001[GAVEL] GOOD EVENING, THIS NOVEMBER 20, 2017 REGULAR MEETING OF THE FAIRFAX COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD WILL NOW COME TO ORDER. PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND A PERFORMANCE OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM BY SACK PHONE QUINTET, STUDENT DANY MATAR, AND DIRECTOR ADAM FOREMAN. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU STUDENTS, THAT WAS WONDERFUL. WE HAVE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO HEAR THE NATIONAL ANTHEM IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. THAT WAS UNUSUALLY LOVELY. IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH SECTION 2.2-371-D WITH THE CODE OF VIRGINIA IT'S NECESSARY FOR THE BOARD TO CERTIFY THAT FAIRFAX COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD CONVENED CLOSED DOOR MEETING TO THE BEST OF EACH'S KNOWLEDGE ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS LAWFULLY EXEMPTED FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS AND ONLY SUCH PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS AS WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE MOTION CONVENING THE CLOSED MEETING. A MOTION?
002MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR. MOTION IS UNANIMOUS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. A FEW ANNOUNCEMENTS BEFORE WE BEGIN. FIRST SUPERVISOR JOHN COOK IS HERE THIS EVENING TO BE WITH US, THANK YOU VERY MUCH COOK, AND ALSO MR. WILSON WILL NOT BE HERE THIS EVENING. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REVIEW A COPY OF THE AGENDA AND ANY AGENDA ITEM THAT IS DISCUSSED TONIGHT, THAT INFORMATION IS ON THE TABLE AT THE ENTRANCE. TONIGHT'S AGENDA IS AVAILABLE ON THE HOME PAGE AND SELECTING BOARD DOC UNDER UPCOMING SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, AND THE MEETING IS STREAMED ONLINE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD WEBSITE. AND PLEASE TURN OFF OR SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONE. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL ON MRS. MCLAUGHLIN FOR THE NATIONAL INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS WEEK. THANK YOU, MRS. STRAUSS AND I WANT TO EXTEND OUR BRADDOCK SUPERVISOR, JOHN COOK, TO
003JOIN US HERE FOR THIS VERY IMPORTANT RESOLUTION I AM ABOUT TO READ, AND VERY TIMELY FOR THE BOARD VOTING ON ONE FAIRFAX POLICY. WHEREAS, SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2001, NATIONAL INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS WEEK HAS CELEBRATED THE PROGRESS THAT SCHOOLS HAVE MADE IN PROVIDING A SUPPORTIVE AND QUALITY EDUCATION TO AN INCREASINGLY DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATION, INCLUDING STUDENTS WHO ARE MARGINALIZED DUE TO DISABILITY, GENDER, SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS, CULTURAL HERITAGE, LANGUAGE PREFERENCE, AND OTHER FACTORS; AND WHEREAS, INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS WEEK IS AN ANNUAL EVENT SPONSORED BY THE INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS NETWORK (ISN) AND IS HELD DURING THE FIRST FULL WEEK OF DECEMBER; AND WHEREAS, THIS YEAR’S THEME IS “STAND UP, SIT TALL FOR INCLUSION", BECAUSE INCLUSIVE PRACTICES ENABLE US TO MODEL FOR THE WORLD THAT OUR STRENGTH COMES FROM OUR DIVERSITY; AND WHEREAS, WITH THESE EXAMPLES AVAILABLE TO ALL, WE CAN LEARN MORE
004WAYS TO STAND UP, SIT TALL FOR INCLUSION BECAUSE INCLUSION RESULTS IN IMPROVED OUTCOMES FOR ALL STUDENTS; AND WHEREAS, THE WEEK ALSO PROVIDES AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY FOR EDUCATORS, STUDENTS, AND PARENTS TO DISCUSS WHAT ELSE NEEDS TO BE DONE IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THEIR SCHOOLS CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THEIR ABILITY TO SUCCESSFULLY EDUCATE ALL CHILDREN. NOW, THEREFORE, THE FAIRFAX COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD ENCOURAGES THE ENTIRE FCPS COMMUNITY TO STAND UP, SIT TALL FOR INCLUSION! I SO MOVE. IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY MRS. CORBETT SANDERS, ALL IN FAVOR, UNANIMOUS. IT'S AN HONOR TO PRESENT THIS ON BEHALF OUR SCHOOL BOARD. WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS AND IDENTIFY WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN CLOSE GAPS BUT ALSO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE CELEBRATE THE DIVERSITY THAT WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE HERE IN FAIRFAX COUNTY. I CAN THINK OF NOTHING
005BETTER THAN FOR OUR BOARD ALONG WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO SPOTLIGHT SOMETHING IMPORTANT LIKE THIS. AND IT TRULY DOES REFLECT THE SHARED APPRECIATION FOR THIS IMPORTANT THING THAT WE PULLED AWAY, SUPERVISOR COOK FROM HIS BUSY SCHEDULE TO JOIN US HERE IN CELEBRATION OF THIS IMPORTANT RESOLUTION. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MR. COOK, DIANE GOLD, OUR NEW PTA, AND ALL OF THOSE HERE THIS EVENING TO SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION AND JOIN US FOR A PICTURE WITH THE BOARD, THANK YOU. NEXT CALL ON MRS. EVANS FOR A SPECIAL RECOGNITION OF BELVEDERE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, IT'S MY GREAT PRIVILEGE TO READ THIS RECOGNITION AND RECK CECILIA VANDERHYE, JOINED US TODAY AND STAND UP AND RECOGNIZE YOU. SO TONIGHT WE HAVE THE HONOR AND THE PLEASURE TO RECOGNIZE BELVEDERE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS A 2017-18 NATIONAL
006TITLE I DISTINGUISHED SCHOOL. THIS RECOGNITION PROGRAM IS SPONSORED BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE TITLE I DIRECTORS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACKNOWLEDGING TITLE I SCHOOLS. NOT AN EASY DISTINCTION TO EARN, ONLY TWO SCHOOLS FROM EACH STATE ARE SELECTED ANNUALLY AS A TITLE I SCHOOL AND I AM THRILLED THAT BELVEDERE IS ONE OF THOSE TWO AND WELL DESERVED. AND TO BE CONSIDERED HAVE A PORESTY RATE OF 32% FOR THE MOST TWO SCHOOL YEARS AND DEMONSTRATE HIGH ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, I AM PLEASED TO RECOGNIZE PRINCIPAL CECILIA VANDERHYE AND HER STAFF. IT'S A TEAM EFFORT. THROUGH DEDICATION AND PERSEVERANCE AND HARD WORK TO HELP EACH STUDENT TO BE SUCCESSFUL. BELVEDERE IS THE FIRST TO RECOGNIZE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE PROGRAM, TO GIVE ALL STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE IB CURRICULUM. THE IB CURRICULUM CHALLENGES STUDENTS TO BE BECOME INTERNATIONALLY THINKERS AND
007INQUIRERS AND PROBLEM SOLVERS. AND THE PROGRAM IS ONLY ONE OF VARIETY OF CHALLENGING OPPORTUNITIES AT BELVEDERE. THE FACULTY AND STAFF WORK TOGETHER AS A COLLABORATIVE TEAM TO PLAN AND EXECUTE HIGH-QUALITY INSTRUCTION FOR ALL STUDENTS. WITH ENCOURAGEMENT EACH STUDENT AND EMPOWERED TO BUILD ON HIS OR HER UNIQUE KNOWLEDGE IN A SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL CULTURE. IT'S EASY TO SEE WHY BELVEDERE WAS SELECTED. CONGRATULATIONS. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE PRINCIPAL VANDERHYE AND STAFF TO JOIN US AT THE DAIS FOR A PHOTOGRAPH. NEXT WE GET TO CELEBRATE AND HONOR THE McLEAN HIGH LANDERS MARCHING BAND, TONIGHT, THE FAIRFAX COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE MCLEAN HIGHLANDERS MARCHING BAND FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENTS THIS FALL. THE MCLEAN HIGHLANDERS MARCHING BAND, WITH THEIR SHOW “NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES”, WON 1ST PLACE IN THE 2017-2018 US BANDS
008VIRGINIA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP IN VIRGINIA BEACH, VA. IN ADDITION TO WINNING FIRST PLACE, FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, THE ALSO WON CAPTION AWARDS FOR BEST MUSIC, SECOND BEST VISUAL AND BEST GENERAL EFFECT. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO CONGRATULATE BAND DIRECTORS CHRIS WEISE AND DEIDRA DENSON FOR LEADING THE BAND TO THEIR VICTORY. AND I HAVE SEE WE HAVE TWO YOUNGER MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY. ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, WE WISH YOU CONTINUED SUCCESS AND CONGRATULATE ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE McLEAN PRINCIPAL, AND THE BAND DIRECTOR AND MEMBERS OF THE McLEAN HIGHLANDERS MARCHING BAND TO JOIN US AT THE DAIS, AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN, WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL PROGRAM. THE NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS IS CITIZEN PARTICIPATION. TONIGHT 10 CITIZENS HAVE SIGNED UP
009TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AND WE HAVE TWO VIDEOS. SPEAKERS ARE REQUESTED TO LIMIT THEIR REMARKS TO NO MORE THAN THREE MINUTES. THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL NOT HEAR ISSUES SUCH AS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS, BUDGET AND BOUNDARIES. COMPLAINTS ABOUT INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE APPROPRIATE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OR OTHER SCHOOL OFFICIAL. SPEAKERS SHOULD REFRAIN FROM USING PERSONALLY IDENTIFYING INFORMATION IN CONNECTION WITH AN INDIVIDUAL STUDENT. SPEAKERS ARE TO DELIVER IN APPROPRIATE CONDUCT, AND BE MINDFUL THAT THERE ARE OFTEN YOUNG CHILDREN AT THE MEETINGS AND THOSE WATCHING AT HOME. THE LANGUAGE SHOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR ALL AGE LEVEL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION, FIRST SPEAKER THERESA SHEIPE. GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT. I AM THERESA SHEIPE, AND I AM A FAIRFAX COUNTY SCHOOL PARENT AND I AM HERE TO REPRESENT MORE
010RECESS FOR FAIRFAX, BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE MORE RECESS ESSENTIAL FOR OUR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS TO IT THRIVE AND RECEIVE A WELL-ROUNDED EDUCATION. TONIGHT I AM HERE TO SAY THANK YOU, TO OUR REQUEST TO ADD LANGUAGE REGARDING RECESS FOR THE FAIRFAX COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEMORANDUM, STATING THAT THE FAIRFAX COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD PROVIDES GREATER FLEXIBILITY OF APPROPRIATE ALLOCATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. AND TO ALLOW RESTRUCTURING OF THE ENVIRONMENT BASED ON CURRENT RESEARCH AND TWO, TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE TIME FOR RECESS. WE BELIEVE THIS AMENDMENT IS A GREAT FIRST STEP TOWARDS PROVIDING FAIRFAX COUNTY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH OUR GOAL OF 40 MINUTES OF RECESS A DAY. BROKEN INTO AT LEAST TWO PERIODS. MORE RECESS FOR FAIRFAX COUNTY HAS TEAMED UP WITH PARENTS IN OTHER VIRGINIA SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND WE HAVE CREATED A GROUP CALLED, MORE RECESS FOR
011VIRGINIANS, AND WORKING TO GET A BILL INTRODUCED AND PASSED THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH TO ACHIEVE FAIRFAX COUNTY'S PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENT, AND WE APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE AND CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE LEGISLATURE TO INCREASE RECESS TIMES FOR FAIRFAX COUNTY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS AND VIRGINIA IN GENERAL. AND I WOULD LIKE IT GIVE THE REST OF MY TIME TO CECILIA. GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY AND TO REPRESENT MANY PARENTS FROM FAIRFAX COUNTY THAT ADVOCATE FOR RECESS FOR OUR KIDS. MY NAME IS CECILIA, AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE GROUP OF MORE RECESS FOR FAIRFAX COUNTY. AND I WILL TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR CONSIDERING ME AND CATHERINE TO BE CANDIDATES OF THE STUDENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND WORK FOR THEM IN HEALTH FOR THE STUDENTS. AS THERESA MENTIONED WE
012ARE WORKING AND EXPANDING OUR EFFORTS TO THE VIRGINIA RESIDENTS TO BETTER SERVE OUR STUDENTS AND CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU IN THIS IMPORTANT MISSION, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DEBORAH HOMMER. GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS DEBORAH HOMMER, I AM A FAIRFAX COUNTY RESIDENT. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON ONE FAIRFAX POLICY. THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION IS FOUND TO BE POLITICAL THAN INFORMATIVE ROLE. WITH ZERO ACCOUNTABILITY AND RELIABILITY FOR FAILURES AND MANY FINDINGS CANNOT BE REPLICATED. AND SHOCK TREATMENTS AND LOBOTOMIES ARE PREVIOUS ATA ASSOCIATE TREATMENTS THAT ARE NOW CONSIDERED BARBARIC. AND IN LOBOTOMY THE PHYSICIAN WOULD PEEL BACK THE SKIN OVER THE BRAIN AND SEVER THE FRONTAL LOBE, AND THIS IS MIRRORED IN THE PRESS USING UNCRITICAL AND SENSATIONAL REPORTING STYLE THAT MAY BE A FACTOR IN INFLUENCING THE QUICK
013AND WIDESPREAD ADOPTION OF LOBOTOMY AS A PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENT. AND DESPITE OPPOSING VIEWS IN THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY. THE TREATMENT OF TRANSGENDER CHILDREN IS GAINING SIGNIFICANT MOMENTUM DESPITE THE RISK INVOLVED, THERE IS A LACK OF RESEARCH. AND THOSE IN THE RESEARCH ARE BEST GUESSES AND NOT SOLID INFORMATION. AND TO SUPPORT CHILDREN AND THEIR CHOSEN GENDER IDENTITY IS A THEORY THAT HAS NOT UNDERGONE RIGOROUS STUDIES. THE HORMONE BLOCKER SHOWS THAT PEOPLE ARE REPORTING SERIOUS LONG-TERM SIDE EFFECTS FROM USING THE DRUG. DR. PATALA, A PEDIATRICIAN SAID THAT THE TRANSGENDER IDEOLOGY HAS ENTERED THE FIELD AND PRESENTING IN CHILD ABUSE. SOME ASTONISHING STATISTICS REGARDING ENDOCRONOLOGISTS SHOWING LOW CONFIDENCE IN THE GENDER SURGERY. AND 37% COMPETENT IN UNDERSTANDING THIS AND ONLY 40% HAVE STAFF TRAINED. ONE DOCTOR THAT HAS PERFORMED THE SURGERIES AT JOHNS HOPKINS AND EXPLAINING THAT MOST PEOPLE THAT
014HAVE UNDERGONE THIS TYPE OF SURGERY HAD MUCH THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH RELATIONSHIPS AND WORK AND EMOTIONS AS BEFORE. THE HOPE THAT THEY EMERGE FROM EMOTIONAL DIFFICULTY HAD NOT BEEN FULFILLED. AND SAID THAT THE MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR TRANSGENDER USE IS LIKE PERFORMING LIPOSUCTION ON AN ANOREXIC CHILD, I IMPLORE YOU TO SLOW DOWN AND NOT DO ANY HARM. NEXT SPEAKER, VINCE NETTUNO. I WANT TO REPORT ON [INAUDIBLE] HIGH SCHOOL IS EXCEEDING ONE FAIRFAX POLICY FOR YEARS. IN A LETTER TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, STEWART IS AN EXTREMELY DIVERSE SCHOOL OF TOLERANT GROUP OF STUDENTS AND FACULTY. OUR DIVERSE BREEDS ACCEPTANCE AND NOT HATE AND CHALLENGES IN A LOW-POPULATION OF STUDENT POPULATION THAT UNITES US. STEWART MOTTO IS THAT WE ARE ONE, AND OUR DIFFERENCES SERVE AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LEARN AND CELEBRATE. THE NAME CHANGE HAS
