[0:04] Good evening. I would like to call to
[0:06] order the regular meeting of the Newport
[0:08] News School Board for Tuesday, September
[0:10] 15, 2026.
[0:12] On behalf of the members of the school
[0:14] board and Dr. Mitchell, I welcome each
[0:17] of you present this evening and those
[0:19] who are watching on TV and online. We
[0:22] will begin tonight's meeting with the
[0:24] invocation and pledge to the flag. Here
[0:27] to do the honors is our school board
[0:29] representative, Cameron Smith.
[0:40] Good evening, Madam Chair, Madame Vice
[0:42] Chair, Superintendent Mitchell, members
[0:44] of the board, audience members, and
[0:45] viewers at home. As I spent time with my
[0:48] classmates during these first few weeks
[0:49] of school, I've been struck by the
[0:51] common emotion of excitement and desire
[0:53] for what's to come after graduation. And
[0:55] while no one can deny the allure of the
[0:56] many pathways we'll take following the
[0:58] end of our time in high school, I find
[1:00] it equally important to value the
[1:02] privilege that we have now to share with
[1:04] each other at school. So for tonight's
[1:06] invocation, I will share a poem on the
[1:08] significance of living in the moment
[1:10] written by Patricia Fleming entitled
[1:12] Each Moment is is precious. Live in the
[1:15] moment, just take it all in. Pay
[1:17] attention to everything right there and
[1:19] right then. Don't let your mind wander
[1:21] to what's coming next. Cherish this
[1:23] moment and give it your best. Don't let
[1:25] tomorrow make you rush through today or
[1:27] too many great moments will just go to
[1:29] waste. And the person you're with and
[1:31] that moment you share, give them all of
[1:33] your focus. Be totally there. Laugh till
[1:36] it hurts. Let the tears drop. Fill up
[1:39] each moment with all that you've got.
[1:41] Don't miss the details. The lesson is
[1:42] there. Don't get complacent. Stay sharp
[1:44] and aware. It can take but a moment to
[1:47] change your life's path. And once it
[1:48] ticks by, there is no going back. In
[1:51] just 60 seconds, you may make a new
[1:53] friend, find your true love, or see a
[1:55] life start or end. You become who you
[1:58] are in those moments you live. And the
[2:00] growth's not in taking, but in how much
[2:02] you give. Life is just moments so
[2:04] precious and few. Whether valued or
[2:06] squandered, it's all up to you. And now
[2:08] I invite you to all stand as we recite
[2:10] the pledge of allegiance.
[2:15] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
[2:18] United States of America and to the
[2:21] republic for which it stands, one nation
[2:24] under God, indivisible, with liberty and
[2:27] justice for all. You may now be seated.
[2:30] Thank you.
[2:38] Thank you, Cameron. Very nice.
[2:41] The next item on Next agenda is school
[2:44] board recognitions. Dr. Mitchell, please
[2:46] join me at the podium.
[3:10] This evening, we have the honor of
[3:13] welcoming our new alternate student
[3:15] representative to the school board,
[3:17] Holton Bailey. Mr. Bailey is a senior at
[3:21] an achievable dream high school. He
[3:23] brings a number of community building
[3:25] skills to this new position of alternate
[3:28] student representative and is an active
[3:31] leader in both school and community
[3:33] organizations. Mr. Bailey, please come
[3:36] forward to receive your oath of
[3:38] commitment and your family members are
[3:40] welcome to join.
[3:57] I didn't see her over there. Okay.
[4:04] Thank you.
[4:11] Mr. Bailey, as school board chairwoman,
[4:14] I have the honor and privilege of
[4:16] leading your oath of commitment. Please
[4:19] raise your right hand.
[4:22] Please repeat after me. I, Holton
[4:25] Bailey, do solemnly affirm
[4:27] I, Holton Bailey, do solemnly affirm
[4:30] that I will support the mission of
[4:32] Newport News public schools. I will
[4:34] support the mission of public schools.
[4:37] And I will faithfully perform my duties
[4:39] as the alternate student representative
[4:41] to the school board.
[4:53] Whenever I will attend meetings and
[4:56] participate
[4:59] I will serve as the co-f facilitator to
[5:01] the superintendent students advisory
[5:04] group on education
[5:08] yes I will serve as co- facilitator to
[5:11] the superintendent
[5:12] I will serve as co- facilitator to the
[5:14] superintendent
[5:15] student advisory group on education
[5:18] student advisory group on education
[5:20] I will contribute to schoolboard discuss
[5:22] discussion.
[5:22] I will contribute to school board
[5:24] discussions.
[5:25] I will strive to fulfill
[5:26] responsibilities of this position while
[5:29] excelling in my studies.
[5:31] I will strive to
[5:34] fulfill
[5:35] responsibilities
[5:37] of this position while excelling in my
[5:40] studies.
[5:40] of this position while excelling in my
[5:42] studies
[5:44] according to the best of my abilities.
[5:46] according to the best of my abilities.
[5:48] Mr. Bailey, congratulations and welcome
[5:51] to the school board.
[5:59] Would you like to offer a few comments?
[6:04] Good evening everyone.
[6:06] As she said before, my name is Hton
[6:07] Bailey. I am a senior at Achievable
[6:09] Dream High and I'm very excited to be
[6:12] the first one in this position, this new
[6:14] position. I'm ready to test out the
[6:16] waters of this position just to see what
[6:18] we can improve on and what the person
[6:20] after me may be able to do. I also am
[6:24] thankful for this position. You know, my
[6:25] principal here, Miss Hudges, she really
[6:28] did push me to apply not just for this
[6:30] position, but just to become student
[6:32] representative, and I did. And
[6:34] fortunately, I was able to take on this
[6:37] position. I'm here to advocate for my
[6:39] students. As soon as this announcement
[6:41] came out saying that I got the position,
[6:43] I had a whole bunch of students at
[6:45] school telling me, you know,
[6:46] congratulations, telling me to go
[6:48] represent for the students and that's
[6:49] what I plan to do. I am one who will
[6:52] speak. I will I won't be quiet. I am one
[6:57] I am one to hear the students as I'm
[6:59] with them every day. I know what they
[7:02] want and I know how to put it into
[7:04] professional words so that the members
[7:06] of this board can hear them loud and
[7:08] clear. So, I'm very thankful to get this
[7:10] position.
[7:17] Okay.
[7:50] Thank you and congratulations again. We
[7:52] look forward to working with you. And at
[7:54] this time, we're going to take a short
[7:56] break so that our presenters and guests
[7:59] and their families may leave if they
[8:01] wish to do so. You are certainly welcome
[8:03] to stay. So stand we will stand in
[8:05] recess briefly. Thank you.
[10:55] The next item on tonight's agenda is
[10:58] school board. Excuse me. During our
[11:00] regular meetings, we provide time for
[11:02] the public to address the school board.
[11:05] These opportunities are scheduled in the
[11:07] early part of our agenda and towards the
[11:10] end of the meeting. As advertised,
[11:12] citizens may submit comments via email
[11:15] up to 30 minutes prior to our meeting
[11:17] time to be included in the official
[11:19] meeting record.
[11:21] For those of you joining us in person,
[11:23] the board considers this an opportunity
[11:26] to listen to your comments. Please
[11:28] understand that we will consider your
[11:30] concerns. We ask that you comply with
[11:33] our threeminut time limit. As you begin
[11:35] your comments, a green light will come
[11:37] on. A yellow light signals that you have
[11:40] 30 seconds remaining and a red light and
[11:42] beep indicates that your time is up. I
[11:46] understand we may have a group or two
[11:48] that like would like to come up as a
[11:50] group, but we're going to ask you in the
[11:52] essence of safety, please do not do
[11:54] that. If you would like to recognize the
[11:56] people that are with you, they can stand
[11:58] and you are welcome to do so. As your
[12:01] name is called, please come forward.
[12:07] George Jordan and she will be followed
[12:11] by Tammy.
[12:29] Thank you.
[12:31] As stated, my name is George. I've been
[12:35] driving for 22 years for Newport News
[12:37] public schools and my question to you is
[12:42] aren't we in a bus driver shortage? So
[12:45] why are we limiting our drivers or shall
[12:48] I say our seasoned drivers by giving the
[12:52] new drivers more hours than our seasoned
[12:54] drivers?
[12:56] Last I heard,
[12:58] rent for one bedroom was $1,900.
[13:02] So, if you're limiting your seasoned
[13:04] drivers that's been here for 20, 15, 30
[13:07] years
[13:09] to $1,900 a month or $2,000 a month,
[13:15] they're not making their bills, let
[13:17] alone paying their rent.
[13:19] You're losing drivers.
[13:22] Workplace chaos, constant reactive and
[13:26] false urgency, lack of clear direction,
[13:30] poor communication, shift in priorities,
[13:35] cultural and impro interpersonal
[13:37] toxicity,
[13:39] unhealthy dynamics,
[13:41] lack of
[13:44] workplace
[13:45] ethics and manipulation and intimidation
[13:49] in the workplace. disorganization and
[13:52] leadership
[13:54] and creating widespread confusion.
[13:59] That's why you have a rapid turnover.
[14:01] Therefore, workers are leaving and
[14:03] scrambling when doing runs.
[14:07] Cronyism
[14:09] granting jobs to special favors to
[14:11] friends or close friends or personal
[14:14] allies.
[14:16] retaliation,
[14:18] workplace retaliation.
[14:20] Please don't speak up for yourself.
[14:23] Please don't stand up for your rights or
[14:27] talk about misconduct cuz you will be
[14:30] retaliated on. And we probably will have
[14:33] more drivers here tonight and more
[14:35] assistants, but they didn't want to get
[14:37] retaliated on. So, I would like to thank
[14:40] everybody, all the drivers and
[14:41] assistants that did show up tonight.
[14:44] A lot of drivers and assistants don't
[14:47] show up or are scared to because of lack
[14:51] of leadership,
[14:53] lack of management. So in short, I would
[14:56] say you don't have a bus driver
[14:57] shortage. You have a management,
[15:00] supervisor, and leadership problem.
[15:10] And Miss Tammy will be followed by Ivana
[15:12] Jones.
[15:15] Good evening. I am Tamara Brown. Tammy
[15:18] superintendent and members of the school
[15:20] board. I stand here tonight as a proud
[15:22] Newport News bus driver representing the
[15:24] dedicated team that ensures our students
[15:26] to get to school safely every day. We
[15:29] are here tonight because we value our
[15:31] partnership with the Newport News public
[15:33] schools. We want to work with you to
[15:35] solve the severe driver shortage that is
[15:37] currently straining our system. Where
[15:40] vacancy rates have honored near 30%,
[15:43] those of us behind the wheel are glad to
[15:45] step up, stretch routes, and keep the
[15:47] city moving. But to sustain this
[15:49] partnership, we urgently need the board
[15:51] to fulfill its commitments to us. Right
[15:54] now, the financial pressure on all of
[15:56] our drivers is immediate and real. We
[15:59] are already midway through September and
[16:01] we are facing a critical gap in our
[16:03] compensation. First, we urgently need
[16:07] clarity on the 4% salary rates
[16:09] authorized through the state budget
[16:11] compromise. This division promised this
[16:14] increase and yet our contracts have not
[16:17] been updated. We cannot afford to wait
[16:19] any longer for the paperwork to match
[16:21] the promise. Second, our drivers are
[16:24] anxiously waiting for the promise
[16:25] retention bonus. This bonus isn't just a
[16:28] line item. It is a vital buffer for our
[16:32] families right now. Working together
[16:34] means taking care of our people on the
[16:37] front lines. And the delay in these
[16:39] funds is hurting our team morale when we
[16:42] need it most. We want to help Newport
[16:44] News Public Schools remain competitive
[16:46] and strong. And to do that, we
[16:48] collaboratively ask the board for
[16:51] immediate action tonight. Issue a
[16:54] definitive timeline for when our updated
[16:56] contracts reflecting the 4% raise will
[16:59] be signed and implemented. Provide a
[17:02] specific urgent date for when the
[17:04] overdue retention bonuses will be paid
[17:07] out. Establish a collaborative dialogue
[17:11] between driver representatives and
[17:13] administration to review base
[17:16] compensation moving forward. And we are
[17:18] fully committed to all of our students
[17:20] and this city. We ask that you match the
[17:23] commitment by urgently honoring these
[17:26] agreements. Thank you.
