We have a lot of important things to discuss in our next meeting.
First off, I’m excited to say that two of our GEPA board members are running for School Board!!! Lucky for us it’s time to elect new board members or I’d be on my own! So, we’ll be taking nominations & voting in new officers at this meeting. This will give us time to help the new folks transition before they officially take office in August.
We’d also like to discuss the agenda for the school board meeting scheduled for Tuesday, 7/12. We expect the vote on the activities fees to take place at this meeting.
If you have thought in the past you would like to be more involved, then I would ask that you think about it now. I think we have all benefited from the information gained over the last two years. And, the future school board, no matter who is sitting on it, will benefit from parent & community input in the years to come.
Please plan to join us at Rocco’s at 4:30pm, Sunday, 7/10. The agenda will be announced later, but if you are unable to attend and would like to help out next year, then please contact Penny Palen at pjpalen@gmail.com .
Thanks everyone for your continued support of our school system.
Jen Hefner
GEPA Treasurer
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
School Board Budget Passed
“You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you
might find you get what you need.”
The GCPS School Board voted at last night’s continued meeting and
unanimously approved the FY12 school budget. Although some parents
are unhappy that the school board didn’t return 100% of all cuts, I
think it’s fair to say that they actually LISTENED to the parents’
concerns and suggestions this year. I hope this trend continues on
with a new school board and additional budget cycles in the future.
Keep making your voices heard!
Within the past two weeks, we worked together successfully to get the
following added back into the budget:
• Golf
• Gymnastics
• Swimming
• Part-time art position at elementary level (reduced from one full-
time)
• Part-time music position (reduced from one full-time)
• Part-time drama position, in lieu of eliminating drama entirely (GHS
English teaching position needs to be backfilled. They will have this
position cover drama as well. Thanks to the suggestion of a student
at the May 24th meeting!)
• Maggie Walker transportation (The schools considered liability
issues, especially after one parent spoke about his child’s safety at
the May 24th meeting. Great job!)
• The hiring of a Director of Elem. Education (Dr. Geyer)
Here’s the plan for items to be cut and/or reduced:
• Career/Tech Education now requires co-pay (Left out of the
presentation last night)
• Dual Enrollment JSRCC now requires co-pay
• Pay-to-play athletics (Although this wasn’t actually ever presented
as a “cut,” I believe it is still being considered as an “option.”)
• Superintendent’s “refreshments” budget was cut from $3K to $1500.
• Tina McCay’s position in administration will not be backfilled. (It
was mostly funded through grants/stimulus, but the Title I duties will
be absorbed by another member of administration.)
• 4th and 5th year French and Latin (Although the schools are
looking into various alternatives for educating the students in these
programs … if Blue Ridge Virtual is used, we NEED to have transfer
credits apply to students’ transcripts, which is currently not the
case.)
• Consolidation of 5 bus routes
\
Here’s what wasn’t mentioned:
** Per Ivan Mattox, all positions lost through attrition will be
backfilled.
AN ADDITIONAL ITEM OF NOTE:
Although GEPA and many parents have been questioning the true need of
certain high-level administration positions (ie: assistant principals
at GMS/GHS which are not necessary for Va. Standards of Quality), the
schools did not initially include ANY of these positions in their
Reduction-in-Force policy. Therefore, they cannot be eliminated to
fund the additional changes to the FY12 budget. Perhaps next year…..
Penny Palen
might find you get what you need.”
The GCPS School Board voted at last night’s continued meeting and
unanimously approved the FY12 school budget. Although some parents
are unhappy that the school board didn’t return 100% of all cuts, I
think it’s fair to say that they actually LISTENED to the parents’
concerns and suggestions this year. I hope this trend continues on
with a new school board and additional budget cycles in the future.
Keep making your voices heard!
Within the past two weeks, we worked together successfully to get the
following added back into the budget:
• Golf
• Gymnastics
• Swimming
• Part-time art position at elementary level (reduced from one full-
time)
• Part-time music position (reduced from one full-time)
• Part-time drama position, in lieu of eliminating drama entirely (GHS
English teaching position needs to be backfilled. They will have this
position cover drama as well. Thanks to the suggestion of a student
at the May 24th meeting!)
