001Brown, chair of the Virginia Beach School Board, and I call this second day of our annual retreat to order at 9:01 a.m. Madame Clerk, would you please announce the role? Thank you, Madam Chair. Present in the uh PDC room B we have chair Brown Vice Chair Williams Mr. Bowensteel Mr. Ken, Mr. Cummings, Miss Dwire, Miss Felton, Dr. Green, Miss Melnik, and Miss Rogers. Thank you. Uh we have a very exciting day planned and um I hope that it's going to be another productive day. We had a lot of great conversation yesterday. I look forward to continuing that today. I'm gonna turn it over to Dr. Robertson for some um welcoming remarks. Yeah, thank you, Chair Brown. Um yes, I I hope that you found yesterday beneficial. We found your feedback particularly beneficial and so let
002me start right there. Uh we had a really robust conversation around artificial intelligence and you asked a number of good questions that my team uh heard and have already taken it upon themselves to go back and take another look at a couple of areas. One of the areas that we heard concern of is a level zero, a level one, and a level two. And so the team is going to reconvene and take a look at uh further descriptors around level zero, level one and level two in terms of AI use. Um secondly, we also heard from the conversations there seems to be a concern based upon our presentation that um AI will become a regular occurrence in schools and that is not uh what we intended to share but but certainly I can understand how
003that idea came across. So we will also be looking at what uh further guidelines and guard rails around the use of AI with our high school students next year. Um that will include a conversation between the department of teaching and learning and the department of school leadership. Uh, with that on August 12th, I will bring back to the board likely in a memo format because we already have an agenda and it doesn't really fit as another workshop, but likely as a memo on August 12th with any revisions that we made based upon your feedback around AI yesterday and a plan to come back to this board quarterly with updates on the use of AI in high school classrooms, the the lessons learned, um the predominance of AI because again it we do not anticipate it
004being a regular occurrence. We're still to the conversations you we had yesterday. There's a lack of experts across the division. We have a a lot of new users as from staff that are trying to get up to speed. uh we all recognize that our students are probably farther ahead than we are, but uh what we need to do is catch up so that we can then provide those students with guidance on how to safely uh use AI uh when they are not with us. So I just want to update the board on that piece yesterday. So appreciate that feedback. Um secondly, there were a number of presentations yesterday that had data in there. And so if you have any questions related to any of those presentations from yesterday, please just send me an email and
005I'll make sure that I connect you with the right person. Today we have a number of topics uh to to to include including the gifted education plan update which is really a summary of the plan that we created and how did it go a CIP committee update a Jericho road update review of FURPA and discipline and then after lunch we get into the budget process. Uh yesterday uh we had a question from uh Miss Melnik related to federal funding and uh several of you have sent me emails. So before we get into the budget process presentation the afternoon, I'll start with those six grant areas that were impacted by the freeze of federal funding and tell you exactly where we are with each of those six areas so that uh you're aware um preview. We're
006going to be okay right now. We're hoping those freezes don't become permanent, but right now we're going to be okay for this year. And so I'll share that information with you before we get into the budget process uh presentation in after lunch. And so anyone have any questions? All right. Thank you. Okay. Great. And we will start with our gifted education plan update. And we welcome Dr. Crystal Wilkerson, director of K through2 and gifted programs. Good morning. Thank you. Good morning, school board chair Brown, Vice Chair Williams, school board members, and Dr. Robertson. I'm Crystal Wilkerson, director of K12 and gifted programs. I'm here today to provide you with the current update on our gifted programs and services. Joining me today are members of the gifted leadership team, coordinators, Mrs. Bugu Haropoulos and Mrs. Scott.
007In our review of other neighboring gifted plans, research and standards, and collaboration with other divisions, we felt that it would be helpful to point out a few things that we have identified that make Virginia Beach City Public Schools I'm sorry, I didn't realize this wasn't advancing. Oh, back in the back. Thank you. unique. Virginia Beach is one of the only divisions in the Commonwealth and the only one in our area that staffs an endorsed gifted resource teacher or GRT in every comprehensive home school. In addition to school-based GRTs, we staff division level testing specialists to support schools with assessments for gifted identification. We also provide gifted administrators to offer schools coaching, curriculum, and guidance in order to build the capacity of gifted pedigogy with school staff. We are one of the one of only two
008school divisions in the state that has a standalone school exclusively for gifted students to learn in a homogeneous setting. And Virginia Beach City Public Schools is one of the few divisions in the state that offers identification and services for students identified as gifted in visual arts and dance with a program that serves elementary and middle school students. In developing the 2024 to 2029 local plan, the VBCPS officed programs staff along with subcommittees reviewed many of the plans from other Virginia divisions. It is important to note that while our neighboring school divisions use some of these common programming practices, this slide illustrates how VBCPS's gifted program encompasses all of these practices as indicated by a green check. The push-in model allows the GRT to support gifted students within their classroom or cluster. A pullout model removes
009students from their classroom for enriched instruction with the GRT based on readiness and similar performance needs to other students being pulled out. VBCPS offers a wide variety of honors and advanced courses. We have differentiated enriched instruction which is the core of our teaching and learning framework. Teachers use data and student needs to develop instruction based on the current performance of their students. For example, our elementary schools use data to develop small groupoup reading and math instruction as part of their tier one instruction. And grade or subject acceleration provides opportunities when students demonstrate grade level mastery of standards. Allow me to review some of the steps taken over the past two years to refined and adv and and enhance gifted programs in BBCPS as well as what continues to drive the work moving forward. After receiving
010approval for an amendment to the 2020 to 2025 local plan, some changes were made to previous practices in response to feedback from stakeholders and the schoolboard, such as we removed the consensus score and changed the rating scale from a four-point scale to a five-point scale. We worked collaboratively with GCAC members to solicit their feedback as an advisory committee about gifted programs and our services. We also facilitated and solicited the feedback from our stakeholders including parents, staff, GRTs, gifted cluster teachers, ODS staff, teachers at all levels, school counselors, community members, and school administrators. We thoroughly reviewed national gifted standards and VDOE requirements, funding considerations, and the associated impacts, gifted student data, and local gifted programming from our neighboring um from our neighbors throughout the Commonwealth. We collaborated with other Virginia school divisions on their gifted processes
011in an effort to explore additional program considerations. And finally, we gathered schoolboard input while making our program decisions. This slide will illustrate highlights from some of the gifted program changes enacted when the 2024 to 2029 local plan was approved on September the 10th, 2024. During this process, the cognitive abilities test or kat was removed as a universal screener in grade 1 from the gifted process due to its budgetary impacts. However, the Kogak continues to be used to test students who have applied for gifted services or ODS in all grades and the non-verbal abilities test or the nagleary is still used as a universal screener for students in grades two and five. As part of the profile for gifted identification, we removed fifth grade interview and as elementary GRTs and teachers spend an extensive amount of
012time with students observing and working with them across all disciplines, which makes the fifth grade interviews less impactful. The performance-based task or PBT was a two-part math problem task since other math data is available as part of the multiple criteria requirement and the performance-based task could present barriers to some of our English language learners and students with disabilities. We removed the task as a universal screening component of the identification process for first graders. The math task and Kogat decisions also increased availability of the elementary GRTs to provide stu services to students in the gifted cluster model. The identification process shifted from grade 1 to grade two with gifted services now beginning in grade three. This provides second grade second grade classes gifted talent development along with grades K through one allowing for better cognitive development
013stabilization. This decision increased the seats available for students in grades three through five at ODS. Beginning gifted services in grade three is also being used in many of our neighboring divisions throughout the Commonwealth during the 2024 2025 school year. As part of our collaborative work with stakeholders, the continuum of services was updated to better showcase the advanced learning opportunities for students within Virginia Beach City Public Schools. Gifted resource teachers were given the flexibility to deliver cluster services in a variety of ways, including a pullout model for service delivery when it is appropriate and based on data to support students with even greater differentiation. Just a few additional highlights from this document which can be found in your folder include include gifted credit bearing courses such as independent study, think tank, sparks, and a multitude of
014dual enrollment courses and AP offerings for our high school students as well as our academy programs. There is also an opportunity to accelerate instruction and learning at all levels and schools. Displayed here will be a few of the many exceptional initiatives the Office of Gifted Programs implemented last school year in response to stakeholder feedback. In order for all families to receive streamlined information about gifted application availability and testing dates, centralized communication was sent from the division and was translated in their requested language. In response to stakeholders sharing more communication would be helpful, parents of elementary gifted identified students received an annual update which provides information on grade specific gifted benchmarks and indicators. The students has im has demonstrated student goal setting and reflection and overall updates from the GRT. Specific gifted curriculum resources were highlighted
015for administrators, instructional coaches, and GRTs to increase the use of differentiated materials. We also developed elementary mathematics and science lesson extensions which I will review momentarily. The office of gifted programs offered professional learning opportunities for gifted resource cluster teachers to enhance their understanding of gifted learner characteristics and instructional strategies to challenge and support our gifted students. in the cluster classroom. As shared previously, VBCPS is one of the only divisions that we are aware of that has endorsed GRTs in all schools that cluster teachers, oh, excuse me, in all schools so that cluster teachers are available to receive job embedded instructional coaching and planning in order to support the GRT to equip them and better provide differentiated instruction for our gifted students. GRTs also participated in focused professional learning offered by our gifted office and nationally
016renowned experts in the field of gifted education. Displayed here is an example of one of the gifted math extension lessons for our fifth grade which was newly developed in partnership with the DTO elementary math team. For this example, while completing the mathematical exam, mathematical analysis and task, GRTs or cluster teachers, engage students in comparing, contrasting, collaborating, and asking them to justify their decisionmaking. Know that this is just one example of the highquality gifted instructional resources available to cluster teachers and gifted resource teachers. The creation and use of such math and science extensions and enrichment opportunities for each unit in grades two through five have helped strengthen our cluster program. Elementary GRTs and cluster teachers use data to identify students who would benefit from these lessons whether through extension enrichment or acceleration. These lessons are often
017delivered in small groups or through pullout services to better meet the individual student needs. Once again this year, GCAC members along with the Office of Gifted Programs conducted site visits to observe gifted cluster programs across elementary, middle, and high schools, prioritizing schools within members feeder patterns and at a variety of levels. Members observed instruction and debriefed with GRTs and administrators. The office of gifted programs attended principal league meetings to provide information about gifted programs to administrators. Additionally, partnerships were stren strengthened with many of our departments to improve gifted programs services as well as professional learning opportunities. Awareness was brought to the community about advanced e academic opportunities available in BBCPS during events such as back- to-school caref fair sponsored by the face officemy's and advanced academic programs night governor's school for the arts information night
018gifted art and dance information nights and ODS information nights Throughout the spring, the gifted leadership team, GRTs, and Old Donation School administrators and teachers took part in reciprocal learning walks where they were able to share instructional strategies and teaching practices. This work will continue next school year as we engage additional staff members in fostering this collaboration. As we move into the 2526 school year, we're continuing to strengthen VBCPS's gifted services. We will continue to enhance the resource cluster model by partnering with targeted schools to provide onsite professional learning for GRTs and cluster teachers. The new KTO2 talent development initiative will give students early opportunities to build on their strengths through collaboration between GRTs and classroom teachers. Starting in third grade, students will be eligible for services in general intellectual aptitude, gifted dance, and gifted visual
019arts. The 2425 school year was the final year for gifted identification in second grade. This spring, we will as we complete the ODS rating and selection process, each of the 53 elementary schools will have one of their highest rated applicants offered one of the 156 total available third grade seats. This process will maintain a focus on high-erforming students and help ensure fair access across the division. Data will continue to be used to to inform decisions and guide our support for schools. As in previous years, we shared data with the GCAC which you have a copy in your folders and used it to shape our ongoing work. We have enhanced this practice by developing a process for additional data requests when aligned to the local plan. We're also working closely with the office of assessment to
020better understand the new MAP growth assessment and will support schools and GRTs in analyzing the performance of gifted learners to identify strengths and areas for growth. In fact, math and English specialists partnered with us already this past school year to present on NWA MAP data analysis related to gifted learners. We will continue to engage in this type of professional learning in the second year of administering the assessment as well as other assessments and data points that we use to drive our instruction. These updates reflect the commitments outlined in our strategic framework compass to 2030 which Dr. Banicki reviewed on the first day of your retreat. And as we position ourselves to continue to grow in 202526, we are also looking long-term and aligning to several key commitments within the compass to 2030. Under goal one,
021challenge and support each student to excel and be future ready. We are differentiating instruction to meet student needs. Supporting s supporting access to advanced coursework and aligning gifted experiences to the VBCPS future ready profile. For goal two, enhance student well-being, responsibility, and resilience. We are focused on making sure gifted learners are known, supported, and encouraged to thrive both academically and personally. Aligned to goal three, value and invest in staff. We are working to ensure our educators have the skills and support required to meet the wide range of student needs within gifted programming. And through goal goal four partner with families and the community to support students. We continue to strengthen communication about our programs and services, keep information clear and accessible, and connect families to resources to support their child's learning and well-being. These connections
022help ensure that our work in gifted education is not operating in isolation but is directly supporting our broader strategic direction as a division. In closing, I'm proud of the hard work of our GRTs, cluster teachers, administrators, and our gifted leadership team. They have worked very hard this year to collaborate and enhance their support of gifted learners as they are all passionate about meeting their students needs. Additionally, we are committed to continuous improvement and continuing to strengthen our practices and partnerships. We are excited about the future of EBCPS's gifted programs and the goals that we will achieve over the next five years. We also thank you, the school board, for your support of our gifted learners. This concludes the presentation from the Office of Gifted Programs, and we welcome any questions that you might have at
023this time. Great, Dr. Green. Thank you. And Dr. Wilkerson, excuse me. Good morning and thank you for your very informative um presentation. Um my first remarks are a comment that just food for thought and then I do have a question. So, you referenced that um you you and your team um are working on really being aggressive with the beefing up the resource cluster model in our schools to ensure that all of our students who cannot um have access to the programs at ODS will have the same type of programming in their home schools. And I really hope that there is true sincerity and heart in really beefing up those cluster programs because as you know that there's a lot of concerns about what students are receiving at ODS versus what students are receiving when they
024are in their home schools. I hope those programs get beefed up so much so that we will not need that ODS building and then we can eventually uh in the upcoming years have another discussion about repurposing that building. Um because one of my concerns I know the research with gifted education um it's mixed. Um there are pros for having heterogeneous models. There are pros for having homogeneous model which is the one that we have currently with the school. I will go on record. I am a proponent of heterogeneous models because I feel that the current programming does create segregation elitism that when people do not get in, I think that creates even more problems. With that being said, my question not related to that. Um, Renaissance Academy is not listed and I know they have
025a rolling enrollment. It's okay. It is on that one. Okay. With the number that have been identified, we have 12. I missed it. 12. 12. Okay. Thank you. And then other than that, and did I miss the double exceptional numbers for students who are identified as special ed and as gifted ed? Um double exception in what loca in a specific school or are you just overall in general? Um I don't think you gave us that. I don't know that we have that information, but we can certainly get that information for you. Um and back to Renaissance, you're right. They have um they actually have two populations of students. They have some students that are there that um that stay there and they have another that has the rolling population. Yes. Okay. And so these numbers
026reflect both populations, the rolling enrollment or the students that are constantly the consistent number of students and so the other ones are the students that have the the rolling. So the 12 is for that. Yes. Okay. And the numbers that I would be interested in for double exceptional uh and this is when you've been around too long. I remember when special ed and was with gifted ed um would be overall not necessarily by schools just the number of students. Yeah. For the division. Thank you. Sure. Thank you Miss Melnik. So to piggyback on Dr. green. Um, these statistics are fascinating. So, looking at these, um, I mean, and to her point, like I really wasn't even thinking about ODS. I know we've been getting some emails. Just because I ask questions doesn't mean I want
027to close the site down. I just have questions. And so, this brings me more. So, to Dr. Green's point again, um, really beefing up what's happening in our comprehensive schools, but also recognizing that we have incredible gifted resource teachers in all of our schools. And I think first and foremost, we need to make sure that we acknowledge them and because they are really good. Yes. Um, and it's been that way for a very long time. So um but looking at just the high schools um there are nearly is this really saying third nearly 35% of the student of the students at Ocean Lakes High School are gifted. They're identified gifted. Ocean Lakes has a high percentage um but they draw a lot from the academy. No. And I completely understand that. But let's look at
028a non-ACC academy school. Kellum High School 24.23% of students are identified gifted and um let me Cox High School just shy of 23% are identified gifted. So we're looking at our numbers are really really high for gifted our gifted population at the elementary school level. Um, I'm just looking for one. Pemrook Meadows 28%. 27.97%. Um, thorough good 34%. Um, I mean these number these are huge. Like this is huge. So then the only question I had for you and I'm wondering if this is why why are we only one of two schools in the Commonwealth that has a standalone gifted pro uh school is the other one in Hampton? So um why is that? Because I guess when logic sets in, when your numbers are this high, when you're talking about somewhere between I'd have
029to find the lowest and of course the enrollment determines that. But when you're when your numbers are somewhere between 13 just shy of 11 uh 12% all of these 11s, I mean Betty F. Williams just shy of 10% of their 387 students are gifted. Like we're that makes you wonder why there isn't more of a concentration within each of our comprehensive settings. That I'm just throwing that out there. But I didn't realize these statistics. These are fantastic. But to Dr. Green's point, I understand now why people are saying we really need to beef up what's happening because it does and in fairness while meeting the needs of our gifted students, it does give the impression that only a certain number of kids are just getting a little bit more in fairness. That's the impression not
030from a lot of people in the community, not some people, not ODS parents, but from other kids and like Dr. Green said, whose kids aren't getting in, who might deserve to be there or really need to be there. Um, that I wasn't going to say any of that until you said that, Dr. Green, and then I looked at these statistics. So, just just I'm just thinking just that's all. Nothing nothing bad. I just I think the the community needs to know these numbers. Well, now they do, but they they need to see these numbers and understand where we're coming from when we ask these questions. Miss Rogers, thank you so much for your presentation. I actually am the one who asked for all of this because I am very invested and interested in our gifted
031education. I am the parent of a identified gifted student. However, um because of my previous uh employment with the division, we chose to not even have him apply for ODS and I was unaware of the extreme differences between the gifted cluster model and um what is happening at ODS. And so it is a concern for me. Um I know that while Mrs. Melnik um was kind of tiptoeing around the um reality. The reality is that ODS does offer much more to the students than the students who are in their cluster models. It is not a fault of the cluster model teachers. It is the fact that this setup at ODS allows for students to have much more opportunity for gifted instruction than the students at their cluster models simply because we only have one teacher
032for every other gifted student in the buildings. I did ask for some statistics and I didn't see them in this presentation and if I missed it um please forgive me. How many students are at ODS total? We have 1,360 total seats at um ODS for three through eight. And how many students are in gifted clusters? Well, it's going to depend the schools depend. Yeah, I had asked on Monday uh for those numbers and so that's why I'm I'm just looking to see how many students are at ODS versus how many are in the gifted clusters at their home schools. I think I think is that what you're talking about for the students that the students on this sheet should be what would be in a cluster model at their home school? So, how many is
033that? It varies by the um by the school. Okay. So, is it more than 1,360? Well, yes, it is. Okay. M. Rogers, let me make sure I clarify your question because I'm not sure if we're answering your question specifically correctly. Okay. I was just looking for like the number that are ODS versus the number that are at their home. Correct. So, I'm looking to the gifted team. So, we're going to make sure we get you your answer. Yes. What we have here is a total number of students receiving gifted services in those schools. Right. And um I would need clarification if every one of those students are assigned to a cluster model or not every one of those students are assigned a cluster model. So, we'll get that information to you. And I think to
034your other question, there's roughly about 2700 students in elementary school. Perfect. That are gifted. That's Yeah. Perfect. Okay. So, my concern is is that we have 13 1,360 students who have access to the programming at ODS and we have more that don't have access. And the way we have it set up right now, we were told by our study it's not equitable. And so, that is my concern. And I have been thinking about this for quite some time and I haven't brought this up to anyone in the division. My apologies because I just haven't. But my thought process is we have a school within a school model that is successful if we look at themies. Why don't we have our cluster models be the same idea where we have several teachers clustered at a school
035and it's a school within a school model for our gifted students. who are twice exceptional can have their special ed services and have access to the same programming that we can get at ODS. We can't do it in our homeschool models because it's one teacher for many students where at ODS you have many teachers for many students. And I feel like if we changed our gifted cluster model to have several teachers servicing several students and we had those students in these school within a school models, we would be able to service those students in the same way we do at our ODS model. And to me that would be something that our public may be very interested in because this is where we have such a huge disparity where our students who don't get into
036ODS we hear a lot from the parents I want my child there because it does offer wonderful programming it does offer wonderful um opportunities but that we are by law supposed to offer that to everyone and with these two models we can't do that. So that is my thought and my idea is that if we cluster all of our 86 roughly teachers that are spread around the division into um you know teacher clusters around the school and put our gifted students together with those cluster of teachers, we would do a better job of offering that same type of um uh programming that we have at ODS and yet it would be more in alignment with being with students that are in your own community. My son's two best friends go to ODS and his he
037goes to our home school and they don't get to see each other throughout the day and it does um it's been difficult for their friendship and he misses them. um but they go to ODS and he doesn't um and this way we could keep students in their communities with their peers who may not be gifted but they would still have access to them like we see in our academy models. uh my son went to Salem. He interacted both with academy students and non-ACC Academy students. And I think that would also be a benefit to our gifted students that they would be able to be with their peers that are gifted and several teachers that are also gifted endorsed but also with their peers. And so that might be something we want to explore going forward
038is to cluster those teachers together so that our students can have that same programming and it would be equitable and accessible to everyone. And so I did want to make that comment and I know it's a it's a big thing but again we have so many students that are identified that can't get access to that programming and that is my major concern. Um especially because we you talked about you know ensuring fair access across the division and talking about partnering with targeted schools. What about the non-targeted schools? We have to make sure everyone's getting that access. And so I feel like that we need to to really think about changing our model. and it's a huge ask, but we're talking about making sure everyone has access. And so I that's really important to me and
039I feel like our families that are wanting their children to have that, it's important to them, too. So that's kind of my biggest comment. Um, and I don't know, you can go ahead and chew on that for a little bit. Can I just can I clarify two things? So um so first of all yes this these the students that are listed on here the only um area that would be uh difference for clustering high school does a little bit differences in clustering but for the clustering numbers that you see on this sheet those would be the number of students at individual schools and those all would be clustered um at those individual schools. Right. Yes. One teacher though for many students. Correct. And so that's my concern and and especially when you have some of
040these schools have a lot of identified students. Um and and we just one teacher is not always enough and we can't like and I understand we have limited resources and I also know that um there have been community members that have been very concerned about our gifted our ODS. they do take a lot of resources and so that leaves the other students with less resources. So if we were to cluster those homeschool and have like littlemies across or gifted schools across the division, we could better split that those resources as well in in my opinion. So can I just I also just want to clarify your question your um statements too. Are you saying in addition to old donation school or well to start? Yes. Okay. But and maybe that would then people would want
041their children in their home gifted versus the not. But I I feel like every parent I've talked to is saying the gifted cluster model isn't working like ODS. And it's not. I mean I've experienced it. It's not. And and it's not to say that the teachers aren't doing all they can. it's just that it's just a different model and it doesn't work as well for the students and that's okay but then how can we change that and make it better um because what what you're describing if I'm understanding is kind of like the satellite um programs and we did explore that last year as um one of the and I know that some of the board members that were here we did talk about that actually last year during the retreat um and I brought
042that information along last year and I know um the cost. Every every year things are are different, but um for for last year's estimates of cost when we looked at the proxim approximate cost for um one satellite program, which would be four classrooms, um the cost was uh roughly between 1,659,552. Between that and 1,683,000. So it was a significant um impact, a budgetary impact, which was why it was um not a consideration that we were able to really consider at that time, but we certainly explored it. Um we did have that as part of our roundt conversations um as a consideration to do it in addition to um providing that as a a different layer like a middle layer. Uh, if I'm understanding what you're describing, if we're talking budgetary concerns, then it costs us
04312 times the amount of money to run ODS than one academy. And so that should be a point of concern for us as well, that ODS is 13 millionish to run where an academy is 1 millionish to run. And so again, if we're talking costs and we're funneling it all to one place and our other students that are not there and can't get access are not able to get that, any one of those students then could bring a suit against us for inequities and we would lose. And so this is what I'm saying. We we have to be able to provide this. And if that means that you know we put that cluster model throughout the division and we take that funding and put it there. Again we have to start exploring ways to make
044it equitable for everyone and continuing a a model where we have a building that doesn't fit everyone. it it it's not working. Like we ODS itself is a wonderful program. The problem is our building doesn't fit everybody and we can't keep telling kids, well, you can't come because we can't fit you. When we have to service them and we need to service them the same way as we do at ODS and that's just not possible with what we're doing now. So we have to start thinking creatively on expanding the programming in ODS whether that's in that building or outside the building. We need to expand that program so that every gifted child twice exceptional or not is going to get access to the programming whether it's in that building or whether it's outside the building
045in um in a school within a school model. we have to do that for our students or, you know, we're just going to continue to keep ourselves open uh for that kind of uh litigation. Okay, Mr. Cummings and Miss Meln um Vice Chair Williams was actually in the line um as well. I just she raised her hand. So, thank you. All right, Vice Chair Williams, then Mr. Cummings. Okay. Um, so this list I just have and and I've said this for I don't know a decade, 15 years. I don't know how long I've said this. I have I don't understand and I have a kind of a problem saying one out of every four children in Virginia Beach is gifted. I mean, it's 25%. Um, so I think that number is so high. Now, does
046this count? So, if I'm a dancer and I'm in the dance program, does is this the same as Okay. So, this is just academic, correct? Okay. And I know when we have different programs, we have to separate out. Obviously, the model as in special ed is to try to do all-incclusive, but in some cases, the least restrictive environment is a self-contained class or a different building. In some cases, you have to go to another building to take certain courses because your building doesn't have a welding lab. So, I know that we separate according to um to need, but obviously ODS was not built for 25% of our population. So, I just don't understand if if we're saying you have to be in a separate building in order to be adequately educated, why aren't we taking
047the and I know we're not supposed to use this term, most gifted or profoundly gifted that really cannot be educated in their own building because they're they their challenges are too great for their own building. I mean what so so what I mean why are we identifying 25% of our kids as gifted I mean well the the identification process remember is um we don't use a um any one criteria but so that process is the process but um but the students that go to all donation school it is the 555s and and so on so that that process is that but to get in that pool it's a 90% percentile like on some of those testing, right? Unless they are recommended from their parent can recommend them and that kind of thing. Okay. Why isn't
048it a 98 percentile? I'm just c you know if if we have a standalone building that that's the only place that this child could be educated adequately because of their challenges. Why why aren't we like this standalone is so unique and you're such a unique learner that we're taking 98 99 and 100%. I mean I so I think those are two different things. So the the pool for so you're talking about when we do the rating versus the identification. So when when you're talking about percentile for the outcomes on the Kogat and the Nagary those are for the identification that's overall identification that's 25% of our students right but that doesn't necessarily mean that they will even want to be considered for old donation school. So, um, now I understand that, but then when you're
