School Board Meeting - February 23, 2026

001You go. >> I call to order the York County Regular School Board meeting for the February 23rd, 2026. Can I have your attention, please? Thank you. Good evening and welcome to the evening meeting. Due to the inclement weather, we were in unable to have regular meeting last month. As a result, we have a number of well-deserved awards and recognitions to share this evening. It is always one of our greatest privileges to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of our students, staff, and community members. And tonight, we are especially pleased to recognize so many individuals whose dedication, talent, and hard work reflects the very best of your county. We look forward to honoring each of them this evening. And with that, I now would like to share the YCSD mission statement. The mission of the York County School

002Division is to ensure every student is valued, supported, and challenged through learning experience which prepares them for successful future. Will you now please join me in moment of silence? Thank you. This evening we are pleased to have two pledge leaders uh pledge of allegian uh pledge leaders join actually one of them will not be able to join us tonight but only one but I will recognize both of them this evening. Uh it's EMTT Normat and from Battle Manor Elementary High School and Landon Brown from Deer Elementary School. I will share information about both as they come up. Emit Norman, a fourth grader at Battle Manor Elementary, is proud to serve as the pledge leader for the January 26th school board meeting. A military connected student, EMTT is a creative, curious, and high achieving learner who

003loves diving into projects in school at home. He enjoys weaving, drawing, or con constructing giant cardboard replicas like his impressive Thor hammer. He often reminds his family that weaving loom was the first computer, a perfect reflection of his love for learning. EMTT enjoys chess, card games, and exploring places like historic Williamsburg on electric scooter with his dad. Like many kids his age, he likes Minecraft and riding his bike around the neighborhood with friends. Though he had served several sport, he tried several sports, he hasn't found the one that fits just yet. A wonderful big brother, EMTT also loves science podcast and can often be found sharing new facts he discovered. His favorite books are the Percy Jackson series. He can even recite large portions from memory. Emmett brings curiosity, creativity, enthusiasm to everyone he does,

004and we are excited to recognize him this evening. We're proud to have him at the Battle Manor, home of the Eagles. Now, Landon Brown is a 5-year-old kindergarten at the Dear Elementary who will soon be celebrating his sixth birthday this Saturday. Happy birthday. At school, Landon enjoys learning new things, playing with his friends, and attending Lego Club. Each morning, he walks into school with a big smile, happily greeting everyone he meets along the way. Landon brings kindness to his classroom every day. He always tries his best, listen carefully, and treats both classmates and adults with respect. He enjoys sharing stories with his classmates about his fishing adventures and family dinners at Red Robin. Land's positive attitude makes him a joy to teach and a wonderful friend to others. When he isn't at school, he loves

005fishing, driving RC cars, spending time with his family, and playing te-ball. This spring, Landon will be moving up to a coach pitch and he's very excited about this next step. Landon is a great leader and does a wonderful job representing our schools at a proud dear Dolphin. Please stand with Landon and to lead us in our pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible liberty and justice for all. Thank you, Landon. Uh, tonight we again have an honor to recognize the TAP High School field hockey team. Dr. Kell, I would like to ask you to share your thoughts with us. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Povich. So, tonight we are incredibly proud to celebrate again uh the extraordinary

006achievements of the Tab High School field hockey program. This past season, Tab High Field Hockey finished ranked number two in the nation, an incredible distinction that reflects their standing among the very best high school programs in the country. The team has now won five consecutive state championships and currently holds the longest winning streak in the nation at 113 to zero. extending their own Virginia High School League record. Their dominance is reflected not just in wins, but in performance. They broke the VHSL record for goals per game, averaging an astounding 7.82. And over the past five years have outscored their opponents by an incredible margin of 717- 26. Now, I'm no great mathematician, so I did but I tried the math. That's one goal every four games. Does that sound right? Wow. All right. We'd also

007[clears throat] like to recognize an exceptional individual whose accomplishments reflect both personal excellence and the strength of the program. Kira Trader. And Kira, why don't you go ahead and stand up? Kira was named first team all-American by both the National Field Hockey Coaches Association and Max Field Hockey, becoming the first uh field hockey player in York County School Division history to earn this honor and only the second female first team all-American in TAB High School history. This season alone, she recorded 42 goals and 56 assists, breaking the VHSL record for most assists in a single season. She concluded her remarkable career with 118 goals and 148 assists and has been selected to the U8 national team and will continue her academic and athletic journey on a full athletic scholarship at Penn State. And finally, we

008honor the amazing leadership of this program. Coach Wilson was recently inducted into the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Is Coach Wilson with us? >> Oh, there she is. [applause] I didn't see you back there. All right. uh becoming the first high school coach in the Commonwealth to receive this distinction. She was also inducted into the VHSL Hall of Fame this past spring and is the first and only coach in York County School Division history across any sport to receive this honor. With 12 state championships, three state runner-ups, and an extraordinary career record of 426 wins against 31 losses, Coach Wilson has built not just a championship team, but a legacy of excellence that will inspire generations of student athletes to come. We congratulate Tabfield hockey team, the team, Cara Trader, and Coach

009Wilson on these historic accomplishments. You have made your school division and your uh community extraordinarily proud. Congratulations. [applause] All right. We'll have a quick pause right here to bring the field hockey team up for a picture with the board. Uh after the picture, the field hockey team is welcome to leave. So that may let our seniors of the month families and accent academics presenters find their seats. Thank you. Welcome back. We will now recognize our seniors of the month for each school. Again, we are doubled up due to the consolation of last month's meeting. When your name is announced, please stand along with your family members while we hear about your accomplishments. We're going to start with Mr. Schaeer. >> All right. Uh Jesse Kak. Go ahead and y'all stand up. Jesse Kak is an

010exceptional student who exhibits leadership, dedication, and character. As co-founder and co-president of the Asian Student Association, Jesse has fostered cultural awareness and inclusivity within Brutin High School. Her leadership extends to future business leaders of America, where she served as vice president in 10th grade and currently as president. Jesse's commitment to service and faith is evident through her role as a huddle leader for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which is 6:45 in the morning. They meet on Wednesday. Yes. Uh as president of the National Honor Society, she has co coordinated volunteer opportunities and managed the Panther News. She is also a member of several clubs and honor societies including Mu Alphatheta, Ro Kappa, Key Club, and the Green Club. Jesse balances academics and leadership with athletics as a member of the girls tennis team. Her leadership

011also extends beyond the school walls as a prudent representative on the York County Youth Commission. Jesse worked on the public relations committee to connect youth with local government. Additionally, she attended Virginia Girl State and participated in the Virginia summer residential governor school for agriculture, demonstrating her commitment to civic engagement and academic excellence. Congratulations, Jesse, on being recognized as senior of the month for January. Okay. And my second one is Dominic Granados. Go ahead and stand up with your family. Yes. Dominic consistently embraces leadership opportunities at Brutin High School. He readily steps into lead roles whether in class projects or as a member of the PAL student leadership club. Notably, he initiated and facilitated SAT prep sessions through PALS and uh frequently seeks additional opportunities from club sponsors to mentor and guide other students. Dominic is

012also uh a dedicated contributor to our arts community. He eagerly performs in mainstage production and volunteers as an usher when he's not on stage. pretty good. He has also participated on our track team. In addition, Dominic is an active uh participant in FBLA, uh Key Club, and multiple honor societies, and he has previously held leadership positions in both the Student Council Association and the Spanish Honor Society. Dominic is also committed to community service, volunteering with organizations such as Rise Against Hunger, the local Humane Society, and cleaning around campus. He identifies needs, takes initiative, and offers his time and talents generously. Dominic is a natural leader with a strong sense of purpose. He plans to study law and is considering a career in forensic accounting, reflecting both his analytical strengths and his desire to serve his