015DIVIDED OUR COMMUNITY. IT WAS SPARKED BY A GROUP OF STUDENTS THAT FELT PASSIONATELY ABOUT THE CAUSE AND IT DID NOT REPRESENT THE STUDENT BODY, OF THE JEB STUART COMMUNITY AND THEY DID NOT SPEAK TO US UNTIL IT GREW INTO A DEBATE IN SCHOOL 2016. THIS IS THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEERS HEARD ABOUT THIS NAME CHANGE INCLUDING MYSELF. THIS SMALL GROUP OF STUDENTS UNDER THE GUISE OF COLLECTING OUR OPINION FOR A YEAR AND NOW LEFT WITH THE RUBBISH THEY STARTED. AND TO THIS DATE THE STUDENTS WHO SPEAK THE LOUDEST AND SPEAK FOR CHANGE AND ACTIVELY SHUT DOWN THEIR PEERS WHO QUESTION OR SEEK MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE POSITION. THIS IS EXASPERATED BY ADULTS ON BOTH SIDES DEPLETING ANY RESPECT FOR FULL DISCUSSION. I WANT TO BRING A DIFFERENT VIEW FOR MYSELF AND PEERS THAT ARE NOT
016AFRAID TO COME FORWARD. HOWEVER THE NAME CHANGE PROCESS THAT PAINTED OUR SCHOOL IS THE OPPOSITE. THOSE THAT SEEK TO THE NAME CHANGE WITH THEIR ACTIONS THAT THE NAME FOSTERS HATE IN OUR SCHOOLS. THIS IS NOT THE CASE. THE NAME CHANGE DEBATE HAS SPARKED MORE HATRED THAN THE NAME DID. AND THIS IS FLAWED WITH A DEBATE THAT ONE SIDE IS INACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF OUR SCHOOL AND THE OTHER CHARACTERIZED TO DEFEND THE HONOR OF A CONFEDERATE GENERAL. IN ALL STUDENT VOICES BEYOND THOSE THAT SPEAK FOR THE STUDENT BODY ARE SILENCED. THE BOTTOM LINE THAT STUART IS A GREAT STRENGTH AND WE CANNOT BEAR THE BURDEN OF THIS CHANGE OR WARRANTED FOR THE PROCESS. AND IT'S TO MY ATTENTION THAT FAIRFAX COUNTY IS ROLLING OUT TEAMS INTO STUART HIGH SCHOOL AND COME HAVE MENTAL HEALTH SESSIONS BECAUSE OF
017THAT NAME CHANGE. AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IS ONLY AT JEB STUART HIGH SCHOOL THAT STRONGLY SUGGESTS THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD DID NOT DO THE NAME RESEARCH COUP D'ETAT ALLOWING THEM TO HAVE THEIR OWN NAME CHANGE. JOE PISCIOTTA. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE AND JUST DON'T TALK ABOUT THIS AT DINNER TIME. THE ONE FAIRFAX POLICY LIKE THE ONE FAIRFAX RESOLUTION IS SO AMBIGUOUS THAT IT ALSO LENDS ITSELF TO ABUSES OF FAVORED GROUPS. AND PLUS WASTEFUL SPENDING THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM DOESN'T HAVE SUCH AS RENAMING. AND I WANT TO SHARE THE REST OF MY TIME TO ANNA PENA, A 25 YEARS RESIDENT OF MASON DISTRICT AND JEB STUART PYRAMID. GOOD EVENING, I WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THE GENTLEMAN THAT SPOKE BEFORE ME ON THE COMMENTS ABOUT THE NAME CHANGE
018OF JEB STUART HIGH SCHOOL. I HAVE LIVED IN THE AREA FOR 25 YEARS. AND HAVE SUPPORTED THIS SCHOOL. IN ALL OF THEIR ACTIVITIES. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE STUDENTS WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE AND VOTED OVERWHELMING NOT TO CHANGE THE NAME AND IF IT WAS CHANGED TO CHANGE TO STUART. 800 STUDENTS VOTED AND AGAIN 400 FOR ANOTHER NAME. THOSE VOTES WERE NOT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. THIS SCHOOL HAS GIVEN OUT AN INJUSTICE. THESE STUDENTS WERE NOT GIVEN JUSTICE IN WHAT THEY VOTED. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, NEXT SPEAKER IS PENG WANG. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME I GOT A CHANCE TO SPEAK OUT IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. IT IS MY COMING TO VIRGINIA EARLY 2000, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME. AND I
019APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY, I APPRECIATE MY SHARING THE SPEAKING LOG WITH ME. I HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, IN THIS AREA, YOU KNOW, STARTING WORKING IN THIS AREA 2001. AND ALL I WISH, YOU KNOW I AM TRYING TO MAKE A WISH BEFORE THE NEW YEAR, I WISH TO SEE MORE OPPORTUNITIES THAN CURBED. AND I SAW MANY, MANY PEOPLE VERY HARD MAKING OPPORTUNITIES. AND UNFORTUNATELY THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WERE FOLLOWED WITH CUTS. WITHOUT TYPE OF BACKGROUND. I DEEPLY SHARE MY RESPECT TO THE PEOPLE CREATING OPPORTUNITIES TO PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS. AND I WISH THERE WILL BE A LESS PEOPLE TO MAKE THOSE CUTS. WE CAME TO UNITED STATES, I CAME FROM CHINA. AND WE CAME HERE FOR BETTER LIFE. MORE OPPORTUNITIES. FAIR PLAY. THIS IS OUR DREAM LAND. AND I HOPE, YOU KNOW THERE WILL BE MORE TOLERANCE FOR PEOPLE
020LIKE ME. I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT ANY OTHER BACKGROUND, LIKE CHINESE PEOPLE AND JAPANESE PEOPLE AND KOREAN PEOPLE AND SHARE BACKGROUNDS AND LOCAL TRADITION. BUT THE GREAT THING ABOUT UNITED STATES IS TOLERANCE. WE HAVE A VARIETY AND WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. AND PLEASE REMEMBER THERE ARE ONLY 5% PEOPLE COMING FROM ASIA. AND WE -- WE WORKED HARD, SO PLEASE DON'T PENALIZE PEOPLE WORKING HARD. THAT'S MY NEW YEAR WISH, YOU KNOW. AND THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS TINA WILLIAMS. GOOD EVENING SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND DR. BRABRAND, I AM TINA WILLIAMS, FAIRFAX COUNTY FEDERATION OF TEACHERS AND SPEAKING ON THE MEMBERS, WE ARE FACING A PROPOSAL AND 3% BONUS IN TUITION SHARE. I AM HERE TO TELL YOU THAT THIS FALLS SHORT OF THIS ISSUE. WE WILL
021NOT BE DIVIDED. NEW SEASON OF TEACHERS AND INSTRUCTIONS. WE MUST ALL BE VALUED AND COMPENSATED WITH EQUITY. OUR MEMBERS DO SUPPORT TUITION EDUCATORS WANTING TO PURSUE AN ADVANCED DEGREE. FOR THOSE CLOSE TO RETIREMENT OR HAVE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT PREVENT PARTICIPATION, THE OPTION DOES NOT SUPPORT THEIR PERSONAL OR PROFESSIONAL NEED OR THE REAL NEED FOR JOB EXPERIENCE AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE COUNTY. A SMALL NUMBER OF EDUCATORS ARE CONSIDERED OVER MARK. WHEN I SPEAK OF EDUCATORS I AM REFERRING TO VETERAN TEACHERS AND IA'S. BALANCING THE BALANCE BASED ON THE STUDY, CHEAPENS THE CONTRIBUTION OF THESE PROFESSIONALS. TOO OFTEN NUMBERS AND DATA ARE EMPHASIZED BUT WE FORGET ABOUT PEOPLE. THIS IS NOT A MESSAGE THAT PROMOTES RETENTION OR COMPASSION FOR EMPLOYEES. HERE'S A MEMBER COMMENT, I AM IN MY 21st YEAR OF TEACHING GRADE K-3, AND EVERY YEAR MY
022GRADE HAS SPECIAL NEED STUDENTS AND PEOPLE WITH CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS AND NOT BECAUSE I HOLD A MASTER'S DEGREE. I ATTEND COURSES CURRENT WITH TECHNOLOGY AND I AM AN EXCELLENT TEAMMATE AND I CAN UNPACK ANY K-3 STANDARD ON THE GUIDE. AND I HAVE TAUGHT OF HUNDREDS STUDENTS, HOW DOES A MASTER'S DEGREE MAKE ME MORE OF A VALUABLE EMPLOYEE IN THIS COUNTY. AND WE HAVE RECEIVED AN OUT POURING OF COMMENTS ON THE CALENDAR. FIRST THE BLACK-OUT DATES ARE RECEIVED AS DISRESPECTFUL AND POOR USE OF SCHOOL TIME AND NEGATIVELY IMPACTING LIFE BALANCE AND DO NOT SERVE THE COMMUNITY. THE LARGEST ISSUE IS DEVELOPMENT PLANNING. BECAUSE OF ENCROACHMENT ON THE EDUCATOR'S TIME UNENCUMBERED TIME ON THE QUARTER IS NECESSITY. SECOND, THE SUFFICIENT NOTICE TO CHANGE THE START DATE HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN. SUCH A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE WARRANTS EMPLOYEE INPUT DUE
023ON THE IMPACT ON THIS COMMUNITY. AND ALSO A SIX-SEVEN WEEK DELAY ON RECEIVING THE FIRST PAYCHECK IS A HARDSHIP. THIS BOARD IS IN THE RENAMING OF JEB STUART HIGH SCHOOL. I SERVED ON THE AD HOC OFFICIAL COMMITTEE MEETING AND AT THE FIRST MEETING WE DISCOVERED THAT 16 OF THE MEMBERS FAVORED CHANGING THE NAME OF THE SCHOOL AND ONLY NINE FAVORED KEEPING IT. IS THAT EQUITY? AND THE AD HOC COMMITTEE WAS TO BE COMPRISED OF VESTED STAKEHOLDERS IN THE JEB STUART COMMUNITY AND HALF OF THOSE HAD NO STAKE IN OUR COMMUNITY. IS THAT EQUITY? WHILE SERVING ON THE COMMITTEE I PERSONALLY MET EVERYONE OF YOU AT LEAST ONCE AND SOME MORE THAN THAT, AND WHAT I LEARNED THAT MRS. STRAUSS TOLD ME WHAT SHE TOLD TOM DAVIS A YEAR ANOTHER AND REPEATED BY HER AND HOPED
024IN THE SPIRIT OF COMPROMISE THAT THE NAME CHANGED TO STUART. RYAN MCELVEEN WAS IN THAT MEETING AND THE SAME SENTIMENT AND THEN TOLD THAT ONE STUDENT WAS OFFENDED AND SOMETHING TO BE DONE. REALLY? IS THAT THE WAY THAT THE BOARD OPERATES AND ONE IS OFFENDED AND THE REST OF YOU CAVE, IS THAT EQUITY? LET ME STATE FOR THE RECORD, MY GRANDPARENTS CAME FROM SWEDEN AND SETTLED IN MINNESOTA, AND THE LAST TIME I SAW THAT MINNESOTA FOUGHT IN THE UNION, AND I AM NOT CONCERNED WITH THE CONFEDERACY. I BELIEVE THAT THE LESSON TO TEACH OUR STUDENTS IS THAT WE ARE A NATION UNDER THE RULE OF LAW. THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW OF YOU THAT HAVE ACTED HONORABLY IN THIS RESPECT AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT GREATLY. BUT THE MAJORITY HAS IMPLORED SELF-VIOLATION OF YOUR
025OWN REGULATIONS THAT ARE NOT OPTIONAL AND MANIPULATION OF STATISTICS TO HAVE A PREDETERMINED OUTCOME. IF OUR COMMITTEE WANTED TO CHANGE THE NAME FOR A POSITIVE REASON THAT WAS WIDELY SUPPORTED IN AN OPEN AND TRANSPARENT WAY AND IF THIS BOARD HAD DEVOTED TO OUR CHILDREN ALL THE TIME AND MONEY ON THIS EFFORT, I WOULDN'T BE STANDING HERE. PUT OUR KIDS FIRST AND THAT WOULD BE EQUITY. SANDY, OUR COMMUNITY IS APPROACHING 80% OF SIGNATURES REQUIRED TO SEEK YOUR OFFICE. AND LAST WEEK AT THREE SCHOOLS COLLECTING SIGNATURES AND IN EACH CASE, THEY UPON APPROACHED -- I WILL SAY PROMPTLY BY SCHOOL SECURITY STAFF AND ORDERED OFF THE PROPERTY UNLESS THE CALLING OF FAIRFAX COUNTY POLICE AND THESE PEOPLE WERE FREELY EXERCISING THEIR RIGHT TO PETITION AND SEEKING READDRESS OF GRIEVANCE. THAT'S EQUITY? OR TOTALITARIAN GRIEVANCE TACTICS, THE NEW
026FACE OF ONE FAIRFAX POLICY. NEXT SPEAKER, TONY YANG. GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT. IT'S MY FIRST TIME TO SPEAK IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL MEETING BECAUSE THE PAST TIME I THINK THAT OUR SCHOOL DOES GREAT JOB. WE HAVE GREAT SCHOOL. IF YOU GO TO EVERY SCHOOL YOU HAVE GREAT TEACHERS AND THE STUDENTS ARE LEARNING. I HAVE 100% FAITH IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. BUT RECENTLY I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE I HEARD THAT WE DECIDE TO SPEND $1 MILLION TO CHANGE A SCHOOL NAME FOR NO REASON. SO I WANT TO PROVIDE SOME FEEDBACK AS A [INAUDIBLE] ABOUT ONE FAIRFAX POLICY. SO THE CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT IF THE POLICY GETS WRONG, [INAUDIBLE] COMMUNITY, HURT OUR SCHOOL. THE THING IS GREAT WORK, IT'S HOW YOU ACHIEVE IT. FOR EXAMPLE, EVERY KID IS
027DIFFERENT. AND EVERY KID HAS DIFFERENT TALENT. I HAVE TWO KIDS. ONE OF THEM IS VERY GOOD AT MATH. HE HAS A LOT OF TALENT IN MATH. AND THE OTHER IS VERY GOOD AT ENGLISH. WROTE A LOT OF STORIES, THAT I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND BUT THEY ARE DIFFERENT. [INAUDIBLE] ENGLISH NOT WELL, AS GOOD AS MATH. AND THE OTHER IS OPPOSITE. SO TWO KIDS IN MY FAMILY AND [INAUDIBLE] ENGLISH. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN HAVE EQUITY FOR EVERY KID [INAUDIBLE] SYSTEM. IF ONE FAIRFAX POLICY IS [INAUDIBLE] FOR EVERYONE, IT'S BAD. BECAUSE YOU CAN'T HAVE ONE [INAUDIBLE] TO FIT EVERYBODY; RIGHT. YOU CAN'T HAVE [INAUDIBLE] FOR EVERYBODY TO WEAR. PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT SIZE; RIGHT. THAT'S WHY YOU GO TO STORE AND DIFFERENT SIZE OF SHOES. SO THERE ARE MANY [INAUDIBLE] THAT TALK ABOUT BUT DON'T HAVE TIME.
028I HOPE THAT THIS IS A BAD POLICY AND YOU SHOULD REALLY CONSIDER ABOUT POTENTIAL [INAUDIBLE] PENALIZE HARD WORKER AND HIGH ACHIEVER. DON'T ALLOW [INAUDIBLE] ROOT CAUSE. AND PROHIBIT ANY RISK OR ANY PROTESTS [INAUDIBLE] THOMAS JEFFERSON ENROLLMENT. AND PROHIBIT RAISE OF MONEY IN SCHOOL NAMING AND IF WE HAVE RESULTS, WE SHOULD PUT IN THE CLASSROOM AND GIVE TO THE SCHOOL TO GET MORE IMPROVEMENT [INAUDIBLE] FROM LOWER ECONOMIC BACKGROUND, THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD DO. THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT TIME. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS FRED COSTELLO. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE TWO POINTS TONIGHT RELATIVE TO ONE FAIRFAX. ONE, WE VOTERS NEED TO KNOW YOUR PERSONAL BACKGROUND SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND HOW YOU WILL JUDGE WHAT IS EQUITABLE. AND SECOND WE NEED TO ELIMINATE INEQUITIES IN THE WHOLE VOTING PROCESS. AND YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED YOUR POLICIES ON
02914 AND 15 AND ON JEB STUART THAT YOU DON'T MAKE A DECISION ON THE BASIS OF WHAT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WANT. AND NOW WE FACE ONE FAIRFAX, YOUR DECISIONS ARE WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT AND WRONG. WE VOTERS NEED TO KNOW THE BASIS OF YOUR JUDGMENT AS TO WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG. WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE YOU WERE RAISED AND WHAT STUDENT YOU ATTENDED AND COLLEGE AND WHAT YOUR DEGREE WAS AND WHAT YOUR MAJOR AND WAS WHERE YOU WORK. AND WE NEED TO KNOW IF YOU PUBLIC IN PERSONAL GOD AS JEWS AND MUSLIMS AND HOW OFTEN YOU ATTEND RELIGIOUS SERVICES. AND WE NEED TO KNOW THIS ABOUT YOU AND NOT JUST THOSE RUNNING FOR SCHOOL BOARD. TO JUDGE HOW YOU RULE, BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT GOING WITH THE MAJORITY. I ASKED YOUR BACKGROUND
030BY E-MAIL, NO ONE HAS RESPONDED. WE NEED TO KNOW, GET THE SECRET OUT. OKAY. SECOND, BECAUSE WE VOTE FOR YOU, WE NEED TO HAVE VOTER EQUITY. VOTER TURN OUT OF ELECTION OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS IS SO LOW THAT SCHOOL AND SPOUSES AND EMPLOYEES CONSTITUTE 47% OF THE VOTERS. AND WE GIVE THIS HUGE VOTING BLOCK THAN FAR EXCEEDS WHAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR GETS, AND SUCCEED BY VOTING FOR YOU, AND THAT'S SECLUSION. AND IN SALARY NEGOTIATIONS YOU AND THE EMPLOYEES SIT ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE TABLE, NOBODY IS REPRESENTING THE TAXPAYERS. THIS IS LEGALIZED CORRUPTION AND GENERATING A GOVERNMENT LEAP THAT IS SERIOUS IN EQUITY. ONE SOLUTION IS TERM LIMITS AND A BETTER SOLUTION IS TO LIMIT COUNTY EMPLOYEES FROM PARTICIPATING IN THE ELECTION. TWO POINTS TONIGHT, GIVE US YOUR PERSONAL BACKGROUND SO WE HAVE SOME
031BASIS OF HOW YOU WILL JUDGE. AND THE SECOND INTRODUCE TERM LIMITS LIKE OUR NEIGHBOR IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND MAYBE TWO TERMS. AND INSTITUTE THE HATCH ACT AT THE COUNTY LEVEL. THANK YOU, NEXT SPEAKER IS NORM HALL. GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN STRAUSS AND THE SCHOOL BOARD, I AM NORM HALL AND HERE AS A FATHER OF SPECIAL NEEDS. HAVING SEEN CLASSROOMS THROUGHOUT FAIRFAX COUNTY AT EVERY GRADE LEVEL AND SEVERAL MODES OF INSTRUCTION DELIVERY, I AM PROUD TO BE A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE FAIRFAX COUNTY SPECIAL INCEPTION PTA CHAIR. TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR ONE FAIRFAX INITIATE AND I HAVE TO GIVE THE VOICE THAT THIS EFFORT WILL LEAD TO BETTER SERVICES FOR EACH 14% OF EACH FCPS SERVICES THAT REQUIRE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES. MAY THEY THRIVE AND BECOME PRODUCTIVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE IN FAIRFAX COUNTY.
