[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6330140,"mediaKeyId","2315054-9069bee82c72b0e3b79c309e1f924497","parentId",2315054,"title","School board hears report on 25+ capital projects including science labs, media centers and new transportation facility","audioSeconds",899,"startMs",5235000,"endMs",4336000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2315054-9069bee82c72b0e3b79c309e1f924497&start=5235&end=4336","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2315054-9069bee82c72b0e3b79c309e1f924497/thumbnail_5235000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6330140/Virginia/School-board-hears-report-on-25-capital-projects-including-science-labs-media-centers-and-new-transportation-facility","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6330140-91f463f816d2b6e36095db949f93dfe2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771035311&Signature=dfRiEiiLOQ7MO~0a0IN8XER7Hp8wl84IQ5a6KXBL0wECZ~hJRosInaTFfDV8eqsG~mnPAA6DmhFKJ-yPvu1wCQp~odtz1TcNeAXjrzE~gd06Y6egZQUKAShVw~nybHJ~M73RQl7Vb7GXOsUl177RAWWz-8mPGhqdWWUzHP3mzUXqKHJ2d-EjHCwz0UF-mKTmVw5HCxLHdtCgoh29wSiEa1BIRNrEMB0YSt6mu40hH1CvZO4O4mHzfVopfojDy4LmUeaPQusZkOvw5mIGFQJOZMWJLofkPeqONRbVltRWpj3fJrwO~b4P70gEe3xyuj4Z0QIkFg1msUuQ-qMAYlhnnA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Hampton City Public School","date","2025-02-13T14:58:57Z","article","Chief Operations Officer Dr. Dan Bowling told the Hampton City School Board on Feb. 12 that Hampton City Schools completed more than 25 capital improvement projects over the past year, including renovated science classrooms, five elementary media centers, upgrades to career academies and a new 15,000-square-foot transportation facility.

The presentation matters because the projects are intended to modernize learning spaces, improve safety and repurpose existing school buildings for expanded instructional use without acquiring new parcels in a land-constrained division.

Bowling described work on 16 science classrooms and adjacent prep rooms at Jones Middle School, Sims and the Kilgore Gifted Center. Renovations included asbestos abatement, demolition, new ceilings and LED lighting, classroom cabinetry and countertops, decorative flooring, new teacher demonstration desks and flexible furniture on wheels to support 21st-century science instruction. Bowling said the work created dedicated perimeter lab areas to let students conduct lab activities safely.

The division renovated five elementary media centers (Aberdeen, Captain John Smith, Forrest, Mary T. Christian and Mary W. Jackson), removing outdated shelving and furniture and installing new shelving, carpeting, ceiling tiles and soft seating. Presentation slides shown to the board said the new shelving increases capacity to hold more than 40,000 books; the media-center work included 54 soft-seating options, 58 new tables and 84 chairs.

At the high school level, the board saw before-and-after photos of the Phoebus Freshman Learning Academy and Bethel High School’s simulation lab. The Bethel simulation lab includes a 911 call-center monitor wall, an ambulance simulator, staged rooms for crime-scene investigation practice and other first-responder training spaces. Bowling said some former shop classrooms were repurposed to create larger instructional environments.

Bowling and staff also showed work on the driver-education facility at Phoebus, which included a new roof, HVAC, restroom renovation, resurfacing and relining of the driving range, and a new perimeter fence to provide students a safer real-life driving course.

The division opened a new transportation facility at 2001 Aluminum Avenue, a 15,000-square-foot building that replaces older leased buildings. The facility includes a bus wash station, 11 office spaces, training and conference rooms, break rooms, dispatch offices, security cameras and upgraded exterior lighting and fencing. Slides showed new paving and striping across the bus lot and a relined bus driving range.

Bowling’s slideshow listed other work: two new digital marquees, roof replacements, an upgraded schoolwide HVAC system at Bassett, roughly 1,600 LED lights installed across schools, eight renovated restrooms at Asbury and Langley, 93 exterior windows replaced at Asbury and Langley, and ongoing removal of unused portable classrooms in partnership with the city of Hampton.

