[1:19] Good evening everyone. I hereby declare
[1:21] the Hampton City School Board meeting
[1:24] for Wednesday,
[1:26] September 2, 2026, open. At this time,
[1:29] Ms. Penny, would you please call the roll
[1:31] ?
[1:32] Mrs. Afonja.
[1:33] Present.
[1:34] Mrs. Cherry.
[1:35] Present.
[1:36] Dr. Banks-Gray.
[1:37] Present.
[1:38] Mr. Samuels.
[1:39] Present.
[1:40] Mr. Kilgore.
[1:40] Present.
[1:41] Dr. Woodhouse.
[1:42] Present.
[1:43] Dr. Mason.
[1:44] Present. Let it be recorded in the minutes that all
[1:46] members of the board are
[1:47] present. Now, before we continue
[1:51] with the rest of the meeting, I want to
[1:52] take a moment to swear in
[1:54] our student representatives.
[1:57] Give me just a second while I
[1:59] go over to the other microphone. Very good.
[2:22] Here we go. Very good. Thanks, Andy.
[2:25] Very good. Tonight we have the
[2:26] privilege and honor of swearing in
[2:27] three student representatives who
[2:29] represent the best of
[2:31] Hampton City Schools. I'll start with
[2:33] Sage Holden. Sage is a
[2:36] senior at the Law and
[2:38] Public Safety Academy, and in the
[2:40] Law and Legal Studies program at Bethel High
[2:42] School. She is passionate about advocating for and
[2:45] supporting her peers, amplifying
[2:47] the voice of young people in her community
[2:49] and beyond. She has been a
[2:52] senior ambassador for the academy,
[2:53] vice president of the
[2:55] African Students Association, president of the
[2:57] National Honor Society,
[2:59] vice president of the
[3:01] mathematics and science honor society, and more. And
[3:05] much more, that's the point. Outside of
[3:09] school, she serves as
[3:11] vice president of the Hampton 4-H Youth Club
[3:13] , ambassador for the
[3:15] Virginia 4-H Southeast District, a member of the
[3:17] Hampton Youth Commission, and was
[3:19] appointed by Governor Spanberger
[3:21] to the Virginia Education Student Advisory Board
[3:23] . She was recognized
[3:26] as one of the 20
[3:28] most outstanding young people under 20 in Hampton Roads. In the
[3:30] future, she would like to attend Spelman
[3:32] College in Atlanta, Georgia, to
[3:34] major in political science.
[3:36] Sage Holden, everyone.
[3:38] Very good.
[3:45] Next up, we have Alexis
[3:47] Copeland. Alexis is a junior
[3:50] at Hampton High School in
[3:52] the Health,
[3:54] Human and Financial Services Academy, in the
[3:55] Orientation program. She is a member of the
[3:58] Mathematics Honor Society, a
[4:00] volleyball and college soccer player
[4:02] , a senior ambassador, and a
[4:04] former vice president of the
[4:05] sophomore class. Outside of school, he
[4:08] enjoys Bible study, playing
[4:10] volleyball, crafts, going to the
[4:13] beach, and spending time outdoors. She
[4:15] plays a leadership role at
[4:17] Liberty Live Church, where she grows in her
[4:20] faith and works to encourage others her
[4:22] age to draw closer to God. She also
[4:25] enjoys helping with
[4:27] elementary school children at church and giving back to her
[4:30] community by picking up trash. After
[4:33] high school, she plans to attend
[4:34] a four-year university and
[4:36] major in psychology or
[4:37] child development. Its three
[4:39] main universities are
[4:41] Christopher Newport University, UNC
[4:43] Wilmington, and Liberty University. In the
[4:45] future, she hopes to become a
[4:47] child life specialist so she
[4:49] can make a positive difference in
[4:51] the lives of children and their families. Ladies and gentlemen
[4:53] , Alexis Copeland. And
[4:59] our student alternate to the
[5:02] board is Josiah Porter Jordan. Josiah, a
[5:11] dual-enrollment senior at Phoebus High School
[5:13] , is a student leader, entrepreneur,
[5:15] author, and community advocate
[5:17] dedicated to service and expanding
[5:18] opportunities for others. He
[5:21] serves as SCA class president
[5:23] , chairman of the board of
[5:24] directors, and was formerly
[5:28] Hampton City Schools' senior ambassador. Through his
[5:31] professional and civic experiences,
[5:33] Josiah has worked with organizations
[5:35] such as the Hampton Roads Workforce Council
[5:37] , Modern Realty Group, Hampton Youth
[5:40] and Opportunities, and the
[5:42] Hampton Commonwealth Prosecutor's Office,
[5:44] where he has collaborated on Operation
[5:46] Ceasefire and Victim Services.
[5:49] Recognized as one of
[5:51] Hampton Roads' 20 Under 20s, he has
[5:52] received multiple
[5:54] leadership and civic engagement awards,
[5:55] including recognition from the
[5:57] Governor of Virginia, both houses
[5:59] of the Virginia General Assembly, and
[6:00] community organizations. He is the
[6:04] founder of Nocturne Cinematics and author
[6:06] of "Still Standing: Survival Until
[6:09] Success". Josiah Porter Jordan. Now,
[6:19] at this moment I will administer the oaths,
[6:20] so please turn towards me and
[6:22] raise your right hand. And repeat
[6:24] after me. State your name.
[6:27] I, Josiah Porter Jordan,
[6:30] Very well. I solemnly affirm
[6:35] that I will uphold the Constitution of the
[6:40] United States
[6:41] and
[6:44] the Constitution of the Commonwealth
[6:45] of Virginia
[6:46] and that I will faithfully
[6:48] and impartially
[6:51] discharge the duties incumbent upon me as the
[6:56] student representative of the
[6:58] school board to
[7:01] the best of my ability. to
[7:02] the best of my ability.
[7:04] Congratulations.
[7:30] Yes.
[7:51] Oh, you...oh, come back. They want to
[7:52] take a picture. Wait. Oh. I was
[8:13] trying to get back to my seat to
[8:15] recognize their families quickly,
[8:17] but I guess I'll do it from here.
[8:19] So, if you are here supporting them
[8:21] as a mom, dad, aunt, uncle, sister
[8:23] or brother, please stand up.
[8:26] Neighbors. And I know that we also have
[8:34] some of their administrators here
[8:35] with us. So, if you are here
[8:37] representing any of your
[8:38] schools, you may also stand up
[8:39] . Congratulations. So, before I
[8:49] sit down, I'm going to give the floor to
[8:50] Sage to continue with our
[8:52] opening remarks at this time.
[8:55] Fine, thanks. Today we have Terry
[8:57] Daniel Gray Jr., a sixth-
[8:59] grade student from Kilgore Gifted Center,
[9:01] leading us in the Pledge of
[9:02] Allegiance. Terry, when you're ready.
[9:06] Please stand up. I
[9:11] pledge allegiance to the flag of the
[9:14] United States of America and to the
[9:16] republic for which it stands, one nation
[9:19] under God, indivisible, with liberty and
[9:22] justice for all.
[9:29] Thanks, Terry. I understand you have
[9:31] something prepared to share today.
[9:33] Mjm. As we begin a new school year,
[9:37] I would like to share a few words from
[9:39] Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
[9:41] Mjm.
[9:42] Let's do our job well, both the
[9:44] visible and the invisible. Build
[9:47] strong and secure today with a firm
[9:49] and broad foundation, and tomorrow will find its
[9:52] place in an upward and secure manner.
[10:02] Thank you. So, before you leave us
[10:04] today, I want to know some things about you.
[10:06] So, what's your
[10:07] favorite subject?
[10:08] My favorite subject is
[10:10] mathematics.
[10:11] Okay, great. What are
[10:13] some of your favorite hobbies
[10:14] outside of school?
[10:16] I like to play football and I like to
[10:18] play with my friends.
[10:21] Brilliant. Okay, so who do you have here
[10:23] supporting you today?
[10:25] I have my mom, my dad, my little
[10:28] sister, and my principal.