032THE ONE FAIRFAX POLICY COMMITS THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHERS AND UTILIZE THE INFLUENCE OF EACH INSTITUTION AND LEVERAGE AND EXPAND OPPORTUNITY WITH REGARD TO ACCOUNTABILITY, FAIRFAX COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND SCHOOLS WILL INCORPORATE DATA AND PUBLISH PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT CAN BE ANALYZED AND QUANTIFIED AND DISAGGREGATED OF THE WAY THAT THE STUDENTS RECEIVE THROUGH THE EQUITY PLAN. IT'S MY HOPE THAT ONE FAIRFAX WILL BE IMPETUS FOR MANAGED SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES. AND THIS DATA SERVICES FOR DISAGGREGATED INFORMATION, THE GOAL IS ONGOING COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF STAFFING NEEDS AND PROGRAM EFFICACY AND PERFORMANCE NEEDS WITHIN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION POPULATION AND THROUGHOUT VARIOUS AREAS OF THE COUNTY. AS NOTED IN OUR ACCEPTANCE STATEMENT REGARDING THIS STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE AND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FCPS IS REQUIRED TO ADDRESS AT-RISK COMMUNITIES AND LIKEWISE ONE FAIRFAX IS TO PROVIDE IN THE
033COUNTY AND THE FOCUS OF THESE INITIATIVES HAS NOT ADDRESSED SPECIAL EDUCATION AND NEEDS. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE VIEW SPECIAL NEEDS POPULATION AS PART OF OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY RATHER THAN SILOS. IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE UNDERSTAND HOW DISENFRANCHISED GROUPS OVERLAP OUR POPULATION. FOR EXAMPLE, NATIONAL COUNCIL OF DISABILITY, STUDIES SHOW THAT 85% OF YOUTHS IN JUVENILE FACILITIES HAVE DISABILITIES THAT MAKE THEM UNABLE TO RECEIVE THESE SERVICES. AND DISPROPORTIONATELY YOUTH OF COLOR, I AM STATING IN ONE FAIRFAX A MORE ROBUST DISCUSSION AT DETAILED LEVEL IS WHAT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AND TEACHERS RECEIVE, THIS IS PART OF THE ONE FAIRFAX POLICY. THANK YOU, WE NOW HAVE TWO VIDEO TESTIMONIES. AND THE FIRST PRESENTED BY ROBERT RIGBY. GOOD AFTERNOON SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, DR. BRABRAND AND SENIOR STAFF, I AM ROBERT RIGBY, SINCE THE PASSAGE OF THE UPDATE OF THE POLICY TO
034INCLUDE GENDER IDENTITY, I AM AN ACTIVE ALLY OF THAT COMMUNITY AND ADVOCATING HERE AT THE SCHOOL BOARD. SPECIFICALLY FOR DETAILED REGULATIONS AND TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMUNITY. YOU HAVE SEEN TRANS-EMPLOYEES AND PARENTS AND STUDENTS AND ALLIES AT THESE MEETINGS ON THE SIDE OF THE AUDITORIUM. AND YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE BLUE AND PINK TRANS-PRIDE FLAGS AND NOT HERE AS NOVEMBER 20 IS THE TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE, ON THIS DAY THEY GATHER TO REMEMBER AND ACKNOWLEDGE PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS BECAUSE OF VIOLENCE. AND MANY OF US AT MEMORIAL SERVICES AROUND THE AREA. AND OF THE SERVICES PEOPLE READ THE NAMES OF EACH PERSON THAT HAS DIED THIS YEAR AND WE ACKNOWLEDGE. THIS YEAR AT LEAST 25 NAMES OF PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING TWO FROM
035VIRGINIA OF ALL RACES AND GENDERS. BUT MANY ARE TRANS-WOMEN OF COLOR, STATISTICALLY THE INCIDENTS OF ANTI-TRANSVIOLENCE [INAUDIBLE]. FAIRFAX COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE TAKEN MANY OF THE RIGHT STEPS WITHIN ITS PURVIEW AND YOU AND BOARD MEMBERS AND SENIOR STAFF HAS LED THAT EFFORT. AND IN PARTICULAR AS FCPS TEACHES ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY AND INCLUDED IN THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT VIDEO AND IN THE BROADER DISCRIMINATION POLICY. THIS TEACHING OF AWARENESS AND ACCEPTANCE WILL GO FAR TO MITIGATE THE FEAR AND HATRED OF ANTI-TRANSVIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. FOR TONIGHT'S AGENDA YOU ARE CONSIDERING OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. IN FRONT OF THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS NONDISCRIMINATION BILLS THAT PROVIDE PROTECTION FOR TRANS-PEOPLE. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO ADD THOSE BILLS TO THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. WE SAW A VICTORY ON NOVEMBER 7 AT VIRGINIA SUPPORT OR AT LEAST OKAY WITH
036TRANS-PEOPLE AS FULL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. INCLUDING SUCH SUPPORT AND NON-DISCRIMINATION LAWS TO HELP DECREASE THE VIOLENCE THAT SOME STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE AND HELP THEM WITH FINANCES AND EMPLOYMENT. AND IT WILL HELP TRANSGENDER PARENTS OF SOME STUDENTS THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU, LAST VIDEO TESTIMONY PRESENTED BY ED HARA. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ONE FAIRFAX POLICY. APPARENTLY THE ONE FAIRFAX POLICY INAPPROPRIATELY INCLUDES GENDER IDENTITY IN SPITE OF THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT FOR CLASS OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR, THIS IS MISLEADING. GENDER IDENTITY IS A RARE CONDITION CALLED GENDER DISPORIA. THIS IS MORE COMMON AMONG CHILDREN THAN ADULTS. UP TO 90% OF CHILDREN WITH THIS HAVE BEEN FOUND TO [INAUDIBLE]. IT GENERALLY DISAPPEARS TO LATE ADOLESCENTS AND EARLY ADULTHOOD GOING THROUGH PUBERTY. AND DEMONSTRATING THAT CHILDREN DON'T HAVE OPPOSITE SEX BRAINS OR BORN IN THE
037WRONG BODY AS CLAIMED. ADULTS OF GENDER DYSPHORIA SUFFER FROM DEPRESSION AND HAVE SUICIDE RATE OF 40%. ONE OF THE TREATMENT OPTIONS IS WAIT AND SEE METHOD, UP TO 90% OF CHILDREN WITH GENDER DYSPHORIA ARE FOUND TO DESIST. THESE HAVE THE LOWEST SUICIDE RATE. AND ANOTHER TREATMENT OPTION IS CALLED TRANSITIONING EARLY. THESE HAVE BEEN FOUND TO HAVE A HIGHER RATE OF PERSISTENCE, AND PUBERTY BLOCKERS BLOCK DYSPHORIA. SUBSEQUENTLY THE DUTCH PROTOCOL METHOD LEADS TO HIGHER SUICIDE RATES WHEREAS THE WAIT AND SEE RATE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO LEAD TO LOWER SUICIDE RATE. MANY ARE PUSHING THE DUTCH PROTOCOL METHOD. SUBSEQUENTLY SCHOOL SYSTEMS SHOULD NOT BE ENGAGING IN HIGH RISK EXPERIMENTS. IN ADDITION THERE IS HARMFUL [INAUDIBLE] STUDENT BODY BY GLORIFYING A MEDICAL CONDITION KNOWN AS GENDER DYSPHORIA. AND IN ADDITION AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM SUPPORTS THE WAIT AND
038SEE SYSTEM AND RECOMMENDED NOT TO INCLUDE GENDER IDENTITY IN THE NEW ONE FAIRFAX POLICY. IN ADDITION GENDER IDENTITY SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM ALL OTHER SCHOOL POLICIES AND REGULATIONS LIKE POLICY 1415 AND THE STUDENT DOCUMENT. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING THIS EVENING AND REFERENCES HAVE BEEN PROVIDED. THANK YOU, THAT ENDS THE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PART OF THIS MEETING. NEXT WE HAVE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS AND I CALL ON MS. VATTIKONDA. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, I WANT TO ADDRESS ONE FAIRFAX POLICY IS AN ESSENTIAL STEP TO TAKE PLACE TO MOVE FORWARD. WE HAVE SEEN TOO LONG THAT SCHOOLS ARE STRUGGLING TO MEET ACCREDITATION STANDARDS AND SOME DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO MEET THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. AND I CAN THINK OF NO BETTER WAY TO MEET EQUALITY FOR ALL STUDENTS. AND AT THE LAST SESSION THE NEED TO MAKE MENTAL HEALTH
039AND SUICIDE PREVENTION A PART OF OUR SYSTEM. OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM ONLY FOCUSES TO ADDRESS CHILDHOOD OBESITY BUT MENTAL HEALTH IS IMPORTANT THAT OUR STUDENTS RECEIVE COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES SO THEY ARE ABLE TO FOCUS ON LEARNING. AND WHY I WILL BE SUPPORTING MRS. MCLAUGHLIN'S MOTION TO DEAL WITH SUICIDE AND MENTAL HEALTH AS ISSUES WE NEED MORE SUPPORT FOR. AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT FOR THE CRITICAL COMPONENT OF STUDENT WELLNESS. THANK YOU, AND WE WILL CONFIRM ACTION IN CLOSED MEETING, WE HAVE NOT FINISHED OUR CLOSED BUSINESS AND WILL GO BACK INTO CLOSED SESSION AND WE WILL GO ON TO ONE FAIRFAX POLICY, MRS. MCLAUGHLIN. I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVE ONE FAIRFAX POLICY AS DETAILED IN THE AGENDA ITEM. SECOND. MRS. MCLAUGHLIN, YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION. YES, BRIEFLY, I
040AM EXCITED THAT OUR BOARD IS HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUBLICLY AFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY IN FAIRFAX COUNTY AND FOR ALL CITIZENS. THIS HAS BEEN A JOINT EFFORT THAT BEGAN IN JULY 2016, WHEN BOTH THE FAIRFAX COUNTY BOARD SUPERVISORS AND THE SCHOOL BOARD JOINTLY ADOPTED OUR ONE FAIRFAX RESOLUTION, AGAIN OUR RESOLUTION TO ENSURE EQUITY FOR ALL. AND BEYOND THE RESOLUTION IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO DEMONSTRATE OUR COMMITMENT. BEYOND THE PUBLIC STATEMENT WE COULD COMMUNICATE WITH INTENTIONALITY AND WITH ACTION, WHAT THIS WILL MEAN FOR OUR COUNTY. AND AS SOMEONE WHO COMES FROM A FAMILY WHICH MY HUSBAND AND HIS SIBLINGS ARRIVED HERE IN 1971, THE FACE OF FAIRFAX COUNTY HAS CHANGED GREATLY. WE ARE A MUCH MORE DIVERSE COMMUNITY. AND I AM SO PROUD THAT THE BOTH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE SCHOOL BOARD
041RECOGNIZES THAT VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE COMMUNICATE OUT TO THIS JURISDICTION OF OVER 1 MILLION PEOPLE, THAT NOT ONLY ARE ALL WELCOMED AND CELEBRATED FOR THEIR DIVERSITY. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL WHEN THERE ARE EQUITY GAPS, WHEN THERE ARE EQUITY CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITY GAPS FOR OUR STUDENTS, WHETHER IT'S FOR OUR CITIZENS. THEN WE NEED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT COMMITMENT. AND SO FINALLY TO QUESTION RAISED IN AN E-MAIL FROM CONSTITUENT EARLIER IN THE DAY. I DO WANT TO REASSURE CITIZENS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EQUITY FOR ALL, WHAT WE ARE SAYING WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE HAS OPPORTUNITY. AND THERE HAS BEEN SOME FEAR THAT IF WE PROMOTE EQUITY OR GIVE MORE INTENTIONALITY EQUITY FOR SOME, THERE IS GOING TO BE A TRADE OFF FOR A LOSS. AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE THIS COMMITMENT IS MEANT
042TO ENSURE THAT OUR COUNTY AND OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE TO BE SUCCESSFUL. NOT GIVING UP ONE PART OF OUR POPULATION FOR THE ADVANTAGES OF OTHER. BUT TO SAY, JUST LOOKING AT OUR DATA ALONE WE KNOW THAT REGRETTABLY WE STILL HAVE A TALE OF TWO CITIES HERE IN FAIRFAX COUNTY AND WE NEED TO BE INTENTIONAL, AS YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS WORKING WITH THE TREMENDOUS DEDICATION OF SUPERINTENDENT BRABRAND AND COUNTY EXECUTIVES AND ALL THE COUNTY AND SCHOOL EMPLOYEES WHO SPEND EVERY DAY TRYING TO ENSURE THAT ALL CHILDREN CAN BE SUCCESSFUL. AND ALL EMPLOYEES HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR SUCCESS IN THEIR CAREERS. AND WE HAVE TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT THAT. I HOPE FOR CITIZENS THAT HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE THAT YOU READ THROUGH THE POLICY. THAT WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE DO COUNTY PLANNING AND SERVICES, AND ALL OF IT
043MATTERS INCLUDING WHAT WE DO IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. TO MY COLLEAGUES I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR SUPPORT THIS EVENING. MRS. DERENAK-KAUFAX, SPEAK TO YOUR SECOND. BRIEFLY, MADAM CHAIR, AND COMMENTING AS MRS. MCLAUGHLIN, I AM HAPPY TO SECOND THIS. AND THE ESSENCE OF THIS POLICY PUTS IN PLACE WITH INTENTIONALITY THE GOAL OF ACHIEVING EQUITY AND PARITY IN ALL THAT WE DO IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. AS REPRESENTATIVE OF REGENT 3, I HAVE SEEN FIRST-HAND THE CHANGING FACE OF FAIRFAX. AND IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE PROVIDE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL. AND IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM WE NEED TO DO THAT FOR ALL. AND I OFTEN USE THE STATEMENT MAKING SURE WE DON'T PICK ON ONE PART OF THE COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE SOMETHING IN ANOTHER. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE EQUITY AND PARITY IN
044EVERYTHING WE DO. AND THIS POLICY IT HIGHLIGHTS THE AREAS OF FOCUS THAT OUR SCHOOLS AND THE COUNTY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON AND COMMITTED TO FOR OVER MANY YEARS. IT HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THE THINGS WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. WHAT THE COUNTY HAS IN THEIR STRATEGIC FOCUS. AND WHAT THE PARK SYSTEM IS DOING. AND ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE COMBINED IN THIS POLICY. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT SINGULARLY WHAT WE ARE DOING AND WHAT WE PLAN TO DO TOGETHER. AS WE MOVE FORWARD. I DO BELIEVE THIS POLICY WILL HELP US TO GUIDE AND INFORM OUR COLLECTIVE ACTIONS AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT A COMMUNITY THAT IS THRIVING. WITH THE GOAL OF ACHIEVING AS I SAID INTENTIONAL EQUITY IN OUR COMMUNITY. I ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THIS ONE FAIRFAX POLICY. MRS. MCLAUGHLIN DIDN'T MENTION THAT
045SHE AND I HAVE BEEN ON SCYPT THE LAST FEW YEARS AND THE GENESIS OF THIS. IT'S A GROUP OF COMMUNITY LEADERS, SO THAT IT INCLUDES SCHOOL BOARDS AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS TO COME TOGETHER AND SAY HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER IN FORWARD-THINKING WAY THAT EVERY STUDENT IS MET WHERE THEY ARE. AND I THINK THIS POLICY WILL HELP US ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS. THANK YOU. SEEING NO OTHER -- MRS. SCHULTZ. SO THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE TRUTH-TELLING COMMENTS FROM ELIZABETH SCHULTZ. WE HEARD FROM CITIZENS LEADING UP TO THIS. IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES. AND FROM WHAT I HEARD FROM THE DAIS TONIGHT PERPETUALLY REACHING ACCREDITATION ISSUES, NOT REACHING ACCREDITATION ISSUES BUT STUDENTS NOT HAVING WHAT THEY NEED AND WE NEED PARITY IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND NOT TAKE FROM ONE PART OF
046THE COMMUNITY TO GIVE TO ANOTHER. THAT WE NEED TO GUIDE OUR COLLECTIVE ACTIONS AND WE NEED TO HAVE INTENTIONAL EQUITY. IF WE ARE NOT DOING THINGS RELATED TO INTENTIONAL EQUITY WHAT DOES PASSING ANOTHER POLICY DO THAT WE CAN'T LOOK AT DR. BRABRAND AND ALL OF YOUR STAFF AND 30,000 EMPLOYEES AND SAYING WE ARE NOT BEING INTENTIONALLY EQUITABLE. BECAUSE PASSING THIS WE ARE SAYING THAT WE ARE NOT INTENTIONAL INEQUITABLE. AND NOW ARE GOING TO BE AND PASS WORDS GOING FORWARD AND IF NOT, FIX IT. WE HAVE A MILLION-DOLLAR BUDGET AND WE DON'T FOCUS ON AN AGENDA THAT ALL GET ON BUS TO RICHMOND AND ADVOCATE FOR THE ONE OR TWO THINGS THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON. INSTEAD WE GO FAR AFIELD, WE RENAME SCHOOLS AND GET OURSELVES INVOLVED IN ALL KIND OF SOCIAL JUSTICE WARRIORING INSTEAD
047OF DIRECTING RESOURCES BACK TO A CLASSROOM. OF COURSE WE TAKE FROM ONE PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND GIVE TO ANOTHER, IT'S WHAT WE DO BEST. THE NOTION THAT AN ELECTED BODY AND WHETHER THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OR US AND PUTTING TOGETHER LANGUAGE NOW WE ARE EQUITABLE BECAUSE WE PASSED A POLICY SAYING WE ARE GOING TO BE EQUITABLE. WE ARE NOT. THERE IS 13 KIDS IN ONE CLASSROOM IN ONE AREA OF THE COUNTY AND 31 IN ANOTHER. IS THAT EQUITABLE? IT'S NOT EQUITABLE. MY KIDS ARE ON SCHOOL BUS RIDES FOR 50 MINUTES AND ANOTHER ON FOR SEVEN, IS THAT EQUITABLE? NO. WE HAVE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS THAT START LATER THAN OTHERS AND GET HOME AT 5 O'CLOCK AT TONIGHT. NOT EQUITABLE. NOBODY SAID YOU GET EQUAL BUT THE NOTION THAT BY PASSING A POLICY THAT WE PUT
048TOGETHER LANGUAGE AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO PRETEND WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO MORE OF THE SAME. I CAN'T PARTICIPATE IN THIS ANYMORE. AND I WISH WE WOULD PULL THE MASK OFF AND SAY WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO HERE. BECAUSE I HAVEN'T FIGURED IT OUT, I HAVE ASKED. ONE ANSWER I GOT WE ARE REAFFIRMING OUR LAWS OR POLICY. AND WHY DOESN'T THE POLICY SAY TO REAFFIRM THE POLICIES WE HAVE, OR REAFFIRM THE LAWS WE HAVE. AND IN THIS STARTED IN SCYPT THAT WAS ABOUT EARLY ACCESS AND PRESCHOOL, HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I PUT FORWARD BUDGET AMENDMENTS REDIRECTING OUR BUDGET ON A PRIORITY BASIS TO REALLY PUT MONEY IN PRE-SCHOOL. TO ACTUALLY GIVE STAFF AND SAY WE ARE GOING TO OPEN NEW PRE-SCHOOL CLASSROOMS AND PROVIDE ACCESS PRIMARILY FIRST TO FOUR YEAR OLDS BECAUSE YOU
049HAVE ONE YEAR AND THEN ON OUR DOOR STEP ANYWAY. BUT WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT EITHER. THIS IS WHERE THE FRUSTRATION IS, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF TIME PUT TO THIS. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS COME UP. THERE IS A LOT OF STAFF TIME THAT WENT INTO THIS. THEY WENT TO EVERY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND PRESENTED TO THEM, THIS HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT IN SCYPT AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND HERE. THE ISSUE IS THAT IF THERE IS SOMETHING IN OUR EXISTING POLICIES, OUR EXISTING REGULATIONS AND EXISTING LEGISLATION OUT OF RICHMOND THAT ISN'T WORKING. GO FIX THAT. BUT DON'T PUT NEW LANGUAGE THAT SAYS, NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ONE. NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE EQUITABLE. SO I BELIEVE PROBABLY BE THE ONLY ELECTED OFFICIAL IN FAIRFAX COUNTY, I AM NOT GOING TO
050PARTICIPATE IN THIS ANYMORE. THE REALITY IS THAT WE NEED TO ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND TAKE OUR 2.8 BILLION BUDGET AND IF YOU FEEL LIKE SOMETHING IS NOT EQUITABLE, THEN ADDRESS IT THROUGH THE MONEY. THERE IS AN ADAGE THAT SAYS, DO NOT TELL ME WHAT YOUR VALUES ARE, SHOW ME WHAT YOUR BUDGET IS AND I WILL TELL YOU WHAT YOUR VALUES ARE. THAT'S WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD. AND IT'S POLICY LIKE THIS, I FEEL LIKE GET US IN TROUBLE WITH TRUST FACTORS WITH CERTAIN AREA OF OUR COMMUNITY. WHETHER TAXPAYERS, CERTAIN SEGMENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THIS DOESN'T OPEN THE DOOR TO INVIEWING MORE TRUST WITH OUR TAXPAYERS. AND WITH OUR PARENTS AND WITH OUR EMPLOYEES. I THINK IT JUST MAKES US LOOK LIKE WE'RE REALLY GOOD WORDSMITHS. THANK YOU. MRS. EVANS. I WANT TO THANK
051THOSE THAT WORKED SO HARD ON THIS POLICY. PARTICULARLY MRS. DERENAK-KAUFAX AND MRS. MCLAUGHLIN AS MEMBERS OF SCYPT, AS WELL AS ALL OF THOSE ON SCYPT. THIS HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR SOME TIME. WE HAVE HAD QUITE A FEW CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL WORK SESSIONS ON IT. WE HAVE PUT THIS OUT TO THE COMMUNITY. AND I THINK IT'S QUITE A FINE PRODUCT TO VOICE THIS VERY IMPORTANT POLICY ABOUT EQUITY. POLICIES ARE HOW THE BOARD SPEAKS TO THE COMMUNITY AND TALKS ABOUT WHERE WE ARE GOING AND WHERE WE WANT TO BE. THIS IS A STATEMENT OF OUR VALUES. AND IT TALKS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF ENSURING THAT WE HAVE RACIAL AND SOCIAL EQUITY AS WELL AS SOCIOECONOMIC EQUITY. WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT EVERY STUDENT, HAS THE ABILITY, THE OPPORTUNITY TO REACH
052THEIR HIGHEST LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT. AND THIS IS A STATEMENT TO THAT EFFECT. WE DO HAVE 17 AREAS OF VERY DETAILED FOCUS. EVERYTHING FROM DIGITAL ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION, TO HOUSING. TO EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT. IT IS A VERY MEATY POLICY AND A VERY MEATY STATEMENT THAT IS A LONG TIMES IN THE WORKS. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT WE ARE MAKING AS A BOARD. THAT WE ARE MAKING WITH OUR PARTNERS ON THE COUNTY SIDE. AND I AM VERY PLEASED TO SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU, MRS. CORBETT SANDERS. THANK YOU, MUCH OF WHAT I WANTED TO SAY HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID BY MRS. EVANS. I DO WANT TO THANK MRS. DERENAK-KAUFAX AND MRS. MCLAUGHLIN ON THEIR HARD WORK AS WELL AS ALL THE MEMBERS OF SCYPT. BUT I WANTED TO ADDRESS A QUESTION EARLIER, WHY DID WE NEED THIS, WHY
053DO WE NEED THIS IF WE HAVE A FOCUS ON EQUITY. WE ALL TALK ABOUT EQUITY. THE REASON WHY THIS POLICY IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT LAYS OUT A JOINT FRAMEWORK BETWEEN THIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE SCHOOL BOARD ON THE VALUES THAT THIS COUNTY HAS FOR EQUITY AND INCLUSION. AND IT DOESN'T SINGLE OUT ONE GROUP VERSUS ANOTHER. IT DOESN'T PICK ONE SOCIOECONOMIC OR RACIAL GROUP AGAINST ANOTHER ONE. WHAT IT DOES SAY IS THAT WE VALUE INDIVIDUALS, WE VALUE OUR DIFFERENTIATION IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE DIVERSITY THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE VALUE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE HERE IN FAIRFAX COUNTY. AND THAT WE WANT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND THE ABILITY FOR EVERY CHILD AND EVERY PERSON TO ACHIEVE AT THEIR HIGHEST POTENTIAL, AND THE WAY WE DO THAT IS WITHIN INTENTION AND DELIBERATE ACTS.