Board members praised the work. Board member Joe Kilgore called Bowling’s presentation “one of my favorite presentations every year” and singled out the simulation lab and the transportation facility as “very impressive.” Board member Jason Samuels noted the division’s purchase and transformation of the transportation property from a leased, gravel site into a modern facility and urged planning for further long-term capital work.

Superintendent Dr. Raymond L. Haines and board members said a tour of the transportation facility will be scheduled and that the board will review a long-term capital-improvement plan in a forthcoming work session.

The presentation concluded with Bowling opening the floor for board questions; no formal action was required on the projects presented.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Hampton City Schools - Hampton School Board Meeting - February 12, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Chief Operations Officer Dr. Dan Bowling told the Hampton City School Board on Feb. 12 that Hampton City Schools completed more than 25 capital improvement projects over the past year, including science classroom renovations, five elementary media-center remodels, academy upgrades and a new 15,000-square-foot transportation facility.","taxTitle","HAMPTON CITY PBLC SCHS, School Districts, Virginia","taxId",14508,"location","Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6330126,"Parent advocate urges board to remove GPS ban from cell‑phone policy, says devices are lifesaving for some students",96,5534000,5630000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2315054-9069bee82c72b0e3b79c309e1f924497&start=5534&end=5630","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2315054-9069bee82c72b0e3b79c309e1f924497/thumbnail_5534000.jpg","/articles/6330126/Virginia/Parent-advocate-urges-board-to-remove-GPS-ban-from-cellphone-policy-says-devices-are-lifesaving-for-some-students","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6330126-1a455120257ba13933888268f532e42c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771035311&Signature=K~0JtFAK-n7jNx6H4ee5v8fgiIdKFN7epubcNDVMA72dbKqMp8Feif5CJ7Sm3MT-rBSm7frgZSXQeAxnIv8IBTCiPMWNyk~Q8SmDMfx~0OcMJ6lLzS8WSOBnE6-kQP6MHKgWUpmh~gVQ9qta~0DW6fJqSTuVNy~s1gdfFWwOooI52WA51Pu3lCtK0nUa0Bm6QXgWxtbx84m86nTMDt-vUXVA41QNWyTgQDKNMH0rn4TRn-3boC5Qc4jgb9kRx0KfC63pwncABRNq5aVHczg9NMRKMEV9xiGJP-syCbmAjSyETiB1EWHYvJc8~ZfiWBii9mwoCroaNyKQoISFsNJXTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Brenda Marks told the Hampton City School Board on Feb. 12 that the division’s December revision to its cell‑phone policy wrongly added wording that prohibits GPS tracking devices and that the prohibition harms families who rely on devices such as Project Lifesaver or AngelSense to keep children with moderate to severe communication needs safe.

Marks said she contacted the governor’s office and the Virginia Department of Education, and that the VDOE guidance she received does not restrict GPS tracking devices. She told the board she will consult the ACLU in about three weeks to discuss options for removing the four words she described as unnecessary and harmful.

Marks said she understands certain exemptions exist but argued the added language creates an unnecessary barrier for families that rely on tracking devices to protect children who are at risk of wandering or who have complex communication needs.

Under the board’s public‑comment rules, there was no public back‑and‑forth. The district’s published public‑comment protocol directs matters requiring further response to the superintendent’s office for research and reply at a later meeting if appropriate.

