April 27 School Board notes

Note: All notes published on this blog are a best effort to translate what is communicated at meetings. Any mistakes here are my own --- please point them out if you see any and I will try to rectify.
Kristin McNaron, GEPA Secretary

Public Comment

Sekou Shabaka spoke on behalf of the Goochland NAACP. He noted that they had been appearing in front of the Goochland School Board for 10 years, addressing the subjects of low test scores, discipline issues, and drop-outs amongst black students, particularly black males. In short, the group feels that no appreciable results have come of their requests in this time. They asked that a neutral entity be brought in to assess the situation and that the school board and administration work with parents and community to build a comprehensive plan on how to address and improve the issues. The NAACP has previously provided recommendations to the board and they have offered community support in execution of a plan. Chairman Cisne asked Mr. Shabaka for written copies of any talking points or recommendations from the NAACP, which Mr. Shabaka indicated that they would provide.

*Note: GEPA board members have requested a copy of the NAACP recommendations as well, along with permission to post them here. We’ll post them as soon as we can.


Karron Myrick’s comments: (this is the written version recapping her spoken statement/request):

I am following up in writing on the request I made at the April 27, 2010 School Board meeting. I asked the board to use consistently these three concepts in the funding decision-making process:

1. Core –What is the fundamental job and service that must be delivered by our public schools? The Virginia Department of Education tells us the most important or core job of the public schools is established by what is tested. The VA Department of Education tests the performance of our schools/students in Reading, Writing, Math, Science and Social Studies. All programs and instruction related services that support this core should be absolutely the very last thing touched in a budget crisis.

2. Research – Life is full of tradeoffs. Research-based decision- making helps everyone (administrators, teachers, and parents) to understand the risks and benefits of decisions made. I urge the administration and teachers of Goochland County Public Schools to base funding decisions on educational research. Outcomes per dollar are the most important thing. How many children does this program impact and how much per child does it cost. Next to that information should be a rating of how closely the item is tied to the essential core mission of schools.

3. Measurement – Measurement is essential in maintaining high standards and tracking progress. Although never perfect, it is a fundamental and an important tool.

I believe the school system is moving away from an efficient, best practice model for the identified gifted students in grades 3-5. I am saddened and baffled that the elementary center-based gifted program is not viewed as core since it is accelerating advanced students in Reading, Writing, Math, Science and Social Studies.
This program really should not be part of cuts. Since GCPS is abandoning a best practice model, I formally request that the school system measure the impact of this change. I ask the system to compile five years of SOL scores for identified gifted students in grades 3-5, and make these scores available to the Gifted Advisory Committee and available for all parents before the new school year. I would like the scores under the new "home school based" model to be compared to this historical data. I hope that the students in their individual schools can achieve scores at a similar level, as their predecessors did in the center-based model.


John Wright spoke on the subject of potential future savings by looking at how the school system obtains computers. Currently Goochland schools lease computers. Mr. Wright read an excerpt of an article about Henrico’s decision to switch to a Dell contract from an Apple contract and the substantial savings gained from the move. Mr. Wright would like the schools to consider this in future planning as existing leases expire.

Cindy Stansberry spoke about students on the ends of the bell curve in the schools. She noted that most instruction was geared toward the middle of the curve, but that students on both ends benefitted far less from that curriculum. She noted that instruction in the schools must address the special needs of the students on the ends.

Jane Christie’s comments: (this is her written recap of her statements/requests to the board)

1. From the School Board minutes, it appears that at least 11 teachers, a math specialist and a reading specialist have left the school system during the current budget cycle. Are there any plans to replace these positions to maintain the current pupil/teacher ratios in Goochland County schools?

2. Are there plans to refill the administrative position vacated by Mr. Brad Franklin, or will this non-teaching position now be eliminated in order to preserve teaching positions?

3. At the last School Board meeting, Dr. Underwood mentioned plans to hire a consultant to assess energy efficiency in our schools. I understand the comment was made that "you have to spend money, to save money". Dr. Adeeb Hamzey, who until recently worked for Dominion Virginia Power, has been offering for years to perform an energy efficiency evaluation of our schools, FREE of charge. Please can the School Board explain the current proposal to spend thousands of dollars to hire a consultant to perform this function in the current economic circumstances?

4. Earlier tonight, Karron Myrick mentioned the influence of peer pressure on gifted students. As a parent, I would like to affirm her comments based on our own experience. Goochland High School has no gifted program for gifted art students. The Blue Ridge program is geared towards Math and Science students and offers primarily Honors classes. Honors classes developed for the top 20% of students are NOT a gifted program! Our eldest daughter was in the first group of gifted students to complete grades 3-5 in the Goochland center-based gifted program, and benefited from continued gifted education during her middle school years. Literally the day she started 9th grade, problems began. Isolated from her intellectual group, and no longer challenged in her studies, she started losing her way academically, electing instead to apply her bright mind to modifying her appearance and behavior, to find social acceptance amongst her peers.

