Parent Council Announcements

The Parent Council’s mission is to serve as a forum for parents, educators, and school officials to share ideas and exchange information in order to further advance the quality of the public education system within Albemarle County.

To subscribe to our Parent Council News mailings, please select the Parent Council Communication link under Navigation.

ACPS School Board public hearing postponed.

posted Feb 2, 2010 9:38 AM by Jane Kulow

The ACPS School Board public hearing, originally scheduled for February 2nd has been postponed due to anticipated inclement weather.

The public hearing will be held on Monday, February 15th at 6:30 pm.
The location is still to be determined.

Two Important Public Hearings for all ACPS Parents

posted Feb 1, 2010 6:31 PM by Jane Kulow   [ updated Feb 1, 2010 6:54 PM ]

Note: The School Board hearing may be rescheduled since schools will not be in session Feb 2nd. Confirmation or change to come.

ACPS School Board public hearing on the 2010-2011 schools budget
Tuesday, February 2nd at 6:30 pm, Monticello High School
Parent Council will provide light snacks in the lobby at 6:00 pm and will be available to answer questions.

Speak up to the School Board on any school funding cuts, such as increasing class sizes (currently slated to add one more student per classroom for grades 4-12; additional revenue cuts may require this for grades K-12). If you need any information on how the budget will affect your school, please contact your Principal or your Parent Council representative (see here for listing).


AC Board of Supervisors public hearing on the 2010-11 county budget
Wednesday, March 3rd at 6:00 pm, Lane Auditorium, Albemarle County Office Building
Parent Council will provide pizza and light snacks in room 235 (off the lobby) at 5:30 pm and will be available to answer questions.

Speak up to the Board of Supervisors on providing enough funding to maintain a quality education in Albemarle County. Parent Council is looking for at least five parents from each school willing to commit to attending this hearing and speaking up in support of our schools. If you are willing to attend, please contact your PTO President or your Parent Council representative.

Key points about the ACPS school budget are attached here.
Further information about how these hearings work is also attached here.

SOS: Speak up for Our Schools!

posted Feb 1, 2010 4:35 AM by Jane Kulow   [ updated Feb 1, 2010 6:31 PM ]

If parents are concerned about their schools, they must get involved. Speak up for Our Schools. We want 100 parents to speak up for our schools at the March 3rd Albemarle County Board of Supervisors public hearing.

(March 3, 2010 at 6 pm, Albemarle County Office Building, 2nd floor, Lane Auditorium)

How:  contact your PC rep to ask what you can do.

Make the commitment today to speak on behalf of our schools.


This is our SOS:  Speak up for Our Schools.

Show up at the March 3rd Board of Supervisors public hearing and speak up for your children, for all 12,765 students in Albemarle County. Strong public schools build strong communities.

Superintendent Presents $145.88 Million Funding Request for 2010-11

posted Jan 22, 2010 8:03 AM by Jane Kulow   [ updated Jan 22, 2010 8:32 AM ]

Superintendent Pamela Moran presented her Funding Request for the 2010-11 school year to the Albemarle County School Board during a special meeting on January 20, 2010. The request of $145.88 million is $3.1 million less than the 2009-10 adopted budget of $148.9 million, and for the second consecutive year, is a request of reductions, not of new initiatives.

The Superintendent was challenged to meet projected revenue shortfalls, including a projected $4 million reduction in local revenue for 2010-11. The Funding Request incorporates a projected $363,000 decline in state revenues, and assumes the state's Composite Index changes are delayed until 2011-12, per former Governor Kaine's proposed budget. It also assumes no additional reductions in state revenue are forthcoming from the budget finalized by the General Assembly and Governor McDonnell. Anticipated revenues for 2010-11 decrease by 2.7% from the appropriated 2009-10 School Division budget. 

The 2010-11 funding request attempts to meet the needs of our community's learners with the current real-estate tax rate of $0.742 for revenues available to the school division. The superintendent's funding request of $145.88 million is about $1 million shy of the revenue projections to the school division of $144.95 million.
 