049going to separate them, um, se, you know, to me that needs to be such a need that, you know, Carolyn, your child just is not going to thrive in the home school because she scored 99 percentile on all the test and her IQ is a, you know, 200. You know, she cannot be educated. So what and it does it doesn't seem like we're we're doing that. It seems like some people are in a separate building that could be educated adequately and some people are now in our general that really need that separate education and and I'm like Miss Rogers. I I have experienced both of them. I've I've had a daughter identified gifted and now a granddaughter. So, I've seen what the cluster class was 12 years ago and I've seen what it was two
050months ago and I'd love to have that conversation with you. But, um, I just think when you have a standalone and it's just like with special education, when you have a standalone program, a standalone building that's so unique for that learner that you have to prov provide more resources. Does it cost more? Yeah. But that learner needs that. But it doesn't seem like we're doing that when we're saying that 25% of our students could actually be in a standalone environment. That doesn't seem I I I just I can't get my head around that. And so I mean I guess I guess the original and I know we had this conversation tons when we were talking about building the new old donation school and we had lots of feedback but I guess the original purpose of
051old donation school was it for the ones on this end of the you know that were so bright that they had to be separated or is it not? Is it not for that? So that was before my time. But um but historically speaking, if you look back in some of the the board meetings and some of the literature, yes, that was part of the thinking was that um that those students who had um unique needs could their needs could be met in that building. Yes. Well, yeah. Yeah. Perhaps and I do agree with all my colleagues that we need to beef up what's in our what's in our home school because again I have experience I think we all agree on that but perhaps the conversation of what is the purpose of older nation and
052who is it actually for would be a really great conversation to have row Mr. Cummings and then Miss Malik. So just to I just have just to clarify what I heard earlier. Um and then I have some additional questions. So in the Commonwealth, we're only one of two schools who have a school similar to Old Nation. Right. Mhm. So we know that an educational delivery system does there is models and functionality of people of school systems educating highly you know gifted 99 percentile students. I mean we see that in some of the top ranked districts that they obviously have a model that that they've developed and that works. Um, and so, you know, I'm I'm a little curious about what the unique need is when we know that there's existing models that work for a
053lot of the other districts. Um, but my questions are a little bit because, you know, we hear things like I hear from my colleagues and I've heard it on the campaign trail. I've heard from feedback from parents um you know about this resource cluster model and the need to enhance and whatnot. And I think where my my perspective of a board member is is that as a board member I don't think I've been presented information to really formulate an opinion on the assessment and evaluation of you know is the resource cluster model working? What is it doing? How what how is it enhancing student learning? And so th that's kind of the first thing that I think about is like is there a data back perspective of delivery between ODS and you know the the
054resource cluster model um and what are the you know how does a student's learning experience who you know scores similar scores but one's in one environment one's in the other environment how does you know that learning does the learning grow in ODS more first like the cluster resource or the resource cluster model more so I think that's something from at least from my perspective and I think what I've heard from community members is that there is genu genuine concern of around like what is the impact or what is what does the data actually say about some of these models um and you know I think when I read through some of the messages from parents um you know there's concern that they have around you know my child wasn't receiving the resources they needed and
055then they go to ODS and they thrive. And my my immediate push back and my thoughts on some of those, you know, one, I'm glad that they're receiving resources that they're getting. I think every single parent wants the best for their for their kid. And I definitely understand the sentiment, but my push back that I lean into is like, well, we took the funding bucket from ODS and apply that to, you know, from an equal lens across school zones. then you're you probably would have the resources you need that your child needed to thrive and survive um within that environment. We know that there are models in other districts that work where that you know going into a new school or a separate school isn't needed. So I'm just I'm trying to make sense a
056little bit of it. And so when I read through things like continuing to enhance the resource cluster model, using data to inform continuous improvement and guide support for schools, I think that's where you know in future updates I would like to dive a little bit deeper um to fully understand and I think the public has also you know warranted some cons warranted some um ideas and thoughts around wanting to see some of those those that perspective as well. Uh and you know I do know that our kids receive great education. Um, I know that my gifted resource coordinator, teacher person has been very helpful and so I know for that you know we have great folks in boots on the ground and I think that um, you know, you know, continue to enhance is just
057going to continue to better serve our students. And I think that, you know, I hear I definitely think about, you know, if we even need to start reframing some of the language around gifted education, you know, and thinking of it terms of advanced verse gifted, kind of like that idea. Uh because that's kind of the way that I, you know, view I don't know, you know, seeing this, you know, large number of like 24 25% of people. Are they really gifted? Are they twice gifted? Are they super gifted? like what's a better you know terminology in an update sense to think through you know what that is and maybe advance is the right term but those are some of my initial thoughts and I'd love to hear a little bit more about what is the
058what is some of the plans to continue to enhance the resource cluster model what have you seen that works doesn't work and then when you think about you know data collection and cadence and reporting to board you know what does that future look like for us as Thank you. All right, Miss Melnik and then Miss Rogers. So, let me just hit you with some a few good things. Okay. Um, first I want to thank I want to thank you so much, you and your team for and I know school board had input last summer, but for really making this the first step to making this a community school. So, I know I talk about Green Run Elementary a lot, but on this sheet, it told me that 27 children at Green Run were identified gifted
059and zero attended last year. So, I thank you for taking that step and I feel so good knowing that next school year, I know that's not this one coming up, but the next one, that there will be a Green Run Elementary School student at Old Donation. So, I thank you for that. Second, let me just go back to thank the GRTs again. And Dr. Robertson, you'll remember, and Mr. Bowensteel the day we were at Providence Elementary School and we went into the cafeteria and they uh is it Miss Ferlick? Is she that's who's there? She had pulled um second graders and they were doing algebra like fullon introduction. Actually, it was beyond they were solving for X and so it was full-on algebra and it was so impressive. Um, and we walked out of there,
060all three of us, like these are eight-year-olds that are critically thinking like that. So, um, I know that happens every day in our schools. Um, now I know what gifted means and I know that gifted doesn't always translate to academics. However, when you look at this sheet again, the statistics you provided that only 36% of our gifted students in reading and math are getting a pass advance, which now leads me down another road of so reform. I'll just stop there. Miss Rogers. Thanks. Um, Dr. Robertson, could you please provide because I forget that I've been Perhaps not everyone has been. Um could you provide the board with the results of the study from John's Hopkins on our gifted education? I think that would be helpful to see where um the the study what it had
061said and so that kind of guided um what has been um decision-making wise. Would that be possible? Dr. Kluchi, you have that. Do we Okay. I just want to make sure because again um that was some of the things that guided some of the decisions that were made. Um, but I also uh want to um reiterate I guess um our for our twice exceptional students the population the last time I looked for gifted education at ODS for twice exceptional students was at a 0.9% but I know that our twice exceptional student population is much higher. And so that's another thing that I think we also need to really think about is those students who need their gifted services, especially if they've developed relationships in their um home school and how we can better service them
062um with the same type of um opportunities um that the students at ODS have as well as giving them their access to their um special education services. And so um that improvement is is something to I'm also going to be looking for Dr. Robertson and then Mr. Bowenste. Yeah. So if I can just uh ask for offer a couple of comments from what I've heard. Um first of all um we're entering year two of our current five-year plan. So I think that's important to note. A lot of the changes that uh we shared with you today are just example of we changed the plan midstream and this is where we are early in the stage. Um but I did hear a couple things I think are interesting. Uh first of all we 100% agree that
063providing gifted pedigogy and every classroom for every teacher is good for every kid and that's the goal. And so the Department of Teaching and Learning has been working diligently over the last several years using available grant funding to to give more teachers the opportunity to get their gifted endorsement whether or not they become a GRT or not because we believe a a teacher with a gifted pedigogy in their pocket is going to be much stronger and have a better ability to meet the needs of all students. So that will continue. Um I did hear and I think this is going to be interesting um whether or not our our identification process for gifted um needs to be looked at again. Uh certainly you know there could be two schools of thought when you see 25%
064of the students gifted. either you're really blessed and it's a great thing to have so many quality kids and I would say I think that's probably accurate when you look at our our overall performance that we've been sharing in terms of academics, scholarships, number of kids going on to college, etc. But I think it's worth another look to see if our identification process could be adjusted. And then Mr. Cummings um question around data. So Mr. [ __ ] we can pull data from grades three through eight that have comparisons. So like right now I know what the past percentage is, past advanced percentages at ODS and all other elementaryaries and middle schools. And um there are many elementary schools and several middle schools that had above 90% pass rate. I don't know what their pass advance was.
065ODS is normally around 99%. So there is a comparison to say in those settings it's pretty comparable with performance but I don't know how advanced might differentiate that far. We can look at that when we go to high school. Uh we can certainly look at those students in high school that are involved in a formal gifted cluster model versus those that are not involved in a gifted cluster model to get an idea of what's the different different uh levels of performance there. Uh because clearly when you can put teachers together working together in a gifted cluster model, it's a benefit to all students that attend that and are in those classes, the gifted students and the non-gifted. So, you've given us some uh homework to do. And of course, I know that conversation's not over,
066but I did want to let everybody know we we've captured that piece. Thank you, Mr. Bowensteel. Um, I have lots of questions, but I'm not going to ask them at this time. But I do want to I do agree with Matt in the way I like some different terminology as far as gifted, like advanced. Um, I like that a lot better. And uh I also like the fact that everybody is going to get a chance to attend ODS. Uh I just think that if when you go to a school and no one is going to the top school so to speak, I think it leads more for discouragement and this way I think the students will have a chance to say hey I can achieve it. There's somebody and it will just push them on
067to go further is my opinion. And then uh as far as raising up more, I guess what Miss Rogers was saying, I mean, I think we could should take a look at that also going down the road and I'll get together my questions. Thank you. Okay. Um All right, Miss Dwire, I just wanted to comment because um thank you uh for your presentation. Thank you. And Dr. Robertson, thank you for clarifying um what you did because I'm honestly um confused about the what quote unquote gift it is in our schools. Um I was brought up that it was academics um overachievers um IQ. So forgive me. Um, of course I had three kids that were and two children that did vote school. And the two that did, and they're all successful, thank God. But the
068two that did vote were very successful and skilled in areas that the other three weren't. So I think to def redefine or um I need an understanding of what the quote unquote gifted students are in our schools now. Um, and uh, like I said, it was academic an academic achievement and I don't want to, you know, I don't want to draw a conclusion there, but it sounds like our schools are trying to achieve more than that, like in the arts, music, dance. Um, and so, uh, I I I see that there's a genuine attempt here to draw that in as well, and I'm very grateful for that. So, thank you. Thank you. All right. I appreciate this presentation and there was a lot of really great conversation and I think that it's really important that
069we have these conversations um, with 11 of us. you know, we could put our heads together and make sure we're continuously improve improving, you know, along with staff. I appreciate all of your work. Um, I do have some questions as it relates to ODS and cluster uh grouping as well. And um but I I do want to start by saying and I I don't usually talk about specifics when it comes to my kids much publicly, but I do also have a child that is identified as gifted and um at the time he this was back when you used to apply for ODS and I did apply for him at ODS although I had questioned at the time if it that was really the right fit for him. Um, he did not get into ODS and
070um, you know, now knowing what I know, I I don't really know that I believe that it would have been the right fit for his personality and um, just the way that he learned. However, what what I see and recognize in our community is the void between the spectrum of giftedness and as Miss Williams had mentioned, I you know, special education actually you popped into my mind. We wouldn't send a C a student that can be in the least restrictive environment in the classroom that's identified as special education to CEP. Um, and so I I think that not every single student necessarily needs what ODS offers, but rather that there's a spectrum and that um in in the community and in the gifted community, you know, there's a lot of um questions about how we
071can better make sure that we're working across the spectrum. And um when I look at these these numbers here, you know, I see some schools that have enough students identified as gifted to probably create some sort of school within a school model. But I I also greatly concern about uh disparities from one school area to another uh that that that may create. But I I think that maybe there may be some conversation about how we can uh proceed there. And then you know my I have question about the budget stuff. Um you know when we talk about this you mentioned the four classrooms costing about $1.6 million for a satellite location. you know, whether or not we're subtracting the the costs that we would already spend um from that estimate to educate those students because
072we're going to educate our students no matter what. Um I don't know if this $1.6 million represented additional costs or not. So, um, I may be looking to follow up, but if you could walk me through what a cluster grouping might look like and in the community, too, because a lot of a lot of families don't really always necessarily understand what does a cluster group look like, for example, at Corporate Landing Elementary versus maybe Glenwood Elementary School. You know, you have two different schools, two different cluster models. How how do those look from one school to the next? So you said corporate landing and Lynwood, right? And I guess I'm not really specifically looking for each of those. I'm just I you know there's less less students identified as gifted in one school from the
073next. And so what what might a family expect in a cluster model when we say we're going to give your child services in the cluster model? What might they expect when they hear that term? Sure. Well, there's a lot of factors that that have to be considered. So, a school like Glenwood um is a large school, so they have a lot of um classes per grade level. So, they have more things to to kind of play around with. For example, they can have um multiple cluster classes on a grade versus a smaller school. uh they might not have as many classes on a grade level. So they might not have um that opportunity, but they might not also have as many identified gifted students on a grade level. So you have to look at the
074number of students that are identified um per grade level. So that's going to make it uh the clustering look different. Um again um the groupings within a a a grade, the groupings within a class. Some students would be pull out. Some students um you might have twice exceptional students. You might have some of your English language learners that are included in that. So you might have your clusterings might look different that way. Every school is going to have a different kind of clustering based on the type of identified students, the number of identified students, the number of identified students on a grade level, the types of unique needs that each gifted learner has. So when we talked about some of those acceleration opportunities, some of the gifted learners need um opportunities for acceleration. So their
075clustering might look different. they might have to be advanced up in grade levels for um some of their academics. So um clustering can look different. Again, pull out for some of those services. Um some stu students um might their they might their giftedness might be in math and so their clustering for math might look differing different than their clustering for um other content areas. So, um, every that's why it really is unique to the individual school because you really are differentiating to the unique needs of the gifted population that you're servicing at those schools. Okay. So, in in short, what you're saying is is similar that each gifted student has unique needs and so and and there's unique circumstances in each building. Yes. Um, and so for our community, um, for those members of the
076community that feel as though their students that are gifted learners are unchallenged, what is the best process for them to communicate that um, so that they can make sure that they're looping in as much as possible? So, I always encourage parents to start with the the GRTs and the classroom the cluster teachers to start there to express some of their concerns to have those conversations um to loop in their administrators to have those conversations. I always tell the administrators that myself and the other members of our team are welcome to to join them in those conversations where we can help to provide opportunities for extensions or enhancements to the curriculum. And so we do get looped into those um meetings and those um opportunities where they present themselves. So, but always start with the classroom
077teachers because sometimes there's just um a disconnect between what the parent knows and understands because parents know their children the best um and what the teachers um have maybe experienced or seen in the classroom and sometimes those collective conversations between the classroom cluster teacher, the GRT and the parents can rectify whatever those misconceptions might be. Um, but sometimes we need more extensive conversations, but always starting at the school is the best solution for that. Okay, I appreciate that. And again, I just wanted the community that, you know, is watching to be aware because I know that gifted education when especially when you have a gifted learner is a very important thing. So, um, we've gotten a number of emails and comments from the community over the years, um, that I've been on the board at
078least. And, um, one of them was a fair question, so I'm going I just want to ask this one. I have lots, but I'm going to just leave it at this one. Um, one community member asked why we don't retest students that are going to go into middle and we automatically uh put them in ODS if they started in ODS and what is the rationale for that? Is it a a cost prohibitive to retest or um could you you mean like if they um that that they just metriculate in middle school from the elementary within um old donation school? So um it used to be when we were separated and old donation was separate from Kim's Landing that that was the process. So maybe that's what they're referring to that they used to have to
079retest and reapply. Um but when they became one school, they just consider that just like any other one school, you would just metriculate from grade to grade. So that's the way it's just been handled is that um because it's housed within one school, it's considered one school unit that you just metriculate up within the grades within that one school. Okay. And then just a final comment. Um, not really a question, but I do recognize that the the Forom Institute has recommended that you automatically enroll students participating in advanced education in subsequent advanced learning opportunities in middle and high school. And I I think generally speaking in our middle and high schools, um, it's easier to get into those opportunities. So I think it's at least worth evaluating whether or not uh that type of uh
080consideration should be given for the middle school portion or not. Um and and some rationale and reasoning behind that. So um thank you. I appreciate um all of your work. I know um you guys have rigorous discussions as well. And Dr. Robertson, do you have any final thoughts? Uh yes. We're we've you guys have given us uh several uh items to consider. So much like we talked earlier around AI and some additional information, we'll come back to the board in September and answer many of the questions that you have asked today uh in a presentation. And then also uh as we kick off board member school visits um I strongly urge that all the board members when you go and visit schools ask to see a cluster classroom and and a non-cluster classroom so you
081can get a a a look at it for yourself. Um, I'll make a point of that when I go on visits with board members, but then that way we can collect not only, you know, the quantitative and qualitative information, you can collect observational obs information from your visits. All right. Thank you. And if you wouldn't mind, can you send to the whole board the approved local plan for the gifted because um, we have some newer board members and I just want to make sure that they're able to look at that. I know it's pretty comprehensive. So, all right. Thank you. Uh, we will now move on to our CIP update and we welcome Dr. Robertson and, uh, Jack Freeman, Chief Operations Officer for that presentation. I have a partner over here, Miss Tony Auto. So,
082good afternoon, Chair Brown, Vice Chair Williams, members of the board. In this presentation, Jack Freeman, our chief operations officer, and I will provide you with progress update on the work of a special CIP committee. Uh, specifically, we'll outline the committee purpose. We'll introduce you to committee members, provide a summary of the three meetings that we've held thus far, share initial findings so the board can provide us with additional input and feedback at the midway point and then share next steps. The purpose of the committee has four main areas grounded in the capital improvement program or CIP. They include investigating new and innovative paths to fund and to allocate funding to the CIP, investigating options to build a new Prince High School as part of the next iteration of the six-year CIP, sharing of findings and
083seeking feedback from the board today and again in September in advance of using the findings as part of the development of the next CIP. I do think it's important to note here our purpose is not our purpose of this committee is not to develop a plan to present to the board how to build Prince High School. That's not what we're doing. Uh that work will be done at a later date based upon available funding as captured in a future CIP. And that said though, it's our hope that the work of this committee will yield a quicker path on getting Prince High School built and open for students. So, in selecting members for this committee that are captured on this slide, Mr. Freeman and I felt strongly that we needed members at the senior division, senior
084decision-making level that included key departments like school leadership, teaching and learning, school division services, and budget finance. And this group of leaders has engaged in this work and are making good progress identifying new and innovative approaches to address this dilemma. So here I want to take the next couple slides to review what we've done so far. So the first uh item is our first meeting and so Miss Tony out if you can pull that up. So here you see the agenda for the first meeting and just a couple of things. We started out item three with meeting protocols. I thought it was very important that we establish meeting pro protocols with this group because anytime you put the school board chair or the superintendent in a meeting, everybody else waits. What's the chair going to
085say? What's the superintendent going to say? So that's not that was not going to be helpful. So I started out creating protocols where we were King Arthur's table, which is circle, right? You can't tell who King Arthur is. It's a safety mechanism. Not really. But uh so it was very important that everybody brought their voice to the table uh without worrying about whether or not their title uh provided them the ability to do so. So we spent some time talking about protocols and then our first meeting we did a SWAT analysis and so if you can go back Miss Tony and open up the SWAT. All right. So a SWAT analysis is done basically to get you going to address a dilemma. And a a SWAT analysis the S stands for strengths, the W stands
086for weaknesses, the O stands for opportunities, and the T stands for threats. So if you can just make sure we can see the strengths and weaknesses. If you can roll it up a little. There you go. So what we did in the first meeting is we said okay what are the strengths in this case this SWAT analysis was on Prince High School. What are the strengths? And we listed from the group what we felt like the strengths were on where we were right now with Prince High School. And you can see that there you identify the strengths. So hopefully you can use those strengths to address what you perceive as weaknesses. So we also went through and jotted down what we saw as the weaknesses of where we are currently with Prince High School. Then
087we moved down to the opportunities and the threats. Again, what you want to do is seize opportunities to address threats just like you seize strengths to address weaknesses. in our first meeting which is captured in the black font uh are the notes that were made. The blue font represents what occurred in the second meeting. So our first meeting we uh Danielle Dr. Kluchi identified some ED specifications that can be updated. In June 10th she came with uh Ronnie Myers Do and Dr. lock it to to look at educational needs and whether or not adjustments could be made. So that's kind of the flow of how that that meeting has gone looking at the opportunities and threats. And if you could scroll down a little more. So again, the this is the process that we've used
088throughout the three meetings. This was again the SWAT analysis from Prince High School. And now I'm going to ask to pull up the SWAT analysis for the capital improvement pro program. So very similar. We started out and looked at the strengths and looked at the weaknesses. So I if you can just make sure they can see all that. There you go. And as you can see we have many strengths in both both the Prince High School project thus far and the capital improvement program. We really focused most of our attention on the opportunities and threats. So then particularly the opportunities and here's where we have really thought outside the box around what we can do to address the challenges of the capital improvement program. Um, and again, the blue font captures the second meeting and
089it's aligned under the items that were captured from the first meeting. All right. So then we go to the second meeting. Again, I'm not going to spend as much time the second meeting, but if you pull up the agenda just so you see how the flow goes. We in the second meeting when looking at the agenda. Uh you can see it looks very similar to the first meeting because we were really going to go back and say what did we learn between the first meeting and the twoe period between that and the next meeting and then if you could pull up the minutes. So scroll down a little bit. So I think what the the key in the sec the minutes here is the second part code captured in red. and I can't read it
090backwards, but the group recognized we must find ways to increase funding to the CIP to reduce costs through efficiencies and review the long range facility plan if we are to continue to take care of our facilities and build new schools. This will require stronger partnership with city staff, increased awareness and understanding of stakeholders, and finding innovative ways to meet the needs of future students. And so that really captures the fact that we are covering the landscape in terms of the things we're considering as we try to bring this committee to conclusion in September in advance of working on the development of the next CIP. Um okay, you can go to the next slide. All right. So again, the third meeting, if you want to pull that up and scroll down a little bit. Okay, in
091the third meeting, I I think what is important to note here is we're still going back to the SWAT analysis. So, if you just click on CIP, I think that'll show the notes from the Yeah, where it says CIP. Go to that and scroll down. Scroll down. So, we've linked our notes in June 20, keep going. So, here are updates to June 2024, different uh font, and we also have links that our entire committee can access on the work that we've done. So, we're we're capturing our work. Scroll down a little more. Same thing with this the SWAT analysis that and Dr. Cluchi arranged these in uh similar bullets, but that's just an example of capturing our information and go back to the agenda because the important thing on the agenda is what we did
092in that meeting besides this. Okay. Next steps. We decided to break into three many work groups. We're we're at a point now where I think we can focus in three areas. So we started big funnel and we've whittleled it down three focus groups or three work groups. One is going to be how do we increase funding to the CIP and so the leader of that work group is Crystal and she's working with members of her team including Miss Woodhouse. The second group is to reduce cost through efficiencies and Melissa Ingram is leading that work with members of her team to include Mr. Delaney and Dr. Kluchi. Then the third group is a long range facility plan led by Mr. Freeman and I am on that group with Don Balman and it goes back to the
093presentation we did yesterday around building utilization and redistricting. Again, not that we're redistricting anything, but we do need to take a close look at our building utilization given our our projected enrollment patterns and also the change to what high schools can potentially look like with our seat time flexibility. And there is a question, what will high school look like in five years? It's very very possible that in five years many of your high school students will not be attending the school the entire day. Right now we know kids come in uh late arrival or they leave early during their senior year because of workrelated responsibilities. But as we expand work-based learning opportunities, we could have kids actually spending half of their day in the field in a work-based learning opportunity and half the day in
094school. Well, what does that mean to the number of seats you need to provide? If you have 1,800 kids attending the school, but 25% of the kids won't be in school all day, do you need to build a school for 1,800 or do you need to build a school for 1500? Because we know space costs. So these are the considerations that we're having and this is why the building utilization committee is so important because we know that process takes a couple of years and so we're trying to make sure we get we're we're doing all of our homework well in advance to get as much information as we can so as part of the long range facility plan if we need to make any adjustments we can do so in a shorter time period because
095we know time with construction means money. The longer you wait, the more expensive it is. And so we don't want to prevent anything there. And then if you go to the minutes, please my co-pilot over here and scroll down. Okay. What I'm really excited about is the fact that we're going to get feedback from you today, but also um next week uh we have our next committee meeting, but we also a small group of us meet with uh the city manager and his budget team to look at um funding scenarios for not only the CIP but the budget. So, we're really excited about that meeting because in my conversations with the city manager, we are sharing the same problems. He has the same challenges. If you follow the Rudy Inlet project, for example, if you
096follow the storm water uh project they have right now, they they're having the same challenges we are. So, we believe that putting our heads together is going to allow us to make better decisions. And so, that's what's going to happen in the next meeting. So, at this point, I'm going to bring up Mr. Freeman who's going to share some of the early findings if we can go back to the PowerPoint. All right. Very good. Thank you, Miss Tony. you were great. Now we'll turn it over to Mr. Freeman. All right. Thank you, Dr. Robertson. Uh so uh let's finish up some early findings and next steps. And this is going to be the high level summary because a lot of these things Dr. Robertson has already touched on uh during his remarks. So this slide
097is the uh the uh capital program as a whole and then specifics for Princeand High School project will be shared in the second slide. So Virginia Beach City public schools and city are having similar challenges with addressing the rising cost of maintenance and new construction in a level funding environment and there's limited flexibility within the CIP to address funding challenges given our current debt service capacity. A potential opportunity identified is to investigate classifying major maintenance projects in a way that makes them a better fit for using debt. For example, if a school building needs both a roofing and an HVAC renovation, can it be packaged in a as a school renovation to better support the city's debt metrics, which we share with them? And is there an opportunity to identify and shift smaller CIP projects
098from the capital program uh and use operating or reserve funds? This next bullet addresses the potential opportunity to reduce costs by using the building utilization committee process to examine the entire portfolio of Virginia Beach City Public Schools and their buildings. And finally, there may be opportunities to seek partnerships where we can find win-win solutions. For example, partnering with the city to reallocate assets that meet both the city's and the school's needs. And here are the early findings specific to the Princan High School project. Consideration should be given to reviewing the educational specifications to find efficiencies. It's always a good idea to ensure that space spec space specifications are as efficient as possible while complying with codes and standards. Consideration should be given to the impact of time on construction and costs uh just like Dr.
