Coraggio Consulting
Henrico County School Board Monthly Meeting, Thursday, April 18, 2024

Date: Thursday, April 18, 2024
Place: Henrico County School Board, Virginia
Length: 1h 8m (video)
Official meeting video (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFzdr-r7Xh4
Official meeting portal (Henrico County Public Schools, Diligent Community): https://henricoschools.community.diligentoneplatform.com/Portal/MeetingTypeList.aspx

Machine transcript (speech-to-text) produced by Coraggio Consulting. Not an official county record. Names and numbers may be misspelled; check the video at the timestamp before quoting.
Speech-to-text: whisper.cpp, model large-v3-turbo. Produced 2026-10-26. Timestamps are [HH:MM:SS] into the meeting video.

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[00:00:06] good evening we extend a warm welcome to each and every one of you to the april 18th 2024 monthly meeting of the henrico school board we have an enriching experience ahead as we delve into and explore opportunities for students and staff as well as celebrate on this evening the first item on the agenda is the approval of the agenda. Is there a motion? I move that the school board

[00:00:42] approve the agenda for today's meeting. Thank you, Mrs. Shea. Is there a second? Second. Thank you so much. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposed? The ayes have it. The agenda is approved. The next item is the introduction of visitors, and I want to take a moment to acknowledge that we have the Gumbo Boy Scout troop with us this evening.

[00:01:10] Thank you so much for being here. Let's do a hand clap for them. All right, Dr. Cashwell. - Thank you, Chair Atkins, members of the board.

[00:01:26] Good evening. And to our student visitors, staff visitors, families who have joined us, it's an honor to have you with us this evening. We'll begin our meeting as we always do, which will be with the Pledge of Allegiance, which will be followed by a moment of silence. Our Pledge of Allegiance this evening is led by guests from Chamberlain Elementary.

[00:01:45] So at this time, I'd like to have their principal come to the podium to introduce the fantastic students he has joining him who are going to lead us in the pledge. If you'd make your way up to the podium and students, you can take a step onto the stage.

[00:02:02] Your principal will introduce you. Good evening. Thank you, Dr. Cashwell, esteemed school board members. My name is Charlie Goad. I am the proud principal at Chamberlain Elementary School. I would like to introduce to you some of our wonderful scholars. In fifth grade, we have Anna Meza.

[00:02:20] In third grade, we have Jaden Washington. In fourth grade, we have Sina McWilliams. And in fifth grade, we have Luke Parham. And if you would please stand. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

[00:02:52] Thank you to our students for leading us with the pledge. Would you please give them a round of applause? You can turn back and face the audience. And if you would please remain standing as you're able for our moment of silence.

[00:03:10] And our chair, Mrs. Atkins, will lead us in that this evening. Thank you. At this time, we will have a moment of silence, which may be used by those in attendance for personal reflection, prayer, or meditation. This evening's moment of silence also will honor the young, tender souls whose lives have gone on to glory in recent weeks.

[00:03:34] We extend our deepest condolences to all who have been touched by this profound loss. May our thoughts and sympathy serve as a beacon of support and a reminder that we are not alone. Let us now observe this moment of silence together.

[00:03:51] Please pause now for a moment of silence.

[00:04:02] That concludes our moment of silence. You may be seated. A great photo moment for our Chamberlain group. We really appreciate them being here after a long

[00:04:34] day of school to lead us in the pledge. All right. And our next items are recognition items. Good evening, Madam Chair, school board members, and Dr. Cashwell. Tonight, we're proud to recognize Henrico's newly certified National Board Certified Teachers and the staff members who recently renewed their certification. Certification from the National Board of Professional Teaching standards is among the profession's highest marks of accomplishment nbcts are three times

[00:05:11] more likely to remain in the profession when compared to their non-certified peers and students of board certified teachers show higher rates of achievement engagement and motivation within the classroom this year 22 henrico county public schools educators earned national board certification in addition 24 educators renewed their certification the group of newly certified board certified hcps teachers is the largest of any virginia school division this year nationally

[00:05:45] hcps ranks 17th ahead of large school systems such as new york city philadelphia and san francisco this success is made possible through the leadership of our school board and dr cashwell who have ensured that henrico fully reimburses the cost of the entire board certification process for our candidates tonight we are excited to recognize several of our newly certified and newly renewed staff members educators as i read your name please come forward and remain at the front of the dais for a group photo 2023-2024 national board certified teachers

[00:06:24] Cindy Nelson-Blakely, Mayfid Elementary. Katie Brady, Academy at Virginia Randolph. Lisa Dingman, Cuiacuson Middle School.

[00:06:51] Dr. Catrissa Ford, Academy at Virginia Randolph. Deborah Nadeau, Elementary Literacy Coach.

[00:07:13] Nirali Jantrania, Deep Run High School. Aaron Willoughby, Verina High School. We're also pleased to welcome HCPS staff members who have recently renewed their board certification.