[10:31] Very well thank you. Could you please stand
[10:32] to be acknowledged?
[10:42] Thank you very much, Terry. You are
[10:43] welcome.
[10:48] Yes, thank you so much for joining us, and
[10:50] thank you to Mom and Dad for allowing him to be
[10:52] with us. I know he's been
[10:54] at school and could have been anywhere but
[10:56] here at a
[10:57] board meeting. So,
[10:59] thank you very much. Any comments from
[11:01] board members?
[11:03] Just one question.
[11:04] Mr. Samuels?
[11:06] Mr. President, since Terry
[11:07] mentioned that he's a footballer, Terry,
[11:10] could you please return to the microphone? So
[11:14] , who is your favorite soccer player
[11:15] ?
[11:16] Uh, Messi.
[11:21] Thank you. Thank you.
[11:24] Very good. The best of all.
[11:30] Thanks, Terry.
[11:32] Very good. Thank you so much. Before we
[11:34] proceed with
[11:36] tonight's agenda, I see...Where did he go?
[11:39] Former Mayor Donnie Tuck? Oh, it's in the
[11:42] back. Yes, former mayor Donnie Tuck
[11:44] is with us tonight.
[11:45] Thank you so much. The next item on the
[11:50] agenda is item 1.04, adoption of
[11:52] tonight's agenda. What does
[11:54] the board want?
[11:55] Mr. President, I propose the approval
[11:57] of the agenda as presented. I
[11:59] second the motion.
[12:00] It has been correctly proposed by
[12:01] Mr. Kilgore and seconded by Mr.
[12:03] Samuels that we approve tonight's agenda
[12:04] as presented. Any
[12:06] discussion? Ms. Penny, could you
[12:11] please put this to a vote?
[12:13] Ms. Ifonja?
[12:13] In favor.
[12:14] Mrs. Cherry?
[12:15] In favor.
[12:16] Dr. Banks-Gray?
[12:17] In favor.
[12:17] Mr. Samuels?
[12:18] In favor.
[12:19] Mr. Kilgore?
[12:19] In favor.
[12:20] Dr. Woodhouse?
[12:21] In favor.
[12:22] Dr. Mason?
[12:23] The motion is approved. Item
[12:25] two, consent agenda 2.01
[12:28] staff report 26-14. 2.02
[12:31] Approval by the
[12:33] school board of the minutes of the meetings
[12:35] of August 4 and 19, 2026. 2.03
[12:37] Exemption from mandatory attendance for
[12:39] religious reasons. 2.04
[12:42] School board consent for receiving
[12:45] donations in September 2026.
[12:48] What is the board's will?
[12:49] Mr. President, I propose the motion to
[12:51] approve the consent agenda
[12:53] as presented. I
[12:55] second. It has
[12:55] been correctly proposed by
[12:57] Dr. Woodhouse and seconded by Ms.
[12:58] Afonja that we approve
[13:00] tonight's consent agenda as
[13:01] presented. Any discussion? Ms.
[13:05] Penny, could you please put this to a
[13:07] vote?
[13:07] Mrs. Afonja.
[13:08] In favor.
[13:09] Mrs. Cherry.
[13:10] In favor.
[13:11] Dr. Banks-Gray.
[13:12] In favor.
[13:12] Mr. Samuels.
[13:13] In favor.
[13:14] Mr. Kilgore.
[13:15] In favor.
[13:16] Dr. Woodhouse.
[13:16] In favor.
[13:17] Dr. Mason.
[13:18] In favor. The motion is approved. And that
[13:20] brings us to point number three on the
[13:22] agenda, which is the awards. And
[13:23] at this moment, I will give the floor
[13:25] to Ms. Goral.
[13:29] Well, thank you, President Dr. Mason,
[13:31] Vice President Mrs. Jackson-Afonja,
[13:32] members of our school board,
[13:34] Superintendent Dr. Haynes, and members
[13:35] of our
[13:37] Hampton City Schools family. And I was going to ask
[13:39] Mr. Kilgore to come closer to the
[13:40] microphone, but he's already ready and
[13:42] attentive. So, it's coming this way now.
[13:47] Very good. So tonight
[13:49] Hampton City Schools is
[13:51] proud to celebrate our
[13:53] 2026-2027 elementary
[13:56] , middle, high school, and
[13:58] division-level teachers. So, to give some
[14:00] context, last spring
[14:02] we recognized our individual teachers of the
[14:04] year from each school and
[14:06] also 12 finalists. These
[14:08] finalists participated in an
[14:09] interview process with the division-
[14:11] level teacher of the year selection committee,
[14:13] and a team visited their
[14:14] classrooms to observe their
[14:16] teaching practices. At our
[14:20] Back-to-School Celebration of Excellence event that took place on
[14:22] August 14, we had the opportunity to
[14:23] announce our HCS 26-27
[14:25] elementary, middle, and high school teachers of the year
[14:27] , as well as our
[14:29] division-level teacher of the year. And
[14:31] we did it in front of more than 3,000 of
[14:33] our colleagues and honored them with a
[14:35] plaque and a banner. So, at
[14:37] this moment I'm going to call our
[14:39] three teachers of the year. If you could please come
[14:41] down and stand next to me on
[14:42] the podium. Congratulations to Mrs. Belinda
[14:45] Kirby, our
[14:46] HCS Middle School Teacher of the Year. Mrs.
[14:55] Tenisha Davis, our
[14:56] HCS year high school teacher. As well as
[15:03] Ms. Erin Miller, who is our
[15:07] HCS Elementary School Teacher of the Year and All Division Teacher of the Year
[15:09] . Our
[15:15] Teacher of the Year candidates are selected for
[15:17] their commitment to our students,
[15:19] their ability to inspire students of
[15:21] all backgrounds and abilities, their
[15:22] dedication to improving teaching, their
[15:24] collaboration with families and the
[15:26] community, their commitment to
[15:27] professional growth, innovation
[15:29] in teaching, their contributions to
[15:31] education, and the respect they have
[15:32] earned from their students, families, and
[15:34] colleagues. These exceptional educators
[15:37] present tonight have demonstrated a
[15:39] commitment to excellence in
[15:40] teaching and a passion for inspiring
[15:42] their students. So I'll take a
[15:44] brief moment to share a little bit
[15:46] about each of these educators, and
[15:48] we'll start with Ms. Belinda Kirby,
[15:50] our HCS Middle School Teacher
[15:52] of the Year. Ms. Kirby is a
[15:54] seventh-grade history teacher,
[15:56] correct? That's right, a
[15:57] seventh-grade history teacher at
[15:58] Lindsay Middle School. A native of
[16:00] Gloucester, Virginia, she has 3 years of
[16:02] experience in education, including 2
[16:03] years here at
[16:05] Hampton City Schools. For Ms. Kirby,
[16:08] teaching history is more than just helping
[16:09] students understand the past.
[16:11] She strives to help them
[16:13] recognize that history is made up
[16:14] of ordinary people who have the
[16:16] courage to make a difference, and that
[16:17] they too have the ability to
[16:19] help shape the future. She
[16:21] is grateful for the opportunity to
[16:22] be a part of her
[16:24] students' growth every day, and honored to
[16:25] represent HCS as our
[16:27] Middle School Teacher of the Year. Let
[16:28] 's give him another round of applause. I'm going to ask him to
[16:32] come this way so he doesn't trip
[16:34] on the steps.
[16:35] Mrs. Kirby, if you could join me on
[16:36] stage.
[16:48] Lindsay Middle School Principal Sherif Hicks
[16:50] described Ms. Kirby as an
[16:52] educator whose commitment to
[16:54] students is evident in everything she
[16:56] does. She said that she is the definition
[16:59] of someone who wears her heart on her
[17:01] sleeve. And she travels almost an hour to
[17:04] work every day, stays late,
[17:06] and is willing to do whatever it
[17:09] takes for her students. Her passion
[17:12] for children is contagious. And that he is,
[17:15] truly, an incredible human being
[17:17] . Let's give Ms. Kirby a round of
[17:21] applause as we recognize her as
[17:27] Hampton City Schools' 2026-2027 Middle School Teacher of the Year.
