Stafford School Board January 13 Meeting Preview
Meeting agenda includes organizational business and presentation of the fiscal year 2025 comprehensive financial report.
By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
Email Adele
The Stafford School Board meets at 7 p.m. this evening for its annual organizational meeting. This is the first meeting for newly-elected members Josh Regan (Aquia district), Wanda Blackwell (Garrisonville district), and Shannon Fingerholz (Hartwood district).
Election of Officers and Organizational Business
Election of Chair and Vice Chair
Adoption of 2026 School Board meeting schedule
Administrative authorizations (designee to attend meetings in superintendent’s absence; ability of superintendent to sign contracts, approve payments, and assign and re-assign staff).
Appointment of clerk and deputy clerk
Appointment of citizens to serve on School Board advisory committees (Capital Improvement Plan; Career & Technical Education; Special Education; Budget; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Gifted; Military Families; School Health; Technology; Transportation; and Visual & Performing Arts).
Appointment of School Board members to serve on the above advisory committees, as well as on the Commonwealth Governor’s School board; the Finance and Budget Committee; the Governance Committee; the Legislative Committee; the Joint Schools Working Committee; and the Stafford County Parks and Recreation Commission.
Consent Agenda
There are 22 items on the consent agenda, including
Approval of the January 13 personnel package
Adoption of proclamations for Principal Appreciation Week (January 12-16), and for Black History Month, Career and Technical Education Month, School Social Worker Week, and School Board Clerk Appreciation Week in February.
Approval of purchase orders for a school bus and IT infrastructure for Hartwood High School, and Falls Run and Crow’s Nest elementary schools.
Review of monthly student meal debt, disciplinary, and absenteeism reports.
Annual and cyclical review of policies. Policies with substantive proposed amendments include
The policy on interscholastic athletics governed by the Virginia High School League, which has the following added language: “Pursuant to the VHSL Handbook and Policy Manual, certain issues, including but not limited to, student eligibility, are handled within the division. The superintendent is authorized to develop procedures and protocols to handle such issues. The decision of the superintendent/designee is final and may not be appealed to the School Board.”
Policy and regulation on Generative Artificial Intelligence, which have updated lists of the risks of AI (“misinformation and malicious use, privacy and security, bias and ethical issues, environmental impact”) and how teachers can use AI (“to improve learning outcomes, personalize instruction, and create workload efficiencies”). The regulation includes adds a section addressing disciplinary consequences for student or staff misuse of AI.
Presentations
Fiscal Year 2025 (July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025) audit report and annual comprehensive financial report.
Results of 15th annual Band Together Against Hunger fundraiser
Annual report of Transportation Advisory Committee
There are no action items on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting. There is time for public comments, and comments from the student representative, board members, and the superintendent.
Meeting Details
Local Obituaries
To view local obituaries or to send a note to family and loved ones, please visit the link that follows.
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