"Weve had one of the best school systems anywhere around and now all of a sudden we are looked upon as a jokester situation.". On Monday, the board went into recess when the mood on the dais and in the audience grew hostile. Together, we prepare our students for their future. Among the concerns raised by the public during comments was acting superintendent Kelly Guempels contract. 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. Parents say it's alarming that Taylor and the school board chair Kirk Twigg seem to be good friends. Attempts to reach Taylor were unsuccessful. 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. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Visitors; Search 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. Among the concerns raised by the public during comments was acting superintendent Kelly Guempels contract. 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. 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.. In a video posted on the Spotsy Parents for Public Education Facebook page, Rich Lieberman asked Taylor after the vote if he wanted to comment about the social media posts. SCPS Retirees - please be sure to check out the HR Retirement webpage for updated information and the new Aetna Welcome Packet. Discord in San Francisco schools, on race and reopening, looms large. Im loving it so far, Baker said, However, theres a lot to learn.. Also in a 4-3 vote, the board chose to re-elect April Gillespie. 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. By Hannah Natanson. 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! THE FREE LANCESTAR, 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., Culpeper man faces felony drug charges following traffic stop, KFC is bringing back a fan favorite after a nearly 10-year hiatus, Virginia woman pleads guilty to bashing former roommate with bat, Brick City Grille offers steak and seafood in Culpeper, More animal cruelty charges filed against ex-Virginia horse show judge, Low bid $3.58 million for Culpeper station pedestrian bridge, more than double original estimate, Culpeper's Clatterbuck recognized for 20 years on Public Transportation Board, 2 hospitalized in Missouri crash involving General Lee car from Dukes of Hazzard, Louisa teen killed in Friday night car crash, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Fourth Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson is Germanna descendant, Town bracing for increase in purchase power costs as Dominion invests in renewables, Spanberger meets with Madison farmers in new part of 7th District, Woman reported missing 31 years ago and declared dead has been found alive in Puerto Rico, Montpelier announces 2023 projects, new vision, Bond denied for Gordonsville mom accused of abducting son from military school, 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. Public comments regarding the, For complete details, visit https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/VADOE/bulletins/308feea. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. In Spotsylvania County, the board has shown its willingness to take matters into its own hands. 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. FOX 5's Sierra Fox explores the divisive debate going on over the Spotsylvania County School Board's new superintendent nominee. Wed not been paying attention, and now we are.. 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. Attendees take their seats ahead of a contentious Spotsylvania County School Board meeting. We have to be clear on what is offensive and should not be in our schools and what should be, he said. In response, Twigg told Shelley, You give me a superintendent, I give you a meeting.. When board member Kirk Twigg was elected . I think we should throw those books in a fire, Abuismail said. We hope to hear answers to the following questions. A Spotsylvania woman was killed early Thursday in a two-vehicle crash in the county, police said. The board voted 60 to order the removal, with one member not in attendance. 12-month employees and essential employees are to report to work on time as safety permits. See what's LIVE here! 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. 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 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. 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.. Because of the added Student/Teacher holiday, this means that the number of Inclement Weather Days will be reduced by two. Spotsylvania School Board holds first regular meeting of 2023. Reporting on Earths changing climate and the people trying to find solutions to one of the biggest challenges of our era. What is critical race theory? 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). I have covered education, local government and social services for the Free Lance-Star since 2016. We're holding a FREE vaccine clinic for both required and certain optional vaccinations. SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, V.a. 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.. UPDATE: The ESSER III survey will be open until September 2023, instead of the original closing date of December 23, 2022. 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. 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). 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. Kindergarten Pre-Registration for 2023-2024 school year will open on Monday, March 6th. We have GREAT NEWS! FREDERICKSBURG, Va. - There's a divisive debate going on over the Spotsylvania County School Board's new superintendent nominee. The SCTC Caf is opening up this Wednesday, October 5! The board will meet again Thursday and Friday in special meetings with closed sessions to discuss the superintendent search, according to its posted agendas. 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. 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. He said deputies will continue to be available to respond to any emergencies that might occur at school board meetings. 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. This was captured on the broadcast before you adjourned, Scheff said. In Pennsylvania, Schillingers Back to School PA PAC distributed $700,000 to favored school board candidates half a million of which was donated by one Republican father, Paul Martino, who said he gave the money because he was desperate to see schools open. TAKE THE DAY OFF! For so many years, so many people just filled in whatever bubble [for school board] these races had really fallen off peoples radars, Snead said. Please subscribe to keep reading. See more: 6 months ago, Spotsylvania County Public Schools. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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.". Both will go on to compete at the Regional Spelling Bee for a shot at competing at Nationals. Spotsylvania County Public Schools8020 River Stone DriveFredericksburg, VA 22407Phone: 540-834-2500webmaster@spotsylvania.k12.va.us. The Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors approved a rezoning for a proposed techno campus at Tuesday nights meeting. Shelley corroborated Scheffs account and stated that Guempel told her about the incident himself. Spotsylvania County 9104 Courthouse Road Spotsylvania, VA 22553. 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! There was a problem saving your notification. Officials add Taylor has a long history in the area and appropriate credentials sine he has overseen the money allocated to the school division and has knowledge of school budgets and organizational administration. Please subscribe to keep reading. (540) 656 - 2050. amsva@amsva.tv. Screenshots of the agenda are below. . This article was published more than1 year ago. 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 . Live Streaming & Archive of School Board Meetings; FY2023 Budget Information; Schools VA, in your pocket. 2 months 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. Now the board has a new majority five of seven members that can be counted on to vote in favor of greater parental involvement in education. 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 live feed ended about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, as board member Nicole Cole was still speaking. 2023 FOX Television Stations, Maryland 529 whistleblower says he warned agency about negative impacts to parents' accounts, Tom Sizemore, 'Saving Private Ryan' Actor, Dies at 61 after suffering brain aneurysm. Meeting Live Streaming; Members; Schools & Voting Districts; Superintendent Search; . Frequently asked questions | Video explainer, K-12: Md. 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. To enter Kindergarten next fall, a child must be 5 years old on or before September 30, 2022. You have permission to edit this article. Tense and chaotic Spotsylvania School Board meeting ends with little action taken. Dawn Shelley nominated Lorita Daniels to serve as chair, but Twigg, Phelps, Gillespie and Abuismail did not support that nomination. This is malfeasance, plain and simple.. She joined three other board members who share similar views, two of whom recently suggested the school district should burn books that Christian parents find objectionable. Serving as vice chair will be April Gillespie, a mother with no prior school board experience who won her seat this fall. School board member Dawn Shelley, however, made a correction stating 11 names did not come to them and they interviewed way fewer than 10 candidates. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. There, they chatted for hours with voters about each of the candidates. Screenshots of the agenda are below. John J. Wright Educational & Cultural Center. Copyright 2023 Spotsylvania County Public Schools. Twigg banged his gavel and ordered deputies remove a woman who was speaking at the podium during a meeting Monday night. The vote came after hours of public comments from dozens of people, mostly against allowing Taylor to lead the school system. 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. We find ourselves in a sort of perpetual defensive posture, he said. bottom of page . 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.'. (Video: Granite School District). Please click the appropriate link below Meeting Agendas Meeting Minutes Parents are demanding more transparency while officials are staying tight-lipped about his close connection with the school board chair. 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 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. Feedback from this survey will reviewed every six months while the survey is open. We wanted to make sure the voices of parents continued to be heard, but also recognized and listened to, she said. In Virginia, Spotsylvania County schools superintendent S. Scott Baker announced he would be retiring at the end of the year. At the Jan. 10 meeting, Twigg refused to give a reason for firing the superintendent, according to The Free Lance-Star. Mr. Contact Us. Phone: 540-507-7000. At a contentious and chaotic school board meeting in Virginias Spotsylvania County this month, members moved into an unplanned closed session and voted to fire Baker, who had served in the role for a decade. 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. The new president of the Spotsylvania County School Board in Virginia, Kirk Twigg, has given some parents pause for concern due to previous comments he's made and yes, it involves the old fascist chestnuts of homophobia and book burning. The first of our Advanced HS Programs Information Night is TONIGHT at Courtland HS. Many accused Taylor of making offensive social media posts, which were cited by one board member who voted "no." The district also ended mask requirements and contact tracing, effective Feb. 1. 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. The couple said they dont believe books with sexually explicit content, like pedophilia and prostitution, belong in a high school library. 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. How does this make sense? About a week later, shortly after the board held an emergency closed session to appoint an acting superintendent, the Spotsylvania Education Association voted that they had no confidence in the school board. Two school board members, Rabih Abuismail and Kirk Twigg, said they'd like to see the removed books burned. Critics have said Taylor isn't qualified to lead the school district and that the process in bringing his name forward was flawed. The bonuses will be paid in October to all eligible staff who receive a paycheck on Sept. 30. How is this good for the students, the children of Spotsylvania County? "The connection with our school board chair is really worrisome," Floyd said. Youre going to terminate a superintendent for no reason. Community members voiced. Our school board has generously approved Friday, March 10th as a day off for all teachers, students, and staff. What's offensive to one person, might not be to another, board member Baron Braswell noted, echoing the request for time. His silence prompted fellow board member Nicole Cole to complain, You have not stated any justification or ability to fill the position. The Virginia Board of Education will meet on Thursday, Sept. 15 to review Taylor's candidacy. UPDATED Virginia Immunization Requirements-please see our SCPS Health Services Page for July 1, 2021 updates to Virginia Immunization Requirements for schools. We believe in a merit-based admissions system and that accelerated programs should be expanded, not canceled.. 