099Robertson just mentioned and consideration should be given to the new seat time flexibility when considering the number of students served. Again, Dr. Robertson shared a little bit more detailed information about that in his remarks and consideration should be given to seeking opportunities for partnerships. again finding win-win solutions with external groups and to potentially add value while sharing costs. Right? Those are the highlevel early findings. So uh next steps include uh as kind of summarized by uh to summarize what Dr. Robertson shared earlier a meeting with the Virginia Beach City Public Schools Committee on July 15th in the morning and that's followed by an afternoon joint meeting uh between Virginia Beach City Public Schools, the city manager and his staff. On August 11th, uh the Virginia Beach City Public Schools Committee will meet again uh for
100the follow-up work that Dr. Robertson described earlier. Uh and we are on track for a school board workshop on September 9th. And there's always a caveat for finding opportunities to add more meetings as we learn as we go. And with that, we would now like to open it up for questions and discussion amongst the board. Miss Melnik, so I really appreciate thinking outside the box um so much because we honestly don't have a choice, right? Um one of one of the most dangerous phrases is but it's always been done. this way. And so you really limit yourself. Um, if you're sticking with that old school thought process all the time, it's really very dangerous. As a matter of fact, I think David French had that banner. I'm paraphrasing that it was hanging, he was the
101principal at Glenwood and that was hanging in the teachers lounge. Um, just kind of reminding people to just really think about what you have and what you might be able to do. So, I appreciate the collaboration with the city because they are facing um the same problems, but at the same time, we still have to build new schools and we have to find a way to make this work. So, like everything else you guys do, I appreciate you bringing in um stakeholders from everywhere um to do this. And I um I guess I didn't have a question, it was a comment, but thank you for your innovation. I really appreciate it. base chair Williams. Um yes. Um thinking outside the box, as Miss Melanik said, how many um students do we have that just that
102don't go their senior year? Like two of my five children graduated after 11 years because they only needed two classes. And one actually used that year as a gap year and got her yoga certification and then she went on to college and got her masters. So, I mean, I just think the way that we have our our classes and what you need to take, it it's not hard to take one or two summer classes and graduate the end of your 11th year. Do we have data on how many people are doing that and the feasibility of kind of offering an apprenticeship for that year or some or a job or something like that? So, I'll get Dr. Brower to get that data for. I would tell I will tell you when your children graduated in
103that manner, we didn't have the hybrid schedule we have now. So we do have a number of students who are graduating in January, right? So we'll get that information for you. I would guess that at this point it's not enough to be actionable yet, but I think where we're going with work-based learning experiences and dual enrollment uh is going to open up a lot of doors. I was in a meeting Monday with Virginia Wesley and Cantara about a partnership with the Bayside Health Sciences Academy, Bayside General Students and perhaps Cox High School for those students to take courses on campus at Virginia Wesleyan. Or if there was a space available, we could host a college site in one of our schools. And if we hosted a college site in one of our schools, there certainly
104would be uh some ownership that could be done. So, we're really thinking at Prince High School with Town Center. Wow, what are the opportunities in Town Center to partner with colleges, universities, trade schools who need space and don't have space. And so, uh we're excited about that. But to your point, that's what we're investing in. I think there's going to be opportunities for us not to use the student enrollment bottom line for high school as the indicator of how many classrooms we need. Yeah. Yeah. I think that's that's so important and it's it's so cool for these kids. Not that I wanted my 17-year-old to go to college, but she used that year, like you said, you can get work experience. We've got friends in Atlanta that their daughter did the same thing and then
105she's going on a nine-month mission trip with another organization. She's already been accepted into college, but they're saving it for a year. So, partnerships with college that will save it for a year until you go do your gap year. I think that that's just that's just a cool idea for students. Um, my two kids that did it, it's like, do I really want to hang around an extra year to take minimum, you know, what I need? I mean some people I mean and then my other kids are like yeah I want to hang around because I want to play sports you know that showed where their um loyalty lay but I think that's excellent to really look look into that option for our kids. Thank you for do thank you for doing that for the
106innovation. All right, Miss Rogers then Dr. Green. Thanks so much for the presentation. CIP is always one of those topics right now that kind of make me nervous because I know that uh we have some work to do. Um, first I wanted to just say that I'm so glad to hear that we're working so closely with the city. I don't know if anyone has brought this up. It's something that I have floated to city council members. Um but the idea of having profers which are basically agreements with developers who are developing other um you know uh sites throughout our city having an agreement called the profer where they then do get some sort of deal with our city for development and in exchange they do some work for us. And that might be something that
107we want to explore more and ask city council if they would be willing to um put some of those in for some of the work we need done. There is a lot of development in our city, good or bad, uh for the community. But those are ways that we can then bring in a public private partnership is through a profer and say, "Hey, we need work done on our roof. You want to do this big development, help us out." And so that might be something that we can explore. Um the other thing that I just wanted to comment on is and and again these might have already been talked about but um I think about the red mill school model the square that we did in the 60s and that we re repurposed that model
108across the city and we need to start thinking about that perhaps for our high schools. We love the idea that they're all, you know, unique and, you know, all of that, but costwise, it's not practical. And so maybe we need to start thinking more long term of this is our model. We can add subtract little bits, but having something that's more um like a footprint that's not as unique and maybe that will help our costs out. And so those are just the two comments. Otherwise, thank you so much for all of your work. This is, you know, difficult but necessary. So, Crystal, you copy the proper note. Dr. Green, then Mr. Cummings. Thank you. Um, first of all, Mr. Freeman, I cannot begin to tell you how much District 4 appreciates how you and your
109team along with Dr. Robertson um resolved our issue with the tri campus so that um our students also will continue to thrive. Um, Dr. Robertson as well. I'm uh appreciative of the expirations that you all are discussing for Princess Anne. Um, because I'm going to be selfish again. My district also we have students that go to Princess Anne High School as well. Um, and and I'm very excited about the partnerships that you're discussing and and other recommendations as well. At what point will we have a timeline when we can say to our princess an community that you know this is the time frame you know it may be fluid that we are going to get start building the new princess an high school because I think that's the question um I get a lot Miss
110Williams and I share constituents through we're bordering districts Um and and so it looks like you definitely you and Mr. Freeman are on a good track for um making that happen sooner than later. Yeah. So I pull this slide back up for a couple points. One, the third bullet, we recognize the impact of time on construction costs. Um and then so hold that thought and then we go back to the previous slide. And we also recognize available funding is going to play a big piece in what the new new school looks like. U so it is our hope that at the conclusion of this report when we sit down with you in September, we're in a position when we start to build the CIP with the board, there could be a pathway to put Prince
111High School in the next six-year CIP. That's the hope. Um cautiously optimistic that can happen. Um there are al there are always things that occur outside of our control that might influence that. Uh I'll feel a lot better in answering that question after we have our meeting July 15th with the city staff because we have to understand their dilemma as well since they're a major funding source for us. So Mr. Cummings. Yeah, I think um you know I was just listening to what everyone's saying. Um I think about what excites me a lot is just thinking about some of these public private re um partnerships and I I'd love just to hear you know some pie in the sky like what are what what's what's the future dreaming of when we think about innovating public
112schools and spaces and have we seen new like kind of urban models? When I think about, you know, urban development, I think about the walkable neighborhood. Um, and so I think about like, you know, and how there's, you know, for better, for worse, but, you know, there's stores on one level, then housing above. And so have we seen within you know urban design kind of a new approach to um to public school infrastructure where and I'm just kind of curious about it just as you're talking about the public private I'd love to learn more about what maybe kind of what we some dream ideas that we've seen um but also you know what are you know unpack a little more are we thinking more partnerships like the joint library style model or like the Creeds
113elementary library type model. What are some of those? And you mentioned the the healthc care model as well that was being explored. Um what are some of the other ideas that are on the table you think? Well, I'm going to go back to what Mel missing started with. Yeah. Which is to me the most foundational thing we have to understand. We can't fall into well this is the way we've always done it. Yeah. Right. We that ship has sailed. We have to be creative. So to your point, um, we had we we have all kind of ideas. Mr. Delaney came into my office Monday. I thought he had just won the lottery, but he was sharing some he must have had an exciting weekend of thinking about possibilities of Town Center. Lifestyle. Yeah. Of Town
114Center, you know, the opportunities that that Town Center provides to the urban setting. So there are I've been to schools in my travels as superintendent in urban divisions where the the school is in the middle of the city and the school is part city or part school, part daycare, part the kids walk from their school to their work experiences or they walk to other. We're we don't have that situation in Virginia Beach. We're more suburban. Mhm. However, Prince High School does present a number of opportunities with the Central Business District and I'm speaking to them uh next month and so I'm going to try to and nudge them a little bit to start thinking about what are their needs. Then the other flip side of that uh Mr. Cummings is we always have to ensure
115that we don't put anything on our property Yeah. that is going to put our kids in harm's way. So, we have to make sure we're wise and and that's where the board's going to come in. That'll be a a decision of the board uh with ideas that we bring forward of what makes sense. But to no, we're we're not saying no to any opportunity right now. Yeah, I think I mean I think it's exciting. I applaud like the effort for innovation and I think you know seeing a challenge and you know I probably share some of Mr. Delaney's random excitement, you know, having a background in urban studies, I get excited about extra wide sidewalks, you know, because you, you know, chuckle, but like, you know, the urban theory behind that is, you know, it
116increases social capital, increases walkability, but also increases economic development when you have more space for people to walk and shop. And so I think about innovation, you know, small things like that. And I I applaud our our I applaud our efforts to see a challenge and rethink, you know, what does public education look like beyond 2025? So that excites me. Um my honestly, I mean like the con my concern and I'm and I saw that on the threats and the opportunities is the you know the politics and the funding and that's going to always be my concern um is that we're contin to an attack on public education. We're continuing to see that the defunding of public education and I think we're going to continue to see um some of those things and I think
117the public has to understand that you know when public education is defunded that's going to impact our infrastructure and our ability to rebuild or to build you know our the new schools that we need. Um, and that's a concern that I have is that how will this impact, you know, how how this will the potential long road impact of, you know, when we see funds starting to, you know, go away from from our schools. And so I'm concerned about that. Um, and I think also within the lines of that is I see everything they said and how do we make that digestible to the public to understand that new schools cost money. Money comes from somewhere. We don't have I wish we had infinite resources. I wish that we had um, you know, the ability
118to start digging and building, right? Um, but I'd love to see somewhere within, you know, a communication strategy, I think, of being on the forefront of communicating to the public because I think sometimes folks have this idea that we could just like start right tomorrow and it's like, well, actually, this is a pretty complex issue. We can't start tomorrow and here's why. Um, so maybe some commun I think some communication would be great around that. Um, so those are just kind of some of my final just things I was thinking about as you're going through. And I also have to give slight nerd props to whoever put the Carl Young quote on there. I never thought I'd see that uh in the CIP minutes, but whoever did that, you get points today. For what? For
119what? For for being clever. I like it. So, uh, Mr. coming to your point around communication. We haven't looped Nicole's lives's team in yet because it just wasn't time. But as soon as we conclude our business in September and we feel we've gotten feedback from the board, we're in agreement on how we want to take next steps, then we'll loop uh Nicole's team in on how we can uh get the communication out. Yeah. Yeah. Perfect. So, thank you so much, Miss Felton. And then Miss Nikk. Thank you, Chair Brown. I just like to say to you, Dr. Robinson, that I am really excited that you created this committee to be more engaging with the city uh and having conversations being an alternate for Mr. C Pepper attending some of those CIP meetings are very contentious
120and getting the language, understanding what we were trying to say to each other in that setting. But this will provide a totally different kind of conversation. And I hope that they appreciate you and consider you all bringing us about in this uh present wave of the future because being that the city and the school board, we hire a lot of employees in this city. And I think that that voice should be heard about how we can work together as as partners. Uh I know we've done um a few things with private uh partnership uh when it uh came to the school and I look at the Franklin project that's on Alaskan Road. When I sit on that committee, it was a couple of there were things that I um pointed out that I wanted the
121school to be a part of what they were doing and some way form a uh uh se session or area that the school would be continue to be a part of it and that's what they considered also with the 531 memorial park that they're building sit on that committee as well. uh I'm sitting there thinking about the schools and what we can do to collaborate to make sure that the students become a part of that initiative even with hive sitting on that as well and hive hive the center down at um at downtown Virginia Beach has considered our students quite well and especially when we do our shock tank our students are there and it provides space for them to come in to do what their their projects and to give them space to to
122sell and to present there at the hides Guys, I could go on with a couple of things that how the p private partnership has really helped our schools, but what you're doing now, it sets another precedent for the future, making sure that we are really seen and really heard as far the schools, our schools are concerned. I was just talking to some individual individuals the other evening uh that have businesses and I know that the talent bank with this with the um school when it comes to summer programs we don't have enough uh partners coming in and allowing our students to work. So talking with them as well with the internships making sure that they're on board and they need to know more about how they can help within this city and help our students.
