001Heat. Hey, Heat. Keep it up. Good evening everyone. I >> Good evening. I call the Wednesday, March 11th, 2026 meeting of the Hampton City School Board to order. Miss Penny, will you please call the role? >> Miss Afanja >> here. >> Miss Cherry. >> Dr. Banks Gray >> here. >> Mr. Samuels, >> present. >> Mr. Kilgore, >> Dr. Woodhouse >> here. >> Dr. Mason >> here. Let the record reflect that all board members are present and accounted for with the exception of Miss Cherry and Mr. Kilgore who had previously arranged travel and we knew that they were not going to be here at this meeting. At this time we'll move to our opening and I'm going to turn the meeting over to our student rep, Sage Holden. >> Hello. Today we have Miss Amelia Black,
002a fourth grade student at Armstrong School for the Arts leading us in the pledge. Amelia, please stand. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. I understand that you have something prepared today. Mhm. >> Can you share that with us? >> Dare to dream by Wendy Silva. Close your eyes and let your imagination fly away. See a picture of where you wish to be one day. Let the colors of your heart take command to paint the picture of your dream and place it in your hand. Hold on tightly and nurture it, but allow it room to grow. When you reach your dream, open your hand and let it go.
003Close your eyes and search for another. Can for it as before. Never stop searching, achieving, and letting go. For that's what dreams are for. >> Thank you. That was beautiful. Can you tell us who you have with you today? >> My mom, dad, brother, grandparents, Miss Grandon, Dr. Suggs, Miss Puveracus, >> and feel free to stand to be recognized. Thank you so much. >> Any questions or comments from board members, >> Amelia? What What's your favorite subject? >> Um either social studies, reading, or lunch. >> You had me at lunch. I'm with you on that one. All right. Anything else? >> No, I I just want to thank you uh Dr. Mason share with Amelia that I know your dad. Um personally, he and I uh coached uh soccer u for several years together. So,
004where is your brother? >> I don't see him. >> There he is. >> Oh, I I didn't re recognize it because of the hat. Well, thank you so much, Miss Amelia. You did a great job. >> Thank you. >> All right. Yes. Thank you so much and thank you all for sharing her with us. I know it's a very nice day outside and she could have been anywhere else anywhere else besides at a school board meeting. So, thank you all. All right, we're going to move along with the next item on the agenda, adoption of tonight's agenda 1.03. What's the pleasure of the board? >> Mr. Chair, >> I move that we adopt tonight's agenda as presented. >> I second. It's been properly moved by Mr. Fan and seconded by Mr. Samuels that we approve
005tonight's agenda as presented. Any discussion? Miss Penny, will you please call the vote? >> Miss Afanja >> I. >> Dr. Banks Gray >> I. >> Mr. Samuels >> I. >> Dr. Woodhouse >> I. >> Dr. Mason >> I. Motion carries. All right. It takes us to to item number two, uh, recognitions, and I'll turn it over to Miss Gorl. >> All right, let me adjust the mic a little bit. Usually, I'm the one that's pulling the mic down, but that made me feel a little taller for once. All right, thank you, Chair Dr. Mason, Vice Chair, Miss Jackson Aanja, members of our school board, Superintendent Dr. Haynes, and members of the Hampton City Schools family. Tonight, we'll be recognizing some middle school student athletes. So at this time I'm going to ask Miss Aanja would
006you please proceed to the microphone at center stage to assist with recognitions. All right. So this evening we are going to celebrate our middle school girls and boys volleyball champions. Um neither team who are strangers to this board. And we're gonna go ahead and begin with our girls championship team. So would coach Paula Larson and Amy Gonzalez and their girls team from Kilgore Gifted Center please join me down front beside the podium. And yes, we can give them a little round of applause and say y'all been here before. You know the routine. Come on. You stop right in front of Dr. Kajiano. There you go. Right there. Perfect. Stay on this side so they can see you. Perfect. All right. So, we are proud to recognize our Kilgore gifted center girls volleyball team who claimed
007the middle school championship for the 2025 2026 school year, which is their third consecutive year in a row. Yes. Big round of applause. So, under the leadership of coaches Larson and Gonzalez, the girls team triumphed over Sims Middle School. They won the first set 25 to 15 and the second set 25 to 16. And I believe I know a little bit about volleyball. So, because you won your first two sets, you did not have to go to a third set. Correct. There we go. So, let's give them a round of applause. I'm gonna turn it over to Miss Aanja. All right. You all can if you want to everyone. We're going to ask that the team members and the coach please join me on stage. >> I can line up right here. On behalf of