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. Boeing employee bought lottery ticket because it was at $747M, a nod to the aircraft. 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. Helpful Links. The board probably violated Virginia open meetings law, and it failed to identify an interim superintendent. Attendees take their seats ahead of a contentious Spotsylvania County School Board meeting. You can use this area for legal statements, copyright information, a mission statement, etc. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). But after the mask flip-flop, she decided to start a chapter of Moms for Liberty, a national group that empowers conservative parents to seek change in their school systems, which she had heard about through a friend in Florida. A Washington Post review of websites and social media accounts identified more than 180 active parent groups in at least 34 states, the vast majority of them formed within the last two years to push for greater parental involvement in public-school education and many of which fielded or supported candidates in last years elections. 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.. Forrest said he did not have an explanation and would need to get a response. Abuismail also did not offer an explanation. The PAC also hosted trainings for its candidates, Schillinger said, on everything from running a campaign to the best method for circulating a petition. "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. The board will meet again Thursday and Friday in special meetings with closed sessions to discuss the superintendent search, according to the posted agendas. ", 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.. Don't forget! Board member 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. 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. This is malfeasance, plain and simple.. Copyright 2023 Spotsylvania County Public Schools. The School Board joined together in a 7-0 vote to pass Superintendent Mark Taylors proposed 2024 budget as well as three new policies. 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. And in New York City, a parent advocacy group called PLACE NYC, which formed in 2019 to advocate for advanced academics, identified and supported 94 candidates for 16 community education councils across the city, said PLACE NYC co-founder Yiatin Chu. September 12, 2022 Spotsylvania parents concerned over. Taylor has experience as a county administrator and attorney, but has no experience in education. Twigg, Gillespie and the two other members of the newly dominant faction Rabih Abuismail and Lisa Phelps did not respond to requests for comment. Mr. The. Twigg heads the conservative majority on the board that took over last year and immediately fired popular superintendent Scott Baker. She was more upset when she came across Adam Rapp's 33 Snowfish," which is about homeless teens trying to escape from pasts that include sexual abuse, prostitution and drug addiction. The SCPS Division is so proud and grateful for everyone's hard work this school year! Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Elections. Congratulations to our 2022-2023 Division Teacher of the Year, Battlefield Elementary special education teacher Mrs. Laura Brooks! 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. He was thrilled to receive help from Recover America, he said, whose members prayed for him and held meetings around Houston with pastors to advertise Bakers candidacy. 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. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. All Spotsylvania County Public Schools will operate on a 2-hour delay on Thursday, December 15. 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. Public comments regarding thePhysical Education SOL will be received atvdoe.stem@doe.virginia.govfromFebruary 11-March 11. Congratulations to Brock Road ES, Lee Hill ES, and Wilderness ES for earning Virginia Purple Star Awards for the 2022-2023 school year! 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! 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. 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. [Twigg] took it upon himself to nearly double the salary of the acting superintendent in secret, Scheff said. The bonuses will be paid in October to all eligible staff who receive a paycheck on Sept. 30. We're hosting a FREE clothing and food event on Friday, 9/30 from 5-7 PM! Baker could not be reached for comment. www.spotsylvania.k12.va.us/article/1004981, https://www.spotsylvania.k12.va.us/article/996150, www.spotsylvania.k12.va.us/article/835136. Its pretty ugly out here in school board races. Spotsylvania County Public Schools8020 River Stone DriveFredericksburg, VA 22407Phone: 540-834-2500webmaster@spotsylvania.k12.va.us. 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. Harris said his deputies have been unnecessarily put in the middle between citizens and School Board Chair Kirk Twigg, who he believes is interfering with the first amendment right people have to speak their mind. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. They also gave free ice cream away to every student and staff member at lunch. All rights reserved. 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. Archives. This is the second time Wilderness ES has earned this distinction. Two people were injured in a crash involving one of the most iconic vehicles in television history, Missouri officials say. 2016. Together, we prepare our students for their future. 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? Daniels and Cole had not voted when Twigg declared the meeting over. Click the pics for more info! The American Library Association, however, said its important to offer a wide variety of books in school libraries. {{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.
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