013community. Congratulations. I would like to invite Bansari Patel and her family to please stand up as a senior of the month for January 2026 for Grafton High School. Bansari Patel exemplifies academic excellence, leadership, and community service. A motivated and hardworking senior at Grafton High, she balances rigorous academics with a passion for helping others. Ansari is an AP scholar and a two-time National History Day National Finalist, even presenting her project at the Richmond Capitol to the state leaders. She serves as a treasurer of the National Honor Society and holds leadership role in a key club in the history honor society while actively participating in multiple honor society for math, science, English, and Spanish. Her [clears throat] dedication to service is evident through extensive volunteer work at the re riverside regional medical center where she assists in

014neurology and microbiology departments and pursues reach on sepsis. She also contributes to jin youth volunteer corpse and local community programs. Pansari attends the governor school of science and technology and aspires to study biology, business or chemistry. Her commitment, intellect, and kindness make her an outstanding role model and deserving senior of the month. Congratulations. [applause] Now, my senior of the month for Grafton High for February, it's Kyla Hill. So, I would like to actually No, I'm sorry. Skip the page. It is Reagan Wall. So I would invite Reagan with his family to stand up. Welcome. Reaganwall is an exceptional Grafton senior whose character, service and ambitions sets him apart as a remarkable young leader. A driven scholar with interest in mechanic, mechanical, electrical and aerospace engineering. He challenged himself academically while pursuing meaningful experience that broadened

015his knowledge and strengthened his sense of purpose. His commitment to service others shines through his creation of Splash, where he provided swim lessons and community events for more than 35 children with special needs. Work that grows from a single act of kindness into a program that deeply impact families across the community. Whether mentoring through NASA, leading you through the volunteer corpse, excelling in varsity athletics, or honoring veterans through historic research, Reagan brings humility, respect, and genuine desire to uplift others. Inspired by his great-grandfather's legacy of service, Reagan strives to live with integrity and purpose, and his dedication, compassion, and leaderships makes him outstanding representative of Graten High. Thank you. Congratulations. >> [applause] >> All right, Miss Fairman. >> Alrighty. Our senior of the month for January from Tab High School is Hiab Beret. If I

016could get her and her family, wonderful to stand up. Tab High School is excited to announce Hiab Beret as our January senior of the month. Hiab is an exceptional student whose curiosity, empathy, and dedication shine through in every aspect of her life. She plans to pursue a double major in neuroscience and psychology to become a clinical neurossychologist. Her dream is to earn a doctorate in psychology or a PhD. Hiab's leadership and service are equally impressive. She serves as a board officer for multicultural club, helping organize events that celebrate diversity and foster inclusion. She is also a psychology club officer, key club treasurer, and SCA executive board treasurer. Beyond school, Hyab works as a YMCA lifeguard and swim instructor, where her patience and empathy help young swimmers build confidence and trust. Her academic achievements include being

017shortlisted for the John Lockach Institute global essay prize and completing a think neuro research internship where she explored neuro degenerative diseases and learned our programming. Hiab's curiosity drives her to explore new ideas. Her empathy empowers others and her dependability makes her a trusted leader. We are proud to have Hiyab as our TAB senior of the month for January. And now the senior of the month for February is Samuel Christophel. He here all the family stand. Wonderful. It is with great pride that we recognize Samuel Christophel as TAB senior of the month for February. Sam is a remarkable young man whose character, leadership, and dedication set him apart from his peers. As a two-year captain of the varsity football team, he guided his team to historic victories. His leadership is not limited to the classroom, and

018Sam is equally respected by his teachers and peers. Academically, he challenges himself with the most rigorous courses available, earning the highest honors while also juggling multiple varsity sports and school clubs. He is a member of both Key Club and Beta Club. What truly distinguishes Sam is his heart for service. Through a youth mentorship program, he has formed connections with elementary students facing difficult home lives. Sam's long-term goal of attending a military academy and becoming an officer aligns beautifully with his amazing personality and characteristics. Tab is extremely proud to ham have him as one of our students and as our February senior of the month. Thank you. [applause] >> All right. Uh, I would like to invite Miss Goodwin to read for the York High um seniors of the month, but with exception for Dominic Montinaro,

019who is our senior of the month for January not being able to attend. Good. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Privich. Okay. I have the honor of sharing with you York High School Senior of the Month with Zoe Ringo and her family. Please stand. York High School is proud to recognize Zoe Ringo as our fe February senior of the month. As the class lead for NJOTC, vice president of York Ski Club, and the voice behind our school announcement, Zoe has demonstrated remarkable leadership and communication skills. As a military child, Zo has the impeccable ability to adapt to any new environment and make it even better. She also makes it her mission to welcome new military children to York and has been a significant help with providing support to her peers. In addition to many contributions to

020our school, Zoe has dedicated countless hours to volunteer work such as Rotary Youth Leadership Camp, where she led her team to first place in a research project on California's deforestation and reforestation efforts, which showcases her ability to combine creativity, collaboration, and strategic thinking. Nominated by her teachers and counselor for this recognition, Zoe displays the qualities of an outstanding student, balancing academics, leadership, and community service. Congratulations, Zoe. [applause] Congratulations to all of our seniors of the month and uh receive this recognition. Uh at this moment, we're going to move to the student service awards and volunteer awards. So, I would invite Dr. Carol if he would join us at the front. At this moment, I will ask Mr. Anthony Freriedman from better man principal to step forward and read down uh remain down front while information

021is shared for both the student service award and volunteer of the month award. All right. The student service award recipient for Battleman Elementary is Lucas Catoyo. Miss Fairman, will you share about Lucas as he comes to the front, please? >> I sure will. If Lucas could come forward. Lucas Katayo is an exceptional fifth grade student who demonstrates leadership, integrity, and respect in all he does. New to Bethl Manor Elementary this school year as a military child, Lucas quickly embraced opportunities to serve his school community. He is a dedicated member of the safety patrol, ensuring the well-being of his peers and actively represents student voices through the student council association and the principal's advisory committee. His participation on the Battle of the Books team reflects his commitment to learning and teamwork. Outside of school, Lucas supports

022his mom's small business, showing responsibility and a strong sense of family. Known for his kindness and compassion, Lucas consistently goes above and beyond to help others and make a positive impact. His unwavering commitment to service and leadership makes him a truly deserving recipient of the student service award. We are proud to have Lucas as part of our Bethl Manor Eagle family. It's f there's more. The volunteer of the month for Bethle Man Elementary is Miss Valerie Nell. As a proud military con connected school, Bethle Man Elementary families are no strangers to the transition that comes along with the military life. That said, Miss Nell and her family have recently moved, but we would still like to honor her. Miss Fairmont, will you still share some information about Miss Nell? >> I definitely will. Thank you.

023The volunteer of the month for January of 26, Bethl Manor Elementary School, Valerie Nell. Bethl Manor is proud to recognize Valerie Nell as Bethl Manor Elementary's volunteer of the year. Mrs. Nell is a dedicated military spouse and parent of three Bethl Manor students. Devotes countless hours to supporting our school. As our PTA president, she can be found in the building nearly every day, organizing spiritware, designing displays, planning events, and coordinating effective, well-run monthly meetings. Her leadership has strengthened our fundraising efforts and boosted PTA membership throughout the year. In addition to her PTA responsibilities, Mrs. El expanded her service to our community by stepping into the roles of crossing guard and cafeteria monitor, further demonstrating her unwavering commitment to student safety and well-being. Her enthusiasm, determination, and genuine care for our students, staff, and families truly

024embody what it means to be a Bethl Manor Eagle. Mrs. Snell's impact on our school community is meaningful, lasting, and deeply appreciated. We are proud to acknowledge Valerie as Bethl Manor's volunteer of the year. Now, I will ask Dr. Lindseay Kidd dear elementary school principal to step forward and remain upfront while information is shared for both the student service award recipient and volunteer of the month for dear elementary school. The student service award is a recipient uh award recipient this month for dear elementary school is Harper Murphy. Miss Goodwin, will you share about Harper as she comes up front? >> Be my pleasure. Harper is a dedicated and compassionate fifth grader at DAR who leads by example. As a proud team member with Anchored for Life, she's the first to volunteer for events and offer