008our chair, Dr. Mason, the Hampton School Board, and Superintendent Dr. Haynes, I am honored to present the certificate and banner to the coaches and coins to each of the players and coaches. And the certificate reads, certificate of achievement from the Hampton City School Board. Congratulations. Proudly presented to girls middle school volleyball 2025 2026 champions, Kilgore Gifted Center. signed today, March 11th, by our superintendent, Raymond Haynes, and our chairman, Dr. Mason. So, we're going to unroll the banner for you guys. If you can take one one, take the other. Y'all can unroll it so everybody can see. And each student also gets a coin. Nice. >> Coach Larson, Coach Gonzalez, would you all like to say a few words? >> One of you. >> Um, thank you very much. Um, first of all, I want to
009thank our administrative team, uh, Mr. Lawrence, Miss Hawk Williams. Um, Coach Gonzalez, um, thanks. I'm We somehow we do it. We work it out. Um, the girls are amazing. Um, they come ready to play. They've done a great job. I also want to thank our students and staff who, uh, just come out and support us and we couldn't be more grateful. And of course the parents who, um, get them to every practice, support us at the games, support us throughout the season. So, um, thank you so much. Appreciate it. And while she's getting that picture, before these young ladies return to their seats, would any administrators, parents, family members, or any other guests that are gathered here tonight to support these young people please stand and be recognized? Thank you all for coming. All right.
010Thank you so much. Spring sports has started. So, a lot of our um volleyball, middle school uh boys and girls are at other practices right now. >> Congratulations. >> All right. Congratulations, ladies. >> So, next we'd like to recognize our middle school boys volleyball champions. So would Coach Jacobs and his student athletes from the Jones Boys Middle School volleyball team please join me down at the podium. And they also know the routine. This is not their first time. Y'all want to stop at the end of the table? Perfect. Right there's good. Y'all can stop right here. That way. Perfect. All right, so we are going to recognize our boys middle school volleyball champions. So for the boys side with coach George Jacobs at the helm, Jones Magnet Middle School emerged victorious against Kilgore Gifted Center.
011They went to three sets. They had a score of 2519 for Kilgore, 13 to 25 for Jones, and then 13- 15 for Jones to be named that 2526 middle school boys volleyball champions. Let's give them a round of applause. And before they join Miss Afan up on stage, it's important to note when I said, you know, they've they've done this before, not once, not twice, but there's this is your third consecutive win. Correct. >> Not consecutive, but third. Hey, >> two back-to-back undefeated, but three champions. So, I think that's still a huge accomplishment. If you all would go ahead upstage for by Miss You're welcome. All right. On behalf of our chair, Dr. Mason, the Hampton School Board, and Superintendent Dr. Haynes, I am honored to present this certificate and banner to the coaches and
012coins to each of the players and coaches. And the certificate reads certificate of achievement from the Hampton City School Board. Congratulations. Proudly presented to boys Middle School volleyball 2025 2026 champions, Jones Magnet Middle School. And it is signed today, March 11th, by our superintendent, Dr. Raymond Haynes, and the chairman of our board, Dr. Richard Mason. >> Coach Jacobs, would you like to say a few words, please? this one down. >> I would just like to say um thank you to all the parents, thank you to my admin team, uh Miss Edwards as well for supporting us this season. Um to my eighth graders, um good luck moving forward in your high school careers. Um sixth and seventh graders, we got a lot of work to get back on the stage again next year. Thank you
013so much for a great season. >> All right, before before we recognize the parents and administrators and other guests, we'd like to take a moment to acknowledge Mr. Richard Fortune, who is our Hampton City Schools director of athletics, for his dedication to the middle school sports program. Mr. Fortune, would you stand to be recognized? Now, with all the parents and family members and administrators and any guests in attendance who are here tonight to support these young men and coaches, please stand to be recognized. Awesome. Congratulations once again to our Kilgore girls and Jones boys for their championship wins. >> All right, let's give them a big round of applause as they're exiting the stage. Congratulations, guys. >> And Dr. Dr. Mason, that actually concludes this evening's recognitions. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you so
