Summary: 11/16/21 SB Meeting

 Here’s what happened at the November 16, 2021 Board Meeting:

• Board voted in consent to seek alternative pathways for professional licensure for all Montessori teachers;

• Dr. Durán summarized work on literacy in Secondary classes; explained that students starting in 9th grade are developing writing portfolios; APS is using formative assessments to determine how students are mastering materials; Using LEXIA PowerUp with new content on literacy; also focused on professional learning in ELA, including grading practices; using rubrics to assess writing.  Dr. Durán then showed video of Wakefield students in ELA class.  

• Focus of public comments included:

o APE advocated for smaller class sizes – reducing classes by 3 students at elementary, and reducing planning factors by 1 at secondary.  Costs for those changes could be funded over next five years by using half of the $60 million in carryover funds, watch here;

o CCPTA addressed proposed changes on differentiation policies; worried that creating siloed policies will create confusion and misconceptions;

o VLP parent concerned about student transitions (to in-person school and vice versa)

o Concern about students having to bus for German language classes

o Many families from Boulevard Manor concerned about boundaries that result in their kids being isolated at Yorktown;

o Parent reported that forced to withdraw son from school due to bullying over political beliefs;

o Continued concerns raised by bus drivers about pay and working conditions; and teachers union concerned about completing SMART goals documents

• There was a presentation on the Career and Technical Education and Arlington Tech program; Summarized the program, discussed enrollment trends, program completers, strengths and opportunities for program, and recommendations going forward.

• Approved one-time bonus to employees of $1000 per employee; total cost is $5.5 million; $3 million is paid to teachers.  

• Discussed a legislative package (apparently our school board lobbies at the state level).  Among items in the package was “supporting funding to protect school divisions from enrollment losses,” “additional funding to address lost learning due to Covid-19,” and opposition to any diversion of public education funds to non-public schools.”

• Summer school monitoring item presented (we will have a separate write-up).

• APS using funds from VW environmental mitigation trust to acquire three electric school buses.

• Discussed proposed adjustments to school boundaries.  Boundary changes will result in students from planning units in the Arlington View and Columbia Heights being moved from Gunston to Jefferson (140 students over 3 years) and from Wakefield to W-L (162 students over 3 years).