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Loudoun County School Board, Special School Board Meeting Closed Session, Monday, September 14, 2026

Date: Monday, September 14, 2026
Place: Loudoun County Public Schools / School Board meeting (see BoardDocs / LCPS-TV)
Length: 2h 7m (video)
Official meeting video (Vimeo / LCPS-TV): https://player.vimeo.com/video/1227178576?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 2026-10-30. Timestamps are [HH:MM:SS] into the meeting video.

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[00:00:48] I call to order this special school board meeting, closed session only, on Monday, September 14th, 2026. Vice Chair Donahue, do you have a motion? Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. I move that the Loudoun County School Board recess this public meeting and enter into a closed meeting pursuant to Section 2.2-3712 of the Code of Virginia for the following.

[00:01:10] The Loudoun County School Board is conducting this special meeting primarily for the purpose of conducting the superintendent's annual goal setting for the 26-27 school year. Since these discussions relate specifically to the performance of the superintendent and appointee and employee of the board, the board will meet in closed session for that purpose as authorized by Virginia Code section 2.2-3711 sub-A sub-1.

[00:01:33] Thank you. Vice Chair Donahue has made a motion. Is there a second? Second. Thank you. Ms. Chernoff, it has been properly moved and seconded that we convene a closed meeting. Is there any discussion? Oh, sure, Ms. Riccardi.

[00:01:49] Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to make sure I understand because, again, first time on this part of the process that I know that some superintendents do goal-setting sessions are done in public sessions. So I'm just trying to understand and make sure for the public's good of the whole too that we understand why this qualifies as a closed session.

[00:02:16] Mr. Allen, would you like to speak to that? Sure. Thank you, Chair Chandler and Mrs. Riccardi. Given that the superintendent is an employee of the school board, it does qualify, sorry, there's some feedback here.

[00:02:34] It does qualify as within the Virginia Freedom of Information Act closed session parameters. And to my knowledge, that's how Loudoun County public schools has always done it.

[00:02:50] And to my knowledge, there are, that's predominantly how other Virginia school divisions, although I am aware that there is at least one that does it publicly, so. - Thank you.

[00:03:05] - As a follow-up on that one, 'cause I'm not ever a fan of we've always done it that way, so I'm gonna just ask the follow-up on that one. I get that we did the performance review in closed session, and I totally get that 'cause that was contractual, but is the goal setting also contractual?

[00:03:26] - Thank you, Mrs. Riccardi, for the question. I don't have the superintendent's contract in front of me, but I think speaking generally that there is a provision that speaks to all performance evaluations or discussions regarding the superintendent's evaluation shall be confidential and held enclosed.

[00:03:46] And so I think reading that broadly, there could be the position that even the goal setting that informs the evaluation would thus qualify as a confidential discussion.

[00:04:02] - All right, any further discussion? Mr. Pepper. - May I ask a clarifying question, Madam Chair? Has Lowden County Public Schools ever, after the completion of said closed meeting for goal setting, published the specific superintendent's goals for the public? Thank you for the question, Mr. Pepper.

[00:04:21] Not to my knowledge. I do know that goal setting is informed by the standards set forth by the Virginia Department or Board of Education that provide the outline for those goals. But not off the top of my head.

[00:04:38] I'm unaware of that. Okay, so I'm asking my question, Mr. Allen, simply because I'm aware there are other public school divisions in Virginia that publish a superintendent's goals. And I personally believe there's a difference between sharing with the public what the goals are of the superintendent, because truly they're the goals of the division, but also with the understanding that any discussion related to said goals is contractual in nature and could bring up stuff that was prevalent in the confidential evaluation.

[00:05:03] Therefore, I'm a firm believer that any discussion related to goal setting or the goal setting process is definitely something that belongs in closed. However, the actual completed goals may be something that we could consider. And this is something we can talk about at Board Retreat tomorrow as a more public-facing document.

[00:05:20] Thank you. Any further discussion? Ms. Riccardi. I really appreciate that take on it because I tend to agree. I would actually like it if we could consider that as we come out in closed session and come out and take a vote on that as we come out.

[00:05:37] because I feel like I do, I mean, I get that the performance review pieces are confidential and done in close, and I honor that, but I would really like to see that the final goals that are set, I think the public does deserve to know what we're evaluating, or at least what the goals are of the division for this year.

[00:05:54] I think that's a great, transparent way to communicate with the public. So I would like for us to consider that as well in our deliberations. Thank you. Seeing no further discussion, let's move forward with the vote.

[00:06:12] Thank you. Clerk, please close and display the vote. That motion passes unanimously with all nine board members present. The board is now enclosed.

[00:06:27] The Loudoun County School Board is now coming out of closed session.

[02:03:15] Vice Chair Donahue, do you have a motion? Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. 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. Thank you. Vice Chair Donahue has made a motion.

[02:03:30] Is there a second? Second. That motion is seconded by Ms. Chernoff. Is there any discussion? All right, it has been properly moved and seconded that the Loudoun County School Board adjourn the closed meeting. Seeing no further discussion, let's move forward with the vote.

[02:03:49] Clerk, please close and display the vote. That motion passes unanimously with all nine school board members present. Vice Chair Donahue, do you have another motion? Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. I move that the following resolution certifying the closed meeting be adopted and reflected in the minutes of this public meeting.

[02:04:09] Resolution number 07-26-27. Whereas the Loudoun County School Board has convened a closed meeting on this date pursuant to an affirmative recorded vote in accordance with the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, and whereas Section 2.2-3712 sub-D of the Code of Virginia requires a certification by the School Board that such closed meeting was conducted in conformity with Virginia law, now therefore be it resolved that the Loudoun County School Board hereby certifies that, to the best of each member's knowledge, one, only public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements by Virginia law were discussed in the closed meeting to which this certification applies,

[02:04:47] and two, 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. Thank you. Vice Chair Donahue has made a motion to certify the closed meeting. Is there a second? Second. Thank you, Ms. Chernoff. Is there any discussion, board members?

[02:05:04] I'm seeing none. Let's move forward with the vote. All right. Clerk, please close and display the vote. That motion passes unanimously with all nine school board members present. And finally, Vice Chair Donahue, do you have a further motion?

[02:05:20] Yes. Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that the Loudoun County School Board approve the superintendent's annual goals for the 2026-2027 school year as presented and further informed through discussion in closed session. Thank you. Vice Chair Donahue has made a motion. Is there a second? Second. Thank you, Ms. Chernoff. Is there any discussion? All right. Seeing no discussion, let's move forward with the vote all right clerk please close and display the vote um that motion

[02:05:52] that motion passes uh with eight members voting yes including uh mr svensson miss shirnoff myself vice chair donahue mrs griffiths mr pepper um dr rashida and miss labelle and one board member voting no mrs ricardi um with that um we have reached the conclusion of our business this evening um thank you for coming out this special school board meeting closed session only is now adjourned Thank you, and have a safe ride home.

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