(Video: Granite School District). Sheriff: Spotsylvania Deputies Will No Longer Provide Security at John J. Wright Educational & Cultural Center. Mondays meeting of the Spotsylvania School Board ended after five hours over the objections of three members, and without the board taking up any new or unfinished business. Cole, along with board member Dawn Shelley, was pressing for board Chair Kirk Twigg to schedule a work session and special meeting to address needed capital improvement projects. The bonuses will be paid in October to all eligible staff who receive a paycheck on Sept. 30. SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. (7News) Spotsylvania County School Board members left Monday night's meeting a few hours before sunrise Tuesday, ending a nine-hour meeting with little action taken . News & Opinion with some humor/satire on issues in Spotsylvania County. . PreviousArchives. Spotsylvania school board fires Superintendent Scott Baker | wusa9.com If you dont use it, the Bb footer will slide up. A revised list of December donations was presented to the board for approval on Monday with two items missingan innovative teaching, or IDEA, grant for $1,996 for Salem Elementarys Diversity Book Project and a $1,497 grant from the Spotsylvania Education Foundation for Thornburg Middle Schools Social, Emotional Learning Project.. In response, Twigg told Shelley, You give me a superintendent, I give you a meeting.. Strong movements have sprung up in bastions of liberalism such as New York City, where a parent group dissatisfied with attempts to reform gifted tracking programs placed more than 60 candidates onto school boards this past fall, and San Francisco, where irate parents are pursuing the recall of three board members, in part, over a much-derided attempt to rename schools. The board probably violated Virginia open meetings law, and it failed to identify an interim superintendent. You can use this area for legal statements, copyright information, a mission statement, etc. Youre going to terminate a superintendent for no reason. Government; Business; Services; How Do I. Tensions flare at Spotsylvania County School Board meeting over Helpful Links. A total of 55 library books have been challenged in Spotsylvania schools since May 2022, according to information provided by the school divis, The Spotsylvania School Board on Wednesday approved a $461 million operating and capital improvement budget for fiscal year 2024, which begins. There is now no restriction in division policy on the number of people who can speak on any given topic during public comments at board meetings. Spotsylvania County Public Schools - Simple Agenda Detailed Agenda Current Agenda Item Current Policy Item Current Library Item Goal Progress Report Minutes PrintClose Audio Player Video Agenda Yes or no? Download for Android: NOTICE OF CANCELLATION: PLEASE BE INFORMED THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD'S REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2022, HAS BEEN CANCELED. Public comments regarding the, For complete details, visit https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/VADOE/bulletins/308feea. But its an effective message, Schneider said. Superintendent Dr. S. Scott Baker said he has faith in the librarians. To enter Kindergarten next fall, a child must be 5 years old on or before September 30, 2022. One of the items was a $4,500 monthly stipend, on top of his principals salary, for him to assume the role of interim.. TAKE THE DAY OFF! This is the disclaimer text. Earlier in the meeting, Twigg stated that he would be enacting a School Board policy that permits the chair to limit the number of speakers on any given topic to five. A Jan. 13 board meeting for the Orange Unified School . In Virginia, Amy Sneads efforts with Bedford Moms for Liberty bore fruit, too. Nine months after becoming the first major U.S. historic site to be led by descendants of those once enslaved there, Montpelier is freshly opt, During Mondays bond hearing, it was revealed Snead no longer has visitation rights with her son, a student at Fishburne Military School in Wa. Mom says trans eighth-grader was questioned by Texas officials at school, Floridas largest school system blocks LGBTQ History Month declaration, Trust in teachers is plunging amid a culture war in education. What's offensive to one person, might not be to another, board member Baron Braswell noted, echoing the request for time. After the meeting, you approached the acting superintendent with copy of the contract. The board voted 60 to order the removal, with one member not in attendance. Around the same time, she realized two members were up for reelection on the Bedford school board, and she discovered two fathers Matthew Holbrook and Dwayne Nelms who were willing to run and who shared the values of our organization, Snead said. In Oregon, a parent group called Oregonians for Liberty in Education developed a voters guide for local school board races across the state, said vice president Natalee Maxfield, although the guide which the group posted on its website and sent out in email newsletters included only candidates who aligned with our organizations