to have included like come together as a board collectively to to hash that out. And you know, it's either we are moving some of this to an October work session and delaying or we are having an additional meeting in between now and when we're expected to
127currently take a vote. >> I would say that we need to have a we need to we need to organize a special call meeting. >> Okay. >> Between now and when we're we are set to vote. Um, do we want to look at schedules right now? >> Just send it out an email. >> You want me to send out an email? All right, I'll send that out tonight. >> Well, you know, we have next Wednesday, so that's a possible >> All right, let's tentatively say next Wednesday, but I will send out a an email this evening um to further but I do think we need about a 10-minute recess um before we go on to our next topic. So I am calling for them. [Music] Let's restart and we're moving on to agenda item 3.2
128discussion of superintendent qualifications. Um posted on board docs and sent to the board over the weekend is norannouncement_2025_draft.cx. So if board members want to take a second to pull that up, you can you have it in your email or you can grab it through board docs. >> Question. >> Yes. >> Were there any changes submitted to you? >> There's been no changes. >> Thank you. >> Okay. So it is posted up there. So this document, the VBSA gave us a draft document um as sort of a guide to create our superintendent announcement. This document has been updated based on feedback from the surveys and our listening sessions and was provided on Saturday to the board for review. I did not receive any comments or suggestions at that time. Um, but I do um want to
129make sure that we take an adequate look at this today um if there are any concerns or changes that need to be made because I do need to send this or a version of this to VBSA tomorrow. Um so uh I would probably all this this data has been updated on the first page has been updated to reflect our current statistics. Um and you know the information on the city is given information about the division. I would probably say what we should focus on today is on the second page the sections titled the opportunity, the qualifications and the qualifications and also um I took a stab at the residency requirement because I felt and believe based on feedback from both the board and the community that we feel very strongly that um the person live
130in the city of Norfol. Um, so I will open it up for questions, comments at this point. If you say if you have no comments, you can also say that. But, uh, if you like it the way it is, you can also say that. >> I have no comments. >> Just Yeah. Seen it before. Just looking over it again. Just taking a look at it. Yeah. Um, Madame Chair, I I think you did, you know, I read through all the feedback that we got. Um, and I think you did a really great job at kind of, you know, making themes and and incorporating, uh, all, you know, a lot of it, if not all of it, you know, um, into into the I guess I guess it's called the the opportunity section. Um, so, um,
131I don't have any any other changes to that. Anything, Dr. Warren? >> No, I think it's good. >> No changes on my end. >> And any more comments? >> Miss Thomas, you need another minute? Now, do we need a motion on this? >> Okay. >> So, I guess my only Oh, >> I just sent a comment. I guess like this is very small where you have on page one um under the division um you have courageous advocacy for all students maybe data driven personalized learning for all students or >> that is data driven personalized learning you wanted to say for that to say for all students >> that's our mission statement that is currently >> this is how it's okay then never mind that's fine >> I guess it's the same for staff as well
132right So it it's broader than students. Okay. I just think not. Thanks. I know like I I went back and looked at the submission statement. It was uh for residence requirement. I I did put residency in the city of Norfolk is required within six months of job commencement to give them time to move to the city if they are coming from elsewhere. >> That's pretty standard. I definitely agree with it. Okay. >> I mean, everything everything looks in order, madam ch. >> All right. >> Excellent job. >> All right. So, >> our next leader. >> Yeah, >> that was much easier than I thought it was. >> Just clarifying next steps. So, after tonight, >> they will be sent to uh Gina at VSBA. >> Okay. And the job posting will go up >> September
1338th Monday. Okay. >> And then we will get we will get applications as they come in. >> Okay. >> And we are meeting with BSBA on October 9th. We have that in the timeline. >> Right. >> Um and uh so we'll go from there. >> Okay. And are we do we do we currently and I'm sorry I didn't look to see do we currently have a section on our website about the superintendent search where all the stuff is going to be posted just so people know where we are in the process >> there a timeline >> there is a timeline it is posted under board docs >> yeah and that that >> we can make sure that that gets posted on the website as well >> December 15th is >> my recommendation is once we
