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WE DON'T HAVE A, SO I CAN'T CALL US WATER, BUT IT IS AFTER SIX.
HEY, HOW ARE YOU? GO AHEAD AND IT'S ALRIGHT.
I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
I'M THE FIFTH DISTRICT SUPERVISOR.
UH, MANY OF YOU MAY BE ASKING WHERE'S KEN PETERSON? UH, FOR 12 YEARS, KEN DID REPRESENT THE FIFTH DISTRICT, AND LAST YEAR HE TERM LIMITED HIMSELF.
SO, UM, WHAT'S YOUR NAME AGAIN? WHAT'S A BOARD MEMBER? ELLEN, MS. ROBINSON BACKGROUND, I'VE BEEN IN THE COUNTY FOR 30 YEARS, 35, ACTUALLY MOVED HERE IN 1990.
EVERYBODY GOT TO GROCERIES AT THE COUNTY COUNTRY, IDA, THERE WERE MORE TAX SHOPS AND THERE WERE SP RESTAURANTS.
AND THE COUNTY HAS CHANGED OVER THE LAST 35 YEARS.
AND I THINK IN A LOT OF WAYS, UH, PRIOR TO JOINING THE BOARD, I WAS, UH, ONE OF THE COUNTYWIDE CONSERVATION DIRECTOR.
I SPENT 12 YEARS REPRESENTING, UH, THE COUNTY IN, UH, THOSE AREAS OF AGRICULTURE.
I'M ALSO A REGIONAL FARM BUREAU DIRECTOR.
UH, I'VE BEEN IN THE COMMERCIAL BUSINESS ARENA, MOSTLY IN ADVERTISING AND MARKETING.
I DID DATABASE MARKETING FOR BANKS AND FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANIES FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS.
I GOTTA TO WORK WITH, UH, VIRGINIA TOURISM AND, UH,
I CAN TELL YOU THE SLOGANS, WHETHER YOU LOVE VACATION, YOU CAN FIND IT IN VIRGINIA, BUT AT HEART OF EVERY VIRGINIA VACATION, UH, TONIGHT, VIC CARPENTER IS GONNA GIVE US AN OVERVIEW.
IT'S KIND OF A 30,000 FOOT OVERVIEW OF WHAT, UH, THE STATE OF THE COUNTY IS.
SO, 2024, IT'S NOT GONNA BE HIGH DETAIL.
WE'RE NOT GONNA TALK A LOT ABOUT SPECIFIC REZONING THAT MAY BE GOING ON, BUT, UH, YOU GET A SENSE OF WHERE WE ARE.
EVERY QUESTION IS APPROPRIATE.
THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS.
SO IF SOMETHING ISN'T COVERED TONIGHT, BUT YOU WANT TO ASK ABOUT CENTER LINES ON A CERTAIN ROAD AND WHY THEY'RE DOTTED INSTEAD OF SOLID, THAT'S A FAIR QUESTION AND YOU'RE CERTAINLY ENTITLED TO, UH, UH, TAKE THAT ALONG.
YOU'RE ALSO GONNA HEAR FROM ELLEN ROBINSON, WHO IS, UM, A FIFTH DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, AND SHE'S GONNA INTRODUCE DR.
KUMAR, WHO IS OUR SUPERINTENDENT SCHOOLS.
I WANNA ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT TONIGHT WE HAVE ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE BOARD SUPERVISORS, NEIL AUER.
WE HAVE DELEGATE DAVID ALLEN, WHO REPRESENTS THE EASTERN PART.
AND WAYNE COSBY, WHO WAS THE FIFTH DISTRICT MEMBER ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THAT'S WHERE ALL THE EXCITEMENT STARTED.
SO WHEN YOU GOT AN ISSUE THAT INVOLVES SONY WAYNE'S BUSINESS CARDS ARE AVAILABLE, CALL HIM FIRST AND CALL ME.
UH, AND I DO WANNA SAY THAT I, I AM YOUR REPRESENTATIVE.
UM, I'M NOT SOMEONE WHO CAN SOLVE ALL OF YOUR ISSUES OR PROBLEMS. AND I CERTAINLY WANT TO BE AWARE OF I'M A PUBLIC SERVANT.
IF I MIGHT HUMBLY SAY I'M THE BEST PUBLIC SERVANT, YOU'RE GONNA BE UP $6 AND 13 CENTS AN HOUR.
SO I'M GONNA INTRODUCE MR. CARPENTER, TAKE IT AWAY, SIR.
SO I GUESS YOU ALMOST GOT A PAY RAISE IF IT'S UP TO $6 AN HOUR.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE, UM, TO, UM, GO AHEAD AND, AND PLAY UPON WHAT MS. SCHLAU WAS SAYING.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE PEOPLE COMING OUT THAT ARE INTERESTED.
I'M GONNA TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT GUC AND COUNTY TONIGHT, AND WE'RE GONNA START BY, THIS IS THE TOWN HALL MEETING.
WE'RE DOING FOUR OF THESE THIS FALL.
THEY'RE THE LOCATIONS YOU CAN COME TO ANY AND ALL OF THEM.
UH, WE LOVE TO SEE PEOPLE THERE.
UH, DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTY AS YOU CAN SEE GOING ON THROUGH.
BUT THIS IS OUR VERY FIRST ONE, UH, FOR THE COUNTY FOR, UH, FOR THIS FALL TIME.
WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH PRESENTATIONS, SCHOOL, AND THEN QUESTIONS.
UH, SO, UM, AGAIN, YOU ARE LIKE, UH, LAU SAID QUESTIONS ARE ALWAYS APPROPRIATE, ALWAYS GOOD.
AND, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THEM.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE WORKING FOR YOU.
AND I WANNA KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAVE MADE VERY CLEAR PRIORITIES TO THEM, THE COUNTY, AND THESE ARE NO PARTICULAR ORDER BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL IMPORTANT TO THEM.
BUT FROM, FROM FINANCIAL EXCELLENCE AND CORE SERVICES, PUBLIC SAFETY, KEEPING GUC, RURAL LOW TAXES AND EQUALITY EDUCATION, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT THEY FIND FUNDAMENTALLY IMPORTANT ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY.
AND WE START WITH THAT BY HOW WE'RE, HOW WE'RE PERFORMING.
THERE'S AN EXAMPLE RIGHT THERE OF, OF STATE AND NATIONAL RECOGNITION OF OUR STAFFS AWARDS OR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT QUALITY PROGRAM AND QUALITY SERVICES, QUALITY PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR YOU.
SOME THINGS WE'RE DOING LOCALLY THAT WE'VE DONE RECENTLY, SIS WE CALL IT THE SOUTHEASTERN INFRASTRUCTURE STUDY.
NOW THIS STUDY IS IN, IN, UM, RESPONSE TO CONCERNS ABOUT
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ITS GROWTH IS COMING TO THIS COUNTY, HOW IT IMPACTS US AND HOW WE CONSIDER THE DECISIONS WE MAKE.SO THE BOARD AUTHORIZED THIS STUDY IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY AND THE PURPOSE OF IT IS TO SUPPORT THE GOAL OF THE COUNTY TO TARGET APPROPRIATE DEVELOPMENT IN AREAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE PUT SOMETHING IN THE AREA THAT WE CONSIDER OUR ABILITY FOR ROADS, FOR WATER, FOR SEWER, FOR FIRE, FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, FOR SCHOOLS.
SO THERE SEE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ANALYZE IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
THIS IS UNIQUE AND SPECIFIC TO THAT AREA IN THE GREEN CIRCLE.
BASICALLY A CIRCLE AROUND PATTERSON AND 2 88 WHERE WE SEE A LOT OF GROWTH COMING IN THE FUTURE.
AND DESIRE TO MAKE SURE THAT AS THE GROWTH HAPPENS, THAT WE DON'T FIND OURSELF BEHIND THE CURVE IN PROVIDING THE RESOURCES NEEDED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE SPECIFICALLY.
YOU SEE, WE MODELED THREE DIFFERENT POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES.
ONE, IF, IF IT HAPPENS ACCORDING TO WHAT THE COMP PLAN SAYS, ONE, IF IT'S MORE A MIXED USE FUTURE WITH SINGLE FAMILY, MULTIFAMILY RETAIL, AND ONE IF IT'S MORE AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOCUS.
SO THAT ALLOWS US TO SEE DIFFERENT IMPACTS.
IF YOU PUT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX IN WITH 200 UNITS, WHAT'S THAT GONNA DO TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT? IF YOU PUT A A A INDUSTRIAL FACILITY, WHAT'S THAT GONNA DO TO OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT? SO ALL THESE THINGS ARE CONSIDERED INTO THAT.
WE'RE GONNA BE PROVIDING A REPORT TO THE BOARD DECEMBER, AND AT THAT POINT, IT'LL BE SOMETHING WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE GOING FORWARD.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING ARE COUNTYWIDE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS.
SPECIFICALLY AREAS THAT PEOPLE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN IS THE GROWTH ALONG I 64.
AND YOU SEE THE ASHTON ROAD I 64, THE DIVERGENT DIAMOND, YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD OF THAT.
THE DDI, THE DIVERGENT DIAMOND INTERCHANGE CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING'S ALREADY UNDERWAY.