[00:07:44] Dr. Drew Baker, Office of Professional Learning. Kathleen Cangelliosi, Twin Hickory Elementary School. Donna Letson, also from Twin Hickory Elementary School.

[00:08:09] And Diane Sharp, Mayfitt Elementary. And finally, Megan Atkins, Springfield Park Elementary School. Congratulations to Henrico's newly certified board-certified teachers and the staff members who recently renewed their certification.

[00:08:52] Good evening, Chair Atkins, members of the board, Dr. Cashwell, colleagues, and guests.

[00:10:02] My name is Kenya Jackson, and I serve as the Talent Acquisition Ambassador. One of our strategic goals is to recruit, retain, and reward educators who nurture the whole child. In relation to that goal, today I would like to highlight one of our Grow Your Own initiatives, the HCPS Teacher Scholars Program. In 2015, the Teacher Scholars Program was implemented to address staffing needs and the increasing demand for highly qualified teachers in critical shortage areas such as foreign languages,

[00:10:38] mathematics, exceptional education, the sciences, and technology education. The The eligibility is now expanded to all content areas. The program is marketed to our students through a variety of mechanisms to include the Teach for Tomorrow program in our schools, the Specialty Center of Education and Human Development at Glen Allen High School, alternative programs such as Academy of Virginia Randolph through school counselors, school-based visits to all high schools, and social media platforms.

[00:11:16] To date, 21 HCPS students have been hired as division teachers with more in the pipeline. Over the past several weeks, the Human Resources Department was pleased to inform 24 high school seniors from the graduating class of 2024 of their acceptance into the teacher scholars program this cohort is particularly exciting as they represent

[00:11:46] all nine high schools let's take a look you have been selected as one of our teacher scholars for the class of 2020 we are pleased to announce that you have been selected as one of our teacher scholars for the class of 2000. You have been selected

[00:12:19] as one of our teacher scholars for the class of 2000. Congratulations to you. And this one feels really good because I was your principal when you were in fifth grade.

[00:12:37] Good to see you. We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected as one of our teacher-scholars.

[00:12:48] We are pleased to announce that you have been accepted as one of our teacher-scholars.

[00:13:19] We are the Teacher Scholars for the Class of 2012! Congratulations! Thank you!

[00:13:37] I'm so proud of you! Hello! Hello! Hello, Amy! We are the Teacher Scholars for the Class of 2012! Being accepted to the Teacher Scholars Center!

[00:13:55] Hi, Victoria! Hi! Hi! Oh my gosh! You have been selected as one of our Teacher Scholars for the Class of 2012!

[00:14:12] - Thank you. - One of our teacher scholars for the class of 2020. - Thank you so much.

[00:14:27] - Any idea, Maui? - I think. - So you applied for the teacher scholars program. You have been selected as one of our teacher scholars for the class of 2020. - Thank you so much. - Congratulations to you.

[00:14:50] - Julia, right? You remember us? - Yes. - Remember us? - Yes, yeah, yeah. - Do you have an idea, Maui? - Mm-hmm. - Oh, oh! - For the teacher scholars? - Here we are, we are here, you can bring it. - Oh, you guys got me nervous. I'm like, "I'm going for it, what did I do?" - You have been selected as one of the teacher scholars - Oh my gosh!

[00:15:09] - Teacher scholars for the class of 2024. - Thank you so much. - For the class of 2024. - Thank you. - Congratulations. - I'm so excited. - Thank you. - Thank you guys so much, you're so happy. Thank you.

[00:15:24] - Congratulations. - Sorry. - Hi, Mom. I love the excitement. Upon completion of college requirements and licensure we will welcome these scholars back to teach the next generation of Henrico students. Addressing the retain and reward aspects of our strategic goal these scholars will also receive a $5,000 signing bonus and a guaranteed teaching position in Henrico

[00:16:02] County, which is contingent upon a three-year teaching commitment to the school division. We have many of our teacher scholars here with us tonight. Again, there are 24 that were awarded the teacher scholar program.

[00:16:20] As I call your name, please come forward to be recognized and remain standing for a group photo. Victoria Orojo. Addison Dodge.

[00:16:42] Meena Ramsuk. These three scholars are from Deep Run High School.

[00:16:58] From Freeman High School, we have Walker Bristow. Emmy Iris. From Glen Allen High School, we have Elizabeth Canfield.

[00:17:23] Julia Cole. Riley Riviello. Chesslyn Swanson.

[00:17:41] Reese Wasserman. Katherine Hernandez. Sarah Mandeville, two from Godwin High School. From Henrico High School, we have Meldman Moore, Mel Diamond Moore, Myesha Ruffin. From Hermitage High School, we have Josnay Jones.

[00:18:21] From Highland Springs High School, we have Maya Carroll, Kiora Zariah Powell. From Tucker High School, we have Janae Athie, Charlotte Barnes. From Verina High School, we have Haley Butler.