134send this to VSB madam chair >> um once we um send this to VSBA. We make sure that this is amplified um out on all platforms along with also the um documents as well so that um so everyone knows that we we're searching. >> Okay. >> All right. Oh, great. with the with the timeline with it. I think that's just the biggest thing just so the community will know where we're at. >> Right. >> And I'm gonna go get Miss Swim. Just one second. >> She's in here already. >> Miss Tanner. >> Yeah. >> Oh, hey. >> All right. Now, I'd like to move on to agenda topic 3.03, Advanced Strategies Legislative Update with Miss Emily Webb. >> Good evening, everybody. Good evening. >> I do apologize. My allergies are acting up. Um but I
135have taken some Claritin today and hopefully we'll be able to get through this. Um so I know that you have these documents um in board docs, but I do have hard copies for anybody who may want them. >> Want a hard copy? >> Thank you. >> All right, Oprah, you get a copy. You get a copy. should there are plenty of copies for everybody. I know I'm still old school and I have a hard time looking at documents for too long >> on on a computer. >> So, good evening everybody. It's a pleasure to be with you all um as we begin preparations for the 2026 General Assembly session. >> We're good. Oh, you do, >> Tiffany. >> Um, I know that school uh just started and January may seem far off, but we do
136have a lot of work ahead of us between now and then to prepare for the 26 general assembly session and to work with the Norfick delegation as they also prepare for the 26th session. Let's see this >> where do I point? >> Is it on on the side? >> Point towards me. point towards you. >> Okay, board. >> It is it is on. >> While you get that straight, I was talking with um our um alternative um representative and had a conversation. So, she does not know exactly what you do and I think for the them just now coming on, can you explain to them what your role is and how you support North Public Schools? >> Absolutely. Um, so I represent Norphick public schools uh at the Virginia General Assembly and before executive branch
137agencies in Richmond. Um, you know, oftent times there are a number of different priorities that, uh, the school board wants to get across in Richmond. Um, and they can't be in Richmond full-time. When session, um, starts, it is either a 45day or 60-day legislative session. Um, and it moves very quickly and although the board does come and visit from time to time, I'm there. >> Okay, perfect. Um, I'm there to represent their priorities and their interest uh before the Norfick delegation um to make sure I'm communicating back with the board what's happening in Richmond because again, it does happen at a very quick pace. Um, this coming year, it's actually a budget cycle. uh we have a bienial budget here in Virginia and so there will be a new budget and obviously there's been a
138lot of concerns around what the economic forecast may look like and so I'm there to make sure that Norfolk Public Schools is adequately represented uh in front of our legislators. So and happy to answer questions along the way as well. All right, let's see. Um so you do have three documents in front of you this evening and they're also available in board docs. Um, that's the 2026 legislative timeline with some important dates, a track changes version of your legislative program, and an outline of a 2026 legislative priorities document for your consideration. I will walk through each of those documents this evening and look forward to receiving your feedback on both the legislative program as well as the legislative priorities document. I will note you should have seen the legislative program before. That is not a
139new document. It's something you all have been working on over the last couple of years. Um and honestly is in very good shape. Uh the legislative priorities document is a new document that we are going to be working with you all to put together to make sure that we are highlighting those top priorities. The program is the lengthier document. Um, this is the highlights that we most want um to focus on for you all in Richmond. So, why are these documents important? They help me tell your story and help you tell your story with general assembly members and executive branch agencies. And especially as we're going to be having a new governor, lieutenant governor, and potentially attorney general, um it's going to be important that we help tell that story in Richmond. Um, these documents
140will highlight the unique needs of Norfick public schools and share the good work in progress that is happening here. We'll use them to provide highle update on your strategic plan and goals. And most importantly, they will clearly articulate your authority and the resources you need to meet the needs of your students and your community. So, there are several important dates that I do want to highlight for you all. Um, after today's work session, I will work over the next few weeks to incorporate all of your feedback into a final draft for approval at your October 15th meeting. Uh, you will receive that final draft by October 1st so that you have ample time to review uh in advance of that October 15th meeting. Following your approval, um, I will work with Dr. poll and the