123So, I'm looking I'm I'm very excited about uh this new collaboration and conversation that you're having with the city, letting them know that we are not uh the foe, that we are friends and we want to work more and better with them as well. Thank you for this initiative. Thank you. All right, so I think we have a lot of really great comments. I applaud both of you. Um and I I kind of want to discuss with the board, you know, how the great partnership with the board has actually progressed our CIP forward. Um if you look at our 2425 to 2930 uh CIP, you would see that Princess Anne at that time was proposed by the build date of a start date of 2043 at 727.8 million. Um the board collaborated with staff. We've
124come back and you guys had some innovative ideas. We've come up with a solution um for district 4 with the tribe campus for Betty F. Williams. Um and you know we're going to be starting with that. And in that our CIP moved forward in our 25 26 303 31 that princess hand proposal then went to a 2037 start date which I recognize is a long time and is still not really uh early enough and I would like to find a way to tackle that sooner but um you know that one went down to 499.8 eight, like I said, and so that these are significant um decisions that are being made with the board in conjunction with city council and staff um that are are moving the needle in the right direction and I think that
125these continued conversations are really um important. I feel confident that you guys are going to come up with some really good recommendations and ideas and we're going to have again more conversations and I think we can keep, you know, rolling the ball and and hopefully, you know, get this done because um a lot of people in our community um they may not realize that we have right now 86 buildings in our inventory and I think we're probably going to be looking at about 84. for here uh shortly because just of the way things have already uh been progressing. But um waiting waiting 12 years to build a school when you have 84 buildings or 86 buildings um kind of is is a little bit alarming. And so I I think these conversations are important and
126and need to continue. So, thank you colleagues for, you know, your openness and your willingness. And I think when we all work together, we're going to come up with some really amazing solutions. Um, Miss Melnik. Yeah. I wasn't going to speak, but to your point, and I don't think we say thank you enough, honestly. Um, what you guys do is is really remarkable. And I know Dr. Robertson, I'm assuming, but I could guess that your legacy really is CTE and the everything that falls under that umbrella. Um, and that's really important and I really think that component to this school division um is important for the city to understand and for them honestly to be briefed on everything we're doing CTE related. Um, so I'm the chairman of the board for two nonprofits and I
127will tell you children sell. You know, anytime you can use kids, it really makes a difference. And when people really realize what path you're creating for the students in the city of Virginia Beach, um, hoping that that helps our efforts, but you guys are really short short of remarkable, honestly. And, um, I applaud all of this work. um and for keeping the round table really tight just among you because as Mr. Cummings said sometimes things just you know we bring a different lens and so kudos to you guys. I did have one more note that I forgot to add. Um, you know, because there is in the community the the viewpoint and I I understand that sometimes community perceptions are not always 100% accurate as far as the cost and what we can get. And
128I I recognize all that. Um, but we do have 176 million already appropriated for Princess Anne. Has there been any consideration to putting out an RFI or an RFP to have someone come back and say, "Here's what we're willing to do and see if there's any bites." So, we felt like that was probably outside our purview. We're we would be waiting for some board direction there. We wanted to be sure that we finished this committee work. The board was as prepared as they could possibly be to enter into the budget season, which you'll hear this afternoon. We're suggesting starts earlier to give the board more opportunity to engage in the budget process than they've had in the past. So, we will be looking for some board direction at that point. Okay. Well, we'll have more
129conversation about um how the board might do that if they were so interested. So, all right. Well, thank you very much. And I can share one last thing. So, I just want to piggyback on something that you said, something Miss Felton said, what Miss Melnik said. All of you have connections. I mean, we started out, I think Melinda Rogers was the first one about where the proer idea. All of you have connections with council members, business people. the more you can talk about the work that we're trying to do and that we want to be a part of it, um the more opportunity I think we're we'll the more fortunate we'll be when we start asking for people who are willing to to engage with us because there's already been conversations. So, your workforce council
130that's been in existence for three or four years, the community roundt, which is why we got the Virginia Wesley and Centa deal. Um, those things matter when people know who you are and you have conversations with them. So, that if you guys can continue to do that, Miss Felton, with all the groups you're on, that's that's really important. That that that's going to help us because us is us. It's I mean it's all of us trying to do this. Um so that's going to be helpful. Thank you. All right. Thank you and we look forward to hearing some more about this as it progresses and thank you so much for the update. Uh we are a little bit ahead of schedule so we're going to take a quick 10-minute recess before we come back with
131the Jericho Road update at 11:15. Okay, it is 11:16. So, we are going to get back uh to our retreat at this time. I think there's one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, yes, eight. Okay. So, we are going to now move on to our Jericho Road update. And at this time, um, Vice Chair Williams and Dr. Green are going to start that presentation. Okay. Thank you, um, Chair Brown. And first of all, I want to thank Dr. Green for being a part of this committee. She's got a lot of um great helpful insight and of course lives and represents the area. And also I want to thank the committee members and we've gone over that before. We had um it's on page two of our report. Um the committee had um Josh Schulman from
132city council as well as Amelia Ross Hammond and then also Lorraine Samco is the Arona Village Civic League and D Halverson represented the Pimrook Manor Civic League and then um staff attended our meetings. But before we um begin with the slides, I just kind of want to go over some history of this area. Of course, Dr. Green and I are very familiar with it because it's right in our in our backyards and front yards and sideyards, but we we can't assume that y'all are familiar with this area, but it is the Aragona Village is what it is lovingly referred to. And John Aragona developed it in the 1950s. And he had a vision. He imagined a neighborhood that was very affordable, um, slow traffic, plenty of space for kids, and um, and he he developed
133this and and his vision was right on except for the fact that the space for kids has dwindled out and is pretty much non non-existent existence. But the the neighborhood extends from Virginia Beach Boulevard to the south and then it goes all the way up to Hey Road, which is where Bayside High School is located in the north. Independence is the um east side and then Witch Duck Road is the west. So it's that huge um rectangle there. right now. Um, John Aragona's vision came to fruition because it is actually the second largest neighborhood in our city and it houses approximately 3,000 homes. His vision was to kind of make it self-sufficient. Um, he developed a little um, shopping center there. There was a church. There was land for the school which is the Arizona
134Elementary original school which is now of course the Bayside sixth grade campus what we call it there on Jericho Road. Um unfortunately there is no um public space or park for these families. Again about 3,000 homes. Um they do there's a small playground that is leased um to on the back of a church there on Ara Boulevard. The church has about 25 members. It is a very small playground and um kids may use that but but again there is no public place for these these children and families to um congregate. Um so how did we get here? Well, about 10 or 12 years ago, Lorraine Samco um came to and again, she's president of the Arizona Civic League. She um called Vice Mayor Jones and myself and Rosemary Wilson and wanted to meet because she
135had heard some rumblings about this um school on Jericho Road may not need to be a school forever and ever because of the condition of the building. and she heard that perhaps there would be some development and of course the people in Aragana village had wanted this space for open space or playground. So she was very concerned. And so we met along with um city some city staff from parks and recreation. And again this was in 2016 and it was deemed then and it was deemed in our committee me members by parks and wreck that this area is in fact underserved um by public space because of the amount of households um without without um a playground or a park. And so that's why we're here now. And again, the the history of Araguna Village
136again goes back to the 1950s. And Dr. Green, do you have anything to add just about the rich history of the of this community? Um the only thing um Mrs. Williams is just to reiterate that this is a very historical uh community that is one of the many anchors to the city of Virginia Beach uh because of its rich uh history and in reference to um our committee that um I was able to join in November but I was familiar with um a lot of the things Mrs. Williams had referenced with the committee. Um because as a former employee, I remember when we opened up uh Bayside 6 in 2016, probably for about the second or third time at that point. And just a reminder to our public that our sixth graders now will be
137going to Bayside Middle and we're very excited about that. So now it's time for us um to look at how we are going to uh manage the Jericho Road uh property. And in a moment, uh, Miss Williams, uh, as well as Miss Ingram will share with you the process and and the options, uh, that our committee, uh, reviewed. And then the final recommendation, um, from our committee, which we have full support of our two city council members that were a part of that committee. So, thank you, Miss Wings. Okay. Thank you. All right, Miss Ingram, if you would show the first slide. And y'all have seen this before, but I just wanted to refresh your memory. Um, this is where the property is currently. It is in three different parcels, and you can see the
138line dividing um two of the parcels goes right through our elementary school. So, of course, one of the first things that has to be done is to redraw those lines. So, those those are the three properties right now. And then this is the conceptual map. That property line has been moved over to the left, you know, the purple line in the middle, giving Pin Brook Elementary plenty of space um there around their building. And um Melissa, do you want to make any comments about why it was move? Where is Miss Ingram? Oh, Miss Ingram. Um why it was moved. We I think you made sure that it was moved far enough to the left. Can you just comment on that? Sorry, can you hear me? Yes. Thank you, Miss Williams. We needed to make sure
139um that we had enough room at the bus loop and the western side of the school um for um any needs for that school property as well. So, we had to make sure that there was enough um space as we're subdividing the property. We also looked at um existing easements, drainage, and other things of that matter um with and keeping the ball fields in the back um on the existing Penrook Elementary School site. So, that's how this conceptual um resubdivision plan emerged, leaving around 13.7 acres um for our residual property. Okay. Thank you, M. Miss Williams. What is in the elephant head section of that? That's the very back, Melissa. The very back of the property. Are those wetlands? That Yeah, used to be the water. Um, go ahead. It is in a flood plane.
140Um, and there was an old septic field which has been closed. Um, we've gone through all VDH um, approvals for that. Um, so it is um, you're correct, it is wetlands. Um, and that's that's a creek there. You could see also in the rear of the property, partial uh uh school division property as well. I've looked at that so many times that I've never seen the elephant until today. Miss Melman. Yes. Okay. Awesome. So there you have the two um how hopefully it would be divided there. All right. So the committee we just brainstormed and we tried to hit every single possible option that we could um absolutely feasibly consider. Um option one is just not do anything and just keep the building up and keep the site. And of course that has a lot
141of negatives because you don't want to keep a big empty building because we know what happens to that. Plus it has a lot of costs of just keeping something there that's never used. Option two, we retain and we lease the site and or lease the building. Option three, we transfer or sale the property to the city and then the city would turn the property into open space or park use. Number four, transfer or sale the property to another entity. Number five, um, do a RFP, but you but have it with defined a reuse of the property requiring part of that 13 acres to be open space or park. Option six, the sale of the property with an RFI, which would have parameters for reusing the property and again requiring part of that to be a
142open space or a park. and then number seven RFI with no parameters at all. So those were all the options that that this committee could came up with. Um so the the final recommendations and again as Dr. Green said um our recommendation is option three and it's a pretty strong recommend recommendation. Um on the committee we have six voting members, the two civic league presidents, um Mr. Schulman, um Dr. Ross Hammond and then Dr. Green and I and it was unanimous that we go with option three and that is to transfer or sale of the property to the city for open space or park use. Okay. If we we came up with kind of a backup plan if that option was not supported by this board, our second option would be number six to put
143out an RFI with general parameters for you reuse of the property and requiring a portion of it to be used for open space or park. Now, we do have an option too down there in case um we have, you know, because all this process takes a while and you'll see that in the in the timeline. It's going to take about a year um to go through all the the reszoning and the um secure the funding um all the agreement, the demolition and all that. So, there was a an idea that could we, you know, lease the site or the building to somebody else in the short term while we're doing option three to just make a little money. I don't know how viable that is because again, a year is quite a lot of time,
144but a year is not that long for somebody else to come and lease that space. But that was just something that we um threw out there in case that we could, you know, recoup a little bit of money in in the timeline that we're waiting um to come through with option three. So again, option three is the transfer or the sale of the property to the city for open space or park use. This is the timeline and again you see that it takes about a year. Um right now we are you know discussing this and once we vote on August 12th and again um it is the recommendation of this committee um a strong recommendation that on August 12th we will be voting on if you want to accept our recommendation of option three. So
145in July and October, we'll work on the agreement with the city and and school stakeholders. And again, um on August 12th, we'll actually take a vote so that we can start working on that agreement. Um in November, we would start around November secure the funding. Um we have had very detailed conversations with um our city council folks. um the two that were on the committee, they have talked to their um colleagues and because they are going to need to pay for a park or pay for the maintenance of open space um they want the land pretty much gifted to them. So, um and and they want us to use our reversion funds as the way to um pay for the demolition and all the legalities and the report and the contract work. And so, um
146we've estimated that Melissa has estimated that to be about $1.2 million. It's amazing how much it costs to tear down a building. We all learned that. We were all very surprised at that. But um okay, so we've got again um to vote on it August 12th to work on the agreement. Um Dr. Green and I have talked about this and it is our um very strong opinion that in that written agreement to city council that we write it out, that they will accept the land and agree to turn it into open space or a park. and that we need to get that in writing because we don't want to go through all this process and then a year from now city council will say oh well we don't want the lander we want to do
147something else with it so once we v vote in August and then once we get that agreement we would send it on to them um for them to take a vote as well um and then about the November December um when all the agreements will be signed um the terms of transfer andor sale and then the new year um the survey and the construction work and the demo begins followed by the legal and survey and reubdivision and then um the plat and then finalized in about a year from now. Um Melissa, you're the expert on this. Do you have any comments on that or maybe in a little while we'll have questions, but do you do you want to comment on anything that's on that slide? Uh no, I think that was pretty thorough. Thanks,
148Miss Williams. Okay. All right. And again, the next slide is if this board does not agree with our recommendation, option six is our second um our backup plan. And again, of course, we prefer option three, but option six is to send out an RFI, RFI, excuse me, with general parameters that would require part of the um space to be dedicated for a park or open space. And again, it it follows about the same timeline. Of course, with option six, when you're looking to an outside entity, you take on that risk. Um, if you remember, Alaskan Road had some bumps in it um that we had to overcome. And um so this one would take along some of the risk of of working with an with an outside entity. So again just to close for the
149final slide, it is our recommendation um all six members of the of the voting committee to transfer the si the property to the city for open space or park use. And we will be voting on that recommendation option three on August 12th. And then once that vote is taken, then the timeline on slide six will begin. Um, Dr. Green, do you have anything to add to Uh, I do not. And, uh, we look forward to answering any questions you may have um about the committee's recommendation. Thank you, Mrs. Williams. Thank you. All right, Miss Melnik. Well, first in fairness to the developer on Alaskan Road, I don't think in in the world of business, the real world of business, I don't think what happened there was out of the ordinary. I don't think that that
150was an abnormal bump. Um, but um, so I like the open space idea, but my question just because we weren't a part of any of the discussions, what what could potentially go there? What could what if we put out an RFP, what could potentially be built there? Is it are what are the parameters for the neighborhood itself and being next door to a school, what could they do? I can answer that. And Miss Ingram, you can correct me if I'm wrong. Um because this is right in the heart of district 4. Uh right now, Miss Melnik, that entire community is zoned for single family homes. Uh if anything else is put on that property, it would have to go through a reszoning process, I suspect given the housing uh dilemma right now, probably we may
151be looked at some form of condensed housing. Um hopefully that will not end up being the case, but it would have to go through reszoning because right now that community is zoned for single residential homes. Okay. Um and what is what is the I put my the size of the space is um 13. What for that piece? It's 13 acres. Okay. For a park to exist 13 acres um open space or if it's turned into a park, is that does that size require um employees to run a spa a park of that size, 13 acres? Well, that would be on the city's Well, regardless, I'm just just curious. If you have a space that size and it's turned into a park, then they're looking at additional cost, too. And if it's just open space, what
152does that So, I'm trying to think of another large open space in the city. So, uh, Kings Grant, Kings Grant has a large that's just open space. Anybody can use it. Um, and I guess we couldn't talk about this here, but in a close session, what I guess we'd have to go into a close session to know exactly the value of the property. We generally don't discuss value property if there's a possibility we're going to sell it because it would be adversely affect you. Correct? So, we don't do that publicly. I have shown most of you what the current estimate is. It would just depend at the time you were selling and what they were proposing what it would go for. Okay. So, um, so two things. So, the first is we really need money
153for our CIP. However, I did talk to council member Schulman who did say that they are that that is a community that really needs and deserves a park. And so, um, you know, I lean towards that. Option three, I'm just asking the questions like what if we did this and what if we did that. So yeah, and again, Miss Millet, that would be the cities, but I think why why we added the open space option because at first it was just we were talking part park part is because the cost that they would incur if you build a park there and playground equipment and and restrooms and all that, that's going to be a bigger cost. But that will be, you know, the city council's decision. And that's why we put both of them open
154space or park. So, um, Princess Anne Park out in my district, um, that was a huge space, open space, ball fields, parks, covered areas that some at some point um, when Santara built Princess Anne Hospital there, they lost part of that. So, it's just a a little tiny portion of what it used to be for those of us that have lived here a very long time and remember that. Um, is that something that could happen down the road that city the city might need um that space for something and the community loses the park or open if especially if it's only open space. That's something we're going to need to work out in the legal document. Once you transfer the property, it is going to the city to control. We've talked about some type of
155clauses that would if it's not used for what you intended it for, whether it would come back. That's a piece we have not worked out with the city because we really haven't had these conversations. Those can be hard to enforce a later date. So, we'd have to look at that. But once you've transferred it over, you no longer have title to the property. So, if they needed to slice off a portion, give it a that would be something the city would choose at that point. But we'd have to work through some details on how much decision they would allow you to have in a future use of the property. Okay. Because it is near Town Center. Yes. Yes, it is. Um and then just to put your perspective as as far as playgrounds and parks,
156we have I think 277 of them in the city of Virginia Beach. I know my very small neighborhood which is almost, you know, just down the road from Independence from here, we have a little playground and I know the neighborhood that I moved from has a little playground. So, a lot of much smaller neighborhoods, I mean, I think our neighborhood has 175 houses, you know, have playgrounds, but this one of 3,000 houses does not have one. Yeah. And Councilman Schulman did mention that that they are in desperate need. They've never had one and they're Yeah. Yeah, the city recognized, right? The parks and recreck staff definitely said this was underserved and would be very high on the list of um and and they do it kind of like Melissa does our school buildings, which school
157needs to be rebuilt depending on usage, depending on underserved, and they kind of do that with their playgrounds and parks, what needs to be revamped, rebuilt, what area needs to be a park. And because this is such a big area with lots of families, the need is very great and they're very up high on the list. And uh madame chair, if I may add in reference, it's not a comment to Mrs. Williams remark and Mrs. Williams, correct me if I'm wrong. Um our two city council uh persons did share that there was a study, wasn't there a study that the city had done? Um and that Arizona, our Arizona area was marked as uh a priority for um a park. The city has done a study um in in looking at where uh needs are
158and and that was in that area was indicated that there is a high need. Yes, Miss Rogers. Thank you so much. Thanks um Dr. Green and um Miss Williams for the presentation as well as your um ongoing commitment to Jericho Road and to the community there. Um I very much want to see the community have the park or space that they're looking for and I think that's extremely important. My concern is that the city wants us to transfer the property and have the take on the $1.2 million cost of removing the building. And I guess to me it seems like maybe we can share some of that cost because as we just discussed, we do need help with our CIP. We do have a lot of costs coming up for buildings and it seems a
159little counterintuitive for the school division to take on all of the cost of ripping down the building and then gifting the property over without any skin in the game from the city. Does that kind of make sense what I'm saying? Well, there's skin in the game with even to maintain open space, you've got to cut the grass that they're going to have to pay for all the maintenance. Um and and then however if they decide to then use this as a mixeduse property and they have a park and something that is generating revenue then that is then not a burden to them it's a burden to us. So that's like that's where my concern is is that we are taking on all of the burden and that perhaps that's something that should be considered uh
160simply because we're not, you know, I feel like it should be more of a partnership to taking on the cost of taking the building down if they want and because we're not selling them the property, right? which so if we're transferring it that's fine but then we should also then share the cost of taking that building down if because it is very expensive and yes we have reversion funds but those reversion funds could be going towards our CIP and so like this is that's my only concern is that they want us to take on all of the burden of of the cost of that and then they can turn around and make that property into mixed use that then would generate revenue for them and we're still stuck with our well our recommendation is not
161not for that. Our recommendation is for number three which is open space or park. Another option is for them to do split but that our recommendation is they have to and then our memorandum of understanding or resolutions which is all the paperwork that will be done after we vote would specifically say this needs to be this is intended and shall be used for open space or a park. And I hear what you're saying, but I also heard Mrs. Leni just say that it's difficult to then enforce that later on. So again, I have that concern. Yeah. Um yeah. Yeah, it's expensive. Thank you. Okay, Mr. Bowensteel and um Dr. Green, I see your name here. And since you you guys are since you guys are presenting together, if you guys just want to answer questions,
162since this is both of you all presenting, um so if I see your name, I won't call on you, but if you feel the need to jump in, just let me know. Mr. Bowensteel. Yes. Um I'm all for the park. I think that's a great idea. I'm not a big fan of giving the city the open space uh just for whatever reasons. But I also share Miss Rogers concerns like we're giving them this property and then we're still going to cost us $1.2 million. That just to me seems counterproductive, but that was kind of my concern on that. But uh I guess that was the that's what it is. But I don't know. Just seems like we're giving them everything and we still have liabilities. May I quickly comment? Um, yes. And I mean, of
163course, we would love for them to have said, "Oh, yes, we'll pay for demo, you know, but they have um they have they have several parks that they're trying several other communities that are like us trying to um have a park built." And I forgot and Miss Ingram and Dr. Green, maybe you remember, and at one of the meetings, they quoted the cost to build a park. Does anybody remember that cost? It was astron. It was astronomical. So it's not just to build the part. Depending on the type you build, you might have to staff it, too. Exactly. So, and if you had to build bathrooms, administrative building, appropriate parking, not even to mention whatever the park services are, if it was going to be a jungle gym, if it was going to be a
164baseball field, something like that. And then you have to staff it depending on the size of the the park or whatever you're building. Yes. Exactly. So they have, you know, so they're thinking about those millions and millions and millions and millions of dollars and I can't remember how much. And then just, you know, we we have to also remember even though it was in, I think 1956, this land was gifted to us. Um, correct. It wasn't to you. It was given to the city at the time when the Constitution of Virginia changed. It became the school boards, but at the time it was actually given to the city. Miss Felton. Thank you, Chair Brown, and thank you, Miss uh Milit, for find out what the zoning is because that means a lot knowing what the
165zoning is, what they can and cannot build. Um, I had two questions here. Um, Miss uh Dr. green. Uh, how much public input do you all have for this this um the community of Arizona through uh the last few years and Miss Williams can help me with this as well. I know for many years they have expressed this um because that is the community um we are proposing um option uh 34 and they have been ongoing uh vigilant um about wanting this and and and they have been great partners with us as we have you know worked with um Mr. Freeman and and and Miss Ingram in looking at options. So, this is definitely um a community want, Miss Felton. Keep in mind again, this is right now zoned for single residential homes as well
166and a park placement there would be more than appropriate. Um it will enhance the community. That community still has a lot of children. Also, Pinbrook Elementary is next door to the property. Um, I'm sure they would benefit as well um from such amenities as a park also. Thank you, Dr. Green. And that was one of the things that I asked about the Alaskan Road project. It was always about the public and how that came off. And I think that Alaskan road project came off pretty decent considering all the things that were uh thrown at uh the developers for that with the school board. Uh I'd like to say too that I served on park and rec commissioner for eight years. Um it it takes a lot of work to going into developing a park. I
167love parks. I cannot can't even begin to name all of the communities that when the park uh commission went out to do a uh when the city asked them to go out to do a um research on where parks were needed, it came back as a robust. Everyone wanted a park in their community. If you go around to some of the community and what they designate as a park, sometimes the only thing that's designated as a park is a sign in the on that property saying this is community block whatever the community is park and there's nothing in the park. Uh, for instance, Dolls Way, we've been working on Dolls Way Park for a minute for for a minute and there are home single homes in that area and the only thing that they had
168was just it was smaller than what you're going for and they only had uh one swing set. It takes a lot. Now, I love parks and I think every community should have one. It's really good. Now, for example, the park over there by uh our tri campus, elementary tri campus by uh Diamond Spring, New Town, and um Betty F Williams, that park started out that way. But AARP, if you go back there and look at AARP, um donated a lot of that equipment. Now, that's what happened with a lot of parks. When you go into the communities, uh the communities and uh private partners donate a lot of the equipments that are in the park. The park and wreck are strapped for money. It's for getting things done. Uh the way that they are maintenance
169is maintenance through the city like Mr. uh can't even think of his name would come around and they would choose how they would mow the lawns and keep those under um shape. But, uh, a park, I'm all for it. I would love it. But it's it's more into it than just saying we want a park and leave it as that. Uh, your two city council people that you have on your side, I hope that they push hard to get monies for that for the amenity to get that done because, uh, right now, uh, CATC and and Shallow Lawn is still fighting for things that they want for their park. and CAC. Uh some of the money they got came through foundations in order for them to get even um payment, a good parking area and
