Coraggio Consulting
Manassas City School Board Meeting - May 19, 2026

Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Place: Manassas City Public Schools / School Board meeting, Virginia
Length: 1h 48m (video)
Official meeting video (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKo7qi1StRw

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 2026-10-17. Timestamps are [HH:MM:SS] into the meeting video.

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[00:00:05] our school board meeting I'd like to call to order the regular meeting of the school board of the city of Manassas the time is 6:00 p.m. could you please stand and join me with for a moment of silence followed by the Pledge of Allegiance

[00:00:17] madam clerk could you please call the roll yes ma'am Chair Spall present Vice

[00:00:53] Chair Jones Dr. Jones Miss Missy Sieber here Mrs. Stevens here Mrs. Presley

[00:01:01] Present. Ms. Brown. Present. Ms. Miles. Present. Ms. Breeden. Present. Dray Moon. Here. Thank you. Madam Chair, we have a form. Thank you. Ms. Dr. No, ma'am. Dr. Newman. Are there any additions or deletions to the agenda? Thank you. No, ma'am. Is there a motion to approve the public meeting agenda? Chair, I move that the school board of the city of Manassas adopt the public meeting agenda as presented. Second. I have a motion by Ms. Stevens, seconded by Ms. Miles, that the

[00:01:40] We approve the public agenda or any discussion all those in favor say aye any opposed Motion carries 7-0 we will now hear the superintendent's announcement and spotlights miss Radford. You have the floor good evening Thank you chair Spall good evening to our other board members that are here tonight and to Everyone that is in the house with us this evening to help us celebrate our wonderful spotlights

[00:02:15] So at this time, I believe we have more representation that will be coming down with Dr. Newman. It's my honor at this time to recognize a group of students that participated in the Upcycled Art Contest.

[00:02:31] The City of Manassas Refuse and Recycling Department in conjunction with the Keep Manassas Beautiful Committee organized an Upcycled Art Contest for Youth in the City of Manassas. The contest was open to students from kindergarten to 12th grade. tonight we have Lori Hassel refuse and recycling coordinator with the city of Manassas and keep Manassas beautiful committee chair Amy McCracken with us to

[00:02:57] share more about the contest theme and to present awards to the winners thank you everybody this is Amy McCracken she's the chair for our keep Manassas beautiful committee helped organize the contest and I'm gonna let her say a few words thank you Laurie this year we decided to do an art upcycled art contest that we opened to all K through 12 students within the city of Manassas

[00:03:35] through Manassas schools as well as homeschool students and students through our local private schools the theme this year was keeping Manassas beautiful and as this is the 250th birthday of our of our nation we decided to really kind of push for this upcycled art contest and we wanted our students to create a project that was 75% recycled materials and then 25% of other materials that they would like to use to create their project. This year we received four entries and Laurie if you would go ahead and go through these are the entries

[00:04:12] this year. Enrique created an entry he is in third grade keep the winter's branch trail clean. Enrique said his materials we used included a water bottle label and a cap and an Amazon package and he says there are many wildlife animals that benefit from keeping this trail clean and he was inspired because he and his family visit the trail very often. The next one we had was from Ariel. She is also in third grade and she created the Calm Bench and her materials used included a paper cup, Ikea furniture wire, toilet seat

[00:04:51] attachments, cloths, scraps, and items from Dabble Creative Reuse Center. And she decided to create the bench because if you are tired or need to take a break, you can sit and feel calm. And the bench reminds her that her family, reminds her of her and her family going hiking in Jenny Dean Park. And there are so many pretty things to enjoy. We also had, excuse me if I pronounce her name wrong, Lea Bell, first grade. She created the Manassas Mermaid. And her materials included gardening stones, pearl beads, parts from old craft projects, and items from Dabble Creative

[00:05:26] Reuse Store. And Lea Bell said she made a mermaid because she likes mermaids. And even though they're not in Manassas, she stated that Manassas is her favorite because she lives in Manassas. And our last one this year is from Marianne, who is in kindergarten. She created Manassas as the best community in the whole world. I agree. She said that her materials used included plastic caps, tissue paper, wood sticks, old train tracks on the toy. And Marion's mom said their family went to downtown Manassas to collect sticks where Marion saw the love sign and had the idea for the project. When asked why keep Manassas

[00:06:03] beautiful, Marion said because Manassas is very clean and we have to clean trash and separate from the cycle. Thank you so much to our talented artists and our sponsors. At this time I'd like to very quick I'd like to introduce American Disposal Services who would like to present their awards to our four students and that was Marlin not Marion right now we have Mike Miller from American Disposal and Artaros Campos from American Disposal those are

[00:06:41] genuinely genuinely well genuinely donated the tickets for the Nationals baseball games to the students of the winners so we're gonna let them present the gifts and finally I'd like to thank the other members of the beautification committee who came out this evening Susan and Anne if you'd stand up please they were also part of this planning of the project and if our four students would like to come down we would like to and they could come down with their

[00:07:14] parents we would like to present them with their awards thank you so our students are Enrique Andrews third grade from RC Hayden elementary school and please stay up front once you receive your award from Baldwin elementary

[00:07:42] school we have third grader Ariel Evanson we also have from Baldwin Elementary Leah Bell Evanson first grade and from Baldwin Elementary Marlon

[00:08:06] Valentin Garcia American kindergartner okay if I can get everybody to join in

[00:08:30] together congratulations to our wonderful students and thank you for our

[00:09:55] community partners for helping us to recognize our students now we are going to spotlight the arts miss sarah weaver is coming to tell us about the recent division art show and present the students who were selected as first place winners followed by the recognition of one of our students who earned a ribbon in the virginia school boards association northeastern region art contest thank you for the opportunity to recognize our division artists first i would

[00:10:34] would like to recognize our VSBA ribbon winner, Noah White. Can you come down? Noah's going to show us his picture. This is the one he received first place in the division art show, and then he also received third place for the Virginia School Board Association Art Contest for the northeastern region in the elementary category, which is grades K through five, and Noah is a second grader.

[00:11:13] at Weems Elementary yep and then Miss Saylor Miss Saylor has been recognized for this win consecutively and we're incredibly proud of the artistic direction that you provide to your students so thank you and then Noah can you stay there because now I'm gonna do okay so next you

[00:11:51] you can stay too if you want she really wants to go back to sit I know her too well so next I would like to recognize the first place division winners for the division art show this year was the 10th year for the division art show and at this event we showcase K through 12th grade artwork for Monassau City Public Schools I have judges that come in from the community and most of them are artists themselves and they judge the artwork based on a scoring rubric for a criteria that are

[00:12:26] actually art related so there are standards so students when i call your name to be recognized please come up front and join noah so first noah white he um i have certificates for everybody so he like i said got first place and then um for the division art show and then i have your vsba stuff here um from the vsba contest and your rubric because i thought you'd want to keep that

[00:12:57] in your forever scrapbook okay so all of this is yours congratulations noah his is hands full um

[00:13:11] for zanelle jones fourth grade baldwin elementary natalie mejia from dean elementary leah bookwalter

[00:13:39] third grade from hayden elementary danica patel fourth grade from round elementary allison escobar Belchenina, fifth grade, from Baldwin Intermediate, Sophia Thresha from Mayfield Intermediate,

[00:14:14] sixth grade, Ilaha Omid, eighth grade, from Mets Middle School, and Alice Hertz, twelfth grade, from Osborne High School. And then if we have any of the art teachers here, can you also come

[00:14:47] forward to be recognized? So this is Ms. Grebner from Baldwin Elementary, and Amy Saylor from Weems Elementary Molly's here from Round Elementary and our teachers we give you lots of thanks to for giving your expertise and your direction to your students and we wouldn't be able to do this without you so thank you let's take

