Coraggio Consulting
Henrico County School Board Monthly Meeting, Thursday, September 24, 2026

Date: Thursday, September 24, 2026
Place: Henrico County School Board, Virginia
Length: 56m (video)
Official meeting video (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJLfT3io6sI
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 2026-10-25. Timestamps are [HH:MM:SS] into the meeting video.

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[00:00:00] September 24th, 2026 monthly meeting of the Henrico County School Board, Dr. Cashwell. Good evening, members of the board and to the guests who have joined us, we will begin our meeting as we always do with the Pledge of Allegiance. And we are delighted to have Bella Robertson from Glen Allen High School here to lead us in the pledge.

[00:00:19] If everyone would please stand. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands.

[00:00:35] one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. And if you would, remain standing as you're able for a brief moment of silence. That concludes our moment of silence.

[00:00:55] You may be seated. And a big thanks again to Bella for leading us in the pledge. At this time, I want to note Mrs. Atkins' physical absence from today's work set.

[00:01:25] Monthly meeting, Mrs. Atkins notified board members of her request to participate electronically from a remote location due to a medical condition that prevents her physical attendance. Our school board policy P2-04-006 electronic participation in meetings from remote locations requires a majority vote of board members present at the primary or central meeting location to allow a board member to participate in a meeting from a remote location. Per the school board policy do I hear a motion? I move the school board approve Ms. Atkins participation participation from a remote location. Thank you, Mrs. Kinsella. Do I have a second? Second.

[00:02:05] Thank you, Mrs. Shea. I will now do a roll call. Mrs. Shea? Aye. Mr. Young? Aye. Mrs. Kinsella? Aye. And I vote aye. The ayes have it. Mrs. Atkins' request has been approved. This meeting is being live streamed on the HCPS website. We'll begin our meeting with a roll call. When I call your name,

[00:02:27] please verbally indicate your presence. Mrs. Shea. Present. Mr. Young. Present. Mrs. Kinsella. Present. Mrs. Atkins. Present. And thank you. Please let the record reflect that a quorum of the board is physically present and Mrs. Atkins is participating electronically. I ask Mrs. Atkins to verbally note if she needs to leave the meeting and subsequently verbally note when she returns. Colleagues, we're going to do the approval of the agenda. Is there an emotion to approve the agenda?

[00:03:01] I move that we approve the agenda. Thank you, Mrs. Shea. Do I have a second? Second. Thank you, Mr. Young. Mrs. Shea? Aye. Mr. Young? Aye. Mrs. Kinsella? Aye. Mrs. Atkins? Aye.

[00:03:18] And I vote aye. The ayes have it. The agenda is approved. Dr. Cashwell. We are now going to have our performance highlight, so we'll now make our way down to the audience so we can enjoy as well.

[00:03:42] Good evening, Mr. Chair, members of the board, Dr. Cashwell, colleagues, and guests. My name is Erin Franklin, and I serve as the K-5 Lead Teacher for Music.

[00:03:58] It is my pleasure to introduce our performance highlight this evening, the Glen Allen High School Drumline, under the direction of Mr. Todd Tensley. Mr. Tensley is in his 26th year of teaching and in his fifth year as the director at Glen Allen.

[00:04:16] He is a member of the National Association for Music Education, the Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association and the Virginia Music Educators Association the Glen Allen Band has a long-standing tradition of excellence and has won numerous accolades over the year tonight we have in attendance their very proud principal Mrs Kara Jean O'Neal please stand and now please help me welcome to our stage the Glen Allen High School

[00:04:48] drum line under the direction of Mr Todd Tensley chair Edward the chair Irving members of the board

[00:07:45] dr cashwell and guests chief of communications and i'm very excited to recognize the 2026 national association of counties achievement award winners this year 22 henrico county public schools programs received the award which honors innovative effective county government and school programs that strengthen services for residents the first program we recognize this evening is all henrico reads meet the author an event that promotes a culture of literacy for all IT EXPANDS ON ANNUAL ALL HENRIKA READS PROGRAM BY OFFERING STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY

[00:08:25] MEMBERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH THE FEATURED AUTHOR. HERE TO ACCEPT THE AWARD ARE REPRESENTATIVES FROM LIBRARY SERVICES AND THE OFFICE OF EMPOWERMENT, DEVELOPMENT, AND OPPORTUNITY. PLEASE WELCOME REBECCA HARDIN, TIFFANY LEWIS, JAZMINE BATES, KYLE MCCULLUM, GINA ALEXANDER, Tiffany Dabney, Paris Boynes, all from the Office of Empowerment, Development, and Opportunity,

[00:08:56] and Library Services. Congratulations. Joining the members of the Office of Empowerment, Development, and Opportunity is Nicole Boone from the Division of Family and Community Engagement.

[00:09:13] This next NACO Award -- this next NACO Achievement Award recognizes Opportunity Fest, an annual resource fair held during the last quarter of the year aimed at providing students AND FAMILIES WITH MEANINGFUL RESOURCES AND MATERIALS WHILE PROMOTING AUTHENTIC LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND CONNECTEDNESS IN PREPARATION FOR SUMMER BREAK.

[00:09:36] CONGRATULATIONS. NEXT, WE RECOGNIZE PREPARING CHILDREN EMPOWERING FAMILIES, A PROGRAM THAT WORKS WITH FAMILIES TO PROMOTE EARLY LEARNING PRESCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN READINESS WHILE ALSO STRENGTHENING FAMILIES THROUGH INTENTIONAL RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT, AND CONNECTIONS TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES.

[00:10:03] to accept the award please welcome dr leslie hughes crystal heffelbauer melissa jeter poindexter patty stroham and tina alsop representing the early learning preschool team from the department of federal programs and foundational learning congratulations next we recognize beyond the four

[00:10:37] walls a program that created an immersive learning space through transforming surplus inventory by By repurposing unused overhead projectors and remounting them in the center of available spaces, HCPS created 360-degree video environments that turned standard classrooms into museum-like exhibit spaces.

[00:10:59] To accept the award, please welcome Dr. Leslie Hughes, Courtney Bostain, John Grigori, Katie Tarasovic, Ann Nash, and Doug Saunders, representing the Department of Innovation.

[00:11:28] First we recognize Go All In: Building Pathways for Equitable Student Enrichment, an initiative that expands equitable access to countywide elementary enrichment opportunities by addressing participation gaps in academic competitions and STEM programs.

[00:11:45] The county targeted 11 elementary schools with historically low engagement and provided grant funding, coaching, and coordination to launch new school-based clubs in robotics, chess, Rubik's cubes, e-sports, and engineering design.

[00:12:01] Here to accept the award, please welcome Leslie Hughes, Shannon Wakefield, Matthew Parker, John Grigori, Jessica Harris, Michael Dussault, and Courtney Bostain, representing the Department of Innovation, the Elementary Teaching and Learning Department, and Erin Daniel, representing the Henrico Education Foundation.

[00:12:39] Congratulations. Dr. Hughes will now be accepting THE NEXT THREE NACO ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP. THE FIRST IN THE TRIO OF RECOGNITIONS IS NEW TEACHER AMBASSADORS, A PROGRAM WHERE TEACHERS SERVE AS A FIRST CONNECTION FOR NEWLY HIRED TEACHERS AND SCHOOL COUNSELORS OFFERING PRACTICAL SUPPORT AND A PERSONAL CONNECTION.

[00:13:05] AMBASSADORS MAKE INITIAL CONTACT DURING THE SUMMER AND BEGIN SUPPORTING NEW HIRES AS THEY TRANSITION INTO THEIR ROLES. Second, we have the Assistant Principal and Support Teacher Professional Learning Series, which is a comprehensive leadership development program designed to strengthen leadership capacity and elevate instructional quality.

[00:13:25] The series provides purposeful, job-embedded learning that is directly connected to the daily work of leading schools. The final recognition, Classified Employee Career Ladder, is a program that provides support staff with structured opportunities for career and salary advancement through job-related professional training. Congratulations, Dr. Hughes and the Office of Professional Learning and

[00:13:48] Leadership. But wait, there's more. There is. Dr. Hughes will also be accepting the award on behalf of HCPS Specialty Centers for recognition of SchoolMint, a centralized application portal that consolidates multiple systems to allow families to use one platform to apply for any Henrico County public of any of Henrico County Public Schools 16 high school

[00:14:26] specialty centers the initiative expanded access and streamlined the application experience for all families congratulations next we recognize the oak avenue complex hcps partnered with Henrico area mental health and development services to provide free mental health counseling services to youth at the oak avenue complex a community school hub here to accept the award are you know