[00:19:00] And not with us tonight, we have Kayla Bowton from Glenallen, Leah Grimes from Glenallen, and Johnny Ramamuthi, and from Verina High School, we have Christopher Steele.

[00:19:22] Let's give all of our teacher scholars a round of applause. I want to particularly thank our HR staff, principals, school counselors, teachers, families, and other invested stakeholders for all of your support throughout this process.

[00:19:51] Congratulations again to our newest teacher scholars and thank you school board members and Dr. Cashwell for your continued support of the program.

[00:20:31] - Madam Chair, members of the board, Dr. Cashwell, colleagues and guests. My name is Courtney Bostain and I serve as the Director of Innovation. I am delighted to present the 2024 School Librarians of the Year. These awards recognize the achievements of our librarians throughout the year and their lasting impact on our educational community.

[00:20:52] They are celebrated for their innovation, collaboration, and dedication to fostering a love of reading and learning. Joining me tonight is Rebecca Hardin, our library services specialist, who will present the awards to our honored librarians. Please welcome Audra Vanderlaan of Glen Lee Elementary School and Katie Kyer of Tuckahoe Middle School, our Elementary and Secondary School Librarians of the Year.

[00:21:25] Audra Vanderland has been with Hemrico for 13 years, initially serving as an exceptional education teacher before transitioning to her role as librarian. At Glenlee, she has crafted a library that is a sanctuary of joy and curiosity, truly a happy place for our students.

[00:21:46] Her passion for literacy has cultivated a thriving culture of reading. Audra often says, "My goal is for students to learn perseverance and find that spark of curiosity." That is our true measure of success. Thank you, Audra, for inspiring our students.

[00:22:07] Katie Kier has dedicated the last 16 years to our libraries, creating spaces where students feel at home and empowered. She believes in facilitating authentic, student-led learning, making the library a cornerstone of daily student life.

[00:22:23] Katie says, "The students are the heart of what we do. "I am committed to making our library a space "they value for life." Thank you, Katie, for your commitment and enthusiasm.

[00:22:38] In addition to their roles, our winners will mentor new librarians and contribute to professional publications and conferences throughout the upcoming year. Please join me in a final round of applause to celebrate the achievements of Audra and Katie, our School Librarians of the Year.

[00:23:45] again to all of those who were recognized i do want to note that our reb leader winner while noted on the agenda wasn't able to be here this evening so we'll look forward to recognizing him at a future meeting all right next on our agenda are a series of recognitions and each school board member will take an opportunity to dive in and share more information on that particular

[00:24:21] recognition. The first one that we are going to start with is recognition of the 2024 School Librarians of the Year. School Library Month. Oh, we just did that, didn't we? All right. We like our librarians so much, we are going to celebrate School Library Month. Read every day. All right, let's do that again. The next on our agenda is recognition of our school library month. Mrs. Shea, would you do the honors? Absolutely. Whereas the school

[00:25:00] library is to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information and whereas the school librarians role is to provide the leadership and expertise necessary to ensure that the school library is an integral part of the instructional program of the school and whereas the school board has entrusted school librarians to teach the skills of locating and using information to provide literacy appreciation activities and to guide and encourage content and recreational reading to every student and whereas the school library contributes to the individual growth and

[00:25:38] development of all students while fostering both excellence and equity in education and whereas the school librarians of hemrico county public schools have dedicated themselves to work for quality school libraries for all students now therefore be it proclaimed that the school board of hemrico county public schools recognize april 2024 as school library month recognized by the school board of hemrico county public schools this 18th day of april 2024.

[00:26:14] thank you mrs shea and the recognitions continue next with arab american heritage month mrs cancella would you do the honors thank you arab american heritage month whereas henrico county and henrico county public schools are home to a growing number of arab american families and students including individuals of middle eastern and north african origin and whereas henrico County Public Schools proclaims that diversity is its greatest strength. And whereas Arab Americans

[00:26:50] continue to make valuable contributions to the vitality of our community and country and bring rich cultural traditions to our schools. And whereas we seek to acknowledge and learn more about Arab Americans history, culture, and achievements. Now therefore be a proclaim that the School Board of Henrico County Public Schools recognize April 2024 as Arab American Heritage Month and observe this month with appropriate programs and activities throughout our schools.

[00:27:26] Recognized by the School Board of Henrico County Public Schools this 18th day of April 2024. Thank you. The celebrations continue as we move forward with recognition of Autism Acceptance month. Mr. Irving, would you do the honors? Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that one in 36 children have been identified with autism spectrum disorder or ASD, and whereas most recent studies from the Virginia Department of Education in December

[00:28:01] 2022 reported 27,711 students with autism as their primary disability in the Commonwealth, and whereas Henrico County Public Schools empowers all students through inclusive and meaningful learning opportunities with exemplary staff and whereas HCPS values families and caregivers as collaborators with staff to support community and positive relationships for all and whereas HCPS will continue to support inclusivity and educational support training to students staff and families now therefore be it proclaimed

[00:28:38] that the school board of Henrico County Public Schools recognized April 2024 as Autism Acceptance Month. Recognized by the school board of Henrico County Public Schools is 18th day of April 2024. Thank you. And the last recognition is for the military child. Mr. Young.

