[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-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",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_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":55,"_73":55},"mediaId",6307038,"mediaKeyId","2435487-be21b4c6c6023c72c2d5fa716c690f35","parentId",2435487,"title","School board approves agenda, consent items and policy updates; enters closed session 7‑0","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",107000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2435487-be21b4c6c6023c72c2d5fa716c690f35&start=107&end=107","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2435487-be21b4c6c6023c72c2d5fa716c690f35/thumbnail_107000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6307038/Virginia/School-board-approves-agenda-consent-items-and-policy-updates-enters-closed-session-70","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307038-25497010e6b97577b2b8f5f7f9ff1567/orig.mp4?Expires=1770976481&Signature=C6YpnZUtppl8JQKqHFErP0ZWz1akE2GkkALREHAzgx05BeW9OfrVYHYqmCOhkqWsryi0~ZF8DRY1iXRmMUkgmDFPGrIoKOPFb9N4IjpryJc71V5QefLL96n78N~CdmKRu6SdxLxS8EpWJaTliox5PwsvTaquuhfYbTemAwbampjzM7rzPcoa4VNpEsl84jY1Zxqq~6QpwKOK9E8T9xgyxUm9cPvu2jw4i9X2vv5r4EQ9~id7hFk7z3Nx6mquyrTFFz6DLcba9zNQG8FPpQ9pD0G8lbMPb8RBNUhxIls6IQcXeBFUIuK9z2TpmfLvEE136n-yyi5jUHgygHk4cePi1w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-02-27T00:01:24Z","article","The Manassas City School Board took several procedural votes during its Feb. 25 meeting, approving the agenda and routine items and adopting two governance policy changes before entering closed session.

Key votes at the meeting
- Approval of the public meeting agenda: Motion by Mrs. Stevens, second by Mrs. Bridal; vote: 7‑0, motion carried. The board formally moved to adopt the agenda as presented early in the meeting.
- Approval of the consent agenda (as modified): Motion by Mrs. Stevens, second by Vice Chair Spall; vote: 7‑0, motion carried. The consent agenda passed without recorded opposition.
- Policy updates under Section B (School Board Governance and Operations): The board approved two policy changes—BCE (School Board Committees) and BCF (Advisory Committees to the School Board)—that rename the personnel committee to the Board Development Committee, merge the finance committee with educational support, and rename the ESOL advisory to the English Learners Parent Advisory Committee (EPAC). Motion by Vice Chair Spall, second by Mrs. Bridal; vote: 7‑0, motion carried. The presentation noted the fine‑arts advisory committee had not been active and that changes align policy to current practice.
- Motion to enter closed session: Motion by Mrs. Stevens, second by Mrs. Bridal. The board voted 7‑0 to enter a closed session under Code of Virginia exemptions (including §2.2‑3711 and related paragraphs) for negotiation of a public contract, superintendent midyear evaluation and specified personnel and student matters; the board announced the closed session vote before recessing into closed session.

Meeting context and notes
Board members read motions into the record and used standard roll‑call procedure for votes. No recorded oppositions or abstentions were captured in the public minutes for these actions. The policy changes are non‑operational edits to committee names and advisory group structures; the board chair clarified the changes do not immediately alter staff or bargaining authority but are intended to align policy language with current practice.

Ending
The meeting’s open session concluded with unanimous procedural actions and a unanimous vote to move into closed session to discuss personnel, contract negotiation and student matters under the cited Code of Virginia exemptions.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Meeting - February 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its Feb. 25 meeting the Manassas City School Board approved the public meeting agenda, consent agenda and two governance policies (BCE and BCF) by unanimous votes and later moved into a closed session under Code of Virginia exemptions.","taxTitle","MANASSAS CITY PBLC SCHS, School Districts, Virginia","taxId",38336,"location","Virginia","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":55,"_73":55},6307043,"Manassas shows interior design, curriculum integration and construction progress for new Jenny Dean Elementary",1146,10071000,11217000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2435487-be21b4c6c6023c72c2d5fa716c690f35&start=10071&end=11217","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2435487-be21b4c6c6023c72c2d5fa716c690f35/thumbnail_10071000.jpg","/articles/6307043/Virginia/Manassas-shows-interior-design-curriculum-integration-and-construction-progress-for-new-Jenny-Dean-Elementary","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307043-8bff9b96c7ffe3716286afa85c507cab/orig.mp4?Expires=1770976481&Signature=B6DG4wpWEk6vlGkOvLffAf4PmYPfqSuHBPLrlNbhYS~HbPPZM2nCvdv9GZVR7gzw~Q~wUA5l0uBWfD70lbIUbOmBhtKQql3iHv9OhWXrwKR7huEBT8djvtvHzQNTEmY0n47lpSbSD1hNOPCuAJggarBfZdP-taYZn1fq34nv6yOXkA4eL0nsgA~HYT7QuK1H4s9nCVUUsSs3uqXnvuGJt5op4rT-YkktB5OKLSie8mjeNylfmeUB~y0yXZXYTvoXaStDqlieA1xX6ku5V6f3YHyCLmMdqSr51JkSmCFjIoO3odmbJ~aGt15yeh~oyOiUdLZfkIrlQi8-a7mUosrnmA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Manassas City Public Schools on Feb. 25 showcased the interior design and construction progress for the new Jenny Dean Elementary School, emphasizing intentional curriculum integration, historical preservation and schedule adherence.