[00:15:16] pictures oh and then oh sorry if you would like to see any of the artwork

[00:16:15] please follow Manassas City Public Schools on Facebook and all of the artwork is on there and congratulations again to all of our students and teachers Congratulations everybody. Let's see. All right. Next we have new papa. Mr. Andrew Wassum,

[00:16:55] director of bands at Osborne, will come and share with us regarding the band's competition season and also highlight a grand accomplishment by the amazing Osborne Performing Arts Program. Good evening. The competition season wrapped up right around the time that things were about to get very busy at our house so these are a little belated but thanks for inviting me Mrs. Radford to speak with everybody. I was asked here this evening to talk about the accomplishments of the Osborne High School band program for the year. Back this fall the Screaming Eagles marching band

[00:17:34] performed well at area competitions with their pirate themed show Under the Black Flag. At the Woodbridge Viking Invitational Osborne took home first place in percussion, second place in music, and second place drum major for Val at the yeah give it up to Val Val doesn't like attention so that's really fun for me at the North Stafford Big Blue Invitational the marching band won first place in percussion second place in music and third place overall in class at the Loudoun County

[00:18:10] Invitational they earned second place in music and second place overall in class and then the season culminated in a rating of superior at the Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association State Marching Assessment. After that, I try to remember to go chronological, we had four students late in the fall who won chairs in the District 9 All-District Honor Band, with three of them placing high enough in their sections to qualify for all state band auditions and once again to

[00:18:45] single out Val. Val earned first chair alto saxophone for the second year in a row. This winter, Ms. Sarah Steven and Mrs. Desiree Weathersby restarted our indoor color guard program after a six-year hiatus.

[00:19:06] The team worked very hard to reestablish themselves as a group and performed very well at two area competitions. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the variety of schools all over the system who let us borrow their gyms. So thank you so much to all those various principals.

[00:19:22] And then in March, the Osborne Symphonic Band performed at the yearly concert assessment held by the VBODA and earned straight superior ratings from all four judges. That combined with the superior rating earned by the marching band in the fall now results in the fifth Virginia Honor Band designation for Osborne High School.

[00:19:48] The very first one, he's going to love that this is in a school board meeting now, but the very first one was back in 1998, which is so long ago that Mr. Leonard Newman was in the Osborne marching band at the time. That was our very first, and then the other ones have been in 2019, 2023, 2025, and 2026 in these past nine years that I have had the privilege to be working as your director of bands at Osborne.

[00:20:15] The music programs at Osborne have also earned their fifth Blue Ribbon Award this year for superior assessment ratings for our advanced ensembles. My colleagues, our students, and myself are very appreciative to have the support of our school system that makes these accomplished possible.

[00:20:32] So thank you all very much. So I always say trophies don't matter at the end of the day. these awards don't mean anything on their own, but what they symbolize and signify is that when we are willing to invest the time and the money and the blood, sweat, and tears into our kids, we can build them up. We can hold them up to high standards and quality metrics and see them stand on their own with the absolute best of the best. No matter what background or circumstances may have limited them in the past or what internal limitations they may have imagined for themselves,

[00:21:10] that is the most valuable lesson of music education thank you I would also like to mention that Val is going to be attending UNC Greensboro in the fall

[00:21:29] majoring in music education wonderful thank you so much and I know that we are

[00:22:19] nearing the end of the school year but fall will quickly approach so we're going to ask that you all come out and support our marching band during football season because they have a spectacular show always and so it's always great to see them out on the field. All right next from Osborne High School we have Mr. Mark Whitley. He's the Osborne High School SCA sponsor and debate coach. He's here tonight to share exciting information regarding Osborne Student Council and Speech and Debate Club. Mr. Whitley. Thank you very much for

[00:22:56] having us. First I want to point out our SCA. For the third straight year we have been named a Virginia Council of Excellence and the National Student Council Excellence Award gold to hit the to hit the gold and the national level you have to hit 28 different criteria not only did we hit 28 different we actually exceeded by about four we just to show you we are one of only 17 I believe schools in Virginia to win that award and one of about 400 plus out of

[00:23:35] 25,000 in the entire country so yeah we're that good okay those of you who are in leadership in SCA come on you got to come up here for this you too come on you want to do them separate yeah we'll do student council together and

[00:24:08] then we'll do the debate congratulations SCA now say most you guys are coming

[00:25:14] right back up here this is the second year Osborne's had a debate team for the first time ever we competed in the regional speech part of speech and debate and not only did we compete but we won the 6B regional. We went to super regionals and finished third out of 18 teams and we sent four students to the speech states and one of them, Iona Manz, finished runner-up in

[00:25:51] storytelling for the state. And on the debate side we actually sent two students, freshmen in fact, who made it all the way to states in their first year competing.

[00:26:11] So we've had a really, really good year. I mean, we qualified 19 out of 26 of our students for the league we're in to go to the championships, which unfortunately got snowed out. But now when we show up, they're like, oh, it's Osborne.

[00:26:26] Yeah, that's right. So we've had a great year, and hopefully we'll be back up here to brag some more next year. Come on, Debate, let's go. I love it. We want them to fear the eagle.

[00:26:42] That's right.

[00:26:42] This way, pose, one second.

[00:27:27] Awesome. congratulations everybody we have phenomenal students and we have phenomenal faculty and staff that work with our students so congratulations to all of you okay our next recognition is called the super sub and the super sub award celebrates the invaluable contributions of substitutes in various roles across the division including custodians instructional assistants

[00:28:06] clerical staff bus drivers attendance school food service personnel teachers counselors and nurses not everybody knew that we had substitutes in all of those areas nominees for the super sub award are individuals who fulfill their substitute duties seamlessly and engage positively with staff and students the recognition aims to appreciate their dedication and excellence in creating a positive educational environment. Each person was nominated by a location they have served in. So we'll begin tonight from Hayden Elementary School, Mrs. Etaf

[00:28:44] Azarkhani. Ms. Azarkhani, I think she's also known as Ms. A, is being recognized for her professionalism, strong classroom management, and caring relationships with students across grade levels. Staff members shared that she consistently creates a positive and engaging learning environment while

[00:29:20] While ensuring continuity of instruction during teacher absences, her reliability and dedication have made her a valued member of the Hayden School community. Congratulations, Ms. A.

[00:29:35] The Transportation Department wants to shout out Ms. Kendra Coram. All right, so we thank her in her absence. Osborne selected Mr. Nigel Fields.

[00:29:59] Mr. Fields was recognized for his outstanding support of students in advanced mathematics courses while serving as a long-term substitute teacher. Staff members shared that he provided engaging instruction, maintained strong communication with students and colleagues, and demonstrated a deep commitment to student success.

[00:30:18] His professionalism and positive attitude made a lasting impact on the Osborne High School community. Congratulations, Mr. Fields. Jenny Dean Elementary School nominated Mrs. Joyce Grant.

[00:30:39] Ms. Grant was nominated for the supportive and engaging classroom environment she created for students while serving as a long-term substitute teacher. Staff members shared that she quickly became part of the school community through her professionalism, adaptability, and positive relationships with students.

[00:30:59] Her caring approach and dedication left a lasting impression on both students and staff. Congratulations to you. Weems Elementary chose Ms. Celante Thomas.

[00:31:20] Ms. Thomas is being recognized by Weems for her flexibility, positivity, and dedication throughout the school year. Staff members shared that she consistently stepped in wherever support was needed and built strong relationships with students and staff.

[00:31:37] Her positive attitude and willingness to help have made her a valued member of the Weems community. Congratulations and thank you. Brown Elementary School recognized Mr. Matthew Harris.

