Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. People attending Monday's Spotsylvania County School Board meeting wear red to protest the board's superintendent selection process. We're holding a FREE vaccine clinic for both required and certain optional vaccinations. 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. A Fredericksburg woman who bashed her former roommate in the head with a softball bat last year pleaded guilty to a felony charge Wednesday. Come by at 6pm and learn about IB, CGS, and CTE opportunities! Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Education Department leaders involved in Spotsylvania schools superintendent search Skip to main contentSkip to main content Register for more free articles. See more: 6 months ago, Spotsylvania County Public Schools. Books with sexually explicit content have come under fire across the country. See what's LIVE here! The board listened to several hours of public comments. 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. UPDATE: The ESSER III survey will be open until September 2023, instead of the original closing date of December 23, 2022. Parents should have as much control as they wish [over education], Earl wrote in an email. 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. Taylor said he is preparing to make his budget presentation later this month and announced that through a small, internal audit of full- and part-time positions, the finance and human resources team discovered 25.5 teaching positions that have been funded but unadvertised and unfilled since at least 2019. Its pretty ugly out here in school board races. Check back with FOX 5 for updates. In Virginia, Spotsylvania County schools superintendent S. Scott Baker announced he would be retiring at the end of the year. "Im all about the kids, and when I look at this national disgrace that we see from some of the school board members, it'sjust gut-wrenching to me, to be perfectly honest with you," he said. "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. SCPS Retirees - please be sure to check out the HR Retirement webpage for updated information and the new Aetna Welcome Packet. Mr. It simply isnt the case. Do Not Show Again Close. This was captured on the broadcast before you adjourned, Scheff said. GRADUATION INFORMATION -- All 2023 high school graduations will be held on Saturday, May 20th at 8:00 a.m. about 2 months ago, Spotsylvania County Public Schools, CONGRATULATIONS to this year's Spelling Bee Champion Amaanat Banwait, a 5th grader at Spotswood ES, and Runner-Up Daphne Reno, a 7th grader at Battlefield MS! 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. His silence prompted fellow board member Nicole Cole to complain, You have not stated any justification or ability to fill the position. Twigg forged a contract and if people up here are defending him, then theyre just as guilty as he is.. Will Uncle Rich ask the Supervisors to fund sugary unhealthy snacks that cause diabetes for the students? But it offered an undeniable show of strength proof that the Spotsylvania school system, like many others around the country, is entering a new era, under new power. By Hannah Natanson. 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 board will meet again Thursday and Friday in special meetings with closed sessions to discuss the superintendent search, according to the posted agendas. "When the chairman of the school board says to the deputies, 'Ive heard enough. 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. (Community education councils are akin to county school boards in other states.) 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. Visitors; Search In an interview with The Post in November, a few weeks before he decided to leave his job, Baker said he felt as though he were under attack from a group of people, many of them parents, who were speaking regularly at board meetings to advance what seemed to be a national political movement to disrupt education. Taylor said he will provide that information as part of the budget process. Comments (-1) . Regional Web TV. Public comments regarding thePhysical Education SOL will be received atvdoe.stem@doe.virginia.govfromFebruary 11-March 11. Parents generally know what is going to work best for their child and should be able to choose where and how their child is educated.. burning books. I cannot comment further as it is an ongoing investigation, LaCivita said in an email Tuesday. "I think its unethical now when he was asked about it because Twiggs campaign manager is the wife of Mark Taylor so yes, theres definitely something going on, and just from that aspect alone he should not be the person for our superintendent," said Dana McFarren, another concerned Spotsylvania County Public Schools parent. 2017 (540) 656 - 2050. amsva@amsva.tv. The. The start of the Spotsylvania County Public Schools school year is just three weeks out. The firing, in other words, wasnt just superfluous. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. 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. To hire Mark Taylor as superintendent, the Spotsylvania County School Board took the unusual step of engaging state Department of Education officials. Spotsylvania School Board members Lorita Daniels and Rabih Abuismail attended a town hall me. 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. "It makes us scared for our kids' future. Because of the added Student/Teacher holiday, this means that the number of Inclement Weather Days will be reduced by two. Baker could not be reached for comment. SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, V.a. 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! Board of Supervisors Seating Chart Planning Commission Other Regional Meetings Agenda & Meeting Minutes Meeting agendas and minutes are available for review. I think we should throw those books in a fire, Abuismail said. Phelps was nominated by Gillespie and elected by a 43 vote, with previous chair Kirk Twigg and Abuismail joining Phelps and Gillespie. 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. 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. The Spotsylvania School Board voted 4 to 3 in favor of Taylor getting the approval for a superintendent license. 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. Fredericksburg Area Regional Food Bank will be there with food donations. He said the positions have a value of $1.9 million and that we have very definite ideas of the highest and best use of those 25.5 positions to meet the needs of this division.. 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. One of the items was a $4,500 monthly stipend, on top of his principals salary, for him to assume the role of interim.. I think its a cynical movement and politicians are using it for their own gain.. In the coming months, Baker will prioritize ending pandemic-related school closures, he said. Click for more info: 16 days ago, Spotsylvania County Public Schools. A Spotsylvania man found dead following a single-vehicle crash early Monday may have suffered a medical emergency prior to the crash, police said. SLE kicked off Day One with our keynote speaker session "Teaching and Leading with Focus" with Mike Schmoke. Asked about their motivations for pushing parents rights, a deeply conservative Texas pastor and a lifelong liberal and father in San Francisco gave answers more remarkable for their similarities than their differences. 