054AND THAT'S WHAT THIS ONE FAIRFAX IS. IT IS A DELIBERATE COMMITMENT BY EVERY MEMBER OF THIS SCHOOL BOARD AND EVERY MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE A GREATER FAIRFAX. AND THAT IS WHY I AM VERY HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE ONE FAIRFAX POLICY. MRS. PALCHIK. THANK YOU, I WILL ECHO SOME OF MY COLLEAGUE'S SENTIMENTS. I THINK WHAT IS MOST STRIKING ABOUT THIS POLICY IT'S ONE OF A HANDFUL ACROSS THE NATION BETWEEN THE SCHOOL BOARD AND IN OUR CASE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. I TRULY WANT TO THANK AND I SEE MEMBERS OF BOTH THE SCHOOL AND COUNTY ARE HERE TONIGHT WHO HAVE WORKED ENDLESSLY AND PERHAPS MRS. STRAUSS RECOGNIZE THEM AND MET WITH US AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDERS. YOU KNOW IT'S ONLY THE FIRST STEP TO
055PASS THIS POLICY AND HOPE THAT THE COLLEAGUES JOIN IN THIS EFFORT. IT'S NOT IN ANY WAY SAY THAT WE ACCOMPLISH OR IN THE NEAR FUTURE. BUT THAT WE ARE DEDICATED AND SEE THIS AS AN IMPORTANT AND CRITICAL UNDERTAKING FOR OUR COMMUNITY. IF I MAY BORROW MR. DURAN'S WORDS FROM LAST MEETING, THERE IS A COMMON NICHE ON EQUITY WHERE YOU SEE THREE PEOPLE TRYING TO LOOK OVER A WALL INTO A STADIUM. YOU HAVE ONE THAT IS ABLE TO LOOK, AND ONE THAT IS TOO SHORT AND GIVEN TWO BOXES TO STAND ON, AND ONE GIVEN ONE BOX TO STAND ON SO THEY CAN SEE OVER TOGETHER IN AN EQUITABLE FASHION, AND DR. DURAN LIKES TO INTERPRET, RATHER THAN GIVING THEM BOXES LET'S BREAK DOWN THE WALL. I HOPE I AM SAYING THAT CORRECTLY DR. DURAN. WHAT IS
056IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS, THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE TRIED TO DO AND EFFORTS AND INTENTIONS TO TRY TO BREAK DOWN SOME BARRIERS. AND I THINK WHAT OUR STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY ARE DOING IS TO SAY, LET'S FIGURE OUT WHAT WORKS. LET'S FIGURE OUT WHAT WE ARE DOING AND LET'S FIGURE OUT MOST IMPORTANTLY WHAT WE ARE NOT DOING BASED ON BEST PRACTICES AND HOW WE ALLOCATE OUR BUDGET AND VALUES AROUND THAT, I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. I THINK IT'S A BEGINNING OF A PROCESS. WE ARE NOT THAT FAR AWAY FROM THE TIME OF DESEGREGATION, LESS THAN 60 YEARS AND STILL A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE. AND I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH THE WORDS OF HORACE MANN AND HIS TRADITION OF A COMMON SCHOOL. IT WAS A SCHOOL COMMON TO ALL PEOPLE, AND TO BE AVAILABLE
057AND EQUAL TO ALL PEOPLE AS BIRTH RIGHT OF EVERY AMERICAN CHILD. IT WAS TO BE FOR RICH AND POOR ALIKE AND NOT ONLY FREE BUT EQUIVALENT OF ANY PRIVATE INSTITUTION AND FOR ALL CHILDREN OF BACKGROUNDS AND EQUITY AND RESPECT THAT LIFE COULD NOT NEVER DESTROY. WE HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS CONVERSATION FOR DECADES AND REALLY BEYOND THAT. AND WE HAVE OUR SHORTCOMINGS AND WE ARE STILL STRUGGLING AS MANY DISTRICTS TO TRY TO END OUR OPPORTUNITY GAP. NO THIS IS NOT A SILVER BULLET BUT I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP. AND I WILL BE FULLY SUPPORTING THIS RESOLUTION. THANK YOU, MRS. HYNES. YES, I REMEMBER THE PRINCIPAL AT MY CHILDREN'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, EQUITY DOESN'T MEAN THE SAME BUT THAT EVERYONE GETS WHAT THEY NEED. AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT, AND WE AT THE SCHOOL BOARD DON'T ROLL
058UP OUR SLEEVES AND DO THE EVERYDAY WORK. STAFF DOES THAT AND WE TRY TO GUIDE STAFF ON THE MYRIAD OF COMPETING PRIORITIES THAT WE FACE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND ENSURE THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS REFLECTING THE VALUES OF THE COMMUNITY. WE DO THAT WHEN WE VOTE ON THE BUDGET AND ALSO ON IMPORTANT POLICY STATEMENTS LIKE THIS. THIS COMMUNITY IS NOT CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT EQUITY MEANS. OR HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR OUR SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CHILDREN AND THAT'S CLEAR AND TIME THAT WE SAID THIS. WITH THIS POLICY TONIGHT WE COMMIT TO OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL. ON BEHALF OF THIS COMMUNITY. OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL BUT NOT FOR SOME AT OTHER'S EXPENSE. AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN TOUCHED ON A LITTLE BIT HERE TONIGHT. I UNDERSTAND PARENT'S CONCERNS THAT THEIR CHILDREN HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY
059AND ARE TREATED FAIRLY. AND THAT THEY GET THE VALUE OF THEIR HARD WORK. THAT MAKES COMPLETE SENSE AND NEVER DO ANYTHING AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM TO RISK THAT. THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. THE GOALS AND HOPES OF PARENTS ARE VALUABLE AND UNDERSTANDABLE OF COURSE. WE AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM, OUR GOAL MUST BE TO ASSURE THE COMMUNITY THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION HERE IS NOT A ZERO-SUM GAME. OPPORTUNITY THROUGH EDUCATION IS IN OUR NATIONAL DNA. ALL THE WAY BACK TO OUR FOUNDERS. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE COME TO THIS COUNTRY FOR -- FOR OPPORTUNITY THROUGH EDUCATION, YOU KNOW WE KNOW THAT THE STREETS AREN'T PAVED WITH GOLD AND KNOW THAT MONEY DOESN'T GROW ON TREES. BUT WE STILL DO THAT ONE THING VERY WELL. AND THINK OF ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT CHILDREN WILL HAVE ONCE THEY LEAVE HIGH SCHOOL
060HERE. HOW MANY THOUSANDS OF EXCELLENT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND HOW MANY GRADUATE PROGRAMS AND PEOPLE IN THEIR 30s AND 40s GO BACK DO SCHOOL. WE DO THAT WELL. WE ARE NOT A COUNTRY AT THE AGE OF 15 YOU TAKE A TEST THAT DETERMINES WHICH HIGH SCHOOL YOU GO TO, WHICH DETERMINES IF YOU HAVE A PROFESSIONAL LIFE OR BLUE-COLLAR LIFE. WE DON'T DO THAT HERE AND HOPEFULLY NEVER WILL. SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO SAY THAT WITH THIS POLICY WE EXPLICITLY REJECT THAT FOCUS OF SCARCITY THAT PIT STUDENTS AGAINST EACH OTHER AND FAMILIES AGAINST EACH OTHER. PUBLIC EDUCATION IS A PROMISE OF PLENTY AND IT'S OUR JOB TO KEEP THAT PROMISE, OUR JOB. THIS POLICY IS THE GUIDING LIGHT WE NEED TO EVALUATE ALL WE DO THROUGH AN EQUITY LENS AND I LOOK
061FORWARD TO SPECIFIC OUTCOMES. I THINK WE HAVE DASHBOARDS COMING ALONG THAT ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO SEE ON THE WEBSITE HOW WE ARE DOING WHEN IT COMES TO EQUITY. AND I EXPECT AND HOPE THAT WE WILL SEE IMPROVEMENTS IN OUTCOMES FOR KIDS AS A RESULT OF THIS. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THIS. MRS. KEYS-GAMARRA. THANK YOU, I WILL BE JOINING MY COLLEAGUES IN SUPPORTING THIS POLICY TODAY. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS I LISTENED TO SOME INPUT WHAT WE HEARD TODAY TO SAY WHAT THIS POLICY IS NOT. WE ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT PENALIZING PEOPLE FOR HARD WORK. WE'RE NOT CHOOSING POLITICAL FAVORITES. I THINK ONE OF THE SPEAKERS BROUGHT UP THAT ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS ABOUT OUR NATION IS TOLERANCE AND I AGREE WITH THAT. AND I THINK THAT THIS POLICY EMBRACES THAT. BUT I THINK THAT IT
062ALSO ACKNOWLEDGES THOUGH WE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS, WE NEVER STOP TRYING. WE NEVER STOP WORKING HARD. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REALLY SAY WHAT IT DOES SAY AS OPPOSED TO WHAT IT DOESN'T SAY. BECAUSE IT WAS ELUDED TO THAT PERHAPS WE'RE NOT ENGENDERING TRUST OR CREATING DIVISION. THIS POLICY IS ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND SERVING OUR COMMUNITY IN AN EQUITABLE FASHION WITH FIDELITY. AND EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE LAWS ON THE BOOKS WE CAN ALWAYS WORK HARDER. IT SAYS CLEARLY THAT THE POLICIES THAT PROHIBIT ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION IN PARAGRAPH 17 UNDER FEDERAL AND STATE LAW AND COUNTY AND SCHOOL SYSTEM ACTIVITIES AND ENSURE THAT ALL PRACTICES PROVIDE FAIR TREATMENT AND GOES ON TO LIST A NUMBER OF GROUPS. FAIR TREATMENT IS AT THE CORE OF THIS POLICY. AND SO I AM PROUD TO
063JOIN MY COLLEAGUES IN A COMMITMENT TO EQUITY WITH FIDELITY AND FAIR TREATMENT FOR ALL IN OUR FAIRFAX COUNTY SCHOOLS, THANK YOU. MR. MOON. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS POLICY PROPOSAL. THAT, IN ADDITION TO MRS. KEYS-GAMARRA HAS STATED ABOUT WHAT THIS POLICY IS NOT, THAT THIS POLICY IS CERTAINLY NOT LOWERING STANDARDS FOR ANYONE. WE KNOW THAT EQUITY IS NOT THE SAME AS EQUALITY. EQUITY UNDER THIS POLICY WILL BE TO PROVIDE A MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL STUDENTS BASED ON THEIR NEEDS. AND DIFFERENT STUDENTS HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS. HOW DO WE FIND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL OF THEM? THAT'S WHAT THIS POLICY SEEKING TO ACHIEVE. AND I HAVE TWO SONS AND THEY ARE ALL GROWNUP -- I THINK THEY ARE GROWNUP IN SPITE THEIR AGE. AND THEY HAVE DONE VERY WELL, HOWEVER I MUST TELL YOU
064THAT THEY HAD DIFFERENT NEEDS. YOU KNOW ONE, ONE SON DID ALL OF HIS HOMEWORK JUST ON HIS OWN. BUT THE OTHER SON NEEDED CONSTANT ATTENTION FROM PARENTS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE WORK HAS BEEN DONE. THAT REQUIRED OBVIOUSLY MORE TIME FROM THEIR PARENTS, THAN THE OTHER SON. NOT THAT HE DIDN'T DO HIS HOMEWORK BUT MAKE SURE THAT HE DID HIS HOMEWORK. ONE SON WOULD WRITE TWO PARAGRAPH ESSAYS ON THE SAME ESSAY PROMPT. AND THE OTHER SON WOULD BE WRITING TWO OR THREE SENTENCES AND SAY, I AM DONE. THEY REQUIRE ADDITIONAL ATTENTION FROM PARENTS TO ASK PROBING QUESTIONS WHY, YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT CERTAIN THINGS AND ETC. THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH UNDER THIS EQUITY POLICY. MEETING THE NEEDS OF EACH AND EVERY STUDENT. MRS. MCLAUGHLIN. JUST QUICKLY A GO-BACK.
065I VERY MUCH WELCOME AND APPRECIATE ALL THE ROBUST COMMENTS THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ADDED TO THIS CONVERSATION. SO AGAIN OUR COMMUNITY CAN UNDERSTAND WHY WE ARE TAKING THIS ACTION THIS EVENING. AND FOR MY COLLEAGUES THAT MAY NOT BE AWARE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ARE SCHEDULED TO VOTE TOMORROW AT THEIR COMMITTEE MEETING, ACTUALLY IT'S THEIR HUMAN RELATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING AND VOTING ON THIS. AND IN THE MOST RECENT PUBLIC DISCUSSION IT APPEARED THAT ALL BUT ONE BOARD MEMBER WAS TO BE CERTAIN TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT. AND TO MY COLLEAGUE MRS. KEYS-GAMARRA, THAT THIS UNIQUE AND FOR THE BOARD AND SCHOOL BOARD TOGETHER WITH INTENTIONALITY ARE TRY TO COMMUNITY TO OUR 1 MILLION CITIZENS OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY FOR ALL. AND MRS. SCHULTZ I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALWAYS BRING DIVERSE PERSPECTIVE AND AS WE CELEBRATE DIVERSITY.
066[INAUDIBLE]. ONE THING I WAS THE BENEFIT TO HEAR THROUGH OUR WORK WITH SCYPT. THAT OUR COUNTY DIRECTOR FOR THE JUVENILE AND DOMESTIC COURT, BOB BIRMINGHAM. HE SPOKE TO SOMETHING LIKE THIS POLICY WOULD MEAN. ONE OF THE FIRST TO LOOK AT OUR DISPARITIES IN THE JUVENILE COURT SYSTEM. WHEN YOU LOOK AT SUBGROUPS, RACIAL SUBGROUPS THAT THERE WAS DISPARITY. AND SO HE TOOK A VERY REFLECTIVE LOOK AS THE DIRECTOR OF THAT COURT SYSTEM AND SAID, WHAT ARE OUR PRACTICES. AND EVEN IF WE DELIVER WITH BEST INTENTIONS WHAT CAN WE LOOK AT ON CLOSER EXAMINATION AND IDENTIFY WHERE WE ARE CREATING INEQUITY AND DISPARITY. AND THAT'S THE GOAL. MRS. EVANS YOU SAID IT BEAUTIFULLY THAT WE COMMUNICATE TO THE EMPLOYEES IS THROUGH POLICY AND THAT GUIDES THE GREAT WORK OF STAFF. AND WITH THAT I TAKE THE ABILITY
067TO ACKNOWLEDGE THREE HARD-WORKING MEMBERS, KAREN SHAVON AND BARBARA BRUCE FROM THE COUNTY SERVICES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR GREAT WORK ON THIS. [APPLAUSE] AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MARION PANARAMELI AND FRANCISCO DURAN, THANK YOU BOTH. AND WITH THAT, I DO THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND WE KNOW THIS IS JUST THE NEXT STEP IN OUR INTENTIONALITY. EACH AND EVERY DAY IT'S THROUGH OUR ACTIONS, THROUGH NOT JUST THE POLICIES BUT THE PRACTICES THAT WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE OUTCOMES FOR ALL CITIZENS HERE IN FAIRFAX COUNTY. AND WITH THAT I HOPE IT ALLOWS OUR COMMUNITY TO REMAIN FAITHFUL AND HOPEFUL THAT EVERYONE CAN SUCCEED WHEN THEY LIVE HERE. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE SUPPORT HERE TONIGHT FOR THIS POLICY. THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO READ THE OPENING PARAGRAPH TO THIS POLICY. SO THAT
068THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING AT HOME HAVE SOME IDEA OF WHY IT IS THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAVE ENTERED INTO THIS TWO YEARS WORTH OF WORK. HELPING PEOPLE REACH THEIR HIGHEST LEVEL OF PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT IS VITAL TO OUR COUNTY'S SUCCESSFUL ABILITY TO COMPETE IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY. LINKING OUR RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES TO OPPORTUNITY, INCLUDING EDUCATION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, EMPLOYMENT, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING HELPS ENSURE LIFE-LONG LEARNING, BETTER HEALTH, RESILIENCE AND ECONOMIC SUCCESS. THE SYSTEMS, STRUCTURES AND SETTINGS IN WHICH OUR RESIDENTS AND FAMILY LIVE, WORK, PLAY AND LEARN CREATE AN EQUITABLE COMMUNITY AND ARE IN PART A PRODUCT OF POLICY AND RESOURCING DECISIONS. IT IS UP TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO PROVIDE A COMMUNITY WHERE ALL OF OUR CITIZENS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK HARD AND TO ACHIEVE HIGH-LEVELS OF
069ACHIEVEMENT. SO WE RECOGNIZE AND SUPPORT ALL THE THINGS THAT OUR RESIDENTS, OUR CHILDREN, OUR FAMILIES AND BUSINESS COMMUNITIES DO TO HELP EVERYONE SUCCEED. BUT IT'S UP TO THE TWO ELECTED BODIES TO WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS THERE AND EVERYONE HAS THE CHANCE TO SUCCEED AND FIND THEIR DREAM. WE HAVE A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME HERE VERY RECENTLY TO ACHIEVE A CERTAIN DREAM. AND IT IS THAT DREAM THAT WE WANT TO HELP YOU ALL FIND AND SUCCEED. SO WITH THAT I WILL CALL FOR THE VOTE. ALL THOSE TO SUPPORT THE ONE FAIRFAX POLICY, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR SUPPORT. [CALLING NAMES] OPPOSED. ABSTENTION. MRS. SCHULTZ, THAT MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COLLEAGUES. THE NEXT ITEM IS THE SCHOOL BOARD'S 2018 STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM AND I CALL
070ON MR. MCELVEEN. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR I MOVE THAT THE BOARD ADOPT THE 2018 STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM. SECOND. SECONDED BY DERENAK-KAUFAX. MR. MCELVEEN. THANK YOU AS THE DAIS KNOWS THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD ANNUALLY ADOPTS A LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM AND PRIORITIES IN ORDER TO INFORM OUR LOCAL AND STATE AND OTHER OFFICIALS OF POLICY ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE TO FCPS THE PROGRAM HAS STATE AND FEDERAL ISSUES OF MAJOR IMPORTANCE. AND THE 2018 PROGRAM WILL INCLUDE DELETIONS AND CHANGES AND FORMATTING CHANGES TO THE 2017 PROGRAM. THESE UPDATES AND CHANGES ARE TO REFLECT CHANGES OVER THE LAST PAST YEAR TO REFLECT THE CURRENT POLICY DEBATE AND CLARIFY AND STREAMLINE EXISTING LANGUAGE WHERE APPROPRIATE. WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE PROGRAM AT A WORK SESSION LAST MONDAY. A WEEK AGO TODAY. AND OUR STAFF BROUGHT TO US SEVERAL FORMATTING CHANGES THAT HAVE
071ALREADY BEEN INCLUDED IN THE PROGRAM BASED ON THAT DISCUSSION ON PROFFERS AMONG OTHER ISSUES. SO THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES BRINGING FORWARD THE SUGGESTIONS AT THE WORK SESSION. I ALSO THINK WE HAVE SOME TERRIFIC AND THOUGHTFUL AMENDMENTS TONIGHT, AND I JUST DON'T SAY BECAUSE ONE OF THOSE ARE MY OWN. I WANT TO THANK MRS. MCLAUGHLIN AND CORBETT SANDERS FOR EFFORTS IN CRAFTING AMENDMENTS. AND MANY KNOW THAT THIS IS THE PRE-DATE FOR PRE-FILING LEGISLATION AND WELL TIMED. AND I KNOW THAT MANY LEGISLATORS WERE ASKING IDEAS AT TODAY'S FOUNDATION LESSON. AS WE DO EVERY YEAR WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH OUR LEGISLATORS ON DECEMBER 5. AND FINALLY I WANT TO THANK OUR ESTEEMED COLLEAGUE, MICHAEL MOLLOY, ON THE GROUND ON SESSION ADDRESSING ISSUES WITH THE STATE DELEGATION. WITH THAT I PASS IT BACK TO MADAM CHAIR.