014much. Any comments from board members? >> All right. Congratulations, everyone. Moving on to tonight's consent agenda. Item number 3, 3.01, personnel report 26-5 3.02, minutes of the regular school board meeting of March 4th, 2026. What's the pleasure of the board? >> Mr. Chair, I move approval of the consent agenda as presented. >> Second. All right. It's been properly moved by Dr. Banks Austin Banks Gray. I know Banks Austin. Dr. Banks Gray and seconded by Mr. Aona that we approve tonight's consent agenda as presented. Any discussion? All right. Miss Penny, will you please call uh call for the vote? >> Miss Sanja. >> I. >> Dr. Banks Gray. >> I. >> Mr. Samuels. >> I. >> Dr. Woodhouse. I, >> Dr. Mason. >> I motion carries. All right. Next up is superintendent and staff reports item
015number four. And I'll turn the meeting over to Dr. Haynes. >> Thank you, Chair Mason, Vice Chair Jackson Afan, members of the board, vision leadership team in the Hampton community. For this evening's presentation, Dr. Jennifer Thomasson, director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment will present the proposed school calendar and the 2728 planning calendar. Dr. Thomasson. Good evening, Chairman Dr. Mason, Vice Chair, Miss Jackson Aana, members of the board, Superintendent Dr. Haynes, and members of the Hampton community. I am Dr. Jennifer Thomasson, your director of curriculum instruction and assessment. And our goal this evening is to review the 2627 recommended calendar and take a sneak peek at the 2728 draft calendar. We're building the suspense. Stay tuned. In front of you, you should also have a copy of the proposed 2627 as well as a draft 2728.
016So, what we worked to accomplish this year was really three-fold. To recommend a two-year calendar that supports continuous improvement of student achievement um as well as professional learning for employees. We reviewed feedback on the 2627 as well as a 2728 draft calendars and then also to continue to support the regional school calendar agreement to the greatest extent possible. We had several people on our committee including parents, teachers, support personnel, administrators, and division leadership. We would like to give a special shout out to those committee members who were an integral part of this process, some of which may be here with us this evening. I would also like to give a special shout out to Miss Kelly Gorl who is my partner on leading this committee. There were several important factors to consider when creating the
017calendar. They include developing a calendar that includes code of Virginia requirements as well as school division recommendations and considerations, exploring instructional impact and exploring the regional impact with new horizons in our neighboring divisions. And then providing for school closing due to severe inclement weather, professional learning and growth, parent teacher conferences, school learning plan related activities, teacher workday and breaks. Here you can see the process that we followed to develop the calendar. We incorporated the regional calendar decisions. We solicited feedback from the calendar team which who provided feedback through through several meetings. We received and reviewed feedback from HS staff, parents, community members, PTA, HA members as well as reviewed the recommended calendar with the division leadership team. Based on the feedback, we made minor adjustments in which we will go over shortly. As a committee,
018our priorities include meeting requirements set forth in Virginia code, front-loading instructional days for student achievement, meeting stakeholders preferences, remaining consistent from year to year, ensuring at least one banked student instructional day, and providing teachers with adequate time needed for professional learning and instructional planning. So, the 2627 calendar highlights. The first day of school for the 2627 school year will be Monday, August 24th. Thanksgiving break will be full a full 3-day break scheduled for November 25th through the 27th. Winter break is also a full two weeks and one day December 21st through January 4th for students and then two full weeks for staff as January 4th as occurred this year will become a teacher workday to allow teachers time to prepare for welcoming students back and we had heard resounding feed positive feedback from this year.
