Whole Child Task Force Presents Report to the School Board

Whole Child Task Force Presents Report to the School Board At last night’s School Board meeting, the Whole Child Task Force presented a report that defines APS’s vision, framework, and services for supporting the needs of the whole child. The Task Force proposed a vision that ensures each student is “healthy, safe, supported, engaged, and academically challenged.” The task force members identified goals, criteria, and a process that will assist the Board in developing a sustainable approach for moving forward. The framework for meeting the needs of the whole child focused on five areas: (1) learning, knowledge, and skills; (2) physical health and well-being; (3) social and emotional well-being; (4) community, family, and school integration; and (5) school culture and physical space. They defined objectives for each of the focus areas and made recommendations for implementing them over the next three years. The task force also underscored the importance of communicating an implementation plan, ensuring all stakeholders stay involved, making student feedback central to the decision making process, integrating accountability and allocating staff and sufficient resources to effectively support implementation. More than 40 representatives participated in the Task Force, including APS and County staff, Community Councils and Partnerships, APS students and recent graduates, APS parents and PTA members, and community leaders. The complete report and links to additional resources are available at aps2016.apsva.us/wholechild. APPOINTMENTS: The School Board approved the appointment of two assistant principals.

• Nicole Maldonado was appointed as the Assistant Principal at Key Elementary School. Ms. Maldonado is a Spanish Teacher for Loudoun County Public Schools. She holds degrees in Spanish from Baruch College in New York and School Administration from The George Washington University.
• Eric Healey was appointed as the Assistant Principal at the Arlington Career Center. Mr. Healey has over 10 years of experience as an educator. He holds a degree in Mathematics from Colorado State University and School Administration and Supervision from the University of Virginia. He is a math teacher and Dean of Students at George Mason High School in Falls Church, VA.

OTHER MONITORING ITEMS:

• Annual English/Language Arts Update: Staff presented an update on progress for the English Language Arts program. Gains have been made for all grades and student groups, as measured by performance on Standards of Learning (SOL) tests. APS is focused on strengthening tiered systems of support for students, enhancing professional learning opportunities, continuing differentiated learning for students, and increasing authentic reading and writing opportunities, within and beyond the classroom.
• World Languages and FLES Instruction Update: Staff also updated the Board on the implementation of FLES at all elementary schools, the addition of new middle school courses, restructured distance learning opportunities, and the impressive achievements of students enrolled in world languages instruction and extracurricular activities. Staff also reviewed data on the growing enrollment and completion of world language courses in both middle and high school. Recommended actions include developing a new Progressive Planning Model in 2017 that better meets the needs of all students and enhancing professional development in standards and assessments.

ACTION ITEMS:

• World Languages Textbooks – Secondary Level: The Board adopted World Languages textbooks for the secondary level. The full presentation about review process and selection of the textbooks is available online.
• World Languages Textbooks – Immersion: The Board voted to adopt World Languages textbooks for the immersion program. The Board also included $51,000 to provide additional resources to support secondary immersion students and fluent speakers of Spanish. The full presentation about review process and selection of the textbooks is available online.
• Recommendation for Name of Arlington Mill High School: The Board voted to adopt the Naming Committee’s recommendation to re-name Arlington Mill High School as Arlington Community High School. The full presentation is available online.
• Adoption of Elementary Writing Textbooks: The Board approved adoption of the elementary writing texts Units of Study in Opinion/Argument, Information, and Narrative Writing, K–5 (Teachers College/Lucy Calkins) and Step Up to Writing. The full presentation about the writing textbooks is available online.

INFORMATION ITEMS: Staff presented recommended changes to the following policies, for which the School Board is scheduled to consider for action at next week’s meeting on June 16:

• Revision of School Board Policy 35-2.2 Staff Reductions: Recommended changes would add evaluations among the factors to be considered to identify staff for reduction-in force, as required by the Code of Virginia. Also, additional language explains the various reduction-in-force procedures contained in related PIPs and contains updated citations to the Code of Virginia.
• Revision of School Board Policy 35-2.3 Position Classification: Recommended changes update citations to the Code of Virginia, and specify that position classification procedures are to be issued by either the Superintendent or designee.
• Revision of School Board Policy 35-5 Leave: Recommended change adds two weeks paid Parental Leave for employees who are the primary caregiver for birth, adoption or foster placement of a child, which will run concurrently with Family and Medical Leave.
• Revision of School Board Policy 35-6.1 Holidays: Recommended changes update citations to the Code of Virginia, and allow twelve-month employees who are scheduled to work on a holiday be provided another day within the same workweek to celebrate the holiday.
• Revision of School Board Policy 35-6.4 Other Benefits: Recommend change adds a grant for rental assistance for employees moving to Arlington County.

The meeting began with an update from the Student Advisory Board. The co-chairs presented their final report for the 2015-16 school year and School Board members expressed their appreciation to the students for their feedback and service to APS. Citizens who want to comment on any of the items discussed at the School Board meeting should email the Board at school.board@apsva.us or call 703-228-6015. Citizens may call 703-228-2400 on the Monday after the School Board meetings to listen to a meeting summary. School Board meetings are also broadcast live on Comcast Cable Channel 70 and Verizon FiOS Channel 41; live-streamed on the APS website, and re-broadcast on Fridays at 9 p.m. and Mondays at 7:30 p.m. immediately following the meeting. All materials and minutes of the meeting will be posted to the website at aps2016.apsva.us/schoolboard upon School Board approval at a subsequent meeting.