[17:29] Woohoo! And I'm going to ask him if he'd
[17:39] like to say something. Do
[17:43] n't know. I really don't like
[17:45] attention. Uh, but I'm very
[17:46] grateful. Thank you all so much for
[17:48] this honor. I am so pleased to
[17:50] represent my students and
[17:51] Lindsay every day. We have the
[17:53] most amazing students in Lindsay
[17:54] . Well, I'm very happy to represent them
[17:57] . So, thank you all very, very much
[17:58] .
[18:04] Very good. We'll leave Ms. Kirby on
[18:06] stage as we turn to
[18:08] Ms. Tenisha Davis, our
[18:11] HCS High School Teacher of the Year. Ms.
[18:13] Davis is a language arts teacher
[18:15] at Kecoughtan High School and is
[18:16] originally from Smithfield, Virginia.
[18:18] She has over 7 years of
[18:19] experience in education, including 6
[18:21] years in Hampton City Schools
[18:23] . For Ms. Davis, being
[18:25] named high school teacher of the
[18:26] year is much more than a
[18:28] personal recognition. He sees it as an
[18:30] opportunity to show his
[18:32] students what is possible for their
[18:34] future and help them recognize what
[18:36] excellence and leadership look and sound like
[18:38] . She wants her students to know
[18:41] that their ideas matter, that their voices
[18:43] have a place at the table, and that they are
[18:45] capable of achieving more than they ever
[18:47] imagined. For Ms. Davis, the
[18:49] greatest measure of her success will always
[18:51] be the students who leave her
[18:53] classroom believing in themselves and the
[18:54] possibilities that await them. Let's give
[18:56] a big round of applause to Mrs. Davis.
[19:01] Ms. Davis, will you join me on
[19:03] stage?
[19:08] Flowers.
[19:11] Kecoughtan High School's executive director
[19:13] , Dr. Dwayne Lucas, said
[19:16] that Ms. Davis's influence extends
[19:18] far beyond the walls of her
[19:20] classroom. Her commitment to
[19:24] excellence, her dedication to her
[19:26] students, and her willingness to serve
[19:27] beyond her classroom
[19:29] truly embody the spirit of
[19:30] Kecoughtan High School and
[19:32] Hampton City Schools. She
[19:35] exemplifies everyday greatness
[19:37] while constantly working to
[19:39] create growth opportunities for
[19:41] others. Let's give a big round of applause to
[19:44] Ms. Davis as we recognize her as
[19:52] Hampton City Schools' 2026-2027 High School Teacher of the Year. Would you like to say something?
[20:07] I am extremely grateful, as
[20:09] my students would say, to be honored by
[20:12] my colleagues and my
[20:14] students. I am grateful for the
[20:17] opportunity to give them a voice and encourage them
[20:20] to be the best they can be. So
[20:24] , thank you.
[20:29] Very well, and last but
[20:31] certainly not least, is
[20:33] our final honoree, Ms.
[20:35] Aaron Miller, our Hampton City Schools
[20:37] 2026-2027 Elementary Teacher of the Year
[20:39] and
[20:41] our HCS entire district Teacher of the Year
[20:43] . Let's give him a big round of
[20:44] applause. If you don't know Ms. Miller
[20:50] , she is a fifth-grade teacher at
[20:52] Armstrong School for the Arts and is
[20:54] originally from Hampton, Virginia. She has 17
[20:56] years of experience in education,
[20:58] including three of those years here at
[20:59] Hampton City Schools.
[21:01] For Ms. Miller, being named
[21:03] Teacher of the Year represents the
[21:05] relationships she has built with
[21:06] students throughout her career and the
[21:08] lasting impact educators
[21:10] have the opportunity to achieve. She
[21:12] believes that teaching is always about
[21:14] learning from her students and
[21:15] passing on the knowledge, encouragement,
[21:17] and opportunities that others have
[21:19] given her along her own journey
[21:21] . Teaching is how Ms.
[21:24] Miller gives back; she believes in children and
[21:26] reminds them that their voices, their
[21:28] stories, and their futures matter. She
[21:30] is especially grateful to know
[21:32] that her current and past students
[21:33] share this recognition and have
[21:35] played an important role in her
[21:37] journey as an educator. Let's give him
[21:38] another round of applause.
[21:43] Mrs. Miller. Very good.
[21:49] Armstrong School of the Arts Principal Dr.
[21:51] Tiffany Gaddy Suggs said, “
[21:53] Ms. Miller’s impact goes far beyond
[21:56] academics. She embodies the very
[21:59] best of what it means to be an
[22:01] educator. She teaches with high
[22:04] expectations, leads with love, faces
[22:07] challenges with strength, and gives
[22:10] children the gift of knowing that
[22:12] tomorrow is always another chance
[22:14] to succeed. Her impact is not
[22:18] measured solely by what her students
[22:20] learn academically, but by
[22:22] how they feel in her
[22:24] presence—supported, challenged, loved,
[22:28] and empowered to become their best
[22:31] selves. Let’s give Ms. Erin
[22:34] Miller a round of applause as
[22:36] we recognize her as
[22:39] Hampton City Schools’ 2026-2027 Elementary Teacher of the Year
[22:42] and Division-wide Teacher of the Year
[22:45] . Would you
[23:01] like to say anything? We can
[23:02] wait for that.
[23:03] Okay.
[23:05] That’s beautiful.
[23:06] Understood. I just want to say
[23:08] thank you. I am truly honored and
[23:10] blessed to be here
[23:12] representing HCS, and I plan to take this
[23:14] recognition as far as I can.
[23:16] So this isn’t the The end is the
[23:17] beginning. And well, just thank you,
[23:19] and I look forward to a great
[23:20] school year. And thank you, Dr. Suggs and Mrs.
[23:22] Richardson. And to my mother and my husband,
[23:24] thank you for being here.
[23:31] Before you return to your seats,
[23:32] we would like to ask any
[23:34] family members and special guests
[23:36] in the audience, your
[23:37] administration, and your colleagues to
[23:39] please stand for
[23:41] recognition. Thank you for being here
[23:43] tonight and for being part of the
[23:45] support system for these educators. You know. You
[23:52] know the long hours that
[23:53] teachers put in. You
[23:54] know the long hours that
[23:56] teachers put in every day for their
[23:58] students. Please know how much we
[24:01] appreciate our teachers and each and every
[24:02] one of you. Thank you very much.
[24:04] Let's give them another round of applause.
[24:38] Thank you. President Mason, that concludes
[24:44] our recognitions for tonight.
[24:46] Thank you.
[24:47] very much. Any comments from
[24:53] the board members? Very well.
[24:58] I repeat, thank you to your family members because I
[25:00] know that you put in many hours in
[25:02] connection with the work you do
[25:04] for Hampton City Schools
[25:06] . So, thank you all. Thank you for
[25:08] sharing your time with us, and
[25:09] congratulations again. Very
[25:12] good. Moving on, next
[25:14] are the reports from the superintendent and
[25:16] staff, and I'll now give the floor
[25:18] to Dr. Haynes.
[25:19] Thank you, President Mason,
[25:20] Vice President Jackson Afonda,
[25:22] board members, division leadership team,
[25:23] and Hampton community.
[25:25] As we continue under the
[25:27] 2026-2027 school year theme of "One
[25:29] Community, One Transformation,
[25:31] Excellence with Intentionality," in
[25:33] this afternoon's presentation, Ms.
[25:36] Kelly Gooch, our
[25:37] executive director of public relations and
[25:39] marketing, will share
[25:41] highlights from the opening of the
[25:43] 2026-2027 school year, from our
[25:46] early
[25:48] morning bus send-off to welcoming over
[25:50] 19,000 young people to our schools.
[25:53] The first day, of course, was
[25:55] filled with excitement, energy, and
[25:57] HCS pride. Here we go.
[25:58] Okay, you just did the
[26:00] presentation for me, sir. Right,
[26:02] good night again. I have the
[26:04] privilege this afternoon of sharing a
[26:06] special presentation as
[26:07] we celebrate the opening of the school year.
