Helpful Links. 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.. Will Uncle Rich ask the Supervisors to fund sugary unhealthy snacks that cause diabetes for the students? FOX 5's Sierra Fox explores the divisive debate going on over the Spotsylvania County School Board's new superintendent nominee. - SCPS Superintendent Mark Taylor, 17 days ago, Spotsylvania County Public Schools. Comments (-1) . SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. - Anger erupted at a Spotsylvania County School Board meeting with divisions on the board and community on full display Monday. The Spotsylvania County School Board voted for new officers and approved changes to its code of ethics and policies and regulations surrounding harassment and how meetings are conducted during its first regular meeting of the year Monday evening. The two write-in candidates shed supported, Holbrook and Nelms, won their races. Hes not going to lie to me about that, Shelley said. A Fredericksburg woman who bashed her former roommate in the head with a softball bat last year pleaded guilty to a felony charge Wednesday. This is the disclaimer text. 3 months ago, Spotsylvania County Public Schools. Previous Archives. See more: 6 months ago, Spotsylvania County Public Schools. Do Not Show Again Close. As the Regional Teacher of the Year, she's in the running to be the Virginia Teacher of the Year -- and the winner is announced TONIGHT! This is the second time Wilderness ES has earned this distinction. A special rallying cry on the right from parents who seem to have become energized during the turbulent era of Trumpian politics is the growing call to banish critical race theory, a college-level academic framework examining systemic racism whose name has become a catchall for school districts diversity and equity initiatives and their attempts to rethink the teaching of race in American history. SLE kicked off Day One with our keynote speaker session "Teaching and Leading with Focus" with Mike Schmoke. The board listened to several hours of public comments. How is this good for the students, the children of Spotsylvania County? This is an inclement weather update. Parents want to know how and why someone who is not an educator made it through the screening process. They were just incensed., It was all of us being so focused on public schools during distance learning, said Patrick Wolff, executive director of Families for San Francisco, which has endorsed the local school board recall effort and published reports critical of the school system. "I guess we live in a world now that our public schools would rather have kids read about gay pornography than Christ. Preparing Our Students for the Future at SLE 2022, Vaccine Clinic for Rising 7th & 12th Graders. You have permission to edit this article. Im loving it so far, Baker said, However, theres a lot to learn.. The board probably violated Virginia open meetings law, and it failed to identify an interim superintendent. In the first Spotsylvania County School Board meeting since sending their superintendent candidate's name to the state for approval, heated arguments erupted between parents and the board --- and . Attendees take their seats ahead of a contentious Spotsylvania County School Board meeting. Pre-Registration for 2022-2023 School Year is Now Open. Pre-Registration for 2022-2023 School Year is Now Open. 2016. 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. Shelley asked Kenny Forrest, executive director of operations, why these two donations were missing from the list for approval Monday. We're hosting a FREE clothing and food event on Friday, 9/30 from 5-7 PM! A Jan. 13 board meeting for the Orange Unified School . 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. Among the concerns raised by the public during comments was acting superintendent Kelly Guempels contract. Looking for a new lunch spot? Lee Hill District representative Lisa Phelps will serve as chair this year, and Berkeley District representative April Gillespie will serve as vice chair for a second year. The start of the Spotsylvania County Public Schools school year is just three weeks out. The fight is real.. 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. Shelley corroborated Scheffs account and stated that Guempel told her about the incident himself. UPDATED Virginia Immunization Requirements-please see our SCPS Health Services Page for July 1, 2021 updates to Virginia Immunization Requirements for schools. 