Board sets listening sessions for school consolidation: July 30 and community events in August

The Norfolk School Board established dates and formats for community listening sessions about proposed school consolidations, scheduling in‑person events at Norview and Lake Taylor High Schools on July 30, a community outreach presence at a district back‑to‑school event in early August, and plans for additional meetings and a virtual option.
Board members asked consultant Mister Sturtz to confirm his availability; staff and board agreed July 30 was the most feasible date for Mr. Sturtz to lead two same‑day sessions (1–3 p.m. and 5–7 p.m.) at Norview and Lake Taylor to reach different parts of the city. The board asked staff to begin advertising those dates immediately.
Members also agreed to participate in the district’s unity/in‑the‑community back‑to‑school event (previously held at Norfolk Scope) as an opportunity for Saturday outreach and suggested having a staffed table or dedicated room for shorter listening sessions at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to meet families where they already gather. Board members directed the communications team to prepare a QR‑coded survey and a short five‑slide presentation adapted from the retreat materials to ensure consistent messaging across sessions.
The board also discussed offering a webinar/webinar‑with‑Q&A option or a Zoom webinar for community members who cannot attend in person. Staff said they would research the platform configuration (registration and moderated Q&A) to allow remote participation while controlling audio access.
No formal vote was required; the board reached consensus to advertise the July 30 sessions and the district community event participation and to add at least one virtual listening session. Staff said they will return with additional dates and finalized logistics and will post outreach materials once the schedule is complete.