001Okay. This December 15th, 2025 regular meeting of the Fairfax County School Board Engagement Committee will now come to order. Okay. So the first thing and you guys have seen in your office and you seen on your on the board Matt on board docks and the discussion about proclamations and the red lines where we were just trying to tighten up um the proclamation language. Um and just if you guys have any questions about that. Um I think one of the things that um we were that we thought about recently was how we that is not included here because we had a proclamation that I brought up which was the family engagement proclamation and how we have that proclamation that a board member brings up and how we make it a an annual proclamation like what are
002your thoughts about that like certain ones because we've never recognized our family engagement team and I kind of think that that's engagement our community family engagement should be annually recognized. >> Are there any proclam because one of the things that they did in in coming up with the list they currently have is they collapsed several into one etc. Are there any proclamations that it would feel natural for that one to be slotted into? That's where I would start. >> Yeah. I mean what we're going to do that but I'm sorry I'm not following the order but >> no but like where it would collapse I don't think that it would collapse into anything because it covers a lot so family engagement covers would cover like family liaison it also covers interpreters do >> we have
003the list of what is currently in there >> yes we'll pull that list Um, I will note that this isn't that proclamation. Another board member has also brought up needing to do an ISTY recognition which is separate from the proclamations. The recognition would be more like we do with BHSL um, and others and we don't do an ISTY recognition and they've asked about that too. I think Miss St. John Cunning, to your point, this goes to a broader question of do we need to look at the categories or what's included. >> I'd be in favor of that, but I don't have any of that material. So, if you look at Did you um >> That's a fun Whoa. >> I love the infinity screen. that includes proclamations and recognitions by month. >> Can you remind
004me what a recognition is? Recognitions are uh similar to proclamations, although the language is shorter. It's around 150 words. It's more like a paragraph, and it's for things like um VHSL, National Board Certified Teachers, U Purple Ribbon, >> um all of those. >> Okay. >> So, slightly uh truncated. What month is it that that is in >> We did it in was it November? I think it was it was November. >> The other question I don't know if we solved at the end of last pack was to add the one for the um community advisory committees as well that you did as one of your recognitions last year, Miss St. John Cunning. I don't remember if that was added and I'd have to check but I don't necessarily see it here. That was in July.
005Oh, no. It's there. Sorry. It's there. >> Yeah, Mr. Melvin brought that. >> Okay. >> The reason I'm trying to find something to insert it into is because we could literally have a hundred proclamations a year for every job classification. So, like I think it could go into the one that says school staff appreciation. Um, also that Yeah. Can you remind me what the name of it is again, Marcia? >> It was the family engagement. >> It was a community engagement. Family and community engagement is what it was. So it folded in like really our the whole office of um family and school partnerships and that includes family liaison that includes interpreters that includes our um our libraries the people that man those library centers um our community engagement reps that are out and registering
006people like about I think there's about 3,000 people that fall under that. I mean, I'm happy to to roll it into anything else. >> Can you put the I'm sorry. I was trying to see if there's any place else that would make sense. just a unique category that's all because we've got the hippie instructors as well and the family lit instructors. I mean, we could put it under staff because they're all staff and I know what you're saying. We could have Well, maybe we could think about this and the other one that was mentioned until the next meeting. >> Okay. >> And have ideas for how it could be included. I'm not opposed to adding one, but you know, >> well, and the process to I'm I wasn't >> the process to doing it is
007editing the governance manual, >> right? the process >> we would make a recommendation that would go to the full board and then >> okay >> they would approve it >> for any one that we wanted to add as an annual proposition >> any change >> okay okay >> I think you know >> the recommendation's been around February but we could talk to the board member who's brought it to our attention Um, >> yeah, we'll make a note to ask the board member who brought it to our attention as to when it would make the most sense. I think it was by February, so maybe September or December. December definitely has been an open time for us. Like we only you guys only have that one proclamation. Um, we have no proclamations coming up at the
008second December meeting. So, that's definitely has room. >> In advance of the next meeting, could we highlight on here the ones that are not tied specifically? Like if we've just chosen to call it that or whether there's like actually a recognized that work was done previously, it might >> Yeah, the one that is um we we went with this last round of edits, we went through and double checked everything. The one that is really like FCPS specific um is the January one for um mentors and uh volunteers week because that is actually nationally recognized in April but there was so much in April um and we had previously done it in January that's why we left it there. >> Um most of the other ones though um we cross referenced are added in four uh
