Crystal Choate

The meeting commenced with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by unanimous consent approval of the agenda. The Board moved into a closed session to discuss personnel matters, student matters, and consultation with legal counsel, certifying that only appropriate topics were discussed upon returning to the open session. Recognitions included the Division Spelling Bee winner for 2026, the NCPS Division and School Teachers of the Year, and various OneNelson Awards recipients. The Superintendent provided updates on legislative monitoring, administrative actions, instruction and assessment (including finalizing the HQIM/textbook adoption process and selecting Xello as the new career planning platform), special education planning, human resources activities, progress on the technology fiber network project, maintenance and operations updates, and school nutrition initiatives. Public comments addressed absorbing projected increases in employee health insurance premiums and supporting staff retention with adequate raises. The Consent Agenda included approval of the Treasurer's Reports and the Monthly Financial Report for February 2026. Information items covered various meeting minutes and updates on the Capital Improvement Plan Projects, the NCPS Special Education Annual Plan, and textbook adoptions. Action items included the Declaration of Surplus Property, approval of the NCPS Special Education Annual Plan, the FY 2026-2027 School Board Requested Operational Budget, and an Organizational Structure Study. The Board later entered another closed session and certified it before approving the Personnel Action Report.

Key discussions included an update on the rescheduling of the Family and Partners conference to March, 2026, and the scheduling of a Family Fun Building Night for February 18th. The current status of the Inclusive Schools Plan was presented, noting that an update is in progress for submission to the VDOE, focusing on actionable and reasonable goals for student inclusion. Discussions also covered resources for parents from the Virginia Department of Education, including linking resources to school pages and providing Parent Resource Center information at IEP team meetings. The committee reviewed and confirmed the SEAC Officers for the 2025-2026 term and proposed future meeting dates.

The meeting involved a budget workshop and public hearing. Key discussions focused on the Superintendent's proposed FY27 budget, particularly impacts from legislation such as the Air Quality Act requirements, and significant capital expenses for HVAC replacements (Rockfish large-equipment and RTU Unit 2). Updates were provided on the FY 2026-2027 General Operating Budget, including an increase in the PREP budget and a 11.9% overall increase in Local Choice group health insurance, leading to the presentation of three contribution scenarios for board consideration. The public hearing included comments supporting raises and equitable sharing of health insurance increases. Discussions continued regarding a shared-cost approach for insurance increases and support for funding middle school baseball/softball startup and VPI classroom expansion. The board approved a field trip for the CTE Competition and subsequently held a closed session to discuss personnel, student matters, and consultation with legal counsel. Finally, the board acknowledged staff appreciation.

The school board meeting included recognitions and presentations such as honoring NCPS Veterans, OneNelson Awards, and the RRES SCA. The budget preparation presentation was also a key discussion point. Other important topics included updates on capital improvement plan projects, enrollment, VTSS grant award, telehealth grant award, and school security equipment grant award. The board also acted on items such as declaring a beverage cooler as surplus property, approving a field trip request for BRVGS students, approving a contract from RFP for SPED Teacher Contracted Services, approving new temporary positions to support the Telehealth Grant and Head Start Program, amending the January School Board Meeting Date, and approving VSBA Delegate Proposals. The meeting also included a closed session to discuss personnel matters and consultation with legal counsel.

The meeting included a presentation on the Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC) and its services for parents of children with disabilities. The SEAC officers for 2025-2026 were approved. There was a discussion regarding guidelines for home school students with disabilities and the availability of mental health counseling through a partnership with Intercept Health / Lifebridge Counseling.