[00:31:57] Congratulations to Mr. Harris. Let's see, Mets Middle School chose Mr. Kelvin McClain. Mr. McClain has served as a long-term substitute special education teacher at Metz Middle School where staff members say his professionalism and dedication have made a meaningful impact on students and staff alike.

[00:32:25] Colleagues share that he stepped into a complex instructional role with reliability, collaboration, and a strong commitment to student success. His calm presence and support has strengthened the Metz School community, congratulations.

[00:32:45] Baldwin Intermediate School wants to shout out Miss Alexandra Sears.

[00:32:58] Miss Sears has served as a long-term substitute teacher at Baldwin Intermediate where staff members praised her dedication, creativity, and commitment to student achievement. Colleagues shared that she successfully supported multiple grade levels in content areas while creating a positive and engaging school environment.

[00:33:17] Her professionalism and investment in student success made her a valued member of the Baldwin Intermediate School family. Congratulations. From Mayfield Intermediate School, Ms. Sherla Thomas.

[00:33:43] Ms. Sherla Thomas is being recognized for her exceptional support of students in special education classrooms. Staff members shared that she consistently creates a calm, encouraging, and supportive learning environment while meeting the individual needs of students.

[00:34:00] Her professionalism, patience, and uplifting spirit have made her an invaluable resource to the school community. Congratulations, Ms. Thomas. Baldwin Elementary School selected Mrs. Diana Stanton.

[00:34:25] Ms. Stanton was selected because of the meaningful relationships she builds with students and her dedication to maintaining a positive classroom environment. Staff members shared that she keeps students engaged in learning while providing dependable instructional support during teacher absences.

[00:34:42] Her caring and nurturing presence has earned the appreciation of both students and staff. Congratulations to you, thank you. And finally, from Student Health Services, substitute nurse, Ms. Sarah Boffman.

[00:35:06] Ms. Boffman is being recognized for her flexibility, professionalism, and dependable support of school clinics across the division. Staff members shared that she consistently steps in to assist wherever needed and responds quickly to schedule changes with a positive attitude.

[00:35:24] Her dedication has made a meaningful contribution to Student Health Services and all the schools she has supported. Congratulations. I just want to quickly say as we ask everyone to join us for a photo, we really could not survive without our substitutes. The fact that you all are able to step in at the nick of time and help us whenever you are needed is invaluable to us, and we cannot

[00:35:50] appreciate you enough. Thank you so much for serving in that capacity. We have proud principals

[00:36:39] here. All right, great. Thank you all so much. We hope you all have a fabulous summer and that you're coming back to sub with us again next year all right ready next we have our team awards

[00:37:13] the teacher education and mentor or team program serves all educators new to Manasseh City Public Schools by fostering productive partnerships and offering ongoing support each year awards are presented to outstanding team members teachers excuse me and mentors in 2026 over 50 teachers and 15 mentors were nominated for their service to their students colleagues and community we are excited to celebrate this year's award winners tonight and we'll begin with team outstanding

[00:37:46] new teacher hannah muller from mets middle school and i will be reading excerpts from their nominating packets in the first person so okay miss muller embodies the epitome of exceptional instructional practice in a multitude of ways. She enables student learning and achievement by constructing engaging anchor charts, visuals, and other student resources. She differentiates

[00:38:21] instruction masterfully and adopts an inclusive student-centered approach providing individualized support to each student dependent on their needs in conjunction with their IEPs, 504 plans, and qualitative behavioral data. Ms. Mueller is a beacon of positivity for both students and staff alike within Metz Middle School. She never fails to greet students entering her class with a smile, offering them a fresh start every single day. I speak definitively for all BT1s, and I think that's beginning teachers, yes, okay, at Metz Middle School when I affirm that Ms. Mueller is a shining

[00:38:57] example, role model, and professional resource for all of us. I know that she is and will remain a vital asset to our school division for many years to come. Congratulations, Ms. Mueller. Next, we have our team outstanding second-year teacher Ronald Nino from Osborne High School and I quote this teacher consistently exemplifies exceptional instructional

[00:39:36] practice by making learning meaningful accessible and deeply student-centered by taking the time to learn about students interests and strengths he is able to design instruction that feels personal and purposeful his instruction is highly responsive and adaptable this teacher has created a positive structured, and highly supportive classroom environment where students feel both safe and motivated to learn. His classroom management is proactive and effective, allowing instructional time to be maximized while minimizing disruptions. Beyond the classroom, he has shown a strong commitment to the school community. He played an instrumental role in encouraging and supporting

[00:40:15] student participation in ESOL Literacy Night, helping to increase attendance and engagement his willingness to go beyond his daily responsibilities collaborate with colleagues and support school initiatives reflects both his leadership potential and his dedication to serving students and the broader school community congratulations mr. Nino our team outstanding third year

[00:40:43] teacher of the year is Regina Bullock from round elementary and I quote miss Bullock is a warm and caring teacher with her with her colleagues and is always willing to step up and help if needed her knowledge of teaching allows her to mentor new staff be a leader among her team and continually have her children excel miss bullock uses a variety of instructional strategies to meet diverse learning needs mrs bullock's teaching

[00:41:19] style is warm and friendly while also having high expectations that the children want to meet each day begins with positive affirmations giving each child a feeling of love and worth Ms. Bullock celebrates efforts and progress which promotes a growth mindset and reduces fear of failure. She also maintains open communication with families ensuring a strong system beyond the classroom. Ms. Bullock volunteers on the social committee that focuses on school morale and school events. Ms. Bullock demonstrates leadership and strong commitment to professional

[00:41:54] growth and the success of the school community as a whole. Congratulations to you. And that is is in the world of pre-K. Yes. Our team outstanding, newly hired, experienced teacher is Lisa Forrest Marshall from Hayden Elementary School. And I will say that this award is for a new teacher to

[00:42:30] Manassas City Public Schools, but not new to teaching. Okay. I quote, I had the distinct pleasure of working with Ms. Forrest Marshall as her mentor since August 2025. And I can say without hesitation that she is a truly exceptional professional who is proud to work for Manassas City Public Schools. Ms. Forrest Marshall is an incredibly learner-centered pre-k teacher who focuses on the needs, interests, and development of her students rather than just teaching. Ms.

[00:42:59] Forrest Marshall creates a welcoming, nurturing, and inclusive classroom environment. I notice her students feel safe and loved. Ms. Forrest Marshall extends learning beyond her instruction by inviting guest speakers from the school community she goes beyond expectations to create connections that enrich student learning and strengthen the school community in short miss forest marshall is a powerful culture builder she has one of the biggest hearts of anyone i've met and consistently models care and respect for others she uplifts both peers and students through thoughtful and visible

[00:43:35] recognition helping create a positive and supportive school environment where everyone feel seen. Congratulations Ms. Forrest Marshall. And now our team outstanding mentor is Kaylee McCann from Mayfield Intermediate School. This person says my mentor invested intentional time and consistent effort into building a strong mentoring relationship from the very beginning and her

[00:44:14] commitment remained evident throughout the year. Instead of assuming prior knowledge, she explained processes step by step and helped me understand not just what to do, but why things were done a certain way. Additionally, my mentor connected me to valuable resources, including instructional materials, professional development opportunities, and support staff within the school. She showed me where to find information and encouraged me to ask questions and advocate for support when I needed it. From the beginning, my mentor made it clear that I was not alone. She took time to truly

[00:44:51] listen creating a safe space where I could openly share my concerns without fear of judgment after difficult days she reminded me that all educators experience setbacks and that struggle is a natural part of learning to teach her reassurance helped me understand that growth often comes from discomfort and she is so appreciated congratulations congratulations to all of our team award winners we appreciate everything that you are doing for our schools and

[00:45:24] and our families, thank you. And they are being joined by the professional learning team.