141comm's team here to make any final designed um edits that need to be done for that document so that we have it ready for your legislative event that you're going to host on November 13th. Um it's going to be really important that we have that document ready to share with them so that they understand the full legislative program as well as any priorities that we want to put forward. Um general assembly members can begin pre-filing legislation on November 17th. So the the event that you're going to have with them on the 13th is going to be very timely. I know that there's been some concerns in the past on the timing of that and so we are definitely on the front end to get them this information in advance of that pre-filed deadline. And then
142Governor Yncan will be presenting his outgoing budget proposal on December 17th uh following his announcement coupled with the money committee treats which is the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee in November. we should have a good picture of Virginia's economic forecasts and the potential impacts that any federal decision-making is having on Virginia's budget because it is a budget year. Um, this the 2026 session will begin on January 14th and it will be a long session. And so it will last 60 days, which in the moment feels really long, but is really a very short amount of time considering they typically take up about 3,000 bills and have to do the bienial budget from scratch. Um, you know, couple that again with a new incoming governor who will likely want to make
143changes um to Governor's Ynan, Governor Yncan's proposed budget. Um, it's going to be very fast-paced and a lot happening in Richmond. Um any budget amendment requests are going to be due by 5:00 pm on Friday, January 16th. Um so that's something for us to consider if you all do have any budget amendment requests that we're going to need to get in. And then that next day on January 17th, Virginia will inaugurate new statewide elected officials for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general. Um as always, I will continue to update on any changes to this timeline or any new dates that will pop up. Uh fortunately they have already put out the procedural calendar. So all of the timeline dates um for when things are due with session are are set in stone right now. Any
144questions? No. All right. Um so switching gears to your 2026 legislative program. Um, as I mentioned earlier, thanks to your hard work over the last few years, um, with guidance of Kathy Burcher and Lauren Gilbert, your legislative program is very comprehensive and in very strong shape. Um, you know, I don't have any substantive sweeping edits that I am suggesting. Um, the proposed edits that I have suggested are technical updates to improve consistency, clarity, and flow. Um, I've also removed or updated outdated language and for ease of your review, I've also done all those proposed changes in track changes so that you can easily see them. Um, I will note that on page six under the equitably supporting every student category, I did create buckets. Um, previously it was a very long list of legislative positions.
145And as I'm thinking about legislators who may be reading through this, um, oftentimes you have to figure out how to capture their attention really quickly. And so I did create buckets that categorize, uh, your positions within that category. Um, and so hopefully those are helpful and again just kind of create some some more clarity and flow of your positions. Um, additional edits will be needed to include a progress report on your strategic plan and outcome focused goals. We have not uh started working with the Norfk staff on that yet, but will over the next couple of weeks. Um, and so those edits will be made in advance um of receiving that October 1st copy for your 15th meeting. Um, and so at this time, I am happy to uh welcome any questions or additional feedback
146regarding proposed edits or additions to the legislative program. I'm also happy to to walk through it again because you have seen this before and I am not suggesting any substantive edits. Um, I didn't put every single uh technical edit on the screen, but happy to to answer any questions or walk through that as uh you all think would be helpful. Madam Chair. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Um, thank you so much for this. I I do really like the technical edits that you made to the program. Um, my question is around Well, I have two questions really around the legislative priorities. Um, so I noticed the support cap was not listed here explicitly. like is there um I guess want to hear what you're sure that >> um so obviously this year um there there was
147some uh funding put towards the support cap um and so I believe what I did um >> it's in the program but yeah >> yes yeah and that's so I have put together and and I will get to the priorities and kind of talk a little bit more about that but um for those priorities priorities. I have put together what I think are going to be um some of the hot topics that legislators are going to be um you know putting forward legislation on putting budget amendments um in things that we think um you know either one of the gubernatorial candidates may support for instance um talking about the 1% increase of sales tax dedicated to school construction and modernization. >> Can you go to the next slide? Sure. That would be helpful to have