[26:09] 26-27 and highlight some of the excitement
[26:11] that helped us kick off another great
[26:13] year at Hampton City Schools
[26:15] . On August 14, nearly
[26:19] 3,000
[26:20] Hampton City Schools staff members
[26:22] gathered at
[26:24] Hampton University Convocation Center for
[26:26] our fourth annual
[26:27] Back-to-School Excellence Celebration,
[26:29] officially launching our
[26:30] 26-27 school year. Hosted by Sharon
[26:33] Radford and Heather VanHouten, the morning
[26:35] began with a welcome from
[26:37] School Board Chair Dr.
[26:39] Richard Mason, followed by
[26:40] Superintendent Dr. Raymond Haynes,
[26:42] who celebrated the accomplishments of our
[26:44] students and staff, including a
[26:46] projected on-time graduation rate
[26:48] above 98% and a dropout rate
[26:50] below 1%. He also challenged
[26:52] staff to continue our work
[26:53] as a community, a transformation
[26:55] , with a continued focus on
[26:57] intentional excellence.
[26:59] This year’s keynote speaker, Dr.
[27:01] Adolph “Doc” Brown III, brought his
[27:03] signature candor to HCS,
[27:04] delivering an engaging and
[27:06] inspiring message. to our staff as
[27:08] we prepared for the
[27:10] coming year. And, of course, it wouldn't be a
[27:12] celebration of excellence without a
[27:14] bit of friendly competition and plenty of
[27:16] school spirit. Our mascots
[27:18] took center stage for
[27:20] a parade and dance contest, with
[27:22] the Sims Spartans named champions,
[27:24] the Peak Squirrel winning
[27:26] Greatest of All Time (GOAT) honors, and the
[27:28] Craft Cub taking home the
[27:29] Best of the Best award. We also celebrated
[27:32] some of the outstanding individuals
[27:33] who make HCS such a special place,
[27:35] including our Support Staff
[27:36] of the Year and, as you just heard,
[27:38] our Teachers of the Year. It was an
[27:40] amazing way to bring our
[27:41] HCS family together, and we set the tone
[27:43] for a new year. Of course, this
[27:45] wonderful event wouldn't happen without an
[27:47] incredible team of people
[27:48] working behind the scenes. So,
[27:50] Ms. Robin Ruth and I want to extend a
[27:52] huge thank you to everyone who
[27:53] helped make
[27:54] this year's Celebration of Excellence a success.
[27:56] From our planning committee
[27:58] and volunteers to those who
[28:00] dedicated countless hours preparing
[28:02] the meeting of 3,000 HCS employees
[28:04] under one roof, including the
[28:06] excellent HU staff who helped us
[28:08] . A special thank you to our
[28:10] outstanding emcees,
[28:11] Ms. Sharon Radford and Heather Van Hout,
[28:13] as well as Christina Silverman,
[28:14] our HR event planner
[28:15] . And to everyone who
[28:17] helped with setup,
[28:19] activities, transportation,
[28:20] logistics, and the many details that
[28:21] an event of this size requires.
[28:24] We are also grateful to
[28:25] our transportation team for helping
[28:27] to safely move thousands of
[28:28] employees to and from the event.
[28:31] Next up. As we prepare to
[28:33] welcome students back, we
[28:34] also had a little fun
[28:35] reminiscing about one of our
[28:37] favorite back-to-school moments from the
[28:38] HCS archives. We decided to do a "
[28:40] Throwback Thursday" and went back six
[28:43] years to 2020. I know a lot of
[28:45] that sounds scary, 2020, but it was when
[28:47] we surprised our students and
[28:49] staff throughout the day with
[28:50] inspirational messages and
[28:52] special greetings from some secret celebrity guests
[28:54] . We put together a compilation of
[28:56] some of those memorable messages and
[28:58] the We shared it again on
[29:00] social media, where it was a huge hit.
[29:03] A lot has changed in 6 years, but the
[29:04] excitement that comes with the start of a
[29:06] new school year and the encouragement and support
[29:08] of our HCS community
[29:10] have certainly remained the same. Let's take a
[29:11] quick look back.
[29:21] Hey, what's up,
[29:22] Hampton City Schools students? I appreciate
[29:24] you guys giving it your all because you
[29:26] know this is still going to count.
[29:27] I want to wish you an amazing school year
[29:29] . I hope it's simply
[29:31] the best. I hope you learn a lot.
[29:33] I hope you grow as people.
[29:35] I wouldn't be where I am now without
[29:38] great advice and also without
[29:42] amazing teachers, schools, advisors, and counselors.
[29:45] Well, this is your friend Ice Cube
[29:46] talking to you. I hope you listen to my
[29:48] words. Yes, I'm talking to
[29:49] you. I hope you hear my voice, and
[29:51] I hope you take me seriously. I hope
[29:53] , even better, that you take your
[29:55] studies seriously and everything you have to do
[29:57] to get to the next level. I'm signing
[29:58] off. I'm done preaching. Your friend
[30:01] Ice Cube. Yeah, yeah.
[30:03] This video is for the students of
[30:05] Hampton City schools. Yay!
[30:08] From all of us at McKinney
[30:10] Bottom, we wish you a great
[30:12] school year and that you do your best.
[30:14] But I always like to say that being
[30:16] different can be awesome. You never
[30:18] know what different can bring
[30:20] . You're going to have so much fun learning
[30:22] new things, growing in new
[30:24] ways, and it's going to be fantastic. It's going to
[30:26] be a wonderful school year.
[30:28] But right now, I just want to talk to you
[30:30] with my voice, you know, because I'm so
[30:31] excited for the new school year.
[30:33] I want you to reach those goals. I
[30:35] want you to go out there and have an
[30:37] amazing school year.
[30:38] But as long as you stay positive,
[30:41] focused, and do your best, it'll be a piece of cake
[30:43] . You're
[30:45] doing amazing, and I know you'll
[30:48] continue to be great
[30:49] students in school. Study
[30:52] hard, work hard, and have lots of fun
[30:53] . Bye.
[31:02] Smiles from our
[31:03] student representatives, so I think
[31:04] you recognized some of those faces.
[31:06] Sage's face when Ice Cube appeared was
[31:08] priceless. Very good. Next
[31:11] slide. And while it's always
[31:13] fun to reminisce, we also wanted to
[31:15] create something Special to
[31:16] welcome our students,
[31:17] families, and staff back to the new
[31:18] school year. That's why Hampton
[31:20] City Schools creates a back-to-
[31:22] school video every year to generate excitement and
[31:23] officially welcome our
[31:25] community back to the new year. Our team
[31:27] at PEG TV once again lent their
[31:28] creativity to this year's production
[31:30] , helping us share the
[31:32] energy, spirit, and excitement of
[31:34] a fresh start at HCS. So,
[31:35] let's take a look at
[31:36] this year's welcome.
[31:40] Before the bells ring, before
[31:43] the doors open, before the
[31:45] first good morning, we remember
[31:47] why we're here, together, for the
[31:50] students and families who
[31:52] trust Hampton City Schools.
[31:56] The staff is simply
[31:57] outstanding. They are so kind, and, you
[32:01] know, they always manage to make me
[32:04] smile.
[32:06] Her name is Redding, and she makes me
[32:09] smile because, when we're
[32:12] doing something, she makes it fun.
[32:16] Not just for teaching, and not just for
[32:19] learning, but for making every
[32:21] moment count.
[32:23] Talking to my new teacher, learning
[32:26] new things, learning more
[32:28] math, preparing for my SOLs.
[32:32] I'm ready to see what
[32:34] There will be art projects in fourth
[32:36] grade because they always do
[32:37] fun things. They always do
[32:41] fun things, and I'm like, I'm
[32:43] ready to go to fourth grade.
[32:45] Well, I really like
[32:47] social studies because I want to be a teacher, and
[32:48] math. There's math in
[32:52] everything, and I just really like it
[32:54] .