[17:28] Thank you,
[17:32] Miss Ivana Jones. And she will be
[17:34] followed by Dr. James Graves.
[17:40] Schoolboard members, more and more
[17:42] citizens of Newport News are bringing
[17:44] serious concerns to your attention about
[17:46] what is happening within our school
[17:48] system. I hope you are listening. I hope
[17:50] you are taking heed, taking notes, and
[17:52] most importantly preparing to take
[17:54] actions to the address the concerns
[17:57] being brought to you before you by the
[18:00] people you were elected to represent.
[18:02] But I also want to make something very
[18:04] clear. Being elected to a term does not
[18:06] mean that accountability disappears
[18:08] until the next election. Virginia law
[18:11] provides a process through with an
[18:13] elected official may be subject to a
[18:15] petition for removal through the courts.
[18:18] That process requires a petition signed
[18:21] by registered voters equal to 10% of the
[18:24] votes cast in the last election for that
[18:26] particular office. And the petition must
[18:29] be based on grounds established by law.
[18:31] So if citizens believe that an elected
[18:33] representative is failing to fulfill the
[18:36] duties of the office, there are lawful
[18:38] avenues for accountability beyond simply
[18:41] waiting for the next election. You were
[18:43] elected to represent the people of
[18:45] Newport News, not to ignore them,
[18:47] dismiss their concerns, or allow their
[18:49] voices to go unanswered. We are paying
[18:51] attention. We are documenting what is
[18:53] happening. We are learning our rights,
[18:55] learning the law, and using appropriate
[18:57] channels available to us. We are asking
[19:00] you to do your jobs, listen to the
[19:01] people, and address the issues being
[19:03] brought before you because
[19:05] accountability matters, representation
[19:07] matters, and the voices of Newport News
[19:09] families matter. Thank you for your time
[19:11] this evening. and we look forward to
[19:13] continuing to advocate for our children,
[19:15] our families, and our community and to
[19:17] working toward a better Newport News.
[19:20] Thank you,
[19:22] Dr. James Graves. And he will be
[19:24] followed by Adena Rivera.
[19:32] Put on my reading glasses. Good evening,
[19:36] Dr. Mitchell, board, Dr. Best, Vice
[19:39] Chair, Miss Alger, and members of the
[19:41] school board. Thank you for placing the
[19:43] resolution establish a collective
[19:45] bargaining study group on tonight's
[19:47] action agenda. I also want to thank you
[19:50] for revising the resolution to state the
[19:52] study group shall include
[19:54] representatives from employee
[19:56] associations
[19:58] rather than may include. It is important
[20:01] that employees and representatives have
[20:02] a meaningful seat at the table
[20:04] throughout the process and we appreciate
[20:06] the board making that change. There is
[20:09] one recommendation VA and NEA would
[20:12] still like the board to consider. The
[20:14] study group shall be charged with
[20:16] developing a resolution authorizing
[20:19] collective bargaining for school board's
[20:21] consideration.
[20:23] Studying collective bargaining without
[20:25] an untimely developing and collective
[20:27] bargaining resolution will leave Newport
[20:30] News employees no closer to having an
[20:32] opportunity to e to elect a bargaining
[20:35] representative and negotiate a union
[20:38] contract.
[20:39] Once the study group completed its work,
[20:42] the board will still have to undertake
[20:43] the policy writing process. It makes
[20:46] more sense to include that work as part
[20:48] of the study group's charge from the
[20:50] beginning.
[20:52] Newu City Council provides a useful
[20:54] example. Last July, city council
[20:56] authorized collective bargaining for
[20:57] firefighters, police officers, and other
[21:00] city employees. The city's collective
[21:02] bargaining task force was followed by an
[21:04] ordinance establishing collective
[21:06] bargaining. The work performed by
[21:08] teachers and other News employees is
[21:10] very bit as important to our community
[21:14] as the work performed by city employees.
[21:18] City leaders ultimately gave the
[21:20] employees the opportunity to have
[21:21] collective bargaining rights and school
[21:24] employees deserve the same
[21:26] consideration. I also encouraged the
[21:28] board to establish a reasonable timeline
[21:30] for this work. According to the new city
[21:32] council's online records, city
[21:35] collective bargaining task force
[21:37] completed this work in approximately six
[21:39] months instead of a year. We should not
[21:42] have to take a whole year for something
[21:43] that's already been established with the
[21:45] city. If the city was able to complete
[21:47] the process in six months, we believe
[21:49] it's reasonable to ask the school board
[21:51] to do the same.
[21:53] City council has already established a
[21:55] framework for studying implementing
[21:57] collective bargaining for public
[21:58] employees. We respectfully ask the
[22:01] school board to build on that work,
[22:02] include employee repres represent
[22:05] representation at every stage, and
[22:07] ensure that the study group's work
[22:09] results is a collective bargain
[22:10] resolution for the board's
[22:12] consideration.
[22:14] News employees deserve the opportunity
[22:16] to have a voice in our working
[22:18] conditions and to be able to negotiate
[22:20] collectively for the benefit of our
[22:22] students and schools.
[22:24] There's a whole lot of bus drivers out
[22:25] here today for some reason. Something is
[22:29] going on.
[22:31] Please take heed to that. Something is
[22:34] going on because normally we don't have
[22:36] that many bus drivers out here. Probably
[22:38] about one or two. But a whole lot of
[22:40] them out here today. So, I encourage you
[22:42] to please listen, please investigate,
[22:46] and please make a change. Find out
[22:48] what's going on. I beg of you. Thank
[22:51] you.
[22:52] Thank you,
[22:56] Mr. Dina Rivera. And she will be
[22:58] followed by Aaron Woodard.
[23:05] Good evening, members of the board. I
[23:08] come to you only as a parent to speak to
[23:11] you about the JBP policy change. I stand
[23:13] by my previous arguments where I stated
[23:15] the previous policy version was a happy
[23:18] medium for everyone. It maintained the
[23:21] family unit and trust between parents
[23:23] and the school system by leaving the
[23:25] final decision for our children to
[23:26] socially transition or not up to each
[23:29] child's parent. Each family had the
[23:32] right and authority to make the decision
[23:34] that they were most comfortable with
[23:35] together. You have violated the right by
[23:38] taking the final decision away from the
[23:40] parents with the new policy version. We
[23:43] still have the authority. I know you may
[23:45] think that we don't, but we are the ones
[23:48] who put you on that board and we can
[23:50] vote to take you off. The previous
[23:53] policy version allowed the use of
[23:54] facilities of the opposite sex as long
[23:56] as the child was diagnosed with gender
[23:58] dysphoria by a medical professional.
[24:00] Whether you want to believe it or not,
[24:02] there are people who will pretend to
[24:04] identify as the opposite gender because
[24:06] they have ill intentions.
[24:09] This is not to say that every trans
[24:11] child has ill intentions. This is not an
[24:13] attack on trans children or saying that
[24:16] they do not exist. This is about
[24:19] maintaining a safe environment for every
[24:21] student because sooner or later this
[24:22] policy will cause someone to go into
[24:24] another gender's restroom or locker room
[24:25] and someone will get hurt.
[24:28] The new policy says that students can
[24:29] use the facilities for the gender they
[24:31] identify as. It also says some
[24:33] transgender students may want to access
[24:35] may want access to these facilities
[24:37] while others may want alternatives for
[24:40] more privacy. It says that schools will
[24:42] take steps to designate gender inclusive
[24:44] or single-use restrooms. It also says
[24:46] that if you have this kind of access
[24:47] that it should be available to all
[24:49] students. I just want to reiterate the
[24:52] use of all students. So if a biological
[24:54] female is uncomfortable with sharing a
[24:56] locker room or restroom with a
[24:57] biological male who identifies as a
[24:59] female, then make sure all students
[25:02] actually means that. According to this
[25:04] policy, she must be allowed access to a
[25:07] private area just as the transgender
[25:09] child would be. Every single one of
[25:12] them, even if there's more than one. If
[25:14] a girl says no, that she will not change
[25:16] in front of a boy, it is her right to
[25:17] call a biological male a boy, even if he
[25:19] identifies as a female. because we have
[25:21] freedom of speech in this country and
[25:24] she doesn't have to agree with it or use
[25:27] words that she does not agree with. This
[25:30] difficulty includes any
[25:34] sorry she should be offered the private
[25:37] space without any difficulty and this
[25:38] difficulty includes any hostility that
[25:40] might come from her exercising her right
[25:42] to say no. You have taken away the
[25:44] parents rights to say no with regards to
[25:46] our children. We will we we will not
[25:48] allow you to take it away from our
[25:49] children, especially our daughters.
[25:52] Thank you.
[25:54] Thank you,
[25:56] Mr. Aaron Woodard.
[25:58] And he will be followed by Mr. Francis
[26:00] Jacobs.
[26:02] Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen of
[26:04] the board. Uh my name is Aaron Woodard.
[26:05] I'm the president of the International
[26:07] Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, uh
[26:08] located here in Newport, News, Virginia.
[26:10] Um, but I'm also a parent of two amazing
[26:14] young men who graduated from Warwick High
[26:17] School in the uh IB program. Um, so
[26:20] that's primarily why I'm here.
[26:23] These two amazing young men, one of them
[26:25] just graduated from William and Mary.
[26:26] The other one is a junior at ODU uh
[26:29] pursuing mechanical engineering. They
[26:32] were able to achieve that for a couple
[26:34] of different reasons.
[26:36] One is because of the amazing teachers,
[26:39] bus drivers that were there, picked them
[26:41] up in the morning,
[26:43] administrative staff
[26:45] that helped them in their educational
[26:46] path and to achieve the goals that they
[26:48] set out for theirel. The other reason is
[26:51] because they grew up in a union
[26:52] household.
[26:54] I'm able to send them to college. I'm
[26:56] able to do things to help them achieve
[26:59] the goals that they've set for their
[27:00] life and that these teachers and bus
[27:02] drivers and everybody associated has
[27:04] helped set them up for. I encourage the
[27:07] board um to to pass this resolution,
[27:11] create a task force because I've seen
[27:12] the impact it can have in somebody's
[27:14] life personally. Um and I'd also like to
[27:17] once again thank everybody that helped
[27:20] my kids become the young men that they
[27:21] are today. So, thank you.
[27:23] Thank you.
[27:26] Mr. Jacobs will be followed by Miss
[27:28] Chalet Jones.
[27:30] Thank you. Um, good evening school board
[27:33] members and um, superintendent. This is
[27:36] my first time coming here to speak and
[27:39] um I was on my own minding my business
[27:44] and these dignified
[27:46] bus drivers um came to me to complain
[27:51] that their voices have not been heard
[27:55] and I want to commend the schoolboard
[27:57] members for the great works you guys are
[28:00] doing and it will not go unnoticed. Dr.
[28:04] Best I have so much regard you know for
[28:08] your leadership and the entire board
[28:10] members I'm here today to appeal to your
[28:15] hearts to listen to the concern of these
[28:19] bus drivers for them to come here in
[28:22] group signifies that they are deeply
[28:26] hurt and I I I can't do anything other
[28:29] than to speak and to appeal
[28:33] after this meeting. I would like to
[28:36] encourage us to make decisions with
[28:39] these
[28:41] uh uh truck uh bus drivers in mind. They
[28:45] are the tools, the equipments that we
[28:48] use to service
[28:50] our children and if the tools and the
[28:54] equipments are not properly taken care
[28:56] of, it will reflect negatively on our
[28:59] kids and also on our administration.
[29:03] When we go home tonight, I want us to
[29:06] just listen to every word that they have
[29:09] said to us. Let it play in our mind. Let
[29:13] it play in our dreams. And when we sit
[29:16] down to make those policies, let's ask
[29:19] ourself, does the policy reflect the
[29:23] things that are on their mind? My name
[29:25] is Francis Jacobson. Please listen to
[29:28] them because when we do our kids will be
[29:32] happy. The parents as well will be
[29:34] happy. Thank you.
[29:36] Thank you.
[29:40] Mr. Shay Jones will be followed by
[29:44] Miss Pam Brown.
[29:51] Good evening members of the school
[29:53] board. I am a Newport News public school bus
[29:54] driver. I'm a resident of Newport News
[29:56] as well. My daughter attends a magnet
[29:59] school. I'm here tonight to voice my
[30:01] strong opposion to any proposals that
[30:04] would reduce or eliminate transportation
[30:06] for a magnet and specialty programs. You
[30:09] are all being told that a driver
[30:11] shortage makes makes cross town magnet
[30:13] routes unused sorry unsustainable.