The division and its design partner RRMM described site features, interior murals and curriculum elements embedded in hallways and learning pods. Project manager and MCPS staff highlighted an entry display honoring Jenny Dean and a Frederick Douglass quote tied to the historic Manassas Industrial School. The Manassas Museum supplied photographs and artifacts used in lobby and media‑center displays.

Curriculum‑driven design
Design elements are meant to double as teaching tools. Examples described in the presentation include:
- Kindergarten hallway flooring that incorporates alphabet and shapes; a kindergarten mural and interactive map of the City of Manassas for early grades.
- First through fourth grade hallway elements and glass magnetic displays tied to grade‑level standards: Virginia and U.S. maps, a world map, the solar system, units of measurement, units on plant growth and historical agricultural connections to the Industrial School, and multiplication/grouping visuals in third grade.
- Media center \"think tanks\" that honor four historical donors (Claire Barton, Emily Howland, Andrew Carnegie and Frederick Douglass) and small group learning spaces.
- Murals in the gym and cafeteria that reference fine arts, athletics and historic site photographs recreated as vinyl wall coverings.

Construction and schedule update
MCPS said the contractor (Howard Shockey & Sons) has established a safety perimeter, completed erosion and sediment control measures and begun earthwork and a retention pond. Procurement of kitchen equipment, a generator and furniture is underway and the division reported the work is on schedule and within budget despite wet site conditions. MCPS project manager Russ Helton and on‑site project manager Skanska participate in biweekly construction meetings.

Board response and next steps
Board members and staff discussed procurement and schedule risk; one board member asked whether contract terms protect against contractor‑driven delays when material price increases occur. MCPS staff said biweekly coordination among architect, contractor and project manager is intended to minimize delays and that, at the time of the update, staff were not concerned about meeting the schedule.

Ending: transparency and continued updates
MCPS said it will continue reporting construction progress, procurement milestones and furniture selections at upcoming meetings and will provide site updates as the building pad and concrete work proceed.","MCPS presented interior design, curriculum‑embedded visuals and construction updates for the new Jenny Dean Elementary; architects and museum partners contributed historical materials and the project remains on schedule and within budget, the division said.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":55,"_73":55},6307048,"MCPS reports mixed absenteeism progress; Metz trims chronic absenteeism from 24% to 16% while Osborne keeps work underway",4566,5475000,10041000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2435487-be21b4c6c6023c72c2d5fa716c690f35&start=5475&end=10041","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2435487-be21b4c6c6023c72c2d5fa716c690f35/thumbnail_5475000.jpg","/articles/6307048/Virginia/MCPS-reports-mixed-absenteeism-progress-Metz-trims-chronic-absenteeism-from-24-to-16-while-Osborne-keeps-work-underway","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307048-12bbd35c17dd2140f3337fe62c41e877/orig.mp4?Expires=1770976481&Signature=L5CTp4j9yfqLRJ24xR3Du7p-jnpHAzvqrb72PlTZJJCDrOytMEquMh9eL6AtS7Hh2xFSSZPuuJ8je-9zsAqJjkb6Zgiz8hYG2XjdRSuRBXjyRzM6VanXnBP9cVi5HVag7mF3VL0Nbdz6jTfmaFAUqUG3hlmmr2l~z5-Uv8xxX63RLZFCLStuo2x3pPHK9t-MqoaN7q69NEX7YG47bOvbjxI0sMxWHM6R~fJOaePcrYm01T6brAI9LcijvezH1JAq-0wftmwpWNG4d1ZnG2jGAFCODdstBoAqFtWHmOcPoQUdZQRNj3DSSGlrw17XueNrL1wkGw~WwlSFug~Vp7rJfA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Manassas City Public Schools delivered a mid‑year attendance update on Feb. 25 showing schools are using a mix of proactive relationship‑building and targeted recovery programs to reduce chronic absenteeism, though challenges remain at the high‑school level.

The update, led by executive director for accountability and finance Dr. Casada, division attendance manager Dr. Zaitz, Metz Middle School Principal Juliette Finnegan and Osborne High School Principal Dr. Chapman, outlined division protocols and school‑level interventions. The division defines chronic absenteeism as missing 10% or more of membership days (for a 180‑day year, 18 days or more).