025support to make her school a welcoming place for everyone. Harper is an expert at greeting new students, making sure they feel included from the moment they arrive. She's been a leader for service projects like school beautifification, supplies drives, kindergarten kickoff, and militi military appreciation events. Beyond her role as Anchored for Life team leader, Harper can be found volunteering as a library assistant, assisting young students to find books and arranging or checking in books. Harper has supported Lego Club for kindergarteners on Fridays. Harper volunteers extra time to bring positivity and connectedness to her community with neighborhood programs. Harper is an exceptional presence in the classroom with her brilliance and thoughtfulness. She is always willing to help her classmates, offering clear explanations and genuine encouragement. Her kindness, leadership, and intellectual curiosity is appreciated by all. Because of

026her exceptional service to her dolphin community, Harper was selected for the student service award. [applause] The volunteer of the month for Dair Elementary School is Miss Mary Beth Encliffe. Miss Ancliffe, would you please join Dr. K and Dr. Kit up front while Miss Goodwin shares information about you? >> Mary Beth Encliffe is a valued member of the Dare Elementary School team and we are excited to recognize her as our volunteer of the year. She approaches every opportunity to help with enthusiasm and generosity, never hesitating to step in when support is needed. From assisting in classrooms and providing us supplies to helping coordinate school events, Mary Beth's involvement consistently exceeds expectations. In her role as PTA president, Mary Beth demonstrates strong leadership and a deep commitment to the school's mission, working tirelessly to ensure programs and

027events run smoothly. She [clears throat] often serves as a substitute teacher, further showing her willingness to support students and staff in meaningful ways. Her efforts have helped strengthen collaboration between families and educators, contributing positively to the school's growth. Mary Beth's steadfast service to Daryl Elementary students, families, teachers, and staff has created a lasting impression. Her compassion and dedication make her an invaluable part of our school community. Through her efforts, Mary Beth demonstrates how to make a splash in the lives of our dare dolphins. [applause] >> Thank you very much. And I will ask Miss Lisa Jalomo, Coventry Elementary Principal, to step forward and remain upfront while information shared about her student service award recipient. And that would be me. Uh so let me see. recipient for this month of Carl Coventry Elementary School is Kala

028Hill and I will share some information about her while she's coming up. Coventry Elementary is proud to recognize Kyla Hill as this year's student service award recipient. Kyle is a fifth grade student who truly embodies the spirit of Coventry Cougars. She stands out for her dedication to service, leadership, and academic excellence. Kyla is an active and engaged member of our school community. She participates in Battle of the Books, Chorus, and the Good News Club and was elected by her peers to serve as SCA president this school year. Under her leadership, the SCA launched a new student you news program to keep our school's community informed and connected. They also organized a successful holiday Graham exchange spreading joy and kindness throughout the school. Kyla is looking forward to exciting the extending the impact of our SCA

029beyond commentary by visiting senior communities to read to residents this spring. Outside of school, Kyle enjoys playing the piano, studying Japanese, swimming for her neighborhood swimmer summer swim team, drawing, reading books, biking, and making her friends laugh. She models our paws, exceptions, expectations daily through thoughtful interaction with peers, hard work, and leadership. Please join us in congratulating Kyla as student service award recipients. And finally, I will ask Miss Candace Welch, Queens Lake Middle School principal, to step forward and remain upfront while information is shared for both the student service award recipient and the volunteer of the month for Queens Lake Middle School. The student service award recipient this month for Queens Lake Middle School is Madison Damon. Mr. Schaefer, will you share about Madison? She comes around. >> Sure thing. All right. Uh, our school

030is proud to nominate Madison for her contributions to our community. As an outstanding student ambassador, she consistently demonstrates willingness to help others and create a welcoming, respectful environment for all. Madison is currently leading the initiative to partner with Meals on Wheels despite not being uh not yet being old enough to volunteer herself, but boy, she's leading it. She has initiated discussions with the organization to explore opportunities for students to assist by creating warm, heartfelt cards for the recipients. Madison is working with our poetry club, art club, and spirit club to bring this project to life. Beyond our school, Madison also dedicates her time to supporting the United Service Organization, USO, at the air shows, where she has volunteered for the past three years to prepare goodie bags for service members. Her commitment to service and

031leadership is truly heartening, making her an uplifting member of both our school and the broader community. Congratulations. The volunteer of the month for Queens Lake Middle School is Miss Kim Stanport. Miss Stampport, would you please join Dr. K and Miss Welch up front while Mr. Schaefer shares information about you? >> Sure. Miss Kim Steinport excels in her role as a newly appointed PTA president at Queens Lake Middle School. Since stepping into this leadership position, Miss Steinport has demonstrated an exceptional level level of commitment, collaboration, and service to our school community. She's played an active role in supporting PBIS events, helping to promote positive school culture, and student engagement. In addition, she has taken a leadership role in planning the upcoming school dance. Oh, middle school dances. Yes. [laughter] And assisting with honoral celebrations and ensuring

032that that students achievements and milestones are celebrated in meaningful ways. Beyond her work within our school, Mrs. Steinport. Miss Steinport is also actively involved in York PTA and Virginia PTA groups, strengthening connections between our local school community and the broader PTA networks. Her engagements at both the the local and state levels reflects a strong commitment to advocacy, family engagement, and shared leadership. Miss Steinport's uh willingness to step forward, support staff and students, and build positive partnerships has already had a noticeable impact. Her efforts exemplify the spirit of volunteerism and collaboration that is vital to the to the success of our schools. We are thrilled for the school board to formally recognize Miss Steinport for her lead leadership, service, and dedication to our students, families, and the school community at Queens Lake. Thank you for all

033you do to support, encourage, and uplift our students. Thank you. Congratulations to all our awards recipients. I would like to invite Mr. Schaefer to share with us a York Foundation for Public Education presentation. >> Sure. >> I'd like to invite Miss Glennice Ellis. Where you at, Glennice? There she is. Okay. York Foundation for Public Education member to step forward and assist Dr. Carol as he presents gifts to each of our award recipients. Please come up front when you hear your name called. Congratulations to Landon Brown, a kindergartener from Dar Elementary School for reciting the pledge of allegiance at tonight's board meeting. Yeah. We'd also like to recognize tonight's student service award recipients. Lucas Katoya Kayo, there we go. Kayo, Kato, there we go. From Bethanel Elementary School, Harper Murphy from Dare Elementary School. Kayla Hill

034from Coventry Elementary School and Madison Damon from Queens Lake Middle School. All right. We also congratulate our seniors of the month for January and February, Jesse Coak and Dominic Granados from Brutin High School. Yeah. Menzari Patel and Reagan Wall from Grafton [clears throat] High School, Hia Ber and uh Samuel Christophel from Tab High School and Zoe Ringo from York High School. Special gifts from Cookie Text and Edible Tweet are being presented on behalf of the York Foundation for Public Education in partnership with her donor Gene Fioa of Cookie Text and Edible Tweet. A Sweet Frog gift card is also being donated by Derek Mahan from Sweet Frog. Join me in congratulating all our award recipients. All right. Before we move forward, I would like to take this opportunity uh to present uh certificates to our

035board clerk and the deputy of our board clerk, Bonnie and uh Nicole Howard. Uh thank you so much for everything that you guys do for us. uh without you and your efforts uh these meetings would not be possible in this organized shape or form. So from bottom of my heart, thank you for everything that you guys do for us. Uh back to the program. I would like to invite Dr. Vika Stevens to the podium to present the grant from Virginia Department of Education Matt Acceleration Grant. >> Good evening, Mr. Pyik, members of the board, and Dr. Carol. I'm pleased to share that the York County School Division has been awarded a $42,216 mathematics acceleration grant from the Virginia Department of Education. This [applause] um this funding will expand lure for our teachers to qualify to