[30:17] However, we must call we must call this
[30:20] what it really is a manufacturer crisis.
[30:22] The narrative of a bus driver shortage
[30:24] falls apart when you look at our current
[30:26] operation management where the
[30:28] operation supervisor is actively trying
[30:30] to limit bus drivers to a maximum of
[30:32] 32.5 hours on a contract. You cannot
[30:36] claim you don't have enough drivers
[30:37] while simultaneously rationing the hours
[30:39] of the willing qualified staff already
[30:42] employed. We have successfully
[30:44] transported students across the city for
[30:46] magnet program for years. The sudden
[30:48] illability to do so is a failure of
[30:50] operational strategy and labor
[30:52] management, not an absolute lack of
[30:54] human resources. Furthermore, we must
[30:56] look into this history of why these
[30:58] routes exist. News operates under a
[31:00] historic 1971 federal disegration law
[31:04] order. When our magnet system was built,
[31:07] these programs were deliberately chosen
[31:08] as a vehicle for integration. They were
[31:11] designed to maintain a healthy racial
[31:13] balance and ensure that a child's zip
[31:15] code did not dictate the quality of
[31:18] their education. Magnet school only
[31:20] works as a tool for equality if everyone
[31:22] can get to them. If you eliminate or
[31:25] severely restrict school bus
[31:26] transportation, you are effective
[31:31] effectively turning magnet schools into
[31:32] exclusive academics accessible only to
[31:35] families that have the wealth or
[31:36] flexibility work schedule to drive their
[31:38] children across town every single day.
[31:40] Working-class families and parents in
[31:41] the southern and central parts of our
[31:43] city will be disappointedly locked out.
[31:45] By dismantling transportation that
[31:47] supports magnet programs, the district
[31:49] risk reversing decades of progress
[31:51] and triggering de facto re-segregation
[31:55] in our schools. I urge the board to
[31:57] reject these transportation cuts,
[31:59] investigate the contract hour
[32:00] restrictions currently placing caps on
[32:02] our drivers and honor honor your
[32:04] historical and legal obligations to
[32:06] equity. Thank you.
[32:09] I believe that's Tamara Brown and she
[32:12] will be followed by Kashandanda White
[32:14] Miselle.
[32:24] Oh, that was Tamara. I'm sorry, Miss
[32:26] Cashonda White.
[32:37] Good evening, members of the board. I am
[32:39] here tonight to bring to your attention
[32:42] a serious breakdown in financial
[32:44] accountability, a breach of employee
[32:47] safety and active workplace retaliation
[32:50] occurring within the operations
[32:51] department of transportation Newport
[32:53] News public schools. I possess physical
[32:56] photograph evidence providing that the
[32:58] current operation supervisor
[33:01] manually arched time card to pay an
[33:04] employee for 10 hours of work that they
[33:06] did not perform. This is a direct
[33:09] misappropriations of public funds. I
[33:13] followed proper procedure and reported
[33:15] this fraud directly to human resources
[33:17] providing them with the photographic
[33:19] proof rather than investigating the
[33:21] misuse of public funds. HR closed the
[33:24] case, returned it to the supervisor
[33:27] director to handle internally. HR has
[33:30] informed the supervisor that I was the
[33:32] whistleblower. Because HR has exposed my
[33:36] identity, I am now facing aggressive
[33:38] retaliation. The operation supervisor
[33:40] has made verbal threats statements
[33:42] regarding our holiday pay, stating that
[33:44] under her watch, holiday pay will be
[33:46] stripped. Furthermore, whenever I
[33:49] contact HR regarding payroll questions,
[33:52] they block me. They send me right back
[33:55] to the director of transportation.
[33:59] I was issued a write up by the shop
[34:01] supervisor who works with our operations
[34:04] supervisor for an infraction I had
[34:06] absolutely no knowledge of. This is a
[34:09] transparent attempt to target my
[34:11] employment because I spoke up. Virginia
[34:14] law strickens strictly protects public
[34:16] employees who report fraud
[34:19] from this exact type of retaliation
[34:22] because the administration has failed to
[34:24] protect public fraud and has actively
[34:28] endangered my position by doing the
[34:30] right thing. I am passing a formal
[34:33] letter to the board tonight which I
[34:35] already have. I urge you to launch an
[34:37] independent external audit for the
[34:41] department financial records to
[34:43] investigate immediately to enforce the
[34:45] state's whistleblower protection. Thank
[34:47] you and y'all have a great evening.
[34:49] Thank you.
[34:53] Miss Lisa Lloyd will be followed by Miss
[34:56] Jackie Batters.
[35:03] Good evening, superintendent and members
[35:04] of the school board. My name is Lisa
[35:07] Lord and I am speaking on behalf of my
[35:10] daughter Kashonda White, a community
[35:13] stakeholder in the Newport News Public
[35:15] Schools District. I'm standing before
[35:18] you tonight to formally bring to your
[35:20] attention a severe breakdown and
[35:23] administrative procedure regarding a
[35:25] level three non-employee discrimination
[35:28] complaint. On July the 27th, 2026,
[35:32] I officially submitted a formal level
[35:35] three appeal to the superintendent under
[35:38] federal civil rights guidelines,
[35:40] including title number six and section
[35:43] 504 compliance as well as the district's
[35:47] own published grievance policies. The
[35:50] administration is required to provide a
[35:52] prompt, equitable, and timely resolution
[35:56] to discrimination complaints. As of
[35:59] tonight, September the 15th, 2026,
[36:03] over a month has passed, and the
[36:05] superintendent has maintained absolute
[36:09] silence. I have received no ruling, no
[36:12] explanation, and no response.
[36:15] Administrative silence is not a
[36:18] resolution. Stalling a discrimination
[36:21] complaint does not make it go away. It
[36:24] actively denies citizens the procedural
[36:27] rights guaranteed to them by law and by
[36:31] this district's own policies.
[36:35] Because the administrative chain has
[36:37] broken down at the superintendence
[36:40] level. I'm bypassing the silence and
[36:43] bringing this directly to the school
[36:45] board which is the level four authority.
[36:50] I'm not here to add the private
[36:52] sensitive details of the underlying
[36:55] discrimination in a public form. I'm
[36:58] here to hold the leadership of this
[37:01] district accountable to its own rules.
[37:05] I request two things tonight. First,
[37:09] that the school board clerk officially
[37:11] logs this public statement into the
[37:14] meeting minutes as a formal escalation
[37:18] to level four. second that a
[37:21] representative from the board contacts
[37:23] me by the end of this week to establish
[37:27] a clear timeline for reviewing her
[37:31] appeal. Thank you for the time and I
[37:34] look forward to your prompt response
[37:37] respectfully my daughter Kashonda White
[37:40] read by her mother Lisa Lord. Thank you.
[37:43] Thank you.
[37:48] Miss Jackie Batterson will be followed
[37:53] by Miss Kayla
[37:55] Seer.
[38:00] My name is Jackie Batterson. I am a
[38:03] resident of Newport News and a member of
[38:05] the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of
[38:07] the Peninsula.
[38:10] On August 20th, 2026, the Human Rights
[38:13] Campaign Foundation published an
[38:16] analysis of 2.45 million responses to
[38:20] the  Census Bureau's
[38:22] Household Plus survey
[38:25] collected between July 2021 and
[38:28] September 2024.
[38:30] They concluded that 12% of young
[38:33] American adults identify as LGBTQ plus,
[38:38] the highest figure any major survey
[38:41] produced. It also found that 2.34%
[38:45] of young American adults identify as
[38:48] transgender.
[38:50] Nearly one in three adults under 25 now
[38:54] identify as LGBTQ plus, making up more
[38:58] than 10% of the adult population in 40
[39:02] states in the District of Columbia.
[39:06] Unfortunately, in 2025-26,
[39:10] the numbers might look different due to
[39:12] the extreme attacks from the Trump
[39:15] administration.
[39:16] Since that time, the Trump
[39:18] administration has dismantled the
[39:21] federal data collection.
[39:23] Due to the hatred perpetuated by the
[39:26] Trump administration and others, 36% of
[39:30] LGBTQ plus young people considered
[39:34] attempting suicide in this past year,
[39:37] including 40% of transgender and
[39:40] non-binary young people. The Trevor
[39:43] Project last year served more than
[39:46] 390,000
[39:48] crisis contacts by phone, chat, and
[39:51] text. None of this would be necessary if
[39:55] the continued hate and prejudice would
[39:57] be stopped by those perpetuating it.
[40:01] There are a group of people who spend
[40:03] their time stoking hatred toward
[40:06] children and young people. They do this
[40:09] under the guise of protecting them. But
[40:11] that is not true. They just want to
[40:14] control their children and our children.
[40:18] These same people love the Constitution
[40:21] right up and till it protects someone
[40:23] they don't like. Stop using our
[40:26] transgender children as political
[40:28] footballs. Stop trying to regulate their
[40:31] bodies. They have the same fundamental
[40:34] human rights as everyone in this room.
[40:38] I say this to the school board member
[40:40] who has aligned themselves with the
[40:42] anti-trans protesters. You have made
[40:45] your opinions perfectly clear on
[40:48] multiple occasions.
[40:50] School board members cannot effectively
[40:52] advocate for the well-being of all
[40:55] children while publicly displaying
[40:57] contempt for some of them. Your actions
[41:00] speak for themselves.
[41:03] Thank you.
[41:15] Good evening. My name is Cooper and I
[41:17] have some concerns about discipline and
[41:18] I want to share my experience. My son
[41:20] attends Warwick High School and in April of
[41:22] this year he was suspended and removed
[41:24] from school for the remainder of the
[41:25] school year for a weapons violation. I
[41:27] received the suspension notice but I did
[41:28] not receive written appeal procedures as
[41:30] the student handbook states and this is
[41:31] after I even made a request um to the
[41:34] administrator. A week after my son's
[41:36] suspension, an MDR meeting was held,
[41:37] which is required due to him receiving
[41:39] special education services. At the time
[41:41] of this meeting, I was unaware that a
[41:42] threat threat assessment was completed.
[41:44] I was told last Friday by the special
[41:46] education supervisor the threat
[41:47] assessment is not considered relevant
[41:49] information. The team outside of the
[41:51] parent outside of the parent can use the
[41:53] information in the threat assessment to
[41:54] understand student behaviors, but they
[41:56] do not have to share this information
[41:58] with parents. In May, my son had a
[42:00] hearing with at the office of student
[42:01] conduct. The hearing officer informed me
[42:03] that Warick has its own set of rules
[42:04] outside of the student handbook that is
[42:06] used for student discipline and that my
[42:08] son could have received as little as 5
[42:09] days out of school suspension. When I
[42:11] requested a copy of the suspension
[42:13] packet to review during the hearing, I
[42:14] was denied and told by the hearing
[42:16] officer that it was considered school
[42:18] property and I would need an attorney to
[42:19] access the records. I was accused by her
[42:22] assistant of violating my son's rights
[42:24] by not allowing him to speak at the
[42:25] hearing. and she and the assistant also
[42:27] shared with me that there would be no
[42:28] need to appeal her decision to the
[42:30] school board because my evidence would
[42:31] not be considered if my son did not
[42:33] speak. Due to their behaviors and
[42:35] comments, I made a formal complaint and
[42:36] requested an investigation by the
[42:38] superintendent to review the video
[42:39] footage and audio. After making a foyer
[42:42] request last month, I learned an
[42:43] investigation never happened and the
[42:44] camera in the room for disciplinary
[42:46] hearings does not record. Two weeks
[42:48] before the appeal hearing with the
[42:50] school board, I sent a furer request to
[42:51] the registar for disciplinary records.
[42:54] I was only given a disciplinary profile
[42:55] sheet. After the registar spoke with the
[42:57] assistant principal of operations, I was
[42:59] told the information I was looking for
[43:00] didn't exist. Yet, I received the
[43:02] suspension packet which included the
[43:04] threat assessment 20 minutes before my
[43:05] son's appeal hearing with the school
[43:06] board. The threat assessment is not
[43:08] credible. I saw my son was listed as a
[43:10] high-risisk threat and I was listed as
[43:11] an influence. Two people on the threat
[43:13] assessment team I reported prior to my
[43:15] son's suspension for unprofessional
[43:17] behavior and another person has criminal
[43:18] convictions. The threat assessment was
[43:20] completed before video evidence was
[43:22] viewed and the basis for determination
[43:23] used against my son doesn't match the
[43:25] statement the school security guard
[43:26] provided. I feel my son and I were I
[43:29] feel my son and I were retaliated for
[43:31] complaints I made against warwick's
[43:32] leadership and complaints I made against
[43:34] IEP team members for failing to
[43:36] implement my son's IEP calling out
[43:37] predeterminations and requesting a
[43:39] former case manager's removal after
[43:41] video evidence showed she lied about an
[43:43] incident my son reported. Thank you.