[00:45:55] Ratsy, congratulations, thank you all.

[00:46:41] Okay, our next spotlight for the evening is the VSBA or Virginia School Boards Association business honor roll. The Virginia School Boards Association states that local businesses have the power to shape community attitudes about public education.

[00:46:59] The VSBA business honor roll provides an opportunity for school divisions to publicly recognize businesses, organizations, and nonprofits that go above and beyond in their support of schools. Divisions may nominate up to three businesses or organizations for the honor roll.

[00:47:16] Tonight, we are pleased to recognize three businesses that have positively impacted our own school community. I will share our first business, and Mr. Eric Godwin, our CTE work-based learning specialist, will come forward after I've completed mine to share information about our two additional honorees.

[00:47:36] each business has received a letter from the VSBA and we have a certificate for each of them that reads this is awarded to the person the Manasseh City School Board expresses appreciation for your ongoing support of this community's public schools your work has aided this community in focusing on the goal of providing the best public schools we can for every child who attends them all - All right, yes.

[00:48:07] First, please help me welcome Mr. Mike Beatty. Camera in hand, Mr. Mike Beatty is being recognized for his extraordinary support and unwavering presence.

[00:48:25] I'm sorry, can you see that? An unwavering presence throughout the MCPS school community. Whether on the sidelines of athletic competitions, at student performances, or during school and community events, Mr. Beatty can often be found behind the camera, just as he was tonight, capturing unforgettable moments for students, families, and staff.

[00:48:49] Through his photography, he not only preserves memories, but he also tells the story of MCPS in a powerful and meaningful way, highlighting the pride, spirit, achievement, and heart of our schools. His generosity, consistency, and passion for both photography and community have created a lasting impact that extends far beyond the images themselves.

[00:49:13] We thank you so much, Mr. Beatty. - Me again. I wanna give another super shout out for Mr. Mike Beatty. I advertised our first ever middle school career fair back in December, and Mike answered the call to come and photograph our event.

[00:49:35] So thank you again for that. We appreciate it. The first business that we're gonna recognize on this part for this is Lake Manassas Health and Rehabilitation Center. So if there's a representative from Lake Manassas, please come forward.

[00:49:56] So Lake Manassas Health and Rehabilitation Center has been a tremendous partner with Manassas City Public Schools Career and Technical Education program. This facility was the inaugural clinical site for our certified nurse aide program back in 2022. Throughout the years, hundreds of OHS students have cared for their residents and patients, as well as being mentored by their staff.

[00:50:20] Lake Manassas has also hired numerous students and even works with them while they are home during holiday breaks while enrolled in college. such as lake manassas health and rehabilitation center are pivotal assets to the future of the health and medical sciences workforce thank you for being such an amazing business partner and it is our honor to recognize you this evening for the vsba business honor roll thank you the last business we're going to recognize this evening is safford subaru of manassas so if we have a

[00:50:53] representative for the past two years safford subaru has been a pillar for our students and cte program. During the 24-25 academic year, I went to Safford Subaru to expand partnerships for our growing automotive technology program. Bringing on a second teacher meant more placements for our student internships were needed, and Safford Subaru answered the call. That first year, Safford hired two OHS students, one junior and one senior. This year, we celebrated three students

[00:51:30] at our CTE signing day last Wednesday for choosing Safford Subaru as their next destination after high school, two of which that were already working there this school year in one starting next week. That will make four OHS graduates working full-time at Stafford Subaru. Since that signing day, I want to add, students have reached out to me about working there, and I was told to send them over with a resume. So I'm going to speak into the existence tonight that we're going to have six OHS students at Stafford Subaru very soon. On top of hiring students, they give access to Subaru University, which is our online learning platform, to all students enrolled

[00:52:10] in our Automotive Technology program. They also make time to serve on our Automotive Technology program advisory committee, where they provide essential feedback on equipment, resources, and facilities to maintain our NATEF certification, which makes our program stand out amongst the crowd.

[00:52:28] Just like Lake Manassas, these relationships speak to the quality of the students that exit our programs. you staff for Subaru for your continued support for our students teachers program and most importantly our community it is my pleasure to recognize you tonight for the VSBA business honor roll thank you and I would like to read the resolution that was approved by the school board of the city of Manassas in honor of the VSBA business honor roll whereas public schools

[00:53:06] and local businesses are an integral part of this community and whereas many local businesses play a crucial role in supporting our schools and whereas the economic health of our community state and nation depends on a strong public school system and whereas collaboration between local public schools and local businesses strengthen schools and the business community alike by providing a well trained and highly educated workforce and whereas an excellent public school system is vital to the quality of life in this community and fundamental to

[00:53:40] preserving a strong democratic society now and in the future. Therefore, be it resolved, the school board of the city of Manassas hereby names Mike Beatty, Safford Subaru of Manassas, and Lake Manassas Health and Rehabilitation Center to the 2026 Virginia School Boards Association Business Honor Roll, showing appreciation for their ongoing support of this community's public schools. Your work has aided this community in focusing on the goal of providing the best public schools we can for every child who attends them thank you all so

[00:54:16] much okay this is our final spotlight for the evening everyone here and in

[00:55:12] virtual land knows without a doubt that we have some exceptional student representatives to the school board their year of service has come to an end sadly and but we are so proud of both of them for the ways they have contributed to our board meetings this school year.

[00:55:29] At this time, Ms. Stephens and Ms. Miles, who oversee the student representatives for the school year will come to wish them farewell on behalf of the board.

[00:55:49] - We didn't prepare anything, but we are very thankful for your service. Thank you for your dedication and example to Osborne and all of our students. And we wish you well in your journey in college and we're just grateful for you.

[00:56:08] So that's all I have to say. with you amelia we're very lucky to have had you for two years and i think in many ways we don't want to let you go but you have great broad horizons coming up and we're looking forward to hearing about the next chapter in your life so congratulations and good luck we have something for you and then you knock it was really nice to get to meet you and get to know you and i've seen you grown so much as a school board member as a student representative to the school board i'm already elevating you because i remember we did have a conversation about when you can actually

[00:56:44] run for the position so you know we've seen you grow so much since your first school board meeting up until now and you really are well-spoken talented and amazing young man and your input has been vital to all of us here on the board so thank you for everything you've done and Amelia is receiving a cord that she will wear at graduation that designates that she was a student

[00:57:18] representative to the school board great thank you all so much we hope you guys

[00:58:14] have a great summer that could that concludes our spotlights for the

[00:58:19] evening thank you dr. Newman we will now move to board committee reports chair I

[00:58:57] will update the school board on the board development committee who met on Wednesday April 29th we have been undertaking edits to the handbook so that work is underway we'll be meeting again actually next week to continue that with the goal for the full board to review the beautiful finalized draft by our retreat in June. Thank you so much. To my right. I'll be presenting during discussion.