170restrooms. Uh so did Shadowon. Shalon decided to just do a um a trail blaze where you walk through the park as well. So those are things that you can do. uh the park uh uh park and commission is under the same scrutiny as we are sometime when it come to the city as how much money they're going to give them what you can and cannot do and what parks you want. There are many several there are many communities screaming for a park and sometimes it's just land and nothing but a sign saying that. But uh I like the park idea. I'm all in. Thank you. Yes, Miss Felton. when this came up, like I said, in 2016 because the Arizona Civic League President Lorraine Samco heard um rumblings and got the idea that maybe some
171condensed housing would be built there. Um they reached out to the community and within a week and a half they had 800 signatures on a petition and we will and Melissa when we go through this process there will be time for public input. Correct. Yes. The the first part is the agree working through an agreement and then I'll defer to Miss Lenetti on a public hearing. Well, obviously this will be on in your August meeting and so the public would take comment when we actually are able to define the boundaries and the property and surplus. You also have to have a public hearing for it and you may depending on the agreement the MOU that we have with the school or the city council that may also have to come up. So there would be
172opportunities along the line for it. I don't think it's our business as to whether what type of park or anything of that nature. That that's not our piece. Ours is whether we're going to retain it or get rid of the property. That would be the piece we handle. Yeah. So, our big thing and our big thing is August 12th, we will be voting on recommendation three. And then through this process, the we will have public comment. The city it will then be up to the city and they will get tons of public comment. And I can very much share with confidence and I'm sure Dr. Green will agree with us. There will be many, many, many public comments at that time. Thank you. Great, Miss Dwire. So, I just wanted to say thank you and
173I see your heart, both of you, and I love the collaboration. Um, and I even hope they get a ball field, a soccer field, a dog park. I mean, I hope you get the whole shebang. I think it's a great idea. And um, even I mean, 13 acres is a lot of land. I mean, who knows? Maybe we could sell off a portion. I don't know how that would be written up and how they would do that, but um, but just want to say thanks. Great job. Mr. Ken, uh, Chair Williams and Dr. Green, uh, you have recommended that we lean strongly towards option three, but option three has two scenarios, either a transfer or a sale, and we are hearing all of the different considerations that surround each of those. Do you have a
174strong recommendation between option A transfer or option B a sale? Yes, we have heard from the two city council members on the committee that they are um desiring and expecting a transfer because they will be in charge of then after getting public input and looking at their budget deciding whether to leave it as open space and they'll still have the maintenance and all that stuff or to start building a more traditional park or ball fields or restrooms. So they will be um having the burden of all those expenses. So it will our recommendation is to transfer the money or I guess I mean legally you can sell it for you'd be well sometimes you do value maybe $1. Yeah, but they're not they're not um they do not want to incur a big cost for
175this property because like I said because they will have costs down the line to maintain it and to build. Well, I understand the desire to build bridges of relationship between city council. But as we've also discussed, the CIP introduces uh a significant amount of financial challenges that await us and this represents an opportunity to contribute to that deep need. So I uh I I hear you and I understand that that would be my perspective if I was a city council member as well, but uh I just wanted to hear what your thoughts were as well and I thank you for that. Mr. Ken and colleagues and you know the four of us often said that we know money is involved but we strongly believe that this is the best use and it it is actually
176the right thing to do for Aragon Village. It's it's the right thing to do. Any comments on that? Dr. Green did so did. Okay. And I'm going to speak first and then uh turn the floor to Miss Rogers. Um, so this property, um, and and I know that it was said, but I want to reiterate it. It was gifted to the city. Correct, Miss Lenetti? Correct. In the sense at that time, school boards didn't always own property because of the political relationship, but it was it was given for the purpose of school, but technically it went to the city. you you you assumed ownership because of changes in the law after that. Okay. Um so this property was already gifted to us. Um you know and I I'm going to go on the record right
177now in strong support of transferring to council um for this purpose um specifically either open space or a park. Um, I did serve on this committee um temporarily and um I also went to the Oregon Civic League um some last year as well. Um so I've I'm aware of the the community's thoughts on on this property and the importance to the community. Um, part of the reason that we have to pay to demolish the building is so that we can retain an additional 4.84 acres uh of land. So, you know, I think it's important to make sure that we recognize in that um worst I I believe worst case scenario probably around 1.2 2 million um that we would consider asking um for reversion funding that we're getting almost five acres for the future needs
178of the elementary school there. And so, you know, in part when we're we're doing that, we are actually on the receiving end still of that deal. Um it's not like we're saying demolish it and we're not going to take any more of the property. Um, so I just wanted to note that. And then, you know, intention um, when it was gifted to us, there's several news articles um, signaling the intentionality of this gift was for a school or a park. Um, it was a developer that gifted it. If the developer wanted to develop it, it it would have been developed. Um, and so I I do really recognize the challenges, you know, that we face with our CIP. Um, but I think when we're given a gift and that the best evidence that we have
179points to the intentionality, um, I I personally feel as though I I need to respect that intentionality as well. With that, Miss Rogers. Thanks. And I I totally hear everybody's um you know concern. I just city council is going to look out for city council and I feel my responsibility as a school board members to look out for our schools and again I totally want to have their park. I agree with all of that. The only problem is once we turn it over we don't have control over whether or not that happens or how it happens or if it's what the the community wants. And so that's where I feel like, you know, us taking on all the burden of ensuring that it is what the community wants and we have no guarantee that that's
180going to be the follow through. Um and and where I would like to see more of that perhaps uh being taken on by the city for the the demolition. That's that's my big sticking point, I guess, is that we're taking on all the responsibility for that without a total guarantee that it's going to be what the community asked us to do. So, just want to say that. All right. Um, Dr. And may I? Yeah. Okay. I'm sorry. And Mr. Rogers, to your point, um, I live in that community. I interact with a lot of people throughout my community which in Arizona is very close to where I live. This is what the community wants. You know I you know I can assure you this is what they want. They have been wanting it and we
181need this. So, I just wanted to make sure you you know you know this is what the community wants and there and we do need it and we have um the support of both of our city council persons for that area as well and they understand the need um for that area of Virginia Beach. So, thank you. Okay. And is the committee asking since we've had this on twice for us to vote on this August 12th? Is that the Okay. All right. Um, so we are um a little bit behind schedule here. Dr. Robertson, do you suggest that we go to lunch and continue with the FURPA best practices or I think we can do the fur best practices in about 10 minutes and we can just adjust lunch push lunch back next session start
182at 1 instead of 12:45. Okay. Thank you. All right. We will now welcome Cammy Lenetti, schoolboard attorney, and Leanne Turble, director of office of student leadership for a review of Furpa and discipline committee best practices. Good afternoon. I'm Cammy Letti, the schoolboard attorney. I've been asked to give you a presentation involving the background on FURPA. Once we're done that, I'm going to turn this over to Miss Turnill who's going to give you some best practice concerns and issues having to deal with schoolboard disciplinary committee. So, let's start with what is for Miss the next slide for me. Thank you. In 19 in the early 1970s, the federal government enacted numerous laws and regulations directly impacting public education. One of those laws, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, referred to as FURPA, was
183created to establish the rules of confidentiality of student records and the right to access those records. Commonly referred to in federal agencies as the Buckley Amendment in honor of New York Senator James Buckley, Furpa establishes several core concepts that control how public educational institutions handle and protect education records. We'll give you a general overview of these concepts in this presentation. Purp is not the only law that addresses confidentiality and access to education records. Therefore, when deciding whether to release or provide access to education records, school officials need to be familiar with other confidentiality laws. FURPA does not provide a personal right of action for students whose confidentiality has been violated, but it does provide the opportunity to file a complaint with the federal government. Fur was enforced by the US Department of Education and to
184date there are no known cases of the US Department of Education eliminating federal funding for fur breaches of confidentiality. The next slide please. So what is FUPA? What is an education record? An education record is any form of education related information that can provide personally identifiable information PII about a specific student. The form of the record does not matter. Therefore, paper records, video, audio, and electronic records can all be considered education records if the record can be tied to a specific student. This can also be challenging when records are kept in multiple locations with different staff members. Recent developments in technology are providing proving difficult for school staff to maintain education records and this includes social media communication with students and parents and online education systems that are used by students. Knowing where an education
185record is located and how long a record must be maintained are also important for school staff. Furpa creates an exception for from disclosure for education records that are personal notes or records kept by staff member about a student so long as a staff member does not share those personal notes with anyone other than a substitute. Information that a school official has learned through personal observation that was not learned through an education record may not constitution constitute an education record under FURPA. However, that record may still be protected from release by another law. Next slide, please. On this slide, you'll see a list of those record education records that are should not be released to unauthorized persons without consent. For reviewing that, we can move to the next slide. So, who may access records? FURa delinates
186the rights of adult students from their parents and legal guardians referred to as eligible students under federal law. Those students who are 18 years of old or older are determined by FERPA to be able to make their own decisions regarding their education. If an eligible student is still a tax dependent of his or her parent or legal guardian, the parent and legal guardian have the right to review their education records, but they cannot make education decisions for the student. There are also exception for those adult students who are incapacitated and the parents have a court order guardianship that allows the guardian to access and make decisions for the student. Additionally, there also exceptions for students under 18 who are determined to be emancipated from their parents. Here's an interesting fact. If a student under 18
187is attending any higher education class, that student is then considered adult under Furpa and for the purpose of that class and their parent or legal guardian does not have the right to access the records and make decisions regarding the higher education class without that student's consent. As a practice tip, the schools staff should always check the student's age as well as any court documents related to minor or incapacity students before deciding whether to release or provide access to records. Next slide, please. Fura does allow release of access to education records without obtaining the parent or the students consent under certain circumstances. On the slide, you will find some of those common exceptions. An opportunity to read those. Move to the next slide, please. Recognizes that certain education related information may be commonly released because it
188is unlikely to violate a student's confidentiality rights. Directory information is the term for that information that a school division has designated for release without consent. Examples of director information are listed on the slide. A school division must publish the list of directory information each year and the eligible student or the parent legal guard of a minor student must be provided with the opportunity and right to opt out of release of this information. School must then maintain a list of those students who've opted out of the release of directory information and the school must honor that opt- out decision. Although many schools and partner groups find the opt- out procedure to be inconvenient, there are legitimate reasons for opting out. Safety is a frequently of issue for students who are in foster care, child abuse, child
189exploitation, witness protection programs, or other violent situations. Inadvertent release of a home address or telephone number can place that student in jeopardy. Another frequent concern for parents is the use of personal data for commercial purposes or for potential data attacks. The Virginia General Assembly has passed legislation regarding direct information that requires that eligible students and parents of minor students opt into rather than opt out of the release of certain identifying information. Again, as a practice tip, school officials need to be careful about what information has been designated directory information and whether a student has opted in or opted out of release of that information. Next slide, please. Purple grants limited rights to education records set out in this slide are the four general categories of purple rights. It should be noted that education records belong
190to the school division and not to the eligible student or the parent legal guard or minor student. Access to records and under certain circumstances copies of records such as IEPs or what is available to the student and parent but not ownership or control of those education records. Next slide please. Purple allows an eligible eligible student or parent legal guardian of a minor student to request an education record be changed or deleted. As noted in the prior slides, the education record belongs to the school division. Therefore, eligible students or parent legal guardian does not control what is in the record. The process for changing record was not created so that a class grade, a test score, or a discipline record could be changed to reflect what the eligible student wanted to read. Instead, the change should
191be to address misinformation or incorrect information. A request to change a record is then sent to the principal who can make a decision as to whether the record will be changed and that request is then handled by the principal. The standard by which the principal makes a decision regarding a records change is whether the record is arbitrary, comprecious or without basis law or authority. If the principal decides to not to change the record, then the eligible student or the parent is allowed to include a letter that will be attached to the record in question explain the student or parents concern with the record. Generally, there's a word limit such as a 200word statement that is attached to that request. To prevent record challenges from becoming so overburdening, there's generally no appeal to the school ward
192or to a court regarding a record's change. Next slide, please. FUR is not the only law regulation that addresses confidentiality of education records. Listed on the slide are some of the more common laws that also address confidentiality of education records. Although Furpa may allow release of an education record, there may be another law that prevents release or imposes other requirements before release is allowed. Therefore, school officials need to be familiar with the other laws that address confidentiality. Thank you. Schoolboard members have the same right to access education records as many any member of the public would have under FOYA. However, schoolboard members should be cautious about accessing education records that are related to matters which the schoolboard may later be required to render a decision. Student discipline is a good example. A schoolboard member may
193have a need to know about the discipline matter. However, accessing the information outside the discipline process may disqualify a schoolboard member from participating in the decision on that matter at a later date. In another example, schoolboard member would certainly have the need to know about a student's medical condition if the student was injured as a result of a schoolboard bus accident or school spirit sports school sponsored sporting event. So this would be qualify as a schoolboard members need to know. School board members do not have a need to know about routine mailers such as a student's attendance, students grades, a student's IEP, and they should not be granted access to records of that nature. Schoolboard members need to be particularly careful about not accessing education records in efforts to be helpful to constituents, the media
194or the government officials who are interested in confidential records. Even when a schoolboard member has knowledge of an education matter, the schoolboard members should not discuss with the schoolboard knows not with anyone who is not authorized as a schoolboard staff member. you do not know who you're actually talking to on a phone call or an email and you could potentially be releasing confidential information to an unauthorized person. If you do not have access to the students full QM folder, you do not know who has custody or legal rights to access the students education records. Grandparents, older siblings, aunts and uncles may only have access to information by a student if they have the legal right to that information or when they've been properly authenticated for a verbal release. Simply being related to a student does
195not authorize you to access their records. School officials, however, do have access to information about legal rights. Therefore, schoolboard members should refer all requests for student education record information to the school staff to review for compliance with applicable law. Next, a developing area for local government is the use of personal assistance to assist schoolboard members with their workloads. A personal assistant does not have the same right to access education records as a schoolboard member. If the assistant is not also a school division employee, if the personal assistant is hired by the school division, then the assistant would be granted rights to have access to education records. Otherwise, schoolboard members need to work with their superintendent and their legal counsel to determine whether personal assistant can be authorized to access confidential information. Same rule applies to
196family members. Sculper members to need to ensure that confidential education records are not shared with their family members and that phones and other electronic DS are not available to your family members to access where they may be able to access education information. At this point, I'm going to turn over the rest of the presentation to Miss Turill. Thank you, Miss Neletti. My part of the presentation today is a brief overview of some best practices and reminders for schoolboard discipline appeal hearings as we move into the 2526 school year. On the slide, you will see this year's schoolboard appeal numbers. For the year, we had 61 total hearings. Since this board took office in January 2025, we've had 44 student discipline appeals and reinstatements. The breakdown by committee is on the screen. As you know, many
197of our holidays falls on Mon fall on Mondays, which impacts the number of hearings assigned to discipline committee 1. Additionally, in your folder, you have been provided a more detailed breakdown of discipline hearing data. The 202526 student discipline appeal dates have been selected and are in the link attached to the PowerPoint and the handout provided in your folder. We ask that you put these dates on your calendar as soon as possible. As appeal requests come into OSL, Rachel Phelps will reach out to you at the dates with at least a week's notice to let you know if we'll be using that date. This year, we were able to have one of the committee start at 1 p.m., which was very helpful for scheduling when multiple hearings were needed. You will note we have assigned the
198same committee to a 1 p.m. start time. As you enter the dates into your calendar for the year, and you notice any conflicts with your assigned dates, please let Rachel know as soon as possible so we can work with Miss Brown to secure a substitute. We ask that when that email is sent out that you confirm that your participation within 48 hours. Rachel finalizes the packets once all schoolboard members have confirmed their participation. It is then uploaded to the SharePoint site facilitated by Regina. Paper packets are also printed and provided for you the day of the hearing. If you prefer to have a paper packet instead of accessing the packet through SharePoint, just let us know. We have some board members who prefer this and come by the office to pick up packets in advance.
199We are happy to work with your preference as we know these are sometimes difficult to review online. Packets are made available to the board and parents 48 hours in advance. We appreciate the thoroughess of your review as we know some are quite thick and take time to read. There have been some concerns shared about the duration of schoolboard appeal hearings. Ideally, schoolboard appeals should average about 30 to 45 minutes per case. While we want parents and administrators to be heard, we had some appeal hearings this year lasting over two hours. When we have multiple cases, this is a really long time to keep families waiting. I would respect respectfully ask that we consider aiming to keep these hearings at a 45 minute range as this can make for a very long day for our parents,
200students, and administrators. Additionally, we have noticed when hearings exceed 45 minutes, emotions start to soar and information is often repeated. Board members are asking great questions and providing each participant the opportunity to share. You work well with one another, often providing sincere commentary to family and students. The Office of Student Leadership processes schoolboard appeal decisions within a 24 to 48 hour time frame. The decision letter is mailed to the parents and parents are advised they may also contact OSL or email me directly the next day between 3 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Should parents, advocates, or attorneys reach out to you for a decision, please direct them to me. Over the last six months, you have been tasked with reviewing discipline incidents and carefully determining outcomes for students. You have asked purpful purposeful questions and worked
201well together as you learn the discipline process and procedures. My job is to help facilitate and guide you through this process. If there is anything I can do better or differently to make this smoother and easier for you, please let me know. In the next few days, I will send you a quick survey to see how the Office of Student Leadership can better serve you. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to present to you today. Is there anything, Miss Lenetti, or I may clarify for you. Um, I just saw one here. Um, I believe it was school board discipline committee to the Tuesday one that was meeting at 1 and Wednesday was at 3. Um, a couple schoolboard members on the Wednesday committee that are not available till 3 p.m. So, um, at the
202top here, I think that might have accidentally been okay. Correction. Thank you. Okay. Um and and we'll we'll try to be brief because we're going to take lunch, but um Dr. Green Yeah, mine is similar. Mrs. um Brown and and and Ms. Melnik can help me in case I'm wrong. And I know Mr. Co Pepper is also on our committee. I thought, and I mean I'm okay if it's three, but I thought we met at 100 p.m. discipline committee one. So, we did have some situations where we did ask special requests to start at 1 pm. So, traditionally the 3pm has been a start time for all committees, but as we had certain cases and timelines come through with the appeals, we then requested could you all start at 1 p.m. So, we do make
203special requests at times to start at one when everyone can or if there's substitutes that can fill in. All right. Thank you. You're welcome. And when you guys have your meeting before that meeting, they can confirm the next time uh and availability with you guys as well. Correct. Absolutely. Okay. Mr. Cummings. Yeah. My question super brief is just around Furpa and as we have family members come into hearings, siblings, um maybe alleged stepparents or mom's boyfriend. I'm just I'm just kind of curious where what is the leeway I guess with having some of those folks and what's the safeguards? Are they allowed in those hearings? If do they sign if someone with legal custody? So assume you have a student coming in student under 18 and they bring in mom and dad and mom and
204dad want to bring grandma in or boyfriend in. I'm assuming that they have authorized that they've chosen to bring that person in. So they're there. legal custodian, the person with the right to make the decision has made the had the ability to bring them in. If you were in an IEP, a 504 meeting, we would probably have you sign a certain piece of paper, what we would call a furpal release piece of paper. Um, we do have situations where grandparents are helping take care, aunts and uncles, taking care of um people, students living in their house, they will sign forms so that the school can talk to them. In that situation, when they call in, they can share, okay, for grandma because grandma's taking care of the kids in the afternoon. the school would sign
205that in a student discipline case if the parent has brought them in with them. We're assuming the parent has consented to that. Okay, that was just my only question. I think I have a couple more, but those are email worthy. So, Miss Rogers, um Miss Turnbull, on the August portion, uh it says inservice. Is that something we have to Yes. So, I put in there where we might have conflicts that might be a challenge for administrators to attend and then I put in the holidays so that you could see where um the a committee may not have a second date in that month. Okay. Thanks. You're welcome. Okay. Um that brings us now to lunch. Um is everybody okay with kind of splitting the difference here and coming back at one? Okay. All right. So,
206we will recess for lunch and we will return at 1 p.m. Thank you. [Music] Okay, thank you colleagues um for all your work so far today. We are going to jump right back in to our budget process. And for that I welcome Crystal P, chief financial officer and Darnita Tropman. Uh Dr. Darnita Trotman, chief human resources officer. So show them around a few other people and I think Dr. Robertson has some comments. Yes. As well. So um yesterday before we get started with this budget process because I don't want to mix apples and oranges. Uh we received a question yesterday and I alluded to this earlier around the uh freezes of federal title funding that was supposed to be allocated to to states and localities on July 1. And so I wanted to uh tell
207this board exactly where we are with those uh grant areas. So we'll start with the good news. Um title one part C is migrant education and in title one part C that funds have been frozen but we don't we're not eligible for funding under this program. So there is no impact to Virginia Beach City Public Schools with Title One Part C. Similarly with title one uh four or I'm sorry title four part B. Title four part VB B is titled and let me get the name of that. It's 21st century uh learning communities. We don't have any 21st century learning communities. So there's no impact to Virginia be city public schools on title one part B. Uh then we're going to go to title three. Title three covers English language acquisition grants and we do
208have positions funded in title three. What we funded in title three from our planning purposes this year was one FTE position a a specialist and also funding for the elevate platform that we use in title three some professional learning and other services. The good news is we have enough carryover funds in title three to not make any adjustments to title three for this year. So that's no impact for title for for the first area I talked about. Title 1 C, title 4B, and title three. We're we're good. No changes at all. We're fine. Now let's go to title 2 A. Title 2A we we primarily uh fund through title 2A uh coaches and and specialists. So we do have 15 uh reading and math specialists funded through title two um part A and my screen
209is not trying not cooperating with me here. Let me try to move this thing up. and title two part A is entitled again supporting effective instruction. Um our application uh was based on funding 21 positions although uh last year I believe we had 18 positions funded. Um, we decided because we weren't exactly sure what was going to happen to do a closer look at exactly what we needed bare bones and that was 15 FTEES. We have enough money in carryover funds to probably fund 10 to 12 of those positions. Um, and what we're going to do for the remaining positions is pull money out of other locations of the operating budget to ensure those 15 reading and math coaches who have already been told that they're in this grant to work next year that we're
210going to uh support them this year. So, for the 15 FTEES that we've currently staffed, we're going to be able to use somewhere between uh we'll be able to use money that will cover somewhere between 10 and 12 of those. And so, that'll leave likely three to four uh positions we'll have to uh cover through the operating budget. And that's roughly about $500,000. Then we go down to title four part A which is supporting student and academic enrichment. Um we were allocated to to staff six positions and we did not staff six positions. We took a look at our needs again anticipating there could be some adjustments and we funded 3.1 of those positions. And so in in that 3.1 positions, that means we didn't fully execute that grant. That allows us to cover those
211positions through our existing carryover funds. So what we were planning to do in June at the end of June, we can continue to do using carryover funds and uh some support from the operating budget. So the last part is the adult basic education which no one had any clue that adult ba basic education could be adjusted. Um we we fund roughly about $500,000 out of grants for adult basic education. Um and we are going to shift those expenses from grants to operating for this year only because again that was not on anyone's radar. We had had no discussion with adult with the adult learning center. Those staff members had already been notified they were going to be employed and we are going to uh look within our operating budget and identify the roughly $500,000 that
212would carry us through adult basic education for this year only. The fir the just a couple of things in my contacts with my colleagues across the state. the language still from the federal funds is frozen um or not allocated yet. So there is some hope that in future discussions between the United States Department of Education and the state associations that funding could be coming forward. We just don't know when that is. So there's there's no timeline for that. There's there's no definitive well you're going to get funded at 50%. But the point is, what I want everyone to know is we can continue with those areas this year only. Um, and it will roughly cost us somewhere between 800,000 and a million dollars that we will uh find in our operating budget and other areas.