[00:29:06] Whereas the Commonwealth of Virginia is proud to be home to more than 76,000 children who parents serve in military stationed in Virginia. And whereas Virginia has the highest number of military school-age children in the nation and is committed to being an active participant in the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, which facilitates military children transitioning in school systems across state lines.

[00:29:33] And whereas the children of our service members continue to make significant contributions to schools, communities, the nation, and our Commonwealth, despite prolonged and repeated absences of one or both parents. And whereas in partnership with the Virginia Department of Education, Virginia's public schools remain committed to the care and education of the children of the men and women of our armed forces.

[00:29:58] And whereas April is the month of the military child, a special month to recognize and pay tribute to military families and their children for the daily sacrifices made and for their commitment, courage and unconditional support of our armed forces. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that the school board of Henrico County Public Schools recognize April 2024 as a month of the military child recognized by the school board of Henrico County Public Schools this day, 18th day of April

[00:30:26] 2024. Thank you. Dr. Caswell. Thank you. The next item on the agenda is the Henrico highlight. This evening, we are celebrating the fantastic learning, innovation, and collaboration that happen as students across Henrico County become life-ready. Recently, the division hosted our annual Henrico 21 Life-Ready Learning Exhibition, where the knowledge, skills, and attributes of

[00:31:00] the Henrico Learner Profile, or HLP as it's known, came to life. The night was filled with excitement and passion for the student-centered teaching and learning that takes place every day in every school. Take a look. Henrico 21 is our annual celebration where students from all over our county come together to showcase their projects and learning experiences. It reflects our commitment

[00:31:37] to integrating durable skills such as communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking into our teaching and learning framework. If we put both of them at the same time. Over 700 student presenters demonstrated these durable skills this year through engaging and innovative projects.

[00:31:56] The event is a massive draw, bringing together more than 300 educators and volunteers and attracting around 2,000 family and community members. It's truly a community event that highlights our community support and interest in our students' educational growth and achievements.

[00:32:13] The exhibition also serves as a professional learning platform for our Henrico educators. More than just a showcase, Henrico 21 serves as a catalyst for educational innovation across the county. It inspires educators to create more opportunities for students to present their learning in real-world contexts, boosting their confidence and deepening their understanding of essential knowledge and skills. Henrico 21 isn't just an event, it's a vibrant living demonstration of our commitment to preparing life-ready learners equipped to handle whatever the future holds

[00:32:49] with confidence and capability. At the heart of everything we do are our students. Henrico 21 showcases how every effort and initiative is designed to enrich their lives, providing them with the tools they need to succeed. What a fun-filled night at the new Henrico Sports and

[00:33:25] Entertainment Center, which was also a perfect venue to celebrate our students and their accomplishments in fact the class of 2024 will be the first group of henrico seniors to graduate at the new sports center they will walk across the stage to receive their diplomas in about one month however seniors are already donning their caps and gowns for very special visits to their elementary and middle schools tonight i am proud to celebrate the class of 2024 as our heart of henrico that is

[00:33:59] especially fitting since students are at the heart of all we do as educators. Watch this.

[00:35:04] A great day for the class of 2024, and they are such an inspiration to our younger students

[00:36:39] in the schools they visited. Be sure to mark your calendars for upcoming graduation ceremonies. Henrico Virtual Academy's graduation is May 20th, followed by the AVR graduation on May 21st, And commencement exercises for our other comprehensive high schools are May 29th through 31st.

[00:37:00] Madam Chair, that concludes our highlights for this evening. Thank you, Dr. Cashwell. The next agenda item is the HCPS Mission Statement. Henrico County Public Schools, an innovative leader in educational excellence, We'll actively engage our students in diverse educational, social, and civic learning experiences that inspire and empower them to be contributing citizens.

[00:37:32] With the mission at the forefront, we're going to move into our public forum. This is the time when citizens are invited to address the school board on any matter of concern about the school division. Citizens have signed up in advance and will be given three minutes to address the school board.

[00:37:55] Speakers will be called to speak in the order in which they signed up and may not relinquish their spot to someone else. We ask that each speaker come to the microphone and clearly state your name and school affiliation, if applicable, and the subject of your remarks before speaking.

[00:38:18] After stating your name, please place the number you were given in the cart near the podium. Speakers must present their remarks to the school board, not the audience. It may provide copies of their comments to the school board clerk.

[00:38:35] The use of obscenity or defamation is strictly prohibited and will be ruled out of order. To assist you in tracking your time, there is a timekeeping system displaying the elapsed time on the screen.