[00:59:31] And okay. Educational support's going to report later, right? At this time we welcome members of the public who wish to speak about services, policies, and affairs of the City of Manassas Public Schools. Because we have an agenda to complete, we do ask that the comments be limited to three minutes. We appreciate the time you've taken to be here and we treat public comments as a public hearing and do not engage in conversation with speakers. The lack of an immediate response to your comments should not be taken as a lack of interest or concern please be respectful when presenting your comments and the first person I have is Anna

[01:00:09] Demerio all right so we are here tonight to talk about the calendar again so there are just a few of us here tonight but we do have a petition results we have 239 printed out but we I just checked it we do have 255 signatures on our petition so stakeholders are concerned about our spring break alignment next year. This board discussed this issue during the April 18th work session and ultimately decided not to continue pursuing it. We heard that basically there was no appetite to continue the discussion, but the facts don't support that claim. Three members indicated they

[01:00:45] were done discussing it. Two members wanted further conversation. One member abstained and one member was absent. This doesn't really show no appetite. In fact, the discussion during the work session was lengthy, thoughtful, and robust, and we'd like to address several points that were raised. One of the major discussions was centered around equity in religion, specifically whether it's equitable not to observe Holy Week, including Good Friday and Passover, while MCPS closes to accommodate holidays observed by other faiths. In response, it was stated that students could miss school with an excused absence and would not be penalized. But this board has repeatedly

[01:01:24] emphasized the importance of reducing absences and improving attendance rates in order to support accreditation attendance has been presented as a major concern until now suddenly absences are acceptable families who work whose parents work in neighboring school divisions will still be taking vacations during that week and pulling students out of school so which is it is attendance a priority or is it only a priority when it matches the school board's position we also heard that staff should do whatever their boss tells them and figure it out but if we're truly focused on what is best for students then we should also care about

[01:02:01] about what is best for the people who serve these students every single day. Happy, supported, and less stressed teachers and staff are better for kids. We also heard claims that you, the board, have done everything you can to let the community know that this was a systematic, intentional change.

[01:02:21] Respectfully, that is not true. This board has not meaningfully publicized this change to the community, and if the MEA had not brought this forward publicly, many families and staff members would still have no idea the calendar has been changed. Even now, we still have staff members continuing to approach us asking why this happened.

[01:02:41] So we ask again, where exactly did the board communicate this broadly and transparently to the community? Finally, the repeated reference to the survey results as justification for keeping the current calendar is not a logical argument. Both survey options use the exact same spring break dates.

[01:02:58] There was never an option to compare different weeks. Claiming that the community voted for this is misleading because there was no real choice present. It's like asking people whether they want to wear red shirts and black pants or red shirts and blue pants, and then later claiming the community overwhelmingly chose red shirts.

[01:03:18] Of course they did. It was the only option available. I'm going to pause there. Thank you, Ms. Demirio. Ms. Connors? If this board truly values transparency, then it needs to openly communicate this change to staff, families, and the broader community.

[01:03:38] If this board truly values collaboration, then it should send out a new survey that gives all stakeholders a genuine choice between both possible spring break weeks. And if this board chooses not to act, then there also needs to be a serious plan in place to support schools in the event of a large-scale staff call-out.

[01:03:58] Because placing students into gyms or auditoriums, supervised by a handful of adults, is not what is best for kids. Splitting homerooms apart and overcrowding classrooms for an entire week is not what is best for kids. And placing even more stress on already overextended teachers and staff is not what is best for kids either.

[01:04:19] Thank you, Ms. Connors. We will now move to, oh, do I have a motion for consent agenda? Chair, I move the School Board of the City of Manassas adopt the consent agenda as presented.

[01:04:36] Second. I have a motion by Ms. Stevens, seconded by Ms. Brescia, that the School Board of the City of Manassas approve the consent agenda as presented. Is there any discussion? All in favor?

[01:04:53] Any opposed? That's a 7-0 motion. We will now move to the discussion agenda the first item is policies miss Lisa Stevens will Present the revised added and retired policies for February 2026 from the BSBA. Thank you. Thank you chair The policy committee met on April 27th 2026 46 policies were discussed and looked at at that time six out of the 46 require additional discussion and And we'll come back up at our next policy committee meeting to then be brought to the full board

[01:05:30] one of the policies that is going for further discussion is policy G C Q a B - M tutoring for pay the language in the current policy is being updated To make it clearer for people to understand and how it works Two policies were deleted as they both are both merging into another policy GD covering support staff. There's one policy that the VSBA updated that is not an MCPS policy and it relates to relationships with Religious schools on the discussion agenda is the policy IAC

[01:06:08] Covering recess. This is a new policy to MCPS and clarifies and I'm going to read exactly from the policy Recess shall not be withheld reduced or denied as a disciplinary measure nor shall it be used as a setting for disciplinary Consequences unless it is a disciplinary measure assigned for conduct during that recess Recess shall also not be withheld for incomplete academic work. That was one policy. That was a holdover That paragraph was added on advice From legal counsel the next policy. There's a policy that is being

[01:06:46] Modified that policy is KBC media relations and it's just for one word to indicate Division activities when we would put out policy, excuse me, not policy public relation Releases would be around sorry. My brain stopped for a minute around division activities and finally Policy GBG staff participation in political activities the word partisan is being removed and I'm going to read from the policy because I don't want to Incorrectly read it. Here we go

[01:07:25] policy gbg copy of staff participation in political activities the board also recognizes that school time and school property should not be used for and in the vsba they have the word partisan we're taking out the word partisan political political purposes thus when engaging political activities employee may not use the employee's position within the school division to further a political cause engage in any political activity supporting or opposing a candidate or political party while on duty while on school property during school hours or while representing the school division suggest

[01:08:02] in any manner that the school division or any component of it supports or opposes a candidate for election to any office or use any school division property to include school email division resources communication systems or physical property to engage in any activity supporting or opposing a candidate for public office or a political party in that case we took the word partisan out because it's any political activity other than if it's part of instruction related to the standards of learning as in government classes and civics and economics classes and those are the policies in

[01:08:39] whole if my co-committee members have any to share or add please do if I recall sorry I have to wait for the chair to recognize me I recall that the this the staff participation in political activity that wasn't a new policy no it is not a new policy what changed in it was it was an update because of the Code of Virginia and the update actually added the term part partisan political we are taking the word partisan out leaving the word

[01:09:13] political and then the updated policy recommendation from the BSBA says added to include school email division resources communication systems or physical property but aside from those additions that policy was already an existing policy right just wanted to make sure that it would be a modified policy because we'll be taking out the word partisan thank you miss Stevens is there any other discussion okay thank you we will now move on to facilities and maintenance mr. Russ Helton director facilities and maintenance will provide

[01:09:50] an update on the construction of new Jenny Dean elementary good evening everybody chair Spall vice chair dr. Jones members of the board dr. Newman my name is Russ Helton I'm the director of facilities maintenance and tonight I'd like to present the April update for Jenny Dean elementary school as we see the executive summary for Jenny Dean elementary school we are tracking on time and on budget the construction update pretty much for the site work you're

[01:10:26] starting to see the site close in we're starting to see sidewalks concrete a lot of dirt being moved because we have to make way to make the site stabilize so we can get pavements down and everything else as we move into the building you'll start to see the kindergarten wing close in it's gotten all the features almost that we're ready to punch in a few weeks very exciting so they're doing terrazzo floor throughout the first and starting to begin the second floor mechanical systems are going in the utilities are hooking up the building is about to become live it's a very exciting time if you've been by the site you'll see a lot of progress it's very exciting

[01:11:04] and with this clicker i'd like to show us some pictures so this is a piece over near the food services receiving area where that middle piece of equipment is on the other side in the corner is where our silo will be and that's part of a water retention system that we're very excited and outside of that will be a student feature that is going to be um it's going to be very interesting as you can see this was part of that receiving area loading dock blocks the concrete this is on the back side of the school or right next to jenny dean we see some work on the clear

[01:11:43] story windows and the ceilings some work on the second floor these are the learning stairs that we'll have right outside of the media center this is a very exciting piece that uh i can't wait for the students to use and as you can see how they're starting to finish in a space with the flooring and then they protect it getting paint on the walls getting ready for cabinetry we're really starting to close this thing in here's an example of some bathroom um the nice tile work going in