The Superintendent's Funding Request calls for $5.3 million in reductions, including:
 
  • No salary increases of any kind for any employees; the projected 8 percent increase in health care costs and increased Virginia Retirement System expenses are covered by the request so employees will not receive a direct reduction in compensation for 2010-11;
  • Increases in class size by one student in grades 4 through 12, a net loss of ~17 full-time equivalent teaching positions, many of which will be absorbed by attrition;
  • Ten percent cuts in eligible operational budgets across the board for all schools and departments;
  • Places hold on technology replacement and improvements;
  • Reduces Learning Resources (textbooks, online resources, consumable materials) by $500,000;
  • Reduces the transportation department by nearly $400,000, as efficiencies in routing, compensation, and program delivery are implemented. There will be fewer bus routes, longer bus ride times, expanded walk zones, and fewer bus drivers.
  • Reduces professional development reimbursement funds by 50 percent.
  • Introduces for the first time a student activities fee for athletic programs and reduces the programs we offer:
  • A student activity fee of $75 per student, per sport, with a cap of $425 per family will be enacted.
  • Freshmen athletic teams at Monticello High and Western Albemarle High will be eliminated.
  • Junior Varsity coaching assistants will be eliminated at all high schools.
  • Cuts instructional support funds for intervention and enrichment, CATEC, elementary and middle school summer school;
  • Makes, for the third consecutive year, additional position cuts in at the central office, and in support services, including leadership reductions.

The Superintendent's Funding Request is not balanced to current projected revenue. An additional $1 million in increased funds or further reductions must be made to meet current available revenue. The School Board will hold a series of budget work sessions in January, a Public Hearing on February 2, and another Telephone Town Hall on February 3 to hear feedback and concerns from the community. The Board may decide to revise the funding request before submitting it to the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors.

The School Board will begin its budget discussions at its work session on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. in the Albemarle County Office Building Lane Auditorium at 401 McIntire Road in Charlottesville.
 
The complete Superintendent's Funding Request and other information about the Albemarle County Public Schools budget development process is available online at www.k12albemarle.org/board/budget .

2010-11 Budget Meetings and Hearings
Please note the following times and locations for meetings and hearings related to the 2010-11 budgets for both Albemarle County Public Schools and Albemarle County.

Your attendance is welcome at any of these meetings or hearings and could have the most impact at the first Board of Supervisors Public Hearing, to be held on March 3rd.

The contact information for Albemarle County School Board members and members of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors is provided below. You have the opportunity to speak directly to any concerns you have about funding for the schools by making use of the public hearings, telephone calls, or written correspondence to your elected representatives.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010, 6:30 pm, Monticello HS Auditorium
ACPS School Board Public Hearing:
Proposed budget, FY 2010/11

Wednesday, February 3, 2010, Teletown Hall
The ACPS School Board will solicit public questions and comments on the proposed school budget.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010
, time TBA, Lane Auditorium, ACOB
Board of Supervisors Public Hearing:
The County Executive’s recommended budget, Fiscal Year 2010/11
 
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
, time TBA, Lane Auditorium, ACOB
Board of Supervisors Public Hearing:
The BOS’s proposed budget, FY 2010/11
2010 calendar year tax rate

Wednesday, April 7, 2010, time TBA, Lane Auditorium, ACOB
Board of Supervisors Public Hearing:
The BOS sets the 2010 calendar year tax rate
The BOS adopts its FY 2010/2011budget
(during ACPS Spring Break)

Contact Information — Albemarle County Public Schools Board
http://schoolcenter.k12albemarle.org/education/dept/dept.php?sectiondetailid=32966

Ronnie Price, Sr.    (Rivanna district)
Pamela Moynihan    (Rio district)
Diantha McKeel (Jouett district)
Barbara Massie Mouly  (White Hall)
Eric Strucko    (Samuel Miller)
Steve Koleszar    (Scottsville)
Brian Wheeler  (At-Large)

To email the entire School Board, write schoolboard@k12albemarle.org

Contact Information — Albemarle County Board of Supervisors
http://www.albemarle.org/department.asp?department=bos&relpage=1944

Lindsay  G. Dorrier, Jr.   (Scottsville District)
Dennis S. Rooker   (Jack Jouett District)
Duane E. Snow   (Samuel Miller District)
Rodney Thomas   (Rio District)
Ann H. Mallek   (White Hall District)
Kenneth C. Boyd    (Rivanna District)

To email the entire Board of Supervisors, write bos@albemarle.org

Feb. 2nd Albemarle County School Board Public Hearing to be held at Monticello HS.

posted Jan 19, 2010 5:10 PM by Jane Kulow

 Please note:  The February 2nd School Board Public Hearing on the 2010-11 Schools Budget (that Parent Council is attending in lieu of our regular February meeting) will be held at the Monticello High School Auditorium, beginning at 6:30 pm.

Albemarle County School Board to hold special meeting

posted Jan 18, 2010 5:27 PM by Jane Kulow

Superintendent Pamela Moran will present her Funding Request for the 2010-11 school year to the Albemarle County School Board on Wed., January 20, 2010.  The special meeting of the School Board will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Lane Auditorium of the Albemarle County Office Building.     