148that up. And if it if it's helpful, I'll go ahead and go through the priorities just to give a little bit more background there. >> I think that would be great. Yeah. >> Take us to it. >> Okay. Um so you may be wondering why do you need a priorities document if you already have this comprehensive legislative program? And as I mentioned earlier, um th this document is going to highlight your top issues for this legislative session in a format that is clear, concise, and easy for legislators to review quickly during the fast pace of session. Uh we will use this document not only to communicate with the Norfick delegation but also with key committee members because you know there there are going to be committees that I'm going to be participating in on your
149behalf such as the house the education committees the finance and appropriations committees um where we are going to need legislators from across the state to make sure they understand what Norfolk's priorities are um as well as the the incoming administration. And so this will serve as a focused practical communications tool to ensure that your highest priorities are front and center in all of our advocacy efforts. Um, as I mentioned, the outline here are suggested priorities based on anticipated legislation and areas of focus that we expect from general assembly members this year, particularly those that could positively impact public education. But ultimately these priorities are your priorities and so I am happy to make any edits, additions, subtractions that you all see fit. Um and so with that um going back to the support cap um
150one of the things and we um actually got an update from the governor on where the budget stands right now in August. Um and hopefully you all received that update. Um, you know, things are uh our economic forecast is looking better than expected, but we are still anticipating um a fair amount um of impact based on federal decision-making, you know, especially around Medicaid cuts um and the state having to pick up some of those. And so, as I think I mentioned to you all last time I was here, I do think public education in general, not just Norfick, but public education in general, um, is going to be on a little bit of a defense mode because of all of the competing priorities. It is also a rebenchmarking year. And so, there's already going to
151be an influx of money. Granted, delayed money because we were in that two-year cycle, uh, two year using two-year-old data. Um so you know trying to balance what I anticipate as far as budget is concerned was one of the considerations I had. Um but if that is still a top priority for you all we can certainly add that in. >> I know Dr. Paul do you have thoughts on that? >> Let's see. >> I mean we've we've had it on there for a while. We have >> um I you know I I do like Miss Webb. I like the I like like the one pager aspect that you're talking about pulling out and making it this is obviously what we want. >> Um I think you know administratively my recommendation would be that you know
152give this group about a week with a document to be able to bounce back a week or two to bounce back ideas on that and >> giving them two weeks actually. >> There we go. Um, but you know, I I I think, you know, of course I'm in support I'm in support of it, but at the same time, I want to make sure that our our top priorities and the board's top priorities are really highlighted. >> So, if if that's not in the top anymore, then that's a conversation we have. I think we keep it in our program for sure because it's an area we want to be. But, >> Right. And I'll also note that um you know as bills come up if it's in your legislative program I'm going to go advocate on
153your behalf. Um you know and so just because something may not be on the priorities document doesn't mean I'm going to be like oh well it's not a priority. It is it is still going to be something that we're focusing on. Um and so again totally your decision on whether to put the support cap in. Again there has been some progress made. um you know they haven't gone to that prevailing practice methodology yet which I know is something that we would like to get into the support cap to kind of have it fully be removed um you know but I do know the general assembly has made investments um you know in recent years and we hope to continue to make those investments because we know that they're very far behind where they need to
154be. >> Yeah. any comments or questions that we all know what our homework is. >> I'll go to I'll go to next steps. Um so I would ask that you share any additional feedback or edits on the legislative program and the priorities document by Friday, September 19th. Um, I can be flexible on that date a little bit, but don't want to get too close to that October one to make sure that I get that product in as final form as I can for you all in advance um of your October meeting. Um, again, we'll circulate that uh revised final draft on October 1 so that you have a little bit of time to review it in advance of your October 15th meeting. Um, and then we'll work with the team to finalize it if you
155do ultimately give your approval at the October 15th meeting. >> Right. Very good. >> Any questions? >> All right. >> Yeah. Happy to answer student questions, too. >> Okay. Thank you guys so much. I appreciate it. >> Thank you. Now we're moving on to agenda item 3.04, policy discussion. Dr. Paul. >> Thank you. Good afternoon everybody. Uh Madam Chair, Mr. Calero, vice chair, Miss Thomas. Um this afternoon there are a total of 12 policies being presented for your review in addition to the 15 policies that are second reading. So I'm not going to go over the 15 again because those were reviewed at the last um work session. So there are a couple I want to bring your attention to um that have more than just minor language um they have uh or legal or