036teach advanced math courses and it will support a summerbridge program for grade five and middle school students. Through this investment, it is our goal to ensure that more YCSD students have opportunity to experience and excel in advanced mathematic courses. Accepting the check this evening are Dr. Carol and Dr. Skinner. Little picture. Thank you so much for your continued support of our students. All right, we're going to move to the accent of academics and I would like to invite Dr. Carol to introduce this evening presenters. >> All right, thank you Mr. Private. Tonight we welcome Queens Lake Middle Schools. They present connection counts, reimagining school through community schools programming. Their presentation will highlight how they are implementing the Virginia Department of Education's community schools model to strengthen student connectedness, engagement, and success through expanded opportunities and

037meaningful community partnerships. I think we have Principal Candace Welch and friends. >> We're going to take one moment to get ourselves situated. Now we're ready. Good evening, Mr. Pyovich, members of the school board, and Dr. Carol. I am Candace Welch, proud principal of Queens Lake Middle School. Tonight, we are pleased to present Connection Counts, Reimagining School through Community Schools Programming, highlighting how our school is implementing funding from the Virginia Department of Education's Community Schools Grant Program to increase student connections and engagement in school. Queens Lake is one of three schools along with Yorktown Middle and McGrder Elementary selected to receive grant funding from VDOE to support the Virginia Community School Model. My school was awarded these funds in 2024 and we are now in our second year of implementation. As we implement the Virginia Community

038School model at Queens Lake Middle, we're also directly advancing two key priorities in our strategic plan. Collective commitment and future ready graduates. This work is grounded in the belief that student success is a shared responsibility. When schools, families, staff, and community partners work together, we create stronger relationships and stronger outcomes for students. This is collective commitment and action. At the same time, by increasing student engagement, removing barriers to learning, and creating meaningful opportunities for students to connect and belong, we are helping students develop the habits, skills, and confidence they need to thrive both now and in the future. This is how we support future ready graduates. Tonight, we're excited to share how Queens Lake is turning these priorities into real experiences that help students want to show up, participate, and succeed. Next, I'd like to

039introduce Mrs. Jenny Lester, who will share more about our extracurricular programs supported by this grant. Good evening. My name is Jenny Lester and I am proudly I proudly serve as the activities director at Queens Lake Middle School. Research shows that when middle school students feel connected to school, attendance and engagement improve. Extracurricular clubs strengthen that connectiveness by giving students a place to belong, build relationships, and feel invested in school. That's that's exactly why Queens Lake has intentionally expanded our extracurricular offerings through the community schools grant to ensure clubs reflected what our students actually want and need. We surveyed both staff and students and used that feedback to build clubs based on student interests. The response has been incredible. On many club days, we've seen approximately 300 students stay after school to participate. And we're begin

040we're already seeing the impact, increased student engagement, a stronger sense of belonging, and improved attendance for many students who now feel more connected to our school community. One example of is our afterchool reading club sponsored by one of our PE teachers. It's been a powerful reminder that clubs aren't just about activities. They're about relationships. Students are building connections, growing confidence, and developing a love for reading in a meaningful, supportive environment. These programs are helping Queens Lake become the kind of school students want to show up for, and we're excited to continue growing this work. Next, we invite you to take a closer look um at Queens Lake Middle School's community schools model in action. This video demonstrates how our partnership with the Virginia Department of Education is expanding extracurricular clubs and enrichment opportunities, creating spaces

041for students to connect, build relationships, discover interest, and feel more motivated to attend and engage in school. This grant [music] has enabled us to be able to order supplies and plan really great activities and events for our kids. And so they're able to not only have those fun experiences, but then that also gives them some things to plan ahead for. And we've seen all the benefits academically [music] through their attendance and their behavior as well because some of it has also been tied to our pride [music] behavior matrix. And so really it's kind of the three- tiered system that we've seen those benefits from. >> I'm in jewelry club and I chose jewelry club because at home I like making jewelry and I thought that it would be fun to make jewelry with my friends

042too. It made it more fun for me because I [music] love the school already, but just looking forward to staying with after school for a club is like makes school better. >> I'm in spirit club and we do pepper rallies. We also [music] do posters for around the school to talk about all the activities that are coming up. I used to have nothing to do and I [music] really like having something to do after school and I get to talk to more people, have more friends, and get to talk to people um that I [music] wouldn't normally talk to. >> It makes me feel connected because I [music] get to plan and make everybody feel like school's more fun for them instead of them thinking they're it's boring and it's really nothing to do when

043school can be actually really fun. a student that [music] is new to us this year. Um he was struggling in classes so we got him connected with the robotics club [music] and his attendance has improved and he's more engaged with school. We've had an opportunity to do some partnerships with some of [music] our local colleges. We've had some great partnerships that have developed from this. Last year we had a K-9 club. we were able to partner with the [music] sheriff's office as well as our local SPCA to um kind of sustain that club and make that a more um engaging experience [music] for our students. I think just the power of community shows what we can the impact that we can have together when we come together as a community. Our community [music] extends well

044beyond the walls of Queens Lake Middle School. And so we're just fortunate enough to be able to [music] bring our community members in, take our students out, and have those experiences that really expand learning, you know, for our students. to introduce two of our Queens Lake Middle stu middle school students, Michaela Roach and Levi Ferrell, who will now share more about their experiences with our expanded curricular programs. >> Good evening. My name is Michaela Roach and I'm I'm an eighth grade student at Queens Lake Middle School. I'm involved in student council as the vice president and being part of student council has helped me grow, not just as a student, but as a leader. I've learned how to speak up, listen to others, and work as a part of a team to make our school

045better. It's taught me that leadership isn't about being the loudest person in the room. It's about taking responsibility, and helping and helping people feel included. The expanded extracurricular opportunities at Queens Lake have made big difference for students like me. Having more clubs and activities has given us more chances to connect with each other, build stronger friendships, and collaborate with peers we might not normally work with during the school day. Through student council and other extracurricular programs, we've been able to plan studentled community projects like food drives and other service-based activities. These projects don't just help others, they help us grow. We've learned how to organize, communicate, solve problems, and follow through. And to be honest, it feels really good to know that even as a middle school students, we can make an impact in our

046community. Clubs and extracurricular programs are more than something to do after school. They give students a reason to feel connected. Being part of these opportunities has helped me feel more confident in who I am and what I can contribute as a student and as a leader in my school. When students are given a chance to lead and be involved, it changes how we see ourselves and what we believe we're capable of. Good. Uh, good evening. Hello. My name is Levi Frell and I'm also an eighth grade student at Queens Lake Middle School. I'm a part of the Queens Lake Spirit Club. And to me, spirit club is more than just being loud at games or dressing up for spirit days. It's about helping students feel like they belong here. In spirit club, we plan activities

047that bring students together and make school feel fun, welcoming, and positive. We want students to have a place where they can connect with others, feel proud of their school, and feel like they're a part of something bigger than just classes and homework. School spirit matters because it motivates people. When students feel excited to come to school, and when they feel connected, they're most likely to show up, get involved, and stay engaged. For me, being in spirit club is about making sure that other students don't feel invisible or left out. I want to help students get connected, stay connected, and hopefully one day inspire them to do the same for someone else. Before we conclude our presentation, I'd like to give special recognition to the students and staff of Queens Lake Middle School who have worked

048with excellence to plan, implement, and sustain these programs in service of our school community. I would also like to extend sincere thanks to the YCSD community schools grant team for your continued guidance, partnership, and support throughout this work. This concludes our presentation. At this time, we welcome your thoughts or questions. Mr. Schaeer, looking at you, >> you know, [laughter] >> you know, I'm going to say it. Uh, just as an aside, whenever we have a student disciplinary hearing, the first question I always ask is, "What are you involved in in school? Any clubs or anything else?" And most frequently they say they're involved in nothing. So the more ties that we can get, the connections that can be made uh between the school and kids is is great. Now you said you had 300 show