[32:56] Every child, every family, every day,
[32:59] every opportunity counts because every
[33:02] student has potential, and together
[33:05] we help it grow.
[33:08] The reason I like
[33:10] science is because you can take
[33:11] science tests, and science tests are
[33:13] easy and fun, and
[33:15] social studies tests are
[33:17] fun and easy, too.
[33:19] Miss Paler, because if you raise
[33:22] your hand and ask for help, she'll be
[33:25] there to help you with anything you're
[33:29] struggling with.
[33:32] At Hampton City Schools
[33:34] , we lead with excellence and
[33:36] intentionality, and we do it in
[33:38] partnership with parents, caregivers,
[33:40] and our entire community.
[33:43] As one community, one
[33:45] transformation, let's make this year
[33:47] count. Let's keep what matters
[33:49] first.
[33:50] Welcome back,
[33:52] Hampton City Schools.
[34:02] We tried to get Dr. Haynes to move
[34:04] his We were all excited, but
[34:05] we only managed a smile. We managed a
[34:07] smile. So, last Monday,
[34:10] August 24, we
[34:11] officially welcomed over 19,000
[34:13] students for the start of the
[34:15] 2026-2027 school year. Our day
[34:16] began well before dawn, as
[34:18] Dr. Haynes already mentioned, at the
[34:20] bus lot, where
[34:21] school board members, division leaders,
[34:23] city officials, staff, and
[34:25] community partners gathered to
[34:26] cheer on our
[34:28] bus drivers and attendants as they
[34:29] prepared to head out on their first
[34:31] routes of the year. From there, the
[34:32] excitement spread throughout the
[34:34] division as students
[34:35] walked through our doors,
[34:36] reconnected with teachers and friends, and
[34:38] began another year of learning and
[34:39] new opportunities. WAVY TV 10
[34:41] joined us bright and early at the
[34:43] bus lot. Well, not that
[34:44] bright, really, but early nonetheless.
[34:46] And then they headed over to
[34:47] Craft Elementary School to capture the
[34:49] excitement of opening day and
[34:50] help us share the story of
[34:51] our first day with the community.
[34:53] Hampton Roads. It was a great day across
[34:54] HCS. Here's a look back at
[34:56] some of our favorite moments.
[35:30] Yes!
[35:35] Great job.
[36:40] And with a new school year comes a
[36:41] new season of our
[36:43] Hampton City Schools podcast,
[36:45] HCS Talks. And don't worry, Dr. Haynes,
[36:46] this isn't the new
[36:47] marketing material. We just made this for this
[36:49] presentation. We thought you might
[36:51] enjoy it a little. So now,
[36:52] entering its fourth season, HCS
[36:54] Talks continues to provide another
[36:55] way for us to educate, inform, and
[36:57] connect with our community,
[36:59] taking listeners beyond
[37:00] the headlines and into the people,
[37:02] programs, opportunities, and
[37:03] stories that make up
[37:05] Hampton City Schools. Throughout the
[37:07] year, listeners will hear
[37:08] conversations with students,
[37:10] teachers, staff, families, and
[37:11] community partners, as well as
[37:13] division leaders, on topics ranging from
[37:15] academics and
[37:16] student experiences to programs,
[37:18] initiatives, partnerships, and the work being
[37:20] done across HCS. New
[37:22] episodes will continue to be released on
[37:24] Thursdays during throughout the school year and
[37:25] will be available on all
[37:27] major podcast platforms. And I
[37:29] would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge
[37:31] Mr. Andy Foley and our entire
[37:32] PEG TV team for our back-
[37:34] to-school video, our first-
[37:36] day coverage, and our HCS Talks podcast, in which they
[37:38] have invested countless hours
[37:40] capturing and telling the story of the
[37:42] start of the school year. Their creativity
[37:44] and behind-the-scenes work
[37:45] allow us to share that HCS energy and
[37:47] enthusiasm with our entire
[37:49] community. So, ladies and gentlemen
[37:52] of the board, I believe these
[37:54] highlights give you just a glimpse of
[37:55] the excitement we have felt at
[37:57] Hampton City Schools as we begin this
[37:58] new school year. Our
[38:00] students are back, our
[38:01] staff is energized,
[38:02] our buses are running, and
[38:04] our classrooms are full. And as
[38:05] you can see from these pictures on the
[38:07] screen, we are quite
[38:08] excited about the year
[38:09] ahead. As one community,
[38:13] one transformation, we look forward to
[38:15] another year celebrating our
[38:17] students, telling the
[38:18] HCS story, and continuing our commitment to
[38:20] intentional excellence.
[38:22] And before I conclude this presentation Last
[38:24] night, we have even more
[38:25] exciting news to share, one that
[38:27] speaks not only to the work that goes on at
[38:29] Hampton City Schools, but also to
[38:30] the incredible people who make
[38:32] that work possible every day. We are
[38:36] incredibly proud to announce
[38:38] that Hampton City Schools has
[38:40] once again been named to
[38:42] Forbes’ list of
[38:44] America’s Best State Employers, marking
[38:46] the second consecutive year
[38:48] HCS has earned this distinction. The
[38:50] 2026 recognition was
[38:52] recently announced on August 13. This
[38:54] year, Hampton City Schools is one of only
[38:56] six public school divisions
[38:58] in Virginia to earn a spot on that
[39:01] 2026 list. Being recognized in both
[39:04] 2025 and now 2026 is
[39:05] especially meaningful because it
[39:07] reflects our ongoing commitment to
[39:09] creating a workplace where
[39:11] employees feel valued,
[39:13] supported, and have opportunities to
[39:15] grow. And I think what makes this
[39:17] recognition particularly
[39:19] special is that it reflects the voices and
[39:21] experiences of our employees—
[39:23] from compensation and benefits to
[39:25] our employee health and wellness center
[39:26] and
[39:28] employee pharmacy, professional learning,
[39:30] leadership development, and resources that
[39:31] support our staff in their work
[39:33] . HCS continues to invest in the
[39:36] people who make our
[39:37] schools successful. Being named a
[39:40] top state employer by Forbes
[39:41] for two consecutive years is something
[39:43] our entire HCS community
[39:44] can be proud of. It reinforces what we
[39:46] already know. Our employees are at the
[39:49] heart of everything we do, and by
[39:51] investing in them, we strengthen our
[39:53] ability to provide an
[39:55] exceptional educational experience for every child,
[39:57] every day, no matter the cost.
[39:59] So, congratulations to all of you and
[40:01] to Hampton City Schools. What a
[40:03] great way to kick off the 2026-2027 school year
[40:05] . And I'm done.
[40:12] Thank you, Ms. Cole. Excellent
[40:14] presentation. Any questions or
[40:15] comments from the board members? Have you
[40:20] recovered from that early morning
[40:22] , uh, at the bus terminal?
[40:24] No.
[40:25] Very well.
[40:26] Hardly.
[40:27] Very well, Dr. Haynes.
[40:30] Mr. President, for our
[40:31] final presentation tonight, Ms.
[40:33] Britney Branch, our Chief
[40:35] Financial Officer, will be presenting the
[40:37] June 2026 business and financial report.
[40:45] Good evening, President Mason,
[40:46] Vice President Vaughan, members of The
[40:48] school board, Dr. Haynes, and, of
[40:49] course, members of the
[40:51] Hampton community. Tonight, I'm pleased to
[40:53] present an overview of
[40:54] the June 2026 board report.
[40:56] Um, this report represents the
[40:58] pre-audited cumulative results of
[41:00] the school division for the past school year
[41:02] . Our total operating budget
[41:05] was $332.5 million, and
[41:08] we spent, or rather disbursed,
[41:11] $330.6 million. That's
[41:14] 99.5% of the budget executed. And that
[41:19] also means we
[41:21] underspent less than 1% of the budget.