213So, that's where we are. Happy to take any questions. Okay. Um, Miss Rogers, and we'll be brief with this portion of the questions just because I I did want to make sure since board members had questions that we didn't spend, you know, two and a half or three hours on the budget and not address those. Um, go ahead. Um, Dr. Robertson, it's my understanding that it's a possibility that, um, at the state level they're going to be meeting again, um, because of, you know, what's happening. Um, have we reached out to any of our legislators, you know, in the community in our local legislators and discussed some of these needs? Yes. So, the Virginia Association of School Superintendent has uh taken the approach. They've contacted the state legislators to encourage them to come together to
214determine what Virginia can do if there are no additional funds. And so that is part of the hope that we think that's going to occur. Um I don't know what that'll mean for us. Uh because I'm not sure how much money is available at the state level. I I it so other divisions in the Commonwealth have had a much greater impact by these funds and the loss of these funds than Virginia Beach. Thanks Mr. Cummings. I think um you Thank you. So sorry. Thank you so much for sharing just that update as is one of the things that you know I was asking about. Um I think my we don't need the answer right this moment but maybe as a followup if we could just have broken down just with some hard dollars what each
215line by line what that would that would be if it's just a as a follow-up item how much we're looking at impact wise. Yeah. So thank you Mr. Cummings. I was going to share that and I have to give great kudos to Tiffany Jacobs standing up there who is was on this immediately. Um, and Danielle Kawuchcci and her team and of course Crystal, Miss Woodhouse is always a great asset. Mr. Delaney. Um, we're going to find a way Yeah. to make this thing work. But to your point, Tiffany indicated that we'll know exactly what's left over in those carryover funds in August because it the year closed out June 30th and we're waiting for those invoices to come through, those last minute invoices to do the expenses. So, we will be able to prepare. Let's
216make a note that we'll by August 12th, we'll come to you with exact dollar figures of what's coming out of the exist the remaining carryover funds and what we're going to have to incur out of the operating budget. Perfect. Yeah. And just thinking like what is total of loss funds and then what's the carryover and impact on operational. So, yeah. So, I can tell you total loss funds right now. Again, I know that that's not the topic that we're here to talk about today, but we uh our grants were approved for $2.1 million for title two part A, uh $273,000 for title three, $1.3 million for title four, um and I adult basic education, you provide that to Tiffany. $300 and,000 for title or I'm sorry, $300,000 for adult basic education and we'll give you
217those exact numbers, but because I I rounded them to the nearest. All right. Yeah. Thank you so much for being I think with great speed, you know, responding to our messages about impact and identifying a plan of action to make sure our student impact, our staff impact is very minimal. And I I appreciate, you know, your team's response to, you know, this sudden surprise. So, thank you so much, Dr. Roberts and folks. And Dr. Robertson, just some housekeeping. Um, is that going to be during our meeting or is that going to be emailed to the board? That was a great question. I was going to talk to you and uh, Miss Williams afterwards and and ask if you felt like it wanted to be a memo, whether you want it to be during admin matters
218and we could have a document. So, you can just let me know how you prefer. I I think if um, if it warrants a memo, then a memo is fine. And if it warrants more presentation, then we need to have that conversation as as more information comes about. So if you feel that there's a need for presentation, just make sure that uh we're aware, which you always do. So we'll do. Thank you. All right. Okay. Good afternoon, Chair Brown, Vice Chair Williams, school board members, and Dr. Robertson. Today's presentation offers an overview of the annual budget development processes for both the city and the schools. Our goal is to clarify how these processes influence reconciliation and timelines while identifying opportunities to enhance schoolboard engagement and feedback throughout the process. For today's agenda, we will begin
219with a brief overview of what budget reconciliation entails at the local level, followed by an interactive exercise from the perspective of the budget office to explore budget balancing. Next, we will walk through the city's budget reconciliation process, followed by the school's approach, and we will discuss how to enhance school board involvement and engagement throughout the budget cycle. We will provide an opportunity for the board to discuss and identify budget priorities. And finally, we will review next steps and provide space for questions and discussion. In local government, budget reconciliation means aligning the proposed or adopted budget with actual revenues, expenditures, and priorities to ensure balance a balanced and legally compliant financial plan. It typically occurs after initial budget development and involves making necessary adjustments such as reallocating funds, revising projections or modifying programs to address funding
220gaps, changes in revenue forecast or updated policy decisions. This process ensures the budget remains balanced as required by law. resources are aligned with the strategic goals and operational needs. Stakeholder feedback and new information are incorporated before final budget decisions are made. This is especially important when revenues come from multiple sources such as local, state, and federal, which may change after the initial budget is drafted. Before diving deeper into a discussion of the city and schools budget processes, we're going to take you through an interactive exercise intended to provide an understanding of the reconciliation or budget balancing process from the perspective of the budget office. So, at this point, I will turn this over to Miss Tiffany Jacobs, director of budget, to provide you information and guidance on the activity. Thank you and good afternoon. To
221support this activity, you will find a printed copy of this slide at your workstation. Please note that the figure highlighted in red reflects an updated amount which differs from the version originally included in your packet. For additional context, slide five has also been provided as a reference. So in this fictional scenario, we have a proposed fiscical year 27 operating budget as presented in the superintendent's estimate of needs or seon of $500 million. Approximately 59% is allocated to personnel expenses, 24% to fringe benefits and $85 million to non-personnel expenses. We can assume in this scenario that FTEES represent 85% of the total personnel budget and the personnel budget includes a 2% salary increase for FTEES. Following the initial presentation of the budget to the board, we were notified of additional state and local revenues totaling $4
222million for fiscal year 27. The concern or question for the budget office is how to allocate these additional funds to maintain a balanced budget. Here we have provided a sample of outstanding budget requests so sorted by total cost that were not included in the proposed operating budget but could potentially be supported with the additional projected revenue and we'll go through those items um now. So to start with there is an additional 1.5% salary increase for FTEES for a total salary increase of 3.5% overall at a cost of approximately $4.8 8 million. There's a request for additional contributions to the CIP in the form of PIGO funds totaling $1.5 million. We can increase the debt service by 1 million to repay bonds issued by projects executed through the CIP. Federal funding reductions have left four instructional
223positions currently unfunded for fiscal year 27, resulting in a request for school operating funds totaling approximately $410,000. There's also a request for the addition of a wellness day at a cost of approximately $350,000. An online literacy software to support initiatives under the Virginia Literacy Act is funded by a grant that's set to expire on June 30th, 2026, leaving this resource unfunded for fiscal year 27. There is a request to expand workforce development programming at a cost of $225,000. A mid-year data review found an increase in our ESL population likely necessitating additional ESL positions in FYI 27 to meet SOQ requirements. We have a request for the purchase of audiovisisual equipment for various schools totaling nearly $180,000. And finally, a request for additional local match dollars to expand enrollment under the Virginia preschool initiative program. This
224grant program requires matching funds calculated based on our local composite index. The Virginia Department of Education has encouraged program expansion, making this an opportunity to expand access while aligning with state goals. As you can see, the total cost of these requests exceeds the additional revenue by approximately $5 million. Our task as a budget office with input from the board and leadership is to determine what budget strategies we can leverage to meet identified needs while maintaining a fiscally sound and balanced budget. So in groups of two or three, we're asking you to take the next five minutes to discuss how you would approach prioritizing this list of funding requests presented on the screen. Keep in mind that the total value of all requests exceeds available funding. So you'll need to consider tradeoffs and develop strategies for
225how you might fund your top priorities. After five minutes, we'll come back together and briefly discuss your ideas as a group. Then we'll walk through some specific examples of how we might reconcile the $4 million dollar funding increase with these competing budget priorities. And we will start the timer for five minutes now. Yep. There's no set groups. [Music] Okay, everyone. We have now hit five minutes. Comes pretty quick, doesn't it? So, thank you for working through that exercise. Would anybody do would you guys like another two minutes? to keep thinking. Yes. Okay. Okay, we now call time on the group discussion. So, just to reiterate, I want to make sure everybody realizes this is fictional. These numbers aren't real. They're not I am. Well, I know now, you know, and it's funny because I'm not
226an instructional person, so I got feedback recently from someone that is. It's but maybe you should like have it flashing and all that across the screen. So now learn live and learn a little bit also too just to before we continue and talk a little bit through this um realize that this type of activity is what we do every year and what we've done the last three or four years um when funds have gotten tight when we've had budget priorities from both direction from leadership and school board and we've been able to go in and look at our operations and been able to cut $11 million over a few years to try to make things happen that were more important to us and to the board. So realize that there's no right answer to this.
227This is just something that we wanted to bring to you and let you see how that works and that you know that's why we really seek your guidance as a school board that we really are trying to be efficient, be transparent and try to make sure that we make our operations align with our strategic goals and what the school board priorities are. So look that Tiffany um continue on with this. So, would anybody like to share um briefly what you came up with in your groups? Sure. Miss Melnake and then Miss Rogers. So, um again, this is fictional to my friend, the president of the Virginia Beach Education Association behind me. Um, so with only $4 million, but not really wanting to, we wanted to keep the salary as high as we could, but we
228did take a a.5% reduction in that um because 1.5 was already over budget. So that reduced our number to 300. Uh that that 3.5. It took us to 3.5 is what it did. So, um, we right off the top, we chose the, um, the two programs that were kind of non-negotiable. Um, the requirements, one, the grant, the grant expiring for the online literacy and the additional ESL teachers. Um, then we took the salary increase from 1.5 to one and that only left us $182,486. So, we chose the uh VPI um program expansion, which left us $141,238 left over that could be, you know, that small amount placed back in um PGO. But that's what we came up with. It was not a lot of money. Yeah, it sounds like a lot of money till you
229actually start working with it and then you realize this is a great this is a great exercise. Yeah. Anybody else? All right, Miss Rogers. Well, I we didn't actually go through the the the the numbers part because we're trying to decide what our priorities were and then you're like, it's time. So, we did decide though that salary increases were going to be a big priority. Um as well as making sure that we had the um making sure we had positions. We don't want to have to like have people not have positions. It's also pretty important when we hear what's going on with our CIP um budget to prioritize those things. And then like things like a wellness day, while we really like having those things for our um staff, the feedback we get is that
230it's difficult to find a substitute on a wellness day or we don't you get to a opportunity to use them. So it seems less important to offer those things when they're not as used as we would like them to be. And then um some of these other things like um like additional um are the expansion of our workforce development programs. Um it's possible we can find more grant funding for those type of things. So making sure that we um have that in the budget isn't as much of a priority when we know that there we could find grants to actually fund that for us. So those are things we talked about. I didn't actually do numbers because again listen I'm a pre-K teacher. I can count to 20 and then I'm good. So, um, and
231and my two colleagues here to my right can jump in. Um, as we were discussing this, we were discussing, you know, the priorities and much like you'll see sometimes in our board members, um, not that we didn't believe that there was priorities. We just, uh, we struggled in agreeing the number of priorities. Um whereas I said I'm I'm really concerned about uh CIP. I would love more information about you know whether or not a million dollars to debt servicing payment for CIP or CIP payo what the long-term impact of that is because of the interest and stuff that compounds there. So um I thought that that was an interesting conversation that that brought up. Um you know Dr. Green. Um, and Miss Vice Chair Williams and I, we all agreed uh that the additional ESL
232teacher to meet SOQ that was required was something that needed to be a top priority. And um and then we had some I wouldn't say disagreement, but differing opinions on um whether or not you know the salary or the um the CIP needed to go uh first and to what point. And we recognized that that cost in this fictional work up here was uh more money than we had. Um and you know much like we we have to do regularly. So I I do think this is a really great exercise. Um, and then I I thought that the expansion of workforce development was still important because when we um when we when we're teaching our students, we need to make sure that we're having them future ready. And um that's a huge increase. And I
233not 100% sure uh where we left off on that conversation, but my colleagues want to weigh in. Um I want to make sure that I'm not speaking for them. and and you are correct and and I think the point of this conversation or this exercise, Miss Jacobson, is to show us how difficult these decisions are made because even with our group, there were commonalities, but there were some things we differed on, you know, for example, you know, like with for me for the pay was important, but then to Miss Brown's point, we also need to look at the pay go fund. So, we get it. Oh, no, no, no. I'm I'm just speaking for myself. Well, this is all really good discussion and that and this truly is a representation of what we go through
234as a budget office in conjunction with um leadership and you know our departmental chiefs and representatives to identify what those important things are in making those decisions. I do want to emphasize though, compensation always is at the top of the list when we have additional funding available. Um that is one of the top priorities because it has been identified by our leadership and the board as an area we need to focus on. All of the decisions about which requests are included in a proposed operating budget are made in close collaboration again with Dr. Robertson, um senior leadership, and in consideration of the school board's priorities. When we're reviewing specific requests, we assess not only the content and costs of those requests, but whether these requests represent required expenses, ongoing expenses, one-time expenses, much as you
235all did in your groups. The fact these factors play a critical role in shaping our budget balancing strategies that we all that ultimately influence which requests go forward for approval. And so we're going to review some of those strategies now, many of which you all actually utilized in your group discussions. So required expenses, required expenses are things we must do. We just have to do them as in the case with meeting SOQ requirements for staffing. In practice, we would generally deduct required expenses off the top of any additional revenue before evaluating any other funding requests. However, for the purpose of this exercise, we intentionally left this deduction out to demonstrate how required items are evaluated as part of the overall reconciliation process. So looking at other budget strategies we could use to fund identified requests.
236Miss Melnik, you had brought this one up um specifically we can look at reducing the value of the 1.5% additional salary increase. So by reducing the increase from 1.5% to 1% the cost is reduced by approximately $1.5 million. So that would decrease the cost to approximately 3.2 2 million based on our fictional scenario which is well below the $4 million in additional revenue we're receiving which could enable us to approve some other requests. While we can always eliminate requests for consideration in some cases and excuse me in some cases partial funding is a viable approach which many of you all utilized in the exercise. For example, reducing the request for PIGO funding by 50% represents a savings of of $750,000 where decreasing the request for VPI match funds by 50% would save $20,624. When evaluating
237requests for new or replacement instructional programs, it's important to consider whether existing resources are being phased out, potentially resulting in cost savings that can offset the cost of the new investment. For example, in this fictional exercise, in the case of the online literacy software, grant funds may have been used to pilot the resource for one year with full implementation intended for fiscal year 27. Suns setting the previous software application prior to the full implementation of the new resource could eliminate the $150,000 annual cost of the old software. As a result, the net increase in ongoing costs for the new program are really only $139,000 annually rather than the full cost of $289,000, demonstrating the importance of evaluating total cost impact, not just the initial price tag. Where appropriate, leveraging available grant funding may be considered
238to support specific requests, providing that the expenses are allowable under the terms of the grant. However, in such cases, it's essential to consider long-term sustainability and avoid relying on temporary funding for ongoing operational needs. In this example, if three of the four instructional positions can be shifted to another grant, the request for operating funds is reduced to less than $103,000 instead of the nearly $410,000 originally requested. And then we have one-time expenses. Identification of one-time requests is another consideration. One-time requests are individual initiatives or one-time expenditures that would not be considered for permanent ongoing funding. For one-time expenses, we may consider whether funds can be identified in the current fiscal year to support the request. In the case of the audiovisisual equipment funding request, utilizing current year funds would remove the need, excuse me, remove
239the need to allocate resources for this expense in the FY27 budget. However, if there isn't sufficient funding available in the current fiscal year, a request still could be considered for inclusion in the FY27 budget, for example, the wellness day. In such cases, the budget office would flag the item for review during the FY28 budget process to ensure that this one-time expense is not automatically carried forward without further evaluation and discussion. And again, these strategies that we reviewed were not intend intended to be an exhaustive list of options, but rather to illustrate potential areas where savings could be realized to help address identified needs. the specific strategies ultimately considered will depend on the size and scope of the requests as well as the availability of funding. Final decisions on which requests are included in the budget
240are shaped by a combination of factors, guidance from the school board, state and programmatic requirements, and input from the public. Once these decisions are made, the budget office reconciles and rebalances the budget to reflect the approved changes. The revised budget following reconciliation becomes the final proposed operating budget that is presented to the school board for adoption. This entire process underscores the importance of early and ongoing engagement with the school board to help guide the identification and prioritization of budget needs. And now I'll turn it back over to Miss Pate. Okay. So, now we're going to um venture on to city and school budget processes. So, when comparing the reconciliation processes between the city and the schools, the core structure and key steps are largely aligned. both follow a similar approach in balancing available resources with
241identified priorities and making necessary adjustments. However, there are important key differences and how each entity approaches the process leading up to reconciliation as well as how how excuse me as well as how often reconciliation occurs. The following slides will outline each process beginning with the city. The city's annual budget development process begins with the year-end closeout of the prior fiscal year, typically the third week in August. The resulting financial data is used to develop budget targets, which serve as the starting point for departmental budget planning. Budget targets represent an initial estimate of a department's general fund need. The percentage is based on the current year's budget and determines the structure of budget proposals. Budget proposals are then classified by tiers based on whether the request is an existing expenditure within target, above the target, or
242represents a new expense or initiative. In October, budget targets are communicated to departments as part of the budget kickoff. Departments submit their requests in early December. And from December to January, the budget office reviews and analyzes departmental submissions, formulates recommendations, and provides feedback to departments. Budget hearings are held with the city manager, budget office staff, and departments in January, affording an opportunity for departments to present and defend their request. Information from these hearings is compiled in February and is used to develop the city's proposed operating budget that is presented in March. Departmental presentations to city council begin in April, offering council members detailed insight into departmental needs and priorities. Between March and AP and May, the formal reconciliation process occurs based on city council feedback, leading to the final reconciliation and budget adoption by May
24315th. The vice mayor takes the lead in gaining consensus amongst council members to have final decisions prior to the Thursday before the council vote. This is when the final ordinances are posted publicly with the city council agenda. This process is designed to ensure transparency, informed decision making, and alignment between departments, city leadership, and the council. Similar to the city's process, and following close out of the prior fiscal year in August, the school's budget office reviews current year budgets and makes baseline adjustments, including reconciling budget amendments adopted the previous May or June. Current year level funding for non-personnel lines is the budget target provided to departments as the baseline for their budget development work. Requests are categorized as being either within their baseline or outside of their baseline budget request. Budget kickoff occurs in September and
244department requests are due by early November. Our budget office analyzes submitted requests between November and December. In January, the superintendent meets with budget staff to review departmental request and finalize details for the superintendent's estimate of needs or CEO that is then presented to the school board in February. Formal budget workshops are held in February and the beginning of March and include a public hearing to ensure transparency and community input. Insights gathered during these sessions are carefully reviewed, reconciled, and integrated into the proposed operating budget that is a formally adopted by the school board in March. The approved operating budget is presented to city council in April and formally adopted in May. Should the approved state budget or local revenue projections change following adoption of the budget in March, a second formal reconciliation will occur with
245an amended budget being brought forward to the school board and city council for approval. So to summarize, this slide highlights the notable differences in the processes between city and schools. The city utili utilizes calculated targets as the budgetary basis not necessarily 100% of the prior year budget while the schools use level funding adjust baseline as their budgetary basis. The city categorizes budget requests by tiers where school budget requests are either within the baseline or outside of it. Prioritization of requests at the city involves budget hearings with the city manager, departments, and budget staff to review and discuss requests. Schools budget staff conduct meetings with departments prior to budget staff meeting with the superintendent for the same purpose. Budget presentations to city council are delivered by budget staff andor department representatives. Schoolboard budget presentations are delivered
246by the CFO and the budget staff. The city's reconciliation occurs prior to final budget adoption. Schools reconciliation occurs prior to adoption and following approval of the state budget if there are revenue adjustments. The city adopts their budget in May or the school board adopts the budget in March with formal adoption in May at the same time the city budget is adopted. As demonstrated in our reconciliation exercise at the beginning of this presentation, early and active engagement and feedback from the school board is essential to establishing priorities and providing strategic direction for the budget reconciliation process. To ensure meaningful participation and to support our priority-based budgeting process, a series of four budget workshops are historically scheduled following the presentation of the SEO in February and leading up to the adoption of the proposed operating budget in
247March. These workshops offer both the board and the public structured opportunities to receive updates and provide input on budget development. To further strengthen board engagement for the fiscal year 202627 budget development process, there are six considerations for schoolboard engagement to evaluate. Maintain the existing schedule for the exeation, subsequent workshops and public hearings. Reschedule the SEO presentation to late February. This would allow for earlier budget workshops in the process, thereby increasing board involvement in shaping the SEO. However, the adjustment would limit the time available for additional workshops prior to the March 15th deadline for adopting the proposed operating budget and capital improvement plan. Three, move CEO presentation to late January. Advancing the Seon release would allow for more workshops and greater opportunity for iterative feedback depending on scheduling availability. However, releasing it in January may occur
248before state revenue figures are available, requiring more adjustments and rebalancing by budget staff and potentially reducing efficiency. Four, department specific budget presentations. Providing departments the opportunity to present budget information directly to the board would enhance transparency and deepen understanding of individual departmental needs and priorities. Number five, implement a budget monitoring committee. Establishing a budget monitoring committee would provide a venue for ongoing board engagement beyond formal budget workshops and promote promote deeper collaboration throughout the budget development process. A clearly defined purpose and set of parameters would guide the committee's work with participating board members serving as liaons between the board, budget staff, and chief of staff to help build consensus and communicate priorities. And then number six is other. We also want to provide space for any additional ideas or suggestions you may have that were
249not covered in the previous five considerations. What would help you feel more involved, informed, or empowered in guiding the budget process? We welcome your thoughts, whether they relate to timing, communication, content, or structure. Your ideas can help shape a more collaborative and transparent process. Each of these additional opportunities for board engagement are designed to ensure that our efforts are closely aligned with the board's priorities and our strategic plan. to effectively guide this work. We are seeking the board's direction on the budget priorities we should be focusing on moving forward. So again, I'm going to turn this over to Miss uh Jacobs and again to go through just another exercise related to school board priorities. And if I can clarify just for the board because you're going to get into another exercise for those considerations. It's
250not you got to pick one, right? You can see you might see two or three of those considerations you think we should explore. That's fine. Okay. So, it's not just one. You got you don't have to pick one. It's what what do you see that's up there that you would like considerationwise so we can seek consensus on uh any adjustments we want to make to the process. As part of today's retreat, we are requesting that the board identify three budget priorities to guide our work throughout the 2627 budget development cycle. This direction will enable us to better support Compass to 2030 and advance organizational excellence by focusing our efforts on identifying cost savings and efficiencies, ensuring we allocate resources effectively to meet student needs and supporting achievement achievement of educational excellence. You will break into
251three groups of your choosing. All groups will have 15 minutes to discuss budget priorities amongst themselves. This will be followed by five minutes of individual self reflection. After the reflection period, we will reconvene for a 20 minute full group discussion. We will have a check-in point at 10 minutes to kind of see where we are. Um, at the conclusion of that discussion, the budget office kindly asks each board member to complete a provided form that I will be handing out identifying the three priorities you believe should guide our work in developing the 2627 budget. I'm going to distribute these forms during the self-reflection period. We ask that you do not record your names. We're going to then collect these following the end of the budget presentation and tally them while the Department of Human Resources
252presenting and following their presentation, we will provide you with a summary of what the stated priorities were. So, if you want to go ahead and pick your three groups, I'll go ahead and set the timer for 15 minutes. Oh, just clarifying question even though I'm not participating in the activity. Um, so it's not just budget priorities, we're also looking for their thoughts about the considerations. It's it's both, right? We we did not put that as part of this exercise because we didn't know that we just did the project priorities at this point, but they can certainly add that to this form. Yeah, let's let's add your considerations, too. If there are considerations around the process and what your budget priorities are, that would be very helpful. So, we'll do the budget priorities in the front
253and the provided boxes. Budget priorities on the front and the provided boxes. And if you'd like to put your preferences for um board engagement on the back, we can tally those as well when we collect these sheets. Sorry, I have a quick question. Point of order. Sorry. Sorry. Um Dr. Robertson, can I get a little bit more clarification because we have either rescheduled the CEO to late February or do it in late January. And I feel like the SEO is your estimation of needs. So, I kind of want more information as to pros and cons of each time frame before I make a I put something on a piece of paper. So, the the the only con for January is sometimes we don't have the state budget information at that date. There's no con for
254February. We've always had uh state numbers by January. Um, and what that would do, Miss Rogers, it would just shift our timeline forward for our own work if we wanted to move it to late February. So, right now, when do we usually get the seon in in March? In February, uh, in February, February second be moving up two weeks earlier or four weeks earlier. Okay. That's what I'm trying to figure out like when do we get it? How would this change? So that I think that's because I definitely feel like we have a lot we would like to be more involved, but I'm just trying to figure out the timeline and how everything would change. So thanks. And the calc tool doesn't mean anything in all of this because that's always late anyway, right? No
255matter when you do your budget. Um Cal tool supposedly comes out after the December 18th, 17th. It usually comes out the third week of December. We're never getting it that early. We have not been getting it that early. We usually get it the week that we're all on winter break. Um Oh, okay. Now, just an FYI and this is that we are going into a long general assembly session. Um it'll be the new bienium and then we will be rebenchmarking. The state will be rebenchmarking and so it's a longer session. Uh there's elections. Um so that could um makes it a little bit more dynamic um up at the state level. Just one more quick question um as we're breaking off into our small groups. Um, when we're listing these priorities, is it safe to
256make the assumption that um, those that are required to meet FO SOQ fundings will already be a priority? Um, and so therefore, we probably don't need to That's correct. Yes. Specifically list that. Okay. All right. Thank you. Okay, everyone, we have reached the 15 minute mark. So, if you'd like to start your five minutes of individual self-reflection and regrouping before we dive into the group discussion, colleagues, I just want to um clarify and I'll I'll clarify it with you guys as well. This yellow sheet, this is our personal opinion, not our group's opinion. So, if you have an opinion that differs as you're talking amongst yourself, please make sure uh that this is reflecting what what you feel at this time. Okay, so we have now reached the five minute mark for the individual self-reflection
257and we will open the floor for group discussion. Any first takers? I'll go first. All right, Miss Melnik, you want my three? You want my three off my list? Is that what you're saying? I I don't think you necessarily need to share your three, but any thoughts that you have uh through the discussion and the exercise that you'd like to share, right? Yeah, we just wanted to provide an opportunity for group discussion if you all felt the need to discuss as a larger group before finalizing your individual choices and especially probably as well as it relates to to slide 11 there with um engagement process and considerations any board discussion on that but you're welcome to share whatever you Yeah, you know, and I think kind of what I have to say is interesting only
258because I forgot about CIP. And I say that only because there are when you're an academic institution, there are so many things that you think of first, right? And so compensation, you know, we have to stay competitive. That's always our number one. But then you start moving on without thinking about buildings and you're thinking about, okay, so what are we doing academically? You know, we I worry about academic outcomes and the money that has to go to that. Um, and then even through our discussion over here, then there are other things that start piling up like technology and safety and all of these things that really matter to keep this institution at the top of its game. And then we had a visitor who said, "Yeah, my number two is CIP." And then I was
259like, "Oh, yeah, CIP." Because and again though, but the budget that whole exercise that we did and you think, oh, definitely this and definitely this. Um, and clearly I guess um and I put I did add CIP like as an afterthought, but those were my three compensation, academic outcomes, and technology to include safety. I kind of lumped those all together. All right, Miss Rogers visitor checking in. Uh, listen, I'm nosy. I want to know what everybody said because I want to see if it would have affected what I thought and that's just what I do. But, um, number one for me, priority is salaries and compensation because I want to make sure we're competitive with our neighboring districts. That's where we've been struggling and, uh, we can't run our schools without our staff and we
260need to prioritize them, uh, because we need them and we can't run our schools without our staff. Uh, I did put number two for CIP. I think that we are struggling there as well and ensuring that our staff and students are in safe buildings is really important. Um and then the last thing that I did put and you know we kind of all talked about it was um efficient building and program utilization. And I say that because from a budget standpoint, I think there are definitely ways that we can look at how we're doing things and find a more efficient way to do them to um save ourselves some cost. And then that way we can put that extra savings like in our um our exercise to other priorities. uh we have to have our
261staff, we have to have our positions, we SOQS, all of those things. Um and we want to have the best programming and we want to have those things. But are we offering everything in the most efficient and cost effective way um so that we can then you know with regard our buildings our programming everything are we doing this in the most efficient way possible so that our budget isn't strapped and those are my priorities okay and I will share while while I wait for my colleagues that are maybe a little more shy. Um, so I think when it's when you're talking about priorities and you're ranking your top three, I think as I share this um in my personal thoughts that it doesn't mean that I believe one is necessarily so much more important than
262the other. It's just that I think when we're looking at our division as a whole um and and what we've done and you know what we've put off um and so you know I think CIP PGO like I mentioned before is really it's it's up there um although also recognizing that without the staff in our buildings to make sure that our students have what they need um there's really no point in having a Um, so I I think really the balance of those. Um, and so I I did list CIP uh up top because I I recognize that we have some significant challenges um that I do not want to leave uh to to a future board or um generation to have struggles with because because of a failure to recognize the need for balance.