Marks urged the board to remove the words banning GPS tracking devices; she said she emailed board members and asked the division to reconsider the policy wording before legal steps are pursued.","Brenda Marks told the board the December cell‑phone policy’s additional wording banning GPS tracking devices denies parents lifesaving tools used by some students with autism and communication challenges and that state guidance does not prohibit such devices.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6330130,"Special‑education teacher says she was retaliated against and medically resigned; raises civil‑rights, workplace claims",66,5348000,5414000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2315054-9069bee82c72b0e3b79c309e1f924497&start=5348&end=5414","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2315054-9069bee82c72b0e3b79c309e1f924497/thumbnail_5348000.jpg","/articles/6330130/Virginia/Specialeducation-teacher-says-she-was-retaliated-against-and-medically-resigned-raises-civilrights-workplace-claims","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6330130-24bcf7a5669728ac64c883cfa44f2470/orig.mp4?Expires=1771035311&Signature=dUh3B0S05jJqu1EoIDVmxSDnG8FUAr4BGmDteuPxdw0eYaq-keCaAzWrR4EvMdiiDiKoITw1msQCJune6~NLfYOt274qroPu8lZtNoW6DbxEYFKtzTznYsK-jsTAq4fBeDDf-Nw5i8QlMmq0~CBrkh7OKALIWX-Lp17WgATlVN4NCq2G1S~vulgl5hqZQdqAawlzKOYGo8FjbF3bk0EEDXcvqOxUqFbbaoZyOBDO~wMMdruTWzNwRDDh1c--5m7qH8p01kMSf7BSA6Ao-CF2b-bJSDjFTXDiN0YVMh1SdEo30Oq5DQPfPJkbxbS3KPjTm9lgSBkNlNFn8IQjdlYuAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","During the public‑comment period on Feb. 12, Veronda Hudson identified herself as a special‑education teacher and alleged the division subjected her to unlawful treatment and retaliation after she raised concerns about policies governing provisional‑license holders and safety.

Hudson told the board that she met with the executive director of human resources to raise those concerns and that her complaints were dismissed. She said a Freedom of Information Act request later showed her former administrators contacted her new school and labeled her “trouble and difficult to work with,” which she said amounted to retaliation and contributed to a medical resignation.

Hudson referenced several legal protections in her remarks, saying: “Some of my relevant legal protections is retaliation under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, First Amendment protections, Virginia Employment Discrimination Act, Fair Labor Standards Act.” She said the alleged treatment caused “significant emotional and mental distress” and forced her to medically resign.

Under the board’s public‑comment rules, board members did not engage the speaker in dialogue. The board’s stated protocol directs the superintendent to research matters that require a response and report back at a subsequent meeting as appropriate.

The speaker asked broadly how parents, teachers and advocates can trust the district to ensure safety and support for students when, she said, “the district fails to provide a safe and supportive environment for its teachers.” The transcript records Hudson’s request but no immediate staff response; the superintendent’s office was listed in the meeting agenda as the point of follow‑up for matters requiring research.","Veronda Hudson, identified as a special‑education teacher, told the board during public comment that she experienced retaliation, alleged confidentiality violations and was compelled to medically resign after raising concerns about special‑education procedures and provisional‑license responsibilities.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6330135,"School board approves VSBA conduct code and block of policy revisions, OKs cell‑tower upgrade at Mary Peake Elementary",378,4872000,5250000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2315054-9069bee82c72b0e3b79c309e1f924497&start=4872&end=5250","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2315054-9069bee82c72b0e3b79c309e1f924497/thumbnail_4872000.jpg","/articles/6330135/Virginia/School-board-approves-VSBA-conduct-code-and-block-of-policy-revisions-OKs-celltower-upgrade-at-Mary-Peake-Elementary","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6330135-237cc2d7e8ae6eb83e50398f1af9d797/orig.mp4?Expires=1771035311&Signature=dUrybBNmKaSkJ3afwm8AH1dLdsabBmSLSVZK6DkOy~INeu6cWd2oUM8pjOW477~06t9~r~5jkMkO3OOItxo6RVBjCK8nRnKtHs9e~-q8SQzhgHlVQOr6r58jQEI1qX1dVw77mW3x~vcRR0CNuzdfzfuy9aHb8gnQbJIODKbztA8pFNH8Mur69bIgYH3OwLBf4CQlyeKesGTbbhUUfXvAePNZpTf7GhFj6zEGSSkddvJjYnKYV8csaF8y6070NFpdbr4gzeMAlJI-zqafqj5IlnL5URDCLwl~PcfSqRnrc9~dHk3nJHCNps8YJKuhVfhsoRziugpHh-dnPRMAiyFstQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hampton City School Board on Feb. 12 approved the Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA) code of conduct for school-board members and approved a block of policy revisions that included a communication lease agreement permitting Crown Castle and T‑Mobile to upgrade antennas at Mary Peake Elementary School.