UH, WE ANTICIPATE, AGAIN, AN INTERSTATE PROJECT ALWAYS TAKES A LONG TIME.
SO WE ANTICIPATE COMPLETION IN 2031.
NOW IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A DDI IS, IF YOU'VE BEEN DESIGNED CROSSROADS IN THAT PART, THAT'S A-A-D-D-I.
IT'S A DIAMOND, A REVERSE OF TRAFFIC.
THE FLOW IS SAFER, FASTER, AND IT'LL HELP US SIGNIFICANTLY UP THERE.
ANOTHER ONE IS THE SAME AREA IS THE ASHLAND ROAD PARK AND RIDE.
IT SHOULD BE COMPLETED IN NOVEMBER OF 28.
NOW AROUND HERE, THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO US, THE HOCKET ROAD REALIGNMENT, IF YOU TAKE HOCKET ROAD HEADED NORTH, YOU KNOW YOU GOT THE LITTLE ZIGZAG THAT YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW TO GET TO THE INTERSTATE.
WHEN THAT'S COMPLETED, AS YOU'LL SEE, IT'LL HAVE A, A CONNECTOR STRAIGHT TO, UM, THAT'LL GET YOU TO THE INTERSTATE THROUGH A ROUNDABOUT.
THE, UH, STOPLIGHT WILL STILL STAY THERE TO GET YOU TO THE FOOD LINE.
SO YOU CAN KEEP GOING TO THE FOOD LINE THAT WAY OR TAKE THE NEW, UM, UM, THE REALIGNMENT AND UP TO THE INTERSTATE.
AND THEN THE ROUTE 2 88 INTERCHANGE STUDY.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW IS JUST DETERMINING 20 YEARS IN THE FUTURE ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR HAVING ANOTHER INTERCHANGE ON ROUTE 2 88.
SO THERE'S ARE SOME OF THE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS WE'RE LOOKING AT AROUND HERE.
IF YOU LOOK OVER HERE, ANOTHER ONE, IF YOU HAVE GOTTEN OFF ON I 64 OILVILLE, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN BE A MESS SOMETIMES TRAFFIC BACKS UP TO THE INTERSTATE.
SO UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW FUNDED IS A PROJECT THAT'LL PUT A NEW, UH, ROUNDABOUT WHEN YOU GET OFF THERE.
AND THAT SHOULD BE COMPLETED IN, UH, FEBRUARY OF 28 IS THE PLAN RIGHT NOW.
UM, FAIRGROUND ROAD EXTENSION, IF YOU HAD BEEN IN THE COURTHOUSE AREA LATELY, YOU, UH, HAVE OF COURSE SEEN THAT THE, UH, ROUNDABOUT IS NOW UNDERWAY.
IT'S OPEN, BUT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO FINISH IT ALL THE WAY TO HIGHWAY SIX.
SO THAT BIG RED CIRCLE SHOWS NOW WE'RE UNDERWAY TO GO AHEAD AND COMPLETE FAIRGROUNDS ROAD TO HIGHWAY SIX.
THAT'LL MOVE TRAFFIC MUCH QUICKER, MUCH SAFER.
IT'LL TAKE AWAY TRAFFIC GOING THROUGH THE STOPLIGHT, HEADING INTO THE COURTHOUSE AS WELL.
AND THEN IN THAT SAME AREA, IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO THE FARMER'S PARKING, UH, YOU'LL SEE WE'RE WORKING ON A, UM, CROSSWALK RIGHT THERE.
AND THAT CROSSWALK IS PRETTY SMALL PROJECT, VERY IMPORTANT, UH, AS WE HAVE SO MANY ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS IN THAT AREA OF THE COUNTY AND PEOPLE PARK AND THEY CROSS AND NOT A REALLY SAFE PLACE TO CROSS.
SO THAT'S GONNA GIVE US, THAT'S GONNA REALLY BE COMPLETED, UH, BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, WE HOPE.
SO WHAT ARE SOME THINGS GOING ON AROUND HERE AS WELL? WELL, UTILITIES, YOU KNOW, OUR, YOU KNOW, THE FORCE MAINE, THOSE OF YOU WHO LIVE IN THIS AREA, CERTAINLY, UH, REMEMBER WHEN THE SEWER MAIN BURST SOME YEARS BACK.
SO WE HAD TO GO IN AND WE HAD TO DO SOME MAJOR WORK ON REPLACING THE FORCE, MAINE, THE SEWER, MAINE, THERE ALONG PATTERSON ON THE COUNTY.
IT IS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED ALREADY.
NOW THOSE OF YOU IN RANDOLPH SQUARE KNOW IT'S NOT FULLY COMPLETE.
WE'RE STILL DOING THE FINAL WORK TO GET THAT DONE, BUT IT SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, EARLY, EARLY JANUARY, MAYBE THE LATEST.
SO THAT'S WELL DONE ON THIS WAY.
IF YOU LIVE IN HUNO HILLS, THAT WAS THE ONE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DIDN'T HAVE WATER SEWER, IT'S BEEN EXTENDED TO THEM AGAIN.
WE'VE SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED MOST OF THAT WORK.
UH, THOSE PEOPLE WHO NEED THE GRINDER PUMPS, AGAIN, AS YOU SEE, UH, WE STARTED THEM THIS MONTH AS WELL TO GETTING THE GRINDER PUMPS.
SO THAT'LL PUT GANAU HILLS INTO THE SYSTEM AND TAKE THEM OFF THEIR OWN WELLS AND, UH, AND, AND PRIVATE, UM, SEPTIC SYSTEMS MOVING INTO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY.
SOME THINGS WE'VE DONE LATELY.
MOST RECENTLY, UH, OUR FIRE AND RESCUE OPENED
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UP A NEW BURN BUILDING.NOW THE COUNTY HAD A BURN BUILDING FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND AT SOME POINT IT OUTLIVED ITS USEFULNESS SO WE COULD NO LONGER USE IT FOR LIVE FIRE.
WE COULD STILL USE IT FOR TRAINING, BUT WE COULDN'T USE IT FOR LIVE FIRE.
WELL, THANKS TO A GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE STATE AND THE COUNTY MATCHING AND PUTTING IN.
WE OPENED THAT JUST LAST MONTH, UM, FOR THIS LIVE FIRE BURN BUILDING.
AND IT'S GIVING US THE POTENTIAL NOW FOR TRAINING, BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD IN A NUMBER OF YEARS.
AND IT'S A GREAT THING TO HAVE.
ALSO, YOU SEE BELOW A NEW TANKER WAS RECEIVED FOR STATION SIX.
WE HAVE ANOTHER TANKER COMING IN IN NOVEMBER AS WELL.
SO THAT'S TWO NEW TANKERS THAT THE COUNTY HAS PURCHASED FOR OUR FIRE AND RESCUE DEPARTMENTS.
I'M GONNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR ANIMAL SHELTER.
OF COURSE, WE'VE GOT ONE OF THE BEST WELL-KNOWN ANIMAL SHELTERS IN THIS REGION.
AND YOU'LL GET TO SEE OUR LITTLE FRIENDS OVER THERE ON THE LEFT.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE KNOWN FOR IS WE ARE RECOGNIZED AS A NO KILL SHELTER.
ANIMALS THAT COME INTO, UH, GOIN COUNTY, THEY GO HOME WITH SOMEONE.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WELL KNOWN FOR.
AND FAMOUS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS ANOTHER THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON AND WORKING ON.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'VE, UH, THE BOARD DISAPPROVED ON TUESDAY NIGHT, UH, DUE DILIGENCE THAT ALLOWS US TO INCREASE, FOCUSING OUR ABILITY TO PUT SOME RESOURCES INTO SOME OF OUR AVAILABLE PROPERTIES TO MAKE THEM MORE ATTRACTIVE TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THEY HAVE DIFFERENT TIERS, AND THE HIGHER TIER YOU ARE, THE MORE ATTRACTIVE YOU ARE TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF THE COUNTY DOESN'T GROW WITH APPROPRIATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THEN ALL THE GROWTH IS FORCED TO BE ON THE HOMEOWNERS AND THE PROPERTY TAXES.
AND WE, AND THE BOARD DOESN'T WANT THAT.
WE WANT TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE APPROXIMATELY 70%, UH, RESIDENTIAL AND 30% ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL RIGHT NOW, WE'RE NOT THERE YET.
SO THE MORE WE CAN DO THAT, THE LESS OF A BURDEN THAT IS PLACED ON OUR HOMEOWNERS AND OUR, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS ALSO DOING A WATER AND SEWER FEASIBILITY STUDY AND OTHER STUDIES IN THERE.
THIS JUST IMPORTANT PREPARE US SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.
ONE OF THE THINGS COMING UP IS A, UH, TIRE AMNESTY AND A DOCUMENT SHREDDING, UH, NOVEMBER 16TH, UM, FROM NINE O'CLOCK TO ONE AT THE FAIRGROUNDS, UH, SITE THERE IN THE COURTHOUSE.
ANY OF NEW DOCUMENTS YOU CAN BRING, UH, THAT'S BECOME, IN FACT, LAST YEAR IT, IT OVERWHELMED US.
WE WERE SURPRISED WE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE BRING DOCUMENTS.
SO THIS YEAR WE'RE GONNA HAVE TWICE AS MANY PEOPLE, TWICE AS MANY TRUCKS ON SITE.