[43:46] Thank you.
[43:51] Thank you for your comments and thoughts
[43:53] this evening. We will now move on to
[43:55] section three, the consent agenda. Board
[43:58] members, you have received the consent
[44:00] agenda in your packet. At this time, may
[44:03] I have a motion to approve the consent
[44:05] agenda?
[44:06] I move to approve the consent agenda as
[44:08] presented.
[44:11] It's been moved and second that we
[44:13] approve the consent agenda as presented.
[44:15] Any questions, remarks? Miss Buffalo,
[44:19] please call the roll.
[44:21] Aman,
[44:23] Brown,
[44:24] for.
[44:24] Harris,
[44:25] for.
[44:25] Hunter,
[44:26] Surles Law,
[44:27] for.
[44:28] Alger,
[44:28] for.
[44:29] Best
[44:30] for.
[44:30] Motion passes 7-0.
[44:32] Thank you. We will move to section four,
[44:35] action items 4.01, the collective
[44:39] bargaining resolution. And I do have a
[44:42] comment.
[44:44] I have received a couple of calls and
[44:47] texts and emails regarding
[44:50] the um collective bar bargaining
[44:52] resolution and there seems to be some
[44:53] confusion that we're voting tonight on
[44:56] actual collective bargaining. And so
[44:58] that's why I'm going to make this um
[44:59] statement. So I would like I would
[45:02] emphasize that this resolution is about
[45:04] learning, listening, and preparing the
[45:06] board to make an informed decision.
[45:09] This resolution does not commit Newport
[45:11] News School Board to collective
[45:12] bargaining. Rather, it creates an
[45:14] opportunity for us to study the issue
[45:16] carefully, objectively, and responsibly.
[45:20] As a school board, one of our
[45:21] responsibilities is to make informed
[45:23] decisions that are in the best interest
[45:25] of our students, our employees, and our
[45:27] families and the school division as a
[45:29] whole. This requires us to understand
[45:32] all sides of an issue before determining
[45:34] what, if any, action should be taken.
[45:36] Tonight, we are not making that final
[45:38] decision. We are simply saying that this
[45:41] issue deserves thoughtful study,
[45:43] meaningful dialogue, transparency, and
[45:45] due diligence.
[45:47] Most importantly, I want our employees
[45:49] to know that their voices matter. Our
[45:51] teachers, support staff, administrators,
[45:54] and other employees are essential to the
[45:56] success of our schools. Creating a study
[45:59] group allows us to hear directly from
[46:00] those who are closest to the work.
[46:06] May I have a motion to approve the
[46:08] collective bargaining resolution?
[46:14] It's been moved and second that we
[46:15] approve the collecting bargaining
[46:17] resolution. Questions, comments?
[46:21] Mr. Brown,
[46:22] chair, I'll make a comment just in terms
[46:23] of the composition of the group. I think
[46:26] it's really critically important that we
[46:28] do uh at least uh whether we can
[46:30] guarantee it or not but extend uh
[46:32] invitation to members of council uh city
[46:35] council to be a part of the group uh
[46:37] because at least uh in studying the
[46:39] issue what we've talked about the
[46:41] last couple years uh at least on my end
[46:43] that has been the um the biggest
[46:45] stumbling block in the end if we're
[46:47] really seriously going to study the
[46:48] issue and figure it out I we have to
[46:50] figure out the funding mechanism the
[46:51] funding formula how we're going to to do
[46:53] that and I think that we can't do that
[46:54] without a member of council being a part
[46:57] of the study group.
[46:58] Thank you, Mr. Brown.
[47:02] Mr. I'm sorry, Miss Aman.
[47:08] Um I, you know, I've been doing a fair
[47:10] amount looking and seeing how these
[47:12] collective bargaining agreements have
[47:13] been implemented in areas across the
[47:15] state that have seen it, particularly
[47:18] with school divisions because we're in a
[47:19] slightly different position than say
[47:21] city councils. We don't generate our own
[47:24] funs. So, you know, as we've seen, even
[47:26] with the 4% raise and bonuses, when
[47:29] things come up from the legislature, we
[47:31] don't anticipate. We sometimes can't
[47:33] fulfill them even if we want to, unless
[47:35] until the city appropriates additional
[47:37] funds for us. And I've seen a handful of
[47:40] them, particularly in Northern Virginia,
[47:42] very well resourced
[47:44] um districts and localities, end up in a
[47:48] mudslinging contest between the school
[47:49] boards and the um the councils or boards
[47:53] of supervisors. Um, so my big concern
[47:56] regardless of what we do, um, is sort of
[47:59] how that's going to work if we haven't
[48:00] been a if we've seen a lot of challenges
[48:02] in some of the other divisions that have
[48:04] been doing it for a little while.
[48:07] Thank you, Miss A. Mr. Hunter.
[48:11] Is there anyone else?
[48:12] Yeah, I just want to make a statement.
[48:14] And I I feel like this is a great
[48:16] opportunity to build relationships and
[48:19] really on focus on the needs uh in terms
[48:23] of of staff um as a division and also to
[48:28] make sure that whatever we decide that
[48:30] we are always working towards what's
[48:34] best not only for our staff but for our
[48:36] children. So, I want families to know
[48:38] that and for everyone out there to
[48:40] understand that uh at the end of the day
[48:44] uh we are serving kids. Thank you.
[48:47] Thank you. I have a question. I'm sorry,
[48:49] Mr. Oswall. No, you go ahead.
[48:52] I would just say that I'm really looking
[48:54] forward to this time together for our
[48:57] community. It's going to definitely be
[48:59] relationship building. Um, it's going to
[49:02] be an opportunity for us to really
[49:04] understand the resources that we have,
[49:06] the resources that we need. Um, and I
[49:10] think the thing that is going to be one
[49:11] of the biggest issues here is we're
[49:13] going to learn what we don't know. Um,
[49:16] and I know that I'm relying on those who
[49:19] are going to be collectively around this
[49:21] table to help us get there and to help
[49:24] us make a very, very informed decision
[49:26] that's going to be the best thing for
[49:27] our community.
[49:29] Thank you. I have a question for our
[49:32] attorney. Would doing something like
[49:36] adding a city council member to this
[49:39] group, if we were to approve this
[49:42] resolution tonight, would we be
[49:43] procluded from doing that or would that
[49:45] have to be would it have to be
[49:48] uh changed tonight? Yeah, Len Wall could
[49:50] certainly um chime in on this, but
[49:54] number three
[49:56] um which of the of the proposed
[49:58] resolution um item three says that the
[50:00] study group shall consist of nine
[50:02] members and shall include
[50:03] representatives of employee
[50:05] associations, schoolboard
[50:06] representatives, and other stakeholders.
[50:09] So, if a member of council wanted to be
[50:11] on um the study group, I don't see how
[50:14] why they would be procluded from that
[50:16] because technically they're a
[50:18] stakeholder in that council does, you
[50:20] know, is going to be funding your
[50:22] decision. So, um I don't I don't think
[50:24] it would be precluded.
[50:26] Okay.
[50:26] With the language here.
[50:27] That was my thinking. I just wanted to
[50:29] make sure.
[50:30] Thank you.
[50:31] Thank you. Thank you.
[50:32] Any other questions?
[50:36] Can Miss Buffalo call the role? Aman
[50:39] against
[50:40] Brown
[50:41] for
[50:42] Harris
[50:42] for
[50:43] Hunter
[50:44] for
[50:44] Surles law
[50:45] for
[50:46] Alger
[50:46] for
[50:47] best
[50:47] for
[50:48] motion carries 6-1
[50:50] thank you we will move to section five
[50:53] reports and information
[50:55] Dr. Mitchell.
[50:57] Thank you so much, Madame Chair. This
[51:00] evening, we are pleased to provide an
[51:02] update on the Maritime Engineering and
[51:05] Environmental Studies Academy, otherwise
[51:07] known as MEESA . MEESA represents the type
[51:11] of opportunity we want to continue
[51:14] expanding for our students. rigorous,
[51:17] relevant learning that connects the
[51:19] classroom to college, industry, and high
[51:22] demand careers that are right here in
[51:24] Hampton Roads. Through our partnership
[51:27] with Old Dominion University and our
[51:30] regional in industry partners, students
[51:32] are gaining meaningful experiences,
[51:35] credentials, college credit, and
[51:38] exposure to career pathways that are
[51:41] important to the future of this region.
[51:43] Tonight you will hear more about the
[51:45] progress of the program but more
[51:47] importantly you will hear directly from
[51:49] one of the students about the impact of
[51:52] the MEESA experience. So at this time I
[51:55] am pleased to ask Miss Terza James who
[51:58] is our program administrator to come to
[52:00] the podium to begin the presentation.
[52:06] Good evening madame chair best vice
[52:09] chair and members of the board and Dr.
[52:11] Mitchell. My name is Tisa James and I'm
[52:13] the program administrator for MEESA , the
[52:15] Maritime Engineering and Environmental
[52:17] Studies Academy. It is a pleasure to be
[52:19] here this evening to share an update on
[52:20] the MEESA program and how this work is
[52:23] helping prepare students to be
[52:24] community, college, and career ready.
[52:34] Back one. There you go.
[52:37] Nissa is grounded in the larger vision
[52:38] of Elevate 2030. The strategic plan
[52:41] calls for us to expand advanced learning
[52:43] opportunities to prepare students for
[52:44] high demand careers and deepen the civic
[52:47] and business partnerships. MEESA brings
[52:49] these priorities together through
[52:50] rigorous real world learning experience.
[52:52] Tonight, I will briefly share what the
[52:54] program is, what makes it distinctive,
[52:56] what students experience, and where
[52:58] we're headed next.
[53:02] MEESA is a two-year half-day academy for
[53:04] 11th and 12th grade students. Its
[53:06] academic design joins two pathways that
[53:08] are often taught separately. In
[53:10] engineering, students learn to define
[53:12] problems, design solutions, and test and
[53:14] build and improve upon them. In global
[53:16] logistics, they learn how people, cargo,
[53:19] information, technology, and
[53:20] infrastructure work together to move
[53:22] goods safely and efficiently. The
[53:25] maritime engineering and sustainability
[53:27] focus is what threads these ideas
[53:29] together. MEESA 's location and maritime
[53:32] focus are intentional. Newport News sits
[53:35] at the center of the broader Hampton
[53:36] Roads maritime economy, an ecosystem
[53:39] shaped by ship building, ports, defense,
[53:42] offshore, and alternative entry um
[53:44] energy and related industries. By
[53:46] learning with this environment, Newport
[53:48] News public school students can see
[53:50] where they belong and how they can
[53:52] contribute and how the opportunities
[53:53] they have are available to for them to
[53:55] learn here at home.
[53:59] MEESA is also distinctive because it is a
[54:01] college partnership lab school created
[54:03] between Newport News public schools and
[54:05] Old Dominion University.
[54:07] This partnership is extended to expand
[54:09] what students and teachers can access.
[54:12] Old Dominion faculty can contribute to
[54:14] the subject matter expertise, guest
[54:16] instruction, case studies, academic
[54:18] resources connecting to emerging
[54:20] research and careers. A dedicated Old
[54:23] Dominion University program manager
[54:25] supports the coordination among the
[54:27] university, the school division, and the
[54:28] external partners. And finally, the
[54:31] partnership also creates a clearer
[54:32] bridge to college. Successful MEESA
[54:35] completion supports automatic admission
[54:36] to ODU and six undergraduate credits.
[54:41] This chart shows how MEESA is in
[54:43] intentionally structured as a two-year
[54:45] progression rather than a collection of
[54:47] separate courses. Reading from left to
[54:49] right, the first column identifies the
[54:51] foundational learning students complete
[54:53] in the 11th grade. The second column
[54:55] shows how their learning continues
[54:56] through deeper analysis and application
[54:58] in 12th grade. The final column
[55:00] highlights the credentials and college
[55:02] credit that result from their
[55:03] progression. Our seniors deepen their
[55:05] engineering and logistics learning
[55:07] connected to a capstone and a paid
[55:09] internship and demonstrate what they can
[55:11] do through industry credentials and
[55:12] college level outcomes. The AutoCAD
[55:15] certification is tied to the engineering
[55:16] pathway. The MSSC certification
[55:19] logistics associate and a certified
[55:21] logistics technician credentials are
[55:23] tied to the logistics.