Our family is experiencing first hand the lack of academic motivation, the denial of giftedness, the negative impact of peer pressure and many of the other behavioral problems predicted by the research studies when a gifted child ceases to be academically challenged.

Rogers, K.B. (2007). Lessons learned about educating the gifted and talented: A synthesis of the research on educational practice. Gifted Child Quarterly, 51, 382-396. This synthesis of research over the past 120 years suggests that gifted need daily challenge in their areas of strength – not doing so is associated with stress, depression, and boredom; they need regular unique opportunities for independent work which results in strong academic growth – not doing so is associated with dependence, lowered motivation, and reticence and underachievement; they need subject and grade-based acceleration which has the strongest impact on academic growth and psychological health; they need to socialize with intellectual peers which also produces strong academic and moderate social affective effects; they need curriculum differentiated in pace, content, the amount of practice required and organization which produces significant gains in academic performance and subject specific skills and how much they like school.

Personnel items:

see the agenda packet http://www.glnd.k12.va.us/images/uploads/4:27:10_packet.pdf

Dr. Underwood added Amy Potter to the list, with a Leave of Absence for the remainder of the school year. Dr. Underwood noted that the other 3 LOAs were for the entirety of the coming school year.

Supplemental Appropriation
Dr. Underwood indicated that the final state budget appropriated an additional $162k in State Fiscal Stabilization Funds (part of the Federal ARRA funds) to the county. She clarified that this money would come out of our operating budget and move to grants fund. She has identified expenditures that will meet the criteria of this funding. (This item will be on the BoS agenda next Tuesday.)

2009-2010 School Calendar
This school year students missed 9 instructional days due to inclement weather. Only 6 days were built into the school calendar, with the note that any additional days would be made up by extending the school day. The administration, after consulting principals and teachers, feels that it is not necessary to extend school days. State code requires that students attend either 180 days or 990 hours of instructional time. With the make-up days we have, students will attend 177 days and 1062 hours, so we can meet the mandate using hours of instruction. The instructional calendars and testing schedules have been shifted to accommodate the missed days, and additional hours are not needed. The board voted and approved this recommendation.


2010-2011 School Calendar
There have been no changes and no negative feedback on the proposed calendar since the last meeting. The board voted and approved the proposed calendar. The approved calendar is here: http://www.glnd.k12.va.us/index/news/proposed_calendar_for_2010_11/


YMCA Memo of Understanding
See the entire memo in the agenda packet. http://www.glnd.k12.va.us/images/uploads/4:27:10_packet.pdf

The budget reductions in the 2010-2011 budget eliminated the Tender Tots and Virginia Preschool Initiative programs. Jan Kenney spoke on behalf of the YMCA. The YMCA is moving forward to fill the gap by taking over the Tender Tots program. They will use the same curriculum, and the program will be available to the entire community, including financial assistance to those who need it. The YMCA has requested the use of the same program space in the Specialty Center. The memo itself addresses the collaboration between the schools and the YMCA, including the 2nd grade swim lessons, after school care, and the use of school properties for certain programs.

*Note: GEPA board members requested more details on the Tender Tots program and permission to publish this information on this blog. Ms. Kenney indicated that they are currently working on informational flyers and will provide us with that information once it is complete.


Community Policy and Management Team
Dr. Underwood spoke about the fact that schools use funds from this program to provide services that address needs of students in their home schools (or least restrictive programs). Currently there is a policy conflict between Virginia Department of Education and CSA, and the schools do not know the impact of funding this will have. This conflict may force the schools to put the burden of these costs back into the school budget.


Budget Update
Dr. Underwood reviewed a comparison of last year’s budget (the all-time highest for the county schools), this year’s, and next year’s current proposed budget.

Next year’s budget is planned based on having $750k unspent at the end of this school year.

The schools need to make an additional $317k in cuts.

Dr. Underwood will make her proposals for the additional cuts at the May 11th School Board meeting, and will request approval at the May 25th meeting. The budget changes will be reported to the Board of Supervisors at the June 1st meeting.

Other Business
Dr. Underwood indicated that the drug dogs did visit the middle school/high school complex last week. There were 3 “hits” in the school parking lot and disciplinary measures are underway. When asked, she did indicate that the implicated persons were all students.

Mr. Mattox spoke about the Independent Studies and Internships program. This program has $50k in startup from the schools, and 103 students have taken part in the program since then. He requested that Dr. Underwood publish some information about the success of this program.

Mr. Miller asked the board to consider the suggestions that have been made to move meetings next year to better facilities – perhaps the Board of Supervisors room.