[01:12:14] and of course this is our kitchen lots of new equipment it's a great space more of that and that concludes the update thank you so much mr helton are there any questions from the board to my right my left it's very exciting to see this coming together thank you for sharing with us up each month thank you so we will now hear from mr russ helton director of facilities and

[01:12:48] maintenance about summer 2026 projects so this is very exciting as well not only are we building a new school but we got a lot of things going on for the entire division and and this is where it gets special because this is going to be a summer project preview if you will and there's a lot of teammates that are working towards not only projects but just a lot of things within the facilities and maintenance department throughout and it touches other departments so it's a very exciting time when we're doing things so we want to share um a project update for you tonight now

[01:13:20] part of this still have the clicker as you see this uh presentation we're lining up with our strategic plan this is a wonderful thing because um when it comes to projects a lot of folks don't understand that the purpose of this is for the students is for the operation and with some of the projects that we have today you'll understand how important it is that we're updating our facilities so we have some major capital projects that we're going to cover a few maintenance and mechanical updates and we're going to give an example of some of the operational continuity with a lot of the work that goes on behind the scenes that is necessary to meet some of the house bills that are coming up as well as just keeping the operation going and with the weather

[01:13:59] that we've had this week i'm very proud of the team because other other divisions around us have been experienced some failures that we've been very fortunate so of the three capital projects that we're calling out tonight it will be the third phase of the osborne roof we're going to talk about the mets restroom renovation as well as the wing hallway flooring at the elementary school the osborne roof project this is the third phase and we've highlighted the areas that's going to be done this summer it's easy to see it's the darker areas of the roof and you'll see them it's

[01:14:36] the two-story academic wing that goes to the commons we're in front of the cafeteria and kitchen down to the johnson wing moving on to mets restroom renovations you can see an example of what we're going to be doing this summer and we're very excited because not only do we update the spaces that are dated from 1989 1990 we're also going to make and improve ada access to all of those spaces very exciting and you can see an example of some of the tiling that will go in and we're excited

[01:15:11] we're excited to uh to have updated finishes in those spaces in the wings hallway flooring We're calling out an example that we're converting the hallway flooring from a VCT to an LVT. You have that tile at Metz Middle School.

[01:15:27] We installed it last year at Hayden Elementary School. And what's wonderful about this flooring is it reduces the amount of work that custodians have to do each summer to keep it beautiful. It's durable. It's a great product that has a great wear layer. It looks good with the artwork design.

[01:15:45] So we're very excited for Weems, that is a school that dates back to 1977, to get a new floor. Some of the mechanical and operational projects that we have going on, we talk about some of the Baldwin pump rebuilds, expansion tanks.

[01:16:00] We have some very old valves that feed the main line at Round Elementary School, dating back to 1986. We'll get that changed out this summer. We have to update a canopy over at Metz Middle School. At Round Elementary School, you all might notice in the front of the median, It looks, that island looks a bit just dirt and the trees are a little bit older and they're confined because they're in such a tight quarter.

[01:16:27] Well, we're going to improve that area this year. And then, of course, we're going to get around to a lot of the division curb repairs and some extra paint. Now, this lines up with pillar number two on our strategic plan, culture, caring, community partnerships.

[01:16:45] Very excited about being part of that. And then our operational continuity, we have a comprehensive preventative maintenance program. And this is very, very, very important because air quality, cleaning, disinfecting, having clean, orderly, healthy buildings, that's what goes behind the scenes.

[01:17:09] When the guys get out and they start maintaining rooftop units and air handlers, changing filters, and trying to extend our useful life of most of our equipment, they do a great job. And that happens every summer. As well as life safety compliance. have to have all of our buildings tested and inspected elevators bleachers those things will be going on electrical safety trip hazards things that we have to do to get ready for occupancy and then of course part of the ongoing maintenance with our gym floors we try to preserve the investment by screening and top coating those finishes and that concludes the update

[01:17:47] thank you so much mr helton any questions for mr helton to my right my left miss brush i do have have some questions. Thank you very much. The after flooring discussion made me think of Mr. Hawkins. I haven't thought about flooring in a while. And curb repairs, excited for that because our curbs really took a beating during the snow crete. I mean, all of them are just so chewed up, so I'm really glad to see that on the list. I wanted to ask you about the Mets restrooms.

[01:18:17] We have already, this project has been underway for a while. Some of the restrooms have already been upgraded. Have we, based on, so they've already had a school year where some of these upgraded rooms, restrooms have been in use. Have we, are we making any changes or edits based on any kind of feedback we've gotten on the ones that have been updated previously? Well, yes, ma'am, Mrs. Brescia. We actually were going to attempt to do the restrooms that were slated this summer and found out that we weren't going to be able to accomplish the ADA accessibility without going a formal design and getting it redone so what we did last summer is we started a

[01:18:56] smaller set of restrooms to update the finishes down in the vocational wing and now we're going to advance the rest of the shared restrooms okay so this these new restrooms this this phase is gotten a more comprehensive design treatment than the previous phase absolutely they we are we've partnered up with an architect to to make sure that we are updated and then we're current with codes So it's because once we alter the space, we have to bring them up to a certain standard.

[01:19:23] Gotcha, okay. I got some feedback on my TikTok. Some of the girls didn't like some of the mechanics of the, I don't know, the way the stall doors were opening in the girls' room or something like that. But it sounds like if we're being into, yeah, it sounds like that this issue should be solved.

[01:19:40] My hope is that they're going to look like new restrooms because the current state of the restrooms at Metz with the dated finishes and of course the wear and tear. We're excited for these restrooms. Oh yeah, I've been in some of those out-of-date restrooms. It is definitely time for new restrooms and nets.

[01:19:57] So just wanted to check in on that. Thank you. Thank you. Enthusiasm and your careful caring of all of our buildings and all of the other maintenance things that you do. Thank you, Mr. Helton.

[01:20:14] Okay, we've come to the end of our meeting. It is time for board member comments. I would like to ask Ms. Breeden. She has comments this evening at her last meeting, ever.

[01:20:35] Good evening, everyone. Like Chair Spall said, I'm sad to say that this is my final meeting as a Manassas City school board student representative. It has been an absolute privilege to serve for both my junior and senior year, representing all the students at Manassas City.

[01:20:54] This role has taught me so much, not just about myself, but also the school system. It has introduced me to the various departments and those who work within them. who make our school system thrive. I want to thank all of them for their dedication to Monassau City Public Schools.

[01:21:11] Every one of you is really critical to our success. This role has also taught me so much about myself, whether that be my interest in local politics, growth in public speaking, or encouragement to pursue similar roles in my future at college and beyond.

[01:21:27] Thank you all, past and present school board members, for giving me the privilege to serve for two years and pouring everything into our school system. We are truly such an amazing school district. Not many districts can say how they meet the unique needs of individuals quite like Manassas City Public Schools.

[01:21:45] Myself and many other students can attest to this. I would miss representing our amazing school district so dearly, but I'm so excited to see what the future of our school board and future student representatives accomplish. Thank you so much, especially for the gorgeous flowers.

[01:22:01] And this is not goodbye, but I'll see you later. And thank you so much for all you guys have done for me and supporting me in my journey and growth. Thank you, Ms. Breeden. You will be missed, and we do hope you come back and see us on your breaks. Mr. Eamon.

[01:22:21] Hello, everybody. Congratulations to every team, every teacher, every stub, and every student that was recognized today. We're all super proud of you. Today, sadly, is the last school board meeting of the 2025-2026 school year. I can't thank you all enough for being so welcoming to me in this new field.

[01:22:40] Every meeting, I couldn't wait to hear the newest spotlight, the newest updates, if Jenny Dean was on time and on budget. The skills that I've gained from this experience, the memories, are all because of everyone's kindness.