values.. Spotsylvania County - FOX 5 DC Scheff said that Guempel asked for a higher monthly stipend and that Twigg crossed out the $4,500 amount and changed it to $8,500. Nonetheless, she plunged in: The roughly 200 local members of Moms for Liberty which grew through word of mouth and social media posts started sharing a flood of information about the election on Facebook, as well as attending community events. Parent-activists, seeking control over education, are taking over school boards, Biden set for first veto on Senate bill opposing climate-friendly investing, Global carbon dioxide emissions hit new highs last year, says IEA report, Young women are criticized for this vocal tic but it helps whales survive, recently suggested the school district should burn books, most of the PACs funding came from one Republican donor, reversed a policy allowing parents to choose, empowers conservative parents to seek change in their school systems, ended mask requirements and contact tracing, Md. Together, we prepare our students for their future. So they said, Well, if youre not going to listen to me, Im going to become the one [on the school board] who will listen.'. The school district says the process yielded 21 applicants and 11 were interviewed. Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors | RegionalWebTV The board listened to several hours of public comments. Social Services. 5 months ago, Spotsylvania County Public Schools. Schools will open two hours late. He also wants to bring the ideas of the people to the table and implement their ideas, he said, to help realize his vision in which parents are hands-on in every aspect of the childs education from helping with homework at home to deciding what gets taught in the classroom. Several people spoke in favor of Taylor Thursday, including three Spotsylvania School Board members who said Taylor is the victim of a orchestrated smear campaign. After the break, board member Rabih Abuismail asked Twigg to waive the five-person limit per subject. She said her group is supporting two people who plan to run, and that Power 2 Parent is currently seeking additional qualified candidates who believe in parents rights. The firing in Spotsylvania is a dramatic example of a parent-led takeover of school boards that is happening nationwide, with mothers and fathers seeking seats, recalls of sitting members or both. Spotsylvania School Board holds first regular meeting of 2023. In Nevada, Deborah Earl, vice president and founding member of parent-advocacy group Power 2 Parent, is targeting the November school board races in the Clark County School District. [Twigg] took it upon himself to nearly double the salary of the acting superintendent in secret, Scheff said. At Monday's board meeting, one major topic of discussion will be the shortage of teachers and bus drivers . Division staff are proposing to spend $1 million on transportation for special education students, $1.8 million to address a rise in utility costs and $3.1 million on renovations to Spotsylvania Middle School. On July 9, School Board Chair Kirk Twigg wrote former Culpeper councilman Jon . To enter Kindergarten next fall, a child must be 5 years old on or before September 30, 2023. The start of the Spotsylvania County Public Schools school year is just three weeks out. The board agreed to remove one proposed change to the public comments policy that would limit the number of speakers who are able to address the board on any one topic. Schools VA, in your pocket. Riverbend High School Principal Troy Wright and school librarians have been looking into the parents concerns since they were raised with the school last week, Teaching and Learning Director Darnela Sims said, asking for more time to review existing vetting processes. Parents have been boxed out; theyve not been included. If you dont use it, the Bb footer will slide up. I cannot comment further as it is an ongoing investigation, LaCivita said in an email Tuesday. The criteria for pulling books from circulation this week is sexually explicit, but the board plans to refine how material is determined to be objectionable for a further review of library holdings. He asked Spotsylvania Sheriffs Office deputies to remove two people from the meeting when they started to address Taylors appointment, and threatened others with removal. According to William Scheff, following the June 21 meeting at which the board approved Guempels appointment, Twigg asked Guempelwho had been principal of Spotsylvania High Schoolto stay behind to sign some documents. And in Virginia, Matthew Holbrook, one of the candidates assisted by Sneads Moms for Liberty chapter, said he is relishing the moment. The Virginia Board of Education will meet on Thursday, Sept. 15 to review Taylor's candidacy. DC could be option for new Washington Commanders stadium: report, Tennessee becomes first state to ban drag shows on public property, DC Cherry Blossoms: 2023 peak bloom date predictions revealed, Pot smoking lounge set to open in Montgomery County is first of its kind, DC government employee accused of killing Karon Blake indicted, 15-year-old from Frederick missing for days, DC police formed specialized team to confiscate illegal ATVs and Dirt Bikes. (540) 656 - 2050. amsva@amsva.tv. Victoria LaCivita, a spokeswoman for the Attorney Generals Office, confirmed that the complaintas well as one alleging that Twigg misappropriated public funds by paying for board members April Gillespie and Lisa Phelps to attend a conference with ties to a conservative political action committee in Marchhas been received by the office. See what's LIVE here! 2016. Also in a 4-3 vote, the board chose to re-elect April Gillespie. "When the chairman of the school board says to the deputies, 'Ive heard enough. The couple said they dont believe books with sexually explicit content, like pedophilia and prostitution, belong in a high school library. Mr. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). The board also requested a report next week on how books are selected for digital and hard copy library collections and indicated that it will consider a division-wide library audit. In a December video titled School Board Bootcamp, the director of the right-leaning 1776 Project PAC, Ryan Girdusky, said his group supported more than 50 school board candidates across seven states last year, 42 of whom he said won their elections. The district also ended mask requirements and contact tracing, effective Feb. 1. The board will meet again Thursday and Friday in special meetings with closed sessions to discuss the superintendent search, according to the posted agendas. Forrest said he did not have an explanation and would need to get a response. Abuismail also did not offer an explanation. school apologizes after video shows White students singing n-word | Perspective: Navigating the wilderness, avoiding predators urban and rural | Teacher quits in protest after being punished for banned-books sign, Higher ed: BYU says probe found no evidence of racial slurs at Duke volleyball player |Will college students show up to vote in November? We have GREAT NEWS! He asked Spotsylvania Sheriffs Office deputies to remove two people from the meeting when they started to address Taylors appointment, and threatened others with removal. We're hosting a FREE clothing and food event on Friday, 9/30 from 5-7 PM! The proposed 2022 Physical Education SOL reflect a comprehensive review of the standards and include edits to enhance clarity, specificity, rigor, alignment of skills and content, and reflect current research and practice. Copyright 2023 Spotsylvania County Public Schools. Critics have said Taylor isn't qualified to lead the school district and that the process in bringing his name forward was flawed. No comprehensive data captures the scope of this parent-led effort, but the groundswell appears to be massive: According to the political database website Ballotpedia, there were 91 recall attempts lodged against 235 school board members nationwide in 2021, a huge spike from the average of about 30 recall attempts every year since 2009. SCPS Retirees - please be sure to check out the HR Retirement webpage for updated information and the new Aetna Welcome Packet. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Independent Contractor (Newspaper Carrier), Spotsylvania woman, 29, killed in crash Thursday morning, Woman pleads guilty to bashing former roommate with bat, Police cite medical emergency in Spotsylvania crash, Spotsylvania approves rezoning, making way for 'techno campus', Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Virginia aerialist wins 'Americas Got Talent: All Stars', New commuter bus routes coming to Fredericksburg area, Spotsylvania man convicted after being caught in child pornography sting, KFC is bringing back a fan favorite after a nearly 10-year hiatus, Spotsylvania schools' new chief of staff will be "legislative liaison" for school division, Spotsylvania School Board member charged with forgery, Virginia State Police seek public's help in fatal crash investigation, Spotsylvania man convicted of felony in driveway shooting, Global race is on to improve EV range in the cold, Moscow reportedly threatened new parents in Ukraine: Register your newborns as Russian or else, The impact of climate change will be felt worse in these three U.S. cities, Scientists reveal hidden corridor in Great Pyramid of Giza. On January 27, 2022, the Virginia Board of Education received for first review the proposed revisions to the 2015 Physical Education Standards of Learning (SOL). He said deputies will continue to be available to respond to any emergencies that might occur at school board meetings. I have covered education, local government and social services for the Free Lance-Star since 2016. See what's LIVE here! What is critical race theory? school apologizes after video shows White students singing n-word, Perspective: Navigating the wilderness, avoiding predators urban and rural, Teacher quits in protest after being punished for banned-books sign, BYU says probe found no evidence of racial slurs at Duke volleyball player. We believe in a merit-based admissions system and that accelerated programs should be expanded, not canceled.. I dont think that this is an earnest movement. A Fredericksburg woman who bashed her former roommate in the