[41:26] Payroll accounted for 76% of expenses
[41:28] , while non-salary items
[41:31] were 24%, and our
[41:33] instructional expenses accounted for 64% of
[41:35] total spending. You also have a list
[41:39] of the final transfers to and
[41:40] from the technology classification
[41:42] for the month of June. In addition, it's
[41:45] important to note that, regarding
[41:48] our revenue, the final income
[41:50] , including the fund balance,
[41:52] exceeded $333 million, and
[41:54] we ended the year with approximately
[41:57] $ $571,000 more than budgeted. And
[42:00] that was due to some
[42:01] additional revenue from
[42:03] state sales taxes for the month of June.
[42:05] And we learned that information when
[42:07] we received the final payment in July.
[42:10] So, included in the June report,
[42:12] as every year, you will find a
[42:13] reallocation memorandum along with
[42:15] the corresponding attachments to
[42:16] provide additional information.
[42:19] But our next step is to
[42:20] seek City Council approval
[42:22] to reallocate those funds
[42:25] from fiscal year 2026 to fiscal year
[42:27] 2027. And if it is approved, we also
[42:29] want to make sure we prioritize addressing
[42:31] any
[42:33] revenue shortfalls this current school year, if
[42:35] any, but if not, our
[42:37] priority will be to consider
[42:39] unique operational and instructional needs
[42:41] within the school division. And as I
[42:44] mentioned at the beginning, these are
[42:46] pre-audited results. So,
[42:48] there is a possibility that this will
[42:49] change because we went through an
[42:51] audit process with a third party. But if there are
[42:54] any changes, I'll be able to provide those
[42:56] updates to the board at a
[42:58] later meeting. And that concludes the
[43:01] board report of June 2026.
[43:05] Very well, thank you very much. Questions
[43:07] from board members? I see Mr.
[43:08] Kilgore.
[43:09] Uh, just a comment. It is
[43:12] absolutely impressive that, with a
[43:15] budget of over $330 million
[43:18] , they stay within 1%,
[43:21] less than 1% of that budget. That
[43:25] requires incredible supervision.
[43:28] So, thank you very much. Great job.
[43:31] Any other comments from
[43:32] board members? Excellent.
[43:36] Thank you.
[43:37] Dr. Haynes.
[43:38] Mr. President, that concludes the
[43:39] reports from the
[43:40] superintendent's staff.
[43:42] Very good. Then, we will move on to the
[43:45] points of deliberation and number
[43:47] five, in 5.01,
[43:49] ICID school board policy review.
[43:53] Excuse me. School year, school day.
[43:56] 5.02,
[43:58] IIAA School Board Policy Review, Textbook Selection and
[44:00] Adoption. 5.03,
[44:05] new KPA school board policy
[44:07] , notification to parents regarding the
[44:09] safe storage of
[44:11] prescription drugs and firearms. 5.04,
[44:17] JGDA School Board Policy Review, Discipline of Students
[44:19] with Disabilities. 5.05, New
[44:22] KP School Board Policy,
[44:26] Parent Rights and Responsibilities. 5.06,
[44:29] GCL School Board Policy Review,
[44:31] Staff Professional Development. 5.07,
[44:36] GCPD School Board Policy Review, Staff Layoffs. And
[44:40] 5.08, review of the
[44:43] GCG school board policy, probationary period and
[44:46] contractual status of
[44:48] certified employees. And we'll begin with Dr.
[44:51] Thompson.
[44:53] Good evening, President Dr. Mason,
[44:55] Vice President Jackson Aponte,
[44:56] board members, Superintendent Dr. Haynes,
[44:58] and Hampton community. I have the
[44:59] ICID policy, school year,
[45:01] school day, as well as the IIAA policy,
[45:03] selection, adoption and purchase of
[45:05] textbooks. There have been no new
[45:08] adjustments. Do you have any questions?
[45:13] Very good. Alright. Uh-huh. Mrs.
[45:20] Hatcher.
[45:21] Good night. I am here to
[45:23] present the KPA policy. Any
[45:32] questions?
[45:33] Any clarifying questions or anything
[45:33] for Ms. Hatcher? Very good.
[45:37] Thank you so much. Very good. And the
[45:39] remaining policies, Ms. Ruth?
[45:42] Yes. Good evening. Do you have any
[45:46] questions about GCL, GCPD, or
[45:50] GCG policy? There have been no changes since the
[45:52] last time we met.
[45:54] Yes.
[45:55] Any clarifying questions, Mr.
[45:57] Root?
[45:57] Not
[45:59] very well. Thank you so much. Very good.
[46:02] So, this brings us to point
[46:04] number six, points for action. 6.01
[46:08] , local plan for gifted students.
[46:11] 6.02,
[46:13] JCPF School Board Policy Review,
[46:16] Employee Suspension. 6.03,
[46:18] GDB School Board Policy Review,
[46:23] Support Staff Probationary Period. 6.04, new
[46:25] IK school board policy,
[46:27] academic planning and course selection. 6.05
[46:30] , new policy of the ILBC school board
[46:33] , College Board school program
[46:36] . 6.06,
[46:39] IAI school board policy, artificial intelligence.
[46:42] 6.07,
[46:45] EBB School Board Policy Review,
[46:46] Threat Assessment Teams. 6.08,
[46:49] review of the JED board policy
[46:51] attendance policy 6.09 new
[46:54] JLB school board policy
[46:56] information and guidance on
[46:58] financial aid 6.10 review of the
[47:00] JAG school board policy
[47:02] safety and protection of student
[47:05] athletes in extreme heat 6.11
[47:07] review of the
[47:09] JM school board policy emergency response and
[47:11] student safety. And what is the
[47:14] board's wish?
[47:18] Mr. President, I propose the approval
[47:20] of action points 6.01 through
[47:25] Support.
[47:26] Very well, it has been proposed by Mr.
[47:30] Kilgore and supported by Mr. Fagan that
[47:33] we approve items 6.01 to 6.11 as a
[47:35] whole. Any discussion? Ms. Penny
[47:40] , could you please put this to a vote
[47:42] ?
[47:42] Mrs. Afonja.
[47:43] In favor.
[47:44] Mrs. Cherry.
[47:45] In favor.
[47:45] Dr. Banks-Gray.
[47:47] In favor.
[47:47] Mr. Samuels.
[47:48] In favor.
[47:49] Mr. Kilgore.
[47:50] In favor.
[47:50] Dr. Woodhouse.
[47:51] In favor.
[47:52] Dr. Mason.
[47:53] In favor. The motion is approved. That
[47:55] brings us to point number seven,
[47:56] deliberation, first reading. 7.01
[47:58] Review of the
[48:01] EFB School Board Policy, Food Services
[48:04] ; 7.02 Review of
[48:07] school board policy GAH, GBA, CB, Conflict
[48:10] of interest and disclosure of
[48:12] economic interests; 7.03 BBFA
[48:15] School Board Policy Review
[48:17] , Conflicts of Interest and
[48:20] Disclosure of Economic Interests;
[48:23] 7.04 Review of
[48:25] GCBDG School Board Policy, Leave of
[48:28] Absence; 7.05 New
[48:31] School Board Policy JS,
[48:33] Extracurricular Activity Notifications; 7.06
[48:36] Review of the
[48:39] JG school board policy, withdrawal of students from the
[48:41] educational environment by
[48:44] teaching staff. 7.07 New
[48:47] School Board Policy JOB,
[48:49] Administration of Surveys and
[48:51] Questionnaires. 7.08
[48:54] School Board Policy Review,
[48:57] School Attendance Zone. Yes,
[49:00] school attendance zones. Oh, and the first one is
[49:03] with Mrs. Branch.
[49:06] Good evening again. For the
[49:08] EFB food service policy
[49:10] , this was an
[49:11] update to the VSBA. Much
[49:14] of the language was added only to
[49:17] reflect the language of the VSBA, not
[49:19] necessarily anything substantial, but
[49:21] I want to point out that we included, in
[49:23] accordance with the state code, the
[49:25] reporting of any unpaid
[49:28] food debt. Originally this wasn't
[49:31] included, but based on the
[49:33] video's direction, even if it's
[49:35] zero, they ask that zero be reported and that's what
[49:37] we reported. So I wanted to make sure that was
[49:39] reflected
[49:40] in our school board policy
[49:41] .