049up. That's out of a student population of >> of just under 600. >> There you go. Okay. So we're talking about half the school >> and that's just for the second quarter. We've had even more than that from first quarter newly joined students during third quarter. So, we've had close to 70% of our students involved throughout the year. >> And that all that 70% would include band and uh athletics and all that stuff. >> Correct. Yes. >> Seven out of 10 is a pretty good average actually. >> Pretty good. Yes. >> I'd just like to thank you all for uh doing the presentation. As a former middle school teacher, I know how important the clubs and activities are for the students. And a special thank you to all of the faculty and staff because I

050know that's extra time at the end of the day uh when so many teachers have a lot of planning to do and grading to do that they then give of themselves to to help the students and I remember doing that when I was teaching full-time and I really want to thank you all. And I'd like to ask the students, um, is there a club that you see that you never thought you might join? I know you're all in in clubs now, but do you see a different one that you kind of go, hm, that's kind of interesting? >> You want to answer that first? >> I I mean, there's not really another club I would want to go to. I would like to stick with my club that I'm currently with because it's really fun

051to connect with other students and make new friends and make people feel welcomed. >> It's hard to beat spirit club. [laughter] Um, for me, I never thought I would see an option on there for clubs to be in student council. And I was actually debating on if I wanted to do spirit club or student council. And when I did, I was definitely not disappointed. And I'm very happy because we're also helping out with the dance this upcoming Friday. >> Oh, that that was going to be my next question. if any of the clubs actually kind of did cross communication of oh I can do this and we can do this and the uh clubs can come together and do something different. >> Yeah, we're helping out set up the dance and everything and putting together

052ideas as well too. And also we have rotations of people sitting um during lunch sitting up on the table and taking tickets and taking the money in. Thank you very much. Uh first I want to say awesome job. I mean this is great stuff and um school should be fun. School doesn't have to be boring. I mean there are subjects and things yeah we might not like as much but you should kids should look forward to coming to school because of things like this because of connections and and having this in place is is such a great draw for kids to want to get up in the morning and come to school. And I want to thank both of you as students for being here and sharing your experiences and I hope that that encourages

053other students to want to continue or or to join if they're not already involved. Thank you. >> Also want to say thank you for coming uh Miss Welch for such a great leadership uh in this program with your students uh such a great testimony for 70% involvement in your school. It's amazing. uh to you guys. Uh just want to say congratulations for what you've been doing. Um it's not easy to take extra time and put it into the community. I mean, we we're testifying to that. This is your stepping stone. Your teachers, your parents, they're teaching you a lesson how to walk through life, how to be a community leader, and you guys learn that every day. So, showing that to us that you understand and you're standing here in front of us telling us

054what you done and how you're doing, it's it's huge. Really, it's it's amazing to see young adults like you guys are doing that. I would encourage you to keep that, keep going. You have high school ahead of you, college, and life. So, make us proud as you are right now. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. [applause] And Mr. Pyovich, uh, if I could add and ask, uh, Miss Welch to stay at the podium. >> Oh. >> Uh, she's probably going to be mortified that I do this, but I believe [clears throat] you were more notified last spring that Miss Welch had been honored as the outstanding middle school principal of Virginia by the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principles. And I just wanted to take the opportunity here since she's here with us to

055recognize that honor and uh and say to say congratulations for that. And tonight's presentation I know is just a small sample of the exceptional work uh that you do at Queens Lake. So thank you very much. >> Thank you so much. [applause] >> Thank you Dr. Carol for that. Uh the board will now take a short recess to meet with award recipients and their families. Now reconvene the meeting. Uh we do not have any unfinished business this evening and we're going to move to the board committee updates. So each board member will now give an update on the committees they are part of. We're going to start with Mr. Schaefer. All right. Uh I am with the York Foundation for Public Education and this is an awesome uh group of people. We got three new

056uh trustees I believe this year and the big thing that's coming up is on June 17th is the biggest fundraiser for York Foundation. Uh and that is uh on June 17th the golf tournament. So, shameless plug for it if anyone would like to join. Uh, contact me, contact uh York Foundation for Public Education. Uh, we have sponsorships, we have you can partake in the game. It we have all kinds of things open for it. Um, this is a a group of people that truly love uh York County Schools. uh they raise up so much money every year for scholarships, not only for individuals, but for the schools themselves and uh for teachers within the schools. This is a a group that truly takes care of them of uh of York County School District. And I

057would tell you that York County School Division is uh is number one in the state now. And I think a a part of it is because of YFPE. So if you'd like to join YFPE, it'd be uh very beneficial to be become a trustee and to help in all the fundraising activities, not only that they do uh but all the activities uh to take part because there's nothing better than to go on a prize patrol and surprise teachers and things. Yeah. [laughter] to see surprise teachers with uh uh with a grant uh for money that they needed to to get stuff done in their classroom and it's it's a really great time and I would uh I would say contact the school board office we will get you in touch with the right people so

058that you can join uh York Foundation for public education. Thank you. >> Thank you Mr. Schaefer. Um, Miss Goodman. >> So, um, I sit on the gifted education um committee and our, uh, committee met earlier this month. We had over 32 stakeholders in attendance underscoring strong community involvement and that is really unprecedented. Um if you think about it a lot of um divisions in the state and I would even go as far as probably across the nation really don't have that much involvement in in a uh gifted education uh group committee. So this is just speaks volumes of York County's commitment um to to gifted education. We had uh some updates. 800 first graders were tested in the time period between November through February in an effort to look for gifted talent and opportunities for

059development of those gifts. In addition, there are currently 70 kindergarten referrals for this upcoming testing cycle. Uh, Miss Haywood, our gifted education program coordinator, shared at that meeting that her team participated in some professional development about what does good feedback look like and also shared that there's currently one opening in our gifted education department that currently needs to be filled. Information was also shared about summer scholarships for gifted students who are interested in participating in um, summer programs during the spring, which I'm happy to say is right around the corner hopefully. >> [laughter] >> The board uh will assist or assist with the recruitment of new student liaison which involves interviewing and selecting uh students who will represent their high schools during the 2627 school year on the GT committee. Um I'll be sending out

060a timeline um to the board in the next couple weeks to prepare for the interview process and our next GK meeting is tentatively tentatively scheduled for um April 29th. And those are my updates. >> Thank you. Goodwin, Miss Fairman. >> Y I was going by the list here. Uh actually December 9th was supposed to be the um special ed advisory committee only it was cancelled because of poor weather. So don't have a report on that. But our next meeting will be next week on March 3rd and hope to see more people come out and participate in the special education advisory committee. We need your input. We need your uh experience as well as how your students are doing and uh different needs. And want to thank um Miss Tomaine Hopkins who is in charge. She's

061the director of the special ed uh program here at York County School Division and she does an excellent job and I enjoy working with her >> as well as the rest of the team. >> Thank you, Miss Farmer. Um now it's up to me to give you an update on uh New Horizons and C advisory committee. Uh for the first time this year, we met at New Horizon last week. We had to postpone our uh meetings due to the snow uh just inconvenient quite a bit of us. Uh with that time um Hampton University culinary partnership was announced at our meeting. Uh G uh Governor School of Science and Technology was again ranked as a top high school in the state of Virginia in the 14 years in a row. Uh we had a report

062on audit that was presented to us for the fiscal year 25 and we had that approved. uh budget timeline was presented to us for the fiscal year 27 and it will be presented to us as a preliminary by March 30th which is our next meeting and it will be adopted uh on the May on the main meeting. Our next meeting will be as I mentioned March 30th at Woodside. Uh what I would like to also uh kind of share with you what we had a new exciting thing at the new horizons. We just opened up the new Yamaha Marine Motor Lab which uh gives opportunity to our uh students to get certification to work on Yamaha uh outboard engines. Uh me and Dr. Carol we we were there and we spoke to some of the

063students. they were very knowledgeable and what was uh very interesting to both of us actually to a lot of us in attending there is how sure are we in uh in that field. So those students they're going to have a really great opportunity soon as they graduate if they want to pursue that career to get jobs uh immediately. Um I think that's about uh actually another uh exciting thing. Uh there's a funding that we got a grant uh for New Horizons for expanding our welding labs uh in both campuses. Uh I included the link on our board docs. So if anybody's interesting to look over just kind of how it's going to look like. uh it is the building set of plans but it'll give you some idea how much space are we taking to

