Prince William County Public Schools

School Board Meeting of June 2, 2021

The School Board Approved:

• The Contract of Purchase for the Security Residence Trailer at Graham Park Middle School, and authorize William Miller to register the transfer of title to the School Board;
• The Chairman At-Large to execute legally approved utility easement documents for portable classroom relocations to meet school opening and operational requirements during the summer recess. Staff will furnish a list of executed utility easements to the School Board by the first School Board meeting in September;
• The award of a contract for the Reagan Middle School additions to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder (PDF), Henley Construction Company, Inc., in the total amount of $2,188,040;
• The purchase of liability and property insurance policies (PDF), as submitted by Virginia Risk Sharing Association (VRSA), in the amount of $1,615,685; the excess workers' compensation policy, as submitted by Aon Risk Services (ARS), in the amount of $395,429; and that the Prince William County School Board continues to be self-insured for workers' compensation and other self-insured exposures, with the funds being administered from Fund 022 to pay for any losses that may occur and for which the School Board is legally obligated to pay;
• An annual retainer agreement (PDF) for fiscal year 2021-22 for legislative/lobbying/legal services provided (PDF) by James Council, Esq.;
• The School Board meeting minutes (PDF) for May 19, 2021; and
• The appointment of Daaina Sharifi and Charlotte Flynn as student representatives to the Prince William County School Board and Mekelet Suraphel as the alternate student representative to the Prince William County School Board for the 2021-22 school year.

Citizens addressed the School Board on the following topics:

• Revisions to the Code of Behavior
• Sustainability Initiative

Student Representative Matters:

• Sustainability Initiative

Staff Presentations:

• Revisions to the 2021-22 "Code of Behavior"
• Sustainability Initiative Status Update (PDF)

Superintendent's Time:

• Presented by Deputy Superintendent, Keith Imon, on behalf of Dr. Walts:
• I will be standing in for Dr. Walts tonight during his absence tonight so that he can attend his daughter's final dance concert and performance.
• Even during a pandemic, our School Division continues to earn accolades. The Virginia School Counselor Association has elected Melissa Leischner, school counselor at Bristow Elementary School, to serve on its board of directors. Ms. Leischner is one of nine members on the board and will serve a three-year term. As a member of the board, Ms. Leischner hopes to serve as an advocate on behalf of all Virginia school counselors and students. She said she looks forward to helping school counselors provide comprehensive school counseling programs to meet the needs of every student.
• During the pandemic, the Virginia Science Education Leadership Association elected Julia Renberg, supervisor of Science and Family Life Education, as its next president. Ms. Renberg was voted in as president at the organization's 2021 spring conference and her appointment took effect immediately. She will serve a two-year term.
• Dr. Walts shared that he has had the opportunity recently to visit several schools and participate in some classroom activities during the pandemic. Jenifer Mayes, a second-grade teacher at Kyle Wilson Elementary School, held a virtual field trip with her class to see a beehive up close and personal. Ms. Hayes' husband is a beekeeper who took students inside the hive to meet the queen bee, drones, and worker bees.
• Later that same day, Dr. Walts visited Springwoods Elementary School, where he played a hand bell, exercised with the physical education students in the virtual Jungle Ninja Run, and talked to students and staff about their experiences this school year, during the pandemic. He also recently attended and congratulated our graduates at PACE West, stopped by both Tyler Elementary School and Swans Creek Elementary School, attended the celebration of the publication of works for students at Unity Reed High School who participated in The Origin Project, and cheered on the tennis athletes at the last home competition for the Woodbridge High School teams.
• During a previous meeting, we congratulated our Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year. Our Communications team has been completing videos to help you get to know our outstanding winners a little better. Tonight, we will share those two videos, beginning with Teacher of the Year. (Play PWCS Teacher of the Year - Jamie Dziuba and PWCS Principal of the Year - Amy Schott.)
• As you know, our amazing School Food and Nutrition Services staff has been feeding our families since the pandemic began. At last count, they had served nearly 22 million meals. With the school year coming to an end shortly, this important service to our community will experience some changes. June 7th will be the last day of the bulk meal service, with PWCS serving a week's worth of groceries on that day. When summer school begins, PWCS will provide free meals at 62 sites for students in attendance with select locations offering times available to the public. We will be sharing more specific information through our website, social media, emails to families, The Scoop, and local media, so please watch for more information soon.
• Because of the pandemic, Virginia Code and authority granted by the General Assembly has required our School Board agenda topics to be limited. Because of this limitation, we have temporarily suspended Board recognition and approval of many proclamations honoring various observances. However, I do think it is important to mention these additional observances. June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month. PWCS recognizes that together we can celebrate one another and foster a welcoming environment for all students and staff. June 19th is Juneteenth, which is the oldest known commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. It marks the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, the last of the former Confederate states to abolish slavery, finally heard that the Civil War had ended, and learned that the Emancipation Proclamation had made them free nearly two years earlier. Although this year Juneteenth is on a Saturday, PWCS will close on Friday, June 18 to recognize this important occasion with a holiday for employees.
• As Dr. Walts stated at the last School Board meeting, he has a proposed plan for a one-time employee pandemic pay adjustment.
• As you recall, the Superintendent's Proposed 2020-21 Budget included a 2% employee cost of living adjustment, in addition to the step increase, and this was then unanimously approved by the School Board in the Adopted Budget.
• Unfortunately, the pandemic came shortly thereafter, and with an abundance of caution regarding economic uncertainty, that 2% increase was removed.
• Tonight, I am pleased to share that our financial picture has improved.
• As such, the Superintendent will propose as part of the final year-end adjustments, brought per standard protocol to the School Board at the next meeting, a one-time 2% pay adjustment for all active employees with a minimum of $1,000, therefore, no active employee would receive less than $1,000.
• While not a cost of living adjustment, because it is only a one-time pay adjustment, the Superintendent's proposal provides the School Board an opportunity to honor the intent of the School Board's original unanimous decision regarding providing a 2% raise.
• The Superintendent's proposal also fulfills the request of School Board Members who have expressed interest in rewarding and thanking all of our dedicated employees for the extra work that was done for our students, their families, and our community, as we close-out the pandemic-affected school year.
• Based on individual conversations with School Board members regarding this plan, we also understand that the School Board may also consider a plan of its own for a one-time pay adjustment.
• Thank you and stay safe and healthy.

Policies:

First Readings-No action is required on first readings. 

• New Policy 495 (PDF), "Sustainability"