In The News: articles related to January 5th meeting discussions.

posted Jan 18, 2010 5:13 PM by Jane Kulow   [ updated Jan 19, 2010 6:35 PM ]

Related to the presentation on new technologies currently being used in education...
  • Charlottesville's Channel 29 News filed a report from the Parent Council meeting. Keith McGilvery interviewed some of the Crozet Elementary students who have been using iPods in the classroom. filed from the Parent Council meeting. A wide variety of perspectives can be found in the related comments, as well.
  • A recent column by David Carr (New York Times, 1 January 2010), titled Why Twitter Will Endure, includes this bit:  
“What could anyone possibly find useful in this cacophony of short-burst communication?
Well, that depends on whom you ask, but more importantly whom you follow. On Twitter, anyone may follow anyone, but there is very little expectation of reciprocity. By carefully curating the people you follow, Twitter becomes an always-on data stream from really bright people in their respective fields, whose tweets are often full of links to incredibly vital, timely information.”

CATEC seeks Business Council volunteers

posted Jan 18, 2010 5:03 PM by Jane Kulow   [ updated Jan 18, 2010 5:10 PM ]

 Please see the attached press release from CATEC, seeking business education partners.

December meeting update has been posted.

posted Jan 15, 2010 11:45 AM by Jane Kulow   [ updated Jan 15, 2010 11:47 AM ]

December meeting update has been posted.

Budget Update and PowerPoint file

posted Jan 15, 2010 11:36 AM by John Lewis

Greetings all:

1.  Attached please find a copy of the Budget Update, slightly updated from the presentation given by Dr. Benson at our December 1st meeting. This presentation was accompanied by comments at our meeting; if any of this information is either new or confusing, please contact me (or your Principal) with any questions you may have. *See below for acronym help.

Please note:  This presentation has been approved for distribution to Parent Council. Please feel free to use this for your PTO meetings if you wish.

2. Please do include the following paragraphs in your schools’ news. This update is from ACPS as well:

Budget Synopsis Update 12/11/09
This will likely be the most challenging budget cycle experienced by Albemarle County Schools in its history. State revenues may decline by as much as 15% for 2010-11 due to changes in Albemarle County’s composite index and overall state budget reductions. We will have a better idea how much when the Governor presents his budget on 12/18. Local revenues continue to slide as housing values slump and sales tax revenue falls. The projected revenue shortfall for the 2010-11 school year is between $8 and $11 million, depending on the tax rate agreed to by the newly elected Board of Supervisors. Even an equalized tax rate of 77.2 cents will not eliminate the need for major reductions. The anticipated revenue shortfall with the higher rate is $8 million, due to declining state and local revenues. It is not possible to make reductions of this magnitude (4-5 times as many as were made this current fiscal year) in department or operational budgets/staffing. All positions and programs will be affected.
 
The board is pursuing a budget amendment at the state level to recalculate the county’s ability to pay for education based on the actual revenues on hand after the $18 million in revenue sharing is given to the city of Charlottesville. The current ratio overstates the county’s ability to pay and understates the city’s ability to pay. There is no guarantee that this budget amendment will pass in the General Assembly; in fact, it will face stiff opposition. The change would result in approximately $2 to $2.5 million in additional state funding to Albemarle County. Dr. Moran will present her funding request to the School Board on Wednesday, January 20.


3. Also, in case you did not see the report in the Daily Progress, here is a link to their December 11th article on the School Board vote, Albemarle wants funds from city for schools:

http://www2.dailyprogress.com/cdp/news/local/article/albemarle_wants_funds_from_city_for_schools/49905/


4.  Governor Kaine’s budget is expected to be released this Friday, December 18th.

Thanks to a slumping economy, Kaine has to find $3.5 billion in cuts in the state budget. He is scheduled to propose his fiscal plan next Friday at a joint meeting of the legislature's money committees. Kaine has said that in balancing the budget, "everything's on the table."

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/state_regional_govtpolitics/article/NEWTAXXGAT11_20091211-174202/310971/


5.  Finally, the updated budget calendar for Albemarle County Public Schools is attached; the date of the School Board public hearing has been changed to Tuesday, February 2nd.

We appreciate all of your efforts on behalf of our students and our schools. To be continued...

*  The Parent Resources page of the ACPS website offers definitions of oft-used acronyms:
http://schoolcenter.k12albemarle.org/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=50387

‹ Prev    1-10 of 35    Next ›