009months. >> All right. My advocacy would be to visit this at the next meeting and make a decision. Um if we do it and we can have the change in place by February if the board's immutable. >> Okay. Then just for reference the next meeting of um the public engagement committee is February 23rd. >> Then they could have the place in in ch the change in place by March. >> There you go. Um, so I don't know if you guys have any other questions about the proclamations and the red lining and any other things there that you would like to >> Which item are you on? Well, I I'm I'm we're still with proclamation discussion because basically um you know, we were just going to discuss and you guys have everything the red lining on
010it, everything that was done on it. >> I don't have anything attached to that agenda item. >> Yeah, the red lines that already were already done were already approved by the board uh with the last term with the last uh year. >> Okay. We did not do any new edits for um proclamations for this round um because we weren't sure what needed to be done. Happy to do them though to have them ready for February. >> No, I apologize. I apologize. I had them in my book and I second guessed myself because I thought we had done it, but I'm like, "Oh, I really didn't." Um and I had that question anyway. So, um, so, um, the next item that we're going to go to is, um, strategic governance manual. And you guys should have
011the red line for >> Was you guys have it? No. >> Yep. It's posted. And I'm happy to walk you through. These are edits that are coming out of my office. Um, Miss St. John Cunning, would you like me to walk through why we're proposing what we proposed? >> Do I have to do the motion for Does someone have to >> You don't have to do the motion. I would just say that they seem pretty straightforward. I'd like to make a motion to accept them. We're changing the time and re and and making it clearer. Um, what the pro who speaks to what or what the categories of speakers rather. >> I'd make the motion to accept these and move them onto the full board. I don't think the time change matters much because the
012lottery now, but it does disincentivize people from feeling like they have to get up at the crack of dawn to uh to do it and it keeps staff from having to do anything uh that early. >> Right. Part of the issue is is the way that Google has now changed their forms. It's prevented us from being able to set times for it to open. So, we have to manually open and manually close. Um, previously the former deputy who was serving as interim, she because of her hours, she tended to be here at 6:00 a.m. in the morning and so she was opening it, but my staff I don't currently have anybody and I don't want to ask anybody to be in the office at 6:00 a.m. So, that's why we're proposing eight, which is when
013the office opens. >> It changes nothing for the people who are actually filling out the form. I mean like >> right >> so they just have to Yeah. So I'll make that motion if somebody wants to second it. Well, from what I can tell, we've got the time change to 8 am, some stuff getting bolded, and then um iterating out who the speakers are, like what categories they fall into, and eliminating the text at the bottom, which basically did the same thing. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah, it just it's poorly formatted. Sorry about that. Um, so what it does here is adds if there's more than three, just making sure to know that the um there that there will be a lottery if there are more than three student speakers and 10 individuals. Um, the
014previous language had it be determined by random lottery for everything. Um, and that the student slots will not revert. Um, speaker weight list will be created. Um, this just clarifies the language here. Um, and then just some moving things around to make a separate guideline section. Um, and then just clarifying [music] that someone may speak on the weight list if they have not spoken on the last two regular meetings before. It was a case of anyone and everyone and we had some questions about that. Um then language that if a speaker registers but does not speak they are eligible to speak at the next meeting. And then this next one is speaker decorum and expectation section. I added just to have that clarified. I know there was some question from some people about wanting to
015make sure that there was more language added to the decorum. Um but I think that was about the general meeting. Um and um I didn't add that into community participation in terms of public hearing. Um, and then I updated in terms of public hearing, I added that it will close at 4:32 work days. Um, we've had some issues where it hasn't been uh easy to get out the um, tech check emails. So, we updated that language to give a little bit more time to the public and our staff to make sure that everyone has what they need. Um, then we added the signage to the portion of public hearing because it was only in community participation before. and then just updated this email because it had the old citizen participation email there as well. >>
016Yeah. >> I'm fine with all of it >> then. So, can we have a motion to >> I already made the motion. >> Okay. Okay. It's approved. Um the the only thing that was discussed before with decorum and this we discussed this in terms of what the expectation is in terms of what decorum should be and if the chair has the ability to cut off a speaker if they're not following decorum. >> They do. I think there's an open question as to whether it's politically wise. >> Right. But there's also so we do have legal guidance from council on literally the only thing that a speaker can't say at the at the podium is one of the words the FCC bars from being broadcast, right? That's the only legal thing. Um it's like the seven
