Summary 3/24/22 School Board Meeting
Announcements
- Bell study and survey. Dr. Durán encouraged families to complete the bell survey. The goal is to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs and ensure that APS instructional minutes are on par with neighboring school divisions. Currently, APS has the fewest number of minutes in the school day (and the fewest number of days for students). Next year’s school calendar would also include an additional five inclement weather days to avoid virtual learning. This would be up for a vote on May 12th should the board choose to vote.
- The Your Voice Matter Survey is now open via a personal link. Families and students (grades 4-12) are encouraged to participate though April 10.
- Student Progress Dashboard launched showing primary division-wide assessment, Dynmaic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS), Reading Inventory and Math Inventory 3.1. This data can be broken down across demographic groupings, by grade and by school. Dr. Durán highlighted improvements in math and reading for certain demographics. On average, APS students demonstrated more than a half-year’s worth of growth on the mid-year test administration.
- Current math interventions include small-group instructions using Do The Math, plus DreamBox and middle school Math Strategies. Dr. Durán notes that resource adoption for math is very, important, needed, and will help teachers be more efficient and therefore effective at addressing student need, rather than spending time to create their own resources.
Public Comment
- Speakers covered a variety of topics. One spoke against a budget proposal to decrease the number of school psychologists. NAACP Ed Committee speakers urged that structured literacy needs heavy investment in reading, writing, and match at the secondary level, as well as the need to reduce bullying and sexual harassment. Two middle school students described cyber and in-person bullying, one specifically on bullying toward students who choose not to mask. A parent of a middle-schooler also described the bullying her autistic son has experienced and implored the Board to address this problem.
- A middle school teacher commended the Gunston and APS community. Finally, an APS teacher and VLP parent asked the planning status of the VLP, questions why 10 minutes are being added to the school day without ever being discussed in advisory committees and introduced a former Virginia Education Association (VEA) president who discussed state planning time requirements and discrepancies with APS policy.
Security Update
- Zach Pope noted APS was the first district in state to implement a COVID surveillance testing which will be fully reimbursed by FEMA funding. Mr. Priddy asked when FEMA will reimburse and Pope explained it will be a few months and will require an accounting reconciliation. There is nothing in the close-out because this is a net-zero item.
Special Education Update
- Dr. Kelly Krug and Heather Rothenbuescher present the Office of Special Education update including the 5-Year-Plan update, projects outside the five-year plan, next steps, and bright spots.
- Mr. Priddy and Mr. Goldstein ask about planning factors. Staff notes they are creating a plan to implement them, and changes will hopefully be seen in next year’s budget. Staff explains they look at both secondary and elementary level, finance, and SEPTA and ASAC to understand inconsistencies.
Information Items
- Special Education Plan. Federal state law requires an annual plan on how APS will provide specialized services to students with disabilities.
- CIP Entrances Renovation Project. Project costs have increased because of construction costs and supply chain delays. Moving forward for Gunston and Wakefield renovations. There is enough funding for Taylor and Williamsburg designs. Jefferson renovation is delayed as itended up being a much larger project and there is not sufficient funding.
New Business – Motion unanimously passed to take all actions recommended in closed meeting earlier in the evening.
See our Scorecard for this meeting here.