072THANK YOU. MRS. DERENAK-KAUFAX, YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO YOUR SECOND. CERTAINLY, BRIEFLY. I WANT TO THANK MR. MOLLOY FOR HIS HARD WORK IN BRINGING THIS FORWARD TO US. AND AS I SECOND THIS I WILL TAKE OUT MY ROLE AS ETERNAL OPTIMIST AND I HOPE THAT OUR PRIORITY POSITIONS THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT CAN BE ACHIEVED THIS YEAR. ONE THING I WANT TO SPEAK TO SPECIFICALLY IS LOCAL COMPOSITE INDEX, FOR THE PUBLIC THAT DETERMINES THE SCHOOL'S ABILITY TO PAY FOR EQUITABLE COST AND BASED ON TRUE PROPERTY VALUE AND RETAIL SALES. AND BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY IS JUDGED IN AGGRAVATE AND FAIRFAX IS ONE OF THE RICHEST IN THE U.S. AND IT DOESN'T ADDRESS THE DEEP POVERTY IN THE COMMUNITY, IT DOESN'T ADDRESS THAT AT ALL. AND GIVEN HOW THIS MANIFESTS IN SCHOOLS IN MY AREA. WHEN I ARRIVED
073ON THIS BOARD SIX YEARS, 41% OF MY SCHOOLS WERE TITLE I SCHOOLS AND NOW 76% ARE TITLE I SCHOOLS. AND LCI DOESN'T HELP US AT ALL, AS A MATTER OF FACT WE GET 20 CENTS BACK ON A THE DOLLAR. ALL OF MY ADVOCATES YOU ARE DOING EXCELLENT JOB IN WORK, AND BE SURE WHEN YOU ARE DOWN THERE, THIS IS ONE THE THINGS YOU TALK ABOUT. AND WHILE WE HAVE A FRIENDLY DELEGATION IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA AND WE SPEAK TO THE CHOIR EVERY YEAR, VIRGINIA DOES NOT FARE WELL IN THE STATE. AND THIS LEGISLATIVE PACKET COULD BE SMALLER IF THOSE TWO ISSUES THEMSELVES WERE ONES THAT WE COULD DEAL WITH EFFECTIVELY IN RICHMOND. WITH THAT, I SAID I AM HOPEFUL AND WITH A CHANGE IN -- WITH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE DOWN THERE, WE WILL HOPE
074TO HAVE MORE EDUCATION ADVOCATES. AND AGAIN WITH THIS, YOU KNOW PARTICULARLY WITH THE LCI THERE IS ALWAYS THAT COMMENT THAT, IT KIND OF GOES BACK TO THE CONVERSATION WE WERE HAVING BEFORE. WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY. WE JUST WANT TO GET WHAT WE NEED AS A COMMUNITY. BECAUSE OUR NEEDS ARE CHANGING. AND WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE CHANGES RECOGNIZED WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO PAY AS A SYSTEM. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE NOW HAVE THREE AMENDMENTS AND THE AMENDMENTS COME AS A RESULT OF DISCUSSION AT OUR WORK SESSION. LAST WEEK. JUST SO THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS, MR. MOLLOY, WHO IS OUR LEGISLATIVE PERSON AND WORKS WITH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN RICHMOND, HE COMES FORWARD WITH RECOMMENDED LANGUAGE AND CHANGES FOR US TO DISCUSS ON THE OUR WORK
075SESSION. AND WE BY THE WAY WORK WITH OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. WE JOINTLY ADOPT CERTAIN POSITIONS THAT WE HOPE TO SUCCEED WITH, WITH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. AND THEN AFTER THE WORK SESSION, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, WILL LISTEN TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER CLARIFICATIONS OR AMENDMENTS TO THE LEGISLATEDIVE PROGRAM. SO THAT WHEN WE BEGIN OUR WORK WITH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WE HAVE A FULL PACKAGE OF ISSUES THAT WE WISH TO, OUR GENERAL ASSEMBLY WOULD RECOGNIZE THIS YEAR. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE THE ORDER CORRECTLY. AMENDMENT FROM MR. MCELVEEN AND AMENDMENT FROM MRS. MCLAUGHLIN AND AMENDMENT FROM MRS. CORBETT SANDERS, YES? BE SURE WE HAVE THE ORDER. COMPLICATED. MR. MCELVEEN FOR THE FIRST AMENDMENT. I MOVE TO ADD THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE TO POSITION "S," STANDARDS OF ACCREDITATION AND LEARNING
076BETWEEN ITEMS 15 AND 16, AND REMAINING POSITIONS ARE RENUMBERED ACCORDINGLY. THE FAIRFAX COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD SUPPORTS DETERMINING APPROPRIATE ALLOCATION OF INSTRUCTION TIME IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ACROSS SPECIFIC SUBJECT AREAS. SUCH FLEXIBILITY WOULD ALLOW SCHOOL SYSTEM TO RESTRUCTURE THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT BASED ON CURRENT RESEARCH AND PROVIDE ADEQUATE TIME FOR RECESS. SECOND. SECONDED BY MRS. EVANS. MR. MCELVEEN. WE HEARD THAT WE HAVE ALLOWING FOR MORE INSTRUCTABILITY TO PROVIDE MORE TIME FOR RECESS. THIS PROPOSAL IS IN LINE WITH OUR GENERAL INTEREST IN THIS PROGRAM AND PRIOR PROGRAMS TO INCREASE LOCAL AUTONOMY IN GENERAL. AND WE HEARD FROM THE WELLNESS POLICY THAT THEY SPENT MANY HOURS DELIBERATING AND BRINGING TO US ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT RECESS IS. WE HAVE TAKEN ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE AND NOT WITHHOLDING RECESS AS A DISCIPLINARY ACT AND TO HAVE RECESS PRIOR TO LUNCH, AND IMPORTANT
077FOR THE BOARD TO REINFORCE THEM. AND WE AGREE THAT ADVOCACY WORKS BEST WHEN WORKING WITH ADVOCACY GROUPS AND WE HAVE BEEN THIS WITH SLEEP AND OTHERS AND HOPE TO ACHIEVE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD. AND I AM PROUD THAT WE ARE TAKING A STAND STATEWIDE FOR MORE RECESS FOR VIRGINIA AND WE WISH THEM THE RECENT SUCCESS AND LOOK FORWARD TO ADVOCATING ON THIS ISSUE. MRS. EVANS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE SECOND. I WOULD, I AM PLEASED TO SECOND THIS AMENDMENT AND THANK YOU, MR. MCELVEEN FOR THE AMENDMENT AND THE SUPPORT REGARDING RECESS AS WELL. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT CHANGE WHICH I HOPE THAT THE STATE LISTENS TO US AND THE ADVOCATES ON THIS. RECESS HAS GOTTEN SQUEEZED OUT OVER THE YEARS. AND PART OF THE REASON SEEMED AT THE TIME SOMEWHAT MINOR
078CHANGE THAT THE STATE MADE A FEW YEARS BACK WHERE THEY SAID, WELL, RECESS CAN'T BE COUNTED IN THE 5.5 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION TIME. AND SO EVEN THOUGH THAT SEEMED LIKE A RELATIVELY MINOR CHANGE AT THE TIME. THAT MEANT THAT, IT MEANT IN ORDER TO KEEP 5.5 HOURS AND TO HAVE LUNCH WE HAD LESS AND LESS TIME FOR RECESS. WE ARE TRYING TO GAIN THAT BACK WITH OUR FULL-DAY MONDAYS OF A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THAT DID HELP, THAT GAVE US A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY AND TIME. BUT WE STILL AREN'T THERE. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHACK HAS BELIEVED FOR IN A WHILE AND SOMETIMES WAXED AND WANED. AND HAVING THE ADVOCATES COMING FORWARD AND KEEP AT THE FOREFRONT IS IMPORTANT. AND MR. MCELVEEN SAID WE ARE PLANNING HAVE AN AMENDMENT, TO OUR OWN POLICY ABOUT
079NOT WITHHOLDING RECESS FOR DISCIPLINE. THAT IS STILL IN THE WORKS. I BELIEVE THAT WILL BE NEW BUSINESS AT THE NEXT MEETING. I HAVE SEEN SOME DRAFT LANGUAGE AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT DONE BY OUR DECEMBER 14 MEETING. BUT THIS WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD. I VERY STRONGLY SUPPORT THE STATE GIVING US MORE FLEXIBILITY SO WE CAN CREATE MORE RECESS TIME FOR OUR LITTLE ONES. MRS. HYNES. YEAH, I WANT TO THANK VERY MUCH THE ADVOCATES, I KNOW WE ALL DO. WHEN WE HAVE A GROUP OF PATIENTS THAT ARE PERSISTENT AND KNOWLEDGEABLE AND DON'T GIVE UP. IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE, SO MUCH NOISE GOING IN ON THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM OF 180,000 STUDENTS AND WE DON'T ALWAYS FOCUS ON THE THINGS MOST IMPORTANT. AND WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS AND HOW IT'S GETTING SQUEEZED. AND
080NOT SURE WHAT TO DO WITH IT. AS AN ELEMENTARY TEACHER MYSELF, I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT RECESS IS AND HOW HARD TO SET ASIDE THE PROPER AMOUNT OF TIME FOR IT. WHAT DO WE DO? WORKING HARD IN THE CLASSROOM TO REINTRODUCE STUDENT DIRECTED ACTIVITIES IN THE CLASS WORK AND VOICE AND CHOICE AND ALL THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS TO DO LEARNING THROUGH PLAY AND PROBLEM SOLVING AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT THE PLAYGROUND PROVIDES WITHOUT AN ADULT TELLING THEM HOW TO DO. AND IDEAL TIME OF THE DAY TO DO THAT LEARNING. I AM EXCITED AND THANK YOU THAT MR. MCELVEEN AND MOLLOY TO PULL THAT TOGETHER AND THESE CHANGES TAKE MORE WORK THAN YOU EXPECT. I APPRECIATE THIS. MRS. PALCHIK. THANK YOU, BRIEFLY, JUST WANT TO ADD THANK THE ADVOCATES AND MY COLLEAGUES AND MR. MCELVEEN. I THINK IT'S
081IMPORTANT TO FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN STATE AND LOCAL CONTROL. AND WHILE THE CENTERS OF LEARNING ARE IMPORTANT TO HAVE ACROSS THE REGION, ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR KIDS. IN ADDITION, I HAVE BEEN DOING QUITE A QUITE A BIT OF WORK WITH CRITICAL NEEDS AND IMPORTANT TO BUILD RESILIENCES -- RESILIENCES WITH THE KIDS AND THAT IS IMPORTANT AND THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND ESPECIALLY IN RICHMOND. CORBETT SANDERS AND MRS. MCLAUGHLIN. THANK YOU, I TOO WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR COMING FORTH WITH THIS. AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO WORK ACROSS JURISDICTIONAL LINES, MY COLLEAGUES AND MANY OF US RAISED THE ISSUE AT DSBA MEETING AND A LOT OF SUPPORT WITH BOARDS ACROSS THE STATE ON
082THIS ISSUE. I ENCOURAGE YOU THAT USE THE EFFORTS OF FAIRFAX PTA AND VIRGINIA PTA'S AND IN SPEAKING WITH THE INDIVIDUAL LEGISLATORS THEMSELVES. BUT THERE IS A BIT OF GROUND SWELL BEING CREATED ON THIS ISSUE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE ABOUT WHY FLEXIBILITY IS A BETTER APPROACH. AS WE ARE LOOKING AT 21st CENTURY LEARNING,ONE THING THAT WE REALIZE TRADITIONAL MODELS WHERE THERE WERE STOVE PIPES FOR EACH ACADEMIC AREA NO LONGER APPLYING. AND WITH PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING AND MORE INNOVATIVE APPROACHES OF HOW WE ARE ADDRESSING CORE SUBJECTS. WE HAVE MATH TEACHERS USING MATH AND ADDRESSING SCIENCE PROBLEMS. WE HAVE HISTORY AND ENGLISH TEACHERS WORKING TOGETHER. IN THE CURRICULUM IT'S NO LONGER THE CORE FOUR AS MUCH A MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO ADDRESSING HOW WE EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN. AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR FLEXIBILITY FROM THE
083STATE BECAUSE WE HAVE A WAY OF MEASURING SUCCESS AT THE END. TRADITIONALLY THERE WERE TIMES TO SPEND THIS MUCH TIME ON THIS SUBJECT AND THAT SUBJECT. AND THE REASON THEY DID THAT, BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE BENCHMARKING THAT OCCURRED ELSEWHERE IN OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO EMBRACE THAT FLEXIBILITY MODEL. I KNOW THAT IT IS THE WAY THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR WHOLE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IS ASKING FOR THE STATE TO GIVE FAIRFAX COUNTY MORE FLEXIBILITY TO DELIVER EDUCATION IN A MANNER THAT IS MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THIS CENTER. MRS. MCLAUGHLIN. I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SPECIFIC SHOUT-OUT TO THE ADVOCATES. MY COLLEAGUES MAY NOT BE AWARE, WITH US TONIGHT BRADDOCK RESIDENT TERESA SHEIPE AND MRS. SHOKE AND YOU SAID WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE CHILDREN AND WHAT CAN WE DO. AND
084I ADVISED TO GET THE POWER OF YOUR COLLECTIVE VOICES TOGETHER AND THE POWER OF YOUR COLLECTIVE VOICE HAS CREATED OVER 1100 MEMBERS ON FACEBOOK ALONE WHO HAVE JOINED YOU IN THIS CHORUS NOT JUST TO THE SCHOOL BOARD BUT TO OUR STATE THIS IS IMPORTANT. THAT WE NEED IT THINK ABOUT, WHEN WE COMMIT TO THE WHOLE CHILD. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT NOT JUST THE INSTRUCTION IN THE CLASSROOM BUT THEIR OVERALL MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL BEING. YOU ARE A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE AS MY COLLEAGUE MRS. HYNES POINTED OUT, YOU TOOK AN ISSUE THAT MANY OF US ARE MINDFUL OF. BUT YOU REALLY PUT IN THE HARD WORK AND YOU HAVE TAKEN THIS ISSUE AND NOW COUNTY WIDE YOU HAVE PARENTS FROM ALL OVER FAIRFAX COUNTY SCHOOLS PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS. AND IT IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT MAKES
085FAIRFAX COUNTY SUCH AN INCREDIBLE PLACE TO LIVE. BECAUSE WE HAVE CARING PARENTS WHO TAKE THEIR TIME AND THEY DO THEIR RESEARCH. YOU ALL MAY NOT BE AWARE, BUT WHEN WE ARRANGED A MEETING FOR THE ADVOCATES TO MEET WITH DR. LIZ PAYNE THAT WORKS CLOSELY ON HEALTH AND PE AND THE SCHOOL ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO SCHOOL BOARD, KNOWN AS SHACK, AND YOU TOOK THE TIME TO LAYOUT YOUR CONCERNS AND DR. PAYNE WAS ABLE TO LISTEN AND ADVISE ON WHAT WE HAVE DONE TO DATE. I CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH THAT YOU ARE AN EXAMPLE WHAT HAVE THIS MEANS, IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE THEY CHILD. AND MR. MCELVEEN FOR BEING OUR STATE LIAISON TO HAVE THIS AS PART OF OUR 2018 LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE. THANK YOU, I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE PARENTS THAT BROUGHT THIS ISSUE. WE WERE
086AT THE STATE CONVENTION LAST WEEK AND RAISED THIS WITH MANY OTHER SCHOOL BOARDS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. AND A LOT OF LIKE MINDEDNESS. YEARS AGO WHEN THE STATE REQUIRED MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS I DON'T THINK THEY EXPECTED TO PHASE OUT RECESS BUT THAT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR YOUNG CHILDREN. GOING BACK TO A SITUATION MORE FLEXIBLE, THAT PROVIDES OUR CHILDREN WITH THAT LEARNING, IT'S IMPORTANT WHEN THEY PLAY. WE WILL HELP THIS ALONG AND HOPE THAT WE WILL HAVE SOME SUCCESS WITH OUR GENERAL ASSEMBLY. SO WE WILL VOTE ON THIS AMENDMENT. AS PRESENTED BY MR. MCELVEEN. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT IS UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOW I WILL CALL ON MRS. MCLAUGHLIN FOR ANOTHER AMENDMENT. THANK YOU, I MOVE TO REPLACE THE LANGUAGE IN SECTION X-1 THROUGH X-5 OF THE 2018 STATE AND LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM WITH THE
087FOLLOWING: X-1, THE FAIRFAX COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD SUPPORTS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED STATE RESOURCES DEVOTED TO PROGRAMS AND STAFFING INCLUDING SCHOOL PSYCHIATRISTS AND SCHOOL NURSES AND SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS TO HELP SCHOOL DIVISIONS SERVE THE INCREASING SCHOOL HEALTH AND WELLNESS NEEDS OF THE STUDENT POPULATION AND ASSIST WITH ISSUES SUCH AS CHILDHOOD OBESITY AND SLEEP AND MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION. X-2, TO DETERMINE THE SCHOOL HEALTH MODEL THAT MOST APPROPRIATELY MEETS A DIVISION'S NEEDS VIA LOCAL POLICY AND STAFFING AND THE ROLE THAT LOCAL DEPARTMENTS PLAY IN THE INCLUSION OF HEALTH SERVICES. SHOULD THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY CHOOSE TO MANDATE PROGRAMS AND STAFFING ANYWAY, THE ADEQUATE AND APPROPRIATE STATE RESOURCES MUST BE ALLOCATED BEFORE LOCAL DIVISIONS BE REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THE CHANGES. X-3, THE SCHOOL BOARD SUPPORTS STATE REIMBURSEMENT FOR LUNCH AND SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAMS. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. MRS. MCLAUGHLIN. AS
088DISCUSSED AT THE PRIOR WORK SESSION THERE WAS A DESIRE ON MY PART AND ALONG WITH MANY OTHER COLLEAGUES THAT WE INTRODUCE SCHOOL NURSES INTO OUR LEGISLATIVE POLICY. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT, THAT LANGUAGE BE THERE FOR INTENTIONALITY STANDPOINT. AND AS SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT BE AWARE, THE VIRGINIA NURSING ASSOCIATION AND NATIONAL BEST PRACTICES RECOMMEND FOR EVERY 750 STUDENTS THERE SHOULD BE A SCHOOL NURSE. REGRETTABLY THE RATIO IN FAIRFAX COUNTY IS ONE NURSE PER 3,000 STUDENTS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND WITH THE EVERY-GROWING NUMBER OF STUDENT HEALTH NEEDS IN OUR SCHOOLS IT'S VITAL THAT WE CHAMPION BOTH AT THE STATE LEVEL AND THE LOCAL LEVEL AS WELL WITH OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THE VALUE AND IMPORTANCE OF NURSES. THE OTHER THING IS THAT NOTED BY OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, NIHARIKA, THAT WE HIGHLIGHT THIS
089BOARD'S COMMITMENT TO MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION AND THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ALL, AND TO MY COLLEAGUE MRS. EVANS TO INCLUDE CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENT SLEEP AND TO NOT ONLY HIGHLIGHT THIS FOR THE SCHOOL NURSES AND ADOLESCENT SLEEP AND THE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS FROM STAFF THAT WE STREAMLINE THE LANGUAGE FROM FIVE BULLETS DOWN TO THREE. BUT WITH EQUALLY POWERFUL LANGUAGE WITH THE ISSUE OF STUDENT WELLNESS. I HOPE THAT YOU SUPPORT THE LANGUAGE PRESENTED IN THIS AMENDMENT. AND I WANT TO THANK MICHAEL MOLLOY AND MR. SMITH AND ALL OTHER STAFF THAT HELPED STREAMLINE THE LANGUAGE. MRS. EVANS, YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR SECOND? YES, BRIEFLY, THIS BOARD HAS HAD A DEEP AND ABIDING INTEREST IN STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH, BOTH PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH. AND WASN'T THAT LONG AGO THAT WE CREATED WITH THE HELP OF
090SHACK A COMPREHENSIVE WELLNESS POLICY AND PUT OURSELVES ON RECORD MAKING THAT A HIGH PRIORITY. AND THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO US OVER THE COURSE OF TIME BY OUR STUDENTS THROUGH THE STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL AND THROUGH OUR STUDENT REPS. I TAKE NOTE THAT MS. VATTIKONDA HAS BEEN VICE FOR STUDENT HEALTH AND THANK YOU MS. VATTIKONDA AT THE WORK SESSION AND RAISING THIS IMPORTANT AREA FOR OUR LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO WORKED ON THIS, FOR MAKING THIS A COMPREHENSIVE AND FOR NOTING THE NEED FOR MORE SCHOOL PSYCHIATRISTS AND SCHOOL NURSES AND FOR SLEEP. WE NEED TO WORK OUR STUDENTS FOR ADEQUATE SLEEP AND NUTRITION AND MORE PHYSICAL EXERCISE, AND I WOULD PUT RECESS UNDER THAT CATEGORY AS WELL. THANK YOU, MRS. MCLAUGHLIN FOR PULLING THIS ALTOGETHER. IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT
091REWRITE AND THANK YOU MR. MOLLOY FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS. I DO HOPE WE CAN MAKE PROGRESS ON THIS IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. SO I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THIS. THANK YOU, THEN I WILL CALL FOR THE VOTE ON THIS AMENDMENT. ALL IN FAVOR. THAT MOTION IS UNANIMOUS AND THE AMENDMENT PASSES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WILL CALL ON MRS. CORBETT SANDERS FOR SEVERAL AMENDMENTS. YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I MOVE TO ADD THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE TO THE FEDERAL EDUCATION FUNDING AND POLICY SECTION. UNDER OTHER FUNDING ISSUES BETWEEN ITEM 16 AND 17 AND THAT REMAINING POSITIONS ARE RENUMBERED ACCORDINGLY. THAT THE SBSC TO SUPPORT GUIDELINES FOR CURRENT FUNDING AND ELIGIBILITY STANDARD FOR OUR STUDENTS AND THAT CONTINUE TO ALLOW SCHOOL DIVISIONS TO CLAIM ADMINISTRATION AND TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TO STUDENTS SERVED UNDER THE FEDERAL DISABILITIES IMPROVEMENT ACT. A
092SECOND? SECONDED BY MR. MCELVEEN. YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO YOUR AMENDMENT. YES, I ADDED THIS TO THE PACKAGE BECAUSE THE MEDICAID FUNDING CURRENTLY LOOKED AT TO BE CUT AS A RESULT OF TRYING TO FILL OTHER BUDGETARY NEEDS BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND THIS AMENDMENT IS REALLY AN AMENDMENT THAT MAINTAINS STATUS QUO, IT DOESN'T ASK FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING. BUT IT CERTAINLY ENSURES THAT WE ADVOCATE WITH INTENTIONALITY FOR THE SUPPORT OF OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO OUR PROGRAMS AND WE HAVE THE FUNDS TO COVER THE COSTS OF THOSE PROGRAMS AND TRANSPORTATION COSTS. MR. MCELVEEN? NOTHING FURTHER. OKAY. MRS. MCLAUGHLIN. JUST BRIEFLY AGAIN, I WANT TO SHOW MY APPRECIATION TO MS. CORBETT SANDERS FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE. IT IS VERY ALARMING WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT NOT ONLY THE INCREASED
093RATES OF POVERTY, BUT THE DEEP NEEDS IN FAIRFAX COUNTY, BUT ANY PARENT LIVING HERE, ACROSS THE NATION, THE COST OF HEALTH CARE CONTINUES TO SKYROCKET AND NOTHING CAN BE MORE TROUBLING FOR A PARENT THAN NOT TO GET THE HEALTH CARE THEIR CHILD NEEDS. AND SO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO AS A BOARD IS TO SPOTLIGHT THIS AND WHAT IT MEANS TO A SOCIETY REGARDLESS OF A CHILD'S INCOME THEIR HEALTH NEEDS WILL BE MET AND WE CAN DO IT IN A WAY THAT IS EFFECTIVE. I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS FORWARD AS AN AMENDMENT. I WILL CALL FOR A VOTE ON THIS. MR. McELVEEN, DID YOU WISH TO SPEAK TO THIS? YEAH. I WOULD NOTE WE ARE NOW BEYOND THE 50-DAY POINT OF NOT FUNDING THIS PROGRAM. AND WHILE BOTH THE SENATOR AND THE HOUSE HAVE RE-AUTHORIZED
094THE BILL, THERE IS NOT -- THERE IS NO PROPOSAL FOR FUNDING IT YET. SO I THINK THE TIMELINE IS THAT IT SHOULD REACH THE PRESIDENT'S DESK IN DECEMBER BUT WE NEED TO KEEP UP OUR ADVOCACY SO THE FUNDING IS FOUND AND A SOLUTION IS BROUGHT. THANK YOU. I WILL CALL FOR THE VOTE. MS. SCHULTZ. I'M SORRY, THIS AMENDMENT BRINGS FORWARD A FEDERAL FUNDING OF A HEALTH CARE PROGRAM WE HAVE NEVER DISCUSSED. THE I.D.E.A., WE UNDERSTAND. WHAT BUSINESS THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS DIRECTING FEDERAL FUNDS REGARDING HEALTH CARE, I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT'S -- YOU'VE CREATED A CONFLUENCE HERE THAT I DON'T THINK -- THAT I THINK FRANKLY MUCKS THINGS UP BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHY IT WASN'T EXTENDED. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. THIS IS WHY WE HAVE OBAMACARE,
095WHY DO WE NEED AN ADDITIONAL HEALTH CARE PROGRAM. WHAT ARE THESE FUNDS DOING INSTEAD? WE HAVE NOT HAD A DISCUSSION AT ALL. I HAVE NO IDEA THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS, WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DIRECTED HAPPEN WITH THE FUNDS. THIS HAS NO PLACE IN THIS PARTICULAR, FRANKLY, WE WILL GET TO THIS LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, BUT PARTICULARLY HERE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT HEALTH INSURANCE. YOU ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT EDUCATION. THIS IS AGAIN GOING FAR AFIELD AND GETTING AWAY FROM THE BUSINESS OF THE BOARD AS RELATED TO THIS. WE CAN ADVOCATE EVERYTHING. WE WISH WE HAD MONEY FOR, YEAH, LET'S MAKE SURE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PAYS FOR EVERYBODY FOR EVERYTHING. AT WHOSE EXPENSE? WHO IS PAYING THE BILL AND FOR WHAT AND RELATED TO WHAT AND INSTEAD OF WHAT? THIS IS NOT A CONVERSATION WE HAD. I DON'T UNDERSTAND
096HOW THIS RELATES. I WISH THIS WASN'T IN THIS PARTICULAR LANGUAGE. JUST TO RESPOND TO THAT POINT, I THINK THIS IS CRITICAL BECAUSE IT RELATES TO THE HEALTH OF 9 MILLION KIDS. THAT IS THE BUSINESS OF THIS BOARD. WE HAVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT GOALS. IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT ACADEMICS, IT IS ABOUT LIFE SKILLS, CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY. NONE OF THOSE ARE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THEIR HEALTH. SAME THING WITH SCHOOL FOOD. IF KIDS COME TO SCHOOL HUNGRY, THEY CAN'T LEARN. IF KIDS COME TO SCHOOL WITHOUT HEALTH CARE, THEY CAN'T LEARN MS. HINES. YEAH, I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT. IT IS A REALITY WE ARE PARTNERS WITH THE PARENTS OF OUR KIDS, FAMILIES OF OUR KIDS. ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR THE FAMILIES IN NEED. WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER WHEN IT COMES TO THE WHOLE CHILD. JUST, YOU KNOW, IT
097IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IF A FAMILY IS MAKING $16,000 OR LESS THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICAID, BUT THE C.H.I.P. COVERS THAT GAP FOR ELIGIBILITY FOR MEDICAID AND BEING ABLE TO AFFORD ANYTHING. YOU KNOW, THE HEALTH CARE EXCHANGES, I THINK WE ALL KNOW THOSE ARE NOT ALWAYS CHEAP, RIGHT? IF YOUR FAMILY IS MAKING $16,001 A YEAR, YOU CAN'T GO ON TO AN EXCHANGE AND GET HEALTH INSURANCE FOR YOUR FAMILY. THAT IS WHY C.H.I.P. IS THERE. IT WAS CREATED AS AN IMPORTANT STOP GAP. HOW CAN WE NOT FIGHT FOR HEALTH INSURANCE FOR OUR NEEDIEST KIDS AND THEIR FAMILIES. TO ME THIS IS A NO-BRAINER. I WILL CALL FOR THE VOTE ON THIS AMENDMENT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, EVANS, McLAUGHLIN, McELVEEN, CORBETT, STRAUSS, MOON, HINES, DERENAK KAUFAX IS AWAY FROM THE TABLE. KEYES-GAMARRA OPPOSED. MS. SCHULTZ. THAT MOTION
098PASSES. I WILL NOT READ ALL THE AMENDMENTS. ALL THE AMENDMENTS DID PASS. WE ARE BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION. OUR LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE AS AMENDED THIS EVENING. IT HASN'T BEEN SECONDED. MS. SCHULTZ. GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY. I GUESS WHEN YOU GO MR. MOLLOY AND HAND SOMEONE A PACKAGE, THAT IS MY HOBBY IN THE PAST, TO SEE HOW BIG OUR LEGISLATIVE PACKET IS. YOU HAND IT TO A LEGISLATOR AND THEY SAY, WELL, WHAT DOES FAIRFAX COUNTY WANT, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO TELL THEM? WHAT IS YOUR ELEVATOR SPEECH IN 60 SECONDS? THE BOARD HAS A ONE PAGE PRIORITY. YOU DON'T NEED A PAGE. WHAT IS YOUR 60 SECOND. THE SHORT HAND IS ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR FAIRFAX COUNTY AND ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY FOR FAIRFAX COUNTY PRIORITIES. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE PRIORITIES ARE. YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE
099LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE. THIS IS A PERENNIAL SPEECH. I THINK WE SHOULD GET IN A SCHOOL BUS, GO TO RICHMOND AND ADVOCATE FOR THE ONE, TWO, OR ON THE OUTSIDE, THREE THINGS THAT WILL MOST SIGNIFICANTLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR 189,123, OR WHATEVER IT IS TODAY, SCHOOL CHILDREN IN FAIRFAX COUNTY. WE GET BETTER EVERY YEAR. I WOULD TELL A LEGISLATOR, WHAT ARE THE ONE THINGS OR TWO THINGS YOU WOULD PASS, A LEGISLATIVE VICTORY TO NOTCH OUR BELT WHAT WOULD IT BE. EVERYBODY SAID WE COULDN'T POSSIBLY CHANGE THE L.C.I. YOU HEAR EVERYBODY TALKING ABOUT THE L.C.I. WHY NOT? I CAN GET OUR LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE NEXT YEAR DOWN TO THREE LETTERS, L.C.I. LET'S GO AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH EVERY SINGLE LEGISLATURE WHO REPRESENTS FAIRFAX COUNTY. I HEARD A REFERENCE TO NEXT YEAR'S ELECTION. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE MORE
100EDUCATION. GREAT. IF WE HAVE MORE EDUCATION POLICY WE SHOULD GET EVERYTHING WE WANT. WE WON'T. THE QUESTION IS WHAT DO WE NEED THE MOST. WHEN WE HAD THE JOINT BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DISCUSSION AND I ILLUMINATED THE FACT FAIRFAX COUNTY HAS, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME, 14.6% OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA'S STUDENTS. BUT 35.5% OF THE ESOL STUDENTS. THAT IS A DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN WE ARE BEARING IN FAIRFAX COUNTY. BY THE WAY, SPECIAL EDUCATION, IT WAS 15.97%, JUST UNDER 16%. WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT 10.5% OF THE FREE AND REDUCED MEAL STUDENTS IN ALL OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA. WE ARE UNDERWATER ON FREE AND REDUCED, JUST ABOVE PARITY ON SPECIAL EDUCATION, GROSSLY DISPROPORTIONATELY SHARING THE BURDEN PROVIDING FOR VERY NEEDY SERVICES. I RECALL AN ESOL EDUCATION FOR A STUDENT WHERE WE GET NO
101WAIVERS FROM THE STATE FOR GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS. WE HAVE TO GRADUATE THEM ON TIME OR WE GET PINGED. YOU GUYS IN RICHMOND, WHEN WE GET 13 CENTS ON A DOLLAR FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE SEND, WE ARE FUNDING THE REST OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA BUT WE HAVE DISPROPORTIONATE BURDENS WE SHOULD BE HIGHLIGHTING THAT TAKE FROM SOME AND GIVE TO OTHERS. WE HAVE TO PROVIDE FOR THAT AND NOT ABLE TO DO OTHER THINGS. PRESCHOOL, WHATEVER YOUR PASSION. WHATEVER IT IS. IF WE DON'T ADEQUATELY DESCRIBE EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT THEM TO DO, EXACTLY THE LEGISLATION, DON'T FOCUS ON ANYTHING ELSE. IN FACT, REPEAL LAWS. DO LESS GOVERNING, DO LET MANDATING, DO LESS OVERREACHING, BUT THESE THINGS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF KIDS, IN THE LIVES OF 40,000 EMPLOYEES. WHETHER IT IS RELATED TO RETIREMENT BENEFITS,
102WHATEVER IT IS. BUT WE LOVE, YOU KNOW, ADVOCATING ON LOTS OF DIFFERENT ISSUES. WHEN YOU ADVOCATE ON EVERYTHING I THINK YOU ADVOCATE ON NOTHING. IT IS HARD TO SEPARATE OUR VOICE FROM THE DIFFERENT ISSUES. THAT IS THE FUN OF ADVOCATING. WE HAVE TO ADVOCATE FOR ALL CHILDREN. NO, WE HAVE TO -- SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE TO CHANGE THE REALITY. THE REALITY IS, WHAT ARE WE, DR. BRABRAND, 48th OR 43rd IN THE STATES IN EDUCATION FUNDING. WE ARE NOT GETTING FUNDING FROM THE STATE AND THE PARTICULAR FUNDING WE NEED PARTICULARLY NEED IN FAIRFAX COUNTY TO ADDRESS PARTICULAR NEEDS THAT ARE DISPARATE THAN THE OTHER 137 SCHOOL DISTRICTS. SO THIS TYPE OF LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IS BETTER THAN IT WAS WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THE BOARD, BUT IT IS STILL LARGELY SUPERFLUOUS TO GETTING CHANGE THAT ARE
103FUNCTIONAL CHANGES OUT OF RICHMOND, OUT OF OUR LEGISLATORS, THAT CHANGE ON THE GROUND WHAT WE ARE DOING IN TERMS OF MONEY OR POLICY. SO I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN. MS. HINES. YEAH, I DON'T THINK THE LACK OF CHANGES IN RICHMOND IS DUE TO A LACK OF FOCUS ON OUR PART. I CAN TELL YOU, I HAVE TAKEN THOSE LOBBYING TRIPS DOWN TO RICHMOND, TALKED TO LEGISLATORS HERE LOCALLY. I TAKE THAT LEGISLATIVE PACKET. THEY DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT ALL OF IT. I TALK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT ARE MOST PRESSING, MOST IMPORTANT. SO I DON'T THINK THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH HAVING A LEGISLATIVE PACKET THAT ENCOMPASSES A LOT OF THE GOOD IDEAS AND WANTS AND NEEDS OF PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY IN THERE SOMEWHERE. WITH THE HUNDREDS OF BILLS THAT COME UP EVERY YEAR, PART OF YOUR
104JOB DOWN THERE, MICHAEL MR. MOLLOY IS TO RESPOND. SOMEBODY IN A CORNER OF THE STATE WILL HAVE A GREAT IDEA AND JUMP ONBOARD AND YOU NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING IN OUR LEGISLATIVE PACKET TO GO WITH IN THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT. YOU ARE NOT ABLE BECAUSE OF THE WAY THINGS MOVE SO QUICKLY DOWN THERE, YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COME BACK TO US AND ASK FOR GUIDANCE. THAT IS ONE REASON OUR LEGISLATIVE PACKET BE SOMEWHAT EXHAUSTIVE TO ANTICIPATE ALL THE THINGS THAT MIGHT HAPPEN. WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT WE ADVOCATE. HERE IS WHAT I RECOMMEND TO PEOPLE, DO WHAT I DO. WE HAVE A WHOLE NEW SLATE OF LEGISLATORS GOING TO RICHMOND THANKS TO THE VOTERS. MAYBE WE WILL HAVE SOME CHANGES. MAYBE VIRGINIA WILL GET BACK TO WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN FOR CENTURIES, A
105CHAMPION OF PUBLIC EDUCATION AND STOP DEFUNDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THIS COMMONWEALTH. IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN UNLESS WE GET THERE AND HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE. LOOK AT THE LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE. IT HAS SOMETHING IN THERE FOR EVERYBODY. HOLD YOUR LEGISLATORS ACCOUNTABLE. I, FOR ONE, AM GOING TO TALK ABOUT FLEXIBILITY AND FUNDING. AS A BOARD THAT IS OUR MESSAGE. WE HAVE TO BE CONSISTENT. BUT ALSO TO GIVE MR. MOLLOY THE TOOLS AND AMMUNITION HE NEEDS TO FIGHT FOR ALL THE OTHER THINGS OUR COMMUNITY CARES ABOUT. I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS. MS. EVANS. THANK YOU. MS. HINES SAID IT VERY WELL. I WON'T REPEAT EVERYTHING SHE DID SAY. I AGREE WE NEED A THOROUGH AND EXTENSIVE LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE TO GIVE MR. MOLLOY AND OTHERS GOING DOWN THERE THE TOOLS WE NEED TO SAY WHAT IS OUR POSITION ON
106EACH OF THESE ISSUES. LAST YEAR WE HAD A VERY EXTENSIVE ADVOCACY WITH THE HELP OF OUR COUNTY, OTHER COUNTIES AROUND THE STATE. TO TRY TO GET A DELAY OF THE V.R.S. INCREASE. THE $25 MILLION WE HAD TO PAY. WE DID PUT THE FULL COURT PRESS ON THAT. IT DIDN'T WORK EVEN THOUGH WE HAD A LOT OF SUPPORT. SOMETIMES WHAT WE CAN MAKE THE MOST INROADS ARE ON INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. IF WE HAD TO CHOOSE TWO OR THREE, WOULD RECESS BE THE FIRST ONE? I DON'T KNOW. I MEAN, WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE BIG MONEY ISSUES. WE KNOW THAT BUT RECESS IS IMPORTANT. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO CHOOSE JUST ONE OR TWO THINGS. WE NEED TO SEND PEOPLE DOWN THERE AND WHEN WE GO DOWN WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THIS BOARD STANDS FOR AND WHAT
107WE ARE PUSHING FOR. I'M GLAD THIS IS AS EXTENSIVE AS IT IS. I'M GLAD WE FOCUSED IT AND HIGHLIGHTED CERTAIN THINGS BECAUSE THAT TELLS PEOPLE DOWN THERE WHAT WE CONSIDER THE MOST IMPORTANT. I VALUE THE EXTENSIVE NATURE OF THIS AND I DO SUPPORT IT. MS. McLAUGHLIN. I JUST WANT TO ECHO THAT. PROVIDING ADEQUATE STATE SUPPORT AND PRESERVING LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD AUTHORITY AND FLEXIBILITY, IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE TALK ABOUT BEING HERE IN THE MOST POPULATED JURISDICTION IN THE COMMONWEALTH. THE COST TO COMPETE. THE LOCAL SALARY COSTS THAT ARE THEN IMPACTED BY THAT. THE RESOURCES THAT LOCAL SCHOOL DIVISIONS WILL NEED WHEN AGAIN YOU HAVE POCKETS OF POVERTY THAT OFTENTIMES IT IS MASSED HERE IN FAIRFAX COUNTY AND PEOPLE ARE GENUINELY SURPRISED WHEN WE HELP EDUCATE THEM THAT WE HAVE SCHOOLS WHERE IT IS A
10875% TO 90% POVERTY RATE. THEIR EYES GET WIDE EYED AND THEY ARE SHOCKED. IT IS NOT A REALITY A LOT OF PEOPLE REALIZE ABOUT ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST COUNTIES IN THE UNITED STATES. BUT IT IS VERY REAL. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WHEN MICHAEL MOLLOY GOES DOWN AND SPEAKS TO THE STATE DELEGATES, NOT JUST THOSE FROM THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA DELEGATION. HE IS TRYING TO TALK TO LEGISLATORS THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH AND HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES WE HAVE HERE IN FAIRFAX COUNTY. THE ABILITY TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AS WELL AS TO HAVE COMPETITIVE SALARIES FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, THOSE ARE ALL SO CRUCIAL. YET SOME OF OUR SUCCESSES, I WAS SO THRILLED TO HEAR TODAY AS THE SUPERINTENDENT STATED AT THE SCHOOLS LUNCHEON, THAT VIRGINIA SECRETARY OF
109EDUCATION NOTED THAT THROUGH THE ADVOCACY OF FAIRFAX COUNTY SCHOOLS AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT WE ELIMINATED FIVE S.O.L.s. WHEN YOU CAN ELIMINATE FIVE EXAMS ON KIDS THAT IS LEGISLATIVE SUCCESS. IT IS IN HERE NOW, SOMETHING WE CONTINUE TO DO. RATHER THAN JUST RAIL ABOUT IT FROM THE DAIS AND OUR COMMUNITIES WE LOBBIED FOR IT AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE PROGRESS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WITH 12 OF US HERE WE ALL HAVE CERTAIN THINGS WE WISH THE PACKAGE WOULD REFLECT, BUT IN THE END AS WE TALKED ABOUT IT, IF IT IS COMPREHENSION COLLECTION OF WHERE WE ARE AS A SYSTEM AS A WHOLE, THAT DOES ALLOW THE LEGISLATORS TO AT LEAST IDENTIFY THESE KEY AREAS AND THEN THEY CAN COME AND TALK TO US AND SAY HOW WOULD I DRILL DOWN. I WILL
110BE ABSOLUTELY ADVOCATING ON ISSUES LIKE THE SCHOOL NURSES. WE NEED TO DRAW STATEWIDE ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE. BUT I ALSO UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF STREAMLINED LANGUAGE IN THE PACKAGE, AND SO IT IS OUR JOB AS THE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO PUT THE MEAT ON THE BONES WITH WHAT IS HERE IN THE PACKAGE. I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING IT THIS YEAR. MS. PALCHIK. YES, THANK YOU. I WASN'T PLANNING ON SPEAKING, BUT I WANT TO ADD A FEW THINGS TO WHAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SHARED. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND AS WE HAVE SPOKEN ON OTHER TOPICS WHAT THIS IS AND WHAT THIS IS NOT. THIS IS A PROGRAM. A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM TO MICHAEL MOLLOY AND THE COUNTY'S REPRESENTATIVES IN RICHMOND, IN A VERY FAST-PACED 60 DAY SESSION THAT ENCOMPASSES A WHOLE YEAR'S WORK IN