School Board Meeting + GEPA meeting 4/27/2010

Parents --

The next meeting of the School Board is Tuesday, April 27th at 6 PM in the Annex Building Conference Room. Here is the agenda this week: http://www.glnd.k12.va.us/index/schoolboard/agendas/

As always, we encourage your attendance!

We will also have a follow-up GEPA meeting at Rocco's immediately following the School Board meeting. Please attend as we will discuss next steps & ideas for helping the schools.

Letter to the School Board

Dear Sirs:

The board of the Goochland Education Parents Association (GEPA) would like to extend a thank you to Mr. Miller for his work as School Board Chairman over the last year, as well as for his many years of service to the county schools. Despite the difficulties of the budget climate this year, we recognize that Goochland has built an impressive school system for such a small county, and our organization exists in part as an effort to not lose ground so hard fought for by administrators, school board members, teachers, and parents over the years.

We would also like to congratulate and welcome Mr. Cisne and Mr. Mattox as the new Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the School Board. We very much look forward to working with you this year.

While this school budget process is winding down, there are still decisions to be made. The School Board must consider how to allocate the negative contingency approved by the Board of Supervisors, must consider how to live within the approved budget, must plan for the appropriate usage of stimulus and grants monies, and must plan for the high likelihood of additional cuts in the future. We sincerely hope that the members of the School Board keep in mind the oft-stated priorities of your constituents as you make these decisions.

As we have communicated since forming in January, we ask that you do the following:

1. Preserve classroom teaching positions.
2. Preserve the current pupil/teacher ratio.
3. Preserve a balanced, full service curriculum of programs and services to fulfill the needs of every child in the GCPS system.
4. Reduce administrative costs and other non-teaching overheads.
5. Operate the GCPS system in the best interests of ALL the children ALL the time.
6. Maintain Goochland property values.

We would like to re-iterate our desire and willingness to work with the School Board to achieve the goals of the parents in the county. It is truly not our desire to make speeches at meetings, but rather to sit at a table with you and have meaningful dialog about how to best support our children's education. You may reach out to us at any time via the board's email address: board@goochlandparents.com. We remain willing to meet with you individually or via committee.


Sincerely,
Kristin McNaron
GEPA Secretary



cc:
Raymond Miller
Maxwell Cisne
Ivan Mattox
Jim Haskell
Andrew Meng
Andrew Pryor
William Quarles
Ned Creasy
"Rudy" Butler
Jim Eads
Andrea Erard
Diane Bennett
Jo D Hosken
Jane Christie
Adeeb Hamzey

GES PTA Landscape Committee Spring Cleanup this FRIDAY April 16

This Friday, April 16, the GES PTA Landscape committee will be working at the school immediately after school to help spruce up some of the grounds. If you are available, whether you have gardening knowledge or not, please come out and lend a hand. There is plenty for anyone to do.

We will be bringing a scoop of mulch from Southern States, wheel barrels, shovels, rakes, clippers, string trimmer, extension cords and hedge clippers, gloves and any other tools we find necessary.

We may also be there from 1-2 to start with some of the weeding and plant dividing.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or just come on out for as much or as little time as you can spare!

Thanks,

Colleen & Bill Williams, Landscaping Committee GES PTA

http://ges-sc-pta.blogspot.com/

April 13th School Board notes

Notes from the 4/13 School Board meeting:

Recognition
The Board recognized students who made all-state band as well as students and volunteers for Destination Imagination.

Public Comment
GEPA Chair Jo D Hosken re-presented the school board with the GEPA petition. She commented that the parents, the public, and the BOS have all asked them to cut administration instead of teachers where possible. She noted that she understood the SB wished additional VRS funds to be released to the schools, and wished them luck in that endeavor.

School Calendar
The 2010-2011 proposed calendar was presented. Details are posted online here: http://www.glnd.k12.va.us/index/news/proposed_calendar_for_2010_11/

The board, at Mr. Haskell’s suggestion, requested to wait until the next meeting (the Workshop on 4/27) before they take action so that public has more opportunity to review and provide feedback.

Budget Update
Dr. Underwood reviewed the BOS budget actions. The BOS left the school budget categories as proposed, but added a contingency of -$317,099. This means that this additional amount must be cut from the SB budget. Dr. Underwood noted that to do so, they were re-evaluating positions, including some being vacated due to attrition (retirement, resignation, leave of absence). She also indicated that they were going back and looking at consolidated services and consultations on efficiencies, including energy efficiency studies by Dominion Power.

At the May 11th SB meeting, Dr. Underwood will make the proposal for the additional cuts.