[55:25] The most important point is that these
[55:27] are not isolated courses. The research
[55:30] and design and systems thinking and
[55:31] workplace readiness and professional
[55:33] communication run through the full
[55:34] experience.
[55:38] This learning experience at MEESA is
[55:40] deliberately active and authentic.
[55:42] Students learn beyond the traditional
[55:43] classroom through field experiences,
[55:45] university and industry engagement, and
[55:47] projects that resemble the work of
[55:49] engineers, logistics professionals,
[55:51] researchers, and technical teams. Last
[55:53] year, students built a minibboat,
[55:55] developed cargo and ERP workflows that
[55:57] learned recognition through the
[55:58] Congressional App Challenge through
[56:00] Virginia's third congressional district.
[56:02] They studied naval architecture and
[56:04] propulsion. They used robotics and
[56:05] marine technology. They presented their
[56:07] thinking to professional audiences. The
[56:10] Port Futures Expo asked them to bring
[56:11] multiple disciplines together and to
[56:13] defend their decisions. These
[56:15] experiences made the academic contact
[56:17] more meaningful because students could
[56:18] see not only where their knowledge goes,
[56:20] but why precision matters. How
[56:22] professionals collaborate across a
[56:24] complex system. Those experiences are
[56:27] best understood through the students
[56:28] who've lived them. Last year, MEESA gave
[56:32] its inaugural cohort opportunities to
[56:34] investigate the maritime industry,
[56:37] to complete hands-on engineering and
[56:38] logistics projects, to use professional
[56:41] tools, to present to outside audiences,
[56:43] and to begin building relationships with
[56:45] industry. I would like to now introduce
[56:47] Cameron Erenss, a senior at Woodside
[56:49] High School and a member of AMIS's
[56:51] inaugural senior class. Cameron also
[56:53] began an internship with the Virginia
[56:54] Maritime Association this summer.
[56:56] Cameron will share how those experiences
[56:58] have contributed to his growth, expanded
[57:00] his perspective, and changed how he sees
[57:02] his future.
[57:16] Good evening. My name is Cameron Ers. I
[57:18] am a senior at Woodside High School and
[57:19] a member of the inaugural senior class
[57:21] at MEESA . Last year at MEESA , I had the
[57:24] opportunity to design and build my own
[57:26] hydroponic system while learning how
[57:28] engineering and logistical worlds
[57:31] connect to the maritime industry. I
[57:33] especially valued the tren the
[57:35] constraints I was presented with because
[57:37] they introduced a new and unique
[57:42] outlook under the challenge I was given.
[57:44] This summer, I began an internship with
[57:46] the Virginia Maritime Association, where
[57:48] I learned how the company Gen Edge uses
[57:51] computer aided design welding machines
[57:53] to assist their employees. That
[57:55] opportunity helped me connect what I
[57:57] learned at MEESA to the people and
[57:59] organizations working within the
[58:00] industry. MEESA has helped me grow by
[58:03] improving my sense of technical skills
[58:05] and professionalism in my everyday life.
[58:08] It also showed me that my leadership
[58:09] skills have grown with every challenge
[58:11] that I come across. As I look ahead, I
[58:14] now aim to be a future senior reactor
[58:16] operator of a of a nuclear power plant.
[58:19] Thank you. Wow.
[58:33] This year, our next steps include
[58:36] deepening the high-quality workbased
[58:37] learning through senior paid internships
[58:40] aligned with students interests and
[58:41] pathways, increasing the enrollment so
[58:43] that more students can take part in the
[58:45] opportunities that are offered at MEESA .
[58:47] We are expanding our recruiting to begin
[58:49] developing student interest in grades 8
[58:51] through 10 uh through counselor
[58:53] engagement, clear family communication,
[58:55] school visits, student stories, and the
[58:58] visible evidence of what MEESA students
[59:00] can gain. Our goal is straightforward to
[59:02] connect Newport News students to the
[59:04] advanced learning, industry credentials,
[59:06] college access, and high demand careers
[59:08] right here in our region. MEESA is still
[59:10] growing, but the purpose is already
[59:12] clear. turning our regional assets into
[59:14] expanded possibilities, preparing
[59:16] students to set sail toward their future
[59:18] skills with the skills, confidence, and
[59:20] connections they need while remainly
[59:22] firmly anchored in Newport News.
[59:26] MEESA is creating a rigorous pathway that
[59:28] connects more Newport News students to
[59:29] advanced learning, college credit,
[59:31] industry credentials, and high demand
[59:32] careers within our region. Thank you for
[59:34] the opportunity to share our program's
[59:36] progress, and our next steps. I'm happy
[59:38] to answer any questions.
[59:40] Great. wonderful presentation. Any
[59:43] questions?
[59:44] I'm gonna let somebody else go first,
[59:46] Mr. Brown. Anybody else?
[59:49] All right, Miss Aean.
[59:51] Sure. Um, thank you for all the
[59:53] information. I have lots of questions,
[59:54] but I won't ask them all today because
[59:56] it's very exciting.
[59:57] Um, so the I just wanted to better
[1:00:00] understand the tracks, if you will. Do
[1:00:03] students pick one of the three or do
[1:00:06] they get exposed to all three tracks?
[1:00:08] They they do them all. So all the
[1:00:10] classes are integrated 11th goes to 12th
[1:00:13] and then at the end the credentials are
[1:00:15] the result of those two years.
[1:00:17] So will they all get like AutoCAD and
[1:00:19] the MSSC certified? Okay, that's super
[1:00:21] cool.
[1:00:26] Mr. Law,
[1:00:28] um I'm I'm bought in. I'm sold. Uh in
[1:00:31] fact, I think we're going to take a
[1:00:33] couple of students at the lab and really
[1:00:34] excited about that. Um, one of the
[1:00:37] things that I want to at least in this
[1:00:41] forum be able to get the answer to so
[1:00:44] others can hear. Are we having these
[1:00:47] opportunities uh through MEESA just for
[1:00:50] college
[1:00:52] bound students or CTE students as well?
[1:00:56] All the courses are CTE. Um, and the
[1:00:59] goal of the program is one of the three
[1:01:00] E. So if they would be employed,
[1:01:02] enrolled or enlisted, we would consider
[1:01:04] that a successful outcome for visa.
[1:01:10] Mr. Brown,
[1:01:11] what comes to mind is our community
[1:01:14] program
[1:01:16] uh CNU has partnered with us through the
[1:01:19] community captains and it looks like
[1:01:20] here this is a partnership with ODU. Uh
[1:01:23] is there any vision or thoughts about uh
[1:01:27] this being an ODU type of a preparation
[1:01:30] for uh get students having um like with
[1:01:35] our community captain program preferred
[1:01:36] acceptance at ODU with them getting this
[1:01:39] kind of college credit or going into
[1:01:40] ODU's engineering program.
[1:01:41] Every MEESA graduate with a minimum GPA
[1:01:43] of 2.5 has guaranteed acceptance to ODU
[1:01:45] along with the credit.
[1:01:46] Oh, okay.
[1:01:48] And they will already have expanded
[1:01:49] their um connections. And so they will
[1:01:51] have worked with current students, with
[1:01:53] professors, and so it'll it'll kind of
[1:01:55] be like, you know, feeling like they're
[1:01:57] they're at home already.
[1:01:58] All right.
[1:01:59] They they identify as ODU students
[1:02:01] already.
[1:02:02] Cool.
[1:02:02] All right.
[1:02:03] Okay.
[1:02:04] All right.
[1:02:05] Amen.
[1:02:06] Um to the end of like trying to develop
[1:02:09] partnerships, are there any thoughts on
[1:02:12] working with be it the the Navy or the
[1:02:14] merchant marine, any of our connections
[1:02:16] with the different branches of the
[1:02:17] military that might connect to maritime?
[1:02:20] Um
[1:02:21] we have already had um last year we had
[1:02:23] Coast Guard um and in the school as
[1:02:25] guest speakers and did some work with
[1:02:27] them. There is um they want to have us
[1:02:30] out like at one of their training
[1:02:31] facilities and definitely through STEM
[1:02:33] through the Navy. Um so we definitely
[1:02:35] would like to actually strengthen that
[1:02:37] connection with the military. Yes.
[1:02:41] Okay. I do think one thing that we
[1:02:44] should clarify is that the students when
[1:02:47] they do the internship are paid
[1:02:50] but the local don't pay that. Okay.
[1:02:53] So that the program provides that
[1:02:55] stipend for the students
[1:02:59] even for private employers or
[1:03:04] go ahead
[1:03:04] Cameron. Um I just wanted to ask could
[1:03:07] you kind of talk about the application
[1:03:08] process a little bit because with it
[1:03:09] starting in 11th grade it's unlike our
[1:03:12] normal magnet programs where it's all
[1:03:13] high school. So could you just kind of
[1:03:14] discuss that a little bit?
[1:03:15] Right. So the students can apply um that
[1:03:19] as they're rising juniors so in their
[1:03:20] end of their sophomore year they can
[1:03:22] apply. It is a lottery system. So we do
[1:03:24] not have um restrictions for GPA or
[1:03:27] anything like that. So the application
[1:03:28] process is really just to enter into the
[1:03:30] lottery once we have achieved um more
[1:03:33] than the slot the 50 slots. we would run
[1:03:35] the lottery but anytime we have less
[1:03:37] than 50 slots is guaranteed admission.
[1:03:40] Thank you. So I guess I'll do the final
[1:03:44] remark. So when this program was brought
[1:03:46] to the board a couple of years ago there
[1:03:49] was a lot going on in the division. So I
[1:03:51] was like, "One more thing." And so
[1:03:54] anyway, when I went to visit though the
[1:03:56] site and the students and just was
[1:03:59] immersed in the program, I was
[1:04:01] thoroughly just sold on it and
[1:04:03] thoroughly impressed. And and what I
[1:04:06] like about it is all of the students are
[1:04:09] very active and involved and able to
[1:04:12] articulate what it is that they're
[1:04:13] doing. You can just go to anyone and
[1:04:16] they're excited about it. And every time
[1:04:18] I go, I learn something. So, I was
[1:04:20] learning about hydroponic
[1:04:22] plants and and I'm a cruise. I like to
[1:04:24] take cruises and and they were sharing
[1:04:26] with me how they grow these plants on
[1:04:28] ships with using water and not soil. And
[1:04:31] it made me go and do a little more
[1:04:33] research. And so then just the jobs that
[1:04:36] they can um get as a result of that
[1:04:39] they're exposed to even as a result of
[1:04:42] participating in this program. And so I
[1:04:44] encourage board members if you have not
[1:04:46] been there, please go and especially
[1:04:48] when we get the invitation to the open
[1:04:50] house, please go because you will be
[1:04:52] thoroughly amazed at what these kids can
[1:04:55] do and what what they what they talk
[1:04:56] about. So you are doing a great job and
[1:04:59] and I'm also a little extra excited
[1:05:01] because I have a nephew in the program
[1:05:03] as well. So So good job and and thank
[1:05:06] you. And you're gonna be making some
[1:05:09] money there.
[1:05:13] But you did a great job. Thank you.
[1:05:15] Thank you so much.
[1:05:24] And
[1:05:29] thank you. We will move to section five.
[1:05:33] Oh, I'm sorry.
[1:05:35] Thank you. We will move on to continue
[1:05:38] with presentations. No, no, I'm sorry.
[1:05:41] We did. We're on to our 10day membership
[1:05:44] report. Board members, you've received a
[1:05:46] copy of this report. Are there any
[1:05:48] questions?
[1:05:50] Nope. All right. Moving on. You've
[1:05:53] received 5.03, the construction report.
[1:05:56] Board members, do you have any
[1:05:58] questions?
[1:06:01] And hearing none, we will move on to
[1:06:04] item 5.04. 04 comments by the
[1:06:06] superintendent. Dr. Mitchell.