[00:15:02] or you lover leslie hughes amy johnson mike walsh caitlin pereiras and daniel rigsby representing the office of student support and wellness next we'll recognize the teacher leader ambassadors a program that trained nearly 150 math science and social studies teachers on effective content

[00:15:40] design delivery and assessment these ambassadors then led school-based professional learning shared instructional resources and updates and served as liaisons between schools and content specialists here to accept the award are members of the department of teaching and learning

[00:15:56] led by dr leslie hughes and karen hughes for our next naco achievement award we recognize event id scanning a program that enhances safety and accountability at high school athletic events by using student smart cards to verify attendance and manage event access the program enables real

[00:16:31] time visibility rapid identification and early intervention here to accept the award please welcome Greg Dunaway, Brian Maddox, Wendy Martin, and Waring Tribble, representing the HCPS Department of Technology. Joining them for the next recognition, also representing the technology department, are

[00:17:08] Chad Hall, Tiff Sizemore, Heidi Jadalowski. This team worked on the student ID smart cards initiative, which enhances school safety, streamlines operations, and supports student access to essential services across the division through a single standardized credential that works across multiple software systems each student receives a smart id card that can be used for buses meal service library circulation event entry clinic check-ins technology access and attendance related processes it also plays a critical role in emergency reunification

[00:17:46] congratulations to the department of technology up next we recognized we recognize first impressions lasting careers a program that brought together about 1500 juniors and seniors at hcps's three advanced career education centers to participate in mock interviews with approximately 100 industry

[00:18:24] professionals who then provided professional feedback guidance on communication skills and insight into employer expectations. To accept the award, please welcome Dr. Ingrid Grant, Nicole Miles, Tiffany Kremsreiter, and Carrie Yates, representing HCPS Workforce and Career

[00:18:44] Development. Congratulations. Up next, we recognize Living Lab Raising the Roof, a program that brought the Virginia Association of Roofing Professionals to speak to more than 100 middle and high school students about the roofing industry and allowed students to participate in a hands-on experience repairing a retrofit metal roof at the ace center at highland springs here to accept the award

[00:19:21] please welcome dr ingrid grant aaron hurley scott shufflebarger and helen and heather greenwell representing the workforce and career development as well as the virginia association of roofing professionals congratulations up next manufacturing inclusion a program where students in manufacturing programs at hermitage and verina high schools were tasked with creating custom athletic gear like bowling ramps and soccer plows for students who need adaptive physical education equipment

[00:20:00] here to accept the awards are ingrid grant daniel fansit stooks and rob and robert bestafa bestop representing hcps workforce and career development i apologize our next honors go to collaborative fabrication the ace center at virginia randolph welding program partnered with henrico county

[00:20:39] government stakeholders to design fabricate and install custom interpretive signage for the lake henning nature walk the project provided real world fabrication experience for 20 welding students Here to accept the award are Ingrid Grant, Daniel Stooks, and Carlos Savory, representing workforce and career development. Continuing with programs from workforce and career development, please

[00:21:18] welcome Ingrid Grant, Daniel Stooks, and Sharif Salam for the Auto Body Pipeline, an innovative paid summer internship program that paired auto body students from the Advanced Career Education center at highland springs with henrico county's central automotive maintenance department the students spent three weeks repairing seven county cars and trucks congratulations next we recognize

[00:21:54] manufacturing for community housing students in the manufacturing program at douglas s freeman high school worked with the local chapter of habitat for humanity to mass produce components in ready-to-assemble kits for 30 Adirondack chairs for a community fundraiser.

[00:22:11] They then assembled the furniture along with community volunteers. To accept the award are Ingrid Grant, Daniel Stooks, and Steven Gromling, representing workforce and career development.

[00:22:38] Our next program, the Governor's Workforce Summit. The ACE Center at Hermitage High School hosted this program, providing students with hands-on experience to apply their technical skills to a high-profile professional gathering. from numerous programs, including Hospitality and Service, Media and Communications, and Criminal Justice, participated in running the event. Here to accept the award for Workforce and Career Development are Ingrid Grant and

[00:23:06] Leslie Perry. Congratulations. The next NACO Achievement Award recognizes The Cube, an innovative student-led retail enterprise at the ACE Center at Hermitage designed to bridge the gap between classroom theory and real-world business application. Serving as a live lab for the entrepreneurship and digital marketing

[00:23:46] course, the Cube provides a professional platform for 40 students to showcase and sell original products alongside traditional retail items. To accept this award are Ingrid Grant, Laura Owen, and Lindsey Ingram representing workforce and career development. Congratulations. And last but certainly not least, we We recognize the FBLA Middle School Conference, an innovative student-led event that builds

[00:24:26] leadership capacity and career readiness among middle school students. High School Future Business Leaders of America members facilitated interactive stations introducing middle school students to competitive events, professional skills, and real-world applications of business and leadership concepts.

[00:24:45] in the award are Ingrid Grant and BJ Crowder representing workforce and career development.

[00:24:51] Congratulations. Mr. Chairman that concludes our recognitions for this evening. We will continue

[00:25:40] on with recognitions with the recognition of National Bullying Prevention Month. Mrs. Shea. Whereas bullying is willful, aggressive, and/or unwanted behavior that is intended to harm, intimidate or humiliate a person or group of people, involves a real or perceived imbalance of power, and is repeated over time, inflicting physical hurt or psychological distress, and whereas bullying presents in various forms, including verbal, physical, social bullying, as well as cyberbullying, which takes place over digital devices and includes sending,

[00:26:15] posting, or sharing negative, harmful, or false content and or personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation and whereas various researchers have included that bullying is the most common form of violence affecting millions of american children and adolescents annually and whereas targets of bullying are increased risk for depression anxiety sleep difficulties lower academic achievement dropping out of school and may fear such activities as riding the bus going to school interacting online and attending community events and whereas schools play a vital role in preventing and addressing bullying

[00:26:53] behavior and hcps is committed to ensuring that its schools and classroom settings are safe supportive inclusive and nurturing environments for all students and adults now therefore be it proclaimed that the school board of henrico county public schools recognizes october 2026 as national bullying prevention month recognized by the school board of henrico county public schools this 24th day of September 2026. Thank you, Mrs. Shea. We will move on to the recognition of National Czech, Italian, and Polish Heritage Month. Mrs. Kinsella.

[00:27:28] Whereas the Czech, Italian, and Polish communities stand as diverse representations of historic and cultural contributions with local, national, and global impact, and whereas vital contributions to the fields of science and engineering, industry, entrepreneurship, the fine performing and culinary arts, civil service and politics have made possible by Czech, Italian and Polish Americans. And whereas, citizens are encouraged to participate in activities that recognize,

[00:28:03] appreciate and celebrate the cultural diversity and the significant contributions made by Czech, Italian, and Polish Americans, and whereas Enrico County Public Schools and the Enrico community recognize and embrace our vital Czech, Italian, and Polish communities that continue to shape and strengthen our schools, our county, our country, and our world. Now, therefore, let it be proclaimed that the School Board of Enrico County Public Schools recognizes October 2026 as National czech italian and polish heritage month and encourages observance and celebration of the

[00:28:41] attention of the to the attention of our citizens recognized by the school board of henrico county public schools this 24th day of september 2026. chair irving thank you mrs kinsella dr cashwell thank you the next item on the agenda is our henrico highlights a time when we celebrate the teaching, learning, and innovation happening across the school division. As our board members know, Henrico County Public Schools is home to incredible career and technical education programs that allow students to explore their passions, learn life-ready skills, and earn certifications

[00:29:19] that prepare them for success in the workforce. An essential part of CTE learning is the hands-on experiences students have in individual trades. In tonight's Henrico highlight, we see how a local auto dealership is helping students in automotive technology classes put the pedal to the metal.

[00:29:40] Take a look. Ford had a Mustang, a 2025 Mustang, and said hey Bill Talley Ford, we'd like you to give this to the school you work with, which is Highland Springs 8th Center. So we were able to secure the Mustang and brought it over here. It's brand new, it runs, so they'll have a chance to to see what a newer model vehicle is like and to work on one.

[00:30:14] I'm happy for them because they'll definitely get a kickstart off of what it's going to be like working in a dealership. And a Mustang's a lot of fun. It's something cool to have in the shop, too.

[00:30:31] So I'm sure they're extremely excited about that. We train technicians. And to have people like Bill Talley and some of my other sponsors and dealerships and car shops, I want to send my students to work.