Special Education Audit
The schools recently had an audit of the special education program conducted. This audit was paid for with stimulus funds. The results of the audit were that some aspects of our program worked well and some did not. The audit provided recommendations for improving the areas that didn’t work as well, including:
• Work with staff and the state to articulate and teach entrance and exit criteria for services
• Work to improve and support the GIST program, which does act as a pre-referral for Special Education services.
• Re-organize the co-taught model
• Consolidate some services


Clarification for the board
Dr. Underwood clarified that when the decision was made at the last meeting to move forward with fixing the electrical at the existing bus garage, some board members seemed to understand that the $1500 would come from the $600,000 CIP appropriation. It was intended was that this money would come from existing operating budget. The board acknowledged this clarification.


New Business
Regarding Budget Process

Mr. Miller noted that at the last BOS meeting, a concern had been expressed by the BOS that the SB should present a budget of the amount requested by the BOS via the County Administrator. The SB chose not to do this, but rather presented was they felt was needed for the schools. Mr. Miller and the board were criticized in the BOS meeting for this.


Mr. Miller read a portion of the Virginia Code (Virginia Code § 22.1-92 - Estimate of moneys needed for public schools; notice of costs to be distributed). He read the following: “It shall be the duty of each division superintendent to prepare, with the approval of the school board, and submit to the governing body or bodies appropriating funds for the school division, by the date specified in 15.2-2503, the estimate of the amount of money deemed to be needed during the next fiscal year for the support of the public schools of the school division.” (See this code here: http://law.justia.com/virginia/codes/toc2201000/22.1-92.html)


Mr. Miller noted that this statement seemed to preclude the SB from presenting multiple options for budgets. He asked that the board consider their response on this matter so that it is clear how they will handle in future years.


Regarding Chairmenship

As indicated at the beginning of the year, Mr. Miller had stayed on as Chairman to see the board through the budget process. As that is winding down, they agreed to turn over chairmanship. Mr. Cisne was elected the new board Chair, and Mr. Mattox as vice chair.

More cuts to Goochland Schools

The next school board meeting is Tuesday April 14th at 7 PM at GHS. Read Jo D's recap from last week as to why YOU NEED TO BE THERE.



More cuts are upon us ! On this past Tuesday, the BOS voted to
maintain the tax rate .This should have put another 582K worth of cuts
to our schools but the county was asked to split the cuts so we are
now facing yet another 317K in cuts.
Several things have been pointed out about these cuts . The BOS has
asked the SB to have these cuts reflect the desires of the parents. Mr
Miller pointed out on Tuesday the 7th that he represented 99% of the
constituents in this budget that eliminates 22 positions.
Dr U has stated to the Times-Dispatch that this will mean further lay-
offs . And postings in the comment section of the Gazette tell us that
bus drivers have already been told that they are on the chopping block
as well.
317K would mean possibly another 5 teachers . Dual bus runs. End to
Center . No telling what other cuts will be thrown at us on Tuesday
night . It is very important that parents , teachers and citizens of
Goochland come out and express how we feel this money should come out
of the budget .
If Mr Miller feels that he is representing 99% he is wrong . He needs
to understand that the parents of GEPA have been representing other
people not just the faces he is most familiar with .
If you believe that this budget should be readdressed and cuts should
be made to admin not teachers. Or bus drivers . If you do not want
classrooms with 26 kids in them , if you do not want your child to
catch the bus at 6 am , if you do not want to lose your job, if you do
not want your collegues to be fired ,if you do not want your property
values to decrease because our quality of education has decreased
THEN
there is a School Board meeting on Tuesday April 14th at 7 PM at GHS .
Come out; speak up ; be heard .
The members of GEPA have shown this county twice that cuts do not have
to come from our core of our schools. Now we need everyone else to
tell the School Board that we are not going away and we want cuts to
come from waste.

http://goochlandomm.blogspot.com/

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/GOOC07GAT_20100406-203802/335458/

BOS & Taxes

Parents --

GEPA has been silent on the specific subject of the county proposals regarding taxes. As an association representing many diverse families, it isn't our place to speak on behalf of individuals on what is a very personal matter of opinion.

That said, the Supervisors DO want input from their constituents on the tax issues. We highly encourage you as individuals to reach out to your supervisors and share your opinion on the matter.

The final vote is on Tuesday. Opinions will be made before then -- so I encourage you to call or email today.

For contact info:


District 1
Andrew Pryor
(804)457-4177(h)
apryor@co.goochland.va.us

District 2
William E. Quarles Jr.
(804)556-2927(h)
wquarles@co.goochland.va.us

District 3
Ned S. Creasey
(804)556-3229
ncreasey@co.goochland.va.us

District 4
Malvern R. Butler
(804)784-4241(h & f)
mbutler@co.goochland.va.us

District 5
James W. Eads
(804)784-3944(h)
jeads@co.goochland.va.us