SO WE CAN TAKE IT ALSO THIS YEAR.
IN ADDITION TO TIRES, WE'RE TAKING AG TIRES.
SO FARM TIRES, THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG PROBLEMS WE'VE HAD.
IF YOU'VE GOT A FARM, IF YOU'VE GOT HORSES, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THOSE ARE UNIQUE KIND OF TIRES.
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH 'EM? WELL, YOU CAN BRING 'EM HERE AND WE CAN HANDLE 'EM.
YOU CAN'T BRING A HUNDRED, BUT THERE ARE LIMITS IN THAT RESPECT, BUT THERE'S NO COST IN BRING THEM IN.
ANYBODY BRING THEIR STUFF THERE? AH, HERE'S CARTER CARTER'S ONE OF OUR LITTLE FRIENDS AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
FRIENDLY, NEUTERED AND HOUSE TRAINED.
SO NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY AND THINGS THAT WE DO.
ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS IN THIS COUNTY HAS BEEN GETTING THE ABILITY FOR, FOR OUR CITIZENS ALL TO HAVE ACCESS TO FIBER, TO HIGH SPEED INTERNET.
UH, THAT'S BEEN DETERMINED AS ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURES THAT CAN BE PROVIDED IN THE MODERN ERA.
UM, MOST EVERYTHING THESE DAYS HAPPENS OVER THE INTERNET.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT, YOU'RE WELL BEHIND, YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO KEEP UP.
SO THIS PART OF THE COUNTY IS MOSTLY COVERED.
SO WE'RE FORTUNATE IN THAT RESPECT.
SO THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY AS IMPORTANT TO, TO ANYBODY WHO HAS IT.
BUT YOU SEE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THAT MAP ALL THOSE AREAS THAT DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING.
SO, UH, THE BOARD WORKS SEVERAL YEARS AGO, UH, WITH THE STATE, WITH OUR LOCAL CO-OPS, UM, WITH DOMINION POWER AND ALL THOSE AREAS THAT YOU SEE COVERED ARE UNDER PROGRAMS. THE BLUE AREAS ALREADY HAVE IT.
SO SOME OF THE MORE REMOTE AREAS, THIS COUNTY ALREADY HAVE HIGH SPEED FIBER.
GREEN AREAS ABOUT TO YELLOW AREAS ARE WELL UNDERWAY, AND THE PINK AREAS ARE JUST STARTING.
WE, WE WOULD CERTAINLY HOPE AND EXPECT THAT BY 25, 26, ALMOST THE ENTIRE COUNTY WILL HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR HIGH-SPEED INTERNETS, IF YOU LIVE IN THE CROSIER AREA, PLEASE, THAT IS A GREAT STORY BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY PLACES IN THIS COUNTRY THAT WON'T BE ABLE TO SAY THAT.
UM, CROSIER HAS GOT, UH, ALREADY FOR A WHILE NOW TOO, SO LIVE IN THAT AREA.
WHAT ELSE IS COMING UP? WELL, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER I TALK TO PEOPLE, I ALWAYS MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WHEN I CAME HERE, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT OCCURRED TO ME WAS JUST LIKE LIVING IN A HALLMARK MOVIE.
AND THAT'S THE WAY GOOSE ONE IS.
THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING GREAT GOING ON, SOMETHING THAT JUST REMINDS YOU OF, OF HOME AND GROWING UP.
WE HAVE OUR FALL FESTIVAL COMING UP OCTOBER 26, 11 TO TWO OVER THERE IN THE, UH, COURTHOUSE AREA.
UH, THE HOLIDAY MARKET IS GONNA BE AT CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, OUR TREE LIGHTING, UH, DECEMBER 6TH AND COMIC FEST, WHICH IS POP CULTURE OVER AT CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL.
SO COMIC BOOKS, UM, THOSE, UH, UM,
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UM, KIND OF OF OF MODERN POP CULTURE.ADDITIONALLY, OUR FIRE RESCUE SHOWS COMING UP ON THE 12TH, SO THAT'S COMING UP NEXT WEEK.
BUT THIS SATURDAY OUR, UH, THERE'S GONNA BE A RIBBON CUTTING AT STATION FIVE IN THE COURTHOUSE.
NOW THE FIRE AND RESCUE ASSOCIATION, THE MONETARY ASSOCIATION OWENS ALL AT ONE OF OUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND THEY'VE BEEN RENOVATING THEM ALL FOR THE LAST YEAR AND THEY'RE FINALLY FINISHING WITH THEIR LAST ONE.
SO WE ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO COME OUT 11 TO TWO RIBBON CUTTING AT NOON.
OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE ALSO OCTOBER 26TH, IS TAKING THIS DRUG TAKE BACK.
UM, OLDER I GET THE MORE LEGAL DRUGS I SEEM TO HAVE IN MY HOUSE.
THE DOCTOR PRESCRIBES ME AS YOU GET RID OF THEM AS YOU, YOU NEED TO GET RID OF THEM, YOU CAN BRING THEM BACK SO YOU RUN WATER PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, PLEASE BRING 'EM OUT AND GET RID OF 'EM.
DON'T FLUSH THEM DOWN A TOILET.
THAT'S THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO.
MORE EVENTS COMING UP OVER ON THE RIGHT ON NOVEMBER 2ND AT TUCKAHOE PLANTATION.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE GENERAL MARQUITA LAFAYETTE CAME TO GOEN COUNTY 200 YEARS AGO ON NOVEMBER 2ND.
SO THERE'S GONNA BE A BIG CEREMONY AND CELEBRATION OF THAT AS PART OF OUR 250TH CELEBRATION OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.
AGAIN, THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTY, OCTOBER 19TH, ROIC, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE, IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO GO.
PROBABLY THE BIGGEST TOURIST EVENT WE HAVE IN THE COUNTY.
40, 50,000 PEOPLE GONNA COME FOR THAT.
AS WELL AS OUR EXPLORE GOIN, WHICH GOES ON, WHICH GIVES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIND, FIND PLACES YOU CAN GO, THINGS YOU CAN DO, COZY, COUPLE GETAWAYS, DOG VARIETY OF PREPLANNED THE ITINERARIES, AND YOU CAN FIND THAT ONLINE.
AND HOW DO YOU FIND ONLINE? WELL, HERE'S HOW WE START.
IF YOU GO ONLINE AND, AND YOU GET OUR SHOP LOCAL APP, AND I'M GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF, A LOT ABOUT APPS NOW.
SO THE SHOP LOCAL APP IS ONLY FOCUSED ON GOON COUNTY BUSINESSES.
AND IF YOU PARTICIPATE THAT OUR EDA HAS SPONSORED IT AND YOU DOWNLOAD IT WHEN YOU SHOP AND ONE OF THE PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES, ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS PUT YOUR RECEIPT IN AND THEN YOU'LL GET A 5% CASH BACK ON IT.
SO IT ENCOURAGES US TO SHOP LOCAL.
ALSO, THE OPEN REWARD, YOU SEE THAT TALKS ABOUT IT RIGHT THERE.
UH, PANCAKE
SO THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON TODAY.
THAT'S, WELL WHAT ARE WE GOING FORWARD? WELL, WE'RE STARTING THE BUDGET PROCESS ALREADY.
KMAR AND I HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS AND WE'LL BE HAVING MORE AS WE GO IN THROUGH, BUT SPECIFICALLY THE FORMAL PROCESS HAS ALREADY STARTED.
NOW YOU MAY SAY, DIDN'T YOU DISAPPROVE A BUDGET? AND WE DID.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE GOTTA START ALMOST AS SOON AS WE FINISH WITH THE NEXT ONE.
SO WE'LL BE HOLDING THOSE MEETINGS, PRESENTATION, UH, TO THE BOARD IN FEBRUARY.
THEN WE'LL HAVE TOWN HALLS AGAIN, PROBABLY OUT HERE IN MARCH.
PUBLIC HEARINGS AND AND BUDGET ADOPTION.
REALLY WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU AS YOU HAVE THOUGHTS OF WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU, LET YOUR SUPERVISORS KNOW, LET LET US KNOW.
THERE'S, AS YOU FILL IT OUT, HOPEFULLY INFORMATION WHEN YOU CHECK IN, THAT'LL GIVE US THE ABILITY FOR TO UH, REACH OUT TO YOU.
AND, AND I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT A LITTLE BIT IN A SECOND HOW YOU CAN SIGN UP.
BUT YOUR INPUT IS CRITICAL TO US TO KNOW WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU WHEN WE BUILD A BUDGET.
BUT HERE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW WITH IT.
OF COURSE, EDUCATION WAS HUGE.
JULY WE OPENED UP OUR NEW UCHIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
MARTY WILL PROBABLY MENTION THAT OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT GOT NEW VEHICLES, FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY DID AND FACILITIES COURTHOUSE.
WE'VE, WE'VE, WELL NOW STARTED THE PLANNING FOR BUILDING THE NEXT COURTHOUSE.
IT'LL LAST ANOTHER 200 YEARS IN GOOCHLAND TOURISM.
ANOTHER THING THAT'S GOING ON, THE STATE OF VIRGINIA SAYS THAT ABOUT 633 JOBS IN GLAND ARE BENEFITED OR SUPPORTED BY TOURISM WITH ABOUT A $3 MILLION IMPACT ON TAXES.