The votes matter because they finalize policy revisions and clear a communications-site consent that staff said requires school‑board approval before work can begin on Crown Castle towers co‑located at Mary Peake. Division staff said the requested T‑Mobile upgrades involve no ground disturbance and therefore do not trigger a rental‑fee increase under the current contract.

Chief Operations Officer Dr. Dan Bowling presented the communications request to the board, saying: “T‑Mobile has requested the school board’s approval to upgrade a number of its older cell antennas on cell towers owned by Crown Castle located at Mary Peake Elementary School. There is no groundwork associated with this request, and therefore are not eligible for any rental fee increase.”

Procedural steps and votes
- The board voted to move deliberation item 5.01 (the Crown Castle/T‑Mobile consent forms for Mary Peake) to the action calendar; the motion to move the item was made by board member Joe Kilgore and seconded by Jason Samuels. The motion passed by voice vote.
- Action Item 6.01 (VSBA code of conduct for school board members) was moved by Vice Chair Stephanie Jackson Afongia and seconded by Joe Kilgore; roll-call votes were recorded as unanimous (see vote record below). The motion carried.
- Action Items 6.02 through 6.09 were approved by a single block motion (moved by Vice Chair Stephanie Jackson Afongia; seconded by Jason Samuels). The block included policy revisions and the communication lease agreement listed as 6.09; that block motion carried by unanimous roll call.

Votes at a glance
- 6.01 VSBA code of conduct for school-board members — Mover: Stephanie Jackson Afongia; Second: Joe Kilgore; Vote: Solfanja/Afongia (aye), Dr. Tina Banks Gray (aye), Anne Cherry (aye), Joe Kilgore (aye), Dr. Richard Mason (aye), Jason Samuels (aye), Dr. Reginald Woodhouse (aye); Outcome: approved.
- 6.02–6.08 Various policy revisions and new GBP reading specialist policy — Mover: Stephanie Jackson Afongia; Second: Jason Samuels; Vote: unanimous; Outcome: approved as part of block.
- 6.09 Communication lease agreement for Mary Peake Elementary School (Crown Castle/T‑Mobile consent forms) — Mover to move to action: Joe Kilgore; Second to move: Jason Samuels. Final approval: included in block 6.02–6.09 and recorded as approved by unanimous roll call; Notes: staff said no ground work and no rental fee increase under current contract; Crown Castle consent forms were presented for board approval so work may begin.

The board took no roll-call votes against any item; motions carried as described above. Under the public-comment protocol, board members did not engage directly with commenters on these items during the meeting; staff will follow up on questions that require research.

No ordinance, statute or grant action was taken; these were internal policy approvals and a contract/consent action related to existing communications-site agreements.","On Feb. 12 the Hampton City School Board approved the VSBA code of conduct for board members and approved a block of policy revisions that included a communication lease agreement allowing Crown Castle/T‑Mobile to upgrade antennas at Mary Peake Elementary School; votes were unanimous.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

School board hears report on 25+ capital projects including science labs, media centers and new transportation facility

Parent advocate urges board to remove GPS ban from cell‑phone policy, says devices are lifesaving for some students

Special‑education teacher says she was retaliated against and medically resigned; raises civil‑rights, workplace claims

School board approves VSBA conduct code and block of policy revisions, OKs cell‑tower upgrade at Mary Peake Elementary