[00:38:51] Speakers will also receive a notice from me when that time has expired. The school board is here today to hear from you. We will not be responding to speakers' concerns or questions during the public forum. However, a Henrico staff member will follow up with speakers.

[00:39:12] Stakeholders have also had the opportunity to provide written comments through an online form in advance of the meeting. Those comments are shared with school board members prior to the meeting and they are also posted in board docs.

[00:39:28] Equal consideration and attention will be given both to written and in-person comments. To the contributors of written commentary and speakers assembled here today, again, Thank you in advance for your participation.

[00:39:45] Your presence, expertise, concerns, acknowledgement of progress and engagement enhance our understanding of our community's diverse perspectives. Your time and energy today demonstrate a commitment to the well-being and success of our school communities.

[00:40:03] We know your voices are crucial in shaping the direction of Henrico County Public Schools and your input helps us in our decision making thank you we will begin with speaker number one hi good evening my name is jen tucker i'm the proud parent of a pocahontas hawk i'm here to talk about pervasive bullying at pocahontas and principal mccauley's refusal to

[00:40:42] recognize and address it my husband and another father reported the school's response to an incident in the lunchroom at your last public meeting when he came in to talk about the incident with Mr. McCauley, his immediate response was, I wasn't here yesterday. Not the first thing you want to hear as a parent. Instead, how about a simple tell me more? When he told Assistant Principal Hunt he intended to coordinate with other concerned parents, she seemed surprised and told him, you don't need to talk to other parents. It's a red flag as this administration repeatedly attempts to stonewall, gaslight, and ignore. Classroom management at Pocahontas is

[00:41:22] strong. The students are getting an excellent education in class. If a kid tests a teacher's limits, that person is referred for discipline. The relationship between student and teacher is solid. Public areas of the school are the problem. Bathrooms, hallways, pep rally, cafeteria, etc. And the bullies know it.

[00:41:38] Bullies thrive on opportunity. Students feel as though admin and counseling either aren't open to listening or simply don't care to listen. No one wants to be known as a tattletale, particularly in middle school. Our kids already live in a stressful world and enter a school by going through the metal detector.

[00:41:55] The fear of bullying and retaliation, even if they are not the target, is terrible for their mental health. Kids report trying to blend in to avoid bullies. It's no revelation bullies pick on kids who are a little bit different. The stories from POCA bear that out. What's troubling is the admin's tendency to deny and defend such behavior towards these kids. If you're vulnerable, try to stay small so you can see the administration is not protecting you if you choose to retaliate and defend the administration will also not protect you and we wonder why our students are stressed this situation is getting worse each semester with a reputation as a safe haven for bullying not heading in a good

[00:42:34] direction there's a saying the fish rots from the head principal macaulay does not have control of the school particularly outside the classrooms where he's supposed to maintain oversight teachers are leaving, parents are worried. My husband and I intend to drive changes at POCA to benefit future students. Our student is an eighth grader. We're not going away. Not a surprise, advocating for change takes time and patience. Parents who are taking care of children who've been bullied and assaulted do not have time and patience to spare. So we advocate for those students, all students, particularly the fifth graders, about to walk through the doors for their first

[00:43:11] year of middle school and we ask for a change in polka administration we will follow up with a letter by email signed by a group of parents there's a lot of invisible people in this effort it's just that 6 30 on a thursday is hard for parents we're not the enemy we simply want what's best for the amazing students we always tell our kids when they face a challenge or problem what's the next best thing you can do please do that thank you speaker number two patrick miller

[00:43:48] highland springs high school president of the uh enrico education association first just want to shout out hea member audra vanderland for being honored to you by you guys tonight and now i'd like to share a quote from my brothers and sisters at the united electricians the un ruled that bans on collective bargaining violate international human rights standards denial of collective bargaining in southern states is a vestige of slavery and jim crow the fight for collective bargaining is multi-racial and multi-generational so as you've seen in written comments and public statements it's not just me or the collective bargaining committee or just teachers who want to say in our contract it's instructional assistants working two or three jobs to make

[00:44:25] ends meet it's custodial maintenance and nutrition working twice doing twice the work with half the staff it's bus drivers covering one another's roots with no additional compensation it's all support staff left out in the cold when their co-workers get raises who want to say in their working conditions our students learning conditions what has collective bargaining been proven to do Collective bargaining reduces turnover, which costs the taxpayers money, and increases retention, which provides stability for our students.

[00:44:54] Speaking of retention, collective bargaining makes the public sector competitive with the private sector, to which we hemorrhage qualified and dedicated educators every year. Finally, collective bargaining closes wage gaps faced by women educators and educators of color and creates an equal partnership between staff and management.

[00:45:10] Like you, I want a fair and equitable working conditions and treatment for the young people we just honored when we welcome them to our faculty after they graduate from college. And like you, I want one Henrico. So let's unite Henrico County Public Schools with a fair and negotiated contract. Thanks.

[00:45:30] Thank you. Speaker number three. Good evening. Good evening, Dr. Cashwell, Chair Atkins and members of the school board.