017words that Carlin used to talk about, right? And so there's no legal requirement that there is public participation, but if we're going to have public participation, there needs to be a wide birth for what people can say, even if it's objectionable. >> No. And I I recognize this. I think this discussion started from a couple of sessions ago when we had very robust participation and there was some people that were shouting you know the audience and I do believe somewhere escorted out um and so it's like >> that's during that's from the audience right not from >> right but speaking >> but then it went down to like if people are speaking or like if I I mean obviously whatever we say is decorum and if the chair could cut someone off would also obviously
018apply to us unless you know so that as the same decorum we expect from the public we should expect from each other. >> So and you know I guess I just wanted your thoughts and your ideas and what you're saying is it's the seven words. >> Well the chair has the authority to cut somebody off from the at the podium. I've only seen it done once. >> Okay. And I, you know, my, if I was chair, king of the world, I wouldn't cut anybody off unless they, you know, put us in jeopardy with the FCC. Um, sometimes allowing people to share even objectionable, um, comments is illustrative, right? People teach us, everybody teaches us something. Some teach us what to do and some teach us what not to do. >> Um, >> right. So >>
019yeah, I I think it's the appetite of what people have for what's acceptable and I just I know we had discussed it before, so I didn't want to just drop it in terms of and I think it sounds reasonable if >> I'll ask uh Mr. Foster to send PE committee members the guidance that he provided previously, >> right? I think that would be helpful um because that that way we know what's acceptable and um um so then we will move on to the next subject that we had discussed and we kind of discussed this and we really didn't uh oh well I should follow the script Huh? >> Yeah. So for um so we're going to advisory committees and the public engagement committee um and the ongoing questions about the existence of um the committee
020uh considering that now we we are going to be creating a toolkit and we've been kind of on hold with a toolkit because it has been trying to give us the platform that we've spoken with it we've gotten together with them like which would be the best platform form that could be used that's not an internal >> well that's a outfacing in instead of inward facing um and I think they've come up with a they've investigating a a couple of platforms and I think they've determined the the best one and so now I think we're a go with that and I know our colleague uh Sandy Anderson has developed toolkits before and was chair of par of chair of peek before and is willing to develop those toolkits. So if we have our manuals, if
021we have everything, we have the toolkits, then the question was what is the function of PC? >> I think if if Miss Anderson wants to and she's got great design skills. Um but if she wants to design something along the lines of what PC has been talking about, I think PC would still want to kick the tires on it after it's done. >> Absolutely. >> And then we can vote to send it on to the full board for approval. >> Um I'm eager to do that. I think it's a great it'll be I've had so many advisory committee members over the years be like I have no idea what's going on when they first get in. Um and I'm always trying to get them to, you know, go have coffee with the chair of the
022committee or whatever, but having a toolkit I think will be very helpful. >> No. Right. And I think that it it will it's something that they can keep referring to because the way we've discussed it, it would be like little little lessons uh that people could keep going back to along obviously with going and having coffee and meeting other people. But um definitely that design with our input of what we would like to see um put in there. And so I'm I'm just throwing that out as a consideration. Um, >> we could go back and also look at the original motion language had details about what needed to be included in the toolkit, >> right? >> Um, that'd be helpful, too. >> Okay. Mr. Mlin, do you have any ideas? >> Okay. >> I think
023there's eagerness around the next discussion item for sure. >> Yes. The school board student representative the second 5.10. Um, and there's you guys should have a form of thing or it should be of how many representatives other school districts have. And more than anything, it's just we started discussing it and I think where we kind of got stuck on was where and how that representative would be selected. So, I'm a big fan of like when we're changing something to make it as easy on the people who have to change it as possible. I'm wondering if and I'm completely open to the number of people like I see Alexandria has three. I'm not opposed to having three. I don't think we should have three at the meeting at the same time. I think it we can
024help relieve the burden while giving the experience to people if they rotate through and we can put you know like you go every third or or they can pick the ones themselves maybe they have conflicts or whatever. Um, so I would prefer like if we're going to do it first, maybe we select them the two or three people the same way that the other one is selected and then they rotate through like every second or third meeting depending on how many we pick. Um, the other thing I would note is that I heard rumors this weekend that in the next census they might add another magisterial district. We're going to be squeezed tight on that day. So, um >> Oh my gosh. >> You know, maybe it'll coincide with the renovation of Luther Jackson and
025it won't be a problem. Um but, uh um I'd be in favor of two or three people. Maybe it's we add a second one and then the following year we check in to see how it went and we add a third. Um I think the more kids that we can give experience doing this, the better. Yeah, I mean I I I think um if we wanted to open up to two, I I could support that. And I think um [clears throat] I maybe maybe we would start off saying that they would rotate, you know, every other meeting. Um and then, you know, if they, as you said, if they have conflicts, then they could um you know, switch, right? I think that would be helpful given we have seen depending on the student rep some