• Maggie Walker transportation (The schools considered liability
issues, especially after one parent spoke about his child’s safety at
the May 24th meeting. Great job!)
• The hiring of a Director of Elem. Education (Dr. Geyer)
Here’s the plan for items to be cut and/or reduced:
• Career/Tech Education now requires co-pay (Left out of the
presentation last night)
• Dual Enrollment JSRCC now requires co-pay
• Pay-to-play athletics (Although this wasn’t actually ever presented
as a “cut,” I believe it is still being considered as an “option.”)
• Superintendent’s “refreshments” budget was cut from $3K to $1500.
• Tina McCay’s position in administration will not be backfilled. (It
was mostly funded through grants/stimulus, but the Title I duties will
be absorbed by another member of administration.)
• 4th and 5th year French and Latin (Although the schools are
looking into various alternatives for educating the students in these
programs … if Blue Ridge Virtual is used, we NEED to have transfer
credits apply to students’ transcripts, which is currently not the
case.)
• Consolidation of 5 bus routes
\
Here’s what wasn’t mentioned:
** Per Ivan Mattox, all positions lost through attrition will be
backfilled.
AN ADDITIONAL ITEM OF NOTE:
Although GEPA and many parents have been questioning the true need of
certain high-level administration positions (ie: assistant principals
at GMS/GHS which are not necessary for Va. Standards of Quality), the
schools did not initially include ANY of these positions in their
Reduction-in-Force policy. Therefore, they cannot be eliminated to
fund the additional changes to the FY12 budget. Perhaps next year…..
Penny Palen
Monday, May 30, 2011
School Board Meeting Part II May 31st
The continued budget meeting of the GCPS School Board will meet
again:
Tuesday, May 31st
7:00pm
Goochland High School
The School Board is making an exception and allowing an additional
comment period for this meeting. Public comment will be limited to
one half-hour and every speaker held to a time limit of three
minutes. (Since this is a continuation of a "workshop" meeting,
usually only one comment period is held at the beginning.)
IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK, GET THERE EARLY!!
THEY WILL HAVE A SIGN-UP SHEET AT 6:30....FIRST COME-FIRST SERVED.
again:
Tuesday, May 31st
7:00pm
Goochland High School
The School Board is making an exception and allowing an additional
comment period for this meeting. Public comment will be limited to
one half-hour and every speaker held to a time limit of three
minutes. (Since this is a continuation of a "workshop" meeting,
usually only one comment period is held at the beginning.)
IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK, GET THERE EARLY!!
THEY WILL HAVE A SIGN-UP SHEET AT 6:30....FIRST COME-FIRST SERVED.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
School Board Workshop Meeting May 24th
MAY 24, 2011
GOOCHLAND HIGH SCHOOL
6:30 P.M.
Tonight’s meeting will include the School Board’s vote on the revised FY12 budget, including any proposed cuts to programs and teachers.
As it stands now, we are losing a part-time art teacher and a music teacher at RES, in addition to a drama and a French teacher at GMS/GHS. Of course, this does not include any teachers we will be losing to attrition or retirement, whose positions may not be backfilled. Also included in the proposed cuts is the elimination of the swim team. It appears that golf is not going to receive the axe, per Mr. Mattox. French and Latin 4th and 5th year are also planning to be cut.
The new GES principal may also be announced.
Please attend if you want your voices heard. The link to the agenda follows:
http://www.glnd.k12.va.us/index/schoolboard/agendas/
Monday, March 28, 2011
Public Hearing Reminder!
Just a reminder that the public hearing on the County and School FY12 budgets
will be held tomorrow evening, March 29, 2011 at 7:00pm. It will take place in the Goochland High School Auditorium, in order to accommodate a larger than usual crowd.
If you are interested in speaking at this hearing, please remember to sign up with the clerk before the meeting begins. You will be limited to three minutes. If you don’t feel comfortable speaking and/or still want to attend and show your support, we will be asking the citizens at an appropriate time to “stand up for education” and show their support of the schools.
Please pass this along to other citizens of this county, as our hopes are to have as many people possible! We need your support!
Goochland County Board of Supervisors will be voting on the final budget(s) during their April 5th meeting (next Tuesday).
