We’re LIVE! at the Danville School Board meeting. Be sure to refresh this page often for the latest happenings, photos and commentary. When we get home, we’ll clean the article up and add some bonus coverage. To see what’s on tonight’s agenda, click on this link.
Our LIVE! coverage should begin around 5:50 PM.
We’re underway.
Three out of the four student disciplinary cases are pulled from the consent agenda. Cheryl Bryant pulls two, Terri Hall pulls one.
Withers Jackson, hello! Juliet Jennings, welcome back and hello!
Ed Polhamus reads the Bullying Prevention Month proclamation, Transportation director Mike Adkins reads the School Bus Safety week proclamation. Schoolfield Elementary passed math and reading tests to get out of the “focus school” penalty status.
Public comment time: Petrina Carter speaks about domestic violence affecting school children. David Wilson talks for the “Citizens for excellence in education”. It looks like the Newsome supporters are the members of the group. Wilson’s speech agrees with the superintendent search process.
Becky Bolton reading at home, hello!
Terri Hall goes over the Budget Committee meeting minutes. Kathy Osborne says the budget process should be more transparent, so they will have four “how things work” sessions this month. Hall reminds people that committee meetings are open to the public. Steven Gould asks that Hall’s report be copied for the public. Polhamus agrees and says it will be on the website.
Kathy Osborne says that the new DCC precision machining partnership is planned to start this fall. Ed Polhamus describes himself as “gushy” over this initiative. Heh. Machinery will be at the schools.
Juliet Jennings gives the update of personnel. 14.5 teacher vacancies, 1 administrator, and 2 classified positions.
Some of those teaching positions are not classroom teachers. That number includes tonight’s actions.
Dave Cochran does his safety & security report. The school system has 2 walk-through metal detectors. There’s a big difference between Lockout & Lockdown. The panic & hysteria from that “Purge” issue was made worse by people confusing the two. Cochran mentions a debriefing of that “Purge”, which is the first time it’s been mentioned by the school system.
They’re looking into an anonymous text messaging system and a system that monitors open social media continuously for threats.
Academy of Engineering and Technology sounds like an awesome program. Kids get field trips and work with the latest technology.
Juliet Jennings presents 9 personnel items including 6 teachers to be hired. Board approves unanimously.
Policy revision of student restraint and seclusion is next. The Virginia School Board policy template called for up to a 15 day to notify parents in writing. Steven Gould wants that down to 3 days for writing and 24 hours by phone. Terri Hall asks to add documentation requirements. No action taken and sent back to the policy committee.
VSBA spring regional meeting will be held in Danville. This would be 20 school boards from the southern region. They come and visit a school, have a meal in the cafeteria then hear a speaker.
Disciplinary hearings are starting to pile up, so the board will start to schedule a separate day for the appeal hearings. State law says a 3 member committee can hear appeals and if their vote is unanimous, it speaks for the entire board. Wednesday October 22nd will be the first one.
Around the horn time. Kathy Osborne tells about the National Blue Ribbon award given to Galileo high school. GW gets a Blue Star award for 75% passing on financial literacy. She recaps donations.
Cheryl Bryant speaks about the good things she’s heard tonight. Terri Hall says thanks for the donations. Steven Gould reminds about budget meetings that are open to the public. Sharon Dones echoes the previous comments and praises the school bus drivers. Renee Hughes agrees with the previous comments. Philip Campbell notes that discipline cases are down. Ed Polhamus thanks Liz Jordan for her work as deputy clerk. He also talks about the career fair held in Chatham.
We’re done for the open session. We’ll clean this article up tonight.
The technology of the future (near future – already present in California) is 3-D printing. Companies are already using 3-D printers to make metal machined parts. Danville is already 10 years behind the curve on the next technology. We should be spending the money on technology our students will need 5 to 10 years down the road. Google 3-D printing and you will find home 3-D printers in the price range of desktop computers of several years ago. Amazon does 3-D printing on demand! The demand for precision machining jobs will start to decline within the next 10 years. Money down the drain!!!!!
10 years ago a young fella was doing 3 d printing. Hi. He did work for Rick doss and some others. Where is he now? California!!!
I don’t think it’s money down the drain. There will be precision machining for a long time even has 3D printing gets used more. They’re complimentary, and you are absolutely right that this should be the next step in the program for both DCC and the schools.
Discipline cases are down, yet discipline hearings pile up? ??
What am I missing?
Because they only do 2 or 3 each meeting
Good to hear downtown acknowledge the blue ribbon award.