019Spring break will remain the first full week of April which will be April 5th through April 9th and the final day of school will be Wednesday June 9th with graduations occurring the 10th, 11th and 12th. So, some things that stay the same as our current calendar. We still have the Tuesday, November 3rd as election day, as a conference day for classroom teachers. Um, and then we also maintain closure on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, those two full uh full weeks at winter break, a teacher workday following the winter break, and then a teacher work day January 25th. Some other things that really stay the same as the previous calendar. maintaining the professional development day on January 26, the teacher workday professional development day in March, the spring break as the first full week of April, and
020continuing to build in elementary teacher planning days. So, what's new to the 2627 calendar? For this 2627 calendar, we updated the elementary planning day on October 9th to include secondary teachers as well. In hearing from our stakeholders, it was important to add our secondary teachers to the elementary planning day in October to make it a planning day for all levels. This helps to alleviate the concern raised by our secondary teachers as to planning time within that first quarter as well as alleviate some of the attendance concerns we have heard in relation to elementary plan days from families. And then a sneak peek at the 2728 draft calendar. It's almost identical to the 2627 proi provides that one banked instructional day. advises that any additional missed days will be made up at the discretion of the
021superintendent. Includes one early close day for all students and HS employees. That's the Friday before Memorial Day. Includes two full weeks uh for winter break. Maintains the spring break as the first full week in April. Denotes Monday, August 23rd as the first day of school with Wednesday, June 7th as a last day and then with Thursday, June 8th being the last day for teachers. Of course, we will continue meet be meeting with the calendar committee in the 2627 school year to receive feedback and make any necessary updates to this 2728 draft in order to present the proposed version in March of 2027 to you all. At this time, I would be happy to address any questions. >> Thank you so much. Any questions from board members? >> Yes, Chairman Mason. I just have one question
022as it relates to the the one bank day. >> Yes. >> I know previously we had uh two banks day, two bank days. >> Yes. >> And so why is there a change to just having one bank day um next school year? >> Yes. So that one bank day, the two from the one. So in order to really accommodate um increasing that planning time for our secondary teachers as well, we were able to use that one bank day. We also have realized this year that we have gotten really really great at uh providing remote instruction during that inclement weather day. So we haven't really had to use actually at all this year knocking wood in case there's any snow coming um this year. So we're prepared, you know, really prepared in the case that that
023comes up again. >> And and thank you for sharing that. Um doc, my second um comment is the adding the secondary teachers to the um to the the the teacher workday because that is very um that was very confusing especially um not confusing but that was a challenge for families that have children in secondary and elementary school having to make sure that they work with daycare providers and so forth. So I'm glad that the committee um took that into cons into into consideration and making sure that we have some uniformity across the division. So thank you for that. >> Absolutely. Thank you. >> All right. Any other questions, comments? >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you so much, >> Mr. Chair. That concludes superintendent and staff reports. >> All right. So next up is
024in for deliberation 5.01 2627 school calendar and 20 2027 20 2028 planning calendar 5.02 superintendent proposed budget fiscal year 2026 2027 and 5.03 recommended student fee schedule fiscal year 2026 2027. And so we just heard um in reference to the school calendar from the um calendar committee. So we're going to move along. I don't think anyone has developed any questions between the report and deliberation. So we're going to continue along. Right. >> Okay. >> All right. All right. So now 5.02 superintendent's proposed budget. Any questions or comments from board member? Come on up, Miss Branch. Come on up to the mic. Any questions, comments, or anything regarding the um proposed budget? >> Just one question. Um, Miss Branch, um, have you heard any updates from U Richmond? >> Um, no new updates yet. Um, but
025I am awaiting that over the weekend. So, should have an update next Wednesday. >> Next Wednesday. All right. Any other comments or questions from board members? All right. Thank you very much. All right. Uh 5.03 recommended student fee schedule for fiscal year 2026 2027. Any comments regarding the fee schedule for Miss Branch. All right. >> Thank you. Okay. Moving along. Items for action. 6.01 01 certification of the closed session from March the 4th, 2026 and 6.02 the school improvement grant update. What's the pleasure of the board? >> Mr. Chair, I moved that we approve um items for action 6.01 and 6.02 as a block. >> I second it. >> That's been properly moved by Mr. Fona and seconded by Mr. Samuels that we approve items 6.01 and 6.02 as a block. Any discussion from board
026members? All right, Miss Penny, will you please call for the vote? >> Miss Aja, >> I. >> Dr. Banks, Gray, >> I. >> Mr. Samuels, >> I. >> Dr. Woodhouse, >> I. >> Dr. Mason, >> I. Motion carries. All right. That brings us to item number seven, hearing from the public. Um, on the recommended superintendent's proposed budget. >> No, sir. >> We do not have any comments. questions or anyone that wants to speak. So, we will move on to item number eight, 8.01, next meeting. We will continue along with our public hearing for um the proposed budget uh next week, March the 18th, right back here at Jones Magnet Middle School. And now item 8.02, other items for information. I'll start with our superintendent, Dr. Haynes. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. March is youth art