[00:30:48] know so being able to send them to Bill Talia to another dealership where they can be successful citizens of society that's a big deal and if we don't invest in the kids that are learning now then we're not investing in our future and we want to be able to have those kids graduating and coming to work for us experience for our students and of course we want to thank our community

[00:31:26] partners for investing in our students who could one day be their employees also tonight we're pleased to celebrate another group of people who invest in our students through their time their mentorship and their love national grandparents day is in september and many of our elementary schools are taking the time to thank grandparents for being the heart of henrico

[00:32:10] are excited you're here grandparents are everything it's like a warm hug every single day We are thankful for each and every one of you who provide this extended village.

[00:32:29] Shout out to those who are raising their grandchildren. Say it to the camera man. That's my Mimi. We're supposed to be at work, but I'm here with my grandson, loving every minute of it.

[00:32:44] Hi, having fun. Thank y'all for coming every year. This is one of our biggest events. See, I love those grandchildren. One, two, three. There is a reason these special people are called grand.

[00:33:07] They are caregivers and champions for our students at every age. And tonight we are celebrating grandparents as the heart of Henrico. Mr. Chairman, that concludes our highlights for this evening. Thank you, Dr. Cashwell. Mr. Young, if you could read the Henrico County Mission Statement.

[00:33:26] HCPS Mission Statement. Henrico County Public Schools, through engagement with our families and community, equip students with the knowledge and skills to be ready for life and a successful future. Thank you, Mr. Young. We will now move on to public comment. This is the time when citizens are invited to address the school board on any matter of concern about the school division.

[00:33:46] Citizens have signed up in advance and will be given three minutes to speak to the school board. Speakers will be called to speak in the order in which they have signed up and may not relinquish their spot to someone else. We ask that each speaker come to the microphone and clearly state their name and school affiliation, if applicable, and the subject of the remarks before speaking.

[00:34:05] After stating your name, please paste your number you were given in the cart near the podium. Speakers must present their remarks to the school board, not the audience, and may provide copies of their comments to the school board clerk. 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. Speakers will also receive a notice from me when and the time has expired.

[00:34:33] 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, Henrico staff member will follow up with speakers. Stakeholders also had the opportunity to provide written comments through an online form and advance the meeting.

[00:34:52] Those comments are shared with the school board members prior to the meeting and posted in community for public record. Equal consideration and attention will be given to both written and in-person comments. We appreciate your attendance here this evening and for providing your input.

[00:35:09] The first speaker is speaker number one. - Good evening. My name was Marian Crawford when I signed up. Now it's Marian Reiki. I'm here tonight to speak about Henrico County's use of one-to-one technology in the classrooms.

[00:35:28] I have a daughter in second grade at Gayton Elementary School and two older step sons also in Henrico schools. Although I'm extremely happy with my daughter's teachers and administrators at Gayton, I remain concerned that our county has increasingly made screens a routine part of childhood and education.

[00:35:45] When I first enrolled my daughter in Henrico, I struggled with the idea of every kindergartner being given an iPad. I have intentionally limited her screen time at home, so that was a hard pill to swallow. I am not opposed to technology, and I don't think anyone is suggesting that children should graduate from school without knowing how to use it.

[00:36:02] It's part of the world they're going to inherit. But particularly in the early elementary school years, I believe tech should be a tool used only it meaningfully improves instruction, not the default. Before our children become proficient users of tech, they need to become proficient readers and writers. They need to develop handwriting and spelling skills. They need to learn to concentrate on something that doesn't provide constant stimulation. I appreciate that you all are examining this issue, but I would ask the board to go further and develop a clear age-appropriate philosophy for school-issued tech across K through 12, not simply rules about personal cell phones. For our

[00:36:41] youngest in particular, I would like Henrico to establish meaningful limits on device use during the day and prioritize paper and pencil, physical books, hands-on activities, teacher-led instruction, and face-to-face interaction. But please do not let this conversation end with elementary school students. My daughter will be a middle schooler in a few short years and I hope that I am not having to stand before the board again advocating for the same changes. A specific actionable step I would love to see taken aside from clear boundaries and rules around screens would be a public audit. How much screen time are

[00:37:18] our children actually receiving in classrooms in K through 12? I believe parents have a right to know. A high school graduate should be able to research and write on a computer, collaborate online with classmates, use spreadsheets, and be prepared for the life ahead. But that same graduate should also be able to read a book, listen to a lecture, participate in a discussion, write by hand, and concentrate for an extended period of time without a screen in front of them.