SO THAT'S YOUR RESTAURANTS, HOTEL BED AND BREAKFAST AIRBNBS.
IT'S YOUR WINERIES TO BREWERIES.
IT IS ANYTHING THAT PEOPLE COME THROUGH THIS COUNTY AND COME TO VISIT US FOR.
IT HAS A VERY REAL IMPACT ON US.
YOU KNOW, WHAT ELSE DOES BUYING GAS A FEW YEARS BACK, UM, THE UH, UH, GENERAL ASSEMBLY CREATED THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
AND WHAT THAT ALLOWS US TO DO IS THAT A LOCAL GAS TAX COLLECTED, WHICH THAT MONEY SIGNIFICANTLY STAYS HERE.
SO WE'RE ALREADY ON $9.2 MILLION HAS BEEN COLLECTED FOR LOCAL PROJECTS.
GOING BACK TO THOSE ROAD PROJECTS I WAS TALKING ABOUT SIGNIFICANTLY SOMETHING THAT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THAT RIGHT THERE.
SO WHEN YOU FILL UP YOUR CAR WITH GAS, PLEASE DO IN A GOOSE LAND, IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
SO HOW DO WE KEEP YOU INVOLVED? THAT'S IMPORTANT.
KEEPING YOU INVOLVED, YOU'RE HERE.
WELL, THE FIRST THING, LET'S TALK ABOUT IMPORTANT DATES.
COMING UP WITH THE ELECTION RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN ALREADY EARLY VOTE.
UH, THAT'S OVER BEHIND THE, UH, GENERAL
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SERVICES BUILDING, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.UM, AND THAT'LL, UM, THAT'S GOING ON.
NOW YOU CAN REGISTER TO VOTE TO THE 15TH.
AGAIN, YOU CAN READ THAT CRITICAL DAYS.
OF COURSE IT'S ELECTION DAY ITSELF.
UM, BUT IF YOU DO COME, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE THIS YEAR IS WE'VE ADDED NEW PRECINCT, UH, THAT IS IN, UM, THE AVERY POINT AREA.
IT DOESN'T DIRECTLY AFFECT PROBABLY Y'ALL PER SE, BUT ADDING ANOTHER PRECINCT IS, IS A SIGN OF OUR GROWTH.
AND IT IT GIVES US THE BETTER ABILITY TO SERVE MORE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY.
OTHER WAYS YOU CAN GET INVOLVED AGAIN, COME HERE, VOLUNTEER VOTE, RUN FOR OFFICE, YOU KNOW, SUBMIT INTEREST.
WHO WOULD DO THAT?
I WOULD FIRST BY DOWNLOADING THE SHERIFF'S APP.
HOW MANY OF Y'ALL DO HAVE THE SHERIFF'S APP? OKAY.
NOT EVERY PHONE OR, OR NOT EVERY HAND WAS RAISED.
IT, IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT APP.
AND IF FOR NO OTHER REASON WITH THE RECENT WEATHER EVENTS WE'VE HAD, WHEN ROADS ARE CLOSED, IT'LL TELL YOU RIGHT AWAY THAT THIS ROAD HAS BEEN CLOSED.
AND IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN HEADED TO I 64 OR 2 88 AND YOU GOT STUCK IN TRAFFIC THERE, YOU'RE LIKE, GOSH, I WISH I KNEW THAT ROAD WAS CLOSED.
SO THAT'S A GREAT APP TO HAVE FOR THAT.
CODE RED IS IS JUST LIKE AN IMPLIES FOR REALLY TRULY CRITICAL THINGS.
TORNADO WARNINGS WHEN WHEN THE WATER MAIN BROKE AND THERE WAS NO WATER FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME, THINGS LIKE THAT WILL NOTIFY YOU AND SAY THAT, THAT THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENED.
THAT'S HOW WE KEEP YOU ABREAST AND INFORMED.
SO YOU REALLY SHOULD HAVE THAT DOWNLOADED ON YOUR PHONE AS WELL.
OTHERWISE THE COUNTY APP, IF YOU DOWNLOAD THE COUNTY APP AND YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR ALERTS AND NOTIFICATIONS AND THAT'S IMPORTANT.
'CAUSE IF YOU WANT TO KEEP TRACK OF CERTAIN THINGS WE DO IN THE COUNTY, SAY PLANNING AND ZONING, YOU WANNA KNOW ABOUT ZONING ISSUES, WHATEVER, IT'LL NOTIFY YOU THAT IT'LL KNOW.
YOU CAN KIND OF GO DOWN THE CHECKLIST AND PICK THE THINGS YOU WANT TO BE NOTIFIED ABOUT.
EVERY WEEK WE PUT OUT A NEWSLETTER THAT TELLS YOU ABOUT IN GREATER DETAIL WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST WEEK.
AND OF COURSE LET'S ENGAGE OUR MEETINGS WITH THE SUPERVISORS EVERY FIRST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS ANYMORE IS ANYBODY GETS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND THEY CAN SAY ANYTHING AND NO ONE FACT CHECKS THEM.
YOU DON'T NEED TO FACT CHECK US.
WE CAN WE'LL TELL YOU WHAT IS HAPPENING IN UCHIN COUNTY.
SO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO FOLLOW THE COUNTY IF YOU WANNA SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
'CAUSE YOU'LL SEE PEOPLE SAY, WHAT'S GOING ON? I SAW THIS, I SAW THAT.
THAT'S HOW YOU FIND OUT REALLY WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND SO THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER, UM, TO, UH, MS. ROBINSON.
MA'AM, WAS THERE A
I'M MELAN ROBINSON, YOUR DISTRICT FIVE SCHOOL BOARD AND PLEASE KNOW THAT I AM ALWAYS, ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO YOU.
AND RIGHT NOW IS MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE OUR MOST DISTINGUISHED AND DIGNIFIED SUPERINTENDENT OF GOIN COUNTY SCHOOLS.
I'M GONNA GRAB MY CLICKER HERE.
WHILE I'M DOING THAT, I WANT TO JUST THANK MRS. ROBINSON.
SHE IS AMONG MY GREATEST ADVOCATES AND I REALLY APPRECIATE HER ADVOCACY.
BY SHOW OF HANDS, HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS? PUBLIC SCHOOLS? VERY GOOD.
THE REST OF YOU PREPARE TO BE AMAZED BY THE WONDERFUL WORK THAT'S HAPPENING EVERY DAY IN OUR PUBLIC K 12 INSTITUTIONS.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF THE VIRGINIA LITERACY ACT.
IT'S SWEEPING LEGISLATION THAT'S DESIGNED TO ADVANCE LITERACY ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH.
I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT GLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WAS WELL AHEAD IN DOING THAT PRIOR TO IT BECOMING LEGISLATION.
EVERY SPRING AT ONE OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, WE HOST THE READING OLYMPICS AND THIS IS A FRIENDLY COMPETITION BETWEEN OUR THREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS FOR OUR STUDENTS TO DISPLAY THEIR PROFICIENCIES IN LITERACY.
THIS YEAR, BIRD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TOOK HOME THE TROPHY, HAVING WON THE READING OLYMPICS.
AND WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BIRD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BECAUSE MY JOB IS TO BE THE GREATEST AMBASSADOR OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND IN DOING THAT TONIGHT, I'M HERE TO GIVE A STATE OF OUR SCHOOLS AND THE STATE OF OUR SCHOOLS IS VERY STRONG.
THIRD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ALSO WON FIRST PLACE IN LEGO ROBOTICS FOR CORE VALUES THIS PAST SESSION AND DONATED OVER 1500 POUNDS OF FOOD TO GOOCHLAND CARES.
[00:25:01]
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GOLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD WE HAVE A BRAND NEW FACILITY IN THE COUNTY UP OFF BULLDOG WAY ADJACENT TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH AS OF TODAY HAS OVER 520 STUDENTS, WHICH I'VE BEEN TOLD AND BELIEVE AND CONFIRMED THAT THAT'S THE LARGEST ENROLLMENT EVER IN A SINGLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTY.THE NEW GLIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS A 105,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE UP TO 700 STUDENTS.
AND YOU MAY KNOW THAT WE DID A REDISTRICTING PLAN THAT PULLED ABOUT 87 STUDENTS FROM THIS END OF THE COUNTY AND ABOUT 40 SOME ODD STUDENTS FROM THE NORTHWESTERN END OF THE COUNTY TO THE CENTER TO JOIN THE NEW SCHOOL.
BUT IN ADDITION TO OPENING A NEW BUILDING, GLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAS OUR LARGEST PARTICIPATION IN GIRLS ON THE RUN.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT TRAINS YOUNG WOMEN IN SELF-ADVOCACY AND PHYSICAL FITNESS.
24 PARTICIPANTS IN THIS PAST SEASON.
WE HAD OUR FLYING SQUIRRELS READING NIGHT AT THE BASEBALL FIELD.
LOOK AT THESE CUTE KIDS, GUYS AT THE BASEBALL FIELD.
NOW I DON'T COME WITH PUPPIES AND KITTENS
RANDOLPH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT EMPLOYS A HOUSE SYSTEM WHERE KIDS AFFILIATE WITH A HOUSE OR A TEAM FROM THE TIME THEY'RE IN PRE-K REMAINING THROUGH FIFTH GRADE, THEY'VE GOT BLADE RUNNERS, SKY RUNNERS, TRAIL RUNNERS, WAVE RUNNERS, AND I'M AN HONORARY, UH, SKY RUNNER MEMBER.
