Coraggio Consulting Loudoun County School Board, Special School Board Meeting, Friday, June 2, 2023 Date: Friday, June 2, 2023 Place: Loudoun County Public Schools / School Board meeting (see BoardDocs / LCPS-TV) Length: 2h 42m (video) Official meeting video (Vimeo / LCPS-TV): https://player.vimeo.com/video/832875823?rel=0 BoardDocs (School Board): https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/loudoun/Board.nsf/Public 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 2026-10-20. Timestamps are [HH:MM:SS] into the meeting video. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [00:00:00] We're going to start with item 102 on the agenda, remote participation. I've been notified that Ms. Corbo would like to remotely participate in tonight's school board meeting. Ms. Corbo, could you please state your location, whether anyone is with you at your location, and whether this is for a medical or personal matter? [00:00:19] Thank you. I am at my daughter's. I'm alone. I'm asking for remote participation for personal medical reasons, specifically for an ongoing medical condition and disability verified by HRTD and covered under ADA federal law. At this time, I'll entertain a motion that Ms. Corbo's request to participate remotely for medical reasons be granted. [00:00:42] So moved. Is there a second? That motion will fail for lack of a second. Ms. Corbo, would you like to request remote participation for a personal matter tonight? No, my medical should suffice. [00:00:57] Okay. We will move on to item two on the agenda, the announcement of the superintendent. Before we get to the motion, I want to take a brief moment of privilege to thank some people who have been performing above and beyond their normal duties over the past six months. [00:01:25] Dr. Smith, you took on an enormous challenge in December when you stepped up to become acting superintendent, and your stewardship of the school division has set us on a path to success. I especially want to commend you on your efforts regarding community engagement, having earned kudos both from the Board of Supervisors and from the Sheriff's Office on your outreach and engagement. [00:01:48] I also want to give similar recognition to Neil Slevin for stepping into the chief of staff role and doing the near impossible job of herding school board cats, as well as to Ashley Cramp for stepping into the position of director of teaching and learning, as well as the entire elementary education office, Elaine Lehman, director of elementary education, Terry Finn and Chantel Simon, executive principals, for taking on additional duties in supervising principals during this period. [00:02:14] It truly was a team effort, and on behalf of the school board, I want to thank all of you for your continued service to Loudoun County Public Schools and for giving new meaning to the phrase, other duties as assigned. With that, I move that the Loudoun County School Board approve and accept Dr. Aaron Spence as superintendent and authorize the chair to execute on behalf of the board a contract to that effect. [00:02:40] Is there a second? Seconded by Mr. Mehedivi. I will speak to the motion. We are at the conclusion of a six-month nationwide search for a new superintendent. The process included significant community input through a public survey, dozens of stakeholder sessions to develop the superintendent profile, and a community panel that interviewed the finalists. [00:03:04] We had excellent candidates from across the country to choose from at each stage of the process, and it is my pleasure tonight to support Dr. Aaron Spence as the next superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools. Since 2014, Dr. Spence has served as superintendent of Virginia Beach City Public Schools, a school district of over 65,000 students and 10,000 employees. [00:03:27] During his tenure, Dr. Spence supported significant growth in the division, ensuring all schools became and remained fully accredited and overseeing processes resulting in the division's highest graduation rates on record. [00:03:40] Other work to meet the needs of students, staff, parents, and the community includes the implementation of full-day kindergarten, the development of an environmental studies program classroom at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Brock Environmental Center, an expansion of career and technical education opportunities in areas including manufacturing and renewable energy, and a significant increase in family and community engagement efforts, including focused voice groups and expanded supports for English learner families. [00:04:10] Prior to that role, Dr. Spence was the superintendent of Moore County Schools in North Carolina for two years. His previous positions have included chief high school's officer for Houston Independent School District, chief academic officer and director of curriculum for Chesterfield County Public Schools, principal of Deep Run High School, and assistant principal of Henrico High School for Henrico County Public Schools, and as a French teacher at Brook Point High School in Stafford County Public Schools. [00:04:39] A recognized leader at the state and national level, Dr. Spence was named the 2018 Virginia Superintendent of the Year by the Virginia Association of School Superintendents. He was also named the Empowered Digital Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators at the 2021 National Conference on Education and serves as a mentor and teacher for new superintendents across the country. [00:05:07] My personal highest priority during this process was to find a superintendent who was experienced, accomplished, and successful at running a large, complex school division. And Dr. Spence fits the bill perfectly. At this time, I will open it up to comments from the school board. [00:05:25] Ms. Reeser. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to extend another note of gratitude to all of the parents and community members who served on our community panel. Your voice was overwhelmingly positive for this candidate. You were markedly certain of his qualifications, and I just want you to know that we heard you and appreciate the work that you did. [00:05:45] Thank you. Additional comments? Mr. Mahedvi. Thank you, Chair. I'll echo what Ms. Reiser also mentioned. I think the 18 or 17 or so, the appointed, the committee members that were able to interview both the candidates provided very positive feedback on Dr. Spence. [00:06:12] So I think it's, anyway, I just wanted to add to that. And I think the opportunity also just to thank Dr. Smith for stepping up and helping and filling the void and more importantly, building, at least working towards building the trust. I know it's still, there's a lot of work to be done on that, but I think I really appreciate where you have been able to at least try to fill the gap in that. So I truly appreciate you and the staff leadership in place. Thank you. Additional comments? Ms. Polifko. Thank you, Mr. Chair. [00:06:55] For years now, so not just a year, but years with an S at the end, this community has been demanding transparency and accountability from its elected officials. I was elected in November of 2022, and I started