[1:06:08] Thank you so much, Madam Chair. As we
[1:06:10] close tonight, I want to provide an
[1:06:12] update regarding an administrative move
[1:06:14] for Mr. Terry Finan. He is currently the
[1:06:17] assistant principal at Heritage High
[1:06:19] School. Mr. Fineran will now lead
[1:06:23] Enterprise Academy as a program
[1:06:25] administrator and we are really excited
[1:06:28] about this opportunity for him. And I
[1:06:31] want to say to Mr. Finner, I know you
[1:06:34] will do a great job in leading our
[1:06:36] students and staff at Enterprise
[1:06:38] Academy.
[1:06:40] And as you know, I um prepare my
[1:06:43] comments in advance. So, I was not aware
[1:06:46] that we would have bus drivers coming
[1:06:48] tonight. And please know bus drivers
[1:06:50] that we do appreciate it when you come
[1:06:52] and let us know what your concerns are.
[1:06:55] Um but I had already incorporated you in
[1:06:58] my comments for tonight. So, I want to
[1:07:00] start off by thanking our students, our
[1:07:03] staff, and our families for their hard
[1:07:06] work and their partnership. The
[1:07:08] increased academic results from last
[1:07:10] school year that we are now seeing
[1:07:13] reflect the collective effort and we are
[1:07:16] very proud of the progress that our
[1:07:18] students are making. To our parents,
[1:07:21] thank you for trusting us because it is
[1:07:23] an honor to partner with you in
[1:07:25] educating your children, but it's also
[1:07:27] an honor to transport them safely to and
[1:07:30] from school every day. I am asking
[1:07:34] families to please review uh remind
[1:07:37] their students of the expectations for
[1:07:40] appropriate behavior on school buses.
[1:07:43] You as parents can review those
[1:07:46] expectations on page 16 in the students
[1:07:49] rights and responsibilities handbook
[1:07:52] because we do thank our bus drivers.
[1:07:54] They are patient, they are committed and
[1:07:57] they care about your students and they
[1:07:58] demonstrate that every single day as
[1:08:01] they transport them safely. So again,
[1:08:03] parents, please review the expectations.
[1:08:06] If we expect students to behave in
[1:08:08] school, we expect students to behave on
[1:08:11] the bus. So, please support our bus
[1:08:13] drivers. So, thank you. And parents,
[1:08:16] let's continue to work together to
[1:08:18] elevate, empower, and move our school
[1:08:20] division forward. Also, moving forward,
[1:08:23] we have some upcoming events um that we
[1:08:27] want to share with you. September 22nd,
[1:08:30] we have our high school back to school
[1:08:32] night. September 23rd,
[1:08:36] um we have middle school back to school
[1:08:39] night. And then September 24th, we have
[1:08:42] elementary school back to school night.
[1:08:44] And you can see the times on the screen.
[1:08:47] And then Friday, October 16th, schools
[1:08:50] are closed for students. It's a half-day
[1:08:52] professional development in the morning
[1:08:54] for our teachers and family conferences
[1:08:57] in the afternoon and they will also be
[1:09:00] held throughout the week. Thank you,
[1:09:01] Madam Chair.
[1:09:03] Thank you, Dr. Mitchell. We will now
[1:09:06] move on to item six, another opportunity
[1:09:08] to hear from the public. And we do have
[1:09:10] some additional cards.
[1:09:14] Mr. David Brakman and he will be followed
[1:09:17] by Miss Ivon Bethea.
[1:09:25] Good evening, Dr. Mitchell and members
[1:09:28] of the board. I'm David Brakman. He/ him a
[1:09:31] resident of Newport News and a proud and
[1:09:34] grateful product of its public schools.
[1:09:36] I'm here in support of NEA's Red for Ed
[1:09:39] campaign for collective bargaining.
[1:09:41] Thank you for passing a resolution to
[1:09:44] study the matter and for accepting some
[1:09:46] of our feedback from the last meeting in
[1:09:48] committing to including union
[1:09:50] representation in the study group.
[1:09:52] However, I remain disappointed in its 12
[1:09:55] month time frame as compared to
[1:09:57] council's six months time frame and also
[1:10:01] that it was not amended to commit the
[1:10:03] group to recommending an implementation
[1:10:06] of collective bargaining. The heroes who
[1:10:08] work here to bring our kids to school,
[1:10:10] to teach them, and to keep them safe
[1:10:12] deserve a seat at the table. Uh with the
[1:10:15] resolution passed as is, I continue to
[1:10:17] urge the board for promptness and
[1:10:19] conviction in selecting and then
[1:10:21] implementing a framework for putting our
[1:10:24] money where our mouth is to provide
[1:10:26] whatever educators need to show up. Thank
[1:10:28] you.
[1:10:29] Thank you,
[1:10:31] Mr. Ivon Bethea. And she'll be followed by
[1:10:34] Miss Tama Gatlin.
[1:10:42] Good evening, school board members. My
[1:10:43] name is Ivon Bethea. Um, I stopped
[1:10:46] coming to the school board meetings a
[1:10:48] long time ago because this is like a re
[1:10:50] rinse and repeat of things that's going
[1:10:52] on over at transportation. Um,
[1:10:56] let me just tell you, I started in 98. I
[1:10:59] came from the military. I went to HRT. I
[1:11:02] came here. I've never had to keep a eye
[1:11:04] on my paycheck. I've never had to write
[1:11:07] the time down and then go back and
[1:11:08] check. And sometimes you look and the
[1:11:10] thing says zero after working eight and
[1:11:12] a half hours. The computer they have on
[1:11:14] the bus, you go and check it in and it
[1:11:16] says zero. I never had to go back and
[1:11:18] fuss about my money. I'm not dyslexic. I
[1:11:20] don't I don't transpose numbers. I've
[1:11:23] been doing it since I was in the a tech
[1:11:25] sergeant in the military in our Air
[1:11:26] Force. Okay, let me tell you how petty
[1:11:29] when I started in 1998. I haven't
[1:11:31] forgotten it. They set a tone with me
[1:11:33] with transportation. I put a plastic
[1:11:36] food lion bag trash can in my liner in
[1:11:39] my trash can. I got wrote up for that
[1:11:42] because it's supposed to been clear.
[1:11:44] Okay, that's how petty it is over there.
[1:11:46] Okay, retaliation is real. It's real.
[1:11:50] And these kids on these buses, you're
[1:11:51] telling these parents, "Oh, tell your
[1:11:53] kids to behave." The parents don't
[1:11:54] behave.
[1:11:55] The parents do not behave. The parents
[1:11:57] will tell the kids, "You ain't got to
[1:11:58] listen to them. I'm an assistant now
[1:12:00] because I start having panic attacks on
[1:12:02] the on the bus because of something
[1:12:03] happened in the military. Now I'm an
[1:12:05] assistant. And and this pay scale that
[1:12:07] they have for that is if you've been
[1:12:09] driving so many years, if a driver comes
[1:12:12] up and they've been driving 30 plus
[1:12:13] years, 20 plus years, there's a scale
[1:12:15] the HR has that deducts you say, "Oh,
[1:12:18] you're not doing the same job." But why
[1:12:20] does my pay stay the same? I couldn't do
[1:12:22] the same job at HRT. I had to stop
[1:12:24] working, but my pay stayed the same.
[1:12:27] They deducted almost $5 from my pay. My
[1:12:30] bills don't go down. There is actual
[1:12:32] scale that they are using for these
[1:12:34] drivers. It's a it's a it's a deterrent.
[1:12:37] These drivers are these drivers are
[1:12:38] driving sick. They're driving tired.
[1:12:41] They're driving on medication.
[1:12:42] I'm asking some of y'all to come. You
[1:12:44] want to visit other places? Visit the
[1:12:46] school buses. Get on the buses. Dress
[1:12:48] down. Come and and ride with these these
[1:12:50] bus drivers. You got some bus drivers
[1:12:52] that don't need assistants on the bus,
[1:12:54] but the bus is so bad they have to have
[1:12:56] an assistant on the bus. And I'm going
[1:12:58] to tell you something. Two years ago, we
[1:12:59] didn't have 175 drivers down. Now we do.
[1:13:02] If bus drivers like me and assistants
[1:13:04] like me talk to my friends and family,
[1:13:06] we all talk to the community. You're not
[1:13:08] going to get no bus drivers in here
[1:13:09] until you make the situation right where
[1:13:11] we are right now.
[1:13:12] That's all I'm saying. It's not It's not
[1:13:15] no joke. It's not a hard job because
[1:13:17] we're trained. We're professionals. But
[1:13:19] when you get this dirt that we getting
[1:13:20] on top of us, you think you doing good
[1:13:22] for the community and go back to your
[1:13:23] job and you hearing, "Oh, y'all tired,
[1:13:25] y'all lazy, y'all don't want to work.
[1:13:27] Come to work sick." And then you get an
[1:13:29] addable for coming to work sick. That's
[1:13:32] not right. And retaliation is real. I'm
[1:13:34] telling you, it's real. And if y'all
[1:13:36] don't do something about it, this place
[1:13:38] is going to go virtual. I'm telling you.
[1:13:41] Because around October time, if y'all
[1:13:43] trying if they trying to hold on to that
[1:13:45] doggone bonus until October, you won't
[1:13:47] have no drivers. Thank you.
[1:13:55] Was Miss Day,
[1:13:58] Miss Tamika Gatlin, and she will be
[1:14:00] followed by Miss Kiana Gates.
[1:14:03] Good evening, school board members and
[1:14:05] superintendent. I am here tonight
[1:14:06] because employees and transportation
[1:14:08] department need help. Our concern is
[1:14:10] about the amount of authority and
[1:14:12] control that has been concentrated under
[1:14:15] our current operation supervisor. She
[1:14:18] has served in several positions in
[1:14:20] transportation scheduling manager. She
[1:14:22] had responsibilities involving bus
[1:14:24] driver assistant pay. Special needs
[1:14:26] supervisor. She continues to have
[1:14:28] involvement with our pay. Now as
[1:14:30] operation supervisor, she continues to
[1:14:32] exercise significant control over our
[1:14:36] payroll and related compensations. We
[1:14:39] currently do not have a dedicated
[1:14:40] payroll specialist within
[1:14:42] transportation. Our operation supervisor
[1:14:44] has access to our contracts,
[1:14:46] compensation information, hours, and
[1:14:48] other payroll related information. And
[1:14:50] when I started, we had our own payroll
[1:14:53] department. We did not have any
[1:14:54] supervisor knew how much I made per
[1:14:56] hour. I don't need everybody knowing how
[1:14:57] much I make then. But this goes beyond
[1:15:02] payroll. Experienced supervisors are
[1:15:04] being micromanaged. decisions they make
[1:15:06] can be changed or overwritten. Employees
[1:15:09] are left asking, "What authority do our
[1:15:11] supervisors actually have if virtually
[1:15:13] everything has to be approved by one
[1:15:15] person?" And mind you, they are going by
[1:15:17] the policy that has been written
[1:15:18] already, not what has been. Let's add
[1:15:20] this in because that's what I want to
[1:15:22] do. So, we previously had a handbook
[1:15:25] committee. That process has no longer um
[1:15:27] it's no longer operating as it once did.
[1:15:30] We are concerned that significant
[1:15:32] handbook provisions can be now added,
[1:15:34] removed, or changed without meaningful
[1:15:35] employee involvement. We are also being
[1:15:38] told about changes involving overtime,
[1:15:40] holiday compensation, and our ability to
[1:15:42] accept additional work. For example,
[1:15:44] drivers are restricted from certain
[1:15:46] combinations of assignments. If we are
[1:15:48] athletic drivers, we cannot have a
[1:15:50] midday, which is the all day midday
[1:15:52] because we are athletic drivers.
[1:15:53] Sometimes our athletics are not u five
[1:15:56] hours in the evening. It's just might be
[1:15:57] taking them home. So, that's just an
[1:15:59] hour. So, we are missed over for a field
[1:16:01] trip, a full day field trip, that's
[1:16:02] extra hours we can have on our check.
[1:16:04] Those decisions affects people's
[1:16:06] livelihoods. So, to break that down,
[1:16:08] approximately if I made $33.19 per hour
[1:16:11] at 32.5 hour contract spread across our
[1:16:14] current 11month structure, our amount is
[1:16:17] approximately $3,530
[1:16:20] in gross monthly pay based on 106 hours
[1:16:24] per month. That is before taxes. That's
[1:16:27] ins before insurance, retirement,
[1:16:28] housing, utilities, transportation,
[1:16:30] food, and everything else that takes
[1:16:32] support in a household. We are not
[1:16:34] asking to work illegally or unsafeely.
