Dr. Kelvin Edwards gave his first superintendent’s report at the Oct. 1 Franklin City School Board meeting after starting in his role as interim superintendent of Franklin City Public Schools (FCPS) on Sept. 23. He covered several different topics in his report, including his Listening and Learning Tour, information about a security grant, and updates on academics, finances and human resources.

“I hit the ground running on the 23rd,” Edwards said.

He issued thanks to the School Board for the opportunity to lead the division and to the Franklin City Council for allowing FCPS to announce his start as interim superintendent at its Sept. 28 meeting.

“Thank you to the teachers, staff as I am on my Listening and Learning Tour, and I’m enjoying the conversations that we’re having,” Edwards said.

He noted that on Sept. 30, a Title I Night event was held at S.P. Morton Elementary School.

“It was a glow party, and boy, was S.P. Morton rockin’, and it was a beautiful sight to behold,” he said. “The parents received good information. Dr. (Tanieka) Ricks and the team put on a wonderful Title I annual night, and those kids thoroughly enjoyed it, and the parents did also, receiving that information about qualified teachers, the Right to Know, and the reason that we have Title I.”

He noted that FCPS receives a lot of federal money through its Title I program, and this has to be arranged annually.

Edwards highlighted some more completed and ongoing elements of his Listening and Learning Tour:

• Visited all FCPS campuses;

• Having conversations with teachers, faculty and staff; and

• Having meetings with the School Board chair, vice chair and other members, Franklin’s mayor, chief of police, city manager and community members.

“It has been a blessing hearing your voice and what you want to see in your school system here in Franklin City Public Schools,” he said.

Edwards also noted that he is meeting with the FCPS Central Office staff and continuing departmental meetings.

“I’m also doing a needs assessment,” he said. “What do we need to improve Franklin City Public Schools? Assessing the needs of the schools, focusing on class size at S.P. Morton Elementary School, where those babies, when they enter their third grade, that’s a crucial grade because that’s when they begin to assess. And we’re monitoring that and looking at the needs there.

“Also in our (special education) SPED department, we’re getting a few more students in SPED, looking at what the needs are in the SPED department so that we can address those needs,” he added. “Along with that also our next step is to continue our Listening and Learning Tour so I can know the pulse of Franklin City Public Schools.”

ACADEMICS UPDATE

In reference to school performance and support, Edwards said, “We’re reviewing the framework data, so the school performance data will be coming out for public release on Oct. 7.”

He said he would be giving the School Board that information as soon as it went live, and his slideshow presentation noted that the school performance data will be presented on Thursday, Oct. 15, which is the date of the next School Board meeting.

He then noted that benchmark assessments are approaching.

“They will be done the week of Nov. 2-6, and we are preparing for those first assessments where we’ll be aligning baseline evaluation criteria, ensuring school readiness and testing logistics and also supporting instructional focus areas,” he said.

He stated that writing Standards of Learning tests (SOLs) will be held Monday-Friday, Oct. 26-30, and Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 19.

SECURITY GRANT Edwards noted that FCPS received a Virginia Department of Education Security Equipment Grant in the amount of $150,568 for projects associated with S.P. Morton and Franklin High School (FHS).

His slideshow presentation noted that the grant money will allow for the following at S.P. Morton:

• Additional Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs);

• Permanent security fencing;

• Additional hand-held radios;

• Replacement of egress doors;

• Surveillance cameras;

• Security window firm; and

• Passenger ID card readers for school buses.

Edwards’ slideshow presentation noted that the grant money will allow for the following at FHS:

• Additional AEDs;

• Surveillance cameras; and

• Additional badge access readers.

“And we thank Officer (Trisha) Martinez and her team and the (school security officers) SSOs at Franklin High School for doing such an amazing job because you can’t come on that campus and not be noticed,” Edwards said.

FINANCIAL UPDATE Edwards began a financial update by noting that he had met with the city’s treasurer.

“Had a wonderful conversation with Ms. (Dinah M.) Babb about where we are,” he said.

He noted that he met with FCPS Executive Director of Finance Tracy Morrison.

He said he has met with his executive team to discuss the school division’s current financial position and its path forward.

His slideshow presentation noted that he and his team are closely monitoring the school budget to actual expenses monthly by category, including outstanding reimbursements.

“We’re closely monitoring the budget to the board so that we know that we’re doing everything decently and in order and also maintaining pure transparency along the way,” he said.

His slideshow presentation noted that the school division has established monthly meetings moving forward to facilitate open communication between the city and FCPS, with the next such meeting set for Tuesday, Oct. 20. He said it will start at 2 p.m.

“Also, our auditors are scheduled to be in Franklin City Public Schools in December to begin our fiscal year ’25 audit,” he said. “And the finance team is preparing for that, and we’re looking forward to our auditors coming in, looking at our finances.”

Morrison later confirmed the audit should take approximately a month.

Next in his financial update, Edwards mentioned he is reviewing all federal program budgets.

He said the school division’s current budget is based on 979 students from K-12, but the actual number is 971.

“Our pre-K enrollment is 65, and we also have a waiting list, giving us a total enrollment thus far in Franklin City Public Schools of 1,036 students,” he said.

HUMAN RESOURCES UPDATE

Edwards said, “Strategically and intentionally, our direction is this: Coming on board, hitting the ground running, listening to the conversations about finance, we’ve immediately frozen all central office positions that were being advertised.

“Our focus is totally in the buildings and on the classroom, with the priority so that we can maintain the learning and teaching that are going on in the buildings,” he added.

He indicated that the freeze will create a savings of $271,417.

“I am also looking at restructuring the central office for better operational procedures,” he said.

He stated that he and his team eliminated the coordinator of human resources position and the special projects coordinator position.

“The active hiring that is going on will be the hiring coordinator of the federal programs, and the reason that position is still going forth is because that is going to be paid totally out of federal funds, not utilizing our state or local funds,” he said.

Edwards then identified the school division’s highest human resources priorities:

• All teaching positions, with 12 vacancies as of Oct. 1;

• Classroom size; and

• Establishing a principal at S.P. Morton.

Edwards ended his presentation on the subject of recruitment, noting that Dr. Marice Minor, the FCPS executive director of human resources and administrative services and Title IX coordinator, attended the Elizabeth City State University Recruitment Fair.

Edwards said WAVY-TV 10 was airing recruitment videos for FCPS.

He also stated that on Thursday, Oct. 22, “we’re scheduled to attend Old Dominion University’s job fair so we can seek some quality educators to come to Franklin City Public Schools.”

In response to a question from Board Chair and Ward 2 Representative Wydia Bailey, Edwards noted that FCPS has four kindergarten classes and two teacher vacancies in those classes.

“The parents’ Right to Know notifications went home, and those notifications let parents know that we have long-term subs in those positions, and the qualifications of the long-term subs,” Edwards said.

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