[00:37:45] It is just as valuable for us to teach kids when not to use technology as it is for them to know how to use it. Technology should serve education. Education should not be redesigned simply because tech exists. Thank you for listening.

[00:38:00] Thank you, speaker number one. Speaker number two. Speaker number two. Speaker number three.

[00:38:25] Good evening. - My name is Lauren Galloway. I reside in the Three Chop District and previously taught in the Tuckahoe District. I am here to again speak about facilities. Thank you to our local news stations for their hard work on covering the uncomfortable negligence of this board and our superintendent and her staff regarding the maintenance and upkeep of our school buildings.

[00:38:45] Ms. Cashwell, I saw your video yesterday. Thank you for finally saying sorry. Unfortunately, almost everything else you said in the video has either been said before or has nothing to do with Henrico. Other school systems HVAC issues have no place in this discussion.

[00:39:01] It sounds like a child who got in trouble on the playground and instead of taking accountability, the child says that the other kids were doing it too. Mr. Dunaway, welcome to Henrico and thank you for your quick work in this position. However, I say the same to you. We do not care what is going on in other counties.

[00:39:19] Ms. Kinsella, you stated the challenges we face this year are actually less than we faced in prior years. I would love to know what data you are referring to. In my five years teaching at Henrico, the HVAC has gotten worse with every year. I ask each of you, and all of you over there, have you visited these classrooms?

[00:39:39] Not for a publicity photo. Have you sat in the front office, the cafeteria, the gym? Have you taken your laptop, sat in those rooms for eight hours a day, and tried to get anything done? While the fans are on blast, the portable coolers sound like freight trains, there are 25 bodies and voices, and the temperature is still 85 degrees.

[00:39:58] Have you sat there and tried to work? If the answer is no, then we don't want to hear your performative positivity or your excuses. We cannot look forward, as you say, Mr. Irving, until accountability has been taken. You all are acting like this is brand new information, and it is being handled with due haste.

[00:40:17] Enough. The only reason anything is being done with urgency now is because the news pulled the curtain back for everyone see this has been a years-long issue and until you acknowledge that and admit that it has been poorly handled by you we cannot trust anything you say what we want to hear from you now are action items and expected due dates in fact I challenge you to publicly post a daily audit trail documenting every single thing being done to fix the AC with time stamps you want us to believe that you want to make it right take responsibility and show us the receipts

[00:40:54] Before I finish, let me say that just because the temperature is dropping and working AC is no longer an imminent emergency, Henrico School's heat has also not worked consistently for years, the same as the AC. CBS, NBC, parents and community members, do not back down.

[00:41:13] Continue to be a squeaky wheel and push for answers or we will be in the same spot come spring. We must hold the board accountable because they are not doing it themselves. Thank you, speaker number three. speaker number four speaker number four speaker number five good evening my name is emily lancaster

[00:41:51] i work and reside in the tuckahoe district last year i was lucky enough to receive teacher of the year from my peers at school a main factor in this decision was because of my advocacy for both teachers and students at my elementary school so tonight i'm here because i'm tired of us avoiding the real problem at hand um you do not value your teachers you say that you do you do everything you can to make it look like you do but at the end of the day you do not it is a simple fact one that can be directed at both the school board and central office i will say it again you do not

[00:42:29] value your teachers if you valued us you would show us any ounce of support that goes beyond the surface level you can build fancy new schools you can post on social media you can do everything you can to make yourself feel better but if you valued your teachers you would hear them when they tell you that something is wrong whether it's the HVAC the overuse of technology the literacy curriculums the lack of support with behaviors the class sizes I could go on and on and in fact here are some other things that show you that your system might be broken if you valued your teachers your superintendent wouldn't make a quarter of a million dollars while

[00:43:07] many of your teachers struggle to make ends meet. If you valued us, you would have a plan in place for the one student that consistently disrupts the learning environment. If you valued all of your teachers, your instructional leaders would know the content that we teach. If you valued all of your teachers, you wouldn't strip them of their classrooms, their autonomy, or God forbid, a classroom with comfortable working and learning conditions. It's insulting that you hang that poster on your wall that you declare that you believe staff retention is so important that it's one of your main strategic focus areas, yet you can't even hear what we say when we tell you that