064increase because there's such a need for our students uh in that field. Um as far as CTE we did not have any meetings this this uh this year we will have first one tomorrow. So with that I'm concluding my report. All right we're going to move to the comments of citizens. Um and this evening uh you will have the opportunities to speak. You will have two opportunities to speak. One for general comments and the other on for public hearing regarding fiscal year 27 operating budget. Before I open for public comments, I will share some remarks. The school board provides public comment period for the public to comment on matters related to the business or duties of the school board and school division. School board policy KD BDDH governs these public comments periods. I would encourage

065citizens to review this policy prior to speaking before the board. Briefly, the school board expects speakers to refrain from any speech or conduct that is clear violation of the law, such as abusive or threatening language that incites criminal behavior or that creates an actual disruption to the meeting. We ask that speakers direct their comments to the school board and not to members of the audience. Violation of the schoolboard policy KDBDH may result in a warning or termination of a speaker's time by the chair. This sanction is immediately appealable to the whole board at the speaker's option. Each speaker must speak for up to three minutes. speaker will present present their comments at the podium at a time is visible to the speaker for the pro from the podium and speaker should conclude their remarks when

066the red light comes on. The timer will begin after you state your name and district or area of residence. I now open the public participation for comments of citizen and I would like to ask Miss Pam Pusho as the first speaker. >> Good evening. My name is Pam Pusho. I live in district 4. Under action items B, you are recognizing human trafficking awareness and prevention month. Do we teach students starting in middle school how to recognize recruitment, especially for children with low self-esteem who may live in poverty or have questionable home lives that may involve drug and alcohol addicted caregivers or sexual abusers. Children as young as four years old are groomed often by trusted adults and family members. The average age is 12 to 14 years old. Without the protection of knowledge, we make

067these children much more vulnerable. Jeffrey Epstein's victims were as young as nine. I see you addressing policy manual J students section JB. I don't understand why you are removing the definition of protected groups. You state it can be found in GBA JFHA, but that is not a section for employee. That is a section for employees, not students. I tend to think this is being done to remove wording which includes sexual orientation or gender identity. By not keeping the definition in place, you are ensuring a lack of clarity. This is not acceptable. Please do not erase the statement of protection. This school division has spent millions of taxpayer dollars to keep intruders out of our schools. Perhaps you never thought that our federal government would be the armed and depraved intruders where warrantless entries are encouraged

068and assaults and murders are acceptable. ICE and Border Patrol have been invading schools throughout our country. They are kidnapping students going to and from school as well as employees within the schools. They are using students as bait to get to their parents. Children as young as 2 years old have been abducted and taken to detention centers and within hours sent to out of state facilities known for human rights abuses. There are unsanitary conditions, limited medical care, insectinfested foods, no educational programs, and caged like animals with lights on 24 hours a day. With only the clothes on their backs, many will be sent to countries in the middle of civil wars or where they will face abuse, imprisonment, or death. Majority of people detained or sent to foreign prisons are only guilty of the civil violation

069of being undocumented. Hardly the worst of the worst. ICE is already here at construction sites. Mexican restaurants, bodeas, Home Depot, and the like. But we are now a blue state, so it is only a matter of time before our streets are occupied by Trump's mass secret police and allowed to run a muck by the DOJ and Homeland Security. We live in a Republican dominated community, but that will not save our children or our neighbors. Being a US citizen is no longer a protection. I ask this board, how are you going to protect our students? Have you even contacted our state and federal legislators to try to resolve these issues? Our children deserve your protection and should not have to live in fear of going to school and losing their parents, their friends, their future, and

070their own safety. Thank you. >> Thanks, Michelle. >> I would like to invite Easter Ganji. Yeah. Welcome. >> I'm Easteri, District 2. Good evening and thank you for the opportunity to speak. I want to begin by making clear what this comment um is about. Um and it it is it is not about um denigrating the the right of parents to um have um dur during um the school day um having the choice to have begin beginning the during the school um instruction religious instruction if they desire it. Um, my concern is about the responsibility of a public school division to remain neutral, transparent, and consistent when outside organizations interact with students and families during the school day. Last year, the board revised the non-instructional materials policy twice. The policy allows distribution and promotion of materials

071for all 501c3 organizations. I believe the intent was to create a viewpoint neutral approach and avoid favoring one type of group over another. However, treating all nonprofits as a separate uh entity is as the same administratively does not eliminate the unique considerations that arise when the subject is religious instruction connected to the school day. Public schools occupy a special constitutional space and neutrality must be demonstrated not only in wording but in how policies are implemented. Recent event recent events have shown how unclear the current framework is in practice. At a Coventry Elementary PTA meeting, an outside organization, Lifewise Academy, appeared with materials in a presence that left families uncertain about whether the school had approved or endorsed their participation. Subsequent clarification suggested that authorization had not been clearly established. Regardless of anyone's intentions, that situation

072illustrates a process problem. When there are no clearly defined guard rails for how outside groups are invited, approved, or communicated about, confusion is inevitable. In a school environment, perception matters. When information is shared through a school newsletter, website, or event connected to the school, families reasonably interpret that as having been vetted. A disclaimer stating that the school does not endorse a program cannot fully counteract the implied credibility that comes from being distributed through official school channels. I also recognize that members of this board like all citizens may may hold personal beliefs or have expressed support for causes in the community. That is entirely their right. But when programs con connected to those causes intersect with school communications or operations becomes even more important that the division's procedures are clear, consistent and visibly neutral so that

073the public [clears throat] confidence is maintained. This issue is not about whether release time programs may legally exist. It is about ensuring the participation is truly truly parent directed and that the school division does not unintentionally move from accommodation into promotion. >> Thank you, Mr. Ganji. Appreciate like invite Mr. Mark Forest to speak. Good evening everybody. Uh good to see everybody again. Uh my name is Mark Forest. I live in district 5. Um I am currently the president of the Tab Lacrosse Club and an assistant coach for the girls team. Uh I just want to take a minute tonight and uh thank doc thank the board uh number one and specifically Dr. Carol and uh Dr. Shannon Butler uh for reaching out to uh us and meeting with the heads of the uh club lac

074lacrosse teams in York County back in October. Um it was great to sit down and get everybody kind of on the same page about where we are with adding lacrosse as a VHL sport. Um what needs to happen uh with the other schools in the Bay Rivers District and what needs to happen internally in YCSD to make this a reality. Um from uh watching the recent uh budget work session and speaking with counterparts in neighboring school districts, um it's apparent that uh you've heard us um and that our local lacrosse community has been and and you have been actively working to make things happen uh for this and on behalf of all of us. Thank you. Um uh just a quick update on where our current club teams uh stand. Um approximately 150 YCSD students

075are registered to play club lacrosse with HR lax as we start our 19th season um as club teams. Uh this is amazing considering the extra cost associated to play a club sport. Typically $350 plus per player uh for league registr registration fees equipment uh which can sometimes restrict inclusivity uh to only players and families that can swing the cost. Uh speaking specifically about Tab Lacrosse, um our girls team roster has grown to 30 players, uh half of which were here earlier, um as we celebrated their fifth state championship for field hockey. Uh we tried to get them to stay, but they had dinner at Plaza as Tekk more pressing. Uh um our boys team roster is also looking strong at over 20 players, many trying the sport for the first time. Um, our club is

076lucky to have recent uh or to boast recent 2025 TAB graduates that are now playing uh in college. Uh, one on the men's team at the University of Oklahoma and one on the women's team at Virginia Tech. Um, as we hopefully continue to move forward with adding lacrosse as a VHSL sport, please do not hesitate to reach out to your local lacrosse community, your club heads, um, uh, for anything that you need. We would love to see members of the administration, uh, the school board, board of supervisors at games this spring and promise to pass on our game schedule once it is released. Again, thank you all for your efforts and thank you for hearing us. Much appreciated. >> Thank you, Mr. Forest. Now, I would like to invite anybody who did not sign up