[49:44] Any clarifying questions for
[49:46] Ms. Branch? Very good. Thank you. Very
[49:49] good. The next three are with one,
[49:52] two, three. Yes, three of them are with Mrs.
[49:53] Ruth.
[49:56] Yes. Well, the GBACB policy, which is
[49:59] the conflict of interest
[50:02] and disclosure of financial interests policy
[50:06] for employees, and the BBFA policy,
[50:09] which is next on the agenda, the
[50:12] conflict of interest policy for
[50:15] school board members, have...
[50:18] Oh. Oh. Excuse me, everyone. They have been
[50:22] mirror policies for several years,
[50:25] at least 25, probably more.
[50:31] Recently, the VSBA underwent a
[50:33] significant rewrite based on
[50:36] some code changes and also
[50:38] to remove things from the policy that
[50:41] no longer needed to be there. And because
[50:46] of the rewrite, we are now
[50:48] decoupling that mirror policy.
[50:52] Therefore, for GBACB, which is the
[50:56] policy that exists today, we recommend
[51:01] that it be reviewed to follow the
[51:06] VSBA policy. And we also recommend
[51:09] changing the code of that policy. The
[51:12] VSBA code for that is GAH.
[51:16] So our recommendation is that
[51:19] the policy code be changed.
[51:22] The name of the policy will change a
[51:24] little, it will be shorter: conflict of
[51:27] interest of the employees of the
[51:28] school division. And we recommend
[51:32] adopting 100% of the
[51:36] VSBA policy. That recommendation also
[51:42] includes that it will no longer be a
[51:44] mirror policy of the BBFA, the
[51:47] next policy on the agenda. As I
[51:50] said, they have been mirror policies, which
[51:52] means they were exactly the
[51:55] same for a very, very long time.
[51:58] Again, there was a
[52:00] significant rewrite of the VSBA and
[52:03] we now recommend that
[52:05] Hampton City Schools' BBFA policy,
[52:10] School Board Member Conflict of Interest, match the
[52:13] VSBA policy. Good. And then, the
[52:21] final policy I have to
[52:23] present tonight is the
[52:26] GCBDG policy. That is our
[52:28] leave of absence policy. And this change is
[52:31] due to a modification in a
[52:34] state code requirement. Beginning
[52:42] July 1, 2026, any
[52:44] employee who is not eligible for
[52:47] family medical leave will be
[52:50] eligible for up to 125 days of
[52:53] potentially unpaid leave
[52:56] for any debilitating or
[52:59] life-threatening illness. And that is, that is
[53:10] the big, the big change. Again, it's
[53:13] a code change. The 125 days is
[53:16] something the division's leadership team
[53:18] has discussed. We decided to opt
[53:22] for 125 days. It matches the
[53:25] maximum number of days a
[53:26] full-time employee could
[53:28] be off on family medical leave
[53:29] . And because this leave
[53:32] is specifically for someone with a
[53:34] debilitating or life-threatening illness
[53:37] , it made perfect sense not to give them
[53:39] just 30 days of leave. Because if
[53:41] you know, if you have a
[53:43] debilitating or life-threatening illness, you will
[53:45] probably need more time.
[53:48] Therefore, the license itself is
[53:50] required by the code. We cannot
[53:53] make any changes regarding this. But
[53:55] if the board has any questions about
[53:58] the number of days, well, as a
[54:00] school division we have some
[54:02] leeway with that. The code does not
[54:05] prescribe how many days that leave should last
[54:07] .
[54:11] Any questions? Any
[54:12] clarifications? Madam President.
[54:14] Thank you, Mr. President. Do the 125
[54:16] days have to be
[54:18] consecutive days? Well, policy doesn't
[54:22] stipulate that. Normally, yes, it
[54:26] would be 125 consecutive days.
[54:29] This particular leave is not like
[54:31] family medical leave where
[54:33] you can be absent intermittently
[54:35] . So, if I'm receiving
[54:37] treatment and I have to be absent for a
[54:39] week, then I return to work for 3
[54:41] weeks and then I'm absent for another
[54:43] week. This will not be treated as
[54:45] consecutive. Because these are people
[54:48] who are not eligible for
[54:50] federal leave protected by the
[54:52] Family Medical Leave Act.
[54:54] OK. Thank you.
[54:55] Mhm.
[54:58] Very good. Anyone else? Very good.
[55:02] Miss Hatcher? Oh. Alright
[55:04] . Very good. Mrs. Hatcher.
[55:08] Good night. I have the JS policy
[55:11] on extracurricular activity notifications
[55:13] , and this is a new
[55:15] policy according to the Virginia code
[55:17] and the VSBA model, and it talks about
[55:18] the use of social media, and how it
[55:20] cannot be the only means of
[55:22] communication with students for
[55:24] the facilitation of
[55:25] extracurricular activities. So, this
[55:28] refers to our volunteers,
[55:29] our coaches, and any other
[55:31] teachers or staff who have
[55:32] after-school activities.
[55:34] So this is a sort of
[55:36] follow-up to the policy on
[55:37] cell phone use and social media use
[55:39] . The next policy, JG,
[55:44] is a 5-year review. There are
[55:46] some changes, mainly to
[55:48] improve readability and consistency
[55:50] according to VSBA policy. And
[55:53] also, the VSBA recommends avoiding
[55:54] some procedural issues that
[55:56] are not in the code and that we had
[55:58] included in our policies in the
[56:00] past; Those would be
[56:02] school-based procedures, not
[56:04] necessarily part of this policy. We
[56:06] also recommend the title. This
[56:09] policy used to be called teacher removal
[56:11] of students from class,
[56:13] and the last time we
[56:14] reviewed it, we said teaching staff,
[56:16] but honestly the code and the VSBA
[56:17] say teacher, so we felt we
[56:19] needed to go back to saying teacher. The
[56:25] JOB policy is also a new policy
[56:27] to align it with another
[56:29] policy they saw as a
[56:31] cross-reference, which was the KP policy on
[56:35] parental rights and responsibilities. This covers
[56:40] instructional materials and other notifications that
[56:42] parents should receive related
[56:45] to the surveys and assessments
[56:47] we conduct, physical exams,
[56:49] use of information, how we use it, and
[56:51] discusses some of the
[56:53] annual notifications. If you recall,
[56:57] we had a policy regarding notifying
[56:58] parents about the
[57:00] safe storage of medications and firearms
[57:02] . So, this goes hand in hand with that
[57:05] and simply documents what
[57:07] we need to share with parents. And
[57:11] finally, my last policy is the
[57:13] JC policy. These are the
[57:15] school attendance zones. This policy is being
[57:18] updated due to some
[57:20] new VHS policy requirements
[57:22] . And we also simply
[57:24] reviewed it thoroughly and made sure it
[57:26] fit our practices.
[57:28] You will see that we added that
[57:30] students from across the division
[57:31] will be entered into the lottery instead of the
[57:33] application mentioned here earlier
[57:35] for our magnet programs. And
[57:38] also, there's a note on page
[57:40] two; that's where the
[57:42] VHS information comes in. We are
[57:46] ahead of schedule, but starting
[57:48] July 1, 2027, there will be some changes
[57:50] regarding students being
[57:51] granted out-of-zone placements and
[57:53] how that affects their participation in
[57:55] sports and other activities, the
[57:57] VHSL activities.
[58:02] Any clarifying questions for Ms.
[58:04] Hatcher? Very well thank you. Okay,
[58:10] that brings us to point number eight,
[58:12] hearing any delegation or
[58:14] submission of any
[58:15] written communication or request.
[58:17] We have a speaker, so I'll ask
[58:20] Mrs. Penny to read the protocol.
[58:24] Citizens are invited to contact
[58:26] the school board regarding matters of
[58:27] public interest related to the
[58:29] school division.
[58:31] Speaker forms are available before the
[58:32] start of the meeting. If you wish to
[58:33] address the school board, please
[58:35] complete the form and submit it to the
[58:37] secretary before 6:45 p.m. m. of the
[58:40] day of the meeting. Each person
[58:41] will have 3 minutes to speak. At the end
[58:44] of your time, you will hear a bell.