We look forward to seeing you all there!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Community GEPA Meeting
The Goochland Education Parents Association will be holding an OPEN meeting on March 23, 2010. It will take place at 5:30pm at the Goochland Library. All members of our community are invited to attend. We will be discussing current school and county budget issues, as well as other concerns that have recently surfaced regarding our school system in general. Please feel free to share your questions, concerns, opinions and facts!
The Public Hearing on the Goochland County budget will be held on Tuesday, March 29th at 7:00pm
The Public Hearing on the Goochland County budget will be held on Tuesday, March 29th at 7:00pm
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Teacher Reduction In Force Policies and Notices AGAIN
Here we go again folks.
The School Board's March 8th meeting agenda is now posted on the GCPS
website.
Oddly enough, there are no "enclosures" to view at this time. I
suspect they will probably be added in the last final moments before
the meeting, as is typical of any issue of controversy. The following
is a portion of the agenda:
Date Prepared Meeting Date
March 3, 2011 March 8, 2011
Initiated By Linda Underwood
Staff Contact Linda Underwood
Explanation of Subject/Issue
Enclosure 3 provides the Reduction in Force Resolution that will be
presented for approval.
Superintendent’s Recommendation:
Approve as presented or provide direction as appropriate.
To view the agenda:
http://www.glnd.k12.va.us/index/schoolboard/agendas/
To contact your Board of Supervisors:
Disctric 1 Andrew Pryor: (804) 457-7177
apryor@co.goochland.va.us
District 4 Rudy Butler: (804) 784-4241
mbutler@co.goochland.va.us
District 5 Jim Eads: (804) 784-3944
jeads@co.goochland.va.us
District 2 Bill Quarles (804) 556-2927
wquarles@co.goochland.va.us
District 3 Ned Creasey (804) 556-3229
ncreasey@co.goochland.va.us
It is imperative that we stand up to the BOS and the County and get
this budget funded. There is simply no alternative and our CHILDREN
are the ones who will suffer the consequences. We have spent
countless hours reviewing the budget, there just isn't anything
significant to cut for FY12. We cannot afford lose any more teachers.
The next BOS meeting on the County budget is March 14th
The BOS Public Hearing on the County budget is March 29th,
Ther School Board meeting on RIF notices is March 8th at 7:00 @
Goochland High School Auditorium
Please Help Us Fund Your Schools!!
Penny Palen
Chairman,
Goochland Education Parents Association
The School Board's March 8th meeting agenda is now posted on the GCPS
website.
Oddly enough, there are no "enclosures" to view at this time. I
suspect they will probably be added in the last final moments before
the meeting, as is typical of any issue of controversy. The following
is a portion of the agenda:
Date Prepared Meeting Date
March 3, 2011 March 8, 2011
Initiated By Linda Underwood
Staff Contact Linda Underwood
Explanation of Subject/Issue
Enclosure 3 provides the Reduction in Force Resolution that will be
presented for approval.
Superintendent’s Recommendation:
Approve as presented or provide direction as appropriate.
To view the agenda:
http://www.glnd.k12.va.us/index/schoolboard/agendas/
To contact your Board of Supervisors:
Disctric 1 Andrew Pryor: (804) 457-7177
apryor@co.goochland.va.us
District 4 Rudy Butler: (804) 784-4241
mbutler@co.goochland.va.us
District 5 Jim Eads: (804) 784-3944
jeads@co.goochland.va.us
District 2 Bill Quarles (804) 556-2927
wquarles@co.goochland.va.us
District 3 Ned Creasey (804) 556-3229
ncreasey@co.goochland.va.us
It is imperative that we stand up to the BOS and the County and get
this budget funded. There is simply no alternative and our CHILDREN
are the ones who will suffer the consequences. We have spent
countless hours reviewing the budget, there just isn't anything
significant to cut for FY12. We cannot afford lose any more teachers.
The next BOS meeting on the County budget is March 14th
The BOS Public Hearing on the County budget is March 29th,
Ther School Board meeting on RIF notices is March 8th at 7:00 @
Goochland High School Auditorium
Please Help Us Fund Your Schools!!
Penny Palen
Chairman,
Goochland Education Parents Association
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