[1:16:36] We're asking why employees are being
[1:16:37] prevented from accepting otherwise
[1:16:39] available work with um within safety and
[1:16:43] legal requirements. But my biggest
[1:16:45] concern tonight is accountability. When
[1:16:47] employees attempt to concerns about the
[1:16:48] operation um supervisor, we are often
[1:16:50] sent directly back to her. How can
[1:16:53] employees receive independent review of
[1:16:55] our complaint when we are sent back to
[1:16:57] the same individual whose decisions are
[1:16:59] we are questioning? So tonight I'm
[1:17:01] asking this board not to simply just
[1:17:02] send complaint back to transportation.
[1:17:05] Thank you.
[1:17:06] Thank you.
[1:17:09] Miss Tiana Gates will be followed by
[1:17:12] Miss Natalia Brown.
[1:17:19] Good afternoon. My name is Kiona Gates
[1:17:21] and I have four children that attend
[1:17:23] Newport News public schools. Um the
[1:17:26] first, he's five, he goes to Sanford. He
[1:17:29] um is enrolled in the before and after
[1:17:31] school program. So he has a bus that
[1:17:33] takes him to another site in the morning
[1:17:36] and then um or takes him to school from
[1:17:39] that site and then takes him to another
[1:17:41] site in the afternoon. I have my
[1:17:43] 10-year-old who's at Deer Park and his
[1:17:45] before and after school program is
[1:17:47] located on site so he doesn't need a
[1:17:49] bus. Now, my two oldest children,
[1:17:51] they're um 10th and 11th grade at
[1:17:53] Woodside. Um we recently had to move in
[1:17:56] with my parents and um so their bus stop
[1:18:01] is a longer walk, way longer compared to
[1:18:05] like
[1:18:07] um 1 minute or less where we lived at
[1:18:10] before. Now it's 12 minutes and they are
[1:18:13] both in the magnet program. I'm trying
[1:18:14] to keep them stable in the same school.
[1:18:16] They're doing good. But um I brought
[1:18:19] this issue up on August 21st first. It
[1:18:22] started with me contacting
[1:18:24] transportation and they told me that I
[1:18:26] had to contact their school so that they
[1:18:30] could initiate some kind of um bus stop
[1:18:33] location change or whatever. And so when
[1:18:37] I um I emailed I contacted the school
[1:18:41] and they said no that wasn't right that
[1:18:44] I had to contact transportation. So
[1:18:47] anyways I sent an email cuz I like to
[1:18:49] get everything in writing so there's no
[1:18:51] room for misinterpretation.
[1:18:53] Um and it still hasn't been resolved to
[1:18:55] this day. Most recently I came here
[1:18:57] Friday on my day off and I spoke to a
[1:19:00] lady in the front. I can't remember her
[1:19:02] name, but she gave me a Miss Angela
[1:19:05] Cider's information. Um, I emailed her
[1:19:09] and um, Mr. Fairheart on Sunday and, you
[1:19:14] know, I gave them some time to respond.
[1:19:17] Today, as of this afternoon, I did a
[1:19:18] follow-up. I didn't hear anything back.
[1:19:20] So, I figured my next best step was to
[1:19:22] just come here. So, the reason why this
[1:19:24] is an issue is because, yes, I know
[1:19:26] they're older. They're teenagers, but
[1:19:28] they're still my babies. It's dark
[1:19:30] outside in the morning and we have some
[1:19:32] kind of wild fox running around that
[1:19:34] animal control won't do anything about
[1:19:36] and I drive them to the bus stop right
[1:19:38] now because it's a 12-minute walk and
[1:19:40] it's very dark. But obviously I'm about
[1:19:42] to have a baby next month. So I won't be
[1:19:44] able to do that in the morning. Um my
[1:19:46] mom does pick them up in the afternoon
[1:19:49] but she's going to be um she is going to
[1:19:53] be helping me with the baby and she gets
[1:19:55] migraines. She's a disabled vet, so I
[1:19:57] really don't want to put that on her.
[1:20:00] Um, so I am asking that their bus stop
[1:20:03] be their bus stop location be changed,
[1:20:06] made a little closer. Um, even just
[1:20:09] having the six minute walk, half of that
[1:20:12] would be um better and I would know,
[1:20:15] okay, my babies are getting to the bus
[1:20:16] stop safely. Like I said, I don't care
[1:20:19] that they're in high school. They're
[1:20:20] still my children, and their safety is a
[1:20:22] priority. So, and for somebody to just
[1:20:24] respond
[1:20:26] Thank you.
[1:20:34] We will now Oh, I'm sorry. You have one
[1:20:37] more. Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry. Go ahead.
[1:20:39] Sorry. Hello. My name is Nata Brown. Um,
[1:20:43] I was not intending on speaking today. I
[1:20:46] was this is my first meeting and I
[1:20:48] wanted to come and network and learn
[1:20:51] about what was going on in my community
[1:20:54] with my school district that my children
[1:20:55] are in. And everything that I have
[1:20:59] learned here has completely matched my
[1:21:02] experience and disheartened me because
[1:21:05] it has been atrocious. The communication
[1:21:08] that I have had the past year that my
[1:21:11] children have been in the school,
[1:21:12] including the beginning of this year,
[1:21:14] has been non-existent. The only way that
[1:21:17] I am able to get things done is with
[1:21:20] threats of escalation or actual
[1:21:23] escalation.
[1:21:24] It's happening to your employees and
[1:21:27] it's happening to the parents.
[1:21:30] That is not the way a school district
[1:21:31] should be run. That is not the way that
[1:21:34] children are taken care of. Hearing that
[1:21:37] there are administrators lying to
[1:21:40] employees and parents and feeling that
[1:21:42] on our end, how can we trust that the
[1:21:45] district is taking care of our students
[1:21:47] and keeping them safe if the adults that
[1:21:49] are charged with that task are not safe?
[1:21:53] If they're not trusted, a trusted adult
[1:21:56] has integrity. And if I as a parent am
[1:22:01] feeling that, your employees are feeling
[1:22:04] that, the students are feeling that. And
[1:22:06] that's not a proper educational
[1:22:08] environment. So with that being said, I
[1:22:12] urge this district to look at how you're
[1:22:14] communicating with your staff, your
[1:22:16] parents, your students, because we're
[1:22:18] all feeling the lack of it. and it it's
[1:22:22] not the way to engage in your community
[1:22:25] and have successful relationships.
[1:22:28] That's all I have to say.
[1:22:30] Thank you.
[1:22:35] We will now move to matters by the
[1:22:37] school board and we will begin with our
[1:22:39] student representative.
[1:22:41] Uh thank you madam chair. I guess the
[1:22:43] first thing I want to say, I'll be the
[1:22:44] first person to say the first few weeks
[1:22:46] of school, most crazy, most hectic time
[1:22:49] time ever. But I'm really glad to see
[1:22:51] that you all are still here. And even
[1:22:53] when we face these hectic times, I'll
[1:22:55] kind of echo what Miss Alger was saying
[1:22:57] earlier. We face these hectic times in
[1:22:59] the first few weeks of school, but yet
[1:23:00] we still all make time to be here and to
[1:23:02] address our concerns. And what's at the
[1:23:03] heart of our concerns, no matter what
[1:23:05] they are, is our students. And I really
[1:23:06] want to make sure that we focus on that.
[1:23:08] Um, I also want to give a big
[1:23:10] congratulations to Hopton on taking his
[1:23:11] oath. Um, I've served on stage with
[1:23:13] Hopton these past years and I've gotten
[1:23:15] to know him fairly well, but the one
[1:23:17] thing that I know for certain is that
[1:23:19] he's going to do a great job in this
[1:23:20] role and I can't wait to work with him
[1:23:22] um, in SAGE and then also addressing
[1:23:24] matters by the board and discussing them
[1:23:26] on a student to student basis. Um,
[1:23:29] speaking of SAGE, the student advisory
[1:23:30] group on education is now accepting
[1:23:32] applications. They're available with the
[1:23:34] student support specialists within each
[1:23:36] high school and applications are due
[1:23:37] Wednesday, September 23rd. And I want to
[1:23:40] invite all students who are interested
[1:23:41] in applying, feel free do so. It's a
[1:23:44] great time. I love it. Um, I also want
[1:23:47] to share this past weekend I had the
[1:23:49] honor to attend an event, the Peninsula
[1:23:51] Walk for Compassion. It was hosted by
[1:23:53] the Youth Volunteer Corp of Hampton
[1:23:54] Roads and I found that it was a really
[1:23:56] excellent opportunity to honor the um
[1:23:58] lives lost during 911.
[1:24:01] And beyond just the event being
[1:24:02] wonderful, the organization, the Youth
[1:24:04] Volunteer Corps, is really truly such a
[1:24:06] wonderful organization. I've had the
[1:24:07] honor to work with them for many years
[1:24:09] now, and I would encourage you all to
[1:24:11] look into it because they provide so
[1:24:12] many opportunities um for students all
[1:24:15] across Hampton Roads, but specifically
[1:24:16] in Newport News through the service
[1:24:18] through Steam program. It's really just
[1:24:19] a wonderful organization and I really
[1:24:21] want you all to be able to look into it
[1:24:23] and see how amazing they are. And
[1:24:25] lastly, um on a light note, I'm excited
[1:24:27] for the Demi Day parade this weekend. I
[1:24:29] hope to see you all there. It'll be a
[1:24:31] great time.
[1:24:34] Thank you, Mr. Hunter.
[1:24:39] Mr. Brown,
[1:24:42] I'll make up.
[1:24:43] You don't have to.
[1:24:45] I know. I know. But I but I'd like to
[1:24:49] uh No, I I won't take a lot of time this
[1:24:52] evening. A couple of announcements that
[1:24:55] community as we've talked a lot about
[1:24:58] our transportation that's been something
[1:24:59] on uh top of mind for the board uh for
[1:25:02] the last you know year uh or more uh
[1:25:04] actually multiple years uh has been a
[1:25:07] top of mind where the board is
[1:25:09] undertaking our efficiency study uh and
[1:25:11] looking at all of our routes and all of
[1:25:12] our zones. There is going to be uh
[1:25:15] September 29th at Warick High School 6
[1:25:18] to 8:00 PM community session to uh
[1:25:21] review our transportation, our uh you
[1:25:24] facilities and and our the use of our
[1:25:26] facilities uh on September 29th. If you
[1:25:29] can't make that one, there's also one as
[1:25:31] well September 30th right at Woodside
[1:25:32] High School, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Uh
[1:25:35] that'll be in the north uh district
[1:25:37] area. And then as well uh October the
[1:25:39] 1st uh at Heritage High School 6-8 PM.
[1:25:42] So each one of these 6:00 to 8 PM. So
[1:25:44] please uh I just implore the community
[1:25:46] to uh make your voice heard because this
[1:25:49] is where we're taking this additional
[1:25:50] time this year uh to do this efficiency
[1:25:53] study. Look at all of our facilities.
[1:25:54] Look at our transportation. Look at all
[1:25:56] of our zones for all of our schools.
[1:25:57] Look at how we're doing transportation
[1:25:59] uh through the uh the entire division.
[1:26:01] And uh these are the opportunities to
[1:26:03] have your voice heard and actually to
[1:26:04] hear what the study is about, what the
[1:26:06] what they've discovered and what the
[1:26:08] analysis is showing. So I hope that you
[1:26:10] are able to uh take advantage of those
[1:26:12] dates and uh and to come out to those
[1:26:14] events and as well this week uh tomorrow
[1:26:17] actually be going to the legislative
[1:26:19] advocacy conference for the Virginia
[1:26:20] School Board Association. Looking
[1:26:21] forward to learning about the session
[1:26:23] that's coming up just as we learned uh
[1:26:25] you know things affect us, right? We we
[1:26:28] talked about you know so hey one of the
[1:26:29] things came up tonight. Where's the pay?
[1:26:31] Well, when the general assembly doesn't
[1:26:32] pass their budget and then when the
[1:26:35] budget is held up and then when the
[1:26:36] school board can't has to vote on the
[1:26:38] budget twice and we haven't had the
[1:26:39] budget approved and the city council
[1:26:40] hasn't appropriated the money for the
[1:26:42] budget yet, then there's your money.