11160 DAYS, AT LEAST A HANDFUL OF SIMULTANEOUS SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS AT ONCE. I SAW THIS FIRSTHAND LAST YEAR. WHEN I POPPED INTO ONE SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING LOOKING AT FLEXIBILITY FOR LOCAL FUNDING AND HOW TO STOP IT, HOW QUICKLY THINGS HAPPEN IN RICHMOND. WE HAVE STATED VERY CLEARLY OUR PRIORITY POSITIONS ARE AROUND FUNDING FOR EDUCATION, IT COULD BE PART OF IT IS THE L.C.I. PART OF IT IS ENSURING THAT STUDENTS IN HIGH POVERTY AREAS IN SCHOOLS ARE GETTING THE FUNDING THEY NEED. IT IS NOT A ONCE OVER BULLET AND ONE SHOT CURES ALL, IT'S LET FIGURE OUT HOW MANY WAYS TO DO THAT. IT IS CRITICAL TO UNDERSTAND JUST BECAUSE WE ARE NOT SAYING WE HAVE TWO PRIORITIES DOES THAT MEAN THAT WE CAN'T HOP ON A BUS AND GO DOWN TO RICHMOND AND ADVOCATE ON THE THINGS
112THAT WE DEEM TO BE PRIORITIES. THERE IS NOTHING STOPPING US. THERE IS NOTHING STOPPING OUR ADVOCATES FROM DOING THAT. THIS DOES NOT DO THAT. THAT IS COMPLETELY SEPARATE. THIS IS JUST STATING SO WHEN MICHAEL IS DOWN THERE MR. MOLLOY AND SOMETHING COMES UP LAST MINUTE, HAS IN HIS PROGRAM THE ABILITY TO MAKE DECISIONS REPRESENTING THE SCHOOL BOARD. I THINK THAT IS CRITICAL ABOUT WHAT THAT IS AND WE CAN ALWAYS BE IMPROVING THE LANGUAGE. PRIORITY POSITIONS AND ADVOCACY ARE NOT REPLACED BY LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMS. I, TOO, WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS. ESPECIALLY IN A STATE WHERE WE DO NOT HAVE LOCAL AUTHORITY UNLESS SPECIFICALLY GIVEN TO US BY THE COMMONWEALTH. WE HAVE TO BE VIGILANT IN ENSURING WE HAVE FLEXIBILITY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AND BE ABLE TO ENSURE ADEQUATE FUNDING AND WHAT OUR KIDS
113AND COMMUNITY NEEDS. I, TOO, WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM. MS. CORBETT SANDERS. I THINK WE WOULD BE REMISS TONIGHT IN TAKING A VOTE ON THIS UNTIL WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE INVALUABLE ROLE THAT FAIRFAX COUNTY'S LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM PLAYS IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMS ACROSS THE STATE. BECAUSE WE ARE SUCH A LARGE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND VERY COMPLEX SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH THE SOCIOECONOMIC MAKEUP THAT WE HAVE AND THE DIVERSITY IN OUR SYSTEM, WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM. AND, YES, WE ALSO HAVE OUR ELEVATOR SPEECH. I WOULD SAY FAIRFAX FOCUSES ON FLEXIBILITY IN FUNDING. AND BECAUSE THAT FLEXIBILITY AND FUNDING ACTUALLY UNDERLIES ALL THE OTHER PIECE PARTS OF OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM. WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT. BUT WE ALSO NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE REST OF THE STATE LOOKS TO WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE IN FAIRFAX COUNTY
114AND LEARNS FROM OUR PRIORITIES AND OFTENTIMES JOINS US IN ADVOCATING FOR THOSE PRIORITIES. SO IT REALLY IS AN EXPECTATION THAT FAIRFAX WILL LEAD ON THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. AND IT IS VERY CLEAR WHEN WE GO TO PLACES LIKE THE S.B.A. AND WHEN WE GO DOWN ON LOBBYING DAYS AND PEOPLE ARE SAYING WHERE IS FAIRFAX ON THIS? THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER ASPECT WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND IT WAS BRIEFLY ADDRESSED BY MRS. DERENAK KAUFAX WHEN SHE SECONDED THE PACKAGE. AND THAT WAS THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT MAKEUP IN RICHMOND THIS YEAR. AS A RESULT, 15 NEW MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES, THERE IS A ROLE IN EDUCATING THOSE NEW MEMBERS ON WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE FOR FAIRFAX COUNTY. WE COULD EASILY JUST SEND THEM A ONE-LINER, FAIRFAX FOCUSES ON FLEXIBILITY AND FUNDING, BUT
115I THINK THEY WOULD WANT TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE DETAIL. AND SO I AM VERY HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS PACKAGE. AND TO ALSO ENCOURAGE THE NEW MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES AS WELL AS MY COLLEAGUES ON OTHER SCHOOL BOARDS AROUND THE STATE TO LOOK AT OUR PRIORITIES. I DO KNOW AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAD AT THE S.B.A., THAT A NUMBER OF OTHER BOARDS ARE LOOKING AT INCLUDING SPECIFIC LANGUAGE ON RECESS. THEY ARE LOOKING FOR WHAT WE HAVE PUT IN OUR PACKAGE. AND WE WILL BE SENDING IT TO THEM. SO IT'S -- I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS. I HAVE MRS. SCHULTZ AND DR. BRABRAND. MRS. SCHULTZ. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE CONTEXT BECAUSE REFERENCED MADE TO POCKETS OF POVERTY. THERE IS NO DOUBT THERE HAS BEEN A FUNDAMENTAL
116SHIFT IN FAIRFAX COUNTY IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE COUNTY AND CERTAIN SCHOOLS. BUT THE TAKEAWAY I HAD WHEN WE WERE AT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS JOINT MEETING WAS AND I'M RECALLING OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, ABOUT 488,000 STUDENTS IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA ARE IN THE NEEDY POPULATION. AND WE ARE ONLY 10% OF THAT, EVEN THOUGH 14.6% OF THE POPULATION. SO WE TALK ABOUT POCKETS OF POVERTY AND WE SOMETIMES FORGET THAT THE WHOLE OF THE REST OF VIRGINIA HAS WHOLE COUNTIES THAT ARE AT POVERTY LEVELS. AND SO I WANT US TO BE CAUTIOUS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT OUR CHILDREN HAVE, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT NEEDS IN POCKETS. THAT THAT MESSAGE DOES NOT CARRY WHEN OUR LEGISLATORS HAVE TO GO TO RICHMOND AND COMPETE AGAINST ENTIRE COUNTIES LIVING AT THAT LEVEL. AND SO
117THERE IS THE CONTEXT. THERE IS NO REASON NOT TO HAVE POSITIONS ON THINGS, BUT PERENNIALLY, THE ISSUE IS, WHAT ARE THE ONE OR TWO THINGS OR POTENTIALLY THREE THAT IS GOING TO BE OUR FOCUS TO GET A LEGISLATIVE WIN. IT IS GREAT TO HAVE POSITIONS ON ANYTHING SO MR. MOLLOY CAN HAVE A LEGISLATIVE EMERGENCY POSITION STATEMENT FOR US. THAT IS NOT THE REALITY OF WHY YOU PASS A LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. THE POINT OF A LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IS WHAT DO WE NEED TO GET DONE. WHAT DO WE NEED TO MAKE A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE IN FAIRFAX COUNTY. CLEARLY NOT ONLY THE LARGEST IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, BUT ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE NATION. IF YOU GET THAT CHANGE HERE, THAT IS THE CHANGE THAT FLOWS. NOT WILL SOME OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT SOMEWHERE HAVE THEIR SCHOOL BOARD
118LOOK AT OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AND BECAUSE WE ARE THE GORILLA IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA IN TERMS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS THEY WILL FOLLOW ALONG AND DO THE PIED PIPER. YOU DON'T SAY, WELL, WE ARE SO STRONG. EVERYBODY SHOULD FOLLOW OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. WHAT YOU SHOULD SAY IS IF THERE IS A FUNDAMENTAL THING LIKE RESEARCH ON START TIMES, RECESS, WHATEVER, REAL FOOD FOR KIDS. IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A FARM TO TABLE, IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE INSTEAD OF THE FEDERAL HEALTH CARE OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE FUNDING OR NOT FUNDS, LET'S TALK ABOUT AGRI BUSINESS AND AGRI TOURISM AND FARMING JOBS IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA THAT COULD FEED KIDS AND HAVE THAT BE A LEGISLATIVE WIN FOR EVERYONE IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA. YOU CREATE JOBS
119IN ONE AREA AND YOU FEED KIDS ALL OVER. THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVING A STRATEGIC FOCUS IN A LEGISLATIVE AGENDA THAT SAYS, LET'S GO GET THIS ONE THING DONE. LET'S HAVE A UNANIMITY AND A VOICE RATHER THAN A PACKAGE THAT IN THE EVENT OF A LEGISLATIVE EMERGENCY MR. MOLLOY PLEASE REFER TO BULLET 482.B. I WILL CALL FOR A VOTE ON THE LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE AS AMENDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. EVANS, McLAUGHLIN, PALCHIK, McELVEEN, CORBETT SANDERS, STRAUSS, MOON, KEYES-GAMARRA. THOSE OPPOSED. ABSTENTION, MS. SCHULTZ. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MR. MOLLOY FOR HELPING US. I KNOW MANY SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH DEPEND ON YOUR WORK AND MANY LEGISLATORS WILL COME TO YOU AND SAY WHAT WILL THE IMPACT BE ON SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION NOT ONLY IN FAIRFAX COUNTY BUT IN THE COMMONWEALTH. I KNOW MR. SMITH ALSO
120HELPED WITH THAT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, CONSENT AGENDA. OUR ADOPTED RULES OF PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE, ROBERTS RULES PROVIDE CONSENT AGENDA LISTING SEVERAL ITEMS BY APPROVAL OF A SINGLE MOTION. MANY HAVE GONE THROUGH BOARD REVIEW AND DOCUMENTATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO BOARD MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC IN ADVANCE. ITEMS MAY BE REMOVED PRIOR TO THE MEETING. ITEM 6.01, APPROVE THE MINUTE OF NOVEMBER 9 MEETING. 6.02, SCHOOL BOARD AWARD A CONTRACT FOR THE HERNDON HIGH SCHOOL RENOVATION PROJECT. GRUNLY CONSTRUCTION COMPANY IN THE AMOUNT OF $83,995,000. AND TO EXECUTE, DELIVER AND ADMINISTER THE CONTRACT ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. THANK YOU. WONDERFUL FUTURE FOR HERNDON HIGH SCHOOL. 6.03 ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE 2018 SALE OF SCHOOL BONDS AND B, AUTHORIZE THE CHAIRMAN OR THE VICE CHAIRMAN WITH THE ADVICE OF LEGAL
121COUNSEL TO NEGOTIATE, EXECUTE AND ADMINISTER THE SCHOOL BOARD TAX CERTIFICATE AND ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS DEEMED APPROPRIATE AND ADVISABLE AND DO ALL THINGS NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THE TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED BY THE RESOLUTION AS DETAILED IN THE AGENDA ITEM. 6.04, CONFIRM THE SEPARATIONS FROM THE PERIOD BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2017 AND ENDING OCTOBER 31, 2017. APPOINT ONE CITIZEN MEMBER RECOMMENDED BY THE AUDIT COMMITTEE. 6.06, APPOINT INDIVIDUALS TO SERVE ON COMMITTEES AS DETAILED IN THE AGENDA ITEM? ANY OBJECTION? HEARING AND SEEING NONE, THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED. NEW BUSINESS, THE FOLLOWING ARE NEW BUSINESS AGENDA ITEMS. THERE WILL NOT BE A VOTE. 7.01, AUTHORIZE STAFF TO NEGOTIATE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS WITH SELECTED FIRMS FOR ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN OF CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND AUTHORIZE THE DIVISION SUPERINTENDENT OR ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF FACILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TO EXECUTE, DELIVER AND ADMINISTER CONTRACTS ON
122BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. 7.02, AWARD A CONTRACT FOR THE ANNANDALE HIGH SCHOOL ROOF REPLACEMENT PROJECT TO THE LOWEST RESPONSE I AND RESPONSIBLE BIDDER AND AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT OR ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF FACILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TO EXECUTE, DELIVER, EXCUSE ME, AND ADMINISTER THE CONTRACT ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. 7.03, AWARD A CONTRACT FOR THE MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL MODULAR REPLACEMENT PROJECT TO THE LOWEST RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE BIDDER. AUTHORIZE THE DIVISION SUPERINTENDENT OR THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF FAILS AND TRANSPORTATION TO EXECUTE, DELIVER AND ADMINISTER THE CONTRACT ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. EXCUSE ME. APPROVE THE -- APPROVE THE GRANT OF EASEMENTS TO THE COUNTY AND AUTHORIZE THE CHAIRMAN OR VICE CHAIRMAN IN CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL FOR THE SCHOOL DIVISION TO TAKE ALL ACTIONS NECESSARY AND APPROPRIATE TO NEGOTIATE, EXECUTE, DELIVER AND ADMINISTER DEEDS OF
123EASEMENT AND ANY RELATED DOCUMENTATION. 7.05, APPROVE THE TITLES LISTED FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE 12 MATHEMATICS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE MATHEMATICS BASIL MATERIALS ADOPTION COMMITTEE AND THE SELECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 7.06, AUTHORIZE THE DIVISION SUPERINTENDENT AND THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT DEPARTMENT OF FACILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION SERVICES EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT WITHOUT THE OTHER TO TAKE ALL ACTIONS NECESSARY AND APPROPRIATE IN CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL WITH THE SCHOOL DIVISION TO PURSUE PROFFERED CONDITION AMENDMENT APPLICATIONS FOR THE COMBINED McNAIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SITE INCLUDING NEGOTIATING, SIGNING AND SUBMITTING THE FINAL PROFFER STATEMENT AND ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOTHER. THANK YOU, MS. CORBETT SANDERS. NEXT MATTER IS SUPERINTENDENT MATTERS. DR. BRABRAND. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN STRAUSS. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO CAME TO THE FIRST ANNUAL SUPERINTENDENT LUNCHEON. WE HAD 300 GUESTS IN ATTENDANCE AND THE PROCEEDS GO
124TO THE FAIRFAX EDUCATION FOUNDATION. WE HONORED OUR BUSINESS PARTNER FOR THIS YEAR WAS NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION. OUR COMMUNITY PARTNER FOR THE YEAR WAS FOOD FOR OTHERS. AND OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PARTNER WAS THE METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON AIRPORTS AUTHORITY. I WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL OF THEM AND ALL OF OUR BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT HELP MAKE OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM BETTER. WE WERE HONORED TO HAVE FIRST LADY DOROTHY McCAULLIF IN BRINGING BREAKFAST TO THE CLASSROOM. I WANT YOU TO KNOW I HAD A CHANCE TO GO ON VETERANS DAY TO VISIT OUR SCHOOLS ON NOVEMBER 10th WHEN WE COMMEMORATED VETERANS' DAY. IT WASN'T VETERANS' DAY, BUT WE WERE COMMEMORATING IT. OUR SCHOOLS INVITED MILITARY PERSONNEL AND VETERANS INTO SCHOOLS. IT IS A FEDERAL HOLIDAY AND A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OVER 11,000 OF OUR MILITARY CONNECTED CHILDREN TO
125HAVE THEIR PARENTS COME INTO THE SCHOOL FOR VETERANS' DAY. ONE MILITARY DAD TWEET, IF YOU WANT TO SEE HOW VETERANS DAY SHOULD BE DONE, CHECK OUT FCPS NEWS. THAT IS WHY I LOVE MY HOMETOWN. I VISITED CLAIREMONT, TWAIN, ROSE HILL. THAT, BY THE WAY, WAS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN SCHOOLS. I'M UP TO 54 SCHOOLS VISITED IN MY TIME BACK IN FAIRFAX. IT IS SO GREAT TO CONNECT. I HAVE SEVERAL MORE TO GO. I'M ENJOYING THOSE VISITS. I'M ALSO ENJOYING TWO ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS WE HAD IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, ONE AT HAYFIELD WITH 112 FOLKS, ONE AT IRVING WITH 115 IN ATTENDANCE. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT TO SHARE OUR IDEAS. OUR PRINCIPALS HAVE BEEN COMING OUT AND IT APPRECIATED PARENTS CONNECTING WITH PRINCIPALS AND REGIONAL STAFF. SOME OF THE ISSUES
126ARE JUST ABOUT BRINGING EVERYBODY FACE-TO-FACE. IN OUR SCHOOLS, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHEN OUR KIDS ARE IN CONFLICT, TO USE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE. IN A SENSE WE NEED TO HAVE OUR RESTORATIVE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER THAT MAYBE HAVEN'T BEEN TOGETHER BEFORE FACE-TO-FACE. I WANT TO THANK SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE ALSO ATTENDED THE SESSIONS. I HAVE APPRECIATED THAT. WHILE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, DREW CATS. CAT NUMBER ONE THE FIRST ATTEMPT. I GOT HELP FROM AN ART TEACHER. CAT NUMBER TWO. AND I SHOWED ALL OF FAIRFAX COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS LEONARDO DA VINCI'S CAT NUMBER THREE. I DID TELL YOU FAIRFAX COUNTY WANTS TO BE CAT 3 IN ALL THINGS BUT NOT ALWAYS. FROM SOMEONE WHO GREW UP IN THIS COUNTY PROFESSIONALLY AND LEFT AND
127HAS COME BACK, IN TERMS OF OUR LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE AND OUR LEGISLATIVE EXPERTISE, MICHAEL MOLLOY IS A CAT THREE EMPLOYEE FOR FAIRFAX COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. HE IS THE E.F. HUTTON IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR EDUCATION ISSUES WHEN HE SPEAKS, LEGISLATORS LISTEN. THE TRUTH IS I WENT TO A SCHOOL DISTRICT WHEN I GOT THERE THE BUDGET CUTS OF 2009 ELIMINATED LOBBYISTS FOR OUR SCHOOLS. MANY, MANY REGIONS OF VIRGINIA NOW HAVE NO ONE, NO ONE IN RICHMOND TO REPRESENT THEM. AND THEY ARE HOPEFUL AND GLAD THAT FAIRFAX COUNTY CONTINUES TO CARRY THE TORCH FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION IN VIRGINIA. I DO BELIEVE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, LOOK, I DO BELIEVE IN PRIORITIES, BECAUSE WE ARE WORKING ON PRIORITIZING THE STRATEGIC PLAN IN ANOTHER WEEK. IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE PRIORITIES. MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS TO FUND VIRGINIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
128BACK TO THE LEVEL OF 2009. WE ARE STILL ON AN INFLATION ADJUSTED BASIS, FUNDING OUR SCHOOLS LESS THAN EIGHT YEARS AGO DUE TO THE GREAT RECESSION. WE ARE CROWDING OUR GENERAL FUND. PERCENTAGE OF OUR GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES GOING TO EDUCATION CONTINUES TO DECLINE IN VIRGINIA. FINALLY, I WANT TO SAY I HOPE YOU HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING. IT IS A SHORT WEEK THIS WEEK. I HAVE MY FAMILY IN TOWN. MY MOM AND MOTHER AND FATHER-IN-LAW. IT IS GREAT TO HAVE THEM TO MY HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT IS GREAT TO BE BACK HOME IN FAIRFAX COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND I REALLY LOVE THANKSGIVING AS A HOLIDAY. IT IS TRULY AMERICAN HOLIDAY AND I AM THANKFUL TO BE BACK AND TO BE WORKING AGAIN IN THE FAIRFAX FAMILY AND WITH THIS BOARD. I HOPE YOU ALL
129GET SOME TIME WITH YOUR FAMILIES FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE THIS WEEKEND. AND LET THEM KNOW YOU APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO AND I HOPE THEY WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW MUCH YOU DO ON BEHALF OF FAIRFAX COUNTY. THANK YOU, DR. BRABRAND. YOU GOT A STANDING OVATION AT OUR LUNCHEON THIS AFTERNOON. IT WAS A GREAT SPEECH. I WILL CALL ON MS. McLAUGHLIN ON PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE REPORT. JUST BRIEFLY, I DO WANT TO LET MY COLLEAGUES KNOW THAT THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE MET ON MONDAY BEFORE ALL DAY WORK SESSION. WE HAD A WONDERFUL SUMMARY FROM ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT THERESA JOHNSON WHO TALKED ABOUT THE GREAT SUCCESS OF THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS CONFERENCE. THE TURNOUT WAS OUTSTANDING. THERE WAS OVER 800 REGISTERED PARTICIPANTS FROM 400 IN PREVIOUS YEARS. WE ARE VERY EXCITED. THERE WERE OVER 50 SESSIONS THAT WERE
130OFFERED. SO THERE WAS CERTAINLY TREMENDOUS TURNOUT AND INTEREST IN THE COMMUNITY ON THIS CONFERENCE AND VERY PLEASED AND APPRECIATIVE OF BOTH THERESA JOHNSON AND HER ENTIRE TEAM WHO HELPED PUT ON SUCH A GREAT CONFERENCE TO DR. BRABRAND WHO PARTICIPATED AS ONE OF OUR KEY SPEAKERS. I THINK IT WAS A FANTASTIC WAY TO INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR LARGER COMMUNITY AND TO HELP REALLY ALLOW YOU TO SPEAK TO AN ISSUE I KNOW YOU CARE DEEPLY ABOUT AS WELL FOR OUR STUDENTS. AND I ALSO, WE TALKED ABOUT BASICALLY SOME OF THE WAYS IN WHICH THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL WANT TO LOOK AT OUR CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PROCESS. SO THAT IS BEING REVIEWED CAREFULLY BY P.E.C. TO MY OTHER COLLEAGUES, I WANT YOU TO KNOW WE ARE DOING A LOT OF THE HEAVY LIFTING RIGHT NOW TO LOOK AT WAYS
131TO OPTIMIZE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND INCLUDING OUR EMPLOYEES. WHO REALLY WANT TO ENSURE THEY HAVE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD. AND I WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO OUR CLERK, EILEEN MULLBURG, WHO IS REALLY HELPING US ALSO LOOK AT THE BEST WAY TO PERHAPS MAKE SOME CHANGES. SO WE WILL BE BRINGING THAT TO YOU, BUT I THINK IT IS GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER MEETING OR TWO TO FLESH THAT OUT. AND THEN WE DID HAVE SOME CONFERENCE ABOUT THE WEBSITE AS A CONTINUATION OF A PRIOR MEETING WHERE I WAS TRAVELING AND COULDN'T ATTEND. ONE OF THE KEY THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT FROM THE WEBSITE IS RESTORING SOMETHING WE HAD ON THE PRIOR WEBSITE, THE TOPICS OF INTEREST. SOME OF THE KEY ISSUES. FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE THE CALENDAR WAS A VERY KEY INTEREST
132FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND BEING ABLE TO SPOTLIGHT THAT ON THE HOME PAGE. THE JEB STUART IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS, BEING ABLE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE MORE CURRENT ISSUES FOR PEOPLE TO EASILY FIND THOSE THINGS. AND THEN APPRECIATED THAT THERE WAS ALSO DISCUSSION ON HOW WE COULD BETTER SOLICIT COMMUNITY INPUT AND HAVING AN OPTION ON THE HOME PAGE AGAIN WHERE PEOPLE REALLY FEEL LIKE THEY CAN EASILY IDENTIFY HOW DO I BRING FORWARD AN ISSUE OF CONCERN. OTHERWISE, I APPRECIATE THE TIME AND ATTENTION MY COLLEAGUES ARE GIVING TO THIS. I DO THINK OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE IS A WAY WE CAN HELP STRENGTHEN THE BOARD'S CONNECTION TO THE COMMUNITY. IS BOARD MATTERS, I BEGIN WITH MS. EVANS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WANT TO THANK GLEN FOREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR INVITING ME TO A WONDERFUL CHERRY BLOSSOM
133CEREMONY TODAY. MR. CANUGI, WHO IS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF A. & A. AND THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NATIONAL CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL WERE THERE TO CELEBRATE THE PLANTING OF SEVERAL CHERRY BLOSSOMS. MR. CANUGI IS A GRADUATE OF GLEN FOREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. HE CAME BACK NEARLY 50 YEARS AFTER HE HAD BEEN THERE REMEMBERING FONDLY HIS TIME AT GLEN FOREST ELEMENTARY AND GIVING BACK IN THIS WAY. I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL SPRING TO SEE THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS. I WANT TO THANK MR. MOON AND MR. McELVEEN FOR JOINING ME THERE FOR THIS CERTAIN CEREMONY. I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A HAPPY, HEALTHY AND RESTFUL THANKSGIVING WEEKEND. MS. McLAUGHLIN. IN ADDITION TO ENFORCING THE MESSAGE FROM DR. BRABRAND I WANT TO SAY TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE LEADERSHIP TEAM AND MY COLLEAGUES, I AM VERY THANKFUL TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU AND LIVE
134IN A COUNTY THAT SO DEEPLY VALUES PUBLIC EDUCATION AND REALLY ALLOWS US TO TRY AND DO OUR VERY BEST EVERY DAY TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF CHILDREN. AND I DO WANT TO SAY FOR THOSE OF YOU UNABLE TO JOIN US AT VSBA, I THOUGHT IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST I HAVE ATTENDED IN MANY YEARS. THE SESSIONS WERE VERY RELEVANT. I HOPE TO FIND SOME TIME MAYBE OVER THANKSGIVING BREAK TO TYPE UP SUMMARY NOTES OF THE KEY SESSIONS I ENJOYED. REALLY FELT THERE WERE THINGS WE CAN BRING BACK AND HOPEFULLY SHARE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND IMPROVE THE WORK THAT WE DO. FINALLY, I WANTED TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO ONE OF MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TARA CENTER, THEY HOSTED THE VETERANS' DAY CELEBRATION AND DR. BRABRAND IT WAS REALLY AMAZING TO SEE HOW THE PRINCIPAL, HER
135ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM AND THE MUSIC TEACHERS AND SECOND GRADE CHORAL GROUP SANG THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SONGS. THEY HELD A BREAKFAST SPONSORED BY THE P.T.A. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY FILLED TO CAPACITY IN THE CAFETERIA WITH ALL THE PARENTS WHO CAME OUT IN HONOR OF SUCH AN IMPORTANT REMEMBRANCE OF WHAT IT MEANS FOR ALL OF OUR VETERANS WHO HAVE FOUGHT AND DIED FOR THE FREEDOM. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. I WILL SAY TO MY COLLEAGUES, SOME OF THE INPUT I GOT FROM SOME OF THE MILITARY FAMILIES, ON THE ONE HAND THEY LOVE BEING ABLE TO COME TO THESE CELEBRATIONS AND BECAUSE WE ARE IN SCHOOL IT HAS ALLOWED THEM TO BE THERE. HOWEVER, THEY ALSO SAID THAT AT MINIMUM THEY WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER THAT IS ONE OF THE DAYS WHERE WE DID AN EARLY RELEASE. THEY HAVE THE BEST
136OF BOTH WORLDS, COME, VISIT THEIR CHILDRENS SCHOOL, VISIT IN THE CLASSROOM AND HAVE PART OF THE IMPORTANT HOLIDAY AND TIME WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. MOSTLY THEY ALL UNDERSTOOD THERE IS A SORT OF ADVANTAGES BOTH WAYS, HOLDING THOSE CELEBRATIONS ON VETERANS' DAY AND MAYBE DOING IT ON A DAY NEARBY. HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND SAFE TRAVELS TO ANY AND ALL WHO ARE TRAVELING. MS. PALCHIK. MS. McLAUGHLIN, I'M GLAD YOU GOT THAT FEEDBACK FOR THEM. I HOPE THAT WILL COME FORWARD FOR THE NEXT CALENDAR. BEING IN SCHOOL FULL TIME, I GET LESS OPPORTUNITY TO GO VISIT. I DID HAVE A CHANCE TO COME BACK. I LOVE BEING AT LUTHER JACKSON DURING THE DAY WHEN THERE ARE KIDS HERE, SEEING THEM ROAMING THE HALLS AND READING IN THE HALLWAY. I WANT TO THANK PRINCIPAL LEHMAN WHO TAKES ME ON
137A GREAT TOUR AND THE ABILITY TO SIT IN ON A SPANISH CLASS. I APPRECIATE THAT. I WANT TO THANK SEVERAL FAITH LEADERS AND MR. MOON AND MS. McLAUGHLIN, TO PUT TOGETHER A GROUP AND THE FAITH LEADERS IN FAIRFAX COUNTY TO SEE HOW WE CAN TACKLE STUDENT WELLNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. WE STARTED SOME GOOD CONVERSATIONS AND HOPE THEY CONTINUE TO GROW. AND BEYOND THAT, IT HAS BEEN A HECTIC, STRESSFUL AND ANXIOUS TIME FOR MANY OF US AND I DO HOPE EVERYONE GETS A CHANCE TO REST, RELAX AND BE WITH FAMILY ON THIS THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY. THANK YOU. MR. McELVEEN. SO I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT DECEMBER 5th IS NOT ONLY OUR LEGISLATIVE RECEPTION, BUT THE DAY WE WILL BE KICKING OFF OUR STUDENT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT EVERY SINGLE MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT EVEN
138LEE HAD SOMEONE APPLY TO THE PROGRAM. WE WILL BE MOVING FORWARD TO THAT AND LOOK FORWARD TO TREATING A NEW SET OF STUDENTS TO THE WORK OF THE BOARD OVER THE COMING YEAR. HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE. MS. CORBETT SANDERS. YES, THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK THE U.S.O. AND THE MILITARY FAMILIES ORGANIZATION FOR THE WONDERFUL EVENT THAT I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND WITH MR. McELVEEN AT SOUTH COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL. AS WELL AS THE VETERANS ASSOCIATION SUPPORTING VETERANS AND P.T.A. ASSOCIATION SUPPORTING HOLLAND MEADOWS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHERE THEY DID A RECITATION OF "OLD GLORY." IT WAS MOVING. THE TRAVIS MANION FOUNDATION FOR A DAY OF SERVICE AT WEST POTOMAC HIGH SCHOOL. THOSE WERE WONDERFUL WAYS OF CELEBRATING OUR VETERANS' DAY. I WANT TO JUST THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR THE AMOUNT OF TIME THEY SPENT AT THE VSBA THIS
139PAST WEEK. I AGREE WITH MS. McLAUGHLIN, IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST FRUITFUL CONFERENCES I HAVE ATTENDED, WITH SPECIAL BREAKOUT SESSIONS ON POVERTY. THE IMPACT OF POVERTY IN OUR SCHOOLS AS WELL AS CHANGES IN SCHOOL LAW. AND A NUMBER OF OTHER IMPORTANT SESSIONS. SO IT WAS VERY USEFUL AND HELPFUL AND FINALLY I WANT TO WISH EVERYBODY A VERY HAPPY AND CELEBRATORY THANKSGIVING. IT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE HOLIDAYS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYBODY TO JUST STOP, REFLECT ON HOW LUCKY WE ARE TO BE THANKFUL, BUT TO SPEND TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS. AND TO TAKE TIME TO ALSO SUPPORT THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT MAY NOT HAVE AS MUCH. SO HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYBODY. MR. MOON. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WAS HAPPY TO JOIN MS. EVANS AND OTHER
140AT LARGE BOARD MEMBER MR. McELVEEN AT GLEN FOREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TODAY. WHEN MR. CANUGI WAS THERE, HE SHARED WITH US THAT HE HAD TO SPEND TWO YEARS HERE FROM 1969 TO 1971. SINCE THEN A LOT HAS CHANGED. BACK THEN HE WAS ONLY ONE OF TWO STUDENTS WHO -- FOR WHOM ENGLISH WAS A SECOND LANGUAGE. NOW THERE IS ONE OF THE LARGEST ESOL POPULATION IS AT THAT SCHOOL. I'M GOING TO CHANGE THAT TO MY GRAY SCREEN. CLOSE TO 50% OF THE STUDENTS AT GLEN FOREST ARE BEING EDUCATED IN -- THANK YOU. MS. HINES. I WILL PASS TONIGHT. MS. SCHULTZ. YES, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK IRVING MIDDLE SCHOOL, ALL THE ADMINISTRATORS IN REGION FOUR WHO CAME OUT FOR DR. BRABRAND'S LISTENING TOUR THAT WAS PHENOMENAL, FILLED UP THE AUDITORIUM THERE. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
141TUESDAY THE 28th WHERE WE ARE GOING TO INVITE YOU BACK TO MY REGION. CHANTILLY HIGH SCHOOL FOR REGION FIVE. LISTENING TOUR. THAT WILL BE TERRIFIC. I DO WANT TO THANK THANKSTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR ANOTHER INCREDIBLE VETERANS' DAY OPPORTUNITY. I WANT TO SHARE I HAD A WONDERFUL DISCUSSION WITH OUR COLLEAGUES FROM THE PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD AT THE VSBA CONFERENCE. THEY SHARED WITH ME THEY FOUND A WAY TO RECOGNIZE VETERANS' DAY DAY ON THEIR CALENDAR. I MADE SURE TO SHARE THEIR CALENDAR WITH YOU MR. RAMEY. THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING TO LEAD ON, BEING THE FACT WE HAVE THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF VETERANS IN ANY COUNTY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I DO LOOK FORWARD IN ADDITION TO HAVE A BUSY WEEK THE WEEK AFTER THANKSGIVING. TUESDAY I WILL BE WITH DR. BRABRAND
142AT CHANTILLY HIGH SCHOOL FOR REGION FIVE AND WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY, I USUALLY DO THREE. I'M NOT ABLE TO FIT IN THREE BEFORE -- WITH MEETING OBLIGATION, TWO CITIZEN TOWN HALLS. THE FIRST WILL BE AT FAIR VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I WILL BE MEETING PRIORITY AT OAK VIEW WITH THE BOY SCOUTS THEN I WILL DASH OVER TO FAIRVIEW AT 7:00 FOR CITIZEN TOWN HALL FROM 7:00 TO 8:30 AND THURSDAY THE OTHER END OF THE COUNTY, THE OTHER END OF MY DISTRICT TO ORANGE HUNT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR ANOTHER CITIZEN TOWN HALL FROM 7:00 TO 8:00. THAT IS OPEN TO ALL RESIDENTS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE PARENTS IN THAT SCHOOL. THEY ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY LOCATED. I DO THANK ALL OF THE STUDENTS WHO APPLIED. I MAY HAVE HAD ANOTHER RECORD-SETTING NUMBER OF STUDENTS APPLY TO BE IN THE LEADERSHIP
143COHORT. A LOT OF SOPHOMORES. IF YOU DIDN'T GET PICKED, REAPPLY NEXT YEAR. YOU HAVE YOUR SOPHOMORE AND JUNIOR YEAR TO APPLY. IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT DECISION. EVERYBODY IS, I WOULD LIKE TO PICK EVERYBODY. BUT I DO HAVE A STUDENT COMING FROM LAKE BRADDOCK. I TEND TO GO AROUND MY DISTRICT. I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU WHO DID THAT, THE PRINCIPAL AND GUIDANCE COUNSELORS WHO ENCOURAGED THEIR STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE EVEN IN APPLICATION PROCESS. THE FACT THOSE COME TO US AND WE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THROUGH THOSE EVEN IF YOU WEREN'T SELECTED, IT IS A WONDERFUL PROCESS TO BEGIN THE APPLICATIONS. THANK YOU AND EVERYBODY HAVE A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING. MS. DERENAK KAUFAX. YES. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE PARENTS OF CLAIREMONT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR ORGANIZING AN AMAZING VETERANS' DAY CELEBRATION. IT WAS TRULY INSPIRATIONAL. I
144ALSO ATTENDED THE WEST POTOMAC DAY OF IN-SERVICE TRAINING AND WITH THE TRAVIS MANION FOUNDATION. THAT WAS AMAZING, TOO, TO SEE ALL THE STUDENTS THERE ENGAGED IN THEIR COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS AND HAND IN HAND WORKING WITH VETERANS AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE FAIRFAX COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FAIRFAX COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS. SO THAT WAS INSPIRATIONAL. I WANT TO THANK THE WASHINGTON REDSKINS CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION WITH ALL THE KIDS YOU DO WITH OUR KIDS IN REGION THREE, READING IN THE CLASSROOM AND SOME KIDS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND A REDSKINS GAME LAST WEEKEND. AND THAT WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE FOR THEM. THANK YOU ALSO TO THE PARENTS WHO ATTENDED MY COMMUNITY COFFEE LAST WEEK. I APPRECIATED YOU COMING OUT AND SHARING YOUR CONCERNS AND COMPLIMENTS WITH ME. ALSO ENJOYED WITH MY COLLEAGUES, I ATTENDED THE VSBA CONFERENCE
145AT THE END OF LAST WEEK. I FOUND IT VERY INSPIRATIONAL. TODAY ATTENDING THE STATE OF THE SCHOOLS CONVERSATION WITH DR. BRABRAND, PUT ON BY OUR FOUNDATION AND OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS. IT WAS WONDERFUL. I SAT AT A TABLE WITH ONE OF THE COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS THAT WON. AND MANY OF THESE GROUPS ARE PRIMARILY VOLUNTEERS WITH SMALL STAFFS AND IT IS REALLY BECAUSE OF GROUPS LIKE THESE THAT ORGANIZE BACKPACK DRIVES THAT GIVE FOOD OVER WEEKENDS AND ORGANIZATION TO FAMILIES THAT MAY NOT HAVE FOOD IN THEIR HOMES IF THEY ARE NOT PROVIDED VIA OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. IT IS AN AMAZING GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS. AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE HAVE. I WAS PRIVILEGED TO MEET SEVERAL OF YOU AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE. MS. KEYES-GAMARRA. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLKS AT FLINT HILL ELEMENTARY. I ATTENDED THEIR VETERANS' DAY
146PROGRAM AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY QUITE A PLEASURE SINCE MY CHILDREN ATTENDED THAT SCHOOL. I ALSO WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT MY FIRST NEWSLETTER, WHICH I FIND VERY EXCITING, WILL COME OUT THIS WEEK AND MY FIRST SET OF OFFICE HOURS WILL BE THIS FRIDAY AT THE OAKTON LIBRARY. WE ARE MOVING RIGHT ALONG. I WANT TO CUT IT SHORT. I DID GO TO THE LUNCHEON, I WANT TO THANK KEVIN REYNOLDS. I MOSTLY WANT TO SAY HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND GOOD NIGHT. I WANT TO THANK FRANKLIN SHERMAN FOR INVITING ME TO THEIR VETERANS' DAY CEREMONY AND THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT'S LUNCHEON AND PARTICULARLY RECOGNIZE ELIZABETH MURPHY, THE CEO OF OUR EDUCATION FOUNDATION AND THOSE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO OUR FOUNDATION. GIVES US ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO HELP MANY WORTHY PROGRAMS WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS AND THANK YOU DR. BRABRAND FOR YOUR
147INSPIRING SPEECH. WE APPRECIATE THAT. VERY GOOD. NOW, THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS TO GO BACK INTO CLOSED MEETING. OUR WORK ISN'T DONE. THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL MAKE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED MEETING TO DISCUSS DISCIPLINARY MATTERS CONCERNING TWO STUDENTS 2.2, 3' 11, TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING THE PROVISION OF LEGAL ADVICE. PERSONNEL MATTERS, TITLE 9:00, THE LEGALITY OF CERTAIN FEES AND FC VS. SCHOOL BOARD CASE. PURSUANT TO TO SECTIONS 2.2-3711A7 AND A8. THREE, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER PERSONNEL MATTERS, SPECIFICALLY THE ASSIGNMENT, PROMOTION, DEMOTION, DISCIPLINE OR RESIGNATION OF A SPECIFIC EMPLOYEE ACCORDING TO THE CODE OF VIRGINIA. IS THERE A MOTION? MOVED BY MS. CORBETT SANDERS. SECONDED BY MS. PALCHIK. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. UNANIMOUS. THE SCHOOL BOARD IS NOW IN CLOSED SESSION. THANK YOU.