[00:45:48] My name is Elizabeth Broda. I'm a teacher and department chair at Henrico High School. I'm also a National Board Certified Teacher, so I'm extending my congrats to my colleagues celebrated earlier today. But especially, I'm a proud teacher of one of our newly anointed teacher scholars, Mel Diamond. So super, super excited for her.

[00:46:04] But tonight, I'm here in my role as a co-chair for the Collective Bargaining Committee of the Henrico Education Association, which is our county's union. I'm focusing my comments today on the concerns of our county's support staff. Over the past several weeks, the HEA has had the pleasure connecting with many support staff across the district including employees in the areas of transportation maintenance instructional assistance office administration nutrition and custodial as well as sign language interpreters and school safety officers we have heard a myriad of concerns

[00:46:38] across the board but a consistent message is that they feel left behind those groups minus the bus drivers have been left out of the recently announced step increase support staff already complete, often thankless jobs, but our schools simply cannot run without them. They're educators too, and they guide our students, and they keep our schools operational, and they keep our schools safe, but quite simply, they're essential. And unfortunately, leaving them off this step increase

[00:47:11] loudly delivers a message that instead they are expendable. And the union is very much looking forward to a future where we can negotiate for better working conditions, for our valued support staff members, and we seek to amplify their voices to the level that they deserve. Thank you. Thank you. Speaker number four. Evening members of the board, Dr. Cashwell, HCPS staff, and especially

[00:47:48] the amazing Tucker Tiger faculty and administration. My name is Marlene Sherlock, and our family lives in the Fairfield District and our kids have attended schools in Brooklyn and Three Chopped. You've heard me refer to the student code of conduct before and now I finally have something specific to comment on.

[00:48:07] Based on your work session earlier this afternoon, it sounds like there's some more work to be done on the cell phone and electronic device section. I wholeheartedly agree that other devices like smartwatches need to be included in the conversation and could probably be handled with a clearer definition.

[00:48:26] It was good to hear Mr. Irving express his clear concerns about phones and Ms. Adkins come out and say they likely don't belong in an elementary school at all. As for the new student activities contract, the version presented in the online PDF did not have the correct strikethrough notation for the first offense, and I'll second the concern on clarifying whether the contract applies just to sports, to things governed by the VHSL, or all HCPS extracurricular activities. I'm also

[00:49:01] disappointed by the language that refers to "drugs" as defined in the Code of Conduct. Here's the thing: drugs, just drugs, are not defined in the Code. There are definitions for drug paraphernalia, look-alike drugs, Schedule one and two drugs and medication. It's a little bit of a sore spot for me in how over-the-counter drugs are handled, and I feel they unfortunately get wrapped up in the same thing. I'd hate to see you have to give a 15-day activity suspension to a student who brings sunscreen to their after

[00:49:38] school practice. The other problem that I have is that OTCs are treated much more severely than tobacco. In elementary school, where the risks and the potential for harm is greater, the penalties are even less. There are level two or three offense for tobacco, yet OTCs are two, three, or four, and have an SRO referral. It seems unfair for high schoolers who can legally purchase

[00:50:10] and consume OTCs to be given penalties where tobacco users, where it's illegal for them to purchase it, don't receive the same thing. Finally, the student use of technology section with the strikethroughs is a mess. Please just redline the old section and show the new policy in its entirety. And finally, I can't emphasize enough the need for consistent application of the policy, whether it's the dress code or personal devices. Thank you. The voice is gone, but the

[00:50:42] heart is here. Thank you. And the last speaker, speaker number five. Good evening, and thank you for the opportunity to speak at this meeting today. My name is Keone Adu, and I'm a senior at Tucker High School, speaking about senior regalia. Along with me today, I have Jayla Graham and Naviah Lee, who are also both seniors at Tucker High School.

[00:51:17] Before we get into our topic, we just wanted to highlight that a part of what inspired us to be here today is our Political Science Civic Responsibilities Project from Professor Wesson. This project has taught us if we are passionate about something that we have the voice to speak up about it and make a difference.

[00:51:34] We are here today in response to the limited regalia list for graduation and other senior events. Today, we also have a proposal to solve this for the affected students. First, we want to highlight affected organizations like JROTC, Key Club, Black Student Union, and many other clubs in high school.

[00:51:53] Students put their heart, effort, and time into these clubs, and regalia is a recognition of this dedication. For many of these clubs, earning regalia has been a tradition, and this year, it has been limited for the graduating class of 2024. Though this limited list affects many clubs and organizations, our specific example today is the Marine Corps Junior ROTC at Tucker High School.

[00:52:16] Recently, they placed fourth in the nation for Color Guard. This year, according to the list implemented by Henrico County, those seniors will be unable to wear their cords and stoles. The JROTC Regalia Tucker has special meaning, especially in comparison to other high schools in Henrico that don't have a JROTC.