AND I TELL YOU THEY'RE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THESE HOUSES.
EVERY TIME I'M THERE I GET QUIZZED.
DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT TEAM YOU'RE ON? GOSH, IF I SAY THE WRONG THING EVER, I MAY NOT BE HERE TO DO THIS NEXT YEAR.
VERY COMPETITIVE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A LOT OF OUR, UH, LOCAL PARTNERS INCLUDING THE GULA EDUCATION FOUNDATION.
THERE'S AN OUTDOOR PAVILION THAT'S PRETTY COOL THAT'S BACK IN THE WOODS BEHIND RANDOLPH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHERE KIDS CAN GO AND ADVANCE THEIR LESSONS IN SCIENCE OR ANY OTHER CONTENT AREA.
I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE ENGLISH TEAM AT GLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
HAD I COME OUT LAST YEAR AND GIVEN THIS REPORT, I WOULD'VE HAD TO SHARE THAT LITERACY AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS WANING JUST A LITTLE BIT.
IN FACT, IT WAS RED AND THE DISTINCTIONS ARE GREEN IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD.
LEVEL ONE YELLOW IS PROGRESSING.
LEVEL TWO RED IS LEVEL THREE AND NOBODY WANTS TO BE THERE IN ONE YEAR.
WE'VE MANAGED TO TURN AROUND READING SCORES AND ENGLISH SCORES AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL BY OVER 20 POINTS.
AND I'M PROUD TO SAY TONIGHT THAT THAT DISTINCTION IS NOW GREEN LEVEL ONE, WHEREAS A YEAR AGO IT WAS RED LEVEL THREE.
I DON'T TAKE ANY OF THE CREDIT FOR THAT.
I SHARE THAT CREDIT WITH MR. MASON AND HIS ENGLISH TEACHING STAFF AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
LAST YEAR THEY HAD THEIR FIRST ENERGIZED AND ENGAGED DAY OFFERING 38 COURSES.
I MEET WITH A STUDENT ADVISORY ONCE A MONTH AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY SHARE WITH ME THAT THIS WAS ONE OF THEIR FAVORITE EVENTS FROM LAST YEAR.
AND THEY ASKED ME JUST LAST WEEK WHEN WE MET, ARE WE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THAT AGAIN? AND I SAID, ABSOLUTELY.
WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THAT AGAIN.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS A GREAT DAY FOR OUR STUDENTS.
IT BUILT AFFILIATION BETWEEN THEM AND THEIR SCHOOL.
WE RECEIVED A HEAVY DONATE, A HEAVY EQUIPMENT DONATION FROM SERGEANT VALUED AT NEARLY $80,000.
THIS ALLOWED US TO RETIRE OUR PREVIOUS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT WAS ANTIQUATED AND WE APPRECIATE OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS AT SARGENT AND ALL OF OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS.
THIS GENTLEMAN, DELEGATE OWEN CAME OUT AND HELPED US WITH OUR MOCK INTERVIEWS LAST SPRING.
OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS AND ANY MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY COME OUT AND THEY ACTUALLY ENGAGE OUR STUDENTS IN INTERVIEWING AND PREPARING FOR JOBS.
THIS IS A VALUABLE PROCESS THAT GIVE OUR STUDENTS THAT OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY SIT WITH A PROFESSIONAL AND RECEIVE FEEDBACK ON THEIR POISE AND RESPONSIVENESS TO TOUGH INTERVIEW QUESTIONS.
AND I'M VERY PROUD OF OUR BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE, WHICH WE HAD LAST MARCH.
AND A GREAT NUMBER OF FOLKS CAME OUT TO HELP US IN PARTNERSHIP DETERMINE HOW WE CAN TRAIN OUR STUDENTS TO BE THE TYPE OF EMPLOYEES THAT THEY NEED IN THE FIELD.
THESE 28 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN OUR CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION SIGNING DAY.
WHAT'S AMAZING ABOUT THAT IS THEY GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL ON JUNE THE EIGHTH.
THEY WENT TO WORK IN THE FIELDS OF THEIR CHOICE ON JUNE THE 10TH, MAKING VERY HIGH COMPETITIVE WAGES, 28 STUDENTS.
AND OF COURSE WE HAD A WONDERFUL GRADUATION CEREMONY.
AND I WANT TO TOUT THE CLASS OF 2024.
[00:30:01]
AS PART OF THE GLAND HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2024.I'M GONNA SHOW YOU A GRAPHIC HERE IN A MINUTE.
THAT REPRESENTS THAT 98% OF THAT COHORT GRADUATED.
OUR DROPOUT RATE IS LESS THAN 1% 0.9.
NOW YOU MAY BE THINKING THAT MATHS, NOT MATH AND DOC, 98% OF THE KIDS GRADUATED, LESS THAN 1% OF THE KIDS DROPPED OUT.
WHERE'S THE OTHER 1%? THE OTHER 1% ARE KIDS WHO WERE PART OF THE COHORT WHO MAY, MAY STILL BE ADVANCED TOWARD EARNING THEIR HIGH SCHOOL CREDENTIAL.
74% OF THE GRADUATING CLASS EARNED THE HIGHEST GRADUATION DIPLOMA IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
THE ADVANCED STUDIES DIPLOMA, 60 OF THOSE 218 STUDENTS GRADUATED AFTER THEY HAD EARNED THEIR ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE FROM J SERGEANT REYNOLDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
AND OF THOSE 60 48 OF THOSE KIDS GRADUATED WITH HONORS.
THAT IS AMAZING, AMAZING FEAT.
I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT THIS TRAJECTORY THAT SHOWS OUR GRADUATION.
YOU SEE THAT WHEN WE STARTED TRACKING IN 2008, A LITTLE BIT OVER EIGHT AND 10 STUDENTS GRADUATED ON TIME.
AND YOU SEE WE'VE HAD PEAKS AND VALLEYS AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT WE'VE CRESTED AT 98%.
THAT'S DUE TO THE HARD WORK OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND SCHOOL COUNSELING DEPARTMENT AND TEACHERS AT OUR HIGH SCHOOL.
LEST WE NOT FORGET, 100% OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE FULLY ACCREDITED.
I HOPE THAT I'LL SAY SOMETHING THAT WILL GO ON APPLAUSE AT SOME POINT.
100% OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE FULLY ACCREDITED AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT BASED ON OUR LAST YEAR PROFICIENCY SCORES, WE RANKED FIRST IN THE REGION IN READING AND 14TH IN THE STATE.
WE RANKED SECOND IN THE REGION IN MATHEMATICS AND EIGHTH IN THE STATE.
AND FOR CONTEXT, I KNOW THIS SAYS 132, BUT FOR CONTEXT, THERE ARE 131 SCHOOL DIVISIONS ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA RECENTLY, COVINGTON AND ALLEGHENY MERGED.
SO THAT'S PRETTY, PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.
WE'RE FIFTH IN THE REGION IN SCIENCE.
35TH IN THE STATE FOURTH IN THE REGION IN HISTORY.
IF YOU SUBSCRIBE TO NICHE RATINGS, AND I'M GONNA SHARE WITH YOU, I'M GONNA HAVE TO WRITE MY BUDDIES AT NICHE BECAUSE WHEN I PULLED THESE DATA EARLIER IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, IT SHOWED WHAT I'M GONNA RELAY TO YOU TONIGHT.
AND THAT'S THAT GLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS NINTH IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
IN TERMS OF BEST SCHOOL DIVISIONS, WE'RE 21 IN TERMS OF THE DISTRICT WITH THE BEST TEACHERS.
AND WE'RE 27 IN TERMS OF THE BEST PLACES FOR TEACHERS TO TEACH FOR THE SEVENTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR.
WE ARE THE NUMBER ONE SCHOOL DIVISION IN THE METRO RICHMOND AREA.
NOW HERE'S WHERE THE ISSUE COMES IN BECAUSE I LIKE TO FACT CHECK AND NEVER WANT TO BE OUT HERE TELLING THINGS THAT AREN'T COMPLETELY ACCURATE.
I CHECKED NICHE'S WEBSITE ON, I THINK IT WAS TWO DAYS AGO AND AS OF THE 30TH THEY HAD DROPPED US TO 12TH.
SO IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT NICHE TODAY, EVEN THOUGH OUR LOCAL REPORT SAYS NINTH, THE REPORT THAT THEY RELEASED NATIONALLY SHOWS US 12TH IN THE COMMONWEALTH VIRGINIA.
I'LL HAVE TO ASK THEM WHAT THAT'S ABOUT.
BUT 12TH IS NOTHING TO SCOFF AT.
OUR ENROLLMENT IS 2,642 STUDENTS STRONG.
THIS IS AN INCREASED ENROLLMENT OF 71 STUDENTS OVER THE END OF THE LAST ACADEMIC YEAR.
WE HAVE 473 STAFF MEMBERS SERVING THOSE STUDENTS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WE HIRED 41 NEW TEACHERS, WHICH REPRESENT 18% OF OUR TEACHER WORKFORCE.