027month and just this past Tuesday, city hall hosted a reception for our elementary exhibit. This Saturday, March 14th, from 3 to 4:00 p.m., we will have our secondary exhibit and reception at Charles Taylor Visual Arts Center. Also on Saturday, March 14th, the very own the Hampton High School Crabers boys basketball team has earned a spot in the VHSL class 4 state championship game and will take on Hanley High School at 100 p.m. at the Virginia Commonwealth University Seagull Center. Tickets for the game $10 plus a $150 service fee and must be purchased at goofan.co. co gofan.co. Of course, best of luck to the Crabbers as they continue the exciting postseason run. On Wednesday, March 18th, Hampton City Schools will welcome all 9th grade students to the annual commitment to graduate. This meaningful tradition unites students,
028families, educators, and community partners in a collective pledge to support the class of 2029 throughout their high school journey. The event reinforces our shared goal that in just over three years, every student will return to the Hampton Coliseum, ready to cross the stage, equipped for career success, continued learning, and life beyond graduation, and reflecting the attributes of the portrait of a Hampton graduate. Our annual teacher of the year banquet will take place on Thursday, March 26. As we come together to honor the exceptional dedication and commitment of our teachers of the year, we look forward to celebrating these outstanding educators at Liberty Live Church. March 20th is designated as a teacher work day and professional development day. Students in all grades will not report to school that day. On Saturday, this past Saturday, March 7th,
029our very own Dr. Tina Banks Grey was recognized during the Ladies and Red Award show and concert. Every March, notably, which is National Women's History Month. This event is held to highlight and celebrate the exceptional women in our community. This event was held at the Downing Gross Cultural Arts Center in Newport News. So, please join me in congratulating Dr. banks grade on being selected as this year's board recipient. >> Well done. That concludesformational items from the superintendent, Mr. Chair. >> All right. Thank you so much. Any uh items for information from board members? >> Mr. Fra, >> I actually do have one item. Just wanted to encourage parents that the and this is about a month away, but Hampton City Schools will be sponsoring the um SEAK resource fair on April 14th. Um and we
030really are encouraging parents who have students with disabilities and all parents really to to come out to that. SEAK is our um special education advisory committee and that resource fair is extremely helpful and provides a lot of useful information to parents and to community members. Um it is April 14th from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. and it is at the Hampton City Schools Patriot Center at 1589 Wingfield Drive in Hampton. and I'll bring it up again in future meetings, but there is um we do want parents to register and so I wanted you all to have enough information and time to go online and register to attend. Um lots of parents are there and we already have about maybe 35 or so vendors that have signed up to be there to share very valuable information with
031our parents. And so I think it'd be really worth your while to attend. And lastly, um, as we were meeting today at SEAK, it was discussed that the we really need feedback from parents about the topics, um, and priorities that they have around our special education students so that we can plan next year's meetings and speakers and resources just so that we can cater to and and bring in information that the parents really need and desire. We don't want to be the ones coming up with the topics and bringing in the speakers all the time. We really want to hear from parents about what information will be useful for them and how um and what type of resources they'd like to have. And so we we really want to hear from you. You can email
032any priorities, thoughts you have about the special education advisory committee to SEAK and that's seac.k12.va. us and that's seak sacamp.k12.va us. We'd love to hear from you um and so that our future meetings can really be focused on what your priorities are and we we're really hoping for more attendance from our parents um who have students with disabilities. We'd love to see a lot more of you come out and participate in those meetings. Okay. Thank you. >> And thank you for that. That's some really good information. So, thank you. Anything else from other board members? >> Stephanie. >> All right. I'm going to ask our student rep, Sage Holden, if she has anything. But before she speaks, if she has anything, I do want to um comment. We had our governor um join us. And
033Sage did an awesome job. >> Awesome. >> An awesome job. Yes, they could not stop talking about the awesome job of our students and our ambassadors and clearly you represented um this board well as one of our student reps to the board. So, thank you very much. All right, but any comments for under um items for information? >> Um I just want to thank you for the recognition and thank Bethl High School administration for trusting in me for that opportunity. I'm very grateful and I'm grateful to represent Hampton City Schools in that manner. Thank you. >> Thank you. And I do your mom's out in the audience, too. So, >> all right. With no further information to be brought before this board, I declare this meeting ajourned. Heat. Heat.