[01:22:55] So all I can say is thank you for giving me the honor of being your student representative. It truly has been a pleasure. Thank you. Thank you so much, Mr. Moon. Ms. Miles. Good evening, everyone.

[01:23:11] I know all of us are probably going to be saying the same things because we had a lot super intendant spotlights but I'll start I want to thank the keep Manassas beautiful committee for hosting the upcycle art contest it was great to see the creativity that we have with our students especially the youngest ones the kindergartners and congratulations to all the students that were recognized for their art we truly have amazing talent in Manassas City Public Schools and this is a long list of congratulations but congratulations for band students and all their accolades our speech and debate club our super subs

[01:23:47] our outstanding new teachers and mentor and our community business partners who earned the VSBA business honor roll and also congratulations again to our student reps thank you again for all that you've done this year and since our last school board meeting I was able to attend the district art show that was held at Osborne High School I was also able to visit Weems Elementary School so shout out to weems and all the teachers who allowed me to come in their classroom and just observe mrs huffman who gave me the tour and when i was there i witnessed a calm atmosphere

[01:24:22] engaged students and teachers giving a quality education it was a pleasure to see what our staff do best in action including amazing differentiation using our reading curriculum benchmark and shout out to mr leek's fourth grade all-star students who won their sol challenge and were able to shave Mr. Leak's head because they won and they met their goal. So that was it was fun. She sent me the pictures, which was so funny, but I'm so excited that they they met that goal. And then lastly, Saturday morning, I was able to attend the Governor's School graduation and meet many of our

[01:24:57] amazing Osborne High School graduates. And I asked them, you know, what was the hardest thing about completing the Governor's School? And of course, the time that they had to dedicate to, you know, doing all their studies so it was it was amazing though to see all the things that they have planned and in store we have one student that's going to Daytona Beach and I told her parents that she probably is gonna want to stay there you know after being there for a year but it was just great to see all the families and smiling faces on Saturday and before I end my comments I want to mention last week I posted on my personal page our school districts

[01:25:34] unfunded needs and i appreciate all those who shared this and i just want to say that it's not too late to contact our city council before their budget vote in june i know sometimes we think all all is lost but we're hoping obviously for the state budget to come through for those unfunded needs but if that doesn't happen hopefully our city city council will change their mind so i'm pulling for that thank you that's all i have thank you miss miles miss brown thank you good evening i echo um the same congratulations to all the work that were

[01:26:09] here today we're spotlighted um i want to take a minute to congratulate miss breeden and mr imun for your service i hope that you know that no matter where your journey takes you here at home in manassas city you are appreciated and we will always welcome updates about your fun journey i for one did not want to miss all the great things that you're about to do and continue to do um and i just want to end by saying to the students and staff my hope is that

[01:26:43] the 25 26 school year was one of enormous learning and growth i hope that you were able to recognize all the ways in which you have improved perhaps persevere and challenge yourself throughout the year and as the last day of school comes to a close I hope you can count the many ways people made you feel loved included empowered and above all safe those moments matter they are what helped create our MCPS community of care where every person no matter how old or young can feel seen

[01:27:21] value and capable I hope this was the story for you this year I wish you a restful joyful and well-deserved summer. Thank you for everything that you have done, and students, thank you for all the ways that you made us laugh and brought joy to our lives. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Brown.

[01:27:43] Ms. Brescia. Thank you, Chair. So yesterday and today, I was thoroughly engrossed in updating the handbook, and so I did not put as much scripting into my comments as I usually do, because there's nothing I love more than governance documents.

[01:28:02] But I do want to take a moment in particular to acknowledge our student representatives and to thank you for donating your Tuesday evenings to us and for sharing your perspective with us. I cannot even see you over that towering, beautiful flower arrangement.

[01:28:19] There we go, there we go. But this is a really special program that we have. Not every school board does this. you spend any time talking to school boards across the state. This is really a special thing that we get to do, and it really gives us, not only gives the students a voice, but gives us a chance to get to know some of you guys, and that has been a really meaningful thing for me, and I appreciate, Abelia, seeing all of that you've had to offer us, and I know the future is bright for you as well.

[01:28:53] Anyway, I would like to also just, it's a crazy, beautiful time, of year we're doing so much celebration we did a lot of it tonight congratulations to everybody everybody everybody we are all going to as many places as we can and I'm particularly pleased to do this because this is my first time back on the dais since I was hospitalized following a serious dog attack and when something like that happens it gives you it's a it's a it's a it's a moment to take stock of where your life is and if I die today am I happy with how it's going and it's a

[01:29:30] privilege to be here every day. I do love this work. It is very meaningful. I love the people that I do it with. So, sorry, we all survived postpartum, Sarah, and now we have to survive near-death experience, Sarah. I do apologize. We'll all get through it together like we did before.

[01:29:52] But those are my comments tonight. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Presha. Ms. Stevens. I also have to say something about Amelia Hanok you guys are great we are so privileged to have you with us and no all school boards in Virginia do not have student representatives and I think we are very lucky to have student representatives and to have had both of you this year your input your time your effort has been greatly appreciated so I know I say thank you from everyone I did want to speak about the Special Education Advisory Committee the meeting was sorry

[01:30:29] i have to get to it the meeting was held on may 6th in central office and via zoom it's great that seac special education advisory committee is um hybrid so you don't actually have to be able to get to the building i usually watch from my car it was my first time ever being in person for a seac meetings it was kind of interesting um new officers were elected mr green is the chair miss plumber the co-chair miss newman the secretary a big topic for discussion that night was aac alternative and augmentative communication devices at this time 65% 65 excuse me of our students in the division use AAC devices division-wide

[01:31:08] PD is being developed for all staff persons who work with students who use the devices this ranges from bus drivers IA's cafeteria staff recess monitors classroom teachers everyone who interacts with those children so they'll know how to communicate best with those children the training will be asynchronous through bite-sized learning a core group of educators and staff members are going to be identified and trained to provide division-wide support and aid and referrals sib shops was discussed again sib shops is a program for students between the ages of 8 and 13 years who have a sibling with support

[01:31:46] needs and that's a new term support needs one event is currently in the works and has planned for the spring of 2026 27 you may wonder well we've been talking about it for a while why are we not waiting why are we waiting till the spring of the 2026 2027 school year the time is needed to do it right and to get all of the planning in place um mcps has been getting support in launching the program from both fairfax and loudon who have both had programs from quite some time and finally an update from the communication subcommittee was not available but continued discussion on communication needs was

[01:32:21] for the SEAC committee was identified through several additional ideas, and please know if you are a parent in MCPS and you have a child who has additional learning needs, you are welcome to join SEAC. We meet regularly both in person and over Zoom, and if you have any questions about SEAC, please feel free to reach out via text any way you would like.

[01:32:46] Finally, May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental Health Awareness Month is a time to pause, reflect, and recognize that mental health is just as important as physical health. It means acknowledging that emotional well-being affects how we think, feel, and act, and that everyone at some point in life may face mental health challenges.