[00:43:47] there is a problem. Wait, I'm really sorry. No wonder you can't hear us. Your teachers fear retribution when they speak out. That is how much you value us. I want to end by sharing a story with you, just in case you still have alarms blaring in your head. No, she's wrong. Of course we love our teachers. This story is from two weeks ago. One of my students was throwing things at me and even managed to hit me a few times. One of our amazing counselors was already in the room and decided that this had gone past her ability and called for an admin. Administrators began arguing

[00:44:22] about who could come support. One was in a meeting, one was on a phone call. I'm still having things thrown at me and being screamed at by a student. Eventually the assistant principal left her meeting to come and help. The principal was still on the phone with central office and felt that it was too important of a phone call to come and support her teachers and students. Tell me again how much you value us. Thank you. Thank you, speaker number five. Speaker number six. Speaker number six.

[00:44:57] Speaker number seven. Speaker number eight. Good evening. My name is Jessie Walsh. I'm a Brooklyn district. I have two children at Trivet. I'm here to speak about your HVAC issues, which I'm y'all are tired of hearing about by now however a little background i have a paralegal degree and a working financial background of over 15 years i'm also married to an hvac master technician

[00:45:33] and i graduated from henrico schools due to my background i feel i have a little more insight than your typical parent about some of these issues though i can appreciate the video that was sent out through parent square 24 hours ago i'm here asking for more transparency about this the same transparency that y'all all asked for on your september 10th work session i feel the video sent out last night was reiterating the same information that was discussed at the last work session there's nothing new there is a lack of transparency and a lack of communication for these parents parents were not informed and did not even know about the issues until back to school night

[00:46:10] which i'm sure there were plenty of calls about it that night timelines have not been consistently provided to parents as to when the issues would be fixed henrico county schools has been and is better than this to continuously have these problems year after year. Putting aside the transparency issue, I also want to explain some HVAC things that typically may not be discussed. Most commercial units only have a one-year manufacturer warranty. Unless a unit is under warranty, there is no required reason to replace the parts with an OEM manufacturer part. For some parts, OEM may be the only option, such as a three-phase compressor or VFD drive. For

[00:46:47] other parts, there are plenty of supply houses in Central Virginia that carry generic parts. They also are cheaper. For train, there's Lion and Conklin. For carrier, there is Southern Refrigeration. For motor issues, there's Roy's Electric. Just to name a couple of other options. A little research and some phone calls may go a long way to seeing if a part is available faster than eight to ten weeks. When something affects hundreds of students in the school system, it becomes a matter of public concern. These environments are not conducive to a good learning environment. Spot chillers and fans may be a temporary fix. However, students may have difficulty learning in those environments. If multiple fans are in a classroom, who can learn

[00:47:26] with papers flying around in hot air? Henrico County Schools should be a leader in handling these issues, not average. I'm asking the school board to continue to ask questions, push for transparency and communication, and make sure the plan that was presented by the chief of operations is followed through with. And I will not be intimidated into being quiet about this. Thank you.

[00:47:47] Thank you, Speaker number eight. Speaker number nine. And Speaker number 10. Hello, my name is Tom Sherlock, and I'm the commander of American Legion Post 244 in Glen Allen.

[00:48:09] We're in the Fairfield District. I'm here tonight to ask the board's help in passing along information about the American Legion Oratorical Contest to the high schools in the county. The American Legion Oratorical Contest is a nationwide public speaking competition for high school students that focus on the U.S. Constitution.

[00:48:28] The American Legion has sponsored the National Oratorical Contest since 1938. It is designed to help students deepen their understanding of constitutional government, citizenship, leadership, and public speaking skills. Contestants give two speeches, one prepared oration, which must be an original speech by the student.

[00:48:48] It should focus on some aspect of the U.S. Constitution, usually emphasizing the duties and responsibility of citizens. The prepared speech must be 8 to 10 minutes long. The second is an assigned topic speech. contestants are given a constitutional selection from a published published list the contestant gets the short give excuse me gets a short preparation time to prepare a three to five minute speech given directly after the prep time the assigned topic portion is intended to test the students knowledge of the constitution research ability and skills in applying constitutional

[00:49:26] principles to government and citizenship the contest is often considered one of the premier speech competitions for high school students because it combines constitutional scholarship, critical thinking, public speaking, and civic engagement. Notable former participants include Mike Pence, Lou Dobbs, and Alan Keyes. One of the most attractive aspects of the contest is the scholarship money available. The American Legion gives more than $200,000 in scholarships annually. State winners who participate at the national level may receive scholarships awards, even if they don't advance to the final round.