Why it matters
Chronic absenteeism is now part of state and federal accountability measures because missed days mean missed instruction. The division’s mid‑year monitoring treats the 10% threshold as a watch list for targeted interventions; adjustments and credits for makeup instruction are applied at year end under state rules.

School results and strategies
Metz Middle School reported an improvement from 24% chronic absenteeism last year to 16% this year as of the Feb. 13 snapshot. Principal Juliette Finnegan credited a combination of active family engagement, a 23‑minute daily homeroom/advisory block, consistent staff greetings and an early‑warning data process. \"We engage families proactively through consistent communication... and we reinforce this message at every event and meeting we have with families,\" Finnegan said. Metz’s attendance team meets weekly, selects star students, runs small‑group check‑ins, and offers after‑school clubs to boost belonging and attendance.

At Osborne High School Principal Dr. Chapman described a two‑pronged approach: proactive education for students/families about attendance and reactive recovery for students who have already missed significant time. Osborne administrators visited every English class in small groups to present attendance data, ran \"Chats with Chapman\" meetings targeted to families (one session yielded 54 attendees after personalized invites) and expanded academic recovery options including Saturday Learning Seminars and referral‑based Learning Labs. \"We have consistently been averaging over a hundred students\" at most Saturday learning sessions, Chapman said, and her school set an intermediate goal of reducing chronic absenteeism to 25% by year end (with a longer‑term aim near 15%).

Division process and tools
Dr. Zaitz said the division has clarified roles: teachers are the first line capturing attendance and reaching out; counselors and family liaisons provide follow‑up; attendance officers handle compliance and, when required, truancy procedures. The division is reworking attendance coding in the student information system to make cause analysis (illness, travel, suspension) easier and is launching an attendance steering committee to improve consistency across buildings.

Common causes and costs
The division’s analysis found illness and travel as the most frequent reasons for excessive absences this year; at the high‑school level, absences also correlate with academic decline. Zaitz reiterated that flexible instructional time (after‑school or weekend makeup taught by licensed teachers) can offset missed instruction and be counted in state calculations, but such programs require staff time and cost.

Board conversation
Board members asked for more granular counts (e.g., excused illness vs. unexcused) and for costs tied to expanded recovery programs; staff said they would provide those figures. Several board members praised Metz’s progress and asked Osborne about schedule changes and the implementation of an electronic hall‑pass system (Osborne said e‑hall passes saw uneven classroom adoption and technical issues and may not be renewed next year).

Ending: next steps
The division will continue weekly and monthly data pulls, refine attendance coding and report cost estimates for recovery programs on request. Principals and the division attendance team emphasized early, consistent family outreach and increased in‑school belonging activities as keys to sustaining gains.

","Division attendance staff outlined district protocols and mid‑year data; Metz Middle School credited sustained outreach and scheduling changes for an 8‑point drop in chronic absenteeism, while Osborne High described a mix of proactive education and after‑school recovery programs and set a 25% year‑end target.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_46":104,"_48":105,"_50":106,"_52":107,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":108,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":109,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":55,"_73":55},6307053,"Manassas superintendent unveils FY‑26 proposed budget centered on pay increases; $1M cut to intervention services",1006,3760000,4766000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2435487-be21b4c6c6023c72c2d5fa716c690f35&start=3760&end=4766","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2435487-be21b4c6c6023c72c2d5fa716c690f35/thumbnail_3760000.jpg","/articles/6307053/Virginia/Manassas-superintendent-unveils-FY26-proposed-budget-centered-on-pay-increases-1M-cut-to-intervention-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307053-cbb66e1d98d14482767e9da151d476fb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770976481&Signature=gJNcUtD6Tt~rc2ma8U3GoxjGHu8KxUXb1LVXZoEubNFcfFkY0n164amjBFX3cXhH-uO6D-q683DfcJ2s8aJSRINGkhJ8EVcraK1iQfLj~lPrccXzV8KsY~asaL3VFkGb4m0JQuk0Hs0V2nVHSNVIN2Zqzb-T9CRzey63huXd362atg0M34C3KEjrwIijImorNAilIxYGkUQQHpcZrf7IKZFlDBijrSTGvAX-Oh3lBzFiGIh3rSUcEXlLiMaVageNG52OilymeKSjAWR4AlpqeoakTNhTLhrY1nBjuMQsyH8On5dJZbKYfwDlCvSMgARCmvF0xmsBhDUE6qPBcMYUKQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Manassas City Public Schools superintendent on Feb. 25 presented a balanced FY‑26 proposed operating budget that prioritizes staff compensation while trimming some student support services.