[1:26:43] That's that's where the money went for
[1:26:45] the bonuses and the raises why that we
[1:26:47] don't have the money yet and we're we're
[1:26:48] waiting on that. So, uh working with our
[1:26:51] legislature legislators and making sure
[1:26:53] that um uh because the public doesn't
[1:26:56] necessarily understand or hear that, but
[1:26:58] making sure that they hear that. uh when
[1:26:59] I uh talk to them in the sessions uh
[1:27:02] this year, I'm going to be be imploring
[1:27:04] them that uh you know it does affect us
[1:27:05] locally uh that they really need to do
[1:27:07] their job and do their job on time
[1:27:08] because the budgets have to go on time
[1:27:11] or or the bonus pays and the and the
[1:27:12] escalation pays don't don't happen. Uh
[1:27:15] so that work is important. And then uh
[1:27:18] as well we've it's election season.
[1:27:20] There's going to be an election uh on
[1:27:22] the ballot this year and I hope that
[1:27:23] folks uh uh are in support of it. We're
[1:27:26] going to have our opportunity to do with
[1:27:27] a 1% uh sales tax for real estate. And
[1:27:30] that 1% sales tax that funds our schools
[1:27:33] uh in terms of our construction. It's a
[1:27:35] critical need for us to be able to
[1:27:36] actually fund school construction. We
[1:27:38] haven't been able to really build new
[1:27:40] schools in a long time. And this is an
[1:27:42] opportunity to fund that. That's on the
[1:27:44] ballot. It's taken
[1:27:46] about six years to do that effort um and
[1:27:49] get that on the ballot. So, I really
[1:27:50] want to implore people that it's
[1:27:52] important for you to educate yourself on
[1:27:53] that. look at what that 1% retail sales
[1:27:55] tax offers us. Uh it's a lock box for
[1:27:58] school construction and I hope that
[1:27:59] people support that. And then beyond
[1:28:01] that um that election Oh yeah. No, I
[1:28:04] still got two more minutes. Beyond that
[1:28:05] beyond that election, Mr. Beyond that
[1:28:07] election, uh I'm going to let you I'm
[1:28:09] going let uh this board know uh that uh
[1:28:12] this November during the V Virginia
[1:28:13] School Board Association annual
[1:28:15] convention, I'll be up for election for
[1:28:17] the president of the Virginia School
[1:28:18] Board Association. So informing this
[1:28:20] board that I have been nominated uh for
[1:28:22] that.
[1:28:27] So now you all have been publicly
[1:28:28] notified that I have been uh uh
[1:28:30] nominated for that position and I'll be
[1:28:32] up for election at that at the
[1:28:34] convention in November uh this year. And
[1:28:36] so I'll and lastly with the Denbigh uh
[1:28:39] community day parade, I'm excited about
[1:28:40] that this weekend. Uh excited to see
[1:28:43] hopefully see all of you out there. to
[1:28:45] the young man um who was angry with me
[1:28:48] last weekend at the Southeast Community
[1:28:49] Day parade because I ran out of candy at
[1:28:51] the end. He screamed at me, "Where's my
[1:28:54] candy?" And I told him, "I got you. I
[1:28:57] have I got extra candy. I will have
[1:28:58] candy for you." I told him, "See you
[1:29:00] this weekend. I got you on on candy. I
[1:29:03] will have extra candy for you. And I'm
[1:29:05] I'm loading up. I'll have plenty of
[1:29:06] candy to uh to toss to you uh as we go
[1:29:08] through the Denbigh Day parade." So, I'll
[1:29:10] see you this weekend. And I hope you all
[1:29:11] have a wonderful weekend.
[1:29:13] Thank you, Mr. Brown. Mr. Oaw.
[1:29:16] Okay. So now, oh, now you got something.
[1:29:17] No, no, no. His his time is up.
[1:29:20] Go ahead, Mr. Hunter.
[1:29:21] I just want to make a correction with
[1:29:22] something Mr. Brown said. It's not real
[1:29:25] estate taxes.
[1:29:27] It says sales taxes.
[1:29:30] Okay.
[1:29:32] Thank you.
[1:29:34] I was going to say that.
[1:29:36] Everybody else got
[1:29:39] Exactly. Exactly.
[1:29:42] Well, I I think the one thing that I'd
[1:29:44] like to just um say is I'm just really
[1:29:47] thrilled by the smooth start to school
[1:29:49] that we've had. Um we had the joy of
[1:29:52] hanging out with uh Dr. Mitchell and Dr.
[1:29:55] Rogers and doing 42 schools. I think I
[1:30:00] missed three of those. Um and it was
[1:30:02] just it was just exciting to see our
[1:30:06] students back in the buildings. um our
[1:30:08] teachers excited, our administrators
[1:30:11] orchestrating. Um
[1:30:14] I got a lot of calls this year and it
[1:30:17] they weren't negative, they were really
[1:30:20] positive calls and I think so my heart
[1:30:23] is dismayed that our bus drivers had to
[1:30:28] come tonight.
[1:30:29] Um so we've got to figure this out. We
[1:30:32] hear you. Um and what I will say is
[1:30:36] this. uh your professionalism
[1:30:40] um exceeds your frustration and I really
[1:30:43] do appreciate that because the calls
[1:30:45] that I got were like, "Wow, the buses
[1:30:49] were on time. They um are laying the
[1:30:52] rules down. Uh, I know we've had some
[1:30:55] changes and we have to move bus stops
[1:30:57] around and we still, you know, we're
[1:30:59] getting some of the calls from parents
[1:31:01] of I wish my um bus stop was a little
[1:31:04] bit closer, but they've been all
[1:31:06] positive. So, hearing you all this
[1:31:09] evening was important for us. So, thank
[1:31:11] you for coming.
[1:31:14] Thank you, Miss
[1:31:16] Aman.
[1:31:17] Sure. Just a couple things. one, if
[1:31:20] anyone wants to sort of see how our
[1:31:22] capital has or hasn't been funded over
[1:31:24] recent years, a good place to get extra
[1:31:27] information when you've looked at the
[1:31:29] watch the meetings or come to the
[1:31:30] meetings is to actually go to the
[1:31:32] Newport News public schools website, go
[1:31:34] to leadership and school board and
[1:31:35] you'll see a link for school board
[1:31:37] meeting agendas. That will take you to
[1:31:39] another site and you'll see um handouts
[1:31:42] or presentations. So earlier this
[1:31:44] evening, our working session was a
[1:31:47] presentation of the next round of our
[1:31:49] capital funding request to city council
[1:31:53] regardless of the sales tax. Um, but you
[1:31:56] can see in that presentation is a great
[1:31:58] history of how we've been you've done
[1:32:00] our research seen what's going to need
[1:32:02] to be done when and requested over the
[1:32:04] years and what has and hasn't been
[1:32:06] approved. So I think it's it's um
[1:32:08] instructive to see you know what we've
[1:32:10] known we've needed to do and where we
[1:32:12] are now. Um, so that's just a great
[1:32:15] resource for information. And then I'll
[1:32:17] just as a fellow parent, we're all back
[1:32:19] in school. Encourage all parents kind of
[1:32:21] keep up with your kids on parent view.
[1:32:23] It's a good way to keep things from
[1:32:24] getting too far away um when it's hard
[1:32:27] to get the grades back. I'm a big
[1:32:28] believer and as my kids get older, I try
[1:32:30] to let them do more and more on their
[1:32:31] own, but a little less frequently, a
[1:32:34] little bit of a a check. So, it's it's
[1:32:36] kind of a great way. And if um you're
[1:32:38] wondering what you can do to help our
[1:32:40] schools do better as a parent, you get
[1:32:42] involved with the local PTA, call the
[1:32:44] principal, have him or her connect you.
[1:32:47] You would be shocked at how few people
[1:32:49] get involved in that. And even just
[1:32:50] moral support can mean the world to um
[1:32:53] to a school and its leadership and its
[1:32:54] employees and teachers and staff. So,
[1:32:58] thank you, Miss Harris.
[1:33:03] Everything has been said. Just wanted to
[1:33:05] um thank uh everyone for coming out to
[1:33:08] the uh Southeast Day parade. That was a
[1:33:11] great time and seeing all of the school
[1:33:14] um representation out there. I think
[1:33:15] there were 100 plus uh parade numbers
[1:33:20] that I saw that were given out for
[1:33:21] different groups um and organizations
[1:33:24] that came out. Um and also looking
[1:33:26] forward to the Denbigh Day parade, my side
[1:33:28] of town. Uh so I have to get through all
[1:33:31] the traffic. Um, but I I wanted to um uh
[1:33:34] with with my colleague uh uh Miss
[1:33:37] Surles law uh also commend our drivers are
[1:33:40] our our for coming out and and um using
[1:33:44] your voice and um just want to say keep
[1:33:47] showing up until you don't have to. Um
[1:33:50] definitely respect um what you all do. I
[1:33:52] have two students myself that attend um
[1:33:56] Newport News public schools. So they're
[1:33:58] on those buses. Um they're on that those
[1:34:00] athletic buses. They both play sports.
[1:34:03] Um so they interface with with drivers.
[1:34:05] We need you because I live in Norfol and
[1:34:07] it took me five hours to get home. Um
[1:34:10] yesterday. Um yes, I work in Norfol. Oh
[1:34:14] yes, I work I work in Norfolk.
[1:34:16] Yes.
[1:34:18] Yes. Um so uh thanks for taking my son
[1:34:22] home from basketball practice. Um so
[1:34:25] yeah, that's all that I have.
[1:34:30] Miss Alger,
[1:34:33] mine is quite simple. Holton, uh, Mr.
[1:34:36] Bailey, congratulations. Thank you so
[1:34:39] much, uh, for choosing to serve. Uh, I
[1:34:42] think that's really big. And, uh,
[1:34:44] Cameron, thank you as well. Um, and for
[1:34:47] our bus drivers, uh, I know it takes
[1:34:50] courage, um, you know, to to say
[1:34:53] something. Um, please know that you, you
[1:34:57] know, we always listen in terms of
[1:35:00] hearing out, uh, you know, what's going
[1:35:03] on. At the same time, let's continue to
[1:35:05] work on building relationships. Uh, this
[1:35:08] is something that I continue to to talk
[1:35:10] about. Um, because with change comes
[1:35:13] that building of relationships. And I
[1:35:16] will say this, I went out to the
[1:35:18] schools, asked intentionally, you know,
[1:35:21] how did it go in terms of the first week
[1:35:23] with the buses and I must say that it
[1:35:25] was quite positive. So, thank you.
[1:35:28] Thank you. And so, I'm going to end with
[1:35:32] a little bit of history. say, so on this
[1:35:34] day um in 1963,
[1:35:37] there was a church that was bombed in
[1:35:39] Birmingham, Alabama, and four little
[1:35:42] black girls were killed and 22 um
[1:35:45] members of that church were injured. And
[1:35:48] if you recall, at that time in the
[1:35:50] country, there was quite a bit going on.
[1:35:53] Um struggle for civil rights, a lot of
[1:35:56] um divisiveness, and just just quite a
[1:35:59] bit going on. And if we think about
[1:36:02] where we are today, there's quite a bit
[1:36:04] going on. But in spite of that, because
[1:36:08] people continue to take advantage of the
[1:36:11] rights that are um provided to them in
[1:36:14] um our constitutional amendments. And so
[1:36:17] we can speak up such as like the bus
[1:36:18] drivers did today. We can be um we can
[1:36:21] agree to disagree and we can be
[1:36:23] courteous to one another.
[1:36:26] And although we have troubles in this
[1:36:28] country, I still say it's the greatest
[1:36:31] country in the world. I I I believe
[1:36:33] that. And so I'm just going to ask us to
[1:36:36] continue to work together, to continue
[1:36:38] to stand up what it is for you um
[1:36:40] believe in in a respectful way and just
[1:36:43] be extra nice because this political um
[1:36:46] season is just not getting pretty. And
[1:36:50] so for tonight though um it's it's all
[1:36:52] about the children. It's all about the
[1:36:54] children. And in 1963,
[1:36:57] um, four little black girls gave their
[1:36:58] lives, um, fighting so for the struggle
[1:37:01] of civil rights. So for those of us that
[1:37:03] still have our children with us, our
[1:37:05] parents with us, just hug them a little
[1:37:07] closer and just value the things that
[1:37:09] are um, important in our community and
[1:37:12] educating and and making our children
[1:37:14] better so we can continue to make this
[1:37:16] country better is is what it's all
[1:37:18] about. So with that being said, this
[1:37:20] meeting is adjourned.