Multiple community members used public-comment time to present new initiatives and raise local safety concerns.

Gabe Schneider, a parent, announced the launch of the Charlottesville Citywide PTO Fund, organized through the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation. The fund will use a formula to allocate donations that accounts for economically disadvantaged student percentages across schools; organizers hope to raise $100,000 in the first year to improve equitable PTO funding. Schneider said the fund will solicit corporate and philanthropic support and that initial outreach and a kickoff fundraiser were planned.

High-school students Gabriel Dixon and Subhan Shafiki proposed creating an entrepreneurship club open to all students, with weekly meetings and an emphasis on practical skills and community building. They requested permission and support to form the club and said they planned regular meetings after school.

Derek Hartline, a neighborhood resident who said he supervises arrival at Jackson-Via, urged the district and city partners to pick up leaves earlier than last year to avoid a repeat of a vehicle fire and asked for speed-camera installation or enforcement at a dangerous intersection near Harrison and Fifth Street. Hartline described multiple safety incidents, including drivers impaired by drugs and a speeding county school bus. He requested timeline information for camera installations.

Other public commenters raised concerns that the district has misrepresented survey data about SROs and urged clearer disclosure of what the survey actually asked. Commenters also announced a school-board candidate forum and other community events.

Board members and staff thanked the speakers, acknowledged the initiatives, and encouraged follow-up with district staff on logistics and coordination.