026are able to make most of the meetings. I think this year for instance Miss McConen wasn't able to make the last one because she had a course concert the same night as the board meeting and her course teacher just would not let her out of it. there was another um >> as they shouldn't because school comes first and we we stress that to them that school comes first but I think there are times when they're not able to make events and I know there's been events that she's wanted to participate just with the student development leadership program and she's not been able to do that either due to conflicts so I think if there was two they would be able to split the work >> make a request for >> the other is like >>
027I think that geographic thing was something we discussed. I'm going to throw something out there just to see what your ideas are. Um I think like you said doing it the way we we've always done it is easy but now that we've got this leadership cohort going like what are your thoughts about having one that is the way it's always been done and then selecting one from our leadership cohort? Just a thought. Um, no. I mean, I think um my preference at least for the first year is not to change the overall structure of the election process. I know some years they've had like 120 run through SACE. So, I mean, you already have a process and a lot of people participating. It's gone up. You know, there were years in the past where you'd
028have like 12, right? And it's 10 10 times that now. Um, so I'd stick with that process. The other thing I wanted to um mention is that in the old days um the uh the expectation was that the students would also attend the work board work sessions and I haven't seen that since I've been back on the board. I may have stopped during COVID, right? But >> I think they're struggling to fit it in with their schedules because we tell them that school A is to come first, b um I think it also depends just on the availability to have a car. Like last year our student rep had a car. This year our student rep doesn't have a car which has made >> her getting to things more difficult. >> Um but we now
029have a an Uber set for students. We worked with transportation and the different departments in FCPS and what we identified was the best way to was to create a Uber kid account so to speak and so where the drivers are more vetted and so we can offer a student Uber which has made things a little bit easier particularly for our student leadership students but not all parents are still comfortable with their kids taking that even with the additional verifications. Um, so I think with the work session, the biggest issue is balancing with school and getting here during the day when the parents work. >> Make a motion that PE over email work up the language for a new new uh >> student representative. >> What is it called on the regular meeting agenda? New new
030business. Thank you. new business item that says, and we'll work this language out, but like um adding a second member uh from a do we want to do a different region or a different pyramid. >> It it's I think it's geographic location because if you you could have one from Hayfield Pyramid and Edison pyramid and they're same geographic. So, east, west, north, south. I think for the first year, um, it would be I think it's very hard. I think it I I I don't foresee a situation where you'd have two TJ kids, right? Um, but, um, I do think just starting it by saying different high school, different high school pyramids. >> Um, just to start, right? >> And it's kind of been all over the place since I've been on the board. It's never
031been the same school twice. >> It didn't used to be that way, but it's gotten a lot better in part because I think student leadership program. So, the board will or the committee will work out language to provide to the board for new business that would add a second person uh that would um trade off responsibilities and meeting attendance between the two and that they would be from different schools. >> I think that's I think that's a great idea and then we could just move this forward because there was just a lot of debating back and forth >> and I can in the interim look at governance manual and stuff to see what else has to be changed to make it work. >> Um for a a very related item and I think Carl Carl
032has mentioned this as well is that um I'd like to bring up in future PE meetings adding an additional um board member for each district for the leadership development program. Um given the fact that we had 400 applications, I don't think I mean it's it's more logistics and Kevin may need more support, but um uh we're already doing the stuff and you know we could >> maybe we can put it on the agenda for the next PE to move it forward. >> So have two >> each board member would appoint two >> two. Okay, >> I think that's a great idea because the kids loved it and the more again the more we can get students involved. So, I move that PC create a new business item in order to add a second member from
033a different high school pyramid as a student representative to the Fairfax County School Board that will trade off responsibilities and meeting attendance. Great. And we'll figure out the specific language over like Google Docs and such. >> Okay. Need a second. >> All right. >> It's unanimous for everyone at the table. think we're done. >> And yeah, we are adjourned. So the December 15, 2025 meeting of the Fairfax County School Board Public Engagement Committee is adjourned at 4:38. The next meeting of the public engagement committee will be held on February 23rd, 2026. I know it's a busy week. Thank you for coming out. I appreciate it.