263Um, then I also listed workforce development, but um, much like Miss Rogers mentioned, you know, I think we need to really be sure that we're looking at the efficiency. Um, and I I did jot some notes down as well. Um, and I referenced some of the comments made during our budget cycle because we had a lot of really rigorous comments and I I don't think that we're really far off on the seon development from where where I think this board really needs to be to really feel very involved. But, um, I I do like the department specific presentations. I like that. Um I don't know if there's a way to sort of have those department specific presentations in January so that we can then you know have the seon maybe a little bit later in
264February and and see if our council would be open to that and you guys as well and if it's feasible. um you know so I think having having those departments come in during our workshops uh sort of to kind of give the community and us you know here's why um as as my colleague here mentioned um here's why we need that extra position here and this is why why that request and um I would echo another board member's uh thoughts from a different meeting that you know most of the time it feels like I'm only looking at the new and existing revenues and I feel like I haven't um analyzed what we have done over the years and how it's gone. So, you know, maybe it doesn't need to be every year, but um seeing
265those needs and priority order is really going to make it a lot easier for us us as a board and I would imagine Dr. Robertson and you guys too. And I'm I'm sure you do this to a degree already, but um we just don't see this part. Um be able to look at, okay, well, all right, that one's really on the bottom of this list and we need that much money in order to raise the compensation or whatever whatever the item is um that the board has determined is also a priority. Um, and so we can go to that bottom of the list instead of us trying to analyze for you guys. Um, because we don't always know what's really really necessary and so when it's in order, I think it's easier for us. So,
266um, anyone else because we're we're being real quiet. Caroline, Vice Chair Williams, we haven't heard from you. Well, you know how shy. There we go. You know how shy I am. And then we'll have Miss Falton and then Mr. Cummings after you. I mean, I just thought we turned it in, but salary competitive with the other districts, um, is, you know, and this was good that you gave us this sheet of paper because the gap keeps getting bigger and bigger. You know, at one time we could say, "Oh, there's no way someone would be leave Virginia Beach and go there for only an extra thousand dollar because we have all the resources and we're great. We're Virginia Beach." But then when that when that th000 gets up to 3,000 and then 5,000 and then $6,000
267difference and 7,000 that's when you know we should be panicking. So um so to have a seventh on the list and the gap to be basically is that 5,000? Yeah, five or $6,000 is is is significant. and then CIP needs and then um I cheated and I gave four because I couldn't narrow it down to three. Continue continue with workforce development because this has been that's been a priority with this board and I think we just got to keep going that direction and then more efficient building and program utilizations. um look at our buildings, look at vacant space in our buildings, look at buildings that are not being used as schools anymore, etc., etc. That's it, Miss Felton. Thank you, Chair Brown. Uh compensation is at the top of my list when I look at
268um what other divisions are paying their teachers have concern and I understand I almost understand why but we offer so much in this division. Our resources are robust uh the opportunities that our students are off the chart and this is stated around the divisions. Um, we have other individuals working in other cities, but they will insist on their children attending these schools because they're that good. Uh, not only that, off just off the record, I had a individual to say, "My child is in private school, but when they get to fifth grade, I'm snatching them out and putting them in placing them in the Virginia Beach school system because of what you offer." So, our compensation just package do not match what we offer. and I'm going to hang in there and and keep pushing
269that. Of course, CIP is on my list as well. Almost forgot that. But, um, third on my list is recruitment and sustainability of hiring teachers. I look at that. I I uh saw one of our, uh, neighbors, uh, commercial on TV, Dr. Robinson. It was a nice commercial. And when they got through with the commercial, I said, "Not and they're really putting it out there." Uh and I say that to say this that I would like to see also for in consideration a robust a more of a robust community and communication initiative for us to show what we have to show what we're offering and to somehow and I'm working on it along with you all. You you all do such great works already. I want to thank you for what you do. Especially our
270face department. They really work hard in doing what they do. I want to put that out as well. But I just like to see a little bit more with our community and communicating that and let them know uh what we do. Also, I want to include the uh three E. Uh that's on my list as well. That's my last one, my consideration. Um like I say, I I take nothing from you all. You do such great works um from down to the the custodians to the staff. Awesome. and and their um persona and what they put off while they're working is good. But uh I think our compensation should equal up a package to equal with what we do and what we represent. Thank you Mr. Cummings. Thank you for um you know just a
271I love these type of activities that we get to break out in some groups discuss and then you know I think as colleagues we we see a strong similarity in the ideas of what we see as priorities and so I think it's a great activity for for our school board. Um and I think I echo a lot of the same sentiments and I too am a cheater like Miss Williams and have four or five. So you're not going to get my three, you're going to get five of them. But uh sorry but uh you know I think about compensation and you know benefit packages as one of my top priorities. Um I also have on there academic outputs along with the three E. Uh you know I was very impressed with our prek presentation. I
272think within the first or second month of our our time at on school board to I think hearing some of the areas of growth that we saw yesterday as well. Um, so those are a couple things on my mind, but I think we've done a lot of great work as well with our workforce development. And personally, I think, you know, as we were talking somewhat in the hallway about, you know, this future model of education where our high school students are only at our schools in the morning and then they're out and about learning in applied environments. And I think to myself, how this is going to help formulate their their ideas for their next step. So continue to support you know the workforce development initiatives 3 all those things. Um and then you know
273CIP's on there as well. Uh after hearing my colleagues I'm like oh yeah it's a great you know you're stuck in budget land and you're you forget great things. Um, but I also think about uh the community aspect that Miss Felton shared where um, you know, just talking about one of the things I feel like that's come up is, you know, how does the community know about some of these different programs, initiatives and whatnot. And I would love to, you know, continue to see how we can continue to build more bridges between us parents involvement and also awareness around um, just different initiatives. And then there's some micro shoutouts on there, too, for technology, innovation, safety, and whatnot. So, you get six. You ask for three, but it's not going to happen. We don't have
274anyone else in line. But um I while I was sitting here I did start to think um and I don't know how the other divisions look um when you get you know a little bit more experience compared to VBCPS and um I do know that some of these divisions also offer some bonuses for starting with them as well and you know I I think that it's at least worth a conversation and a look at to see if that's something that um we we may consider. So just a thought there. Thank you for engaging in the group discussion portion of this activity and we will wait to collect the yellow sheets until Miss Pate has concluded just in case you have anything else you may want to jot down while we're finishing up. Okay. So we'll
275go into the last couple of slides for the presentation. Um so for next steps obviously the office of budget development will kick off the budget process with departments in September and we'll craft the fiscal year 2026 27 budget development calendar and that's scheduled to be presented to school board for information on September 9th. So obviously your feedback today um we'll take a look at that and and as Chair Brown mentioned there, you know, whether we'll be tweaking some of that and being able to get that um on the calendar what we present to you on September 9th to be more what the board is looking for. And then of course formal adoption of the calendar is scheduled for September 23rd. And so I think we've had great discussion. Really appreciate everybody's engagement. It's been awesome.
276And um we're available to answer any questions, but I know we've had quite a number of them. Um and then um we're going to go ahead and turn that over to Department of Human Resources if no one has any additional questions. All right, we welcome Darnita Trotman and and Judith Wood. Good afternoon, Chairwoman Brown, Vice Chair Williams, school board members, and Dr. Robertson. Today, Miss Wood, coordinator of classification and compensation, and I will share pay scale considerations as you begin to prepare for the 2026 2027 budget process. Discussions around compensation are both complex and essential to the long-term success of the school division. Refining the unified pay scale by adjusting steps 1 through 14 to 1.5% between steps. improving the instructional pay scales. Current seventh place ranking among local school divisions for entrylevel salaries and
277increasing educational allowances and part-time rates remain a focus. With that in mind, the approach to this presentation was based on specific areas of the pay scales that were previously identified by the school board as priorities for further review and refinement. You will see during this presentation that each identified area has potential benefits and challenges associated with possible changes. The goal is to present a clear picture of the current landscape, support informed decision making, and ensure adjustments align with the division's goals and available resources in the upcoming budget process. At this time, I will turn the presentation over to Miss Wood. Good afternoon, school board members and Dr. Robertson. At the request of the school board, administration was asked to evaluate several key compensation issues. Specifically, reassigning non-instructional staff who remain on the instructional pay scale
278to the unified pay scale, eliminating pay grade seven from the unified pay scale by moving the employees to grade 8, and developing a new salary scale for executive level positions, specifically grades 26 through 28. Recognizing that each of these areas may have an impact on the current compensation structure and career progression, the following slides will explore both the potential benefits and challenges associated with each request. Let's start with the instructional pay scale. Over the years, Virginia Beach City Public Schools has transitioned non-eing positions off the instructional pay scale in alignment with changes to state code. Positions such as school psychologists, school social workers, occupational therapists, and physical therapists were moved to the uni unified pay scale. to remain competitive and respond to market demands. A review of the salary structure for these positions was conducted
279as part of the 2223 compensation study by the division's compensation consultant, Seagull. As a result, a new grade called professional level two or PL2 was added to the unified pay scale. Once established, these positions were moved from paygrade 19 on the unified pay scale to the newly created grade. The PL2 paygrade improved the division's competitive stance and align the workday for like positions with surrounding school divisions. Employees moved from an 8-hour workday to a 7 and 1/2 hour workday, not including their lunch period, and the hourly rate was increased as well. Now, this information is important as there remains one non-instructional position on the instructional pay scale that state that the state no longer classifies as a teaching category. Effective July 1, 2014, the Virginia Department of Education stopped issuing t teaching license with an
280endorsement in speech language pathology. Since that time, lure has been required and issued by the Virginia board of aliology and speech language pathology. Over the years, the position has remained on the instructional pay scale due to challenges in staffing and the impact to employees transitioning to the unified pay scale. So, what are the benefits of moving this position? This alignment ensures that lure and job classifications mirror other clinical positions such as occupational therapists, physical therapists, and school psychologist. Classifying speech language pathologists alongside other specialists may promote better collaboration and more integrated support for students. Since speech language pathologists typically hold master's degrees and perform specialized work, placement on the unified pay scale aligns their compensation with other clinical professionals within Virginia Beach BC, excuse me, Virginia Beach City Public Schools. So the challenges staffing speech
281language pathologists continues to be a challenge with doubledigit vacancies each summer from 23 to 25. Despite ongoing hiring efforts and contracted support, the division has consistently started each school year with unfilled positions. Recruitment and retention efforts may be further impacted by competitions from other school divisions that place speech language pathologists on the on the teacher scale or offer a more competitive license support scale making these roles more attractive. Additionally, the unified pay scale may offer a lower salary range making it more difficult to attract qualified candidates. So, if this were to happen today, moving the speech language pathologist to the PL2 pay grade would result in 46 current employees facing salary reductions as step 12 and above on the PL2 grade are lower than their current salary on the teacher scale. The estimated cost to
282implement this option, including benefits and measures to hold impacted employees harmless, is approximately $135,000. So, moving on to eliminating pay grade seven on the unified pay scale. This slide provides the positions currently on pay grade seven, specifically bus assistance, cafeteria assistants, custodial one positions, and a fleet shop helper. Over the years, grades three, four, and five have been eliminated from the unified pay scale, resulting in upgrades for the affected employee groups mentioned. Most recently, during the 2223 school year, grade six was eliminated, moving employees to grade seven at a cost of approximately $3.6 million. during the 232 24 school year to enhance market competitiveness and prepare for the anticipated increase in the state's minimum wage to for $15 per hour. The percentage difference between grades seven and eight was reduced from 7.11% to 3.59% 49.
283The additional implementation cost impacting more than 840 employees was approximately $1.2 million to move them to $15 per hour. The chart before you illustrates the implications of eliminating grade seven positions and moving them to grade 8. Currently, grade seven positions serve as entrylevel roles, while grade eight represents the first step towards advancement. These transitions are critical for compensation and perceived growth opportunities. As you can see, this creates a domino effect, particularly for cafeteria and custodial positions. For example, if cafeteria assistants move from grade seven to grade 8, positions on grade 8 like Baker Cook and cafeteria manager in training and the assistant cafeteria managers on grade nine will need to be evaluated for placement. Along the same line, custodian 2, three, and four would need to be reviewed as well, especially given that custodial that
284the custodial career path extends through grade 10. Lastly, other positions on higher pay grades will also require review for possible realignment. Without this review, the compensation structure will break down, placing roles with different levels of responsibility of on the same pay grade. Therefore, without meaningful financial incentives, these positions will no longer function as true promotional opportunities. So, looking in the benefits of moving grade 7 to grade 8, moving positions to a higher pay grade can significantly improve recruitment by making roles more attractive to qualified candidates and filling vacancies. Upgrading these roles support retention as employees are more likely to stay, reducing turnover. Aligning pay with market rates ensures the division remains competitive and helps prevent losing employees to better paying employers. Finally, this adjustment can boost motivation and morale by making employees feel valued and
285recognized, which often leads to greater job satisfaction, engagement, and productivity. What are the challenges? One key challenge is pay compression which happens when lower grade jobs are upgraded but higher grade jobs are not adjusted even when the required skills and experience differ significantly. This reduces or eliminates the pay differences between levels making it difficult to maintain a clear pay structure. This can lead to morale issues as employees in higher grades may feel undervalued or fairly unfairly compensated given their greater responsibility and qualifications. Also, there is a risk of losing employees as those in higher grade positions may seek opportunities elsewhere if they feel their roles are undervalued or not competitively compensated. Finally, recruiting qualified candidates for these higher level positions becomes more difficult when their pay is nearly the same as lower level positions with
286fewer responsibilities. So, let's take a look at our executive level positions. While many grades on the unified pay scale include a mix of school-based and central office administrative roles, the grades shown on this slide are unique. Grades 27 and 28 include only central office executive level positions and are part of the superintendent leadership team. Although grade 26 is also part of the Greek leadership team as upper level directors, our recommendation is to focus on grade 27 and 28 only. Grades 27 and 28 includes 10 executive level positions, two of which are contractbased and report directly to the school board, further distinguishing them in terms of compensation structure and expectations. The remaining eight leaders guide the division strategic vision and del daily operations, advise the superintendent and the school board, oversee crossf functional teams, and support
287school-based administrators. Their responsibilities span multiple departments and have significant influence on the division's overall direction, stability, and effectiveness. Because these roles often benchmark more closely with executive level positions and other peer school divisions who currently do not have a separate scale for this purpose. It is essential to recognize the complexity and strategic value of these positions when determining compensation. As a side note, there are some school divisions in Northern Virginia, for example, Lowden County, who have a separate pay scale at the executive level. Inadequate or misaligned pay can hinder our ability to attract and retain top leadership talent. With that in mind, targeted adjustments can be considered for this group without immediately affecting fairness between school-based and non-school-based roles, allowing for a more balanced and thoughtful approach. My time's up, sorry. Um, and looking at
288the benefits, creating a separate pay scale for executive level positions may provide greater flexibility to manage salaries and respond to market conditions without affecting other employee groups. This approach allows targeted compensation adjustments such as a flat dollar amount or a different percentage increase. It also opens the possibility for a pay structure with flexible salary ranges rather than fixed steps enabling differentiated and tailored compensation. Additionally, separating senior executive level compensation can boost morale by recognizing the importance of the position. Though this depends on how their increases compared to other groups. It streamlines managing unique benefits and pay considerations for this group and reflects the division's commitment to to strategic compensation management that supports recruitment and retention and aligns with the division goals. When weighing information is important to consider both sides of the scale. One challenge
289with adjusting executive level compensation is the perception among staff that these leaders are receiving special or preferential treatment. Conversely, executive leaders may feel unfairly treated if their percentage increase ends up lower than other employees given their level of responsibility. Such dynamics can create perceptions of favoritism or division potentially leading to negative reactions from staff and stakeholders and impacting organizational morale particularly among other administrators and those aspiring to obtain executive level roles. So think succession planning. This may discourage seeking advancement opportunities in Virginia Beach City Public Schools, increase turnover risk among executive executive leadership, and may affect the division's ability to attract and retain strong leaders. This consideration may result in minimal cost savings because it affects a relatively small number of employees. As a reminder, surrounding local school divisions manage their executive level compensation structures
290in a manner similar to Virginia Beach City Public Schools. So, as we conclude this presentation, we would like to provide a few thoughts for schoolboard consideration for the three areas presented and requested. When considering changes, it's important to first clarify the purpose. What are the issues being resolved? Ensure that changes align with the school board's compensation philosophy and weigh whether the benefits outweigh any potential disruption. Assess how the change could affect the division's culture and influence perceptions among current administrators, aspiring leaders, teachers, and staff. And anticipate how the public might perceive the ind introduction of a separate in executive pay scale. As we consider structural changes, it's important to maintain the integrity of the pay scales and how they relate to and support one another. It is imperative to ensure that the different pay grades
291are logically connected as it relates to responsibilities and career progression. Consideration should be given to implementing changes in conjunction with the completion and roll out of a compensation study. As previously mentioned, there is still work to be done as it relates to the percentage difference between steps one through 14 on the unified pay scale. The seventh place ranking of the entry level salary for our instructional employees, our part-time rates and educational allowances. This approach can provide context, rationale, and signal to our stakeholders that this is one of several planned adjustments. It is important to emphasize clear communication across all employee groups and it would be beneficial to partner with administration to ensure appropriate communication and transparency throughout the process. Compensation is constantly being nurtured and groomed. Strong leadership, communication, of course, funding is necessary to
292move the division forward. Compensation management is a continuous process that requires deliberate evaluation and strategic adjustment. As workforce needs evolve and market conditions shift, pay practices must remain competitive and align with the division's goals. At the same time, because compensation decisions have a direct impact on budget planning and resource allocation, it is important that any adjustments are guided by thoughtful data informed analysis that balances financial sustainability with the needs of the school division. Next steps include working with the division's compensation consultant, Seagull, to review existing data, proposed strategies, and developed informed recommendations that align with the direction set by the school board. This partnership will support the thoughtful implementation of any approved adjustments, ensuring that changes to the compensation structure are both fiscally responsible and align with division goals for fairness, transparency, and competitiveness. Before
293concluding today's presentation, including in your schoolboard packet are documents showing the entrylevel salary comparisons for local school divisions for our instructional pay scale and the school board's compensation philosophy for your review. Thank you for your continued support and thoughtful consideration as we reflect on where we have been, assess where we are now, and make decisions that shape a strong sustainable path forward. This concludes our presentation today. Dr. Tropman and myself are available to answer any questions you may have. Miss Melik, so gone are the days of um really full file cabinets of job applications. Um you know, I think I cried when I got my job with Virginia Beach because it was really, really hard to get into this division. And when I did, you know, you say forever because it was so hard to
294get in. Again, gone are those days. But on slide 10, um I know the first half of my time on the school board was devoted to um compression. It's been it's been an issue for Virginia Beach for a long time. And it was quite a hole that we dug ourselves out of and it took many years and a lot of money. And so looking at this scale it I mean when you just look at it and you're looking at the difference between step one and two or 7 8 is 55 grade 8 to 9 is $116 9 to 10 is $126 and you think my goodness how could that possibly affect the division drastically but it does. And you're right, it does um create compression, which is really not where you want to be again.