I'M PROUD TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, MINUS ONE OPENING IN THE BUILDING TRADES FOR WHICH I'M CONFIDENT THERE ARE FEWER THAN 20 PEOPLE CERTIFIED IN THE STATE.
WE HAD A LICENSED TEACHER IN FRONT OF EVERY SINGLE CHILD.
THIS IS THE AVERAGE YEAR OF EXPERIENCE FOR OUR WORKFORCE.
53% OF OUR STUDENT, OF OUR TEACHERS ARE BETWEEN YEAR ZERO AND FIVE.
38% BETWEEN, I'M SORRY, THIS IS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF TEACHERS.
THESE ARE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF TEACHERS IN OUR TEACHING CORE IN THESE BANDS.
53 TEACHERS, ZERO TO 5 38, 6 TO 10 47, 11 TO 15.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE REST OF THE CHART.
WE'VE GOT 12 NEW COURSES AT OUR HIGH SCHOOL FOLKS, I'M GONNA TELL YOU SOMETHING YOU MAY NOT KNOW.
I CAME HERE FROM MUCH LARGER SCHOOL DIVISIONS AND I'M EVER PROUD OF THE DEPTH OF OUR COURSE CATALOG.
[00:35:01]
FOR OUR STUDENTS IN GLAND COUNTY, PARTICULARLY IN THE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION FIELD.12 NEW COURSES LAST SCHOOL YEAR.
WE'VE APPLIED AND RECEIVED ACCOLADE FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND COMPUTER SCIENCE GRANTS.
WHEN I STOOD BEFORE YOU, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE HERE, WE TOUTED THAT EACH OF OUR FIVE SCHOOLS WERE APPLE DISTINGUISHED CAMPUSES.
NOW, GLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS AN APPLE DISTINGUISHED DIVISION.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WE ARE A LEADER IN INNOVATION AND INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY.
WE RECEIVED, AGAIN FROM THE UH, GOVERNOR'S FOUNDATION, WE JUST, WE RECEIVED THE DISTINGUISHED BUDGET PRESENTATION.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS SEVERAL YEARS IN THE RUNNING FOR THAT DISTINCTION.
OUR STUDENT ACTIVITY FUND AUDIT.
WE HAVE FIVE BOOKKEEPERS ACROSS THE SCHOOL DIVISION.
EACH OF THEM RECEIVED A PERFECTLY CLEAN AUDIT ON OUR STUDENT ACTIVITY ACCOUNTS.
THAT'S AN ACCOLADE FOR WHICH WE'RE PROUD.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE GLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BUT I WANTED TO SHOW YOU CUTE KIDS.
I PROMISE THAT I'D HAVE A TON OF THOSE.
AND FOR WHATEVER REASON THIS IS GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.
ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE WERE TOGETHER LAST WINTER WAS MY ADVOCACY FOR A MARKET ADJUSTMENT FOR OUR STAFF.
AND THANKFULLY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR SCHOOL BOARD AND OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR MR. CARPENTER, WE WERE ABLE TO FUND A MARKET ADJUSTMENT FOR OUR NEARLY 240 CLASSROOM TEACHERS ACROSS THE DIVISION.
AND I DO WANNA SHOW IF WE CAN GET THE PRESENTATION GOING, I'LL FAST FORWARD.
I DO WANNA SHOW WHAT THAT HAS MEANT TO OUR STAFFING SCENARIO IN THE SCHOOL DIVISION.
I WENT BACKWARDS AND IT WENT HAYWIRE ON ME.
AND IRONICALLY, RIGHT AFTER I TALKED ABOUT US BEING AN INNOVATOR IN TECHNOLOGY
I COULD NOT HAVE TIME THAT MORE DETRIMENTALLY.
ALRIGHT, I'LL BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CAUTIOUS THIS TIME.
SO BASICALLY WHAT THE SALARY ADJUSTMENTS HAVE MEANT FOR OUR SCHOOL DIVISION, WE SURVEYED US IN THE REGION COMPARED TO SEVEN OTHER SCHOOL DIVISIONS.
WE WERE BELOW THE MEDIAN IN ALMOST EVERY BAND.
THE ONLY BAND THAT WE WERE ABOVE THE MEDIAN ON WAS STARTING SALARY, WHICH WAS A GOOD THING BECAUSE WE WANNA BE ABLE TO RECRUIT AND DRAW TALENT.
AND WE WERE MOST COMPETITIVE THERE.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE COLUMN ON YOUR LEFT, THIS IS WHERE WE WOULD'VE RANKED.
HAD WE JUST DONE A BASIC 5% COST OF LIVING INCREASE FOR OUR 240 CLASSROOM TEACHERS, WE WOULD'VE BEEN RANKED NUMBER THREE AT ZERO.
WE WOULD'VE BEEN RANKED NUMBER FOUR FROM YEARS FIVE THROUGH 10.
WE WOULD'VE BEEN RIGHT AT A LITTLE BIT BELOW THE MEDIAN AT YEAR 15 AND SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW THE MEDIAN YEARS 20 THROUGH 25.
BECAUSE OF OUR EFFORTS TO MAKE A MARKET ADJUSTMENT FOR OUR TEACHERS, WE NOW RANK IN THE UPPER HALF AT EVERY BAND OF EMPLOYMENT.
THAT'S A GOOD THING, I BELIEVE.
I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE THAT THIS EFFORT PLAYED A GREAT HAND IN ALLOWING US TO FILL ALL OF OUR VACANCIES.
WE WERE ABLE TO RECRUIT TEACHERS FROM ALMOST EVERY SCHOOL DIVISION THAT BORDERS OUR COUNTY.
WE WRESTLED THEM FROM CHESTERFIELD, WE GOT 'EM FROM HANOVER.
NOT ONLY BECAUSE THIS IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO TEACH, BUT NOW WE'RE PAYING A COMPETITIVE SALARY.
DELEGATE MOVE INTO THE COUNTY.
WHEN THEY CAME TO WORK HERE, OR REGRETTABLY NO.
LAST YEAR THE NUMBER OF, UH, THE PERCENTAGE OF STAFF MEMBERS THAT WE HAVE WHO LIVED IN THE COUNTY WAS 48%.
I LEARNED THIS WEEK THAT THAT NUMBER IS NOW CLOSER TO 36%.
'CAUSE WE HIRED AN INFLUX OF FOLKS WHO DON'T LIVE IN THE COUNTY.
GOLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS RANKS IN THE TOP THREE SCHOOL DIVISIONS IN THE METRO RICHMOND AREA FOR TEACHER SALARIES.
THANKS TO THE RECENT MARKET ADJUSTMENT, NEARLY 60% OF OUR TEACHERS THAT WE SURVEYED RECENTLY INDICATED THAT THE MARKET ADJUSTMENT WAS AN INFLUENTIAL FACTOR IN THEIR DECISION TO REMAIN WITH THE SCHOOL DIVISION.
AND WITH THAT, I THINK WE'RE READY TO TAKE QUESTIONS ON EITHER THE COUNTY OR SCHOOL SIDE.
I WANTED TAKE HEAR ABOUT THE, UH, STATISTICS OF COLLEGE ADMISSIONS FOR THE GRADUATING CLASSES.
[00:40:01]
IT DEPENDS ON HOW WE LOOK AT COLLEGE ADMISSIONS.WE HAVE STU, THE, THE LINE CHAIR OF OUR STUDENTS DO LEAVE IN ADVANCE THEIR EDUCATION.
SOME DO IT THROUGH NOT A FOUR YEAR INSTITUTION, BUT A TWO YEAR INSTITUTION IF THEY DID NOT DO A CA WITH US AS REGISTERED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
BUT THE NUMBER OF KIDS WHO LEAVE US AND ENROLL AT A FOUR YEAR INSTITUTION OF LEARNING IS ABOUT 57%.
DID I MISS, UM, ANYTHING ABOUT DUAL ENROLLMENT? DUAL ENROLLMENT IS OUR A CA PROGRAM.
SO WHEN I, WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED, THOSE 60 KIDS WHO GOT THEIR, UH, ASSOCIATES DEGREE, THOSE STUDENTS WERE DUAL ENROLLMENT STUDENTS BETWEEN US.
AND I BELIEVE THAT REYNOLDS INDICATED THAT WE HAD THE HIGHEST DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAM IN THE COLLEGE SYSTEM.
WE DO'S SMALL COUNTY COMPARED TO THE BIG COUNTIES.
I WANTED TO HEAR ALSO ABOUT THE, UM, I KNOW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS BIG, BUT AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT.
AND IF THE KIDS WHO ARE STUDYING AG GO ON AND WHAT TYPE OF, UH, SUPPORT DO WE HAVE FOR THE FARMING COMMUNITY? GLAD YOU ASKED.
SOME OF OUR KIDS WHO STUDY AGRICULTURE, THEY TAKE BASICALLY TWO PATHWAYS.
SOME OF THEM ARE AMONG THE 28 STUDENTS THAT I SHARED WHO GO INTO THE WORLD OF WORK IMMEDIATELY.
MANY OF THEM GO TO PROGRAMS AND STUDY AGRICULTURE AS UNDERGRADUATES.
VIRGINIA TECH HAS PROGRAMS THAT SOME OF OUR STUDENTS SUBSCRIBE TO AND OTHER COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.