077that would like to speak. All right, nobody. I am now closing the public participation for comments of citizen and I will open the public hearing for the FY27 operating budget anybody no speakers now I am closing the public yeah I'm closing the public hearing on the go uh on the goals and objectives for the FY27 opening budget. Moving on to the financial matters. I will now ask Mr. Schaefer to discuss the financial matters with us. >> Yes. the moment everyone's been waiting for. Yes. Yes. Uh this is instruction. These are the significant expenses for January. Uh instruction related expenditures totaled approximately $478,000. Uh the majority of it went to Amt company uh for evaluation uh DODIA World Language Grant. That was 86,400. We also had 162,400 to New Horizons for tuition for special education and

078career and technical education. And then uh we had uh Plan B Academy which was 52,200 for CSA tuition and the Faison Center for uh CSA tuition which was $27,310. Payments for technology related uh items uh totaled approximately $49,000. Uh CDW got $175,950 for projector replacements. Uh Inflow Communications was $48,000 for software support for phones and Shik Communications Valcom uh system replacement at York High was $128,900. Payments for operations and maintenance total $964,000. Uh Dominion Energy was 160,500 for divisionwide uh utility services. Uh let's see, we had um $635,540 for our quarterly ground maintenance uh video services, fuel, and extra duty for deputies from the county. Uh we also had that was that was the main ones for the operations payments for administration total approximately $38,695 and the biggest one on that was Virginia risk risk

079sharing association for workers compensation claims for $13,530. payments related to school uh school nutrition was right at $500,000 and that was uh the big one there was Sedexo for $341,200 for food service operations. We also had $103,590 to Alto Hartley for replacement kitchen kitchen equipment at York High. Payments related to CIP projects totaled uh approximately $756,675. Uh Musco uh sports lighting was $394,675 for Tab High Field and RMM Architects was 362,000 for Tab High A. Let's see con uh significant changes relating to the operating budget. State revenue in January 2025 uh is appro or 2026 no 2025 is approximately 4.9 million higher than January 20 24 I think that's supposed to be 26 and 25 yes this increase is primarily driven by higher student enrollment additional special education funding and expanded funding for support positions

080uh for expenditures total operating expenditures for January uh 2026 is approximately 4.7 million higher than uh January of 25. This is reflective of the 3.5% salary increase for the year, an increase in health premiums and additional positions added in fiscal year due to uh souq mandates and the increases in enrollment. Significant changes relating to the food service budget. Uh there's was no uh significant changes for for January consideration of approval of resolution 26 uh-09 requires a board's approval authorizing procurements more than $100,000 in change orders greater than $50,000. There's one item on the resolution, a change order totaling $60,000 and can be viewed on uh board doc. Mr. Chairman, I now move to approve financial matters as listed. >> Thank you, Mr. Schaefer. Is there any questions? >> We got a second. Second. >> Yeah.

081And then questions. >> So, we got first and second now questions. >> Yes. I do have a question on um the resolution line. What is it? Uh C. Um, if we could get a description or uh just a brief summary of what the $60,000 amount is, the Ammeris multiple contracted services staff. >> I just had a couple of constituents ask about that. >> Thank you, Miss Fairman. um that is for um a modification to an existing purchase order that we have and the services are for contracted nur nursing services, one-on-one services in the school. >> Thank you. >> Uh Mr. Bman, just a quick question. Uh you know, I've been keeping an eye on the utility bills that we having. Um and I'm seeing like our Dominion bill came to be about 160,000 that we

082need to pay for this resolution. Uh that includes the November and December. Am I correct? >> That's just December. >> No, that is that's December. So um in January, we didn't have a payment in in December. So um in January, we had November's and December. >> Got Okay. >> So we we're in a rears on on paying the bill. So December January's paid in February. Um and this represents uh January's payments. Uh me personally, I had uh some significant increase in my utility bills uh in January and December and uh mine went over double. >> U when are we getting the Dominion bill and are we in the same boat as I'm personally with the utility cost? >> So we haven't seen those similar um high high bills um for the school division. I know

083um when we received the double bill, it was an average about almost $150,000 for for those two months. And so we're at $ 160,000. Um our IT department, we have an energy manager who manages all of our utility bills. And so they look at the fluctuations in in usage and um so if there was something that um we had seen a significant increase on that would been brought to our attention to address and we haven't seen that yet. >> I appreciate that. And Mr. Privich, I would add that we also are subject to special pricing that residential homeowners aren't uh DEPA does that negotiation at the state level. I couldn't give you all the details. Uh but and also we don't have as much use during peak hours. So I think those things kind of

084add up. >> Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Appreciate it. >> And it helped that we had winter break during December as well. >> The snow days are up. Okay. All right. Uh, any other questions? Miss Howard, >> a motion was made by Mr. Schaefer and seconded by Mrs. Goodwin to approve financial matters as listed. Mr. Schaefer, >> yes. >> Mrs. Fairman, >> yes. >> Mrs. Goodwin, >> yes. >> And Mr. Pyitch, >> yes. >> The ma the motion passed four to zero. >> Very good. All right. So, uh, consent calendar. I need approval of uh here we go. Let me just uh read this. Approval of personal actions, approval of minutes for special meeting on January 28:26, a special meeting on February 426 and a work session of February 9:26, approval of donations in amount of

085$3,611. Approval of updates to program of studies in uh consideration of lease with the Lionsgate football club and approval of consent calendar as listed. I would like to have a motion and a second to approve the consent calendar as listed. >> Mr. Py, I will make excuse me, I'll make a motion to approve uh the consent calendar as listed. >> Thank you. >> And I'll second, >> Miss Howard. >> A motion was made by Mrs. Goodwin and seconded by Mr. Schaefer to approve the consent calendars listed. Mrs. Goodwin, >> yes. >> Mrs. Fairman, >> yes. >> Mr. Schaefer, >> yes. >> And Mr. Py, >> yes. The motion passed four to zero. >> All right. On actions, uh, consideration approval of minutes from special meeting on February 11, 26. Uh, is there I would like

086to get the first and second actually. First, >> I make a motion to approve the minutes from the special meeting of February 11th of 26. >> Second. >> A second. >> Any discussion here? None. Miss Howard, >> a motion was made by Mr. Schaefer and seconded by Mrs. Goodwin to approve minutes from a special meeting on February 11th, 2026. Mrs. Goodwin, >> yes. >> Mrs. Fairman, >> I abstain since I was not in attendance. >> Mr. Schaefer, >> yes. >> And Mr. Pipich, >> yes. >> The motion passed three to zero with one abstension. >> All right. On policy discussions, we don't have any. On the first reading, we don't have any. And for the second reading uh reading we uh have uh section J students policy. Uh is there any discussions? I have a

087couple questions. Um on um the JB policy, excuse [clears throat] me, I'm sorry about my voice. Uh on JB on page one, the second paragraph um where let's see, hang on. Sorry, I need to pull this down. [clears throat] I think it's on the second paragraph. Yes. Um the putting in or others belief of such membership where it says no student on the basis of their membership and a protected group or others belief of such membership as defined in the policy shall be denied equal access to programs. Um I don't see that there is a need. It should say um no student uh on the basis of any membership and protected group or it it would be no student uh shall be denied equal access. Uh, I'm concerned with um the wording of this um

088because it opens the door to biological boys in biological girls spaces as well as vice versa and in their sports. And um that was one of my concerns when I ran and I I said that I would um always protect that um separation of the the biological sexes. Um that was on that one on pageman. Can I respond to that first? >> All right. Thanks. Sorry about that. >> That was a change that was done due to a question [clears throat] the board members had uh to clarify that section because uh it's discrimination to um treat someone differently either based on a characteristic or a or a person's belief that they have that characteristic. So it it does encompass both. And so the way it was worded to was to help clarify it that it's

089not the person's own belief. It is other people's belief that they have that characteristic. So it was done for cl clarification purposes and I think the board was requesting that clarification. All right. Um on page nine um it was just a small typo that I spotted. Uh, let's see if I can find where this is. It needs to say of an offense. Uh, oh, it's in the last bullet point. Uh, found guilty or not innocent. Innocent unoffense. It just needs the word of innocent of an offense. Am I reading that correctly? >> Sorry, it's page nine. The very last bullet point on the page. It just says found guilty or not innocent unoffense relating to the Commonwealth's laws. I think it was just a a typo of missing the of out of there. Um then

090on Oops. See if I can slide this down. Oops. Sorry. on page bottom of 41 and the top of page 42. And I think oops find this. Sorry. Trying to get it to bounce here. There we go. Um the the definition of bullying and I have a feeling it's because it's the the definition of law. So I will ask our attorney for that. the bottom where it says bullying involves a real or perceived power imbalance between the aggressor or aggressors and the victim and is repeated over time or causes severe emotional trauma. U students students can bully each other without any power imbalance. They they can be in the same class. They can be you know the same height or anything like that. That's what I wanted to know what what [clears throat] that was.