The proposal, presented by Director of Finance Taft Kelly and introduced by Superintendent Dr. Casada Newman, would raise operating revenue about $4.7 million and proposes a minimum 5.5% increase for eligible staff, a new longevity step (step 31) for long‑serving instructional and support employees, and additional strategic investments totaling roughly $212,000. \"This year's strategic investments or this year's budget focuses primarily on 2 strategic investments: quality workforce and inclusive and collaborative learning environment,\" Kelly said during the presentation.

The nut graf: the division is prioritizing pay to make salaries more regionally competitive but balances higher personnel costs with cuts and accounting adjustments; one notable reduction is a proposed $1.0 million cut to contracted intervention services, and the budget lists several unfunded needs that could be added only if additional revenue becomes available.

Budget details and tradeoffs
The proposed operating budget package totals about $151 million across operating, grant and debt service funds, the presentation said. State aid is the largest revenue source (about half the funding), followed by the city appropriation (about 42%). Kelly said MCPS spends about $18,076 per pupil under a regional comparison. Enrollment was reported at about 7,689 students, with roughly 71% identified as Hispanic and 55% of those described as English learners.

Key quantified items in the proposal include:
- Compensation increases and related benefits totaling about $5.2 million for FY‑26, including health insurance rate rises tied to payroll increases.
- A minimum 5.5% salary increase for eligible staff effective July 1, 2025, plus a new longevity step for instructional and support staff intended to better reward long service (estimated average increase for instructional staff of about 3.5% at the highest step). Kelly said the five‑year cumulative increase for all staff is about 28.59% (including prior years and the proposed FY‑26 increase).
- Salary lapse savings of about $974,000 from retirements and replacement at lower entry steps.
- A $1.0 million reduction to intervention services that had previously been provided via contract with a vendor (University Instructors); the cut was presented as a tradeoff made to preserve positions while increasing salaries.
- The city’s total contribution to the division was described as roughly $61,000,000 to $63,800,000 (slides noted both figures in context of overall revenue and capital/debt allocations).

Unfunded and priority items
Kelly listed unfunded priorities the division would like to add if additional revenue becomes available: an additional 1.5%–1.7% salary increase; start‑up funding for an alternative education program (roughly $2 million to start plus recurring costs); additional ESOL teachers to match rising English learner counts; restoration of the $1.0 million in intervention services; and adding diesel buses.

Public comment and board questions
Sarah Cook, introduced as a Manassas City resident and teacher, urged the board to prioritize equity in employee pay and highlighted research on pay and teacher retention. \"A licensed educator with a bachelor's degree and 10 years of experience in MCPS would still be classified as low income according to the HUD's 2024 limits,\" Cook said, urging differentiated allocations to address disparities across job categories.

Board members pressed staff on several items: which positions are covered by state Standards of Quality (SOQ) funding (Kelly: the governor’s proposed 3% increase applies only to SOQ positions), how the longevity step would be applied (Kelly: an added step 31 for those at the top of the scale for instructional and support staff), and what intervention services encompass (Kelly: the $1.0 million funded contracted provider work that supports after‑school or supplemental intervention and that reducing it could require adding positions or reducing services).

Process and timeline
Kelly reviewed the budget timeline: presentation on Feb. 25; budget work session on Feb. 27; public hearing on March 11; another work session on March 18; expected school board adoption on March 25; and a presentation of the school board budget to City Council on March 26. He noted uncertainty in final state revenue timing and possible additional state amendments that could add about $2.1 million in the House/Senate proposals.

What the board did and did not decide tonight
The board received the superintendent's proposed FY‑26 budget and asked questions; no final adoption vote occurred. The presentation produced requests for additional detail from staff and flagged unfunded priorities for further discussion in upcoming work sessions and the public hearing.

Ending: next steps
Superintendent Newman and the finance team will provide additional detail at the Feb. 27 work session and the March 11 public hearing; the board expects continued conversation with the city regarding additional local funding. Public comment and board questions emphasized pay equity, the tradeoffs of prioritizing salaries over contracted intervention services, and the division’s capacity to add programs only if new revenue is identified.

","Superintendent's FY‑26 proposal emphasizes a minimum 5.5% compensation increase and a new longevity step while balancing higher personnel costs with a $1.0 million reduction to intervention services and other savings; public comment pressed for greater equity across pay scales.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

School board approves agenda, consent items and policy updates; enters closed session 7‑0

Manassas shows interior design, curriculum integration and construction progress for new Jenny Dean Elementary

MCPS reports mixed absenteeism progress; Metz trims chronic absenteeism from 24% to 16% while Osborne keeps work underway

Manassas superintendent unveils FY‑26 proposed budget centered on pay increases; $1M cut to intervention services