[58:46] All comments should be
[58:47] directed to the school board.
[58:49] Speakers cannot give their time to
[58:51] others. Speakers should address
[58:54] the school board with decorum on
[58:55] policy issues.
[58:57] Comments should relate to
[58:59] agenda items or matters
[59:00] pertinent to the business or duties of
[59:01] the school board. Speakers' comments
[59:04] about individuals
[59:06] risk violating
[59:08] confidentiality laws or defaming the
[59:10] subjects of their comments. Neither the
[59:13] school board, nor the superintendent, nor the
[59:15] school administration will
[59:18] publicly respond to any comments made by
[59:20] the speakers about individuals. The
[59:28] submission of resolutions,
[59:30] declarations, proclamations,
[59:32] manifestos, awards, or other
[59:34] similar documents not originating under the
[59:36] auspices of the school board or
[59:38] administration is prohibited during
[59:40] the public comment period.
[59:43] The audience is asked to be
[59:44] respectful to all speakers.
[59:47] Public comments are the
[59:48] school board's opportunity to
[59:49] hear from the speaker. Since our
[59:53] purpose is to listen to you, the board will not
[59:55] engage in dialogue with the audience or
[59:57] whoever is on the podium.
[1:00:00] Matters requiring a response
[1:00:02] will be referred to the superintendent
[1:00:03] for investigation and response. The
[1:00:06] superintendent may report on
[1:00:08] such matters at a
[1:00:09] subsequent business meeting, as
[1:00:11] appropriate. The school board
[1:00:13] carefully considers your comments as
[1:00:15] we decide on the matters brought
[1:00:16] before us. We appreciate your attendance
[1:00:19] and contributions.
[1:00:21] Very good. Thank you. And we have a
[1:00:23] speaker request for tonight, and it's
[1:00:25] from former Mayor Donnie Tuck.
[1:00:35] Good evening, President Mason,
[1:00:36] members of the school board,
[1:00:38] Superintendent Dr. Haynes, and
[1:00:40] support staff. It is interesting, after
[1:00:42] about 14 and a half years, to hear the
[1:00:44] protocol read from this side of the
[1:00:45] podium. But having said that, uh, my name
[1:00:49] is Donnie Tuck, I am a resident of
[1:00:51] proud Hampton, and last Friday
[1:00:53] I was going to Smith Elementary School to
[1:00:56] read to the fifth grade classes. And upon
[1:00:59] entering the building, the first thing I
[1:01:01] noticed was the security guard,
[1:01:03] his name is Denzel Giles,
[1:01:04] bending down to tie a student's shoe
[1:01:06] . And I thought that was
[1:01:08] simply praiseworthy, so that's why
[1:01:10] I'm here. I know things like this
[1:01:12] happen throughout the school system on a
[1:01:15] daily basis, but I was there and
[1:01:17] caught it in the act, and I want you to be aware
[1:01:19] of that. The second thing is that,
[1:01:22] since I retired, I have more time
[1:01:25] for tennis, so
[1:01:27] last week I took this shirt out to wear and
[1:01:30] remembered that in June 2023 we had
[1:01:33] the ribbon cutting for the floating classroom.
[1:01:37] Today I went down and looked at that boat and it really does
[1:01:40] n't seem to have moved. And I was
[1:01:43] curious to know the status
[1:01:45] of the floating classroom. Thank you for your
[1:01:47] time.
[1:01:49] Thank you.
[1:01:50] Very good. So, the next point
[1:01:54] is number nine,
[1:01:56] information topics. 9.01 upcoming meetings.
[1:02:00] The next working session will be
[1:02:02] held at 6:30 on
[1:02:04] September 16th right here in Jones and the
[1:02:06] next regular meeting will be
[1:02:08] held at 6:30 on October 7th
[1:02:10] also here in Jones. 9.02 Other
[1:02:13] information topics. I'll start with
[1:02:18] you, Dr. Haynes.
[1:02:21] Thank you, Mr. President. As
[1:02:22] Ms. Gorham shared earlier
[1:02:24] , we officially welcome
[1:02:26] students for the 2016-2017 school year
[1:02:28] on Monday, August 24. And it was
[1:02:30] a great first day at all
[1:02:32] Hampton City Schools.
[1:02:34] They began before dawn, of
[1:02:36] course, at our transportation lot
[1:02:37] , where members of our
[1:02:39] school board, division leaders,
[1:02:41] city officials,
[1:02:43] HCS staff, Hampton Police Department
[1:02:45] , PTA representatives, and
[1:02:46] community partners continued what has
[1:02:48] become a very
[1:02:50] special first-day tradition, cheering on
[1:02:52] bus drivers and
[1:02:53] attendants as they headed out to pick up
[1:02:55] our youth for their
[1:02:57] new school year routes. From there, the
[1:03:00] excitement continued in our schools
[1:03:02] as students returned
[1:03:03] to classrooms, reconnected with friends
[1:03:05] and teachers, and began another year of
[1:03:07] learning and new opportunities. Of
[1:03:10] course, a special thanks to
[1:03:12] WAVY TV 10 for joining us bright and
[1:03:14] early at the transport lot, and
[1:03:17] then heading to Craft Primary School
[1:03:19] to capture the excitement
[1:03:21] as the students arrived for
[1:03:24] the first day. We thank WAVY for
[1:03:26] helping us share those
[1:03:28] special moments with the Hampton
[1:03:29] Roads community. Looking ahead,
[1:03:33] schools and offices will be
[1:03:34] closed this Friday, September 4th, and
[1:03:37] Monday, September 7th, everyone is
[1:03:39] smiling, for the
[1:03:43] Labor Day weekend. And September 18th
[1:03:45] is a planning day for
[1:03:47] elementary school teachers. On
[1:03:50] September 23, the
[1:03:52] Food and Nutrition Services Department
[1:03:55] will host its sixth annual
[1:03:57] food fair from 4:30 p.m. at 6:30 p.m. at
[1:04:00] Hunter B. Andrews School, Pre-K to
[1:04:03] 8. Information on how to
[1:04:05] confirm your attendance at the event will be
[1:04:07] sent via Peachjar in the
[1:04:08] coming days. And finally, on
[1:04:11] September 29, the Hampton County PTA will hold
[1:04:13] its first
[1:04:14] general member meeting of the
[1:04:16] school year at 6:00 p.m. at the
[1:04:17] Kilgore Center for the Gifted.
[1:04:20] Families are, of course, encouraged to attend and
[1:04:21] learn more about the important role
[1:04:23] the PTA plays in supporting
[1:04:25] our youth, schools, and families. We
[1:04:27] also encourage families, of
[1:04:29] course, to join their
[1:04:30] school's PTA and become an
[1:04:32] active part of the school community. That
[1:04:34] concludes the superintendent's briefing points
[1:04:36] .
[1:04:38] Thank you so much. Other points of
[1:04:39] information from
[1:04:40] board members? Very good. Anything from our
[1:04:45] student representatives?
[1:04:50] Well, I just want to thank you on
[1:04:52] behalf of all of us for the
[1:04:53] opportunity to serve and for allowing me to
[1:04:55] continue my service. It is an honor to
[1:04:57] be here once again, and
[1:04:59] I am also very grateful for the warm
[1:05:01] welcome last year that gave me
[1:05:03] the peace of mind to be here this
[1:05:04] year. So I am very grateful and
[1:05:07] excited to make a difference and
[1:05:09] have a unique experience that is
[1:05:10] even different from last year's.
[1:05:12] So, thank you very much.
[1:05:14] Very good. And I will say on behalf of the board
[1:05:18] , once again, congratulations and
[1:05:20] welcome to um, Josiah and Alexis. Did I
[1:05:23] say it right? I'll
[1:05:24] sit in the back with you. Let me try to
[1:05:26] make sure I have the
[1:05:26] correct name. Yes that's
[1:05:29] fine. Therefore, with no further
[1:05:31] information to present to this
[1:05:33] board, I declare the session adjourned.