head with a softball bat last year pleaded guilty to a felony charge Wednesday. We're holding a FREE vaccine clinic for both required and certain optional vaccinations. In 4-3 vote, Spotsylvania County school board elects Lisa Phelps as new Some candidates have been recruited top-down by national groups like Moms for Liberty, but much of the activism is being led at the local level by smaller networks of angry parents. Parent-activists, seeking control over education, are taking over school boards. Snead, a 40-year-old mother of four, had been unhappy with the schools handling of the pandemic for a while, especially with the Bedford County Public Schools decision to cancel in-person sports for much of the pandemic. A message from the Superintendent: Regional Web TV. A Fredericksburg woman who bashed her former roommate in the head with a softball bat last year pleaded guilty to a felony charge Wednesday. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Spotsylvania County Sheriff Roger Harris says his deputies will no longer provide security for school board meetings due to a situation that has become a "festering sore.". Thank you Blue Bell! News | Spotsylvania County Public Schools Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Our school board has generously approved Friday, March 10th as a day off for all teachers, students, and staff. Website Feedback. All rights reserved. Twigg banged his gavel and ordered deputies remove a woman who was speaking at the podium during a meeting Monday night. ", Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information, Twigg said he wants to see the books before we burn them so we can identify within our community that we are eradicating this bad stuff.. The Spotsylvania County School Board also directed staff to report on the number of books that have been removed at a special meeting called for next week, The Free Lance-Star reported. Screenshots of the agenda are below. Among the concerns raised by the public during comments was acting superintendent Kelly Guempels contract. Board member Nicole Cole asked how staff know these positions were unadvertised and unfilled and whether they are included in the current number of vacant positions or are in addition. Meanwhile, parents in other places are looking ahead to the next school board elections. 2018. click here to learn more about . The push for parents rights in education is a break from a more traditional public-school notion in which all residents of a county, not just parents, fund school systems, vote for school board members and hold school officials accountable, said Jack Schneider, associate professor of education at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. Together, we prepare our students for their future! This means students and staff will have the entire week of November 21-25 off, and will return to class on Monday, November 28. Spotsylvania parents concerned over superintendent candidate On January 27, 2022, the Virginia Board of Education received for first review the proposed revisions to the 2015 Physical Education Standards of Learning (SOL). Don't forget! Books with sexually explicit content have come under fire across the country. We wanted to make sure the voices of parents continued to be heard, but also recognized and listened to, she said. The meetings live feed ended about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, as board member Nicole Cole was still speaking. Twigg asked that the microphone be cut off on several people who started to express concerns about the boards appointment of Mark Taylor as superintendent, stating that the limit on speakers who could address that topic had been reached. One of the first actions the group took at its inaugural meeting in January apart from firing the superintendent was to appoint as chairman Kirk Twigg, one of the board members who proposed burning books. Twigg then led the effort to name Taylor, who is one of his friends, as the new superintendent. Spotsylvania County schools will present the school budget at the Board of Supervisor's meeting tonight at 6pm. Although parents have long served on school boards, this crop of activists is campaigning to restructure American public education so that parents, whether or not they come from an educational background, can serve as final arbiters for a wide range of issues, from whether masks should be optional to what books are available in childrens libraries. HR Retirement webpage for updated information and the new Aetna Welcome Packet, Live Streaming & Archive of School Board Meetings, 2022-2023 Parking Permit Application & Agreement, Blackboard Web Community Manager Privacy Policy (Updated). On October 10, 2022, the School Board voted to extend Fall Break to include Monday, November 21 and Tuesday, November 22. Mondays meeting of the Spotsylvania County School Board ended after five hours over the objections of three members, and without the board taking up any new or unfinished business. This was captured on the broadcast before you adjourned, Scheff said. Twigg forged a contract and if people up here are defending him, then theyre just as guilty as he is.. Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. The parent movement spans the political spectrum and reflects a grievance born during the pandemic when parents queued for hours at school boards nationwide to share their concerns with upended schooling, often running over their allotted speaking time that school officials are not listening to the people whose children they were supposed to serve. Everyone, cross your fingers for Thornburg MS teacher Ms. Fabiana Parker tonight! Shelley corroborated Scheffs account and stated that Guempel told her about the incident himself. Monday night marked the first time Christina and Robert Burris spoke before the school board. The dethroned superintendent, it was felt, had not left enough decision-making power to the families of some of his students, although Braswell said personal enmity also played a role. Elsewhere, parent takeovers of school boards appear to be proceeding with less drama although its early days yet, and most boards are still scheduling or holding initial meetings. All other employees will report two hours late. Four board members who describe themselves as advocates of parents rights drove the decision, said Baron Braswell, a long-serving Spotsylvania board member who stepped down last year but has kept in touch with his former peers. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Mr. In Texass Houston Independent School District, for example, Kendall Baker a pastor supported by Scarboroughs group, Recover America attended his first-ever board meeting as a member last week. Wed not been paying attention, and now we are.. Do Not Show Again Close. Education Department leaders involved in Spotsylvania schools superintendent search Skip to main contentSkip to main content Register for more free articles. Preparing Our Students for the Future at SLE 2022, Vaccine Clinic for Rising 7th & 12th Graders. On July 9, School Board Chair Kirk Twigg wrote former Culpeper councilman Jon Russell, then a special counsel at the Virginia Department of Education, telling him Mark Taylor was the final candidate for the superintendent position.. Its pretty ugly out here in school board races. We hope to hear answers to the following questions. The, 2022 Physical Education SOL reflect a comprehensive review of the standards and include edits to enhance clarity, specificity, rigor, alignment of skills and content, and reflect current research and practice. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Congratulations to Brock Road ES, Lee Hill ES, and Wilderness ES for earning Virginia Purple Star Awards for the 2022-2023 school year! Superintendent Mark Taylor in his comments said he will address the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to present the School Boards request to spend carryover funds from the fiscal year that ended June 30. Click the pics for more info! Spotsylvania County Public Schools / Homepage - SCPS Superintendent Mark Taylor, 17 days ago, Spotsylvania County Public Schools. Bakers ouster is especially noteworthy because he had already announced in December, shortly after the elections in which Twigg and his coterie gained a majority, that he would retire. In Spotsylvania, said retired board member Braswell, it is unclear what plans the new majority has for the beleaguered school district or even why it deposed the former superintendent, Scott Baker. The meetings of the Spotsylvania County Public School Board begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Board Meeting Room of the Administrative Services Building, 8020 River Stone Drive, Fredericksburg, Virginia. Together - We Prepare Our Students for Their Future The Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors approved a rezoning for a proposed techno campus at Tuesday nights meeting. And Snead knew nothing about school board elections: A stay-at-home mother for the past 15 years, with some experience in hotel management before that, she had no political or activism experience. In response, Twigg told Shelley, You give me a superintendent, I give you a meeting.. Daniels and Cole had not voted when Twigg declared the meeting over. |, Culture wars: Mom says trans eighth-grader was questioned by Texas officials at school | Floridas largest school system blocks LGBTQ History Month declaration | Trust in teachers is plunging amid a culture war in education, Virginias fight over schools: Youngkin criticizes trans rules, eases path to becoming a teacher in Va. | Judge thwarts Va. Republicans effort to limit book sales at Barnes & Noble | Virginia Board of Education delays review of history standards, Entering a third academic year disrupted by the pandemic, and in the midst of another covid-19 wave, parents, students and teachers are near a breaking point. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). The Virginia Board of Education would still need to approve or certify Taylor for consideration due to the lack of specific qualifications he has for the superintendent role. The board later went into recess when the mood on the dais and in the audience grew hostile. Conservatives target school books confronting race, sex and gender

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