156cross cross reference updates. So first is policy IGBAZ. Um this adds language to support updates to Virginia code. These updates include language added around postsecary transition support services support during emergency situations and evacuations and parental notifications of dual enrollment rights and obligations. Uh, and this one usually with student policies that have changes, we um recommend them for a second reading. So, this one's recommended for a second reading as well. Uh, the next one is JCFM, previously known with us with as um JXX. It is personal electronic devices. Um, this policy has been rewritten to align with the BSBA policy, the model policy for electronic devices. As as most the board recalls, um we had to create our own policy for this when the law came into effect for January 1 last year. Um so this
157policy now aligns with the official law changes created and follows the same ideals as the policy created by NPS that was passed in January and the regulations that are required are are they continue they don't need to be rewritten because those are how we implement the policy which is staying the same. KA adds language around regularly evaluating programs uh for for maintaining open channels of communications and good relations with stakeholders. Um although this is evaluated within the superintendent's non-negotiables within the policy review committee, we did have discussions about revisiting um how that's done and making sure that it's in line with our practices and in line with policy requirements. So that'll come in the future. Um, KBA adds language uh to the requirement of FOYA training for FOYA officers within NPS and this includes happening
158within a reasonable amount of time of when they're appointed um and then once every two years following uh their appointment as a foye officer. KGD this is a new policy required by a new law on notifying parents and guardians of any school connected overdose within 24 hours. It does clearly define school connected within the policy that if it's a field trip or an athletic event or a club or on at school during school hours um that's how it becomes school connected. KQ adds language required through Virginia code in relation to any partnership or sponsorship where they have direct contact with students. They must certify they have not been convicted of any violent felony or crime of moral turpitude. And if you remember last month we went over that moral turpitude phase was in a lot
159of new policies. This follows that legal update as well. Uh and then finally, LC, um these are updates on the process of initiating, reviewing, and accepting a charter school proposal. Um so those are our major updates for this, uh policy term, and we still have a couple more on the books that um we'll be bringing forward that we're just doing a little bit more review on. So I'll pause it any questions or comments that you might have. And again, these are all VSBA recommended uh changes that are that are being put forward. >> Dr. Paul, >> could you could you restate which policies are going to be um up for first and second reading? >> Um so the only ones for second reading are uh JCFM and IGBAZ. >> Okay, that's what I thought. Okay,
160thank you. >> My pleasure. All right. >> Thank you everybody. >> Thank you Dr. >> My pleasure. >> All right. We are now moving on to enter the topic item 3.05 future agenda items. I will open that up to the board. Are the requested future agenda items? We do have the Virginia Literacy Act >> that we have already noted as a future agenda item. >> Is there anything anybody would like to add at this time or be considered? Okay. All right. Agenda item 3.06. Can I get a motion to go into closed executive session? >> I move that we go into executive close session. >> Second. >> Uh, Miss Moore Buffalo has brought forward the motion and Dr. Martin has seconded the motion. Is there any discussion prior to the vote? All right. Miss Tanner,
161please call the role. move that members of the school board of the city of Norfolk go into a closed meeting for the purposes which are set out in subsection A of section 2.2-3711 of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act as amended for discussion consideration or interviews of respective candidates for employment assignment appointment promotion performance demotion salaries disciplining or resignation of specific public officers appointees or employees of the school board pursuant to subsection 2.2-3 2-3711A1 of the act. The subject covered by this exemption is the discussion of persons and personal actions including for vote on today's personal report in consultation with legal counsel and briefing by staff members pertaining to actual or probable litigation or regarding specific legal matters requiring a provision of legal advice by council pursuant to subsections 2.2- 3711 A78 of the act.
162The subjects covered by the exemption are cons consultation and briefing concerning school board policies and regulations prohibiting discrimination and the matter set above in subsection A of this motion. Bassine >> I >> Buffalo >> I >> Martin >> I >> Pollson >> I >> Thomas >> Caligerro >> I [Music]