[00:52:34] This is similar to how Tucker has an African Student Association and other schools do not. That is why today we are proposing principal and school administration clubs/organizations approved regalia lists. The administrations at our schools know specifically what clubs and organizations are in their schools and their significance.

[00:52:52] We would like for each school to determine their own regalia regulations rather than a countywide list that lacks knowledge of specific clubs and organizations at specific schools. Ashley, I wanted to include that many clubs and organizations have collected funds for regalia as they were under the impression that they would still be able to be worn like the years before.

[00:53:12] Thank you for your time today. Thank you, Dr. Cashwell. The next item is my seeking your approval of the recommended financial plan for 2025 as presented.

[00:53:41] Colleagues, the superintendent has recommended adoption of the annual financial plan for fiscal year 2025. Is there a motion? I move that the school board accept, adopt, approve, and or award item. Oh shoot, sorry, the wrong one. I move that the school board approve the adopted fiscal year 2025 annual financial plan as presented. Is there a second? Second. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed?

[00:54:10] The ayes have it. The annual financial plan is approved. Dr. Cashwell. The next items are part of the consent agenda so they can be taken as a block. Thank you Dr. Cashwell. Is there a motion on the consent items? Yes I move that the school board accept, adopt, approve, and or award items 9.01 through 9.09 on the consent agenda as presented. Is there a second? Second. All in favor?

[00:54:48] aye aye any opposed the ayes have it the items have been approved the next item on our agenda is unfinished business are there any follow-ups or discussion on old business items colleagues hearing none we'll move to the next agenda item which is the naming of tucker high school softball field it is requested that consideration be given for discussion and approval of the naming of

[00:55:24] tucker high school softball field mr irving the floor is yours to share oh mr raymond is here as well mr raymond you are welcome to present your information thank you good evening chair atkins and board members thank you for having us tonight we come before you with a request for your approval to rename the softball field at tucker the pat mcguire field and in your agenda is contained a letter that also contains many comments from our community supporting this request and i'll just

[00:56:01] take a second to read a couple of paragraphs to provide some context to those who may be listening and watching tonight on behalf of former and current jr tucker high school softball players parents coaches athletic booster club members and members of the richmond softball community we are requesting that the henry co county school board consider naming the softball field at J.R. Tucker High School, the coach Pat McGuire field in memory of James Patrick McGuire.

[00:56:26] Mr. McGuire coached softball at J.R. Tucker High School for 25 years and during this time he mentored hundreds of players naming the field after him would honor his memory and life's work with the young women at our school and the wider community. And Mr. McGuire served in the army during the Vietnam War and he remained a member of the reserves for 43 years. He also volunteered with the Forest View Rescue Squad for 48 years, and Mr. McGuire served many roles at his church, skipped with United Methodist Church, and as was stated in his obituary, Pat will be remembered for his unwavering patriotism, selflessness, and dedication to his family and community,

[00:57:03] and his kind heart and gentle nature touched the lives of many, and he will be greatly missed and forever cherished in our hearts. So joining me this evening, I did bring with me several folks who are here, and I would like to just have them stand at this time. Mr. Chris Brown, our director of student activities, is here, as well as J.P. McGuire, Pat's son, and his wife, Caitlin. Richard Barlow is our current head softball coach. Ted Bryce is our current assistant softball coach.

[00:57:39] Mr. John Linthicum is the vice president of the West End Waves Travel Softball Club, which is an organization that pat helped found mr bob lawrenson as a former freeman softball coach and lifelong friend he's joining us as well as well as lisa harris who's a family friend and former jr tucker parent and supporter and lastly is benita turner who coached with pat at tucker so thank them for joining us and we respectfully bring this to your to you for your approval and that ends my request thank you so much now i'll turn the floor over to mr ervin thank you principal

[00:58:18] Raymond for bringing forth this request. On behalf of the board, I'd like to offer a warm welcome to Coach McGuire's family. And yes, thank you for being here this afternoon. Please accept our sincere appreciation for not only your presence at our meeting here, but also for Coach McGuire's tremendous positive impact on HCPS and the Tucker community. I'd like to ask my board colleagues to join me in supporting naming the Tucker High School softball field to be Coach Pat McGuire field in honor of james patrick mcguire a coach mentor and valued member of the tucker community

[00:58:53] thank you mr irving is there emotion i move that the school board waive the one month notice period to name or rename a sub part of a school or a school facility and name the softball field at jr tucker high school the coach pat mcguire field in memory of james patrick mcguire thank you is there a second second all in favor say aye aye any opposed the eyes have it the naming of the

[00:59:25] tucker high school softball field is now coach pat mcguire field it is approved and we will now move on to the next agenda item which is new business we do have new business to present in the form of committee updates we'll start with mr irving followed by mrs shea thank you chair

