FCPS Board Meeting Summary
February 6, 2023
About the Meeting
Recognitions
Character Education Spotlight
Optimist Student of the Month
Angel Annor was recognized as the James Monroe High School Optimist Student of the Month for February.
James Farmer Scholars Inductees
The following students were recognized as 2022 - 2023 James Farmer Scholar Inductees:
Jaida Asante
Charles Battiste II
Nathan Bayton IV
Harmony Jones
Laila Taylor
Camryn Walker
Elijah Wilson
Arianna Housey
Suniya Johnson
Navi Kawesi-Mukooza
ZaMihrah Parker
Middle School and Division Spelling Bee Winners
Grade Level Bee Winners:
• 6th Grade champion: Nanjeeba Moral
• 6th Grade runner up: Adam Loudhabachi
• 7th Grade champion: Jaedin Matthews
• 7th Grade runner up: Wynasia Parker
• 8th Grade champion: Eve Wenger
• 8th Grade runner up: Mya Stewart
Division Spelling Bee Winners were:
Division Champion – Adam Loudhabachi
Division Runner-Up – Nanjeeba Moral
Walker-Grant Middle School World Geography Bee Winners
6th Grade Winners:
1st Place Adam Loudhabachi
2nd Place Etham Azimi
7th Grade Winners:
1st Place Zyair Franklin
2nd Place Thomas Castellarin
3rd Place Caleb Hine
8th Grade Winners:
1st Place Adam Brough
2nd Place Ryan Willging
3rd Place (tie) Eve Wenger and Susannah Furrow
Additional Qualifiers to State Finals:
Luana Silva, 8th grade
Marlie Jurlando, 8th grade
Cyrus Linsner, 7th grade
Cody Simon, 8th grade
School Bus Transportation Employees Appreciation Day
Excellence In Teaching
Mrs. Fidler recognized the recipients of Excellence in Teaching:
Jackie Haynes, Early Childhood Special Education Teacher
Barbara McGinnis, Head Start Teacher
Scarlett Walker, Teacher of the Year, Early Childhood Special Education Teacher/Virginia Preschool Initiative Teacher
Jodi Ehlen, First Grade Teacher, Hugh Mercer Elementary
Madison Scovell, Fourth Grade Teacher, Hugh Mercer Elementary
Hailey Wilson, Teacher of the Year, Hugh Mercer Elementary
Megan Davidson, Lafayette Elementary
Patricia Slane, Lafayette Elementary
Grace Foreman, Teacher of the Year, Lafayette
Jaida Robinson, Walker-Grant Middle
Melissa Wilson, Walker-Grant Middle
Sheila Comfort, Teacher of the Year, Walker-Grant
Barbary Dyer, James Monroe High
Audrey Rackley-Rio, James Monroe High
Meredith Gompf, Teacher of the Year and Division Teacher of the Year, James Monroe
Rappahannock Rotary Community Foundation Grant
School Board Clerk Appreciation Week
School Board Appreciation Month
February is School Board Appreciation Month. Board members were recognized and celebrated for the work they do for the students and staff of Fredericksburg City Public Schools. They were presented with certificates and gifts.
Jennifer Boyd, Chair
Malvina Kay, Vice Chair
Jarvis Bailey
Janan Holmes
Kathleen Pomeroy
Matthew Rowe
Hearing of Citizens
David Ismerio addressed the Board regarding bullying awareness and bullying prevention. He shared a situation he and a friend had experienced on the bus that made them uncomfortable.
Raygan Decarlo addressed the Board regarding the situation that his child experienced on the bus.
Luke Wright shared that he was running for Senate. Mr. Wright applauded all the teachers that were recognized at the meeting this evening. He shared a positive experience he had with his fourth-grade teacher in Maryland and how that experience had stayed with him.
Consent Agenda
January 9, 2023, School Board Budget Work Session were approved:
http://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/frcps/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=CMXHPN4976D8
January 9, 2023, Regular School Board meeting:
http://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/frcps/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=CKCP6F60B1E8
Revised 2023 - January 2024 Board meeting schedule:
Revised -2023 Board Meeting Dates.pdf (boarddocs.com)
VSBA Polics Services Contract Renewal:
Action Items
Personnel Items
Personnel Packet 020623 - Minutes.pdf (boarddocs.com)
JMHS Choral and Drama Departments Field Trip Request - Universal Studios
Universal Studios Trip Request 2024 - JM Choral Department School Board.pdf (boarddocs.com)
JMHS Choral Department Field Trip Request - Busch Gardens
Busch Gardens Trip Request 2023 - JM Choral Department School Board.pdf (boarddocs.com)
2023 - 2024 Instructional Calendar
Informational Items
The State of Fredericksburg City Public Schools Student Learning in 2022 - 2023
Social Emotional Learning Personnel Support Report
Monthly Financial Report
Facilities & Safety Update
1. CTE Cosmetology Lab at James Monroe:
Work is almost complete to upgrade power to the 20 workstations in the Cosmetology lab. This project should be nearing completion soon.
2. LED Lighting:
LED lighting retrofitting is now on-going at Lafayette Elementary School.
Now that the gym has been fully retrofitted, Walker Grant Middle School is almost completed with a few lights remaining.
Work has been completed at James Monroe High School, except for the auditorium. Cannister lighting fixtures needed to finish that job have not yet arrived but are anticipated shortly.