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). Taylor has not said if the posts belong to him. These schools join Spotswood ES, which currently holds a Purple Star designation. After the meeting, you approached the acting superintendent with copy of the contract. Serving as vice chair will be April Gillespie, a mother with no prior school board experience who won her seat this fall. This is a developing story. Similar scenes played out across the country last fall, with highly motivated and organized parents involving themselves at an intimate level with every step of the school board election process. Frequently asked questions | Video explainer, K-12: Md. Twigg, Gillespie and the two other members of the newly dominant faction Rabih Abuismail and Lisa Phelps did not respond to requests for comment. School board meetings have been tumultuous for weeks as the board and the public has discussed the controversy surrounding superintendent candidate Mark Taylor. Comments (-1) . Twigg forged a contract and if people up here are defending him, then theyre just as guilty as he is.. {{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, Spotsylvania School Board members hold town hall meeting, Stafford School Board approves budget requesting $49.3M in new funding from county, 55 library books have been challenged in Spotsylvania schools since last year, Spotsylvania School Board approves budget, UMW College of Education hosting field trips for area fifth graders, 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. Twigg heads the conservative majority on the board that took over last year and immediately fired popular superintendent Scott Baker. The parent rights movement, which began in earnest about half a year ago, is showing no signs of abating as parents who won their school board races take office in the new year and start proposing changes while still others begin plotting future runs. The couple said they dont believe books with sexually explicit content, like pedophilia and prostitution, belong in a high school library. FREDERICKSBURG, Va. - There's a divisive debate going on over the Spotsylvania County School Board's new superintendent nominee. Melissa Floyd, the parent of a 6th grade and a 9th grade Spotsylvania County Public Schools student said her kids have lots of years left in the school district. Website Feedback. Together, we prepare our students for their future. 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. What is critical race theory? {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, By ADELE UPHAUSCONNER Come by at 6pm and learn about IB, CGS, and CTE opportunities! I cannot comment further as it is an ongoing investigation, LaCivita said in an email Tuesday. Part-time and hourly SOQ-funded positions will receive $500 bonuses. spotsylvania County board of supervisors. 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. Daniels and Cole had not voted when Twigg declared the meeting over. People attending Monday's Spotsylvania County School Board meeting wear red to protest the board's superintendent selection process. 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. Superintendent Dr. S. Scott Baker said he has faith in the librarians. 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. 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 Spotsylvania County School Board directed staff to remove books with sexually explicit material from libraries after a parent raised concerns about books available through a schools digital library app at Mondays meeting. 2017 (540) 656 - 2050. amsva@amsva.tv. Community members voiced. Congratulations to Brock Road ES, Lee Hill ES, and Wilderness ES for earning Virginia Purple Star Awards for the 2022-2023 school year! An area superintendent is out of a job after a contentious Spotsylvania County Public School Board meeting Monday night shifted the board's majority and put a member who supports burning books in charge. All rights reserved. Deborah Alexander, one of those who won, also attributed her victory in part to a widespread sentiment among parents that theyd been excluded from important educational decisions. Among the concerns raised by the public during comments was acting superintendent Kelly Guempels contract. Together, we prepare our students for their future. Shelley corroborated Scheffs account and stated that Guempel told her about the incident himself. STAND - Superintendent's Student Advisory Committee, Division Curriculum & Instruction Information, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Handbook, Code of Conduct, Pathways, Athletics & More, High School Student Resources for College, Parent/Student Handbook, Code of Student Conduct, Course Pathways, Athletics & More, SCPS Teacher Awarded National Honor in Cybersecurity Education, Spotsylvania County Public Schools Recognized as a 2021 America's Best Midsize Employer, SCPS Ranked on Forbes 2021 America's Best Employers Listing, 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). Phone: 540-507-7000. The school district says the process yielded 21 applicants and 11 were interviewed. Loading. Peter Cihelka / The Free Lance-Star. His silence prompted fellow board member Nicole Cole to complain, You have not stated any justification or ability to fill the position. Spotsylvania County schools will present the school budget at the Board of Supervisor's meeting tonight at 6pm. 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? Mr. Please subscribe to keep reading. 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.. Blue Bell Ice Cream came by to congratulate 2023 VA Teacher of the Year Ms. Fabiana Parker and surprise her with four of her favorite flavors of ice cream! I think we should throw those books in a fire, Abuismail said. Head over to Longhorn Steakhouse Southpoint this Saturday, September 24th between 9am and 1pm for a car wash to help our CHS Choir make it to Universal Studios this January! 