WE ARE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO EXPLORE OPENING AN AG OFFERING IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND, AND WE ACTUALLY ALREADY HAVE AG IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL.
BUT THIS ONE WOULD BE THE AG OFFERINGS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL NOW ARE PIPELINES TO OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAMS. THEY ARE CREDIT BEARING AND OUR STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN THOSE COURSES AS WELL, STARTING A LITTLE BIT SOONER THAN THE NINTH GRADE YEAR.
BUT OUR STUDENTS WHO DO TAKE AG DO GRADUATE AND MANY OF THEM MATRICULATE AND GO ON STUDY AGRICULTURE.
IF THEY DON'T ENTER THE WORLD WORK IN THAT FIELD.
ARE THERE ANY PROGRAMS IN PLACE TO DRAW THEM BACK TO GLAND TO SUPPORT THEIR DESIRE TO WORK IN AG FARMING, THAT TYPE OF THING? DO YOU HAVE ANY PARTNERSHIPS WITH CORPORATIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT TO BRING THEM BACK? NOT THAT I'M AWARE DIRECTLY.
I WILL SAY NOT WITH AG, BUT TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA IN ANOTHER FIELD, WE DO HAVE A TEACHERS FOR TOMORROW PROGRAM, WHICH I'M ALWAYS HAPPY TO GO WORK WITH AND COLLABORATE WITH THAT KIDS HAVE DECIDED THAT THEY WANT TO BE PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS, THAT THEY ARE GONNA GO OFF AND GET AN EDUCATION DEGREE.
AND IT'S OUR GREATEST HOPE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO LURE THOSE STUDENTS BACK.
I WAS ASKED TO COME AND SPEAK TO THE GROUP A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AND REALLY THOUGHT THAT WHEN I WALKED IN, THERE'D BE LIKE SEVEN OR EIGHT STUDENTS.
I WAS VERY JUST AMAZED TO SEE THERE WERE 22 KIDS IN THAT COHORT.
SO THESE ARE 22 KIDS, WHICH IF THE DATA HOLDS TRUE OUT OF THE 22, PROBABLY 1213 OF THEM WILL ACTUALLY ENROLL.
OF THOSE 12 OR 13, WE'LL PROBABLY GET NINE TO 10 WHO WILL ACTUALLY MATRICULATE.
AND OF THE NINE TO 10, WE MAY GET SIX WHO ACTUALLY ENTER THE WORKFORCES.
TEACHERS MARTIN, LEMME MENTION THAT GREEN SWELL, WHICH IS THE UNDER ROOF AG INDUSTRY THERE YES.
HAS AN INTERN PROGRAM WITH THE SCHOOLS AND HAS SPONSORED A NUMBER OF STUDENTS OUT THERE AT, UH, GREENWELL.
SO THERE IS, I'M GONNA MAKE THAT ALSO THOUGH IT'S NOT EXACTLY WHAT SAYING, BUT OUR PARKS AND REC HAS STARTED OUR AG FAIR UP AGAIN.
WE HAD OUR SECOND ONE THIS PAST, UH, FEW WEEKS BACK.
AND THE FFA AND AND THE COMPETITION NOW GIVES OUR LOCAL KIDS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE WHEN THEY HAVEN'T HAD THAT LOCAL OPPORTUNITY FOR YEARS.
AND FROM A FEW KIDS TO, UH, ONE YEAR AGO TO THIS YEAR, WE HAD QUITE A NUMBER OF KIDS BRINGING IN, UM, THEIR, THEIR CHICKENS AND THEIR, AND THEIR LIVESTOCK FOR COMPETITION.
SO, SO THAT'S SOMETHING WHICH IS BEING DONE AND IT'S GROWING AMONG THE YOUTH.
AND YOU CAN SEE HOW MANY KIDS WERE THERE THIS YEAR ON THE SECOND YEAR WE DID IT.
I KNOW THERE'S FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA IN THE SCHOOL, BUT I WONDER IF THEY'LL, THIS COUNTY'S GONNA TRY TO DRAW THEM BACK.
WELL, THERE'S TWO RECENT INDUSTRIES.
IS THIS MITCHELL? I TALK ABOUT WHEAT.
WELL, AND THEN HD MEATS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION UP THE SHANNON HILL AREA, WHICH WILL BE A LIVESTOCK, YOU KNOW, RENDERING.
SO, UM, THAT'S PART OF THE INDUSTRY.
IT'S NOT FARMING, BUT IT'S CRITICAL TO FARMERS.
SO, SO THE COUNTY IS TRYING TO SUPPORT THAT.
MOY, WHAT IS THE TWO PART QUESTION? WHAT IS THE CURRENT CAPACITY PERCENTAGE OF SCHOOLS AND IN YOUR PROJECTIONS, IS THAT GONNA BE INCREASING OR DECREASING? VERY GOOD QUESTION.
SO WHAT WE DID WHEN WE OPENED THE NEW SCHOOL IS WE ACTUALLY BUILT CAPACITY AT THE OTHER TWO SCHOOLS BECAUSE AS I MENTIONED, WE DREW KIDS FROM BOTH EITHER END OF THE COUNTY.
SO RIGHT NOW, UM, BIRD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROBABLY COULD MAX OUT AT ABOUT 350 STUDENTS.
THERE ARE ABOUT 240 STUDENTS AT THAT SCHOOL.
SO YOU THINK OF A GROWTH CAPACITY OF ABOUT 110 STUDENTS IN THE NORTHWESTERN PART OF THE COUNTY.
NOT CERTAIN WHAT THAT GROWTH IS LOOKING LIKE.
[00:45:01]
WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE HIGH SPEED INTERNET AS MR. CARPENTER IS SHARED, THAT'S DEFINITELY GONNA LEND TO MORE PEOPLE MOVING TO THAT AREA OF THE COUNTY.IF YOU LOOK AT RANDOLPH LAST YEAR, RANDOLPH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAD JUST A LITTLE OVER 400 STUDENTS, 87 ROUGHLY OF THOSE STUDENTS HAVE BEEN ZONED OUT TO GO TO GULA IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THAT SCHOOL'S GOT A CAPACITY, I BELIEVE OF ABOUT 420.
SO THERE'S STILL ROOM FOR GROWTH THERE.
AND THIS PERSISTS TO BE THE FASTEST GROWING PORTION OF THE COUNTY.
AND WE STILL HAVE ROOM, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, EVEN THOUGH I MENTIONED WE'VE GOT 520 SOME ODD AT GOLAND ELEMENTARY, THE CAPACITY OF THAT SCHOOL 700.
SO THERE'S STILL ROOM TO GROW IN THAT BUILDING AS WELL.
WHAT'S YOUR GROWTH PROJECTIONS THAT YOU SEE COMING COUNTY, BUT SOME, SOME IS SHOWING IN THEIR YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S A DIFFICULT VARIABLE TO PUT MY FINGER ON AS A SUPERINTENDENT.
AND THE REASON IS THIS, WE HAVE LOTS OF NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE COMING UP AND I'M NOT NECESSARILY SURE WHO'S BUYING THE HOMES.
SO IF PEOPLE ARE BUYING THE HOMES WITH SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN AND THEY ENROLL THEIR CHILDREN WITH US, NATURALLY WE CAN, COULD PROJECT THAT WE WILL HAVE, OR EXPERIENCE HIGHER ENROLLMENT IF THOSE HOMES ARE BEING BOUGHT BY PEOPLE WHO EITHER A, DON'T HAVE SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN, OR B HAVE SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN WHOM THEY PRIVATE SCHOOL OR HOMESCHOOL.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A DIFFICULT VARIABLE TO GET YOUR ARM AROUND BECAUSE PARENTS ARE EXERCISING SO MANY OPTIONS NOW IF THEY HAVE SCHOOL-AGED KIDS TO EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN.
OF THE ENROLLMENT THAT YOU SAW, HOW MANY OF THEM WERE COMING FROM DISTRICT FOUR AND DISTRICT FIVE INTO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM? ANOTHER DIFFICULT VARIABLE.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE LION'S SHARE OF THE 71 THAT WE CALL NEW STUDENTS, 48 OF THOSE KIDS ARE KINDERGARTEN KIDS.
SO THESE ARE KIDS WHO CAME TO US IN ALMOST A GROUNDSWELL BACK IN APRIL WHEN WE STARTED ENROLLING STUDENTS AND THOUGHT, WOW, ALL OF THESE KIDS.
AND THEN WE THOUGHT, THAT'S THE COVID BABY BOOM.
AND SO 48 OF THOSE KIDS WE KNOW ARE FIRST TIME ENROLLING KINDERGARTNERS.
HOW MANY OF THEM ARE SPECIFICALLY FROM THIS AREA? I WILL TELL YOU HOW ABOUT GREEN? I WILL TELL YOU.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE LINE SHARE, THEY SPLIT ALMOST EVENLY BETWEEN AND ELEMENTARY AND RANDOLPH.
SO IF WE TAKE 48, PROBABLY 22, 26 WITH ALL SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THAT ARE GOING IN, IN THIS SPECIFICALLY DISTRICT FOUR MM-HMM.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE MORE SINGLE FAMILY, UM, YOUNGER PEOPLE.
AND OUR LONG TERM, UM, CAPITAL PROJECTS, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN DOES INCLUDE LARGER, NEWER FACILITIES IN BOTH PLACES, BUT THEY'RE VERY WELL DOWN THE ROAD.
BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE WITH THE NEW GOIN ELEMENTARY AND HOW WE'VE REDISTRICTED ALLOWS US SOME ROOM FOR GROWTH IN OUR CURRENT SETUP.
I'M I'M TALKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY IN, UH, THE VILLE AREA.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO, THEY'RE GONNA BE GOING TO RANDOLPH.
BUT WHAT WE'VE DONE IS BECAUSE OF, BECAUSE OF THE REZONE, THOSE KIDS WHO LIVE CLOSER TO COURTHOUSE WHO WERE ORIGINALLY GOING TO RANDOLPH NOW ARE ZONED TO GO TO GOLAND ELEMENTARY.
AND THIS YEAR WE GRANDFATHERED OUR FIFTH GRADERS WHO WERE RISING FIFTH GRADERS.
THERE WERE FOURTH GRADERS LAST YEAR.
'CAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT ANYBODY TO HAVE AN EXPERIENCE WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE A SINGLE YEAR IN A NEW SCHOOL.
SO ALL OF OUR FIFTH GRADERS WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAY.
AND IF THEY HAD A SIBLING WHO WAS KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FOURTH GRADE, THAT SIBLING COULD STAY DURING THE FIFTH GRADE YEAR.
SO RANDOLPH, AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, HAD A GOOD NUMBER OF THOSE KIDS.
SO ONCE THOSE KIDS LEAVE RANDOLPH AS FIFTH GRADERS AND ANY SIBLINGS THAT THEY HAVE WHO ARE NOW ZONED TO GO TO GLAND GO THERE, THAT CREATES MORE CAPACITY AT RANDOLPH.
I DO BELIEVE WE'VE, IF IF THE QUESTION IS DO WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO MATCH CURRENT GROWTH, THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION'S, YES.
IF GROWTH ACCELERATES, WE'VE STILL GOT GOOD CAPACITY.
IT DEPENDS ON WHO'S BUYING THE HOME, WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE CHILDREN WHO ARE SCHOOL AGED AND RATHER OR NOT THEY'RE OPTING TO PUBLIC SCHOOL OR PRIVATE SCHOOL, THEIR KIDS OR HOMESCHOOL THEIR KIDS.
WELL, THAT'S, UH, CRYSTAL BALL IF YOU FIGURE THAT OUT.
[00:50:01]
MA'AM.UM, WE HAVE A GUEST HERE THIS EVENING WHO ASKED ME TO ASK A QUESTION.
UM, AND THAT IS THE IMPACT IN HOW ADMINISTRATION WORKS WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT IN OUR SCHOOLS AND HOW DECISIONS ARE MADE.
THE EXAMPLE GIVEN IF A CHILD SAYS HE HAS A KNIFE, UM, IF YOU WOULD ADDRESS YES MA'AM.
I'LL START WITH THE FIRST PART.
WE HAVE A WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GLAND COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THERE THANK YOU.
AND, AND, AND THERE ARE REPRESENTATIVES IN THE BACK WHOM, IF THAT WAS NOT AN ACCURATE ASSESSMENT, I'M SURE THEY WOULD'VE SHOUTED OUT.
WE, WE HAVE AN SRO FULL-TIME IN EACH OF OUR FIVE SCHOOLS, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE.
THERE IS A UNIFORMED GOLAND COUNTY DEPUTY ASSIGNED TO EACH ONE OF OUR FIVE SCHOOLS.
NOW, TO GET TO THE QUESTION ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IF A KID SAYS HE HAS A KNIFE AT SCHOOL, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THIS HAPPENS SOMETIMES UNDER BENIGN OR NON-THREATENING CIRCUMSTANCES.
WE HAD A STUDENT MIDDLE OF LAST SCHOOL YEAR WHO CAME AND SHARED WITH HIS ADMINISTRATOR.
I GUESS HE RECOGNIZED HE HAD IT ON THE BUS THAT HE HAD A UTILITY KNIFE.
HE'D BEEN WORKING WITH HIS DAD THE NIGHT BEFORE.
THE UTILITY KNIFE WAS PUT IN THE POCKET OF THE JEANS.
HE GOT UP THE FOLLOWING DAY AND WORE THE SAME JEANS TO SCHOOL.
NOW HE'S ON A SCHOOL BUS AND HE REALIZES UHOH, I'VE GOT A UTILITY KNIFE.
AND HE SELF-REPORTED HE WENT TO HIS ADMINISTRATOR UPON GETTING OFF THE BUS AND HE SAID, I HAVE SOMETHING THAT I SHOULDN'T HAVE IN SCHOOL.
TOTALLY BENIGN, TOTALLY PLAUSIBLE HOW THAT COULD HAPPEN.
THAT STUDENT, THE CONTRA MINE WAS SECURED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR.
FOR A PARENT TO COME PICK UP THAT STUDENT CARRIED ON WITH THE REST OF HIS INSTRUCTIONAL DAY WITHOUT INCIDENT.
THAT HAPPENS SOMETIMES KIDS HAVE CONTRA MINDD ON 'EM.
THEY RECOGNIZE IT UNDER THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT DON'T SELF-REPORT.
AND THEN ANOTHER STUDENT MAY SEE IT AND REPORT IT.
NOW THE DYNAMIC IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT BECAUSE THE STUDENT HAS THE SAME CONTRABAND, MIGHT HAVE THE SAME JUSTIFICATION FOR HAVING IT.
THE KEY PIECE THAT'S MISSING IN THAT VARIABLE IS THE, THE PIECE OF SELF-REPORTING.
AND THAT STUDENT MAY ENDURE CONSEQUENCE FOR THAT.
WE'VE NOT HAD THAT SCENARIO, BUT THAT'S A SCENARIO THAT COULD HAPPEN.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT, THERE COULD BE A STUDENT, AND I'M TALKING NOW, UM, IN TERMS OF POSSIBILITY, NOT THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED, BUT THERE COULD BE A STUDENT WHO COMES TO SCHOOL WITH CONTRA BOND KNOWINGLY WITHOUT THE INTENT TO DO HARM TO ANYBODY, JUST FOR WHATEVER REASON HAS IT.
BUT THOSE THINGS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON OUR CAMPUSES KNIVES.
AND BY CODE, ANY KNIFE WITH A BLADE BEYOND THREE INCHES BASICALLY IS WHERE WE DRAW THE THRESHOLD FOR THE CONSEQUENCE.
KIDS WITH KNIVES, WITH BLADES THAT ARE BEYOND THREE INCHES, USUALLY AN INDOOR SUSPENSION OF 10 DAYS WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR PLACEMENT, WHICH IS A SHORT TERM SUSPENSION, THAT'S THE MAXIMUM.
A 10 DAY SUSPENSION IS THE MAXIMUM THAT SCHOOL LEVEL ADMINISTRATION CAN ISSUE.
THE RECOMMENDATION FOR LONG-TERM SUSPENSION, IT COMES UP TO SOMEONE IN MY OFFICE, THAT SUSPENSION CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM 11 TO 364 DAYS AND BY CODE CONSTITUTE A LONG-TERM SUSPENSION.
OR IT COULD BE AN EXPULSION WHICH RESTS WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION.
IF IT DOESN'T, I'LL TRY AGAIN.
COMPARISON, IF YOU CAN GIVE US A FAIR ASSESSMENT.
IT'S A KNOWN FACT THAT THE PANDEMIC REALLY AFFECTED THE CHILDREN ALL AGES.
SO A SIMPLE QUESTION I HAVE IS CAN YOU GIVE US A FAIR ASSESSMENT AS TO WHERE WE ARE NOW? YES.
AS COMPARED TO WHERE WE WERE THREE YEARS AGO.
SO GOLIN EXPERIENCED REGRESSION IN LITERACY AND NUMERACY COMING RIGHT OUT OF THE PANDEMIC.
THAT'S, WE WEREN'T EXEMPT FROM THE PERILS OF EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE STATE, BUT OUR STUDENTS NOW ARE ACHIEVING AT PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS.
THEY ARE, AS I JUST SHOWED YOU, WE'RE RANKING HIGH IN THE STATE.
NOW THAT'S NOT TO IMPLY AT ALL THAT THERE'S STILL NOT ROOM FOR US TO GET BETTER BECAUSE IF I SHOW YOU, WHICH I DID A LITTLE BIT AGO, 82% OF OUR KIDS ARE EXCEEDING BENCHMARKS AND STATE STANDARDS FOR READING.
THAT MEANS THAT 18% OF THEM ARE NOT.
AND WE'RE WORKING IN MANY WAYS, NUMEROUS WAYS WITH NUMEROUS PARTNERS TO FILL IN THOSE GAPS FOR THOSE STUDENTS.
BUT HOLISTICALLY, OUR STUDENTS ARE ACHIEVING AT PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS.
[00:55:03]
AND THAT'S A TREND THAT BEGAN LAST ACADEMIC YEAR.ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE LEARNED AS YOU START ON TIME AT ON TIME, WE AT 6 58, AND SO BOTH OF THESE GENTLEMEN WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE QUESTIONS AND HOPEFULLY THEY'LL TAKE QUESTIONS AND NEIL AND I HAVE TO, BUT MICHAEL? YES SIR.
I'LL JUST SAY THIS IS THE ONE.