091And I'll I believe Dr. Butler has the answer for that one. >> Thank you. I appreciate that. >> Miss F, members of the board. Now, the language in that is parallels Virginia code where it talks about billing. It's in the um section that talks about the code of standards for students. And so we were just using the same exact language that the Virginia Department of Education has adopted when it comes to bullying. So it is defined through Virginia code as the imbalance of power, something that repeated over time and with intention to do harm. >> Okay. So I have a question. If there are two students who are in the same class, same height, you know, everything is equal and one is bullying the other, is it is it defined as bullying since there's no,

092you know, overriding, you know, no one has control over the other one. >> So, Virginia code, they define um there's pure conflict and then there's different things in the student handbook for the code of conduct. So that might not it would just be one of our violations of the rules as in the code of conduct section. So it's it's inappropriate for any student to engage in any behaviors that demean another student. So it could fall under harassment if there was physical um violence involved. It would be assault with intent to do harm. So there's different codes and so bullying is very specific to the code, but they also provide us latitude to look at other offenses that might violate a student's rights in the school setting. >> All right. Thank you for clarifying that because

093that was an uh one of the ones that I did have some questions from some people asked me uh about it. Um on pa page 46 regarding incident reports it says um requires a classroom removal. Um whose removal is that? because I know there are times that the entire class is removed from a classroom uh for to handle a student who is acting out in that classroom. Is it the the student when that individual student is removed or does it also come into play when the entire class is removed to address that individual student? So this particular code is it's goes back to the code of Virginia that refers to a teacher's right to maintain a disruption-free classroom for a particular student. So this is really geared towards if you have to remove a particular

094student out of the classroom. There are certain procedures that the state require that you do as far as notifying the parent, making sure it's written in documentation and making sure that you follow up with both the student and the parent and the school administrators before the child returns back to the classroom. So this one really just mirrors the code and so we didn't really add anything separate except for try to update it and make sure it reflected the changes that the general assembly made. >> Okay. >> And the way that I read it also, Miss Fairman, is just that I'm seen as as a single student removal rather than >> Okay. The reason I was asking is just I know from personal experience when I was teaching in the classroom. What what happens then if

095the student who's a disruption is for whatever reason that they address it with that student alone in the classroom and the entire class is then removed from the classroom to either go um down to the library or some other location. >> So that's that's not necessarily in that policy. that is just more of a practice that our um staff would utilize if there's a situation that's going on for the safety of students if that is something they have to do. We have certain procedures that come in place. Some of that is under our seclusion policy that we have and then some things are just practices that our special education or general education staff will do under under the direction of the school administrator. >> Okay. And the other question I had is over at the

096bottom of page 61 and the top of page 62. Let me see. Hang on. If I can get this to stay where it's supposed to on the screen. It's um concerning the immunizations are required even by uh if I'm reading it right, homeschooled or those exempted from school and it's the same as the students who are in school. Um, so is this something new that has been added? Um, >> referenced in the Virginia code. >> Yeah. >> Right in there. So, >> so I I just wanted to bring it up just so um those homeschool students and the others uh realize that there's also this. Am I Am I reading that right that homeschool students have to turn in their immunization records? Okay. I just wanted to make sure that um that I brought that

097up um since that was a change. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. >> Thank you, Dr. P. >> All right. Can I have a please motion and a second to prove section J? >> I'll make a motion to approve uh section J of the policy. >> Second. >> Okay, I'll second. >> All right, Miss Howard. A motion was made by Mrs. Goodwin and seconded by Mr. Schaefer to approve revisions to policy section J students. Mr. Schaefer, >> yes. >> Mrs. Goodwin, >> yes. >> Mrs. Fairman, >> no. >> And Mr. Pyovich, >> yes. >> The motion passed 3 to one. >> Dr. Kell, I will now turn the time over to you to share the superintendence report. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Povich. Just [clears throat] a few things uh tonight. The first

098thing I do want to report out to the board that uh board members, you'll remember that I announced at the end of my proposed FY27 uh budget presentation at the last work session that I'd be launching a one question survey to our staff to identify uh items that they might see in their workplace where uh it wouldn't be a specific thing like X equals $50,000 saving or something like that. very specific, but what were some non-specific possibilities for budgetary efficiencies? And I want to let you know that I've gotten over 100 submissions from that survey, and we're going to just we're just starting to work through those. And I'll be assigning either assigning people to take either action or for further investigation. And I'll report to you before the end of the school year on

099a list of actions to be taken. And if we can put a savings estimate to it, I will. Uh second, I wanted to thank everybody for their patience this morning with the weather. I think we can all agree that this winter's weather forecasts have been hard to trust. Uh we did have a couple of parking lots this morning that did need some attention and uh throw some ice meltdown and uh so that was uh well served to have that two-hour delay this morning. And speaking of weather, I attended a couple of excellent events uh that just dodged the bad weather in the last couple of months that I wanted to highlight. First of all was the science fair. Another year of excellence on display. Dr. Veronica Warwick and the entirety of the instruction department and

100uh other science teachers around the division uh take part to help in that. It's a real hands uh all hands-on deck kind of effort and if you were there it was an extremely well-run event and I had even some judges that approached me uh with praise for both the students and their performance and the event as a whole. Also want to thank Dr. Wrights and his crew. Uh we had our [clears throat] job fair on February 7th once again dodging some weather there. Very cold morning. Uh the whole HR team has this event down to a science now. Uh once uh we had uh we had hosted and interviewed 59 licensed candidates. 48 of them will move on to recommendation to uh to be able to be uh interviewed by sitebased uh administrators. And even

101though the intent of the fair was aimed at staffing for next year, we've actually even brought on somebody already onto uh our staff. So it's apparent to all that these results reflect strong candidate interest matched by timely work coordinated by our HR team and sitebased interviewers and only happens at the support of our school leaders and our invested school board. >> [clears throat] >> So, speaking of the school board, February is schoolboard appreciation month. It's recognized by the VSBA as well as through a recent certificate of recognition issued by the governor. And VSBA set this year the theme from strong roots come endless possibilities, highlighting the vital role school board members play in planting the seeds for student success, ensuring every student has the resources needed to grow, thrive, and reach their full potential. On

102behalf of the entire division and all of our stakeholders, I wanted to publicly thank you all as a board uh using some of the language the governor put in her certificate. I want to thank you for your contributions, dedication, and service and know that you play a vital role in ensuring that students have access to a highquality rigorous public education so that we are the best so we are best positioned to uphold educational excellence. And with that uh conclude the superintendent's report. Thank you very much. >> Thank Dr. Carol. Um is there anyone who wishes to speak now that did not get a chance to sign up before the meeting? No. Well, thank you everyone for the input and for being here this evening. Our next meeting will be work session here at York Hall

103on March 9th. And uh this moment this meeting is adjourned.