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. There was a problem saving your notification. UPDATED Virginia Immunization Requirements-please see our SCPS Health Services Page for July 1, 2021 updates to Virginia Immunization Requirements for schools. Schools will open two hours late. At its last meeting, Twigg abruptly fired well-regarded Superintendent Dr. Scott Baker, who had . Kirk Twigg, 65, who. Meeting Live Streaming; Members; Schools & Voting Districts; Superintendent Search; . Motion Information Browser: Browser Version: Server: Username: Meeting: Meeting Status: New Meeting: Agenda Item: Committee: Voting Item: You can cancel at any time. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. 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. In the coming months, Baker will prioritize ending pandemic-related school closures, he said. Our school board has generously approved Friday, March 10th as a day off for all teachers, students, and staff. Salem District representative Lorita Daniels was attempting to address concerns raised to her by parents of special education students when Twigg called for a vote to adjourn the meeting. 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. 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. When board member Kirk Twigg was elected . You can use this area for legal statements, copyright information, a mission statement, etc. 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. Wed not been paying attention, and now we are.. 2 months ago, Spotsylvania County Public Schools. "No one parent should dictate what every child reads, what every family has access to, because we have such varied and diverse values," Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the association's Office for Intellectual Freedom, said. Click for more info: 16 days ago, Spotsylvania County Public Schools. It was late in the campaign season, so Holbrook and Nelms would have to campaign as write-in candidates, historically a difficult path. Live Feed | Spotsylvania County Public Schools A message from the Superintendent: TAKE THE DAY OFF! More information: 4 months ago, Spotsylvania County Public Schools. Attempts to reach Taylor were unsuccessful. He said deputies will continue to be available to respond to any emergencies that might occur at school board meetings. Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Parents should have as much control as they wish [over education], Earl wrote in an email. Phelps was nominated by Gillespie and elected by a 43 vote, with previous chair Kirk Twigg and Abuismail joining Phelps and Gillespie. Copyright 2023 Spotsylvania County Public Schools. Great job! Parent-activists, seeking control over education, are taking over school boards. Shelley said she gave information about the acting superintendents contract to Virginia State Police and that everything has now been turned over to the state Attorney Generals office. Tense and chaotic Spotsylvania School Board meeting ends with little action taken. Spotsylvania County Public Schools Recognized as a 2021 America's Best Midsize Employer. Thank you Blue Bell! You can get 'em out of here,' the morale of the deputies over the past several months has just decreased rapidly, and when we're asked to do things that are obviously a violation of the First Amendment It's a depressing job to be there and be treated -- to see the public treated the way they are by members of the school board, primarily the chairman, he said. We hope to hear answers to the following questions. At Monday's board meeting, one major topic of discussion will be the shortage of teachers and bus drivers . 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. The bonuses will be paid in October to all eligible staff who receive a paycheck on Sept. 30. The SCTC Caf is opening up this Wednesday, October 5! Government; Business; Services; How Do I. Parents have been boxed out; theyve not been included. 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. Spotsylvania County schools will present the school budget at the Board of Supervisor's meeting tonight at 6pm. Youre going to terminate a superintendent for no reason. Boeing employee bought lottery ticket because it was at $747M, a nod to the aircraft. After the break, board member Rabih Abuismail asked Twigg to waive the five-person limit per subject. Our school board has generously approved Friday, March 10th as a day off for all teachers, students, and staff. Attendees take their seats ahead of a contentious Spotsylvania County School Board meeting. The letter, which The Free LanceStar obtained through a Virginia Freedom of Information Act request, is dated the day after the School Board met in a closed session to discuss the two finalists for the superintendent position. The board took no public vote at that July meeting to recommend Taylor, who formerly was the Spotsylvania County administrator and is a longtime friend of Twigg, for the position. There was a problem saving your notification. amsva.tv. 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.
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