2017. This is an inclement weather update. 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.. Amy Snead hit her breaking point two days before the start of this school year, when her Virginia district reversed a policy allowing parents to choose whether their children wore masks at school. What's offensive to one person, might not be to another, board member Baron Braswell noted, echoing the request for time. The Virginia Board of Education is hosting two virtual public hearings for the proposed Driver Education and Physical Education Standards of Learning Tuesday, February 8, 2022 and Wednesday, February 16, 2022. Dawn Shelley nominated Lorita Daniels to serve as chair, but Twigg, Phelps, Gillespie and Abuismail did not support that nomination. 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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? (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). In the same video, Schillinger of the Back to School PA PAC said her group promoted 210 parent candidates just in the state of Pennsylvania, 60 percent of whom won their races. The election saw a record number of parents campaign for council positions, according to New York government data reported by Chalkbeat up from about 1,000 in 2019 to 1,785 candidates in 2021. Public comments regarding the, For complete details, visit https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/VADOE/bulletins/308feea. The board later went into recess when the mood on the dais and in the audience grew hostile. 2 min read. Schools will open two hours late. 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. I mean this is really terrifying for what theyre trying to do for public education," said Rich Lieberman, a Spotsylvania County Public Schools parent. Community members voiced. You can use this area for legal statements, copyright information, a mission statement, etc. 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. We find ourselves in a sort of perpetual defensive posture, he said. Phone: 540-507-7000. Mr. While many of the groups identified by The Post clearly espouse conservative goals, the parent push for greater control over the classroom is attracting people of all political persuasions. Click the pics for more info! Please subscribe to keep reading. Spotsylvania County Public Schools Recognized as a 2021 America's Best Midsize Employer. Shelley corroborated Scheffs account and stated that Guempel told her about the incident himself. To have something like this that could really traumatize a kid if they just check out a book because it looks cool and then they open it up and start reading it, some of the things they'll come across is just shocking, Robert Burris said. I cannot comment further as it is an ongoing investigation, LaCivita said in an email Tuesday. 5 months ago, Spotsylvania County Public Schools. The Spotsylvania School Board will be considering a Prepackaged Food Donation policy at their February 13th meeting. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Taylor said "no" and that he hadn't seen them. SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. - Anger erupted at a Spotsylvania County School Board meeting with divisions on the board and community on full display Monday. Spotsylvania County schools will present the school budget at the Board of Supervisor's meeting tonight at 6pm. The Virginia Board of Education will meet on Thursday, Sept. 15 to review Taylor's candidacy. ", 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.. If approved, the school board will then vote on a contract. This means students and staff will have the entire week of November 21-25 off, and will return to class on Monday, November 28. 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. Kirk Twigg, 65, who. But its an effective message, Schneider said. Will Shameful Shelley ask the Supervisors 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. The meeting stretched into the early hours of Tuesday morning, with public comments lasting for almost two hours. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. I think the parents that were motivated to run for office felt that their point of view about what they wanted to see in education was not being elevated, Chu said, pointing especially to arguments about the citys gifted and talented programs. The end came unceremoniously for Superintendent Scott Baker. 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. Feedback from this survey will reviewed every six months while the survey is open. The district also ended mask requirements and contact tracing, effective Feb. 1. Monday night marked the first time Christina and Robert Burris spoke before the school board. Click for more details: 22 days ago, Spotsylvania County Public Schools. It's everything Spotsylvania County 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. At its last meeting, Twigg abruptly fired well-regarded Superintendent Dr. Scott Baker, who had . Spotsylvania County Public Schools new chief of staff will be responsible for general staff administration and serving as the legislative li. Taylor and his wife are directors of Twigg's nonprofit corporation called Emerging Stars. Congratulations to our 2022-2023 Division Teacher of the Year, Battlefield Elementary special education teacher Mrs. Laura Brooks! Many accused Taylor of making offensive social media posts, which were cited by one board member who voted "no." 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. Live Streaming & Archive of School Board Meetings; FY2023 Budget Information; (FOX 5 DC) - An area superintendent is out of a job after a contentious Spotsylvania County Public School Board meeting Monday night shifted the board's. A parent stepped up to a microphone in a nondescript room, glanced at a sheet of prepared remarks and claimed the school board . The board approved a motion by Gillespie to have staff provide information about the two donations to board members prior to the next regular meeting. 12-month employees and essential employees are to report to work on time as safety permits. On October 10, 2022, the School Board voted to extend Fall Break to include Monday, November 21 and Tuesday, November 22. 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. Spotsylvania County Public Schools8020 River Stone DriveFredericksburg, VA 22407Phone: 540-834-2500webmaster@spotsylvania.k12.va.us. On July, Twigg sent a letter to former Culpeper councilman Jon Russell, then a special counsel at the Virginia Department of Education, informing him that Mark Taylor was the final candidate for the superintendent position.. Screenshots of the agenda are below. To enter Kindergarten next fall, a child must be 5 years old on or before September 30, 2023. Our school board has generously approved Friday, March 10th as a day off for all teachers, students, and staff. At this years inaugural board meeting, on Jan. 13, one of the first things Holbrook said he did was vote for a new policy extending public comment to 40 minutes and allowing four minutes of speaking time per person. 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. I dont think that this is an earnest movement. In response, Twigg told Shelley, You give me a superintendent, I give you a meeting.. Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox.