Thread by @FFXParentsAssoc

SB Mtg Open 🧵 For the 2nd week in a row, the school board encounters technical problems when it's time to play a video from Stephanie Lundquist Aurora.

Earlier, many students spoke eloquently in favor of a varsity boys volleyball program.

During academic matters, Dr. Reid updates FCPS's compensatory services efforts (provided due to FCPS violating the civil rights of students w disabilities).
-FCPS provided $5.5 million & 27,000 comp. service hours.
-FCPS is 97% complete & has been granted an extension from DOE.

SB member @Megan4Schools notes that the backlog in processing compensatory services claims has been frustrating to families.

Ms. McLaughlin blames DOE for the structure of the settlement & urges FCPS to better communicate w families about their efforts to process claims.

The student rep speaks on behalf of numerous topics:
-furthering student-led efforts to close STEM technology gap at FCPS elementary schools.
-setting consistent grading policy divisionwide based on evidenced based practices.
-more accomodations for prayer spaces.
-renaming Woodson HS (named after segregationist)

Dr. Reid touts record numbers of National Merit semifinalists & commended students, a response to/win for parents that pushed back against FCPS's past efforts to not celebrate kids' accomplishments.

Dr. Reid also announces that schools will be closed on 3/5/24 (primary day).fcps.edu/news/264-fcps-…

@Megan4Schools Dr. Reid delivers the Opening of Schools report.

@Megan4Schools questions what purpose is being served by this report which provides little, if any, substance.

@Megan4Schools Ms. McLaughlin & Dr. Reid note that the 15K new students in the above slide do not represent a growth of 15K students.

In fact, FCPS's student pop. is still well-below where it was prior to the decision to close schools, & is far-below where the pop. was projected to be.

@Megan4Schools The SB passes new executive expectations for the Supt., which among other things requires the Supt to provide an annual monitoring report aligning with enumerated expectations during a public meeting & enables the board to request a corrective action plan, if needed.

@Megan4Schools Ms. Pekarsky & Ms. McLaughlin note that these SB mtgs go far too late, with this mtg going past 11:30 PM despite having only 1 action item ....

@Megan4Schools Neither member admits the reason for these lengthy, late mtgs: late start times coupled with numerous, nonbinding resolutions & proclamations that are often accompanied by treacly, but meaningless, speeches.

These waste the public's time...

@Megan4Schools Our idea: relegate these proclamations/resolutions to 1 mtg a month, where these are the only thing on the agenda.

That way busy parents can pay attention to meetings where the important business of our schools is actually discussed & voted upon.

@Megan4Schools Meeting over.

We hope the school year has started well for everyone's family.

@threadreaderapp please unroll