[00:50:05] My post covers most, if not all, of the high schools in the west end of the county. There are several other posts in the east end that cover Highland Springs and Varina High Schools. And my post will be contacting the west end schools very soon, looking for contestants for our competition.

[00:50:23] If you could pass this information along to the counselors so they know about the program when we contact them, it would help us to provide this opportunity to as many students in the county as possible. i'm leaving a copy of my remarks including web addresses with additional information about the oratorical contest for your review and i thank you for your time thank you speaker number 10 and thank you to all speakers who came out this evening to ex and we express our appreciation for you and um thank you for for coming out uh colleagues we will now move on to the approval

[00:50:58] of consent items uh are there any requests from a school board member uh that an item be separated for school board discussion and or individual action. Hearing none, is there a motion to approve them as a block? I move that the school board accept, adopt, approve, and or award items 7.1 through 7.9 on the consent agenda as presented. Thank you, Mr. Young. Do I hear a second? Second.

[00:51:28] Thank you, Mrs. Kinsella. We will do a roll call vote. Mrs. Shea? Aye. Mr. Young? Aye. Mrs. Kinsella? aye mrs atkins aye and i vote aye the ayes have it items 7.1 through 7.9 on the consent agenda are approved colleagues will now move on to unfinished businesses anybody have any unfinished business hearing them we will move on to new chair irving yes yes mrs atkins chair irving i don't know if you can hear me or not i can yes okay i did have uh some unfinished business specifically for

[00:52:07] lorina sanston and highland springs i want to let you know that the back to school tour is complete i am so grateful we've had a a good time we made some memories also learning more about the buildings the people all the experiences that are happening inside of them and i also colleagues wanted to share i've received many ideas some potential solutions during those visits i will be putting together a summary to share out for any including the public that want to review them

[00:52:41] and one that was worth exploring I believe and perhaps for the division as well is considering hosting a food culture and nutrition roundtable you know for parents and guardians specifically I had the opportunity to speak with Harlem she's a student at Montrose Elementary School and one of the questions was if you were a school board member or if you had a million dollars what would you do for your school or the division and hers was let's have some better food in the

[00:53:15] cafeteria and she suggested having her mom come and talk about food and culture and she said because my mom makes good food and it really got me pondering or thinking about having some level of a food culture and nutrition roundtable with parents and guardians and giving them the opportunity to just share their thoughts and ideas around what we serve in our cafeterias and maybe maybe a few local chefs too in that roundtable and maybe we can make our school meals more appealing. I know we get a ton of feedback. We have surveys around food but this could be a really

[00:53:53] interesting experience just with parents and guardians around food culture and nutrition and also knowing some of the best ideas come from students. So just wanted to share that out as well. Chair Irving. Thank you, Mrs. Atkins. Colleagues, we'll now move on new business.

[00:54:14] Colleagues, is there any new business to attend to? Chair Irving, I do have some new business. Sure. So there's a great opportunity happening this Saturday, September 26th. It's Reflections Arts in the Park. It's going to be at the Oak Avenue Complex from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

[00:54:34] And this is provided by our very own Henrico County Council of PTAs. The theme this year is What My Culture Means to Me. It's a wonderful opportunity for our students and families to celebrate culture, creativity, and community. So wanted to make sure I shared that new event coming out this Saturday, September 26th. I also had the opportunity to meet with the Omega Ro Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. Wanted to make sure I got that right.

[00:55:11] And the opportunity to share achievements and challenges. And I'm just so grateful. I wanted to just say thank you to them i'm grateful for organizations that are willing to ask how can we help and then put that conversation into action and so just wanted to take a moment to publicly thank the omega row omega chapter of alpha kappa alpha sorority incorporated chair irving thank you mrs atkins colleagues uh we'll move on to the announcement of meeting dates the The school board's next meeting will be a work session

[00:55:49] on Thursday, October 8th, 2026 at 3:00 PM. The meeting times may be adjusted as needed. This meeting is adjourned.

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