"I would urge going forward that when you solicit support for this important subject, that we stay focused on that proclamation"
@Karen4Schools criticizes Abrar Omeish for repeatedly raising the Arab-Israeli conflict during a resolution honoring Native Americans.
Ms. Derenak Kaufax also criticizes Ms. Omeish for having the "poor taste" to "use this proclamation to divide rather than bring people together."
One frustrated parent messages us to suggest that the school board needs an elf on a shelf during these meetings to make sure they mind their p's and q's.
During the academic matters segment, Dr. Reid shares results from the 2022-2023 youth survey, which shows improvements in mental health & substance abuse statistics, relative to 2021 historic worsts (that resulted from the decision to close schools).
Ms. McLaughlin says "this is encouraging news, but not good news," referring to the fact that, while the numbers have improved, they are still concerning, such as the fact that 1 in 9 students considered suicide in the previous year.
Dr. Reid mentions the burgeoning absenteeism problem at FCPS, again blaming it in part on food insecurity, an explanation that doesn't explain why the problem has exponentially increased in recent years.
A recent @The74 article analyzed this problem & came to a more coherent explanation: prolonged school shutdowns & remote learning sent the clear message to children & parents that school doesn't matter, causing record levels of disengagement & absenteeism. news.yahoo.com/confronting-ch…
Dr. Reid mentions that Dr. Gadley, the principal of Dranesville ES is here on her birthday, to assist Dr. Reid.
The SB mtg, which earlier included 1.5 hours of proclamations, was delayed for 10 minutes when the YouTube feed went out. It's now past 10 pm #worstbirthdayever
Dr. Reid discusses efforts in the Dranesville district to implement school improvement plans furthering academic growth goals.
Under questioning from Dr. Anderson, @FCPSSupt concedes that teacher evals are not aligned to the plans & some time has been wasted "planning to plan."
@FCPSSupt Dr. Reid delivers the Goal 3 report, showing some improvement in 3rd grade literacy, 8th grade Algebra participation, & completion of advanced coursework by HS students-but still well short of FCPS's 90% targets, particularly when subgroups like English learners are analyzed.
@FCPSSupt FCPS's CFO delivers a presentation on midyear budget adjustments.
FCPS plans to use excess sales tax & IDEA funds to pay for ES security cameras, background checks, the Woodson renaming & restorative justice trainings.
@FCPSSupt Kent Gardens ES boundary change: The SB considers adopting Scenario B, relocating an estimated 380 students at 5 elementary schools.
SB members assert that they tried to accommodate concerns from the community, including splitting siblings & issues w the French immersion prgrm.
@FCPSSupt Dr. Anderson suggests that future boundary changes be handled by FCPS operational staff, rather than being "schoolboard member led."
Ms. McLaughlin worries about the costs from & precedent set by grandfathering so many, all the way down to rising 2nd graders.
@FCPSSupt The SB votes to pass Scenario B
@FCPSSupt The SB votes to pass a state & federal legislative program, which will use a recent Joint Legislative Audit & Review Commission report to push for more state funding & will also lobby Congress for more funding for IDEA & Title I schools.
@FCPSSupt The meeting adjourns at midnight.
Once again the SB pushes important business into the late hours, when the public has tuned out, to accommodate a compulsion for lengthy speechifying & endless, nonbinding proclamations.
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Seemingly every area politician shows up to attend the meeting, as the school board issues proclamations honoring the late Cong. Connolly & former SB member Janie Strauss.
"Some of the people on this SB who want to spend this $ on a 1-time bonus wanted to indefinitely postpone my budget amendments to make sure our kids are safe. I find that reprehensible.."
@mateodunne_sb expresses ire at a proposal to use $11 million to give employees 1-time bonuses, while scuttling, due to cost, Dunne's proposals at the last mtg for increased security.
@mateodunne_sb The SB votes to approve the bonuses, with 1-time $1000 bonuses going to most employees, funded from $19.7 million from Richmond & $11.7 million from FCPS funds.
The SB argues that spending the $11.7 million is necessary to avoid losing the Richmond funding.
"SB members quietly created new staff..totalling $1.5 million. Meanwhile FCPS leadership announced reductions to the no. of special ed. leads in ES & the no. of adv. academic resource teachers.."
Stephanie Lundquist Aurora calls for an independent audit of FCPS spending.
"Bad things happen in the bathrooms.."
@MateoDunne argues for various budget amendments incl. adding security personnel at MS & HS.
Ms. Meren seeks to suspend the rules & cut off all debate, to stop any change to the (lousy) budget deal negotiated w the teachers union.
@MateoDunne Ms. Meren's motion to indefinitely cut off all discussion of budget amendments passes.
The SB votes to amend the SRR to have the Chief Equity Office study the "disproportionality" of punishments dispensed when a student has a weapon or commits an assault.
The timing of this equity measure, so soon after the recent stabbing, is head scratching.
"Voting down a motion you haven't even given the time..to discuss w the motion makers.. & then voting for a motion that we never discussed publicly is poor public policy."
Ms. Meren criticizes the SB for voting down a motion complying w VA law restricting cellphones & voting instead for a less stringent measure.
"As an attorney, I appreciate creative lawyering, but there is a difference between creative lawyering & blatant disregard of the law."
Mr. Dunne criticizes the SB for attempting to carve out a lunchtime cellphone exception, in violation of state law.
For the second meeting in a row, embattled budget chair, Kyle McDaniel, attends the meeting remotely. bizjournals.com/washington/new…
The school board announces that the next student representative will be Faith MeKonen, a South County HS junior.
Dr. Anderson announces she is tabling a motion to approve a pilot program for later start times at Poe, Holmes & Glasgow Middle schools to further study the plan.
Budget Chair Kyle McDaniel, who is currently being sued for allegedly embezzling funds to use on strip clubs & vacations, logs in remotely.
Only in a broken system lacking accountability, like FCPS, would this be met with complete indifference wusa9.com/article/news/l…
The SB passes a relatively small budget adjustment as part of the 3rd quarter budget review, using funds from a vaping class action settlement to fund additional security equipment.
"Given that there is not a K-3 Social Studies textbook, how is consistency.. & anti-racism incorporated into the creation of those materials?"
A: "We do work w our specialists that specialize in culturally responsive pedagogy to ensure that those meet the standard for our framework for culturally responsive pedagogy."
In response to a question from Ms. Meren, Asst. Supt. Klimenko states that anti-racism principles are incorporated into FCPS's instructional materials.
SB votes to approve the boundary study scope to alleviate overcrowding at Coates ES & Parklawn ES to include some 35+ schools.
The goal is to get a jump start on boundary changes for these schools prior to the comprehensive boundary review.
The SB votes to get rid of the Family Life Education Curriculum Advisory Committee (FLECAC) & instead make FLE curriculum decisions through an internal FCPS committee subject to public & SB review.
The move happens after numerous controversies arising from politically based proposals (often at odds w community preferences) being promoted by the existing FLECAC, which is comprised of various political activists put on the committee to reward their support of the SB.