3. Transportation Efficiency Project:
The procurement process was utilized to support the Transportation Efficiency Project. A vendor was selected after conducting interviews and viewing demonstrations from several national firms.
This project will improve automated routing, provide GPS tracking for the parent app, track driver safety, and manage bus maintenance. Initially 10 buses will have tablets to provide “turn by turn directions”, with additional buses outfitted with tablets in the future.
4. Electric Bus Charging Stations:
A revised minor site plan addressing comments from the City Planning Department has been submitted. Once the plan is approved, site work will begin. One area for further discussion with the Planning Department will be the total number of parking spaces on campus. The minor site plan has fewer than code currently recommends. We will be working with the City to explore options to devise a plan that will be accepted. As you know, the charging stations are funded through a grant obtained from Dominion Power and will be used to recharge the division’s 10 grant funded e-buses.
5. Successfully Resolved Sewer Issue at Hugh Mercer Elementary:
On Friday January 20th, a sewer blockage occurred at Hugh Mercer Elementary School. Maintenance department personnel and an outside vendor were able to successfully remedy the situation over the weekend with no disruption to normal school operations. Due to the nature and immediacy of the situation, it was necessary to utilize emergency procurement procedures to obtain the vendor’s services, which were crucial to a satisfactory resolution.
The following safety update was given:
Safety
- Division-wide training for Crisis Management was held on Friday January 20 from 9am to 2pm. Every school sent their crisis management teams. Additionally, the division’s crisis management team was present. Police, Sheriff, Fire, and Emergency Services were present. During the training, FCPS was presented with three different scenarios. Each group present went through discussion on what they would do in that specific scenario/case. The groups were able to react to one another. The training was exceptional as it allowed FCPS to build strong relationships and understanding.
- Following that training, schools were asked to review crisis plans in order to be better prepared.
- Police have completed training in all FCPS school buildings.
- The Safety Summit was held on February 2. Members of Police, Sheriff, and Fire met with schools to discuss safety and security issues.
- Narcan Training has been completed. Several people also completed train-the-trainer and were given Narcan to personally carry for community issues.
- FCPS is replacing 4 doors at WGMS for security reasons.
- FCPS is meeting with companies who offer weapons detection systems and integrated camera systems for alerts. This is costly equipment and systems. More information will be provided.
Middle School Update
- FCPS met with the Idlewild HOA on January 17, 2023, to review the new middle school design and building materials. The meeting was required to solicit any exterior building design input and feedback from the Idlewild HOA. The neoclassical design seemed to match the Idlewild neighborhood. There was one question whether the exterior design of the new school was compatible with the American Gothic design of the Downman House. It was discussed that the exterior design is compatible with the vernacular of the Idlewild community.
- FCPS met with First Choice on January 19, 2023, for two sperate meetings. The first reviewed the IT, Security and electrical systems and the design direction. The second meeting involved plumbing, mechanical systems, and controls.
- FCPS met with the City’s Technical Review Committee (TRC) on January 26, 2023, to begin moving forward with site plan approval and reviewed the site plan items raised by the City TRC members.
- FCPS met with First Choice on January 26, 2023, to review color palette materials for the building exterior construction. Also, the Steering Committee began looking at examples for interior color palettes and carpeting options. The interior color palette final decisions are a long way off; this is just to begin the interior finishes color discussion.
- FCPS will change a CTE room into a joint use room in the event that additional music space is needed. This will be a CTE/Music room.
- FCPS anticipates that a mid-March / early April 2023 groundbreaking will occur.
- Regarding state construction funding. The House Appropriations Committee recommended a number of changes to the School Construction program. The language regarding the fiscal stress index refers to “allowing the most favorable year among three years of fiscal stress index data.” This is favorable to Fredericksburg City. FCPS hasn't seen any proposed changes in the Senate. All amendments were due to be posted by the afternoon of February 7, 2023. This is great news and FCPS is grateful to Delegate Durant for assisting us with these changes.
Old Business
New Business
2023 VSBA Spring Superintendent Evaluation Workshop - Dr. Catlett is attending.
VSBA Four-Part Webinars: March 16, 2023, April 11, 2023, May 18, 2023, and June 15, 2023 - Mrs. Boyd, Ms. Holmes, & Mrs. Pomeroy are attending.
2023 March Hot Topic Conference March 15, 2023
National School Boards Association (NSBA) Annual Conference - April 1 - 3, 2023 - Ms. Kay is attending.
Good of the Order
Dr. Catlett shared that Laura Worley of McGuire Woods had been instrumental in scheduling time with members of the General Assembly for them to speak with during the VSBA Capital Conference.
Mr. Rowe thanked the staff of Walker-Grant Middle School for implementing the Geography Bee. and shared that he would be happy to assist if they did it again next year.
Mr. Bailey noted the safety of the buildings. He shared his recent experience of being in a building during SWAT training.
Next Meeting Dates
School Board meetings are held at the Walker-Grant Center (unless otherwise noted).
- Regular School Board Meeting: March 6, 2023 - 6:30 Closed Session/7:30 Open Session at the Walker-Grant Center
- Public Hearing on the budget: March 6, 2023, 7:30 p.m.
View Meetings
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Fredericksburg City School Board
Fredericksburg City School Board Contact
Email: awilson@cityschools.com
Website: www.cityschools.com
Location: 210 Ferdinand Street, Fredericksburg, VA, USA
Phone: 540 372 1130