[01:33:05] Raising awareness is important because it helps break the stigma that often prevents people from speaking openly about their experiences or seeking help. When we talk about mental health honestly and compassionately, we create a culture where individuals feel safe to share, supported in their struggles, and empowered to prioritize their well-being. This month reminds us that no one is alone. It encourages us to check in on ourselves and those around us, friends, family members, co-workers, and to show understanding instead of judgment. Small actions like listening, offering support, or simply being present can make a

[01:33:42] meaningful difference. If you or a loved one needs help, it's important to know that support is available. Reaching out to a trusted friend, family member, counselor, or health care provider is a strong and positive first step. Professional resources, including therapists and mental health hotlines, can provide confidential guidance and support. You can call or text 998 for immediate assistance. If someone you love is in immediate danger, please call 911 right away. Taking care of your mental health is not a sign of weakness. It's an act of courage and self-respect. This

[01:34:17] month and every month, let's continue to promote understanding, offer support, and remind one another that help is within reach. Thank you, Ms. Stevens. Ms. Seabird. Thank you, Chair. I have a couple of updates from advisory committees as well. I attended the OHS Counseling Advisory Committee on April 29th, and we worked to realign the Osborne Counseling Department's vision and mission to complement division and school visions and missions. We also discussed ways we could best meet the needs of our students, their families, and the Osborne community as a whole. The CTE

[01:34:53] Advisory Committee met on May 6th. Manassas City Public Schools, as you guys know, offers students options to explore a wide range of career paths. Each path offers students a credential, certification, or state licensure, and work-based learning experiences and options. There's a lot going on with work-based learning. Some of you heard about it mixed in with some of the awards tonight.

[01:35:20] we've had an elementary stem night in april we had a uva health hiring event which uva health has hired many of our cnas we will have a career carousel on june 9th and 10th and this gives students practice on applying for a job and interviewing many of our cna students have received offers from uva health in birmingham green and more are happening as the days continue because some of their certifications are coming back.

[01:35:54] The Made to Trade program had five students that have completed and will be hired full-time after graduation. We've hosted the Women in Trades Lunch and Learn, and we've had two workshops for resume writing success. There are some new changes related to VDOE with our CTE pathways, a new certification process, new credentialing exams, and a new process for students.

[01:36:19] So because of these VDOE changes, we'll be meeting in June to discuss the realignment of our CTE pathways to include our MCPS strategic plan, current and new courses being offered. And those new courses that are related to CTE are child development and parenting that connects with Teach for Tomorrow, medical terminology, which will be part of CNA, advanced entrepreneurship, and that's in the entrepreneurial pathway, and hospitality, tourism, and marketing as part of the marketing pathway.

[01:36:55] Also, we have sent out information to all our middle school students about a chips camp. This is not a snack. This is microchips. It's with GMU and Micron. It's free for all middle school students. It's in July. And we also had our CTE signing day where many of our students, we were able to celebrate them as they're going directly into careers after graduation.

[01:37:18] This is a very exciting time of year. And as school board members, it's wonderful to go to these award ceremonies and scholarship ceremonies. But the biggest night is coming up, the biggest night of the year, and that's Osborne graduation. It'll be on the 28th, 9 a.m. at Eagle Bank Arena. And anybody can come. So if you're out there supporting families and you would like to come and see all these awesome kids, throw their hats up in the air, come on by. And then later in the summer, well, coming up pretty quick here is June 11th at 6 p.m. We will be having community conversations to discuss

[01:37:58] the future of the current Jenny Dean soon to be the old Jenny Dean but we want to hear from you and we also want to share with the public some parameters that we're working with too and I think that wraps it up thank you ma'am chair thank you miss Seiberg dr. Jones congratulations to all that were recognized tonight in the superintendent's announcements and spotlights we continue to see how talented our students are from elementary to high school in addition a special thanks to our Manassas City Public School staff who You work hard to help our students achieve and reach their highest potential.

[01:38:33] Also thank you to our business community for supporting the schools. I want to thank our two student representatives for the 25-26 school year. You both took your roles very seriously and shared your opinions in regard to students and staff. You always kept us informed of school activities and it was also nice seeing you at so many events.

[01:38:53] You also took full advantage of this opportunity and I'm sure that it has helped you to grow even more. best wishes as you continue to write this chapter or write these chapters in your book of life. Also attended several activities since the last meeting that I will not name, but I do want to say that you should have on your calendars for tomorrow the Gifted in Town to showcase.

[01:39:17] It is tomorrow at Osborne High School from 5:30 to 7:30. And then if you're there, you can also stay for the scholarship program at Osborne High School. I had that Osborne High School.

[01:39:34] Yeah, I have awesome. I think I looked at the flyer. Yes. And this is the last meeting before school ends for the summer. So don't forget to take a look at all the summer offerings available to students. And I want to encourage all students to stay engaged this summer by keeping a journal, reading books, joining library programs, exploring Manasseh City and the DMV area, visiting museums, volunteering.

[01:40:02] But most of all, just make sure you stay active and keep your brain in that area where you can continue to learn. Have a great summer and mark your calendars for August 12th, the first day of school for the 26th, 27th school year. - Thank you, Dr. Jones.

[01:40:18] I do wanna take this time very quickly just to say that we all attended a VSBA event where the adult education program that we host in Monassau City Public Schools was honored and it is a very major point of pride to all of us and we just wanna thank you for the work that you've done for that, Mr. Emel, and all of the people that help you, that and the origins program the other morning was very, very nice and we are very proud to be distinguished in that way.

[01:40:51] I wanna say tonight was one of my favorite kinds of school board meetings because we had the opportunity to pause from budgets and policies and reports to celebrate the people who truly bring our division to life this year. This evening's recognitions reflected the very best of our schools and our community. We honored students whose creativity transformed recycled materials into meaningful works of art, artists whose talents earned top honors across the division in the region, musicians whose dedication and discipline carried Osborne High School marching band through another outstanding season, and students who distinguished themselves through leadership, service, and academic excellence. We also recognize students who

[01:41:29] found their voice through speech and debate, and businesses that continue to invest in and support our schools, and staff members whose commitment to teamwork and service make a difference for children every single day. I also want to especially acknowledge our super sub honorees, people who stepped into classrooms and made an impact exactly where our students need it most. One of the things that stood out so clearly tonight was the incredible volunteer spirit that exists throughout our school community. Whether through mentoring students, supporting events, partnering with schools, stepping in to help classrooms run smoothly, or simply showing up wherever there was a need, so many people gave their time and talents in ways that often happened quietly and

[01:42:07] and behind the scenes. Public education is strongest when a community embraces its schools and tonight's recognitions reflected just how deeply this community continues to care for and invest in our students. Tonight we also said farewell to our senior student representative.

[01:42:24] Our student reps brought an important perspective to this board reminding us twice every month who our work was truly for. We're grateful for the leadership, insight, and professionalism shared with us this year. What I love most about evenings like this they remind us that success in public education is never one-dimensional. It is found in creativity, in competition, in leadership and collaboration, in academics in the arts, in service and perseverance. It is found in students willing to try, teachers willing to inspire, families willing to support, volunteers willing to serve, and community partners willing to stand beside our schools. To everyone who

[01:43:01] is recognized tonight, thank you for representing our division with your excellence and pride. You are the reason our schools continue to shine. I also want to say best of luck to our boys soccer team who are playing right now at this moment in a regional competition and we hope to attend the next game if not tonight it doesn't look like it um so happy summer to everyone and I guess we'll see you all here pretty much without stop but other people get to have summer so congratulations to them chair I move that the school board of the city of Manassas enter a closed session pursuant to exemptions from open

[01:43:37] meetings allowed by section 2.2-3711 part a paragraph 2 of the code of virginia of 1950 is amended for the following purpose discussion of candidates for the school board representatives for the 2026-2027 school year per s 25 2602 per s 25 2603 per s 25 2604 and per s 25 2605 Second seconded by Miss Seberg that the school board of the city of Manassas and are a closed session pursuant to

[01:44:14] Exceptions from open meetings allowed by section 2.2 - 3 7 1 1 part a paragraph 2 the code of Virginia 1950 is amended for the following purpose Discussion of candidates for school board representative for the 26 27 school year PERS 25 26 02 PERS 25 26 03 PERS 25 26 04 PERS 25 26 0 5 All in is there any discussion all in favor aye any opposed the motion carries 7-0. We will enter into closed session

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