serving the community immediately on November 15th of that year. [00:07:14] And I was not elected to be a part of the hive mind. I was not elected to be pushed into a corner and vote a certain way so that it strokes the egos of the larger group. I was elected to be a mouthpiece, a voice for the constituents, not just the people of Broad Run, but people in Loudoun County public schools in general, and that's what I'm here to do. It is my belief that it is not the current school board who should be electing or selecting, excuse me, the next [00:07:48] superintendent to lead Loudoun County public schools. I understand that we need to heal and we need to move on, but right now we have a gaping wound in our school system, and this current board is not the one, in my belief, who's going to fix that wound. I will work with anyone. I will work respectfully with anyone. But it is my sincere belief that in order to choose the proper leader [00:08:24] for this school division, we need to have the proper leaders in place on the school board to execute that decision. And in my opinion, we do not have that right now. So I will not be supporting the selection of this superintendent during tonight's vote. Thank you. Thank you. Additional discussion? Seeing none, all in favor of the motion to approve and accept Dr. Aaron Spence as superintendent and authorize the chair to execute on behalf of the board a contract to that effect. Please raise your hand and say aye. Aye. Those opposed, please raise your hand and say [00:09:00] nay. That motion will pass 6-1 with Polifco and Beatty opposed and Ms. Corbo absent for the vote. As far as logistical notes, Dr. Spence is expected to relocate with his family to Loudoun County and assume office in the coming months. [00:09:24] Dr. Smith will continue to serve as acting superintendent until that time. Dr. Spence sincerely regrets that another commitment has kept him from being here in person tonight. However, he asked me to share the following statement with the LCPS community. I am honored to be chosen as the next superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools. [00:09:43] I want to thank the board for entrusting me with the responsibility of continuing to build upon the already solid foundation of academic excellence in LCPS. With parental and community support and involvement from all stakeholders, we can have a trusting collaborative environment where children have no option but to succeed. It is my goal to foster a culture built around that understanding and one that places an even greater emphasis on transparency while uplifting the outstanding work of our schools. I also know from experience how vital relationship building is to the success of a school division. We learned over the last few [00:10:20] years that schools can't do it alone, and it is more critical than ever to prioritize authentic family engagement and community partnerships. I look forward to joining you in this work. I love being an educator, and I love being a superintendent. I attribute this to my teachers who helped me understand the transformative power of education. My desire for children to have rich experiences in the care of loving adults who want what's best for them drives me as an educator. I am committed to this work, and I approach it with an all-hands-on-deck mentality. A community's investment in its children is an investment in the future and it is our [00:10:58] obligation to advocate for, protect, and cultivate that investment with attentive and thoughtful stewardship. I couldn't be more excited to put down roots with my family and get started on the important work of providing a safe, innovative, welcoming, and supportive environment where all children can thrive. With that we will move to item three on our agenda. Our closed session is there a motion. Mr. Mahedby. Yes, Chair. I move to the Loudoun County School Board, reset this public meeting, and enter into a closed meeting person to Section 2.2-3712, the Code of Virginia, for the following. Consultation with legal counsel employed [00:11:36] or retained by a public body pertaining to Loudoun County Circuit Court Matters CR 37-536, CR 37-874, and CR 37-875, and requiring the provisions of legal advice by such counsel as authorized by section 2.23711A7 and 2.23711A8 of the Code of Virginia. [00:11:58] Secondly, discussion of the performance of specific and public employees as authorized by section 2.23711A1 of Code of Virginia. The board shall dispense with the attendance of the superintendent or his designee person to Virginia Code of Virginia, section 221-69 during the portion or all of this meeting. [00:12:19] Sir, a second. - Seconded by Ms. Ogedegbe, is there any discussion? Ms. Polifko. - Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will not be supporting this motion, given the events that unfolded in the courtroom on Tuesday, May 30th, regarding Mr. Falcone's potential FOIA violations for closed meetings. [00:12:41] I'm not comfortable with taking any legal counsel from Mr. Falcone at this time, so I will not be supporting this motion, thank you. - Further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor of the motion, please raise your hand and say aye. - Aye. - Those opposed? [00:12:57] That motion will pass 7-1-1, with Polifko opposed, and Ms. Corbo absent for the vote. We are now in closed session. [00:13:03] Thank you. [02:39:45] - Okay, the board is coming out of closed meeting. Ms. Sheridan, do we have a motion to adjourn the closed meeting? - Yes, I move that the closed meeting be adjourned, that the Loudoun County School Board reconvene its public meeting and that the minutes of the public meeting reflect that no formal action was taken in the closed meeting. [02:40:01] Furthermore, I move that the following resolution certifying the closed meeting be adopted and reflected in the minutes of this public meeting. Resolution number 46-22-23, whereas the Loudoun County School Board has convened a closed meeting on this date pursuant to an affirmative recorded vote and in accordance with the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, and whereas section 2.2-3712D of the Code of Virginia requires a certification by the school board that such closed meeting was conducted in conformity with Virginia law. [02:40:32] Now therefore, be it resolved that the Loudoun County School Board hereby certifies that to the best of each member's knowledge, Only public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements by Virginia law were discussed in the closed meeting to which the certification applies, and only such public business matters as were identified in the motion convening the closed meeting were heard, discussed, or considered by the Loudoun County School Board. [02:40:54] - Second. - So, motion made by Ms. Sheridan and seconded by Mr. Morris. Any discussion? All those in favor, raise your hand, say aye. All those against, any abstention? [02:41:11] Now that the motion passes 4-0-1, I'm sorry, 4-0-1 and with Ms. Corbo absent. And Ms. Corbo, Mr. 3, I'm sorry, 4-0-1-1, 4-0-1-4, thank you. [02:41:31] We can call this meeting adjourned, thank you. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Coraggio Consulting ยท aguyonx.com