295Not as competitive as the market is with empty file cabinets of applications. So, um I live near the old Kellum and every time I drive by I see, you know, the marquee with, you know, who we're hiring. So what would the impact be if we eliminated grade seven like you said and bumped everybody up? What is the total figure? You mean bumped up everybody on grade seven? Well, if we So you said um eliminating paygrade seven on the unified pay scale. If we did that, that puts everybody at an eight, correct? On that scale. On that scale, but then the current eights, that's where compression sets in. So, what would it take to fix that? It's not But it's not just grade eight. I know. And and then again, it goes correct. And I have
296not cast that out. Okay. But we would have to work with seagull. But it would be a cost if you during the presentation I mentioned just to move them from grade six to seven and then to realign them it was addition it was $3.6 million just to move them from grade six to 7 because there were other positions we had to move as well. So even that was about $3.6 million. So when you go up the scale yes it could possibly be more than that especially now because that was two years ago. Okay. Okay. All right. So, um that's why compensation is like number one on my list because these are things that you just don't think about and the impact is I mean it's it's real. Um and then of course creating compensation I
297mean uh compression isn't just a monetary thing then it becomes a mental thing too that you know here I am a cafeteria manager in training and I'm the same as a custodian one or an assistant or right or a fleet shop helper right so like Not I'm not saying anything about those positions, but the people in those positions will, right? They're going to they're going to say, "Gosh, I do this much more. I have this many more responsibilities." So, um, good luck. And, uh, compensation is my um is my number one priority um on the last exercise because these are the challenges that we face every year is keeping up with. And then, you know, Mrs. Williams is right. It doesn't seem like, you know, Virginia Beach is ranked seventh again after we clawed our
298way up. We're now seven. Um, and you know that Mrs. Williams did have a point though. I mean, 55687 plus all of the resources that we have. I mean, nobody comes close to the resources offered in Virginia Beach. And is it worth it? you know, to some people it is um it's uh 5,000 $100 some $5,100. I mean, but the impact for us, of course, I'm just telling you things, you know, is so much larger because of the number of employees we have, too. So, um, I look forward to seeing how this goes, but you know, compensation is my number one priority. So, Miss Rogers, thanks so much for the presentation. Um, I appreciate all the work that you guys have been putting into this. Um, as far as the first couple of points, um,
299I'm also very concerned about compensation. I am not willing to tell our uh 46 masterdreed SLPs that they have to have a pay reduction. I'm just not willing to do it. I don't think that that's right or fair. And our SLPs are instrumental in ensuring our youngest students can read. When you cannot say the words, you cannot read the words correctly. And um letter recognition is part of reading but also understanding letter sounds. And that is what our SLPs do every single day with our students. If we want to have the outcomes that we currently have, we have to have our SLPs in those schools, working with those students, ensuring that they understand what the words are supposed to sound like when they can't make the um sounds themselves. And so I think it's so
300imperative that we keep those um SLPs at a competitive rate. And I think that moving them um and cutting their salaries, we are going to lose a whole bunch of them. And I don't want to have to do that. SLPs don't have to work in schools, they can work in hospitals, they can work, you know, in nursing homes and make a lot more money. And so I think it's really important that we keep the the SLPs that we do have. And I know several extraordinary ones and I want to say thanks for their service. Um, on the second point as far as um the getting rid of a paygrade, I also am very concerned about compression. I don't think that that is it. I feel like when we eliminate a pay step, it gives us
301a temporary fix. It's a band-aid on a problem that needs a little bit of sutures. And so I don't want to just put a band-aid on something. I think if we're going to actually do something, we need to actually fix the whole all of it, the the whole scale. So, you know, to increase it for everyone. Um because to me, that's the only way to keep it from being compressed. And I don't want to give somebody, you know, a little bit of a step up, compress everybody else. It's it it causes more problems than it's worth in my opinion. So, um that to me, um not that, you know, you guys didn't do a good job. It's just to me the result isn't what we're looking for. We're looking for a whole uh compensation for
302everybody and eliminating one step is going to help the grade seven people, but will it help then grade nine? Will it help grade 10? That's where we're looking at the compression. And again, um I I came I come from New York. The steps here are so different different. I'm not and you know what I mean by that. Um, and so I really think that that's where maybe we should start putting um our concentration is looking at our steps, looking at how as well as we can. And I I know it's like our budget's not there, but I think we should kind of look at that because um it's really hard to work year after year and go, "Wow, I can't wait to spend my dollar an hour raise." You know what I mean? and you're
303on year 10 or year eight and you've got a new person coming in making almost the same amount as you needing so much support from you because you are experienced and yet you're only making this much more. It's really mentally um draining because it's like I now have the experience they're asking me to mentor someone but yet I'm barely getting paid more than they are. And so that's something that really a lot of our educators grapple with and our other staff grapple with is being expected to be that mentor and and to be that example and yet knowing that their that their experience and their knowledge isn't giving them the compensation that that would otherwise go and for experience and knowledge. So that's kind of where I'm thinking. Um, on the last part, the new
304scale for executive leadership positions, um, I will admit I I think that this is where we need to go. And I will say that I know that one of the the um, uh, considerations that you had mentioned was a difference in salary um, increases that becoming an issue. But I just want to I did a little bit of numbers really quick. And for say you're you're on the unified scale and you're making $30,000 and you get a 5% increase. That's $1,500 extra year for your pay. But if you're making $150,000, that's $7500 increase in pay each year. So the amount of money you're getting is much much more at the lower end than the higher end. But if you're making 30,000 and your 5% is only 1,500 and you're making $150,000 and you get a
3053%, that's still $4,500 more a year. So you're still getting much much more at a higher salary at a smaller increase than you are at a lower salary. And that's where I think we really need to think about what how we're doing these increases. It's not that someone who makes that much money isn't worth the 5%. it's that they're getting a higher compensation as it is and a a smaller increase to their salary still amounts to a much larger increase in pay than a smaller salary. And so this is where we can sort of think about are we um helping some of our lower paid uh employees get some of the compensation that they need to live versus our other employees who we want to compensate and give them raises. But this is not a
306put food on the table or not situation. And I think this is where for me where I feel like, you know, my priorities are to ensuring that our employees can live a day-to-day life and not feel like that they're um struggling because they work for us. And so I I I am very much in favor of separating those scales for that reason. Understood. And and Miss Rogers, u just as a point of clarification, we too would not want any SLP to lose any wages. And again, local school divisions do have them still remaining on the instructional pay scale or the teacher pay scale as they may call them. Um so we look forward to the school board's direction and how you want us to proceed. I can say as well um though for administrators in
307calculating salaries we too there are becoming behind when we are trying to recruit administrators into the division from other local divisions. We um I have seen that we are falling behind there too. So not your upper level executive but when you consider administrative positions we too are falling behind in that area as well right and and that's where I like I feel like if we have a separate scale for some of our highest paid employees then we can adjust based on need as well as some of those other employees too like when you look at a company the executives they are not on the same scale as their employees and when it's good they get real good and when they need to adjust to ensure their employees can still make it day-to-day they are able
308to do that and I feel like that that's kind of the direction I think we should go in is allowing for um you know that kind of flexibility all right Dr. Green. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Woods and Dr. Tropman for your presentation and my um remarks are more commentary than uh something you have to respond to. Um first of all every position that we have as all of us know in the school division is valued and it is important and vital to our students being successful and and I think many times some of you have heard the analogy that I use. You know you think about what happens if we don't have a clean classroom. we're not able to give children nutritional meals or those students who need that extra support from a TA,
309air conditioner goes out, plumbing, etc. And and to that point, uh, and Miss Woods, you can correct me and and I'm referencing from slide four. Um I remember that whenever we had positions um that were um re uh classified, it was because there was a compensation study done. That's correct. And and and I think it's important for our viewing public um to understand that that the assignments of salaries are not just random. Um I recall sometimes with um staff in say in Mr. Freeman's shop, plumbers or or or electricians when we go look at the market value for uh compensation because we want to keep these uh highly skilled and qualified personnel. We don't want to lose them to Dominion Power or some of the other um companies that can become very competitive recognizing that
310some instances we may because it may be a better fit for them. But um I just wanted to say that I assume that from time to time and and maybe this is the question periodically is are we still reviewing the market to ensure that we can remain competitive as much as possible especially with some of our um skilled personnel. So with our compensation consultant, we benchmark c a certain number of positions every year. Um and we have them review them to make sure that we are competitive and sometimes it comes back surprising that we are but um yes we do try to look at those positions. So we select a few every year. Thank you. and and and and it is evident from the and I thank you for the comparison that you gave with
311the school divisions that we still have a lot of work to do to get you know our our our teacher salaries uh a little bit more competitive so we won't be stripped every year of uh instructional staff as well. So thank you Miss Felton. Thank you J Brown. First, I'd like to thank you uh for this uh transparency of this presentation and information that you've given us. It's very transparent. Thank you, Miss Will. Thank you, Miss Tropman. Appreciate you so much. And you talked about compensation which we already some of us know that it does improve recruitment and it does have retention there and uh it motivate morale within your um in our division. And I just like to say that the uh Virginia Beach City Public School staff, teachers, custodial, you name them, all
312the employees, you know, they give more. My perspective, they give more than they receive. And we know that. That's why we hammer on uh compensation and getting these things done and and still reaching out and and all of them come with uh professional leism behind them. Uh if you stop and talk with one of the custodial worker, you'd be surprised the professional background that they have and maybe they're doing it for part-time or they come in for a secondary job, but you'd be surprised professionalism that are in them. can't speak um cannot speak enough about our teachers and how they are and what they do and they all come with in with a full package ready to work for this division because they love this division. Our resources speak well for who we are and
313I spoke earlier if our resources and what we do could align just a tad bit with our retention and what we do I I would be godly grateful. One question I ask you, if we do, if it's a practice, do we do uh exit interviews? And if we do, do we use that information to um to move forward with certain things that we have? Are exit interviews used? And and are they um do we get a high percentage or just a low percentage? I just didn't know that. Yes. So anyone who's leaving our division, they are given the opportunity to uh complete an exit survey whether it is a link online or they may request an in-person um exit survey. So we do and we also provide that information quarterly to the school board. So
314you all get the exit survey data quarterly. Great. Um, and we are working on refining that as well because with anything we want to refine our processes. But yes, ma'am, everyone gets the exit survey uh data link. Great. Thank you. I appreciate that. Was my second question. Thank you. Mr. Cummings. Uh, thank you so much for your presentation. And I guess I just want some quick points of clarification since you asked that you're seeking board direction. Is do we know is the board intending to vote on where the SLPs are going to be classified as? Is that an action item that we have to decide? And the same with executive scale and eliminating grade seven. Yeah. Any adjustments made as a result of this presentation would require board vote. Okay. And When do we anticipate
315those the the voting? It depends on the feedback we get uh from the board. If it seems that the board is interested in any one of these or all of these, then we would bring back a formal presentation on each one. So the board has all the information before and in in a similar information action sequence or maybe workshop information action sequence. And I think some of and so I agree I I mean I think I agree with the general sentiment of you know not wanting to see our SLPs have any form of salary reduction. So I'm glad that that's such a you know that's part of the conversation. I mean some of the things that sparked my curiosity and I don't know if there's an answer of the moment or if it's worth exploring
316in a deeper presentation is you know we look at um you know executive compensation strictly through the lens of you know year-to-year bumps rather than merit-based or performance bonuses or things like that. Has that been is that explored in any divisions in the Commonwealth that you all know about? Are their schools utilizing performance-based incentives? I have not seen where that is one of the items that they base raises on for the staff. I've seen it in higher education models. I just haven't seen K2. Yeah. Okay. We can do I think for now that those were just the quick clarification questions that I have. I'm trying to articulate and formulate a few more in my mind. So I might get back in the line. Miss Dwire, I just wanted to ask a question. Um I I
317saw on the slide there on slide 10 and I get it. I mean um the 1.2 2 million for uh the the grade seven there. Um I mean I I get I get you're wanting to uh eliminate that group from the unified pay scale. Um and I mean it's hard. I mean it's hard. It's like Miss Green, Dr. Green said, "Every position is important and valued." Um, but I guess if we were going to cut, that would be probably the one that would make the most sense. Um, and I guess my ne next question is, um, and when I say make sense, I mean, um, yeah. Uh because to me that would that would be um that would be a wise choice if you had to cut there. Um unfortunately no one wants to cut
318but it is 1.2 million in costs. Correct. Um I I I just want to um provide a little clarification. So um our staff isn't recommending necessarily any of these changes. Um, these were conversations um for consideration that the board has over time brought up. Um, and and they're giving us more details to determine whether or not um removing the U7 and bumping them up to U8 and then realigning everything. And I think you said the cost to do that will cost 3. Yeah. Oh okay. Roughly yeah it was done as a part of the compensation study right in 2022 2023. So when grade when step six was eliminated and a part of that study that's the cost to eliminate that one grade at that time when we went through that market study. Okay. And and
319I just wanted to provide that clarification. Go ahead and continue. I just wanted to be sure. Uh that was very clear the first time they said it. Uh Chair Brown, but I I'm discussing it and I'm saying I get that part of it. um if that was an a place that we would choose to start if we had to so we could retain our teachers so we could retain uh positions that maybe there's a greater turnover uh and that was my next question. what area right now is the greatest need and the turnover and can you maybe answer? So the state um actually puts out every year the critical shortage areas um educationally and this year just as in past I think special education might be number one but they fluctuate. Bottom line, just about
320all instructional positions um are critical shortage positions and our heart to fill when we think about our support staff continues to be a focus every year, custodians, food service workers, our cafeteria assistants, and our bus assistants. So that remains um a constant focus. Oh okay. So that is an area of turnover then or an area of of critical shortage is what? Absolutely. Okay. Um because I was I was just uh trying to be in your seat in your position and understand where you were coming from. Not that this has been voted on or nobody's assuming that this will happen, but it's just an area of discussion. um to maintain our teachers which um you know and to be competitive in our salaries there. not excluding anyone in the support staff, but um you know um
321I guess trying to logically um navigate through and to really I guess my my end concern is holding on to our teachers right now too and keeping them and all staff are critical to the operations of our school division. Um, and so I do want to make certain that I clarify um that even if you all consider eliminating grade seven, we would not eliminate the people attached to those positions. So the people attached to those positions would bump up to the next grade which the next it's a domino effect. So that's when we talk about the domino effect. Um we talked about the compression but I just want to clarify that we want to keep all of our employees because no matter what position um classified positions they're at will. they can go to another
322school division. Um, so teachers, we have the gentleman's agreement. Um, so they stay with us a year. Uh, teacher release date is contract date is June 30th. But for our classified um, or support staff, we definitely want to retain them. And so I want to just be certain that even though a consideration of you all's might be to eliminate a step, we do not foresee eliminate the people that are behind the steps. Right. Mr. Ken, I think it's clear from what you've heard from members of the board that everyone values this subject matter and the importance of being able to attract and retain excellent instructional staff as well as those that serve in other capacities. However, if we're going to make an intelligent decision going forward, since money doesn't grow on trees, has there been
323any attempt to uh determine in order to provide benefit A, we need to take it away from cost item number B so that we understand that if this were to go forward, where does the money come from in the existing budget that will allow for that as opposed to just assuming assuming it'll all work out, which often times doesn't work out. Something has to come from somewhere. So, has there been any attempt to try and recognize in order to do this noble, wonderful thing, here's where we can see the money coming from in order to achieve that? Has that exercise been done? So, annually we work with our compensation specialists. However, you all give us the direction in which you want us to work and that's how we um so the funding on the other
324end and I'm looking at um Miss Pate. The funding on the other end of that would um actually depend on the direction that you as a collective school board tell us what you would want us to focus on and then we would work within those parameters. And I can add Mr. challen the last two years. Uh Miss Pate mentioned it earlier, we've we've reduced costs in the division by somewhere north of $1 million. And that money was then used, you could say as part of compensation packages. And so that that that reduction included positions that no longer exist that used to exist. For example, we cut the PBIS specialists. We reduced the building managers from 41 to 29. We cut 30 custodial positions. We cut um a couple of coordinator positions. Um we've done some
325realignment. So yes, that happens every year as part of the BR budget process because to your point, we recognize dollars are a finite resource and there's a lot of need for those dollars. So, we try to through efficiencies um generate revenue that's not there when the budget comes in, if that makes sense. And that's how we I think it's 11.7 million we've been able to do over the last two years. And these are new dollars. So, that same process would be applied to this. Yeah, we we will go from somewhere else. In other words, well, we will go through the process every year of looking at uh position management to determine based on changing landscapes. Do we still need X number of positions or can we use Y? Do we still need this position? So
326that will continue to occur and that becomes available funding that the board can have at their their disposal for use. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Absolutely, Miss Melnik. Um so to Mr. Palen's point, the statistics that the data I'm going to give you, um, just simple data, um, is going to explain exactly why we need the help from the state. We can't continue to do this and remain competitive without the state without the state's help. And I know I'm hoping my fingers are crossed that the JARK study really starts to kick in and um and really recognize um how important the compensation piece is. But um just for the record, when I started teaching, I still have my little stub that I got from HR when I was first hired. My salary was $24,030. I
327made $30 a year more than my husband whose 24,000 we each made out of college. And um it's been 35 years since that little stub was printed. And today the difference between the starter salary today is only $31,657. Which means we've only bumped up $94 a year in teacher pay. in 35 years and we've gone through a long dry spell with the state and um you know which also included um the great recession um and it's time and I'm hoping that you know I'm hoping that there's real movement but we can't do this on our own. Um, we I was just talking to somebody. I know it it appears that a billion dollars is a lot of money and then you do the exercise like you did today and you see where all this money
328goes and then you understand the importance of resources and why we spend so much money um to achieve those academic outcomes, right? And what it takes to run a school division and you just can't believe that that money goes so fast but that it does but it does. And um my goal this year is to really push um for for compensation for educators across the Commonwealth. So I think we had some great conversation um here and um I feel really happy with the the board engagement involvement. Um, I wanted to bring up this this compensation philosophy here. And it's not because I have any issues uh with the philosophy, but when I'm on number nine of of the philosophy, it says that we will ensure our structure remains competitive by evaluating instructional positions annually. Pay
329ranges for other job groups are reviewed every 3 to five years or as needed. And um it and I value all of our employees, but um my my challenge is is that I know in our our U7 through probably our U10s, we we have a little bit of difficulty recruiting for those position and retaining in those positions. And so I'm interested um you know as a followup to hear the specifics on those vacancies when we get to those hiring numbers in our next presentation which um I know is is going to be upcoming August 12th. Right. So I I'm giving you the heads up that I'm hoping to see more about that. um you know if if you would have previously asked me um about uncoupling uh the unified pay scale and so that these
330positions would be able to move. I would say oh yeah that sounds like a great idea. As I was sitting here, um I'm I'm actually looking at all the various levels for our unified um staff and and I I think I mean I I would assume that all of the ones that are listed here are on these pay scales. And so, um, when I'm looking at, and I agree, right, about the what I agree with Miss Rogers that when I'm looking at somebody that's making 1538 an hour and a 3% or 4% raise for that, um, the amount is much lower. And I I think that's the part that I struggle with is I I don't know if we're meeting hiring and retaining in those positions at the current rate. And so that's that's the
331concern I have. Um but I I don't know that I would be in favor of pulling out U26 27 and 28. And um I just want to you know put this in my colleagues minds for consideration um because U24 um middle school principal a very I I believe that's an important job. So I don't want anyone to think I'm I'm pulling it out. Uh 10 years of experience uh for creditable years uh 113,102 Then we move to U26 um 10 years of experience 129850. Um so in that is the senior executive director of middle schools. And so my concern is that the senior executive director of middle schools is overseeing more responsibilities. Um, and there has to be discrepancy in in those pay increases in order to retain and show that we're valuing um those
332positions. So, I um I don't think that I would be able to consider that at this particular time. Although um I would just comment that, you know, as as we're into some of these other higher level unified pay scales, I think just continually evaluating making sure that we're being as efficient as possible and making sure that we have everybody that we really need um to to accomplish the job of educating our students. I think that that um goes a long way. So, um, I just wanted to kind of, you know, share my thoughts there as I was looking through the levels of our unified pay scale. Um, and I think that our principles are deserving of raises. And I I think that our senior executives are also, and I'm I'm not calling out anyone in
333particular for the purpose of it. I just middle school, middle school. So, all right. Um, and I think that that um concludes this. I didn't hear any consensus to want to make that modification at this particular moment in time. Um, so I will uh turn it over to Dr. Robertson for f closing remarks. So, thank you, Madam Chair. Um uh first I want to thank the board for a day and a half of your full attention um and feedback that you provided to us. And so just to recap for you because Miss Woodhouse has been taking copious notes on all of the comments from each of the presentations, but there were some highlights that I want to make sure I go back to starting with yesterday with artificial intelligence. So again, as I started off
334this morning, we'll come we'll we'll have some information to share with the board on August the 12th on adjustments that we have made based upon your feedback for around artificial intelligence with high school and also then come back quarterly with results to so that you can uh see what we're doing and provide us feedback on a regular cycle and also encourage you when you do your school visits beginning in September to um just observe are are we seeing a large use of artificial intelligence or is it sporadic? Our hope and our guidelines will be it's not going to be a replacement of the teacher. It will be sporadic. Then we we ticked in today we had a again another really good conversation around the gifted education plan. So similarly um we're going to provide you
335a presentation in September on some of the questions and some of the details that were not provided today related to the gifted cluster program. Um and also encourage you during your school visits in September October to also take a look at a gifted cluster class and not a gifted cluster class. And it would be very valuable to me and Miss Woodhouse is after those visits if you want to give us feedback if we don't happen to be with you on what you saw so we don't have to wait. You know, the real time feedback is always important. So, Miss Woodhouse and I would love to have that. Um, from a budget standpoint, um, do we have the priorities collected? Okay. So, uh, do you want to go back up to the podium? have Tiffany go
336come back up and share what you guys shared with us with the budget priorities and also process uh because that will help us guide our work beginning in September as well. Okay, I thank you for ver for providing all of the feedback and priorities. I've lumped these into large groups because everyone provided a little bit different level of detail in their responses. So at the top of the list was compensation. Um three individuals who just as a side note, three individuals who indicated compensation also added on the same line uh benefits packages. There was also one individual who indicated um health insurance separately as well. So if you all it's up to you all if you want us to include benefits along with compensation or just compensation separately. I will let leave that for you
337all to provide feedback. Second was CIP to include PEGO and debt service evaluation and then the next highest ranking was student achievement slash educa academic outcomes and three E. So those were the top three followed by workforce development. So any comments or discussion there? I have a question. All right, Miss Meldick. Then doctor, if you if you um combined workforce development with student achievements outcomes, what would be the next one? Do you have that? Um more efficient building and program utilization. Okay. Dr. Green, thank you. So, Miss Jacobson, um, and I will own it. For me, compensation and health benefits, um, are priorities. And so, my question is, if they were combined, would they still be able to have uh the appropriate attention? because with our health system nationally as well, that drives what costar
338and and I know we could talk for days about just the health benefits and I think early on um in the winter when we were going through the budget process, we had talked about well at least I had mentioned how I would love to see us really explore options such as you know is are we able to do a pharmaceutical company to offset that cost or, you know, partner with, you know, a vendor who does eyes or, you know, uh, glasses or or or things of that nature to help reduce the astronomical cost. And so I see them as two separate issues that deserve equal attention. Then if if we are viewing benefits as a separate line from compensation benefits and workforce development, we're tied in terms of priorities. So four four and five combined
339health benefits and workforce and I actually appreciated the question because I think more efficient program utilization and building utilization um you know can kind of go in hand hand in hand to make some of these other things happen. So um anyway great work everybody. I was really happy with this retreat. I think that we uh did really good work together. I appreciate everybody's comments and feedback and I think that we got a lot of insight about how we want to proceed about some of these things that we face as a board and a division and um Dr. Robertson any more remarks? Just one more thing. I'd like to invite all the board members uh if you have if your schedule allows. Next week is our leadership conference and I know some of you have made
340uh the time to attend in the past. The leadership conference at Salem High School next Wednesday and Thursday. Uh Wednesday morning at 8:15 in the auditorium is the kickoff to the leadership conference and that will be an address by myself, Dr. Banicki, Mr. Delaney, and Dr. Kawuchcci. 8:15 next Wednesday. Um, we'll hold at Salem High School, we'll hold the spot open in the front row for board members if you would like to come. Of course, you can sit wherever you want, but it'll be full in the auditorium. So, um, and then Thursday for the closing ceremony, that's 3:00, and that's going to be a presentation by Miss Woodhouse where she's going to share uh, a number of the the division accolades from this past year and then give a final charge to the team at
341the conclusion. Uh, so again, Salem High School, Nick, you make either one, can make both. I think uh you would find the information to be very valuable and very familiar because some of the things we talked about over the last two days will be shared uh with administrators and and teachers. Teachers come on day two on Thursday. Two teachers from each school. So looking forward to that. Thank you. Yes. For comments in reference to attending would be just for the opening remarks per se. Yes. the intro, the the introduction and then the closure on Thursday. Thank you. Okay. Um and so this will adjourn this meeting and just a reminder to colleagues, our next meeting is August 12th. And Dr. Robertson, do you recall what time and agenda planning we're we're slating that for? Because
342I think it's a little earlier because of some of the work. So, just just uh be prepared that we're planning to come in a little bit earlier on August 12th. With that, this meeting is adjourned at 3:45 p.m.