[01:00:04] i am presenting an update on the special education advisory committee we received a updated report that we received earlier today about how the special education department spends money on certain facilities and staffing and whatnot it was a tremendously valuable presentation then and again today we also went through our strategic planning session at tucker high school and gained valuable insight from members of the community and our next special education advisory committee

[01:00:38] meeting will be on tuesday the 23rd at 6 p.m at tucker high school thank you mr irvin mrs shea thanks so much just a quick update that the code rva regional high school board met today we We approved the MOU to move forward with VCU as a lab school, which will not only benefit Code RBA in terms of staffing with their teacher residency program, but I think the divisions that invest in Code RBA, like Henrico, will also benefit from the teacher training that

[01:01:13] will be happening there, which is very exciting as, additionally, the grant funds, they were able to get a little bit more additional grant funds for you they're currently in year one for years two and three which is great we love we love more money and so we're excited about that to be able to replace some devices and furniture and things like that and then just a general update as we look at the different pathways that are available for students at code rba almost half of them enrolled right now are in the associate degree pathway which means they'll be graduating

[01:01:51] high school with a high school diploma and an associate's degree, which is really exciting. And then, as a reminder, Code RVA is a lottery admission system, and so Henrico continues to have a lot of students in the lottery who are accepting and excited for their opportunities at Code RVA.

[01:02:12] So if any of my colleagues want a breakdown of any of that information about demographics or middle schools or anything like that, just let me know. As you can imagine, Code RVA has a very robust set of data for but if you're ever interested in knowing kind of what that looks like in the different divisions um just let me know and I'm happy to give you a tutorial give you a walkthrough thank you thank you Mrs. Shea and I have several updates to offer to everyone today starting with the School Health Advisory Board also known as SHAV and SHAV is a collective of purpose driven individuals who recognize that good health is the ultimate asset and

[01:02:52] fervently dedicated to the mission and initiatives we're currently in the recruitment phase and thrilled to announce that we received 43 applicants and that parental breakdown of applications look like we have seven from the brooklyn district we have two from the fairfield district six from three chopped six from tuckahoe and six from varina and then an overall 16 applicants just from community members and so

[01:03:29] with such diverse backgrounds in these uh applications very confident about the future for SHAV. So just stay tuned as SHAV works through those applications. The next update I'll provide is from the Instructional Review Committee. So far this year, we have not received any requests. Moreover, though, our exceptional Library Services Education Specialist, Ms. Hardin, if you would stand, she is here in the building.

[01:04:05] Ms. Harden leads this committee, and you may be seated, so you don't stand the whole time. She does lead this committee, and she also provides training to new administrators and librarians, and this training really equips them with the necessary tools and resources to effectively address challenges, recommendations, and concerns that parents and guardians may bring forward and regarding materials so miss harden thank you so much for being here and for doing the incredible

[01:04:40] work on this committee the next committee that i will provide an update on is the federal programs advisory committee we met on april 11th there were about 35 parents and guardians in attendance and we had a very comprehensive discussion we were informed about federal grants including title one title two title three title four we're not talking movies we're talking money it was a very detailed it was a very good presentation we had interactive table discussions everyone was participatory

[01:05:17] during the discussions and the activities seth knight he is our dedicated faith specialist and he also shared some face updates as well and encouraged families to be a part of the decision making and the conversations also during that time we have a literary connection moment ruby's birds by maya thompson was highlighted during that time and copies also went home for home libraries then the meeting concluded with a fantastic tour at lewis botanical gardens

[01:05:53] fostering both learning and community engagement the last update that i will provide to you is maggie walker governor's school really i'm going to do a whole bunch of congratulations here because it's warranted and i think appropriate so congratulations to the maggie walker governor Schools Presidential Scholar candidates from Henrico class of 2024. We had three students that were candidates for this and to give you background the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program

[01:06:33] was established by the Executive Order of the President to recognize and honor some of our nation's most distinguished graduating high school seniors. They are Alex Percy, Ruthie Van Gontar, and Rohini Muldner. So congratulations to them. We also have 12 Henrico seniors who are National Merit Scholarship finalists. The National Merit Scholarship program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships, and I invite you to go to the Maggie L. Walker site for a complete

[01:07:12] list of finalists. Lastly, the Governor's School will be awarded the VMEA Blue Ribbon Award for the first time in history. The Blue Ribbon is the highest award given to school music programs in the Commonwealth of Virginia and recognizes excellence achieved in band, orchestra, and choral performance. Congratulations to the teachers, Allison Barnes, Nicholas Murillat, and Kelsey Snyder, and to the students for their outstanding performances and achievements.

[01:07:52] Again, please visit Maggie Walker's website for additional details and information. And that concludes my updates. And we'll move on to the last item on our agenda, which is the announcement of meeting dates. The school board's next meeting will be a work session scheduled on Thursday, May 9th, 2024 at 3 p.m., followed by the monthly meeting at 6.30 p.m. right here at New Bridge Learning Center Auditorium.

[01:08:28] the meeting times may be adjusted as needed this meeting is adjourned

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